RTHK: With eye on China, US Senate passes tech bill

The US Senate voted 68-32 on Tuesday to approve a sweeping package of legislation intended to boost the country's ability to compete with Chinese technology.

The desire for a hard line in dealings with China is one of the few bipartisan sentiments in the deeply divided US Congress, which is narrowly controlled by President Joe Biden's fellow Democrats.

The measure authorises about US$190 billion for provisions to strengthen US technology and research  and would separately approve spending US$54 billion to increase US production and research into semiconductors and telecommunications equipment, including US$2 billion dedicated to chips used by carmakers that have seen massive shortages and made significant production cuts.

The bill must pass the House of Representatives to be sent to the White House for Biden to sign into law. It is not clear what legislation in the House will look like or when it might take it up.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a co-sponsor of the measure, warned of the dire consequences of not funding research to keep up with China.

"If we do nothing, our days as the dominant superpower may be ending. We dont mean to let those days end on our watch. We dont mean to see America become a middling nation in this century," Schumer said.

Senator Todd Young, a Republican co-author, said the bill "is not only about beating the Chinese Communist Party, (it) is about using their challenge to become a better version of ourselves through investment in innovation".

US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo has said the funding could result in seven to 10 new US semiconductor plants.

Some critics have likened the Senate funding effort to China's high-tech industrial development push, dubbed "Made in China 2025," which long irked the United States. (Reuters)

This story has been published on: 2021-06-09. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
South Africa: PSC urges for resolution of salary dispute

Public Service Commission (PSC) Commissioner, Michael Seloane, has called on labour unions and government to find common ground to resolve their differences over salaries in the interest of public servants and the public at large.

Seloane said the Commission is concerned that the stalemate could result in a potential strike by civil servants.

Addressing a media briefing in Tshwane on Wednesday, Seloane said the PSC is encouraged by how public servants have adapted to the new normal of hybrid work, necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

He urged departments to embrace the 4th Industrial Revolution as a means of mitigating the escalation of infections.

The COVID-19 pandemic is still within our midst and the PSC is encouraged by the public servants adaptation to the new normal.

The 4th Industrial Revolution, which has been a matter of public discourse, has found traction since the start of the pandemic, Seloane said.

Professionalising the public service

The PSC has outlined a range of remedial measures that are required to professionalise the public service in South Africa.

The PSC welcomes the gazetting of the National Implementation Framework towards the Professionalisation of the Public Service by the National School of Government, Seloane said.

The National Implementation Framework Document is an ambitious attempt to set the public administration on a path towards a capable and developmental State that is in line with the proposals contained in the National Development Plan and the 2015 Discussion Document.

With regard to service delivery complaints management in the public service, Seloane said the PSC conducted a study during 2020/21 to assess the effectiveness of complaints management.

It showed that the current state of complaints management in the public service is largely unresponsive to citizen complaints but that opportunities do exist for an improvement of the complaints management systems of departments.

One of the biggest challenges to being responsive is that there is no overarching model for complaints management in the public service.

Seloane said departments use disparate complaints management systems, without adhering to any overarching quality standards or norms.

The PSC envisages a quality certification process that will hopefully ensure adherence to international standards. This would also aid in establishing norms and standards that guide the consistent and prompt handling of complaints.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2021-06-09. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
[June 08, 2021] Teleperformance Recognized by Frost & Sullivan as the 2021 North American BPO Competitive Strategy Innovation Leader Teleperformance continues to make its mark as the global leader in customer experience management with its commitment to providing simpler, faster, and highly secure customer interactions SANTA CLARA, Calif., June 8, 2021 /CNW/ -- Frost & Sullivan continues to track the highly competitive global contact center outsourcing market against the backdrop of an ever-changing, digital transformation landscape. Customer care outsourcers are trying to adapt to this shifting digital setting to address an array of new challenges, improve the customer experience, and ensure customer loyalty. Based on its recent analysis of the North American contact center market, Frost & Sullivan has recognized Teleperfomance with the 2021 North American Competitive Strategy Innovation Leadership Award in BPO outsourcing. "This Award acknowledges Teleperformance's 40+ years of experience and leadership in the BPO market. Teleperformance Group has grown its operations to more than 380,000 employees in 83 countries, serving 170+ markets and managing client programs in more than 265 languages," said Principal Analyst Michael DeSalles. "Particularly notable during the 2020 pandemic period was Teleperformance's rapid deployment of an enhanced and expanded work-at-home agent (WAHA) workforce, from 10,000 to over 160,000 employees in less than 4 months." "Teleperformance's focus is on service, innovation, technology, tools, C-Sat/NPS, employee satisfaction (eSat), culture change, and revenue growth opportunities," noted DeSalles. "Teleperformance has made great strides in delivering on its mantra 'Every interaction matters.' The company has distinguished itself as an innovator in customer service delivery, global contact center practices, and outstanding financial performance."/p>

Consistent and regular employee education and awareness

Cutting-edge privacy and security technology processes

A global team of highly trained security professionals

Proprietary privacy and security management methodologies

Stringent global policies The Unique Teleperformance Cloud Campus WAHA solutions continue to be in high demand in 2021. Teleperformance Cloud Campus is a clear differentiator in the market, which, according to Frost & Sullivan, may be the most efficient and effective model for hiring, training, and managing remote teams while ensuring an exceptional, consistent customer experience. Frost & Sullivan Best Practices Awards recognize companies in a variety of regional and global markets for demonstrating outstanding achievement and superior performance in areas such as leadership, technological innovation, customer service, and strategic product development. Industry analysts compare market participants and measure performance through in-depth interviews, analyses, and extensive secondary research to identify best practices in the industry. About Teleperformance For over 40 years, Teleperformance, the global leader in customer experience management, has been connecting customers with the world's most successful companies. Teleperformance's Digital Integrated Business Services combine human touch and high technology to deliver an extraordinary customer experience. While technology creates new and agile ways of working, the company's interaction experts remain committed to creating unique connections through empathy, adaptive communication skills, and, more importantly, a passion for making it happen.

Visit www.teleperformance.com for more information About Frost & Sullivan Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, collaborates with clients to leverage visionary innovation that address the global challenges and related growth opportunities that will make or break today's market participants. For more than 50 years, Frost & Sullivan has been developing growth strategies for the global 1000, emerging businesses, the public sector, and the investment community.

Contact us: Start the discussion . Contact: Kristen Moore

P: 1-210-247-2843

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In late April, 49 governing Socialist lawmakers asked for the investigative committee. They accuse Meta, a former Socialist prime minister who left the party many years ago, of inciting instability and violence in the Balkan nation and siding with the political opposition ahead of the election. They say Meta should be impeached for failing in his constitutional duty to guarantee national unity.

The governing Socialist Party ended up winning a landslide of 74 of parliaments 140 seats in the April 25 election, winning their third four-year term.

(The) President of the Republics acts, behavior and approach ... run counter to his constitutional role and position, said the report. It added that Meta should be removed from the post of the President of the Republic for grave violation (of the constitution).

Albanias presidency is largely ceremonial but carries some authority over the judiciary and the armed forces. The role is also generally understood to be apolitical, but Meta has regularly clashed with Ramas Socialist government.

Since assuming the office of president in 2017 with the support of the ruling Socialists, Meta has opposed their agenda, blocking the nominations of ministers and vetoing legislation.
Wines of Portugal turns focus on independent wine shops with latest campaign

Wines of Portugal has created a new campaign to promote Portuguese wines in the independent retail sector.

As part of the Wines of Portugal Month - June is for Indies promotion, selected retailers are being supported to organise a campaign focusing on Portuguese wines in their physical or online shops, with specific communication and promotion, during the month of June. The participants were chosen via an application process. Of the 52 applications received, 15 were selected to participate in the campaign.

Each of the retailers has received a support package, alongside a digital tool box, point of sale material, an educational seminar hosted by Sarah Ahmed and will receive online support and promotion throughout the month of June on the Wines of Portugal UK and other partners social media channels.

In addition, Wines of Portugal UK has paired each of the indies with a local social media influencer; someone who will help raise awareness of the Portuguese wines in their local store, using the hashtags: #JuneIsforIndies and #WinesofPortugalUK.

Indies around the country have big plans for their individual promotions, ranging from tastings, social media promotions, articles, events and special offers.

Duncan Murray from Duncan Murray Wines in Market Harborough, said: People coming to independents are looking for something a bit different and Portugal provides that in spades. The wines are food-friendly, theres a versatility, the flavours are really exciting and theres a real difference between the same grape in the north, the middle and the south.

"Support your local Indie" is the tag line for this campaign, that aims, on one hand, to support independent retailers coming out of the pandemic and, on the other, to promote Portuguese wines among the Indies.

Frederico Falcao, Chairman of the ViniPortugal board, said: The UK is a fast-growing market and one of great relevance to Portugal. In the Wine Merchants annual survey, Portugal ranked 4th as the country with the highest growth potential. 28% of respondents said Portugal is one of the areas they see growth coming from, maintaining the trend of the last four years.

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The logo of Pegatron Corp is displayed on a smartphone. Photo by Shutterstock/IgorGolovniov.

Pegatron Corp, an assembler for Apple, Microsoft and Sony, plans to increase its investment in Vietnam for electronics production by $101 million.

Reuters quoted Taiwans Ministry of Economic Affairs, which has to approve overseas investments by local companies, as saying Pegatrons investment in Vietnam would be for the production of computers and peripherals, communications equipment and electronic components.

The company has not disclosed details of the investment.

It invested $19 million to build its first plant at the Dinh Vu Industrial Zone in Hai Phong City in March last year to produce computers, communications equipment and consumer electronic products.

It plans to build its second and third plants at a cost of $481 million and $500 million and also move its research and development center from China to Vietnam.
An aircraft prepares to land at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo by Shutterstock/Quang nguyen vinh.

A fully-fledged cargo airline in Vietnam would boost logistics development and stir up competition in the aviation sector amid an e-commerce boom, experts say.

"Vietnam needs a cargo airline to boost the transport of goods domestically and internationally. It will bring about many economic benefits," said aviation expert Nguyen Thien Thong.

He was commenting on a proposal by retail company Imex Pan Pacific Group (IPPG) to establish a cargo airline by next year, the first fully-fledged such company in Vietnam.

With an initial investment of VND2.4 trillion ($103.6 million), IPP Air Cargo will start with five freighters. It estimates revenues of $71 million in the first year of operation.

It would be the only cargo-dedicated airline in Vietnam, where all six carriers prioritize passenger transport.

Vietnam ranks eighth among the top 10 emerging logistics markets globally, but 80 percent of the market is in the hands of foreign companies, according to the Vietnam Logistics Association.

Logistics costs in Vietnam account for over 20 percent of its GDP, while the global average is 11 percent.

This shows that there is a need for domestic companies to step up and take over the industry from foreign companies and reduce costs, experts say.

Former Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc had in September last year ordered the Ministry of Transport to research the possibility of establishing a cargo airline to help distribute agriculture and electronic goods.

In 2008, Trai Thien Air Cargo had received a permit for domestic and international transport, but it was not active for three years and the permit was canceled in 2011.

IPP Air Cargo seeks to be the cargo airline the country needs. IPPG chairman Johnathan Hanh Nguyen said that the company will focus exclusively on cargo and not branch into passenger transport, avoiding competition with other airlines.

Nguyen, a professional with experience in logistics and aviation, said he targets claiming 38 percent of Vietnams logistics market.

The company will negotiate with foreign airlines to establish linked routes to 16 airports in Vietnam which will help transport goods directly from localities of origin instead of through big airports, he said.

He also told the Thanh Nien newspaper that he had been developing a logistics network over the past year to prepare for the airline.

However, his airline will not be the only cargo carrier in the sky. Vietnam Airlines has long been eyeing the establishment of its own cargo fleet, and during the pandemic, it removed seats from 12 wide-bodied aircraft and converted them into cargo carriers.

Both Bamboo Airways and Vietjet have also mentioned plans to develop their own cargo fleet, but neither has made any concrete move towards this.

Tong said that there could be competition in the industry, but eventually, it will benefit the development of e-commerce when a network of air cargo transport is established.

"Coffee from the central highlands, lychee from the northern province of Bac Giang and seafood from the Mekong Delta region can be transported within a day to any locality if cargo air routes existed," he said.

Having a cargo airline is a necessity as most countries have at least one, and the recent boom in e-commerce means there is high demand for such transportation. This is the right time, therefore, for Vietnam to establish its own cargo airline, he added.
It took mere days for seven coronavirus cases at a Bac Ninh company to become dozens more, all because initial Covid-19 tests failed to detect infection.

Nguyen Chi Hanh, deputy director of the northern province's Department of Health, on Tuesday said the seven cases were workers who returned to the Chinese electronic component firm AAC Technologies at the Que Vo industrial park on June 2, following shutdown due to the coronavirus.

Before returning to work, the staff had tested negative for the coronavirus on May 30 and June 1. The firm, which has around 6,500 workers, is divided into three different workshops called A, B and C, said Hanh. Each workshop is isolated from the others, he added.

On June 3, 450 staff in workshop A were tested, revealing the seven coronavirus cases. Standard coronavirus control protocols were deployed, including disinfection, isolation and other measures. B and C workshops were tested too, with all results returning negative and workers resuming operations.

By Wednesday however, 66 cases in total were recorded at the firm, turning it into a new coronavirus hotspot.

"The seven initial coronavirus cases at the AAC firm might have incubated the virus. At the point of testing, they had no symptoms and their results returned negative," said Hanh.

To prevent such an incident from reoccurring, Bac Ninh has ordered increased Covid-19 testing, done at least twice within a week before workers return to their factories. Moreover, at least 20 percent of factory workers must be screened to ensure no case slips by and that their health remains tip-top.

So far, Bac Ninh has recorded 1,170 Covid-19 cases in Vietnam's latest coronavirus wave since late April, second only to neighboring Bac Giang with 3,586 cases.
Foreign minister Bui Thanh Son called for "a basic and long-term solution" to the East Sea issue during talks with his Chinese counterpart on Tuesday.

The meeting between Son and Wang Yi took place in Chongqing City, China, on the sidelines of the ASEAN-China Special Foreign Ministers Meeting and the 6th Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Foreign Ministers Meeting, according to a statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The dispute in the South China Sea, which Vietnam calls the East Sea, was one of the issues on the agenda, and Son suggested the two sides should fully comply with international laws, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and hold talks to seek a solution to it.

The two sides agreed to maintain peace and stability, and coordinate with other members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to soon achieve a substantive and effective Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) in line with international laws, including UNCLOS.

They also agreed to foster bilateral relations by strengthening exchanges at all levels, cooperating in the fight against Covid-19, and coordinating at multilateral forums, especially the U.N.

Son wanted Beijing to create favorable conditions for Vietnam to export agricultural products and food to China, especially fruits.

Wang said China wishes to work with Vietnam to strengthen strategic exchanges and political trust, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation and promote bilateral relations to ensure they continue to develop healthily.

He promised Chinas support for Vietnam in disease prevention, including in vaccine research and production, and expressed the willingness to increase imports of Vietnamese goods.

The East Sea is also on the agenda at the ASEAN-China Special Foreign Ministers Meeting.

At the 19th ASEAN-China Senior Officials Meeting on the Implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (SOM-DOC) on Monday, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Quoc Dung said though maintaining peace, stability and security in the East Sea is in the mutual interest of ASEAN and China, unilateral actions continue in violation of the legal rights and interests of the East Seas littoral countries.

He called on all parties to scrupulously, and in good faith, implement the DOC and existing commitments, comply with international laws and the United Nations Charter and UNCLOS, creating a favorable environment for negotiations and building a substantive and effective COC in accordance with international law.
Vietnam is negotiating with other countries to secure Covid-19 vaccine doses for children aged 12-18, with the Pfizer vaccine a potential candidate.

In a meeting with ambassadors from Australia, France and Switzerland, Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long said one of Vietnam's priorities in the Covid-19 fight is early and expansive access to Covid-19 vaccine sources, a project to which the three countries could contribute.

He further requested the nations to cooperate with global vaccine access mechanism Covax in delivering Covid-19 vaccines to the country.

Australian ambassador to Vietnam Robyn Mudie said the country had contributed AUD130 million ($100.5 million) to Covax, and would provide AUD40 million to Vietnam's Covid-19 vaccine program over three years to secure the necessary doses. She said Australia hoped it could directly provide Covid-19 vaccine doses to Vietnam in another half year.

Long added Vietnam wishes to expand its Covid-19 vaccination recipient list to include children between 12-18, and suggested AUD13.5 million out of the aforementioned AUD40 million could be used to purchase Pfizer vaccines for this purpose.

U.S. pharmaceutical firm Pfizer on Tuesday announced it would begin trialing its Covid-19 vaccine on 4,500 children under 12 at over 90 medical facilities in the U.S., Poland, Finland and Spain. The vaccine has already been approved for use on children over 12 in Europe, the U.S. and Canada, Reuters reported.

On vaccinating expats in Vietnam against Covid-19, Long said due to shortages, shots would be prioritized for certain categories like frontline workers in the Covid-19 fight or people living in coronavirus-hit areas.

"Embassies could import Covid-19 vaccine doses through non-commercial routes to vaccinate their own citizens. Vietnam would support the necessary procedures and vaccine evaluation, and if needed, provide them free vaccination," Long stated.

Swiss ambassador to Vietnam Ivo Sieber said the country has contributed enough money to buy 3 million Covid-19 vaccine doses via Covax and provide technological support to developing countries. Swiss pharmaceutical firms are ready to support Vietnam in its Covid-19 fight, including accessing vaccine sources.

In response, Long said he wishes two pharmaceutical firms, DKSH and Zuellig Pharma, would hasten the process of supplying Vietnam with Covid-19 vaccine doses. Zuellig Pharma has been designated by Moderna to supply 5 million of its Covid-19 vaccines to Vietnam, where they would be received in Ho Chi Minh City.

French ambassador Nicolas Warnery proposed Vietnam import the Covid-19 vaccine produced by Johnson & Johnson and vaccinate French citizens in Vietnam, prioritizing those above 55. Long supported France's suggestion, adding he wished Vietnam and France could discuss technological transfer to help Vietnam develop and produce its own Covid-19 vaccines.

Vietnam is pushing for the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine to be approved for emergency use, the Ministry of Health announced Tuesday. Vu Tuan Cuong, head of the Drug Administration of Vietnam under the health ministry, said the administration is also in discussion to approve other Covid-19 vaccines like those produced by Moderna or Johnson & Johnson for emergency use.

So far, Vietnam has approved three types of Covid-19 vaccines for emergency use: one by British-Swedish firm AstraZeneca, one by China's Sinopharm and the Sputnik V vaccine from Russia.

The country's vaccination campaign started on March 8 targetting adults above 18. It has vaccinated over 1.3 million people against Covid-19 using the AstraZeneca jab, of whom over 38,000 have been given two shots.

It aims to secure 150 million vaccine doses this year to cover 70 percent of its population.
The United States continues to be deeply concerned about [North Koreas] wide-ranging human rights abuses, including severe restrictions on religious freedom, said Senior State Department Official Daniel Nadel.

According to the latest International Religious Freedom Report, the North Korean government reportedly continues to execute, torture, arrest, and physically abuse individuals engaged in almost any religious activities. The countrys inaccessibility and lack of timely information continue to limit the availability of details related to individual cases of abuse. It also makes it difficult to estimate the number of religious groups in the country and their membership.

The nongovernmental organization Open Doors USA estimated that at years end, 50,000 to 70,000 North Koreans were in prison for being Christian. In May 2020, the NGO Christian Solidarity Worldwide estimated 200,000 individuals were being held in prison camps, many for being Christian. The Database Center for North Korean Human Rights, a South Korea-based NGO, citing defectors who arrived in South Korea from 2007 until December 2019 and other sources, reported 1,411 cases of violations of the right to freedom of religion or belief by North Korean authorities, including 126 killings and 94 disappearances.

In October 2020, the United Kingdom-based NGO Korea Future Initiative, or KFI, released a report based on 117 interviews with defectors who were survivors, witnesses, or perpetrators of religious freedom violations from 1990 to 2019. Investigators identified 273 victims punished for engaging in religious practice or having contact with religious persons, attending places of worship, or sharing religious beliefs. The KFI report said they were subjected to arrest, detention, prolonged interrogations, punishment of family members, torture or sustained physical abuse, sexual violence, forced abortion, execution, and public trials.

In 2020, for the 19th consecutive year, Open Doors USA ranked North Korea number one on its annual World Watch List report of countries where Christians experienced extreme persecution. NGOs and defectors said the government often applied a policy of arresting or otherwise punishing family members of Christians. According to Open Doors USA, If North Korean Christians are discovered, they [are] deported to labor camps as political criminals or even killed on the spot.

The United States is intent on putting human rights issues at the center of its foreign policy, said Senior Official Nadel. That includes promoting accountability for the perpetrators of those abuses against religious freedom in North Korea.
Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa Jeffrey Feltman has just completed his first visit to Egypt, Eritrea, Sudan, and Ethiopia. His message was that the United States is committed to addressing regional crises and to supporting a prosperous and stable Horn of Africa in which its citizens have a voice in their governments.

Firstly, the United States believes a sovereign and united Ethiopia is integral to this vision. Yet there are deep concerns about increasing political and ethnic polarization throughout the country. The atrocities being perpetrated in Tigray and the scale of the humanitarian emergency are unacceptable. The United States will work with its international allies and partners to secure a ceasefire, end this brutal conflict, provide the life-saving assistance that is so urgently needed, and hold those responsible for human rights abuses and violations accountable.

The crisis in Tigray is also symptomatic of a broader set of national challenges that have imperiled meaningful reforms. As Special Envoy Feltman discussed with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy and other leaders, these challenges can most effectively be addressed through an effort to build a national consensus based on respect for the human and political rights of all Ethiopians, to include free and fair elections. The presence of Eritrean forces in Ethiopia is antithetical to these goals. In Asmara, Special Envoy Feltman underscored to President Isaias Afwerki the imperative that Eritrean troops withdraw from Ethiopia immediately.

The political transition in Sudan is a once-in-a-generation opportunity that can serve as an example for the region. As Special Envoy Feltman underscored to Sudans leadership, the United States will continue to support that countrys ongoing transition to democracy so that Sudan can claim its place as a responsible regional actor after three decades as a destabilizing force. The U.S. is also committed to help resolve the dispute over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam and conflicts? on Sudans borders, so they do not undermine the fragile progress made since the revolution.

Special Envoy Feltman discussed with leaders in Addis Ababa, Cairo, and Khartoum, Egypt and Sudans concerns over water security and dam safety as well as Ethiopias need for hydropower for development. These issues should be resolved through negotiations among the parties under the leadership of the African Union.

The United States remains committed to bringing peace and reconciliation to the Horn of Africa.
We have a very strong technical team, he said, adding that resolving difficult issues at Jerritt Canyon requires a committed team. Thats not to say we wont run into roadblocks, but we are problem-solvers.

Jerritt Canyon has two underground mines that are producing gold  the Lee Smith Mine and the SSX Mineand the mill that is one of the few roasters in Nevada.

With the acquisition, First Majestic now has a 119-square-mile land package, and Holmes said First Majestic is confident it can boost gold production and see the mill operate at capacity through exploration and toll milling.

Exploration at the front end will strengthen Jerritt Canyons production profile, and First Majestic will work on a pretty robust program for 2021-2022. We have to do lots more exploration drilling, he said.

Holmes said First Majestic thinks there is a huge opportunity to support the plant, which is now at about 60% capacity. That is the low-hanging fruit, and we will get busy and pick it.
[June 08, 2021]

European Luxury Retailer Uses Bright Pattern Contact Center Software to Connect In-Store Personnel with Online Customers Using Mobile Messengers and Video

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, June 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Bright Pattern , a leading provider of AI-powered cloud contact center software , has been deployed by a leading luxury retailer in Europe to expand digital channels and connect in-store associates with online customers during the COVID-19 pandemic using emerging digital channels such as the messenger app WhatsApp.

Due to the pandemic, the retailer had a significant shift in shopping from in-store to online. The luxury retailer swiftly adjusted to a more digital yet personal shopping experience by allowing agents who were chatting with online shoppers to connect with in-store personnel and share in-store product videos with the shoppers. Online agents can take requests from customers to view an item or group of items, and reach out to in-store personnel to capture videos of the products on their phones. Once the in-store representative shares the content with the agent, the agent can then share the videos with the customer via WhatsApp. Special personalized requests such as pairing a handbag with a particular scarf were also use cases made possible by using WhatsApp.

With Bright Pattern's omnichannel cloud contact center software, the company was able to provide a seamless shopping experience across all popular communication channels including traditional channels like voice, email, and chat, and newer digital channels like video, text message, in-app, bot, and social messengers. Both customers and associates have the power to shift the conversation across channels to personalize their shopping experience which has led to an increase in sales.

"Many companies had to shift the way they communicate with their customers during the COVID-19 pandemic," said Michael McCloskey, CEO of Bright Pattern. "We saw an increase in mobile and digital channels as retail consumers shopped from home during lockdowns, which led companies to add digital channels and provide sales and customer service support in their stores' mobile apps, over text messaging, and inside popular socialmessaging apps."





Companies of all sizes select Bright Pattern to power their customer experience because of its easy-to-use yet powerful omnichannel platform, offering traditional channels and emerging channels like Facebook Messenger, in-app customer support, enterprise functionality, and cloud-first architecture. Bright Pattern was recently recognized by Ovum as a Market Challenger , by Omdia for best platform functionality , by Frost & Sullivan as a top-performing vendor, and by Gartner as a leader in the Call Center FrontRunners Quadrant .

About Bright Pattern

Bright Pattern provides the simplest and most powerful AI-powered omnichannel contact center software and service management solutions for innovative midsize and enterprise companies. To make customer service brighter, easier, and faster than ever before, Bright Pattern offers the only true omnichannel cloud platform with embedded AI that can be deployed quickly and nimbly by business userswithout costly professional services. Bright Pattern allows companies to offer an effortless and personal customer experience across channels like voice, text, chat, email, video, messengers, and bots. Bright Pattern also allows companies to measure and act on every interaction on every channel with embedded AI omnichannel quality management . The company was founded by a team of industry veterans who pioneered the leading contact center solutions and are now delivering an architecture for the future with an advanced cloud-first approach . Bright Pattern's cloud contact center solution is used globally in over 26 countries.

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SOURCE Bright Pattern
Theyve (Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency) brought home almost a thousand people since we started the organization, Brown said. Theyve been identified and brought home to their families.

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They find the remains and then check the DNA, Brown said. They started out with what they call mitochondrial DNA, which is traceable through the mother for generations. They can get DNA from a tooththey can trace and figure out who it is. Sometimes thats all the family gets, you know, a tooth.

We have too many that havent come home to their families and they need to all come home, Brown said. I dont want one more family to not know where their family member is.

Brown was well thought of in the community for his role in the organization and his veteran activities.

A full motorcade is forming at 9 a.m. MST June 12 in Filer, Idaho, with a sheriffs escort all the way to Elko. The motorcade will bring Browns ashes home, according to friend Debi Hampton.

There are lots of bikes coming and vehicles are welcome, said Hampton.

There will be about 75 to 150 bikes there, Adams said. Everybody is welcome, Adams said. Its going to be a huge event.
Once again, we find ourselves disappointed but not surprised, but this time its regarding an insurgency within our own party instead of in the Republican Party, Whitmer said in a statement. Despite this ill-advised and undemocratic shift to a one-county strategy by some members of the party, we remain confident in our ability to do what we were tasked to do: elect Democrats to office in the State of Nevada and provide thoughtful leadership on progressive issues.

Similar party infighting has popped up with state parties around the country before, with incumbents and national political groups showing little confidence in state parties and instead channeling their efforts through county parties.

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It happened in Nevada in 2012, when national Republicans began working through the Washoe County GOP to support then-Sen. Dean Hellers releection, rather than working through the state GOP and its leadership aligned with former GOP presidential candidate Ron Paul.

Things have been rocky for Nevada Democrats since Whitmer and her allies took over the party in March, a move that prompted the resignations of the partys staff and consultants. Many were veterans of the vaunted Reid Machine built up by former U.S. Sen. Harry Reid of Nevada.
Still wary of Russian vaccine, Brazil clears its own 'study' for more data

Russian vaccine developers cheered hard-won access to Brazil's market last week, but with less than a million doses cleared for import, public health experts say the approval is more like a late-stage trial for the Sputnik V shot, Reuters report.

Late Friday, Brazilian health regulator Anvisa, which was under pressure from state governors and the country's Supreme Court, ruled that states could import the Russian covid-19 vaccine, but included some 20 strict conditions. Those restrictions undercut the impact of the approval and echo a cautious approach to the Russian vaccine among many Western regulators, including the European Medicines Agency. Previously, Anvisa had rejected Sputnik V in April.

'What will be done is practically a reproduction of a Phase 3 study in Brazil,' said former Anvisa president Gonzalo Vecina, who did not take part in the agency's decision. 'We'll have to do the work the Russians didn't, the whole drug safety study.'

Brazil's raging coronavirus outbreak has taken nearly 475,000 lives, the worst recorded death toll outside the United States, and its national immunization program has lost steam due to a lack of imported vaccines and active ingredients. Against that dire backdrop, a consortium of Brazilian states in the poorer northeast region have booked orders for Sputnik V directly and sought import approval from Anvisa under emergency provisions of a new law, backed by Supreme Court decisions.

'The impression is that they gave approval under pressure, within the limits they could allow,' said immunologist Jorge Kalil of the University of Sao Paulo. 'At least it doesn't kill the chances of having the vaccine.' But the agency has only allowed six northeastern states to import enough Sputnik V vaccines to inoculate 1% of their population - far from the 37 million shots states have ordered across the country.

The Russian vaccine, already in use in Latin American peers such as Mexico and Argentina, will undergo quality checks in Brazilian labs. And state health authorities must report granular data on efficacy and adverse events to Anvisa, which was not satisfied with disclosures from Russian developers.
Shoppers in Maine will have to remember to bring their own bags to store after it was announced that all Walmart stores in the state will be going bagless from next month.

The state is set to impose a ban on plastic bags from 1 July onwards, a move that has been a long time coming but was delayed due to the pandemic. Accordingly, Walmart have announced that they will no longer be provided bags in Maine stores.

Walmart is one of the largest supermarket chains in the United States and the company have described the move as part of their commitment to promoting sustainable practices within their stores.

A company spokesperson told CBS 13: With that ban soon taking effect, Walmart is converting all Maine stores to bagless on July 1. This decision only further demonstrates the companys commitment to advancing sustainable initiatives that support people and the environment and to its ongoing efforts to target zero emissions in its global operations by 2040.

Walmart goes bagless in other regions

Maine is not the only area where the grocery giant is cutting back on plastic waste and Walmart Mexico y Centroamerica, which covers stores operating south of the border, have implemented similar rules.

As it covers such a vast area the move has not be enforced universally, but by the end of December 2020 the company reported that over 72% of Mexican stores were no longer providing plastic bags.

Back in the states, a recent bagless pilot in Vermont set the stage for the changes in Maine. Walmart say that 78% of Vermont customers supported bagless options during the pilot and it will be a key factor in their future decision.

The company website says that the decision underlines our commitment to achieving zero waste and ultimately moving toward a circular economy where the materials we use stay in use.

Environmental initiative Earth Day have found that roughly one trillion plastic bags are used globally every year, with fewer than 10% of plastic bags used in the US being recycled. Numerous studies have placed them amongst the top ten items found discarded in beach and waterways, making it a major concern.

Walmarts own Beyond the Bag competition sought to find a sustainable alternative to the plastic bags that are so frequently thrown away after a single use. Nine winners were awarded a share of a $1 million funding pot that will help them with testing, piloting and scaling their designs, which will hopefully become commonplace before too long.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang holds talks with Uzbek Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov via video link in Beijing, capital of China, June 8, 2021. (Xinhua/Ding Haitao)

BEIJING, June 8 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang held talks with Uzbek Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov via video link Tuesday, pledging to work with Uzbekistan to push bilateral relations to a new stage.

Li said since the outbreak of COVID-19, China and Uzbekistan have been supporting and helping each other to push forward practical cooperation, which has played a positive role in the two countries' economic recovery.

China stands ready to work with Uzbekistan to conduct closer high-level exchanges, strengthen mutual political trust and deepen practical cooperation across the board, he said.

Li said China will join hands with Uzbekistan to fight COVID-19, provide Uzbekistan with aid within China's capacity, support companies from the two countries to carry out joint vaccine production based on the principle of mutual benefit and win-win results.

The Chinese premier expressed the hope that the two sides can deepen cooperation in all fields in line with market principles and business rules to better benefit the people of both countries.

China is willing to facilitate the customs clearance of agricultural specialties from Uzbekistan, he added.

Noting that 2022 will mark the 30th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, Li expressed the hope of holding celebrations in various forms, enhance people-to-people exchanges, and cement mutual understanding and traditional friendship between the two peoples.

China stands ready to work with Uzbekistan to enhance coordination and cooperation under the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization to contribute to post-epidemic recovery and livelihood improvement for regional countries, Li said.

Aripov thanked China for the timely aid to Uzbekistan in fighting the epidemic.

He called on the two countries to give full play to the intergovernmental cooperation mechanism, further explore and deepen cooperation in trade, investment, energy, and interconnectivity to push for greater development of bilateral relations. Enditem

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[ Editor: Zhang Zhou ]
A private meeting of the UN Security Council is held at the UN headquarters in New York, on June 8, 2021. The UN Security Council on Tuesday endorsed Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for a second five-year term. (Eskinder Debebe/UN Photo/Handout via Xinhua)

UNITED NATIONS, June 8 (Xinhua) -- The UN Security Council on Tuesday endorsed Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for a second five-year term.

Estonia's UN Ambassador Sven Jurgenson, as Security Council president for the month of June, announced the endorsement after a private meeting of the council.

The Security Council, in its private meeting, adopted a resolution by acclamation, he said.

"The Security Council, having considered the question of the recommendation for the appointment of the secretary-general of the United Nations, recommends to the General Assembly that Mr. Antonio Guterres be appointed secretary-general of the United Nations for a second term of office from 1 January 2022 to 31 December 2026," reads the one-sentence Resolution 2580.

Jurgenson said the General Assembly is likely to hold a session on June 18 on Guterres' appointment for a second term.

Guterres was the only official candidate as no state has nominated any contender, said Jurgenson.

Jurgenson said Guterres has proven worthy of the post of secretary-general with his performance in the almost five years in office.

"We all have seen, actually, the secretary-general in action. I think he has been an excellent secretary-general," he said in a press encounter.

Jurgenson lauded Guterres as a bridge-builder and commended him for his views on the conflict zones in the world.

"He is able to speak to everybody, I think this is something that is expected from a secretary-general," he said.

Guterres thanked the Security Council for its endorsement.

"The decision taken today by the Security Council to recommend to the General Assembly that I serve a second term as secretary-general of the United Nations is a great honor. I am very grateful to the members of the council for the trust they have placed in me. My gratitude also extends to Portugal for having nominated me again," he said in a statement.

"It has been an immense privilege to be at the service of 'we, the peoples' and at the helm of the amazing women and men of this organization for the past four and a half years, when we have been facing so many complex challenges," Guterres said.

"Pursuing, as secretary-general of the United Nations, the purposes and principles of the (UN) Charter is a most noble duty. I would be deeply humbled if the General Assembly were to entrust me with the responsibilities of a second mandate," he added.

Guterres, 72, became the ninth UN secretary-general in 2017. Prior to that, he was the UN High Commissioner for Refugees for 10 years. Guterres served as prime minister of Portugal from 1995 to 2002. Enditem

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[ Editor: Zhang Zhou ]
Photo taken on June 8, 2021 shows the offline site of the 2021 China-Europe Seminar on Human Rights in Chongqing, southwest China. (Photo by Zengkui Li/Guangming Picture)

The 2021 China-Europe Seminar on Human Rights, focusing on COVID-19 and Guarantee of the Right to Life and Health, was held on June 8, 2021 online and offline in Chongqing, southwest China and Rome, Italy.

More than 170 political leaders, experts and scholars from China, Italy, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, Russia, Poland, Austria Spain and other countries, as well as representatives from international organizations, including the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the World Health Organization, joint this years event to share insights and discuss issues regarding human rights in the light of the pandemic.

Keynote speeches are delivered by high profile authorities from China and abroad, highlighting human rights topics of a wide variety, concerning relevant fields of public health, judicial support, vaccination, pandemic control, international relations, etc.

Photo taken on June 8, 2021 shows one of the parallel sessions during the 2021 China-Europe Seminar on Human Rights in Chongqing, southwest China. (Photo by Zengkui Li/Guangming Picture)

Five parallel sessions followed behind, themed with The Contemporary Challenges brought by Covid-19 Pandemic to the Guarantee of Right to Life and Health and the Solutions of Countries, Guarantee of Specific Groups Right to Life and Health under Covid-19 Pandemic, States Obligation to Guarantee the Life and Health in Public Health Crisis, International Cooperation in Prevention and Control of Covid-19 Pandemic, and Italias Protection of Citizens Right to Health in Covid-19 Outbreak.

The event is sponsored by China Society for Human Rights Studies and Cina in Italia magazine, organized by Human Rights Institute at SWUPL and Chongqing Center for Equal Social Development. First started in 2015, the China-Europe Seminar on Human Rights has long been serving as a platform for international communication and cooperation in the field of human rights between China and Europe. At present, the Covid-19 pandemic is still rampant around the world, and the combat against the virus is not yet over. The seminar this year is of great significance under the current situation.

[ Editor: WXY ]
On June 7, China's national college entrance examination in 2021 officially kicked off. This year, 10.78 million candidates from all over the country will meet the most important test in their lives in pursuit of their dreams.

Photo taken on June 7, 2021, Senior Three teachers and students from Qingquan Vocational High School in Huzhou City, do high-fives to encourage each other in front of the exam venue of Changxing Vocational Education Center. (Tan Yun/Guangming Picture)

Photo taken on June 7, 2021 shows an examinee passing by the classroom of Rong'an High School, Liuzhou City, south China's Guangxi Province. (Tan Kaixing/Guangming Picture)

Photo taken on June 7, 2021 shows an examinee walking into the examination room calmly to prepare for the upcoming examination. (Xu Junyong/Guangming Picture)

Photo taken on June 7, 2021 shows students undergoing pandemic control measures before entering the exam venue in Guangping County, north China's Hebei Province. (Yang Haibin/Guangming Picture)

Photo taken on June 7, 2021 shows students going through security inspections at No. 1 Middle School in Ganyu District, Lianyungang City, east China's Jiangsu Province. (Shao Shixin/Guangming Picture)

Photo taken on June 7, 2021 shows a teacher carefully informing the students before the bus took off in Hengyang City, central China's Hunan Province. (Cao Zhengping/Guangming Picture)

Photo taken on June 7, 2021 shows examinees cheering each others up before entering the examination room of Jiaji Middle School in Qionghai City, south China's Hainan Province. (Meng Zhongde/Guangming Picture)

Photo taken on June 7, 2021 shows examinees writing down their blessings before the examination. (Lan Zitao/Guangming Picture)

[ Editor: WXY ]
Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal has said that integration with the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity (ENTSO-E) will open up additional prospects for the development of "green energy" in Ukraine.

"Ukraine seeks to adapt the best policies of the European Union, and for this, over the past one and a half years, the government has been actively introducing and developing the gas and electricity market, and is also actively preparing for integration with ENTSO-E in 2023," the government's press service said, citing Shmyhal.

The prime minister said that Ukraine is integrating the System Value approach of the World Economic Forum (WEF) into economic planning, in particular, within the framework of this approach, energy efficiency improvements, modernization of distribution networks and an increase in the share of renewable energy sources will become important factors.

"The System Value approach, developed by the WEF, defines a set of solutions that contribute to the sustainable development of economic and power systems. It allows for a better and more complete assessment of the economic, environmental, social and technological results of implementing solutions in the power sector. This tool will also be used for "green" modernization of the economy," the head of government said.

Shmyhal said that Ukraine has one of the most energy-intensive economies in Europe, and energy efficiency measures will help decarbonize Ukraine's economy, increase investment in the technology sector and create new jobs.

According to the head of government, integration with the ENTSO-E, which is scheduled for 2023, will open up broad prospects for the development of renewable energy sources in Ukraine, while increasing the stability of the Ukrainian and European power systems.

The prime minister expressed confidence that in the next report of the WEF Energy Transition Index, Ukraine will rank higher thanks to the active development of smart grids, hydrogen economy and power storage systems.
The Supreme Court has upheld the appeal of PJSC Odesa Port-Side Chemical Plant and the State Property Fund of Ukraine (SPF) and refused Dmytro Firtash's Ostchem Holding Limited the implementation of the decision of the Stockholm arbitration court to recover over $ 300 million from Odesa Port-Side Chemical Plant for gas supplies, SPF Head Dmytro Sennychenko has said.

"This is a final decision that is not subject to appeal. That's it. In short, now Ostchem will not be able to obtain a forced recovery of $ 250 million of debt from Odesa port-side plant, and even more so - to claim the entire enterprise," he said in a blitz interview to the Interfax-Ukraine agency.

Sennychenko clarified that Ostchem's claims on the principal debt amounted to $ 193 million, another $ 57 million in penalties, and $ 67.7 million in accrued interest.

"I believe that this court verdict is a clear proof of the effectiveness of our work," the head of the fund emphasized.

According to him, Ostchem's filing claims in other countries is theoretically possible, but in practice it is meaningless.

"It is possible to seek debt collection by arbitration in those countries where the property of the enterprise or its branches are located. The assets of the plant are concentrated in Ukraine and are now protected from such a scenario," he explained.

Sennychenko noted that this is a very important decision for the transparent privatization of the plant, since now any potential buyer can be sure that creditors will not be able to contest his ownership of the plant.

"We at the fund are convinced that this will help expand the pool of potential buyers and dramatically increase the value of the asset," he said.

In his opinion, the decision of the Supreme Court protects the enterprise from the claims of creditors in Ukraine, its accounts cannot be seized, products, like other property, cannot be seized.

"We deprived Ostchem of the possibility of blackmail and any influence on the operating activities of the plant, which means that possible negotiations on restructuring or other agreements will be extremely constructive. The new owner will be able to fine-tune the work of the plant and come to an agreement with Group DF that suits the parties," Sennychenko said.
Physicists led by the University of Iowa report definitive evidence that auroras that light up the sky in the high latitudes are caused by electrons accelerated by a powerful electromagnetic force called Alfven waves. CREDIT Austin Montelius, University of Iowa

The aurora borealis, or northern lights, that fill the sky in high-latitude regions have fascinated people for thousands of years. But how they're created, while theorized, had not been conclusively proven.

In a new study, a team of physicists led by University of Iowa reports definitive evidence that the most brilliant auroras are produced by powerful electromagnetic waves during geomagnetic storms. The phenomena, known as Alfven waves, accelerate electrons toward Earth, causing the particles to produce the familiar atmospheric light show.

The study, published online June 7 in the journal Nature Communications, concludes a decades-long quest to demonstrate experimentally the physical mechanisms for the acceleration of electrons by Alfven waves under conditions corresponding to Earth's auroral magnetosphere.

"Measurements revealed this small population of electrons undergoes 'resonant acceleration' by the Alfven wave's electric field, similar to a surfer catching a wave and being continually accelerated as the surfer moves along with the wave," says Greg Howes, associate professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Iowa and study co-author.

Scientists have known that energized particles that emanate from the sun--such as electrons racing at approximately 45 million miles per hour--precipitate along the Earth's magnetic field lines into the upper atmosphere, where they collide with oxygen and nitrogen molecules, kicking them into an excited state. These excited molecules relax by emitting light, producing the colorful hues of the aurora.

The theory was supported by spacecraft missions that frequently found Alfven waves traveling Earthward above auroras, presumably accelerating electrons along the way. Although space-based measurements had supported the theory, limitations inherent to spacecraft and rocket measurements had prevented a definitive test.

The physicists were able to find confirmatory evidence in a series of experiments conducted at the Large Plasma Device (LPD) in UCLA's Basic Plasma Science Facility, a national collaborative research facility supported jointly by the U.S. Department of Energy and National Science Foundation.

"The idea that these waves can energize the electrons that create the aurora goes back more than four decades, but this is the first time we've been able to confirm definitively that it works," says Craig Kletzing, professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Iowa and a study co-author. "These experiments let us make the key measurements that show that the space measurements and theory do, indeed, explain a major way in which the aurora are created."

The phenomenon of electrons "surfing" on the electric field of a wave is a theoretical process known as Landau damping, first proposed by Russian physicist Lev Landau in 1946. Through numerical simulations and mathematical modeling, the researchers demonstrated that the results of their experiment agreed with the predicted signature for Landau damping.

The agreement of experiment, simulation, and modeling provides the first direct evidence that Alfven waves can produce accelerated electrons, causing the aurora, says Troy Carter, professor of physics at UCLA and director of the UCLA Plasma Science and Technology Institute.

"This challenging experiment required a measurement of the very small population of electrons moving down the LPD chamber at nearly the same speed as the Alfven waves, numbering less than one in a thousand of the electrons in the plasma," Carter says.

###

James Schroeder, assistant professor of physics at Wheaton College and the study's corresponding author, earned a doctorate at Iowa. Frederick Skiff, professor in the UI Department of Physics and Astronomy, is a study co-author. Stephen Vincena and Seth Dorfman, with UCLA's Space Science Institute, are contributing authors.

More detailed information is available at: https://homepage.physics.uiowa.edu/~ghowes/research/aurora.html.

The U.S. National Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of Energy, and NASA funded the research.



Please follow SpaceRef on Twitter and Like us on Facebook.
A man, who threw a grenade near the Tavria V supermarket in Kharkiv on Tuesday evening, has been detained.

"The identity has been established ... Before that, he didn't have a run-in with the law [with law enforcement agencies]," said head of police department No. 1 of Kharkiv district police department No. 1 Andriy Griazev.

He said that according to preliminary information, the man threw a grenade because of the conflict "on the basis of hostile relations." Griazev found it difficult to say whether the detainee knew the victims and whether he was intoxicated at the time of the conflict.

Griazev confirmed that a grenade had exploded.

"It's like a grenade, but the type is unknown yet. This will be done after examinations," Griazev said.

As reported, an explosion occurred in Kharkiv near Gagarin Avenue on Tuesday evening, as a result of which three people (2005, 1988 and 2002 birth years) were injured and were taken to the hospital. The condition of the youngest is assessed as moderate, the other two are in satisfactory condition.
Zelensky, Trudeau agree on positions in probe into crash of PS752 flight

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau discussed the investigation into the crash of PS752 flight in Iran in January 2020 and the situation in Donbas.

"Had a productive conversation with JustinTrudeau. Discussed the situation in Donbas and further pressure on Russia to achieve peace. Grateful to Canada for supporting Ukraine's sovereignty and Euro-Atlantic aspirations. Coordinated positions on the investigation of PS752flight crash," Zelensky wrote on Twitter on Wednesday.

In turn, the press service of the President of Ukraine reported that the parties coordinated their positions on key issues on the agenda ahead of the G7 and NATO summits, which will be held in the near future, the press service of the President of Ukraine reported.

Zelensky briefed Trudeau on the security situation in the east and along the borders of Ukraine. The President noted that only part of the Russian troops and heavy weapons have now been withdrawn from the temporarily occupied territories and from the Ukrainian borders.

"Russia almost did not carry out a withdrawal. Of the 105,000 Russian military, only 11,000 were withdrawn," Zelensky said.

He stressed that the Nord Stream 2 project is Russia's political weapon.

"We believe that the completion of Nord Stream 2 will strengthen Russia as a player on the world map," the president said.

Trudeau, in turn, reaffirmed Canada's unshakable support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine and solidarity in countering the long-term aggression of the Russian Federation.

"We remain great friends. We will continue to support Ukraine," he stressed.

The interlocutors discussed practical interaction with the aim of supporting Ukraine's efforts on the way to NATO membership.

The parties also touched upon plans for further political dialogue at the highest level. Zelensky confirmed Trudeau's invitation to visit Ukraine to participate in the inaugural summit of the Crimean Platform in Kyiv and events to mark the 30th anniversary of Ukraine's independence.
The Ministry of Health of Ukraine will propose to the Cabinet of Ministers to extend the quarantine for the summer period while maintaining the main quarantine restrictions, said Health Minister Viktor Liashko during a government meeting on Wednesday.

"We will invite the government to consider extending the quarantine restrictions for the summer period. We must leave the main restrictions, in particular, the mandatory wearing of masks in public places, transport, as well as keeping a distance. If the situation worsens, we will promptly respond and introduce 'yellow,' 'orange' or 'red' epidemiological level," he said.

Liashko added that the Ministry of Health had already developed proposals for a model of stay and activity in a "green" level of epidemic danger, which will provide more opportunities for recreation in the summer, business and travel.

"In particular, we plan to abolish the requirements for the occupancy of the halls, allow the full functioning of gyms and simplify the process of passing the borders for returning from vacations," the minister said.
Ukraine has all the tools it needs to move towards NATO membership, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said.

"We support Ukraine membership in NATO. It currently has all of the tools it needs since the Membership Action Plan was created, a number of other very important tools were developed to help countries prepare for possible NATO membership, including an annual program that Ukraine benefits from. In our estimation, Ukraine has all the tools it needs to continue to move forward in this direction," U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said during a hearing at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, according to Senator Rob Portman's website on Tuesday.

He said that the MAP itself must be approved in full agreement with other NATO members. "I think that there are some countries that are less supportive than others of that right now, but back to the MAP, Ukraine has all tools it needs to move forward toward being ready for membership in the future."

At the same time, Blinken pointed out the importance of fighting corruption in Ukraine.

"The other part of that, however, as you know, given all the time and investment that you have put into this, is just as important as preparing her militarily, strategically, its preparation about good governance and dealing with aggression that corrodes Ukraine from the inside, and this is corruption and a system that effectively works to combat it. So we also need to see constant progress from Ukraine at this level," he said.
Head of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine Serhiy Deineko met with Commandant of the Turkish Coast Guard Ahmet Kendir, the press service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine said.

During the meeting, the sides discussed topical issues of threats and challenges to the safety of navigation in the Black Sea region, the situation on the maritime borders of the countries, as well as further prospects for the development of cooperation between the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine and the Coast Guard of the Republic of Turkey.

"After analyzing the state of cooperation between the Maritime Guard of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine and the Coast Guard of the Turkish Republic, the sides agreed to serve in a coordinated manner in their sea areas of the Black Sea, conduct joint exercises on search and rescue operations and restore friendly visits by ships. Separately, the implementation of the exchange of information and the creation of a coordination group to solve problematic issues arising in the Black Sea, with the aim of qualified monitoring of the situation and rapid response to its changes, was noted," the ministry said.

Deineko believes that Ukraine and Turkey will further develop cooperation and strengthen partnerships.

"Improving interaction plays an important role in countering modern threats and challenges to border security in the maritime sector. Today's meeting is a continuation of the traditionally constructive cooperation of our departments and countries in general," he said.

Kendir, in turn, said Turkey and Ukraine are not only countries that border across the Black Sea, but also countries that have a history of developing relations.

"Our cooperation makes an important contribution to the stability of the region. Relations between our countries are deepening thanks to the cooperation of our presidents. I believe that our relations between services will also only deepen," he said.

"The Turkish Coast Guard attaches great importance to relations with the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine. I believe that it will be useful for countries and services if we continue our cooperation on various international platforms," Kendir said.
On Friday, June 11, at 12.00, the press center of the Interfax-Ukraine news agency will host a roundtable conference entitled "Current social and political tendencies: chaos of cynicism or development strategy?" Participants include Director of the Institute of Global Strategies Vadym Karasiov; expert of Hardarika Strategic Consulting Corporation Kostiantyn Matviyenko; Director of the Ukrainian Barometer sociological service Viktor Nebozhenko; PhD in Political Science, political scientist Ihor Petrenko (8/5a, Reitarska Street). The press conference will be available on the YouTube channel of Interfax-Ukraine. Admission of journalists requires registration on the spot.
The logo of Google is seen on a building at La Defense business and financial district in Courbevoie near Paris, France, (Photo : REUTERS/Charles Platiau/File Photo)

Google has bowed to pressure from rivals and will let them compete for free to be the default search engines on Android devices in Europe, widening a pledge to EU antitrust regulators two years ago.



The move by the world's most popular internet search engine comes as the 27-country bloc considers rules that could be introduced next year to force Google, Amazon, Apple and Facebook to ensure a level playing field for competitors.



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Google's Android mobile operating system runs on about four-fifths of the world's smartphones. The U.S. tech giant said in 2019 that rivals would have to pay via an auction for appearing on a choice screen on new Android devices in Europe from which users select their preferred search engine.



Google's change of heart followed a 4.24 billion euro ($5.16 billion) fine handed out by the European Commission, the EU antitrust authority, in 2018 for unfairly using Android to cement the dominance of its search engine.



"We are now making some final changes to the Choice Screen including making participation free for eligible search providers. We will also be increasing the number of search providers shown on the screen," Google director Oliver Bethell wrote in a blog post on Tuesday.



The changes will come into effect in September, the blog added.



The Commission said it had discussed possible changes with Google following concerns raised by a number of its rivals, adding that those announced were positive developments.



Google said the five most popular eligible search engines in each EU country according to StatCounter, including Google, would be displayed in random order at the top of the screen while up to seven will be shown at the bottom.



It had previously only allowed four competitors, chosen in separate auctions for each EU country, to be displayed on Android screens.



However DuckDuckGo, a rival search engine that has long complained about the auction process, said Google should go further.



"Google is now doing what it should have done three years ago: a free search preference menu on Android in the EU," CEO Gabriel Weinberg tweeted.



"However, it should be on all platforms, eg also desktop Chrome, accessible at all times, ie not just on factory reset, and in all countries."



Search engine Ecosia, which together with four other rivals complained about Google's initial proposal to the Commission last year, welcomed the changes.



"With this, we have something that resembles a level playing field in the market," its CEO Christian Kroll said in a statement.



"Search providers now have a chance to compete more fairly in the Android market, based on the appeal of their product, rather than being shut out by monopolistic behaviour."



($1 = 0.8211 euros)


U.S. reunites only seven immigrant children with parents since Feb

Chanel, 7, and her sister Adriana, 10, both unaccompanied minors traveling alone from Honduras, sits among other asylum-seeking children as they await to be transported to a U.S. border patrol processing facility (Photo : REUTERS/Adrees Latif/File Photo)

An effort by U.S. President Joe Biden to reunite migrant families separated by the previous administration is moving slowly, with only seven children reunited with parents by a task force launched in February, according to a U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) report released on Tuesday.



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Another 29 families are set to be reunited in the coming weeks, the report said.



Biden issued an executive order shortly after taking office that established a task force to reunite children separated from their families at the U.S.-Mexico border under former President Donald Trump, calling such separations a "human tragedy."



The Trump administration split apart thousands of migrant families under a blanket 'zero-tolerance' policy that called for the prosecution of all unauthorized border crossers in spring 2018. Government watchdogs and advocates have found the separations began before and continued after the policy.



The task force submitted its first 120-day progress report to Biden on June 2, a senior DHS official said during a call with reporters on Monday.



The official defended the small number of families reunified to date, saying the agency "chose intentionally to start slow" to address logistical hurdles so that the process can be scaled up in the future.



The Biden task force, using information from advocates and ongoing litigation, has identified roughly 3,900 children separated from parents at the border and 1,700 cases that remain under review, the report said.



Of the 3,900 separated children identified, nearly 1,800 have been reunited with a parent. Nearly all of those happened before the creation of the task force, the report said.



While the overall number of children still separated from their parents is unknown, the report estimates it could be over 2,000.


Why the Latin American community in Toronto has been hit hard by COVID

Single mother Lizbeth Leon Adame, from Mexico, walks with her daughter Lizbetha after getting a COVID-19 vaccine at a clinic planned for and organized (Photo : REUTERS/Carlos Osorio/File Photo)

In a pandemic that has hit marginalized people hardest, Latin Americans in Canada's largest urban area have been particularly at risk: They're more likely to be hospitalized with COVID-19 than any other ethnoracial group, according to the most recent data available from the city of Toronto.



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They work front-line jobs, live in often crowded homes, use public transit and are often reluctant to seek out care - possibly because of precarious immigration status, advocates say.



As of March 31, the most recent data available, Latin Americans in Toronto had a COVID-19 hospitalization rate of 307 per 100,000, almost four times higher than white people in the city. The city does not track COVID-19 deaths by ethnicity.



For 9-year-old Lizbetha Leon, it started with the feeling she had "fire coming out of my eyes" as her lungs closed.



Her mother, Lizbeth Leon Adame, put her to bed with tea and Tylenol, but when she was no better the following morning they went to hospital.



By the time the positive coronavirus results came back, the whole family - 31-year-old Leon Adame, her eldest Jesus and middle child Isabella - were sick.



"We were like vampires," 13-year-old Jesus said, describing how they had to have the blinds drawn and were barely eating.



This was early April, the thick of a punishing third wave in Canada's most populous province.



Now, as the region begins to emerge from this wave and seeks to stave off another, health workers are rushing to immunize people like the Leons who don't always get care.



Some people's impulse is to try and tough out an illness rather than seek care early, said Ruben Rodriguez, vaccine lead at Humber River Hospital and an advocate for COVID-19 prevention and vaccination for the Latin American community.



He added that many are afraid to go to hospital "where COVID is."



There's also the issue of immigration status: some Latin Americans in Toronto and the neighboring Peel region may be wary of trying to access public services for fear of being turned away or turned in to authorities.



"The last thing you want is to be noticed," said Natalia Durango, coordinator of the Latin American COVID Task Force.



Health workers and community organizers put together a pop-up weekend vaccine clinic targeted at the Latin American community. "The demand is huge," said Durango, who came to Canada 12 years ago as a refugee from Colombia.



Leon Adame was planning on going. But she wishes there had been better public health communication in languages other than English. Wishes she had known kids could catch the coronavirus, too.



"It was the most horrible I had ever felt. And knowing they were feeling the same pain, that was horrible."


Israeli air strikes in central Syria killed at least eight pro-government fighters late Tuesday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

"At least five army soldiers and three allied fighters were killed," Observatory chief Rami Abdul Rahman told AFP, adding that several more were wounded.

The Britain-based war monitor said the strikes targeted air force positions near the village of Khirbet al-Tin on the outskirts of Homs, as well as an arms depot belonging to the Lebanese Hezbollah movement.

The Israeli air force carried out overnight strikes in several regions of Syria, in the capital Damascus as well as in Homs, Hama and Latakia provinces, the Observatory said.

Syria's state SANA news agency said there had been "explosions in Damascus" as Israeli forces carried out the raid from Lebanese air space.

It said air defences had been activated against the "Israeli aggression" but said nothing about any casualties or damage.

The Israeli army, which rarely acknowledges individual strikes on Syria, declined to comment on "reports in the foreign media".

Since civil war broke out in Syria in 2011, Israel has carried out hundreds of air strikes on Syrian territory, targeting government positions as well as allied Iran-backed forces and fighters of Lebanon's Hezbollah movement.

Israel has said repeatedly that it will not allow neighbouring Syria to become a launchpad for its arch foe Iran.

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Washigton, June 08, 2021 (SPS) - The Pentagon has once again denied the holding in Sahrawi territories of part of the "African Lion 2021" military exercises which kicked off yesterday.

According to a statement from the Pentagon, the African Lion 2021 military maneuvers organized in partnership with Morocco, will take place at the Kenitra air base in the north in Tan Tan and at the Grier Labouihi training complex, in Moroccan territories.

This statement contradicts the recent statements of the head of the Moroccan government Saad-Eddine El Othmani, who declared, a few days ago, that the military exercise will take place partly in the desert of occupied Western Sahara.

A first denial was made last Tuesday by the spokesperson for the United States Africa Command (Africom), Colonel Christopher Karns and the spokesperson for the Africom Central Command, Bardha Azari, who both specified that the exercises would take place on Moroccan territory.

In a message posted on his Twitter, Saad-Eddine El Othmani had argued that the international military maneuvers would take place in part in the occupied Saharawi territories "consecrating", according to him "the American recognition of the sovereignty of Morocco over occupied Western Sahara".

Mr. Othmani's tweet was deleted on Tuesday. Frente POLISARIO quickly denied Rabat's announcement, calling it a "totally false rumor". SPS

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With a diverse and gender-balanced audience, Egypts Permanent Mission to the UN in Geneva held a webinar on Tuesday to discuss efforts to combat violence against women (VAW) in Egypt.

The meeting, which was held on Zoom for over two hours, was moderated by Ambassador Ihab Gamaleldin, Egypts permanent representative to the UN.

In the opening remarks, Michelle Bachelet, high commissioner for human rights, explained how one in three women worldwide have experienced physical or sexual violence in their lifetime, with the figure rising to 70 percent in some countries.

In most cases, it's because "the state either condones this form of violence against women and girls or it's indifferent to the abuse," said Bachelet.

Data obtained over the past year and a half indicates that VAW is rising. "Stay at home orders, severe economic distress, and other issues related to the Covid-19 pandemic have led girls and women to be essentially locked indoors with their tormentors," Bachelet explained.

Egypt was the first country in the world to issue a rapid response policy towards women and a Women Policy Tracker during the pandemic.

Egypt's efforts to tackle this issue are timely. Clearly, there must be sustained endeavours by other stakeholders as well to change mindsets, including in key institutions.

The lives of many generations of Egyptian women and girls have been profoundly harmed by practices which should be made illegal.

"As in every country, Egypt must ensure that the perpetrators are investigated, prosecuted, and punished in line with international human rights standards. Witnesses should be protected and survivors shouldn't be re-victimised during the legal process," Bachelet concluded.

"Violence against women is a global pandemic that really impacts human development and has multiple, immediate to long-term effects on women, either physical, sexual, or physiological. There is actually also a tremendous economic cost on women, their families, business, national budget, and the economy and society at large," according to Maya Morsy, head of the National Council for Women (NCW).

According to Egypt's Economic Cost-Based Violence Survey, EGP 2.17 billion is the total cost borne by females and their families due to violence. The survey shows that 18 percent of women aged 18 to 64 were subject to domestic violence from a family members.

Since its establishment in 2000, the NCW has been entrusted with pressing women issues, ranging from coordinating and following up with government agencies to implementing programmes, activities, and development projects for women to raising awareness and conducting training programmes.

Morsy said Egypt has worked on accelerating progress to achieve gender equality, empowerment of women, and combating VAW, as set forth in the 2014 constitution.

She noted that Egypt has taken several steps to eradicate VAW in all its forms in the past five years.

According to Morsy, the state has ensured protection and care for mother and child and female heads of household, elderly women, and women in most need. The state is also committed to taking measures to ensure appropriate representation of women in parliament.

"It grants women the right to hold decision-making positions in entities and judicial bodies without discrimination, thus achieving equality between women and men in all civil, political, and cultural rights," Morsy continued.

"The strategic framework started with Egypt's Vision 2030 and we have been sustaining a developing agenda. With that said, we have developed the national strategy to work on several issues, including the empowerment of Egyptian women, combating VAW and Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) as well as child marriage and human trafficking. The NCW has also launched a number of campaigns to raise awareness against violence against women and launched a dialogue with partners to share good practices and innovative solutions that can protect the human rights of women and girls in particular," she added.

A number of campaigns were launched, including the Secret of your Power, which has made over 135 million reach, as well as Don't be Silent, which resulted in a 25 percent increase in reports on the hotline of the Women's Complaint Office.

"The VAW is a huge area because we are dealing with a pandemic of gender-based violence against women and girls that was now intersected with the Covid-19 pandemic and we have started seeing additional problems. We also have reports on cases of violence against women during child birth and this is something that was not addressed before because this area is covered by silence and denial. There is also violence against women journalists and online violence against women, explained Dubravka Simonovic, UN special rapporteur on VAW.

"What I am seeing from my global perspective is that gender-related killing of women is not counted in Egypt under the umbrella of VAW. All other forms of violence against women are counted in one area but killings are counted separately under homicides, and if you look at gender-related killings of women they are usually done by intimate partners or former husbands. So as we see in this specific category in each murder the police should look into the relation between the victim and the perpetrator and if it was intimate partner killing or family member killing it should be counted," Simonovic explained.

More than 80 percent of persons killed in intimate-partner killings are women, so this is an area for prevention.

"We are here to challenge governments to pose difficult questions to push them in the right direction and to help create an interactive dialogue between different stakeholders," she added.

The webinar concluded with Gamaleldin saying that "VAW is an obstacle to the achievement of equality, development and peace; it constitutes a manifestation of the imbalanced relationship between men and women. Moreover, it's one of the negative social phenomena that negatively affects men, women, and children and prevents women from enjoying their basic right as productive members of society."

Panelists of the webinar included Nicole Ameline, member of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimnation against Women; Maged Osman, CEO and director of the Egyptian Centre for Public Opinion Research (Baseera); Frederika Meijer, UNFPA country representative in Egypt; Christine Arab, UN Women country representative in Egypt and Iman Bibars, vice president and regional director for Ashoka, an international organisation that promotes social entrepreneurship.

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Grand Imam of Al Azhar Ahmed el Tayyeb condemned a deadly terrorist attack targeting a Muslim family in Ontario, Canada.A man belonging to an extremist far right group drove a pick-up truck and slammed into the Muslim family in Ontario province, killing four members and wounding the fifth, a little boy, in a terror attack on Sunday evening that police and officials confirm was premeditated and motivated by anti-Islam hatred.In a statement on Tuesday, the Grand Imam said that extremist far right groups have begun to practice terrorism and killings in Western societies, posing a threat to harmless citizens.



He warned against the spread of Islamophobia and the shedding of the blood of innocent people, calling on the international community and wise people worldwide to take the initiative to put an end to such terrorist trends and save the world from their evil threat, noting that the far right groups in the West and Daesh are two sides of the same coin.



He offered his heart-felt condolences to Muslims in the West, and those in Canada in particular, and to the relatives and friends of the victims.

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Egypts Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Mohamed Abdel-Ati arrived in the Sudanese capital on Wednesday for consultations with Khartoum officials on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).

Shourky and Abdel-Ati were received at the airport by their respective counterparts Mariam Al-Saddiq Al-Mahdi and Yasser Abbas, a foreign ministry statement read.

The Egyptian and Sudanese ministers tackled bilateral relations and subjects of mutual interest, prime among which was the GERD dispute, an earlier statement by the foreign ministry said.

Egypt and Sudan have been negotiating for almost a decade now with Ethiopia to reach a legally binding and comprehensive deal on the GERDs construction, which Addis Ababa started on the Blue Nile in 2011.

The latest talks of the $4.8 billion Ethiopian hydropower project  which was sponsored by the African Union (AU) and aimed to revive the already stalled negotiations since January  was held in the AUs chair country, the DR Congo, in April but failed to stir the stagnant water, with both Egypt and Sudan blaming Ethiopias intransigence.

Meanwhile, Ethiopia intends to commence its second filling of the GERD on 22 July with or without forging a deal, a unilateral move that has been rejected by both downstream countries, describing it to be a clear violation of international law and threatens regional security and peace.

On Monday, Sudans Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdouk said his country will use all the legal means if Ethiopia goes ahead with the second filling without reaching a binding deal, a step Khartoum views as a direct threat to its interests.

Two days earlier, Abdel-Ati affirmed that any action taken without reaching a fair and legally binding agreement and without coordination with the downstream countries would be a unilateral act that is rejected.

On the same day, Sudans Foreign Minister Mariam Al-Saddiq Al-Mahdi stressed that Ethiopias intransigence on the GERD file may drag the region into ominous slides.

Wednesdays statement added that Egypts two ministers are scheduled to meet with Lieutenant General Abdel-Fattah Al-Burhan, the head of Sudans transitional sovereign council, and Hamdouk .

In addition, both will hold a session of talks with Sudans ministers of foreign affairs and irrigation at the foreign ministrys headquarters in Khartoum, the statement said.

The visit, the Egyptian foreign ministry said, comes as part of the ongoing efforts to strengthen the strategic relations that unite the two brotherly countries.

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Egypt denounced on Tuesday the deadly terrorist attack targeting a Muslim family in Ontario, Canada.

Egypt strongly denounces the terrorist attack that happened in Ontario, Canada where four people were killed and one child was injured from a Muslim family The Egyptian foreign ministry said in its statement on Tuesday.

Egypt expressed its deepest condolences to the relatives of the victims and wishes a speedy recovery to the injured child and it stands with Canada against this ugly terrorist act and reiterates its position rejecting all sorts of terrorism, violence and radicalism as well as all the crimes of hate and racism that defies human values The statement added.

A man drove a pick-up truck and into the Muslim family in the city of London in Ontario province, killing four members and wounding the fifth, a little boy, in a terror attack on Sunday evening.

Canadian police and officials confirm was premeditated and motivated by anti-Islam hatred.

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Egypt and Sudan in a joint statement on Wednesday urged concerted international efforts to help reach a settlement to the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam dispute with Ethiopia.

The remarks came in a joint statement after a meeting in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, between Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and Irrigation Minister Mohamed Abdel-Ati with their respective Sudanese counterparts, Mariam Al-Saddiq Al-Mahdi and Yasser Abbas.

The Egyptian and Sudanese sides called for a settlement to the GERD dispute in a way that takes into consideration the interests of the three countries, the statement read.

Egypt and Sudan have been negotiating for almost a decade now with Ethiopia to reach a legally binding and comprehensive deal on the GERDs construction, which Addis Ababa started on the Blue Nile in 2011.

Meanwhile, Ethiopia intends to commence its second filling of the GERD on 22 July with or without forging a deal, a unilateral move that has been rejected by both downstream countries.

The African Union-sponsored talks among the three countries have failed reach a deal.

In their joint statement, Egypt and Sudan also called on the international community to recognise the dangers connected to the continuation of the Ethiopian policy, which is based on forcing fait accompli on the downstream countries.

The statement said Ethiopia continues to follow the approach of imposing its unilateral will while ignoring the Egyptian and Sudanese interests, which is embodied in its declared determination to continue filling the Renaissance Dam during the upcoming flood season.

Egypt and Sudan, according to the statement, have agreed on the necessity of moving to protect regional and continental security, peace and stability in this regard.

The ministers agreed during the meeting to coordinate the efforts of the two countries on the regional, continental and international levels to push Ethiopia to negotiate with seriousness, good faith and true political will.

The negotiations should seek to reach a comprehensive, fair and legally binding agreement on filling and operation of the dam, the statement reiterated, after the negotiations sponsored by the AU came to a dead end due to Ethiopias intransigence.

The ministers expressed deep concern about the probable impacts and dangers on the Egyptian and Sudanese rights and water interests, in the case of the unilateral filling and operation of the GERD without a legally-binding deal.

Technical and legal experts from both countries attended the Wednesday meeting, the statement said, noting that negotiations took place in a friendly and positive atmosphere characterised by mutual understanding.

The ministers during the meeting also affirmed their keenness to enhance and deepen the longstanding relations between Egypt and Sudan.

According to the Egyptian Foreign Ministry, Egyptian ministers Shoukry and Abdel-Ati met with Sudans Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok and Abdel-Fattah Al-Burhan, the head of Sudans transitional sovereign council as they arrived to Khartoum on Wednesday.

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Egypts President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi in a phone call on Wednesday with his Tanzanian counterpart, Samia Suluhu Hassan, agreed on the need to support the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) negotiations with Sudan and Ethiopia.

The two presidents agreed on the need to back the negotiations path in this regard to achieve the interests of the three concerned countries and protect the water security of Egypt and Sudan as downstream countries, Egyptian presidential spokesman Bassam Radi said in a statement.

El-Sisi affirmed to Hassan the need to reach a fair and legally binding agreement on the filling and operation of the dam.

El-Sisi congratulated Hassan on becoming president, wishing her success in performing her duties.

The Egyptian president underscored the special and historic nature of Egyptian-Tanzanian relations and the progress these relations have witnessed in the wake of his visit to Tanzanias Dar es Salaam city in 2017.

El-Sisi expressed his willingness to discuss cooperation with the new Tanzanian president to enhance bilateral relations in various fields in a way that achieves the interests of the two countries peoples.

These fields include raising trade exchange with Tanzania, developing infrastructure, providing technical support and building capacities, the president said.

Hassan voiced her appreciation to the Egyptian people and leadership and affirmed the presence of broad horizons to develop relations and advance cooperation between Egypt and Tanzania.

Hassan also hailed Egypts support to Tanzanias developmental efforts, especially through the Julius Nyerere Dam Egypt is establishing in Tanzania.

Hassan said the dam reflects the deep and special relations between the two countries, noting that it is one of the largest national projects in Tanzania.

The dam is planned to have a reservoir capacity of 34 billion cubic metres and is part of Julius Nyerere Hydropower Station being constructed since 2019.

The project is being built by a consortium of Egyptian companies, the Arab Contractors and Elsewedy Electric.

Expected to be completed by 2022, the Julius Nyerere Hydropower Station is planned to have a capacity of 2,115 megawatts.

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Nigeria's media and activists fear their country is slipping into repression after the government suspended Twitter in Africa's most populous nation, where hyper-connected youth embraced the platform as a means of protest.

The decision on Friday, days after Twitter deleted a remark from President Muhammadu Buhari, has already provoked international outcry over freedom of expression and calls for protests online and on the street.

"It is very important we push back and fast, because they could go further," said a social media executive at a major TV station who asked to remain anonymous.

More than 120 million Nigerians have access to the internet, and nearly 40 million of them have a Twitter account -- 20 percent of the population, according to Lagos-based researcher NOI Polls.

France, by comparison, has only eight million Twitter users.

Nigeria's numbers are explained in part by its large and youthful population, but also the influence of its diaspora, and the online fame of its film and Afropop stars, said Manon Fouriscot, co-founder of the Afrique Connectees consultancy.

Studies also show that more than other social media platforms, Nigerians "use Twitter to give voice to the voiceless and engage government on issues that they feel are going wrong in the country in real time", according to NOI Polls.

Last October, the #EndSARS protest movement against brutality by the country's SARS -- or Special Anti-Robbery Squad -- police unit, which expanded into a call for broader reform, first exploded on Twitter before taking to the streets.

Backed by Afropop icons with millions of subscribers, and then relayed by major international influencers, #EndSARS was the most shared hashtag in the world for two days.

The protests that followed were the largest in modern Nigerian history, raising fears of wider instability before security forces cracked down on demonstrators.

Some Nigerian broadcasters are concerned the move against Twitter is part of a more general crackdown against the media.

The industry needs to work together to "adopt a strong and common answer," said the social media TV executive, who has several thousand followers on Twitter.

Independent broadcaster DAAR Communications announced it had filed a complaint for damage to its economic interests. Others, such as Arise TV, were still using Twitter to share news from their offices in England or the United States.

"Twitter is, in Nigeria, and more and more on the continent, a means for civil societies to express themselves, to mobilise, to alert international public opinion," said Fouriscot, an expert in the use of social networks in Africa.

- '#KeepitOn'-

Nigeria's government said the Twitter suspension was needed because the platform had been used for activities that could destabilise the country.

With its suspension, Nigeria joins countries like China, Turkey and Myanmar that have all moved to restrict access at some time to Twitter and other Western social media.

Nigeria's government has said it is in talks with Twitter over the suspension.

Abuja's decision got a nod of support on Tuesday from former US president Donald Trump, who himself is banned from Twitter and Facebook.

"More COUNTRIES should ban Twitter and Facebook for not allowing free and open speech," his statement said.

"Who are they to dictate good and evil if they themselves are evil? Perhaps I should have done it while I was President."

The US-based social media giant has given no further update since its initial statement last week saying it was deeply concerned about Nigeria's decision.

"We will work to restore access for all those in Nigeria who rely on Twitter to communicate and connect with the world. #KeepitOn," the statement said.

Kian Vesteinsson, a research analyst on Technology and Democracy for the Freedom House think tank, said Nigeria had already been tightening online media controls in recent years.

On Monday, the national audiovisual regulatory body NBC asked all radio and television stations in the country to delete their Twitter accounts, and warned any use of the network would be considered "unpatriotic".

The use of VPNs to sidestep government controls on Twitter will also be considered an offence the ministry of information warned.

- 'Return to dictatorship'? -

But no such law has been passed by parliament and any such move would violate basic freedoms established in the 1999 constitution, the official date marking the end of Nigeria's military dictatorships.

The UN and rights groups like Amnesty International have condemned the ban as a restriction on freedom of expression.

"Nigeria has slipped back to dictatorship," Kola Tubosun, a Nigerian linguist and writer, said in Foreign Policy magazine.

"It appears we are back in 1984 under a military regime."

That was a reference to the first time Buhari, a former general, ruled Nigeria after a coup before the return to democracy.

But Nigeria's 2.0 generation has already begun reorganising itself on social networks under the hashtag #KeepItOn and trying to organise a popular protest on June 12.

On Monday evening, on ClubHouse, a social discussion platform that is becoming increasingly popular in Nigeria, all the topics up for debate were clear: "Resisting the Dictatorship?" or "23 years ago, Abacha Died Today," referring to 1990s military ruler Sani Abacha, and "Has Nigeria learnt anything?"

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An Iranian presidential candidate said Wednesday he'd be willing to meet with U.S. President Joe Biden if he wins his country's election next week, though ``America needs to send better and stronger signals'' to the Islamic Republic.

Speaking to The Associated Press, former Iranian Central Bank chief Abdolnasser Hemmati stressed that an American return to Iran's tattered nuclear deal was key to any possible relationship amid the wider tensions in the Mideast.

``I think we haven't seen anything serious from Mr. Biden's side yet,`` Hemmati said. ``They first need to go back to the (nuclear deal) that they withdrew from. If we see the process and more confidence is built, then we can talk about that.''

Hemmati, 64, is one of the seven candidates approved by Iranian authorities to run from the presidency in the Islamic Republic's June 18 election. Polling and analysts suggest he lags in the race behind hard-line judiciary chief and front-runner Ebrahim Raisi, believed to be a favorite of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

While Khamenei has final say on all matters of state, whoever serves as president can affect domestic issues and set the tone for Iran's broader approach with the world. Outgoing President Hassan Rouhani, a relatively moderate cleric within Iran's theocracy, helped his nation reach its landmark 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.

However, Rouhani has struggled with the fallout of then-President Donald Trump's decision to unilaterally withdraw America from the accord in 2018. That's seen crushing sanctions target Iran and Tehran later abandon all the limits on its nuclear program. It now enriches small amounts of uranium to 60% purity _ a record high though still short of weapons-grade levels of 90%.

Talking to AP journalists at his Tehran office, Hemmati repeatedly said that the signal Iranians hoped to see from the U.S. was their return to the nuclear deal.

``The Americans have sent positive signals but those signals have been strong enough,'' he said. ``If there are stronger signals, it will affect how optimistic or pessimistic we are.''

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Related Germany arrests suspect in DHL bomb blackmail case

German prosecutors said Wednesday they had opened a probe against 20 police officers, including elite commandos, accused of taking part in far-right online chats and swapping Nazi symbols.

In the latest political scandal to rock Germany's security services, the Hesse state crime office and the Frankfurt prosecutor's office said they had carried out dawn raids at the homes and workplaces of six of the suspects.

"Seventeen of the accused are believed to have distributed content constituting incitement of racial hatred or images linked to a former National Socialist organisation," the authorities said in a statement on the investigation, which was launched in April.

Three officers stand accused of obstruction of justice "because they were participants of the relevant chat groups and as superiors failed to stop or sanction the communication".

Most of the offending content was exchanged in 2016-17, with the most recent from 2019.

The accused are all male and range in age from 29 to 54. Nineteen are active police officers and one retired. Prosecutors said all had been temporarily relieved of their duties, with one suspect formally suspended.

The probe began with allegations against a 38-year-old officer with the SEK special deployment commando in Frankfurt who was accused of sharing illicit content including child pornography.

A search of his mobile phone uncovered some of the racist chats in question.

The case is only the latest example of alleged extremism in the ranks of the German police

Last September, officers in the most populous state of North Rhine-Westphalia swooped on colleagues accused of spreading what prosecutors called "repulsive" far-right propaganda in online chatrooms.

And in July, prosecutors announced the arrest of a former police officer and his wife suspected of having sent threatening emails to politicians and other public figures across Germany.

The previous month the defence minister ordered the partial dissolution of the elite KSK commando force over right-wing extremism.

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The European Union on Wednesday threatened the UK with retaliatory action if it refuses to implement post-Brexit trading arrangements in Northern Ireland, after talks to solve the simmering row broke up without agreement.

Visiting European Commission vice-president Maros Sefcovic said Brussels' patience with London was "wearing thin" over its failure to enforce checks on goods heading to the province from mainland Britain.

"Today I can say we are at a crossroads in our relationship with the UK. Trust, which should be at the heart of all relationships, needs to be restored," he told a news conference in London.

There were "numerous and fundamental gaps" in Britain's compliance with the agreement, he added.

"If the UK were to take further unilateral action in the coming weeks, we will not be shy in reacting swiftly, firmly and resolutely."

Asked what form that might take, he said it could include legal action, arbitration or other retaliatory measures, including targeted tariffs, which has prompted talk of a UK-EU "sausage war" on the UK side of the Channel.

But he insisted: "We don't want this to happen... It's not too late. Let's correct the path."

A senior UK official close to the talks also stressed that "nobody wants to get into a trade war or anything close to it," and denied the UK had breached the agreement, saying it had been "designed to give quite wide margins to respond to events."

'Frank and Honest'

London and Brussels signed a last-gasp trade deal in December, nearly four years after its landmark Brexit vote and just weeks before Britain left the European single market and customs union.

The two sides negotiated a separate deal for Northern Ireland, which has the UK's only land border with the EU, to prevent unchecked goods entering the single market.

But the port checks on deliveries heading into Northern Ireland from mainland Great Britain -- England, Scotland and Wales -- have caused consternation in unionist communities, which maintain this changes their place in the wider UK.

Checks had to be suspended earlier this year because of threats to port staff, and the protocol was blamed for the worst violence in years in the British-run province.

An increase in paperwork for GB goods heading to Northern Ireland has caused delays, and in some instances shortages in shops.

The UK has also extended the grace period for checks on British meat products heading to Northern Ireland, including sausages, until the end of this month.

But the government said having to do so was "nonsense". Prime Minister Boris Johnson told parliament he wanted to protect the country's territorial and economic integrity.

"What we are doing is prioritising the right and ability of the people of Northern Ireland to have access, as they should, freely and uninterruptedly, to goods and services from the whole of the UK," he added.

Frost for his part characterised the three-and-a-half hours of discussions as "frank and honest", but said dialogue had not broken down and more meetings were planned.

But he called for the EU to be more flexible to address the issue in Northern Ireland pragmatically, given the province's fragile peace.

"What we really now need to do is very urgently find some solutions which support the Belfast Good Friday Agreement, support the peace process in Northern Ireland, and allow things to return to normal," he told reporters.

Under Threat

The EU has already launched legal proceedings against the UK after it delayed custom controls on some goods arriving in Northern Ireland from mainland Britain, and has indicated it has US support if it chooses to act again.

The tailored arrangements are designed to sustain Northern Ireland's peace, and prevent a "hard" border with EU-member Ireland, after three decades of violence over British rule largely ended with the 1998 peace deal.

Discontent with the protocol has already played a part in the resignation of Northern Ireland's First Minister Arlene Foster, the nomination of a more hardline unionist as her successor -- and promises of a tougher line.

Billy Hutchinson, from the Progressive Unionist Party, told UK lawmakers earlier on Wednesday the strength of feeling could not be overstated.

"Loyalism feels threatened at the moment," he said.

The protocol "has raised more issues and concerns than it has settled anything", he added.

But Sefcovic insisted "we cannot renegotiate" the document, adding "the core of the protocol" could not be undone.

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Embarking on the first overseas trip of his term, President Joe Biden is eager to reassert the United States on the world stage, steadying European allies deeply shaken by his predecessor and pushing democracy as the only bulwark to rising forces of authoritarianism.

Biden has set the stakes for his eight-day trip in sweeping terms, believing the West must publicly demonstrate it can compete economically with China as the world emerges from the coronavirus pandemic.

Shortly before arriving at Royal Air Force Mildenhall, where Biden was to speak to US troops, people briefed on the matter confirmed that the Biden administration had brokered an agreement with Pfizer to purchase 500 million COVID-19 vaccine doses to be donated to 92 lower income countries and the African Union over the next year.

Two hundred million doses _ enough to fully protect 100 million people _ will be shared this year according to two people briefed on the matter, with the balance to be donated in the first half of 2022.

National security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters Wednesday on Air Force One that Biden was committed to sharing vaccines because it was in the public health and strategic interests of the US.

As Biden embarks on his first foreign trip, he is aiming to show ``that democracies are the countries that can best deliver solutions for people everywhere.''

``As he said in his joint session (address), we were the `arsenal of democracy' in World War II,'' Sullivan said. ``We're going to be the `arsenal of vaccines' over this next period to help end the pandemic.''

Before leaving Washington, Biden told reporters the trip is about making clear to the leaders of China and Russia that the United States and Europe ``are tight.''

Building toward his trip-ending summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Biden will aim to reassure European capitals that the United States can once again be counted on as a dependable partner to thwart Moscow's aggression both on their eastern front and their internet battlefields.

The trip will be far more about messaging than specific actions or deals. And the paramount priority for Biden is to convince the world that his Democratic administration is not just a fleeting deviation in the trajectory of an American foreign policy that many allies fear irrevocably drifted toward a more transactional outlook under former President Donald Trump.

``The trip, at its core, will advance the fundamental thrust of Joe Biden's foreign policy,'' said national security adviser Jake Sullivan, ``to rally the world's democracies to tackle the great challenges of our time.''

Biden's to-do list is ambitious.

In their face-to-face sit-down in Geneva, Biden wants to privately pressure Putin to end myriad provocations, including cybersecurity attacks on American businesses by Russian-based hackers, the jailing of opposition leader Alexei Navalny and repeated overt and covert efforts by the Kremlin to interfere in US elections.

Biden is also looking to rally allies on their COVID-19 response and to urge them to coalesce around a strategy to check emerging economic and national security competitor China even as the US expresses concern about Europe's economic links to Moscow.

Biden also wants to nudge outlying allies, including Australia, to make more aggressive commitments to the worldwide effort to curb global warming.

The week-plus journey is a big moment for Biden, who traveled the world for decades as vice president and as chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and will now step off Air Force One onto international soil as commander in chief.

He will face world leaders still grappling with the virus and rattled by four years of Trump's inward-looking foreign policy and moves that strained longtime alliances as the Republican former president made overtures to strongmen.

``In this moment of global uncertainty, as the world still grapples with a once-in-a-century pandemic,'' Biden wrote in a Washington Post op-ed previewing his diplomatic efforts, ``this trip is about realizing America's renewed commitment to our allies and partners, and demonstrating the capacity of democracies to both meet the challenges and deter the threats of this new age.``

The president first travels to Britain for a summit of the Group of Seven leaders and then Brussels for a NATO summit and a meeting with the heads of the European Union. It comes at a moment when Europeans have diminished expectations for what they can expect of US leadership on the foreign stage.

Central and Eastern Europeans are desperately hoping to bind the US more tightly to their security. Germany is looking to see the US troop presence maintained there so it doesn't need to build up its own.

France, meanwhile, has taken the tack that the US can't be trusted as it once was and that the European Union must pursue greater strategic autonomy going forward.

``I think the concern is real that the Trumpian tendencies in the US could return full bore in the midterms or in the next presidential election,'' said Alexander Vershbow, a former US diplomat and once deputy secretary general of NATO.

The sequencing of the trip is deliberate: Biden consulting with Western European allies for much of a week as a show of unity before his summit with Putin.

His first stop late Wednesday will be an address to US troops stationed in Britain, and the next day he sits down with British Prime Minster Boris Johnson. The two men will meet a day ahead of the G-7 summit to be held above the craggy cliffs of Cornwall overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.

The most tactile of politicians, Biden has grown frustrated by the diplomacy-via-Zoom dynamics of the pandemic and has relished the ability to again have face-to-face meetings that allow him to size up and connect with world leaders.

While Biden himself is a veteran statesman, many of the world leaders he will see in England, including Johnson and French President Emmanuel Macron, took office after Biden left the vice presidency. Another, Germany's Angela Merkel, will leave office later this year.

There are several potential areas of tension. On climate change, the US is aiming to regain its credibility after Trump pulled the country back from the fight against global warming.

Biden could also feel pressure on trade, an issue to which he's yet to give much attention. And with the United States well supplied with COVID-19 vaccines yet struggling to persuade some of its own citizens to use it, leaders whose inoculation campaigns have been slower will surely pressure Biden to share more surplus around the globe.

Another central focus will be China. Biden and the other G-7 leaders will announce an infrastructure financing program for developing countries that is meant to compete directly with Beijing's Belt-and-Road Initiative.

But not every European power has viewed China in as harsh a light as Biden, who has painted the rivalry with the techno-security state as the defining competition for the 21st century.

The European Union has avoided taking as strong a stance on Beijing's crackdown on Hong Kong's democracy movement or treatment of Uyghur Muslims and other ethnic minorities in the western Xinjiang province as the Biden administration may like. But there are signs that Europe is willing to put greater scrutiny on Beijing.

The EU in March announced sanctions targeting four Chinese officials involved with human rights abuses in Xinjiang. Beijing, in turn, responded by imposing sanctions on several members of the European Parliament and other Europeans critical of the Chinese Communist Party.

Biden is also scheduled to meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan while in Brussels, a face-to-face meeting between two leaders who have had many fraught moments in their relationship over the years.

Biden waited until April to call Erdogan for the first time as president. In that call, he informed the Turkish leader that he would formally recognize that the systematic killings and deportations of hundreds of thousands of Armenians by Ottoman Empire forces in the early 20th century were ``genocide'' _ using a term for the atrocities that his White House predecessors had avoided for decades over concerns of alienating Turkey.

The trip finale will be Biden's meeting with Putin.

Biden has taken a very different approach to Russia than Trump's friendly outreach. Their sole summit, held in July 2018 in Helsinki, was marked by Trump's refusal to side with US intelligence agencies over Putin's denials of Russian interference in the election two years earlier.

Biden could well be challenged by unrest at home as Russia looks to exploit the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection and the debate over voting rights to undermine the US position as a global role model. The American president, in turn, is expected to push Russia to quell its global meddling.

``By and large, these are not meetings on outcomes, these are 'get to know you again' meetings for the US and Europe,'' said Richard Haass, president of the Council on Foreign Relations. ``It's about delivering a message to Putin, to reviving old alliances and to demonstrate again that the US is back on the right course.''

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Al-Ahram Establishment will launch on Monday the fourth edition of its annual energy-focused conference under the patronage of Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly.

Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy Mohamed Shaker, Minister of Petroleum Tarek El-Molla, and other leading officials and experts from the energy sector are set to attend the conference.

The conference, dubbed Harvest of Reform and Future of Development, is set to tackle the strategy of the energy sector in Egypt, investment opportunities in energy and the development of the petroleum sector in terms of research, exploration, and the refining process.

It will also address chances and challenges on the path toward digital transformation seen by the electricity sector in the fields of green hydrogen technology and regional and international electricity network linkage.

Green hydrogen is a carbon-free fuel obtained by extracting hydrogen from water, which consists of hydrogen and oxygen, through using renewably produced electricity to break molecules.

The fourth conference is organised by Al-Ahram Al-Massaei newspaper and Al-Ahram Investment Company.

Abdel-Mohsen Salama, chairman of Al-Ahram and head of the forum, said the establishment is keen on continuing cooperation with state institutions in organising the forum due to its importance as a platform for golden opportunities in the future of energy in the country.

Despite of the circumstances faced globally and in Egypt due to the surge in coronavirus cases, Al-Ahram was determined, with its partners, to go forward with the forumwith a full adherence of preventive measures against the virus, said Salama.

Karam Gabr, head of the Supreme Council for Media Regulation; Maged Mounir, editor-in-chief of Al-Ahram Al-Massaei and Al-Ahram Gate; and Alaa Thabet, editor-in-chief of Al-Ahram newspaper are set to participate in the meeting.

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Ahram Online Journalist Doaa Abdel-Moneim received on Sunday the Nawal Omar Journalism Award for her data-enhanced feature SDGs vs COVID-19 in developing countries: The acid test.

The article, published by Ahram Online in December, tackles the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic on daily life and sustainable development goals, especially in developing countries and emerging markets.

The award, organised by Al-Ahram in collaboration with the Egyptian Journalists Syndicate, is held annually in honour of Al-Ahrams prominent late Journalist Nawal Omar.

Al-Ahrams Chairman Abdel-Mohsen Salama and Al-Ahram Daily Newspapers editor-in-chief Alaa Thabet attended the event, which was held at Al-Ahrams building.

In a word during the ceremony, Salama said that this contest and awards are considered motivators for journalists in these times.

In February 2020, Al-Ahram Al-Iktisadi and Ahram Online economy journalist Abdel-Moneim also won second place in the Economic Journalism Award for her articles Publishing Industry Fighting for Survival and Data Industry Leads International Business.

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Al-Ahram Establishment has announced that its second edition of its pharmaceutical manufacturing exhibition and conference will kick off on 16 October over two days, following the success of the first edition that was held in 2019.

The announcement came during a press conference held on Wednesday in Al-Ahram Establishments headquarter in the presence of Al-Ahram top officials and representatives of over 20 local and foreign companies that operate in the pharmaceuticals industry in the Egyptian market.

The conference is set to be launched under the theme of localising pharmaceutical manufacturing in Egypt and will be held in collaboration with Egypts medics city.

Hossam Zayed, the rapporteur of the conference, said that the pharmaceuticals sector is witnessing significant attention from Egypts political leadership.

He added that Egypts President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi adopted a building policy over all sectors, including the health and pharmaceuticals sectors, which has led to the establishment of the Egyptian medics city.

Chairman of Al-Ahram Establishment Abdel-Mohsen Salama noted that the second edition of the conference was supposed to be held in 2020, but the onset of the pandemic outbreak inhibited taking the action.

He added that the COVID-19 crisis has shown the importance of the health and pharmaceuticals sector as a strategic, pivotal, and imperative industry.

Egypt has great ambition to improve such a sector in the domestic market as well as advance and enhance the sectors exports, and the state has included this sector in its strategic plan, Salama explained.

He stated that Al-Ahram plays its enlightening role as a national institution in this regard through organising a conference that is expected to demonstrate the challenges the sector is facing and propose solutions to tackle them.

Head of the Pharmaceuticals Division at the Federation of Egyptian Chambers of Commerce Ali Auf said that the pharmaceutical industry in Egypt has proven its responsibility amid the ongoing crisis and has risen to the occasion.

He added that Al-Ahram is a big player in raising awareness for such an industry, especially amid the ongoing challenging time, and has the ability to shed light on critical issues, including the pharmaceutical industry and its role in the Egyptian market.

Our ambition is to localise and export Egyptian pharmaceuticals to external markets. The main objective of the conference is to diagnose the current condition of this important industry and set practical solutions to deal with its challenges, particularly with the severe impacts of the pandemic, Auf illustrated.

President of Ain Shams University and President of the conference Mahmoud El-Mitini said that the conference is a golden chance to engage foreign pharmaceutical companies to share their insights and solutions.

He added that pharmaceutical manufacturing has been persisting over 80 years in the Egyptian market, including local and holding companies, as well as five foreign ones.

Al-Ahram organised and sponsored the first edition of the conference in 2019, prior to the pandemic outbreak.

The conference called on the Egyptian government to reconsider pharmaceutical pricing and make the system of registration simpler.

They also called on the banking system to play a role in providing funds and facilities for the sector to enable companies to enter more markets around the world.

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Cairo is set to host a fresh round of Palestinian talks on Saturday which it hopes will reduce the 15-year long tensions between Hamas, which has ruled Gaza since the last legislative elections in 2006, and the Fatah-dominated Palestinian Authority (PA) which rules the West Bank.



Preparations for the new round of inter-Palestinian talks have not been easy, say Egyptian officials. The gap between the leaders of Hamas and Fatah remains wide: they disagree not just about the management of the situation in the coming weeks, following Israels devastating attack on Gaza, but also have different visions of political decision-making on the path towards Palestinian statehood.



The meeting comes at a time when Egypt has invested heavily in securing a ceasefire to the 11 days of hostilities prompted by Israeli attempts to confiscate the homes of Palestinians in Jerusalem and hand them over to Israeli settlers. After having secured the ceasefire in the third week of May, Egypt has been working hard to strengthen the truce and launch a reconstruction process to help repair the damage to Gaza.



Close to 250 Palestinians, including 100 women and children, lost their lives, and 70,000 Palestinians in Gaza are homeless following the Israeli attacks.



Late last week Egypt sent construction materials and equipment to start the rebuilding process in Gaza. President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi has pledged $500 million to this end, and Cairo has been coordinating closely with Hamas, the PA and Israel to avoid any delays to beginning the Egyptian reconstruction plan.



We are committed to reaching out to Gaza in every way we can to help with the reconstruction and believe that despite the differences between the factions they have no choice but to agree on a mechanism out of which a national agenda can emerge. They dont have to agree on every detail but there needs to be a consensus on basics if they are to move forward and push the Palestinian cause back on the table, said one official.



He added that recent developments have brought the Palestinian issue close to the centre of international attention and Cairo is committed to working with the Palestinians and concerned Arab countries to keep the worlds attention focused on resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.



It is not the easiest time to be doing this. The world has hardly thought about Palestine during the past 10 years, and there is a new US administration for whom the Middle East is not a top priority. True, Washingtons position is now more aligned to a two-state solution than was the case under Trump, but favouring a two-state solution and being willing to get involved are different things, added the official.



While talking to the Palestinians and getting them to talk to one another, Cairo has constantly stressed the importance of restarting some kind of political process. Easier said than done, concede Egyptian officials, especially given political developments in Israel and the possible end of Benjamin Netanyahus 12-year rule as prime minister.



Despite the obstacles, Cairo is unwilling to wait, fearing that once the world moves beyond the immediate aftermath of the latest conflict it will be less willing to try and pick up the pieces of the long-stalled peace talks.



Cairo has notified its regional and international allies that it is willing to host preparatory talks between the PA and Israel when both sides are ready.



According to Cairo-based Western diplomatic sources, despite limited expectations of serious peace talks convening given the depth of the Palestinian splits and Israels own political crises, there is an appetite to get some form of communication started, even if it is at a low level to begin with.



While nobody is expecting Palestinian and Israeli leaders to sit together and start discussing how to implement a two-state solution, what we have to do is end the freeze that the peace talks have been in, commented one Cairo-based European diplomat.



In a webinar on prospects for the Palestinian cause, hosted last Thursday by the Kemet Boutros Ghali Foundation, former Palestinian minister Nabil Amr said that now is the time for Palestinians to benefit from the authorisation that the world has given Egypt to help rescue the situation.



For Egypt to have any hope of delivering a political process, Amr argued, there has to be the beginning of an end to Palestinian division. And that, he continued, means that elections have to be incorporated in the Palestinian political roadmap.



Palestinians were supposed to hold their first general elections since 2006 in June. An Israeli decision to prohibit elections in Jerusalem, however, prompted their suspension by PA leader Mahmoud Abbas.



Hamas, along with other Palestinian factions, criticised the decision, saying its purpose was to save Abbas and other old-guard Fatah figures from defeat not just in Gaza but elsewhere in the Palestinian territories.



According to Amr, Palestinian elections are unlikely to result in a landslide victory for any faction. With an expected 36 electoral lists covering the political spectrum it is hard to think of any one faction securing an overwhelming majority of votes, he said.



Egyptian officials say the holding of elections is one of the issues the two Egyptian delegations shuttling between Cairo, Gaza, and Ramallah have been trying to fix.



Addressing the webinar, former foreign minister Nabil Fahmi stressed that it is important, to capitalise on the attention currently being paid to the Palestinian cause. There is an awareness [now] in the international community that the current Palestinian-Israeli situation cannot be left the way it is for long, he said. He added that despite the complexities of the situation on the Palestinian, Israeli, and regional fronts, there has to be prompt political action to consolidate the basis of the political process.



Former Lebanese foreign minister Nassif Hetti argued for the Arab Peace Initiative to be promoted to the international community as a solid base for any possible negotiation process.



According to Amr Moussa, a former foreign minister of Egypt and former secretary-general of the Arab League, the first step for any successful initiative must be Palestinian reconciliation.



Nothing can move forward if Palestinian political leaders cannot agree to find a way to work together and to manage their differences, he said.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 10 June, 2021 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

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Last week the UK added Egypt, and six other countries, to its red list. Travellers from red list countries to the UK are required to quarantine for 11 days at a hotel approved by the government and have two negative PCR tests before being allowed to check out of the hotel.

Tarek Imam, head of the tour operator Travel Line, described the UKs decision as a catastrophe. Travel Line arranges cruises between Luxor and Aswan and was expecting the arrival of a number of groups from the UK in October. The groups have requested their trips be delayed. Having made the initial down payment to secure their holidays two years ago, they still havent been able to make it to Egypt.

The UK is one of the largest tourist markets for Egypt. In June 2020, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Khaled El-Enany met with the UK Ambassador to Egypt Sir Geoffrey Adams to discuss ways to boost tourism between the two countries.

Direct flights from the UK to Sharm El-Sheikh resumed in February 2020, before the coronavirus outbreak, after the UK ended a ban imposed in 2015 after 224 people died when a Russian airliner was downed over Sinai. Immediately after the resumption there was a weekly direct flight from the UKs Gatwick airport to Sharm El-Sheikh, which increased to two flights per week on 14 September.

While Sharm El-Sheikh for a time fell off British tourists maps, Hurghada remained a popular destination.

The UKs decision will delay the return of British travellers to Egypt, said Ihab Abdel-Aal, head of Blue Moon travel agency. The industry had been anticipating the arrival of a million UK tourists to Egypt in 2021 following the resumption of flights.

In Egypt British tourists visit cultural destinations and beaches  in that order. They are ranked as upper middle-spenders.

Following the 25 January 2011 Revolution, the UK came second in the list of travellers to Egypt. In 2010, 1.5 million British tourists flew to the country, a figure that rose to 1.34 million the following year, before dropping to 1.012 million in 2012.

Now, travellers flying to or returning to the UK need three negative PCR tests: one before boarding, one taken on the third day and the third on the eighth day, says Abdel-Aal.

Reuters reported that no countries were added to the UKs quarantine-free green list. The full list of countries added to the red list is: Afghanistan, Bahrain, Costa Rica, Egypt, Sri Lanka, Sudan, and Trinidad and Tobago.

Before the coronavirus outbreak, Thomas Cooks bankruptcy crisis in 2019 had adversely affected the number of British tourists to Egypt. It was reported at the time that Egypt lost an estimated 100,000 UK tourists in 2020. Blue Sky, the company that acts as Thomas Cooks agent in Egypt, reported 25,000 cancellations of British reservations up to April 2020.

Rania Al-Mashat, the minister of tourism at the time, said: Over the last few years we have put great effort into diversifying the markets exporting tourists. British travellers are no longer on top of Egypts list.

In 2018-19, Germany became the largest exporter of tourists to Egypt.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 10 June, 2021 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

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Egypts coronavirus case numbers are falling. The average number of daily cases dropped from 1,200 in mid-May to 800 in the first week of June, leading to hopes the third wave of the pandemic is receding.

Restrictive measures introduced on 6 May have been eased. Instead of closing at 9pm, shops and malls are now allowed to open till 11pm on weekdays and until midnight during weekends. Coffee shops and restaurants can remain open until 1am throughout the week.

Weddings and funerals in closed halls, however, remain banned.

Egypt, which aims to vaccinate 40 per cent of its 100 million-plus population by the end of this year, increased its stock of vaccines to five million doses on Monday after receiving the first shipment of 500,000 doses of Beijing-based Sinovacs Covid-19 vaccine.

The Sinovac vaccine, approved by the World Health Organisation (WHO) for emergency use on 1 June and by the Egyptian Drug Authority (EDA) in April, is now being manufactured locally by VACSERA, with the first batch  two million doses  due on 15 June. Production is expected to reach 40 doses by the end of the year.

The Sinovac jab is an inactivated vaccine and, according to the WHO, its easy storage requirements make it very manageable, and particularly suitable for low-resource settings, preventing symptomatic disease in 51 per cent of those vaccinated and avoiding severe Covid-19 in 100 per cent of the studied population. The WHO recommends the Sinovac-CoronaVac vaccine for use in adults 18 years and older.

Health Minister Hala Zayed, who wants Egypt to become an African hub for vaccine production, announced on Monday that a shipment of 3,000 litres of raw materials, enough to produce another 4.2 million doses of Sinovac, are due to be delivered late-June.

According to WHO figures, Egypt has vaccinated more than 2.5 million people since January at 406 centres nationwide, using the WHO-approved Chinese Sinopharm and UK AstraZeneca vaccines.

Zayed announced last week that Egypt is scheduled to receive an additional million doses of the Sinopharm vaccine, 500,000 doses of the Sinovac vaccine, and 1.9 million doses of AstraZeneca this month.

Egypt received its first shipment of COVAX vaccines  854,400 doses of AstraZeneca  in April as part of the 40 million doses it has been promised by the global initiative.

The US Embassy in Cairo announced on 7 June that Egypt is on the US shortlist of allied states eligible to share six million vaccine shots.

Egypt is on the list of partner countries for US vaccines. The US will share 80 million doses globally, five times more than any other country. Of the first batch of 25 million doses, 19 million will be sent to the COVAX initiative and six million will be provided for a list of regional priorities and beneficiaries of the allies, including Egypt, the embassy said in a short statement.

Meanwhile, the UK added Egypt, along with six other countries, to its red list, obliging passengers to undergo an 11-day mandatory quarantine, starting on 8 June. Zayed described the listing as a surprise, and said representations had been made to the British Embassy in Egypt, and by the Egyptian Embassy in London, describing Egypts experience in managing the coronavirus crisis.

Passengers arriving in the UK from red list countries are required to stay in government-approved quarantine hotels for 11 days at a fixed cost of 1,750 per adult. They must also take two Covid-19 tests before departure and have proof of the negative results, and complete a passenger locator form.

The UKs red list currently comprises 50 countries, including Argentina, Bahrain, Brazil, Ethiopia, Oman, Qatar, South Africa, Sudan, Turkey, UAE, and Uruguay.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 10 June, 2021 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

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The US Biden administration has recently made a number of moves in a bid to address the tripartite crisis between Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia over the latters controversial building of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on the Blue Nile.

Perhaps the most significant has been the shuttle diplomacy conducted by new US special envoy for the Horn of Africa, Jeffrey Feltman, to a list of states to discuss the GERD crisis with local leaders.

In May, Feltman travelled to Egypt, Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Sudan, concluding another tour to Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Kenya by this week.

The veteran diplomat has previously served in several parts of the Middle East and Africa. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced that the ex-UN official will be responsible for dealing with the volatile situation in Ethiopias war-torn Tigray region, escalating tensions between Ethiopia and Sudan, and the dispute around the GERD.

However, experts have dissimilar views about the extent to which the US can effectively solve the crisis.

Speaking to Al-Ahram Weekly, Michelle Gavin, who served as a special assistant to former US president Barack Obama when Biden was vice president and was senior director for Africa at the US National Security Council, believes that neither the Gulf states nor the US will benefit from rising tensions in the Horn of Africa.

The Biden administration will be working to build multilateral consensus on the importance of a negotiated agreement around the GERD issues and other flash points in the region. Jeff Feltmans appointment indicates that the administration understands how important it will be to work with the Gulf states on multiple issues relating to the Horn, Gavin added.

Gavin, now a senior fellow at the US Council on Foreign Relations, pointed out that the Biden administration will refrain from incendiary statements, coordinating instead its approach to the GERD crisis across the US government. She expected that Biden would be looking for ways to support the African Union-sponsored negotiating process on the GERD.

But Amany Al-Taweel, an Africa expert at the Al-Ahram Centre for Political and Strategic Studies in Cairo, believes that the Biden administration is still discovering how it will deal with the GERD issue.

It [the Biden administration] is not prioritising the issue, she said. Al-Taweel highlighted that Feltman had not revealed the outcomes of his visit, while Biden had not made an initiative, offered mediation, or even developed a strategy about the GERD and its regional implications.

US administrations, especially Democratic ones, have been historically pro-Ethiopian. Even when Biden imposed sanctions on Ethiopia, he linked it to the Tigray conflict. We are not sure whether this carries a hidden message that Washington can escalate through sanctions, which is, in fact, a change in US-Ethiopian relations, Al-Taweel said.

She did not expect much from Europe. The Europeans, including Britain, have historically felt that Egypt has too much control over the Nile. I dont know why they have this feeling, she commented.

The Ethiopians are taking advantage of this and have a similar historical enmity against Egypt because of its role in the Red Sea and Nile-related operations during Mohamed Alis reign in the 19th century, Al-Taweel explained, warning that the Ethiopians have not forgotten the past.

This could explain why some Ethiopian positions are so irrational, as they are built on emotions, Al-Taweel said.

A Sudanese Irrigation Ministry official told Reuters in May that Ethiopia had started the second phase of filling the reservoir behind the GERD, with this being a major concern for Cairo and Khartoum.

Ethiopia plans to fill the reservoir with almost 14 billion cubic metres of water during this phase, and it has refused to negotiate the mechanisms for doing so with Egypt and Sudan.

Sudans top diplomat Mariam Al-Sadik Al-Mahdi warned in March that the second filling of the GERD endangers the lives of 20 million Sudanese citizens.

We want the dam to serve as the basis of developmental cooperation between Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia. The first filling made Sudan suffer thirst amid floods and did not stop the movement of Nile water. The second one is even more alarming, Al-Mahdi said during a visit to Cairo.

She stressed that if the second filling happens, Sudan will be thirsty, and it will be hard to count on diplomacy until we respond. Our response would also be an angry one, she said.

According to a report published by the Egyptian Embassy in Washington, Egypts 100 million population relies on the Nile for more than 95 per cent of its renewable water resources. The report noted that a decrease of only one billion cubic metres of water could eliminate more than one million jobs and $1.8 billion in economic production annually across economic sectors.

Sudans proposal for establishing a quartet that would include the African Union, the United Nations, the United States, and Europe received Egyptian support. Both Sudan and Egypt asked Ethiopia in March to accept the suggestion.

Ashok Swain, a peace and conflict professor at Uppsala University in Sweden, also underlined the role of Beijing in this crisis. Swain said that Biden wanted to get support from the USs Middle Eastern and African friends and allies to reach a settlement.

They [the Biden administration] fear that Ethiopia is getting support from China, making it possible for Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy [Ahmed] to resist US pressure. China is also exploiting the Tigray crisis to make Abiy more dependent on its support in the UN Security Council, Swain said.

Thus, the Biden administration is worried that Ethiopia could become a client state of China in the region, which would bring serious complications for regional security and US interests. So, the GERD has become another proxy battle between the US and China, he concluded.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 10 June, 2021 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

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As Cairo and Khartoum continued to push for a legally binding agreement regulating the operation of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), Addis Ababa disclosed that this years filling of the reservoir will be much less than it had previously, and repeatedly, announced.

Ethiopias Water and Irrigation Minister Seleshi Bekele said construction of the dams body had not reached the planned height needed for a full second-year filling. Last week he told the media that the current height of the dam is 565 metres, and work is underway to reach 573 metres within 20 days.

The targeted height of 573 metres is 22 metres below the previously declared figure of 595 metres, says Abbas Sharaky, a professor of geology and water resources at Cairo University.

Addis Ababa has for long insisted last Julys first filling of the reservoir with 4.9 billion cubic metres (bcm) would be supplemented this summer by a much more ambitious second filling of 13.5 bcm.

Although Bekele did not mention the amount to be stored this year it will not be more than 4 bcm at most, says Sharaki. Though the volume of water in the reservoir will not exceed 9 bcm, it will be enough to operate two turbines by August.

The amount of water stored in the dam reservoir should not change Egypt and Sudans position, says former Irrigation Minister Mohamed Nasreddin Allam.

Regardless of the amount, any second storage without an agreement is an encroachment on the rights of Egypt and Sudan, he told Al-Ahram Weekly.

This week, Irrigation Minister Mohamed Abdel-Ati underlined Cairos keenness to resume AU-sponsored GERD negotiations as soon as possible and reach an agreement before the start of the second filling during the flood season.

As Abdel-Ati re-affirmed Egypts determination to defend its water rights and reach a binding agreement, Khartoum continued with its own diplomatic campaign to secure international support for the two downstream countries positions. During a virtual meeting with the Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita, Sudans Foreign Minister Mariam Al-Saddik Al-Mahdi warned that Addis Ababas intransigence could have ominous repercussions.

The meeting followed an African tour that concluded last week and took Al-Mahdi to Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, and Niger.

Ethiopia continues to insist it will go ahead with a second filling despite Cairos and Khartoums objections, and has stepped up military deployment near the dam.

Ethiopias Air Force presence around the Renaissance Dam is stronger than ever, said Ethiopian Air Force Commander Yilma Merdasa, according to a press release posted on Facebook.

The Air Force is closely guarding the Renaissance Dam and pledges to protect it from any aggression, Merdasa added during an EAF award ceremony.

Analysts say such statements are intended purely for domestic consumption, and serve to distract from Ethiopias twice postponed national and regional elections.

The announced reduction in the amount of water to be stored in the dam this year is being as a positive development in both Khartoum and Cairo.

Nader Noureddin, a professor of water and land use at Cairo University, suggests that future negotiations should focus on reducing the storage capacity of the dam to 40 bcm instead of 75 bcm. This is enough to generate the electricity that Ethiopia maintains is the primary purpose of the dam, without exposing Egypt and Sudan to water shortages or other harm, he said.

Negotiations between the three countries came to a halt in January after Ethiopia refused several proposals by Egypt and Sudan to advance the talks.

The dispute between Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia dates back to May 2011 when Ethiopia started building the dam. In 2015, the three countries signed the Declaration of Principles which states that downstream countries should not be harmed by the construction of the dam.

The Anglo-Ethiopian treaty, signed in 1902 between the United Kingdom  representing Egypt and Sudan  and Ethiopia  represented by Emperor Menelik II of Abyssinia, prohibited the construction of any waterworks on the Blue Nile that would affect the rivers natural flow.

In 1993, Ethiopia and Egypt signed the Cairo Cooperation Framework pledging not to implement water projects harmful to the interests of the other, and to consult over projects to reduce waste and increase the flow of the Nile.

Ethiopia was not party to the 1929 Nile water agreement between Egypt and the UK, representing Uganda, Kenya, Tanganyika (now Tanzania), and Sudan. The deal allocates 55.5 bcm of water to Egypt and 18.5 bcm to Sudan. Nor did Ethiopia take part in its 1959 supplementary agreement which confirmed Cairo and Khartoums annual quota and allowed the construction of Egypts Aswan High Dam.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 10 June, 2021 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

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Just as he turned eight months old, Rasheed's family felt something was wrong with him. Even his older sister could tell.

His growth seemed to be abnormal. He was not like the rest of the children, his father Yasser Taha said in a televised segment.

Because the condition is rare, we had our share of misdiagnosis. When he was 12 months old, a paediatrician reassured us and gave him vitamins. Two months later, as his condition regressed, we went to a neurologist, who again misdiagnosed the disease and said he needed physical therapy and then he would recover, he added.

In an interview with A Final Word programme, broadcast on ON satellite channel and presented by Lamis El-Hadidi, the father explained that after further consultation, the family finally found out what the child has been suffering from: the second type of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA).

Rasheed's case has trended on social media in the past few days, with a hashtag ricocheting by tens of thousands of people to help the little boy.

Fast deterioration

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), SMA type 2 (SMA2) is a genetic neuromuscular disorder that affects the nerve cells that control voluntary muscles (motor neurons).

If left without treatment, muscle weakness develops in babies with SMA2 between six and 12 months old.

General guidelines point out that SMA2 symptoms begin in babies at approximately three to 15 months of age who learn to sit unassisted but do not stand or walk independently. Other indicators include having shaking tremors in fingers and hands.

Prenatal testing is available and can detect if both partners are carriers of the SMA gene. Gynaecologists can test and determine if the fetus had inherited two copies of the SMA gene mutation, thus manifesting the condition.

Pleading for life

Rasheeds case gained attention when his father released a plea for assistance from the government to help treat his son.

The genetic mutation that my son suffers from needs an injection that costs about $2.1 million, he said on Facebook.

Taha asked that his son be treated at the state's expense, because he cannot afford to pay for the injection.

He continued, "I appeal to the president on social media, and I do not know what else to do, but the child must receive the injection before he turns two years old. We have only four months."

Why the hefty price?

In 2019 the Swiss-based pharma company Novartis made international headlines when it announced it had received US regulatory approval for a gene therapy that treats a rare childhood disorder and has a price tag of more than $2 million.

This makes it the most expensive drug in history.



At that time, the company issued a statement defending the weight of the price tag, saying the gene therapy was a breakthrough and that the drug Zolgensma is a one-time treatment for SMA, a disease that affects about 1 in 10,000 births and which results in death or the need for permanent ventilation by the age of two in 90 percent of the cases.

A Zolgensma injection is a glimmer of hope as it provides a functional copy of the defective gene responsible for SMA to stop the disease's progression in its track, just by a single injection.

Ongoing trials provided evidence of its effectiveness and found that patients treated with Zolgensma demonstrated significant improvement in their ability to reach developmental motor milestones, including head control and the ability to sit without support.

Dr Ahmed El-Sharqawy, head of research at a major company, told Ahram Online that in addition to raw ingredients and manufacturing, the price of a drug includes the cost of research, the development of the drug, as well as the cost of drugs that did not make it to the end in the market.

These cost millions of dollars and take years until they pass all the stages, proving that they are effective and not harmful to animals, and then to humans, with no or minimal side effects," he said.

In March 2016, the Journal of Health Economics stated that the cost of developing a prescription drug that makes it to the market is $2.5 billion.

This estimate was challenged in 2020 by a new study published in JAMA Network that pointed out that the average cost of bringing a drug to the market is $985 million.

Although the estimation took a steep turn, it remains a great indicator of how expensive the whole process is.

SMA challenges in Egypt

The Egyptian Association for Muscular Dystrophy was inaugurated in 2016 by Sherifa Metawei, who is living with the condition herself.

Metawei says the association aims to provide care and guidance for SMA patients.

There are 600 SMA patients that are registered with the association, she said, but there may be up to 700,000 patients nationwide.

The majority of them live in rural areas and are not registered for proper care in health facilities. Families come for support, but they usually keep their patients locked at home, she added.

Dr Mahmoud Fouad, director of the Egyptian Centre for the Right to Medicine, said SMA patients in Egypt are in a tragic condition, having been facing denial for many years.

The state did not pay attention to patients with muscular dystrophy in the past, and therefore did not establish special departments in hospitals for this type of disease, despite the presence of more than 11 types of muscular dystrophy in Egypt, he said.

Fouad stressed that families of SMA patients in Egypt are mostly very poor. Hence, the presence of specialised departments in hospitals to conduct examinations at almost free costs, and with direct support from the Ministry of Health, is very important to reduce their burden.

Some medications help prevent the deterioration of the patients condition and the heart muscle not to stop. Unfortunately, the Ministry of Health has not yet purchased these drugs, he added.

Fouad pointed out that many former health ministers issued a decision to establish departments for muscular dystrophy patients in major hospitals, and four departments for muscular dystrophy in university hospitals were about to be established, but none of the decisions came into effect.

As the case of Rasheed gains more and more coverage and attention, hundreds of families look forward to receiving support and assistance from society that is increasingly becoming aware of the struggle of SMA in Egypt that was seldom heard of.

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The deafening sounds of war  roar, whine, boom  have finally subsided, and all is queit on the Gaza front. The vocabulary of battle has receded from news studios and the daily press. People hooked up to social media have begun to turn to other subjects for thrills. All parties have resumed the interests they had been pursuing closer to home before the Gaza conflict overshadowed them.

Talk of a historic victory of one sort of another foreshadowed the return to normal. The narrative was what counted, not the number of dead or wounded or the amount of destruction. Overlooked, too, were chronic contradictions, the resurgence of historic causes that some had thought were dead and buried, and the fact that coexistence between Jews and Arabs in Israeli cities is a fiction when grounded in inequality and the perpetuation of a historic injustice. There were no investigatory committees, no process of accountability whatsoever, no reflection on the course of the war. No one even asked whether it could have been avoided or whether, as long as it happened, it created an opportunity to search for a new peace.

In the history of conflict in this region, some wars proved a portal to a peace process. The October 1973 War is a prime example. This also applies to the war to liberate Kuwait. Even though the latter had no bearing whatsoever on the Arab-Israeli conflict, it gave rise to the Madrid Conference which led to the peace treaty between Jordan and Israel, the Oslo accords between the PLO and Israel and the creation of the first Palestinian National Authority on Palestinian land. Unfortunately, all that started to crumble when the Camp David talks collapsed and the second Intifada erupted (in militant form this time).

From then on, it was a series of skirmishes and wars with no sense of the cost, no window for talks and no awareness that the only sensible option is to explore the possibilities of peace. There were three wars in Gaza before the last one. In the wake of each, some tried to search for a way forward after the ceasefire. Their attempts were futile.

As it did in the previous wars, Egypt brokered a ceasefire and then worked to secure it. This time, however, with support from Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries, it initiated a long journey in search of a solution that would end the seemingly inescapable vicious cycle of war, rebuilding a place only to see it being torn down again.

The new factor that entered the equation was that the Arab world, which experienced an alleged Arab Spring that ushered in gales of Muslim Brotherhood fanaticism, Islamist terrorism and civil warfare, realised that the first steps needed to steer the region to the shores of safety, stability and prosperity began with a profound domestic reform and modernisation process.

The nation state was the prerequisite polity, developing diverse homegrown capacities was an essential key, and inclusiveness of all citizens regardless of race or creed was an indispensable principle.

Ambitious national sustainable development projects bearing titles such as Vision 2030 or Vision 2035 were launched in this framework. The timeframe was mainly to serve as a benchmark, a means to compare the before and after, and to measure progress in terms of that achieved by other countries that preceded us down this path. The details are important and should be discussed elsewhere. What concerns us here is that broaching the post-Gaza period from the perspective of reconstruction is not just a developmental but also a geopolitical approach.

Some weeks after taking office, US President Joe Biden sent a team to the region to test its pulse. They returned home with the conclusion that the capitals they visited, which included Cairo and Riyadh, were fully engaged in processes of domestic construction. This, I believe, helps explain his appreciation for and faith in the role the Arab states played during the recent fighting in Gaza.

If it is true that foreign policy is an extension of domestic policy, then Arab behaviour during the war illustrated that. Their actions proceeded, firstly, from the premise that this war had to be the last one and, secondly, that reconstructing Gaza requires peace to be sustainable. Egypt brings long experience and extensive expertise to the process of peacemaking, but it also knows that an essential prerequisite for the negotiating process is that both sides of the conflict need to have a single address to turn to.

The trouble with all previous Gaza wars was that the Palestinian factions started rebuilding with a house divided into two political entities, one in the West Bank, the other in Gaza. One new factor this time round was that Israel too is becoming divided into Israeli factions. These have barely managed to cobble themselves together in name so as to form a new government for which peace is clearly not a key concept. True, Netanyahu was far from pro-peace, but at least he provided a single address from which to receive acceptance or rejection of a peace offer.

Now there are multiple addresses. Most are on the far right, though some are on the left and, for the first time in that countrys history, one address is to be found among the Arab Israelis: the United Arab List party, headed by Mansour Abbas. Untangling all this is as complicated as it could be short of falling apart first, or unless there are genuine elections in Palestine and a fifth round in Israel, despite all the divisions and tensions that creates.

This said, there is no getting around the peacemaking mission. This is not just because regional stability is integral to domestic development but also because the region can not afford more wars. Fortunately, there is a regional drive to restore calm and to search for new instruments for diplomatic interaction to that end. It took people to point the way to such new instruments in order for the Libyan crisis to shift from conflict mode to political roadmap. In the process, that crisis proved a way to reduce tensions between Egypt and Turkey and, indeed, to avert a looming conflict.

The Al-Ula Agreement which brought calm to Qatars various fronts has generated various forms of cooperation. Iraqs recent efforts to forge a path out of its geographic predicament should open horizons for regional understandings that free this region from remaining vulnerable to whether the US stays or leaves. Unfortunately, the Palestinian question and the Israeli one are unlike the others.

What makes them more complicated are the ways they began to be mixed up with radical Islamism, as epitomised by the Muslim Brotherhood and the relations between Hamas and Iran, a dimension that engendered new regional and international alignments. With all due respect to the surge of sympathy for the Palestinians including that of the Democratic Party in the US Congress, the German and Austrian positions on these matters could not help but be informed by the terrorism Europe has experienced in the past decade.

This complexity makes it all the more necessary to persist in the drive that combines peace, reform and regional security in a single package. The opportunities that arise in the aftermath of war do not come solely to the peoples, states or entities that were party to the war, but also to the region in which they live. The fourth Gaza war should not be just another number in a growing series of wars. It should become an important incentive to turn the aftermath of war into an avenue to peace. The only question is how.

*The writer is chairman of the board, CEO and director of the Regional Centre for Strategic Studies.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 10 June, 2021 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

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As Egypt markes the seventh anniversary of President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisis rise to power on 8 June 2014, and the eighth anniversary of the 30 June 2013 Revolution against Muslim Brotherhood rule, Egyptians must feel proud of their many achievements and triumphs during those tough years.

There is no question that Egypt was in a state of widespread chaos during the uneasy transition from the 30-year era under the late president Hosni Mubarak, which ended on 11 February 2011. Weaseling its way into power, the Muslim Brotherhood nonetheless failed to understand the needs of the Egyptian people, or the slogans raised during the 25 January 2011 Revolution against Mubarak.

Egyptians in Tahrir Square repeatedly chanted, Bread, freedom and social justice. The Brotherhood provided none of these demands, its only concern being to enable its leaders to control the country, regardless of the interests of the Egyptian people.

However, on 30 June 2013, and later with the election of President Al-Sisi less than a year later, Egyptians asserted that they would not accept the establishment of a dictatorship that used religion as a cover.

When Al-Sisi took office, he faced the toughest challenges any Egyptian leader had met since the 1952 Revolution against the monarchy. The Muslim Brotherhood propaganda machine portrayed the popular revolt on 30 June 2013 as a military coup, and championed an evil effort to isolate Egypt.

However, Al-Sisi and his new administration ignored such false claims, and slowly but surely restored the countrys leading regional and international role. By holding open and free presidential elections in early 2014, the African Union reversed its decision to suspend Egypts membership in the organisation that Cairo helped create back in the 1960s.

Several European governments as well as consecutive US administrations that had shown reserve in dealing with the new regime also recognised that facts spoke for themselves, and that the majority of Egyptians strongly supported the efforts exerted by President Al-Sisi to rebuild Egypt into a modern, prosperous country in the interest of serving and improving the lives of its people.

The president recognised that, in order to restore Egypts regional and international status, he needed to concentrate first on improving the countrys economy and infrastructure. Huge, unprecedented megaprojects were therefore launched, generating hundreds of thousands of job opportunities. Egypt needed to modernise nearly all sectors of the economy, building new cities, roads, harbours and airports. All these projects were carried out in an exceptionally short time, paving the way for local and international investments that would help improve the economy in the long run.

Meanwhile, the government was aware that major economic reforms would affect millions of the countrys poor and unprivileged classes. Several programmes were therefore launched to provide much needed support to poor families, reaching nearly 15 million people. Those families were not only provided with basic needs such as food supplies, they were also given small loans to start their own projects. Developing the lives of Egyptians went hand in hand with other national projects because of awareness that human beings should always come first.

Considering the very complicated and volatile circumstances the entire Middle East has been going through since 2011, President Al-Sisi, benefiting from his own military background, made Egypts security a top priority. The Egyptian army was provided with all the latest technology and training to protect the country and its close allies in the region. Several major arms deals were signed with France, Germany, Russia and China, besides maintaining close military cooperation with Egypt and its strategic ally, the United States.

Such strength in Egypts army and its capabilities were certainly behind the new opening in Libya that might restore stability in this war-torn strategic neighbour. The same applied to several other threats Egypt faced, whether in terms of fighting terrorism or protecting its vital resources, the most important of which is water.

Egypts internal achievements and increasing stability allowed the country to restore its historic regional and international role. This was clearly seen in the latest confrontation that took place between Hamas and Israel in Gaza. Egypt was the only trusted partner that managed to end the fighting and the killing of Palestinian people in only 10 days. Because he understands that Palestinians in Gaza need more than just peace, what is more, President Al-Sisi surprised the world by announcing that Cairo would provide $500 million to Gaza, not only to rebuild what Israel destroyed in the overpopulated Strip, but also to provide jobs and improve living conditions.

Indeed, Egyptians have a lot to celebrate these days, while still knowing that a lot of work remains to be done by both the countrys leadership and its people.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 10 June, 2021 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

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KYODO NEWS - Jun 9, 2021 - 22:51 | All, Japan

Japan and Australia underscored on Wednesday the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait for the first time in bilateral talks, while agreeing to deepen security cooperation amid China's rising assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific region.

The defense and foreign ministers of the two countries affirmed Japan's Self-Defense Forces will protect Australian military assets in noncombat situations in a move to bolster their "quasi alliance" in the face of China's military buildup and its assertive territorial claims in the East and South China seas.

The development "will lead to boost interoperability between the SDF and the Australian forces and strengthen deterrence," Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi told reporters after the so-called two-plus-two virtual meeting.

In a joint statement issued after the meeting, the two governments said for the first time that they "underscore the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and encourage the peaceful resolution of cross-strait issues."

It followed similar references to Taiwan in Japan's recent summit talks with the United States and the European Union.

The statement immediately drew ire from China, with the Foreign Ministry urging Tokyo and Canberra "to respect sovereignty and not to interfere in internal affairs of other country."

China regards Taiwan, a democratic, self-ruled island, as a renegade province to be reunited with the mainland by force if necessary.

Kishi and Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said they also shared with their Australian counterparts -- Peter Dutton and Marise Payne -- concerns over a recently enacted Chinese law that enables its coast guard ships to fire on foreign vessels in waters that Beijing deems its territory.

Kishi said Japan and Australia must "further deepen security cooperation" so that they can "proactively contribute to the peace and stability of the Indo-Pacific region."

As for the SDF protection of military assets, Australia became the second country, after the United States, whose assets Tokyo is allowed to protect under Japanese security legislation that came into force in 2016.

The law stipulates that SDF personnel are permitted to protect the military assets of other countries on condition that the foreign forces are engaged in activities contributing to the defense of Japan.

Kishi said the protection would be provided upon request from Australia.

The two countries had been coordinating the addition of Australia following an accord during their defense ministers' talks last October as part of efforts to strengthen vigilance and surveillance activities amid China's rise.

Kishi said the SDF would provide protection when Australia is gathering information on ballistic missiles, holding joint drills to improve its defense capability for Japan and engaged in transportation and supply activities during a crisis that could greatly affect Japan's security.

The SDF's overseas activities are strictly limited under Japan's war-renouncing Constitution.

At the talks, the four ministers also agreed they will aim for an early conclusion of a bilateral pact aimed at facilitating joint exercises between their troops, according to Motegi.

In November last year, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and his Australian counterpart Scott Morrison agreed in principle on the pact, formally called "Reciprocal Access Agreement."

According to the joint statement, the two countries reiterated their commitment toward "achieving the complete, verifiable and irreversible dismantlement" of North Korea's nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction programs as well as a resolution of Pyongyang's abductions of Japanese nationals in the 1970s and 1980s.

The ministers expressed "grave concerns" about the situation in Myanmar, urging the junta to immediately halt violence against its people and measures to suppress freedom of expression.

They also demanded the release of all those arbitrarily detained.

The ministers singled out China regarding human rights issues, saying they "share serious concerns" over Beijing's treatment of the Uyghur and other Muslim minorities in the Xinjiang autonomous region and its recent moves to weaken democracy and undermine rights and freedom in Hong Kong.
KYODO NEWS - Jun 9, 2021 - 18:50 | All, Japan, Coronavirus

The Japanese government plans to lift the COVID-19 quasi-state of emergency in three prefectures after this weekend as scheduled as infections are declining, officials said Wednesday.

"We will consult with experts and make a decision regarding Gunma, Ishikawa and Kumamoto as early as tomorrow as we continue to watch the situation with a strong sense of caution," Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Manabu Sakai told a press conference.

Restrictions including banning restaurants from serving alcohol and telling them to close by 8 p.m. as well as a 5,000-person attendance cap at events are expected to end on Sunday.

Five other prefectures -- Saitama, Chiba, Kanagawa, Gifu and Mie -- will remain under the quasi-state of emergency with no change to their June 20 end date, the officials said.

Yasutoshi Nishimura, the minister in charge of Japan's coronavirus response, is slated to ask for approval from a panel of experts in infectious disease and other fields before Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, who is departing for Britain on Thursday evening, finalizes the decision.

Gunma, Ishikawa and Kumamoto have been under the restrictions, which are similar to those under a full-fledged state of emergency but with smaller fines for noncompliance, since May 16.

Nine prefectures including Tokyo and Osaka remain under the tougher restrictions, though the fourth wave of infections is gradually starting to subside with a little over a month until the capital hosts the Summer Olympics.

Tokyo reported 440 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, down from around 1,000 per day in early May.
KYODO NEWS - Jun 9, 2021 - 11:43 | All, Japan

The United States plans to host the first in-person summit with Japan, Australia and India in Washington in the fall, a senior official said Tuesday.

Speaking at a think-tank event, White House coordinator for the Indo-Pacific Kurt Campbell said, "Our goal is to hold an in-person Quad meeting" to take place "here in Washington in the fall with all leaders in attendance."

U.S. President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met virtually in March, marking the first summit of the group of democratic nations as it seeks to counter China's growing economic and military influence.

At the meeting, the leaders agreed to work toward delivering up to 1 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccine to Southeast Asia and elsewhere by the end of 2022 through a substantial increase in production capacity in India.

Campbell said that timeline remains intact despite a devastating surge in infections in India, where some 350,000 have died due to the coronavirus.

"We will ensure that we've taken the necessary steps on the vaccine deliverable, we intend to build on that. We want to do something constructive with respect to infrastructure," he said.

"I think we're going to take some other steps to build out the Quad to ensure that as an unofficial gathering, it still is the defining feature of modern diplomacy linking these key maritime democracies in a way that is deeply consequential for the 21st century," Campbell added.

The democratic nations have been seeking to counter the "vaccine diplomacy" of China, which is offering shots to developing countries as it expands its influence.

The group, known formally as the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue and originally formed in 2004 in response to the Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, has also stepped up defense cooperation, including holding joint naval exercises, in the face of China's increasing assertiveness in surrounding waters.

In a joint statement following their March virtual meeting, the leaders vowed to "continue to prioritize the role of international law in the maritime domain" and facilitate collaboration to "meet challenges to the rules-based maritime order" in the East and South China seas, where Beijing has sovereignty claims.
KYODO NEWS - Jun 9, 2021 - 22:11 | All, Japan, Coronavirus

Japan's COVID-19 vaccination efforts are picking up steam with many local governments set to expand their rollout to those under 65 this month, and preparations under way for on-site inoculations at workplaces and universities.

The government, which launched its vaccination program for those 65 and older in April, had originally planned to begin its vaccine rollout for those under 65 only after finishing vaccinating around 36 million elderly people.

But the inoculation drive is now being accelerated with less than two months before the Tokyo Olympics open.

Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, facing criticism for the slow vaccine rollout compared with other developed countries, announced a series of policy changes at the end of May to speed up COVID-19 vaccinations in Japan.

The government also said earlier this month it will start vaccinations at workplaces and universities on June 21. As of Wednesday, over a thousand companies have applied for the scheme.

Among local governments, the city of Yatomi in Aichi Prefecture will start vaccinations of people aged between 60 to 64 from Thursday, while Taiki in Hokkaido will begin vaccinating all people aged 60 to 64, and those aged 16 and over with underlying conditions, from June 14.

Vaccinations of the elderly have also been proceeding smoothly in the capitals of Wakayama and Saga prefectures, with both cities set to make shots available to residents under 65 by the end of June.

In Tokyo, Sumida and Nakano wards are leading the way with both aiming to start vaccinating residents under 65 from June 28.

Meanwhile, some municipalities have decided to prioritize residents based on their occupation. Fukuoka, southwestern Japan, has started vaccinating workers at day-care centers, and plans to move on to staff at kindergartens and schools next.

Nara, the site of many tourist spots in western Japan, will offer mass vaccinations to taxi and bus drivers, as well as hotel employees, from next Monday.

During a debate in parliament Wednesday, Suga said the government is aiming to finish inoculating all citizens who want COVID-19 vaccines by November.
New Delhi:

A sheriff's deputy was killed and six others wounded as a Gunman went bizarre opening indiscriminate fire in what police called a "domestic disturbance" in aresidential suburb near Denver, Colorado.

The lone suspect was "shot & believed to be dead" after the standoff at the Copper Canyon apartment complex in Highlands Ranch, 20 kilometers south of Denver, the Douglas County sheriff's office tweeted. Details of the incident were not immediately clear.

The wounded were taken to two area hospitals, at least three of them with noncritical injuries, the Denver Post reported.

Deputies had responded to an early-morning call of a disturbance when shots were fired from the building. Police quickly dispatched a heavily armed SWAT team as well as a bomb-squad truck, though there was no immediate word of any explosives being found.

Police from five jurisdictions, including Colorado state police, were placed on alert.

As the incident unfurled, the sheriff's office advised local residents to take cover in place and stay away from windows.

The toll among deputies today appeared to be one of the highest in a police-involved shooting since five officers in Dallas, Texas were shot to death and several others injured in July 2016 by a man angered by police shootings of black men.

The area near today's shooting has been scarred by dramatic mass shootings in recent years, including the Columbine school shooting in 1999, which left 15 people dead, and the 2012 shooting at a movie theater in Aurora that claimed 12 lives. Both are within a half-hour's drive of Highlands Park.

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New Delhi:

Hitting back at the US President Donald Trump, Pakistan on Monday said that America should not blame Islamabad for its failure in Afghanistan.

Earlier in the day, Donald Trump had accused Pakistan of being a safe haven to the terrorists America hunts in Afghanistan.

Trump, in his New Year day tweet said, US has foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given us nothing but lies & deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools. They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!

Reacting to Trumps accusations, Pakistan government said the US should not put blames for its failure in Afghanistan on Pakistan. Pakistan has rendered unmatched sacrifices in the war against terrorism & there is no ambiguity about it.

Also Read | Trump raps 'terrorists safe haven' Pak, hints at scraping annual aide

Pak as anti-terror ally has given free to US: Land&air communication, military bases&intel cooperation that decimated Al-Qaeda over last 16yrs, but they have given us nothing but invective & mistrust. They overlook cross-border safe havens of terrorists who murder Pakistanis, the Defence Ministry of Pakistan said.

Pakistan has summoned the US ambassador over President Donald Trump's tweet and registered protest, local media reported.

Pak Army also reacted strongly against the accusations of Donald Trump and said, the annual aide Pakistan received from the US was "reimbursement for support Islamabad gave to the coalition for its fight against Al Qaeda."

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Washington:

US President Donald Trump has said the US will have a "fantastic year" ahead as he touted the economic success during his first year in office.



The remarks came as the president walked into the New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago, his Palm Beach, with first lady Melania Trump.



The president said the country is already "off to a very good start" while highlighting some of the provisions included in the Republican tax cut plan, his administration's first major legislative victory.



He touted opening Alaska's remote Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) to oil and natural gas drilling and repealing ObamaCare's individual mandate, which requires individuals to buy health insurance or face a fine, The Hill reported.



"We are off to a very good start, as you know, with the great tax cuts and ANWR and getting rid of the individual mandate, which is very, very unpopular, as you know," he said.



"We're going to have a great year. We're going to have a fantastic 2018," Trump said.



"But we are going to have a tremendous year. Stock market, I think, is going to continue to go up. Companies are going to continue to come into the country. And they're doing it now, soon to be a record clip," he continued.



The president did not say much when asked about the latest wave of threats by North Korean Leader Kim Jong-Un, who touted in a New Year speech that he possesses nuclear weapons that are capable of striking mainland US.



"We'll see, we'll see," he said.



High profile guests at the president's party included his children as well as other top government officials.



Trump and Barron were both in tuxedos. First Lady Melania had a full length rose gold glittery gown with floral accents.

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NetApp unveiled a new release of its ONTAP software that powers data services on premises and in the cloud, as well as an array of portfolio updates that leverage ONTAP to provide a flexible foundation for hybrid cloud, unify data management across on-premises and cloud environments, and simplify consumption and operation of hybrid cloud services. As the only provider of hybrid cloud solutions that offers native integration with the worlds leading public clouds, NetApp is unifying management of on-premises and public cloud environments, delivering new ways to consume and operate data services that make it easier for enterprises to put their data to work  wherever and whenever they need it.

The latest enhancements to NetApps hybrid cloud portfolio and ONTAP data services include:

Flexible Foundations for Hybrid Cloud

Enterprises need to modernize their IT environments to enable hybrid cloud operations. NetApp is updating its foundational solutions to better support them:

o FlexPod: The next generation of the globally trusted converged infrastructure platform from NetApp and Cisco provides a better foundation for hybrid cloud with the flexibility to run and manage all your modern workloads. New capabilities include intelligent application placement across on-premises and cloud, automated hybrid cloud data workflows, and the ability to consume FlexPod as a fully managed, cloud-like service.

o NetApp StorageGRID: The 11.5 release of NetApps highly scalable object store now supports data encryption using external key management, offers compliance and ransomware protection with S3 object locks, and delivers increased performance with intelligent load balancing.

Simple, Unified Data Management Across Hybrid Cloud Environments

Managing data and applications in hybrid cloud environments can be extremely challenging  enterprises need a simple, standardized approach. NetApp centralizes data management across the hybrid cloud to make things simpler. NetApp Cloud Manager and enhanced multicloud management services automate ONTAP data services to simplify application migration, disaster recovery, data protection, governance and compliance. In addition, NetApp Astra, an application-aware data service for Kubernetes, enables customers to manage, protect, and migrate stateful applications in Google Cloud, Microsoft Azure  and now on-premises.

Cloud-Like Financial Flexibility and Operational Simplicity

Organizations want the same financial and operational elasticity they get from the cloud in their data center, with the freedom to move and manage workloads easily and securely across hybrid and public cloud environments. The new NetApp Keystone Flex Subscription at Equinix gives customers the ability to deploy Keystone data services in Equinix International Business Exchange (IBX) for low-latency access to multiple clouds  without having to move their data to the cloud. The Keystone Flex Subscription at Equinix is uniquely delivered as a single subscription by NetApp.

NetApps Keystone Flex Subscription at Equinix uniquely provides a flexible, on-demand storage alternative to traditional capex infrastructure investments, said Royce Thomas, senior vice president, strategic alliances and global account management at Equinix. With this offering, global businesses can host their data adjacent to the cloud and utilize Equinix Fabric to connect to service providers, taking advantage of centralized hybrid cloud data management across all major public clouds.

A hybrid cloud strategy is critical to ensuring organizations can keep pace with the growth and complexity of distributed data and applications, thrive in the face of uncertainty and compete effectively in the digital economy, said Puneet Gupta, Managing Director, Marketing & Services, NetApp India. NetApp specializes in helping enterprises at every phase in their digital transformation journeys to implement hybrid cloud strategies and technologies that will help keep them ahead of the curve.
Islamabad:

National security advisors of India and Pakistan held a secret meeting in Thailand where the tone and tenor of Indias NSA Ajit Doval was friendly and positive, a senior Pakistani official said on Friday.

A Pakistans national security division official, on the condition of anonymity, said the meeting between Pakistans NSA retired Lt Gen Nasser Khan Janjua and Doval took place on December 27 in Thailand, The Dawn newspaper reported.

The meeting was good. Dovals tone and tenor was friendly and positive, the official disclosed. The official maintained that he was briefed about the Indo-Pak meeting.

He was told that the meeting was useful. The report also quoted the official as saying that the interaction might help in restarting some sort of engagement at the diplomatic level as well.

However, there was no word -officially or unofficially - from the India side.

The meeting, which appeared to be pre-decided, came two days after Indian death-row prisoner Kulbhushan Jadhav met with his family on December 25 in Islamabad.

The Jadhav-family meeting became latest flashpoint in already strained Indo-Pak relations with Pakistan terming its decision to allow Jadhavs family to travel to Pakistan to meet him as humanitarian gesture and India accusing it of violating mutual understandings.

New Delhi also hit out at Pakistan, asserting that the Indian national appeared coerced and under considerable stress during the tightly-controlled interaction and also accused Pakistan of disregarding cultural and religious sensibilities of family members under the pretext of security.

Jadhav, who was captured in March last year, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court for alleged spying, an accusation that India has dismissed as concocted.

New Delhi says Jadhav was kidnapped in Iran where he had legitimate business interests, and brought to Pakistan. To save Jadhav, India moved the International Court of Justice, which ordered Pakistan in May to stay his execution.

It was not the first meeting between the two NSAs in a third country.

In December 2015 also, the two NSAs, along with the two foreign secretaries, had met in Bangkok, which was not revealed from both the countries till after the meeting.

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Islamabad:

Pakistan Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif on Monday called on Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi after US President Donald Trump accused Islamabad of giving nothing to the US but "lies and deceit", a media report said.

"The meeting held a detailed review of the Trump's statement," the Geo TV reported, citing its sources.

It said the two leaders also discussed the country's foreign policy.

"We will respond to President Trump's tweet shortly inshallah... Will let the world know the truth... difference between facts and fiction..," Asif tweeted.

"We have already refused to the US mantra of 'do more' for it (US). We have told the Trump administration that we will not do 'no more' for it. The 'do more' does not hold any importance.

"Pakistan is ready to publicly provide every detail of the US aid that it has received over the last 15 years," the minister said.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Peoples Party Senator Sherry Rehman tweeted: "Coalition support funds has never been counted as AID in any accounting by Pakistan, nor will it be seen as part of assistance. It was compensation on expenses incurred on joint action on border. Other 'Aid' we should indeed talk about, because Pakistan never charged for NATO traffic".

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New Delhi:

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Sunday exuded confidence in winning 120 of the 147 Assembly seats in Odisha in the elections to be held in 2019, the party's leader and Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said on Sunday.

Pradhan was speaking in Bargarh district where the saffron party had made arrangements in all the 270 booths in bypoll-bound Bijepur Assembly segment for people to listen to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Mann ki Baat' programme on All India Radio.

We are confident that the BJP will win 120 seats in 2019 Assembly polls as people of Odisha want to get rid of Biju Janata Dal (BJD). We will form the next government in the state, Pradhan told reporters after the broadcast of "Mann ki Baat" programme.

BJP President Amit Shah had earlier set a target of winning 120 seats in the next assembly polls in the state.

Claiming that Modi's image and development agenda would bring victory of BJP in Odisha, Pradhan said the people of the state desperately want a political change as they were disillusioned with the misrule and corruption during BJD regime for the last 18 years.

"The BJP's victory march would begin with the by-election in Bijepur assembly segment as people have confidence and faith in the leadership of the prime minister," the union minister said.

The Bijepur assembly seat has remained vacant since August 22 this year following the death of sitting Congress MLA Subal Sahu.

The bypoll schedule is yet to be announced.

Countering the BJP leader's claim, BJD spokesperson Pratap Deb said Mann Ki Baat programme is held from time to time in which the prime minister peaks on various issues, but the state BJP unit has sought to create a hype about today's programme in Bijepur to mislead people.

"The BJP's action showed its leaders were fearing defeat in the Bijepur bypoll," he said.

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New Delhi :

Soon after Donald Trumps Pakistan bashing, Indias ruling party BJP on Monday quickly took the credit and claimed that US Presidents tough message to Islamabad was a result of Prime Minister Narendra Modis diplomacy.

Congratulating the President of the United States (POTUS) for his tough remark, BJP spokesperson GVL Narasimha Rao also took a dig at Congress President Rahul Gandhi for mocking Modis hug-diplomacy.

Congrats to POTUS for calling Terroristans bluff & signalling resolve to end Paks deceit. Dear RahulG, here are results of diplomacy of PM @narendramodi ji. When will you see Pak drama instead of targeting Indian Army. Are you rushing Aiyers to hug and console Pak over the snub? (sic), BJP spokesperson GVL Narasimha Rao said in a tweet.

MoS, PMO Jitendra Singh said, "We can reasonably argue that Trump administration's decision today has abundantly vindicated India's stand as far as terror is concerned and as far as Pakistan's role in perpetrating terror is concerned."

The remarks from BJP leaders came after Trump said Pakistan had given America nothing but lies and deceit and that it had provided a safe haven to terrorists.

Also Read | Donald Trump raps Pakistan for being safe haven to terrorists

The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given us nothing but lies & deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools. They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more! the US president said in a strongly worded tweet.

Earlier in December last year, Trump had said the Pakistan took tremendous advantage of the U.S. over the years, but the two countries are now starting to have a real relationship.

On his statement, Rahul Gandhi had taken a swipe at PM Modi saying that the US president needs another hug.

The Congress leaders remarks were in reference to the visible bonhomie between Trump and Modi with the two leaders exchanging hugs during the Prime Ministers last visit to the US.

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New Delhi:

The Aam Aadmi Party appears split over Rajya Sabha nominations, with a section in the party suggesting that it should nominate outsiders to the Upper House, an AAP leader has said.

Elections to three Rajya Sabha seats from Delhi would be held on January 16. The AAP, which enjoys a brute majority in the 70-member Delhi Assembly, is all set to win all the three seats.

A group of AAP leaders has emphasised on sending to the Rajya Sabha people from the fields of economics, law and social work.

This would also help the AAP leadership deal with the internal rift over Rajya Sabha berths.

The AAP had approached former RBI governor Raghuram Rajan in this regard but he declined the offer. There were reports that the party talked to former Chief Justice of India TS Thakur who also did not agree to it.

Many in the AAP view it as a tactic to counter senior leader Kumar Vishwas, a strong contender for a Rajya Sabha berth.

However, his nomination is unlikely given the uneasy equation he has with some senior AAP leaders, the party leader said.

But if other leaders are given preference over Vishwas, who has support of several MLAs and volunteers, the rift in the party could widen.

Another section of the AAP is in favour of sending senior party leaders to the Upper House.

On Thursday, supporters of Vishwas pitched tents in the party office demanding that leaders who have worked in the anti-corruption movement should be sent to the Rajya Sabha.

Names of senior party leader Sanjay Singh and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwals close confidant Ashutosh are doing the rounds.

However, Kejriwal has kept the cards close to his chest.

Many leaders who are in the core decision-making body of the party are themselves in the race. So it is Kejriwal and his deputy Manish Sisodia who will decide on the nominations, another AAP leader said.

The last date to file nominations for the three Rajya Sabha seats is January 5.

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Islamabad:

A total of 457 Indian prisoners, including 399 fishermen, are languishing in various Pakistani jails, according to a list the Pakistan government handed over to the Indian High Commission here today.

The Foreign Office said that the step of giving the list of prisoners was consistent with the provisions of the Consular Access Agreement between Pakistan and India, signed on May 21, 2008.

Under the agreement, both countries are required to exchange lists of prisoners in each others custody twice a year, on January 1 and July 1.

Pakistan today handed over a list of 457 Indian prisoners - 58 civil prisoners and 399 fishermen - in Pakistan, to the High Commission of India in Islamabad, it said.

It further said that Pakistan will release 146 fishermen on January 8.

The Foreign Office said the India will also hand over the list of Pakistani prisoners to Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi.

Fishermen from Pakistan and India are frequently detained for illegally fishing in each others territorial waters since the Arabian Sea does not have a clearly defined marine border and the wooden boats lack the technology to avoid being drifting away.

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Beijing:

China, on Tuesday, defended Pakistan saying the world community should acknowledge its all-weather ally's "outstanding contribution" to counter terrorism, a day after US President Donald Trump lashed out at Islamabad for providing safe havens to terrorists.

In a scathing attack on Pakistan, Trump had accused it of "lies and deceit" and of fooling US leaders while sheltering terrorists.

"The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given us nothing but lies & deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools," Trump had tweeted on Monday.

"They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!", he said in a scathing criticism of Pakistan.

On Tuesday China, on expected lines, praised Pakistan's counter terrorism record.

"Pakistan has made enormous efforts and sacrifice for the fight against terrorism and has made very outstanding contribution to the global cause of counter terrorism. The international community should acknowledge that," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said here when asked about Trump's criticism of Pakistan.

He said China is glad to see Pakistan engaging in international cooperation, including counter terrorism, on the basis of mutual respect so as to contribute to regional peace and stability.

"China and Pakistan are all weather partners. We stand ready to promote and deepen our all-round cooperation so as to bring benefits to the two sides," Geng said.

China is currently investing heavily in Pakistan as part of the USD 50 billion China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) over which India has raised objections as it passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

During the first ever trilateral meeting of the foreign ministers of China, Pakistan and Afghanistan here last week, Beijing had announced plans to extend the CPEC to Afghanistan which shares close ties with India.

Also Read: US blocks USD 255 mn military aid to Pakistan, Trump says Pak has given US nothing but 'lies and deceit'

Afghanistan also accuses Pakistan of sheltering Taliban militants, leading to a long running spat between the two countries. China is seeking to mediate between the two neighbours through the trilateral mechanism.

Analysts here say US is mounting pressure on Pakistan as it has firmed up an alliance with Beijing by allowing heavy Chinese investments in the strategic CPEC corridor providing China access to the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean.

Asked whether Trump's criticism would affect China's efforts to bring peace between Pakistan and Afghanistan, Geng said "We believe as neighbours China, Pakistan and Afghanistan are closely linked not only geographically but also in terms of common interests. It is natural for us to enhance communication and exchanges".

He said during the December 26 trilateral meet, the three countries "reached a lot of consensus" on cooperation.

This included the three nations enhancing cooperation on counter terrorism and fighting against terrorism in all forms and manifestations.

"The parties will enhance cooperation in this regard," Geng said.

In his strongest attack against Pakistan yet, Trump in his first tweet of the year on New Year's Day also appeared to suggest he could cut off foreign aid to Pakistan.

His remarks came days after the New York Times reported that the US is considering withholding USD 225 million in aid to Pakistan, reflecting its dissatisfaction with Islamabad's reluctance in the war against terrorism.

Unveiling his new South Asia policy in August, Trump had warned of tougher measures against Pakistan if it failed to cooperate with the US in the fight against terror.

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New Delhi:

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday stayed a trial court order awarding three-year jail term to former Jharkhand chief minister Madhu Koda in a coal scam case till January 22, by when it has also sought response of the CBI on his appeal challenging the conviction and sentence.

Justice Anu Malhotra also stayed the order imposing a fine of Rs 25 lakh on Koda, who was present in the court, and granted him interim bail till the next date of hearing this month with a direction that he will not leave the country.

The order came on Koda's plea seeking suspension of sentence and regular bail till pendency of his appeal before the high court. Koda, who was held guilty of corruption and conspiracy in allocation of a Jharkhand-based coal block to Kolkata-based company Vini Iron and Steel Udyog Ltd (VISUL), also challenged the December 13 and 16, 2017 orders of conviction and sentence respectively, which was admitted by the high court.

The former chief minister was granted bail by a trial court till January 18. In his appeal, Koda said the trial court order holding him guilty was bad in law.

The appeal and stay on the fine was opposed by CBI counsel Tarannum Cheema. The agency, however, did not oppose interim bail granted to Koda till January 22.

The high court had on December 22, 2017 stayed a trial court order imposing a fine of Rs 50 lakh on VISUL in the case till the next date of hearing.

The high court on December 20 had sought response of the CBI on an appeal by Koda's close aide Vijay Joshi against the trial court's order awarding him three years jail term in the coal scam case.

All the pleas filed so far in connection with this matter will be heard on January 22. Koda, ex-coal secretary H C Gupta, A K Basu, former Jharkhand chief secretary, and Joshi were awarded jail terms of three years for indulging in corrupt practices and hatching a criminal conspiracy in the allocation of Rajhara North coal block in Jharkhand to the Kolkata-based company.

While sentencing the convicts, the special court had said "white collar crimes" were more "dangerous" to the society than ordinary crimes.

It had imposed fines of Rs 50 lakh, Rs 25 lakh and Rs 1 lakh on VISUL, Koda and Gupta respectively in the UPA-era coal scam. Rs one lakh fine was also imposed on Basu. The convicts were granted statutory bail for a period of two months to enable them to file appeals in the Delhi High Court.

So far, four out of 30 coal block allocation scam cases have been decided by the special court, including this order, and 12 people and four companies have been held guilty. The convicts were tried for offences under sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy) read with 420 (cheating) and 409(criminal breach of trust by public servants) of the IPC and under provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

While the offence of cheating carries a maximum punishment of seven years jail term, criminal breach of trust by public servants entails a maximum punishment of life imprisonment.

The CBI had said that the firm had applied for allocation of Rajhara North coal block on January 8, 2007. It had said that although the Jharkhand government and the steel ministry did not recommend VISUL's case for coal block allocation, the 36th Screening Committee recommended the block to the accused firm.

The CBI had said that Gupta, who was chairman of the screening committee, had concealed facts from then prime minister Manmohan Singh, who at that time headed the coal ministry too, that Jharkhand had not recommended VISUL for allocation of a coal block.

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New Delhi:

President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday greeted the nation on the occasion of new year.

"Happy New Year to everybody. May 2018 bring laughter, friendship and prosperity to all our families, to our country, and to our unique and beautiful planet #PresidentKovind," Kovind said in a tweet.

Modi also extended his New Year greetings to the nation. "Wishing you all a happy 2018! I pray that this year brings joy, prosperity and good health in everyone's lives," he said in a tweet.

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu also wished prosperity and happiness to the citizens of India. I convey my warm greetings and best wishes to all our citizens on the advent of Year 2018 and let us collectively resolve to dedicate ourselves towards building a peaceful, prosperous and harmonious society, he added. Congress President Rahul Gandhi also wished a prosperous new year for everyone.

A day before the new year day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation in his monthly radio programme Man ki Baat. Nothing is impossible for those filled with enthusiasm and positivity. Now, we must move from Positive India to Progressive India, he said.

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New Delhi :

India and Pakistan exchanged, through diplomatic channels simultaneously at New Delhi and Islamabad, the list of nuclear installations and facilities under a three-decade old bilateral pact.

According to an external affairs ministry release, the two sides exchanged the list under the Agreement on the Prohibition of Attack against Nuclear installations between India and Pakistan.

The agreement, which was signed on December 31, 1988, and entered into force on January 27, 1991, provides that the two countries inform each other of nuclear installations and facilities to be covered under the pact on the first of January of every calendar year.

This is the twenty seventh consecutive exchange of such a list between the two countries, the first one having taken place on January 1, 1992.

Also Read | Pakistan govt bans terrorist Hafiz Saeed's JuD, FIF from collecting donations

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More than half of respondents said that due to Covid-19, they were somewhat likely or extremely likely to consider purchasing life or critical illness cover, according to a YouGov survey commissioned by Zurich International Life in the Middle East.



Meanwhile, more than 63.3 per cent of respondents aged 18-34 saying they purchased life insurance since the start of the global crisis.



Only 22 per cent of respondents felt financially prepared for unfortunate family events. Interestingly, more male respondents (65.56 per cent) felt somewhat/well prepared compared to 56.07 per cent of women who felt the same, according to the survey.



Zurichs2021 Customer Benefits Paid Report revealed that people are giving more consideration to insurance cover, especially since the advent of the Covid-19 pandemic.



People in the Middle East are also paying increased attention to the benefits of a healthier lifestyle, with many taking up exercise, yoga and other physical and mental wellbeing activities in a bid to reduce or mitigate the risks of developing long-term, serious illness.



This is especially prescient when considering that the report reveals, of the total amount paid in benefits, the split between critical illness and life insurance claims was almost equal. This demonstrates that while people are actually living longer, more and more people are contracting critical illnesses and dealing with the associated financial impact of managing chronic conditions.



In terms of the biggest threats to life, heart attacks and strokes were the biggest risk (43 per cent), followed by cancer (27 per cent), and accidents (10 per cent). Covid-19, while a relatively new illness, was responsible for 5 per cent of all life insurance claims, reveals the report.



Cancer led the list of the gravest critical illness risks followed by heart attacks, various chronic conditions and strokes. A split by gender reveals that heart attacks were the lead critical illness insurance claim for males (53 per cent), while only 5 per cent of females claimed for the same condition. Cancer led the female benefit claims list (85 per cent), with the illness accounting for only 31 per cent of benefit claims for males.



Another import trend to consider is that while there has been an increase in the number of people with pre-existing conditions seeking the financial security of insurance protection, Zurich is still accepting 99 per cent of applications for cover. The report shows that 12 per cent of applicants were shown to be overweight, with 5.6 per cent having raised blood sugar levels  which can lead to long-term serious conditions.



Given the role of females as key decision makers when it comes to household finances, it is noteworthy that women tended to find life insurance too expensive to purchase compared to men. Of those surveyed, 42.8 per cent of women said they dont have insurance because it is too expensive, compared to 34 per cent of men who lacked cover for the same reason.



Walter Jopp, CEO of Zurich in the Middle East, said: This report demonstrates that while people are living longer, many of us may have to contend with a life-threatening situation at some point in the future. This is why its important to be prepared and to consider all options  whether that be the potential of contracting a serious illness or even death.



Our survey shows that37 per cent of respondents dont have life or critical illness cover because they deem it too expensive, however, people might be surprised to learn we have a range of flexible and affordable cover options. For instance, we've launched YourLife and YourCare, which are instant, simple and accessible solutions, with protection starting from just AED2 ($0.54) per day.



At Zurich, we are committed to helping provide financial security and assurance to families  whatever the circumstances. We are proud to have paid 98.1 per cent of life insurance claim payments, amounting to a total of $136 million in customer benefits between January 2018 and December 2020, Jopp added.  TradeArabia News Service
New Delhi:

At least 12 people have been killed in the ongoing protests in Iran, and armed protesters have tried to take over police stations and military bases, state TV reported today.

The protests began Thursday in Mashhad over economic issues and have since expanded to several cities. Hundreds of people have been arrested.

The state TV report said 10 were killed during clashes last night, without elaborating. Two demonstrators were killed during a protest in western Iran late Saturday.

Some armed protesters tried to take over some police stations and military bases but faced serious resistance from security forces, state TV reported.

Earlier today, the semi-official ILNA news agency quoted Hedayatollah Khademi, a representative for the town of Izeh, as saying two people died there last night.

He said the cause of death wasnt immediately known. Many in Izeh, some 455 kilometers southwest of Tehran, have hunting rifles in their homes.

Iran yesterday blocked access to Instagram and the popular messaging app Telegram used by activists to organize.

President Hassan Rouhani acknowledged the publics anger over the Islamic Republics flagging economy, though he and others warned that the government wouldnt hesitate to crack down on those it considers lawbreakers.

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Chennai:

In an announcement that could dramatically alter political alignments in Tamil Nadu, superstar Rajinikanth on Sunday announced his political debut and said he will launch his own party which will contest all 234 constituencies in the next assembly polls in the state.

The announcement ends two decades of speculation over the entry of the actor, who enjoys cult status in Tamil cinema, in the political arena.

"I am joining politics and it is for sure," said the actor clad in a spotless white kurta and sporting a grey beard, amid thunderous applause from fans.

Batting for honesty in politics and good governance, he said, "everything needs to be changed" and declared that "spiritual politics" needs to be ushered in, sans shades of any caste or religion with transparency.

"This is my motto and desire," he said and appealed to people to support him in his venture adding it was not possible to do it alone.

During the era of kings, they plundered the countries of their enemies. However, in democracy, parties were plundering their own people and such a "system" needs to be changed democratically.

Dramatically, he asked for "volunteers," not cadres to see to it that those who prevent amenities and rights reaching the people are thwarted.

Asserting that he will not tolerate nepotism or under the table dealings, he said, "I want volunteers who will keep vigil and who will not go to any officials, ministers or MPs, or MLAs for selfish needs."

Such 'volunteers' should question whoever commit mistakes, Rajinikanth said adding he needed only such people for his party.

"I am only a representative of the people to monitor such vigilantes."

He said such a force of selfless volunteers who will act as not cadres but as 'vigilantes' was needed and it should be built.

The actor said the first task would be streamlining the existing registered and unregistered fan clubs across the State.

He appealed to his fans to bring all sections of people into the club so that it could transform into a party and "till then there is no need to indulge in political talk which includes me."

"Politics and democracy have gone pretty bad," he said and added the some political incidents in the past one year in Tamil Nadu has made every Tamilian hang his head in shame and people of all other States were "laughing at us."

The actor's remark is seen as a reference to the bitter infighting in the ruling AIADMK, allegations of rampant corruption, perceived political instability, and also the tax raids held at premises in the State including those linked to the ruling establishment, notably a Minister and his associates.

The RK Nagar Assembly bypoll in April was also cancelled following allegations of money distribution.

"If I do not take this decision now, the feeling of not having any effort to do good through democratic means to the Tamil people who gave me life will haunt me till my death," Rajinikanth said.

Stressing that he knew that launching a party, capturing power and governing was not an "ordinary thing," he said it was akin to extracting pearl from sea.

"This was possible only with the blessings of the God and full support of people," he said and expressed confidence that he will get both of it.

Quoting a shloka from Bhagawad Gita, which stresses the importance of doing one's duty and leaving the result to the Lord, he said "this is the compulsion of time."

"Engage in war, if you win you will rule the nation, if you die you will go to heaven. If you go without waging war, they will call you a coward," he said quoting the scripture amid thunderous applause.

Months after his long-time friend and fellow actor Kamal Haasan gave a clear indication of his political entry, Rajinikanth said he will launch a political party, which will contest all the 234 Assembly constituencies in Tamil Nadu.

Addressing his fans here on the valedictory of a six day long photo-session meet, he said contesting the local body polls was not possible in view of the short time.

Also Read: Rajinikanth enters politics, Subramanian Swamy says will EXPOSE him

Entering politics was not for name or fame, he said and wondered if he would hanker for power now at the age of 68, when he did not have it at the age of 45 when he voiced his first political message against late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa.

"If hankering for power comes to me now am I not a fool?" he said and added it will also not suit his stature of a spiritually-oriented person.

In 1996, the actor had voiced his opposition against Jayalalithaa.

He said the party will be launched ahead of the Assembly elections at an appropriate time.

The policies of the party will be taken to the people at that time clearly outlining the policies what could be delivered and what not, he added.

He said truthfulness, hard work and growth will be the slogan of his party.

"Do good, speak and only good will happen," will be a guiding slogan, he said.

Also Read: Rajinikanth enters politics; Big B, Kamal Haasan, Anupam Kher, Riteish Deshmukh wish him luck

Praising his fans for their "discipline" he said anything could be achieved with it.

Asking if there has been too much of a waiting game, and speculation on if he will enter politics or not, he said with a laughter that he was not afraid of joining politics.

"I am not afraid of coming to politics, I am only afraid of the media, I am still a child, how I will feel," he said.

In a tweet in Tamil, Kamal Haasan welcomed his fellow actor's political entry.

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Sanaa:

Yemeni witnesses and security officials say Saudi-led coalition airstrikes have killed at least 23 people in the port city of Hodeida.

They say todays strikes also wounded eight others. The blaze erupted in a market after a strike targeted a nearby petrol station in el-Garrahi district, they said.

The witnesses and officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they feared retaliation or werent authorized to brief reporters. The coalition could not immediately be reached for comment.

International rights groups have accused the coalition of bombing civilian gatherings, markets, hospitals and residential areas across Yemen since the beginning of its air campaign against Iran-backed rebels, known as Houthis, in March 2015.

The war has killed more than 10,000 civilians and pushed the Arab worlds poorest country to the brink of famine.

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New Delhi:

The government today extended by ten days the last date for filing of final sales return GSTR-1 till January 10 under the Goods and Services Tax.

Businesses with a turnover of up to Rs 1.5 crore will have to file GSTR-1 for July-September by January 10, 2018, as against December 31, 2017 earlier, as per a government notification.

For businesses with a turnover of more than Rs 1.5 crore, GSTR-1 has to be filed for July-October period by January 10.

Earlier these businesses were required to file GSTR-1 return for July-October by December 31. The same for the month of November is to be filed by January 10.

For the month of December, for businesses above Rs 1.5 crore, GSTR-1 is to be filed by February 10 and for subsequent months, it would be tenth day of the succeeding month.

The GST Council had in November allowed businesses with a turnover of up to Rs 1.5 crore to file final returns GSTR-1 quarterly.

Businesses with a turnover of up to Rs 1.5 crore will have to file returns by February 15 for October-December and that for January-March by April 30.

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New Delhi:

Southern superstar Rajinikanth has finally announced that he will be entering politics.

My political entry is definite, said Rajinikanth.

In next assembly elections I will form a party and contest all constituencies in Tamil Nadu, he added.

A visibly angry Rajnikanth said, "Democracy is in bad shape right now, all other states have been making fun of us (Tamil Nadu), I will feel guilty if I don't take this decision now. In the name of democracy, politicians are robbing us of our own money on our own land. We need to bring a change from the base."

Rajinikanth was addressing fans at Sri Raghavendra Kalyana Mandapam in Chennai.

He said his party will contest all the Assembly and Lok Sabha elections in the state.

He said he knows it was not going to be easy, but it had to be done.

I am not doing this for any post. I do not come for money or fame, as I have them enough. But the politics has become so bad that rest of the world is laughing at us, said the superstar.

"Truth, work, and growth will be the three mantras of our party," he added.

Meanwhile, his fans have started celebrating following the announcement.

Chennai: Fans celebrate after #Rajinikanth announces political entry pic.twitter.com/K1Vul6UFCZ

He said he will float his party before the next Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu and contest all 234 constituencies.

Taking a cue from the famous Rajnikanth jokes, one of Thalaivas fans quipped, I would like to say politics has entered Rajinikanth instead of saying Rajinikanth entered politics.

I would like to say politics has entered #Rajinikanth instead of saying #Rajinikanth entered politics : Neeta, fan pic.twitter.com/u57kN1LwjK  ANI (@ANI) December 31, 2017

Reacting to the development, BJP leader Subramanian Swamy said, He only announced he is entering politics, had no details or documents, he is illiterate. Its only media hype, people of Tamil Nadu are intelligent

He only announced he is entering politics, had no details or documents, he is illiterate. Its only media hype, people of Tamil Nadu are intelligent: Subramanian Swamy, BJP on #Rajinikanth pic.twitter.com/4dDZWLGxdd  ANI (@ANI) December 31, 2017

Swamy further said, Let him announce political party name and candidates and then I will expose him.

Let him announce political party name and candidates and then I will expose him: Subramanian Swamy,BJP on #Rajinikanth pic.twitter.com/7rgIFvj1Ky  ANI (@ANI) December 31, 2017

Actor Kamal Haasan said, "I congratulate my brother Rajini for his social consciousness and his political entry. Welcome welcome!"

I congratulate my brother Rajini for his social consciousness and his political entry. Welcome welcome: Kamal Haasan on #Rajinikanth (file pic) pic.twitter.com/s2nJs4yi8E  ANI (@ANI) December 31, 2017

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Mumbai:

A city-based NGO has organised a candlelight march at Marine Drive today evening in the memory of the victims of the Kamala Mills fire. The march has been organised under the banner of #mumbaimourning and #TributesToKamlaMillFireVictims.

Organisers said that around 200 people are expected for the march which will commence from Air India building and culminate at Marine Drive at midnight on Sunday.

The aim of the march, organisers said, is to urge citizens to boycott pub parties and shun fire crackers. The marchers will light a candle in the memory of the victims of the fire, the organisers added.

Fourteen people were killed after a devastating fire swept through One Above, a pub in the Kamala Mills compound, a little after midnight on December 29.

Among those killed was Khushbu Bansali who was celebrating her 29th birthday with her friends at the pub.

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New Delhi:

The search operations carried out by the security forces post a terrorist attack on CRPF Camp at Pulwama came to an end on Monday after the third body of the terrorist was recovered by the armed forces on Monday.

The forces had resumed their security operations for the second consecutive day at Lethapora's Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) training center earlier in the day.

Heavily armed Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorists had stormed the camp in the wee hours of Sunday, killing five CRPF jawans and injuring three others. After 15 to 20 minutes of open fire, the terrorists fled to nearby buildings.

Two terrorists were neutralized later on Sunday. Their bodies have been recovered, confirmed CRPF spokesperson Rajesh Yadav. One of the terrorists killed was a Class 10 student whose father is part of Jammu and Kashmir's police force.

Director General of Police S P Vaid said security forces prior information about an impending militant strike in the Kashmir Valley for the past three days.

The attack seems to have been carried out as retribution for the string of killings of prominent JeM terrorists over the past month. Among the killed was Talha Rasheed, the nephew of Jaish chief Masood Azhar, and top commander JeM Noor Mohammad Tantray.

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Thane:

The Thane rural police raided a resort in Shahpur area of the district late on Sunday night as the owners hadn't taken permission for organising a New Year party.



Liquor and hookah were on offer at the party. Large quantities of alcohol and hookah tobacco were seized and some persons were detained, said additional superintendent of police Prashant Kadam.



The resort is located at Sakroli village.



Police and civic authorities in Mumbai and neighbouring Thane have launched a crackdown on illegal alterations and events at hotels, pubs and eateries following the fire at a pub in central Mumbai on Friday which claimed 14 lives.
Mumbai:

Politicians from across parties on Sunday attacked each other over the Kamala Mills fire incident with each trying to place the blame at the other's door.

The BJP and the Congress crossed swords first after BJP city chief Ashish Shelar said that the fire was due to faulty policy of the former Congress government.

Shelar said, "When Ashok Chavan was chief minister of Maharashtra, the Congress government allotted additional FSI (Floor Space index) in the name of setting up Information Technology parks on mill lands (such as Kamala Mills). But after construction, not a single company came up there. Instead, illegal hotels were set up and state lost revenue ofat least Rs 500 crore."

This was refuted by Chavan who in a statement said that the allegations had been leveled to hide the corrupt practices of the BJP-led state government and the BMC.

"The state had a policy to give facilities for IT parks. If someone is misusing it, then it is the state's responsibility to initiate action. Why did the BJP-led Maharashtra government not take any action against erring companies" Chavan asked in the statement.

"The state and civic officials who sheltered such illegal structures are real culprits and hence such a tragic accident took place," Chavan added.

BJP MP Kirit Somaiya released a letter asking BMC commissioner Ajoy Mehta to review the policy of having rooftop restaurants in the context of the Kamala Mills fire.

Shiv Sena youth wing chief Aaditya Thackeray is a votary of the rooftop policy and Somaiya's letter was an apparent dig at the Sena.

BJP MLA Ameet Satam today addressed a letter to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis claiming that the rooftop policy was passed by the BMC commissioner without the proposal being tabled in the BMC.

"The rooftop policy was passed in BMC without tabling it in the general body and the BMC commissioner approved it under his authority, which is undemocratic. It is difficult to understand as to what was so urgent about it and under whose pressure was it done. The recent incident exposes the loopholes in the policy and is hazardous from the angle of safety," Satam said.

Satam claimed that as many as 131 people have lost their lives due to BMC negligence in 2017 in incidents like the Kamala Mills fire, illegal constructions in Ghatkopar, tree falling, and a doctor getting washed away due to an open manhole during floods.

Meanwhile, Congress MLA Nitesh Rane, a staunch opponent of the Sena, tweeted a photograph claiming a hotel in Mumbai had repaired the parts which were demolished.

He alleged that the civic body's demolition drive following the fire was just an eye-wash.

Union minister for social justice Ramdas Athawale demanded a thorough inquiry into the fire.

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Guwahati:

The much-awaited first draft of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) was on Sunday published with the names of 1.9 crore people out of the 3.29 crore total applicants in Assam recognising them as legal citizens of India.



The rest of the names are under various stages of verification, Registrar General of India Sailesh said at a press conference held at midnight where he made the draft public.



"This is a part draft. It contains 1.9 crore persons, who have been verified till now. The rest of the names are under various stages of verification. As soon as the verification is done, we will come out with another draft," he said.



NRC State Coordinator Prateek Hajela said those people whose names have been excluded in the first list need not worry.



"It is a tedious process to verify the names. So there is a possibility that some names within a single family may not be there in the first draft," said Hajela.



"There is no need to panic as rest of the documents are under verification," he said.



Asked about the possible timeframe for the next draft, the RGI said it will be decided as per the guidelines of the Supreme Court -- under whose monitoring the document is being prepared -- in its next hearing in April.



The entire process will be completed within 2018, Sailesh said.



The application process started in May 2015 and a total of 6.5 crore documents were received from 68.27 lakh families across Assam.



"The process of accepting complaints will start once the final draft is published as rest of the names are likely to appear in that," Hajela said.



People can check their names in the first draft at NRC sewa kendras across Assam from 8 am on January 1. They can also check for information online and through SMS services.



The RGI informed that the groundwork for this mammoth exercise began in December 2013 and 40 hearings have taken place in the Supreme Court over the last three years.



Assam, which faced influx from Bangladesh since the early 20th century, is the only state having an NRC, first prepared in 1951.



The Supreme Court, which is monitoring the entire process, had ordered that the first draft of the NRC be published by December 31 after completing the scrutiny of over two crore claims along with that of around 38 lakh people whose documents were suspect.

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Path Solutions, a global Islamic fintech house and Soneri Mustaqeem, an Islamic Banking Division of Soneri Bank, have selected the iMAL Sharia-compliant Profit Calculation System to ensure industrys best practices for Sharia compliance.



By integrating iMAL with Temenos T24 core banking platform, this new Pool Management System will help Soneri Mustaqeen emerge as a modern data-driven Islamic banking division, enhancing governance, accountability and transparency in its daily Islamic financial operations.



Mohammed Kateeb, the Group Chairman & CEO of Path Solutions said, It is my pleasure to welcome Soneri Mustaqeem to the growing family of banks providing Sharia-compliant Islamic financial solutions in Pakistan powered by the industrys leading iMAL suite.



This modern Islamic solution enables the bank to manage multi-currency and segment pools coupled with highly customizable data-driven models for deeper visibility into the risk-return profile of the banking portfolios. This extensive automation across business processes will enable the bank to drive operational excellence while enhancing customer experience.



The solution will be implemented on-site, using our Professional Services team in Pakistan, and Support will be provided via our local Support team as well, he added.



Muhtashim Ahmad Ashai, President & CEO of Soneri Bank said: Soneri Mustaqeem, established in 2004, is aiming to support comprehensive economic development in the Islamic banking sector of Pakistan through ethical, inclusive and convenient Sharia-compliant financial solutions.



Our mission and growth strategy in the coming years, in an increasingly competitive environment determined the need for a solution built from the ground up based on Sharia rules and duly certified by a recognised industry standard-setting body for its enforceable and globally accepted governance and accounting standards. This partnership will create an edge for our Islamic Banking Division, Soneri Mustaqeem to operate in a more Sharia-compliant manner and comply with the State Bank of Pakistans regulations.  TradeArabia News Service
Ahmedabad:

Patidar MLA Paresh Dhanani has emerged as the front-runner in the Leader of Opposition race and his name is likely to get the approval of Congress MLAs at the meeting to elect the Legislature Party leader on January 3.

Being the largest opposition party, the new CLP leader would by default become the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the legislative Assembly.

The meeting would be held at the party headquarters here on Wednesday in presence of Central observers, nearly two weeks after the election results, the Congress said in a release today.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi has appointed Gujarat party in-charge Ashok Gehlot and former Union minister Jitendra Singh as the Observers for the Wednesdays CLP meeting, it said.

The Congress won 77 seats, 22 less than the BJP in the keenly-contested polls.

However, the Congress tally in the 182-member House rose to 78 after Bhupendra Khant, the Independent MLA from Morva Hadaf constituency, joined the party recently.

According to sources, apart from Dhanani, who represents Amreli seat, Koli face Kunvarji Bavalia and former opposition leader Mohansinh Rathva, a tribal, are also in the race for the post of the Leader of Opposition.

Names of Punja Vansh, Ashwin Kotwal and Anil Joshiara are also doing rounds. However, Dhanani has emerged as the front-runner to be elected as the CLP leader, sources said.

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New Delhi:

Diagnostics services provider Thyrocare on Saturday announced the launch of FocusTB, its affordable brand focusing on TB diagnostics.

With the launch of our TB offering, we hope to make a fundamental and measurable change to the way Tuberculosis is diagnosed and treated in India, said A Velumani, CEO of Thyrocare Technologies, at the launch event in Mumbai in a statement.

Velumani said, Drug resistant strains of TB pose a significant public health hazard and must be addressed by Indias healthcare sector sooner than later. We are bringing highly advanced technologies like PCR to bear against this adversary for the first time in India. FocusTB services are available throughout India through Thyrocares Pan Asian network with more than 30,000 sample collection points.

It said that India is ranked among the countries with the highest TB burdens globally. As per WHO, India is one of the six countries that account for half of new TB cases globally.

Estimates suggest that as much as 40 per cent of the Indian population suffers from Latent TB rather than the active form of the disease which is contracted when the patient is immuno-compromised.

One of the emerging public health disasters is the emergence of multiple dug resistant (MDR)Strains of TB. Lack of awareness and dose discipline among the patients globally is making them more prone to drug resistant TB, a complication which is difficult to treat and could be fatal. People with MDR-TB do not respond to the first-line drugs for TB, i.e., Isoniazid and Rifampicin.

According to a recent study in Lancet, by the year 2040, the fraction of TB patients with multiple drug resistance will rise to 12.4% of all TB cases in India. Mortality rate is 40% in TB patients who develop MDR-TB and ~60 per cent in patients with XDR-TB. Early and accurate diagnosis is the only key to tackle MDR-TB and control its spread.
New Delhi:

At least Rs 24 lakh each is expected to be given as compensation to the next of kin of all Keralites who died in the devastation caused by cyclone Ockhi, a Home Ministry official said.

The central government is also likely to release the final financial assistance to cyclone-hit Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Lakshadweep by the end of this month.

While the Kerala government will provide Rs 16 lakh as compensation to the families of the 76 people, whose bodies were recovered, Rs 4 lakh will be given by the central government.

Besides, Rs 2 lakh will be given to the families of the victims under the Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana and Rs 2 lakh has already been released from the Prime Ministers relief fund, the official said.

Next, of kin of those who were missing after the cyclone is also expected to receive around Rs 20 lakh, the official said, requesting anonymity.

In Kerala, so far, 76 bodies have been recovered while whereabouts of 144 people are not known.

Also Read: Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits cyclone Ockhi affected areas in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Lakshadweep

The exact amount of compensation for those who died in Tamil Nadu is yet to be known. At least 14 people lost their lives in Tamil Nadu during the cyclone.

The official said the central team, headed by additional secretary in the home ministry Bipin Mallick, which visited Kerala to assess the damage caused by the cyclone has returned and will submit its report soon.

"After the report is submitted, a final decision on the total amount of financial assistance given to Kerala will be decided, hopefully by January-end," the official said.

Another team, headed by joint secretary in the home ministry, Sanjeev Kumar Jindal, has also returned from Tamil Nadu after making an assessment of the damaged caused by Ockhi.

So far, Rs 133 crore each has been given to both Kerala and Tamil Nadu as an interim relief after the cyclone hit the two states. Rs 15 crore has been given to Lakshadweep.

Also Read: 845 rescued, 661 still missing since Cyclone Ockhi: Defence Minister Sitharaman

Cyclone Ockhi had made the landfall in Lakshadweep on December 2 and caused extensive damages to houses, power lines and other infrastructure in the islands and coastal areas of Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

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Bengaluru:

BJP on Sunday charged the Congress government in Karnataka with being 'anti-Hindu' as it had not booked killers of BJP and RSS activists over the past couple of years, released PFI activists and 'divided' Lingayats, all for electoral gains.



"The Siddaramaiah government is anti-Hindu. It has not brought to book killers of 20-odd BJP and RSS leaders in the past couple of years, whereas it has been in talks with SDPI for a pre-poll alliance," Union Minister and senior BJP leader Ananthkumar said.



The biggest testimony for this was talks KPCC Chief G Parameshwara had with Social Democratic Party of India (the political wing of Popular Front of India), for a pre-poll alliance between Congress and the party, he said.



The Siddramaiah government had also released about 100 leaders of PFI, "an outfit criticised by people who have been demanding a ban on it," Kumar told reporters here.



Without mentioning the burning issue of separate religious status for Lingayats, Ananthkumar lambasted the government for 'dividing' the community for electoral gains.



These three issues proved that the Congress government was anti-Hindu and their actions were for gains in the polls, he alleged.



Amid raging differences on the issue of separate religion status to Veerashivas/Lingayats, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had said on December 25 that he was not making any attempts to divide any religion.



The demand for a separate religion tag to these faiths has surfaced amidst resentment from within over projecting the two sects as the same.



The Veerashaiva Mahasabha asserts that Veerashaiva and Lingayats are the same, while the other group wants a separate religion tag only for Lingayats.



The latter believes that Veerashaiva is one among the seven sects of Shaivas, which is part of Hinduism.



BJP and several sections of the Hindu community have maintained a cautious stance keeping away from the move to give Veerashaiva/Lingayat separate religion status.



On the party's assessment of the electoral ramifications of the Lingayat issue, Kumar said the question was of people s being 'fed up' with failure of law and order, farmers' plight, the economy and communal disharmony, among others.



Referring to the special meeting under BJP national president Amit Shah here on Sunday, he said the party chalked out a single line agenda of registering a win in the 2018 assembly polls.



One of the most important strategies to be adopted was the deployment of "page pramukhs" who would be assigned the task of issues relating to voter lists and kick-starting a door-to-door campaign to woo voters at the booth level.



However, this was not the Gujarat model because the page pramukhs have been in vogue for the past two-and-a-half years, including in Uttar Pradesh elections, where BJP registered a resounding victory, he said



By January 16, the party would prepare 'charge sheet' of various 'irregularities' by Congress leaders in respective constituencies, he said.



From February 17 to 22, BJP would distribute the 'charge sheet' to people in each constituency, he said.
A revamp of global trade rules is essential to stopping economic coercion, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison was expected to say Wednesday, in comments aimed at China ahead of his meeting with G7 leaders.

As Australia's shadow trade war with its largest trading partner shows few signs of abating, Morrison will tell the Perth USAsia Centre that the global rules-based order is "under strain".

Beijing has imposed harsh economic sanctions on a range of Australian products in recent months, including tariffs or disruption across several agricultural sectors, coal, wine and tourism.

Many in Canberra believe the measures are punishment for pushing back against Chinese influence operations in Australia, rejecting Chinese investment in sensitive areas and publicly calling for an investigation into the origins of the coronavirus pandemic.

Morrison's comments will come ahead of the G7 Summit in Cornwall, southern England, where Australia has been invited as a guest nation to participate in the "G7 Plus" talks. Morrison plans to use the event as an opportunity to work with leading nations to "modernise" the WTO rulebook, ahead of its ministerial conference in November.

Australia will instead focus on "how we succeed and prosper" in a global economy moving toward net-zero without putting local jobs and industries at risk, he is expected to say Wednesday.

Presidential Poll: Mongolia votes for new leader amid COVID-19 campaign curbs

Donald Trump praises Nigeria for Twitter ban, says more countries should do the same

Senate Poised to Pass Huge Industrial Policy to boost US tech industry, counter rivals
Former US President Donald Trump, banned on all key social media platforms, has welcomes the Nigeria ban on Twitter, saying more countries should do the same. Today, Trump issued a statement supporting the Nigerian governments decision to suspend Twitter activities in the West African country. Congratulations to the country of Nigeria, who just banned Twitter because they banned their President, he said in the statement.

Nigerian Minister of Foreign Affairs Geoffrey Onyeama said on Monday the country's decision to suspend Twitter is in the interest of national security and peace.

The Nigerian government on June 4 said it was indefinitely suspending Twitter's operations in the country, two days after the social media network removed a post from President Muhammadu Buhari where made a reference to the country's 30-month civil war in 1967-1970, warning "those who wanted the government to fail" to desist from fomenting trouble.

Trump, who is banned on Twitter, said that in the meantime, "competitors will emerge and take hold. Who are they to dictate good and evil if they themselves are evil? Perhaps I should have done it while I was President. But Zuckerberg kept calling me and coming to the White House for dinner telling me how great I was. 2024?" Facebook last week suspended Trump from its platforms for two years, the maximum penalty under a newly revealed set of rules for suspending public figures, a move that was hailed by the independent Oversight Board which had upheld the earlier decision by the social network to ban Trump.

Senate Poised to Pass Huge Industrial Policy to boost US tech industry, counter rivals

Jerusalem controversial flag march on June 15 two days after vote on new govt

Pakistan: 16 people from same family died as passenger van falls into Indus river
Jihadists plaguing parts of northern Mozambique for the past three-and-half years abducted dozens of children during raids in 2020, British charity Save the Children said in a report published Wednesday.

In Mozambique's troubled province of Cabo Delgado, there have been 51 documented cases of minors being abducted - most of them young girls - over the past year, the charity group Save the Children reported on Wednesday.

In March the Islamic-State linked militants launched a coordinated assault on Palma town, killing dozens and forcing more than 67,000 to abandon their homes.

The aid organization said the number was likely on the conservative side and that the true case count was probably "significantly higher" in the province, where Islamist terrorists have carried out a growing number of attacks since late March, as per report. The abduction of children in Cabo Delgado is a "new and alarming tactic" by the militants and the hostages must be immediately released, Save the Children said.

Many of the children witness cruel attacks and are then abducted in whole groups, it said. The population of oil-rich Cabo Delago has been suffering from brutal attacks for the past three years, but Islamist rebel groups have significantly expanded their attacks since late March.

Presidential Poll: Mongolia votes for new leader amid COVID-19 campaign curbs

Donald Trump praises Nigeria for Twitter ban, says more countries should do the same

Senate Poised to Pass Huge Industrial Policy to boost US tech industry, counter rivals
Cybersecurity

Colonial Pipeline CEO talks ransom with lawmakers

Colonial Pipeline chief Joseph Blount faced a second round of questioning on Wednesday, this time from House lawmakers, including a series of inquiries about the financial ramifications of the $4.3 million ransom payment made to the criminal group Darkside in May.

During a House Homeland Security Committee hearing, where Blount appeared alongside a FireEye executive, Rep. Jim Langevin (D-R.I.) grilled the Colonial executive on whether his company held cybersecurity insurance and if the payment would be reimbursed.

Blount during testimony this week has repeatedly stated the decision to pay was his alone and defended it as the right one to make. Responding to Langevin, he said the company has submitted a claim to the insurance company but has not yet received a response.

"I suspect that it will be covered," he added.

Blount and Langevin also had a tense exchange about the involvement the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency should play in remediating Colonial's IT systems. The energy executive ultimately declined to commit to allowing CISA to assist his company, citing the three firms he has already retained as enough.

Blount said the company has not yet tabulated a cost estimate of the entire incident and the CEO also could not say whether Colonial would seek a tax deduction for the ransom payment.

The Justice Department earlier this week announced it was able to recover $2.26 million (63.7 BTC) of the $4.3 million (73 BTC) Colonial Pipeline made in Bitcoin through a virtual wallet.

The committee chairman Rep. Bennie Thompson (R-Miss.) sought and received a commitment from Blount to use the funds recovered for an investment in improving cybersecurity. However, later in the hearing, the energy executive also stated he is not certain whether his company has yet received those funds.

Blount was joined by Charles Carmakal, chief technology officer at FireEye Mandiant, one of three cybersecurity firms Colonial has hired to assist with remediation, during the hearing on Wednesday.

Carmakal said the earliest indicators of compromise FireEye has found so far is a login to a legacy virtual private network using credentials that were believed to be invalidated. He said the password was complex and not "easily guessable," and that hackers likely obtained it through a third-party website where the employee used the same password.

House and Senate lawmakers skeptical of Blount's decision to pay asked multiple questions about the efficacy of the decryption tool Darkside provided to Colonial. Many of them picked up on media reports stating the tool was not effective as well as Blount's own admission during a Senate hearing on Tuesday that it was "not perfect."

Carmakal said on Thursday the tool did work, albeit with some bugs, but went one step further to say that the company's back-ups were sufficient on their own. Blount however remained firm that his decision to pay was the right one.

"When you're there in the early hours of having your system  encrypted, you don't know what you have in front of you. You don't know how good your back up systems are," he said. "We had to avail ourselves of any and every option that we had" to restore service to the pipeline quickly and safely.

As Blount testified to House lawmakers on Wednesday, CISA published new guidance for industry on how to combat against a "rise in ransomware targeting operational technology assets."
Workforce

White House: Agencies shouldn't require vaccinations or ask for employees' vaccination status

Agencies generally should not require vaccination for federal employees or contractors to come back into the office, and they shouldnt require those individuals to disclose their vaccination status, according to new guidance issued on Tuesday by the White House-led Safer Federal Workforce Task Force. The guidance does note that individuals can choose to voluntarily disclose that information

Agencies should, however, use any information agencies do receive about employees and contractors being unvaccinated  or declining to provide vaccination information  to implement [Centers for Disease Control]-recommended mitigation measures, including masking and physical distancing, the guidance says.

Last month, the Office of Management and Budget updated its guidance on mask wearing to reflect an update from the CDC that vaccinated people dont need to mask or socially distance inside or outside in most settings.

Under this latest guidance, unvaccinated individuals, or those who chose not to disclose their vaccination status, will still have to abide by guidelines for masking and social distancing, said Ron Sanders, former chairman of the Federal Salary Council. The remaining question as feds head back to work is how enforcement will work under those two circumstances, which may be dependent on the agency and manager, he said.

The guidance also recommends that employees receive paid time off for vaccination and recovering from any potential side effects.

The news comes as agencies are in the midst of planning their return to the workplace. Last week, the White House set July 19 as a deadline for agencies to have final plans for reopening, as well as what policies will be in place when they do.

Vaccinations are a critical part of that, although some Americans dont want them. Polls have also shown that the share of Americans saying theyll get vaccinated only if required (7%) and those that say they definitely will not get vaccinated (13%) have stayed steady over the last several months.

Some agencies have reported that sizable portions of their agency workforces are refusing the vaccine when offered. At a hearing in March, the director of the Bureau of Prisons said half of his workforce had declined to be vaccinated. He said the agency would not be requiring vaccinations because they are still under emergency use authorization from the Food and Drug administration.

An Bureau of Prisons spokesperson told FCW that the agency cannot require staff to take the vaccine, but that the agency is making every effort to encourage staff and inmate vaccination via educational posters and promotional videos.

Others have taken to incentives.

The BlueCross BlueShield Association announced on Wednesday that its Federal Employee Program, a benefit plan that covers around 5.6 million federal employees and retirees, will launch a COVID-19 Vaccination Incentive Program starting on June 11. Eligible members who provide documentation of their vaccination will get $50 on their MyBlue Wellness cards for medical expenses.

The taskforce isnt the only government agency issuing guidance on this topic.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission issued guidance on May 28 addressing whether employers have the ability to require vaccinations for their employees.

According to that guidance, federal equal employment opportunity law doesnt prevent employers from requiring employees to be vaccinated to come back to the workplace. However, employers are still required to follow EEO laws.

That guidance also said that EEO law doesnt limit employers ability to voluntarily provide documentation, or for employers administering vaccinations to their employees to offer incentives, so long as they arent coercive. 

This new guidance from the Safer Federal Workforce suggests that agencies should not require vaccines, but they technically still have the option. Its unclear if any will use it, said Stephanie Rapp-Tully, a partner at Tully Rinckey who specializes in federal employment law.

If they do, theyre entering an area of the law where precedent is currently being formed, she said.

In recent history we have not had a situation like this, she said. We dont have a lot of precedent.
The Lakota reside on the Rosebud Reservation and are in the middle of a five-year initiative to bring the buffalo back to their land. When completed, it has the potential to be the largest Native-managed herd in the U.S. We learn about the Lakotas cultural connection to the animal that transcends beyond just a food source  as well as their plans for an equitable food future, one that is gaining global attention.
Oman has announced the formal launch of operations of its newly restructured and integrated water and wastewater services unit. The restructuring exercise had resulted in the creation of two new entities under Nama Group, the holding company of state-owned power and water utilities and service providers, said a report. The new entities are Oman Water and Wastewater Services Company (OWWSC) and Dhofar Integrated Services Company (DISC), reported Oman Observer, citing the Nama Group, a part of Oman Investment Authority (OIA), the integrated sovereign wealth fund of the sultanate. OWWSC has been formed out of the merger of Diam, hitherto the sole distributor of potable water services across Oman (with the exception of Dhofar Governorate), and Haya Water, the sole entity responsible for wastewater management in Oman (with the exception of Dhofar Governorate).

The second new entity DISC is now in charge of potable water distribution and wastewater management in Dhofar Governorate. It has been created out of the merger of three existing entities: Dhofar Power Company, Directorate General of Water  Dhofar, and Salalah Sanitary & Drainage Services.

Regulation of the integrated sector is now the responsibility of the Authority for Public Services Regulation (APSR), while the policymaker is the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources, stated the report.

OWWSC affirmed its commitment to building on the achievements of the predecessor entities  Diam and Haya Water  in delivering high quality services to the general population.

Qais al Zakwani, OWWSCs newly appointed CEO, said: "Following an ambitious strategy and clear goals, we will endeavour to achieve 98 per cent water network coverage by 2040 in order to provide safe drinking water to all governorates (except Dhofar), and expand our sanitation services to include the rest of the governorates."

"We will also seek out the most adaptable and creative digital technologies for reliable and sustainable services that meet the needs of our valued subscribers," he added.
Throtle Connects Amperity's First-Party Data with Leading Cookieless Identifiers

SEATTLE, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Amperity, the #1 enterprise Customer Data Platform (CDP) for consumer brands, today announced that it is partnering with Throtle, a leader in identity resolution and data onboarding, to enable brands to target customers and prospects using emerging authenticated ID replacements such as Unified ID 2.0, ID5, and Britepool for the third-party cookie, and to also facilitate integration with over 20 DSPs to execute media buys. Amperity is proactively helping its clients meet the challenges of a post-cookie world by partnering with key ad-tech companies like Throtle that are leading the charge in creating the post-cookie ad-tech ecosystem.

Amperity's integration with Throtle enables Amperity customers to take advantage of Throtle's highly price competitive data onboarding and delivery capabilities and use its integration with the major cookieless identity solutions thereby enabling advertisers to achieve advertising reach and scale. Additionally, Throtle's vast network of DSPs ensures a client's choice of an activation partner is supported  once a client's data is onboarded, Throtle is able to route that data to the DSP that the client is working with to execute their digital media buys.

"The third-party cookie has been the bedrock of how brands target advertising and measure the effectiveness of their digital media spend. With so much at stake, digital advertising technology providers like Throtle have been hard at work unifying the cookie-less and privacy-friendly alternatives that will take digital advertising forward in a post-cookie world," said Derek Slager, CTO and co-founder of Amperity. " Throtle is standing out as a leader as evidenced by the strong industry adoption for their solution and we're thrilled to partner with another forward-looking company to ensure our customers' first-party customer data assets can easily be leveraged into the ad tech ecosystem to maintain targeting efficacy, reach, and scale."

Story continues

"We're excited to partner with an innovative and forward-thinking Customer Data Platform like Amperity," said Paul Chachko, CEO of Throtle. "As brands continue to work with CDPs to help them establish their first-party customer data foundation, a strong integration between its CDP and the ad-tech ecosystem ensures a brand's ability to activate and reap value from those customer data assets."

Amperity customers have a multi-channel approach to marketing and advertising, and to provide the choice and the ability to access all parts of the ad-tech ecosystem to meet the needs of their advertising programs, Amperity is also integrated with Facebook, Google, LiveRamp, Neustar, Criteo, The Trade Desk, Instagram, Pinterest and many others within the digital advertising ecosystem.

Additionally, Amperity joined the Unified ID 2.0 (UID 2.0), a collaborative and open-source framework for cookieless identifiers. Amperity has prioritized the use of UID 2.0 to enable brands to retrieve and store UID 2.0 identifiers against their first-party customer data to allow advertisers to maximize reach and accurately target, optimize, and measure their media investments without third-party cookies.

About Amperity

Amperity's mission is to help companies use data to serve their customers. The company has revolutionized the way brands identify, understand, and connect with their customers by leveraging AI to deliver a comprehensive and actionable Customer 360. This unified view improves marketing performance, fuels accurate customer insights, and enables world-class customer experiences. With Amperity, technical teams are freed from endless integration and data management, and business teams have direct access to the comprehensive data they need to build long-term customer loyalty and drive growth. Amperity serves many of the world's most loved brands, including Wyndham, Alaska Airlines, Michaels, Lucky Brand, Kendra Scott, Planet Fitness, Patagonia, Kenneth Cole, Tapestry, Crocs, Servco, First Hawaiian Bank, and many more. To learn more, visit Amperity.com.

About Throtle

Throtle provides brands and marketers with the most accurate 1:1 view of a customer. Throtle is focused on resolving to a deterministic individual for accurate targeting across all devices and channels including IDs, MAIDs, IP addresses, connected TVs, cookieless identities, and more. For more information, visit https://throtle.io.

Cision

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SOURCE Amperity
(Bloomberg) -- As worsening geopolitical tensions with China spill into trade reprisals, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison is heading to the U.K. to meet global leaders this week with a message: Theres strength in numbers.

Patterns of cooperation within the liberal rules-based order that has benefited us for so long are under renewed strain, Morrison said in a speech in Perth on Wednesday, before he heads overseas to attend the Group of Seven leaders summit.

In order to support a world order that favours freedom over autocracy and authoritarianism, he urged active cooperation among like-minded countries and liberal democracies not seen for 30 years.

Since Australia-China relations went into a tailspin after Morrisons government last year called for Beijing to allow independent investigators to probe the origins of the pandemic, hes become a vocal proponent of bolstering partnerships between what he calls like-minded democracies.

Australia has pushed the Quad security relationship, which includes key ally the U.S. as well as Japan and India, to act as a counter against what it sees as Chinas assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific. At the same time, the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing network has increasingly issued joint statements against Beijings alleged human rights abuses.

Indo-Pacific Focus

Morrison, who will be an invited guest of U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson along with leaders of India, South Africa and South Korea, will be aiming for his message to resonate with the other attendees of the G-7, many of whom have had their own clashes with China in recent years.

The trip will include Morrisons first face-to-face meeting with President Joe Biden. Morrison is set to welcome Bidens focus on the Indo-Pacific region and offer strong support for his recent call to bolster and accelerate efforts to identify the origins of the pandemic.

Having led calls for an independent inquiry, it remains Australias firm view that understanding the cause of this pandemic has nothing to do with politics -- its essential for preventing the next one, Morrison said on Wednesday.

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Such language has repeatedly incensed China, which says it backs the World Health Organizations efforts to find the virus origin. Since Morrison became leader almost three years ago, Australias ties with its biggest trading partner have plummeted to the point where Beijing ministers refuse to answer phone calls from their counterparts in Canberra.

Crippling tariffs have been placed on barley and wine, and coal imports have been blocked in Chinas ports. Australian exporters are increasingly concerned that Morrisons government is making public statements that seem to be stoking tensions with China.

In Wednesdays speech he omitted several statements from extracts sent earlier by his office. Those statements touched on how Australia wouldnt be driven to unacceptable compromises, that its network vital global relationships continued to accelerate, and that it wouldnt set false deadlines for phasing out fossil fuels.

Risk of Miscalculation

The Indo-Pacific region -- Australias region -- is the epicenter of renewed strategic competition, he said. The risks of miscalculation and conflict are very present and growing. The technological edge enjoyed historically by Australia and our allies is under challenge.

Hes also calling for reform of the World Trade Organization by reinstalling its appellate body, saying the binding dispute system is needed because where there are no consequences for coercive behavior, there is little incentive for restraint.

Before attending the G-7 in Cornwall, Morrison will meet with his counterpart in Singapore, Lee Hsien Loong, on Thursday for economic and security discussions. After his visit to the U.K., where hes seeking to reach an initial agreement on a free-trade deal with Johnsons government, his itinerary includes a visit to France for talks with President Emmanuel Macron.

Still, Morrison has one important policy stance that he knows wont be popular with most of his counterparts in Cornwall: Hes a strong supporter of Australias position as one of the worlds biggest fossil-fuel exporters.

While Australias dry continent makes it particularly exposed to the ravages of climate change, Morrison is refusing to commit to a date to reach net-zero emissions, instead saying its the nations ambition to get there by 2050. Thats even as Biden and some of Australias biggest fossil-fuel export markets -- China, Japan and South Korea -- commit to doing more to combat climate change.

(Updates with comments delivered by Morrison in speech throughout)

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INDIANAPOLIS, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Calumet Specialty Products Partners, L.P. (NASDAQ: CLMT), today announced that senior management will participate in the Bank of America Merrill Lynch 2021 Energy Credit Conference on Wednesday, June 9, 2021. Management will answer questions in a fireside chat format moderated by our covering analyst and provide an overview of the Partnership's business during a live webcast at the Conference. The Partnership will also conduct one-on-one and group meetings with investors who are registered to attend the event. The webcast of the live fireside chat and investor presentation slides can be accessed by visiting the events section of the investor relations page of the Partnership's website at www.calumetspecialty.com.

About Calumet Specialty Products Partners, L.P.

Calumet Specialty Products Partners, L.P. (NASDAQ: CLMT) manufacturers, formulates, and markets a diversified slate of specialty branded products to customers in various consumer-facing and industrial markets. Calumet is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana and operates twelve facilities throughout North America.

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SOURCE Calumet Specialty Products Partners, L.P.
FILE PHOTO: The logo of Russian internet group Yandex is pictured at the company's headquarter in Moscow

By Gleb Stolyarov

ST PETERSBURG, Russia (Reuters) - Yandex.Drive, the car-sharing firm owned by Russian internet group Yandex, will launch a platform to customers that can be used to operate their own vehicle fleets, the company's head of e-commerce and ride-tech business said.

The new platform, which has been tested on a Yandex.Drive fleet of about 16,000 vehicles, would be offered to taxi companies, freight operators and logistics firms around the globe, Daniil Shuleiko told Reuters.

"I think that this will be a very significant share in the revenue of the (car-sharing) service," Shuleiko said.

Revenue in the taxi business jumped 89% year on year to 26.6 billion roubles ($369 million) in the first quarter, while Yandex.Drive revenue amounted to 2.5 billion roubles.

The platform monitors vehicle movements, providing driving profiles and identifying dangerous driving. It also helps predict emergency situations and forecasts fuel consumption.

Yandex also plans to spend $500 million on expanding its Yandex.Market market place and food delivery from grocery stores this year alone, expecting the e-commerce boom to continue, Shuleiko said. The figure does not include delivery from restaurants.

"We are focused on fast and aggressive growth... and expect to switch to profitability in e-commerce in a couple of years from now," he said.

($1 = 72.0175 roubles)

(Reporting by Gleb Stolyarov; Writing by Anna Rzhevkina and Katya Golubkova,; Editing by Jason Neely, Edmund Blair, Kirsten Donovan)
VANCOUVER, BC, June 9, 2021 /CNW/ - Filament Ventures Corp., doing business as Filament Health ("Filament" or the "Company"), an exclusively-natural psychedelic drug discovery and extraction technology company, today announced it has grown its 20th cultivar of psilocybin-containing mushrooms at its GMP facility in Metro Vancouver. Filament also shared updates on its propagation research, including the discovery of a potent cultivar of psilocybin-containing fungus.

Filament Health Logo (CNW Group/Filament Ventures Corp.)

"We are excited to share that we've recently identified a cultivar that contains four times the psilocybin content of more commonly-known cultivars. In addition, we have identified eight additional psychoactive alkaloids present within fungal biomass, highlighting the potential for developing proprietary extract formulations," said Ryan Moss, Director of Research at Filament. "Findings such as these emphasize the need for further research on these cultivars and other psychedelic organisms, especially given the need for a strictly standardized dose in clinical settings. Filament is dedicated to providing safe and effective natural psychedelic extracts."

In order to identify the highest-potency cultivars, Filament has grown and analyzed twenty varieties of psychoactive mushrooms, and has 75 further cultivars undergoing screening. Filament is currently using three high-content, high-efficiency primary strains for production, and will be entering one of the non-psilocybin compounds identified into a Phase a clinical trial in partnership with the TRpR Program at UCSF. Filament's in-house operations include propagation, extraction, research, and manufacturing using its patent-pending technologies. Current production at the Company's 3,500 square foot facility yields the equivalent of over 25,000 therapeutic doses of psilocybin per year.

"Our research program infrastructure comprises a critical part of our strategic roadmap, and we are delighted with the resulting progress in advancing the field of natural psychedelic research," said Filament CEO, Benjamin Lightburn. "Rather than developing synthetically-prepared versions of natural compounds, we view nature as the most potent source for new and effective therapies. Furthermore, we are encouraged by regulatory advancements such as Oregon Measure 109 and California Senate Bill 519, which advance non-pharmaceutical psychedelic-assisted therapy where naturally-derived psychedelic products will likely be preferred."

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These natural compounds are best unlocked through rigorous research and skillfully applied extraction techniques. Filament is well-poised to tackle this challenge with a management team that has decades of experience in natural extraction, purification, and standardization, as well as patent-pending versions of these processes that it leans on to produce safe and consistent product formulations.

ABOUT FILAMENT HEALTH

Filament is an exclusively-natural psychedelic drug discovery and extraction technology company. Its mission is to see safe, approved, natural psychedelics in the hands of everyone who needs them as soon as possible. Filament believes measurable and efficacious medicines will be a catalyst to addressing many of the world's mental health problems and that natural psychedelics provide an optimal option for widespread adoption of these substances. Filament engages in natural extraction technology commercialization, utilizing its intellectual property portfolio, in-house GMP facility, and Health Canada psilocybin Dealer's License. Filament is headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Learn more at www.filament.health and get the latest updates via Filament's newsletter and LinkedIn page.

FORWARD LOOKING INFORMATION

Certain statements and information contained herein may constitute "forward-looking statements"and "forward-looking information," respectively, under Canadian securities legislation. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as, "expect", "anticipate", "continue", "estimate", "may", "will", "should", "believe", "intends", "forecast", "plans", "guidance" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements or information. The forward-looking statements are not historical facts, but reflect the current expectations of management of Filament regarding future results or events and are based on information currently available to them. Certain material factors and assumptions were applied in providing these forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements discussed in this press release may include, but are not limited to, information concerning the number of therapeutic doses of psilocybin yielded from the Company's facility and the impact of Oregon Measure 109 and California Senate Bill 519, including the impact on non-pharmaceutical psychedelic-assisted therapy. Forward-looking statements regarding the Company are based on the Company's estimates and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements of Filament to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, including capital expenditures and other costs. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. Filament will not update any forward-looking statements or forward-looking information that are incorporated by reference herein, except as required by applicable securities laws.

SOURCE Filament Ventures Corp.

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(Bloomberg) -- Vice President Kamala Harris said shell visit the U.S. southern border but urged American lawmakers to focus on the causes of mass migration from Central America, deflecting Republican criticism after meeting with Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Tuesday.

It would be very easy to just say well travel to one place and therefore its solved. Well, I dont think anybody thinks that that would be the solution, Harris told reporters traveling with her in Mexico on Tuesday.

Ive been to the border before. I will go again. But when Im in Guatemala dealing with root causes, I think we should have a conversation about whats going on in Guatemala, she said.

Harris is on the second full day of a trip to the region as part of her assignment from President Joe Biden to lead a U.S. government effort to curb a historic increase in migration from Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador. Harris earlier Tuesday defended her approach, saying in an NBC News interview that there is not going to be a quick fix.

During her trip, shes repeatedly been asked about Republican criticism that she has yet to visit the border with Mexico as vice president. In an interview with NBC News broadcast Monday evening, she replied tersely to the question.

And I havent been to Europe, she said. And I mean, I dont understand the point that youre making. Im not discounting the importance of the border.

On Tuesday, she gave a fuller explanation, describing her diplomatic efforts as vital to identify the causes of migration and build partnerships with the leaders of countries migrants are fleeing.

You cant say you care about the border without caring about the root causes, caring about the acute causes, which include the fact youre looking at populations particularly from Central America who are plagued by hunger and the devastation caused by the hurricanes and of course the effect of the pandemic, she said, referring to a pair of powerful hurricanes that struck Central America late last year. They did particular damage to the agriculture industry, a major employer.

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So, lets approach this in a way that acknowledges there are many factors and as with any intractable issue, we cannot be simplistic and assume that there is only one element or one way of approaching the overall problem, she said.

In a news conference later Tuesday to conclude her trip, Harris committed to a border trip but again insisted the U.S. must look abroad to curb migration.

Lets talk about whats going on in the places that are causing the issue at the border, she said, calling it shortsighted to focus on the border alone. You have to go to the core of what is causing it.

In Mexico City, Harris and the Mexican leader, known as AMLO, observed as officials from their respective governments signed an agreement to cooperate on development programs aimed at improving economic conditions in Central America.

Underscoring the political challenge she faces, Harris also came under fire from Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, a prominent Democrat, and human-rights groups that expressed disappointment at her warning to migrants not to make the journey to the U.S.

The vice president on Monday visited Guatemala, where she met with President Alejandro Giammattei and announced several new initiatives to crack down on human trafficking and corruption as well as addressing poverty and violence, which U.S. officials blame for the migration spike.

During a news conference on Monday, she told would-be migrants: Do not come, warning that if you come to our border, you will be turned back.

Biden and other administration officials have previously made similar remarks. And the president has maintained a pandemic-era policy thats led to the expulsion of most migrants crossing the border, including asylum-seekers.

The Mexican government limited press access to Harriss meeting with Lopez Obrador, restricting coverage to five American journalists and allowing them to observe for about three minutes. AMLOs party lost its supermajority in the lower house of Mexicos legislature in midterm elections on Sunday.

The two leaders pledged to work together to make the regions economies more equal and increase economic opportunities as part of a strategy to reduce migration, according to a statement from the Mexican government.

A statement from Harriss office said the U.S. government had developed a package of grants, loans and other assistance that aims to create $250 million in new investment and sales in southern Mexico. The two governments will work together on a number of other issues, including to help solve the more than 82,000 cases of missing persons and disappearances in Mexico, potentially bringing closure to tens of thousands of families and ending impunity for offenders.

(Updates with additional Harris remarks, beginning in 11th paragraph)

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BUTLER, Mo., June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Frozen Food Express (FFE) Transportation Services, Inc., the largest nationwide asset-based temperature-controlled LTL transportation and warehousing provider, is expanding its business with a new transportation and logistics facility in Butler, Missouri. The company is investing nearly $6 million in Butler and is creating nearly 60 new jobs in the region.

FFE is bringing good-paying jobs and economic opportunities to Missourians in this rural community.

"Missouri's central location and business-friendly environment is a leading destination for transportation and logistics companies like this one, and we are excited to welcome FFE Transportation to Missouri," said Governor Mike Parson. "FFE is bringing good-paying jobs and economic opportunities to Missourians in this rural community. We look forward to working together as FFE finds success and grows within our state."

FFE Transportation utilizes industry-leading equipment and technology to provide a variety of service offerings to its customers. The company is dedicated to providing customers with excellent service to meet their needs while maintaining a safe environment for employees. Company executives say they selected Butler, Missouri, for their newest transportation and logistics facility due to its robust workforce, friendly business climate, and the safety of the community.

"We are very excited about expanding our operation into the Butler region," said Jim Richards, President and CEO of FFE Transportation. "We look forward to working closely with the community and being a great partner."

FFE Transportation was formed in the 1940's and has grown across the U.S. with multiple locations throughout the country. Missouri Partnership worked in collaboration with the City of Butler, the Missouri Department of Economic Development, Osage Valley Electric Cooperative Association, and the Bates County Commissioners to bring FFE Transportation to Missouri.

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"We are thrilled that FFE Transportation is investing in Missouri," said Subash Alias, CEO of Missouri Partnership. "Our state is a leading location for companies in distribution and logistics thanks to our strategic location in the center of the U.S. FFE Transportation's investment in Missouri further solidifies our state's crucial role in the food supply chain."

"Butler, being the Electric City we are, is electrified that FFE Transportation has selected our community for their new transportation and logistics facility," said Mayor Jim Henry. "FFE Transportation and the City of Butler are a wonderful fit together. We are thrilled about the 60 new jobs it will bring to the community. We plan to build a long-lasting partnership with FFE Transportation and welcome them to our community."

FFE Transportation's facility is located at 1020 Stover-Ward Road.

About FFE Transportation

Founded in 1943, Frozen Food Express Transportation Services has grown into the largest asset-based temperature-controlled LTL transportation and warehousing provider in the U.S. FFE's strategic vision is to be the premier temperature-controlled LTL carrier in North America. The company leverages its core competencies to provide the best service in all aspects of its offerings. FFE offers various services, including Over the Road, Local, Regional, Dedicated, Expedited, and Storage.

About Missouri Partnership

Missouri Partnership is a public-private economic development organization focused on attracting new jobs and investment to the state and promoting Missouri's business strengths. Since 2007, Missouri Partnership has worked with partners statewide to attract companies that have created 27,000+ new jobs, $1.4 billion+ in new annual payroll, and $3 billion+ in new capital investment. Some recent successful projects that led to major investment in Missouri include Accenture Federal Services LLC, Amazon, Casey's General Stores, Chewy, Inc., Square, Swift Prepared Foods, USDA, and Veterans United.

Media Contact: Janelle Higgins, janelle@missouripartnership.com

Governor Mike Parson and FFE executives cut the ribbon on FFEs new facility in Butler, Missouri.

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SOURCE Missouri Partnership
Kelly Brophy and Stephanie Van Zandt List Serene Wine Country Residence.

St. Helena, C.A., June 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The sprawling Wine Country estate of culinary and marketing tycoon Frank Brady has hit the market for $14,000,000. Designed by Bob Eberlin, who also built the neighboring Meadowood Resort, the residence known as Daisy Hill Farm is located at 1250 Oakwood Lane and offers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to live in Wine Country and culinary nirvana. The home is listed with Kelly Brophy and Stephanie Van Zandt with Golden Gate Sothebys International Realty.

Bradys legacy is written all over the food industry, from the most famous chefs in the business to inventing and marketing more than 100 culinary items for companies like Williams-Sonoma. "Daisy Hill Farm is one of the few kitchens Thomas Keller plus his Bouchon chefs have actually cooked in," says Brady. How could we, who have been leaders of the kitchen and housewares industry, ever have created a kitchen that was anything less than perfection, and focused on detail, on every level.

The enchanting, gated estate in St. Helena features resort-like living, privacy, and is located on two parcels totaling 12.13 acres on an undulating knoll with sprawling grounds and mature gardens in a park-like oasis. The grand yet understated 6,800 sq. ft. home combines contemporary design with timeless California architecture.

The residence is an entertainers dream, says listing agent Kelly Brophy. With six bedrooms, seven and one-half baths, dual private casitas, and stately living and dining rooms with soaring vaulted ceilings, its a private residence rivaling a world-class resort.

The fecund grounds and amenities include a 55-foot pool and casita, an outdoor dining/kitchen pavilion with a timeless California barn silhouette, a bocce ball court, plus a gym and guesthouse. The gardens offer food, flora, and celebrity, from the roses Brady dedicated to his friend Julia Child, to the gardens where the Pope's assistant held daily Mass during an extended retreat, to the Thomas Keller tomato plants. The sale includes the additional adjacent 6+-acre parcel at 1210 Oakwood Lane with potential for a complete second estate or guest compound.

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www.1250OakwoodLane.com

Contact Kelly Brophy and Stephanie Van Zandt for more information or private showing.

Kelly Brophy

707.301.3777

k.brophy@ggsir.com

Lic. # 01097795

Stephanie Van Zandt

707.696.9527

s.vanzandt@ggsir.com

Lic. # 01959450

For media inquiries, please email MediaInquiries@ggsir.com

About Golden Gate Sotheby's International Realty:

Golden Gate Sotheby's International Realty has over 480 agents in 25 offices throughout the San Francisco Bay Area serving the counties of Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, Sonoma and San Francisco. For more information, please visit www.GoldenGateSIR.com

Attachments

CONTACT: Kevin Dwyer Golden Gate Sotheby's International Realty 415.380.4332 mediainquiries@ggsir.com




Despite the high volatility, the investors appetite for Santander Chile is still relevant. The issue in Swiss francs, equivalent to US$167 million, signifies the return of the Bank to international debt markets after more than one year.



SANTIAGO, Chile, June 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Santander Chile goes back to international markets and successfully issues CHF 150 million Senior Notes due in 2027 (equivalent to US$167 million), with a spread of 62 basis points above the Mid-Swap, which is equivalent to a coupon of 0.33%. The transaction was carried out with the advisory of Credit Suisse AG and Commerzbank AG.

This issue signifies a return of the Bank to the international public debt market since January 2020 and is the first operation of Santander Chile in Switzerland since August 2019. With this new instrument, Santander Chiles position in this market is approximately CHF 737 million (or US$822 million), and is one of the most relevant geographies in terms of funding for the Bank.

For Emiliano Muratore, Chief Financial Officer of Santander, this new issuance reflects the good position in the international scenario. Despite the current uncertainty the markets face, we were able to issue a relevant amount in a competitive market, allowing us to continue to diversify our investor base and funding sources.

This press release is not an offer to acquire the bond or any other value. This press release is in conformation with Rule 135c of the Securities Act of 1933 of the United States.

About Banco Santander

Banco Santander Chile is the largest bank in the Chilean market in terms of loans and assets. As of March 31, 2021, the Bank had total assets of US$ 75.8 billion, loans net of provisions of US$ 46.6 billion, deposits of US$ 36.6 billion, and total equity of US$ 5.1 billion. The Bank has 346 branches and 10,391 employees. The BIS capital ratio as of March 31, 2021 was 15.4%, with a core capital ratio of 10.9%. Banco Santander Chile is one of the companies with the highest risk classifications in Latin America with an A1 rating from Moody's and A- from Standard and Poor's.





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CONTACT INFORMATION

Robert Moreno

Investor Relations

Banco Santander Chile

Bandera 140, Floor 20

Santiago, Chile

Tel: (562) 2320-8284

Email: irelations@santander.cl

Website: www.santander.cl




Los Angeles, June 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Wells Fargo has awarded a grant of $1.25 million through their Open for Business Fund to Together for L.A., the Los Angeles collaborative for small business recovery & resilience, to address the COVID-19 economic crisis by significantly expanding business technical assistance services to LA Countys small businesses and microenterprises led and owned by women and Black, African American, Latinx, Asian American, American Indian, and Alaska Native people, focused on those in low and moderate income (LMI) communities.

The founding members of LA Collaborative include the grants lead applicant and fiscal agent Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation (LAEDC), The Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, Local Initiatives Support Corporation Los Angeles (LISC-LA), The Dr. Lucy Jones Center for Science and Society, and The Institute for Sustainable Development (ISD), which are working together to advance a more equitable, sustainable and resilient economic recovery.

In close coordination with the County of Los Angeles Department of Consumer and Business Affairs and the City of Los Angeles Economic and Workforce Development Department, the five Together for L.A. partners have been serving thousands of diverse small businesses since the inception of the pandemic. With the generous proceeds of this grant they will be able to deliver their best-in-class technical assistance programs well into 2022 with a new level of communication, coordination and collaboration for the benefit of an unprecedented number of diverse small businesses in LMI communities across LA County which are still at risk due to the extraordinarily long and deep economic disruption wrought by the pandemic. This new, Wells Fargo-funded phase will launch in July 2021 and continue for a full year.

Together for L.A. will serve businesses with multilingual and multicultural programs and resources critical to small business survival, reinvention and recovery via substantial outreach and engagement campaigns, webinars and workshops to teach best practices, and will provide one-on-one technical assistance which will be delivered both online and in community. This program will be one of the largest efforts, not just in Los Angeles or California, but across the nation, to reach and serve LMI BIPOC businesses and help them reopen, reinvent themselves and recover through the provision of various forms of technical assistance.

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Through these programs, businesses will receive help overcoming challenges related to capital and liquidity, expenses, legal matters, broadband internet, workforce, health protocols and other operational challenges, while enhancing revenue opportunities and overall resilience so businesses are able to better withstand future economic shocks.

The toll the pandemic has taken on LAs small business community has been devastating. We are grateful to all the organizations who have come together to help small business owners keep their doors open throughout this ordeal, said Gregg Sherkin, Wells Fargo SVP Southern California Social Impact and Sustainability. Though there is light at the end of the tunnel, theres still a long way to go and we also need to be sure that small businesses are prepared for any future crisis. Collaboration will be critical and we are thrilled to support the work of Together for LA to make Los Angeles the most inclusive and resilient region for small business in the United States.

LAEDC CEO Bill Allen said, Simply reopening our economy does not equate to full recovery of small businesses and jobs lost to the pandemic, especially those in our historically disadvantaged communities of color. As a banker to businesses large and small, Wells Fargo understands that well and we are grateful for their support and partnership in focusing our collective efforts on the recovery of our regions women and BIPOC owned small businesses and microenterprises.

L.A. Area Chamber president & CEO, Maria S. Salinas said, Since the pandemic began, the Chamber has been laser focused on ensuring the small business community and microenterprises had access to the resources they needed to survive the pandemic. Now, as our economy is on the cusp of reopening, these same businesses require support, guidance and resources not only to continue to survive but thrive. The Wells Fargo Open for Business Fund grant ensures Together for L.A. can do just that."

"Local businesses, the pillars of our communities, have been hit hardest by the pandemic -- and it is crucial that we ensure that they all have access to an equitable recovery," said Tunua Thrash-Ntuk, Executive Director of LISC LA. "The Open for Business Fund grant will help in financing these recovery efforts and we are grateful to be partnering with an institution like Wells Fargo who understands the role diverse businesses play in Los Angeles resilient economy.

"We are proud to join with the leading business organizations in the County to work together to address the critical resilience issues in our region, " said Dr. Lucy Jones, Founder of the Dr. Lucy Jones Center for Science and Society. "As we begin to emerge from the disaster of the pandemic, we must continue to work to build resilience to the next disaster. The work of Together for L.A. will serve the region well for what we might face next, be it earthquake or some other disaster."

Over the years, Wells Fargo has been one of the leading businesses in the country in assisting small businesses to get through disasters, and the company's support for the LA Collaborative builds on this heritage. Together for L.A. will not only deliver valuable technical services to some of the most vulnerable and distressed small businesses in the region, it represents a giant step forward in how public-private partnerships for economic recovery get done. The Institute for Sustainable Development is proud to endorse and support this initiative," explained Stephen Jordan, CEO of The Institute for Sustainable Development.

The Together for L.A. collaborative is doing this work in recognition of the fact that Los Angeles County is home to more than 1.3 million small businesses, including more women and BIPOC owned small businesses than any other county in the nation. These employer and non-employer establishments provide the majority of jobs and income for the ten million residents of Americas most populous and diverse county and tens of thousands of these enterprises remain at significant risk due to the disruptions caused by the pandemic. As of March 2021, small business revenues in LA County are still down by more than 30%. Together for L.A. is committed to working as a combined force to advance a more equitable economic recovery. Businesses are encouraged to request assistance at the Together for L.A. webpage.

About Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation (LAEDC): Celebrating its 40th year, public-benefit, nonprofit LAEDC drives action in support of a reimagined Los Angeles regional economy that is growing, equitable, sustainable and resilient, and provides a healthy and high standard of living for all. www.laedc.org

About LA Area Chamber of Commerce: With a mission to advance opportunities and solutions for a thriving regional economy that is inclusive and globally competitive, with a promise to be bold, transformative, inclusive and responsible, the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce represents the interests of business in the LA region. www.lachamber.com

About LISC LA: LISC LA is one of 35 local offices of the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), a national organization that works with residents and partners to forge resilient and inclusive communities of opportunity across America - great places to live, work, visit, do business and raise families. www.lisc.org/los-angeles/

About Institute for Sustainable Development: The Institute for Sustainable Development (ISD)s mission is to help communities and small businesses survive and thrive for the long-term in the face of extreme events and chronic stresses. www.isdus.org

About Dr. Lucy Jones Center for Science and Society: Fostering the development of more resilient communities, the Dr. Lucy Jones Center leverages partnerships with scientists, government agencies, business leaders and community organizations to operationalize resilience action. https://drlucyjonescenter.org/

Media contact: Lawren Markle, LAEDC, Lawren.Markle@laedc.org , 213-236-4847

CONTACT: Lawren Markle Together for L.A. 16267732325 lawren.markle@laedc.org




South Africa: IEC ready for Local Elections

The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) says it is technically ready to conduct the 2021 Local Government Elections.

Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Glen Mashinini, made the announcement during the official launch of the 2021 Municipal Elections on Wednesday, where the Commission unveiled a mobilisation campaign aimed at encouraging eligible voters to register and participate in the October elections.

The mobilisation campaign will be rolled out from Wednesday over two phases across television, radio, digital and outdoor channels throughout the country under the theme, Every Voice Together.

Speaking at the launch, Mashinini admitted that preparing for the countrys fifth Municipal Elections under such uncertain and unpredictable conditions, has presented the Commission with one of the most difficult balancing acts in democratic history.

The Commission is literally walking a tightrope. On the one side is the tyranny of the elections becoming a super-spreader event, leading to further loss of human life.

On the other side is the tyranny of the failure to adhere to the dictates of our Constitution, leading to democratic backsliding and setting an undesirable precedent for the future. We dare not fall to either side, Mashinini said.

Mashinini said the Commission is technically ready to deliver the elections. The IEC believes the 2021 Municipal Elections should proceed as things currently stand.

Based on the Constitution, the law, operational readiness for the elections and a thorough assessment of the current pandemic conditions, the Commission is of the view that we are technically ready to deliver the elections.

This assessment was conducted in consultation with health and disaster management authorities and various subject matter experts. The Commission has also drawn extensively on the experiences of more than 100 countries and territories around the world, which have successfully held elections under COVID-19 conditions, Mashinini said.

Measures in place to ensure safe elections

The chairperson assured the nation that effective mitigation measures are in place to ensure that the elections are conducted safely.

These protocols have been developed and tested successfully in over 150 by-elections over the past seven months, he said.

Calling on all citizens to take part in the elections, Mashinini said voting is not just about the Electoral Commission, political parties or independent candidates.

Elections are about ordinary citizens coming together to determine the future of our cities, towns, communities and neighbourhoods in an expression of the will of the people.

Focus on young and first-time voters

Chief Electoral Officer, Sy Mamabolo, said a major focus of the campaign will be on encouraging young and first-time voters to register and vote in a bid to boost voter registration numbers ahead of the closing of the voters roll. This will be done upon proclamation by the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, which is expected in early August.

Based on population estimates from Statistics South Africa, Mamabolo said it is estimated that some 15 million eligible voters remain unregistered.

Currently, the voters roll has 25.75 million registered voters.

Of these, about 60% are under the age of 30. This is not necessarily a reflection of so-called apathy by young people. Young voters have had fewer opportunities to register than older voters, with millions only qualifying for registration over the past 24 months since the last major voter registration drive.

The youth of today are used to operating within a digital and online environment, and frequently seek a more convenient and accessible option for registration. The Electoral Commission is currently working with political parties within the National Party Liaison Committee to finalise alternative and additional modalities for registration and we hope to make announcements in this regard soon, Mamabolo said.

The voter registration weekend is scheduled to take place on 17  18 July 2021, where all registered voters will be able to check and update their registration details, and new voters can register.

Voting stations will open countrywide from 8am - 5pm.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2021-06-09. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Al Faris Group, which claims to have the largest fleet of cranes and other heavy equipment in the Middle East, said it has completed the transportion and lifting of 30 overflow tanks for the mega Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park project in Dubai.

Al Faris pointed out that the execution of the complete logistics chain was a challenging one.

This complicated project work was awarded to the group mainly due to its expertise in transporting large, abnormal loads involving high complexity in planning and execution, said a company spokesman.

Announcing the feat, he said: "Each tank was 52m long and weighed 235 tonne which made it an extremely big challenge for byroad transportation. And the biggest challenge was to find a feasible route from Jebel Ali Port to Solar park, Al Qudra in order to transport the cargo efficiently."

The transportation was carried out with the group's Mercedes Arocs trucks fleet attached to two files 30 axle Goldhofer THP/SL conventional hydraulic trailers with two tanks in one convoy, he added.

Unraveling the strategy, he said: "The loads were first off-loaded and stored on customized stools fabricated in-house by Al Faris at Jebel Ali Port. Due to time limitations at the port and high volume storage the project needed quick response time with professional planning and execution."

"At the project site, the overflow tanks were lifted using our Liebherr 400t crawler crane along with other supporting mobile cranes which travelled a distance of more than 100m before placing the load on the foundation," he explained.

A project of this nature requires exceptionally detailed planning to orchestrate the complex activities necessary for ensuring uninterrupted safe services; from route analysis to on-road safety permissions, stated the spokesman.

"The route was analyzed and surveyed by our technical team. The technical support documentation, execution plans, route analysis report and HSE protocols were prepared in-house and discussed with the client prior to project execution," he revealed.

Approvals from RTA for transportation and road modification works, NOC from port authorities were also all taken care of by Al Faris, he added.

He pointed out that significant road modifications, diversions and managing temporary traffic routes were a requirement in order to carry out this project successfully.

"Bypass roads were made temporarily in order to avoid the overhead height restrictions in the transportation route," he noted.

"Our team of engineers and technicians carried out the operation smoothly with utmost safety and efficiency with all approvals and safety measures in place and the help of police escort vehicles," he added.-TradeArabia News Service
Despite the challenges of trying to write a book about food during a pandemic that devastated the restaurant industry (two of the restaurants he originally profiled closed before the book went to print), Page still visited places as near as his Jersey shore home and as far away as California.

Although Virginia was not among the states Page traveled to for research, the book does recognize Gordonsvilles famous waiter carriersBlack women who sold the first fried chicken commercially in the U.S. Unable to board segregated trains in the 1800s, the women carried platters of chicken on their heads and sold it to passengers through open train windows. This practice earned the town of Gordonsville the nickname Fried Chicken Capital of the World.

Although Page tells this and other stories, he doesnt think of Food Americana as a history book. Instead of history, its a timeline continuum of how we created a unique American cuisine and continue to create a unique American cuisine, Page said.

When it comes to his favorite food, Page is noncommittal in conversation, describing it as whatever I am hungry for at the moment. Still, he admits that he would go to my death with a bagel lox and cream cheese from Russ & Daughters on the Lower East Side of Manhattan.
Dario R. Jovels decision to appeal the eight-month jail sentence he received for racing on Interstate 95 in Stafford County with his wife and their 2-month-old baby in the car turned out to be a poor one.

Judge Michael Levy Tuesday upheld the 18-month jail sentence a jury recommended after convicting him of racing and reckless driving in April.

Jovel, 23, of Woodbridge, was convicted of the same charges in December in Stafford General District Court. Judge Robert Reibach ordered him to serve eight months in jail, but Jovel appealed the case to circuit court.

According to the evidence presented by prosecutor Jennifer Lindsey, Virginia State Police trooper E.W. Byrd was operating radar north of the Garrisonville Road exit on I-95 when two vehicles came through side-by-side at 105 mph. The other vehicle continued south, but Jovel took the Garrisonville exit and turned off the lights of his new Honda Civic Type R in an apparent attempt to not be seen by the trooper.

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Byrd caught up with the car in the Stafford Marketplace and noticed the baby in the back seat.
By the time you add in the cost of training and the reduction in manpower that occurs while the training is taking place, we felt it was best to wait until the prices come down.

Don Slavick, executive director of the United States Police Canine Association, told The Associated Press that the trend is everywhere.

Once you train a behavior in a dog, that never goes away. They dont want any mistakes, so that is why they want to bring in new dogs, he said.

The Virginia State Police is retiring 13 K-9s, and Sgt. Scott Amos, the canine training coordinator, says the replacements are in training now, learning how to alert for ecstasy, cocaine, heroin and methamphetamines, but not marijuana.

Patrick County Sheriff Dan Smith said his department had one K-9 that served as a patrol dog and was not trained to sniff drugs, but other small departments are not so lucky.

Cumberland County, located just west of Richmond and with a population about the same as the city of Martinsville, has a sheriffs office with 17 people and one drug-sniffing dog named Mambo thats being forced to retire.
Sen. Warner was determined to help save this special place, and his commitment never wavered. His daughter, Virginia, joined him in that endeavor when she funded the purchase of one acre of land near Fones Cliffs, which Chesapeake Conservancy then donated to the Rappahannock Tribe.

For the tribe, this modest acquisition marked their return to the river that bears their name after an absence of over 350 years. At a celebration of that event in 2017, featured guests of the tribe were John and Virginia Warner.

We were honored that Sen. Warner agreed to serve on the Chesapeake Conservancys Board of Directors for many years, and he remained an honorary board member until his death.

In 2016, he was presented with the Conservancys Champions of the Chesapeake Award.

During his acceptance speech, Sen. Warner said this about Fones Cliffs: Like many of you, this is a place that I would like to see conserved for future generations. In fact, I told Joel seeing to that would be one of my signature efforts. This is as important to me as my work to get rid of Embrey Dam, also along the Rappahannock, which robbed many species from being able to migrate upstream. Well, we got that done. Embry Dam is gone. And now were going to get this done, too.
In fact, the only evidence before the court regarding the health risk to patrons of defendants restaurant came from [RAHD environmental health manger Brent] McCord, who testified that there are no known cases of COVID-19 traced to the defendants restaurant.

As we noted at the time, there is no legal precedent for closing a business in Virginia indefinitely under the governors executive authority to order quarantines if it does not pose an imminent danger to the public. Whether Northams EOs are a form of commandeering private businesses to act as the new enforcement arm of its executive policy mandates  is, the judge pointed out, still very much open to question.

Strickland faced a year in prison, a $2,500 fine, or both if he was found guilty of disobeying a lawful order. Thats a risk the Army veteran was willing to take, stating in March that, I spent most of my adult life fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. I have no problem coming home and fighting here in Virginia.
Urge Congress to fund Alzheimers research

June is Alzheimers and Brain Awareness Month. More than 6 million Americans are living with Alzheimers, including 150,000 in Virginia and their 349,000 caregivers.

Without medical breakthroughs, the number of Americans with Alzheimers is projected to rise to nearly 13 million by 2050.

I lost both my mother and my grandmother to Alzheimers, so I understand firsthand the impact this disease has on families across America. As an Alzheimers advocate, it is my honor to represent them.

In May, I attended the 2021 Alzheimers Impact Movement Advocacy Forum. Held virtually this year, more than 2,300 Alzheimers advocates from across the nation met with members of Congress on Capitol Hill.

During the virtual event, I met with a member of Congressman Rob Wittmans staff to explain why Congress must continue to prioritize legislative action against Alzheimers.

Specifically, I urged him to support an increase of $289 million for Alzheimers research funding at the National Institutes of Health to help find a way to slow, stop or cure the disease.
"The murder of Ms. Loofe was planned in advanced, with only the victim's identity unknown," Johnson said.

Johnson suggested that Trail may have thought no one would immediately miss Loofe since she lived alone in Lincoln, hours away from her family in Neligh. Her interest in dating Boswell made her their ideal target.

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Trail, 54, joins 11 other men sitting on Nebraska's death row. He can appeal the sentence.

Boswell, 27, also found guilty in Loofe's disappearance and murder at a trial last October, will face the death penalty when she goes before a sentencing panel later this month.

She could become the first woman to receive the death penalty in Nebraska.

At Wednesday's sentencing, Trail said Boswell had nothing to do with the murder and wasn't in the bedroom when Loofe was killed. He said he decided to dismember Loofe because he could think of no other way to get her out of the apartment without being seen.

"Sydney did nothing but reject my lifestyle," he said.

Prosecutors said Trail and Boswell worked together to lure the 24-year-old Neligh native to Wilber on Nov. 15, 2017, where they killed and dismembered her, dumping her body in trash bags scattered across rural Clay County.
Holly Strudthoff's 16-year tenure as an educator at Trinity Lutheran has helped prepare her to become the school's new director, but her ties to the school run so much deeper than her time in the classroom.

Trinity Lutheran has always been a home in different capacities, Strudthoff said. When she first moved to Fremont and visited the school for the first time, Strudthoff said she knew her family had found a special place.

"We were just really impressed with the people and particularly the school," she said.

Now, after years working in the classroom as a teacher and seeing her own children and grandchildren attend Trinity Lutheran, Strudthoff is looking to give back to a school that provided a second home to her and her family for so long.

"It's always been my church and I had some wonderful opportunities to teach there," she said. "So when the leadership position became available, I was kind of asked to think about that position, so that's how I got introduced to it."

Strudthoff will take over the position previously held by Greg Rathke. Rathke announced his decision to step down from the role at the end of the 2020-2021 school year after a five-year tenure at Trinity Lutheran.
A group of 42 rejected asylum seekers have reportedly arrived in Kabul after being deported from Germany.

The chartered flight landed in the Afghan capital at 7:48 a.m. local time on June 9, the German news agency dpa quoted an airport official as saying.

The agency reported that the 39th such deportation flight since December 2016 brings the number of failed asylum seekers to be deported from Germany to the war-torn country to 1,077.

Critics of the deportations say Afghanistan is too dangerous to return asylum seekers.

Violence has sharply increased across the country since the start of the withdrawal of international troops last month, taking a heavy toll on Afghan civilians.

The UN mission in Afghanistan says that 1,783 civilians had been killed or wounded in the country in the first three months of 2021, marking an increase of 29 percent over the same period last year.

With reporting by dpa
Hamid Mir, one of Pakistans most prominent television journalists, was the target of a powerful bomb in 2012 when high explosives were found planted under his car by police in Islamabad.

Two years later, Mir was shot six times -- in the ribs, thigh, stomach, and hand -- by a gunman in the port city of Karachi. Though critically wounded, he survived. Mir still carries two of those bullets inside him.

The host of a daily primetime talk show on Pakistans Geo TV, Mir did not receive justice in either case, which remain unsolved. He was even criticized by some in Pakistan -- where the free press is under unprecedented pressure -- for demanding justice.

The 54-year-old then decided he had enough.

At a rally in Islamabad on May 28, Mir lashed out at what many believe was the countrys powerful army and its notorious intelligence agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), demanding accountability for an attack on a fellow journalist.

We [journalists] don't have guns and tanks like you have, but if you continue breaking into our homes, we can expose what goes on in your homes," Mir said during an emotional speech.

On May 25, at least three unidentified armed men had stormed the apartment of journalist Asad Ali Toor, who openly questioned the armys role in politics. Toor said he was bound, gagged, severely beaten, and interrogated by the men, including one who introduced himself as an ISI official.

The government ordered an investigation. In September, authorities charged Toor for comments he made on social media that maligned state institutions. A court later dismissed the charges.

The ISI distanced itself from the attack, saying it was not involved.

Three days later, Mir was banned from hosting his talk show. Critics say Geo TV, the nation's most-popular television channel, was under pressure from the military to dismiss Mir.

Criticism of the army has long been a red line for the media, with journalists complaining of intimidation tactics including kidnappings, beatings, and even killings if they cross that line.

The military maintains a chokehold on domestic and foreign affairs in the deeply conservative and religious South Asian nation of some 220 million. It has directly or indirectly ruled for most of the country's 73-year history and has staged three coups when the civilian government didn't suit it.

We Will Not Flee

Pakistans unprecedented crackdown on the press has forced prominent reporters to seek refuge abroad. Authorities have accused many of them of antistate activities, a charge watchdogs say are politically motivated.

But Mir remains defiant, saying Im not going anywhere.

I did not leave Pakistan when a bomb was planted on my car in 2012, when many people advised me to leave the country, Mir told RFE/RL.

Then I was attacked in 2014 and an air ambulance was waiting in Karachi to take me out of Pakistan. But at the last minute I asked the doctor if I could get treatment in Pakistan. The doctor said 'yes,' and I did not go.

Mir is aware of the dangers to his life if he stays in his homeland.

We [journalists] are hit with bullets but we stay in the country, he says. Even then, they label us as traitors, beat us, and break into our houses. It is a reflection of our desperate situation.

Following his ban, Mir has been the target of a social-media campaign calling him an agent of India, Pakistans archrival.

Mir does not directly name the perpetrators of the attacks against journalists, calling them unknown people who evade accountability from the shadows.

But for many, the culprits are obvious.

In the case of Hamid Mir, Geo News does not have a free hand in deciding what to do, Steven Butler, the Asia program coordinator at the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), told RFE/RL. They have without any doubt come under immense pressure from the military to take action against Hamid Mir.

Mirs firing was widely condemned by rights groups and media watchdogs.

"First journalists are attacked and when media persons protest against such attacks, the government employs fascist tactics to silence them," the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists said in a statement on May 31.

Amnesty International said the "punitive action of taking [Mir] off the air following a speech at a protest calling for accountability for an attack on [Toor] severely undermines the responsibility media outlets and authorities have to protect free speech in an already repressive environment."

"Censorship, harassment and physical violence must not be the price journalists pay to do their jobs," it added.

High Treason

Toor was the latest independent journalist to be attacked.

Before him, TV journalist and prominent government critic Absar Alam was shot and wounded outside his home in Islamabad in April by an unidentified assailant.

In September, Alam was charged with sedition and high treason for using derogatory language about the government on social media.

Meanwhile, an unidentified assailant in July 2020 abducted Matiullah Jan in broad daylight in Islamabad. The incident came a day before Jan was to appear before the Supreme Court for allegedly using derogatory/contemptuous language and maligning the institution of the judiciary.

Jan, who was released after several hours, said the abduction was an attempt to intimidate him. A criminal case into Jans abduction was launched but no suspects have been arrested.

Unsolved Journalist Killings

Pakistan is one of the world's most dangerous countries for reporters. It ranked ninth on the CPJs annual Global Impunity Index last year, with at least 15 unsolved killings of journalists since 2010.

The military, intelligence community, and political groups affiliated with the military have been suspected in the killings of dozens of reporters in the past decade.

Local journalists groups, which document attacks or violations against reporters in Pakistan, say there were 148 attacks against media workers from May 2020 to April 2021.

The attacks and harassment of journalists come as the Pakistani press finds itself under unprecedented pressure from authorities.

Since Prime Minister Imran Khan came to office in 2018, the militarys influence has become more overt, with former army officials taking over key government positions.

During Khan's tenure there also has been mounting censorship and crackdowns against dissent, critics, and opposition leaders.

Since 2018, around 3,000 media personnel have lost their jobs in Pakistan, according to local media watchdogs.

Pakistan is ranked 145th out of 180 countries in RSFs 2021 World Press Freedom Index.

Meanwhile, the government has proposed a controversial media law -- the Pakistan Media Development Authority (PMDA) Ordinance -- that has been widely condemned by reporters, media watchdogs, and opposition politicians as unlawful.

The proposed PDMA legislation would give the government new, direct levers to control all media and mete out punishment for offenders, says Butler. It would create a new regulatory body that would supersede existing regulatory measures that are already too intrusive.

Despite rising censorship and violence against journalists, Mir says he will battle to safeguard the rights of the free press.

We fought in the past, and we will continue fighting, he says. What is clear is that we will not flee, and we will stay put.
Shycocan Corporation has announced the launch of the first virus attenuation device in the UAE as part of its efforts to implement safe workplaces in the country.

With businesses needing to operate under strict safety guidelines and reduced capacity, Shycocan unveiled the new attenuation device, which can effectively neutralise the positive charge of the virus, thereby disabling it from infecting any employee.

Distributed in the UAE by Redington, Shycocan, has received widespread attention and demand from sectors including hospitals, clinics, schools, higher education institutions, banks, manufacturing and retail outlets, airports, hospitality, government offices, real estate corporations and businesses.

Developed by well-known Indian scientist and inventor Dr Rajah Vijay Kumar, the cylindrical device is scientifically evidenced to help curb the spread of the virus amid the pandemic.

Shycocan welcomed more than 30 system integrators, solution providers and value-added resellers from the UAE at its inaugural partner event held in the Doubt Tree by Hilton.

According to him, the new product has proven to neutralise the Coronavirus family of viruses in indoor spaces with upto 99.9% efficacy, enabling businesses and services to operate in a safe environment and return to pre-pandemic life.

During the event, Madhav Narayan, Managing Director of Shycocan META DMCC emphasised the impact of the lockdowns and restrictions brought to businesses across the globe and the importance of transformative innovative technology to deliver long-term value needed to protect peoples health and save millions of hours of lost productivity for businesses.

Shycocan Corporation CEO Alok Sharma said: The disruptions caused by Covid-19 has shown us that there is a need for every enclosed space in the world to install a Virus Attenuation Device that shall protect its inhabitants from the transmission of the virus."

"This creates one of largest emerging business opportunity for channel partners and help bring lives and businesses back to normal without fear and anxiety, he noted.

"Shycocan is poised to emerge as a leader to create this category due to it pathbreaking technology that is unique to this device only, unlike other devices that are just repackaging old technology. We stand heads and shoulders above other technologies in viral-defence and bio-safety, he added.

It is one of the most thoroughly tested devices for both safety and efficacy. It neither uses nor emits radiation, chemicals, ozone, any toxic material. It is 100% safe for humans, animals, and the environment.

Additionally, it does not harm the bacterial ecosystem and microbes that thrive in the environment and are essential for our immunity, stated Sharma.

Jeetendra Berry, President, IT Volume Distribution - Middle East for Redington Gulf, said: Redington has been at the forefront of partnering with technology innovators to bring latest technologies to the region."

"Our partnership with Shycocan has come at a time when businesses are getting back to normal in the Middle East and a solution like Shycocan may help catalyse the process. Redington will make the product available through its extensive network of channel partners in the UAE," noted Berry.

"We will also conduct various awareness sessions in partnership with Shycocan for our channel partners to drive a better understanding of the product, he added.

Ashish Panjabi, Chief Operating Officer, Jackys Electronics, said: "What we have seen in the UAE is various examples of how businesses can stay safely open during times when most of the world was shut."

"This has kept the economy ticking and shown that even in segments like hospitality and tourism, which suffered across most of the world, if we are sensible and take proper precautions, we can stay open and thrive. Shycocan is just one of those products that gives added confidence which is why we decided to sell it at Jackys Electronics, he added.-TradeArabia News Service
A recent study of China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in Pakistan suggests Beijing has less control over its massive development projects as was first thought and often has to alter its plans to accommodate Pakistani officials.

Since it was launched six years ago, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has become the centerpiece of the BRI, which aims to build infrastructure, expand trade links, and deepen ties across Eurasia and Africa.

Over the years, CPEC has morphed in size and scope, with Beijing already investing $25 billion and some estimates saying the bundle of energy and development projects could reach $62 billion once completed.

The far-reaching project has come to represent Beijings wider geopolitical ambitions, with CPEC forming the backbone of China's presence in Pakistan and symbolizing the all-weather friendship between the two countries.

But a study by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace digs deeper into the internal machinery of how CPEC is unfolding on the ground, looking at negotiations between Beijing and Islamabad and how China has adapted its plans to suit the domestic situation within Pakistan.

There is often an impression that the BRI happens with China parachuting its projects and plans into recipient countries that have very little say over how things happen on the ground, Filippo Boni, one of the reports authors and a lecturer at The Open University in Britain, told RFE/RL. Whereas what we observed in Pakistan is that its much more complicated and the agenda and priorities of the recipient countries have huge sway over how things unfold.

Beijings growing footprint in Pakistan through CPEC has made it one of the most visible case studies of Chinas growing presence abroad and has led to accusations by critics that the grouping of projects is a tool for Chinese expansion and a way to impose its will on Islamabad.

But Boni and co-author Katharine Adeneys research on CPEC highlights how Chinese actors have adapted the project to suit the evolving needs and desires of Pakistans political leadership and how Islamabad has shaped what kind of projects have been pursued over the years.

China cant just get its way through the local context as easily as some might suggest, said Boni. Its about negotiations and mutual interest. Chinas power has its limits, and it needs to adapt.

Shaping CPEC

Plans for CPEC were first discussed in 2013. It officially launched two years later and has come to form a bundle of energy, infrastructure, and industrial projects in Pakistan.

According to Adeney and Boni, partisan politics in Pakistan have played a key role in forming CPEC, both in terms of its route and the types of projects that have been pursued.

In particular, they point to how former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif prioritized directing CPEC toward the Sindh and Punjab provinces in order to boost his partys prospects during elections by providing investment to the politically important regions.

Similarly, Sharif pushed for CPECs early investments to go toward energy projects in the hope that ending the countrys electricity shortages could improve his reelection bid in 2018.

Pakistani politics have continued to play a role in forming CPEC under Prime Minister Imran Khan, who succeeded Sharif in 2018.

While Khans government expressed initial suspicion toward BRI and continues to worry about the long-term implications of becoming too dependent on China, CPEC has since been embraced as a much-needed boost to kick-start Pakistans economy at a time when Islamabad is struggling to attract international investors.

Khans government has also harnessed CPEC to shore up its own political base, choosing to establish a special economic zone in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province despite Beijing preferring different locations and feasibility studies showing other areas would perform better.

Each government has used the CPEC in different ways for their own ends, said Boni. But both have seen it as a way to showcase and deliver on promises of development to the population.

Perhaps the project within CPEC that has received the most notice is the Gwadar Port in southern Pakistan. The port has received much international attention because of its strategic location close to the Strait of Hormuz -- the world's most vital route for shipping oil -- and providing access for China to the Indian Ocean.

But as Adeney and Boni highlight, the port in Gwadar has been a priority for Pakistani governments for nearly two decades and predates the launch of the BRI.

Its not only about Chinas strategic interests and geopolitical priorities, but Pakistans as well, said Boni.

Rhetoric vs. Reality

While CPEC is a priority for both Beijing and Islamabad, the project continues to face numerous obstacles as it moves forward.

Many projects have fallen behind schedule or so far failed to deliver on the promised results. This has led to the Pakistani military taking greater control through the 2019 creation of the CPEC Authority -- a government body authorized to oversee BRI projects in Pakistan -- and Islamabad is looking to cede further authority to the military to implement CPEC.

But this too has brought blowback.

In August 2020, a report that Asim Saleem Bajwa, the retired general who heads the CPEC Authority and also serves as special assistant to Khan, sparked controversy after it alleged he used his influential position to help his family amass huge wealth.

Separatist and extremist groups in the country have likewise launched plans aimed at attacking CPEC and Chinese interests in Pakistan.

Baluch insurgents claiming to be aided by Sindhi separatists attacked Pakistan's stock exchange in June, and in 2018 three gunmen tried to enter the Chinese Consulate in Karachi before being killed in a shoot-out. The attack was later claimed by the Balochistan Liberation Army, a separatist group.

Despite these mounting obstacles, Boni says both Beijing and Islamabad have invested too much money and political capital to turn away from the CPEC.

[CPEC] has many problems, but it is still going ahead, said Boni. China has invested money and credibility in Pakistan and progress on [CPEC] sends an important message about the wider state of the BRI.
Colorado Springs, CO (80903)

Today

Partly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low around 60F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low around 60F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph.
The 73rd Colorado General Assembly adjourned Tuesday with historic moves made on transportation, tax policy and mental health care. Looking forward, these are the bills that are likely to ripple across Colorado's political, economic and physical landscapes for years to come.

Transportation

Senate Bill 260 - After years of trying to put money into addressing clogged interstates and crumbling rural routs, lawmakers succeeded with a $5.4 billion investment contained in the most significant transportation in at least 20 years. Now Coloradans and visitors will be paying a raft of escalating new fees on gasoline, deliveries, electric vehicles and more for years to come. The debate now shifts to asphalt versus transit and alternative modes of getting around.

Marijuana concentrates

House Bill 1317 - The bipartisan bill marked the first real effort in recent years to impose new regulations on the marijuana industry. And with the bill investing in research into the effects of high-potency THC on the developing brain, it could well mark the start of a trend, not just a blip.

Bias-motivated crimes

Senate Bill 280 - The bill sought by 18th Judicial District Attorney John Kellner, a Republican, and driven by Democratic Sen. Rhonda Fields makes it easier to prosecute hate crimes when bias is not the whole motivation but an obvious factor. The bill elevated the crime of harassment from class 3 to a class 1 misdemeanor if the harassment is deemed even partially motivated by bias based completely or in part based on the victim's race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, physical or mental disability or sexual orientation.

Victims services

Senate Bill 292 - Lawmakers provide $15 million from the federal stimulus for several victims services programs for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, including the Department of Human Services, the Department of Public Safety and the Victims and Witnesses Assistance and Law Enforcement Fund, as well as to local district attorneys for victims and witness assistance.

Gun laws

Senate Bill 256 and House Bill 1298 - The pair of Democratic-led bills were viewed by the left as good policy to store and transfer firearms, respectively, but they also might prove to be a galvanizing factor for sagging GOP prospects in a state that has turned steadily more blue. In 2013, gun laws fired up the Republican base and cost three Democratic lawmakers, including the Senate president, their seat.

Behavioral Health Recovery Act

Senate Bill 137 - The $114 million package covered a lot of ground, including addiction services and crisis response, but it had a strong lean toward helping young people, including $2.5 million for elementary school programs and $5 million for specialized, high-quality youth residential help and therapeutic foster care.

"Gov. Polis, Reps. Dafna Michaelson-Jenet and Chris Kennedy, and Sens. Brittany Pettersen and Faith Winter and their staff have worked day and night over the last week to find the best solutions for Colorados kids," Heidi Baskfield, the vice president of population health and advocacy at Childrens Hospital Colorado, stated. "There is much more work to do in the years ahead, but we believe this bill will begin to address the state of emergency our kids are facing."

Farmworkers

Senate Bill 87 - Legislation that provides labor protections for farmworkers, including overtime pay, which could put a further squeeze on small farms and ranches, should they be reported. Republicans and other opponents predicted the worst. "The idea that the people in these cities or the state of Colorado believe that agriculture would be that cruel and mean to individuals that dont have the same economic background is saddening, said Rep. Marc Catlin, a Republican from Montrose and vice chair of House Agriculture, Livestock and Water Committee.

Health insurance

House Bill 1232 - It started out as an attempt to set up a public option, aka Medicare for All-type health insurance plan, to be developed and operated by the state government, if health insurers, doctors and hospitals could not find a way to reduce health insurance premiums in the individual and small group market by 20% over two years.

Major opposition, including a multimillion-dollar ad campaign, drove the sponsors (Rep. Dylan Roberts, D-Eagle and Sen. Kerry Donovan, D-Vail), along with the governor, to the table to negotiate.

What disappeared first was the public option, leaving a state-developed health insurance plan that would start in three years if the premiums didn't reduce by 15%. However, that insurance plan would include price caps, set by the commissioner of insurance, on the services provided by doctors and hospitals. The intent is to provide health insurance to the uninsured, the undocumented and to address historic equity issues, although that argument failed to persuade Sen. Rhonda Fields, D-Aurora, who despite voting for the bill had nothing good to say about it. It will be 2025 before anyone knows whether the health care industry was set up to fail, as health insurers have claimed.
Colorado Springs, CO (80903)

Today

Partly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low near 60F. SE winds shifting to NNE at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low near 60F. SE winds shifting to NNE at 10 to 15 mph.
Colorado Springs, CO (80903)

Today

Partly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low around 60F. SE winds shifting to NNE at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low around 60F. SE winds shifting to NNE at 10 to 15 mph.
Siemens Gamesa has launched an industry whitepaper, Unlocking the Green Hydrogen Revolution, that outlines an ambitious plan to deliver cost-competitive green hydrogen by 2030 from onshore wind and by 2035 from offshore wind.

The company which is at the forefront of wind-to-hydrogen solutions, playing a pivotal role in the energy transition, has called for a joined-up approach to encouraging both market demand and scaling production, highlighting four key requirements to deliver low-cost green hydrogen within the next decade:

1. Increase drastically the capacity of renewables because the green hydrogen revolution relies on this. The world needs up to 6,000 GW of new installed renewable energy capacity by 2050, up from 2,800 GW today to generate the expected demand for hydrogen (500 million tonnes, according to the Hydrogen Council).

2. Create a cost-effective demand-side market for green hydrogen to drive down the costs of equipment, infrastructure and day-to-day operating costs. Currently, the main operating cost for green hydrogen production is powering the electrolyzers, so a decrease in energy costs lowers the cost of the hydrogen and increases demand.

3. Develop the supply chain as no one provider can own the entire production and distribution process. At the moment, initiatives are fragmented, and therefore costly, meaning renewable energy companies, electrolyzer manufacturers, network providers and water treatment specialists need to work together to build a resilient supply chain.

4. Build the right infrastructure in terms of logistics, storage and distribution. There needs to be investment in hydrogen pipeline networks to unlock the potential of green hydrogen.

Andreas Nauen, Siemens Gamesa CEO, said, When it comes to green hydrogen, we need to act now. It took three decades for wind and solar to reach grid parity with fossil fuels, and we cannot afford to wait that long for green hydrogen to reach price parity with fossil-based hydrogen. Wind will play a powerful role in accelerating the production of green hydrogen, which is vital to decarbonizing our economy. Therefore, to unlock the potential of green hydrogen, we need to drive down costs quickly. To do this, we need a consensus between industry, policymakers and investors to rapidly develop the demand-side market, build the supply chain and roll out the necessary infrastructure.--TradeArabia News Service
By the numbers

35,000: Square footage of complex

40: Feet high

304: Concrete planks forming the summit walkway, each measuring about 4 feet wide by 8 feet long

123: Pounds per square feet of force the building can withstand, stronger than some structures built to endure hurricanes

6: Days worked in March, as weather kept builders from the summit

60: Workers, including representatives from contractors and subcontractors, atop the summit on busy days

672: Doughnuts that can be produced hourly by a new machine
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What the petition says

The petition circulated by the Coalition for Better County Government asks voters if they would support changing the way county residents are represented on the Board of Supervisors.

Currently, the supervisors' seats are at large, meaning anyone in the county can vote for any of them.

The petition asks if voters would prefer a system where the county is divided into three geographical districts, with the people in those districts voting for only their representation.

Two sentences and the headline of the Globe Gazette story, "Floyd County group pushing for change in county elections," incorrectly indicated the petitioners sought to increase the number of supervisors on the board. That is not the case at this point, according to the petitioners.
Republican backers said the bills were meant to address problems and irregularities that arose from the 2020 presidential election.

Were not trying to overturn the election. My colleagues are not trying to overturn the last election, said Republican Sen. Alberta Darling, of Whitefish Bay. Were not trying to say theres a big lie.

The bills now head to the Assembly, where Republican Speaker Robin Vos voiced support and said they were just the beginning of elections changes the Legislature would consider.

One bill would require most elderly and disabled people who are indefinitely confined to show photo ID in order to vote absentee; require all absentee voters to fill out more paperwork and show their ID every time they vote absentee, rather than just the first time as is current law; and require voters who are confined to apply to get an absentee ballot every year, rather than have them sent automatically as they are now.

It passed on an 18-14 vote, with all Democrats against along with Republican Sens. Kathy Bernier, chairwoman of the Elections Committee, and Sen. Ron Cowles.
CORALVILLE  Gov. Kim Reynolds said Wednesday she will use some pandemic relief funds on a marketing campaign to persuade people to move to Iowa, a state that has a job surplus and has lifted COVID-19 restrictions more quickly than other states.

Were going to do a significant promotional campaign to highlight the beautiful things we have happening in the state, Reynolds told about 200 people gathered for the Iowa Association of Business and Industry conference at the Coralville Marriott Hotel & Conference Center. Were already starting to see people coming back who have been on the East and the West Coast  Iowans that have left who recognize not only have we kept our economy open, but we kept our kids in school.

The Republican governor said her administration is putting together a plan for how to spend the state governments share of $4 billion in American Rescue Plan funds expected to come to state and local governments.

This is definitely an area we can utilize some of those funds, she said.
Future Proof Shipping (FPS) has appointed Koedood Marine Group as their chosen supplier for the provision of a complete PEM Fuel Cell system to retrofit their inland container vessel the Maas to hydrogen power. The system supplied by Koedood will comprise fuel cell stacks and technology from Nedstack fuel cell technology, FPS said in a statement.

The FPS team has led and guided the vessels zero-emissions retrofit design in close cooperation with Koedood, Nedstack, the shipyard and their other main suppliers. Sealing their commitment this month, FPS gave the green light to Holland Shipyards Group (HSG) to procure the complete PEM Fuel Cell system from Koedood.

Koedood will build three fuel cell units (3x 275kW) and subcontract their partner company and stack provider of choice, Nedstack, to supply the fuel cell stacks for each of the fuel cell units as part of their co-development partnership for inland navigation. During the retrofit later this year, HSG will install the fuel cell units onboard the Maas. The 110m x 11.45m inland container vessel will be retrofitted at their yard in Hardinxveld in 2021and is planned to be zero-emissions and hitting the water 100% on hydrogen power by the end of this year.

PEM Fuel Cells

The PEM fuel cell system is necessary for converting hydrogen into electricity and will be installed in the cargo space of the Maas. The fuel cell system is triple redundant with 825 kW capacity to supply propulsion and auxiliary power.

Proton Exchange Membrane or PEM fuel cells are considered to be the most versatile type of fuel cells currently in production. They produce the most power for a given weight or volume of fuel cell, they are also lightweight with a high power-density and cold-start capability.

In a PEM fuel cell, hydrogen and oxygen react in an electro-chemical manner to produce an electric current, pure water and heat.

The Partnership

The maritime knowledge and expertise of the Koedood group, together with the fuel cell capabilities of Nedstack provide us with an optimised product we can be confident in. It helps that we are all on the same page - collaborating to create a more sustainable future for the inland waterways in Europe, said Fokke van der Veen, Director Operations  Future Proof Shipping.

Adding marine certified hydrogen fuel cell systems to our hybrid ship propulsion capabilities did not come easily. We are proud to take this next step with FPS and spearhead hydrogen technology into the maritime domain. With our can-do attitude we are confident there will be more vessels to follow soon, said Gertjan de Gelder, Sales Manager  Koedood Marine Group.

Post retrofit, the Maas will carry on shipping container cargo between Rotterdam and an inland terminal near Antwerp and is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2000 CO2e tonnes annually.TradeArabia News Service
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP)  Iowa has agreed to pay $5.7 million to settle eight separate discrimination and negligence claims at its public universities.

Those payments include $3.5 million to an Iowa City couple who accused UI Hospitals and Clinics doctors of negligence during the birth of their daughter, leaving the baby with permanent brain damage.

Another $1.8 million will be paid to a Massachusetts sound technician hurt while working a Luke Bryant concert at the University of Northern Iowa in 2018. The state also agreed to pay a total of $150,000 to three former UI police offers who sued in 2018 accusing the institution and its administrators of age and disability discrimination.

A payment of $25,000 will go to a woman who was a University of Iowa student in 2018 when she lost control and crashed her motorized scooter after the bike slipped on diesel fuel that had spilled from a campus bus. The crash caused injuries to the student's neck, shoulder and hand and damage to her moped.

State officials agreed to the payments on Monday, the Gazette reported.
DES MOINES  Republican party leaders in the four early voting states want to keep Iowas presidential caucuses first in the nation.

The four state party leaders on Tuesday released a joint statement expressing their support for the presidential nominating calendar to remain the same. In order, Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina cast the first choices for president every four years.

Democrats are weighing potential changes to that early-voting calendar, threatening Iowas first-in-the-nation caucus status  at least on the Democratic side. And Nevada recently approved legislation that would move its primary to first in the nation, although the national party would need to act before that became a reality.

As the GOP leaders of the four carve-out states, we want to make clear that we stand together in protecting the presidential nominating schedule as it has existed for many years. Our alliance is strong and we will continue to work together to preserve this historic process, said the statement from the four Republican state party leaders, including Republican Party of Iowa chairman Jeff Kaufmann.
DES MOINES --- Iowa public colleges and government entities are prohibited from teaching so-called divisive concepts --- including that moral character is determined by ones race or sex, or that the United States and Iowa are fundamentally or systematically racist --- under legislation signed into law Tuesday by Gov. Kim Reynolds.

The legislation itself was a divisive concept: in large part, Republicans supported and Democrats opposed the proposal.

Critical Race Theory is about labels and stereotypes, not education. It teaches kids that we should judge others based on race, gender or sexual identity, rather than the content of someones character, Reynolds, a Republican, said in a statement. I am proud to have worked with the legislature to promote learning, not discriminatory indoctrination.

Democrats argued the legislation, House File 802 stifles schools control over their curriculum and threatens to squelch the teaching of and discussions over uncomfortable issues like racism.

We cant educate ourselves if we stifle ourselves  if we stifle our teachers, Rep. Ako Abdul-Samad, D-Des Moines, said during legislative debate in March.
BRUSSELS (AP)  Almost 9 months after a fire gutted a refugee camp on the Greek island of Lesbos, work on a new reception center has still not begun despite pledges to have the facility built before next winter, Greeces migration minister confirmed Wednesday.

Greek authorities said the fires were started deliberately last September by residents who were protesting their confinement at the overcrowded Moria camp. The camp, which was built for less than 3,000 people, was jammed with 12,500 people and was locked down due to a COVID-19 outbreak. Some people were later moved to the mainland or to a temporary camp.

Greek Migration Minister Notis Mitarachi said the tender process for choosing companies to build the new facility, foreseen to hold up to 5,000 people, is underway. He said it has taken time to get the necessary licenses and environmental permits, as well as finalize a grant for European Union funds.

He was asked whether he could guarantee that migrants would not have to spend a second winter in tents.

In case were still not in the new camps in Lesbos, we have contingency planning to ensure that we will never again see these pictures weve seen in the temporary camp in Mavrovouni, he responded.
The Cyber Park is jointly owned by Danville and Pittsylvania County via the Danville-Pittsylvania Regional Industrial Facility Authority.

The regions focus on instilling skills in science, technology, engineering and math was a factor in the companys decision to come to the Dan River Region, Phil Hart, executive chair of MEP Ltd. and president of Making Everything Possible LLC, said in a prepared statement.

We are delighted to choose Danville as our base for Making Everything Possible LLC, Hart said. The support and guidance we have received from the city, county, and the Commonwealth has been exemplary.

The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research was a strong selling point for the company, he added.

About the company

Founded in 1972, MEP Ltd. has served the aerospace and defense sectors for four decades. MEP has $3.2 million in global sales and currently operates a 21,000-square-foot plastic and metal components manufacturing facility in the United Kingdom.
CBD  short for cannabidiol  uses are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, and, last year, farmers were waiting on the FDA to release rulings expanding those uses, particularly regarding CBDs medicinal properties.

However, the FDA hasnt released the ruling, which local farmer Robert Mills says is because of the change between the Trump and Biden administrations. Because of the transition, they had to basically start back over again, Mills said. Farmers had expected that demand for industrial hemp would be higher after the 2020 growing season than it actually was.

Also complicating issues of supply and demand is how farmers sell their product. Many farmers in the past two years planted their crop without knowing how much they could sell and ended up having to throw out much of their harvest because they could not find a buyer. As the market stabilizes and new regulations are introduced, farmers will likely have an easier time finding contracts to sell their hemp.
I was asked for my identification. I felt lucky I remembered to put my drivers license in my wallet as I handed it to the woman. She looked at it and handed it back, telling me it had expired two years ago, and couldnt be used.

A quick word of explanation: Several years ago, I had two friends who had their purses snatched in a local shopping center. Since then, I keep my valid drivers license in my car at all times to have when I am driving. That day, I didnt even think about the license in that holder being expired.

As I took back my license, I asked to speak with a superior. I explained how far we had driven and that I didnt want to ruin the Jenkins family big trip, but it didnt faze him, even as tears welled up in my eyes. He also said it couldnt be used.

I requested he ask his superior. He left with the license and came back about 10 minutes later, shaking his head. No, it was impossible to use it and there was no one else I could ask. I asked if they could check online that the license is up-to-date, but again, he shook his head.

I fought back tears as the Jenkins family gathered around me. I insisted I wait in their car while they went on the tour as planned. But, then, Wayne turned back to ask a guard about my using the restroom facilities since the tour would last two or three hours.
I want to meet with folks, talk with folks before I decide if theres anything I want to do differently, he said. Its important to me the physicians and staff be involved in that process.

He said he appreciates that Sovah Health-Martinsville has its own identity as a hospital, and he doesnt want to change that.

Its important to me that Sovah Health work together to make both communities healthier, but I also recognize that the hospital in Martinsville is important to the community and will always have its identity, but will continue to work together as a market for the betterment of both hospitals, he said.

Thomas and his wife never were able to sell their house in Danville, he said, so theyll live there at least at the start when they move back to the area.

He is involved with the Boys and Girls Club and the economic development organizations and chambers of commerce, he said, and would be looking at those civic involvements when he comes to the local area.

Im excited to be able to rejoin the Sovah Health team and looking forward to meeting everybody in Martinsville, Thomas said.
We know that the Martinsville resident is a white male of at least 80 years old, and the resident of Franklin County also is a white male but between the ages of 70 and 79.

Those fit the basic demographics of most victims in the district, with 75% (245) having been at least 70 years old and 72% white. Men are predominant, with 174 of the deaths  although one previously undisclosed gender this weekend was classified as female.

There have been only 12 total net cases in the district in the past three days, and the 7-day average of new cases is at 4. The rate per 100,000 population is 3.4.

Statewide on Monday, VDH reported only 90 new cases, with three hospitalizations and nine deaths.

Vaccination gaps

One positive piece of data is that positive tests in the district fell to 4.4%, which is back below the 5% threshold at which health officials say that community spread of the virus is under control.

But vaccinations, which have led to the decline in positive tests and new cases, which then created a loosening of rules involving social gatherings and mask-wearing, continue to stagnate in some places and decline in others.
REIDSVILLE  Nickellion Womack, who police say is a convicted felon connected to the May 29 shooting here that injured a 5-year-old girl, turned himself in to authorities on Saturday. And investigators with Reidsville Police Department are now searching for Bro Hayes, also a convicted felon, in connection with the crime.

Womack, 19, was charged with assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious bodily injury and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon in the incident, a spokesman for the RPD said in a Monday release.

Investigators had earlier characterized the shooting as careless gunplay between adults that unintentionally struck the child.

The little girl, who remains in a regional hospital where she is in good condition, was hit by a bullet in the 300 block of N.W. Market Street at around 2:40 p.m., said police, who declined to identify the minor.

Womack is being held in the Reidsville City Jail on a $500,000 secured bond, the release said.

Hayes faces identical charges, the release said. And investigators are seeking information about Hayess whereabouts.

The RPD asks that anyone with knowledge of the crime or Hayess location, contact Lt. Haley at 336-347- 2341 or call 911. To leave an anonymous tip, call Rockingham County Crime Stoppers at 336-349-9683. Tips leading to the arrest of Hayes may be eligible for a cash reward through Crime Stoppers, the release said.
Nokia has signed a three-year agreement with Orange Jordan to deploy more than 100,000 units of Nokia WiFi Beacons across the country.

Nokias solution, including fibre modems and Wi-Fi beacons, will allow Orange Jordan to provide consistent Wi-Fi coverage even at the farthest places inside the premises. The Nokia beacons are available for both new and existing subscribers of Orange Jordan.

Nokias Wi-Fi solution uses mesh technology to provide seamless coverage and no service drops in the buildings farthest parts, making them suitable for large houses, gated communities and offices. Orange Jordans subscribers will be able to easily install and manage their Wi-Fi network through the Nokia WiFi mobile app.

The Nokia WiFi Beacons come with in-built intelligence enabling them to resolve problems like interference and connectivity issues. Superior quality of services will allow Orange Jordan to enhance customer experience, bring down operational costs and increase customer satisfaction.

Thierry Marigny, CEO of Orange Jordan, said: As a responsible digital leader, we are keen to provide the fastest, most reliable internet in the Kingdom, which calls for innovative solutions to ensure the best experience for all users. Our partnership with Nokia to offer its advanced solutions will surely enhance our customers Wi-Fi experience.

Mohamed Salama, head of fixed networks, MEA, Nokia, said: We have a longstanding partnership with Orange Jordan and are pleased to introduce our latest Wi-Fi solution which offers seamless reach into the farthermost parts of a building. Our beacons are easy to install and manage and will help our customer provide better network performance which will lead to increased usage and more revenue.

Orange Jordan and Nokia agreed a deal in 2017 to deploy a GPON fibre throughout the kingdom.

-- TradeArabia News Service
REIDSVILLE  Bro Hayes, a second suspect in the May 29 shooting here that injured a 5-year-old girl, surrendered at the Rockingham County Sheriff's Office on Tuesday, a spokesman for the Reidsville Police Department said in a news release.

Hayes, 34, and Nickellion Womack,19, both of Reidsville and both convicted of prior felonies, are each charged with assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious bodily injury and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon in the incident, police said.

Womack turned himself in to authorities on Saturday, and investigators had sought Hayes for three days. Both men are being held in the Rockingham County Detention Facility, each with a secured bond of $500,000, the release said.

Investigators had earlier characterized the shooting as careless gunplay between adults that led to a bullet unintentionally striking the child.

The little girl, who remains in a regional hospital where she is in good condition, was hit by a bullet in the 300 block of N.W. Market Street at around 2:40 p.m., said police, who declined to identify the minor.

The RPD asks that anyone with knowledge of the crime contact Lt. Haley at 336-347- 2341 or call 911. To leave an anonymous tip, call Rockingham County Crime Stoppers at 336-349-9683.
Biden has been trying to negotiate a deal with Republicans on infrastructure, but after weeks of meetings the two sides are still far apart. The president has cut his initial request by more than half and is asking for about $1 trillion in new spending; GOP leaders have countered with an offer of $307 billion, less than one-third as much.

Democratic political strategists are beginning to sound desperate; they want to pass big legislation now, so they can campaign on it for next years congressional election. But Manchin, who isnt up for reelection until 2024, is unhurried.

These [things] take time, he said last week.

Even if Manchin agreed to abandon the quest for GOP support, to win his vote Democrats would have to settle for half a loaf on infrastructure, and may not be able to get a voting rights bill at all.

If progressives want to change these outcomes, criticizing Manchin wont help; they need to go out and elect more Democrats. And that actually might be possible  at least in the Senate.

The main reason is the peculiar arithmetic of the 2022 congressional election: Twenty Senate seats currently held by Republicans will be on the ballot, compared with only 10 held by Democrats.
Her answer, essentially, is a civil rights movement 1.0, coalitions of Black and white Americans agitating against repressive laws, an activism that predated the 60s civil rights movement by a century. Among its heroes is activist John Jones, who was born free in North Carolina but settled in Chicago: The fastest-growing city was a place where a man like John Jones could find a way into public life, Masur writes. History echoes here. The state is conservative but Chicago is not. Chicago City Council refuses to enforce draconian federal ordinances, and the Underground Railroad operates here largely in the open. Using letters in the nascent Chicago Tribune as a platform, Jones became an influential opponent of mid-19th century laws that effectively refused most forms of Black immigration to Illinois  laws that were extreme even for the 1840s. Its a history that, by the end of Masurs book, shows how the 60s civil rights movement was partly about demanding enforcement of the changes won a hundred years earlier.

I was basically asking a different question than other historians, she said. When it comes to Black Americans in a lot of our history, theres a preoccupation with slavery and the Civil War, and what historians should do is say new things. There is room for the same old things said better, but if its all historians did, it wouldnt be interesting. The draw of the Tulsa story, for instance, is a tragic event many Americans did not know, and yet the question remains: What should be done? Once we know how much was stolen  beyond slavery  once we know the lynchings, arson, OK what do we do with this? Were coming face to face with profound questions, and one thing you see is a fear that something bad might happen if we learn the truth about our history. A lot of people are energized by the work being done with African-American history now but an even broader swatch of America seems to be concerned with what that history will say.
Theres no application for the scholarships. But students must do three things to get a scholarship: apply to an eligible community college program at the College Foundation of North Carolina website, verify their North Carolina residency through the N.C. Residency Determination Service and complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA.

For more information, visit TimeForANewYou.org or the N.C. Community College System website.

The scholarships come from a $15 million tuition assistance program included in Gov. Roy Coopers plan, announced in August, to spend $95.6 million in federal funding from the Governors Emergency Education Relief Fund.

This fund was created by the federal CARES Act, the first major stimulus bill to help the nation cope with the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic.
RALEIGH  The General Assembly on Tuesday finalized another bill seeking to expand gun rights  this time in churches  and will send it to Gov. Roy Cooper, who vetoed a bill containing the same idea a year ago.

The Senate agreed 30-19 to House changes to Republican legislation that would allow members or visitors at churches that meet on private school campuses to carry a handgun if they have a concealed weapons permit.

Current law treats these places of worship differently than standalone religious venues, and bill supporters say these worshippers should have access to the same level of security when churches have been targets for violence. Ministers of several evangelical churches with affiliated schools spoke in committee earlier this year to request the option.

While a few Democrats joined all Republicans in voting for a broader gun bill in 2020 that contain the church language, Cooper managed to return enough Democrats to the fold last year to uphold his veto.

This year, five House Democrats and three Senate Democrats also joined with Republicans in approving the scaled-back measure.

The governor focused on the church provision in the 2020 measure, saying it threatened the safety of students and teachers.
An alligator has muscled its way into the mix on one North Carolina beach, and local police are supporting the reptile's right to have a little summer fun.

The Oak Island Police Department posted a statement Tuesday, urging human beachgoers to mind their own business in the presence of alligators. The island is south of Wilmington, on the Intracoastal Waterway.

"Leave them alone! We will not remove them just because you are concerned," the department wrote on Facebook.

"Do not pet them. Do not take selfies with them. Do not feed them. Do not ride them. Do not try to move them."

Police officials said they posted the reminder after "receiving quite a few 911 calls about our reptilian friends."

Multiple gator sightings have been posted this week on an Oak Island community page, along with a video of one playing in the surf. It's believed to be one extremely mobile alligator, rather than multiple gators.

"For those who have not had the opportunity to see that yes, alligators do swim in the ocean. Not very often," Maureen Grasso wrote on Facebook. "This one was spotted at 69th Street. ... It is heading west."
I worry about the controversy of tying the UNC journalism school to The 1619 Project . Based on her own words, many will conclude she is trying to push an agenda, and they will assume she is manipulating historical facts to support it.

Drescher wrote that the pushback from Hussman, who pledged $25 million to the school, underscores issues about donor influence at the university, which is increasingly reliant on major gifts in light of mandated tuition freezes and minimal legislative-funding increases.

Drescher, a graduate of the journalism school, is former executive editor of The (Raleigh) News & Observer and a former editor at The Washington Post.

He wrote that a debate is raging between journalists like Hussman, an evangelist of old-school objectivity, and a growing number, including many younger journalists, (who) see objectivity as a trap.

Hannah-Jones put it this way in an NPR podcast:

(W)hen white Americans say to me, I just want factual reporting, what theyre saying to me is they want reporting from a white perspective ... with a white normative view, and that simply has never been objective.

The journalism school is the right place for that debate. But can the school survive the debate?

Gary Pearce was a reporter and editor at The (Raleigh) News & Observer, a political consultant, and an adviser to Gov. Jim Hunt (1976-1984 and 1992-2000). He blogs about politics and public policy at www.NewDayforNC.com.
The presence of SROs in schools is a sensitive issue.

Critics say that the presence of law enforcement in schools tends to criminalize school misconduct. They say matters that otherwise would have been handled by faculty and staff are referred to police.

This, they say, can result in more students landing in the criminal justice system.

Thats a valid concern.

But, given the horrors weve seen from school shootings (they are statistically rare, but they do continue to happen) and potential dangers from other intruders, SROs who know the students and the campuses provide an important layer of security.

And they dont have to be called in the event of an emergency. They already are on the premises.

The key is effective recruitment (not everyone is cut out to be a police officer or sheriffs deputy and not every officer is cut out to be an SRO) and training for the officer and a clear understanding of when aid from officers should or should not be requested.

Those distinctions, obviously, are not always made.

And thats when things can go wrong.
Euro Motors, the official Ferrari dealer in Bahrain, welcomes the evolution of the Prancing Horses 2+ GT spider, Ferrari Portofino M, in the kingdom.

Portofino M is the Prancing Horses pursuit of innovation whilst fully respecting its heritage, passion and constant search for perfection. All of these values are reflected in the new Portofino M with the M in its moniker standing for Modificata, which in Ferrari nomenclature refers to cars that have undergone an evolution that has boosted their performance.

There is no shortage of technical innovation in this stunning new evolution of the Ferrari Portofino, the most notable being its redesigned powertrain, a brand-new eight-speed gearbox and a five-position Manettino that includes a Race mode, an absolute first for a Maranello GT spider. As a consequence of these and many other new features, the Portofino M guarantees a completely unprecedented combination of authentic GT performance, driving pleasure, agility and exceptional versatility in everyday driving contexts.

The significant technological evolution the model has undergone is visually underscored by the new design of the front of the car and the bumpers in particular, which are sportier and more aggressive. Both inside and out, there is a sense of harmony of expression and intent in forms that are sometimes sharper and then softer and more flowing.

This latest design and engineering masterpiece from the Prancing Horse is the perfect evolution of the Ferrari Portofino. Sportier in character than its predecessor, it also delivers superior handling whilst not only maintaining but enhancing on-board comfort, courtesy of specific new optional features, such as ADAS, and ventilated and heated seats. The Ferrari Portofino M thus retains its predecessors twin soul and is the only car on the market that can rightfully be described as an authentic coupe with its top closed and a genuine spider when it is open. This is thanks, of course, to the Retractable Hard Top (RHT), the signature feature of all the Prancing Horses convertibles.

The Portofino Ms compact dimensions also make it ideal for all occasions. In fact, its unparalleled versatility and on-board comfort turn every trip into a voyage of (re)discovery. -- TradeArabia News Service
Sameea Kamal is a reporter/production assistant at CalMatters. She joined CalMatters in June 2021 from the Los Angeles Times, where she was a News Desk editor.
Although I work in Chicago, I have spent the last few months laser-focused on California, communicating with dozens of assemblymembers and senators from all over the state.

Why is a national nonprofit in Chicago so focused on your state? Because what happens in California is a precursor for what changes our nation. And right now, the future of high-speed rail in the United States will be determined by what California does in the next couple of weeks.

I helped found the national nonprofit High Speed Rail Alliance because of my belief in high-speed rail for all of America. California is home to the closest thing the country has to a finished segment of high-speed line. The Merced to Bakersfield segment  as bumpy and lumpy a road as it has been to build  is well underway. This 171-mile segment will be the backbone of the statewide rail network. It will support trains going 220 mph  the first true high-speed line in the United States.

It will slash travel times between Merced and Bakersfield by 90 minutes, and simultaneously cut travel times between hundreds of other pairs of cities, since riders will transfer to connecting buses and trains at each endpoint. Those services will also be expanded  making travel throughout California faster and more convenient.

Over 50 structures have been built or are being built, and environmental clearance for the connections to San Francisco and Los Angeles is almost finished.

Expediting the completion of the Merced-Bakersfield segment is the most prudent course to take. If legislators allocate the remaining bond funds 53% of voters mandated as a down payment for high-speed rail with Proposition 1A in 2008, California will have almost enough money to finish that first segment. This appropriation is in Gov. Govin Newsoms 2021 proposed transportation budget. But both the Senate and the Assembly have deferred action on it, and it may not be included in the final transportation budget, which could effectively kill California high-speed rail, as all construction in the Central Valley would stop.

This appropriation is just one of a multitude of transportation investments Newsom is proposing, in a package that will go a long way toward Californias visionary and necessary climate goals of reducing transportation greenhouse gas emissions. He proposes to spend over $5 billion in surplus budget dollars on transportation, getting Los Angeles transit-ready for the 2028 Olympics, rebuilding roads and bridges, piloting zero-emission trucks and buses, and increasing the frequency of public transit to better compete against cars.

This is a unique time in the state. Scarcity is generally the norm for state budgets, but higher-than-anticipated tax revenue has put California in the position of advancing equitable economic recovery, in part by investing a portion of the states surplus in badly needed transit infrastructure.

If legislators pass this transformational transportation budget, California will be first in line to compete for federal infrastructure dollars.

Please be clear: This is not a game of chicken

Several legislators I spoke with seem to think they dont need to act until they see what the federal government decides to do. But there is only one outcome if they fail to act now and pass the transportation budget: California will miss out on leveraging any federal infrastructure dollars that come down the pike.

Now is the time to pass this entire transportation infrastructure package  including the high-speed rail portion  so that Californians can claim what is rightfully theirs  a chunk of federal dollars for shovel-ready and almost completed visionary projects, with secured state dollars to match against.

High-speed rail has been a dream for long enough. Its time for California to lead the nation by turning it into a reality.
Trustee John McEwen said it's the district's role to make a recommendation, which is consistent with other policies and wording typically used.

One parent, Caroline Pharr, noted that children younger than 12 cannot yet receive a COVID-19 vaccination. She asked that the board wait until a vaccine for young children is approved before changing the policy.

Trustee Terry Beaver also noted the lack of a vaccine for young children and said he would personally recommend masking for children younger than 12. Beaver said he hopes that by the time school resumes in the fall, vaccinations will be available for young children.

In addition to this policy change, the board voted unanimously to terminate the policy that allocated funds used for transportation changes resulting from the pandemic.

Despite this change, the board also voted to continue an emergency declaration through June 2022. Some people took issue with this, arguing it gave the board unilateral authority to make decisions based on their personal beliefs. Muszkiewicz said this came as a recommendation from the Montana Association of School Boards. Outgoing Superintendent Tyler Ream said it provides the board flexibility when it comes to policies like the ones that were changed later that evening.
They will be around for a long, long time, he said.

He put the value of each unit at $180,000, noting they could have been built for $120,000 five years ago.

Theres nothing fancy about a Habitat home, but there is nothing cheap either, because we want them to last, Kuntz said.

He said the volunteer program would get back up and running now that the pandemic has passed.

The family of Jessica and Johnathan Lavinder got one of the homes.

She beamed at Tuesdays dedication.

Were pretty excited, she said. It was pretty nerve-wracking, but we are pretty excited.

Amber Wilke posed for a photo in front of her house with her children Loralei and Max.

I feel so much gratitude, she said.

Jerry Hamlin, the developer of Red Fox Meadows, said Amber Wilke put in 1,200 hours of work on the house.

He said the housing was some of the best available anywhere. Hamlin sad Red Fox Meadows had 110 single-family homes and 124 condominiums. He said the homes were sold out and there were about 50 condo lots left.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP)  Californias workplace regulators reversed themselves for the second time in a week Wednesday, withdrawing a controversial pending mask regulation while they consider a rule that more closely aligns with Gov. Gavin Newsoms promise that the state will fully reopen from the pandemic on Tuesday.

The California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Boards revised rule, adopted last week after it was initially rejected, would have allowed workers to forego masks only if every employee in a room is fully vaccinated against the coronavirus. That contrasts with the states broader plan to do away with virtually all masking and social distancing requirements for vaccinated people in concert with the latest recommendations from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Withdrawing that worksite rule before it goes into effect allows the board to consider changes at its June 17 meeting and potentially have them go into effect by months end.

The goal of the unanimous vote, said board chairman David Thomas, is to change the workplace regulation so that it matches up with the CDC and the California Department of Public Health, so that were all on the same page. Thats what this is about, so were not out of step with everybody else.
Gauthier has said small modular reactors will breathe new life into Colstrip Power Plants footprint and turn it into a clean energy-producing facility and the turbines can be fitted with the new reactors. And he said it would create good-paying high-tech jobs.

Mackin, who was part of the group when it put the referendum on the ballot in 1978, said that issue should have been put to a vote of the people since it was a popular vote that passed the issue before.

"The people said very clearly they wanted to have a vote," she said.

Mackin, who said small nuclear reactors have potential, noted the timing of her referendum may be unfortunate for Skees, in that he has said he will run for a seat on the Public Service Commission in that election cycle.

He has political ambitions and now he will have this referendum strung around his neck, she said. He wont like it one bit.

She said the group has six months to gather 30,000 signatures. She thinks they will be able to get the signatures pretty easily.

Skees said Tuesday he will fight the effort and said he does not want large-scale nuclear power plants in Montana, but does favor small modular nuclear reactors.
The Montana state senator who shepherded a resolution in the 2021 Legislature to study the possibility of small modular nuclear reactors for Montana said Tuesday he was heartened by the news of Wyoming teaming with Bill Gates to build a new type of nuclear power plant.

Sen. Terry Gauthier, R-Helena, said the move by Wyoming officials could be of great benefit for his Senate Resolution 3, saying he hoped it would motivate Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte to advocate for the idea.

The resolution is for a legislative committee to review the idea over the interim. The Energy and Telecommunications Interim Committee, made up of four senators and six representatives, is expected to discuss it at its July meeting, Gauthier said.

He has said the small modular nuclear reactors will fit into the footprint of the coal-fueled Colstrip Power Plant and the turbines can be fitted with the new reactors.

Wyoming announced June 2 the state will house the first Natrium reactor in a partnership with Gates TerraPower company, the U.S. Department of Energy and PacifiCorp. The reactor would be built within one of four retiring coal power plants, signaling a greener energy future for a Wyoming economy that has long relied on fossil fuels, Victoria Eavis of The Casper Star-Tribune reported.
One bucket of federal funds, dealing with coronavirus capital project funds, still lacks clear guidance. Alme quoted federal rules that appeared to require those funds be spent on projects related to broadband and connectivity. The Legislature had appropriated $119 million of that money for mostly brick-and-mortar projects, like government-owned and state university buildings.

Responding to a question from Rep. Ed Buttrey, R-Great Falls, Alme didnt rule out the possibility of a special session if something the Legislature passed is completely irreconcilable with federal rules, but noted that the main ARPA bill, House Bill 632, provides a range of ways for Republican Gov. Greg Gianfortes administration and the special ARPA commissions to address smaller hiccups.

As long as we dont conflict with federal or state laws, the agencies have discretion to implement and sort of smooth out the rough edges, Alme said.

The director of the states ARPA program, Mike Foster, said his staff is currently working with other departments to provide a response to the 151-page batch of rules released by the federal government after the Legislature adjourned at the end of April.
Arguing that the end of Election Day registration will ease the burden on election officials, the brief supporting Jacobsen's motion to dismiss argues that at the time the state Constitution was ratified in 1972, voter registration closed 30 days before Election Day for federal elections.

And in response to Democrats contention the voter ID law unfairly singles out college-age voters, the brief notes that college IDs are issued as a matter of course to postsecondary students, regardless of residency.

Student IDs are easier to forge; students often attend school away from their home state; and state, federal and tribal governments to not necessarily determine the process for issuing student IDs, the brief states.

Democrats last month amended their initial challenge to include ballot collection restrictions in House Bill 530, which they argued will unconstitutionally burden voting access for seniors, students, people with disabilities and Native Americans. The amended complaint also added Mitch Bohn as a plaintiff. Bohn is a Billings resident who uses a wheelchair, according to the complaint, which alleges that the law creates new barriers for him to cast his ballot in future elections.
The award-winning Land Rover Defender will demonstrate its capability and durability as a support vehicle for the extreme Red Bull X-Alps. As official vehicle partner, Land Rover will provide a fleet of Defender 110s to support the worlds toughest adventure race.

Red Bull X-Alps athletes will negotiate more than 1,200km of demanding alpine landscape in up to 12 days, from June 20 to July 2, 2021. Each of the 32 competitors will combine hiking, ultra-running, mountaineering and paragliding in a true test of human endurance and stamina. On a typical day, the athletes can expect to hike over 50km with vertical ascents of up to 5,000m, burning as many as 6,000 calories.

Land Rovers most capable and durable 4x4 will provide unstoppable transport and shelter from the ever-changing conditions, while carrying vital supplies and equipment. The rugged 4x4s will come kitted with Autohome Roof Tents to aid athletes and crew members in their much-needed recovery, providing a safe and comfortable place to rest.

Seven of the athletes will be supported by Land Rover, including six-time Red Bull X-Alps winner Christian Maurer of Switzerland. Joining him are Red Bull X-Alps veterans Paul Guschlbauer (Austria), Gavin McClurg (USA), Tobias Grossrubatscher (Italy) and Markus Anders (Germany), who have participated in 11 races between them. There will also be debuts for Laurie Genovese (France) and Theo de Blic (France) as part of #TeamLandRover.

Ulrich Grill, Race Organiser, said: Land Rover is synonymous with endurance adventures and the Defender will play a vital role in the Red Bull X-Alps challenge, supporting the competitors and race organisers as they battle the elements across the 1,238 km course. Its unstoppable capability and practical cabin mean it promises to be one constant throughout the 12-day event that participants will be able to rely on come rain or shine.

The role of support vehicle will see crew members test the Defenders expedition credentials to the extreme. With a maximum payload of up to 900kg, dynamic roof load of 168kg and static of 300kg, each vehicle will be loaded with equipment and supplies. Terrain Response 2 technology  including world-first Configurable Terrain Response  will allow the drivers to fine-tune the vehicle to suit their driving preferences and the conditions.

Accessories including Land Rovers Portable Rinse System, Exterior Side-Mounted Gear Carriers and Integrated Air Compressors will combine with Defenders integrated 4G Wi-Fi connectivity and the Autohome Roof Tents to give competitors everything they need to rest and recover properly at the end of each day and to complete the epic event.

Following its world premiere at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2019, Defender has won more than 58 international awards, including the 2021 World Car Design of the Year title at the annual World Car Awards.

Land Rover has also introduced its range of powerful and efficient in-line six-cylinder Ingenium diesel engines, featuring Mild Hybrid Electric Vehicle (MHEV) technology, and its advanced P400e Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV), which provides an all-electric range of up to 27 miles (43km) and CO2 emissions of 74g/km. -- TradeArabia News Service
Light replied that the accords, which Biden has rejoined after Trump backed away, do require member countries like China and India to be transparent about their emissions and commitments to control them.

"That transparency would not exist without the Paris agreement," Light said. "We can ratchet more pressure on them to do more."

But Stone-Manning drew the bulk of the attention from both Democrats and Republicans.

"It's refreshing to have a BLM nominee who actually has experience with land management," said Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-New Mexico.

The BLM director post went unfilled for four years under Trump, who instead relied on a string of acting directors to execute a loosening of restrictions on industry. Chief among them was conservative lawyer William Perry Pendley, who before he took the position advocated for selling off federal lands.

Pendley was ordered removed by a federal judge after leading the bureau for more than a year without required Senate confirmation and getting sued by Bullock.

Stone-Manning backed the effort to oust Pendley and said he was an illegal appointee.
During the legislative session, we repeatedly heard legislators assert that our government is a constitutional republic and deny it is a representative democracy. A constitutional republic is a form of government in which representatives are democratically elected by the people to govern according to the rules established in the law of the land. When you deny government is a democracy, the government can deny the will of the people. When you deny democracy, government doesnt need to serve all of the people. And when legislators deny democracy, they enact laws that weaken the foundational principles of our democracy.
DECATUR  What do you like about Decatur and Macon County?

The Community Foundation of Macon County will be posing that question to those attending events tied to the Chamber Expo, hosted by the Decatur Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Herald & Review, on Wednesday evening and most of the day Thursday.

People will be asked to write their positive thoughts on a Post-it note on the Community Wall. There are spots for more than 3,000 responses.

"We wanted something people can be a part of," Natalie Beck, president of the foundation, said about the display.

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"Post-its are reminders of things and we want people to reflect on, the things that make our community great and show what they are proud of," she said, especially after the havoc COVID-19 has had on things the past year and half.

The Chamber Expo kicks off Wednesday night with a VIP Preview Party and resumes at 7 a.m. Thursday with the State of the City Breakfast, with the showcase of businesses taking part in the Chamber Expo running from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The Taste of Decatur, showcasing food from various local providers, will run from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

All events take place at the Decatur Civic Center. While the expo is free, tickets are required for the preview party, breakfast, and Taste of Decatur.

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"Kin" by Shawna Kay Rodenberg; Bloomsbury (352 pages, $28)



Reading Shawna Kay Rodenberg's "Kin" is like watching anything made by director David Lynch.

After each sentence, paragraph or turn of the page, I expected the likes of the Lady in the Radiator from "Eraserhead" to show up, all puffy-cheeked and singing eerily about heaven, or any of the backwards-speaking characters in "Twin Peaks." But "Kin" is not someone's too-surreal-to-be-believed nightmares written for the screen, but someone's living nightmare detailed in a memoir.

The horror of Rodenberg's life begins within The Body, "an end-times wilderness community, cloistered in the woods of northern Minnesota," which her father joins when "he was red-eyed and mad with fear, following his tour of duty in Vietnam."

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Her family leaves behind a life in Kentucky, with its accompanying possessions and people, for a spare existence near Grand Marais, where Bible study ("Our family was bilingual, and Bible was our second language") and traditional roles are upheld. Mostly Rodenberg tries to evade her father's wrath, which she blames on herself, as children do, because she "found being good impossible."

Misery in myriad forms dogs her, and refuge is difficult to come by, but Rodenberg finds it in art, music and books, particularly the work of Laura Ingalls Wilder. Despite the prohibition against possessions, she is given a set of the "Little House" books as a birthday present and reads them over and over again, eventually realizing that Wilder was "unlucky in life until she began writing her own story."

But Rodenberg doesn't keep to her own story. She intersperses third-person accounts of her mother's life in Kentucky and her father's before he went to Vietnam, including pages  perhaps too many  of letters he wrote to his parents while he was stationed there. The change in perspective is jarring, heightening the surreal aspects of the book and emphasizing its Southern gothic aesthetic.

Ultimately, though, the alternating chapters provide context and feed Rodenberg's overarching theme about how stories repeat in families, that lineage "wasn't about the past, like people often thought, so much as the future, and no matter how a person might try to trick destiny, most people ended up as carbon copies of their parents and even ancestors they never knew."

With its focus on religion, a father figuratively blinded by its tenets and his own pain, the fallout from growing up in an unstable environment and the attempts to overcome it, "Kin" begs comparison to Tara Westover's 2018 memoir, "Educated." Westover's work is much more optimistic, however, despite the horrors inflicted by her Mormon survivalist parent. The odds may have been long, but Westover's ending has a Hollywood quality. There is no such feeling in "Kin."

Even though Rodenberg strives for a tidy ending for herself, obstacles keep popping up. And why shouldn't they? Life isn't neat, and she leans into that, digging deep with dense but readable prose and providing compelling insights. Besides, her life doesn't end with the memoir's last page. There's always more to be said. Here's hoping she will.

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'The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It

A more accurate subtitle would be "Cupid Made Me Do It."

The actual title might make you think the somber horror series has suddenly gained an ironic sense of humor. It hasn't, but the third in the "Conjuring" series about "paranormal investigators" Lorraine and Ed Warren tantalizes us with hints of the romantic bond that fueled the work of the husband-and-wife team, played again by Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson.

"Devil," in which havoc ensues after the wayward exorcism of a possessed child, comes complete with a shot of a fedora-wearing priest, silhouetted from behind as he looks up a staircase to the kid's house, a fairly obvious homage to "The Exorcist." We also get the standard exorcism menu of foaming lips, flailing limbs, holy water and festering boils.

The devil turns out to be working through a never-fully-developed mystery woman, but what's compelling about "Devil" is how the Warrens remain united in faith and love. Their work takes a toll on them, both physically (he has a heart attack) and emotionally (an empath, she empathizes too much for her own good). But Farmiga and Wilson create such a strong sense of teamwork and affection that we understand why the Warrens pick up the phone every time someone calls and says there's a hellmouth in their crawl space. The Warrens answer because they think they can help and they know they can count on each other.

It's hard to know how much of any of the "Conjuring" movies is true but there's an increasing sense in them that what would be most compelling is a sequel where the devil stays busy elsewhere so there's time to focus on the Warrens, both of whom are now deceased. Why, for instance, did they pursue work that apparently cost them so much and what did their daughter, who pops up briefly in "Devil," make of it all?

(R, 2  of 4 stars, 1 hr. 52 min.)

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Chris Hewitt, Star Tribune (Minneapolis)

'In the Heights'

Before his blockbuster Founding Fathers remix Hamilton, Lin-Manuel Miranda burst onto the scene with his Tony-winning ode to his hometown, the musical In the Heights. Set in the gentrifying Manhattan neighborhood of Washington Heights, the earnestly ebullient In the Heights firmly established the Miranda signature sound, a blend of hip-hop and Latin music with big, bold, brassy Broadway ballads; a style born and bred of New York City. The play is seemingly a direct descendant of West Side Story, or at least in conversation with it, but Mirandas outlook is far sunnier than the Jerome Robbins classic. Now, the cinematic adaptation of In the Heights seeks to cement the musicals place in movie history.

Director Jon M. Chu is behind the camera for In the Heights, with Anthony Ramos stepping into the lead role of young Dominican bodega owner Usnavi (Miranda plays a local piragua vendor). Chus version allows the musical to soar above Washington Heights, combining magical realism with gritty urban details.

Its hot, humid and the hormones are racing. Will Usnavi work up the courage to ask out aspiring fashion designer Vanessa (Melissa Barrera) before he departs New York for the Dominican Republic? Will sweethearts Benny (Corey Hawkins) and Nina (Leslie Grace) reunite while shes back home from Stanford? What does Sonnys (Gregory Diaz IV) future hold as a young "Dreamer"? Who holds the winning lottery ticket? These dramas play out against the landscape of a tight-knit but quickly changing community, as rents rise and the older generation transitions.

This will no doubt be a deserving breakout performance for the immensely talented and magnetic Ramos, who co-starred in the stage musical, as well as in Hamilton. However, its Hawkins, who co-starred as Dr. Dre in Straight Outta Compton, who stuns in his first screen musical role, as Benny. Who knew he had that voice? Those moves? Grace and Barrera are also superstars in the making. Mexican actress Barrera owns the screen in every moment, especially in a sizzling nightclub number. The entire film is a brilliantly woven tapestry of performances, music and environment, as well as the choreography by Christopher Scott and cinematography by Alice Brooks, two longtime collaborators of Chus.

Its oh-so-easy to give yourself over to the rapid rhythms and heightened emotions of In the Heights: the lights are twinkly, the beers are cold, the pants are tight, the hips are loose and the beat is impossibly infectious. Be sure to see it as big and as loud as possible to fully experience all the joy this film has to offer. Youve earned it.

(PG-13, 4 of 4 stars, 2 hr. 23 min.)

Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service

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Todays Highlight in History:

On June 9, 1969, the Senate confirmed Warren Burger to be the new chief justice of the United States, succeeding Earl Warren.

On June 9:

In 1588, construction began on the present-day Rialto Bridge in Venice, Italy, with the laying of the first stone; the structure was completed in 1591.

In 1870, author Charles Dickens died in Gads Hill Place, England.

In 1940, during World War II, Norway decided to surrender to the Nazis, effective at midnight.

In 1943, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Current Tax Payment Act of 1943, which reintroduced federal income tax withholding from paychecks.

In 1954, during the Senate Army-McCarthy hearings, Army special counsel Joseph N. Welch berated Sen. Joseph R. McCarthy, R-Wis., asking: Have you no sense of decency, sir? At long last, have you left no sense of decency?

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In 1972, heavy rains triggered record flooding in the Black Hills of South Dakota; the resulting disaster left at least 238 people dead and $164 million in damage.

In 1973, Secretariat won the Belmont Stakes, becoming horse racings first Triple Crown winner in 25 years.

In 1978, leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints struck down a 148-year-old policy of excluding black men from the Mormon priesthood.

In 1980, comedian Richard Pryor suffered almost fatal burns at his San Fernando Valley, Calif., home while freebasing cocaine.

In 1983, Britains Conservatives, led by Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, won a decisive election victory.

In 2004, the body of Ronald Reagan arrived in Washington to lie in state in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda before the 40th presidents funeral.

In 2008, retail gas prices rose above $4 per gallon.

In 2011, the entire top echelon of Newt Gingrichs presidential campaign resigned in a mass exodus that left his bid for the Republican nomination in tatters; the former House speaker vowed defiantly to remain a candidate. (Gingrich would remain in the race until May 2012.) Alabama passed a tough law against illegal immigration, requiring schools to find out if students were in the country lawfully and making it a crime to knowingly give an illegal immigrant a ride. (Federal courts later blocked parts of the law.)

In 2016, President Barack Obama endorsed Hillary Clinton to succeed him and urged Democrats in a web video to line up behind her.

In 2020, hundreds of mourners packed a Houston church for the funeral of George Floyd, a Black man whose death during a Minneapolis arrest inspired a worldwide reckoning over racial injustice. In a primary election plagued by hours-long lines, voting machine malfunctions and provisional ballot shortages, Georgia Democrats chose Jon Ossoff to face Republican Sen. David Perdue in November. (Perdue finished 88,000 votes ahead of Ossoff in November, forcing a January runoff that was won by Ossoff.) The Senate unanimously confirmed Gen. Charles Brown Jr. as chief of staff of the U.S. Air Force, making him the first Black officer to lead one of the nations military services. The Paramount Network said it was dropping the long-running reality series Cops after 33 seasons on the air.

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DECATUR  As Illinois prepares to move into Phase 5 of the Restore Illinois Plan, Macon County officials gathered Tuesday to reflect on the past, take in the present and look ahead to life beyond COVID-19.

This is a big deal, said Brandi Binkley, Macon County Health Department administrator, about the planned arrival Friday of few or no restrictions on public gatherings and activities.

This is definitely a happy, joyful moment for all of us in our community.

Binkley was joined by other members of the Joint Crisis Communication Team for a news conference at the Macon County Office Building.

The goal of Phase 5 seemed impossible for Binkley and other healthcare professionals more than a year ago when the progressive plan was given to regions throughout Illinois. Statewide restrictions began with a lockdown in March 2020. This was followed by a gradual easing of restrictions on gatherings and businesses going into the summer, only have restrictions increase once again as the number of cases began to spike around the start of the new year.

Officials also used the news conference to express their gratitude for the community's patience and the work done to combat the pandemic.

We have asked for so much from you, the sacrifices that you have made, Binkley said. We want to say thank you for everything that you did. Not only to prioritize your own health but to protect and prioritize the safety, health and wellbeing of your fellow neighbor and people that you dont know.

Drew Early, president of Decatur Memorial Hospital, credited the countys progress to healthcare workers and first responders. These were very unknown times, he said. There was no playbook for this.

The crisis team included representatives from law enforcement, long-term care facilities and schools, as well as healthcare professionals and government leaders.

We knew it was important that we were all working as collaboratively as possible, said Decatur Mayor Julie Moore Wolfe. We were going into some unknown waters and a very, very scary time.

Testing and supplies were priorities. We didnt always agree, Moore Wolfe said. We came through as a team.

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Binkley continued to warn the public on Tuesday that the pandemic has not ended and they should continue to take precautionary measures, such as masking, washing hands frequently, and social distancing. And of course getting vaccinated, she said.

The county reported seven new positive cases on Tuesday, bringing its total since the pandemic began to 10,990. Of those, 175 remain in home isolation, five are hospitalized and 204 have died.

Theresa Rutherford, president of HSHS St. Marys Hospital, began her new job in January. During the news conference she reminded the public of the need for continued care in hospitals and other facilities. Many of the population we serve are vulnerable to COVID, she said. We need to keep them safe.

Screenings, masks, social distancing and limited visitors will still be implemented in many healthcare environments. Each building will have different rules.

According to Crossing Healthcare CEO Tanya Andricks, the team collaborated with other facilities to provide healthcare to underserved populations in Macon County.

We still have a lot of work to go, as it relates to our vaccination numbers, she said.

Binkley also acknowledged the loss of life during the pandemic.

We grieve with you; we are sorry for your loss, she said. We hope that as a community we can continue to learn and move forward and live healthier lives in honor of your loved ones.

Allowing gatherings and meetings is a positive turn for the future, Binkley said. Thats a big deal for our economy, our social lives, and so much more, she said.

Collectively we have all been through this experience together and it has really shown us how connected we truly are, no matter where we are in the world, Binkley said.

Contact Donnette Beckett at (217) 421-6983. Follow her on Twitter: @donnettebHR

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CHRISTIAN COUNTY  A Morrisonville couple died in crash Tuesday afternoon at 500E and 500N in Christian County, said Illinois State Police.

The man, identified as 95-year-old Carl Adden, was driving a 2006 Cadillac DTS north on Christian County 500E and approaching the intersection with 500N at about 1 p.m. Tuesday. His wife, Isabelle Adden, 92, was a passenger in the vehicle.

A 25-year-old man from Athens was driving a 2021 truck-tractor semitrailer, traveling east on 500N approaching the intersection with 500E. The driver of the Cadillac didn't stop at a stop sign, went into the intersection and was struck by the semi, police said.

Carl Adden was ejected and pronounced dead on scene at about 2 p.m. by the Christian County coroner.

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Isabelle Adden was flown to an area hospital with life-threatening injuries where she succumbed to her injuries at approximately 10:30 p.m. Tuesday.

The semi driver reported no injuries.

The crash remains under investigation.

Central Illinois mourns fallen police officer Chris Oberheim

Contact Donnette Beckett at (217) 421-6983. Follow her on Twitter: @donnettebHR

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For Philyaw, 49, who lives in Pittsburgh with her two daughters, that meant getting the short stories, some of which had been rejected multiple times by various publications, into the world. Even if she had to publish them herself  something she was willing to do before a small academic publisher snatched them up.

It might seem odd that given all my fangirling that I would spend most of my discussion with Philyaw talking about rejection, but after learning more about the twists and turns taken to create the little book that could, and did, and is still doing, it seemed necessary.

The book, released in 2020 by West Virginia University Press, was a finalist for the 2020 National Book Award for Fiction, received The Story Prize, a Los Angeles Times Book Prize, and the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction. It is now being adapted for HBO to be produced by actress Tessa Thompson.

I feel like I have a healthy relationship with rejection, she said when we recently talked. Ive been divorced twice so the idea of things not working out the way you plan, you know, Im familiar with that and Im familiar with pivoting and starting a new chapter, and plan B and all of that.

Plus, she said, it was only in the last three years of her 20-year-writing career where she wasnt juggling writing with a 9-5 job.
Underlining its commitment to achieving a carbon-neutral mobility society, Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota) has announced that it is developing a new hydrogen engine.

The engine has been installed on a racing vehicle based on Toyotas Corolla Sport, which will participate in competitive motorsports under the ORC ROOKIE Racing banner.

The vehicle is powered by a 1.6 litre in-line 3-cylinder turbo engine that uses compressed hydrogen as its fuel source. Its first race event will be the Round 3 NAPAC Fuji Super TEC 24 Hours Race, which takes place on May 21-23 as part of the Super Taikyu Series 2021 Powered by Hankook. By honing its hydrogen engine in the challenging environment of motorsports, Toyota aims to contribute to the realisation of a sustainable and prosperous mobility society.

Fuel Cell Electrified Vehicles (FCEVs) such as Toyotas Mirai use a fuel cell in which hydrogen chemically reacts with oxygen in the air to produce electricity that powers the motor. Meanwhile, hydrogen engines generate power through the combustion of hydrogen using fuel supply and injection systems that have been modified from those used with gasoline engines, emitting zero CO2 in the process.

Combustion in hydrogen engines occurs at a faster rate than in gasoline engines, resulting in a characteristic of good responsiveness. While having excellent environmental performance, hydrogen engines also have the potential to relay the fun of driving, including through sounds and vibrations.

Toyota has long engaged in the innovation of engine technology and is applying the technologies that it has continued to refine through its participation in motorsports in production vehicles, with the GR Yaris launched last September being one example. In addition, Toyota intends to apply the safety technologies and know-how that it has accumulated through the development of fuel cell vehicles and the commercialisation of the Mirai.

The hydrogen-powered race vehicle will be fuelled using hydrogen produced at the Fukushima Hydrogen Energy Research Field in Namie Town, Fukushima Prefecture. Toyota has been strengthening its efforts toward achieving carbon neutrality by promoting the use of hydrogen through the popularization of FCEVs and numerous other fuel-cell-powered products. By further refining its hydrogen-engine technologies through motorsports, Toyota is targeting the realisation of an even better hydrogen-based society. -- TradeArabia News Service
"Good Boy: My Life In Seven Dogs" by Jennifer Finney Boylan (Celadon, $16.99). Boylan, whose 2003 bestseller "She's Not There: A Life in Two Genders" explored her experiences as a transgender woman, returns with another memoir  this one devoted to her beloved canine pets. "Filled with insight and remarkable candor, this is a sterling tribute to the love of dogs," wrote Publishers Weekly in a starred review. "She touches on, among other subjects, self-doubt, confusion about her sexuality, emotional distance, and infidelity. Boylan also shares encouragement and guidance for those facing their own emotional struggles, noting that while hers weren't easy to overcome, self-acceptance awaited her at her journey's end."

"The Deviant's War: The Homosexual vs. the United States of America" by Eric Cervini (Picador, $20). And more good Pride Month reading: This bestseller from historian Cervini has at its center the story of Frank Kameny, who lost his government job in the 1950s because he was gay  and who fought back. "Besides being the first full-length biography of the intellectual father of the gay liberation movement, Cervini's work provides a wealth of fascinating new details about the movement before the Stonewall riots of 1969," wrote Washington Post reviewer Charles Kaiser, describing the book as "brilliant." Kameny, he wrote, changed the world in two ways: "first by convincing gay people that they weren't sick and then by getting millions of straight allies to embrace that point of view. His single greatest contribution was the pivotal role he played in persuading the American Psychiatric Association to remove homosexuality from its list of disorders in 1973  the singular accomplishment that made all future LGBTQ progress possible."
Former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe swept far Southwest Virginia Tuesday en route to claiming the Democratic gubernatorial nomination.

McAuliffe, 64, received more than 2,600 votes or 68.3% of votes cast across the 10 counties and two cities in the five-person race  about 7 percentage points better than his statewide margin, according to unofficial results late Tuesday.

He handily won across all of Southwest Virginia, receiving 73.2% of the vote in Bristol, Virginia, 82.7% in Buchanan County and over 70% in four other localities. His lowest local winning margin was in Wise County, at 60.1%.

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Former Del. Jennifer Carroll Foy, an attorney from Petersburg who resigned her post in the General Assembly to run, finished second locally with 419 votes, or 10.7%. She fared better statewide, finishing second with 20.2% of votes cast.

Sen. Jennifer McClellan, D-Richmond, finished third in Southwest Virginia, with just under 10% of the vote, slightly less than her 11.6% statewide total.

McAuliffe, who served as governor from 2014-2018, couldnt serve two consecutive terms in Virginia, but he could run again. He will face Republican Glenn Youngkin in November.
They could be flooded, cracked or broken, he said. The next best step is to replace the gas wells that are not working and drill additional wells to pull more gas.

The city must use the state procurement process to determine a contractor, Eads said, adding that the cost of that work is currently unknown.

The gas wells will be drilled down approximately 150 feet and the holes are about 3 feet in diameter, Hoch said.

That step may or may not have any impact on the widespread odor complaints that residents continue making, Hoch said.

Eads confirmed that representatives of the federal Environmental Protection Agency are in the city to collect air quality information, but arent publicizing specific locations because they dont want anything to impact their readings.

In other matters, council voted 3-1 to appropriate another $1 million to its debt service reserve account  bringing that total to $3 million  to help pay ever-increasing debt service payments. Councilman Kevin Wingard failed to convince the council to cut that in half and set aside $500,000 to unbudgeted landfill expenses.

Hartley said the city has other monies, in other uncommitted accounts, that could be used for the landfill if needed and that this was the last projected year the city could afford to appropriate the $1 million toward its long-term debt.

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The lawsuit was filed by Reproductive Health Services, which operates the St. Louis abortion clinic, and the American Civil Liberties Union. A federal judge had blocked the law while the legal challenge plays out, prompting the states appeal to the 8th Circuit.

U.S. District Judge Howard Sachs said at the time of his ruling last year that Planned Parenthood and the ACLU would likely succeed in their lawsuit alleging that the law is unconstitutional. Similar laws have been struck down in North Dakota and Iowa.

Most of the discussion at the hearing in September centered around the provision banning abortions because the fetus is diagnosed with Down syndrome. Missouri Solicitor General John Sauer cited an epidemic of abortions targeting children with Down syndrome for elimination solely because of their disability.

Planned Parenthood attorney Claudia Hammerman argued at the time that four decades of Supreme Court precedent make it clear that this is unconstitutional. She said doctors wont take the risk of losing their medical license for aborting a fetus with Down syndrome, regardless of whether the condition was the reason the woman sought the procedure.
MILWAUKEE (AP)  A former pharmacist in Wisconsin who purposefully ruined more than 500 doses of COVID-19 vaccine was sentenced to three years in prison on Tuesday.

Steven Brandenburg, 46, of Grafton, pleaded guilty in February to two felony counts of attempting to tamper with a consumer product. He had admitted to intentionally removing the doses manufactured by Moderna from a refrigerator for hours at Aurora Medical Center in Grafton, located just north of Milwaukee.

In a statement before receiving his sentence, Brandenburg said he felt great shame and accepted responsibility for his actions. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported he apologized to his co-workers, family and the community.
HR1 could neutralize some of these laws because it creates national standards for voting access. For example, new laws in Arizona and Florida that potentially remove people from the states' mail voting lists could be moot, because all voters would now have a right to cast ballots by mail.

But the John Lewis Act would have no impact. The Justice Department would only be required to approve new laws, not ones that passed before the bill was approved. What's more, the bill's preclearance provision would only affect about a dozen states and some additional counties or cities that meet its standard. Manchin has talked about expanding preclearance nationwide, but that could run into problems with the Supreme Court.

Additionally, future laws could only be blocked under the bill's new legal formula if they were deemed to be racially discriminatory by making it harder for specific racial groups to vote. Laws that present new hurdles for other groups  such as no longer accepting student IDs as voting identification, as Montana as done  could still be allowed.
But of what sort? Modifieds such as those run by locals at Bowman Gray? ARCA? The Camping World Truck Series? Or perhaps the Big Daddy NASCAR Cup Series itself?

I dont know. You hear rumors, Settle said.

A series of races, perhaps as many as five in a season from one of the smaller divisions, could mean as much as $40 million to the local economy. Thats the whole area, not just North Wilkesboro, he said.

Settle is smart enough (and old enough) to remember what racing meant to the bottom line and the sense of civic pride. Thats why he was among the first to say hed support the requirement of a local match of $1 for every $4 in American Rescue Plan funds.

Wed have to put in a percentage match, he said. Thats no problem for our county. Weve been smart with our money.

(Some of which comes in the form of relief to cities and counties from the federal government.)

Settle is also smart enough to know that as things stand, Coopers plan requires legislative action.

No doubt he heard Rep. Elmore when he said last month its just a proposal, a lot of moving pieces. But I hope it will hold.
" " Delores Huerta in front of a painting of Cesar Chavez at United Farm Workers (UFW) headquarters in Keene, California. Annie Wells/Getty Images

More than 50 years ago, a determined young woman stepped up and created the iconic slogan "Si, se puede!" ("Yes, we can!") that would lift up the voices of the voiceless and change the state of labor in the United States forever. That woman, civil rights activist Dolores Huerta, would go on to co-found the National Farm Workers Association (NFWA) with Cesar Chavez.

The NFWA later became the United Farm Workers of America (UFW) and, as vice president of that organization until 1999, Huerta helped launch the first farmworkers strike in the country, which kickstarted the fight for union rights and labor organizing in the agricultural sector in the U.S. and changed the lives of farmworkers forever.

"In my opinion, she is one of the most important American civil rights and labor rights leaders in the second half of the 20th century and into the new millennium," says Mario Garcia, author of "A Dolores Huerta Reader," in an email interview.

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Early Life and Family History

Huerta was born April 10, 1930, in the town of Dawson, New Mexico. She was one of three children born to activist parents. Her father was a miner, farmworker and union leader who later went into state politics.

"Her parents, Alicia Chavez and Juan Fernandez, were early role models of activism," says Monica Brown, author of "Side by Side: The Story of Dolores Huerta and Cesar Chavez," in an email interview.

After her parents' divorce, Huerta moved with her mother to Stockton, California, where they lived in a diverse community of Mexican, Filipino and Japanese Americans. According to the book "Dolores Huerta: Get to Know the Voice of Migrant Workers," Huerta was a talkative, inquisitive young girl, and her grandfather nicknamed her "Siete Lenguas," Spanish for "Seven Tongues."

" " Dolores Huerta speaks on stage during a United Farm Workers (UFW) rally in California in 1975. Cathy Murphy/Getty Images

"When her family moved from New Mexico to Stockton, California, her brothers had to work in the fields, and [Huerta] as a teenager also wanted to join them. However, her mother forbade this because she did not want her daughter to work in the fields," Garcia says. Huerta's mother did permit her daughter to work in industrial packing sheds, but the working conditions there weren't much better than in the field. But what Huerta saw stuck with her.

"I think this early exposure to the harsh working conditions of farmworkers provided a context for Dolores later working to organize these workers to do away with the more exploitative aspects of farm labor," Garcia adds.

After graduating from Stockton High, Huerta married, had two children and began teaching elementary school children, many of whom were the impoverished sons and daughters of farmworkers. Although the marriage did not last long, the teaching had a profound impact on Huerta's desire to improve the lives of farmworkers.

"As a very young woman, Dolores was a teacher, and saw the children of farmworkers come to school with no shoes and hungry  this motivated her to work for change," Brown says.

Sarah Warren wrote the book "Dolores Huerta: A Hero to Migrant Workers." She adds by email that Huerta was driven to do more for the children she planned to serve when she found out how their families were being abused.

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Dolores Huerta, Cesar Chavez and the Delano Grape Strike

At age 25, Huerta became immersed in activism, joining a local activist group run by Fred Ross that advocated on behalf of Mexican Americans. There, Huerta began learning how to become a labor organizer.

"As a young adult she became involved with the Community Service Organization (CSO) which was an organization mobilizing Mexican Americans in civil rights work and voter registration in the 1950s," Garcia says.

At the CSO, Huerta met Cesar Chavez, who would go on to become one of the most widely recognized Mexican American labor leaders in U.S. history. Huerta and Chavez began to work together for improved working conditions and wages for farmworkers, who earned as little as 70 cents an hour at the time.

" " Dolores Huerta and Richard Chavez, labor organizer and brother of UFW co-founder Cesar Chavez, speaking at a meeting at the UFW headquarters in Keene, California, in the mid-1970s. Cathy Murphy/Getty Images

"Cesar recognized Dolores' talents as an organizer plus her own personal strength and so when he began to organize in the fields by 1962, he recruited Dolores to work with him," Garcia says.

Together, Chavez and Huerta founded the National Farmworkers' Association in 1962, which later became the United Farm Workers union. Huerta remained vice president of United Farm Workers until 1999. The two had a complex relationship, according to scholars. From one point of view, they were comrades in the fields, working for better conditions for the most marginalized workers in society.

"As Dolores once told me, they were comrades. They spoke to farmworkers on the backs of flatbed trucks and co-founded the United Farmworkers Union," Brown says.

"Dolores saw herself as equal to Cesar and he accepted this. Cesar didn't always agree with Dolores, but he learned from her," says Garcia. "She was one of the few persons in the union who was not afraid to criticize Cesar, which he appreciated."

Huerta and Chavez became most well-known for organizing the 1965 Delano grape strike and boycott, in which striking Filipino grape farmworkers  led by activists like Larry Itliong and Philip Vera Cruz  sought the help of the emerging National Farm Workers Association, which largely represented Latino workers.

Huerta marched along with Chavez for workers' rights, brought together the Filipino and Latino workers on the picket line, and led a nationwide boycott of nonunion table grapes. In 1970, Huerta and Chavez's steadfast organizing paid off, resulting in union contracts, as well as better wages and working conditions for the grape workers.

"Dolores Huerta played a big role in getting farmworkers to participate in union activities, to boycott grapes and other produce, to picket farms, and become members of the union," says Stacey Sowards, author of "Si, Ella Puede! The Rhetorical Legacy of Dolores Huerta and the United Farm Workers."

" " Ethel Kennedy (right) joins Dolores Huerta (left) in prayer for Cesar Chavez outside the Monterey County jail Dec. 5, 1970. Chavez was in jail for violating a court injunction prohibiting the lettuce boycott of that year. Bettmann/Getty Images

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"Si, Se Puede!"

In 2012, President Barack Obama awarded Huerta the Presidential Medal of Freedom recognizing her, not Chavez, as the original source of the phrase "Si, se puede!" Obama famously appropriated the slogan for his own presidential campaign, but Huerta's rallying cry had been used for years to organize farmworkers and inspire advocacy for other civil rights issues.

"Dolores Huerta first spoke the famous words, "Si, se puede!" while speaking to a group of workers who kept saying "We can't organize the workers here. We can't. No se puede!" Dolores responded, "Si, se puede! Yes, you can!" Brown says.

Huerta became an iconic activist and a source of pride for Mexican Americans and others within the Latinx community. Her organizing helped bring about the 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act, which granted amnesty to 1.3 million undocumented workers.

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Legacy and Present-day Activism

Huerta celebrated her 91st birthday in 2021, and remains active on the front lines as a civil rights advocate and labor organizer. She holds media events and hosts TED Talks on how to speak out and become empowered through activism.

"Her legacy today is that she has become a social movement icon," Sowards says. "She has demonstrated how one moves from individual action and concern for community to working with other people on those issues to creating an entire social movement."

Huerta also founded the Dolores Huerta Foundation in 2003. The nonprofit focuses on empowering and training grassroots organizers in lower-income and disenfranchised communities in California, including work on LGBTQIA issues.

" " Dolores Huerta attends the premiere of the film "Dolores" at The Metrograph on August 21, 2017 in New York City. Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images

Although farmworkers have more collective bargaining opportunities as a result of Huerta's work, they still experience widespread exploitation, harsh working conditions and wage theft. In recent years, Huerta has been vocal in pushing for immigration reform to provide a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, who constitute a large share of farmworkers in the U.S.

Moreover, Huerta continues to boost the civic power of Latinos, specifically through efforts to turn out the vote. Latino voters played an important role in the 2020 election, turning out in record numbers.

"She has been very active in registering people to vote and getting people to the polls," Sowards says. "Her foundation works to get people more involved beyond voting, such as organizing voters to vote, but also to participate more fully on social justice issues in their communities."

Ultimately, Huerta's legacy endures through the important issues she raised as an activist and community organizer, which continue to resonate today.

"Her legacy of taking on issues of social justice, not only in the fields but in the fight for women's rights, civil rights, voting rights and for world peace, are all part of her legacy," Garcia says.

Now That's Interesting Dolores Huerta's family has been in the U.S. for five generations, and her great-grandfather fought in the Civil War.
US President Joe Biden

Washington [US], June 10 (ANI): The Biden administration is expected to buy 500 million doses of Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine to donate to the world.

According to Washington Post, President Joe Biden is slated to announce the plan to buy vaccines at the Group of Seven meetings in Britain this week.

This comes amid growing calls for the United States and rich nations to play a more substantial role in boosting the global supply of coronavirus vaccines.

Biden told reporters on Wednesday as he boarded Air Force One to Europe that he would be announcing his global vaccine strategy.

The United States recently shared a framework for the distribution of 80 million vaccines globally to address potential surges and the needs of the most vulnerable countries affected by the pandemic

The Biden administration has announced the allocation of the first tranche of 25 million COVID-19 vaccines globally including India.

Seven million doses will be sent to some Asian countries including India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

The White House said that 75 per cent of vaccine share will be given through COVAX while 25 per cent share for immediate needs and to help with surges around the world.

Nearly 19 million will be shared through the COVAX initiative.

Approximately 6 million for South and Central America to the following countries: Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Costa Rica, Peru, Ecuador, Paraguay, Bolivia, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, Haiti, and other Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries, as well as the Dominican Republic. (ANI)
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Moscow [Russia], June 8 (ANI/Sputnik): The EU parliament on Tuesday approved 11.6 million euro ($14 million) in aid to help dismissed workers in Germany, Finland, Belgium, and the Netherlands reintegrate into labor market, the legislature said in a release.

"3,700 workers who lost their jobs in Belgium, Finland, Germany, and the Netherlands will receive EUR11.6 million in EU aid," the parliament said.

The aid, which is expected to assist sacked workers from the four countries, was approved to help them improve their skills, self-development, and empowerment.

According to the release, 6.8 million euros was approved by 658 votes to assist 1,700 dismissed Royal Dutch Airline (KLM) and Finnair airline employees in the Netherlands and Finland; 660 lawmakers voted in favor of the approval of 3.7 million euros to support an estimated 1,500 sacked airport staff in Belgium; and 670 voted for the approval of 1.1 million to 500 former GMH Guss workers in Germany.

In Belgium, Finland, and the Netherlands, the dismissals were related to the COVID-19 pandemic, while in Germany, the relocation of the company was the reason for lay-offs.

According to Pew Research Center, an estimated 2.6 million workers between the ages 15 to 64 in the EU have lost their jobs during the pandemic. (ANI/Sputnik)
Air Arabia Abu Dhabi, the capitals first low-cost carrier, has announced the introduction of a new service to Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina with direct flights from Abu Dhabi starting on July 12.

Abu Dhabi has evolved as a strong hub that connects passengers from the capital to other destinations by offering highly competitive prices, through the launch of Air Arabia Abu Dhabi, a joint venture between Air Arabia and Etihad Airways.

The new service represents the 11th route for Air Arabia Abu Dhabi since the launch of the carriers service from Abu Dhabi International Airport in Q3 2020.

Air Arabia Abu Dhabi will operate flights to Sarajevo twice a week, on Monday and Saturday. Flight 3L 604 will depart Abu Dhabi at 08:15 and land in Sarajevo in 12:10. The return flight will depart from Sarajevo at 13:00 and land in Abu Dhabi at 20:30. All times are local.

Sarajevos booming tourism sector provides a wide range of cultural attractions, shops, restaurants and cafes that will welcome international visitors. The scenic landscape that surrounds the city ensures amazing adventure holiday experiences.

Customers can now book their direct flights between Abu Dhabi and Sarajevo by visiting Air Arabias website, by calling the call centre or through travel agencies.

Ensuring the highest standards of safety at every step of the journey by following all health and safety protocols, Air Arabia has also added to the convenience and confidence of passengers by introducing free Covid-19 insurance coverage. The insurance is automatically included as part of the booking and no additional documents are required from passengers. - TradeArabia News Service
Chandigarh/Kolkata, Jun 9 (PTI) Two alleged gangsters involved in killing two policemen recently in Ludhiana, were gunned down by a Kolkata police team in a shootout there in the metropolis on Wednesday, a top Punjab police official said.

Gangsters Jaipal Singh Bhullar and Jaspreet Singh Jassi were shot dead by a Special Task Force team of the Kolkata police on pin-pointed information provided by the Punjab Police about the gangsters hideout in a housing society in the New Town area of the city, he said.

In the operation, which took place at around 3:30 pm, a Kolkata police inspector too was injured, he said.

'We wanted to arrest them and asked them to surrender.

But as they started firing, we had to fire in self-defence,' West Bengal STFs Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Vineet Goel told reporters earlier in Kolkata.

The Punjab Police had earlier informed the Bengal police about the two, but no representative of that force was present during the raid, Goel said.

The Punjab police had declared earlier an award of Rs 10 lakh on Ferozepur resident Bhullars arrest and that of Rs 5 lakh over Mohali man Jassis apprehension, the Punjab police official said in Chandigarh.

Bhullar and Jassi had been on the run since the killings of two assistant sub-inspectors at the new grain market at Jagraon in Ludhina.

Their two other accomplices were nabbed by a joint team of Punjab and Madhya Pradesh at a railway station near Gwalior, minutes before they were to take a train to Maharashtra on May 28.

Addressing a news conference here, Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Dinkar Gupta said Jaipal Bhullar was an 'A' category gangster and was involved in the killing of the two ASIs last month at Jagraon in Ludhiana.

Gupta said after they came to know that both Bhullar and Jaspreet were holed up in a rented apartment in Kolkata, the Punjab police dispatched a special team to Kolkata by flight on Wednesday.

In the meanwhile, we also coordinated with Kolkata Police to share pinpointed inputs regarding their current hideout for the arrest of these two most-wanted drug smugglers, said Gupta.

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The DGP said a senior police officer from Kolkata police informed later in the afternoon that both the criminals had been killed in retaliatory firing by the Kolkata STF in which one of their police inspectors had also sustained bullet injuries.

He said four pistols had been recovered from the flat by the STF of the Kolkata police.

I am grateful to the West Bengal police, especially the ADGP & STF Chief of West Bengal, Vineet Goyal, who acted immediately on inputs provided by the Punjab police and organised a raid at the Kolkata apartment where Bhullar was holed up along with his associate, Jassi, said Gupta.

About the recoveries from the flat of the slain gangster WB STFs ADGP Goel said Rs 7 lakh in cash, besides several firearms including 9 mm pistols and 89 rounds of ammunition were recovered from the flat.

After the killings of the two ASIs at Jagraon and a pistol snatching incident near Doraha last month, police had launched a massive operation code-named 'OP-Jack' manhunt to nab Bhullar and Jaspreet.

Many police teams were dispatched to various states to nab these gangsters with the help of other state police forces, he stated.

The duos hideout in Kolkata was traced after the arrest of one Bharat Kumar, a Ludhiana resident from near Shambhu border in Rajpura area and recovery of one .30 bore pistol, along with a car, bearing West Bengal registration number from him.

Bharat, a close accomplice of Bhullar, had been providing logistic support to him in the Gwalior area of MP after Bhullar and Jassi had fled from Punjab.

Two other accused -- Darshan Singh and Baljinder Singh -- involved in the murder of the two ASIs were nabbed from Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh on May 28.

The two ASIs had gone to the grain market in Ludhiana where they had noticed four people shifting drugs from a truck to their car.

When they asked them to surrender, the accused opened fire, resulting in the death of the two ASIs.

Bhullar, who fell to the Kolkata police bullet was the son of a retired assistant sub-inspector of Punjab police and was a promising sportsperson as a hammer thrower.

But he graduated in crime, with his name figuring in Punjab police files as a dreaded gangster, wanted in more than 25 criminal cases, including those of murders and drug smuggling, and on the run since 2014.

Bhullar was presently involved in smuggling of drugs from across the border in close collaboration with major drug smugglers based in Pakistan.

The DGP said the neutralization of Bhullar and his key accomplice in Kolkata would be a big dent on the heroin drug smuggling network, being operating from across the border.

Bhullar was also allegedly involved in the killing of gangster-cum-politician Jaswinder Singh Rocky in 2016, at Parwanoo in Himachal Pradesh. He had suspected that Rocky had leaked information about another gangster Shera Khuban, who was shot dead in a police encounter in 2012.

He even took the responsibility of Rockys murder on social media and declared it as the revenge of Shera Khuban encounter.

In 2017, Bhullar had allegedly looted Rs 1.30 crore from a cash van on Chandigarh-Patiala Highway near Chitkara University and Rs 35 lakhs from an ATM loading van in Ropar.

In 2020, Bhullar carried out a dacoity in which he looted about 33 kg gold from Ludhiana, an official said. PTI CHS VSD SCH NN RAX RAX
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday announced that the Union government will bear the cost of vaccinating everyone over the age of 18 years and it was taking back the responsibility for procuring vaccines from states. The states have been struggling to purchase vaccines which resulted in low inoculation numbers in May 2021.

The Modi government responded positively to a growing chorus of demand from the states to re-centralise the entire process and revert to the original policy. Opposition-ruled states chief ministers thanked the prime minister for the move, while not forgetting to take credit.

They claimed that the Centre withdrew the faulty vaccine policy to save its face before the Supreme Court. They claimed none of them had asked that states be allowed to procure vaccines from domestic and foreign manufactures. The famous adage grapes are sour suits them like a T.

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Nobody, but nobody said that [the] Centre should not procure vaccines. He (PM) now blames state govts saying - they wanted to procure vaccines so we allowed them. Let us know which CM, which state govt, on what date demanded that he should be allowed to procure vaccines, Chidambaram said, according to an ANI tweet.

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However, soon after a letter of West Bengal Chief Minister addressed to the PM in February 2021 surfaced on social media where she wanted to start free vaccination before the Assembly polls.

We would request you to kindly take up the matter with appropriate authority so that the state government is able to purchase the vaccines from designated points on top priority basis, because the West Bengal government wants to provide vaccination free of cost to all the people, Banerjee wrote in her letter.

Soon, an embarrassed Chidambaram had to eat his own words: I told ANI please tell us which state government demanded that it should be allowed to directly procure vaccines. Social media activists have posted the copy of the letter of CM, West Bengal to PM making such a request. I was wrong. I stand corrected, Chidambaram tweeted.

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There were many reasons why Opposition-ruled states were demanding  through official as well as unofficial channels  the right to buy vaccines and inoculate their citizens. These included:

(i) PM Modi was taking all credit for vaccination

(ii) The Modi government was being allegedly partisan in dealing with them

(iii) These state governments had to face public ire for non-availability / shortages while having no control over supplies

(iv) They wanted more control over the entire vaccination drive and process

(v) The international tender process could earn some people some kickbacks (this reason cant be ruled out given the level of corruption in India)

On April 19, the central government conceded to pressure from the state governments and allowed them to vaccinate the 18-45 age group from May 1. During this time, it was under fire for mishandling of the second wave of COVID.

There was a shortage of oxygen, beds, medicines and gloom all around. India was clocking more than 250,000 cases per day. BJPs assertion of health being a state subject and the fact that states were managing localised lockdowns was not working on the ground.

This decision allowed Modi to make Opposition-ruled chief ministers accountable for vaccination and for saving lives. This strategy helped in a way to share the blame with state governments for mishandling of the crisis during a time when public anger was high.

Many Opposition states didnt do much to import vaccines during the 10 odd days before the start of the drive on May 1 resulting in the programme not taking off. Some states that floated tenders did so only mid-May. None of them have been able to secure any deals.

Frustrated at their own failure, they started targeting the central government for the shortage. And finally they demanded that the Modi dispensation should procure vaccines in bulk and distribute them to states.

The complexities in procurement, including pricing, deliveries, taxation, indemnity, regulatory approvals, etc soon became known to the state governments, some of which had been boasting they could manage things on their own. There is a famous metaphor in Hindi: Aatey daal ka bhav maloom hona (to come face to face with reality and understand it's not easy to solve some problems)..

This helped Modi prove the point that the Opposition-ruled states chief ministers failed to procure vaccines against their tall claims. The original centralised policy which the prime minister was leading, with India emerging as the fastest inoculator in the world, was better.

This also helped the prime minister buy time. Purchase contracts and new suppliers were firmed up leading to 216 crore doses of estimated procurement. A roadmap of vaccination for all by year-end was prepared. Cases, meanwhile, peaked and then started to drop, ending days of gloom. Positivity returned to markets with phased unlocking.

As a political consultant, I often advise clients not to make any demands from adversaries which they can fulfill easily. What if he/she accepts the demand? Then what?

The Opposition has been caught off guard by the latest Modi move of taking back the control of vaccination in the country. The states cannot criticise the announcement as the Opposition was ostensibly demanding it.

They can try to take credit but it wont stick with people as the original centralised plan was prepared by the Modi government and not by the Opposition.

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Kathmandu [Nepal], June 9 (ANI): Indian Ambassador to Nepal Vinay Mohan Kwatra on Wednesday paid a courtesy call on Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister (DPMFM) Raghubir Mahaseth and discussed various matters including the supply of COVID vaccines.

The Nepal Foreign Ministry informed that Ambassador Kwatra handed over the congratulatory message from Jaishankar to Mahaseth on being appointed as Nepal's DPMFM. Both the diplomats discussed various matters of mutual interests, including the supply of vaccines.

"Indian Ambassador to Nepal His Excellency Vinay Mohan Kwatra paid a courtesy call on DPMFM Honourable RB Mahaseth today. Ambassador Kwatra handed over the congratulatory message from EAM of India His Excellency Dr SJaishankar to the DPMFM. They discussed various matters of mutual interests, including the supply of vaccines," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government of Nepal tweeted.

Earlier, India had sent COVID vaccine doses to Nepal under grant assistance.

The vaccination process in the Himalayan Nation had been stalled for several months due to shortage of COVID-19 vaccine. But on Tuesday the inoculation drive was resumed after it received one million shots of China-made Vero Cell last week.

With the resumption of the inoculation, senior citizens between 60 to 64 years queued up in vaccination centers around Kathmandu Valley and all seven provinces of the Himalayan nation to receive the shot. (ANI)
In 1960, I read an early version of it in The New Yorker and was entranced by the story and the connection to North Carolina.

Alas, the North Carolina connection was mythical. Spencer told me she was really thinking of Birmingham, where she had friends, but changed the citys name to Winston-Salem so her friends in Birmingham would not try to see themselves in the story.

The story became the basis for a popular film in 1962. It starred Olivia de Havilland, Yvette Mimieux and Rossano Brazzi. In 2005, a musical based on the story was staged in New York and broadcast on public television.

Before moving to Chapel Hill, Spencer and her husband lived in Italy and Canada. Her roots, however, were in her birthplace, Carrollton, Miss., and her early work reflected the complicated racial caste systems of the South.

The headliner of the new collection is The Voice at the Back Door, Spencers 1956 novel. Michael Gorra, the new volumes editor, writes that it is widely considered Spencers masterpiece.
Energy and telecommunications customer services provider AGL and Australian energy technology group RayGen have joined forces to begin construction of a $27 million concentrated solar and thermal storage project.

Claimed asone of Australias largest, most innovative and lowest-cost renewable energy storage projects, the first stage of the project will be located at Carwarp in Victoria and the second stage is planned for the Liddell power station site in NSW.

AGL Interim Managing Director and CEO, Graeme Hunt said AGL is excited to be working on this innovative project which uses a combination of solar and hydro technology and which will help to deliver the next generation of energy supply.

AGL is committed to leading the business of transition and developing the future of renewable energy storage at scale, ensuring Australian households and businesses have affordable, sustainable and reliable electricity, Hunt said.

RayGens technology has the potential to provide the same capabilities as other long duration storage technologies at lower cost and with fewer geographical constraints.

The system is powered by a field of smart, rotational mirrors whose concentrated solar energy is combined with the energy stored across two water reservoirs to create a hot and cold solar hydro solution.

The Carwarp plant will be able to deliver four megawatts (MW) of solar generation and 50 megawatt hours (MWh) of storage to produce electricity on demand - improving grid stability, as well as supplying reliable, synchronous power.

We believe the technology can be just as successful in the Hunter region and a key feature of our plans to transition the Liddell site into an Energy Hub, alongside grid-scale batteries and a waste to energy facility.

Building on more than 180 years of history, AGL has a proud heritage of investment and innovation and we believe Liddell could have an essential role in the energy transition.

As we transition to a cleaner energy future and meet ourClimate Statement commitments, we are looking to make reliable long duration storage combined with solar generation a reality by overcoming traditional barriers for variable, renewable energy deployment.

RayGen has also received support from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) for the Carwarp site.

RayGens Chief Executive Officer, Richard Payne said two years ago, AGL agreed to provide a vital voice of customer into the design process for RayGens new storage product.

AGL provided valuable insights that enhanced our technology offering, and AGL is now supporting deployment with an offtake and investment, Payne said.

This innovative collaboration between a home-grown Australian technology start-up and Australias premier energy company will help pave the way to a lowest cost, secure and decarbonised grid.

Both companies have worked on the design of the $27 million concentrated solar and thermal storage site since 2019 and AGL has committed $5 million to help fund the construction at Carwarp as well as agreed to offtake the entirety of the plants production.

A pre-feasibility study for the Liddell site is now underway.
It was definitely just like a lark  almost like a knockoff last spring when all the stuff first started, Foster said. He cranked maracas up in the mix to give the song a hint of 70s rockers the Flamin Groovies.

The murder of George Floyd and the surge of the Black Lives Matter movement informed the title track, Im Starting to Bleed, which shows up in two distinct versions to open and close the EP. Rather than write an overt protest song, Foster tried to evoke lives that had beautiful moments before their premature ends.

The thing about someone like George Floyd and all of the dozens more in the last couple of years, we find out about them when theyve been killed or hurt, and we dont know what kind of life they had, he said. I wasnt really thinking, because the song came really fast. But I think the idea was that this guy had a whole life, and that just happened to be the very public, horrible end.

The song evokes the radio and Earth Wind and Fire and summertime on the street, ice cream running down my hand. The lyrics grow darker and more pointed as the song progresses: America is always on top, rolling over me, and it wont stop ... my face on the concrete and a knee on my throat.
A Winston-Salem man was shot and wounded Tuesday in the 300 block of Merrell Drive in the city's southwestern section, authorities said.

Winston-Salem police found Bobby Eugene Allen, 49, of Hemingway Street in the driveway of a home on Merrell Drive shortly before 3:45 p.m., police said.

An unidentified man had been in the driveway when Allen approached him, acting strangely and talking to himself, police said. Allen then threatened to assault the man, according to police.

The man retrieved a gun from the garage and told Allen to leave the property, police said. Allen then approached the man and a struggled ensued.

During the struggle, the gun was fired and Allen was struck in the neck, police said.

Allen was taken to a local hospital for treatment of his serious injury, police said. He was in stable condition, and his injury was not considered to be life-threatening, police said.

Allen was not able to provide any information about what happened. Police said the account provided of the incident had been confirmed in their investigation.

Winston-Salem police are asking for the public's assistance in this case.
It does not promote principles we have stood for in Georgia around broad access to voting, around voter convenience, about ensuring election integrity, Quincey said. This legislation is wrong and needs to be remedied.

At the commissioners meeting, Harris and Tucker said that the ban should remain in place.

Its all politics, Harris said. Our electoral process doesnt need to be thrown through the political drudgery of this country. These issues affect Surry County.

Tucker said he didnt intend to hurt anyone with his support of the ban.

My intent was to follow my heart, follow my principles and make a conscientious effort to do what is right, Tucker said.

During the meetings open forum, three representatives of the Coca-Cola Consolidated Inc. of Charlotte and several county residents said that the ban was the wrong approach.

Alison Patient, the companys vice president for government affairs, asked the Surry commissioners to reconsider the ban.

Patient said her company is a separate entity from the Coca-Coca Co. of Atlanta.
In the 1964 presidential campaign, Republican candidate Barry Goldwater had a slogan: In your heart you know hes right.

That was aimed at deflecting the stereotype about Goldwater and Republicans in general that they were an uncaring lot. It is a smear that still works to some extent for modern Democrats.

In his return to political campaigning last Saturday, former President Donald Trump channeled Goldwater when he claimed vindication for many of the positions he took during last years presidential campaign and in the four years of his administration.

Speaking to a gathering of North Carolina Republicans in Greenville, Trump touted his accomplishments, including tax cuts and regulation reductions. He also criticized what he said were President Bidens insane executive orders.

He might have added to his accomplishments Middle East peace deals, including the Abraham Accords. He said President Biden is working to reverse all of his achievements and mentioned rising gas prices as a consequence that can be felt by nearly every American.
Help India!



After being released from Assam detention centers, former detainees accused of being foreigners are required to produce themselves before the officer-in-charge at their respective police stations every week. Most of these former detainees are daily labourers who are barely able to make a living amid the Covid-19 pandemic, making these weekly visits a financial burden on them. A TCN Ground report features some of these former detainees and their current struggles for fighting for their citizenship and dignified living.

Mahibul Hoque | TwoCircles.net

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GUWAHATI  It was a moment of relief for Mamiron Nesa from Takakata village in Assams Barpeta district and the human rights activists from the state when the 44-year-old lady was released from Kokrajhar detention centre in 2019. The relief waned out soon for her like other declared foreigners released after a Supreme Court of India judgement allowed the detainees to be given bail on the production of two sureties worth Rs 1 lakh each along with the verifiable address.

The released detainees are now required to produce themselves before the officer-in-charge at their respective police stations every week.

The detainees said that the process of producing themselves at police stations is draining them emotionally and financially.

Every week, Mamiron has to present herself at Kalgachia police station in Barpeta district to mark her attendance. Every visit incurs her a cost of Rs 300. Spending this amount every week is difficult for her.

My husband died while I was in Kokrajhar detention centre. My brothers have sold everything to fight my case and there is no adult in my family now to earn. How can I manage the money to go to the police station every week? she said, ruefully.

During the ten-year-long court case, she lost an unborn child after she was administered an injection during detention. Her husband died of a heart attack, and her brothers sold one and a half bigha land, their small food production factory, their shops and cattle to fight her case.

The expenses incurred on the family to fight Mamirons citizenship case forced her brothers to migrate to other states and work as labourers.

Mamirons village is a remote riverine sandbank on the banks of the Brahmaputra river, which is commonly known as Char. She has to walk around one-and-a-half kilometres from her small shed to the river bank from where she takes a boat to cross the river. Boatmen, known to her, do not charge knowing the financial condition of Mamiron. From there she takes a vehicle to the Kalgachia police station.

Before Covid-19 lockdown, I used to pay Rs 120 as fare back and forth. Since lockdown, I have to pay more than Rs 200 each time. As there is almost no work in the village, being a daily wager, how am I supposed to spend so much money every time? she said.

Mamiron was declared an illegal foreigner by a Foreigners Tribunal at Barpeta after it found some discrepancy in her lineage. In her documents, her grandfathers name had a clerical error and despite her grandfathers 1951 National Register of Citizens (NRC), she was declared a foreigner.

Foreigners Tribunals (FT) in Assam are quasi-judicial bodies with the mandate to issue orders in doubtful citizens cases. There are 100 FTs in Assam to hear the cases and its members comprise mostly of lawyers with ten years of experience from district courts.

After being imprisoned for ten and half years, her release from the detention centre landed her and her family into the struggle of probing citizenship and repeated visits to the police station.

Even on the day when my grandfather died, I had to go to the police station for the haziri (to produce in the police station). I submitted an appeal to the Kalgachia police station to allow me to mark my presence at the Moinbori police outpost. But the OC denied my appeal. He even said I might have to attend the police station every three days, Mamiron said.

Echoing Mamirons agony, 49-year-old Rajkumar Mandal from Kasaribheti village of Bongaigaon district said, I only have my wife to support me. She works as domestic help in the nearby villages to earn the money so that I can go to the Police station to give my attendance. During the lockdown, there is hardly any work even for her now.

Rajkumar was detained in 2016 and was lodged at Goalpara detention centre before he was released on bail in 2019. He has to travel to Abhaypuri police station to give his attendance for which he has to spend Rs 120 for vehicle fare every week.

My wife used to earn Rs 800 per month and I go to Borkhola Bazar looking for any cleaning work so that we can survive. Since lockdown I rarely find work. So with such little income how can I manage the expenses? I cannot even go to any other state to work to earn money as I have to be present at the police station every week. It has become difficult for us to earn our living now, he said.

46-year-old Halima Khatun from Tilapara village from the same district had an identical story to share. A family of seven, it has become hard for them to support her as they have exhausted all resources while fighting the case.

Now every week I have to spend more than Rs 120 to mark my presence at Abhaypuri police station. From where do I get the money every week? Halima question.

Unjustified harassment

After the Supreme Court verdicts in 2019 and Guwahati High Court orders on the release of detainees from detention centres meant for illegal foreigners, around 1100 detainees have been released from six detention centres in Assam.

Since 2008, 1376 persons have been imprisoned in the detention centres, and as of now, 16 people remain in the jails, which include 5 in Kokrajhar, 3 each in Jorhat and Tezpur, 2 each in Goalpara and Dibrugarh and one person at Silchar who has been transferred to Haflong central jail.

Being released on bail has not brought any respite to these persons as the weekly attendance system at the police station has put them into a financial burden.

Zamser Ali, a senior journalist and author who has been working on NRC, D-Voter, and citizenship cases in Assam termed the process as unnecessary harassment.

Those who have been released on bail have nowhere to go except Assam. They are staying either with their families or their close ones in different parts of the state. This proves that they are genuine citizens. Being at detention centres for a long time has turned many people into a state where they cannot work. So it is difficult for them to manage the expenses to mark their attendance. This also puts a great burden on the families of these people, Ali said.

Ali said that the federal Home Ministry should review the cases of these people.

There are not many cases. Take 1000 cases and get them reviewed by a committee of five former Supreme Court judges. If the commission finds these as genuine orders by the FTs then FTs can function but if the commission finds that most of the cases are arbitrary orders issued by FTs then these tribunals, as well as the weekly attendance system, should be scrapped completely, he said while pointing out that documents in more than 90 per cent of cases are sufficient, having some shortcomings due to geo-political situation. It is not justified to harass 90 per cent of people for the shortcomings of documents in 1 to 5 per cent of cases, he added.

The rhetorical illegal citizen issue has been at the centre of politics in Assam since the 1980s. The state has disenfranchised 3.15 lakh people from electoral rolls starting from 1997 and more than 1.35 lakh people have been declared foreigners by the FTs.

Iftikar Hussain Siddique of Justice and Liberty Initiative, an Assam based human rights initiative, who works closely with the so-called illegal foreigners told TwoCircles.net, The living condition at detention centres and the expenses they had to bear during their cases have taken away almost all their resources. The sub-standard food at the detention centres has made them so weak that it is very hard for them to work as daily wagers anymore. Spending Rs 50 to 200 every week for the attendance is financial harassment against them.

The views of the activists resonate with the victims of citizenship entanglement as Mamiron said, After spending ten and a half years in detention centres and showing every document to prove my citizenship, I should have been declared an Indian citizen and should have been relieved from any other burden when I was released.
When to move on

Minority congressional leaders Kevin McCarthy and Mitch McConnell would prefer us to move on from the Jan. 6 insurrection. Who can blame them? Most criminals would prefer the law not investigate their crimes and just allow them to move on with no consequences. But, theres that pesky law-and-order thing Republicans often crow about.

Republicans want us to forget the insurrection because they cant afford to lose any more voters. Moral Republicans are fleeing the party in droves, and many more have their bags packed waiting to see if the party can be salvaged. Exposing the details of the insurrection will only speed their exodus.

This is, of course, why state GOP legislatures are trying to rig future elections. They cant win fair elections with so few left in their camp.
Sprint has been fined $50,000 after overcharging Omaha customers over a six-year period.

Tuesday, the Nebraska Public Service Commission dismissed a formal complaint and levied a fine against the wireless carrier.

Over six years, Sprint admitted to overcharging every customer, on every line, within Omaha city limits, Commissioner Crystal Rhoades said. The overcharge affected more than 77,000 Sprint customers and totaled more than $296,000.

By levying the $50,000 fine, Rhoades said in a prepared statement, the commission is "sending a message that carriers need to be more responsible to the consumer and that such blatant errors will not be tolerated."

The commission opened a formal complaint against Sprint in March 2019. The carrier was charging users in Omaha an enhanced wireless 911 surcharge of 50 cents per active wireless telephone number. The surcharge set annually by the commission has been at 45 cents since 2012.

The complaint also alleged that Sprint mislabeled the surcharge on billing statements, referring to it as "Omaha City Tax" rather than the enhanced wireless 911 surcharge.
Finally, a statement we can all agree on: Ice cream is a chilled delight thats celebrated across the globe.

Food historians dont have a definitive answer on when or where the first batch of ice cream was created, but some have surmised that something very similar to what we now know as ice cream was first served up in China during the Tang Dynasty (A.D. 618 to 906).

No matter where or when it was born, ice cream is a hugely popular dessert all over the world. It comes in many different forms and flavors, depending on local palates and available ingredients.

Here, we list several types of ice cream varieties that are enjoyed by different cultures, each with its own unique spin on the creamy confection:

1. Gelato

Italy churns out a lot of its beloved gelato  157 million gallons a year  for locals and the overseas market. Its a hugely popular tasty treat thats much like typical ice cream with ingredients like sugar, milk and cream. But properly made gelato uses a greater proportion of milk and has no egg yolks. As a result, you get a dense, thick and flavorful mouthful of bliss. Popular flavors include vanilla, chocolate, pistachio, hazelnut and stracciatella, vanilla ice cream studded with shaved chocolate. Gelato is such a national treasure in Italy that the government wants to crack down on producers who serve up gelato made with artificial ingredients and puffed up with air. Offenders may be fined more than 12,000 euros  the equivalent of nearly $15,000  if the bill passes.

2. Sorbetes

To survive hot muggy days in Manila, it helps to order a cone of sorbetes from a street hawker pulling a colorful hard cart. This frozen treat resembles American ice cream, though traditional sorbetes is made at times with milk from the carabao (a native water buffalo), coconut milk and cassava flour. It comes in several popular flavors such as ube (a purple yam with a mild, nutty flavor), mango, coconut, jackfruit and chocolate. Keso sorbetes is studded with cheese nuggets. You eat sorbetes in a wafer cone or enjoy it a la ice cream sandwich: inside a pandesal, a salty, sweet bread roll.

3. Kulfi

Kulfi, Indias homegrown ice cream, is a fragrant frozen treat that was probably first served during the Mongol Empire in the 16th century. To make authentic kulfi, cooks must simmer fresh milk until its thick and has lost half of its volume. This evaporated milk, which will have developed a rich, caramelized flavor, is then mixed with sugar and exotic flavorings such as cardamom, saffron and pistachio before being frozen. Typical kulfi flavors in India and Pakistan include rose, mango and lychee. New wave flavors of strawberry and avocado have also become popular. In the streets of India, you can easily snag kulfi from a street vendor at popular tourist spots and have it dressed with a coating of nuts and other toppings.

4. Dondurma

Stretchy, dense and resistant to melting, Turkeys dondurma is the countrys delicious answer to ice cream. Its a frozen treat made with milk, cream and sugar but Turks give it their own spin with the inclusion of mastic tree sap that imparts a piney flavor, and salep, powder ground from the tuber of a local purple orchid. Salep  as well as extensive kneading with a long metal stick  is what gives dondurma its distinctive texture and elastic qualities. Dondurma comes in vanilla, chocolate, cherry, mint and mulberry and is typically served in a cone. Its a common sight at dondurma stalls for workers to pull pranks with customers; they perform sleight-of-hand tricks, teasing customers by giving them a cone, only to take it away and then give it back again.

5. Helado

Italians started to immigrate to Argentina in the 18th century, but the flow of people reached its peak from the late 19th century to the second half of the 20th century, adding an Italian accent to the countrys chorus of immigrants and indigenous people. Italys gelato morphed into Argentinas beloved helado, a tasty frozen dessert  still dense but lighter than its ancestor. Helado is huge in Argentina, where it can be delivered to your home past midnight. Popular traditional flavors are dulce de leche, chocolate, Nutella, crema (vanilla) and sambayon, a custardy Italian cream with egg yolks, sugar and Marsala wine. Newer, trendy flavors include mojito and mascarpone.

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A 41-year-old Lincoln woman was arrested on suspicion of third-degree arson after police say she set a string of fires near Oak Lake Park on Monday night.

Lincoln Police Department Officer Erin Spilker said an officer saw several small grass fires near Sun Valley Boulevard and Charleston Drive around 9:30 p.m. Monday. Lincoln Fire and Rescue responded and put the fires out, Spilker said.

About 20 minutes later, Spilker said officers responded to nearby Oak Lake Park, where several fires had been set around the perimeter of the lake, starting near the southeast shore.

Spilker said officers found the woman, who police say had several lighters, standing near where the most recent fire had been started. She was arrested and taken to the Lancaster County Jail. Spilker said the fires caused around $100 in damage to grass in the area.

"If there had been any kind of wind at all, I mean, that could have been a completely different scenario," Lincoln Fire and Rescue Capt. Nancy Crist said.

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Trail, who was brought into the courtroom right in front of Loofes parents, George and Susie, in a wheelchair pushed by a deputy sheriff, addressed the family before the sentence was read, saying he wanted to clear up lies he had told about his victim.

I realize nothing I can say here will change in the least what I did to Sydney three and a half years ago, Trail read from a statement he prepared without involvement from his attorneys.

I wont say Im sorry, as that would be an insult to you after what I put you through, he added, and I wont ask for forgiveness as I dont believe there is such a thing.

Trail said he murdered Loofe after she freaked out and rejected his and Boswells attempt to recruit her into their crime and sex ring. He said he was willing to do anything to protect the couples lifestyle.

Like previous statements he has made to law enforcement, the court and to reporters  although Johnson noted he lacks credibility  Trail said Boswell was not in the room when Loofe was killed, and played only a small role in disposing of her body.

I have done some terrible things in my life, Trail said, but this is the only thing Ive ever done that I feel real regret about.
Lincoln Public Schools has finally put the question to rest.

What's in a name?

All three of the district's new schools finally have one after the Lincoln Board of Education Tuesday approved Standing Bear High as the name for the new high school in southeast Lincoln set to open in 2023.

Lincoln Northwest High and Robinson Elementary, names for the two other schools being built with money from a $290 million bond issue, were approved last month.

Standing Bear High joins Lincoln High as the city's only public high schools not based on a direction and it's the first to be named for a person.

That person is one of the most important figures in Nebraska's history. Chief Standing Bear, who led the Ponca Tribe during the turbulence of the 19th century, persuaded a federal judge in an Omaha courtroom in 1879 to recognize Natives as persons with the right to sue for their freedom.

Board member Annie Mumgaard said she's heard some concern from the community about the Standing Bear name, but said the educational opportunity it provides is "long overdue."

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Nick Georgi was sworn in last week as the countys new sheriff. That came after the former sheriff, Matthew Schultz, announced he was resigning just five months into the job.
LAS VEGAS (AP)  A mother from San Jose, California, was arrested Tuesday in Colorado less than 12 hours after she was identified by Las Vegas police as the suspect in the death of her 7-year-old son, whose body was found by hikers in Nevada more than 10 days ago.

An FBI task force arrested Samantha Moreno Rodriguez, 35, at a hotel in eastern Denver not far from Interstate 70, Las Vegas police Lt. Ray Spencer said. Rodriguez was with a man when she was found, but Spencer said police do not believe he had any involvement whatsoever in this case.

We are all relieved that we were able to get her into custody so quickly, said Spencer, the homicide lieutenant who had made nearly daily pleas for public help to identify the boy, Liam Husted, since his body was found May 28 outside Las Vegas.

Spencer would not say during a news conference how Liam died, whether a weapon was involved or describe a motive for the slaying. He referred to a coroners investigation and toxicology tests, which can take weeks to complete.

The homicide lieutenant said it was clear the boy was killed in the remote Mountain Springs area where he was found.
ST. LOUIS  Ellie Kemper, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt TV star and St. Louis native, released a statement Monday apologizing for participating in a debutante ball held by the Veiled Prophet Organization in 1999.

I want to apologize to the people Ive disappointed, and promise that moving forward I will listen, continue to educate myself, and use my privilege in support of the better society I think were capable of becoming, Kemper, 41, said on Instagram.

Twitter last week turned its outrage to Kemper after it appears someone arbitrarily tweeted about a 2014 article in The Atlantic which noted that Kemper was named Queen of Love and Beauty at the Veiled Prophet Ball when she was 19. Kemper graduated from John Burroughs School and was a Princeton University student when she was crowned.

Online critics brought up the racial and class conflict surrounding the Veiled Prophet Ball and some called Kemper a KKK princess.

There are no known ties between the Veiled Prophet and the Ku Klux Klan.
He said the plan allows for predictability for school districts so they can provide the programming to the best of our abilities that allows for the utmost opportunities for all of our children.

The House plan also has the backing of both major Ohio teachers unions, the Ohio Education Association and the Ohio Federation of Teacher, who on Wednesday called on Senate lawmakers to adopt the plan's elements.

The Senate's school-funding proposal would also require that the state, not individual districts, pay charter schools directly for the first time. In addition, the legislation allows public school districts to operate an online school for students, including providing free access to the internet and a computer.

That measure was an outcome of districts developing online systems during the coronavirus pandemic and wanting to continue that option, said Senate Finance Chairman Matt Dolan.

The Senate version of the budget also:

Provides an across-the-board personal income tax cut of 5%.
Hong Kong: Vaccine incentives in place

Secretary for Food & Health Prof Sophia Chan said the Government has rolled out the COVID-19 Vaccination Programme thematic website as well as various measures to encourage people to get vaccinated.

Responding to lawmaker Yung Hoi-yans questions at the Legislative Council today, Prof Chan said the Government has followed the principles of openness, transparency, accuracy and timeliness and adopted a science-based approach to provide the latest information on COVID-19 vaccines through different channels.

The website offers a one-stop destination to allow the public to learn about the vaccines. The number of doses given, remaining days of operation and remaining quotas of community vaccination centres are also available.

Meanwhile, the Department of Health has produced a large number of materials to promote early vaccination. Family doctors are invited to participate in informative programmes and answer enquiries so members of the public feel at ease about getting vaccinated.

To encourage citizens, the Government and different sectors of the community have implemented a number of measures. Government employees will be entitled to a day of vaccination leave or be allowed to apply for one day of authorised absence for each COVID-19 jab received. Frontline government employees who have received the first dose can be exempted from regular testing.

Based on the vaccine bubble concept, the Government will further adjust social distancing measures such as relaxing the maximum number of people allowed at premises and group gatherings, along with the mask-wearing requirement. The quarantine period for fully vaccinated people arriving in Hong Kong will also be shortened.

The Education Bureau has issued letters to encourage schools to arrange vaccination leave for teachers and staff for getting their jabs. When considering the resumption of full-day classes and other anti-epidemic measures, the Government will consider the vaccination rate in each school and decide whether or not to allow more learning time and activities to resume.

As the commercial sector and many organisations are considering launching lucky draws to encourage vaccination, the Government will speed up the processing of licence applications and assist in conducting verifications.

Prof Chan noted a COVID-19 case with an unknown source of infection involving the highly transmissible mutant strain was found in Hong Kong last week, meaning the fifth wave of the epidemic could strike at any time. She urged people to get vaccinated early and build a protective barrier without delay.

This story has been published on: 2021-06-09. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
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One year ago: Hundreds of mourners packed a Houston church for the funeral of George Floyd, a Black man whose death during a Minneapolis arrest inspired a worldwide reckoning over racial injustice. In a primary election plagued by hours-long lines, voting machine malfunctions and provisional ballot shortages, Georgia Democrats chose Jon Ossoff to face Republican Sen. David Perdue in November. (Perdue finished 88,000 votes ahead of Ossoff in November, forcing a January runoff that was won by Ossoff.) The Senate unanimously confirmed Gen. Charles Brown Jr. as chief of staff of the U.S. Air Force, making him the first Black officer to lead one of the nations military services. The Paramount Network said it was dropping the long-running reality series Cops after 33 seasons on the air.
La Vista police detectives searching for 12-year old Ryan Larsen want to speak with a woman shown in photos holding a cellphone with a photo of the boy.

The woman is not a suspect in the case but may have information, La Vista police said on Twitter.

People who recognize the woman are asked to call La Vista police at 402-593-6407.

Tuesday marked Ryans 12th birthday and the 22nd day since his disappearance.

Few clues have surfaced as to what happened to the boy, who is autistic, after he slipped out of La Vista West Elementary about noon May 17.

A surveillance video captured by La Vista Keno, which is across the street from the apartments where Ryan lives, places him in the parking lot of the business about an hour and a half after he left school. Shortly thereafter, an eyewitness said they saw Ryan right outside his apartment near 84th and Harrison streets.

The video and the single eyewitness are the only traces of the boy despite a massive search effort that has included hundreds of civilian volunteers and law enforcement and search and rescue teams from several metro area departments, as well as assistance from the FBI.

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No charges will be filed against a 19-year-old Omaha man who said he shot his father because the father had attacked the 19-year-old's mother.

Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine said Wednesday that after reviewing the evidence, he determined that Malik T. Williams was justified in firing shots Sunday morning outside his family home.

His father, 46-year-old Lonnie C. Williams, was shot in the neck and groin, according to Omaha police reports.

Kleine said Malik Williams was in fear for his life and the shooting would be justified under the state law of self-defense.

Malik Williams called 911 after the shooting, which occurred about 12:01 a.m. Sunday outside a home near 96th and L Streets. He told a dispatcher that "he had shot his father after his father attacked his mother," according to a police report.

Malik Williams was standing in the street outside the home, waving police officers down, reports said. Lonnie Williams was lying on the front porch with two gunshot wounds.

Both Lonnie and Malik Williams lived in the home, the police report said.
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The language approved by the Board of Trustees did not include a provision requiring AltEn allow a Mead official onto the property, however.

Trustee Jason Lee said Mead still has yet to see a remediation plan from AltEn, and wanted to avoid giving residents of the village the impression that the company would be allowed to restart after the pesticide contamination was dealt with.

Bill Thorson, the chair of the village board, said while state environmental regulators "dropped the ball" in addressing concerns about AltEn raised by Mead for years, said he believed "the right people are on the job."

"We do have to have a little trust," he said.

Stephen Mossman, an attorney representing AltEn, said after the meeting the board's decision to revoke the permit with exceptions rather than suspend the permit with conditions  what the company had pushed the planning commission to adopt  was "a distinction without a difference."

Mossman added that AltEn was pleased the board chose not to add any further conditions to the permit, and indicated the company may soon announce further plans for cleanup.

At the same time, AltEn has started sending signals that it no longer plans to operate an ethanol plant in Saunders County.
U.S. Rep. Adrian Smith has split from his fellow House members from Nebraska in at least two high-profile, politically charged moments this year. But its not because he thinks President Joe Biden didnt win the presidency, or because he condones the mob that stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6.

In a wide-ranging interview Tuesday, Smith offered insight into those votes and detailed priorities for him and the constituents of his sprawling, largely rural 3rd Congressional District.

The Gering congressman was among Republicans who objected to Electoral College votes from two states in January. The votes on objections came hours after a violent mob of supporters of then-President Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol, hoping to overturn the election of Biden.

Trump and other Republicans claimed, without evidence, that there was fraud in the 2020 election.

I was never personally threatened, Smith said of his experience Jan. 6. But he called seeing footage of people sitting in the vice presidents chair in the Senate very unsettling.

Those people were so extreme, he said, that he didnt see them as relevant.
Get off of Interstate 80. Thats the advice Patrice McCabe has for RV travelers making their way through Nebraska.

McCabe hopes to show RV travelers the treasures of Nebraska they cant see from the interstate in the pilot episode of a new Discovery Channel series titled "RV There Yet?"

McCabe and her husband, Kevin McCabe, along with the rest of the shows cast, are taking an RV trip across the country to film the first season of the show, which is set to air in January. The shows crew traveled to state parks across Nebraska at the beginning of June for the shows first episode.

The McCabes own television production company McCabe Productions. Patrice McCabe is originally from Nebraska and even though she and her husband now live in Florida, she still has a lot of love for her home state and all it has to offer.

The traffic that goes through Nebraska on I-80, they never get off and they think that what they see from I-80 is Nebraska," she said. We really want to show people that, get off the major interstates ... get off and find these little hidden treasures. You don't have to just pass through, because there's so much more to Nebraska.
The Vatican submitted to the Moneyval evaluation process after it signed onto the 2009 EU Monetary Convention and in a bid to shed its image as a financially shady tax haven whose bank has long been embroiled in scandal.

After its first 2012 on-site evaluation, the Vatican received passing grades but subsequent progress reports have repeatedly faulted Vatican prosecutors for failing to actually bring charges in many cases of suspicious transactions.

Wednesdays Moneyval report repeated that complaint, saying both the prosecutors office and the office of the Vaticans financial intelligence unit were too short-staffed to handle the workload. It also said the personnel the Vatican did have were inexperienced in investigating and prosecuting complicated financial transactions and crimes.

While some delays were due to slow responses from other countries, Moneyval faulted prosecutors for sitting on cases, waiting for convictions of suspects elsewhere and said they must set targets to bring cases to trial.

The evaluators also faulted the Vaticans reliance on part-time prosecutors who also practice law in Italy, warning that they might have conflicts of interest and recommending that they be dedicated full-time to Vatican cases.
RACINE  A Racine woman has been charged with her 3rd OWI after reportedly telling officers she shouldnt be driving.

Kristen M. Arneson, 24, of the 4000 block of North Main Street, has been charged with felony counts of operating a motor vehicle while under the influence, third offense, failure to install ignition interlock device and operation of a motor vehicle while revoked and five misdemeanor counts of bail jumping.

According to a criminal complaint:

On Saturday, a deputy was on patrol on Interstate 94 near mile marker 328 when a witness called to report a reckless driver in a Toyota who was swerving and traveling below the speed limit.

The deputy located the car and learned the driver, Arneson, had a revoked license due to a prior OWI. The car deviated from its lane and went into the grassy median. The deputy made contact with Arneson who confirmed she had a revoked license and that she had an ignition interlock device requirement but had not installed it. She began crying and stated she shouldnt be driving. She was placed under arrest for an OWI.
In Racine County as of Wednesday, according to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, 43% of white residents have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose, nearly double the rate of 22.8% for African Americans and considerably higher than the rate of 29% of Hispanic residents.

Having a clinic at Juneteenth is a resource for our community, Jones said, and I encourage everyone to use this opportunity to get vaccinated.

Ascension has been part of expanding efforts to reach more people to get vaccinated who havent gone to do it themselves. The nonprofit Catholic health system has hosted vaccine clinics at places like Health Care Network Inc., 500 Wisconsin Ave., a nonprofit clinic that primarily serves Racines uninsured population with a focus on those who speak English as a second language and so have been less targeted by traditional vaccination efforts.

Other input

The Racine-Kenosha National Black Nurses Association will be at the Juneteenth Celebration to educate the community about vaccine safety, how it has saved lives and to dispel myths and information about the vaccine, a release said.
After initially vowing to cooperate on implementing anti-racism reforms, Burlington school officials are now having second thoughts. They are considering challenging the state's authority to order them to include one of the district's leading critics in the process and also questioning whether they will actually follow the state order to hire a director of student equity.

"This is a time for us as a board to take a stand and say no to DPI," Burlington School Board Member Taylor Wishau said during a meeting Monday. "They're not the authority for us down here." But School Board President Peter Turke quickly corrected Wishau, saying: "I'm pretty confident that DPI does have authority to govern school districts."
She described Martin as someone who tries to start fights and said that he is often armed with a firearm because he doesnt fight fair.

A short time later, Martin called the woman back and told her to come outside. She handed the phone to her boyfriend, who Martin also told to come outside.

According to the complaint, Martin did not come alone. He came with four people  including his mother, April Martin, then 52 years old. According to the statements of multiple witnesses, April Martin said you hit my grandson and proceeded to attack the victim.

The victim backed away and reportedly said, Im not that kind of person. I dont hit females. He also reportedly said to Martin: Come get your mom.

Reportedly, Martin moved his mother aside and shot the victim in the groin, an account reportedly verified by witnesses.

The victim tried to run away. Martin reportedly shot at him two more times before attempting to shoot a witness who came to the meeting with Martins ex and her new boyfriend.

Martin was later taken into custody.

April Martin was charged in the incident and pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct.

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NEW YORK (AP)  GameStop, the video-game retailer whose manic stock movements captivated Wall Street this year, said Wednesday that its brought on a pair of Amazon veterans as its new chief executive and chief financial officer to aid in its much anticipated digital turnaround.

Matt Furlong, who most recently oversaw Amazons Australia business and spent nine years with the company, will start as CEO on June 21. GameStop also said that Mike Recupero, who most recently was CFO of Amazon's North American consumer business, will begin as chief financial officer on July 12.

GameStops stock has been on a wild rocket ride, soaring more than 1,500% this year as waves of smaller-pocketed investors piled in on hopes that it can transform itself into an e-commerce powerhouse after sales at its brick-and-mortar stores faltered. GameStop said Wednesday that the Securities and Exchange Commission's staff is conducting an investigation into the trading activity in its stock and shares of other companies. GameStop said it doesn't expect the inquiry to hurt it.

Investors have pinned much of their hope on Ryan Cohen, a major investor who co-founded Chewy, the online seller of pet supplies.
Cox asserted the shooting was in self-defense, and he was never charged. Cox later died of an apparent blood clot in his lung.

Shortly after Charles Vallows death, Lori Daybell  then still Lori Vallow  and her children moved to Idaho, where Chad Daybell lived. He ran a small publishing company, releasing doomsday-focused fiction books loosely based on the theology of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He also recorded podcasts about preparing for the apocalypse, and friends said he claimed to be able to receive visions from beyond the veil.

At the time, Chad Daybell was married to Tammy Daybell, a fit 49-year-old school librarian who helped him run the publishing company. She died in October of 2019. Her obituary said she died in her sleep of natural causes.

Authorities grew suspicious when Chad Daybell remarried just two weeks later, and they had Tammy Daybells body exhumed in Utah in December. The results of that autopsy have not been released.

Police began searching for Tylee and JJ in November after relatives raised concerns.

Police say the Daybells lied to investigators about their whereabouts before quietly leaving Idaho. They were found in Hawaii months later, without the children. The children's bodies were eventually found buried in a pet cemetery on Chad Daybell's eastern Idaho property.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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All those things are part and parcel of everyday life for Wisconsinites and I dont see that being impacted by Washington, D.C., and whos in power there, Evers said. I feel confident going forward. Weve had some good successes and weve got a record to run on, but at the end of the day people want action in the areas that impact their lives directly on a daily basis.

It also remains to be seen whether Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes will also seek re-election or enter the already crowded Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Ron Johnson, R-Oshkosh.

Barnes did not indicate his plans during his convention speech Saturday.

Id love to have him remain with me. Hes done a great job. Hes been a real champion for climate change, which was just great for him to take that on. But I respect him as a human being to make the decision that works best for him, Evers said.
MADISON, Wis.  A Wisconsin state lawmaker compared a nonprofit children's museum's mask policy to the Nazi Party in a social media post that generated outrage and calls for an apology.

Republican state Rep. Shae Sortwell shared a Facebook post on Friday by the Central Wisconsin Children's Museum in Stevens Point detailing its mask policy. The museum said masks would be optional for those who show their vaccination cards and masks would be mandatory for everyone else over age 5.

The Gestapo wants to see your papers, please," Sortwell posted on Facebook, a reference to the feared secret police of Nazi Germany.

The story was first reported Tuesday by Wisconsin Public Radio.

Sortwell did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday.

Sortwell was first elected to the Legislature in 2019 and has been an outspoken opponent of mask or coronavirus vaccine mandates. His legislative district does not include Stevens Point, where the children's museum is located.
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1. Yes. Its important to address the problem before it gets worse. A bond is needed.

2. Yes. Its fine, as long as the bond isnt too large. The city doesnt need more debt.

3. No. A bond issue would just put the problem back on the taxpayers. Not acceptable.

4. No. Certificates of obligation, targeting the worst roads, would be a better choice.

5. Unsure. Its hard to say without knowing the details of what a bond would entail.

Vote

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KEARNEY  Heart attack victims will have an increased chance of survival in Kearney, according to a press release from the city of Kearney.

Thanks to a multimillion dollar grant, the next generation of automated external defibrillators will be placed in every Kearney Police Department cruiser, and officers will be trained to use the devices to save lives.

The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust has awarded a grant of $6.4 million to equip every law enforcement agency and Nebraska Game and Parks facilities with the new AEDs, according to a city of Kearney press release. AEDs previously used by some agencies will be relocated throughout communities to increase the number of AEDs accessible to the public.

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The American Heart Association has charted a dramatically higher survival rate for cardiac patients shocked by law enforcement, who generally are first on the scene of heart attack situations, the city said.

Chief Bryan Waugh said KPD has equipped officers with AEDs for several years.

These new AEDs will be used by our uniform patrol staff to provide immediate lifesaving technology for members of our community when time is critical to recovery, enhancing our capabilities during emergency calls involving a person in cardiac arrest, Waugh said.
KEARNEY  Carlos Ortega and his family didnt come to the United States to sell drugs.

They arent here to steal jobs from hardworking Americans or to leech off the federal benefits system.

We came here so we can be safe and build a better future, said Ortega, who was 9 years old when his family left their home in Chihuahua, Mexico.

Were just trying to live. Thats all were trying to do.

Ortega is one of 20 people whose stories are featured in Coming to the Plains, an oral history project that examines immigration through the eyes of Latin Americans who settled in central Nebraska.

Inspired by the states complicated relationship with immigration, University of Nebraska at Kearney faculty members Michelle Warren, Laurinda Weisse and Jacob Rosdail launched the project in 2017 as a way to share the lived experiences of these community members and spread empathy by attaching human faces to the immigration debate.

In a broad sense, were hoping this project will help people reconsider some of the preconceived notions they might have regarding immigration or immigrants, said Weisse, an associate professor who serves as the university archivist and digital repository manager.
The Wisconsin Bankers Association board of directors recently appointed Dan Ravenscroft, president and CEO of Royal Bank, to serve a three-year term on the board.

The Wisconsin Bankers Association is the states largest financial industry trade association, representing more than 200 commercial banks and savings institutions, their branches, and over 21,000 employees.

It is a true honor to join this distinguished group of thought leaders in the community banking industry, said Ravenscroft. I look forward to working with the WBA Board of Directors to continue their deep-seated tradition of excellence and help propel the industry into the future.

Since joining Royal Bank in 1996, Ravenscroft has served as an account representative, a loan officer, branch manager and regional vice president. In 2018, he was named Royal Banks president and CEO and serves on the banks advisory boards and the Royal Bank board of directors. He is a graduate of the Graduate School of Banking at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and earned his finance degree from UW-Eau Claire.

Dans leadership and commitment will be an asset to our board and Wisconsins banking industry, said Rose Oswald Poels, WBA president and CEO.

Serving as officers on the WBA board are chair Ken Thompson, president and CEO of Capitol Bank, Madison; chair-elect Dan Peterson, president and CEO of The Stephenson National Bank & Trust, Marinette; vice-chair Donna Hoppenjan, president and CEO of Mound City Bank, Platteville; and past chair Paul Kohler, president and CEO of Charter Bank, Eau Claire.

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The Vernon County Historical Societys annual Cemetery Walk will be held this year on Sunday, June 13, at the Viroqua Cemetery, beginning at 2 p.m. at the gate. Tours will be offered on the hour at 2, 3, and 4 p.m., with the event concluding at 5 p.m. Costumed actors from the Viroqua Community Theatre will portray people who lived here a century or more ago. Suggested donation is $5, with proceeds going to the Vernon County Historical Society and the Viroqua Community Theatre.

The theme of this years walk is Hidden Stories of Viroquas Diversity." That diversity includes strong female characters whose accomplishments have perhaps been forgotten over the years. Elizabeth Rice and Lillian Proctor were two women active in the Viroqua community long ago, and both will be featured in this years Cemetery Walk.

Elizabeth Chapman Slade Rice, usually known as Lizzie Rice, was a businesswoman. She operated a meat market in Viroqua with her first husband in the 1860s and 1870s, and opened a restaurant on Main Street when he died in the 1880s. In the 1890s, she had her own building constructed on Main Street, the Rice building, where she operated her restaurant, ice cream parlor, and boarding house.
Since the first case of COVID-19 was found in La Crosse County 15 months ago, the area jail has seen zero cases of it amongst inmates, officials said.

I cant say enough about everything that was done during COVID, La Crosse County Sheriff Jeff Wolf told the county Judiciary & Law Committee Tuesday afternoon.

Protocols were immediately implemented in the jail at the start of the pandemic, with Wolf saying that it was a quick process to shut down, and will be a slow one to bring it back: a lot of plans were put in place, some that were used and others that never needed to be.

One of the key aspects of protecting the jail population during the pandemic was decreasing it, officials said. Partners worked to release low-level offenders, people on small bonds and non dangerous offenders in order to reduce crowding, and more signature bonds were handed out, bringing the population from 160 to 60 last March.

The amount of movement within the jail was also limited, and volunteers for schooling or recreation, as well as ministry, social workers and visitors were reduced to only the essentials.

All inmates were forced to quarantine for 14 days in a COVID block of the jail as well.
A criminal complaint has been filed in Monroe County Circuit Court against a 49-year-old Warrens man after he allegedly fired a weapon toward another person.

Jason E. Abbott faces a felony count of second-degree recklessly endangering safety and misdemeanor counts of criminal trespass to a dwelling, operating a firearm while intoxicated, endangering safety by use of a dangerous weapon, discharging a weapon within 100 feet of a building and disorderly conduct.

According to a police report from the Monroe County Sheriffs Office, officers responded May 21 to a report of a shot fired at a Hwy. 12 residence in the town of Grant. A man told police that an agitated and intoxicated Abbott showed up at the residence and waved a handgun. A woman at the residence told police that Abbott and the man were yelling at each other and that Abbott had threatened to shoot the mans truck.

The man said he was concerned for his safety and took off running into the woods. He said he was 10 feet into the woods when he heard a shot fired. He said Abbott then got into his truck and headed north on Hwy. 12.

Police found a hole in the dirt with a .45 caliber bullet buried 6-10 inches deep and determined the bullet traveled in the same direction the man fled. A shell casing was found nearby a short time later.
The lyrics and backdrop of In the Heights are especially meaningful to the Bushwick native Ramos, whose star-making performance brings a streetwise New York swagger and big-smiling charisma to the film.

The story of all these characters feels so familiar to my life and to the people that are in my life who Ive seen in my own community growing up in Bushwick in New York and Brooklyn, says Ramos. There are shots of the food that I grew up eating, the music that I grew up listening to. The piragua guy, I know that guy.

A sense of responsibility weighed on Ramos during the filming in Washington Heights. Before shooting certain scenes that felt particularly powerful, Ramos would shout to the crew: For the culture!  a ritual he learned from Spike Lee while acting in his Shes Gotta Have It.

It meant that we are all here, in this moment, doing this film and telling this story for something that is way bigger than any us," says Ramos. This aint about us, this movie. Its about the people that came before us and the people that came after us. This is for everybody who had to sacrifice, who had to break doors open.
But the John Lewis Act would have no impact. The Justice Department would only be required to approve new laws, not ones that passed before the bill was approved. What's more, the bill's preclearance provision would only affect about a dozen states and some additional counties or cities that meet its standard. Manchin has talked about expanding preclearance nationwide, but that could run into problems with the Supreme Court.

Additionally, future laws could only be blocked under the bill's new legal formula if they were deemed to be racially discriminatory by making it harder for specific racial groups to vote. Laws that present new hurdles for other groups  such as no longer accepting student IDs as voting identification, as Montana as done  could still be allowed.

Most importantly, neither bill would stop a trend of Republicans making it easier for partisan political officials to interfere in elections. In Georgia, for example, the GOP-controlled state legislature now will appoint most members of a board that can replace local election officials. In Texas, Republicans are considering legislation that would make it easier for a judge to overturn an election.

WHAT ARE THE CHANCES OF EITHER BILL PASSING?
WASHINGTON (AP)  The Senate overwhelmingly approved a bill Tuesday that aims to boost U.S. semiconductor production and the development of artificial intelligence and other technology in the face of growing international competition, most notably from China.

The 68-32 vote for the bill demonstrates how confronting China economically is an issue that unites both parties in Congress. Thats a rarity in an era of division as pressure grows on Democrats to change Senate rules to push past Republican opposition and gridlock.

The centerpiece of the bill is a $50 billion emergency allotment to the Commerce Department to stand up semiconductor development and manufacturing through research and incentive programs previously authorized by Congress. The bills overall cost would increase spending by about $250 billion with most of the spending occurring in the first five years.

Supporters described it as the biggest investment in scientific research that the country has seen in decades. It comes as the nations share of semiconductor manufacturing globally has steadily eroded from 37% in 1990 to about 12% now, and as a chip shortage has exposed vulnerabilities in the U.S. supply chain.
Initially, it was to wait on everyone else to get it and not take a vaccine, she said, explaining why she hasnt been vaccinated. But now that its available, theres really not a reason I havent gotten it, other than I just havent gotten it.

Crane, 20, said shes seen classmates who were eager to get the vaccine right away  there was a trend when the vaccine first came out of posting vaccination cards on social media sites like Instagram. But now that the vaccine has been available for a few months, Crane said she sees fewer young people talking about it.

Everythings pretty much back to normal now, she said.

Fauci on Tuesday emphasized that increased vaccination was essential to stamping out potentially dangerous variants, including the so-called Delta variant first identified in India that is now the dominant strain in the United Kingdom and is growing in the U.S. Vaccines have proven less effective against that variant when people are not fully immunized, and evidence points to it being more transmissible and more deadly.
The Republican-controlled state Legislature and a former state lawmaker are suing Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul and Gov. Tony Evers administration, alleging the Department of Justice is failing to follow rules for handling settlements as required by laws Republicans passed in late 2018.

Additionally, Kaul has filed a suit of his own in Dane County Circuit Court against the Republican Legislature involving the handling of settlements. Both cases represent a continuation of litigation both parties brought directly to the Wisconsin Supreme Court but that the court declined to take up.

The Legislature and Adam Jarchow, a former state representative from Balsam Lake, filed suit in Polk County Circuit Court last week against Kaul and Department of Administration Secretary Joel Brennan, alleging the two had violated provisions of state law requiring DOJ to deposit all settlement funds into the states general fund as well as get approval from the states budget committee before entering into settlement agreements.
A man remains in the hospital with a self-inflicted gunshot wound after he allegedly attacked three people with an axe and killed one of them during a weekend homicide in the town of Sparta, the Monroe County Sheriffs Office said Tuesday.

The man was arrested Sunday for the homicide. The Monroe County Sheriffs Office has not released his name, but said he is the main suspect in the attack.

Bernard Waite, 87, who was related to the suspect, died at the scene, the Sheriffs Office said.

A woman who was also attacked was treated for her injuries and released. A third victim remains in the hospital. The Sheriffs Office did not release their identities.

Law enforcement responded to a report of a disturbance with three victims injured around 11:40 a.m. Sunday at a home in the town of Sparta, about two hours northwest of Madison.

Officers arrived to find the suspect outside with a rifle and the gunshot wound, the Sheriffs Office said. He was arrested and taken to the hospital.

Waite was found dead inside the home. The other two victims were taken to the hospital.

The Sheriffs Office did not release any further information about the homicide.
As soon as workers left the area on Tuesday, activists moved back in, again blocking traffic with parked cars, trash cans, traffic signs and other items in a repeat of last Thursday's scene.

The tribute at the square sprang up organically in the days after Floyds death. As people gathered to express their grief and anger, community members set up makeshift barricades to block traffic, which the city eventually replaced with concrete ones.

Mayor Jacob Frey and other city leaders pledged to reopen the intersection, but activist leaders have said they won't step aside unless the city meets their 24 demands. Among them: recall the county prosecutor, fire the head of the states criminal investigative agency, and spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on programs to create jobs, combat racism and support affordable housing.

City officials didn't immediately respond to an email Tuesday seeking comment on the activists closing down the intersection again.
PARK RAPIDS, Minn. (AP)  Protesters fighting a Canadian-based companys push to replace an aging oil pipeline across northern Minnesota maintained a blockade at a pump station Tuesday as part of a summer drive to stop the project before it can go into service.

Two protesters spent the night locked down in a boat blocking the entrance to one construction site, while two others locked themselves down underneath, tucked in behind duffel bags, beach chairs, water bottles and clothing. A Hubbard County sheriff's deputy and a handful of private security guards stood by in the morning, but other law enforcement officers arrived as authorities went to work cutting the protesters free.

Deputies freed the two women in the boat early Tuesday afternoon and led them away. They worked into the afternoon to cut through the device that two men used to make it difficult to extract them from the trailer under the boat, which bore the name Good Trouble" on its stern, a quote from the late civil rights leader and U.S. Rep. John Lewis, who was known for encouraging people to get in good trouble in a worthy cause.
With COVID-19 vaccinations slowing and Wisconsin unlikely to meet President Joe Bidens goal of having 70% of adults get at least one dose by the Fourth of July, state officials on Tuesday said theyre relaunching a multimedia campaign to encourage people to roll up their sleeves.

The You Stop the Spread campaign, which urged mask-wearing and social distancing in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, has more recently focused on immunization. More ads will now appear on television, radio, billboards, transit, newspapers and social media platforms.

We have more people, perhaps than other states, who are still in that questioning and wondering about vaccine (stage), said Julie Willems Van Dijk, deputy secretary of the state Department of Health Services. The lower our vaccination rate is, the more people are vulnerable to a preventable disease.
An effort by Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health employees to roll back a mandate requiring them to get a COVID-19 vaccine is getting support from a petition drive.

Its unclear how much support the petition, circulated online and in person, has garnered.

Grassroots organizers behind this effort  Pennsylvania Informed Consent Advocates and Free PA  did not respond to phone calls and emails seeking comment. Outreach from these groups has primarily been through Facebook.

Eric Winter, an attorney advising LGH employees, said he understood thousands had signed the petition.

Were of the belief that individuals should be able to choose for themselves whether or not to get the vaccine, not their employer, Winter, a Berks County attorney, told LNP | LancasterOnline.

LGH defended its policy Tuesday.

This vaccination policy  which requires employees to be fully vaccinated by Sept. 1  is an important way to protect our patients, staff, and the communities we serve, John Lines, a hospital spokesman, said in an email. To address the remaining employees with questions, we will continue offering information about vaccine safety and efficacy and this policy, as well as the opportunity to apply for religious and medical exemptions.

Lines declined to respond to any LNP | LancasterOnline questions.

Camping chairs to protest

The organizing effort emerged after LGH CEO John J. Herman announced last month that starting Sept. 1 employees will be required to be vaccinated for COVID-19.

A week later, organizers held an event in the ballroom at the Heritage Hotel in Lancaster, requesting via Facebook that attendees bring camping chairs in anticipation it would draw more than 200 people. Attendees dutifully complied and the line inside snaked through the hotel.

Organizers instructed attendees not to speak to the media.

Under the new hospital policy, employees can seek a medical or religious exemption, similar to the health systems flu vaccine policy. But commenters on the groups Facebook pages have complained the exemptions require annual renewal.

While hospitals require the flu vaccine, most have not mandated a COVID-19 vaccine. COVID-19 vaccines have been administered under emergency FDA approval. (Pfizer and BioNTech are seeking the full approval for its COVID-19 vaccine from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.)

Few employers are taking LGHs tack.

A February survey by one of the largest management law firms in the U.S. found fewer than 10% of the more than 700 employers surveyed were considering a COVID-19 vaccine requirement for employees.

UPMC and WellSpan Health do not have plans to require staff vaccinations, hospital officials said Tuesday.

The final say

Roughly two-thirds of LGH staff are vaccinated.

Its unclear how many hospital employees will refuse to be vaccinated nor how many have requested an exemption.

The holdouts, Herman has said, are largely those between 20 and 40 year of age. Among the concerns are a perceived rush-to-market, fertility anxieties and long-term side effects.

Winter, who represented restaurateurs sued by the Pennsylvania Department of Health for defying the Wolf administrations holiday ban on indoor dining, said organizers will submit its petition to management next week.

On Tuesday, shoppers who parked near Cest La Vie and the Central Market in Lancaster, were greeted by a woman gathering petition signatures. The woman, who declined to provide her name, said she had collected a couple pages of signatures filled out by passersby.

Organizers are also collecting online signatures.

With businesses grappling with whether to mandate employee vaccination, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) said on May 28 that U.S. companies could, so long as employers comply with the reasonable accommodation provisions in the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Winter was quick to point out that the EEOC guidance is just that, guidance.

They do not get the final say in the matter, Winter said.

The EEOC guidance could soon be tested in court.

Employees in New Mexico, California and  most recently  Texas have filed lawsuits over COVID-19 vaccine requirements.

In Texas, more than 100 employees at Houston Methodist Hospital filed a suit against their employer for a vaccine mandate that went into effect on June 7. Several dozen employees staged a walked out on Monday, according to media reports.

Some governors  Floridas among them  have banned certain vaccine requirements.

Pennsylvania lawmakers havent done so yet, although Republican state Sen. Doug Mastriano, who represents Adams, Franklin and York counties, introduced a bill in March that would prohibit mandatory vaccination. Mastriano has said former President Donald Trump has asked him to run for Pennsylvania governor and Mastriano is among a group of Republican lawmakers who have called for an audit of Pennsylvanias presidential election results.

LNP | LancasterOnline Intern Ashley Stalnecker contributed to this report.
An Adamstown man who was killed after crashing in West Cocalico Township early Sunday morning has been identified by Lancaster County Coroner Dr. Stephen Diamantoni.

Tyler Leisey lost control of the Chevrolet Silveradro he was driving as it was negotiating a sharp left turn at Route 897 and Sportsman Road and struck a utility pole as it skidded off the road at around 1:15 a.m., Ephrata police said in a news release. The collision caused the truck to flip onto its side.

First responders arrived to find Leisey, the vehicles only occupant, unresponsive, police said. Leisey later died at the scene.

An autopsy Monday morning concluded that Leisey died as a result of multiple traumatic injuries, Diamantoni said.

The road was shut down for several hours as police investigated the scene and Denver and Schoeneck firefighters freed Leisey from the wreckage, according to the news release.
Elizabethtown Area High Schools Class of 2021 made it through an entire pandemic together. But just when they thought they might be in the clear, there was one more storm to weather  at their commencement ceremony Tuesday evening.

After the 304 seniors took their seats in White Family Dental Stadium, the dark clouds they had been dodging all night finally let loose. Families and friends in the crowd were quick to put up umbrellas and huddle under towels. One guest even used an extra chair to shield himself from the downpour.

As Principal Maura Hobson stressed to the class: Life rarely goes according to plan, hence the rain.

Plans will change, she said. You will fail. And thats OK because failure forces you to see yourself as you really are, rather than as what you think you should be. It forces you to make decisions that you never would have otherwise, but might just lead to something extraordinary.

Despite constantly changing plans in an unprecedented year, salutatorian Marcial Limas said the class came to school each day to learn. But their work doesnt end there, he said. Limas encouraged his classmates to tackle the issues of their generation such as climate change, systematic inequities and racism.

We must become competent citizens and emerge into the nation and world as the next generation, he said. We must contribute to society.  The journey to changing lives is by acquiring knowledge and then utilizing this knowledge. The utilization by our generation will be dominated by righting many wrongs  by doing what is right simply because it is right.

And, according to valedictorian Hannah Kline, the class has exactly what it takes.

When I think of the EAHS Class of 2021, I think: strength, courage, determination, she said. I think of those fearlessly claiming the stage to do stand-up comedy, those dominating the fields to compete in sports, those quietly entering the classrooms to learn.

For senior speaker Ana Santiago, it was the teachers who pushed her to believe she can do almost anything. Santiago never got the lead in a school musical, causing her to lose confidence in her ability, but a few kind words from a teacher convinced her otherwise.

Whether or not you had moments like these, the idea that Im attempting to express to you is that no matter the amount of time that it takes for us to get there, we will all be making a difference one day, she said. Who knows? Maybe the future president of the United States or a CEO of a major corporation is sitting among us right now.
In the early morning hours of summer 1952, three Neffsville boys spotted what they believed to be a UFO.

Nearly 70 years later, the mystery of what exactly it was that they saw remains unresolved.

The Lancaster New Era noted that the three boys, Gordon James, Bill Ford and Tom Groff, all about 14 years old at the time, saw what they believed to be a flying saucer whirring overhead near the Neffsville Ground Observation Post at around 4 a.m. on Aug. 20, 1952. The post was one of many civilian air-spotter posts set up as part of Civil Defense initiatives in the 1950s and crewed by volunteers.

At first, the boys only saw a single light in the sky. Then, a second light slid underneath the first, before going out a few minutes later.

The boys notified Olmsted Air Force Base and later prepared an official report to the U.S. Air Force on what they had seen, according to the report.

A similar light was spotted again that night at around 9:45 p.m., this time by two Neffsville teens. This time, the light faded completely and was in a different position.

The case remains among a handful of unresolved, unexplained UFO sightings in Pennsylvania.

Declassified records indicate that the U.S. military investigated 12,618 UFO sightings worldwide between 1947 and 1969 and were able to explain all but 701 of them, according to the Bucks County Courier Times. The Neffsville sighting is one of 11 unresolved UFO incidents in Pennsylvania.

Other unexplained UFO sightings in Pennsylvania occurred in Allentown, Lehigh County, on Sept. 13, 1952; Altoona, Blair County, on July 23, 1952; Corsica, Jefferson County, on March 26, 1959; Juniata County, on Aug. 27, 1956; Kutztown, Berks County, on July 9, 1952; Pleasant View, Armstrong County, on May 26, 1964; Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, on Feb. 11, 1952; Stroudsburg, Monroe County, on October 2, 1958; Union County, on July 11, 1966; and one incident which only lists the location as Pennsylvania" on March 2, 1954, according to the report.
July 23, 1952: Three F-94 Starfire fighter jets cruised at 644 miles per hour in the skies above Pottstown, Pennsylvania. Fighter pilots reported seeing a silver "large pear-shaped" object with no visible means of propulsion. Two smaller, darker objects also appeared to run circles around the larger craft for approximately 30 minutes.

The alleged encounter 40 miles northeast of Philadelphia was one of 12,618 incidents detailed and investigated by Project Blue Book, a government program to assess the credibility and potential threat of unidentified flying objects.

Six decades later, the U.S. military is once again publicly investigating UFOs, and is due to issue a report to Congress on what it now terms "unidentified aerial phenomenon." In recent years, fighter pilots and stealth ships have reported strange objects off the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. Yet hundreds of other phenomena remain a mystery in the skies above Pennsylvania.

For those who have spent years examining such cases, recent disclosures by the military come with much apprehension. James Krug serves as a regional director for the Pennsylvania Mutual UFO Network, teaches astronomy, and runs the Neil Armstrong Planetarium at Altoona Area High School.

Krug suspects the government has released crumbs of information steadily about unexplained phenomena in order to brace the public for a future disclosure.

"I am cautious regarding the pending disclosure from the U.S. military regarding UFOs," said Krug. "On one hand, it does seem like the public is in the midst of a multi-year disclosure to make us more comfortable with the idea of UFOs. Some believe this is intentional, designed to avert panic like that shown when many mistook Orson Welles' 1938 Halloween radio broadcast of The War of the Worlds as a genuine alien invasion."

Some of the most perplexing Pennsylvania cases came from U.S. military personnel, commercial airline pilots and police officers, and these incidents have attracted the attention of the U.S. military, according to declassified accounts.

An Air Force captain reported two objects in the skies above Elkins Park, Montgomery County, on July 19, 1952, as noted in one Project Blue Book case file. The captain said the objects appeared to fly "four times faster than a conventional aircraft." The objects had a "faint tinge of red" and made no noise, according to the report.

Months later, an off-duty Air Force Reserve captain saw another object above Allentown.

He was flying at about 10,000 feet in a single-engine Beechcraft Bonanza, according to Project Blue Book. The object appeared to be following him, he said. "If what I saw was a physical object, the rapidity with which it altered its course was astonishing."

On Sept. 14, 1952, a commercial pilot flying near Olmsted Air Force Base said he witnessed a blue light with "tremendous horizontal speed." According to Project Blue Book, others on the ground also said they witnessed an object that looked like a watermelon. The base closed in 1969 and is today a Pennsylvania Air National Guard facility located near Harrisburg International Airport.

Declassified records suggest that the U.S. military investigated 12,618 UFO incidents worldwide between 1947 and 1969 and were able to explain all but 701 reports.

The unexplained incidents from Pennsylvania occurred in the following locations:

Allentown (Lehigh County)  Sept. 13, 1952

Altoona (Blair County)  July 23, 1952

Corsica (Jefferson County)  March 26, 1959

Juniata County  Aug. 27, 1956

Kutztown (Berks County)  July 9, 1952

Neffsville (Lancaster County)  Aug. 20, 1952

Pleasant View (Armstrong County)  May 26, 1964

Pittsburgh (Allegheny County)  Feb. 11, 1952

Stroudsburg (Monroe County)  October 2, 1958

Union County  July 11, 1966

One incident  reported on March 2, 1954  only lists the location as "Pennsylvania." The July 1952 incident with F-94 Starfire fighter jets over Pottstown also was listed among Project Blue Book's unsolved cases.

Pennsylvania's Roswell

The bright flashing lights were reported in Canada, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio.

But when a fire was reported in the woods outside a small town in southwest Pennsylvania, the U.S. military rushed to the scene, according to Associated Press reports from that night.

The incident on Dec. 9, 1965, has stoked dozens of conspiracy theories.

According to media reports, U.S. Air Force Maj. Hector Quintinella dispatched a team for investigating unidentified flying objects to Kecksburg, a small unincorporated town about 30 miles southeast of Pittsburgh.

For years, officials said nothing was recovered from the fire scene. Then in 2005, NASA issued a statement that it had studied fragments from Kecksburg, and that the incident might have been caused by a crashed Russian satellite.

The UFO group Coalition for Freedom of Information later filed a right-to-know request with NASA for the records. In response, NASA said it could not find the records. For believers, this was just more evidence of a cover-up.

The military is playing a shell game in changing the way it classifies UFOs now as unidentified aerial phenomena, said Krug.

"Their terminology was recently changed from "UFO" to "UAP," largely to dissuade Freedom of Information Act requests for "UFOs." The military could claim they have little to no information on "UFOs," when in reality, they've simply changed the terminology to something new."

Today, a model of the Kecksburg UFO stands outside the local firehouse.

Chase and wave over Pennsylvania skies

Outside of official government investigations, thousands of other incidents have been reported in Pennsylvania.

When a UFO makes local news headlines, area residents turn a curious eye to the sky and begin to report more strange objects. Novel skywatchers can see the mysterious in a shooting star, meteor shower or a planet reflecting the light of the Sun.

UFOs are reported somewhere in Pennsylvania at a rate of one every three days, according to a database maintained by the Mutual UFO Network.

Sometimes, they even invade from neighboring states.

On April 18, 1966, the New York Times reported on one incident in which sheriff deputies chased a UFO for 85 miles from Atwater, Ohio, to Freedom, Pennsylvania.

Deputy Dale Spaur, an Air Force veteran of the Korean War, described an "extremely bright object" that was about 1,000 feet in the air and traveling approximately 100 miles per hour.

Another police officer said the object seemed to understand it was being following. "It was a funny thing," Patrolman Wayne Huston told the New York Times. "When the object got too far ahead of us, it appear to stop and wait."

Bucks County experienced what some call a "wave" and others a "flap" of UFO sightings.

In her 2011 book, "UFOs in Pennsylvania," writer Patty A. Wilson says it was "Bucks County Under Siege." It began with four UFO incidents between January and April 25, 2008.

When local police responded to a UFO sighting above a shuttered Mexican restaurant in Middletown, the Bucks County Courier Times and local television news stations covered a series of sightings.

Reports collected by MUFON tend to come from the more populated areas of the state, with more than 2,100 incidents between May 2006 and May 2021.

The most incidents  226  were reported in Pittsburgh and surrounding Allegheny County during that time, records show. Bucks County came in second with 206 incidents reported to MUFON across 15 years.

More than 100 additional UFO incidents would be reported over the next eight months in Bucks County, and producers from the History and Discovery channels descended on the area to film UFO programs.

A Mutual UFO Bucks County Conference in January 2009 drew more than 700 people to the auditorium of the Bucks County Community College.

At that time, believers said they hoped that a newly elected President Barack Obama would reveal to the world America's UFO secrets.

Others believe the government will use evidence of UFOs to spend more money on the military and take away personal freedoms, said Krug.

In that scenario, he explained, "governments of the world fake an alien invasion, essentially a galactic false flag to use as justification to remove more of our freedoms to keep us 'safe' from this threat from outer space."
RICHMOND, Va. (AP)  Terry McAuliffe, the energetic former Virginia governor and longtime fixture of Democratic politics, won the partys nomination Tuesday in his quest for a second term in office.

McAuliffe will go on to face GOP nominee and political newcomer Glenn Youngkin in the November general election, when Republicans will be looking to break their more than decade-long losing streak in statewide races.

Folks, we launched this campaign about six months ago on the simple idea that Virginia has some very big challenges ahead," McAuliffe said in a speech Tuesday night. And I've said, we've got to go big, we've got to be bold, and we need seasoned leadership to move us forward and to lift up all Virginians."

Virginia is the only state in the nation with an open race for governor this year, and the contest is expected to be closely watched as a barometer of voter sentiment in each party heading into the midterm elections.

The race has also taken on heightened importance as Democrats aim to hold onto power after assuming full control of state government in 2020. Since then they have pushed through sweeping changes, from gun control and police reform to marijuana legalization and a higher minimum wage, transforming what was once a reliably red state into an outlier in the South.

We are a different state than we were eight years ago, and we are not going back," McAuliffe said.

A longtime Democratic Party fundraiser and a close friend of Bill and Hillary Clinton, McAuliffe held office from 2014 to 2018. Like all Virginia governors, he was prohibited from seeking a consecutive term. He jumped into the race in December after deciding in 2019 against a run for president.

McAuliffe, 64, focused his campaign on the need for bold action to address Virginias lagging teacher pay and inequities in education funding. Hes also pledged to work to accelerate Virginias minimum wage increase to $15 by 2024, protect abortion access, and ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.

He earned the endorsement of Gov. Ralph Northam, who said McAuliffe was best suited to lead Virginia out of the economic recovery from the pandemic and cement the transformational changes Democrats have implemented since taking full control of state government in the 2019 elections.

McAuliffe also raised far more money than the other candidates: state Sen. Jennifer McClellan, former Del. Jennifer Carroll Foy, Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax and Del. Lee Carter. From the jump, he had the backing of a substantial number of elected officials across the commonwealth, including many powerful Black lawmakers.

I liked what hes done and believe he can do what hes promised. And I think he can win, said Joe Glaze, a 70-year-old retired clergy member who voted for McAuliffe Tuesday afternoon in Richmond. Thats the main thing: I want someone who will win and beat Youngkin.

McAuliffe drew criticism from some more progressive voters who criticized his record on energy and criminal justice issues and who saw him as standing in the way of Carroll Foy and McClellan, who were each trying to become the nations first Black woman governor.

Either would have also been Virginias first female governor. The commonwealth has elected only one woman in its history to a statewide position and never to its highest office.

Del. Hala Ayala won the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor Tuesday, all but ensuring that Virginia will soon elect its first female lieutenant governor  her Republican opponent is Winsome Sears, the first Black woman to receive a major partys endorsement for statewide office.

Democratic Attorney General Mark Herring meanwhile secured his party's nomination in his bid for a third term, staving off a strong challenge from Del. Jay Jones, who sought to cast Herring as insufficiently progressive. Herring will face Republican state Del. Jason Miyares in November.

Republicans picked their nominees for this years statewide races in a multisite convention process in May. Youngkin, a former executive at an investment fund with no voting record to be scrutinized, has pledged to use his personal wealth to power his campaign.

In a statement, Youngkin described Virginia as a state that over the past two Democratic governorships has gotten less safe, more expensive and has not offered enough economic opportunities.

We need a new kind of leader to bring a new day to Virginia, Youngkin said. Get ready, because Terry McAuliffe will default to the same political games hes played his entire life.

Bobbi Andrews, 85, said she voted for McAuliffe based on his past record as governor and, in part, because of his stance on education. But she said she's voted for Republicans before and considers Youngkin a strong candidate.

Im glad to see a strong Republican running because we need two parties, Andrews said. If we dont have two parties, neither one of them will be honest.



Associated Press writer Ben Finley contributed to this report from Norfolk and Virginia Beach.
Columbia Borough police

CRIMINAL MISCHIEF

COLUMBIA: Clifford Jose Perez, 24, of Columbia, was charged with criminal mischief after throwing a rock at a vehicle near North 3rd Street at around 6:50 p.m. on May 17, police said.

Ephrata police

CRASH

EPHRATA: A vehicle driven by a 17-year-old male struck a parked vehicle occupied by a woman in the 700 block of South State Street at 6:49 p.m. on June 7, police said. The impact of the crash forced both vehicles over the curb, across a portion of sidewalk, until they came to a rest in the driveway of a residence, police said. The woman was hospitalized with unknown injuries, while the juvenile was cited for traffic violations and uninjured, police said.

Lancaster police

ASSAULT

LANCASTER: Shayla Marie Cherry, 32, of Manheim Township, was charged with aggravated assault, disorderly conduct and public drunkenness after kneeing a cop as she was being arrested in the first block of West Orange Street at 2:33 a.m. on June 5, police said. Cherry had been engaged in an altercation with an unknown woman, causing an annoyance to others in the area, and had attempted to walk away and refused to provide requested information to authorities, police said.

LANCASTER: Trina Ashley Drumm, 32, who is homeless, was charged with aggravated assault, public drunkenness and harassment after kicking a cop and spitting in their face in the first block of North Queen Street at 7:10 p.m. on June 7, police said. Officers had been called to the area after Drumm was seen touching a dollar bill with a lighter, walking into oncoming traffic and making statements of shooting up into her foot, police said.

Manheim Township police

CRIMINAL MISCHIEF

LANCASTER TWP.: An unknown person destroyed a tomato plant in the 1000 block of Clark Street sometime between 7 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. on June 2, police said.

DISORDERLY CONDUCT

MANHEIM TWP.: Thelma L. Raybon, 26, and Eleika Nishay Sealey, 23, both of Lancaster, and Talyaisa D. Reid, 19, of Reading were each charged after a physical altercation with each other inside Park City Diner at 886 Plaza Boulevard at 3:58 a.m. on May 30, police said. The three women all struck another person during the incident, police said. Raybon was charged with harassment and disorderly conduct; Sealey was charged with harassment, disorderly conduct, false identification to law enforcement and two drug charges; while Reid was charged with harassment, disorderly conduct and false identification to law enforcement, police said.

DUI

LANCASTER TWP.: Jose Miguel Torres Jr., 50, of Lancaster, was charged with driving under the influence after crashing on Ranck Avenue at 8:51 p.m. on June 3, police said. Torres had a BAC of 0.296%, police said.

THEFT

MANHEIM TWP.: An unknown woman stole a purse from another customers shopping cart at a TJ Maxx at 832 Plaza Boulevard at 2 p.m. on May 16, police said. The woman then attempted to purchase $1,100 in electronics from a Target at 1589 Fruitville Pike using debit cards found tin the purse, and fled the store when they were declined, police said.

MANHEIM TWP.: An unknown person stole a $364 package from the porch of a residence in the 900 block of Salisbury Court sometime before 12:50 p.m. on June 2, police said.

LANCASTER TWP.: An unknown person stole a wallet and contents valued at $505 from a vehicle that was parked in the 1100 block of Elm Avenue sometime between midnight at 1 a.m. on June 6, police said.

Manor Township police

ASSAULT

MANOR TWP.: Denzel Jehdiel Ortiz-Montanez, 23, of Manor Township, was charged with simple assault after storming into a mans room, pushing him toward the wall and punching him in the face in the 200 block of Stone Mill Road at 4:12 p.m. on June 7, police said. The man was conducting a live stream of a video game when Ortiz-Montanez entered the mans room upset over unreturned gaming items, police said.

RECKLESSLY ENDANGERING ANOTHER PERSON

MANOR TWP.: Anthony Kimani Kiiru, 42, of Millersville, was charged with recklessly endangering another person and driving under the influence after he was pulled over for reckless driving in the 100 block of Shannon Drive at 4:48 p.m. on May 5, police said. Kiiru, who refused a breath test and was unable to complete a field sobriety test, was transporting an adult with special needs back to his residence, police said.

Mount Joy Borough police

ASSAULT

MOUNT JOY: Frank Xavier Colon, 19, of Elizabethtown, was charged with aggravated assault, driving under the influence, accident involving damage to an attended vehicle and three traffic violations after spitting on a police officer after he was arrested for crashing into a home in the first block of Pine Street at 11:06 p.m. on June 5, police said. Colon refused a breath test, police said.

New Holland police

DUI

NEW HOLLAND: Brittany Lynn Grumbling, 29, of Denver, was charged with two counts of driving under the influence and a summary traffic offense after driving onto railroad tracks near a bar in the first block of Diller Avenue, where she then became stuck, at 1:31 a.m. on June 4, police said. Norfolk Southern train traffic was halted due to Grumbling, who had a BAC of 0.141%, police said.

NEW HOLLAND: Brian Christopher Crego, 47, of New Holland, was charged with two counts of driving under the influence and a summary traffic offense after backing into a pickup truck and then leaving the scene outside a bar in the first block of Diller Avenue at 11:42 p.m. on June 4, police said. Crego, who had a BAC of 0.085%, was later found based on witness descriptions of his vehicle, police said.

NEW HOLLAND: Havugimana Niyomugabo, 24, of Lancaster, was charged with two counts of driving under the influence and a summary traffic offense after officers spotted him driving in the oncoming lane of traffic and then nearly striking a curb near Diller Avenue and Locust Street at 2:31 a.m. on June 5, police said. Niyomugabo had a BAC of 0.164%, police said.

FALSE REPORTS

NEW HOLLAND: John William Ulrich, 51, of East Earl, was charged with false reports after claiming his debit card was stolen by someone he knew and used to withdraw more than $2,200 in April 2021, police said. It was later determined that Ulrich allowed the person to use his debit card and PIN, police said.

VANDALISM

NEW HOLLAND: Ceiling tiles and lights were damaged inside a mens bathroom at New Holland Park at 400 East Jackson Street sometime before June 5, police said.

Northern Lancaster County Regional police

CRASH

WARWICK TWP.: Desiree Tomlinson, 36, of Lititz, was charged with accident involving damage to an attended vehicle and careless driving after rear-ending an occupied vehicle and then leaving the scene without providing information or checking for injuries in the parking lot of the Shoppes at Kissel Village at 1008 Lititz Pike at 8:30 a.m. on June 7, police said.
When: Lancaster City Council meeting, held virtually, June 1.

What happened: During its committee meeting, City Council discussed proposals to increase the salaries of the mayor and council members. If approved, and if Mayor Danene Sorace is successful in her bid for reelection, she will be paid a total of $57,337 more for her second four-year term as mayor than her predecessor Rick Gray was paid for his third and final four-year term. Because City Business Administrator Patrick Hopkins was not at the meeting, council tabled further discussion of the mayors salary until its July 6 committee meeting. Council indefinitely tabled a separate proposal to increase council member salaries for the first time in 16 years.

History: The last time City Council made changes to the mayors salary was in 2016 when members unanimously voted to increase pay for whomever was in the mayors office in 2018. Gray was then making $77,932 annually and had been since 2009, based on a salary set by council in 2005. Council last changed its pay in 2005 when the annual salary was set at $8,000 per member with an additional $500 for council president.

Specifics: Soraces salary was $85,000 in 2018 and increased 1.5% each year to $88,883 in 2021. If council passes this change, the mayors salary will follow the same annual percentage increase, taking it to $94,337 in 2025. The proposed ordinance for council pay would bump each members salary to $10,000, with an additional $1,000 per year for council president.

Whats next: The earliest a vote on the mayors pay could happen would be July 27. If council took no action before January, the mayors salary would be frozen for four years. There is no set timeline for when the issue of salaries could be revisited. Due to the way city ordinances are set, a public official must be reelected before benefiting from any salary boost. So, if passed this year, some council members could see an increase in January, which President Ismail Smith-Wade-El said would be wrong.

Other cities: Smith-Wade-El had asked the city clerk to research what council members are paid in similar-sized cities. Data shows council members in Lancaster make more than their peers in Allentown, Altoona, Bethlehem, Erie, Reading and Williamsport. They make less than elected officials in Easton, Harrisburg, Scranton, Wilkes-Barre and York. Harrisburg, with fewer residents but a bigger annual budget than Lancaster, pays council members the most at $20,000 per year. Meanwhile, the Lancaster mayor makes more than the Harrisburg mayor, whose salary has remained at $80,000 since 2006. Bumping council member salaries to $10,000 would make them equal to York, with 15,000 fewer residents than Lancaster. Yorks mayor is paid $75,000 per year.

Mayors take: Before excusing herself from the meeting to allow for discussion, Sorace said comparing salaries alone  without considering specifics of benefits packages  is not an apples-to-apples scenario and noted that the mayors job in Lancaster involves overseeing two public utilities in addition to the usual business of Class 3 cities.

Initial reaction: Four community members spoke against the raises, referencing economic issues facing many city residents, including evictions. Council member Amanda Bakay said she doesnt think a 1.5% annual increase is unreasonable for anyone. And certainly not for the position of the mayor the city of Lancaster which, I think we all can appreciate, entails an awful lot of ones professional and personal time, she added. Council member Pete Soto said he agreed. Council member Janet Diaz said shes spoken to community members who will take issue. I think their major concern is weve gone through COVID, people have lost their jobs, people have not received (wage increases), Diaz said. I can say that it can go either way. But those concerns are valid.
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP)  Gunmen killed 10 people and wounded 14 others in an attack on the HALO Trust de-mining organization in Afghanistan, an Afghan interior ministry official said Wednesday.

Spokesman Tariq Arian blames the Taliban for the Tuesday night attack on the group's camp in the Baghlan Markazi district of northern Baghlan province.

The Taliban immediately denied any connection to the attack, in response to an Associated Press query.

The HALO Trust Global Media Manager, Louise Vaughan, in response to the AP, said that 110 de-mining local personnel of the organization were on camp after finishing their work on a minefield nearby when the unknown armed group opened fire at them.

The statement says that 16 of their personnel are wounded. Immediately the controversy was not cleared.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs called the attack in heinous in a statement, adding that aid workers and humanitarian organizations are protected under international humanitarian law,

The United Nations has warned that the use of improvised explosive devices in the country is increasing, as conflicts become more urbanized and armed groups proliferate.

Afghanistan is one of several countries where large swathes of its territory are littered with bombs and land mines. Many were planted by insurgents to target government military convoys. But civilian casualties are frequent.

The United Nations has repeatedly demanded both government forces and the Taliban take more precautions to protect civilians. In the first three months of this year, the U.N. mission in Afghanistan said that 1,783 civilians had been killed or wounded in Afghanistan, an increase of 29% over the same period last year.

The HALO Trust is one of several de-mining organizations in Afghanistan that clear unexploded mines.

Meanwhile, Afghanistan's defense ministry in a statement says that a MI-17 helicopter has crashed, due to technical problems. The crash in the eastern Maidan Wardak province killed three crew members and wounded one.

But the Taliban in a separate statement claimed the downing of the helicopter in the Jaghatu district of Maidan Wardak as it was delivering help to the security forces on the battlefield. The defense ministry rejected Taliban's claim.
ROME (AP)  Italian police searched the offices of a Sardinian charity and diocese on Wednesday on behalf of Vatican prosecutors who are investigating a once-powerful cardinal on alleged embezzlement charges.

Lawyers for Cardinal Angelo Becciu said in a statement that any and all documentation seized would only serve to confirm the absolute correctness of the behavior of Becciu, the charity and the diocese of Ozieri.

Pope Francis sacked Becciu as head of the Vaticans saint-making office and stripped him of his rights and privileges as a cardinal in September, amid a crackdown on financial mismanagement and corruption in the Holy See.

Becciu told reporters that the pope had cited documentation the Vatican had received from Italys financial police indicating Becciu had embezzled some 100,000 euros ($122,000) in Holy See funds by donating the money to a charity run by his brother.

Becciu admitted he made the donation but denied any wrongdoing, saying the money was for the charity, not his brother. He noted that as chief of staff in the Vaticans secretariat of state at the time, he managed the offices vast asset portfolio, including making charitable donations.

The Spes charity belongs to the Sardinian diocese of Ozieri, in Beccius hometown, and its legal representative is his brother. As soon as Becciu was fired, the bishop of Ozieri, Corrado Melis, issued a statement saying the Holy See donation was received into the diocesan bank account but was never spent or forwarded to Spes pending other funding for a building project Spes was spearheading.

It remains unclear why the search of Spes and Ozieri only occurred Wednesday, eight months after Becciu was fired based on what Francis said was an Italian investigation into the donation.

The AdnKronos news agency cited a June 3 search warrant issued by Italian prosecutor Maria Teresa Gerace on behalf of the Vatican saying the documentation was considered indispensable to substantiate the hypothesis of detraction of public funds for which Becciu is under investigation.

Becciu hasnt been charged, and his case is one of several that have called into question the tactics of Vatican prosecutors. Earlier Wednesday, the prosecutors were criticized by the Council of Europes Moneyval evaluators for, among other things, having conducted an aggressive raid on the Vaticans financial intelligence unit in 2019 in ways that violated confidentiality agreements with other countries.
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THE ISSUE

A new owner of the former Conestoga View nursing home in Lancaster Township pleaded no contest  meaning he accepts punishment without admitting guilt  to three counts of reckless endangerment of residents at the St. Francis Center for Rehabilitation & Healthcare in Darby, Delaware County, according to an announcement by Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro last Wednesday. As LNP | LancasterOnlines Tom Lisi reported, Chaim Charlie Steg of Lakewood, New Jersey, will be sentenced to six to 23 months of house arrest followed by three years of probation. Under his probation conditions, Steg cannot staff, manage, own, or operate the nursing, clinical, or medical services of any skilled nursing facility for five years, according to the attorney generals office. That includes serving as a majority owner of any nursing home. The former Conestoga View now is called Lancaster Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.

Those who opposed Lancaster Countys sale of Conestoga View to a private company 16 years ago were right to be concerned.

Were concerned now, too.

As former Lancaster city Mayor Arthur Morris recounted in a May 26 letter to the editor, he and other city residents decried the 2005 sale of Conestoga View because they saw it as the county turning our backs on the most vulnerable.

They feared that once the facility was out of the countys control, its standards of care would decline, imperiling its low-income residents.

Conestoga View will disappear off the horizon  until it becomes a real problem years from now, Morris said in 2007.

The Lancaster City & County Medical Society filed a lawsuit aimed at overturning the nursing homes sale in 2005. That lawsuit was settled in 2007 when Conestoga View buyer Complete Healthcare Resources promised to permanently maintain its staffing levels, to guarantee admission to all indigent seniors in need of care, and to continue to accept Medicare and Medicaid insurance as reimbursement for services.

Once known to locals as simply the county home, Conestoga View traced its history to 1799, when The Almshouse opened on East King Street to serve the areas poor, sick and mentally ill.

To this day, most of the residents of the 446-bed facility rely on Medicare to pay toward their housing.

Rebranding and reality

Even if the terms of the 2007 settlement still applied, it didnt save Conestoga Views residents from what unfolded during this pandemic.

Lancaster Nursing and Rehabilitation Center may have a new name, but its rebranding doesnt obscure the reality that the center had more COVID-19 deaths than any other long-term care facility in Lancaster County.

Despite the heroic efforts of nurses who were caring for patients living three or four to a room, according to previous LNP | LancasterOnline reporting, only five other such facilities in Pennsylvania saw more COVID-19 deaths.

According to data reported to the Pennsylvania Department of Health, 81 residents of the former Conestoga View had died of COVID-19 as of Tuesday. There were 233 resident cases and 189 cases among staff.

Last month, the facility was sold by Complete Healthcare Resources-Eastern to Imperial Healthcare Group  a New Jersey company registered under Stegs name  for $29.8 million.

As Lisi reported, a crisis management firm emailed a statement to LNP|LancasterOnline last Thursday on behalf of Imperial Healthcare Group that said that companys vice president of operations, Leon Tarlow, will become Imperials interim president and CEO. Steg has stepped aside from his leadership positions to focus on an ongoing legal matter, the statement read.

The statement said the investigation of Steg didnt involve Imperial. Mr. Steg was working as an employee in a regional support role with a different company at St. Francis, and he joined Imperial later, the statement asserted.

But, again, Imperial is registered under Stegs name.

We agree with Diane Menio, executive director at CARIE, a Philadelphia-based advocacy group for the elderly, who described nursing home ownership to LNP | LancasterOnlines Lisi as a tangled web that needs the clarifying rectification of revived nursing home regulations in Pennsylvania.

This much we know for sure: What happened to three residents at the St. Francis Center for Rehabilitation & Healthcare in Darby was horrific.

Hard to bear

According to a March criminal complaint from investigators, the three residents died in 2017 from preventable pressure wounds, sepsis, dehydration and bowel obstructions as a result of Stegs failure to address inadequate staffing levels.

Its hard to bear even imagining the discomfort and pain those nursing home residents experienced.

Lisi reported that since 2018, Steg has taken an ownership stake in 12 nursing homes, according to data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

A review of that data found that under Stegs ownership, five of those 12 nursing homes fell from a three- or two-star rating to the lowest possible one-star rating. Six of Stegs facilities saw no ultimate change in their star rating and one, Rose View Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Williamsport, improved from one star to two stars after he took an ownership stake, Lisi reported.

The Titanic

Lancaster Nursing and Rehabilitation Centers one-star rating preceded Imperials takeover.

As Lisi reported, current and recently departed staff members told LNP|LancasterOnline that they are worried for the safety of residents due to staff cuts and departures. Four current and former employees whose departures coincided with Imperials takeover said administrators have laid off dozens of non-nursing personnel, Lisi wrote. Other staff members have left to take better paying jobs elsewhere, they said.

We are the Titanic, one told Lisi. We're going down and I dont think anything can stop it."

Imperials crisis communications spokesman told LNP | LancasterOnline in an email that there have been no mass layoffs among caregivers prompted at this facility by budget cuts or other financial steps taken by Imperial. No direct caregivers were terminated or furloughed by Imperial upon transition. We did not reduce or change the ratios of caregivers to patients and on most days in the short time that Imperial has owned this facility, to our knowledge, we have met the Pennsylvania standard of providing at least 2.7 hours of hands-on care per patient.

We are not comforted by the "most days" reference or by to our knowledge clause in that statement.

And as we pointed out in a January editorial, that Pennsylvania standard is weak. Federal research states that average direct-care staffing of 4.1 hours per resident per day is needed at nursing homes, given the age and morbidity of residents.

Given that county government long ago ceded control of the former Conestoga View to others, we dont see what the Lancaster County commissioners might do to ensure that standards of care are upheld at Lancaster Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. They only can learn, we hope, from the sale of the former Conestoga View that private enterprise isnt always the solution.

We do implore state officials, however, to ensure that the residents of the Lancaster center consistently get the proper care they deserve. And we need to keep a close watch, too. Turning our backs on the most vulnerable is not an option.
Isnt it time to pause from our constant partisan bickering to acknowledge what a great accomplishment is taking place right before our eyes, while little is being said about it?

Well, Im saying it.

The Trump administration, under the leadership of Donald Trump while he was still the president, managed to get COVID-19 vaccines developed in record time with Operation Warp Speed.

When Trump left office on Jan. 20, the new administration, under President Joe Biden, took office and in a little over four months has managed to vaccinate about 64% of the U.S. adult population with at least one dose.

Think about this. We are now back to something that looks close to the pre-pandemic normal that is a precious part of American life.

This was done by Republican and Democratic administrations that politically had nearly nothing in common  with the exception of, in my belief, the foresight to see that in order to return to normal we must get the majority of the American population vaccinated.

Now we are nearly there, thanks to Trump and Biden and the men and women in their administrations.

So lets quit all the partisan bickering and realize what can be accomplished when we all work together, united in common purpose.

Dan Betz

East Cocalico Township
In response to the May 19 letter Far from a bastion of egalitarianism:

Because the letter writer is seemingly unaware of the text of the First Amendment, here is part of it: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof ...

It is abundantly clear that every American has the freedom to be a practicing Christian, Muslim, Jew, Hindu, Buddhist, atheist, Satanist or whatever.

It is equally clear to me that Congress is constitutionally prohibited from allocating my tax dollars to pay for the religious school of your choice. Disregarding the absurdity of the letter writers false equivalency between abortion rights and the freedom of religion, he seemingly forgets that the federal government exists as a tool for the betterment of society as a whole  not for the benefit of religious institutions.

What the writer is advocating is not equality  its a government action that would affirmatively favor religion. The predominant religion in America is Christianity, and its safe to assume that most of the writers proposed federal funding would go to Christian schools. If more funding supports one religion than another, then it is literally the opposite of equality and egalitarianism.

So I say no to the letter writer. Tax dollars belong to the public school system, not religious institutions.

Alan Miller

Strasburg Township
Blinken To Participate in Biden-Putin Summit

June 8, 2021 (EIRNS)Secretary of State Antony Blinken will participate in President Bidens bilateral meeting with Russian Federation President Vladimir Putin in Geneva, State Department spokesman Ned Price said yesterday. This will be unlike the summit between President Donald Trump and President Putin, in which the two heads of state deliberated with only their interpreters present. Would-be controllers were excluded.

Otherwise, if National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan is taken at his word during a White House briefing yesterday, the U.S. administration does not intend to accomplish much at the Biden-Putin summit. Rather, the implied intention is for Biden to read the Riot Act to Putin. The relationship between the United States and Russia is not about a relationship of trust. It is about a relationship of verification, a relationship of clarifying what our expectations are and about laying outif certain kinds of harmful activities continue to occurthere will be responses from the United States, Sullivan said. We will lay those out for Putin in this meeting. Sullivan said that Putin will be able to understand fully where the U.S. stands, and what we intend to do.

Further, We believe, fundamentally, that our capacity to ensure that harmful and disruptive activities against the United States do not continue unabated is to be able to communicate clearly, directly, not by negotiating in public, but by explicating our position and our capabilities in private, Sullivan said.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov responding to media questions regarding the summit, today, said Ukraine will definitely be touched upon. I am sure that Biden will hear a clear explanation from us as to why these wailings and calls that Moscow receives from Washington and European capitals are misdirected. Russia is not a party to the Minsk Package of Measures. Russia cannot be viewed as a party that should do anything in this regard, Ryabkov pointed out. Kiev is reluctant to build direct dialogue with Donetsk and Luhansk, he said.

TASS further quoted the diplomat addressing the June 7 phone call between Presidents Biden and Zelensky:


American President Joe Biden began his first foreign trip in office Wednesday. He is expected to strengthen ties with European allies during an eight-day trip.

Biden told reporters Wednesday that the trip is meant to show the leaders of China and Russia that the United States and Europe are still close.

Biden is also looking to unite allies on their efforts to fight the disease COVID-19. He wants to urge them to agree on a plan to deal with China, even as the U.S. expresses concern about Europes economic links to Russia. Biden also wants to urge non-European allies, including Australia, to take more aggressive action to fight global warming.

A G7 meeting in Britain

Bidens first stop will be an address to U.S. troops in Britain. The next day, he is to meet with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. While in Britain, Biden will attend a meeting with leaders of the Group of Seven (G-7) nations. He will then travel to Brussels for a meeting with NATO officials and the heads of the European Union. Those meetings come as some observers say Europeans are expecting less from U.S. leadership on foreign issues.

Central and Eastern Europeans hope to tie the U.S. more closely to their security. Germany is looking to keep U.S. military troops in the country so it does not need to build up its own forces. France, however, believes that the European Union must be more independent in the future.

The president will end his trip by meeting with Russian president Vladimir Putin in Geneva, Switzerland. Biden wants to privately pressure Putin to end recent aggressive actions. They include cyberattacks on American businesses by Russian-based hackers. Other areas of disagreement include the jailing of opposition leader Alexei Navalny and repeated efforts by Russia to interfere in U.S. elections.

Alexander Vershbow is a former U.S. diplomat and former deputy secretary general of NATO. He said there is a concern that the U.S. will return to policies in place during former president Donald Trumps administration after elections next year or in the next presidential election.

Possible areas tension

There will be several possible areas of tension during the meetings with European officials. On climate change, the U.S. wants to regain credibility after Trump withdrew from the Paris climate agreement. Biden could also feel pressure on the issue of trade. And leaders whose COVID-19 vaccination efforts have been slower are likely to pressure Biden to share more of the U.S. vaccine surplus with countries around the world.

Another central issue will be China. Reports say Biden believes the West must publicly show it can compete economically with China as the world recovers from the coronavirus crisis.

Biden and the other G-7 leaders are expected to announce a financing program to help developing countries build roads, ports and similar infrastructure. The program is meant to compete directly with Chinas Belt and Road Initiative. Biden has said he believes the competition with China is the defining one for the 21st century.

Biden is also expected to meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan while in Brussels, Belgium. The two leaders have had tense moments in their relationship over the years.

Biden waited until April to call Erdogan for the first time as president. In that call, he told the Turkish leader that he would formally recognize the systematic killings and removal of Armenians in the early 20th century as genocide. Earlier administrations had avoided the term.

Biden is dealing differently with Russia than Trump did. The only meeting between Trump and Putin was in Helsinki, Finland in July 2018.

Richard Haass is president of the Council on Foreign Relations, a research group in Washington D.C. He told the Associated Press, By and large, these are not meetings on outcomes, these are get to know you again meetings for the U.S. and Europe.

The idea is to demonstrate again that the U.S. is back on the right course, Haas said.

Im Jonathan Evans.

Jonathan Lemire and Aamer Madhani reported on this story for the Associated Press. Jonathan Evans adapted this story for Learning English. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor.

________________________________________________

Words in This Story

hacker n. a person who secretly gets into computer systems in order to get information or to cause damage

credibility n. the quality of being believed or accepted as true, real or honest

century n. a period of 100 years


Some 3,000 tern eggs were abandoned at a Southern California nesting island after a drone crashed and scared off the birds, a newspaper reported in June.

In May, two drones were flown illegally over the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve in Huntington Beach, California. One of them went down in the wetlands, The Orange County Register, a local newspaper, reported.

Fearing an attack from a predator, several thousand terns abandoned their ground-based nests, reported the states Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Usually during June, the white birds would be watching their eggs as they begin to hatch. But now, the sand is filled with eggshells.

Melissa Loebl is the manager of the nature reserve. She called it one of the largest abandonment of eggs ever at the coastal area. The reserve is about 160 km north of San Diego, California.

Last year, the pandemic brought more and more people to outdoor spaces. In 2020, about 100,000 visitors came to the Bolsa Chica reserve. That is up from about 60,000 in 2019, she told the newspaper.

That has led to an increase in human activity, including flying drones, walking dogs, and riding bicycles. All these activities are not permitted.

Loebl said that there has been a great increase in dogs, particularly those permitted to run free. She explained that this is especially bad during the nesting season.

The dogs chase the birds, and the birds abandon their nests, she said.

Another problem is the development of multimillion-dollar homes near the reserve, said Fish and Wildlife guardian Nick Molsberry. While most residents respect the rules of the reserve, he said, some do not.

Some residents, suggested Molsberry, feel entitled and feel they should be able to use the land as they like. Officials, however, are increasing enforcement and fining people who break the rules.

The reserve is the largest saltwater marsh between Monterey Bay just south of San Francisco and the Tijuana River Estuary in Mexico. Some 800 species of plants and animals live at or migrate to Bolsa Chica.

Im Anna Matteo.

Staff writers for the Associated Press reported this story. Anna Matteo adapted it for VOA Learning English. Susan Shand was the editor.

_______________________________________________________

Words in This Story

abandoned  adj. left without needed protection, care, or support

drone  n. an un-crewed aircraft or ship guided by remote control or onboard computers

wetland  n. an area of land (such as a marsh or swamp) that is covered with shallow water

predator  n. an animal that lives by killing and eating other animals : an animal that preys on other animals

hatch  v. to come out of an egg

resident  n. someone who lives in a particular place

entitled  adj. having a right to certain benefits or privileges

marsh  n. an area of soft, wet land that has many grasses and other plants


Researchers say oxygen levels have dropped in hundreds of lakes across the United States and Europe over the last 40 years.

A new study suggests the oxygen loss can lead to more fish dying and increased algae growth.

Scientists examined the temperature and the amount of dissolved oxygen in nearly 400 lakes. Dissolved oxygen is the amount of oxygen gas contained in water. They discovered widespread drops in oxygen levels.

The study recently appeared in the publication Nature. It found that dissolved oxygen decreased an average of 5.5 percent in the surface water of the lakes and 18.6 percent in the deep water.

The researchers say their findings suggest that warming temperatures and decreased water clarity from human activity are causing oxygen levels to fall.

Craig E. Williamson is a biology professor at Miami University in the state of Ohio and a co-writer of the study. He told The Associated Press that testing for oxygen is one of the best ways to judge how healthy water systems are. The studys findings suggest a pronounced human footprint, he said.

That footprint includes warming caused by climate change, the researchers said. In addition, decreased water clarity can be caused by runoff from human waste systems, fertilizers, cars and power plants.

Losses in dissolved oxygen in Earths water systems have been reported before. A 2017 study of oxygen levels in the worlds oceans showed a two percent drop since 1960. But less was known about lakes, which lost two to nine times as much oxygen as oceans, the study found.

In the past, other researchers had reported oxygen decreases in individual lakes over a long period of time. But those studies did not examine as many lakes around the world, said Samuel B. Fey. He is a biology professor at Oregons Reed College who studies lakes. He was not involved in the latest study.

Fey said an important finding was that the researchers were able to show such a notable drop in dissolved oxygen levels. Also, the drops were found at both the surface and in deep parts of the lakes.

The deep water drop in oxygen levels may affect organisms that are more sensitive to temperature increases, such as cold water fish. During the summer months, they depend on cooler temperatures found in deeper water. But if deep waters are low in oxygen, the organisms struggle to survive.

Those are the conditions that sometimes lead to fish kills in water bodies, study co-writer Kevin C. Rose said. This means that a lot of areas cold water fish depend on could become inhospitable, he added.

Other organisms, Rose said, do better in warmer temperatures at the surface level and can get enough oxygen by remaining there.

About one fourth of the lakes studied showed increasing oxygen in surface waters. Rose said this is a bad sign because it points to increased algal blooms  the sudden growth of algae. In those lakes, dissolved oxygen was very low in deep waters, likely creating unlivable conditions for many species, the researchers said.

Im Bryan Lynn.

The Associated Press reported on this story. Bryan Lynn adapted the report for VOA Learning English. Mario Ritter, Jr. 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

algae  n. a plant with no stem or leaves that grows in or near water

pronounced  adj. very easy to notice

fertilizer  n. a substance or a special chemical that is added to soil to help the growth of plants

inhospitable  adj. not pleasant or easy to live in

bloom  n. a fast and excessive growth of water organisms

species  n. biology : a group of animals or plants that are similar and can produce young animals or plants : a group of related animals or plants that is smaller than a genus
There are 218 students in the Lebanon High Class of 2021. Of those, 11 graduated with a 4.0 grade-point average and shared the honor of being the class valedictorians: Lisi Benjamin, Zachary Campbell, Kianna-Lyn Guzon, Jacob MacLaughlin-Johnson, Kimberly O'Hara, Matthew Sandberg, Cherish Sparling, Emily Squires, Kylie Steiner, Porter Tiffee and Cole Weber.

Each of these students was granted the opportunity to address the audience and six accepted the invitation.

Campbell said the fact that a traditional graduation ceremony was being held was a welcome surprise.

It was ... just one month ago that we planned three separate ceremonies and at that time it was unthinkable we could pull this off. But here we are, Campbell said.

OHara congratulated her classmates on achieving this goal.

This was not an easy task. We had to endure and overcome academic struggles, social pressures, and to state the obvious, we had to navigate learning during a global pandemic. Not only did we overcome these challenges, but we triumphed within them, OHara said.

After the ceremony, graduate Dustin Howland acknowledged that the last three semesters of high school were extremely difficult, but he also found a silver lining.

The hardest thing was probably motivation. We were online  The motivation to actually get up to do all your work and do school was challenging. I think well be better for it. We figured out why we were trying. I think it was a good thing. It was definitely a challenge, Howland said.

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Community stalwarts were invited to raise $3,500 apiece for the honor of participating. Laura Gillott, Rebecca Grizzle, Casey Humphrey, Lori Hill, Dala Johnson, Wyatt King, Melcher, Courtney Paul, Zach Short and Frank Stevenson took up the challenge.

The event brought a full crowd to Strawberry Plaza, which looked like it did in the days before the pandemic. Cassie Cruze, the Main Street Manager for the Lebanon Downtown Association, was thrilled to see the plaza back in use.

It feels like home, it does. It feels like everyones back, as they should be, Cruze said. This plaza was created to bring people together, to be vibrant.

Latimer said the club expects to be able to hold its fall auction as usual. Less certain are the prospects for the annual summer Brewfest. Latimer said this event depends on the generosity of the brewers who donate their product for the fundraiser. It has been a tough year for breweries and some may not be able to participate this year as they have in the past.

I expect were going to do something. It may be smaller than the past few years, Latimer said.
LEXINGTON  A driver was killed and three occupants injured when a pickup pulling a camper rolled into the median on Interstate 80 between Lexington and Overton during the morning of Wednesday, June 9.

At 10:31 a.m. the Lexington Volunteer Fire Department was dispatched to mile marker 243 for the report of an accident with injuries. Priority Medical Transport also headed to the scene.

At the site, a pickup had rolled on to its roof in the median of I-80, the camper it was towing was heavily damaged.

Soon after Lexington firefighters arrived on scene, Overton Volunteer Fire and Rescue was called for mutual aid. The Flight for Life helicopter from CHI Health Good Samarian in Kearney was also dispatched; when they arrived they circled the scene and landed in a field north of I-80.

Westbound traffic on I-80 was temporarily closed, but then was opened to one lane after the helicopter landed.

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Lexington ambulances transported two passengers of the truck to Lexington Regional Hospital. Another was transported by the Flight for Life helicopter to Kearney. The extent of their injuries was not available on scene.


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The major trend in frequent flyer programs from the past several years can be summed up in one word: devaluation. Programs in the U.S. have made it harder to earn and redeem miles. American Airlines, Delta and United have all switched from distance-based earning to revenue-focused formulas where flyers accrue miles based on how much they spend on airfare and their elite status, rather than on the distances of the flights they take. That means unless youre purchasing expensive tickets in premium cabins, youre likely earning fewer miles now than you were before this change.

At the same time, several programsmost notably Delta SkyMiles and United MileagePlushave ruthlessly and repeatedly increased the number of miles you need to redeem for award tickets, often with little to no notice. By contrast, many foreign frequent flyer programs have remained relatively stable for the past several years and continue to have lower mileage redemption rates than their U.S. partners. For instance, you need just 13,000 British Airways Avios to fly American Airlines or Alaska Airlines each way between the West Coast and Hawaii instead of the 15,000 to 22,500 miles charged by American Airlines or Alaska Airlines.

Easier Elite Qualification and Better Perks
Canceled last year for the first time in its 33-year history, the annual festival is back in a big way  with 10 consecutive days of jazz events from Friday, June 11, through Sunday, June 20. Many shows are outdoors  including headlining concerts Sunday, June 13, and Saturday, June 19. The June 13 show at Breese Stevens Field features one of todays most influential and popular drummers: Nate Smith + KinFolk, with an opening performance by Greg Wards Rogue Parade. On June 19, renowned trumpeter Marquis Hill will perform at the Memorial Union Terrace with the Donna Woodall Group opening.

Things kick off on June 11 with Strollin Capitol East  a neighborhood jazz crawl showcasing local talent at four different venues along East Washington Avenue and East Main Street. The rest of the festival features some of todays finest jazz artists including Roscoe Mitchell, Sarah M. Greer, Arun Luthra and Isaiah Collier, along with local favorites the Acoplados Latin Project, Mama Digdowns Brass Band and many others. Special events include a public virtual master class by bassist Peter Dominguez and a livestreamed presentation on the Camaguey Jazz project.

Many events are free, while others require advance tickets. A full schedule is available at madisonjazzfestivalwi.org.
Waiting for the town hall in Rutland to be connected to the internet, Deana Zentner felt like a little kid on Christmas.

As town chairperson of the Dane County community of just over 2,000 people, Zentner never got used to the idea that the seat of town government, just 30 minutes south of Madison, still lacked internet access 21 years into the 21st century. Even cell service was unreliable. But looking at the 1970s building, which doubles as a municipal garage, it wasnt surprising. Inside, its burnt orange carpet and voting booths with fabric privacy curtains recall an analog era. Outside, the surrounding farms make the capital city feel far off.

Zentner and her colleagues learned to make it work. They got used to running meetings without looking anything up online. And Dawn George, town clerk for over three decades, manages administrative duties from her internet-connected home. She has no office in the town hall.

There is absolutely spotty signals or no signal, so we have limped through that, Zentner said. Oftentimes, we want to reference a document or reference communication, and it's impossible.

For at least a decade, town officials trying to get the building connected were told the same thing many rural residents have been told: It cant be done, at least not in a way that local internet providers consider profitable. There wasnt a fiber-optic cable network nearby, and the surrounding trees and hills would make it impossible to pick up a signal broadcast through the air.

Its unclear just how many Wisconsin households dont have adequate internet. The latest maps from the Federal Communication Commission indicate that around 400,000 people in the state dont have the infrastructure needed for an internet connection fast or reliable enough to meet the federal definition of broadband. That federal standard requires download speeds of 25 megabits per second and upload speeds of 3 megabits per second. The states Public Service Commission, meanwhile, puts the number closer to 800,000  nearly 14% of the states population.

Its not just rural residents who are struggling to get connected. Many Wisconsinites live in suburban and urban neighborhoods with adequate infrastructure but cant afford fast, reliable internet service. For these residents, paying bills online, attending online classes, working from home, and connecting with far away family members can be challenging, if not impossible.

In Dane County, nearly 14,000 residents dont have any internet access, according to the Census Bureaus 2018 American Community Survey. That includes those who dont have the infrastructure, cant afford service or dont have the computer skills or interests that would make them want it.

As the COVID-19 pandemic turned homes into classrooms and offices and made in-person government meetings unsafe, it called new attention to that unequal access and reminded policymakers that itll take more than wires to get many families connected.

But the pandemic also created momentum on this long standing and costly challenge at multiple levels of government. Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers declared in January that 2021 would be the year of broadband access, saying he wants to bring every Wisconsinite access to reliable, high-speed internet.

The Public Service Commission has since distributed a record-setting $28 million in state-funded grants for broadband access with plans for another $100 million round using federal aid. At the federal level, the $1.9 trillion dollar American Rescue Plan Act included broadband as a priority. Additionally, the Federal Communication Commission authorized a temporary $3.2 billion program to temporarily subsidize internet bills for low-income families and a $7.17 billion Emergency Connectivity Fund targeted at schools and libraries.

Zentner calls the roughly $200,000 that Rutland received through the American Rescue Plan Act a windfall. With $3,000 of it, she was able to hire Madison-based internet provider Four Lakes Broadband, which found a creative way to connect the building. A neighboring farmer agreed to let the company mount an antenna on his silo, and they outfitted the tall salt shed near town hall with an antenna to pick up that signal. Then they ran wires from the salt shed to town hall.

Still, in the days leading up to the installation, Zentner couldnt shake her nerves. She worried someone from Four Lakes would break the news that it wasnt going to work after all. But the connection was successful, and by May 18, the town had set up the webcam and screens needed to hold its first hybrid meeting.

Im taking a big sigh of relief, Zentner said after the meeting.

Simply out of reach

When Dane County Supervisor Kate McGinnity, District 37, ran for office in 2020, internet access was one of the issues her constituents brought up most.

We have pockets where nothing exists, McGinnity said.

Approximately 25% of Dane Countys rural residents say they lack accessible, reliable and affordable broadband, according to the county. To address these gaps, the County Board created a task force that will investigate how to expand broadband infrastructure to more rural areas in the county. Meanwhile, County Executive Joe Parisi identified $5 million out of $106 million in American Recovery Plan funds for county broadband projects, but has not yet determined what these will be.

But even determining how big the problem is in Dane County can be tricky because the FCCs maps show a Census block as being connected even if just one house in the block is connected.

Mark Porter, self-designated IT support for the town of Rutland and a former Rutland town chairman, described a patchwork quilt of internet throughout the town that makes a fast, reliable internet connection difficult to obtain. Porter said coverage from the municipalities of Stoughton, Oregon and Brooklyn and the unincorporated area of Cooksville reaches some populous areas of the township, but the rest get ignored.

Trying to convince internet providers to extend service to the less dense parts of the town is like pulling teeth, he said. The legacy carriers have either no money or very little incentive to upgrade or improve their infrastructure and as a consequence, they don't.

But, he said, Rutland doesnt have the money to fund the work itself. The town has an annual budget of roughly $1 million, just enough to pay for road improvements, fire and EMS services and town upkeep.

Looking at anything beyond that to broadband is just simply out of reach financially, Porter said.

Its a chicken-and-egg problem: If more parts of town had good internet, he said, the town might attract more people, lifting property values and adding to the town coffers.

That's where I'm hopeful that with the increased emphasis of the federal and the state level, that maybe this will allow us to find some funding, and really push this forward finally, he said.

James Danky, a Dunkirk resident and associate faculty member at UW-Madison, is hopeful that his rural community could soon get more reliable service. After years of fighting to preserve the rural landscape and oppose proposals that would bring high-voltage power lines to southern Dane County, he turned his activist energy toward the fight for better broadband in rural communities.

It is something that everybody expects to have happen in the same way that if you turn on a tap that your water will come on, said Danky, who moved to his 10-acre farm four miles south of Stoughton in 1978. Today, he connects through a signal extender mounted on top of a neighbors barn silo.

He thinks it'll take people like McGinnity, who lives in Cambridge, to make progress, as the issue might never make it onto the radar of those representing urban areas. Just as rural residents may be unaware of urban problems, he said, representatives from Madison may take fast, reliable internet for granted.

The priorities of the city of Madison are not the priorities of people who live in rural Dane County, Danky said.

In Madison, a different digital divide

By contrast, Madison might look like a connection oasis. Thanks to the Metropolitan Unified Fiber Network project, funded in 2009 through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, high-speed fiber-optic cables connect education, health, government and nonprofit institutions in the Madison area. Many residents have a choice between wired broadband from Spectrum, AT&T or smaller providers.

I wouldn't say that fiber is everywhere it needs to be, but we certainly are doing better than rural areas, Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway said.

But when Madisons schools moved online in spring 2020, teachers and administrators still found themselves staring at a digital divide. The district sent its nearly 27,000 students home with Chromebooks, but was aware that at least a couple thousand had no access to the internet beyond cellular networks on a phone. Later in the spring, the district outfitted school buildings with extended wireless internet so families could access it from parking lots and spent nearly $560,000 to purchase more than 1,800 hotspots and six-month data plans for the devices, with the plans extended for this school year at an additional cost. But those devices, which depend on the strength of the cellular network in the students neighborhood, proved insufficient for those with spotty coverage.

The biggest barrier facing Madison families? The cost of internet service, according to Shawn Steen, executive director of DANEnet, a nonprofit that helps low-income Dane County residents get online.

According to broadband research group BroadbandNow, the average internet plan in Madison costs $60 a month, which includes introductory rates that spike after the first year. Steen puts the number closer to $100, around what the average Wisconsin family pays for electricity.

DANEnet helps Dane County families apply for discounted internet service and get low-cost refurbished devices. The discounts offered locally by AT&T and Spectrum provide connections of 10 to 30 megabits per second for $10 to $20 per month, and AT&T temporarily waived the data limit for its discount subscribers during the pandemic.

But the discounts are only available to families that meet eligibility criteria, like qualifying for food stamps or having a child who is eligible for free or reduced lunch at school. In some cases, current subscribers and previous subscribers who owe money for past bills are not eligible.

Given those various restrictions, a massive swath of Dane County families dont qualify, Steen said.

All the working poor, the people who are working two or three jobs, they wouldn't qualify for that, she said. If they want internet, they're gonna be paying more than $100 a month, and that's a lot of money for poor working families.

When the pandemic arrived, some who managed to pay their bills before fell behind. More than 800 internet providers signed an FCC pledge to not disconnect customers who didnt pay during the pandemic, but that agreement ended a year ago. Local nonprofits, including the Progress Center for Black Women and 100 Black Men of Madison, stepped in to get people caught up and reconnected.

We found that when COVID-19 hit, many of the problems that were already there were exacerbated by the pandemic, 100 Black Men of Madison President Floyd Rose said, calling his organizations aid a stopgap.

But cost isnt the only barrier to access in Madison. Some residents live in homes with no good internet options, such as basement apartments, or in buildings that allow only one internet provider, eliminating options for tenants. Meanwhile, in a process some call digital redlining, service providers invest in better infrastructure for more affluent neighborhoods while other neighborhoods  often communities of color  are left with antiquated systems.

Though Madison has been discussing ways to expand internet access for several years, the process has been met with a series of setbacks. A 2016 pilot program meant to bring internet access via a fiber-optic broadband network to four low-income Madison neighborhoods connected 19 customers and ended after legal issues with the original provider.

If you just think about that price tag, nearly a million dollars for 20 families, its not exactly the desired outcome of that program, said Scott Resnick, a former alder who ran for mayor in the 2015 election. That essentially caused sort of a chilling effect within city hall to stop experimentation in that way.

Local governments hamstrung

The national conversation about access to broadband internet began to change when Americans saw photos of children doing their homework in McDonalds parking lots, said Thomas Philippon, a New York University finance professor who studies the market for broadband.

I think its a pity that we had to wait for that to realize that it's hugely unequal, and it's terrible for many families, he said.

But discounts and subsidies wont fix what his research indicates is the root of the affordability problem: an uncompetitive market. Twenty years ago, Americans paid less than Europeans for comparable internet service, Philippon found. Today they pay double, yielding greater profit margins than in Europe, and most customers have no more than two companies to choose from. Some dont have any choice.

In March, President Joe Biden addressed price directly, pledging to reduce internet prices for all Americans.

Americans pay too much for the internet  much more than people in many other countries, a White House statement read. The administration cited Philippons research to back up the claim.

Ideally, Philippon said, federal or state governments in the U.S. would force service providers to rent their wires to other providers, with limits on how much above their own operating costs they can charge. Absent that, he said, the U.S. is left to choose from not-as-good solutions like regulating the prices providers can charge or designating minimum coverage areas, requiring providers who serve urban areas to also cover more rural areas.

Joshua Stager, deputy director for broadband and competition policy at the Open Technology Institute, agrees that the government needs to regulate the market to correct the affordability crisis and racial disparities in access.

This has been a gradual dereliction of duty for the past couple of decades, he said.

Some local governments, including the city of Reedsburg, have opted to bypass private providers by offering their own internet service. But its not an easy road. Not only can the projects be costly  a 2018 study found it would cost Madison $173 million to construct and operate a network  but many states, including Wisconsin, place legal limits on the practice.

A 2003 Wisconsin state law requires governments considering municipal internet service to hold public hearings, conduct feasibility studies and adopt ordinances. The law also bars local governments from setting prices lower than those of the existing companies.

It makes it difficult, and maybe difficult to the point that it feels impossible. Or it might feel like theres some risk of litigation if its not done correctly, said Alyssa Kenney, the PSCs director of digital access. And, it might not be worthwhile. What are you doing this for if it's not to compete on price?

Critics like Stager say such laws are a response to lobbying by telecom companies looking to avoid competition. He called such preemption laws problematic and deeply anticompetitive.

Because of those statutory limitations, Rhodes-Conway said its not likely the city will use federal aid on broadband projects.

This is one-time money. If were not able to build some infrastructure, I don't want to create a situation where we're helping people out for six months and then its gone, Rhodes-Conway said.

Satya quote "If we're not able to build some infrastructure, I don't want to create a situation where we're helping people out for six months and then it's gone." - Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway

County Executive Parisi also lamented the restrictive state statutes: The pandemic showed just how wrong the legislature's action was to limit broadband expansion opportunities for everyone and we are currently exploring how the federal funds might be used to bring broadband to more areas in Dane County, despite the restrictions from the state.

The American Recovery Plan funds, geared toward infrastructure rather than subsidizing customers costs, can only be used to improve broadband infrastructure in areas that currently lack access to service that provides download speeds of 25 megabits per second and upload speeds of 3 megabits per second, which Kenney said appears to exclude all of Madison. Additionally, projects funded with those federal dollars must provide download speeds of at least 100 megabits per second and upload speeds of at least 20 megabits per second, making the projects more expensive than if state funds were used. The Department of Treasury, which created those rules, says such speeds are what would be needed for a household where two people telecommute and two to three students are in virtual school.

To Kenney, the federal rule makes sense. I think people in Wisconsin deserve a high standard of service, and if these dollars are really meant as once-in-a-generation dollars, then they should be used for investments that will last a generation and not a transitional technology, she said.

The city is focused on boosting digital literacy  which Rhodes-Conway calls a missing link in the broadband conversation. Madison recently created a task force to address digital inclusion strategies. The Madison Public Library partners with DANEnet to offer classes and is thinking creatively to get homes connected.

Library Director Greg Mickells said he wants to develop a holistic program that could be implemented in Community Development Authority-run housing to connect people with wireless hotspots, devices, digital training and other services, if needed, like financial literacy training,.

Theres so many people out there that dont have sufficient digital literacy to sometimes even know the advantages of being connected to broadband and having that resource available, Mickells said.

Is fast enough fast enough?

Despite the state law that Steen says hamstrings municipalities, she sees ways to expand affordable access. Shed like to see local businesses and agencies that already have high-speed connections  and arent subject to the state law  boost their own Wi-Fi signals so that those in the surrounding homes can connect.

And at DANEnet, Steen is launching a 24-hour hotline to help Dane County residents find out if they qualify for help paying for internet access. The project will also help DANEnet finally measure the local gaps and figure out what it would take to fix them, since the call center will report back how many calls it receives and whether or not the callers qualified for existing programs.

Soon shell know how many people arent qualifying due to income limits, for example, or because they owe money for prior bills. If it turns out that ... we need to raise $10,000 bucks to pay off folks broadband bills so they can sign up for plans, then I'll do it.

T-Mobile also recently donated 50 wireless hotspots which will provide Wi-Fi up to a monthly data limit. Thanks to a $12,000 private donation, shell be able to cover the service for six months.

We're gonna just use those for the most vulnerable people that need internet, Steen said, explaining that the organization received referrals from local caseworkers. They can borrow it for two weeks until we can find some more long term solutions.

Resnick is still holding out hope for city-based internet service. His pick: citywide wireless internet. It might not be fast enough for video gaming, but it would be enough for most peoples everyday tasks, Resnick said, explaining that he often works from a 30-megabit-per-second connection.

But Sabrina Madison, founder of the Progress Center for Black Women, worries that efforts to expand internet access by offering slower speeds are still perpetuating the digital divide. She said shes worked with families trying to find enough money to switch from discounted to market-rate internet plans so that they can get faster service or eliminate data caps, allowing multiple members of the family to use the internet simultaneously.

Its wild to me that families who are already at a disadvantage would get this cheaper, less fast (service), Madison said. I didnt even realize there was a different version of the internet that could be slower  It just doesn't make any sense to me.

Unequal access to the internet also reduces Madisons ability to address its notorious racial disparities in graduation rates, Steen said. When you think about who is affected the most by digital inequities (in) access to affordable broadband and technology, it is going to be families of color  You almost cant talk about broadband and digital inequity without talking about racial inequities.

But to 100 Black Men of Madisons Rose, any city effort to provide a free baseline of access would be a step in the right direction, especially for families struggling just to meet their basic needs. Arguments over speed kind of cloud the issue, he said.

I'm not saying they don't deserve the best of the best, but right now the focus here is, Is it fast enough that the teacher can speak with your children? Is it fast enough that you can make application for a job? Is it fast enough for you to communicate with the outside world, that maybe you can find a book that you might want to read?

I don't want to take away any opportunity that could get them adjusted to what I think is the future, which is a greater dependence on internet access.

Share your opinion on this topic by sending a letter to the editor to tctvoice@madison.com. Include your full name, hometown and phone number. Your name and town will be published. The phone number is for verification purposes only. Please keep your letter to 250 words or less.

Abigail Becker | The Capital Times Abigail Becker joined The Capital Times in 2016, where she primarily covers city and county government. She previously worked for the Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism and the Wisconsin State Journal. Follow Abigail Becker | The Capital Times 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
As the Nation Magazine's Elle Mystal wrote when the mainstream media started fawning over Paul Ryan's willingness to now speak out, "Lets not make any mistakes about who Ryan still is and what his 'principles' are. Before he debased himself into retirement, Ryan was an Ayn Rand sock puppet on a personal crusade to starve the government of resources so it could not deliver services.

"And the glory days hes hoping to resurrect are nothing more than that: a return to the days where Republicans expressed their cruelty through charts and graphs instead of tweets and slurs. Ryan just wants the cult of tax cuts to reassert its dominance over the cult of Trump," he wrote.

We noted in an editorial a couple of years ago when Ryan, after his retirement from politics, claimed that he and other moderate Republicans surrounding Trump steered him to make better decisions.
Johnsons early-in-the-pandemic false claim green-lighted any business owner thinking about reopening without implementing socially-distanced work conditions; blame could be shifted onto an alleged laxity of handwashing by employees.

Johnson incredulously pressed policymakers to prioritize concern about financial loss over and above the predicted coronavirus morbidity and mortality. He began a USA Today column on a fatalistic note  Every premature death is a tragedy, but death is an unavoidable part of life  and concluded by arguing that business shutdowns should therefore be kept to a minimum.

Addressing the pandemic with calls for nonscientific approaches, Johnson has publicly promoted medications untested for COVID use. An accountant by educational background, Johnson used hearings to broadcast self-proclaimed virus experts, who touted supposed pandemic-related benefits of hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin. They presented no valid evaluative data.

Johnson, a frequent purveyor of politically-convenient conspiracy theories, used his media spotlight to declare, without evidence, that tens, if not hundreds of thousands of lives have been lost due to actions by unnamed others. He decried, with no substantiation, those discouraging and in some cases prohibiting the research and use of drugs that have been safely used for decades.
Eight Republicans candidates are competing in next weeks primary to choose a nominee to replace former state Rep. John Jagler, a Watertown Republican who represented the states 37th Assembly District until his April election to serve in the state Senate. But they are not all reading from the same playbook.

That makes the June 15 GOP primary an important test in a district that has a long history of electing Republicans, and that includes portions of Dane, Columbia, Dodge and Jefferson counties. While the district has become increasingly competitive in recent years, the winner of the primary will still be considered the frontrunner in the July 13 special election with Democrat Pete Adams, a former Columbus City Council member, and independent Stephen Ratzlaff Jr.

The candidates are taking plenty of conservative positions on the issues. Thats not shocking. Jagler has been a reliably conservative Republican. His predecessor in the Senate, Scott Fitzgerald, was one of the chambers most right-wing members before his election to the U.S. House of Representatives in the November, 2020, election that sparked the series of special elections that first elevated Jagler and that now will choose his successor.
COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP)  The skeletons of two related Viking-era men, one who died in central Denmark and the other who was killed in England during a massacre ordered by a king, are set to be reunited for an exhibition opening in Copenhagen this month.

Scientists on both sides of the North Sea have established a genetic link between the Norsemen. DNA tests showed that they are either half brothers or nephew and uncle, University of Copenhagen geneticist Eske Willerslev said.

The man from the central Denmark island of Funen was a farmer in his 50s; his skeleton was excavated in 2005 near the town of Otterup. He stood 182-centimeters-tall (just under 6 feet), had arthritis in most of his bones and signs of inflammation inside some ribs which could indicate tuberculosis, according to Odense City Museums chief curator Jesper Hansen.

The man likely took part in the raids for which Vikings remain notorious because he also has a violent lesion on his left pelvis, which may have originated from a proper stab from a sword. The wound from that blow may have cost him his life because it did not heal, Hansen said in a statement.
1. White House

President Biden has ended infrastructure talks with a group of Republican senators after the two sides failed to reach an agreement, saying their proposal did not meet the country's needs. The administration is now shifting its efforts to a coming proposal from a bipartisan group of senators led by Democratic Sens. Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema. But some Senate Democrats are frustrated that any deal reached by that group is unlikely to satisfy the majority of their caucus, and they are prepared to go it alone. While his legislative efforts stall at home, Biden is preparing to leave today for his first foreign trip as President -- where he'll meet with the UK Prime Minister, Turkish President and other world leaders.
The scandal ultimately led to the ousting of Democratic Gov. Ray Blanton, who was never indicted in the investigation  but three of his aides were. However, questions have lingered about the extent to which the governor's administration actively worked to thwart the investigation. Officials say at least five witnesses in the case were murdered or killed themselves.

Pinkston told reporters that Pettyjohn would meet with inmates to indicate that money would help secure an early release from prison starting in 1976. Pettyjohn was joined by William Thompson, who had been involved in Blanton's election campaign and would later be convicted in the cash-for-clemency scandal.

According to Pinkston, Pettyjohn and Thompson would drop payments off at the governor's office in the Capitol.

As federal investigators began examining whether the governor's office was exchanging cash for parole, Pettyjohn was subpoenaed to testify about the ongoing scheme. Pettyjohn eventually agreed to cooperate with FBI agents, even going as far as providing a list of people who made payments to the governor's office for the early release of certain prisoners.
In her Senate announcement video, Demings takes aim at Trump, calling him a lawless president. Then she takes aim at Rubio.

There are some in Washington who prefer the same old tired ways of doing business, she says, too tired to fight the efforts to suppress the peoples vote. They fall back to tired talking points and backwards solutions.

Rubio hit back Wednesday, calling Demings, who was first elected to Congress in 2016, a far left extremist" with an undistinguished legislative record.

Look, I've always known that my opponent for the Senate was going to be a far left liberal Democrat. Today we just found out which one of them Chuck Schumers picked, Rubio says in a video, referring to the top Democrat in the Senate. He called her a do-nothing member of the U.S. House.

That's an argument Democrats have also made in the Senate against Rubio, who they charge has been more focused on pursuing political ambition, not accomplishment. Rubio announced he would not run for reelection six years ago to make a bid for the White House in 2016 but abandoned that effort after getting little traction.
It has its own home security company, Ring, and its own grocery chain, Whole Foods. And that's before you get to the airline, Prime Air, with its own fleet of over Prime Air-branded 70 aircraft, shipping exclusively packages from Amazon around the world.

Amazon's explosive popularity helped grow Bezos' fortune to more than a billion dollars by 1999, when he was named Time Magazine's Person of the Year. He founded Blue Origin in 2000, and said at one point that he was selling upward of $1 billion worth of Amazon stock each year to help fund the company's rocket development.

Bezos will remain involved in Amazon, though he will transition to the executive chairman role.

He will be succeeded as CEO by Andy Jassy, the head of Amazon Web Services.

Bezos' brother, Mark, formerly the owner of an advertising agency and is now a senior vice president at Robin Hood, a New York City charity.
Lauren Rogers, who was raised in the church, started a petition urging the church to reverse the decision and organized a protest outside its Salt Lake City headquarters. She said she wanted to fight for Helfer after her brother was excommunicated in 2015 for sharing his experience as a gay church member online.

I wanted to make up for not being there for (my brother) and be there for this woman who was trying to protect people like him in the church, said Rogers, who lives in Maricopa, Arizona. Excommunication needs to done away with. I think its an abusive practice ... and its a tool the church uses to silence people.

Helfer said she fears her case could set a precedent for removing other professionals and result in devastating consequences for church members who may no longer feel safe seeking treatment.

Doing this to me alone is sending the message both to clinicians and, more importantly, to the public that you shouldnt trust sex therapists, Helfer said. Even if it doesnt necessarily mean that other professionals will directly be affected, it will affect the population as to who will seek out those kinds of services.

Church officials declined to comment on Helfer losing her appeal or the criticism against them.
George Clooney is such a fun dad to his twins.

The Midnight Sky star has four-year-old twins Ella and Alexander with his wife Amal Clooney, and has been spending more time than ever at home with his brood amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

And sources have now said the 60-year-old actor was very positive about his increased time at home over the past year, and has been a fun dad to his brood.

The insider said: "George and Amal took every day as it came. They have always prioritised family time, so they were very positive about all the extra time with the kids. They are the most amazing parents.

"George is such a fun dad. The kids adore him."

George and Amal recently flew out to their vacation home in Lake Cuomo, Italy, to celebrate their twins birthday, and are thrilled to be back after the health crisis stopped them from visiting last year.

The source added to People magazine: "They didn't spend time in Lake Como last year. It's the first time in two years that they are back in Italy. They seem thrilled to be back. Friends that they didn't see during the pandemic are very excited that they are back.
She will also have Bunky's falafel and hummus for sale with za'atar chips using seasoning from Deliciouser, and garlic chips with local organic garlic from Keene Garlic.

For June, Castro is doing chicken or grilled red onion and poblano quesadillas with Deliciouser's Oaxaca spice blend; Mexican street corn with her Zocalo spice blend, lime mayo, cilantro and queso fresco; chips and salsa with morita spice; and Oaxacan-spiced chocolate brownies.

Jamie Crahen, the East Side Club's president, said the club has worked with Pullara-Ouabel in the past. While the venue sometimes offers its own grilled items, the availability can be inconsistent.

"This is kind of new for us, working with all of these different people," Crahen said. "For us, it's a way to get people to come to our establishment and enjoy the view of the backyard. And listen to some good music and have some fun and basically get out of your house."

Crahen said the Tiki bar doesn't have a set capacity. When it hosted the Jimmys, a popular Madison blues band, on Memorial Day, Crahen guessed there were as many as 2,000.

The Tiki bar is open daily with bocce leagues, wedding receptions and other events.
MILWAUKEE  A former worker at the Molson Coors brewery in Milwaukee has been charged with threatening to open fire at the facility after learning his termination had been upheld.

Online court records show 28-year-old Jamal Jury of Milwaukee was charged Saturday with making terrorist threats and sending threatening computer messages.

According to a criminal complaint obtained by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Jury was suspended from his job in February 2020 for threatening to open fire during a workplace argument. Later that day another brewery worker, Anthony Ferrill, shot five of his co-workers before he killed himself in one of the worst mass shootings in Wisconsin history. Investigators later determined that Ferrill had been shown signs of paranoia and erratic behavior for three years before the shooting.

Jury was taken into custody shortly after that shooting but investigators concluded he wasnt involved. Molson Coors filed a restraining order against him, however.
Madison Gas and Electric has completed work on Dane Countys largest solar farm to date, which will provide clean energy to local governments and businesses.

MGE President Jeff Keebler said the $31.7 million OBrien Solar Fields in Fitchburg demonstrates that the utility can work with customers to reduce carbon emissions in a cost-effective way.

MGE has contracts with the state of Wisconsin, UW-Madison, the city of Fitchburg and local businesses Placon Corp., Promega Corp., Tribe 9 Foods and the Willy Street Co-op to buy the projects energy output.

While each contract is unique, customers will pay initial rates of about 6 to 7 cents per kilowatt hour for solar energy, with some variability, and will receive renewable energy credits for their share of the generation.

MGE projects revenue from the contracts will cover the cost of the project over 30 years while generating a 10.3% return on equity.

Company and local leaders say the project is helping them cut carbon emissions.

Fitchburg Mayor Aaron Richardson said the project will allow the city to meet 40% of its operational needs with renewable energy, surpassing the goal of 25% by 2025.
The budget-writing committee will work in the days and weeks ahead to deliver meaningful tax relief where it counts most, said budget committee co-chair Rep. Mark Born, R-Beaver Dam.

When finalized by the committee, the budget will be sent to the Legislature for approval. After that, it goes to Evers, who has partial veto authority.

In light of the new projections, Evers also announced that an estimated $300 million in cost savings across 18 state agencies  which the governor called for during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic  would be returned to those departments. That includes more than $45 million to the University of Wisconsin System, $5 million to the Wisconsin Technical College System and nearly $25 million to the Department of Children and Families.

This restored funding will be significant help to our campuses as we fully open this fall, UW-System President Tommy Thompson said in a statement.

Out of the pandemic
Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers has reached a scaled-down deal with Foxconn -- one that will cut tax breaks by billions.

With his 2022 re-election campaign now underway, Gov. Tony Evers said he is prepared to defend against what have already emerged as common GOP criticisms, including the Democratic governors response to violent protests in Kenosha last year.

During an interview Wednesday with the Wisconsin State Journal, Evers also said his re-election campaign will focus on unfinished business from his first term, while also looking to buck Wisconsins swing state trend of favoring the party not in the White House.

Republican criticisms  which resurfaced among GOP activists over the weekend after Evers announced his plans to seek a second term  include that he didnt act soon enough to boost the National Guards presence in Kenosha as protests turned violent after police shot a 29-year-old Black man, Jacob Blake, seven times in the back last August.

But Evers defended his response, adding that hes heard the criticisms before and expects Republicans will throw the kitchen sink at me, too.

We did exactly what the city and the county asked us to do, and thats our role as a state, Evers said. Was it a situation that no one wanted to see happen? Absolutely. But at the end of the day we did what we needed to do and what we were asked to do.
Nothing is guaranteed this time, either. Amtraks map is a vision of what could happen by 2035, not what will happen. Hearings and conversations about where rail should go must proceed. Then public officials will face the hard work of figuring out how to pay for it all.

Amtrak published the map partly in response to President Joe Bidens proposal to spend $2 trillion on infrastructure and other programs. The proposal includes $85 billion to improve and expand the nations rail network. It would be a great start, but only a start.

America lags far behind much of the rest of the industrialized world when it comes to passenger rail. Catching up will be expensive, but the benefits could be tremendous.
An article in Saturday's State Journal, "Evictions that fueled Gaza war could still happen," reported on the still threatened expulsion of six Palestinian households from Sheikh Jarrah in Jerusalem, which keeps the Palestinian-Israeli conflict tense.

Often neglected is that the oppression of Palestinians also harms Israel. An orthodox Jewish scholar, who immigrated to Israel but left because of the policy toward Palestinians, once told me that in their treatment of Palestinians, the Jewish people of Israel are losing their souls.

American citizens can impact this conflict. First, support those in Congress, such as our own Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Black Earth, who call for confronting Israel about Palestinian rights. Every year, Israel receives $3.8 billion from U.S. taxpayers. As the source of those funds, the United States has 3.8 billion reasons to exert pressure on Israel to adopt a more just policy toward Palestinians.
When B-17G 44-83814 arrived at the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force in Savannah, Georgia during January 2009 after decades of storage at the Smithsonians National Air & Space Museum, Dr. Harry Friedman, of Memphis Belle fame, said there was a way for the museum to make their restoration the gold standard by which all other static B-17s were measured: the aircraft should have three operable power turrets for regular public demonstrations. That mission has now been accomplished!

The third power turret was installed in the City of Savannah on Monday, May 10th with help from the museums B-17 restoration team and JCB North America, one of the worlds top three manufacturers of construction equipment. The new turret now matches the other power turrets (chin and ball). The B-17G comes to us from the National Air and Space Museum in Washington DC after a decade-long search for this rare heavy bomber. Constructed as a B-17G-95-DL by Douglas at Long Beach, California, the United States Army Air Forces took her on charge as 44-83814 at Syracuse, New York on June 15, 1945. With the war over, the B-17 was then passed onto the civilian market by the Reconstruction Finance Corporation. The Photographic Survey Corp of Toronto, Canada bought the B-17 as a geophysical survey platform. Interestingly, in February 1958 the aircraft staged through Christmas Island in the Pacific Ocean, flying from Fiji to Auckland, New Zealand to Sydney, Australia and then Biak on a magnetometer survey. Arnold Kolb/Black Hills Aviation of Spearfish, South Dakota acquired the aircraft for fire bomber operations beginning in April 1971. However, on January 7th, 1982 the B-17 flew into retirement at Dulles Airport in Chantilly, Virginia, becoming a part of the Smithsonians National Air and Space Museum (NASM). Initially, NASM was going to restore the aircraft for display at their Steven Udvar-Hazy Center facility, but they worked out a deal with the National Museum of the US Air Force, which saw the airframe de-accessioned, and placed on loan to the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, in Pooler, Savannah, Georgia on January 8, 2009.

Now christened City of Savannah, the airframe represents significant history, being named after a brave crew and the city in which the Mighty Eighth Air Force originated. This restoration has involved more than 60,000 hours of labor so far from a team comprising more than 140 volunteers. The museums volunteers have worked together with other volunteers, interns, engineers, designers and instructors representing corporations and schools such as Gulfstream Aerospace, Chroma Corporation, LMI, Savannah Tech and others. The museum is justifiably proud of their achievement and is thankful for the countless hours, teamwork and expertise offered by the many people who contributed to this restoration.
The surveying work will allow the district to accurately map out grave plots. Existing maps for the cemeteries are wrong or incomplete, Nelson said.

At Hill City, what we have is a piece of paper with some lines on it, Nelson said.

After mapping out the cemeteries, Nelson said the district plans to upload the information onto a computer at the county courthouse that people can visit to view and search for grave sites.

This information will also help the district respond to inquiries from people who have already purchased plots in the cemetery. Nelson recalled the story of a woman who wanted to be buried directly across from her son, who, as a military office, was buried in a small area reserved for veterans at Mountain View Cemetery.

When the woman called to speak with the district, Nelson said the board members found that the plot she purchased years ago was directly in the middle of what is now a road.

The board members were able to work with the woman and move her plot to the side of the road shortly before she died.

Fortunately we got her buried right where she wanted to be and she can see her son just across the road, but that is kind of why this survey thing sounds ridiculous but its important, Nelson said.
I think this (ruling) will have some repercussions for any miners who are thinking about mining without the required permit, said the leagues Jonathan Oppenheimer.

Federal and state agencies repeatedly notified Poe of the violations, but Poe denied being subject to the Clean Water Act, according to the lawsuit. The Idaho Conservation League also said Poe was encouraging unpermitted mining by other gold seekers in Idaho rivers.

Poes defense in the lawsuit was to argue he didnt need any type of Clean Water Act permit because his suction dredge didnt add pollutants to the river. He said that even if his suction dredge did add pollutants, it would be considered dredged or fill material regulated under a different section of the Clean Water Act, also not requiring a specific type of permit.

But Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge Ronald E. Bush disagreed. He said the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers agreed that the operation of a suction dredge resulted in discharge of processed waste, requiring the permit.

Poes attorney, Constance Brooks, didnt return a call from The Associated press on Tuesday.

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WHAT IS THE LINE 3 PROJECT?

The 1,097-mile (1,765-kilometer) line is part of an Enbridge network that moves oil from fields in Canada's Alberta province to refineries in southern Ontario and the U.S. Midwest. It crosses the far northeastern tip of North Dakota, then cuts through northern Minnesota to a terminal at Superior, Wisconsin.

The line carries nearly 16.4 million gallons (62 million liters) of oil used in fuels and other products.

Enbridge says the original 1960s pipe is deteriorating and carrying about half its capacity. The company is replacing it with pipe made of stronger steel that it says would enable resumption of a normal flow  about 32 million gallons (121 million liters) daily.

Work is finished in Canada, North Dakota and Wisconsin and 60% complete in Minnesota, where 337 miles (542 kilometers) of new pipe is being laid. A new section veers south around reservation land of the Leech Lake tribe, which objected to the project. The detour adds about 50 miles (80 kilometers) to the length.

ASIDE FROM PROTESTS AND CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE, WHAT OPTIONS DO OPPONENTS HAVE?
The case traveled through state and federal courts since it was first filed, including through the U.S. Supreme Court in 2019, before concluding in a state district court.

Its been 13 years, said Serge Myers, a 76-year-old resident of Opportunity, who worked at the smelter for 16 years. Its been a long haul. We did the best we could. Our lawyers did the best they could.

Neither John Davis, a lawyer who represented ARCO, nor two company employees familiar with the Anaconda Co. Smelter site were immediately available to comment on the case or settlement.

Charlie Coleman, the Environmental Protection Agency's remedial project manager for the site, said testing and cleanup continues in the rural area. The EPA has said it hopes to complete remedial construction activities on the smelter site by December 2025.

Copper King Marcus Daly and the Anaconda Copper Mining Co. began smelting copper ore from Butte in the 1880s, The Montana Standard reported. Around 1902, ore processing and smelting operations began at the Washoe Smelter, which was designed to disperse smoke from the smelter to try to reduce pollution.

In 1977, ARCO purchased the Anaconda Co. and inherited vast lands polluted with arsenic, lead, copper, cadmium and zinc from ore-processing operations and stack emissions. Later, under the federal Superfund law, ARCO became retroactively liable for that contamination.

For copyright information, check with the distributor of this item, The Montana Standard.

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DETROIT (AP)  Startup commercial electric vehicle maker Lordstown Motors says it may not be in business a year from now as it tries to secure funding to start full production of an electric pickup truck.

In a quarterly regulatory filing Tuesday, Lordstown said the $587 million it had on hand as of March 31 isn't enough to start commercial production and begin selling the full-size pickup, called the Endurance.

These conditions raise substantial doubt regarding our ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least one year, the company said in the filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Shares of the company, which is set up in a now-closed General Motors plant east of Cleveland, fell 16.2% to close Tuesday at $11.22. The lost another 3% in after-hours trading.

On May 24, CEO Steve Burns warned that production could be cut by over half to only 1,000 vehicles this year unless Lordstown raised an undisclosed amount of new capital.

Tuesday's SEC filing appears to be much more dire. Going concern is a term companies typically use when noting that their outside auditors are questioning their ability to remain in business.
LONDON (AP)  The U.K.s chief negotiator called on the European Union to show pragmatism and common sense, instead of threatening to retaliate, as the two sides meet to resolve differences over the deal that was supposed to keep trade flowing after Brexit.

David Frost made the comments after his EU counterpart said the bloc was ready to act firmly and resolutely if the U.K. fails to honor its commitments under the divorce agreement. The two men are scheduled to meet Wednesday in London amid rising tensions over implementation of the deal in Northern Ireland, the only part of the U.K. that shares a land border with the bloc.

Central to the talks are provisions of the deal that effectively created a customs border between Northern Ireland and the rest of the U.K., angering many pro-British residents of the island. While Britain has called for compromise, the EU says the new rules are needed to protect the blocs single market.

Both sides fear the tensions could fuel a return to violence in Northern Ireland.
The 2021 Idaho Legislative Session ended with the passage of House Bill 389 relating to property taxes. It is a complex bill that affects many aspects of the Idaho Property Tax Code from the way counties budget every year, calculate new construction to expand services for new growth, and a few changes to the Property Tax Reduction Circuit Breaker program. One change that you will notice on your assessment is an increase to the Homeowners Exemption from $100,000 to $125,000 which is now 50% of the value up to $250,000 or a maximum of $125,000. For homes under $250,000, the taxable value only increased 14% because of the increase in the exemption.

In Idaho, we have income, sales and property taxes. Property taxes are local taxes and stay local and are spent locally. They fund your public schools including community colleges like CSI, roadways, police protection, fire protection, public parks, water systems, waste water systems, libraries, weed abatement and ambulance service, along with other programs. I always remember somebody paid to build the schools I went to and the ones my children attended.
Herring, who is seeking a third term, will face Republican state Del. Jason Miyares in the November general election.

After eight years of unprecedented progress, well have the opportunity with a Democratic majority to break progressive ground like never before, Herring said on Twitter after he was declared the winner.

Jones conceded and tweeted that he'll work to elect Herring and the entire Democratic ticket.

Herring is a former state senator who became attorney general in 2014 and was reelected easily in 2017. He pitched himself to voters as a progressive champion on abortion rights, gun control and immigrant-friendly policies and argued that his experience made him the best choice to keep the office in Democratic control.

Herring has touted his record battling former President Donald Trumps policies in court, his work to eliminate Virginias backlog of untested rape kits, his defense of marriage equality, and his efforts to hold manufacturers accountable for their role in the opioid crisis.

Jones, a Black 32-year-old two-term delegate, argued it was time for change and sought to cast Herring as slow to respond to the reckoning sparked by the police killing of George Floyd last summer.
Attorney General Mark Herring defeated Democratic primary challenger Jay Jones on Tuesday to become the partys fall nominee in his bid for a third term, according to unofficial results.

The race wasnt an easy one for Herring, who focused on defending his record and acknowledging violence by police.

Jones, a delegate from Norfolk, attacked Herring as being weak on police reform, challenging the incumbent to use the power of his office to investigate allegations of misconduct against police in recent shootings and incidents.

Among them was the fatal shooting of Donovon W. Lynch, 25, in Virginia Beach in March by Virginia Beach police during a night of violence at the Oceanfront. Toward the end of the campaign, Jones attacked Herring for using the Democratic Attorneys General Association for a large portion of his campaign funding, saying the move disguised some of Herrings donors.

And Jones, who is Black, criticized Herrings response to revelations in 2019 that Herring had worn blackface at a college party, saying the attorney general showed no compassion when apologizing to Black lawmakers.

The race illustrated one of the splits among Virginia Democrats.
The FBI's findings appear to go a step further than the investigation that was conducted by the city, which said in March that it could not determine a motive for the mass shooting.

Despite exhaustive investigative work and in spite of unsubstantiated rumors and accusations, it appears we may never know why he committed this heinous act, the city's report concluded.

Craddock had worked in the citys public utilities department for more than nine years. He killed 11 co-workers and a contractor who was in the building at the time getting a permit. Four others were seriously wounded and a police officer responding to the shooting received a bullet in his tactical vest but escaped serious injury. Craddock was killed in a shootout with police.

The city's report had said Craddock's life began to change around 2017. He was getting a divorce and started to have performance issues at work. In 2018, he received a written reprimand for poor performance, failed to meet expectations on an evaluation and didnt get a merit raise.
South Africa: SA making efforts to improve ease of doing business

South African cities are making efforts to improve the ease of doing business, although the pace of reforms has been slow in the last three years, according to a World Bank Group report.

South Africa is one of the countries counted among others that have implemented reforms making it easier to do business. These reforms were implemented from May 2018 to May 2019.

This was revealed at a webinar organised by BrandSA and Invest SA, through the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) in collaboration with Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) and the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) on Tuesday.

South Africa made enforcing contracts easier by introducing a specialized court dedicated to hearing commercial cases.

With regards to employment, South Africa introduced a national minimum wage.

Doing Business in South Africa 2018, the second in the subnational series on South Africa, analyzes business regulations for domestic small and medium enterprises in nine cities - Buffalo City, Cape Town, Ekurhuleni, eThekwini, Johannesburg, Mangaung, Msunduzi, Nelson Mandela Bay and Tshwane.

These cities were assessed on five Doing Business areas: Dealing with Construction Permits, Getting Electricity, Registering Property, Enforcing Contracts and Trading Across Borders.

Trading Across Borders

In the area of Trading Across Borders, the report measures four of South Africas maritime ports - Cape Town, Durban, Ngqura, and Port Elizabeth.

The report finds that in the three years since the last study, Cape Town, eThekwini, Johannesburg, Mangaung and Nelson Mandela Bay implemented reforms.

Four of the reforms improved the conditions for businesses to obtain electricity, and one made it easier to transfer property.

Although reforms have been few, where they were implemented, the results have been striking.

Mangaung, for example, automated municipal processes that have halved the time needed to transfer property, from just over seven weeks to three weeks. As a result, Mangaung has moved from lowest performer in this area in 2015 to best performer now.

Registering Property and Getting Electricity

Johannesburg performs well in the areas of Registering Property and Getting Electricity, which was an area of improvement in this report. Johannesburg, along with Cape Town and eThekwini, started monitoring reliability of electricity supply, in line with international best practices.

In the area of registering property, Johannesburg has few procedures for transferring property, making it one of the fastest locations in the country. However, Johannesburg lags in construction permitting and contract enforcement.

Similarly, Cape Town continues to lead in construction permitting, because it has efficient procedures and is the fastest place to obtain construction approvals, much faster than most high-income economies.

Doing Business 2020

Doing Business 2020, a World Bank Group flagship publication, is the 17th in a series of annual studies measuring the regulations that enhance business activity and those that constrain it.

Doing Business presents quantitative indicators on business regulations and the protection of property rights that can be compared across 190 economies - from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe.

In 2019, governments of 115 economies around the world launched 294 reforms over the past year to make doing business easier for their domestic private sector, paving the way for more jobs, expanded commercial activity and higher incomes for many.

The Doing Business 2020 study shows that developing economies are catching up with developed economies in ease of doing business.

World Bank Ease of Doing Business Index

In the case of South Africa, GCIS Director-General Phumla Williams said working together and ensuring that bold reforms are undertaken can move the country back into the top 50 of the World Bank Ease of Doing Business Index.

In the recent ranking, South Africa was at position 84 in a total of 190 countries.

A lot has been said about the need for reform to improve South Africas ranking on the World Banks Ease of Doing Business Index, and substantively improve South Africas business environment, along with the need to positively influence investor perception, Williams said.

Williams said she is pleased to note that the national reform effort is being carried out collaboratively with the relevant government departments, agencies and the private sector.

In order to ensure that we change South Africas ranking in the next Ease of Doing Business Index, we will all need to change.

I am therefore extremely pleased that we have all agreed that we must become the change we want to see. We must push forward our agenda boldly and without reservation, she said.

Williams said strong and productive partnerships between government, agencies, the private sector, unions and civil society are needed to move the country forward.

She said she is confident that things will get even better since some of the major areas that needs reforms have been highlighted such as Company Registration, Construction Permits, Paying Taxes and Registering Property.

Ease of doing business in SA

Also taking part in the webinar, was Commissioner Rory Voller from Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC), who said they are looking into measures that will further the ease of doing business in South Africa.

We are constantly looking into ensuring that we ease measures of doing business in South Africa, he said.

Voller said they are constantly engaging with all the relevant stakeholders.

The webinar, under the theme Ease of Doing Business: South Africas Global Competitiveness in Focus, highlighted the on-going successes of South Africas national reform efforts.

The index provides objective measures of business regulations and their enforcement across 190 economies and selected cities at the sub-national and regional level.

By gathering and analysing comprehensive quantitative data to compare business regulation environments across economies and over time, doing business encourages economies to compete towards more efficient regulation as well as offering measurable benchmarks for reform.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2021-06-09. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
PRESS RELEASE  EAA AVIATION CENTER, OSHKOSH, Wisconsin  (June 9, 2021)  Federal Aviation Administration policy interpretations on flight training arising out of a recent court decision will have a chilling impact on general aviation safety and create a bureaucratic nightmare for pilots and federal officials, according to numerous GA groups including the Experimental Aircraft Association.

In a letter sent to FAA Administrator Stephen Dickson, the groups called the policy changes unnecessary and unwarranted guidelines based on irrational legal positions and called for the FAA to immediately revise the policy to prevent degraded safety in flight training and unnecessary legal battles. The combined groups noted that they are prepared to use all available means to ensure this situation is corrected as soon as possible.

Why the FAA would want to diminish the flight training that made the U.S. aviation system the safest in the world boggles the mind, but thats what these new policies will do, said Jack J. Pelton, EAAs CEO and chairman of the board. For years, the FAA has correctly stated that training in the specific make and model of aircraft to be routinely operated, with a well-qualified instructor, is the best training. These policies would unnecessarily limit that access and measure of safety.

The GA groups noted four specific areas where safety would be diminished or bureaucratic backlogs created:
Turnout in Tuesdays Democratic primary appeared slightly lower than in recent statewide primaries - even with expanded early voting in the state and pandemic restrictions lifted. With some precincts still out, about 415,000 votes had been tallied. About 543,000 voted in the 2017 Democratic primary.

McAuliffe trounced a field of Democrats that featured two Black women in a state that has only elected men to its highest office: Former Del. Jennifer Carroll Foy of Prince William County and Sen. Jennifer McClellan of Richmond.

Carroll Foy, who helped Democrats work toward a majority in the House by flipping a Northern Virginia seat in 2017, pitched herself as a progressive voice for the state's working class. McClellan, a legislator since 2006, pleaded with voters to elect someone with leadership experience and the perspective of a Black woman and a mother.

"Although tonight did not go the way we wanted it to, we made history," McClellan said. "I helped put a crack in the glass ceiling. We are going to shatter it  it's only a matter of time."

Carroll Foy said: "Unions stood up. Women stood up. People of color and millennials stood up. Progressives stood up. This campaign was never about me. It was always about us  giving a voice to those who have gone unheard."
It is extremely concerning and at times frustrating, said Africa CDC Director Dr. John Nkengasong, a Cameroonian virologist who is trying to ensure some of the worlds poorest nations get a fair share of vaccines in a marketplace where they cant possibly compete.

The United States and Britain, in contrast, have fully vaccinated more than 40% of their populations, with higher rates for adults and high-risk people. Countries in Europe are near or past 20% coverage, and their citizens are starting to think about where their vaccine certificates might take them on their summer vacations. The U.S., France and Germany are even offering shots to youngsters, who are at very low risk of serious illness from COVID-19.

Poorer countries had warned as far back as last year of this impending vaccine inequality, fearful that rich nations would hoard doses.

In an interview, Nkengasong called on the leaders of wealthy nations meeting this week at the Group of Seven summit to share spare vaccines  something the United States has already agreed to do  and avert a moral catastrophe.
Campbell said he personally became involved in TCYN because he wanted to give young nature enthusiasts an opportunity to learn how amazing the natural world can be.

As a young naturalist myself, I understand how exciting it can be to have a community of other young people to share exciting finds and learn new ways to find wildlife with, he said. Its awesome to find a toad in the backyard every time one makes an appearance.

However, visiting a secret bend of the river full of lime-green map turtles, egrets perched on driftwood, and limestone bluffs full of colorful clumps of rare wildflowers and neon-green tiger beetles, with friends who can experience this same excitement and knowledgeable naturalists who can share detailed accounts about what youre seeing, is an unforgettable experience, he continued.

I see TCYN as a way this frontier of discovery can be strengthened in our Appalachian Highlands region to really give local children an opportunity to form a strong connection with nature; something desperately needed in todays time where nature deficit disorder is rampant,Campebll added.

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Campbell, who currently lives in Bristol, once lived in Indian Springs just outside of Kingsport.
Now, our new PAC is determined to make him a one-term congressman and show the people of western North Carolina who the real David Madison Cawthorn is including the fact he doesnt work for any of us, said Wheeler. Cawthorn spent two weeks on vacation in Dubai posting pictures at the pool drinking beer and showing off more skin than was appropriate in a Muslim nation while he was supposed to be working for us in D.C. He has also missed more votes than any other member of Congress and passed zero legislation. What is he doing in D.C. besides partying? We need a fighter representing all of us in D.C., not a party boy.
UC grad student Shreyash Manegaonkar examines an N95 mask in a UC lab. Credit: Ravenna Rutledge/UC Creative

Even the best face masks work only as well as their fit.

And poorly fitting face masks greatly increase the risk of infection from airborne pathogens compared to custom-fitted masks, according to a new study by the University of Cincinnati.

Researchers in UC's College of Engineering and Applied Science used computerized tomography or CT scans of three different-sized face masks attached to three different-sized dummy heads to measure the gaps between the face and the fabric. Then they calculated the leaks from these gaps to determine the infection risk.

They found that while N95 masks are effective barriers against airborne diseases like COVID-19, poorly fitting masks can have substantial leaks around the face that reduce their effectiveness and increase the risk of infection.

"Many people do not realize that the fit of face masks can vary. There are different face shapes and different sizes of masks," said Rupak Banerjee, a professor in UC's Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering.

"If you do not match them well, you can lead to greater leaks and higher risks of infection," he said.

The study was published in the Nature journal Scientific Reports.

Banerjee collaborated on the study with his former students, including UC graduates Prasanna Hariharan, Neha Sharma and Gavin D'Souza. Hariharan, the study's lead author, works for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Division of Applied Mechanics.

UC's use of CT scans improved the accuracy of contact modeling from previous studies that relied on gap geometry and computational models for estimates.

UC used three different sized N95 face masks from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health along with three standard mannequin heads identified as small, medium and large. From the CT scans, they could create a 3-D computer-aided design model that showed the gaps between the masks and the face on each subject.

University of Cincinnati professor Rupak Banerjee adjusts a mask on grad student Israel Ajiboye while grad student Shreyash Manegaonkar looks on. Engineering researchers found that a poorly fitting face mask greatly increases the risk of infection. Credit: Ravenna Rutledge/UC Creative

They calculated the airflow rates through the gaps to identify the relative infection risk for each mask on each face.

The aerosol transport attributed to leaking out the sides of the masks varied from as little as 30% to as much as 95% for the worst-fitting masks. Researchers found the leaks were most likely around the nose. Interestingly, they noticed that the gaps were often asymmetrical on the symmetrical dummy faces.

Researchers found that poorly fitted face masks can as much as double the infection risk to the wearers and people around them.

"A lot of people don't wear masks properly. They keep the nose exposed, which isn't helpful," Banerjee said.

But understanding that masks can often leak around the nose could help people pay more attention to the fit when buying and wearing masks.

Editor of the American Society of Mechanical Engineering Journal of Medical Devices, Banerjee said innovations in infection control have been hot topics this year.

"We are going to have a special issue soon about pandemic-response medical devices, including face masks and face shields," he said.

Meanwhile, UC's research could educate consumers and help manufacturers design better-fitting masks, he said.

While many countries are relaxing social-distancing mandates, Banerjee said he isn't putting his face masks away just yet.

"I'll continue to wear a face mask because of the risk from the COVID-19 variants," he said. "We're still not sure how effective the vaccine is on the variants. So it's a good idea to continue wearing masks in gatherings for now."

Explore further Facemasks block expired particles, despite leakage at edges

More information: Prasanna Hariharan et al, A computational model for predicting changes in infection dynamics due to leakage through N95 respirators, Scientific Reports (2021). Journal information: Scientific Reports Prasanna Hariharan et al, A computational model for predicting changes in infection dynamics due to leakage through N95 respirators,(2021). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-89604-7
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

A new study finds that manipulating the stiffness of the collagen-based support structure of airway cells could lead to a new treatment for asthma. The study is published ahead of print in the Journal of Applied Physiology.

Asthma is a respiratory condition that affects more than 300 million people across the globe. People with asthma experience tightening (constricting) of airway smooth muscle cells in response to a variety of triggers, including breathing in substancessuch as smoke or pollenthat irritate the airways or cause inflammation. Current asthma treatments focus on reducing inflammation and opening up constricted airways to facilitate easier breathing. Even when inflammation is controlled, however, the same trigger (called an agonist) may cause an asthma attack. Airway stiffness, including the extracellular matrixa network of collagen, enzymes and proteins that surrounds the cellsalso plays a role in asthma. However, less is known about how airway stiffness contributes to an asthma attack independently of inflammation.

A research team from Northeastern University in Boston explored how changing the stiffness of the extracellular matrix affects airway constriction. The researchers treated the extracellular matrix of healthy bovine airways with vitamin B2 and ultraviolet A radiation to stiffen the structure. The procedure, called collagen crosslinking, is often performed to stiffen the collagen in the cornea during eye surgery. "The goal here was not to recreate the pathophysiological process that occurs in asthma, but to perturb the mechanical properties of the [extracellular matrix] without introducing any inflammatory signals," the researchers wrote.

Credit: American Physiological Society

When treated with the same agonist, the airways with the stiffer extracellular matrix constricted more quickly and to a greater degree than before, even without inflammation present. These results highlight the potential for developing an asthma treatment that targets the stiffness of the extracellular matrix, the research team explained.

"Stiffening of the extracellular matrix is a sufficient condition for airway hyperreactivity" is published ahead of print in the Journal of Applied Physiology.

Explore further How smooth muscle cells in the human airway behave to trigger asthma

More information: Ryan R. Jamieson et al, Stiffening of the extracellular matrix is a sufficient condition for airway hyperreactivity, Journal of Applied Physiology (2021). Journal information: Journal of Applied Physiology Ryan R. Jamieson et al, Stiffening of the extracellular matrix is a sufficient condition for airway hyperreactivity,(2021). DOI: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00554.2020
(HealthDay)COVID-19 could be a much more expensive experience for folks who fall ill this year, thanks to the return of deductibles and copays, new research suggests.

Most folks who became gravely ill with COVID last year didn't face crushing medical bills because nearly all insurance companies agreed to waive cost-sharing for coronavirus care during the height of the pandemic, explained Dr. Kao-Ping Chua, a health policy researcher and pediatrician at the University of Michigan.

But some people did get a big bill because their insurer refused to waive cost-sharing, and their debts provide a good idea of what many hospitalized COVID patients will have to pay this year, Chua said.

"We've had some really big insurers abandon their cost-sharing waivers this year," Chua said. "Insurers seem to be acting like the pandemic is over, and we feel that it's premature for them to be acting in that manner."

Chua noted that as of last week, some 20,000 Americans were hospitalized for COVID even though there's been a continuing decline in cases.

For this study, Chua and his colleagues reviewed claims data for multiple insurers across the United States, looking specifically for people who got a full bill for their COVID hospitalization.

They identified more than 4,000 hospitalizations between March and September 2020 where it didn't appear the insurer waived cost-sharing. These patients had to pay a share of all their care, from hospital room and board down to the doctors who saw them and the medications they received.

Folks who didn't benefit from cost-sharing waivers wound up paying about $3,800, on average, out of pocket if they had private insurance and an average of $1,500 if they were covered by a Medicare Advantage plan, the data showed.

"Now that insurers are abandoning their cost-sharing waivers, that's approximately what the bills might be for patients covered by plans that have chosen to do that," Chua said.

By comparison, respiratory infections in the pre-COVID period from 2016 to 2019 resulted in average out-of-pocket spending for privately insured folks of $1,600 to $2,000, researchers said in background notes.

The findings were published on the preprint server medRxiv and have not been peer-reviewed yet.

The cost of treating COVID-19 "could be higher than the amounts you see in this study, in fact," said Cheryl Fish-Parcham, director of access initiatives at Families U.S., a national nonpartisan consumer health care advocacy organization. "Besides the hospital costs themselves, people may face costs when they go home if they have long-term effects of COVID."

Chua's team also found that even those who benefited from some sort of cost-sharing waiver still wound up paying for part of their COVID hospital care.

About seven out of 10 COVID hospitalizations resulted in a bill of some sort for privately insured patients, and about half of hospitalizations for those covered by Medicare Advantage.

Even if hospital costs were waived, people still received bills from the doctors who provided their inpatient care and the ambulance services who got them to the hospital, Chua said.

"Even though insurer cost-sharing waivers covered most of the bill, they didn't cover all COVID hospitalization-related care," Chua said.

Those folks faced average bills of nearly $800 with private insurance and nearly $300 with Medicare Advantage.

While the threat of a big COVID hospital bill might prompt some reluctant folks to get vaccinated, Chua said he'd "rather this not be the way that people get convinced to get a vaccination."

That's because he's worried the risk of a big hospital bill will keep people from getting care that could save their lives.

"I don't want the possibility of high cost-sharing to dissuade people from getting the care they need," Chua said.

If insurers keep backing out of COVID cost-sharing waivers, the U.S. federal government needs to intervene, Chua concluded.

"There should be consideration of a federal mandate that requires insurers to cover all costs of COVID hospitalizations throughout the duration of the pandemic," Chua said.

Fish-Parcham is hopeful that the federal government also will step in to limit out-of-pocket expenses for all health care, COVID or not.

In the meantime, many states offer consumer assistance programs that help people resolve billing issues between patient and insurer, Fish-Parcham noted.

"We encourage consumers to use those programs if they exist in their states," Fish-Parcham said.

Insurance industry group America's Health Insurance Plans did not respond to a request for comment.

More information: The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more about The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more about COVID-19

Copyright  2021 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

A condition that affects the blood, known as idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), may be associated the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine in rare cases, research suggests.

The very small increased risk of the conditionwhich is characterized by low platelet countsis estimated to be 11 per million doses, similar to figures seen in vaccines for flu and MMR.

A low number of plateletsblood cells that help prevent blood loss when vessels are damagedcan result in no symptoms or can lead to an increased risk of bleeding or, in some cases, clotting.

Researchers say that the increased chance of developing ITP after receiving the vaccine remains smaller than the risk of developing it because of Covid-19 and should not deter the roll out of the vaccine program.

The same risk was not found for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. Other vaccines were not included in the study.

Experts recommend that recipients of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine should be made aware of the slight increased risks of ITP, but also stress that the risk of developing these disorders from Covid-19 is potentially much higher.

The Medical and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) had previous reported low platelet counts in combination with blood clots following vaccination with the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, estimated to occur at a rate of approximately 13 per million first doses.

Experts say the new study's specific findings about ITP are likely to be a manifestation of this general condition. The MHRA is actively monitoring the situation.

The study of 5.4 million people in Scotland, of whom 2.5m had received their first vaccine dose, is the first analysis of ITP, clotting and bleeding events following vaccination for an entire country.

Researchers were unable to establish a definitive link between other forms of clottingincluding the rare form called cerebral venous sinus thrombosis or CVSTdue to the very low number of cases in vaccinated people included in the study.

Those at most risk from ITP tended to be oldera median age of 69 years oldand had at least one underlying chronic health problem such as coronary heart disease, diabetes or chronic kidney disease.

The research team, led by the University of Edinburgh, analyzed a dataset as part of the EAVE II project, which uses anonymised linked patient data to track the pandemic and the vaccine roll out in real time.

They investigated data up to 14 April 2021 for people in Scotland who had received the first dose of either vaccine. By this date more than 1.7 million had an Oxford-AstraZeneca jab and some 800,000 had a dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

Researchersworking in collaboration with the Universities of Strathclyde, Aberdeen, Glasgow, Oxford, Swansea and St Andrew's, Victoria University of Wellington, Queen's University, Belfast, and Public Health Scotland (PHS) - also looked at health records dating back to September 2019 to investigate any previous issues with ITP, clotting or bleeding disorders.

The dataincluding GP records on vaccination, hospital admissions, death registrations and laboratory test resultswere then compared with those who were yet to be vaccinated to determine if any clotting events were outside what would have been expected pre-pandemic.

The data indicated that there was a slight increase in ITP in the second week following vaccination for those who received the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine and possibly also increased risk of arterial clotting and bleeding events.

The 11 cases of ITP per million vaccine doses is similar to numbers seen for Hepatitis B, MMR and flu vaccines, which range from 10 to 30 cases of ITP per million doses.

The team found no adverse events in relation to ITP, clotting or bleeding in their analysis for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

Experts say that while the study adds to the evidence linking the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccination to blood clots and ITP, a causal association has not yet been definitively demonstrated. This is under active investigation.

Researchers say a two-week lag for hospital data may mean some data are missing, which possibly limits the study's findings.

The study also included relatively few young vaccinated people under 40, especially for the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine because the Scottish vaccination program followed the recommendations of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, which prioritized vaccinations for older and vulnerable adults.

The results are published in the journal Nature Medicine. The study was funded by the Medical Research Council, UK Research and Innovation Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund and Health Data Research UK (HDR UK), and was supported by the Scottish Government.

Additional support was provided through the Scottish Government Director-General Health and Social Care, and the UKRI COVID-19 National Core Studies Data and Connectivity program led by HDR UK.

If a member of the public experiences side effects following vaccination with Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine, or wishes to find out more, the researchers advise that they seek information contained in the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine and rare blood clots leaflet which can be accessed on the NHS Inform web page.

Professor Aziz Sheikh, Director of the University of Edinburgh's Usher Institute and EAVE II study lead, said: "This careful analysis of an entire country's vaccination program, which involved the study of over 2.5m first dose vaccines, has found a small increase in the risk of ITP, clotting and bleeding events following the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine. This very small risk is important, but needs to be seen within the context of the very clear benefits of the vaccines and potentially higher risks of these outcomes in those who develop Covid-19."

Lead author Professor Colin Simpson from the Victoria University of Wellington said: "Reassuringly, we did not identify any overall increased risk of ITP, clotting and bleeding events in those receiving the Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA vaccine. We are now planning to update our analysis as the vaccine program is being extended to younger, healthier individuals and as new vaccines are becoming available."

Professor Chris Robertson from the University of Strathclyde and Public Health Scotland said: "This study shows the advantage of being able to link together large national data sets to provide near real time information of vaccine safety, using a number of analytical methods. An important next step is to replicate this work in other settings to ensure that the findings are robust."

Professor Andrew Morris, Director of Health Data Research UK (HDR UK) and Vice Principal of Data Science at the University of Edinburgh said: "This is a terrific example of why access to health data is crucial for vital research that rapidly informs the response to the COVID 19 pandemic. This research is important for individuals, the NHS, policy makers and the world. To do this safely, the UK has established the ability to perform secure and confidential data analysis that enables vital research questions to be answered in a trustworthy way. The HDR UK and ONS National Core Studies have supported the UK Health Innovation Gateway to provide a common entry point for researchers to discover and request access to UK health datasets for vital research that is improving people's lives."

Explore further Study sheds more light on rate of rare blood clots after Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine

More information: Simpson, C.R. et al. First-dose ChAdOx1 and BNT162b2 COVID-19 vaccines and thrombocytopenic, thromboembolic and hemorrhagic events in Scotland. Nat Med (2021). Journal information: Nature Medicine Simpson, C.R. et al. First-dose ChAdOx1 and BNT162b2 COVID-19 vaccines and thrombocytopenic, thromboembolic and hemorrhagic events in Scotland.(2021). doi.org/10.1038/s41591-021-01408-4
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The Royal Statistical Society (RSS) has today published its review of the statistical evidence needed to assure the performance of future diagnostic tests, so we are better prepared for future pandemics.

The RSS Working Group on Diagnostic Tests, which is co-chaired by University of Birmingham's Professor Jon Deeks, is calling on the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to review and revise the national licensing process for in vitro diagnostic tests, to ensure that reliable evidence about the performance of tests is available and public safety is protected.

Present legislation does not require tests to be evaluated in the settings where they will be used, and for the evidence to be independently scrutinized and publicly available. Currently, the performance of diagnostic tests is not held to a common statistical benchmark in either the UK, US, or EU, whereas the regulatory regime for drugs and vaccines is more stringent. COVID-19 has brought this longstanding problem to the fore, as tests have come to market without evidence of their accuracy for many of the uses to which they are being applied and have been marketed with claims not supported by strong studies.

The RSS experts stress that the assessment of a test's safety must go beyond just the safety of the device itself, to include the potentially harmful consequences of false negatives and false positives.

The RSS calls for evaluation of tests for each intended use, and for the ongoing monitoring of a test's performance to be required by the regulator. During the pandemic, there have not been the necessary evaluations of tests for the different uses to which they are applied. For example, initial claims of the sensitivity of the Innova lateral flow test (LFT) were based on evaluations conducted in laboratory settings in patients with symptoms. However, when they were used by non-healthcare professionals in people without symptoms in mass testing in Liverpool, they missed many more cases. Now they are being used in school-children and as a self-test, for which no data are available at all.

The RSS report highlights the importance of the prevalence of a disease in deciding when to change or stop using tests. As a disease becomes rarer the usefulness of a test decreases, with increasing chances that positive results are false. When mass asymptomatic testing was first introduced for secondary school pupils in England, the RSS raised concerns that as disease rates were very low, the majority of positive results could be false. This led to pupils, their families and their contacts being forced by law to unnecessarily self-isolate as, at the time, the government would not allow a negative result from a more reliable PCR test to overrule the LFT result.

The RSS working group also calls for more transparency around testing. Their report stresses that those providing tests to patients and the public have a responsibility to ensure an informed choice can be made, and people are aware of both the advantages and disadvantages of testing. Clear, unbiased information must be provided.

During the pandemic, there has not been enough explanation to the public on the use of LFTs and the fact that negative test results do not rule out infection. The public must be given the full information on the likelihood of incorrect results, as otherwise the false reassurance provided may lead to greater risk taking and therefore increase transmission.

Professor Deborah Ashby, co-chair of the RSS Working Group on Diagnostic Tests, said: "Testing has been a key focus of many government's strategies in fighting COVID, but the lack of statistical standards has caused issues, with tests coming to market without enough known on their effectiveness. We urge regulators to take on board our recommendations, to allow for more scrutiny of diagnostics more generally and for future pandemics."

Professor Jon Deeks, co-chair of the RSS Working Group on Diagnostic Tests and Professor of Biostatistics at the University of Birmingham, commented: "While no one questions the need for an evidence-based approach to vaccines and treatments, the proper assessment of the suitability of COVID-19 tests has been neglected.

"Investment in well-designed studies evaluating tests in the real-world settings where they are used must become standard practice. We must learn from the mistakes made during the pandemic and put in place requirements for stronger science, better regulation and more transparency."

Explore further Why we need to test COVID-19 tests
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A family history of cough increases the risk of both the onset and persistence of cough, according to the Ph.D. study of Anne Latti. One in two recent-onset coughers still reported the presence of a cough 12 months later. There were two different types of cough prolongation, continuous cough and recurrent cough, with completely different risk factors.

Cough is a prevalent worldwide health problem. The etiology of cough varies from the self-resolving common cold to life-threatening lung cancer, tuberculosis, pulmonary embolism and heart failure. Even if the underlying disease has a good prognosis, the energy expended and time lost due to cough decreases the patient's quality of life. In addition to causing inconvenience to patients, there are substantial health care expenses incurred in the assessment and treatment of cough.

A better knowledge about the prevalence of cough subtypes is essential in order to target the health care resources correctly. There are only a few epidemiological studies about cough prevalence and risk factors in which cough has been defined according to the latest guidelines i.e. into acute, subacute and chronic cough meaning a cough that has lasted less than three weeks, three to eight weeks and over eight weeks, respectively. There is a paucity of reliable data regarding the prevalence of acute or subacute cough because most published reports have focused on chronic cough. In the previous data, the global prevalence of chronic cough has varied extensively from as low as 1percent up to 12 percent, highlighting the need for more localized studies.

Previously, cough has been regarded as a symptom of an underlying disease e.g. asthma and investigators have tended to target that assumed underlying disease. Nowadays although chronic cough is considered as an independent disease, this has not received significant attention. The information available about the risk factors of chronic cough have been mainly gathered from selected patient populations treated in specialized cough clinics. Very little is known about risk factors, heredity and long-lasting consequences for chronic cough in the general population. Furthermore, effective therapy for chronic cough remains an unmet clinical need. If our understanding about chronic cough risk factors and mechanisms could be clarified, this would help in discovering new, more effective treatments for this disease.

The aim of the study was to define the prevalence, risk factors and prognosis of acute, subacute and chronic cough in a Finnish adult employee population.

In 2017, a comprehensive 80-item electronic questionnaire was sent to all public service employees in Kuopio and Jyvaskyla. Nearly 3,700 employees with an average age of 46.6 years responded. The prevalence of chronic cough was 11.1 percent. Our study revealed several risk factors for chronic cough i.e. asthma, chronic rhinosinusitis and a family history of chronic cough. In addition, subacute cough shared several common risk factors with chronic cough. However, the risk factors for acute cough were somewhat different: i.e. allergy, family history of chronic cough and moisture damage exposure.

In 2018, a follow-up questionnaire was sent to subjects who had been experiencing a cough at the baseline and who had provided permission for follow-up. The predictors for prolongation of recent-onset cough i.e. cough that had lasted less than eight weeks, were first studied. To the best knowledge of the researchers, this topic has not been examined before. The aim was to identify those patients who have a high risk of cough prolongation. Early interventions targeted at these kinds of patients might prevent the prolongation of cough.

On the basis of the investigations, as many as 50 percent of recent-onset coughers still reported the presence of a cough 12 months later. There were two different types of cough prolongation with completely different risk factors. The risk factors for continuous cough included the presence of a cough trigger, BMI >25 kgm2 and gastro-oesophageal reflux disease. The risk factors for recurrent cough included wheezing, a family history of chronic cough and a cough duration for more than three weeks.

Factors predicting the persistence of chronic cough at the 12-month follow-up were also investigated. Chronic cough had a strong tendency to persist even after one year as the cough was still present in 80 percent of subjects. The baseline factors predicting the persistence of cough at 12 months included gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, the presence of a chemical trigger and the duration of cough lasting more than one year.

This thesis demonstrated that chronic cough is common in a Finnish adult employee population. Subacute and chronic cough share mainly the same risk factors, which supports the subdivision of cough into two subclasses: acute (less than three weeks) and prolonged (more than three weeks). One new risk factor was revealed for both cough and prolongation of recent-onset cough i.e. a family history of chronic cough. Since the prognosis of chronic cough is poor, prevention of this discomforting disease is important. This study may help clinicians to identify those recent-onset coughers who are at high risk of developing a chronic cough.

The doctoral dissertation of Anne Latti, Lic Med, will be examined at the Faculty of Health Sciences. The Opponent in the public examination will be Docent Maritta Kilpelainen of the University of Turku, and the Custos will be Professor Heikki Koskela of the University of Eastern Finland. The public examination will be held online on 18 June 2021, starting at 12 noon.

Explore further Natural language processing helps identify patients with chronic cough

More information: Prevalence, Risk Factors and Prognosis of Acute, Subacute and Chronic Cough in a Finnish Adult Employee Population. Prevalence, Risk Factors and Prognosis of Acute, Subacute and Chronic Cough in a Finnish Adult Employee Population. erepo.uef.fi/handle/123456789/25468
The sights, sounds and smells of World War II filled the air around Reading Regional Airport as the 30th annual Mid-Atlantic Air Museums World War II weekend wrapped up on Sunday. About 60 World War II era aircraft and about 1,700 living historians took part in the three-day event. Last years show was canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic.

By Tom Pawlesh

The Mid-Atlantic Air Museum s World War II Weekend celebrates the men and women of the Greatest Generation who fought on the battlefield, in the air, on the sea and kept the country running on the home front.The show was held over the weekend of June 4-6, 2021 and hosted dozens of military and civilian vehicles, hundreds of reenactors and everything from light trainers to heavy bombers.The weather was sunny with temperatures in the low 90s and brought out large crowds of Covid weary spectators.

The MAAMs WWII Weekend covers a large part of the Reading Airport in Reading, Pennsylvania. There is so much to see that one day is really not enough.There was a large flea market with over 100 vendors selling everything WWII and 1940s, from military uniforms and clothing to jewelry, vintage suitcases and bicycles. Everything required to dress the part of a WWII serviceman or civilian could be found in the flea market. Every day of the show there were many WWII veterans in the main hangar where you could meet and speak with them. In fact, one of the more popular aspects of the event is the opportunity for visitors to meet World War II veterans, get their autographs and hear their stories. Some had published books of their wartime experiences and were autographing copies. Many of the veterans also recounted their stories on stage and answered questions.

In the Homefront area you can stroll along Main Street and catch a movie at the Victory Theater, stop in the beauty parlor to have your hair done in the latest fashion or have your car serviced at the Gulf Oil station. There was a 1940s fashion show that not only modeled the clothes of the day but explained how people maintained their elegant look during wartime rationing. At the radio station, you can listen to the latest wartime news or watch as the Spirit of the Airways performers play out a radio drama. Remember, there wasnt any television back then!

The Base Club was the place to sit and relax with a cold Coke and listen to the Forecast Quartet, Americas Sweethearts, Frank Sinatra and Theresa Eaman.On Friday and Saturday night the hangar was cleared and made into a dance floor for the sounds of the Big Bands.

For those that wanted to experience the air war from a vintage WWII aircraft, rides were being sold on the PT-19 Cornell, C-47 Skytrain, P-51 Mustang, SBD Dauntless, TBM Avenger, B-25 Mitchell, B-17 Flying Fortress and the B-29 Superfortress. No place but the WWII Weekend could you have a choice to ride in eight different warbirds provided by the Commemorative Air Force and the Yankee Air Museum.

For those that wanted to keep their feet planted firmly on the ground there was a night photo shoot featuring a B-25 Mitchell Bomber, SBD Dauntless and P-51 Mustang. The lighting was provided by professional photographer Pete Lerro. Pete is very experienced at setting up themed photo shoots for aviation and railroad enthusiasts. During this specially ticketed event the ramp was soaked down by the fire department to give some nice reflections and each aircraft in turn ran their engine for ten minutes. This was plenty of time to get photos from both sides of the aircraft and a head on shot.

The airshow each day featured more warbirds doing fly-bys and aerobatic routines. Everything from primary trainers to L-birds to fighters to transport and heavy bombers were in the air during the afternoon. Aerobatic routines were flown by Kevin Russo in the SNJ, John Current in the CAF Airbase Georgias FG-1D Corsair, Mark Todd in the P-63 Kingcobra and Craig Hutain in the P-51 Mustang. Mark Murphy flew a nice routine in the rare Mitsubishi A6M2 Model 21 Zero.

If you have not been to the Mid-Atlantic Air Museums World War Two Weekend this event needs to be on your bucket list.This report is only a small sample of what can be seen and experienced during the weekend. Finally, I would like to thank all the people that make this weekend happen, from the re-enactors to the pilots and ground crew to the musicians and WWII veterans.The volunteers that are already planning next years event.The bus drivers, the trash collectors, the cooks, the ticket sellers.To the hundreds of people that give their time to honor our Greatest Generation, THANK YOU.

WarbirdsNews.com/Warbird Digest wishes to thank Tom Pawlesh for his article and Dave Brown for their marvelous photography! We hope youve all enjoyed seeing it too!
Reducing sedentary behaviour in assisted living could improve health and independence for long-term care residents. Credit: Shutterstock

Sitting around is a known risk factor for disease and disability. Yet, when older adults start to lose independencebecoming less functional physically or showing signs of cognitive impairmentthey move into residences that may allow them to sit for 85 percent of their waking hours.

As the baby boomer population ages, older people are starting to outnumber younger people. It's not surprising that admissions into assisted living facilities are growing each year. People are also living longer, which makes it important to ensure that those added years have a high quality of life.

New research is indicating that reducing sitting time could preserve or even improve quality of life, physical functioning and cognition in these facilities.

This study was completed prior to the crisis in long-term care during the COVID-19 pandemic. With attention now on ways to improve care and quality of life in care homes, one positive change would be to reduce sedentary behavior.

Move more, sit less!

Our exercise and health psychology laboratory is examining how reducing sedentary behavior (sitting) and replacing it with short bouts of light intensity physical activity (walking) can improve several aspects of health. Based on one of our most recent studies, how much of residents' waking time is spent sitting should be the new deal-breaker when deciding on an assisted living facility.

It is well established that physical activity can help reduce the risk of cognitive decline while preserving physical function. What's not as well known is that sitting too much is a separate problem from not getting enough physical activity. Previous work in this field has indicated that sitting too much could be accelerating cognitive decline.

Why exercise alone isn't enough

Physical inactivity is defined as not meeting the recommended 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity each week. Sitting, otherwise known as sedentary behavior, uses very little energy. Too much sitting, separate from being physically inactive, has been associated with an increased risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer and all-cause mortalityin other words, early death.

Sedentary behavior is becoming more recognized as a health risk factor. It was recently added as a concern to the Canadian Society of Exercise Physiology's 24-hour movement guidelines (advocating for less daily sedentary behavior).

This creates a two-pronged problem for older adults residing in assisted living facilities. First, they have the lowest adherence to the physical activity guidelines. On top of this, they are also the most sedentary population.

Less sitting, more walking

In our study, we examined what would happen to older adults with mild to moderate cognitive impairment if we simply replaced 10 minutes of sitting after each meal with 10 minutes of light walking. By comparing two groupsone that reduced their sitting and one that didn'twe were able to investigate the effects of this behavior on the residents' cognition, physical functioning and their overall quality of life.

First, we showed that reducing sitting time and replacing it with this level of physical activity was feasible for this population. Second, the results indicated that not only was the intervention group able to reduce their sitting, but they significantly improved their cognitive function, physical function and quality of life compared to the other group.

This has ramifications for these types of facilities moving forward, as it shows that just a little bit of movement can go a long way. The important takeaway message is that people need to interrupt their sitting as often as they can. Previous studies have shown other positive health outcomes when interrupting sitting time every 20 minutes with just two to three minutes of light activity.

Make assisted living more assisted

What if assisted living facilities became more active communities, where the residents were less sedentary? This could potentially allow them to gain more independence and not lose it. As the majority of residents in these facilities have some form of cognitive impairment, many people make the transition into these residences for the 24-hour supervision, personal care services, social activities and some health-related services (such as medication management).

Our study used an alarm from a sport watch, creating gentle vibration reminders for participants to get up and move at certain times of the day. Building on the results of this study could identify more ways to get this population up and moving more often. This can potentially protect them from further decline, and add more quality years to their life.

Explore further Different physical activity 'cocktails' have similar health benefits

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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A new study reveals the extent to which kidney transplant recipients and individuals with kidney failure who are on dialysis mount immune responseswhich include the production of antibodies and the activation of T cellsto COVID-19 vaccination. The findings are published in JASN.

Data are scare on whether kidney transplant recipients and individuals on dialysis receive sufficient protection from COVID-19 vaccines. To investigate, Dominique Bertrand, MD (Rouen University Hospital, in France) and his colleagues examined immune responses after vaccination with the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 mRNA vaccine in 45 kidney transplants recipients and 10 patients undergoing chronic hemodialysis.

After the second vaccine dose, 88.9% of patient on dialysis and only 17.8% of kidney transplant recipients developed antibodies against the virus that causes COVID-19. A specific T-cell response against the virus was evident in 100% of patients on dialysis and 57.8% of kidney transplant recipients. The immune response seemed to be influenced by the immunosuppressive drugs that kidney transplant recipients took, with some drugs having a greater effect than others.

"The vaccine seems efficient in individuals undergoing dialysis, indicating that vaccination should be highly recommended in these patients," said Dr. Bertrand. "By contrast, the low antibody response observed in kidney transplant recipients is worrying; however, antibodies are not the full spectrum of protection induced by the vaccine. T cell immunity is probably also very important."

The findings may be useful for developing an effective strategy of vaccination for kidney transplant recipients.

Explore further Study examines antibody response to COVID-19 vaccination in patients with kidney failure

More information: "Antibody and T Cell response to SARS-CoV-2 Messenger RNA BNT162b2 Vaccine in Kidney Transplant Recipients and Hemodialysis Patients," JASN, DOI: 10.1681/ASN.2021040480 "Antibody and T Cell response to SARS-CoV-2 Messenger RNA BNT162b2 Vaccine in Kidney Transplant Recipients and Hemodialysis Patients,"
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

The United States on Wednesday announced an agreement with Merck to buy 1.7 million courses of an experimental antiviral pill against COVID-19.

The $1.2 billion dollar deal is for a drug called molnupiravir, which is currently being tested in a global Phase 3 clinical trial of 1,850 people, with results expected by fall.

"This agreement is part of the Biden Administration's whole-of-government approach to develop new COVID-19 treatments and to respond to the health needs of the public," the Department of Health and Human Services said.

The US will only complete the deal if molnupiravir receives an emergency use authorization or full approval by the Food and Drug Administration.

Rob Davis, president of Merck, added the company "is pleased to collaborate with the US government on this new agreement that will provide Americans with COVID-19 access to molnupiravir."

The company hopes to have more than 10 million courses of the five-day-treatment available by the end of 2021.

Molnupiravir, which Merck is developing in partnership with Ridgeback Biotherapeutics, is one of several investigational oral antivirals that are being tested against COVID-19.

Experts say these are needed because not everyone responds well to COVID-19 vaccines, and vaccine access still remains a major issue for much of the world.

Molnupiravir belongs to a class of antiviral called polymerase inhibitors, which work by targeting an enzyme that viruses need to copy their genetic material, and introducing mutations that leave them unable to replicate.

It has also shown effectiveness in lab studies against other viruses such as influenza, Ebola, and Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis virus, but hasn't been authorized or approved for any of these diseases.

Early results from a Phase 2 trial showed that, among dozens of volunteers who tested positive at the start, none of those who received molnupiravir had any detectable virus by day five, while a quarter of those who received a placebo did.

The numbers are promising but the sample is too small to draw firm conclusions, which is why it is being studied in a much larger group now.

If they are shown to be effective, antivirals against COVID-19 will be most effective in the narrow window after a person tests positive but before the disease becomes severe.

By this stage much of the harm to patients' health comes from their own immune systems going into overdrive and damaging their organs, rather than viral replication.

Other notable efforts include antivirals being developed by Roche in collaboration with Atea, and another by Pfizer that was developed specifically against COVID-19.

Explore further Seeking a pill to cure Covid: drugmakers eye alternative to vaccines

 2021 AFP
You've heard it often: Don't get behind the wheel of a car after a night of drinking. Now, a new study confirms that rideshare services like Uber and Lyft are making it easier for people to follow that advice and get home unharmed and alive.

Texas researchers saw a marked change in motor vehicle collision traumas from before Uber entered the Houston marketplace in 2014 and after.

Once ridesharing was available, motor vehicle crash traumas decreased by nearly 24% on Friday and Saturday nights in Houston, according to the study. For drivers under 30the age group most likely to book ridesthe data was even more dramatic, showing a roughly 40% decrease in crash traumas during those peak periods.

Drunk driving convictions also dropped sharply, said study author Dr. Christopher Conner. He's chief resident of neurosurgery at McGovern Medical School at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston.

"There's a direct, significant correlation between more Uber rides or more rideshare rides and a decreased rate of trauma," Conner said. "We showed that and we can even quantify that to a certain extent because every time there's another thousand rides per hour, the rate of trauma is cut by two-thirds."

Conner was inspired to study the issue after talking with a neurosurgeon during rounds at the hospital one Saturday morning. The neurosurgeon noted seeing a lower volume of weekend traumas than he had in the past.

Researchers gathered data from Uber and Google for the time between February 2014, when Uber service began, and December 2018. They contacted Lyft but did not receive data from the ride service.

They also used crash data from the two Level 1 trauma centers in the greater Houston area between January 2007 and November 2019. The team also requested DUI data from Harris County, Texas, for January 2007 to December 2018.

In all, researchers analyzed nearly 23,500 motor vehicle crash traumas, more than 93,700 impaired driving convictions and 24 million Uber rides.

Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death for people younger than 65, the study notes. Alcohol intoxication plays a likely role in about one-third of crashes. An editorial running with the study noted that in 2018 in the United States, 2.7 million people were injured in motor vehicle crashes and 10,511 people were killed because of alcohol-impaired driving.

"Getting into a car accident is extremely debilitating. It's the leading cause of disability for people under the age of 55," Conner said.

Rideshares made getting a designated driver easier and more convenient, Conner said. A quantifiable social good can come from encouraging rideshare services in a community, he noted.

"Whenever places are debating whether or not they should be restrictive on rideshares, they need to acknowledge this," Conner said.

The findings were published June 9 in the journal JAMA Surgery.

"We knew that rideshare helped decrease drunk and impaired driving, but it's so exciting for us to have the data to show us statistically what we already kind of knew," said Alex Otte, national president of MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving), which is based in Dallas.

Otte, who was herself injured at age 13 by an intoxicated boater, described rideshare services as another tool in the effort to prevent drunk, drugged and impaired driving. MADD has provided letters of support to communities considering allowing rideshare services in the past, said Becky Iannotta, communications director for MADD.

"Our number one goal is a future with no more victims, and having no more drunk drivers is what gets us there," Otte said. "Uber and other rideshare services help us get there by giving people a multitude of options truly right at their fingertips, right on their phone. And it provides a method for people to plan ahead."

"We always talk about how the plan to get home needs to be made before the first drink," Otte continued. A ridesharing app "allows people just so many more options to make a plan."

Explore further Ride-hailing linked to more crashes for motorists and pedestrians

 2021 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
The highly contagious coronavirus variant that brought India to its knees this spring now accounts for 6 percent of new cases in the United States, the Biden administration said Tuesday.

Luckily, vaccines appear to work well against this version of the virus, which has spread like wildfire in Great Britain and threatens a full reopening of that country.

"It's essentially taking over" in the United Kingdom, Dr. Anthony Fauci said during a media briefing Tuesday. "We cannot let that happen in the United States, which is such a powerful argument" for vaccination, he stressed.

To demonstrate the efficacy of vaccines, Fauci referred to data from Britain's public health agency that shows two doses of the vaccines made by Pfizer and AstraZeneca are 88 percent effective in preventing symptomatic disease caused by the new variant, also known as Delta. He added that the Pfizer data would be similar for Moderna's product, which also is an mRNA vaccine, the Washington Post reported.

But just one shot only offers just 33 percent protection, the data shows, a reminder of how strongly the second shot boosts immunity to the virus, Fauci said. With the United States in the midst of providing vaccines to adolescents and other people who have waited to get them, second doses are critical, he added.

Fauci noted infection rates in Britain are "peaking" among 12- to 20-year-olds, one of the groups that the United States is rushing to vaccinate. In Britain, the Delta variant now accounts for more than 60 percent of new infections, he said, and some British scientists are warning that the country now faces the possibility of a third surge, the Post reported.

Meanwhile, COVID-19 infections are at new lows in the United States, but the virus continues to spread in communities with low vaccination rates, where highly contagious virus variants like Delta threaten those who have not had shots.

In Smith County, Tenn., where only 20 percent of people are fully vaccinated, there has been an almost 700 percent increase in hospitalizations for COVID-19 over the past two weeks, The New York Times reported. In Trousdale, Tenn., where only 23 percent of people have had two vaccine doses, hospitalizations have also surged by 700 percent in the same period.

People who become ill with COVID-19 now are, "in most age groups, twice as likely to end up hospitalized as people who got the virus earlier in the course of the pandemic," Dr. Ted Delbridge, executive director of the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems, told the Times.

In Maryland, of those between the ages of 50 and 59 who contracted COVID-19 over the winter, about 8 percent were hospitalized, he said. From the end of April through the beginning of June, the hospitalization rate in that group was 19 percent, he told the Times.

Dangerous variants are likely to blame, Delbridge said. The variant first found in Britain, now known as Alpha, is deadlier and more contagious than most others and is now dominant in the United States. Last month, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said the variant made up 72 percent of U.S. cases at the time, the Times said.

But vaccines appear to have worked against the Alpha variant in this country.

"I think we got lucky, to be honest," Nathan Grubaugh, an epidemiologist at Yale University, told the Times. "We're being rescued by the vaccine."

Plunging vaccination rates threaten Biden's July 4 goal

Plunging vaccination rates are imperiling President Joe Biden's goal of getting COVID shots into the arms of at least 70% of American adults by July 4, while public health experts worry that Southern states, where immunization numbers are the lowest, could see a spike in cases over the summer.

The United States is averaging fewer than 1 million shots per day, a decline of more than two-thirds from a peak of 3.4 million in April, the Washington Post reported, despite the fact that anyone age 12 and older can now get one of the three approved vaccines in the United States.

The steep decline began in mid-April, coinciding with the temporary suspension of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine while health officials investigated rare blood-clotting reactions. That drop has continued, with only 2.4 million adults getting their first shot last week. Officials must get a first dose to 4.2 million adults per week to meet Biden's July 4 goal, the Post reported.

The slowdown is nationalwith every state down at least two-thirds from its peakand most keenly felt across the South and Midwest. Twelve states, including Utah, Oklahoma, Montana, the Dakotas and West Virginia, have seen vaccinations fall below 15 daily shots per 10,000 residents; Alabama had just four people per 10,000 residents get vaccinated last week, the Post reported.

There is some good news: A dozen statesmany of them in the Northeast, including Maine, Massachusetts and Connecticuthave already delivered one dose of vaccine into 70 percent of their adults, the Times reported.

But in much of the South, that benchmark is nowhere in sight.

In 15 statesincluding Arkansas, the Carolinas, Georgia and Louisianaabout half of adults or fewer have received a dose, the Times reported. In two states, Alabama and Mississippi, it would take about a year to get one dose to 70 percent of the population at the current pace of vaccination.

State health officials remain concerned that their residents are more susceptible to infection as restrictions ease across the country, the sense of urgency to get vaccinated drops and many Americans in warmer climates head indoors, where the virus spreads more efficiently, the Times said.

If there is a summer surge across the South, experts believe it won't be as grave as last summer's because at least some people are vaccinated and treatments have improved.

Younger people, who are less likely to be vaccinated, will be the most vulnerable during any surge this summer, Dr. Edward Trapido, an epidemiologist and associate dean for research at the Louisiana State University School of Public Health, told the Times. While death or severe illness is not as common for young people struck by COVID-19, it's still possible, he noted.

To avoid a summer surge, states across the South need to catch up to those in the Northeast, Dr. Peter Hotez, a vaccine expert at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, told the Times.

"We're just not even close to that in the Southern states," Hotez told the newspaper. He said he foresees a new wave in the South because "we're so underachieving in terms of vaccination."

More information: The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more on the The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more on the new coronavirus

Copyright  2021 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
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The University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) is participating in a new clinical trial that will mix-and-match the initial regime of an approved vaccine with a booster dose from a different manufacturer. The research will help inform public health decisions around re-vaccination schedules and the deployment of boosters that target COVID variants.

"As the number of Americans receiving a vaccine continues to rise, we now need to think about the long-term strategy to combat coronavirus," said Ann Falsey, professor of Medicine, Infectious Diseases at URMC. "This effort will probably look like vaccination programs for other infectious diseases, like the flu. This study is a critical step and will show if doses from different vaccines are safe, tolerable, and sufficiently boost the immune system enough to fight off reinfection by SAR-CoV-2 and variants."

Falsey and Angela Branche, M.D., are co-directors of the URMC Vaccine and Treatment Evaluation Unit (VTEU), part of a network of National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)-funded research sites that have led the scientific response to the coronavirus pandemic. Falsey, Branche, and David Dobrzynski, M.D., an assistant professor of Medicine, Infectious Diseases at URMC, are leading the Rochester site of the study.

Coronavirus continues to circulate at high rates globally and scientists speculate that COVID could evolve to become a seasonal, mutating virus that remains with us for years to come. While researchers have speculated that the immune system could provide protection that lasts years, it remains unknown how long the immunity from vaccines will last. As is the case with other vaccines, it is assumed that over time the immune response to COVID will weaken, necessitating a booster dose to keep the immune system primed to fight off infection.

The emergence of variants is another complication that will dictate future coronavirus booster dose strategies. As of now, the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines appear to be very effective against most of the identified variants of COVID, including the Indian variant that is spreading across South Asia. However, it is possible that variants could emerge that render existing vaccines less effective or potentially even evade the protection provided by vaccines altogether, necessitating new versions of the vaccine.

The optimization and distribution COVID vaccines is of critical public health priority. The National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and World Health Organization have prioritize the study of "mixed schedules" to determine whether immunity is sufficiently strengthened if someone gets their original vaccine and a booster dose from different manufacturers. If shown effective, the findings from this study could help resolve some of the distribution challenges that often beset large-scale vaccination programs by removing dependency on a single company for national and global vaccine supply.

The new phase 1/2 clinical trial, which is being funded by NIAID, will recruit two groups of volunteers:

Individuals 18 years or older who have not yet been vaccinated; and

Individuals 18 years or older who have completed their initial vaccination within the last 12-20 weeks.

Unvaccinated participants will receive the Moderna vaccine and then a booster dose of either the same vaccine or a Moderna variant vaccine 12 weeks later. Volunteers who have already been vaccinated with the either the Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech, or Johnson & Johnson vaccines will receive a booster dose of the Moderna vaccine. The study seeks to enroll 500 participants in the U.S., including approximately 50 local volunteers.

"One of the key scientific question we are trying to answer is whether vaccines that use different platformssuch as mRNA, adenovirus, and protein-basedcan sufficiently strengthen the original immune response generated by a different vaccine technology," said Branche. "If we can show that the immune response to COVID and variants can been prolonged by booster doses, regardless of the manufacturer, then that will inform vaccination plans in future years."

Explore further Clinical trial evaluating mixed COVID-19 vaccine schedules begins

More information: For more information about the study, visit: For more information about the study, visit: Bring Roc Back or call (585) 273-3990.
When they find out which varieties thrive best, theyll plant out the rest of the acre plot and report on their methods, productivity and yield. Theyll also host friends and family for taste-testing.

Jenny Zaso, the communications and data manager for the coalition, said the grants have two purposes.

The program not only awards Montana-based farmers the funding necessary to buy and test new tools, it also requires the farmer to report the impact that new equipment had on the efficiency and yields at their farm to be shared publicly with other farmers through written reports, videos and podcasts, she said.

This year, the coalition gave out $100,000 worth of the grants to 27 different Montana farms.

Thornton said it would have been impossible to start an experimental plot of raspberries without the money.

Establishing a new farm can be a significant financial undertaking, she said. The Field Tested Mini-Grant allows us to take the leap without feeling like were in over our heads. Weve been so grateful to the farmers and ranchers who have shared their knowledge and expertise with us as we work to start our operation, and we are happy to pay it forward by reporting on our own experiences and findings through this program.
In celebration of Jeannette Rankins birthday this month, the Jeannette Rankin Foundation encourages the public to Vote for Jeannette! in the U.S. Mints American Women Quarters program. By nominating Rankin to be featured on the American quarter, the foundation seeks to memorialize and celebrate Rankins enduring legacy as the first American woman elected to the U.S. Congress and her lifelong dedication to womens rights and world peace.

Born June 11, 1880, in Missoula, Rankin served as the sole female in the U.S. House of Representatives when she voted on the resolution for the 19th amendment that would grant women the national right to vote in 1920.

Jeannette Rankins legacy continues to inspire women and communities to strive to better their worlds, said Karen Sterk, CEO of the Jeannette Rankin Foundation. We would be humbled for the public to join us in nominating Jeannette for the American Women Quarters program. Together, we can honor her significant role in our countrys history and inspire more people with her story.
Officials expect that to happen in early July.

Air travelers who have received shots at least 14 days before entering Canada will be able to skip a stay in a government-approved quarantine hotel but will still have to stay in isolation until a virus test comes back negative.

Currently, arriving air travelers are required to spend three days in quarantine at a hotel at their expense and then complete their two weeks in self-isolation. They will be required to take a test upon arrival in Canada, and remain in isolation until the test comes back negative.



WASHINGTON  The U.S. will buy 500 million more doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to share through the COVAX alliance for donation to 92 lower-income countries and the African Union over the next year.

Thats according to a person familiar with the matter.

President Joe Biden is expected to make the announcement Thursday in a speech before the start of Group of Seven summit. According to the person, 200 million doses  enough to fully protect 100 million people  will be shared this year, with the balance to be donated in the first half of 2022.
Despite hearing more than 30 minutes of opposition from members of the Mooresville community, the towns Board of Commissioners unanimously passed a conditional rezoning proposal Monday night during their first meeting of the month of June.

The area in question is a roughly 50-acre plot of land located off U.S. 21 in Mooresville between Foursquare Road and Deerwood Lane. The request for rezoning was filed by Land South in order to facilitate the construction of a new housing development with plans for 90 single-family homes and 42 duplex homes for a total of 174 units.

Our task as the town board is challenging, Commissioner Lisa Qualls said. When we have developments like this, I look at it like What could it be?  We try to do our best to make it pleasing and acceptable.

Qualls went on to describe this proposed neighborhood as a better alternative to something like an apartment complex that could have upward of 500 units.

Members of the board also indicated that one of their motivating factors was the desire to avoid litigation coming from the land developers if they were to deny the rezoning request.
I hate when I have to talk about my grandmothers life and you come into the picture, Winebarger told Beard. You had no reason to take her away from her family the way that you did.

Teagues murder sent her into a depression, one that she said caused her to lose friends.

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Everything around me reminded me of her, she said. Our family has drifted apart after her passing. She was the center of our family. People told me that they were sorry for my loss, but I felt unchanged. She was still gone.

Now, shes left to think about the milestones Teague will miss in her life, like the day she gets her drivers license, or when she graduates high school and goes to college.

I wish that she (could be) here to see me get married, and meet my future children that wouldve loved her because everyone did, Winebarger said. Her story impacted so many lives around me. There isnt a day that goes by that I dont think of her. Goodbyes hurt the most, and this story is not finished.

Amber Winebarger, Teagues oldest daughter, also addressed the court Monday.

On June 17, 2018, it was like my world fell apart, she said.
ASHEBORO  An African bull elephant named Louie is joining the herd at the North Carolina Zoo.

Louie arrived May 25 and is settling into his new habitat well, according to a news release from the zoo.

The 18-year-old male African elephant was born April 30, 2003, at the Toledo (Ohio) Zoo.

In June 2017, he went to Omahas Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium in Nebraska as part of their breeding program. Louies move to the North Carolina Zoo was recommended by the African Elephant Species Survival Plan through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, according to the release.

Louie is gradually being introduced to the zoos herd. The keepers hope that Louie and one of the zoos females will produce offspring.

Male elephants are fully grown by age 25, so Louie is still expected to grow. He weighs 8,220 pounds and stands more than 9 feet tall at the shoulder. African elephants are known as the worlds largest land mammal.

He has been great and is making the transition well," Nancy Kauffman, animal management supervisor, said in the release. "We are thankful to have an Omaha Zoo keeper with us to teach us all of his quirks and she has taught us so much already about this handsome guy.
Ivan Zhdanov, a top Navalny associate who headed his foundation, vowed that the team will continue publishing exposes of corrupt officials and apply the Smart Voting strategy.

Navalny's team will not stop its activities, they shouldn't hope for that, Zhdanov, who lives abroad, told the independent Dozhd TV.

The September vote is widely seen as an important part of Putins efforts to cement his rule ahead of the 2024 presidential election. The 68-year-old leader, who has been in power for more than two decades, pushed through constitutional changes last year that would potentially allow him to hold onto power until 2036.

Ahead of the vote, the government has targeted other opposition figures as well. Last week, authorities arrested Andrei Pivovarov, the head of another anti-Kremlin group that they have labeled undesirable  a designation used by the Kremlin to outlaw more than 30 groups.

Days before his arrest, Pivovarov announced the dissolution of his Open Russia movement to protect members from prosecution, but that didn't stop authorities from pulling him off a Warsaw-bound plane at St. Petersburgs airport last week. A court in southern Russia's Krasnodar region ordered him to be held for two months pending an investigation.
I cant remember a time in my childhood that a dog didnt rule the roost in the Thornton household. They werent just pets, they were family.

More than a few tears were shed this weekend as I read a post on a local social media page about a husky being shot in Butte. The post bothered me for the rest of the weekend.

Who would shoot a dog? I kept asking myself.

Come Monday morning I decided to get in touch with the dogs owners, Bill and Sherlyn Willis, who are in the process of moving to Butte and renovating their new home on Trenton Street.

This was not a welcome to Butte any family needed.

I had to know the full story and more importantly, ask the difficult question  Was Kenai going to make it?

"Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole, wildlife photographer and animal activist Roger Caras once said. To the Willis family, their two dogs, Kenai, a husky, and Jaako, a golden retriever, make their lives complete. The two canines are not pets  they are beloved family members.

Last Saturday, the unspeakable, from start to finish, took less than 10 minutes.

In the midst of moving and renovating, Sherlyn, along with her two sons, Riggs and Rider, had come to Butte to unpack some of their belongings. Bill was out buying flooring.

While unloading, Sherlyn didnt completely shut the side gate and the two dogs made a successful break for it and headed for the fields and beyond.

Me and the boys went out calling for them right away, explained Sherlyn. Only Jaako came back.

Sherlyn suspected Kenai headed to a nearby creek. While her sons continued to look for Kenai, she completely opened the side gate so the husky could easily get back in.

Sadly, Kenai was already back. As Sherlyn turned toward the house, the husky, completely wet, was lying on his right side near the garage. Instantly, she knew something was wrong.

He wouldnt look at me or wag his tail, recalled Sherlyn. He couldnt even lift his head.

After calling Bill to explain the situation, Sherlyn got Kenai to a local veterinarian. The husky then spent a night at a Missoula facility, where he could be monitored throughout the night.

The diagnosis  blunt force trauma to his body and a .22 caliber bullet in his chest.

Kenai was able to return home with the bullet still lodged within, but the couple is worried they still may lose him. Bill said the lethargic Kenai was on his way Tuesday afternoon to Bozeman for surgery following complications.

According to the online site, The Spruce Pets, huskies are a high-energy breed that likes to run.

Bill couldnt agree more. Huskies do love to run, he said, and Kenai is no exception.

Spruce Pets also highlighted the fact that huskies are very friendly.

Anyone looking for a husky guard dog will be sorely disappointed, the site advised, because huskies are simply too friendly and too trusting of strangers.

Yes, Kenai is friendly and loves to roam.

Bill can count on one hand the number of times his husky has gotten loose. In spite of their success rate, the family does not take any chances. So much so a leash is needed even when taking Kenai from the car to the house. Without it, he would be off and running.

Diligence is a small price the couple is willing to pay.

Now, Bill stays nearby Kenai, who lies listlessly near his feet. He doesnt understand why anyone would have shot his beloved dog.

I went door-to-door asking if anyone had seen anything, said Bill, but had no luck.

The couple did not contact local law enforcement. What could they do? said Bill. We have no idea who did it.

Bill hopes this is an isolated incident but is not taking any chances. Since the shooting, he has had cameras installed, including remote ones. He wants to keep his dogs safe.

He also hopes if people have a problem with his dogs, they come talk to him.

You talk with the person, he said. You dont shoot their dog.

A Butte native, Bill left in 1984 but is happy to be back, in spite of everything. Sherlyn is happy about the move as well.

Were glad to be here, said Bill, in spite of one bad neighbor.

As for the "bad neighbor,'' if caught, he or she could potentially be fined for discharging a firearm in a residential area and also be charged with cruelty to animals.

Lets hope Kenai doesnt pay the ultimate price. Keep him and the Willis family in your thoughts.

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Trandahl, wearing a COVID mask, was soon escorted out of the courtroom by a Butte police officer and taken to jail, where she is to stay for the next 135 days.

Each fraud count carried a maximum 10 years in prison but as part of a previous plea deal, prosecutors agreed to drop 13 additional felony charges alleging that Trandahl bilked Medicaid, the federal and state health care program for the needy, aged, blind and disabled.

From his forceful statements and demeanor, it seemed as if Krueger was going to impose a much harsher sentence. But he said prosecutors had worked hard on the case and the plea agreement, and Trandahl had no prior felony criminal history, so he generally accepted their recommendations.

The prosecutors  Ann Shea for Butte-Silver Bow and Michael Gee from the Montana Attorney Generals Office  asked for a 10-year suspended sentence on each Medicaid count to run concurrently, $100,000 in restitution and 45 days of jail time. Krueger went along with that except he ordered 135 days jail time.

Benjamin Darrow, Trandahls attorney, asked for no jail time and a 10-year deferred sentence, meaning its terms would not be imposed if Trandahl met probation obligations. He also asked for restitution to be set at $73,000  the actual fraud amount prosecutors alleged in their charges.
 The agency said it doesnt expect significant odor impacts. The lagoons would smell at times in the spring and fall, but they would be about 1,400 feet to the east of Ramsay and the prevailing wind direction would be away from the town.

 No significant noise is expected from the operation of the truck stop. No lighting issues are under DEQ review.

Ramsay residents raised numerous concerns about the tanks and lagoon system and Ayres said the DEQ seemed to dismiss them without taking the town into account.

To me, it seems unfair that somebody else gets to decide what is the significant impact for a residential neighborhood, he said. Its always been just a residential neighborhood.

The DEQ addressed emissions from the storage tanks, Ayres said, But what about all the trucks that are using the product coming out of the storage tanks? Thats not anything they had to deal with.

The analysis mentioned safeguards that Loves plans with the tanks, Ayres said, but You dont have to look very far to see what can happen when theres human error.
BOZEMAN  A Montana man has been given a six-month suspended jail sentence for submitting a voter registration application under the name Miguel Raton, a rough Spanish translation of Mickey Mouse.

Michael Winters of Gallatin County pleaded guilty Tuesday to falsifying information on voter registration application in early 2020, the Bozeman Daily Chronicle reported.

District Judge Peter Ohman also fined Winters $250 and ordered him to complete 100 hours of community service.

"This was a serious offense and, obviously, with all that's going on with elections now and election integrity, this is something that is obviously front and center," Ohman said Tuesday. "Based on the involvement of law enforcement and the County Attorney's office, really what happened here is, it demonstrated that the system does work."

Winters, who was initially charged with felony tampering with public records or information, acknowledged he combined his driver's license number and Mickey Mouse's birthday to submit a voter registration form in January 2020.

Someone filed a complaint against Winters with the U.S. Election Assistance Commission in June 2020, court records said. That person told investigators that Winters had talked about how easy it would be to commit voter fraud.
A Missoula man convicted of killing a German exchange student in 2014 was again denied an appeal by the Montana Supreme Court on Tuesday.

Markus Kaarma appealed a July 2019 Missoula District Court order which denied him petition for post-conviction relief and request for a new trial.

Post-conviction relief allows defendants to raise issues and bring more evidence after the case has gone to trial and a judgement has been issued.

Kaarma, who is in his late 30s, was convicted of killing 17-year-old Diren Dede, a German foreign exchange student in Missoula, who entered Kaarma's garage one night in April 2014. The home had been burglarized two times prior.

When Kaarma saw Dede entering his home on security cameras, he grabbed his shotgun and went to the garage and began firing, court documents said.

The case went to trial in December 2014 and Kaarma was convicted of deliberate homicide. He then moved for a new trial, which was denied. The Missoula District Court sentenced Kaarma in 2015 to 70 years in the Montana State Prison.
Montana added 674 new cases of COVID-19 during the past week, and 20 more deaths have been confirmed.

Active cases in Montana dropped to 630, down from 732 reported on June 6 by the state Department of Public Health and Human Services.

While 20 deaths have been confirmed, 13 were a result of Cascade County reconciling its data with state databases, reported Jon Ebelt of the DPHHS. The reconciliation process happens periodically in all counties, and can make it appear that death counts have spiked.

The seven recent deaths occurred in Carbon, Cascade, Chouteau, Flathead, Missoula, Ravalli, and Yellowstone counties.

Montana health care workers have administered more than 828,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines in the state as of Tuesday, an increase of more than 14,000 doses in the past week. More than 44% of the states eligible population is considered to be fully vaccinated, amounting to about 403,500 people. Even as the vaccinated portion of the population approaches a majority, some experts are debating if booster shots will be necessary.
Pull together on climate

But some of my friends found their negativity too much to bear. To effectively fight climate change we all need to pull together.

This would serve as the agent of change to make the rapid transition that 350 Montana seeks. It works in a way that my conservative friends can get behind, using market forces to unleash the innovation and new jobs that make the clean energy future happen. And it has been carefully organized to get us through the transition without damaging our economy or bringing harm to the least among us.
WAPELLO - Momentum is continuing to build for enhancing rural and community water systems and internet service in Louisa County, county supervisor Brad Quigley indicated to the rest of the Louisa County Board of Supervisors during the boards regular meeting on Tuesday.

During the supervisors individual reports on meetings they had attended the previous week, Quigley said he and other area economic development officials had met with representatives of Muscatine Power and Water (MPW) and Louisa Communications to discuss expanding or enhancing their services in Louisa County.

Two years ago, Quigley had raised the idea of reviving earlier efforts to extend rural water into Louisa County. Those earlier efforts had taken place about 15 years ago, but the discussions were dropped after a preliminary survey was taken and too few rural residents registered to move any expansion forward.

In 2019, when he began discussing a revival of that earlier effort, Quigley had said he felt the latest drive would succeed because area water system operators seemed more anxious to participate.

During Tuesdays meeting, Quigley gave a short report on the meetings he and Louisa Development Group (LDG) Executive Director Cole Smith and Louisa County Extension Director Kathy Vance recently held with MPW and other officials.
MUSCATINE  The trial for a Muscatine man accused of killing his girlfriend at Saulsbury Recreation Area will proceed, according to court records from a hearing last week.

According to court documents, the trial of David J.S. Hatfield is to be from June 21 to July 2 as scheduled. A final pretrial conference was held Friday, June 4, 2021, in the Muscatine County Courthouse via remote video. At the end of the conference, Judge Tom Reidel filed a statement that the matter is confirmed for jury trial and the clerk of court was to notify all self-represented litigants and attorneys of record.

The trial was originally continued from December 2020 after Hatfields attorney Derek Jones said the defense needed additional time for an expert witness to review the case. The document also said Jones and lead prosecutor Monty Platz have conflicting trials during the eight days the trial had been expected to take place.

According to the police report, on Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2019, Hatfield called 911 to report that his girlfriend Kaitlyn Sky Palmer, 18, had shot herself in the head at the Saulsbury Recreation Area in rural Muscatine County. She was taken to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City, where she died on Thursday, Oct. 17, 2019.
Schantz said DOT officials had indicated the county could modify an existing sign, but would not allow any new sign that identified all the county offices at the Complex.

I think we could change the sign that is there with more encompassing language, but as far as adding additional signs, no, she said, adding later the DOT would apparently also limit the wording on any new language.

Why are they so against this? supervisor Randy Griffin, a former secondary roads department employee who also serves as the board of health chair, asked.

Schantz said the DOT explanation was that too much wording was distracting to drivers.

Theres a limit to the number of signs and the number of words, she said.

Griffin said the issue was similar to when Louisa County Vietnam Veterans attempted to get a new sign for the All-Veterans Memorial at the U.S. Highway 61 interchange at Grandview.

Eventually, the group was able to get a sign posted at an at-grade crossing farther south of the interchange. Griffin suggested that permission was obtained after local legislators and others voiced loud enough concerns the governors office noticed.
MILDENHALL, England (AP)  President Joe Biden opened the first overseas trip of his term Wednesday with a declaration that the United States is back as he seeks to reassert the nation on the world stage and steady European allies deeply shaken by his predecessor.
A spokesman for Soros, who has supported higher taxes on the rich, told ProPublica that the billionaire had lost money on his investments from 2016 to 2018 and so did not owe federal income tax for those years.

Keep scrolling for a look at the 100 richest people in the world

Musk responded to ProPublica's initial request for comment with a punctuation mark  "?''  and did not answer detailed follow-up questions.

The federal tax code is meant to be progressive  that is, the rich pay a steadily higher tax rate on their income as it rises. And ProPublica found, in fact, that people earning between $2 million and $5 million a year paid an average of 27.5%, the highest of any group of taxpayers.

Above $5 million, though, tax rates fell: The top .001% of taxpayers  1,400 people who reported income above $69 million  paid 23%.

And the 25 very richest people paid still less.

The rich can reduce their tax bills through the use of charitable donations or by avoiding wage income (which can be taxed at up to 37%) and benefiting instead mainly from investment income (usually taxed at 20%).
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Over the past few years, in the United States of America, it seems that the lives of the people belonging to ethnicities and racial backgrounds other than that of white descent are increasingly being jeopardized by the threat of fatal attacks. It is simply because of the reason that there have been an increase in the level of hysteria among the people that the people are up to no good. However the deceased and the unfortunate ones are reportedly not getting the justice. The culprits have escaped the penalty on grounds of citing self-defense as the reason as the motivational force driving them to the crime (Lee). In some other instances the culprit had been rendered scot free on grounds of the condition of mental instability by the law courts. It would have been credible, had such occurrences been rare and isolated, but that has become a regular phenomenon. The conduct of the police personnel which seeks to victimize and criminalize the people of colour very frequently just on mere grounds of suspicion and prejudice, reaffirms the conviction that indeed the United States of America have become a hot bed of crimes against the people of non-white origin (Lee). In this particular essay an incident of similar nature shall be discussed, the homicide of a teenage boy by the name Trayvon Martin of African American origin. The analysis of the incident then shall respectively be done against the backdrop of the speech of Malcolm X at the Ford Auditorium and the views of Noam Chomsky.

On the morning of 30th of July in the year 2012, Trayvon was visiting the fiancee of his father at a gated community of a mixed neighbourhood in Florida (Lee). He was fatally shot down by a Hispanic man by the name George Zimmerman, who supposedly mistook Martin for a burglar or some miscreant who had broken into the premises of the community. Martin was 17 years old and he measures 5 feet 11 inches at the time of his death. He was wearing a dark hued hoodie. Zimmerman had contacted the local police station and intimated to them his worries (Lee). By the time the forces had arrived, Martin was already shot dead by Zimmerman, and he was having some marks of injuries on his nose and at the back of his head. He escaped a prison sentence as it was concluded by the law courts that the act was committed in a fit of paranoia and self-defense. However, eye witness reports say that the injuries were not incurred by Zimmerman at the time of the shooting. This incident had sparked the #blacklivesmatter movement in the country. The issue was raised that it was the lives of the blacks which were in danger in reality, and the whites, the racial supremacists were the real threat (Lee).

It wouldnt be unjustified to regard Malcolm X as the precursor of the #blacklivesmatter movement that has gained currency in the contemporary times in the country. In his speech at the Ford Auditorium he had urged upon the blacks of the country to take upon themselves the charge of securing their own lives and liberty against the onslaught which were categorically directed towards them. He had lamented over the incident of Selma, in Alabama when a black woman was mercilessly dragged and knocked down on the streets while the men belonging to her ethnicity instead of helping her out by standing up for her, had chosen to observe the motto of non-violence. He made it very clear by his speech that if the blacks wanted justice then they must stand up for it themselves by stating that it is not unjustified at all to take recourse to violence at the mouth of a life threatening crisis for the sake of self-preservation. The #blacklivesmatter movement was however was not violent, but it did demonstrate that the blacks have started taking things on their hands to make themselves heard and demand for justice (Malcolm X).

As Noam Chomsky puts it that the credibility of news has witnessed a decline in the contemporary times because the motive of media being the disseminator of the truth to the world has been co-opted the market sentiment of being competitive. In case of the goods it is advertisement, rather dubious promises and descriptions that tries to capture the market and increase the saleability. In the field of media, it is the fake news and the mad race for sensationalization of an issue. Basically, as Chomsky puts it that the media houses have increasingly become agenda driven and they have assumed the role of hegemonisers, each competing with the others for their claim to fame (Chomsky). The evidence of it can be found in the way the crimes of the minorities are portrayed against that of an individual belonging to the majority community, which is aimed at demonizing the former more than the latter (Lee). This misrepresentation of a particular community by media, does incur them the wrath of the majority and the treatment the Blacks face in the western world, proves the fact.

References:

Chomsky, N. "December.On Fake News and Other Societal Woes: Interviewed by Irene McGee." NoOnes Listening (7).

Lee, Cynthia. "Making race salient: Trayvon Martin and implicit bias in a not yet post-racial society." NCL Rev. 91 (2012): 1555.

Malcolm, X. "After the Bombing/Speech at Ford Auditorium." the Malcolm X Museum and Noaman Ali, https://www. malcolm-x. org/speeches/spc_021465. htm (hereafter cited as AB) (1965).
The pandemic hasnt been a barrel of laughs, but Rianda Houses Readers Theater Group managed to salvage some chuckles with Has This Happened To You?

Despite the strictures of social distancing, the team produced three skits that offer a humorous perspective on how seniors grapple with technology, dating and big data.

Computer Sales Lady features a customer (Toni Allegra) trying to order a computer over the phone from a blase sales rep (Terri Wuerthner).

The Prize is about two female residents of a senior living facility (Jean Martin and Gail Terminello) whove found a unique way to avoid disputes among women over a newly arrived eligible man (Carroll Cotten).

Pizza takes on big data as a hapless woman (Gigi Riopel) tries to order a pizza from the employee of a tech-savvy pizzeria (Dianne Fraser).

The cast and crew were the first to return to Rianda House since the pandemic, albeit only in groups of two at a time.

Partners2Media, a professional film company, filmed the skits in May and edited them over the last few weeks. The Readers Theater program is led by Carol Gruetzner, who has masters degrees in acting, directing and dramatic literature.
As a challenging pandemic-era school year draws to a close, the Saint Helena Public Schools Foundation is honoring all St. Helena teachers with its Teacher of the Year award, and presented a Lifetime Achievement award to St. Helena High School's Susan Swan.

The Teacher of the Year award is presented annually to a teacher who facilitates innovative learning experiences for their students with the support of grant funding from the Saint Helena Public Schools Foundation during that school year.

"The 2020-21 school year brought countless challenges for all stakeholders  for families, for students, for teachers, and for the District," according to a statement issued by the foundation. "Each and every teacher managed their own personal upheavals while learning to deliver material remotely and simultaneously keeping students engaged. In this unprecedented year, each and every teacher was engaged in delivering innovative learning experiences for their students. We are so grateful for the Herculean efforts of our teachers who went above and beyond during this hopefully once-in-a-lifetime school year experience. Thank you for your unwavering commitment to your students!"

The Lifetime Achievement award went to Swan, library media specialist at the high school.
Creating artistic items for Scraps of Hope is also an homage to the refugees. When Mark is working, she always has a picture of a refugee family in front of her. I work because of them. When I am taking apart a life jacket it is a powerful experience for me. I can smell the ocean. When the sand pours out of the jacket, I know that jacket, even if not well-made or safe, was worn by someone fleeing for their life in an overcrowded raft. I dont know if that person survived or not. By honoring the lifejacket, we can tell their story.

Currently, funds raised are used primarily for medicine. Since children with epilepsy had not been identified inside the camp nor was medicine available for their care, HOG decided to take on the critical tasks of identifying those in need and stocking the pharmacy with pediatric anti-seizure medicine. Adelman recalls a young family with a son who had severe seizures. Sadly, when the parents were finally able to take their son to Athens for help, he died. Afterward, the parents traveled to Germany to obtain asylum, they were told if their son lived, they would be admitted. Finally, they got asylum in France and left their buried child in a strange land.
"Poetry is a deal of joy and pain and wonder/ with a dash of dictionary." Kahil Gabran

I had no idea that the above quote would visit my thoughts as I walked into Jennifer Veveiros' class at Phillips Magnet Elementary School to interview fifth-grader Ashley Arreguin Corrales, who had been chosen by the Arts Council Napa Valley as an Art Student of the Month for April.

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She had written a poem, "The Hole of Sadness" and created an artwork around it.

I planned on asking the other students to help me fashion queries to engage Ashley about her poem. She was seated in the back, all students were masked and distanced from one another, but her wonderous eyes followed me to the front of the room. Energic-raised hands fluttered to offer queries for Ashley before I begin the personal interview.

They asked, What does your poem mean?

Ashley said that "America is a sad deep hole."

Once her mind like a violin string was struck with a feeling of injustice and immense prejudices, she let her voice resound with poetry.

She wrote "The Hole of Sadness" to express a deep need for fairness and equity. Fearful that her parents will be sent back to Mexico. Will they be taken away from me, she writes.
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
This is somewhat solemn, but also a joyful time in recognition of a person who did so much for our community, Mayor Scott Sedgley told an audience that included the developers widow, Linda Price.  This is a sacred spot of land in the community of Napa, and to add Harry Prices name to this section of land is appropriate.

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The waterfront arcade arose from Prices pleas to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to rethink a 100-foot gap the federal agency originally planned for pedestrian access near the Napa Mill, where people on foot and bicycle would have had to leave the waters edge and turn inland through a parking lot.

+2 Napa to rename river promenade in memory of Harry Price, downtown developer and advocate The City Council voted to rename the Riverfront Promenade after the late Harry Price, who advocated for the downtown pathway to run along the Napa River.

When the Corps objected to a full-length pathway due to cost concerns, Price provided alternative plans to the general contractor R.L. Brosamer, who devised a continuous walkway over water that could be built cheaper.

One trait that he had was that he was very tenacious; if he found something that wasnt right, he really worked hard at it, Linda Price recalled of her husbands efforts in the 2000s. He saw what the Army Corps of Engineers was planning, and he knew it wasnt right, that it wasnt right for Napa.
Kaiser Permanente is taking part in a pediatric COVID-19 vaccine trial, with dozens of children ages 5 through 11 participating at sites in Sacramento, Oakland and Santa Clara.

The health provider says those three sites combine for about 75 children enrolled in a multinational Phase 2/3 trial for the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine, to evaluate safety and efficacy in that age group.

"I just want other kids and people to know that the COVID vaccine is safe and will get us back to a completely normal life," Luci Guardino, an 11-year-old participant and daughter of a Kaiser Permanente South Sacramento pediatrician, said during a Zoom news conference Tuesday. "Starting yesterday and this morning, my arm did a feel a little bit heavy, but I don't feel, like, sick or anything."

The Northern California trial is being conducted by the Kaiser Permanente Vaccine Study Center and the provider's research division, both based in Oakland, Kaiser announced this week in a news release.

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Pfizer and BioNTech are also sponsors of the study. Pfizer has said it plans to enroll about 4,500 children under 12 years old at dozens of sites across the U.S., Finland, Poland and Spain.
LOS ANGELES (AP)  Six weeks after California officials announced that Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom would face an almost certain recall election that could drive him from office, the contest continues to be roiled by uncertainty and questions  even the date when it might take place remains unclear.

The list of Republican challengers who have signaled an intention to enter the race is about to top 20, though no consensus front-runner has emerged. State Assemblyman Kevin Kiley this week became the latest to announce he is considering stepping in.

Newsom, meanwhile, has regained his footing after seeing his popularity fall at the start of the year amid the worst of the pandemic and criticism over his COVID restrictions for the public and businesses. The first-term governor has since benefited from a sharp decline in cases during the spring and a record-breaking surplus that allows him to bestow billions on favored projects and issues.

Still, just last week he faced another round of criticism for saying he planned to keep an emergency declaration in place even after the state fully reopens its economy next Tuesday. Theres uncertainty in the future, he warned.
Those incentives are critical in nurturing a market for zero-emission vehicles because the cars tend to cost more than gas-powered ones, at least up front.

"Tax credits by the state would probably be a very powerful tool to help grease the skids, to get the numbers that we're looking for and that they're looking for," said Rick Niello, CEO of The Niello Company auto dealer. The Niello Company sells new and used vehicles including BMW, Volkswagen, Audi and Acura. "That will have to remain at a fairly healthy level to really make that market respond."

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What kind of electric car rebates are available?

Some of the popular federal and state incentives include:

 The federal government provides a tax credit of $2,500 to $7,500 for people who purchase a new electric vehicle. The credit depends on tax liability, so if individuals do not owe any federal taxes, they will not receive any credit.

 The popular California Clean Vehicle Rebate Project (CVRP) offers rebates of up to $4,500 for the purchase of new electric vehicles, and up to $7,000 for low-to-moderate-income drivers who make up to 400% of the federal poverty level  $51,520 for individuals. As of April 23, the program has a waitlist for applicants because funding has dried up.
Would anyone really compare an AR-15 assault rifle, which has been used in so many recent mass killings, to a Swiss Army knife?

Such a comparison is ludicrous, yet that is exactly what a federal judge in San Diego did on Friday in striking down Californias 32-year-old ban on assault weapons. Judge Roger Benitez began his decision by declaring, Like the Swiss Army Knife, the popular AR-15 rifle is a perfect combination of home defense weapon and homeland defense equipment.

This is the most extreme gun rights ruling yet from a federal court. Every other court in the country has upheld bans on assault weapons. This ruling is wrong as a matter of constitutional law and of common sense. Unfortunately, though, a majority of the current Supreme Court justices are very likely inclined to expand gun rights. But I hope they will not go so far as to declare that the Constitution protects a right to have an assault weapon.

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The Second Amendment says: A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed. From 1791, when it was ratified, until 2008, not one law  local, state, or federal  was struck down as violating the Second Amendment.
The county of Napa is presently in violation of the federal civil rights of this disabled, minority, 20-year resident of the county, and 66 year citizen of the United States of America.

The county of Napa has an online form at its official website, which allows residents to schedule meetings with each of the supervisors. I completed and submitted the form on May 9 of this year.

On May 11, I received an email from Jesus Tijero, board of supervisors staff assistant, offering three available dates and times for my meeting with Pedroza, the supervisor of my district. I opted for the first date available: May 17, anytime 9-10:30 a.m. On May 17, the date of the scheduled 9 a.m. meeting, I received an email from Tijero at 8:17 a.m., stating that Pedroza would not be available, and that Tijero would email me shortly, for some new options.

I have not heard from him, nor anyone from the county regarding the new meeting options, since, even though I have sent to Tijero reminder emails about his statement.

On May 27, I sent another reminder email to Tierjo, requesting a meeting with Pedroza. I have not received a reply.
Armenia Central Electoral Commission makes decisions on registration of acting PM and ruling party

Armenia acting PM holds march in Yerevan district, warns those involved in electoral fraud about consequences

"I Have the Honor" bloc leader on Armenia acting PM posting photo of returned POWs

Biden says US-Russia relations at low point but were not looking for conflict

Armenia 2nd President: I'm certain about opportunities for retrieval of Karabakh's Hadrut

Serzh Sargsyan: It's impossible to live normally and be protected in this region without a combat-ready army

OSCE/ODIHR presents report on pre-election period in Armenia

Armenia ruling Civil Contract Party being campaigned on official page of Vedi Medical Center

Armenia 2nd President: We need to punish the authorities, but not with a hammer

Who is ripping posters of "Armenia" bloc?

Armenia 2nd President states time limits for increasing combat-readiness and recovery of losses

"I Have the Honor" bloc: Armenian Public Television's actions show that bloc's rating is growing

Erdogan to raise White House's recognition of Armenian Genocide during meeting with Biden

Armenia 3rd President visits St. Mary's Church in Gavar after campaign meetings (PHOTOS)

Fire breaks out in village of Armenia's Ararat Province

Court rules to allow "Armenia" bloc's rally to end at 9 p.m.

Armenia 3rd President holds meetings in Gegharkunik Province

Armenia Elections Oversight Committee member addresses letter to OSCE/ODIHR regarding Pashinyan's statements

Armenia acting PM receives steel hammer as a gift, refers to it as a 'steel mandate'

Armenia 2nd President recommends setting up Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora

Armenia 2nd President: It is necessary to either ban offices of Soros or set tight restrictions

Armenian Public Television and "I Have the Honor" bloc apply to Ombudsman regarding video broadcasting

Armenia acting PM: Today there are army generals who have served for over 20 years, but have no apartments

Australia, UK and US agree on cooperation

Armenia Ombudsman's representatives hold personal talks with 15 Armenian POWs

"I Have the Honor" bloc says Armenian authorities might allocate nearly $1.5 mln for electoral bribes

"I Have the Honor" bloc: Mass media report that conspiratorial junta is delaying return of Armenian POWs

Putin on upcoming meeting with Biden, says it is necessary to establish direct dialogue

OSCE Chairperson-in-Office welcomes return of 15 Armenian POWs

Georgia MFA: Tbilisi worked for return of Armenian soldiers for 2-3 months

Armenia ex-official: Sectors of country's roads will be transferred to Azerbaijan, according to current authorities

Armenia Armed Forces' General Staff ex-chief: War won't break out, Azerbaijani army is currently weakened

Iran's interior minister: Country's presidential election will be held in full security atmosphere

Armenia acting PM to citizens: Opposition was mourning and weeping after return of 15 Armenian POWs

Armenia confirms 39 new COVID-19 cases, 3 deaths

Armenia 3rd President: I declare that there was no talk about enclaves during my administration

Armenia MOD: 2 residents of Syunik Province disoriented, find themselves in Azerbaijani territory

Russian MFA Spokesperson on return of 15 Armenian POWs

Armenia Central Electoral Commission grants motion to deprive MP candidate of liberty

Members of "Armenia" bloc light candles at Haghpat Monastery after campaigning

EU President: I applaud Azerbaijans & Armenias parallel humanitarian gestures

Georgia is ready to participate in settlement of humanitarian issues between Baku and Yerevan

Aliyev: If Armenia wants peace, they should start negotiations with us on delimitation

Kocharyan intends to turn government dachas into rehab center

Baku says it handed over 15 POWs to Armenia in exchange for map of minefields

Nikol Pashinyan shares photo of Armenian POWs returning home

Eight more remains found in Artsakh search operations Saturday

Armenia MOD refutes reports on deployment of Turkey army units in Sev Lake region

Armenia MP candidate charged with bribery is remanded in custody

Armenia acting PM on border situation: Our Russian partners have come, looked at areas where they can be deployed

Armenia acting premier: This election battle has already turned into class struggle

20 Afghanistan security force members killed in clashes with Taliban

Armenia acting PM supporters give kids instructions in Gegharkunik Province village

Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: We reject vendettas

Armenia ex-President Serzh Sargsyan pays tribute to late PM Andranik Margaryan

Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: Maybe 2018 evens would not have happened if they had kept level of education

Bright Armenia Party MP: Our prime ministerial candidate is Edmon Marukyan

Armenia former President Kocharyan: I want to be proud of my homeland

One person on Armenia ruling party electoral list also has Iran citizenship, his registration is declared invalid

Armenias Pashinyan congratulates Boris Johnson on Queens Birthday

Armenia ex-President Kocharyan in Spitak town, pays tribute to victims of 1988 earthquake

Acting premier: Corrupt clergymen discredit Armenian Apostolic Church, traditional values

Armenia, Georgia customs officials meet at Bagratashen border checkpoint

One new case of coronavirus reported in Artsakh

Armenia acting deputy PM signs new decision

Sarkissian to Putin: Armenian-Russian cooperation is developing confidently in all directions

8 dead in China factory chemical leak

Putin notes differences between "outsider" Trump, "career man" Biden

88 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia

President: Karabakh has always underscored Russia's invaluable place, role in our region

Security Council chief: We have had Russias support in Artsakh for centuries

Pashinyan to Putin: I am convinced that Armenian-Russian interstate relations will continue to develop

Armenias Pashinyan congratulates Mishustin on Russia Day

Newspaper: Armenia criminal authorities take neutral position in current electoral process

Newspaper: Real "war" behind scenes of Armenia authorities after every provincial visit of acting PM

Armenia acting PM Pashinyan tells details from his talk with army General Staff former chief Gasparyan

Man found dead in Armenia canal

NATO Secretary-General affirms willingness for cooperation with Russia

Armenia Special Investigation Service charges political party member for giving electoral bribe

Armenia Central Electoral Commission grants motion to launch criminal prosecution against MP candidate

"I Have the Honor" bloc member: Coronavirus and 'nikolavirus' (Nikol Pashinyan) are both lethal

Greek PM: Greece willing to back positive EU agenda for Turkey

Russia Deputy FM, France Ambassador discuss settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict

CoE: We are engaged in a dialogue to develop a set of confidence-building measures between Armenia, Azerbaijan

Armenia 3rd President states when country's security system began to collapse

Armenia Armed Forces' General Staff ex-deputy chief on acting PM's statement on his "National Hero" title

Armenia Arevik National Park director dismissed for being a friend of Meghri mayor

Reuters: Erdogan's summit with Biden clouded by bitter disputes

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
Armenian News - NEWS.am presents the daily digest of Armenia-related top news as of 09.06.21:

 The election campaign that kicked off in Armenia is very disturbing and tense.

Monitoring by the Office of the Human Rights Defender shows that in the segment of social networks where materials with the headings civil revenge, vendetta and other similar things were distributed, insults, abuse, and mutual accusations were recorded. These headlines prove once again that clauses about non-physical retribution did not work.

The topic of the conflict between the candidate for prime minister of the Armenia bloc Robert Kocharyan and the candidate for prime minister of the party Civil Contract, acting prime minister Nikol Pashinyan is in the context of violence.

The human rights chief of Armenia even noted that during a meeting with the acting PM, one of the citizens said that he was fired because he refused to vote for the candidate for PM from the Armenia bloc.

This statement refers to a violation of labor rights, in connection with which the Office of the Human Rights Defender will send a notice to the prosecutor's office, Arman Tatoyan said.

 The video has been shared showing an Armenian soldier being beaten took place on June 2 in Verin Shorzha.

A dispute took place between servicemen of the units of the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan having illegally infiltrated into the mentioned territory and the servicemen of the Armed Forces of Armenia who were carrying out engineering works. During the dispute, servicemen of the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan beat and caused bodily injuries to two servicemen of the Armed Forces of Armenia.

Armenia Prosecutor General's Office has already launched a case on an Armenian serviceman beaten by Azerbaijani soldiers.

 Private Artur Katanyan, a contract soldier of Armenia who was disoriented on the terrain due to fog and found himself in an area under Azerbaijani control on Tuesday morning, has been returned to the Armenian side early Wednesday morning of June 9 and is in Stepanakert, the capital of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh).

Goris city deputy mayor Menua Hovsepyan had told Armenian News-NEWS.am late Tuesday night that this lost and captured Armenian soldier had been returned.

 At around 10:35 am Wednesday, Vardan Kochyan, 61, an Armenian, opened fire on the judicial act enforcement officers who had arrived in connection with the demolition of shacks in the area of a garage construction company in Sochi, Russia.

During the respective argument, Kochyan, the co-founder of this company, shot these officers with a gun, Russian media reported.

According to preliminary information, the deceased officers were Albert Aghozyan, 35, and Andranik Matevosyan, 36, who also were Armenian.

 The Nagorno-Karabakh status issue has yet to be agreed upon, said Russian FM Sergey Lavrov.

The issue of the status of Nagorno-Karabakh [(Artsakh)] should be agreed upon with the participation of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, but now the focus should be on the return to peaceful life in the region, he added.

Lavrov also noted that Turkey and Iran's interests are considered when discussing unblocking of regional communications.

Also, the Russian FM noted that the activities of the Armenian-Russian-Azerbaijani trilateral working group on unblocking regional communications is also dedicated to this matter.

"The effectiveness of the activities of the tripartite working group will be determined first of all by the extent to which this unblocking will directly help improve people's lives," Lavrov said. "Both the interests of Turkey and the interests of Iran are unequivocally taken into account in these trilateral debates. Otherwise, that whole unblocking will not have the maximum result."

Furthermore, Sergey Lavrov noted that the activities of the Russian-Turkish center for peace monitoring in Nagorno-Karabakh are a very useful and stabilizing factor.

 As of Wednesday morning, 99 new cases of the coronavirus were confirmed in Armenia, and the total number of these cases has reached 223,384 in the country.

Also, 11 more deaths from COVID-19 were registered, making the respective total 4,474 cases.

The number of people who have recovered over the past one day is 81, the total respective number so far is 214,690.
The public is waiting for the promised disclosures today. This is what Vice-President of the Republican Party of Armenia Armen Ashtoyan wrote on his Facebook page, adding the following:

The 24 hours that Serzh Sargsyan had given have passed, and the capitulator failed to make public at least one, I repeat  at least one piece of evidence with regard to the allegations against the third President of Armenia, including the allegations related to corruption, casinos and plunder.

As far as Sargsyans promise is concerned, a little while ago, during a meeting in Gegharkunik Province, he disclosed an audio recording that clearly shows that Nikol [Nikol Pashinyan] deliberately led the process of negotiations [over the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict] to failure and led the Armenian people to war. The audio recording also shows that the capitulator continues to blame Russia for the Four-Day Artsakh War of April 2016.

Nikol is seen as a madman abroad with his statements on issues of national importance, and 5,000 Armenian martyrs paid the price for his madness.

Yes, this is also an international scandal, but this is secondary for me. What is primary is the fact that the disclosed audio recording proves that Nikol is the number one threat to the national security of Armenia. The video about the rest will be released soon.
The third president of Armenia, Serzh Sargsyan, at a meeting in Gegharkunik region, published the promised record about Nikol Pashinyan.

Serzh Sargsyan earlier said that for many years the opposition have been spreading false information.

Then I did not consider it necessary to react, given that I was president. But he (Nikol Pashinyan - ed.) is talking nonsense when he says this, he said. We saw him use "if" all the time. I give this immoral person 24 hours: either he will present the facts, or I will publish such facts about him, about his family, that society will spit in his face."

The ex-president today said that 24 hours have already passed, but there are no facts.

In the recording Pashinyan speaks about his first meeting with Russian, Belarusian and Kazakh leaders.

Pashinyan says: There was a place for coffee. Putin, Nazarbayev, Lukashenko came there, they told me: the people trust you so much, etc., now you have a historic chance to resolve the Karabakh issue. I answered: okay, I understand that now is a historic chance, but what does it mean to decide? They tell me about some written "Lavrov's Plan": the troops are being pulled back, we are coming there and even a fly won't fly there. I said that without specifying the status, this is not at all a topic of conversation that can be discussed, etc. And here Putin, Nazarbayev and Lukashenko say: Aliyev understands that from now on Karabakh will never be a part of Azerbaijan. I answer: you are saying something wonderful.

Let's put everything on paper, and it will become an interesting topic, I will present all this to the people and say: we have such a proposal, are we interested or not? And in the end I realized that they wanted to put me on the same conveyor, they say, smile, drink, and at the end the April war turned out. I then formulated my task: I need to somehow get off this conveyor, to be in another place. You need to do this by any means, pretending to be crazy, inadequate, but you need to get out of this conveyor. And then the situation was very risky. Too risky.

Serzh Sargsyan went on to say: There is only one conclusion - this person is not crazy, this person is pretending to be crazy. This is simply unacceptable for the head of state.
by Nirmala Carvalho

A man who became Christian in the city of Gwalior was prevented by his niece from burying his mother. She filed a complaint with the local police against him for trying to convert his mother she was dead. God knows the truth and he will grant her eternal rest, said Fr Stephen, a spokesman for the local Catholic Church.

Mumbai (AsiaNews)  A family dispute in Gwalior (Madhya Pradesh) has sparked another row over the sensitive issue of conversions.

A man was not allowed to bury his mother, who passed away on 2 June, because of his conversion to Christianity.

Dharmendra Pratap Singh, who took the Christian name of David, wanted to bury his Hindu mother, Saroj Devi, in a Christian cemetery rather have her cremated according to Hindu tradition.

The womans granddaughter blocked the burial and went to the police claiming that her uncle, who converted in the city of Gwalior, was trying to convert her grandmother after death.

Shweta Suman, daughter of David Dharmendra Pratap Singhs sister, travelled 1,100 Kilometres from Jharkhand to perform the Hindu funeral.

After the service, she filed a report with the local police about her uncle's behaviour, claiming he used force to convert his mother to Christianity.

Sweta stated that her grandmother remained Hindu until her death and therefore the funeral had to take place according to the rites of her religion.

While a family dispute, the case has unfolded in Madhya Pradesh, one of the Indian states to adopt one of the harshest anti-conversion laws in the country.

For Father Maria Stephen, public relations officer for the local Church, this is a simple family dispute. Since we dont have any documents to prove the conversion, I have nothing to say. God knows the truth and he will grant her eternal rest.

Fr Babu Joseph SVB , a former spokesman of the Indian Bishops' Conference (CBCI), told AsiaNews that In the absence of an explicit written will, the type of last rites falls on the immediate relative, who in this case is the son.

It should be noted that not all Hindus practise cremation. Some bury them as well. Above all though, for Fr Joseph, after performing her grandmothers last rites as she wanted, the granddaughters complaint to the police appears malicious. Her uncles conversion is none of her business.
Interview: CPC brings about China's development, plays greater role in int'l arenas, says Cambodian party official

PHNOM PENH, June 8 (Xinhua) -- The Communist Party of China (CPC) has brought about China's enormous development and played a greater role in international arenas, said Khuon Sodary, second vice-president of the Cambodian National Assembly and a member of the standing committee of the Cambodian People's Party.

In a recent interview ahead of the CPC's centenary on July 1, Sodary said under the CPC's leadership, China has achieved great successes in such areas as economy, diplomacy, social security, science, technology and innovation.

She said the CPC has led China to become the world's second largest economy and during the COVID-19 pandemic last year, China's economy still achieved positive growth.

"Under the CPC's leadership, China has greatly contributed to socio-economic progress for all mankind," she said. "China will continue to play an important role in building global peace, promoting global development and maintaining international order."

Sodary noted that the CPC has gained strong support from the Chinese people thanks to its visionary leadership, a people-centered policy, governance, and successful fight against corruption and poverty.

Under the CPC's leadership, more than 700 million people have been lifted out of poverty, accounting for more than 70 percent of the global total poor population, which is one of the greatest achievements in the world's history, Sodary said.

China has achieved the goal of eliminating extreme poverty in February this year. Its success in poverty reduction is a "miracle" and its experience should serve as a model for other developing countries, said Sodary.

"This success has clearly reflected the CPC's goal that has prioritized the Chinese people's wellbeing and livelihoods," she said.

"This achievement has not only brought prosperity to the Chinese people but also benefited the people in the region and the world," she added.

Sodary also expressed appreciation of China's contribution to the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The Chinese government has provided medical equipment and vaccines in a timely way to many countries around the world, including Cambodia, to combat the COVID-19 pandemic," she said, praising China for offering its COVID-19 vaccines as a global public good.

As regards the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Sodary cited a World Bank's report, saying that the BRI would contribute to global economy recovery during and after the pandemic, and help lift tens of millions of people in the world out of poverty.

Moreover, China has actively participated in the United Nations peacekeeping operations, sending its peacekeepers to join operations in many war-torn countries, she said.

"These activities clearly underline the noble and historic role of China and its people in assisting countries around the world to achieve a long-term peace, stability and development," she said.

"In sum, China has played an active role in enhancing world order, promoting multilateralism, and tackling key global challenges," Sodary noted.
Kennesaw State launches Office of Intellectual Property Development

Chris Cornelison

KENNESAW, Ga. (Jun 9, 2021)  For all that researchers do well  from identifying problems to generating world-altering solutions  they often struggle to see their research reach its full potential by placing it in the hands of consumers said Chris Cornelison, who serves as the director of KSUs Office of Intellectual Property Development.

The office, launched as a unit within the Office of Research, acts as a one-stop shop for university researchers looking to advance their discoveries. In his role, Cornelison is responsible for guiding inventors through the process of filing disclosures and connecting with attorneys, as well as linking with potential industry partners for the licensing of property and discovery of market opportunities.

While many functions have existed informally over the years, formalizing it into an official part of the universitys infrastructure signals a renewed commitment to realizing its goal of becoming the premier Carnegie-designated R2 research institution, said Phaedra Corso, vice president for research.

We have an incredibly rich research culture that spans a myriad of disciplines and industries, she said. When a discovery has the potential to positively impact society, it is incumbent upon us to do everything we can to advance it. By launching the Office of Intellectual Property Development, we are empowering our inventors to take the next step and realize their potential.

The office addresses commercialization questions and concerns by funneling faculty and students to the appropriate resources. Through the Kennesaw State University Research and Service Foundation (KSURSF), the entity responsible for protecting and managing intellectual property on behalf of KSU, inventors are provided all the financial and legal means.

More resources arrive with the Innovation Launch Pad, a workshop modeled after the National Science Foundation Innovation Corps program to provide training and guidance to KSU researchers on lean start-up methodology and customer discovery in an effort to advance their scholarly products to consumer markets.

All of this combines to make KSU a very favorable place to be for inventors, Cornelison said. If there is an ability to commercialize an idea, our inventors have the potential to realize revenue, and our structure allows for a bigger share of that revenue than any other institution in Georgia.

Still in its infancy, Cornelison said there wont be any single unit of measurement to demonstrate the overall impact of an ever-expanding intellectual property portfolio. However, in the future he expects to see significant growth in the number of disclosures filed, start-up companies spawned from university research and licensing deals secured, among many other metrics.

Ultimately, we strive to achieve our mission to be the liaison into the corporate world by connecting our academic talent to industry sponsors who have real-world problems that need solving, he said. At Kennesaw State, we have the talent pool to solve them.

 Travis Highfield

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A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers more than 150 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees to its more than 41,000 students. With 11 colleges on two metro Atlanta campuses, Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia and the second-largest university in the state. The universitys vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the region and from 126 countries across the globe. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 6 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.
Shenzhen unlikely to be source of variant: officials

The Centre for Health Protection says the teen's elder sister has also tested preliminary positive for the virus. Photo: RTHK
by Vladimir Rozanskij

Wages are lower, but there are fewer risks and fewer problems. Entering Russian territory now costs more. Kazakh entrepreneurs pay travel expenses for foreign labour. The economic strength of Nur-Sultan, who does business with everyone: Russia, Europe and above all China.

Moscow (AsiaNews) - A June 8 Radio Azattyk investigation revealed that migrant workers from Central Asian countries prefer to seek their fortune in Kazakhstan, where earnings are much lower than in Russia, but there are fewer risks and fewer problems. They mainly move from Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan.

Airline tickets to Russia have risen greatly in the year of the pandemic, and work permits have also become more difficult to obtain, with the risk of being repatriated without warning.

Kazakhstan is the richest of the countries in the former Soviet region, still largely Russian-speaking, but also compared to the less accessible Afghanistan and Pakistan, not to mention the western regions of China. Azattyk gathered some impressive accounts from migrants themselves and their employers.

Dilsodbek, 42, comes from the city of Kokand in eastern Uzbekistan, and worked in seasonal labour in Russia for over 10 years. This year he decided to go to Kazakhstan: "Here they pay a lot less, but there is no big difference: my cousin went to Russia in May, he spent over 490 euros for the ticket and 246 for the permit, while to go to Kazakhstan 165-245 euros can be enough".

Kazakhstan gladly welcomes seasonal workers, entrusting them with the heaviest jobs that are rejected by the locals. In some Kazakh regions, entrepreneurs and administrations manage to pay for the trip for migrants from neighbouring countries. In May, authorities in the western Atyrau region brought 600 workers from Uzbekistan for farm labour, and the month before they had organized a charter flight for 70 Uzbeks to clean up city streets.

Akturlan Ermanov, head of a large farm in the Atyrau region, is one of the entrepreneurs who proposed to finance migrants from Uzbekistan, despite the cost of almost 410 euros each between tickets and anti-Covid tests. Ermanov owns 1,500 hectares of land, and finds no candidates among his compatriots: Migrants work well. Instead the locals start, but do not complete the assigned tasks, and I am forced to fire them. They often just quit without warning, he confides to Azattyk.

Garbage collectors in Atyrau earn 270 euros a month, and enjoy some privileges as municipal workers, while farm workers reach a maximum of 195 euros per month. For Uzbek migrants and migrants from other countries, these salaries are already considerable, given that in their home unemployment has often reached dramatic levels.

Seasonal work, or the permanent transfer of millions of people to Russia, had become a constant in the decades after the end of the USSR. Since 2014, when Russia was greeted with Western sanctions for the Ukrainian conflict, and with the effects of the global economic crisis, the number of migrants to Kazakhstan has steadily increased.

Before the pandemic, about one million migrants from other Central Asian states worked in the country; today it is difficult to give precise figures, considering the many who work illegally, but the figure is closer to 10 million than to five, according to estimates.

In Kazakhstan there is also less risk of xenophobic aggression, which has become much more frequent in Russia. The country led by President Qasim-Jomart Tokaev, with the timeless ex-president Nursultan Nazarbaev behind his back, has in recent years been able to draw on funds and business from East to West, from Europe to Russia, and above all from China.
Thousands mourn Canadian Muslim family

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau places flowers at the vigil in London, Ontario. Photo: AP

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau joined several thousand mourners in a vigil on Tuesday evening to remember three generations of a Canadian Muslim family killed in what police said was a premeditated hate crime, as a grieving community stood united in the midst of the crisis.



"This is our city," Bilal Rahhal, chair of the London Muslim Mosque, told the crowd. "Never allow anyone to make you think otherwise because of the color of your skin, your faith, or where you were born. ... This is our city and we're not going anywhere."



On Sunday, four members of the family were killed as they were out on an evening walk near their home in London, Ontario, when police say a man rammed them with his pick-up truck, targeting them because of their religion.



The victims were Salman Afzaal, 46; his wife, Madiha Salman, 44; their 15-year-old daughter, Yumna Afzaal; and Afzaal's 74-year-old mother. Their 9-year-old son, Fayez Afzaal, remained in hospital on Tuesday with serious but non-life-threatening injuries in stable condition.



Nathaniel Veltman, 20, has been charged with driving a pickup truck onto a curb and hitting the family in London, a city of over 400,000 people located 200km southwest of Toronto.



He was arrested on Sunday just a few hundred metres from the London Muslim Mosque, which the Afzaal family attended and where Tuesday's vigil was held.



Addressing the mourners, Trudeau said his government would take action, after placing flowers on the steps of the mosque, without giving details.



"This was an act of evil. But the light of the people here today, the light of the lives of the Afzaal family  that will always outweigh the dark," Trudeau said.



The attack has caused a nationwide outpouring of grief, with similar vigils taking place in Toronto, Vancouver and other cities across Canada. (Reuters)
UK and EU fail to agree on Northern Ireland

European Commission vice-president Maros Sefcovic (centre) gestures on his arrival at St Pancras International in central London. Photo: AFP

Britain and the European Union failed on Wednesday to agree any solutions to ease post-Brexit trade with Northern Ireland and exchanged threats in a standoff that could cloud a weekend international summit.



Since Britain completed a tortuous exit from the EU late last year, its relations with Brussels have soured further, with each side accusing the other of bad faith over a part of their Brexit deal that covers goods movements to Northern Ireland.



The row has been dubbed the "sausage war" by British media because it affects the movement of chilled meats from Britain to Northern Ireland.



On Wednesday, it stepped up a gear, with Britain saying it could again unilaterally extend a grace period waiving checks on some goods, and the EU saying it could advance its legal action, a step that could end in tariffs and quotas.



British Prime Minister Boris Johnson wants a summit of the world's seven largest advanced economies this weekend at a seaside village in southwestern England to showcase what he calls "global Britain".



But he could receive a warning from US President Joe Biden, who, according to the Times newspaper, will tell London to respect a deal with the EU that was designed to protect a 23-year-old peace settlement in Northern Ireland.



British Brexit minister David Frost, who is expected to attend the summit, met European Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic in London to address the issue.



"There weren't any breakthroughs. There aren't any breakdowns either, and we are going to carry on talking," Frost told reporters.



"What we now need to do is very urgently find some solutions."



A senior UK source close to the talks said all options were on the table if there was no agreement, including London further extending a grace period that waives checks on some foodstuffs moving to Northern Ireland beyond June 30.



Sefcovic responded in kind, saying the EU was considering advancing its legal challenge over Britain's actions, which could result in a court case by autumn or the eventual imposition of tariffs and quotas.



"The US administration and the US Congress are following this matter very closely," Sefcovic told a news conference.



"I'm sure that the G7, also the European leaders, would raise this issue because I think that what we should be focusing on right now should be the economic recovery ... and how to form and forge this new strategic partnership between the EU and the UK. Instead of that, we have these very difficult meetings." (Reuters)
New York Times cybersecurity reporter is next Paul Simon Institute guest speaker

CARBONDALE, Ill.  The New York Times reporter and author Nicole Perlroth will join Southern Illinois University Carbondales Paul Simon Public Policy Institute next week for a virtual discussion about cybersecurity and the cyber weapons arms race.

The conversation is set for 11 a.m. Tuesday, June 15 via Zoom. The event is part of the institutes Understanding Our New World series hosted by director John Shaw.

Perlroth covers cybersecurity and digital espionage for the New York Times and has recently written stories about the Colonial Pipeline hack in May, which disrupted fuel supplies on the East Coast, and the hack earlier this month of meat processor JBS, which impacted operations at United States beef, pork and poultry plants.

Her book This Is How They Tell Me the World Ends: The Cyber Weapons Arms Race, was released in February to critical acclaim. Perlroth is also a guest lecturer at the Stanford Graduate School of Business.

With every passing day, its increasingly clear that cybersecurity relates not only to the safety and prosperity of the United States, but also to the day-to-day security and safety of individual Americans, Shaw said. Nicole Perloths book about the cyber arms race is both terrific and terrifying. She is one of our countrys most respected cybersecurity writers and is remarkably skilled at making the world of cybersecurity understandable and relevant to all of our lives.

The virtual event is free and open to the public. Registration is required at paulsimoninstitute.org/event-information.

The Paul Simon Public Policy Institute is a nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank promoting better politics and smarter government and preparing young people for careers in public service.
A middle school student is dead after being brutally stabbed in a random attack as she rode her skateboard to her mothers house in a story that has received little media coverage.

Police say Jupiter Paulsen, a 14-year-old white female living in Fargo, North Dakota, was skateboarding from her fathers house to her mothers house at 7 a.m. on Friday morning when she was randomly choked and stabbed more than 20 times, reports say.

The brutal attack reportedly went on for 20 minutes and was partially caught on security video footage from a nearby store in the West Acres neighborhood of Fargo. Days after the attack, Paulsens father, Robert Paulsen, said that she was declared brain dead and was taken off life support with the hope of harvesting her organs to try and save some lives.

NYC HOMELESS MAN CHARGED WITH PUNCHING ASIAN WOMAN WAS ARRESTED FIVE TIMES WITHIN LAST YEAR AND 40 TIMES OVERALL

Arthur Prince Kollie, a 23-year-old black man with no fixed address, has been arrested in connection with the attack, and prosecutors say he is facing a murder charge. On Monday, a judge set Kollies bail at $1 million, cash only.

Kollie is no stranger to law enforcement, and at the time of the attack, he was on probation for assaulting a police officer in 2017. In May of this year, Kollie pleaded guilty to discharging a firearm within city limits, being a felon in possession of a gun, and a drug charge. He was sentenced to 18 months supervised probation and 27 days in jail, but records indicated he was released early due to time already served, allowing him to be on the streets by last Friday.

Kollie reportedly told police he smoked methamphetamine the day before the attack and had no recollection of attacking Paulsen the next morning.

Several users on social media reacted to the gruesome murder by wondering out loud why the tragedy has received relatively little media coverage.

A Fargo 14 year-old was stabbed over 20 times, beat & strangled by a complete stranger when she was out skateboarding, photojournalist Rebecca Brannon tweeted. Her attacker was on probation for a conviction for assault... just why is there so little coverage of this story?

Story continues

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A GoFundMe page has been established to help Paulsens family with expenses, and in the latest update, her father announced that she had died and thanked everyone for their support.

We just got word from the Doctor today that Our baby girl is too far gone and there isnt anything they can do, Robert Paulsen wrote. Just to gather family and to say our goodbyes. This is a very dark moment in our lives. Thank you all for the prayers, shares, and donations.

Washington Examiner Videos

Tags: News, North Dakota, Attack

Original Author: Andrew Mark Miller

Original Location: 14-year-old girl dies after being stabbed 20 times and choked in random attack by homeless man in broad daylight
Karen Allen as Marion in "Raiders of the Lost Ark." Paramount

It's implied that Marion was a minor when Indiana Jones had a relationship with her.

Allen, who plays Marion in the franchise, believes she was 16 when they had their first fling.

"I don't think of him as a pedophile," Allen told Uproxx.

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In recent years, a specific scene from the 1981 classic "Raiders of the Lost Ark," which birthed Harrison Ford as globe-trotting archaeologist Indiana Jones, has come under scrutiny due to the age difference between Jones and Marion Ravenwood (played by Karen Allen), his love interest in the movie.

When Jones sets out to find the Ark of the Covenant, he must first find a medallion that tells him where the Ark is buried. Marion has it, and in their first conversation together, after years of not seeing each other, Marion confronts Jones about their past fling saying, "I was a child. I was in love." To which Jones responds: "You knew what you were doing."

Things are left there and never addressed again.

But in the past few years transcripts of the story conferences between the director Steven Spielberg, George Lucas (who came up with the Indiana Jones story), and the screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan, have spread on social media and revealed there was talk of the two characters having a major age gap that could have had Jones in a relationship with Marion when she was a minor.

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In an interview with Uproxx celebrating the movie's 40th-anniversary release, Allen gave her take on the relationship.

"I think I say I was 16. I don't know," Allen said. "That's always what I imagined is she was 16, he was 26. And he was her father's student. And it's left very mysterious."

"We don't even know what it is," Allen continued. "I mean, they could have kissed a few times, and she was just completely bowled over, and he could have just not wanted to get involved with someone so young. And maybe my father would have been furious at him. I mean, what's great about it is we don't know what the circumstances are."

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Harrison Ford and Karen Allen on the set of "Raiders of the Lost Ark." Paramount

The way Allen sees it, it was all very innocent in those early days between Marion and Indy.

"I don't think of him as a pedophile," Allen said. "That's the direction some of these people are going."

After not appearing in the two Indiana Jones movies following "Raiders of the Lost Ark," Allen's Marion character returned in 2008's "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull."

A fifth Jones movie is in production.

Read the original article on Insider
KABUL (Reuters) - Afghan government and Taliban negotiators met in Qatar's capital Doha this week to discuss the peace process, the first known meeting in weeks after negotiations largely stalled earlier this year.

Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen said in a statement on Twitter on Wednesday that the heads of both teams, along with some of their negotiators, had met the previous day in Doha.

"They discussed topics of the agenda, accelerating the Afghan negotiations process and reaching mutual understanding in this regard," he said.

The meeting was the first announced gathering of both sides since mid-May and after already-slowing talks largely broke off in April, when the United States announced it would withdraw its forces by September 11.

The Taliban had responded angrily to that announcement as it meant foreign forces would stay in the country beyond a May deadline agreed with the previous Trump administration. The Islamist group said it would boycott a major peace conference due to take place in Turkey.

Negotiators had started in Doha in September to find a way to end decades of war. But the talks stalled after a few rounds and violence has escalated since the United States started its final pullout of troops.

Finding common ground between the two warring sides has been a top priority for Western capitals, particularly Washington.

Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan said last week his country was pushing for a political settlement in Afghanistan before foreign troops leave, to reduce the risk of civil war in its western neighbour.

(Reporting by Kabul bureau; Editing by Gareth Jones)
Gunman who shot dead boy in road rage attack charged with murder (AP)

The gunman who shot dead a six-year-old boy in a California road rage attack has been charged with murder.

Aiden Leos was struck and killed by a bullet shot at his mothers car last month on an Orange County freeway as he was sat in a booster seat.

Marcus Anthony Eriz, 24, has now been charged with murder and discharge of a gun into an occupied vehicle, authorities have confirmed.

His girlfriend, Wynne Lee, 23, has been charged with accessory after the fact, a felony, for concealing the shooting, and a misdemeanor count of having a concealed firearm in a vehicle.

They had originally both been expected to be arraigned in a California courtroom on Tuesday but this was eventually pushed back to 18 June.

(AP)

Mr Eriz mean could face 40 years to life in prison if convicted, while Ms Lee faces up to three years behind bars if convicted and bail has initially been set at $1m for each suspect, although that figure could change at their arraignment.

Investigators arrested them at their home in Costa Mesa, California, on Sunday, two weeks after Aidens killing.

His mother, Joanna Cloonan, told another motorist at the scene that she and her son ere driving in the carpool lane when another motorists cut them off as she tried to switch lanes.

She said she made a rude gesture at the people in the other car and continued to try and exit the 55 freeway.

Investigators believe that Ms Lee allegedly brought the car behind Ms Cloonans vehicle and Mr Eriz allegedly fired the shot that killed Aiden.

Mr Eriz, if he is convicted on any or both charges, will spend a significant portion of his adult life in prison, said Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer on Tuesday.

We would not file these charges unless we could prove them beyond a reasonable doubt, he added, calling them rock solid.

California Highway Patrol officials announced on Monday that they had found the gun and the car used in the shooting.

Mr Eriz formerly worked at an autobody shop and has reportedly posted pictures of himself shooting weapons at a gun range on social media.

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It couldve happened to any one of us, said Mr Spitzer on Monday.

We all drive the freeways of Southern California. Weve all gotten upset at other motorists, other motorists have gotten upset at us. Ive thrown some gestures about myself.

But its never come to a situation of violence and certainly not in my realm or your realm, to the loss of a life.
With Americans rushing to travel now that the end to the coronavirus pandemic is coming into view, flights are packed, ticket prices have soared, airports are bustling and tempers are flaring.

Laura Ramirez is relieved to be home in New York after what she calls a nightmarish experience traveling by plane from Miami this past weekend.

I was supposed to get back on Sunday morning, and American Airlines at the Miami Airport is a mess, Ramirez, a reporter at Yahoo News, said. They don't have enough agents to handle the amount of people traveling, and I missed my flight even though I arrived at the airport two hours [early]. The line to see an agent was a three-hour line.

When Ramirez finally got to speak to an agent, there were no more flights available for that day. So she rebooked for Monday, only to have that flight canceled as she arrived at the airport. She was left to book another flight at a different airport.

The airline didn't offer anything  no hotel or food vouchers, Ramirez said. It was a terrible experience, and I know I wasn't the only one going through that."

Travelers at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York City ahead of Memorial Day weekend. (Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images)

Ramirezs story has suddenly become commonplace as Americans have flocked back to an airline industry that struggled to stay afloat over the last year and a half. Flight routes that had been suspended due to inactivity are now running at full capacity. Airports that had emptied are now bustling with customers looking to take their first flight since the pandemic began. And with the return of crowded TSA checkpoints and terminals whose shops and restaurants have yet to fully reopen, frustrations among passengers, as well as some physical altercations, have become more frequent.

Just last week, American and Southwest Airlines announced they would postpone plans to resume serving alcohol on flights after an uptick in unruly and sometimes violent passenger incidents in recent weeks.

A video taken aboard a May 30 Southwest flight captured a passenger repeatedly punching a flight attendant in the head after being asked to buckle her seatbelt. The flight attendant lost two teeth in the assault, and the passenger was charged with battery.

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A man onboard a June 4 flight originating in Jacksonville, Fla., was arrested after punching another passenger several times and slapping away the hand of an off-duty police officer, according to an arrest report. That man was charged with making threats, disorderly intoxication, battery on a law enforcement officer and resisting arrest without violence.

In recent weeks, numerous other stories of combative passengers on flights and of violent encounters in airports have been reported. While incidents in the air have always been a once-in-a-while occurrence, the numbers show they are happening with more frequency.

Through May of this year, about 2,500 in-flight passenger incidents had been reported to the Federal Aviation Administration in 2021, and 394 of those were classified as unruly, according to Forbes. This marks a more than 100 percent increase in the number of complaints compiled over the last two years, which fell well under 200 for each full year of 2019 and 2020.

Flight attendants on a packed Delta Air Lines flight on May 21. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, which represents over 45,000 flight attendants across 17 airlines, said the level of hostility toward flight attendants in the past year has been astounding.

We have just never seen anything like this, Nelson said during an online meeting with federal aviation officials in late May. Weve never seen it so bad.

Several flight attendants declined to speak with Yahoo News for this story, citing confidentiality concerns.

The reasons for the increase in incidents vary depending on who you ask.

Nelson said airline mask rules, still in place across the industry, were one significant factor behind the statistics, but other factors include overall pandemic fatigue and travelers who often misinterpret new rules.

Weve all had a difficult year and a half, and lets face it: traveling again is weird, Sara Rathner, a travel expert at NerdWallet, told Yahoo News. Were not used to being in crowds, and were not used to spending extended amounts of time in enclosed spaces with other people. So were all going through an adjustment period, but eventually well remember how life used to be.

That being said, its never OK for anyone to take out their negative feelings on airline employees by committing assault, she added. Their job is to keep travelers safe and comfortable, and that means enforcing rules. Airlines are much more likely to permanently ban passengers for bad behavior, and thats their right as a business. If you dont like the rules, drive. But please observe the rules of the road if you do.

Since February, about 22 people have been slapped with civil penalties following disruptive incidents related to air travel. Last month, the FAA announced it was proposing fines as high as $15,000 against five more passengers for violations that included allegedly assaulting and yelling at flight attendants.

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on April 7. (Elijah Nouvelage/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

As more airlines take a harsher approach to quell disruptive or rowdy passengers, experts believe the issues onboard will likely decrease as well.

COVID-19 has brought out the best in some air travelers and the worst in others, Joe Leader, CEO of the Airline Passenger Experience Association, told Yahoo News. We should see a reduction in unruly behavior as both airlines and governments are taking more of a zero tolerance stance against aggressive passengers.

In the meantime, the crush of passengers shows no signs of slowing. Airports saw a 499 percent increase in customers in May compared with March 2020. Nearly 2 million people flew over Memorial Day weekend alone, according to a report by the Transportation Security Administration.

Delta's bookings in March were twice the level recorded in January, despite the fact that it notched a $1.2 billion loss in the first quarter of this year. American said its daily net bookings in late April reached 2019 levels without the benefit of much international or business travel. Southwest is also looking to turn things around in the next few months after losing $1 billion in the first three months of the year.

A line for a Transportation Security Administration checkpoint at Orlando International Airport on May 28. (Paul Hennessy/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

The industry is simply recovering, albeit patchy and uneven around the world, Darren Ellis, professor of air transport management at Cranfield University in the U.K., told Yahoo News. Last year was so different to anything ever experienced in the aviation industrys history that comparisons with this year are challenging to accurately make.  What really strikes me is how much of the massive global aviation industry has been impacted, and for so long.

A May report from the U.S. Travel Association showed that in April 2021, travel spending tallied more than $73 billion and reflected a drop of only 24 percent below April 2019 levels. Now nearly nine in 10 American travelers have plans to travel in the next six months  a new high over the past year.

U.S. airline CEOs have begun sounding more optimistic about the future of the industry.

"Were starting to see light at the end of this very dark tunnel," American Airlines CEO Doug Parker told investors on an earnings call on April 22.

"Im relieved. Im optimistic. Im enthused. Im grateful," Southwest Airlines CEO Gary Kelly told investors.

"My, what a difference a year makes," United CEO Scott Kirby said in a podcast last month.

Travelers wait to check in at Los Angeles International Airport on May 28. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

But as passengers get back to booking flights, prices continue to rise. Domestic U.S. fares are up 9 percent since April 1, while international fares are up 17 percent, according to research from Bernstein published last month.

Even still, a populace that spent the better part of the last year pent up due to pandemic restrictions appears eager to return to travel. In 2022, global passenger numbers are expected to recover to 88 percent of pre-COVID-19 levels, and in 2023 theyre expected to surpass pre-COVID levels at 105 percent, according to data put together by IATA and Tourism Economics.

As for Ramirez, who returned home two days after her first missed flight, "I'm just happy to be home," she said.

Cover thumbnail photo: photo illustration: Yahoo News; photos: Getty Images (2)

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Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez alluded to a morbid reality while arguing against Democratic senators negotiating with Republicans: Democratic senators are old, and Republicans could suddenly take back the Senate majority if one dies.

In a tweet on Wednesday, the New York Democratic representative argued that Democratic senators should put less focus on trying to cut a deal with Republicans on an infrastructure bill or other measures and instead push through those items through the rarely used reconciliation process, which lets Democrats bypass the 60-vote threshold to overcome a filibuster. That process allowed the evenly divided Democratic-controlled Senate to push the American Rescue Plan earlier this year.

Ocasio-Cortez said that Democrats are burning precious time & impact negotiating w/GOP and that McConnells plan is to run out the clock.

During the Obama admin, folks thought wed have a 60 Dem majority for a while. It lasted 4 months, she said, a reference to when Democratic Massachusetts Sen. Ted Kennedy died unexpectedly.

CRUZ PRESSES NCAA PRESIDENT ON TRANSGENDER ATHLETES

Ocasio-Cortez was in college and an intern for Kennedys office at the time of his death, making her intimately familiar with the political effect of his death.

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In 2009, the 111th Congress began with a Senate breakdown of 56 Democrats, 47 Republicans, two independents who caucused with Democrats and were effectively counted as Democrats, and one vacant seat due to the Minnesota Senate election being so close.

But then Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter switched parties from Republican to Democrat, and Al Franken was eventually seated as the senator from Minnesota in early July.

That brought the Democrats to an effective 60-vote super-majority that allowed them to bypass the Republican filibuster, leading to landmark legislation such as the Affordable Care Act.

But then Kennedy died suddenly of a brain tumor on August 25.

Another Democrat was appointed to take Kennedys place temporarily, but then Republican Scott Brown won a special election to replace Kennedy, taking away the filibuster-proof majority.

Story continues

Its a hustle. We need to move now, Ocasio-Cortez said.

The current Senate has the oldest average age in history  64.3 years at the beginning of this year. California Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein is the oldest, turning 88 on June 22. Some question whether she is still mentally sharp enough to be in Congress. Iowa Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley is the second-oldest, turning 88 in September.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy, another Democrat, is 81. Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders, who had a heart attack in 2019 when he was running for president, turns 80 this year.

Another possibility is that a Democrat switches parties. That concern has prompted some progressive activists to warn against putting too much pressure on West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin, one of the most conservative Democrats in the Senate whose opposition to ending the filibuster peeves many on the Left.

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Tags: News, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Congress, Senate, Ted Kennedy

Original Author: Emily Brooks

Original Location: AOC warns a Democrat could flip or die and erase Senate majority
Members of Atlantas Buckhead community want to part ways from the city.

Atlantas Buckhead district is trying to become its own city, drawing mixed reactions from folks around town.

Buckhead is known to be Atlantas wealthiest district and a predominantly white community filled with luxurious shops and high-end restaurants. But lately, Buckhead has become a point of contention with some neighbors wanting to succeed from the City of Atlanta, which is heavily populated by Black residents.

Over the past year, more neighbors around Buckhead say they dont feel safe, expressing concerns over crime-related incidents in the city.

ATLANTA  APRIL 6: The Atlanta skyline sits beyond Turner Field before the start of the New York Mets versus Atlanta Braves during the Braves home season opening game at Turner Field April 6, 2007 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that the Atlanta police department investigated 157 homicides in 2020, which went up from 99 in 2019, making it the deadliest year in more than two decades. This statistic does not include officer-involved shootings, according to the report.

Some Buckhead members argue they would be able to protect the area better than the Atlanta police, which in part led to the formation of a group called Buckhead Exploratory Committee.

The Buckhead Exploratory Committee formed last year and is working to establish Buckhead as its own independent city. According to their website, they are a 501(c)(4) made of volunteer residents, lobbyists, legislators, and experts.

Residents of Buckhead are universally anxious about and frustrated at the state of their neighborhoods, Buckhead Exploratory Committee posted on their website. Petty and even violent crimes are increasing, and, despite a heavy tax burden, the extent and quality of services are discernibly decreasing.

While this committee is going full-throttle at taking measures to pull away from Atlanta, others criticize the move.

Stephanie Flowers, who serves as the chair of Atlanta Neighborhood Planning Unit V, told the Washington Post it upsets her to see Buckhead groups taking these steps.

It makes me angry because the crime they are seeing in Buckhead is the same crime we on the Southside have been dealing with for years, Flowers told the outlet. We on the Southside, because of our demographics, we cant pay our way out.This is just a way to separate the haves from the have-nots.

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A shooting at Atlantas Cumberland Mall yields two arrests. Photo courtesy of Ronny Sison for unsplash

Neighborhood Planning Unit V includes the six in-town Atlanta neighborhoods of Adair Park, Mechanicsville, Peoplestown, Pittsburgh, and Summerhill/Capitol Homes, according to their website.

These neighborhoods are some of Atlantas oldest residential areas, with a rich history that mirrors much of Atlantas history, Neighborhood Planning Unit V shared on their website. The neighborhoods were formed during the decades following the Civil War.

Community leaders around Atlanta have also been speaking out on the complicated matter.

Scotty Smart, Atlanta activist, organizer and founder of the SMART Foundation, spoke with theGrio and weighed in on the matter.

The people of Buckhead wanting to be its own city is another example of there being a problem and people dont want to fully address the issue or being so disconnected that they cant relate so just throw some money at it and sweep it under the rug,  Smart told theGrio. If the problem is crime, how does separation make the crime go away?

Smart said there needs to be an emphasis on addressing why theres crime in the first place along with the abundance of poverty in Atlanta.

When will the elite of this city look to build more opportunities for people who have nothing, Smart said. When will the solution be to use funding to really build community centers in our city that helps people get better job opportunities instead of criminalizing them all or trying to segregate yourself.

This past legislative session in Georgia, lawmakers proposed a bill to form Buckhead City, as reported by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. According to the report, there must be approval for new cities over at least two sessions for it to pass through.

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Local news outlets reported the process of Buckhead becoming its own city will likely be a very difficult one. CBS 46 reported the process could be legally complex, take years of litigation and cause major financial issues, according to former Attorney General of Georgia Sam Olens.

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The post Atlantas wealthiest community, Buckhead, fights to secede from city appeared first on TheGrio.
RTHK: UK and EU fail to agree on Northern Ireland

Britain and the European Union failed on Wednesday to agree any solutions to ease post-Brexit trade with Northern Ireland and exchanged threats in a standoff that could cloud a weekend international summit.

Since Britain completed a tortuous exit from the EU late last year, its relations with Brussels have soured further, with each side accusing the other of bad faith over a part of their Brexit deal that covers goods movements to Northern Ireland.

The row has been dubbed the "sausage war" by British media because it affects the movement of chilled meats from Britain to Northern Ireland.

On Wednesday, it stepped up a gear, with Britain saying it could again unilaterally extend a grace period waiving checks on some goods, and the EU saying it could advance its legal action, a step that could end in tariffs and quotas.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson wants a summit of the world's seven largest advanced economies this weekend at a seaside village in southwestern England to showcase what he calls "global Britain".

But he could receive a warning from US President Joe Biden, who, according to the Times newspaper, will tell London to respect a deal with the EU that was designed to protect a 23-year-old peace settlement in Northern Ireland.

British Brexit minister David Frost, who is expected to attend the summit, met European Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic in London to address the issue.

"There weren't any breakthroughs. There aren't any breakdowns either, and we are going to carry on talking," Frost told reporters.

"What we now need to do is very urgently find some solutions."

A senior UK source close to the talks said all options were on the table if there was no agreement, including London further extending a grace period that waives checks on some foodstuffs moving to Northern Ireland beyond June 30.

Sefcovic responded in kind, saying the EU was considering advancing its legal challenge over Britain's actions, which could result in a court case by autumn or the eventual imposition of tariffs and quotas.

"The US administration and the US Congress are following this matter very closely," Sefcovic told a news conference.

"I'm sure that the G7, also the European leaders, would raise this issue because I think that what we should be focusing on right now should be the economic recovery ... and how to form and forge this new strategic partnership between the EU and the UK. Instead of that, we have these very difficult meetings."

Preserving the delicate peace in Northern Ireland without allowing the United Kingdom a back door into the European Union's single market across the Irish land border was one of the trickiest issues of the Brexit divorce.

The result was the protocol, which essentially kept the province in the EU's customs union and adhering to many of the rules of its single market -- both of which the rest of Britain has left.

While Brussels is upset that London is failing to honour the protocol, London says it has no choice because some of the checks hamper supplies to Northern Irish supermarkets.

It has also pointed to rising tensions among pro-British unionists in the province, who say the protocol undermines the 1998 peace agreement by loosening their ties to Britain.

Aodhan Connolly, director of the Northern Ireland Retail Consortium, called for rapid action to protect consumers in the province:

"We need immediate solutions to keep goods flowing now, and we need a breathing space so that the UK Government and the EU can, in the longer term, find a workable solution." (Reuters)

This story has been published on: 2021-06-09. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
The victims are five government soldiers and three government allied fighters. The attack launched from Lebanese territory involved the capital, Homs and the coastal area of Latakia and Quneitra. Government sources speak of "attacks on multiple locations", with "strong explosions" felt in Damascus.

Damascus (AsiaNews / Agencies) - At least eight Assad militiamen were killed in Syria in a series of air strikes launched last night by Israeli fighters from Lebanese territory: they targeted the province of Homs, Damascus and the coastal area of Latakia and Quneitra.

According to reports from Rami Abdul Rahman, director of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (an NGO based in the United Kingdom with a network of sources reporting from Syrian territory since the beginning of the war), victims include "at least five army soldiers and three allied fighters.

The attacks began just before midnight and continued for a few hours. A source close to the Damascus government speaks of "aggression against multiple locations" in Syrian territory, including the capital where "residents felt strong explosions and tremors" caused by the bombs.

"In a serious violation of international law - continues the note - Israeli fighters opened fire from the skies of Lebanon".

Eyewitnesses in the Land of Cedars confirm the missile attack, some of which "were intercepted in Lebanese territory before entering Syrian airspace". What is called Israeli "aggression" in Damascus is not an unexpected event, because in recent days "Israeli spy planes and drones have flown over and patrolled the coastal area and territorial waters of Syria and Lebanon".

Analysts and experts say that the target of the attacks were, in all likelihood, arms depots and means provided by Iran to the Shiite militias allied to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Affected the central and southern regions of the Arab country; the Syrian anti-aircraft defence system responded to the offensive, but only some missiles were intercepted while a substantial part managed to hit the predetermined targets, inflicting material damage and causing casualties.

Observers believe the operation is a response to the launch of a Russian-made SA-5 missile from Syria into Israeli territory earlier this month; the missile, however, missed its target, exploding in an uninhabited area in the south of the country.

In the past, Israel has been able to carry out numerous attacks on Syrian and Lebanese territory, thanks to the green light received by the then US President Donald Trump, who during the four years of his mandate formed a strong alliance with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

In Syria alone, 50 operations against strategic targets were recorded in 2020 according to Israeli military sources. The situation does not seem to have changed under the new administration led by Democrat Joe Biden which has so far tolerated - if not authorized - Israeli military operations across the border.
PRAGUE (Reuters) - Belarus opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya called on Wednesday for an international tribunal to be set up to investigate what she called the "crimes" of President Alexander Lukashenko's "dictatorship".

Lukashenko has kept a tight grip on Belarus since rising to power in 1994, and has cracked down on street protests that began last year over a presidential election which his opponents say was rigged so that he could retain power.

Lukashenko, who denies electoral fraud and dismisses criticism of his human rights record, extended the crackdown on Tuesday by signing legislation on tougher punishment, including prison sentences, for people who take part in protests or insult state officials.

"I call for an international tribunal to be set up which would investigate the crimes of Lukashenko's dictatorship in the past and during the election in 2020," Tsikhanouskaya, who is now based in Lithuania, told the Czech Senate.

Tsikhanouskaya, who met Czech President Milos Zeman and Prime Minister Andrej Babis during her visit to the Czech Republic, gave no other details of her proposal.

She said the only solution to the situation in Belarus was holding free elections with international monitors.

Tsikhanouskaya was visiting Prague before a summit of the Group of Seven advanced economies in Britain this week at which Belarus is expected to be discussed.

The former Soviet republic outraged Western countries last month by ordering a Ryanair flight to land in the capital Minsk and arresting a dissident journalist who was on board.

Lukashenko has dismissed Western criticism over the incident, and accused Western countries of waging a "hybrid war" against him. The United States and the European Union are preparing to tighten sanctions on Belarus over the plane incident.

(Reporting by Robert Muller, Editing by Timothy Heritage)
RALLY THE WORLD'S DEMOCRACIES: President Joe Biden departs this morning on the first overseas trip of his term, which begins with a meeting of G-7 ministers in Cornwall, includes a NATO summit in Brussels, and ends with a face-to-face meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Geneva.

The trip at its core will advance the fundamental thrust of Joe Biden's foreign policy: to rally the world's democracies to tackle the great challenges of our time, said national security adviser Jake Sullivan. We believe that President Biden goes on this trip from a position of strength  dramatic progress against the pandemic at home, strong projected growth that will help power the global economic recovery as well, renewed American power and purpose, and a rock-solid foundation of alliances.

In this moment of global uncertainty, as the world still grapples with a once-in-a-century pandemic, this trip is about realizing Americas renewed commitment to our allies and partners, and demonstrating the capacity of democracies to both meet the challenges and deter the threats of this new age, Biden wrote in a weekend op-ed. This is a defining question of our time: Can democracies come together to deliver real results for our people in a rapidly changing world? Will the democratic alliances and institutions that shaped so much of the last century prove their capacity against modern-day threats and adversaries? I believe the answer is yes. And this week in Europe, we have the chance to prove it.

THREE THINGS TO WATCH ON BIDEN'S FIRST FOREIGN TRIP: PUTIN IS MAIN EVENT OF PACKED CARD

BOLTON: BIDEN-PUTIN SUMMIT PREMATURE: Former national security adviser John Bolton predicts little of substance will come from Bidens sitdown with Putin in Geneva, and in an interview on MSNBC, Bolton suggested the meeting was premature.

I don't think Biden fully understands what his objectives with Russia are or how to achieve them, he told NBCs Andrea Mitchell. Having a meeting where you just go down a list and check off, OK, we raised Russian election hacking, we raised Russian interference in the Donbass in Ukraine, I don't think accomplishes much.

Story continues

Bolton says Putin has a well-rehearsed script to push back against U.S. complaints, whether the SolarWinds hack or the ransomware attack on Colonial Pipeline. He said it directly to me. Look, the Russian state didn't do this. Maybe there were actors on Russian territory. Let us know who they are, and we will take care of them. It's a way of dodging. It's a kind of plausible deniability, Bolton said. What Biden needs to tell him is, we don't believe any of that. We think you're responsible for all of it. We will hold you accountable. And we will take offensive actions to prove to you that you cannot do this to us without finding yourself imposed with even heavier costs.

HAVANA SYNDROME: At a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing yesterday, Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins pressed Secretary of State Antony Blinken about whether Biden would confront Putin about the so-called Havana Syndrome, a series of suspected directed energy attacks that have targeted U.S. diplomats and produced debilitating symptoms, including headaches and dizziness.

Will he raise the issue of directed energy attacks against American personnel since Russia is one of the countries that is suspected of wielding this weapon? Collins asked.

Here's the hard reality right now, Blinken replied. We do not know what caused these  these incidents. We do not know who, if anyone, is actually responsible, state actor, individuals, Blinken said. So, certainly, if we have concerns, suspicions, beliefs that any state actor, Russia or otherwise, was involved, engaged in this, you can be sure that we will take it to them. But right now, we simply do not know.

Blinken said Biden has ordered an intensive effort to get to the bottom of what happened.

US INTELLIGENCE GRAPPLES WITH NERVOUS SYSTEM ATTACKS AMID HEAVY RUSSIA SUSPICIONS

Good Wednesday morning and welcome to Jamie McIntyres Daily on Defense, written and compiled by Washington Examiner National Security Senior Writer Jamie McIntyre (@jamiejmcintyre) and edited by Victor I. Nava. Email here with tips, suggestions, calendar items, and anything else. Sign up or read current and back issues at DailyonDefense.com. If signing up doesnt work, shoot us an email and well add you to our list. And be sure to follow us on Twitter: @dailyondefense.

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HAPPENING TODAY: Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin delivers remarks at the 10th Annual LGBT Pride Month Celebration in the Pentagon Auditorium. The event at 9:30 a.m. will be livestreamed on Defense.gov.

COUNTERING CHINA: On a bipartisan 68-32 vote, the Senate voted yesterday to authorize spending $250 billion in scientific research and development to bolster competitiveness against China.

The bill, which began as the modest 160 page, $100 billion Endless Frontier Act, morphed into a more comprehensive quarter trillion dollar bill that runs 2,400 pages and won support from 19 Republicans, including Minority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell.

Still, not everyone was happy with the bill that now goes to the House. In a statement, Sen. Jim Inhofe, ranking Republican on the Armed Services Committee, complained the bill was incomplete without adequate defense funding.

Choosing between technology and military priorities when it comes to competition with China is a false choice, Inhofe said. The strongest signal we can send to deter China is by competing on all levels: in technological innovation, in domestic manufacturing, and in providing resources to our military to create the strongest military deterrent possible.

Self-declared China hawk Sen. Josh Hawley opposed the bill because he said it cuts tariffs on China and fails to put American workers first or crack down on multibillion-dollar corporations that are heavily invested in China.

For decades, U.S. policy makers have watched as millions of American jobs were shipped overseas, corporate America sold out to the Chinese Communist Party, and our industrial economy was replaced by slave labor in Xinjiang, Hawley said in a statement. We must correct the failed Washington consensus that has allowed Beijing to thrive at the expense of working Americans.

KILLING THE NUCLEAR SLCM: Following a report that acting Navy Secretary Thomas Harker has proposed defunding the nuclear sea-launched cruise missile program, the ranking Republicans on the House and Senate Armed Services committee are expressing deep concern.

Reports that an Acting Secretary of the Navy would cancel a new Nuclear Sea Launched Cruise Missile after submission of the FY22 budget, and before a Nuclear Posture Review has been started  much less completed  is bewildering and short-sighted, said Rep. Mike Rogers and Sen. Jim Inhofe in a joint statement. The Biden administration has decided to project weakness ahead of a summit with Vladimir Putin  another gift to our adversaries. We have serious questions for senior Pentagon leaders on this reported decision and how it was reached.

In Harkers memo obtained by USNI News, he calls on the Navy to choose one of the three programs to initially pursue in earnest in the 2023 budget cycle, funding either a new next-generation fighter, destroyer, or submarine.

The Navy cannot afford to simultaneously develop the next generation of air, surface, and subsurface platforms and must prioritize these programs balancing the cost of developing next-generation capabilities against maintaining current capabilities, the memo reads.

POSTER CHILD FOR FLAWED ACQUISITION: At yesterdays House Armed Services Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces, ranking member Rep. Rob Wittman launched into a scathing critique of the Air Forces troubled KC-46A tanker program.

The plane, made by Boeing, is years overdue, billions over budget, and still not performing as advertised. A report Monday by Bloomberg detailed how Air Force officials believe Boeing overcharged Japan for spare parts for the plane by a whopping 1,500%

Boeing has reported to have lost over $5 billion to date on this seemingly simple 767 conversion effort and is late in delivering a myriad of aircraft, in some cases dating back to aircraft ordered over five years ago. The Air Force has reported that it does not anticipate having a fully functional tanker until 2024, said Wittman. To date, the KC-46A has problems holding the fuel it has, delivering fuel it provides, and in some cases, has the potential to severely damage receiving aircraft. It even has problems being able to hold the sewage from onboard passengers.

I think that the root cause of this increasingly troubled aircraft is a bad contract, and I further believe that Boeing has little incentive to correct these debilitating deficiencies, said Wittman, adding that its time to change course.

The Air Force could either change the contract incentive structure and actively manage the KC-46A development; or, seek a new path and pursue a non-developmental recompete of the tanker effort, he said. Without pursuing one of these paths, at this point, I am confident that we will continue to see poor performance and an increasingly negative impact as tanker capacity is diminished.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

The Rundown

Washington Examiner: Top Senate Democrat: Biden's Iran deal strategy frees Tehran's terrorist support

Washington Examiner: Trump deputy national security adviser calls for COVID origins commission

Defense One: For Now, Over the Horizon Protection for Afghanistan Will Fly From Existing Hubs, Acting Air Force Secretary Says

AP: Hostage advocates concerned by US pullout from Afghanistan

Stars and Stripes: Thousands Of Active-Duty Troops Sent Home From Deployments To Vaccine Sites As Demand For Shots Slows

Washington Post: Beijing Slams U.S. Bill To Curtail Chinas Economy And Military, Preps Anti-Sanctions Steps

New York Times: Xi Asks Chinas Diplomats for Less Wolf Warrior, More Warmth

South China Morning Post: China-U.S. Tension: State Media Reports Amphibious Landing Drill After U.S. Senators Land On Taiwan

Fox News: Top House Republicans Urge Biden To Create Strategy To Combat Chinas Nuclear Build-Up

Reuters: Philippine Military Chief Visits Island In Disputed Waters

Bloomberg: U.S. Navys $166 Billion Attack-Sub Program Sees More Delays

Air Force Magazine: First 2 Raiders Complete; USAF Wont Retire More B-1s Until B-21 On Duty

USNI News: Navy Reaches Handshake Deal On Four-Ship Amphib Buy, Pentagon Wants New Navy Force Structure Assessment

Air Force Magazine: After Scaled-Back 2021, Air Force Military Construction Gets a Big Bump in 22 Budget

Fedscoop: Pentagon Chief Hicks Pursuing Workarounds To Fast-Track Military Tech Acquisition

Reuters: Iran Denounces U.S. Tracking Of Its Ships That May Be Headed To Venezuela

19fortyfive.com: Opinion: What Does The Marine Corps Return To The Sea Mean For The Army?

The National Interest: Opinion: All the ways to cut the US defense budget that China and Russia would love

Forbes: Opinion: The Russian Submarine Threat In The Atlantic Is Growing, But A Low-Cost Solution Is Available

Calendar

WEDNESDAY | JUNE 9

All Day  President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden travel to the United Kingdom for Bidens first overseas trip.

9:30 a.m. Pentagon Auditorium  DOD Pride holds the 10th annual LGBT Pride Month Celebration, with the theme "Pride in all Who Serve, with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin; Maj. Gen. Steven Schaick, chief of chaplains of the Air Force; Maj. Gen. Leah Lauderback, director of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance at the Space Force; Lt. Kristopher Moore, surface warfare officer at the U.S. Naval Academy; Staff Sgt. Kyle Tomlin of the U.S. Army Chorus; and Rudy Coots, chair of DoD Pride. https://www.defense.gov/Watch/Live-Events/

10 a.m. 192 Dirksen  Senate Appropriations Committee Subcommittee hearing: A Review of the Fiscal Year 2022 Budget Submission for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the Bureau of Reclamation, with Jamie Pinkham, acting assistant secretary Army (civil works); Lt. Gen. Scott Spellmon, chief of engineers and commanding general, David Palumbo, deputy commissioner of operations, Bureau of Reclamation. https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/hearings

10 a.m.  Middle East Institute virtual Cyber Conference, with pre-recorded remarks from Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Mark Warner, D-Va. https://www.mei.edu/events/meis-second-annual-cyber-conference

10:45 a.m.  Defense News virtual discussion: Next-Gen Readiness  Mobilizing at the Speed of Data, Air Force Lt. Gen. Brian Robinson, deputy commander of Air Mobility Command. https://www.defensenews.com/events

12:15 p.m.  New America virtual discussion: Bringing Americans Home 2021: A Non-Governmental Assessment of U.S. Hostage Policy and Family Engagement, with former Acting Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller; and State Department Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs Roger Carstens. https://www.newamerica.org/international-security/events

1 p.m.  Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments webinar on the current U.S. Department of Defense Fiscal Year 2022 Presidential Budget Request, with Thomas Mahnken, president and CEO, CSBA; Travis Sharp, research fellow and director of defense budget studies, CSBA; Eric Edelman, counselor, CSBA; and Rachel Hoff, policy director, Ronald Reagan Institute. https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register

2:15 p.m.  Atlantic Council virtual discussion: Competition and Deterrence in Europe, with Air Force Gen. Tod Wolters, commander of U.S. European Command and Supreme Allied Commander Europe. https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/event

2:30 p.m.  Senate Select Committee on Intelligence confirmation hearing for Christine Abizaid to be director of the National Counterterrorism Center, and Robin Ashton to be inspector general for the Central Intelligence Agency. https://www.intelligence.senate.gov/hearings

3 p.m.  House Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness hearing: Fiscal Year 2022 Budget Request for Military Readiness, with Gen. Joseph Martin, vice chief of staff of the Army; Adm. William Lescher, vice chief of naval operations; Gen. David Allvin, vice chief of staff of the Air Force; Gen. Gary Thomas, assistant commandant of the Marine Corps; and Gen. David Thompson, vice chief of staff space operations. https://armedservices.house.gov/hearings

3 p.m.  American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research web event, Transforming the U.S. Army, with Army Chief of Staff Gen. James McConville; Gen. John Murray, commander, Army Futures Command; and Mackenzie Eaglen, Resident Fellow, AEI. https://www.aei.org/events/transforming-the-us-army

4:30 p.m. 232A Russell  Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces hearing: Missile defense strategy, policies, and programs in review of the Defense Authorization Request for fiscal year 2022 and the Future Years Defense Program, with Vice Adm. Jon Hill, director Missile Defense Agency; Lt. Gen. Daniel Karbler, commander U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command/Joint Functional Component Command For Integrated Missile Defense; Gen. Glen VanHerck, commander United States Northern Command and North American Aerospace Defense Command; Leonor Tomero, deputy assistant secretary of defense for nuclear and missile defense policy; Ankit Panda, senior fellow, Nuclear Policy Program Carnegie Endowment for International Peace; Robert Soofer, former deputy assistant secretary of defense for nuclear and missile defense policy. https://www.armed-services.senate.gov/hearings

THURSDAY | JUNE 10

TBA  President Joe Biden meets with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson during his visit to the United Kingdom.

9:30 a.m. G50 Dirksen  Senate Armed Services Committee hearing: Department of Defense budget posture in review of the Defense Authorization Request for Fiscal Year 2022, with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin; Gen. Mark Milley; and Michael McCord, undersecretary of defense (comptroller). https://www.armed-services.senate.gov/hearings

11 a.m.  House Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces hearing: FY22 Budget Request for Nuclear Forces and Atomic Energy Defense Activities, with Melissa Dalton, acting assistant secretary of defense for strategy, plans, and capabilities; Charlie Verdon, acting administrator, National Nuclear Security Administration; Vice Adm. Johnny Wolfe, director, Strategic Systems Programs; and Air Force Lt. Gen. James Dawkins, deputy chief of staff for strategic deterrence and nuclear integration. https://armedservices.house.gov/hearings

11 a.m.  Center for a New American Security National Security Conference panel: Protecting Democracy, Protecting National Security, with Rep. Peter Meijer R-Minn; Rep. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich; Carrie Cordero, CNAS senior fellow, and Jonathan Swan, Axios national political correspondent. https://www.cnas.org/2021-conference-registration

12 p.m.  McCain Institute virtual book discussion on "The Kill Chain: Defending America in the Future of High-Tech Warfare, with author Christian Brose, head of strategy at Anduril Industries; and former National Counterterrorism Center Director Nicholas Rasmussen, executive director of the Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/authors-insights

FRIDAY | JUNE 11

All Day  President Joe Biden attends the G7 Summit in Cornwall, U.K., and takes part in bilateral meetings with fellow G7 leaders.

11 a.m.  House Armed Services Subcommittee on Intelligence and Special Operations hearing: FY22 Defense Intelligence Enterprise Posture Hearing, with David Taylor, performing the duties of the undersecretary of defense for intelligence and security; Gen. Paul Nakasone, director, National Security Agency; and Lt. Gen. Scott Berrier, director Defense Intelligence Agency. https://armedservices.house.gov/hearings

SUNDAY | JUNE 13

TBA  President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden meet with Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at Windsor Castle, before departing for Brussels, Belgium.

MONDAY | JUNE 14

All Day  President Joe Biden participates in the NATO Summit and a separate U.S.EU Summit.

WEDNESDAY | JUNE 16

All Day  In Geneva, Switzerland President Joe Biden will meet face to face with Russian President Vladimir Putin for the first time since assuming office.

THURSDAY | JUNE 17

10 a.m. 106 Dirksen  Senate Appropriations Committee hearing: A Review of the FY 2022 Department of Defense Budget Request. https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/hearings



QUOTE OF THE DAY

The ransom payment. I made the decision to pay, and I made the decision to keep the information about the payment as confidential as possible. It was the hardest decision I made in my 39 years in the energy industry, and I know how critical our pipeline is to the country, and I put the interests of the country first  I believe with all my heart it was the right choice to make, but I want to respect those who see this issue differently.

Joseph Blount, CEO of Colonial Pipeline, testifying before the Senate Homeland Security Committee Tuesday.

Washington Examiner Videos

Tags: National Security, Daily on Defense

Original Author: Jamie McIntyre

Original Location: Bidens first overseas trip aims to rally the world's democracies
WASHINGTON  Joe Biden embarked Wednesday on his first foreign trip as president, an eight-day swing across Europe that will give him a chance to shore up frayed alliances with U.S. allies and meet face to face with Russian President Vladimir Putin amid rising tensions with Moscow.

Hell also get to enjoy one of the perks of the presidency: a visit with Queen Elizabeth II.

Biden, who has been on the world stage for nearly five decades as senator, vice president and now president, has hosted the leaders of Japan and South Korea at the White House since taking office Jan. 20 but held off on traveling abroad because of concerns about the coronavirus pandemic.

The pandemic is still entrenched in much of the world, but Biden will arrive in the United Kingdom as the European Union reopens its borders to vaccinated tourists, including Americans.

Biden heads to Europe for first foreign trip as president and meetings with G-7, Putin and the queen

The focal point of Bidens visit will be the Group of Seven summit, or G-7, which opens Friday in Carbis Bay, a seaside resort in Cornwall in southwest England. The summit is the first gathering of leaders of the worlds largest economies in nearly two years and the first of the post-Donald Trump era. Trump feuded with several of the groups leaders during his presidency, and Biden sees the summit as a chance to heal those scars.

In this moment of global uncertainty, as the world still grapples with a once-in-a-century pandemic, this trip is about realizing Americas renewed commitment to our allies and partners, and demonstrating the capacity of democracies to both meet the challenges and deter the threats of this new age, Biden wrote last week in an op-ed published in The Washington Post.

Before departing for Europe Wednesday morning, Biden told reporters as he boarded Air Force One that one of his goals for the trip is "making it clear to Putin and China that Europe and the United States are tight."

Asked what Biden is doing to prepare for the trip, White House press secretary Jen Psaki pointed to Bidens long political career.

Story continues

Hes been getting ready for 50 years, Psaki said Tuesday. He has been on the world stage. He's known a number of these leaders for decades, including President Putin and including a number of the leaders he'll see at NATO and he'll see at the G-7. Now this is an important opportunity for him to see them in person, and there's nothing like face-to-face engagement in diplomacy.

Heres a closer look at whats on Bidens schedule:

Biden, meet Boris

Before Biden heads to the G-7, he will meet with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, a personality who is often seen as a kindred spirit with Trump.

Biden spoke with Johnson for the first time as president three days after taking office. The White House said Biden conveyed his intention to strengthen the special relationship between our countries and revitalize trans-Atlantic ties.

Biden used similar language in his op-ed, writing that the Johnson will provide a chance to affirm the special relationship between our two nations.

A profile published Monday in The Atlantic said Johnson doesnt like the term special relationship and thinks it sounds needy and weak, which could add an element of tension as the two leaders mull issues such as the U.K.s withdrawal from the European Union, or Brexit.

Bolder in policy, more partisan in politics': Why Joe Biden's presidency has been so surprising in the first 100 days

Seaside summit

Biden and other G-7 leaders will have a lot to discuss when they gather in Carbis Bay for their seaside summit.

Climate change, defense and security and getting the global economy back on track in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic are all on the agenda for the leaders 47th gathering. The countries announced last week that they agreed to back a minimum global corporate tax rate of at least 15%  a landmark deal that would mean multinational companies such as Amazon and Google would pay more taxes in the countries where the operate.

Besides the United States, the G-7 includes Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the U.K. The groups last face-to-face summit took place nearly two years ago in the seaside resort of Biarritz in southwest France. Last years summit was scheduled to take place in Camp David, the countryside presidential retreat outside Washington but was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Who wouldnt want to meet the queen?

Before he heads off on the next leg of his trip, Biden and first lady Jill Biden will pay a visit Sunday with Queen Elizabeth II at Windsor Castle.

The 95-year-old monarch has met with every U.S. president except Lyndon Johnson during her nearly seven-decade reign. The meeting with Biden will be her first visit with a foreign leader since the death of her husband, Prince Philip, in April.

Details of the visit havent been made public, but Psaki suggested the Bidens are looking forward to chatting with Her Majesty.

Who wouldnt want to meet the queen? she said.

An unpredictable world

From the U.K., Biden will head to Brussels, where he will join leaders of other NATO countries Monday to discuss tense ties with Russia and China, the troop withdrawal from Afghanistan, and the future of the 30-nation military alliance.

The meeting will give Biden a chance to rebuild relations with leaders from Europe and Canada that became strained under Trump.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg met with Biden at the White House on Monday. Afterward, Stoltenberg said the biggest challenge NATO member countries face is an unpredictable world, and the summit would be a strong demonstration of trans-Atlantic unity.

We are stronger  we are safe together in the more unpredictable world, he said. A strong NATO is good for Europe, but its also good for the United States.

June 16: For his final event, Biden heads to Geneva, Switzerland for a high-stakes meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin amid rising tensions between the two countries.

Biden, meet Vladimir

The final leg of Bidens European adventure will take him to Geneva, where hell sit down for a high-stakes summit with Putin on June 16.

The summit in Switzerland comes amid rising tensions between the two rival countries over allegations of Russian-backed hacking, human rights abuses, interference in U.S. elections and what the West sees as growing Russian aggression against Ukraine.

Monday, Biden assured Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during a phone call that he intends to stand firmly for Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity as Russia amasses troops on Ukraines eastern border. Biden invited Zelensky to visit the White House this summer.

The meeting between Biden and Putin isnt their first. Biden has talked of a visit with the Russian president in 2011 while he was vice president under Barack Obama. According to Bidens account, he looked Putin in the eyes and proclaimed, I dont think you have a soul. Putin looked back, smiled and said, We understand one another, according to Biden.

Next weeks summit could show whether they still do.

Contributing: Kim Hjelmgaard, USA TODAY; The Associated Press.

Michael Collins covers the White House. Follow him on Twitter @mcollinsNEWS.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Joe Biden heads to Europe for first foreign trip as president
One of President Joe Biden's judicial nominees criticized Justice Clarence Thomas for being a "black conservative" during his contentious 1991 Supreme Court confirmation hearings.

Eunice Lee, whom Biden nominated for a seat on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, expressed annoyance with Thomas while she was a junior at Ohio State University. In a letter to the Lantern, the school's newspaper, she accused Thomas of only acknowledging the realities of racism when it was convenient for him.

CLARENCE THOMAS CHIDES SUPREME COURT FOR DENYING MILITARY RAPE CASE

Thomas, she wrote, is "one of that group of black conservatives who feel that black people should focus less on racism and more on self-help." These black conservatives, Lee added, believe that racism is not "much of an obstacle to black success."

But when Thomas faced misconduct accusations during his confirmation hearings, Lee claimed that he changed his tune. Thomas, in his opening statement, famously called aggressive questions about his alleged harassment of Anita Hill, a former staffer, a "high-tech lynching for uppity blacks."

Lee wrote that this turn of phrase marked the first time that the Supreme Court justice was willing to acknowledge that racism is "an obstacle for millions of other blacks."

"I might stop short of calling Thomas a hypocrite, but I am reminded of that saying of how there are no atheists in foxholes," she wrote. "Perhaps you can also say there are no black 'conservatives' when in the political hot seat."

Utah Sen. Mike Lee, during confirmation hearings on Wednesday, questioned Eunice Lee about the letter, pointing out that Thomas has, in the past, spoken about racism and its effects on black people. Lee replied that the letter "does not reflect the views that I have today."

"So you no longer regard Justice Thomas as someone who denies that racism is an obstacle?" Mike Lee asked.

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"Well, as I said, I don't espouse the views in that letter now," Eunice Lee replied, adding that as a judicial nominee, she did not think it appropriate to comment on a fellow judge.

Eunice Lee added that her personal views on Thomas and black conservatives at large would not influence her decisions as a judge.

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Tags: News, Clarence Thomas, Supreme Court, Ohio State University, Joe Biden, Judicial Appointments, Appeals Courts, Senate, Mike Lee

Original Author: Nicholas Rowan

Original Location: Biden judicial nominee criticized Clarence Thomas for being a 'black conservative'
President Joe Biden is open to splitting his infrastructure proposal into separate parts and passing one through reconciliation in the Senate and another with bipartisan support.

The revelation came during White House press secretary Jen Psaki's Wednesday gaggle with reporters on board Air Force One and marks the furthest the administration has gone in terms of publicly endorsing the reconciliation process on infrastructure.

"Yes," she flatly responded when asked if the president supports passing part of the package through reconciliation. "I mean, the point is, it's moving on several paths, so even as we negotiate an infrastructure bill, right, portions of the American Jobs Plan are already moving forward on several fronts."

THE WHITE HOUSE HAD A DISASTROUS WEEK. CAN BIDEN RIGHT THE SHIP IN EUROPE?

"There are components of the president's proposals, including the extension of the child tax credit, making pre-K universal, making community college free, that are not a part of the negotiations now, so they would be natural components that would be added into a budget process," she continued.

Until Wednesday, the White House had danced around the idea of passing Biden's infrastructure plan through reconciliation. Psaki repeatedly told reporters in recent weeks that Biden prefers finding bipartisan compromise and that they are keeping all lines of communication open with Congressional lawmakers.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer told reporters Tuesday morning that Democratic leadership is preparing to pass at least part of the president's infrastructure proposal through reconciliation. He spoke to Biden Tuesday evening about the bill markup, but a readout of the call provided by the White House did not outright mention the reconciliation process.

Still, the president and his administration have been adamant about the need to pass his proposals, which, given the Republican opposition in the Senate, would likely require Democrats to use reconciliation to advance legislation through the Senate.

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However, some Democrats, including West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin, have cautioned the administration against using reconciliation to pass such a proposal. The Senate parliamentarian has also indicated Democrats can only advance legislation through reconciliation once more this year.

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You can listen to the entire Air Force One gaggle here.

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Tags: News, Jen Psaki, Joe Biden, White House, budget reconciliation, Chuck Schumer, Infrastructure

Original Author: Christian Datoc

Original Location: Biden open to splitting infrastructure plan into bipartisan and Democratic parts
MEXICO CITY (AP)  Vice President Kamala Harris came to Latin America to deliver a message rather than clinch some kind of concrete deal.

She bluntly told migrants not to travel to the United States. She spoke of the evils of government corruption that lead to dislocation. She urged nations to increase enforcement at their borders.

She completed the journey without securing any commitments to increase immigration enforcement or expand pathways to legal migration. But she also did so without a significant mistake.

It was her first international trip aboard Air Force Two, and a first step toward establishing herself on a core foreign policy issue  one that has bedeviled American presidents at least since Ronald Reagan.

But as much as the trip offered her a chance to step onto the international stage speaking for the Biden administration on a key issue, it also highlighted the ambiguous nature of the portfolio President Joe Biden has handed her  to address the root causes of the spike in migration at the U.S. border.

Harris came away from her meetings with the Guatemalan and Mexican presidents able to talk about commitments to work more closely with them on economic development and on combating trafficking, smuggling and corruption. But she also faced persistent questions about her decision not to visit the U.S.-Mexico border. Republicans have seized on the fact that neither Biden nor Harris has visited the border to argue that the administration is absent on the issue.

Harris was called out by the Democratic left, too, for using her platform in Guatemala to tell people thinking of fleeing to the U.S. that they should not. Do not come, she said, invoking the dangers of the trip as well as the Biden administrations commitment to border security. Do not come.

Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York called those comments disappointing and noted that it is legal to seek asylum.

While White House aides have repeatedly tried to clarify that Harris' assignment is narrowly focused on diplomatic solutions to the immigration situation, she was again forced to spend part of a trip meant to showcase her diplomatic chops explaining herself.

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It would be very easy to say, Well travel to one place and therefore its solved,'" she said. "I dont think anybody thinks that that would be the solution.

Her foreign debut was a complex one as she attempted to engage in the deepest reasons people leave what they know to take on the perils of trekking to the U.S. border and trying to get across, whether illegally or through their right to ask for asylum.

Harris often speaks about her belief that most people dont want to leave home, as she said during her meeting with Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei. She says her goal is to restore hope to the region so residents no longer feel compelled to flee their homes for better opportunities in the U.S.

The criticism from both Republicans and some Democrats underscored the politically fraught nature of the assignment and the difficulty Harris faces in finding success with an intractable challenge thats only grown in recent months.

Illegal border crossings have increased steadily since April 2020, after President Donald Trump invoked pandemic-related powers to deny migrants the opportunity to seek asylum, but they further accelerated under Biden.

The new president quickly scrapped many of Trumps hard-line border policies  most notably the program that made asylum-seekers wait in Mexico, often in dangerous conditions, for court dates in U.S. immigration court.

U.S. border authorities encountered nearly 19,000 unaccompanied children in March, the highest on record. Overall, more than 170,000 encounters were reported on the border in April, the highest level in more than 20 years. The numbers arent exactly comparable because getting stopped under pandemic-related authorities carries no legal consequences, prompting some people who are caught once to keep trying.

Still, analysts praised Harris' first in-person foray into the region, noting that even as her political opponents attempt to distill the migration issue to the situation at the border, the vice president reflected a clear grasp of the nuances of the challenge.

Youre completely unrealistic if you think there is some magic bullet to stop this stuff, said Eric Olson, director of policy at the Seattle Foundation, a group focused on good governance in Latin America. Theres very little you can do to stop migration quickly. Better to acknowledge it and set the groundwork to address the long-term issues.

Olson praised Harris for pledging during her press conference with the Guatemalan president to fight corruption and for focusing her meetings in the region on civil society groups and small-business owners rather than the private sector.

And he said that getting Mexico to commit publicly to working with the U.S. on economic opportunity in Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador was a significant step forward, because traditionally Mexico has treated Central America as an annoying guest that just walks through your yard.

This is a first, maybe weak step, but it is something because they have not traditionally accepted that as their goal, he said.

As the first female U.S. vice president, Harris spent much of her trip focused on elevating women in the region. She met female entrepreneurs in Guatemala and Mexico and announced a $40 million program in Guatemala focused on creating opportunities for young, primarily Indigenous women.

Harris, who is also the first Black and South Asian vice president, said her place in history was on her mind and informed her approach as she toured the region.

I welcome showing anyone, whatever your race or gender, that you may be the first to do anything, but make sure youre not the last," she said. "And in that way, lets pave a path where we create an opportunity for others to become the first in their family or their community to do those things that perhaps others didnt think they were capable of, but God has given them that capacity to achieve, and with a little help, they will, she said in Guatemala.

The trip was Harris busiest public foray yet. She held lengthy bilateral meetings with the Guatemalan and Mexican presidents, presided over roundtables with entrepreneurs and labor leaders, and took questions from the press multiple times a day.

She began the trip on Air Force Two with a brief visit with her traveling press, bringing cookies baked and decorated to look like her back to reporters to mark the start of her journey. She ended her time in Mexico with an extended press conference, in which she fielded questions on topics including immigration enforcement and voting rights.

She turns from one intractable problem to another back in Washington, where the White House has said shell spend the next week hosting events focused on voting rights as Democrats struggle to find enough support in Congress to write broad voting protections into law.

___

Associated Press writer Calvin Woodward in Washington contributed to this report.
At the end of May, Daniel Ritz again found himself in unfamiliar waters. The 33-year-old Boisean had just landed in Alaska, the latest destination in his pursuit of more than a dozen rare trout species.

Within a few days, Ritz had landed four of the six species he came to Alaska to catch, adding to the list of trout hed already landed in the southwestern U.S. weeks earlier.

The trek is part of the Western Native Trout Challenge, a catch-and-release fishing endeavor that requires anglers to reel in various species of trout in their historic waters. Ritz created an additional challenge for himself  hell try to complete the undertaking in just a few months, chronicling his fishing trips on the Trout Unlimited website.

He said he hopes the project will shed light on the often dire circumstances these fish are in, something he learned only relatively recently.

Every single day Im looking to learn as much as I possibly can (about the fish and their habitats) and share some of the most important parts, he said in a phone interview.

Pursuit raises anglers awareness for challenged native trout

Ritz learned to fly fish on Idahos alpine lakes just a few years ago. A Maryland native, Ritz had grown up interested in surfing, hiking and backpacking. The latter hobbies naturally led to his love of fishing, he said. In 2018, he became infatuated with fly fishing and soon started to learn as much as he could about it.

I love to get really impassioned by my hobby, said Ritz, who is the communications manager for the Ted Trueblood Chapter of Trout Unlimited, which is based in Boise. I like to become a student of the things I like to do.

Ritz said he focused on learning the ropes of fly fishing, but soon enough realized there was more than meets the eye to the species he was catching.

It just blew my mind, he said of learning about historic fish habitats. Its a very historically complex and, I think, a really important aspect people can add to their fishing experience.

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Not long after, he stumbled across the Western Native Trout Challenge. The challenge, hosted by the Western Native Trout Initiative, has three tiers for anglers of different skill levels: Expert, Advanced and Master Casters.

Daniel Ritz from Boise, Idaho, pictured at Mendenhall Lake near Juneau, Alaska, aims to complete the Western Native Trout Challenge this summer.

The easiest level still isnt that easy, said Therese Thompson, coordinator for the Western Native Trout Initiative, in a phone interview.

The expert level requires anglers to catch and photograph six different trout species in at least four states, while the advanced challenge ups the requirement to 12 species in at least eight states. The master level  which Ritz is attempting  requires an angler to catch and photograph 18 species across all 12 states that participate in the initiative.

The challenge is our way of raising the profile of these 21 native trout species that we focus on, Thompson said.

Participants pay $25 to register, with nearly all of the registration fee going toward the initiatives conservation efforts. There is no time limit to complete the challenge, and anglers must follow a handful of rules, including stipulations that forbid them from duplicating species across state lines. Thompson said pursuing the challenge is a chance to learn, even for experienced anglers.

If you ask most anglers, much less someone who doesnt fish, they will tell you a brown trout is native to North America, she said, and its not.

She said she hopes challenge participants will make having fun their No. 1 priority.

The whole concept of the challenge is to tell people about the fish and also motivate them to get out and hopefully catch them, but its really more about the adventure, Thompson said. Its the adventure of a lifetime.

From Apache trout in Arizona to arctic grayling in Alaska

The Western Native Trout Initiative works with fish and wildlife agencies in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming to try to preserve and restore native trout habitat. Ritz must travel to each state to complete his challenge.

By early June, he had already landed fish in six states. He reeled in his first challenge fish, a Lahontan cutthroat, in Nevada. Next was a redband trout at home in Idaho.

Next, Ritz traveled to New Mexico, reeling in a Gila trout amid a landscape charred by repeated wildfires.

These are the southernmost trout in North America, Ritz said. To be so lucky as to go to a place like that  the only place where they exist  was a powerful experience for me.

He partnered with Trout Unlimited, the Western Native Trout Initiative, Orvis and Montana Fly Company for the journey, which took him across the border from New Mexico into Arizona to pursue Apache trout. The fish, whose original range was an already sparse three waterways in the Southwest, have in recent years shown promising signs of population growth, Ritz reported.

Completing the trout challenge in the space of a few months will prove tricky, but Ritz is feeling confident. Already hes nearly halfway to his goal after catching Dolly Varden, arctic grayling, lake trout and coastal cutthroat trout in Alaska, and a Yellowstone cutthroat in Utah.

The coastal cutthroat trout of southeastern Alaska was Daniels seventh Western Native Trout Challenge species.

Theres a part of me that has to acknowledge that a part of angling and a pursuit like this is there has to be a possibility of failure, Ritz said. Thats why you get excited when you catch a fish.

The angling portion ... I think its very doable, he continued. I think it will be difficult in the nature of doing it in a continuous, consecutive loop ... but thats what makes it a fun challenge.

Soon hell return to the contiguous U.S. to pursue species like bull trout and a variety of cutthroat trout. Ritz is fishing only on public land and said hes forgoing guiding services, hoping to pursue an everymans journey that other anglers can emulate (though he acknowledged his contacts through Trout Unlimited offer him a substantial leg up).

Thompson said shes excited to see the outcome of Ritzs challenge.

I love what Dans trying to do, she said. I think hell make it. Itll be interesting to see.

She said Ritzs well-organized trips will be a big boon, but even the best-laid plans hit roadblocks. Ritz wont have any hope of catching the Little Kern golden trout, a California species found only in the Little Kern River and its tributaries in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The area burned in a wildfire last August and has been closed to recreation as its rehabilitated.

That hasnt deterred Ritz, who said hes almost looking forward to failure because it will illustrate the message at the heart of the challenge.

Thats the story, right? Its learning about why we need to enhance populations ... and look to protect these really isolated homes of these species, he said.

If Ritz completes the challenge, hell be one of just six anglers to earn the Master Caster designation and one of only a few dozen to complete any level of the challenge. Follow his progress at the Trout Unlimited website, tu.org.
Reuters

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The International Monetary Fund is exploring creation of a new trust that could allow its members to lend their IMF reserves to more countries, including middle-income countries vulnerable to climate change, IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva said on Sunday. Georgieva said leaders of the Group of Seven rich economies had given the IMF a 'green light' to keep working on the plan, and China - the world's second largest economy - had also expressed interest, along with middle-income countries that stand to benefit from such a fund. She said the IMF would continue working on the "Resilience and Sustainability Trust" - which could help countries combat climate change or improve their health care systems - ahead of the July meeting of finance officials from the Group of 20 major economies, which includes China.
(Corrects day to Tuesday instead of Thursday)

BRASILIA (Reuters) -Brazil will receive a first batch of 3 million doses of the single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine against COVID-19 in the next few days, Health Minister Marcelo Queiroga said on Tuesday.

Queiroga said export of the vaccines, developed by J&J's Janssen subsidiary, from the United States still requires authorization by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

"Of course, if the FDA's decision is delayed, these 3 million doses may no longer be useful for us, due to the short time," he said testifying before a Senate commission of inquiry into the Brazilian governments handling of the pandemic.

This batch of vaccines expire on June 27. Queiroga said they would have to be administered "very fast" in Brazil's national immunization program before they expire.

Brazil signed an agreement with Janssen to receive 38 million doses for delivery in the last quarter of this year, so the first batch is arriving earlier than expected, Queiroga said.

The government is being investigated by the Senate commission for delays in securing timely vaccines, which politicians blame on far-right President Jair Bolsonaro's anti-vaccine view.

Brazil has been hit by the second-deadliest COVID-19 outbreak outside of the United States and is behind most countries in vaccinating its population of 210 million.

So far only 14.5% have been fully vaccinated with two doses mainly of CoronaVac, made by China's Sinovac Biotech Ltd, and the vaccines developed by AstraZeneca and Pfizer Inc.

Brazil has now registered 17,037,129 cases of coronavirus since the pandemic began, in the world's third worst outbreak outside the United States and India, and 476,792 people have died of COVID-10, according to ministry data.

(Reporting by Ricardo Brito; writing by Anthony Boadle; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)
After it hires its first assistant chief in 15 years, New Britains fire department will improve training, build stronger community relations and do even more to recruit city residents as firefighters, Chief Raul Ortiz said Tuesday.

At a ceremony to formally promote five lieutenants and introduce four newly hired firefighters, Ortiz said his department has plans for improving service to the city.

New Britain is on track to appoint an assistant chief this summer; the job was left open 15 years ago to save money and wasnt put back in the budget until this spring.

During those years, the departments four deputies alternated as backups for the chief. All have day-to-day operations assignments, though, and all are members of the fire union. The assistant chief will not have a regular shift to command, and the job is outside the union.

Former Chief Thomas Ronalter cited the lack of a second-in-command as a factor holding back the departments progress, and Ortiz has wanted the job reinstated since he was recruited from Hartford to take command of New Britains 129-member department.

With someone to share the policy-writing and human relations duties, Ortiz sees the fire departments command staff attending more neighborhood meetings and improving firefighter training.

He also is looking to start a post of fire department explorers, middle school and high school age youth who will spend time with firefighters to learn about the job as well as the culture of firehouse life.

A key goal for Ortiz and Mayor Erin Stewart is to attract more local residents to join the department, and theyre looking for the new senior manager to help.

Ortiz said hes proud of the four newest recruits and a new administrative services officer, but acknowledged that none are from the city. The department still has four vacancies, and Ortiz is eager to get strong candidates from the city to fill at least some of those.

Last year, New Britain inaugurated a semester-long program at New Britain High School featuring the fire, police and emergency medical services. Students who sign up get to hear speakers from all three services, then spend classroom time learning about how they operate.

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Ortiz is looking forward to having an assistant to work with him in screening applicants and as well as candidates for promotion.

Assessing character is a vital part of the hiring and promotion process, Ortiz said, adding that he examines candidates with two questions in mind: Will they be effective for the city, will they do right by the residents and the firefighters?

We can always teach somebody how to be a firefighter  we cannot teach them how to be a good person, he told an audience of relatives and friends of the newest recruits and the newly promoted lieutenants.

In the ceremony at the bandshell at Walnut Hill Park, council Majority Leader Daniel Salerno praised those who were promoted for providing years of dedicated work to the city.

Our firefighters show up during what are often some of the scariest moments in our residents lives, whether its a medical emergency or a fire at a family home or business, Salerno said.

As a daughter of a former New Britain firefighter, I can say with certainty that the brave individuals who were recognized today are the epitome of what it means to be a New Britain firefighter, Mayor Erin Stewart said later in the day.

Those honored at Tuesdays ceremony were newly promoted lieutenants Christopher Bisi, Marco Costa, Timothy Johnson, Richardson Masson and Joshua Stoddard along with new firefighters Myles Davis, Nicholas Dzioba, Brian Everest and Patrick OShea; and new administrative services officer Melanie Depamphilis.

Ortiz told his new lieutenants that theyd just started what he believes is the toughest transition in the profession.

The hardest job is going from being a firefighter to being a lieutenant, Ortiz said. I remember when I had my first probationary firefighter  it was his father who came up to me, shook my hand, stared me in the face and said It was my job to protect this child for 25 years. Now its yours. That resonated with me.

So to my five lieutenants, it is your job to see that those individuals go home safe, he said. It is your job to do your job properly so that everyone else can go home.
There are three candidates. Downsized election campaign due to the pandemic. Some fear that a victory by the MPP could bring back a one-party system of government.

Ulaan Baatar (AsiaNews / Agencies) - Mongolian citizens go to the polls today to choose their sixth democratically elected president, after a low-profile election campaign due to the restrictions for the Covid-19 pandemic.

Ukhnaa Khurelsukh of the Mongolian People's Party (MPP), a group that already controls the government and parliament, is the favoured candidate.

The current president is Khaltmaa Battulga of the Democratic Party. Recent changes to the Constitution require a single six-year term, which is why the Democratic Party has deployed Sodnomzundui Erdene to replace Battulga. His slogan is "Mongolia without dictatorship", because it is feared that a MPP victory could slide the country towards a one-party state.

Last month, eight members of parliament went on a week-long hunger strike to protest against the actions of the MPP, using three state bodies, the Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court and the General Election Committee, to manipulate today's elections.

Battulga remains popular with voters, but some have been disappointed by his inability to challenge the ruling elites. " "Battulga struck deals with the current MPP that were detrimental to Mongolia's democracy," Enkhtsetseg Dagva, head of the election program of the Open Society Forum, a non-governmental organization, told Reuters.

The events of the election campaign have been minimized due to the pandemic. Almost 1,000 Khurelsukh supporters held a rally outside a conference room on Saturday, but the MPP candidate then moved his campaign online after Labor Party rival, Dangaasuren Enkhbat, the third candidate in the election, tested positive to the coronavirus.

"Both parties are right," said Sumati Luvsandendev, a political analyst and pollster with the Sant Maral Foundation, a Mongolian consultancy. Both sides are 'undermining democracy' and it is not easy to say which side is doing better."

Instead " outsider Enkhbat is doing quite well in consolidating protest votes in urban areas...(but) his chances against the mighty MPP system are very little, he said.

Sumati added that he expects the MPP to emerge victorious.
French fishermen protest in May at the port of St Helier in Jersey. - Olivier Pinel/AP

Brussels will battle for French fishermen and their demands for improved access to UK waters in talk in London on Wednesday after the EU threatened Britain with a sausage trade war.

EU officials warned they intend to be firm in pressing the case for Channel fishing boats in British waters and around Jersey in talks over the implementation of the Brexit treaties and trade deal.

The European Commission will accuse Britain of not granting enough licences for UK waters. Separately it will allege that Jerseys government broke the Brexit fishing agreement by introducing new conditions on licences.

The meetings in London will already take place against the backdrop of strained UK-EU relations.

The European Commission said on Tuesday that it was prepared to hit the UK with tariffs and risk a trade war if the Government overrode the Brexit treaty to ensure Northern Irish shops could continue selling British chilled meats.

The EU will be firm on some of the issues that have arisen in recent months, an official said, and specifically, I would say on the question of licences for fishing in waters around Jersey.

Royal Navy and French ships were dispatched to the port of Jerseys capital St Helier on May 6, which was blockaded by a flotilla of about 60 furious fishermen.

The stand-off came after a French minister threatened to cut off Jerseys electricity supply because the government there had introduced new conditions on the granting of fishing licences.

The row was put on ice until the end of the month, with Jersey agreeing to pause the new restrictions until then.

On Monday night, Boris Johnson and Emmanuel Macron tried to dampen down tensions. On fishing, the Prime Minister and President agreed to work together to avoid any further escalation over the issue of fishing access, a Downing Street spokesperson said.

The Prime Minister stressed the importance the UK places on having an agreement which respects our new status as an independent coastal state and works for the UK fishing industry.

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Brussels has backed Paris and said the conditions on where and for how long French fishermen could fish and with what equipment broke the Brexit fishing agreement. The UK, which is negotiating on the Channel Islands behalf, contests that.

Jersey licences come with conditions at the very last minute, which seriously limits fishing opportunities, the EU official said.

That in turn, endangers the livelihood of a fisherman and his family, the official said. Brussels is also unhappy with the number of licences granted to French fishermen to fish UK waters. Under the terms of the Brexit deal on fish, boats that can show historic fishing activity in British waters have a right to continued access.

However, smaller channel boats do not typically carry the electronic logging equipment needed to prove historic activity.

For many of these vessels, given the size of the vessel, the nature of the vessel, there's only one place where they can fish, the EU official said, There's no alternative place to fish, so the answer should be pretty obvious.

British negotiators are pushing for a system using internationally agreed ocean zones to make informed decisions over where the smaller boats may have fished in the past.

The UK and EU reached a deal for total allowable catch of shared stocks of fish earlier this month, which the commission said proved the two sides could find solutions if they worked together.

Details of the fishing agreement for the rest of this year remain secret for now until it is approved by EU governments.

Fishing industry sources said they were anxious that the agreement would be another sellout, after Mr Johnson secured a smaller post-Brexit repatriation of the catch in UK waters than hoped for in the Brexit talks.

EU officials said the annual agreement set a precedent from which in principle there should not be too much divergence and could form the basis for deals over the next few years.

The Telegraph understands that Brussels will also raise the issue of the detention of EU citizens by the Home Office at the border.

It accuses the UK of discriminating between EU citizens by targeting some from certain countries, such as Romania, more than others.

EU officials said they had received Home Office guidance to ensure any future detentions were proportionate and justified.
By Anna Mehler Paperny and Moira Warburton

TORONTO (Reuters) - Canada has reached a proposed settlement with a group of indigenous survivors of the now-defunct residential schools for the abuse they suffered, a federal minister said on Wednesday, ending a 14-year fight for justice.

The settlement comes as the government is scrambling to deal with a national outcry after the remains of 215 indigenous children were discovered at a former residential school in Kamloops, British Columbia. The government has been under pressure to stop legally opposing indigenous people's requests for compensation and acknowledgement in court following the discovery.

Under the latest agreement, the government will provide C$10,000 ($8,259.00) to each survivor involved in the class action lawsuit and create a C$50 million indigenous-led nonprofit to support wellbeing and cultural learning.

The settlement does not include an explicit admission of wrongdoing by the government. Crown-Indigenous Affairs Minister Carolyn Bennett said the plaintiffs had hoped for an official apology and "while this is not part of a settlement agreement, we will be listening to their concerns, as we work together on this request."

The estimated 12,000 to 20,000 survivors in the lawsuit attended residential schools during the day and went home at night. Because of this, they were not included in a previous settlement for residential school survivors.

Between 1831 and 1996, Canada's residential school system forcibly separated about 150,000 indigenous children from their parents, bringing them to institutions with the stated purpose of assimilation. They were malnourished, beaten and sexually abused in what the Truth and Reconciliation Commission called cultural genocide in its landmark 2015 report.

The proposal is open for comments from plaintiffs until August 2021, and will be presented along with the comments to the court in September for approval.

Bennett told reporters at a Wednesday news conference that the government will continue to work with survivors and their families and others to resolve remaining childhood claims.

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"Together we will move forward on the path to reconciliation," she said.

CANADA IS A "REPEAT OFFENDER"

Several plaintiffs spoke at the conference, describing the pain the residential schools and the years-long lawsuit brought them.

"This has been a really long process, 14 years, returning to court, regurgitating trauma," Charlotte Gilbert, a representative for the plaintiffs in the class action lawsuit, said.

A separate class action, still ongoing, deals with residential schools' cultural damage and involves 105 indigenous bands.

"No amount of compensation can change the legacy of residential schools," Diena Jules, a survivor of the schools, said. "Nothing can restore us to being whole."

The government remains embroiled in several ongoing lawsuits involving indigenous people in Canada. A Canadian Human Rights Tribunal case involving discrimination through the systemic under-funding of child and family services against indigenous children - resulting in a disproportionate number of indigenous children in foster care - has a hearing next week.

The Canadian government has admitted its child and family services funding system "was broken and needed immediate and substantial reform." But in its most recent filings it argued the tribunal was the wrong venue for this dispute and that individual compensation was not appropriate in this instance.

"It's a really dangerous argument," said Cindy Blackstock, a member of the Gitxsan nation and executive director of the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society, which brought the legal action.

Canada is "a repeat offender" when it comes to abrogating the rights of indigenous children, she said. "It needs a heavy hand for deterrence."

($1 = 1.2108 Canadian dollars)

(Reporting by Anna Mehler Paperny in Toronto and Moira Warburton in Vancouver; Editing by Denny Thomas and Aurora Ellis)
Jun. 8The Center for African American History, Art and Culture in Aiken will host its grand reopening while also celebrating Juneteenth.

The Juneteenth celebration will be from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday, June 19, and admission to the center is free. Parking will be across the street at Aiken's First Baptist Church, 120 Chesterfield St. N..

President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, but it wasn't until June 19, 1865, that the slaves in Texas learned they were free. That day is now known as Juneteenth, a holiday celebrated by many African Americans.

"Black folks have been celebrating Juneteenth since the early days in the early 1900s and prior to that; and I think this is a great time in Aiken. Juneteenth has been celebrated here in Aiken by the center since about 2006," Johnson said.

The Juneteenth celebration will feature live music, vendors, line dancing, artistic activities for children, a space for learning African dances and more. A large tent will be available for people to sit under with lawn chairs.

"The building will be open for tours," said Dr. Melencia Johnson, a board member with the CAAHAC. "We'll have some exhibits that are put on by art students from USC Aiken; we're going to have some exhibits that are on loan from the Aiken County Historical Museum, detailing the founders of Aiken County and some other history of Aiken County here in the building."

Johnson said they are giving the children a hands-on opportunity to learn about African American history, art and culture, as well.

This event will be full of food, fun, information and education, Johnson said.

Johnson mentioned that two key sponsors, Savannah River Site and Aiken Regional Medical Centers, provided funding and Dominion Energy provided the center with a grant to get them "off the ground" for this celebration and to move forward.

Since the early 2000s, the center has held a Juneteenth celebration, but due to the pandemic last year, it was not able to have one. Now that all renovations are complete, the center is ready to reopen.

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Once open, the center will focus on African American history and how it relates to Aiken County and South Carolina. There will be different exhibits on display moving forward.

Masks will not be required for the outside activities but must be worn when inside the center on the tours.

For more information, visit caahac.org.
A south Charlotte woman faces an August court hearing after federal investigators charged her with peddling a fake COVID-19 cure during the height of the pandemic.

Diana Daffin, the 68-year-old owner of a holistic health business, was arrested outside her south Charlotte home in May after the Food and Drug Administration accused her of shipping the supposed remedy drug HAMPL to an undercover agent in New Hampshire, according to an FDA news release at the time.

On June 4, a magistrate judge in U.S. District Court in Concord, N.H., ruled that Daffin could remain free until another hearing in August, according to court records reviewed by The Charlotte Observer.

According to a criminal complaint, the FDA first warned Daffin and the drugs Australian manufacturer in April 2020 that she was selling an adulterated, misbranded, and unapproved drug and should take immediate action to correct the violation, according to the FDA release.

Daffin, owner of Savvy Holisti Health, told the FDA she removed the product from her website, according to the FDA release. But Daffin continued selling unapproved HAMPL brand drugs even after the FDA warned her again in August 2020, prosecutors said in the complaint.

Daffin again told the FDA she would close the product line and website, according to the complaint, but she didnt.

Daffin could not be reached by the Observer on Wednesday.

The label on the container of the drug she sent to the undercover agent said the drug gave a stronger immunity against CV and promised Immunity for Humans, according to the complaint.
Protesting students held a school principal hostage over fears their degrees would be devalued, Chinese police said on Tuesday.

The protests were over a plan to merge a Nanjing college in Jiangsu province with a vocational institute - which are seen as less prestigious.

Some of the students were reportedly injured as police allegedly used batons and pepper spray on them.

Such protests are rare in China where mass movements are controlled.

Danyang city police said in a statement on Tuesday that undergraduates at Nanjing Normal University's Zhongbei College in Jiangsu province had "gathered" from Sunday and detained the 55-year-old principal on campus for more than 30 hours.

Students "shouted verbal abuse and blocked law enforcement", and refused to let him leave even after authorities announced a suspension of the merger plans, the statement added.

Social media users posted photos of police using batons and pepper spray on students, and one female undergrad bleeding from the head, the AFP news agency said.

The police statement said "to uphold campus order... public security organs took necessary measures in accordance with the law to remove the trapped person, and (the injured) were immediately sent to hospital for treatment.

The hashtag "Nanjing Normal University Zhongbei College students injured by violent law enforcement" was reportedly blocked on microblogging platform Weibo by Tuesday afternoon.

But a video on Twitter showed thousands of chanting undergraduates surrounded by officers outside, as police chased after them and dragged individuals out of the crowd.

All six colleges in Jiangsu province have since said that they would suspend any merger plans which were originally announced in March.

The Jiangsu Education Department had said the decision was to comply with a Ministry of Education directive to transform independent colleges into vocational schools.

The decision has led to protests in four other independent colleges in the province in recent days over similar fears, with "some events of physical confrontation" according to the Global Times newspaper.

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Independent colleges are co-funded by universities and social organisations or individuals. Students who do not get the required exam scores to enter university can apply to these institutions, where they can still graduate with a university degree - but at higher tuition costs.

These degrees are seen as more prestigious than vocational degrees, and graduates believe they offer them better opportunities in the country's fiercely competitive job market.

China is expected to have a record nine million university graduates this year.
The headteacher of Mead High School in Colorado, pictured, has stepped down after a group of students were reportedly photographed reenacting the murder of George Floyd in the schools parking lot (Google Maps)

The headteacher of a high school in Colorado has stepped down weeks after students allegedly wore black face to re-enact the murder of George Floyd on school grounds and posted it on SnapChat.

Rachael Ayers, principal of Mead High School, in Longmont, outside Denver, announced her resignation from the school where she had worked for 12 years, in a letter to parents, in the aftermath of the viral photo, as reported by The Longmont Times-Call.

Two weeks ago, a photo surfaced of three students allegedly re-enacting the death of Mr Floyd, who suffocated to death under the knee of a police officer in Minneapolis in May last year, sparking worldwide protests on racial injustice.

The SnapChat photo appeared to show two students kneeling on a third in blackface who lies face-down on the ground in the school parking lot with the caption bye bye seniors, whilst several other students watch on.

The pupils, who have not been named, were reportedly suspended for a week.

At the time Mrs Ayers, a mother of two whose work page calls her a Wyoming girl with a heart in Colorado, said in a message to parents: We take this type of conduct very seriously and have begun an investigation into the matter.

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Mrs Ayers resignation came after the local chapter of The NAACP urged the school to address the matter.

A Change.Org petition urging the school to address racial profiling has been signed by more than 9,000 people.

Having such students recreate a humiliating death is disgusting, the petition reads. They have dishonoured themselves and the name [of] our school.

One former student tweeted that theory were truly embarrassed to have graduated from here and these students dont represent what Mead stands for.

In a letter to parents St. Vrain Valley School District Superintendent Don Haddad, who called the incident  disgusting , said: I want to thank her for her lengthy service to the Mead High community for the past 12 years as a teacher, assistant principal, and principal, and I wish Mrs. Ayers the very best in her future endeavours.

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He added that she was succeeded by Brian Young, the principal at Frederick High, who will host student and community meetings to discuss advancing student success and achievement with a focus on a safe and inclusive school environment and culture for every student, teacher, staff and community member.

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A high school principal in Colorado resigned this week after an image was posted to social media in May showing three students doing a reenactment of George Floyd's murder.

St. Vrain Valley Schools Superintendent Don Haddad sent a letter to parents of students in the district on Monday notifying them that Mead High School Principal Rachael Ayers had stepped down after 12 years serving in various roles at the school. Haddad's letter mentioned "significant challenges" during the school year but made no mention of the recent controversial photo that emerged on social media.

It is unclear whether Ayers's resignation is connected to the incident. A spokesperson from St. Vrain Valley said the district can't comment on personnel matters and declined to tell the Washington Examiner whether the students involved would face disciplinary action.

OBAMA BLAMES 'RIGHT-WING MEDIA' FOR STOKING FEARS OF WHITE PEOPLE, DISMISSES CRITICISM OF CRITICAL RACE THEORY

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Floyd, a black man, died on May 25 last year after he was detained by Minneapolis police officers and pinned to the ground by an officer's knee for nearly nine minutes during an arrest on suspicion of using counterfeited tender.

The officer on his neck, Derek Chauvin, was convicted in April of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter.

The image of the students was reportedly captured last month on Snapchat at what appears to be a parking lot near the school, showing one student kneeling on the neck of another student whose face is painted black.

Haddad addressed the image in a statement on May 20, one day after the controversial photo was shown to the superintendent.

"Yesterday, it was brought to my attention that a disturbing and disgusting social media post depicting the re-enactment of the murder of George Floyd was made by a group of students from Mead High School," the statement said. "We in the St. Vrain Valley Schools strongly condemn, and have no tolerance for, racism in any form and will be addressing this extremely serious matter immediately and accordingly."

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The NAACP Boulder County chapter and other local groups responded to the photo incident on May 27 by asking the school district to take several steps to address systemic racism in schools.

The groups have organized a virtual town hall panel for June 10 called the Solidarity to Safety: Race and Belonging in SVVSD. Haddad will be in attendance to answer questions.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

The local NAACP chapter did not immediately respond to the Washington Examiner's requests for comment.

Washington Examiner Videos

Tags: News, Schools, Colorado, Students, George Floyd

Original Author: Kaelan Deese

Original Location: Colorado school principal resigns after students post video reenacting George Floyd murder
Food insecurity, a weak national health system and limited access to drinking water are at the root of the serious crisis. Growing incidence of climate disasters. Sanctions hinder access to international aid. Economy damaged by the closure of the borders for Covid-19.

Seoul (AsiaNews / Agencies) - More than 10 million North Koreans, out of a population of 25 million, are in need of humanitarian assistance, according to a report by the non-governmental organization Assessment Capacities Project (ACAPS) in Geneva. It states that the serious crisis is mainly due to food insecurity, the weakness of the national health system and limited access to drinking water.

In January, during the Workers' Party Congress, which has held power since WWII, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un admitted that the latest five-year economic plan has proved a failure. It is not only the political and economic decisions of the Kim regime that affect the country's humanitarian situation. In recent years, repeated climate disasters, such as typhoons and floods, have contributed to the food crisis.

All this is aggravated by the economic and financial sanctions imposed by the international community to contain Pyongyang's nuclear and missile program. The ACAPS study reveals that the punitive measures have reduced the influx of humanitarian aid to the population.

The closure of the borders ordered by Kim immediately after the emergence of the coronavirus pandemic will have a negative long-term impact on the country's economy. Pyongyang continues to maintain restrictions even on the border with China, its only external partner, on which it depends politically and commercially.
COVID-19's rapid retreat continued on Wednesday in Minnesota, where reported case and hospitalization rates fell at or below the state's caution thresholds for the first time since April 2020.

The rate of infections with the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 has been one of five key barometers that Minnesota has used to assess the pandemic. At its worst last fall, the pandemic caused 125 reported infections per 100,000 people per day in Minnesota. The rate rose as high as 39 in the latest spring wave, but has dropped with increased COVID-19 vaccination progress to 4.3  below the state's high risk threshold of 10 as well as its caution threshold of 5.

Gov. Tim Walz noted the progress on Tuesday as he encouraged more Minnesotans to seek COVID-19 vaccine and highlighted a new pop-up vaccination site for travelers at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. Nearly 3 million people in Minnesota have received at least a first dose, but progress toward the state goal of providing COVID-19 vaccine to 70% of people 16 and older by July 1 has slowed. The current rate is 65.4% in that age group.

"Get this vaccine," Walz said. "We'll bring it to you. We'll make it easy. Let's push that number above 70% ... and let's get back to normal."

Minnesota on Wednesday reported eight COVID-19 deaths and 150 more coronavirus infections, raising its totals in the pandemic to 7,477 deaths and 603,144 infections. Hospitalizations for COVID-19 in the state dropped below 200  for the first time since spring 2020  to 192.

A spring wave of COVID-19 activity hit Minnesota particularly hard, because of the spread of a more infectious B.1.1.7 variant of the coronavirus that now makes up almost 80% of new infections in the state.

The subsequent decline has been rapid in Minnesota compared with other states, according to the latest weekly federal COVID-19 State Profile Report released on Tuesday. Minnesota had one of the highest case rates in the nation for much of March and April, but had the 22nd lowest case rate in the latest report, which downgraded the state's viral transmission risks from substantial to moderate.

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Minnesota set its 70% vaccination goal for people 16 and older just before the federal government lowered the eligibility age for the Pfizer version of COVID-19 vaccine from 16 to 12. Minnesota's total of nearly 3 million people 12 and older who have received COVID-19 vaccine includes nearly 2.7 million people who have completed the one- or two-dose series.

Walz on Tuesday said Minnesota is close to becoming the 14th state to meet a separate goal from President Joe Biden of providing vaccine to at least 70% of people 18 and older by July 4.

Jeremy Olson  612-673-7744
There's hope COVID-19 travel restrictions will soon be eased between the U-S and Canada.

Video Transcript

RAVI BAICHWAL: Hey, Karen. You know, there's a little bit of irony at play for sure. We're here about two hours before game time. The vaccinations have just started over at gate one., all part of Major League Baseball's Vaccinate at the Plate initiative.

Today, they're playing the Toronto Blue Jays, who actually cannot cross the border because of COVID-19. They're playing out of Buffalo, New York right now. And so they are hoping that the pressure is going to build not only for the Blue Jays to be able to play their home games back in Toronto, but for people in Chicago who have loved ones on the other side of the border to be able to see them after such a long time.

A pressure is mounting on both sides of the Canada-US border to allow nonessential travel once again, nearly 15 months after it was closed to prevent the spread of COVID-19. That move separated families for longer than many imagined, including an Elgin resident whose partner lives in Toronto.

AJ DRAPER: We're just asking for compassion and community and support. We just-- we don't want to go be tourists. We want to go see our families.

RAVI BAICHWAL: Exemptions obtained from the Canadian government through a convoluted process have allowed some American family members to cross the border, but they must still quarantine for 14 days on the Canadian side. And that makes visits practically impossible.

AJ DRAPER: It's just not realistic when you're working, if you have kids. And some people are separated literally five minutes over the border. So it's super frustrating for them.

RAVI BAICHWAL: Indeed, a loophole in American regulations allows Canadians to come to the States, but by air only. And that's what Mike Simoes did to be with his Hinsdale spouse who is now with him in Chatham, Ontario.

TAYLOR MARSH: We're in love, and we just want to live in the same country, which has been-- which could be challenging enough. But then throw in a global pandemic.

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RAVI BAICHWAL: With little hope of a quick resolution, the couple wed in a civil ceremony in Lincoln Park last summer, but their plans to build a life together in Chicago are on hold.

MICHAEL SIMOES: It's just been a very frustrating and emotional roller coaster.

TAYLOR MARSH: Yeah.

MICHAEL SIMOES: It's just been crazy.

RAVI BAICHWAL: This week, the Canadian government made an exemption for NHL players to cross the border for the sake of the NHL playoffs. Yet Canada's prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said that the border won't open until 75% of Canadians are vaccinated.

TAYLOR MARSH: If they can make exemptions for hockey players, you know, why can't we be with each other?

RAVI BAICHWAL: So it's hard to imagine in fact, if there are any Canadians down here trying to get a vaccination. We can tell you there are a lot of reports circulating in Washington, especially reported by Politico, that the Canadian government is really rethinking its position in all of this. And there may be changes as early as June 22. Nothing as specific right now coming out of the Biden administration.
With no major new tax increases, the states two-year, $46 billion budget was hailed Wednesday by both Democrats and Republicans as the state Senate overwhelmingly approved the spending plan on the final day of the 2021 regular legislative session.

After five hours of debate, the Senate voted 31-4 in favor of the budget at 6:30 p.m. Four fiscally conservative Republicans voted against the measure, while eight Republicans were in favor, including the top two GOP leaders. It now heads to Gov. Ned Lamonts desk for his signature.

While many lawmakers gave widespread approval, Sen. John Fonfara of Hartford was not completely satisfied.

As the co-chair of the tax-writing committee, Fonfara pushed hard this year for large tax increases on the rich, including raising the capital gains tax by more than 25% and creating a new consumption tax on the rich that Republicans said was actually an increase in the state income tax. Fonfaras comments on the Senate floor led to a clash Wednesday with Lamont, a fiscally moderate Democrat who had threatened a veto on the tax increases and blocked them in the final compromise.

Fonfara, a Hartford Democrat who has served in the legislature since 1987, downplayed the spending plan as a status quo budget, which caught Lamonts attention.

We live in a state of incredible concentrated wealth within a handful of families, Fonfara said of Fairfield County billionaires and multimillionaires. We can make those investments and not change the lives of those who are asked to contribute a little more. ... The status quo, the status quo budget, leaves us with status quo results.

In strong language, Fonfara, who voted in favor of the bill, said the states policies are a knee on the neck of the Black community and other under-served communities of our state. We can do better, and we must do better.

Talking to reporters soon after Fonfaras speech, Lamont volunteered that Fonfara had made the status quo remarks.

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For somebody who has been in this building for 30 years talking to somebody who has been in this building for 30 months  trying to make a difference for the state  I take exception to those comments, Lamont told reporters outside the Capitol. I think this is an incredibly important, transformative budget. I think it makes a big difference in peoples lives, especially the lives of people who have been hardest hit by the pandemic, especially in the lives of Black and brown people, the likes of which hasnt been done for 30 years. And I think youre finally getting it done right now, and Im really proud of the folks in the building doing it.

After the vote, Lamont described the fiscal plan as the most progressive, transformative, and life-changing budget our state has ever seen.'

Fonfara and the governor have clashed this year over taxes with Fonfara questioning Lamonts bonafides as a Democrat.

On the Senate floor Wednesday, Fonfara noted that the legislature will be back for important decisions after $2.6 billion in federal coronavirus stimulus money runs out.

Lamont and Republicans said that no tax increases are necessary this year because the state is projecting a surplus of more than $500 million in the current fiscal year, a rainy-day fund approaching $4.5 billion later this year, and more than expected federal stimulus funds that have helped keep the state economy afloat at a time of pandemic-related unemployment.

The budget includes money for municipalities, nursing homes, nonprofit providers, education, social services, tourism, home health care for the elderly, gun violence prevention, college scholarships, charter schools, veterans, clean drinking water, prenatal care, free telephone calls for prisoners, dental care for prison inmates and salaries for about 50,000 state employees across Connecticut.

Senate President Pro Tem Martin Looney, a New Haven Democrat, described the budget as an extraordinary achievement for the people of our state.

This budget is good for Connecticut families because there are no new taxes, said Senate Republican leader Kevin Kelly of Stratford. What Im happy to see this budget omit are many of the ideas that were floated. ... Theres no mansion tax. Theres no health insurance tax.

Sen. Henri Martin, a Bristol Republican who serves as the ranking member on the tax committee, said that his caucus listened carefully to voters and pushed back hard against proposed tax increases. Republicans held more than 10 rallies in recent months as they spread the message against taxes.

While lawmakers rejected new taxes in the budget document, revenue will continue to increase through various taxes and fees.

One of the largest is a continuation of the 10% surcharge on the corporation business tax, which has been opposed by some business executives for years. The tax will continue at its current rate, even though the surcharge has been scheduled to expire several times in recent years. It would raise an estimated $80 million in the first year and $50 million in the second year.

The budget also includes a new convenience fee for those who pay for some state services with their credit or debit card, raising an estimated $5 million in the second year.

In addition, a new fee of 5 cents will be collected on miniature nip alcohol bottles that is not a deposit  meaning that consumers would not get their nickel back. Instead, an estimated $4.5 million would go annually to the cities and towns with the highest amounts going to the cities that sell the most nips  New Haven, Hartford and Bridgeport.

Sen. Rob Sampson, a conservative Republican from Wolcott, cited the credit card fee and others during a fiery speech on the Senate floor against the spending plan.

I repeat  saying this budget has no taxes is simply not true, Sampson said. People can argue over whether its a tax or a fee. When the spending number goes up, the amount of taxes you are being charged goes up. ... The idea that this is a good budget because it has no taxes is a dishonest argument.

There will be no direct property tax relief in the budget because the current property tax credit on the state income tax would remain the same  meaning it is restricted to senior citizens or those with dependent children. The maximum credit is now $200 but had been as high as $500 under Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell.

Deputy Senate Republican leader Paul Formica of East Lyme, who has studied the budget closely for six years on the appropriations committee, said the spending will make progress in the state after more than a year of struggles during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

There are a lot of things in this budget that help a lot of people, said Formica, who joined with Kelly in favor of the bill. You can find many things  if you were looking hard  to not like, and you can find many things  if you were looking hard  to like.'

The Democratic-controlled legislature made sure that some of the biggest winners were the states cities, which will be receiving increases in state aid while some affluent suburbs will remain flat-funded at their lower levels. Hartford, which currently receives the highest total in the state in education cost-sharing funds at $209 million, will see increases to $212.5 million in the first year and $215.9 million in the second year.

When all forms of aid are calculated, including education, Hartfords current total of $274 million, would increase to $299.8 million in the first year and $303 million in the second year.

Christopher Keating can be reached at ckeating@courant.com
Vice President Kamala Harris's high-profile visit to Central America and Mexico to discuss the surge in migrants to the southern United States omitted stops in two of the three Northern Triangle countries, El Salvador and Honduras, where diplomatic ties are complicated by allegations of corruption.

Cris Ramon, an independent migration consultant, said he was hopeful that upon taking office, the Biden administration would pursue a full-fledged regional approach that incorporated all the countries from the northern triangle and Mexico, but that effort has been stilted.

In the case of El Salvador, there is the concern  from a democracy and human rights perspective about President Nayib Bukele trying to consolidate more power, Ramon said. I think the reality catches up with you, and the recognition that what each country does is going to impact whether or not you want to engage with them.

MIGRATION SURGE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE UNLESS HARRIS CONVINCES GUATEMALA AND MEXICO TO TAKE IMMEDIATE STEPS

Harris and other Biden administration officials have criticized Bukele, saying he undermined the countrys judicial system after his party ousted the attorney general and five top judges earlier this year.

Bukele met with Bidens special envoy for the Northern Triangle in May but only after each side had rebuffed the others' attempts.

The administration is trying to say, We're going to engage with these other countries, if you want to get on this bandwagon and get some benefits of being able to manage migration and help us out, that's going to be a major benefit [for you], Ramon said. I think if you're smart, you are going to offer those states some benefits of cooperation with the United States.

For example, if the administration tried to open up immigration pathways for Guatemalans, he said, El Salvador is going to be looking at that and saying, It might be nice to have people be able to work legally in the United States.

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The White House is largely leveraging government aid and economic investments by private sector companies, announcing new spending and business development initiatives for the region this week. However, it said it requires willing partners.

For now, the administration is largely working with Mexico to "foster agricultural development and youth empowerment programs in El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala," the White House said on Tuesday.

A senior administration official traveling with the vice president this week told reporters the visits were about cementing relationships under the expectation they will yield results.

Its about having a constructive relationship with someone, so you can deal with the real issues, the official said. You dont seek an adversarial relationship, and you dont seek a relationship thats just about the friendship. You look for relationships that are about getting business done, and thats the receptivity were getting from the other side."

President Alejandro Giammattei of Guatemala and President Lopez Obrador of Mexico have each chastised the White House, but geographically, these countries are the closest to the southern U.S. border, acting as a literal buffer for migrants heading north.

Mexico, in particular, has been an incredible partner of the United States for a long time now, notably on migration issues, said John Sandweg, a former senior Homeland Security official who served in the Obama administration.

Still, it was just six years ago that then-Vice President Joe Biden met with Central American leaders in Guatemala with the same hope of halting the flow of migrants, including from El Salvador and Honduras.

Harris did not travel to Honduras or El Salvador and has not met virtually with either leader.

Asked during an interview with NBC News whether the U.S. had enough reliable partners in the region, Harris said the administration was liaising at a high level with leaders in both countries, echoing other officials.

We talk about hard things with all the countries involved, a U.S. official told reporters at the start of the trip.

Earlier this year, Bukele refused a meeting with Special Envoy Ricardo Zuniga, and spats with Democrats have also complicated his relationship with Washington.

Harris and other Biden administration officials have been critical of Bukele, rebuking actions they say undermine the countrys judicial system after his party ousted the attorney general and five top judges.

An adviser to Bukele bristled at the accusations at the time, telling the Washington Examiner the Biden administration had done more to harm relations between the two countries "than any president since Carter," when the White House boosted a U.S.-backed government with military aid.

"Biden and Harris are trying to save their reputation by destroying ours," the adviser said.

And the bad blood extends beyond the White House.

Rep. Norma Torres, a California Democrat, has repeatedly sparred with Bukele on Twitter. She recently said she sleeps with a nine-millimeter handgun nearby, fearing she is a target of his supporters.

Still, there has been a thaw in recent weeks.

Zuniga held a three-hour meeting with the president of El Salvador in May, a conversation the official characterized as honest.

In Honduras, accusations have piled up on President Juan Orlando Hernandez and other top officials accused of colluding with organized crime and stifling civil society.

In March, U.S. prosecutors charged that Hernandez took bribes from his brother, an alleged drug trafficker, as recently as 2019 and endeavored to move tons of cocaine into the U.S., which he denies.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

The White House contends these failures built a lawful state that drives the migration crisis.

Washington Examiner Videos

Tags: News, Biden Administration, White House, Kamala Harris, Border, Border Crisis, Central America, Mexico

Original Author: Katherine Doyle

Original Location: Diplomatic rows keep Harris away from two-thirds of Northern Triangle countries during migration tour
Disney World's Skyliner transportation system opened to the public in 2019. Orlando Sentinel/Getty Images

Disney World's Skyliner transportation system experienced a crash on Tuesday.

The vehicles seemingly collided in the evening near Epcot.

The incident marks the third time its gondolas have crashed since 2019.

Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Gondolas featured on Disney World's Skyliner transportation system have reportedly crashed for the third time since 2019.

A Disney fan who goes by @camerondudeck first shared photos of the incident via Twitter on Tuesday night around 7 p.m. The images showed yellow gondolas sitting against each other after crashing, and Disney employees surveying the scene. "Skyliner crashed again," the Twitter user wrote alongside the photos.

It's currently unclear if anyone was inside the vehicles at the time of the crash. Representatives for Disney World did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

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WDW News Today later reported that the gondolas collided at the EPCOT Station, where parkgoers can board to travel to three Disney World resorts and the Hollywood Studios theme park.

Earlier this year in late April, two Skyliner gondolas crashed at Hollywood Studios, shattering glass in the process. Alyssa of the Disney-themed blog Next Stop Main Street was there for the crash and shared a video of the two vehicles sitting side-by-side.

In an email sent to Insider at the time, Alyssa said she took the video at 6:15 p.m., and that the Skyliner was already stopped when she got in line. She also noted that no one seemed to be injured.

"After a few minutes, it started moving, then stopped again," she previously told Insider. "When it started going a second time, something got stuck and you can see that in the video. I think they were adding a car to the line - it was almost like two cars ran into each other."

Alyssa of Next Stop Main Street shared a video of the crash on Instagram. Next Stop Main Street/Instagram

On October 5, 2019 - approximately one month after the Skyliner system opened to the public - gondolas crashed at the Riviera Resort Skyliner loading station after a power outage, as reported by Inside the Magic.

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Parkgoers were reportedly stuck in the vehicles for over an hour, though there were no reported injuries.

Read the original article on Insider
Dr Sherri Tenpenny, who told the Ohio legislature that coronavirus vaccines magnetize people and suggested they interface with 5G cellular towers (Screengrab)

A doctor in Ohio told a panel of state lawmakers that the coronavirus vaccine "magnetised" people and promoted 5G conspiracy theories on the statehouse floor.

Dr Sherri Tenpenny, a doctor based in Cleveland and the author of the book Saying No to Vaccines, appeared before legislators on Tuesday to voice her concerns about the vaccines.

Tyler Buchanan of the Ohio Capitol Journal reported that Dr Tenpenny was testifying in favour of a bill that would prohibit any Ohio business or school from mandating vaccine use when she made the comments.

Im sure youve seen the pictures all over the Internet of people who have had these shots and now theyre magnetised, Dr Tenpenny said. They can put a key on their forehead. It sticks. They can put spoons and forks all over them and they can stick, because now we think that theres a metal piece to that.

The doctor complained that 5,000 people had died from the vaccine  without offering any evidence  and said that if even half that number were true it would be grounds for the government to quit pushing the vaccine.

No deaths have been linked directly to a person receiving a coronavirus vaccine.

She then went on to claim that the vaccines "interface" with 5G cellular towers, but she did not elaborate on what that actually meant.

Despite her testimony being riddled with nonsense and conspiracy theories, few Ohio lawmakers pushed back against her claims. Some Republicans in the state's legislature even praised her testimony and her podcast, which they called "enlightening in terms of thinking."

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According to The Washington Post, another Ohio Republican, Jennifer L Gross, told the doctor it was "an honour to have you here." Ms Gross is a nurse and once compared businesses requiring vaccinations to the Holocaust.

A day before Dr Tenpenny shared her views on the vaccines, the Ohio Department of Health held a news event where doctors worked to dispel misinformation about the shots.

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Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, a Republican, enacted the state's "Vaxamillion" lottery to try to encourage residents to take the shot by offering large cash prize giveaways. Despite his support for the vaccination effort, Republican lawmakers in the state have opposed him.

The states Republican legislature has taken radical positions on the coronavirus since it cropped up in the US last year. They attempted to strip the power from the state's then-Department of Health Director Amy Action, who was praised early on during the pandemic for her frequent and empathetic briefings and decisive action.

Ms Acton was eventually run out of her position by the combined pressure from GOP lawmakers and their constituents, with some of the latter picketing outside her house and sending her death threats for enacting lockdowns during the pandemic.

State Representative Brian Stewart was one of the few Republicans to give Dr Tenpenny anything resembling resistance, asking her: "Of the five-and-a-half million Ohioans who have gotten the covid-19 vaccine shot through today or the last six months, how many do you believe have been killed by that shot?"

"So, I don't know," she replied.

Dr Tenpenny  whose testimony went viral  defended her testimony to The Washington Post.

I do believe greatly that people should have a choice on what gets injected to their bodies because once you have injected it you cant uninject it, she said.

Read More

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Trump said he wished he had banned Twitter in America (Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

Former President Donald Trump has lauded the government in Nigeria for their decision to ban Twitter from the country.

In a statement, Trump, who is banned from the social networking site, released a statement implying that he wished he had done the same.

Congratulations to the country of Nigeria, who just banned Twitter because they banned their President. More COUNTRIES should ban Twitter and Facebook for not allowing free and open speech  all voices should be heard.

In the meantime, competitors will emerge and take hold. Who are they to dictate good and evil if they themselves are evil? Perhaps I should have done it while I was President. But Zuckerberg kept calling me and coming to the White House for dinner telling me how great I was. 2024?.

Twitter did not ban the president of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari. In actuality, they merely removed a tweet they felt violated their terms and conditions as it appeared to flame tensions between separatist groups in the Biafra region.

In response to his tweets deletion, Buhari disallowed the platform to be accessed in the West African country.

Trump was removed from a variety of social media sites, including Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, over the deadly 6 January insurrection.

In a blog post, Twitter defended their decision to remove Trump because he is not above our rules entirely and cannot use Twitter to incite violence, among other things.

In response to Nigerias ban, the social networking site said the country was breaching human rights.

We are deeply concerned by the blocking of Twitter in Nigeria. Access to the free and #OpenInternet is an essential human right, Twitter said.

Read More

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Jun. 9Brody Limric had planned to play a post-graduate year at St. Andrew's School in Rhode Island.

Instead, Quinnipiac coach Baker Dunleavy and the Bobcats swooped in to snatch the former East Catholic forward at the 11th hour.

Limric announced his commitment to the Bobcats on Twitter Monday evening. He received an offer from the program after an in-person visit earlier this month.

The 6-foot-8 senior also had scholarship offers from the Virginia Military Institute, the Naval Academy, and Farleigh Dickinson.

Last season, Limric averaged 18 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks for the CCC Region C regular-season champions and CCC championship tournament finalists.

Limric was named to the All-CCC and CHSCA All-state teams.

His sophomore season, Limric carved out a role as a key contributor off the bench as the Eagles went 23-1 and beat CCC rival Windsor for the Division I state title.

Limric averaged 16 points, nine rebounds and four blocks as a junior as the Eagles went 23-1 and earned the No. 1 seed in the Division I tournament, which was canceled due to the pandemic.

Quinnipiac, a member of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, went 9-13 in 2020-21.
By Ahmed Ismail

CAIRO (Reuters) - Egyptian firms are eyeing a revival of business in Libya where a new government is starting work to rebuild the nation on Egypt's doorstep that was shattered by a decade of fighting and chaos.

Before 2011, when Libya slid into conflict, the oil-producing nation was a lucrative market for Egyptian exporters, contracting companies and workers. It was particularly attractive for businesses involved in food and construction.

With a new U.N.-backed unity government in place, Egyptian firms are looking at reconstruction opportunities to make a return, although executives say security and logistical issues, alongside a fragile economy, still present hurdles.

Egyptian food products are already widely available in Libyan shops, with exports of $55 million in the first quarter.

But Hani Berzi, chairman of Edita Food Industries and head of Egypt's Food Export Council, told Reuters that such a level was well below the potential.

"They should be three times as high. Libya is the closest market to Egypt. We should be controlling this market," he said.

Before 2011, a quarter of Libyan construction material imports came from Egypt, said Walid Gamal el-Din, president of Egypt's construction materials export council, a level he said Egypt could expect to regain as the Libyan market revives.

Libya, an OPEC member with about 7 million people, was also once a major draw for migrant workers from Egypt, which has a population of about 100 million. But tens of thousands of Egyptian expatriates fled after 2011 as Libya descended into chaos.

Libya's authorities are working on a new visa system for workers that will be based on skills, said Hamdi Imam of the Cairo Chamber of Commerce, a move that could see migrants return in large numbers again, generating fresh remittances for Egypt.

Libya is already Egypt's top export market in Africa for building insulation materials and its second biggest market for marble exports, said Kamal Al Desouki in the construction materials department at the Federation of Egyptian Industries.

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"We aspire to this for all the other sectors," he said.

FRAGILE RECOVERY

Signs of Libya's economic recovery are emerging. Exports of Egyptian engineered products, such as household appliances, rose 45% to $19.5 million in the first quarter over a year earlier, said Sherif Al-Sayyad, chairman of Egypt's Export Council for Engineering Industries.

But peace in Libya remains fragile. The interim government faces a huge task of bridging a deep divide that opened between east and west Libya, as well as smoothing over tribal rivalries. It has to prepare for elections planned for the end of 2021, leaving little time to put an economic recovery plan in place.

"The reconstruction plans and projects have yet to be clarified," said Medhat Stephanos of Titan Cement Egypt.

He said cement was still being exported to Libya but faced high transport costs.

Alongside logistical challenges, Egyptian firms may also have to contend with strong competition when the recovery does gather steam, particularly in western Libya, the most densely populated part of nation.

Egypt and the United Arab Emirates backed eastern based Libyan forces during the conflict. Qatar and Turkey, a rival for Egyptian construction, food and other exporters in Middle East markets, backed western factions, based in the capital Tripoli.

Cairo is now seeking to build ties with Tripoli's interim government and is preparing to reopen its embassy there.

Edita Food's Berzi said diplomatic efforts were positive but that authorities should also help Egyptian exporters cope with obstacles they faced in Libya, such as exchange rate risk.

(Additional reporting by Ehab Farouk; Writing by Aidan Lewis; Editing by Edmund Blair)
The dead worked for Halo Trust, a non-profit organisation. Afghan officials immediately blamed the Taliban, who denied the charge. As international forces withdraw, the level of violence is increasing in the country.

Kabul (AsiaNews/Agencies)  At least 10 mine clearance workers employed by the Halo Trust were killed and more than a dozen were injured in an attack in the northern province of Baghlan.

No one claimed responsibility for the incident, but Afghan authorities blamed the Taliban, who immediately rejected the accusation. No one has so far claimed responsibility.

Halo Trust CEO James Cowan told the BBC that in fact the local Taliban  came to our aid and scared the assailants off.

The attack took place last night but was reported to the media this morning by an Afghan security forces official.

Around 110 men, from local communities in northern Afghanistan, were in the camp having finished their work on nearby minefields, Halo Trust said in a statement.

We strongly condemn the attack on our staff, who were carrying out humanitarian work to save lives, it added.

The workers were killed by masked men who burst into organisations compound at around 9.50 pm (local time).

Interior Ministry spokesman Tareq Arian told reporters that the Taliban entered a compound of a mine-clearing agency... and started shooting everyone.

However, the Taliban issued a swift denial. We condemn attacks on the defenceless and view it as brutality, the militant groups spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid tweeted. We have normal relations with NGOs. Our Mujahideen will never carry out such brutal attacks.

In a clip police in Baghlan shared with reporters, a survivor of the attack said the gunmen asked if any of them were from the Hazara minority community before opening fire.

Five to six armed men came, they took us to a room, he said. First, they took all our money and mobile phones, and then they asked who our leader was. They asked, Is any Hazara here among you? We told them, We dont have any Hazara here.

Hazaras have faced long-term discrimination and persecution, primarily because of their Shia faith. In recent years, they have faced abductions and killings at the hands of both the Islamic State group and the Taliban.

Violence has increased across the country since the United States announced plans to withdraw all its troops by 11 September.
Camilo Freedman / SOPA Images / Shutterstock.com

El Salvador adopted Bitcoin as legal tender by passing a law yesterday, making it the first country to do so.

Discover: Why Some Money Experts Believe In Bitcoin and Others Dont

Beyond Bitcoin: Looking at Some Crypto Financial Jargon



The #BitcoinLaw has been approved by a supermajority in the Salvadoran Congress, 62 out of 84 votes! History! President Nayib Bukele tweeted yesterday.

The purpose of this law is to regulate Bitcoin as unrestricted legal tender with liberating power, unlimited in any transaction, and to any title that public or private natural or legal persons require carrying out, according to the text of the law that Bukele also posted on Twitter.

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David Koepsell, CEO of blockchain company EncrypGen, tells GOBankingRates that Latin America is leading the way to bring more people into their economies. Cryptocurrencies as legal tender promise to include the vast population of the unbanked, as well as spur entrepreneurs building new crypto-ecosystems, releasing many billions of dollars worth of trapped capital, he says, adding that he thinks that Africa and the rest of the global south is next to leapfrog the developed world.

Related: Despite Volatility, Bitcoin is an Investable Asset Class, says Goldman Sachs



According to the laws articles, the exchange rate between Bitcoin and the United States dollar will be freely established by the market and the USD will be used as the reference currency.

In addition, prices may be expressed in Bitcoin and tax contributions can be paid in Bitcoin.

Vanessa Grellet, head of portfolio growth at CoinFund, tells GOBankingRates that El Salvadors move to accept Bitcoin as legal tender is significant because most governments and central banks are looking at Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) in order to capitalize on the digital asset market.

While she adds that its too early to know whether this is a watershed moment for digital assets, she says that El Salvador has captured global attention, despite the risk to individuals due to the volatility of Bitcoin as an asset class, and [will] be watching closely to see what happens from here.

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Economy Explained: Breaking Down the Basics of Cryptocurrency

The law also notes that exchanges in Bitcoin will not be subject to capital gains tax, just like any legal tender and that every economic agent must accept Bitcoin as payment when offered to them by whoever acquires a good or service.

Without prejudice to the actions of the private sector, the state shall provide alternatives that allow the user to carry out transactions in Bitcoin and have automatic and instant convertibility from Bitcoin to USD if they wish. Furthermore, the State will promote the necessary training and mechanisms so that the population can access bitcoin transactions, according to the law.

Manasi Vora, VP of Strategy and Operations at SkyNet Labs, tells GOBankingRates that Bukeles law has managed to put El Salvador on the global map.

Particularly of interest is the mandate that merchants cannot refuse Bitcoin payments. Curious to see how the ruling helps build the infrastructure needed for 6.5 million Salvadorians to be connected to Bitcoin, she adds.

See: 10 Best Cryptocurrencies To Invest in for 2021

Find: Dogecoins Major Price Increase: Is It Still Worth an Investment?

According to the text of the law, approximately 70% of the population does not have access to traditional financial services; it is the obligation of the state to facilitate the financial inclusion of its citizens in order to better guarantee their rights; in order to promote the economic growth of the nation, it is necessary to authorize the circulation of a digital currency whose value answers exclusively to free-market criteria, in order to increase national wealth for the benefit of the greatest number of inhabitants.

The law goes on to state that according to the previous considerations, it is essential to issue the basic rules that will regulate the legal course of Bitcoin.

More From GOBankingRates:

Last updated: June 9, 2021

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: El Salvador Makes History by Adopting Bitcoin as Legal Tender, Prompting Other Countries To Follow
Canyon County officials are in the process of purchasing a body scanner for the jail in Caldwell following several overdoses in recent months, including one that resulted in a womans death.

On June 1, members of the Canyon County Sheriffs Office met with county commissioners to discuss six bids received to obtain the scanner, which law enforcement says can address safety and health concerns at the jail. Body scanners allow officials to detect whether a person has ingested contraband or hid something in a body cavity.

No final decisions on the bids were made during the meeting, but the Sheriffs Office said it will notify bidders on next steps in the process. Officials said they did narrow the search based on different criteria, mainly in terms of cost to taxpayers and the size of the machine, which will go in a fairly small room at the aging facility.

As of early this week, a date had not been set for another discussion on the body scanner purchase.

Sheriffs Office Capt. Harold Patchett told the Idaho Statesman that the body scanner would be placed in a room with a limited amount of space near a port entrance to the jail. Someone being processed into the jail would go through the scanner so deputies could determine whether they have any substances or materials before going on to the intake area.

The process of purchasing a body scanner began earlier this year when Sheriff Kieran Donahue wrote a memo on March 24 to jail staff saying he would make an executive decision to pursue one. On April 29, the countys Board of Commissioners approved a legal notice to accept bids, setting up the discussion on June 1.

Donahue wrote in the March memo that there were multiple drug overdoses that required major medical attention, including a fatal overdose in December 2020 and an overdose in March in which a woman narrowly survived. He stressed the need to address the jails drug issues immediately.

This may seem like an aggressive endeavor and it is, Donahue wrote. However, we have a direct need to address this issue sooner rather than later.

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On Dec. 17, Georgina Laws, a Caldwell woman, died after she swallowed an extremely dangerous amount of methamphetamine in baggies, according to Donahues memo.

Jail staff noticed that Laws was struggling to walk after she was led out of a shower room by deputies, according to records from the Sheriffs Office provided to the Statesman. Laws reportedly slid off a bench in the jails booking area, and a nurse later found that Laws had a low oxygen level. She was taken to the West Valley Medical Center in Caldwell, where she died.

Donahue also described a close call on March 5, when a woman became unresponsive and needed immediate medical attention. While en route to a hospital, the woman needed Narcan to revive her. Narcan is a nasal spray that is administered to someone who is overdosing on opioids.

According to Donahue, the woman later told medical staff that she ingested an extreme number of pills while at the jail and that she smuggled the pills into the facility by putting them in one of her body cavities.

Though his memo was sent out in March, Donahue told the Statesman during a phone interview in May that the Sheriffs Office has wanted to purchase a body scanner for the past several years, but money and a lack of space were concerns. He said the overdoses were the last straw.

Enough is enough, Donahue said. As the sheriff, I am responsible for the care and custody of those individuals ... and I take that very seriously. They are in my care and custody, and we should, as sheriffs, and as a society do everything we can to protect those people in our care and custody. That is our responsibility.

Though he acknowledged that he doesnt set the countys budget, Donahue said money needs to be allocated to address this issue. He said history shows the extremes to which people will go to smuggle things into the jail.

We have to do better ... both for the inmates that we are in the care and custody of, and for my staff, Donahue said.

He said another reason for the delay in pursuing a scanner was the ongoing hope of getting a new jail built in Canyon County, something officials have been looking to do for some time. Voters have rejected four bond votes in about a decade. Most recently, voters said no to a $187 million bond in May 2019. Just over 34% of voters were in favor of that jail bond initiative.

Currently the old jail in Caldwell can house about 523 people, though it consists of makeshift facilities to expand its capacity. A tent facility was built in 2005 and is still in use today, despite a history of escapes and attempts to flee. Officials made improvements to the tent facility in 2017. In 2020, the jail began housing women in a series of trailer beds welded together in the jails parking lot. Up to 122 inmates can be accommodated there.
The Cecil Rhodes statue on Oriel College's Grade II listed High Street building - Laurel Chor/Getty Images Europe

More than 150 Oxford dons are boycotting Oriel College and refusing to teach its students in protest at its decision to keep the Cecil Rhodes statue, The Telegraph can reveal.

It is the latest incident in the culture wars engulfing British universities and comes amid a growing fallout over a decision to remove the Queen's portrait at neighbouring Magdalen College.

On Wednesday night, the higher education watchdog chief and four former education ministers hit out at the boycott, with one accusing the academics of attempting to "blackmail" Oriel.

The rebel dons say they will refuse to give tutorials to Oriel's undergraduate students and discontinue any assistance they give the college with its outreach work, including interviewing undergraduates. They have also pledged to withdraw from all talks, seminars and conferences sponsored by Oriel and halt their involvement in recruiting fellows or any other appointments at the college.

It comes three weeks after Oriel's governing body ruled that the controversial statue of Rhodes will not be taken down from the college's main facade.

Following the decision, some of the university's geography academics published a statement saying it was a "source of shame" for Oxford that Rhodes was still "honoured" with a statue. But the initiation of a boycott is the most drastic action that any dons have yet taken over the issue.

Demonstrators in Oxford call for the removal of the statue at a protest last month - Laurel Chor/Getty Images Europe

Lord Wharton, the chairman of the Office for Students, led criticism of the boycott and said it would be "utterly unacceptable" if it led to any current or prospective students being "disadvantaged in any way".

Robert Halfon, the Tory chairman of the education select committee and a former skills minister, urged Oxford's vice-Chancellor to "make it very clear" that academics should be "doing their job".

Mr Halfon questioned the priorities of the academics who signed up to the boycott, saying: "Is it political posturing or is it looking out for students paying over 9,000 a year to study at their university?"

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Tim Loughton, a former education minister, accused the dons of displaying "unbelievable arrogance", saying: "This is academic blackmail by a group of academics who think their own political views should trump everyone else's, and if they don't get their own way then any innocent students who happen to fall within their boycott will become the victims."

MP Chris Skidmore called the boycott "deeply unprofessional", adding that academics "should know better". The former universities minister pointed out that their salaries were paid by the fees of students who "deserve to be taught", adding that this "clearly demonstrates they put their ideology ahead of teaching and learning".

Sir John Hayes, the chairman of the Common Sense Group of Conservative MPs and a former minister, said: "To short-change undergrads on the basis of political posturing is fundamentally irresponsible". Sir John said the academics's pay should be "reduced accordingly".

Danny Dorling, the Halford Mackinder professor of geography at St Peter's College and one of the signatories, said the action was intended to demonstrate to Oriel that academics were "not very happy about what's gone on".

He said: "The extent of the upset is probably larger than what they predicted and it is possible that they may not realise the strength of feeling about this. This is a way of making it obvious in case it's not clear. Having your university associated with a statue of a racist is deeply upsetting and puts a smear on the whole university."

Other signatories of the boycott statement include Prof Kate Tunstall, the interim head of Worcester College, Robert Gildea, an emeritus professor of history, and Miles Larmer, a professor of African history.

But other Oxford academics criticised the move, calling it "pathetic" and "ludicrous". One don said: "The petition is clearly bonkers and the grown-ups around Oxford should know better. It is crazy to take out their virtue-signalling on the Oriel undergraduates."

The "statement of a boycott of Oriel College", published on Oxford's internal communication system with a list of signatories, says the university "can only effectively and credibly work to eradicate racism and address the ongoing effects of colonialism today if all the colleges do so".

The statement says Oriel's decision to keep the statue "undermines us all", accusing the governing body of "ignoring" the recommendations of the independent inquiry it set up last summer.

"Faced with Oriel's stubborn attachment to a statue that glorifies colonialism and the wealth it produced for the college, we feel we have no choice but to withdraw all discretionary work and goodwill collaborations," the statement adds, saying the boycott will remain in place "until Oriel makes a credible public commitment to remove the statue".

Students began campaigning for the Rhodes statue to be taken down in 2015, but the toppling of a statue of slave trader Edward Colston in Bristol at the height of last summer's Black Lives Matter demonstrations reignited the "Rhodes Must Fall" protests.

Rhodes, a British imperialist who founded Rhodesia and served as prime minister of the Cape Colony in the 1890s, donated a huge sum to Oriel in his will. He was not a slave trader but supported apartheid-style measures in southern Africa.

A year ago, Oriel's governing body said it was their "wish" to remove the statue and it established an independent commission to examine the key issues surrounding it.

Last month, the commission concluded its inquiry, saying it backed the college's original wish to remove the statue. But Oriel's governing body has decided it should stay for the time being on the basis that it would take too long and cost too much to remove it.
The father of a Leavenworth County man who is charged with killing his two young sons died by suicide while out on bond and awaiting trial for alleged child sex crimes.

Donald Jackson Sr., of Easton, died by suicide, Leavenworth County officials confirmed Wednesday. He had recently been charged with two counts of aggravated indecent liberties with a child.

Our thoughts are with the family, said Todd Thompson, the county attorney. It would be presumptuous of us to know why he chose to do what he did. We did have charges filed against him, and our goal is always to protect our victims and community, and give a person a fair trial.

According to a criminal complaint filed on Feb. 23, Jackson allegedly touched a child inappropriately between July and August 2019, in Leavenworth County.

He posted bail after his bond was set at $100,000 this spring, though the state had requested his bond be set at $500,000. He bonded out on March 29.

Several months earlier, in June 2020, Jackson was arrested for the same charges in a separate incident between August 2018 and December 2019, according to an affidavit.

The victims in both cases were under the age of 14 at the time of the alleged crime, court records show. The Star does not typically identify the victims of sex crimes, particularly those who are juveniles.

In April, officials confirmed to The Star that Jackson, who was 62 at the time of his first arrest, is the father of Donald Jackson Jr., who is accused of fatally shooting his young sons in October.

In a motion for bond filed in June 2020, the elder Jacksons attorney argued that he was a lifelong resident of Leavenworth County with no history or arrests or convictions.

The attorney said Jackson had been married for 41 years and for 22 years owned and operated a poll construction business until his retirement, court records show.

His son remains in the Leavenworth County Jail.

An affidavit charging the younger Jackson with capital murder confirmed his sons  12-year-old Austin and 14-year-old Logan  were found shot on Oct. 24 at Jacksons home at 14970 Hillside Road in rural Leavenworth. Jackson was 40 at the time of his arrest last fall.

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One of the boys suffered one gunshot wound; the other was shot twice, records show. Police recovered shell casings from the home.

Amber Alerts were issued in multiple states after family members found the boys dead. Their younger sisters, who were 7 and 3, were missing.

Hours later, Jackson was arrested by officers in Beckham County, Oklahoma. The girls were in the car with him.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, after receiving his first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine at the National Institutes of Health on December 22 in Bethesda, Maryland. Patrick Semansky-Pool/Getty Images

Dr. Anthony Fauci on Tuesday warned about the highly infectious Delta coronavirus variant.

The variant has spread widely in India and the UK. "We cannot let that happen" in the US, he said.

Fauci said getting two doses of COVID-19 vaccines would stop the Delta variant from spreading.

Sign up here for the Insider Healthcare newsletter.

The highly infectious Delta coronavirus variant could become the dominant strain in the US if people don't get fully vaccinated, the US's top infectious-disease expert has warned.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, President Joe Biden's chief medical advisor, said Tuesday that the Delta variant had rapidly emerged as the dominant variant in the UK, replacing the Alpha variant.

"We cannot let that happen in the United States," Fauci said during a White House press briefing.

Read more: Experts explain why the mRNA tech that revolutionized COVID-19 vaccines could be the answer to incurable diseases, heart attacks, and even snake bites: 'The possibilities are endless'

The Delta variant is thought to have caused record-breaking infection numbers in India, where it was first identified. A surge in coronavirus infections brought India's health system near collapse in the spring.

The Delta variant accounts for more than 6% of sequenced tests in the US and 60% of infections in the UK, Fauci said. The actual figures could be different, as not every test is sequenced. The highest rates of transmission in the UK are people ages 12 to 22, he said - a mostly unvaccinated age group.

Fauci urged Americans to get vaccinated to stop the Delta variant from spreading further in the US.

"Particularly if you had that first dose, make sure you get that second dose. If not, please get vaccinated," Fauci said in a briefing.

The Alpha variant, first identified in the UK, is currently the most common virus strain in the US.

The Delta variant is at least as infectious as the Alpha variant and has now spread to more than 60 countries. It also has extra mutations that may allow it to escape the antibody response - a part of the immune system that fights the virus - so vaccines appear to offer less protection against it when just one dose is given.

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A UK-based study posted on May 24 found that the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine was 88% effective at preventing symptomatic COVID-19 caused by the Delta variant after two doses but only 33% effective after a single dose.

Another lab-based study from the UK posted Thursday found that the antibody response was "significantly lower" against the Delta variant compared with the Alpha variant after one dose.

The Biden administration is trying to give more than 75% of the US population at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine by July 4 to try to stop another surge in infections. So far, more than 51% of Americans have had at least one dose, and more than 42% are fully vaccinated, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Jun. 9Honolulu police arrested 27-year-old Dion V. Kitzmiller Monday night on a $500, 000 warrant in connection with the May 25 case where he allegedly crashed into vehicles and pointed a handgun at officers who were trying to arrest him for outstanding warrants in Kalihi.

Kitzmiller was charged Friday via information charging with three counts of first-degree criminal property damage, two counts of second-degree criminal property damage, two counts of firearm offenses and one count of second-degree reckless endangering.

Charges against an individual by information charging is when a prosecutor files information with the court that usually includes an affidavit or exhibit that show probable cause that the defendant committed an offense.

A judge will review the information. If the court determines there is probable cause, the court will set bail and an arrest warrant is issued for the defendant.

Police executed the $500, 000 warrant for Kitzmiller's arrest at The Queen's Medical Center at about 10 p.m. Monday where he remains hospitalized as of this morning.

Police shot and critically wounded Kitzmiller in the upper body on the night of May 25 after he allegedly pointed a handgun at officers who were trying to arrest him for two separate outstanding warrants. The warrants were for abuse of a family or household member, terroristic threatening and firearm offenses.

Shortly before 11 :30 p.m. on May 25, District 1 Crime Reduction Unit officers located Kitzmillerwho was wanted for outstanding warrantsin a parked Jeep on with two passengers.

When officers ordered him to get out, Kitzmiller hit at least three vehicles with the Jeep, the police department said. Officers again ordered him to exit the vehicle. As he was getting out, Kitzmiller allegedly brandished a handgun and pointed it at officers.

An officer then fired several shots, striking him in his upper body.

Officers administered first aid until Emergency Medical Services personnel arrived. He was taken to Queen's in critical but stable condition.

The officers and passengers did not sustain any injuries.

Kitzmiller has a criminal record that includes six felony convictions for theft, drugs and robbery, a misdemeanor conviction for terroristic threatening and a petty misdemeanor conviction for drugs.
Jun. 9GROTON  Robert E. Fitch High School Senior Mayson Murphy says playing music feels limitless.

There are seemingly endless options of instruments and styles, from classical to jazz, and when she plays, she feels like she's in her own world where she can do pretty much anything. She's also developed close friendships through a connection with music.

The talented musician now wants to share her passion for music with children and become a band teacher in the future.

Murphy was adopted from China at age 2 1/2 . She came to the United States without knowing any English or Chinese, so she found it difficult to adjust to the American culture and blend in with everyone else. But through the extensive work and dedication she put in from the start, she was able to not only catch up with everyone else but excel in her academic career and discover a love of music.

Murphy's music career started when she was younger and noticed in music classes that there wasn't any writing or reading involved, which she said made it easier to learn, since she was having trouble with language.

While attending the former Cutler Middle School, she learned to enjoy music more, and her band director Kevin Mazzarella helped her realize her potential. She said he gave her the confidence to audition and learn harder pieces. He nominated her, and she was accepted, to perform at Carnegie Hall, which she said was a life-changing experience.

"I feel like if he wasn't my teacher back then, I wouldn't be as invested in music because I didn't know my potential and I didn't know that I had a true passion for music until he made me realize that," she said.

Mazzarella noted Murphy's excellent scholarship, character, dedication and musicianship, and he said he has witnessed her grow as a leader and musician. He said she is conscientious, reflective and humble, and proactively gives and seeks advice when needed, especially regarding flute performance and leadership skills.

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"Mayson has been a pleasure to know and work with," he said. "She is always punctual, prepared, and cooperative. Using the skills she has honed in music, she is equally comfortable in her membership in the National Honors Society and (Tri-M Music Honor Society) as she is facile in performing on her instrument. She has taken private flute lessons for many years, culminating in her selection to the CT Music Educators Association (CMEA) All-State Concert Band."

He also noted that she gives back to her community through volunteerism, and prior to the pandemic, assisted in teaching small group lessons in elementary and middle school music programs.

"I admire her persistence, balance, and hard work with her academic scholarship in rigorous coursework and other activities," Mazzarella said. "Mayson has dedicated herself to what she puts her mind to, which is indicative of self-discipline and achievement."

Over her high school career, Murphy, 18, participated in a host of music activities, including the Fitch Falcon Marching Band and the jazz ensemble.

After graduation, she will attend Central Connecticut State University to major in music education and plans to become a band teacher. She hopes to travel during her summers off and would like to visit China.

As a teacher, she hopes to encourage students to dive into music, because she herself didn't know how much she loved it until she was encouraged to get involved. She is interested in working with middle school kids because she herself remembers how awkward and anxious she felt in middle school and not knowing how to combat those feelings, and she wants the students to be more comfortable and at ease.

She said her own anxiousness around people in elementary and middle school prevented her from reaching out and doing the things she really wanted to do. She said it was a gradual process, but she is proud that she was able to overcome that in high school with help from her teacher Jordan Panucci. She said she worked and focused on her goal, and everything seems better now when she's in social situations.

Murphy said she hopes people know that if they need someone for support or anything, to reach out. "Whether it be a staff member from a school or a family member or a friend, there's always going to be someone out there that will help you or give you some guidance," she said.

She's also learned during the coronavirus pandemic how important it is to cherish the present moments in life  even if the moments seem insignificant  because it'll mean a much more positive outlook on life.

Understanding, patient and empathetic, Murphy said she always is able to put herself in other people's shoes. As a camp counselor for the Town of Groton, she's met so many kids with different stories and wants to help them.

She said she's made friends and no longer has the feeling of not "blending in" that she had at times when she was younger. She said there is diversity in the Groton and Mystic area and she has come to meet a broad range of people that she shares interests with. She said she's learned that in the end, humans have a lot more in common than they have differences.

She said finding what she has in common with people  such as music  is a way to become close and share a connection. "It's a very special feeling and it's a really great way that we can connect as friends."

She said for the longest time, she did not think she could overcome the language barrier. She thought she was going to be behind in reading and writing for all of high school and there was nothing to do but go with the system and hope everything turns out fine. But she said she continued to push herself and spend extra time  and she found success.

Murphy said she hopes people take from her story to not give up, despite any challenges they face.

"It was not easy, and it definitely took a lot of intrinsic motivation to get where I am now, so just know that even if it seems impossible, you can really do anything if you set your mind to it," she said.

k.drelich@theday.com
A Florida man is accused of dragging the body of a pedestrian he allegedly struck with his car on Sunday before fleeing the scene and dumping most of the remains behind a local bait shop, according to authorities.

Joseph Charles Strickland, 28, of Weeki Wachee, was traveling on a road north of Tampa early Sunday when his car struck the unidentified pedestrian, 32, who was walking along the roadway, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

After the hit-and-run accident, they said the suspect traveled with the victim's remains to the back of the Dixie Lee Bait shop in Spring Hill. Strickland removed the remains from his vehicle and called his roommates to help him push the car back to his home, telling them he hit a deer, according to FHP.

FLORIDA WOMAN ATTACKED BY 7-FOOT ALLIGATOR WHILE WALKING HER DOG

Once he arrived home, he allegedly spray-painted over the damage, showered and slept, FOX 13 of Tampa Bay reported.

The next morning, Stricklands roommate examined the vehicle and contacted law enforcement because he didnt believe the car hit a deer, according to authorities. Around the same time, a human leg was spotted on the side of the road, near where the incident occurred, FHP said.

Using a cadaver dog, authorities found the rest of the body behind the bait shop. Troopers also went to Stricklands home and found the vehicle.

The suspect attempted to flee, but deputies from the Hernando County Sheriffs Office captured him, FHP said.

FLORIDA JUDGE FAVORS PRE-DWAN PARTYING IN ROWDY SOUTH BEACH

Strickland was arrested on charges that include leaving the scene of a crash involving a death, tampering with evidence, and having no valid driver's license or insurance.

He also had a warrant for his arrest for bodily harm, gross negligence, felony criminal vehicle operation in Minnesota, FOX 13 reported.

The highway patrol said he rolled a car into a ditch last year as he tried to speed away from a trooper, according to KSTP-TV. Strickland and two of his passengers suffered non-life-threatening injuries and a third passenger was left in critical condition, according to the station.

Story continues

It's unclear whether Strickland has a lawyer.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Weeki Wachee is about 50 miles north of Tampa.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP)  U.S. Rep. Val Demings launched a bid for the U.S. Senate on Wednesday, raising hope among Democrats of ousting Florida's Republican Sen. Marco Rubio from the evenly divided chamber.

With the Senate now split 50-50 between Democrats and Republicans, the Florida race will undoubtedly be among the nation's most high profile and expensive battles next year.

The Orlando congresswoman used a video on social media to begin introducing herself to a wider audience. In the video, Demings showcases her rise from a working-class background to become the police chief of one of Floridas largest cities before ascending to the U.S. Congress.

When you grow up in the South, poor, Black and female, you have to have faith and progress and opportunity, she says in her video.

Demings was on the short list of potential running mates for now-President Joe Biden after helping lead the first impeachment against then-President Donald Trump.

Some Florida Democrats had hoped that Demings would instead take on Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is banking on reelection next year to help propel him for a possible run for the presidency in 2024.

In her Senate announcement video, Demings takes aim at Trump, calling him a lawless president. Then she takes aim at Rubio.

There are some in Washington who prefer the same old tired ways of doing business, she says, too tired to fight the efforts to suppress the peoples vote. They fall back to tired talking points and backwards solutions.

Rubio hit back Wednesday, calling Demings, who was first elected to Congress in 2016, a far left extremist" with an undistinguished legislative record.

Look, I've always known that my opponent for the Senate was going to be a far left liberal Democrat. Today we just found out which one of them Chuck Schumers picked, Rubio says in a video, referring to the top Democrat in the Senate. He called her a do-nothing member of the U.S. House.

Story continues

That's an argument Democrats have also made in the Senate against Rubio, who they charge has been more focused on pursuing political ambition, not accomplishment. Rubio announced he would not run for reelection six years ago to make a bid for the White House in 2016 but abandoned that effort after getting little traction.

To face off with Rubio in November 2022, Demings would have to first win the Democratic primary. It remains to be seen if any other Democratic heavy hitters will get into the race.

As it became clearer that Demings was preparing a Senate campaign, U.S. Rep. Stephanie Murphy, another Orlando Democrat, announced late last month that she would not be seeking the post.

Former U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson is again hoping for a chance to go head-to-head against Rubio after failing in 2016 to advance through the Democratic primary. Miami City Commissioner Ken Russell announced last week that he is pursuing a bid, and Albert Fox Jr., who has espoused reestablishing stronger relations with Cuba, is considering a run.

If Demings wins the race, she would become only the third Black woman to serve in the Senate, after fellow Democrats Carol Moseley Braun of Illinois, in the 1990s, and Kamala Harris of California, before she became Biden's vice president.

Despite her law enforcement background, Republicans have attempted to tie Demings to activists calling for greater scrutiny on how police operate. Demings has forcefully pushed back by highlighting her 27 years as a law officer. Demings is married to Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings, also a former Orlando police chief.

Already, Rubio is attempting to brand Demings as a socialist  a playbook that Republicans have used with much success in Florida, which has a significant population of voters whose families fled Cuba and other Latin American countries with a history of repressive leaders.

Desperate people will do and say desperate things," Demings told the Orlando Sentinel in an interview ahead of her campaign launch, "and I dont blame Rubio and the GOP for being very concerned about me running for the United States Senate against Marco Rubio.
Refugees are expected to flood into neighbouring countries. Fighting has resumed in Chin State. The conditions of internally displaced persons are extremely precarious while the United Nations fears that the situation may worsen.

Yangon (AsiaNews)  Myanmar's Kayah State could suffer a massive loss of life, UN special rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar Thomas Andrews said in a statement.

More than 100,000 people have fled their homes to escape conflict, the UN noted, due to the deteriorating security situation in south-east Myanmar.

The conditions of displaced persons are becoming increasingly precarious. Last Sunday, the Myanmar military attacked a Catholic church in the same area.

The junta's brutal, indiscriminate attacks are threatening the lives of many thousands of men, women and children in Kayah State, Andrews explained.

If there is no immediate action by the international community, Mass deaths from starvation, disease, and exposure, on a scale we have not yet seen since the February 1 coup, could occur in Kayah State absent immediate action, he said.

An activist in Kayah State said that many displaced people could not be reached including in an area east of Demoso, a town about 15 km (9 miles) from the state capital, Loikaw.

Some people to the east of Demoso have to survive on rice broth as we cannot deliver rice bags to them, said the activist, who added that military authorities had arrested three people trying to deliver aid in the last two weeks.

Many displaced people have sought refuge in other communities, in nearby forests, and in the neighbouring Shan State, the UN reports.

In addition, This crisis could push people across international borders seeking safety, the UN Office in Myanmar warned, like in other parts of the country.

Thailand, which fears a flood of refugees, has expressed its concern about the fighting in Myanmar.

One refugee spoke to Radio Free Asia (RFA) about the situation of displaced people in Chin State, on the border with India. They are trying to attack our camps in three columns, the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

We have no more rice supplies, the source added. The rainy season is here now, and we need tarpaulins. We fled our homes to get away from the fighting, but now we will have to run again.

According to data collected by the Internal Displacement Monitoring Center, a Norwegian NGO, there are at least 500,000 internally displaced persons in Myanmar.

About 40,000 people have left Chin State since May, while 15,000 civilians have crossed the border into the Indian state of Mizoram to escape the fighting.

A spokesman for the Chin Defence Force, a local ethnic militia, told RFA that fighting has been on the rise since last week in the city of Mindat, with residents fighting back against the military with all available weapons.

Since Sunday, some 20 militiamen held at a police station in Mindat since the fighting resumed have been denied food.
Jun. 9Turns out having free time isn't as free as it seems.

Dismissed as the University of New Mexico's men's basketball coach before the end of the season, Paul Weir hasn't strayed too far from his Albuquerque home over the past few months. In those early days of unemployment, he figured he'd do all the things most do when contemplating oodles of free time.

"Gosh, I thought it was going to be reading books, reflecting, doing yoga cross-legged  I had this vision of what it was going to look like, it hasn't been that way at all," Weir said during a Zoom call with local media Tuesday afternoon.

Weir was recently named the head coach of the Canadian Junior National team, which he will lead into the FIBA U-19 Basketball World Cup next month in Lithuania. With COVID-19 restrictions still air tight in Canada, the team will train in Orlando, Fla., before departing for pre-tournament play in Latvia later this month.

Since his exit from UNM, he has forgone the cross-legged yoga in favor of a few family trips. He's also dabbled in the local radio market, working as an afternoon host on the drive-time show on KQTM-FM 101.7 alongside station General Manager Joe O'Neill.

Weir said he spent time talking to former Lobos coach Fran Fraschilla. After his dismissal as UNM's coach in 2002, Fraschilla walked away from coaching and got into broadcasting as an analyst with ESPN. Nearly 20 years down the road, he's one of the most respected college basketball personalities on the air.

"I've talked to Fran about it," Weir said. "I don't want to sit here and say that's definitely what I'm doing. I'm intrigued by it, I'm interested in it. I think it's a possibility but I love teaching."

Weir's broadcasting experiment began humbly enough. He was a color commentator for high school basketball broadcasts on KQTM when he wasn't in the studio with O'Neill.

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As O'Neill can attest, one of the hot-button issues for any radio call-in sports show around these parts is UNM athletics, particularly Lobos basketball. Weir has carefully sidestepped most of those discussions, choosing to stay neutral when possible, positive when necessary.

"I don't know if anything I say has any consequence or impact," Weir said. "But they keep asking me back so I'm going to keep doing that and kinda see where that goes."

He said he remains a fan of UNM basketball and has no hard feelings about the way things ended. In March he announced he had accepted an abbreviated buyout for the remaining two years of his contract, agreeing to a payout that allows him to collect roughly half a million dollars over the next two years.

The school made a splash hire in his wake, bringing in Richard Pitino from his post at Minnesota in the Big Ten. All the while, Weir has been positive in every way possible.

"You're not going to find a bigger fan than me," he said. "I told all the staff when I left, all the players when I left, like, 'Please stay. Give this a chance, I hope it works out.' "

It's a far cry from the situation Weir inherited when he took over at UNM in 2017. Hired in the weeks after Craig Neal had been fired, Weir said the aura around the program back then was bitterness and a feeling of uncooperative communication.

"It wasn't always pleasant, and it wasn't always helpful," Weir said. "The last thing I would ever want to be is not helpful to whoever this next person, coach, players, staff are. Anything I can do to ever be of assistance, I offered it up when I left. It's still there."

Weir's post as Canada's U-19 coach could be a springboard into his next move, whatever that may be. He said he doesn't necessarily want to hold out for a college head coaching job, instead keeping all options open. Those include the possibility of teaching.

One of the jobs he's had since leaving the Lobos is teaching a class at UNM's Anderson School of Management, a post he's willing to continue if the conditions remain ideal. If not, the international experience he'll get in Europe could well lead to a stint as an NBA assistant or scout, possibly a front office position.

Then, of course, there are jobs in the private sector, the media or in the college game. All options are open at the moment.

"I've been a lot busier than I ever imagine or intended to be," Weir said, saying much of his focus has been on his wife and two young sons. "Where that goes from here, I don't know. It's a really cool place to be not quite knowing what's next but having a lot of different options and opportunities."
Jun. 8Former UND wide receiver Travis Toivonen has signed an NFL contract.

The Seattle Seahawks announced Tuesday the team has signed Toivonen to the 90-man roster.

Toivonen, 6-foot-4 and 212 pounds, was a four-year starter for UND. He ranks eighth all-time at UND with 129 career catches. He's third in career catches in UND's Division I era, behind only Greg Hardin and Noah Wanzek.

Toivonen, a Red Wing, Minn., native, racked up 1,719 receiving yards at UND, which is also third all-time in UND's D1 era behind Wanzek and Hardin.

Toivonen's final season at UND was 2019. He went undrafted in 2020 before spending this past season in the Fan Controlled Football League.

Toivonen, who has spent time working out in Grand Forks with former UND linebacker Will Ratelle, attended a Pro Day at the University of Minnesota in April.
More than a dozen people are without a home after a car crashed into a building Monday morning, according to Georgia authorities.

Savannah fire officials said a driver left the roadway before crashing into the side of a residence on Stiles Avenue. The home was so damaged that it has since been condemned by the city.

The driver, who wasnt publicly named, only had a learners permit at the time and was cited for failure to maintain a lane, a Savannah police spokesperson told McClatchy News. The citys fire department also arrived on scene and fixed a water leak caused by the crash.

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The residential building had four apartments and was home to nine adults and six children  all of whom are now searching for a new place to live.

Its condemned. I dont have anywhere to stay, homeowner Meezy Da Industry told WJCL. There comes a time where you dont think you have anybody until you fall to rock bottom and realize that everybody is there for you. Everybody is showing love. I appreciate it.

The man said hes thankful no one was seriously hurt, adding to the news station: All of the materialistic stuff (can be replaced) but you cant replace a life.

The Red Cross is helping the families who were displaced, WJCL reported.

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People in France enjoyed indoor dining and gyms for the first time in months on Wednesday, as the country relaxed coronavirus rules that will also see a curfew pushed to 11:00 pm as Covid cases ease and vaccines pick up.

Rules for travellers from within the EU were also eased, while cultural venues relaxed their measures in line with France's phased reopening for the summer months.

The return of simple joys was welcome for some.

"It's a pleasure to have a coffee inside. Normal life is gradually resuming," said transport employee Hammou Mraoui, sipping a coffee in a bar in the Meudon suburb of Paris.

Bar owner Christophe Guedes said it was an adjustment to serve indoors again.

"It's almost strange to hear a client say 'a coffee inside please', but it's a huge relief," he told AFP.

The overnight curfew will now start later -- at 11:00 pm instead of 9:00 pm -- before being dropped entirely on June 30 if all goes to plan.

The new measures also mean that spectators will be able to enjoy night sessions for the final stages of the French Open tennis in Paris, after previously being slung out at 9:00 pm.

Tables of up to six will be permitted at cafes and restaurants, while gyms can also reopen for clients indoors.

Some fitness buffs were happy to finally be allowed inside again, including Stephanie Moscoso, who hit her local gym in central Paris at 8:00 am.

"I was super motivated. I put on the alarm clock this morning, it was super early, I saw the sun, I said to myself: this is the beginning of a new life!" the 35-year-old said.

- 'Art of living' -

Travel to France will also be easier from Wednesday, with borders fully open to EU residents.

Visitors from the EU will not have to provide a negative antigen or PCR test if they have had a full course of one of the four vaccines authorised by the bloc -- Pfizer/BioNTech, Oxford/AstraZeneca, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson.

Travel from other zones, including the US and Britain, are subject to tighter restrictions but visitors will no longer have to prove a compelling reason for a visit, so long as they are fully vaccinated.

Story continues

Despite the closures of the past year, France over the last half year endured less severe lockdowns than its neighbours -- notably avoiding major school closures -- in what was seen as a major gamble by Macron.

On May 19, France allowed restaurant and cafe terraces to open for the first time since November, while museums also welcomed visitors again.

One sector still lacking clarity is night clubs, which remain closed until further notice, with the government set to look at the situation again on June 21.

And in virtually all of France, masks remain obligatory even out of doors until further notice.

The new openings come as France -- one of Europe's hardest hit countries -- sees a drop off of coronavirus cases after a grim winter.

The numbers in intensive care are down to 2,394 compared with 6,000 in late April.

And as of Tuesday more than 28 million people had at least one vaccine shot -- about 55 percent of the adult population.

The government is on course to reach its target of 30 million people with at least one dose of the vaccine by June 15.

President Emmanuel Macron urged caution with the reopenings, while embracing a return to normal.

"A new step will be taken" on Wednesday, President Emmanuel Macron wrote on Twitter.

"Life will resume across our lands. It is part of our culture, of our art of living, that we are going to reacquaint ourselves with," he said.

sjw/jv/wdb
By Steve Holland and Trevor Hunnicutt

MILDENHALL, England (Reuters) - President Joe Biden on Wednesday began his first trip abroad since taking office by hailing America's unwavering commitment to the NATO alliance and warning Russia it faced "robust and meaningful" consequences if it engaged in harmful activities.

Biden, speaking to about 1,000 troops and their families at a British air base, said he would deliver a clear message to Russian President Vladimir Putin when they meet next week after separate summits with NATO, G7 and European leaders.

"We're not seeking conflict with Russia," the Democratic president said at the start of his eight-day visit to Europe. "We want a stable and predictable relationship ... but I've been clear: The United States will respond in a robust and meaningful way if the Russian government engages in harmful activities."

Biden has said he is determined to rebuild trans-Atlantic ties and reframe relations with Russia after four rocky years under Republican former President Donald Trump, whose tariffs and withdrawal from treaties strained relations with major allies.

"This is my first overseas trip as president of the United States. I'm heading to the G7, then the NATO ministerial and then to meet with Mr. Putin to let him know what I want him to know," Biden said, drawing cheers from the troops.

"At every point along the way, we're going to make it clear that the United States is back and democracies of the world are standing together to tackle the toughest challenges, and the issues that matter most to our future."

Biden told reporters as he left for Europe that his goals were "strengthening the alliance, making it clear to Putin and to China that Europe and the United States are tight."

His summit with Putin on June 16 in Geneva is the capstone of the trip, an opportunity to raise U.S. concerns directly with the Russian leader about ransomware attacks emanating from Russia, Moscow's aggression against Ukraine and a host of other issues.

Story continues

In a development further straining U.S.-Russia ties, a Russian court on Wednesday outlawed groups linked to jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, after declaring them "extremist." Condemning the decision, the U.S. State Department said it "effectively criminalized one of the countrys few remaining independent political movements."

Speaking to U.S. troops based at Royal Air Force Mildenhall base, a huge American flag behind him, Biden underscored the U.S. commitment to the NATO alliance but said it needed to modernize and expand its cyber capabilities.

Biden also comes to Europe with a goodwill gesture, the planned announcement that the United States will buy and donate 500 million Pfizer Inc/BioNTech coronavirus vaccine doses to about 100 countries over the next two years, three sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.

Biden is expected to announce the deal on Thursday. The United States has faced criticism over securing access to much of the initial stockpile of the most promising vaccines.

G7 SUMMIT, MEETING WITH JOHNSON

Biden will make his first stop of the trip at the seaside village of St. Ives in Cornwall where he will participate in the G7 summit. The meeting is expected to be dominated by vaccine diplomacy, trade, climate and an initiative for rebuilding infrastructure in the developing world. U.S. officials see that effort as a way to counter China's growing influence.

His push for a global minimum tax on multinational corporations faces opposition at home. G7 finance ministers agreed before the summit to pursue a global minimum tax rate of at least 15% and to allow market countries to tax up to 20% of the excess profits - above a 10% margin - generated by about 100 large, high-profit companies.

Republicans came out against the plan this week, potentially complicating the U.S. ability to implement a broader global agreement.

Biden will have a meeting with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Thursday in Cornwall, a chance to renew the U.S.-British "special relationship" after Britain's Brexit break from the European Union. The two countries will issue an updated joint statement of principles between the two countries in honor of the original Atlantic Charter from 1941.

But the two have deep policy issues to discuss, with Biden set to reinforce stalwart U.S. support for the 1998 Good Friday peace agreement that ended decades of bloodshed in Northern Ireland, according to White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan.

The agreement has come into question with the United Kingdom's exit from the European Union.

Biden and Johnson will also discuss climate change, a proposal to counter China's global influence on infrastructure and the withdrawal of Western troops from Afghanistan.

The Russian Nord Stream 2 pipeline will also be on the agenda when Biden meets with German officials. The Biden administration opposes the $11 billion natural gas pipeline, but Germany wants it finished.

After three days of G7 summitry, Biden and his wife, Jill, will visit Queen Elizabeth at Windsor Castle. The 78-year-old Biden met the queen back in 1982 when he was a U.S. senator from Delaware.

RUSSIA AND CHINA

Biden then travels to Brussels for talks with leaders of NATO and the European Union. The agenda is expected to be dominated by Russia, China and the perennial issue of getting NATO allies to contribute more to the common defense.

Biden closes out the trip in Geneva for what could prove to be the most difficult meeting of the trip - a session with Putin, who enjoyed friendly relations with Trump.

No major breakthroughs are expected from the summit.

Asked by reporters if his meeting with Putin would yield some accord on cybersecurity, Biden was non-committal.

"Who knows?" said Biden. "It's going to be a subject of our discussion."

(Reporting by Steve Holland in Mildenhall, England, and Trevor Hunnciutt and Andrea Shalal in Washington; Writing by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Grant McCool and Peter Cooney)
(Bloomberg) -- GameStop Corp. is tapping a pair of Amazon.com Inc. executives to lead the company and may sell millions of additional shares to raise money, part of a drive to convert the brick-and-mortar chain into an e-commerce powerhouse.

Matt Furlong, who oversaw Amazons Australian business, will become chief executive officer of GameStop, while fellow Amazon veteran Mike Recupero will serve as chief financial officer, the video-game seller said Wednesday. Furlong starts on June 21, and Recupero begins work July 12.

It seems like theyre committed to the playbook of bringing in some Amazon DNA to run the company, said Doug Clinton, managing partner at Loup Ventures. The substance will come when we start hearing about the long-term plan.

The stock sale involves as many as 5 million shares offered through a so-called at-the-market program, and the prospect of dilution didnt sit well with current investors. The shares tumbled as much as 14% to $261.61 in late trading following the announcement. GameStop also disclosed an investigation by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission into recent trading activity.

The management changes are part of a vision laid out by activist investor Ryan Cohen, who became GameStops chairman at its annual meeting Wednesday. Hes orchestrated a shake-up of management, with an eye to shifting GameStop away from its roots as a mall-based retailer and toward selling a broad range of products online.

Along the way, GameStop became the face of meme stocks -- shares that trade more on social-media buzz than underlying fundamentals -- and the stock has surged more than 1,500% in 2021.

SEC Probe

The unusual trading of GameStop and others has drawn the interest of the SEC. GameStop said Wednesday that it received a request from the agencys staff for voluntary production of documents and information concerning a SEC investigation into the trading activity in our securities and the securities of other companies. GameStop doesnt expect the inquiry to adversely affect the company.

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As for the retailers turnaround, Cohen cautioned Wednesday that it would take time.

We have a lot of work in front of us, he said during the annual meeting. Moving forward, we want you to judge GameStop based on our actions -- not our words.

Cohen announced a stake in GameStop last year and began pushing for changes at the video-game retailer. He now owns 13% of the company and has three seats on its board. While some investors had hoped Cohen would lay out a detailed plan for turning GameStop around, thats not going to happen, he said. You wont find us talking a big game, making a bunch of lofty promises or telegraphing our strategy to the competition.

For investors, GameStops news Wednesday was a mixed bag. The new leadership has the right experience for the hoped-for comeback. And the company reported stronger-than-expected first-quarter results and gave an upbeat view on more recent sales, saying they were up 27% in May compared with last year.

But the share sale and SEC news dampened the enthusiasm. Some investors also may have been disappointed that Cohen himself didnt become CEO, Loup Ventures Clinton said. Cohen previously ran pet-supply site Chewy, which he sold to PetSmart and a British private-equity firm in 2017 for $3.35 billion.

Smaller Loss

GameStops sales came in at $1.28 billion in the fiscal first quarter, which ended May 1. Analysts projected $1.17 billion. GameStops loss was 45 cents a share, excluding some items, compared with a projected deficit of 71 cents.

The company didnt offer future guidance, in line with past quarters. Its earnings conference call lasted 11 minutes, and the retailers executives took no questions. Outgoing CEO George Sherman said hell work to ensure a smooth executive transition. He said he and his team helped bring stability to the business and returned it to growth.

GameStop still has thousands of physical stores and faces an industry shifting inexorably online, but its less burdened than many struggling retailers. It recently redeemed its long-term debt early, earning upgrades from credit agencies like Moodys, and raised money for the turnaround effort through a stock sale.

The stock had reached all-time high of $483 in January, before slumping and then rallying again. It was up less than 1% to $302.56 Wednesday at the close.

Were still kind of in a phase where the results dont matter, given whats going on, said Matthew Kanterman, an analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence. Clearly people are still interested in GameStops ability to pivot to a broader e-commerce platform than a brick-and-mortar console games retailer.

(Updates with analysts comments starting in third paragraph.)

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Generation of California sea birds wiped out by drone (California Department of Fish and Wildlife)

A generation of seabirds was wiped out when a drone crashed into a protected nesting ground in California.

Wildlife officials say that the crash-landing saw around 3,000 elegant terns flee the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve, leaving behind them up to 2,000 eggs, which will never hatch,

Scientists say it is the biggest ever egg abandonment at the island near Huntington Beach, California.

Weve never seen such devastation here, said environmental scientist Melissa Loebl, who manages the reserve, told The Los Angeles Times.

This has been really hard for me as a manager.

Scientists at the reserve say the bird are very sensitive to perceived threats, and no-one actually knows where they have gone.

We actually still dont know where they are, added Ms Loebl.

Drones are banned from flying over wildlife reserves in the state, because of the risk of disturbing habitats, said Officer Nick Molsberry of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

In the event that happens, the drone operator can also face charges for nest destruction and harassment of wildlife.

Theyre seen as predators, said Ms Loebl.

Think of a bird. When I migrate 100 miles, I want a safe place to nest, forage and breed, and they come here to do just that.

The 1,000-acre reserve is one of the largest, and last remaining coastal wetlands in Southern California.

More than 800 species call it home, of which 23 have special status, including the endangered Ridgways rail and California least tern.

(California Department fo Fish and Wildlife)

These are all birds we put a lot of time and energy into managing their habitat so they can have a successful year breeding, added Ms Loebl.

Officials are now working with the Orange County District Attorneys office to get a warrant to legally extract video footage from the drone and its location history.

We will hopefully have some great footage of the user and what the drone did, its flight path, and be able to articulate all the elements we need to fulfill the violation for this person, said Officer Molsberry.

Story continues

The crash, which took place on 12 May, was actually the second in 24 hours at the reserve.

In the first incident the birds flew away before quickly returning to their nesting sites.

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BERLIN (Reuters) - German prosecutors have dismissed 19 policemen in a commando unit and suspended another over suspicions they had glorified violence and made references to a former Nazi organisation in online chats, a spokeswoman said on Wednesday.

Investigators in the western state of Hesse found out about the 20 suspects in the course of a separate investigation of an officer in the same commando unit, known as SEK, who was suspected of sharing child pornography.

"During an evaluation of the suspect's mobile phones, several chat groups where criminal content was shared by members were identified," Frankfurt Senior Public Prosecutor Nadja Niesen said in a statement.

German police and security agencies have faced accusations of not doing enough to unearth potentially violent nationalists in their ranks.

This is a sensitive issue in a country where awareness of the Nazis' World War Two atrocities, including the murder of millions of Jews in the Holocaust, remains strong but where anti-Semitic crimes by far-right supporters has been rising.

The domestic intelligence agency said in a report last year that less than 1% of Germany's police force, security agencies and military personnel espouse far-right world views and sympathies. The report was part of a wider inquiry into far-right extremism in the civil service.

Prosecutors in Frankfurt said police had searched six locations in Hesse, including police headquarters where some of the suspects had worked.

Three of the 20 suspects are being investigated for possible attempts to obstruct justice, Frankfurt prosecutor Niesen said.

Only one of the 20 was a former policeman and the other 19 had been active when the investigation was launched in April.

Niesen did not say whether and when charges would be filed against the suspects.

(Reporting by Joseph Nasr; Editing by Gareth Jones)
In line with World Food Safety Day, Grab Philippines recently announced its latest initiatives to ramp up safety, hygiene, and quality standards in the food delivery industry.

In partnership with the Food Safety and Hygiene Academy of the Philippines (FoodSHAP), Grab Philippines has placed added measures to help ensure cleanliness, safety, and quality in the entire food delivery life cycle.

FoodSHAP is the countrys premier educational institution that helps instill food safety and quality.

Backed with years of expertise in developing internationally recognized certificate programs for top chefs, restaurant owners, and food handlers, FoodSHAP is the first food safety certificate program developer in Asia fully accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and is recognized by the Department of Health (DOH) and the Department of Education (DepEd).

These efforts ladder up to Grabs broader GrabProtect program where Grab Philippines continues to raise the bar for food safety and quality  giving consumers greater peace of mind that their food orders are prepared following strict safety and quality standards, Grab claimed in its statement.

Grab Philippines said that since customers utilizing food delivery services have exponentially grown, user expectations have also evolved  looking more at safety and quality.

As the industry leader in food delivery, Grab Philippines is taking the lead in effecting positive change. This partnership with FoodSHAP and new measures will further strengthen consumer trust in the Grab platform and in our partners, contributing to improved sales, and better livelihoods, the company noted.

Grabfood logo

Grab Philippines revealed its numerous measures that will continue to leverage its platform and partnership with FoodSHAP to further raise the standards of safety, hygiene, and quality throughout the entire food delivery life cycle.

Food safety training for all merchant- and delivery-partners

Starting this month, Grab Philippines and FoodSHAP will conduct monthly food safety and quality training for its merchant-partners through the GrabAcademy Merchant platform and webinars. Aside from that, mandatory food safety training to its delivery-partners will be done via the GrabAcademy platform  with online courses developed by FoodSHAP.

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To note, Grab Philippines is the first platform to collaborate with FoodSHAP to offer food safety courses to its delivery partners through the best-in-class learning experiences to merchant- and delivery-partners on safety and hygiene protocols, proper food handling, and food quality assurance.

Assisting merchant partners enhance service quality standards

Grab Philippines will also introduce new procedures that will aid merchant-partners to continuously improve their service quality standards.

According to Grab, it will be giving its merchant-partners real-time consumer feedback focusing on food safety and quality that would help them address key consumer issues and enrich their service quality and performance.

The feedback will be coming from the Merchant Quality Score where key performance indicators and customer feedback on food safety and quality will be shared directly with merchant-partners in-app. This aims to allow merchants to refer to detailed feedback, identify areas of improvement, and refer to tips on what to do to improve their business, Grab Philippines shared.

Conducting food safety and quality audits

Grab Philippines will acquire the services of an internal auditor to conduct food safety and quality audits to ensure that merchant-partners are able to continuously maintain the service quality and adhere to the food safety protocols.

FoodSHAP Director Elsie Gatpayat said that their goal is to promote a positive food safety culture.

The organization believes that collaborative efforts are vital as Food Safety is everyone's business. This partnership with Grab Philippines is something that we are proud of  we are looking forward to helping our countrymen in safeguarding their health especially during these times of pandemic. Let us all team up for food safety for a safe and healthy tomorrow, she was quoted as saying.

Grab-partners-with-KonsultaMD

GrabFood Philippines Head Greg Camacho expressed the need for guaranteed safe and quality food products reaching consumers.

The food delivery industry in the Philippines has provided meaningful services to many of our kababayans, and as we continue to grow and serve the needs of our consumers, we should also continue to raise the bar on safety, hygiene, and quality to outserve their needs and expectations, he said.

We are committed to leveraging our platform to raise the safety and hygiene standards in the food delivery industry in the Philippines, and by doing so, we are able to provide consumers with greater peace of mind every time they order from our platform, contributing to the business of our merchant partners, and the livelihoods of our delivery-partners. Our partnership with FoodSHAP is a significant milestone in our ongoing efforts on food safety and quality, and we will continue to innovate and introduce meaningful initiatives to help meet the ever-changing needs of our kababayans, Camacho added.

Photos from Grab Philippines

Also read:

Grab PH to subsidize vaccines of its drivers, delivery partners

Grab PH launches GrabProtect as ride-hailing services resume

Grab lays off 360 employees as COVID-19 pandemic surges on
Out of the more than 5.7 million shots with race data attached (a total that excludes doses given out at federal entities in Maryland), 24.7% have gone to Black people, who make up about 31.1% of the state population, according to U.S. Census data.
Masked gunmen killed 10 people working for the HALO Trust mine-clearing organisation in northern Afghanistan in an attack the government blamed on the Taliban Wednesday, but the Britain-based charity said the insurgents actually helped end the assault.

The raid happened late on Tuesday as dozens of deminers were relaxing at a HALO compound in Baghlan province, around 260 kilometres (160 miles) north of the capital Kabul, after a day spent looking for ordnance in the area.

Baghlan has seen fierce fighting in recent months, with near-daily battles between the Taliban and government forces in several districts.

A survivor of Tuesday's attack told AFP that five or six armed men scaled the compound walls and gathered everyone together before asking if there were any Hazara present.

Afghanistan's Shiite Hazara community is often targeted by jihadists from the Islamic State group, who consider them heretics. The SITE Monitoring website reported Wednesday that IS had claimed responsibility for the attack.

"Nobody responded," said the survivor, who asked not to be identified.

He told AFP the gunmen then asked the compound leader to identify himself, before shooting him dead.

"Then one of them said 'kill them all'," he said.

"As they opened fire, we all tried to escape. Some were killed and some, like me, were wounded."

- 'Taliban scared off the assailants' -

Before the IS claim, Afghan Vice President Amrullah Saleh blamed the Taliban for the attack, saying in a tweet the insurgents wanted to "steal money and unexploded devices" from the HALO base.

But James Cowan, chief executive of HALO, told BBC radio that the insurgents actually helped end the assault that also left 16 workers wounded.

Cowan said the attackers went "bed to bed, murdering in cold blood my staff".

"This is a horrific incident, the worst in the HALO Trust's history," he said.

The Taliban dismissed the government's accusation that they were behind the attack -- and Cowen also said the insurgents were not responsible.

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"The Taliban have denied responsibility for this and indeed the local Talib group came to our aid and scared off the assailants," he said, adding his organisation was unaware who the attackers were.

The Taliban said they were not to blame.

"We condemn attacks on the defenseless & view it as brutality," spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said on Twitter.

"We have normal relations with NGOs, our Mujahideen will never carry out such brutal acts."

Violence has surged across the country since May 1 when the US military began its final troop withdrawal amid a deadlock in peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban.

In several districts where fighting has been intense in recent months, the insurgents have planted roadside bombs and mines to target government forces, but the explosives often kill and wound civilians.

Afghanistan was already one of the most heavily mined countries in the world, a legacy of decades of conflict.

The HALO Trust was founded in 1988 specifically to tackle ordnance left following the nearly 10-year Soviet occupation, and became a favourite cause of Britain's Princess Diana.

The organisation's website says it has an Afghan workforce of more than 2,600 and has removed landmines from nearly 80 percent of the country's recorded minefields and battlefields.

The United Nations Resident Humanitarian Coordinator for Afghanistan, Ramiz Alakbarov, condemned what he said was a "heinous attack" on HALO workers.

"It is repugnant that an organisation that works to clear landmines and other explosives and better the lives of vulnerable people could be targeted," he said in a statement.

On Wednesday, the Taliban claimed it had shot down an Afghan military helicopter in the province of Wardak near Kabul, but the defence ministry said the aircraft had crashed due to "technical reasons".

Three crew members were killed in the incident, the ministry said.

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The Halo Trust workers were shot "in cold blood"

Masked gunmen have shot dead 10 mine clearers working for the Halo Trust in Afghanistan's northern province of Baghlan, and wounded more than a dozen.

The workers were killed when gunmen burst into their compound at 21:50 (17:20 GMT) on Tuesday, after they had spent a day removing mines from a nearby field.

The Islamic State group (IS) said it had carried out the attack.

Afghan officials had blamed the Taliban, who denied involvement.

Halo Trust CEO James Cowan told the BBC that the local Taliban had, on the contrary, helped in the aftermath.

IS made the claim in a statement via its channels on the messaging app Telegram.

Violence has surged in Afghanistan since the US began to withdraw its last troops on 1 May.

The departure of international troops comes amid a deadlock in peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban.

Mr Cowan of the Halo Trust told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that the attackers had gone "bed to bed" shooting the workers "in cold blood" - but that the local Taliban had helped the deminers.

"I think it's important to know that the Taliban have denied responsibility for this, and indeed the local Taliban group came to our aid and scared the assailants off," he said.

"I think we have the capacity as the Halo Trust to operate on both sides of the line in this awful conflict," he added.

Mr Cowan later told the BBC Afghan service that the attackers had specifically targeted members of the Hazara ethnic minority group.

Hazaras, Afghanistan's third-largest ethnic group, have faced long-term discrimination and persecution, primarily because of their Shia Muslim faith. In recent years, they have faced abductions and killings at the hands of IS and the Taliban, which are both Sunni Muslim.

"A group of armed men came to our camp and sought out members of the Hazara community, and then murdered them," Mr Cowan said. "This was not expected. The broader security situation [in Afghanistan] is understood, but this kind of cold-blooded killing was not expected."

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After an interior ministry spokesman told reporters that the Taliban had carried out the attack, the militant group's spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, tweeted that it condemned attacks on the defenceless.

"We have normal relations with NGOs [non-governmental organisations]. Our Mujahideen will never carry out such brutal attacks," he said.

Several districts in Baghlan province have seen fierce fighting between the Taliban and government forces.

Map

Motive for attack clear

Analysis by Inayatulhaq Yasini, BBC Kabul bureau editor

Halo Trust and other demining organisations have been working in Afghanistan for more than three decades, freely moving even near frontlines, a fact I have seen for myself.

Halo Trust has 3,000 staff in Afghanistan. Warring factions have been helpful to deminers in the past - however it has been rare for the Taliban or other groups to come forward to help victims of an attack. Halo Trust mostly hires local people, which also creates jobs for local communities.

The organisation's CEO, James Cowan, told the BBC the attackers had "fled to an area which is not controlled by the Taliban". The province of Baghlan where the attack happened has been the scene of fighting between the government and the Taliban for weeks. Anyone can exploit a situation where different local militias and warlords are also active in the province.

The aim of the attack is clear: to incite ethnic tension among Afghans, where 40 years of war has already widely affected unity in the country.

In a clip police in Baghlan shared with reporters, a survivor of the attack also said the gunmen had asked if any of them were from the Hazara minority community before opening fire.

"Five to six armed men came, they took us to a room," he said. "First they took all our money and mobile phones, and then they asked who our leader was. They asked, 'Is any Hazara here among you?' We told them, 'We don't have any Hazara here.'"

He added that he had been shot in the head, but managed to escape through a window.

The UK-based Halo Trust was founded in 1988 to remove ordnance left behind from the almost decade-long Soviet occupation of Afghanistan.

It was supported by Princess Diana, as well as by her son Prince Harry.
Jun. 9Rental car shortages and other transportation woes have become such a problem for Hawaii's recovering visitor industry that the Hawaii Tourism Authority is supporting the development of shuttles in Kauai and Maui, and has put together a list of alternate ground transportation options for visitors.

Hawaii Tourism Authority said today that it has created a list of alternative ground transportation for visitors, who are still experiencing rental car shortages. Travelers can find the.

HTA also said today that it is supporting Kauai County's development of a pilot shuttle program between Lihue Airport and resort areas, which is anticipated to start next month.The agency said it also will support development of a pilot shuttle program for Maui.

HTA spokeswoman Marisa Yamane said HTA is providing $100, 000 to Kauai's shuttle effort, and is still determining the financial support for Maui's shuttle effort.

HTA said both of the initiatives came out of their Destination Management Action Plan (DMAP ) programs, which were aimed at allowing communities to have a voice in the type of visitor industry and tourism experiences that they have in their neighborhoods. HTA said the DMAP process, which came out of HTA's 2020 to 2025 strategic plan, "focuses on key actions that the community, visitor industry and other sectors deem necessary over a three-year period."

recommended that tourism decision makers, "Continuously examine the movement of visitors around the island, including popular visitor attractions and beach destinations, and encourage the development of public-private shuttle systems from the airport and in major Visitor Destination Areas (VDAs )."

included a section on developing and promoting initiatives to improve the experience of transportation and ground travel.

Today's steps are a continuation of the unprecedented step HTA President and CEO John De Fries took on May 27 when he issued a message advising would-be Hawaii travelers to book their rental cars before making other reservations.

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"Many vehicles are already reserved at most major rental companies through August, with the daily rental fee for available vehicles often being significantly higher than usual. We have heard reports that some vehicles are being rented for as much as $700 per day, " De Fries said in the travel advisory.

De Fries said the car rental shortage is not limited to the Hawaiian Islands, and is also happening at major vacation destinations nationwide.

But he added that, "Hawaii's rental car fleet decreased by more than 40 % during the pandemic, which is understandable as travel to the islands effectively grinded to a halt for an entire year."

De Fries said HTA does not "condone visitors renting moving trucks and vans for leisure purposes."
Some staff protested the rule of the Houston hospital (AP)

A hospital in Texas has suspended 178 workers who have refused to get their vaccine to stop the spread of the Covid-19 virus.

The Houston Methodist Hospital had announced that all their staff needed to be fully vaccinated against coronavirus to continue working there, a request that 24,937 employees complied with. A further 285 employees were exempt on religious or medical reasons and 332 were granted deferrals, for things like pregnancy.

The 178 people whop refused to get the vaccine on grounds not covered above have been removed from their medical care duties and will not be paid for two weeks. If they do not get their jabs before 21 June, those people will face employment termination.

It is believed that 27 of those suspended have had one dose of a vaccine and are potentially having their second jab soon.

According to The Washington Post, the hospitals CEO penned a memo to the entire staff of the hospital about their decision to suspend the workers, despite their attempts to protest the mandate with placards such as No Forced Vaccines and Stop Medical Tyranny.

CEO Marc Boom first expressed gratitude to the those who choose to get vaccinated and highlighted it was route of the pandemic in a letter to staff.

I want to personally thank you for choosing to get vaccinated. You did the right thing. You protected our patients, your colleagues, your families, and our community. The science proves that the vaccines are not only safe, but necessary if we are going to turn the corner against Covid-19, wrote Mr Boom.

You have fulfilled your sacred obligation as health care workers, and we couldnt ask for more dedicated, caring and talented employees.

The request for workers to be fully vaccinated was first made in March and sparked outrage from conservatives, ranging from media discussion to legal threats. Currently, there is no federal mandate for people to be vaccinated, however the CDC states for some healthcare workers or essential employees, state or local government or employer, for example, may require or mandate that workers be vaccinated as a matter of state or other law.

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Opponents of the hospitals policy, such as Houston Methodist Hospital nurse Jennifer Bridges, argue that the vaccine has not been fully approved by the Food and Drug Association, a step that typically takes two years. She and 116 colleagues have filed a lawsuit, which began in the state court and has transferred to a federal one.

No one should be forced to put something in their body if theyre not comfortable with it, she told The Texan. Ms Bridges does not describe herself as anti-vaccination, something she told The Post in May.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which enforces employment equality law, said employers could insist staff be vaccinated, last week. Despite this, Ms Bridges outlined her commitment to the legal battle, which cites the Nuremberg Code and claims those people forced to be vaccinated are being treated as human guinea pigs.

We will fight this all the way to the Supreme Court, she said to The Texan. This is wrongful termination and a violation of our rights.

On Monday, Governor Greg Abbot signed a bill into law that disallows businesses to need customers to have a vaccine passport, which Jared Woodfill, the lawyer fighting the case on behalf of the 117 believes will have huge implications for these cases in the district courts said to The Texan.

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Pavon Davis cowered behind a fallen pine tree, his heart racing. The sharp teeth of a trained police dog drew nearer.

Davis, 18, and his friends had jumped a fence and entered Flanagan High School to play manhunt. Now a helicopter hovered overhead, guiding Pembroke Pines Police Officer Mark Farah and K-9 Rory to Davis hiding spot.

The dog bit without warning, body camera footage shows. As the Belgian Malinois tore into Davis leg, Officer Farah yelled Get on the ground! to Davis  who was already lying on his back, his hands raised in surrender. Im down! the teen repeatedly shouted.

Like most people bitten by police dogs in Broward County, Davis was unarmed, accused of a nonviolent crime, and Black.

The South Florida Sun Sentinel examined 17 months of K-9 bites at Browards largest police agencies and found that 84 percent of people bitten were Black. Though racial disparities in criminal justice are common, the high percentage of Black people bitten by police dogs in Broward stands out. It eclipses the percentage of Black residents in the local population, and far exceeds the percentage of Black arrestees here.

Black children are commonly bitten. The Sun Sentinel found that nearly one in five people bitten were 17 or younger, despite policies that discourage police officers from unleashing K-9s on children. In Hollywood, that statistic was especially striking: almost half the people bitten were juveniles.

Inequalities in policing face renewed scrutiny following the videotaped murder of George Floyd beneath the knee of a Minneapolis police officer. And police departments in Salt Lake City, New Orleans and elsewhere in the country are retiring their dogs or training them to find and bark instead of bite.

But in Broward, law enforcement leaders defend their K-9 practices and point to complex societal factors to explain the overrepresentation of Black people in their K-9 bite files. Advocates say those factors are precisely why police should stop unleashing K-9s on people  most often people of color  suspected of nonviolent property crimes.

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The problem is compounded by a lack of transparency. Three of the six agencies examined by the Sun Sentinel  Fort Lauderdale, Miramar, and Pembroke Pines  dont track their K-9 use by race. Not all K-9 officers in Broward wear body cameras, and some of those who do have turned them off or forgotten to activate them without consequence. That happened three times with Fort Lauderdale police officers, the Sun Sentinel found.

Police say race plays no role in who gets chased, and the only suspects who get bitten are those who dont obey police orders.

We dont have control of who runs, who doesnt run, said Sgt. Jeff Heinrich, leader of the K-9 unit at the Coral Springs Police Department.

Of the 60 K-9 cops at the agencies reviewed, only one was Black.

Davis, who works cutting hair and selling T-shirts, had no criminal record at the time of his dog bite. He was left with $1,000 in medical bills from the stitches. Charges of trespassing and resisting police without violence were dropped when he completed a diversionary program and paid $2,000 in fines and fees.

Pembroke Pines police said they warned Davis to surrender multiple times. Six of his friends heeded those warnings and were not bitten that night. Police said all of the young men wore hoodies and facemasks, so officers had no idea of anyones race. The bite was the agencys only bite in 2019.

Davis said the decision to run from the police was instinctive: We instantly ran.

I dont think they should have used dogs, said Davis, now 19. Yeah, we were trespassing, but we didnt come to ... do anything bad.

Nearly two years after the bite, the area below his knee where the teeth sank in is still numb.

Mutual fear and distrust

The Sun Sentinel reviewed K-9 records from the Broward Sheriffs Office and the countys five largest police departments: Coral Springs, Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, Miramar and Pembroke Pines. Reporters examined thousands of pages of police K-9 reports and court documents, hours of body camera footage and scores of bite wound photos.

Each agency noted that it met the industry norms for using police dogs: The number of people bitten was far less than 30 percent of the total cases in which dogs were used.

But the Sun Sentinel found that each agency also displayed a similar pattern of racial disparity, chasing and biting Black people in numbers out of proportion to their share of population or arrests. In 73% of the cases in which dogs hunted suspects, the suspects were Black, fueling the disproportionate bite rate among Black people.

The dogs are indispensable for finding and capturing dangerous criminals. Yet two-thirds of the people bitten were accused of nonviolent crimes. The typical K-9 case: a young Black man driving a stolen car or accused of stealing from a parked one.

Anthony Rattray, 19, was accused of stealing from unlocked cars in a Coral Springs neighborhood. Coral Springs police used a dog and a drone to find him hiding in a trash can. Officer Scott Clark said he shouted a warning and knocked the can over. He said the 19-year-old hesitated to emerge and could have been armed, so he ordered his K-9 to bite. The dog ripped a four-inch chunk out of Rattrays upper arm, hospitalizing him for two days.

In Rattrays pockets, police found a $1 bill, a necklace, a stone ring, and a pack of fake eyelashes. Long before his day in court, Rattray paid a bloody price (warning: graphic image).

Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony said its unfair to blame law enforcement officers who are doing this very risky task. He said serious crimes tend to occur in communities with socio-economic struggles, where people might not have access to proper housing or education. If deputies go where the crime is, and crime is more concentrated in some struggling communities of color, then it stands to reason that deputies would encounter more Black suspects with their K-9s, he said.

What about all the other variables that impact crime patterns and trends? Tony asked. There is a heck of a lot more that has to take place and its not just law enforcement.

Sgt. Emmanuel Koutsofios, who leads BSOs K-9 patrol unit, and Sgt. Paul Cristafaro, leader of Fort Lauderdale Police K-9s, said dogs are the best de-escalator police have because most suspects surrender in fear.

At the same time, some of the people bitten by dogs told the Sun Sentinel that fear of the police is what made them run. And, like their dogs, the police are trained to chase those who run.

But experts say Black suspects have rational reasons to flee, and it shouldnt be chalked up as an admission of guilt.

Running doesnt always denote guilt, said Dr. Andrea Boyles, a sociologist at Tulane University who studies police. That (running) is about distrust and that is about a longstanding history, that is well known in the Black and brown community, of police misconduct.

Many of the people bitten by Broward police dogs have lengthy criminal records, the Sun Sentinel found. Rattray had many encounters with law enforcement, including arrests for robbery, and had learned in his youth that even riding a bicycle improperly wouldnt be overlooked. He got a ticket when he was 14 for riding his bike without lights in Margate, a second citation at 15 for carrying a passenger on his bicycle in Coral Springs, and a third at 15 for jaywalking in Coral Springs.

Theres a certain fear, said Broward Public Defender Gordon Weekes. Im a Black man, and to this day when Im pulled over by law enforcement, I get a little nervous.

That fear can cut both ways, experts said. Trailing a possibly armed suspect through unfamiliar, dark terrain is a dangerous, scary job. And if that suspect is Black, a subconscious fear could be at play, said Dr. Jason Williams, a sociologist who studies police violence.

As an institution, police are far way more likely to fear - unfortunately - Black individuals compared to white individuals, so releasing [a dog] against the Blacks may come from that place, said Williams, an assistant professor of Justice Studies at Montclair State University in New Jersey.

Weekes said their use in modern day law enforcement cannot be separated from an ugly past, when dogs were used in America to hunt slaves or repress civil rights activists in defense of segregation.

To serve and protect  cars?

The nature of the crimes most often pursued by K-9 teams could bake in a bias against Black people.

Among the bite cases reviewed by the Sun Sentinel, the most common crime was stealing cars, or stealing from them. That could partly explain why so many bitten are Black.

In 2019, three-fourths of the people arrested for stealing cars or stealing from cars were Black, according to a Sun Sentinel analysis of Florida Department of Law Enforcement crime statistics for the six agencies.

BSO Deputy Tim Roberts, who helps train K-9 officers, said people who steal cars are more dangerous than one might think. They dont need a car to go to Bible study, he said.

He called auto theft a gateway crime, with thieves using stolen cars for burglaries and drive-by shootings.

Sgt. Cristafaro said car burglars and thieves can be serious criminals who menace the community, including its Black residents.

The agencies did use K-9s on dangerous criminals. There are alleged murderers, home invaders, carjackers and domestic batterers who meet with dog bites.

One was Sedric Thomas, 42, wanted for breaking into a elderly couples home in Fort Lauderdale, knocking the 77 year old woman to the ground, tying up the couple with duct tape and holding them at gunpoint for two hours.

Police spotted him driving a stolen car in Fort Lauderdale and went after him. Cristafaro said only the biting dog could prevent Thomas from escaping to run through the neighborhood and into someone elses home.

Ill stand by it til the day I die, Cristafaro said of the dog bite

But in the Broward dog bite records, the Sun Sentinel found far more non-violent cases - cases like that of Jamil Jasmin, accused of stealing a bicycle.

In their reports, K-9 officers make little distinction among suspected felonies, treating someone who steals a bike from a porch the same as an armed carjacker who pistol whips the vehicle owners, labelling them unsearched, fleeing felons who can be attacked by dogs.

Jasmin, 26, was bit deeply in the armpit by a Fort Lauderdale police dog named Greif after he ran from officers who said he stole a locked Trek bicycle from a carport.

Officer Robert Morris said Jasmin ran from police through a Northwest Fort Lauderdale neighborhood, then took cover in an overgrown lot. Morris said it wouldnt be safe for him to follow Jasmin there, because of its rocks, low hanging branches and potentially dangerous plants including Spanish bayonets or other sharp, ridged plants of the Yucca genus.

Morris and Greif eventually cornered Jasmin near a fence. He said Jasmin swung a branch and hit him in the arm, a claim Jasmin denies. Police K-9s are trained to defend their handlers, but only to bite when ordered to do so. Morris ordered Greif to attack.

There is no footage of the actual bite. As the body camera rolled afterward, Jasmin moaned in pain as blood trickled from his armpit.

I cant breathe. I cant breathe, he complained. My arm, my arm. I cant breathe. I need some water.

Jasmin said he spent a week in the hospital, undergoing two surgeries. His arm and hand still feel numb at times, and tingle. He has bad dreams.

It was a big, bad dog. I have dreams, pictures of it in my head sometimes, he said.

All bites are good bites

Most police policies say dogs should only be used on felony suspects, and steer cops away from using K-9s to bite juveniles and mentally ill people except in the most violent felonies.

But on the streets of Broward County, police dogs are biting young and mentally ill people, and supervisors always say its fine, records show.

K-9 supervisors and internal affairs investigators said they found no issues with any of the 94 bites during the 17-month period reviewed by the Sun Sentinel, whether the dog bit a juvenile, a person who didnt commit a crime, or someone who claimed they had their hands up in surrender.

Hollywoods policy prohibits the use of K-9s to apprehend known juveniles wanted for anything other than violent felonies. Yet nine of the 21 people bitten by Hollywood dogs were minors, one as young as 14. All were suspected of riding in or operating stolen vehicles, or breaking into and stealing from unoccupied cars or businesses, crimes which are not violent felonies. None were armed. The 14-year-old was accused of jumping a fence at a car lot and messing with the security cameras.

In December 2019, Hollywood K-9 officer Jeremy Ownbey commanded his dog Pito to bite a young suspected car burglar who ran from a traffic stop on foot. The boy, whose name and age are withheld in reports, was hiding in a wooden box with both hands married together underneath both straps of his multicolored book bag, the police report says. Because the child refused to come out of the box, and because Ownbey could not see the boys hands, he commanded Pito to bite, his report says. There is no video of the incident because Hollywood Police dont use body cameras.

Hollywood Police Spokeswoman Deanna Bettineschi said the policy refers to known juveniles, and police often dont know the age of the person.

There are instances when suspects conceal themselves and an age is not known until after they are in custody, she said.

A mentally ill offender was quickly attacked by a BSO police dog as he walked down a Pompano Beach street one afternoon.

Kenneth Bernard Johnson, 31, had been diagnosed with mental illnesses, and had been found mentally incompetent to stand trial, according to court records. But when his mother accused him of stealing her friends car keys, deputies found he had active warrants for theft, and deemed him an unsearched, fleeing felon who was fair game for a biting dog to hunt.

Body camera video shows police hollering: Get on the ground, get on the ground, youre going to get bit! immediately after they encounter Johnson walking along the street.

What did I do? I didnt do nothing! Johnson responded. He kept walking, his empty hands visible.

Sic em, buddy! the officer ordered K-9 Roscoe.

In November 2019, a judge found Johnson incompetent to stand trial on the charges.

In one out of five dog bites, the charges that justified the use of the K-9 were downgraded to misdemeanors or dropped entirely by the Broward State Attorneys Office, the newspaper found. In one out of 10 cases, the person bitten wasnt charged with any crime other than resisting the officer or dog.

One BSO detective who spoke up about what he thought was a bad bite said he was demoted.

BSO detective Jeffrey Kogan in 2013 mentioned to a Broward prosecutor that hed seen Fort Lauderdale Officer Robert Morris unnecessarily sic his dog Greif on a Black man, Walter Lil Walt Hart.

His allegation was recounted in a Broward State Attorneys Office memo: You know, he told an assistant state attorney, they let the dog loose after we had him in custody.

Prosecutors investigated and cleared Morris; they questioned Kogans testimony and whether he saw what he claimed he saw.

Kogan claimed BSO punished him for his disclosure by transferring him to road patrol in Pompano Beach. Kogan sued BSO for retaliating and the agency settled for $390,000.

Going off air to discuss tactics

K-9 Officer Morris, his dog Greif, and Officer Corey Salah found accused robber and car thief Joshua Maurice Gipson hiding in the bed of a pickup truck. Morris wasnt wearing a body cam. Salah turned his camera off before officers and the dog closed in on Gipson.

Going off air to discuss tactics, he advised.

The two other nearest officers didnt have body cameras. Only the camera of Officer Kenneth Giles stayed on, and he was behind a fence, far from the action. His camera recorded the faint sound of a dog barking, men shouting, a helicopter circling overhead - and no visuals of the capture of Gipson. The written reports say Gipson fought the dog; it grasped his thigh, and Gipson leapt headfirst out of the truck bed, with the dog still attached to his leg.

Once the bite was over, nine minutes after he had turned his camera off, Salah began recording again.

Sir! Im bleeding bad, Gipson can be heard telling officers. Im going to die. Sir! ... Please, sir!

In an age where police increasingly wear body cameras, Broward police agencies said there was no footage for most of the bites in the year and a half reviewed by the Sun Sentinel.

Hollywood does not use them. In Coral Springs, Pembroke Pines, Miramar and Fort Lauderdale, relatively few officers had cameras because the programs had just begun. Even now, there are more officers recording, but not every K-9 cop wears a camera.

BSO K-9 deputies all wear cameras, but the agency was slow to release footage requested by the Sun Sentinel. In one case, the agency cited a privacy exemption because police chased a suspect into someones fenced-in backyard in the dark.

The Sun Sentinel found three additional cases in which Fort Lauderdale police officers turned the body camera off  or forgot to turn it on  just before the bite. They explained:

Unbeknownst to me, the switch was inadvertently switched to the off position, Officer Craig Sheehan wrote in a July 2019 report.

Officer Eduardo Requejo said he didnt turn on his camera due to how fast the capture occurred in a March 2019 arrest.

Officer Morris said that due to the quick pace of unfolding arrest, I forgot to activate the camera in a September 2019 bite and arrest.

Their supervisor, Cristafaro, said the camera program was in its early stages at the time, and there was a learning curve. The agency set new policies, he said, and is better at capturing footage of all arrests now.

Call off the dogs

With a national reckoning over police power now well under way, some agencies are rethinking the use of dogs.

The state of Massachusetts last December limited the use of police dogs: officers need to attempt to defuse the situation first, and the use of the dog needs to be proportionate to the threat presented by the individual. Additionally, all uses of the dog must be reported to a statewide commission.

Florida has no such standards or statewide commission, though it does require officers to have more than 480 hours of training with the dog before certifying them.

In 2020, the attorney general of California, Xavier Becerra, now the secretary of U.S. Health and Human Services, called for an end to K-9 bites and a shift to find and bark or circle and bark techniques.

The Salt Lake City Police Department suspended its K-9 program in late 2020 after the Salt Lake Tribune published a video of one officer ordering his K-9 to bite a Black man who was on his knees and had his hands in the air.

The video triggered an audit by the department which found a pattern of abuse, according to the Salt Lake Tribune. After the review, the department decided to refer 18 of the 27 dog bites made during the past two years - 66% - to the Salt Lake County District Attorneys office for possible criminal prosecution of the officers who ordered them.

New Orleans suspended its K-9 unit in 2011 after the U.S. Justice Department found the dogs bit too many suspects, including those who surrendered. The unit was under federal supervision for years.

New Orleans K-9s now are rarely deployed to catch a criminal, and rarely are sent to bite anyone. The department no longer allows them to bite people suspected of property crimes, and doesnt unleash them for hiding or fleeing suspects unless the suspect tries to attack the officer.

Currently, the strongest check against abuses of force involving K-9s may be the federal courts. Thats where Carlos Robinson, 31, is litigating his 2016 Fort Lauderdale mauling.

I understand that right is right, and wrong is wrong, but that was definitely wrong, he said of the dog bites that tore open his shoulder and neck.

Robinson was arrested late at night in a Walmart parking lot in Fort Lauderdale in 2016. There is no body camera footage. Robinson had stolen a Mercedes from a dealership and then ditched it after a high speed chase. He was hiding in bushes when he saw Fort Lauderdale Officer Eduardo Requejo searching for him with his dog Bero.

I was scared, Robinson said, so I came out hands up. I was on my knees. But then Robinson says Requejo uttered a word he could not understand. And when he said that, I saw this dog transformed, like, he went crazy, Robinson remembered.

Thats when the dog attacked.

Two days after bonding out of jail, Robinson said he went to the Fort Lauderdale Police Department to complain.

I felt like I was trying to tell somebodys friends about their friends wrongdoing, Robinson told the Sun Sentinel.

Internal Affairs found that Requejo did nothing wrong.

Robinson eventually pleaded guilty to charges stemming from the theft of the car. Now hes suing the Fort Lauderdale for using excessive force during his arrest.

The city has attempted to have his lawsuit dismissed, arguing that Robinson was actively resisting.

Since 2005, Fort Lauderdale has been sued seven times for using excessive force with its K-9s. The city has made five payouts totaling more than $110,000 to victims. All six agencies together have paid $1.1 million since 2005 settling claims resulting from their dog bites, according to a Sun Sentinel analysis.

I know what happened to me was wrong, Robinson said. I wouldnt want that happening to anybody.

The initial version of this story was updated to reflect additional details in the Pavon Davis case.

Staff writer Marc Freeman contributed to this report.

Brittany Wallman can be reached at bwallman@sunsentinel.com or 954-356-4541. Find her on Twitter @BrittanyWallman or send anonymous tips from BrittanyWallman.com.

Mario Ariza is an investigative reporter. You can reach him at marioariza1@protonmail.com and follow him on Twitter @inaminorkey
BAGHDAD (Reuters) -Iraq has released an Iran-aligned militia commander arrested in May on terrorism-related charges after authorities found insufficient evidence against him, in the latest blow to government attempts to rein in armed groups.

Security forces arrested Qasim Muslih, who operates mostly in Iraq's western Anbar province and is from the southern holy city of Kerbala, on May 26. His arrest and subsequent release show how the Iraqi government is struggling to deal with militias ideologically aligned with Iran which are accused of rocket fire against U.S. forces and of involvement in killing peaceful pro-democracy activists.

Hours after Muslih's release, two separate rocket attacks hit near U.S. forces and contractors at the Baghdad International Airport compound and an air base north of the Iraqi capital. There was no claim for the attacks.

Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi has placed himself publicly in opposition to Iran-backed militias and parties but has fallen short on pledges to curb anti-U.S. attacks and hold killers of protesters to account.

Muslih's arrest was seen as the latest major attempt to rein in their power. His release without prosecution is a blow to those efforts and one of a number of unsuccessful attempts to crack down on armed groups.

The military had said the charges against him were terrorism-related but did not give details.

Security officials told Reuters at the time of the arrest that it was linked to attacks on U.S. forces stationed in Iraq. Some media and analysts said it was because of Muslih's alleged involvement in killing activists.

Kadhimi's two most high-profile moves against Iran-backed factions - the arrest of Muslih in May and the detention in June 2020 of fighters allegedly involved in rocket fire against U.S. targets - have each resulted in no prosecutions and all those arrested being released.

On both occasions, heavily armed militiamen have stormed Baghdad's fortified Green Zone, where foreign embassies and government buildings are located, threatening the prime minister.

Story continues

Muslih commands the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) in Anbar province and leads his own faction within the organization.

The PMF is Iraq's state paramilitary grouping that includes mostly Shi'ite Muslim factions and is dominated by Iran-backed groups. Muslih is seen by Western and some Iraqi officials as being aligned with Iran.

(Reporting by John Davison and Baghdad newsroom; Editing by Catherine Evans/Nick Macfie and Grant McCool)
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel's president appealed to Prince Charles on Wednesday to help bring to Israel a 2-year-old Israeli girl with a serious brain injury, after the High Court in London ruled that her life-sustaining care in a British hospital be withdrawn.

The family of Alta Fixsler say their Ultra-Orthodox Jewish faith means they cannot agree with any course of action that would bring her death any closer. They have sought to appeal the May 28 ruling.

In its decision, the court found that no action could improve Alta's condition and that the transfer procedure itself could cause her suffering.

In a letter on Wednesday, Israeli President Reuvin Rivlin urged Charles, the heir to the British throne, to help to fulfill Alta's parents' request to bring her to Israel.

"Their religious beliefs directly oppose ceasing medical treatment that could extend her life and have made arrangements for her safe transfer and continued treatment in Israel," Rivlin wrote.

"It would be a tragedy if these parents' wishes could not be accommodated in a way that respects both the law and their religious beliefs."

A spokesperson for the prince said, "We don't comment on private correspondence."

Israel's health minister appealed to Britain's government last week on the family's behalf to say that Israel wished to take her in for treatment.

Alta's father, Avraham Fixsler, said he had Israeli doctors who were willing to come to Manchester, where she is in hospital, and give the family their options for treating her.

"We believe she is not suffering and we want to have the right to keep her," he said.

(Reporting by Rami Ayyub; Editing by Jeffrey Heller, Giles Elgood, Alexandra Hudson)
Israeli airstrikes launched into Syria late Tuesday have killed at least 11 government fighters and allies, reports say.

The missiles targeted Syrian Air Force positions on the outskirts of Homs and an arms depot belonging to the Lebanese Hezbollah terrorist group, The Times of Israel reported, citing the U.K.-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

"At least seven army soldiers and four National Defence Forces militiamen were killed," the groups director, Rami Abdul Rahman, was quoted as saying.

ISRAELI AMBASSADOR: HAMAS WAS USING ASSOCIATED PRESS BUILDING TO JAM IRON DOME TECHNOLOGY

A military source that spoke to the Syrian state-run SANA news agency claimed Syrian air defense systems shot down some of the Israeli missiles, which had been fired from the direction of Lebanon after 11:30 p.m. Tuesday.

"Our air defense array confronted the aggressions missiles and shot down some of them, and there were material losses only," the source said, according to The Times of Israel.

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The newspaper said the Israeli military told the AFP it would not comment on "information coming from abroad."

Israels Defense Forces have carried out hundreds of airstrikes in Syria since the civil war began in 2011 in order to deter Iran from establishing a permanent military presence there and funneling weapons to terrorist groups, The Times of Israel also reported.
The Israeli foreign ministry effectively boycotted Sven Koopmans, the new EU envoy for the Middle East peace process, during his first visit to Jerusalem last week, Israeli officials tell Axios.

Why it matters: Israeli officials said the boycott was to protest against EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrells handling of the recent Gaza fighting. They claim Borrell didn't condemn Hamas' attacks strongly enough or give sufficient support to Israels right to defend itself.

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Driving the news: Two weeks ago, Koopmans told the Israeli government he wanted to come to Jerusalem for meetings.

The Israel Foreign Ministry told Koopmans the timing for the visit wasnt good and he should postpone.

When Koopmans came anyway, all his requests for meetings with representatives of the Israeli government were denied except for one meeting with a Ministry of Defense official, Israeli officials say.

What they're saying: EU diplomats rejected the Israeli criticism and told me: Koopmans, who has been mandated by the 27 EU foreign ministers as their collective envoy to travel to the region, looks forward to engaging further with Israeli authorities."

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TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan plans to finish vaccinating all citizens who have applied for shots by October-November, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said during a debate between party leaders on Wednesday.

Less than 50 days before the scheduled start of the Tokyo Olympics, Japan has vaccinated about 11% of its ppopulation with at least one dose, a slow rollout compared with other advanced economies.

(Reporting by Antoni Slodkowski; Editing by Andrew Heavens)
As health care workers, it is our responsibility to do all we can to protect our patients and colleagues, and that includes getting the COVID-19 vaccine, which our research scientist colleagues at the University of Maryland School of Medicine were instrumental in helping develop and test during clinical trials, said Dr. Michelle Gourdine, the systems interim chief medical officer. We have seen firsthand the benefits of vaccination and we believe it is important for trusted organizations like ours who serve as anchor institutions within our communities to set a clear example.
TOKYO (AP)  Japan and Australia on Wednesday shared concern about Chinas increasingly assertive actions in regional seas and expressed strong objections to coercive or destabilizing behavior.

Foreign and defense ministers from the two countries agreed in the online talks to strengthen their security ties as China presses its claims to contested areas in the Asia-Pacific region.

Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi told reporters after the talks that the officials shared their concerns about China's activity in the East and South China Seas as a challenge to the international community. Motegi was joined by Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi and their Australian counterparts, Marise Payne and Peter Dutton.

Japan regularly protests to China over its coast guard presence near the Japanese-controlled Senkaku islands, which China also claims and calls Diaoyu. Chinese vessels routinely violate Japanese territorial waters around the islands, sometimes threatening fishing boats, Japanese officials say.

Japan and China are also in dispute over the development of undersea resources in the area.

We reinforce our strong opposition to any destabilizing or coercive unilateral actions that could alter the status quo and increase tension in the East China Sea," Japan and Australia said in a joint statement released after the talks. The behavior undermines the rules-based international order," they said.

In the South China Sea, China's sweeping territorial claims have clashed with those of its neighbors, which accuse Beijing of militarizing one of the world's busiest sea lanes.

The joint statement expressed serious concerns about the recent negative developments and serious incidents in the South China Sea, including continuing militarization of disputed features, dangerous use of coast guard vessels and maritime militia,' and efforts to disrupt other countries' resources exploitation activities.

Story continues

We reaffirmed our strong opposition to any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by China, Motegi said. He also added that the four ministers shared grave concern over Chinas human rights abuses in Hong Kong and the western Xinjiang region, where Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities live.

The statement called on China "to grant urgent, meaningful and unfettered access to Xinjiang for independent international observers including the U.N. high commissioner for human rights.

The meeting also reaffirmed the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, where China has recently stepped up a campaign of pressure on the self-ruled island.

China responded that it is determined to defend its sovereignty, security and development interests.

China has indisputable sovereignty over the South China Sea islands and their nearby waters, and over the Diaoyu Island and its affiliated islets, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin told a daily briefing in Beijing.

Issues related to Xinjiang and Hong Kong are Chinas internal affairs that no foreign country should intervene. China firmly rejects Japan and Australias efforts to smear China and interfere in Chinas internal affairs, Wang said.

Japan and Australia are in the final stages of a defense cooperation deal that will allow the Japanese Self-Defense Force to protect Australian military assets, which will be only the second for Japan outside of its alliance with the United States.
British American comedian John Oliver recently educated audiences about Asian Americans, explaining why the racial group is not a monolith and why the model minority label is inherently problematic.



The discussion, which also tackled significant points in Asian American history, made for Sundays episode of Last Week Tonight, Olivers half-hour series on HBO.



A complicated identity: Oliver kicked off the segment dissecting Asian American as a terminology -- when it works and when it doesnt for the community.



Oliver pointed out that Asian American encompasses a ridiculously large and diverse group of people from at least 20 countries. A single categorization may overlook the unique experiences and needs of individual ethnic groups.

Asian American came to consciousness in the late 1960s as Asian American student activists -- alongside African American, Hispanic American and Native American peers -- demanded an ethnic studies curriculum. Sadly, the term as a shorthand has since been used in ways that are far too reductive and superficial, Oliver said, citing an old government PSA in which three Asian American children argued their American-ness.

Oliver also cited statistics that paint Asian Americans as a successful entity, but obscure the realities faced by its subgroups. For instance, 10% of Asian Americans are reported to be living in poverty -- lower than the national average of 13% -- but disaggregating the data shows Mongolian Americans recording poverty rates of 25%.

The segment went on to highlight significant points in Asian American history: periods of immigration that resulted in common experiences for various ethnic groups. Prior to the first half of the 20th century, Asian immigration was essentially a cycle of economic exploitation, followed by a violent and restrictive backlash, Oliver said.

It was after 1965 when attitudes shifted as highly-skilled Asian professionals entered the U.S. through the Immigration Act. This, however, became a double-edged sword as it also perpetrated, in part, the model minority stereotype, which Oliver later described as a tool of white supremacy.



The model minority: Aside from immigrant credentials that seem to conform to the stereotype, some Asian Americans strategically typecasted themselves in a bid to enhance their demands for racial equality, Oliver said, by promoting their communities as upstanding and hardworking.



Story continues

The model minority stereotype, which many Asian Americans now refer to as a myth, became particularly useful for white supremacists during the Civil Rights Era. At the time, the success of Asian Americans was used to discredit the systemic racism long faced by African Americans, essentially pitting the minority groups against each other.

Oliver said the trend continues to date, showing interview statements of Rep. Tom McClintock (R-CA), podcaster Joe Rogan and political consultant Dick Morris who all regarded Asian Americans as successful and hardworking. Morris even described the group as probably the most admirable ethnic group we have.

The myth implies that groups who have not succeeded simply have not tried enough, Oliver said. The truth is, whether or not youre successful, living a life defined by a racist fantasy just isnt good for you, he added.

Oliver argued that the myth is especially calling for those who came to the U.S. as refugees, whose lived experience doesnt remotely match the stereotype. Living up to insane expectations and being constantly told to quietly accept discrimination can also jeopardize mental health.

There is no nice racism. There is no silver lining to it and there is no working your way out of it. You are still perpetually treated as a foreigner, still asked where youre really from and Asian Americans always seem to be just one geopolitical crisis away from becoming the target of violence yet again, Oliver said. He slammed the model minority myth as both a tool of white supremacy and a trap.



Oliver concluded the segment calling for smarter, more nuanced conversations around Asian Americans. This, he said, will only be possible with access to high-quality, disaggregated data, which will eventually shape policies that serve the actual needs of the community.



Watch the full segment below:





Featured Image Screenshot via HBO

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A new government report has chipped away at the long-held narrative that then-President Donald Trump ordered federal police to clear protesters from Lafayette Park last summer so he could walk to a D.C. church for a photo-op with a Bible.

The report, released Wednesday by the Interior Department's inspector general, said U.S. Park Police did not clear the park and nearby area of protesters on June 1, 2020, for Trump. Instead, the Park Police learned of Trump's interest in the site several hours after they had already started plans to clear the area to put up new fencing.

"The evidence we obtained did not support a finding that the USPP cleared the park to allow the president to survey the damage and walk to St. John's Church," the report said.

The Park Police learned of Trump's plans hours after the contractor had arrived to begin the installation.

NATIONAL GUARD OFFICER DISPUTES TRUMP ADMINISTRATION'S CLAIMS ABOUT CLEARING OF LAFAYETTE PARK PROTESTERS

The watchdog report also concluded that Park Police officers acted within their authority to begin clearing Lafayette Square before the city's then-7 p.m. curfew.

Thank you to the Department of the Interior Inspector General for Completely and Totally exonerating me in the clearing of Lafayette Park! Trump said in a statement.

As we have said all along, and it was backed up in todays highly detailed and professionally written report, our fine Park Police made the decision to clear the park to allow a contractor to safely install antiscale fencing to protect from Antifa rioters, radical BLM protestors, and other violent demonstrators, he added.

Trump was widely condemned for the June 1 incident, during which law enforcement officers used chemical irritants to disperse protesters that had gathered at Lafayette Park, located outside the White House. The crowd of more than 1,000 demonstrators had been protesting the murder of George Floyd, a black Minneapolis man who was killed by a white police officer.

Story continues

After the area was cleared, Trump, members of his family, White House staff, and members of his Cabinet walked across the park to St. John's Church to survey the damage from a fire that had been set a day earlier.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

While Wednesday's report took the blame off Trump, it did point the finger at William Barr, finding that the then-attorney general urged officials to speed up the removal process once Trump's walk-through was set.

Last month, lawyers for the Justice Department urged a federal judge to dismiss any lawsuits against Trump, Barr, or other officials stemming from the clearing of demonstrators. They argued that Trump and Barr were protected from civil lawsuits over any police action that was taken to protect the then-sitting president.

Washington Examiner Videos

Tags: News, Donald Trump, Protests, Justice Department, George Floyd, National Park Service, Churches, DC, lawsuit, inspector general

Original Author: Barnini Chakraborty

Original Location: Lafayette Park was not cleared for Trump photo-op, watchdog finds
SEATTLE  Washington states new joints for jabs vaccination incentive program is off to a rough start.

Seeking to get more people to get the coronavirus shots, officials announced this week that the states nearly 500 licensed marijuana retailers could begin hosting vaccine clinics and offering a single, free pre-rolled marijuana cigarette to those who get a shot.

But cannabis retailers say many of them dont have the space to host clinics. And some health care providers are uneasy about setting up a clinic on the site of a marijuana business.

The pot retailers also complain that they have to have an onsite clinic while the state allows breweries and wineries to give away drinks to customers who merely show proof of vaccination  no onsite clinic required.

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MORE ON THE PANDEMIC:

 AP source: US to buy 500M Pfizer vaccines to share globally

 France is back: Borders reopen to American tourists, others

 Haiti fights large COVID-19 spike as it awaits vaccines

 Pandemic shows risk of obesity, challenge of weight loss

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 Follow more of APs pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic and https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-vaccine

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HERES WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:

HONOLULU  A class-action lawsuit has been filed on behalf of inmates in Hawaii, arguing that the state has failed to protect people from coronavirus outbreaks in unsanitary jails and prisons.

The lawsuit says that nearly half of the prisoners held by Hawaii have contracted the virus and that five out of nine facilities have experienced uncontrolled outbreaks of coronavirus cases.

The lawsuit describes poor conditions such as cells not being sanitized or cleaned when virus-positive inmates move out and a new prisoner moves in.

A spokeswoman for the state Department of Public Safety says the agency has been advised not to comment on possible pending legal matters.

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SANTA FE, N.M.  Private child care centers in New Mexico are the latest sites to offer perks to parents lining up to get a coronavirus vaccination.

Story continues

Running through July 4, they are offering free child care to parents with vaccine appointments and to those who are recovering from vaccine side effects.

That is on top of other corporate and state incentives for getting vaccinated, which range from free beer to lottery sweepstakes.

State early childhood officials announced the participation Wednesday of the states largest daycare chains, KinderCare and La Petite Academy, in Albuquerque and Santa Fe. YMCA locations across the state are also offering free child care, including for nonmembers.

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WASHINGTON  Medicare is announcing a significant increase in what it will pay to vaccinate homebound older people against the coronavirus as, part of the Biden administrations last mile effort to get shots in the arms of as many Americans as possible.

Officials said Wednesday the program will pay roughly $35 more per dose when enrollees are vaccinated at home. For a two-shot regimen that means Medicare will pay $150, or about $70 more than currently.

Medicare estimates 1.6 million people 65 and older may have trouble getting to pharmacies or vaccination centers because of obstacles to leaving home. These can include physical impairments as well as neurologic disorders such as Alzheimers disease.

Local health departments in many communities have already launched efforts to locate and vaccinate homebound older people, who remain at risk because visitors may unwittingly bring the virus into their homes.

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LAHAINA, Hawaii  Hawaiis restaurants are having a hard time serving an influx of tourists returning to the islands as pandemic restrictions across the nation ease.

Restaurants in Hawaii are operating at 50% capacity. Gov. David Ige says that limit will not be increased until 60% of Hawaii residents are vaccinated. When that benchmark is met, restaurants will be able to operate at 75% capacity. But capacity increases wont help some restaurants with limited space.

Some restaurants wont be able to serve many more people until social distancing rules are changed.

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TORONTO  Canadas health minister says fully vaccinated Canadian citizens and permanent residents who test negative for the coronavirus will soon be exempt from a two-week quarantine when returning to the country.

Officials expect that to happen in early July.

Air travelers who have received shots at least 14 days before entering Canada will be able to skip a stay in a government-approved quarantine hotel but will still have to stay in isolation until a virus test comes back negative.

Currently, arriving air travelers are required to spend three days in quarantine at a hotel at their expense and then complete their two weeks in self-isolation. They will be required to take a test upon arrival in Canada, and remain in isolation until the test comes back negative.

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WASHINGTON  The U.S. will buy 500 million more doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to share through the COVAX alliance for donation to 92 lower-income countries and the African Union over the next year.

Thats according to a person familiar with the matter.

President Joe Biden is expected to make the announcement Thursday in a speech before the start of Group of Seven summit. According to the person, 200 million doses  enough to fully protect 100 million people  will be shared this year, with the balance to be donated in the first half of 2022.

The person confirmed the announcement on the condition of anonymity. The news was first reported by the Washington Post.

 by Zeke Miller

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SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- A dozen major California business organizations have called on Gov. Gavin Newsom to change recently adopted workplace regulations requiring all workers to wear masks unless everyone in a room is vaccinated.

The California Retailers Association and organizations representing manufacturers, farmers, tourism interests and other industries sent a letter to Newsom asking him to issue an emergency order rescinding the regulations adopted last week.

Those regulations came from the California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board and run counter to Newsoms plan to lift nearly all mask rules for vaccinated people next Tuesday. The board called a special meeting for Wednesday to reconsider the masking rules.

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MOSCOW  The Russian capital has recorded a steep uptick in coronavirus infections this week and authorities say enforcement measures for wearing masks and gloves will increase.

On Wednesday, the national coronavirus task force reported 4,124 new cases in Moscow, a 40% increase from Sundays tally of 2,936. The head of the directorate that oversees control of public services for the city, Yevgeny Danchikov, says enforcement of masks and gloves on public transport, in shopping centers and in other public places will be tightened. Violators could be fined up to 5,000 rubles ($70).

Mayor Sergei Sobyanin says the city plans to open new hospitals for treatment of COVID-19 but didnt give details. Russia has reported 5.1 million confirmed coronavirus infections and 124,895 confirmed deaths.

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PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti  Haiti has perplexed experts with low infection and death rates from COVID-19 despite its rickety public health system, a lack of vaccines and fewer enforced safety measures.

Thats no longer the case. The few Haitian hospitals treating COVID-19 cases report turning away patients. There were 2,271 cases and 62 deaths recorded in the past month. Health experts say those figures miss the true scale of what they consider the largest spike in cases since the coronavirus arrived.

The government declared a health emergency on May 24 and imposed a curfew and safety measures  though few Haitians appear to follow them. Most shun, or cant afford, face masks and its difficult to keep a distance while shopping in bustling marketplaces or riding crowded buses.

A total of 15,700 confirmed cases and more than 330 confirmed deaths have been reported in a nation of more than 11 million.

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LONDON  The U.K. has recorded its highest daily coronavirus cases since late February, suggesting the Delta variant is spreading widely across the country.

Government figures Wednesday showed that the U.K. recorded 7,540 new infections, the biggest daily increase since Feb. 26. Cases have been rising over the past few weeks as a result of the Delta variant first identified in India. The concern is the increase will pressure the health system once again.

Another 123 people entered the hospital with symptoms related to coronavirus, taking the total to 1,024. The number of people dying after testing positive for COVID-19 rose by six to 127,860 confirmed deaths.

Health experts hope the rapid rollout of vaccines will break the link between new cases and deaths. So far, a large proportion of the people infected are within the less vulnerable younger age groups, many of whom have yet to receive a first dose.

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GENEVA  World Trade Organization member nations have agreed to intensify talks toward geared at improving access to COVID-19 products.

Developing nations are pushing for a proposal to ease patents and other intellectual property protections for coronavirus vaccines, but some wealthier countries remain opposed. A panel focusing on intellectual property wrapped up a two-day meeting on Wednesday with an agreement to start a process for pulling together proposals to improve the fight against COVID-19 through the WTOs intricate system of rules.

Intellectual property includes patents on technological know-how regarding vaccines. WTO members plan to start discussions next week in hope of sending a report to the Geneva-based trade bodys ambassadors in July.

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COLOMBO, Sri Lanka  Sri Lanka has requested Japan provide 600,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine in an attempt to complete administering the second dose to citizens.

Sri Lanka is facing a severe shortage of AstraZeneca vaccines as the producer in the neighboring India failed to provide the promised stock due to the crisis in that country.

On Wednesday, the presidents office announced that president Gotabhaya Rajapaksa requested Prime Minister of Japan Yoshiihide Suga provide 600,000 doses of AstraZeneca.

The request has been met with positive responses, according to a statement from the presidents office. Sri Lanka is currently using Chinas Sinopharm and Rusian Sputnik V vaccines.

Sri Lanka has witnessed an increase of positive cases and deaths since April, partly caused by celebrations and shopping during last months traditional new year festival. Sri Lanka has registered more than 210,000 cases and 1,843 confirmed deaths.

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BEIRUT  Lebanons caretaker health minister has inaugurated the countrys largest vaccination center at a shopping mall in Beirut as the government speeds up the inoculation campaign against the coronavirus.

Hamad Hassan says the center run by the Lebanese Red Cross can vaccinate more than 5,000 persons a day and aims to encourage more people to take the vaccines outside hospitals and clinics.

Lebanon, a nation of about 6 million people, including a million Syrian refugees, has vaccinated more than 600,000 people with a first shot.

After hitting a record of more than 6,000 cases and nearly 100 deaths in one day earlier this year, lockdowns and strict measures by the government helped bring down the numbers. Lebanons health ministry reported 139 new cases and six deaths on Wednesday.

The nation has registered more than 540,000 confirmed cases and 7,780 deaths.

___

PARIS  Frances government spokesman says the coronavirus situation in France clearly improved and the country on Wednesday reopened indoor spaces in restaurants and cafes as well as gyms and swimming pools.

Gabriel Attal says, That is not only a foretaste, but the taste of the life we once had that we are getting back.

The nighttime curfew is pushed back from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Major sport and cultural events are allowed with a maximum number of 5,000 people. Theyll need to show a vaccination certificate or a negative test within the last 48 hours. Terraces of restaurants and cafes, theaters, cinemas and museums reopened on May 19 after a six-month coronavirus shutdown.

About 54% of Frances adult population has received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose. France is registering 6,500 daily virus cases on average, down from 35,000 in the March-April peak.

The nation has reported 110,000 confirmed deaths, among the highest tolls in Europe.
Jun. 9LEXINGTON  The Lawrence County Attorney has been indicted on wire fraud and theft from a government program charges.

The U.S. Attorneys announced the 15-count indictment against Michael T. Hogan Tuesday. Hogan  who was found to have discrepancies in his office by the state auditor last year  was indicted June 3 by a federal grand jury sitting in Lexington, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Kentucky.

Joy Hogan, his wife, was hit with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Joy Hogan was paid exuberant bonuses while working as a secretary for her husband out of the county's delinquent tax fund, according to the feds.

County attorneys in Kentucky are allowed to keep their own private practices  federal prosecutors said Hogan used money from the county's child support fund to pay employees at his practice.

If convicted, Michael Hogan faces up to 20 years in prison on each wire fraud charge and up to 10 years in prison on each of the theft from a government program charges.

The case was investigated by the FBI and the Kentucky State Police.

(606) 326-2653  henry@dailyindependent.com
Jun. 9OLYMPIA  As Gov. Jay Inslee faces a lawsuit from the state Legislature over line-item vetoes he issued on climate bills last month, some lawmakers and activists worry what Inslee's veto power could mean for future legislative compromises.

The case got a hearing in the state Supreme Court on Tuesday where counsel for both Inslee and the Legislature argued before the court what exactly a governor is allowed to veto. The state Constitution allows a governor to veto whole sections of bills when signing them but not specific line items.

Inslee last month vetoed lines in two climate bills that link the implementation of the bills to passage of a 5-cent gas tax increase to help pay for a new transportation revenue package.

The arguments on Tuesday centered around what is considered "a whole proviso," which the governor is allowed to veto, and how a new ruling on the subject could affect previous ones. In a previous case from 2019, the Thurston County Superior Court ruled Inslee's vetoes in the transportation budget exceeded his constitutional authority.

Inslee's counsel argued that each condition on an appropriation in a budget bill is a "whole proviso" and therefore subject to the governor's veto ability. In their brief, the Legislature's counsel argued the governor cannot veto a single sentence in larger appropriation items as it exceeds the governor's constitutional power.

Along with the constitutionality of the vetoes, lawmakers  even those in Inslee's own party  have concerns about what it could mean for future legislative compromises.

The language Inslee vetoed was a compromise reached by legislators, an attempt from Democrats to strike a bargain on decreasing carbon while increasing funding for new roads, highways and other transportation projects. In his veto message, Inslee said delaying the effective date of the policies "unnecessarily hinders our state's ability to combat climate change, one of the greatest challenges facing our state and the world today."

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Democratic leaders in the Legislature immediately criticized his decision, saying they undermine compromises made during the legislative session. Senate Majority Leader Andy Billig, D-Spokane, said in a statement at the time that he was concerned that "undoing good faith negotiations will severely hurt our ability to reach agreement on important policies in the future."

Line-item vetoes are a subject of controversy in many states, but only six states don't allow them. Every state allows the governor to veto entire bills, but not as many allow partial veto methods, such as line-item, amendatory or reduction vetoes. Forty-four states allow line-item budget vetoes, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

NCSL notes on its website that line-item vetoes often bring questions on what constitutes an appropriation bill and what constitutes an item within that appropriation bill. In the case involving Inslee, lawyers are hoping the Supreme Court will again give clarity on the issue despite their ruling three years ago.

Other state legislatures have brought their governors to court over similar issues with item vetoes or appropriating funds.

One of the compromises vetoed by Inslee was a section in the cap-and-trade bill that required tribal consultation before new climate projects in the state. Inslee vetoed the line because it "differs from our current government-to-government approach, and does not properly recognize the mutual, sovereign relationship between tribal governments and the state."

The veto is not being taken up in court but still angered many tribal activists and other lawmakers.

During the bill signing, Paul Chiyokten Wagner, founder of advocacy group Protectors of the Salish Sea, protested the veto.

Wagner told The Spokesman-Review tribes had worked to get the language in the bill, which he said helped push the bill to final passage. The language could have protected some sacred sites in the state.

"(The veto) is very disturbing and upsetting and dishonorable," Wagner said.

Shortly after the veto, National Congress of American Indians President Fawn Sharp said in a statement that Inslee committed "the most egregious and shameless betrayal of a deal I have ever witnessed from a politician of any party, at any level."

Rep. Mike Chapman, D-Port Angeles, said in a statement after the veto that he would not have voted for the cap-and-trade bill without the consultation language. Sen. Kevin Van De Wege, D-Sequim, also criticized the veto, saying Inslee "broke trust with Washington's tribes in a way that complicates and damages dialogue with tribes statewide."

Inslee responded during a press conference last week, saying the way the language was drafted "would have given every single tribe in the state the ability to cancel or terminate every single project no matter what it was, no matter what reason."

He said there needed to be more work done to further define the consultation piece in a way that works for everyone, adding that he was already meeting with tribal chairs to do so.

------

Laurel Demkovich's reporting for The Spokesman-Review is funded in part by Report for America and by members of the Spokane community. This story can be republished by other organizations for free under a Creative Commons license. For more information on this, please contact our newspaper's managing editor.
Great Britain and China National Flags - themotioncloud

Twenty leading UK universities have collectively accepted more than 40 million in funding from Huawei and state-owned Chinese companies in recent years, sparking concern among Tory MPs.

Research by the China Research Group (CRG) of hawkish Conservative backbenchers has uncovered details of some of the research grants made by major Chinese firms, some with direct links to Chinese Communist Party regime, since 2015.

Imperial College London accepted between 3.5 million and 14.5 million during this period from Huawei, the Chinese telecoms giant that has been banned from participating in Britains 5G network from 2027 amid security concerns.

This funding was channelled into research including big data machine learning and work undertaken by the engineering faculty.

Huawei also gifted a mobile phone handset in 2016 to the then-provost of Imperial, although it understood he did not use it.

In addition, the university has received at least 10 million from Sinopec, Chinas state-controlled petroleum and chemicals corporation, and at least 6.5 million from the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (Avic), a state-owned defence and aerospace conglomerate, since 2016.

Meanwhile, Huawei has given 1.1 million to Lancaster University for research on subjects including semiconductors, computing and machine learning since 2015, and 890,000 to York University for undisclosed research projects.

The institutions made the disclosures in response to freedom of information (FOI) requests submitted by the CRG.

Other universities, including Bristol, Exeter and Heriot-Watt, refused to disclose details of funding arrangements, citing commercial sensitivity. Southampton University claimed it would take more than 18 hours, the threshold set by the FOI Act, to retrieve any relevant information.

The true total of funding channelled from Chinese companies to British universities in recent years may therefore be much higher than 40 million.

Grants raise questions over academic independence

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Tom Tugendhat, who leads the CRG and is also chairman of Commons foreign affairs committee, warned: Chasing the money around British universities is revealing of connections and ties that will be seen by some as compromising academic independence.

The senior Tory MP told The Telegraph: We need to know whos paying the piper and where the tune is leading.

The funding revelations come in the wake of a government crackdown on visas for Chinese postgraduate students wanting to study sensitive subjects in Britain, amid security concerns about espionage and intellectual property theft.

Ministers signed off the move to tighten the entry rules last autumn due to concerns that Chinese academics could be acquiring dual use technology that could benefit the Peoples Liberation Army as well as boasting civilian applications.

On Tuesday, a Huawei spokesman said the company supports calls for clearer guidelines on how overseas firms should engage with UK universities, adding: We are incredibly proud of our partnerships with UK universities which make a significant contribution to the economy, better connectivity, and the fight against climate change.

Last year MPs on the Commons defence select committee claimed in a report that Huawei is strongly linked to the Chinese state and the Chinese Communist Party despite its statements to the contrary, citing its ownership model and the subsidies it has received.

Huawei hit back at the time, saying the report lacked credibility and was built on opinion rather than fact, urging people to see through the accusations. It has repeatedly denied that it is controlled or linked to the Chinese regime.

A spokesman for Imperial said: We do not allow funders to interfere in our research, which is independent, open and transparent. We have robust measures in place to ensure academic independence.

Lancaster University said in a statement that it does not accept funding which would compromise academic independence Externally funded research awards are subject to our ethics process, and any research that is sensitive would often have further vetting constraints applied.

Southampton University said it had robust processes in place to assess the appropriateness of all funding offers.

York University said it was committed to transparency and accountability, and undertook research that aligned with "rigorous ethical values".
Lawmakers are pointing to a recent investigation by USA TODAY and The Trace as proof that more should be done to regulate the countrys gun sellers.

When the New York Legislature took up a bill to crack down on errant gun dealers last week its author, Sen. Zellnor Myrie, praised the explosive report by The Trace/USA TODAY. Myrie said the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is a disgrace for not providing stricter oversight of the firearms industry.

You can read through these reports and see state-by-state the guns flowing to New York, the Democrat said. The ATF has not been up to the job, and the industry has been immunized from coming to court. If the ATF wont take on these bad actors, then the victims should be able to do it themselves.

U.S. Rep. Joe Morelle, a Democrat from upstate New York who has authored legislation to bolster the regulations governing gun dealers, vowed to continue pushing for budget increases to help the ATF conduct inspections on a more consistent basis. He said the USA TODAY/The Trace investigation showed him there were systemic issues within the agency that couldnt be solved by money alone.

The USA TODAY/The Trace investigation found that inspectors routinely document violations at shops around the country, only to be overruled by higher authorities to issue warning letters instead of revoking licenses.

Morelle said he found it mind blowing and incredibly frustrating to see how reluctant the ATF was to shutter dealers with lengthy histories of violations.

Compliance relies in large part on a degree of sanctions, Morelle said. Unless theres a sea change in attitudes at the agency itself, all the money in the world and all the additional investigators wont matter.

A spokesman for the ATF said the bureau recently hired 20 new investigators and is in the process of recruiting 100 additional investigators in the next year, to increase inspections to help ensure compliance and appropriate enforcement action. The positions begin at a salary of $37,674.

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Morelle said he was considering asking the Justice Department for more information about issues highlighted in the USA TODAY/The Trace report. He urged President Joe Bidens pick to lead the ATF, David Chipman, to make reforming the inspections program a priority if the Senate confirms his nomination.

During a May 26 Judiciary Committee hearing, Chipman, a former ATF agent who now works for the gun control group Giffords, faced scrutiny from a bevy of Republican senators. They called into question how his activist roles could impact his tenure as an ATF director.

The Biden administration has nominated David Chipman, a former federal agent and adviser at the gun control group Giffords, to be director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Gun rights groups, including the National Rifle Association and National Shooting Sports Foundation, have ramped up lobbying in recent days, particularly to moderate senators who could sway the anticipated 50-50 party-line vote.

Chipman has declined to comment on The Trace/USA TODAY findings, but pledged during his confirmation hearing to review gun shop inspections if approved as the next ATF director.

The investigation drew the attention of gun blogs and prominent voices. Cam Edwards, editor of BearingArms.com, accused reporters behind the project of being anti-gun. He called into question the timing of publication the same week as Chipmans confirmation hearings.

While the new series by USA TODAY and The Trace is meant to bolster the argument that the ATF needs a permanent director like Chipman to whip agents into shape and to close gun shops that have repeatedly run afoul of the agencies regulations, you could also make the argument that, if the agency is truly as soft on wayward gun dealers as the reporters claim, that an ATF veteran like Chipman has been part of the problem, Edwards wrote for the site. After all, he spent 25 years as an ATF agent, including several years where he was head of the Firearms Division.

More: Read this project on The Trace

In Philadelphia, which is enduring a record number of homicides this year, City Councilman Kenyatta Johnson said the USA TODAY/The Trace report underscored a need for the ATF to curb illegal gun running and make sure weapons are not winding up in the wrong hands.

I have not seen ATF in the city of Philadelphia addressing this issue aggressively or with a sense of passion and dedication, said Johnson, who chairs the councils Special Committee on Gun Violence Prevention. Hopefully the new president and the new head of ATF will get them to take that type of approach.

Johnson also wants the ATFs Philadelphia Field Division to do a better job of coordinating with state and local law enforcement to curtail the violence that is taking a disproportionate toll on the lives of young Black and brown men.

Over the past 17 months, gunfire has injured or killed more than 800 Philadelphians under the age of 21. Mayor Jim Kenney has proposed spending $34 million on anti-violence initiatives in the 2022 fiscal year that begins July 1, but the violence has prompted Johnson and other city leaders to push to increase that amount to $100 million using federal coronavirus relief funds.

Johnson hopes the ATF will work closely with the city in its efforts.

We have to take an all-hands-on-deck approach to tracking down where illegal guns are coming from and solving the problem of gun shops and gun shows selling firearms to people who may not be qualified to own them, Johnson said. That means local law enforcement, state law enforcement, and federal law enforcement need to be involved.

In New York, Myries bill would expose gun dealers to civil litigation if plaintiffs can prove they have become a public nuisance  the legal standard that has been used to sue opioid manufacturers in recent years. He cited The Trace/USA TODAY investigation as evidence that the so-called Iron Pipeline firearms trafficking corridor from southern states to the New York metropolitan area remains a problem.

You have to stop the flow of illegal guns or this problem of shootings will persist, he said. Theres one set of rules for East Flatbush in Brooklyn and another for shops in Ohio, Florida and Georgia, it seems.

The New York effort takes direct aim at the 2005 Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act that generally prohibits civil lawsuits against gun manufacturers and dealers. One of the exceptions it seeks to exploit is known as the predicate exception allowing suits alleging violations of state public nuisance laws. The legal battle has been examined by several federal appeals courts that reached different conclusions.

The National Shooting Sports Foundation opposes the measure. Larry Keane, the groups senior vice president, described the legislation as misguided in a recent online commentary.

The (arms act) keeps activist trial lawyers and gun control groups from placing the blame on the industry for the criminal misuse of legal firearms that are lawfully sold, Keane wrote. Sen. Myries proposal would be akin to a state allowing a lawsuit to be brought against Ford for the actions of a drunk driver that killed someone after getting behind the wheel.

For this project, USA TODAY partnered with The Trace, a nonprofit newsroom dedicated to improving public understanding of gun violence, increasing accountability and identifying solutions.

More in this series

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Problem gun dealers draw legislative scrutiny after watchdog report
Mondays decision slashes the money the Reeves family will see to just $7,500, as a majority of the panel of judges determined state law at the time of the shooting limited economic damages to $7,500 and does not provide for compensation beyond the cost of the pet and veterinary bills. The law has since been revised to lift the cap to $10,000.
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said in a speech Wednesday that the climate crisis was a matter of "life or death," as a blueprint for meeting her government's ambitious green targets was unveiled.

Driving the news: The Climate Commission, an independent body advising the government, outlines in its report what the country needs to do to meet its target for 2050 of producing zero carbon emissions  including reducing biogenic methane emissions by 24% to 47%, with no new household gas connections by 2025.

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Why it matters: While the goals are ambitious, what's particularly notable is it's unusual for a nation to have a methane target (the U.S. doesn't have one)  especially a country like NZ, where agriculture is the largest sector of the tradeable economy, contributing to 5.1% of the GDP in the 12 months to September 2020.

Per a government statement, New Zealand is the "first country ... to legislate for a price on agricultural emissions and we'e currently building the worlds only farm-level emissions measurement, management and pricing system, which will come into effect in 2025."

For the country to meet its methane target, herd sizes would have to decrease by 10% to 15%, according to the report.

Zoom in: The commission provides three pathways for the government to follow to keep within the proposed emission budgets.

For biogenic methane, this means cuts of 8% by 2025, 12% by 2030 and 17% by 2035.

It also recommends phasing out fossil-fuel-powered vehicles by 2030 to 2035, when almost all cars imported should be electric, according to the report.

Of note: This 2035 phase-out target for sales of new internal combustion engine vehicles is in line with several other governments, including California's.

Yes, but: For New Zealand to meet its electric vehicle target, the country would have to increase its market share from the current 1-2% to 50% in the next 10 years, the Guardian notes.

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What they're saying: Ardern said in her speech that the report "reminds us that meeting our climate targets is achievable and affordable with existing technology."

She said in a separate statement that the commission "makes clear for the first time that delaying action will only make the effort harder and more expensive for the economy in the long run."

Ardern noted the report "predicts that not taking action now will cost us 2.3% of GDP by 2050, almost double the cost to our economy of acting now."

What's next: The government will announce its final Emissions Reduction Plan, based on the commission's guidance, by the end of this year.

Go deeper: Prime minister pledges 100% renewable energy generation in New Zealand by 2030

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Thousands of people gathered outside a mosque on Tuesday night in a vigil for the family that was intentionally attacked in a targeted hate crime in London Ont., on Sunday evening.

In attendance were leaders of all of Canada's federal parties, Ontario's provincial leaders and London, Ont.'s municipal officials.

"There are no words that can ease the grief of having three generations murdered in their neighbourhood, there are no words that can undo the pain, and yes, the anger of this community, there are no words that can fix the future of that little boy who has had his future taken away," Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said at the vigil. "But know this, you are not alone, all Canadians mourn with you and stand with you tonight and always."

"Islamophobia is real, racism is real. You should have to face that hate in your communities, in your country. We can and we will act. We can and we will choose a better way."Prime Minister Justin Trudeau

"This was a terrorist attack, an act of mass murder, and a grotesque expression of hatred rooted in Islamophobia," London Mayor Ed Holder said in his statement.

"We now live in a time, and in a place, where thousands of Muslims  our family members, neighbours, friends, and co-workers  the next time they're out for a walk, and through no fault of their own, may be looking over their shoulders."

Several people took to social media to react to the vigil.

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Some took issue with Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole, in particular, participating after he voted again a 2017 motion (M-103) on systemic racism and religious discrimination, and to condemn Islamophobia.

"We have to commit ourselves to working across party lines with premiers, with mayors, with faith leaders to end the kind of violence and hatred that rook these lives," O'Toole said at the vigil.

"The rise in Islamophobia and other forms of hate this last year are the pandemic of darkness mid the COVID-19 pandemic. We know the Muslim community is stronger than this or any act of terrorism committed against you. We know the city of London is stronger than this or any act of terrorism."

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Some Canadians also called out Doug Ford, who was met with boos as he approached the podium on Tuesday night.

"It was an act of terrorism against a family targeted for their beliefs and for their religion," Ford said. "This type of racism and terrorism cannot and will not be tolerated."

"It must be condemned in the strongest terms and those who commit this type of evil must and will be punished to the fullest extent of the law.

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People still continue to call for more action on systemic racism in Canada, including policy decisions.

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A witness said the woman showed up at the campaign launch of Joe Buscaino and announced, Im going to start killing people.

Video Transcript

- I didn't touch nobody. Play the video back. I didn't touch nobody.

- Caught on camera, police arrested a woman who identified herself as Angel after they say she almost assaulted LA Councilman Joe Buscaino at the Venice Beach Boardwalk. Witnesses heard death threats.

NICO RUDERMAN: And I looked her in the eye, and she says, I'm going to start killing people.

- Officers seized a knife and put her in handcuffs. People who live in the area say the suspect is known to cause violence. Buscaino was announcing his campaign for LA Mayor when the chaos broke out.

JOE BUSCAINO: Homelessness is dangerous for everyone in the city of Los Angeles, and how ironic, on the day that I'm launching my Safer LA plan in relation to the homelessness issue, that this happened on the Venice Boardwalk.

- Look at this. Just yesterday afternoon, a man sucker punched at Oceanfront Walk near Rose Avenue along the boardwalk. Blindsided and hit in the head. Medics rushed him to the hospital. Fortunately, he's expected to survive.

ALEX VILLANUEVA: It just illustrates the level of danger that's out there for residents, people that live here, people that have businesses here. This is at a crisis point. We need to change the equation, and we are going to be that game-changer.

- Sheriff Alex Villanueva activated the department's homeless outreach services team, directing them to have compassionate conversations with the homeless.

GEFF DEEDRICK: And there's been thousands of hours of intense outreach to those that are vulnerable down here, but this situation has gotten out of control for many different reasons.

- Lieutenant Deedrick says they're dealing with a mix of different populations in these homeless tents. People who are simply camping out and down on their luck, while others are violent criminals and suffering from drug addiction and mental illness, requiring social services and housing.
Reports of cats being slashed in the vicinity of several Ang Mo Kio housing blocks emerged in May, with the SPCA appealing for information and asking the community to watch out for the cats in the area. (PHOTO: Facebook/Louis Ng)

SINGAPORE  A 37-year-old man was charged on Wednesday (9 June) for slashing a cat at a multi-storey carpark in Ang Mo Kio.

The case comes following media reports stating that around 10 cats had been attacked in the area since end-April.

Leow Wei Liang was handed one charge under the Animal and Birds Act for allegedly slashing a white and grey cat with a penknife. The offence allegedly took place at around 11am on 2 May at the staircase of a multi-story carpark at Block 352A Ang Mo Kio Street 32.

Leow, a Singaporean, appeared in court via videolink, but refused to appear on screen and could be heard wailing and crying in the background. "I don't want to go to jail," he said as police officers coaxed him to appear on screen.

Despite the officers' efforts and that of a Mandarin interpreter who advised Leow to cooperate for the "good of everyone around", the accused appeared to stay seated on the ground and out of range of the camera.

A prosecutor asked that Leow be remanded at the Institute of Mental Health for two weeks for psychiatric assessment, with District Judge Marvin Bay observing that there was "ample reason" for him to be remanded given the circumstances.

Leow was nabbed on Tuesday during an operation conducted by the National Parks Board's (NParks) Animal and Veterinary Service, according to media reports.

Reports of cats being slashed in the vicinity of several Ang Mo Kio housing blocks emerged last month, with the Society of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) appealing for information and asking the community to watch out for the cats in the area.

The group said in a Facebook post on 20 May that several cats had been found with deep slash-type wounds on their bodies around Blocks 302, 316B, 335, 337, 343, and 346 in Ang Mo Kio.

The SPCA said that one cat was being treated and recovering at its facility while the rest were treated at veterinary clinics.

Leow will return to court on 23 June. If convicted of causing an animal unnecessary pain or suffering, he could be jailed up to 18 months or fined up to $15,000.

Story continues

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A man was in custody again after he allegedly tried to rob a Bank of America, days after being released after another bank robbery in Fresno last week.

Video Transcript

- A man was arrested again by police after allegedly robbing a bank for the second time in one week. Madera police responded to the Bank of America yesterday morning for a robbery alarm. They say Michael Salinas passed a note to the bank teller demanding money but ended up leaving the bank before receiving the cash. Officers arrived on scene just as Salinas was speeding away in his car. He led officers on a high speed chase into Fresno, where he was eventually taken into custody. Police say Salinas was just released from jail Friday after robbing a bank in Fresno last week.
By Carolina Mandl

SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Mastercard Inc and drinks company Ambev, major sponsors of South American soccer, backed away from the Copa America on Wednesday as players criticized organizers for moving the tournament to Brazil despite one of the world's worst COVID-19 outbreaks.

Last week, the South American Football Confederation unexpectedly relocated the tournament, which kicks off on Sunday, after co-hosts Colombia were dropped because of civil unrest and Argentina withdrew after a surge in coronavirus infections.

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who has played down the severity of the coronavirus and fought against lockdowns, threw his support behind the move. But public health experts, Supreme Court justices and footballers questioned the wisdom of hosting the tournament with a pandemic raging.

More than 475,000 Brazilians have died from COVID-19, the world's worst official death toll outside the United States, and experts warn of a third wave approaching along with winter in the southern hemisphere.

The Brazilian soccer team cited "humanitarian" concerns in a statement criticizing the organization of the Copa America on Wednesday, but they committed to participating in the tournament after rumors of a potential boycott.

Mastercard Inc said it decided not to "activate" its sponsorship of Copa America in Brazil after a thorough analysis, meaning it will temporarily remove its branding from the event it has sponsored since 1992.

Ambev SA, a unit of brewer AB InBev sponsoring both the tournament and the Brazilian national team, said "its brands will not be present at the Copa America."

(Reporting by Carolina Mandl; Additional reporting by Andrew Downie and Anthony Boadle; Editing by Brad Haynes and Grant McCool)
CHICAGO  A memorial billboard for a Chicago police officer killed in a 2018 attack at a South Side hospital was vandalized Wednesday morning, police said.

The billboard, which honors Officer Samuel Jimenez, who was killed responding to an active shooter at Mercy Hospital and Medical Center in November 2018, was tagged with PROPAGANDA Wednesday morning at the corner of Elston and LeClaire avenues, according to Chicago police.

The billboard was installed by the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation as part of a citywide effort to humanize police, Executive Director Philip Cline said. Cline called the act terrible and tragic.

The defacement of the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation billboard is an absolute disgrace and insult to the memory of Chicago Police Officer Samuel Jimenez, the Jimenez family and every other fallen officer and families of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our city, a Chicago police spokeswoman said in a statement.

Jimenez, 28, had been on the police force for two years when he was gunned down coming to the aid of other officers during the Mercy Hospital shooting. He was married with three small children. Two other people, including the shooters former fiancee and a pharmacy resident, were killed during the attack.

Cline described Jimenez as a hero, and dismissed any accusations that the billboards are pro-police propaganda, but rather said they are an attempt to show people that Chicago police are human and have families too.

(The offenders) are not going to deter us by doing this, said Cline, a former Chicago police superintendent. We ask that the good people of the city support their police.

The Chicago Police Memorial Foundation finances more than 60 billboards along highly trafficked roads and expressways, he said.

Clear Channel, the company that owns and maintains the billboards, is working on restoring the memorial to Jimenez, and police are going to pay special attention to the billboards to deter vandalism, Cline said.
As we gradually return to normal, many people are heading back to offices after more than a year of working from home. But as our lives begin to look more like they did before coronavirus, it may well be difficult to adjust. Photo: Getty

After living through a pandemic, it is safe to say that many of us are in a different place mentally than pre-Covid. Lockdowns, isolation, job insecurity, illness and general anxiety have all taken their toll on our mental health, leaving us with additional challenges to navigate as restrictions are lifted.

As we gradually return to normal, many people are heading back to offices after more than a year of working from home. But as our lives begin to look more like they did before coronavirus, it may well be difficult to adjust.

Returning to work will be different for everyone, some businesses may encourage employees to return together as soon as allowed, perhaps in June, says Kirsty Lilley, mental health expert at the wellbeing charity CABA .

Some are already returning in small groups or as individuals. In whatever way you are encouraged to return its important to be honest and open with our workplaces about the issues were dealing with or have had to deal with. And how we feel.

Read more: Racial discrimination still rife in UK businesses, study finds

Seeking help is often the first step towards getting and staying well, but talking about a mental health problem isn't always easy. It's normal to feel nervous about speaking about your health, particularly at work. However, there are a few steps you can take to make this process as easy and as anxiety-free as possible.

Plan what youre going to say

Before speaking to your manager or employer, writing down a few notes beforehand can help you remember what you want to say. When were stressed or nervous, its easy to forget things and to want to leave the room as quickly as possible - so having notes to hand will help you stick to your plan.

Conversations about your mental health may feel daunting, but when you decide to speak up about the issues youre facing, have a think about exactly what it is you need to articulate, says Lilley.

If it helps, write it down and go into your conversation with an outline of what you want to cover. Theres no pressure to get it all out in one go. If you need to have multiple conversations to cover all the necessary ground, then do it. Take the time you need and consider sharing only what is relevant or important to the situation.

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Think about who you want to speak to

Speak to whoever you feel most comfortable with, wherever you feel most comfortable. It might help to book a meeting room so you can have some privacy, but give your manager a heads up beforehand so they can schedule time to speak to you without interruption.

If you feel uncomfortable talking to your line manager about your mental health, dont feel like you have to share this with them initially, Lilley says. Find someone in your workplace who you trust and who is going to be able to support you in the ways you need.

It may be helpful that they can support you to find ways to communicate your concerns with your line manager in a way that you are comfortable with. It is helpful and ultimately beneficial to you that your line manager is aware of your situation to ensure youre fully supported and not overwhelmed. Ultimately, its about employees and employers working together to find a helpful and mutually convenient way forward through the changes ahead.

Check if you have Mental Health First Aiders

Some companies train staff members to be Mental Health First Aiders via a programme of online courses run by Mental Health First Aid England. Although they cant treat mental health problems, they are trained to listen and signpost employees so they can access help and support.

Read more: Why our good ideas come at night  and how to harness that power at work

You dont need to have a formal conversation in a meeting room with a Mental Health First Aider. You can get out of the office, go for a walk and grab a coffee together, to take away that daunting feeling of having a one-to-one across a desk.

Remember mental health problems are common

At least one in six workers experience common mental health problems, including anxiety and depression. According to the charity Mind, work is the biggest cause of stress in people's lives, more so than debt or financial problems.

No matter how youre feeling, its valid and it is understandable in the light of recent times to feel the way you do, says Lilley. Feeling stressed, anxious or depressed is an understandable response to the situations many of us have faced throughout these challenging times. Acknowledging how you feel is the first step in getting the help and support you need.

Sharing any of the issues youre having to juggle wont make you look weak, and they certainly wont make you a burden. Although it can make us feel vulnerable to open up its actually an act of great courage. Your company may have policies and guidelines to support you for a reason. As a society we are now recognising the intrinsic link between good mental health and the workplace so its in everyones best interest to work together.

Watch: How to resign without burning bridges
The CreARTE grants funded by the Perez Family Foundation are back for round two with more than $1.5 million for local cultural organizations. The program launched in 2019 to support access and education for the arts, and artist fellowships and residencies in South Florida.

An open call for applications kicks off Monday, with pre-proposals due May 28.

Our primary goal is to help provide quality arts programming for all residents in the community and make Miami a place that continues to be known for its artistic excellence, said Belissa Alvarez, executive director of the Perez Family Foundation. The foundation partnered with the Miami Foundation to administer the grants.

The first cycle, in 2020, awarded grants ranging from $25,000 to $200,000 to 23 local groups including the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, the Miami City Ballet and the Miami Book Fair. The awards are given every two years.

The foundation expects to have fewer grantees but larger grant amounts this year, Alvarez said.

A $100,000 CreARTE grant allowed the Miami Book Fair to launch a fellowship program for emerging writers. A grant of the same size helped the local nonprofit Guitars Over Guns strengthen its after-school arts education programs.

The foundation will select applicants via an internal committee working with a dozen external evaluators who previously have included artists and art teachers. Applicants will be notified the week of June 28 if they have moved on to the second phase. Winners will be announced in the fall. The grants first iteration garnered around 200 applications.

An informational webinar is scheduled for May 5 at noon. The grant application will be available at the miamifoundation.org.

CAMPOS-PONS AWARDED PEREZ PRIZE

Cuban artist Maria Magdalena Campos-Pons has been named as the recipient of the $50,000 Perez Prize for 2021. The award, funded by Jorge and Darlene Perez, was announced Saturday at the annual Art of the Party fundraiser for the countys public art museum, Perez Art Museum Miami, also supported by the Perez family.

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Campos-Pons is known for her multimedia practice that incorporates photography, painting, sculpture, film, video and performance reflecting her history as a descendant of Nigerians brought to Cuba as slaves in the 19th century. The museum holds several of her works in its permanent collection. A series of Polaroid prints comprising the work, The Magicians Tools, are now on display as part of the show, Allied with Power: African and African Diaspora Art from the Jorge M. Perez Collection.

The Perez Prize honors creatives who use art to overcome the challenges that affect our society most, said Jorge M. Perez via a statement. As an acclaimed professor and artist  whos touched so many through her work exploring history, race and culture  theres no one more deserving of this prize than Maria Magdalena. I couldnt be more honored to support her in furthering her craft.

The Art of the Party, a hybrid in-person and virtual event, also raised over $500,000 for arts education, according to museum director Franklin Sirmans.

MCAD URBAN AWARDS ON MAY 20

The Miami Center for Architecture and Design announced six finalists for its third annual Urban Warrior Awards. This years nominees in three categories include architects, a developer and a lawyer.

The center also named Mayor Daniella Levine Cava as Chief Urban Warrior, a new award and a designation that will remain in perpetuity.

We wanted to highlight people in the community who are urbanists or people in design who are doing things to make the community better, especially in the urban core, said Cheryl Jacobs, executive vice president of the Miami Center for Architecture and Design.

Winners will be announced at a ceremony May 20 from 6 p.m to 8 p.m. General admission for the online event is $25. An in-person event will be held for 20 VIP ticket holders at $50 each.

The awards ceremony is a signature event for the organization and its only fundraiser, Jacobs said. Around 20 nominations came in this year for the 2021 winners.

This years event includes a new category: the Young Urbanist award, a membership category for people under 35.

To purchase tickets and for event information visit aia-mcad-events.org/

The finalists are:

Lifetime Achievement Award:

 Architect and historian Jorge L. Hernandez, a professor at the UM School of Architecture and an avid preservationist.

 Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk, former dean of the UM School of Architecture as well as an architect and urban planner who helped create New Urbanism and is co-founder and principal of DPZ CoDesign.

Visionary Award:

 Developer Avra Jain, has worked to transform Miamis urban core, especially with historic mid-century projects such as The Vagabond, South Pacific, and Gold Dust motels along the historic Biscayne Corridor.

 Urban Planner, Tony Garcia, principal of Street Plans Collaborative and a nationally recognized architect, writer, speaker and advocate in the field of transit, pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure.

Young Urbanist Award:

 Daniel Balmori, senior associate at Hogan Lovells and an advocate for The Underline as pro bono counsel who has dedicated more than 200 hours of legal advice to lead the legal efforts of the groups transformational public-private partnership with Miami-Dade County.

 Tom Pupo, co-founder and executive director of Moonlighter FabLab, a S.T.E.A.M. Learning Center and Fabrication Lab dedicated to empowering makers
Reeder is accused of entering the Capitol building without having authority to do so, according to a statement of facts filed in the District of Columbias federal court. He has been charged with violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds and knowingly entering a restricted building, according to a criminal complaint filed in the case.
BAGHDAD (AP)  Multiple rockets targeted two Iraqi military bases hosting U.S.-led coalition troops and foreign contractors Wednesday, Iraqi security officials and the military said.

Three rockets hit Balad airbase, north of Baghdad, without causing any casualties or damage, an Iraqi military statement said. The base housed foreign contractors.

Hours later, at least one missile hit close to a military base next to Baghdad airport, two Iraqi security officials said. It was unclear whether the explosion was caused by a rocket or a drone strike.

One Iraqi security official said they had heard two rockets. The second said preliminary findings indicated it had been a drone attack and a trailer belonging to the coalition was set on fire by the attack. There were no casualties, they said.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the strikes, but U.S. officials have previously blamed Iran-backed Iraqi militia factions for such assaults.

The attacks are the latest in a string that continue to target the U.S. presence in Iraq. Over a dozen have targeted Iraqi military bases and Baghdad's highly fortified Green Zone since U.S. President Joe Biden assumed office this year. More than 10 people have been killed, including two foreign contractors.

Lockheed Martin announced last month that it was withdrawing contractors maintaining Iraq's F-16 fighter jets from Balad base over security reasons.

Recent attacks have featured more sophisticated weaponry, such as drones, which has alarmed U.S. and Iraqi military officials. The attacks occur as Baghdad and Washington work on drawing up a timetable for the withdrawal of combat forces from Iraq.
Mongolians went to the polls on Wednesday to vote for the country's next president, in the nation's third election to take place in the shadow of the coronavirus pandemic.

Polls opened at 7am local time in the vast central Asian democracy, in an election hampered by social distancing, cancelled presidential debates and one candidate catching Covid.

Voters are choosing a replacement for current president and populist businessman Battulga Khaltmaa, a former world champion in the Soviet-era martial art of sambo who cannot run for a second term under constitutional rules.

There are around two million eligible voters in the landlocked country between China and Russia, where political instability has been a constant problem for the young democracy.

The nation passed its first constitution in 1992 after decades of communist rule.

Mongolians lined up to vote wearing surgical masks and a mixture of traditional clothes, business suits and tracksuits under blue skies, standing in distanced queues marked by lines on the ground.

They were ushered into polling stations by staff in protective outfits, before casting their votes in front of the Mongolian flag.

Former prime minister Khurelsukh Ukhnaa of the Mongolian People's Party is seen as the frontrunner, looking to make a comeback after resigning amid public outrage in January over the treatment of a new mother with coronavirus.

Khurelsukh's main rival is charismatic internet entrepreneur Enkhbat Dangaasuren, leader of the Green Party, who is hoping to capture the support of Mongolia's youth.

"We need to see our future from a fresh angle," 18-year-old voter Naran-Erdene Bayarkhuu told AFP.

"I hope Enkhbat will focus on young people -- young people like me are voting for Enkhbat and old people are voting for Khurelsukh."

But Enkhbat's campaign has been hindered by his being forced into quarantine after testing positive for Covid-19 during a rally.

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Last year, a parliamentary election delivered a landslide victory for the ruling Mongolian People's Party -- largely on the back of no domestic transmissions of the virus.

But since then, cases have soared, with around 300 deaths from Covid-19 recorded -- although the country has achieved impressive rates of inoculation with around 90 percent of adults given their first dose.

Tamir Ider, a 33-year-old carpenter, told AFP he had returned a blank ballot because he didn't think any candidate had good policies for the country, and he wanted Battulga to serve another term.

"Moreover, we shouldn't hold an election when we have a high number of Covid cases," he added.

Inequality is a key concern among Mongolian voters with the poverty rate standing at 28 percent, according to the latest World Bank survey.

The country is also one of the hardest hit by climate change, causing desertification and pollution. Temperatures swing from minus 30 degrees Celsius (minus 22 Fahrenheit) in the winter to plus 30 (86 Fahrenheit) in the summer.

Traditionally heavily influenced by nomadic culture, more than two-thirds of the population now live in cities.

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In the early morning on Feb. 1, 1979, Sam Pettyjohn was in the beer shop he owned in Chattanooga, Tennessee, with a cigar tucked between his fingers when a man in a trench coat shot him four times  twice in the head, once in the chest and once in the neck.

It took 42 years to solve his killing.

Pettyjohn, 47, was no stranger to the world of crime. At the time of his death, prosecutors said he was an informant in a federal investigation of then-Tennessee Gov. Ray Blanton, who was accused of taking cash bribes in exchange for state prisoners receiving early parole.

On Tuesday, investigators linked Pettyjohns killing to the Blanton investigation. District Attorney General Neal Pinkston with the Hamilton County District Attorneys Office told reporters during a news conference that Pettyjohn was killed by notorious bank robber William Edward Alley in a murder-for-hire plot paid for in-part by a third party on behalf of Blantons administration.

Alley died in federal prison in 2005, Pinkston said. But a grand jury said they would indict him on charges of first-degree premeditated murder if he were alive today.

No one deserves to be murdered and that story not to be told, Pinkston said. Its important to note that while Mr. Pettyjohn may have been connected to certain things, were all human and we all fall short of the glory. That doesnt mean the case should not be investigated or that the truth shouldnt come out.

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Pettyjohn, born in 1931, was one of nine children. He worked as a taxi driver and moved to Chattanooga to look after a sick brother, according to his youngest son, Saadiq Pettyjohn, who spoke at Tuesdays news conference.

Despite his struggles  Saadiq Pettyjohn said his father could neither read nor write  his wife described him as having a heart of gold and being a very generous and a giving person.

He always used to tell my mom that his lifestyle was either going to lead to jail or death, Saadiq Pettyjohn said.

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Death found him first.

Shot execution style

Pettyjohn was in his business, the Beverage Center, on Market Street in Chattanooga around 1:30 a.m. on Feb. 1, 1979, when a contract killer shot him execution style with a .45 caliber handgun, prosecutors said. He had cash and jewelry valued at more than $100,000  none of which was taken.

In the hours before, prosecutors said Pettyjohn instructed two police officers to leave the business because he was being surveilled across the street. Some friends also described him as very anxious and nervous on this day.

Police found Pettyjohn lying on his back with his own .38 revolver a few inches from his hand and a cigar still burning between his fingers, the Chattanooga District Attorneys Office said.

Two eyewitnesses would later tell investigators they saw a heavy-set African-American male with a beard and glasses standing over Pettyjohn and shooting him. The man reportedly fired two more bullets in the air after leaving the Beverage Center.

Though police arrested two individuals and charged them with Pettyjohns killing in 1982, their alibis checked out and the charges were eventually dropped.

A life of crime

Pettyjohn was a well-connected businessman in Chattanooga, prosecutors said. He previously owned several nightclubs and had ties to the Teamsters Union, a massive and powerful labor union led by Jimmy Hoffa, who was a personal friend of Pettyjohns.

He also had his hands in local and state politics with the Democratic party.

Pettyjohns nightclubs exploded in a bomb on Aug. 8, 1974  five years before his death. Investigators later linked Pettyjohn and other local business owners to the bombing after discovering they received sizable insurance payouts from the blast. He faced charges of murder, arson and insurance fraud but died before the case went to trial, according the Hamilton County Cold Case Unit.

A few years after the explosion but before charges were brought, prosecutors said Pettyjohn got involved with Blantons alleged bribery scheme.

Blanton, a Democrat, was a state and U.S. representative before he became governor in 1975. While he was in office, prosecutors said an illegal parole buying scheme started under his administration.

Local businessman Bob Rountree  aided in-part by Pettyjohn  would collect money to be paid to the governors office in exchange for the early release of prisoners, the Hamilton County DAs Office said.

When the FBI caught wind, a criminal investigation into Blanton was launched and Pettyjohn was subpoenaed to testify before a grand jury. In addition to testifying, prosecutors said he met with FBI agents in an abandoned building and gave them a list of individuals who paid off the governor.

Blanton was never indicted in what became known as the Pardons and Parole scheme, but Rountree and several members of his administration were. Rountree would later agree to cooperate with the authorities as long as the FBI didnt ask him about Pettyjohns killing.

By the end of their investigation, prosecutors said at least five witnesses had been killed or committed suicide.

Blanton was ousted from office a few days before his term ended. He was later charged with extortion and conspiracy in a separate case involving the sale of a liquor license for $23,000 to a friend while he was in office, the Associated Press reported.

He served 22 months in federal prison and died at age 66 in 1996, according to the AP.

Investigators take a second look

The Cold Case Unit in Hamilton County began reviewing Pettyjohns case in 2015, including FBI interviews with several cooperating individuals.

Those individuals, who are not named, had ties to Ed Alley, who was charged in a string of bank robberies in the 1990s. In 1993, one individual told an investigator with the Hamilton County District Attorneys Office that Alley had admitted to killing Pettyjohn.

It is unknown what (the district attorneys office) did with this information, prosecutors said Tuesday. FBI agents shared this information with former CPD Chief Ralph Cothern, who replied be careful who you share your information with.

Other individuals told investigators that Alley told them he was paid between $25,000 and $50,000 to kill Pettyjohn. He also admitted to donning a disguise on the day of the murder  including face paint, a false beard, and glasses, prosecutors said.

Hamilton County investigator Ben Scott said Tuesday that Alley, who is white, knew hed never get close enough to take a shot if Pettyjohn recognized him, so he disguised himself to look like a Black man or a dark Arabian man with glasses and fake hair. Scott said Alley went so far as to purchase some of the disguise at Disneyland because he couldnt find what he wanted in Chattanooga.

One of the cooperating individuals also told investigators they acted as the getaway driver for Alley that day, and that Alley had staked out the Beverage Center from an inn across the street a few days earlier.

Alley was paid to kill Pettyjohn by various local sources  including a third party operating on behalf of Blantons administration, prosecutors said.

Pettyjohn knew too much about illegal activities and his cooperation with federal authorities placed other individuals freedom, including that of Governor Ray Blanton, at severe risk, the Hamilton County DAs office said.
On the verge of being replaced after 12 years in power, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is waging a desperate, Trump-style campaign to de-legitimize the incoming government and accuse its leaders of perpetrating the fraud of the century."

Why it matters: The situation has become so tense  with members of the Israeli Knesset facing death threats and demonstrations from angry Netanyahu supporters outside their homes  that the director of Israel's Shin Bet domestic security agency issued a rare warning of potential political violence.

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The backstory: Netanyahu failed to form a government after Israel's fourth consecutive election in March, after which Naftali Bennett  a right-wing former Netanyahu protege  cut a power-sharing deal with the "anti-Netanyahu bloc" to become the next prime minister.

Netanyahu's best hopes of sabotaging the new government involve convincing members of Bennett's Yamina party to abandon the alliance before it can be sworn in.

But some members of Netanyahu's base appear to be taking that pressure to an extreme. Yamina members were given full security details after  in addition to the death threats and protests outside their homes  one member was followed by a suspicious car for a full day.

What they're saying: Netanyahu initially refused to condemn the incitement against Bennett and his allies, but on Monday afternoon he condemned the violent rhetoric on "every side" and falsely claimed that the media had refused to cover similar incitement against his family.

He said the accusations of incitement were a biased attempt to silence the right, and complained that Facebook and Twitter had suspended the accounts of his son and several of his supporters.

The speech drew comparisons to the video Donald Trump released during the Capitol insurrection on Jan. 6, calling for the protesters to "go home" while also praising them and repeating his false claim that he won in a "landslide."

In Monday's speech, Netanyahu also doubled down on his attacks against Bennett and said his power-sharing government with opposition leader Yair Lapid was the biggest election fraud in history."

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Netanyahu was referring to the fact that Bennett had promised during the campaign not to join forces with Lapid.

Although the incoming government will include mainly centrist and right-wing members, Netanyahu called it a dangerous left-wing government and told his party members, "dont be afraid to go after them."

The other side: Bennett responded with a speech of his own during the evening news, echoing the tone used by Joe Biden on Jan. 6 and calling on Netanyahu to commit to a peaceful transition of power.

Mr. Netanyahu, dont leave scorched earth behind you," Bennett said.

While Bennett was speaking, Netanyahu appeared live on the Israeli equivalent of the right-wing One America News channel and called Bennett a "liar" and a "fraud."

Netanyahu's Likud party has also claimed on Twitter (in English) that Bennett and Lapid would turn Israel into a "dark dictatorship" akin to North Korea.

What to watch: Bennett and Lapid need to survive a confidence vote in the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, to ensure they take power.

Knesset speaker Yariv Levin, a Netanyahu ally, was caught on a hot mic saying he would schedule that vote when it "serves us best," rather than following the tradition of scheduling it as soon as possible.

Levin announced on Tuesday that the vote would be Sunday, forcing Bennett and Lapid to submit their final coalition agreement two days before the vote rather than one, because they can't submit it on a Saturday.

That gives Netanyahu's Likud party more time to scrutinize and criticize the agreement in hopes of convincing right-wing members of the new coalition to abandon it.

Whats next: If the confidence vote succeeds, the swearing in of the new government will take place on Sunday at 9am ET. Netanyahu is expected to give a speech beforehand attacking the incoming government.

On Monday morning, Bennett is expected to enter the prime ministers office in an official ceremony. Usually the outgoing prime minister attends to congratulate his successor, but it's unclear whether Netanyahu will do so.

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ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP)  The man who shot and killed five people at a Maryland newspaper told a state psychiatrist he wanted to destroy a building Timothy McVeigh-style and that there was no defense for the crimes he committed, attorneys said during a court hearing Wednesday.

Attorneys said Jarrod Ramos spoke of thinking about destroying the Capital Gazette office during an interview with a state psychiatrist . He also talked about targeting the building where Maryland's two appellate courts are located.

Ramos also studied books on mass shootings and police response times, according to court testimony.

Lawyers for Ramos tried to persuade a judge to redact statements their client made to a state psychiatrist in a report that will be part of the second phase of his trial to determine whether he is criminally responsible for the June 2018 attack at the Capital Gazette due to his mental health. Ramos already has pleaded guilty but not criminally responsible due to insanity.

Matthew Connell, one of Ramos lawyers, argued that reports by expert witnesses in the case were hearsay and prejudicial and should not be admissible. Judge Michael Wachs ruled the reports were admissible, but he said some material in them would be redacted.

Dr. Sameer Patel, a psychiatrist with the state Health Department, interviewed Ramos after the shooting as part of a mental health evaluation and found him to be legally sane. The report has been under seal. Attorneys for Ramos have said experts on the defense team reached a different conclusion.

In addition to referring to McVeigh, whose fertilizer truck bomb ripped apart the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building on April 19, 1995, killing 168 people, Ramos also mentioned the 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, that left 17 dead, and the 1999 shooting at Columbine High School in suburban Denver that left 12 students and one teacher dead, the psychiatrist wrote in his report.

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He wrote that Ramos also told him initially he didnt want a lawyer because there is no defense for the crime I committed.

Ramos' attorney Katy O'Donnell argued that the references should be redacted from the record because they are prejudicial to her client. But Anne Arundel County State's Attorney Anne Leitess contended the references pointed to Ramos' thoughtful planning of the attack and indicated that he understood the criminality of his actions.

Wachs denied the request for redaction on those points.

The court has started preparing to select a jury in the high-profile case in Maryland's small state capital by summoning 300 people to the courthouse to fill out a questionnaire. Jury selection is set to begin June 23. Opening statements are scheduled to begin June 29, a day after the third anniversary of the attack.

Ramos, 41, had a well-documented history of harassing the newspapers journalists. He filed a lawsuit against the paper in 2012, alleging he was defamed in an article about his conviction in a criminal harassment case in 2011. The defamation suit was dismissed as groundless, and Ramos railed against staff at the newspaper in profanity-laced tweets.

Ramos also was angry at the courts for dismissing his case. One of three letters he sent on the day of the shooting went to Maryland's Court of Special Appeals, the state's intermediate appellate court, addressed to retired Judge Charles Moylan Jr., who decided against Ramos in his defamation case.

Ramos pleaded guilty in October 2019 to all 23 counts against him for killing John McNamara, Gerald Fischman, Wendi Winters, Rob Hiaasen and Rebecca Smith.

If Ramos were found not criminally responsible, he would be committed to a maximum-security psychiatric hospital instead of prison.

Under Maryland law, a defendant has the burden to show by a preponderance of the evidence that he is not criminally responsible for his actions. State law says a defendant is not criminally responsible for criminal conduct if, because of a mental disorder or developmental disabilities, he lacked substantial capacity to appreciate the criminality of his conduct.
Mr Trump urged other countries to follow Mr Buhari's move to ban the US-owned social media platforms

Former US president Donald Trump has praised Nigeria's government for banning Twitter after it deleted President Muhammadu Buhari's post for breaching its rules.

"Who are they to dictate good and evil, if they themselves are evil?" Mr Trump said in a statement.

He urged other countries to ban Twitter and Facebook for not allowing "free and open speech".

Mr Trump was banned from both platforms after the US Capitol riot in January.

His posts before and after the raid were alleged to have encouraged violence.

While Twitter made its ban permanent, Facebook announced last week that its suspension, including of the former president's Instagram account, would last at least two years.

What did Trump's statement say?

"Congratulations to the country of Nigeria, who just banned Twitter because they banned their president," he said in a statement released on Tuesday.

He suggested that he should have banned Facebook while he was in office, but said the company's boss Mark Zuckerberg "kept calling me and coming to the White House for dinner telling me how great I was".

Mr Trump also backed unnamed rival social media platforms, saying they "will emerge and take hold".

The 45th US president has struggled for attention since his access to Twitter and Facebook was blocked. A website he launched last month to get his word out was closed because of poor traffic.

Why did Nigeria ban Twitter?

The authorities in Nigeria accused the platform of threatening the country's "corporate existence" by allowing "misinformation and fake news to spread."

The ban followed the removal of President Buhari's tweet, which referred to Nigeria's civil war four decades ago, and included a veiled threat towards those backing a secessionist movement in the south-east of the country.

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His government said on Saturday the tweet's removal was "disappointing", but was not the only reason for Twitter's "temporary" suspension.

Information Minister Lai Mohammed told the BBC Focus on Africa programme that the platform was being used by Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of separatist group Ipob, to direct attacks against the government in the south-east region.

"This is done consistently and wilfully without consequences," he said.

The professional body of Nigerian mobile phone operators - known as Alton - said its members had been told to block access to Twitter.

The authorities have since said they will prosecute anyone found to have breached the ban, however they have not yet announced any arrests.

A group of human rights organisations says it has filed a case with a West African regional court against the Twitter ban, saying it contravenes the right to the freedom of expression.

It has also been condemned by some Western countries and the body representing Nigeria's lawyers.

Many Nigerians, including prominent politicians, news websites and churches, are continuing to tweet using Virtual Private Networks (VPNs).

Twitter said the ban was "deeply concerning".

Meanwhile, Nigeria's national broadcasting regulator, NBC, announced that it would begin "licensing all internet streaming services and social media operations in Nigeria", a government statement said.
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A complaint filed with the Department of Homeland Security Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties claims that immigrants' lives are at risk in custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at an Indiana county jail due to the lack of precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The National Immigrant Justice Center filed the complaint May 28 on behalf of two immigrant women who are in custody of ICE at Clay County Jail in Brazil, Ind. The complaint seeks an investigation into the COVID-19 condition at the jail.

The complaint, obtained by IndyStar, alleges that immigrants who are tested for COVID-19 are not given their test results; if they test positive, they are not given medication for pain; and detainees are not given face masks or hand soap. Guards often don't wear face masks and there are little to no social distancing measures in place, the complaint also alleges.

More: COVID-19 cases spiking again at some ICE detention centers. Critics say ICE failed to vaccinate detainees.

"ICE continues to put their lives and those of others detained at the jail at risk by detaining people in the close quarters where social distancing is largely impossible," the complaint states, "and withholding information regarding how those in custody can obtain COVID-19 testing."

In an emailed statement to IndyStar, ICE public affairs officer Alethea Smock said testing for COVID-19 complies with Centers for Disease Control guidance, and detainees who meet CDC criteria for epidemiologic risk of exposure to COVID-19 are housed separately from the general population.

"ICE reviews CDC guidance daily and continues to update protocols to remain consistent with CDC guidance," Smock said in the email. "Through an aggressive inspections program, ICE ensures its facilities follow ICE's National Detention Standards. Enforcement and Removal Operations Detention Standards Compliance Unit ensures that detainees in ICE custody reside in safe, secure and humane environments and under appropriate conditions of confinement."

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'The jail should do more to protect people'

The women asked to only be identified by their first names because of fear of retaliation. Their immigration cases are still pending and they have not been convicted of a crime.

Michelle is a 28-year-old mother of four children who have been in foster care since she was detained by ICE in January. In April, Michelle was tested for COVID-19 and placed into quarantine with 16 women on her cell block but was not given her test results.

"The jail staff did not separate the people who were positive for COVID or showing symptoms of COVID from the rest of us," Michelle said in a written declaration. "They did not give us masks to wear around each other, not even the person who is positive for COVID is given a mask to wear. And there is no way for us to socially distance ourselves from each other. Some of the jail staff wear masks but some do not. And sometimes when the jail staff wears masks, they dont cover their nose and mouth. It just hangs over their chin."

ICE detention in Indiana: Despite calls for change, Marion County Jail will keep holding immigrants for ICE

Maria is a 31-year-old single mother of two young U.S. citizens who have been in foster care since her detention in February. In a written declaration, Maria said the jail should do more to protect the people who do not have COVID from the people who do.

"The jail did not provide us with enough soap to wash our hands regularly. They just gave us little bars that you see in hotels or motels that only last a few days," she said in a written declaration. "So, we had to buy our own soap from the commissary. They dont let us have hand sanitizer because it has alcohol so soap is the only way we can keep our hands clean."

The complaint also alleges that ICE detainees are not separated from jail inmates facing criminal charges.

Lisa Chun, the women's attorney with National Immigrant Justice Center, told IndyStar this is the second complaint filed to investigate the conditions at the jail in Brazil. A similar complaint was filed in March, she said.

Chun said immigration detainees have not been convicted of a crime and should not be held in a detention facility and with inmates facing criminal charges at a county jail.

The Biden administration continues to subject people to punitive ICE detention, where deadly conditions and medical neglect are rampant, Chun said. The declarations provided in this complaint should be taken seriously and provide a wake-up call for the administration to urgently release people to their communities, and dramatically scale down the abusive immigration detention system.

More: 'We get the brunt': How the influx of migrants at the US-Mexico border is playing out in Texas border towns

The Clay County Jail detains people for ICE under a contract with the U.S. Marshals Service. Clay County Sheriff Paul Harden told IndyStar that he was not aware a complaint had been filed. He said both inmates and ICE detainees are given face masks, hand soap and those who want to get the COVID-19 vaccine have gotten access to it.

"COVID shots are offered and those who want it got their shots," Harden said. "We try to work ICE and Homeland Security and the safety of anyone within our facility is very important to us. We put a lot of weight on taking care of the people that are here."

Story continues below the gallery.

COVID-19 spikes at ICE facilities

As of June 4, ICE reported that one detainee at the Clay County Jail had COVID-19, of a total of 28 reported cases since Feb. 2020.

Data posted on ICE's website show COVID-19 spikes are happening at several immigration detention facilities owned and operated by private, for-profit companies that contract with ICE. Those facilities include three facilities owned and operated by Nashville-based CoreCivic: the La Palma Correctional Center and Eloy Detention Center, both located in Eloy, Arizona, and the Adams County Correctional Center in Natchez, Mississippi.

ICE officials attribute the spikes to newly arrived immigrants transferred to ICE detention facilities from Border Patrol facilities near the border with Mexico, where there has been an influx of migrants and asylum seekers, according to a report by USA Today.

Medical experts fear that recent outbreaks in some ICE detention facilities not only endanger the health of detainees and staff but could spread to surrounding communities at a time when more states are relaxing COVID-19 safety precautions, the USA Today report states.

As of May 13, anyone who is 12 years of age or older can get the COVID-19 vaccine in Indiana.

Indiana county health departments have been providing vaccines to eligible county jail inmates, an Indiana Department of Health spokesperson told IndyStar. The Clay County Health Department has been providing COVID-19 vaccines to inmates who want them, a Clay County Health Department spokesperson said.

Gov. Eric Holcomb signed an executive order on May 28 that removed the mask mandate starting June 1 in state facilities, except for congregate buildings such as state prisons, state hospitals, the Indiana Veterans Home and the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy. Masks are still required inside COVID testing and vaccination clinics.

Holcomb announced state employees will begin returning to the office June 7 and will be fully back July 6. Holcomb is still directing residents to follow Centers for Disease Control guidance for fully vaccinated and unvaccinated people regarding masks and other protective measures.

IndyStar reporter Natalia Contreras can be reached at 317-518-2829 or natalia.contreras@indystar.com. Follow her on Twitter, @NataliaECG.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: No COVID masks, hand soap at ICE detention facility, complaint says
A woman has been charged with murder in the death of her 5-year-old son in Forsyth County, according to police investigators.

Video Transcript

NEILL MCNEILL: Really sad breaking news right off the top of the "FOX8 10:00 News." Winston-Salem police accusing a mother in Rural Hall of killing her five-year-old son.

Good evening. Welcome. I'm Katie Nordeen.

NEILL MCNEILL: And I'm Neill McNeill. Due to the nature of this investigation, officers are releasing very little information. But here's what we do know.

They were called to a home on Whisperwood Street in Rural Hall Sunday night in response to a 911 call from someone reporting an unresponsive child. Officers found Kendall Marquise Smith, five years old. He was taken to Brenner Children's Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Another juvenile was also in the home. This child also had signs of trauma and injury. The police report doesn't elaborate, other than saying this child was taken into protective custody for medical treatment.

And then just after 5:00 o'clock this evening, officers arrested the boy's mom, Kimberly Smith, after the medical examiner determined the child's death was a homicide. Smith is facing a number of charges, including murder.

We'll stay on this story and bring you more information as we get it.
Police officers should not face trial by social media, the Home Secretary has said as she backed calls to publish more body-worn video footage of incidents. In a speech to the annual Police Federation of England and Wales conference, Priti Patel said transparency is vital and supported plans to try to counter highly selective, and misleading, video clips uploaded on to social media.

Video Transcript

PRITI PATEL: The right to protest and speak freely does not include the right to smash up property or abuse police officers. And I will not let the police be subject to trial by social media. That's why I have backed the federation's call for forces to share body-worn video footage to counter highly selective and misleading video clips uploaded onto social media.

I want forces to be more proactive in sharing body-worn video footage to highlight the fantastic work of their officers, to build public confidence, and to correct harmful misinformation circulating online. It is critical that we work as a system to ensure that we maintain public confidence in policing, which is vital for victim reporting, intelligence-led policing, and to maintain our treasured model of policing by consent.

As part of this process, we'll be looking carefully at strengthening lives-- strengthening the system of local community scrutiny and the value of body-worn video because transparency is vital.
However, Ramos, resigned to the likelihood of spending the rest of his life in prison, learned of a light at the end of the tunnel: He might have more free access to a computer and the internet at a psychiatric hospital rather than prison. Patels report said Ramos cited the additional freedom as reason to pursue an insanity defense. As such, he described the defense as useful.
St. James Catholic School, where Mary Margaret Kreuper was principal for nearly three decades. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

A nun who ran a Catholic elementary school in Torrance has agreed to plead guilty to stealing more than $835,000 in school funds to pay for her personal expenses, including a gambling habit.

Mary Margaret Kreuper, 79, was charged Tuesday with one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering, according to the U.S. attorneys office for the Central District of California. A plea agreement was filed with the charging document.

A statement from Kreuper's attorney, Mark Byrne, said that Kreuper is very remorseful for what happened, describing how she became a nun at 18 and has dedicated her life to helping others.

Unfortunately, later in her life she has been suffering from a mental illness that clouded her judgment and caused her to do something that she otherwise would not have done, the statement said.

A person who answered the phone at St. James Catholic School, where Kreuper was principal for nearly three decades until she retired in 2018, said the school had no comment. The Archdiocese of Los Angeles said it had contacted authorities in 2018 when financial reviews showed that a substantial amount of school funds had been misappropriated for personal use by Kreuper.

The community of faith at St. James was shocked and saddened by these actions and the parish, school and the archdiocese reported the matter and fully cooperated with authorities in the criminal investigation, the archdiocese said in its statement.

In November 2018, the pastor of St. James Catholic Church in Redondo Beach alerted parents in letters that both Kreuper, then recently retired, and Sister Lana Chang, a former teacher, had allegedly misappropriated school funds for their personal use. Chang, who retired at the same time as Kreuper, was an eighth-grade teacher for about 20 years and had served as vice principal for the past several years.

In the weeks that followed, parents told The Times that both nuns, who drove to campus in Volvos, had spoken openly about trips theyd taken to Las Vegas and Lake Tahoe. Many parents expressed outrage as details of the financial scheme were disclosed during a two-hour meeting at St. James Church and asked if the nuns would apologize to families.

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According to a statement filed in support of the plea agreement, Kreuper had taken a vow of poverty as a nun and her living expenses were paid by her order of nuns. All money that she earned at the school was supposed to go toward the order.

As principal, the statement said, Kreuper oversaw the school's financial affairs and managed its bank accounts. She was a signatory on two accounts opened at a credit union in the 1980s and '90s  a savings account for the school and an account that was created to pay for the living expenses of nuns employed by the school.

Kreuper has admitted to embezzling money from the school from as early as 2008 through September 2018 by taking cash and checks that were made by parents to the school and depositing that money into both accounts without the knowledge of school officials.

She used the money to pay for expenses, such as gambling costs and credit card charges, that the order would not have approved, much less paid for, the filing said.

To conceal the scheme, Kreuper said she falsified monthly and annual school financial reports, failing to include references to both accounts and the full funds that were deposited into and withdrawn from them.

Kreuper, the filing said, lulled St. James School and the administration into believing the schools finances were being properly accounted for and its financial assets properly safeguarded.

The charges against Kreuper carry a maximum sentence of 40 years in federal prison, according to prosecutors. The agreement said Kreuper recognizes shell be required to pay restitution totaling about $835,000, although that amount may change.

She will be arraigned July 1.

Times staff writers Hailey Branson-Potts, Ruben Vives and Javier Panzar contributed to this report.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Millions in American tax dollars were passed on to Palestinian programs that introduced children in Gaza and the West Bank to convicted terrorists and presented them as role models, according to a new report from the Israeli watchdog group NGO Monitor.

The money originally arrived in the region as part of $500 million in relief funds from USAID, according to the report. But six controversial non-government organizations received a total of $7.2 million between 2015 and 2019 in the form of subgrants doled out by primary aid recipients.

"Many of these incidents occurred before grants were issued, indicating a failure to properly vet grantees," NGO Monitor said in a statement. "Several of them took place during the grant period, reflecting the need to continue to monitor grantees after funds are approved."

The secondary recipients introduced kids to convicted terrorists and allegedly had children lobby on behalf of imprisoned Islamic Jihad members.

ISRAEL AMBASSADOR: HAMAS WAS USING ASSOCIATED PRESS BUILDING TO JAM IRON DOME TECHNOLOGY

At one protest, children were heard chanting, "We are with the prisoners until death we are behind you until liberationResist until deathIntifada until death," according to the report.

"To guarantee the integrity of U.S. funding, USAID and primary grantees must conduct thorough vetting of potential partners," NGO Monitors director of research Yona Schiffmiller said. "This must include publicly available information such as the websites and social media accounts of potential grantees and their key officials, as well as media reports, court documents and other public records."

The report follows a March 29 Government Accountability Office report that called for increased oversight and vetting of USAIDs subgrant recipients.

"GAO found that, for fiscal years 20152019, USAID fully complied with all three requirements when awarding prime awards, but did not consistently ensure that subawards were in compliance," the report reads.

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The federal government is also looking at new relief efforts following 11 deadly days of fighting between Israels Defense Forces and militant Gaza terrorists.

"At this critical juncture, when the U.S. intends to direct tens-of-millions of dollars for Gaza aid, ensuring a robust and effective vetting process is an absolute necessity to prevent aid diversion by terrorist organizations and extremist actors," Schiffmiller said.
Secoriea Turner, eight years old, who was shot and killed in Atlanta (Atlanta Police Department)

The family of Secoriea Turner, an eight-year-old girl shot by armed vigilantes during last summers Rayshard Brooks protests, has filed a lawsuit against city officials in Atlanta, claiming they allowed an atmosphere of lawlessness, violence and vigilantism in addition to peaceful protest.

Secoriea should be here. None of what were doing will ever bring our baby back. Her life is priceless, her family said at a press conference on Monday. We deserve justice. Someone needs to be held accountable.

Secoriea was killed last July, weeks into protests mourning another tragedy: the police shooting of Rayshard Brooks, a 27-year-old Black man, who was killed in the parking lot of a Wendys fastfood restaurant on 12 June as he ran away after stealing an officers stun gun.

The site of Mr Brookss death became the scene of protests for weeks, including an encampment and armed men blocking the roads.

Mr Turner, her mother, and a friend approached the site on 4 July. They accidentally tried to make a U-turn and struck a barricade, after which a group began firing into the car.

One individual, Julian Conley, 20, has been charged in connection with the killing, after turning himself in. His attorneys have insisted he was there and was armed, but didnt fire into the car. The incident began, they continued, because armed individuals at the scene thought people inside the vehicle were firing on them.

Following Secorieas death, the state declared a state of emergency, deployed the National Guard, and the Wendys franchise was demolished.

The suit, filed in state court, names the city, mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, the Atlanta police chief, and others.

The murder of Secoriea Turner, as a result of senseless gun violence, is a tragedy that no family should have to endure. Due to the anticipated litigation, the City will offer no further comment, at this time, a city spokesperson told the Associated Press.

The young girls life was one of many lost during last summers racial protests. In Louisville, Kentucky, a popular restaurant owner named David McAtee, known for giving discounts to law enforcement, was killed by police as they enforced a curfew during ongoing protests following Breonna Taylors death earlier that year.

Story continues

Read More

Atlanta reinstates officer who fatally shot Rayshard Brooks, Black man who was running away from police

Ex-officer who killed Rayshard Brooks wants his job back

Atlanta protests: Six police officers charged with using excessive force in arrest of college students
A man standing with a clenched fist. (PHOTO: Getty)

SINGAPORE  A pet shop manager who threw a stone lion statue at a Safe Distancing Ambassador (SDA) was fined $2,000 on Wednesday (9 June), with the SDA's case for a similar charge to be dealt with at a later date.

He Jun, a 48-year-old Singaporean, pleaded guilty to one count of affray, while one count of uttering Hokkien vulgarities at the SDA was considered for his sentencing. For affray, He could have been jailed up to a year or fined up to $5,000, or both.

The SDA that He fought with, Aloysius Hoe Wei Peng, 40, is also facing criminal charges for kicking He and verbally abusing him.

He was the manager of Little Pet Kingdom at Block 928 Yishun Central 1, when Hoe and a female SDA came across him on 16 December last year.

Both Hoe and his colleague were wearing their lanyards. Hoe directed his colleague to take a photo of the pet shop, as he had seen He not wearing a mask while in the pet shop. His colleague obliged and took a photo, which was witnessed by He.

He approached the female SDA outside the pet shop and asked her why she had taken a photo. Hoe asked He what was wrong, and an argument broke out between the duo.

During the dispute, Hoe kicked He, while He threw a stone lion statue from a nearby table at Hoe. The men grappled with each other and fell to the ground while exchanging blows.

The pair were separated by a 62-year-old man who worked at a print shop next to Little Pet Kingdom.

The police received a message about the incident, which read I am an SDA. I was doing my job. However, he beat me up. I do not need ambulance.

He did not seek medical attention despite having a swollen hand. Hoe was diagnosed with bruises and abrasions on his body. The stone lion statue was later seized as a case exhibit.

Hoes case is still pending before the court. The SDA faces one charge of using insulting words on He by hurling Hokkien vulgarities at him, and one count of affray.

Separately, Hoe faces one charge of committing mischief at Waterway Point Shopping Centre on 3 February last year for stepping on a pair of spectacles belonging to a man. The spectacles are said to be worth $200. Hoe is also alleged to have kicked the same man in common intention with a woman, in the same incident.

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Jun. 8The Pittsburgh Pirates have activated infielder/outfielder Phillip Evans to the major league roster and reinstated right-hander Mitch Keller from the injured list, manager Derek Shelton announced Tuesday afternoon.

"It's nice," Shelton said. "Anytime you add guys back that are part of your regular group, it's important."

To make room on the 26-man roster, the Pirates designated utility infielder Wilmer Difo for assignment and optioned left-handed reliever Austin Davis to Triple-A Indianapolis. Difo batted .244 with three doubles, two triples, a home run and six RBIs while striking out 25 times and drawing five walks in 44 games. His greatest value came as a pinch hitter, where he was 8 for 27 (.296). Davis spent the first two months of the season on the IL with an elbow injury but returned to pitch a scoreless seventh inning in Sunday's 3-1 loss to Miami.

Evans was slashing .216/.326/.351 with three doubles, four home runs and eight RBIs in 32 games before going on the IL on May 13 with a left hamstring strain. He completed a rehabilitation assignment with Indianapolis, where he batted .462 (6 for 13) with two doubles in five games. Evans can play first and third base and either corner spot in the outfield and will return to his super utility role.

"He'll bounce around," Shelton said. "He will play multiple positions."

Keller pitched only two innings against the Marlins on Friday before leaving with "heat illness" and was placed on the covid-IL on Sunday.

"The importance of this was there was no breaking of protocols," Shelton said. "We tested him again to make sure there was no positive test. It was just probably out of an abundance of caution because of his symptoms and the symptoms continued. We wanted to make sure. That's why he was put on that list."

Shelton said Keller (3-6, 6.65 ERA) is expected to start Thursday against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Kevin Gorman is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Kevin by email at kgorman@triblive.com or via Twitter .
European Commission vice-president Maros Sefcovic (L) and his UK counterpart David Frost in London on Wednesday (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Talks between Britain and the EU on the implementation of the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement in Northern Ireland have broken up without agreement.

Brexit Minister Lord Frost and European Commission vice-president Maros Sefcovic ended their discussions in London on Wednesday with no sign of a breakthrough.

Ahead of the talks Lord Frost warned that time was running out to reach agreement and called on the EU to adopt a "common sense" approach to checks on goods moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.

Mr Sefcovic warned that Brussels would act "firmly and resolutely" if the UK unilaterally decided to delay checks intended to ensure there was no return to a hard border with the Republic.

The EU is making multiple complaints against the UK for allegedly failing to uphold the Northern Ireland protocol signed by Boris Johnson in 2019 as part of the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement.

It claims the continued flow of products like chilled meats to flow from the mainland to supermarkets in the Province is putting the sanctity of its single market at risk. It also is demanding faster work on border infrastructure.

However, the British side is bullish, saying the EU is going over the top by banning British products sold in supermarkets and is itself breaking the spirit of the Protocol and also the Good Friday peace accord.

Mr Sefcovic said the EU would act swiftly, firmly and resolutely if the UK reneged on the Protocol. He has raised the prospect of a trade war - with Brussels imposing tariffs and quotas on British exports - if the UK falls short on its obligations under the legally-binding agreement.

Following three-and-a-half hours of talks, Lord Frost said they had had a "frank and honest discussion" but that there had been "no breakthroughs" over the Northern Ireland Protocol in the agreement.

He said that the two sides had, however, agreed to carry on talking in an effort to achieve a breakthrough.

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"The problem we've got is the protocol is being implemented in a way which is causing disruption in Northern Ireland and we had some pretty frank and honest discussions about that situation today," he said.

"There weren't any breakthroughs. There aren't any breakdowns either and we're going to carry on talking.

"What we really now need to do is very urgently find some solutions which support the Belfast Good Friday Agreement, support the peace process in Northern Ireland and allow things to return to normal."

It came as Joe Bidens national secutity adviser said the US president had deep concerns that a UK-EU trade row could endanger peace in Northern Ireland.

The US president will tell fellow leaders at this weeks G7 summit that gains since the Good Friday Agreement must be protected, Jake Sullivan told the BBC.

If no compromise is reached on the checks on goods, there are fears of potential violence .

Following the talks the European Union warned Britain that it would react swiftly if it acted alone to change post-Brexit trading arrangements for Northern Ireland, but did not spell out what its steps might be.

"Trust, which should be at the heart of every partnership, needs to be restored," Mr Sefcovic told a news conference after the meeting with Frost.

"If the UK were to take further unilateral action in the coming weeks, the EU will not be shy in reacting swiftly, firmly and resolutely to ensure that the UK abides by its international law obligations.

"Pacta sunt servanda," he added, using the Latin for agreements must be kept.

The European Union was accused by a Cabinet minister on Wedneday of putting cancer treatment at risk for patients in Northern Ireland by its rigid attitude to the Brexit border agreement.

Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick said EU attempts to stop sales of British sausages also had the potential to restrict the flow of life-saving medicines to the Province.

I hope that we can sort this out because there are things even more important than sausages at stake here, he told Sky News. For example, medicines: it really would be absurd if a cancer drug struggled to be dispatched from the mainland of the United Kingdom to Northern Ireland.

We need to sort this out now.

His intervention raised the temperature ahead of the showdown talks in London.

Mr Jenrick claimed the Protocol was meant to allow the continued flow to goods from the mainland. I dont think either side, when we sign up to the protocol, envisaged that the EU would interpret it in such a rigid and un-pragmatic way.

Were asking them to show some common sense and enable something as simple as a sausage to travel from GB to Northern Ireland.

The UK government has hinted it will act unilaterally to delay checks on chilled meats, such as sausages and chicken nuggets, when the current grace period expires at the end of June.

Downing Street said there could be no justification for preventing British-made chilled meats being sold in Northern Irish shops, while Environment Secretary George Eustice said the EU position was bonkers.

A senior Conservative accused the Prime Minister of secretly planning to wriggle out of the Brexit agreement from the start. Lord Barwell, who was Theresa Mays chief of staff, said everyone knew what the Protocol would mean for Northern Ireland.

I find it inconceivable that they didnt understand what they were signing up to, he told LBC.

He said Mr Johnson had been desperate for an oven ready Brexit deal before the 2019 election and alleged: So I think the calculation was sign up to whatever is on offer, and then see if we can deal with anything we dont like down the line.

Read More

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Biden touches down in UK ahead of talks with Johnson and G7 summit

The G7 summit: What you need to know
Although the National Puerto Rican Day Parade this year will be virtual, it's not stopping local residents from being proud and celebrating their heritage.

Video Transcript

- Only a few days away until the annual celebration of Puerto Rican pride. And like last year because of the pandemic, there won't be the annual in-person parade, but as Eyewitness News reporter Joe Torres found out it's not stopping people from celebrating their Puerto Rican heritage.

JOE TORRES: No parade, no problem.

GERARDO CRUZ: [SPEAKING SPANISH]

JOE TORRES: Gerardo Cruz has a 25-year tradition to maintain selling all sorts of Puerto Rican flags, shirts, and trinkets.

GERARDO CRUZ: A lot of people want to celebrate our national Puerto Rican day parade. They're going to do the picnic, the party, no matter what. But they're still buying merchandise.

GILBERTO GILBERTO: But no matter, what we celebrating regardless. Regardless. It could be in a park, it could be in your bathroom, it could be anywhere. [SPEAKING SPANISH] You know.

JOE TORRES: There's going to be a party.

GILBERTO GILBERTO: Regardless.

JOE TORRES: A party and celebration is so desperately needed. In the last few years people, on the island have suffered through destructive hurricanes, powerful earthquakes, and a global pandemic. But now, after strict coronavirus lockdowns and an island-wide vaccination effort, the many people who left the island are now free to return and visit their loved ones.

YARIMAR BONILLA: We're definitely seeing a big homecoming of folks in the diaspora coming back, reuniting with their family. Folks who've migrated recently, as well, you know, coming back.

JOE TORRES: Bonilla is the incoming director of the Center for Puerto Rican Studies at Hunter College. The Center, established in 1973 as the nation's premiere Puerto Rican think tank and research facility, will host our live parade broadcast special beginning Sunday at noon.

NIXZA JURADO: We really need that. Everybody should get together and celebrate our appreciation that we are in New Yorkians and Puerto Ricans, and we all get together and help each other.

JOE TORRES: Out on the streets of East Harlem and in other Puerto Rican neighborhoods across the United States, the anticipation surrounding Sunday's event is high, a much needed time to celebrate the laughter and joy, family and friends, strength and resilience of some very proud people.
PulteGroup (PHM) closed at $55.84 in the latest trading session, marking a -1.97% move from the prior day. This change lagged the S&P 500's daily loss of 0.18%.

Heading into today, shares of the homebuilder had lost 4.33% over the past month, lagging the Construction sector's loss of 4.29% and the S&P 500's gain of 0.04% in that time.

PHM will be looking to display strength as it nears its next earnings release. The company is expected to report EPS of $1.73, up 50.43% from the prior-year quarter. Our most recent consensus estimate is calling for quarterly revenue of $3.53 billion, up 36% from the year-ago period.

For the full year, our Zacks Consensus Estimates are projecting earnings of $7.68 per share and revenue of $14.9 billion, which would represent changes of +48.26% and +35.02%, respectively, from the prior year.

Investors might also notice recent changes to analyst estimates for PHM. These revisions help to show the ever-changing nature of near-term business trends. As a result, we can interpret positive estimate revisions as a good sign for the company's business outlook.

Based on our research, we believe these estimate revisions are directly related to near-team stock moves. Investors can capitalize on this by using the Zacks Rank. This model considers these estimate changes and provides a simple, actionable rating system.

Ranging from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), the Zacks Rank system has a proven, outside-audited track record of outperformance, with #1 stocks returning an average of +25% annually since 1988. Over the past month, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has moved 0.72% higher. PHM is holding a Zacks Rank of #1 (Strong Buy) right now.

In terms of valuation, PHM is currently trading at a Forward P/E ratio of 7.42. This represents a discount compared to its industry's average Forward P/E of 8.

The Building Products - Home Builders industry is part of the Construction sector. This industry currently has a Zacks Industry Rank of 22, which puts it in the top 9% of all 250+ industries.

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The Zacks Industry Rank includes is listed in order from best to worst in terms of the average Zacks Rank of the individual companies within each of these sectors. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.

To follow PHM in the coming trading sessions, be sure to utilize Zacks.com.



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Rapper Pooh Shiesty has been arrested following a shooting at a Miami strip club on May 30 that left a security guard injured over an alleged dispute involving money, Fox News has confirmed.

A warrant by the Miami-Dade Police Department was issued for Shiesty  whose real name is Lontrell Dennell Williams  for aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, which is a felony.

According to a police report obtained by TMZ, the whole thing went down at the King of Diamonds nightclub at 4:00 a.m. local time late last month.

Inmate booking records viewed by Fox News show Williams, 21, who is a member of rapper Gucci Manes 1017 Records, was charged with armed robbery with a deadly weapon  in this case, a firearm, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon causing great bodily harm, aggravated assault with a firearm and first-degree petit theft.

He was released on a felony bond late Tuesday.

RAPPER DABABY RELEASED, TWO IN CUSTODY FOLLOWING SHOOTING IN UPSCALE MIAMI AREA

Meanwhile, the gossip outlet reported on Tuesday that police said witnesses reported seeing security staff attempting to escort Williams out of the gentlemens club when an alleged altercation commenced between Williams and the guard.

Police maintained witnesses reported that the security manager said the dispute was over money that had allegedly fallen out of Williams pants and while the amount is unclear, police pressed that the Memphis native allegedly drew a gun and fired a round toward the ground and one of the guards was struck in the right ankle before being taken to an area hospital.

'TIGER KING'S' JEFF LOWE, WIFE LAUREN ARRESTED FOR DUI

When officers arrived at the scene, Williams was already gone, police told the outlet.

Just last week, rapper DaBaby, 29  real name Jonathan Lyndale Kirk  was questioned by Miami Beach Police detectives following a shooting incident on the 100 block of Ocean Drive near the popular Prime 112 Steakhouse that left two individuals with a gunshot "shoulder wound" and "the other a leg wound" on June 1.

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A rapper named Wisdom, born Wisdom Akornuche Awute, 21, who is reportedly part of Kirk's entourage, was arrested for attempted murder with a deadly weapon and aggravated assault with a firearm, TMZ reported at the time.

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A rep for Williams did not immediately respond to Fox News request for comment.
Sifan Hassan and Joshua Cheptegei have established themselves as elite athletes capable of setting world records, but both were quick Wednesday to dismiss criticism of new running shoes that some say are the equivalent of mechanical doping.

Both Cheptegei and Hassan wear Nike ZoomX Dragonfly track spikes, a super-light shoe with a rigid plate and a unique foam that lends a propulsive sensation to every stride.

Critics claim the shoes are the equivalent of mechanical doping, while supporters hail them as a revolutionary technical advance. With athletes also aided by trackside pace-setting lighting, a slew of middle-distance records has fallen and many more look set to follow.

Versatile Dutch runner Hassan has three world records to her name, having seen Ethiopian Letesenbet Gidey set a new world best in the 10,000m in Hengelo on Tuesday just two days after she herself had knocked off more than 10 seconds off the record.

Ugandan middle distance maestro Cheptegei set new bests in the men's 5,000m in Monaco, 10,000m in Valencia and 5km road, also in Monaco, last season.

"I don't know why they get crazy about technology," Hassan said ahead of Thursday's Diamond League meet in the Italian city of Florence where she will step down from an endurance to a speed outing, running the 1500m in which she is also world champion.

"All of us have new phones, before no one had telephones, so we have to go back to radio to listen?"

Hassan, who moved to the Netherlands from Ethiopia at the age of 15 in 2008, added: "We don't have to have the track, so we have to take it up and run on dust or something!

"What's wrong with you people, just move on. We're a new generation, chill out, don't just complain, just be positive, everybody, have fun."

- Technology changing world -

Cheptegei said innovative track spikes were "available not just for me or Sifan" but for everyday runners wishing to improve.

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"I believe technology is changing the world," said the Ugandan, who won 10,000m world gold in Doha in 2019.

"We're not living in the 1990s, we have to accept the new innovations from the new companies, the technologies, we have to go and live, it's about the comfort that allows you to reach your dreams."

Cheptegei singled out in-form Norwegian prodigy Jakob Ingebrigtsen as the "man of the moment" ahead of the third Diamond League of the season, just six weeks out from the Tokyo Olympics.

"He has shown a lot of achievement, tremendous changes leading up to the world championships in Doha," he said.

"Even when still young, he was still improving. Look what he did in 2020 during the pandemic. It proves he's the man of the moment who is capable of delivering something special on the big stage.

"I'm sure he can do sub-13, it's not about when, but even tomorrow it's possible."

Cheptegei said the meet record of 12:46 would come under serious pressure, notably with the presence of a trio of Ethiopians in Selemon Barega and Hagos Gebrhiwet, who are ranked fifth and sixth respectively in the all-time list with 12:43.02 and 12:45.82, and Muktar Edris, the reigning world 5,000m champion.

"I believe that with a good organisation of the pacers, with also a good field, and pretty much we have a very strong field, the Ethiopians, the Canadians, Jakob, so I believe the meeting record will be in danger tomorrow," he said.

lp/gj
Understanding gut inflammation may hold clues to mitigating Parkinson's onset

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (JUNE 8, 2021) -- Chronic inflammation in the gut may propel processes in the body that give rise to Parkinson's disease, according to a study by scientists at Van Andel Institute and Roche.

The study, published in Free Neuropathology, is the latest in a growing list that links the gut and the immune system to Parkinson's. The researchers' findings in an experimental mouse model of gut inflammation track with several large-scale epidemiological studies that show an association between Parkinson's and inflammatory bowel diseases, such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease.

Epidemiological evidence from other groups indicates the risk of developing Parkinson's fades in certain people whose inflammatory bowel disease is treated with anti-TNF, a standard-of-care anti-inflammatory therapy, which suggests that reducing gut inflammation may have promise for mitigating Parkinson's onset.

"There is increasing evidence that changes in the gut can affect a variety of neurological and psychiatric brain disorders," said Patrik Brundin, M.D., Ph.D., VAI deputy chief scientific officer and co-corresponding author of the study. "Parkinson's is a complex disease with a wide range of factors that work in concert to spark its onset and progression. We need to understand the gut's likely influence on Parkinson's development better. This study provides novel insights, and this new knowledge can facilitate the development of improved treatment approaches."

In their disease models, the team found that chronic gut inflammation triggers a protein called alpha-synuclein to clump together in walls of the colon, as well as in local immune cells called macrophages. A similar process may play out in the colons of some people -- such as those with inflammatory bowel diseases -- thereby increasing their risk to develop Parkinson's as shown in studies by other groups.

Similarly, in the brains of people with Parkinson's, "sticky" alpha-synuclein aggregates also develop. For reasons that still are unclear, these aggregates can clog the molecular machinery that keep neurons alive. The resulting loss of some of these critical cells -- and the chemical messenger they produce called dopamine -- causes Parkinson's hallmark movement-related symptoms, such as freezing and loss of voluntary movement. The additional wide-spread development of alpha-synuclein aggregates throughout the brain also may be associated with the disease's non-motor symptoms and may fuel its progression, which cannot be slowed or stopped with existing treatments.

The study also revealed that chronic inflammation in the gut early in life can exacerbate alpha-synuclein clumping throughout the brain in older mice. While it isn't clear exactly how this happens, the team has two theories: first, they suggest inflammatory chemicals may travel from the gut to the brain via the bloodstream, triggering a runaway inflammatory immune response that leads to protein aggregation. Another idea is that alpha-synuclein aggregates may travel to the brain via the vagus nerve, one of the longest nerves in the body and a "superhighway" between the gut and the brain. Once there, the proteins may then execute their toxic activity in the brain.

"We now know that systems throughout the body contribute to Parkinson's," said Emmanuel Quansah, Ph.D., a postdoctoral fellow in Brundin's lab and a key contributor and co-author of the study. "It was striking to see protein aggregation pathology in the brain that mirrored pathology in the colon brought on by inflammation. A particularly intriguing observation was the loss dopamine-producing nerve cells -- which play a major role in Parkinson's onset -- in our models that had gut inflammation a year-and-a-half earlier."

Notably, the team also found that modulating immune activation in the colitis mouse model by genetic or therapeutic means tuned the level of alpha-synuclein clumps in the colon up or down.

"Our results in mice, together with the genetic and epidemiological data by others in humans, make a strong case for further exploring systemic immune pathways for future therapies and biomarkers for Parkinson's," said Markus Britschgi, Ph.D., Senior Principal Scientist and Section Head in the Neuroscience and Rare Diseases Research Department at the Roche Innovation Center Basel and co-corresponding author of the study.

Authors include first author Stefan Grathwohl, Ph.D. (previously a Roche postdoctoral fellow), Nazia Maroof, Ph.D. (previously a Roche postdoctoral fellow), Liz Spycher, Krisztina Oroszlan-Szovik, M.S., Helga Remy, Markus Haenggi M.S., and Marc Stawiski of Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Neuroscience and Rare Diseases Discovery and Translational Area, Roche Innovation Center Basel; Jennifer A. Steiner, Ph.D., Zachary Madaj, M.S., and Martha L. Escobar Galvis, Ph.D., of VAI; Fethallah Benmansour, Ph.D., of Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, pREDi, Roche Innovation Center Basel; Gonzalo Duran-Pacheco, Ph.D., Juliane Siebourg-Polster, Ph.D., Matthias Selhausen, Pierre Maliver, EVCP, Arel Su, DVM, and Annika Herrmann, DECVP, of Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Roche Innovation Center Basel; Andreas Wolfert and Thomas Emrich, Ph.D., of Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Roche Innovation Center Munich; and Christoph Mueller, Ph.D., of Institute of Pathology, University of Bern.

###

Free Neuropathology is a new type of open-access journal that is run entirely by scientists working in the field.

Research reported in this publication was funded by Van Andel Institute and Roche. Early work on this project was supported in part by the European Research Council.

ABOUT VAN ANDEL INSTITUTE

Van Andel Institute (VAI) is committed to improving the health and enhancing the lives of current and future generations through cutting edge biomedical research and innovative educational offerings. Established in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in 1996 by the Van Andel family, VAI is now home to more than 400 scientists, educators and support staff, who work with a growing number of national and international collaborators to foster discovery. The Institute's scientists study the origins of cancer, Parkinson's and other diseases and translate their findings into breakthrough prevention and treatment strategies. Our educators develop inquiry-based approaches for K-12 education to help students and teachers prepare the next generation of problem-solvers, while our Graduate School offers a rigorous, research-intensive Ph.D. program in molecular and cellular biology. Learn more at vai.org.

This story has been published on: 2021-06-09. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Prosecutors said Soyke admitted that he believed that Hoffberg and another man, who has not been charged with a crime, prescribed excessive levels of opioids, but both doctors overruled any attempts by Soyke to lower patients dosages. Soyke admitted in his plea that he knew that many of the patients presenting to Hoffberg did not have a legitimate medical need for the oxycodone, fentanyl, alprazolam, and methadone they were being prescribed. Nevertheless, Soyke issued prescriptions for these drugs, prosecutors said.
Officials said 79-year-old Mary Margaret Kreuper  a 30-year-principal  used diverted cash to pay for large gambling expenses and major credit card charges.

Video Transcript

CHRISTINA PASCUCCI: Another blow to the Catholic Church. This time involving this woman who was a long time principal here at this Catholic school. And she agreed to plead guilty in exchange for the charges that she'll face. I'll explain that shortly. We're talking about $800,000 that she admits that she stole, in part, to fund her gambling habit. We're talking about 79-year-old Mary Margaret Kreuper.

She, according to authorities, for 10 years embezzled funds from St. James Catholic School in Torrance. She was a principal for nearly 30 years until she retired in 2018. At that time, the school started doing a financial check-in and they realized something was very wrong. It turns out, according to federal investigators, she controlled charitable donations, tuition from students, and living expenses for the nuns. And they say she would take school funds and then use them to pay for expenses that the order would have never approved including large gambling expenses at casinos. She also admitted to falsifying financial reports to cover up what she did.

Kreuper now faces one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering. Per the US Attorney's office, she faces a maximum sentence of 40 years behind bars. Now that second nun that you referenced who was allegedly involved, Sister Lana Chang. She was a teacher here. She also retired in 2018. Torrance Police, the IRS, the FBI, all investigated this. And I reached out to the Department of Justice this morning. They told me they couldn't comment or describe exactly what happened. But they said that the former Sister Chang will not be charged, at least not by them.
Photograph: Gerald Herbert/AP

A retired nun has admitted to embezzling $835,000 over 10 years from a Catholic school in California to fund her gambling habit, according to federal prosecutors.

Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper, 79, a former principal at St James Catholic School in Torrance, California, used tuition fees and donations to subsidize casino gambling expenses and credit card payments, the authorities said.

Kreuper, who took vows of poverty at age 18 and spent 59 years in the religious order, said in her plea agreement that she had begun diverting money from the schools tuition and donation account to a savings account that funded the living expenses of the nuns who worked at the school  and then used some of the money herself.

Related: German cardinal offers to resign over sexual abuse catastrophe

According to prosecutors, Kreuper admitted that she falsified monthly and annual reports to the school administration to cover up her fraudulent conduct and lulled St James School and the administration into believing that the schools finances were being properly accounted for and its financial assets properly safeguarded, which, in turn, allowed defendant Kreuper to maintain her access and control of the schools finances and accounts and, thus, continue operating the fraudulent scheme.

In a statement to The Washington Post, Kreupers lawyers said she is very remorseful and sorry for any harm she has caused.

As soon as she was confronted, she accepted full responsibility for what she had done and she has cooperated completely with law enforcement and the archdiocese, the statement said, adding that she has been suffering from a mental illness that clouded her judgment.

The scheme was uncovered during an audit after Kreuper retired in 2018. Prosecutors said that she had also instructed school employees to alter and destroy financial records.

Kreuper is due in court on 1 July and faces up to 40 years in federal prison.

The archdiocese of Los Angeles said in statement that the community of faith at St James was shocked and saddened by these actions and expressed gratitude to local and federal law enforcement agencies for their work in the investigation of this matter.
A retired Los Angeles nun will plead guilty to embezzling $835,000 from the elementary school where she worked in order to cover her gambling habits and other personal expenses, officials said this week.

Mary Margaret Kreuper, 79, was charged with one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering on Tuesday and has agreed to a plea deal, according to a release from the U.S. attorneys office for the Central District of California.

Kreuper, who had taken a vow of poverty as a nun, worked as a principal at St. James Catholic School in Torrance for 28 years and allegedly embezzled the funds for 10 years until her retirement in 2018.

"The community of faith at St. James was shocked and saddened by these actions and the parish, school and the archdiocese reported the matter and fully cooperated with authorities in the criminal investigation," the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, which reported discrepancies in school funds in 2018 to authorities, said in a statement, according to The Los Angeles Times.

CHICAGO PRIEST CLEARED OF SEX ABUSE ALLEGATIONS HOLDS FIRST MASS SINCE REINSTATEMENT

Kreupers lawyer, Mark Byrne, said she was "very remorseful" over the alleged crimes, adding that a mental illness clouded her judgment, The Times reported. He added that she has spent her life helping others.

She was in charge of tuition and fee payments as well as charitable donations and she controlled several of the schools credit union accounts during her time at the school, the release said.

Kreuper allegedly diverted money into the St. James Convent Account and the St. James Savings Account "to pay for expenses that the order would not have approved, much less paid for, including large gambling expenses incurred at casinos and certain credit card charges."

She also allegedly admitted to falsifying monthly and annual financial reports for the school to cover her theft and "lulled St. James School and the Administration into believing that the schools finances were being properly accounted for and its financial assets properly safeguarded, which, in turn, allowed defendant Kreuper to maintain her access and control of the schools finances and accounts and, thus, continue operating the fraudulent scheme," the release said.

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The school has not commented on the charges.

The two charges carry a maximum sentence of 40 years.
Sen. Marco Rubio is powering up his reelection campaign early, bracing for Democrats to invest hundreds of millions of dollars in Florida to defeat him.

Seventeen months before Election Day, the Republican has a campaign manager, political director, director of Hispanic outreach, communications director, and a team of consultants. Mike Needham, chief of staff in Rubios Senate office, is expected to play a major role in the campaign in an advisory capacity. Recruitment of grassroots volunteers, in conjunction with the Florida Republican Party and county GOP officials, is underway. Rep. Val Demings, Rubios likely Democratic challenger, announced her campaign Wednesday.

The Sunshine State, typically a toss-up battleground, has been friendlier territory for Republicans in recent elections. But those GOP victories were difficult. Rubios team expects Demings, a black woman, to raise tens of millions of dollars from grassroots liberals across the country who would love to see a prominent Republican such as Rubio defeated. Democratic groups are sure to spend as much, or more, as part of an effort to save the partys 50-seat majority.

Shes the perfect candidate for the Act Blue community, said a source close to Rubios campaign, referring to Demings and the online fundraising conduit that raised more than $5 billion for Democrats and Democratic causes in the 2020 election cycle. Shes going to raise a ton of money, and nobody should be surprised by that.

CHRIS SUNUNU LINCHPIN OF GOP EFFORTS TO WIN BACK MAJORITY

Rubios 2016 reelection bid started late. His initial plan was to run for president and retire from the Senate if that campaign did not pan out. But the senator was convinced to stick around and mounted a late campaign for a second term, in the spring of the election year, a couple of months after his White House hopes fizzled. This time around, there has been no indecision and no late start.

The senators campaign manager, Mark Morgan, has been on the job since early March. Among his first projects has been building and deploying a statewide voter turnout operation. Rubio, who is considering another run for president in 2024, meaning there is a lot riding on him winning a third term, does not appear to be taking his race for granted, despite the advantage of running in a midterm election with President Joe Biden in office.

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In a recent news conference, Sen. Rick Scott, chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, was asked if Florida is a red state, given the GOP has won most statewide contests for state and federal office over the past decade, including his victory in the 2018 midterm elections, an otherwise banner year for the Democrats. I think it is, Scott said, without hesitation.

Rubio, sitting right next to Scott and participating in the session with reporters, interjected with a more cautious view of Floridas political landscape, although he delivered his opinion with a tone that was slightly tongue-in-cheek and elicited laughter from the room. I have a different take. Florida is a highly competitive state that requires the investment of hundreds of millions of dollars  by everyone, Rubio said. All hands on deck.

The senators campaign wasted no time attacking Demings once her campaign became official. Morgan issued a statement charging that Demings, the former Orlando police chief, has no record of results for Florida and has backed efforts to defund the police. Rubio posted a video to Twitter. He called Demings a far-left liberal Democrat and a do-nothing House member who votes with the Marxist squad 94% of the time.

Democrats took issue with Rubios characterization of Demings, and they believe he is politically vulnerable. Most are pleased with Demings as their partys consensus pick to challenge Rubio. But some Democrats were concerned that the party was not moving fast enough to take on the Republican incumbent and defend their chosen contender.

Just so you get the political imbalance in FL, TODAY, the FL GOP will likely start contacting GOP voters to attack Val Demings, tweeted Pam Keith, the Democratic nominee in Floridas 18th Congressional District in 2020. They will be sending out mailers, emails & FB ads, keep them coming So, is there an entity in FL doing the same on the Dem side, contacting voters to land punches on Rubio?



Washington Examiner Videos

Tags: News, Campaigns, 2022 Elections, Florida, Florida Senate race, Marco Rubio

Original Author: David M. Drucker

Original Location: Rubio reelection wastes no time getting off the ground in Florida
By Elizabeth Piper and Philip Blenkinsop

LONDON/BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Britain and the European Union failed on Wednesday to agree any solutions to ease post-Brexit trade with Northern Ireland and exchanged threats in a standoff that could cloud a weekend international summit.

Since Britain completed its tortuous exit from the EU late last year, its relations with Brussels have soured further, with each side accusing the other of bad faith over a part of their Brexit deal that covers goods movements to Northern Ireland.

The row has been dubbed the "sausage war" by UK media as it affects the movement of chilled meats from Britain to Northern Ireland, a British province.

On Wednesday, the dispute moved up a gear, with Britain saying it could again unilaterally extend a grace period waiving checks on some foodstuffs, and the EU saying it could advance its legal action, a step that could end in tariffs and quotas.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson wants the summit of the world's seven largest advanced economies (G7) in southwestern England to showcase what he calls "global Britain". He said he wasn't worried about the spat overshadowing the event.

But he could receive a warning from U.S. President Joe Biden, who, according to the Times newspaper, will tell London to respect a deal with the EU that was designed to protect a 23-year-old peace settlement in Northern Ireland.

British Brexit minister David Frost, who is expected to attend the summit and sit in on any talks with EU leaders, met European Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic in London to address the issue.

"There weren't any breakthroughs. There aren't any breakdowns either, and we are going to carry on talking," Frost told reporters. "What we now need to do is very urgently find some solutions."

A senior UK source close to the talks said all options were on the table if there was no agreement, including London further extending a grace period that waives checks on some foodstuffs moving to Northern Ireland beyond June 30.

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Sefcovic responded in kind, saying the EU was considering advancing its legal challenge over Britain's actions, which could result in a court case by autumn or the eventual imposition of tariffs and quotas.

WORLD IS WATCHING

"The U.S. administration and the U.S. Congress are following this matter very closely," Sefcovic told a news conference.

"I'm sure that the G7, also the European leaders, would raise this issue because I think that what we should be focusing on right now should be the economic recovery ... and how to form and forge this new strategic partnership between the EU and the UK. Instead of that, we have these very difficult meetings."

Asked if the G7 summit would be overshadowed by the spat, Johnson said: "I'm not worried about that." He voiced optimism that a solution could be reached, adding: "I'm very, very optimistic about this, I think that's easily doable."

Preserving the delicate peace in Northern Ireland without allowing the United Kingdom a back door into the EU's single market across the Irish land border was one of the trickiest issues of the Brexit divorce. Ireland is an EU member state.

The result was the protocol, which essentially kept the province in the EU's customs union and adhering to many of the rules of its single market - both of which the rest of Britain has left.

While Brussels is upset that London is failing to honour the protocol, Britain says it has no choice because some of the checks hamper supplies to Northern Irish supermarkets.

It has also pointed to rising tensions among pro-British unionists in the province, who say the protocol undermines the 1998 peace agreement by loosening their ties to Britain.

Aodhan Connolly, director of the Northern Ireland Retail Consortium, called for rapid action to protect consumers in the province:

"We need immediate solutions to keep goods flowing now, and we need a breathing space so that the UK Government and the EU can, in the longer term, find a workable solution."

(Reporting by Elizabeth Piper and Philip Blenkinsop, additional reporting by Alistair Smout, William James and James Davey; Editing by Angus MacSwan, Kevin Liffey and Gareth Jones)
State employees are in line to receive a pay increase, but whether they receive an additional bonus for working through the COVID-19 pandemic remains to be seen.

The SC House on Wednesday passed a $10.7 billion state spending plan setting up discussions with senators next week on how the state will spend billions of state dollars for the 2021-22 fiscal year, which begins July 1.

The spending plan includes giving teachers a $1,000 pay raise on top of their annual increases based on experience and education level. House budget writers also included a 3% across-the-board increase for state employees.

Senators included a 2% pay increase for state employees in their budget passed in April. State employees last received a 2% raise in the 2019-20 budget.

Some lawmakers wanted to compensate state employees with more money.

A push to award an additional $1,200 bonus to state employees earning less than $50,000 a year for their efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic failed on the House floor.

State employees have always done a great job, particularly in this pandemic era. They have gone above and beyond the call of duty, said state Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter, D-Orangeburg, a long proponent of state employees who pushed for the bonus.

The plan would have cost $21.8 million and would have come from $250 million set aside by budget writers as a rainy-day fund in case the state experiences another economic downturn because of the pandemic.

I am disappointed that my colleagues at the State House continue to neglect and disregard the hard and thankless work of state employees, Cobb-Hunter said. I hope that state employees take note of who voted for and against this amendment and act accordingly.

House Ways and Means Chairman Murrell Smith, R-Sumter, said a bonus for state workers is still not completely out of the picture.

In the fall, lawmakers are expected to be back in session to allocate how to spend South Carolinas $2.5 billion share of American Rescue Plan money.

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Recovery Act money allows for essential workers bonuses and that was the plan all along for us to address that through recovery act appropriations, Smith said.

Budget writers are waiting for guidance from the U.S. Treasury Department on who would be eligible and qualify as front-line workers during the pandemic under the federal recovery act, Smith said.

The State, This Week

Want to know whats going on in the Grand Strand? The Upstate? The Lowcountry? Our newest South Carolina newsletter will bring you some of the best highlights of our statewide coverage. The newsletter is delivered straight to your inbox every Friday afternoon. Subscribe here.

Talk about a vaccine lottery on hold

Discussions on whether to start a lottery for people who have taken the COVID-19 vaccine also were put on hold to possibly September.

House Minority Leader Todd Rutherford, D-Richland has pushed the idea for cash prizes to encourage people to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

Lawmakers are concerned prizes would come out of lottery prize dollars when its more appropriate for it to come from COVID relief money, and it is a process that needs more thought put into it, Smith said.

The budget proposal includes more than $89 million in earmarks, some of which were also listed in the Senate budget plan. Projects include $19 million for the Greenville Cultural and Arts Center, $5 million for infrastructure upgrades in downtown Spartanburg, $5 million for the Sumter Opera House, and $4 million for the Mother Emanuel Foundation to help build its memorial to victims of the 2015 shooting.

Among the other highlights in the spending plan is more than $19 million for pay increases for law enforcement and corrections officers, including $4.5 million for the Department of Juvenile Justice to retain employees.

DJJ has been under fire recently after a scathing audit report and with employees walking out over working conditions and pay.

We need to get the best people we can with the best training that we can enter into these positions, Gov. Henry McMaster said to reporters Monday. Weve tried to keep (the young people) outside the fence  we try to have programs to address needs without taking these young people inside the fence, but once they get inside of the fence we need to have adequate supervision and training there.

Budget writers also included $8 million for the Department of Transportation to help with litter pick up along highways and secondary roads. Traditionally prisoners in the S.C. Department of Corrections and volunteer groups help pick up litter along roadways. However, COVID-19 prevented those efforts from taking place during the pandemic, said state Rep. Shannon Erickson, R-Beaufort.

The House also voted to provide enough money to put a full-time nurse as well as a school resource officer in every school in the state.

The House earlier this year adopted a $9.8 billion spending plan, when less revenue was projected to come into the state. After the the state economists projected higher revenues, the House went through the budget process again.

Senators in April adopted a $10.6 billion spending plan.

Next week, a conference committee of lawmakers is expected to meet to reconcile differences between the two spending plans.

Reporter Maayan Schechter contributed to this article.
- By GF Value





The stock of Schweitzer-Mauduit International (NYSE:SWM, 30-year Financials) appears to be modestly 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 $41.6 per share and the market cap of $1.3 billion, Schweitzer-Mauduit International stock appears to be modestly overvalued. GF Value for Schweitzer-Mauduit International is shown in the chart below.





Schweitzer-Mauduit International Stock Appears To Be Modestly Overvalued

Because Schweitzer-Mauduit International is relatively overvalued, the long-term return of its stock is likely to be lower than its business growth, which averaged 2.4% 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. Schweitzer-Mauduit International has a cash-to-debt ratio of 0.10, which is worse than 75% of the companies in Forest Products industry. GuruFocus ranks the overall financial strength of Schweitzer-Mauduit International at 4 out of 10, which indicates that the financial strength of Schweitzer-Mauduit International is poor. This is the debt and cash of Schweitzer-Mauduit International over the past years:

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Schweitzer-Mauduit International Stock Appears To Be Modestly Overvalued

It poses less risk to invest in profitable companies, especially those that have demonstrated consistent profitability over the long term. A company with high profit margins is also typically a safer investment than one with low profit margins. Schweitzer-Mauduit International has been profitable 10 over the past 10 years. Over the past twelve months, the company had a revenue of $1.1 billion and earnings of $2.62 a share. Its operating margin is 12.87%, which ranks better than 83% of the companies in Forest Products industry. Overall, GuruFocus ranks the profitability of Schweitzer-Mauduit International at 8 out of 10, which indicates strong profitability. This is the revenue and net income of Schweitzer-Mauduit International over the past years:

Schweitzer-Mauduit International Stock Appears To Be Modestly Overvalued

Growth is probably one of the most important factors in the valuation of a company. GuruFocus' research has found that growth is closely correlated with the long-term performance of a company's stock. If a company's business is growing, the company usually creates value for its shareholders, especially if the growth is profitable. Likewise, if a company's revenue and earnings are declining, the value of the company will decrease. Schweitzer-Mauduit International's 3-year average revenue growth rate is in the middle range of the companies in Forest Products industry. Schweitzer-Mauduit International's 3-year average EBITDA growth rate is 1.5%, which ranks in the middle range of the companies in Forest Products industry.

Another way to evaluate a company's profitability is to compare its return on invested capital (ROIC) to its weighted 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 ROIC is higher than the WACC, it indicates that the company is creating value for shareholders. Over the past 12 months, Schweitzer-Mauduit International's ROIC was 8.14, while its WACC came in at 7.07. The historical ROIC vs WACC comparison of Schweitzer-Mauduit International is shown below:

Schweitzer-Mauduit International Stock Appears To Be Modestly Overvalued

In conclusion, Schweitzer-Mauduit International (NYSE:SWM, 30-year Financials) stock shows every sign of being modestly overvalued. The company's financial condition is poor and its profitability is strong. Its growth ranks in the middle range of the companies in Forest Products industry. To learn more about Schweitzer-Mauduit International stock, you can check out its 30-year Financials here.

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This article first appeared on GuruFocus.


A Senate report on the Jan. 6 Capitol riot recommends Congress empower the Capitol police chief to request help from the D.C. National Guard in emergencies and that officers receive regular training on handling civil disturbances and are provided basic protective gear including helmets, gloves and gas masks.

The joint report from the Senate Rules and Homeland Security committees details the failure of law enforcement to fully understand the threat in the days leading up to the insurrection, when online posts warning of violence were deemed not credible by the FBI and Department of Homeland Security. It portrays a chaotic response to the Capitol breach hampered by communications problems and inadequate preparation.

But the bipartisan document sheds little new light on the role of former President Donald Trump, who delivered an incendiary speech near the White House and exhorted his followers to head to the Capitol. There they battled police officers and stormed the building, hunting for lawmakers while erecting a gallows outside.

Missouri Sen. Roy Blunt, ranking Republican on the Rules Committee, was one of the principal senators involved in producing the report, along with Rules Chair Amy Klobuchar, a Minnesota Democrat, Homeland Security Chair Gary Peters, a Michigan Democrat, and ranking member Rob Portman, an Ohio Republican.

The reports release on Tuesday comes after Senate Democrats were unable to break a Republican filibuster last month to pass legislation establishing an independent commission to investigate the Jan. 6 uprising.

Portman was one one of just six Republican senators to support creation of a commission. Blunt vocally opposed the idea, but missed the vote to attend a ribbon-cutting event at the visitor center of Wilson Creeks National Battlefield in Missouri.

Both have announced plans to retire rather than run for re-election in 2022.

Peters and Klobuchar emphasized that the report should not be seen as a substitute for a comprehensive investigation by an independent commission. Peters called a commission essential.

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Our report is limited in scope. It is specifically focused on the security planning and response failures that allowed the attack to occur This report is not a comprehensive account of everything that happened in the lead-up to the attack, Peters told reporters during a phone call. We did not investigate what motivated people.

But in the absence of a commission, congressional investigations, such as the Senate inquiry, will likely be the most thorough public examination of the Capitol riot.

Current system slowed response

The insurrection, the most serious attack on the U.S. Capitol in more than 200 years, interrupted a Joint Session of Congress called to formalize President Joe Bidens electoral college victory over Trump. The rioters sent lawmakers scattering in fear as they desecrated hallways and offices, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosis.

Seven people, including three law enforcement officers, ultimately died, according to the report, a figure that includes two officer suicides that occurred shortly after the attack.

As of Saturday, 465 people have been arrested in connection with the attack, according to the Department of Justice.

In response to a question about the limited scope of the Senate report, Blunt noted that while these criminal cases are pending the Department of Justice will be constrained from sharing all of its information with Congress.

Blunt disagreed with his Democratic collaborators that the report falls short of the goals of a proposed commission.

I actually think the report is pretty thorough, Blunt said.

If you look at the purposes of the commission right down to and including a public report, I think we met all the purposes of the commission except establishing exactly what happened with the people who were involved in entering the Capitol on January 6, Blunt said. And my view on that is we would still be waiting for the Justice Department to get done with the principal witnesses.

The Senate report may serve as a foundation for congressional action to improve security planning at the Capitol. It recommends Congress pass legislation to allow the Capitol police chief to directly request assistance from the D.C. National Guard in emergencies. Current law requires the Capitol Police Board, whose voting members include the House and Senate sergeants-at-arms and the Capitol architect, to sign off first.

The report found the present system can constrain the ability of police to act quickly. The National Guard didnt arrive until more than three hours after the Capitol was breached.

You have three people on that board, all of whom have a different commitment if theres an emergency like this, Blunt said.

Blunt and Klobuchar will soon introduce bipartisan legislation to enable the chief of the Capitol Police to directly request the guards assistance in emergency situations rather than going through the board. Blunt said Congress could pass this change quickly to improve emergency response.

Still, the report found that former Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund never formally asked the Capitol Police Board to support National Guard aid on Jan. 6. Instead, the report says, Sund had informal conversations with the House and Senate sergeants-at-arms but no one discussed National Guard help with the Architect of the Capitol, the office which oversees the building.

Klobuchar said the security failures were summed up by a comment made by an officer on the radio during the chaos, Does anyone have a plan? Sadly, no one did.

Sund announced his resignation the day after the riot. Chad Thomas, the number two Capitol Police official, resigned on Monday ahead of the reports release, according to multiple outlets.

The four senators repeatedly said the agencys leadership had failed front line officers.

Capitol Hill police were put in an impossible situation without adequate intelligence, training. They didnt have the tools to protect the Capitol, Portman said.

Planned in plain sight

The report suggests Congress should increase Capitol Police funding to support additional training and equipment for officers and adequate staffing levels. The inquiry found that all officers only receive basic civil disturbance training once as recruits with no required further instruction.

As a result, some who responded to the Capitol attack had not received training in civil disturbance tactics in years, the report says. Officers were also not uniformly provided helmets, shields, gas masks, or other crowd control equipment prior to January 6, which would have aided their response.

The report recommends all officers receive ballistic helmets, gloves and gas masks  the same equipment issued to D.C. metro police. Capitol Police should also be required to have a department-wide operational plan for special events and that a formal civil disturbance unit should be formed within the agency. Officers in the unit would be properly trained and equipped at all times, the report says.

The House has already passed a $1.9 billion bill to upgrade security. The Senate report doesnt offer a specific dollar figure for its recommendations, but Blunt indicated it would cost less than the House proposal.

Its not a huge price tag, Blunt said Its more of a commitment by the Congress to get the Capitol Police what they need and to be willing to do that not just in an emergency supplemental but do that in a way which is part of the budget every single year.

Much of the report focuses on intelligence coordination failures in the days and weeks before the attack. The Capitol Polices intelligence arm failed to fully convey the scope of the threat to its own officers and other law enforcement agencies, it says.

The Capitol Police Intelligence and Interagency Coordination Division had information from a variety of sources about the potential for violence and large crowds, the report says. That included the online sharing of maps of the Capitol Complexs tunnel system.

The FBI and the Department of Homeland Security also didnt issue a threat assessment warning of potential violence. Instead, officials from those agencies stressed the difficulty of discerning constitutionally-protected free speech from credible threats.

The attack was quite frankly planned in plain sight, Peters said. There was widespread information on social media and tips that were not heeded.

The report recommends consolidating the Capitol Polices intelligence units into a single bureau and that policies should be developed to effectively provide intelligence to leadership and rank-and-file officers.

The Senate report doesnt assess Trumps actions on Jan. 6. During the attack that followed his speech, he released a video telling rioters to go home but also saying we love you and calling them very special.

While the presidents speech is included in full in the report, Senate committee aides said the report didnt look at his role in the uprising.

President Trump began his address just before noon. During the next 75 minutes, the President continued his claims of election fraud and encouraged his supporters to go to the Capitol, the report says.

Some Capitol riot defendants are asserting Trump spurred them to action. St. Louis attorney Al Watkins, who is representing the so-called QAnon Shaman, has said his client took seriously the countless messages of President Trump.

Trump and his allies spent weeks after the election promoting the false claim that he won and his supporters pursued longshot bids to keep him in power. Congressional supporters  including Missouri GOP Sen. Josh Hawley and Kansas GOP Sen. Roger Marshall  agreed to vote to block certification of Bidens in key states when Congress convened on Jan. 6.

While Trump has been stripped of his social media platforms, he continues to advance the lie that he won the election. In an interview on Fox Business Network on Monday, he again repeated the falsehood.
McAuliffe garnered endorsements from many members of the states Legislative Black Caucus, including Sen. Louise Lucas of Portsmouth, as well as Northam. He has been promoting his progressive record as governor, including restoring voting rights to more than 173,000 Virginians with felony convictions. Republicans got the state Supreme Court to rule it unconstitutional for him to do it en masse, so he signed the orders one by one.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY). Stefani Reynolds/Getty Images

The Senate passed a bill Tuesday authorizing $250 billion in spending for US technology and science research.

The bill is geared towards helping the US compete against China, and build more semiconductor chips.

President Biden praised the bill, which now has to pass the House of Representatives.

See more stories on Insider's business page.

Democrat and Republican senators signed off on a bill on Tuesday that would pump about $250 billion into US technology and science research.

The bill, called the US Innovation and Competition Act, was introduced by Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer and Republican Sen. Todd Young. It passed with 68 votes to 32, but still has to pass the House.

The bill includes $52 billion to encourage US manufacturing of semiconductor chips - an effort to address the current global shortage that has hit supply chains in numerous industries.

Read more: The chip shortage has left US car buyers scouring empty dealerships. That won't change anytime soon.

The bill is geared towards supercharging America's research sector so it can compete with China.

"I have watched China take advantage of us in ways legal and illegal over the years," Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who pushed for the bill, told The Washington Post ahead of it passing.

"The number one thing China was doing to take advantage of us  was investing heavily in research and science. And if we didn't do something about it, they would become the number one economy in the world," he added.

President Joe Biden praised the Senate for passing the bill in a statement on Tuesday. "We are in a competition to win the 21st century, and the starting gun has gone off. As other countries continue to invest in their own research and development, we cannot risk falling behind," he said.

"I look forward to working with the House of Representatives on this important bipartisan legislation, and I look forward to signing it into law as soon as possible," Biden added.

Read the original article on Business Insider
WASHINGTON  Senate Democrats and Republicans were largely in agreement Wednesday about the need for Congress to quickly pass legislation that would allow college athletes to monetize their name, image and likeness.

Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., has been leading negotiations to create a single national standard for college athletes as states will soon implement their own laws on the issue.

There's broad consensus that Congress should pass a law that guarantees college athletes the right to enter into NIL agreements with third parties, Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., said at a hearing held by the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, using an abbreviation for name, image and likeness.

Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., expressed disappointment that little has changed on the issue and criticized college athletics for being a for-profit industry that is too often exploiting men and women, taking advantage of their genius, talent, artistry, leaving them often injured with a lifetime worth of costs.

Booker added that there are also deeper issues that must be addressed such as heat-related illnesses and the lack of enforceable concussion protocols by the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

NCAA President Dr. Mark Emmert urged Congress during the hearing to pass a national NIL law so that college athletes are operating on an equal playing field. He pointed out that there could be at least a dozen states that will soon implement their own NIL laws so that student athletes can monetize their name, image and likeness, but there are about 35 states that wont have that policy in place.

Emmert said that having varying state laws as opposed to a national model will complicate the industry, saying in his written testimony Wednesday that the different state laws threaten the NCAAs ability to provide uniform NIL opportunities as well as fair, national competition.

Emmert said that schools in states where NIL laws will take effect on July 1 will have an enormous advantage over states that dont offer those opportunities and said students will be looking for opportunities to transfer to schools where they can monetize their name, image and likeness.

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Eighteen states have passed laws that allow student athletes to be compensated for the use of their name, image and likeness, according to Emmert.

Mark Few, head men's basketball coach at Gonzaga University, which lost to Baylor University in this year's championship game, testified Wednesday that its not an exaggeration to say the future of college sports is in jeopardy because there is no national NIL standard, which he called critical.

I'm embarrassed that we're here having to deal with it right now, Few said. These changes are long, long overdue. All athletes deserve to use their own name, image and likeness in commercial endorsements and on social media. And I'm very much in favor of them profiting as much as they possibly can from this.

Few emphasized that this is not an issue the NCAA or individual states can fix, saying, We can't run competitive, fair championships if every state has a different rule.
A naked Florida woman went berserk, destroying a Florida restaurant earlier this month. And it was all caught on video.

According to a police report from the Ocala Police Department, the suspect, later identified as Tina Kindred, 53, was arrested after causing thousands of dollars in damages at an Outback in Ocala on June 1.

Before the frenzy at the steakhouse, the Florida woman also caused havoc at a nearby restaurant called Mojo Grill, banging windows and flipping over tables, according to the complaint.

WARNING: VIDEO CONTAINS EXPLICIT CONTENT.

The police officer said he arrived in the parking lot of the Outback around lunchtime where several patrons told him that a woman was inside breaking everything in the bar.

Upon entering, the officer saw glass and liquid all over the bar area where a highly agitated naked female had bottles of liquor in her hands.

After the officer identified himself, the defendant began uttering incoherent words and throwing liquor bottles at him. After a bottle struck him in the forearm, covering him in alcohol, the officer deployed his Taser twice.

Kindred was placed in handcuffs and taken to a nearby health facility where THC was found in her system. Kindred was later taken to Marion County Jail, charged with aggravated assault and felony criminal mischief and held on $12,000 bond.

The exact dollar amount of what was destroyed at both restaurants was not yet known, but the expectation is it will be in the thousands of dollars, Ocala police said.

After she was read her rights, Kindred told investigators that she initially went to the Mojo Grill because the owner is not honest. Its unclear what beef the suspect had with Outback or why she removed her clothes.

A court date is set for July 6, according to Marion County court records.
Google is paying tribute to one of Hollywood's biggest child actors.

On Wednesday, Google's search page featured an homage to Shirley Temple Black, whose stardom was so immense she made history by receiving an honorary Academy Award at age 6.

On June 9, 2015, California's Santa Monica History Museum opened an exhibit titled "Love, Shirley Temple" featuring rare memorabilia, Google says in a post detailing Wednesday's doodle.

Temple was born April 23, 1928 in Santa Monica. She starred in a dozen films released in 1934 alone, including "Bright Eyes," during which she performed the famous routine "On The Good Ship Lollipop."

As a child star, she was earning $1,000 a week and receiving 16,000 fan letters a month.

A Google Doodle honoring Shirley Temple.

Our so-called cloud life: Expect more internet outages like Fastly's and protect yourself

Apple iOS 15: All the features arriving on your smartphone this fall

After retiring from the film industry in her 20s, Temple became more politically active. In 1969, President Richard Nixon appointed her the U.S. representative to the United Nations. In 1974, she was appointed U.S. Ambassador to Ghana.

In 2006, Temple was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Screen Actors Guild.

She died Feb. 10, 2014 at age 85.

Kim Hjelmgaard and Gary Strauss contributed to this report. Follow Brett Molina on Twitter: @brettmolina23.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Shirley Temple: Google Doodle pays tribute to actress-turned-diplomat
COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP)  The skeletons of two related Viking-era men, one who died in central Denmark and the other who was killed in England during a massacre ordered by a king, are set to be reunited for an exhibition opening in Copenhagen this month.

Scientists on both sides of the North Sea have established a genetic link between the Norsemen. DNA tests showed that they are either half brothers or nephew and uncle, University of Copenhagen geneticist Eske Willerslev said.

The man from the central Denmark island of Funen was a farmer in his 50s; his skeleton was excavated in 2005 near the town of Otterup. He stood 182-centimeters-tall (just under 6 feet), had arthritis in most of his bones and signs of inflammation inside some ribs which could indicate tuberculosis, according to Odense City Museums chief curator Jesper Hansen.

The man likely took part in the raids for which Vikings remain notorious because he also has a violent lesion on his left pelvis, which may have originated from a proper stab from a sword. The wound from that blow may have cost him his life because it did not heal, Hansen said in a statement.

Across the North Sea, the skeleton of a younger man was found in a mass grave near Oxford, England in 2008 with the remains of at least 35 other men. All were killed more than 1,000 years ago when the king ordered the slaying of dozens of Danish settlers.

He died of massive injuries from several types of weapons, Lasse Soerensen, head of research at the National Museum of Denmark, said. His skull shows traces of at least nine lesions caused by a sword or other sharp object, and the skeleton also revealed signs he was speared several times in the back.

The pair of skeletons will be displayed as part of an exhibit titled Togtet - Danish for The Raid - that opens June 26 at the National Museum of Denmark.

From the year 850 A.D, people from Denmark settled in England as farmers. King Aethelred II ordered the Danes - adults and children - to be killed in 1002.

During the Viking Age, considered to be from 793 to 1066, Norsemen known as Vikings undertook large-scale raiding, colonizing, conquest and trading throughout Europe. They also reached North America.
The man told deputies he crawled into the tight space because he wanted to take pictures of the farm equipment. However, deputies say they found more methamphetamine on him than camera equipment.

Video Transcript

- A man was rescued from the shaft of a vineyard fan outside Santa Rosa this morning. According to the Sonoma County sheriff, he had been stuck there for two whole days. The man told deputies he crawled into the tight space wanting to photograph farm equipment. However, deputies found more methamphetamine on him than camera equipment. He was taken to the hospital for treatment. The sheriff's office wants to charge him with trespassing and drug possession along with violating his probation and pretrial release agreement.
Jun. 8The Spokane Police Department wanted to increase its spending on new handguns  and its request was poised to prompt an examination of its practices in disposing of used ones.

Instead, the department is withdrawing its ask for additional firearms funding, which police officials had said was necessary in part due to the budget constraints under which the department operated last year.

Department leaders have decided to make due with the budget they already have. This does not mean the Spokane Police Department will not buy new firearms this year, but it will drop its request for an additional $15,000 on its existing contract with a firearms wholesaler.

"We determined that we have enough firearms on hand and enough spending authority on the existing (contract)," said department spokesperson Julie Humphreys.

Councilwoman Lori Kinnear held up the funding request earlier this year until she received a definite answer to a simple question: What happens to the department's used weapons?

The police department turns in its used weapons to Spokane-based firearms wholesaler Gunarama for a credit toward the purchase of new firearms. But, once the gun is in Gunarama's possession, the department can not control where it ends up.

That concerned Kinnear, who worried that the police department's own firearms could one day be used against its own officers or in the commission of a crime.

She's not the only elected official in Washington to have shared that concern.

The Seattle City Council ordered that its police department have used weapons destroyed instead of reselling them in 2016, a policy that still stands today.

By withdrawing its request, it appears the Spokane Police Department will avoid legislative intervention in the way it purchases new handguns. All guns the department seizes are destroyed.

Kinnear, who is in the second year of her second term in office, told The Spokesman-Review she does not have the bandwidth to pursue implementation of a police firearms policy like that which exists in Seattle. Instead, she will focus primarily on issues related to housing and homelessness.

Story continues

The city's contract with Gunarama allows the department to spend up to $49,000 every year.

The department's needs have not changed  it's still bringing on new officers and looking to upgrade to newer optics on its firearms  but it will work within the existing budget, which will automatically renew next year, according to Humphreys.

The department's proposal was set to be voted on at the Council's June 8 meeting.

Editor's note: This article was changed on June 8, 2021, to correct the information about Councilwoman Lori Kinnear's term in office. She is in the second year of her second four-year term.
A male student at Bunnell High School in Stratford was hospitalized Wednesday morning after he used a knife to inflict injury on himself in a classroom, police said.

As a result the school was temporarily placed in lockdown until officers and medical personnel arrived and the student was transported to a local hospital for treatment, police said. He is listed in stable condition.

The students name will not released due to his age, police said.

The high schools students and staff were sent home early due to the incident. The board of education will determine the schedule for the remainder of the school week, police said.

No other students were hurt and the incident was isolated.

The investigation remains ongoing.

Jessika Harkay can be reached at jharkay@courant.com.
The life of Yiran Fan, a promising graduate student at the University of Chicago, tragically ended during a random shooting spree in January, but his legacy in the fields of economics and finance will live on.

Fan, who was 30 and originally from China, will receive a posthumous Ph.D. at U. of C.s convocation ceremonies this week. After his unexpected death, professors uncovered Fans unfinished research and completed a dissertation on his behalf.

University officials also plan to award the degree to Fans parents at the schools Beijing campus in July, a spokeswoman said.

Fan began the doctoral program in financial economics in 2017 after earning a masters degree in financial mathematics from U. of C. in 2015. He hadnt proposed his dissertation topic by the time of death.

Lars Peter Hansen, an economist and Nobel laureate at U. of C. who taught Fan, served on Fans dissertation committee and presented a chapter of the paper during its defense March 2.

There was sadness at that event, because it was both a reminder of the loss of someone we knew well on a personal level, and the loss of a truly gifted young scholar who would have wanted the opportunity to make further improvements on an already impressive Ph.D. dissertation, Hansen said in a written statement.

Hansen and another professor reviewed research found on Fans Dropbox folder after his death and decided to see it through. The work examined risky bank lending practices during the Great Recession.

Fans murder rattled the U. of C. community. He was fatally shot Jan. 9 while sitting in his car in an East Hyde Park parking garage, the first victim in a daylong shooting rampage that stretched from the citys South Side to Evanston and killed five people, including a 15-year-old girl. Two others were injured.

The 32-year-old shooter, thought to have targeted strangers, was killed in a gunfight with Evanston police that same evening after he opened fire in an IHOP, critically injuring a woman.

Story continues

Six months after Fans death, classmates remember him as a compassionate friend who always made time to offer guidance. At a campus vigil in January, professors and friends described Fan as brilliant, creative and determined and spoke of his involvement directing a play for the Chicago Windmill Drama Club, a Chinese folklore group.

Nishant Vats, a member of Fans Ph.D. cohort, said he met Fan during an admitted students day before Vats enrolled. The pair had coffee together and then Fan showed Vats around the business school building and answered his questions.

The two became close friends in study groups throughout the first year of their programs.

Whenever I used to have any doubts with regard to anything in the coursework, I used to just text him, said Vats, 31, of India. He would be eager to meet, and he would go through all the stuff with me and that was only to help me. ... (Fan) was an extremely helpful, kind and generous person.

Vats said achieving a doctorate from a prestigious institution was one of Fans dreams. His other was being able to take care of his parents. He hoped to pursue a career in academia after graduation, Vats said.

His long-term goal was actually to make his parents happy, Vats said. He was very cognizant that his parents were growing old and all by themselves, and he really wanted to spend some time with them.

Fans parents, Chenggang Fan and Chunzhi Xu, traveled to Chicago for the campus vigil in January and met some of his professors. They could not be reached for comment.

Zhiyu Fu, a classmate in his third year, said Fan was an exceptionally patient teaching assistant in several of his courses.

Yiran was the best TA Ive ever had, said Fu, 25, of China. Hes passionate ... and always explains things in a clear way and always makes you feel that its not your fault if you dont understand something.

Even outside the classroom, Fan wanted to help others learn. Fu recalled a time that Fan explained the rules of a board game to attendees at an apartment party in 2018, just like he was a teaching assistant.

Fan was cautious during the pandemic and rarely left his apartment, making news of the shooting all the more shocking, said Fu, who lived in the same apartment building. Police have said Fan was texting with his girlfriend, who found him in the garage after he stopped responding.

Before arriving in Chicago, Fan earned a bachelors degree in finance from Peking University and a masters degree in financial engineering from the University of Cambridge.

Fans name will be called Friday afternoon during a livestreamed convocation ceremony for doctoral students in the Chicago Booth School of Business, to be held at Soldier Field.

U. of C. and Fans parents have also established an annual fellowship in his honor. It will be awarded to students in the Joint Program in Financial Economics, in which Fan was enrolled.

echerney@chicagotribune.com
Whats really needed is for all the stakeholders in Fells Point to work with the Baltimore Police Department and other appropriate city agencies to draft a plan to make their community safer, cleaner and more prosperous. Perhaps it requires closing Broadway Square earlier or paying more attention to how much alcohol is being served to already inebriated individuals. It may mean more involvement from the Waterfront Partnership, the nonprofit that helps oversee many of these public spaces. Residents might take greater responsibility for keeping their streets clean, too. So might businesses, who might also encourage their customers to act responsibly. Not everything should fall on police shoulders, though officers clearly have a role to play in making sure behavior does not get out of hand. This is not too much to ask, especially when that behavior in question is just feet away.
CAIRO (AP)  Sudan and Egypt renewed calls Wednesday for the international community to help in resolving their decade-long dispute with Ethiopia over a giant dam that Addis Ababa is building on the Blue Nile, the main tributary of the Nile River.

Egyptian foreign and irrigation ministers flew to Sudans capital, Khartoum, for talks with Sudanese counterparts focusing on Ethiopias dam project.

Tensions have mounted since the African Union-mediated talks between the three nations stalled in April.

In a joint statement after the meetings Wednesday, Egypt and Sudan warned of serious risks and grave consequences of the unilateral filling of the dams massive reservoir. They fear Ethiopia will reduce their share of the Nile River water.

Cairo and Khartoum want an international agreement to govern how much water Ethiopia releases downstream, especially in a multi-year drought. Sudan and Egypt argue that Ethiopias plan to add 13.5 billion cubic meters of water in 2021 to the dams reservoir is a threat to them.

They have repeatedly called for the U.S., U.N, and the European Union to help reach a legally binding deal.

There was no immediate comment from Ethiopia. Addis Ababa says the $5 billion dam is essential, arguing the vast majority of its population lacks electricity.

The Blue Nile meets with the White Nile in the Sudanese capital. From Khartoum, it winds northward through Egypt and flows into the Mediterranean Sea.
Chicago Police had distributed flyers of the person they believed fondled a 10-year-old girl on a porch this week. He denied the allegations when a reporter asked.

Video Transcript

ERIK RUNGE: It was just before 11:00 here this morning that photojournalist Mike Hudak knocked on my car window and said, "I think the guy that we've been reporting on, that police are looking for, just walked down the street." I jumped out of my car, followed him for about a block, and then confronted him.

Did you see a couple of girls Monday?

- Maybe.

ERIK RUNGE: Maybe?

- Yeah.

ERIK RUNGE: Did you touch any of them?

- The-- who?

ERIK RUNGE: Did you touch any of them?

- No.

ERIK RUNGE: No?

- No.

ERIK RUNGE: Did you see the girls?

- No.

ERIK RUNGE: No? If I show you a picture, 'cause I think police think you may have. Is that you?

- That's me.

ERIK RUNGE: That's you? Well, police, they want to talk to you. They think that you touched this girl. You didn't touch any of them?

- No. Well, if the police want to talk to me, let them talk to me.

ERIK RUNGE: Yeah?

- Yeah.

ERIK RUNGE: OK. Well, should we call them?

- That's on you if you want to call them.

ERIK RUNGE: We did call police, along with the victim's father, who was following him in his car. Now, we followed him on foot for more than about a half-mile, where he zigzagged through neighborhood streets and alleys. We were able to direct responding officers to him, and they stopped him and made the arrest. He was wearing what appears to be the same sunglasses with purple rims that police first used to describe him, along with the same shoes, armbands, and hairstyle. He told us he doesn't live in the area, but works in the area.

Police wanted to talk with him after they say Monday, a man matching his description and clothing walked up to a porch in the 2500 block of Lindale in Logan Square and started talking to a seven- and 10-year-old girl. We're told he asked for the time, and when the seven-year-old went inside to check, he sexually grabbed the 10-year-old girl before taking off.

Now, once again, all of this happening just before or just after 11:00 today. I did speak with the victim's father after the man was arrested. He tells me that his daughter is really shaken up, but otherwise is OK.
Suspected Baltimore gang leader shoots himself during stand-off with police in Atlanta, authorities say (ATF Baltimore)

A suspected Baltimore gang leader reportedly died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound after a standoff with law enforcement in Atlanta.

Officials say that Gary Creek first opened fire on US marshals and police officer as they tried to arrest him at an apartment in the Sandy Springs suburb.

The 39-year-old suspect was wanted on federal charges, including racketeering, and officials say he was linked to a string of murders in Baltimore.

He was also the founder and alleged leader of the Triple-C gang, according to authorities.

Sandy Springs police say that they believed he was holding hostages inside the apartment and brought in a SWAT team.

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When police finally entered the apartment three hours after they were shot at they found the suspect dead.

Three hostages were safely released following the incident.

The suspect had been supposed to turn himself in and have an initial court appearance on 3 June, after being one of 15 alleged members of the gang indicted.

The indictment states that members of the Cruddy Conniving Crutballs gang committed 18 murders, 27 attempted murders, carjackings, robberies, witness intimidation and drug distribution.

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Officials had previously offered a $10,000 reward that resulted in his arrest.
STOCKHOLM (Reuters) -An ex-employee of a unit of Canadian aircraft maker Bombardier, now owned by French firm Alstom, has been charged in Sweden on suspicion of bribing an Azerbaijani official to secure a rail equipment contract worth around $340 million.

A Stockholm prosecutor said Bombardier's Swedish railway subsidiary had won the contract in 2013 by steering $100 million of the revenue to an Azeri company run by an official linked to the Azerbaijan railway authority responsible for the tender.

"The investigation shows that the Azeri company would receive approximately 100 million U.S. dollars for its part of the project and that Bombardier thus received help from the Azeri railway authority to win the procurement," prosecutor Staffan Edlund said in a statement.

Thomas Bimer denies the charges, his lawyer told Reuters.

A spokesperson for Alstom said the firm was committed to cooperating with authorities: "This matter concerns a former Bombardier Transportation employee, and it does not concern in any way Alstom or any Alstom employees."

A spokesperson for Bombardier said the jet maker took the matter seriously, was continuing an internal review and would take all available information into account.

The charge relates to a case in Sweden in 2017 when a Russian man who worked at Bombardier was acquitted of bribing Azerbaijani officials to win the 2013 contract. Edlund said prosecutors were appealing that acquittal.

Evidence was obtained during a 2016 raid on Bombardier's Stockholm headquarters and from documents provided by the World Bank, which funded the Azerbaijani rail infrastructure project and is conducting its own investigation, Edlund told Reuters.

(Reporting by Colm FultonEditing by Peter Graff and Alexander Smith)
With declining revenue from the gas tax and highway tolls off the table for now, Democrats in the General Assembly on Tuesday approved a new user fee on large trucks, asserting that it is the fairest way to fund road repairs.

It is no secret that we have spent quite some time in Connecticut talking about  how we can make the necessary improvements to our infrastructure,' said Rep. Sean Scanlon, D-Guilford and the co-chairman of the legislatures finance committee.

What we have before us is a solution that says those who use the road and do the most damage [will] pay a little bit in the effort to make sure our roads and bridges can become safer,' Scanlon said during a six-hour debate on the proposal in the House of Representatives Tuesday night.

The measure cleared the House by a vote of 88 to 59. Six Democrats joined the entire Republican caucus in voting no. The bill was approved early Wednesday in the Senate by a 22-14 vote with two democrats joining the 12-member Senate Republican caucus in opposition.

Republicans say the proposal is nothing more than a stealthy new tax that will jack up the cost of food and other consumer goods. We have a bill right in front of us that raises taxes, it just does it in a different way,' said Rep. Joe Polletta, R-Watertown. I think of it as kind of like going in through the backdoor.

The measure would institute a new fee on all trucks that weigh more than 26,000 pounds. It is expected to generate about $90 million annually, with all of the money earmarked for road and bridge maintenance and repairs, Scanlon said.

Only two other states  New York and Oregon  have a similar funding scheme. But, Scanlon added, just about every state around us has tolls as do many other states in this country and we do not.'

Connecticut has struggled for years to come up with a system to fund its infrastructure. The states Special Transportation Fund is projected to run $60.6 million in the red this fiscal year and even more so in the future.

Story continues

Gov. Ned Lamont had proposed highway tolls but in the face of stiff resistance, he dropped the plan.

This year, the Democratic governor proposed the highway user tax, saying it was unfair that trucks pay tolls as high as $100 to cross the George Washington Bridge between New York and New Jersey, but then drive through Connecticut for free.

But Republicans say the trucking companies will simply pass the tax on to consumers.

I dont think any of us has gone to fill our car up with gas or gone to the supermarket and not been shocked about how prices have increased,' said Rep. Holly Cheeseman, R-East Lyme. This is exactly the kind of move that will only add to that inflation. During a time when were recovering from our pandemic and so many of our residents continue to struggle with paying their bills  this is ill-timed and ill-advised.

Rep. Whit Betts, R-Bristol, said the title of the bill is a misnomer. Lets not call this a trucker user tax. Lets call it what it is: a tax on every single person on Connecticut, he said.

Democrats agreed to carve out an exemption for trucks operated by dairy farms. We need to support our dairy farms in any way possible,' said Rep. Susan Johnson, a Democrat from Windham. She noted that Connecticut as lost 180 dairy farms over the past decade.

Joe Sculley, president of the Motor Transport Association of Connecticut, a trucking industry group, said the exemption makes no sense.

The House of Representatives passed the truck mileage tax tonight, but not before voting to exempt the heaviest trucks on the road  dairy trucks  from paying the tax,' Sculley said. This just goes to show that the truck mileage tax is not actually about damage to the roads, its just about money. Lighter weight trucks will be subsidizing heavier trucks that will be exempt from the tax.

Republicans pressed for other exemptions, including for trucks that transport any food item as well as those that haul farm equipment, but their ideas were rejected.

Scanlon said the proposal is key to developing a long-term strategy to fund transportation projects.

The one source that we historically use to fund our DOT capital projects is a dying revenue source. Its the fuel tax,' Scanlon said. Its not going to die tomorrow, its not going to die next year. But as we move away from fossil fuels ... that revenue will go down and down and down.

At the same time, Scanlon said, the list of road and bridge projects is going up and up and up ... we have crumbling infrastructure.

Daniela Altimari can be reached at dnaltimari@courant.com.
File image: Virginia teacher refuses to call a trans student with their preferred pronouns (AFP via Getty Images)

A court in Virginia has ordered a school to reinstate a teacher who refused to address a trans student with their chosen pronouns, claiming the issue relates to his religious liberty.

Tanner Cross, who worked as a physical education instructor at Leesburg Elementary School, was suspended after he told the Loudon school authorities that he objects to a proposed policy to address transgender students with their preferred pronouns. He said he believed following the policy would be abuse of a child and sinning, NBC Washington reported.

He said he would never affirm that a biological boy can be a girl, and vice versa. Mr Cross was put on paid administrative leave starting 27 May and was banned from entering the school campus or addressing board meetings. He challenged the decision in court on 1 June, alleging the schools actions violated his rights to free speech and the free exercise of religion.

In a seven-page ruling, 20th Circuit Judge James E Plowman Jr ruled in his favour saying Mr Crosss rights to speech and religious liberty are central to the case. The court instructed Loudoun County Public Schools to immediately reinstate Mr Cross and rescind its ban barring him from school grounds while his lawsuit goes forward.

The judge also said his comments are considered protected speech and the district did not prove his comments caused any significant disruption to school operations, NBC Washington reported. He called the leave and banning an unnecessary and vindictive act given the end of the school year was so close.

The school district told local media outlets on Tuesday that they had no comment on the ruling.

The ruling has disappointed many trans parents and parents of trans children. Cris Candice Tuck, a transgender parent in Loudoun, was quoted by Washington Post as saying: My kids know Im transgender, and many of our friends are transgender.

They know what the effects of things like misgendering and dead-naming can be, he said.

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Theyre really upset today, he added. They dont want to be in PE on Thursday.

Read More

Harry and Meghan announce birth of daughter Lilibet Diana

AP News Digest 3 a.m.

McAuliffe win sets up Virginia clash with outsider Youngkin
Three girls died and one was critically injured in a hit-and-run crash in California Saturday night, according to authorities.

A driver in a pickup truck struck and killed Willow Sanchez, 11; Daytona Bronas, 12, and Sandra Mizer, 13, Saturday night along Camp Rock Road, the San Bernardino County Sheriffs Department Coroners Division said in a press release.

The three girls were pronounced dead at the scene, officials said.

The driver and passenger in the vehicle fled on foot, California Highway Patrol said, according to The Los Angeles Times.

Natalie Coe, 14, who was also hit, survived but was taken to Loma Linda University Medical Center with life-threatening injuries, NBC Los Angeles reported.

My babys gone, Sandras grandmother Tammy Midkiff told the station. I cant have her no more.

Natalie and Daytona both used wheelchairs due to their disabilities, according to the station.

The crash happened in a remote desert area and there wasnt a sidewalk, CHP Officer Dan Olivas told The Los Angeles Times.

Its pretty desolate out there, and there are hardly any shoulders at all, he said.

The girls had recently finished the school year at Lucerne Valley Middle School, Victorville Daily Press reported.

They touched so many lives, Superintendent of Lucerne Valley Unified School District Peter Livingston told the publication. Our motto is, Were more than a school district, were a family. I think when you go through a tragedy like this, everyone is there for each other, and thats definitely whats happening right now.
Vladimir Putin. SERGEI ILYIN/Sputnik/AFP via Getty Images

A Russian court on Wednesday labeled groups linked to jailed opposition leader Alexey Navanly's anti-Kremlin movement "extremist," outlawing his allies from running in the country's upcoming elections and leaving his supporters vulnerable to prosecution and possible prison time.

There's not much doubt the move had Russian President Vladimir Putin's approval, and its not particularly surprising that the government is clamping down on what's widely considered it's biggest, if not only, political threat. But the timing of the ruling likely isn't a coincidence, Reuters and The New York Times report. Putin is due to meet face-to-face with President Biden in Switzerland next week, and Reuters' Russia Bureau Chief Andrew Osborn surmises the ban is also a brazen message to the U.S. ahead of the rendezvous  likely something along the lines of "butt out of our politics," he writes. Per the Times, it signals to Biden that "Russian domestic affairs are not up for discussion."

Washington has called on Moscow to free Navalny, but it's unclear if Biden will bring it up during the conversation, or if he'll mostly focus on foreign policy. So far, though, he's hinted that he's not planning on holding much back, saying Wednesday he's going to let Putin "know what I want him to know." Read more at Reuters and The New York Times.
Jun. 9Two indictments stemming from an April 3 shooting include one of a man who was out of jail on bond for earlier weapons and drug charges when the shooting occurred.

Marcus J. Ashford, 31, of the 1800 block of Cone Street, and Jamarr S. Hayward, Jr., 24, of the 700 block of Huron Street, are both charged in Lucas County Common Pleas Court with attempted murder and felonious assault, both with gun specifications, for the wounding of Mautrice S. Richardson, 33.

At the time of the shooting, Mr. Ashford was free at the time on a recognizance bond set by Lucas County Common Pleas Judge Joe McNamara for pending felony charges of improperly handling firearms in a motor vehicle, having weapons while under disability, possession of cocaine, aggravated possession of drugs, and failure to comply with a police officer's signal.

Mr. Richardson was shot several times while he got into a vehicle in the 2500 block of Brentwood Avenue, according to case records initially filed in Toledo Municipal Court. He then drove himself to Mercy Health St. Vincent Medical Center, where he was admitted for treatment.

Mr. Ashford had been arrested May 27 on the felonious-assault charge, after which Robert Christiansen, a visiting Toledo Municipal Court judge, set bond at $250,000. The attempted-murder charge was added Monday by the grand-jury indictment, and Mr. Ashford's arraignment on that charge was scheduled for next Wednesday.

An arrest warrant is pending for Hayward, who was initially charged May 15 in municipal court regarding the shooting.

First Published June 9, 2021, 2:16pm
Good morning and welcome to your weekday morning roundup of the top stories you need to know.

For more daily and weekly briefings, sign up for our newsletters here.

What's going on today:

Musk moles through. Some cities think Elon Musk's tunnel could be the solution to their transportation issues but experts are skeptical. As Musk opens his first tunnel in Las Vegas, officials in Fort Lauderdale are optimistic they will soon have one, NBC News reported. But experts doubt that the tunnel project will expand.

All that - and a vaccine too! Hong Kong is so desperate to get people vaccinated that it's auctioning off a Tesla, a year's worth of stays at a 5-star hotel, and a $1.4 million apartment. Officials are hoping the rewards - which total around $14 million in value - will entice a vaccine-hesitant population to get jabbed.

"I did not have the right to make this decision." The Wisconsin pharmacist who sabotaged 500 vaccine doses was sentenced to 3 years in prison, says he feels "desperately sorry and ashamed." Steven Brandenburg was arrested on December 31 for taking Moderna vaccine vials out of a clinic refrigerator so the doses would be ineffective. Brandenberg said he sabotaged the vaccine because he didn't think the coronavirus was real and believed the vaccine was harmful.

Under his eye. Chinese tech companies are using 'Third Eye' surveillance software to make sure their tech workers are pulling punishing '9-9-6' shifts. The software monitors employee activity and generates weekly efficiency reports on each worker, listing the time they spent watching videos or visiting non-work websites.

A new big boy's in town. A species of dinosaur dubbed 'the southern titan' - a 16 foot tall dinosaur almost the length of a Boeing 737 - has been officially classified in Australia. The skeleton was discovered in 2007 and is now a new classified species called Australotitan cooperensis.
The policy also requires elected officials to seek approval from the spending board for trips such as conferences, conventions, seminars and other approved events dealing with topics of value to the city if the travel would last more than a week. The board needs to approve any travel outside the continental United States, as well as any trips where the total value, including a portion paid by a third party, exceeds $800.
Today, former President Donald Trump issued a statement supporting the Nigerian government's decision to suspend Twitter activities in the West African country.

"Congratulations to the country of Nigeria, who just banned Twitter because they banned their President," he said in the statement.

The ex-president also encouraged other countries to follow in Nigeria's footsteps and ban Twitter and Facebook.

"More COUNTRIES should ban Twitter and Facebook for not allowing free and open speech -- all voices should be heard. In the meantime, competitors will emerge and take hold. Who are they to dictate good and evil if they themselves are evil? Perhaps I should have done it while I was President. But Zuckerberg kept calling me and coming to the White House for dinner telling me how great I was. 2024?" he added.

Trump's approval is coming days after Nigeria suspended Twitter indefinitely. The government made the judgment days after Twitter deleted Nigeria President Muhammadu Buhari's tweet for violating its abusive behaviour policy and several calls by Nigerians to take it down. His tweet threatened punishment on secessionists in the southeastern part of the country.

Although the Nigerian President, via his spokesperson, later declared that the state-wide ban on Twitter was only a temporary measure to curb misinformation and fake news, new directives suggest otherwise. The government ordered broadcasting media to delete their Twitter accounts and stop using the platform as a news source on Monday, which further confirms a ploy to stifle free speech and enforce censorship.

In compliance to the above directive, broadcasting stations are hereby advised to de-install Twitter handles and desist from using Twitter as a source (UGC) of information gathering for news and programmes presentation especially phone-in, an excerpt of the statement read.

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On the other hand, Trump has been on the receiving end of not one but two bans. In early January, he was permanently banned from Twitter after instigating the violent invasion of the U.S. Capitol. Twitter cited concerns over the risk of further incitement of violence.

He was subsequently suspended indefinitely on Facebook. Last Friday, the social media juggernaut announced its decision to reconsider Trump's suspension in two years (which starts counting from January).

"At the end of this period, we will look to experts to assess whether the risk to public safety has receded. We will evaluate external factors, including instances of violence, restrictions on peaceful assembly and other markers of civil unrest. If we determine that there is still a serious risk to public safety, we will extend the restriction for a set period of time and continue to re-evaluate until that risk has receded," vice president for Global Affairs and Communications at Facebook, Nick Clegg said.

"When the suspension is eventually lifted, there will be a strict set of rapidly escalating sanctions that will be triggered if Mr Trump commits further violations in future, up to and including permanent removal of his pages and accounts."
(Reuters) -Military investigators said on Wednesday they believed two gunshots were fired at a base in San Antonio, Texas, but no injuries were reported.

"We do have some solid reports that two gunshots were fired into the installation," Lieutenant Colonel Brian Loveless told reporters at Joint Base San Antonio.

The base issued an "active shooter warning" and ordered all personnel to implement lockdown procedures following the initial reports, according to a message on the facility's official Twitter account.

San Antonio Police had no comment and referred queries to Joint Base spokespersons, who could not be reached immediately.

In 2016, two airmen were killed at the base in what military officials said was a "workplace violence incident."

The joint base, formed through a consolidation of two Air Force bases and the Army's Fort Sam Houston in 2010, provides basic and advanced training to military personnel.

(Reporting by Maria Caspani, Dan Whitomb and Mark Honsenball; Editing by Chris Reese and Cynthia Osterman)
UNITED NATIONS (AP)  The U.N. General Assembly overwhelmingly approved a declaration Tuesday calling for urgent action to end AIDS by 2030, noting with alarm that the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated inequalities and pushed access to AIDS medicines, treatments and diagnosis further off track.

The declaration commits the assemblys 193 member nations to implement the 18-page document, including reducing annual new HIV infections to under 370,000 and annual AIDS-related deaths to under 250,000 by 2025. It also calls for progress toward eliminating all forms of HIV-related stigma and discrimination and for urgent work toward an HIV vaccine and a cure for AIDS.

Without a huge increase in resources and coverage for those vulnerable and infected, we will not end the AIDS epidemic by 2030, the assembly warned.

It said the coronavirus pandemic has created setbacks in combating AIDS, widening fault lines within a deeply unequal world and exposing the dangers of under-investment in public health, health systems and other essential public services for all and pandemic preparedness.

While the international investment response to the pandemic is inadequate, it is nonetheless unprecedented, the assembly said.

The response to the coronavirus by many nations has demonstrated the potential and urgency for greater investment in responding to pandemics, underscoring the imperative of increasing investments for public health systems, including responses to HIV and other diseases moving forward, it said.

The assembly adopted the resolution at the opening session of a three-day high-level meeting on AIDS by a vote of 165-4, with Russia, Belarus, Syria and Nicaragua voting no.

Before the vote, the assembly overwhelmingly rejected three amendments proposed by Russia.

They would have eliminated references to human rights violations that perpetuate the global AIDS epidemic and a rights-based collaborative approach by UNAIDS, the U.N. agency leading the global effort to end the AIDS pandemic They would also have dropped references to reforming discriminatory laws, including on the age of consent, on interventions to treat HIV among intravenous drug users including opioid substitution therapy, and on expanding harm reduction programs.

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UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima welcomed the declaration's adoption and told the assembly it will be the basis of our work to end this pandemic that has ravaged communities for 40 years.

Calling AIDS one of the deadliest pandemics of modern times, she said 77.5 million people have been infected with HIV since the first case was reported in 1981 and nearly 35 million have died from AIDS.

HIV rates are not following the trajectory that we together promised, she said. Indeed, amidst the fallout from the COVID crisis, we could even see a resurgent pandemic.

Byanyima said COVID-19 showed that science moves at the speed of political will and urged speeded up spending on innovations for AIDS treatment, prevention, care and vaccines as global public goods.

On the plus side, the assemblys declaration said that since 2001 there has been a 54% reduction in AIDS-related deaths and a 37% reduction in HIV infections globally, but it warned that overall progress has slowed dangerously since 2016.

The assembly expressed deep concern that in 2019 there were 1.7 million new infections compared to the 2020 global target of fewer than 500,000 infections and that new HIV infections have increased in at least 33 countries since 2016.

Africa, especially sub-Saharan Africa, has demonstrated the most progress in tackling the AIDS epidemic but it also remains the worst-affected region, the assembly said. It called for urgent and exceptional action to curb the infection's devastating effects, especially on women, adolescent girls and children.

Assembly members welcomed progress in reducing HIV-infections and AIDS-related deaths in Asia and the Pacific, the Caribbean, Western and Central Europe and North America. But they noted that despite progress, the Caribbean continues to have the highest prevalence outside sub-Saharan Africa," while the number of new HIV infections is increasing in eastern Europe, Central Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and North Africa.

Byanyima stressed the importance of ending inequalities in the availability of drugs, and ensuring that medicines that can prevent deaths of people living with HIV are manufactured by multiple producers at affordable prices, especially in the global south, where the disease is concentrated.

This moment calls for us to work together across sectors, across countries, she said. Populisms false promises are proving no match to biology: As COVID reminds us, were not just interconnected, were inseparable.

We cannot end AIDS in one country or one continent. We can only end AIDS everywhere, Byanyima said.
The United States on Wednesday announced an agreement with Merck to buy 1.7 million courses of an experimental antiviral pill against Covid-19.

The $1.2 billion dollar deal is for a drug called molnupiravir, which is currently being tested in a global Phase 3 clinical trial of 1,850 people, with results expected by fall.

"This agreement is part of the Biden Administration's whole-of-government approach to develop new COVID-19 treatments and to respond to the health needs of the public," the Department of Health and Human Services said.

The US will only complete the deal if molnupiravir receives an emergency use authorization or full approval by the Food and Drug Administration.

Rob Davis, president of Merck, added the company "is pleased to collaborate with the US government on this new agreement that will provide Americans with Covid-19 access to molnupiravir."

The company hopes to have more than 10 million courses of the five-day-treatment available by the end of 2021.

Molnupiravir, which Merck is developing in partnership with Ridgeback Biotherapeutics, is one of several investigational oral antivirals that are being tested against Covid-19.

Experts say these are needed because not everyone responds well to Covid-19 vaccines, and vaccine access still remains a major issue for much of the world.

Molnupiravir belongs to a class of antiviral called polymerase inhibitors, which work by targeting an enzyme that viruses need to copy their genetic material, and introducing mutations that leave them unable to replicate.

It has also shown effectiveness in lab studies against other viruses such as influenza, Ebola, and Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis virus, but hasn't been authorized or approved for any of these diseases.

Early results from a Phase 2 trial showed that, among dozens of volunteers who tested positive at the start, none of those who received molnupiravir had any detectable virus by day five, while a quarter of those who received a placebo did.

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The numbers are promising but the sample is too small to draw firm conclusions, which is why it is being studied in a much larger group now.

If they are shown to be effective, antivirals against Covid-19 will be most effective in the narrow window after a person tests positive but before the disease becomes severe.

By this stage much of the harm to patients' health comes from their own immune systems going into overdrive and damaging their organs, rather than viral replication.

Other notable efforts include antivirals being developed by Roche in collaboration with Atea, and another by Pfizer that was developed specifically against Covid-19.

ia/dw
The January 6 riot was marred by government, military, and law enforcement missteps, the Senate report says.

Video Transcript

ROSILAND JORDAN: We need some reinforcements up here now. They're starting to pull the gates down.

- The pullings calls for backup unanswered. Angry crowds breaking in unimpeded. A bipartisan congressional report calls the response to the January 6 attack on the US Capitol a failure of intelligence. Preparation and imagination. "A failure," it says "led to the deaths of seven people, including three police officers."

ROB PORTMAN: The intelligence was out there, and we know that now. In fact, at the time, many of us knew that. You all were reporting that there was online chatter about violence connected with that gathering. So to me, it was just amazing that that intelligence did not get in the right hands here.

- The report says, "Because no one shared the intelligence, Capitol Police and National Guard units weren't equipped and ready to head off any violent protests."

DONALD TRUMP: We will never give up. We will never concede.

- And once the crowds left a rally at the White House for the Capitol, the report says, "The breach and the violence were inevitable." But this report does not analyze why the protest happened at all, which is why most senators say they want an independent 9/11 style commission.

GARY PETERS: But there are a lot of other questions that need to be asked in terms of why did this occur? What motivated folks to descend on the Capitol to engage in what was an insurrection? Those are questions that need to be asked and answered, and a commission would be able to take a more fulsome look at that.

- The chances of that happening are diminishing, mainly because of partisan infighting. Democrats accuse Republicans of trying to protect former President Donald Trump and his administration. While Republicans say Democrats are playing politics of their own.

RON JOHNSON: One of my big problems with the January 6 commission as it was outlined, the members, the commissioners and the staff is going to be appointed by congressional leadership. So, again, how do you get to the bottom of potentially what congressional leadership knew and when they didn't know it?

The report calls for more intelligence sharing and more training exercises and improved oversight, but it can't address the bigger issue. Why did people who call themselves patriots try to overthrow their government on January 6? Rosiland Jordan, Al Jazeera, Washington.
The vaccination drive, which was stalled for months due to shortage of vaccines, saw people gathering at different centers to get a dose of China-made vaccine, Sinopharm, as 1 million doses arrived in the Himalayan nation.

The inoculation drive was stopped after India halted its export of vaccine during the second wave of the pandemic.

With 595,364 coronavirus cases, Nepal has provided at least 3.1 million vaccinations to its people so far.
Vice President Kamala Harris is back in Washington Wednesday after wrapping up her first foreign trip in office, traveling to Mexico and Guatemala to address the growing number of migrants crossing the U.S. border. But she's received criticism for not stopping at the U.S.-Mexico border during her journey. Ed OKeefe reports.

Video Transcript

- And as president heads overseas, Vise President Kamala Harris is back in Washington after her trip to Mexico and Guatemala. She met with Mexico's president and others to talk about the root causes of the immigration crisis, but she faces criticism from both parties on Capitol Hill.

Ed O'Keefe is just back from Guatemala City. He was with the Vise president. Ed, good morning to you. So why the incoming for Vise President Harris from the Republicans and the Democrats?

- Good morning. Well immigration is a sensitive subject on both sides of the border and here in Washington on both sides of the aisle. It's been her big focus ever since the president decided to take it on in March.

On this trip, the Vise president announced new plans to tackle illegal border crossings and took on issues like drug trafficking and political corruption. But some critics say she's ignoring what they think is the most important issue, the border itself.

- We need to prioritize what's happening at the border. And we have to prioritize why people are going to the border.

- At a press conference Tuesday night in Mexico, Vise President Harris said she will visit the US border with Mexico in the future.

- I think it's shortsighted to suggest we're only going to respond to the reaction as opposed to addressing the cost.

Harris has had been to the border since the president tasked her with handling the increasing number of migrants. Journalists repeatedly questioned her about this on her trip.

- We've been to the border. We've been to the border.

- You haven't been to the border?

- And I haven't been to Europe.

- Critics like Texas Senator John Cornyn called her out for skipping the stop.

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- She hasn't even been to the border southern border. She hasn't visited the facilities where Tens of thousands of migrant children have been cared for.

- Biden administration officials defended and clarified Harris's work.

- Her assignment was to work with countries and leaders in the Northern Triangle to address root causes, address corruption, ensure we're working together to address humanitarian concerns.

- But the Vise president's message to migrants wanting to come to the US--

- Do not come.

- --was also criticized by some fellow Democrats. New York's Alexandria Ocasio Cortez called those comments disappointing. Saying we can't help set someone's house on fire, and then blame them for fleeing.

Look, this issue of whether or not to go to the border is rooted in pure politics. The GOP knows Harris remains a popular rival and may one day run for president herself. The Vise president for her part viewed the trip as a success, and she did demonstrated an ability to go toe to toe with world leaders.

But her inability to more quickly bat away a criticism from GOP critics clouded the focus of the trip. All of this, Tony, yet another reminder of how hard it will be to achieve consensus on the issue of immigration.

- Meanwhile, there are millions of lives in the balance. Ed, thank you very much.
The longtime city engineer who shot and killed 12 people before being fatally wounded by police was motivated by perceived workplace grievances, which he fixated on for years, according to a report from the FBI released Wednesday.

It was the first time a government agency has identified a motive for why DeWayne Craddock, 40, opened fire on his coworkers at the Virginia Beach Municipal Center in 2019 after roughly 9 years on the job.

The findings and investigation from the bureau bolster much of The Virginian-Pilots reporting in the months after the shooting. In December of that year, the Pilot reported that Craddocks actions and words leading up to the shooting left a fairly clear road map: he was isolating, paranoid and repeatedly facing workplace issues despite also feeling underpaid.

The shooters inflated sense of self-importance contributed to this conflict and led him to believe he was unjustly and repeatedly criticized and slighted, the FBI wrote in a news release. Violence was viewed by the shooter as a way to reconcile this conflict and restore his perverted view of justice.

The report from the FBI  which states that while only the shooter knew the real reason why he did this, the bureau is confident in its assessment  also stands in sharp contrast to the findings of police and a Chicago firm tasked with investigating the shooting.

Reports from the police included some of the details in the FBIs release, including Craddocks mental health issues or problems at work, but city and police officials always stopped short of identifying a motive, to the frustration of several victims families.

In March, as the police department was set to release its final report into the shooting, City Manager Patrick Duhaney wrote in a letter to victims families that, despite a methodical investigation, no evidence was found that shed light on the shooters motivations.

We know this is one of the most difficult findings to accept and we know you may still have questions, he wrote.

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After seeing the FBIs report, Jason Nixon, whose wife, Kate, was killed in the shooting, said he felt vindicated after pushing for much of this information to be released over the last two years.

I felt like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders, he said over the phone. Ive been fighting so much. Ive been banging my head against the wall.

Linda Kuehn, a Virginia Beach police spokeswoman, said the department does not have behavioral specialists, which is why it asked for the FBIs assistance in the investigation and why the findings might differ. She said the FBIs expertise in this area and what it examined is different than what the citys police department does.

Virginia Beach Mayor Bobby Dyer did not immediately respond to a call for comment.

The FBI conducted a wide range of evidence, including witness interviews and forensics data.

The bureaus Behavioral Analysis Unit made several conclusions about Craddocks motivations.

FBI officials said his grievances started as early as 2014, and they continued until the shooting. Two days before the shooting, Craddock faced a crisis at work and had even considered using his own money to make the problem go away. On the morning of the tragedy, Craddock emailed his bosses to put in his two weeks notice but otherwise went about his day as an engineer often would, visiting different job sites.

The shooter suffered from mental health stressors that contributed to his motivation for the attack but can not solely explain it, according to the FBI. His ex-wife, whom he separated from in 2016, told police that he was crazy and schizophrenic.

The FBI also noted that no one was in a position to see the confluence of behaviors that may have forewarned the attack.

Lyndon German, frederick.german@virginiamedia.com
A Virginia judge ordered a Loudoun County school to reinstate a teacher who was suspended after he spoke out against a proposed policy requiring educators to address students by the pronouns that align with their gender identity.

In a ruling Tuesday, Loudoun County Circuit Court Judge James Plowman said the teacher, Byron "Tanner" Cross, was exercising his free speech and ordered the school to "immediately reinstate the plaintiff to his position as it was prior to the issuance of his suspension."

Plowman's ruling remains until a full trial can be held.

Michael Farris, president and CEO of Alliance Defending Freedom, whose attorneys are representing Cross, celebrated the news and said the school's suspension was "neither legal nor constitutional."

Byron

"Educators are just like everybody elsethey have ideas and opinions that they should be free to express," Farris said in a statement. "Advocating for solutions they believe in should not cost them their jobs. School officials singled out his speech, offered in his private capacity at a public meeting, as disruptive and then suspended him for speaking his mind."

Cross, a physical education specialist at Leesburg Elementary School, was placed on paid administrative leave May 27, two days after he said at a school board meeting that following the proposed policy would go against his religious beliefs.

"I love all of my students, but I will never lie to them regardless of the consequences," Cross said, according to a recording of the meeting. "I'm a teacher but I serve God first, and I will not affirm that a biological boy can be a girl and vice versa because it's against my religion, it's lying to my child, it's abuse to a child and it's sinning against our God."

During the meeting, Cross referenced a "60 Minutes" episode that talked, in part, about young people who once identified as trans but changed their mind and detransitioned. He told the school board that he was "speaking out of love for those who suffer with gender dysphoria."

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Two days after the meeting, Cross received a letter from the school saying he was placed on leave for allegedly engaging "in conduct that has had a disruptive impact on the operations of Leesburg Elementary School."

Langhofer lambasted the school over the suspension, saying his client's free speech rights were violated. He also filed a lawsuit against the school board and superintendents. The attorney said Wednesday that the lawsuit is pending.

The school district did not respond Wednesday to request for comment on the judge's reinstatement.

CORRECTION (June 9, 2021, 10:35 p.m. ET): A previous version of this article misattributed quotations from a statement. The statement is from Michael Farris, president and CEO of the Alliance Defending Freedom, not attorney Tyson Langhofer.
The World Health Organization previously investigated the origins of COVID-19 and determined that zoonotic transmission, or the passage of the virus from animals to humans, was the most likely source of the coronavirus. The investigators said a lab leak was the least likely of the possibilities, although their conclusions have received some criticism because Chinese authorities denied them access to some records and facilities.
Adults in Washington who receive their COVID-19 vaccinations are eligible to get free marijuana.

Licensed marijuana dealers in the Pacific Northwest state will receive an allowance from the government to give one pre-rolled joint per COVID-19 vaccine dose to customers who receive their shots at in-store vaccine clinics from June 7 to July 12 as part of its Joints for Jabs program, the Liquor and Cannabis Board announced Monday.

The LCB received multiple requests from cannabis retail licensees to engage in promotions to support state vaccination efforts, the board said in a press release.

SEATTLE PASSES TENANT PROTECTIONS AS EVICTION MORATORIUM END NEARS

Washington is one of many states to offer an incentive for vaccination. Some states, such as Maryland and Ohio, entered vaccinated peoples names in a lottery. On May 15, Washington joined New Jersey to offer its citizens free beer with proof of vaccination.

Participating cannabis retailers may only provide a pre-roll joint, and no other product may be provided as part of this allowance, the board said.

Washington state legalized recreational marijuana use in 2012.

Joints are required to be given out at vaccine appointments only. A Washington resident can not get the marijuana by walking into a marijuana retailer and showing proof of vaccination, unlike the alcohol program.

The program also requires dealers to keep a record of those who receive their joints at clinics. Recipients must be 21 years of age or older.

Private hospital groups in Arizona debuted a similar program at the beginning of June. Residents may go to participating sites to get free joints as well as edibles, according to USA Today.

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Approximately 46% of Washington residents are fully vaccinated, according to Johns Hopkins University.

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Tags: News, Washington, Marijuana, Vaccination, Drugs, Alcohol, Marijuana legalization, Medical Marijuana

Original Author: Charles Hilu

Original Location: Washington announces free marijuana joints for residents vaccinated against COVID-19
WestJet Airlines is looking for a new chief executive officer (CEO) after the airline announced Wednesday that the current head of the company will retire at the end of the year.

The Calgary-based airline announced Wednesday that president and chief executive officer Ed Sims will retire from his roles as president, CEO and member of the company's board of directors in December 2021. After that, he will continue to work in a "senior advisory role" with Onex Corp., the private equity firm that owns WestJet, focused on aerospace and aviation.

WestJet has started a search for a new CEO, the company said.

"Ed was a critical part of Onex' investment in WestJet," Tawfiq Popatia, senior managing director at Onex and a WestJet board member, said in a statement.

"With the WestJet transaction closing in December 2019 and the pandemic hitting Canada in February the following year, we had only a few weeks between closing and the onset of the pandemic and it's hard to overstate the importance of Ed's leadership through this exceptionally challenging period."

Sims first joined WestJet in May 2017 and stepped into the role of CEO in 2018 after the abrupt retirement of former CEO Gregg Saretsky.

Under Sims' leadership, the airline embarked on an ambitious strategy, seeking growth through international expansion while also launching an ultra-low-cost carrier, Swoop. The airline was also purchased by Onex for $5 billion including debt and then taken private. The deal closed shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic hit and devastated the airline industry, bringing global traffic to a virtual standstill.

In a statement, the airline credited Sims for the launch of Boeing's 787 long-haul aircraft, the launch of Swoop, as well as the expansion of WestJet's international network.

Originally from New Zealand, Sims said he will be rejoining his family, who remain in his home country.

Story continues

"My time with WestJet has been an absolute career highlight and a privilege in my 35 years in the travel and aviation industries," Sims said in a statement.

"The global pandemic and the ongoing travel restrictions have separated so many of us for so long from loved ones. With two children in New Zealand, I am prioritizing the needs of family who I will not have seen in two years."

Alicja Siekierska is a senior reporter at Yahoo Finance Canada. Follow her on Twitter @alicjawithaj.

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People flocking to beaches and pools during this early summer heat wave are finding lots of empty lifeguard chairs.

What's happening: Pandemic-related closures at aquatic centers led to a slowdown in the training of new lifeguards, and the backlog comes as many summer-oriented businesses are forced to compete for workers.

Many of the young adults graduating high school or college, who traditionally held these seasonal roles, are leaving and not being replaced, Three Rivers Park District spokesman Tom Knisely told Nick.

Plus: Many employers are upping pay and offering perks to attract summer employees in the face of a nationwide hospitality and restaurant worker shortage.

Why it matters: Without lifeguards for parts of last summer, Minnesota saw a rise in drownings and near-drownings. Last year, 49 people died in non-boating drownings in the state, the most since 2011, according to the state Department of Natural Resources.

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The state of play: The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board usually hires 170 lifeguards, but has only been able to hire 75 this year, spokeswoman Robin Smothers said.

As a result, just three out of 12 city beaches are being guarded  Lake Nokomis Main Beach, Wirth Lake Beach and, starting Friday, Cedar Lake Point Beach.

Three Rivers Park District has kept its pools guarded, but is hiring "Life Guards in Training who get certified as part of their employment, Knisely said.

Several Life Time clubs in the Twin Cities are short of lifeguards as well, said Layne Clatterbuck, the fitness center company's regional aquatics manager in Minnesota.

Clubs that previously had 30 to 40 guards now have 15 to 20.

Life Time is trying to hire more and considering upping its wages and offering hiring and/or retention bonuses, Clatterbuck said.

Of note: St. Paul's city pools and beaches are fully staffed at 160 guards, said spokeswoman Clare Cloyd.

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By Sarah N. Lynch and Mark Hosenball

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The wife of Mexican drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, Emma Coronel Aispuro, is expected to plead guilty on Thursday in federal court in Washington, where she has been accused of helping her husband run the Sinaloa cartel of smugglers, court records show.

Coronel, who prosecutors say played a key role in Guzman's 2015 escape from a Mexican prison, is slated to appear for a virtual hearing at 10 a.m. ET (1400 GMT) before U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras.

Reuters could not immediately determine what charges she will plead guilty to, and there was no additional information on the court docket. If convicted on all charges she faces, she could be sentenced to as long as life in prison and fined up to $10 million.

Attorneys for Coronel could not be immediately reached.

The 31-year-old former beauty queen was arrested in February on allegations that she relayed messages to help Guzman conduct drug trafficking from 2012 to early 2014, and continued delivering messages while visiting him in a Mexican prison following his February 2014 arrest.

The FBI in court documents said Coronel, who was born in California and holds both U.S. and Mexican citizenship, and members of her family were deeply involved in the cartel's trafficking activities.

Prosecutors have also said she conspired in Guzman's famous July 2015 escape from the Altiplano prison in Mexico through a mile-long (1.6 km-long) tunnel dug from his cell, and began plotting another escape following his January 2016 capture by Mexican authorities.

The FBI said a witness told agents she passed along a message from Guzman to his sons, telling them to purchase land near the Altiplano prison. They also asked that witness to buy a nearby warehouse, firearms and an armored truck, it said.

He managed to escape through the underground tunnel through an entryway bored into the shower inside his cell.

Coronel was charged with conspiring to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine, 1 or more kilograms of heroin, 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and 1,000 or more kilograms of marijuana, as well as aiding and abetting.

Story continues

Guzman, 64, was convicted in February 2019 in a high-profile Brooklyn trial of masterminding a multibillion-dollar drug enterprise for the Sinaloa cartel.

He was sentenced to life in prison plus 30 years, and locked up in the federal Supermax prison in Florence, Colorado.

Coronel met Guzman when she was a young beauty queen, and married him in 2007 at age 18. The couple has twin daughters.

She was a regular presence at her husband's trial in New York.

(Reporting by Mark Hosenball and Sarah N. Lynch; Editing by Scott Malone and David Gregorio)
Parker County sheriffs deputies arrested a woman in Millsap on Tuesday who broke into a home in a flooded area and was carrying drugs and a gun, according to a news release.

Theresa Ann Salter, 60, of Millsap, was arrested on charges of possession of a controlled substance, criminal trespass of a habitation and unlawful carrying of a weapon.

Neighbors in the 800 block of Brazos Rock Road called law enforcement about 3 p.m. with concerns that the homeowners were not present and somebody else was in the residence.

Officers, with the assistance of Texas Parks and Wildlife game wardens, used boats to get to the home amid flooding caused by a release of water from Possum Kingdom Lakes Morris Sheppard Dam in the area Tuesday. The water was released by the Brazos River Authority due to heavy rain in the area.

Once there, officers found William Hull outside the residence, who claimed he and his wife, Salter, were staying in the home because theirs was flooded, according to the release. Deputies contacted the homeowners, who said nobody had permission to be in their home.

Authorities did not say in the release whether the couples home was really flooded.

When deputies told Salter she had to leave, they allowed her to collect her belongings. One of the things she grabbed to take from the house was a zippered pouch she claimed belonged to her, according to the release.

Searching the pouch, deputies found 0.7 grams of suspected methamphetamine and a loaded 9 millimeter handgun, according to the release.

Salter was arrested and was being held Wednesday at the Parker County Jail. Bond has not been set and police have not announced any charges against Hull.

The sheriffs office will send the case to the Parker County District Attorneys Office seeking to prosecute, according to the release.
Authorities say the homeowners returned shortly after the attempted delivery and found the driver lying in front of the house.

Video Transcript

SHERIFF WILLIAM HEFFINGTON: I've never seen anything like this since my time here as sheriff. I mean, this is the worst I've seen.

ZARA BAKER: Friday afternoon, a FedEx driver was making a delivery off route 100 in northern Calhoun County when he was attacked by 2 American bulldogs.

SHERIFF WILLIAM HEFFINGTON: The resident wasn't home, but the dogs ended up getting out of the house, unlatched the door, and I guess with being a stranger with nobody home with the owners, they attacked the FedEx driver.

ZARA BAKER: Sheriff William Heffington says the homeowners weren't home at the time the driver arrived. They came back within 30 minutes of the attack and found the driver outside their home. They called authorities, and the driver was flown out to a St. Louis area hospital.

SHERIFF WILLIAM HEFFINGTON: He sustained some pretty serious injuries to the upper and lower body.

ZARA BAKER: We contacted FedEx about this incident. They sent this statement, quote, "First and foremost, our thoughts remain focused on the well-being of the individual involved in this incident. There is no higher priority for FedEx ground than the safety and security of our team members, and we're cooperating fully with the investigating authorities at this time." The sheriff says the dogs are more than five years old and don't have any history of violence.

SHERIFF WILLIAM HEFFINGTON: First time they've ever had anything like this. They take them with them to places out for lunch and stuff. They don't bother. But when they're home alone, somebody comes in their domain, I guess they got overprotective, and it's an unfortunate incident.

ZARA BAKER: The sheriff says this will go through the court, and a judge will decide if the dogs will have to be put down or how to proceed. He says there's multiple factors that will be looked at, including prior incidents and the severity of the driver's injuries. The owners are detaining the dogs and have been served the summons to show up in court.

SHERIFF WILLIAM HEFFINGTON: And I feel bad for the dog owners. I feel bad for the victim. And it just could happen to any of us.
David Hasselhoff is calling on Germans to get a COVID-19 vaccination in videos released on Twitter by the country's health ministry.

Speaking to the camera in front of palm trees and a blue sky, the "Baywatch" and "Knight Rider" star says getting a jab is the best way for people to regain their freedom. At one point he lifts his sleeve to reveal a small plaster on his upper arm.

"What I'm looking for is to get life back to normal, is the freedom, the freedom to get vaccinated and to go around the world. The most important experience of the pandemic for me is death," he says.

"It causes death. Get vaccinated. The advice I can give to everyone in America, and to the world, and to Germany is get vaccinated."

Hasselhoff is a well-known figure in Germany, famously appearing suspended above the Berlin Wall on New Year's Eve 1989, singing his song "Looking for Freedom."

The wall, which had divided Berlin for decades, had fallen six weeks earlier.
A Danville man has pleaded guilty in federal court to a rash of robberies in Virginia and North Carolina, including one at a Moores Country Store in Lynchburg.

Larry Wayne Inge, 40, pleaded May 19 to six counts of interference with commerce by robbery in Virginia and 13 counts in North Carolina, according to documents filed in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia.

Between December 2019 and January 2020, Inge robbed 19 stores between Lynchburg and Chapel Hill, North Carolina, while insinuating he was armed with a gun, court documents state. Hed often have a hand concealed in a jacket or pocket while seeming to point something at cashiers underneath the garment, though denied ever using or having a gun in law enforcement interviews. One incident describes him making the shape of a firearm with his hand.

Among the six Virginia robberies was one at Moores Country Store on Boonsboro Road at about 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 29, 2019, according to court documents. Its the only incident where the amount taken isnt specified in court documents  the remainder of the robberies amount to $23,752.83.
Del. Hala Ayala won the six-person Democratic primary for lieutenant governor Tuesday, according to unofficial results.

Ayala, D-Prince William, is Afro-Latina and will be the first Hispanic woman on a statewide ballot in Virginia. Shes the only candidate of color on the Democrats statewide fall ticket, which includes Terry McAuliffe, the former governor who is seeking the office again, and Attorney General Mark Herring, who wants a third term.

All three candidates live in Northern Virginia.

Ayala will face GOP nominee Winsome Sears in the fall. And Ayalas nomination means that regardless of who wins, Virginia will see its first woman elected to statewide office since 1989. Either Ayala or Sears will be the first woman of color elected statewide in Virginia history.

When you live a life of struggle  losing a father to gun violence, surviving childbirth thanks only to Medicaid, and almost losing my son  it puts things in perspective, Ayala said in a statement Tuesday after winning. I understand the struggles so many Virginia families face because Ive lived them, and that experience is why I worked with my colleagues to expand Medicaid for over 500,000 Virginians, fight for gun violence prevention, raise teacher pay, and ratify the Equal Rights Amendment.
President Biden has pledged to help narrow the racial wealth gap and reinvest in communities that have been left behind by failed policies. He used the 100th anniversary of the Tulsa race massacre in Greenwood, a thriving African American community ravaged by a racist mob in 1921, as the occasion to promise more federal contracts for minority-owned companies and address discrimination in home appraisals for black families.

The Tulsa mob murdered more than 300 Black men, women and children over a two-day period, May 31 to June 1, forcing thousands to flee for their lives while watching their homes and businesses burn to the ground. No one was ever held responsible for the devastation.

But Bidens Tulsa appearance and speech continues a narrative favored by Democrats that reinforces the wrong belief that African Americans can do nothing without government. Of course, if government were their savior, would it not have solved all the problems Democrats continually talk about, but do little to fix?
Art



'In Search Of Reason' - Puerto Vallarta Style



The sculpture is one of the largest and grandest on the Malecon, at a height of nearly two hundred feet (60 meters) and tourists are encouraged to photograph one another climbing the ladder, but advised to be careful. Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - We have been asked about the sculpture of the ladder on the Malecon. Two children climb to the top while a mother-like figure at the base seems to either plead with them or bid them farewell. Some people claim this is the artist Sergio Bustamante's tribute to an air flight that went down between Puerto Vallarta and San Francisco. We are here to set the record straight.



Sergio Bustamante, a Mexican artist from Sinaloa, who resides in Guadalajara, is known for his unusual figures of suns, moon, people and whimsical creatures, fashioned into jewelry and statues.



Regarding this particular piece, Bustamante says "I like getting people to interact with it, with my art. It's about freedom." What it isn't about is an airplane crash. Bustamante asserts that his inspiration came from the well known philosopher, Bertrand Russell, winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1950, who said "When the intensity of emotional conviction subsides, a man who is in the habit of reasoning will search for logical grounds in favor of the belief which he finds in himself." Hence, the beseeching faces of the three figures and their quest to the heavens.



The sculpture is one of the largest and grandest on the Malecon, at a height of nearly two hundred feet (60 meters) and tourists are encouraged to photograph one another in their very own quests, but advised to be careful. It is located at Corona Street. Smaller versions of Searching for Reason, along with other Bustamante pieces are available at



There is, however, a sculpture dedicated to the victims of that fatal flight of Alaska 261 in 2000, though most tourists most likely would not realize this unless they went on a sculpture tour. Indeed, many locals are unaware of its significance. It is "The Friendship Fountain" (Dancing Dolphins Fountain) by James "Bud" Bottoms and Octavio Gonzalez Gutierrez.



The Friendship Fountain can be found close to the Arches on the Malecon. It was dedicated in 1987, long before the airline tragedy. At Port Heuneme, Santa Barbara on the California coast, where debris from the accident washed to shore, is a sundial with a dolphin leaping from it, a similar piece of art and forever joined in spirit. Puerto Vallarta and Santa Barbara are sister cities.



According to the artist Bud Bottoms, heuneme means resting place in Chumash, the local Indian tribe. The Indians believed that drowning humans become dolphins. Que es como es.



The number one selling and listing agency in the greater Bay of Banderas region since 2011, Timothy Real Estate Group is a locally-owned and operated real estate brokerage with a strategic location in the city's Romantic Zone. Because the Puerto Vallarta area has varying neighborhood personalities, we practice localized real estate and, with 5 sales offices around the bay, we know our communities well. If you are looking to sell or purchase a property in the Banderas Bay area, download their



Click HERE to learn more about Timothy Real Estate Group - We have been asked about the sculpture of the ladder on the Malecon. Two children climb to the top while a mother-like figure at the base seems to either plead with them or bid them farewell. Some people claim this is the artist Sergio Bustamante's tribute to an air flight that went down between Puerto Vallarta and San Francisco. We are here to set the record straight.Sergio Bustamante, a Mexican artist from Sinaloa, who resides in Guadalajara, is known for his unusual figures of suns, moon, people and whimsical creatures, fashioned into jewelry and statues.Regarding this particular piece, Bustamante says "I like getting people to interact with it, with my art. It's about freedom." What it isn't about is an airplane crash. Bustamante asserts that his inspiration came from the well known philosopher, Bertrand Russell, winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1950, who said "When the intensity of emotional conviction subsides, a man who is in the habit of reasoning will search for logical grounds in favor of the belief which he finds in himself." Hence, the beseeching faces of the three figures and their quest to the heavens.The sculpture is one of the largest and grandest on the Malecon, at a height of nearly two hundred feet (60 meters) and tourists are encouraged to photograph one another in their very own quests, but advised to be careful. It is located at Corona Street. Smaller versions of Searching for Reason, along with other Bustamante pieces are available at his website. There is, however, a sculpture dedicated to the victims of that fatal flight of Alaska 261 in 2000, though most tourists most likely would not realize this unless they went on a sculpture tour. Indeed, many locals are unaware of its significance. It is "The Friendship Fountain" (Dancing Dolphins Fountain) by James "Bud" Bottoms and Octavio Gonzalez Gutierrez.The Friendship Fountain can be found close to the Arches on the Malecon. It was dedicated in 1987, long before the airline tragedy. At Port Heuneme, Santa Barbara on the California coast, where debris from the accident washed to shore, is a sundial with a dolphin leaping from it, a similar piece of art and forever joined in spirit. Puerto Vallarta and Santa Barbara are sister cities.According to the artist Bud Bottoms,means resting place in Chumash, the local Indian tribe. The Indians believed that drowning humans become dolphins.The number one selling and listing agency in the greater Bay of Banderas region since 2011, Timothy Real Estate Group is a locally-owned and operated real estate brokerage with a strategic location in the city's Romantic Zone. Because the Puerto Vallarta area has varying neighborhood personalities, we practice localized real estate and, with 5 sales offices around the bay, we know our communities well. If you are looking to sell or purchase a property in the Banderas Bay area, download their Free Real Estate Buyer and Seller's Guides to learn more, then contact one of the Timothy Real Estate Group agents for the best experience in Puerto Vallarta real estate. For more information, visit TimothyRealEstateGroup.com.



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TOKYO -- A fierce battle is taking place among nations determined to ensure post-pandemic economic growth, one that centers on job retraining.

As COVID-19 forced countries to impose social and other restrictions, the digital transformation only accelerated. Now that some nations are emerging from the worst of the pandemic, workers will have to pick up new skills, or their economies will fall down the productivity and international competitiveness ladders.

Behind-the-times countries like Japan face another battle -- gaining public support for the kind of labor revolution that will allow them to catch up to the front-runners.

Job retraining correlates with productivity. A country that has a higher ratio of people participating in job-related education programs than other countries is more productive per hour, according to data released by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. North European countries like Denmark and Sweden, which have a ratio of more than 50%, rank high in productivity.

Japan and other countries should "review its employment policy from the viewpoint of growth strategy," said Hisashi Yamada, vice chairman of Japan Research Institute.

Sluggish economies such as Japan's and Italy's may get off to late starts in the post-COVID competition -- unless they establish a mechanism to provide skills indispensable for improved productivity to a range of workers.

North European nations' efforts are remarkable. One key is that they advance job re-education programs established through government-labor-management cooperation.

In Denmark, vocational schools are managed mainly by local governments, their curricula determined jointly by labor unions and employers. At information technology-related schools, job-specific labor unions, such as those of engineers, and other relevant parties update curricula almost every year to keep up with technological trends.

In Sweden, practical education programs are also determined by public-private partnerships. Students in these vocational programs spend more than 25% of their hours training at companies. Laws make it relatively easy for companies to dismiss workers, but specialized organizations provide effective support for re-employment.

The Scandinavian nation, its mobile workers and their constantly evolving skill sets have allowed companies like music streamer Spotify to grow and thrive.

As the digital transformation accelerates and demands new skills, the need for training becomes clear.

In January 2020, the World Economic Forum worked out a plan to retrain 1 billion people by 2030 and give them skills suited to the information technology and other sectors. Companies such as Salesforce.com of the U.S. and Infosys of India will help to promote the plan.

Japan is a laggard in this trend. The ratio of workers participating in retraining programs in Japan is 35%, 5 percentage points under the OECD average. Japan's productivity is roughly half that of North European nations and ranks 21st among the 37 OECD member countries. - Nikkei
Last month, the United States placed Japan on its list of Level-4 travel advisory countries, the highest possible ranking and one which carries a do not travel warning, due to the countrys coronavirus conditions. Just over two weeks later, though, Japan has now been removed from Level-4 status.

The change, effective as of June 9 (Japan time), is still only one step down, as the CDC and State Department now have Japan at Level 3. That doesnt mean the U.S. government is encouraging citizens to hop on a plane for Japan, however, as the countrys Level-3 classification reflects a high level of COVID-19 in Japan and still comes with a reconsider travel caution meant to dissuade nonessential trips.

Its also worth bearing in mind that the lowered travel danger level may or may not be entirely thanks to improving health conditions in Japan. According to Japans Nihon Keizai Shimbun, two days prior to the lowering of Japans advisory level, the CDC changed its classification criteria. Previously, 100 confirmed infections per 100,000 people in a countrys population over the span of 28 days would prompt a Level-4 warning, but as of June 7 the threshold has been raised to 500 infections per 100,000 people.
For instance, the Warrens break into a morgue, so that Lorraine can hold the gross hand of a dead woman and find out what happened to her. While this ridiculousness is going on, a dead, slightly bloated, very naked person with long stringy hair gets off the table and chases after Ed  what is happening right now? Rather than being scary, it was absurd and burst out loud hilarious. We had a good laugh that Meatloaf had fallen on bad times, so was making a cameo and about to start singing I Would Do Anything for Love (But I Wont Do That). Because after all, not only is this film horror, but its also a magical love story. (No, Im not kidding. It really is about the Warrens enduring love.)

Farmiga is a talented actress. She was especially good in the A&E TV series Bates Motel (2013-2017), playing Normans mom, Norma. Wilson plays a decent everyman. I liked him in Watchmen (2009). Even John Noble is here, playing a retired priest. I loved him in The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003), and especially as Dr. Walter Bishop in the TV series Fringe (2008-2013). Why did they sign on to this? Why do Farmiga and Wilson keep signing on? I guess actors gotta act, right? Sometimes you get good roles; sometimes, you cash a check and pay your mortgage. Or maybe there was something in this script they saw that I didnt, but I have no idea what that could have been.
Democrats had just 14 days to gather enough signatures equal to 10% of the vote cast in Scott County in the last presidential election, rather than the four to six weeks under the previous law, to force an election.

"What I want this message to really send to the voters of Scott County is to know the the Democratic party is going to continue to stand up for the right to vote," Scott County Democratic Party Chairwoman Elesha Gayman said at a Wednesday news conference. "We're not going to lay down. We're not going to turn around while this voter suppression happens in our backyards.'

Tompkins will serve until voters elect an auditor to a full term during the next general election in November 2022.

Partisan contention surrounded the process for appointing her to the role and raised questions as to whether Republican supervisors violated Iowa's open meetings law.

Republican supervisors said they opted against a special election out of concern for its cost and efficiency.
The increase in migration at the border has become one of the major challenges confronting Biden in the early months of his first term, with Republicans seizing on an issue they see as politically advantageous. Polls suggest Americans are less favorable toward Bidens approach to immigration than they are toward his policies on the economy and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Theyve tried to make Harris the face of that immigration policy, charging she and Biden are ignoring the issue because both have yet to visit the southern border. Harris told reporters she was focused on tangible results as opposed to grand gestures.

Harris and her aides have sought to make clear that her mission was narrowly focused on finding diplomatic solutions to the problem at the border.

Without being asked to judge the result, she told the news conference: Do I declare this trip a success? Yes I do. It is a success in terms of the pathway that is about progress. We have been successful in making progress.

After her meeting with Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, the administration announced a range of agreements brokered between the two governments, including a $130 million commitment over the next three years from the U.S. to support labor reforms in Mexico and loans to bolster southern Mexicos economy.
Harris was called out by the Democratic left, too, for using her platform in Guatemala to tell people thinking of fleeing to the U.S. that they should not. Do not come, she said, invoking the dangers of the trip as well as the Biden administrations commitment to border security. Do not come.

Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York called those comments disappointing and noted that it is legal to seek asylum.

While White House aides have repeatedly tried to clarify that Harris assignment is narrowly focused on diplomatic solutions to the immigration situation, she was again forced to spend part of a trip meant to showcase her diplomatic chops explaining herself.

It would be very easy to say, Well travel to one place and therefore its solved, she said. I dont think anybody thinks that that would be the solution.

Her foreign debut was a complex one as she attempted to engage in the deepest reasons people leave what they know to take on the perils of trekking to the U.S. border and trying to get across, whether illegally or through their right to ask for asylum.
The rainforest project never was funded. When the GOP gained control of the House in 2011, tea party Republicans chose to eliminate the practice. In his State of the Union address that year, Democratic President Barack Obama promised to veto any bill containing earmarks, saying the American people deserve to know that special interests arent larding up legislation with pet projects.

Hinson and Axne dont see it that way. Their requests are not adding spending to the federal budget. Instead, according to Hinson, who sits on the House Appropriations and Budget committees, they are asking that money already being designated to certain federal programs be allocated to these projects within those programs.

For example, Hinson said, she and Illinois Democratic Rep. Cheri Bustos are asking that the Army Corps of Engineers prioritize the already-authorized Mississippi River locks and dams improvement project within its plans for the next fiscal year, instead of allowing that critical project to sit on the back burner any longer.

Its an example of reaching across the aisle  and the river  to work together in a constructive way that respects taxpayers, Hinson said. This project is of critical economic importance to both of our districts economies.
PRAGUE (AP)  A Belarusian opposition leader called Wednesday for the creation of an international tribunal to investigate and prosecute crimes reportedly committed by her country's government and its longtime authoritarian leader, President Alexander Lukashenko.

Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, the main opposition candidate in Belarus' disputed presidential election last year, spoke to the Czech Republic's Senate in Prague. She asked the Czech Republic to organize an international conference to deal with the current situation in her country.

We cannot allow dictators to write history, Tsikhanouskaya said.

Lukashenko has faced months of protests fueled by his reelection to a sixth term in the August election, which was widely seen as rigged. Belarusian authorities have responded to demonstrations with a fierce crackdown. Police have arrested more than 35,000 people, and thousands of protesters were beaten by officers.

Tsikhanouskaya called the crackdown a terror that our country has not experienced since the time of Stalinism.

"The only solution to the crisis in Belarus can be free elections, she said.
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LINCOLN, Neb. (AP)  Ann Tillery could see by her own image on the Zoom screen that something was wrong when the left side of her face began to droop.
In preparation for Flag Day on June 14, Sioux Lookout Chapter of the Nebraska Daughters of the American Revolution has donated two childrens books, flags, and Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag bookmarks to the North Platte Public Library, according to a press release.

The books are appropriate for young children and explain the meaning and significance of the American flag.

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Also donated for the adult library is the large-print version of The Boys In the Boat by Daniel James Brown, which is the story of the 1936 eight-oar crew team that went to the Olympic Games in Hitlers Germany. The team was made of farmers, loggers, and shipyard workers attending the University of Washington with little to no experience in competitive scull rowing.

For the childrens library, DAR donated Im Your Flag, So Please Treat Me Right, written by Julia Cook. The book talks about the American flag as a symbol for the American people and how the flag stands for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The author explains the history of the flag with examples of how our it has changed through time as well as explains the proper display of the flag.
Updated 10 a.m. June 10:

The driver who died in Wednesday's crash on Interstate 80 has been identified as Bernard Eubank, 74, of Roanoke, Virginia.

All three passengers in the pickup truck were injured. Lexington ambulances transported Sharon Eubank, 73, and Belinda Katon, 74, to Lexington Regional Hospital for their injuries. John Katon, 79, was flown by helicopter to Kearney and has been transferred to a hospital in Omaha.

---------------

Original story, June 9:

LEXINGTON  A driver was killed and three passengers were injured Wednesday morning when a pickup pulling a camper rolled into the median on Interstate 80 between Lexington and Overton.

At 10:31 a.m. the Lexington Volunteer Fire Department was dispatched to mile marker 243 on I-80. Priority Medical Transport also headed to the scene.

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A pickup had rolled onto its roof in the median. The camper it was towing was heavily damaged.

Soon after Lexington firefighters arrived on scene, Overton Volunteer Fire and Rescue was called for mutual aid. The Flight for Life helicopter from CHI Health Good Samaritan in Kearney was also dispatched; it landed in a field north of I-80.
Not Mrs. Brosius. She pulled and pushed and prodded and promoted and found the support. Not only is North Platte going to have the Miss Nebraska Pageant this week, it is probably going to have the biggest and best pageant in the history of the state. That cant hurt. It will introduce a few more people to our town and its remarkable level of community activity.

And after Lincolns Julie Meusburger was crowned at the old North Platte High School Little Theater, North Platte landed Miss Nebraska permanently. Weve had nothing but good comments from the community and nothing but praise from the contestants about how they were treated in North Platte, chamber executive director Al Silverstein told The Telegraph.

Western Nebraska has accounted for 10 of the 35 Miss Nebraskas during the North Platte years. Only two have come from the host city (Vicki Linn Train in 1991 and Jennifer Love in 1994), but North Plattes young women have frequently entered and won preliminary pageants.

Miss Rodeo Nebraskas North Platte era has seen four Lincoln County winners: Lindy (Nicholson) Kaufholtz (2001), Lindy (Quaney) Hiatt (2004) and Alesa (Chrisman) Jones (2005), all from North Platte, and Michelle (Boeshart) Whitson (2010) from Maxwell. The 2002 titleholder, McCooks Lori (Bortner) Harding, became the states fourth Miss Rodeo America.
Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}

Wilson is a Publishers Weekly bestselling author of romance, womens fiction and romantic comedy, including The Accidental Beauty Queen. Three of Wilsons books have been adapted into Hallmark Channel original movies by Crown Media: Unleashing Mr. Darcy (plus its sequel Marrying Mr. Darcy), The Art of Us and Northern Lights of Christmas, based on her book Sleigh Bell Sweethearts.

Jodi Swaja

Swaja holds a masters degree in social work from the University of St. Thomas/College of St. Catherine, and is a licensed independent clinical social worker. She currently works as a psychotherapist with adults, couples and the elderly in rural Minnesota.

Swaja became involved with pageants and town festivals as a titleholder in 1985. She went on to become a member of the Shakopee Derby Days Board, serving as the royalty program coordinator for four years, and assisted with the rejuvenation of the Miss Minnesota Valley Pageant.

Tom Gosinski
Flannagan, the current chairman, and his colleagues on the new planning commission held several public hearings regarding zoning and planning prior to the county commission approving it for Beat 13. They recently hired Birmingham consultant Jim Lehe to help them draw up the zoning language approved by the county commission and create the www.leecountyplanning.com website to post meeting minutes, documents and schedules.

Flannagan said it could be a good time to hear citizens views about zoning for the rest of the county, pro or con. It would be fine with the countys electorate voting yes or no on the question, he said, but he thinks it would be worth asking first.

Ill be the first to say Im for limited government.  There are places where zoning has been used by government against the best interests of so people, but thats not true in Alabama, Flannagan said. Theres nobody here that wants to make your life any harder than it is; I think there are good-hearted folks who want the same things as everyone else.

Long agrees with Flannagan and said some people confuse zoning with incorporation. Zoning would not create new towns or taxes, he said, but would pertain solely to land use.
Washington, PA (15301)

Today

Thunderstorms early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Potential for severe thunderstorms. Low 57F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Potential for severe thunderstorms. Low 57F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%.
[ Spoiler (click to open) ] kidnapped, drugged and r/ped twice

Me-again

Ontd what is your favorite summer fruit View Answers

Watermelon 50 ( 37.0 % ) Cantaloupe 7 ( 5.2 % ) Honeydew 4 ( 3.0 % ) Mango 20 ( 14.8 % ) Kiwi 2 ( 1.5 % ) Strawberries 27 ( 20.0 % ) Guava 2 ( 1.5 % ) Pineapple 11 ( 8.1 % ) Other (comments) 12 ( 8.9 % )

More behind the cutObama talked to Anderson Cooper and talked about a lot of things, most of which was a lot more interesting than this topic. Panel focuses on his remarks regarding cancel culture. Panel says the same things theyve always said. Ana has the best talking points.VP Harris went to Guatemala, to work with local leaders on the root cause of border crossings. Plays clip. She also plans to travel to Honduras, Mexico, etc. She says the same thing Biden had been saying (Dont come, Seek legal asylum) but people got mad like it was new. Ana talks about immigration from her perspective as an immigrant and what people are facing in real life. Thinks its a lot more complicated than a tweet and shouldnt say the opposite, Please all come now. Sunny worried the phrasing was taken out of context, and couldve had more finesse. Sara wants compassionate reform. Whoopi doesnt like that undocumented workers in America who pay taxes still cant apply for citizenship due to circumstance of entry.Neil deGrasse Tyson forgot to turn off his cell phone, which rang and interrupted the beginning of his segment. He talks about space stuff, which normally I love, but not him. Meanwhile @NYT accidentally published an article that a field of watermelons was discovered on Mars (which was quickly deleted and thought to be a product testing accident, not a real event).Panel talks about pet peeves of bad houseguests. Sara says not removing shoes when entering house. Ana says she carries her dog, her paws are clean, she likes houseguests. Sunny talks about visiting Ana. Me-again likes houseguests and to talk a lot because she enjoys the sound of her entitled voice.+++++++++++++++Sen Joe Manchin (D-WV) is getting on everyones nerves but Dems wouldnt have Senate control without him [and that ding dong Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ)]. Blah di blah. Whoopis point is there is still a problem with voting rights.Tr/mp wore elastic waist pants with Depends at speech. Putting aside his physical appearance and age related decline, he also rambled incoherently because Mr Vain wont wear glasses, so he cant see to read the teleprompter and is too stupid to improvise on his own. Joy is funny. Snopes reviewed 90 mins of footage and declared T45 didnt wear his pants backwards.Meghan had her second child, a baby girl, and named her Lilibet Diana after Harrys grandmother and mother. Sara was named after her dads mom and thinks its beautiful. Joy tells her name story. Whoopi says there are only 2 other Whoopis (which isnt her real name anyway). Theyre both taking a few months parental leave. Sunny tells her name story.Denise Huskins & Aaron Quinn were victims of a home invasion and attacked, while Denise was CW. They were accused of being suspects instead of being taken seriously as victims. Theyre promoting their book. They talk about their ordeal. Their names were cleared only when the assailants struck again, attacking another family in a different community. The law enforcement from the other attack tracked down the assailant and found proof of the original attack on Denise & Aaron. They eventually got an apology from a new police chief to their community, who wasnt in place when their crime occurred. Naturally they dont care about the apology, after being smeared. Later they married, and now have a baby girl. One guy was arrested, but they believe there was at least one other person involved, who remains free.+++++++++++++++As a result of FOIA (Freedom of Information Act), loads of Fauci emails were released. It was a nothingburger. But the GQP are trying to make something out of nothing to distract from *waves hands at everything*. Ana has her Friday rant. Sara read and read and also found nothing. Hes like all of us buried in emails trying to clear inbox after midnight. He was as nice and professional in emails as he is in public. Me-again forgot to take her hairpins out of her nighttime hair set. Has the audacity to suggest Fauci liked and cultivated the celebrity aspect. She still pushes bio-weapon lab leak angle. Rachel says FOIA is supposed to increase transparency but GQP made it a witch hunt, says it distracts from vetoing Insurrection investigation.This wet noodle ding dong is going to agree-to-disagree with T45 about the Insurrection where T45 himself called Pence a pu$$y and the cult chanted Hang Mike Pence while breaking into the Capital. But Mr Fly wont break with T45. Pfft. Whatever. Ana says all these things. Makes fun of T45 who had to shut his blog due to only 15K interactions a day (plus legal ramifications for continuing to lie about fraud election).Real Housewife of NY Eboni K. Williams Slams Luann de Lesseps. Rachel talks about Angry Black Woman stereotype. Ana takes downwhite privilege while Me-again didnt even realize Ana was talking about her. Loool. End scene.Women listed dating dealbreakers on a Reddit thread. Panel shares their dealbreakers. Ana says a dating site. Tells eHarmony story. Joy says if you want to get rid of an annoying guy, then you start talking about feminist issues.Giada De Laurentiis is promoting her cookbook. She talks about (her personal story) how health issues were the driver for her to eat differently and feel better. Spoiler alert, she had chronic sinus infections.Source links are below each video or section
hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah



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wtf is going on with the tongue of the shoes though

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Edited at 2021-06-09 02:28 pm (UTC) At first I thought it was meant to represent the wings like on the Winged Nike of Samothrace statue but I'm not sure now...

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Thanks to animal crossing thats my fave statue lol

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That is a badass statue.

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beautiful

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land before time special edition so u can look like a triceratops



edit: ugh every pic i try doesnt work on here and idc enough about this joke to not hotlink the image so nvm



Edited at 2021-06-09 03:10 pm (UTC)

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Those shoes are so ugly. And Nike likely knows its wrong they just dont care, its all about making sure it says Nike in a recognizable way.

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That's exactly it.

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Lmao. Fuck Nike in general atp for...a lot of reasons

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How do you pronounce this brand? In English I call it like everyone else but Europeans call it "naik" instead of "naike"



I prefer Adidas so I don't quite care

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nee kay

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according to wiki, naiki in the US, naik everywhere else

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i am english and i say nike like like and bike and pike and hike etc

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TIL people pronounce Nike different. I knew Adidas was pronounced different because it was German, but didnt know about Nike!

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me in every day life: naike



me talking to english people: naikee

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When I'm talking to a native English speaker, I say naike, when I talk about the brand in my native language I say naik bc it feels more natural to me.

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I went to Greece when I was 8, my mums then boyfriend was from there. When we were there, I remember watching a lot of football, and occasionally KOPNEP would come up on the screen. I kept asking my mums boyfriend what kopnep meant and he was looking at me like a total space cadet, before realising what I was reading and explaining to me.



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I'm curious now....what was it?

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corner

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Yes! Corner, sorry I should have included it!

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So ugly lol

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This is why you don't use foreign languages as aesthetic unless you understand it or have a good translator so you can do it correctly. This reminds me of the English Tshirts you can buy in Japan with phrases like "Don't Want a Wicked Funny" and other things that don't make sense on them just because the shape of the letterforms are pretty.

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Or the exact opposite, people getting random kanji or phrases directly translated to Japanese that result in nonsense lol

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Exactly, because kanji is "so pretty." Which it is, of course but you should at least have a tie to the language (studying it, spent a wonderful time there and want a memory, living there, etc) and know what is being printed on your body!



The latest trend is Arabic tattoos. A good rule of thumb is if you don't have any understanding of a language you have no business getting it on your body.

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don't forget the infamous non latin letters such as cscz and all the vowels with various dots and all the other letters that I do not have on my keyboard that people use in their handles because it looks pretty





i know a person who wanted to get a tattoo with a fancy calligraphy of the letter  instead of a D and she was shocked to find out the sound was not the one of a regular D (and she even studied languages)

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YEAH. I took archaic Greek classes for four years as part of my Classics degree and when I decided to get some phrases tattooed on my wrists I literally brought my textbook to the shop to make sure I had it 100% correct on the stencil.



In hindsight though, shouldn't have chosen a dead language that has a modern equivalent. I've gotten a few weird looks because the grammar looks off to modern Greek readers, which makes me want to die a little bit.

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I mean... there were probably many meetings and focus groups about this... and they probably ultimately decided that it should look like NIKE even if it was an incorrect translation because brand name is #1 priority.

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LOL It's what PIKS deserves.

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i saw this unfolding on academic twitter and it sent me to another world. god bless marketing execs who probs just dont give a fuck

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They don't. They just want it to look like it says Nike, they don't care what it reads in the actual language.

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Incredible. A+ failure, no notes.

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hahahahahahahahaha



actually I was just thinking about this the other day, I saw My Big Fat Greek Wedding on streaming somewhere and Greek is stylized with sigmas instead of Es and I'm like, that's Grssk, that doesn't make sense at all



also that tongue is.... something

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its never a one-time incident!

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"who described the incident as a "simple misunderstanding". "







Edited at 2021-06-09 06:57 pm (UTC)

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it boggles my mind people still do this but at the same time it also doesn't :(

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Disgusting. Unforgivable

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Whoa suspended two whole matches? Dang we got a badass over here! And sports federations wonder why this shit keeps happening.

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the one in the back with her fists to her cheeks - is that something fucked up i just don't recognize?

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I remember this fucked up racist joke about skinny asians and fat asians that kids did when I was a kid and the chubby asian part was when you mushed up your cheeks to the center of your face with your hands... Did not even remember it before reading your comment.

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i'm so sorry you had to go through that and that my comment brought those hurtful memories back :( <3



i was looking at the picture like, well, obviously everyone else here is being a giant piece of shit but why is this one girl doing something so different (cheeks being the focus, not eyes)?! now we probably know why! ugh. ugh ugh ugh.

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I used to get that too, I had big chubby cheeks as a kid that were fucking adorable in my opinion, but kids would joke that my cheeks were pushing my eyes up and making me squinty.

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Absolutely disgusting. Good riddance, asshole.

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Oh ffs. What is wrong with these people? I just don't get people who get off doing shit like this. They just want attention. They should all be disqualified.

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Wasn't the official apology the team saying she did it to tell her teammates that if the other team could do it, so could they? Or something bullshit like that?

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Yes, they said she was just telling her teammates to play defense like thailand (Asian teams like thailand and japan are known to have really good defense unlike european teams). What bs...

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2 matches? and what about everyone else in the other picture??

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ban ha for life

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Serbias volleyball federation made a half-assed apology and told ASIANS not to blow this out of proportion.







wtf

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i wanted to ask who still thinks this is ok and then i remembered that a majority of the normal people back home (Egypt; i.e., not westernized, didnt live abroad for a while etc.) wouldnt think this is racist because they just dont know. they are not plugged into the western world and dont even know what woke is. if you tell them its racist, they'll be like why?



thats why the team said "dont blow this out of proportion" lmao. they really dont understand and choose to remain ignorant. the only way to get people who are unaware to understand is by publicizing stuff like this and demanding apologies/fines/etc. but you'll also hear cries of PC culture.

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tbh it's really wild to me that people wouldn't understand that mocking the way someone looks (especially when they are born that way) is a problem.

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Incidents like me make me realize why these need to be publicized, and these federations and central orgs are forced to take action. Unless there are consequences for your harmful actions, people won't learn.

That's why I didn't feel an ounce of sympathy for the Karens who lost their jobs for being racist.

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Yeah this needs to blow up bc the response is unacceptable. I remember thinking when China banned the Hadid that did the same that thats the only way people will learn.

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White Europeans are the worst. Sincerely, a white European.

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California is on Track to Remove Masks in the Workplace

Fully vaccinated employees are inching towards taking off their masks at work as long as their coworkers follow their lead.

Its a big step for California: optional masks in the workplace. However, this is as long as a proposal from Californias workplace agency gets final approval. This state is moving towards lifting many COVID-19 restrictions beginning June 15. Cal/OSHA proposes to relax emergency workplace rules that were established late last year.

According to an article, with these changes, employees working indoors could stop wearing masks only if everyone in the workplace proves proof of vaccination against the disease. Social distancing rules would also become relaxed. The author of the article referenced, Rachel Schnalzer, published a detailed breakdown with two of her colleagues of what you need to know about the proposal.

Will this happen?

The proposal got one crucial approval. However, it is still subject to review by the state office of Administrative Law. The office is expected to approve it.

Who doesnt have to wear a mask while working indoors?

Masks will still be required everyone is not fully vaccinated. The article says, people are fully vaccinated two weeks after their second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines or the single shot of Johnson & Johnson. Employees will need to show proof they got vaccinated to their employers.

However, employees of retail stores, restaurants and other places where workers interact will still need to wear their masks. This rule change also wouldnt affect hospital workers.
OSHA Creates a Partnership with Obrascon Huarte Lain North America to Promote Workplace Safety

OHL North America, OSHA as well as the University of South Florida strive for safety on the South Corridor Rapid Transit project.

OSHA and Obrascon Huarte Lain North America are collaborating to promote worker safety and health at the South Corridor Rapid Transit project, a 20-mile stretch busway. The University of South Florida On-Site Safety and Health Consultation program is joining the effort. The partnership focuses on hazards related to falls, struck-by, electrical, hand and power tools, heat illness and exposure to crystalline silica and noise, according to a press release. The partners will also encourage contractors to develop safety and health programs and provide training to employees.

Working together, we look forward to ensuring the safety and health of the projects workers so that they can return home uninjured to their families, said OSHA Area Director Condell Eastmond in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

The South Corridor Rapid Transit project will include bus transit stations and a park-and-ride garage. The press release says it is one of six mobility plans in the Strategic Miami Area Rapid Transit campaigns. Once the project is complete, the transit will connect five of South Floridas fastest-growing cities.

OHL North America is the North American division of Obrascon Huarte Lain, one of the worlds largest international construction companies. OSHAs Strategic Partnership Program is designed to work with professional and trade associations, employees, employers and labor organizations to set specific goals and performance measures to improve health and safety.
Libyas crude oil production has declined by more than 200,000 barrels per day (bpd) in recent days, or by almost 20 percent, on the back of pipeline leaks and maintenance at the biggest oilfield, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday, quoting sources familiar with the situation.

Libya has reduced this week oil production at fields operated by Waha Oil Company, due to leaks on the pipeline connecting the oilfields to the oil export terminal, Mustafa Sanalla, chairman of the National Oil Corporation (NOC), said during an online conference, as quoted by Bloomberg.

In addition, maintenance at Libyas biggest producing field, Sharara, has also cut production there over the past two weeks, Sanalla added.

In total, it is estimated that Libyas oil production may be currently down by over 200,000 bpd from around 1.1 million bpd it is expected to have pumped in May.

On Tuesday, sources told Arab energy outlet Attaqa that Libya might need to shut in around 60,000 bpd of oil production after the pipeline carrying crude from the Al-Samah oilfield to the Es Sider port leaked.

The pumping operations at the field may need to be stopped, an oil engineer at the site and a source at Waha Oil Company told Reuters.

A previous leak in the pipeline was controlled on Monday, but it leaked again today, the engineer told Reuters.

Due to insufficient investment in the repair and maintenance of oil infrastructure, Libya has had to contend with pipeline leaks in recent years.

A leak forced the shutdown of an oil pipeline carrying crude to the Es Sider oil port in January, reducing oil production by as much as 200,000 bpd for a week.

Compared to last years eight-month-long blockade that crippled Libyas oil production and exports, output has been relatively stable so far this year, but minor disruptions continued.

According to NOCs Sanalla, The NOC is facing tremendous challenges in the rehabilitation and restoration of oil installations, because of a lack of funds and the still-fragile security situation in Libya.

By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Rising oil prices are encouraging U.S. shale producers to put up for sale non-core assets to streamline operations and reduce debt. Property sales have accelerated this year as exploration and production companies now look to develop and hold assets that would boost their cash flow generation instead of production volumes, as was the mantra before the 2020 crisis. Since the start of the year, producers and private equity firms have been selling acreage across the U.S. shale patch to another group of producers willing to complement their portfolios with adjacent property, which would allow them to expand operations at lower costs.

Several deals have been announced in recent months. More are coming, analysts say.

According to industry sources and investment bankers who spoke to Reuters David French, companies have already put up for sale or are getting ready to market property worth a total of over $12 billion across the shale patch.

U.S. oil and gas deal activity started at a slow pace in the first quarter. Nevertheless, it is expected to pick up as the year progresses as producers proceed with a rationalization of portfolios to save costs, reduce debts, and get the most bang for their buck from their assets.

Property Deals Have Accelerated In Recent Weeks

The biggest Q1 deal in the U.S. shale patch was Norways major Equinor exiting the Bakken play by selling all its assets and associated midstream assets to Grayson Mill Energy for $900 million. The sale was backed by venture capital provider EnCap Investments. Equinors rationale for the sale was to deploy the proceeds to more competitive assets in its global portfolio.

According to energy analytics company Enverus, four of the five biggest deals in the U.S. upstream in Q1 were property deals, with Equinors sale leading, followed by Ovintivs sale of its Eagle Ford assets to Validus Energy for $880 million.

Proceeds will significantly accelerate the achievement of our debt reduction target and allow us to pay off near-term debt maturities with cash on hand. Our 2021 outlook is strong and we expect to generate significant free cash flow for the fourth consecutive year, Ovintiv CEO Doug Suttles said, commenting on the deal.

Sustainable free cash flow and debt reduction were also key for Tulsa-based Laredo Petroleum, which announced last month the purchase of the assets of Sabalo Energy. At the same time, it also announced the sale of 37.5 percent of its developed producing reserves in the Reagan and Glasscock counties in Texas to an affiliate of Sixth Street Partners.

Upon closing, we will be positioned for sustainable Free Cash Flow generation and significant deleveraging, have more than 30,000 highly productive, contiguous net acres in Howard County and a near-term pathway to increasing our oil cut to more than 50% from the current 30%, said President and CEO Jason Pigott.

Not Everyone Is Flocking To The Permian

While many companies are focused on streamlining and making the most of their Permian operations, one company exited the most prolific shale basin to focus on the Williston Basin. Oasis Petroleum said in May that it would sell its entire Permian Basin position for $481 million.

The successful conclusion of our Permian divestiture process allows us to bring substantial value forward from an asset that was difficult to scale, strengthens our balance sheet from already peer-leading levels, and allows us to focus our attention on driving significant value from our world-class Williston acreage position, where we see great upside opportunity and long-term running room, CEO Danny Brown said.

Oasis Petroleums deal suggests that U.S. shale firms are no longer holding acreage in the Permian simply because it is in the Permian. Companies are now prioritizing assets that they can develop at lower costs. They are also prioritizing assets that have the potential for more free cash flow in the longer term.

Related: Oil Prices Fall Following Large Fuel Inventory Build



Yet, Oasis Petroleum may remain an outlier in its complete Permian exit.

Repositioning to a non-Permian pure-play makes strategic sense for Oasis given their focus on the Bakken combined with investor preferences for low cost, streamlined operations. However, there are few other E&Ps that would fit that pattern, Andrew Dittmar, senior M&A analyst at Enverus, told Midland Reporter-Telegrams Oil Editor Mella McEwen.

More Deals On The Horizon

Some of the largest public U.S. oil companies are also looking to sell acreage. These include Exxon, Chevron, Occidental, ConocoPhillips, Callon Petroleum, and Whiting Petroleum, according to Reuters sources and marketing documents Reuters has seen.

According to Enverus Dittmar, private equity is expected to feature in future acreage deals, while there is also more room for corporate mergers and acquisitions, even after last years consolidation drive.

Going forward, private equity should continue to play an important role in upstream M&A both on the acquisition side targeting legacy areas that are being sold as public companies narrow their focus and as potential targets for public companies to buy using their now higher-priced stock as payment like Pioneer did to buy DoublePoint, Dittmar said in Enverus Q1 deals analysis.

While many of the marquee names in the public E&P space in the Permian found deals in 2020, there is additional room to combine operations among small and mid-size Permian names as well as in areas like the Appalachian Basin and Bakken that have yet to see anyone play a dominant role as a consolidator, he said.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Energy-oriented investors could not fail to have taken note of the decision that came down in the Dutch court against Shell, (NYSE:RDS.A), (NYSE:RDS.B), last week. This decision was the first time an energy giant had been held liable for emissions not directly tied to its internal activities. Basically it requires Shell to accelerate its planned carbon intensity reductions by 45% to include "Scope-3 emissions" by 2030. Some twenty years sooner than the time frame to which it has already committed publicly.

For those who are unaware, Scope-3 emissions include those from consumer impacts derived from using products supplied by companies. Buying gasoline or diesel has a climate impact according to this decision, and the intent of the court-although it is not specifically stated, is clear. Produce less oil and make less refined petroleum products.

The decision refers to several well-known accords and scholarly position findings from European sourced universities and quasi-governmental working groups. Among them:

The Oxford University Principles for Carbon Offsetting

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Report

The Paris Agreement on Climate Change

Shell, of course, will appeal this decision as stated in a press release from its corporate site.

Two other giant integrated energy companies were also dealt perceived setbacks in their annual meetings where activist groups scored some unanticipated victories. Engine #1, a tiny activist fund with support from some major investor funds, like Blackrock, managed to get their slate of directors approved in ExxonMobil's, (NYSE:XOM) annual meeting of shareholders. Across town in the Chevron, NYSE:CVX annual meeting, an activist proposal to accelerate its decarbonization plans found 61% approval among shareholders, and will force some of the same "morning after-gazing in the mirror," type soul searching that Shell must be, (or should be) doing.

It has been rightly pointed out as noted in the below linked WSJ article that this case, if upheld on the years-worth of appeals that will follow, will likely be used as a precedent in future climate-oriented legal wrangling.

This case does open the door for challenges to other energy-intensive sectors, said Liz Hypes, an analyst at risk consultancy Verisk Maplecroft. Other industries that could face lawsuits include agriculture, transport, and mining, all of which are already being targeted by regulators and civil society over their emissions, Ms. Hypes added.

WSJ

So it's a fairly safe bet that other oil companies will come under attack as the environmental lobby(s) around the world take note. I think the legacy "old" oil companies are under the greatest threat from the length of time they have been selling oil and gas products. For what it's worth probably few of them have done as much to shoot themselves in the foot as Shell.

Shells own internal assessments of climate impacts from producing oil and gas, and their failure to notify governments of their research are part of the "cigarette settlement-like" foundation of this suit. In the 1990s the major cigarette manufacturers were found, through leaked documents to have known the risks of smoking and mislead the public on this fact. Here's some verbiage from the internal Shell 80's report on climate effects that was inadvertently leaked.

Shells analysts also warned of the disappearance of specific ecosystems or habitat destruction, predicted an increase in runoff, destructive floods, and inundation of low-lying farmland, and said that new sources of freshwater would be required to compensate for changes in precipitation. Global changes in air temperature would also drastically change the way people live and work. All told, Shell concluded, the changes may be the greatest in recorded history.

Guardian

In legal parlance internal reports like these are often referred to as "smoking guns." In the case of the cigarette companies, it was certainly the case, leading to hundreds of billions of dollars in restitution payments over the last few decades. In this article, we will point out some likely consequences of these adverse outcomes for these large, integrated oil companies.

One oil company's trash, another's treasure?

It is impossible to chart the actual course events may take with any clarity. Still, trends are observable and may replicate or expand as oil companies react to these events.

I think one reaction you are going to see from the Super Major oil companies will be a further paring of their upstream asset portfolios. It almost has to follow along those lines as they try and insulate themselves from this type of litigation. There are those who argue that this could break the Super Major upstream/downstream model of vertical integration in petroleum and derivatives.

This has already been occurring downstream as oil companies stepped back from the lucrative refined products businesses. As many as one in five U.S. refineries face closure or repurposing to biodiesel in the next few years. Shell has been shedding refining capacity at a ferocious rate this year, with two sales in the past few weeks. The one in Alabama seems particularly cheap-$75 mm for a 90K bbl/day refinery?? Another of which is its massive Deer Park refinery, going to Pemex. Mexico is gaining control of the biggest refinery in the U.S.A. at 340K bbl/day.

As these companies reevaluate their business models in the coming months and years, I think it will be more difficult for new projects to gain sanction. Many new discoveries, like Shell and Chevron's GoM, Leopard discovery just announced will see an extra layer of review. With its giant Perdido hub in the GoM, Leopard would seem to a slam dunk for sanction as it is "advantaged" oil, and it may still be. But does this judgment perhaps make Shell reevaluate its position in U.S. deepwater?

I am not necessarily forecasting a self-destructive move like this on the part of Shell, but at this point, it's got to be considered. Remember, they are under court order in their home country to reduce emissions drastically in the next 8.5-years. Bringing on new discoveries, like Leopard may get in the way of that paramount goal, and cause it to fail to meet sanctioning parameters.

One possible outcome of the above speculation is that I think this will create opportunities for new companies to step in. I think both U.S. domestic companies, foreign NOC's without offshore exposure will take notice of this portfolio high-grading-for want of a better term (climate oriented portfolio cleansing?), and step into the gap.

Could Occidental, (NYSE:OXY) make a move if assets are sold cheaply? I think they might. Obviously, OXY is in no position to take on debt, but with the cash, they are generating if Shell decided to sell the Perdido fold assets, that wouldn't be an issue. OXY already is one of the biggest GoM operators thanks to the Anadarko purchase. Size matters in this business.

Perhaps minority partners in the many U.S. offshore, GoM fields, like Total, (NYSE:TOT) or CNOOC, (NYSE:CEO)-doubtful this would meet U.S. Homeland security review, or perhaps a smaller player like Talos, (NYSE:TALO), or Kosmos Exploration, (NYSE:KOS). Or maybe HESS, (NYSE:H) would assume operatorship of an asset like this, and expand their GoM footprint? Perhaps a cash-generating Canadian Major like Canadian Natural Resources, (NYSE: CNQ) might see a chance to gain a foothold below the 49th parallel? They're selling a lot of their oil down here already, why not refine it?

Related: Climate Revolt Against Big Oil May Lead To Surge In Crude Prices Many of these companies have significant operator and non-operator interests in the GoM and might be glad of the chance to pick over Shell's carcass.

U.S. oil assets will become more valuable

I have been pounding the table on this subject for a couple of years now. U.S.-based oil and gas assets are undervalued, and by extension, the companies that own them. Particularly as regards pipelines, as I noted in a prior OilPrice article last year. This notion also holds true for upstream assets. There are several reasons I believe this to be the case.

U.S. courts have shown much more restraint about taking on sweeping climate change litigation, and big oil's track record in this country is much better than in Europe. Many cases have been dismissed with the courts choosing to punt the issue to Congress. An article carried in Gizmodo laid out the environmentalist frustration at this judicial reluctance.

New Yorks case against energy corporations for knowingly contributing to the climate crisis was thrown out in 2018 after defendants like Exxon and Chevron frustratingly stated that global warming is an important international issue that concerns every nation on Earth. How, they asked, could specific corporations accept responsibility for a global problem? Never mind the fact that just 100 companies are responsible for over 70 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions or that oil companies funded a decades-long campaign of denial and delay that continues to this day. Despite that, the court agreed and threw out the suit while arguing it was not for the judiciary to ameliorate the climate crisis.

Gizmodo

Who's to say if this reluctance will continue, but the judicial modesty exhibited thus far sets a precedent that other jurists are likely to follow.

The oil and gas infrastructure in the U.S. is just so massive that as prices rise, and they will as I will detail in the next section, the profits are going to be enormous. Consider this point. U.S. oil and gas operators retooled to be profitable on $30 oil. At $65 or $70, they are going to rain cash.

The dichotomy here is that as assets come on the block from companies wishing to distance themselves from petroleum, other companies will find them irresistible and accretive to their bottom lines almost immediately.

Oil is going to be more expensive and the era of the Super Major Oil Company may be at an end

The era of cheap energy, which has lasted for the past seven or so years, is coming to an end. To summarize, I think U.S. companies and particularly the $2-$30 bn independents that comprise much of the landscape in the frac patch, are going to rake in huge profits as the realization dawns on America and then, the world, that there is no substitute for petroleum.

All of the forms of alternative energy have problems that are only just beginning to crop up. Wind and solar power require metal mining on a vast scale that may be unsustainable. Solar farms take up thousands of hectares of space in often fragile environments. Hydrogen requires essentially free electricity to split the H molecule from water or natural gas streams and is very corrosive. Biofuels, like ethanol, produce a lower density form of energy than petroleum products, requiring more of it to accomplish the same amount of work. There is no free lunch in the energy business, and the current shift to renewables will ensure that petroleum becomes scarcer and more expensive.

From years of under-investment spawned by multiple price crashes in the past decade, supplies are going to be tight. There isn't much lagniappe (extra) as shown in the EIA chart below.

EIA

I don't see OPEC+ upsetting this applecart by boosting production significantly. They've been praying for $70 Brent, which we have just surpassed. With the wisdom of the past seven years behind them, why would they tamper with the success they helped to orchestrate when it finally arrives? In my view, they wont.

Related: How An Oil Pipeline Hack Sent Bitcoin Prices Tumbling

Nor are the U.S. shale drillers going to ramp production up in a meaningful way. The era of drill and grow at any cost, has passed and companies are much more focused on cleaning up their balance sheets, and rewarding long-suffering shareholders, than expansion. Company after company has developed a plan for sustaining capital expenditure to hold production at current levels or increase it very modestly.

There is also the undeniable politics in place. The U.S. government is going to throw roadblocks at the oil industry for as long as it can make political capital doing so. I should also point out this mentality could change abruptly. Most U.S. drivers have never sat in a gas line. If that comes to pass, the mentality will change quickly. Actually coming up with more oil will take time though, as the energy infrastructure and manning has collapsed to levels that can only sustain current production rates.

All of this will work to tighten supplies and drive costs up for energy consumers for the foreseeable future. The world will likely be shocked to find how quickly we move from the era of energy abundance we have just come through, to the one where energy supplies are held very dear.

Finally, as noted previously the Super Major model of vertical oil integration may pass into the history books as these giants, legacy oil producers try and limit their exposure to climate litigation.

By David Messler for Oilprice.com

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No matter where you are on Earth, you are situated right on top of a potential clean energy production hub. This is the argument at the heart of the push for expanding geothermal energy, a renewable and carbon neutral form of energy production that relies upon the heat naturally produced under the ground to create turbine-turning steam or to pump straight into residences as well as commercial buildings.

Worldwide, the average geothermal gradient is about 30 degrees Celsius per kilometer (which translates to 86 degrees Fahrenheit for every 0.6 miles), meaning that for every kilometer deeper you drill into the Earth, the surroundings increase in temperature by about 30 degrees. A geothermal power plant will drill one or two miles deep under the surface of the Earth in order to extract steam or hot water, bringing it to the surface to turn it into energy.

Most geothermal power plants position themselves where the Earth is hotter much closer to the surface, such as areas with hot springs, geysers, or volcanic activity. Volcanic Iceland, for example, gets an astonishing 66% of its energy from geothermal sources. Yes, having access to hot water and steam right under the Earths surface makes geothermal energy much more economically feasible and logistically practical. But what if that didnt matter? What if geothermal energy were less limited to being within proximity of hot water and steam? What if heat was all it took, and a geothermal energy plant could be created absolutely anywhere on Earth? Related: Oil Prices Fall Following Large Fuel Inventory Build



Many scientists and entrepreneurs are working on solving just this problem, and the solution some of them have turned to is a surprising one: natural gas. Some forward-thinking companies have devised closed-loop geothermal systems which drill into the ground, allowing the Earths naturally emanating warmth to heat a liquid, creating vapor which in turn creates rotational energy, and then allowing that vaporized substance to condensate and turn back into liquid. Wash, rinse, repeat. The thing is, that liquid is not water, but natural gas such as butane or pentane, which each have a much, much, lower boiling point than water, meaning that less heat is needed and wells dont have to be dug as far under the ground.

For now, these technologies are prohibitively expensive. But once they become cheaper and more scalable, these natural gas-based geothermal methods could have potentially huge benefits for the global energy landscape and for the climate. And despite the fact that these systems are quite pricey now, they still hold a certain allure for countries that are rich in capital but short on space, as well as where prices of heat and energy are already higher than average, as these closed-loop geothermal plants take up considerably less surface area than other renewable energy sources such as wind and solar farms. This means that we could be seeing the spread of gas-based geothermal energy in countries such as Germany, the Netherlands, or Japan.

Already, the companies making inroads in this novel industry are catching the attention of the oil and gas sector. One such company, Calgary, Canadas Eavor, received funding from both BP and Chevron in its last round of investing back in February.

While the idea of mixing fossil fuel consumption with an energy production method as clean and renewable as geothermal is certain to cause plenty of consternation and well-deserved scrutiny, a closed-loop system which heats residences and businesses without ever actually combusting the natural gas involved is a definite improvement for greenhouse gas emissions and a communitys overall ecological footprint. Whats more, it could potentially be a key component to a transition away from fossil fuels and toward a cleaner, greener energy future without going cold turkey on oil and gas and leaving that sectors labor force out in the cold.



By Haley Zaremba for Oilprice.com

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Global oil markets have been on edge recently due to the continuing JCPOA discussions and the possibility of the U.S. rejoining the deal. While there have been no real breakthroughs in the discussions so far, the possibility of Iranian oil exports coming back online is adding downward pressure to oil prices. Despite this added pressure, international oil benchmark Brent is still firmly above $70, and oil price optimism is only increasing. This optimism is due to the growing global demand for oil and petroleum products and is also driven by warnings from U.S. diplomats that Iranian sanctions are far from over. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated to the press that even in the event of a return to compliance with the JCPOA, hundreds of sanctions will remain in place, including sanctions imposed by the Trump Administration.



This blunt but clear approach has given analysts confidence that additional Iranian oil volumes will not be entering the market any time soon. When it does enter the market, Iranian oil is almost certainly going to be priced at normal levels as Tehran will need the revenues to fund its failing economy and support IRGC linked projects and proxies. Blinken also stated yesterday to a Senate Foreign Relations Committee that Iran is rapidly developing its nuclear program. To block this, according to the Biden Administration, the U.S. needs to return to the 2015 JCPOA deal. In the view of the Democrats, the Trump sanctions and leaving of the JCPOA have been partly responsible for the current Iranian program.



Republicans, however, are still supporting a hardline approach to Iran, an approach that even some Democrats support. Democrat Senator Bob Menendez, the committees chairman, has been a leading opponent of the original JCPOA crafted under Democratic President Barack Obama. Republicans and several Democrats want the new JCPOA discussion to include Irans continued pursuit of ballistic missiles and support of proxies.

Before Blinkens statement about sanctions staying in place, analysts had already suggested that a flood of Iranian oil was unlikely as production levels were constrained, outlets unavailable, and customers uncertain. Also, even if sanctions were lifted, Iran would potentially be part of the OPEC+ export agreement. If that were the case, it would stop a serious oil glut scenario from happening. Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi, and Russia would not be interested in destabilizing the oil market by allowing Iran to flood the market.

Washington has reiterated that Iran needs to let the UN atomic agency IAEA continue its monitoring activities, as stated in the agreement valid until June 24, before new talks can begin. Irans position on that front was weakened by the recent IAEA report which accused Iran of obstruction and not conforming to the agreement. As long as Iran is not keeping to its promises, the entire JCPOA agreement is at risk. A breakthrough this week as talks resume in Vienna is very unlikely.

Officials of the National Iranian Oil Co claimed that Tehran could restore its crude oil production within a month of sanctions being lifted. Farokh Alikhani, NIOCs Production Deputy, stated that Iran plans to start with an increase to 3.3 million bpd in one month, followed later on by an increase to 4 million bpd. He believes that the 4 million bpd target could be reached within 3 months of sanctions being lifted. These unrealistic claims will continue to be released by Iranian officials but should not be taken seriously by analysts.

Related: Oil Prices Fall Following Large Fuel Inventory Build



Markets and participants in the JCPOA discussions should acknowledge that there is no room for maneuver right now as long as the Iranian elections are still undecided. On June 18, Iran will officially elect a new president, although the outcome of those elections is a bit of a foregone conclusion. Most diplomats seem unwilling to state that the likely election victory of hardliner Raisi, backed by Ayatollah Khamenei and considered to be a possible successor of the religious leader in the future, will put a potential deal at risk. Raisi could even use a breakthrough in the JCPOA talks to step up his radical and hardline politics.



Dealing with a radical new Iranian regime is a near certainty that no one in Washington, Berlin, London, or Moscow wants to admit to. Raisi backers have made it clear that Iran will not be bound to any further expansion of the JCPOA. The real message is that Tehran just wants to use a possible JCPOA breakthrough as a political advantage. Removal of sanctions will bring in cash, to be used not to expand Irans economy but to solidify the Khamenei-Raisi hardliners. Regional analysts are worried that a Biden move to join the agreement would act as a clear sign to Iran that it can proceed with all its current activities.

The geopolitical threat that the new Iranian regime poses also appears to be being overlooked by analysts. At present, Iranian naval vessels are steaming up to or are already in the Atlantic Ocean, heading to Venezuela for a possible showdown with the U.S. There are already signs that Iran will be transferring fast attack boats to the Venezuelan Navy. Intelligence sources report that a pair of Iranian Navy ships, including a frigate, has rounded the Cape of Good Hope and is believed to be making a high-seas voyage to Venezuela. The flotilla includes the Makran, an oil tanker that was converted into a floating forward staging base. Satellite pictures show that fast attack crafts are stored on the Makran. A potential military confrontation in the Caribbean is the last thing Washington is looking for right now - but it is a threat that cant be ignored.

By Cyril Widdershoven for Oilprice.com

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Iran has plans in place to swiftly restore its crude oil production to pre-sanctions levels of nearly 3.4 million barrels per day (bpd), a senior Iranian industry official said on Wednesday, while the world powers and the Islamic Republic are expected to resume this week talks about the U.S. and Iran returning to the nuclear deal.

Iran plans to restore almost 1 million bpd of oil production within a month of the U.S. lifting the sanctions on Iranian oil, which of course would happen if the Vienna talks result in an agreement.

Farrokh Alikhani, deputy director of production at the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC), told the Iranian oil ministry's news outlet, Shana that Iran plans to return to its pre-sanctions production of 3.38 million bpd.

According to OPEC's secondary sources in its latest available monthly report, Iran's crude oil production averaged 2.393 million bpd in April, up by 73,000 bpd from March.

"Precise planning has been done to restore oil production to the pre-sanctions levels in one-week, one-month and three-month intervals, and if the sanctions are lifted, most of the country's oil production will be revived within a month," NIOC's Alikhani told Shana in an interview published on Wednesday.

"Our plan is not limited to restoring previous production capacity, and in the second step, we plan to increase oil production capacity even further," he added.

The "next step" production increase targets Iran's crude oil production capacity to rise to over 4 million bpd, Alikhani said.



Related: Oil Prices Fall Following Large Fuel Inventory Build

Meanwhile, signs have started to emerge that a possible deal may not be as imminent as previously thought.

The talks have made "great progress" on some economic issues, but the U.S. sanctions issue hasn't been resolved yet, Mahmoud Vaezi, chief of staff of Iran's President Hassan Rouhani, said on Wednesday, as quoted by semi-official Iranian Students' News Agency.

On Tuesday, comments from Iran also signaled that a deal may not be announced before the presidential elections in Iran on June 18.

The course Iran is taking in the talks will not change after the presidential vote because the policy is set by Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, government spokesman Ali Rabiei said, as carried by Reuters.

These comments were interpreted as a sign that no deal could be expected before June 18.

By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com

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Israeli Minister of Environmental Protection Gila Gamliel is looking to have the recent oil pipeline deal between Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) scrapped because of security and environmental concerns, Israeli daily Haaretz reported.

Last October, Israel and the UAE signed a preliminary agreement under which crude oil from OPEC's third-largest producer could be shipped to European markets via an oil pipeline in Israel connecting the Red Sea with the Mediterranean. This was one of the first major energy deals after Israel and the UAE agreed to normalize relations in September 2020.

Under the deal, Israeli state firm Europe Asia Pipeline Co (EAPC) and UAE-based MED-RED Land Bridge Ltd signed a memorandum of understanding for cooperation in transporting crude oil and fuel from the Gulf to Western markets via the pipeline between Israeli cities of Eilat on the Red Sea and the Mediterranean port of Ashkelon.

The pipeline, built in the 1960s, was intended to serve the transit of crude oil from oil-producing countries in the Persian Gulf to customers in Europe. Israel built the pipeline together with Iran at the timebefore the Islamic Revolution in Iran in 1979 and before Israel and Iran became bitter enemies. Israel nationalized the Eilat-Ashkelon pipeline after the Islamic Revolution.



Related: Aramco Begins Marketing First Dollar Bond

Six months after the preliminary Israel-UAE agreement was signed, minister Gamliel is now seeking to reverse it, saying that the pipeline carries the risk of oil spills on land and security risks for Israel in case oil tankers are targeted at Israeli ports. The number of tanker arrivals to Israeli ports could rise to as much as 50 per year, from six now, if the pipeline begins operations, according to estimates cited by Haaretz.

Gamliel has sent a letter to the head of Israel's National Security Council with warnings about the potential security and environmental risks, Haaretz reports.

Asked to comment on the letter, the Prime Minister's Office told the daily that "As early as last March, the National Security Council sent Gamliel a letter in which she was informed that the NSC does not deal with this matter. This publication, as well as the additional letter on the same topic, are puzzling."

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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More natural gas pipelines have entered into service in recent months to carry gas from the Permian basin to Mexico, boosting U.S. gas exports to Americas neighbor to the south and reducing the wide discount at which gas traded at the Waha Hub in Texas.

Two natural gas pipelines have been completed in Texas since October 2020 and two others in Mexico, increasing the connectivity between natural gas producers in the Permian basin and the main markets for natural gas in the area and in Mexico, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) said on Tuesday.

In the U.S., Kinder Morgans Permian Highway Pipeline, which entered service in early January 2021, brought an additional 2.1 Bcf/d of natural gas capacity from the Waha Hub in West Texas near production sites in the Permian to Katy, Texas, near the Gulf Coast. The Permian Highway Pipeline has additional connections to Mexico.

The Agua Blanca Expansion Project of Whitewater/MPLX started operations at the end of January, connecting to nearly 20 natural gas processing sites in the Delaware Basin and transporting an additional 1.8 Bcf/d of natural gas to the Waha Hub. Agua Blanca is planned to also connect with the Whistler Pipeline scheduled to be completed in the third quarter of 2021 and expected to carry 2.0 Bcf/d of natural gas from the Permian to the Texas Gulf Coast.

The rise in natural gas transportation capacity contributed to higher U.S. exports to Mexico. As per the latest data from the EIA, U.S. pipeline exports have increased by nearly 10 percent since March last year. In March 2021, U.S. pipeline gas exports to Mexico stood at 5.9 Bcf/d.

The increased gas pipeline takeaway capacity also raised the gas prices at the Waha Hub and narrowed the discount of the gas price in West Texas to the U.S. benchmark at Henry Hub.

In the years before the 2020 crisis, prices at the Waha Hub even flipped to negative at times amid pipeline constraints and occasional issues at compressor stations.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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The rules are the same for everyone, but it works out very well for the ultra rich.

Some billionaires do pay millions in income taxes every year, the ProPublica report says, but those taxes are a tiny fraction of the added wealth that they are accumulating.

Thats particularly true for Buffett, who owns a large share of Berkshire Hathaway stock. When the stock price rises, he gets richer. But because he continues to hold the stock and doesnt turn the gains into cash, the increased wealth isnt taxable.

From 2014 to 2018, ProPublica said, Buffett saw his wealth rise, on paper, by $24.3 billion. But he only had $125 million in income, on which he paid $23.7 million. ProPublica said that gave Buffett a true tax rate of 0.1%  the lowest of the 25 richest Americans.

He is using the tax rules as they are set up by Congress. From what we know, hes not doing anything illegal or unknown, said Adam Thimmesch, a tax law professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. But its evidence that the tax system we have set up results in these (wealthy) individuals able to grow their wealth by staggering amounts and pay very little in taxes on that wealth growth.
A 14-year-old boy was killed and four other people were injured in two North Omaha shootings that occurred less than two hours apart Tuesday.

The first shooting occurred just before 6 p.m. A man and three women all were traveling in the same vehicle when shots were fired at the vehicle near 31st Street and Grand Avenue, striking one of the occupants.

Three people were taken to the Nebraska Medical Center, one in critical condition and two others with serious injuries, said Omaha police Lt. Shane Myers.

The fourth person in the vehicle was treated for a graze wound from broken glass.

Officers responded to a second shooting near 19th and Spencer Streets about 7:15 p.m., Myers said.

There, they found a male teenager on the ground.

The teen, 14-year-old Desmond Harrison, was taken to the Nebraska Medical Center with CPR in progress. Police said he died at the hospital.

The OPD Homicide Unit is investigating.

Harrison had just finished his eighth-grade year at Omaha's Nathan Hale Middle School, an Omaha Public Schools spokeswoman said Wednesday.
Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., and Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., the co-chairs of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, spoke late Monday with Brian Deese, director of the White House National Economic Council, about bipartisan efforts to reach an infrastructure deal, according to an aide who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the private conversations.

The Problem Solvers group has agreed to $761.8 billion in new spending over eight years as part of $1.2 trillion plan, according to a draft obtained late Tuesday by The Associated Press. The one-page draft does not include any proposed ways to pay for the package.

Gottheimer is also working with Cassidy and Sinema from the senators group, the aide said.

With the narrowly split House and the 50-50 Senate, the White House faces political challenges pushing its priorities through Congress with Democratic votes alone. Biden's party holds a slight majority in the Senate because Vice President Kamala Harris can break a tie.

The special budget rules could provide Biden with an alternative path, particularly in the Senate, because they allow legislation to be approved with a 51-vote threshold, rather than the 60 votes typically needed to advance a bill past a filibuster  in this case, led by Republicans against the Biden package.
He insisted he was telling the truth, adding, With no disrespect to the court, I could care less what you do to me today.

Trail showed no emotion as the sentence was read. He had a smile on his face as he was wheeled out of the courtroom in a wheelchair, an apparent concession to a heart attack and other health issues hes had since his arrest in 2017.

The disappearance of Loofe, who worked at a Menards store in Lincoln, touched off weeks of searches. Loofe arranged an initial date with a woman who said her name was Audrey, later identified as Boswell, in Lincoln on Nov. 14, 2017, then agreed to a second date a day later.

Loofe had told friends she worried that Audrey had a boyfriend. It turned out she did  Trail, who has a criminal history in multiple states for crimes involving writing bad checks to antique stores, armed robbery and escape.

Loofes remains were found on Dec. 4, 2017, wrapped up in a dozen trash bags and dumped along a lonely gravel road in Clay County, about an hours drive from the Wilber apartment shared by Trail and Boswell.

Sex toys, a dog leash and a plastic sauna suit were among the items found amid the remains, which were located by a sleuthing Lincoln police officer using data from Boswells cellphones.
U.S. Rep. Adrian Smith has split from his fellow House members from Nebraska in at least two high-profile, politically charged moments this year. But its not because he thinks President Joe Biden didnt win the presidency, or because he condones the mob that stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6.

In a wide-ranging interview with The World-Herald on Tuesday, Smith offered insight into those votes and detailed priorities for him and the constituents of his sprawling, largely rural 3rd Congressional District.

The Gering congressman was among Republicans who objected to Electoral College votes from two states in January. The votes on objections came hours after a violent mob of supporters of then-President Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol, hoping to overturn the election of Biden.

Trump and other Republicans claimed, without evidence, that there was fraud in the 2020 election.

I was never personally threatened, Smith told The World-Herald of his experience Jan. 6. But he called seeing footage of people sitting in the vice presidents chair in the Senate very unsettling.

Those people were so extreme, he said, that he didnt see them as relevant.
On behalf of our Ponca Nation we welcome this long overdue news and thank all who worked so tirelessly to educate and fight to prevent this from coming to fruition. Its a great day for Mother Earth, said Ponca Tribe of Nebraska Chairman Larry Wright Jr. in a statement.

Pipeline supporters argued that jobs connected to the pipeline would fit Bidens build back better goal for the economy. They say improvements in mining techniques have lowered carbon dioxide emissions at the massive open-pit mines and injection wells where the oil sands are extracted.

Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts criticized the Biden administration for depriving the state of jobs and tax revenue that the pipeline would have created.

This is yet another example of the Biden-Harris Administration putting the priorities of radical environmental activists above our national interest, Ricketts said in a statement Wednesday. Without Keystone XL, the United States will not only be more dependent on overseas sources of oil, but our state will not enjoy the benefit of the jobs and property tax revenue the project would have brought.

Attorneys general from 21 states, including Nebraska, had sued to overturn Bidens cancellation of the contentious pipeline.
MEAD, Neb.  The Mead Board of Trustees revoked AltEns conditional use permit on Tuesday, but will allow the ethanol plant to keep operating to remediate pesticide-contaminated soil and water sitting at its facility.

In a 5-0 vote, the board ratified the Mead Planning Commissions recommendation to strip AltEn of its permit to manufacture ethanol, while allowing the Kansas-based company to continue using equipment and machinery to clean up and dispose of chemicals at the contaminated site.

Those efforts, led by seed company giants such as Bayer, Corteva and Syngenta, appear to be underway at AltEn, which is located roughly a mile south of Mead, but was annexed into the village.

Heavy equipment has been seen preparing the site for the installation of six Poseidon storage tanks capable of holding a combined 18 million gallons of raw and filtered wastewater that will be pumped from a trio of lagoons.

Three tanks, which resemble above-ground swimming pools, have already been installed to control the levels of AltEns lagoon system, which has been subject to emergency complaints, consent orders and a lawsuit filed by the Nebraska Attorney General.
"We really need to build resilient health service in our countries, he said.

Citing Tanzania under former leader John Magufuli, who died in March, Ibrahim said he was disappointed that some presidents appeared to dismiss the threat from COVID-19.

We need to hold our leaders accountable, he said. "You deny and you pay the price... Unfortunately, your people also pay the price. So we need to hold our people accountable for their behavior, for the way they allocate resources. And it is for us in civil society to keep raising this issue.

Africa has confirmed more than 4.9 million COVID-19 cases, including 132,000 deaths, representing a tiny fraction of the global caseload. But some experts worry that the continent will suffer greatly in the long term if more of its people are not vaccinated in efforts to achieve herd immunity, when enough people are protected through infection or vaccination to make it difficult for a virus to continue to spread.

Achieving that goal will require about 1.5 billion vaccine doses for Africa if there is widespread use of the two-shot AstraZeneca vaccine, often the main shot available under the donor-backed COVAX program to ensure access for developing countries.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Our patience, really, is growing very, very thin, Sefcovic said.

Behind the dispute is the unique situation of Northern Ireland, where more than 3,000 people were killed during three decades of violence between those who support unification with the Republic of Ireland and those who seek to maintain ties to the U.K.

The 1998 Good Friday Agreement, which brought peace to region, was underpinned by the fact that both the U.K. and Ireland were members of the EU. That made it possible for trade to flow freely between Ireland and Northern Ireland, stimulating economic growth and creating jobs on both sides of the border.

In an effort to keep the border open, the EU and the U.K. agreed that Northern Ireland would remain part of the European single market after Brexit. But that meant EU rules on issues such as food safety would still apply in Northern Ireland and there would have to be checks on some goods shipped into the region from England, Scotland and Wales.

The divorce deal, which took effect Jan. 1, included a number of grace periods that gave Britain time to put in place new systems for checking goods coming into Northern Ireland to ensure they complied with EU rules. Those grace periods are now ending.
FRANKFURT, Germany (AP)  Former Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn has agreed to pay 11.2 million euros ($13.6 million) in compensation for what the company called his failure to quickly get to the bottom of the 2015 scandal over diesel engines rigged to cheat on emissions tests, the company said Wednesday.

Winterkorns payment is his share of an overall 288 million-euro settlement with Volkswagen by him and three other former managers.

Volkswagen said it would get 270 million euros ($329 million) from liability insurance against loss from the actions of directors and officers.

Rupert Stadler, former head of the Audi luxury car division, would pay 4.1 million euros; former Audi executive Stefan Knirsch 1 million euros; and former Porsche executive Wolfgang Hatz 1.5 million euros. Porsche is a part of the Volkswagen Group.

More than 30 insurers were also involved in the talks, the dpa news agency reported. The settlement must be approved by the company's annual shareholder meeting July 22.

The company said in a statement that Winterkorn breached his duties of care as CEO, based on an extensive investigation by a law firm commissioned by the company.
The sequencing of the trip is deliberate: Biden consulting with Western European allies for much of a week as a show of unity before his summit with Putin.

He holds a sitdown Thursday with British Prime Minster Boris Johnson a day ahead of the G-7 summit to be held above the craggy cliffs of Cornwall overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.

The most tactile of politicians, Biden has grown frustrated by the diplomacy-via-Zoom dynamics of the pandemic and has relished the ability to again have face-to-face meetings that allow him to size up and connect with world leaders. While Biden himself is a veteran statesman, many of the world leaders he will see in England, including Johnson and French President Emmanuel Macron, took office after Biden left the vice presidency. Another, Germanys Angela Merkel, will leave office later this year.

There are several potential areas of tension. On climate change, the U.S. is aiming to regain its credibility after Trump pulled the country back from the fight against global warming. Biden could also feel pressure on trade, an issue to which he's yet to give much attention. And with the United States well supplied with COVID-19 vaccines yet struggling to persuade some of its own citizens to use it, leaders whose inoculation campaigns have been slower have been pressuring Biden to share more surplus around the globe.
He said the EU is ruled by ecoterrorists who are not really aware of the situation.

The demonstrators accuse the right-wing government of caving in to EU demands and charting out the timetable for the full closure of mines by 2049. Energy experts say that will happen much sooner, because Poland's coal mines are becoming increasingly deeper and costlier, making extraction unviable. Some users are already importing cheaper coal, including from Russia.

Wednesday's protest was spurred by an order last month from a top EU court for Poland to immediately halt operation of the Turow brown coal mine that feeds the Turow power plant, the source of some 7% percent of Poland's energy. The ruling was in response to a lawsuit by the neighboring Czech Republic which says the mine is draining water from its border villages.

Also Wednesday, in a boost to the Czech complaint, the European Commission, the EU's executive body, said it will support Prague's case against Poland to demand Turow's closure, before the EU Court of Justice, Poland's state news agency PAP said, quoting commission spokeswoman Vivian Loonela.
UT extension receives grants for COVID-19 and other vaccine education

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- According to the Tennessee Department of Health, 35.3 percent of Tennesseans have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. However, of Tennessee's 95 counties, 18 have vaccination rates of 20 percent or below. Two grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture with funds awarded to University of Tennessee Extension hope to change that.

"UT Extension has offices in all 95 counties across Tennessee, so we are in a unique position to be able to assist with vaccine education and combat misinformation," states Lisa Washburn, UT Extension community health specialist and principal investigator for the grant. "In many communities across the state and the nation, Extension may be perceived as a more credible or highly trusted source than other government entities that do not have a local presence," adds Washburn. "Our goal is to utilize local partnerships with the community to increase vaccine rates and continue to eliminate COVID-19 infection and transmission from communities across Tennessee."

The first of the two projects will help family and consumer sciences agents in high-risk counties in Tennessee identify specific areas of concern among their constituents, such as misinformation about the vaccines, vaccine safety and how the vaccines were developed and produced. Counties that are considered high-risk are primarily rural, have low vaccination rates, and have higher scores on both the Pandemic Vulnerability Index and the Social Vulnerability Index, two tools used by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The project will leverage social media outlets in order to target Tennesseans who are 18-50, as this age group represents those with the lowest vaccination rates. Messaging will aim to correct misperceptions, strengthen vaccine norms and provide information on where and how to access vaccines locally.

The second, more extensive project is led by Soghra Jarvandi, assistant professor with UT Extension, in partnership with the UT Health Science Center and the Tennessee Department of Health. Working with community advisory groups in counties with lower rates of vaccinations, grant investigators will hold listening sessions to uncover attitudes and concerns related to not only COVID-19 vaccines but other immunizations that prevent disease. Combining the community expertise of UT Extension with the vast clinical experience of both the UT Health Science Center and the Tennessee Department of Health will support the development of community-based educational events and products that address identified issues and questions related to vaccine hesitancy.

"UT Extension," asserts Jarvandi, "is proud to be one of 24 grantees across the nation participating in this important two-year project to advance the prevention of infectious diseases through vaccination."

The projects are funded by USDA's National Institute for Food and Agriculture, Cooperative Extension, and the CDC.

###

Through its mission of research, teaching and extension, the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture touches lives and provides Real. Life. Solutions. utia.tennessee.edu.

This story has been published on: 2021-06-09. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Since Washington's change of stance, a number of other Western countries have softened their opposition to the the waivers, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, New Zealand and Norway, the trade official said, relaying information from deliberations in the closed-door WTO talks held Tuesday and Wednesday.

Those countries, as well as China, havent rallied fully behind the South African and Indian proposal, and view it as only part of what they think should be a more comprehensive approach to getting COVID-19 products to the developing world, the official said. Some countries, such as the European Unions 27 members, Britain, Switzerland and Korea, continue to oppose waivers as a tool in the pandemic.

In the two days of talks, South Africa and India presented a recent revision of their proposal  now backed by over 60 countries  that stressed a temporary, three-year waiver for COVID-19 products, the official said.

Pharmaceutical companies insist that an IP waiver could dampen the incentive for researchers and entrepreneurs to innovate, and say vaccine-sharing by rich countries would be a much faster way to get shots to health workers and at-risk populations in the developing world.
Nebraska has zigzagged for far too long on Medicaid expansion. The uncertainty has stretched to nearly three years since voter approval and delayed coverage for thousands of Nebraskans. The protracted holdup has built up justified frustration over the ability of Nebraskas executive branch to slow walk an important policy decision made by the people themselves.

Now that key uncertainties are finally cleared away, the state must move forward strongly to make this increased coverage a success.

Medicaid expansion makes great sense for Nebraska. The coverage provides vital help for low-income households. Nebraska voters recognized the importance of this government support by approving the November 2018 statewide ballot measure enabling expansion. That vote of the people gave the go-ahead to extend coverage to working-age adults whose incomes fall below 138% of the federal poverty level. Those incomes  $17,774 for a single person and $36,570 for a family of four  are by no means well-to-do, and in many cases those households face great anxiety over how they will cover their medical needs. This is why the 2018 ballot measure won majority support.
Founded in 2011, Izwe Savings and Loans Plc is a Ghanaian non-bank financial institution that specialises in personal finance loans, business loans, asset-backed finance, savings & investment and offers tailored to the needs of people from all walks of life including entrepreneurs, traders, teachers, soldiers, healthcare workers, business owners and any small to medium sized enterprise.



Here are three things you may not know about them.



The Izwe Africa Group



Izwe Savings and Loans Plc is a subsidiary of the Izwe Africa Group, founded in 2004 and

now head-quartered in Mauritius, which has the intent and ambition to unlock the potential

within Africas workforce by providing access to developmental credit and simple financial

solutions.



Shareholders



Izwe partnered with Abedi Pele to found Izwe Ghana and he played an instrumental role in the setup of the company and its continual growth and ascent to a leading position as a preferred financial solutions provider for Small and Medium Enterprises, self-employed individuals and government employees.



Combined with the successful track record of the Group across a number of other African countries, it is easy to understand why Izwe Ghana is such a well-supported, trusted and respected financial institution. The company embeds responsible and sustainable values and principles into the entire business structure striving to always ensure a safe and lasting experience which brings customers back, time and time again.



Diverse Product Offerings



Despite its immense popularity in the personal finance and business loan sector, Izwe is also cementing its place as the number one choice for individuals and businesses seeking to save and invest their well earned funds.



Customers can earn high interest on savings and transactional accounts, pay low fees, and can invest for the long term using their fixed term i-vest account.Essentially, at the heart of everything they do, is the Izwe customer and their mission to enable financial freedom for entrepreneurs, workers and small businesses throughout Africa

Source: Peacefmonline.com









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Ghanas Trade and Industry Minister, Alan Kyerematen made a strong case for Ghana during the US Presidents Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa (PAC-DBIA) virtual Roundtable on Wednesday, June 2, 2021.



The PAC-DBIA advises the US President, through the Secretary of Commerce, on ways to strengthen commercial engagement between the United States and African countries. Members of this very important Advisory Council in Washington are selected from Small, Medium, and Large Companies and Corporations across the United States representing a diverse range of industries and economic sectors. The current PAC-DBIA is co-chaired by Laura Lane, President of Global Public Affairs for UPS, and Farid Fezoua, President and CEO of GE Africa, with Susan Silbermann, Global President for Emerging Markets for Pfizer, serving as Vice Chair.



Hon. Kyerematen who was the Special Guest at the 2021 Virtual Roundtable indicated that Ghana and the US have enjoyed fraternal relations over the past decades. This has manifested in the number of US investments and businesses operating in Ghana in diverse sectors of the Ghanaian economy. Ghana and US have also cooperated well at the global stage to promote sustainable development, peace, and security.



The Trade and Industry Minister who served as Ghanas Ambassador to the United States between 2001 and 2003 under President Kufour stated that since 2017 the Ministry of Trade and Industry has been implementing a Ten Point Industrial Transformation Plan, aimed at making Ghana the new Manufacturing Hub for the sub region. Ghana and US economic cooperation and partnership is therefore critical to achieving this industrial transformation in order to promote sustainable economic development.



Mr. Kyerematen recalled that a Memorandum of Understanding signed between Ghana and the US in July 2018, aimed at increasing private sector participation in Ghanas economy and provides support to assist Ghana to develop selected priority and strategic sectors of the economy to achieve a Ghana Beyond Aid. Among the priority projects under this MOU are the One District One Factory (1D1F) Initiative and Agro-Industrial Projects.

He further indicated that although the COVID-19 pandemic is ravaging every nation and has disrupted economic programmes of countries across the world, Ghana is however seizing the opportunities emerging from the pandemic to refocus attention on industrialization.



Hon. Alan Kyerematen therefore appealed to the PAC-DBIA Executives, Ambassador Sullivan and Ms. Camille Richardson, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce who moderated the Session to expedite the process of releasing the US EXIM Bank and JP Morgan credit facility of US$300 Million in support of the One District One Factory (1D1F) programme. The facility amount is mainly directed at provision of capital Equipment and Machinery, as well as building factory infrastructure for beneficiary Business Promoters in Ghana under the 1D1F Initiative.



He added that the Ministry of Trade and Industry in collaboration with other Ministries, Departments and Agencies commenced the implementation of Business Regulatory Reforms Programme aimed at creating a better regulatory framework for the private sector to invest in job creation. The programme has eliminated bottlenecks and automated processes at selected MDAs resulting in reducing incorporation of businesses from 14 days in 2017 to 3 days in 2021; securing business operating permit from 7 days to 1 day; whilst payment of taxes has been automated with the introduction of Electronic Filing and Payment platform making fulfilling tax obligations easier.



Ghanas Trade Minister who is well respected across the globe as an Expert in trade negotiations informed the audience that Ghana offers attractive incentive framework and a congenial business environment for US investors. By investing in Ghana, he assured that US investors have guaranteed market access to the United States market under AGOA, the European Union (EU) market under the Interim Ghana  EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), the United Kingdom market under the Interim Ghana  UK Trade Partnership Agreement, and the Africa market under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Agreement.



Other Speakers during the virtual Roundtable included Ambassador Sullivan, US Ambassador to Ghana, Laura Lane of UPS, Jason Brantley of John Deer Group, Takreem El-Tohamy of IBM, Peter Sullivan from Citi Bank, Sami Mainich of Dow Industries with Lawrence Agyensam, CEO of Ghana EXIM Bank in attendance.









Source: Peacefmonline.com









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When people start a business, they usually want to be their own boss. Time-freedom is another big factor, as time is a luxury and people want more of it. Specifically, they want free time to pursue interests and spend it with friends and family.



All of these are the reasons why Justin Kimbrough ventured into the entrepreneurial world. He considers time-freedom a luxury and seeks control over his own life.



At just 23 years of age, Justin has not only met but exceeded his business goals. This Texas native owns not one but multiple companies including a trucking company and a social media advertising agency. He started out on his entrepreneurial journey when he was only 15, mowing lawns to earn money. At 18, he met penny stock trader Timothy Sykes who became a mentor to Justin. This fellow entrepreneur had made millions through trading and teaching others how to do so.



After seeing this life of wealth and freedom, Justin knew what he wanted, and he began on his path by turning a $3,000 loan into $100,000. In finding freedom for himself, Justin also serves his need to be authentic and give back to the world. This is why in addition to his plan of making a fortune and then giving it away, he has also established an eco-conscious company called 'Save Our Earth', which is his biggest project till date.



For those looking for success, this young businessman has some excellent advice. He considers getting started as the greatest challenge among entrepreneurs. People tend to hold off on their ideas, but Justin encourages them to act immediately rather than figure out all of the pieces and parts first. There is no sense in waiting for the perfect time, because time is not going to roll around. Justin Kimbrough considers the perfect time to be now.



While several entrepreneurs discuss mindset, Justin goes a step further by explaining the difference between mindset and motivation. While motivation is important, it is temporary. A mindset is a long-term business element that includes personal development and acts as an inspiration to yourself and others. With a good mindset, a person can strive to gain knowledge. The absence of knowledge is ignorance, which Justin deems the key to failure.



Another advice Justin offers is not to see fear as an obstacle; fear is born out of false expectations we develop over time rather than being something we're born with. Yet, if your goals don't scare you, they aren't big enough. After all, success is what you make of it, but it is hollow if it does not bring you happiness.



Finally, Justin Kimbrough advises people to be prepared to lose money, as this is something that is bound to happen at times in a business.



One would expect such words to come from a much older individual, but Justin Kimbrough has shown the world that age is simply a number. Based on his current and future endeavors, this impressive young man has already made quite a stamp in the business world.









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Emirates SkyCargo is further strengthening its temperature-sensitive pharma and vaccine handling capabilities in Dubai with the extension of its fully automated cool room with 94 airline pallet positions at its EU GDP certified dedicated pharma facility at Dubai International Airport.



The extended cool room will provide an additional 2600 square metres of temperature controlled environment (2-25 degrees Celsius) for the storage and handling of vaccines and other pharmaceuticals at Emirates SkyCargos purpose built GDP certified facility, reinforcing the carriers position as an industry leader for the air transportation of pharmaceuticals and providing additional capacity at its Dubai hub to meet the growing demand for transportation of COVID-19 vaccines. The new extension can hold an estimated 60-90 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines at one time.



Transportation of COVID-19 vaccines



Emirates SkyCargo continues to play a leading role in the international distribution of COVID-19 vaccines having transported over 75 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines on more than 250 flights to over 60 destinations since late 2020.



"Emirates SkyCargo is proud to have flown over 350 tonnes of COVID-19 vaccines around the world, delivering much needed support to communities that are still heavily impacted by the current wave of the pandemic. However, we are always looking ahead and we anticipate that there will be an increase in demand to transport vaccines to developing nations during the second half of the year. Already, we have seen a ramping up of COVID-19 vaccine volumes that were transported over the last few weeks in line with increased manufacturing. We expect to reach the 100 million doses milestone well before the end of this month," said Nabil Sultan, Emirates Divisional Senior Vice President, Cargo.



"The last six months have been a valuable and mutual learning experience for Emirates SkyCargo and as well for pharmaceutical manufacturers and our logistics partners. We have been able to apply these learnings to make the process of vaccine transportation faster and more efficient, providing a valuable boost to the next phase of COVID-19 vaccine transportation, as well as for other temperature sensitive pharma products in the future" added Sultan.



Emirates SkyCargo was one of the first air cargo carriers to begin extensive preparations during the early stages of the pandemic for the transportation of COVID-19 vaccines. In October 2020, the carrier announced the setting up of a dedicated GDP certified airside hub in Dubai for transporting COVID-19 vaccines. The carrier has over 20,000 sq metres of EU GDP certified cool chain infrastructure for storing and handling COVID-19 vaccines in Dubai. Emirates SkyCargo also has more than 50 cool dollies dedicated for pharmaceuticals at its hub protecting temperature sensitive shipments such as vaccines during transit between the aircraft and the cargo terminal.



In January 2020, Emirates SkyCargo joined hands with DP World, International Humanitarian City and Dubai Airports to form the Dubai Vaccine Logistics Alliance aimed at rapidly transporting COVID-19 vaccines through Dubai to developing countries. This was shortly followed up in February 2020 with an MoU with UNICEF to expedite the transportation of COVID-19 vaccines under the COVAX initiative.



In addition to COVID-19 vaccines, Emirates SkyCargo has transported thousands of tonnes of other essential commodities such as PPE, pharmaceuticals and related supplies on its flights. The carrier recently set up a humanitarian airbridge initiative to transport urgent COVID-19 relief items to India. Under the initiative, the air cargo is offering any available cargo capacity on its flights from Dubai to nine destinations in India, free of charge for NGOs for transporting medical and relief items.

Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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The Ministry of Health says it will respond to allegations that it bought the Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine produced in Russia for $19 per dose instead of $10.



A report by a Norwegian tabloid newspaper published on June 3, 2021, alleges that the government signed the contract for the purchase of the vaccine with an Emirati official involved in the controversial Ameri power deal and a Norwegian citizen charged with money laundering in Norway.



According to the report published on www.vg.no, government signed the purchase contract for 3.4 million doses of the vaccine after it received an initial 16,000 doses from the two aforementioned names on March 3, 2021.



It is 3 March and the moment of truth for Minister of Health, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu (65). A flight from the Emirates is taxiing to the terminal in Accra, capital of Ghana, where the Minister of Health is waiting. Out step two men: One is a Sheikh and second cousin of the ruler of Dubai. The other has been on the run from Norwegian police for years.



Boxes containing a total of 16,000 doses of the Russian Sputnik V are unloaded from the plane and placed in front of the Minister of Health. Six days later, the Ministry of Health in Ghana signs an agreement with the Sheik. They announce that they have reached an agreement regarding the purchase of 3.4 million vaccine doses. No price is publicly disclosed, the report said.



It added that although the contract was for 3.4 million sold doses of the vaccine, the Ministry of Finance had only paid for 300,000 doses.



According to the publication, when the Ministry of Health was contacted to respond to the story, a group of bureaucrats told the newspaper that their job was to pay at the end of the day after the contract had been signed.



The Ministry of Finance in response to the story said the vaccines were purchased to protect people.



The Minister of Finance, Mr Ken Ofori-Atta, when asked why he purchased the vaccine for $19 per dose, was quoted as saying: I dont know. You know, you are confronted with the good guys from the West not giving you any assurances of supply [of vaccines], and you have 30 million people and are to save lives. You know, its easy to sit somewhere else and say: Why are you doing this? But you need to make sure you protect your people. You manage that as well as you can. This is a all a contrived and manufactured crisis, because clearly theres enough [vaccines] to go around if only there was equity and justice in what we are doing.



Governments response



Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health in a press release dated Wednesday, June 9, says it will respond to the contents of the publication by close of day.



The Ministry of Health wishes to inform the public that it will issue a release today in response to the allegations published in the said news story about its processes of procuring the Sputnik V vaccines for the nation.



It is therefore asking the public to exercise patience. The Ministry will come out with facts about the process, the statement said.







Source: graphiconline.com









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Former US president Donald Trump has praised Nigeria's government for banning Twitter after it deleted President Muhammadu Buhari's post for breaching its rules.



"Who are they to dictate good and evil, if they themselves are evil?" Mr Trump said in a statement.



He urged other countries to ban Twitter and Facebook for not allowing "free and open speech".



Mr Trump was banned from both platforms after the US Capitol riot in January.



His posts before and after the raid were alleged to have encouraged violence.



While Twitter made its ban permanent, Facebook announced last week that its suspension, including of the former president's Instagram account, would last at least two years.



What did Trump's statement say?



"Congratulations to the country of Nigeria, who just banned Twitter because they banned their president," he said in a statement released on Tuesday.



He suggested that he should have banned Facebook while he was in office, but said the company's boss Mark Zuckerberg "kept calling me and coming to the White House for dinner telling me how great I was".



Mr Trump also backed unnamed rival social media platforms, saying they "will emerge and take hold".



The 45th US president has struggled for attention since his access to Twitter and Facebook was blocked. A website he launched last month to get his word out was closed because of poor traffic.

Source: BBC









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A leading member of the New Patriotic Party, Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, has advised the Executive Secretary of the National Identification Authority (NIA), Prof Ken Attafuah to apologise over comments he made regarding the employment of politically biased persons at the Authority.



Mr Otchere-Darko said the comments by Prof Attafuah were "Very unwise, and some may even say selfish, considering he lost this same job when NPP lost in 2008 only to regain it after NPP regained office!...".



In a Facebook post today, Mr Otchere-Darko said the NIA boss could "have phrased his words intelligently and with basic sensitivity".



"He had no business stamping his feet on the expectations and hopes of unemployed party loyalists with such reckless callosity.



"Very unwise, and some may even say selfish, considering he lost this same job when NPP lost in 2008 only to regain it after NPP regained office! At least, his memory and self-benefit ought to have even guided his tongue and stopped him from speaking out of turn.



"My good friend, Ken, should check his excitement levels when he has an audience. It helps! The bad way he said what he actually meant to say is what has caused this whole controversy. I do not think he meant it as it came out. Surely, he couldnt have and I know so to be the case. His loyalty to the party and party members has never been in doubt. But, he is also a true patriot. A Ghanaian is always eager to serve his nation.



"In this case, he jammed a foot in his mouth and shot from the hip when the nozzle was aimed at his own family jewels, so to speak. He must apologise and lets move on".



Read the entire post below;



We should go easy on Kenneth Agyemang Attafuah. He clearly could have phrased his words intelligently and with basic sensitivity. He had no business stamping his feet on the expectations and hopes of unemployed party loyalists with such reckless callosity.



Very unwise, and some may even say selfish, considering he lost this same job when NPP lost in 2008 only to regain it after NPP regained office! At least, his memory and self-benefit ought to have even guided his tongue and stopped him from speaking out of turn.



My good friend, Ken, should check his excitement levels when he has an audience. It helps! The bad way he said what he actually meant to say is what has caused this whole controversy. I do not think he meant it as it came out. Surely, he couldnt have and I know so to be the case. His loyalty to the party and party members has never been in doubt. But, he is also a true patriot. A Ghanaian always eager to serve his nation.



In this case, he jammed a foot in his mouth and shot from the hip when the nozzle was aimed at his own family jewels, so to speak. He must apologise and lets move on.



Use this as a measure: do you actually believe Akufo-Addo would tell him or anybody in his capacity to employ no party executive (I mean how!) Those engaged nationwide to do NIA registration, are there no NPP polling station executives among them? Again, I doubt if, in reality, the NIA staff roll under Ken Attafuah doesnt even have an NPP bias.



But, the principle must not be lost on us at all. Recruitments must not be based on party lines. You are a loyal citizen and competent and that must matter. It is important Ghanaians believe this to be the case. Aside NPP and NDC there are millions of Ghanaians who may not be loyalists of any party, so where do they stand in our democracy if a party card is what guarantees one employment in a public institution?



NPP should not fight this, NPP should rather see the positive spin in what he meant to say which is that for this party it is Ghana first. If you are good at what you do and can be trusted to work in accordance with the mandate and direction of the government and specifically the said institution, dont think only a party card can get you in. Thats how we build a nation.









Source: graphiconline.com









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The former Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo has good reason to be cheerful.



Last March, the International Criminal Court upheld his acquittal on charges of crimes against humanity.



And the current government in Abidjan says he is now free to return home, something he is expected to do later this month.



Theres a certain nervousness about his coming back, because people dont know what he has in mind now, says the BBCs Lalla Sy in the capital.



The problem is what he wants from now: is he going to come back to his political life or is he going to be a quiet former president?



So, will Mr Gbagbo get a heros welcome when he lands in Abidjan? And what does his return really mean for the country?

Source: BBC









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At least 60 women have been kidnapped by armed gangs in Nigerias north-western Zamfara state, local media reports.



Gunmen reportedly attacked three villages and burnt down several houses, killing some villagers - though casualty figures are not yet known.



Eyewitnesses told the BBC that as soon as residents heard of their approach, many of them fled into the bush.



It has been reported that the security forces fought the gunmen, killing many of them.



Zamfara police have confirmed the attacks but dispute the casualty figures and the number of those abducted.



These raids come a week after a warning by the medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres that rising violence in Nigerias north-west is causing a humanitarian crisis.



Armed gangs regularly attack communities and kidnap villagers in Zamfara - many of them for ransom.



People are forced to flee their homes and farms because of such dangers.



Meanwhile, more than 130 children abducted from a Koranic school last month in Tegina, in central Nigeria, remain in captivity.

Source: BBC









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Five days after the Nigerian government blocked access to Twitter, many privately-owned media outlets in Nigeria have continued to use the platform.



This is despite an order by the countrys media regulator to deactivate their accounts.



Some of the countrys most popular media outlets, including the newspaper Punch, which has more than four million Twitter followers, have continued to use the platform.



Many Nigerian users are still circumventing the ban using virtual private networks.



Pressure for the government to reverse its decision is also building from other quarters.



Samantha Power, the head of US development agency US Aid, described the suspension as nothing more than a state-sanctioned denial of free speech and called for it to be reversed immediately.



A local rights group and 176 Nigerians have filed a lawsuit against the ban at a regional court.



Former US President Donald Trump has however praised the ban.



Since Saturday Nigerians have been unable to access Twitter, following an earlier announcement by the government saying it was blocking it for threatening Nigerias corporate existence.



The move came a day after Twitter deleted a post by President Buhari for breaching its rules.



The presidency has denied that the ban was a retaliation to that decision.

Source: BBC









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Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has appointed a new cabinet with 31 ministers and 50 deputies.



The list features over 10 female cabinet members.



Jessica Alupo, a retired army major, is the new vice-president, the second woman in the country's history to be appointed to the position. She has previously served as education minister.



Robinah Nabbanja, a senior ruling party official, becomes the prime minister and leader of government business in parliament. She has been a deputy health minister.



Rebecca Kadaga, a lawyer and career politician who was until recently the speaker of parliament, becomes the new first deputy prime minister. She will also be in charge of the East African Community ministry.



The cabinet has more entrants from the armed forces. The current commander-in-chief of the army, General David Muhoozi, becomes the deputy minister for internal affairs. General Muhoozi is also a representative of the military in parliament.



One of the president's personal lawyers, Kiryowa Kiwanuka, is the new attorney general.



Sam Kuteesa, the country's long-serving foreign minister, has been dropped from cabinet.



The president has introduced several new faces in cabinet, after more than 20 ministers in the previous one, including the vice-president, lost their parliamentary seats in the January general elections.

Source: BBC









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Atewa Forest illegal miners who posed as national security operatives have been granted bail by a Koforidua Circuit Court in the sum of GH350,000.00 each and two sureties, one to be justified.



The 32 accused persons, who were refused bail twice last month and remanded into police custody, are to re-appear on July 8 at the Circuit Court.



Earlier, their lawyers prayed the court presided over by Mrs Mercy Adei-Kotei that their clients would not run away and that they would be available anytime the court needed them, and should therefore be considered for bail.



Brief facts of the case, as presented by the prosecution team led by Assistant State Attorney Mr Dickson Donkor, are that on May 4, this year the accused persons who carried themselves as operatives of the National Security, stormed the Akenteng, a community in the Atewa Forest reserve to mine gold illegally.



Following security intelligence, which picked information that the accused persons armed with weapons and riffles, were undertaking illegal mining activities in the name of the National Security and harassing inhabitants of villages and communities with their weapons in the area.



The prosecution said on the strength of the intelligence picked, a team of police officers both plain and uniformed officers from the national security secretariat were dispatched to the area to ascertain the facts.



A team of Police Officers from the Eastern Regional police command then joined the national security team and proceeded to Akenteng, portion of the Atewa forest reserve in the Atiwa East District, where the team met and rescued the accused persons from an angry youth who had already invaded the forest in an attempt to arrest them.



According to the prosecution, preliminary investigations showed that the accused persons carried themselves as national security operatives whereas in fact they were not.



It added that armed with weapons they had been visiting several mining towns and villages within Ashanti and Eastern regions to do illegal mining.



The prosecution also established that the accused persons as part of their unlawful activities, threatened, demanded and seized an unspecified kilogrammes of gold and huge sums of money from certain small scale miners in the name of national security and were arrested in the process of mining for the gold and sent to Accra later for interrogations.



In the course of the interrogations, the accused persons said they were not officers of national security as they alleged.



Exhibits retrieved from the accused persons include; Tudor shot gun, a pump action gun, two hand short guns, assault rifles and 10 rounds of ammunition, cougar pistol, 12 Gota handsets, three handcuffs, four shovels and an electronic shocker.

Source: GNA









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The Ashanti Regional Secretary of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Samuel Pyne says the organizers of the funeral made sure all COVID-19 protocols were observed to ensure the safety of all.



He was responding to social media claims and pressure group, OccupyGhana's concern about the disregard for COVID-19 safety protocols at the funeral of former Chief Executive Officer of the Forestry Commission, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie alias Sir John.



In a statement dated Sunday, June 6, 2021, the group expressed worry that some government officials also joined to flout COVID-19 protocols instituted to help contain the spread of the coronavirus disease in Ghana.



OccupyGhana said that move was likely to embolden several people to treat COVID-19 protocols with disdain and contempt.



This behaviour of people in a position to know better is deeply worrying, and while we can only pray that it doesnt happen, if in weeks this event turns out to be a super spreader event with more deaths and hospitalisations, the government will have no one but itself to blame for its inability and unwillingness to show a better example, the statement said.



But Samuel Pyne in an interview with NEAT FMs morning show Ghana Montie told host Kwesi Aboagye that,

Sir John's funeral wasnt the only funeral organized with such a crowd. Other occasions have gone on elsewhere with a similar crowd, lets talk about that too".







Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Ofosu Ampofo, has assured Ghanaians that the party will return to power in 2024 to manage the nations socioeconomic development better.



He reiterated that it was only when the NDC comes to power that the nation witnesses astronomical transformation, growth and development which the citizenry could attest to.



Mr Ampofo decried the situation where the government of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) had abandoned projects that were started by the NDC, which were 95 per cent complete, adding that when we go round the country, we say accommodation is the greatest problem and challenge the nation is facing, and you go and see Saglemi Housing Project, almost five years, it is lying in ruins and this is the state of our country. Mr Ofosu-Ampofo said.



With regards to corruption perception indexes, he observed that the worse performance of the NDC was the best performance of the NPP, and expressed concern about the culture of silence and indicated that the NDC will continue to celebrate the June 4, because it is the day of justice, probity, transparency and accountability on the calendar of the party.



We will celebrate it today, tomorrow, continue to eulogise Flight Lieutenant Jerry John Rawlings for his rescue mission that brought the country into peace, unity, stability and

June 4 was relevant yesterday, relevant today and it will continue to be relevant forever and ever so let us continue to uphold the principles.



The party will soon undertake an outreach programme, sending it to the doorsteps of the people, rekindle their power, give the party back to the people and hold a special national delegates congress by the end of 2021 to deliberate on important issues affecting the party and avoid the situation where in an election year members and supporters miss critical issues affecting the party.



This is necessary because anytime a national delegates congress is convened for elections, delegates, supporters and members tend to miss the critical ingredients affecting the party where more attention is usually placed on the elections to the detriment of other pressing issues.



The special national delegates congress will be looking at the structure, constitutional review and how to reposition the NDC to take commanding heights of democratic dispensation by making it an all-inclusive activity to bring all stakeholders on board, everybody will be found to be part of it, together we will build a formidable party and no one will be left behind, Mr Ampofo proffered.

Source: GNA









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A section of the assembly members of Asante Akyem Central Municipal have called for the reappointment of the incumbent Municipal Chief Executive, Mrs Susuan Akomeah.



A press conference monitored by (online platform) on Tuesday 19th January 2021 addressed an earlier press conference by an unknown group within the constituency and also called for the reappointment of the MCE. Present at the press conference were Hon. Oheneba Appiah Kubi (Dwease), Hon. Charles Gyasi Dapaah (Konongo), Hon. Samuel Ofori Amanfo (Konongo), Hon. Michael Appiah Boadi (Odumasi) Hon. Prince Atta Effah (Patriensa) and Hon. Michael Darkwah (Praaso).



Speaking on behalf of the assembly members, Hon. Oheneba Appiah Kubi , assembly member for Dwease Newton electoral area , mentioned that the accusations raised against the MCE by the said group is based on flimsy evidence. Additionally, the MCEs commitment to safeguard our natural resource as part of the #STOPGALAMSEY initiative by the President has caused this empty press conference by this unknown group.



Outlining the reasons for the reappointment of the MCE, he stated that  If the President indeed wants to fight corruption, instill discipline and strict adherence to law and order and also to foster development of our constituency, then we are very clear in our minds, without any ambiguity that Mrs. Susuan Akomeah is an embodiment of all of that.



He concluded by saying that the call for the the reappointment of Mrs Susuan Akomeah is a clarion call for the development of the Municipality.

Source: Peacefmonline.com









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Application for the 2021 Miss Agriculture Ghana Project Pageant has opened.



The Chamber of Women in Agribusiness Ghana founder, Ama Bonsu stated in an interview that, "All is set for the pageant, which is the fourth edition. We are expecting a top notch performance from the contestants. We want to change the narrative of agriculture in the country."



Interested persons wanting to participate must be a young Lady between ages 18-30, should have passion for Agribusiness, have any project along the Agriculture Value chain that can create more jobs for other young women.



And explaining how to apply for the pageant, she said, "Applicants must send a 1min entry video to WhatsApp numbers 0240-042-313 or 0541-956-735, post on all their social Media Handles and tag #missagricultureghana2021."



She stated emphatically that the pageant put together by the Chamber of Women in Agribusiness Ghana will contact only shortlisted applicants.



It is themed 'Miss Agriculture Ghana Beauty with Purpose, the female Agriculturist'.



At stake for the winner is an attractive cash prize of Ghc 5,000 as well as represent her brand at the National Farmers Day celebration event.



The winner will also be embarking on a combo trip to Rwanda and Dubai.

Source: Kofi Aduonum









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Salma Hayek gave a revealing interview on aging in Hollywood and motherhood. (Photo: Gisela Schober/Getty Images)

Salma Hayek has figured out how to block out Hollywood noise: Mediation. "It makes you experience your body with a lightness that's really delicious and satisfying," the actress, 54, told InStyle for its July issue. "With the breathing and the going inside, you explore your body in a different way, and you learn not to go crazy with the expectations."

The House of Gucci star, who covered everything from body image to breastfeeding and marriage in the interview, has been meditating since her late 30s, a practice that first aimed to heal her back pain and now serves to ground her in Hollywood. For her role as Giuseppina "Pina" Auriemma, a psychic to Patrizia Reggiani (played by Lady Gaga), the ex-wife of Maurizio Gucci (Adam Driver), the man who founded fashion brand Gucci and who was shot dead in 1995, Hayek gained weight. It was a process that both afforded freedom to order anything off the menu ("It was like a dream come true, she told Variety) and strategize.

Earlier this year, Hayek went on an Instagram bikini binge, pulling from her personal inventory that was shot during Christmas vacation but timed for a "liberating" spring release. "It was not even the end of the holiday yet, and I was like, 'OK, bring me caftans!'" she told the outlet. "But I don't have any shame in telling you this because I'm excited that I even got to that point. For a week I looked like that, you know?"

Salma Hayek appears on the latest cover of InStyle (on stands July 11) to discuss aging in Hollywood. (Photo: InStyle)

However, with the film in post-production, Hayek prizes wellbeing, which for her, in part means losing weight. "I've lost very little. You go, 'Whoa, whoa, whoa.' You gain it so fast, but it takes so long to lose it," she told InStyle, acknowledging "what's expected for a woman who people consider good-looking. As you get older, you're expected not to age." But she is grateful for a body that has been "incredibly generous" considering her acting resume, which includes playing Ajak, a character with superhuman strength, in the upcoming Marvel film Eternals.

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"I don't think I am some hot tamale, but I know that for my age, for the lifestyle that I lived, I'm not doing too badly. And I attribute all of this to meditation," she told InStyle. It's a routine she had hoped to share with her teenage Valentina, whom Hayek shares with husband Francois-Henri Pinault, the chairman and CEO of Kering (the umbrella company for brands Gucci, Alexander McQueen and more) and her closest confidant.

"She's like, 'I cannot think of anything more boring! And if I'm going to meditate, I'm going to do it on my own time,'" Hayek told InStyle of her daughter adding, "She's amazing, and she mesmerizes me over and over, but you know, when I talk to her, I find myself out of words." She added, "Or when we fight a little bit, afterward I'll think, 'I should have said this or that, and I'm going to tell her next time I see her.' Then the next time comes and I find myself out of words again."

However, the Frida star, who lives in London, recalled one experience during early motherhood that didn't leave her tongue-tied: When a group of French women judged her for breastfeeding Valentina. Hayek told the outlet that one surmised that breastfeeding was a practice "that comes from the Latin American Indian.

"She actually said that!" said Hayek. "I was shocked that such sophisticated ladies, who've had so many children, didn't take the time to investigate it. They said, 'Oh, but it's terrible for the breasts.' I said, 'Really? Look at my breasts. No problems there!'"

It's not the only time that Hayek has acted on behalf of breastfeeding mothers. In 2009, on a UNICEF trip to Sierra Leone where doctors informed the actress that many women stop breastfeeding due to stigma, Hayek saw an opportunity when a local mother without milk was desperate to feed her baby. Realizing that she was still producing breast milk while weaning Valentina, then 1, Hayek nursed the woman's infant.

"Am I being disloyal to my child by giving her milk away?" Hayek later told Nightline of the act, a video of which went viral. "I actually think my baby would be very proud to share her milk. And when she grows up I'm going to make sure she continues to be a generous, caring person."

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Credit: Frederic Zuberer

Young clownfish living closest to shore are dying faster than those further offshore because they are being exposed to artificial lighting, says an international research team.

Working on the reefs around Moorea in French Polynesia, scientists from France, the United Kingdom, Chile and Australia found that nearshore juvenile clownfish living in anemones under lights had higher mortality than juveniles in anemones not exposed to artificial light.

The scientists also found that the surviving clownfish grew 44 per cent more slowly than clownfish under natural lighting conditions.

Professor Stephen Swearer, a marine ecologist, from the University of Melbourne, said the team exposed 42 clownfish in their host anemones to either artificial light at night (ALAN) or natural light in the lagoon.

The clownfish were monitored over nearly two years, individually identified as survivors, and captured to measure their growth.

"The impacts of light pollution found here are probably underestimated and mitigation measures and policy changes are urgently required," said Professor Swearer.

Lead author, Jules Schligler, from the Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes PSL Universite Paris (EPHE) and the Centre of Island Research and Environmental Observatory (CRIOBE), said clownfish can live in shallow coastal waters and are highly sedentary living in anemones, which means they can be easily impacted by light at night coming from streetlights, piers or ports.

"As with many other reef fish, clownfish feed, reproduce, defend their territories and interact with other fish during the day and reset whilst sleeping at night. However, 36 per cent of the clownfish exposed to light pollution were more likely to die than fish under natural light cycles," he said.

"Like humans, fish need a period of inactivity, which is crucial for their well-being."

In the research paper "Longterm exposure to artificial light at night in the wild decreases survival and growth of a coral reef fish" published in Royal Society B, the scientists say "even those fish that survived didn't entirely escape the effects of artificial light at night as they grew less than fish from the control group."

"This is the first time that the impacts of ALAN have been tested on a coral reef fish in the wild and over such a long time," said Daphne Cortese, a former EPHE and CRIOBE student, who is now post-doctoral fellow at the University of Glasgow.

"As 12 per cent of all coral reef fish live in close association with another sedentary species, such as a coral or anemone, light pollution could already be having severe negative impacts on a fifth of fringing reef fish populations," she said.

The international team hope the research will help raise awareness of the impacts of ALAN on coastal marine ecosystems.

"Many marine protected areas are impacted by light pollution at night, and authorities are not taking this pollution into account," said Ricardo Beldade, Associate Professor at the Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile. "We hope that policy makers take this threat much more seriously for future management strategies."

Explore further The metabolism of clownfish decreases when their homes are damaged by climate change

More information: Jules Schligler et al, Long-term exposure to artificial light at night in the wild decreases survival and growth of a coral reef fish, Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences (2021). Journal information: Proceedings of the Royal Society B Jules Schligler et al, Long-term exposure to artificial light at night in the wild decreases survival and growth of a coral reef fish,(2021). DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.0454
Left: Ian Pong, Berkeley Lab cabling manager for the HL-LHC AUP, works with the machine that forms numerous strands of superconducting wire into Rutherford-style cables. Cabling is crucial to magnet performance and a longtime strength of Berkeley Labs superconducting magnet program. The cabling machine was first developed for the Superconducting Super Collider project and has since been updated with many state-of-the-art quality assurance features designed to address DOE project needs. (Credit: Marilyn Sargent/Berkeley Lab). Right: A detail of the part of the cabling machine: Strands of superconducting wire enter the rollers of the cabling machine where strands of superconducting wire are shaped and formed into keystoned Rutherford style cable. Credit: Berkeley Lab

The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) has passed the halfway mark in the multi-year process of fabricating crucial superconducting cables as part of a project to upgrade the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN. This upgrade, now in progress, will greatly increase the facility's collision rate and its scientific productivity.

The High-Luminosity LHC Accelerator Upgrade Project, or HL-LHC AUP, is a multi-institutional, U.S. contribution to the upgrade of the LHC facility. The project is headquartered at DOE's Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab).

A group of much more powerful focusing magnets, known as the "inner triplet," are planned to be installed on either side of the LHC's interaction points, where the separate proton beams collide. By squeezing the beams to higher density at the interaction points, these stronger focusing magnets will increase the number of collisions over the lifetime of the machine by at least a factor of 10. This will significantly enhance the opportunities for discovering new physics.

The coils for the HL-LHC AUP focusing magnets are made from advanced niobium-tin (Nb3Sn) superconductor in a copper matrix. One of Berkeley Lab's key contributions is fabricating all the cables to be used in the magnets. The task reached the halfway mark in January 2021.

Fermilab's Giorgio Apollinari, AUP Project Manager, said of the milestone, "This is a great 'turning-of-the-buoy' achievement since it allows the project to continue unimpeded in the production of these critical HL-LHC AUP magnets."

Berkeley Lab project lead and Berkeley Center for Magnet Technology (BCMT) Director Soren Prestemon added, "This halfway mark is a tremendous milestone for our cabling team, who have delivered exceptionally for the projecteven more remarkable given the complexities of on-site work under COVID constraints."

The overall AUP was recently granted Critical Decision 3 (CD-3) approval in the DOE's project-management process, giving the go-ahead for series production of the magnets themselves. Cable fabrication had already begun under a management approach in which long-lead-time items, such as wire procurement and cable fabrication, received approvals to go ahead before the series production of the magnets.

"The AUP project leverages extensive expertise and capabilities in advanced Nb3Sn magnet technology at Berkeley Lab," said Cameron Geddes, director of Berkeley Lab's Accelerator Technology and Applied Physics (ATAP) Division. ATAP and the Engineering Division formed the BCMT to join forces in advanced magnet design. Geddes added, "This critical milestone demonstrates the Lab's commitment to the project and the team's unique ability to deliver on its challenging requirements."

From conductor to cable to magnet

Most people have seen or even built electromagnets made from coils of individual wire, a familiar item at school science fairs and in consumer products. However, there are many reasons why these would not work well in accelerator magnets. Instead, accelerators use cables formed from multiple strands of superconducting wire. The cables are flat, with a rectangular or very slightly trapezoidal "keystoned" cross section, a profile known as "Rutherford style" after the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in England, which developed the design.

Dan Cheng working on magnet assembly. Credit: Marilyn Sargent/Berkeley Lab

Rutherford cables are flexible when bent on their broad face, which makes coil winding easy. However, the strands at the thin edges of the cable are heavily deformed and their thermoelectric stability could be degraded, so the shaping must be carefully monitored and controlled.

The overall AUP team is supported by the DOE Office of Science and consists of six U.S. laboratories and two universities: Fermilab, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, and Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (all DOE national laboratories), along with the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Old Dominion University, and Florida State University. Each brings unique strengths to the challenges of designing, building, and testing these advanced magnets and their components. Industrial partners supply the superconducting wire.

Berkeley Lab ships the cables to Fermilab or Brookhaven to be fabricated into coils and reacted (heat treated) to activate their superconductivity. The reacted coils are returned to Berkeley Lab, which uses them to make quadrupole magnets. This recent article gives an in-depth look at how multiple institutions use their complementary strengths to make magnets for the AUP.

"These magnets are a culmination of more than 15 years of technology development, starting with the LARP (LHC Accelerator Research Program) collaboration," said Dan Cheng of Berkeley Lab's Engineering Division.

"Eagle eyes for quality and big collaborative hearts'

Berkeley Lab, which celebrates its 90th anniversary this year, has a long history of national and international collaboration in designing and building accelerators, and its superconducting-magnet expertise goes back to the early 1970s.

The planetary-motion cabling machine at Berkeley Lab was designed and installed in the early 1980s and has received continual upgrades over the years. It has contributed to a large number of DOE projects such as the Fermilab Tevatron upgrade and then the early development of the Superconducting Super Collider. Today, the cabling facility is key infrastructure for Berkeley Lab's superconducting-magnet activities.

The cabling facility also boasts a world-class suite of quality-assurance systems to monitor cable properties. These include an in-line cable measurement machine that can measure a cable's dimensional parameters at a set pressure, an in-line camera system that can record every millimeter of all four sides of the fabricated cables and perform image analysis, and a specially designed cryo-cooler system for reproducibly measuring key parameters.

The people who assemble and use this equipment are in Berkeley Lab's ATAP and Engineering divisions. Ian Pong, a staff scientist in ATAP and Berkeley Lab cabling manager for the HL-LHC AUP, said "We have not only world-class equipment for fabricating state-of-the-art superconducting cables, but most importantly, a world-class team of people who have eagle eyes for quality and big collaborative hearts for projects."

Apollinari said, "The Berkeley Lab group led by Ian has been outstanding in the high-quality production of the Nb3Sn cables, meeting not only the demanding quality assurance and control requirements but achieving a production yield very much above and beyond the expected yield for this kind of activities. This is obviously of great help for the AUP Project, both economically and from the schedule point of view."

Explore further Fermilab achieves world-record field strength for accelerator magnet
Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

To catch sight of a fast radio burst is to be extremely lucky in where and when you point your radio dish. Fast radio bursts, or FRBs, are oddly bright flashes of light, registering in the radio band of the electromagnetic spectrum, that blaze for a few milliseconds before vanishing without a trace.

These brief and mysterious beacons have been spotted in various and distant parts of the universe, as well as in our own galaxy. Their origins are unknown, and their appearance is unpredictable. Since the first was discovered in 2007, radio astronomers have only caught sight of around 140 bursts in their scopes.

Now, a large stationary radio telescope in British Columbia has nearly quadrupled the number of fast radio bursts discovered to date. The telescope, known as CHIME, for the Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment, has detected 535 new fast radio bursts during its first year of operation, between 2018 and 2019.

Scientists with the CHIME Collaboration, including researchers at MIT, have assembled the new signals in the telescope's first FRB catalog, which they will present this week at the American Astronomical Society Meeting.

The new catalog significantly expands the current library of known FRBs, and is already yielding clues as to their properties. For instance, the newly discovered bursts appear to fall in two distinct classes: those that repeat, and those that don't. Scientists identified 18 FRB sources that burst repeatedly, while the rest appear to be one-offs. The repeaters also look different, with each burst lasting slightly longer and emitting more focused radio frequencies than bursts from single, nonrepeating FRBs.

These observations strongly suggest that repeaters and one-offs arise from separate mechanisms and astrophysical sources. With more observations, astronomers hope soon to pin down the extreme origins of these curiously bright signals.

"Before CHIME, there were less than 100 total discovered FRBs; now, after one year of observation, we've discovered hundreds more," says CHIME member Kaitlyn Shin, a graduate student in MIT's Department of Physics. "With all these sources, we can really start getting a picture of what FRBs look like as a whole, what astrophysics might be driving these events, and how they can be used to study the universe going forward."

Seeing flashes

CHIME comprises four massive parabolic radio antennas, roughly the size and shape of snowboarding half-pipes, located at the Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory in British Columbia, Canada. CHIME is a stationary array, with no moving parts. The telescope receives radio signals each day from half of the sky as the Earth rotates. While most radio astronomy is done by swiveling a large dish to focus light from different parts of the sky, CHIME stares, motionless, at the sky, and focuses incoming signals using a correlatora powerful digital signaling processor that can work through huge amounts of data, at a rate of about 7 terabits per second, equivalent to a few percent of the world's internet traffic.

"Digital signal processing is what makes CHIME able to reconstruct and 'look' in thousands of directions simultaneously," says Kiyoshi Masui, assistant professor of physics at MIT, who will lead the group's conference presentation. "That's what helps us detect FRBs a thousand times more often than a traditional telescope."

Over the first year of operation, CHIME detected 535 new fast radio bursts. When the scientists mapped their locations, they found the bursts were evenly distributed in space, seeming to arise from any and all parts of the sky. From the FRBs that CHIME was able to detect, the scientists calculated that fast radio bursts, bright enough to be seen by a telescope like CHIME, occur at a rate of about 9,000 per day across the entire skythe most precise estimate of FRBs overall rate to date.

"That's kind of the beautiful thing about this fieldFRBs are really hard to see, but they're not uncommon," says Masui, who is a member of MIT's Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research. "If your eyes could see radio flashes the way you can see camera flashes, you would see them all the time if you just looked up."

Mapping the universe

As radio waves travel across space, any interstellar gas, or plasma, along the way can distort or disperse the wave's properties and trajectory. The degree to which a radio wave is dispersed can give clues to how much gas it passed through, and possibly how much distance it has traveled from its source. For each of the 535 FRBs that CHIME detected, Masui and his colleagues measured its dispersion, and found that most bursts likely originated from far-off sources within distant galaxies. The fact that the bursts were bright enough to be detected by CHIME suggests that they must have been produced by extremely energetic sources. As the telescope detects more FRBs, scientists hope to pin down exactly what kind of exotic phenomena could generate such ultrabright, ultrafast signals.

Scientists also plan to use the bursts, and their dispersion estimates, to map the distribution of gas throughout the universe.

"Each FRB gives us some information of how far they've propagated and how much gas they've propagated through," Shin says. "With large numbers of FRBs, we can hopefully figure out how gas and matter are distributed on very large scales in the universe. So, alongside the mystery of what FRBs are themselves, there's also the exciting potential for FRBs as powerful cosmological probes in the future."

Researchers will announce these results at the 238th AAS meeting on Wednesday, June 9.

Explore further Fast radio bursts shown to include lower frequency radio waves than previously detected
Grauer's gorilla with baby. Credit: Andrew Plumptre

A new study led by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) has updated the global population estimate for the Critically Endangered Grauer's gorillas (Gorilla beringei graueri)the world's largest gorilla subspeciesto 6,800 individuals from a previous global estimate of 3,800 individuals. This revised estimate comes from recent field surveys conducted in one of this animal's largest remaining strongholds, in areas that were previously inaccessible for surveys. However, these gorillas continue to be heavily impacted by ongoing insecurity, and by human incursion into their remaining habitat in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

Publishing in the American Journal of Primatology, the authors found a total of 3815 Grauer's gorillas remaining in Kahuzi-Biega National Park and the contiguous Oku community forests These two areas hold almost 60 percent of the global population.

A previous peer-reviewed paper led by WCS in 2016 showed a decline of almost 80 percent in the population of these gorillas since the last range-wide survey carried out in the mid-1990s. However, due to insecurity, the 2016 estimate did not include data from all areas of the Grauer's gorilla range. The 2021 population estimate includes new field surveys in the Oku forests conducted over the past four years and provide the most up to date assessment of the subspecies to date. These new findings still maintain Grauer's gorillas as Critically Endangered, but suggest declines were not as great as previously feared. The findings also provide hope for the conservation of Grauer's gorilla in this challenging area. Gorilla populations in the Oku forests and the highland sectors of the Kahuzi-Biega National Park have remained relatively stable over the past 20 years, highlighting the importance of these areas for the future of this subspecies.

"This is one of the most extensive surveys ever of this great ape, carried out under very difficult circumstances. It is a tribute to the courage and dedication of the Congolese biologists who took part, often at great risk from the ongoing insecurity." said the study's lead author Dr. Andrew Plumptre, Key Biodiversity Area Secretariat hosted by Birdlife International, who conducted the research while with WCS. "We show that gorillas and chimpanzees are avoiding areas where people are extracting minerals, an occupation that contributes to the insecurity in the region"

Additionally, there is good news for chimpanzee populations, which have also held steady over the past twenty years. Many other primates have declined however, likely due to bushmeat hunting, especially the Endangered Ulindi River Red Colobus (Piliocolobus lulindicus).

Grauer's gorillas are a subspecies of eastern gorilla found only in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and can weigh over 450 pounds (204 kilograms).

The authors say that the results of the study underscore the importance of good forest protection in the region. They note that the Oku community forests probably has more Grauer's gorillas than any other site across its range, and together with the Kahuzi-Biega National Park is the last stronghold for this ape. In 2018, three local community forest concessions comprising a total area of 1,465 square kilometers (565 square miles) were created and attributed to community management in Oku. Additionally, WCS is working with these communities, the Government's Nature Conservation Agency, ICCN, and the local NGO Reserve des Gorilles de Punia (RGPu), to create an additional Wildlife Reserve in the Oku forests to secure up to 3,000 square kilometers (1,158 square miles) of forest for gorillas and other flora and fauna in this area.

Said Deo Kujirakwinja, co-author and WCS DRC Technical Director: "Without good protection and forest management, Grauer's gorillas would be on the brink of extinction. They face growing pressure from habitat destruction from mining and poaching for food. We must secure these forests to safeguard Grauer's gorillas and other primates."

The civil war in DRC and continued presence of armed rebel groups have made conservation exceedingly difficult. Furthermore, expansion of mining in the area brings further pressures on gorilla habitat and from hunting of gorillas for food to feed the burgeoning mining towns. More than 80 percent of the world's supply of coltanused in many electronic devices and electric carsis found in the DRC, including much of the Grauer's gorilla habitat. The focus of conservation efforts must now be on supporting local community management of the Oku forests to protect gorillas and their habitats from outside threats.

Explore further Population analysis suggests Grauer's gorilla is Critically Endangered

More information: Andrew J. Plumptre et al, Changes in Grauer's gorilla ( Gorilla beringei graueri ) and other primate populations in the KahuziBiega National Park and Oku Community Reserve, the heart of Grauer's gorilla global range, American Journal of Primatology (2021). Journal information: American Journal of Primatology Andrew J. Plumptre et al, Changes in Grauer's gorilla ( Gorilla beringei graueri ) and other primate populations in the KahuziBiega National Park and Oku Community Reserve, the heart of Grauer's gorilla global range,(2021). DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23288
A small plant whose axes divide several times before bearing oval sporangia. Credit: Univeriste de Liege

The analysis of very old plant fossils discovered in South Africa and dating from the Lower Devonian period documents the transition from barren continents to the green planet we know today. Cyrille Prestianni, a palaeobotanist at the EDDy Lab at the University of Liege (Belgium), participated in this study, the results of which have just been published in the journal Scientific Reports.

The greening of continentsor terrestrialisationis undoubtedly one of the most important processes that our planet has undergone. For most of the Earth's history, the continents were devoid of macroscopic life, but from the Ordovician period (480 million years ago) green algae gradually adapted to life outside the aquatic environment. The conquest of land by plants was a very long process during which plants gradually acquired the ability to stand upright, breathe in the air or disperse their spores. Plant fossils that document these key transitions are very rare. In 2015, during the expansion of the Mpofu Dam (South Africa), researchers discovered numerous plant fossils in geological strata dated to the Lower Devonian (420410 million years ago), making this a truly exceptional discovery.

Cyrille Prestianni, a palaeobotanist at the EDDy Lab (Evolution and Diversity Dynamics Lab) at the University of Liege, explains: "The discovery quickly proved to be extraordinary, since we are in the presence of the oldest fossil flora in Africa and it is very diversified and of exceptional quality. It is thanks to a collaboration between the University of Liege, the IRSNB (Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences) and the New Albany Museum (South Africa) that this incredible discovery could be studied. The study, which has just been published in the journal Scientific Reports, describes this particularly diverse fossil flora with no less than 15 species analysed, three of which are new to science. This flora is also particularly interesting because of the quantity of complete specimens that have been discovered. These plants are small, with the largest specimens not exceeding 10 cm in height. They are simple plants, consisting of axes that divide two or three times and end in reproductive structures called sporangia."

Mtshaelo kougaensis is a plant that bears complicated sporangia gathered at the end of the axes. Credit: University of Liege

The fossil flora of Mpofu suggests what the world might have been like when the largest plants were no taller than a few centimeters and almost no animals had yet been able to free themselves from the aquatic environment. It provides a better understanding of how the Earth went from a red rock devoid of life to the green planet we know today. These plants, simple as they are, are a crucial step in the construction of the environments that hosted the first land animals, arthropods. They form the basis of the long history of life on Earth, which continues today from dense tropical forests to the arid tundra of the north.

Explore further Geologist helps confirm date of earliest land plants on Earth

More information: Robert W. Gess et al, An early Devonian flora from the Baviaanskloof Formation (Table Mountain Group) of South Africa, Scientific Reports (2021). Journal information: Scientific Reports Robert W. Gess et al, An early Devonian flora from the Baviaanskloof Formation (Table Mountain Group) of South Africa,(2021). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-90180-z
Credit: Aggelos Tsaligopoulos

The world is filled with myriad sounds that can overwhelm a person with relentless acoustics. Noise is so prevalent in everyday life that the concept and achievement of comfortable quiet is hard to define.

During the 180th Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America, which was held virtually June 8-10, Aggelos Tsaligopoulos, from the University of the Aegean, described how quiet could be measured in the hopes of better understanding its impact on people. The session, "Towards a new understanding of the concept of quietness," took place Wednesday, June 9, at 11:20 a.m. Eastern U.S.

Tsaligopoulos said there is a dualism between noise and quiet, meaning quietness so far is viewed as a contradiction and as the lack of something, even if that something is noise. Quietness in the urban context is more than the absence of noiseit's searching for wanted noise in order to avoid the unwanted.

"The context and the environment surrounding the listener changes dramatically the way we understand quietness, highlighting the phenomenology in acoustic perception," Tsaligopoulos said. "So, what if we try to break the association between noise and quietness? What if we try to assign to the term quietness quantifiable characteristics that can be subject to measurements?"

The Composite Urban Quietness Index is an effort quietness quantification based on the levels of acoustic complexity in an area. The goal is to give a new meaning to quietness in terms of sound complexity and provide for a reduction in noise intensity.

Tsaligopoulos points out stress can be caused by high-intensity sound but also by silent acoustic environments. He said there could be a "sweet spot" of quietness that reduces the stress without creating it because it is too quiet, but he believes this is equivalent to mediocracy.

"It is time to look beyond our phenomenological short-term pleasure and realize that well-being is a long-term multidisciplinary effort that we need to plan ahead, keeping in mind ecological sustainability environmental equity and perhaps biocultural diversity."

Stella Kyvelou, from Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences; Nefta Votsi, from the National Observatory of Athens; Aimilia Karapostoli, from Democritus University of Thrace; and Chris Economou and Yiannis Matsinos, from University of the Aegean, contributed to this research.

Explore further Noise can put you off your food

More information: Aggelos Tsaligopoulos et al, Towards a new understanding of the concept of quietness, The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America (2021). Journal information: Journal of the Acoustical Society of America Aggelos Tsaligopoulos et al, Towards a new understanding of the concept of quietness,(2021). DOI: 10.1121/10.0004554
Scheme of the experimental setup. An electric equivalent circuit is displayed in the upper right corner. The charge is split between the capacity with the top and the bottom plate. Credit: Science Advances, doi: 10.1126/sciadv.abg7595

A new report on Science Advances developed by Mirco Kaponig and colleagues in physics and nanointegration in Germany, detailed the very basic concept of contact electrification between two metals. In a new experimental method, the researchers followed the charge of a small sphere bouncing on a grounded planar electrode on a timescale down to 1 microsecond. The team noted how the sphere discharged in the moment of contact lasting for 6 to 8 microseconds. At the moment of disruption of the electrical contact, the sphere regained charge far beyond expectations relative to the contact potential difference. The excess charge arose with increasing contact area.

Contact electrification

Contact electrification is a ubiquitous phenomenon that occurs when two surfaces touch. The process is an elementary method of triboelectricity that can be observed directly in daily life. The phenomenon is responsible for lightening in thunderstorms, sandstorms or volcanic plumes. The process can be of major concern when handling potentially explosive liquids or dusts. As a result, researchers have established empirical safety regulations to avoid hazards caused by electric discharges through triboelectric charging. Although the phenomenon was described for more than 2000 years, the underlying mechanisms are still debated. Scientists typically consider three kinds of charge transfer including the transfer of electrons, ions or material with partial charge. In metal-metal contacts, electrons can be transferred between two surfaces to establish contact potential. The amount of transferred charge also depended on the mutual capacity when the electric contact is disrupted, and the observed charge transfer strongly supported the concept of electron transfer for metal-metal contacts. The situation is less obvious for metal-insulator or insulator-insulator contacts. Kaponig et al. therefore presented a new experimental technique to analyze charge transfer during contact electrification, with unprecedented resolution.

Measurement of the charge on the lower plate of the capacitor and derived quantities. (A) The signal measured at the lower plate overlaid to a simulation according to Eqs. 1 and 3. It shows a perfect agreement, except at the very beginning and the top of the first parabola because of the field distortion in the vicinity of the entrance hole, which is not included in the numerical description. On the given scale, the signal noise is barely visible. The histogram in the upper right corner displays the charge on the sphere between the contacts. (B) The vertical position of the sphere bouncing on the plate derived from the contact times. (C) The potential calculated according to Eq. 4. in the study reveals that the sphere may reach a voltage of up to 10 V. Credit: Science Advances, doi: 10.1126/sciadv.abg7595

The work revealed how the electric potential of a metallic particle bouncing from a metallic surface evolved with time. Based on the outcomes, Kaponig et al. noted how the charge increased with impact velocity in metal-metal contacts; a feature commonly observed with metal-insulator and insulator-insulator contacts but hither to unobserved for metal-metal contacts. During the experiments, this led to unexpectedly high electric potentials for purely metallic contacts. Since the electric contact was only established for a few microseconds during mechanical contact, the process did not retain the parameters of the charge before contact. The potential of the sphere was therefore only reduced to the contact potential of a few tenths of a volt. When the electric contact detached from the surface, however, the charge on the sphere established a potential of up to 3 V for less than 1 microsecond.

Charge transfer

Details of the first and second contact from about 100 s before and 100 s after the contact. (A) The measured and simulated charge as well as the derived potential for the first contact. The deviation marked by * is due to the mechanical response of the plate after the impact of the sphere. The horizontal line corresponds to the initial charge of the sphere or the zero point of the potential. The dashed vertical lines indicate the time interval of the mechanical contact. The plateau of the signal corresponds to the electrical contact. The insets sketch the charge distribution on the sphere and the plates. The relative size of the sphere is strongly exaggerated. The deformation is schematic; in reality, both the sphere and the surface are deformed. (B) The corresponding height of the sphere. The motion before and after the contact is almost linear on the short time scale. (C) The calculated capacity before and after the contact by the green line. During the contact, a tentative value proportional to the contact area is sketched by the dashed red line. The arrow points to the value of the capacity at the very moment when the electric contact is broken. It is assumed that the capacity is enhanced relative to the ideal geometry because of the deformation of the contact area by creating relatively large adjacent surfaces. (D) The measured and calculated charge as well as the derived potential for the second contact. Credit: Science Advances, doi: 10.1126/sciadv.abg7595

Scientists had previously studied the charge transfer of particles bouncing on an inclined surface based on contact-free electrostatic detection. Kaponig et al. therefore developed an experimental scheme to measure the charge before and after surface contact to follow the dynamics in real-time. In the setup, they obtained a resolution better than 1 microsecond in time for about 6000 electrons. They studied the motion and contact electrification by dropping gold spheres that are 1 mm in diameter through a small orifice into a parallel plate capacitor. The spheres bounced on a virtually grounded lower plate, allowing the scientists to measure the induced and transferred charges. The team performed the experiments in vacuum. The signal detected at the lower plate of the setup had two contributions including the charge on the sphere and the charge transferred to the sphere. The team noted the display signal of a gold sphere bouncing more than 15 times on the lower plate of the capacitor made of copper, the trajectory of the sphere consisted of segments of free fall, starting and completing via contact with the plate.

When Kaponig et al. closely inspected the signal, they identified the moments of contact by abrupt changes of the measured charge. They noted how the time spent between two contacts determined the segment of the trajectory. The team next applied a voltage at the ramp to guide the sphere to the entrance of the capacitor, where the sphere was positively charged before it entered the capacitor and became negatively charged during the first contact. The observed magnitude of the charge was unexpectedly high. The researchers then repeated the experiment with different initial charges, where the sphere became negatively charged at the first and following contact. Another key to understand contact electrification included the potential of the sphere. Based on the high magnitude of the charge on the sphere, the team noted a potential of several volts unexpectedly high for a purely metallic system. The electric contact was only established as a mechanical contact for a few microseconds. The potential of the sphere was therefore reduced to the contact potential of a few tenths of a volt. As the distance between the sphere and plate grew, the potential further increased.

Outlook

The team described the observations using a metal-contact model in which the contact area raised for the first-contact, followed by an enormous capacity formed at the interface due to the minimal distance between the charges. This capacity charged to the contact potential in the order of picocoulombs. Upon contact break, the two adjacent surfaces of the plate and sphere fit almost snugly to form a large area at close separation and a larger capacity, where the size of the area depended on the velocity of the sphere. In this way, Mirco Kaponig and colleagues showed how a metallic sphere bouncing from a metal plate achieved a potential of up to 10 V, due to a deformation of the contact area. This led to an increased capacity between the sphere and the plate upon electric contact disruption. The results are important for contact electrification and triboelectricity for enhanced charge transfer.

Explore further A levitated nanosphere as an ultra-sensitive sensor

More information: Kaponig M. et al. Dynamics of contact electrification, Science Advances, DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abg7595 Kaponig M. et al. Dynamics of contact electrification, Baytekin H. T. et al. The mosaic of surface charge in contact electrification, Science, 10.1126/science.1201512 Gimzewski J. K. et al. Transition from the tunneling regime to point contact studied using scanning tunneling microscopy, Physical Review B, doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.36.1284 Journal information: Science Advances , Physical Review B , Science

 2021 Science X Network
African elephant. Credit: Shutterstock/MOIZ HUSEIN STORYTELLER

The Masai Mara ecosystem, in south-western Kenya, is home to an important elephant population of about 2,500 individuals.

Elephants need large amounts of space to roam in search of food and water. Because of this, they often move outside the boundaries of protected areassuch as the Masai Mara National Reserve and wildlife conservanciesinto areas where people live.

These people are impacted by elephants that eat and destroy farm crops. Sometimes their lives are threatened. This often creates fear and anger towards this species and sometimes leads to elephants being killed in retaliation.

These negative interactionstermed human-elephant conflictpose a huge threat to populations of this endangered species.

We carried out research on trends of elephant crop-raiding on the western border of the Masai Mara National Reserve. The human population in this region has grown quickly, partly through new people arriving to farm, leading to rapidly changing land-use and high human-wildlife conflict.

We wanted to understand whether, over 15 years, patterns of elephant crop raiding had changed.

We found that there were big changes. Crop raiding was happening more often, in different places and at different times of the year. In addition, the number of elephants killed in retaliation had also increased.

We believe that these patterns signal that elephants in the area are being affected by the expansion of farmland. This creates a cycle in which elephants then negatively affect people.

Our findings are a classic example of what is occurring across much of Africa: rapid habitat loss and increasing conflict. Thus, there is a pressing need to monitor and understand changes. This would help to inform mitigation strategies and move from conflict to coexistence.

More human-elephant conflict

We collected data on incidents of human-elephant conflict between 2014 and 2015. When an elephant ate someone's crops, broke a fence, damaged property or caused human injury or death, we recorded it. We also checked the number of elephants involved in each incident by measuring footprints and dung.

We then compared this data with a similar study from 1999 to 2000. This provided us with insights into long term trends.

There were important changes in elephant crop raiding patterns since 2000. The number of crop-raiding incidents increased by 49%, but crop damage per incident dropped by 83%.

In addition, the elephants were raiding closer to the protected area and raids were unpredictable. They happened all year round rather than seasonally, when crops are ripe.

An elephant receives treatment after being wounded by people in the Masai Mara, Kenya. Credit: Marion Smith

Tracking incidents

We have several theories for this behavior.

Elephants could be carrying out more raids because there is less for them to eat in the protected area. This is due to people increasingly breaking the rules by taking their livestock to graze inside the national park.

There could be less crop damage because farmers are better at scaring elephants away. They do this using well-established techniques, such as making noise, using flash lights, fire crackers and fire.

Elephants could be raiding closer to protected areas because of changes in land cover. There's less forest (due to illegal charcoal clearing) and more farmland. This makes it harder for elephants to hide.

Widespread conflict

While the total amount of crop damage has fallen, there are more farms and more people being impacted. Between 1999 and 2000 there were 263 crop-raiding incidents per year. This increased to 392 incidents between 2014 and 2015. Crop-raiding also happens for longer periods during the year.

This could explain why the illegal killing of elephants due to conflict in our study area increased during the study period, nearly doubling from five elephants in 1999/2000 to nine in 2014/2015.

There are a few things that are needed to address the changes in crop-raiding patterns and, in turn, reduce human-elephant conflict.

Conservation management must be improved to protect the elephants' food base and reduce disturbances within protected areas. For instance, authorities must do more to address the many cattle that illegally graze in the reserve. The number of livestock within the Masai Mara has increased more than tenfold in the last few decades, from around 2,000 in the 1970s to 24,000 in the 2000s.

Communities around the Masai Mara National Reserve must see the benefits of protecting and conserving wildlife. There's a legal requirement that residents of the area should receive a percentage of the park revenue each year from the county government. At the moment, almost none of this money goes into the pockets of local communities. This helps explain why the rules about cattle grazing are so widely broken.

In addition, policymakers and conservation practitioners must work with local communities on the frontline to help inform mitigation strategies and build tolerance towards wildlife.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
FIG 1 Fibrinopurulent diphtheria lesions in yellow-eyed penguin chicks. (A) Lesions at the commissures of the beak, which prevent closure of the oral cavity. (B) Red circles denote minor pinpoint lesions in the gape and choanal slit that are firmly adhered to the mucosa before overgrowth of fibrinopurulent lesion exudate and mucosa ulceration. (C and D) Extensive fibrinopurulent diphtheria lesions in the oral cavity of infected yellow-eyed penguin chicks, including both sides of the gape and under the tongue. Photos: M. J. Young.

A team of researchers, led by Northumbria University, have been working to understand and develop a vaccine for an infection that's been killing off rare penguins in New Zealand.

Yellow-eyed penguins, locally known as hoiho (Maori name), are one of the world's rarest species. They are native to New Zealand and its outlying islands. Hoiho breeding pairs have been rapidly declining for over two decades, largely due to outbreaks of a diphtheria-like infection (diphtheritic stomatitis) that is fatal to young chicks.

The diseased chicks are commonly treated with antibiotics such as amoxicillin or enrofloxacin, but this course of treatment has often failed to save them.

The team, led by Dr. Vartul Sangal from the Department of Applied Sciences at Northumbria University, that includes scientists from the New Zealand Department of Conservation, the University of Otago and the Massey University, has identified a new species of bacteria which is causing these infections. The team has also discovered some proteins that could be used as a vaccine and may help protect the species from potential extinction due to these outbreaks.

Diphtheria is a serious infection in humans which is caused by toxin (poison) producing strains of the bacterium called Corynebacterium diphtheriae. A thick gray coating is often observed in the throat including the tonsils of the patients.

Similarly, diphtheria-like infections in Yellow-eyed penguins are caused by a new Corynebacterium species that affects chicks aged between one and 28 days. These infections are also characterized by a thick puss and ulceration in the mouth, which can prevent the chicks from eatingresulting in starvation and can also result in sepsis.

The research team took swabs from the mouths of Yellow-eyed penguin chicks from nests at four breeding sites of the Otago peninsula. Bacteria associated with diphtheria-like infections in chicks were isolated and genome sequences (DNA) were analyzed which helped understand how 'avian diphtheria' is attacking the penguin chicks and how it might be treated.

Dr. Sangal is an expert in cellular and molecular sciences who has researched diphtheria and related corynebacterial infections for almost a decade.

He explained: "Based on the genetic family tree (phylogenetic tree) made from the genome sequences (DNA), these strains were very distinct from other Corynebacterium species. We also tested the biochemical properties and found that these strains belong to a new species that has not been reported yet.

"We identified multiple disease-causing components (genes) in the genomes of these strains, which helped us understand the mechanism of infection. One of such components produces a protein, Phospholipase D that is important for infection and can potentially be used as a vaccine to protect yellow-eyed penguins.

"Interestingly, these strains also possessed unique DNA sequences which enabled us to develop a simple test to rapidly and reliably identify the infection. A rapid detection may help facilitate an early treatment of infected chicks, improving their chances of survival."

Kate McInnes, threatened species veterinarian at the Department of Conservation, said: "Yellow-eyed penguins, or hoiho as they are known in New Zealand, are a rapidly declining endangered species that are facing extinction in their northern range.

"This study has helped us to understand how the bacterium attacks its host, in this case, baby yellow-eyed penguins. It means that we can focus our treatments to ensure that more yellow-eyed penguin chicks survive."

According to Melanie Young, technical advisor at the Department of Conservation: "Avian diphtheria has affected up to 93% of hoiho chicks in their northern range for more than 20 years, with the disease being fatal if left untreated. If chicks don't survive year after year, this has a knock-on effect on population stability."

Dr. Sarah Saunderson, research fellow at the University of Otago, added: "The collaboration with Dr. Vartul Sangal and colleagues at Northumbria University has allowed us to make significant progress with this research.

"This research is an important diagnostic step in characterizing the virulence of the bacteria associated with this disease, with the hope that a vaccine can be developed for future prevention."

The full study, "Phylogenomic characterisation of a novel Corynebacterium species associated with fatal 'diphtheritic stomatitis' in endangered yellow-eyed penguins," has been published in the microbiology journal mSystems.

Explore further Penguin poo helps solve puzzles

More information: Phylogenomic Characterization of a Novel Corynebacterium Species Associated with Fatal Diphtheritic Stomatitis in Endangered Yellow-Eyed Penguins. mSystems. DOI: Phylogenomic Characterization of a Novel Corynebacterium Species Associated with Fatal Diphtheritic Stomatitis in Endangered Yellow-Eyed Penguins.. DOI: doi.org/10.1128/mSystems.00320-21
Gray whale breaching. Credit: Merrill Gosho, NOAA, Public Domain

A combined team of researchers from Durham University and Sea Search Research and Conservation NPC, has found that a gray whale spotted off the coast of Namibia traveled halfway around the globe to get there. In their paper published in the journal Biology Letters, the group describes collecting a tissue sample from the whale and comparing its DNA with other whales in other parts of the world.

Back in 2013, fishermen reported seeing a gray whale swimming around in Walvis Bay off the coast of Namibiaa very unusual sight since gray whales had not been seen in these waters before. Eventually, the reports made their way to oceanographers and zoologists and a team of researchers was formed to find out more about the whale. A research vessel was sent and the team aboard managed to obtain a small tissue sample from the 40-foot whale.

Back in their lab, the researchers conducted a DNA analysis of the sample and then compared it with other whale samples held in biotechnology databases. They found a matchthe gray whale swimming in Walvis Bay was directly related to a western population of gray whales that normally live in the North Pacific. Western gray whales are endangered; researchers believe that there are only 200 left in the world. Thus, sightings have been fewmost have occurred off the coasts of Alaska and Russia.

Once the whale's original home had been found, the researchers began looking at different routes it might have taken to make it to a southwest part of Africa. They found it could have taken a Canadian route through the Northwest Passage. But it also could have swum down and around South America or even across the Indian Ocean. Also unclear is why the whale made such a long journeywhichever route it took would have taken it halfway across the planet, a trip that marks a record travel length for a mammal. The researchers suggest it could have been responding to warming temperatures in its natural home or it could simply have become lost.

Explore further A dozen dead whales have washed ashore in the San Francisco Bay Area

More information: A. Rus Hoelzel et al, Natal origin of Namibian grey whale implies new distance record for in-water migration, Biology Letters (2021). Journal information: Biology Letters A. Rus Hoelzel et al, Natal origin of Namibian grey whale implies new distance record for in-water migration,(2021). DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2021.0136

 2021 Science X Network
Bengal tiger Fiona gave birth to four cubs: Yanek, a white tiger, her sisters Melissa and Gaby, and a brother, Miguel.

A Havana zoo has introduced the country's first-ever white Bengal tiger, a rare type not known to exist in the wild.

Mother Fiona gave birth to four cubsincluding white tiger Yanekat the National Zoo of Cuba in March; but only now, it said, are the cubs independent enough to be presented to the public as they play and swim in their special zoo pool.

"We are very happy that a white tiger has been born in Cuba; it is the first time that this has happened," said the animals' caretaker Angel Cordero.

They were also the first tiger cubs born on Cuban soil in more than 20 years.

Along with Yanek, Fiona and fellow Bengal tiger Garfield are the proud parents of sisters Melissa and Gaby, and brother Miguel.

Conservation group WWF describes white tigers as "a genetic anomaly," with none known to exist in the wild. There are several dozen in captivity.

White tigers are Bengal tigers whose parents carry a recessive gene, according to the nonprofit Wildcat Sanctuary in Minnesota, which helps and studies felines. They are not albinos or a separate species.

Some parks and zoos inbreed white tigers, as the rarity draws more visitors, though this is often at the cost of malformations and other genetic problems, according to the sanctuary website.

White tigers are Bengal tigers whose parents carry a recessive gene.

They were the first tiger cub births on Cuban soil in more than 20 years.

Tigers are classified as 'endangered' by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

The WWF says about 3,900 tigers remain in the wild.

The Asian big cats are classified as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

The WWF says about 3,900 tigers remain in the wild, "but much more work is needed to protect this species if we are to secure its future in the wild."

"In some areas, including much of Southeast Asia, tigers are still in crisis and declining in number," the WWF website says.

Cordero said the cubs were displaying typical "aggressive" behavior, mimicking their mother as they mock-attack one another.

At the zoo, Fiona receives 10 kilograms (22 pounds) of meat per day, while the cubs, already weighing in at between eight and 11 kilograms each, get two kilograms of meat each.

Explore further Rare white tiger born at Nicaragua zoo

 2021 AFP


Defence Minister Rajnath Singh addresses India-Sweden Defence Industry Cooperation webinar, in New Delhi. A PTI Photo

NEW DELHI (PTI): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has invited leading Swedish defence majors to set up manufacturing bases in India as he showcased the country as an attractive destination for investment to produce military equipment and platforms.



In an address at a conference on Tuesday on India-Sweden defence industry cooperation, he said the government has rolled out a series of reforms to help the defence industries serve not only Indian requirements but also meet global demands.



Singh particularly invited Swedish firms to invest in the defence corridors in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, saying that they can take advantage of the unique incentives being offered by the state governments and the availability of a highly skilled workforce in India.



He also mentioned allowing up to 74 per cent foreign direct investment (FDI) through automatic route and up to 100 per cent through government route in the defence manufacturing sector.



An MoU was also signed between the Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers (SIDM) and Swedish Security and Defence Industry Association (SOFF) to promote and strengthen the bilateral defence industrial relations through setting up of a dedicated joint working group to take forward mutual objectives.



Singh said the technology-centric FDI policy will enable Indian industries to collaborate with Swedish industries in the field of niche and proven military technologies.



"Over the past few years, the Indian defence industry has been galvanised through progressive policy and procedural reforms which have catapulted the industry to serve not only Indian requirements but also meet global demand," Singh said at the virtual conference.



He said that the foreign OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) can set up manufacturing facilities individually or in partnership with Indian companies through joint ventures or technology agreement to capitalise on the 'Make in India' initiative.



"Swedish firms such as SAAB already have a major presence in India and I am confident that other Swedish firms will find India as a major investment destination for defence manufacturing," he said.



"There is a lot of scope for Sweden and Indian defence Industries for co-production and co-development. Indian industry can also supply components to Swedish industries," he added.



Singh said India has a vast defence industrial base with 41 ordnance factories and nine defence public sector undertakings and expanding private industries supported by an eco-system of over 12,000 micro, small and medium enterprises.



"The Mission - 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' or 'Self-Reliant India' of Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi is about producing cost-effective quality products and in its core has the motto - 'Make in India' and 'Make for the World'," he said.



In his address, the defence minister also mentioned that India has a robust shipbuilding industry with an ecosystem of world-class public and private shipbuilding companies.



He said the ships constructed by Indian shipyards are of global standards and extremely cost-effective.



"I take this opportunity to invite Swedish firms to invest in the dedicated defence corridors of Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu where they can benefit greatly from the unique incentives being offered by the state governments and the availability of a highly skilled workforce in India," he said.



In his remarks, Peter Hultqvist, the Defence Minister of Sweden, said that there was scope for expanding defence cooperation between the two countries.



"Through the combined efforts, both the countries can bring solutions to the problems of the future."



Tanmaya Lal, Ambassador of India to Sweden, emphasised that India and Sweden are long-standing partners with defence cooperation being an important area of overall ties.



Ambassador of Sweden to India Klas Molin said that there is tremendous potential in the business and defence sector between the two sides as around 200 250 Swedish companies are already co-developing and co-producing various products with Indian firms.


In Brazil, the main agricultural products responsible for deforestation are beef and soybeans. Credit: Marcelo Camargo/Agencia Brasil, under Creative Commons 3.0

Deforestation in Latin America and the Caribbean accounts for 44 percent of the global loss of tropical forests, with most of the conversion to agricultural land being carried out illegally, concludes a study by the non-profit organization Forest Trends.

According to the report, the planet lost 77 million hectares of tropical forests between 2013 and 2019 in Latin America, Southeast Asia and Africa, of which 60 percent46.1 million hectareswas driven by commercial agriculture. At least 69 percent of this "agro-conversionforest clearing for agricultural purposeswas carried out in violation of national laws and regulations, it says.

Unlawful clearing for the production of commodities such as beef, soybeans and palm oil accounted for the destruction of at least 31.7 million hectares of the world's rainforests during the last seven years, the report says.

Ecologist Arthur Blundell, lead co-author of the report, said: "We don't need to clear more forests in order to grow food. People need to understand the role of commercial agriculture in driving illegal deforestation, and how important tropical forests are."

Based on data from 23 countries, the study estimates that deforestation in Latin America and the Caribbean represents 44 percent of all forest loss across the tropics, with 77 percent of this loss resulting from commercial agriculture.

In Asia, forest losses represented 31 percent of the total, 76 percent of which was caused by agribusiness.

Africa's tropical forest loss represented 25 percent of the global total, but commercial agriculture only accounted for 10 percent of illegal deforestation, with subsistence agriculture being the main driver.

Many countries, however, fail to report data about illegal deforestation, and reliable country data is scarce, researchers noted.

Economic drivers

Geographer Eraldo Matricardi, associate professor at the University of Brasilia (UnB), who did not take part in the study, said: "Unfortunately, the forest is not yet considered as something viable, hence the interest in deforesting to make it productive. Agribusiness, in turn, has economic viability and high incentives from a financial point of view."

Researchers accept that some deforestation for both commercial and subsistence agriculture is necessary for social and economic reasons.

However, Matricardi, an expert in land use changes, explains that while legal deforestation follows set limits and technical criteria, "for illegal deforestation there is a lack of criteria."

The degree of unlawful deforestation varied widely between regions. In Latin America, 88 percent of agro-conversion was conducted in violation of national laws and regulations, while in Africa the figure was 66 percent, and in Asia, 41 percent.

According to the report, 81 percent of clearing for Indonesia's palm oilthe country's main export commodityis estimated to be illegal.

In Brazil, where the major agricultural commodities responsible for deforestation are beef and soy, pasture for cattle grazing drove 74 percent of forest loss while soy drove 20 percent, the report says.

Besides soy, palm oil, and cattle products (beef and leather), other commodities, such as cocoa, rubber, coffee, and maize, are also cited as leading causes of illegal deforestation.

Researchers highlight the responsibility of consumers in the United States, China and EU, the main importers of these commodities.

"Producers of agricultural commodities need to reinforce their laws and stop illegal deforestation, but consumers internationally also have a role," said Blundell. "They need to make sure that what they buy is not linked to forest loss. If you're buying something from Brazil, for example, there is so much evidence it may be coming from deforestation."

Climate change and corruption

The authors point out, however, that illegality goes hand in hand with corrupt government systems, especially in Brazil and Indonesia.

In Brazil, illegality includes "impunity for deforestation in legal reserves and areas of permanent preservation, amnesty for land seizures, and the accelerated dismantling of environmental protections, since Jair Bolsonaro came to power," the report states.

Looking at the role forest clearing had in climate change, the report shows that emissions from illegal agro-conversion account for more than 2.7 gigatons of CO 2 per yearmore than India's emissions from fossil fuels in 2018.

"We cannot address climate change unless we address illegal deforestation, and we cannot address illegal deforestation without addressing commercial food," concluded Blundell.

Explore further Colombia lost forest area the size of Sao Paulo in 2019: report

More information: Illicit Harvest, Complicit Goods: The State Of Illegal Deforestation For

Agriculture - Illicit Harvest, Complicit Goods: The State Of Illegal Deforestation ForAgriculture - www.forest-trends.org/wp-conte  -Complicit-Goods.pdf

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Credit: CC0 Public Domain

From 1980 to 2016, grain production in Brazil increased more than fourfold, and the country now stands as the world's largest soybean exporter and the second largest exporter of corn. The two main drivers of this increase in food production were cropland expansion and double-cropping, harvesting two crops, such as corn and soybeans, from the same field in a single year.

While cropland expansion has long been recognized as one of the drivers behind the increase in Brazil's agricultural output, a new study published in Nature Food quantifies for the first time the impact that double-cropping also had on helping Brazil achieve its national grain boom.

Jing Gao, assistant professor of Geospatial Data Science in the University of Delaware's College of Earth, Ocean and Environment (CEOE) and Data Science Institute (DSI), was a co-author on the study that included collaborators from institutions in China and Brazil.

Gao contributed to the team efforts by examining agriculture census-related data gathered from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), and identifying spatial patterns and changes that occurred over time in three key agricultural regions with regards to food production: the Centre-West, Southeast-South, and Matopiba regions in Brazil.

"You don't know what is happening until you analyze data," said Gao. "This was the first time this unique dataset was analyzed from this angle to show how the system worked. Understanding how the boost in Brazil's grain productivity was achieved in the recent past provides insight for developing sustainable food production in the future."

These three regions covered 36% of Brazil's territory and accounted for 79% of the national soybean production and 85% of the country's corn production in 2016. The Centre-West area showed the biggest increases in production as well as cropland expansion. As such, the Centre-West displaced the Southeast-South as the dominant grain producer in the country, producing 46% of the nation's grain compared to 29% for the Southeast-South.

The increase in grain production in the Centre-West can be attributed to cropland expansion as well as double-cropping.

A new study published in Nature Food quantifies for the first time the impact that double-cropping had on helping Brazil achieve its national grain boom. Jing Gao, assistant professor of geospatial data science in the University of Delaware's College of Earth, Ocean and Environment (CEOE) and Data Science Institute (DSI), was a co-author on the study that included collaborators from institutions in China and Brazil. Credit: Tammy Beeson

Contributions from double-cropping in the Centre-West increased from 19% to 33% from 2003 to 2016. While the increase in soybean production was largely due to cropland expansionsoybean fields account for more than one-third of Brazil's croplandthe increase in corn production could be linked to the practice of double-cropping. In the Centre-West, the agricultural area for second season cornor the corn grown after the first season soybean is harvestedincreased from 26.3% to 66.6% from 2003 to 2016, and in 2012, the second season corn crop surpassed the corn grown during the first season as the main source of corn nationwide.

Tao Lin, from the College of Biosystems Engineering and Food Science at Zhejiang University in China and the corresponding author of the paper, said that it was interesting to see the agricultural developments in these regions had different approaches to agricultural expansion and double-cropping.

"The Centre-West region has experienced a rapid cropland expansion in the last few decades, and after the new cropland was created, farmers then decided to also increase the double-cropping area a lot," said Lin. "Meanwhile, the contribution of double-cropping in the Southeast-South region is over 50%, which has had a much higher impact than cropland expansion in recent times, because there is not much arable land remaining for further expansion in this commercial agricultural region."

The researchers also found that the strongest driver behind this rapid increase in grain production has been the rising demand for corn and soybean exports from Brazil on a global scale.

It is important to understand how double-cropping has helped a country like Brazil, which plays a critical role in the global food supply chain, increase its agricultural productivity while limiting the conversion of natural land for agricultural use and possibly helping offset some of the negative environmental impacts that might result from cropland expansion.

From 2003 to 2016, double-cropping in Brazil offset the equivalent of about 76.7 million hectares of arable land for corn production, that is, more than twice the annual harvested area of corn in the United States.

While not every country is growing food in an area of the world that is conducive or even possible for double-cropping, for other grain-growing pantropical countries, double-cropping could be a solution to increase grain production without expanding cropland over natural landscapes.

More information: Jialu Xu et al, Double cropping and cropland expansion boost grain production in Brazil, Nature Food (2021). Journal information: Nature Food Jialu Xu et al, Double cropping and cropland expansion boost grain production in Brazil,(2021). DOI: 10.1038/s43016-021-00255-3
Illustration of a supernova explosion. Such swirling masses of matter gave shape to the earliest forms of carbonprecursors to molecules some scientists say are connected to the synthesis of the earliest forms of life on Earth. Credit: NASA images/Shutterstock

For nearly half a century, astrophysicists and organic chemists have been on the hunt for the origins of C 6 H 6 , the benzene ringan elegant, hexagonal molecule comprised of 6 carbon and 6 hydrogen atoms.

Astrophysicists say that the benzene ring could be the fundamental building block of polycylic aromatic hydrocarbons or PAHs, the most basic materials formed from the explosion of dying, carbon-rich stars. That swirling mass of matter would eventually give shape to the earliest forms of carbonprecursors to molecules some scientists say are connected to the synthesis of the earliest forms of life on Earth.

Paradoxically, PAHs have a dark side, too. The industrial processes behind crude oil refineries and the inner-workings of gas-powered combustion engines can emit PAHs, which can snowball into toxic air pollutants like soot.

Exactly how the first benzene ring formed from stars in the early universeand how combustion engines trigger the chemical reaction that alters the benzene ring into soot particle pollutantshave long mystified scientists.

But now, researchers at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab), the University of Hawaii at Manoa, and Florida International University have demonstrated the first real-time measurement, using lab-based methods, of unstable particles called free radicals reacting under cosmic conditions, prompting elementary carbon and hydrogen atoms to coalesce into primal benzene rings.

The researchers say that their findings, recently published in the journal Science Advances, are key to understanding how the universe evolved with the growth of carbon compounds. That insight could also help the car industry make cleaner combustion engines.

A type of free radical called the propargyl radical (C 3 H 3 ) is extremely reactive due to its propensity for losing an electron, and has been implicated in soot formation for decades. Researchers believed that the recombination of two free propargyl radicals, C 3 H 3  + C 3 H 3 , gave rise to the first aromatic ring, benzene.

The current study is the first demonstration of the so-called "radical propargyl self-reaction" under astrochemical and combustion conditions. Using a high-temperature, coin-sized chemical reactor called the "hot nozzle," the researchers simulated the high-pressure, high-temperature environment inside a combustion engine as well as the hydrocarbon-rich atmosphere of Saturn's moon Titan, and observed the formation of isomersmolecules with the same chemical formula but different atomic structuresfrom two propargyl radicals leading up to the benzene ring.

The hot-nozzle technique, which co-senior author Musahid Ahmed, senior staff scientist in Berkeley Lab's Chemical Sciences Division, adapted 10 years ago at Berkeley Lab's Advanced Light Source (ALS) for synchrotron experiments, relies on vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) spectroscopy to detect individual isomers. The ALS is a type of particle accelerator known as a synchrotron that generates extremely bright beams of light ranging from infrared through X-rays.

The researchers steered the technique to arrest the propargyl radical self-reactionwhich unfolds within microsecondsjust before larger PAHs and subsequent soot form. The compelling result supports predictions from experiments led by co-senior author Ralf Kaiser, professor of chemistry at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, and quantum chemistry simulations formulated by co-senior author Alexander Mebel, professor of chemistry at Florida International University.

They believe that the finding could one day lead to cleaner combustion engines. Having more efficient gas engines, some analysts say, is still important, because it may take another 25 years before we can replace the entire fleet of gas cars with electric vehicles (EVs). Furthermore, equipping airplanes and the gas-powered component of hybrid plug-in EVs with cleaner combustion engines could help reduce CO 2 emissions contributing to climate change.

Ahmed said he plans to extend the methods employed to study PAH growth, and probe other systems of relevance to the DOE mission, such as water desalination and environmental science.

"We'd also like to go and catch a buckyball, C 60 , one of nature's biggest clues to the secrets behind symmetry," Ahmed said.

Kaiser added that their research could help astronomers plot a carbon map of the universe, and zero in on the cosmic origins behind DNA's carbon frameworks.

Explore further Study reveals 'radical' wrinkle in forming complex carbon molecules in space

More information: Long Zhao et al, Gas-phase synthesis of benzene via the propargyl radical self-reaction, Science Advances (2021). Journal information: Science Advances Long Zhao et al, Gas-phase synthesis of benzene via the propargyl radical self-reaction,(2021). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abf0360
A graphical illustration of the apatite remediation test to absorb uranium conducted by Sandia, Lawrence Berkeley and Pacific Northwest national laboratories researchers. Credit: Sandia National Laboratories

A team of researchers from Sandia, Lawrence Berkeley and Pacific Northwest national laboratories tested a "sponge-like" mineral that can "soak up" uranium at a former uranium mill near Rifle, Colorado.

The researchers found that the mineral, calcium apatite, soaks up and binds uranium from the groundwater, reducing it by more than ten-thousandfold.

"The apatite technology has successfully reduced the concentration of uranium, vanadium and molybdenum in the groundwater at the Rifle site," said Mark Rigali, the Sandia geochemist leading the project. "Moreover, the levels of uranium have remained below the Department of Energy's target concentration for more than three years."

The contaminated mill site near Rifle is about 180 miles west of Denver. Since 2002, the DOE's Office of Legacy Management has used the site to test a variety of different uranium-remediation technologies.

All forms of uranium are radioactive, and it is toxic when ingested. Molybdenum and vanadium, on the other hand, are beneficial at very, very low levels, but are toxic at high concentrations. While the Rifle test site is remote, there are thousands of sites around the world that are similarly contaminated with radioactive elements and heavy metals that threaten groundwater, surface water and food supplies.

Calcium apatite is a mineral commonly used in fertilizer and is also a major component of bones and teeth. The researchers formed a "sponge" in the ground by injecting two inexpensive and nontoxic chemicals, calcium citrate and sodium phosphate, into a well especially designed for injecting solutions underground at the former uranium mill.

Once in the ground, helpful soil bacteria ate the calcium citrate and excreted calcium in a form that allows it to rapidly react with the sodium phosphate to form calcium apatite, which coated sand and soil particles underground, forming the sponge. The apatite sponge captures contaminants, such as uranium, as it forms on the soil particles around the injection well, and afterward as the groundwater flows through the rough sponge. Once formed, the apatite is incredibly stable, and can hold onto captured contaminants for millennia.

Soaking up half of the periodic table

"The apatite-based approach for uranium remediation has been by far the most effective and long-lasting without any significant negative side effects," said Ken Williams, the environmental remediation and water resources program lead at Lawrence Berkeley. "It's basically been a win-win-win situation. The first win is the ease of operation with only one injection needed. The next win is uranium being removed to incredibly low levels. The third win is the lack of significant deleterious consequences."

Williams has been testing different uranium remediation techniques at the Rifle site for more than a decade, since he was a graduate student. As a student, he was involved in a project at the site where they fed soil bacteria vinegar to remediate uranium that had some unfortunate side effects.

Mark Rigali, a Sandia National Laboratories geochemist, left front, presents the apatite remediation technology to legacy management stakeholders during a demonstration at the former uranium mill near Rifle, Colorado in 2019. Ken Williams, the Lawrence Berkeley environmental remediation program lead, stands behind him and observes. Credit: Tashina Jasso, DOE Legacy Management

The apatite remediation technology was invented by former Sandia chemical engineer Robert Moore. It has been used at the DOE's Hanford Site in southeastern Washington state to protect the Columbia River from strontium-90, another radioactive isotope.

Geologists know that apatite can capture elements from more than half of the periodic table of elements, Rigali said, but the team conducted initial laboratory-based tests to confirm apatite would bind dissolved uranium. These tests were conducted by Jim Szecsody, a geochemist at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.

In addition to reducing the amount of uranium in groundwater more than ten-thousandfold, Williams and Rigali found that the apatite reduced the amount of vanadium by more than a hundredfold. Vanadium is another contaminant left over from uranium milling, along with molybdenum, selenium and arsenic. Auspiciously, the apatite-based remediation technology captures these other toxic chemicals too, they said.

The future of apatite remediation

Computer modeling by Sandia geoscientist Pat Brady suggests that the uranium will remain contained within the apatite mineral for tens of thousands of yearspossibly longer than the mill site flood plain will remain in its current location adjacent to the Colorado River, Rigali said.

Williams will continue measuring the amount of contaminants in the groundwater downstream of the apatite sponge every month until the sponge is "full." This will allow the research team to learn how much uranium and other contaminants the apatite can hold, and when the sponge would need to be "refreshed" with more apatite, he said.

The apatite technology is being considered for use at several other contaminated locations, both federally managed and privately owned, said Rigali. Also increasing the potential applicability of apatite remediation is the fact that it can be "tuned" to capture different contaminants of concern including lead and arsenic.

"The apatite family of minerals is very large," he added. "And they all have varying abilities to capture and store contaminants. You can literally tune the structure of apatite to go after specific contaminants of concern."

Copper apatite, for example, is a great sponge for arsenic.

"This has been one of the most rewarding projects that I've gotten to work on at Sandia," Rigali said. "It's great to have these types of opportunities because you feel like you're doing something that is solving a problem and making a difference. I know this technology could be used at dozens of sites for uranium remediation."

Explore further An 'apatite' for radionuclides
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Monotremes are among the world's strangest animals, mixing mammalian and reptilian characteristics in the one creature.

When British scientists in the 18th Century first saw a platypus they dismissed it as a hoax. Eventually, a new group of mammals had to be created to account for the platypus and its fellow monotremesthe four different species of echidnas.

Even today, they remain the least understood group of living mammals.

Monotremes are the only egg-laying mammals, but they also have a number of other unique reproductive characteristics.

For the males, their testes never descend, they have no scrotum, when not in use, their penis is stored internally and their ejaculate contains bundles of up to 100 sperm that swim cooperatively until they reach the egg.

In most other species, sperm swim individually and it's every sperm for themselves.

Unlike other mammals, the monotreme penis is used only for mating and never carries urine.

The echidnas penis is stored internally when not in use. Credit: Jane Fenelon

Among echidna females, in addition to laying an egg, the pouch where they nurse their young is only a temporary structure and develops by the thickening of the lateral margins around the abdominal region that surrounds the mammary glands.

But perhaps what is most bizarre about the echidna penis is that it has four heads, which are actually rosette-like glans at the end. Only two of these four glans ever become functional during erection and which glans are functional appears to alternate between subsequent erections.

Exactly how echidnas do this has always been a mystery. But for the first time we have untangled what is going on anatomically, with the results now published in the journal Sexual Development.

Our research is a collaborative project involving scientists from the University of Melbourne, University of Queensland and Monash University, but most crucial to the work has been the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary on the Gold Coast, which has established a small breeding colony of echidnas.

Around 50 injured echidnas are brought to the wildlife hospital at Currumbin every year, the majority from road accidents. Unfortunately, many of these echidnas are hurt beyond recovery and have to be euthanised. It's these animals we used for the study, but we were also able to observe a tame echidna.

To understand the mechanisms at work we used microCT (Computer Tomography) scanning in combination with microscopy techniques. A normal CT scan, which uses computer technology to make 3D images from X-rays, only picks up mineralised (hard) tissue, but by staining the penis with iodine we could pick up the soft tissue details.

This meant we could create a 3D model of the whole echidna penis and its important internal structures in order to see how it operates.

Most mammals have a single urethral tube which carries the semen to the penis tip. The echidna urethra starts as a single tube, but toward the end of the penis it splits into two and each of these then splits againresulting in each of the four branches ending up at one of the four glans.

The penis has four heads, or glans. Credit: Jane Fenelon

Initially, we thought we'd find some sort of valve mechanism on the urethra when it first started branching to control the one-sided action seen in our tame echidna. Instead, we found that the erectile tissues that make up the echidna's penis are a very unusual.

All mammalian penises consist of two erectile tissues, the corpus cavernosum and the corpus spongiosum. The main role of the corpus cavernosum is to fill up with blood and maintain an erection. The corpus spongiosum also fills up with blood, but its main role is to ensure that the urethral tube remains open at erection so that semen can pass through.

In most other mammals, both the corpus cavernosum and the corpus spongiosum start off as two separate tissues at the base of the penis but then the corpora spongiosa merge into one.

In the echidna, the corpora cavernosoa merge into one structure and the corpora spongiosa remains as two separate structures.

Furthermore, we found that the major blood vessel of the penis also splits into four branches following the branching of the urethra.

In effect, this means that the end of the echidna penis acts like two separate glans penises. Blood flow can be directed down one side of the corpus spongiosum or the other to control which half becomes erect and which branch of the urethra remains open.

We're not sure exactly why they only use two glans at any one time. It's possible that it's to do with male competition for females. By alternating the use of each side our tame echidna can ejaculate 10 times without significant pause, potentially allowing him to out-mate less efficient males.

Superficially, the platypus penis looks very differentnot only does it have only two heads (or glans), but, the entire penis is covered with distinct keratinous spines. However, the internal structures appear very similar to those in the echidna.

Currently, we don't have any data on what an erect platypus penis looks like so we don't know if they use both at the same time.

The echidna penis is very unusual amongst mammals.

Some marsupials like the bilby also have a split urethra, but these split into two branches only and, in these species, it's the corpora cavernosum that separates into two structures when the urethra splits.

Previous studies had suggested that the echidna resembled some snakes and lizards which have hemipenes (split penises). However, we found that the echidna penis had some similarities to those of crocodiles and turtles. For example, some turtles have a five glans penis, which appears to have a similar internal anatomy.

There's some evidence that the penis in all amniotes (reptiles, birds and mammals) has the same evolutionary origin. Our study shows that while the echidna penis is mammalian in originit has some evolutionary innovations all of its own.

This is probably because they don't need to use their penis for urine, so they didn't have the evolutionary constraints of other mammals to stick to the standard penis design.

Regardless, the echidna penis functions efficiently to transfer sperm directly to the female reproductive tract.

Explore further Breeding study could save endangered longbeaked echidna

More information: Jane C. Fenelon et al, The Unique Penile Morphology of the Short-Beaked Echidna, Tachyglossus aculeatus, Sexual Development (2021). Jane C. Fenelon et al, The Unique Penile Morphology of the Short-Beaked Echidna,(2021). DOI: 10.1159/000515145 S. D. Johnston et al, OneSided Ejaculation of Echidna Sperm Bundles, The American Naturalist (2007). DOI: 10.1086/522847 Journal information: American Naturalist
The scientific basis for this initiative was led by marine biologist Hector M. Guzman, from the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI). Credit: Sean Mattson

On June 8, World Oceans Day, the President of Panama, Laurentino Cortizo, signed an executive decree that expands the limits of the Cordillera de Coiba protected area, a step that will double the amount of Panamanian marine surface that is under some degree of protection. The scientific basis for this initiative was a multidisciplinary effort led by marine biologist Hector M. Guzman, from the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI), with the participation of MigraMar Foundation and Panama's Ministry of the Environment (MiAmbiente). This white paper was funded by the Wyss and Mission Blue foundations.

In 2015, the government of Panama established the Cordillera de Coiba protected area, composed of 17,223.52 square kilometers (about 6,650 square miles). In January of this year, the country joined the High Ambition Coalition (HAC) for Nature and People with the commitment to support the "30x30 Initiative," which seeks to protect at least 30% of the world's land and marine surface by the year 2030.

To determine the new limits, the consulting team analyzed oceanographic data obtained through satellite sensors. With the expansion, Panama adds 50,518.84 square kilometers (about 19,505 square miles) to the Coiba protected area, reaching a total of 98,228.25 square kilometers (about 37,916 square miles) of marine protected areas throughout the country and achieving the goal of the 30x30 Initiative nine years ahead of schedule. This will bring the country closer to several important environmental objectives for the area, which has unique characteristics.

The expansion will protect a series of underwater mountain ranges that are home to species exclusive to those depths and that are still unknown to science due to the great difficulty in studying them. The areas where migratory marine species circulate will also be better preserved. At least 14 species of marine mammals use the area, 12 of which are threatened, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, including the blue whale, the sperm whale and the fin whale.

Aerial view of Coiba Island, Panama. Credit: Sean Mattson

A system for monitoring, control and surveillance of illegal fishing will also be established with the collaboration of the Blue Nature Alliance and Skylight. The sustainable use of natural resources in the area will be promoted, such as selective fishing, to reduce the incidence of accidental fishing of species important to the health of the oceans.

The expansion will also strengthen the management of neighboring protected areas and connectivity with other marine protected areas of the Eastern Tropical Pacific Marine Corridor, such as Malpelo and Gorgona (Colombia), Coco (Costa Rica) and the Galapagos Islands (Ecuador). Further, it will help increase scientific research on marine biodiversity, the conservation status of species, migrations, upwelling processes, the effects of climate change, among others.

By expanding the Cordillera de Coiba Marine Protected Area, Panama reaffirms its commitment to the conservation of marine and terrestrial ecosystems. Credit: Sean Mattson

"STRI is proud to be part of this historic moment where Panama reaches the 30x30 goal, and reaffirms its commitment to the conservation of marine and terrestrial ecosystems," said Oris I. Sanjur, acting director of STRI. "As a scientific institution, we are pleased to know that the country is advancing important actions, using scientific knowledge as the basis for decision making. Our gratitude and congratulations to President Cortizo and to the Panamanian people for such an important achievement in protecting natural resources for the future generations of Panama and the world."

"By expanding the Cordillera de Coiba Marine Protected Area, the government of Panama is not just taking bold action to safeguard the region's exceptional wildlife and biodiversity, but also strengthening Panama's robust ocean-based economy, and establishing itself as a global ocean conservation leader," said Wyss Foundation President Molly McUsic. "Thank you and congratulations to President Cortizo, Minister Concepcion and the people of Panama for permanently protecting this remarkable place and charting the course to 30% for other countries to follow."

Explore further Protected areas cover a sixth of Earth's land and freshwater
Artist's impression of UQ's new quantum microscope in action. Credit: The University of Queensland

In a major scientific leap, University of Queensland researchers have created a quantum microscope that can reveal biological structures that would otherwise be impossible to see.

This paves the way for applications in biotechnology, and could extend far beyond this into areas ranging from navigation to medical imaging.

The microscope is powered by the science of quantum entanglement, an effect Einstein described as "spooky interactions at a distance".

Professor Warwick Bowen, from UQ's Quantum Optics Lab and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Engineered Quantum Systems (EQUS), said it was the first entanglement-based sensor with performance beyond the best possible existing technology.

"This breakthrough will spark all sorts of new technologiesfrom better navigation systems to better MRI machines, you name it," Professor Bowen said.

"Entanglement is thought to lie at the heart of a quantum revolution.

"We've finally demonstrated that sensors that use it can supersede existing, non-quantum technology.

"This is excitingit's the first proof of the paradigm-changing potential of entanglement for sensing."

Australia's Quantum Technologies Roadmap sees quantum sensors spurring a new wave of technological innovation in healthcare, engineering, transport and resources.

UQ team researchers (counter-clockwise from bottom-left) Caxtere Casacio, Warwick Bowen, Lars Madsen and Waleed Muhammad aligning the quantum microscope. Credit: The University of Queensland

A major success of the team's quantum microscope was its ability to catapult over a 'hard barrier' in traditional light-based microscopy.

UQ team researchers (counter-clockwise from bottom-left) Caxtere Casacio, Warwick Bowen, Lars Madsen and Waleed Muhammad aligning the quantum microscope.

"The best light microscopes use bright lasers that are billions of times brighter than the sun," Professor Bowen said.

"Fragile biological systems like a human cell can only survive a short time in them and this is a major roadblock.

"The quantum entanglement in our microscope provides 35 percent improved clarity without destroying the cell, allowing us to see minute biological structures that would otherwise be invisible.

"The benefits are obviousfrom a better understanding of living systems, to improved diagnostic technologies."

Professor Bowen said there were potentially boundless opportunities for quantum entanglement in technology.

UQ's quantum microscope, ready to zero in on previously impossible-to-see biology. Credit: The University of Queensland

"Entanglement is set to revolutionize computing, communication and sensing," he said.

"Absolutely secure communication was demonstrated some decades ago as the first demonstration of absolute quantum advantage over conventional technologies.

"Computing faster than any possible conventional computer was demonstrated by Google two years ago, as the first demonstration of absolute advantage in computing.

"The last piece in the puzzle was sensing, and we've now closed that gap.

"This opens the door for some wide-ranging technological revolutions."

The research is published in Nature.

Explore further Quantum holds the key to secure conference calls
The anti-aging compound rapamycin influences DNA winding. Credit: Hanna Salmonowicz, Monney Medical Media, 2021

Our genetic material is stored in our cells in a specific way to make the meter-long DNA molecule fit into the tiny cell nucleus of each body cell. An international team of researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Biology of Aging, the CECAD Cluster of Excellence in Aging Research at the University of Cologne, the University College London and the University of Michigan have now been able to show that rapamycin, a well-known anti-aging candidate, targets gut cells specifically to alter the way of DNA storage inside these cells, and thereby promotes gut health and longevity. This effect has been observed in flies and mice. The researchers believe this finding will open up new possibilities for targeted therapeutic interventions against aging.

Our genetic material lies in the form of DNA in every cell nucleus of our body cells. In humans, this DNA molecule is two meters longyet it fits into the cell nucleus, which is only a few micrometers in size. This is possible because the DNA is precisely stored. To do this, it is wound several times around certain proteins known as histones. How tightly the DNA is wound around the histones also determines which genes can be read from our genome. In many species, the amount of histones changes with age. Until now, however, it has been unclear whether changes in cellular histone levels could be utilized to improve the aging process in living organisms.

A well-known anti-aging compound with a new target

The drug rapamycin recently became one of the most promising anti-aging substances and shows positive effects on health in old age. "Rapamycin turns down the TOR signaling pathway that regulates a wide spectrum of basic cellular activities such as energy, nutritional and stress status. In short, we use rapamycin to fine-tune the master regulator of cellular metabolism," explains Yu-Xuan Lu, postdoc in the department of Linda Partridge and first author of the study. "Meanwhile, we know that histone levels have a critical impact on the aging process. However, we had no idea whether there is a link between the TOR signaling pathway and histone levels, and more importantly, whether histone levels could be a druggable anti-aging target."

To study the effect of rapamycin on histone proteins, the researchers analyzed various organs of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. "We looked in different tissues and organs of the fly for noticeable changes in histone levels before and after treatment with rapamycin; this means before and after switching off the TOR signaling pathway," explains Yu-Xuan Lu. "Surprisingly, we observed an increase in histone proteins after rapamycin treatment. This effect occurred exclusively in the gut of the flies, but not in other tissues."

In further experiments, Yu-Xuan Lu and his colleagues were able to show that the increased levels of certain histone proteins in a specific gut cell type called enterocytes reduced tumor growth, improved gut health and extended lifespan of the animals. Similar observations were made in mouse gut enterocytes after rapamycin treatment.

"Our results show for the first time a link between the TOR signaling pathway and histone levels that determines longevity," says Yu-Xuan Lu. "The increased levels of histone proteins subsequently change how the DNA is stored in the nucleus. The fact that we were also able to make similar observations in mice shows that this is a widespread mechanism." Looking ahead to future experiments, he adds, "Given the central role of histones on DNA storage in the cell, this finding not only broadens our knowledge on the aging process, but also provides new possibilities for targeted therapeutic interventions against aging."

Explore further Protein can release trapped histones in the cell

More information: Yu-Xuan Lu et al, A TORC1-histone axis regulates chromatin organisation and non-canonical induction of autophagy to ameliorate ageing, eLife (2021). Journal information: eLife Yu-Xuan Lu et al, A TORC1-histone axis regulates chromatin organisation and non-canonical induction of autophagy to ameliorate ageing,(2021). DOI: 10.7554/eLife.62233
Credit: University of Geneva

Researchers at the University of Geneva (UNIGE) demonstrate that innovative projects spearheaded by United Nations (UN) country offices are remodeling the institution and expanding its role. Digital initiatives, particularly those scaled through headquarters, were shown to have the strongest impact, changing ways of working, embedding new skills, and restructuring teams across the UN. These findings, published in the Journal of Management Studies, highlight that fostering even single innovative projects could lead to fundamental transformations in the UN.

How do International Organizations build innovation capabilities through intrapreneurship and entrepreneurial behavior? To answer this question, researchers Tina Ambos and Katherine Tatarinov of the Geneva School of Economics and Management (GSEM) at the UNIGE looked at how innovative projects, particularly those born in country offices, are changing the institutional system in a sustainable way.

The role of digital technology

In one of the case studies conducted for this research, a refugee cash transfer initiative using blockchain widened the responsible UN body's role from 'ending poverty and hunger' to that more closely resembling a fintech company or development bank. By providing a platform for aid delivery, the organization is now helping its partners bypass unstable third-parties and save on transaction costs. "Such new activities often stretch the original mission of the organization," explains Ambos, professor of international management at GSEM and director of the i2i Hub for Innovation and Cross-Sector Partnerships. "The use of blockchain could spread across the entire UN system, changing the ways of working and increasing transparency."

Sensitive data on vulnerable groups held by the UN often means that digital innovation cannot be outsourced. This results in the organization upgrading its institutional knowledge and creating new teams to manage digital projects, which were found to have the biggest impact on how the UN operates overall. "Other skills have also been internalized, such as technical skills and human-centered design approaches," says co-author and Ph.D. student Tatarinov. "After learning in one context, the UN was able to test different technologies in its sites of operation according to local needs without depending on external experts."

Innovation units were found to be key in helping the UN scale initiatives by driving forward dynamic solutions. Such units nurture initiatives through boot camps, cross-sectoral connections, helping teams overcome internal barriers, and broadcasting new learnings to the entire organization. The UN also involves local people to ensure sustainability and maximize social impact. End-users, such as refugees, are often active members of development teams, helping ensure that projects 'do no harm."

The power of bottom-up innovation

Innovations often start life in UN country offices, where staff need to respond quickly to unfolding crises. To circumvent slow central procedures, in-country innovators may decide not to involve the headquarters. Good ideas then spread from country to country, such as an anonymous SMS polling tool designed to gauge opinions on taboo topics in remote communities. "The idea grew organically, as other country offices could see the value of access to data on taboo topics," says Ambos. Such country-level innovations can achieve scale and have been shown to change the organization's culture when digital technology is involved.

Innovation champions at the country level are willing to employ workarounds to avoid head office bureaucracy, because they are motivated to solve an urgent problemrather than by internal rewards or recognition. They are therefore able to access funds and forge partnerships which may have been disregarded by the large, centralized machinery of the UN, but which nevertheless align with broader organizational values.

"Strict hierarchies, risk-averse donors, and lengthy sign-off processes can stifle ideas, yet international organizations need to innovate to stay relevant," says co-author Tatarinov. "Greater public scrutiny, funding challenges, and the push towards digital means that bodies like the UN need to reinvent themselvestheir culture, identity, and management styles. By becoming more responsive and fostering innovative ideas, they can better achieve their missions and our shared global goals." The study findings show that the seed from one good idea can grow throughout a complex organization like the UN, changing it from the inside, and creating new space for enterprising ideas to flourish.

Explore further Few public-sector employees can contribute significantly to reaching sustainability goals

More information: Tina C. Ambos et al, Building Responsible Innovation in International Organizations through Intrapreneurship, Journal of Management Studies (2021). Journal information: Journal of Management Studies Tina C. Ambos et al, Building Responsible Innovation in International Organizations through Intrapreneurship,(2021). DOI: 10.1111/joms.12738
The protected designation of origin (PDO) status should help rooibos growers in South Africa's Cederberg region with consumers.

Like champagne, roquefort and Kalamata olives, South Africa's world-famous rooibos tea has been added to a European Union list of protected agricultural products and foodstuffs, an industry official said Wednesday.

The protected designation of origin (PDO) status, assigned to the tea or "red bush" late last month, means only leaves cultivated in South Africa's southeast Cederberg region can be sold as "rooibos" in EU countries and several others outside the bloc.

The PDO statusmeant to protect the name and authenticity of unique geographically-linked productswill allow producers to limit competition from a growing range of non-genuine rooibos teas that have appeared amid rising demand for the caffeine free, antioxidant-rich brew.

"It gives us the ability to market rooibos much more aggressively," South African Rooibos Council director Nicie Vorster told AFP on Wednesday.

The application for a special label was made a decade ago and marks a major "win" for the industry, he added.

South Africa produces an average of 15,000 tonnes of Rooibos per year, according to the council, mainly in the Cederberg's rocky mountain range.

The reddish, needle-shaped leaves are brewed into a sweet earthy drink widely popular among locals.

Rooibos leaves are also mixed with other teas for aromatic infusions, fitted into coffee capsules to make "red cappuccinos" and used as a base for beauty products.

Touted for its health benefits, rooibos has gained international popularity over the past two decades.

South Africa now exports around half its production in loose bulk to Japan, Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom among others.

Vorster said the Rooibos Council was now planning to approach the World Trade Organization to extend the tea's newly-found protection to the global market.

The EU "win puts us in a good step to achieve this," he said.

Explore further S.Africa excess deaths nearly triple official virus fatalities

 2021 AFP
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A Lusitanian toadfish (Halobatrachus didactylus) at low tide in the Tagus estuary, Portugal. Credit: Clara Amorim

During spring, Lusitanian toadfish (Halobatrachus didactylus) suitors form choirs in Portugal's Tagus estuary to serenade the females, vibrating their swim bladders to produce a call, known as a boatwhistle, which sounds like a vibrating cell phone. The males also listen in on each other to check whether anyone is intruding on their territory. But sadly, their performances are no longer conducted in hushed reverence. Revving motorboats and churning ferry propellors and engines fill the water with unwelcome noise, which made Clara Amorim, Daniel Alves, Manuel Vieira and Paulo Fonseca, from the Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal, wonder whether human noise pollution is playing havoc with the garrulous fish's ability to communicate. They publish their discovery that toadfish serenades are being drowned out by water traffic that also disrupts their ability to croon together in Journal of Experimental Biology.

'We had previously measured how far toadfishes could communicate with each other', says Alves, who worked with local fisherman to collect the vocal fish. Once the fish were comfortable in the lab, Alves and Fonseca tested their hearing by playing boatwhistleswhich had been recorded at distances from 0.1-15 mwhile logging the fishes' brainwaves as they listened to the sound against a silent background. Then, the duo added the whine of an outboard motor or a rumbling ferryboat and rechecked the brainwaves, to find out whether the fish were still able to hear the serenades.

Unfortunately, the outboard motor almost completely drowned out the recordings of the males. One boatwhistle that had been clear up to 10.4 m away in absolute silence became inaudible over distances of more than 2.5 m and the range of another toadfish rumble fell to just 2.0 m. However, the ferryboat seemed to have less of an impact on the toadfishes' hearing, cutting the range over which one boatwhistle could be heard by 4 m, to 6.3 m, while the other, which had been so badly affected by the outboard motor, could be heard over slightly longer distances (6.7 m). Water traffic is clearly affecting the ability of these vocal fish to hear one another, but does the sound of passing vessels affect how harmonising toadfish croon together?

To find out, Vieira, Amorim and Fonseca crossed the Tagus to a quiet toadfish breeding ground, providing the serenading residents with 12 custom-built concrete nests, each equipped with an underwater microphone to record their boatwhistles as they settled into duetting with nearby males to attract females. In peaceful waters, the neighbours coordinated well, slightly advancing or delaying their responses to each other's calls depending on their proximity. However, when the scientists played recordings of passing ferries and motorboats to the courting males, the toadfishes' coordination broke down entirely, with serenading duetters interjecting more randomly between their neighbour's timed rumbles.

'These results demonstrate that boat noise can severely reduce the distance at which the Lusitanian toadfish can communicate and affect how they produce sounds in their choruses', says Vieira, who warns that noisy human water traffic could dramatically affect the Lusitanian toadfish's love life.

Explore further Study confirms Ultra Music Festival likely stressful to fish

More information: Daniel Alves et al, Boat noise interferes with Lusitanian toadfish acoustic communication, Journal of Experimental Biology (2021). Journal information: Journal of Experimental Biology Daniel Alves et al, Boat noise interferes with Lusitanian toadfish acoustic communication,(2021). DOI: 10.1242/jeb.234849
Credit: University of Tsukuba

Holographic displays help add a three-dimensionaland thus more life-likefeel to what would otherwise appear as a two-dimensional image. Now, researchers in Japan have tested how this may work on a supramolecular level; such tests could lead to improved displays.

Commonly, one cannot overlay a certain type of molecular component that underlies helically arranged liquid crystals onto their molecular mirror images, much like a person cannot overlay their two hands and have them match up exactly without flipping one over. Molecules with this property are described as "chiral." Some materials make use of the principle of chirality to rotate light in a plane perpendicular to the direction of the light wave, known as circular polarization. Understanding how such materials work may help researchers develop, for example, advanced holography or optical coding.

Researchers have long postulated that helical molecular assemblies, upon being illuminated, emit circularly polarized light in a spatially anisotropic manner that depends on the three-dimensional morphology and orientation of the assemblies. However, this orientation presumption hasn't been conclusively tested on a molecular level. Doing so should help researchers develop improved displays and better understand the optical principles that underlie such displays.

In a study recently published in Journal of the American Chemical Society, researchers from the University of Tsukuba demonstrated the spatial distribution of circularly polarized light emitted from a micro-spherical molecular assembly composed of a chiral polymer.

"The constituent polymers spontaneously aggregate with each other in a helical manner with a micro-spherical morphology just by slow diffusion of methanol vapor into a chloroform solution of the chiral polymer," explains Professor Yohei Yamamoto, senior author. "This is essential to imparting maximum macroscopic order to the polymer assemblies, which is unattainable in solution or thin-film states."

Polarized optical microscopy imaging of the microparticles revealed the helical, or spiral-like, structure. From these microscopic observations, the team deduced that the atomic-scale chirality of the polymer defined the "handedness" or direction of the spiral texture of the microparticles. Picking up a single microparticle and observing it while rotating it in various ways confirmed this deduction.

"The spatial distribution of the circularly polarized fluorescence from individual particles substantially lacks rotational symmetry," says Professor Yamamoto. "This is attributable to the three-dimensionally anisotropic molecular stacking of the polymer that constitutes the microparticles."

Biological organisms frequently use helical stacking to fold proteins or nucleic acidsbiological polymers. Such folding may be useful in computer algorithms, drug delivery, and other technologies. Researchers could be inspired by the findings reported here to incorporate three-dimensional color readout into nano-scale objects. In the meantime, researchers now have a new versatile tool for studying how one can use molecular structure to enhance the spatial properties of computer displays, lasers, and other everyday technologies.

Explore further Highly sensitive detection of circularly polarized light without a filter

More information: Osamu Oki et al, Robust Angular Anisotropy of Circularly Polarized Luminescence from a Single Twisted-Bipolar Polymeric Microsphere, Journal of the American Chemical Society (2021). Journal information: Journal of the American Chemical Society Osamu Oki et al, Robust Angular Anisotropy of Circularly Polarized Luminescence from a Single Twisted-Bipolar Polymeric Microsphere,(2021). DOI: 10.1021/jacs.1c03185
Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

Researchers from York University and the University of British Columbia have found social media use to be one of the factors related to the spread of COVID-19 within dozens of countries during the early stages of the pandemic.

The researchers say this finding resembles other examples of social media misinformation ranging from the initial phase of vaccine rollout to the 2021 Capitol riot in the United States.

Countries with high social media use leading to off-line political action prior to the pandemic, as surveyed before the pandemic by V-Dem (a database from the University of Gothenburg), showed the strongest trend toward a high R0an indicator of how many secondary infections one infected individual is likely to causeand a faster initial spread of the virus. For example, Canada when compared to the United States had a lower level of social media use leading to off-line action and a lower R0. A set of multiple factors, including social media, could explain the different outcomes between the two countries, although the findings do not imply causation.

"What we found was surprising, that the use of social media to organize off-line action tended to be associated with a higher spread rate of COVID-19. This highlights the need to consider the dynamic role that social media plays in epidemics," says Assistant Professor Jude Kong of York University's Faculty of Science, who led the research with University of British Columbia Postdoctoral Fellow Edward Tekwa.

The research team examined national level demographic, disease, economic, habitat, health, social and environmental characteristics that existed before the pandemic across 58 countries, including Ghana, Canada and the United States. They broke those characteristics down into covariates and analyzed which ones had the strongest associations with vulnerability to the virus before government interventions were put in place.

"The world has changed to modify R0. Social media, for example, could help rather than hurt now that we have more reliable information to pass around. But some of the factors identified in our research have not changed and could be informative for the current and future pandemics," says Tekwa.

Kong and Tekwa found a country with an intermediate number of youth (between the ages of 20 and 34), an intermediate GINI inequality factor (the amount of income inequality across a population), and a population that primarily lives in cities of more than one million people were three additional factors with the strongest relationship to the rate of spread.

"We found that with a lower youth population, the spreading was very low, while a country with an intermediate level of youth population had the highest rate of spreading of COVID-19," says Kong of the Department of Mathematics & Statistics. "Interestingly, we found that as the youth population increases, it was associated with a lower number of cases, rather than a higher number."

Pollution, temperature, and humidity did not have a strong relationship with R0. The overall goal was to find baseline epidemiological differences across countries, shape future COVID-19 research, and better understand infectious disease transmission.

What's Next?

"Different countries have different characteristics that predispose them to greater vulnerability," says Kong. "When we are looking to compare COVID-19 progression among countries, we need to take into account those pre-existing country characteristics. The reason being is that if you just do a simple analysis the result will be misleading."

Understanding the initial phase will help account for pre-existing, intrinsic differences, as regions try to identify their own best management strategy going forward. Kong says they are already using this data to inform policymakers in Africa about which communities are most vulnerable.The paper was published today in the journal PLOS ONE.

Explore further Why countries best placed to handle the pandemic appear to have fared worst

More information: Jude Dzevela Kong et al, Social, economic, and environmental factors influencing the basic reproduction number of COVID-19 across countries, PLOS ONE (2021). Journal information: PLoS ONE Jude Dzevela Kong et al, Social, economic, and environmental factors influencing the basic reproduction number of COVID-19 across countries,(2021). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0252373
Certain species of trees in the mountains of Southwest Mexico could be more vulnerable to climate change. Credit: Meredith Martin

A new study found certain species of pine and oaks in the mountains of southwestern Mexico could be more vulnerable to decline as the environment becomes hotter and drier due to climate change.

The findings, published in the journal Ecosphere, will be important as land managers seek to conserve and protect vulnerable species in these forests in Oaxaca, Mexico, and around the world.

"We have pine-oak forests in North Carolina, in the Himalayas, in the Mediterranean and all over the world," said the study's first author Meredith Martin, assistant professor of forestry and environmental resources at NC State. "We wanted to get more information about how to manage and regenerate both pine and oak trees, which are both really ecologically and economically important."

The Abstract spoke with Martin about the study, which was conducted in Oaxaca, Mexico:

TA: Why did you study this forest in Mexico?

This forest, which is in the mountains in the Sierra Norte region of Southwest Mexico, specifically in Oaxaca, is managed by a Zapotec Indigenous community. It's managed primarily for commercial timber, but they also harvest a good deal of oak for charcoal and firewood, which they use and also sell commercially. All the profits return to the community.

This area is also really ecologically interesting. It's a center of diversity for oak species and for pine species. So there's enormous diversity in both groups.

TA: What was your key finding about tree diversity there?

Martin: We looked at where the tree species were in the elevation gradient within the mountains, what type of soils they were growing at, what type of slopes, and whether they were located on hotter, drier, northern facing slopes or cooler, southern facing slopes. We found clusters of species that are more likely to be found in different conditions.

We found that these clusters of species seemed to be primarily differentiated by high, middle and low elevations, and some separated based on soil. I suspect that some of those soil differences correlate with prior land usesuch as people burning, especially at those lower elevation areas to grow crops, and then letting it grow back to forest. It's really valuable to include human use and human disturbance in ecological research.

TA: You also reported you found a really unique pattern in terms of oak species. What was that the pattern?

Martin: We found a pattern where distantly related oak species were growing together. More often than not, we found white oaks and red oaks growing together rather than just white oaks in one area and just red oaks in another area.

One possibility is that these lineages are different enough that they have the ability to take advantage of different aspects of the environment, like poor versus richer soils, wetter versus drier areas, tolerance for sun or shade, or timing for fruiting and flowering. They fill different niches. They can grow in the same area without butting heads.

TA: What were your findings for how these species could be affected by climate change?

Martin: We found two species, one pine, Pinus hartwegii, and one oak, Quercus crassifolia, that are found at the highest elevations. When you're thinking about climate change, there's the concern that as everything gets warmer, there's a limit to how far up slope they can migrate. Eventually, the mountain stops and there's a limit to where they can go.

These were two species that we think are particularly vulnerable to future changes, especially if they're already in these drier, steeper slopes. As the droughts get more intense, that's something that threatens them even more.

TA: Were there any species that will do well amid climate change?

Martin: We found some species that seemed to be doing very well. This could be a really resilient species that managers could continue to focus on.

Quercus obtusata is an example of an oak species that's a generalist in many ways. It was found on quite a range of elevations, and growing closely with number of different types of trees. In some of the other studies looking at climate adaptations of oaks, it is believed to be very tolerant of future climate change. But the story is also complicated here in that la the people that I talked to said they don't harvest it because the wood burns really badly. It's possible that it can grow across habitats, but it also doesn't hurt that it's not being cut down.

It's really important when we're thinking about climate change and management to always remember that these different forces are interacting. You have the innate ability of the species to withstand climate change, but you also have past and current management practices, which can have a huge impact.

Explore further Tree choices important for addressing climate change

More information: Meredith P. Martin et al, Diversity and niche differentiation of a mixed pineoak forest in the Sierra Norte, Oaxaca, Mexico, Ecosphere (2021). Journal information: Ecosphere Meredith P. Martin et al, Diversity and niche differentiation of a mixed pineoak forest in the Sierra Norte, Oaxaca, Mexico,(2021). DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3475
Unexplained aerial phenomena, such as this sighting recorded by U.S. Navy pilots, are the subject of an upcoming Congressionally-mandated report. Credit: U.S. Department of Defense

This month, a Pentagon task force will release a long-awaited report that dug into a topic typically relegated to science fiction movies and tabloid magazines: unidentified flying objects, or UFOs.

It's a nostalgic subject for Carol Cleland, a professor in the Department of Philosophy at CU Boulder. When she was a girl growing up in Arizona, Cleland was fascinated by UFO reports, which she clipped from newspapers and magazines and kept in a scrapbook.

Cleland gave up her UFO hobby long ago, but she is still dedicated to the search for life beyond Earth. She has spent decades working with scientists in the field of astrobiologywhich has laid the groundwork for humans to hunt for living (mostly microbial) organisms at locations like Mars and the icy moons Europa and Enceladus. Cleland is currently an affiliate of the California-based Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) Institute and directs CU Boulder's Center for the Study of Origins.

Her most recent work focuses on how scientific discovery has, throughout history, hinged on anomaliesor phenomena that "shouldn't be there" or that researchers can't explain in terms of our current understanding of the world.

Cleland sat down with CU Boulder Today to talk about the upcoming UFO report and why scientists should take weird and mysterious observations seriously.

Can you tell me about your own early interest in UFOs?

In middle and high school, I devoured science fiction novels: Isaac Asimov, Ursula K. Le Guin and others. That was pretty much all I read, and I was really interested in UFOs. I collected UFO reports from newspapers and magazines in a scrapbook and hunted for patterns among them. On many an evening I scrambled onto the roof of my home in Phoenix, a pair of binoculars hung around my neck, and scanned the skies for UFOs until one of my parents yelled at me to get off the roof.

I was really hoping, of course, that UFOs were alien spacecraft. It struck me as plausible that we weren't the only intelligent creatures in the universe.

No one's expecting the U.S. government to say we've been visited by aliens. But do you think the current report is a sign people are beginning to take these observations seriously?

I think they should take them seriously.

We have to wait to see what the report says, but what people are expecting is something along the lines of: "Look, we've done all of these detailed studies. We have data on these phenomena from a diversity of sophisticated instruments. They've been seen by a large number of technologically knowledgeable people, and despite extensive efforts, we can't explain them in terms of known natural phenomena."

What could that mean?

If all of that is true, then you've got a truly baffling phenomenon. It might represent a problem with your instruments, which you should know about because that's the kind of mistake that has potentially serious consequences, including war.

Alternatively, it could represent natural phenomena that transcend our current knowledge of physical phenomena and perhaps even pose a challenge to current physical theory. That is just as important to investigate because it might lead to major changes in scientific understanding. Finally, and this is what I dreamt of as a child, it might represent extraterrestrial technology.

This seems like a perfect example of what you might call an anomaly. How do strange observations like these fit into the history of science?

If you actually look at the history of major scientific discoveriesdiscoveries that change scientific thought in fundamental wayswhat you find are phenomena that were there all along but not recognized for what they represent. They're either ignored or misinterpreted until, finally, somebody says: "Hey, look. Nothing that we've done so far to explain this has worked. This is something really weird. Maybe there is something seriously wrong with the way we are thinking about it."

Then instead of trying to explain it away in terms of our current scientific understanding, people start to entertain more radical possibilities. This, in turn, may lead to important scientific discoveries, including major revisions in scientific theory.

What's an example of that?

One of the big impetuses for people accepting Einstein's theory of general relativity was that he could explain the perturbations in the orbit of Mercury and Isaac Newton's theory of gravity couldn't. People had been trying to explain the deviations in the orbit of Mercury in terms of Newton's theory for hundreds of years. Exotic possibilities were considered. For example, some proposed there was a planet Vulcan between Mercury and the sun with the peculiar property that the sun was always between it and Earth. Thus, Vulcan couldn't be observed with even a powerful telescope.

What do you think the scientific community should do with some of the more credible reports of these aerial anomalies?

If they are truly credible, I think they ought to be investigated as interesting anomalies that are worthy of scientific investigation. That's the way to settle the issue. If the physicists say they can debunk it, let them debunk it with explicit explanations of individual cases, instead of just asserting vaguely that they are certain that it can be explained in such a fashion.

Whatever the outcome, it will reveal there's something important about the world that we don't understand.

If we do wind up finding life beyond Earth, do you think it will wind up being weirder than what even science fiction authors like Isaac Asimov have imagined?

I think this is likely. I think there are certain very general characteristics that all life has to have: Living things have to extract energy from their environment in order to maintain themselves, and they have to excrete waste products back into the environment. That's the idea behind what I call the "shadow biosphere"to look for truly novel forms of life, you want to look for its shadows, for weird patterns left behind that are difficult to explain without life.

But beyond this, the question of what life on another world might be like is, I think, an open question. Also, it is important to keep in mind that these general characteristics aren't enough to define life.

Explore further UFOs: How to calculate the odds that an alien spaceship has been spotted
SRON engineers wrap up the filter wheel for transport to the Japanese space agency JAXA. Credit: SRON

On June 9, SRON Netherlands Institute for Space Research sends its contributions to the XRISM X-ray telescope to Japan, where space agency JAXA will mount it on the satellite. SRON has been working on a filter wheel plus calibration system for the past few years. In 2023, XRISM will be launched into space, where it will observe phenomena such as black holes and supernovae.

The Earth's atmosphere blocks X-rays from space, much to the relief of people and animals, because it can be harmful to every living species. But because of this protective layer, astronomers miss out on a lot of information about, for example, black holes, the thin matter between clusters of galaxies, supernovae and cosmic particles. Space telescopes offer a solution. In 2023, the Japanese space agency will launch the X-ray satellite XRISM into orbit. Together with the University of Geneva, SRON contributes to XRISM with a filter wheel and the accessory calibration system.

On June 9, SRON sends the filter wheel plus a backup copy to Japan, where all XRISM components will be assembled. In September, an SRON team will fly over to carry out a number of tests on the filter wheel, which will be mounted in the telescope next year. "Everything has been delayed for a year and a half because of corona," says engineer Martin Grim, a member of the team that is traveling to Japan. "We actually wanted to carry out the instrument tests in Japan in May 2020 and XRISM was initially scheduled for launch in 2022."

The filter wheel puts several filters in front of XRISM's X-ray camera, allowing astronomers to filter out the brightness and wavelength of the cosmic rays as desired. For example, they will use the molybdenum neutral-density filter if a star or black hole emits too much X-ray radiation and they will select the beryllium or polyimide aluminum filter to block certain wavelengths. A low-radioactive iron-55 filter is part of the filter wheel to calibrate the camera. Iron-55 continuously emits a known X-ray spectrum serving as a reference point. The calibration system also includes Modulated X-ray Source (MXS) that provide a reference spectrum. The Dutch company Photonis has supplied these MXS units to SRON.

Explore further Candid cosmos: eROSITA cameras set benchmark for astronomical imaging
But you dont go to Taqueria Rendon for the visuals. You go for the incredible food prepared by a man whose background goes much deeper than just selling tacos out of a home kitchen.

A bit of history

Rendon was born in Mexico, grew up in Atlantic City and worked in a number of the top local restaurants, including Robertas with Joe Muldoon in Northfield, Angeline with Michael Symon at Borgata and Luke Palladinos former space in Northfield. Eventually, food became his passion.

Working in restaurants was just a job for me at first  I was just doing it for the money, he remembers. But in 2014, Luke Palladino opened up a restaurant, and I went to work for him. He taught me everything. His work ethic was just incredible, and it rubbed off on me.

If Rendons work ethic is strong, his skill in the kitchen and sense of flavor is even stronger. One trip to Taqueria Rendon is all it takes to figure that out.

Birria mania

The main dish that had become so popular from Rendons home business were his birria tacos, which are also the stars of the show at Taqueria Rendon.

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We are really thrilled that the board members were willing to listen to the information that we provided them, Caldwell said Wednesday. They were willing to consider it, review it and have the courage to say, OK, when we voted in January we might not have had everything, but now we do.

Absecon, a K-8 district, filed a request in September 2019 with the education commissioner to end its send-receive relationship with Pleasantville, citing the cost and quality of education there. Special counsel Vito A. Gagliardi Jr. was hired by Absecon to handle its case.

At first, Pleasantville opposed the request, citing a substantial negative impact to the district racially, educationally and financially, and a hearing before an administrative law judge was set. However, in January, the board voted to withdraw its opposition. Sanchez said at the time he didnt feel like it was the districts fight.

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However, others in the community felt differently, and a few months after the vote, Francois and the nonprofit Building One America, as well as the Mainland-Pleasantville Branch of the NAACP, began a campaign to oppose the split that included a bus ride to Trenton and a march in Absecon during the spring. Opponents say allowing the split would lead to more racial segregation in New Jerseys schools.

Pleasantville no longer contesting Absecon bid to leave school district PLEASANTVILLE  The citys school district is no longer opposing a petition by Absecon to le
Egg Harbor City Mayor Lisa Jiampetti was the likely winner of the Democratic primary to become her partys nominee for Atlantic County clerk Tuesday, with more than 50% of the vote counted by 10 p.m.

Jiampetti had 3,856 votes to progressive challenger Mico Lucides 378 with 79 of 151 districts reporting, according to unofficial results from the Atlantic County Board of Elections.

Im excited that it looks like its going my way, Jiampetti said after receiving some of the preliminary numbers. Im eager about about campaigning in the fall and hoping to get elected in November.

If the results hold up, Jiampetti will face Republican Joseph J. Giralo, who ran unopposed in the GOP primary, in the Nov. 2 general election.

Jiampetti, endorsed by the county Democratic Committee, had the party-line advantage. Her name was grouped in the line headed by Gov. Phil Murphy and included Democratic candidates for state Senate and Assembly. Lucide was listed off the line in a column on his own.
Republican Vince Polistina, of Egg Harbor Township, was leading conservative lawyer Seth Grossman after Tuesdays primary election to be the partys nominee for state Senate in Legislative District 2.

Tonight the voters of Atlantic County sent a clear message about the kind of Republican they want leading our ticket, said Polistina, the owner of an engineering firm. Now, its the time for our party to come together and defeat Vince Mazzeo and the increasingly radical Phil Murphy Democrats this November.

Assemblyman Vince Mazzeo, D-Atlantic, will be the Democrats nominee for state Senate in the district. Mazzeo had no primary opponent.

With 91 of 121 voting districts reported about 10:30 p.m., Polistina had about 70% of the 6,144 Republican machine votes cast in LD2, according to the Atlantic County Clerks Office. Polistina also had 904 votes by mail to 410 for Grossman, said Board of Elections Chair Lynn Caterson.

Countywide, 102 of 151 districts had reported by 10:30 p.m. and 13,974 machine votes from both parties had been counted.

Polistina had focused on economic growth while Grossman, a strong supporter of President Donald Trump, had made combating woke mandates a central part of his campaign.
Because cannabis remains illegal at the federal level, whatever is sold in New Jersey will have to be grown in the state.

Middle Township has already said yes to a cultivation site on Indian Trail Road, where there is now a vacant seafood plant. The Massachusetts-based company Insa has plans to grow and sell cannabis for the medical market but is still awaiting the needed state licenses. Company officials have raised the possibility of growing for the adult-use market there as well but do not plan to offer sales at the location except for those with a medical marijuana card.

Middle Township has so far not said yes or no to allowing retail sales, as Mayor Tim Donohue said at Mondays Township Committee meeting.

Attorney Sean Mack had raised the issue during the public comment portion of the meeting. He represents Nicole Melchiorre and Tom Nuscis, who want to open a cannabis retail operation in Lower or Middle township.

Mack pushed Middle Township to allow a retail operation, following the lead of Atlantic City and Lower Township.

We think thats a better public policy choice for a bunch of reasons, he said. Towns that say no will miss out on tax revenue, jobs and other benefits, while those that approve the use will be able to decide what zones will support the use.
As of about 4:15 p.m. Tuesday, about 1,300 people had voted at the polls in Atlantic City, according to both campaigns in the Democratic mayoral race.

Those totals werent out of line with the last time a primary election offered in-person voting in the city; 2,300 machine ballots were cast in the June 2019 primary.

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But they lagged last years primary, held in July mostly by mail due to the pandemic. In that race, Small was the top vote-earner with 3,887 votes, beating Pamela Thomas-Fields (1,863) and Jimmy Whitehead (278).

+2 Judges says no to Foley request for extended primary election MAYS LANDING  A judge on Monday refused to grant Atlantic City Democratic mayoral candidate

This years mail-in vote number is likely to surpass 2019s, when 1,327 voted by that method. On Tuesday morning, the Atlantic County Board of Elections reported the city had received 1,287 mail-in ballots. Of those, 1,173 were from Democratic voters and 114 were from registered Republicans. Given the turnout at the polls Tuesday, the mail-in count has the potential to change the outcome of the election.

In the citys mayoral primary, Leonard said he voted for Small. Claims made about him and his wife, LaQuetta, did not influence his decision, Leonard said.

In every political campaign, theres always dirt, he said. Thats the way it is. You expect that.
WASHINGTON (AP)  The U.S. will buy 500 million more doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to share through the global COVAX alliance for donation to 92 lower income countries and the African Union over the next year, a person familiar with the matter said Wednesday.

President Joe Biden was set to make the announcement Thursday in a speech before the start of the Group of Seven summit. Two hundred million doses  enough to fully protect 100 million people  would be shared this year, with the balance to be donated in the first half of 2022, the person said.

National security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters Wednesday that Biden was committed to sharing vaccines because it was in the public health and strategic interests of the U.S. As Biden embarks on his first foreign trip, he is aiming to show that democracies are the countries that can best deliver solutions for people everywhere.

As he said in his joint session (address), we were the arsenal of democracy in World War II," Sullivan said. "We're going to be the arsenal of vaccines over this next period to help end the pandemic.
The furnishings are of course durable enough for public use, and operating nearly all of them is touchless -- a timely upgrade as the pandemic wanes. And even the cleaning of these comfort stations has been made largely touchless. The surfaces and designs allow the use of the Kyvak touchless cleaning system. The CRDA and the designer on the project, SOSH Architects, seem to have done the excellent job needed and paid for.

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Good thing the project had an architect, since one of the restrooms is of historic significance and improving it needed the approval of the New Jersey State Historic Preservation Office. Bathrooms typically may be upgraded at will at historic sites, since they are not the primary spaces of the building. But in this case, the Mississippi Avenue restroom itself is historic -- with its vaulted ceiling and arch system. Visitors can easily combine a necessity with the appreciation of a historic structure.

CRDA officials were justifiably proud of the completed project in the Tourism District. Board Chairman Robert Mulcahy said it modernizes the Atlantic City Boardwalk. Executive Director Matt Doherty said, As a tourist destination, we realize the importance of having clean restrooms and providing a higher standard for visitors and their families.
One nuance in Dunbars theory is that primate groups come in different categories. Humans, for instance, tend to be intimately close with only about five other people. They also form bands of about 40  such as hunting parties, platoons or teams, say  and much larger tribes, numbering in the thousands. But the average size of a human community is, and always has been, about 150.

Its astonishing how stable this so-called Dunbar number is. It describes the average upper limit of hunter-gatherer groups, medieval villages, online gaming communities, Christmas card lists, church congregations and more. When human groups exceed the number  as when companies grow to more than 150 employees  our innate cognition usually becomes inadequate and we need bureaucracy to organize ourselves.

In 2009, when online social networks were still new to many of us, I wondered whether technology could increase the Dunbar number, so I asked Facebook to crunch some data. No, it turned out. Facebook and its ilk may let us manage what is in effect an enlarged Rolodex of acquaintances. But they cant raise the limit on quality relationships we maintain, because that appears to be biological.
Quad-Cities Interfaith, the Davenport Civil Rights Commission, the Quad-City Youth Advisory Council, and the Quad-City YWCA are hosting four screenings of the documentary PushOut: The Criminalization of Black Girls in Schools over the summer.

The first screening will be at at 5:30 p.m., Friday, June 11, at Davenport's Vander Veer Botanical Park.

PushOut: The Criminalization Of Black Girls In Schools is a feature-length documentary that takes an in-depth look at the educational, judicial, cultural and societal disparities facing Black girls in modern America.

According to a state-by-state analysis conducted by the American Civil Liberties Union, in Iowa schools, female students of color are nine times more likely to be arrested than their white counterparts.

Following the screening, to build on the documentary and to foster healthy discussions, keynote speakers will speak about their own experiences as people of color in and around the issues of education and the school-to-prison pipeline within their communities.

Speakers include Latrice Lacey, director of the Davenport Civil Rights Commission, and Omnia Salih, co-founder of the Quad Cities Youth Advisory Council.
As a parent, my number one responsibility is keeping my children safe. The precautions my husband and I take are strict and clear to our three teenagers.

Right now Davenport is struggling, trying to understand its gun violence problem. And in Monday's press conference, city representatives were struggling with providing citizens with factual information.

While I am never a proponent of vandalism, it is important to emphasize that not a single person was shot, killed, or hurt during Sunday's incident. Could they have been? Absolutely, and this behavior is abhorrent. But we have to stick to the facts and stay away from scare tactics as a measure of fixing what is broken. No human lives were taken.

The fact remains that 1 in every 1,000 Black American men can expect to be killed by police.
A potential development project in East Moline would create 10,000 jobs and could quickly become the largest employer in the Quad-Cities. It also has the potential to exponentially change the face of East Moline, which has just under 21,000 residents, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

East Moline is among four Illinois cities vying for the project, along with other sites nationwide. A decision may be made this summer. Non-disclosure agreements prevent those in the know from talking about who the company is, or what it would do here.

It's common for companies seeking a site to remain confidential during the selection process, said Jennifer Walker, Quad Cities Chamber vice president of sales and marketing. Companies look at site qualifications in multiple cities and states, she said. Site selectors often approach non-governmental economic development entities, like a Chamber, with specific requests, such as rail yards, highway access or space needed, and they search for locations to meet those needs.

Where would it be?

It may be near Interstates 80 and 88, according to a search of economic development sites.

During Monday's East Moline Council meeting, members were told the project would require 2,000 acres, or about three square miles.
A review conducted by the Biden administration determined that the Trump rule is significantly reducing clean water protections, particularly in arid states such as New Mexico and Arizona, where a large number of streams now lack federal jurisdiction. At least 333 projects that would have required Clean Water Act permits no longer need federal approval, the agencies said.

The Trump-era rule removed protections from several public lakes, including Lake Keowee in South Carolina, a reservoir that provides drinking water for nearly 400,000 people, according to the Southern Environmental Law Center, an advocacy group. The rule also removed Army Corps of Engineers jurisdiction from about 400 acres of wetlands where a titanium mine is planned near Georgia's Okefenokee Swamp, the group said.

The law center and other environmental groups hailed the EPA action and urged officials to move quickly to restore long-standing protections for critical drinking water sources.

"Every day this harmful (Trump-era) rule is in effect, it endangers the waterways our communities depend on. That is unacceptable and must stop now,'' said Madeleine Foote, deputy legislative director for the League of Conservation Voters.
They include Mark Frerichs, a contractor from Lombard, Illinois, who vanished in January 2020 and is believed held by the Taliban-linked Haqqani network, and Paul Overby, an American writer who disappeared in Afghanistan in 2014.

They also fear that the further reduction of U.S. physical presence in the country is an erosion of the leverage needed to make progress on resolving these cases, the report states. It is perceived by some advocates that securing the release of these hostages was not made a precondition for any settlement during the peace talks in Doha, Qatar with the Taliban.

The departure of all U.S. special operations forces from Afghanistan will make counterterrorism operations, including the collecting of intelligence on al-Qaida and other extremist groups, more difficult. The administration hopes to be able to compensate through the military's wide geographic reach, which has only expanded with the advent of armed drones and other technologies.

The administration has said it will retain a U.S. Embassy presence, but that will become more difficult if the militarys departure leads to a collapse of Afghan governance.
RICHMOND, Va. (AP)  Terry McAuliffe, the energetic former Virginia governor and longtime fixture of Democratic politics, won the partys nomination Tuesday in his quest for a second term in office.

McAuliffe will go on to face GOP nominee and political newcomer Glenn Youngkin in the November general election, when Republicans will be looking to break their more than decade-long losing streak in statewide races.

Folks, we launched this campaign about six months ago on the simple idea that Virginia has some very big challenges ahead," McAuliffe said in a speech Tuesday night. And I've said, we've got to go big, we've got to be bold, and we need seasoned leadership to move us forward and to lift up all Virginians."

Virginia is the only state in the nation with an open race for governor this year, and the contest is expected to be closely watched as a barometer of voter sentiment in each party heading into the midterm elections.

The race has also taken on heightened importance as Democrats aim to hold onto power after assuming full control of state government in 2020. Since then they have pushed through sweeping changes, from gun control and police reform to marijuana legalization and a higher minimum wage, transforming what was once a reliably red state into an outlier in the South.
A memorial billboard for a Chicago police officer killed in a 2018 attack at a South Side hospital was vandalized Wednesday morning, police said.

The billboard, which honors Officer Samuel Jimenez, who was killed responding to an active shooter at Mercy Hospital and Medical Center in November 2018, was tagged with PROPAGANDA Wednesday morning at the corner of Elston and LeClaire avenues, according to Chicago police.

The billboard was installed by the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation as part of a citywide effort to humanize police, Executive Director Philip Cline said. Cline called the act terrible and tragic.

The defacement of the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation billboard is an absolute disgrace and insult to the memory of Chicago Police Officer Samuel Jimenez, the Jimenez family and every other fallen officer and families of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our city, a Chicago police spokeswoman said in a statement.

Jimenez, 28, had been on the police force for two years when he was gunned down coming to the aid of other officers during the Mercy Hospital shooting. He was married with three small children. Two other people, including the shooters former fiancee and a pharmacy resident, were killed during the attack.
She just proposed something I knew I wasnt supportive of. So I told her so, Mah said.

The amendment was later shopped to Rep. Avery Bourne, R- Morrisonville, who was carrying the routine land transfer legislation involving the Department of Natural Resources and IDOT.

Bourne told the Tribune another lobbyist, Ryan McCreery, asked her at the last minute to amend her bill but wouldnt tell me who their clients were for the parking lot  what I found out to be a parking lot in Chicago. She said she did not know at the time that McCreery worked with Kimme.

A gut feeling

Bourne said the effort to amend the parking lot onto her legislation was a strange process. One issue was that the parking lot proposal had not completed the same steps as other property in her legislation, she said.

The stuff in the bill already had a price set, had already gone through the process, Bourne said. The amendment had not.

Bourne said she agreed to file the amendment with the intention of not calling it for a vote until she knew who was for or against it. She said she subsequently learned that IDOT was opposed, and the overall bill was not called for a vote before the spring session adjourned.
The House and Senate approved new maps on Friday, May 26, less than 24 hours after the final drafts had been introduced. Pritzker signed them into law a week later, on June 4.

The lawsuit alleges that the maps violate the equal protection clause of the 14th amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which federal courts have frequently cited as the basis for requiring state legislative districts to be drawn so they are substantially equal in population.

That has generally meant that districts cannot vary in population by more than 10 percent between the largest and smallest districts, but variations of less than 10 percent have also been found unconstitutional if the lines are drawn in an arbitrary or discriminatory manner.

McConchie and Durkin argue in their lawsuit that the use of survey data to craft the new maps resulted in districts that are both arbitrary in how they were drawn and discriminatory because the surveys that were used tend to undercount certain subgroups of the population.

They are asking the court to declare that the new maps violate the U.S. Constitution and for an injunction to prevent state officials from implementing the new maps.
DES MOINES  Iowa public colleges, school districts and government entities are prohibited from teaching so-called divisive concepts  including that moral character is determined by ones race or sex, or that the United States and Iowa are fundamentally or systematically racist  under legislation signed into law Tuesday by Gov. Kim Reynolds.

The legislation itself was a divisive concept: in large part, Republicans supported and Democrats opposed the proposal.

Critical Race Theory is about labels and stereotypes, not education. It teaches kids that we should judge others based on race, gender or sexual identity, rather than the content of someones character, Reynolds, a Republican, said in a statement. I am proud to have worked with the legislature to promote learning, not discriminatory indoctrination.

Democrats argued the legislation, House File 802 stifles schools control over their curriculum and threatens to squelch the teaching of and discussions over uncomfortable issues like racism.

We cant educate ourselves if we stifle ourselves  if we stifle our teachers, Rep. Ako Abdul-Samad, D-Des Moines, said during legislative debate in March.
Every so often, like cicadas, a buzzword emerges from the popular dialect and becomes omnipresent in the media lexicon. In the early aughts, the word "nuanced" exploded across the cultural landscape to excuse a politician who couldnt speak straight or a writer who couldnt write. In 2004, Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry called his ever-shifting position on the war in Iraq "nuanced" as a way of explaining why he was for it before he was against it. Since then, virtually every politician adopted a "nuanced" position on major issues until, finally, George W. Bush proclaimed "I dont do nuance."

The current cliche working its way to iconic status is the phrase "we take this seriously." Or, to show they really mean it, "we take this very seriously." The phrase is now almost mandatory in any corporate statement of apology, regret or acknowledgment of allegations of sexual harassment. In a recent case, the Ford Motor Company responded to a lawsuit claiming sexual harassment in the workplace by stating "Ford does not tolerate sexual harassment or discrimination. We take those claims very seriously and investigate them thoroughly." Countering claims of sexual misconduct, an Ohio bishop in with United Methodist Church said, "we take this seriously  because people matter."
Unfortunately, it has taken too long to get to this point.

We also must recognize our community is flush with guns. Apparently, it is not hard to get them; new laws at the state level are making it even easier. Its also discouraging to read reports, like the investigation recently from USA Today and The Trace, which said the federal ATF is too lax when it comes to penalties against gun sellers who commit serious violations.

Sikorski was right about another thing Monday; he was right that we are fortunate that police werent talking about the deaths of several people. The idea that nearly 80 gun shots found only glass and building material as their final destination, rather than flesh and bone, sounds to us like the kind of luck we can only count on rarely. The next time, who knows?

It was shocking to see that amount of gunfire in downtown Davenport this weekend, a place where many of us go to have fun, to listen to music or look at the river. Imagine how much more shocking it would have been if those 80 rounds had found a human target, or more than one, rather than an art museum and a pedestrian overpass.

Lets hope that it doesnt come to that. Lets hope that after all the years of talking about a problem weve all recognized, that soon we get the results we all want.

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Chadron State College has been awarded a $483,500 grant from the Nebraska Environmental Trust (NET) to implement a variety of environmentally friendly features in the new Math Science Center for Innovative Learning (COIL).

Among the items funded by the NET grant will be energy efficient mechanical and electrical systems and lighting in the COIL building, landscaping with native or well-adapted and drought resistant grasses, shrubs and trees, and special air quality and plumbing fixtures that reduce water consumption.

Renovation of CSCs Math Science building has long been a top priority for the Nebraska State College System Board of Trustees. In 2019, Nebraska Senators and Gov. Pete Ricketts approved funding for the project, which involves a complete renovation of the existing structure and addition of a new, 16,926 square foot north wing.

Groundbreaking for the $32 million project took place in Sept. 2020, with completion expected in Feb. 2022. The building will meet contemporary laboratory and teaching standards, and include a lecture hall with two 120-inch projection screens, active learning classrooms and labs, study spaces, extensive audio-visual technologies and dedicated space for the Dr. Lois Veath Planetarium, the Eleanor Barbour Cook Museum of Geology, and the unique collections of the High Plains Herbarium.
Renee was born July 17, 1977 in Chadron, NE, to Rory and Carlyn Hughbanks. She attended high school in Hay Springs, NE, before pursuing her Nursing Degree, which she obtained from the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Nursing. Renee's passion for excitement combined with her caring nature led her to a career where she excelled as an Emergency Room Nurse and most recently as a Hospital Administrator.

Renee had a smile that would light up a room with a firecracker personality that made her everyone's friend. She loved her children more than anything else. Renee enjoyed spending time with her family and especially loved watching her kids excel in their different activities. From Katherine's band performances, Will's wrestling tournaments, or Izzy's softball games, Renee would rave about them every chance she got. Renee's passion for live music was no secret either. Anyone who knew her heard about what her favorite music was (especially Eric Church), and what concert she was headed to next. She enjoyed spending time at the lake soaking in the sun, and making memories with her family and friends.
After a nationwide search, Black Hills Community Theatre announced Wednesday that it has selected a new artistic director, Jayme Kilburn, who is finishing a PhD in Theater from Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y., and will begin as BHCT's artistic director in July.

Kilburn takes over the position from current artistic director Zach Curtis, who is leaving in late June to fill the position of producing artistic director of the Chenango River Theatre in Greene, N.Y.

Black Hills Community Theatre will begin its 54th season in September.

Kilburn visited Rapid City in May.

"I am beyond thrilled to be joining the team at BHCT. When I visited, I was struck by its unique collegial and collaborative environment. As a multidisciplinary artist, I am excited to be working with an organization that invites its artists and staff to work in various modes, bringing the full range of their abilities to the table. I look forward to continuing BHCT's mission of producing dynamic stories, helping to expand the organization's community outreach, and collaborating with the talented community of artists in Rapid City. As the artistic director of BHCT, my door will always be open. I am eager to meet more of the community," she said.
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Community members can help the Abbott House through donations and volunteering.

Klooz said Mentors are one of the best things we could have, just people that want to get involved for probably a longer period of time with the kids, check in with them, maybe help them get a job, maybe take them to supper, you know all those types of things, just to be there."

Inspire, a 2013 Harley Davidson Road King, was unveiled at the ceremony. Twenty-four youth from Bridges Foster Homes helped redesign the bike in partnership with Blackout Industries and Black Hills Harley Davidson. This is part of the Build Abbott program, which encourages foster children to rebuild bikes as they change their lives.

Weve built a lot of motorcycles in our time, but I dont think weve ever been as emotionally attached to a bike as we have been to these two wheels, said Blackout Industries co-owner Katie Washnok. Its been the privilege of a lifetime to get to work with these kids and to build this bike.
As a result, South Middle reached out to BHSSC asking them to write a grant for the 21st Century program. Last year they also submitted a grant application, but it was denied. When it was approved this year, Lange said everyone was excited.

Were very excited; this will offer the kiddos a huge opportunity. Over the last five years there has been a large increase of students [experiencing] trauma and poverty [in the South Middle area], so this will provide a safe place they can stay and continue their learning, Lange said.

In addition to academics, Discovery programs host social and emotional trainers that teach students coping strategies and work with them to help them be successful.

The grant, which spans five years, will help pay personnel and volunteers, as well as bolster the programs large supply budget. The grant will offer more money in the first year  around $219,000  so that the program can get off the ground, but over the subsequent four years the remaining funds will be equally distributed.

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The programs, many of which are STEM-oriented, involve many hands-on activities for which supplies are needed. The programs allow students extra time to delve deeper into subject areas where they need additional help.
"We are just in the middle of the appropriations process right now for the next fiscal year. I know there are requests out there for assistance for particular projects, specifically in (the Box Elder area) that would be impacting the roads in Box Elder," Rounds said. "Normally, that would be considered state or local in nature, but I know we just got a request that I looked at today requesting some federal funding as well."

Thune said the pre-construction work at Ellsworth will begin perhaps as early as this summer.

"We know what some of the needs are and obviously, there will have to be a significant amount of investment," Thune said. "The difference between the B-21 and the B-1 is the nuclear capability of the B-21. That will take some additional construction and facilities that you wouldn't need for a conventional mission."

Rounds said some of the facility and security needs at Ellsworth will take into consideration the nuclear strike capability of the B-21.

"There will be some (security protocols) in place because the B-21 will be a nuclear-capable platform. That means the weapons construction systems that are put in place will have their own special security requirements," Rounds said. "Those facilities will have to be constructed, completed. Naturally, there is additional security anytime you have nuclear weapons capability in the area."

Contact Nathan Thompson at nathan.thompson@rapidcityjournal.com.

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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.

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The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is donating more than 120,000 pounds of food this week to Feeding South Dakota. Statewide, one out of nine individuals and one out of six children, is food insecure. They lack access to enough food for a healthy, active life and they lack access to nutritious food.

On Wednesday, three trailers loaded with more than 70 pallets of food will arrive at the Feeding South Dakota warehouse. Each pallet contains items such as canned soups, stew, chili, beans, vegetables, turkey, tomato sauce, fruit, pasta, peanut butter, sugar, flour, powdered milk, and other staples. The value of the donated food is roughly $150,000.

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On Thursday, groups of volunteers from the church will arrive to begin breaking down the large pallets of food and sorting it. The food will be distributed to 13 food banks or pantries in South Dakota and northwest Nebraska, including Rapid City, Spearfish, Hot Springs, Belle Fourche, Newell, Custer, Pierre, and Chadron, Neb. Most food banks or pantries will pick up the donations on Saturday.
The district will see a new high school and elementary school to accommodate the anticipated growth from the B-21 Raider expansion at Ellsworth Air Force Base.

Box Elder has also seen an annual population increase of 8-10% since 2016.

Melendez said the board was searching for a new interim superintendent that has experience in building new buildings, moving staff around to suit the needs of the students, who has been involved with the budget process and can be the public spokesperson for the district.

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She said they hired another interim superintendent since position searches typically start in November and they werent sure what kind of interest would turn up.

Typically, we can find a retired educator that comes back and isnt full-time but helps out for a year, Melendez said. We decided rather than to hurry and find that perfect fit to try for an interim and make sure that we are diligent in our search.
A one-day tour concept will be incorporated to reveal Rapid Citys diversity, rich culture, challenges, historical geography and human capital for cohorts of diverse participants. Following the tour, input will be gathered from participants to examine community needs and move towards solutions.

Through a needs assessment conducted by Victims of Violence Intervention Program, they learned domestic and sexual violence against Black, Indigenous and other People of Color was much greater than others in their communities, the news release said. A study will be conducted focusing on the experiences of BIPOC survivors in western South Dakota.

Using a three-phase process that includes collecting information, publishing results in peer journals and media outlets, Victims of Violence Intervention Program will be better equipped to serve and empower survivors, the release said. By inviting area organizations and partners to join them, a regional understanding of how to prioritize racial equity will be developed.
MADISON, Wis. (AP)  Republicans in control of the Wisconsin Legislature's budget committee approved nearly $1.5 billion in building projects around the state Tuesday, about $810 million less than Democratic Gov. Tony Evers proposed.

The approved plan included nearly $629 million in projects at the University of Wisconsin System, down from $1 billion that Evers had wanted.

Two years ago, the Legislature approved $1.9 billion out of $2.5 billion in requested projects.

Republicans said Evers was being irresponsible with his building plan, while they were approving a reasonable amount of projects.

Were making another strong investment in state-owned buildings, focusing on maintenance and repair and safety and preparing the workforce for future generations," said Republican committee co-chair Rep. Mark Born.

Democratic Rep. Evan Goyke criticized Republicans removing funding to build a new juvenile prison in Milwaukee County. Instead of spending $46 million on the new prison as Democrats wanted, the committee instead approved only $4 million to plan, develop and select a site for the prison.
I wanted to report back to you about the dedication of South Dakotas first and only state veterans cemetery. Yep, Marcia and I had the distinct honor and privilege to attend the dedication on Memorial Day.

How did this happen? What is the back story? Well, in our great state, we do have a national cemetery located next to I-90 just before arriving in Sturgis, going north from Rapid City. This cemetery is a pristine resting place with the sacred ground of our fallen heroes.

It is almost eerie to walk on the immaculate green grass dotted with the white, marble grave markers, all the same size and shape, all depicting the branch of service with each veterans name and rank. You see, amongst us veterans, rank is unimportant once we are discharged. We are all the same, brothers and sisters in arms, having all served our great nation. Thus, we all have the exact same white, marble gravestones.

The significance of an additional veterans cemetery is that now we have two final resting places for our veterans. This will slow down the fill of our national cemetery and give families of our east river veterans a much closer resting place.
Bitter Roots generally are in bloom the second Saturday in June and as the state flower can only be dug on private land, never in the wild.

We are always looking for people with Bitter Roots on their land, Nowling said. If we see 50 plants, were going to take 10-15%, were never going to take all of them.

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Information on tending the plants to keep them healthy and spreading will be available for people to have the optimum success grow the Bitter Root plants in their yards.

The schedule for the 41st Annual Bitter Root Day is a bit flexible and most of the excitement is planned for between 10 a.m. and noon.

Were hoping to have drumming, dancing and the tipi, something exciting about every 20 minutes, Nowling said. [The activities for children] will be Salish-oriented this year of making traditional friendship bracelets, beaded bracelets. Our educator, Nancy Joy, has all those supplies ready to go.

The usual vendors and food trucks that are onsite for the Hamilton Farmers Market will be available.

Nowling said having the Salish come to Bitter Root Day is significant.
I write to implore the Democrats, and Independents, in all their various interests to focus, focus, focus.

Trumpism, red states and the persistent Republican base are aggressively engaged in removing foundational principles from our democracy; specifically, the right for everyone to vote, and accepting the results of elections when you dont like the outcome.

If the Republicans take the Senate in 2022, or even take back the House of Representatives, any legislative action will cease for the next years. No matter whether budgets, national needs and issues or the rules of our democracy itself. Republican obstructionism, The Big Lie, bad faith negotiation and narcissistic personality disorders will govern us. Republicans in congress would rather let our house burn down than to allow Democrats to call the fire department.

If Democrats and Independents allow that to happen, we will share culpability with the Republicans. The primary difference being that our sin will be one of omission, not commission. But, if we are willing for our democracy to look like Hungary, Turkey, or Russia, then we have no problem.
Ive been trying to do this, Ive been bending over backward to help them but all I get is Why havent you done this? Its not as easy as people think to build a hotel, to build anything, Harrison said.

The city is seeking permission from the Department of Environmental Quality to demolish the former hotel on the citys dime and enter into a partnership with Meridan Waste, the citys local waste contractor, to get the job done. Meridan is currently embroiled in two court cases, in Petersburg Circuit Court and Richmond Circuit Court.

While Petersburg has pulled itself out of financial ruin from five years ago, paying for the demolition poses a major problem, Williams wrote in an April letter to the DEQ, because the value of the cleared property will likely be less than the cost to bring the space into compliance.

Demolition is quoted to cost around $1 million, according to city officials. Williams asked the DEQ if Meridan could be permitted to demolish the hotel at no charge to Petersburg  in lieu of, or as an offset to, its landfill-related civil penalties.

Harrison said the building would sell for $1.5 million, the fair market value.
Morrissey said in his email that he regarded Hairston as an excellent attorney but felt he needed to get caught up on criminal justice matters since hes spent the last decade doing mostly personal injury work. Curtis told me that would be an excellent solution ... and he would be honored to have that appointment, Morrissey wrote.

In a phone interview, McQuinn said all three candidates proposed by Morrissey are qualified  along with others that have been suggested  but before naming who she supports, I think there needs to be a discussion among the delegation.

McQuinn proposed having a virtual meeting with all 10 members . There may be an opportunity for us to come together, she said. I think its important for me to hear from my colleagues on who they think would be best and why.

We have not had an opportunity since the early part of the year to engage in a conversation or a discussion that would properly address how we or who we would want and the approach we would use in terms of selecting those individuals, McQuinn added.

She declined to say whether the Morrissey-led effort to remove OBerry from the bench had influenced her decision to not back or respond to Morrisseys judicial appointment plan.
"Thank you to our many volunteers and supporters. Yesterday was a good day and this has been a new type of journey for many; but, we have proven that we are up to the challenge. Congratulations to you all for this step. Together, we can continue to make this city we love so much all that we want it to be," her post read.

Irving unseated C.T. Woody in a Democratic primary four years ago. Burnett, who was Woodys second-in-command during the former sheriffs 12-year tenure, has been campaigning to regain the seat since then.

"I haven't spoken to her, but I have conceded that she won," Burnett said Wednesday. "Things didn't turn out my way. ... To come that close. You haven't seen the last of me."

Just before 11 p.m. Tuesday, McEachin thanked Richmond voters for re-electing her as Commonwealth's Attorney.

Having received 73% of the ballots cast, McEachin led challenger Tom Barbour by more than 10,000 votes, according to the state elections website.
Crise anglophone archives

On Monday, U.S. Secretary of State, Antony Blinken established a policy imposing visa restrictions on individuals who are believed to be responsible for, or complicit in, undermining the peaceful resolution of the crisis in the Anglophone regions of Cameroon.

He said the decision reflects U.S. commitment to advance dialogue to peacefully resolve the Anglophone crisis and support respect for human rights.

The United States strongly supports the Cameroonian people, and we remain committed to working together to advance democracy and mutual prosperity for both our countries, said Blinken.

Following the commitment, experts and pundits say the U.S. should go a step further to arrest and prosecute the instigators of the violence and hate rocking Cameroons North-West and South-West regions.

Hear Blinken: The United States is deeply concerned by the continued violence in the Anglophone regions of Cameroon. We continue to call for both the Cameroonian government and separatist armed groups to end the violence and engage in a dialogue without preconditions to peacefully resolve the crisis. It is important that children can attend school and that humanitarian aid can be delivered. We urge all relevant stakeholders in Cameroon and in the diaspora to engage constructively and seek a peaceful resolution to the crisis.

We condemn those who undermine peace through engaging in or inciting violence, human rights violations and abuses, and threats against advocates for peace or humanitarian workers.

Since 2017, the two English-speaking regions of Cameroon have been caught in the throes of a war in which rebels have been sparring with government forces in order to create a breakaway state they call Ambazonia.

Some human rights organizations report that the crisis has resulted in more than 3500 deaths and over 730,000 internally displaced persons.

While the U.S. visa restriction announcement does not name specific individuals or groups of individuals that might be directly targeted by the sanctions, it is a widely held view that separatist leaders and apologists will bear most of the brunt given that they have repeatedly trafficked in social media propaganda and other incendiary forms of communication.

Operating mainly from the US and some countries in Europe, these individuals have repeatedly claimed cover from justice by virtue of living in the diaspora. Others have sought asylum from the U.S. government, and the promise of achieving this on-demand has helped emboldened toxic rhetoric from these individuals.

In many ways, they have exploited these perceived firewalls to fan the flames of the crisis. Until the announcement from the state department, the US has skirted between passiveness and half-hearted action. The consequence of separatists propaganda, coupled with the lack of dissuading action from foreign governments like the US has been insidious violence directed mainly at civilians.

The New Humanitarian in its February 6, 2020, Brief on the crisis, captured separatist activities affecting the population including sporadic declarations of ghost town operations, forbidding participation in national, regional, and council elections, threats, kidnap and killing of civilians, and the closing of over 80- percent of schools in the Anglophone regions.

Human Rights Watch documented at least 25 cases of kidnapping of candidates running for elections in November 2019 and over 100 people in the same month. Humanitarian aid workers have equally been targeted by separatists including four staff from COMINSUD and three staff from the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Foundation.

The recent decision from the US state department would rescind applications of Cameroonian asylum seekers and cancel resident permits/green cards of individuals found guilty of instigating violence. The decision comes after repeated calls from Cameroons president, Paul Biya to varied foreign governments, to take action against Cameroonians stoking atrocities in the Anglophone regions from the safety of their countries.

Focused Target

The move by the State Department does not target government officials who are largely believed to be working in line with the Presidents more pacifist approach. Members of the government have clamored for peace in the restive regions while engaging in state action to protect people and property from separatists aggression and violence.

Arrest of War Sponsors in the Offing

The US in the near future will also announce the arrest of Cameroonians living in the US, sources have hinted. They are linked to the smuggling of weapons into the North West and South West Regions of Cameroon. Guns used by separatists to carry out operations in the crisis-hit regions.

It would appear the US has heeded the counsel of Cameroonian authorities and Yaounde could see such an action as a commitment by the US for peace to return.

In fact, this new policy seems to explain the recent public indictment of three Cameroonians based in the United States for peddling arms through Nigeria into Cameroon. The days ahead will be taxing for such individuals as the US Departments of Homeland Security and Justice continues to investigate those Cameroonians based in the USA from where they finance and perpetrated violence in the North-West and South-West regions, says John Chika who lives in Syracuse, New York.
Fifty-five people spoke at Mondays public hearing, most of them in favor of removal of the statues.

The majority of speakers urged the council to demolish the statues and not allow them to be placed in a museum or in another locality.

Several survivors of the neo-Nazi rally on Aug. 12, 2017, urged the council to destroy the statues because of their history as a rallying point for white supremacists.

As a survivor of violence in August 2017, I still get a fight or flight response walking near the corner by the library where I was stabbed in the stomach with a flagpole and actually thought, this is it, said Brad Slocum. These statues continue to be a rallying cry for [the far right], even as recently as the Jan. 6 insurrection  pictures of the statues were posted in far right forums online.

Slocum said he used to think it would be appropriate to place the statues in a museum, but after his experience in 2017, he said the city must demolish them because of what they represent.

I think it would be sweet to [sell] commemorative coins that say, I helped take down the statues and then use those funds to help the folks who are still suffering from those events and the history and centuries of trauma, he said.
A lot of money was spent against some of my candidates, but theyre coming back, Filler-Corn said, citing Kings victory over Montgomery.

Among a half-dozen incumbents the Speaker backed financially, only Heretick lost. Those who won included Adams, in Richmond; Guzman in Prince William; and Del. Kaye Kory, D-Fairfax, who easily turned back primary challenger Holly Hazard. Filler-Corn also backed Del. Hala Ayala, D-Prince William, who won the party's nomination for lieutenant governor.

Filler-Corn dismissed criticism of former Gov. McAuliffe from the partys left flank. Filler-Corn said House Democrats are ready to run with McAuliffe - who easily captured the party's nomination for governor - on a record of accomplishments that began in his first term, even though Republicans controlled both chambers of the General Assembly.

Imagine what he could do with a Democratic majority in the House of Delegates, she said.

Republicans, hoping to reclaim the House majority with Trump out of office but not the public eye, had a close battle for the right to challenge Del. Nancy Guy, D-Virginia Beach.
Fairfax, Prince William, Loudoun and Arlington counties comprise a Democratic bulwark, the so-called Blue Wall  a fast-growing, multi-hued suburb that became even friendlier to the party during the Trump presidency, a reminder that national and local politics can be one in the same there.

That, Republicans hope, could prove perilous for Democrats, particularly if President Joe Biden, who carried Virginia last year by 10%, stumbles, with his proposals mired by partisan gridlock and, perhaps, the economy sputtering  all of which could animate the states smaller, disciplined GOP vote.

Put another way: Republicans want to believe the supposed Virginia Curse will be restored  that the state rejects for governor the party that the previous year won the presidency. That has been the pattern since 1976, supporting the claims of analysts that the Virginia statewide elections can be an early indicator of a shift in national politics.

However, in 2013, the curse was broken by McAuliffe, who won by plurality in the wake of President Barack Obamas re-election. McAuliffe aims not only to disrupt this historic cycle again but to match a feat unequaled since 1977, when Mills Godwin Jr. became the first Virginian twice elected governor by a vote of the people.
She said time and again she was running to become the nations first Black female governor  ditto former Del. Jennifer Carroll Foy of Prince William County, who placed second  but McClellan also emphasized her credentials as a lawyer for a telecom giant and a 16-year legislative record in which she helped settle issues corporate, social and economic.

That centrist tendency was affirmed, too, in Democratic legislative primaries.

Several of the partys peskiest liberal incumbents  Ibraheem Samirah of Fairfax and Lee Carter of Prince William and Mark Levine of Alexandria, defeated, respectively, for the gubernatorial and lieutenant governors nominations  were denied renomination to the House of Delegates in favor of opponents considered more practical, less pugilistic.

McAuliffe, too, straddled the often-uneasy philosophical boundary between the partys moderates and its restive liberals, who draw their strength from younger, Generation X and millennial voters, two slices of the electorate that, combined, nearly match baby boomers in number and are poised to soon overtake them.

The breadth of McAuliffes win suggests that he was supported Tuesday by an ample portion of these younger voters, most of whom live in the states eastern cities and suburbs.
Turnout in Tuesdays Democratic primary appeared slightly lower than in recent statewide primaries - even with expanded early voting in the state and pandemic restrictions lifted. With 14 precincts still out, about 453,000 votes had been tallied. About 543,000 voted in the 2017 Democratic primary.

McAuliffe trounced a field of Democrats that featured two Black women - former Del. Jennifer Carroll Foy of Prince William County and Sen. Jennifer McClellan of Richmond - in a state that has only elected men to its highest office.

Carroll Foy, who helped Democrats work toward a majority in the House by flipping a Northern Virginia seat in 2017, pitched herself as a progressive voice for the state's working class. McClellan, a legislator since 2006, pleaded with voters to elect someone with leadership experience and the perspective of a Black woman and a mother.

"Although tonight did not go the way we wanted it to, we made history," McClellan said. "I helped put a crack in the glass ceiling. We are going to shatter it  it's only a matter of time."

Carroll Foy said: "Unions stood up. Women stood up. People of color and millennials stood up. Progressives stood up. This campaign was never about me. It was always about us  giving a voice to those who have gone unheard."
Virginia Tech had initially determined that it could not require a vaccine because the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has only allowed the emergency use of the vaccines and hasnt given them its full approval, but its now considering what a vaccine mandate would look like on its large campus with various people who come and go. Its not issued a directive at this time.

Then Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring issued an opinion in April that said public institutions may condition attendance in various activities or settings on receiving a vaccine. He said its up to individual institutions whether or not to require it to protect public health.

In my opinion, a COVID-19 mandate by a state college or university would be reasonable to control COVID-19 and prevent a campus outbreak, Herring wrote. He added that institutions should provide reasonable accommodations for those who dont get vaccinated because of medical conditions or religious objections.

There is some urgency for universities to make a decision soon about a COVID-19 vaccine mandate. With residence halls opening in August, it can take about six weeks between a first dose in a two-dose vaccine and reaching full vaccination. Virginia Tech students must report they have received their necessary vaccine doses by Aug. 6.
Bush had been in office barely four months, and some Americans had not yet gotten past the contentious vote count in Florida that had put him there (although no one stormed the U.S. Capitol to protest).

Bushs talk that day was a good reflection of the man  plainspoken and not particularly poetic. In rereading the text two decades later, it still holds up.

When people come here, it is important to see the town as the monument itself, Bush said. Here were the images these soldiers carried with them, and the thought of when they were afraid. This is the place they left behind. And here was the life they dreamed of returning to. And then the line that got quoted the most: They did not yearn to be heroes. Yet thats how we now think of them.

Heres a line that didnt get quoted much at the time but was true then and still true today: Free societies in Europe can be traced to the first footprints on the first beach on June 6, 1944.

Its not too much of an overstatement to say that Europeans today owe their freedom to some young, scared but ultimately brave Virginians.

A lot has changed since that dedication day 20 years ago, not all of it for the better.
Barrister Amungwa sandwiched by his bail guarantors WhatsApp

The Cameroon Bar has obtained the release of human rights lawyer Amungwa Tanyi Nicodemus, a statement has said.

The prosecutor at the Yaounde Military Tribunal granted bail to Barrister Amungwa Wednesday, June 9, 2021, with three key members of the Bar Council standing as guarantors.

The bail guarantors include Barrister Claire Atangana Bikouna, President of the Bar Council, Barrister Pierre Robert Fojou, representative of the Bar President for the Center, South & East, and Barrister Daniel Ngos, Deputy Secretary of the Bar.

On Monday, June 7, 2021, Human Rights Watch described as unjust the jailing of human rights lawyer Amungwa Tanyi Nicodemus on bogus charges of inciting terrorism.

He should be released immediately, Human Rights Watch said.

According to the human rights organization, Gendarmes arrested Amungwa on May 31 at the Groupement Territorial de la Gendarmerie in Cameroons capital, Yaounde, while he was assisting a client.

According to Amungwas lawyers, after Amungwa complained that Cameroons criminal procedure had been breached in his clients case, the gendarme in charge of the investigation seized Amungwas phone without a warrant, claiming Amungwa had taken photographs at the facility, Human Rights Watch wrote. While searching for the alleged photographs, the gendarme found other photographs that recorded alleged military abuses in Cameroons Anglophone regions and arrested Amungwa, his lawyers said.

It said Amungwa was transferred to the Service Central des Recherches Judiciaires (SCRJ), at the State Defense Secretariat (Secretariat dEtat a la defense, SED)  a detention facility where Human Rights Watch has previously documented repeated resort to incommunicado detention and torture  where he remains detained.

On June 1, Amungwas lawyers and the head of the Cameroon bar association visited him in detention and urged his release. Two days later, the Yaounde military court prosecutor rejected Amungwas lawyers request for bail and returned the case to the SCRJ for relevant checks.

The release on bail of Barrister Amungwa this Wednesday suggests that the relevant checks were successful.

Amungwa, a member of the Cameroon bar association, is one of the lawyers representing Sisiku Julius Ayuk Tabe, the jailed leader of the Cameroonian separatist group, the Ambazonia Interim Government, and several other people arrested in connection with the Anglophone crisis.

Amungwas arrest is a direct attack on the legal profession, Ayukotang Ndep Nkongho, one of Amungwas lawyers, told Human Rights Watch. His arbitrary detention reveals a system geared towards stifling and undermining the role and activities of lawyers involved in key human rights cases.

Cameroons state forces have been battling to dislodge armed separatists who pitched their tents in the North West and South West Regions since Anglophone protests transformed into an armed conflict in 2017.

Corporate demands by Common Law Lawyers and Anglophone Teachers led to protests in November 2016. The street demonstrations later morphed into ongoing running gun battles between state forces and armed separatist fighters in the predominantly English-speaking regions, leading to untold destruction of human lives, their habitats, and livelihoods.

Tit-for-tat killings, kidnappings, arsons, maiming, and outright terror have become part of daily lives in some parts of the English-speaking regions.
A Montgomery County jury found Kayla Nicole Thomas guilty Wednesday of four counts of sexually abusing her late son.

The jury recommended a sentence of two life terms plus 10 years. A sentencing hearing is set for Sept. 23.

During testimony that lasted all day, witnesses described how 2-year-old Steven Dale Meek II was sexually abused on Jan. 8, 2019. The prosecution described how Thomas' boyfriend McKenzie Kyle Hellman asked Thomas to abuse her son, and she did so, making five, 30-second videos of the abuse and sending them to Hellman.

Thomas, 27, took the witness stand and testified that she had done the acts she is accused of, but said she did so because was terrified of Hellman. She said she and Hellman, 27, had dated for about two years, and moved into together in Christiansburg mobile home, just weeks before the abuse of Steven. During those weeks, Hellman had used methamphetamine, Thomas said, and his personality changed.

"He turned into this monster I did not recognize," Thomas said.

Steven later died due to physical injuries based on another incident, according to testimony in the case, and Hellman is charged with the child's murder.
Pulaski was over a year ago grappling with challenges due to overspending and revenue shortfalls and had even performed an audit on its 2018-19 finances.

Barber has said Hicks leaned on the issue in Pulaski to oppose the council approving funding for DCI. The mayor, however, said the DCI member had nothing to do with Pulaskis budget issues as he would have no control over the budget and most likely no access to those funds.

Hicks' supporters criticized the scrutiny from town council and called the concerns raised about Hicks baseless.

Vaught addressed the conversation with Rush.

How do you know she lied? Where you there? Because I was there. I heard the conversation. What she said was true, Vaught said. You dont have the right to come in and be the arbitrator of her truth. How does that work?

Angela Akers, who helped Hicks with her campaign, touted Hicks questioning of issues and credited the councilwoman with helping her better understand town government.

When she asks questions, I love that, Akers said. She woke me up to this. I hope you guys treat her a bit better.
Kitts said he didnt get to knock on as many doors that time around. It was the best part of the experience this time, and he learned from it.

People want somebody to actually represent their values and care. I mean, you got candidates that want to put on a show, and theyre more, as a friend of mine said, all hat and no cattle.

Leadership comes in a lot of different forms, and Ive done it in some of the most harshest conditions that you can imagine, Kitts said. And I always took pride in it because I was always responsible for other peoples children. And I take the same responsibility now.

Kitts said with him voters will get a candidate who grew up in rural Virginia and dedicated his life to service and who will work hard and listen.

Much of Kitts professional background was in the military. He spent more than two decades in the Army, where he served three combat tours in Iraq and one in Afghanistan. He received two Bronze Star medals and a Purple Heart, all for action in Iraq.
Sam Rasoul on primary election night told staffers and supporters gathered in Roanoke that he would continue fighting to punch holes in darkness, even though his campaign fell short of winning the Democrat nomination for lieutenant governor.

Sam Rasoul is not going away, he said to a crowd of about 40 people. As tough as politics can be, as cynical as we can be sometimes, we know that what we need to be able to do is to be punching those holes in darkness.

Rasoul finished second Tuesday in a multicandidate primary for the Democratic nomination. Fellow state Del. Hala Ayala of Prince William won by a 13 percentage point margin.

The idea to punch holes in darkness came from a keynote speech at an interfaith prayer breakfast held annually in Richmond before General Assembly sessions, Rasoul said. It is one memory he shared from his time in politics.

We've got to be able to hold on to these stories, as we are healing as a nation in some ways, as we are trying to push forward a bold, progressive agenda, Rasoul said. We wanted to visit every city and county in Virginia to say all of you count. We all matter."

Rasoul said he saw faces in the crowd trying to claim their stake and have a seat at the table in politics.
He urged the justices to side with Marchant and hold that, "regardless of whether [the] plaintiffs ever had any sort of enforceable property right, that right was extinguished by the 2020 law and that law is perfectly Constitutional."

It is not known when the Supreme Court will rule in the cases. If the plaintiffs lose they could potentially appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, possibly further delaying any removal of the statue.

To that end, Heytens told the justices, "as of today, June 8, 2021, the governor has been enjoined from acting for an entire year, as of today, despite having prevailed on the merits in every single challenge seeking to block his actions.

"For that reason I think it is critically important that the court not only affirm the circuit court's decision on the merits, but also to make clear that the injunction pending appeal is immediately dissolved and that the new status quo is that the governor may act unless plaintiffs succeed in obtaining a new injunction from this court or a higher court," Heytens said.

Joseph E. Blackburn Jr., an attorney representing Gregory, also asked the justices to reverse Marchant. His client, said Blackburn, "is here to stop the sovereign, from doing what the sovereign can't do and to stop the sovereign from breaking its word."
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The delta variant now circulating in Guangzhou has also shown the ability in other countries to infect some people who had already been vaccinated, a phenomenon known as vaccine escape. Research elsewhere has found that to be a particular problem for people who have received only a first injection of a two-jab vaccine and are then exposed to the delta variant.
A man was killed in a shooting following an altercation with a group of people Sunday near the intersection of Curryer and Boone streets, according to police.
CALmatters is a public interest journalism venture committed to explaining how California's state Capitol works and why it matters. Dan Walters has been a journalist for nearly 60 years, spending all but a few of those years working for California newspapers.
The fact that the mainstream media has attempted to frame it as a conflict between Palestinians and Israel is simply one sign of the bigotry that is perhaps so internalized that not even journalists who think they are acting in good faith recognize it.

Israel was not fighting against the Palestinians. Israel was defending itself against a terror group that has been funded as if it were a sovereign nation by other sovereign nations, including Iran and Russia.

But that false moral equivalency is only part of the anti-Semitism.

Many on the left argue that they cant be anti-Semitic because there are Jews in America, not to mention Israeli human rights organizations, that condemn Israels policies in the West Bank and Gaza. That is hopelessly naive.

The people who are throwing rocks at Jews in New York, and tweeting out as a CNN contributor did that we need another Hitler, and driving through the streets with Palestinian flags waving while screaming about apartheid Israel are not interested in politics. They are interested in what Irans Mahmoud Ahmadinejad wanted: Removal of the cancerous tumor called Israel.
HARTSVILLE, S.C.  The Butler Heritage Foundation has been awarded two grants for a total of $300,000 for renovations at the Butler Community Center at 1103 S. Sixth St.

The Hartsville Boys and Girls Club of the Pee Dee Area provided $60,000 toward the replacement of the Butler Gymnatorium floor. The clubs gift was made largely possible through a $50,000 grant from the Longleaf Fund at Foundation for the Carolinas. Serving counties throughout the Carolinas, the Longleaf Fund awards capital grants for the purpose of strengthening the character and achievement of at-risk children and youth while encouraging communities to reach higher and create opportunities for a brighter future. Renovations to the Butler Gymnatorium began in November and are expected to be completed by the end June.

Since opening in 1999 on the Butler campus, our partnership with the Butler Heritage Foundation has been vital, enabling our Hartsville Club to provide afterschool and summer programming to over 400 youth annually, said Neal Zimmerman, CEO Boys & Girls Club. We are thrilled to be part of the Butler Gymnatorium renovation project and grateful to our friends at the Longleaf Fund for joining in.
TIMMONSVILLE, S.C.  At least two residents of the Florence School District Four community are frustrated by what they say is a lack of action and interaction at a consolidation committee meeting held Tuesday evening.

Lawrence Becote said in an email that he didnt understand the purpose of the meeting held at the Brockington Elementary School library Tuesday.

I am still trying to understand why the transition team needed us there, Becote said. The public was invited to make comments, and ask questions, but there was not one question that was asked by those of us who attended the meeting in public or online that were addressed. There was no interaction. We just basically sat and listened as the committee members talked. Some of us are beginning to wonder just what kind of a horse and pony show these people are trying to put on here.

At the beginning of the meeting, the members of the public attending the meeting were offered the opportunity to make comments but were told that the committee could not answer any questions posed. This is a common practice of several local governments including Florence One Schools and the Florence County Council. Their policies, and possibly the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act, prevent any public body from discussing items not on their agendas.
TIMMONSVILLE, S.C.  The committee tasked by South Carolina Superintendent of Education Molly Spearman to make recommendations regarding the consolidation of Florence School District Four into Florence One Schools left its first meeting with plans to meet again on July 12.

The committee met Tuesday evening in the library of Brockington Elementary School to discuss the proposed consolidation and decided to meet at 7 p.m. on the second Monday of the next three months (July 12, Aug. 9 and Sept. 13) at the library.

Committee leader Kimberly Mack, director of the South Carolina Department of Educations Office of School Transformation and a former principal and assistant principal at South Florence High School, also agreed to provide the public with agendas and information about what the committee will make recommendations on a week prior to the meetings.

The committee also agreed to allow for public comments that will be read at the meetings via Florence Four Facebook page and a comment box to be located in the front of the high school.

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What they will be meeting to recommend has not yet been determined.
A hasty consolidation, though, will create more problems than it solves, he said.

Im hoping (State School) Superintendent (Molly) Spearman delays it a year because those are some of the things we can address ahead of time before they come in, OMalley said.

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The superintendent talked about the school systems successes over the past three years, including a building program that has met all its goals with two exceptions  a new Williams Middle School and a new Savannah Grove Elementary School.

OMalley said that plans are in place and steps are being taken on Williams Middle School and that it was happening sooner than it would have under a failed school bond proposal.

OMalley talked about the school systems improved financial and academic situations and the 10 audits in the last three years that the system has passed.

All the past successes, though, may mean little if the district doesnt get consolidation right.

Theres only about 140 high school students there and total of about 640 total students, approximately the size of Lucy T. Davis  not a lot to us as far as operations go, OMalley said in reference to one of the school systems elementary schools.
TRENTON, N.J. (AP)  Jack Ciattarelli, a small business founder and former Assembly member, won New Jersey's Republican primary for governor Tuesday, setting up a general election contest with Gov. Phil Murphy, who captured the Democratic nod for reelection.

Murphy implicitly tied Republicans to former President Donald Trump, and warned Tuesday night that truth" itself was on the ballot. Ciattarelli went directly for Murphy, a Massachusetts native who moved to the state later in life. He framed Murphy as out of touch with New Jersey, and attacked his handling of the coronavirus outbreak. He also promised to lower the state's sky-high property taxes.

This is where I root for the Yankees while Phil Murphy is cheering for the Red Sox," Ciattarelli said to applause during a speech Tuesday night.

There was little suspense in Murphy's race, where he appeared alone on the ballot.

Ciattarelli defeated three challengers, two of whom promoted themselves as vocal Trump supporters. They were Hirsh Singh, an engineer from Atlantic County and Hudson County pastor and former real estate developer Phil Rizzo. Both men invoked the president as part of their efforts to win over the GOP vote in Democratic-leaning New Jersey.
 GOP Gov and former DEA chief calls for Congress to "finally and fully end the disparity between crack and cocaine offenses" | Main | A different assessment of "Americas Dangerous Obsession" with innocence on death row 

June 9, 2021

"Acquitted. Then Sentenced."

The title of this post is the terrifically economical title of this new commentary authored by Shana OToole is the founder and president of the Due Process Institute. As regular readers surely realize, the commentary focuses on a remarkable sentencing reality that has long troubled me and it discusses the possibility that a legislative fix may be in the works. Here are excerpts from a piece I recommend (including a footnote that I consider especially important):

Imagine being accused of robbery and murder, but ultimately being found not guilty by a jury of your peers. Now imagine that just two years later, you are indicted again for a wholly unrelated and less serious criminal offense. You voluntarily plead guilty, expecting to receive a fair sentence. The prosecutors, the probation office, and your defense lawyer all agree that current law sets an appropriate prison sentence ranging between 2.5 years to 3.5 years. Your case is then assigned to the same judge who presided over your first case. She sentences you to eight years in prison  more than double the highest end of the range that anyone else involved in the criminal legal system would have told you to expect. And when she does so, she explains that when she went back over her old notes from your first trial, she determined there is a 51% chance that you should have been found guilty of those crimes, so shes ignoring the jurys earlier verdicts and now basing your sentence for this crime on those past unproven crimes. If you think this describes what happens in a bad movie or under some authoritarian regime, you're wrong. This describes a real case, and the practice is known as acquitted conduct sentencing. Earlier this year, a bipartisan group of senators introduced legislation that will provide much-needed reform. Tomorrow, this bill, the Prohibiting Punishment of Acquitted Conduct Act, will face its first major hurdle: a Senate Judiciary Committee markup. The bill is a first step to addressing the many injustices caused by acquitted conduct sentencing. It will prohibit federal judges from increasing a persons prison sentence for one offense on the basis of another offense for which a jury had found the person not guilty. Perhaps the most apparent problem with acquitted conduct sentencing is that it erodes our systems presumption of innocence and the fundamental principles of fairness and justice. Many lawyers and activists argue that it undermines the Sixth Amendment right to a jury trial  a pillar of the American criminal legal system, which requires that juries, not judges, determine the facts essential to a prison sentence. Yet acquitted conduct sentencing remains permissible in every federal court and a majority of state courts. While the actual number of impacted persons has yet to be quantified,[FN1] based on the number of federal appeals we know that the practice is widespread. At my organization, the Due Process Institute, our office mailbag is full of letters from those trapped behind prison walls who are serving sentences well past what their actual convictions should have brought them. [FN1] It is almost impossible to say how many people have been directly impacted by the practice since no entity in our federal legal system currently tracks that data. No judge in any of our 94 distinct federal judicial districts is required to document when he or she relies on acquitted conduct in their sentencing decision. And there is often inadequate documentation of acquitted conduct sentencing placed on the public trial record.... Some members of the Supreme Court have raised concerns.... The view that acquitted conduct sentencing is unconstitutional has also won support from lower court judges across the political spectrum. But the majority of the Supreme Court appears to remain unconvinced. Without Supreme Court action, we must look to Congress for a remedy. Thankfully, the legislative fix for this problem is relatively easy. Congress need only amend the law to explicitly exempt the use of acquitted conduct as a basis for increasing a persons sentence. The congressional history of 18 U.S. Code  3661  the part of the law dealing with the use of information for sentencing  indicates that the law was enacted to provide broad discretion to federal judges when considering information during sentencing. But it does not appear that the statute was explicitly enacted to permit the specific practice of acquitted conduct sentencing. The political case for abolishing the use of acquitted conduct at sentencing should appeal to sensibilities on both sides of the political aisle. Thats why the Senate bill and a similar one in the House of Representatives have each received support from Democrats and Republicans. In an era in which such bipartisan agreement is increasingly rare, this is an opportunity for Congress to pass meaningful legislation that will make our justice system more fair and effective. Its time to put an end to acquitted conduct sentencing, and the Senates legislation is a good start. Tomorrow, the Judiciary Committee should vote to move this legislation forward unamended and allow it to come to the Senate floor for a vote.

June 9, 2021 at 03:51 PM | Permalink

Comments

A question: How often is the acquitted conduct for which a greater sentence is applied completely unrelated to offenses where a conviction is actually obtained?

While I don't necessarily have problems with what I understand to be the usual case where the acquitted and convicted conduct are tied together I admit to being troubled where the two are wholly unrelated.

Posted by: Soronel Haetir | Jun 9, 2021 4:19:57 PM

I guess the real question is should you be able to impose a long sentence on Al Capone for tax evasion. If you think that character is relevant (and certainly defense counsels regularly introduce evidence of good character unrelated to the offense behavior as mitigating evidence at sentencing hearings), then uncharged and acquitted conduct is just as significant in assessing character as attending church regularly.

While it is hard to look back through a modern lens at the understanding of the framers (particularly as the framers "normal" sentences were much harsher than our current sentences reducing the potential impact of prior bad acts on sentencing), the traditional understanding of sentencing procedure is that everything is fair game for the sentencer.

I know that defense attorneys, as part of open plea deals, regularly argue that judges should not consider the dismissed charges. But if you make that a rule, there could be unintended consequences. Prosecutors are regularly willing to drop charges because they believe that the sentence to be imposed on the remaining charges will be sufficient. But part of the analysis that makes the remaining counts sufficient is the ability of the courts to consider the total picture. You get rid of that potential, then you might not get the reduced charges with the result that sentences go higher.

Posted by: tmm | Jun 9, 2021 5:20:53 PM

"acquitted conduct is just as significant in assessing character as attending church regularly"

Depends on why there was an acquittal. If the acquittal is a result of there being serious doubt that the crime occurred, actually going to church or something can be a better way to assess character.

"Prosecutors are regularly willing to drop charges because they believe that the sentence to be imposed on the remaining charges will be sufficient."

I'm not sure how much is covered by the legislation here, but this seems to be different from the "acquitted conduct" concern.

The charges were dropped. There wasn't an acquittal as a result (example given) of a whole process and jury decision. It isn't acquitted conduct from the past. It is basically a plea -- "we will drop this if you plea to that" -- regarding current prosecutions.

It isn't "two years later" after acquittal. The "everything usually is factored in" comment is noted. The current rule can benefit a defendant in various instances.

But, this seems to talk past a basic concern of the piece.

Posted by: Joe | Jun 9, 2021 6:18:28 PM

The case the post is referring to is United States v. Asaro, where the defendant was allegedly a capo in the mafia. He was acquitted on RICO charges relating to 40 years of mob activity (including the Lufthansa heist and a murder where his son pleaded guilty to moving the body). He pleaded guilty to having some mob associates torch a guy's car after the guy cut him off in traffic. The sentencing judge viewed the acquitted conduct for the other case as being relevant to the "the history and characteristics of the defendant," 18 U.S.C. s. 3553(a), because he was in a position to order mob associates to torch the guy's car because he was high up in mob. So, while I certainly agree the use of acquitted conduct at sentencing is problematic, I'm not sure it's accurate to say the acquitted and convicted conduct were unrelated in this case.

Posted by: Tre | Jun 10, 2021 11:28:50 AM

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In this new Fox News commentary, Arkansas Gov Asa Hutchinson makes a notable pitch for the EQUAL Act (discussed here). The piece is headlined "It's time to fix an old wrong and end the disparity between crack and cocaine offenses," and I recommend it in full. Here are excerpts:

In America, the principles of fairness and equal treatment are fundamental to the rule of law. When we fall short of these principles, we lose confidence in our justice system and weaken the foundation of our country. Since 1986, there has been a substantial difference in prison sentences for crack and powdered cocaine offenses, a disparity that has not only encouraged a misapplication of limited law enforcement resources, but has also been the source of unequal punishment for basically identical crimes....

During my time in Congress in the 1990s, and as the head of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) from 2001-2003, I saw first-hand the impact of this disparity, and found it was failing on three fronts. First, it rarely led to the prosecution of major drug traffickers and sellers. Instead, it led to increased prosecutions of small-time dealers and peripheral supporters, almost all of whom were replaced immediately.

Second, it became clear that the disparity was built on a misunderstanding of crack cocaines chemical properties and effects of the body. Crack and powdered cocaine were chemically the same, and the violence that was linked to crack cocaine was not related to the properties of the drug. Instead, it was the general product of the drug trade and the historically violent trends in areas where crack is predominantly used and sold.

Third, it undermined community confidence in the fairness of the criminal justice system. I talked with drug task force officers and front-line agents at the DEA who said this sense of injustice had a real impact in the fight against illegal drugs; it made it more difficult for agents to build trust and work with informants in the areas most impacted by the crack epidemic. The disparity in sentencing led to more harm than help in our federal anti-crime efforts.

The bipartisan Fair Sentencing Act, sponsored by Sens. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., dramatically reduced the disparity, from 100:1 to 18:1. In 2018, the First Step Act, signed into law by President Donald Trump, made that reduced disparity retroactive.

Those were important steps, but the new sentencing laws continue to cause disproportionate harm and decreased trust in communities of color. For example, in 2019, Black people accounted for 81% of all federal crack cocaine convictions. Those convictions led to prison terms 18 times longer than they would have been for equivalent amounts of chemically identical powdered cocaine.

It is time for Congress to finish what it started, and finally and fully end the disparity between crack and cocaine offenses. The bipartisan Equal Act would bring federal sentencing law in line with most states that have eliminated, reduced or never instituted, these unjust disparities. That includes my home state of Arkansas, where possession of crack and powdered cocaine are treated the same under state law....

The strength of our justice system is totally dependent on the perception of fairness and the concept that punishments should fit the crimes. The clear and pernicious injustice of crack and powdered cocaine sentencing disparities harms our communities, limits law enforcement in their fight against illegal drugs, and weakens the foundation of our entire system of justice.

Congress has the opportunity to fully and finally eliminate this injustice by passing the Equal Act. To get it done, lawmakers of all different backgrounds will need to put partisanship aside and work in the best interests of the American people. I cant think of a worthier cause than preserving our founding principle  that all Americans are treated equally under the law.
I learned a lot from him, and I think he was one of the best auctioneers in Baltimore County. Steve could really sell, whether it was real estate, farms, livestock, motorcycles or houses. Hed sell everything from the washer-dryer in a house to the trash cans in the garage. He was also well regarded in legal circles, where he handled foreclosures, appraisals, estates and property sales.
By Stephanie Nebehay

GENEVA (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin are set to hold their June 16 summit in an 18th-century Swiss villa overlooking Lake Geneva, a soothing setting for what promises to be heated talks.

Bitter disputes over election interference, cyber attacks, human rights and Ukraine hang over their first face-to-face meeting since Biden took office on Jan 20.

Strategic nuclear stability and regional conflicts will be on the table. Biden, who is due to arrive in Britain on Wednesday at the start of his first trip abroad as president, has said he would press Putin to respect human rights.

Putin said last Friday he expected the talks to be held in a positive atmosphere, though he anticipated no breakthrough.

He said allegations that Russian hackers were behind a cyber attack that disrupted meat production in North America and Australia were an attempt to provoke a political row ahead of the summit, Interfax news agency reported.

Despite "destructive noise" by both sides, a mutual objective has emerged to put their relationship "on a more predictable and stable basis", said Robert Legvold, professor emeritus at Colombia University and a Russia expert.

"Over time Geneva summits have been critical to the relationship," he told reporters in the Swiss city on Wednesday.

"And when it comes to actually working out important areas of cooperation, strategic nuclear arms control, the majority of those talks have been in Geneva too."

Diplomatic sources expect confirmation of the venue later on Wednesday or Thursday. The Swiss police and army have closed the two parks surrounding the Villa La Grange and installed barricades and barbed wire.

Neutral Switzerland, which did not join Western sanctions against Russia for its 2014 annexation of the Crimea region from Ukraine, lobbied hard to land the first big power summit in the Alpine country in decades.

"RESET"

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In the Cold War era, U.S. President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev held their first summit in Geneva in Nov. 1985 and agreed to pursue cuts in their nuclear arsenals.

In Geneva in 2009, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton gave Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov a yellow box bearing a red "reset" button to symbolise improved ties under President Barack Obama. But the word "reset" was mistranslated into the Russian word for "overcharge", creating an awkward moment.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Lavrov will accompany Biden and Putin.

The classic villa is located in a park along the left bank. Dotted with redwood trees, rose bushes and ancient fountains, the park offers a stunning view of Lake Geneva and sailboats.

Biden is also scheduled to hold talks with Swiss President Guy Parmelin.

Switzerland has represented U.S. interests in Iran since the 1979 Islamic revolution, often facilitating the transfer of prisoners between the two foes. Tax issues are likely to be raised after Biden referred to Switzerland as a "fiscal paradise" in April.

(Reporting and writing by Stephanie Nebehay; additional reporting by Denis Balibouse; editing by Michael Shields, Alexandra Hudson and Gareth Jones)
FILE PHOTO: Canadians and Americans meet on the border south of Vancouver

By Steve Scherer and David Ljunggren

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada on Wednesday took a cautious first step toward easing COVID-19 border restrictions, saying it was prepared to relax quarantine protocols for fully vaccinated citizens returning home starting in early July.

Canada's air and land borders have allowed for only essential travel since March of last year, and people returning home are required to quarantine for 14 days. If they arrive by air, they also must stay in a designated hotel until they receive a negative COVID-19 test.

"The first step ... is to allow fully vaccinated individuals currently permitted to enter Canada to do so without the requirement to stay in government-authorized accommodation," Health Minister Patty Hajdu told reporters on Wednesday.

The easing of restrictions will hinge on COVID-19 case numbers and vaccinations, she said.

Canadian businesses, especially airlines and those that depend on tourism, have been lobbying the Liberal government to relax restrictions. Hajdu made clear Ottawa would act slowly.

Asked about calls from businesses to lift restrictions starting on June 22, Hajdu said: "We do want to be cautious and careful on these next steps to be sure that we are not putting that recovery in jeopardy."

The Canadian Airports Council said it was "disappointed the new measures were not extended to all vaccinated travellers and that there is still no plan for a restart of travel" while the Chamber of Commerce said much work remained.

The opposition Conservatives, almost neck and neck in polls with the Liberals ahead of an election expected this year, demanded an end to the quarantine program and said "Canadians can't afford more pandemic mismanagement from (Prime Minister) Justin Trudeau."

By June 21, Canada is due to decide whether to extend land border restrictions with the United States. The measures do not affect trade.

Hajdu said Canada would take a "phased approach towards adjusting current border measures."

Story continues

It is still unclear when the border rules might change for foreign travelers.

There will be as many as seven phases, with borders not fully open until some 75% of Canadians are fully vaccinated, a source familiar with the matter said.

Canada is working on a certificate that can be presented at the border as proof of vaccination, Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc told reporters.

Even if fully vaccinated, Canadians will be required to take a COVID-19 test before departure and upon arrival, and then quarantine until they receive a negative result, Hajdu said

Some 70% of eligible Canadians have received a first shot, Procurement Minister Anita Anand said, while about 10% are fully vaccinated.

Canada is due to get millions of doses of both the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna vaccines in June. This includes 7 million doses of the Moderna vaccine, with some coming for the first time from the United States.

On Tuesday, the Biden administration said it was forming an expert working group with Canada to determine how best to safely restart travel.

(Reporting by Steve Scherer and David Ljunggren; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama, Bill Berkrot and Marguerita Choy)
Founder of collapsed oil trading firm Hin Leong Trading Pte Ltd, Lim Oon Kuin, better known as O.K. Lim, arrives at the State Courts in Singapore April 30, 2021. (PHOTO: REUTERS/Edgar Su)

By Chanyaporn Chanjaroen

(Bloomberg)  Singapores High Court capped expenses for the founding family of collapsed oil trader Hin Leong Trading at S$10,000 (US$7,500) a week per person as part of an order that also freezes as much as US$3.5 billion of their assets around the world.

Hin Leongs founder Lim Oon Kuin and his two children can also spend a reasonable sum on legal advice, as well as other representations, on top of these weekly living expenses, according to court orders filed on June 4 that were seen by Bloomberg News. Lim, 79, has been charged with forgery and related offences, as his oil-trading firm, once the city-states largest, fell into liquidation in March.

The courts asset-freeze order last month may be one of the biggest such injunctions in Singapores history, and may pave the way toward debt recovery for more than 20 bank creditors including HSBC Holdings Plc and DBS Group Holdings Ltd., which together are owed about US$3.5 billion by Hin Leong.

Read More: Singapore Freezes US$3.5 Billion of Hin Leongs Lim Family Assets

Davinder Singh and his eponymous law firm are acting for Lim. The firm is involved in several high profile cases in the country, including defamation suits brought by the prime minister and an alleged nickel scam that may be biggest of its kind. An email and calls seeking comments from Singh and his team were not answered.

Under the asset freeze, the Lims are not allowed to dispose of assets that include their properties in Singapore and Australia, insurance policies, shares in companies as well as country club memberships.

The order also states that before spending any money, Lim and his two children must tell the lawyers representing the liquidators of Hin Leong where the money comes from, according to the court documents. Liquidators Goh Thien Phong and Chan Kheng Tek are represented by Drew & Napier LLCs Cavinder Bull and his team.

 2021 Bloomberg L.P.
ICA Building. (PHOTO: Screenshot/Google Maps)

SINGAPORE  A man who returned from Batam and was placed on Stay-Home Notice (SHN) was desperate to travel to China to marry his girlfriend.

Ignoring his SHN, Ong Chong Kiat, 51, went to a meet-the-people (MPS) session in an attempt to meet his Member of Parliament (MP), and later travelled to the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) in order to appeal to be allowed to travel.

Ong, a Singaporean, was jailed for 25 days on Tuesday (8 June) after he pleaded guilty to two counts of exposing others to the risk of COVID-19 infection. Another two charges of a similar nature were considered for his sentencing.

His lawyer Alina Sim told the court that Ong was due to be married to a Chinese national, and was planning to leave for China upon his return from Batam on 24 March last year.

The wedding, scheduled for 5 April last year, did not happen. His girlfriend left him after he failed to go to China.

Ong, an IT consultant, was served an SHN on 24 March when he returned to Singapore from Batam. His SHN was to last until 7 April.

On 26 March, Ong left his residence despite having a sore throat and a cough. He went to Block 632 Hougang Avenue 8 in an attempt to see his MP in the MPS session, and seek the MPs help to appeal to ICA so that he could travel to China. He did not manage to see his MP.

Ong then sought medical treatment at Khoo Teck Puat Hospital for his sore throat and cough, travelling there via taxi. He was referred to Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) instead and he took a taxi to the second hospital.

While at TTSH, he underwent an X-ray and a COVID-19 nasal swab test.

On 27 March, Ong again left his residence and took a Grab car to the ICA building, where he wanted to make the same appeal. He spoke to two ICA officers, telling them that he would be holding his wedding in China in five days' time. However, he had no documents to support his claim.

The two officers told Ong to continue serving his SHN and reminded him not to leave his residence. Ong returned home.

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Three days later however, Ong left his residence to collect his swab test result at TTSH, even though TTSH had informed him of his result via SMS on 28 March. The result was negative.

After collecting his result, Ong again visited the ICA building to appeal to leave Singapore for China. He took a Grab car there and proceeded to the ICA's customer relations branch. He coughed to get the attention of an ICA officer there.

The officer, who was attending to another person, asked Ong to fill up a form while waiting. She later realised that Ong was the same person who had visited on 27 March despite serving an SHN. She immediately informed her supervisors, who asked her to usher Ong to an interview room.

Ong, while wearing a face mask, later showed the three officers who attended to him his COVID-19 test result and asked to be allowed to travel to China to get married. However, the officers said they could not allow his request and asked him to return home to finish his SHN. Ong complied, taking a Grab car home.

Ong could have been jailed up to six months and/or fined up to $10,000 for breaching his SHN.

Stay in the know on-the-go: Join Yahoo Singapore's Telegram channel at http://t.me/YahooSingapore

More Singapore stories:

Of 9 new COVID cases in Singapore, 4 local including 1 dorm resident

Gurmit Singh, actor in COVID-19 jingle, fined $800 for speeding

Woman, without mask in viral MBS video, asks judge to drop charges

Man jailed over racist remarks on sharonliew86 'parody' account
Your friends insurance would be considered secondary coverage if your insurance limits are used up because damage and injury bills exceed your policy amounts..

However, not all policies are alike in this regard. For instance, certain auto insurance policies exclude other driverseven family members in your householdunless your policy specifically lists those drivers. These step-down policies are generally sold as very cheap policies by sub-standard carriers. One reason theyre so cheap is because they exclude everyone except the primary driver or offer only limited coverage for other drivers. If youre buying a standard policy from a respectable auto insurer, you wont have to worry about this.

Also, you may not even be responsible for damage or injuries arising from a wreck when your friend is behind the wheel of your car. If the crash isnt the friends fault, the financial responsibility may rest with other drivers who are at fault.

Permissive vs. Non-Permissive Use

Permissive use simply means that your friend had permission to drive your car.
In a past life, Ralph Kopelman sold mens suits.

But these days, most men dont wear suits unless they are attending a wedding, a funeral or a court hearing, says Ralph Kopelman, owner of Cranford Vanilla Bean Creamery in Cranford, New Jersey. Kopelman sold suits for about 30 years, but an earlier life experience was calling him to an entirely new vocation.

When he was growing up in Queens, New York, in the 1970s, Kopelman worked at his fathers candy store. In addition to selling candies and newspapers, Kopelman would scoop ice cream for customers. Although he admits it wasnt a glamorous job, Kopelman has fond memories working behind the counter and making people smile with a cone of ice cream.

That memory pushed him out of the clothing business and propelled him into his passion for ice cream. Kopelman experimented with ice cream recipes at home before enrolling in courses at Ice Cream University in West Orange, New Jersey, a local company that offers seminars, workshops and consulting to would-be ice cream business owners. After taking classes, Kopelmans goal was to make and serve premium, artisanal ice cream.

He and his wife Marianne opened up Cranford Vanilla Bean Creamery in April 2010 and have been busy ever since. Located in the quaint, upscale town just outside of Newark, the shop, situated in a former Carvel ice cream parlor, has become a local favorite, offering more than 32 homemade ice cream flavors.

Making and serving dessert is a far cry from his earlier profession, but Kopelman wouldnt have it any other way.

Look, nobody is happy buying a suit, Kopelman says. But everybody is happy when they buy ice cream.

Kopelman offers a few classic  yet elevated  ice cream recipes you can try at home.

Bittersweet Chocolate Ice Cream Homemade chocolate ice cream cant be beat; serve it straight-up or top with your favorite nuts, syrups or fresh berries.

French Vanilla Ice Cream A vanilla ice cream recipe is a vehicle for infinite mix-in iterations, from cookie dough to caramel swirl. Start with this base recipe and go from there.

Coffee Ice Cream Good java makes a difference in this coffee ice cream recipe. Pick a variety you like for a cold, creamy dessert with just a little jolt.

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By the end of the meeting, the Authority board decided to delay its decision until Monday. A meeting will be held at 1 p.m. to approve one of the bids or reject both of them.

The Authority, a joint city-county entity, has two options: accept the low bid, or reject both bids and rebid at a later date.

Authority member Dan Moore, a Sioux City councilman, asked the vote to be delayed until Monday to give him an opportunity to bring the information to other council members.

He said Colt and others have brought different concerns to his attention that he wants more time to consider and discuss.

I just want to make sure we can answer to the taxpayers, we can answer to ourselves ... we did the best we could with what we knew, Moore said.

Feedback from contractors and community members received during the Tuesday night board of supervisors meeting said the project needs to be put on hold and the bids need to be rejected.

The authority is required by Iowa law to accept the lowest responsive and responsible bid. Iowa does not have a local preference law.
SIOUX CITY  The Woodbury County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday postponed a decision to provide funding to LAMB Arts for the 625 Douglas Project, partially citing concerns surrounding the new law enforcement center funding.

LAMB Arts asked the county to provide $1 million in funding to renovate the historic building at 625 Douglas St., which was built as the city's first auditorium. LAMB's renovation costs are estimated at $17.4 million. The supervisors voted unanimously to delay a decision to a future meeting.

LAMB Executive Director Diana Wooley said the theater requires matching funds from both the city and the county to apply for some grants.

She said the project has three goals: restore, reimagine and reveal.

It will restore the historical building to its original purpose, reimagine the interior of the building, and reveal that Sioux City is a cultural and artistic hub, according to LAMB's application.

"We view this project as a source of pride for Siouxland," according to the application. "It will greatly enhance the corner in which it sits opposite the beautiful Woodbury County Courthouse and City Hall, adding to the historic fabric of the area."

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Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey, the first official to sue the Sacklers, told the committee she would like to see the bill adopted before an Aug. 9 hearing on Purdues restructuring proposal.

Theyre an incredibly wealthy family thats been able to buy off lobbyists and lawyers and PR campaigns, and now is trying to buy relief by offering something in a bankruptcy proceeding, said Healey, a Democrat.

Maloney, who chairs the Oversight Committee, acknowledged during a news conference Tuesday that passing the bill is not a certainty and hoped that the hearing would rally Republican support.

You always have hope, she said.

Republicans on the committee seemed less interested in her bankruptcy bill than in targeting another factor contributing to the opioid crisis, which has been linked to the deaths of nearly 500,000 Americans over the last two decades and has deepened since the coronavirus pandemic began. They used the hearing to say the U.S. needs to focus on stopping fentanyl and other deadly synthetic opioids at the border with Mexico.
He said he was notified last week the Historical Society could no longer participate in the commemoration and in turn, would not be able to offer their campus for use. As a result, advertising and publicity materials had to be reworked and a new location had to be found less than a month before the event.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP)  California Gov. Gavin Newsom appeared disinclined Friday to insert himself into the regulatory process for workplaces after a state safety board upset business groups by approving new rules that require all workers to wear masks unless everyone around them is vaccinated against the coronavirus.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP)  U.S. Rep. Val Demings launched a bid for the U.S. Senate on Wednesday, raising hope among Democrats of ousting Florida's Republican Sen. Marco Rubio from the evenly divided chamber.
BOISE, Idaho (AP)  Idaho could finish the fiscal year at the end of June with a record budget surplus of $800 million, Gov. Brad Little announced Wednesday.

The Republican governor said he will advocate for additional tax cuts along with investments in key areas, with education topping the priority list. Lawmakers will take up the budget when they meet in January.

Little attributed the strong state economy to fiscal conservatism, swift action during the coronavirus pandemic and responsible allocation of billions of dollars in federal COVID-19 rescue money.

He also said, our relentless focus on cutting red tape are the reasons Idahos economy is catapulting ahead of other states right now.

Little noted that May revenue numbers came in $580 million ahead of forecasts and, at nearly $850 million, best in state history.

The Division of Financial Management said revenue numbers for May, also released on Wednesday, were far above predictions because the deadline for paying income tax was delayed from April to May due to the pandemic.

Overall this year, individual income taxes have brought in $2.3 billion, about 25% more than predicted. Sales tax collections are up nearly 8% to $1.8 billion.
CLEVELAND (AP)  The electric utility AEP Ohio said Tuesday that the Enforcement Division of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has subpoenaed documents related to subsidies it has received from a now-tainted energy bill for two aging coal plants partly owned by the company.

A document on the company's website says the SEC is seeking various documents, including those regarding the energy bill passed in July 2019 and those relating to our financial processes and controls.

As we have previously stated, we continue to have no reason to believe that AEP was involved in any wrongful conduct, the company said, adding that it is cooperating with the SEC.

Federal authorities last July accused Akron-based First Energy Corp. of secretly funding a $60 million bribery scheme to win legislative passage of a $1 billion subsidy for two Ohio nuclear power plants operated at the time by a wholly-owned FirstEnergy subsidiary.

A subsidy for the coal plants, which AEP has a 43% ownership stake in, was later added to the energy bill.

Two other Ohio investor-owned electric utilities, AES Ohio, formerly Dayton Power & Light, and Duke Energy have smaller ownership shares of the plants, one of which is in Indiana.
MADISON, Wis. (AP)  Future federal laws that would ban or restrict the use of guns could not be enforced in Wisconsin under a Republican-backed bill the state Assembly approved Wednesday.

The measure is part of a national wave of similar proposals intended to resist new gun control measures. The bills are a reaction from Republicans to a push by President Joe Biden and congressional Democrats to tighten gun control laws.

However, because the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution dictates that federal law trumps conflicting state law, many previous GOP-backed state efforts to thwart gun laws have been found unconstitutional. Several states passed similar laws under then-President Barack Obama, but judges ruled against them.

Even if the Wisconsin Senate passed the new bill, it would likely be vetoed by Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, who supports tighter gun control limits.
About 85% of the Guard has been called up in the last year, more than have ever responded to domestic needs, McGuire said in April at a news conference where Ducey introduced his successor at the National Guard.

McGuire also oversaw the deployment of Guardsmen to the southern border.

McGuire, an Air Force Academy graduate, flew F-16 fighters before joining the Arizona National Guard in 2001, where he continued as an F-16 instructor pilot and flew MQ-1B Predator drones. Gov. Jan Brewer appointed him adjutant general, the Guard's top leader, and head of the Arizona Department of Emergency and Military Affairs in 2013. Ducey kept him in the job when he took office in 2015.

Solar energy entrepreneur Jim Lamon was the first major Republican candidate to jump in the race. Other Republicans considering a Senate run include U.S. Rep. Andy Biggs and Attorney General Mark Brnovich.

Kelly, a retired astronaut, won a special election last year to finish the late John McCains last Senate term. He is now running for a full six-year term. The race is one of the most high-profile contests in 2022 and will help determine which party controls the U.S. Senate.
The Santee Cooper supporters won. McMaster said he wants to read it before deciding whether to sign it, but his action is mostly symbolic, as the 111-0 House vote and 43-0 Senate vote are veto-proof.

This product is one of negotiation, said Sen. Luke Rankin, a Republican from Myrtle Beach. "Its one of everybody trying, I think in good faith, to make Santee Cooper what it should be and to move past the decision that it made  that we as a state made  to go nuclear."

The bill does shake up Santee Cooper's leadership. Over the next four years, it ousts nine of the 10 members on the utility's board, all of whom were serving before the nuclear reactors were abandoned by majority partner South Carolina Electric & Gas in 2017. It also restricts severance packages for any executives who lose their jobs.

House Speaker Jay Lucas, one of those who pushed hard to sell the company, said the provision was essential in order to get rid of arrogant, entrenched insulated leadership.

The proposal gives state regulators more power over the utility. It allows them to review the utilitys future plans to generate power and their forecasts for power, and to require public hearings and a watchdog to question utility executives about rate increases.
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP)  Urging lawmakers to stop taking bribes, demonstrators returned to Pennsylvania's Capitol on Wednesday to press lawmakers to pass legislation banning them from taking gifts from lobbyists and others aiming to influence them.
The Canadians took the handcuffs off once they put Ross in the cell, but he said they gave him no food or water. The cell contained only a metal bench and a toilet, he said.

He said that about 6 a.m. Thursday, after 12 hours in the cell, the Canadian officials sought to collect the fine, but Ross couldn't pay it because his credit card was nearly maxed out.

The Canadians then settled for $100, said Ross, who supplied The News with copies of both credit card slips and documents the Canadians gave him, impounding his car and advising him of his rights.

"They gave me back my car keys. They told me to go back to New York," Ross said. "They said if I ever come back without proper documentation, they're going to criminally charge me and ban me from entering Canada again."

Ross had been turned back at the Peace Bridge last September and at Lewiston-Queenston in January.

"My fiancee was saying she was feeling lonely, depressed and suicidal," Ross said in explaining why he tried to cross the border again last week to try to get to the Toronto home of Lee Goldman, 34.

A Canadian government website says that Ross could possibly have been admitted to Canada, but the decision is ultimately up to the border inspectors.
WASHINGTON (AP)  The U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan is more than half done, and U.S. officials say that while it could be completed by July 4, the final exit of equipment and troops more likely will be later in the summer.
Alignment 2 follows the same path as Alignment 1 until the shared-use trail passes beyond the Heart of Maryland Bowhunters Club property. The trail then travels north up and around the League of Maryland Horsemen property towards Piney Run. The trail veers south and parallels Piney Run until the trail reaches Marriottsville Road. After crossing Marriottsville Road, the trail follows Alignment 1 again, following South Branch before ending in the McKeldin Area of the Patapsco Valley State Park.
Whether we are talking about offshore wind or other renewables such as hydrogen, expanding the energy portfolio of the Gulf of Mexico will depend upon a robust offshore oil and gas industry, he said in an emailed statement.

Offshore oil and gas companies are building wind farms in the Atlantic, Milito said. He said he expects the government proposal to generate interest, but companies will need time to study and understand the market.

Although the main focus is on wind energy, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is also seeking information on other renewable energy technologies, the Interior Department said.

As part of the Biden administration's push for renewable energy, the Department of Energy has $3 billion in loan guarantees available to support offshore wind. It also has pledged $500 million to improve ports from which the huge turbines would be hauled out to sea.

California and the U.S. government announced an agreement last month to open up areas off that state's coast to the Pacific coast's first commercial wind energy farms, using floating turbines.
Both journalist Glenn Greenwald and Fox News Channel host Tucker Carlson belittled her concerns.

Destroyed her life? Really? Carlson said on the air. By most people's standards Taylor Lorenz would seem to have a pretty good life, one of the best lives in the country, in fact.

A suck it up attitude or feeling that nothing can really be done about online harassment leads many journalists to stay silent. Anne M. Peterson, a veteran sportswriter for the AP, said she has received lewd pictures online and a threat from someone who chillingly attached a Google image of her house. She has never reported an incident to management.

The AP's Pace, who also writes stories and appears on television, said she has been a target of abuse and has had to address it for employees she manages.

There have been moments when I sort of chalked it up to, Yeah, this is part of the job, she said in an interview. I know I'm in a high-profile job. ... Then there are moments where they really cross a line, or if it affects your personal safety or your family where you think, No, this is not something I should have to put up with. This is unacceptable and scary.
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (AP)  Terry McAuliffe's opponents in the Democratic nomination contest for Virginia governor sought to make the case during a debate Tuesday that he wont energize voters in November, while the frontrunning former governor focused on his record and GOP nominee Glenn Youngkin.
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP)  An agreement announced Tuesday between an Alaska Native village corporation and conservationists would restrict development on lands in the Bristol Bay region where a mine developer has proposed a road, a move that could create another obstacle for the proposed Pebble Mine.

The Conservation Fund said it has launched a fundraising campaign to buy the land easements on more than 44,000 acres (17,800 hectares) from the Pedro Bay Corp. for $18.3 million. Terms call for the money to be raised by the end of 2022, said Ann Simonelli, a spokesperson for the Virginia-based conservation group.

The corporation would retain ownership of the land, and the easements would be managed by the Bristol Bay Heritage Land Trust, a group focused on preserving salmon and wildlife habitat in southwest Alaska's Bristol Bay region. According to a statement announcing the agreement, terms of the deal would bar the execution of any right-of-way agreements with the mine project due to the easements restrictions on development. The planned easements cover part of a transportation route proposed by the Pebble Mine, the statement says.
The administration earlier this year had backed off President Donald Trump's attempts to ban the popular video app TikTok, asking a court to postpone a legal dispute as the government began a broader review of the national security threats posed by Chinese technology companies.

A court filing said the Commerce Department was reviewing whether Trump's claims about TikTok's threat to national security justified the attempts to ban it from smartphone app stores and deny it vital technical services. An update to the review was due in a court case later this week.

Also in limbo has been a proposed U.S. takeover of TikTok. Last year, the Trump administration brokered a deal that would have had U.S. corporations Oracle and Walmart take a large stake in the Chinese-owned app on national security grounds.

The unusual arrangement stemmed from a Trump executive order that aimed to ban TikTok in the U.S. unless it accepted a greater degree of American control.

Trump targeted TikTok over the summer of 2020 with a series of orders that cited concerns over the U.S. data that TikTok collects from its users. Courts temporarily blocked the White House's attempted ban, and the presidential election soon overshadowed the TikTok fight.
CORALVILLE, Iowa  Gov. Kim Reynolds said Wednesday she will use some pandemic relief funds on a marketing campaign to persuade people to move to Iowa, a state that has a job surplus and has lifted COVID-19 restrictions more quickly than other states.

Were going to do a significant promotional campaign to highlight the beautiful things we have happening in the state, Reynolds told about 200 people gathered for the Iowa Association of Business and Industry conference at the Coralville Marriott Hotel & Conference Center. Were already starting to see people coming back who have been on the East and the West Coast  Iowans that have left who recognize not only have we kept our economy open, but we kept our kids in school.

The Republican governor said her administration is putting together a plan for how to spend the state governments share of $4 billion in American Rescue Plan funds expected to come to state and local governments.

This is definitely an area we can utilize some of those funds, she said.
Alberta invested more than $1 billion in the project last year, kick-starting construction that had stalled amid determined opposition to the line from environmentalists and Native American tribes along its route.

Alberta officials said Wednesday they reached an agreement with TC Energy, formerly known as TransCanada, to exit that partnership. The company and province plan to try to recoup the government's investment, although neither offered any immediate details on how that would happen.

We remain disappointed and frustrated with the circumstances surrounding the Keystone XL project, including the cancellation of the presidential permit for the pipelines border crossing," Alberta Premier Jason Kenney said in a statement.

The province had hoped the pipeline would spur increased development in the oil sands and bring tens of billions of dollars in royalties over decades.

Climate change activists viewed the expansion of oil sands development as an environmental disaster that could speed up global warming as the fuel is burned. That turned Keystone into a flashpoint in the climate debate, and it became the focus of rallies and protests in Washington, D.C., and other cities.
Ellsworth faced the possibility of closure in 2005 when it was briefly put on the Pentagons list of military bases that should be closed or relocated. But since then, South Dakota politicians have worked to keep it on the shortlist of sites for the B-21 bomber. The Air Force had announced in March 2019 that it was leaning towards the base as the location to develop its B-21 Raider program.

Rounds credited West River communities for rallying to make sure the base stayed open. He added the development would create a ripple effect of construction for schools, infrastructure, and housing.

The Republican senators emphasized that it will be an important piece of the United States military rivalry with both Russia and China. The bomber is expected to have a range long enough to attack targets on other continents.

It will let (China) know that we can reach out and touch them should they misbehave, Rounds said.

However, the bomber is not expected to be flying over the Black Hills until 2027, and many of the details of the aircraft, currently being developed by Virginia-based Northrop Grumman, remain unknown or classified.

Rounds was briefed several weeks ago on the project and said that so far it was "on time and on budget.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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BERLIN (AP)  Germany's health ministry on Wednesday downplayed the possible impact on the country's coronavirus vaccine campaign after reports that the shot being developed by local company CureVac could face further delays getting regulatory approval.

Manfred Lucha, the health minister for Baden-Wuerttemberg state, where CureVac is based, said Tuesday that there were complications with CureVac's clinical trials, German news agency dpa reported. Lucha quoted federal Health Minister Jens Spahn saying authorization for the shot might not happen before August.

Spahn's spokesman, Hanno Kautz, declined to comment on the report, saying the conversation cited by Lucha was confidential.

But what I could tell you is that CureVac isn't really relevant for the current vaccination campaign, said Kautz, adding that German authorities had planned to receive 1.4 million doses of the shot during the second quarter that ends June 30.

Asked whether the ministry expects to get any doses of the CureVac vaccine this year, he said: We have no information to the contrary.

German daily Augsburger Allgemeine reported that CureVac's late-stage clinical trial has suffered from a lack of infections in the control group, due to the falling number of COVID-19 cases.
Then, planners will work with Bulson so the superintendent can ask questions and review proposed changes, prepare to hear public feedback and at the same time charge the team to continue to refine . . . so that the scenarios and recommendations can even be further improved before the superintendent feels comfortable in developing his recommendation for the board, according to Brown.
Khloe Kardashian has reached a settlement with a designer who accused her of stealing her work for her Good American brand.
On Tuesday, the Department of Justice told a federal court that it intends to defend a federal law that allows private religious colleges and universities to discriminate against LGBTQ students. At first blush, the DOJs filing in Hunter v. Department of Education may seem surprising: President Joe Biden has, after all, promised to promote LGBTQ rights, including the rights to all students to receive an equal education. But the Biden administrations move in Hunter should not be interpreted as a betrayal of these values. The Justice Department is not only following its general obligation to defend federal laws; its also trying to prevent a Christian organization from taking over the defense and mounting extreme arguments that could lead to a devastating subversion of civil rights law. Bidens progressive supporters may be offended by the DOJs defense of discrimination, but the alternative is almost certainly worse.

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Hunter involves Title IX, the 1972 law that bars discrimination on the basis of sex at educational institutions that receive federal funds. In 2020s Bostock v. Clayton County, the Supreme Court held that sex discrimination encompasses anti-LGBTQ discrimination, so the law protects gay and transgender students as well. But Title IX contains an important exemption: It does not apply to any institutions controlled by a religious organization if adherence to the law is inconsistent with the organizations religious tenets. In other words, religious colleges and universities may still discriminate against LGBTQ students without imperiling their federal funding.

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In Hunter, 33 students who faced such discrimination at religious colleges and universities sued the Department of Education, arguing that Title IXs exemption is unlawful as it applies to LGBTQ students. They alleged that the exception for religious schools violates their own constitutional rights, as well as the First Amendments establishment clause. They also challenged a regulation that explained what it means for a school to be controlled by a religious organization, since the term is not defined in the law.

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With very few exceptions, the Department of Justice has a duty to defend federal laws in court. Yet before the DOJ could even respond to Hunter, the Council for Christian Colleges and Universitieswhich represents more than 180 Christian institutions that do not want to comply with civil rights lawsjumped in. CCCU urged a judge to let it intervene in the case and defend the Title IX exemption, arguing that the Justice Department will not only fail to make the points necessary to defend Title IXs religious exemptions as applied to sexual and gender minorities, but it may also instead be openly hostile to them. For evidence, CCCU cited Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Pam Karlans memo requiring full implementation of Bostocks reasoning to Title IX. It also pointed to Bidens various statements in support of LGBTQ rights, including his promise to end the misuse of broad exemptions to discriminate, as well as his support for the Equality Act, which would amend civil rights laws to expressly cover LGBTQ people.

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These predictions are misleading. Biden has never suggested that he will fail to enforce or defend existing law, even if it authorizes anti-LGBTQ discrimination. His criticism of the misuse of broad exemptions focused on Trump administration policies that carved loopholes into existing civil rights laws, like a 2020 regulation letting health care providers refuse to treat LGBTQ patients. Implementing Bostock will have no effect on religious schools that are already exempt from nondiscrimination rules. And while Biden supports the Equality Act, that measure would not amend Title IXs religious exemption either.

With very few exceptions, the Department of Justice has a duty to defend federal laws in court.

Why, then, is CCCU so eager to insert itself into this litigation? The likely answer can be found elsewhere in its filing, which makes sweeping arguments about religious schools right to discriminate. CCCU declared its intent to establish that the Title IX exemption is not only lawful, but constitutionally required. The organization alleged that religious institutions have a First Amendment right to discriminate against LGBTQ students however they see fit. Title IXs exemption, in CCCUs view, merely recognizes these institutions freestanding constitutional entitlement to mistreat gay and transgender students.

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This position does not have any explicit basis in precedent, but recent Supreme Court decisions in favor of Christian schools suggest that the conservative justices are eager to free religious institutions from civil rights laws. If the courts adopted CCCUs position, they would effectively turbo-charge the existing exemption. Schools might not even have to prove that they are actually controlled by a religious organization, or that non-discrimination law violates their religious tenets. Instead, to honor their autonomy with respect to internal management, courts would have to defer to schools own representations about their need to discriminate. And Congress would have no authority to tighten or close this loophole through future legislation.

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The best way to prevent the federal judiciary from adopting CCCUs extreme stance is to stop the organization from making it before a court in the first place. That is presumably one reason why the Justice Department strongly opposed the groups request to intervene, insisting on Tuesday that the administration can defend the Title IX exemption just fine by itself. The DOJs latest filing does not imply that the agency is exceedingly enthusiastic about the exemption, but rather that the Biden administration can be trusted to support the laws legality in court.

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Paul Carlos Southwick, director of the Religious Exemption Accountability Projectwhich filed this lawsuit on behalf of the plaintiffstold the Washington Posts Michelle Boorstein that the government is now aligning itself with anti-LGBTQ hate. But what other options does the Justice Department have? It could decline to defend the exemption, much like the Obama administration stopped defending the federal same-sex marriage ban. This move would amount to the nuclear option, one that presidents typically resort to only when they are convinced a law is blatantly, invidiously unconstitutional. Title IXs exemption just doesnt fit the bill. (Trumps Justice Department violated this tradition, but its lawlessness probably shouldnt be emulated.) Southwick took issue with the DOJs suggestion that it will defend the exemption vigorouslybut again, what is the alternative? Should the DOJ announce that it will only defend the exemption half-heartedly? If the agency does not mount a vigorous defense, it will leave room for CCCU and similar organizations to leap in and argue that, if anything, the exemption isnt broad enough.

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On March 8, Biden issued an executive order directing the Department of Education to take any additional enforcement actions necessary to implement Title IXs protections for LGBTQ students. The administration is racing to enshrine Bostock in federal regulations that apply to secular schools. But there is nothing the president, on his own, can do about Title IXs exemption. Congress created it, and Congress can abolish it; in the meantime, the Justice Department must defend itnot as a policy matter, but as a duly enacted federal law. There may be instances in which the DOJ has betrayed Bidens principles in a misguided effort to preserve its own institutional prerogatives. This is not one of them.
Up and down the east coast, cicadas are everywhere these days: on trees, fences, mail boxes, your clothes, you name it. The cicada invasion amounts, mostly, to an annoyance, that is, until you find out cicadas have flooded the engine of the airplane youre about to board. On Tuesday evening, thats the news the presidential press corps received just before the scheduled departure of the chartered flight full of journalists set to accompany President Joe Biden on his trip to Europe. The planes engine had been flooded with the insects, so many that it wasnt safe to fly.

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The White House press charter, flying from Dulles to Europe ahead of President Biden, has been delayed for hoursdue to mechanical issues caused by cicadas, Associated Press journalist Jonathan Lemire tweeted late Tuesday. Yes. Cicadas. The swarm of the insects which, as you probably already know, join us by the kajillion every 17 years for the summer ultimately grounded the flight for hours, pushing the departure from 9 p.m. Tuesday night until past 2 a.m. Wednesday morning.

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You may have noticed a lot of fuzziness (low reflectivity values) on our radar recently. The Hydrometeor Classification algorithm shows much of it to be Biological in nature. Our guess? It's probably the #cicadas. pic.twitter.com/i990mEBJnl  NWS Baltimore-Washington (@NWS_BaltWash) June 5, 2021

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Having your flight delayed by a cicada infestation is a bummer, but its better than being this guy!

Cincinnati police said a cicada is responsible for a single-car crash in the city's East End neighborhood Monday evening. While the driver sustained only minor injuries, the cicada was not as fortunate, and was found dead on the car's floorboard. https://t.co/dZlrgbClMr  NPR (@NPR) June 8, 2021

Stay safe out there people.
U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Raymond Carlyle Blanton, 19, of Richmond was killed during World War II and was long missing.

The young man was finally accounted for on April 23, 2020, said a news release on Wednesday from the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency.

In October 1944, Blanton was assigned to Company C, 1st Battalion, 60th Infantry Regiment, 9th Infantry Division engaged in battle with German forces near Germeter, Germany, in the Hurtgen Forest.

He was killed in action on Oct. 14. Blanton could not be recovered because of ongoing fighting.

Following the end of the war, the American Graves Registration Command was tasked with investigating and recovering missing American personnel in Europe, according to a release from Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency.

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Several investigations occurred in the Hurtgen area between 1946 and 1950, but Blantons remains were never found and he was declared non-recoverable in 1951.

While studying unresolved American losses in the Hurtgen area, a DPAA historian determined that one of two sets of unidentified recovered remains, comingled from Raffelsbrand sector of the Hurtgen Forest near Germeter in 1946, possibly belonged to Blanton.
What the president has put out is a document called, America the Beautiful, and its a rebranding of the 30x30 plan because apparently 30x30 was just not such a good brand. Well, unfortunately, in this document theres just not much more information, theres a lot of vague platitudes, he claimed.

But one of the things that they do say is they are not trying to permanently protect the natural state but they talk about conservation; they want to conserve. The problem is they dont define what they mean by conserve. They also say they want to work with local folks, and this would be done in a voluntary way. Well, of course, it has to be a voluntary way because they dont have the authority to do it any other way.

To get to 30%, remember, they would have to get land the size of the state of Nebraska each year for the next nine years, how do you do that on a voluntary basis? Ricketts said.

Some residents, and Ricketts, offered their opinions on how the government might proceed with the plan.

I know exactly how they are going to do it, Alliance resident Jeff MacDonald said. They are going to raise our taxes to the point that you cant pay it so they can take it.
Youre going to get the context of whats going on in the United States in the 1840s to about 20 years up until the Civil War, understanding whats going on on the Great North Platte River Valley, and how that goes for the whole Platte River area. So yeah, everything is going to be in context, Reddish said. Nothing just happens in a vacuum. There is always a cause and effect.

Reddish said that this tour would help people see the Oregon Trail come to life and give a realistic visual of the stories Nebraskans learn and read about in fourth grade. Its not exactly what you might have seen in the movies or on TV.

Whatever images that you still think of that Hollywood produced, no, she said. You pretty much walked. The only time youre riding in the wagon is maybe if youre sick, but even then its not going to be a great feeling.  The Hollywood image of sitting in the wagon  probably not.

Reddish said the tour is a bit of an experiment right now to see if something like this would be successful for the area, but Sandoz said she couldn't believe it wasnt being done already.
President Biden has pledged to help narrow the racial wealth gap and reinvest in communities that have been left behind by failed policies. He used the 100th anniversary of the Tulsa race massacre in Greenwood, a thriving African American community ravaged by a racist mob in 1921, as the occasion to promise more federal contracts for minority-owned companies and address discrimination in home appraisals for black families.

Cal Thomas Cal Thomas, a columnist with Tribune Content Agency. Readers may email Cal Thomas at tcaeditors@tribpub.com.

The Tulsa mob murdered more than 300 Black men, women and children over a two-day period, May 31 to June 1, forcing thousands to flee for their lives while watching their homes and businesses burn to the ground. No one was ever held responsible for the devastation.

But Bidens Tulsa appearance and speech continues a narrative favored by Democrats that reinforces the wrong belief that African Americans can do nothing without government. Of course, if government were their savior, would it not have solved all the problems Democrats continually talk about, but do little to fix?
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Acting U.S. States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner said in a statement Johnsons case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative by the Department of Justice to combat the concerning growth of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Johnsons guilty plea was announced by Lenzner, Anne Colt Leitess, the county states attorney, Amal Awad, county police chief and James Mancuso, special agent in charge of Homeland Security investigations in Baltimore.
So, yes, were happy, Addison said.

Fire Chief Andy Weatherman said the same.

Were getting very comparable to the other surrounding departments, our peers, so I think it will help us retain firefighters weve been losing in the past, Weatherman said.

That issue extended to the electric department, with Director of Electric Utilities John Maclaga stating that the department had two linemen resign in the past three weeks. He said one retired after 30 years while the other had four or five years of experience. When asked by Councilwoman Doris Allison, he said that when the department had tried hiring a new lineman with two years of experience recently, the person said the pay was too low.

Id like to stop that if I could, to get some help, Maclaga said.

He said the challenge was often training new hires with no experience, something that often takes a few years before theyre fully prepared for the job.

Councilman Steve Johnson asked if the city could keep up with competitive pay as time went on while also asking if compression could be handled over time as well. Smith said this potential increase was a start, but that the city needs to be consistent by continuing raises and compensation increases.

Otherwise, the more prosperous communities around us are going to pass us by again, and then we have to catch up, Smith said.

Follow Ben Gibson on Facebook and Twitter at @BenGibsonSRL

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Despite the COVID-19 pandemic throughout the world, a record number of high school students have attended a four-year religious educational program sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Known as the Seminary program, it is still going strong after 100 years and is open to teenagers of all faiths.

According to church records, the seminary program, along with its collegiate counterpart, Institutes of Religion, has more students enrolled than any other church-sponsored educational endeavor, with more than 400,000 students worldwide in more than 140 countries.

Locally, 99 students from 11 local church congregations in the Greater Lake Norman-Gastonia area attended Seminary last year, 72 of whom satisfied established program attendance, daily reading and end-of-term examination requirements to graduate with a four-year certificate. They met at 6 a.m. each weekday during the school year to study the book of scripture (the Old and New Testaments, the Book of Mormon, and Doctrine and Covenants) assigned for the given year.

Mooresville resident Brenda Esselman coordinates Seminary scheduling and maintains attendance and advancements records for students in the 11 congregations.
DAMASCUS, Va.  Business just got a little sweeter for Ralph Wilson, who opened a new coffee and bakery business in Damascus on Memorial Day weekend.

Main Street Coffee & Cream has been a long-awaited venture for the business owner, who had planned to open in 2020.

Wilson, who didnt know how COVID-19 would impact the community, put the project on hold until this spring.

It may be just as well, said the owner, because in the meantime, he decided to add ice cream and soft serve to the menu.

After talking to bikers and hikers coming through town, he learned that ice cream was at the top of their lists. Hes also offering homemade grab-and-go chicken and tuna sandwiches and wraps.

Traci Seats of Bristol, Tennessee, stopped in at the store for ice cream last week while making a nostalgic visit to her former hometown.

This is really nice. This restaurant building used to be Shortys Shoe Repair back in the 1970s, said Seats, whose father, Scottie Thomas, operated a cabinet shop next door.

The coffee shop is the third business for the local entrepreneur. In addition to the coffee shop, he owns Damascus Diner and Dragonfly Inn in town.
ABINGDON, Va.  Knitters who usually knit in the solitude of their homes, or to keep their hands busy in front of the television, can have a change of pace on Saturday, June 12, when A Likely Yarn celebrates Worldwide Knit in Public Day.

The Abingdon business at 213 Pecan St. is inviting knitters young and old to set up under a shade tent on the front lawn and spend the day knitting among a fellowship of other crafters.

Kristine Hughes, manager of the store, said canopies will be set up on the lawn from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. for knitters to gather and knit outdoors in honor of the day.

The event will be held in conjunction with a birthday celebration for A Likely Yarn, a business started in 2008 by Janet Woolwine of Abingdon.

Homemade gingersnaps and ice cream will be served to visitors who drop in  or stay all day  for the event.

A birthday drawing will be held at the end of the business day. According to Hughes, the winner will receive an assortment of hand-dyed yarn, a project bag, a book and other accessories, all of which is valued at $500.

A purchase on the day of the event either in the store or online is required to be eligible for the drawing.
Stevenson said there is no fee for anyone who wants to bring an antique tractor, small engine, car or truck to the show. That includes even an antique lawn mower. Around here, we call it anything that you can push, pull or drag.

Each day during the show, there will be a parade of power where owners of the machinery will ride around the Fairview grounds on their antique tractors.

Members of the tractor association will set up as vendors, selling antiques and tractor parts.

Susie Qs Dream Kitchen from Church Hill, Tennessee, will sell food during each day of the event.

Largest fundraiser

According to Stevenson, the summer show is the tractor associations largest fundraising event each year.

We took a big hit in fundraising last year because of COVID-19. The summer show last year was canceled, and we were not able to ask for financial support because a lot of businesses were struggling, too, he said.

Donations garnered from this years event will be used for continuing projects at Fairview.

The tractor association currently is raising money to build a period-correct general store that will represent the 1850s era.
So where, then, is all this supposed Republican vaccine hesitancy coming from? We must be blunt: Its coming from Southwest and Southside Virginia. The Virginia Department of Health posts a daily map showing vaccination rates for each locality and, while there are some laggards in other parts of the state, the two biggest slow-pokes (no pun intended) are in Southwest and Southside. If you discount Norfolk and Portsmouth with the statistical anomaly of their military population, all but one of the 13 least-vaccinated localities in the state are in Southwest and Southside: Lee County (32.1% with at least one dose), Carroll County (32.8%), Patrick County (33%), Prince George County (33.2%), Scott County (35.2%), Wythe County (35.5%), Tazewell County (35.6%), Page County (36.1%), Greensville County (36.4%), Emporia and Lynchburg (37.1%), Lynchburg Craig County (37.2%) and Grayson County (37.3%).

With the exception of Lynchburg, these are all rural counties. So what makes those rural counties more vaccine hesitant than rural localities elsewhere? We dont have a good answer, but its clearly not politics. Two of them  Emporia and Greensville  vote strongly Democratic. Lynchburg narrowly went Democratic in the last election. If partisanship was the only driver, then Roanoke County and Halifax County would have about the same vaccination rate because they both vote Republican at about the same rate, but they dont  Roanoke County is 56.7%, Halifax County only 37.7%. The answer may have something to do with ideology but probably has more to do with access to the shots (although that doesnt fully explain Lynchburg making the list, and certainly doesnt explain the relatively high vaccination rates in many of those conservative rural localities along the Chesapeake Bay). Is it some other cultural hesitancy?
WRE hosts service day

Windermere Real Estate of Kelso/Longview is hosting its 37th Annual Community Service day June 11.

Brokers, managers, owners and staff from its 300 office across the Western United States gather together and devote their work day to making positive changes in the neighborhoods they serve, according to a press release submitted to The Daily News.

Locally, Windemere brokers will help with two Habitat for Humanity home builds from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. June 11 at 154 Lexington Ave. and at 1323 S. 13th St., both in Kelso.

The volunteers will help with construction and finishing work.

Parents Place offers class

An eight-week Parents Place class, Self Esteem: A Family Affair, takes place from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursdays, June 24 through Aug. 12.

The in-person class meets outside, weather permitting, at Parents Place, 928 23rd Ave., Longview.

Attendees will learn how to communicate clearly, feel comfortable asking people to treat them the way they want to be treated, build confidence to live without people who wont respect them, improve self-esteem and more.
Mr. Davis brutal attack and use of a handgun to strike and threaten the victim is reprehensible conduct for a person sworn to protect and serve as a law enforcement officer, Leitess said in a statement. I am thankful that the victim was able to overcome the pressure to not cooperate and that the jury held the defendant accountable.
Students can accelerate their learning and rather than taking the bare minimum of credits when they finish they can actually graduate sooner, which is great for a large population of students looking to move out into the work force or to college or trade school sooner, she said.

The flexibility to do schoolwork outside of traditional school hours also helped keep some students in school, especially those who need to work to support their families, Sholtys-Cromwell said. The benefits are reflected in course completion rates for secondary students, she said.

Online learning works for so many families, she said. Not all, but it absolutely has worked. When we look at 6-12 course completion, which means you started a class, do you finish it with a passing grade? Thats always a huge struggle in secondary education and our course completion rates are over 90%, which is a huge success.

Castle Rock to start virtual high school academy Castle Rock will start a virtual high school academy next year, joining several area districts that have offered a permanent remote option reg

Enrollment in the Kelso Virtual Academy for the 2021-22 school year is open through Aug. 27. The application packet is on the districts website.

While Kelso students in the Virtual Academy still can participate in district sports and extracurricular activities, Sholtys-Cromwell said students enrolling from other towns will work with their nearest brick-and-mortar school to get those same opportunities.

Students have been so successful and we know that KVA can help students, so to be able to offer that hope for graduation across the state to all students, thats what were really excited about, she said.

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A group of 50 investors managing more than $4.5 trillion in assets is calling on companies involved in the development and use of facial recognition technology, such as Amazon and Facebook, to do so in an ethical way.

The investor group, which is led by asset manager Candriam, a European division of US financial services company New York Life, said in a statement the technology could infringe on an individual's privacy rights, given the lack of consent of those being identified, and that there is often no official oversight.

The initiative shows how fund managers are increasingly taking up policy issues that were once considered fringe subjects for shareholders as retail investors pour billions of dollars into funds focused on ethical and sustainability criteria.

Human rights advocates say face recognition technology, which can be used to unlock smartphones or verify bank accounts, also has the potential to be used by governments to track citizens and suppress political dissent.

The investor group said it would begin a two-year process of engagement with companies developing or using the technology. It said it considers 34 companies to be leaders in facial recognition, including Amazon, Facebook, and Asian tech companies Alibaba and Huawei.

An Amazon spokesperson declined to comment.

A Huawei spokesperson said: Technology should only ever be used to enhance human, social, and environmental well-being. We encourage a global conversation to develop ethics and governance standards around emerging technologies and we continue to play our part in this conscious, ongoing, and collaborative effort.

The other companies did not immediately comment when contacted by Reuters.

Amazon told Reuters last month it was extending a moratorium it imposed on police use of its facial recognition technology. Civil liberties groups have warned inaccurate matching could lead to unjust arrests.

"For investors to be able to fulfill our own responsibility to respect human rights, we call on companies to proactively assess, disclose, mitigate and remediate human rights risks related to their facial recognition products and services," said Rosa van den Beemt, Responsible Investment Analyst at BMO Global Asset Management, one of the investors that have signed up to the initiative.

The facial recognition technology market is set to grow to around $10 billion in 2020, Candriam said in a report published in March, citing a 2018 survey by Allied Market Research.

Among those to sign up to the investor initiative were Britain's Aviva Investors, Royal London Asset Management, Canada's BMO Global Asset Management, Dutch-based NN Investment Partners, and Norway's KLP.

"The increasing deployment and use of facial recognition technologies have human rights implications which are not fully being considered by companies," said Louise Piffaut, Senior ESG analyst at Aviva Investors.

Candriam said there was currently no global framework governing the collection and use of biometric data, but the European Union has proposed its first-ever legal framework and China has published a draft standard.

The European Union's privacy watchdog said in April the technology should be banned in Europe because of its "deep and non-democratic intrusion" into people's private lives.
Visualization of a lithium-rich cathode. Credit: Carnegie Mellon University and Northeastern University

Batteries have come a long way since Volta first stacked copper and zinc discs together 200 years ago. While the technology has continued to evolve from lead-acid to lithium ion, many challenges still existlike achieving higher density and suppressing dendrite growth. Experts are racing to address the growing global need for energy-efficient and safe batteries.

The electrification of heavy-duty vehicles and aircraft requires batteries with more energy density. A team of researchers believes a paradigm shift is necessary to make a significant impact in battery technology for these industries. This shift would take advantage of the anionic reduction-oxidation mechanism in lithium-rich cathodes. Findings published in Nature mark the first time direct observation of this anionic redox reaction has been observed in a lithium-rich battery material.

Collaborating institutions included Carnegie Mellon University, Northeastern University, Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology (LUT) in Finland, and institutions in Japan including Gunma University, Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute (JASRI), Yokohama National University, Kyoto University, and Ritsumeikan University.

Lithium-rich oxides are promising cathode material classes because they have been shown to have much higher storage capacity. But there is an "AND problem" that battery materials must satisfythe material must be capable of fast charging, be stable to extreme temperatures, and cycle reliably for thousands of cycles. Scientists need a clear understanding of how these oxides work at the atomic level, and how their underlying electrochemical mechanisms play a role, in order to address this.

Normal Li ion batteries work by cationic redox, when a metal ion changes its oxidation state as lithium is inserted or removed. Within this insertion framework, only one lithium ion can be stored per metal ion. Lithium-rich cathodes, however, can store much more. Researchers attribute this to the anionic redox mechanismin this case, oxygen redox. This is the mechanism credited with the high capacity of the materials, nearly doubling the energy storage compared to conventional cathodes. Although this redox mechanism has emerged as the leading contender among battery technologies, it signifies a pivot in materials chemistry research.

The team set out to provide conclusive evidence for the redox mechanism using Compton scattering, the phenomenon by which a photon deviates from a straight trajectory after interacting with a particle (usually an electron). The researchers performed sophisticated theoretical and experimental studies at SPring-8, the world's largest third-generation synchrotron radiation facility which is operated by JASRI.

Synchrotron radiation consists of the narrow, powerful beams of electromagnetic radiation that are produced when electron beams are accelerated to nearly the speed of light and are forced to travel in a curved path by a magnetic field, a state in which Compton scattering becomes visible.

The researchers observed how the electronic orbital that lies at the heart of the reversible and stable anionic redox activity can be imaged and visualized, and its character and symmetry determined. This scientific first could be game-changing for future battery technology.

While previous research has proposed alternative explanations of the anionic redox mechanism, it could not provide a clear image of the quantum mechanical electronic orbitals associated with redox reactions because this cannot be measured by standard experiments.

The research team had an "a-ha" moment when they first saw the agreement in redox character between theory and experimental results. "We realized that our analysis could image the oxygen states that are responsible for the redox mechanism, which is something fundamentally important for battery research," explained Hasnain Hafiz, lead author of the study who carried out this work during his time as a postdoctoral research associate at Carnegie Mellon.

"We have conclusive evidence in support of the anionic redox mechanism in a lithium-rich battery material," said Venkat Viswanathan, associate professor of mechanical engineering at Carnegie Mellon. "Our study provides a clear picture of the workings of a lithium-rich battery at the atomic scale and suggests pathways for designing next-generation cathodes to enable electric aviation. The design for high-energy density cathodes represents the next-frontier for batteries."

Explore further Hybrid redox-flow battery with a long cycle life

More information: Tomographic reconstruction of non-bonding oxygen orbitals in Li-rich battery materials, Nature, DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-03509-z Journal information: Nature Tomographic reconstruction of non-bonding oxygen orbitals in Li-rich battery materials,
US President Joe Biden has revoked the plan by the Trump administration to ban the popular apps TikTok and WeChat, but will order a national security review of all foreign-operated computer applications.

President Joe Biden has revoked executive orders from his predecessor Donald Trump seeking to ban Chinese-owned apps TikTok and WeChat from US markets on national security concerns, a move which received a cautious welcome from Beijing.

Trump had claimed the apps posed national security risks and had sought to force the sale to US investors of TikTok, which is owned by China-based ByteDance and remains one of the world's most popular social media apps.

A statement Wednesday said that instead of banning WeChat and TikTok, the Biden administration would carry out a "criteria-based decision framework and rigorous, evidence-based analysis to address the risks" from internet applications controlled by foreign entities.

WeChat, part of Chinese tech giant Tencent, is a "super app" which includes social networking, messaging, e-commerce and more.

Biden issued a new executive order calling for a four-month review of "the continuing effort of foreign adversaries to steal or otherwise obtain United States persons' data."

Trump's claims had prompted a series of legal challenges which delayed the efforts to ban or force the sale of the applicationsfurther heightening tensions between Washington and Beijing.

The two companies did not respond to a request for comment.

University of Texas law professor Bobby Chesney called the Biden order "a good middle path."

"They affirmed the nature of the threat and the propriety of using sanctions to address it, and they have held the door open for reimposing some version of these sanctions... but likely with a far stronger and more defensible record," Chesney tweeted.

China's commerce ministry spokesman Gao Feng on Thursday called Biden's decision a "positive step in the right direction."

Gao said he hoped Washington would "treat Chinese companies in a fair and just manner, and avoid politicising economic and trade issues."

This file photo shows the logo of mobile messaging service WeChat, the China-based super app for social networking, e-commerce and more.

Finding 'unacceptable risks'

Biden's order seeks to identify any apps that "may pose an unacceptable risk to US national security and the American people" including "applications that are owned, controlled, or managed by persons that support foreign adversary military or intelligence activities, or are involved in malicious cyber activities, or involve applications that collect sensitive personal data."

The new order calls for the Commerce Department and other federal agencies to develop guidelines "to protect sensitive personal data... including personally identifiable information and genetic information" from misuse.

TikTok is believed to have one billion users worldwide including more than 100 million in the United States, and is especially popular with young smartphone users.

Last September, US District Judge Carl Nichols issued a temporary injunction at the request of TikTok blocking the effort to ban downloads of the app in the United States.

Trump had given his blessing to a plan that would have given TikTok to US tech giant Oracle with investments from retail powerhouse Walmart, but that deal failed to win approval in Beijing.

The ban on WeChat was also delayed by a lawsuit from users based in the United States claiming the ban infringed on their rights.

The Biden move comes a day after the US Senate passed a sweeping industrial policy bill aimed at countering the surging economic threat from China and pumping more than $170 billion into research and development.

The package, a key provision of which addresses a shortage of semiconductors that has slowed US auto production this year, will help American industry bolster its capacity and improve technology, in an effort to avoid being outmaneuvered by Beijing as the adversaries compete for tech leadership.

It prompted a furious response from Beijing, which accused the United States of "paranoid delusion."

Explore further TikTok taps new CEO from Chinese parent firm

 2021 AFP
US authorities have said they were able to access the 'private key' to the hackers' bitcoin account of ransomware hackers Darkside.

Regulators have repeatedly criticised the growth of cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin because of their popularity with criminals but the technology's transparent transactions can also work against law breakers.

The lesson is one that has been learnt by cybercriminal hackers Darkside the hard way after the organisation extracted a $4.4 million ransom from oil company Colonial Pipeline in bitcoin.

Following the ransomware extortion, which forced the shutdown of a major fuel network in the eastern United States last month, the US Justice Department said it has clawed back $2.3 million of the funds by tracing financial transactions.

"Following the money remains one of the most basic, yet powerful, tools we have," US Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said on Monday.

The financial forensics to track crypto transactions are more complex on the decentralised and anonymous networks.

For a traditional bank payment, police can turn to the bank that sent or received the money but for bitcoin, the registry that records these transactionsthe blockchaindoes not ask users to reveal their identity.

But the blockchain is also public and available to everyone to download and piece together who might own the anonymous addresses where the bitcoin arrives.

While some users keep their bitcoin safe in an offline wallet, for example on a USB stick or hard drive, Darkside's bitcoins were always linked to an online account.

Without specifying how they came by itwhether by hacking or through an informantUS authorities have said they were able to access the "private key" to the hackers' online account.

In 2019, analysis of the blockchain enabled British and American authorities to dismantle a child pornography ring and arrest more than 300 people in 38 countries.

The complex tracking of transactions has become an industry in its own right. Firms specialising in blockchain analysis have developed, such as Chainalysis in the United States and Elliptic in Britain.

The US Justice Department said it has clawed back $2.3 million of the funds Darkside received from Colonial Pipelines by tracing financial transactions.

Russian Hydra

According to a Chainalysis report released in February, cryptocurrency transactions for illegal purposes reached $10 billion in 2020, one percent of total cryptocurrency activity for the year. In 2019 criminal activity using the online currencies reached a record $21.4 billion.

The total cost of ransomware payments alone made in cryptocurrencies soared to nearly $350 million in 2020.

"Cryptocurrency remains appealing for criminals, primarily due to its pseudonymous nature and the ease with which it allows users to instantly send funds anywhere in the world, " Chainalysis said.

Elliptic analysts believe they have identified the bitcoin wallet that received the ransom payment from Colonial Pipeline to Darkside, and found that at least one other payment of $4.4 million.

More importantly, analysis of the transactions can identify the bitcoin sales platforms that received the wallet's ill-gotten funds.

"This information will provide law enforcement with critical leads to identify the perpetrators of these attacks," Elliptic researcher Tom Robinson wrote.

Market regulators have put pressure on cryptocurrency exchange platforms. Many, such as Coinbase, now require users to disclose their identity before making transactions. But other platforms are not following the same rules.

Both Elliptic and Chainalysis point to the growing role of Hydra, a sales site for Russian-speaking customers, which is accessible via the darknet, a version of the web not listed on search engines and where users can remain anonymous.

"Hydra offers cash-out services alongside narcotics, hacking tools and fake IDs," Robinson explained.

Using sites like Hydra in conjunction with cryptocurrencies, Darkside's hackers have reportedly already resold some of the ransomed bitcoins.

As the price of bitcoin has soared in recent months regulators are adapting their strategies.

The Bank of England said on Monday that payments in stablecoins, fixed-price cryptocurrencies, should be regulated to the same standards as bank payments.

Explore further US recovers over half of ransom paid to pipeline hackers

 2021 AFP
Credit: Shutterstock

If you were having difficulty accessing your favorite website on Tuesday evening Australian time, you're not alone. A jaw-dropping number of major websites around the globe suddenly became unavailable with no immediately obvious explanationbefore reappearing an hour later.

It's disconcerting when the sites we rely on suddenly become inaccessible, and even more so when it happens on such a vast scale. This outage saw seemingly unrelated sites go dark, including the BBC, Pinterest, the Financial Times, Reddit and even The Conversation.

How can so many sites, from so many different organizations, all be affected by the same incident? To understand the answer, you need to know what a CDN (content delivery network) is and how crucial they are to the smooth running of the internet.

What happened and what's a CDN?

While it's too early to provide a comprehensive diagnosis of the incident, the internet (once it was accessible again) quickly pointed to the culprit: Fastly.

Fastly is a cloud computing company that provides CDN services to a range of websites including Amazon and Deliveroo. But how can a single company bring down a noticeable proportion of the internet?

When we access a website, we might assume our browser goes off to the internet, talks to the remote site, and then presents the page on our screen. While this is in essence what happens, it masks a much more complicated process, which can include CDN services.

A CDN is a service that allows popular websites to keep copies of their pages closer to their customers.

For example, if we want to browse the BBC website, we could talk directly to a server in the United Kingdom. While the internet is perfectly capable of transferring the web page from the UK to Australia, there is an inevitable delay (perhaps a few hundred milliseconds). And nobody likes delays.

The experience for the user can be up to ten times quicker if a copy of the page (or elements of its content) can be held in Australia and delivered on demand.

Of course, accessing a version of the page held in Australia would work great if you're in Australia but not so much if you're in, say, Los Angeles. So, to ensure fast content delivery for everyone around the world, CDNs usually work on a global scale.

A CDN service provider will typically operate data centers around the world, holding copies of popular content in major population centers to deliver content in each region.

Websites across the internet show as unavailable, including the New York Times, Bloomberg News, Reddit, and the U.K. government, after services from content-delivery network Fastly went down https://t.co/9cVCRLY7T8  Bloomberg (@business) June 8, 2021

The speed of delivery of a single image or page element may not be noticeably faster coming from a CDNthe difference between 200 milliseconds and 20 milliseconds isn't discernible to most users.

However, modern websites often contain many elements, including images, videos and so on. When combined, the speed improvement through CDNs can be significant.

What is a CDN?

So why did so many sites fail?

CDN services provide a valuable service to improve our web browsing experiencebut at a cost.

When a major CDN provider such as Fastly experiences a failure, it doesn't affect just one website; it's likely to impact every website they support.

In Tuesday's example, sites across the world suddenly went offline as requests for the CDN-hosted content were not serviced.

This incident demonstrates how reliant we are on technologyand on the specific implementations of technology in our modern lives.

If each website we visit hosted its own content exclusively, we would not be facing these issues. However, our web browsing experience would be much slower, reminiscent of the days of dial-up modems (well, perhaps not quite that bad).

Despite the global outage, it was resolved within about an hour. That would seem to indicate it's unlikely to have been a security- or hacking-related issue.

It was more likely due to a short-term failure in Fastly's infrastructure, or a misconfiguration that spread through its systems.

Could it happen again?

Fastly is not the only CDN provider. Other high-profile services include Akamai and Cloudflare. Outages are not uncommon, but they are usually short-lived.

Readers can be assured (assuming you haven't lost internet again) that service providers are closely watching this incident to ensure lessons are learned for next time.

Explore further Global glitch: Swaths of internet go down after cloud outage

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Despite Amazon's colossal footprint and a market capitalisation of more than $1 trillion, its profit margin last year amounted to just 6.3 percent, placing it firmly below the 10-percent threshold.

France said Wednesday it would make sure that internet commerce giant Amazon is subject to a minimum global tax endorsed by the Group of Seven wealthy nations.

According to the plan, countries would be allowed to tax a share of the profits of the most profitable companies in the world at a rate of at least 15 percent, regardless of where they are based.

This would apply, however, only to companies whose profit margins exceed 10 percent.

Despite Amazon's colossal footprint and a market capitalisation of more than $1 trillion, its profit margin last year amounted to just 6.3 percent, placing it firmly below that threshold.

But French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire told the broadcaster RMC that the potential loophole would not stand.

The tax reform "must apply to Amazon," he said. "France will fight to make sure that it does."

He said the tax reform had been negotiated at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development with the specific aim of making all digital giants pay their fair share.

"The problem with Amazon is that some of its businesses don't generate a profit margin of more than 10 percent," Le Maire said, singling out its deliveries branch.

At Amazon's cloud-based services, meanwhile, margins are "very large," he said.

The answer was to treat Amazon's businesses separately for tax purposes "so that all the very profitable parts are certain to be subject to this digital taxation".

Le Maire acknowledged there were several obstacles still to overcome before the world could apply the digital tax regime.

One was that China's agreement was needed. "Believe me, that's going to be a very different ballgame," Le Maire said.

Another is the hope of some European countries to go beyond the 15 percent tax rate, which Le Maire said constituted only a "minimum rate."

The final challenge is to make sure that "all digital giants are subject to this tax without exception."

Explore further Amazon may prove exception to global tax rules

 2021 AFP
Ohio was among some three dozen US states that filed a federal lawsuit in late 2020 accusing Google of abusing its market dominance.

The state of Ohio on Tuesday filed an unprecedented lawsuit calling on a local court to declare Google as much a public utility as an electric company.

Google should be designated a public utility subject to government regulation regarding its search engine and other services, Ohio attorney general Dave Yost contended in the legal filing.

Public utilities supply essential goods or services such as water or power, and are often effectively monopolies.

"When you own the railroad or the electric company or the cellphone tower, you have to treat everyone the same and give everybody access," Yost said in a release announcing the suit.

Yost accused Google of favoring its own products, websites, and services in search results, putting competitors at a disadvantage.

Google said the lawsuit had no basis in fact and that it will defend itself in court.

"AG Yost's lawsuit would make Google Search results worse and make it harder for small businesses to connect directly with customers," a company spokesman said in reply to an AFP inquiry.

"Ohioans simply don't want the government to run Google like a gas or electric company."

Ohio late last year was among some three dozen US states that filed a federal lawsuit accusing Google of abusing its market dominance. That case is still pending.

France's competition regulator fined Google 220 million euros ($267 million) on Monday for favoring its own services for placing online ads at the expense of rivals, as US tech giants face growing pressure in Europe and the United States.

The penalty is part of a settlement reached after three media groupsNews Corp, French daily Le Figaro and Belgium's Groupe Rosselaccused Google in 2019 of abusing a dominant market position over ad sales for their websites and apps.

The competition authority determined that Google gave preferential treatment to its own ad inventory marketplace AdX and to the Doubleclick Ad Exchange, its real-time platform for letting clients choose and sell ads.

Google did not contest the findings, and the regulator said the company has committed to operational changes, including improved interoperability with third-party ad placement providers.

Last week, Germany's competition regulator said it was expanding an antitrust investigation into Google and its parent company Alphabet to include Google News Showcase, a service aimed at increasing revenue for media publishers.

Explore further France fines Google for abusing 'dominant' ads position

 2021 AFP
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.
Here's my biggest pondering: We cannot replace demonstrating handgun proficiency under mild stress with no gun range time at all. Simply cannot be done. This isn't a video game.

Gun laws? You cannot learn gun laws from good ole Bubba. And you trust Texans to learn them on their own? Boy, that's an assumption I don't even like pondering.

Texas has reciprocity agreements with other states for carrying a handgun in another state that still demand a license to carry of a handgun owner. So, you'll have to watch out for that. But sure, everyone knows that there will be those who will and those who won't act properly while carrying a handgun -- regardless of any training. And you'll want to include learning some form of handgun safety.

The most important reason most Texans want to carry a handgun is that they believe that they will have a better chance of not being a victim of a violent crime with a handgun with them than not having one.

I still believe getting a license to carry is the best road to travel -- especially for the inexperienced handgun owners and everyone will learn more. Treat getting a license to carry permit as a treat and not a chore.

No, I'm not faulting the new law. It is what it is and we are Texans.
Haynes commented on how appreciative the food bank was of their donation.

Its a good feeling to help HM be able to supply milk for area families in need, Clements said.

The dairy donation challenge is critical to being able to help families because the more that is donated means the less that will have to be purchased by Heavenly Mannas director, Frances Davis.

Because of a $5,000 gift from the World Hunger Auction spearheaded by the Antioch Church of the Brethren and bolstered by additional donors, Davis has a budget of $206 per week to purchase milk. This is used to help 100 families each week.

Davis said to put milk and cheese in the boxes is a joy and that milk and cheese are especially important to children and their development.

Any monetary donations will need to be made directly to Heavenly Manna. Any donations of dairy products can be milk in half and whole gallons or shredded and block cheeses. Donations can be delivered on June 7, 14, 21 and 28 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. to Heavenly Manna which is located at 2211 S Main Street in Rocky Mount.

Martel said, Anybody can take part in the dairy challenge for Heavenly Manna. You dont have to be a business. Its a fun challenge and the goal is to help the community.

For more information and to sign up, contact Cynthia Martel at 540-483-5161 or email cmartel@vt.edu.
The property is being leased by Westlake Solar for the solar farm. The lease is expected to last for 35 years which is the expected lifetime of the solar farm.

Several residents expressed concern when first learning of the solar farm back in May. The Gills Creek representatives on both the Franklin County Board of Supervisors and Planning Commission said the number of residents with concerns has grown in recent weeks.

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Jim Colby, Gills Creek representative on the planning commission, said solar farms are a complex business that needs a greater understanding from the county before any proposals like Westlake Solar can progress. He said county representatives need time to get a firm grasp on the issue.

It is my assessment that it will take several months or more, Colby said.

Colby said his biggest concern was what kind of negative impact the solar farm could have on the county. He mentioned a solar farm currently under construction in Campbell County by Apex Clean Energy.

According to a report in the News & Advance last month, the solar farm is drawing criticism from local residents since construction began. Some of the biggest concerns has been increased runoff from the project into local streams.
Researchers have disclosed a new type of attack that exploits misconfigurations in transport layer security (TLS) servers to redirect HTTPS traffic from a victim's web browser to a different TLS service endpoint located on another IP address to steal sensitive information.

The attacks have been dubbed ALPACA, short for "Application Layer Protocol Confusion - Analyzing and mitigating Cracks in tls Authentication," by a group of academics from Ruhr University Bochum, Munster University of Applied Sciences, and Paderborn University.

"Attackers can redirect traffic from one subdomain to another, resulting in a valid TLS session," the study said. "This breaks the authentication of TLS and cross-protocol attacks may be possible where the behavior of one protocol service may compromise the other at the application layer."

TLS is a cryptographic protocol underpinning several application layer protocols like HTTPS, SMTP, IMAP, POP3, and FTP to secure communications over a network with the goal of adding a layer of authentication and preserving integrity of exchanged data while in transit.

ALPACA attacks are possible because TLS does not bind a TCP connection to the intended application layer protocol, the researchers elaborated. The failure of TLS to protect the integrity of the TCP connection could therefore be abused to "redirect TLS traffic for the intended TLS service endpoint and protocol to another, substitute TLS service endpoint and protocol."

Given a client (i.e., web browser) and two application servers (i.e., the intended and substitute), the goal is to trick the substitute server into accepting application data from the client, or vice versa. Since the client uses a specific protocol to open a secure channel with the intended server (say, HTTPS) while the substitute server employs a different application layer protocol (say, FTP) and runs on a separate TCP endpoint, the mix-up culminates in what's called a cross-protocol attack.

At least three hypothetical cross-protocol attack scenarios have been uncovered, which can be leveraged by an adversary to circumvent TLS protections and target FTP and email servers. The attacks, however, hinge on the prerequisite that the perpetrator can intercept and divert the victim's traffic at the TCP/IP layer.

Put simply, the attacks take the form of a man-in-the-middle (MitM) scheme wherein the malicious actor entices a victim into opening a website under their control to trigger a cross-origin HTTPS request with a specially crafted FTP payload. This request is then redirected to an FTP server that uses a certificate that's compatible with that of the website, thus spawning a valid TLS sessionn.

Consequently, the misconfiguration in TLS services can be exploited to exfiltrate authentication cookies or other private data to the FTP server (Upload Attack), retrieve a malicious JavaScript payload from the FTP server in a stored XSS attack (Download Attack), or even execute a reflected XSS in the context of the victim website (Reflection Attack).

All TLS servers that have compatible certificates with other TLS services are expected to be affected. In an experimental setup, the researchers found that at least 1.4 million web servers were vulnerable to cross-protocol attacks, with 114,197 of the servers considered prone to attacks using an exploitable SMTP, IMAP, POP3, or FTP server with a trusted and compatible certificate.

To counter cross-protocol attacks, the researchers propose utilizing Application Layer Protocol Negotiation (ALPN) and Server Name Indication (SNI) extensions to TLS that can be used by a client to let the server know about the intended protocol to be used over a secure connection and the hostname it's attempting to connect to at the start of the handshake process.

The findings are expected to be presented at Black Hat USA 2021 and at USENIX Security Symposium 2021. Additional artifacts relevant to the ALPACA attack can be accessed via GitHub here.
After more than a year of meeting on Zoom every month, the members of Amy Ettinger's book club recently tried something radical: They got together in real life.

The move was a fundamental departure from the routine. Ettinger had established the book club at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and she and five or six other women from around Santa Cruz, California, had met 13 times in virtual space.

From the beginning, the plan was to eventually transition into a face-to-face club. Finally, in late May, they achieved their goal, gathering outside in one member's yard.

Though the women were unfamiliar with how to act in person at first, the get-together quickly became effortless and fun, Ettinger said. The women shared stories about parenting during the pandemic. They smiled. They laughed. Sure, at some point, the women managed to discuss the book of the month, Bernardine Evaristo's "Girl, Woman, Other."

But really, it was all about bolstering connections.

"When we met on Zoom, we spent most of the time talking about the books," said Ettinger, a writer in Santa Cruz. "When we got together in person, it was like this circuit breaker experience  we talked less about the book and more about our lives. It was such a welcome change for all of us. Truly a relief."
Bottle rockets are legal in Grand Island now.

Grand Island City Council on Tuesday approved changes to the city code in response to recent state legislation.

LB152 made changes to which fireworks are allowed to be sold and discharged in Nebraska. It became state law on May 10.

Our ordinance language now mimics something that is outdated and were just trying to clean that up, make our language coincide with the language of the state, Fire Prevention Division Chief Fred Hotz told the City Council on Tuesday.

Among the newly approved changes:

 The only fireworks labeled as 1.4G (consumer fireworks) that remain prohibited are wire sparklers. The classification 1.4G, formerly Class C, means that it is a small, consumer firework and does not require training or a special permit to possess or use. The G refers to the compatibility group of the explosives (fireworks), and is not an abbreviation for grams.

 Bottle rockets (1.4G) are legal to purchase and to shoot in Nebraska.

 Firecrackers with explosive composition exceeding 50 milligrams are not 1.4G and are not acceptable for sale.
Weve been around for a long time. We dont want this to put a bad hit on us, Atkins said. It would take a small company like we are out of business. If you revoke our bond, we will be done.

Atkins said he was willing to accept penalties for the projects.

Commission Chair Pam Lancaster spoke against pulling JILs bonds.

Its true enough. We paid for a new road, and we didnt get one, Lancaster said. Ive known JIL and your work from far before I was a commissioner. I feel there were extenuating circumstances.

She added, I cant vote to put you out of business. I think you deserve better.

The Wood River Road project was marred by delays, poor scheduling and inexperience with some machinery used for the resurfacing, JIL treasurer Rob Baldwin said.

When JIL was unable to get a subcontractor for resurfacing, they purchased equipment and attempted to do the grinding themselves.

It took a while for us to get the equipment figured out, Baldwin said. Its just something weve never done. It was new to us.

Atkins said the problems were apparent when the asphalt was being put down.
Police wrote in court records related to Sanchezs murder charges in 2019 that Adams arranged a drug deal between Sanchez and another man he was accused of shooting on Aug. 13 and leaving in critical condition. Sanchez was charged with attempted murder for the shooting but the records no longer appear on the states online record database, which could mean he was found not guilty or state prosecutors dropped the case.
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP)  The same Louisiana State Police unit whose troopers stunned, punched and dragged Ronald Greene on video during a deadly 2019 arrest is now under internal investigation by a secret panel over whether its officers are systematically targeting Black motorists for abuse.

The panel, whose existence was confirmed to The Associated Press by four people familiar with it, was set up in response to Greenes death as well as three other violent stops of Black men: one who was punched, stunned and hoisted to his feet by his hair braids in a body-camera video obtained by the AP, another who was beaten after he was handcuffed, and yet another who was slammed 18 times with a flashlight.

Every time I told him to stop hed hit me again, said Aaron Bowman, whose flashlight pummeling left him with three broken ribs, a broken jaw, a broken wrist and a gash to his head that required six staples to close. I dont want to see this happen to nobody  not to my worst enemy.

The panel began working a few weeks ago to review thousands of body-camera videos over the past two years involving as many as a dozen white troopers, at least four of whom were involved in Greenes arrest.
Biden ordered a review of what the White House said was an initial finding leading to two likely scenarios, an animal-to-human transmission or a lab leak. The White House statement says two agencies in the 18-member intelligence community lean toward the hypothesis of a transmission in nature; another agency leans toward a lab leak.

One document drawing new attention is a State Department fact sheet published in the last days of Trumps administration. The memo notes that the U.S. believes three researchers at a Wuhan, China, lab sought medical treatment for a respiratory illness in November 2019. However, the report is not conclusive: The origin and severity of the staffers illness is not known  and most people in China regularly go to hospitals, not primary-care physicians, for routine care.

The memo also pointed to gain of function studies  which in theory could enhance the lethality or transmissibility of a virus  allegedly done at the Wuhan lab with U.S. backing. However, National Institutes of Health Director Francis Collins has since adamantly denied that the U.S. supported any gain-of-function research on coronaviruses in Wuhan.
You are probably aware that my husband Dave and I are planning to retire and discontinue the Fun Club. We have loved escorting Fun Club travelers at home and abroad for the past 20 years but we know it's time to look to the future.

Today we are happy to announce that Gannon Travel Associates will offer tour opportunities to our area travelers. This tour agency is located in Grand Island and specializes in group travel. They offer trips to musical theatre, casino excursions, mystery trips, and tours to both domestic and international locations, which is what the Fun Club has done for years.

Gary and Connie Gannon are the owners and have over 20 years of experience in developing and escorting tours. Their son Jeff is their sales representative and Deb Lemburg is the office manager.

You'll have an opportunity to meet them at a reception at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, June 29, at the York Senior Center located at 725 Nebraska Ave. The activity is free but reservations are required to help us plan for seating and refreshments.

The Fun Club staff is handling registration and you may call or text me at 402-366-9648 or call or text Dave at 402-366-4322. If you text, be sure to tell us your name(s) and how many reservations you would like. If you prefer, you may email the information to us at yorkfunclub@gmail.com.
Being a pickup man requires the ability to be a good horseman and read livestock, Lance said.

You have to have livestock savvy, he said, and be able to read animals. And you have to ride a good horse.

The Heikels have good partners, as Lance calls their horses. They raise most of their own, and use them for more than just picking up at rodeos. They ranch and compete on them, both in high school rodeo and at ranch rodeos.

We have a theory at our place, he said. They have to do all the above or we dont keep them.

Being on good horses makes picking up easier. You have to ride a good horse. If you have a good one underneath you, it makes it 10 times easier.

Cinch is a 2021 graduate of Pleasanton High School and Riggin will be a sophomore at Pleasanton High this fall. Both boys compete in the Nebraska State High School Rodeo Association, in the tie-down roping and the team roping.

Last year, Cinch finished as reserve state champ header and qualified for the National High School Finals Rodeo in the team roping, heading for Hunter Heath.
KEARNEY  The University of Nebraska at Kearney is hosting a weeklong summer camp for middle schoolers who want to learn more about technology and cybersecurity.

Scheduled for July 12-16 in UNKs Discovery Hall, the Super GenCyber Girls camp uses hands-on activities to teach cybersecurity concepts, then participants learn about the technology by spending time in the lab. Based on the Six Cybersecurity Concepts, the curriculum incorporates real-world cybersecurity techniques alongside fun STEM activities.

Participants from our last camp were really excited to learn they could do these technical activities. Many parents commented that they couldnt believe their daughters were so engaged in the cybersecurity camp, said director Angela Hollman, an associate professor in UNKs Department of Cyber Systems.

The Super GenCyber Girls camp runs from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. each day, with breakfast, lunch and snacks included. There is no cost to participate. Middle school students (grades five through eight) with no technical experience are encouraged to sign up.
Equity & Remote Learning

Creating Access, Connectivity and Support for English Learners

In the best of times, English learners can find themselves to be one to two years behind their peers. Add in learning loss due to the pandemic, and instructional time for ELs becomes even more critical.

Even under the best of circumstances, remote learning can be challenging. For English learners (ELs), this challenge is compounded by linguistic barriers, lack of access and socioeconomic stressors.

To ensure learning gaps arent being exacerbated during the pandemic, its crucial that educators consider how to create access, connectivity and family supports for English learners.

Here are steps that can be taken to address these priorities at the district and classroom levels.

Support at the District Level

First, district leaders need to evaluate the systems and processes in place to ensure EL families are adequately supported. I recommend forming a support team thats available to address linguistic barriers that may exist for students and families.

Reference each school sites language demographics and create an action plan for distributing multilingual materials to students and families. Ensure that multilingual versions of district- and school-wide communications are available and accessible.

Next, create a strategy for supporting multilingual families remotely. Its crucial that we bridge the technology gap and help our families navigate the various technology platforms, tools and skills needed for remote learning.

Colorin Colorado created a distance learning guide specific to EL students and families. Here are some helpful tips for ensuring connectivity and tech support:

Providing devices with data so that students can connect anywhere and anytime.

Offering hot spots, including on buses that travel to neighborhoods where internet access is an issue.

Providing free WiFi at school sites or partnering with community institutions, such as libraries, so that internet can be accessed from the parking lot.

Partnering with municipal governments, internet providers and cell phone companies to expand access.

Offering multilingual tutorials for platforms and other solutions that families will be using.

Providing how-to instructions through short videos or written guides.

Setting up a process for collaboration between educators, interpreters, family liaisons and tech support staff.

Ensuring families have a way to ask questions related to tech support.

Support at the Classroom Level

Educators realize the importance of strong relationships. Building and maintaining school-home relationships is even more important when students are learning remotely.

Social-emotional and behavioral (SEB) support is especially important for ELs, who may be experiencing time away from school differently than their peers. SEB captures the importance of social-emotional learning (SEL) and behavioral supports, and contributes to students academic success.

There are assessments available from organizations like Illuminate Education to help educators ensure students have the SEB skills they need to thrive.

Here are a few ways that educators can support students SEB functioning:



Include rituals and routines in the classroom that connect with students in a personal and meaningful way. Remember: Relationships matter!
For the first time in more than a year, a statewide Christian radio station is again holding public events for listeners and it is starting with a gathering in Southern Illinois.

Champaign-based WBGL-FM, which broadcasts from 13 frequencies and transmitters including those in Cape Girardeau, Murphysboro and Mount Vernon, is inviting listeners to join station staff for a family picnic on Saturday at Riverside Park in Murphysboro.

Weve done family events in the area before and now that we can do so again in a safe and responsible fashion, were eager to get out and meet our listeners, share a meal and just enjoy being together, WBGL morning show co-host Johnathon Eltrevoog said.

In addition to the performance, Eltrevoog said attendees can bring their own picnic lunch or purchase items from a food truck at the event, as well as meet WBGL personalities. On-air staff members scheduled to appear include Eltrevoog, Courtney Canfield, Eric Nichols, Danielle Perez and Meridith Foster.

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Eltrevoog said the Murphysboro picnic will be the stations first post-pandemic public event.
PHOENIX (AP)  Firefighters in Arizona were fighting Tuesday to gain a foothold into a massive wildfire, one of two that has forced thousands of evacuations in rural towns and closed almost every major highway out of the area.

The so-called Telegraph Fire, straddling two counties, has burned 112 square miles (290 square kilometers) and is at zero containment. The blaze was first reported Friday south of Superior in Pinal County, about 60 miles (97 kilometers) east of Phoenix.

Residents in neighboring Gila County, which includes Globe, Miami and smaller communities, have been in various stages of the evacuation process. The town of Miami is among those under an evacuation order.

Arizona House Speaker Rusty Bowers confirmed that a family home he owns in the woods southeast of the Globe-Miami area burned down overnight. He toured the gutted property Tuesday. The home was not his primary residence but a family retreat, said Andrew Wilder, a spokesman for House Republicans. Bowers, who lives in Mesa, would go there weekly and often do his artwork.

At least 2,500 homes in Gila County have been evacuated, said Carl Melford, the county emergency manager. He estimated that there are twice as many households who are in set mode with bags packed just in case.
The report shows general satisfaction with changes instituted as part of a 2015 hostage policy overhaul, which included the creation of an FBI-led hostage recovery fusion cell and the appointment of a State Department envoy for hostage affairs. But it also raises potential areas for improvement, including more mental health and financial support for hostages and detainees who return from captivity. And it says more may need to be done to make hostage recovery a greater priority.
She said one of the biggest challenges was making certain the departments 17,000 employees were working in sync and to stress urgency, calm, and compassionate care to those on the front lines.

Everything we did was a bit of an oxymoron, she remarked. Urgent but calm, careful but swift.

Paula Basta, director of the states Department on Aging, said the decision to halt in-person meal programs and close centers for senior citizens was difficult, but necessary.

We knew we were going to save lives, she said. At the end of the day, that what it was about. We needed to make sure that they all were going to be OK.

Basta said while employees, caregivers and clients were all afraid, everyone was able to step up and care for each other.

She added the pandemic forced the agency to shift priorities and budgets to care for seniors and caregivers.

We had to go to programming that was much more flexible and expand the work we needed to do while keeping people safe, Basta said.

Callahan said the decision to close all of the states more than 400 recreational and historical sites was difficult, but the right decision.
A 10-page criminal complaint alleged that Kulas was captured by others on social media as well as in surveillance images at the Capitol wearing a pricey Burberry coat and a hat with the Trump campaign slogan, Keep America Great.

Video clips posted on an Instagram account associated with Kulas showed the throngs of people at a rally where President Donald Trump was speaking as well as rioters ascending the Capitol steps after the presidents speech, the complaint alleged.

In one clip, Kulas allegedly turned the camera around and laughing, captured his own face as he filmed. In another, he could be heard uttering the words, Storming the Capitol, the complaint alleged.

The FBI began receiving tips about Kulas participation three days after the attack, according to the complaint. An informant who went to middle school and high school with Kulas later identified him from the videos and said it was his voice talking about storming the Capitol.

Zana Weismantel, 22, who said she went to Lake Forest High School with him, was one of many people to identify and condemn Kulas on their social media accounts soon after the siege took place. She said he became the talk of the town once his name and photo hit the internet.

I do know that a lot of people were fully aware, she said. Its a small town. It traveled really quickly.

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Two weeks after the Chicago Police Department released a first draft of a foot-pursuit policy, activists and attorneys with the Consent Decree Coalition called the document confusing, said it gives officers too much discretion and doesnt require documentation of every chase.
To the Editor:

I would like to direct a few questions toward our U.S. House Representative, Mike Bost.

My first inquiry concerns the ousting of Liz Cheney from her post as third in line of leadership in the Republican house caucus for insisting on the truth of the election and forming a non-partisan committee to shake the bad apples from the traitorous tree which we now refer to as the Jan. 6 Capital insurrection. This will go down in history as an infamous date comparable to 9/11. Mr. Bost, as predictable as a snowfall in January, you voted against the Democratic bill because your house minority leader and Trump parrot, Kevin McCarthy told you to.

As one of your constituents, I feel I have a right to know your vote on Cheney's courageous demise. I feel I not only speak for my fellow Democrats but for the 30% of Republicans who still believed in democracy and the rule of law. So, the question is simple. Did you vote to keep her or kick her to the curb?

My next question should be the most concerning to all. If you were still in the Illinois house and the majority of Illinoisans voted for a Republican for president but the Democratic legislature threw out the results for some lame reason, how would you react? Would this be one of your, "Let my people go," moments?
Local

alert

McMaster targets training for jobless; tech colleges to teach new skills, tuition-free

McMaster

COLUMBIA  Continuing efforts to boost South Carolina's economy following pandemic-related hardships, South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster on Tuesday announced a cash infusion for the state's technical colleges, aimed at training the jobless in new skills as they reenter the workforce.

During a news conference in Anderson, the Republican said he's allocating $8 million in federal coronavirus relief aid to a partnership between the state's 16 tech schools and the Department of Employment and Workforce.

Starting this week, the agency will contact the 87,000 South Carolinians already eligible for jobless benefits to advise them of tuition-free, short-term training classes designed to quickly prepare them for jobs like welding and truck driving, according to Tim Hardee, president of the state's technical college system.

The funds come from a total of more than $48 million provided under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, to be used at the governor's discretion. In other allocations, McMaster has directed funds to the Department of Social Services, the Department of Education and the Department of Commerce.

Beagle honored with Order of the Palmetto Brigadier General Milford H. Beagle Jr., a South Carolina State University graduate, was honored Tuesday with the Order of the Palmetto.

He tried to direct $32 million to provide tuition grants for private schools, saying he wanted to give more families the option  especially if their own schools would not reopen for in-person instruction because of the pandemic but the state Supreme Court ruled that allocation unconstitutional.

"All they have to do is apply," McMaster said Tuesday, of the training for in-demand technical jobs. "If this works as well as we are confident it will, we are hopeful this will be a permanent part of our career process in South Carolina."

Santee Cooper survives as public company COLUMBIA  South Carolina's state-owned utility appears to have survived four years of turmoil to remain public after the South Carolina House and Senate both unanimously approved an overhaul bill Tuesday that does not include its sale to a private company.

Later Tuesday, Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College President Dr. Walt Tobin said, At OCtech, we have a history of preparing students for good jobs and great careers. And what normally comes to mind are our credit-based programs in manufacturing, engineering, health care, public service and computer technology.

However, we offer short-term training programs through our non-credit division that are designed specifically to put students into the workforce quickly. Not only do these programs prepare students to enter the workforce directly, but several provide students the opportunity to apply their training towards our degree programs. Think of it as a test drive of college."

He added, With Gov. McMaster's support, we can offer these programs to unemployment insurance claimants at no cost. I look forward to having these students on the campus, and I look forward to helping them begin or restart successful careers.

McMaster was one of the last governors in the country to issue a statewide stay-at-home order last year, and among the first to begin reopening the economy. He's frequently highlighted his view of the parallel needs to get South Carolina's businesses back on track, while still reining in the pandemic.

"We cannot keep businesses closed forever," McMaster said during a June 2020 briefing, as cases in the state hit a new record high. "Even in this situation, when we are still faced with a deadly virus, we must accelerate our economy."

At that same briefing, the state public health official overseeing pandemic response said she was "more concerned about COVID-19 in South Carolina than I have ever been before."

But the governor has also been adamant that individual South Carolinians must do what he believes is their part to shore up the economy. Last month, he announced that, starting June 30, South Carolina will opt out of the federal unemployment programs that have been providing extra money to jobless residents. He claimed that "unprecedented" workforce shortages were created in part by the extra money.

"We had to end the benefits," state Rep. Brian White said Tuesday. "But you don't just cut people off without giving them a hand up."
COLUMBIA  The South Carolina House on Wednesday put its final touches on the state's nearly $11 billion budget, spending more money than anticipated after the economic problems from the COVID-19 pandemic weren't as bad as feared.

The spending plan for the year starting in July includes raises for teachers, law enforcement officers and nearly every state employee. It fixes buildings at colleges and helps art centers and festivals hurt by social distancing.

But it won't include  at least for now  million-dollar drawings for people who are vaccinated against COVID-19. Nor it will have a $1,200 pandemic bonus for state employees making under $50,000.

House members also took time during Tuesday's debate to add a provision to the budget keeping public schools from requiring masks. They also put into the budget a ban on colleges from requiring students to take COVID-19 tests and only allowing students who have been vaccinated to not wear masks.

The Senate decided Tuesday it would not agree with the House changes to the budget, so a conference committee of senators and House members will meet next week to finalize the plan. They are trying to get the budget to Gov. Henry McMaster's desk so he can have time to consider whether to veto any part of the plan before the fiscal year starts July 1.
"All they have to do is apply," McMaster said Tuesday, of the training for in-demand technical jobs. "If this works as well as we are confident it will, we are hopeful this will be a permanent part of our career process in South Carolina."

Later Tuesday, Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College President Dr. Walt Tobin said, At OCtech, we have a history of preparing students for good jobs and great careers. And what normally comes to mind are our credit-based programs in manufacturing, engineering, health care, public service and computer technology.

However, we offer short-term training programs through our non-credit division that are designed specifically to put students into the workforce quickly. Not only do these programs prepare students to enter the workforce directly, but several provide students the opportunity to apply their training towards our degree programs. Think of it as a test drive of college."

He added, With Gov. McMaster's support, we can offer these programs to unemployment insurance claimants at no cost. I look forward to having these students on the campus, and I look forward to helping them begin or restart successful careers.
ISLANDTON, S.C.  A mother and son from a prominent South Carolina legal family were found shot and killed on their family's land, and authorities said they have made no arrests in the double homicide case.

Deputies in Colleton County found the two dead from gunshots on property near Islandton around 10 p.m. Monday, the sheriff's office said in a statement.

Maggie Murdaugh , 52, and her son Paul Murdaugh, 22, were shot several times and their bodies were found near a dog kennel, Colleton County Coroner Richard Harvey said. How many times they were shot won't be known until autopsies are conducted later this week, Harvey said.

Paul Murdaugh was awaiting trial on a charge of boating under the influence causing death in a February 2019 crash that killed 19-year-old Mallory Beach. The woman's body was found seven days after the crash.

The wreck led to stories questioning whether his family's ties to the legal system in the area affected the investigation

Colleton County deputies turned the investigation over to the State Law Enforcement Division, whose agents released no information beyond confirming they were looking into the deaths as a double homicide. They said no arrests had been made.
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Before getting involved in politics, Reilly received his degree in financial management services from Iona College in New York. He then opened his own insurance agency. He has been a member of the Maryland Senate since 2009 and previously served as an Anne Arundel County Councilman.
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AP

Capitol report details failures

JOHN MINCHILLO, ASSOCIATED PRESS U.S. Capitol Police officers stand as violent rioters storm the Capitol on Jan. 6 in Washington. JULIO CORTEZ, ASSOCIATED PRESS U.S. Capitol Police officers hold off rioters loyal to President Donald Trump on Jan. 6 at the Capitol in Washington.

WASHINGTON  A Senate investigation of the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol found a broad intelligence breakdown across multiple agencies, along with widespread law enforcement and military failures that led to the violent attack.

There were clear warnings and tips that supporters of former President Donald Trump, including right-wing extremist groups, were planning to storm the Capitol with weapons and possibly infiltrate the tunnel system underneath the building. But that intelligence never made it up to top leadership.

The result was chaos. A Senate report released Tuesday details how officers on the front lines suffered chemical burns, brain injuries and broken bones, among other injuries, after fighting the attackers, who quickly overwhelmed them and broke into the building. Officers told the Senate investigators they were left with no leadership or direction when command systems broke down.

The Senate report is the first  and could be the last  bipartisan review of how hundreds of Trump supporters were able to push violently past security lines and break into the Capitol that day, interrupting the certification of Joe Bidens presidential election victory. The failures detailed in the report highlighted how, almost 20 years after the Sept. 11 attacks, U.S. intelligence agencies are still beset by a fundamental issue: a failure of imagination.

The report recommends immediate changes to give the Capitol Police chief more authority, to provide better planning and equipment for law enforcement and to streamline intelligence gathering among federal agencies.

But as a bipartisan effort, the report does not delve into the root causes of the attack, including Trumps role as he called for his supporters to fight like hell to overturn his election defeat that day. It does not call the attack an insurrection, even though it was. And it comes two weeks after Republicans blocked a bipartisan, independent commission that would investigate the insurrection more broadly.

This report is important in the fact that it allows us to make some immediate improvements to the security situation here in the Capitol, said Democratic Sen. Gary Peters of Michigan, the chair of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, which conducted the probe along with the Senate Rules Committee. But it does not answer some of the bigger questions that we need to face, quite frankly, as a country and as a democracy.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Tuesday that the findings show an even greater need for a bipartisan commission to investigate the root causes of the attack, referring to Trumps unfounded claims about the 2020 election.

As the big lie continues to spread, as faith in our elections continues to decline, it is crucial  crucial  that we establish a trusted, independent record of what transpired, said Schumer, D-N.Y.

But Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, who led the blockade against such a commission, said hes confident the ongoing reviews by lawmakers and law enforcement will be sufficient.

The House in May passed legislation to create a commission that would be modeled after a panel that investigated the Sept. 11 attacks.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., told colleagues in a letter Tuesday that if the Senate fails to approve the commission, her chamber will launch its own investigations.

The top Republican on the rules panel, Missouri Sen. Roy Blunt, has opposed the commission, arguing that investigation would take too long. He said the recommendations made in the Senate can be implemented faster, such as legislation that he and Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, the rules committee chair, intend to introduce soon that would give the chief of Capitol Police more authority to request assistance from the National Guard.

The Senate report recounts how the Guard was delayed for hours Jan. 6 as officials in multiple agencies took bureaucratic steps to release the troops. It details hours of calls between officials in the Capitol and the Pentagon and as the then-chief of the Capitol Police, Steven Sund, begged for help.

It finds that the Pentagon spent hours mission planning and seeking multiple layers of approvals as Capitol Police were being overwhelmed and brutally beaten by the attackers. It also says the Defense Departments hesitant response was influenced by criticism of its heavy-handed response to protests in the summer of 2020 after the killing of George Floyd in police custody.

The senators are heavily critical of the Capitol Police Board, a three-member panel made up of the heads of security for the House and Senate and the Architect of the Capitol. The board now is required to approve requests by the police chief, even in urgent situations. The report recommends that its members regularly review the policies and procedures after senators found that the three board members on Jan. 6 did not understand their own authority and could not detail the statutory requirements for requesting National Guard assistance.

Two of the three board members, the House and Senate sergeants-at-arms, were pushed out in the days after the attack. Sund, the Capitol Police chief, resigned under pressure.

The report recommends a consolidated intelligence unit within the Capitol Police after widespread failures from multiple agencies that did not predict the attack even though insurrectionists were planning it openly on the internet.
Reading the agreement between the RNC and Trump Victory after the FEC flagged the activity, Chamberlain discovered the RNC had inserted a clause absolving itself of all legal responsibility should something go awry. Federal law, however, dictates the state party treasurer  not the party chairman  is responsible for authorizing any and all federal transfers. Without Chamberlains signature, both the Wyoming Republican Party and the RNC faced legal exposure, with the potential to bankrupt the state party and jeopardize one of the national partys 28 conduits to shuttle money between major donors and the Trump campaign.

Micheli declined to comment for this story, writing in an email that the events Chamberlain described occurred after his time as chairman.

In the ensuing months, Chamberlain said, the RNC put immense pressure on him and Chairman Frank Eathorne to retroactively sign an agreement authorizing the transfers and, later, implied they could be fined tens of thousands of dollars for the violation. Chamberlain refused until the Wyoming Republican Party received assurances that the RNC would cover any fines levied against the state party as a result of the pass throughs, he said. According to campaign finance records, the RNC later acquiesced, transferring $52,000 to the Wyoming GOPs federal account the same day the state party reported paying a $52,000 fine to the FEC.
The total number of coronavirus cases in Wyoming grew by 71 on Tuesday, with the number of confirmed cases rising by 50 and the number of probable cases rising by 21, according to the Wyoming Department of Healths daily update.

Additionally, 80 new coronavirus recoveries were announced: 52 confirmed and 28 probable.

Numbers to know

Active cases: 265 (463 including probable cases)

Hospitalized patients: 51 (up six from Monday)

Deaths: 725 (five announced this week, six announced this month)

Total vaccine doses received: 459,535 (222,495 Pfizer, 208,740 Moderna, 28,300 Johnson & Johnson)

First vaccine doses given: 189,835

Second vaccine doses given: 168,987

One-time vaccine doses given: 13,439

Are we trending up or down?

The states 14-day average in confirmed cases is 52.6 per day. That number is up 1.4 from a month ago.
Wyoming youth have at least one thing in common with their parents; they are among the least vaccinated groups in the nation.

According to a New York Times data analysis, Wyoming has the nations fifth-lowest youth COVID-19 vaccination rate. Just 12% of residents 12-17 years old here have received one shot. Just over 4% are fully vaccinated, according to the Wyoming Department of Health.

The shots are more limited for youth. Pfizers is the only vaccine approved for those under 18 years old, and not every Wyoming county has the infrastructure to store the vaccines, which require a specialty freezer to maintain ultra-low temperatures.

Still, most of the country vastly outpaces the Equality State when it comes to getting shots in the arms of both children and adults.

The national leader is Vermont, which has given 58% of residents between 15 and 17 years old at least one vaccine dose. About 27% of residents in that age group nationwide have received at least one shot.

Wyoming Department of Health spokesperson Kim Deti called the states low vaccination rate disappointing.
Lost in the press of recent world events was news from Washington state about a dramatic jury trial resulting in the conviction of a 77-year-old Ilwaco woman, who now faces a maximum penalty of 90 days in jail and/or a fine of up to $1,000.

Doris Parks pleaded not guilty, just as she did back in 2014 when tried on similar charges. That trial was interrupted when prosecutors offered a deal, resulting in a $500 fine but no jail time.

The latest case hinged on gripping testimony from officer Paul Jacobson. Acting on a tip from a neighbor, Jacobson conducted extensive video surveillance. Despite objections from defense attorney Killian Dunkeson, the footage was played for the six-member jury, accompanied by testimony by an expert witness, Scott Harris, a wildlife biologist.

A turning point came during officer Jacobsons testimony about surveilling the Parks home. He told Judge Nancy McAllister that he saw a bear walk up Parks driveway and onto her deck.

Although Jacobson conceded under cross-examination that he never saw Parks feeding bears, he said the animals he observed were obese.
FINANCE Minister Colm Imbert said yesterday that the proposal to increase the retirement age to 65 from the current age of 60 is under active consideration, but he said the Government has not made a firm decision on the matter as yet.
In a year where were still seeing a large structural deficit, $20 million, were trying to make some difficult choices in places where we can, what we can to try and reduce that as much as possible over the constant yield, etc. and so continually adding is not sustainable, said Haire, a Republican from Edgewater who plans to formally launch a bid for county executive next week.
Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley has apologised for the vaccine fiasco last week, but said it was just one bad day.

After more than a year of managing and attempting to control the spread of the Covid-19 virus in Trinidad and Tobago, Rowley admitted that the Government made a blunder by allowing walk-in vaccinations at health centres across the country.
Waiting FOR SHOTS: A security guard instructs members of the supermarket sector to proceed to a vaccination area to be processed at the

Supermarket Association of Trinidad and Tobagos vaccination drive, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Trade and Industry, at the Centre Pointe Mall, Chaguanas, yesterday. Photo: ISHMAEL SALANDY
However, Conover noted her concern for just how accessible the process of expungement would be for the average person with an offense on their record.

There are a lot of hurdles to get past, to get to the benefit, she said. Its not common practice for any of us to figure out how to take time off of work, get child care, look for some court forms, figure out if they need an attorney, figure out where to take the forms and to try to figure out how to ask a judge all by themselves to expunge their record.

To that end, Conover said she and her office have identified nearly 2,200 people already that they believe qualify for expungement. She said her office is reaching out to those individuals now.

The offices Conviction and Integrity Sentencing Unit will then make sure they are eligible for expungement and will submit the needed paperwork for free on the individuals behalf, Watson said.

Folks are certainly permitted to go to an attorney to help facilitate that, but were also here for free, he said.

Mike Robinette, interim director for Arizona NORML, a marijuana advocacy organization, said he and his organization shared Conovers concerns about access.
Tucson police are investigating after vandals painted a red swastika and an anti-Jewish slur on an entry door at a north-side synagogue sometime over the weekend.

A congregant at Chabad on River, 3916 E. Fort Lowell Road, found the hate symbols at 8 a.m. Monday, June 7, when they arrived early to teach a religion class, said Rabbi Ram Bigelman, who oversees the congregation.

Bigelman called the incident deeply disturbing. He said the synagogue has been vandalized in the past but has never before been the target of anti-Semitic graffiti.

The Tucson Police Department is asking the public for help identifying anyone suspicious in the area between 8 a.m. Friday, June 4, and Monday morning.

Its the second vandalism incident in three weeks at a Tucson synagogue.

TPD is also investigating a May 19 case in which a rock was thrown through a glass window in the front door of Congregation Chaverim, 5901 E. Second St.

So far theres no evidence that incident was motivated by bias, said police spokesman Sgt. Richard Gradillas.

Anyone with information about either case can call 88-CRIME, which accepts anonymous tips.
The city has to keep that plant running to remove all the TCE. They are sanctioned to do that as a result of the lawsuit, said Herrera, who chairs an advisory board overseeing the overall south-side water cleanup. You say its temporarily but indefinitely shut down. What does it mean?

She expects a grandchild to be born into her family next month and wants to insure the child has a good quality of life, Herrera said at the news conference.

South-side resident Robert Jaramillo told the news conference that the plant shutdown is long overdue.

I want to thank the mayor and City Council for stepping up to the plate and saying enough is enough. Please reach out to responsible party to take care of our community, he said. This is nothing new to us, the contamination. Weve lived it, weve breathed it and a lot of us have eaten it. We all had classmates, siblings, parents and children who suffered the consequences.

Theyve tested the heck out of the water. Id like to know when theyre going to test the community, Jaramillo said.

Federal funding sought
All were doing here is raising taxes the Arizona way, said Democratic Rep. Andres Cano of Tucson.

Hes right, of course.

But it took a Republican rancher from a burning Globe to make the Tucson Democrats points count.

Tim Steller is an opinion columnist. A 25-year veteran of reporting and editing, he digs into issues and stories that matter in the Tucson area, reports the results and tells you his conclusions.

Contact him at tsteller@tucson.com or 520-807-7789. On Twitter: @senyorreporter
The rate increase would not affect Tucson Water customers in jurisdictions such as Oro Valley, Marana and South Tucson, but rather unincorporated county areas including the Catalina Foothills and Avra Valley.

The city says it takes more water, and more water infrastructure, to serve unincorporated areas. According to city staff, 29% of Tucson Water customers live in unincorporated Pima County, and 36% of the utilitys pipelines serve these areas. They also say unincorporated residents use 43% more water than city customers.

To gauge public input on the issue, the city has hosted two town halls and has put out a public survey that closes at midnight Tuesday.

As of 8 p.m. Tuesday, more than 2,200 individuals had responded to the survey and nearly 82% had indicated they are very opposed to differential water rates. Of the respondents, 76% said they live in the greater Tucson area instead of within city limits.

The citys Citizens Water Advisory Committee, or CWAC, a group established in 1977 to advise City Council on water resource planning for citizens in and outside city boundaries, also discussed the issue. Members recommended the City Council hold off on making a decision until the fall.
Those and related issues are purely China's internal affairs and absolutely no foreign interference will be tolerated," the statement said.

At a daily briefing, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said China-related content in the bill was full of Cold War zero-sum thinking  which distorts the facts (and) smears Chinas development path and domestic and foreign policies."

It is a matter for the U.S. itself as to how to develop and enhance its competitiveness. But we firmly oppose the U.S. making an issue of China and treating China as an imaginary enemy," Wang said.

China has enacted various policy blueprints intended to enhance its own competitiveness and build its prowess in advanced technologies. Such plans tend to be focused entirely on the economy and business, areas where the ruling Communist Party and government play a huge role.

The 68-32 Senate vote demonstrated how confronting China is a rate issue that can unite both parties in Congress at a time of intense partisan division.

But Senators have sought to call attention to Chinas growing influence without stoking anti-Asian rhetoric at a time of rising hate crimes against Asian Americans.
The cicadas  which sing to attract mates with science-fiction-sounding hums  seem to be attracted to other noises, entomologists said. That could be what happened with the plane.

The loud machine-made noise fools cicadas who interpret the noise as a cicada chorus that they want to join and they fly towards it, Shrewsbury said. I have noted when airplanes fly over my house, the cicadas increase their chorusing sound level, potentially competing with the aircraft noise.

It was unclear how cicadas disrupted the mechanics of the press plane. Weather and crew rest issues also contributed to the flight delay late Tuesday. Ultimately, the plane was swapped for another one, and the flight took off shortly after 4 a.m. on Wednesday.

We'll, why wouldn't the cicadas want to to go to the U.K. with the president of the United States? asked University of Maryland entomologist Mike Raupp. Periodic cicadas are mostly in the United States with two tiny exceptions in Asia. They are not in Europe. At least not yet.

This is not the first time the cicadas have caused havoc for a presidential event or been political fodder.

In 1902, President Theodore Roosevelt, known for a booming voice, was nearly drowned out in an address at Arlington National Cemetery.
Trail didn't apologize to Loofe's family in the courtroom, saying it would be an insult to you for what I've put you through," but he said killing her was the only thing he has done in his life that he regrets.

Trail admitted that he repeatedly lied to authorities and plotted to kill Loofe two to three hours before he carried out the murder. But he asserted that Boswell wasnt in the room and didnt know he was going to do it. He said he could care less about the sentence he receives.

I am not looking for mercy, forgiveness, or anything else, he said.

Saline County District Court Judge Vicky Johnson said the murder met the legal standard of exceptional depravity necessary to impose the ultimate punishment. She noted that Trail  who changed his story numerous times  bragged about the murder and implied to investigators that he and Boswell drank Loofes blood. Evidence also showed he bought a hacksaw, tools and bleach before the killing.

Trail's words and actions demonstrate he had no regard for the life of Sydney Loofe beyond his own personal pleasures, Johnson said.

Loofes family left the Saline County Courthouse without taking questions.
SAN DIEGO (AP)  Eighty years after he died in the attack on Pearl Harbor and just months after his remains were finally identified, a California Marine has been laid to rest with full military honors.

About 50 people attended the ceremony Tuesday for Pfc. John Franklin Middleswart at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in his hometown of San Diego, the Union-Tribune reported.

Marines in dress blues fired a three-volley rifle salute. Another Marine sounded Taps on a bugle.

What an amazing miracle it is to have John with us today, Navy Chaplain Robert LeCompte said.

Middleswart was 19 when he was killed along with more than 400 other Marines and Navy sailors aboard the battleship Oklahoma in a surprise attack by the Japanese that led the U.S. into World War II.

He was identified through mitochondrial DNA, extracted from Middleswarts bones and compared to DNA from his sister and two of his nephews, the newspaper reported. The family was notified of the match in February.

Its the end of a journey, said James Brown, 80, one of the nephews. We couldnt be happier.
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP)  Republican Missouri Gov. Mike Parson says addressing the clemency petition for a man whos been behind bars for a triple murder for more than four decades is not a priority, even though prosecutors say he didn't commit the crime.

Parson noted that Kevin Strickland, 62, was tried by a jury of his peers and found guilty. But he added that he knew there was a lot more information out there.

Parson has a backlog of about 3,000 clemency requests, the Kansas City Star reported. He issued almost no pardons before his reelection in 2020 but has since begun issuing a group of pardons monthly.

When something like that comes up, we look at those cases, but I dont know that that necessarily makes it a priority to jump in front of the line, Parson said during a Monday news conference. We understand some cases are going to draw more attention through the media than others, but were just going to look at those things.
The City Council has previously said the reparations do not require direct payments but would mandate investments in areas where Black residents face disparities. City Manager Debra Campbell on Tuesday said officials have not yet determined what those investments will entail.

There was a question about, well, how will this be spent? What are the projects? Campbell said. We dont know yet. What we do know is that we have asked the commission once it is formed, to provide us with short, medium and long-term initiatives.

While the amount is almost double what was allocated in earlier presentations, some community members at the councils meeting expressed opposition. Some argued the $2.1 million isn't enough and that divesting from the city police department would be a form of reparations. Others said the money could be better spent, including that it could be targeted at helping Black people become homeowners and that with a proposed tax hike, theyre being priced out of the city.
Some 21,000 inmates are currently incarcerated by the state, making the plan potentially very lucrative for Securus.

The Department of Corrections also benefits financially from the arrangement, receiving $3.5 million annually from the communications company for the first five years of the contract, and $3.75 million for the next five years.

Our recent analysis of these contracts suggests that they actually put the interests of incarcerated people last, prioritizing cost savings and the providers bottom line," the report said.

Sierra Kiplinger, who was released from prison in April, said that while inmates are excited about the new technology, she expressed concern about how much inmates have to pay to utilize the services.

 The phone calls for Securus are ridiculously high, and so Im assuming if the phone calls are high, this is going to be even higher," she said.

State Rep. Justin Humphrey, chairman of the House Criminal Justice and Corrections Committee, said that while he supports the program, he believes public perception could be a problem.

I dont think the public is going to like it when they see were giving all these inmates tablets and they say, My kid cant get a tablet at school,' Humphrey said.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Thousands of residents have been stuck in various stages of the evacuation process. At least 2,500 homes in Gila County have been evacuated, with twice that number set to go with bags packed, according to county emergency officials. Hundreds more also were cleared from their homes in a community in Pinal County.

A second home near Globe-Miami that belonged to Arizona House Speaker Rusty Bowers was among those destroyed.

The fire also forced closures on most roads leading out of town. But U.S. 70 reopened Wednesday.

Besides enduring smoke from Arizona fires, New Mexico is dealing with its own blazes, including one that was sparked by lightning three weeks ago in the Gila National Forest in the western part of the state. It has charred more than 71 square miles (184 square kilometers) and has forced the closure of the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument and much of the surrounding wilderness.

Utah, mired in extreme drought, has multiple wildfires burning. The largest started Tuesday near the town of Price, according to fire officials.
Greedy bullies who suppress conservative viewpoints, and all who allow them to do so, should be deported to their own island, along with a cop
OPINION: Opinions about immunizations helping the community and the proposed Flat Tax is are the theme in todays letters. Share your thoughts on these and any other subjects by submitting a letter at tucson.com/opinion.
OPINION: "The RTA members can, and must, develop a means of allowing some form of weighted voting, as is done in Maricopa County, or Tucson is not fairly representing the interests of our constituents," writes Tucson City Councilmember Steve Kozachik.
Jose R. Lopez spent 31years The New York Times as a photographer and picture editor covering everything from the Great Recession to war in Bos
Mayor G.T. Bynum and city councilors have agreed to spend $8.4 million in American Rescue Plan funds on one-time retention bonuses for city employees.

The 4% bonuses would be paid at the end of the year and go to every city employee except elected officials and those who have not been employed at the city for a year by the end of 2021.

The bonuses are a way for the city to acknowledge employees hard work over the last few years and to provide an incentive to ensure they stick around, Bynum said.

We want to incentivize employees who might be thinking about retiring or going to work somewhere else to stay put through the end of this year, Bynum said. And then we are going to consider later in the process whether this is something we would want to offer for the coming calendar year as well.

Approximately 3,400 city employees could be eligible for the bonuses.

It (the one-time bonus) is acknowledging just the tremendous work that our team at the city has done and the sacrifices that they have made over the last couple of years in dealing with floods, a pandemic, a recession, a polar vortex, a cyber attack, Bynum said. And yet they have continued to do the peoples business throughout all of that.
Taking part in the contest and holding the Miss Oklahoma title itself both involve far more than audience members know, Price said. Many of the most important aspects of competition happen behind the scenes and rely heavily on candidates having a defined vision for the position.

What a lot of people dont realize is we are not only doing what most of you see on stage; we actually have a private interview with the judges. During that time, thats really when you talk about what are your goals as Miss Oklahoma. What are you working towards. What are you hoping to do with that title, Price said.

It really is the same way that you would walk into a job interview at a corporate office. Youre walking into a job interview for that position in this organization.

The competition week will be especially rigorous this year. Miss Oklahoma Chairman Jack Cooper said contestants are being kept in a bubble environment at the resort to ensure that their health stays good throughout the competition.

Masks will not be required for fully vaccinated audience members but will be encouraged for nonvaccinated attendees.
Harris was called out by the Democratic left, too, for using her platform in Guatemala to tell people thinking of fleeing to the U.S. that they should not. Do not come, she said, invoking the dangers of the trip as well as the Biden administrations commitment to border security. Do not come.

Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York called those comments disappointing and noted that it is legal to seek asylum.

While White House aides have repeatedly tried to clarify that Harris' assignment is narrowly focused on diplomatic solutions to the immigration situation, she was again forced to spend part of a trip meant to showcase her diplomatic chops explaining herself.

It would be very easy to say, Well travel to one place and therefore its solved,'" she said. "I dont think anybody thinks that that would be the solution.

Her foreign debut was a complex one as she attempted to engage in the deepest reasons people leave what they know to take on the perils of trekking to the U.S. border and trying to get across, whether illegally or through their right to ask for asylum.
One hundred years ago, terror came to Tulsas Black Wall Street and to the small town of Fairfax, Oklahoma.

Both populated by well-to-do minorities, African Americans in Tulsa and Osage Indians in Fairfax. Many whites did not believe their prosperity was deserved. Many believed this wealth to have come by hook or crook or just dumb luck. The plunder and murder of Blacks and Osages were easily justified by bigoted, greedy and envious whites.

For us Osages, most whites in the 1920s thought our oil wealth was the result of luck. We were removed from Kansas in 1870 to what many regarded as a barren, worthless reservation, now Osage County. We were expected to be satisfied living off government handouts until we learned to live as whites.

In fact, just as the Blacks in Greenwood, Osages made the best of a bad situation. For centuries we knew Osage County held oil  the area had been part of our traditional hunting grounds. We found oil seeps on these hunts.

In the 1880s our ancestors went by train to Carlisle, Pennsylvania, to visit their children at the Carlisle Indian School. They traveled through the oil fields of western Pennsylvania and learned the value of oil.
Oklahomas move to expanded Medicaid begins July 1.

Its taken too long to get to this point, but it deserves celebrating now that were so nearly there.

In the first few days of enrollment, nearly 100,000 Oklahomans applied and were approved for the entitlement program that is largely funded by the federal Affordable Care Act.

That will mean a healthier state in the future. Oklahomans who have not had access to primary care physicians will now be able to get medical assistance in dealing with chronic health problems, including obesity, tobacco use and lack of exercise.

That means treatable chronic problems will be less likely to become very expensive acute ones, and will be addressed in doctors offices instead of emergency rooms.

It will also have a healthy economic impact on the state. More than $1 billion a year in federal funding should flow to the state, helping strengthen the states tenuous rural health care system. The state also ends up with a stronger workforce.

Medicaid expansion makes Oklahoma healthier and wealthier.
A babysitter from Vietnams Mekong Delta has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for beating a one-year-old boy, which resulted in his death.

The Peoples Court in Vinh Long Province on Tuesday imposed the 15-year jail term upon Duong Thi Ngoc Giau, 27, for murder.

The indictment showed that Giau and her boyfriend rented a house in the provincial capital of Vinh Long to run an unlicensed babysitting service.

The couple took care of about seven children from 11 to 42 months old on a daily basis.

On November 13, 2020, a man brought his son  one-year-old Tran Hoang Loc  to the location.

As Loc had a mild fever at the time of his arrival, his father gave Giau some medicine.

As the babysitter was feeding the boy at around 2:30 pm the same day, she hit him twice on his back because he was eating too slowly.

Loc then showed signs of weakness, stiffness in his stomach, and nausea.

The boy later walked on his own and fell face down on the floor.

Giau contacted the father and told him about Locs abnormal signs, but did not mention the beating.

His father brought him home and later took him to Vinh Long General Hospital, but the young boy passed away at 11:00 pm that day.

A forensic examination by the provincial police force showed that Loc died from acute hemorrhagic shock combined with multiple injuries.

The National Institute of Forensic Medicine in Ho Chi Minh City stated the boy died from a direct and strong hit.

Locs fall from a height of 0.15 meters did not cause such an injury, thus Giaus beating him twice with her dominant hand was identified as the cause of the wound.

The babysitter was arrested on January 29.

Aside from the prison term, she was required to pay Locs family VND200 million (US$8,700).

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Here are today's leading news stories:

COVID-19 Updates

-- The Ministry of Health on Tuesday morning documented 41 local COVID-19 infections in Bac Giang and Bac Ninh, raising the national tally to 9,222, with 3,549 recoveries and 55 deaths.

-- The Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee on Tuesday turned the Military Zone 7 school, the Ho Chi Minh City University of Education, and some local hotels into quarantine centers to handle suspected COVID-19 cases.

-- Three recovered coronavirus patients have tested positive again after they were discharged from a hospital in the northern province of Ninh Binh, according to the provincial Center for Disease Control.

-- The Hanoi Center for Disease Control on Tuesday afternoon announced a new local COVID-19 case  a 39-year-old vegetable seller from Dong Anh District, who had direct contact with patient No. 8,853, who is also a vegetable vendor.

-- The National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control on Tuesday confirmed the 54th and 55th coronavirus-related death in the country after a woman and a man, aged 88 and 51, respectively, passed away with critical underlying conditions.

Society

-- A 27-year-old kindergarten teacher in the Mekong Delta province of Vinh Long has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for murdering a one-year-old student last year.

-- Police in north-central Thanh Hoa Province on Tuesday have broken up an illegal drug ring, seizing over 42,000 synthetic drug tablets smuggled from Laos.

-- A 57-year-old woman in Ho Chi Minh City's Go Vap District died during transfer between hospitals on Monday night before her COVID-19 test returned positive.

-- Police in the south-central province of Khanh Hoa have arrested and initiated legal proceedings against two former chairmen of the province for violations in land handover to some businesses.

-- Authorities in Vietnam's Central Highlands province of Lam Dong have fined a 50-year-old from Da Huoai District VND700 million (US$30,493) for selling and transporting two Asian black bear's limbs.

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A medical board in Bac Giang Province, located in northern Vietnam, has concluded that the death of a local man three days ago had no connection with the coronavirus vaccine used to inoculate him, while the same conclusion was also reached on another post-vaccination death in northern Dien Bien Province.

The medical board was set up by the Bac Giang Department of Health to investigate the death of 46-year-old N.V.H., who died around six hours after receiving a coronavirus shot at a local health center on June 5.

In its conclusion, the board said the man died of an unknown cause and excluded the vaccine quality from what led to the fatality.

However, experts from the board said they have yet to exclude the mans post-vaccination hypersensitivity reactions as a possible contributing factor to his death.

They also said the patients medical history shows that he once got pneumonia and was placed under observation for pulmonary tuberculosis.

The patient, a driver of a company in Lang Giang District, was vaccinated at 9:20 am last Saturday after he made a health declaration and was deemed qualified for vaccination after an examination by the centers head.

He stayed in the center for 30 minutes as required for post-vaccination observation and he showed no abnormal health signs during the time.

H. was advised to monitor his health for one week and contact the center at once if he experienced high fever, convulsion, breathing difficulty, or other abnormal symptoms for consultation and instructions.

He later ran a high fever and vomited while his limbs were curled up at 1:00 pm.

After being taken to Bac Giang General Hospital for emergency aid, he died at around 3:00 pm and was taken home.

H. had a history of convulsions and foaming at the mouth but he had not provided such information in his health declaration, local authorities said after communicating with the victims family and his company.

The local health center has disinfected the victims house and surrounding areas and conducted a quick coronavirus test on the victim and all his close contacts.

All the tests were negative for the virus.

Lang Giang District authorities directed local police to coordinate with the autopsy team to clarify the cause of the death.

Another post-vaccination death happened to a 28-year-old worker of Luxshare Company in Van Trung Industrial Park, Dien Bien Province, also on June 5, three days after he received COVID-19 vaccination.

The worker, identified as D., was taken to Bac Giang General Hospital on June 4 as he experienced headache, weakness in his left hand, and then a coma.

Upon hospitalization, D. was in a deeper coma, with his pupils not responding to light tests.

The patients CT-scan images indicated he had a cerebral hemorrhage and cerebral edema.

He was then treated with endotracheal intubation, manual resuscitator, and emergency aid for cardiac arrest.

As D.s health conditions got worse, his relatives asked the hospital to take him home, and he died afterward.

Like in the drivers death, medical experts concluded the workers passing was not related to his inoculation.

Nearly 1.37 million coronavirus doses have been administered to people in Vietnam as of Tuesday, with more than 42,100 of them receiving two full shots, according to the Ministry of Health.

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One hundred and seventy-four vaccine refrigerators funded Gavi, also known as the Vaccine Alliance, and procured through UNICEF have been transferred to Vietnam to help with the storage of vaccines, including COVID-19 jabs.

The vaccine refrigerators arrived in Ho Chi Minh City on May 30, UNICEF said in a press release on Tuesday.

They will be delivered to district-level health facilities in 23 provinces in the Central Highlands and southern regions of Vietnam where they will be used to store vaccines, including coronavirus shots.

The delivery is a part of ongoing support designed to further strengthen the countrys health system, in particular the Expanded Immunization Program, contributing on this occasion to ensuring that the cold chain for vaccine storage is in place nationwide, so that vaccines are stored safely at exactly the right temperature.

Gavi, a long-time global partner of UNICEF, works to create equal access to underused vaccines for children, especially those living in the worlds poorest countries.

In this pandemic era, it is a leading organization and a crucial pillar in the COVAX facility, raising funding for and supporting the creation, production, and equitable distribution of vaccines to the poorest countries.

We do hope that this new set of cold chain equipment will contribute to the strengthening of the EPI program especially in regions where we observe a lower immunization coverage, said Veronique maeva Fages from Gavi.

This delivery comes at the right time to support the COVID-19 vaccine deployment efforts, noting that additional cold chain support is scheduled for later in the year, as part of dedicated COVAX funding.

UNICEF is delighted to join hands with Gavi beyond our shared commitment to the COVAX facility, on the provision of these fridges to the Expanded Immunization Program including the COVID-19 vaccination efforts in Vietnam, said Rana Flowers, UNICEF Vietnam representative.

UNICEF has worked with the Ministry of Health to assess cold chain capacity identifying where new fridges, freezers, refrigerator trucks, and cold boxes are needed for the safe transportation and storage of vaccines.

This is important for the safe roll-out of COVID-19 vaccines as well as for the regular life-saving vaccines that are crucial for every child.

This shipment brings the environmentally friendly vaccine refrigerator TCW 4000 AC, manufactured by B Medical in Luxembourg with green technology for very low power consumption, which can maintain cold conditions for jabs that must be stored at a temperature range of +2C to +8C, even when power failure occurs for up to eight hours.

The majority of vaccines managed by the Expanded Immunization Program require this temperature range, and with a storage capacity of 240L, the refrigerators are an important contribution to district-level health facilities.

This model is supplied with an integrated remote temperature monitoring device with real-time alert for the continuous monitoring of sensitive vaccines.

In case of a temperature deviation, it immediately sends a notification to the predefined person in charge.

The temperature status can also be monitored from distance through an online web portal.

Importation steps are being taken by the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology in Hanoi.

Over the coming period, UNICEF Vietnam will provide to Vietnam a range of vaccine-related products  from more than 2,200 refrigerators of different sizes to trucks and safety boxes, to tens of millions of syringes, Flowers revealed.

It is a crucial contribution and only one part of comprehensive support that UNICEF is providing as we join hands across Vietnam with the government, partners, and donors to end the pandemic in this country.

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The Ministry of Health recorded 381 domestic COVID-19 cases in Vietnam on Wednesday, most detected last month but only registered today.

This is the second-steepest daily case rise to have ever been documented since the virus first struck the Southeast Asian nation on January 23, 2020.

The country reported a record high of 444 local infections on May 25.

Two hundred and one of the latest cases were found in Bac Giang Province, a virus hotbed, between May 27 and 29 but they were only recorded in the health ministrys report on Wednesday.

The ministry also announced an additional 95 infections in the province in the same report.

Ho Chi Minh City confirmed 40 patients while northern Bac Ninh Province, another major cluster, documented 35 cases.

Vietnam has announced 9,565 coronavirus patients, including 7,954 community cases and 1,611 infections, as of Wednesday evening, according to the health ministrys data.

Recoveries have reached 3,636, including 87 patients discharged from hospitals on Wednesday, whereas 55 have died, most having suffered underlying medical conditions.

Since the fourth wave hit the country on April 27, 6,385 local cases have been detected in 39 out of its 63 provinces and cities.

Bac Giang is leading the caseload with 3,605 patients, followed by Bac Ninh with 1,182, Ho Chi Minh City with 501, and Hanoi with 447.

Vietnam confirmed 106 community cases in the first wave from January 23 to April 16, 2020, 554 in the second from July 25 to December 1, 2020, and 910 in the third from January 28 to March 25, 2021.

Nearly 1.37 million coronavirus doses have been administered to people in Vietnam, with more than 42,100 of them receiving two full shots.

The government set a target of inoculating at least two-thirds of a population of nearly 98 million people with 150 million vaccine shots in 2021.

The health ministry claimed last week that partners had promised to provide the country with over 120 million doses for free or a fee this year.

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After having gone three weeks without any new COVID-19 cases in the community, Da Nang City is looking to ease a social distancing mandate introduced in early May, allowing outdoor businesses and sit-in dining services to resume operations.

In a recently announced plan, authorities of the central city outlined six categories of businesses and outdoor operations to be reopened, including barbershops, public beaches, and outdoor sports.

It also looks to raise the current limit for public gatherings from a maximum of five people to no more than 20.

Companies and agencies can now bring back their whole workforce to the office instead of sending parts of them to work from home to ensure social distancing.

However, the plan still demands that spas and beauty salons stay closed.

Phan Van Son, deputy head of the Da Nang People's Committee Office, said the plan was devised pursuant to the citys current track record of 21 days without any new transmission.

The plan has been sent to lower-level authorities, whose inputs will inform the next steps of the implementation.

As the coronavirus epidemic is still at large in Vietnam, the official decision for reopening of business and services would be settled on Tuesday, Son added.

Local authorities should stay vigilant, uphold strict monitoring to prevent transmission risks from outside the city, and map out areas at risks, namely manufacturing facilities and industrial zones, said Nguyen Van Quang, secretary of the Da Nang Party Committee during a meeting of the municipal Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control on Monday.

He also required the local medical authorities to roll out mass testing before easing the social distancing mandate.

In principle, we should not encourage big social gatherings.

This, instead, means partly easing the restriction on essential activities, with strict conditions still in place.

A leading tourist destination and a coronavirus epicenter last year, Da Nang has reported 158 infections and one death in the fourth wave of COVID-19 in Vietnam, which has raged since April 27.

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The Vietnamese Drug Registration Advisory Council has proposed that the Ministry of Health approve the importation of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.

The proposal followed a meeting convened by the council with the participation of experts on drugs, vaccines, and medical biological products on Monday.

The COVID-19 vaccine produced by American pharmaceutical giant Pfizer Inc. and its German partner BioNTech SE is one of the most sought-after COVID-19 vaccines in the world and is widely used in the U.S. and Europe.

Since early 2020, the Pfizer jab has been approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) for emergency use, based on its safety and immunogenicity records.

The Vietnamese Ministry of Health previously said that it had negotiated to buy 31 million doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, with the first batch expected to arrive in Vietnam by July.

Once approved by the ministry, the Pfizer shot will become the fourth coronavirus vaccine to be imported into Vietnam, after the Anglo-Swedish AstraZeneca, Russias Sputnik V, and Chinas Sinopharm.

Nearly 1.37 million coronavirus doses have been administered to people in Vietnam as of Tuesday, with more than 42,100 of them receiving two full shots.

The Ministry of Health confirmed 283 cases of COVID-19 at noon on Wednesday, including 201 infections that had been screened in northern Bac Giang Province between May 27 and 29 but were just numbered now.

The new cases took the national caseload to 9,505 patients, with 3,549 recoveries and 55 deaths.

As many as 6,328 domestic infections have been recorded in the country since April 27.

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Eight travelers were caught sitting in a truck container to avoid health declaration procedures at a COVID-19 checkpoint in the central Vietnamese of Thua Thien-Hue earlier this week as they misunderstood that they were subject to required quarantine for people from coronavirus-hit areas.

The case was confirmed by Hoang Van Thai, deputy chairman of the provinces Phong Dien District, on Tuesday afternoon.

On Monday, police officers stationed at a COVID-19 checkpoint in the same districts Dien Huong Commune noticed suspicious signs from the truck numbered 75C-031.35, driven by Mai Van M. from Phu Vang District, when the driver was performing medical declaration there.

A sudden inspection showed eight people hiding among machines carried on the truck bed, which was carefully covered with tarp.

The eight people said that they were traveling from the northern province of Nam Dinh to Thua Thien-Hues Hue City.

Afraid of being sent to centralized coronavirus quarantine facilities as returnees from pandemic-stricken areas, they decided to be holed up in the truck.

However, Thai corrected that they were not subject to COVID-19 quarantine as Thua Thien-Hue authorities currently do not regard Nam Dinh as a virus-hit locality.

Nam Dinh has reported six local coronavirus cases while Thua Thien-Hue has documented five community infections in the current wave of COVID-19 that began in Vietnam on April 27.

The eight people in question were eventually only fined for their administrative violation of dodging health declaration, according to Thai.

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Authorities in Vietnams Central Highlands province of Lam Dong have fined a 50-year-old from Da Huoai District VND700 million (US$30,493) for selling and transporting two Asian black bears limbs.

Police in Lam Dong caught Nguyen Van Bien, 50, living in Da Huoai red-handed on his way to sell the bears limbs on September 23, 2020.

According to functional forces, Bien was granted permission by Lam Dong authorities to raise bears.

He said that the two limbs he was carrying were cut from a domestic bear that had died previously at his facility.

Functional forces determined that the bear belonged to the Asian black bear group, which is protected at the highest level according to Vietnamese law and in the list of endangered, precious, and rare species prioritized for protection.

Bien carried out the illegal sale of the bears limbs despite being fully aware of the prohibition against the trade of bear products, parts, and individuals.

The man is thus charged with violating regulations on protection of endangered, precious, and rare animals, which shall carry the penalty of one to five years in prison or a fine of VND500 million ($21,800) to VN2 billion ($87,100) for individual violators, according to Vietnams Penal Code.

Bien is subject to a fine worth VND700 million, according to the sentence issued by the Peoples Court of Da Huoai District on May 31.

After his violation was discovered, he also handed over the remaining two registered bears at his place to local authorities.

Trading dead bear products is not uncommon, according to Bui Thi Ha, deputy director of Education for Nature Vietnam (ENV) -- a non-governmental organization focused on wildlife conservation.

Ha said that ENV is calling on local authorities to strengthen inspection and supervision of bear breeding facilities to prevent similar violations and encourage owners to transfer bears to state-run establishments to stop private bear farming in Vietnam.

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In Tan Phu District, one of the gravest outbreak sites of COVID-19 in Ho Chi Minh City, 18 pop-up markets were erected to distribute complimentary groceries to struggling people during the ongoing social distancing period.

These markets are located in six wards of the district, confirmed by Dang Thi Hong Van, president of Tan Phu Districts Fatherland Front, on Tuesday.

The agency, in cooperation with socio-political bodies and benefactors, launched these marketplaces to support residents in tough times of the pandemic.

Residents pick up complimentary groceries at a pop-up market in Tan Thanh Ward, Tan Phu District, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Photo courtesy of Tan Thanh Ward Peoples Committee

Volunteers restock grocery shelves in a pop-up market in Tan Thanh Ward, Tan Phu District, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Photo courtesy of Tan Thanh Ward Peoples Committee

The markets, set up in public spaces, are run by volunteers and leaders of residential areas, who restock groceries and other necessities on the shelves every morning.

According to Dang Thi Hong Van, the first zero-cost market was erected in a cordoned-off area in Tan Quy Ward and was later replicated in other locales of Tan Phu District.

Receiving support and donations from many benefactors, the market is continuing to relieve the burden for local areas that are struggling financially during the social distancing mandate.

A free grocery stall has also been erected in Tan Hung Thuan Ward in District 12, said leaders of the ward on Tuesday.

Zero-cost grocery stalls are organized in front of the Peoples Committee of Tan Hung Thuan Ward, District 12, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo courtesy of Tan Hung Thuan Ward Peoples Committee

Residents pick up gratis groceries at zero-cost grocery stalls in front of the Peoples Committee of Tan Hung Thuan Ward, District 12, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo courtesy of Tan Hung Thuan Ward Peoples Committee

Volunteers restock zero-cost grocery stalls in front of the Peoples Committee of Tan Hung Thuan Ward, District 12, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo courtesy of Tan Hung Thuan Ward Peoples Committee

Organized in front of the Tan Hung Thuan Ward Peoples Committee building from June 8 to June 13, these stalls provide food and necessities for free to local residents.

It is run by the Tan Hung Thuan Ward Peoples Committee, volunteers from the local Womens Union, the Youth Union, the Trade Union, and the Red Cross Association, as well as benefactors.

A man carries a potted apple tree to be offered to a family in Tan Hung Thuan Ward, District 12, Ho Chi Minh City in this supplied photo.

Authorities in Tan Hung Thuan Ward have also held a special tree care contest among twelve households in the area with the aim of decreasing peoples psychological distress during a social distancing period.

Each household has 20 days to grow and care for an apple tree, which was assigned to them by the authorities.

There will be one first prize of VND2 million (US$87) and three consolation prizes worth VND500,000 ($22) awarded at the end of the competition.

Starting May 31, Ho Chi Minh City entered social distancing for at least two weeks to curb the spread of the fourth coronavirus wave, which has raged in Vietnam since April 27.

The city imposed the government's Directive 16 in Go Vap and Thanh Loc Ward in District 12, while the rest of the city had to comply with the slightly less stringent Directive 15, which suspends social events, bans gatherings of 20 people or more anywhere and 10 or more outside of workplaces, schools, and hospitals.

Directive 16 prohibits gatherings of more than two people in public and people can only leave home for emergencies, buying food and medicines or working in facilities and businesses that produce or sell essential goods.

Vietnam has documented a total of 9,222 COVID-19 patients, including 3,549 recoveries and 55 deaths, since early 2020, when it confirmed the first coronavirus-positive patient.

During the fourth wave of coronavirus, the Southeast Asian country has recorded 6,045 infections in 39 out of 63 cities and provinces.

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Long-time host of The Bachelor USA Chris Harrison is stepping down permanently, ending his 25 season run.

His departure follows widespread criticism of his comments on race.

Harrison made a statement, posting to his Instagram, Ive had a truly incredible run as host of The Bachelor franchise and now Im excited to start a new chapter. Im so grateful to Bachelor Nation for all of the memories weve made together. While my two-decade journey is wrapping up, the friendships Ive made will last a lifetime.

Controversy first erupted in February after he excused past behaviour of a cast member who had been accused of racism, saying he was not the woke police.

Harrison, who also fronted The Bachelorette and Bachelor in Paradise, stepped aside in February and apologised for speaking in a manner that perpetuates racism during an interview with former Bachelorette Rachelle Lindsay.

In the interview, he commented on photos showing The Bachelor contestant Rachael Kirkconnell at a ball themed around a slavery-era plantation when she was 18.

He later issued a longer apology, saying: By excusing historical racism, I defended it. I invoked the term woke police, which is unacceptable. I am ashamed over how uninformed I was. I was so wrong.

Kirkconnell also apologised, saying: At one point, I didnt recognise how offensive and racist my actions were, but that doesnt excuse them.

My age or when it happened does not excuse anything. They are not acceptable or okay in any sense. I was ignorant, but my ignorance was racist.

In June 2020, fans petitioned for the show to address the unequal treatment of cast members of colour.

The show responded with a promise to address their race issues by casting more people of colour, and announced The Bachelors first black lead, Matt James, for the series in which Kirkconnell was a contestant.

She ended up winning, and she and James are still in a relationship.

The Bachelor US has screened in Australia on 9GEM.

Source: BBC

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A legal stand-off between Daryl Somers and his former business manager Alex Mathey is headed to the Supreme Court.

A year ago Alex Mathey, former chief executive and group legal counsel for Daryl Somers, Julie Somers and Somers Group Australia, issued a detailed statement via AAP Medianet complaining of an employee dispute and a frustration in resolving the matters.

In a statement Daryl & Julie Somers then said: We are aware of allegations recently reported online and in the media regarding Somers Group Australia. The allegations that have been reported are utterly false and without foundation. We are obtaining legal advice and will not be commenting further.

The Herald Sun now reports documents filed with the court show Somers is claiming damages over and seeking a permanent injunction restraining further publishing, republishing or causing to be published or republished material.

Hey Hey its Saturday will mark its 50th anniversary in October.

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Upcoming Stan survival thriller Gold, starring Zac Efron has sold to distributors Screen Media in the USA.

The film co-stars Anthony Hayes, who co-wrote the script with Polly Smyth, in addition to directing. The cast also includes Susie Porter.

Set against the backdrop of a vast, unique and unforgiving landscape, Gold is described as a taut thriller about greed and the lengths people will go to secure themselves a fortune.

When two drifters travelling through the outback stumble across the biggest gold nugget ever found, the dream of immense wealth and greed takes hold. They hatch a plan to protect and excavate their bounty with one man leaving to secure the necessary equipment. The other man remains and must endure the harsh desert climate, preying wolves and intruders, whilst battling the creeping doubt that he has been abandoned to his own fate.

It is always every filmmakers dream to make a film and snag a large North American release for their film and a bidding war is even more rare, said Hayes. It is a testament to our film Gold and to everyone who worked so hard to bring it to life that Screen Media will shepherd this film into cinemas and beyond in North America. It proves the indie film landscape is alive and well and that distributors and audiences alike have a voracious appetite for films made outside the studio system.

Executive producers are Andrew Mann, Peter Touche, Simon Williams, Paul Wiegard, Will Clarke, Andy Mayson, Nick Forward and Mike Runagall, Consultant Producer is Shana Levine.

Source: Variety

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If you are old enough to remember the hit comedy movie of 1980, Caddy Shack, then you will recall that a gopher infestation was threatening a golf course in Nebraska. The somewhat deranged groundskeeper was tasked with getting rid of the pest. His efforts at eradication include shooting, f
FILE PHOTO: Ethiopia's Grand Renaissance Dam is seen as it undergoes construction work on the river Nile in Guba Woreda

KHARTOUM (Reuters) - Sudan and Egypt agreed on Wednesday to coordinate efforts to push Ethiopia to negotiate "seriously" on an agreement on filling and operating a giant dam it is building on the Blue Nile, a joint statement said.

The two countries, which are downstream from the dam, issued the statement after African Union-sponsored talks remained deadlocked.

Ethiopia is pinning its hopes of economic development and power generation on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). Egypt fears the dam will imperil its water supply and Sudan is concerned about the impact on its own water flows.

Talks overseen by the AU, aimed at reaching a binding agreement, have repeatedly stalled.

At talks in Khartoum, the Sudanese and Egyptian foreign and irrigation ministers agreed on "coordinating the efforts of the two countries at the regional, continental and international levels to push Ethiopia to negotiate seriously", the joint statement said.

Both countries blamed the failure of AU-sponsored talks on what they described as Ethiopia's intransigence.

Ethiopia has said it plans to complete the second phase of filling the dam in the coming rainy season, a move Sudan and Egypt rejected before a binding legal agreement was reached.

Egypt and Sudan called on the international community to intervene "to ward off risks related to Ethiopias continued pursuit of its policy of seeking to impose a fait accompli on the downstream countries".

There was no immediate response from Ethiopia, which has rejected calls from Egypt and Sudan to involve mediators outside the African Union.

Sudan said Ethiopia began the second phase of filling the reservoir behind GERD in early May.

(Reporting by Khalid Abdelaziz and Ahmed Tolba; writing by Mahmoud Mourad; editing by Timothy Heritage)
Joe Biden will begin his first overseas trip as US president when he touches down in Britain ahead of a G7 Summit with an emphasis on coronavirus vaccines.

The Democrat and wife Jill are expected to land on Air Force One at RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk on Wednesday to kick off an eight-day trip to Europe.

Mr Biden will meet US personnel stationed at the base, and is expected to be greeted himself by a far calmer reception than his predecessor Donald Trump, who was met by a wave of protest.

President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden arrive to board Air Force One (Andrew Harnik/AP)

The president will share face-to-face talks with Boris Johnson on Thursday in Cornwall, where the summit begins the following day.

Having succeeded Mr Trump after his single fractious term in the White House, Mr Biden said the trip is about realising Americas renewed commitment to our allies and partners in an article for the Washington Post.

Mr Biden also said he would meet with the Prime Minister to affirm the special relationship between our nations.

However, this week it emerged Mr Johnson is not a fan of the expression after an American magazine reported he told aides he does not like the seemingly needy and weak term.

Downing Street said he prefers not to use the phrase and is instead intent on fostering a close relationship with Washington.

Part of that, Mr Johnson hopes, is a trade deal with the States. However, the president has repeatedly raised concerns about Brexits impact on Northern Ireland.

Mr Biden will join others from the G7 group of leading economies in Carbis Bay on Friday, where there is the prospect of protest.

The Prime Minister plans to use the summit to urge the members  also including Canada, Japan, France, Germany and Italy  to defeat Covid-19 by helping to vaccinate the world by the end of next year.

After the summit ends, the president and the first lady will meet the Queen at Windsor Castle.

Mr Biden will then depart for Brussels and later Geneva in Switzerland.
British and American stars will be allowed to attend the Cannes Film Festival this year, after France reopened its borders to fully-vaccinated travellers from previously banned countries.

The new rules, announced by officials from France and the European Union, mean those travelling to the country for the festival won't have to quarantine upon arrival - as long as they show proof of vaccination and a negative PCR test taken 72 hours before their journey.

The rules mean that the likes of Sean Penn, Wes Anderson, who have both directed films competing at Cannes, and Adam Driver, who stars alongside Marion Cotillard in the opening film, Annette, won't have to skip the event or enter a lengthy quarantine.

However, anyone from the orange list countries - which includes the majority of Africa and Asia - who has received just one vaccination dose, or had a non-EU-approved vaccine, will have to provide "pressing grounds" to be allowed to travel to France.

Those who have not been vaccinated will have to provide a negative PCR test 72 hours before travel,

Meanwhile, anyone from the red list of countries - including South Africa, Argentine, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Turkey, and Uruguay - will have to provide a compelling reason to travel to France, a negative PCR test and will also be forced to quarantine for seven to 10 days upon arrival.

Major changes to cope with the Covid-19 pandemic at this year's festival include the required use of masks during all screenings and on and around the red carpets, and a scrapping of the fan zone in front of the Palais des Festivals.

The Cannes Film Festival runs from 6 to 17 July.
Armenia sowed the seeds of destruction during its 3 decades long occupation of Karabakh. In every respect Armenias presence on this land proved poisonous, Patrick Walsh reports for Azerbaijan In Focus.

Its possession of its neighbours land ruined its own economy and led to a great exodus of its people; its incapability of doing anything in terms of development led Armenia to simply pillage Karabakh of its many resources, leaving behind a wasteland; its desire to maintain a hold of territory, without the means to sustain it, meant Armenia has traded its independence for dependency; its revanchism resulted in a total intransigence that led to its ultimate military defeat in the Fall of 2020.

Armenia proved incapable of trading land for peace during its occupation of Karabakh and surrounding districts. Instead it destroyed and mined the territories it was incapable of developing, so that no one else could enjoy the riches of the region. It sowed a deadly harvest in the fields of Karabakh that has remained after it was forced to withdraw last year. These are the mines which continue the war, after Armenias defeat. This is Armenias legacy to the land it supposedly loves as its own. Their landmines have resulted in the deaths of nearly 30 people in the last 6 months and the maiming of over 100 more.

There are basically 3 types, or purposes, of land-mining activity:

Tactical Defence e.g. to obstruct an enemys advance or to funnel that advance into an area making them more vulnerable to fire. This is a legally legitimate use of landmines as long as certain conditions are observed.

Mining as an area denial weapon. Here mines are used to deny the enemy use of valuable terrain, resources or facilities when active defence of the area is not desirable or possible. This is a less legitimate use of landmines, particularly because mines are indiscriminate in their activity and do not distinguish between combatants and civilians. The conditions negate the mines effectiveness if they are abided by.

Use of mines in guerrilla warfare and sabotage. This lies outside the rules of warfare. The anti-tank mine that killed the Azerbaijani journalists was probably of this type, recently planted by infiltrating saboteurs. That, of course, is a serious breach of the armistice. However, Armenia has a long history of avoiding its commitments under international treaties by claiming no knowledge of such things or saying that elements not under state control are responsible. As long ago as 1918/19 did the Erivan Republic claim such a thing when Dashnak gangs ravaged Karabakh and Zangezur.

Protocol II of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (an annex to the Geneva Convention), as amended in 1996, regulates, but does not ban the use of mines. It prohibits or restricts the use of landmines (both anti-personnel and anti-vehicle), booby traps and certain other explosive devices. Breaking these Rules is considered a War Crime under the Geneva Convention.

Under the General Rules of the Protocol regarding landmines the following acts are prohibited:

using mines, booby traps and other devices if they are of a nature to cause unnecessary suffering or superfluous injury (Art. 3(3))

directing these weapons against civilians or civilian objects (Art. 3(7))

using these weapons indiscriminately (Art. 3(8)). Parties to the conflict which use mines, booby traps and other devices must: remove them following the end of active hostilities (Arts 3(2) and 10), take all feasible precautions to protect civilians from their effects (Art. 3(10)), maintain records on the locations of such weapons (Art. 9)

Under the Specific rules of the Protocol:

Anti-personnel mines other than those delivered remotely must be equipped with self-destruction and self-deactivation mechanisms unless they are (Art. 5): a. placed within a perimeter- marked area monitored by military personnel and protected by fencing or other means, to ensure the effective exclusion of civilians from the area, and b. cleared before the area is abandoned. Among their general obligations, States must take all appropriate steps, including legislative and other measures, to prevent and suppress violations of the Protocol by persons or on territory under its jurisdiction or control (Art. 14).

The few studies done on the military effectiveness of mines have shown that they are largely ineffective in determining the results of wars. Actually, the mine layers usually lose. All the mines do is leave behind an appalling humanitarian legacy which mainly disrupts and destroys the lives of innocents who are prevented from living normal lives without fear of losing them.

The problem with this law is who enforces it? Most states do not wish to forgo or strictly limit the use of landmines. All major states still support the use of landmines when they see fit. They continue to make, sell and stockpile mines for future use. When Princess Diana began a campaign against the use of landmines she was described as a loose cannon by a British government Minister. Shortly afterwards she was killed in a tragic accident. Although her son, Prince Harry, continues her work in this sphere, he is no longer part of the British Royal Family.

There are no international mechanisms available for obliging mine layers to co-operate in the decomissioning of the mines they laid. It has been left to the responsibility of the victim states to bear the human and financial costs of clearing up the dirty work of the perpetrators.

Azerbaijan found out in the course of 3 decades that while international law might be on its side finding anyone interested in applying it was a wholly different problem. That is not to say that international law is irrelevant. It is very useful in driving home a moral case internationally. When Azerbaijan won on the battlefield last year no one was inclined to support Armenia in view of its breaches of international law regarding Karabakh. So international law is a useful adjunct to military force and politics.

In the meantime, calls need to be continually made for the international community to pressurise Armenia on the matter of its mines in the liberated territories.

The main reason why Armenia must hand over the maps containing details of its mining operations is because in terms of the peace process Armenias attitude to its mines is a litmus test of its commitment to peace building.

Mines are a particularly harmful weapon to peace and reconciliation. They effectively continue the war for years after its conclusion. Most weapons are decommissioned from a conflict once an armistice is signed. However, by killing people continually, years after the conflicts formal end landmines will maintain bitterness and hamper the building of good relations among different communities. Azerbaijanis who cannot return to their homes and work their land again, who see their children killed by Armenian mines will not be enthusiastic about building good relations with their neighbours.

The international community could certainly help by pressurising Armenia into handing over the maps of their minefields. Why does the US Congress not attach this condition to Armenia for the receipt of further financial aid? It is quick enough to punish other states for much less in terms of behaviour. Why doesnt the EU do likewise? Russia certainly has the power to bring Yerevan to heel.

This is not a punishment of Armenia  it would represent a valuable contribution to peace and reconciliation of people and the building of peace in the Southern Caucasus. That is surely in the interests of all, Armenian and Azerbaijani.
WHO official Mike Ryan said the agency could not compel China to share more but expects full cooperation from member states. Al Jazeera reports that the WHO cannot compel China to divulge more data on the origins of COVID-19, while adding it will propose studies needed to take understanding of where the virus emerged to the next level.

Asked by a reporter how the WHO will compel China to be more open, Mike Ryan, director of the agencys emergencies programme, said at a news conference that the WHO doesnt have the power to compel anyone in this regard. We fully expect cooperation, input and support of all of our member states in that endeavour, Ryan said on Monday. There are competing theories that the virus jumped from animals, possibly starting with bats, to humans, or that it escaped from a laboratory in Wuhan, China. The Wuhan lab leak theory has recently become the subject of renewed public debate after several prominent scientists called for a full investigation into the origins of the virus.

The hypothesis that the virus was accidentally leaked from the lab was largely disregarded by scientists in the early stages of the coronavirus outbreak. China has repeatedly denied that the lab was responsible for the outbreak. Members of a WHO team that visited China earlier this year hunting for COVID-19s origins have said they did not have access to all data, driving continued debate about the countrys transparency. Former US President Donald Trump and his supporters have consistently amplified conspiracy theories that China deliberately leaked the virus. Then-US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo insisted last year that there was significant evidence that the virus came from the lab, while releasing no proof and acknowledging that there was no certainty.

Two-track pandemic

Meanwhile, the head of the WHO called for COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers to give the global jab equity scheme COVAX first refusal on new doses, or commit half of their volumes to the WHO-backed initiative.

In a media briefing, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus lamented the COVID-19 vaccine inequality which he said has created a two-track pandemic with Western countries protected and poorer nations still exposed, renewing pleas for shot donations.

He voiced his frustration that several poor countries have been unable to immunise their health workers, the elderly and other populations most vulnerable to severe COVID-19 disease. Increasingly, we see a two-track pandemic: many countries still face an extremely dangerous situation, while some of those with the highest vaccination rates are starting to talk about ending restrictions Tedros told reporters, adding that vaccine sharing was essential to end the acute phase of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The WHO chief said six months since the first coronavirus vaccines were administered, high-income countries have administered almost 44 percent of the worlds doses. Low-income countries have administered just 0.4 percent. The most frustrating thing about this statistic is that it hasnt changed in months.

Tedros has called for a massive global effort to vaccinate at least 10 percent of the population of all countries by September, and at least 30 percent by the end of the year. That will require an additional 250 million doses by September, with 100 million doses in June and July alone.

This weekend, the G7 leaders will meet for their annual summit, Tedros said. These seven nations have the power to meet these targets. I am calling on the G7 not just to commit to sharing doses, but to commit to sharing them in June and July, he said. I also call on all manufacturers to give COVAX first right of refusal on new volume of COVID-19 vaccines, or to commit 50 percent of their volumes to COVAX this year.

COVAX was set up to ensure equitable distribution of vaccines, particularly to low-income countries, and has already delivered more than 80 million doses to 129 territories. But that is about 200 million doses behind where it had hoped to be, says the WHO.

For vaccines to be eligible for COVAX they need to have been approved by the WHO and given its emergency use listing status. So far, the UN health agency has given the green light to vaccines created by AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson, Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech, Sinopharm and Sinovac.
Even as the pandemic raged and economies around the world were devastated, nuclear-armed countries last year increased spending on atomic weapon arsenals by 1.4 billion dollars. The News International reports that in a fresh report, the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) detailed how the worlds nine nuclear-armed states continued to swell their spending on such weapons.

"While hospital beds filled up with patients, doctors and nurses worked over hours and basic medical supplies ran scarce, nine countries found they had more than $72 billion on hand for their weapons of mass destruction," the report said.

This represented a 1.4-billion-dollar (1.2-billion-euro) increase over 2019 spending, said ICAN, which won the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize. The United States spent more than half of the total amount, at $37.4 billion, accounting for roughly five percent of its total military spending last year, according to the report.

China was believed to have spent some $10 billion, and Russia $8.0 billion, according to ICANs estimates. When taken jointly, the nuclear-armed states, which also include Britain, France, India, Israel, Pakistan and North Korea, spent more than $137,000 every minute in 2020, it found.

The increase in spending came not only while the world was grappling with its worst pandemic in a century, but also as many other countries were banding together to ban nuclear weapons. Last October, a treaty championed by ICAN to abolish the weapons received its 50th ratification, triggering its entry into force in January this year.

"While these nine countries continued to waste billions on weapons of mass destruction, the rest of the world was busy making them illegal," ICAN said. The report, entitled "Complicit: 2020 Global Nuclear Spending", highlighted how governments were increasingly channelling tax money to defence contractors, who in turn spend increasing amounts on lobbyists encouraging increased spending.

More than 20 companies producing nuclear weapons profited from the business last year through existing or new contracts, with 11 Western companies alone raking in $27.7 billion in new or modified nuclear-weapons contracts, it found.

The top companies profiting from such contracts were Northrop Grumman, General Dynamics, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon Technologies and Draper. The report said that nearly half of the US spending last year, a full $13.7 billion, went to Northrop Grumman to build a completely new nuclear weapons system.

That company in turn spent $13.3 million lobbying US policy makers to spend more money on defence, and another $2.0 million funding major think-tanks that research and write about nuclear weapons, the report said.
There were a number of family members that arent in the business and almost all the familys net worth is involved in the business, Andy Mills said. For years, they had been looking for some liquidity, so we wanted to see if we could thread the needle and get some liquidity for the family but also maintain leadership and position ourselves for a stronger company.
2023 will be announced in Russia as the Year of the poet and thinker Rasul Gamzatov. Dagestan will become the center for celebrating its centenary, but events will be held throughout the country. Rasul Gamzatov was born on September 8, 1923 in the village of Tsada in the Khunzakh region of Dagestan. Dozens of his poetic, prose and journalistic works were published in the Avar and Russian languages and in many languages of the world. After graduating from the M. Gorky Moscow Literary Institute in 1950, Gamzatov was appointed chairman of the board of the Writers' Union of Dagestan, where he worked until his death in November 2003.

As part of the cycle dedicated to the 100th anniversary of Gamzatov, "Vestnik Kavkaza" appeals to famous creative people who knew the poet well, with a request to share their memories. We continue to publish the memoirs about Gamzatov of the writer, literary critic, translator Chingiz Huseynov.

- Chingiz Hasanovich, we can say that the Avar reader of Gamzatov was more fortunate than the Russian - if the original is brighter than the translation?

- To our great happiness, Gamzatov was translated into Russian by outstanding poets: Naum Grebnev, Yakov Kozlovsky, Elena Nikolaevskaya and others. Here we must remember a very interesting feature of Avar poetry: there is no rhyme in it. And the rhymed poems among the Avars are perceived as a joke, fun, game, competition. Poetry is based not only on rhyme. The brightest examples of true non-rhymed world poetry are known. There are other components that make a text poetry. As for the Russian translations of Rasul Gamzatov's poems, the rhyme - and the translators found very successful rhymes! - adorned his poetry, because his works were already becoming the property of the Russian language and culture. In this case, the translation did not damage the original.

I observed the same in relation to another outstanding national poet Kaysyn Kuliyev, a participant in the Great Patriotic War, who was repressed in 1944 along with his Balkar people. He was personally offered as an exception to stay in his homeland, but he did not agree and also went into exile, into exile, and lived in Kyrgyzstan. I read his poems in Balkar, because this language belongs to the Turkic languages that I know. And I read translations of the same poems into Russian. A very rich original, a good translation, but it was still impossible to compare them. I am probably the only one who, as a literary critic, carefully studied this topic - the translation of poetry from oriental languages into Russian.

- Do you remember your last meeting with Rasul Gamzatov?

- He was already seriously ill. But he still came to celebrate his 80th birthday. He looked unimportant, but at the same time remained a bright orator, which he always was. At the same time, he did not speak Russian very well. However, oratory overshadowed linguistic flaws. Here I must recall one of his brightest works - the book in prose "My Dagestan". This is a huge epic legend, lyrical prose in style, and a great Dagestan epic in content.

- You once said that Rasul Gamzatov belongs to all of Dagestan, not only to the Avar people.

- He called Dagestan his homeland. Most of the regions on the globe bear the names of the ethnic groups living in them. In the Caucasus, these are Georgia, Ossetia, Chechnya and others. Dagestan is one of the few regions that has a geographic rather than ethnic name - "Mountain Country". Dagestan is multilingual. There is even a parable about how God flew over the earth and distributed languages to people. When he sat down to rest, he saw that there were still many languages left in the bag, so he poured them into one place - this is how Dagestan appeared. I wrote the novel "Fatal Fatali" about the 19th century (a novel about the life of Mirza Fatali Akhundov - an Azerbaijani writer-educator, poet, critic and philosopher - ed.), Then there were twice as many languages in Dagestan than in the 20th century ... Languages disappeared, assimilated. Even now there are unwritten languages, there are languages of only one aul.
The Caspian topic remains one of the most relevant for Azerbaijani-Russian cooperation, since we are natural neighbors, we jointly use one of the most important water reservoirs in our entire region, Emin Aliyev, Deputy Director General of the International Information Agency, said today in an interview with Vestnik Kavkaza. Trend on the sidelines of the international round table "Russian and Azerbaijani projects - drivers of economic development of the Caspian region" organized in Moscow.

- What opportunities does the Caspian cooperation provide for Russia and Azerbaijan at the present stage?

- This topic cannot be irrelevant at any stage of Russian-Azerbaijani relations, both in the political and economic, and even in the military sphere. We have a joint resource that we simply cannot help but use. As for the possibilities, the spectrum of potential of the Azerbaijani-Russian interaction in the Caspian is extremely wide. It can cover both military-technical cooperation and issues related to the organization of tourist routes between Azerbaijan and Russia by sea transport. By the way, this topic has been discussed for many years. Unfortunately, recently, due to the pandemic and other processes taking place in the region, it has come to naught. But most importantly, the leaders of our countries, Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin and Ilham Heydarovich Aliyev, pay great attention and make great efforts to constantly develop cooperation between our countries, including on the agenda of the Caspian region.

The Republic of Azerbaijan has established close economic contacts with Russia, not only at the federal level, but also with border regions, subjects of the Russian Federation. We have very close cooperation with the Astrakhan region, with the republics of the North Caucasus, there is an active border trade. Due to the pandemic, due to closed borders, cross-border trade has slightly declined. Nevertheless, the governments of our countries are making efforts to ensure that the pandemic does not affect the growth rate of trade.

During the recent visit of our government delegation to Russia, this topic was just one of the main ones. It was stated that in the first quarter of this year we managed not only not to reduce, but even to slightly increase the trade turnover. This signals that the situation, in principle, is developing well, there are prospects, and the parties are actively working. That is, the words that are declared by managers, officials at different levels are always supported by deeds, specific projects, investment agreements, joint ventures that are organized by our investors together with the Russian one on the territory of the Russian Federation. We are talking about joint ventures that are being implemented in Azerbaijan through the efforts of the governments of our countries. Due to the fact that Ilham Aliyev and Vladimir Putin pay great attention to cooperation between our countries, it continues to develop, go progressively, despite any potentially negative processes, including the coronavirus pandemic.

- What are the main areas of Russian-Azerbaijani cooperation would you single out?

- The Russian market is one of the main ones for the export of Azerbaijani agricultural products. This has happened historically, logistically and economically. A large Azerbaijani diaspora lives in the Russian Federation, which actively participates in the economic life of Russia. Russian business is actively working in our country - there are joint ventures, there are joint car production, joint assembly, cooperation in the field of agriculture, logistics centers. We cooperate, among other things, within the framework of the North-South and East-West international transport corridors. Recently it was reported that the Russian company LUKOIL wants to be the operator of the Dostlug oil and gas project in Azerbaijan. In short, as you can see, the range for interaction is the widest. This includes the oil sector, energy, transport, logistics, and, of course, non-oil industries such as agriculture, mechanical engineering, pharmaceuticals. There was information that the issue of the production of the Sputnik V vaccine in the territory of Azerbaijan was being discussed. This will also be relevant and beneficial for all participants in this project if it is implemented.

- What are the prospects of the North-South transport corridor?

- In order for the North-South corridor to start operating in full force, it is necessary to complete the construction of a section of the railway on the Iranian territory of Rasht-Astara, which will connect the Iranian railways with Azerbaijan. As for our part, the Azerbaijani railways and road infrastructure are absolutely ready. The railways of Russia and Azerbaijan are connected - there are no problems at this stage. As for road transport, everything is in order there too. As soon as the Iranian section is completed, it will be possible to say that the infrastructure is completely ready. Then it will be necessary to develop a certain preferential tariff policy, possibly to sign additional interstate documents that will make this corridor even more attractive for cargo transportation.

It should be borne in mind that the situation in our region has changed dramatically last year. Azerbaijan regained control over the territories that had been occupied for about 30 years. This will become a powerful impetus for the development of Azerbaijani-Russian cooperation in the Caspian format, if we consider this issue through the prism of a transport corridor. It is important that after the end of hostilities, the parties agreed to unblock transport communications. It's no secret that Armenia tried to push through its own scenario for the route of the North-South transport corridor, which would pass through the Armenian-Iranian border. Certain assumptions were made about the risks associated with the fact that part of the Azerbaijani-Iranian border, which was under occupation, will be used illegally. Now this issue has been resolved finally and irrevocably. The Azerbaijani-Iranian border has been restored, it is fully controlled by us. The bandit formations are no longer there and never will be.

Because of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the corridor from the Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic, from our exclave, to the rest of the country was blocked, I mean the Armenian-Iranian border and the railway that exists there. All of this will be unlocked and will have a positive impact on the capacity and economic potential of the North-South corridor. When these communications are unblocked, our exclave will become a regional transit hub, because it is there that cargo flows from Turkey to Azerbaijan, from Armenia to Russia, from Armenia to Iran, from Russia to Turkey will flow. Thus, the North-South corridor will also link east to west.

This will be beneficial for all countries in our region. I am sure that this initiative in the economic sense will be supported by all states of the region. Iran and Armenia will get a chance for normal economic interaction with their neighbors. Over the past 30 years, a huge number of infrastructure projects have been implemented in the region - both Azerbaijani-Russian, and Azerbaijani-Iranian, and Azerbaijani-Georgian-Turkish. There were many formats, but none of them featured Armenia. Even with Russia, it does not have any major infrastructure projects implemented, primarily because there is no natural border. To establish such interaction with Russia, on which Armenia depends, it is necessary to establish interaction with its neighbors - either with Georgia or with Azerbaijan. Interaction with Georgia is more or less established, but there are problems associated with the periodic inaccessibility of the Georgian Military Highway and the Upper Lars checkpoint. As for Azerbaijan, now Armenia has a chance to start living like a human being, build relationships with neighbors and get the long-awaited, much-needed economic benefit. Moreover, it will be beneficial for all other countries too, including Azerbaijan.
Armenian serviceman Arthur Kartanyan detained on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border early on Tuesday, has been handed over to the Armenian side, his participation in a subversive group was not confirmed, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry reported.

"Investigation has shown that Armenian Armed Forces serviceman Arthur Kartanan lost his way and crossed the border with Azerbaijan by mistake," it said.

"Kartanyans confused answers during the questioning and his behavior raised doubts as to the detainees being part of a sabotage group. Considering this, he was handed over to the Armenian side," the Defense Ministry said.

The ministry called this decision to return the captured Armenian serviceman "a show of humanism" given that he "committed no crimes against the Republic of Azerbaijan".
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Tuesday that "hundreds" of U.S. sanctions will remain on Iran even if the United States rejoins a nuclear accord.

President Joe Biden's administration has been engaged in indirect talks with Iran about reversing former president Donald Trump's exit from the 2015 nuclear accord, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

"I would anticipate that, even in the event of a return to compliance with the JCPOA, hundreds of sanctions remain in place, including sanctions imposed by the Trump administration," Blinken told a Senate hearing.

"If they are not inconsistent with the JCPOA, they will remain unless and until Iran's behavior changes," The AFP cited him as saying.

Blinken reiterated support for returning to the nuclear accord, with which UN inspectors said Iran was complying before Trump pulled out the United States.

Asked about concerns that Iran did not declare all activities from before the nuclear deal, Blinken said: "Plain and simple, we would be in an even better place to insist on it answering those questions if we had managed to get Iran back into compliance with the JCPOA and if we were part of it, too."

"But regardless, it needs to answer those questions. It needs to come clean about past activities," Blinken said.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Tuesday that Washington would insist on "real steps, concrete actions" while working with Germany to try to alleviate the impact of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, the first part of which was completed last week.

"We also of course have opportunities going forward to deal with those who provide insurance or other permits," Blinken said.

According to Blinken, Germany, which has long insisted that it want to see the $11-billion pipeline completed, "has come to the table" and the U.S. was "actively engaged with them."

The secretary of state believes that the project's physical completion doesn't mean it's operational, claiming that the U.S. was "still working on that."

"We also of course have opportunities going forward to deal with those who would provide insurance or rather permits for the pipeline to actually become operational. We continue to believe its a bad idea," Sputnik cited Blinken as saying.
A Soviet-built MiG-29 fighter jet from Bulgarias air force crashed into the Black Sea during a military exercise and the pilot is missing, the Bulgarian Defense Ministry said Wednesday.

The ministry said the fighter jet disappeared from radar at 12:45 a.m. local time over the countrys territorial waters. It said a search and rescue operation was launched immediately and is continuing, but the pilots status remains unknown.

The reasons for the crash are unclear, but military officials suspended the Shabla 2021 drill, The AP reported.
The Sputnik V and Sputnik Light vaccines against the coronavirus infection may be used for revaccination even of those individuals who were initially immunized with these jabs, the Healthcare Ministrys press service told journalists on Tuesday.

Earlier, Deputy Health Minister Oleg Gridnev, at a plenary session at the State Duma, said that those inoculated with Sputnik V might need to be revaccinated with a different jab at some point. However, he specified that studies in this sphere are still underway.

"The Sputnik Light vaccine is indicated for use in individuals aged 18 to 60. It has successfully passed efficacy trials precisely in this age group. For older individuals, the Sputnik V vaccine is used, which is permitted for use in all adults," TASS cited the statement as saying.

Both shots, Sputnik V and Sputnik Light, may be effectively used for revaccination, including of those citizens who initially were inoculated with them," the agency noted.
French President Emmanuel Macron was slapped in the face by a man on Tuesday during a visit to a small town in southeastern France, an incident that prompted a wide show of support for French politicians from all sides.

The French president was greeting the public waiting for him behind barriers in the town of Tain-lHermitage after he visited a high school that is training students to work in hotels and restaurants.

French far-right leader Marine Le Pen firmly condemned on Twitter "the intolerable physical aggression targeting the president of the Republic".

Visibly fuming, she said later that while Macron is her top political adversary, the assault was "deeply, deeply reprehensible," France 24 reported.

Far-left leader Jean-Luc Melenchon also tweeted his "solidarity with the president" immediately after the slap.
Sberbank plans to reduce presence of its banking business in European countries within 1-2 years, First Deputy CEO of the bank Lev Khasis told TASS in an interview on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF).

"We are lowering our presence as the banking business in other countries in view of the geopolitical situation. We have already left Turkey. We already said we are viewing options related to reducing our presence in Europe. I believe [it will take place] in one - two years," TASS cited the banker as saying.

Sberbank Europe AG is a banking group comprising Sberbanks assets in Eastern and Central Europe. The group is headquartered in Vienna. Sberbank Europe is present on eight European markets, in Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovenia, Serbia and Germany.
Azerbaijanis and Armenians should live peacefully, and the borders between the two countries should be open, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said today during the Primakov Readings in Moscow.



"With the participation of the OSCE Minsk Group, they (the authorities of Azerbaijan and Armenia - VK) should make sure that Armenians and Azerbaijanis live together. After that it will be easier to discuss the issue of the Nagorno-Karabakh status," the head of the Russian Foreign Ministry said, according to the correspondent of Vestnik Kavkaza.



Not only these two countries are interested in opening communications between Armenia and Azerbaijan, but also Russia, Turkey and Iran, whose opinion should also be taken into account in the negotiation process, the minister said.



The status of Nagorno-Karabakh has yet to be agreed, but there is no need to be focused on this right now, Lavrov added, stressing that the presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia agreed to unblock all communications in accordance with the November 10 statement.
Allowing a single man to have the final say regarding the countrys destiny is a serious flaw in our democracy. If Manchin supported the values of the majority of American voters, perhaps it would be less egregious. But hes steering the country in the same path as Republicans who are trying to drive it to ruins, though they lost the election.
SWIFT has no intentions to disconnect Russia from the system because it will not benefit anyone, executive director of the Russian national SWIFT association (Rosswift) Roman Chernov said at the roundtable hosted by Russias lower house of parliament on Tuesday.

"Nobody is going to disconnect us from SWIFT. This is very simple  this will not benefit anyone," TASS cited him as saying.

At the roundtable, Russian Central Bank Deputy Chairwoman Olga Skorobogatova similarly indicated that the financial authority did not see any risk of a possible disconnection of Russia from SWIFT in the foreseeable future.
The government has set up an FDI task force to support multinationals and foreign businesses grasping investment opportunities in Vietnam.

Vietnam remains a preferred destination for foreign investors as actual disbursement of foreign direct investment (FDI) rose by 6.7% year-on-year in the first five months of this year to US$7.15 billion.

Electronics production at Rhythm Precision Vietnam in Noi Bai industrial park.

During the period, FDI commitments to the country also slightly rose by 0.8% year-on-year to nearly US$14 billion.

In late May, local authorities in the southern province of Binh Duong issued investment licenses for five foreign projects with a combined investment capital of nearly US$1 billion. Hanoi has also seen a surge in the number of new FDI projects with 16 in the month. The total capital poured into new and existing FDI projects in the capital city hit nearly US$520 million, including US$76.8 million for 139 projects.

Since early 2021, Long An province in the south of Vietnam has emerged as the magnet for large scale projects, including the Long An I and II liquefied natural gas plants worth a total of US$3.1 billion from Singaporean investors, or the O Mon II Thermal Power Plant financed by Japanese investors with registered capital of US$1.31 billion. In Haiphong, Intel (US) and LG (South Korea) have poured additional funds of US$475 million and US$750 million, respectively on their existing plans.

Foxconn, formally known as Hon Hai Precision Industry, is currently exploring an investment option at Thanh Hoa province to set up an industrial park of 150 hectares with a capital of US$1.3 billion. AVG Capital Partners from Russia has also signed a memorandum of understanding with Thanh Hoas authorities to develop a US$1.4-billion pork processing complex.

Overall, 70 countries and territories have registered investment projects in Vietnam during the January-May period, a positive sign for the country as the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) predicted 2021 would be another difficult year for investment activities globally as a result of the pandemic.

Vice Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Thi Bich Ngoc attributed Vietnams advantage in FDI attraction to the countrys participation in a number of free trade agreements, including the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) or the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), the so-called next-generation trade deals.

FTAs give Vietnam a freeway to access markets of 55 countries, including 15 from the G20, Ngoc noted.

Kenneth Atkinson, board member of the British Chamber of Commerce Vietnam (Britcham) said the fact that Vietnam has been further integrating into the global community, including its mark as the Chair of ASEAN in 2020 and non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the 2019-2020 period have elevated the countrys status as an attractive destination for FDI inflows.

Efforts needed to stay competitive

With a volume of capital inflows to Vietnam in the five-month period much higher than the figure recorded in the same period last year, Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung said at a recent conference that the country has been actively promoting high-quality FDI projects with environmentally friendly and modern technologies as key criteria.

The government has set up an FDI task force to support multinationals and foreign businesses grasping investment opportunities in Vietnam, along with new laws and greater incentives for projects in priority fields, Dung said.

To further maintain Vietnams status as an investment hub, Chairman of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) Vu Tien Loc urged the country to have a long-term plan to promote the development of supporting industries.

This would be the key step for Vietnam to transform its production industry from mainly assembling to creating higher value-added products, Loc stressed.

Professor Nguyen Thuong Lang from the National Economics University suggested while the government has put up efforts to improve the business environment, each locality should play a more active role in attracting FDI projects.

Provinces/cities that can quickly address the concern of the businesses and invest substantially in infrastructure systems would have an upper hand in attracting large-scale FDI projects, he added.

A transparent and predictable legal environment would help investors settle down for long-term, Lang said.

Hanoitimes

Sunny FDI outlook amid supply strains While concerns over interruption of global supply chains linger due to serious outbreaks of COVID-19, Vietnam is attempting to remain on the front foot with continued business confidence and inflow of foreign investment.
Vietnam has successfully transformed into a manufacturing-oriented economy,

supported by stronger global value chain (GVC) participation thanks to a rise in foreign direct investment (FDI), especially in the manufacturing industry.

However, amid the post-pandemic GVC reconfiguration, FDI policies need to be carefully aligned to Vietnams development strategy.

Over recent years, a rise in FDI has helped Vietnam boost its elevation in the global value chain.



Over the past few years, Samsung, hailing from the Republic of Korea, has become a good example of a multinational corporation (MNC) in Vietnam supporting the country in climbing the global value chain (GVC).

Having been operating in Vietnam for 13 years, Samsung has raised its investment capital from an initial US$670 million to US$17.5 billion, with six plants in the northern provinces of Bac Ninh and Thai Nguyen, and in Ho Chi Minh City, and an under-construction research and development (R&D) centre worth US$220 million in Hanoi.

In 2020, Samsung Vietnam earned US$67 billion in revenue, accounting for 25% of the country's GDP of US$270 billion. Samsung Electronics' Thai Nguyen arm contributed the most revenue among the four subsidiaries, at US$26 billion last year.

Also last year, Samsung Vietnam posted some US$57 billion in export revenue - or nearly 20% of Vietnam's total export turnover - a little below its target of US$60 billion, but still a positive result amid the pandemic.

Big role

According to the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the great contributions of such firms as Samsung to Vietnam's economic growth are significant. The country's economy grew 2.91% last year, and 4.48% in the first quarter of 2021.

The Vietnamese government has always underlined the major role of foreign direct investment (FDI) in spurring its exports via global value chain (GVCs) participation, as well as boosting economic growth.

In the first five months of this year, total newly-registered and newly-added FDI capital was nearly US$14 billion, up 0.8% over the corresponding period last year.

FDI disbursement from January to May 20 is estimated at US$7.15 billion, an increase of 6.7% as compared to the same period of 2020.

Manufacturing was the most attractive sector in Vietnam, attracting US$6.14 billion in FDI in five months.

According to a recent study by the ASEAN+3 Macroeconomic Research Office (AMRO), as the biggest foreign direct investor in Vietnam, it is not surprising that Samsung has a sizeable influence on the way Vietnam participates in GVCs, particularly in terms of backward linkages. Prior to 2019, among around 100 of Samsung's suppliers who collectively accounted for 80% of its transaction volume, 28 were listed as operating in Vietnam, although these appear to be foreign-owned. More than half were based, or had operations, in the Republic of Korea, 30 in China, and 16 in Japan.

This sourcing breakdown is largely consistent with Vietnam's top imports from the Plus-3 economies, also mostly electronic in nature. In particular, these are mostly intermediate goods such as semiconductors and electronics.

As Vietnam continues to be a highly attractive production base for other multinationals, the influx of these new MNC projects will also help shape its future GVC participation. For example, the media reported Apple shifting nearly 30% (up to four million units) of its wireless headphones production (AirPods) into Vietnam and away from China. As a result, its leading supplier Goertek also confirmed plans to move its production in the same direction.

Google is also reportedly looking at moving to Vietnam from China for its Pixel 4A smartphone.

These investment movements will have a significant impact on how the foreign and/or domestic value added content of electronics and electrical exports will change in the future.

Similarly, the ongoing movement of international footwear and apparel firms such as Adidas, Nike, and Puma to Vietnam will also influence the backward linkages of the equally-significant garments sector.

A rise in GVCs

Vietnam has seen many impressive economic achievements over the past two decades. Since Doi moi launched in 1986, Vietnam has actively opened up its economy, participating in the regional economic cooperation in 1995 and joining the World Trade Organization in 2007.

Such transitions have helped the economy maintain rapid growth of around 7% since the early 2000s, except during the 2008-2009 global financial crisis (GFC) and the 2011-12 domestic financial turbulence. In particular, amid a general slowdown of emerging markets in the post GFC period, Vietnam has maintained its strong growth momentum, and more recently, has seen an explosive growth in exports amid strong FDI.

According to AMRO, Vietnam's exports have diversified and grown exponentially over the past two decades. Vietnam's gross good exports reached US$264.2 billion in 2019, a 48-times increase in 25 years from the figure of US$5.5 billion in 1995 when it joined ASEAN.

During these two decades, Vietnam's exports have become more diversified and sophisticated. From the 1990s through to the first half of 2000s, primary products, such as food and mineral fuels, accounted for more than half of total exports. From the early 2000s, miscellaneous manufactured goods, such as textiles and clothing, began to increase their contribution to Vietnam's exports. And since 2013, the share of machinery, transports and equipment - in particular mobile devices - in total exports, has grown exponentially and exceeds other manufactured and primary products.

In terms of end-use, Vietnam's exports comprise mainly intermediate and final consumption goods, while mixed end-use and capital goods having grown in prominence recently.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade reported that in 2020, Vietnam's total export-import turnover hit US$545.36 billion, up 5.4% year-on-year. Of which, export turnover reached US$282.65 billion, up 7% or US$18.39 billion, and import turnover sat at US$262.7 billion, up 3.7% or US$9.31 billion.

In the first five months of 2021, the nation's total export-import turnover is estimated to have hit US$262.21 billion, including US$130.94 billion from exports - up 30.7% year-on-year, and US$131.31 billion from imports - up 36.4% year-on-year.

"FDI has played an important role in the rapid growth of exports," said AMRO in its recently-published report titled "The role of Vietnam's FDI inflows in global value chains participation and economic growth".

"Since Samsung Electronics' large investments in Bac Ninh in 2007, Vietnam has emerged as a major final assembly hub for ICT hardware and electronic related products," said the report.

According to the World Bank Group (2017), about 80% of electronics/ ICT hardware and over 30% of electronic-related products produced in Vietnam are destined for export markets, and mostly manufactured by foreign firms.

Growing interest in Vietnam as a production base has led to strong FDI inflows, particularly in the manufacturing sector. For example, as of May 20, 2020, FDI-led manufacturing can be found in 15,323 valid projects, registered at US$232.78 billion - accounting for 45.58% and 58.65% of the total number of foreign-invested projects and registered FDI in Vietnam, respectively.

Additionally, FDI in higher value-added non-manufacturing sectors has increased recently too, in particular in professional, scientific and technical activities, which will help improve

Vietnam's business environment and total factor productivity going forward.

However, AMRO said that amid the post-pandemic GVC reconfiguration, FDI policies need to be carefully aligned to Vietnam's development strategy.

Vietnam appears to have successfully weathered the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on trade and investment activities. Realising the vulnerabilities of the existing supply chain network, several multinational companies, especially those in electronics and textiles businesses, are now moving or diversifying their production facilities to Vietnam and other ASEAN countries, which could further strengthen Vietnam's GVC participation.

"Amid this re-configuration of global supply chains, there should be scope for Vietnam to take advantage of these ongoing changes to propel itself up the production value chain with greater domestic companies' participation," said the report. "Additionally, recent increases in FDI in the service sector, such as in ICT, telecommunications, retails, and financial intermediation, could provide new opportunities for Vietnam to participate in the higher value tiers of GVCs. A deliberate strategy to attract FDIs open to engaging domestic firms in providing intermediate inputs would be needed to complement policies to develop and support domestic suppliers."

Nhan Dan

Private sector unable to create necessary value chain Vietnamese enterprises are facing setbacks and obstacles in the process to build value chains, which are essential for growth, healthy competition and more export opportunities in foreign markets.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has emphasized that the national housing strategy needs to include reasonable social housing development, and the tax regime on land speculators should be adjusted.

Adopting a new way of thinking about housing development is an important part of the Notice on the PMs conclusions after a recent working session with the Ministry of Construction (MOC) .

The Prime Minister said the real estate market has not not been controlled well and is not associated housing development strategy in a harmonious and reasonable way. Housing for the poor and disadvantaged has not received due attention.

Chinh urged a new mindset and reasonable policies to free up huge resources from old apartments and at the same time heighten the awareness and actions of leaders and managers at different levels.

Regarding housing development, the Prime Minister asked the Ministry of Construction to focus on implementing the national housing strategy in the new period based on socio-economic development planning of the country and the countrys regions.

MOC will have to work on a policy on buying and renting housing units and a decentralization mechanism.

The real estate market seriously lacks affordable apartments. A report shows that demand for mid- and high-end apartments priced at VND25 million per square meter or more just accounts for 20-30 percent in urban areas, while demand for affordable housing, priced at below VND25 million per square meter, accounts for 70-80 percent.

However, high-end apartments are in abundance, while social housing and low-cost commercial products for low- and medium-income earners are lacking.

After the last 10 years of implementing national housing development to 2020, social housing is still seriously lacking, with only 5.2 million square meters built, or 41.7 percent of the plan.

Affordable apartments with prices of VND1-2 billion have disappeared form the market. According to Savills Vietnam, in Hanoi, the primary house price has been increasing by 5 percent per annum since 2016. The housing prices in some suburban areas has increased by VND50-60 million per square meter.

The housing prices are 20-30 times higher than peoples average income.

The Prime Minister has also pointed out the need to reform the taxation regime related to real estate speculation.

The HCM City Real Estate Association (Horea) has sent a dispatch to the Prime Minister, proposing higher taxes on the behavior of transferring housing and land rights. This would help eliminate speculation by surfing investors, when the market shows signs of a bubble.

Hong Khanh

Construction Ministry to cool down real estate market, prioritize affordable housing Minister of Construction Nguyen Thanh Nghi said the ministry will change the policies related to the development of affordable housing by adopting a new mindset.
A special symphony orchestra in Vietnam has given disabled artists who only performed on the street the opportunity to stand on big stages like any other professional artist.

Nguyen Thanh Danh, born in 1990, the co-founder of Imagine Philharmonic, wont forget the first performance of the orchestra, with disabled artists in November 2020, on the stage of a 5-star hotel in HCM City.

In order to have the concert in a hall full with guests, the organizers and artists had to face many difficulties.

Professional artists had to double and triple their efforts. The pay was several times lower, and the benefits to their fame were not as good as performances with other famous artists, Danh explained.

However, the artists still felt happy about the performance. And this is exactly the change in perception that I want to spread to professional artists as well as the audience of this music genre  those who are considered the elite in music, he said.

If we remove prejudices and barriers, and if we create conditions for them (disabled artists), they will also be able to do well like us, he said.

Talking about Imagine Philharmonic, Danh stressed that he doesnt want to use disabled artists performances to ask for a sponsor. This is a professional performance which provides a high-quality product deserving the money that people spent to buy tickets.

Prior to this, Imagine Philharmonic had only professional artists, trained well at the conservatory. Every month, they organized a show and sold tickets at VND800,000-2 million. Successful shows step by step brought fame to the orchestra and loyal clients.

Things became more complicated when the idea of bringing disabled artists to the orchestra was raised.

When I introduced disabled artists as major artists of the orchestra, I could not sell tickets, because the artists were not famous, and more importantly, audiences lacked belief in disabled artists, he recalled.

Later, Danh and his co-workers had to run media campaigns to introduce the performance. Tickets sold out. The program was successful and the orchestra won the audiences confidence.

Before gaining initial success, professional artists might feel dissatisfaction. They not only had to practice more, but also had to learn to lower their ego to work together with other members in the orchestra, Danh recalled.

A special symphony orchestra in Vietnam has given disabled artists who only performed on the street the opportunity to stand on big stages like any other professional artist.

The first difficulty was the difference in language between the artists well trained at school and the self-taught artists. The former can understand each other well with the music language, while disabled artists might not understand many concepts.

The second difficulty was that a symphony orchestra requires a high level of teamwork spirit, i.e. members have to look at conductor and look at each other to play music, while visually impaired people cannot do this.

In such a special orchestra, musicians dont follow a conductor, but the entire orchestra has to follow disabled artists. This was a big barrier for Danh to persuade professional artists to play with disabled artists.

When deciding to play with freelance artists, professional artists have to put down their ego.

Street artists like playing light easy-to-listen music, while professionals like playing academic works. We have to make a compromise and play light music. This is what we have to overcome, Danh said, adding that the difficulties were resolved step by step.

In order to implement the special orchestra, confidence and understanding were needed.

Besides Imagine Philharmonic, Danh is the founder of many non-profit projects. In general, he gives support in the first stage of implementation and then hands it over to others.

As a former deputy director of a center for people with disabilities, and coming from a conservatory (he began studying the violin at 10 years old), Danh can understand and connect the two groups.

Danh said he likes to do something to serve the community and all of his projects target the community. After finishing studying social policies in the US, he returned to Vietnam to work for the Vietnam Green Startup Fund.

Imagine Philharmonic has so far organized three symphony concerts in HCM City and Quy Nhon with the participation of disabled artists.

They planned to have a show with HBSO (HCM City Ballet and Symphony Orchestra) two weeks ago, but the new Covid wave broke out. More than 400 tickets had been sold. This would have been the first time that HBSO had a performance with a private orchestra.

Three disabled artists regularly join Imagine Philharmonic in shows.

We decided that disabled artists can receive remuneration 3-5 times higher than other artists because they have fewer opportunities than us. However, its too early to say if they will have a stable income from the orchestra, Danh said.

We are just organizing shows ourselves, and we still are not booked regularly and dont have sponsors, he explained.

But he strongly believes that once the orchestra is better known, the number of disabled artists who can play with the orchestra will increase, and the artists will be able to work together.

Nguyen Thao

Disabled peoples hands turn trash into art Scrap fabric of tailors in Van Phuc Silk Village (Ha Dong District, Hanoi) have been turned into colorful folk paintings, thanks to the diligent skillful hands of people with disabilities.
The stock market has been witnessing unprecedented cash inflow so far this year, even though the Covid-19 pandemic has become more complicated in Southeast Asia.

Money flowing into the stock market comes from different sources and mainly from domestic investors. In May alone, as many as 113,674 securities accounts were opened by Vietnamese investors, a record high monthly number, according to Vietnam Securities Depository.

About 500,000 accounts were opened in the first five months of the year, or 10 percent higher than the total number of accounts in the whole year of 2020. The total number of accounts in 2020 was 60 percent of that in the previous 10 years combined.

To date, about 3.2 million accounts have been opened, or 3.2 percent of total population.

The figures show the Vietnamese stock market at this moment. More than 4,000 accounts are opened every day, and a large amount of capital is poured into the market.

The world became aware of the strength of F0 (new investors) after Gamestop shares saw prices skyrocketing on Wall Street, upsetting all predictions and efforts by institutional investors. The social distancing effect during Covid-19 led to the boom of F0.

Though most F0s dont have deep knowledge and experience about financial investments, their fearlessness can help them dominate the market.

In Vietnam, the number of F0s increased sharply in 2020 and the first months of 2021, when foreign investors sold more than bought.

A report found that since the beginning of the year, foreign investors have had net sales of VND30 trillion. The figure was high and it would have battered the market if there had not been F0 investors.

A report found that since the beginning of the year, foreign investors have had net sales of VND30 trillion. The figure was high and it would have battered the market if there had not been F0 investors.

The investors absorbed all the shares sold by foreign investors, helping to create a rebound of shares in most business fields.

In the first five months of the year, individual investor purchases overwhelmed the groups of institutional investors, including foreign investors, securities companies and funds. The purchases of individual investors reached nearly 90 percent in the last 20 trading sessions, with the net purchase of VND13.5 trillion.

Regarding market liquidity, the cash flow continuously hit historic peaks in trading sessions. A rare phenomenon occurred on June 1: HOSE had to close the door on the afternoon session because of high cash flow. On that day, only the morning session was organized, when nearly $1 billion worth of shares were transferred.

Many records have been made recently. The trading value of all three bourses made a record of VND32 trillion, of which order-matching value was VND30 trillion. The VN Index dropped sharply by 20 points in the morning trading session, but bounced back later in the afternoon session to the new height of 1,328.05 points.

The market liquidity has been moving up to new heights thanks to the break on correction and cancel orders from the HCM City stock exchange (HOSE). This helped push the liquidity of the three bourses (the Hanoi Stock Exchange, HOSE and OTC) to a new high of VND37 trillion, including VND31 trillion for HOSE, the third highest in the region, just after Thailand and Singapore.

HOSEs liquidity has been increasing steadily in the last six months, with the average trading value rising from VND12.5 trillion in December 2020 to VND17 trillion in January 2021 and then to VND18.5 trillion in April and VND21.6 trillion in May.

The strong liquidity increase has helped the VN Index conquer new peaks. Blue-chip prices have attracted cash flow and reached new high levels, helping stock billionaires become richer. The stock assets of Tran Dinh Long have reached $2.5 billion, while Ho Hung Anh now has $2 billion.

The big cash flow has helped the stock market continue its booming growth. The Sell in May principle was not true last May with the VN Index rising by 9 percent from 1,220 points to 1,328.05 points.

The VN Index continued rising in the first trading sessions of June. It reached an all-time peak of 1,374.05 points on June 4.

The VN Index has increased by 22.6 percent so far this year, becoming one of the highest increases of indexes in the world. The stock market is still an attractive investment channel for investors in the near future.

M. Ha

Stock market size hits over 79 percent of GDP Capitalisation on the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange (HOSE) in May rose 7.07 percent month-on-month to more than 4.97 quadrillion VND (over 216 billion USD), equivalent to about 79.09 percent of the countrys GDP at the end of 2020.
Da Nang city has gone 19 days with no Covid-19 community transmitted infections. The number of cases remained at 158, as of June 6.

A new wave broke out in Da Nang on May 3, 2021. The situation got worse when infection cases were discovered at the New Phuong Dong disco hall, AMIDA beauty salon and Truong Minh Company in An Don Industrial Zone (IZ).

The municipal authorities took urgent measures by localizing the hotbeds, using technology to take health declarations, quickly tracing contacts and other cases, and carrying out pooled testing on a large scale.

Facing the risk of the outbreak spreading rapidly when the source of infection had yet to be identified, Da Nang decided to organize pooled testing.

In some areas, five samples, or even 10-20 samples, were taken and combined for testing in an effort to speed up the tracing.

A high number of people, including taxi drivers, petty merchants at traditional markets, household members and workers in IZs, had their samples taken for testing, which discovered infection cases in the community.

The pooled testing was organized previously in Da Nang when the city witnessed a second outbreak in July 2020. It became the first locality in Vietnam using pooled testing method, though the Ministry of Health (MOH) had not released guidance on this.

Thanks to its testing strategy, the city quickly localized and traced all the areas where infections or suspected infections were, took representative samples from the population, and controlled the outbreak for one month.

A Da Nang city report showed that the 5-sample pooled testing method (combining five samples for testing) in the second wave brought big benefits.

It saved materials and equipment, with testing cost of VND12 billion, instead of VND55.4 billion with tests of individual samples.

During the third outbreak, Da Nang decided to use 10-sample pooled testing to trace contacts and other cases. The transmission source had yet to be identified at this time.

Da Nang City has gone 19 days with no Covid-19 community transmitted infections. The number of cases remained at 158, as of June 6.

On May 20, testing was done on 37,000 people, the highest so far.

The number of Covid-19 cases in Da Nang is now on the decline and the new infections found in the last 15 days were all F1s (indirect contacts) who had been under quarantine.

From May 3 to June 6, when the pooled testing method was used, 453,702 samples were taken and tested. Of the figure, 158 nCoV positive cases were found.

This method was seen as an important weapon that helped Da Nang extinguish the outbreak relatively quickly.

Pooled testing

At the online meeting of the National Steering Committee on Covid-19 Prevention and Control on May 12, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam asked Da Nang to review the pooled testing method and share experiences with other localities.

Da Nang on May 16 was commended by the Prime Minister who asked other localities to use the method.

Ton That Thanh, Director of CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) in Da Nang, said the pooled testing method takes samples in residential areas where many infections have been found in order to quickly localize and trace infections, and increase the community testing capability.

For example, 10 samples of individuals in isolated areas and industrial zones where there are suspected infections are combined for testing. If positive results are found, single samples will be tested once again. If the result is negative, the 10 people can then be ruled out at once.

For suspected cases or F1s, samples are taken and tested separately.

As Da Nang was able to test a high number of samples, the city could scan suspected and at-risk areas and control the outbreak quickly.

Thanh said that the pooled method doesnt affect the testing results, and it optimizes time and reduces costs.

We will continue conducting representative sample testing for all the remaining households to assess the pandemic situation in the city, Thanh said.

On May 16, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh signed a decision to award certificates of merit to the CDC and the Da Nang Department of Health for their achievements in the prevention and control of Covid-19.

On May 13, as many as 22,844 samples were tested, the highest level so far. From May 3 to May 16, as many as 134,420 samples were tested in Da Nang, and 135 positive cases were found

Ho Giap - Nguyen Hien

Local engineer creates air-conditioned COVID-19 testing booth A mobile air-conditioned COVID-19 testing booth has been set up and put into use in the current COVID-19 hotspot of Bac Giang Province
Russia is considering transferring technology for the production of Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine in Vietnam, President of the Russian Federal Council (upper house) Valentina Ivanovna Matvienko has said.

National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue holds online talks with President of the Russian Federal Council (upper house) Valentina Ivanovna Matvienko on June 8.

During her online talks with National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue on June 8, Matvienko said Russia will make efforts to maintain the development trend of economic and trade cooperation in the time ahead.

The Russian Federal Council will also work hard to promote collaboration between the two countries, she pledged.



NA Chairman Hue said Vietnamese people always treasure and keep in mind the support of Russian people for Vietnam's struggle for national liberation and reunification.

He hailed the achievements Russia has recorded under the leadership of President Vladimir Putin, and applauded the countrys efforts in the pandemic fight.

The Vietnamese top legislator thanked Russia for presenting 1,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses to Vietnam earlier this year, and its recent commitment to give Vietnam priority in accessing 20 million doses of Sputnik V.

The two sides rejoiced at the fruitful developments of the Vietnam-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership, and shared a wish that the Vietnamese legislature and the Russian council will continue their close cooperation, thus promoting relations between the two countries.

They said the bilateral political ties have been consolidated continuously and prospered in all channels of the Party and the State, as well as localities, businesses and social organisations.

The leaders consented to maintain the exchange of high-ranking parliamentary delegations and friendship parliamentarians groups, and intensify information sharing.

The two sides pledged to step up coordination in supervising the implementation of cooperation agreements signed by the two Governments and strategic cooperation projects, and build and complete legal frameworks to facilitate exchanges and cooperation between the Governments, localities, enterprises and people of the two countries.

At the same time, they will maintain meetings, consultations, coordination and mutual support at multilateral parliamentary forums, and in regional and international issues of shared concern./. VNA
He was the fifth of his parents nine children, two of whom died at birth. Most of his siblings stayed in Wisconsin  we were the rednecks, his sister says with a laugh  while he came to Chicago to study music and to teach. During his first marriage, he and his husband adopted two baby sisters, Mimi and Stella, who are Black, in a time when it was rare for gay people to be allowed to adopt.
National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue held online talks with Speaker of the Legislative Council of Brunei Abdul Rahman Taib on June 9, during which they noted with pleasure that bilateral ties are growing fruitfully.

Regarding the cooperation focus in the near future, Hue suggested effectively carrying out bilateral cooperation mechanisms and better tapping bilateral cooperation potential, towards achieving two-way trade of 500 million USD.

He expected that Brunei would assist Vietnamese firms in achieving Halal food qualifications, thus making it easier for them to export products to the country.

The Vietnamese NA supports and stays ready to work with the Legislative Council of Brunei for the development of a harmonious and self-resilient ASEAN Community, he affirmed.

The Vietnamese leader emphasised that parliaments should continue making active and responsible contributions to the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA)s activities, including ensuring peace and stability; upholding common principles, values and standards; strengthening solidarity and central role of ASEAN; abiding by law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), towards building a practical and effective Code of Conduct (COC) in the East Sea.

According to the Chairman, concerned parties need to build a regional economy with sustainable growth, place the people in the centre in policy making while continuing to uphold ASEANs centrality, consolidate the rules-based regional architecture, and highlight international law, with a focus on multilateral cooperation.

Taib, for his part, hailed Vietnam as one of the countries that Brunei wants to import more farm produce to meet its people's demand.

He lauded the Vietnamese NA for promoting important regional issues in its capacity as AIPA Chair, and wished the two nations would work closely together within ASEAN and AIPA frameworks.

As the COVID-19 pandemic is spreading complicatedly across the world, posing risks to economic recovery due to the insufficient supply of vaccines and vaccine production technology, Hue highlighted the importance of fair sharing and access to COVID-19 vaccines worldwide as well as the digitalisation and application of information technology in the fight against the pandemic, which he said, requires close collaboration between legislative and executive agencies. This content needs to be tabled for discussion at the 42nd ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly scheduled for August, he said.

Taib affirmed that Brunei supports the fair distribution of vaccines among nations, and emphasised the need of cooperation to ensure fair supply of vaccines for every country and person.

On the occasion, the top Vietnamese legislator thanked Brunei for assisting Vietnamese citizens living and working in the country in getting vaccinations against COVID-19./. VNA
Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son held talks with Chinese State Councillor and Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi on June 8

during his attendance at the Special ASEAN - China Foreign Ministers Meeting and the Mekong - Lancang Cooperation Foreign Ministers Meeting in Chongqing, China.

Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son (L) and Chinese State Councillor and Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi

Son congratulated the Communist Party of China on its 100th founding anniversary on July 1, 2021 and its achievements in socio-economic development and COVID-19 prevention and control.

Wang congratulated Vietnam on the successful organisation of the 13th National Party Congress.

The two ministers extensively discussed bilateral ties and regional and global issues of shared concern.

Affirming the importance of Vietnam - China ties in each countrys foreign policy, they expressed delight at the development of the friendly neighbourliness and the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership over the past years.

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc, and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh of Vietnam have held important phone talks with Chinese Party General Secretary and President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang and reached common perceptions on strengthening ties between the two Parties and countries.

Both sides agreed to uphold the two foreign ministries important role in coordinating and promoting Vietnam - China ties, devise specific measures to implement high-level common perceptions such as facilitating exchanges at all levels, promoting exchanges and cooperation between the two countries ministries, departments, and localities, and jointly fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

They pledged to lift economic-trade and investment ties in a practical, healthy, and balanced manner and foster people-to-people exchanges while maintaining cooperation at multilateral forums, especially at the UN and within the framework of ASEAN.

The two ministers consented to maintain peace and stability in the East Sea and soon reach a practical and effective Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) in line with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Son suggested China make it easier for Vietnamese farm produce to enter the country, especially fruits in harvest, soon complete procedures to open and upgrade several border gates, effectively deploy Chinese aid to Vietnam, and promptly complete existing projects.

On the East Sea issue, the Vietnamese minister proposed that both sides seriously realise high-level common perceptions and abide by international law, particularly the 1982 UNCLOS, uphold the role of negotiation mechanisms, and seek basic and long-term solutions to the issue.

Wang, for his part, affirmed that China wants to enhance strategic exchange and political trust with Vietnam, and deepen the mutually-beneficial relationship in a healthy and stable manner.

He expressed Chinas support for Vietnam in its fight against the pandemic, including the supply, research, and production of vaccines.

China is ready to import more Vietnamese goods in comformity with the Chinese market's demand, Wang said./. VNA
The vest uses a phone's backup battery, so it can work for more than eight hours. In addition, users can add "coolant" by adding ice into the included water jug without taking off their vests.

Looking at the pictures of doctors and nurses on the frontlines against the Covid-19 epidemic with blistered skin on their hands and bodies, and some even fainting due to overheating, a group of students from the Institute of Chemical Engineering (Hanoi University of Science and Technology) decided to design a cooling shirt weighing only about 1kg.

Nguyen Thi Huong Hao, a student at the Institute of Chemical Engineering, a member of the group manufacturing a cooling vest. Photo: Duy Thanh

The heat resistant vest was created by a group of students from the Institute of Chemical Engineering, including Pham Dinh Gioi, Nguyen Thi Huong Hao, and Kieu Thi Thuy Linh, and Associate Professor Vu Dinh Tien was the advisor.

They used the principle of cold water circulation.

Nguyen Thi Huong Hao, a member of the research team, said that the cooling vest is not a new product. In. Vietnam the product must be imported at high prices. Hao's team has invented a cooling vest with the price that is one fourth of the imported product and weighing only about 1 kilo.

The team completed the first vest in less than a day, under the advice and support of Dr. La Thi Ngoc Anh, former head of the Garment and Fashion Faculty of the Institute of Textiles, Footwear and Fashion.

The vest uses a phone's backup battery, so it can work for more than eight hours. In addition, users can add "coolant" by adding ice into the included water jug without taking off their vests, Hao said.

The team is trying to improve the product with the desire to minimize the number of times that users have to add ice to the water jug.

This product is also suitable for those who work in hot environments or who have to move outdoors.

Tran Trang

Bac Ninh students robot arm wins international award Two Vietnamese students have won a prize for their project at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (Regeneron ISEF) 2021, the world's largest global high school competition.
Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long spoke to the media about his evaluation of the current wave of COVID-19 infections in the country and efforts to secure 150 million vaccines by the end of the year.

Health workers in protective suits sort samples for COVID-19 testing collected from local residents of Giang Lieu Village, Phuong Lieu Commune, Que Vo District, the northern province of Bac Ninh on June 4, 2021.

How do you assess the current outbreaks in Vietnam?

Under the leadership of the Prime Minister, the National Steering Committee on COVID-19 Prevention and Control, and the efforts of all localities, to date, local outbreaks are under control with the number of new cases detected last week declining compared to the week before that, especially in the two hot spot provinces of Bac Giang and Bac Ninh in the northern region.

HCM City has been carrying out very decisive measures from city-wide social distancing orders and large-scale sample collecting to community screenings as well as contact tracing, which is helping to curb transmissions.

The virus variant that is wreaking havoc in the fourth wave of infections in Vietnam, is it more dangerous?

The Delta variant of coronavirus (first documented in India) is new to Vietnam in this current wave.

The Beta variant (first documented in the UK) is 1.7 times more transmissible to the original virus, but the Delta variant is even 40 per cent more contagious than the Beta one, according to recent figures from the UK. This new, highly contagious variant explains the large cases in this wave.

Also, we have observed that the COVID-19 patients conditions took a turn for the worse in quite a shorter space of time compared to before, which really concerns us.

What are the main points of the plan underway to contain the outbreaks throughout the country?

We have made decisions on whether to implement lockdowns, on what scale and for how long, depending on the situation to contain the COVID-19 outbreaks but with the least possible impact on socio-economic developments.

Local health authorities have also been faithfully following the instructions from the health ministry and the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control on contact tracing and quarantine protocols.

The testing capacity has been significantly ramped up, and in recent times, the number of samples processed in a day has gone up threefold compared to the previous wave of infections.

Regarding treatment, the health ministry has deployed field hospitals and intensive care centres in the worst-hit localities to handle the situation on-site. A large number of medical staff and medical students from many localities across the country volunteered to support in the worst hit provinces of Bac Ninh and Bac Giang.

We have also made use of technology to enhance monitoring at quarantine facilities in Bac Giang and Bac Ninh.

The local health authorities have also sped up vaccination efforts in Bac Giang and Bac Ninh, extending the priority groups to include workers in industrial zone-related infection clusters.

What happened with the current vaccine strategy?

The health ministry and relevant authorities, under the instructions from the Party and the State, have stepped up negotiations with all vaccine makers and vaccine producing countries.

The health ministry has conducted some 200 discussions with suppliers to purchase, import, or receive vaccine aid, resulting in commitment of 128.9 million doses to inoculate the population until the end of the year.

However, with the aim of having 150 million doses to cover 75 per cent of the Vietnamese population by the end of the year, the health ministry is still actively working to find more sources of vaccine supplies to achieve herd immunity and bring back normal life.

VNS

Minister addresses measures for Covid-19 prevention and control in new circumstances It is necessary to have new approaches in fighting Covid-19 as per the PMs direction  being more proactive, switching from defense to attack, applying technology, and applying rapid and proactive testing and vaccinations at lightning speed.
The central province of Binh Dinh is famed for its spectacular landscapes and unique delicacies that can't be found elsewhere.

Banh hong (pink cake) is one such dish and the dessert is made from the local sticky rice genre named ngu, which is fragrant and soft.

Though the cake has a simple and rough appearance, it symbolises happiness.

Locals have a saying: When you invite me to have pink cake, it means you are about to get married."

Making the cake requires hard and delicate work. Photo dulichtamdac.com.vn

Though it's called pink cake, the dessert is actually opalescent from the inside out. No locals I asked seemed to be able to completely explain where the pink name comes from.

Like com cake (a dessert made from young rice and stuffed with minced beans)  a delicacy of Hanoi, which is used in engagement ceremonies and weddings, Binh Dinh people use pink cake as the gifts from the groom to the brides family on such occasions, said local Huynh Tai.

Maybe as the bride's family distributes the cakes to friends and relatives together with the pink wedding invitation cards, the cake is named pink in that sense, he said.

The pink colour means the announcement of the couple's happiness, he added.

The dessert absorbs the sweetness of the land and the hard work of people. Photo afamily.vn

When eating the cake, one will feel the soft and fragrant taste of the rice combining with the crispy coconut strings inside and the gentle sweet taste of sugar.

Tam Quan Ward in Hoai Nhon Town of Binh Dinh, which hosts the most coconut trees in the central region, produces the best pink cake in the province.

Coconut is an important ingredient for making the cake and another delicacy named banh trang nuoc dua (coconut pancake).

Le Thi Hai, a local woman, said the simple cake requires hard work.

To make the cake soft and have a good smell, good sticky rice should be chosen, then soaked in water and minced, she said. Then the powder is made into small pieces, which are boiled in water. The powder piece should be cooked properly for the next stage.

Tam Quan Ward with lots of coconut trees, which is the main ingredient for local delicacies like the pink cake. Photo tintucbinhdinh

In the meantime, sugar is heated till it melts into a paste in another saucepan. The rice powder quickly mixes with the well-cooked powder into the melted sugar.

Experienced cake makers know how to control the heat so that the powder mixture doesn't burn or get too thick.

When the mixture is well cooked, the cake maker pours the powder mixture onto a tray cover with some dry sticky rice powder.

Some flaked coconut and milk is added in the mixture to add more flavour. People can also dye the mixture into with some minced leaves of the pineapple plant, she said.

The soft pink cake, which is often made 3-4cm thick, is often put on a big tray. When a guest visits, the host will cut the cake into small pieces.

The cake is often enjoyed with hot tea, she said. Gentle sweet and fragrance of sticky rice, coconut and milk will mingle well with the scent of tea.

Though the dessert is tasty, it contains no preservatives and can be used within four days at room temperature. If kept longer, it will become tough.

So dont forget to bring some packages of pink cake home as a special gift from Quy Nhon, the land of wind, sunshine and coconuts.

The simple delicacy contains the sweetness of the land and peoples labour.

According to Phung Thuy Trinh, owner of a cake workshop in Quy Nhon City, the pandemic has seriously affected her work.

"We had to cut capacity as consumption is sharply reduced," she said. "There are fewer tourists visiting the town while we could not reach our biggest clients in HCM City in the past few days as the city has been locked down. Goods from other provinces cannot be transported as easily as before to HCM City."

Trinh said she now maintains 40 per cent of productivity to serve orders inside the province.

Before the pandemic, she could sell up to 100 packages of pink cakes to tourists in Quy Nhon besides other kinds of local delicacies. Every week, she sent a small truck carrying local delicacies to buyers in other provinces and HCM City.

The cake goes well with tea. Photo haloquynhon.com

Luu Minh Nghia, a confectionary dealer in HCM City who buys delicacies from Quy Nhon, said most of her partners in Quy Nhon including the pink cake producers have suspended operations.

"Yesterday, a frequent customer called me and order the pink cake but I have no packages left as the partners in Quy Nhon could not carry any more pink cake to me during this lockdown period," she said.

"I had to reassure my customer that the lockdown period will be over soon and transportation will be resumed so that I can order the delicacy from Quy Nhon here again to serve my customers," Nghia said.

Minh Ha, of Quy Nhon origin, who runs the Facebook page 'Quy Nhon Delicacies in Hanoi and Sai Gon', said she sends the cake to Hanoi as easily as usual.

"Whenever customers in Hanoi order, I can send them within a week," she said. "In the past few days, only some buses received goods to HCM City, so I still can send goods to the city though it's not so easy as before." VNS

Le Huong

Must-try grilled-fish rice crepe in Quy Nhon Town Banh Trang Cha Ca (Grilled fish rice crepe) is among the must-try dishes in the coastal Quy Nhon Town in Binh Dinh Province.
Ambassador Dang Dinh Quy, head of the Vietnam Mission to the United Nations (UN), on June 8 affirmed Vietnams commitment to promoting the role of the UN Charter and international law in maintaining international peace and security.

Ambassador Dang Dinh Quy, head of the Vietnam Mission to the United Nations.

Addressing the UN Security Council meeting on the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT) operations, Quy acknowledged the Mechanism's efforts in implementing measures to realize the councils Resolution 2529 on reviewing the two-year operation of the Mechanism, and supported the completion of the trials on time.



He affirmed that countries bear the top responsibility for prosecuting and trying serious international crimes, and called for support for countries in exercising their judicial jurisdiction.

IRMCT Judge Carmel Agius said that in the past six months, the Mechanism has made positive progress in adjudication such as issuing a final judgment on June 8, 2021 and two other judgments in June, and beginning a trial against Felicien Kabuga, one of the key suspects in the 1994 Rwandan genocide, who was arrested in France and handed over to the Mechanism last year.

The Mechanisms Prosecutor Serge Brammertz affirmed his commitment to hunting Rwanda genocide suspects who remain in hiding, as well as assisting national judicial authorities in prosecuting serious crimes.

Participants expressed their support for the Mechanism's role in upholding justice, prosecuting those believed to have committed serious crimes, and calling on the countries concerned to cooperate with and support the Mechanism.

Some suggested the Mechanism ensure the highest judicial standards, report on the health protection situation for detainees and specifically mention a number of sentences issued.

The IRMCT was established in 2010 to carry out the remaining essential functions of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) and the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) after their respective closures. In June 2020, under the coordination of Vietnam, the UN Security Council approved Resolution 2529. Vietnam's cooperation with member countries of the UN and its Security Council related to the Mechanisms works has been highly appreciated by many countries, demonstrating its objectivity and professionalism./. VNA
Its certainly true that the Trump era has revealed a lot about how serious  or, rather, unserious  some prominent Republicans and conservatives really were about their reverence for the Constitution. But instead of going down various intellectual and historical rabbit holes, Ill just say that trying to lay this at the feet of conservative ideas is a distraction.

The core problem afflicting the right  and to a great degree, the country  is that the elite surrender to populism.

Definitions of populism vary, but for our purposes its best understood as the politics of the mob. The defining emotion of populism and mobs alike is passion, fueled by the invincible twin convictions that we are right and that we have been wronged by them. Its a bit like Charles de Gaulles line about the difference between patriotism and nationalism. Patriotism is when love of your own people comes first; nationalism, when hate for people other than your own comes first.

Populism is often immune to reason and contemptuous of debate. The people of Nebraska are for free silver, and I am for free silver, William Jennings Bryan proclaimed. I will look up the arguments later.
They include Mark Frerichs, a contractor from Lombard, Illinois, who vanished in January 2020 and is believed held by the Taliban-linked Haqqani network, and Paul Overby, an American writer who disappeared in Afghanistan in 2014.

They also fear that the further reduction of U.S. physical presence in the country is an erosion of the leverage needed to make progress on resolving these cases, the report states. It is perceived by some advocates that securing the release of these hostages was not made a precondition for any settlement during the peace talks in Doha, Qatar with the Taliban.

The departure of all U.S. special operations from Afghanistan will make counterterrorism operations, including the collecting of intelligence on al-Qaida and other extremist groups, more difficult. The administration hopes to be able to compensate through the military's wide geographic reach, which has only expanded with the advent of armed drones and other technologies.

The administration has said it will retain a U.S. Embassy presence, but that will become more difficult if the militarys departure leads to a collapse of Afghan governance.
In the wake of Wednesday's infrastructure package breakdown, the Bipartisan Senator group removes tax increases from infrastructure discussions to keep negations active.

President Joe Biden offered Senate Republicans an alternative to the tax hikes he initially proposed to pay for a sweeping infrastructure plan. Part of his attempt to find a bipartisan agreement was based on two sources briefed on the proposal.

In a meeting Wednesday with Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, the lead Republican negotiator, Biden insisted that tax increases pay for most of the plan but signaled he was willing to back a smaller increase than he had initially requested.

The plan by the vice president-elect and his administration called for hiking the business tax rate from 21% to 28% as the principal source of funding for the infrastructure package.

Even though it was supported by Republicans, the proposal was rejected. It didn't appear to have universal Democratic support, however.

During Wednesday's discussion, Biden provided Capito with a menu of tax hikes that would do nothing to counteract anything in the 2017 tax reduction law.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and other Republicans have stated they believe the tax cuts to be a landmark legislative accomplishment. They are hesitant to undercut them to pay for infrastructure.

According to a person familiar with the discussion, Biden pitched a 15% minimum corporation tax and stricter enforcement of high incomes, both of which were agreed to.

To proceed with an infrastructure bill, President Joe Biden stopped the talks on Wednesday, breaking off negotiations with Senator Shelley Capito in favor of striking a bipartisan agreement with a bipartisan group of Senators. The meeting with Capito was described as a 'brick wall' in the prior talks.

Following Wednesday's meeting, Republicans agreed to exclude tax hikes from their proposed infrastructure bill in the latest development. A bipartisan Senate committee is taking tax hikes off the table to develop an infrastructure package following negotiations with the White House.

For President Biden's core pieces of his infrastructure strategy, which includes raising taxes on high-income individuals and companies, it is practically challenging to gain Republican support for legislation with a realistic chance of passing the Senate.

In light of this, Tester, who is in the bipartisan group, has made it clear that tax hikes are not being considered in the effort to come to an agreement on how to pay for the senators' proposal.

When asked Wednesday if a tax increase was off the table, Tester replied: "That's my understanding. I think there are ways to do that; hopefully, it won't be smoke and mirrors. Bottom line, this is probably the hardest part from my perspective, is how you get it paid for."

It may not be the most honest approach, but there are options. Hopefully, it won't be smoke and mirrors.

So in the end, this is the toughest aspect for me to wrap my head around, figuring out how to get it funded."

Instead of specifying whether or not he believed the White House would support a proposal that barred tax increases, Montana Congressman, Democrat Jeremy Translation: Rep. Tester stopped short of saying whether he thought the White House would support a proposal that prohibited tax increases, adding, "if it's paid for, I think they would be."

Several other members of the bipartisan groupRepublican Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) and independent Sen. Angus King (I-Maine)echoed that Republican lawmakers will not agree to more tax increases as part of infrastructure negotiations.

While the committee is anticipated to look at a proposal in the range of $900 billion, they have made it clear that they have not yet published a final estimate because the degree of expenditure is yet undetermined.

The infrastructure package offered by Biden exceeds $2.2 trillion in funding.

Once the bipartisan group in the Senate convened in a basement office last night to talk about coming up with a bipartisan infrastructure plan, the red line on taxes is shown.

We made a lot of good progress, especially when you consider all the difficulties we had to overcome."

Senator Mitt Romney (R-Utah), another member of the bipartisan group, spoke with reporters on Wednesday; he said that Republicans will not be making tax increases part of their infrastructure negotiations.

It is believed that the committee would review a proposal in the range of $900 billion. Still, they have been careful not to make a public announcement about the expenditure amount, stating that the commitment is not yet set in stone. At the outset, Biden's infrastructure budget topped $2.2 trillion.

The line is red and was drawn by the bipartisan group of senators who convened in a Senate basement office on Tuesday night. They discuss the intricacies of a bipartisan infrastructure deal.

"We made a lot of good progress. ... We went through line by line, and we've got pretty good agreement on most of those" To put it another way, we read through the lines in order and have found most of them to be on the same page.

In addition to debating the particulars of paying for the project, the organization members are also disputing about the method of financing the project they should accept.

Went over the payers as well, and they're a little less substantial than we had first estimated. After failed discussions between the White House and Republicans, spearheaded by Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), were called off, negotiations among Democrats and Republicans have resumed.

Capito's talks with the White House had the blessing of Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell (KY), and Capito said if she had been able to get a deal, she would have been prepared to bring at least half of the caucus on board. Biden is now expected to shift to negotiations with the bipartisan group of lawmakers that also includes Sens. Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), and Joe Manchin (D-WV) to secure a deal that could garner Republican support.

Capito suggested to reporters on Wednesday that she believes the bipartisan group had a part in the White House's readiness to continue their negotiations.

Capito of West Virginia, one of the members of the Republican conference, stated, "Of course, I was talking in good faith with the president."

In terms of bettering our bargaining position, it makes sense to introduce ideas that appear to be greater in scope than those previously shown to influence our outcome.
WATERLOO  Officer Adam Galbraith isnt one to seek out praise or publicity.

Its not about me, the 25-year veteran of the Waterloo Police Department told a colleague when he was reminded that Tuesday was the luncheon honoring him as the departments Officer of the Year for 2020.

During the event  hosted by the Waterloo Exchange Club outdoors at Exchange Park  he credited his coworkers, family and God.

Ill accept it, not for myself, but for the people I work with.  Ill accept it for the officers who have already died on this job. The job isnt about me. I wake up and the first thing I do I the morning is I ask God just let me be an instrument for you, Galbraith said.

Maj. Joe Leibold said Galbraith earned the honor with his constant good attitude and hard work.

Adams job is victim-focused. He comes to work every day to honor and serve the victims that he works with and to serve this community, Leibold said. Every day, he comes to work with probably one of the most positive attitudes you can see on a person.

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But that doesnt mean the court should butt in now. The burden on men is not heavy, and it would not be lighter if women were also forced to shoulder it. The chance of actual conscription, in our modern era of high-tech warfare, is too remote to warrant immediate reform.
WATERLOO  Waterloos next big idea is a publicly owned artist collective.

Carrsan Morrissey, 25, pitched the idea in a five-minute spiel to a few hundred people at the RiverLoop Amphitheatre during the citys SPARK Waterloo event Tuesday night.

His plan for a collective rose to the top of nine other presentations.

I believe such an institution would help us hang onto talented people and foster bigger and better artistic endeavors for our community at large, said Morrissey, a film maker and museum program manager.

He credited friend Steve Mager for coming up with and initially promoting the idea before Mager died in 2019.

He would wax poetic about his dream of buying one of the large, abandoned buildings here in the city and filling it with art, studios, stages, venue space, classrooms  the whole works. And it would be run and owned by the artists, by the people who were using this space to create art of the public independently, Morrissey said.

In all, 10 people made short presentations, telling their stories and promoting their ideas.

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Voting was conducted by the audience at the amphitheater and others watching online from home voted by text message.
WATERLOO  RAGBRAI riders looking for a yard to call their own as they stay overnight in Waterloo during RAGBRAI now have a place to connect with residents interested in hosting them. The Facebook group called Waterloo RAGBRAI Housing Match allows riders and hosts to publicly post accommodation requests.

Its just a new way to match housing, said Lindsay Pieters, marketing director for Experience Waterloo.

Staff with Experience Waterloo and the city of Waterloo also are offering several designated campsites. Exchange Park will be the main campsite for riders, and some large groups will be placed at Water Works Park and Sans Souci Islands.

Officials with the 48th annual RAGBRAI have veered away from connecting riders with hosts and this year are urging more private connections.

Some people may want to get away from the crowd and stay in someones yard, Pieters said.

Other towns along the RAGBRAI route are doing the same. Waterloos page currently has about 40 groups seeking a place to stay. They include people who have tents, those looking to plug in phones or a place to park their ride-along vehicles.

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About 15,000 riders have so far signed up for RAGBRAI this year.
DES MOINES  Iowa public colleges and government entities are prohibited from teaching so-called divisive concepts  including that moral character is determined by ones race or sex, or that the United States and Iowa are fundamentally or systematically racist  under legislation signed into law Tuesday by Gov. Kim Reynolds.

The legislation itself was a divisive concept: in large part, Republicans supported and Democrats opposed the proposal.

Critical Race Theory is about labels and stereotypes, not education. It teaches kids that we should judge others based on race, gender or sexual identity, rather than the content of someones character, Reynolds, a Republican, said in a statement. I am proud to have worked with the legislature to promote learning, not discriminatory indoctrination.

Democrats argued the legislation, House File 802 stifles schools control over their curriculum and threatens to squelch the teaching of and discussions over uncomfortable issues like racism.

We cant educate ourselves if we stifle ourselves  if we stifle our teachers, Rep. Ako Abdul-Samad, D-Des Moines, said during legislative debate in March.
Khloe Kardashian has reached a settlement with a designer who accused her of stealing her work.

The 'Keeping Up With the Kardashians' star and her clothing company Good American had been subjected to legal action from Los Angeles-based firm dbleudazzled, who were seeking $10 million damages after accusing the 36-year-old beauty of ripping off their bedazzled bodysuit designs.

However, according to documents obtained by RadarOnline.com, the firm have now informed the court they will no longer be pursuing their action as a confidential agreement has been reached.

As a result, on 4 May, the court was asked to officially close the cast.

dbleudazzled, which was founded by designer Destiney Bleu, had filed the lawsuit in May 2020, accusing Khloe and her team of borrowing several items to wear, but they claimed the reality star instead used the items as a basis for her Good American bodysuits.

The suit argued Khloe had "purchased and borrowed numerous pieces of Planitff's clothing, user the false pretense that the clothing items were for Kardashian's personal use.
Q: What is the website that features school salaries?

A: We found school salaries several years old at govsalaries.com. Many other websites appear to provide average salaries for various positions in different states. The Iowa Department of Education has some school staff salary information. Go to educateiowa.gov/document-type/staff-data. There are options to choose teachers, principals or superintendents. Salaries are available for superintendents by school district while averages are available for principals and teachers. The teacher database also includes other information like minimum and maximum salaries.

Q: Are any schools in our area teaching the 1619 curriculum?

A: The Courier previously reported that an East High School teacher was using the 1619 Project during the past year for some of his Black history lessons. Spokespeople for the Waterloo and Cedar Falls school districts didnt respond to an email asking if any other teachers or classes used the materials.

Q: Does UNI require their employees to be vaccinated for COVID-19?
In his own Facebook post, Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley said the cruise restart was helped greatly by the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccines.

Thanks in large part to the successful rollout of vaccines, the world of adventure is beginning to open up, and we are all excited to start delivering great vacations to our guests, who have increasingly told us they are getting vaccinated, he wrote. As of today, 90 percent of all vacationers booking with Royal Caribbean are either vaccinated or planning to get vaccinated in time for their cruise.

All crew members will be vaccinated against COVID-19. Guests are strongly recommended to set sail fully vaccinated, if they are eligible. Those who are unvaccinated or unable to show proof of vaccination will receive a test before boarding.

Vacationers sailing to Alaska and who are 16 years of age or older must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, and that mandate applies to those 12 years or older as of Aug. 1.

If departing from an international port, guests must meet the travel requirements of their home country and the country of departure. The most up-to-date policies can be found online on each countrys tourism site.
MOSCOW, June 8. /TASS/. US national Paul Whelan, sentenced for espionage against Russia, has reported slight health problems, in particular an allergic cough, but has no complaints about his jail conditions, Chairman of the Public Monitoring Commission of Mordovia, Valery Krutov, told TASS after visiting the prison where Whelan is an inmate. We visited the prison. He has no complaints, he did not express any wishes and shows understanding, he is also hoping that a meeting between the Russian and US presidents will bring about his release, through a swap and he will go home, Krutov said. He believes that this will happen, he even joked. There are certain health issues  his elbow hurts, and he has allergic cough, he added.Earlier, Whelan asked for a possibility to have an English-speaking medic. Now, there is an interpreter with him, a young man, he uses his help with the permission of the prison colony. He also spoke to us through the interpreter, Krutov explained.He said that Whelan works at a sewing workshop. He likes the job, things are okay with him, he is not tired out and understands quite well where he is. He has established relations with the administration and with the inmates, the chairman of the monitoring commission said. Krutov also specified that he would once again visit the prison in the last half of June.Former US marine Paul Whelan, who also holds British, Canadian, and Irish citizenship, was detained by the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) on December 28, 2018, in Moscow while on an alleged spy mission. The Moscow City Court found Whelan guilty of spying against Russia and sentenced him to 16 years in a high-security prison.
Lubbock, TX (79423)

Today

A few clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low near 70F. Winds SE at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

A few clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low near 70F. Winds SE at 10 to 20 mph.
The White House has launched a month-long blitz to combat vaccine hesitancy and a lack of urgency to get shots, particularly in the South and Midwest, but it is increasingly resigned to missing the presidents vaccination target. The administration insists that even if the goal isnt reached, it will have little effect on the overall U.S. recovery, which is already ahead of where Biden said it would be months ago.
Rising between the Coast Range and the Shasta-Lassen stretch of the Cascades in Northern California, the Trinities are a landscape of imposing alpines, lush forested valleys, serene glacial lakes, and cascading creeks.

Considered a remote and rugged wilderness, the Trinity Alps offer prepared hikers a natural wonderland that is often overshadowed by the nearby Cascades and Sierra Nevada Mountains. Managed under the Shasta-Trinity National Forest, a network of maintained trails ascend steep watersheds up the likes of Canyon Creek, Stuart Fork, Swift Creek and Coffee Creek, yielding access to picturesque lakes and alpine basins. Where trails end, countless adventures await fearless alpine ramblers among the 8,000- to 9,000-foot ridges.



To help you get acquainted with all that the Trinity Alps have to offer, here is a short list of some of our favorite hikes and backcountry excursions.

Before you visit, please note that some campgrounds are closed due to the August Complex wildfire. Find the latest official updates at fs.usda.gov.

(Photo by Jason Mandly)

Granite Lake and Seven Up Pass

The Red Trinities are a wonderland for botanists, geologists, photographers, and adventurers. The rocks here, stained red with deep mantle-sourced peridotite, contrast beautifully with the White Trinities that are found to the west of the Stuart Fork drainage. Another source of geologic contrast comes from the Gibson Peak pluton, a mass of granite and younger rocks that forcefully intruded right through the heart of the ancient ultramafic rocks that gives the Red Trinities their name. Read more.

PROS: Great views. Wildflowers. Further hiking options.

CONS: Popular destination.

REGION: Trinity Alps + Marble Mountain Wilderness, CA

CONGESTION: Moderate

PREFERABLE SEASON(S): Summer, Fall

DAY-USE/PARKING PASS REQUIRED: Not Required

TOTAL DISTANCE: 13.10 mile loop (21.08 km)

TRAILHEAD ELEV.: 4,060 ft (1,237 m)

NET ELEV. GAIN: 3,424 ft (1,044 m)

TRAIL USES: Hiking, Horseback

TRAIL TYPE: There-and-back/Loop

DOGS ALLOWED: Yes

(photo by Patrick Mueller)

Canyon Creek Lakes

The Canyon Creek watershed is the most popular destination for hiking and backpacking in the Trinity Alps. During the summer months more than five waterfalls can be seen or heard from the trail to the Canyon Creek Lakes. During late spring and early summer over 50 waterfalls can be found in this watershed, some of which require backcountry travel to observe. On calm days the lakes in this area become near perfect mirrors and reflect the surrounding peaks and clouds. Read more.

PROS: Stunning views. Abundant wildlife. Many backcountry sites. Great swimming spots.

CONS: High temperatures in the summer. Very popular location for large groups.

REGION: Trinity Alps + Marble Mountain Wilderness, CA

CONGESTION: Moderate

PREFERABLE SEASON(S): Spring, Summer, Fall

DAY-USE/PARKING PASS REQUIRED: Not Required

TOTAL DISTANCE: 17.00 mi (27.36 km)

TRAILHEAD ELEV.: 3,100 ft (945 m)

NET ELEV. GAIN: 3,500 ft (1,067 m)

TRAIL USES: Hiking, Horseback

TRAIL TYPE: There-and-back

DOGS ALLOWED: Yes

(photo by Patrick Mueller)

Boulder Creek Lakes

Boulder Creek Lakes lie within the Canyon Creek watershed. During the summer months many large waterfalls and excellent swimming holes lie adjacent to the trail and near many of the backcountry camp sites. Read more.

PROS: Stunning views. Multiple lakes. Many backcountry sites. Great for groups.

CONS: Little shade. Popular location for large groups. Steep scramble near the end.

REGION: Trinity Alps + Marble Mountain Wilderness, CA

CONGESTION: Moderate

PREFERABLE SEASON(S): Spring, Summer, Fall

DAY-USE/PARKING PASS REQUIRED: Not Required

TOTAL DISTANCE: 16.00 mi (25.75 km)

TRAILHEAD ELEV.: 3,100 ft (945 m)

NET ELEV. GAIN: 3,400 ft (1,036 m)

TRAIL USES: Hiking, Horseback

TRAIL TYPE: There-and-back

DOGS ALLOWED: Yes

(Photo by Patrick Mueller)

Emerald and Sapphire Lakes

Sapphire and Emerald Lakes are nestled comfortably among granite ridges in the heart of the Trinity Alps. The outflow from these bodies of water mark the beginning of the Stuart Fork Creek, which meanders through mountains and meadows until it enters Trinity Lake. Read more.

PROS: Beautiful meadows. Pristine alpine lakes. Wildflowers. Abundant wildlife.

CONS: Long trail. Crowded on holidays.

REGION: Trinity Alps + Marble Mountain Wilderness, CA

CONGESTION: Moderate

PREFERABLE SEASON(S): Summer, Fall

DAY-USE/PARKING PASS REQUIRED: Not Required

TOTAL DISTANCE: 26 mi (20.92 km)

TRAILHEAD ELEV.: 3,000 ft (914 m)

NET ELEV. GAIN: 2,800 ft (853 m)

TRAIL USES: Hiking, Horseback

TRAIL TYPE: There-and-back

DOGS ALLOWED: Yes

(Photo by Jason Mandly)

Stonewall Pass and Echo Lake

The Stoney Ridge Trail is one of the shorter options to get to the crest of the Red Trinities, but you're in for a relatively steep 4.5 miles to get to Stonewall Pass. Like many of the other passes in the Red Trinities, you'll be treated to amazing views of the surrounding mountains including the dramatic White Trinities that spring up on the western side of Stuart's Fork. If you want to keep hiking, Echo Lake is located another 1.5 miles past Stonewall Pass. Read more.

PROS: Great views. Wildflowers in summer.

CONS: Limited shade. Limited camping at the lake.

REGION: Trinity Alps + Marble Mountain Wilderness, CA

CONGESTION: Low

PREFERABLE SEASON(S): Spring, Summer, Fall

DAY-USE/PARKING PASS REQUIRED: Not Required

TOTAL DISTANCE: 12.00 mi (19.31 km)

TRAILHEAD ELEV.: 4,626 ft (1,410 m)

NET ELEV. GAIN: 2,743 ft (836 m)

TRAIL USES: Hiking

TRAIL TYPE: There-and-back

DOGS ALLOWED: Yes

(Photo by Patrick Mueller)

Lake Anna via Long Canyon

Lake Anna is a perfect backpacking destination if solitude is your goal. Though the lake is rather close to a very popular hiking trail in the Trinity Alps Wilderness, a very steep hillside dissuades most people from making it to this hidden gem. Some may spend a day hiking to this lake, but few actually backpack to it. Read more.

PROS: Solitude. Abundant wildflowers. Great views. Pristine lake.

CONS: Off-trail section. Very steep climb.

REGION: Trinity Alps + Marble Mountain Wilderness, CA

CONGESTION: Low

PREFERABLE SEASON(S): Summer, Fall

DAY-USE/PARKING PASS REQUIRED: Not Required

TOTAL DISTANCE: 11.00 mi (17.70 km)

TRAILHEAD ELEV.: 3,680 ft (1,122 m)

NET ELEV. GAIN: 3,880 ft (1,183 m)

TRAIL USES: Hiking

TRAIL TYPE: There-and-back

DOGS ALLOWED: Yes

(Photo by Jason Mandly)

Four Lakes Loop via Long Canyon

The heavily forested west side of the alps form the Green Trinities, and the rugged granite peaks in the heart of the range make up the White Trinities. This trip takes you to the crest of the eastern portion of the Trinity Alps: the peridotite-stained Red Trinities. Read more.

PROS: Lightly visited. Big views. Summer wildflowers. Swimming.

CONS: Strenuous. Dirt road approach.

REGION: Trinity Alps + Marble Mountain Wilderness, CA

CONGESTION: Low

PREFERABLE SEASON(S): Summer, Fall

DAY-USE/PARKING PASS REQUIRED: Not Required

TOTAL DISTANCE: 17.20 mi (27.68 km)

TRAILHEAD ELEV.: 3,760 ft (1,146 m)

NET ELEV. GAIN: 4,000 ft (1,219 m)

TRAIL USES: Hiking, Horseback

TRAIL TYPE: There-and-back/Loop

DOGS ALLOWED: Yes

(Photo by Jason Mandly)

Bear Lakes

There are several Big Bear Lakes in California, and even more spread across the Western U.S. When there's a Big Bear Lake, there's usually a Little Bear Lake nearby, and the Bear Lakes Basin in the Trinity Alps Wilderness is no exception. Wee Bear Lake lives up to its appellation and adds unique scenery and opportunities to the Trinity Alps version of the Three Bears. Read more.

PROS: Great views. Wildflowers. Meadows.

CONS: Limited camping spots.

REGION: Trinity Alps + Marble Mountain Wilderness, CA

CONGESTION: Low

PREFERABLE SEASON(S): Spring, Summer, Fall

DAY-USE/PARKING PASS REQUIRED: Not Required

TOTAL DISTANCE: 9.20 mi (14.81 km)

TRAILHEAD ELEV.: 3,020 ft (920 m)

NET ELEV. GAIN: 2,850 ft (869 m)

TRAIL USES: Hiking, Horseback

TRAIL TYPE: There-and-back

DOGS ALLOWED: Yes

(Photo by Jason Mandly)

Deadfall Lakes and Mount Eddy

The Trinity Divide is the easternmost subrange of the Klamath Mountains. It is a hydrologic divide, as the western slopes drain into the Trinity and Klamath Rivers and the eastern slopes drain into the Sacramento River system. The highest point in this subrange is the modest Mount Eddy. At 9,026 feet high, Mount Eddy happens to be the highest peak in the contiguous U.S. west of Interstate 5 and is one of nine ultra-prominent peaks in California. Although the view of the peak is not as striking compared to the nearby Trinity Alps or neighboring Mount Shasta, the view from the peak is truly phenomenal. Read more.

PROS: 360-degree views. Wildflowers. PCT access.

CONS: Wet areas near the beginning.

REGION: Trinity Alps + Marble Mountain Wilderness, CA

CONGESTION: Moderate

PREFERABLE SEASON(S): Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall

DAY-USE/PARKING PASS REQUIRED: Not Required

TOTAL DISTANCE: 8.00 mi (12.87 km)

TRAILHEAD ELEV.: 6,472 ft (1,973 m)

NET ELEV. GAIN: 2,554 ft (778 m)

TRAIL USES: Hiking

TRAIL TYPE: There-and-back

DOGS ALLOWED: Yes
In the majority of families caring for an older adult, the bulk of the care does fall on one person's shoulders. Research suggests that different families use different rationales for determining which person that is. In many, according to studies by Cornell University sociologist Karl Pillemer, it is the youngest or oldest daughter. In others, it is simply the person who lives closest and/or has the most available time to pitch in. Some families choose the adult child who received the most financial support from the parents in the past and owes them care now. With some cultures, it is the oldest son's wife who is expected to care for her in-laws.

Regardless of the method by which the primary caregiver is chosen, if she is required to make too many sacrifices while others contribute little, then she may become tired and resentful. Feeling used may even make her feel embittered and lead her to angrily confronting family members she thinks are manipulating her. How can these primary caregivers not be or feel used? Here are some ideas.

Don't expect equity

Caregiving families are not rowing teams in which each member pulls hard on the oars to propel the boat forward. They are often more like canoes in which one person paddles and the others enjoy the scenery. That primary caregiver, sweat pouring down her brow, may feel this is unfair. But everyone knows she won't put down her paddle and let the boat drift toward the rocks.

Make small, direct asks

It is not a good idea to run headlong into the family resistance you are likely to face if you call a family meeting to air your complaints and demand greater justice. It is more effective to go to family members individually, ideally in person, with small requests for help. For instance, Carol can ask her oldest sister to take Mom to the doctor because she has a big work deadline to meet. She can ask an aunt to pick up groceries. It is harder for family members to say no when the task is easily doable, and Carol looks them beseechingly in the eye. The end result may be that a new pattern is set in which previously absent relatives become accustomed to pitching in.

Talk with the care receiver

Sometimes family members justify their lack of involvement by saying the care receiver only wants to be helped by the primary caregiver. This is usually true; care receivers do play favorites with caregiving tasks, such as bathing, with those they most trust. But the primary caregiver can still talk with the care receiver about getting other family members involved. For example, Carol can tell her mother that she knows she is most comfortable having Carol by her side but that her other daughters want to play their parts. If Mom gives her blessing to this notion  and directly asks her other daughters to assist her  then they probably won't continue passing the buck to Carol.

Feeling ill used or well used

In psychology, we say that if you can't change the situation, then change your reaction to it. If Carol's family members refuse to change, then it is wise for her to try to stop feeling like the victim and look toward the gratifications of her essential role. Perhaps her sisters will be wracked with guilt one day that they didn't do more for Mom before she died; perhaps not. Carol will know she did her best to do what she thought was right.
Erika Doss/ABC; Sonja Flemming/CBS

Did anything get made for TV during the pandemic? The answer is that some shows managed to pull off production, but not as many as we're used to. The bad news? A fall TV season that isn't a marquee-grabber. The good news? You won't be overwhelmed by what to watch. Whet your appetite for what's to come with our first look at the fall 2021 TV season (and keep an eye on this space for updates).

Dick Wolf will own three whole nights of network TV this season

Already a long-running procedural TV hitmaker who created the Law & Order franchise in 1990, producer Dick Wolf is behind three (yes, three) new shows in the fall that fill in a remarkable wall of Wolf programming over three nights. The highlights:

NBC will add Law & Order: For the Defense, the eighth variation of the series, to kick off Thursday night programming that will also include the 23rd season of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and the sophomore season of Law & Order: Organized Crime.

On CBS, Wolf's new FBI: International, set in Prague, will be sandwiched between the established Wolf programs FBI and FBI: Most Wanted on Tuesday nights.

That will make three consecutive nights of all-Wolf shows with Wednesday's returning Windy City series, Chicago Med, Chicago Fire, and Chicago P.D.  totaling an astonishing nine hours of Dick Wolf productions on network TV this fall.


Carpentaria-1 Operations Update

Sydney, June 9, 2021 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Empire Energy Group Limited ( ASX:EEG ) ( OTCMKTS:EEGUF ) is pleased to announce the safe and successful placement of four hydraulic fracture stimulation stages in its Carpentaria-1 well where four 'stacked' shale targets within the Velkerri Formation are in the process of being evaluated.Carpentaria-1 is in Empire's wholly owned and operated EP187 permit located in the Beetaloo Sub-basin, Northern Territory.Vertical fracture stimulation stages were successfully placed in the A Shale, Intra A/B Shale, B Shale and C Shale of the middle Velkerri Formation over a five-day period. A fracture stimulation was carried out in each target shale zone, with the amount of proppant placed shown in the table below. The proppant is placed into the induced fractures to promote hydrocarbon flow.Stage 1 - A Shale - 305,000 poundsStage 2 - Intra A/B - 252,000 poundsStage 3 - B Shale - 375,000 poundsStage 4 - C Shale - 454,000 poundsInitial flow-back of fluids pumped into the C Shale commenced last night. During the very first hours of flow-back, gas was detected at surface.The next phase of operations will be to mill out the bridge plugs set between each stage and clean out the wellbore. Flow-back operations for all four zones will then commence.Extended production testing will take place after flow-back, with samples taken to determine gas, liquids and water yields from each of the stimulated stages. Wireline logging will also be carried out to assess the induced fracture height in each stage.This data is important for the interpretation of each shale unit's hydrocarbon productivity and understanding of rock properties. Furthermore, the dataset will aid Empire's design and location optimisation for fracture stimulated horizontal appraisal drilling planned for later this year. The horizontal drilling program will be funded from existing cash at bank.Empire will continue to update shareholders as Carpentaria-1 flow-back and extended production testing progresses in the coming weeks.To view images, please visit:About Empire Energy Group Ltd

Empire Energy (ASX:EEG) (OTCMKTS:EEGUF) holds over 14.5 million acres of highly prospective exploration tenements in the McArthur and Beetaloo Basins, Northern Territory. Work undertaken by the Company since 2010 demonstrates that the Eastern depositional Trough of the McArthur Basin, of which the Company holds 80% has very considerable conventional and unconventional hydrocarbon potential. The Beetaloo sub-Basin, in which Empire holds a substantial position, has independently assessed world class hydrocarbon volumes in place with a major ramp up in industry activity underway to appraise substantial discoveries already made by major Australian oil and gas operators.

Empire Energy is an experienced conventional oil and gas producer with operations in the Appalachia region (New York and Pennsylvania). Empire has been successfully developing and producing oil and gas since 2006.
After 16 months of pandemic, it makes sense that people ... are concerned about their safety and who theyre coming into contact with, Kirzinger said. Were getting used to asking our friends and family members and each other if theyre vaccinated, so it makes sense that individuals would also be asking that of their health care providers.
We wanted people to see that we have employees working here and wanted to make sure that folks are patient, Michael Mills said. These kids have chosen to come to work, and were in their court. We thought we needed to say something, because normally we take pride in our service and if we had the staffing we want, there wouldnt be any issue. But when you have two employees doing the work of six or seven, things will be a little slower.
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The former Megadeth bassist has filed police report and charges against the person who leaked his sex tape that led to allegations suggesting he groomed an underage fan.

Jun 9, 2021

AceShowbiz - Megadeth bass player David Ellefson has officially filed charges against the person who leaked video online of his sexual interactions with a fan.

The rocker, who was recently fired by the band as the drama unfolded, has also confessed to "sexting" with a Dutch teenager, who had captured video of their encounters without his consent, according to a police report.

The clips eventually surfaced online with accusations that the bassist had been grooming an underage fan. Ellefson is now pursuing charges against the person who leaked the video online, not the teenager.

According to Rolling Stone, he has taken a polygraph test and told police officials in Scottsdale, Arizona he first met the woman at the centre of the drama when he was signing autographs at a 2019 gig in Holland.

His report suggests the pair struck up a friendship and "continued chatting through social media" before agreeing to meet in the Netherlands at a hotel lobby in February 2020.

Ellefson insists "there was no physical contact" and he and the teenager "just had a conversation."

"He stated there has never been any sexual physical contact between the two," the report continues.

They continued chatting over social media and their interactions turned sexual over the summer (20) when they each started to masturbate in front of each other using Facebook Messenger.

"He stated they had about four to five masturbating encounters," the report reads. "The last online sexual encounter was around February, 2021. (Ellefson's partner) admitted to Mr. Ellefson that she had recorded two to three videos of him masturbating without his consent or knowledge."

At that point, Ellefson reportedly told Megadeth's management the person who leaked the video had called him "a pedophile."

"He was advised by management to not do anything and sit tight because it would probably blow over,' " the report continues. "Management advised him they would have their lawyer team investigate it."

Shortly afterwards, the Instagram user posted video of Ellefson masturbating.

Meanwhile, Ellefson's Dutch friend admitted she had shared the video with some friends but had no idea how the footage was leaked.

"She was remorseful and agreed to send out a social media statement on her Instagram account that she had been a willing consenting adult during their mutual virtual sexual encounter," Ellefson's police report. She posted her statement on 10 May (21), insisting the allegations of grooming were false.

Megadeth fired the bass player four days later.
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Baby Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor makes her debut in 'The Bench', the children's book penned by the Duchess of Sussex and inspired by Prince Harry's bond with son Archie.

Jun 9, 2021

AceShowbiz - Meghan, Duchess of Sussex's debut children's book, "The Bench", features a nod to her newborn daughter.

The former actress and her husband Prince Harry welcomed Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor on 4 June (21), with the couple calling the new arrival "more than we could have ever imagined."

Just days after giving birth, Meghan released her first-ever book on Tuesday (08Jun21), and in one of the illustrations by California-based artist Christian Robinson, the tot - known as Lili - is shown being cradled in her mother's arms.

According to Meghan, she was inspired by a poem she wrote for her husband on Father's Day 2019, a month after their son Archie was born, with the tome exploring the "special bond between father and son" as "seen through a mother's eyes."

The book features an illustration of Harry and Archie, sitting on a bench feeding the family's rescue chickens, which are housed at their mansion in Montecito, California.

And she has dedicated the publication to Harry and Archie, writing in the inscription, "For the man and the boy who make my heart go pump-pump."

The couple previously thanked fans for their support and well wishes after the baby's arrival.

In a statement posted on their Archewell website, they wrote, "She is more than we could have ever imagined, and we remain grateful for the love and prayers we've felt from across the globe. Thank you for your continued kindness and support during this very special time for our family."
NBC TV

The television mogul and music producer has signed a multi-million dollar deal for a show featuring the 'AGT' winner and performers in the Sin City this year.

Jun 9, 2021

AceShowbiz - Simon Cowell is planning a Las Vegas show based on "America's Got Talent".

The 61-year-old star has reportedly penned a deal worth $14 million (10 million) a year with the Luxor Hotel for an upcoming residency featuring the winner from this year's series of "AGT", along with other performers.

"We open America's Got Talent in Vegas at the Luxor this year," he told Britain's Daily Mirror newspaper. "And Vegas and Got Talent is where they want to end up."

"We had a fantastic conversation with MGM who own the Luxor. And we agreed to do it, so it happens this year."

A more formal announcement is expected to be made next month (Jul21), and it's likely stars from "Britain's Got Talent" will also join the show in the future.

Although the winner of the U.S. show has performed in Sin City as part of their prize, the new project is seen as a much bigger deal.

"The market for the AGT acts in Vegas has been successful," an insider added to the publication. "So it is no surprise that Simon is taking the next step."

"The market there is growing and the show is the U.S.'s top prime-time show. On top of that he can use his show to promote these stars. This could work out really well in the short and long term. And of course an added bonus is that Simon could introduce British acts from BGT there by having them in as special guests."

It's said the media mogul has been "working on this deal" since 2018 although the pandemic stalled the project last year.

"This is one of his smartest business moves ever. He has been working on this deal for three years, but Covid impacted the 2020 plan," the source added.

"Now, with investors and MGM's support, there is a huge feeling this will be one of the big shows that will really bring Vegas back bigger and better."
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The 'Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt' star has received support from her famous friends including Yvette Nicole Brown and Angela Kinsey after she apologized for taking part in Veiled Prophet Ball.

Jun 9, 2021

AceShowbiz - Actress Ellie Kemper's celebrity friends have jumped to her defence after she apologised for taking part in the 1999 Veiled Prophet Ball in her native Missouri, when she was 19.

The "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" star was targeted online last week (ends04Jun21) when it was discovered she was crowned the Queen of Love and Beauty at the debutante ball, linked to white supremacy organisations and founded by wealthy white elites in 1878.

Addressing the controversy on social media on Monday (07Jun21), she insisted she had no idea about the event's links to racist and sexist groups at the time, stating, "The century-old organization that hosted the debutante ball had an unquestionably racist, sexist, and elitist past. I was not aware of this history at the time, but ignorance is no excuse. I was old enough to have educated myself before getting involved."

She went on to apologise to "the people I've disappointed," adding, "I promise that moving forward I will listen, continue to educate myself, and use my privilege in support of the better society I think we're capable of becoming."

Her sincere apology impressed her African-American "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" co-star Tituss Burgess, who took to social media on Tuesday and wrote, "I love my Ellie... Oh, & P.S. Next time, just ask me, I'll tell ya what to do."

She also received support from her "The Office" castmates Mindy Kaling and Angela Kinsey, while Alec Baldwin wrote, "You are understood and loved," and Yvette Nicole Brown added, "Thank you for taking the time to apologize, Ellie. And for realizing that though you didn't know about the white supremacy origins of the organization, fans of yours - who are still affected by the myth of white supremacy to this day - needed to hear that you realize it was hurtful for us to learn about it all and that you are sorry that you took part."
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While insisting she dealt with it to the best of her ability at the time, the 'Frida' actress admits to questioning herself why she didn't expose the disgraced producer.

Jun 9, 2021

AceShowbiz - Salma Hayek is still conflicted about her private battles with filmmaker Harvey Weinstein, wondering why she never went public with her concerns about the man.

She claims Weinstein sexually harassed her while she was making "Frida" for his production company, but she was too afraid to speak out.

Now she wonders if those who became victims of the convicted sexual predator would have been spared if she spoke out.

"Some people got raped. It makes you wonder if you had said something, would it have been different? How come I didn't have the courage?" she quizzes herself in the new issue of InStyle.

"I dealt with it to the best of my ability at the time."

Salma first detailed Weinstein's harassment in a 2017 New York Times essay, revealing he lost his famous temper when she refused to shower with him or let him perform oral sex on her. She also refused to appear nude in a sex scene with Ashley Judd in "Frida".

"For me Frida was a political statement, a social statement, a feminist statement," Hayek adds. "It was my way of screaming. And Harvey used my way of screaming to repress me even more. So I could not let him win."

After she turned down his advances, angry Weinstein attempted to sabotage the film, threatening to take the project away from Hayek.

Harvey's bullish behaviour and his treatment of women came to light in 2017 thanks to a New York Times expose researched and written by Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey and a New Yorker piece penned by Ronan Farrow.

The articles prompted dozens of women to come forward with allegations of sexual misconduct against Weinstein, who was quickly fired as a board member at his own production company.

Last year (20), Weinstein was found guilty of rape and he is currently serving a 23-year prison sentence in New York. He still faces more allegations in Los Angeles.
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The 'Man from U.N.C.L.E.' actor has reportedly checked into an in-patient facility in Orlando for drug, alcohol and sex issues amid sexual abuse allegations against him.

Jun 9, 2021

AceShowbiz - Armie Hammer is taking a concrete action to get better after being plagued with cannibalism scandal and sexual abuse allegations. The actor has reportedly checked into rehab in Florida to get treatment for several addiction issues.

The "Call Me by Your Name" star, who had been staying in the Cayman Islands since March, reportedly departed from the Grand Cayman airport on Saturday, May 29 and checked himself into an in-patient facility outside of Orlando on May 31. He has been staying there since then and has agreed to stay as long as it takes to get healthy, according to Vanity Fair which first reported the news.

Armie seeks treatment for drug, alcohol and sex issues, said three sources. His estranged wife Elizabeth Chambers and family are said to be supportive of his decision. The 34-year-old actor allegedly informed Elizabeth about his plan to seek treatment in late May and she, along with their kids, even dropped him off at the facility.

"Elizabeth and kids dropp[ed] him off and walk[ed] in as far as allowed," one of the sources said of the family's emotional farewell. "A lot of hugs and seemed emotional."

A so-called close friend of Armie is optimistic that it's a start for his change for the better. "This is a clear sign that he is taking back control [of] his life and knows that this [is] a step towards his overall well being," the friend said.

The friend added, "Everyone looks at Armie thinking that he's had some sort of privileged life-and that must mean there were no problems in his youth and everything was peachy keen. But that's not necessarily the way things go." The same source explained, "Just because you come from an upbringing where financial resources are plentiful doesn't mean life isn't without problems."

While neither Armie's lawyer nor Elizabeth has responded to requests for comment on the report, a friend of the Hammer family confirmed that the great-grandson of oil tycoon Armand Hammer is "committed to getting healthy and having custody of his kids."

Armie's career and image has gone through a downfall after his alleged DMs, in which he described his sexual fantasies including cannibalism, were leaked in January of this year. Since then, multiple women came forward with sexual abuse allegations against him. In March, the Los Angeles Police Department confirmed the actor was the subject of a sexual assault investigation.
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The 'Black in Blood' rapper, whose real name is Lontrell Williams, has been arrested on an aggravated battery charge for allegedly shooting a club security guard in the leg.

Jun 9, 2021

AceShowbiz - Pooh Shiesty has surrendered to police in Miami-Dade, Florida. After officials issued a warrant for his arrest in relation to a shooting in a club last month, the "Black in Blood" rapper finally turned himself in.

The 21-year-old MC, whose real name is Lontrell Williams, was booked into Miami-Dade County jail on aggravated battery charge around 2.00 P.M. on Tuesday, June 8. TMZ further reported that police were called to the King of Diamonds nightclub on May 30 around 4 A.M. for a reported shooting.

Shiesty was allegedly being escorted out of the club by several security guards around 4 A.M. after they were caught in an altercation. Security manager reportedly told cops that they were arguing about money.

Shiesty allegedly shot one of the security guards in the right ankle, prompting the latter to be rushed to a hospital. The "Welcome to the Riches" spitter, however, was said to have left the scene when police arrived there.

The shooting reportedly took place after Shiesty was robbed for $40,000 while he was performing at the King of Diamonds nightclub. A video surfacing online saw him standing close to the edge of the stage in front of a packed crowd while someone made it rain a stack of cash in each of his pants' side pockets.

Later in a video which apparently was shared by Shiesty himself, he could be seen bragging about scaring away people by firing his gun. The footage also saw people trying to leave the club. The caption of the clip read, "Me start shooting [smiling face with tears emojis] Look at all dem cowards a** Mfs running."

Shiesty, however, shut down the speculations suggesting that he was robbed at the club. In an Instagram Story, he said, "False allegations nothing ever been took from me."
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Words are the Duke and Duchess of Sussex 'couldn't wait to share that their daughter arrived' as soon as they returned home from Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital, where she gave birth to their second child.

Jun 9, 2021

AceShowbiz - Prince Harry and Meghan Markle don't make distance a reason for them to not be able to share the joy of welcoming their second child. Despite being thousands of miles apart, the couple has reportedly introduced their newborn daughter to Queen Elizabeth, who lives across the pond.

Not long after she was born on Friday, June 4, Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor had a very important engagement to attend with her namesake, according to PEOPLE. The meeting reportedly happened via video call, as the proud parents "were very excited and couldn't wait to share that their daughter arrived" as soon as they returned from Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital, where Meghan gave birth to their second child.

After a reported growing tension between Harry and his family due to his and Meghan's interview with Oprah Winfrey earlier this year, the arrival of their daughter may help reattach the bond between them. It is said that Harry and Meghan will likely bring their children to Sandringham to meet the rest of the royal family this Christmas holiday, if COVID-19 restrictions permitting.

The Sussexes will likely also return to the U.K. In June 2022 for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations, which will mark her historic 70 years on the throne. Before then, Harry, who is now taking a five-month paternity leave following the birth of his daughter, is expected to make a solo trip to London for the July 1 unveiling of the Kensington Palace statue in honor of his mother.

Harry previously revealed that his grandparents, including his grandfather Prince Philip who died in April, kept in touch with him and his growing family via Zoom calls. "They've seen Archie running around," he told "The Late Late Show" host James Corden back in February.
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The former 'Good Morning Britain' presenter claims that he has some parenting tips to share when he criticizes the 'Gone Girl' actress' baby-holding technique.

Jun 9, 2021

AceShowbiz - Emily Ratajkowski has received many fierce criticisms and comments, one of which was from Piers Morgan, for the way she holds her son Sylvester Apollo Bear. After her photo went viral on the internet, the "Gone Girl" beauty has gotten called out publicly by the outspoken journalist for her baby-holding technique.

"That's not how you hold a baby @emrata," the father of four insisted in a tweet he posted on Monday, June 7. Alongside the image of the 30-year-old model holding her 3-month-old son Sylvester with one arm, the 56-year-old continued, "And your millions of followers shouldn't be encouraged to do the same. Happy to give you some tips if you need them."

Emily, who has 26.7 million followers on Instagram, shared a series of photos with her son Sylvester a day before her 30th birthday with the caption that read, "Bday eve with the dream vacation partner." In the photo, she donned a matching orange patterned swimwear with her baby boy. The first two photos showed her holding her son with one arm, but the following snaps featured her holding and hugging him with both arms.

The former "Good Morning Britain" presenter's comment has since been flooded with mixed reactions. Some people agreed with his criticism, while others defended Emily. Echoing the TV personality's remark, a Twitter user suggested that the "We Are Your Friends" actress "gets advice from a qualified midwife on holding any baby," adding, "She will find that even in this day and age supporting the baby's head is essential to the health and safety of any young baby."

In the meantime, other users pushed back against Piers' remarks. One person said, "What a world we live in. Moving onto parent shaming now? Why do we have such an obsession on 'how bad' other people are doing with their lives. Here's a novel idea How about we focus on our own?"

Nicola Keaney, the deputy head of trends on Twitter, commented on Piers' statement, writing, "Imagine mansplaining to a new mother how she should hold the child that came out of her. He's tagged her to get a reaction to amplify his ailing profile. Not long now till he's doing 118 adverts" The "Piers Morgan's Life Stories" star then responded, "If she chooses to use her baby as a prop to promote [herself] to 27 million people on Instagram, and she's holding that baby in a dangerous way, it's actually the duty of any caring human being to tell her so the baby comes to no harm."

Piers Morgan replied back Nicola Keany on Emily Ratajkowski's baby-holding technique.

Emily welcomed her son with her husband Sebastian Bear-McClard on March 8 this year. At the time, she announced the exciting news on her Instagram page, writing, "Sylvester Apollo Bear has joined us earth side. Sly arrived 3/8/21 on the most surreal, beautiful, and love-filled morning of my life."
As you could probably guess by the name, the Plant Butcher station offers a collection of freshly tossed salads. Nona Ethels Chop ($10.50) features a wild assortment of toppings atop a mound of kale, including charred mortadella and crispy chickpeas. This one didnt quite work for me, but other options look promising. You can also get juices here, many of which are named after Chicago L lines.
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The former Eight Trey Gangster Crips member-turned-motivational speaker, who was also known as Monster Kody, reportedly died at the age of 57, but the cause of death has yet to be revealed.

Jun 9, 2021

AceShowbiz - Vince Staples and Glasses Malone are mourning the death of Sanyika Shakur a.k.a Monster Cody. After it was revealed that the former Eight Trey Gangster Crips member-turned-motivational speaker died at the age of 57, the two rappers took to social media to offer tributes to him.

Making use of Twitter on Tuesday, June 8, the "Norf Norf" spitter shared a photo of Shakur with a message that read, "Rest In Peace." The 41-year-old MC, meanwhile, penned on his own Twitter page, "damn cuh.... r.i.p monster kody."

Vince Staples and Glasses Malone paid tributes to Sanyika Shakur in the wake of his passing.

No further information about Shakur's death is available. The cause of his death has yet to be revealed as well.

Shakur joined the Los Angeles gang in the mid-1970s when he was still 13 years old. He earned the name Monster after beating up a robbery victim when he was still at that age. At that time, he was under the mentorship of Tookie Williams.

Shakur's street life eventually led him to get arrested in the 1980s. It was the turning point for the late author as he decided to join the Republic of New Afrika movement and changed his name to Saniyka Shakur.

Shakur documented his life in a memoir called "Monster: The Autobiography of an L.A. Gang Member." In the book, he wrote, "I was a criminal. I became a revolutionary. And people expected me to commit class suicide as a successful writer and become a noted author, and to me, I didn't want to go that way. I didn't want to be the go to guy when they said, 'What about gangs?' Because that's not what it's about."

Shakur, whose real name was Kody Dejohn Scott, also befriended Tupac Shakur in the 1990s. He then maintained a close relationship with the "Changes" rapper until he passed away in September 1996.
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The 'America's Got Talent' judge discusses his longtime struggles with anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorder and admits pandemic is triggering for his mental health.

Jun 10, 2021

AceShowbiz - "America's Got Talent" judge Howie Mandel has compared his lifelong battle with severe anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorder to "living in a nightmare."

The 65-year-old opened up on his daily struggle with mental health in a cover interview for People magazine, explaining he's been experiencing symptoms of his OCD - repetitive and intrusive thoughts and fixations, often brought on by his debilitating fear of germs - since he was a child.

"I'm living in a nightmare," Mandel explains. "I try to anchor myself. I have a beautiful family and I love what I do. But at the same time, I can fall into a dark depression I can't get out of."

The former "Deal or No Deal" star, who has three children with his wife Terry, found the pandemic especially triggering for his mental health.

"There isn't a waking moment of my life when 'we could die' doesn't come into my psyche," he says. "But the solace I would get would be the fact that everybody around me was okay. It's good to latch onto okay. But (during the pandemic) the whole world was not okay. And it was absolute hell."

However, Mandel explained humour is a great way to get him through the darker moments of his conditions.

"If I'm not laughing, then I'm crying," he continues. "And I still haven't been that open about how dark and ugly it really gets."

"Comedy saved me in a way. I'm most comfortable onstage. And when I don't have anything to do, I turn inward - and that's not good."

The Canadian entertainer didn't go public about his conditions until 2006, and today still battles bouts of extreme depression, and a lack of understanding, something he hopes him being open will change.

"People see inconsistencies, especially in the media," he says. " 'Oh he hugged someone' or 'he shook someone's hand.' I can shake your hand. But then I'd think I didn't wash it well enough. And I'd go back and forth in a loop washing my hands for hours. I understand the funny in that. But it doesn't mean it isn't incredibly painful. And I don't want to defend my mental health. I just want to maintain it."
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The Duke and Duchess of Sussex hit BBC with a legal warning following 'false and defamatory' reporting regarding the name of their daughter Lilibet Diana.

Jun 10, 2021

AceShowbiz - Lawyers for Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex have fired off a legal warning to BBC bosses over "false and defamatory" reporting regarding the name of their newborn daughter.

The British royals welcomed their second child on 4 June (21) and revealed they had chosen the name Lilibet Diana for the tot in honour of Harry's grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, and his late mum, Diana, Princess of Wales.

A number of initial reports suggested the new parents had reached out to the monarch prior to the baby's birth to seek her approval in using her family nickname for their little girl but, on Wednesday (09Jun21), the BBC's long-time royal correspondent Jonny Dymond claimed that wasn't the case, citing a "palace source" in his news piece.

However, he then went on to quote a statement issued by a representative for the Duke and Duchess, explaining, "The Duke spoke with his family in advance of the announcement - in fact his grandmother was the first family member he called."

"During that conversation, he shared their hope of naming their daughter Lilibet in her honour. Had she not been supportive, they would not have used the name."

As the report was picked up by other outlets, Harry and Meghan had lawyers at London-based firm Schillings threaten legal action against BBC officials, blasting their claims as "false and defamatory," reports Variety.

The news emerges just weeks after former BBC broadcaster Martin Bashir came under fire for using deceptive tactics to land his controversial TV interview with Princess Diana back in 1995, following an independent inquiry into the conduct of the reporter and his network chiefs.

BBC bosses and Bashir apologised for their actions, and Prince Harry subsequently suggested 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.

Harry and Meghan, who stepped down as senior royals and relocated to the Duchess' native California last year (20), previously went to war with officials at Associated Newspapers, the publisher of the Mail on Sunday and sister website MailOnline, successfully suing them for invasion of privacy after the 2019 publication of excerpts of a private letter the former actress wrote to her estranged father, Thomas Markle, in August 2018.
The magic of chemistry struck Mahfuza Ali, PhD, a corporate scientist at the 3M Materials Resource Division in St. Paul, MN. While in secondary school, she watched her chemistry teacher combine two chemicals to produce something new. It was like magic happening in front of my eyes, she tells us. I kept asking him, How did this happen? Can you show me? Thats how this all started.

I was always interested in science even at 4 or 5 years old, I was always curious.

Today, Ali holds more than 60 issued and pending patents that cover a large variety of product applications in multiple markets and is widely recognized in the global 3M technical community for technology and product development contributions across many business units.

She invented and developed a novel Quaternary Ammonium Materials Technology Platform that has generated several highly successful commercialized products for 3M, including antistatic polarizer films used for laptops and TVs, ink-receptive films used for printing durable, brighter images and antimicrobial coatings.

For her efforts, she has received many prestigious 3M Corporate Honors, and recently added additional recognition as the top industrial chemist as recognized by the American Chemical Society with its 2020 Industrial Chemistry Award. Its been 10 years since a 3M scientist won the ACS Industrial award, she says. Im very happy about this recognition from the worlds largest professional chemical and engineering society.
YUBA COUNTY, Calif. - Firefighters are at the scene of a vegetation fire that has destroyed at least one structure, CAL FIRE Nevada Yuba Placer Unit said.

The Intanko Fre has burned at least 900 acres as it has been pushed by winds. Crews have contained 50% of the fire, CAL FIRE said.

CAL FIRE said multiple structures are threatened in the area of Intanko Lane and Kapaka Lane in Wheatland.

The fire was moving north in the direction of Chuck Yeager Road.

The fire is burning north of Camp Far West Lake, the sheriff's office said.

Multiple resources are on the scene, including air support and a dozer cutting a line around the fire, CAL FIRE NEU said.

Yuba County Sheriffs Department said evacuation warnings were lifted for all zones affected Tuesday.

Click here for more information about where these locations are.

The Beale Air Force Base said all residents east of East Garryanna must evacuate to the base gym. The base temporarily closed the Vassar Lake Gate.

As of Wednesday morning, deputies said AFB personnel should ask base commands for more information about instructions and conditions on the base.

A temporary evacuation center is open at the Wheatland Community Center.

Large animals and livestock can be evacuated to the Yuba County Possee arena at 5396 Marysville Road in Browns Valley.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP)  California's workplace regulators are set to again reconsider controversial pandemic masking rules. They've hastily set a special meeting Wednesday night.

The move comes after the state's health officer sent a letter to the California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board reiterating that the state plans to do away with virtually all masking and social distancing requirements for vaccinated people starting June 15.

That conflicts with the board's decision allowing workers to go maskless only if every employee in a room is fully vaccinated.

The board could withdraw its new rules. But it can't adopt new changes without giving at least five days' notice.
SANTA ROSA, Calif. (AP)  Authorities rescued a man who said he had been trapped for two days inside a large fan at a Northern California vineyard.

The Sonoma County Sheriff's Office says the man was found Tuesday at a vineyard in Santa Rosa by a sheriff's deputy responding to a call about a suspicious vehicle.

Firefighters rescued the 38-year-old man, who told the authorities he likes to take pictures of engines of old farm equipment.

The office says the deputy found methamphetamine but no camera equipment. The man required medical treatment but is expected to make a full recovery.
Update Wednesday 4:06 p.m. - Glenn County Sheriff's Office has identified the person who was shot dead Tuesday night in the Orland area.

The victim was 40-year-old Rafael Vargas Chavez from Corning, deputies said.

Chavez was visiting a relative at the residence on County Road 20 around 8 p.m. Tuesday.

Deputies said multiple people who have not been identified came onto the property and an altercation ensued before Chavez was shot.

Chavez was found by deputies at a residence nearby after he attempted to leave the scene on foot.

Authorities are investigating the incident as intentional homicide.

The Glenn County Investigative Task Force is investigating the incident.

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ORLAND, Calif. - Glenn County Sheriff's Investigators confirmed that an adult male was shot and killed just south of Orland Tuesday night.

The scene is located on Road M and County Road 20, about a mile south of the city near Interstate 5.

When deputies arrived on the scene, they found a male on the ground next to a residence on County Road M and next to a marijuana grow.

Road 20 was blocked off and a helicopter flew overhead with its light on, looking for the suspect.

Deputies treated the victim as medics arrived. Medics attempted to resuscitate the man but pronounced him dead at the scene.

Authorities said they are still searching for the suspect.

The investigation is ongoing and is actively being investigated.

This is a developing story. Action News Now will keep you updated with more information.
Good morning, North State. Here's what you need to know to start your day on June 9.

Man killed in Orland area shooting

Orland deputies are still on scene investigating a deadly shooting that left one man dead. Glenn County Sheriff's Dispatch who said police have not taken anyone into custody yet. Deputies say the shooting happened last night just south of downtown Orland on Road M and Road 20.

900-acre fire is 50% contained in Yuba County

CAL FIRE has stopped forward progress of a fire burning northeast of Wheatland. The fire burned 900 acre and is now 50% contained. One home has been destroyed and the fire also threatened Beale Air Force Base. Airmen and women and their families had to evacuate the base temporarily. Investigators are still working to determine the cause of the fire.

California worker board to again reconsider mask standards

A meeting to reconsider workplace masking requirements in California. The state health officer said new CAL/OSHA masking rules conflict with the state's plan to lift requirements for vaccinated people on June 15. In response the CAL/OSHA board has a special meeting tonight to consider changing its ruling. That meeting could see the board withdraw its rule that requires workers to mask-up around unvaccinated people.

Recreational salmon fishing could be restricted

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is calling for a limit to both commercial and recreational salmon fishing. The proposed restrictions would extend from Puget Sound in Washington to Monterey Bay. Environmental leaders say the proposal is not for the salmon but the survival of the northwest's endangered killer whales that eat them.

President Biden leaves the country for first time as president

President Joe Biden is heading to Europe on the first foreign trip of his time in office. President Biden is set to meet with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and attend the G7 summit in that country. After the G7 concludes, Biden and First Lady Jill Biden will visit Queen Elizabeth II, before traveling on to Brussels for a meeting with NATO allies and then a summit with Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
Waldrons first-episode script is followed by Elissa Karasiks Episode 2; theyre simpatico in both tone and pace, and some choice wisecracks. (Loki: If you could possibly sheath your smarm for a moment .) Many of the early scenes confine the characters to two-person office encounters, or interrogations interrupted by a time door to ancient Pompei, for instance. Chief among the collaborators are production designer Kasra Farahani,whose TVA offices and lobby spaces recall everything from 1980s desktop technology to the Marriott Marquis in Times Square. Gugu Mbatha-Raw brings a sure touch to the role of Wilsons overseer. Hiddlestons the glue holding it together, and if there are two more amusingly disparate actors on the planet than Hiddleston and Wilson, I hope they start a franchise of their own, immediately.
According to media reports, German multinational pharmaceutical and life sciences company, Bayer has called for a global media review. Estimates put the media duties for the pharma company at $800 million. Incumbent agencies handling the account are WPP and PHD.

Pharma, wellness, and healthcare categories have seen an enormous traction during the first and second waves of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Agencies such as dentsu, IPG have been invited for the media pitch, claim reports.
Though faced with degrowth in terms of circulation, Print media has been resilient in the second wave of COVID-19 in the country. As per TAM AdEx data, Ad Space in Print soared by 4x in April 2021, even as COVID-19 cases were soaring across India. In fact, in Week 3 of April 2021, Ad Space in print surged by 6x, compared to Week 3 of April 2020.

Meanwhile, in May 2021, Ad Space/ Publication in the Print medium saw an increase of 58%, compared to May 2020.

The tally of categories grew by 19% during April 2021, whereas that for advertisers and brands rose by 24% and 32%, respectively, compared to April 2020. There were 300+ growing categories present in April 2021, compared to April 2020 on Print. Over 120+ new categories, 12.4K+ new advertisers and 14.6K+ new brands were seen in Print during April 2021.

The Top 5 advertisers collectively had 14% and 27% share of the ad space in April 2021 and May 2021, respectively. In April 2021, SBS Biotech, GCMMF (Amul), TVS Motor Company, Amazon Online India and Maruti Suzuki India were the Top 5 advertisers. In May 2021, SBS Biotech, Emami, Hindustan Unilever, Aakash Educational Services and Mankind Pharma constituted the Top 5 advertisers.

COVID-19 second wave impact on print ad volumes

Speaking about the Print industry, Priti Murthy, CEO, OMD India, remarked, Familiarity breeds confidence. Having experienced the pandemic last year, the industry was better prepared for this year. Market sentiment was also positive for the first quarter and that resulted in an uptick in print ad volumes to nearly three to four times of April 2020. I believe this was driven mostly by vernacular publications. With the second wave, and the lockdown, circulation did take a hit because of which volumes dipped.

The lockdowns have disrupted the production and distribution of newspapers and magazines across the country. In 2020, print was among the mediums which were adversely hit. Saurabh Jain, Managing Partner - South, Havas Media, pointed out, This was mainly due to several factors like unavailability of labour, stop in circulation due to nationwide lockdown, misconceptions like spread through newspapers, etc. However, the industry is getting back to 80-90% circulation of the pre-COVID-19 levels from Q3 of 2020 and is only expected to grow further.

Jai Lala, CEO, Zenith, noted that not only Print, but because of the second wave, a lot of mediums have got affected, including Television. According to Lala, The impact is lesser than the first wave. During the first wave, there was a lot of unpreparedness. During the second wave, we saw that there would be a second wave or a third wave. There is this whole preparedness but yes it has impacted as market and business have shut down but it isn't as much as the first wave.

Is print back in the black?

Continuing further, Lala said that while Print did get affected very badly during the first wave of COVID-19, post-October 2020 there was a huge recovery and definitely it sort of continued till March and April. According to him, the impact of the second wave is temporary and by July things will be a lot better. We would see the recovery of print again happening. So, I wont say that print is dead, but yes, it is not growing as aggressively as TV or Digital, but it is, he affirmed.

Murthy believed that with the vaccination drive happening on a war-footing, the market is expected to move towards revival by August-September. Advertisers and brands will be ready to take a flight on ads, most probably, with economic healing. Auto and healthcare are driving the revenue majorly and more categories will align with improved sentiments, she added.

Sounding similarly optimistic, Jain said, Being prepared has helped print media handle Lockdown 2.0 better than the first time around. Even with the second wave of the pandemic hitting the country, print saw a growth of 9% in ad volumes in the first 3 months when compared to same period last year. However, since the impact of the second wave started hitting the country in April this year despite good business, ad space for publications saw a drop in ad volumes. So, if we compare the April-May 2021 to the first three months of 2020, print business took a sizeable hit.

According to Jain, The drop in numbers, however, is not here to stay. The Print industry is looking at a speedy recovery as businesses start to open in phases across the country. Industry experts are expecting the recovery to begin around festive season that takes off around end of July/ beginning of August.

Advertiser sentiment

Speaking on the strength of the Print medium, OMD Indias Murthy pointed out, Print is a trusted medium for advertisers with a regular subscriber base. The lockdown has caused distribution issues and there is an onward trend towards digitalization for brands, definitely. But print remained strong in regional media through this entire time period and is likely to revive once the situation eases more.

Giving a break-up of category-wise advertising in Print, Jain of Havas Group observed that retail advertising has almost normalised, while corporate advertising is expected to reach normal levels with the complete opening of the metro markets. Categories such as auto, FMCG, real estate, consumer durables, BFSI, jewellery have been highly active in the festive months. We do observe a reduction in quantity of ads/ advertiser, but it is being compensated by categories like education, which have really picked up.

Regional print has the potential to recover faster than English print, since in any case, the potential for print and its sustenance, in the past few years, has been in regional upcountry markets. Jain explained, The sustenance of circulation and readership is relatively easier in regional markets because of habitual dependence on digital sources for news is relatively lower. Also, due to the few months of non-availability of physical newspapers, English audiences in metros have gotten sort of used to sourcing news digitally. So, the reading habits on print media have been replaced by digital sources for a small proportion of the audience, I would imagine  especially as one moves to the younger set. We, however, expect these people to be back on the medium soon. The experience of reading a Newspaper, the choice, the variety and the quality of articles, the authenticity of News are all being missed and are irreplaceable.

Zeniths Lala, too, stressed on the trust factor of print media and said, The thing that established during the pandemic for the print media is that it is a trust-worthy medium, so it has got very strongly established because there is a lot of chatter going on social media and on digital platforms and, therefore, there is where the print established the right thing. If you want to communicate something related to trust, print is a reliable platform to do.

Projections for print advertising

According to Jain, Though Print spending is expected to grow in the coming months, we see print degrowth of 20-25% during April 2021-March 2022 as compared to the pre-COVID-19 period. Recovery journey for overall advertising spends seems to be steady, but slow as there is a lot of ambiguity around.

Having said that, we see a huge comeback by Print during the last 2 quarters of this financial year, this may be at par or even higher than a similar period pre-COVID-19 (Oct-Mar 2020).

Murthy saw the shake-up in Print continuing on 2021 as she said that Print is facing its toughest transition ever. The degrowth is evident in numbers since last year. Print is dependent on few categories and with vaccination and other measures, once things open up it should see some better numbers, she opined.

Lala noted, Financial year 2021 is something where print have got impacted and due to the second wave it saw a degrowth. The year 2022 will definitely see a growth over 2021, however, it is difficult to predict in the given time and situation how much that growth will be, because we have to gauge the true impact of the second wave and also factor in the likely impact of the expected third wave. However, as mentioned earlier, there is a lot more preparedness on both the sides  marketers as well as the publishers  and, therefore, we are definitely sourcing a growth on Print in 2022.
Rapido, Indias largest bike taxi platform, today announced the launch of its new digital marketing campaign #ZarooriHaiKya. The social good campaign takes the consumers through different scenarios of customers using delivery, ride sharing or home services during the pandemic in a witty format. The campaign aims to drive awareness on how essential services like home deliveries, ride-sharing and home services should be used responsibly in the pandemic. It is built as a homage to the efforts of various driving, delivery, and service partners who have been working tirelessly to make sure that people like us survive through the lockdown, even at the cost of their lives.

The #ZarooriHaiKya campaign takes a dig at the times people celebrate expendable days, prodding them to rethink their decisions. Roz ki roses wali anniversary manana, #ZaroorihaiKya, calling for a home salon service or ordering unnecessary items like footwear, work pants when you are working from home, or visiting the gym at this time, etc. is all that important, to risk a driver or delivery partners life, as he sets out during the pandemic. As unlocking begins in most of the cities, Rapido takes a bold stance asking people to step out only when necessary, despite being the largest bike taxi player in the country.

Announcing the campaign, Amit Verma, Head of Marketing, Rapido, said, The idea to do such a responsible marketing campaign stemmed from the consumer behavior seen across the country during the pandemic. Accelerating our delivery service or promoting our bike taxi services may be beneficial to us, but at Rapido, we also feel responsible for the lives of our Captains and essential delivery partners. As the nation prepares for unlock, we want to urge everyone to act responsibly and think about the frontline warriors. Through #ZarooriHaiKya, we would like to plead to the sensibilities of our users to not book that ride, to not ask your friend to deliver that item, to not call home services guys to fix a thing that you do not need at the moment, and thereby saving someones life.

The campaign and storyline were conceptualized in-house, the script was written by Enormous Brands and brought to life by a budding production house with new and aspiring talent. The company will also be driving two more shoulder campaigns like a Bahana generator, to generate curiosity and engagement with the users on their social media platforms.

Rapido has announced a $20Mn budget for this years bullish focus on its marketing efforts. With the second wave of the pandemic continuing to wreak havoc in the country, Rapido wants to do every bit to break the chain, in their own way and help professionals who are putting themselves in harms way so that people can lead a comfortable life at home. It could be the driver partners, home service executives, delivery executives, etc. The company recently started a Captain Vaccination Drive in the country where the first camp was held in Chennai through a collaboration with the Chennai City Corporation. It hopes to expand to all the 100 cities Rapido is present in, through more such partnerships soon.
A total of 103 entries from 29 different markets, covering a wide range of categories for global and local brands, have been shortlisted for the inaugural WARC Awards for Effectiveness, a new global competition in association with LIONS, awarding the best marketing campaigns that deliver business results.

Each of the six categories has been judged by its own high-calibre international jury, who have applied the WARC/LIONS Creative Effectiveness Ladder, a unique tool, providing a consistent approach and global language to benchmark effectiveness.

Paul Coxhill, Managing Director, WARC, said, Weve been overwhelmed by the great response from the industry for this new awards scheme, in particular to the application of the Creative Effectiveness Ladder, a standard framework to measure effective marketing.

"Now, following the first stage of a rigorous judging process, we are pleased to announce the shortlists of the first WARC Awards for Effectiveness, which reveal a wide variety of outstanding and successful work from around the globe, he added.

Instant Impact category

21 entries from 10 markets have been shortlisted in this category, which awards short-term campaigns (with a duration of six months or less) that lead directly to a sales increase.

A jury of 19 chaired by Dhiren Amin, CMO, Asia, The Kraft Heinz Company, have shortlisted work for brands, including KFC, Kraft, Mastercard and Toyota.

Collaboration & Culture category

Awards strategies and instances of brands entering or impacting on culture that can demonstrate a business outcome.

The jury chaired by Nadja Bellan-White, Global Chief Marketing Officer, VICE Media Group, have shortlisted 25 entries from 11 markets, with New Zealand leading the charge with eight campaigns in the shortlist. Brands include American Pecans, Deutsche Telekom, Sky New Zealand and Tencent.

Brand Purpose category

A total of 18 entries from 11 markets for brands such as Aguila Beer, Dove, KitchenAid and Knorr have been shortlisted.

Tati Lindenberg, Vice President Marketing, Dirt For Good, Unilever, has led the jury in search of the most effective marketing initiatives that have successfully embraced a brand purpose and achieved commercial success as well as benefit for the wider community.

Business-to-Business category

Judging effective campaigns from one business targeting another, the jury, chaired by Corinne Sklar, Global Chief Marketing Officer, IBM iX, have shortlisted nine entries from seven markets.

Shortlisted brands include Export Development Canada, Kioxia in Japan, Maersk in the UK, Maxis Business in Malaysia and Ramboll in Sweden.

Sustained Growth category

Chaired by Brent Smart, Chief Marketing Officer, IAG, the jury have shortlisted 15 entries across seven markets.

Brands shortlisted in this category, which awards campaigns that have invested in building a brand over time (12 months or more), include Aldi, Equity Bank Foundation, Heineken and Sipsmith.

Customer Experience category

Campaigns for AstraZeneca, Burger King, Campbells and Lexus are among the 16 entries from ten markets that have made the shortlist.

Honouring new ways of engaging with consumers and innovative experiences created to connect and immerse on the path to commercial success, the category was chaired by a panel of 20 experts chaired by Dara Treseder, SVP, Head of Global Marketing & Communications, Peloton.

The winners of the Gold, Silver, Bronze and three Special Awards for each of the six categories will be announced throughout the day on Monday, June 21 on warc.com. The Grands Prix will be revealed later that day at 19:30 BST at Cannes Lions Live, during a session where the jury chairs will share insights of these highest accolades.
Talkwalker, a leading enterprise listening company, has launched its latest report on State of Conversation 2021 in India. A survey was conducted with over 1,000+ marketing, PR, and consumer insights professionals, focusing on the importance of consumer and customer conversations for data-driven brands. As the pandemic has led to bigger changes and developments for all the brands as well as agencies, it has also brought consumer conversations to the forefront. Most of the innovative brands are in the process of maturing through the different stages of the customer-centric journey.

When it comes to building the consumer data experience, the challenge lies in activating the data and focusing on 360-degree of customer and this latest research discusses the growing importance of customer-centricity and conversational intelligence for enterprise brands in the midst of coronavirus.

In conversation with Adgully, Benjamin Soubies, Managing Director for Asia Pacific and Japan at Talkwalker, speaks about the highlights of the State Conversation 2021 report by Talkwalker, how conversational intelligence has leveraged beyond customer service and brand promotion, how consumers are engaging with brands via social media platforms and much more.

Your research highlights that only 18% of marketers state that their organisations monitor and analyse conversations through a unified platform and this is a missed opportunity. Most organisations have adopted an SEO strategy because visibility on Google is hygiene. But whats the argument for monitoring conversations?

When we say conversations, it is basically all consumer conversations  directly interacting with brands or not  that take place in various channels such as social media, blogs, forums, review sites, call centers, custom research.

Trying to cope with this wide spectrum of conversations is already a challenge for most organisations due to reasons such as lack of tech/ solutions in place or different departments operating in silos. As noted in our State of Conversation 2021 report, what happened in the past year and so is the pandemic has brought consumer conversations to the forefront. In order to survive the coming years, brands will need to quickly identify the best ways to analyse conversations at scale and inject the subsequent insights in each and every department of the organisation to optimise their respective strategies.

Two of the key challenges for clients to harness the potential of their data are: 1) it is buried in silos, and 2) they dont know how to interpret the data. Usually, an organisation pulls up the data only when there is an intention to solve a problem. How can data inform the intention of the organisation?

A lot of companies today have already built or are in the process of building their consumer data lake across their many sources (paid/ owned/ earned channels). The challenge lies in activating this data and having a unified/ 360-degree customer view that is as real time as possible, to better inform their business decisions. Pre-emptive rather than reactive.

A good way to start assessing at which stage your organisation is at in this journey to 360-degree customer centricity is by asking questions like:

How is my team collecting consumer conversations right now?

How is my team leveraging this information to drive decision-making?

What is my teams main struggle with regard to analysing data from conversations?

What can I do to improve my teams data savviness?

Please explain how conversational intelligence can be leveraged beyond customer service and brand promotion?

Most innovative brands are in the process of maturing through the different stages of the customer-centricity journey. The ultimate objective here is to have a single source of truth to understand your customer in real time, and conversational intelligence is all about identifying the voice of the customer across your social, consumer and customer data and activating it in real time across your departments.

From social intelligence covering all of your brands, campaigns and competitors data. To consumer intelligence to understand growth opportunities and risks in the market by analysing category, audience, and current event trends. To customer intelligence covering your customers experience, satisfaction and service.

Brands are increasingly delivering all aspects of the product and service experience online. Yet in certain categories, customers ache for a human element. Your study highlights the need for brands to humanise customer engagement. Does that mean brands will need to rely on traditional customer support despite tech?

There are a number of ways in which brands can add a human touch when engaging with consumers. Brands can speak in a more human way to their audiences on social, as well as through platforms like email and chat. These brand interactions go beyond customer support and customers expect a consistent CX across channels.

The key is in creating customer experiences that people can relate to and that are aligned to your brand purpose.

Customers are engaging with brands via social media, blogs, and review sites, followed by call centers, news sites. Do you see companies investing increasingly in affiliate marketing channels to create positive conversations around their brand?

Typically, through affiliate marketing, more conversations are generated about a brand or a product as affiliates create content such as product comparisons, reviews, and tutorials.

With the Indian e-commerce market growing at an exponential rate, we can only expect businesses to invest more in affiliate marketing to boost brand exposure and revenue. The rise of mobile shopping and new payment methods such as buy now pay later are contributing to this growth.

In any company, your Chief Strategy Officer or Chief Information Officer are the ones who have access to data and make decisions. How can businesses or brands be more data-driven at an organisational level?

The challenge here is two-fold: Data silos within an organisation and lack of necessary tools to easily turn the data into actionable insights. According to our report, 50% of respondents confirm that access to insights from consumer conversations are limited to a specific department within their organisation.

To be more data-driven, businesses must further break down data silos and put in place proper tools/ training to empower team members to analyse and turn data into actionable insights. This must start from the top, leading by example and make sure everyone in the company is empowered.
Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research

Bern, 09.06.2021 - Swiss President Guy Parmelin met with President Borut Pahor during his visit to Slovenia on Wednesday 9 June. He also held talks with Prime Minister Janez Jansa, Minister of Economic Development and Technology Zdravko Pocivalsek and Speaker of the National Assembly Igor Zorcic. Discussions focused on bilateral matters, including the development of economic relations, and issues of European policy. Slovenia will assume the six-month rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union on 1 July.

Both sides paid tribute to the strength of Swiss-Slovenian relations. Mr Parmelin pointed to the mutual benefits and opportunities resulting from their bilateral ties. Trade volumes, driven largely by pharmaceuticals, reached an all-time high last year amid the COVID-19 pandemic, marking a 54% increase over 2019. There is also considerable collaboration in science and research and on environmental issues. The delegations commended their countries' good working relationship on the international stage, for example within the Alpine Convention.

Mr Parmelin reaffirmed Switzerland's intentions in regard to European policy and as a committed and reliable partner of the EU, even without an institutional framework agreement. Switzerland's second contribution to a number of EU member states, including Slovenia, was also discussed. The Federal Council will ask Parliament to release the funds in the near future and will seek to finalise the memorandum of understanding with the EU without delay. The Swiss president stressed the value that Switzerland places on participating in the Horizon Europe Research Framework Programme and noted its importance for bilateral collaboration in research.

During the discussions, the Slovenian side gave an overview of the main points and objectives of their upcoming EU Council presidency in the second half of the year. Switzerland welcomes Slovenia's commitment to the integration of further Western Balkan states in the EU, given the stabilising effect that the prospect of accession can bring. Other topics covered were measures to combat the pandemic and international issues.

The day's programme concluded with a visit to a Swiss-Slovenian pharmaceutical company in the central town of Menges. On arrival in the country the day before, Mr Parmelin visited a school in Vrtojba which has been retrofitted for energy efficiency using funds from Switzerland's contribution to the enlarged EU. Switzerland contributed CHF 22 million to Slovenia, which used around half of this to promote renewable energy and retrofit public buildings for energy efficiency.

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, 09.06.2021 - State Secretary Livia Leu visited the United States on her first working visit outside Europe. In Washington she met with high-ranking representatives from the US administration. The meetings focused on bilateral relations and Switzerland's good offices.

State Secretary Livia Leu paid a working visit to Washington on 8 and 9 June 2021. She held talks with Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and other high-ranking representatives of the US Department of State, the National Security Council and the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the US Department of the Treasury.

The meetings in Washington were an opportunity to further strengthen Switzerland's excellent relations with the United States.

The visit focused on Switzerland's mandate as protecting power for the United States in Iran. The Swiss Humanitarian Trade Arrangement for the delivery of humanitarian goods to Iran was also discussed in this context. Other topics of bilateral interest included taxation and sanctions policy. Also discussed was the scope for expanding Swiss-US cooperation in areas such as democracy, human rights, peacebuilding and digitalisation.

The State Secretary's choice of Switzerland's biggest non-European partner for her first overseas visit underscores how important the United States is to Switzerland. "Switzerland and the United States maintain close ties, both economically and scientifically, and through Switzerland's good offices", Ms Leu said on the occasion of her visit to Washington.

Next stop New York

Ms Leu will travel on to New York today for a 2two-day visit, where talks will focus on the UN, and especially Switzerland's UN Security Council candidacy for the 202324 period. Meetings are also scheduled with various representatives from the UN and other UN member states.

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




BAYFIELD COUNTY, Wis.  Many forget their ancestors. Some folks live as though history began with their own births. But in other cultures ance
Members of Farmers on the Rock say the group is a worthwhile  and necessary  cause to leave the environment in better condition for future generations.
Have you ever felt like its too hot to eat? During periods of heat stress cows can feel the same way. They often change their feeding behavio
NORMAL, Ill.  Both first-time and veteran FFA members got a new experience in attending the 93rd annual Illinois FFA Convention.

COVID-19 rules complicated the planning for the events, which in the end had three locations, in Normal, Springfield and Carbondale. All events were offered online as well. Each event included awards, celebration, music and conversations with friends.

FFA is back, Illinois FFA state president Lexi Mueller of Valmeyer declared to a crowd of 1,753 guests and members at the first part of the conference at the Corn Crib in Normal June 1.

The state reporter Margaret Vaessen led a cheer for FFA, complete with pompoms.

Emily Lesko of Naperville enjoyed the full experience. Lesko, the chapter president of Naperville North High School in northeastern Illinois, walked onto the ball parks decorated stage to receive her Section Star in Agribusiness award and her State Degree.

On the first day in high school, I heard about FFA from my advisor, Lesko said.

She signed up, and now the junior will be Section 8 FFA president next year.

When her advisor Lauren Frances arrived at the suburban Chicago high school three years ago, there was no FFA.

Many students didnt know what it was, the agricultural science teacher said.

The program has grown from zero to 25 students and continues to grow.

Parents also shared in the excitement. Many gathered in front of the stage and took photos as their family members were recognized. Christy Penman took some video when her daughter, Paige, was a featured performer between awards.
Jaclyn Wilson Jaclyn Wilson raises Red Angus cattle at Wilson Ranch near Lakeside, Nebraska. Send comments to her at jaclyn@flyingdiamondgenetics.com. Follow Jaclyn Wilson 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

But  can you prove it?

This has been a question that I have contemplated more then any other in our direct beef business this last year. If you head over to our website, it talks about our 133-year-old ranching operation, and the Red Angus genetics that we are using, and it implies to our consumers that is what we are selling. But, if one really wanted to question it  can we prove it?

I have talked numerous times about our data collection. How for decades we have collected data from the time that calf hits the ground to the time of harvest, and sometimes even after. I have talked about the multiple forms of identification that our cattle carry: dual panel tags, ear tattoos, brands, EID tags, all of which are entered into a software program whether it be in the field, chute side or in the office. I can count that number of times since Ive returned home in 2002 that we have not known who an animal is. But if Im delivering a box of beef to a consumer, can I prove to that consumer that that animal was raised on our operation?

Ive been a little bit secretive about a project that we have been working on lately. Next week is the roll-out, and to say that we are excited about it may just be the understatement of the year. Next week we are tokenizing a group of feeder steers. In our understanding this has not been done before.

Let me start at the beginning.

This crazy P.T. Barnum story started a couple of months ago when my partner in the beef business called to discuss an out there idea that she had been approached about with one of her industry acquaintances. Any project that involves technology and our industry, Ill always take a minute to contemplate, and I will admit I started laughing when I heard this one.
Lynette Alm was a hairstylist in a Chicago suburb when she was prescribed an antibiotic to h
There are several potential areas of tension. On climate change, the U.S. is aiming to regain its credibility after Trump pulled the country back from the fight against global warming. Biden could also feel pressure on trade, an issue to which hes yet to give much attention. And with the United States well supplied with COVID-19 vaccines yet struggling to persuade some of its own citizens to use it, leaders whose inoculation campaigns have been slower will surely pressure Biden to share more surplus around the globe.
A protester approaches a line of police officers in downtown Phoenix on May 31, 2020, in one of several days of protests over the deaths of black men in police custody around the U.S. A statewide curfew was imposed that night
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2018 has been a fantastic year for comics and it is a great time to start reading. New readers have new places to jump in and its the easiest
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CARBIS BAY, England (AP)  Leaders of the Group of Seven wealthy nations staked their claim Sunday to leading the world out of the coronavirus pandemic and crisis, pledging more than 1 billion coronavirus vaccine doses to poorer nations, vowing to help developing countries grow while fightin
Robin Baudoin rode out Hurricane Laura inside a bathroom at her home at 2046 Louise St. in Sulphur. She said she could hear her roof being torn off during the storm and her chimney being slammed in the courtyard.
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
In a remarkable exchange, the report recounts the testimony of an unnamed Park Police operations commander: The Attorney General asked him, Are these people still going to be here when POTUS (President of the United States) comes out? The USPP operations commander told us he had not known until then that the President would be coming out of the White House and into Lafayette Park. He said he replied to the Attorney General, Are you freaking kidding me? and then hung his head and walked away. The Attorney General then left Lafayette Park.
JACKSON, Miss. (AP)  New COVID-19 cases are declining across the most of the country, even in some states with vaccine-hesitant populations. But almost all states bucking that trend have lower-than-average vaccination rates, and experts warn that relief from the pandemic could be fleeting i
LAKE CHARLES, La. (AP)  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 s
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the world -- possibly forever. Over the past year, Americans were forced to adhere to social distancing guidelines, an untold number of small businesses were shuttered, and social gatherings were basically eliminated. Together, these draconian rules (and many others, such as wearing face masks everywhere) attempted to create a new normal.

Thankfully, we are closer to the end of the pandemic than the beginning, principally due to Operation Warp Speed. Yet, many unanswered questions remain. Perhaps the most important of all is: What is the actual origin of COVID-19? And could another pandemic be in the offing?

Currently, the origin of the COVID-19 virus is unknown. But we do know there are substantial risks associated with gain-of-function research projects the U.S. government has funded in China for years. And there is growing concern COVID-19 could have been unleashed on the world due to a lab accident at the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) in China.

One prominent group that has been at the forefront of this topic is the White Coat Waste Project (WCWP) , a nonprofit organization dedicated to stopping taxpayer-funded animal experiments. According to White Coat Waste, the Wuhan Animal Lab covers 1,216 square meters with 126 cages for Japanese white rabbits, 340 cages for SD and Wistar rats, 3268 cages for genetically engineered mice, 12 cages for ferrets, 12 cages for bats totaling 52 subspecies, and WCWP suggests it is possible experiments on these animals created the COVID-19 pandemic.

Although disturbing reports, such as those backed by WCWP, suggest the massive operation at WIV may have a connection to COVID-19, a full investigation into the lab and COVID-19s origins has yet to be completed.

One thing is crystal clear, however. Americans shouldnt be funding potentially dangerous projects like those at the Wuhan Institute of Virology. Especially when those projects occur overseas -- a position a growing number of federal officials have adopted in recent months. Strangely, not everyone in the federal government agrees, and some have even attempted to conceal the governments role in gain-of-function research at WIV.

During a Senate hearing on May 11, Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), who is a medical doctor, questioned Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, about gain-of-function funding at the Wuhan Institute of Virology. As defined by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Gain-of-function (GOF) research involves experimentation that aims or is expected to (and/or, perhaps, actually does) increase the transmissibility and/or virulence of pathogens. Such research, when conducted by responsible scientists, usually aims to improve understanding of disease-causing agents, their interaction with human hosts, and/or their potential to cause pandemics.

Yet Fauci denied the U.S. governments involvement in the Wuhan labs research, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary.

Thousands of Faucis emails were recently released by way of the Freedom of Information Act. From those emails, there is strong evidence that Fauci was aware of the GOF research and experiments occurring at the Wuhan Lab via NIH funding. As it is becoming a very real possibility that COVID-19 was developed in the Wuhan lab, Fauci has denied, denied, denied since the beginning.

In an interview with National Geographic on May 4, 2020, Fauci claimed, If you look at the evolution of the virus in bats and whats out there now, [the scientific evidence] is very, very strongly leaning toward this could not have been artificially or deliberately manipulated.

Despite his objections, however, U.S. State Department reports show that the U.S. government engaged in classified research, including laboratory animal experiments, on behalf of the Chinese military since at least 2017.

As we wait for further evidence to prove the true origin of the virus, there is no question that allowing unelected bureaucrats to spend our hard-earned tax dollars frivolously and dangerously is unacceptable and must stop immediately.

Fortunately, Paul sponsored Senate Amendment 2003, which the U.S. Senate recently passed. (Co-sponsors included Senators Ron Johnson (R-WI), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Mike Braun (R-IN), and Thom Tillis (R-NC).

If approved by the U.S. House of Representatives, the proposal would ban the National Institutes of Health, as well as every other U.S. government agency, from funding gain-of-function research in China. Further, the amendment would specifically ban additional funding to the Wuhan Institute of Virology.

COVID-19 took the lives of millions of people around the world and caused our nation to endure unprecedented socioeconomic turmoil. More investigational research is necessary to uncover the truth about the origin of the virus. However, regardless of how the COVID-19 pandemic began, it is vital that U.S. government agencies refrain from supporting operations backed by untrustworthy foreign governments, including the Wuhan Institute of Virology.

The truth shall set you free is a verse that comes to mind in light of recent events. Even if the truth isnt self-serving for Fauci, or flattering toward the U.S. government, the American people deserve the truth.

Christina Herrin (cherrin@heartland.org) is a government relations manager at The Heartland Institute, a nonpartisan, free-market think tank headquartered in Arlington Heights, Illinois.

Image: Marco Verch

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Federal prosecutors are saying the unrest on January 6 resulted in "approximately $1,495,326.55 damage to the United States Capitol." The figure was disclosed last week in a plea agreement with one of the January 6 defendants.

What's notable about the $1.5 million is how remarkably small it is. The government can misplace that much on a National Science Foundation study of lizards walking on treadmills. In 2017, thenformer vice president Joe Biden paid $2.7 million for his Delaware North Shore beach house, or $1.2 million more than estimated repairs to the Capitol from an event Biden called the "worst attack on our democracy since the Civil War."

Since he brought it up, the estimated total costs of the Civil War "came to $7 billion  or roughly two full years of GDP in 1860." Two years of GDP now would be somewhere north of 43 trillion dollars. Now, that's damage.

By comparison, it's going to cost Minneapolis more than three times that measly $1.5 million just to build a temporary replacement for the Third Precinct station BLM rioters burned down last spring.

It's even less than the $2.3 million the City of Portland, Oregon figures it'll shell out just to repair the federal buildings damaged from a year of nightly Antifa and anarchist violence.

NPR listeners may be unaware of it, but Portland's Mark Hatfield federal courthouse, where the Constitutional Article III courts preside, is just as much a federal building as the U.S. Capitol. January 6 is being called an "intolerable attack on a fundamental institution of our democracy," because Nancy Pelosi keeps her collection of high heels there, but the Constitution makes the Judicial Branch just as fundamental as the Legislative. The January 6 protesters were in and out of the Capitol in less than seven hours, but in Portland, BLM and Antifa attacked the Mark Hatfield courthouse for 120 consecutive nights, including barricading it with federal officers inside and then trying to burn it down. When President Trump finally permitted federal officers to get proactive with the arsonists, the Democrats called them "stormtroopers." In July alone, 277 federal officers were injured trying to defend the courthouse, "assaulted with, among other weapons, mortar-style commercial-grade fireworks, accelerants, IEDs, sledgehammers, concrete, and slingshots. Officers have suffered chemical burns, bloody wounds, and attacks with blinding lasers, leaving some of our colleagues with eye injuries." Antifa was still trying to burn down the courthouse as recently as March 12.

Studies from Princeton showed that "3 months of Black Lives Matter protests ... [included] nearly 570 violent demonstrations  riots  in nearly 220 locations spread all across country [sic]." Property damage across the nation has been estimated at $2 billion. These were "the most costly riots in the history of our country."

But that's just a comparison of property damage. Biden comparing January 6 to the bloodiest war in our history calls for a look at the relative loss of human lives.

The Civil War is generally estimated to have cost between 620,000 and 700,000 lives.

It's impossible to calculate how many lives were lost as a direct result of last year's BLM, Antifa, and anarchist violence, thanks to the mainstream media's lockstep discipline in refusing to report it. We do know that at least 30 people were killed, and at least 700 police officers were injured. On top of that must be added the countless thousands of additional indirect deaths from destroyed urban neighborhoods, lost business activities in inner cities, and the skyrocketing crime rate made worse by defunded and demoralized police departments.

There was a single fatality at the Capitol on January 6: unarmed Air Force veteran Ashli Babbitt, who was shot by a still unidentified Capitol police officer. No one died at the hands of a Trump supporter. The left fabricated a heinous libel that Brian Sicknick, another Capitol officer who passed away the next day from an unrelated stroke, was murdered by Trump supporters who bashed him in the head with a fire extinguisher. This has been thoroughly exposed as a lie.

Architect of the Capitol J. Brett Blanton told Congress in February repairs were going to run to $30 million  a number he wildly inflated by adding the price of Nancy Pelosi's barbed wire fence through March 31 and mental health treatments for traumatized staff. The final bill of $1,495,326.55 shows he overstated it by 95%.

A closer look shows that the worst damage to the Capitol required replacement of some doors and windows, "clear[ing] 'a small mountain of debris left behind on the west and east front," and removing the residue from fire extinguishers and chemical irritants. Beyond that, it appears that not a single statue was damaged in a confrontation Democrats rail about as though it were the Battle of Stalingrad.

As Julie Kelly lays out at American Greatness, to visit his revenge on those "chumps" who oppose his presidency, "Biden's Justice Department ... is sparing no resource to destroy the lives of Americans tied to the group that allegedly 'stormed' the Capitol on January 6." If Biden's going to keep selling his theme that "terrorism from white supremacy is the most lethal threat to the homeland today," he needs the media's worst version of January 6, fake blood and all.

But since it turned out, after months of intense plotting, that no one remembered to bring any guns to the "armed insurrection," and there was only a single violent death  of an unarmed Trump supporter  the real event of January 6 continues to fall far short of the Armageddon Biden describes. Now we're finding out that the war-scarred rubble the Capitol invaders reportedly left behind will only need a few new doors and windows, some Mr. Clean, and good old elbow grease to make as good as new.

If this is the worst prosecutors can show, why have all these patriots been locked up for months? The government needs to drop this. Now.

T.R. Clancy looks at the world from Dearborn, Michigan. You can email him at trclancy@yahoo.com.

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Throughout the past 16 months of COVID, we have been told to follow the science.

How has that worked out? We have heeded each word of the guru of science, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the Pied Piper of the Chinese coronavirus, who has graced magazine covers and spend more time being interviewed on cable news shows and emailing social media titans than researching the pandemic he has been managing. It turns out he has been leading the world down a pathway of deceit, deception, and ruin.

Mask science doesnt add up. Neither does six feet of social distancing, quarantining the healthy, closing schools and businesses, allowing massive social justice protests but stopping a small family wedding or funeral. Medicines that have been safely taken for 60 years are suddenly going to kill anyone who dares take them, but experimental, non-FDA-approved vaccines are safe for everyone, even young children. What science are we following? Medical science, political science, or Chinese propaganda?

Herd immunity is another bit of science that is suddenly on par with the Earth being flat. Its magical thinking according to the follow the science left because it can be achieved only through the use of vaccines. Why then before vaccines were invented, wasnt every viral pandemic a human extinction event? Mayo Clinic explains herd immunity:

Herd immunity occurs when a large portion of a community (the herd) becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. As a result, the whole community becomes protected  not just those who are immune.

Herd immunity is achieved in one of two ways, through natural infection or vaccination. Once a sufficient percent of the population has immunity, the infection has difficulty finding new victims and burns itself out.

Image: YouTube screen grab

The percentage of the population needing to be immune can vary from 50 to 90 percent, depending on how contagious the virus is. Once common viral infections like mumps, polio, and chickenpox are rare now due to herd immunity.

What is the herd immunity threshold for COVID? It depends on who you ask and when. Dr Flip-Flop Fauci has been as imprecise regarding herd immunity as he has been on how many masks, if any, we need to wear. According to follow the science New York Times:

Recently, a figure to whom millions of Americans look for guidance  Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, an adviser to both the Trump administration and the incoming Biden administration  has begun incrementally raising his herd-immunity estimate. In the pandemics early days, Dr. Fauci tended to cite the same 60 to 70 percent estimate that most experts did. About a month ago, he began saying 70, 75 percent in television interviews. And last week, in an interview with CNBC News, he said 75, 80, 85 percent and 75 to 80-plus percent.

Pretty soon it will be 90 or 100 percent, or even more. Lets keep our masks, distancing, and restrictions until the entire world is vaccinated, perhaps sometime in the next decade. Is Dr. Fauci following the real science or the political science of his deep state masters?

In a telephone interview the next day, Dr. Fauci acknowledged that he had slowly but deliberately been moving the goal posts. He is doing so, he said, partly based on new science, and partly on his gut feeling that the country is finally ready to hear what he really thinks.

It seems Dr. Fauci has been moving more than herd immunity goalposts. He is juggling COVID origin stories as deftly as he juggles appearances on CNN and MSNBC, where he should be asked about an unnatural COVID genome sequencing highly suggestive of lab creation rather than typical media hard-hitting questions about his childhood bicycle.

Its not a binary choice of allowing people to become infected versus vaccinated. Instead, its both. If schools remained open, the virus would have spread through children, few if any becoming seriously ill. This is not to advocate harming children.

Only 300 children, age 0-17 have died of or with COVID, and it's unknown how many were immunocompromised or with medical comorbidities. Compare that to 477 influenza deaths in the same age group during the 2018-19 flu season, without any push to close schools. Also add in children suicide attempts, on the rise, for which Childrens Hospital Colorado declared a state of emergency as one example

Vaccinations are well underway in the U.S. with 51% partially and 41% fully vaccinated. The CDC estimates a third of Americans have been infected with COVID, meaning we are much closer to herd immunity than naysayers choose to admit. Over the upcoming months, more will be vaccinated or infected, leaving fewer and fewer individuals for the virus to infect.

Other countries are not there yet. Island nations of New Zealand and Australia are only 5% and 2%, respectively, vaccinated, with very few natural cases due to frequent lockdowns and long quarantine periods for visitors, meaning their herd immunity is a ways off, and a few cases making it past their safety measures could devastate their populations.

As vaccines in the U.S. have been readily available for months, most who want or plan to get the jab have done so already. Further efforts at this point, including celebrities and athletes shaming the unvaccinated, are not likely to yield further vaccinations.

Wouldnt it be a good time for some thoughtful scientific discussion of herd immunity and where we are? Rather than the constant fear porn and continued emergency orders for lockdowns as seen in California. How about some optimism after over a year of doom and gloom?

If we are at or close to herd immunity, the push to vaccinate young children, at extremely low risk of getting sick from COVID, with an experimental vaccine, can and should end.

Unless fear is a good distraction from what the media and deep state would prefer to remain buried. Like the origins of the virus and what role Dr. Fauci and U.S. intelligence agencies played in the creation of a bioweapon ultimately used against America and the world. All to benefit China and destroy President Trump. Was that the plan all along?

Brian C. Joondeph, M.D., is a physician and writer. He is on sabbatical from social media.

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In an interview with Anderson Cooper that aired Monday on CNN, Barack Obama showed once again how well he has mastered the art of sanctimony.

"You would think with all the public policy debates that are taking place right now that the Republican Party would be engaged in a significant debate about how are we going to deal with the economy and what are we going to do about climate change?" Obama said to Cooper.

He added, "Lo and behold, the single most important issue to them apparently right now is Critical Race Theory. Who knew that that was the threat to our republic?"

In researching my forthcoming book, Barack Obama's Promised Land: Deplorables Need Not Apply, I found myself continually amazed at the price America has had to pay for Obama's spectacular failure to know who he is and to acknowledge how he got where he got.

I had a new insight into Obama's self-delusion from reading a 1995 article in his neighborhood newspaper, The Hyde Park Herald, unearthed by Los Angeles filmmaker Joel Gilbert.

Interviewed soon after the release of his 1995 memoir, Dreams from My Father, Obama tries to explain how he ended up becoming "black."

He attributed his revelation, wrote reporter Monice Mitchell, "to an eye opening experience with affirmative action [AA] while attending Punahou Academy, a prestigious prep school in Honolulu."

"He had no choice about his racial identity," wrote Mitchell. "To be half-white was to be black all the way." Without being too specific, Obama acknowledged that even fifty years ago, being "black" paid dividends.

Having accepted his blackness, Obama led Mitchell to believe that "he started hanging out with a group of similarly young angry black men and dabbled with drugs and trouble." This claim would have amused his best friend from high school, Keith Kakugawa, or "Ray" as Obama called him in Dreams from My Father. No one had a better perspective on Obama's racial shape-shifting than Kakugawa.

The friendship, Obama writes in Dreams, was "due in no small part to the fact that together we made up almost half of Punahou's black high school population." Obama is famously half-black. Kakugawa is one-eighth black. The pair did not exactly make prime recruiting material for the Crips' Hawaiian franchise.

Speaking of Crips, says Kakugawa about Obama in his own self-published book, "He was cripplingly self-conscious about [race]." Obama was not too self-conscious to play the AA card when it came to getting ahead. Although admittedly an indifferent student, he found himself after high school at Occidental, one of the priciest colleges on the West Coast.

"You know, it just so happens my first car was a '76 Fiat," Obama reports telling his colleagues in his newest memoir, A Promised Land. "Bought it used, my freshman year of college. Red, five-speed stick." It wasn't that used. Obama started college in 1979. As the purchase suggests, Obama lived a privileged life. I cannot imagine too many other black eighteen-year-olds in L.A. buying Fiats, even used ones.

After a middling two years at Occidental, Obama rode his AA card to the Ivy League  Columbia, to be precise. He graduated in 1983 but without honors. That did not stop Obama from dreaming big. He tells the reader in Dreams that he settled on three possibilities: "Harvard, Yale, Stanford." Obama was not deluding himself. Harvard, he knew, was keener on his DNA than his GPA, let alone his LSAT.

In a rare honest moment at Harvard, he shared the secret that his followers refuse to acknowledge. Yes, as he explained in a letter to the Harvard Law Record, he was "someone who has undoubtedly benefited from affirmative action programs during my academic career, and as someone who may have benefited from the Law Review's affirmative action policy." May have?

For fifty years Obama and people like him have been scamming the system. Critical Race Theory is a codification of that scam. To justify the unearned benefits that come with being black or half-black, the "theorists" have to pretend that the continuing risks of being black justify the rewards.

This results in an increased demand for evidence of racism amid a dwindling supply. In the absence of real racism, the theorists have had to imagine it or to re-create it a la Jussie Smollett and a thousand other hoaxers across the fruited plain.

With mandatory CRT imposed in schools and other institutions, the CRT "trainers" are able to demand that whites imagine a racist America along with them. Those who refuse this nonsense, who refuse to live their lives in the requisite shame and guilt, further justify CRT by their seeming embrace of white supremacy, the new and even more ludicrous label now applied even to unyielding African-Americans.

Sorry, Barry, but CRT is a threat to our Republic. Anderson Cooper may believe your blather about "right-wing media venues" monetizing and capitalizing "on stoking the fear and resentment of a white population that is witnessing a changing America." But it is all on you.

In 2008, even Republicans hoped Obama would succeed at pulling the races together. He had a unique historic opportunity. But instead, to justify his failures in office, he and Michelle encouraged their followers to read "race" into every slight, every disparity, every grievance. Deception was Obama's strategy. Division is his legacy, and CRT is his tool for widening the divide. He should own it!

Jack Cashill's latest book, Barack Obama's Promised Land: Deplorables Need Not Apply, is now on pre-sale. See www.cashill.com for more information.

Image: Gage Skidmore via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0.

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Facebook has suspended President Donald Trump's account for two more years. Given that the U.S. Supreme Court is in a near state of paralysis, those who believe in the freedom of the West must regret this kind of top-down, arbitrary, authoritarian behaviour. It echoes the treatment of the thirteen colonies by the minions of King George the Third of England before the American Revolution. Bearing that in mind, I would like to point out some of the subtle nefariousness of Facebook in its entrapment of a naive Israeli judge, Emi Palmor.

On May 9, 2021, the Haaretz newspaper in Israel reported the following:

The former director general of Israel's Justice Ministry, Emi Palmor, is the most senior Israeli on Facebook's Oversight Board. In an interview, she explains why she believes the board can play a positive role and urges Facebook to take more responsibility. The oversight board on Wednesday upheld the social media giant's suspension of former U.S. President Donald Trump - but said the company was wrong to make the suspension "indefinite" and asked it to re-assess the penalty.

Well, as of a few days ago, Palmor and her fellow board members just extended the ban for another two years, just in time for the next elections to Congress and the Senate.

So what is wrong with this picture?

Some time ago, a senior anthropologist by the name of Clifford Geertz wrote a book called Local Knowledge. As a cultural anthropologist with years of fieldwork in Indonesia and Morocco behind him, he was trying to make the simple following point: cultures and societies are so complex that only when you speak the language and live among a particular people do you have a chance of understanding what motivates them. He also pointed out that each culture has keywords in its own language that contain mountains of meaning.

So, to understand why Emi Palmor would allow herself to be an unwitting instrument in Facebook's war on the Republican Party and conservatives around the world (including the Likud of Bibi Netanyahu), you have to understand a bit of Hebrew slang. To paraphrase Sesame Street, today's article is brought to you by the Hebrew acronym "chul" (pronounced with a Scottish H).

"Chul" is the Hebrew acronym for "Chuts la Aretz"  literally, outside the land of Israel, and generally speaking, "overseas" or "abroad." When Israelis use the word "chul," it has a dual connotation, the first being the easy life of the West, where everything works and there is no war or military service, and secondly, a place where, with enormous effort, one can succeed on the international stage, like the Israeli film star Gal Gadot.

America is the top slot for chul. Israelis who immigrate to chul are expected by their family and colleagues to exceed and excel in ways they did not or could not in Israel, as the opportunities there are so much more available.

As an Israeli, you go to chul, you come back with a degree from Harvard or Yale or Oxford and Cambridge, and then, in Israel, you lecture young students or the media on how Israelis should vote or behave  very often paraphrasing the latest anti-Zionist essay you can find in the New York Times or the Guardian.

Israelis who go to chul and succeed have "made it twice." They have succeeded in small Israel and on the big stage of America or France or England or even Canada. Salaries are better in chul, opportunities are better, and the grass is always greener. But things have changed, as chul has come to Israel.

The explosion of high tech in Israel made Israel the "start-up nation." I know two Israeli engineers who, starting from nothing, became multi-millionaires if not billionaires. Eventually, Silicon Valley comes courting, and one of them sold his company to a U.S. firm for more than $70 million, fifteen years ago. So now you do not have to go to chul to succeed and live the big life. Chul comes to you in Israel!

Silicon Valley companies, impressed by the "Yankee ingenuity" of the Israelis, now have labs and factories in Israel and hire the best and the brightest from the start-up nation. And as we all know, the directors of these companies have a clear agenda: globalism; Davos; the Democratic Party; and their fellow travelers on the Israeli left, many of whom are about to join a new national unity government that may run Israel for a few months before self-destructing.

So, by empowering Palmor, Facebook has struck a blow for the left in Israel. Facebook has invited this lawyer, judge, and feminist  and, no less, a daughter of Holocaust survivors, a rags-to-riches immigrant from communist Romania  to join them. These people want her advice. Yes, Facebook wants her opinion. Amazing!

I have seen Palmor on Israeli TV and read her interviews. She positively gushes with excitement that she has joined the advisory board of Facebook  yes, the elite of the elite in Southern California. What better way of sticking it to Bibi Netanyahu than to close down the Facebook page of his supporter and co-manager of the Abraham Accords? Well, Facebook can always say, "It is not we. We even have a senior Israeli judge on our advisory board  you see?"

One must remember that in 2016, The Verge reported the following piece of news:

The families of five Americans who were killed or hurt by Palestinian attacks carried out in Israel have filed a $1 billion lawsuit against Facebook, alleging that the social network "knowingly provided material support and resources to Hamas"  the Gaza-based group that the US, European Union, and Israel classify as a terrorist organization.

Poor Emi. She is so dazzled by Facebook and chul that for her to use her judicial skills and academic due diligence to examine whether Facebook supports Israel's lethal enemies does not seem to bother her. Perhaps she was not perturbed by the thousands of rockets that rained down upon her from an organization supported by a Facebook sympathetic to her mortal enemies.

Like many of Israel's left-leaning elites, Palmor has willfully misread and misunderstood a key principle of American life, the right to freedom of speech, and the related truth that those who support it are usually Israel's best friends.

Yes  that means people like Donald Trump and his supporters. That means men like Bibi Netanyahu.

Image via Max Pixel.

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America welcomed Ilhan Omar, a refugee from Somalia's destructive civil wars. It gave her a place to live, an education, and a chance to sit in the most powerful governing body in the world, the United States Congress. Meanwhile, Anthony Blinken, a man of seemingly limited talent and ability, is now secretary of state, with vast power over America's foreign policy. Both, however, don't seem too fond of America.

Omar's disdain for America is separate from her equally openly expressed anti-Semitism. The fact is, though, that anti-Semites can still be patriots who love this country. Certainly, Omar, considering all the good that's flowed to her since she arrived in America, would ordinarily be, if not patriotic, at least fond of America. But that's not how Omar rolls. Her allegiance remains elsewhere.

After all, this is a woman who, when speaking of 9/11, a surprise attack against two major civilian population centers  New York and D.C.  that cruelly slaughtered 2,996 people, can't bring herself to describe it as an Islamic attack on America or even a generic attack on America. Instead, it becomes "some people did something."

By the way, Google-owned YouTube tries to soften how grotesque that remark is by making sure to position fact-checks front and center:

However, the fact-checks, by highlighting Omar's larger point, which was to describe CAIR's founding, cannot erase her inability to state forthrightly that CAIR got nervous (even though, subject to a very few exceptions, Americans were not attacking Muslims) because Islam and 9/11 were a matched set. You can see that Omar's anger is not for the people who slaughtered 2,996 innocents, but for the panicked fear that the Muslim connection might have some repercussions.

And there's Blinken, who is big on castigating America for her flawed racial history. He actually said we'll be stronger in dealing with China if we address "profound inequities, including systemic racism." He's foolishly trying to bring schoolyard reparative justice (which children loathe) to America's foreign policy.

Both Omar's and Blinken's latest unforced display of anti-Americanism showed up in a video Omar posted on Twitter on Tuesday in which she asked Blinken a question about international justice. Before you even get to the video, look at how Omar described her question:

We must have the same level of accountability and justice for all victims of crimes against humanity.



We have seen unthinkable atrocities committed by the U.S., Hamas, Israel, Afghanistan, and the Taliban.



I asked @SecBlinken where people are supposed to go for justice. pic.twitter.com/tUtxW5cIow  Rep. Ilhan Omar (@Ilhan) June 7, 2021

Here, let me parse it for you (emphasis mine):

We must have the same level of accountability and justice for all victims of crimes against humanity. We have seen unthinkable atrocities committed by the U.S., Hamas, Israel, Afghanistan, and the Taliban.

I must have missed the "unthinkable atrocities" that the U.S. committed, constituting "crimes against humanity" (or Israel, for that matter, once when strips away the propaganda and sees the truth about a nation that, more than any other, makes an effort to protect civilians).

Interestingly, if you watch the video, Omar doesn't mention justice for the U.S.'s "unthinkable atrocities" constituting "crimes against humanity." However, Blinken, in his response, pairs America with Israel as two countries that, while they shouldn't be subject to the International Criminal Court, with a "Security Council referral," nevertheless should be called upon to defend the charges against them.

I still can't get over the fact that our government is in the hands of people who so deeply despise our country.

Image: Ilhan Omar. Twitter screen grab.

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Joe Biden, who of late has been putting on his anti-racism skin suit, and lecturing America about all its past racial transgressions, declaring America no better today than its Jim Crow era, ought to take a closer look at what's going on at home.

According to the Daily Mail:

Hunter Biden used the n-word multiple times in conversation with his white, $845-per-hour lawyer, his texts messages reveal. The shocking texts may prove embarrassing for his father President Joe Biden, who just last week gave a speech decrying racism on the 100th anniversary of the Tulsa massacre, and has sought to portray racial justice as a top priority for his administration. The president's son joked in a January 2019 text to corporate attorney George Mesires about a 'big penis', and said to the lawyer: 'I only love you because you're black' and 'true dat n***a'.

So Joe, who lectured Americans about a century-old racist massacre in Oklahoma and called it emblematic of America's systemic racism today, somehow has a kid he calls "the smartest man I know" who spews the 'n-word'? And based on the fuller report in the Daily Mail, even his lawyer seems to be disgusted?

Imagine if Don Trump, Jr. or Ivanka Trump wrote emails like that? What would the press be like if something like that happened and it got out? Right now the press is sleepy, while untold cancel-culture canceling goes on for far less racist activities, such as wearing blackface at a party in a bad Halloween costume, or telling another professor that black students tend to get lower grades, or making some high-school-aged racist trash talk to shock one's little friends on a private student bulletin board and years later, getting one's Harvard admission rescinded because of it, as happened to Parkland survivor Kyle Kashuv. Anyone who does such stuff without political connections is canceled quickly. But Hunter? Well, he's got a book deal and an art gallery show, as well as his ChiCom and other board seats ungiven-up, profiting handsomely as the beautiful people fawn. Nobody's talking about canceling him for this dreck.

Yet the fact of the matter remains that only disgusting people talk like that, flaming racists, for starters. It's also done by spoiled, rich, entitled lordlings and princelings. The last white person I can recall who did that was hotel heiress and party gal Paris Hilton, circa 2007, between one of her jailings for dissolute behavior. She, however, had to abjectly apologize. In Hunter's case, with his history of drinking, drugs, and wenching, no apologies seem forthcoming. He also seems to be a high consumer of gangsta rap music, where such language is used, in the same kinds of slangy contexts, which is triply disgusting, since the 51-year-old son of the president is kind of old for it, even when he was 48, which is when he was making these racist texts.

It just goes to show the humongous sense of entitlement seen in Biden's middle-aged son, who feels free to use the 'n-word' around his lawyer, as easily as if it were something he grew up with. Normal people don't use that word, because they don't have any sort of society around them that might give it a thumbs-up. Hunter, though, doesn't have that kind of inhibition. Someone has always enabled him in such language, and that's why he used such words facilely. One wonders what kind of talk this overgrown kid was exposed to growing up in the Biden household as Joe praised Democrat former Klansman-turned Senator Robert Byrd.

The Bidens ought not to be allowed in any polite company for this kind of language. They ought to be pariahs. But being Democrats, they have their get-out-of-racism-free cards, and incredibly, still have the nerve to lecture the rest of us.

Image: Ben Stanfield, via Flickr (cropped) // CC BY-SA 2.0

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Kamala Harris, even more than Barack Obama before her, attained her position, not because of any inherent abilities or experience, but because she met the left's racial and sex metrics. That she is not now, and probably never will be, ready for prime time has been made obvious thanks to Biden's decision to hand her responsibility for the mess that Biden made of America's southern border.

In an interview with a very friendly Lester Holt, Kamala again revealed how vapid she is. When she should be intellectually nimble, she is, instead, always caught flat-footed. The only good thing to come out of it was Tucker Carlson's wonderful riff about her manifest incompetence.

As a former Californian, I've long known about Kamala Harris. I know that it was her affair with Willie Brown, the brilliant Black political godfather of California (and former San Francisco mayor) that got her started in politics. As I like to say, she slept her way to the middle. Both as a district attorney and, later, California's attorney general, she was famous for being unprincipled, but nevertheless appropriate as a vaguely Black female.

I also know people who know people. One of my friends, who was politically incredibly well connected, told me that Kamala is none too bright. In his estimation, she owed her political ascension entirely to having Willie Brown guide her. Sure, that's hearsay, but it's consistent with her performance over the years. My guess is that it was Brown who came up with Kamala's successful "I was that little girl" attack on Biden early in the primaries.

It's also my guess that now that she's in the White House, Kamala can't call on Willie Brown anymore, leaving her adrift. That's why she's avoiding her responsibility regarding the border: she has no idea what to do because, politically, the border has become a hot potato. While the Democrat base likes having an open border, most Americans don't  including the Hispanic citizens of McAllen, Texas, who just voted in a Republican mayor. It's a tricky situation for a Democrat politician, and Kamala's pedestrian brain can't grapple with it.

Maybe I sound unkind but, honestly, there's no other way to explain how she responded when NBC's Lester Holt ever so gently pressed her about her failure to go to the border. Without Jen Psaki to give her a good excuse ("She got a snack!"), Kamala fell back on her usual weapons when at a loss: prolonged silences, cackles, stupid statements, and repetition (starting at 4:30 in):

.@LesterHoltNBC pushes Harris on the border including why she hasnt visited.



Harris: "We've been the border."



Holt: "YOU haven't been to the border."



Harris: ".....and I haven't been to Europe. I don't understand the point you're making."



pic.twitter.com/oN1HfbJwfI  Alex Thompson (@AlexThomp) June 8, 2021

By the way, did you notice how faded she sounded? Monica Showalter is right that there's something wrong.

Finally, for a comprehensive and deserved attack on the banal and unqualified woman standing on the verge of becoming president, you can't do better than Tucker Carlson's Tuesday-night monologue:

Image: Kamala Harris. Twitter screen grab.

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RTHK: Thousands mourn Canadian Muslim family

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau joined several thousand mourners in a vigil on Tuesday evening to remember three generations of a Canadian Muslim family killed in what police said was a premeditated hate crime, as a grieving community stood united in the midst of the crisis.

"This is our city," Bilal Rahhal, chair of the London Muslim Mosque, told the crowd. "Never allow anyone to make you think otherwise because of the color of your skin, your faith, or where you were born. ... This is our city and we're not going anywhere."

On Sunday, four members of the family were killed as they were out on an evening walk near their home in London, Ontario, when police say a man rammed them with his pick-up truck, targeting them because of their religion.

The victims were Salman Afzaal, 46; his wife, Madiha Salman, 44; their 15-year-old daughter, Yumna Afzaal; and Afzaal's 74-year-old mother. Their 9-year-old son, Fayez Afzaal, remained in hospital on Tuesday with serious but non-life-threatening injuries in stable condition.

Nathaniel Veltman, 20, has been charged with driving a pickup truck onto a curb and hitting the family in London, a city of over 400,000 people located 200km southwest of Toronto.

He was arrested on Sunday just a few hundred metres from the London Muslim Mosque, which the Afzaal family attended and where Tuesday's vigil was held.

Addressing the mourners, Trudeau said his government would take action, after placing flowers on the steps of the mosque, without giving details.

"This was an act of evil. But the light of the people here today, the light of the lives of the Afzaal family  that will always outweigh the dark," Trudeau said.

The attack has caused a nationwide outpouring of grief, with similar vigils taking place in Toronto, Vancouver and other cities across Canada. (Reuters)

This story has been published on: 2021-06-09. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
When the officers checked the garage, they found a 60-year-old man with a gunshot wound to the right thigh and a man in his 50s with a gunshot wound to the right leg, according to a police media notification. Both were taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, with the younger man in serious condition and the 60-year-old in good condition.
"The greatest evil in the world will not be carried out by men with guns, but by men in suits sitting behind desks." C.S. Lewis

One would think that now that Fauci's emails have been released and reveal that he knew and told those close to him that masks do nothing to prevent COVID, everyone would stop wearing them. But no. The mask Nazis are alive and well, giving the evil eye to anyone they see without one, even if riding his bike alone in the fresh air. Despite the CDC's advisory many months ago that they are no longer necessary outside (they never were), the mask-dependent cannot give up their masks. What's interesting is that it's leftist Democrats who are the face-covered mask police and conservatives who are done with them.

What can possibly explain this weird left-right disparity? Let's see... Could it be that leftists love Big Government and willingly submit to its control over every aspect of their lives? Conservatives, on the other hand, revere the Constitution, with its guaranteed freedoms and reverence for individual liberty. Leftists willingly embrace the easy compliance that leads to servitude; conservatives resist submission to the state.

Throughout this pandemic, those in charge always claimed to follow the science. In reality, the lefty tyrants who want to control us all preferred scientism, an exaggerated trust in the efficacy of the methods of natural science applied to all areas of investigation (as in philosophy, the social sciences, and the humanities). Scientism is just another -ism, like racism, extremism, and sexism. It means whatever the person using the term wants it to mean, and those definitions can vary widely depending on who is using them and whom they mean to indict.

We've learned from Fauci's and many (not all) of his correspondents' emails that they have embraced scientism and abandoned the scientific method. They've played with viruses as kids play with chemistry sets  without regard for consequences. As for masks, there was never any science that dictated they be mandated. On the contrary, there are countless studies that prove their ineffectiveness. Fauci said as much early on in 2020 and said it often to his email pals.

Ted Rall, a hard leftist, nevertheless wrote a good column about the "Fear of an Unmasked Nation" in which he notes that, as of June 2020, 86% of Democrats wore face masks whenever they left their homes compared to only 46% of Republicans! Far too many people are still afraid to go maskless, even when by themselves outdoors, even when shown the studies that pronounce them useless.

It is Democrats who have rushed to be vaccinated after vowing not to when Trump brought the vaccines to market. Curiously, it is these vaxxed Dems who continue to wear masks and insist that everyone around them do so as well. Clearly, they are not completely confident that the vaccines work. They are still fearful, possibly for good reason because the jabs are experimental and untested.

As for the unvaccinated, they theoretically propose no danger to the vaccinated and, as other studies have shown, cannot spread COVID if asymptomatic. The vaccine-resistant may have the last laugh. "Breakthrough cases," those among the fully vaccinated, are rising.

Ted Rall closes his column by noting that the masks are not a medical imperative, but pure virtue-signaling, a fashion accessory like the red ribbons all those celebrities wear when on camera. Perhaps wearers are just demonstrating that they are anti-Trump. That annoying little twerp David Hogg confessed that he wears a mask only for that reason.

Nevertheless, the execrable, soon to be recalled Governor Newsom of California has said students returning to public schools in the fall must wear masks! Unless he rescinds this ridiculous order, chances are there will be thousands of parents who take up homeschooling or leave the state. For young kids to be forced to wear masks for an entire school day is beyond stupid; it is dangerous. They are neither effective nor safe.

Leftists characteristically are certain about their highly evolved superiority compared to those evil, racist, mentally challenged conservatives. This is true for congressional Democrats, too. They are as confident in their moral supremacy as Lenin, Stalin, Hitler, Mao, and the denizens of the Frankfurt School were certain that only they were intellectually qualified to rule over those common people they so disdained.

Marx, for example, hated workers and purposely had little contact with them. The same goes for all dictators: they hate people and, viewing them as expendable, are comfortable committing genocide "for the greater good."

The Biden administration similarly seems to hate the American people and purposefully floods the nation with migrants, thousands of whom are criminals, and, to fulfill the open border promise, has subjected those migrants to the horrors the cartels perpetrate against them to bring them here. Every policy this administration has implemented has been cataclysmic.

To accept the nonsensical mask mandates that stupidly prevail in blue states when the pandemic is clearly over is analogous to being a sheep willingly going to slaughter. Man up, people! Throw away the face diapers. They do far more harm than good.

Nelson Mandela said, "When a man is denied the right to live the life he believes in, he has no choice but to become an outlaw." Be a proud mask outlaw.

Image: Woman with a COVID mask outdoors (cropped) by rawpixel.com.

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Over the last few years, we are frequently learning new things that have become unacceptable.

An actress goes to a ball that has been around for over one hundred years, and it is suddenly forbidden.

'The Office' Actress Ellie Kemper Apologizes for Attending a Ball, Acknowledges Her White Privilege

It is unacceptable to have ever used the word "antebellum" or to have attended a wedding or anything else at a plantation house.

We can never wear a Halloween costume where we pretend we are of a different race.

We can't pretend we have a different heritage by misappropriating someone else's garb or nationality.

We can't see Snow White because the prince kissed her without permission. That is clearly sexual abuse.

Supreme Court justices are not eligible, whether white or black, if they have ever been accused of inappropriate actions of anyone no matter how long ago it occurred and no matter if there is any evidence. The accusation is all that matters. (Of course, this seems to matter only for people nominated by Republicans.)

It is racist to require a photo ID to vote despite the significant majority of all races approving the policy and the ease to get the ID for all people.

Being pro-life or limiting abortions is racist.

Giving a speech about statues where you say there are good people on both sides of the issue will be misrepresented as not just racist, but supportive of neo-Nazis, regardless of the facts.

Despicable people such as Joe Biden and Barack Obama will continue to lie about what you said for years.

If you are a senator and filibuster anything Biden wants, you are a racist.

Now here are things that most people posing as journalists accept as perfectly acceptable:

A Virginia governor and Jimmy Kimmel appearing in blackface if not actual Klan hoods. They are surviving and thriving.

A Democrat senator who falsely claimed she was of Indian heritage for years. This allowed her to move up at Harvard for years, and she is widely respected.

A school that can teach children everything about sex starting in kindergarten but won't allow children to see Snow White. That, you see, is dangerous.

Ted Kennedy could leave a mistress to die to protect his political power and could have a "waitress sandwich" with Sen. Chris Dodd, and he was celebrated as a champion of women.

Bill and Hillary Clinton could physically and mentally abuse as many women as they wanted. Then they could seek to destroy them, and the media, Hollywood, and other Democrats didn't care. They were said to be very respectful of women's rights. The women they abused were disposable.

Bill Clinton could hang around with well-known pedophile Jeff Epstein, and few cared. The young girls were disposable.

Joe Biden is from Delaware, which requires photo IDs to vote, yet not once have I heard him or others accuse Delaware of having Jim Crow laws and being racist.

Democrats filibustered laws they didn't like 327 times in 2020, and not once, that I can find, did anyone posing as a journalist claim that their obstruction was racist.

Democrats support prevailing wage laws that were racist in intent. These laws were meant to keep poor minorities from taking white workers' jobs. Why are Democrats demanding adherence to laws that have oppressed minorities and taxpayers for ninety years? Why is this OK with supposed journalists? Isn't it racist?

Planned Parenthood was founded by a woman who wanted birth control to limit the population of people she deemed undesirable. Margaret Sanger's legacy of "elimination of the unfit" is appalling:

While liberals praise Planned Parenthood for its contributions to the health of women (unborn infants carrying the feminine XX chromosomes excluded), no one seems eager to discuss the organization's origin or its racist founder, eugenics advocate, Margaret Sanger. For the record, according to Merriam-Webster, eugenics is "the practice or advocacy of controlled selective breeding of human populations (as by sterilization) to improve the population's genetic composition."

Planned Parenthood continues to abort black and brown babies at a rate much higher than their percentage of the population. Democrats support quotas for everything, but somehow not for abortions. Isn't that racist?

So it is not OK to attend a ball or go to an old plantation, but it is absolutely necessary for Democrats to use taxpayer money to support an organization like PP that was founded by a despicable eugenicist.

There was no outrage when Obama and Biden gave glowing eulogies to the white supremacist, racist, KKK leader Robert Byrd, who filibustered the Civil Rights law.

Democrats block vouchers and charter schools that minorities support, but somehow that is not condemned as racist.

Biden said blacks ain't black if they don't vote for him, that all blacks vote alike, that blacks don't have the ability to get photo IDs to vote, and that blacks have great ideas but don't have accountants and lawyers? Those statements are all appalling racist statements, yet the media, Hollywood, and other Democrats don't care.

My summary is this: Democrats can do whatever they like, and almost all people pretending to be journalists will support them all the way to the president.

Republicans can have policies that lower unemployment rates for people of all races and education levels to record lows, can raise wages for those at the bottom, can reduce poverty to record lows, and Democrat campaign workers, posing as journalists, will seek to destroy them every day, no matter how many lies and conspiracies, like Russian collusion, they need to conjure up.

Facts and results clearly don't matter. Power for leftists is all that matters.

Image: Pixabay, Pixabay License.

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QUESTION:

My low-noise amplifier is not low noise enough. What am I doing wrong?

Answer:

It may not be the amplifier causing the trouble; analyze where the noise is actually coming from. A typical operational amplifier circuit contains six uncorrelated noise sources (the smaller ones can usually be disregarded1). The amplifier itself has three separate noise sources: a voltage noise source appears differentially across the inputs; and current noise sources appear in series with both inverting and non-inverting inputs. Remarkably often the problem is not the amplifier, though, but the thermal noise generated by one or more of the three resistors that set the amplifier gain and provide bias current compensation. Analog Devices has over sixty types of op amps whose voltage noise is less than that of a 1 k resistor .

This answer is rarely popular; it is far more satisfactory to blame an imperfect amplifier and replace it with a better one than to admit that there is a fundamental problem with apparently simple components such as resistors. In fact, a remarkably common response to a diagnosis of resistor noise is to seek a source of "good" resistors, with "good" being defined as without thermal noise.

This is impossible. The basic physics of resistance shows2 that the random thermal movement of charge carriers in a conductor always produces electrical noise of value where k is Boltzmann's Constant (1.38065 x 10-23 J/K), T is the absolute temperature, B is the bandwidth and R the resistance. (We often express this noise in terms of spectral density, making the voltage noise .

Such noise is known as thermal noise, or Johnson noise, after John B. Johnson (Bell Telephone Laboratories  1928), who was the first person to observe it. It might more properly be named Johnson/Nyquist noise as it was Harry Nyquist (also at Bell Laboratories) who explained the physical basis of Johnson's observation.

So anywhere at all that there is resistance in a circuit, whether it is carrying current or not, there is a noise generator with an output voltage noise spectral density of . We can reduce the noise by reducing the resistance (this may increase current and/or power consumption), but reducing the temperature is not usually practicable (if we cool a resistor from room temperature (298K) to liquid nitrogen temperature (77K), its noise voltage is still more than half its room temperature value). And, of course, we can't change Boltzmann's Constant because Professor Boltzmann is dead3.

1 Any noise source less than 1/3 the magnitude of the largest can be ignored for most practical purposes.

2 http://www.physics.utoronto.ca/~phy225h/experiments/thermal-noise/Thermal-Noise.pdf

3 Died 5 September 1906 at Diuno near Trieste, buried Zentralfriedhof, Vienna.




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President Biden on Wednesday issued a new executive order revoking bans against the TikTok and WeChat. These companies were identified as a threat to US national security during the presidency of Donald Trump.

Of course, revoking some bans doesnt mean the US new administration wants to take a passive approach to Chinese companies. The Biden administration will continue to monitor apps that may have ties with foreign governments and collect American users data. The Commerce Department is in charge of this.

Some Chinese apps, such as TikTok, WeChat, and Alipay, have been removed from US app stores, following orders issued by Donald Trump during his presidency.

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Trump even planned to force TikTok to sell their business to an American company. However, this didnt happen due to the court order and the end of Trumps presidency.

Bans against Chinese apps still continue

The challenge that were addressing with this EO is that certain countries, including China, do not share these commitments or values and are instead working to leverage digital technologies and American data in ways that present unacceptable national security risks, a senior administration official noted on Wednesday.

Instead of banning apps from US app stores and making them sell their business to a local company, Biden executive order focus is on preventing apps from collecting American users data and moving them abroad to foreign adversaries. The Commerce Department will soon issue recommendations in this regard.

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The administration is committed to promoting an open, interoperable, reliable, and secure internet and to protecting human rights online and offline, and to supporting a vibrant global digital economy, the administration official continued.

Biden will issue more executive orders against China

Of course, the decisions that made by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) are not revoked yet. This is the same decision that insisted TikTok must cut ties with its Chinese owner ByteDance. According to a senior administration official, The CFIUS action remains under active discussion by the US government.

This is not the first executive order against Chinese companies by Bidens administration. The new president of the United States has recently issued a new order to impose investment bans against some Chinese businesses, including Huawei.

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According to the new order, any investment in these companies will provoke a reaction from the US government. Also, the perpetrators will face punishment.

Bidens order was, in fact, a continuation of Trumps sanctions against Chinese companies. Some Chinese companies with ties to the Chinese government and military agencies threaten US national security. Of course, some government officials have said that Biden will soon impose new sanctions on China.
This week the Xbox team confirmed that Game Pass subscribers will get free access to Disney Plus. And just in case you were wondering, now may be the perfect time take Xbox up on its offer.

There are of course some caveats to the whole deal. As is usually the case with most promotions. Keep this in mind going forward just in case youre excited to start streaming content through Disney Plus at no charge.

The news of this new promotion comes straight from the Xbox Game Pass official Twitter on June 8, via Tech Radar who spotted a tease for the promotion back on June 7. In the tease, the teams says it was prepared to make a big flashy video to announce the new perk. And that instead, it decided to go with something more.. lowkey. The lowkey word use being a reference to the new MCU show on Disney Plus featuring Loki, the Asgardian God of Mischief.

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The show Loki also just aired its first episode on June 9. And with two other MCU shows having wrapped up their first (and possibly only) season, its a good time to be a Disney Plus subscriber.

At first we were going to make this big flashy video to tease the next Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Perk but in the end we decided to go with something a little more Lowkey Advertisement  Xbox Game Pass (@XboxGamePass) June 7, 2021

The Disney Plus trial requires a subscription to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate

Xbox Game Pass is available in a few different variations, but only one of them gets access to this new perk.

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Youll need to subscribe to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate if you want to partake in the free Disney Plus trial. Whats more is that you cant already be a subscriber of Disney Plus. So if you already have access, this wont apply to you. And you wont simply get a free month.

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate costs $14.99 a month, compared to the $9.99 you pay for the other two versions, which are for console and PC respectively.

Another notable detail is that the trial is only for one free month. So you wont get access at no cost forever as part of Xbox Game Pass. Which is too bad, because that would be a screaming deal.
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We have been especially appreciative of our teachers during this past year when we faced tremendous challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic, gun-violence  three Urban Prep students were shot, one fatally  and community unrest, Boyd said. Yet, Urban Prep has been able to provide hybrid (both in-person and remote) instruction the entire year, gain charter renewal for our Englewood Campus, achieve a Level 1 rating for our Bronzeville Campus, develop a unique partnership with Roosevelt University for our West Campus, provide meals to our neediest families and maintain full-employment for all our employees, Boyd said.
In an unrelated attack about 2 a.m. Wednesday, a 60-year-old man was at home in the 2000 block of West 83rd Street in the Gresham neighborhood when someone rang the doorbell, police said in a media notification. A family member heard a gunshot and when they went to the front of the home, they found the man with a gunshot wound to the forehead.


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Joe Biden has stressed the need for the worlds democracies to stand together as he arrived in the UK on his first overseas trip as US president.

Mr Biden will meet Boris Johnson in Cornwall on Thursday ahead of the G7 summit and is expected to deliver a warning not to let the Brexit trade dispute imperil the Northern Ireland peace process.

The president will also seek to show the United States is back as a major international diplomatic force following the Donald Trump years, using the visit to Europe to shore up transatlantic alliances.

Mr Biden flew in to the UK on Air Force One, landing at the US airbase at RAF Mildenhall before heading on to Cornwall for Thursdays talks with Mr Johnson and the G7 summit in Carbis Bay.

He told an audience of US military personnel and service families: We are going to make it clear that the United States is back and democracies of the world are standing together to tackle the toughest challenges and the issues that matter most to our future.

He called for international action to tackle climate change and end the Covid-19 pandemic.

This diplomacy is essential because no single nation acting alone can meet all the challenges we face today because the world is changing, Mr Biden said.

Air Force One touching down at RAF Mildenhall (Joe Giddens/PA)

The US is expected to buy 500 million more doses of the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine to share through the global Covax alliance for donation to 92 lower income countries and the African Union over the next year.

Ahead of the talks with Mr Johnson, Mr Bidens national security adviser Jake Sullivan warned the president harbours very deep concerns on the issue provoked by Brexit.

Mr Sullivan said the president believes the post-Brexit Northern Ireland Protocol is critical to ensuring that the Good Friday Agreement is protected, as Britain and the EU try to resolve the issue of checks on goods crossing the Irish Sea.

The adviser told the BBC that both sides must continue with negotiations, adding: Whatever way they find to proceed must, at its core, fundamentally protect the gains of the Good Friday Agreement and not imperil that.

Joe Biden addresses US Air Force personnel at RAF Mildenhall (Joe Giddens/PA)

That is the message that President Biden will send when he is in Cornwall.

Mr Sullivan declined to say whether a failure to alleviate the Northern Ireland concerns could jeopardise a transatlantic trade deal but added that our concern runs very deep on the Northern Ireland issue.

The Prime Minister said he is not worried about the prospect of the summit being overshadowed by the row with the EU.

Asked about Mr Sullivans warning, Mr Johnson told broadcasters in Cornwall that he was very, very optimistic about the situation and said a solution is easily doable.

After touching down at RAF Mildenhall and addressing the personnel, Mr Biden and his wife Jill flew on to Cornwall.

Mr Bidens trip to Europe also takes in a Nato meeting and talks with Russias Vladimir Putin to let him know what I want him to know.

The Prime Minister plans to use the summit of leading economies to urge the G7 members  also including Canada, Japan, France, Germany and Italy  to defeat Covid-19 by helping to vaccinate the world by the end of next year.

Mr Johnson also wants a new treaty on responding to pandemics after the pretty scratchy period where countries were competing and squabbling over access to personal protective equipment.

The summit would focus on building back greener, building back better after the pandemic, he said.

After the summit ends, the president and first lady will meet the Queen at Windsor Castle.
The Duchess of Cornwall has said she is completely hooked on ballet classes as she toured the V&A to see a display celebrating 100 years of the Royal Academy of Dance.

Camilla posed with her hand on a ballet barre and chatted about her dedication to the Silver Swan workouts for over 55s, which she used to keep fit during lockdown.

She was joined by former Strictly judge Dame Darcey Bussell, telling her: Darcey! I havent seen you since we did that video call last year.

Camilla with Dame Darcey Bussell viewing On Point: Royal Academy of Dance At 100 display (Chris Jackson/PA)

The duchess said as she chatted to some of the guests: I can do a little barre work. I do the Silver Swans. Ive got it this afternoon.

She added: Ive been completely hooked. I love it We sort of crash about the place.

But she told how she had no barre to practise on.

Camilla looks at a pair of ballet shoes (Chris Jackson/PA)

We have no barre either so it just makes it even harder, Camilla said.

The duchess, who was wearing a pale blue Indian print silk dress by Fiona Clare and a dragon fly face mask, toured the On Point: Royal Academy of Dance at 100 display.

She saw a costume which Dame Darcey wore for her 1989 performance as Rose in Prince Of The Pagodas.

The exhibits at the V&A museum in London celebrate 100 years of the RAD and tell the story of how it shaped the future of dance training with videos of famous performances and costumes of its stars.

Dame Darcey and Camilla, who is vice patron of the RAD, held a video call with broadcaster Angela Rippon last year, with the duchess revealing how she and her friends had been enjoying weekly Royal Academy of Dance Silver Swans classes for seniors around 18 months.
A Government decision to award a contract to a company whose bosses were friends of adviser Dominic Cummings was unlawful, a High Court judge has ruled.

Campaigners took legal action against the Cabinet Office over the decision to pay more than 500,000 of taxpayers money to market research firm Public First, following the start of the coronavirus crisis in March 2020, and questioned the involvement of Mr Cummings.

Lawyers representing the Good Law Project said Mr Cummings, Prime Minister Boris Johnsons then-chief adviser, wanted focus group and communications support services work to be given to a company whose bosses were his friends.

Ministers, and Mr Cummings  who left Downing Street late in 2020  disputed the Good Law Projects claim.

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Mrs Justice OFarrell, who is based in London, considered rival arguments at a virtual High Court hearing in February and delivered a ruling on Wednesday.

She said: The claimant is entitled to a declaration that the decision of 5 June 2020 to award the contract to Public First gave rise to apparent bias and was unlawful.

Good Law Project director Jo Maugham said: This is not government for the public good  it is government for the good of friends of the Conservative Party.

We just dont understand how the Prime Minister can run a Cabinet that acts without proper regard for the law or value for public money.

Government has claimed there was no favouritism in the awarding of contracts. But the High Court has held an informed observer would conclude otherwise.

Dominic Cummings was Boris Johnsons chief adviser (Yui Mok/PA)

A spokesman for Public First said: Were deeply proud of the work we did in the early stages of the pandemic, which helped save lives.

The judge rejected most of the Good Law Projects claims, not finding actual bias in the awarding of this work, nor any problems with the pace or scale of the award.

Rather, the judge found that weak internal processes gave rise to the appearance of bias. The judge made no criticism whatsoever of Public First anywhere in the judgment.

Lawyers representing the Good Law Project told Mrs Justice OFarrell that a fair-minded and informed observer would conclude there was a real possibility of bias, and argued that the decision was unlawful.

Lawyers representing the Cabinet Office told the judge that Mr Cummings made a recommendation, not a decision, and the Good Law Projects claim should be dismissed.

They said that, during a national emergency, Mr Cummings recommended a firm he knew could get the job done.

Mr Cummings said he obviously did not ask for Public First to be brought in because they were friends.

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Barrister Jason Coppel QC, who represented the Good Law Project, had told the judge: Public First was awarded this contract because Dominic Cummings wanted Public First to have this contract.

No other provider was considered.

Mr Coppel said more than 500,000 had been spent and told the judge it was not strictly necessary to award the contract to Public First without competition.

He said the current minister for the Cabinet Office is Michael Gove.

Mr Coppel said Public First is a small research agency whose directors and owners are Rachel Wolf and her husband, James Frayne.

He said the couple have long-standing personal relationships with both Mr Cummings and Mr Gove.

Mr Coppel added: The fair-minded and informed observer would conclude that there was a real possibility of bias: it was Mr Cummings who decided, without giving any consideration to alternative providers, that work valued at hundreds of thousands of pounds of public money should be given to his friends.

Mr Cummings did not give evidence at the hearing but outlined his position in a written witness statement seen by the judge.

He said the country was facing an emergency because of the coronavirus crisis and the award of the contract without delay was entirely justified.

The judge said in her ruling: The fair-minded and informed observer would have appreciated that there was an urgent need for research through focus groups on effective communications in response to the Covid-19 crisis and that those research services were required immediately.

The fair-minded and informed observer would have appreciated that it was vital that the results and conclusions from the research were reliable and that Mr Cummings was uniquely placed, given his experience and expertise, to form a rapid view on which organisation might best be able to deliver those urgent requirements.

His professional and personal connections with Public First did not preclude him from making an impartial assessment in this regard.

She went on: However, the defendants failure to consider any other research agency, by reference to experience, expertise, availability or capacity, would lead a fair-minded and informed observer to conclude that there was a real possibility, or a real danger, that the decision-maker was biased.

(The) claimant has established its case that the circumstances in which the contract was awarded to Public First gave rise to apparent bias.

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A Good Law Project spokeswoman said: Michael Gove had tried to argue that only Public First could carry out the contracted work and everyone was acting under pressure.

However, the High Court found that version of events does not stand up to scrutiny and the time constraints  did not exonerate the defendant from conducting the procurement so as to demonstrate a fair and impartial process of selection.

The truth, it said, is the Cabinet Office didnt even consider whether to give the contract to anyone else.

Emails between civil servants revealed in the course of Good Law Projects legal action revealed both Michael Gove and No 10 wanted contracts to be awarded to Public First.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have clashed with the BBC over the version of events that led to the naming of their daughter.

Harry and Meghans lawyers have written to the corporation after a BBC story claimed the Queen had not been asked about naming their baby Lilibet, which was the monarchs childhood family nickname.

It has been widely reported that Harry and Meghan did consult with the Queen before the name of their baby, who was born in California on Friday, was announced.

Harry and Meghan have named their daughter Lilibet (Victoria Jones/PA)

But an article on the BBCs website claimed palace sources had said the Queen was not asked by the duke and duchess about naming their daughter Lilibet.

A spokeswoman for the couple said their daughters name was mentioned in a conversation with the Queen.

She said: The duke spoke with his family in advance of the announcement, in fact his grandmother was the first family member he called.

During that conversation, he shared their hope of naming their daughter Lilibet in her honour. Had she not been supportive, they would not have used the name.

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The Times newspaper reported the couples lawyers Schillings have sent a letter to the BBC warning the story is false and defamatory.

The story by one of the BBCs royal correspondents remains on the corporations website.

Buckingham Palace has declined to comment.

The row comes just a few weeks after Lord Dysons report into the 1995 Panorama interview with Harrys mother Diana, Princess of Wales.

It concluded that journalist Martin Bashir used deceitful behaviour to land the world exclusive and an internal BBC investigation a year later had covered it up.

Harry and Meghan with their son Archie in South Africa (Toby Melville/PA)

Lilibet Lili Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, a younger sister for the Sussexes two-year-old son Archie, was born at 11.40am on Friday June 4 at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital in California weighing 7lb 11oz.

The Sussexes have faced heartbreak and division after they quit as senior working royals last year and plunged the monarchy into crisis with their bombshell Oprah Winfrey interview in March.

Harry made further controversial comments about his family in the following weeks, and has also experienced a long-running rift with his brother William.

But he has always spoken warmly about his grandmother and late grandfather, and the Queen has referred to her grandson and his family in sympathetic terms.

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Lilibet is the Queens family nickname and the choice pays tribute to the monarch at a challenging time for the Windsors, who are mourning the loss of the Duke of Edinburgh.

The new baby is the Queens 11th great-grandchild, and the first to be born since Philips death.

But with the Sussexes living in California and amid troubled relationships with Harrys family, it is not known when or if the new addition will meet the Queen and the rest of the royals.

The row with the BBC did not stop Harry announcing the latest host country for his Invictus Games, revealing in a social media video that Germany will stage the event for 2023.

Its time to spread the news something big is coming to Germany, the duke said in the clip that featured Germanys defence minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer.
Dontay Banks, who performed under the stage name D-Thang, was killed early Sunday at Club O in the 17000 block of South Halsted Street when he was shot by another patron, Harvey police said. Banks, 32, was shot multiple times, including to the head and pronounced dead at the scene, according to police and the Cook County medical examiners office.
Lecturers are refusing to teach students at an Oxford University college over its decision not to remove a statue of Cecil Rhodes, it has been reported.

Last month, Oriel College was accused of institutional racism after its governing body said it would not seek to move the monument to the British imperialist from its position outside the building.

According to the Daily Telegraph, more than 150 lecturers have since refused to give tutorials to Oriels undergraduate students following the decision.

They also reportedly pledged to withdraw from all talks, seminars and conferences sponsored by Oriel and stop their involvement in interviewing students and recruiting fellows.

The college was accused of institutional racism over the decision (Steve Parsons/PA)

The lecturers have been criticised by Lord Wharton, chairman of the Office for Students, who told the paper it would be utterly unacceptable if students were left disadvantaged.

Tim Loughton, a former minister for children and families, added: This is academic blackmail by a group of academics who think their own political views should trump everyone elses, and if they dont get their own way then any innocent students who happen to fall within their boycott will become the victims.

An independent inquiry to examine Rhodes legacy was set up in June last year after the governing body of Oriel College expressed their wish to remove the statue.

Announcing its decision three weeks ago, the college decided against removal, arguing the time frame and cost were considerable obstacles.

A statement from the Rhodes Must Fall campaign in response described the decision as an act of institutional racism.

Oriel College has been approached for comment.

Students called for the statues removal (Steve Parsons/PA)

It comes amid another dispute over a decision to remove the Queens portrait at Magdalen College due to concerns over its colonial links.

Members of the Magdalen College Middle Common Room (MCR), which is made up of graduate students, overwhelmingly voted to remove the picture from their common room.

Boris Johnson is said to back Gavin Williamsons criticism of the students, according to Downing Street, after the Education Secretary branded the move simply absurd.

He has since faced criticism from the University and College Union (UCU), which said the comments were a distraction from the disastrous, systemic failings this Government has presided over in higher education.

Mr Williamson called the move simply absurd (Toby Melville/PA)

Barrister Dinah Rose, president of the college, said staff had received threatening messages over the controversy, and she defended students right to free speech and political debate.

Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick called the row student union politics, but said he is proud to have a portrait of the Queen in his office.

Political website Guido Fawkes reported that the motion to remove the portrait was launched to make members feel welcome, with one student said to have commented patriotism and colonialism are not really separable.
Furlough support for aviation workers should be extended until April next year to protect jobs over the winter season, airlines have said.

Airlines UK, a trade association representing UK carriers, said airlines have made pre-tax losses running into billions of pounds and announced more than 30,000 job cuts during the coronavirus pandemic.

In a letter to Chancellor Rishi Sunak, the industry body described the impact of the crisis as devastating.

The bulk of 7.2 billion of Government support for airlines has essentially been taken on as new debt, it said.

No sector would be able to continue to accumulate debt in this way for much longer and hope to be able to recover.

The furlough scheme, which pays up to 80% of wages, is due to end on September 30, but the letter called for it to be extended until the end of April 2022 for people in aviation, to cover the traditionally unprofitable winter months.

Airlines UK also urged Mr Sunak to delay repayment deadlines for pandemic loan schemes, extend business rates relief to airlines, and offer restart grants.

The letter continued: If a meaningful reopening is not possible during the summer given current Government policy and application of the Global Travel Taskforce recommendations, then targeted economic support will be essential to ensure UK airlines are able to reach the point when a restart is possible, in order to protect many tens of thousands of jobs.

The removal of Portugal from the Governments green travel list means there are no major viable tourist destinations which people from the UK can visit without needing to quarantine when they return.

A report by the Governments Global Travel Taskforce in April recommended that a green watchlist is created to identify countries most at risk of moving from green to amber, but that has not yet happened.
The Queen has kept busy since the death of the Duke of Edinburgh, despite grieving for her husband and being just five years away from her own 100th birthday.

Philip would have reached his centenary milestone on Thursday but the royal family said farewell to their patriarch two months ago after he died in April at the age of 99.

The 95-year-old Queen has been continuing with her work as head of state at Windsor Castle, where she spent most of lockdown with the duke.

The Queen alone at the Duke of Edinburghs funeral (Jonathan Brady/PA)

Support has come from her family, including her daughter-in-law the Countess of Wessex, who lives nearby, her personal dresser and confidante Angela Kelly, and her ladies in waiting.

The Queen also has the companionship of her pets  her corgi puppy Muick, bought for her when Philip was ill by the Duke of York, and an older dog  a dorgi called Candy.

But she was left heartbroken when another puppy, Fergus the dorgi, died just a month after the duke.

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh pictured at Windsor to mark Philips 99th birthday last June (Steve Parsons/PA)

Amid rifts and divisions  from the fallout of the Sussexes Oprah interview, with accusations of racism, to Harry criticising the royal family for total neglect over his attempts to get help over social media harassment  there have been moments of joy among the sadness in 2021.

Princess Beatrice announced she was expecting a baby in the autumn and on Sunday Harry and Meghan shared the news they had welcomed a daughter  Lilibet Lili Diana Mountbatten-Windsor.

Lili, the Queens 11th great-grandchild, has been named in tribute to both the Queen  with Lilibet being her family nickname  and Harrys late mother Diana, Princess of Wales.

Lilibet was also the name Philip used for his wife of 73 years.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are celebrating the arrival of daughter Lili (Chris Jackson/PA)

But the Sussexes clashed with the BBC over the version of events that led to the naming of their daughter.

Harry and Meghans lawyers have written to the corporation after a BBC story claimed the Queen had not been asked about the naming of their baby.

A spokeswoman for the couple said their daughters name was mentioned in a conversation with the Queen.

The Queen is understood to be keen to carry out more public engagements in the coming months instead of the virtual events which have taken up much of her schedule since the pandemic hit.

The Queen at the mini Trooping at Windsor in 2020 (Paul Edwards/The Sun)

She has a busy run of events this week  meeting US president Joe Biden, who is in the UK for the G7 summit, and attending a mini Trooping the Colour at Windsor to mark her official birthday at the weekend.

The Queens cousin, the Duke of Kent, will accompany her at the birthday military parade on Saturday.

In May, the Queen attended a scaled-back Covid-secure State Opening of Parliament, where she was joined by the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall.

The Queen, accompanied by the Prince of Wales, at the State Opening of Parliament in May (Richard Pohle/The Times/PA)

It was her first official appearance in public as head of state, and first engagement outside the Castle, since the duke died.

Solemn and quietly spoken, the widowed Queen  the only figure without a mask throughout  who has pledged her life to her royal role, carried out her duty without flurry or fuss.

A smattering of masked MPs and peers, an empty-looking chamber and greatly reduced pomp and ceremony was the setting this year for the Queens Speech.

The Queen during a visit to HMS Queen Elizabeth at HM Naval Base, Portsmouth (Steve Parsons/PA)

Later the same month, the Queen carried out her first solo engagement away from Windsor since Philips death, visiting the Royal Navy flagship HMS Queen Elizabeth at HM Naval Base Portsmouth.

Dressed in a brick-red military-style cashmere coat with a black velvet collar and buttons, the Queen appeared on good form as she smiled and chatted with the crew.
Drug company Pfizer is pushing a COVID-19 vaccine for children 5 to 11 years old into Phase 2/3 clinical trials.

ABC News reports that based on successful Phase 1 trials, the jab for kids in that age range will contain 10 micrograms of vaccine each, which is one-third the potency the dose given to those 12 and over. Children 5 and under will receive 3 microgram shots.

Noah Chen, 13, gets a shot of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at the First Baptist Church of Pasadena, Friday, May 14, 2021, in Pasadena, Calif.





Noah Chen, 13, gets a shot of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at the First Baptist Church of Pasadena, Friday, May 14, 2021, in Pasadena, Calif. (Marcio Jose Sanchez/)

Studies will reportedly monitor safety and side effects associated with the vaccine. Antibody response will also be tracked, so researchers know if the lower doses are effective against the coronavirus. Those test results are expected in September.

Leading Pfizer researcher Dr. Bill Gruber called the companys approach to testing with children deliberate and careful.

Phase 2/3 test results for lower dose vaccines to treat children between the ages of six months and 2 years old are expected as early as October, a Pfizer spokesperson said. Testing for children in that age range is still in Phase 1.

Pfizer said as many as 4,500 subjects from the U.S., Spain, Finland and Poland are participating.
Zimbabwe is set to receive 500,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines on June 15, Information Minister Monica Mutsvangwa told reporters on Tuesday without providing further details.

The southern African country launched its mass vaccination program on February 18 after receiving a donation of 200,000 doses of the Sinopharm vaccine from China earlier in the week.

It received another batch of one million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine made by the Chinese firm Sinovac on March 30.

Last month, Mutsvangwa said her country was awaiting an additional 500,000 vaccine doses ordered from Sinopharm to arrive this month.

By Tuesday, the number of vaccines administered had surpassed 688,000, with over 385,000 people fully vaccinated.

The Zimbabwean government hopes to inoculate at least 60% of the country's 14 million people by the end of the year but has struggled to obtain the jabs as producing countries refocus their manufacturing to cater for local needs.

The country has so far recorded 39,238 COVID-19 infections with 1,611 deaths.

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Jimenez, 28, had been on the police force for two years when he was gunned down coming to the aid of other officers during the Mercy Hospital shooting. He was married with three small children. Two other people, including the shooters former fiancee and a pharmacy resident, were killed during the attack.
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The meeting was secretly recorded by See Y. Wong, who at the time was cooperating with the FBI in hopes for leniency in his own real estate fraud case, the Tribune has previously reported. The developer Wong brought to the meeting, identified as Businessman 1, needed Solis help with a zoning change for his hotel and expressed a willingness to hire Madigans firm to help grease the wheels on the deal, according to an FBI affidavit unsealed in 2019.
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Since the early morning, Mumbai and the surrounding districts witnessed a heavy downpour, causing flooding in several low-lying areas

The IMD has issued a red alert for Mumbai, and neighbouring Thane, Palghar and Raigad districts, warning of very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places.  Representational image/AP

Mumbai: Mumbai was marooned on Wednesday as heavy rains lashed the city marking the arrival of monsoon. While the rail and train traffic was disrupted, several areas of the city witnessed water-logging bringing the normal life to a standstill. However, the majority of people were spared from the misery due to the ongoing Covid restrictions, which averted them to venture out of their homes.

Since the early morning, Mumbai and the surrounding districts witnessed a heavy downpour, causing flooding in several low-lying areas. The roads and rail tracks went under the water, suspending the road traffic and suburban train services. Routes of some city municipal buses, were diverted to avoid flooded streets. However, by late afternoon, the rainfall intensity reduced bringing much relief to Mumbaikars.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD) officials, Mumbai received 220.6 mm of rainfall till 5.30 pm on Wednesday. The IMD has issued a red alert for Mumbai, and neighbouring Thane, Palghar and Raigad districts, warning of very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places.

GOOD NEWS. Onset of SW Monsoon declared over Mumbai Thane Palghar today 9th June. Monsoon line today passing frm Valsad(Gujarat), Nagpur in Maharashtra & then Bhadrachalam Tuni..Conditions r favourable for onset of monsoon in remaining parts of Maharashtra in nxt 2,3 days, tweeted K S Hosalikar, the IMDs head SID, Climate Research & Services at Pune.

Due to strengthening of westerly winds along west coast due to low pressure area over Bay on 11 Jun: widespread rainfall activity with heavy to very heavy rainfall likely to continue over Konkan during 9-15 June, he further tweeted.

Several areas of Mumbai like Hindmata, Parel, Sion, Kings Circle, Matunga, Wadala, Dadar, Juhu, Jogeshawri witnessed flooding on Wednesday. The traffic police closed Milan, Khar, Andheri and Malad subways for motorists due to water-logging at these places. Cranes were used to clear roads on which motorists had abandoned their vehicles due to water-logging. The city police appealed to Mumbaikars not to step out of their homes unnecessarily and cautioned them against travelling to some of the inundated areas.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray took a review of the situation by speaking to the officials of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and collectors of Thane, Palghar, Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg districts. He directed the officials to ensure proper relief work for people living in coastal areas.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra BJP leader Ashish Shelar alleged that the BMCs shoddy pre-monsoon preparation works resulted in flooding of Mumbai city. The BMCs claims of carrying out 104 per cent desilting works of nullahs, sewers and open drains before the monsoon have proved hollow in the very first rains. In five years, Rs 1000 crore have been spent on desilting works, but the situation remains the same, he said.

However, mayor Kishori Pednekar rubbished his claims saying the water-logging did not exist for long in the city. We never said that there will be no flooding in city. It was bound to happen due to incessant rains. But, we ensured that the accumulated water receded quickly, she said.
The Roaring Fork River near Henry Stein Park pictured in July last year. So far, the river is running at about 70% of normal for this time of year, a point of concern pointed out by both Aspen City Council members and staff alike Tuesday.
A haze over Capitol Peak and Mount Daly on Tuesday in Snowmass. The haze is believed to have moved into the valley from the wildfires currently burning in New Mexico and Arizona.
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I saw the initials JRD and thought Im going to go home and dig up a little history, do a little work on it, Counter said. Thats the part of metal detecting I love, the history part of it. You find things, you dont know exactly what they are or where they came from and you wonder who dropped it and things like that.
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In between its carbon-fiber garments, dazzling performance figures, and state-of-the-art electrical functions, Kawasaki s 2019 Ninja H2 Carbon is absolutely phenomenal. The Japanese marvel is put in motion by a superchargedinline-four powerplant with a sizeable displacement of 998cc and sixteen valves. The liquid-cooled colossus supplies 228 wild horses at approximately 11,500 rpm, along with 105 pound-feet (142 Nm) of torque at an ear-shattering 11,000 revs.A six-speed KQS (Kawasaki Quick Shifter) transmission routes the engines force to the rear wheel via a sealed chain, resulting in a top speed of no less than 209 mph (336 kph). The powertrain components are housed inside a high-tensile steel trellis frame, which rests on 43-mm (1.7-inch) adjustable forks up front and an Ohlins TTX36 gas-charged shock absorber at the rear.The front wheel comes equipped with dual semi-floating 330-mm (13-inch) brake rotors and radially mounted four-piston Brembo calipers. On the other end, stopping power is handled by a single 250-mm (9.8-inch) disc and a two-piston caliper. The Ninja crawls on a pair of 17-inch hoops featuring star-shaped spokes and high-performance Bridgestone tires.Well, we find it perfectly reasonable to conclude that Kawasakis wonder is the ultimate road-legal superbike. Not only does it manage to be seriously impressive on every level, but the Ninja H2 Carbon is also, quite simply, a gorgeous piece of machinery. If you find yourself daydreaming about owning one such gem, were about to make your day.In this articles photo gallery, youll see a spotless 2019 model from the Japanese manufacturers limited-edition lineup. This wild monstrositys TFT display tells us that its only been ridden for 163 miles (262 km), and you could be the next person who gets to add some miles on its digital odometer.The Ninja is heading to the auction block on Bring a Trailer , where the bidding will be open until Thursday, June 10. However, youll have to dig fairly deep into your wallet, as the current bid sits at a hefty $17,000. If your bank account can handle it, this isnt an opportunity youll want to miss, though.
Speed Racer, or Mach GoGoGo by its Japanese title, told the story of a young race driver called Go Mifune at the wheel of a car called Mach 5 . The machine was way ahead of its time and packed with high-tech gadgetry that could be deployed at the touch of a button to help the driver achieve his goals.With the custom world being as it is, people have tried to replicate the Mach 5 in real life over the years, and some have succeeded better than others. One car, in particular, seemed more than a right fit for the real-life incarnation of the anime car, the Chevrolet Corvette Kind of like this one here, a 1979 Vette that has been massaged into looking as close as the Mach 5 as possible. It boasts all sorts of tribute elements all over: a big red M up front, the number 5 on the doors, and Speed Racer lettering out back.The changes that had to be made to the Corvette to make it a right replica of the anime car are quite extensive, and a lot of fiberglass was used to completely reshape the front and rear end, giving the Corvette the telltale Mach 5 look.The interior is particularly appealing, with a deep red vinyl used everywhere except on the center console. There are two high back bucket seats in there, ready to receive driver and passenger.The car rides on 15-inch wheels shod in BFGoodrich tires, and it moves along under the power of a 350ci (5.7-liter) engine tied to a 3-speed automatic transmission.We dug this Mach 5 up on the lot of cars sold by Classic Auto Mall . It is listed as being unused and going for $86,900.
From 3.5 liters of displacement, the Japanese automaker quotes 415 PS and 650 Nm (409 horsepower and 479 pound-feet). A brand-new V6 twin-turbo diesel is also offered, and its even torquier at 700 Nm (516 pound-feet).Both six-cylinder options are joined by a 10-speed automatic transmission, complemented by three differential locks and four-wheel drive. The Land Cruiser offers an approach angle of 32 degrees, a departure angle of up to 26.5 degrees, and 230 millimeters (9.0 inches) of ground clearance.Toyota says the LC300 can shoot to 100 kilometers per hour (62 miles per hour) in 6.7 seconds for the gasoline-fueled engine, which is very good if you remember how large and heavy this fellow is. The Lexus LS 500 hits that speed in less than five seconds, but we shouldnt forget that the full-size luxobarge is a slightly lighter vehicle with a unibody construction to boot.Based on the TNGA-F platform that will be also utilized in the Tundra pickup truck, the all-new Land Cruiser features an evolution of the E-KDSS electronically controlled kinetic dynamic suspension stabilization system we know and love from the LC200. The adaptive variable suspension, Multi-Terrain Select with Deep Snow mode, Multi-Terrain Monitor, and Crawl Control are highlights in their own right. The model also gets the latest suite of Safety Sense technologies that include adaptive high beams, auto braking, and lane keep assist.Offered with three-row seating for seven adults, the 300 series is 200 kilograms (441 pounds) lighter and 10-percent friendlier to the environment in terms of CO2 emissions. Far sharper on the outside and more luxurious inside, the Land Cruiser comes with 9.0- or 12.3-inch touchscreens for the infotainment system as well as a head-up display, a fingerprint authentication system, air ionizer, power tailgate, and a 360-degree array of cameras.According to Toyota, the LC300 will go on sale this summer, and some markets will benefit from a third engine-transmission combo in the guise of a free-breathing V6 and a six-speed unit. As for the United States, word has it that only the Lexus LX will soldier on because the outgoing Land Cruiser and LX are too close to each other in terms of MSRP ($85,565 vs. $86,830).
TNGA-F is the codename of the ladder chassis, and its a modular design that can also be adapted for mid-sized pickups and SUVs. In other words, the next-generation Tacoma, Hilux, 4Runner, and Lexus GX will utilize it.Clever though it may be, the vehicle architecture of the 2022 Toyota Tundra means that well bid farewell to the i-Force V8 currently offered in the full-size truck, Land Cruiser , and Lexus LX. Instead of an eight-cylinder burble, prospective customers should look forward to a couple of V6 powerplants.Bob Carter, the executive vice president of sales for Toyota North America, told MotorTrend that the base engine will be a core powertrain thats substantially more powerful than the current V8. If the culprit is the twin-turbo V6 with 3.5 liters of displacement of the Lexus LS 500 sedan, look forward to 416 horsepower and 442 pound-feet (600 Nm) from 1,600 rpm.Those figures vastly outperform the 381 horsepower and 401 pound-feet (544 Nm) at 3,600 rpm of the i-Force V8, and the broader torque curve should also help fuel economy. To whom it may concern, the most frugal Tundra averages 15 miles per gallon (15.7 liters per 100 kilometers) combined while the Lexus LS 500 tops 22 mpg (10.7 l/100 km) combined.Carter didnt say whether the base powerplant is a twin-turbo V6, but we already know that Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards favor downsizing and forced induction. As for the second engine option, the most Carter is willing to say for the time being is that it will blow you away. Reading between the lines, a hybrid or a plug-in hybrid is on the horizon.
The three-row Durango will switch to the Giorgio vehicle architecture of the 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L, and the Dodge brand has further confirmed a mild-hybrid powertrain in their latest contract with the United Automobile Workers. As for the Journey , hearsay suggests the same Giorgio platform and the footprint of the Alfa Romeo Stelvio D-segment crossover.As you may have figured out by now, there is no compact utility vehicle in the U.S. automakers lineup. That may change in the second half of 2022 for the 2023 model year with the introduction of the Dodge Hornet, a brand-new compact crossover based on the yet-to-be-revealed Alfa Romeo Tonale Expected to enter production at Pomigliano DArco in Naples alongside the Italian sibling, the Hornet was trademarked back in March 2020 after eons of slumber. More to the point, Dodge used this nameplate for a 2006 concept of a B-segment crossover with a 1.6-liter supercharged four-cylinder mill.Expected to be unveiled by the end of 2021 if the Stellantis Group doesnt face more chip shortage-related woes, the C-segment Alfa Romeo Tonale may feature the 1.3-liter FireFly four-cylinder turbo of the Jeep Compass and Renegade according to Mopar Insiders . A brand-new member of the FireFly family is rumored with 1.5 liters of displacement, and theres a point to be made about mild-hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrain options as well.Mopar Insiders also makes a case for the 2.0-liter turbo known as the Hurricane in the Jeep Wrangler, which seems to be a little over the top for a compact crossover. Looking at the bigger picture, the Hurricane doesnt make sense either because the plug-in hybrid definitely is more powerful.On that note, look forward to test mules hitting the road anytime now.
SUV

Currently president of STMicroelectronics' Analog, MEMS (Micro-electromechanical Systems), and Sensors Group, Vigna joined the Franco-Italian chipmaker back in 1995. He helped establish the company's leadership in motion-activated user interfaces and drove a series of successful moves into new business areas, including the automotive industry.Vigna is known for having pioneered the three-axis gyroscope, the technology that allows smartphone and tablet screens to adapt to portrait or landscape formats as you move them. The sensor technology debuted in the Apple iPhone 4, and it has since found its way in all mobile phones. It's also an integral part of the navigation and active safety systems you can find in most production cars nowadays."His unique knowledge gained over 26 years working at the heart of the semiconductor industry that is rapidly transforming the automotive sector, will accelerate Ferraris ability to pioneer the application of next generation technologies," the Italian company said in a statement, hinting that its upcoming supercars will pack more state-of-the-art technology than ever.Vigna is also expected to play a key role in steering Ferrari toward electrification. The Maranello-based company has been rather slow in committing to battery-powered drivetrains, debuting its first hybrid vehicle in 2019. Chairman John Elkann has recently outlined plans for an all-electric model, apparently set to arrive in 2025.Vigna's appointment also comes as automakers struggle with a severe shortage of semiconductors prompted by the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, which put many factories on hold in 2020.His tenure will see a handful of important Ferrari vehicles hit the dealerships. Maranello is set to introduce its first, the Purosangue , and a replacement for the 812 Superfast grand tourer. A new flagship supercar is also long overdue, with the La Ferrari (Aperta) having been discontinued in 2018. The LaFerrari successor could be the all-electric vehicle Elkann was talking about in 2020.
The vehicle is developed by Relativity Space, an aerospace manufacturing company based in California that already made a buzz with its Terran 1 rocket, also 3D printed, which is scheduled for its first launch later this year. According to Relativity Space, Terran 1 was the worlds first rocket made entirely using 3D printing.Now the aerospace manufacturer announced its plans for a second 3D printed rocket, called Terran R, which will be able to launch 20 times more payload than its sibling. It will also be fully reusable.The rocket will be designed using the same method as for the Terran 1 version and will be built by the same team. The 3D-printing technology used to make the Terran R and Terran 1 allows the company to build rockets that have 100 fewer parts than similar vehicles constructed by the competition.Relativity Space CEO Tim Ellis believes that scalable, autonomous 3D printing is inevitably required to thrive on Mars, and Terran R is the second product step in the long-term journey of the company.Terran R will be 216-foot-tall and with a 16-foot diameter. The rocket will be able to launch over 44,000 pounds (20,000 kg) to low Earth orbit. The vehicle will feature seven 3D-printed Aeon R rocket engines capable of 302,000 lb. thrust each. Its upper stage will house one Aeon Vac engine.Relativity Space stated its Terran R rocket was developed to accommodate the growing demand for large constellation launch services and the companys growing pipeline of commercial interest.The company was funded $650 million for its Terran R project. Relativity Space was founded in 2015 and its Terran 1 rocket secured it nine launch contracts from both private customers as well as governmental ones.The Terra R 3D-printed rocket is scheduled for its first launch in 2024.
4WD

Dwindling demand for workhorses in the Old Continent is one thing, but Nissan has also sullied the Navara by collaborating with Renault and Mercedes to create the badge-engineered Alaskan and X-Class line. The latter underperformed so pitifully that its not even in production anymore.According to a statement from the Japanese automaker, the EU-spec Navara will end production too by the end of the year. Speaking to Automotive News , a representative confirmed the bitter end for December 2021.This development further reflects the preference for vans, which have been a staple of the European market since the closure of the Second World War with the likes of the Volkswagen Type 2, DKW Schnellaster, and Citroen H Van. The introduction of the Ford Transit in 1965 had really established the van as the light commercial vehicle of choice in this part of the world.Turning our attention back to pickups, the Navara follows pretty much the same formula as the segment-leading Ford Ranger and Toyota Hilux. It features a four-cylinder turbo diesel, it can tow up to 3,500 kilograms (7,716 pounds), and payload capacity is estimated at 1,315 kilograms (2,900 pounds) for the Double Cab Chassis with the six-speed manual andEven though Nissan could import the Navara from an overseas plant such as Rosslyn in South Africa or Samut Prakan in Thailand, the guys who call the shots at the Japanese automaker decided against this opportunity. Looking at the bigger picture, who could blame them? Importing tariffs would eat away into already slim profit margins, which is why Nissan currently focuses on repurposing its European operations for the electric onslaught.
Whenever I used to have any doubts with regard to anything in the coursework, I used to just text him, said Vats, 31, of India. He would be eager to meet, and he would go through all the stuff with me and that was only to help me. ... (Fan) was an extremely helpful, kind and generous person.
EV

The French company also has to involve unions in the process so that they wont hinder it. Luckily, it released this June 9 that it accomplished that with Renault ElectriCity.The concept was to create a legal entity that will take care of Renaults three factories in the north of the country: Douai, Maubeuge, and Ruitz. Together, they have about 5,000 employees. The deal was signed with all the unions with a say in these plants, and the list of acronyms is almost scary: CFDT, CFE-CGC, CFTC, CGT, FO, and SUD.What these guys agreed to support is an electric car hub in the Hauts-de-France region. Those three plants will have the target to produce 400,000 electric cars per year by 2025. Renault expects to hire 700 more people to make that happen: 350 for Maubeuge and the other half distributed between Douai and Ruitz.Douai will be in charge of the Megane E-Tech Electric, which will have another C-segment vehicle to follow it soon. Renault is yet to disclose which car that will be. The CMF-platform can underpin C-segment and D-segment automobiles.Unlike what many people thought and published so far, the new Renault 5 and Renault 4 will not use the CMF-EV. Automotive News published on January 23, 2021, that Renault will develop a new B-segment platform called CMF-B EV, a derivative of the CMF-B platform. According to the same article, all the new Renault small cars launched by 2025 would be electric.Renault confirmed that the new electric platform dedicated to the industrialization of B-segment vehicles will be produced in Douai. Maubeuge will stick with commercial vehicles and the new Kangoo E-Tech Electric in 2022. Ruitz would host a new electrical components manufacturing activity. Although it may seem unimportant, Renaults press release suggests Ruitz will be core to its strategy.Currently, it is said that the batteries would come from the Polish LG Energy Solutions plant. However, Renault said the ElectriCity would demonstrate the advantages of locating both the battery factory project and other partners producing electric vehicle components near its factories.Renault had never spoken about a battery factory project before. However, after Volkswagen and Ford said they would produce their own cells, it is not unlikely that the French automaker also realized that it could not avoid taking care of one of the critical components its vehicles will have. Having that unit in Ruitz would match the new electrical components manufacturing activity description.
This April, two Police cars drag raced each other in D.C., and it probably happens a lot more often without the public finding about it. The only reason this particular competition between the men and women in blue became famous was that the two drivers managed to lose control and smash against each other before ricocheting into a nearby fence.Strangely enough, despite the total recklessness displayed by the four officers, their commander didn't immediately announce any disciplinary actions against them. With the case gone cold, we have no idea what happened to the officers who were (reportedly) doing 60 mph (96 kph) down a boulevard at 5 PM for no other reason than their own enjoyment. Oh, and did we mention the two cars were identical? What's the point in that?This 20-second clip appears to be filmed somewhere in the UK, which is probably why the man standing in the middle of the street was very relaxed about the possible consequences of his actions. The British police force is famous for not carrying guns and first attempting to resolve situations through good old verbal communication.By the looks of it, and this is 100 percent speculation, it seems as though the police were attending (either invited by a concerned citizen or of their own volition) a meeting of "street racers" behind an IKEA store. They were presumably there to make sure there would be no " racing ", or any other type of car-related hooliganism for that matter (drifting, loud engine revving, burnoutsthat kind of stuff).Whether the man at the center of this clip was a little annoyed by their presence or he just wanted to have some fun, he looked at the two cars sitting side by side and thought they might be there to show them how it's done, and all they needed was somebody to signal the start. Not the type to waste police officers' time, he duly sat in front of them doing all the usual gestures we know after watching countless standing races where there's no tree.We can't know whether the British police read the news of their colleagues in D.C. and knew they wouldn't get off so easily, or they just didn't feel like obliging the man, but they clearly chose to ignore him. However, we sincerely doubt there were no concealed smiles behind those windshields, as well as the natural desire to step on the throttle pedal and see who was quicker. The levels of restraint shown are inhuman. Add yet another reason why policing is hard work.
For over two years, the new technology has been tested and developed as part of a collaborative approach in which Microsoft has been working closely with the Army to better understand the environment and the conditions the devices must adapt to. Soldiers have tested several prototypes and provided feedback that was used to improve the devices.Initially, the prototypes featured a HoloLens headset with cameras attached, eyewear with weights attached, and a variety of 3D-printed devices. While the devices were rugged, waterproof, and shockproof and had met the Army's standards, the headsets didn't allow soldiers to brace a rifle against their cheek.According to the troops' feedback, the rim of the goggles also needed several adjustments in order to enhance peripheral vision. Since then, quite a few prototypes were developed and tested to meet the standards and provide the best version.Testing proved to be so successful that the tech company was awarded a $21.88 billion contract in March to create more than 120,000 headsets. The devices, using what is called the Integrated Visual Augmentation System (IVAS), will allow soldiers to see through smoke and around corners, use holographic imagery for training, and have 3D terrain maps projected onto their field of vision at the click of a button.IVAS could also be utilized in the future to allow soldiers to see what an environment looks like from various angles or in difficult-to-see weather conditions such as fog or rain.According to Microsoft, the U.S. Army intends to start equipping soldiers with the headsets in September. While the military is still testing the gadgets, Master Sgt. Marc Krugh, a senior enlisted advisor who has worked on the project since its beginnings, believes that IVAS has already started to change how soldiers operate.Recently, the devices were tested in Puerto Rico and Alaska to ensure that headsets function effectively in tropical and cold locations. The technology will be first used on foot, but experiments are already being conducted to allow soldiers to use them in military vehicles so they can view the environment even before stepping outside.
Despegue abortado de un Boeing 737-Max de American Airlines, en Kingstown (Isla de San Vicente).



Este video viralizado en redes sociales (creditos a su autor) es de hoy.



Observen como alcanza la distancia de pista para detener al avion dentro de ella.



(Abro hilo ????) pic.twitter.com/sqIDUKirpb  GaboAir (@GaboAir) June 6, 2021

Asi se vivio ese despegue abortado desde adentro de la cabina de pasajeros.

(creditos al autor del video).



En el segundo 10, se observa una bandada de aves.



(sigue ????) pic.twitter.com/joY3iJFiam  GaboAir (@GaboAir) June 6, 2021

The Boeing was using Saint Vincent Argyle Airport's runway 22 to take off when it recorded several bird strikes, with footage recorded by plane spotters and someone inside the cabin showing the impact that could have caused significant engine damage.The captain slammed on the brakes of the plane, bringing the aircraft to a complete halt before reaching the end of the 2,743-meter (8,999-ft) long runway.While its not yet clear if the aircraft suffered any mechanical issues, American Airlines said in a statement for Simple Flying the company just wanted to make sure everything was working properly, so it decided to delay the flight and provide passengers with food and hotel accommodations.The flight to Miami eventually took off the next day with a Boeing 737-800 On June 5, American Airlines flight 1427 with service from Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (SVD) to MIA safely returned to the gate prior to take off due to a possible mechanical issue. There were no reported injuries and all passengers were provided with food and hotel accommodations. A replacement aircraft was flown in to complete the flight from SVD to MIA. We appreciate our passengers patience and apologize for any inconvenience, the company said in a statement.According to the aforementioned source, the Boeing 737 MAX 8 involved in the incident was a rather new aircraft, having joined the American Airlines fleet last December. The company still hasnt provided any information on whether it suffered any damage, though the aircraft has reportedly remained on the ground in Saint Vincent for additional checks.
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The acting administrator of the Transportation Security Administration issued an internal memo on May 30 warning that 131 of the largest U.S. airports will face staffing shortages as in June, the Washington Post reported Wednesday.

The state of play: The memo asks TSA office workers to volunteer for up to 45 days to help run queues and perform administrative tasks, with summer travel expected to ramp up, per the Post.

The big picture: TSA has resorted to other measures to boost staffing amid the expected travel surge in recent weeks, including offering $500 monthly bonuses to screening officers at short-staffed airports, expanding employees' overtime hours, and making some part-time workers full-time, per the post.

Union leaders told the Post that TSA had also required some employees to work on their days off.

TSA has hired more than 3,000 employees in the last few months and aims to hire another 3,000 by the end of summer, per the Post.

What they're saying: With this increase in volume, TSA must maintain operational readiness and ensure that the screening workforce is available to perform screening functions, Darby LaJoye, TSA's acting administrator, wrote in the memo obtained by the Post.
The leaders of a bipartisan coalition of Congress members spoke to White House officials about efforts to reach an infrastructure deal on Tuesday, a House aide familiar with the call told Axios.

Driving the news: Problem Solvers Co-Chairs Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) are pushing for a $1.249 trillion bipartisan agreement after negotiations between President Biden and a Republican group led by Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) broke down earlier Tuesday.

Their proposal has far more in new spending  $761.8 billion over 8 years  compared to the proposal from the Capito-led GOP group.

Gottheimer is working closely with Sens. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), key senators involved in the bipartisan "G20" group Biden is now negotiating in earnest with.

Our thought bubble: The Problem Solvers Caucus isn't as influential as the Senate group when it comes to striking a deal with the White House, but they will be helpful in selling the infrastructure proposal to their House colleagues.
Nigerias government is doubling down on its decision to ban Twitter indefinitely, with regulators Monday ordering broadcasters to stop using Twitter even to gather news, and the foreign minister summoning Western ambassadors whose countries criticized the ban.

Why it matters: Twitter has been a powerful tool for younger Nigerians to mobilize, including during the massive #EndSARS protests last year against police brutality. The ban could have economic repercussions for Africa's most populous country, which has a burgeoning tech sector, and it sends an ominous signal about the countrys democracy.

How it happened: The ban was announced a day after Twitter deleted a tweet in which President Muhammadu Buhari threatened a secessionist movement in southeastern Nigeria and seemed to allude to the civil war (19671970) in which Buhari served as a military commander.

In announcing the ban, the government called Twitter a source of misinformation and a threat to Nigeria's stability, while noting that rebel leaders had been allowed to tweet incendiary things without facing such censorship.

Misinformation and incitement to violence on social media are genuine problems in Nigeria, says Zainab Usman, director of the Carnegie Endowments Africa program, but the government's rationale was highly cynical."

This ban reinforces perceptions that the government is not very tolerant of criticism and that it is more preoccupied with its own survival than handling the serious issues of violent crime and insecurity across many parts of Nigeria, Usman says.

The backstory: Buhari is a former military ruler who returned as a democrat and is now halfway through his second and final term.

"Hes never been able to shake a generals intolerance for dissent, says Judd Devermont, director of the Africa program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and he currently leads a country under siege."

"In every one of its six geographic zones, there is conflict and criminality or secessionist movements," says Devermont.

Under intense pressure for its handling of the security situation, Buharis government has been cracking down on journalists and civil society activists, Devermont says.

Im deeply worried about Nigerias democracy, he continues. One key test will be whether the National Assembly applies any pressure on Buhari over the ban this week.

Between the lines: The ban also exposes a vast gulf between Nigerias young and increasingly tech-savvy population and its aging political elites.

Tweeting is now a crime, and the attorney general is calling for prosecutions. But Nigerians are flocking to virtual private networks, and many are continuing to tweet.

There could be further restrictions coming. The government said on Friday that other social media platforms like Facebook would have to go through a licensing process.

The big picture: Nigeria isn't alone. Police in New Delhi visited Twitter's offices there two weeks ago after Twitter labeled a tweet by a spokesman for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's party as "manipulated media."

Modi's government gave Twitter a final warning to comply with new social media regulations or face "unintended consequences," Reuters reported on Saturday.

Correction: This story has been updated to reflect the fact that the tweet labeled "manipulated media" did not come from Modi but from another government account.
About that energy bill: As my Tribune colleague Dan Petrella wrote yesterday, the Illinois Senate will convene Tuesday to vote on an energy bill that would include hundreds of millions of dollars in subsidies for nuclear plants owned by the parent company of scandal-plagued Commonwealth Edison. Lawmakers adjourned their spring session ... without reaching an agreement on an energy plan that also would meet Pritzkers goal of setting the state on a path to 100% carbon-free power by 2050. ComEd parent Exelon has said it will shut down its Byron and Dresden nuclear plants this year if the state doesnt provide more financial support. More here.
The Senate voted 68-32 on Tuesday to approve a sweeping China-focused global competition bill, overcoming Republican objections that had threatened to derail the $200 billion+ bipartisan package.

Why it matters: The bill's supporters cite the measure as evidence that the deeply divided Senate can still function on a bipartisan basis, despite the last-minute chaos that forced Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) to delay final passage for weeks.

It's also a sign of the widespread consensus that has emerged around the need to outcompete China on the world stage, including by revitalizing U.S. manufacturing and research and cracking down on Beijing's economic abuses.

Schumer hailed the bill as one of the most significant bipartisan achievements in years, calling its passage "a moment in history that future generations look back on as a turning point for American leadership in the ... 21st century."

How we got here: The foundation of the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act is a wide-ranging bipartisan proposal from Schumer and Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.) that would authorize new funding for the National Science Foundation (NSF) and establish a new technology directorate.

In February, Schumer asked both Democratic committee chairs and their ranking Republicans to work on other measures that could be included in a broader package to bolster U.S. tech, manufacturing and research to better compete with China.

The resulting $250 billion proposal had input from half a dozen committees, and the Senate voted on dozens of Republican, Democratic and bipartisan amendments over the course of the past several weeks.

The bill has the backing of President Biden, whose administration has made curbing China's influence through a coalition of allies one of its top priorities.

Details: The centerpiece of the legislation is $50 billion in emergency funding for the Commerce Department to boost domestic semiconductor production, in light of the global chip shortage.

It also includes billions in extra funding for research and development at the Energy Department, the Pentagon and NASA, including in the areas of artificial intelligence, quantum computing, robotics and 5G.

The bill would provide $10 billion over five years to Commerce Department to create regional tech hub programs, and require federally funded infrastructure projects to use certain materials manufactured in the U.S.

What they're saying: Around the globe, authoritarian governments smell blood in the water, Schumer said in a speech on the Senate floor.

"They believe that squabbling democracies like ours cant come together and invest in national priorities the way a top-down, centralized and authoritarian government can," he continued. "They are rooting for us to fail so they can grab the mantle of global economic leadership and own the innovations."

What's next: It's unclear what the bill's path will be in the House, where Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.) has introduced his own China competition bill.

) Go deeper: Rep. Ro Khanna on the massive bill to compete with China
NASA is sending missions to Venus for the first time in more than 30 years, breathing new life into the scientific quest to understand the oft-ignored planet.

Why it matters: Understanding Venus is thought to be key to learning more about how habitable worlds form within our own solar system  and outside of it.

For years, researchers focused on Venus have been forced to make do with incomplete data collected by spacecraft sent there decades ago.

"I know there are a lot of people that would have liked to have been doing Venus research, but the resources haven't been there. Missions bring resources and bring more interest," David Grinspoon, a Planetary Science Institute scientist working with one of the missions chosen by NASA, told me. "We expect an infusion of young researchers."

Catch up quick: NASA announced last week that it would be sending two new missions  DAVINCI+ and VERITAS  to Venus, marking the first time the space agency has sent dedicated missions to the world in more than 30 years.

DAVINCI+ will send a probe through Venus' atmosphere to gather data about how the planet turned into the cloudy world it is.

VERITAS plans to map the planet's surface using radar to help figure out whether Venus still has active plate tectonics and volcanic activity.

Both missions are expected to launch between 2028 and 2030.

The big questions: Scientists think Venus could have evolved in one of two ways. One theory posits the world once had a magma ocean that effectively ruined it from the start, creating the thick atmosphere enveloping the planet today.

The other theory holds that Venus was habitable, with water on its surface, before extreme volcanic eruptions created the runaway greenhouse effect seen there today.

DAVINCI+ and VERITAS should be able to collect data to help figure out exactly which model is correct.

But even these two missions, while exciting, won't be able to answer all of the questions researchers have about Venus' history, Venus researcher Paul Byrne of North Carolina State University told me.

"It's going to enable us to ask questions we haven't thought of because we're going to find stuff we haven't imagined, and it's going to basically help us get reintroduced to Venus," Byrne added.

The intrigue: Last year, scientists announced the possible detection of phosphine in Venus' upper atmosphere, a sign that life could exist in the temperate cloud tops of the planet.

While it's not clear if NASA picked these missions directly because of the phosphine discovery, the two missions will be able to sniff out the stinky gas in the Venusian atmosphere, if it's there.

"It's definitely good for the phosphine question because it will definitely be able to tell us if there's phosphine or not," Clara Sousa-Silva, a researcher at the Center for Astrophysics who was one of the authors of the phosphine study, told me.

Sousa-Silva and other scientists will continue to search for phosphine using other methods ahead of the new missions, however.

The big picture: DAVINCI+ and VERITAS aren't the only Venus-focused missions. Japan's Akatsuki is already studying the world from orbit, while Russia and India are both planning missions to the planet.

Yes, but: While the Venus community is rejoicing, some other communities of scientists are having their own dreams deferred.
The Armenian Defense Ministry said that the 25-year-old soldier, identified as A. Katanian, lost his way and strayed into Azerbaijani-controlled territory in thick fog. It denied Bakus initial claims that he was part of an Armenian sabotage group that tried to lay landmines in the Lachin district bordering Armenias southeastern Syunik province.

The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said on Tuesday night that a further investigation into the incident established that Katanian indeed crossed the border by accident. It said he has therefore been released.

The Defense Ministry in Yerevan announced the following morning that the serviceman was handed over to the Armenian side and is currently in Nagorno-Karabakhs capital Stepanakert.

The ministry did not comment on Armenian press reports that the commander of Russian peacekeeping troops stationed in Karabakh, Lieutenant-General Rustam Muradov, personally negotiated with Azerbaijani officials to secure Katanians release.

According to a local government official from the Syunik village of Verishen, Katanian was captured at a nearby section of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border. Armenian and Azerbaijani troops deployed there have been locked in a tense standoff for the past month.

The standoff began after Azerbaijani troops reportedly crossed several sections of the border and advanced a few kilometers into Syunik and another Armenian province, Gegharkunik, on May 12-14.

Six other Armenian soldiers were taken prisoner in Gegharkunik on May 27. Baku has refused to free them so far.
Russia is our ally and Armenia cannot have a better ally, Vanetsian told Vladimir Solovyov, an outspoken Russian TV host close to the Kremlin, in an interview live streamed on the latters YouTube channel. We must have the right, straightforward relationship with Russia.

Russia is not an ordinary country, Russia is a superpower, he said. I think that after coming to power we will need to consider having closer cooperation, deeper integration processes with the Russian Federation. Relations between Armenia and Russia must be upgraded to a lever where nobody would be able to change it.

Vanetsian is a former director of Armenias National Security Service (NSS) who tops the list of the Pativ Unem blocs candidates in the early elections slated for June. The bloc consists of his Fatherland party and former President Serzh Sarkisians Republican Party of Armenia (HHK). It is seen as one of Prime Nikol Pashinians main challengers.

Vanetsian, Sarkisian and their associates accuse Pashinian of seriously undermining Russian-Armenian relations during his three-year rule. The prime minister has also faced similar accusations from other opposition leaders, notably former President Robert Kocharian.

Kocharian, who leads another opposition alliance, has repeatedly made a case for much closer ties with Russia after Armenias defeat in last years war in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Pashinian has also vowed to deepen Russian-Armenian ties. He stated in April that Russian military presence in Armenia is vital for the countrys national security and should become even stronger soon.

Vanetsian also effectively endorsed Russias 2014 annexation of Crimea strongly condemned by the West. He said it was backed by the vast majority of the Ukrainian regions population.

I believe that everyone must respect the Crimean peoples right to self-determination and Im sure that Crimea is Russian, he declared.

Vanetsian, 42, was appointed as head of Armenias most powerful security agency immediately the 2018 Velvet Revolution that toppled Sarkisian and brought Pashinian to power. He quickly became an influential member of Pashinians entourage but eventually fell out with the prime minister and resigned in September 2019.
In a statement issued on Tuesday evening, Tatoyan singled out Pashinians pledges to purge the state bureaucracy and wage political vendettas against local government officials supporting the Armenian opposition.

The ombudsman issued another statement the following morning urging election contenders to stop exploiting the issue of Armenian prisoners still held by Azerbaijan for political purposes. Human rights lawyers and activists added their voice to his appeal on Wednesday.

The acting prime ministers promises of political vendettas, civic revenge and staff purges made today and his use of offensive language are extremely concerning, read the first statement released by Tatoyan.

What makes such rhetoric really dangerous is that it heightens existing tensions and carries the risk of being transferred into real life, it said.

Campaigning in Aragatsotn province earlier on Tuesday, Pashinian pledged to crack down on heads of local communities and private entities who he claimed are forcing their subordinates to attend campaign rallies held by his political opponents.

Im not talking about physical violence. Im talking about political and civil vendettas, he stressed.

Tatoyan dismissed these assurances, saying that any vendetta is associated with violence and that staff purges inevitably involve mass violations of worker rights. Pashinians remarks could also send wrong signals to law-enforcement agencies and other state bodies, he said.

Exploiting the issue of the return of prisoners illegally held in Azerbaijan during the election campaign is unacceptable, the ombudsman said in the follow-up statement.

He referred to bitter recriminations traded by Pashinian and former President Serzh Sarkisian on the campaign trail.

Sarkisian provoked the war of words by condemning Pashinians remark that the more than 100 Armenian prisoners of war and civilian captives would not mind spending one or two more months in Azerbaijani captivity for the sake of preventing disproportionate Armenian concessions to Baku. The ex-president, who leads a major opposition alliance, challenged Pashinian to try to swap them for his son Ashot.

The prime minster was quick to express readiness to do that in fiery speeches that also contained harsh personal attacks on Sarkisian and another former president, Robert Kocharian. He reaffirmed that readiness during a campaign trip to Shirak province on Wednesday.

I have instructed relevant state bodies to officially communicate to the Azerbaijani side our proposal to the effect that my son is prepared to go to Baku as a hostage provided that all of our prisoners are repatriated, Pashinian told supporters rallying in the village of Mets Mantash.

Speaking at a rally held in another village, Azatan, he insisted that the Armenian authorities have been doing our utmost to secure their release. I have no doubts that its a matter of time, he said.

More than 50 of the Armenian POWs are army reservists who were drafted from Shirak during the autumn war with Azerbaijan. Pashinian briefly spoke with some of their relatives after the Azatan rally. The latter seemed dissatisfied with the conversation and refused to talk to reporters.

Speaking to RFE/RLs Armenian Service, many other relatives also urged all election contenders to avoid exploiting the issue during the parliamentary race. Zhanna Aleksanian, a human rights activist, echoed their calls.

He should not speak about his son in that context, Aleksanian said of Pashinian. She at the same time faulted Sarkisian and other former government for claiming that the current authorities have done nothing to have the prisoners freed.
Bakersfield, CA (93308)

Today

Mostly clear. Low 67F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Mostly clear. Low 67F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph.
Many people want reform but still support law enforcement  both are possible and its not an either/or situation. We should be open to that, Ziman wrote. We should be continually striving to learn from the transgressions of others as well as assessing our own decisions and outcomes. None of this involves attaching blame or shame; it simply means that we honestly and objectively determine how we can be better. Always.
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BC Email

As soon as you are formally transferred to 'student' status, you will receive a letter containing your BC username and BC password. Use your BC password to sign in to http://portal.bc.edu to create your Secondary Password, which is used to sign in to your BC email. If you lost or did not receive the letter containing this information contact the Help Center at help.center@bc.edu or 617-552-HELP (4357). This will be the primary way the University will contact students during summer 2020 and throughout your time at Boston College. If students prefer they may forward this account to another email system. Additional information can be found here

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Boston College supplies every registered student with a licensed Zoom account. Please be sure to activate this account and use it to access courses and meetings held with BC faculty and staff. Using your BC Zoom account ensures that proper security measures are in place. To activate your BC Zoom account, please follow the instructions found at this link: https://www.bc.edu/content/bc-web/offices/its/support/communication-collaboration/video-conferencing.html

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Connect with STM students and staff in the BC STM Online Community to ask questions about living in Boston, finding roommates, as well as finding out other helpful information about the STM, BC, and Boston.

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To obtain an Eagle-One (ID) Card, download the application (PDF), include your picture and mail it to the Boston College Office of Student Services, Lyons Hall, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467. The $45 fee will be applied to your student account. All new students are required to have and will be charged for an ID card.

Immunization Requirements

Massachusetts State Law requires all registered full-time, part-time, and part-time visa-carrying students to show proof of required immunizations by completing the Immunization Form. All information must be submitted 30 days prior to the start of classes. Failure to do so will result in a $85 administrative fee and you won't be able to register for courses the next semester. If you are unable to document your immunizations, University Health Services can provide this service for a fee. Please contact University Health Services at (617) 552-3225 if you have any questions. The pre-entrance forms and requirements are available online.

Covid Vaccine

Boston College requires all students, faculty and staff to be fully vaccinated before participating in any on-campus activity related to the 2021-2022 academic year. To help meet this requirement, faculty and students who maintain an international residence must submit proof of an FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccination or a World Health Organization (WHO) emergency use listing-approved COVID-19 vaccination for the 2021-2022 academic year.

(Please visit the WHO website for additional information.)If you are unable or do not wish to receive vaccination in your home country, we strongly encourage you to plan your arrival to the United States in time to acquire at least a first COVID-19 dose before coming to campus. International students who are not fully vaccinated may be required to quarantine for a period of time, undergo frequent asymptomatic testing, and/or wear a face covering until fully inoculated against COVID-19. Boston College University Health Services will assist international students and faculty who may have difficulty in meeting this vaccination requirement prior to their arrival to the U.S.

COVID-19 vaccination exceptions will be granted for legitimate religious and medical reasons. To request an exemption, please fill out the COVID-19 Vaccination Exemption Request Form, which can be found here for students, and on the Office for Institutional Diversity website for faculty.

Once fully vaccinated, students must upload must upload their vaccination card in the University Health Services section via the Agora Portal, by following the steps below:

Select the IMMUNIZATION ICON on the Health Services portal. Choose via the required drop-down the vaccination name, and record the vaccination dates. Click SUBMIT to save. Take a picture of the vaccination card or document and save it on your computer or phone to upload into the Agora Health Services Portal (https://services.bc.edu), found under OTHER SERVICES. Choose the UPLOAD ICON and upload the picture under the appropriate vaccine name in the drop-down menu (Note: the drop-down menu is below the list of "documents available to upload"). Click SELECT FILE, choose the file that you are uploading and hit the UPLOAD button.

The University will be in touch with more information and guidance as the summer progresses. If you have any vaccination-related questions, please feel free to reach out to University Health Services at covidvaccination@bc.edu

Medical Insurance Coverage

All students enrolled in a degree program, regardless of credit hours, and non-degree students enrolled at least 7 credits will be automatically enrolled and billed for the Student Health Insurance Plan. Students who plan to enroll in BC's comprehensive health insurance plan, Blue Cross Blue Shield Student Blue, will be enrolled after registering for classes. Insurance coverage is effective August 7, 2021 through August 6, 2022. The cost is $1,550 for the fall semester and $1,985 for the spring semester. Students who are enrolled in a health plan that is comparable to the Student Blue Plan may waive the BC coverage through their Agora Portal. To provide proof of comparable coverage, a student will need to have information about his or her current health insurance plan readily available. Incomplete waivers will not be processed. Waivers must be completed every year. All waivers must be submitted through the Agora Portal by September 24, 2021. Students who do not complete a waiver prior to the deadline will automatically be enrolled in and charged the student-only premium for the Student Blue Plan. Please note that international students are not eligible to waive the BCs Student Health Insurance Plan. If you are insured through (1) your own or a parent/guardian/spouses health insurance plan offered through a U.S. employer or (2) a government sponsored program, (for example Government of Kuwait/UAE or Government of Saudi Arabia), you may be eligible for a waiver.

Eagle or Dining Bucks

Eagle or Dining Bucks can be used for purchases everywhere the Eagle-One Card is accepted, including on-campus restaurants, many vending and snack machines, contracted food delivery services, Boston College bookstores, residence hall laundry facilities, and off-campus vendors like City Convenience. To add money to Eagle or Dining Bucks, log on to your Agora Portal account. Your credit card (Visa or MasterCard only) will be charged for the amount you wish to add.

Update Your Contact Information

Update or verify your local and home addresses, telephone/cell phone numbers, and/or emergency contacts through the Agora Portal under "Account and Personal Info"

U.S. Veterans

Are you a veteran? If you would like your veteran status noted on the University Information System, please contact Linda Malenfant at malenfan@bc.edu.

Financial Literacy  Successful Start Program

Notices and Disclosures

Notice of Non-Discrimination

University Communication Policy
I was seated in an upscale restaurant in Phoenix, Arizona. The hostess seated a black man across from me and easily in my line of sight. I was able to monitor the situation without it being obvious, while I continued my interactions with friends who were having dinner with me.
You Can Say 'Adios' to Low Season in Puerto Vallarta



If you've been thinking about investing in a vacation home in Puerto Vallarta, now is the time to talk to your Tropicasa agent. CONTACT US for more information. Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - Traditionally, for those renting vacation properties in Puerto Vallarta, rate calendars have always included a peak season, high season, mid-season, and low-season. But as the world is slowly and safely preparing to travel again, and Puerto Vallarta is seeing a huge uptick in tourism, the lines between those seasons are beginning to blur. And it is not a trend that many tourism experts see changing, in fact, most are saying good-bye to the "low season" entirely.



Sylvia McNamee, owner of



The ability to work remotely has changed how many people travel, moving away from one or two week vacations to instead take month or two month long "workcations," and 2020 changed how many travelers approach travel, with the idea of a private rental seeming more open, fresh and secure than a traditional hotel stay.



All of this is great news for those that own a vacation home in Puerto Vallarta, meaning that they are likely to not only see more rental weeks booked per year, but will potentially see longer-term renters, meaning less administrative work, and see weeks booking consistently throughout the year.



If you've been thinking about investing in a vacation home in Puerto Vallarta, now is the time to talk to your



Click HERE for more Puerto Vallarta real estate and lifestyle tips from Tropicasa Realty.

Since 1997, Wayne Franklin and his team at Tropicasa Realty have been a trusted name in Puerto Vallarta real estate. Tropicasa Realty is the region's representative for "The Leading Agents of the World" and with over 100 years of combined experience in real estate, all agents of the company are affiliated with AMPI. Wayne Franklin or any member of his knowledgeable team can be contacted in-person at their Romantic Zone Office - Pulpito 145-A at Olas Altas. While in PV they can be reached at (322) 222-6505 or by calling 866-978-5539 (Toll-Free) from the U.S.



- Traditionally, for those renting vacation properties in Puerto Vallarta, rate calendars have always included a peak season, high season, mid-season, and low-season. But as the world is slowly and safely preparing to travel again, and Puerto Vallarta is seeing a huge uptick in tourism, the lines between those seasons are beginning to blur. And it is not a trend that many tourism experts see changing, in fact, most are saying good-bye to the "low season" entirely.Sylvia McNamee, owner of Puerto Vallarta Babysitting, a tourism-focused nanny agency, commented, "We have been in business since 2011, but we have never seen anything like the past 10 months. Generally, our season runs from Thanksgiving to Easter, but this year, since September 2020, we have been fully booked, particularly with long-term families that are working remotely and staying 2 or 3 months at a time. In fact, our June 2021 bookings are full as our December 2020 bookings, which is amazing because traditionally December would be our peak season and in June, we wouldn't expect many reservations at all."The ability to work remotely has changed how many people travel, moving away from one or two week vacations to instead take month or two month long "workcations," and 2020 changed how many travelers approach travel, with the idea of a private rental seeming more open, fresh and secure than a traditional hotel stay.All of this is great news for those that own a vacation home in Puerto Vallarta, meaning that they are likely to not only see more rental weeks booked per year, but will potentially see longer-term renters, meaning less administrative work, and see weeks booking consistently throughout the year.If you've been thinking about investing in a vacation home in Puerto Vallarta, now is the time to talk to your Tropicasa agent. The market has been extremely active and inventory levels are significantly lower than at the start of the year, but we have several new developments that will be coming to market shortly that will be ideal as vacation rental properties. CONTACT US for more information.Since 1997, Wayne Franklin and his team at Tropicasa Realty have been a trusted name in Puerto Vallarta real estate. Tropicasa Realty is the region's representative for "The Leading Agents of the World" and with over 100 years of combined experience in real estate, all agents of the company are affiliated with AMPI. Wayne Franklin or any member of his knowledgeable team can be contacted in-person at their Romantic Zone Office - Pulpito 145-A at Olas Altas. While in PV they can be reached at (322) 222-6505 or by calling 866-978-5539 (Toll-Free) from the U.S. Click HERE to learn more about Tropicasa Realty , or visit tropicasa.com.
Keith Dewitt Davis met the women through online prostitution and exotic dancing ads and the assaults took place within four blocks of one another in vacant or abandoned homes in the vicinity of Pulaski Road and Burnham Avenue, according to authorities.
Bluefield, WV (24701)

Today

Thunderstorms this evening, then skies turning partly cloudy after midnight. Low 64F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms this evening, then skies turning partly cloudy after midnight. Low 64F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.
Bluefield, WV (24701)

Today

Partly to mostly cloudy skies with scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Low 63F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Partly to mostly cloudy skies with scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Low 63F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
The San Francisco Police Department announced Tuesday it seized more than 30 pounds of drugs in Oakland on June 3, taking five suspects into custody as part of an ongoing investigation to stop the sale of deadly drugs in the Tenderloin neighborhood.

Police raided three locations in Oakland with search warrants and discovered two semi-automatic, unregistered, unserialized firearms, also known as ghost guns, more than $45,000 and a hydraulic press for bricking kilos of drugs, the department said. Amid the drug stashes, they found more than 16 pounds of fentanyl, according to a press release.

"The amount of fentanyl seized in this single operation is enough lethal overdoses to wipe out San Francisco's population four times over," SFPD Chief Bill Scott said in a statement. "Fentanyl remains the primary chemical culprit in the record-shattering number of fatal overdoses plaguing our city, and the recovery of semi-automatic ghost guns along with this haul of deadly drugs most likely intended for the Tenderloin is ominous."

At a location on the 9800 block of MacArthur Boulevard, officers found a large quantity of unpackaged fentanyl, the release said, and the Oakland Fire Department was called to the location to assess the situation and declared it a hazardous materials scene.

The five men taken into custody ranged from 23 to 45 years old; they were booked on various narcotics-related charges at Santa Rita Jail, police said.

San Francisco is struggling with a drug epidemic fueled by the addictive synthetic opioid fentanyl, and 2021 is on track to be a record-breaking year for overdose deaths. In January through April, 252 people died from overdoses, according to preliminary data from the San Francisco Chief Medical Examiner's Office. Of those, 182 involved fentanyl. In the same time frame last year, 181 died from overdoses.

The police department said that since the start of the year it has booked booked 248 people for sales or possession of dangerous drugs, seized more than $104,000 in cash and confiscated more than 17 pounds of fentanyl, more than one pound of cocaine, almost five pounds of crack cocaine, more than seven pounds of heroin and more than 10 pounds of methamphetamine.
On a given day, Beaumonters might see a number of walkers downtown -- strolling along sidewalks, listening to music talking with friends or just admiring the scenery.

But in Downtown Beaumont on Tuesday, you might have seen a different kind of walker  the Mission Walker.

Edie Littlefield Sundby, 69, in 2007 was diagnosed with stage 4 gallbladder cancer, which already had spread throughout her body.

Doctors told her she had just three months to live.

After 79 rounds of chemotherapy and the removal of her right lung, she decided to walk from San Diego to Sonoma, California on a section of The California Mission Trail called the El Camino Real. That piece covers half the 1,600-mile trail.

She completed that journey. Now, shes striking out on another.

Sundby began her second mission walk - the Old Spanish Trail auto trail -- May 1 in San Antonio. The trail stretches from San Diego to St. Augustine, Florida.

Sundby, an avid pedestrianism reader, said she was inspired famous walker Edward Payson Weston, who decided at 70 in 1909 that he would walk from New York City to San Francisco in 90 days. He made it in 108 days. Though when he tried again a few months later, he made it in 88 days.

(Weston) believed that walking was the fountain of youth, Sundby said. Thats why Im walking to Florida. The Spanish were looking for the fountain of youth, and its not a place  its walking. Its movement.

The fountain of youth is within everyone, Sundby said. The walk serves as a kind of gospel, spreading the message of being at one with nature.

Were just evangelists, Sundby said. Because we know what (walking) has done for us personally.

Sundby said she has been a believer in the power of walking for a while now, but the COVID-19 pandemic encouraged her to get back out on a trail again.

I couldnt hardly wait to get out, she said. I have stage 4 cancer  youre more concerned about not living than dying. I kept living through all of this. I believe truly in living. Never waste a day of living, in life, because it may be our last.

The pandemic gave Sundby plenty of time to research the Old Spanish Trail auto trail, she said. Dubbed the ghost highway, it spans just under 3,000 miles across eight states. The original trail, completed in 1920, now is covered mostly by interstates and highways, but some authentic sections remain.

Her walk also coincides with the trails centennial. Sundby said traversing such a storied trail connects walkers with its history.

When youre walking, youre connecting with the past, she said. (The next step) is the future, (the current step) is the present, but that last step was just the past.

Sundby said every walk is on sacred ground.

Before the (auto trail), (the Old Spanish Trail) was an animal trail. It was an (American) Indian trail. It was an explorer trail, she said. Then it became a rail line. And then it became the auto trail. And I guarantee you, even as we talk, it is changing. Its not going to be an auto road in another 20 or 40 or 50 years. What will it be? Its kind of exciting.

Walking also can help people achieve mindfulness, Sundby said.

Mindfulness is being totally aware of everything outside of yourself, she said. When you are walking you become swivel headed  you literally have eyes in the back of your head because (a threat) could be coming from the back. Its really the essence of life. Things are coming at you at all directions, thats why we have to unplug. You have to disconnect and connect with God.

Sundby began her journey at the trails halfway point in San Antonio, and she has walked some 10 miles a day almost every day since setting out early last month. She said shes not trying to complete the trail in a certain number of days, and she will take a break once she crosses the Louisiana border.

This is my 70th year, she said. Im not Edward Payson Weston  Im walking to slow life down, not to speed it up.

With rising temperatures and humidity, Sundby said she probably will resume her journey in September, selecting certain sections of the trail that shed like to walk.

From Beaumont, Sundby said she will take Texas 12 to Deweyville to cross the state border because that highway is friendlier to walkers.

As for what comes after this journey is completed, Sundby said shell probably keep walking.

I feel better than I did when I left San Antonio, she said. I may just be 70 for the rest of my life as long as Im out here walking. The theme of the Old Spanish Trail was mission to mission, fort to fort. So, the Old Spanish Trail is just another mission walk. Actually, every walk is a mission walk.

To follow Sundby on her journey, visit the Old Spanish Trail Facebook page, or visit Sundbys website.

oliviasmalick@gmail.com

twitter.com/OliviaMalick
Tucked away in the Timberwood Park area, a San Antonio family is giving new meaning to "living in a bubble."

Meet the Roznovsky family. Mom and dad, Sara and David, raise their kids Jo (16), Andrew (15) and Mae (12) inside the geodesic house.

Sara said the usual reaction when people drive up to the Roznovsky residence is "Oh whoa, this is cool!" The Instagram-worthy interior and the history of the home match the curb appeal intrigue.

The family moved into the home in October 2018. They are the second owners after the Novaks, who built the home from a kit produced by Cathedralite, a California company, in the 1980s.

Back in 1978, Cathedralite owners Scott Hewett, Barry Nottoli and Tate Miller told the New York Times the company was the largest producer of geodesic homes. They sold 175 dome homes a month. While most dome homes were small and cottage-like, the Cathedralite kits were expansive. The San Antonio home has four bedrooms and three baths on nearly 2,000 square feet.

Courtesy, Sara Roznovsky

RELATED: Tribeca film by minds of 'Crazy Rich Asians' includes a San Antonio actress

At the time, the complete cost of building a Cathedralite dome home ranged from $15,000 to $20,000. Cathedralite went out of business in the 1980s. Though rare, dome homes do occasionally pop up on the San Antonio market for about $350,000. Sara said she and her husband bought theirs for "significantly less" but agrees with the current price point.

The founders told the New York Times the light, airy feel of the design is what grabbed people in the 1970s. Sara said it's part of the appeal decades later. The centering sense provided by the ample natural light is the "absolute best" calming effect on her and her kids. She said the dome is her son's favorite of the places they've lived in because he enjoys being able to see all around the home while being cozied up on the living room couch.

Courtesy, Sara Roznovsky

Sara said living in a dome home wasn't originally part of the plan, but now calls finding the space "luck."

The Roznovsky family has spent the last three years making the dome home. Sara said the eyes of visitors go "all over" when they enter the unconventional house. There's plenty to look at. Sara, who has a background in fashion and visual merchandising, has brought an eclectic feel to the dome dwelling. Most of the furniture comes from her family's vintage furniture store in Comfort. Her eldest daughter covered the wall in aquatic-themed murals with the help of her little sister. The kitchen is wallpapered in old National Geographic maps her grandfather collected.

READ MORE FROM MADALYN: A Beverly Hills socialite was entombed in her Ferrari in San Antonio 44 years ago

She shares photos of the magazine-worthy interior on an Instagram account called "@dome_for_5."

"I've always really loved the visuals and art and color and this is just such a unique space so we were really excited about infusing even more design into the place," she said.

The windows to the sky wash the home with natural light, making for picture-perfect shots.

The dome's skylights also give the family a clear view of San Antonio's range of weather and events. Sara said thunderstorms, lightning and rain can be "scary," but New Year's Eve firework views are unmatched.

In February, as San Antonio experienced rare snowfall, the family lived in what felt like a "snow globe," Sara joked.

Courtesy, Sara Roznovsky

"The dome in the snow was beautiful," she said.

Aside from the winter wonderland views, the energy efficiency of the dome proved to be essential as the city lost power, leaving many to freeze in their houses. She said the dome was without energy for a full 48 hours. During that time, the temperature inside never dropped below the mid 50s.

Sara compared summer energy bills to their previous traditional home, which is similar in size, that would rack up a CPS bill of more than $500 a month. Now the costs averages $350 at most.

Home sweet dome.
When it rains and rains and rains, there's only one thing you can do: dance.

Over Memorial Day weekend, San Antonian Erin Michelle Joiner made the short trip to Austin and made some new friends at a bar on the aptly named Rainey Street. She snapped videos of patrons at Bungalow dancing in the rain and created a viral TikTok.

In the clip, a voiceover says, "This is what happens when it rains for 30 days and 30 nights straight in Texas."

READ ALSO: Guadalupe River State Park strongly recommends not to swim or tube due to heavy rainfall

"I met them that day," Joiner says about the peeps in her TikTok. "They said it was hard to avoid the rain since it never seems to stop lately so they told me they just had to make the most of it."

The TikTok used Olivia Rodrigo's song "good 4 u," but Joiner said the people in the video were dancing to a remix of the "Space Jam" theme song and "Bedrock" by Young Money, the work of a popular DJ from San Antonio, DJ CRG, who was playing in the bar at time.

The vibes resonated with many, as it had more than 930,000 views and around 129,000 likes as of press time.

Check out the video for yourself:
Yi-Chin Lee, Staff / Houston Chronicle

An Interstate 10 median that divided flooded Winnie-area landowners and state highway officials is being replaced, officials said late Tuesday.

Workers will begin replacing the median Tuesday night, from the Trinity River to Oak Island Road, with a new flood-prone median barrier, according to the Texas Department of Transportations Beaumont office. In a statement, spokeswoman Sarah Dupre said the new median would allow water to flow through the median during extreme rains.
SAPD

The missing 66-year-old man last seen entering a bathroom at a Walmart in San Antonio on Wednesday was later found in Dallas Friday morning.

According to the San Antonio Police Department, Kenneth Harris used the restroom at the Walmart in the 5000 block of DeZavala Road and was not seen again. Officials said they used the intercom to page Harris, but were unable to locate him in the store.
I saw the car heading northbound (on Port de Leau Court), and then I assume it turned right on the service road there to get back out, Ciesielski said, pointing to the T in the road. It was a small maroon car  like a two-door Honda Civic  that Id never seen. Ive lived here 16 years, so I know the cars that belong here usually.
MIAMI (AP)  Royal Caribbean International said Friday that eight of its ships will resume U.S. voyages in July and August with trips leaving ports in Florida, Texas and Washington state.

The cruise line said all crew members will be vaccinated against COVID-19. Passengers 16 and older on cruises to Alaska will also be required to be vaccinated. The requirement will be expanded to cover Alaska-bound passengers 12 and over starting Aug. 1.

For other trips passing through U.S. water, Royal Caribbean said that passengers are strongly recommended to get vaccinated. Unvaccinated passengers must be tested for the virus and follow other measures that will be announced later, the company said.

Royal Caribbean said that its first U.S. sailing since March 2020 will leave Miami on July 2 on the Freedom of the Seas.

The company said that over the following six weeks, five other ships will sail the Caribbean after leaving from Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and Port Canaveral, Florida, and Galveston, Texas. Two ships will sail from Seattle to Alaska.

Royal Caribbean, which is headquartered in Miami but registers its ships in other countries, plans to have 12 ships operating worldwide by the end of August. Those include ships sailing from the United Kingdom, Europe and the Bahamas.

In the U.S., cruise companies are still talking with federal, state and local officials about health measures and trial sailings. Royal Caribbean plans trial voyages starting later this month. Those pilot trips are required before cruise lines can operate regular sailings with less than 95% of passengers being vaccinated.

Meanwhile, U.S. officials this week said that a Florida lawsuit against the federal government over conditions for cruise lines to resume sailing could threaten plans to restart cruising in Alaska.
Carnival Cruise Line is setting sail next month, but Gov. Greg Abbott isn't happy about one of its new policies.

The cruise line will begin leaving from the Port of Galveston on July 3 and has announced it will require passengers to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 before setting foot on the ship.

TEXAS TRAVEL: A choose-your-own-adventure guide to Galveston for day-trippers

Abbott took this news as an opportunity to announce his plans to sign a law banning businesses in Texas from asking for vaccine information after a tweet questioned why Carnival was allowed to require passenger vaccinations.

"Im signing a law today that prohibits any business operating in Texas from requiring vaccine passports or any vaccine information," Abbott wrote on Twitter. "Texas is open 100% without any restrictions or limitations or requirements."

Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line, acknowledged in a statement the support of Abbott in making vaccinations available to cruise line personnel and expediting the cruise line's return.

"We appreciate the progress and support for our U.S. restart from the CDC and other key federal agencies; however, the current CDC requirements for cruising with a guest base that is unvaccinated will make it very difficult to deliver the experience our guests expect, especially given the large number of families with younger children who sail with us," Duffy said. "As a result, our alternative is to operate our ships from the U.S. during the month of July with vaccinated guests."

Carnival has not responded to Abbott's tweet or the upcoming law. The bill, Senate Bill 968, will take effect immediately once Abbott signs it.

However, the bill does not prevent businesses from "implementing COVID-19 screening and infection control protocols in accordance with state and federal law to protect public health."

CHEERS: For some local businesses, alcohol to-go was a boon. Others are leaving it behind

Abbott made his feelings on "vaccine passports"documents providing proof of vaccinationknown in April when he signed an executive order banning any state agencies or entities that receive public funds from requiring them from Texans.

"Those shots help slow the spread of COVID-19, reduce hospitalizations and reduce fatalities," Abbott said in a video statement in April. "But, as I have said all along, these vaccines are always voluntary and never forced. Government should not require any Texan to show proof of vaccination and reveal private health information just to go about their daily lives."
You can't say it doesn't draw your attention.

Land Commissioner George P. Bush is officially taking on Ken Paxton in the race for Texas attorney general, and he's already got some interesting campaign merch out.

TEXAS POLITICS: Allen West resigns as chair of Texas Republican Party

Quorum Report editor Scott Braddock pointed out some interesting koozies Bush supporters are reportedly handing out to promote his run.

The koozies feature former President Donald Trump and a 2019 quote from him when Bush joined Trump onstage at an event in Crosby, Texas: "This is the only Bush that likes me! This is the only Bush that got it right. I like him."

George P. Bush is the son of former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, Trump's 2016 primary opponent whom he dubbed "Low Energy Jeb." He's the nephew of former President George W. Bush, whom Trump has often criticized. He's also the grandson of former first lady Barbara Bush, whose distaste for Trump was documented in her biography. Trump has long been a sore spot for the Bush family, though it looks like George P. Bush isn't too concerned about family ties.

The koozies definitely raised some eyebrows.

But if Bush wants to earn Trump's undying praise over Paxton, he might have to fight a little harder. Paxton has long gone to bat for the former president, even filing lawsuits to overturn election results in other states while Trump continuously (and falsely) claimed the presidency was stolen from him.

BE JEALOUS: Houston just got its own weather app

Twitter / @ScottBraddock

And Bush isn't the only Texas politician publicizing a Trump endorsement. Gov. Greg Abbott, up for reelection in 2022, has been touting his own endorsement ahead of next year.

"When Donald Trump gets behind you  nothing can stop the momentum," Abbott wrote on Twitter.
Bedford, PA (15522)

Today

Partly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 62F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Partly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 62F. Winds light and variable.
You are here: Business

Photo taken on Sept. 29, 2020 shows a new energy vehicle of Great Wall Motor at the 2020 Beijing International Automotive Exhibition in Beijing, capital of China. [Photo/Xinhua]

Great Wall Motor, China's leading sport utility vehicle (SUV) and pickup manufacturer, saw auto vehicle sales grow by nearly 6.2 percent year on year in May.

In a filing with the Shanghai Stock Exchange, the company said it sold a total of 86,965 motor vehicles last month, up from 81,901 units in the same month a year ago.

Vehicle sales in the January-May period totaled 517,547 units, a year-on-year increase of 65.3 percent, the carmaker said.

Headquartered in Baoding, north China's Hebei Province, Great Wall Motor owns several SUV and car brands, including HAVAL, Great Wall, WEY, and ORA.
Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim waves to reporters outside the National Palace in Kuala Lumpur after his meeting there with King Al-Sultan Abdullah Riayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah, June 9, 2021.

Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim urged the king Wednesday not to extend a coronavirus emergency, as the monarch began a series of meetings with leaders from across the political spectrum to discuss the COVID-19 crisis amid public frustration over it.

King Al-Sultan Abdullah Riayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah told Anwar he had to listen to the prime minister in deciding whether to extend a national emergency  which the monarch had declared in mid-January  beyond its Aug. 1 expiry date, Anwar conveyed to reporters afterwards.

I gave my view that continuing the emergency will cause losses to the country, and the current situation with COVID-19 will adversely affect the economy especially to the commoners, and how I see that all the steps that can be implemented do not need for an emergency to be in place, Anwar, said upon emerging from the National Palace.

So, I pleaded to His Majesty to restrict the extension as much as possible, to which His Majesty was accurate in saying that we must adhere to the laws of the constitutional monarchy and follow the advice of the prime minister, added Anwar, who leads the Peoples Justice Party and the Pakatan Harapan bloc.

Malaysias constitution states that the king shall act in accordance with the advice of the Cabinet or of a Minister acting under the general authority of the Cabinet, except as otherwise provided by the Constitution.

Next Wednesday, the National Palace will host all nine of the Malay rulers for a special discussion about the COVID-19 pandemic, the palace announced.

It will be the second time that the rulers convene to discuss the issue. When they last met in October 2020, they rejected Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassins initial request at the time for declaring an emergency to combat the pandemic.

Earlier this year, Anwar and other leaders from the opposition appealed to the king through letters to revoke his emergency declaration. They also sought the monarchs consent in allowing parliament to re-convene after it was suspended alongside the proclamation of a national emergency over the coronavirus pandemic.

Even as Muhyiddin, Malaysias unelected PM, imposed a new nationwide lockdown last week amid surging COVID-19 cases, Azalina Othman Said, the deputy speaker of parliament and a member of the UMNO party, a partner in the ruling coalition, was among those calling for the legislature to be reconvened.

On Wednesday morning, the king held an audience with Muhyiddin at the palace.

The pre-Cabinet meeting is among weekly activities or main routine for Sultan Abdullah to discuss and exchange views with the Prime Minister concerning matters and issues relating to government, the palace said in a statement.

After Anwars visit to the palace, the leaders of the other two political parties under the Pakatan Harapan  Lim Guan Eng of the Democratic Action Party and Mohamad Sabu of Amanah  raised the issue of parliament re-convening during their separate meetings with the king.

His Majesty is the peoples hope because the parliament is not in session now and there is no space for the people to have their grievances heard, Lim said afterwards.

I asked that parliament be reopened, and reconvened like in the U.K. where in the middle of the worst pandemic, parliament is meeting more often because the people want to know what the governments plan is to overcome COVID-19, Mohamad said.

On Thursday, the king is scheduled to meet with Mahathir Mohamad, the former two-time prime minister who now leads Pejuang party. The monarch also has meetings set up with the leader of the United Malays National Organization (UMNO) on Friday, and with leaders of GPS, the ruling party in Sarawak state, on June 14.

Awang Azman Awang Pawi, a political analyst from the University of Malaya, applauded the kings action in granting audiences with various political leader to hear the concerns of the Malaysian people.

The people wish that the royal institution, including the king, take some action for the sake of the interest and livelihood of the people, Awang Azman told BenarNews.

In recent months, voices have grown louder on social media seeking the rulers intervention in dealing with the coronavirus crisis, which has adversely affected the lives of Malaysians.

As of Wednesday, Malaysia recorded 6,239 new cases of COVID-19 to bring the nations cumulative total to nearly 634,000 cases since the virus was first detected here in early 2020. To date, 3,611 people in the country have died of the disease.
Jaime Padilla, a spokesman and regional commander for the Philippine communist New Peoples Army rebels, raises a clenched fist after a clandestine news conference at an NPA camp in the Sierra Madre Mountains southeast of Manila, Nov. 23, 2016.

The Philippine government on Wednesday strongly condemned roadside bombings by communist rebels that killed two civilians and injured five others during the weekend.

A spokesman for the insurgents later apologized to the family of the civilians who died in one of the blasts, saying they were not the intended targets and that the group had a policy of not attacking civilians.

In the first attack, communist New Peoples Army (NPA) guerrillas detonated an anti-personnel mine along a road in a remote village in Masbate, a province in the central Philippines, as a group of bicyclists passed by on Sunday, police said.

The explosion instantly killed Keith Absalon, 21, a university athlete, and his uncle, Nolven Absalon, 50. Nolvens 16-year-old son was also injured. The teenager was rushed to a hospital but has been proclaimed out of danger.

On the same day, in Legazpi City, east of Manila, four motorists were wounded in a similar NPA bomb attack, the military said. The authorities did not explain why the reports about the weekend attacks came so late.

The Department of National Defense strongly condemns the violence and senseless killing of Keith and Nolven Absalon in Masbate perpetrated through the use of anti-personnel mines by the CPP-NPA, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said in a statement Wednesday.

He was referring to the outlawed Communist Party of the Philippines and its military wing, the New Peoples Army.

This tragedy is not caused by a mere tactical error as they claim, he said. The use of these anti-personnel mines that killed the Absalon cousins is actually a matter of procedure for these terrorists who are bent on inflicting death and damage to lives and property.

The rebels use of landmines violates international laws that safeguard civilians during war, the defense chief said.

Vice President Leni Robredo also condoled with the victims families, as she deplored the NPAs use of land-mines.

No goal or ideology can justify the use of such devices, Robredo said. Landmines are murder. We condemn this incident without qualification.

On Wednesday, Human Rights Watch also weighed in on the issue of land-mines.

The use of anti-personnel landmines, which are prohibited in the Philippines under the Mine Ban Treaty, is a war crime, said Carlos Conde, its Philippine researcher for the New York-based group. Those responsible are subject to criminal prosecution not just in the Philippines but in courts around the world.

NPA: No justification

On Tuesday night, Marco Valbuena, a spokesman for the CPP-NPA, reached out to news agencies, saying said it was carrying out an internal investigation into the incident in Masbate.

The entire CPP and NPA take full responsibility for the tragedy, Valbuena said. There is no justification for the aggravation this has caused the Absalon family.

NPA guerrillas are always reminded not to harm civilians, he said, and insisted that the incident should not have happened. However, Valbuena did not address the NPAs use of landmines.

He said the CPP-NPA hoped that the Absalon family could accept their apologies, and offered any appropriate form of indemnification the victims relatives might demand.

After the weekend attacks, government security forces ramped up offensives against the NPA, killing three of the suspected guerrillas in a shootout in Masbate on Tuesday, officials said.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines assures the relatives of the victims that we will pursue relentlessly the rest of these criminals  including their leaders  until we get rid of these menaces in our communities, Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, the military chief, said Wednesday.

Since 1969, the NPA has been waging one of Asias longest running insurgencies. At present, the communist guerrilla force is estimated to be about 5,000 fighters strong and divided among 80 fronts across the Philippine archipelago.

President Rodrigo Duterte, once a university student of CPP founder Jose Maria Sison, opened talks with the insurgents shortly after he became president in 2016.

Duterte cancelled the talks a year later, when he accused the rebels of carrying out attacks despite his peace overtures.

In March, Duterte ordered security forces to end the communist rebellion once and for all.

On Tuesday evening, the president told a local TV network that the NPA was a terrorist group fighting without a cause, as he ruled out a new round of negotiations with the communists.

Its dead in its tracks, the president said about the prospect of resuming talks with the CPP-NPA. It is in still waters.

I do not want to negotiate, he added.


This effort will raise donations to help Central Oregons creative artists  musicians, visual artists, performers and creative workers  by offering grants and a platform to bring attention to the talent that needs help to continue thriving in this community throughout the pandemic and beyond.

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Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, on Tuesday visited Gangcha County in Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture during his inspection tour of northwest China's Qinghai Province.



Xi was briefed about the environmental protection efforts in the Qilian Mountains and Qinghai Lake. At the lake, he inspected achievements made in comprehensively addressing environmental problems and protecting biodiversity.

Xi also visited a village of Shaliuhe Township to learn about the lives of local Tibetan residents.
Bennington, VT (05201)

Today

Partly cloudy skies early then becoming cloudy with periods of rain late. Low near 60F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies early then becoming cloudy with periods of rain late. Low near 60F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch.
Bennington, VT (05201)

Today

Partly cloudy skies early then becoming cloudy with periods of rain late. Low around 60F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies early then becoming cloudy with periods of rain late. Low around 60F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.
A bakery in Shanghai's suburban Minhang district was recently penalized for its use of indissoluble plastic straws, becoming the first case of the city's strict enforcement of last year's amended Law on Prevention and Control of the Solid Waste Pollution.

The bakery was found with 300 indissoluble straws in store to be provided to customers. In accordance with the country's most stringent legal provisions to prohibit the use of polypropylene-made plastic products, the store received a warning and a fine of 10,000 yuan (US$1,563). The amount was the minimum level of the penalty, with the maximum at 100,000 yuan as stipulated by the latest law amendment.

According to the Shanghai Municipal Administration for Market Regulation, the city has tightened law enforcement with increasingly frequent on-site inspections to eradicate the use of indissoluble plastics and lavish packaging. In particular, the authority aims to combat the sales of prohibited plastic products on e-commerce platforms.

In a recent case, a business registered in the city's Baoshan district was found selling prohibited disposable tableware on an e-commerce platform. The law enforcement authority confiscated 97,760 products from the company and took the products down from the online store. The authority is now tracing the source of the supplier in order to warn the local supervisory body.

Starting this year, Shanghai has banned the distribution of indissoluble plastic products such as disposable shopping bags and wraps in all supermarkets, shopping malls, pharmaceutical stores, and book stores. It has also banned the use of indissoluble wraps in food delivery services as well as disposable tableware in restaurants. The restrictive policies also apply in wholesale markets, with exemptions for prepackaging, rolling bags, and freshness protection packages.

According to the Shanghai Municipal Administration for Market Regulation, the law is the strictest one on the use of plastic products.
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Chez Nous co-owner Rachel Portnoy shares her memories of the first time she visited her husband's family in France in the spring: "There was a dish of fresh local radishes on the table with a pile of salt next to them. Id never seen this and happily crunched into a spicy, puckery, salty, long radish. But one was really enough for me. The strong, unmitigated flavor definitely packed a punch! I love the way that thinly-sliced radishes can give some needed punch and color to a salad, but to eat them on their own like that, I needed a schmear of another Breton delicacy: Sardine Butter."
Community News Editor / Librarian

Jeannie Maschino is community news editor and librarian for The Berkshire Eagle. She has worked for the newspaper in various capacities since 1982 and joined the newsroom in 1989. She can be reached at jmaschino@berkshireeagle.com.
Amanda Burke covers Pittsfield City Hall for The Berkshire Eagle. An Ithaca, New York native, she previously worked at The Herald News of Fall River and the Fitchburg Sentinel & Enterprise. Find her on Twitter at @amandaburkec.
Clarence Fanto can be reached at cfanto@yahoo.com, on Twitter @BE_cfanto or at 413-637-2551.
More than 225 people attended a virtual call to action hosted by the Western Massachusetts Network to End Homelessness on Friday. Housing advocates say Massachusetts lawmakers must extend eviction protections before they expire June 15, with the end of the state of emergency.
Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, said that not a single ethnic group should be left behind in China's efforts to fully build a modern socialist country.

Xi, also Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks on Tuesday afternoon while visiting a village and talking with Tibetan villagers in Shaliuhe Township in Gangcha County, Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, during his inspection tour of northwest China's Qinghai Province.

"We are a family, and we are all brothers and sisters," Xi told the villagers, calling on them to have confidence in a brighter future.

"Great changes have taken place in the village," Xi said when talking with the villagers. "We are very glad to see that every one of you is leading a happy life, and we can feel the profound bonding you have with the Party and the government."

"By the time New China celebrates its centenary, the Chinese nation will, without a doubt, stand firmer and stronger among the world's nations," Xi said, adding that by that time China will surely be a happy and modern country.

POMEGRANATE SEEDS

During Tuesday's visit, Xi stressed that the Chinese nation is closely united like the seeds of a pomegranate. "We are all members of the community of the Chinese nation."

This is not the first time he has used the expression to talk about ethnic unity in China, a country with 56 ethnic groups.

In May 2016, Xi called upon a Hezhe ethnic village in northeastern Heilongjiang Province. He said all ethnic groups shall remain closely united like the pomegranate seeds on the way toward national rejuvenation.

In January 2017, when writing a letter to a Uygur family, Xi again called on all ethnic groups to unite like the pomegranate seeds under the CPC leadership to build a bright future for Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

Xi also used this expression in his discussion with lawmakers from Xinjiang during the annual national legislative session in 2017 and his inspection of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in 2019.

NO ETHNIC GROUP LEFT BEHIND

"No ethnic group should be left behind" is another phrase Xi has often used.

According to Xi, not a single ethnic group should be left behind, be it in China's drive to eliminate absolute poverty, build a moderately prosperous society in all respects or to build a modern socialist country.

The Chinese nation is a big family and all of the family members shall live a good life, said Xi at a gathering to honor national role models for ethnic unity and progress in 2019.

Xi paid very close attention to helping ethnic minorities fight poverty.

In February, when Xi announced China's victory of eliminating absolute poverty, he particularly mentioned that the country's 28 ethnic minority groups with relatively small populations had shaken off poverty collectively.

Xi reiterated in April that on the country's new journey toward the second centenary goal of fully building a modern socialist China, not a single ethnic group should be left behind.
A person uses a megaphone Feb. 27 outside the Conservative Political Action Conference in Orlando, Fla. I can understand why the free speech libertarianism that I grew up with has fallen out of fashion, writes New York Times columnist Michelle Goldberg.
Still have overdue books or owe late fees? A number of Berks libraries are ready to help you
After allegations of domestic violence, acting Boston Mayor Kim Janey fired Boston Police Commissioner Dennis White. He is now speaking out.

According to CBS Boston, after announcing his firing on June 7, Janey, the first Black mayor of Boston, stated during a news conference, Dennis White has repeatedly asserted that the domestic violence allegations against him are false, but he stated in his hearing and during the investigation that he has hit and pushed members of his household. The allegations and evidence of this behavior raised serious questions about his fitness to lead the Boston Police Department.

She also added, It is a new day. We have a new vision for policing in Boston. We have to reimagine policing; we have to make sure that there is accountability and transparency.



Whites attorney, Nick Carter, said in a statement, He is a Black man, falsely accused of crimes, not given a fair trial or hearing, and then convicted, or terminated which is the equivalent here. This reflects an ugly pattern in our country. The Acting Mayor published the report and communicated that Dennis White was guilty of the allegations and needed to go, without pausing to evaluate the obvious flaws in the report. She destroyed a good mans name and livelihood in the process.

RELATED: Kyrie Irving Says He Anticipates Subtle Racism From Upcoming Finals In Boston

White has been the commissioner since February 1, 2021 but was placed on leave on February 3, 2021 after allegations were raised from his ex-wife, Sybil Mason, that he abused her.

According to The Washington Post, the allegations, which date back to the 1990s, come from his ex and other family members. Between 1998 and 1999, Mason claimed White threatened to shoot her, slept with a gun, physically abused her and made her very scared., The Washington Post reports. An investigation revealed that White kept a journal during the marriage, gave it to a relative who told investigators that Mason said, If anything happens to me, I want you to have this diary.  If anything happens to me, it would be Dennis.

Mason also alleged White left a scar on her wrist afterbeing dragged out the door.

Dennis White and Sybil Mason were married from 1981 to 1999.

The Washington Post reports an independent investigation sustained a finding for neglect of duty and unreasonable judgment, but determined that White had not broken any laws.

White was also accused of a 1993 physical altercation with his niece over $10, however, he maintained he was acting in self-defense.
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West Virginia officials say the last stretch of U.S. 35 to be widened to four lanes is expected to open to traffic by the end of August after years of planning
Bowling Green State University is honoring Dr. Robert L. Perry 59, 65 the inaugural director of the Universitys ethnic studies program, with the naming of the Robert L. Perry Veranda.

Located at Shatzel Hall, the Robert L. Perry Veranda recognizes Perrys legacy of shaping diversity and belonging initiatives at BGSU.

The BGSU Board of Trustees approved the naming at the May 21 meeting. Among his vast accomplishments, Perry helped establish the Universitys Cultural Diversity in the United States requirement in 1992, profiled in The Chronicle of Higher Education as the first of its kind at any university in the country. The requirement continues today and serves as the foundation of the Universitys efforts to educate all students on the importance of race and democracy.

Dr. Perry was a trailblazer in shaping empowerment and inclusion at BGSU and beyond, said Jennifer McCary, chief diversity officer at BGSU. His legacy is seen today, not only on our campus, but at universities across the country in a commitment to establishing a culture of diversity and belonging through intentionality in curriculum.
Spearfish, SD (57783)

Today

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low around 60F. Winds SE at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low around 60F. Winds SE at 10 to 20 mph.
LEWISTON - Lewis-Clark State College and the College of Southern Idaho have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that will allow students at the two-year junior college in Twin Falls to complete a bachelors degree in elementary education through LC State without leaving the Magic Valley.

LC State President Cynthia Pemberton and CSI President Dean Fisher signed the agreement earlier this month. The MOU was established to help southern Idaho school districts address a shortage of qualified teachers.

We are excited to partner with CSI on this important initiative to increase the number of qualified teachers in southern Idaho, Pemberton said. LC State was founded to produce quality teachers in 1893, and for 128 years weve done just that.

CSI students will take approximately 74 credits to earn their Associate of Arts degree in Elementary Education. If qualified, they can go on and earn the final 52 credits for a bachelors degree online through LC State and with clinicals and/or internships in southern Idaho.

Its no secret that southern Idaho is facing a critical teacher shortage, Fisher said. This partnership with LCSC will significantly expand access for aspiring teachers to get the training they need to enter the field of education at an affordable price and without having to leave the local area. We are excited to partner with LCSC and I cant thank them enough for their assistance in getting this agreement put in place.

Under the agreement the two colleges agree to a curriculum coordination effort that allows CSI students the ability to complete their associates and bachelors degrees in elementary education through courses offered online and/or onsite. Students must complete their associates degree at CSI and carry at least a 3.0 GPA before they can enroll in the LC State courses. CSI alumni who have already completed their associates degree in elementary education can be considered for the program as long as they have completed the required program coursework.

The two colleges created an equivalency course list so that required classes in the LC State elementary education program have matching courses offered at CSI.

In addition to the elementary education major, LC State will offer online courses for endorsement certification in exceptional child generalist and literacy.

As part of the MOU, CSI will provide LC State with classroom and office space at CSIs main campus as well at its off-campus centers located in Hailey, Jerome, Burley and Gooding. LC State advisors will meet with students in the program regularly, either face-to-face or virtually, and will train mentors to oversee the internships.

For more information on the LC State elementary education program, visit: www.lcsc.edu/program-finder/elementary-education.
OLYMPIA  Petty disputes at the statehouse often confine themselves to negotiating rooms or floor speeches, or perhaps a little low-key payback down the road.

But on Tuesday, the squabble between the Washington Legislature and Gov. Jay Inslee over his use of partial vetoes played out in far grander fashion: before the Washington Supreme Court.

In oral arguments, the justices heard the case known as Washington State Legislature vs. Jay Inslee. It's a legal struggle that could tweak the balance of power between two of Washington's separate branches of government.

The legal struggle has come to a head just weeks after the governor frustrated lawmakers with another controversial veto that could draw a legal challenge, when he signed into law the new clean-fuels legislation.

Washington's constitution limits a governor's veto authority to full bills, and sections of bills or appropriation items  spending  in those bills.

The case involved in Tuesday's hearing stretches back to 2019, when Inslee signed a new, two-year statewide transportation budget  and vetoed lines inside sections of the bill.

The language he vetoed would have prohibited state transportation officials from considering different fuel types as a factor in choosing grantees for some grant programs being administered.

The governor's lawyers have argued that the vetoes targeted appropriation items, and thus were allowable. They have also called the vetoes necessary to comply with other state laws to fight climate change with methods like switching transportation fuels over to biofuels or electricity.

In a letter to lawmakers at the time, Inslee explained his reasoning: "While my veto authority is generally limited to subsections or appropriation items in an appropriation bill, in this very rare and unusual circumstance I have no choice but to veto a single sentence in several subsections to prevent a constitutional violation and to prevent a forced violation of state law."

The Washington Legislature sued to challenge those vetoes, and last year, a Thurston County Superior Judge ruled that the governor overstepped his authority.

The court generally defers to the Legislature's designation of what is considered a section inside a bill, wrote Judge Carol Murphy, "unless it is obviously designed to circumvent the governor's veto power ..."

But the 2019-21 transportation budget's relevant sections do "not show obvious manipulation" to circumvent the governor's powers, Murphy wrote in the ruling.

"It is the governor's burden to show such manipulation, and, here, that burden has not been met," added Murphy.

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court justices lobbed question after question to both sides  sometimes skeptically  as they considered a case that could potentially tip the balance of power between the executive branch and the legislative branch.

They didn't always sound thrilled.

"You know, we have to decide what's an appropriation item," said Justice Sheryl Gordon McCloud at one point. "And an item, of course, can be an electron, or an item can be the universe."

During the hearing, an attorney for Inslee argued that, among other things, the single-line vetoes were striking down appropriation items and were therefore valid.

"The framers authorized the line-item veto to prevent the harmful effects of legislative logrolling in appropriations bills, and this case demonstrates exactly why," Alicia Young, the attorney representing Inslee, told the justices Tuesday.

"The new fuel-type condition would never have passed as a standalone measure, as it clearly undermines longstanding statutory objectives to combat climate change and reduce air pollution," added Young, who is a deputy solicitor general with the Attorney General's Office.

Lawyers for the Legislature  who are also represented by the Attorney General's Office  have argued against that interpretation.

"Washington's Constitution strikes a careful balance between the Legislature's prerogatives to craft and organize bills and the Governor's authority to veto all or part of legislation," according to a brief filed before the court by the Legislature's attorneys. "The Governor's excision of only a single sentence within seven larger appropriation items ... exceeded the constitutionally-limited scope of the veto power."

The case hasn't stopped Inslee's controversial use of the partial veto. In mid-May, the governor issued a pair of vetoes to strike down language that made the implementation of two signature pieces of climate-change legislation contingent on the passage of a new statewide transportation spending measure.

The part of the clean-fuels bill that was vetoed was contained inside a section, again prompting outcry.

Even Democratic leaders like House Speaker Laurie Jinkins of Tacoma chimed in, saying it "reaches beyond his constitutional powers and we will ask the Washington courts to again rule on the balance of legislative and executive branch powers."

Asked about that veto in an interview after that day's bill signing, Inslee remained unphased.

"We believe we're on very sound ground in this regard," said the governor. "Because it is clear that the way this was structured, was in a sense to try to hide from a veto, and deny the governor the ability to exercise the constitutional right of veto."
BIG RAPIDS  Whether you love them or hate them, youve definitely recognized them. Bird scooters in Big Rapids.

In April, Big Rapids city commissioners approved Bird Rides Inc. to operate a fleet of about 50-75 stand-up electric scooters throughout the city. The scooters provide an alternative way to move about the city, and can offer individuals without vehicles a way to work as well as offer tourists a fun activity.

Since their implementation, mixed reviews and concerns of the new transportation option have surfaced, creating some controversy as to the benefits of the scooters.

In recent weeks, the Pioneer has come across reviews  both positive and negative  on social media about Big Rapids' new form of transportation. In a Facebook post this week, the Pioneer asked readers to share their thoughts on Bird scooters in the city. The post collected over 80 comments in less than a day.

Here's what readers had to say ...

THE POSITIVE: 'A GREAT ADDITION'

I think they're a great addition to the town, Rachel Thomas commented. It puts a smile on my face to see people out and about, having fun. Especially after having been locked down so long due to the pandemic. My family rode them recently and had a blast.

I love seeing people enjoying riding them, Laine Mitchell added. I didn't know they would be so popular.

Bird scooters has its own unique features, such as "warm-up mode," which gently accelerates the scooter up to speed, allowing the rider to become comfortable before going faster.

Another unique feature is the quick start option, which is for experienced riders, that automatically detects when a Bird scooter is in range and offers riders the opportunity to unlock it with the tap of a button.

I think theyre an awesome addition to the community, Aubrey Scott commented. People will always misuse [scooters] and make everyone else look bad, but for the responsible ones who take care of them, theyre super fun and they add something new and exciting to the town.

The Bird company requires all new users to complete a rider safety tutorial that promotes proper riding behavior and etiquette. In addition, Bird has a helmet selfie program that rewards the rider for wearing a helmet. If they submit a picture of themselves wearing a helmet, they receive a credit for their next ride.

According to Bird regulations, users must be 18 or older to operate a scooter, and the app will ask users to submit a photo of their ID.

CONCERNS: 'I ALMOST RAN ONE OVER'

Despite these rules, some Pioneer readers shared concerns with underage usage, having seen some scooters being driven recklessly by young kids, being broken, or left in inconvenient places. One scooter was recently pictured lying in a portion of Mitchell Creek.

I do have an issue with how they are being used and taken care of, Colette Elizabeth commented. They get left all over the place. I almost ran one over the other day because someone decided the middle of the road was a good place to leave it. Ive seen smaller children ride them right down the middle of side streets with no regard for traffic or their surroundings. I would hate to see someone get hurt because of this.

Others cited concerns with adults driving the scooters under the influence or buying rides for their children.

Parents need to keep their children off of them, Corrinne Renee commented. They are strictly 18 and up. I have seen children and some adults, usually under liquid influence, nearly get hit because they're riding erratically in the roads not following road laws. We need a system to keep the birds out the middle of sidewalks.

I think they are fine, but earlier (this week) I saw four small children on them that couldn't have been more than 9 or 10 years old with no adult supervision, trying to cross Maple Street by the bridge, Sue Ketchum said. I also have had to move one from the middle of Michigan Street because someone just dropped it there. If they are used by responsible people in the manner they are intended they would be great.

One commenter noted the hindrance that misuse and discarding of the scooters causes for the disabled community in the town.

Theyre ableist and not monitored responsibly, Amanda Verneer stated. They get left all over the sidewalks, in front of entrances of businesses, in crosswalks, preventing wheelchair access and hindering disabled individuals from experiencing Big Rapids freely.

CONFUSIONS, FRUSTRATIONS

Readers also cited issues and confusion regarding the cost of the scooters, and issues with location accessibility.

An average 15-20-minute ride will cost users between $5-7. It costs $1 to use the scooter and then users are charged an additional per-minute fee of around 39 cents in Big Rapids. The per-minute fee is determined based on city-specific criteria, according to a Bird spokesperson.

One problem I see is that the location is quite a way from the grocery stores, Cindy Trumble commented. For those of us who live on the west side of town ... who wants to travel downtown to pick up a scooter to go back to get groceries? They're nice for encouraging downtown shopping, but not as helpful if you live on the southwest side of town and want to get groceries, go to the dentist, the doctors, or just ride for some fun and get out of the house.

Not saying they are a bad idea, but why can they ride on downtown sidewalks and bicycles cannot? Lynn Thompson added. Are they considered motorized? If so, why can they ride at north end park and signs say no motorized vehicles?

Using a geo-fencing technology, Bird can program where the scooters can and cant travel. They are intended to be used on streets with speed limits of 35 mph or less, on sidewalks and trails. Bird e-scooters can go about 30 miles on one charge, which is far more than an average trip.

For security and prevention of theft, theres an electronic lock inside each scooter that can be activated by a user. When activated, no other user can operate the scooter. In addition, a GPS sensor will create a notification if someone tries to move a locked scooter.

To prevent misuse, when a Bird rider is done with their trip, they must snap a picture of their scooter to prove they have parked it appropriately.

Riders of e-scooters must also follow the requirements of the Michigan Vehicle Code that pertains to electric personal assistive mobility devices, Section 660, which requires that riders use them similarly to how someone would use a bicycle on a street or sidewalk.

CITY ADDRESSING CONCERNS

At a Big Rapids city commission meeting this week, Commissioner Jennifer Cochran said she heard about scooters being misused and requested updates on the geofencing in certain areas, like the Riverwalk where scooters have been found discarded.

I have been hearing from a few people that they have been noticing the Bird scooters on the Riverwalk, Cochran said at the meeting. I thought that we had agreed that they shouldnt be on the Riverwalk and that the gentlemen from the company was going to put up a geo fence. Does anyone know the status of that?

City manager Mark Gifford responded, citing issues with geo-fencing off certain areas for the scooters.

It is a little bit of where we think is the best location to run the scooters, Gifford replied. It would be hard to find one that is better than the Riverwalk. I had a conversation with the mayor who had a similar type of discussion about the White Pine Trail."

"If we didnt want it on the Riverwalk, that might actually be easier than the White Pine Trail to mark off," he added. "From a staff perspective, I dont think we had the idea that it [e-scootering] wasnt going to be allowed on the Riverwalk. If that is something that the commission wants to pursue I certainly can do that.

Mayor Tom Hogenson mentioned hearing issues with questions of the scooters being allowed on certain trails where they aren't allowed.

It is a difficult question because there are now motorized bicycles and skateboard and all kinds of things that werent motorized when the White Pine Trail was put into place, Hogenson said. If you have the young kids in particular that have no idea about trail etiquette  and there is such a thing  they dont identify themselves when passing people and dont pass them on the left like they should, and there is a potential danger there.

In terms of regulations for the e-scooters moving forward, the city will address concerns from residents regarding safety, misuse and locations of usage and work towards adjusting rules to ensure safety and proper care of the scooters.

ALSO SEE: FAQ: Here's what to know about Bird e-scooters
Can we do what needs to be done to stop people dying from HIV/AIDS? Maybe  but only if we pay more attention to the people who are most at risk of dying. World leaders are discussing the next steps in the fight against the disease at the UN High Level Meeting on HIV/AIDS. The resulting political declaration must contain clear and tangible commitments to tackling HIV-related mortality, and include a specific focus on early detection and treatment of the main killer diseases linked to Advanced HIV Disease (AHD or AIDS).



The 2021-2026 UNAIDS strategy aims to reduce the number of people dying from HIV/AIDS to 250,000 by 2025, while also rightly placing emphasis on prevention, rights, and social and political determinants of health. Still, nearly 700,000 HIV-related deaths occurred in 2019, despite being in an era of "test and start" with free antiretroviral treatment.

While there has been a 39% reduction of AIDS-related deaths since 2010, progress has stalled in recent years, highlighting that scale up of testing and antiretroviral treatment alone is not sufficient to end HIV-related deaths. To address this mortality, we need to focus on finding the most at-risk people living with HIV, make sure they have effective access to antiretroviral treatment, and treat their opportunistic infections. Besides tuberculosis, severe fungal and bacterial infections (such as cryptococcal meningitis) are the primary causes of hospitalization and death among people living with HIV.

A decade ago, AHD was seen mostly among patients who were unaware of their HIV status, often because of a lack of HIV testing and antiretroviral treatment availability. Today, however, in some Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) inpatient facilities, 75% of hospital admissions for advanced HIV are patients who are receiving antiretroviral drugs, often for many years. This suggests that they may have interrupted their treatment and/or developed a resistant form of the virus. Unfortunately, this is not detected and treated early enough for most.

MSF has learnt that the HIV care cascade is not a linear process from testing, early initiation, consistent drug adherence and viral suppression, but a circular one, with many people needing help to re-engage into care after treatment interruption and/or failure. Studies have shown that nearly 25% of patients will interrupt their treatment at some point and that up to one-third of patients starting or restarting antiretroviral treatment have AHD. What follows is immune suppression, opportunistic diseases, hospitalization and death. In MSF-supported hospitals in Guinea, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya and Malawi, we witness a 30%-40% mortality rate among patients with AHD.

Since the COVID-19 crisis has caused a reduction in initiations of antiretroviral treatment and in retention in care, the situation is expected to worsen and the number of people living with HIV facing tuberculosis, severe bacterial and fungal infections to rise. The deterioration of patients' condition brings back the typical complications, putting their life at immediate risk. As antiretroviral treatment no longer suppresses the virus, it runs rampant through their body, allowing opportunistic infections to flare up and once more transmit HIV to their partner or their baby.

Certain countries in West and Central Africa are especially hard hit in terms of mortality. One-fifth of all AIDS-related deaths, and for children, four out of every 10 deaths, in the world occur in this region. We should reach out to people at risk of HIV with immediate and intensified action for early detection and treatment.

The UN High Level Meeting is a unique opportunity to ensure country commitments on these needs and it should reflect and be built on this. Addressing AHD is key, and it is possible, but there are still important hurdles. Screening for AHD is possible using simple point of care technologies. This accelerates detection and treatment of the deadly infections linked to AIDS and can therefore help to save lives. In Malawi for instance, combining point of care screening in health centers and rapid assessment units in hospitals, allowed a significant gain of time in diagnosis and starting treatment, leading to reduced mortality among hospitalized patients. Many national guidelines do not yet include targeted AHD services. Availability and affordability of the medicines required to implement them is a key challenge in many countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. Unfavorable markets with high pricing for certain commodities contributed to countries' slow progress in adopting AHD care packages.

There is an urgent need for a global commitment to accelerate the implementation of a package of care to prevent, detect and treat advanced disease. This must include early voluntary and confidential testing; early treatment initiation; increased enabling measures for continuity and retention; and services that reach out and welcome people back in care, which will consequently prevent treatment failure and mortality, and improve early detection of advanced HIV disease.

Only by recognizing the importance of AHD, the expected UN High Level Meeting declaration will allow us to curb HIV-related mortality, contributing to removing these obstacles and throwing a lifeline to people with advanced HIV disease.

Dr Gilles Van Cutsem is the leader of the MSF HIV/AIDS working group.

Amanda Banda is an MSF HIV advocacy consultant.

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.
SEATTLE  Washington states new joints for jabs vaccination incentive program is off to a rough start.

Seeking to get more people to get the coronavirus shots, officials announced this week that the states nearly 500 licensed marijuana retailers could begin hosting vaccine clinics and offering a single, free pre-rolled marijuana cigarette to those who get a shot.

But cannabis retailers say many of them dont have the space to host clinics. And some health care providers are uneasy about setting up a clinic on the site of a marijuana business.

The pot retailers also complain that they have to have an onsite clinic while the state allows breweries and wineries to give away drinks to customers who merely show proof of vaccination  no onsite clinic required.

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MORE ON THE PANDEMIC:

 AP source: US to buy 500M Pfizer vaccines to share globally

 France is back: Borders reopen to American tourists, others

 Haiti fights large COVID-19 spike as it awaits vaccines

 Pandemic shows risk of obesity, challenge of weight loss

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 Follow more of APs pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic and https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-vaccine

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HERES WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:

HONOLULU  A class-action lawsuit has been filed on behalf of inmates in Hawaii, arguing that the state has failed to protect people from coronavirus outbreaks in unsanitary jails and prisons.

The lawsuit says that nearly half of the prisoners held by Hawaii have contracted the virus and that five out of nine facilities have experienced uncontrolled outbreaks of coronavirus cases.

The lawsuit describes poor conditions such as cells not being sanitized or cleaned when virus-positive inmates move out and a new prisoner moves in.

A spokeswoman for the state Department of Public Safety says the agency has been advised not to comment on possible pending legal matters.

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SANTA FE, N.M.  Private child care centers in New Mexico are the latest sites to offer perks to parents lining up to get a coronavirus vaccination.

Running through July 4, they are offering free child care to parents with vaccine appointments and to those who are recovering from vaccine side effects.

That is on top of other corporate and state incentives for getting vaccinated, which range from free beer to lottery sweepstakes.

State early childhood officials announced the participation Wednesday of the states largest daycare chains, KinderCare and La Petite Academy, in Albuquerque and Santa Fe. YMCA locations across the state are also offering free child care, including for nonmembers.

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WASHINGTON  Medicare is announcing a significant increase in what it will pay to vaccinate homebound older people against the coronavirus as, part of the Biden administrations last mile effort to get shots in the arms of as many Americans as possible.

Officials said Wednesday the program will pay roughly $35 more per dose when enrollees are vaccinated at home. For a two-shot regimen that means Medicare will pay $150, or about $70 more than currently.

Medicare estimates 1.6 million people 65 and older may have trouble getting to pharmacies or vaccination centers because of obstacles to leaving home. These can include physical impairments as well as neurologic disorders such as Alzheimers disease.

Local health departments in many communities have already launched efforts to locate and vaccinate homebound older people, who remain at risk because visitors may unwittingly bring the virus into their homes.

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LAHAINA, Hawaii  Hawaiis restaurants are having a hard time serving an influx of tourists returning to the islands as pandemic restrictions across the nation ease.

Restaurants in Hawaii are operating at 50% capacity. Gov. David Ige says that limit will not be increased until 60% of Hawaii residents are vaccinated. When that benchmark is met, restaurants will be able to operate at 75% capacity. But capacity increases wont help some restaurants with limited space.

Some restaurants wont be able to serve many more people until social distancing rules are changed.

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TORONTO  Canadas health minister says fully vaccinated Canadian citizens and permanent residents who test negative for the coronavirus will soon be exempt from a two-week quarantine when returning to the country.

Officials expect that to happen in early July.

Air travelers who have received shots at least 14 days before entering Canada will be able to skip a stay in a government-approved quarantine hotel but will still have to stay in isolation until a virus test comes back negative.

Currently, arriving air travelers are required to spend three days in quarantine at a hotel at their expense and then complete their two weeks in self-isolation. They will be required to take a test upon arrival in Canada, and remain in isolation until the test comes back negative.

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WASHINGTON  The U.S. will buy 500 million more doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to share through the COVAX alliance for donation to 92 lower-income countries and the African Union over the next year.

Thats according to a person familiar with the matter.

President Joe Biden is expected to make the announcement Thursday in a speech before the start of Group of Seven summit. According to the person, 200 million doses  enough to fully protect 100 million people  will be shared this year, with the balance to be donated in the first half of 2022.

The person confirmed the announcement on the condition of anonymity. The news was first reported by the Washington Post.

 by Zeke Miller

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SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- A dozen major California business organizations have called on Gov. Gavin Newsom to change recently adopted workplace regulations requiring all workers to wear masks unless everyone in a room is vaccinated.

The California Retailers Association and organizations representing manufacturers, farmers, tourism interests and other industries sent a letter to Newsom asking him to issue an emergency order rescinding the regulations adopted last week.

Those regulations came from the California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board and run counter to Newsoms plan to lift nearly all mask rules for vaccinated people next Tuesday. The board called a special meeting for Wednesday to reconsider the masking rules.

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MOSCOW  The Russian capital has recorded a steep uptick in coronavirus infections this week and authorities say enforcement measures for wearing masks and gloves will increase.

On Wednesday, the national coronavirus task force reported 4,124 new cases in Moscow, a 40% increase from Sundays tally of 2,936. The head of the directorate that oversees control of public services for the city, Yevgeny Danchikov, says enforcement of masks and gloves on public transport, in shopping centers and in other public places will be tightened. Violators could be fined up to 5,000 rubles ($70).

Mayor Sergei Sobyanin says the city plans to open new hospitals for treatment of COVID-19 but didnt give details. Russia has reported 5.1 million confirmed coronavirus infections and 124,895 confirmed deaths.

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PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti  Haiti has perplexed experts with low infection and death rates from COVID-19 despite its rickety public health system, a lack of vaccines and fewer enforced safety measures.

Thats no longer the case. The few Haitian hospitals treating COVID-19 cases report turning away patients. There were 2,271 cases and 62 deaths recorded in the past month. Health experts say those figures miss the true scale of what they consider the largest spike in cases since the coronavirus arrived.

The government declared a health emergency on May 24 and imposed a curfew and safety measures  though few Haitians appear to follow them. Most shun, or cant afford, face masks and its difficult to keep a distance while shopping in bustling marketplaces or riding crowded buses.

A total of 15,700 confirmed cases and more than 330 confirmed deaths have been reported in a nation of more than 11 million.

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LONDON  The U.K. has recorded its highest daily coronavirus cases since late February, suggesting the Delta variant is spreading widely across the country.

Government figures Wednesday showed that the U.K. recorded 7,540 new infections, the biggest daily increase since Feb. 26. Cases have been rising over the past few weeks as a result of the Delta variant first identified in India. The concern is the increase will pressure the health system once again.

Another 123 people entered the hospital with symptoms related to coronavirus, taking the total to 1,024. The number of people dying after testing positive for COVID-19 rose by six to 127,860 confirmed deaths.

Health experts hope the rapid rollout of vaccines will break the link between new cases and deaths. So far, a large proportion of the people infected are within the less vulnerable younger age groups, many of whom have yet to receive a first dose.

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GENEVA  World Trade Organization member nations have agreed to intensify talks toward geared at improving access to COVID-19 products.

Developing nations are pushing for a proposal to ease patents and other intellectual property protections for coronavirus vaccines, but some wealthier countries remain opposed. A panel focusing on intellectual property wrapped up a two-day meeting on Wednesday with an agreement to start a process for pulling together proposals to improve the fight against COVID-19 through the WTOs intricate system of rules.

Intellectual property includes patents on technological know-how regarding vaccines. WTO members plan to start discussions next week in hope of sending a report to the Geneva-based trade bodys ambassadors in July.

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COLOMBO, Sri Lanka  Sri Lanka has requested Japan provide 600,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine in an attempt to complete administering the second dose to citizens.

Sri Lanka is facing a severe shortage of AstraZeneca vaccines as the producer in the neighboring India failed to provide the promised stock due to the crisis in that country.

On Wednesday, the presidents office announced that president Gotabhaya Rajapaksa requested Prime Minister of Japan Yoshiihide Suga provide 600,000 doses of AstraZeneca.

The request has been met with positive responses, according to a statement from the presidents office. Sri Lanka is currently using Chinas Sinopharm and Rusian Sputnik V vaccines.

Sri Lanka has witnessed an increase of positive cases and deaths since April, partly caused by celebrations and shopping during last months traditional new year festival. Sri Lanka has registered more than 210,000 cases and 1,843 confirmed deaths.

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BEIRUT  Lebanons caretaker health minister has inaugurated the countrys largest vaccination center at a shopping mall in Beirut as the government speeds up the inoculation campaign against the coronavirus.

Hamad Hassan says the center run by the Lebanese Red Cross can vaccinate more than 5,000 persons a day and aims to encourage more people to take the vaccines outside hospitals and clinics.

Lebanon, a nation of about 6 million people, including a million Syrian refugees, has vaccinated more than 600,000 people with a first shot.

After hitting a record of more than 6,000 cases and nearly 100 deaths in one day earlier this year, lockdowns and strict measures by the government helped bring down the numbers. Lebanons health ministry reported 139 new cases and six deaths on Wednesday.

The nation has registered more than 540,000 confirmed cases and 7,780 deaths.

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PARIS  Frances government spokesman says the coronavirus situation in France clearly improved and the country on Wednesday reopened indoor spaces in restaurants and cafes as well as gyms and swimming pools.

Gabriel Attal says, That is not only a foretaste, but the taste of the life we once had that we are getting back.

The nighttime curfew is pushed back from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Major sport and cultural events are allowed with a maximum number of 5,000 people. Theyll need to show a vaccination certificate or a negative test within the last 48 hours. Terraces of restaurants and cafes, theaters, cinemas and museums reopened on May 19 after a six-month coronavirus shutdown.

About 54% of Frances adult population has received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose. France is registering 6,500 daily virus cases on average, down from 35,000 in the March-April peak.

The nation has reported 110,000 confirmed deaths, among the highest tolls in Europe.
The ExoSCOPE test accurately classifies disease status and determines treatment outcome within 24 hours after the start of treatment

Cancer patients who are undergoing targeted therapy can look forward to a new blood test that could tell their doctors whether the treatment is working, within one day after the start of the treatment.

Assistant Professor Shao Huilin and her research team from the Department of Biomedical Engineering and Institute for Health Innovation & Technology (iHealthtech) at the National University of Singapore (NUS) have developed a technology that is accurate, less invasive and significantly brings forward the evaluation window, by using liquid biopsies.

The technique, termed extracellular vesicle monitoring of small-molecule chemical occupancy and protein expression (ExoSCOPE), is the first of its kind in the world. It takes advantage of extracellular vesicles (EVs) secreted by cancer cells and circulating in blood as a reflective indicator of drug effectiveness in solid tumours.

"Conventional procedures such as tumour imaging are not only expensive but also delayed. For these methods, treatment effectiveness can only be determined after weeks. Using the ExoSCOPE, we can directly measure the outcomes of drug effectiveness within 24 hours of treatment initiation. This will significantly reduce the time and cost for cancer treatment monitoring," said the lead scientist Asst Prof Shao.

The nine-member NUS team took two years (from 2019 to 2021) to develop and validate the ExoSCOPE platform. Their next challenge is to expand the platform to measure the efficacy of different drugs and apply the technology to a spectrum of diseases from cancers to cardiovascular and neurological disease. A patent has been filed for ExoSCOPE and the NUS team hopes to bring this technology to market in the next three years.
Develops denture adhesives and denture cleansers

ICPA Health Products has scaled up its presence in the easy-to-use denture management products range for the elderly. The company has developed denture adhesives and denture cleansers that help hold dentures securely and help clean the dentures to remove food remnants, plaque film and stains from the denture surface. With a significant number of urban and semi-urban citizens above the age of 65 in the State, ICPA is looking to offer a convenient denture maintenance routine for this section of the population.

ICPAs range of denture adhesives includes Fixon Cream, Fixon Powder and Fixon Super Grip which help hold dentures securely and comfortably all day long and, provide confidence to chew with dentures. The company also offers a complete range of denture cleansers which includes Clinsodent Powder, Clinsodent Tablet and Clinsodent Brush which help remove film, stains and plaque deposits from the denture surface.

We are now looking to increase the availability of our offerings in the everyday consumables in this segment across India. In the first leg, we plan to increase our presence in the Western region of India starting with Maharashtra, then Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh and, gradually form networks across the rest of the states in the region, says Abha Damani, Director, ICPA.

While available to be bought separately, the products are also offered as part of a kit called the Replay Kit. It is an assortment of individual products neatly packaged along with its storage, concludes Damani.

The products are available through local chemists across Maharashtra and also through e-commerce portals including Amazon and Flipkart.
The company plans to target both domestic as well as export markets, production to commence from August 2021

Lasa Supergenerics, which is into the manufacturing of veterinary and human APIs in India through its catalyst chemistry expertise and fully backward integrated unit, has launched Oxyclozanide.



Oxyclozanide is an anthelmintic, it is used in the treatment and control of fascioliasis a topical worm infection in ruminants mainly domestic animals such as cattle (especially buffalos on the farm), sheep, and goats. For this, the company is setting up capacity in a brownfield expansion at its Chiplun unit.

The total capacity would be 20 MT and would be funded through internal accruals. The company is committed to funding the entire capex through internal accruals. The production would start from August 2021.



Dr Omkar Herlekar, CMD, Lasa Supergenerics said, Oxyclozanide is an anthelmintic. It has a huge opportunity both in domestic as well export markets. The additional capacity is being put within the existing facility at Chiplun, Maharashtra. We would be targeting both domestic and export markets. We are excited about the launch of Oxyclozanide as it fit our product selection criteria and we are confident of grabbing a significant market share. The company is in a phase of evolution and growth and we will strive hard and deliver on the expected lines."




After a several months long stringent interviewing process, Chris Botha, group managing director at Park Advertising has confirmed the appointment of Dashni Vilakazi as the new managing director for The MediaShop Johannesburg, effective 1 July 2021.

Congrats on your appointment. How do you feel about it?

How and when did this come about?

What excites you most about taking on this new role?

How did you end up working in the marketing industry?

What do you love most about your career, the industry and what you do?

What is the most memorable and rewarding project you worked on?

What has been your biggest career highlight?

What is your biggest motivation in life?

What career advice would you give to anyone entering the marketing and advertising industry?

Dashni Vilakazi joins The MediaShop from her previous roles as GM of marketing where she headed up Absas Investment, Wealth, Financial Advisers and Insurance marketing portfolios and formerly from Old Mutual as the Head of Retail Marketing based in Cape Town.With over 20 years of experience in positions as head of marketing for corporate listed entities and in advertising, media and communication agencies in leadership positions based in Nigeria, internationally and especially in South Africa, Chris Botha, group managing director at Park Advertising says that she was the obvious choice for the role.I am open to the extraordinary changes taking place in this field right now and that interests me greatly. I am about to become the author of this blank book to cement my passion in settling into the game.I believe that progress is the nativity of change and when I knew I was ready, this opportunity and I converged a year ago.Leading and collaborating with a team of achievers and creating our next best shift together to recreate our great work in partnership.One of the companies that contributed to my final thesis at business school, hired me to head up their marketing after I graduated.Early on in my career I embraced that my work was going to supplement a large part of my life and to be truly triumphant, I do what I believe to be work of credence. I love how my strategies play out incrementally on a balance sheet.It was the projects and campaigns that immediately addressed the value that customers sought, from the product/service benefits to the swift execution of my campaigns and the feedback loop from customers.The minute I deciphered what the difference between an allegiance and an accomplishment was. That set my energy forward into creating bigger and better so that seeking validation became something of the past.To make it mine. Everything works out for me graciously, therefore I will continue to forge ahead and discover my own path.Focus on your next move. Prepare to operate as a generalist by studying which business highlights make marketers stand out, what insights are leading to value for customers and how this value is innovatively demonstrated by agencies. The more you can influence the value chain upstream, the more you will be attributed a seat at the table.
In collaboration with the Realness Institute of Africa, Locarno Film Festival has announced the introduction of the Southern Africa-Locarno Industry Academy.

Were thrilled to launch the first industry academy in Africa. The Southern Africa-Locarno Industry Academy will allow us to introduce our programme to young professionals in this region. Participants will be able to connect with Industry Academy alumni in Latin America, the Middle East, the USA and Europe, joining an international network of future industry players.

The debut edition of the Southern Africa-Locarno Industry Academy will take place online from 26 September to 2 October 2021. The programme will host 10 to 12 participants from all over the African continent.The 2021 edition of the ongoing training project for young film industry professionals will take place online from 26 September to 2 October 2021 and will welcome participants from all over the African continent.The Locarno Industry Academy is the workshop of Locarno Pro, the festivals industry section, dedicated to young professionals working in sales, traditional or online distribution, theatrical exhibition and programming for festivals, film clubs and archives. This year, the workshop is to extend its global reach to Africa for the first time, via a new partnership with the Realness Institute. The project offers a tailored programme featuring masterclasses and meetings with internationally established professionals. The aim is to enhance participants understanding of the challenges facing the film industry, at the same time allowing them to expand their network of contacts and develop their professional skill set.Markus Duffner, the new head of Locarno Pro, said:Mehret Mandefro, director of development and partnerships at Realness Institute, added: The dearth of film sales agents, distribution professionals and film programmers, is a glaring gap in the local media ecosystems in Africa and prevents those markets from operating efficiently. Partnering with Locarno Industry Academy to fill this gap is an exciting opportunity to build strength where we need it most in the local markets.The Locarno Industry Academies are developed along common lines, supervised by project manager Marion Klotz. They offer a unique training programme with a distinctly international vocation. At the same time, the presence of a regional project manager ensures that issues specific to the region are analysed and addressed, to foster genuine growth of local professional skills. For the Southern Africa-Locarno Industry Academy, the role of the regional manager will be taken up by Elias Ribeiro, executive director of the Realness Institute and founder of Urucu Media, who added: I look forward to working with the Realness and Locarno teams in making this experience as localised and relevant to the African realities in distribution as possible. We will become more independent as content makers once we figure out ways to reach audiences across the continent of Africa. It is a huge, complex and untapped market. We are honoured to play a role in building more bridges and networks through this initiative.As of 20 April, applications were welcomed by all young professionals wishing to take part. Submission closes on 20 June 2021.To learn more, visit: www.realness.institute/southern-africa-locarno-industry-academy
President Cyril Ramaphosa signed a series of new tax- and finance-focused bills into law on 20 January 2021. Even though they primarily deal with administrative and technical issues, but there are a number of changes that will affect your work-related claims.

Tax-free advances and reimbursements for day trips

For the 2021 year of assessment the fixed rate for travel in South Africa is R139 per day to defray incidental costs and R452 per day to defray the cost of meals and incidental costs.

Bursaries are taxed if part of the salary was sacrificed

A tax deduction for home-office expenditure

Potential work from home tax deductions during the pandemic Since the advent of Covid-19 and remote working, employees have borne the brunt of operational costs associated with places of employment, which are normally paid for by employers...

Withdrawing retirement funds upon emigration

How the law change affects SA tax residents working abroad The changes made to income tax regulation from 1 March 2020, regarding the exemption provided to South African tax residents working outside the country has a big impact on employees and their South African employers...

President Cyril Ramaphosa signed a series of new tax- and finance-focused bills into law on 20 January 2021. Even though they primarily deal with administrative and technical issues, but there are a number of changes that will affect your work-related claims.If an employee is required to spend at least one night away from his/her usual place of residence for business purposes and receives an allowance or advance to cover his/her accommodation, meals and other incidental costs, the allowance or advance is not taxable to the extent that proof of the actual expenditure is provided or to a fixed daily rate determined by the South African Revenue Service (Sars)If the employee, however, received an allowance or advance for a day trip (not required to spend one night away from his/her usual place of residence) such allowance or advance was fully taxed in the past. The Income Tax Act (ITA) was amended to provide that an amount paid by the employer in reimbursement of, or as an advance for expenditure incurred by the employee on meals and other incidental costs, will not be taxed if the employee is by reason of his/her duties obliged to spend part of a day away from his or her usual place of work or employment. If the amount paid is more than the prescribed rate by Sars, the excess will, however, still be taxed. It is therefore important to ensure that the terms of your employment contract specifically require you to spend time away from your office in order to not be taxed on daily allowances.A bursary received from the employer (either for the employee or for a relative of an employee) should be included in the gross income of the employee. However, section 10(1)(q) of the ITA exempts such bursary if specific requirements are met. This section was amended with effect from 1 Mach 2021 to provide that, if the bursary is granted by way of a salary sacrifice (where part of the salary is basically structured or sacrificed to be a bursary), the exemption does not apply and the amount is fully taxed.The tax deductions that a salaried employee can claim are severely restricted by section 23(m) of the ITA. However, section 23(b) read with section 23(m) allows for a deduction of home-office expenses (such as water and electricity, interest on a mortgage, rates and taxes) to the extent that it relates to the area covered by the home office. That office should furthermore be specifically equipped for trade purposes and should be regularly and exclusively used for such trade purposes. If the trade is employment and the income derived from such employment is not mainly commission, a further requirement is that such employees duties must be mainly (more than 50%) performed in such part.Previously a salaried employee, who was required to work at an office provided at the premises of the employer, was not able to claim home-office expenses as a tax deduction. However, with the lockdown restrictions, numerous employers require that employees must work from their home offices. Such employees will therefore now be able to claim home-office expenses as a tax deduction in terms of section 23(m) read with section 23(b). This is a benefit and will also result in less taxable income to the taxpayer.It is important to note that if such expenses are claimed, the capital gain relating to that part of the building will not qualify for the R2m primary residency exclusion. It is submitted that, with the available R40,000 capital gain annual exclusion, such taxable gain will be minimal in comparison with the tax benefit of the deduction of the home-office expenses.A person is taxed on worldwide income in South Africa if you are a South African resident, for tax purposes. If you are not a South African resident for tax purposes, you will still be taxed in South Africa on income that you receive that is from a South African source.The tax legislation contains specific rules to determine if a person is a South African resident for tax purposes. A person is a resident of South Africa if he or she is ordinarily resident or becomes a resident by way of physical presence or if a double tax agreement between South Africa and another country deems that person to be South African resident for tax purposes.Sars published Interpretation Note 3 (Issue 2) in which the concept of being ordinarily resident is discussed. To determine if a person is ordinarily resident in South Africa, factors such as where a person would naturally return from his wanderings, the place of business and personal interest of the person and his family, the location of the persons personal belongings, etc. should be considered. It is important to note that citizenship or financial emigration are merely factors to consider and do not determine residency for tax purposes.Members of retirement annuity funds and preservation funds are generally not permitted to withdraw lump-sums from such funds before reaching the retirement age (usually the age of 55 years). However, prior to 1 March 2021 lump-sum withdrawals from retirement annuity funds and preservation funds were allowed before reaching the retirement age if the member emigrated from South Africa and such emigration was recognised by the South African Reserve Bank for exchange control purposes (generally known as financial emigration).From 1 March 2021, lump-sum withdrawals from retirement annuity funds and preservation funds will be permitted where a fund member ceases to be a resident for tax purposes and remains a non-resident for at least three consecutive tax years. The concept of financial emigration for Exchange Control Regulations purposes is therefore being phased out and the tax residency of the member will determine eligibility to withdraw lump sums prior to the age of retirement. Lump-sum withdrawals (prior to attaining the age of retirement) are subject to normal tax in accordance with the retirement lump-sum withdrawal benefit table.
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.
Mid/Senior Graphic/Digital Designer

Remuneration: negotiable NegotiableDependingOnExperience Location: Pretoria, Irene Education level: Degree Job level: MidSenior Own transport required: Yes Type: Permanent Reference: #MidSnrGD Company: LKDA Strategic Creative Advertising

Be able to produce a portfolio of work that is diverse, modern and relevant (non-negotiable)

Is confident, resourceful, decisive, and willing to take initiative

Out-the-box thinking and not scared to constructively interrogate a brief or push back in the best interest of the work

To be able to take direction from senior team members and to share knowledge and experience in a collaborative way

Able to respect client budget constraints, and to appreciate the need to log time spent on work

Work well with people and respect processes

A grasp of Digital and Social

Have a sense of humour

Three to five years graphic design experience (agency experience advantageous)

The ability to work alongside a Traffic Manager and/or Client Service

Experience in working off of structured briefs or under direction from Strategy

Similarly, able to distil project requirements in the absence of a formal brief from client - being outcomes and solutions focused

Able to demonstrate an expert understanding of Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator

Excellent knowledge of print design and large format printing.

Good layout principles and an eye for good aesthetic design.

The ability to be resourceful and multitask/prioritise work in a fast-paced environment.

Multimedia skills will be a huge plus.

Illustration skills always a bonus.

Company Description

We are an independent, fast-paced, small-to-medium sized TTL Strategic Creative Agency in Irene, Pretoria. Weve been around for 21 years and weve built our reputation on referrals from one man shows, to large international corporates.Despite COVID, weve recently won new business and are looking to appoint a full-time, onsite, Mid-Senior level Graphic Designer, to join our team of +/- 25 full time staff.Our studio comprises mid to heavy weight design talent, and were looking for similarly experienced individuals to join and work on our leading local and international brand portfolios.The successful candidate will be working on a large variety of projects from traditional print and layout jobs to large format printing, packaging, and even interior design work.The candidate will also be responsible for designing social and digital assets and must be comfortable to deliver front-end designs for web. You wont get bored as you will be doing a bit of everything, on various accounts across the agency, on clients of different size.Were unpretentious, have a flat hierarchy and prioritise doing good work over titles, drama and egos. The pace is fast and good time management is key. If you are a resourceful self-starter that can think for yourself, ask questions, and dont mind getting your hands dirty, you might be what we are looking for  and vice versa.If we like what we see, we'll set-up an interview, if you do not hear from us within two weeks of application, please consider your application unsuccessful.LKDA Strategic Creative Advertising is one of the leading and most established creative-based advertising agencies in Pretoria. Posted on 09 Jun 13:55
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Beijing Aquarium celebrated World Ocean Day on June 8 by putting on an immersive aquarium show that delighted visitors and children.

Visitors enjoy the immersive show "Hello Ocean: A Fantastic Trip for Xixi" at Beijing Aquarium in Beijing, June 8, 2021. [Photo/China.org.cn]

"Hello Ocean: A Fantastic Trip for Xixi," is a nighttime family immersive show adapted from a picture book series for children. It combines singing and dancing, dazzling lighting, virtual reality (VR) projection, and delicate and dreamy set design based on aquarium tanks that hold real ocean animals, with performers dressed like cartoonish sea creatures to entertain visitors touring the aquarium. Besides creating an immersive experience, the show also promotes ocean protection.

"We hope we can continue to present a rich and colorful tour experience to help the public to know more about the ocean, marine life and marine ecology. We hope our efforts will contribute to the construction of a marine ecological civilization and to the protection of the ocean from various kinds of pollution, overfishing and so on," said Wang Zhechen, general manager of Beijing Aquarium, located in the Beijing Zoo.

Wang pointed out that the ocean is not only the home for many types of marine life, but also the cradle of human civilization. "Our Earth is not divided into islands by the ocean, but is connected by the ocean into a community of shared future," he stressed. "Beijing Aquarium will always adhere to the original aspiration of 'caring for marine animals and safeguarding our planet' and actively devotes itself to the construction of a marine ecological civilization."

The general manager told China.org.cn that the COVID-19 outbreak was the biggest crisis for the aquarium in its entire 22 years of operation, as well as for the cultural tourism industry on the whole. "But we have overcome and survived," he said. "During the pandemic, our management and staff sacrificed a lot and guaranteed the continued good life of our creatures despite the challenges."

Beijing Aquarium executives, "Hello Ocean" show creators and guests pose for a photo at an event to mark World Ocean Day on June 8, 2021. [Photo courtesy of Beijing Aquarium]

The "Hello Ocean" show has been popular since its debut on April 30. It is also a new attempt to explore the nighttime economy for the aquarium, which used to close at 5:30 p.m. Dai Bing, the show's consultant and the vice president of China Children's Drama Society, said they believed children can still enjoy the nighttime shows. He added that Beijing Aquarium is a trailblazer by staging such indoor immersive live-action shows, the first of its kind.

Qu Zhengxing, the executive producer for the show, said he hoped "Hello Ocean" can plant seeds promoting ocean protection into children's hearts as well as giving a new opportunity for parents to accompany their children along the journey. "I believe parents' love for their children is the same all over the world, and they must hope they can leave behind a blue and pure ocean to their children," Qu said.
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The UN Security Council on Tuesday endorsed Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for a second five-year term.

Estonia's UN Ambassador Sven Jurgenson, as Security Council president for the month of June, announced the endorsement after a private meeting of the council.

The Security Council, in its private meeting, adopted a resolution by acclamation, he said.

"The Security Council, having considered the question of the recommendation for the appointment of the secretary-general of the United Nations, recommends to the General Assembly that Mr. Antonio Guterres be appointed secretary-general of the United Nations for a second term of office from 1 January 2022 to 31 December 2026," reads the one-sentence Resolution 2580.

Jurgenson said the General Assembly is likely to hold a session on June 18 on Guterres' appointment for a second term.

Guterres was the only official candidate as no state has nominated any contender, said Jurgenson.

Jurgenson said Guterres has proven worthy of the post of secretary-general with his performance in the almost five years in office.

"We all have seen, actually, the secretary-general in action. I think he has been an excellent secretary-general," he said in a press encounter.

Jurgenson lauded Guterres as a bridge-builder and commended him for his views on the conflict zones in the world.

"He is able to speak to everybody, I think this is something that is expected from a secretary-general," he said.

Guterres thanked the Security Council for its endorsement.

"The decision taken today by the Security Council to recommend to the General Assembly that I serve a second term as secretary-general of the United Nations is a great honor. I am very grateful to the members of the council for the trust they have placed in me. My gratitude also extends to Portugal for having nominated me again," he said in a statement.

"It has been an immense privilege to be at the service of 'we, the peoples' and at the helm of the amazing women and men of this organization for the past four and a half years, when we have been facing so many complex challenges," Guterres said.

"Pursuing, as secretary-general of the United Nations, the purposes and principles of the (UN) Charter is a most noble duty. I would be deeply humbled if the General Assembly were to entrust me with the responsibilities of a second mandate," he added.

Guterres, 72, became the ninth UN secretary-general in 2017. Prior to that, he was the UN High Commissioner for Refugees for 10 years. Guterres served as prime minister of Portugal from 1995 to 2002.
Mexico & Banderas Bay Area News



Vaccination of Ages 40-49 Begins in Puerto Vallarta



Vaccination for people ages 40-49 in Puerto Vallarta will begin on Tuesday, June 8 and run through Friday, June 11. Vaccines will be applied from 8 am to 4 pm at La Lija Physical Activity Center in Col. Lomas del Coapinole. Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico - 86,000 doses of the coronavirus vaccine arrived in the State of Jalisco on Friday, June 4. Vaccination of people ages 40-49 will begin on Tuesday, June 8 and run through Friday, June 11 in 53 municipalities, including Puerto Vallarta.



AstraZeneca (first dose) and CanSino (single dose) vaccines will be applied from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm or until the number of doses assigned for that day is exhausted.



In Puerto Vallarta, vaccination for people aged 40 and over will be administered at La Lija Physical Activity Center, Pablo Franco No. 1000, Col. Lomas del Coapinole. (



At the same time, vaccines will be given to pregnant women over 18 years of age, with more than 9 weeks of gestation, at the Puerto Vallarta Naval Hospital, Calle Educacion s/n, Isla Iguana. (



People ages 50 and over who for some reason did not get vaccinated when it was their turn, will also have the opportunity to be vaccinated at this time.



Pre-registration on the Federal Government website:



The general recommendations for all attendees are:

Do not go to get vaccinated if you are sick or have a fever.

Wear a mask at all times.

Respect social distancing.

Avoid contact with other people.

Respects all sanitary protocols and hygiene measures.



Contraindications

The vaccine is contraindicated if you:



Have suffered from COVID-19 and have not yet recovered (15 days after the last symptom).

Live with any type of uncontrolled immunosuppression.

Have severe allergies.

Have received a blood transfusion, application of blood products, treatment with plasma or antibodies against COVID-19 in the last 3 months.



For more information, visit jalisco.gob.mx - 86,000 doses of the coronavirus vaccine arrived in the State of Jalisco on Friday, June 4. Vaccination of people ages 40-49 will begin on Tuesday, June 8 and run through Friday, June 11 in 53 municipalities, including Puerto Vallarta.AstraZeneca (first dose) and CanSino (single dose) vaccines will be applied from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm or until the number of doses assigned for that day is exhausted.In Puerto Vallarta, vaccination for people aged 40 and over will be administered at La Lija Physical Activity Center, Pablo Franco No. 1000, Col. Lomas del Coapinole. ( Click HERE for Google map At the same time, vaccines will be given to pregnant women over 18 years of age, with more than 9 weeks of gestation, at the Puerto Vallarta Naval Hospital, Calle Educacion s/n, Isla Iguana. ( Click HERE for Google map People ages 50 and over who for some reason did not get vaccinated when it was their turn, will also have the opportunity to be vaccinated at this time.Pre-registration on the Federal Government website: mivacuna.salud.gob.mx IS REQUIRED. Be sure to bring a printed copy of your registration and a copy of your CURP (found on your residency card) with you.Do not go to get vaccinated if you are sick or have a fever.Wear a mask at all times.Respect social distancing.Avoid contact with other people.Respects all sanitary protocols and hygiene measures.Have suffered from COVID-19 and have not yet recovered (15 days after the last symptom).Live with any type of uncontrolled immunosuppression.Have severe allergies.Have received a blood transfusion, application of blood products, treatment with plasma or antibodies against COVID-19 in the last 3 months.



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Mexico and the United States agreed Tuesday to form a special task force to combat human trafficking, during a meeting between Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and visiting U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris.

The task force will share information and intelligence, with the purpose of dismantling criminal rings involved in human trafficking in Mexican territory, Mexico's presidency said in a statement.

"The meeting of the two delegations served as a framework for the governments to reiterate their conviction and priority on protecting human rights," the Mexican government said.

"They also agreed to hold a high-level meeting on security cooperation, with the date yet to be defined," it added.

Harris arrived in Mexico on Monday night from Guatemala, as part of her first official trip abroad since U.S. President Joe Biden's administration took office on Jan. 20.

Harris met with Lopez Obrador and other officials at the National Palace in Mexico City, shortly after both countries signed a memorandum of understanding to promote development in Central America's Northern Triangle to curb migration north from Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador.

According to the president's office, both countries reinforced their vision of "a bilateral relationship based on mutual respect and cooperation," to jointly tackle binational and regional challenges.

According to Mexican authorities, minors especially are "prey" for human traffickers who profit from irregular migration.

Both countries also reaffirmed their commitment to making progress in a coordinated and joint manner against COVID-19, and to promoting the region's economy through the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) on free trade.
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Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga will leave Japan for Britain on Thursday to attend a summit of the Group of Seven (G7) industrialized nations, the country's top government spokesperson said Tuesday.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato told a press briefing that "with Suga's participation, Japan will contribute to discussions on a range of key issues including measures against the novel coronavirus, international health, the global economy, free trade, climate change and regional situations."

The Japanese leader, while attending the summit being held from Friday to Sunday, is also slated to hold a number of bilateral meetings with other leaders.
To counter not only China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) but also Russia's growing ties with Western Europe, an "alternative" infrastructure drive is being proposed that if and when completed, Washington, London, and Brussels hopes will further contain Russia and cut China off from European markets.

Called the "Three Seas Initiative," it is described in a Bloomberg op-ed titled, "This Is How Europe Can Push Back Against China and Russia," as:

...a joint endeavor by 12 eastern members of the European Union to update the physical and digital links between the Baltic, Adriatic and Black Seas.

The op-ed argues that the initiative is the only way to fight off "Russian bullying and Chinese meddling."

But upon closer scrutiny - even the selling points made by the author - Andreas Kluth - reads instead like a thinly veiled attempt to bully and meddle in Europe - and at the expense of the obvious opportunities trade and ties with Russia and China will bring.

Kluth's argument includes blaming the Soviet Union's neglect of Eastern European nations as the reason they lack modern infrastructure today, claiming:

Though economically vibrant, most of this region still lags the rest of the bloc in infrastructure. Travel by road and rail takes two to four times longer on average than in the rest of the EU. Whats missing in particular is good highways, railway tracks and gas pipes running north and south. This is a legacy of the Cold War. The Soviet hegemons made sure that Russian gas, tanks and troops could easily move east-west, but cared not a hoot about other connections among the countries they occupied.

Yet the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991 - 30 years ago. If Eastern Europe currently still lacks modern infrastructure - it would be more appropriate to state that it is Brussels who "cares not" about making improvements.

The infrastructure proposed is also curious. The op-ed claims:

Projects include, for example, a port in Croatia that could welcome ships carrying liquefied natural gas  from the U.S., for example  and the pipelines that would bring this gas north to partner countries. Poland already has an LNG terminal.

This is not necessary infrastructure though. Europe already has access to hydrocarbons in the form of Russian energy moved into the region through existing pipelines and at costs much cheaper than LNG shipped across the Atlantic from the United States will ever be.

The inclusion of this "example" reveals Kluth's hand and the true nature of this argument - this isn't about stopping imagined "Russian bullying," this is about imposing very real American bullying.

In other words, expensive infrastructure would be built specifically to put in place energy imports that would cost more and come with far more strings attached politically than Russian energy. These strings would include - and the op-ed itself mentions this specifically - cutting off relations with both Moscow and Beijing.

And regarding Beijing - Kluth accuses China of seeking political favor in return for infrastructure investments and construction projects - citing Hungary as an example of a partner nation "compromised" by its relationship with Beijing. Kluth claims that Hungary has blocked EU condemnation of alleged "human rights abuses" by China - never considering that the accusations themselves may have been politically motivated in the first place by opponents of Beijing.

Kluth - after describing the Three Seas Initiative as a means of escaping "bullying and meddling" - makes clear that US and EU investment in the projects should themselves come with political strings attached - noting:

...the EU should also be clear about its expectations. First, all involved, including Hungary, must acknowledge the geopolitical subtext and unambiguously declare their allegiance to Brussels, foregoing dalliances with Beijing. Second, the initiative mustnt become the germ of an eastern bloc that defines itself in opposition to the rest of the EU.

While Russian "bullying" and Chinese "meddling" remain squarely in the realm of politically-motivated accusations - Kluth is openly declaring Washington's and Brussels' intentions to invest in a neglected Eastern Europe are predicated on acquiring unflinching obedience and the full surrender of national sovereignty - a proposition made without any hint of intentional irony.

Three Seas Initiative: About Primacy, Not Progress

US foreign policy has been and continues to be predicated on maintaining global primacy. Any nation, anywhere on Earth that challenges Washington's ability to act upon the global stage with absolute impunity is designated an enemy and thus targeted through a combination of political, economic, and even military coercion.

Two nations that have found themselves on this list for decades are Russia and China.

Both Russia's re-emergence after the collapse of the Soviet Union as a major global power and China's rise both regionally in Asia and globally - have demonstrably inhibited Washington's worst impulses.

While Washington describes both Russia and China as threats to global peace and stability - it was Russia's intervention in Syria that prevented the nation from suffering a similar fate as Libya or Iraq at America's hands.

It has been China's incremental rise that has created viable alternatives for nations across Asia just now working their way out from under the shadow of America's Indo-Pacific "primacy" - a notion still included openly as part of US foreign policy - demonstrated in a "framework" paper published as recently as the Trump administration.

Notions of "Russian bullying" and "Chinese meddling" are geopolitical projections made by Western policymakers in a bid to justify a continued campaign of coercion - and not just against Russia, China, and nations along their peripheries - but also against allied nations like Germany who seek to diversify their ties between East and West - US sanctions targeting German companies involved in the Nord Stream 2 pipeline project with Russia being only the latest example.

Perhaps the ultimate irony of all is that as Washington and Brussels attempt to dangle the promise of modern infrastructure over the heads of Eastern Europe - Kluth of Bloomberg himself admits that China has already come through in the case of Hungary - and Russia has been reliably pumping cheap energy into Eastern and Western Europe since before the collapse of the Soviet Union - and of course - ever since.

Once again - while pointing the accusing finger elsewhere - the US and its EU partners reveal themselves as the central threat to peace and prosperity. In reality, Chinese infrastructure projects coupled with US-EU investments, and cheap energy from Russia would be most beneficial to the nations of both Eastern and Western Europe - but clearly what is in the continent's best interests run at cross-purposes to Washington's and thus while Russia and China have never demanded exclusive economic ties with Europe - Washington is.

Brian Berletic is a Bangkok-based geopolitical researcher and writer, especially for the online magazine New Eastern Outlook.
A recently filed lawsuit accuses Digital Recognition Network of covertly collecting vehicle data on millions of Americans and selling it for a profit.

On May 26, several vehicle owners sued the company Digital Recognition Network (DRN) for using its fleet of unmarked surveillance vehicles to collect data on Americans. The plaintiffs claim that DRN has driven its vehicles around United States and covertly gathered data on unsuspecting Americans while reaping profits.

Courthouse News reports that DRN has amassed more than 20 billion license plate scans  equal to 70 scans for every vehicle in the nation. The Class Action Complaint and Demand for Jury Trial was filed by plaintiff Guillermo Mata in response to DRNs use of automatic license plate reader (ALPRs) systems. ALPRs are used to gather license plate, time, date and location of a vehicle. They can also be used to create a detailed map of where an individual travels and what they are doing with their time. The devices can be attached to light poles or toll booths, as well as on top of or inside vehicles.

The lawsuit alleges, Defendant DRN created a nationwide surveillance program that tracks vehicles movements and, in turn, individuals locations. The plaintiffs also claim that DRN stores all of the amassed information in a proprietary database and makes it available to anyone willing to pay for access to it.

The claim states that DRNs privately-owned surveillance network is its fleet of unmarked vehicles that patrol Americas roadways, equipped with high-speed cameras that allow them to capture photos of license plates, together with the time and location data of the photographed vehicles.

After collecting the data DRN applies its proprietary algorithm to scan the data and make predictions about where the vehicle is traveling and where the vehicle may be located a future time. The plaintiffs argue that because DRNs cameras are attached to moving vehicles they are difficult to see and nearly unavoidable. Further, the individuals being scanned by the cameras are not subjects of any law enforcement investigations, nor are they part of state or federal watchlists. DRN has also failed to reasonably notify the public they are under constant surveillance by the network of vehicles outfitted with this technology.

DRN openly advertises their ability to collect vehicle stories that contain location and time data that can reveal private information that individuals may not wish to be public. The complaint states that, DRN can reveal whether an individual has recently visited an abortion clinic, a cancer treatment clinic, a religious center, or an LGBT community center, thus giving insight into ones health and medical history, religious beliefs, and sexual orientation.

Digital Recognition Network uses the Reaper HD camera to gather this data from unsuspecting drivers. The Reaper is manufactured and sold by Motorola who describes it as a complete, fixed solution which allows users to receive real-time alerts, conduct comprehensive searches and leverage advanced analytics to uncover new insights and operate more efficiently.

The plaintiffs filed the lawsuit in the hopes that the court will find that DRNs surveillance program is in violation of current California law. In 2016, California passed a law regulating and limiting the use of ALPRs. When passing the law California legislators acknowledged the breadth of privacy concerns associated with the technology. These concerns include:

The collection of a license plate number, location, and time stamp over multiple time points can identify not only a persons exact whereabouts but also their pattern of movement.

Unlike other types of personal information that are covered by existing law, civilians are not always aware when their ALPR data is being collected.

One does not even need to be driving to be subject to ALPR technology: A car parked on the side of the road can be scanned by an ALPR system.

The Fight Against ALPRs

The concerns associated with Automatic License Plate Readers are not new. In 2014, I first reported on the dangers associated with ALPRs. At that time the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) and the American Civil liberties Union (ACLU) of Southern California filed a lawsuit against the Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles Sheriff Department claiming that the agencies were using ALPRs to gather information on drivers. The two watchdog agencies argued that the two departments were illegally keeping quiet on how the information is used.

In 2015, I reported on the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) investing in this controversial technology despite the known privacy concerns. That same year it was also revealed that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) had granted hundreds of thousands of dollars to local and state law enforcement agencies for the purchase of ALPRs systems.

I have also reported on the potential for abuse of ALPRs, specifically the potential for law enforcement departments and officers to create lists of vehicles of interest and alert other ALPR users when the vehicle is spotted. Officers can search individual plates numbers in the ALPR system to track during their shift. There is no prerequisite of reasonable suspicion or a warrant needed to be added to such a list, creating a situation that is ripe for abuse. For example, in 2009 the BBC reported on the case of John Catt, a regular attendee of anti-war protests in his home town, Brighton. His vehicle was tagged by police at one of the events and he was added to a hotlist. Catt said while on a trip to London he was pulled over by anti-terror police. He was threatened with arrest if he did not cooperate and answer the questions of the police.

More recently, the Biden administration has continued the push for militarizing the border with ALPRs. On February 25, more than 40 privacy, immigrants rights, and civil liberties organizations called on the Biden administration to abandon a bill which would extend the Trump administrations border policy, particularly creation of a virtual or biometric wall. These organizations  including Mijente, Rio Grande Valley Equal Voice Network, Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC), Fight for the Future, and Restore the Fourth  wrote a letter to the Biden admin scolding the recently minted president for continuing the militarization of the border.

The letter, titled A Virtual Wall Is Trumps Wall by Another Name, warned that the rapid expansion of license plate recognition technology used by Customs and Border Protection and other federal agencies is a major privacy and policing concern. The American Civil Liberties Union and other civil liberties organizations have been warning about the rise in use of automatic license plate readers (ALPRs), high definition cameras capable of seeing not only a vehicles license plate, but the people in the vehicle.

While most Americans are likely unaware of this invasive technology, they are being monitored by ALPRs every single day. Not only do Americans face surveillance from ALPRs in the hands of law enforcement, but now they must contend with constant surveillance from a private company they have likely never heard of.

Visit TheLastAmericanVagabond.com. Subscribe to TLAVs independent news broadcast on iTunes. Follow on Facebook, Twitter, and Minds. Support at PayPal or with Bitcoin.



Derrick Broze, a staff writer for The Last American Vagabond, is a journalist, author, public speaker, and activist. He is the co-host of Free Thinker Radio on 90.1 Houston, as well as the founder of The Conscious Resistance Network & The Houston Free Thinkers.
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Foreign ministers from the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) countries met in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality on Tuesday to discuss joint efforts on the COVID-19 pandemic and future work on recovery and development.

The sixth Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Foreign Ministers' Meeting was co-chaired by Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Myanmar's Foreign Minister U Wunna Maung Lwin.

Also in attendance were Lao Foreign Minister Saleumxay Kommasith, Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn, Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai and Vietnamese Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son.

Wang said that the LMC has become one of the most dynamic emerging cooperation mechanisms in the sub-region and has developed rapidly, achieving remarkable results.

He said that China will work with the Mekong countries to share development opportunities, jointly handle challenges and work toward building a community with a shared future.

Wang proposed future areas of cooperation for the LMC, including to strengthen cooperation in fighting against the pandemic, promote recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic, work on water resources, advance local pragmatic cooperation, push forward amity between the people, and improve cooperation mechanism.

The foreign ministers expressed their willingness to jointly maintain the strong momentum of LMC, actively align development strategies, strengthen infrastructure construction and connectivity, and promote more cooperation in education, youth and local areas.
 Major CDN claims it experienced massive error.

 Possible narrative of over centralised internet taking shape?

 Talking points updated with new reports.

Huge swaths of mainstream news sites, and other major online services, have all gone down within minutes of each other this morning.

The Guardian, BBC, New York Times, The Independent, CNN, Buzzfeed, the New Yorker and other outlets are all returning 503 errors. And major service sites such as Twitch, Amazon and PayPal are down too.

The early theorising was that some massive cyber-attack has taken place, but theres no hard evidence of this being the case as yet. No official statements have been made.

Massive cyber attack hitting major websites! Ooooo!  Andrew ONeill  (@destructo9000) June 8, 2021

Some are reporting government websites are down too, although they were up when we checked them:

BREAKING: UK government, New York Times, Guardian, FT, Spectator & CNN websites are all reportedly down simultaneously What is going on? pic.twitter.com/JxO2kbRBG2  Maajid   (@MaajidNawaz) June 8, 2021

As we say, theres no official word that it was a cyberattack, yet, it may still be ascribed some huge technical fault. Some unconfirmed reports are saying its an error with a major CDN (content delivery network).

But even then, its hard to imagine some agenda or narrative isnt at the root of all this. Especially since it seems only major sites have been hit (so far).

If the disruptions are indeed blamed on a cyberattack, it would be one of the biggest in history and be a timely occurrence for the establishment, which has been trying to shift the conversation to cyber attacks a lot over the last month or so.

Just yesterday it was revealed that the US government had seized millions in cryptocurrency paid as a ransom to the hackers who disrupted work on the biggest oil pipeline in the country.

That cyber attack caused a gas shortage and sent the cost of petrol surging. The hackers responsible  apparently known as Darkside  claimed they did it for money and didnt mean to cause problems.

BREAKING: A law enforcement official says U.S. officials have seized millions of dollars in cryptocurrency paid as ransom after the Colonial Pipeline hack. The cyberattack had caused the nations largest fuel pipeline to halt its operations last month. https://t.co/9NTtIr41Q2  The Associated Press (@AP) June 7, 2021

Following this, at the G7, Joe Biden had urged other members of the economic group to take seriously the role that bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies play in cyber-attacks.

Whatever the root cause of this situation may be, its certainly true cyber attacks are suddenly in the zeitgeist, and crypto is in the crosshairs.

Certain questions arise

Will this outage be blamed on a cyber-attack?

If so, who will be blamed?

What will the proposed solution be?

If its not a cyberattack, what will be blamed?

Will new legislation be pushed through on the back of this?

Does the CDN story make sense?

Why were only major sites affected

Is the internet too centralised if this can indeed happen by accident?

Can that be turned into a narrative that needs a solution?

As always, discuss below, and we will add important updates to this post.

*

UPDATE: Just minutes after this was published, the CDN Fastly released a statement claiming they had experienced an error. They claim they have fixed the problem but sites may have high origin load for several hours.

UPDATE 2: Planned or not, a narrative around the outage is shaping up. Several outlets are already a) Totally accepting the given explanation, and b) Suggesting that, as we posited above, the internet may be too centralised. The Telegraph quotes one source from IT company Digital3:

This is what happens when half of the internet relies on Goliaths like Amazon, Google and Fastly for all of its servers and web services. The entire internet has become dangerously geared on just a few players.

While Sky News has a column taking a similar if less-iconoclastic angle:

Internet outage is a cautionary tale about the fragility of the web

It is possible this really was just an accident, they do happen. But its also possible it was setting the table for more internet problems down the line, or just designed to make people feel vulnerable, or people made money shorting Fastly stocks before they slumpedwho knows. Only time will tell.
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The National Weather Service in State College PA has issued a * Severe Thunderstorm Warning for... Western McKean County in north central Pennsylvania... * Until 815 PM EDT. * At 725 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm was located over Ludlow, moving east at 20 mph. HAZARD...Golf ball size hail and 60 mph wind gusts. SOURCE...Emergency management, which reported golf-ball sized hail in Sheffield in southeastern Warren county. IMPACT...People and animals outdoors will be injured. Expect hail damage to roofs, siding, windows, and vehicles. Expect wind damage to roofs, siding, and trees. * This severe thunderstorm will be near... Wetmore and James City around 730 PM EDT. Kane around 740 PM EDT. Westline around 750 PM EDT. Marshburg around 800 PM EDT. Other locations impacted by this severe thunderstorm include Mount Jewett, Lewis Run and Bradford Airport. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building. This storm is producing large hail. SEEK SHELTER NOW inside a sturdy structure and stay away from windows! && HAIL...1.75IN; WIND...60MPH
NEW YORK (AP)  A Pennsylvania man was charged Tuesday with creating fake online identities for ex-President Donald Trump's brother and youngest son to dupe hundreds of people nationwide into donating thousands of dollars to what prosecutors described as a phony political organization.

Joshua Hall, 22, of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, was released on $25,000 bail after appearing in Harrisburg federal court to face charges of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. If convicted, he could face up to 22 years in prison.

Prosecutors said Hall spent contributions on personal expenses after soliciting donations to his non-existent political affinity organization.

A message seeking comment was sent to his lawyer.

According to court papers, Hall defrauded donors from September 2019 through last December by falsely claiming he was raising funds to support Trump's reelection.

Central to the scheme was Hall's impersonation of members of Trump's family, prosecutors said. They said he created social media accounts bearing the names and photographs of Trump's brother and son to convince over 100,000 online followers that he was close to Trump's family.

According to a criminal complaint in Manhattan federal court, Hall increased his efforts last July, soliciting contributions on a crowdfunding site for what he said would be field organizing, events, and merchandise by his political organization.

Hall created a social media account bearing the name and photograph of Trump's brother, Robert, and then made it appear that the brother was supporting his bogus organization until the brother's August death, the complaint said.

Three days after the death, Hall created an account that made it appear that Trump's then 14-year-old son, Barron, was supporting him, the complaint said.

The complaint said that in one social media post, Hall impersonated Barron Trump to make it seem that Trump's son called Hall a friend and partner and said: Josh is an amazing patriot who is doing tremendous things for our great country. He has my COMPLETE AND TOTAL ENDORSEMENT!

In August, Hall said in a private message on social media about the funds he had raised that he hadnt seen a dime of that money personally, court papers said.

The crowdfunding site closed the account after Hall failed last December to document how he used the funds he had raised, the complaint said.
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP)  Republicans in the Pennsylvania House pushed through a bill Tuesday that would ban abortions that are prompted by a prenatal Down syndrome diagnosis, although the Democratic governor has vowed to veto it.

State representatives voted 120-83 for legislation that the prime sponsor, Republican Rep. Kate Klunk of York County, called the right thing to do.

I believe we truly have a responsibility to stand up for those who do not have a voice, Klunk said.

If it becomes law, the proposal will require a doctor who performs an abortion to provide a written statement that it was not motivated in any way by a prenatal diagnosis or test indicating Down syndrome.

This legislation could prevent patients from seeking the information they need to become the best parents possible, when they need it the most," said Rep. Dan Frankel, D-Allegheny, who voted against it. He said the bill makes it a crime to think and consider options.

Rep. Kathy Rapp, R-Warren, compared abortion over a Down syndrome diagnosis to genocide.

People with Down syndrome are living longer than ever and theyre happier than most of us, Rapp said. So why are many of them being aborted, why? Its a curious and heart-wrenching question, because there never has been a better time in all of history for people with Down syndrome.

The bill would make it a third-degree felony for the doctor, who could lose his or her medical license. There is no criminal penalty for the expectant mother.

"It would actually put doctors in jail for performing this procedure, said Rep. Leanne Krueger, D-Delaware. She noted the bill has no exceptions for pregnancies that resulted from rape or incest, or when a mothers life is at risk.

Politicians should not make this decision for us, Krueger argued.

It was sent to the Republican-majority state Senate for its consideration. Gov. Tom Wolf, a Democrat, vetoed similar legislation in 2019 and recently reiterated his intention to veto the new version.
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP)  Pennsylvania's House of Representatives voted on party lines Tuesday to put an end to the governor's pandemic disaster emergency declaration, less than a month after voters dramatically expanded lawmakers' powers to control such declarations.

The 113-90 vote sent the Republican-penned measure over to the Senate, where the GOP also holds a substantial majority. If it passes the Senate, Gov. Tom Wolf's emergency declaration, extended since March 2020, would expire as soon as the state's May 18 primary election results are fully certified.

The people have spoken, House Majority Leader Kerry Benninghoff, R-Centre, said after the vote. That's why it went to referendum.

Wolf, a Democrat, has no role in signing or vetoing the resolution. Earlier Tuesday, Wolf said he supported the Republican effort to rein in his authority over pandemic mitigation efforts.

I support what theyre doing, Wolf said after an unrelated news conference outside the state Capitol. Were all trying to make this work out.

State regulations that have been suspended or waived under the disaster declaration will go back into effect, although that process in some cases may take months. The resolution may also affect Pennsylvanians' ability to get additional food subsidies.

It ends Wolfs waiver of a work-search requirement for hundreds of thousands of people who collect unemployment benefits and stops the administration's use of emergency procurement procedures.

Other than a masking order, all mitigation orders have already been phased out, and Wolf's administration had outlined a schedule for resumption of job search requirements.

Wolfs office has said repeatedly that measures designed to limit the spread of the virus are unaffected by the constitutional amendments because they are authorized under powers given to the health secretary.

In the state Senate, a vote was possible as early as Wednesday on a bill that would repeal the state secretary of healths powers to order people who havent tested positive for a disease to obey travel restrictions, wear masks, undertake a specific hygienic practice or isolate at home.

It also would prohibit so-called vaccine passports by local governments, state agencies or colleges and universities.

Voters on May 18 put a 21-day limit on future disaster emergency declarations and gave lawmakers authority to extend them if both the House and Senate agree. The pair of constitutional amendments was put on the ballot by Republican majorities in the Legislature.
(The Center Square)  An Ohio teacher who said she was required to join the teachers union will not be able to plead her case in the front of the U.S. Supreme Court.

The court refused this week to hear Jade Thompsons appeal of her lawsuit, which called for an immediate end to laws that force public-sector employees to accept a unions exclusive representation.

The Buckeye Institute, a Columbus-based think tank, represented Thompson.

Unfortunately, the Supreme Court passed on the opportunity to hear Mrs. Thompsons case and resolve the conflict noted by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, which stated Ohios take-it-or-leave-it system of exclusive representation directly conflicts with the principals announced in Janus v. AFSCME, said Robert Alt, The Buckeye Institute president and CEO.

Thompsons case was filed in June 2018 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio. It was appealed in February 2020, and appealed again to the U.S. Supreme Court in January.

Thompson, a Spanish teacher, said the Ohio Education Association targeted her husband with negative flyers during his race for the Ohio House of Representatives. She realized, she said, as a union member, she was funding the ads against her husband.

I dont speak for every teacher. I just think we ought to have a choice and it ought to be competitive, and for it not have to do with politics, Thompson said. Give a teacher a choice to vote.

The Buckeye Institute was the first organization to file lawsuits asking courts to end forced exclusive representation after the Janus decision. It also represents Minnesota professor Kathy Uradnik in a similar case pending in the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Despite todays decision, the high court will have other opportunities to rule on the important question of forced union exclusive representation and recognize the First Amendment rights of public employees across the country, Alt said.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. June 8, 2021.

Editorial: Fetterman should stop flouting flag law and obey it

Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. John Fetterman continues a juvenile campaign to fly flags from his Capitol office in defiance of state law. He should stop his foot-stomping and start behaving like a grown-up  and a responsible elected official.

To mark the month of June as Pride Month, Mr. Fetterman chose to display a Pride flag from his office balcony directly over the main entrance to the Capitol. Representatives from the state Department of General Services removed the flag while his office staff was at lunch. It was a repeat performance.

Indeed, Mr. Fetterman has previously disregarded a law passed last year that prohibits the display of any flag on the exterior of the Capitol other than the American, Pennsylvania or POW/MIA flags. In fact, the law was passed in part because of Mr. Fettermans penchant for flying flags from his office balcony in support of causes he champions, such as LGBTQIA+ rights and the legalization of recreational marijuana.

So this is how it goes: Mr. Fetterman hangs a flag or banner, General Services workers take it down. Repeat. A spokeswoman for the lieutenant governor said initially the workers would leave the flags folded in his office but they have since opted to confiscate them. To date, more than 10 flags have been removed.

This is a waste of everyones time, and Mr. Fetterman needs to put an end to it. He has made the issue more about political grandstanding than a show of support for a movement, and it cheapens the causes he hopes to highlight.

This is not about limiting Mr. Fettermans right to express his opinion. He can, and should, display the flags at his home or on his property. He can make them available to other supporters. He can help garner support for legislation that benefits the LGBTQIA+ community. He can whip up support for legalized pot. But this childish game with the General Services Department borders on the absurd.

The law limiting flag displays, which was signed by Mr. Fettermans boss, Gov. Tom Wolf, makes some sense. Mr. Fetterman may consider his causes worthy endeavors, but whats to stop a future lieutenant governor from hanging a Confederate flag from that balcony, or another banner that is offensive to most?

More important, does the lieutenant governor get to pick and choose which laws he respects and which ones he can simply ignore without serious repercussion? If the flag display law is so offensive to him, he should spearhead a campaign to amend it.

Otherwise, Mr. Fetterman should adhere to the oath of office he took and uphold the laws of the commonwealth.



Wilkes-Barre Citizen's Voice. June 8, 2021.

Editorial: Expense bill is a no-brainer

State legislative leaders contend that a law to require lawmakers to post their expenses isnt necessary because they plan to require the same thing as a matter of policy. In other words, trust us.

If those same leaders truly were committed to transparency, though, taxpayers already would be able to find comprehensive disclosures on the legislative leaders own websites.

But when the news organizations Spotlight PA and The Caucus set out to document lawmakers expenses, they ran into a wall of obfuscation rather than disclosure.

Senate Pro Tempore Jake Cormans website, the investigation found, included a page titled Its Your Money, which included only his salary and district office rents and had not been updated for six years.

Journalists did uncover millions of dollars of lawmakers unreported or partially reported expenses. With the help of data experts from Temple University, the journalists compiled a database showing that some lawmakers had not reported or only partially reported expenses ranging from hundreds of dollars to tens of thousands of dollars.

There is no reason to believe that lawmakers will reveal how they spend the publics money on themselves on the basis of in-house policy.

Two state senators  Democrat Lindsey Williams of Allegheny County and Republican Kristin Phillips-Hill of York County, plan to introduce a bill requiring comprehensive reporting of all legislative expenses as a matter of law. The chief clerks of the House and Senate would be required to post that spending data online as the money is spent. That data would include all expense spending from all accounts, including vehicle usage, lodging, travel, food, district office rents, and on and on.

All local legislators should support it, especially newly minted state Sen. Marty Flynn of Lackawanna County, who has a long record as a state representative of mishandling routine financial disclosures for his campaigns and accepting undocumented expense payments  which he claims to have used for charitable contributions rather than for the intended purpose of expense reimbursements.

Taxpayers should not have to be Sherlock Holmes to figure out how elected officials use their money. This bill is a no-brainer.



Philadelphia Inquirer. June 7, 2021.

Editorial: Business as usual for PGW is bad for consumers, the climate, and even PGW

Philadelphia Gas Works is the nations largest municipal gas utility  and it needs some major updates.

In its current form, the 185-year-old-utility is challenged on multiple fronts. Philadelphians are some of the most energy burdened city dwellers in the country, with 25% of all low-income households paying 19% or more of annual income on their utility bills. Black and Latino households are more likely to be energy burdened than white households. Over time the burden will get only worse. Just last fall, Pennsylvania approved a 5.2% increase to PGWs rate.

Despite the heavy burden on consumers, PGW has plateaued financially. As appliances became more efficient, summers warmer, and more buildings are fitted with electric lines instead of gas pipes, the demand for gas has decreased  and PGW retail gas sales have stayed flat. Since 2013, PGW has also been selling excess liquefied natural gas (LNG) to private buyers. In 2018, City Council approved a $60 million LNG plant in South Philadelphia for PGW to expand its LNG venture through a private-public partnership.

But continued reliance on fossil fuels for revenue goes against our citys climate change imperatives. In January, Mayor Jim Kenney announced Philadelphias commitment to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 in alignment with the Paris Agreement. The science is clear that achieving this goal is necessary, and big steps toward it must happen this decade. And major organizations like the International Energy Agency and the United Nations acknowledge that doing so requires phasing out reliance on fossil fuels, including natural gas.

That means PGW and the city need to begin transitioning away from business as usual now.

One promising start: The citys Office of Sustainability is completing a study about what PGW could do with its 6,000 miles of gas mains if not transporting natural gas. There are no simple fixes and a lot of competing goals to balance: emissions, revenue, costs for customers, and job security for 1,600 city employees. Christine Knapp, the director of the citys Sustainability Office, hopes that the study (for which draft materials have been made public) will be completed in the upcoming weeks. PGW has committed to at least one pilot.

These analyses are crucial first steps to lay out the costs and benefits of various alternatives to current gas usage such as renewable natural gas from landfills.

Meanwhile, at the state level, its critical that representatives oppose Harrisburgs effort to tie Philadelphias hands. In February, State Sen. Gene Yaw introduced legislation to preempt municipalities from restricting the types of energy used in buildings. If passed, the bill would leave the future of PGW and Philadelphias climate change mitigation up to legislators like Yaw, who is currently chairman of the state Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee and who disclosed 2020 income from oil and gas companies including Halliburton.

Any transition will demand financial investment and political courage. But the reward of getting the future of PGW right is huge: reduce cost burdens on low-income families, secure good jobs, and help avert the existential threat of the climate crisis. The citys study must be the beginning of a process, not the end  our communities, planet, and PGW itself depend on it.



Harrisburg Patriot News. June 6, 2021.

Editorial: Pennsylvania needs more doulas to help more women survive childbirth

Dr. Sharee Livingston is trying to do what doctors do best  save lives. Shes particularly trying to save the lives of mothers, alarmed that too many women in the United States die in childbirth.

Dr. Livingston, an OB/GYN with UPMC, says theres one surefire way to help women survive pregnancy, and its called doulas.

Doulas are generally women, but they could easily be men, who walk with a woman through pregnancy and childbirth, serving as a kind of health mentor to alert her to potential medical issues, get her the help she needs and keeps her calm at the key moment of bringing a baby onto this earth.

A doula is a non-medical birth assistant, and statistics show women who have doulas at their side have fewer complications in pregnancy and childbirth.

Thats why Dr. Livingston told PennLives Editorial Board shes focused on increasing the number of doulas in our region from all races, cultures and classes.

Dr. Livingston grew up in the City of Harrisburg and now practices medicine in the City of Lancaster. And shes convinced doulas save lives.

All women benefit from doula services, but statistic show Black and Brown mothers are 3-4 times more likely to have birth complications than white mothers. Its another example of the very real impact of health disparities that can mean life or death  joy or tragedy -- for thousands of women in our region.

Thats why Dr. Livingston founded the Diversifying Doulas initiative in Lancaster that in just one year provided more than 40 women with doula services and trained 36 people to become doulas.

The program, supported by UPMC, has been a resounding success in Lancaster, but we think thats not enough. Women and their babies in Harrisburg, Reading, York, and all places in between should have access to doulas.

But doulas arent cheap. Dr. Livingston estimates a doula costs between $700-$1000 per pregnancy, and you guessed it, women who most need a doula cant afford one. Plus, there arent enough of them.

We need more people of all races and cultures trained as doulas, which, as it turns out, doesnt require a medical degree. A few weeks of training is all thats needed for a doula to be ready to get to work to help a mother-to-be.

Theres even more good news. Dr. Livingston says the state legislature is considering allowing Medicaid to pay for doula services, a move that would help thousands of women be able to hire doulas, better manage their pregnancies and help ensure safe childbirths.

We join Dr. Livingston and her colleagues at UPMC in urging legislators to waste no time in passing such legislation to help protect Pennsylvanias most precious assets  mothers and babies. Theres no reason this couldnt be a bi-partisan effort to unite us all in supporting a worthy imitative.

And we support Dr. Livingstons mission to train more people as doulas as a proven way to make childbirth safe and joyous for all Pennsylvania women, regardless of their ability to pay.



Altoona Mirror. June 5, 2021.

Editorial: Schools must remain wary of COVID threat

For Pennsylvania school administrators and boards of education, this summer will present a major challenge on the health front related to, but also different from, what they were forced to contemplate during the darkest months of the COVID-19 pandemic.

That formidable challenge will be the need to devise good strategies for trying to ensure their districts medical health from the perspective of routine infectious diseases such as the common cold, flu and gastrointestinal upsets.

While most of calendar year 2020, as well as the first months of 2021, were a nightmare as school officials sought the best means for navigating COVID-19s threat, unfortunately the educational scene at the start of the 2021-22 school calendar will not be much simpler to navigate, because of the many virus uncertainties that will continue to exist.

Tied to that, a major unknown will continue to be whether any of the COVID-19 variants that have been identified around the world will show up in their communities and districts.

Even if that doesnt happen here, the situation here likely will continue to be precarious, because of the rate of COVID-19 infections and deaths that this region has experienced since early 2020 and the fact that COVID-19 still is out there.

Still, there is some upbeat news now from what otherwise has been a horrific scenario of coronavirus illness and death, as well as unrelenting concern about the path that the future might take.

A headline in the June 2 Wall Street Journal  Chickenpox, strep throat and other childhood ills drop in COVID-19 era  has provided a hint about what school officials should be thinking about this summer.

One important center of thought ought to be whether  or to what degree  pandemic-related safety measures such as masks should be recommended or required for students during the traditional cold and flu months, going forward, and under what circumstances.

Also, how extensively and in what circumstances should social-distancing measures remain in place, if at all?

Parts of several paragraphs from the Journal article are relevant for discussion in every school system in Pennsylvania, as well as in every other state. They are:

The virtual disappearance of the flu has been well-documented, with cases down 99%or more in the U.S., Europe and other parts of the Northern Hemisphere over the winter, apparently due to coronavirus safety measures that have been in place.

Chickenpox cases in the U.S. this year have fallen by more than two-thirds from pre-pandemic levels.

Data outside the U.S. show the decline is even steeper for another bug, the rotavirus, a common cause of diarrhea and vomiting in small children.

Doctors say that as countries with widespread COVID-19 vaccination, including the U.S., get back to normal, people would be well-advised to keep up some of the practices they have adopted  even if pandemic weariness makes them less eager to take that advice.

According to the Journals report, doctors believe that disinfecting surfaces and cleaning hands with soap or alcohol sanitizers have contributed to the precipitous decline in common infectious diseases.

The nations schools are a logical place for such preventive steps to continue, and the benefits of that could spill over to home environments.

This summer, school leaders need to give serious thought to this important consideration, as they are preparing for students return in late August or early September.

END
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Dialysis services have expanded at the Russell Health Centre to accommodate 12 more treatment spots, bringing the total number of available to 24.

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Dialysis services have expanded at the Russell Health Centre to accommodate 12 more treatment spots, bringing the total number of available to 24.

Thats good news, as the number of Manitobans with kidney disease is growing in the province, according to a release from Prairie Mountain Health.

"By doubling our treatment capacity in Russell, more Manitobans will be able to receive this important health service," acting Health and Seniors Care Minister Kelvin Goertzen said recently.

The expansion will see the Russell Health Centre dialysis unit increase its days of operation from three to six and provide as many as 72 dialysis treatments every week.

"Its anticipated all the required support services to accommodate the full capacity of 24 patients will be in place by early July," a statement from Prairie Mountain Health said.

There are four hemodialysis treatment sites within Prairie Mountain Health. They include the Brandon Regional Health Centre, Dauphin Regional Health Centre, Russell Health Centre and the Swan Valley Health Centre in Swan River.

There are four urban renal (kidney dialysis) programs in the province. Three are in Winnipeg, along with the Brandon site. As well, there are another 16 rural hemodialysis units throughout Manitoba, a spokesperson for the Manitoba Renal Program for Winnipeg Regional Health Authority said.

"There are over 200 people receiving hemodialysis service within our region, and this expansion means additional patients can be moved to a spot closer to home for this life-sustaining treatment," said Debbie Poole, Prairie Mountain Healths regional lead of acute health services and chief nursing officer.

"We are very pleased to be able to provide service to the local community," said Dr. Mauro Verrelli, provincial renal specialty lead with Shared Health.

"Were very pleased with our staff," he added. Four part-time staff currently working in the dialysis unit at Russell Health Centre have agreed to take on extra shifts to accommodate the increase in spots.

Making the hours-long treatment readily available to hemodialysis patients having to travel for dialysis is a bonus as some dialysis patients may not have to make the trek to a larger facility further away.

"Many of our rural dialysis units were designed to expand their capacity to accommodate future needs of a growing dialysis patient population in Manitoba," Verrelli said.

While hemodialysis in a unit such as the Russell Health Centre does see its share of patients requiring kidney dialysis, there are home hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis treatments occurring throughout the province as well, Verrelli said. Manitoba has some of the highest rates of home dialysis utilization compared to other provinces across Canada, with patients using home dialysis in all of Manitobas health regions.

There are several causes of kidney failure, but diabetes and high blood pressure are the leading causes across Canada. Manitobas 2019 data showed 42 per cent of all Manitoba end-stage kidney disease patients had kidney disease caused by diabetes, according to a spokesperson from the Manitoba Renal Program for Winnipeg Regional Health Authority.

Kidneys are the bodys filtration system and we are born with two. They are about the size of an adult fist and located on either side of the spine, just below the rib cage. Although they are small, good kidney function is crucial for proper balance in our body by helping to remove waste and excess fluid, and filter blood.

Their function is complex and vital. Kidneys filter the blood, keeping some compounds while removing others. They control the production of red blood cells and make vitamins which control growth.

They regulate blood pressure and release of hormones while helping regulate blood pressure, red blood cells, and the amount of certain nutrients in the body such as calcium and potassium.

When the kidneys fail, the end result can be life threatening as toxins build up the bodys system. Unless dialysis occurs to remove those toxins from the body, the person with kidney failure could die without intervention.

 kkielley@brandonsun.com
Cheerful for 7:15 a.m., Dave Perkins enthusiastically installed several flamingos onto a lawn on Memorial Crescent in Brandon on Tuesday.

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Cheerful for 7:15 a.m., Dave Perkins enthusiastically installed several flamingos onto a lawn on Memorial Crescent in Brandon on Tuesday.

It was the Kinsmen Club of Brandons 100th "flocking," in which volunteers have helped people mark special occasions with flamingo ornaments on their lawns.

In this case, they helped mark Brittany Hermans 35th birthday.

Those who receive a "flocking" pledge a donation to the club. More than $6,000 has been raised for community efforts thus far, including a contribution to Samaritan House Ministries.

"Were much the same as any other group thats been in a big pandemic," flock master John DeBeer said, adding theyve been unable to do much of anything since March 2020, including various fundraisers they host to support the community.

They took inspiration from another club in Ontario that has hosted flockings. Brandons Home Hardware donated 60 of the 100 flamingos they needed, and Scale Solutions covered some other expenses.

The first flocking was in Boissevain in early September 2020, and the activity took off from there.

"This really has been able to bring crazy amounts of joy to the community," DeBeer said. "Its really been a lot of fun  a lot of fun.

"It has exceeded any of our expectations. We didnt have a lot of expectations, but to be able to give people a vehicle to show to other people  that theyre important  theyre valued, theyre important, people are thinking of you."

The ability to help people express themselves in this manner has been a gift, he said.

"We cant hug you, we cant socialize and do anything, but we can do this to show that youre important."

Flockings are posted to the clubs namesake Facebook page, and flocking requests can be made to flockmasterj@brandonkin.ca.

 tclarke@brandonsun.com

 Twitter: @TylerClarkeMB
Manitobans who have received both their COVID-19 doses are now eligible to apply for an immunization card that would allow them to skip the quarantine process upon returning from domestic travel within Canada.

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Manitobans who have received both their COVID-19 doses are now eligible to apply for an immunization card that would allow them to skip the quarantine process upon returning from domestic travel within Canada.

Premier Brian Pallister made the announcement on Tuesday morning, saying anyone hitting the two-week mark after their second vaccine dose can now apply.

Premier Brian Pallister holds a vaccination card during a press briefing on vaccine measures at the Manitoba Legislative Building in Winnipeg on Tuesday. The card would allow Manitobans to skip the quarantine process upon returning from domestic travel within Canada. (Winnipeg Free Press)

The cards come in digital and physical forms, containing a QR code that when scanned shows proof of vaccination. Once someone applies for a physical card, they automatically get a digital copy that can be used immediately.

In physical form, the cards resemble the size and material used for Manitoba drivers licences. They contain no personal health information other than a persons first and last name.

Manitobans re-entering the country after travelling abroad are still subject to federal quarantine rules.

Children under the age of 12 are exempt from having to self-isolate after domestic travel if their parents have received two vaccine doses.

Explaining the rationale behind the decision, Pallister said that research has shown there are thousands of Manitobans who are interested in getting vaccinated but need encouragement to roll up their sleeves.

"Manitobans have also told us that getting back to the things they love is one of the biggest incentives to getting vaccinated," Pallister said.

The exemption to the quarantine measure wont be the only benefit granted by the card. If you have a card and are identified as a close contact of someone with COVID-19, you will likely not have to self-isolate.

A spokesperson for Manitoba Health informed the Sun via email on Tuesday afternoon that the conditions for being exempt from having to isolate after receiving both vaccine doses are that you have no symptoms, you are 14 or more days since your second dose, you do not live in a health-care or congregate setting and you do not have a medical condition that could compromise vaccine effectiveness.

Finally, those with vaccination cards will be allowed to visit friends and family members in Manitobas health-care facilities and personal care homes.

The premier said that as time goes on, further privileges may be added to cardholders as recommended by public health officials.

"We hope this is a temporary measure, of course, until we get to the point where everybody is vaccinated and we dont need to worry about this," the premier said, holding up a sample card.

"But in the interim period, this is an important additional thing thatll benefit you."

Asked if consideration has been given to allowing visitors to Manitoba from other provinces who can provide proof of having received two vaccine doses, Pallister said that a plan like that would require a larger discussion and agreement between the countrys premiers.

Pallister also took the time to re-emphasize that getting vaccinated is the quickest way out of the pandemic, to return to normal life and to support small businesses struggling because of the virus.

He said he would have more to say on Manitobas reopening strategy later this week and that chief provincial public health officer Dr. Brent Roussin would provide an update on public health orders today.

However, Pallister warned that despite falling case numbers, Manitoba is still North Americas biggest COVID-19 hot spot and an abundance of caution would be needed when making changes.

Applications for the vaccination cards can be filled out online at immunizationcard.manitoba.ca.

Those without internet access can apply by calling the insured benefits branch of Manitoba Health and Seniors Care by calling 204-786-7101 or toll-free at 1-800-392-1207.

The province asks that people ask their friends and family for assistance making the application before calling Manitoba Health.

It should take up to 14 days for a card to arrive after being ordered.

 cslark@brandonsun.com

 Twitter: @ColinSlark
The ASX hit a new high on Wednesday but sagged into the doldrums as the session wore on as corporate news dried up and traders sat on their hands waiting for US inflation data.

The S&P/ASX200 rose as much as 0.6 per cent to touch a peak of 7334.9 before losing steam.

The market closed 0.3 per cent lower at 7270.2 points, a decline of 22.4 points.

The ASX 200 dipped 0.3 per cent on Wednesday. Credit:AFR

Brickworks led gains after it upgraded its underlying earnings forecast. Its shares jumped 11.3 per cent to an all-time high of $23.40.

The company cited a bullish outlook on the building boom, with Reece also climbing to a new high of $23.02 and Fletcher Building rising to its best price in four years, before closing flat at $7.38.

Major miners were stronger thanks to a bump in iron ore prices with BHP up 0.6 per cent, Rio Tinto up 0.5 per cent, and Fortescue Metals up 1 per cent.

Woolworths dropped 1.9 per cent after an independent investigation admonished the companys attempt to open a liquor superstore near dry zones in Darwin.

Its shares dropped to $42.63 and Coles fell 2 per cent to $16.76.

A couple of disappointing economic data points also weighed, with Westpacs measure of consumer confidence falling 5.2 per cent, worse than expected.

The lethargy on the ASX mirrored major Asian markets and followed two days of weak leads from Wall Street.

Burman Invest chief investment officer Julia Lee said data released by China showed weak consumer prices, but a 9 per cent increase in its producer price index that could be exported through higher prices. Trading was likely to remain subdued until the US inflation figures were released this Thursday.

It is disappointing that we didnt see a flow-through from that record high to closing at a record high, she said.

All up it just looks like a bit of nervousness. Its a big week in terms of inflation.

Lower than expected inflation in the US would be good for markets, while anything above consensus could trigger a sell-off because it increases the chances of interest rates rising.

Australian banks also underperformed on Wednesday, with Macquarie Group falling 1.3 per cent to $151.41.

Afterpay gained 1.7 per cent per cent, but was unable to offset a 7.5 per cent drop in Altium and 4 per cent fall in Wisetech and 3.9 per cent drop in Appen.

Co-chief investment officer at Talaria Capital, Chad Padowitz, said markets were still trading near all-time highs and were not fazed by anything apart from the upcoming inflation data.

Markets are remaining very well supported and the level of retail involvement is quite extraordinary as an indication of speculation, optimism and excess liquidity in the system, he said.

I am not sure what the numbers will show on Thursday, but I do think a lot of things look over-extended. A lot of things are pointing to the cost of money being too low.

Utilities continue to see price growth amid a rotation into defensive stocks since the start of June with AusNet up 1.1 per cent and AGL lifted to a seven-week high of $9.16.
Technology and property stocks fired the Australian sharemarket to its best session of the week, with the ASX 200 index closing Thursdays trade above 7300 for the first time in history.

The local bourse ignored a weak Wall Street lead and a sagging US futures market to close 0.4 per cent higher at 7302.5, a new record finish.

Only the energy and materials sectors finished lower, with BHP down 0.8 per cent to $48.30.

The ASX closed higher on Thursday. Credit:Tamara Voninski

Markets software firm IRESS was the best performer, rising 16.8 per cent to $12.79 on rumours investment banks were sniffing around for shares.

Elsewhere in technology, accounting software firm Xero gained 3 per cent to $133.11, Wisetech Global rose 2.7 per cent to $30.96, and Afterpay gained 1 per cent to $99.85.

The tech sectors collective 2 per cent rise was bettered only by a 2.4 per cent gain for property stocks.

Goodman Group added 2.3 per cent to $20.71, Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield climbed 3.9 per cent to $6.48, Scentre Group rose 2.5 per cent to $2.91, Mirvac was 1.7 per cent higher, and Dexus climbed 3 per cent to $10.95.

Asian markets were generally stronger on Thursday, even if US investors took risk off the board ahead of crucial inflation data, which may provide further clues on the future of ultra-supportive monetary policy and interest rates.

GSFM investment strategist Stephen Miller said while the inflation debate has been a key focus for investors in 2021, it seems that markets are by and large accepting of the US Fed narrative that the recent acceleration of inflation is transitory.

OANDA Asia Pacific analyst Jeffrey Halley said the divergence between strong equities market and lower bond yields suggested an element of complacency or confusion about inflation and its implications.

Despite the gentle retreat this week, equity markets remain a hairs breath away from record highs, while the US longer-dated yields have fallen to lows not seen since the third quarter last year, he said.

With gold, oil and commodities at or near multi-month highs, either the street think the inflation story is overdone, or there is a severe degree of complacency out there. US data over the past two months has not confirmed the story one way or the other.

Local sentiment was perhaps lifted on Thursday by the impending lifting of Victorias strictest COVID lockdown measures.

Melburnians must continue to wear masks in outdoor settings as well as indoor venues, but even the reporting of four new local cases wasnt enough to extend the citys three-week curfew.

On the ASX, the communications sector also rose strongly.

Telstra finished flat at $3.57 but REA Group rose 1.6 per cent to $167.70, News Corp gained 1.5 per cent to $32.95, and Seek climbed 3.7 per cent to $31.05.

Whitehaven Coal hit a post-COVID high and finished 5.2 per cent higher at $2.03 to continue a four-week surge.
Everybody wanted them: Sales of clear plastic dividers soared after the pandemic hit -- tripling year-over-year to roughly $US750 million ($969 million) in the US alone in the first quarter of last year, by industry estimates.

Offices, restaurants and retailers all sought plexiglass protection from the droplets that health authorities suspected were spreading the coronavirus.

There was just one hitch. Not a single study has shown that plastic barriers in places like offices actually control the virus, said Joseph Allen of the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health.

Plexiglass was in high demand around the world as the pandemic took hold. Credit:Bloomberg

We spent a lot of time and money focussed on hygiene theatre, said Allen, an indoor-air researcher. The danger is that we didnt deploy the resources to address the real threat, which was airborne transmission -- both real dollars, but also time and attention.
NSW farmers say the governments new $100 million support package for landowners to battle the mouse plague devastating the state is a welcome first step.

Deputy Premier John Barilaro on Wednesday announced farmers will be able to access a rebate of 50 per cent on zinc phosphide bait purchases, capped at $10,000.

It came after the governments original $50 million support package was labelled by farmers as an impractical and dysfunctional joke.

That package included free use of controversial mouse bait bromadiolone, which is yet to gain emergency approval from the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority.
Bondi Beach Public School will be closed for the rest of the week after a fire broke out in a classroom on Wednesday afternoon.

A Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) spokesman said they were called shortly before 5pm to smoke and flames issuing from a school building on Warners Avenue, Bondi.

A NSW Department of Education spokesperson on Wednesday night said at the time of the fire there were more than 50 students and three staff members at the schools after-hours care service and all were accounted for.

The school will be shut for onsite learning on Thursday and Friday.
Almost 500 public schools face a cut to their cleaning services after the Berejiklian government moved to restart a long-planned reduction in cleaners hours it had delayed because of the coronavirus pandemic.

A letter to schools from the Department of Education, seen by The Sydney Morning Herald, said the governments 2019 contract let contractors calculate the amount of cleaning they believe each school needs according to departmental standards.

As a result, under the contract, cleaning hours were to be reduced in 480 schools, the letter reads. That change, which determines the hours required to clean each school based on its floor area, was delayed in term one last year because of the coronavirus pandemic but will now be introduced.

Cleaner Judith Barber was worried she would be short-changed for the number hours she worked when the contract changes were first proposed years ago. Credit:Jessica Hromas

Secondary Principals Council president Craig Petersen said principals had raised concerns about the cuts when they were first floated. Obviously were still in a COVID environment and people are understandably anxious about any perceived drop in cleaning or hygiene, he said.
The best friend of the woman killed by a group of dogs in a suburban Queensland backyard says the mum had a heart of gold as the local council moved to put down the dogs in the wake of the attack.

Amanda Carmichael, 41, was fatally attacked by three dogs while she visited a friends house in Maryborough, three hours north of Brisbane, on Tuesday morning.

She died at the scene and the dogs, which had been brought to the address that morning, were seized by council officers.

Fraser Coast mayor George Seymour said the dogs had been put down.
The death of an elderly man involving a forklift at a Gold Coast workplace on Wednesday night will not be investigated by Workplace Health and Safety Queensland inspectors.

Emergency services were called to Fremantle Street at Burleigh Heads over a workplace incident, involving a forklift just after 7pm on Wednesday.

Police are preparing a report for the coroner.

Paramedics assessed the 78-year-old man, who had suffered critical injuries.

He died at the scene.
Queensland business leaders have called on the state government for transparency and uniformity on COVID restriction decisions ahead of a state budget they say needs to also deliver a clear path out of the pandemic.

The latest survey of the states businesses showed just 16 per cent had fully recovered in the wake of government stimulus, intermittent restrictions and lockdowns. However, there was an increase in optimism going forward.

An empty restaurant in Brisbanes King George Square during the March 2020 lockdown. While vaccinations are driving business confidence, they also want clarity and consistency around how the government responds to new outbreaks. Credit:Jono Searle/Getty

The Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queenslands latest pulse survey showed business confidence had rebounded to four times higher than this time last year, driven solely by the COVID-19 vaccine rollout.

A total of 43 per cent of respondents thought the economy would improve during the next year, while 30 per cent believed it would be weaker  down from 87 per cent one year ago.
A court injunction preventing Labors national executive from conducting preselections in Victoria has been lifted, paving the way for the party to choose candidates for 22 of the states federal seats.

In early May, a Victorian Supreme Court judge imposed a temporary injunction blocking the preselection of candidates in Victoria while the court heard a challenge by 12 unions against the Labor Party.

Federal Labor leader Anthony Albanese. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer

The unions are trying to overturn a move by Labors national executive for it to select candidates in 21 federal Victorian seats plus the new electorate of Hawke.

The unions argue the national executive gave itself overarching power over the Victorian division after branch-stacking allegations were levelled last year against former state Labor MP Adem Somyurek.
Melbournes reputation as a tourist destination may have taken a hit after four lockdowns, the industry has warned after the city was demoted in global liveability rankings.

The Economist Intelligence Unit found that Auckland in New Zealand was the worlds most liveable city, pushing Melbourne to equal eighth spot after more than a year of rolling lockdowns.

An almost-deserted Melbourne on the first day of winter. Credit:Eddie Jim

The rankings were calculated in March, when Melbourne was not in lockdown, and only consider a snapshot in time. That means Melbourne recorded a perfect score in the education category, despite school closures at other times.

Melbourne came in at No. 2 in the previous most recent ranking of 140 cities, in 2019, and was crowned the worlds most liveable city for seven years straight until 2017. The citys score has dropped to 92.5, down from 98.5 in the latest list.
Two million dollars is a tiny fraction of the $7.64 billion that was spent on building and upgrading schools in Australia in 2019.

But for Victoria Road Primary School, the modest injection of capital funding was revolutionary.

Victoria Road Primary School principal Lisa Branch inside a new learning space at the school. Credit:Penny Stephens

The government grant was just enough for the state school in Lilydale to renovate its classrooms for the first time in its 50-year history, principal Lisa Branch says.

Before that it was pretty much exactly like it was when it was built 50 years ago, she said. A big corridor down the middle, which took up a lot of space, with small rooms on either side that were isolated from each other and quite dark.
The era of ever rising pay packets for Australian university leaders has come to a halt, another casualty of COVID-19 and an estimated $1.8 billion downturn in higher education revenue.

Most Victorian university vice-chancellors either took a pay cut or donated their salary increases to student hardship funds in 2020, although the three highest-paid university heads were still on total salary packages of more than $1 million.

University of Melbourne vice-chancellor Duncan Maskell is due to become Australias highest-paid vice-chancellor from next month. Credit:Justin McManus

University of Melbourne vice-chancellor Duncan Maskell was the states highest paid vice-chancellor last year thanks to an official remuneration package of just over $1.5 million.

He is poised to potentially receive the largest remuneration package in the country from next month when former ABC managing director Mark Scott begins at the University of Sydney on $500,000 less than his predecessor, Michael Spence, who was paid $1.53 million last year.
The school has been left with some storm damage and is without power - we have been told it is unlikely to be restored for several days, the message on Andersons Creek Primary School Facebook said. Powercor is reporting nearly 30,000 outages. In the 24 hours to 5.30pm, the Victorian State Emergency Service received more than 6650 requests for assistance, most from Victorias east. Of those incidents, there were 5291 calls about fallen trees, 830 for building damage and 64 requests for rescues. Jamie Devenish from the SES told ABC radio it had been the services busiest day in history.

Loading Police also received hundreds of calls reporting fallen trees blocking roads overnight, particularly from residents near the Yarra Ranges. Trentham is totally isolated with no roads in or out, Victoria Police spokeswoman Sergeant Julie-Anne Newman told 3AW. VicEmergency has issued an evacuation notice for anyone living, working or holidaying in the Traralgon Creek area. Floodwaters are rapidly rising, the notice said.

A relief centre has opened at the Traralgon basketball stadium, which will triage evacuees to determine whether they need ongoing support or assistance with accommodation. Latrobe City Council mayor Sharon Gibson said traffic had become a major problem in Traralgon. An aerial view of flooding in the township of Traralgon in Gippsland. Credit:Blake Bourne People who are not affected at all need to stay home, she said. Cr Gibson said the Traralgon Creek had risen above 5.3 metres.

At 6.30am, Emergency Victoria had listed 2018 separate incidents and 44 warnings as flood and winds bombarded eastern Victoria. Baw Baw Shire deputy mayor and proprietor of the Star Hotel in Walhalla, Michael Leaney, said his town was cut off by fallen trees and was without power or mobile reception. Emergency crews rescue a woman in Olinda. Credit:Joe Armao Speaking via a satellite connection, Cr Leaney said it would take some time for the trees to be cleared. These are not little sticks, he said. These are massive trees.

He said Stringers Creek, which runs through the town, had burst its banks and a historic structure dating back to the gold rush era had been demolished. The CFA has been deployed to remove trees that have blocked roads throughout Victoria. Emergency services are still listing flood warnings throughout Gippsland and Victorias east. James Pickford was lucky to escape after a large tree smashed through his bedroom, missing his bed by less than a metre in Olinda. Credit:Joe Armao Trentham man Jason said the town, which is without power and cut off by felled trees, looked like a cyclone had torn through it. There are literally just trees down everywhere, its like a cyclone has gone through here, its incredible. Powerlines down, theres shredded tree material life all over the road, its just unbelievable, he told 3AW.

Weve been clearing trees as well since six oclock, but the CFA have been working all night. Another 3AW caller from the Yarra Valley described the damage as absolute carnage. A woman in Olinda is rescued from her house after a tree landed on it. Credit:Joe Armao Trees down everywhere and power lines across roads everywhere, and we werent getting the power back on any time soon either. Vicky said horse shelters have been blown to the ground.

Sergeant Newman said the damage was so widespread and extensive that emergency services were having trouble reaching people injured in the storm. She said that police had to trek more than 1.5 kilometres to rescue a woman from Olinda with a head injury after they became trapped by trees falling in the surrounding area. They trekked over one-and-a-half kilometres through this weather [with] the risk of other trees falling, she said. Theyve made their way to this woman and child and were able to walk them out  the CFA had to clear the trees before they could leave.

Ambulance Victoria confirmed a paramedic escaped injury after a tree crushed his vehicle in Sherbrooke overnight. Ambulance crews had been sent to Olinda after reports the woman and her son were trapped by a tree that had fallen on their house about 11pm on Wednesday. Loading Replay Replay video Play video Play video But a falling tree struck the back of the paramedics car and also blocked the path of an advanced life support ambulance crew. Police were also isolated by fallen trees but were able to walk to the home of the mother and son. They met paramedics at Sherbrooke, who took the pair to Maroondah Hospital in a stable condition.

A ceiling in Lilydale, in Melbournes outer north-eastern suburbs, had buckled and collapsed, according to Nine News Melbourne. Bureau of Meteorology duty forecaster Miriam Bradbury said consistent strong winds had caused damage across the state. Weve had strong, sustained winds throughout the night  even though weve only had a few gusts over 90km/h the fact that they were strong throughout the night is what was significant, she said. She said winds had started to ease on Thursday morning but the bureau had recorded highs last night of 85km/h at Moorabbin and Melbourne Airport.

Ambulance Victoria confirmed a paramedic escaped injury after a tree crushed his vehicle in Sherbrooke overnight. Ambulance crews had been sent to Olinda after reports a woman and her son were trapped by a tree that had fallen on their house about 11pm on Wednesday. An aerial view of flooding in the township of Traralgon in Gippsland. Credit:Blake Bourne But a falling tree struck the back of the paramedics car and also blocked the path of an advanced life support ambulance crew. Police were also isolated by fallen trees but were able to walk to the home of the mother and son. They met paramedics at Sherbrooke who took the pair to Maroondah Hospital in a stable condition.

Gippsland South MP Danny OBrien said while the next 24 hours would be difficult for his community, he urged people to remain patient. The SES is still listing flood warnings throughout Gippsland and Victorias east. Please dont try and drive through floodwaters. I just saw one of my local fire brigades already had three callouts this morning for people stuck in their cars trying to drive through floodwaters, Mr OBrien said outside Parliament House. Our emergency services have got enough to do without having to try and deal with these issues that can be avoided.

Mr OBrien said the situation throughout Gippsland was pretty serious, with thousands of trees down, flash flooding, and that Traralgon looking like its already going underwater with a local creek flooding. There are flood warnings for the Macalister, Thomson and Avon rivers. Im heading now from Parliament to home to keep an eye out on it, and hope for the best, and hope its not as bad as forecast, but certainly there are areas pretty badly hit, Mr OBrien said. A flooded Traralgon Football Club oval on Whitakers Road in Traralgon. Credit:Andy Theissling East Gippsland mayor Mendy Urie said the weather had now calmed in Bairnsdale where the SES had set up a control centre. It rained heavily overnight, she said.

Mirrah, 6, looks at the damage after three huge trees landed on the roof of the Monbulk Aquatic Centre, where she was planning have her birthday party next week. Credit:Jason South Cr Urie said she was not aware of any major flooding in the region but authorities would monitor the situation in coming days as water runs down from the high country. Transport Infrastructure Minister and Bendigo East MP Jacinta Allan said central Victoria had also been badly hit with wild weather overnight. Reports from home this morning advise there has been a really wild night go through central Victoria  a lot of wind damage, a lot of trees down on roads, a lot of dangerous conditions, really, Ms Allan said outside Parliament House. And weve got to remember that during the night we had hard-working emergency services out there  responding to these call-outs and we really do thank them for the work they do in highly dangerous conditions. Theres a lot to do over the course of today, and we really thank them for their great work.
A Perth criminal lawyer has been caught up in the sting of the century which culminated in the arrest of dozens of alleged bikie and mafia figures during raids this week.

Dubbed Operation Ironside, Australian Federal Police and the FBI secretly monitored the communications of hundreds of underworld figures for three years through an encrypted app called An0m.

In the past 48 hours, the nationwide operation has led to the execution of 598 search warrants, 251 arrests, 128 weapon seizures and the recovery of $46 million in cash and 3.8 tonnes of illicit drugs.

In Western Australia, 29 people have been charged, 136 encrypted An0m devices seized and 76 kilograms of drugs and $9.5 million in cash recovered.
A derelict parcel of land next to Scarboroughs iconic waterfront that has been labelled an eyesore by locals and developers could soon be replaced by the suburbs tallest apartment tower after a long saga of failed proposals at the site.

It is the latest submission in a long list of high-rise proposals for the affluent suburb, which has been reluctant to embrace higher density living.

Artists impression of the proposed towers on the White Sands Tavern site.

Woolworths Group is seeking final approval to redevelop the old White Sands Tavern and Thirsty Camel drive-through site on West Coast Highway and replace it with two residential towers, a supermarket, a bottle shop and cafes.

The $120 million project was sent back to the drawing board after protests over the plans erupted in the beachside suburb and forced Woolworths to withdraw the proposal last October.
New South Wales, Victoria and Western Australia could all soon join Queensland in allowing rural or remote community pharmacies to begin administering the AstraZeneca vaccine in areas where there are limited vaccine services.

The industrys peak body says people across the country should be allowed to get vaccinated at pharmacies as soon as possible to help combat vaccine frustration.

Pharmacies say theyre ready to start administering vaccines. Credit:Getty

Australians want pharmacies to get involved, Trent Twomey, President of the Pharmacy Guild of Australia, said.

Mr Twomey has been told by his West Australian counterpart the state government was about to write to the Commonwealth to ask it to activate community pharmacies, while the Victorian government has identified pharmacies in areas without coverage from GP clinics or state-run hubs.
Unions representing aged care staff, ambulance workers and teachers are wary of the federal governments call for mandatory coronavirus vaccinations as they contend with a membership base that includes some anti-vaxxers as well people who passionately support a jab.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said last week that state, territory and federal health leaders had agreed in principle there should be mandatory vaccines in aged care but only Western Australia has given a timetable, with mandatory shots due in August.

Unions say they fully support vaccination but have a sceptical view of the Morrison governments push to mandate it for some workers. Credit:Eddie Jim

The unions say they back vaccines and will support the health authorities if they decide to make a coronavirus vaccine a condition of employment, but argue the main barrier to having workers vaccinated are problems with supply and distribution.

You cant mandate what you cant get, said Lloyd Williams, the national secretary of the Health Services Union, which represents staff in aged care homes.
The hour-long Fastly outage was a reminder of how exposed the worlds biggest websites are to the impact of disruptions ranging from simple human error to co-ordinated cyber attack.

The failure at Fastly, which helps websites load their pages faster, sent vast swaths of the web offline on Tuesday night. News websites around the world including The New York Times, CNN as well as The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald and The Australian Financial Review, all went offline. Also affected were services such as Amazon.com, Shopify and Stripe, plus sites as large as Spotify and Reddit. UK government digital services were also unavailable for a period.

Fastly quickly identified an issue with its content delivery network and announced that it was rolling out a fix just 46 minutes after acknowledging there was a problem. Sites began to spring back to life soon afterward. Credit:AP

Major sites began reporting problems around 7.30pm AEST on Tuesday, according to Downdetector, which tracks service interruptions.

Fastly quickly identified an issue with its content delivery network and announced that it was rolling out a fix just 46 minutes after acknowledging there was a problem. Sites began to spring back to life soon afterward.
Singapore: Japan has backed Australias campaign against Chinas economic coercion, warning the superpowers strikes have undermined the international order.

The move from Japan sandwiches China between the worlds first and third-largest economies after the United States said in May that it would not leave Australia to face Beijing alone.

It followed two hours of virtual meetings on Wednesday between Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi, Defence Minister Nobuo Kishi and Australias Foreign Affairs Minister Marise Payne and Defence Minister Peter Dutton.

Japan's Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi. Credit:AP

We commit to opposing coercion and destabilising behaviour by economic means, which undermines the rules-based international system, the four ministers said after the meeting.
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Two wetland areas dedicated in Williams County

Photo by Lucas Bechtol Photo by Lucas Bechtol Braden Baumhower, a student at Bowling Green State University, takes a water sample from the St. Joseph River during the dedication of the St. Joseph River Confluence project. BGSU is working with state officials on collecting data on the effectiveness of the H2Ohio wetlands projects. Photo by Lucas Bechtol Photo by Lucas Bechtol Bob Midden, a research professor at Bowling Green State University, left, discusses his part of the St. Joseph River Confluence project with Mary Mertz, Ohio Department of Natural Resources director, Tuesday. Photo by Lucas Bechtol A ribbon cutting was held for the St. Joseph River Confluence project, one of many H2Ohio projects, Tuesday outside of Pioneer. Pictured, from left, are: Elisabeth Anderson, Black Swamp Conservancy; Christina Kuchle, Scenic Rivers Northwest Ohio assistant regional manager for Ohio Department of Natural Resources; Julie Bingham, manager of restoration services/restoration biologist for EnviroScience, Inc.; Ann Gilmore, senior ecologist/project manager for EnviroScience, Inc.; ODNR Director Mary Mertz; Rob Krain, director of the Black Swamp Conservancy; and Eric Saas, H2Ohio Program Manager for ODNR. Photo by Lucas Bechtol Photo by Lucas Bechtol Braden Baumhower, right, and Lily Rosenberg, both students at Bowling Green State University, collect a water sample from the St. Joseph River during the dedication of the St. Joseph River Confluence project. BGSU is working with state officials on collecting data on the effectiveness of the H2Ohio wetlands projects.

PIONEER  Just over 81 acres of restored wetlands and reforestation were dedicated Tuesday as part of the governors H2Ohio Initiative.

The initiative is meant to clean up water and prevent toxic algal blooms in places like Lake Erie.

Most of H2Ohios 57 projects are occurring in northwest Ohio right now (though Ohio Department of Natural Resources hopes more funding will allow them to expand it elsewhere) with two having been recently completed in Williams County.

The first, the St. Joseph River Wetland Reconnection, is located on a 94-acre property outside of Edon that was purchased by Black Swamp Conservancy. The restoration captures and treats subsurface agricultural drainage from surrounding farmland. H2Ohio funds were used to restore 34 acres of wetland and more than 1,000 linear feet of stream.

The second project is the St. Joseph River Confluence outside of Pioneer. Also owned by Black Swamp Conservancy, H2Ohio funds were used to restore 31 acres of wetlands, 11.47 acres of forest and 370 linear feet of streams.

Its called a confluence because, while difficult to see, weve got several different stream tributaries coming through here that interact with these flood plains, said Christina Kuchle, Scenic Rivers Northwest Ohio assistant regional manager for Ohio Department of Natural Resources, at the sites dedication. The whole goal of this project ... were trying to retain as much water in the landscape as possible because it helps with retention.

The projects were done in partnership with Black Swamp Conservancy, EnviroScience, Inc., which provided technical and restoration assistance, and Bowling Green State University, which will do the research.

H2Ohio

Mary Mertz, director of ODNR, said in 2019 Gov. Mike DeWine wanted to get safe, clean water across the state.

Three agencies  ODNR, Ohio Department of Agriculture and Ohio Environmental Protection Agency  were tasked with coming up with a plan to clean water around the state and mitigate phosphorus levels specifically in Lake Erie.

The general assembly and the governor worked together to enact a budget to provide the resources to make it possible and H2Ohio was born, Mertz said. We think wetlands are a really key tool in reducing phosphorus.

Wetlands are nature-based, long lasting and have other benefits, including reduction of nutrients, carbon sequestration and wildlife habitats.

With 57 projects already on the map, Mertz said they were mostly concentrated in northwest Ohio, but they do have some in northeast Ohio and some in the Ohio River Basin.

We do hope to expand the map, lots more dots, after enacting the new budget, she said. In the next few weeks, the Ohio General Assembly will enact a new budget and we hope there will be another $50 million to invest in these projects.

Projects

Black Swamp Conservancy was one of the partners in the project, purchasing the land in Williams County on which the projects were created.

Rob Krain, Black Swamp Conservancy director, said the land for the St. Joseph River Confluence is a very high-quality flood plain forest.

It was a really high protection effort for us because this is the spot where the east and west branches of the St. Joseph River converge, he said. There are known rare and threatened species on this site and there is potential for others.

One of these threatened species is the copperbelly water snake. Other wildlife in the area include migratory birds, Indiana bats, coyotes, deer, amphibians and more.

Krain called landscape our heritage and our legacy.

The work that Black Swamp Conservancy and ODNR are doing here is really protecting our way of life in northwest Ohio by balancing our important working farms with critical natural areas like this one, he said.

The St. Joseph River Wetland Reconnection broke ground on Jan. 13.

Black Swamp Conservancy is charged with managing the site. Water drained from nearby farmland will move through the wetlands, losing nutrients in the process, and into the St. Joseph River.

The launch of this new project shows a strong start for H2Ohio in 2021, DeWine said in a release. The acquisition and restoration of these wetlands will contribute to our goals of improving water quality in the Maumee River Watershed and preventing algal blooms in Lake Erie.

Research

Bowling Green State University is one of the institutions charged with investigating the efficacy of the wetlands projects.

Bob Midden, research professor at BGSU, said the goal is to see if the wetlands decrease the phosphorus and nitrogen levels in the watershed.

Weve developed a plan for how to collect data, scientifically, that will tell us as accurately and reliably as possible how well these wetlands are doing that, he said. It will be possible to decide in the future where, when and how to build wetlands so they provide the best benefit at the lowest cost.

Its important to reach a balance between the needs of the economy and nature, Midden said.

Like everything else in life, its about balance, he said. Thats our role, to scientifically determine, as well as possible, how well each of these is functioning and relate that to how theyre structured, where they are, the characteristics of the site.

While their only charge from the state is to look at nutrient levels, there are other benefits including carbon dioxide and flood mitigation and wildlife. Midden said they have spinoff projects that will study these effects.
BUCKS COUNTY >> Acting United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that generic drug manufacturer KVK-TECH, Inc., headquartered in Newtown, Murty Vepuri, 69, and Ashvin Panchal, 50, also of Newtown, have been charged by indictment with conspiracy to defraud the United 
and Holdings Plc face an investigation into whether they broke U.K. consumer rules by failing to offer refunds to customers for they couldnt take.

The U.K.s Competition and Markets Authority said it has opened enforcement cases against both airlines on Wednesday. The watchdog last year opened a probe into the airline sector, following concerns that during the Covid-19 pandemic, customers were denied refunds while unable to fly and instead were offered vouchers or the option to rebook

The refund issue caused a backlash last year when were grounded and customers were forced to cancel trips that they were no longer legally allowed to take. It proved contentious from the start of the pandemic when cash-starved airlines steered passengers toward rebooking or accepting credits for future flights.





ALSO READ: British Airways owner IAG boosts liquidity with $1 bn convertible bond

While we understand that airlines have had a tough time during the pandemic, people should not be left unfairly out of pocket for following the law, Andrea Coscelli, chief executive officer at the CMA, said in a statement. Customers booked these flights in good faith and were legally unable to take them due to circumstances entirely outside of their control.

The airline will now have the opportunity to respond to the regulators concerns. said that it had issued well over 3 million refunds during the coronavirus crisis. It is incredible that the government is seeking to punish further an industry that is on its knees, the carrier said in a statement.

approached such refund requests on a case by case basis and has paid refunds in justified cases and that since June 2020 customers have been able to rebook flights at no extra cost, the airline said in response to the probe.
, one of the nations biggest employers, has asked Prime Minister Narendra Modis government to help accelerate the vaccination of its work force after the deaths of almost 400 staff from Covid-19.



The worlds top coal miner, which employs about 259,000 people, said it has written to government officials requesting about 1 million doses be made available for staff and their family members. So far, some 64,000 employees -- about a quarter of the work force -- have been vaccinated, and the company is seeking to speed up the inoculation drive after unions pressed the case.

The company should be looking at mass vaccination programs that cover all employees and their family members so that the damage can be arrested, said Sudhir Ghurde, general secretary at Akhil Bharatiya Khadan Mazdoor Sangh, one of the leading unions.

The plea for more shots comes as Modis administration has come under intense criticism for the handling of Indias deadly second virus wave and botched vaccine rollout. The country -- which has the second-highest number of Covid cases in the world -- has seen its health infrastructure break down over the past two months, with major cities running out of oxygen and hospitals flooded with patients.

Read More: Coal workers in battle for frontline status amid Covid-19 pandemic



India has suffered from a critical shortage of inoculations, leading some centers to close down as the country struggled to ramp up domestic production and procure doses internationally. In an effort to address the crisis, Modi announced free shots for all adults in a speech to the nation on Monday.

Coal mine employees have been on the front lines of the pandemic, working their shifts during lockdowns to make sure power plants dont run out of fuel that produces nearly 70% of Indias electricity. Work at mines continued even as deaths accelerated in the second wave that began around mid-February.

Coal India said most of the casualties have occurred during the second wave. Although the situation has started to ease, the company is recruiting more medical staff on a temporary basis and investing in oxygen facilities to prepare for a possible resurgence of the disease. A total of nearly 6,000 workers have been infected, with more than 1,000 continuing to receive treatment, the company said.

While the pace of infections has been slowing recently, India has lost more than 351,000 citizens from Covid-19, according to the latest government data. The South Asian nation has administrated 239 million inoculations since the start of the worlds biggest vaccination drive that began on Jan. 16, with 3.4% now fully immunized. At the current pace, it will take another 20 months to cover 75% of the population, according to the Bloomberg Vaccination Tracker.

Safety Protocols



The pandemic has hit some industries around the globe harder than others, such as meatpackers in the U.S. Yet Indias coal industry doesnt pose some of the same dangers seen with businesses where workers are packed together in closed spaces. More than 90% of Coal Indias output comes from open pit mines, where coal is blasted out of the ground and then loaded on dumpers with the help of large shovels.

Coal India said it has strictly followed safety protocols, such as ensuring that employees wear masks and maintain hygiene, and that equipment is sanitized regularly. The companys largest producing unit, South Eastern Coalfields Ltd., has seen the worst impact, accounting for nearly a third of the deaths.

Coal India has promised compensation of 1.5 million rupees ($20,600) to families of employees who died from the pandemic, as well as employment to one of the relatives.

The unions say more needs to be done to keep their workers safe, stressing the need for a ramp-up in vaccinations -- for family members as well as employees. More than 35,000 family members have received shots so far.
is hoping to reach pre-Covid level of overall traffic, both domestic and international, by the second quarter of next year, its CEO said on Wednesday.

The carrier is currently operating around 40 per cent and 30 per cent of its pre-Covid domestic and international flights, respectively, and it does not plan to lay off any employees this year, Dutta told PTI in an interview.

In July last year, India's largest carrier had laid off 10 per cent of its workforce due to the coronavirus-induced economic crisis. Before the pandemic hit, used to operate around 1,500 daily flights.

was operating 80 per cent of its pre-Covid domestic flights in February, before the second wave of the pandemic hit the country. Dutta said the traffic fell in April and May.

"It bottomed out on May 18 and at that point we had gone down from 1,200 departures to about 400 departures. That is how bad it was. Since then, we have started recovering. From May 18 to June 6, the numbers (of passengers) are picking up nicely," he stated.

The domestic growth observed post May 18 tells us that the hesitancy regarding air travel, which was observed among people during the first Covid-19 wave, is no longer there, he added.

Dutta said there is a structural shift and the carrier has seen faster growth in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities of the country in the last one-and-a-half years.

"About 45 per cent of our total deployed capacity (total domestic flights) was in Tier-2 and Tier 3 cities (in pre-pandemic era), which has increased to 65 per cent right now," he mentioned.

"Is this temporary? I do not know (for sure) but I don't think it is temporary. I think with the manufacturing and trading and so forth, there has been a faster growth in Tier-2 cities than Tier-1 cities," he stated.

In the last one-and-a-half years, cities such as Patna, Ranchi, Coimbatore have seen faster growth than others, he said.

"It all points to Tier-2 cities growing faster than the Tier-1 cities," he added.

Dutta said states should remove their quarantine and testing requirements for all domestic air passengers by June-end.

"Now, we are 1 lakh (daily) Covid cases and below, and the numbers are dropping rapidly. Most of these lockdowns are being removed by different states by June 14, June 18, etc. In any case, by the end of June, I hope all these restrictions are gone and we are just flying again as is the case in the US and Europe, where all these state-wise restrictions have been lifted," he mentioned.

"Once the number of cases drop below a certain level, as it did in February, why do we need these restrictions domestically?" he questioned.

When asked if 'vaccine passports' -- allowing fully vaccinated people to travel without restrictions -- is the way forward to boost international traffic, Dutta said, "There are various complexities and scenarios on this issue and I do not want to comment on it other than to say that the best way to do it is through the IATA (International Air Transport Association)."



The IATA is a global airlines body with around 290 members that comprise more than 80 per cent of global air traffic.

"All airlines, including us, are giving our view to the IATA and it is supposed to come up with one standard recommendation to all governments (regarding vaccine passport). So, we have agreed as airlines that let the IATA come up with one definite proposal. What is worse is if three governments have three different proposals," Dutta said.

At a G-7 meeting of health ministers on June 4, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan expressed India's "concern and strong opposition" to allow vaccine passports for international travel at this juncture of the pandemic as it could prove to be highly discriminatory against developing countries where the percentage of vaccinated population is low.

From June 1, the Centre has permitted the carriers to operate not more than 50 per cent of their pre-Covid domestic flights instead of 80 per cent allowed before.

"We believe that we need to remove this cap or take it up to 80 per cent," Dutta stated.

At this point, the carrier is planning to reach 50 per cent of its pre-Covid domestic capacity by July-end, he said.

"By year-end, we expect to be above 80-85 per cent domestically. Overall, if you combine domestic and international, we hope to be at pre-Covid levels by the second quarter of next calendar year (which is the first quarter of next financial year)," he noted.

IndiGo and its ground handling subsidiary Agile has lost 17 and five employees, respectively, till date due to COVID-19, he said.

He said the government should also remove the upper and lower limits placed on domestic airfares.

When asked if the company plans to lay off any employees this year, he said, "You can say that the situation is not that serious this time and we have no plans for any layoffs."



IndiGo on May 31 had said senior employees would have to go on compulsory leave without pay (LWP) for up to four days per month till September as passenger traffic has reduced due to the second wave of COVID-19.

India had suspended scheduled domestic flights for two months last year -- from March 25, 2020 to May 24, 2020 -- due to the coronavirus-induced lockdown.

When it resumed domestic services, it did with lower and upper limits on airfares and a cap on the number of flights an airline can operate.

The lower limits on airfares and the cap on number of flights is to help airlines with weak finances. The upper limit on airfares is to help passengers.

Scheduled international passenger traffic continues to remain suspended in India since March 23, 2020. However, special international flights have been operating since July 2020 under air bubble arrangements formed with various 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.)
Days after Hyatt Regency shut its Mumbai property owing to a financial cruch, its asset owner (West) announced that Raj Kumar Bhargava and Lalit Bhasin resigned as Independent Directors of the company with effect from June 8.

Hyatt was managing the property in Mumbai on a contract basis on behalf of

"I have been constrained to take this extreme step due to failure and refusal on the part of the Chairperson to convene a Board meeting to discuss the acute financial crises which the company is facing," said Lalit Bhasin.

"There is an atmosphere of hostility among the promoters and I do not wish to remain a part of this environment any longer," he further said.

Raj Kumar Bhargava on the hand said that he sees no future as no funds are coming from promoters.

"I have resigned as the hotel run by Asian Hotel has stopped functioning due to lack of finances with no funds coming from the pro motors I do not see any future. Also despite repeated request the Chairperson did not respond to a discussion on the financial problems of the company. As such my usefulness to the company is no longer seen," Bhargava said.

The five star property had on June 7 issued a notice informing the staff on its roll that no funds are being infused from the property owner to meet the operational expenses of the hotel including payment of salaries. The hotel, therefore, has to be closed until further notice.
Private Equity has finalized an investment of Rs 35 crore in a Pune-based consumer packaged food company, Walko Food Company, to fund the companys current expansion plans.

Proceeds from the investment will support brand building activities and augmentation of the existing capacities of the company. This marks the closing of the eighth investment by India Fund II.

Walko Food owns a fast growing natural ice cream brand NIC. The company operates a manufacturing plant in Pune and retails in over 50 cities across India, via multiple sales channels like food delivery platforms, modern trade and parlors.

Darius Pandole, Managing Director & CEO, PE & Equity AIFs, said, The domestic ice cream market is large and growing and we believe that there is a long runway of growth banking on low per capita ice cream consumption, foodtech platforms and development of multiple distribution channels and formats. Within the broader ice cream market, NIC has established a good product market fit with its differentiated, high quality natural ice cream and direct to consumer strategy. The fund infusion will help the company scale-up its business and expand its market share.
claims three of the largest American steelmakers conspired to stifle competition by refusing to sell raw metal to its US pipe and plate-making operations after the Trump administration imposed imports on cheaper foreign supplies.

US Steel Corp, Nucor Corp. and Cleveland-Cliffs Inc control more than 80 per cent of domestic steelmaking capacity and conspired to cause direct harm to JSW, according to a lawsuit filed in Houston federal court.

JSW said it hasnt been able to get enough semi-finished steel slab from suppliers outside the US since the tariffs were imposed in 2018. When the American refused to supply metal, JSW said its costs rose.

The refusal also led to higher steel prices for US buyers at a time when domestic prices of the metal are near a record.

When the tariffs were imposed we were working hard at getting exclusions and these had said: Dont worry about it, you dont need an exclusion to bring in slabs, we can supply all you need, JSW board member John Hritz said in an interview.

We went down that road with them, and we tried our best to work with them, but never once did they ever supply us slabs. Spokeswomen at US Steel and at Nucor each said their dont comment on pending litigation. Cleveland-Cliffs also said its not their policy to comment on litigation.
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.

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IT company is looking for acquisitions in to upgrade its capabilities in various segments, including cloud computing, 5G, SAP and Salesforce softwares, a senior company official said on Wednesday.

is also planning to add around 250 people in the Nordic region to support its growth, business head for Mukul Dhyani told PTI.

"We are expanding our footprint in the cloud, digital topics like 5G, SAP and Salesforce. These are some of the broader topics we are looking at from an expansion perspective. We are looking at multiple (for acquisition). If we get a single entity across four domains or five domains, we will be happy," Dhyani said.

The company is mainly looking at boutique specialising in particular domains like SAP, Salesfoce etc with several hundred of employees.

Dhyani said that Tech Mahindra's ability to computerise data and bring operating technology and IT for enterprises and deployment for 5G in organisations is driving the company's business in Europe, especially in the Nordic region.

"We are committed to hiring 250 people only in Nordics in the next 18-24 months. These additions will be in different technologies, but primarily it will be in the case of SAP and Cloud Network and 5G," Dhyani said.

Tech Mahindra has over 3,500 workforce in Continental including Nordic Region.

The company plans to hire local people in the Nordic region. It is opening a centre in Norway as well as twin centres in Mannheim, Germany.

"Subsequent to that we have expanded our operations and a centre in Gothenburg in Sweden. We have a concentration of large customers in that region," Dhyani said.

Tech Mahindra officials said that the company is investing in localisation of service in the Nordic region and looking at each market differently.

"We have looked at country-level planning. For us, Sweden is one of the biggest from a market perspective when it comes to Nordic countries as well as an opportunity perspective," Dhyani said.

Tech Mahindra claims to have doubled investments for business opportunities in manufacturing, banking, financial services and insurance sector, specifically to Sweden.

"We have invested in retail, consumer products and oil and gas when it comes to Norway. We are seeing a lot of traction in that market. Subsequent to that, both in Denmark and Finland, we are focusing on manufacturing and in the retail sector," Dhyani said.

He said that the company is setting up one lab for 5G-related work in Finland.

(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 Wednesday reported a net reduction of 72,287 in active cases to take its count to 1,231,415. Indias share of global active cases now stands at 9.84per cent (one in 10). The country is second among the most affected countries by active cases. On Wednesday, it added 92,596 cases to take its total caseload to 29,089,069. And, with 2,219 new fatalities, its Covid-19 reached 353,528, or 1.22 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.



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Digital Editor
Food and Civil Supplies Minister Imran Hussain on Tuesday said the city government is in the process of procuring more foodgrains for distribution among the needy without

The government on Saturday started distributing foodgrains among the needy without at 280 government schools as part of relief measures announced by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal last month in view of the lockdown.

Reacting to reports that some people were facing trouble availing ration under the scheme, Hussain said, "A large number of people turned up at several centres, more than what was expected."



"But people should not be concerned. We have placed orders with the Food Corporation of India for more foodgrains, which will arrive soon," a statement quoted him as saying.

The government has taken note of all kind of grievances reported by people and things will be further streamlined in the coming days to make the entire process smooth and hassle-free, the minister 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.)
More than 130 passengers were penalised by authorities on Tuesday for not wearing a face mask inside trains, officials said.

Seventy passengers were also asked to disembark from trains for travelling while standing, they said.

The resumed services after four weeks on Monday in view of the improved COVID-19 situation in the national capital. Trains are operating at 50 per cent seating capacity and passengers are not allowed to travel while standing.

According to a senior DMRC official, the line utilisations performed till about 8 PM on Tuesday was around 5.22 lakh, adding that this was in view of the drastically reduced capacity.

Journey or line utilisation is calculated by the number of corridors passengers use to reach their destinations.

"To ensure compliance of Covid appropriate behaviour inside metro premises, around 14 metro stations were closed briefly during morning and evening peak hours today," the official said.

Also, 136 passengers were fined for not wearing masks during random checks inside trains by flying squads and 70 passengers were asked to disembark for travelling while standing, the DMRC official 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 first rain of this year's in on Wednesday caused water-logging in various parts of the city, prompting the traffic police to shut four subways and forcing motorists to abandon their vehicles on roads.

The city police appealed to Mumbaikars not to step out of their homes unnecessarily, and cautioned them against travelling to some of the inundated areas.

While there were fewer vehicles on the city roads amid the downpour, motorcyclists and other two-wheeler riders were unable to maneuver their vehicles at some of the flooded places.

The traffic police closed Milan, Khar, Andheri and Malad subways for motorists due to water-logging at these places.

"We have closed the subways due to water-logging of up to two feet at these junctions. However, traffic is smooth on the SV Road, Linking Road and the Western Express Highway. So far, no traffic congestion has been reported," Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic), Western Suburbs, Somnath Gharge told PTI.

cause the problem of low visibility and increase the risk of accidents, hence the traffic police personnel are on roads to prevent such incidents, the official said.

Cranes were used to clear roads on which motorists had abandoned their vehicles due to water-logging, he added.

The Police in a tweet said, "#WaterLogging Netaji Palkar Chowk, S.V. Road Baherambaug Junction, Sakkar Panchayat Chowk, Neelam Junction, Govandi, Hindamata Junction, Iqbal Kamani Junction, Dharavi Restaurant, Dharavi, Sion Junction, King Circle. Please plan travel likewise.#StaySafeMumbai #MonsoonSafety.

(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 government will amend its law to protect and APMCs as the three Central farm laws are not in the interest of agriculturists, state Revenue Minister Balasaheb Thorat said on Wednesday.

He said the draft law will be introduced in the monsoon session of the legislature beginning July 5.

"We want to amend the state law as we feel that the Union government's laws are not in the interest of The proposed amendments will ensure the protection of Agriculture Produce Marketing Committees (APMCs), redressal of grievances of and protection of the interests of agriculturists during the crop trade among others. We will also insert a provision mandating license for traders which was not there in the Central laws," Thorat told reporters after meeting NCP chief Sharad Pawar at his residence here.

Thorat, a senior Congress leader, along with state Cooperation Minister Balasaheb Patil, Agriculture Minister Dada Bhuse and MoS Agriculture and Cooperation Vishwajeet Kadam met Pawar to discuss the draft law.

"We also discussed the Centre's new law on cooperative banking which we feel will hurt the cooperative sector," Thorat added.

Thousands of farmers, mostly from Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, have been camping at the Delhi border points --- Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur --- since November 2020, demanding the repeal of the three farm laws and a legal guarantee on the minimum support price (MSP) for their crops.

Multiple rounds of talks between the Centre and farmers' bodies have failed to resolve the deadlock.

Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar had on Tuesday said the government was ready to talk with the agitating farmers on the "options other than the farm bills".

(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 sign that is trying to ease the logjam with the Indian government over new Information Technology (IT) Rules, 2021, the social media giant on Wednesday that it is making every effort comply with the new rules.

"We have assured Govt of India that is making every effort to comply with new guidelines," a Spokesperson was quoted as saying.

"Twitter has been and remains deeply committed to India, and serving vital public conversation taking place on the service."

It further said that an overview on the progress has been duly shared with the government and that it will continue the constructive dialogue going forward.

Twitter has appointed a nodal contact officer and resident grievance officer on a contractual basis, News agency ANI reported quoting unnamed sources.

"We are in advanced stages of finalising the appointment to the role of Chief Compliance Officer and we plan to provide additional details to you in the next several days, and at the latest within a week," it said.

The government has sent one last notice to Twitter to comply with the newly notified IT rules, applicable to social media intermediaries. Following the order, Twitter has reached out to the government seeking more time to comply.

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) had said on May 28 that major social media intermediaries have shared the details as required under the new IT Rules except Twitter.
West Bengal Chief Minister on Wednesday assured farmer leaders led by Rakesh Tikait and Yudhvir Singh of support to their agitation against the new agriculture laws.

At a meeting with the farmer leaders here during the day, the TMC chief said that there should be a platform where states could converse on policy issues.

"Bulldozing states is not good for the federal structure," she said.

Banerjee's support for the north India-based farmers' unions comes within days of the Trinamool Congress announcing that the party would spread its footprints outside West Bengal's geographical boundaries.

The Bhartiya Kisan Union led by Tikait and Singh had supported the 'No vote for BJP' campaign ahead of the West Bengal assembly elections and have plans to extend that in other upcoming state elections as well.

Banerjee announced after the meeting that her "support for the farmers' movement will be there" and added in an obvious jibe at the Centre that "India is hungrily waiting for policies which help in fighting COVID-19, assist farmers and industry."



The chief minister rhetorically asked, "...why is it so difficult to talk to the farmers?"



She was referring to the breakdown in communication between the Centre and the farmers who have been camping at Delhi's borders for the past one year against three farm laws passed by the Parliament.

The agitators feel the new laws will commercialise agriculture without adequate protection to small farmers from exploitation by large retail chains and industry.

"The BJP rule has been disastrous for all sectors from healthcare to farmers to industry. India is suffering...we are facing both natural and political disasters," Banerjee said.

The chief minister said that the agriculturist leaders have requested her to talk to other state leaders on the farmers' issue and organise a dialogue with farmers' unions.

"The farmers' movement is not just for Punjab, Haryana or Uttar Pradesh. It is for the whole country," she said.

Banerjee also said that it was necessary for states to come together to discuss policy issues and stand together against injustice.

(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 Dominica High Court has adjourned the bail hearing of fugitive diamond merchant till June 11, local media reports stated.

Choksi had approached the high court after the magistrate rejected his bail petition.

The bail hearing took place before high court judge Wynante Adrien-Roberts through video-conferencing on the plea of Choksi's local legal team comprising Julien Prevost, Wayne Norde, Wayne Marsh and Cara Shillingford-Marsh.

The government side represented by Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Sherma Dalrymple "strongly objected" to Choksi's plea calling him a flight risk, Dominica News Online reported.

The judge adjourned the matter till June 11, it said.

The high court is also hearing a separate matter of habeas corpus filed by Choksi's team in which the hearing has also been adjourned.

Choksi had mysteriously gone missing on May 23 from Antigua and Barbuda where he has been staying since 2018 as a citizen.

He was detained in neighbouring island country Dominica for illegal entry after a possible romantic escapade with his rumoured girlfriend.

His lawyers alleged that he was kidnapped from Jolly Harbour in Antigua by policemen looking like Antiguan and Indian and brought to Dominica on a boat.

The businessman was also brought before a Roseau magistrate on the orders of high court judge Bernie Stephenson, hearing the habeas corpus matter, to answer charges of illegal entry where he pleaded not guilty but was denied bail.

(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 south-west arrived in and its neighbouring areas on Wednesday, the IMD announced as lashed the country's financial capital and suburbs since early morning.

Local train services from Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji MaharajTerminus (CSMT) to neighbouring Thane and Vashi in Navi were suspended due to water-logging on some railway tracks, officials said.

Routes of some BEST buses run the city civic body's transport wing were also diverted, they said.

A high tide of over four metres is expected around noon in the Arabian Sea, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said.

"It's arrival in today," said Dr Jayanta Sarkar, head of the India Meteorological Department's (IMD) Mumbai office.

"GOOD NEWS. Onset of SW declared over Mumbai Thane Palghar today 9th June. Monsoon line today passing frm Valsad(Gujarat), Nagpur in Maharashtra & then Bhadrachalam Tuni..Conditions r favourable for onset of monsoon in remaining parts of Maharashtra in nxt 2,3 days," the IMD's head SID, Climate Research & Services at Pune, K S Hosalikar, tweeted.

Several parts of the city and suburbs witnessed heavy rainfall along with thunder in the morning.

According to the IMD, the Colaba observatory (representative of south Mumbai) received 77.4 mm rainfall, while the Santacruz observatory (representative of the suburbs) recorded 59.6 mm downpour in the last 24 hours.

As per the BMC, the island city, eastern suburbs and western suburbs recorded 48.49 mm, 66.99 mm and 48.99 mm rain, respectively, in the 24-hour period ending at 8 am on Wednesday.

The IMD has predicted cloudy sky with moderate rain/ thundershowers in the city and suburbs. There is also a possibility of heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places.

The first heavy rain of this monsoon disrupted local train services here.

There was water-logging between Sion and Chunabhatti stations on the Central Railway (CR) route.

The local train services were initially suspended on the CR's main line between CSMT and Kurla from 9.50 am.

Later, the train services were suspended between CSMT and Thane (main line), and between CSMT and Vashi (Harbour line) from 10.20 am, CR's chief spokesperson Shivaji Sutar said.

"Services on the Trans-Harbour line and BSU (Uran) lines are running smoothly. Also, shuttle services from Thane to Karjat/Kasara and Vashi-Panvel are running," he said.

There was no disruption on the Western Railway route and its local train services were running normal, WR's chief spokesperson Sumit Thakur said.

Water pumps were being operated to clear inundation, he said, adding that drains and culverts were flowing smoothly.

The IMD on Saturday confirmed the arrival of the southwest monsoon in Maharashtra as it reached Harnai in coastal Ratnagiri district. But, despite favourable conditions, the monsoon's further progress seemed to be slow.

(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 south-west monsoon arrived in and its neighbouring areas on Wednesday, the IMD announced as lashed the city and suburbs since early morning, causing water-logging at many places and disrupting local train services.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a red alert for Mumbai, and neighbouring Thane, Palghar and Raigad districts, warning of very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places there during the day.

"As per latest satellite observations, city and suburbs are very likely to experience moderate to intense spells of rainfall (2-3cm/hr) during next 3-4 hrs. Possibility of thunder lightning at isolated places," the IMD said in its forecast at 2.30 pm.

The city and its suburbs experienced thunderstorms along with moderate to intense spells of rainfall during the past 3 hours, it added.

Local train services from Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji MaharajTerminus (CSMT) to neighbouring Thane and Vashi in Navi Mumbai were suspended due to water-logging on some railway tracks, officials said.

Routes of some BEST buses run the city civic body's transport wing were also diverted, they said.

According to the IMD, the western suburb of Santacruz recorded 164.8 mm rain in six hours from 8.30 am to 2.30 pm, while Colaba in south Mumbai) recorded 32.2 mm rain during the same period.

"It's monsoon arrival in Mumbai today," Dr Jayanta Sarkar, head of the India Meteorological Department's (IMD) Mumbai office, said earlier in the day.

"GOOD NEWS. Onset of SW Monsoon declared over Mumbai Thane Palghar today 9th June. Monsoon line today passing frm Valsad(Gujarat), Nagpur in & then Bhadrachalam Tuni..Conditions r favourable for onset of monsoon in remaining parts of in nxt 2,3 days," the IMD's head SID, Climate Research & Services at Pune, K S Hosalikar, tweeted.

However, the first heavy rain of this monsoon disrupted local train services here.

There was inundation at several places in the city, including on tracks near Sion and Chunabhatti stations on the Central Railway (CR) route.

The local train services were initially suspended on the CR's main line between CSMT and Kurla from 9.50 am.

Later, the train services were suspended between CSMT and Thane (main line), and between CSMT and Vashi (Harbour line) from 10.20 am, CR's chief spokesperson Shivaji Sutar said.

"Services on the Trans-Harbour line and BSU (Uran) lines are running smoothly. Also, shuttle services from Thane to Karjat/Kasara and Vashi-Panvel are running," he said.

There was no disruption on the Western Railway route and its local train services were running normal, WR's chief spokesperson Sumit Thakur said. Water pumps were being operated to clear inundation, he said, adding that drains and culverts were flowing smoothly.

Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray directed the administration to ensure the accumulated rainwater is drained out at the earliest and transport resumed.

Thackeray spoke to the control rooms in Mumbai and collectors of Thane, Raigad, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg and Palghar districts as incessant rains led to the inundation of several areas, affecting the normal life.

Earlier in the day, the IMD issued a red alert for Mumbai, Palghar, Thane and Raigad districts, predicting "thunderstorms accompanied with lightning/gusty winds and very heavy to extremely heavy rain at isolated places.

It also issued an orange alert for various districts in the Konkan region, including Mumbai, for next four days, barring Raigad for which there is red alert for Thursday and orange alert for next three days.

"Heavy to very heavy rain at isolated places" predicted in the districts on Konkan belt during the orange alert days, the IMD said.

It also issued an orange alert for Pune, Satara and Kolhapur districts in western Maharashtra on Saturday and Sunday, and for Bhandara, Gondia and Gadchiroli districts in the Vidharbha region on Sunday.

The MeT department had on Saturday confirmed the arrival of the southwest monsoon in Maharashtra as it reached Harnai in coastal Ratnagiri district.





Rainfall (mm) observed from 0830-1430 hrs IST over Mumbai:

Santacruz-164.8 mm

Colaba-32.2 mm

For impact based warnings for Mumbai, kindly refer:https://t.co/0P6RbcDEqR  India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) June 9, 2021

(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.)
Heavy rainfall lashed and other parts of Maharashtra on Wednesday with the advance of the in the state.

The city has been receiving rainfall since Tuesday night.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) recorded rainfall in Santacruz at 50.4 mm and in Colaba at 65.4 mm.

" has arrived in today, normal arrival date is June 10 every year so it has arrived prior to the average arrival date," said Dr Jayanta Sarkar, Deputy Director General (DDG), IMD

The IMD in a tweet said that the southwest is likely to advance into more parts of Maharashtra and is likely to advance into more parts of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, some parts of Odisha, and more parts of West Bengal during the next two days.

Earlier on Monday, IMD warned of during four days from June 9 to 12 in all districts in the Konkan, including the Mumbai metropolitan areas.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Indian and Thai navies on Wednesday kicked off a three-day coordinated patrol in the Andaman Sea in the backdrop of growing concern over China's increasing maritime presence in the region.

The Indian Navy's offshore patrol vessel INS Saryu and Thai ship Krabi along with Dornier maritime patrol aircraft from both navies are participating in the 31st edition of the India-Thailand coordinated patrol (CORPAT), officials said.

The two navies have been bi-annually undertaking CORPAT along their international maritime boundary line (IMBL) since 2005 with an aim to keep the vital part of the safe and secure for global trade, Spokesperson Commander Vivek Madhwal said.

"The CORPAT builds up understanding and interoperability between navies and facilitates institution of measures to prevent and suppress unlawful activities like illegal unreported unregulated (IUU) fishing, drug trafficking, maritime terrorism, armed robbery and piracy," he said.

"It further helps enhance the operational synergy by exchange of information for prevention of smuggling, illegal immigration and for conduct of search and rescue operations at sea," he added.

In sync with the government's vision of SAGAR (Security And Growth for All in the Region), the has been proactively engaging with the countries in the Region towards enhancing regional maritime security.

"The 31st Indo-Thai CORPAT will contribute towards Indian Navy's efforts to consolidate interoperability and forge strong bonds of friendship with Royal Thai Navy," Madhwal said.

The has been gradually expanding its presence in the Indian Ocean region in the last few years.

Notwithstanding the coronavirus pandemic, the Indian Navy participated in maritime exercises in the last few months with a number of countries.

In November last, India held the Malabar exercise. India invited Australia for the exercise effectively making it a drill by all the Quad member nations.

The Quad, comprising India, the US, Australia and Japan, is aimed at ensuring a free and open Indo-Pacific, a region that witnessed increasing Chinese military assertiveness in recent years.

China has been suspicious about the purpose of the Malabar exercise as it feels that the annual war game is an effort to contain its influence in the Indo-Pacific region.

(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 1.33 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses are still available with states and union territories and over 3 lakh doses are in the pipeline and will be received by them within the next three days, the Union health ministry said on Wednesday.

Over 25 crore vaccine doses have been provided to states and UTs so far, through the government of India (free of cost channel) and through direct state procurement category.

Of this, the total consumption, including wastage, is 23,74,21,808 doses (according to data available at 8 am on Wednesday), the ministry said.

"A total of 1,33,68,727 COVID-19 vaccine doses are still available with states and UTs to be administered.

"Furthermore, 3,81,750 vaccine doses are in the pipeline and will be received by states and UTs within the next three days," the ministry said.

As part of the nationwide vaccination drive, the government of India has been supporting states and UTs by providing them Covid vaccines free of cost.

In addition, the government of India has also been facilitating direct procurement of vaccines by states and UTs.

Vaccination is an integral pillar of the comprehensive strategy of the government of India for containment and management of the pandemic, along with 'test, track, treat' and Covid appropriate behaviour.

Implementation of the liberalised and accelerated phase-3 strategy of Covid vaccination had started from May 1 this year.

Under the strategy, in every month 50 per cent of the total Central Drugs Laboratory (CDL) cleared vaccine doses of any manufacturer would be procured by the government of India.

It would continue to make these doses available to the state governments totally free of cost as was being done earlier, the ministry 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.)
As India reeled under a brutal second wave of the pandemic, appeals for adoption of children whose parents had succumbed to Covid-19 circulated widely on social media. When an official of the Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR) called up a number, posing as an interested party, adoption was promised but in exchange for cash  the going rate was Rs 8 lakh for the custody of a boy and Rs 5 lakh for a girl.

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The Securities and Exchange Board of Indias (Sebis) order directing Franklin Templeton Mutual Fund to return over Rs 500 crore of fund management fees is likely to instill fear in mutual funds industry. The Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru continued to lead the country in the latest QS World University Rankings 2022.

Business Standard brings you the top headlines on Wednesday.

Sebi's Franklin Templeton order sends ripples across MF industry

The Securities and Exchange Board of Indias (Sebis) order directing Franklin Templeton Mutual Fund to return over Rs 500 crore of fund management fees is likely to instill fear and ensure strict discipline in the Rs 32-trillion asset management industry, said market observers.

Industry players said most fund houses could soon take stock of their investment practices in light of the Sebi order, which gives key insight into the regulatory thought process. Read More

IISc is world's top research university in QS rankings

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay, IIT Delhi and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru continued to lead the country in the latest QS World University Rankings 2022. These three were also the only Indian institutions that made it to the top 200 globally. Leading global higher education analysts QS (Quacquarelli Symonds) released the 18th edition of one of the most-consulted international university rankings, which featured a total 35 Indian institutions, of which seven were new entrants. Read More

Auto industry chases the monsoon, but analysts are less optimistic

Covid-19 has ravaged rural India, sapping its once rising purchasing power, but auto companies with high dependence on the region, including Hero MotoCorp, Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) and Maruti, dont see such a bumpy road ahead.

Each of these companies draw over a third of their sales from the rural markets.

They are banking on the forecast of a good monsoon and a bumper summer crop plus sustained government support to help rural India bounce back as soon as the pandemic recedes. Read More

Private equity investors see big global, sovereign funds as main threat

Indias private equity (PE) and venture capital (VC) players say that their biggest competitive threat in the next 12 months will come from large global PEs and institutional funds, such as sovereign funds in West Asia, that invest directly and dominate the Indian PE landscape.

A Bain India Private Equity Survey of investors points out that as much as 72 per cent of them see the big global PE firms as a competitive threat, while 40 per cent point to LPPs or institutional investors and sovereign funds as a threat. Read More

Covid-19 vaccine policy change likely to resolve GST rate cut demand

The Centre's new vaccine procurement policy may lay to rest the demands for tax cut in Covid-19 vaccines.

Although the Group of Ministers (GoM) headed by Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma has not made any concrete recommendation on rates for vaccine, the demand made by some states to lower it may be practically met after the change in vaccination policy.

The Centre will now procure 75 per cent of all the vaccine produced in the country and provide them to states for free. Read More

World Bank slashes India's FY22 GDP growth forecast to 8.3%

The World Bank on Tuesday has slashed India's GDP forecast to 8.3 per cent for FY22, the fiscal year starting April 2021, as against its earlier estimate of 10.1 per cent.

It has further projected India's growth to be 7.5 per cent in 2022, even as its recovery is being hampered by an unprecedented second wave of the Covid-19, the largest outbreak in the world since the beginning of the deadly pandemic. Read More
Kalyani Agrahari, 27, an assistant teacher, was assigned to poll duty in eastern Uttar Pradesh's Jaunpur block during the April 2021 state panchayat elections. Eight months pregnant with her first child and advised bed-rest by her doctor, Kalyani asked to be excused from the 12-hour duty at the poll booth that was 32 km from her home.

The district administration not only turned down her application but also threatened her with disciplinary action if she did not report for work. Kalyani, who had been appointed to the job just four months before, had no option but to comply.

On the evening of April 15, when she returned home from the poll booth, she complained of fever and body ache. When her temperature did not subside for three days, her family tried to get her hospitalised. She was turned down by eight hospitals that said they had no free beds. In the meanwhile, she had tested positive for Covid-19 and was finally admitted to Mahila Chikitsalaya (Women's hospital) in Jaunpur. She died on April 24, two days before her third wedding anniversary.





ALSO READ: The ITC tangle on Covid-19 related expenses

"June 10 was supposed to be her delivery date, didi died much before," her younger sister, Rani Agrahari, 22 told IndiaSpend. Blaming the administration for forcing Kalyani to report to work despite her vulnerable state, her father Suresh Kumar said that she had been in good health through her pregnancy except for fatigue, for which she was on medication.

The same month, Dimple Arora Chawla, 34, a Delhi-based dentist who was seven-months pregnant and Covid-positive, was rushed to a hospital when her oxygen levels started dipping after 10 days of illness. She was administered remdesivir and plasma therapy and underwent an emergency Cesarean section but the baby was born dead and the next day Dimple, mother also to a three-year-old son, succumbed.

Chawla had been particular about Covid precautions, never stepping out without a mask and personal protective equipment, and would even get herself tested for the infection every 3-4 months, said her husband Ravish Chawla to the UK-based The Independent. In a video he released after her death to spread awareness about the disease, she can be seen urging people to take the virus seriously and remain masked.

The second wave of the pandemic has affected pregnant women much more severely than the first and also caused more maternal deaths, said the gynaecologists and obstetricians we interviewed across the country. But despite their heightened vulnerability, India's vaccine policy does not allow pregnant women to be vaccinated and this needs to change, they said. The risks from Covid are far higher than the risks from vaccines, as we detail later.

Women who contract Covid-19 during pregnancy are over 50% more likely to experience complications such as premature birth and pre-eclampsia, more likely to require intensive care and are more at risk of death, said an INTERCOVID study in the journal JAMA Pediatrics published in April 2021. The study, which included 2,100 pregnant women across 18 countries, also found that while maternal death was low among women with Covid (1.6%), they were 22 times more likely to die than uninfected women. Pre-existing conditions such as obesity, diabetes, hypertension and chronic cardiac and respiratory disease worsened Covid complications among pregnant women.

'Maternal mortality due to Covid four times more in second wave'

The findings of the INTERCOVID study are in line with the study of 703 health centres in the US which found that the risk of death among women with a Covid diagnosis at delivery was 17 times more than those not infected. The risk of sepsis was 14 times higher, of mechanical ventilation 13 times, and of shock five times, as per the study.

There have been no definitive findings on the subject in India but anecdotal evidence suggests similar risks for Covid-infected pregnant women, we found.



ALSO READ: Setbacks to Serum Institute of India leave world short of Covid shots

Maternal deaths are rare and its indicator, the maternal mortality ratio, is calculated per 100,000 live births. India's maternal mortality ratio is 113, according to the latest Sample Survey registration system (2016-18), down from 212 in 2007-09 and 327 in 1999-2001.

In the first wave, most pregnant women who contracted Covid reported higher complication incidence than in pre-pandemic times but they delivered successfully, said Alpesh Gandhi, president of the Federation of Obstetric and Gynaecological Societies of India (FOGSI). But in the ongoing wave, the threat to their lives has become more acute, he said.

In April 2020, the federation started a registry of all pregnant women infected with Covid-19 as did the Indian Council of Medical Research in May 2020. But the data remain incomplete because health centres are struggling with heavy workloads and will not be in a position to collate the exact numbers till later, said Gandhi. "We expect to see a 7-8 times higher maternal mortality due to Covid-19 in 2021 compared to pre-pandemic times and four times higher mortality than the first wave," he told IndiaSpend.

One reason for the higher disease severity in pregnant women could be because the second wave in India has seen far more cases (peaking with 400,000 new cases in May 2021) compared to the first (peaking with 97,000 new cases in September 2020), and this includes the country's younger population.

However, it is also important to remember that not all pregnant women will have complications or adverse outcomes, pointed out Ruma Satwik, a Delhi-based gynaecologist who works at a tertiary care centre. "About 80% pregnant women will be asymptomatic or with mild symptoms," said Satwik.

Pregnancy reduces immune response, third trimester most risky

Pregnancy as a condition reduces the body's immune response because it has to accept the foetus itself to start with, said Satwik. In normal times, most maternal deaths have been because of excessive blood loss due to haemorrhage or uncontrolled hepatitis, but now pregnant women with moderate-to-severe disease Covid symptoms are also dealing with pneumonia, she said.

Most complications in the second wave are being reported in the third trimester because, with the pregnancy progressing, the uterus expands upwards and pushes against the diaphragm and this reduces the capacity of the lungs, she said.

"The situation is very bad--in the first wave, Kerala had seen only seven maternal deaths but the figure is 4-5 times the numbers this time around," said V.P. Paily, senior obstetrician and the state coordinator for Confidential Review of Maternal Deaths, a maternal death auditing process undertaken by Kerala Federation of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (KFOG).

"We were hoping that when the disease prevalence comes down, the maternal deaths will come down but even now we haven't seen signs of that," he said, adding that the disease severity is higher this wave. "Lung involvement--the way it affects oxygen saturation--is much more in this wave, it was much milder in the previous wave."

Doctors are seeing more incidents of moderate-to-severe cases of Covid among pregnant women with a greater need for ICU admission and ventilation compared to the last wave, said Ruma Satwik. At their centre there were no Covid-related deaths in the last wave, but there have been a few the last month, she said.





ALSO READ: Parents lost to Covid-19, young lives fall vulnerable to exploitation

Late or multiple pregnancies and diabetes raised the risk for Covid-related complications, Paily said.

At Mumbai's B.Y. Nair Hospital, the city's referral centre for Covid-infected pregnant women, there have been 33 maternal deaths and of them, 8-10 were in the first wave and the rest in the second, said Ganesh Shinde, professor and head of gynaecology at the hospital. Most fatalities were among women who came to the hospital with severe lung involvement and nothing much could be done to save them, he said.

Since April 2020, the centre has conducted 1,059 deliveries, and 90 women with moderate-to-severe disease needed ICU care, Shinde said.

The INTERCOVID study cited earlier also found that infants born to infected women were more likely to require neonatal intensive care, mostly due to premature birth. The study, however, showed that infected pregnant women who were asymptomatic were at the same risk as uninfected pregnant women.

Vaccine benefits outweigh risks for pregnant women

Observing Covid hygiene protocols--double masking, social distancing and frequent hand-washing--is the best way to ensure a safe pregnancy, said Alpesh Gandhi. But vaccination would be even more effective and this must be allowed, said Paily.

Pregnant and lactating women were not part of any clinical trial for Covid vaccines and hence most countries kept them out of their immunisation drives. This has changed as more vaccination data became available, and more medical bodies started advocating for vaccinating pregnant women. Clinical trials on the safety of vaccines for pregnant women too are currently under way.

Experts believe that vaccines, given their basic mechanism, are not risky for pregnant women. Animal studies of mRNA vaccines (Pfizer, Moderna) and Jannsen's viral vector vaccine showed no additional risk for pregnant animals or their babies. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the US created a V-safe registry to monitor pregnant women who had been vaccinated. The preliminary results showed that 3,958 women who had been vaccinated showed no additional risk from the mRNA vaccines.

The World Health Organization recommends COVID vaccination for women with high-risk exposure to Covid or comorbidities that puts them at risk.

"The odds of getting adverse effects from vaccinations are far lower than of getting infected with Covid. In this situation, vaccination for pregnant women, who are at high risk of complications, should be prioritised," said Yamini Sarwal, lead author of a yet-to-be published study on prioritising pregnant women for Covid vaccinations, and also the chief medical officer at the Vardhman Mahavir Medical College in Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi.

Given that vaccines protect both the mother and the foetus--to whom the antibodies get transferred--Covid vaccination should be made a part of the routine antenatal protocol, the report said.

This is also what FOGSI had advocated for pregnant and lactating women in April 2021 itself, noting that the benefits of vaccines outweigh the risks.

On May 13, 2021, the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation had recommended Covid vaccination for both pregnant and lactating women. But the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare allowed only lactating women to be vaccinated, deferring the decision on pregnant women.

US, UK prioritise pregnant women for vaccines

The study we cited above also found that only nine of 20 countries with high Covid burdens have allowed vaccination for pregnant women. The US and the UK have prioritised pregnant women for vaccination, it said, while Brazil, France, Italy, Argentina, Spain, Mexico and Netherlands include them in their vaccination drive.

India, Turkey, Russia, Germany, Poland, Columbia, Iran, Ukraine, Peru and Indonesia do not allow pregnant women to be vaccinated.

The study also found that among 20 countries with high rates of infant and maternal mortality, only four allow Covid vaccination for pregnant women. India and Indonesia, with one-fifth of the world's population, high Covid burdens, and maternal and infant mortality, do not currently include pregnant women in their immunisation drives.

Some 27 million Indian women get pregnant every year, said Alpesh Gandhi of FOGSI. "We are hopeful that the government of India will take a decision on this soon so that more pregnant women can be protected," he said.
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday has approved the increase in the Minimum Support Prices (MSPs) for all mandated kharif crops for marketing season 2021-22.

The of paddy (common) has been increased by Rs 72 per quintal, from Rs 1,868 per quintal in 2020-21 to Rs 1,940 per quintal in 2021-22. Highest absolute increase in over the previous year has been recommended for sesamum (Rs 452 per quintal) followed by tur and urad (Rs 300 per quintal each), said Union Agriculture Minister at a press briefing in New Delhi.

The increase comes during ongoing farmers' protest against three contentious farm laws passed last year.

"In case of groundnut and nigerseed, there has been an increase of Rs 275 per quintal and Rs 235 per quintal respectively in comparison to last year. The differential remuneration is aimed at encouraging crop diversification," said CCEA in a statement.

"The increase in for Kharif Crops for marketing season 2021-22 is in line with the Union Budget 2018-19 announcement of fixing the MSPs at a level of at least 1.5 times of the All-India weighted average Cost of Production (CoP), aiming at reasonably fair remuneration for the farmers. The expected returns to farmers over their cost of production are estimated to be highest in case of Bajra (85%) followed by urad (65%) and tur (62%). For rest of the crops, return to farmers over their cost of production is estimated to be at least 50%," added CCEA.

The Cabinet also approved allocation of 5MHz 4G spectrum for Railways.

"Railways will be provided with 5 megahertz spectrum in 700 MHz band. It will improve its communication system and make rail travel safer. Railway currently uses optical fibre. With the availability of spectrum, there will be radio communication," said Union Minister Prakash Javadekar at the briefing.

Rs 25,000 crore will be spent in the next 5 years for signal modernisation and 5G spectrum implementation in Railways, said Javadekar.

Union Cabinet also approved extension of the applicability of New Investment Policy (NIP)-2012 read with its amendment to the Ramagundam Fertilizers and Chemicals Limited, added Javadekar.
Profitability of integrated is likely to go up by 75-100 basis points (bps) this financial year due to high exports for the second consecutive season and increased supplies of ethanol for blending with petrol, according to a report.

High exports for the second sugar season (October -September) in a row, coupled with increased supplies of ethanol for blending with petrol will improve the operating profitability of integrated by 75-100 bps to 13-14 per cent this fiscal, according to a Crisil Ratings report.

Also, the recent announcement by the government to advance the ethanol-petrol blending target of 20 per cent by two years to 2023, could help sustain this momentum over the medium term, it added.

Additionally, sugar closing stocks are expected to decline to their lowest levels in the past four sugar seasons (SS) to 9-9.5 million tonnes in SS 2020-21, resulting in lower working capital borrowings.

The improvement in profitability and controlled debt levels will, in turn, bolster the credit profiles of integrated mills this fiscal, the report noted.

The credit outlook on non-integrated ones, at the other end, will remain largely stable, it added.

"The improvement in profitability of integrated will be supported by higher sugar exports, with remunerative prices and increasing proportion of more profitable ethanol, which will offset impact of lower profitability in domestic sugar sales, and subdued returns from co-generation of power, Crisil Ratings Senior Director Anuj Sethi said.

Further, the global white sugar prices, which are currently higher than domestic sugar prices increased by 14.3 per cent over last six months to Rs 33.6 per kg (excluding export incentives) in June 2021 and are likely to remain firm given continuing supply deficit this season, caused by lower contribution from Brazil and Thailand the two leading sugar exporters, it stated.

This will help domestic mills meet, and perhaps exceed their export target of 6 million tonne by the end of SS 2020-21, therefore, the recent reduction in export subsidy by Rs2 per kg from Rs 5.9 per kg, announced earlier, will not materially impact the profitability of sugar exports as 90-95 per cent of shipments were already contracted before the cut, it noted.

However, operating profitability from domestic sugar sales (65 per cent of sector revenue) will be moderately impacted due to a 4 per cent increase in fair and remunerative price (FRP) for sugarcane, while there has been no upward revision in the minimum support price for sugar, which remained at Rs 31 per kg.

Non-integrated players will be more impacted compared with integrated players as they don't have more profitable ethanol sales, the report said.

Meanwhile, the report further noted that the inventory levels for the industry should improve despite similar sugar production of about 30 million tonnes next season.

This is assuming healthy exports and higher supplies of ethanol for blending with petrol resulting in lower working capital borrowings, it said.

About 2 million tonne sugar production is expected to be diverted for the manufacture of ethanol in the current SS and 3-3.5 million tonnes in the next SS, it added.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
NEWS PROVIDED BY

Catholic League

June 9, 2021



NEW YORK, June 9, 2021 /Christian Newswire/ -- Catholic League president Bill Donohue addresses the issue of partisanship on behalf of the bishops:

A week from today there will be a virtual meeting of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). Critics of the bishops are accusing them of being political partisans. They are wrong. While every bishop has his own political leanings, it is simply false to argue that the USCCB is a political tool of either the Republicans or the Democrats.

The USCCB has praised and criticized the leaders of both parties, depending on their policies and how they mesh with Catholic teachings on public policy matters. Most of the more recent criticism asserts that the bishops are hostile to the Democrats and welcoming to the Republicans.

To dispel this myth we have issued a report on instances where the bishops were supportive of President Obama, critical of President Trump, and supportive of President Biden. Of course, there have been many instances when they took a different stand on each of the three presidents. It all depends on the issues, not on party allegiance.

To read the report, click here.
India's consumption is recovering in June after declining in the previous two months, as states ease restrictions in the wake of a drop in coronavirus infections, officials said on Wednesday.

"In the Indian market there was some slowdown, but the situation is not as bad as last year," Manoj Jain, chairman of GAIL (India), the country's biggest pipeline operator, said at a briefing to announce quarterly results.

He said consumption in April and May fell by about 10% to 15% compared to a 50% reduction last year when there was a nationwide lockdown to stem the spread of the virus.

Instead of a national lockdown, the state governments imposed their own restrictions to stem the spread of deadly second wave of COVID-19. The states, however, started this month to ease the curbs after the decline in reported infections.

Gas consumption has returned to its normal level in the last week, Jain said.

The COVID-19 pandemic, globally and in India, is causing "significant disturbance in economic and business activities. It has also temporarily impacted the business activities of the Company," GAIL said in a stock exchange filing.

The company, however, has now achieved a pre-pandemic operational level of operations, it said.

Petronet LNG, the country's top gas importer, is operating its 17.5 million tonne-per-year Dahej terminal in western Gujarat state at 87% capacity, its chief executive, A.K. Singh, said at a separate briefing.

The company was operating India's biggest LNG import plant at about 80% capacity in April and May, he said, adding that higher spot prices of liquefied (LNG) and pandemic-induced lockdowns in states had dented gas demand in the last two months.

Due to falling local gas consumption in April and May, GAIL diverted two cargoes to international markets while Petronet deferred one cargo for delivery in June.

GAIL's Jain, however, said India's gas consumption could grow by 6% to 8% in the current fiscal year if the country emerged from the pandemic.

(Reporting by Nidhi Verma; Editing by Paul Simao)

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
With India continuing to reel under COVID-19 infections, the term essentials not just imply Roti, Kapda and Makaan but has likewise brought within its sphere masks, sanitizer, gloves and many other protective equipment. Corporates are being urged to undertake welfare measures for employees thereby ensuring their well-being and to also support society at large in fighting against this pandemic by providing donations in COVID relief reserves, clinical helps and so forth. This has prompted a sharp rise in expenses of corporates involved in this endeavor.

Regardless of whether it is incurred for employees or social causes, (ITC) being the backbone of is a major matter of concern for taxpayers incurring COVID-19 related expenditure. The aforesaid scenario has put questions in mind of organizations that whether ITC can be availed of such expenditure incurred? The question that remains largely unanswered has been the subject of widespread debate in the current context.

Analysis of ITC eligibility of said expenses requires deliberation on two fundamental angles, one being whether said expenses can be accounted as incurred in course or furtherance of business and second, whether there is any specific forbiddance under ITC provisions of law.

The expression in course or furtherance of business is not defined under the law however might be perceived in general as any activity which is required to be performed for smooth working of business.

Same school of thought was also put forward by Honble Supreme Court in case of Malayalam Plantations Limited wherein activities done for preservation/protection of business assets were viewed to be done for the purpose of business. Employees are any organizations most valuable assets and essential for its smooth running, expenses incurred for their wellbeing and safety from COVID-19 may be derived to as brought in course or furtherance of business.

Moreover, GST law bars availing ITC against goods/services consumed personally. However, it is crucial to ponder thoughts on whether expenses incurred for preventing spread of disease which is declared as epidemic should be classified as for personal purpose? The terms personal & consumption in general means of constituting personal property and use of thing in a way that thereby exhausts it respectively. Considering the same, applicability of the term goods or services used for personal consumption in case of corporates indulging in protecting their hired hands by providing oxygen concentrator/cylinder etc. on a use-return basis may need a second check. Another way of looking at these expenses is that these are similar in nature to other office consumables used personally by an employee like furniture, air-conditioners etc. ITC on which has never been in question.

Given the present situation prevalent across the globe, instead of looking at such expenses strictly through the lens of the term personal consumption the Government of India (GOI) may consider it as an inevitable expenditure for continued business operations and provide suitable clarification in this regard.

Additionally, during these times organizations are also shelling out huge sums of money to provide aid to society at large. Recently GOI has allowed categorization of certain spending as Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Various deliberations have been made regarding ITC eligibility on CSR expenditure under the Indirect tax laws. However, contrary rulings in this regard by GST authorities in different states have left traders befuddled. As per one view, these are in nature of gift and thus ITC shall not be allowed due to a specific restriction under ITC provisions of GST law. On the other hand, few rulings relied on the definition of gift in common parlance i.e., anything provided occasionally and voluntarily, without any consideration and held that CSR is not charity/gift anymore, it augments credit rating/standing of company in corporate world and is compulsorily required to undertaken. Thus, ITC on the same must be allowed.

Such divergent/incongruent advance rulings as regard to CSR expenditure, being a clear business spending, is surely creating a room for uncertainty amongst taxpayers minds. In order to put the ambiguity around interpretation of law to rest and to avoid unwarranted litigation, GOI may consider issuing suitable clarification. This will reduce some cost on part of the taxpayers and will in turn encourage them to come forward and donate generously for this noble cause.

Bearing in mind, sensitivity of this matter and looking at hardships driven in the current pandemic situation, it is need of the hour that GOI proactively provide a helping hand by relaxing legislative provisions on both these aspects thereby encouraging businesses to drive their contribution to employees protection and welfare of society at large.

Krishan Arora is a Partner at Grant Thornton Bharat LLP & Karan Kakkar, Associate Partner at Grant Thornton Bharat LLP. Contribution by Pragya Sharma, manager, Grant Thornton Bharat LLP. Views are their own.

Disclaimer: Views expressed are personal. They do not reflect the view/s of Business Standard.
Council of Higher



Secondary Tuesday asked school authorities to complete the formalities relating to promotion of students from class 11 to the next class by July 15.

The council had on April 30 said that the annual examination to promote students from class 11 to 12 will not be required this year in view of the pandemic situation and the respective higher secondary schools will promote students to the next class.

The council on June 8 asked guardians to come to the school premises with the identity card of their wards to complete the admission procedure by strictly maintaining all Covid-19 protocols.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Monday that the board examinations in the state for classes 10 and 12 will not be held this year due to the Covid-19 situation.

The evaluation method will be decided by experts in a week's time so that the careers of the candidates were not at stake, Banerjee had 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.)
DBS has been named by in their list of World's Best 2021. DBS was ranked #1 out of 30 domestic and international in India for the second consecutive year.

This is the third edition of the 'World's Best Banks' list by Forbes, conducted in partnership with market research firm Statista. Over 43,000 banking customers across the globe were surveyed on their current and former banking relationships.

The customer survey rated on general satisfaction and key attributes like trust, digital services, financial advice, and fees.

"This year's list includes a record number of award winners, reflecting consumers' increasing confidence in their banks," revealed in its official announcement.

Commenting on the recognition, Surojit Shome, Managing Director and CEO, India, said, "We are humbled and proud to be featured on the 'World's Best Banks' list for the second consecutive year. Over the years, we have built a strong customer-centric franchise, and this recognition shines the light on the resilience and a strong sense of purpose demonstrated by our employees to support customers amid the global crisis. We will continue to deepen customer relationships and build journeys that proactively address their needs."

Felix Kapel, Lead Analyst at Statista for the World's Best Banks project, said, "DBS India excels in multiple sub-dimensions. The general satisfaction and customer recommendation of DBS is great. These factors have helped DBS retain the No.1 spot in India."

Recently, India was recognised as 'India's Best International Bank 2021' by Asiamoney. DBS was named 'Safest Bank in Asia' for the 12th consecutive year by New York-based trade publication Global in 2020.

The bank was also Global Finance's pick for 'Best Bank in the World' in the same year, making it the third consecutive global Best Bank accolade received by DBS. Previously, DBS was named 'World's Best Bank' by leading financial publication Euromoney in 2019.

has been present in India for 26 years and has grown consistently by strengthening its small and medium-sized enterprise business and consumer lending operations to build scale and become a full-service bank.

Further, it has showcased a long-term commitment to India with the establishment of its local wholly-owned subsidiary, DBS Bank India Limited (DBIL) and the recent acquisition of Lakshmi Vilas Bank. The amalgamation of Lakshmi Vilas Bank with DBIL in November 2020 bolstered the bank's physical presence in the country. DBS now has a network of nearly 600 branches across 19 states in India.

Ao view the complete list, visit

This story is provided by PRNewswire. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article.

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State Bank of India has said the new financial year (FY22) has begun with an unexpected second wave of Covid-19 infections, accompanied by low aggregate demand and impairment of household income.

Although the containment strategy this time included avoiding complete lockdown and managing the situation through micro-containment zones, the impact on the economy will nevertheless be felt.

"It is too early to take a call of a possible deterioration of asset quality in due to the second wave," said Dinesh Khara, its chairman in a communication to shareholders. The annual general Meeting of shareholders is slated on June 25, 2021.

However, with rollout of pre-package insolvency for resolution, resumption of courts and formation of National Asset Reconstruction Company, efforts will be in full force to keep the momentum in stressed asset recovered in FY22, he added.

Its recoveries and upgrades in the year ended March 2021 (FY21) were Rs 17,632 crore, down from Rs 25,781 crore in FY20. The gross non-performing assets declined to 4.98 per cent in March 2021 from 6.15 per cent in March 2020. The net NPAs declined to 1.5 per cent in March 2021 to 2.2 per cent in March 2020. The provision coverage ratio improved to 87.75 per cent at end of FY21, up from 83.62 per cent in March 2020.

Khara said the Bank is comfortably placed in terms of growth capital. Opportunities for lending in promising sectors will be explored to diversify the portfolio and contain risk. Its Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) rose to 13.74 per cent in March 2021 from 13.06 per cent a year ago.

Overall, despite the economic headwinds, the Bank has adjusted to the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic and is better positioned to tackle any subsequent wave. I am more than hopeful that the performance achieved in FY2021 will continue in FY2022 as well, the chairman added.

FY21 was an exceptional year and the banking operations were sustained against all odds with minimal disruption for the customers. The share of Alternate Channels in total transactions increased to 93 per cent in FY21, something which the pandemic has thrown as an opportunity.
The voted 68-32 to approve a sweeping package of legislation intended to boost the country's ability to compete with Chinese technology.

An indignant responded to the vote by saying it objected to being cast as an imaginary US enemy.

The desire for a hard line in dealings with is one of the few bipartisan sentiments in the deeply divided US Congress, which is narrowly controlled by President Joe Bidens fellow Democrats.

The measure authorises about $190 billion for provisions to strengthen US technology and research  and would separately approve spending $54 billion to increase US production and research into semiconductors and telecommunications equipment, including $2 billion dedicated to chips used by automakers that have seen massive shortages and made significant production cuts.

Chinas parliament expressed strong indignation and resolute opposition to the bill. It said in a statement that the US Bill showed paranoid delusion of wanting to be the only winner and had distorted the original spirit of innovation and competition.

We firmly object to the United States seeing as an imaginary enemy, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told reporters in Beijing.

The Bill must pass the House of Representatives to be sent to the White House for Biden to sign into law. It is not clear what legislation in the House will look like or when it might take it up.

China-related provisions

The Bill has a number of other China-related provisions, including prohibiting the social media app TikTok from being downloaded on government devices, and would block the purchase of drones manufactured and sold by companies backed by the Chinese government. It would also allow diplomats and Taiwanese military to display their flag and wear their uniforms while in the United States on official businesses.

It would also create broad new mandatory sanctions on Chinese entities engaged in US cyberattacks or theft of US intellectual property from American firms, and provides for a review of export controls on items that could be used to support human rights abuses.
The 25 richest Americans, including Jeff Bezos, and Elon Musk, paid relatively little  and sometimes nothing  in federal income taxes between 2014 and 2018, according to an analysis from the news organization ProPublica that was based on a trove of Internal Revenue Service tax data.

The analysis showed that the nations richest executives paid just a fraction of their wealth in taxes  $13.6 billion in federal income taxes during a time period when their collective net worth increased by $401 billion, according to a tabulation by

The documents reveal the stark inequity in the American tax system, as plutocrats like Mr. Bezos, Mr. Bloomberg, Warren Buffett, Mr. Musk and George Soros were able to benefit from a complex web of loopholes in the tax code and the fact that the United States puts its emphasis on taxing labor income versus wealth. Much of the wealth that the rich accrue  like shares in companies they run, vacation homes, yachts and other investments  isnt considered taxable income unless those assets are sold and a gain is realized. Even then, there are loopholes in the tax code that can limit or erase all tax liability.

Administration officials said on Tuesday that federal authorities were investigating the disclosure of private tax information, which can constitute a criminal offense.

Any unauthorized disclosure of confidential information by a person with access is illegal, Jen Psaki, the White House press secretary, said at a briefing. We take this very seriously.

The rare window into the tactics of the nations top billionaires comes as President Biden is trying to overhaul the tax code so that corporations and the rich pay more. Mr. Biden has proposed raising the top marginal income tax rate to 39.6 percent from 37 percent, which would reverse the reduction ushered in by former President Donald J. Trumps 2017 tax cuts.

The documents and the conclusions of the analysis could renew calls for Mr. Biden to consider a wealth tax, given that a higher marginal tax rate would do little to raise the tax bills of the 25 From 2014 to 2018, the 25 wealthiest Americans paid an average of 15.8 percent, or $13.6 billion, in personal federal income taxes.

Chuck Marr, senior director of federal tax policy at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, said the private tax data highlighted the relatively modest approach that Mr. Biden is proposing considering the extent to which the tax code rewards wealth and punishes labor.

Some of the solutions are often cast as aggressive, Mr. Marr said. Whats really radical is the current circumstance.





ALSO READ: Tesla's Model S Plaid Plus car is 'cancelled', tweets Elon Musk

Lawmakers like Senator Elizabeth Warren, Democrat of Massachusetts, have championed the idea of placing a 2 percent tax on an individuals net worth above $50 million  including the value of stocks, houses, boats and anything else a person owns, after subtracting any debts. In an interview on Tuesday, Ms. Warren called the tax revelations deeply shocking and said it reinforced the fact that lawmakers should be thinking about wealth over income when writing tax policy.

Increasing the personal income tax rate by 2 percent or 10 percent is not going to make any real difference to these multibillionaires, Ms. Warren said. The real action in America is on wealth, not income.

Although she praised some of Mr. Bidens proposals such as increasing taxes on capital gains and targeting real corporate profits, Ms. Warren said that she would like to see the White House be more ambitious.

I want to see the Biden administration push harder on the wealth taxes, Ms. Warren said.

Mr. Biden and his advisers have generally deemed the idea of a wealth tax unworkable but they have not formally closed the door on the idea. Instead, the president wants an extra $80 billion over a 10-year period to beef up the Internal Revenue Service so it is better equipped to go after tax cheats. And he has proposed doubling the tax on capital gains  the proceeds of selling an asset like a stock or a boat  for people earning more than $1 million.

We know that there is more to be done to ensure that corporations, individuals who are at the highest income, are paying more of their fair share, Ms. Psaki said.



ALSO READ: Jeff Bezos plans to fly on Blue Origin's first human spaceflight

At a New York Times DealBook event in February, Treasury Secretary Janet L. Yellen said that a wealth tax is something that has very difficult implementation problems. She suggested that other tax changes that would increase taxes on wealth that is transferred at death could have a similar effect. In March, however, Ms. Yellen suggested that she remained open minded about a wealth tax.

Well, thats something that we havent decided yet, Ms. Yellen said on ABC News, before pointing to other tax ideas that would also affect the rich.

ProPublica did not reveal how it obtained the information and it could not be independently verified by The New York Times. But the publication said the documents were provided to the outlet in raw form, with no conditions or conclusions and that it had run the information past every executive whose information was included in the article.

Every person whose tax information is described in this story was asked to comment, ProPublica said, adding that those who responded all said they had paid the taxes they owed.

In a separate article, the outlet said it was publishing the information quite selectively and carefully  because we believe it serves the public interest in fundamental ways, allowing readers to see patterns that were until now hidden.

The report highlights the techniques that the wealthy often use to reduce their tax bills, including taking advantage of a complex web of loopholes and deductions that are perfectly legal and can significantly minimize tax liability. That includes borrowing huge sums of money backed by enormous stock holdings. Loans are not taxed and the interest that the executives pay on the borrowed money can often be deducted from their tax bills.





ALSO READ: G7 deal on minimum global corporate tax: Reason, likely impact explained

In 2007, Mr. Bezos, the chief executive of Amazon, paid nothing in federal income taxes even as his companys stock price doubled. Four years later, as his wealth swelled to $18 billion, Mr. Bezos reported losses and received a tax credit of $4,000 for his children, according to ProPublica. An Amazon spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Mr. Buffett, the chief executive of Berkshire Hathaway who has long said publicly that the tax code should hit the rich harder, paid just $23.7 million in taxes from 2014 to 2018, when his wealth rose by $24.3 billion.

In a statement to ProPublica, Mr. Buffett said he expected that 99.5 percent of his wealth would go toward taxes and charity upon his death, adding, I continue to believe that the tax code should be changed substantially.

Mr. Soros, the billionaire philanthropist and investor, paid no federal income tax for three consecutive years, according to the report. A spokesman for Mr. Soros told ProPublica that between 2016 and 2018 George Soros lost money on his investments, therefore he did not owe federal income taxes in those years.

In 2018, Mr. Bloomberg, who controls the media giant Bloomberg L.P., reported income of $1.9 billion and paid $70.7 million in income tax. According to the report, Mr. Bloomberg was able to reduce his tax bill through deductions, charitable donations and credits for having paid foreign taxes.

A spokesman for Mr. Bloomberg, in a statement to ProPublica, said they would use all legal means at our disposal to determine which individual or government entity leaked these and ensure that they are held responsible.

The Treasury Department said that the federal government is working to determine how the tax records were released.

The unauthorized disclosure of confidential government information is illegal, Lily Adams, a Treasury spokeswoman, said. The matter is being referred to the Office of the Inspector General, Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the U.S. attorneys office for the District of Columbia, all of whom have independent authority to investigate.

A Department of Justice spokesman referred an inquiry about an investigation to the F.B.I., which referred the matter to the I.R.S.

At a Senate Finance Committee hearing where he was testifying on Tuesday, Charles Rettig, the I.R.S. commissioner, said that he could not comment on the apparent breach at his agency but said that it was being scrutinized.

I can confirm that there is an investigation with respect to the allegations that the source of the information in that article came from the Internal Revenue Service, Mr. Rettig said. The investigators will investigate.

Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon, the chairman of the finance committee, told Mr. Rettig that he was concerned about the security of taxpayer data. He also emphasized that the disclosures made clear that the tax code needed to be rewritten.

What this data reveals is that the countrys wealthiest, who profited immensely during the pandemic, have not been paying their fair share, Mr. Wyden said, adding that he has proposals to fix that disparity.

After the hearing, Mr. Wyden declined to offer specifics about his plan to address the issue, but emphasized his concern about unfairness in the tax code.

The people I represent are doing work, like treating Covid patients, theyre paying taxes with every paycheck, Mr. Wyden said. The countrys wealthiest, including during the pandemic, profited handsomely and then do not pay their fair share because they have figured out with good lawyers and accountants how to defer and delay and postpone and almost do it in perpetuity.

Some Republicans played down the idea that the wealthy dont pay enough in taxes and instead used the disclosures to raise questions about the trustworthiness of the I.R.S.





ALSO READ: Gautam Adani becomes Asia's second richest person after Mukesh Ambani

Senator Patrick J. Toomey, Republican of Pennsylvania, said on Tuesday that while it was problematic if some of the wealthiest Americans paid no income taxes, he thought that top earners were paying their fair share overall. He pointed to data that shows the top 10 percent of American earners make about half of all the income earned in America and pay 70 percent of all the income taxes.

Theres this mythology that high-income people dont pay any taxes, Mr. Toomey said on a telephone town hall. Are there individual exceptions? Im sure there are. We should see if there are loopholes that are perpetuating that, but we have a very, very progressive tax code.

Senator Mike Crapo of Idaho, the top Republican on the committee, said that the disclosures added to his concern about a Biden administration proposal to give the I.R.S. more access to the financial information of taxpayers. He suggested that the agency could not be trusted to keep the data secure.

Emily Cochrane Jeanna Smialek and Karen Weise contributed reporting.
Group Bhd has grounded around 90% of its fleet of more than 200 planes across Asia due to resurgence of COVID-19 outbreaks, an executive at its Malaysia unit said on Wednesday.

Malaysia, its largest market with 105 planes, is currently under lockdown.

Malaysia expects demand could start to rebound from August, allowing it to restore service to all 17 of the domestic airports it serves by October, Chief Operating Officer Javed Anwar Malik said at a CAPA Centre for Aviation event on Wednesday.

A full return to pre-COVID demand levels across Asia is not expected until around the third quarter of 2022, he said.

Group last month reported its seventh consecutive quarterly loss and said it was continuing efforts to secure more liquidity.

Passengers carried in the quarter ended March 31 totalled 976,968, a 90% drop from a year ago.

(Reporting by Jamie Freed in Sydney; editing by Jason Neely and Louise Heavens)

(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 Shadia Nasralla

LONDON (Reuters) -Oil prices continued to rally on Wednesday on signs of strong fuel demand in western economies, while the prospect of Iranian supplies returning faded as the U.S. secretary of state said sanctions against Tehran were unlikely to be lifted.

Brent crude futures were up 44 cents, or 0.6%, at $72.66 a barrel at 1338 GMT, having earlier touched $72.83, the highest since May 20, 2019. Brent rose 1% on Tuesday.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures climbed 30 cents, or 0.4%, to $70.35 a barrel, after reaching $70.62, the highest since Oct. 17, 2018. WTI prices climbed 1.2% on Tuesday.

"The widespread faith that oil demand growth will trend significantly higher in the second half of the year is paving the way forward for the price rally," PVM analysts said.

Recent traffic data suggests travellers are hitting the roads as restrictions ease, ANZ Research analysts said in a note, pointing to TomTom data that showed traffic congestion in 15 European cities had hit its highest since the coronavirus pandemic began.

On Tuesday, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)forecast fuel consumption growth this year in the United States, the world's biggest oil user, would be 1.49 million barrels per day (bpd), up from a previous forecast of 1.39 million bpd.

In another bullish sign, industry data showed U.S. crude oil inventories fell last week.[API/S]

Stockpile data from the EIA is due on Wednesday at 1430 GMT. [EIA/S]

Price gains had been capped in recent weeks as oil investors had been assuming that sanctions against Iranian exports would be lifted and oil supply would increase this year as Iran's talks with western powers on a nuclear deal progressed.

However, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Tuesday that even if Iran and the United States returned to compliance with a nuclear deal, hundreds of U.S. sanctions on Tehran would remain in place.

Potentially dampening prices, the latest crackdown by Chinese authorities to curtail the country's bloated refining sector could see Chinese crude imports fall by around 3%, or around 280,000 barrels per day, according to sources.

(Additional reporting by Sonali Paul in Melbourne and Koustav Samanta in Singapore; editing by Louise Heavens and Steve Orlofsky)

(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.)
China is the single nation that militarily, economically, diplomatically and politically has the ability to try to disturb the rules-based order that the United States, its friends and allies strongly defend, US Secretary of State Tony Blinken has said.

He also said that China is both the most consequential and most complicated relationship the US has. It (China) is the single nation state that militarily, economically, diplomatically, politically has the ability to try to up the rules-based order that we strongly defend because it's advanced our own security and prosperity for so many years, Blinken told lawmakers during a Congressional hearing on Tuesday.

Testifying before the Senate Appropriations Committee during the hearing on the 2022 Budget Request for the State Department, Blinken said the US-China relationship has increasing adversarial aspects to it. It certainly has competitive ones. And it still has some cooperative ones as well. But the common denominator is to approach each of those aspects of the relationship from a position of strength. I think that strength starts with a few things, he said.

Blinken said that it starts with alliances and partnerships. This is a unique strategic asset for us, something that China does not enjoy. That's why we're working to revitalise those alliances and partnerships. It includes our engagement in organisations and life because when we pull back, China fills in and starts to shape the rules and set the norms, he said.

It absolutely includes our military and our deterrent capability. As you know, better than I, some years ago we started to shift resources to the Asia Pacific, including about 60 per cent of our Navy. Continue to take the steps necessary to make sure we have a strong deterrent, Blinken said.

Finally, it involves making the right investments in ourselves, he said. Investments in our technology, investments in our workers, investments in innovation and research and development, all of those elements together or how we approach China from a position of strength, Blinken said.

Responding to a question, the secretary of state said that China is making more investments in its nuclear programme and seeks to build its arsenal. This is something that I think we need to engage because it presents a growing challenge. So, this is something that we're focused on. We're working on it, he said.

Blinken said that the foundational piece of ties with China has to be approaching it from a position of strength. The elements of that strength are strong alliances and partnerships.

That is a strategic asset for us that China doesn't have. When we are working and speaking collectively with who are aggrieved by China's practices in one area or another, we are much stronger. We're much more effective just in the economic realm, to cite one example, he said.

Alone, we're about 20 per cent, 25 per cent of the world GDP. When we're working in concert with other democracies, we are 50 per cent or 60 per cent of the world GDP. It's a lot harder for China to ignore. So, alliances and partnerships, that's a critical piece, Blinken said.

Second is actually leaning in an engaging in these very imperfect institutions, he said.

The challenge there is that these institutions tend to set the rules, the standards, the norms. When we pull back, China fills in, and it has a stronger hand in setting the rules on new technologies, for example leaning. We are leaning in, making sure with our allies and partners that we're present, he said.

Third, what you've just done or are on the verge of doing, I think this afternoon, with this very important legislation that is making the right investments in ourselves, and our technology, in research and development, in our workers, that is fundamentally our greatest source of strength when it comes to competing and dealing effectively with China, Blinken said.

He said of course, our military, our deterrent capacity, all of those things have to be married together.

(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.)
is the single nation that militarily, economically, diplomatically and politically has the ability to try to "disturb" the rules-based order that America, its friends and allies strongly defend, US Secretary of State Tony Blinken has said.

Blinken also told lawmakers during a Congressional hearing on Tuesday that is both the most consequential and most complicated relationship the US has.

It (China) is the single nation state that militarily, economically, diplomatically, and politically has the ability to try to disturb the rules-based order that we strongly defend because it's advanced our own security and prosperity for so many years, he said.

Testifying before the Senate Appropriations Committee during the hearing on the 2022 Budget Request for the State Department, Blinken said the US- relationship has increasing adversarial aspects to it.

It certainly has competitive ones. And it still has some cooperative ones as well. But the common denominator is to approach each of those aspects of the relationship from a position of strength. I think that strength starts with a few things, he said.

Blinken said that it starts with alliances and partnerships.

This is a unique strategic asset for us, something that China does not enjoy. That's why we're working to revitalise those alliances and partnerships. It includes our engagement in organisations and life because when we pull back, China fills in and starts to shape the rules and set the norms.

It absolutely includes our military and our deterrent capability Some years ago we started to shift resources to the Asia Pacific, including about 60 per cent of our Navy. Continue to take the steps necessary to make sure we have a strong deterrent, Blinken said.

China claims almost all of the 1.3 million square mile South China Sea as its sovereign territory. It has been building military bases on artificial islands in the region also claimed by Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam.

Blinken said: Investments in our technology, our workers, innovation and research and development, all of those elements together or how we approach China from a position of strength.

Responding to a question, the secretary of state said that China is making more investments in its nuclear programme and seeks to build its arsenal.

This is something that I think we need to engage in because it presents a growing challenge. So, this is something that we're focused on. We're working on it, he said.

Blinken said that the foundational piece of ties with China has to be approaching it from a position of strength. The elements of that strength are strong alliances and partnerships.

That is a strategic asset for us that China doesn't have. When we are working and speaking collectively with others who are aggrieved by China's practices in one area or another, we are much stronger. We're much more effective just in the economic realm, to cite one example.

Alone, we're about 20 per cent, 25 per cent of the world GDP. When we're working in concert with other democracies, we are 50 per cent or 60 per cent of the world GDP. It's a lot harder for China to ignore. So, alliances and partnerships, that's a critical piece, Blinken said.

Second is actually leaning in and engaging in these very imperfect institutions, he said.

The challenge there is that these institutions tend to set the rules, the standards, the norms. When we pull back, China fills in, and it has a stronger hand in setting the rules on new technologies, for example leaning. We are leaning in, making sure with our allies and partners that we're present.

Third, what you've just done or are on the verge of doing, I think this afternoon, with this very important legislation that is making the right investments in ourselves, and our technology, in research and development, in our workers, that is fundamentally our greatest source of strength when it comes to competing and dealing effectively with China, Blinken said.

He said of course, our military, our deterrent capacity, all of those things have to be married together.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A unit recently completed a far-ranging month-long training exercise in the Pacific Ocean, fuelling speculations that China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) is working on its broader ambitions by expanding its focus away from its immediate neighbourhood.

According to South China Morning Post (SCMP), the Southern Theatre Command of the PLA said on Saturday that a fleet under its command had travelled over 6,700 nautical miles over the past month, passing between Indonesia and the Philippines and through the western Pacific.

"The complicated military situation presents a great challenge to the will and perseverance of the officers and soldiers... The use of weapons in the far seas not only helps assess equipment performance under continuous sailing conditions, it also tests the ability of officers and soldiers to command and cooperate," the command said on its social media account.

This shows that the has once again ramped up efforts to expand its sphere of operations, which it has been trying to do in the past few years.

Last year, a fleet under the Southern theatre Command completed a 41-day drill in the Pacific, travelling 14,000 nautical miles and conducting a series of combat and rescue missions, SCMP reported.

"For China to develop expeditionary warfare capabilities, the PLA will continue to explore more areas instead of being limited to the neighbouring seas. More expeditionary exercises mean the is capable of reaching farther seas," he said.

China has been increasing its maritime activities in both the South China Sea and the East China Sea over the past few months, partly in response to Beijing's concerns over the increasing US military presence in the region because of escalating Sino-US tensions.

These ambitions have triggered a backlash and prompted the United States to step up its freedom of navigation operations in the South China Sea, which Beijing says violates its sovereignty and increases the risk of conflict.

In Japan, Chinese ships have made a record number of 112 incursions into waters around the disputed Senkaku islands also claimed by Tokyo. Chinese vessels sailed through the contiguous zone around the islands in the East China Sea on Friday for the 112th straight day, according to the Japan Coast Guard.

Beijing has also implemented a new law that allows the country's quasi-military force to use weapons against foreign ships that China sees as illegally entering its waters.

(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.)
El Salvadors President Nayib Bukele said the nation has adopted as legal tender, a step he believes will create jobs and promote financial inclusion.

Bukele, Latin Americas youngest president whos known to break from the norms, said on Twitter lawmakers approved the legislation by a supermajority.

The 39-year-old leader has previously said that could boost the economy, help counter El Salvadors low banking penetration rate and facilitate faster transfers for $6 billion of remittances a year. The move to make the virtual coin legal tender is a rare slice of good news for the largest cryptocurrency, which is struggling to recover from a rout in May.





ALSO READ: Bitcoin believers have nothing to worry about; their crypto is here to stay

El Salvadors central bank President Douglas Rodriguez said in an interview with state TV on Tuesday that is already used in the country and its not something people need to be afraid of, while adding it wont replace the U.S. dollar.

Bitcoin has roughly halved from a mid-April record of almost $65,000, hurt in part by billionaire Elon Musks criticism of the amount of energy needed by the servers underpinning it.

Harsher regulatory scrutiny in places such as China has also soured sentiment, and the idea that more mainstream investors will warm to it has taken a knock. But the Bitcoin faithful say these are temporary setbacks and that the virtual currencys role will expand.

Bitcoin climbed 2.5% to about $34,500 as of 8:05 a.m. in London on Wednesday, reversing earlier losses. The wider Bloomberg Galaxy Crypto Index increased about 3%.


While many countries are yet to receive even one dose of Covid vaccines, many US states are seeing unused Johnson & Johnson vaccine doses piling up on shelves -- all set to expire this month, media reports say.

State officials have warned the doses could go to waste if they go unused in the coming weeks or are not sent elsewhere.

About 200,000 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine are set to expire on June 23, New York Times quoted Ohio state Governor Mike DeWine as saying.

The state's health department directed providers to adopt a "first-in, first-out" process for the shot to ensure doses with earlier expiration dates were used first.

As many as 60,000 doses of Johnson & Johnson vaccine may be wasted in Arkansas, and in West Virginia 20,000 to 25,000 doses are nearing their expiration date.

The expiration risk for Johnson & Johnson is a problem in every state, which received more than 10 million doses of the vaccine but were not administered, according to data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

According to state officials, uptake for the one-dose shot was dampened after the 11-day pause of the vaccine in early April by the US Food and Drug Administration over safety concerns.

There is a growing fear among state officials that Johnson & Johnson vaccine doses, which are coveted in the developing world, could go to waste without a national plan, Marcus Plescia, medical director of the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, the NBC news reported.

"I think people feel ethically that you've got other countries with no vaccines and in dire shape," Plescia said.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's vaccine data tracker indicates that 21.4 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine have been distributed and that a little more than half have been administered, or 11.1 million, the report noted.

The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) also voiced concern over wastage of vaccines yesterday. It urged the G7 leaders -- the UK, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the US -- to commit to sharing a minimum of 20 per cent of Covid-19 vaccine dose supply between June and August, which would provide more than 150 million doses to COVAX.

Only 0.4 per cent of all Covid-19 vaccine doses have been administered in low-income countries. And in many countries, even the most vulnerable adults and health care workers have not received vaccinations, said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, recently.

--IANS

rvt/in

(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.)
Set to embark on the first overseas trip of his term, President is eager to reassert the on the world stage, steadying European allies deeply shaken by his predecessor and pushing democracy as the only bulwark to rising forces of authoritarianism.

Biden has set the stakes for his eight-day trip in sweeping terms, believing that the West must publicly demonstrate it can compete economically with China as the world emerges from the coronavirus pandemic.

Building toward his trip-ending summit with Russia's Vladimir Putin, Biden will aim to reassure European capitals that the can once again be counted on as a dependable partner to thwart Moscow's aggression both on their eastern front and their internet battlefields.

The trip will be far more about messaging than specific actions or deals. And the paramount priority for Biden, who leaves Wednesday for his first stop in the United Kingdom, is to convince the world that his administration is not just a fleeting deviation in the trajectory of an American foreign policy that many allies fear irrevocably drifted toward a more transactional outlook under former President Donald Trump.

The trip, at its core, will advance the fundamental thrust of Joe Biden's foreign policy, said national security adviser Jake Sullivan, to rally the world's democracies to tackle the great challenges of our time.

Biden's to-do list is ambitious.

In their face-to-face sit-down in Geneva, Biden wants to privately pressure Putin to end myriad provocations, including cybersecurity attacks on American businesses by Russian-based hackers, the jailing of opposition leader Alexei Navalny and repeated overt and covert efforts by the Kremlin to interfere in US elections.

Biden is also looking to rally allies on their COVID-19 response and to urge them to coalesce around a strategy to check emerging economic and national security competitor China even as the US expresses concern about Europe's economic links to Moscow. Biden also wants to nudge outlying allies, including Australia, to make more aggressive commitments to the worldwide effort to curb global warming.

The week-plus journey is a big moment for Biden, who traveled the world for decades as vice president and as chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and will now step off Air Force One on soil as commander in chief. He will face world leaders still grappling with the virus and rattled by four years of Trump's inward-looking foreign policy and moves that strained longtime alliances as the former president made overtures to strongmen.

In this moment of global uncertainty, as the world still grapples with a once-in-a-century pandemic, Biden wrote in a Washington Post op-ed previewing his diplomatic efforts, this trip is about realizing America's renewed commitment to our allies and partners, and demonstrating the capacity of democracies to both meet the challenges and deter the threats of this new age."



The president first travels to Britain for a summit of the Group of Seven leaders and then Brussels for a NATO summit and a meeting with the heads of the European Union. It comes at a moment when Europeans have diminished expectations for what they can expect of US leadership on the foreign stage.

Central and Eastern Europeans are desperately hoping to bind the US more tightly to their security. Germany is looking to see the US troop presence maintained there so it doesn't need to build up its own. France, meanwhile, has taken the tack that the US can't be trusted as it once was and that the European Union must pursue greater strategic autonomy going forward.

I think the concern is real that the Trumpian tendencies in the US could return full bore in the midterms or in the next presidential election, said Alexander Vershbow, a former US diplomat and once deputy secretary general of NATO.

The sequencing of the trip is deliberate: Biden consulting with Western European allies for much of a week as a show of unity before his summit with Putin.

His first stop late Wednesday will be an address to US troops stationed in Britain, and the next day he sits down with British Prime Minster Boris Johnson. The two men will meet a day ahead of the G-7 summit to be held above the craggy cliffs of Cornwall overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.

The most tactile of politicians, Biden has grown frustrated by the diplomacy-via-Zoom dynamics of the pandemic and has relished the ability to again have face-to-face meetings that allow him to size up and connect with world leaders. While Biden himself is a veteran statesman, many of the world leaders he will see in England, including Johnson and French President Emmanuel Macron, took office after Biden left the vice presidency. Another, Germany's Angela Merkel, will leave office later this year.

There are several potential areas of tension. On climate change, the U.S. is aiming to regain its credibility after Trump pulled the country back from the fight against global warming. Biden could also feel pressure on trade, an issue to which he's yet to give much attention. And with the well supplied with COVID-19 vaccines yet struggling to persuade some of its own citizens to use it, leaders whose inoculation campaigns have been slower will surely pressure Biden to share more surplus around the globe.

Another central focus will be China. Biden and the other G-7 leaders will announce an infrastructure financing program for developing countries that is meant to compete directly with Beijing's Belt-and-Road Initiative. But not every European power has viewed China in as harsh a light as Biden, who has painted the rivalry with the techno-security state as the defining competition for the 21st century.

The European Union has avoided taking as strong a stance on Beijing's crackdown on Hong Kong's democracy movement or treatment of Uyghur Muslims and other ethnic minorities in the western Xinjiang province as the Biden administration may like. But there are signs that Europe is willing to put greater scrutiny on Beijing.

The EU in March announced sanctions targeting four Chinese officials involved with human rights abuses in Xinjiang. Beijing, in turn, responded by imposing sanctions on several members of the European Parliament and other Europeans critical of the Chinese Communist Party.

Biden is also scheduled to meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan while in Brussels, a face-to-face meeting between two leaders who have had many fraught moments in their relationship over the years.

Biden waited until April to call Erdogan for the first time as president. In that call, he informed the Turkish leader that he would formally recognize that the systematic killings and deportations of hundreds of thousands of Armenians by Ottoman Empire forces in the early 20th century were genocide using a term for the atrocities that his White House predecessors had avoided for decades over concerns of alienating Turkey.

The trip finale will be Biden's meeting with Putin.

Biden has taken a very different approach to Russia than Trump's friendly outreach. Their sole summit, held in July 2018 in Helsinki, was marked by Trump's refusal to side with U.S. intelligence agencies over Putin's denials of Russian interference in the election two years earlier.

Biden could well be challenged by unrest at home as Russia looks to exploit the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection and the debate over voting rights to undermine the U.S. position as a global role model. The American president, in turn, is expected to push Russia to quell its global meddling.

By and large, these are not meetings on outcomes, these are 'get to know you again' meetings for the U.S. and Europe, said Richard Haass, president of the Council on Foreign Relations. It's about delivering a message to Putin, to reviving old alliances and to demonstrate again that the U.S. is back on the right course.

(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 US is only withdrawing its troops from Afghanistan, not withdrawing from the country, and it is determined to maintain a strong diplomatic presence there to extend economic and humanitarian support, Secretary of State Tony Blinken has said.

On the directions of President Joe Biden, the US is in the process of withdrawing all its troops from by September. It has already withdrawn about half of its troops from the war-torn country.

"Even as we're withdrawing forces from Afghanistan, we are not withdrawing from We're determined to maintain a strong embassy presence. Other countries are as well," Blinken on Tuesday told members of the Senate Appropriations Committee during a Congressional hearing on the 2022 Budget Request for the State Department.

Responding to apprehensions of senators about the future of several programmes in Afghanistan, including those for women and children, Blinken assured them that the programmes will continue with the support of the Congress.

He said the government which represents the people and their interest, is the government that the US and the community will support.

"Right now, there are conversations, discussions, potentially negotiations going on between the government and the Taliban, and to see if they can come to a peaceful accommodation and end the conflict," the secretary of state said.

"But, as it stands, we're withdrawing our forces, we're not withdrawing from We remain very much engaged. We're determine a strong programmatic presence to make sure we can continue to support economic and humanitarian development, and security assistance support for the Afghan government and for the Afghan people," he said.

If a government of Afghanistan emerges as a result of force or if a future Afghanistan does not respect the basic rights that have been established for its people, including women and girls, it is safe to say that that Afghanistan will be a pariah internationally, not just for the US, but for countries around the world, Blinken said.

Reiterating that withdrawal of troops is not a withdrawal from Afghanistan, he said a strong embassy will remain in place. We are working on everything we need to do to make sure that we can sustain that diplomatic presence, as well as the diplomatic presence of

The embassy will be responsible for all of our programmes. Our ability to sustain economic, humanitarian, development, and security assistance is critical. And the embassy is the linchpin of that, said the secretary of state.

At a Pentagon news conference, its press secretary, John Kirby, said America's support for the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces is going to be largely in the financial realm, and there will be some over-the-horizon logistical support for things like aviation maintenance.

We are mindful of the need for good aircraft maintenance, and we're certainly mindful of how important the Afghan Air Force and the Special Missions Wing are to their self-defense capabilities. I can assure you we're working on this very, very hard, and again, when we have more detail to provide, we certainly will, Kirby said.

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A senior official expressed frustration Wednesday after talks with the UK broke up without resolving differences over the implementation of their post-Brexit trade deal in Northern Ireland.

Maros Sefcovic, the EU's chief negotiator in the talks, said the bloc had reached a crossroads" in its relationship with the U.K. after the British government threatened to take further unilateral action to delay living up to its obligations under the Brexit agreement.

Trust, which should be at the heart of every partnership, needs to be restored," Sefcovic told reporters after the talks.

That is the EU approach and the EU preference. If the U.K. were to take further unilateral action over the coming weeks, the EU will not be shy in reacting swiftly, firmly and resolutely to ensure that the U.K. abides by its law obligations.

Sefcovic met with his British counterpart, David Frost, amid rising tensions over provisions of the known as the Northern Ireland Protocol, which effectively created a regulatory border between Northern Ireland and the rest of the U.K. The EU earlier this year threatened to take legal action against Britain when it delayed implementing some parts of the accord. The British government is now considering further unilateral action as new deadlines approach.

Frost called for pragmatic solutions" to bridging the divide.

What the EU is insisting on is we should operate the protocol in an extremely purist way,'' Frost said separately. The reality is that it's a very balanced document that's designed to support the peace process and deal with the very sensitive politics in Northern Ireland.

While the Northern Ireland Protocol was designed to protect the peace process in the region, many pro-British residents are angry because of the regulatory border between Northern Ireland and the rest of the U.K. Newly required border checks have also caused shortages of some products.

Britain is calling for compromise, but the EU says the new rules are needed to protect the bloc's single market. Both sides fear the tensions could fuel a return to violence in Northern Ireland.

The U.K. insists it wants to avoid a trade war with the EU, and says no decision has been taken on whether it will unilaterally extend the grace period for chilled meats due to end on June 30. Sefcovic said that would spark stern retaliatory action.

The 1998 Good Friday Agreement, which brought peace to Northern Ireland, was underpinned by the fact that both the U.K. and the Republic of Ireland were members of the EU. That made it possible for trade to flow freely between Ireland and Northern Ireland, stimulating economic growth and creating jobs on both sides of the border.

In an effort to keep the border open, the EU and the U.K. agreed that Northern Ireland would remain part of the European single market after Brexit. But that means EU rules on issues such as food safety still apply in Northern Ireland, meaning there have to be checks on some goods shipped into Northern Ireland from other parts of the U.K.

The divorce deal, which took effect Jan. 1, included a number of grace periods that gave Britain time to put in place new systems for checking items coming into Northern Ireland to ensure they complied with EU rules. Those grace periods are now ending, causing headaches in Northern Ireland.

Now, the two sides are sparring over the rules governing chilled meats, raising the specter of what British newspapers are calling a sausage war. British officials are considering extending the grace period covering chilled meets to prevent the EU from blocking shipments of products such as sausages and ground beef on July 1.

Sefcovic described the Northern Ireland Protocol as an opportunity that will give the region access to more than 500 million customers in both the U.K. and the

But Frost said compromise is needed to make that a reality. The U.K. sent 10 papers to the EU offering solutions to many of the issues that divide the two sides, but received no written responses from the bloc, he said.

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The has passed a rare bipartisan legislative package aimed at improving the country's economic competition with by investing billions of dollars in science and technology and holding Beijing accountable for its predatory tactics.

The important anti- bill was passed by the Senate with 68-32 votes on Tuesday. It is considered a major political victory by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer who had made it a top priority.

The US Innovation and Competition Act invests more than USD 100 billion of taxpayer funds to solidify the United States' leadership in scientific and technological innovation critical to national security and economic competitiveness.

It will also strengthen the security of essential supply chains, and US ability to solve supply-chain disruptions during crises.

Additionally, the bill increases funding for National Science Foundation activities.

Passing this bill -- now called the US Innovation and Competition Act -- is the moment when the Senate lays the foundation for another century of American leadership. Let me say that again: this bill could be the turning point for American leadership in the 21st Century, Schumer said on the Senate floor.

This legislation will go down as one of the most significant, bipartisan achievements of the in recent history, the senior Democratic Senator said as 19 Senate Republicans joined Democrats voting for passage.

Around the globe, authoritarian governments believe that squabbling democracies like ours can't unite around national priorities. They believe that democracy itself is a relic of the past, and that by beating us to emerging technologies, many of them will be able to re-shape the world in their own image, he said.

The ruling Communist Party of (CPC) has made no bones about its desire for global economic dominance through whatever means necessary. They've actively worked to buy up, influence, spy on and steal American innovation, Senator Chuck Grassley said.

They've sought to spread pro-China propaganda at our research and academic institutions. And while their ill-gotten approach to economic advancement has boosted their status in the world, they claim to be a developing nation to get better deals to finance their activities, he said, adding that this is the behaviour of a responsible nation.

Reacting sharply to the US bill, China on Wednesday denounced the legislation, saying it as full of ideological prejudice and driven by a Cold-War mentality, smears and slanders China's development path.

The Foreign Affairs Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), or China's national legislature, said the bill interfered in China's internal affairs and attempted to contain its development under the banner of "innovation and competition."



It attempts to maintain the US global hegemony by fanning the so-called China threat, to interfere in China's internal affairs on the pretext of human rights and religion, and to take away China's legitimate right to development by means of "decoupling" in the scientific, technological and economic areas, the committee said in a statement in Beijing.

The statement also criticised certain provisions of the bill expressing support for Taiwan, the self-governing island that China claims as its own territory; references to the former British colony of Hong Kong, where Beijing is accused of severely restricting democracy; and criticism of Chinese policy in Xinjiang, where Beijing is accused of grossly violating the human rights of minority Muslims.

Responding to a question on the US bill, foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said it slandered China's domestic and foreign policies and seriously interfered in China's internal affairs on issues such as Taiwan, Hong Kong, Xinjiang and Tibet.

The bill is full of zero-sum cold war mentality and runs counter to the common desire of all sectors of China and the US to strengthen exchanges and cooperation, he said.

Urging the US not to treat China as an "imaginary enemy," Wang said China is committed to developing a relationship of non-conflict, non-confrontation, mutual respect and win-win cooperation with Washington but will continue to firmly safeguard China's sovereignty, security and development interests at the same time.

In Washington, Senator Sherrod Brown said that China spent billions propping up state-owned enterprises and subsidising research and development, and they also take US ideas and use them to compete and sometimes cheat against American workers and businesses.

This is an important, bipartisan step to ensure the technologies that will drive the next generation of economic growth and manufacturing from semiconductors to hydrogen buses to the next generation jet engine will be developed in America, and put Ohioans to work at good paying jobs, he said.

This bill will help the US stop foreign governments from stealing our research and innovation, so that American taxpayer-funded research will be used to create jobs for hard-working Americans, Senator Rob Portman said.

The bill still needs to pass the House of Representatives before going to President Joe Biden's desk. The House Foreign Affairs Chairman Gregory Meeks introduced a corresponding bill in the House last month but it is not clear when that legislation will get a vote, CNN reported.

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Global digital currency exchanges are exploring ways to set up in India, following in the footsteps of market leader Binance, industry sources told Reuters, while the government in New Delhi dithers over introducing a law that could ban cryptocurrencies.

Opponents of the potential ban say it would stifle the economic power of a tech-savvy, young nation of 1.35 billion people. There is no official data, but industry analysts reckon there are 15 million crypto investors in India holding over 100 billion rupees ($1.37 billion).

According to four sources, who declined to be identified as they were not authorised to comment on private discussions, U.S.-based Kraken, Hong Kong-based Bitfinex and rival KuCoin are actively scouting the market, which analysts say would only get bigger if it was given a free rein.

"These companies have already begun talks to understand the Indian market and the entry points better," said one source directly involved with an exchange that had begun due diligence for an Indian firm it was considering acquiring.

The other two exchanges, he said, were in the initial stages of deciding whether to enter India and weighing their options, which effectively come down to a choice between setting up a subsidiary or buying an Indian firm, as Binance, the world's biggest exchange, did two years ago.



Bitfinex declined to comment while Kraken and KuCoin did not respond to an email seeking comment.

All three exchanges are ranked in the world's top ten by data platform CoinMarketCap, based on their traffic, liquidity and trustworthiness of their reported trading volumes.

"The Indian market is huge and it is only starting to grow, if there was more policy certainty by now Indian consumers would have been spoilt for choice in terms of exchanges, because everyone wants to be here," said Kumar Gaurav, founder of digital bank Cashaa.

Proponents of cryptocurrencies say they would be the most cost-efficient way for Indians abroad to remit funds home.

But authorities worry that rich people and criminals could hide their wealth in the digital world, and speculative flows of funds through digital channels, ungoverned by India's strict exchange controls, could destabilise the financial system.

Bill delayed, fate unknown

Hitherto, India has had no rules specifically for exchanges wishing to set up in the country. Instead they could register themselves as tech companies to obtain a relatively easy entry path.

In 2019, Binance acquired WazirX, an Indian startup which has allowed users to buy and sell crypto with rupees on the Binance Fiat Gateway.

U.S. based exchange, Coinbase, has announced plans for a back office in India.

But with the regulatory environment for cryptocurrencies taking a turn for worse globally, Indian authorities are exercising greater scrutiny.



In China, authorities have forbidden banks and online payment companies from providing services related to transactions.

And the Indian government was set to present a bill to parliament by March that proposed a ban on cryptocurrencies, making trading and holding them illegal. But the government has held it back, and conflicting statements since have fueled uncertainty over the bill's fate.

Meantime, major Indian banks have begun to sever ties with cryptocurrency exchanges and traders, amid Reserve Bank of India's concerns about the financial stability risks posed by the volatile asset.

The RBI is looking at launching its own digital currency, but Governor Shaktikanta Das in February described those plans as a "work in progress".

For all the uncertainty over what India will end up doing, some digital currency exchanges clearly reckon it would be better to gain entry rather than miss out.

"It's clear that the rewards outweigh the perceived risks, which is luring these global firms to the Indian market," said Darshan Bathija, chief executive officer of Vauld, a foreign crypto exchange with a presence in India.

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By Sonali Paul and Koustav Samanta

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - rose for a second session on Wednesday on signs of strong in western economies, while the prospect of Iranian supplies returning faded as the U.S. secretary of state said sanctions against Tehran were unlikely to be lifted.

futures were up 32 cents, or 0.4%, at $72.54 a barrel at 0640 GMT, having earlier touched $72.83, the highest since May 20, 2019. Brent rose 1% on Tuesday.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures climbed 31 cents, or 0.4%, to $70.36 a barrel, after rising to as high as $70.62, highest since Oct. 17, 2018. WTI prices climbed 1.2% on Tuesday.

"Improved demand outlook appears to be bolstering crude oil prices, as the successful vaccine rollouts and summer driving season in the United States and Europe continues to support fuel demand," said Margaret Yang, a strategist at Singapore-based DailyFX.

Recent traffic data suggests travellers are hitting the roads as restrictions ease, ANZ Research analysts said in a note, pointing to TomTom data which showed traffic congestion in 15 European cities had hit its highest since the coronavirus pandemic began.

On Tuesday, the U.S. Energy Information Administration forecast fuel consumption growth this year in the United States, the world's biggest oil user, would be 1.49 million barrels per day (bpd), up from a previous forecast of 1.39 million bpd.

In another positive sign, industry data showed U.S. crude oil inventories fell last week, in line with analysts' expectations, according to a Reuters poll.

The American Petroleum Institute reported crude stocks fell by 2.1 million barrels in the week ended June 4, two market sources said, citing the data. [API/S]

Stockpile data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration is due on Wednesday at 1430 GMT.

Price gains had been capped in recent weeks as oil investors had been assuming that sanctions against Iranian exports would be lifted and oil supply would increase this year as Iran's talks with western powers on a nuclear deal progressed.

However U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Tuesday that even if Iran and the United States returned to compliance with a nuclear deal, hundreds of U.S. sanctions on Tehran would remain in place.

(Reporting by Sonali Paul in Melbourne and Koustav Samanta in Singapore; Editing by Christian Schmollinger)

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Mutual Fund (FT MF) in a letter to its investors has defended the move to wind up the six schemes. Including the amounts available as of June 4, 2021 for distribution, 71 per cent of the AUM as of April 23, 2020 will have been returned to unitholders in total across all the schemes. The current net asset value (NAV) of each of the six schemes is higher than it was on April 23, 2020. We believe this supports the decision made by the Trustee in consultation with the AMC and its investment management team to wind up the six schemes, said Sanjay Sapre, President, FT MF in a letter dated June 8.

on Monday levied a penalty of Rs 5 crore on Franklin MF for several irregularities in the running of its six debt schemes that were wound up in April 2020. Regulator had also directed the fund house to return over Rs 500 crore of fund management fees.

The order does not impact the current monetization process of the six debt schemes under winding up being undertaken by the liquidator. The order also is not related to and has no impact on the other Debt, Equity, Hybrid and Offshore schemes managed by We continue to manage over Rs 61,000 crore of AUM (as of March 2021) for over 2 million investors in India, he said.

The fund house also informed investors that it disagrees with the findings in the order and intends to file an appeal with the Securities Appellate Tribunal.
Shares of hit an over three-year high of Rs 358.25, up 1.5 per cent, on the BSE in intra-day trade on Wednesday on the back of heavy volumes. The stock of the Tata Group company was trading higher for the sixth straight day, having rallied 13 per cent during the same period. It surpassed its previous high of Rs 357 touched on March 3, 2021, and was trading at its highest level since April 2018.

on Tuesday informed stock exchanges that a new wholly-owned subsidiary named TML CV Mobility Solutions Limited has been incorporated by the company.

TML CV Mobility Solutions was incorporated to provide end to end services of operating, repair and maintenance including annual maintenance contracts (AMC) and Fleet Management Services (FMS) for the automotive including electric mobility/electric vehicles, electric buses, fuel cell buses, all types of etc, the company said.

is India's largest commercial vehicle company and fourth-largest (PV) player. In PV, the company has products in the compact and mid-size cars and utility vehicle segments. Through subsidiaries and associates, the company has operations in the UK, South Korea, Thailand and Spain. The key among them is Jaguar Land Rover, the business comprising two iconic British brands  Jaguar and Land Rover (JLR). TTMT cars, buses and trucks in several countries across Europe, Africa, the Middle East, south-east Asia and South America.

Most of the brokerage houses have a buy rating on Tata Motors as they see the triple benefit of macro recovery, company-specific volume/margin drivers, and sharp improvement in free cash flow (FCF) and leverage in both JLR as well as the India business.

We expect demand across some of Tata Motors key to normalise as we believe the worst is behind. Besides that, tight control on costs should also bolster profitability. We remain positive on JLRs upcoming product pipeline, which will improve the mix in favour of the more profitable LR brand, an analyst at Edelweiss Broking said in a stock update.

Last month, the rating agency Moodys had upgraded the outlook on Tata Motors from 'negative' to 'stable' due to continued recovery in the firm's consolidated revenue and profitability. JLR's restructuring efforts and its solid growth in China, as well as the recovery in other key such as Europe and North America over the coming quarters, will improve its profits and leverage, believes Moodys.

At 10:11 am, the stock of Tata Motors trading flat at Rs 353 on the BSE, as compared to a 0.22 per cent rise in the S&P BSE Sensex. Around 16.3 million shares had changed hands in the first hour of trading on the NSE and BSE.
Shares of rallied 17 per cent to hit a record high of Rs 4,064.95 on the BSE in intra-day trade on Wednesday after the company reported a consolidated net profit at Rs 19.6 crore for the March quarter (Q4FY21) on the back of healthy operational performance. The company, one of Indias largest staffing companies, had posted a loss of Rs 29.4 crore in the year- ago quarter. The stock surpassed its previous high of Rs 3,884, touched on April 6, 2021.

Total revenue remained flat at Rs 1,350 crore against Rs 1,345 crore in the corresponding quarter of the previous year. The companys Ebitda (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation) margin improved 40 basis points (bps) at 1.9 per cent from 1.5 per cent.

The company said that its billable headcount has gone up by 8 per cent sequentially and 4 per cent year on year. General Staffing is back to pre-Covid levels of headcount and has surpassed pre-Covid revenue run rate. Staffing FTE productivity has improved to 352 as of March 31, 2021, from 334 in Q3FY21 and 264 in Q4FY20. The specialized staffing continues to improve on profitability driven by cost optimization and product mix. HR services have grown 33 per cent in revenues QoQ, the company said.

The management said, "The pandemic has given us an opportunity to strengthen digitalization strategy and accelerate client partnership initiatives on productivity enhancement. While the 2nd wave of Covid can marginally impact growth in the current quarter, the company continues to play to the market opportunities in the long run,".

At 02:07 pm, the stock was trading 7 per cent higher at Rs 3,688 on the BSE, as compared to 0.42 per cent decline in the S&P BSE Sensex. A combined around 321,000 shares have changed hands on the counter on the NSE and BSE, so far.
Refuting the speculations of a change in leadership in Madhya Pradesh, Union Agriculture Minister on Tuesday said there is no instability in the Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in the state.

Interacting with reporters, Tomar said, "There is no instability in Government. The party has selected Shivraj ji. He is the chief minister. There is a government in and it will decide who will be its chief minister. Congress has no right to talk about the BJP's chief minister."

Home Minister Narottam Mishra said, " is totally united and organized under the leadership of Shivraj Singh Chouhan and VD Sharma."

There have been speculations among the political parties in Madhya Pradesh about the change in BJP's leadership for the last few days.

The General Secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya had camped in Bhopal a few days ago and met many leaders of the state followed by the meeting with Union Minister Prahlad Patel. Last week, BJP leader Jyotiraditya Scindia also went to Bhopal, after which speculations of change in leadership sparked a row.

Yesterday, Union Minister and BJP leader Faggan Singh Kulaste had also dismissed speculations, saying Chouhan will continue to be the chief minister.

"People have been discussing the change in of Madhya Pradesh. But I do not understand where are these rumours coming from because there is no situation for change of leadership in Madhya Pradesh, which is why Shivraj Singh Chouhan was the chief minister, is the chief minister and will remain the chief minister in the future," Kulaste, who is Union Minister of State in the Ministry of Steel, said.

"A person works hard day and night, naturally there are some shortcomings, but Shivraj ji is not behind in hard work. Everyone knows this and the whole party also respects this. We are all with Shivraj ji," said the minister.

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Forbes & Company said that it has entered into agreement for sale (AFS) with Equinix India for sale of approximately 3.804 acres of land at Chandivali, Mumbai for a consideration of Rs 200 crore.

The purchaser would also reimburse to the company certain expenses as mentioned in the AFS.

"The completion of the proposed transaction subject to fulfilment of various conditions precedent as stated in the AFS is expected to be completed in Q2/Q3 of FY 2021-2022," the company said in a regulatory filing made during market hours today.

The company's board had approved the land sale in December 2020.

Forbes & Company is mainly engaged in the business of manufacturing and trading of engineering products, real estate development projects and leasing of premises.

The company had reported a consolidated net loss of Rs 12.22 crore in Q3 FY21 as against a net loss of Rs 22.38 crore in Q3 FY20. Net sales declined by 0.07% YoY to Rs 699.47 crore during the quarter.

The scrip fell 3.50% to currently trade at Rs 2030 on the BSE.

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Petronet LNG reported 70.9% jump in consolidated net profit to Rs 637.92 crore in Q4 FY21 as against Rs 373.20 crore in Q4 FY20.

However, the company's net profit has declined by 27.7% in Q4 FY21 compared with Rs 882.05 crore in Q3 FY21.

Net sales during the quarter fell 11.6% to Rs 7575.32 crore as compared with the same period last year.

Profit before tax (PBT) in Q4 FY21 stood at Rs 870.67 crore, up 74% from Rs 500.43 crore in Q4 FY20. PBT fell 26% in Q4 FY21 compared with Rs 1,175.94 crore reported in Q3 FY21.

Current tax outgo increased 41.8% to Rs 234 crore in Q4 FY21 over Q4 FY20.

The company reported 8.7% rise in consolidated net profit to Rs 2939.23 crore on 26.6% fall in net sales to Rs 26022.90 crore in FY21 over FY20.

The board of directors of the company has recommended final dividend of Rs 3.50 per share for the financial year 2020-21.

Petronet LNG was formed as a joint venture by the Government of India to import LNG and set up LNG terminals in the country, involving India's leading oil and natural gas industry players like GAIL (India), Oil & Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), Indian Oil Corporation (IOCL) and Bharat Petroleum Corporation (BPCL). Each company held 12.50% stake in Petronet as on 31 March 2021.

The scrip fell 1.61% to currently trade at Rs 244.05 on the BSE.

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The past month has brought continuous bad news for Indias oil producers and consumers. The disaster at ONGCs Western Offshore was one of the worst tragedies in the history of Indias oil industry.

In the annals of the global offshore oil industry disasters, this will probably rank as the fifth deadliest in terms of human loss; and the worst in this century. Only the bravery and skill of the Indian Navys rescue act prevented it from being the worst of all time. The last major storm disaster for offshore oil was in 1989 when the Seacrest rig sank during a typhoon off ...
Apna Dal (Sonelal), a partner in the BJP-led government in Uttar Pradesh, has decided to field its candidates in the elections for the post of zila panchayat chairmen and block chiefs in some districts of the state.

Apna Dal (S) president and former Union minister and MP Anupriya Patel, in a meeting held with party office bearers virtually, said the party will contest the election for zila panchayat chairman and block chief posts in some districts, a party release issued here said.

She said that the results of the recently concluded panchayat elections will be reviewed closely and accordingly a future strategy will be chalked out, the release said. It added that she has asked party workers to make preparations in this regard.

The district unit presidents have been asked to send detailed action plans on where they want to contest the elections for zila panchayat chairman and block chief posts, the release said.

Apna Dal (S) is planning to field its candidate for zila panchayat chairman post in Mirzapur, Jaunpur, Banda, Pratapgarh and Farrukhabad. The BJP leaders are being contacted and a list is being handed over to them of prospective Apna Dal nominees, a party spokesman said.

Mirzapur is the parliamentary constituency of party chief Anupriya Patel. The party has MLAs from nine assembly constituencies in

(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.)
Leader of Opposition in the Assembly and BJP MLA met Prime Minister at his official residence in New Delhi on Wednesday.

According to sources, the two leaders discussed the alleged violence against BJP workers in post Assembly elections and political dynamics in the state.

On Tuesday, Adhikari met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and several other union ministers and BJP leaders in Delhi.

Adhikary arrived in the national capital late on Monday night.

Last week, submitted a representation about post-poll retributive violence to Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar.

Several incidents of violence after the declaration of the state's Assembly poll results have been reported.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alleged that several of its party workers have been killed in the violence. However, the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) has denied the allegations.

The state government, on May 25, had informed the Supreme Court that three people have been arrested in connection with the alleged killing of two BJP workers in post-election violence on May 2 in the state.

(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 move that may take her political battle against the BJP into the Hindi heartland, West Bengal Chief Minister on Wednesday promised to rally opposition-ruled states in support of the agitating farmers, and said she aims to "remove the Narendra Modi government from power".

At a meeting with farmer leaders led by Rakesh Tikait and Yudhvir Singh here during the day, the TMC chief said that there should be a platform where states could converse on policy issues.

"Bulldozing states is not good for the federal structure," she said.

The farmer leaders had come to elicit her support for their agitation against the farm laws passed by the BJP-led central government and in favour of a nationwide law bringing in a guaranteed Minimum Support Price for agricultural crops.

Banerjee's support for the north India-based farmers' unions comes within days of the Trinamool Congress announcing that the party would spread its footprints outside West Bengal's geographical boundaries.

The Bhartiya Kisan Union led by Tikait and Singh had supported the 'No vote for BJP' campaign ahead of the West Bengal assembly elections and have plans to extend that in other upcoming state elections as well, including in Uttar Pradesh which the saffron party rules in alliance with smaller parties.

Banerjee announced after the meeting that her "support for the farmers' movement will be there" and added in an obvious jibe at the Centre that "India is hungrily waiting for policies which help in fighting COVID-19, assist farmers and industry."



The chief minister rhetorically asked, "...why is it so difficult to talk to the farmers?"



She was referring to the breakdown in communication between the Centre and the farmers who have been camping at Delhi's borders for over six months against three farm laws passed by the Parliament.

The agitators feel the new laws will commercialise agriculture without adequate protection to small farmers from exploitation by large retail chains and industry.

"The BJP rule has been disastrous for all sectors from healthcare to farmers to industry. India is suffering...we are facing both natural and political disasters," said Banerjee, who has been reaching out to other opposition-led states in trying to forge a united front against her perceived grievances against the Centre.

The chief minister said that the agriculturist leaders have requested her to talk to other state leaders on the farmers' issue and organise a dialogue with farmers' unions.

"The farmers' movement is not just for Punjab, Haryana or Uttar Pradesh. It is for the whole country," she said.

TMC vice president and former Union finance minister Yashwant Singh, who was also present at the meeting, said, "It is necessary to stop the trend towards commercialisation of farming. We are with the farmers...we want the three laws to be withdrawn and a new law on MSP brought in."



Banerjee's support for the agitation which has drawn on the farming community in rural north India, is being viewed as a potential boost for the stir which has been flagging in recent weeks.

Yudhvir Singh, general secretary of the BKU, told PTI ahead of the meeting, "We want to congratulate for her electoral victory and to elicit her support for the move to give farmers a fair MSP for their crops."



Singh said he wants states to come up MSP for fruits, vegetables and milk products. The lack of a specified MSP and glut in produce often leads to farmers suffering from extremely low prices which results in huge losses, often leading to farmer suicides in many parts of the country.

Banerjee has a long history of being involved with farmers' stirs.

She had earlier built up her challenge against the Left Front government in West Bengal leading agitations in Nandigram and Singur against moves by the then state administration to compulsorily acquire land from farmers for a chemical hub and a car factory respectively.

Analysts speculated that the TMC, which wants to spread to other parts of the country, may be hoping to gain a political foothold in the Hindi heartland by handholding the farmers' movement and taking advantage of the opposition vacuum in the country.

Banerjee's statement that she will remove Modi from power had earlier been made during her election campaign for the West Bengal assembly elections held in March-April this year, where she had promised that she would take the political battle to Delhi.

Since her landslide victory, there have also been talks of her becoming the opposition face for the 2024 general elections, a question to which she has not given any answers yet.

(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 hour-long Fastly Inc. outage was a reminder of how exposed the worlds biggest websites are to the impact of disruptions ranging from simple human error to coordinated cyberattack.

The failure at Fastly, which helps websites load their pages faster, sent vast swaths of the web offline on Tuesday. News websites including CNN, the New York Times and Bloomberg News, services such as Amazon.com Inc., Shopify Inc. and Stripe Inc., plus sites as large as Spotify and Reddit all went offline. U.K. government digital services were also unavailable for a period.

Major sites began reporting problems around 10:30 a.m. U.K. time on Tuesday, according to Downdetector, which tracks service interruptions.

In a summary of the events that unfolded, the company said a valid software configuration change by one of its customers triggered a previously undiscovered bug, introduced during a May 12 software deployment. Fastly quickly identified an issue with its content delivery network and announced it was rolling out a fix just 46 minutes after acknowledging a problem. Sites began to spring back to life soon afterward.

This outage was broad and severe, and were truly sorry for the impact to our customers and everyone who relies on them, Nick Rockwell, Fastlys senior vice president of engineering and infrastructure, said in the blogpost.

Nevertheless, the cascade of failures across the web turned a mere service configuration into a global outage that hit large companies and small users alike.

What does Fastly do?

Fastly is one of a number of high-level website and application hosting services that large enterprises use to serve content to millions of users simultaneously.

Rather than hosting all website content on a single set of servers in one location, Fastlys so-called edge computing model puts servers in dozens of locations, allowing websites to serve pages to users from physical locations closest to them. This cuts lag time, speeding up page-loading and spreading the burden on individual servers.





ALSO READ: Websites back online after Fastly-linked glitch takes down internet

These vast and complex setups are run by just a few companies, such as Fastly, Cloudflare Inc. and Akamai Technologies Inc. The global edge computing market was valued at $4.68 billion in 2020 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate of 38.4% from 2021 to 2028, according to a recent analysis by Grand View Research.

While these setups usually work perfectly, their complexity means that even a simple error in a configuration file can trigger chain reactions of outages. For users, most of whom rarely need to think about how the works, that can come as a shock.

People believe that somehow things dont break. At the end of the day its a computer sitting in a server room with different components that can malfunction, said Mehdi Daoudi, co-founder and chief executive officer of Catchpoint, a technology platform that monitors website performance.

The way networks are built, an outage can quickly cascade. Its a domino effect.

The universe of content is expanding, fast

It wasnt always this way: In earlier iterations of the internet, a basic website consisted of a few pages of text and accompanying images, all of which lived on a single web server with an IP address all to itself. To access that site, an service provider directed a user request to that specific computer.

That setup still works, but the rapid, exponential increase in digital content makes delivering it vastly more complicated for large businesses. Research published by analyst group IDC last May suggested more data will be generated in the next three years than was collectively over the past three decades.

Digital content today lives on multiple identical servers dotted all around the world; some are basic, designed to serve up static content such as text, while others are packed with solid-state hard drives to pump out video files, or filled with fast memory to maintain live conference calls to hundreds of participants.

The biggest content providers, such as Netflix Inc., connect their servers directly to those of an ISP to reduce the demand placed on networks, or install their servers within another network operators infrastructure.

Content distribution networks began taking shape in the 1990s as the outgrew its early infrastructure.

They solved two problems: capacity and performance. But theyre not perfect. Today it was Fastly, but these outages can happen to anyone, said Daoudi.

Large websites are kept online by experienced system administrators. While they know that occasional outages are inevitable, and rarely last more than a few minutes, failures that take globally renowned websites offline never go unnoticed and cause a stir on social media.

But the short-term chaos online -- which can result in furious tweets, failed transactions or canceled subscriptions -- is often worse than the longer-term impact. Even outages that last longer, for several hours or more, are so uncommon that their business fallout is considered minor.



ALSO READ: Active internet users in India likely to reach 900 mn by 2025: IAMAI

While Fastly is one of only a few companies that provide this service, many investors turned on the stock after the company last year lost its largest customer, the Chinese internet giant and TikTok owner ByteDance Ltd. After rising 350% in the second half of last year alone, the shares are down more than 40% this year. The stock gained Tuesday after service was restored.

Was this a hack?

There is no evidence to suggest Fastlys issues on Tuesday were the result of a malicious cyberattack. But widespread outages are often the result of hackers, and are not always the fault of the companies hosting content.

For instance, in 2016, millions of internet users lost access to some of the worlds most popular websites after hackers compromised Domain Name System service provider Dyn Inc.. That knocked offline sites including Twitter, Spotify, Reddit, CNN, Etsy and The New York Times.

Users often see no difference between a distributed-denial-of-service attack or a content delivery network failure. Each can mean the user sees a server not found error or a blank page, leaving them unable to access the site. More malicious hacks hijack websites in an attempt to extort users with ransomware.
has said that every day, blocks more than 100 million phishing attempts and Play Protect scans over 100 billion apps for malware and other issues, as cyber attacks by nation-states and criminals are increasingly becoming brazen and effective.

The past six months have seen some of the most widespread and alarming cyber attacks against the digital infrastructure in history -- against public utilities, private sector companies, government entities and people living in democracies around the world.

"We are deeply concerned by these trends. Security is the cornerstone of our product strategy. We have dedicated teams like Project Zero who focus on finding and fixing vulnerabilities across the web to make the internet safer for all of us," said Kent Walker, SVP of Global Affairs at

Google said that in the US, the company is committed to supporting the most recent White House Cybersecurity Executive Order, which makes critical strides to improve America's cyber defenses in key areas.

Google said that it strongly supports modernising computing systems, making security simple and scalable by default, and adopting best practices like zero trust frameworks.

"As we saw with SolarWinds and the Microsoft Exchange attacks, proprietary systems and restrictions on interoperability and data portability can amplify a network's vulnerability, helping attackers scale up their efforts," Walker emphasised.

"At Google, we've emphasised securing the software supply chain and we've long built technologies and advocated for standards that enhance the integrity and security of software," he added.

Taking a tough stand on growing ransomware attacks, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and US Justice Department have announced to treat such cyber incidents as terror attacks.

Major meat producer JBS USA has suffered a cyberattack and the ransom demand came from a criminal organisation likely based in Russia.

The latest ransomware attack came weeks after a similar cyberattack targeting Colonial Pipeline, which forced the company to shut down approximately 5,500 miles of fuel pipeline for days.

Meaningful improvement in cybersecurity, said Google, will require the public and private sectors to work together in areas like sharing information on cyber threats; developing a comprehensive, defensive security posture to protect against ransomware; and coordinating how they identify and invest in next-generation security tools.

"Governments need industry-wide support and we are ready and willing to do our part," Walker said.

--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.)
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], June 9 (ANI/BusinessWire India): The Covid-19 pandemic has been stressful for people and communities across the nation.

The fear and anxiety with a lack of knowledge have led to social stigma which interferes with social coherence contributing to situations which favour the spread of the disease and hamper the response efforts. The solution to this has been awareness drives in each village of the country breaking this bubble of stigma around Covid-19.

Founded under the visionary, Dr Pratap C Reddy, the mission of the Apollo Hospitals Foundation is to create meaningful interactions with people of the society and help enhance their quality of life in every way possible. Taking her grandfather's legacy forward, Upasana Kamineni Konidela, Vice Chairperson CSR of Apollo Foundation and next-gen entrepreneur believes in creating socialistic sustainable businesses that create meaningful impact and give back to society as a whole.

The Total Health Program has initiated the opening of isolation centres along with releasing a medical manual on creating Isolation centres to curb the second wave in rural & tribal areas. These COVID-19 Isolation Care Centers are located in the Aragonda village area in the Thavanampalle Mandal, Andra Pradesh and in Amrabad Mandal, Telangana within the Nallamala forest which houses primitive tribes called The Chenchus.

The initiative gives corporates & individuals the opportunity & medical guidance to support their villages & forests in the right way if they wish to do so.

Speaking on the successful activation of the centers, Upasana Kamineni Konidela, Vice Chairperson CSR of Apollo Foundation shares, "Our aim at Apollo Foundation is to bridge the disparity in healthcare arising from the variance in availability and access between different regions of the country. With our 'Total Health Programme' we bring forth Total well-being of an individual, inclusive of medical, physical, mental, ecological, and spiritual health. We are grateful to all our supporting partners in the successful turnaround to help combat Covid and safely nurture people back to good health."

Founded by Dr Prathap C Reddy, in the year 2013, the Total Health Programme is India's first integrated rural healthcare service delivery network, initiated by the foundation.

Isolation Center - Highlights:

The isolation care center is exclusively for people who cannot have a home isolation facility and live with their families.

Free Services include - Medical care services, Medicines, Food, Accommodation, Oxygen support to needy patients, post-Covid recovery - yoga and further emergency referral systems to nearby hospitals.

Support and Cooperation from officials - Police, District Collector, MLA, DMHO, Gram panchayat officials.

To help with the withdrawal symptoms, the nurses and volunteers play various games and read stories to promote distraction from their need to consume alcohol.

The Isolation centers break the chain of affecting family members directly.

From its inception in less than 30 days, it has saved over 15,000 to 21000 community members from exposure to Covid-19.

For a copy of the manual, please mail at dr.subbanna@apollototalhealth.org

This story is provided by BusinessWire India. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/BusinessWire India)

DISCLAIMER

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Prosecutors have charged former Volkswagen chief executive Martin Winterkorn with giving false testimony to the German parliament when he said he was unaware of the carmaker's diesel emissions cheating before it became public.

Volkswagen is struggling to draw a line under its biggest ever corporate crisis in which it admitted using illegal software to rig U.S. diesel engine tests. The "dieselgate" scandal has cost the German carmaker more than 32 billion euros ($39 billion) in fines, refits and legal costs.

"In his testimony, the accused falsely claimed to have been informed of the defeat devices only in September 2015," Berlin prosecutors said in a statement on Wednesday, confirming an earlier report in Bild newspaper.

"According to the indictment, he had since May 2015 been aware that the engine control software of some VW vehicles had been equipped with a function to manipulate the exhaust values in testing," the prosecutors added.

A spokesman for Winterkorn, who was Volkswagen CEO between 2007 and 2015 when he left the company, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Volkswagen said in late March said it would claim damages from Winterkorn for breaching his duty of care by failing to fully and swiftly clarify circumstances behind the use of unlawful software functions in some diesel engines. read more

Winterkorn resigned as CEO on Sept. 23, 2015, a week after the scandal was uncovered.

Also Read: US President Joe Biden revokes Trump orders attempting to ban TikTok, WeChat
Bharat Biotech on Wednesday said it will release the complete results of phase-III clinical trials of its COVID-19 vaccine Covaxin in July.

The Hyderabad-based company said it will apply for full licence for Covaxin, which was granted emergency use authorisation by the country's drug regulator in January, after the release of phase-III data.

"It is critical to understand, and further emphasise the phase-III data will first be submitted to Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), followed by peer-reviewed journals, with a timeline of three months for publication, and as communicated earlier, Covaxin phase-III results full trial data will be made public during July," the company told news agency ANI.

The phase-III trial data is also required for getting emergency use listing (EUL) from the World Health Organisation (WHO). A guidance document on the WHO website showed that Bharat Biotech submitted an expression of interest for EUL on April 19. Last month, the company told the government it had submitted 90 per cent documents to WHO for EUL for Covaxin.

Also read: India can save fuel worth Rs 3.11 lakh crore till 2050; here's how

In March, the vaccine maker said Covaxin demonstrated 81 per cent interim efficacy in preventing COVID-19 in those without prior infection after the second dose.

The vaccine has an overall efficacy of 78 per cent and efficacy against hospitalisation is 100 per cent, the news agency quoted the company as saying.

The company also rejected a recent comparative report on the evaluation of immunogenicity responses to spike protein after the first and second dose of Covishield, manufactured by the Serum Institute of India, and Covaxin. The report said more antibodies were produced by Covishield than Covaxin.

Bharat Biotech said it was not a peer-reviewed publication and the study was not designed scientifically. "The study design and conduct reflect an ad hoc analysis, rather than a predetermined hypothesis," ANI quoted the company as saying.

The company also said it will carry out phase-IV trials of Covaxin to check on the real-world effectiveness of the vaccine, and to ensure it meets every rigorous scientific standard for safety, effectiveness and manufacturing quality needed to support emergency use authorisation.

Also read: Bitcoin selloff: Will the cryptocurrency drop to $20,000?
All India Institute of Medical Sciences Director Dr Randeep Guleria brushed off reports that said that the third wave will severely impact children. So far, children below 18 years of age have not been administered COVID-19 vaccine.

During a media briefing on Tuesday, Dr Guleria said, "It is a piece of misinformation that subsequent waves of the COVID-19 pandemic are going to cause severe illness in children. There is no data -- either from India or globally -- to show that children will be seriously infected in subsequent waves."

The AIIMS chief added that 60-70 per cent of children who were admitted to hospitals due to COVID-19 second wave either had comorbidities or low immunity. He said that healthy children recovered with mild illness without need for hospitalisation.

Dr Guleria also explained why waves occur in pandemics. "The second wave of 1918 Spanish Flu was the biggest, after which there was a smaller third wave," he said, explaining that waves occur in pandemics caused by respiratory viruses. SARS-CoV-2 is also a respiratory virus.

He said that multiple waves occur when there is a susceptible population but when a large part of the population acquires immunity, then the virus becomes endemic and the infection seasonal. Dr Guleria said that waves can also occur due to the change in the virus. "Since new mutations become more infectious, there is a higher chance for the virus to spread," he said.

The third reason why pandemics occur in waves is because of human behaviour. He said that people follow norms when cases increase but let their guards down when lockdowns are eased up. "Due to this, the virus again starts spreading in the community, leading potentially to another wave," he elaborated.

The AIIMS Director also said that in order to stop subsequent waves, people need to follow COVID-19 appropriate behaviour aggressively till a significant number part of the population is vaccinated or gain natural immunity. "When enough people are vaccinated or when we acquire natural immunity against the infection, then these waves will stop. The only way out is to strictly follow COVID appropriate behaviour," he said.

Also read: Covid-19 vaccine: These 3 categories can now take Covishield jabs before 84 days

Also read: COVID-19 vaccine: Covishield produces more antibodies than Covaxin, says study
The CBI has carried out searches at 14 locations in Delhi-NCR and three other cities after registering an FIR against Oyster Buildwell Private Ltd, Avantha group promoter Gautam Thapar and others for alleged diversion of over Rs 466 crore in Yes Bank during 2017-19, officials said.

Thapar is already being probed in another case related to diversion of public money in Yes Bank allegedly involving the bank''s former chief Rana Kapoor, they said.

In the present case, the CBI has also booked directors of Oyster Buildwell Pvt Ltd - Raghubir Kumar Sharma, Rajendra Kumar Mangal and Tapsi Mahajan - as well as unidentified executives of Avantha Realty Pvt Ltd and Jhabua Power Ltd.

Oyster Buildwell Pvt Ltd (OBPL) is part of Avantha group with over 97 percent stake held by Avantha Realty and the remaining by Thapar and Vani agencies, the CBI alleged.

The case has been registered on a complaint, dated May 27, 2021, from Chief Vigilance Officer of the Bank Ashish Vinod Joshi.

The CBI has alleged that the accused have indulged in a criminal conspiracy, criminal breach of trust, cheating and forgery for diversion of public money to the tune of Rs 466.15 crore, they said.

After registering the case, the CBI team searched at 14 locations in Delhi and NCR, Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh), Secunderabad (Telangana) and Kolkata (West Bengal) including the premises of the accused, they said.

The complaint by Yes Bank, now a part of the FIR, has alleged that Jhabua Power Limited (JPL), a group concern of OBPL, entered in a operations and maintenance contract for its 600 MW power plant with its holding company Jhabua Power Investment Ltd for 10 years.

OBPL was required to pay an interest-free refundable security deposit of Rs 515 crore to JPIL for which Yes Bank had sanctioned a long-term loan of Rs 515 crore for 10 years.

The company defaulted on payments with the account turning into a non-performing asset on October 30, 2019.

The total outstanding principal dues stand at Rs 466.15 crore, it alleged.

During its forensic audit, the bank found that only Rs 14.16 crore of the total Rs 514.27 crore disbursed by the bank were transferred to JPIL in its IndusInd bank account and "ultimate end use of Rs 500.11 crore loan fund could not be ascertained", the complaint alleged.

The inspection of JPIL accounts showed that it had granted an advance of Rs 345.15 crore to group company Avantha Power and Infrastructure Ltd from the security money received from OBPL, but in the absence of account statements of JPIL, the money trail could not be established by the auditor, it alleged.

During an internal review of bank documents, Yes Bank found that the money given to OBPL for the security deposit to JPIL was used by it to clear loans of the Avantha group of Gautam Thapar.

Also Read: Why YES Bank share rose over 10% today
El Salvador on Wednesday became the first nation in the entire world to officially grant legal tender status to cryptocurrency Bitcoin. A majority of the South American country's lawmakers gave their nod to a bill presented by President Nayib Bukele, which proposed embracing the world's highest-valued cryptocurrency as legal tender in the country. Bukele said that people who invest in Bitcoin in El Salvador will get citizenship in the country.

With 62 out of 84 possible votes, a huge majority of lawmakers of El Salvador voted in favour of President Bukele's initiative, according to a Reuters' report.

The majority of lawmakers have agreed to create a law that will officially adopt Bitcoin. However, there are concerns about the potential impact of this on El Salvador's program with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the report said.

"The purpose of this law is to regulate bitcoin as unrestricted legal tender with liberating power, unlimited in any transaction, and to any title that public or private natural or legal persons require carrying out," the law reads.

Bukele has backed the cryptocurrency, explaining the use of Bitcoin will help Salvadorans living in foreign nations to send remittances back home. The US dollar is stated to continue as legal tender in the country.

"It will bring financial inclusion, investment, tourism, innovation and economic development for our country," Bukele said on Twitter shortly before the vote on the bill in Congress.

Bukele added that the use of Bitcoin, which will be optional, would not put users at risk. Bitcoin's use as legal tender will go into law in 90 days, Bukele explained. "The government will guarantee the convertibility to the exact value in dollars at the moment of each transaction," Bukele said.

The economy of El Salvador is dollarised and thus relies heavily on money sent back from workers abroad. In 2019, remittances to the country made up nearly $6 billion or around a fifth of GDP, according to World Bank data. This is one of the highest ratios in the world.

Also Read: El Salvador wants Bitcoin to be legal tender; here's why
Choteau, MT (59422)

Today

Scattered thunderstorms during the evening, with mainly clear skies after midnight. Low 56F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Scattered thunderstorms during the evening, with mainly clear skies after midnight. Low 56F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
A coronavirus outbreak in China's southern Guangdong province is hindering trade activity at some of the country's biggest ports. The rise in COVID-19 infections in the province has sparked fears of further disruption in international trade that may drive the price of China's exports.

Over 100 fresh cases have been reported since May 21 in Guangdong, China's manufacturing hub and biggest province by economic output.

Spooked by the rise in the number of infections, the Chinese government imposed strict counter-measures. Processing at the Yantian container terminal in Shenzhen has nosedived.

Also Read: CoronaVac COVID-19 vaccine for children above 3 years approved in China

The port had suspended exports for around a week last month after workers tested COVID positive. There has also been a steep drop in the number of ships docking as authorities imposed precautionary measures to stem coronavirus cases.

The curtailment of operations at Yantian has exacerbated congestion at the nearby Chinese ports of Shekou and Nansha. This highlights the susceptibilities of global shipping to outbreaks in China, where new infections though have remained low in contrast to other major economies over the past year.

"It's a question of the size of the terminal," Lars Mikael Jensen of Maersk told the Financial Times. "This is a terminal that is active in all markets, one of the biggest in the world and it leads to some sort of ripple effect, he added.

Meanwhile, the authorities in Guangdong province have stepped up mass testing this week in a handful of cities, including those that have yet to report a single case.

Also Read: US report concludes COVID-19 may have originated from Wuhan lab

The province has reported more than 110 confirmed cases since May 21. Its provincial capital Guangzhou has accounted for almost 90% of the confirmed cases, spurring the city of over 18 million people to ramp up mass testing.

While the numbers of confirmed infections and asymptomatic cases remain small compared to massive outbreaks seen in other countries such as India and Brazil, China is taking no chances.

On June 7, China reported 33 new coronavirus cases on the mainland, up from 19 cases a day earlier, the National Health Commission said on Tuesday. Of the new cases, 19 were local transmissions from Guangdong, the health authority added.
The White House has dropped Trump-era executive orders that attempted to ban the popular apps TikTok and WeChat and will conduct its own review aimed at identifying national security risks with software applications tied to China, officials said Wednesday.

A new executive order directs the Commerce Department to undertake what officials describe as an "evidence-based" analysis of transactions involving apps that are manufactured or supplied or controlled by China. Officials are particularly concerned about apps that collect users' persona data or have connections to Chinese military or intelligence activities.

The department also will make recommendations on how to further protect Americans' genetic and personal health information, and will address the risks of certain software apps connected to China or other adversaries, according to senior administration officials.

The Biden administration's move reflects the ongoing concern that Americans' personal data could be exposed by popular apps tied to China, a chief U.S. economic and political rival. The White House and Congress have both taken action to address Beijing's technological advancement. On Tuesday, the Senate passed a bill that aims to boost U.S. semiconductor production and the development of artificial intelligence and other technology in the face of growing international competition.

The administration earlier this year had backed off President Donald Trump's attempts to ban the popular video app TikTok, asking a court to postpone a legal dispute as the government began a broader review of the national security threats posed by Chinese technology companies.

A court filing said the Commerce Department was reviewing whether Trump's claims about TikTok's threat to national security justified the attempts to ban it from smartphone app stores and deny it vital technical services. An update to the review was due in a court case later this week.

Also in limbo has been a proposed U.S. takeover of TikTok. Last year, the Trump administration brokered a deal that would have had U.S. corporations Oracle and Walmart take a large stake in the Chinese-owned app on national security grounds.

The unusual arrangement stemmed from a Trump executive order that aimed to ban TikTok in the U.S. unless it accepted a greater degree of American control.

Trump targeted TikTok over the summer of 2020 with a series of orders that cited concerns over the U.S. data that TikTok collects from its users. Courts temporarily blocked the White House's attempted ban, and the presidential election soon overshadowed the TikTok fight.

TikTok has been looking to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit to review Trump's divestment order and the government's national security review.
A group of IIT Delhi researchers have asserted that the possibility that COVID-19 could have originated in a lab cannot be ruled out. "It is very hard to conclusively state whether this virus is of natural or lab origin, unlike the publications which state that it cannot be of lab origin," said the researchers, led by Prof Biswajit Kundu, in a statement after their preliminary study was withdrawn.

The group of scientists had conducted research on the origins of SARS-CoV-2, the virus which causes COVID-19 infection. They had initially published a preliminary article in the research journal BioRxiv. The paper laid out the possibility of the coronavirus originating from a lab. The research drew a lot of eyeballs and also criticisms. The paper titled "Uncanny similarity of unique inserts in the 2019-nCoV spike protein to HIV-1 gp120 and Gag" was later withdrawn. However, their findings have continued to make waves. The authors of the papers from KSBS, IIT Delhi and Acharya Narendra Dev College, University of Delhi, have now issued a statement to clarify their stance.

"In the earliest days of the COVID-19 emergency (pre-pandemic), we started our research aimed at understanding the uniqueness of this virus compared to its predecessor, the SARS-CoV-1, they said.

"To our surprise, we identified four small but unique insertions in the spike protein of this virus, while most other changes were substitutions. Interestingly, on further analyses, we found that three short inserts had similarity to the protein of similar function in some strains of HIV," the researchers have claimed. "In our analyses, the only virus genome which contained regions similar to all the four unique inserts was only HIV1, making us claim that these inserts are unique to SARS-CoV2 and not any other coronavirus," they added.

The researchers have stated that due to the COVID-19 emergency, they decided to bring their findings in front of the world as a pre-print. "The pre-print drew so much of media attention in a matter of hours and the way things got twisted in public domain in the form of 'Biowar' and 'Conspiracy theories' etc. that we got completely puzzled. Our intention was to simply place our findings so that researchers around the world take some clues and devise suitable remedial measures (vaccines, diagnostics, neutralising antibodies, etc)," they said.

"It was obviously a preprint and not a fully polished article. In view of all the criticisms, name calling and unprecedented negative publicity, we decided to withdraw the preprint and follow the peer-reviewed publication process," they said.

The scientists added that even though they incorporated all constructive criticisms received online in a revised manuscript, none of the journals were ready to consider the manuscript for peer-review "probably due to fear of negative publicity and deviations from the widely accepted views of the time".

"Our findings are only restricted to the observation that the appearance of 4 different stretches of amino acid sequences (how much ever short), in the host cell interacting proteins of two completely unrelated viruses is more than a mere chance event," the researchers stated.

Also Read: Fresh COVID outbreak in China rattles trade; stokes fears of disruption
Sensex and Nifty were likely to open lower as Nifty futures on the Singapore Exchange fell 8.5 points to 15,755 today. On Tuesday, equity benchmarks ended marginally lower amid losses in HDFC twins, Reliance Industries and ICICI Bank. Sensex slipped 52.94 points to 52,275 and Nifty declined 11.55 points to 15,740.

Top Sensex losers were SBI, HDFC twins, Kotak Bank, PowerGrid and ICICI Bank falling up to 1%.

Here's a look at stocks which are likely to remain in news today.

Bank of Baroda: Bank of Baroda will conduct an e-auction of as many as 46 NPA accounts later this month to recover dues of Rs 597.41 crore.

Adani Enterprises: The company said it has incorporated a wholly owned subsidiary firm for manufacturing wind turbine generators.

Religare Enterprises: Financial services player said it plans to raise Rs 570 crore via preferential issuance of shares to a clutch of investors, including existing shareholders, to fund its business plans.

Galaxy Surfactants: The speciality chemicals company reported a 25.3 per cent rise in consolidated profit after tax (PAT) to Rs 78.7 crore in Q4 against PAT of Rs 62.8 crore during the corresponding quarter of 2019-20.

Prestige Estates Projects: The realty firm reported a Rs 1,336.3 crore net profit for the quarter ending March, driven by monetisation of a large portfolio of commercial assets. Its net profit stood at Rs 15.4 crore in the year-ago period.

Max Financial Services: The healthcare services firm reported a multi-fold rise in consolidated net profit at Rs 70 crore in Q4 against net profit of Rs 6.7 crore in the same period a year ago.

Power Grid Corporation: The firm has fully commissioned India's first Voltage Source Convertor (VSC) based HVDC (high voltage direct current) electricity transmission system, the power ministry said.

Tata Motors: The homegrown automaker said it has incorporated a new subsidiary to provide end-to-end services of operating, repair, annual maintenance contracts (AMC) and fleet management services (FMS) for its product range, including electric vehicles.

Mphasis: The Competition Commission has cleared the proposed acquisition of a stake in IT company Mphasis by BCP Topco, Waverly Pte and Platinum Owl. The proposed transaction pertains to the acquisition of up to 75 per cent shareholding in Mphasis.
Sensex fell 334 points on Wednesday, tracking losses in index heavyweights such as Reliance Industries, ICICI Bank and L&T amid a weak trend in global markets. Sensex closed 333.93 points lower at 51,941 and Nifty slipped 104.75 points to 15,635.

L&T was the top Sensex loser, falling around 1.80 per cent, followed by Reliance Industries, Bajaj Finserv, IndusInd Bank, SBI, Maruti, Axis Bank and Bajaj Auto.

On the other hand, PowerGrid, NTPC, Titan, HCL Tech and Asian Paints were among the gainers rising up to 3.42%.

Of 30 Sensex stocks, 22 ended in the red.

Shrikant Chouhan, Executive Vice President, Equity Technical Research at Kotak Securities said, "Today, strong rejection at 15800/52500 levels resulted in a vertical decline in the market. The Nifty/Sensex fell to 15,565/51,717 in a short span of time. It's a bearish reversal formation for the market and in the next one or two sessions, the market may fall to 15,500 or 15,450 (51600/51300) levels. The sell-off was mainly in small-cap and mid-cap stocks, which had seen strong momentum over the past few weeks, while other sectors too displayed weakness today. Buy in select companies, if Nifty falls to 15500/15450 (51600/51300) levels."

BSE midcap and small cap indices fell 162 points and 235 points, respectively.

Market cap on BSE fell to Rs 227.85 lakh crore.

Market breadth was negative with 1,741 stocks falling against 1,445 shares ending higher on BSE.

Meanwhile, rupee declined 8 paise to end at 72.97 against the US currency in its second straight day of losses amid a lacklustre trend in domestic equities. At the interbank foreign exchange market, the rupee opened on a negative note at 72.90 per dollar as against its previous close of 72.89. It hovered in the range of 72.88 to 73.02 per dollar during the day.

The domestic currency has lost 17 paise in the last two trading sessions.

Further, Asian markets also traded weak today mainly reacting on higher-than-expected jump in China's producer price index at 9 per cent for May.

Elsewhere in Asia, bourses in Seoul, Tokyo and Hong Kong closed in the red, while Shanghai ended with gains.

Equities in Europe were also trading on a negative note in mid-session deals.

International oil benchmark Brent crude was trading 0.36 per cent higher at USD 72.48 per barrel.
State-owned Bank of Baroda will conduct an e-auction of as many as 46 NPA accounts later this month to recover dues of Rs 597.41 crore. The lender, in a notification, said it intends to sell these NPA accounts to asset reconstruction companies (ARCs) / banks / NBFCs or other financial institutions (FIs) on 100 per cent cash basis, for which the e-auction will take place on June 21, 2021.

The major NPA accounts put up for sale include Meena Jewels Export & Meena Jewellers Export (Rs 60.76 crore); Crystal Cable Industries (Rs 57.49 crore); J R Foods Ltd (Rs 41.60 crore); Shree Raghuvanshi Fibres (Rs 27.38 crore); Kaneri Agro Industries (Rs 24.69 crore); Man Tubinox (Rs 24.28 crore) and Aryans Educational and Charitable Trust (Rs 20.79 crore).

The last date for submission of expression of interest is June 19, the bank said, adding the completion of due diligence will take place on the same day. "E-bidding timings will be from 11.30 AM to 12.30 PM with unlimited extension of 5 minutes in case the amount is increased by the bidders. The incremental amount shall be in multiple of Rs 10 lakh," Bank of Baroda said.

With respect to Chennai-based Rahima Leather Exports against which there is an outstanding of Rs 9.13 crore, Bank of Baroda said it has received an ECGC claim of Rs 1.18 crore. This account will be retained by the bank and not be passed on to ARC/NBFC/bank/FIs, it said.

Bidder will also have to give an affidavit that they are "in no way connected to or acting on behalf of or in concert or on behalf of any of the accounts or its promoters, including promoter's family", as per the provisions of Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC), 2016, it said.

The bank said any ECGC/CGTMSE claim received or to be received in any of the accounts under the sale will be retained by it and will not be passed on to ARCs/ banks/ NBFCs/ FIs. The Export Credit Guarantee Corporation (ECGC) is a government owned body which provides export credit insurance support to Indian exporters.

Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises (CGTMSE) is a government owned trust which offers credit guarantee to financial institutions which give loans to the MSME sector.

Also read: SBI gets a foot in door of accounts aggregator biz with Cashfree investment
Cab aggregator Uber announced on Wednesday that it is recruiting engineers for its Bengaluru and Hyderabad-based teams. The company is looking to hire 250 engineers in a bid to expand the scope of its engineering and product operations in India.

This round of hiring will strengthen the company's rider and driver growth, delivery, eats, digital payments, risk & compliance, marketplace, customer obsession, infrastructure, adtech, data, safety and finance technology teams, stated Uber.

The roles will be divided between the Hyderabad and Bengaluru tech centres.

The company said that it has plans to make mobility and delivery more accessible as part of its expansion plans. Uber aims to become the 'backbone' of transportation in over 10,000 cities across the globe.

"Our teams in Hyderabad and Bengaluru work on important global mandates, and pioneer various industry-first innovations. In order to serve more people across the globe, were expanding our teams and are looking for bright engineering minds so we can collectively solve mobility and delivery challenges across all our global markets," said Senior Director of Engineering, Manikandan Thangarathnam.

Uber is already reaching out to prospective candidates for the new teams as well as adding to the existing ones, including Uber Eats.

Also read: Hiring outlook likely to be stable in Q3FY22, shows survey

Also read: RIL created over 75,000 jobs, hired 50,000 freshers in FY21
Highlights The Astrophotography feature is available on Pixel 4 and newer Pixel phones.

The Locked Folder in Google Photos lets you save photos and videos and secure them with passcode or biometrics.

Pixel phone and voice features have been improved as well, and more languages and dialects have been added.

For its Pixel devices, Google has released a new Pixel Feature Drop update. Google is known for releasing new features for its Pixel smartphones every three months. The most recent update for June comes with some intriguing new features. Google Camera update brings at least one of the promised features: time-lapse astrophotography. Unfortunately, these features are currently only available to Pixel devices.

Google Camera 8.2.400 is now rolling out on Google Play, and after installing it on a Pixel 4 smartphone running Android 11, one can find the astrophotography video feature has been added. Astrophotography now includes Night Sight time-lapse/video. You can find it in Google Cam's Settings > Advanced > Enable time-lapse for astrophotography.

In order to use the Astrophotography feature, you must place your phone on a tripod, as it has to be completely still. Then open Night Sight and tap the shutter button. Once the phone starts recording, allow it a minute or so to snap images of the night sky. Once you're satisfied it's taken enough photos, tap the shutter button again, and Android will put together a fantastic image with an animated starry backdrop.

Another useful photography feature teased back at the Google I/O event was having a private folder in Google Photos protected by password or biometrics. The June Pixel Drop is bringing that feature to Google Pixel users. Not only will you be able to store all of your personal or sensitive photos, but you'll also be able to save photos taken with the camera directly to a Locked Folder. Better yet, all the images are saved locally and will not show up in memories, shared albums, or any other apps on your device.

Another important update is the car crash detection feature that is a part of the personal safety app. It automatically alerts emergency services when a car crash is detected. This feature was previously only available in the US, the UK, and Australia, But now, it is rolling out to users in Spain, Ireland, and Singapore.

The June 2021 Pixel Feature Drop update is being rolled out for the following Google Pixel smartphones:

Pixel 5

Pixel 4a (5G)

Pixel 4a

Pixel 4 XL

Pixel 4

Pixel 3a XL

Pixel 3a

Pixel 3 XL

Pixel 3

Since June is Pride month, Google is celebrating by adding new Pride-themed wallpapers and sounds. Also, users of Pixel 4 and above can now ask Google Assistant to accept or reject calls.
Chinese phone maker OnePlus is expected to launch the OnePlus Nord CE 5G smartphone in India on June 10 as part of its Summer Launch Event. The smartphone will be launched alongside the OnePlus TV U1S in the country.

At the event, the firm is expected to unveil the details of the OnePlus Nord CE 5G, which it has promised would be big on every front. In order to build up hype for the upcoming OnePlus Nord CE 5G, the company has released some teasers through its social media handles.

Few details about the OnePlus Nord CE 5G are known through these teasers and other leaks. OnePlus Nord CE 5G is being viewed as the successor to the OnePlus Nord which was launched in India last year. OnePlus Nord was the firm's affordable mid-range device.

OnePlus Nord CE 5G Details

One Plus CEO Pete Lau has stated that the phone will be more affordable than the original Nord as the price is one of the most important aspects for phones in India, especially budget devices. OnePlus Nord CE 5G will be launched with hardware that is more fitting for 2021.

Through leaks and teasers, it is known that OnePlus Nord CE 5G will have a sleek and streamlined design. It will have a thickness of just 7.9 mm. OnePlus Nord CE 5G will boast a triple-lens camera setup that will have an impressive 64-megapixel primary sensor. In its Instagram teasers, OnePlus had revealed that there would be a 3.5mm audio jack.

OnePlus Nord CE 5G is expected to feature a Snapdragon 750 ship. It will also have a fluid AMOLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate. The latest teaser had revealed that the phone would sport a 4,500mAh battery.

OnePlus Nord CE 5G Price in India

It is expected that OnePlus Nord CE 5G would be cheaper than OnePlus Nord. Since the original price of the OnePlus Nord was Rs 24,999, OnePlus Nord CE 5G's price could be in the range of Rs 20,000- 25,000. Those who are interested in buying the OnePlus Nord CE 5G can head on over to Amazon or the OnePlus India website and show their interest.

The phone will be available for pre-ordering from June 11 onwards but only for Red Cable Club members. These people can book the smartphone on Amazon or OnePlus India website. Red Cable Club members will receive gifts worth Rs 2,699 for pre-ordering the device.

One Plus Nord CE 5G launch contests

For its Summer Launch Event, OnePlus is conducting a few contests in which fans of the firm stand a chance to win some goodies. They may even win a OnePlus Nord CE 5G if they are lucky enough.

To take part in the contests, interested parties need to head on over to the product page of the device on Amazon or OnePlus India website and click on the "Notify Me" option. Those who have enrolled in the contests stand a chance to win prizes every day till June 10, 11:59 pm.

The prizes for these contests range from OnePlus Nord CE 5G, a OnePlus TV U Series U1S to Rs 500 off on the OnePlus Phone, Rs 1000 off on OnePlus TV and Rs 100 off on OnePlus Audio. Winners of the contests will receive the prizes on their OnePlus account as coupons which will remain valid until June 30.

The company will also offer merchandise related to the Nord series at its Summer Launch Event on June 10.

Also Read: Is OnePlus working on cryptocurrency wallet? Company's survey hints so
First CSP Plant in Latin America to Provide 100% Renewable Energy on 24-Hour Basis



Facility to Supply Chilean National Electrical System with Flexible, Reliable and Safe Energy



EIG, a leading institutional investor to the global energy sector and one of the worlds leading infrastructure investors, today announced the inauguration of the Cerro Dominador solar complex following a successful synchronization with the Chilean National Electrical System. Cerro Dominador is wholly-owned by funds managed by EIG.

Located in the heart of Chile's Atacama Desert, one of the best locations in the world for solar generation, the complex comprises a 110 MW CSP plant and a contiguous 100 MW photovoltaic (PV) plant that has been operational since 2017. The CSP plant runs on cutting-edge technology that uses solar energy to heat molten salt, which is then stored in large tanks to be used to generate electricity through a steam turbine. This technology provides up to 17.5 hours of energy storage thereby enabling the production of 100% renewable energy 24-hours a day, seven days a week. The complex can offset approximately 640,000 tons of CO2 emissions per year and generate enough energy to power approximately 380,000 homes.

R. Blair Thomas, Chairman & CEO of EIG, said, We are proud to support this groundbreaking project, which will provide the Chilean national grid with flexible, safe and reliable renewable energy and contribute meaningfully to reducing CO2 emissions in Chile. The project is fully aligned with our ESG goals and priorities and is helping to lay the groundwork for a low carbon future through the production of clean, reliable and cost-effective energy. We are committed to continued investment in future CSP projects in Chile and other parts of the world.

To commemorate the inauguration of the solar complex, Cerro Dominador hosted a ceremony at the facility that was attended by President Sebastian Pinera of Chile, Juan Carlos Jobet, Chiles Minister of Energy and Mining, Carolina Schmidt, Chiles Minister of the Environment, and other leading government officials. Mr. Thomas and Fernando Gonzalez, Cerro Dominadors CEO, also participated.

About EIG

EIG is a leading institutional investor to the global energy sector with $21.7 billion under management as of March 31, 2021. EIG specializes in private investments in energy and energy-related infrastructure on a global basis. During its 39-year history, EIG has committed over $37 billion to the energy sector through more than 370 projects or companies in 37 countries on six continents. EIGs clients include many of the leading pension plans, insurance companies, endowments, foundations and sovereign wealth funds in the U.S., Asia and Europe. EIG is headquartered in Washington, D.C. with offices in Houston, London, Sydney, Rio de Janeiro, Hong Kong and Seoul. For additional information, please visit EIGs website at www.eigpartners.com.

About Cerro Dominador

Cerro Dominador owns the Cerro Dominador Solar complex, with 210 MW of capacity, combining a 100 MW photovoltaic plant, and the first solar thermal plant in Latin America with 110 MW of capacity and 17.5 hours of thermal storage. The company, owned by funds managed by EIG, seeks to contribute to the transformation of the energy matrix by developing renewable energy projects. With innovation, Cerro Dominador creates renewable energy projects that are flexible, manageable and sustainable.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210608005202/en/
Last weekend Proton Technologies began loading a trailer with compressed hydrogen from its oilfield.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210609005271/en/

Proton Technologies Canada Chair and CEO Grant Strem (Photo: Business Wire)

As we scale up, costs below 25 cents per kg of H2 seem probable, says Chair and CEO, Grant Strem.

The process involves injecting oxygen and CO2 into old oilfields like the one Proton purchased out of bankruptcy. Large old oilfields usually still have most of their oil when they are abandoned. Like in a car engine, oxidizing hydrocarbons releases energy.

This liberates hydrogen within the oil field. Injecting ion-rich waste streams turns CO2 into carbonate, producing additional hydrogen while leaving the carbon locked solidly underground. Our hydrogen should ultimately have a carbon intensity far below zero since we can inject huge volumes of CO2 with oxygen, added Mr. Strem.

Big old oilfields are generally co-located with big infrastructure such as wells, powerlines, roads, towns, and pipelines, so we can avoid new environmental disturbances and costs compared to many alternatives, says COO Setayesh Afshordi.

Proton Canadas goal is to supply 10% of humanitys total energy by 2040  requiring almost 10% of Canadas oil resource, assuming a 50 year production timeline, although some of this is expected to come out of the North Sea. Proton Technologies has sold licences in over 20 countries.

We plan to scale-up and proliferate quickly as possible because air pollution is a crisis that Proton Technologies expects to help eradicate while crushing the price of energy and making great returns. I dont believe anyone will cure cancer for example, while air pollution reigns. Although decarbonization carrots and sticks all align with Proton, compared to how we utilize oilfields for energy today it is simply much more efficient to oxidize hydrocarbons in the pressure vessels nature put them in added Mr. Strem.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210609005271/en/
Covid-19 /

In Depth: Asias ruined run of pandemic success

Taiwan isnt the only place in Asia to have recently suffered a surge in cases after long keeping a lid on infections.

After Vietnam spent most of 2020 close to normality, the country started to set daily case records in May, recording thousands of cases over the past few weeks. The outbreak was characterized by multiple sources of infections, a variety of variants and rapid spread in industrial zones.

In Thailand, rapid transmission in prisons and among construction workers has pushed daily case counts into the thousands since April. Close to 10,000 cases were added May 17 to the countrys tally, more than in the whole of last year, though daily case numbers have generally been lower.

Tencent /

Trailing rivals, Tencent short-video app pivots to movies and TV

Tencent Holdings Ltd. said it will reposition its Weishi app to focus on film and TV content, as the short-video platform struggles to win users in an increasingly saturated domestic market dominated by Douyin and Kuaishou.

Weishi will pivot away from sharing user-uploaded videos and instead offer TV and movie clips, help to distribute Tencents licensed content and build a system to redistribute works by other creators, Sun Zhonghuai, the technology giants vice president, said Monday at a press conference in Shanghai.

FINANCE & ECONOMY

Liu Canglong. Photo: VCG

Trust /

Sichuan Trust boss detained amid probe into missing billions

A Chinese businessman with family links to the eldest son of jailed former security czar Zhou Yongkang was detained by police investigating the collapse of Sichuan Trust Co. Ltd., which was taken over by the provincial government and banking regulator last year amid concerns it couldnt repay 25.3 billion yuan ($3.9 billion) of investors money.

Liu Canglong, who controls companies with a combined 54.2% stake in the troubled trust company, is being held by the public security bureau in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province, on suspicion of misappropriating trust funds, Sichuan Hongda Co. Ltd., said in a brief statement (link in Chinese) to the Shanghai Stock Exchange Monday. Liu is the controlling holder of Sichuan Hongda, although he is not a director and doesnt hold any official position in the company, according to the statement.

Personnel /

Newly merged internet giant GoTo appoints veteran finance chief ahead of planned IPO

GoTo Group, the company born from the merger of Indonesian tech giants Gojek and Tokopedia, appointed finance veteran Jacky Lo as its chief financial officer (CFO) as it moves toward a planned IPO.

The appointment, effective Monday, makes Lo the first CFO of GoTo Group, the largest e-commerce and online ride-hailing platform in Indonesia, according to a press release by the company. Lo, also known as Lo Wei Jye, held the same position at fintech business OneConnect Financial Technology Co. Ltd. from October 2019 to April this year, where he led the companys New York listing in 2019.

IMF /

Chinas Zhang Tao wraps up 5 years as deputy IMF chief

Zhang Tao, the deputy managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), will conclude his five-year service at the global financial institution when his term expires Aug. 20, Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said Monday.

I want to express my profound gratitude to Tao for his wise counsel, unwavering support and tremendous contribution to the Fund and our membership, Georgieva said in a statement.

Quick hits /

Chinas new ambassador arrives in the U.K.

China bond selloff fears grow as liquidity begins to tighten

BUSINESS & TECH

Tourists shop at a duty-free store in Sanya, Hainan province, on May 9. Photo: VCG

Tax rebates /

China mulls tax rebates for domestic goods entering Hainan Free Trade Port

The highly rated free trade port of the southern province of Hainan is likely to enjoy an additional tax benefit as lawmakers consider offering tax rebates on domestic goods entering the island.

Value-added tax (VAT) and consumption tax levied on such goods will be refunded, the state-run Xinhua News Agency reported (link in Chinese) Monday. It cited the latest draft of the Hainan Free Trade Port Law submitted to the standing committee of the National Peoples Congress, Chinas top legislature, for a third reading.

The provision, aimed at balancing taxes on domestic and imported goods and leveling the playing field for domestic and overseas traders, was proposed by some lawmakers during the second reading of the law, according to Xinhua.

Energy /

State-owned power giant China Energy triples down on renewables

Power major China Energy Investment Corp. plans to install 15 gigawatts of new solar and wind capacity this year, nearly triple its total from 2020, as the nation races to wean itself from fossil fuel-fired power ahead of Chinas pledge to go carbon neutral by 2060.

The aggressive new target, unveiled Saturday at a coal industry event by Gu Dajian, executive vice director of China Energys science and technology commission, compares with 5.22 gigawatts of solar and wind power installed by the power giant last year.

IPO /

Yili spinoff Youran Dairy seeks $799 million in Hong Kong IPO

China Youran Dairy Group Ltd., a spinoff of dairy giant Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group Co., is seeking to raise as much as HK$6.2 billion ($799 million) in a Hong Kong initial public offering (IPO).

The company and private equity firm PAG are selling 715 million shares at a suggested offering price range of HK$6.98 to HK$8.66 a share, 10% of which would be sold in Hong Kong and 90% globally, according to a prospectus filed with the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.

Investors can order shares starting Monday, and the offering is expected to be priced June 10. The stock is set to begin trading June 18.

Blockchain /

Telecom and cyber regulators urge more government support for blockchain

Chinas telecom and cyberspace regulators called on local governments to promote the development of blockchain technology in a newly issued document.

The document (link in Chinese) was released Monday on the website of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, and was jointly drafted with the Cyberspace Administration of China. It contains a lengthy discussion on the subject of blockchain, including reasons for promoting the technology and ways local governments can encourage such promotion.

Quick hits /

Alibaba-backed Zuoyebang slashes tutoring sales staff

Delivery platform Dada losses swell despite healthy revenue growth

EU companies warn Beijing-Brussels political tensions are hurting business

Energy Insider /

Energy Insider: Eight people killed in Henan coal mine; Tianjin shuts steel mills to cut pollution

Thanks for reading. If you haven't already, click here to subscribe.

Today's CX Daily was compiled and edited by Kevin Guo (xinguo@caixin.com).
Since the city identified the first case May 21, Guangzhou has reported 98 confirmed infections in addition to 10 asymptomatic cases.

A year and a half into the Covid-19 pandemic, the virus behind the highly contagious disease has continued mutating to spread farther and faster, posing new challenges to global efforts to contain the pathogen.

Nearly 30,000 mutations have been recorded for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19, according to a study published in February in the scientific journal Cell. That means the virus changes about 0.035 times each day, much faster than pathogens like the Hepatitis B virus.

Although most mutations either kill the virus or cause no significant change, a small proportion of them may alter its infectivity, disease severity or response to immunity. Several variants have emerged that showed alarming signs the virus is getting stronger.

As of May, the World Health Organization (WHO) listed four mutations as variants of concern because they showed an increase in transmissibility or virulence, or greater resistance to disease control measures. The variants include the Alpha variant first detected in the U.K., the Beta variant found in South Africa, the Gamma version from Brazil and the Delta mutation found in India.

The Delta variant, formerly known as B.1.617, is the most alarming yet as it involves multiple mutations that are likely to enhance the viruss transmissibility, virulence and resistance to available vaccines and therapeutics.

According to a May report by the WHO, the Delta variant first detected in October in India has spread to more than 60 countries and regions. The rapid spread of Delta has raised fears that renewed outbreaks are threatening countries that have effectively quelled the virus, including Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam.

In China, a country that largely recovered from the pandemic since last summer, a new wave of flare-ups in the southern metropolis Guangzhou is testing the citys ability to contain the stronger virus. In less than three weeks, Guangzhou reported more than 100 Delta infections, the first time community transmission of the new variant was found in China. The city of 19 million has ramped up virus testing and imposed lockdowns on certain areas as the number of cases continues climbing.

The new variants have higher transmissibility, posing challenges to existing disease control measures, said Feng Zijian, the deputy director general of Chinas Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Here are four things to know:

What makes the Delta variant so alarming?

The Delta variant is spreading worldwide at a frightening speed and could aggravate the pandemic, said Teo Yik Ying, dean of the National University of Singapores Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health.

It has the potential to unleash a bigger pandemic storm than the world has previously seen, Ying said.

The recent flare-ups in Guangzhou shed light on the new variants high transmissibility. Since the city identified the first case May 21, Guangzhou has reported 98 confirmed infections in addition to 10 asymptomatic cases. All patients were infected with the Delta variant. The Guangzhou outbreak also spread to Foshan, a neighboring city of more than 7 million.

Contact tracing showed that some of the earliest cases in the Guangzhou outbreak didnt have direct contact with each other, indicating the highly contagious nature of the variant. Many of them didn't suffer fever, cough or other symptoms even as their lungs showed infections in CT scans, making it more difficult to identify infections.

Read more

Cover Story: Guangzhous Battle Against a Potent Virus Variant

The new variants R0, which measures the number of people a sick person can infect, ranged between 5 and 6 when the outbreak started, compared with previous variants R0 of 23, according to Zhang Zhoubin, deputy head of the Guangzhou Center of Disease Control.

The new variant has a shorter incubation period, faster transmission speed and higher viral load, Zhang said.

The mutations in the Delta variant may also make it more resistant to available vaccines and therapies, experts said.

Are current vaccines still effective against the new variants?

Scientists around the world are still studying existing vaccines effectiveness on new variants. Alarmingly, studies have found lower effectiveness against some variants.

A January study released before peer review found that the South African variant reduced neutralizing antibodies 8.6-fold for the Moderna vaccine and 6.5-fold for the Pfizer/BioNTech shot. The India variant could reduce the effectiveness of the two mRNA vaccines by sevenfold, a separate study showed. Chinas inactivated vaccines also showed different degrees of decline in neutralizing antibodies against the new variants, studies found.

But experts said mass vaccination remains the most effective weapon to battle Covid-19, and existing shots are still protective against the virus.

Ding Sheng, a medical expert at Tsinghua University in Beijing, said that although the observed mutations had an impact on vaccines effectiveness, existing inoculations still work against the new variants.

The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines cover all existing variants and can provide a high degree of protection even with reduced effectiveness, said Jin Dongyan, a molecular virologist at the University of Hong Kong.

Chinas vaccines are also showing effectiveness against the new variants, said Shao Yiming, chief expert at Chinas CDC.

Our vaccine was designed with greater tolerance of virus variants, and we are prepared to launch new research in response to major mutations, said Zhang Yuntao, vice president of Sinopharm.

Global vaccine makers have been studying how to update their shots in response to the new variants, and some may adopt an extra booster shot. But experts said there is no need yet to make major changes in existing vaccines.

Will current virus testing fail to detect the new variants?

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration in January issued an alert that some current virus testing kits may be less sensitive in detecting the new variants. But several industry experts told Caixin that the mutations have only limited impacts on the sensitivity and accuracy of current virus testing methods.

The widely used nucleic acid test remains effective in detecting the virus no matter the variant, and there is no need to update testing kits, said Dong Xiaoping, a virologist at Chinas CDC.

Compared with nucleic acid testing, antibody tests may be more vulnerable to missing mutations, experts said.

How do current virus control measures work to contain the new variants?

So far mutations havent changed the nature of the coronavirus, and the best way for individuals to protect themselves is to stick with measures including wearing masks, washing hands and keeping social distancing, experts said.

As the first epicenter of the pandemic, China has established a disease control toolkit consisting of mandatory quarantine of inbound travelers, contact tracing and regular nucleic acid testing for key groups of people and imported products. With effective implementation of the measures, there is little chance that the recent flare-up in Guangzhou, which is believed to have originated from imported sources, will turn into a mass outbreak, said Yang Zhanqiu, a professor at Wuhan University.

How the pandemic evolves will mainly depend on the global pace of vaccination, the mutations of the virus and the implementation of virus control measures, one disease control expert said.

Unless significant mutations occur that require reassessment of virus control measures, the current variants wont bring major changes to strategies for fighting the pandemic, Yang said.

Vaccination is crucial to controlling the virus as it slows transmission and reduces the chances of mutations, experts said.

Read more

Zhang Wenhong: The Roadmap to Defeat the Covid-19 Pandemic

The world is expected to partially resume travel, mainly among countries with high vaccination rates, as early as the second half this year, said Zhang Wenhong, director of the infectious diseases department at Huashan Hospital in Shanghai.

China could see limited reopening of its borders in the first half of next year, but it depends on the pace of vaccination, Zhang said.

Contact reporter Han Wei (weihan@caixin.com) and editor Bob Simison (bobsimison@caixin.com)

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The first-day gain was the eighth biggest of the year on a U.S. exchange, out of more than 450 listings of $100 million or more

Jun 12, 2021 01:02 PM
St. Johnsbury, VT (05819)

Today

Cloudy skies with periods of rain late. Low 56F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 80%..

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Cloudy skies with periods of rain late. Low 56F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 80%.
St. Johnsbury, VT (05819)

Today

Partly cloudy skies early then becoming cloudy with periods of rain late. Low 56F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 80%..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies early then becoming cloudy with periods of rain late. Low 56F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 80%.
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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.

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Photo: RCMP

A group of students in Williams Lake are receiving a thank you from emergency crews for their efforts in stopping a spreading wildfire.

On June 3 at 9:30 a.m. two members of the RCMP in Williams Lake were responding to reports of a possible forest fire in the area behind 1400 Broadway Ave S. The officers arrived on scene and could see smoke rising from the site behind the address on the hillside.

The officers grabbed fire extinguishers and scaled up the hillside. They not only located multiple trees and sections of the ground on fire, but also a class from Williams Lake Secondary that was out for a hike.

The class acted quickly when they became aware of the dangers of a fire spreading further through the forest, so they used water bottles that were brought to hydrate them during their hike to help put out the flames before fire crews.

Williams Lake RCMP would like to say thank you to Ethan Reid, Brenden Higginson, Ty Oviatt, Kaleb Alphonse, Nathan Kendrick and Landon Brink and the responding fire fighters from the Cariboo Fire Centre.
A Christian doctor from the United Kingdom was reported to have been prohibited from issuing prescription that could save unborn children's lives.

WND disclosed that former Catholic Medical Association President Dr. Dermot Keaney was prevented by the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service to provide life-saving treatment, particularly treatment to pregnant women, for a year and a half while an investigation is being done on him.

Kearney, a cardiologist, renowned speaker, and respected member of the World Federation of Catholic Medical Associations, have been very vocal about his pro-life Christian beliefs that has led him to be in constant conflict with the United Kingdom's professional body of physicians.

As per WND, Kearney is being punished for providing prescriptions to women undergoing an abortion-pill process. Kearney is said to be thinking of a way on how to legally challenge the matter through the aid of his counsel, the Christian Legal Centre.

"There is something very wrong going on when a medical doctor is prohibited from saving babies' lives at a time when we are told we must do everything to save lives in response to coronavirus. These women were urgently seeking help after abortion providers closed the door and said there was no hope and no way back after taking the first pill," Christian Legal Centre Chief Executive Andrea Williams told WND.

"Here you have a doctor being prohibited from saving lives and providing women with first class professional support in a crisis," Williams stressed.

The Christian Concern, an organization aimed at changing U.K. society through evangelization on Christianity and providing legal assistance through their Christian Legal Centre, featured Kearney's case in their website. It said that women helped by Kearney face their pregnancy crisis during the pandemic have surfaced in support of him.

"Women who have faced crisis pregnancies during the pandemic have spoken out in support of a doctor prevented by the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service from providing women with emergency life-saving abortion reversal treatment," Christian Concern said.

The organization also explained that abortion pill reversal is not common in the United Kingdom where women are often told their pregnancy won't be saved any more if they have taken Mifepristone, which is the first of two abortion pills, unlike in the United States.

"The emergency abortion rescue service is provided to women who regret taking the first of two abortion pills, Mifepristone, which usually kills the baby, and want to try to save their pregnancies," the organization stated. "Using the natural hormone progesterone inhibits the effects of Mifepristone, and the latest evidence suggests that the success rate in abortion pill reversal can be as high as 68% if treatment is started within 72 hours."

In addition, Christian Concern pointed out that the U.K. government introduced a do-it-yourself home abortion telemedicine service that has lead to a spike in women regretting to have taken Mifepristone and who seek urgent help for their vulnerability and lack of access to proper medical care.

Kearney provides this proper medical care to women who have taken Mifepristone. Kearney prescribes progesterone, which saves the lives of the unborn child and of the mother from a lifetime of regret.

As an example, Christian Concern provided a case where Kearney helped a woman by the name of Laura who, upon regretting taking Mifepristone and realizing its terminal effect on her unborn child, immediately sought medical assistance but could not find it in the U.K.. She ended up finding an organization in the U.S. that referred her to Kearney who promptly attended to her and assisted her throughout the process.

"I could not be happier. I do not believe Dr. Dermot Kearney should be punished for providing me with a service I so desperately needed and will be eternally grateful for," Laura told Christian Concern. "It is because of his help that I can look back on the moment I took that pill without having to live with pain and regret for the decision I took, as I now have my beautiful baby boy."
Photo: The Canadian Press Prime Minister Justin Trudeau delivers a statement in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Tuesday, June 8, 2021, regarding the recent tragedy in London, Ontario. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

The killing of four members of a Muslim family in London, Ont., on Sunday has been denounced as an act of terrorism by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, but it's possible the terrorism label will never be reflected in the charges faced by the accused.

Legal experts say it's probably too early for terror charges to be laid because investigators need sufficient evidence of motive. But the experts also expressed concern that prosecutors in Canada usually reserve terror charges for people with Islamist extremist views, which they say sends the message the law isn't being applied equally.

Leah West, a professor at Carleton University's Norman Paterson School of International Affairs who studies national security law, said terrorism charges could still be added in the London attack. A 20-year-old London, Ont., man is currently charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one of attempted murder.

"It may not have been immediately apparent that the violence was motivated by ideology, politics or religion, or immediately apparent that the intent of the accused was to create fear or intimidate a segment of the population," she said in an interview Tuesday. "And you need both of those elements, on top of serious violence, for terrorism."

On Sunday, four members of a Muslim family were killed in London, Ont., when a man allegedly drove his pickup truck into them while they were out for a walk. A nine-year-old boy was injured but survived. Police have said the victims were targeted because of their Muslim faith. After the House of Commons observed a moment of silence for the victims on Tuesday, Trudeau called the assault "a terrorist attack, motivated by hatred."

Michael Nesbitt, a law professor at the University of Calgary, said it would be unprecedented for terror charges to be brought this quickly after an arrest, adding that Canada's terrorism laws are primarily aimed at preventing terrorist attacks. "We only have two examples of cases where someone has committed murder and they have also been charged with terrorism," he said.

One case involved a 17-year-old Toronto man alleged to have killed one woman and injured another in a 2020 attack that prosecutors believe was motivated by the "incel" movement, which the Canadian Security Intelligence Service defines as a type of "violent misogyny." Terror charges were laid several months after the attack. The other case was a 2020 hammer attack by a 30-year-old Toronto man that left a woman dead.

West said prosecutors sometimes decide not to lay terror charges because of the additional burden of proving motive  something lawyers rarely have to do. With first-degree murder carrying the same sentence regardless of whether it was an act of terror, prosecutors may decide terror charges aren't worth the additional effort, she added.

West, who has worked as a national security litigation lawyer in the federal Justice Department, said prosecutors should be open to laying terrorism charges because of the importance of denouncing certain acts.

"We need to denounce terrorism when it is terrorism, no matter who the perpetrators or victims are, and it has not been applied equally or equitably in the past," she said, adding that she worries about the prime minister using the term "terrorist attack" when prosecutors still need to make an independent decision.

Kent Roach, a law professor at the University of Toronto, said prosecutors can charge someone withfirst-degree murder as a planned and deliberate homicide and murder by way of terrorist activity  charges he said prosecutors should have laid in the 2017 Quebec City mosque shooting that left six dead. In that case, prosecutors did not lay terrorism charges.

"There's nothing that prevents the Crown from charging  planned and deliberate and terrorist activity, and if at the end of the day, the judge and the jury have a reasonable doubt about terrorist activity, so be it," he said in an interview Tuesday.

Yusuf Faqari, the Quebec director of public affairs for the National Council of Canadian Muslims, said labelling the killings a terrorist attack could help prevent further killings.

"These poor Canadians of Islamic origin lost their lives because of the faith that they practise," he said in an interview Tuesday. "What else do we need more there to call it what it is? It needs to be called a terrorist attack so it prevents other tragedies."

Nesbitt said that since Canada's terrorism laws were introduced 20 years ago, they've mostly been used to prosecute members of organized Islamist extremist groups. "If you only have one threat, and you're only prosecuting one threat, then that's not a problem," he said. "But all evidence we have suggests that there are multiple threats, including ones that have not been prosecuted for terrorism until the past year, maybe."

That's a concern for Roach as well, who points to the fact that Justin Bourque, who killed three RCMP officers in 2014, and Quebec City mosque shooter Alexandre Bissonnette were not charged with terrorism.

"I think police and prosecutors need to accept that this far-right extremism now is a serious threat," he said.
Photo: The Canadian Press

The prime minister's intelligence adviser is calling for an expanded definition of national security in an era of global pandemics, climate change and cyberthreats.

In a speech sponsored by the Centre for International Governance Innovation, Vincent Rigby said Tuesday the world is experiencing seismic political and economic shifts and facing a complex combination of new security challenges.

"So this environment requires a new, I would argue broader, definition of national security, and requires Canada to be prepared and to step up its game."

Rigby, who became national security and intelligence adviser in January 2020, said these challenges are relevant to all Canadians in their daily lives, as the COVID-19 pandemic has made clear.

In the face of such massive change, Canada's national security community needs to evolve and adapt, he said.

That means ensuring officials have the needed tools and authorities, increasing transparency with Canadians, advancing diversity and inclusion initiatives, and working across and beyond government.

Rigby said security officials must start by engaging Canadians in an open and continuous dialogue.

He prefaced his remarks by calling this week's assault on a London, Ont., family a "truly horrific attack based on their Islamic faith."

"There is no place for terrorism, intolerance, hate and Islamophobia in this country."

Rigby went on to catalogue an array of security threats that go well beyond, or sometimes intermingle with, more traditional dangers.

"We live in a increasingly complex and dangerous world and I'd say in 2021, this is truer than ever.

"Canada, like many of our allies, is confronted by a myriad of emerging and cross-cutting trends and threats."

Rigby underscored federal concerns that China and Russia are attempting to interfere in Canada's affairs, threatening the integrity of its political system, democratic institutions, social cohesion and long-term prosperity.

"Indeed, China and Russia and other hostile state actors will continue to pose a significant security and economic threat to Canada through their foreign interference, disinformation, espionage and hostile cyber-efforts."

Liberal democracy is increasingly being supplanted by authoritarian governments that seek to weaken multilateralism, principles of individual freedoms, the rule of law, open trade and human rights, Rigby said.

An emerging element in the mix is transformative new technology that presents both opportunities and vulnerabilities, he said.

Canada has seen companies that hide their state ties invest in sensitive sectors, as well as the theft of intellectual property to advance the interests of foreign states, Rigby said.

"And it seems not a day goes by without a devastating story about the impact of cyberattacks, or ransomware.

"Emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and quantum computing will deepen threats to our national security posed by hostile states, by criminals and by others."

Rigby said global health security will continue to be a key concern beyond the current pandemic.

Changes in human activity, including urbanization, mass displacement and migration, coupled with the effects of climate change, will create conditions for the emergence and spread of new diseases, he warned.

"We've already seen the immediate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the daily toll of cases and lives lost. And we're starting to see the secondary impacts. The pandemic will continue to affect global economic growth, and lead to increased poverty, and potentially social unrest."

Compounding the consequences of the pandemic are the effects of climate change on human security, he said.

The World Health Organization estimates that between 2030 and 2050, climate change could cause approximately 250,000 additional deaths per year from malnutrition, illness and heat stress, Rigby noted.

"A warmer climate will intensify weather extremes, meaning more severe heat waves and increased drought, wildfire and urban flood risk. This will stress our critical infrastructure and our emergency responders," he said.

"As Canadian areas of the Arctic and Atlantic oceans experience longer and more widespread ice-free conditions, threats to our sovereignty and security will increase."
Photo: The Canadian Press

Record federal spending to try to save the Pacific salmon population marks the beginning of a new chapter that will give the species a fighting chance at survival, Fisheries Minister Bernadette Jordan says.

Jordan and Environment Minister Jonathan Wilkinson outlined the principles that will guide how $647.1 million announced in the last budget will be spent over the next five years.

The Pacific salmon population is drastically declining due to a combination of climate, habitat and harvesting pressures, the government said in a news release.

"A generation of Canadians have seen salmon populations decline, some up to 90 per cent in their lifetime," Jordan said during a teleconference on Tuesday.

"There is no quick fix and no one single solution to save this species. This will require patience and all hands on deck."

Salmon cannot be protected where and when it is most convenient, the species must be a clear priority across the region for years to come, she added.

The Pacific Salmon Strategy Initiative covers four key areas: conservation and stewardship, hatchery production, harvesting, and integrated management and collaboration.

The government said new policies and programs in each area will proceed in collaboration with a range of interests, including Indigenous Peoples and commercial and recreational fishers.

As part of the initiative, the federal government will contribute an additional $100 million to the $143-million Salmon Restoration and Innovation Fund, which was established with the B.C. government in 2019 to help rebuild habitat.

Many Pacific wild salmon are on the verge of collapse and bold, ambitious action is needed now to reverse the trend and give them a fighting chance at survival, Jordan said.

The federal government said it will also further integrate data on salmon, ecosystems and climate to support program decisions and in its approach to a newcommercial harvest management plan in consultation with First Nations.

Addressing declines in the population will require flexibility because of the complex and lengthy reproductive cycle of Pacific salmon, which spans four to five years on average, it said.

Consultation with Indigenous groups, provincial and territorial governments, harvesters, academia, environmentalists and others will begin in the coming weeks.

Watershed Watch Salmon Society, a conservation organization dedicated to protecting Pacific wild salmon, has described the decline of salmon abundance over the past 40 years as a "slow-moving environmental disaster."

In a written overview of preliminary 2020 salmon returns last November, the society's fisheries adviser, Greg Taylor, wrote that Fraser sockeye saw their worst return in history.

Only two cycles or eight years ago, more than two million fish returned and that declined to what was expected to be fewer than 300,000 in 2020, he said.

While the massive Big Bar landslide in the Fraser River was a contributing factor, returns were also "brutally low" in tributaries of the Fraser that were not affected by the slide, he said.

Average highs and lows tend to balance out between species and rivers across the province each year, but 2020 saw dramatic and widespread drops in spawning salmon that he said could further speed the overall decline.
Photo: Calgary Stampede

There will be a parade to launch the upcoming Calgary Stampede, but it won't include hundreds of thousands of fans lining the city's downtown streets.

Stampede officials announced Wednesday that the parade, set for July 9, will be virtual and will still include floats, marching bands and riders travelling through the Stampede grounds to kick off of the 10-day world-renowned rodeo and fair.

The parade will be broadcast on Global television.

This year's parade marshal will be Katari Right Hand, a 17-year-old fancy dancer from the Siksika First Nation east of Calgary. She is also featured on this year's Calgary Stampede poster, which was designed by Calgary artist Lexi Hilderman. It shows Right Hand dancing with rainbow ribbons flowing from her costume with the Rocky Mountains and dark clouds in the background.

"I was inspired by the image Lexi submitted and wanted to learn more about the remarkable young woman featured," said Stampede President Steve McDonough.

"Katari Right Hands name, Rainbow Girl, is a reminder that we are coming out of a storm together and that as the clouds move behind us, the sun will shine again."

Flooding in 2013 ago devastated parts of Calgary and other areas in southern Alberta. But the Stampede went ahead that year, as it did through the Great Depression and the Second World War.

Last year, it was cancelled due to COVID-19.

Premier Jason Kenney announced last month that almost all COVID-19 restrictions in the province could be gone by early July, clearing the way to holding the Stampede. A doctors group in Edmonton, however, has urged the premier to cancel major summer events, including the Stampede, or postpone them until the fall.

Stampede officials have said it is to be a scaled-down version with a priority on safety. The chuckwagon races won't be held and some indoor events could be moved outdoors.
Photo: The Canadian Press NDP MP Leah Gazan speaks via video during question period in the House of Commons in Ottawa.

New Democrats are calling on the federal government to recognize what happened at residential schools as genocide.

In a motion to be tabled in the House of Commons tomorrow, NDP MP Leah Gazan is asking fellow lawmakers to unanimously deem the institutions' history as the deliberate, systemic destruction of a cultural group.

Gazan says that "there is no reconciliation without truth," and that the traumatic legacy of residential schools continues to impact First Nations communities today.

At a news conference with Gazan this morning, Grand Chief Arlen Dumas of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs said denying an act of genocide would belittle the history and the reality of survivors of schools that continued to open into the 1970s.

Gazan's demand comes in response to last month's news that ground-penetrating radar detected what are believed to be the remains of 215 children at a former residential school in Kamloops.

The government-sponsored, church-run institutions operated in Canada for more than 120 years and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission ruled in 2015 they constituted a cultural genocide.
Photo: Twitter/Maxime Bernier

The founder and leader of the People's Party of Canada has endorsed a controversial Vancouver restaurant condemned by B.C. health officials for flouting pandemic restrictions.

Maxime Bernier posted photos and video from inside Corduroy restaurant in Kitsilano on Tuesday, where he celebrated courageous restaurant owner Rebecca Matthews. In April, Matthews opened the restaurant despite a B.C. public health order shutting down all indoor dining and consequently had her business and liquor licences temporarily suspended.

The restaurant also drew the ire of Vancouver Mayor Kennedy Stewart when a largely maskless crowd was seen gathering outside the establishment in late April. Along with calling the decision to flout public health orders unacceptable, Stewart threatened court injunction against the restaurant.

If you are in the Vancouver area, you have to visit Corduroy Restaurant, whose courageous owners Rebecca Matthews and her husband defied authoritarian lockdown orders and decided to stay open and serve customers indoors, Bernier tweeted.

In a video where Bernier grandstands for the restaurants patrons, the PPC leader says this is his first time being inside a restaurant with people and without a mask since the pandemic began.

Other posts to his Twitter account show Bernier attending many anti-mask and anti-lockdown rallies across the country.
Photo: The Canadian Press FILE - In this June 1, 2020 file photo, President Donald Trump walks past police in Lafayette Park after visiting outside St. John's Church across from the White House in Washington.

An internal investigation has determined that the decision to forcibly clear racial justice protesters from an area in front of the White House last summer was not influenced by then-President Donald Trump's plan to stage a photo opportunity at that spot.

The report released Wednesday by the Interior Department's inspector general concludes that the protesters were cleared by U.S. Park Police last June 1 so that a contractor could get started installing new fencing.

The demonstrators were protesting the death of George Floyd, who died after a then-Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck and pinned him to the ground for about 9 1/2 minutes. A half-hour after the Washington protesters were forced from the area with pepper pellets and flash-bangs, Trump walked across Lafayette Park amid the lingering scent of pepper spray and delivered a short speech while holding a Bible in front of St. John's Church.

Park Police officials had already planned to clear the area and had begun implementing the operational plan several hours before they knew of a potential Presidential visit to the park, Inspector General Mark Lee Greenblatt said in a statement accompanying the report. We determined that the evidence did not support a finding that the USPP cleared the park on June 1, 2020, so that then President Trump could enter the park.

The report determined that the decision to clear the protestors was justified, but that law enforcement agencies on the scene failed to effectively communicate with each other and failed to communicate warnings to the protestors about the impending crackdown.

The conclusions, which deny any political influence on decisions and cite fog of war confusion for any missteps, are likely to be dismissed as insufficient by critics of last summers crackdown.

Lafayette Park, the Washington nexus of the last summer's national wave of racial justice protests, is under Park Police jurisdiction; that agency falls under the Interior Department.

The new report focuses on the Park Police decision-making and its complicated interactions with various law enforcement entities, including the Secret Service and the Metropolitan Police Department.

It points out that the USPP and the Secret Service did not use a shared radio channel to communicate and determines that weaknesses in communication and coordination may have contributed to confusion during the operation.
Re: Enough of Ricky Daytona

I agree with the recent letter writer's feelings with respect to letters received from R. Daytona being constantly on the same theme.

Anti-vax, anti-mask, and quoting American politics. Bla bla.

Then don't read them.

But, I certainly feel every person should be able to submit their opinions, taking that away affects freedom of press, and freedom of speech.

I believe the editing team we have at Castanet does an excellent job in weeding out racism, bigotry, lies,

and the published letters reflect their respect for the community at large.

I know over many years I have submitted letters that have never been published and after reviewing

them I have usually crossed a line that I should not have.

Ken Warren


Photo: The Canadian Press Canadian special forces soldiers, left and right, speak with Kurdish Peshmerga fighters at an observation post, in northern Iraq, Monday, Feb.20, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz

A secret memo has emerged showing that Canadas top military commander was warned last year that the vetting of Iraqi security forces associated with a Canadian-led training mission in the country lacked "sufficient depth."

Obtained by The Canadian Press through the access-to-information law, the memo follows allegations the military turned a blind eye on a complaint three years ago that some Iraqi forces being trained by Canadian troops may have committed war crimes.

Military spokeswoman Maj. Melina Archambault says the heavily redacted memo is not related to that incident in September 2018, but instead deals with potential concerns around transferring prisoners to Iraqi forces.

Marked secret and for Canadian Eyes only, the memo is dated Jan. 16, 2020 and was written by Lt.-Gen. Mike Rouleau, who at the time was the commander of the Canadian Joint Operations Command and responsible for overseeing all military missions.

Rouleau told Vance that in August 2019, the head of Canadas anti-Islamic State mission was tasked with identifying and vetting certain elements of the Iraqi security forces. Rouleau added a reference to adhering to our obligations in international and Canadian law.

The vetting was being done in the context of a NATO training mission that at the time was being led by Canadian Lt.-Gen. Jennie Carignan and involved around 250 troops from Canada.

Rouleau wrote that the depth of analysis corresponded to the probability that our force would work with that ISF element, adding: While the vetting was professional and of good quality, as expected it lacked the sufficient depth required.

Archambault said measures were taken to address the concerns identified by Rouleau, though she declined to discuss them for security reasons. Canadian troops did not take any prisoners while participating in the training mission, she added.

Of note, the (NATO training mission) vetting process is owned by NATO, she said, and as a key contributor, the CAF seeks to ensure the thoroughness of this process for the safety of its deployed members and partners, and legal obligations.

For his part, Rouleau added a handwritten notation to Vance saying the memo was designed to give you confidence that we are constantly scanning the risk environment  mitigating where we can.

The memos emergence comes amid questions about the screening of Iraqi troops trained by Canada and military officials' repeated assurances over the years that Canadian troops in Iraq have not witnessed war crimes or human rights violations.

Military police are currently investigating the handling of an incident in September 2018, where Canadian soldiers were helping with the enrolment of 270 Iraqi troops for a U.S.-led training mission near the northern city of Mosul.

An internal report obtained by The Canadian Press and first reported on by Postmedia says the Canadians were shown videos of war crimes and human rights violations being perpetrated by the Iraqi troops they were there to train.

The videos purportedly included a woman being raped to death as well as the torture and execution of prisoners.

Yet when the Canadians raised the issue with their commanders, according to the report, they were the matter would be dealt and that they were to ignore the videos and carry on.

One of the soldiers involved said he tried to raise the issue with his commanders on three different occasions, but that he and other members of his unit remain uncertain whether appropriate action was effectively taken.

I am an ethical man and I believe in our moral doctrine and the (Law of Armed Conflict), added the soldier, who wrote about having been traumatized by the experience.

I have thought about this incident every day since the event took place. I am bothered by the fact that my assigned duties allowed me to train and enable people who in my mind were criminals.

Acting defence chief Lt.-Gen. Wayne Eyre told CBC News over the weekend that he was unaware of the allegation and Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan on Monday confirmed the allegations were currently being investigated by military police.
The B.C. government has deferred old-growth logging in the Fairy Creek watershed for two years, where at least 185 protesters have been arrested in the past several weeks.

Premier John Horgan made the announcement during a press briefing Wednesday, noting that logging will be halted in 884 hectares of old-growth forest in Fairy Creek, along with 1,150 hectares of old-growth in the nearby Central Walbran area. Both locations are in Southern Vancouver Island.

Horgan noted the order was passed by Cabinet earlier Wednesday, after the Pacheedaht, Ditidaht and Huu-ay-aht First Nations made the request on Monday.

"We have allowed, as a province, the title holders to make decisions on their land," Horgan said.

"I'm very excited about the deferrals that will be coming later in the summer and all through the implementation of our old-growth plan."

Old-growth logging in the Fairy Creek watershed has gained national attention in recent weeks, as hundreds of protesters have gathered in the region, defying a court injunction, in an attempt to halt the logging of some of the oldest trees in the province.

"I'm hopeful that those who have taken to the roads of Southern Vancouver Island will understand that this process is not one that can happen overnight," Horgan said. "I understand the importance of preserving these areas, but I also understand that you can't turn on a dime when you're talking about an industry that has been the foundation of B.C.'s economy.

"There are going to be people who say 'not good enough,' and I anticipate that, but I also know that most British Columbians understand and recognize that the types of changes we're talking about ... we can't do it overnight."

Horgan noted that Teal Jones, that company that was logging the Fairy Creek area, will not be compensated by the government for the two-year deferral.

The move comes after the province deferred the logging of nearly 200,000 hectares of old-growth forest across B.C. back in September.

Horgan said his government will be working to defer the logging of more areas of old-growth in the province, but he would not put a timeline on when old-growth logging would be completely ended in B.C.
Vietnam, China strive to reach Code of Conduct in East Sea

Both nations concurred to maintain peace and stability in the East Sea and soon reach a practical and effective Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) in accordance with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).













Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son (L) and Chinese State Councillor and Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi (Photo: VNA)



The agreement was reached at a meeting Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son and Chinese State Councillor and Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi on June 8 during his attendance at the Special ASEAN - China Foreign Ministers Meeting and the Mekong - Lancang Cooperation Foreign Ministers Meeting in Chongqing, China.



Son congratulated the Communist Party of China on its 100th founding anniversary on July 1, 2021 and its achievements in socio-economic development and COVID-19 containment efforts.



Wang congratulated Vietnam on the successful organisation of the 13th National Party Congress.



The two ministers held a wide-ranging discussion on bilateral ties and regional and global issues of shared concern.



They underscored the the importance of Vietnam  China relations in each countrys foreign policy, and showed their elation at the friendly neighbourliness and the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership over the past years.



Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc, and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh of Vietnam have held important phone talks with Chinese Party General Secretary and President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang and reached common perceptions on reinforcing ties between the two Parties and countries.





The pair agreed to enhance the two foreign ministries important role in coordinating and promoting Vietnam - China ties, work out a score of specific measures to realize high-level common perceptions such as facilitating exchanges at all levels, promoting exchanges and cooperation between the two countries ministries, departments, and localities, and jointly combat the COVID-19 pandemic.



They pledged to promote economic-trade and investment ties in a practical, healthy, and balanced manner and foster people-to-people exchanges while maintaining cooperation at multilateral forums, especially at the UN and within the ASEAN framework.



Son suggested China offer the best possible conditions for Vietnamese farm produce to enter the country, especially fruits in harvest, soon complete procedures to open and upgrade several border gates, effectively deploy Chinese aid to Vietnam, and swiftly finalize existing projects.



Regarding the East Sea issue, the Vietnamese minister asked the two sides to seriously implement high-level common perceptions and abide by international law, particularly the 1982 UNCLOS, uphold the role of negotiation mechanisms, and seek basic and long-term solutions to the issue.



In response, Wang, affirmed that his nation desires to push up strategic exchange and political trust with Vietnam, and deepen the mutually-beneficial relationship in a healthy and stable manner.



He voice Chinas support for Vietnam in its fight against the pandemic, including the supply, research, and production of vaccines.



Wang assured Chinas readiness to import more Vietnamese goods in line with the Chinese market's demand.
Christian teacher Byron "Tanner" Cross has claimed victory in his case against the Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS), which suspended him after he made controversial comments on the school's transgender-affirming policies during a public board meeting. A state judge in Virginia ruled that the school must take Cross off suspension and restore his position as a physical education teacher at Leesburg Elementary School.

FOX News reported that Twelfth Circuit Judge James E. Plowman not only ordered the school to reinstate Cross after he commented on biblical sexuality, but also argued that he was more likely to succeed if the case was brought to trial, saying that Leesburg Elementary School had "adversely impacted his First Amendment rights" and that his reinstatement as a P.E. teacher was within the "public interest."

In the letter by Judge Plowman made public on Tuesday, he argued that Cross "contends that his suspension was an act of retaliation following his exercise of his rights to free speech" and that the Christian teacher was "speaking as a citizen on a matter of public concern." The judge wrote that Cross was "speaking as a citizen, not in his official capacity" and that the "speech was not conducted at his usual place of employment, occurred during non-working hours and at a forum where public comment was invited."

The Virginia judge also rejected the school district's argument that Cross' suspension was not because of his comments on biblical sexuality that appeared in his speech but rather the "disruption" it created. The letter read, "The Court has found...that the disruption relied upon was insufficient."

According to WND, the judged ruled to "immediately reinstate the [Cross] to his position as it was prior to the issuance of this suspension and remove the ban that was placed upon him from all buildings and grounds of Loudoun County Public Schools."

The Christian teacher came under fire in May after he declared in a public speech that "a biological boy can be a girl and vice versa." Cross said that while he did not have the "intention to hurt anyone," there were "certain truths that we must face when ready," which included the fact that biblical sexuality states that there are only two genders.

In his speech, Cross said, "I serve God first and I will not affirm that a biological boy can be a girl and vice versa because it's against my religion."

"Educators are just like everybody else-they have ideas and opinions that they should be free to express. Advocating for solutions they believe in should not cost them their jobs," Alliance Defending Freedom president and CEO Michael Farris, who worked with Cross in his case, argued.

"School officials singled out his speech, offered in his private capacity at a public meeting, as 'disruptive' and then suspended him for speaking his mind. That's neither legal nor constitutional."

Farris said that other teachers have expressed their thoughts about biblical sexuality but did not suffer any consequences from it. He demanded the same treatment and respect for the Christian teacher in Virginia. Farris also argued that no individual should be "punished for expressing concern about a proposed government policy, especially when the government invites comment on that policy."
A Nanaimo family is left shaken and frustrated after their teenage daughter's vehicle was struck by an impaired driver on a Nanaimo highway Monday night.

Keira Parsons says the entire ordeal has been very hard and disappointing for her family.

We didnt do anything wrong and now we are screwed, says Parsons.

Her 18-year-old daughter Alexis was driving with her boyfriend to the gym when they noticed the driver of a pickup truck quickly approaching them.

I looked in my rearview mirror and I saw this truck coming really, really fast and I assumed he would stay in the other lane because thats what most people would do but then he swerved over and smacked us really hard, recalls Alexis.

She described the crash as terrifying and in slow motion.

I told her its going to be OK as we were spinning, says Benjamin Rahim, her boyfriend and vehicle passenger.

Rahim watched as the driver of the pickup left the scene.

Nanaimo RCMP arrested a 34-year-old man for impaired driving Monday after the hit-and-run crash on the Nanaimo Parkway.

Police said the crash happened about 7:15 p.m. just north of the Mostar Road intersection when a Toyota Corolla was hit from behind by a Ford Ranger.

From several witness accounts, it appears the driver of the Ranger was trying to cut in behind the Corolla but instead hit its rear end, causing it to spin out of control.

Alexis Corolla was destroyed and had to be towed from the scene.

The Ranger drove away, but a police investigation led them to a Lantzville home where the suspect and his vehicle were located.

Const. Gary OBrien says the driver failed two breath tests and was arrested for impaired driving, and given a 90-day driving prohibition.

He also received violation tickets for failing to remain at the scene of a motor-vehicle incident and driving without consideration, and had his vehicle seized for 30 days.

Alexis needed 25 stitches on her face, she fractured her teeth and has bruising on her leg.

My teeth went completely through my chin, she tells Glacier Media.

The 18-year-old cant work and also cant go to school with her injuries and without a vehicle.

I am supposed to be at my practicum. I am going to school for a dental assistant so I am missing that and I also work at Cabela's on the weekends, says Alexis.

Parsons says theyre now left with a totalled vehicle, insurance and dental bills and feel left in the dark.

I cant afford to hire a lawyer and no legal aid will touch us, she says.

A GoFundMe campaign has been created to help Alexis purchase a new vehicle and theyre looking to donate a portion of the money raised to Mothers Against Drunk Driving.
The fiancee of 29-year-old Allen Waller says he was shot four times after a dispute erupted between him and his neighbor's landscaper.
Ever Lopez is seen with his parents and little brother after the graduation.
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Chatham, VA (24531)

Today

Heavy thunderstorms during the evening will give way to mostly cloudy skies after midnight. Low 66F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%..

Tonight

Heavy thunderstorms during the evening will give way to mostly cloudy skies after midnight. Low 66F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%.
Chatham, VA (24531)

Today

Scattered thunderstorms during the evening, with mostly cloudy skies after midnight. Low around 65F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Scattered thunderstorms during the evening, with mostly cloudy skies after midnight. Low around 65F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%.
The Ohio pro-life organization Foundation for Life purchased a parking lot across the street from Capital Care of Toledo, the only abortion clinic in the city after the foundation was in danger of being prohibited from counseling women seeking assistance from the clinic. Three donors came together to provide $35,000 in funding to purchase the lot.

"We were thrilled to have the opportunity and grateful for the three generous donors who stepped up and enabled us to purchase the property," Foundation for Life executive director Ed Sitter said in a conversation with the Catholic News Agency.

The decision to purchase the parking lot fronting the abortion clinic came about when the Toledo City Council considered banning the pro-life group volunteers from conseling women within 100 feet of the abortion facility without their consent. Kristin Hady, who volunteers at Capital Care of Toledo, said that some patients mistakenly park across the street from the abortion clinic, thinking that it is the parking lot for the facility. But now that the pro-life organization owns the parking lot, it will not allow clinic staff or volunteers to set foot on it.

"What that 100-foot radius does is it approaches upon the property that we just purchased," Sitter explained as per Christian Headlines. There is an estimated 1,000 or more women who will visit the abortion clinic this year, Foundation for Life said.

Its Facebook page in February recounted how one pregnant woman had a change of heart over her abortion. The pregnant woman approached a sidewalk counselor near the clinic to inform her that she decided to keep her baby and proceeded to hug her. But the abortion clinic volnteers and sidewalk escorts were unhappy with that development and began yelling at the pro-life volunteer who stepped onto the abortion clinic's property, saying that this was the reason why such an ordinance must be passed in the Toledo City Council.

"All during the time the property was for sale, we could still have conversations there, but often a sidewalk escort would come and interrupt us," Peter Range, the director of the Office for Life and Justice at the Roman Catholic Diocese of Toledo told the Toledo Blade.

The Office for Life and Justice often hosts monthly prayer vigils and sidewalk counseling outside the Capital Care Toledo. range said, "We have the ability to speak with these moms and have more calm and more in-depth conversations, and we'll have more opportunities to do that as it's right across the street."

According to the Charlotte Lozier Institute, there is limited information on national abortion reporting because the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides reports on a delayed timetable. The latest available data shows that among 38 states that released reports for 2018, 23 states reported increases in abortion, while 15 reported a decline. The increase of abortions occurred in states where abortion is legal, showing an increase of more than 4%. In states where abortion is legal, there was 5,400 more abortions in 2018 than in 2017.
Even though the Critical Race Theory has been banned from being taught in Tennessee and a growing number of other states, the liberal infusion into school faculties and several entire school districts is a growing cause for concern. It appears the Marxist theory is based solely on ones skin color. Thus, white people are the oppressors and anyone who is not white is the oppressed. Thats right, the evil whites prey on everybody who is poor and not white (the oppressed) in theory - yet, in fact, critical race theory is as wacky as Marxism itself.

Roger Simon, a brilliant writer on the national level, found strong opposition to what the real oppressors call Wit and Wisdom in trendy Franklin, Tn, recently as wrote an eye-opening piece on those who best protect their children from stinkin thinkin in one of Middle Tennessees most wondered towns.

This is one that even the liberal elites  and every other  can understand.

As a result of educational stupidity  take a close look at public education today  the crazies are running our schools. This is precisely why Moms for Liberty now has a chapter in Hamilton County and why more parents, who will be aghast to learn what our children are being taught, should become extremely active when blatant racism replaces our playgrounds.

* * *

ET TU, WILLIAMSON COUNTY ?

Witten by Roger L. Simon

Williamson County? Never heard of it. Whats the big deal?

Well, a lot.

Williamson County, Tennessee, is what you might call Republican Heaven. Just south of Democrat-stronghold Nashville, much of it is a gorgeous suburb, home to the likes of country star Luke Bryan of American Idol fame - on a 150-acre estate - and Senator Marsha Blackburn. Its county seat, Franklin, has a downtown straight out of an updated version of Norman Rockwell, the kind of place you can get both great barbecue and haute cuisine.

That small city and county are growing like crazy, in large part because they are also supposed to have one of the best public school systems in the country.

Supposed to.

* * *

MOMS FOR LIBERTY

I had lunch the other day with two Williamson women who have just formed that countys branch of a new movement for parental rights - mostly focused on schools - called Moms for Liberty.

Their chapter is growing even faster than Williamson County itself because they, and many others, are angry about what was going on in those very schools. You might even say furious.

One of the women, local founder Robin Steenman, is a retired Air Force officer who piloted B-1 bombers over Afghanistan. The other, Lori Friedheim, a Filipina American UCBerkeley graduate in the sciences, is the chapters director of research.

Friedheim and her husband, who had been living in a San Francisco suburb and were fed up with the deteriorating lifestyle - not to mention the taxes - decided to move to Franklin because, after an extensive online search, they determined it to have the best schools of anywhere in all the low taxneedless to say redstates.

She was in for a shock, as was Robin Steenman who also had children in the school system.

While Tennessee Republican Governor Bill Lee and the heavily Republican Legislature trumpet their resistance to critical race theory in the states educational system, the reality on the ground is, as the French say, toute autre chose - something else again.

Life isnt always what you see on Hannity.

* * *

HAPPENING EVERYWHERE

Before going into the details of whats being taughtand has been for several yearsin those schools, I want to reiterate why I wrote Et Tu, Williamson County?

If this type of propaganda can take over the elementary schools in a place with such an educated, well-to-do, largely conservative populace, its undoubtedly happening everywhere, or nearly everywhere, in the public schools and most of the private and parochial schools of this country.

Many think our country is already changing rapidly in front of our eyes, but nowhere is it changing more rapidly, and in a Marxist direction, than in our schools.

That will produce the end of the United States of America as we know it as surely and as quickly as anything. In fact, it already has.

Its not a question of just stopping this. Its a question of rolling back what has already happened.

Critical race theory - the concept that we are all permanently defined by our skin color, and not our character - has been in schools for years in an only slightly covert manner.

* * *

INJUSTICE FOR SECOND GRADERS

And, as Steenman explained to me, its getting worse - that is, more overt - in Williamson County. In March 2020, their school board approved a curriculum called Wit and Wisdom, which consists of seemingly harmless things, published by an outfit named Great Minds, LLC. In this case, they really do think alike!

Heres only a sampling of what Williamson second graders - 7- and 8-year-olds - are in for starting in August with Wit and Wisdom. As you look at this, remember that this is the curriculum and manner through which, for months, these children are also being taught reading, writing, arithmetic, science, history, civics, art, music, and so forth:

Lesson 1:

* -- Point out the word injustice.

* -- Explain that unfair and injustice mean the same thing.

* -- Injustice is a stronger word.

* -- Explain  how real people respond to injustice.

* -- Explore the word injustice.

* -- Reread  how real people respond to injustice? Leave posted reference throughout the module.

* -- Echo read: What injustices did people face before the Civil Rights Act of 1964?

* -- Point to the word injustice.

* -- Remind the class of the meaning of this word injustice.

* -- Explain  read  people fighting injustice. Show students the images. What do you notice about the images? Share observations.

* -- Remind the meaning of injustice.

* -- Develop a non-verbal signal for injustice.

OK, you get the picture. It goes on for another dozen or so similar bullet pointsand this is only Lesson 1but I cant resist one more because it makes clear the unremittingly depressing nature of this curriculum.

* -- Lesson on prefixes: injustice, unequal, inequality, unfair.

Couldnt they think of any positive prefixes for their lesson? How about supercalifragilisticexpialidocious? Oh, I forgot. Mary Poppins is upbeat and white. Definitely not in the curriculum and unacceptable for todays second graders. Eugene Bull Connor, not surprisingly, is.

The images referred to above for comment by the second graders are almost entirely black-and-whites from the early civil rights period, showing black people being hosed by vicious whites with signs like We want white tenants in our white community and We wont (go to school with negroes) - that last held by a proudly grinning white boy.

One of the images contained the n-word scrawled on a wall, something, I was told, none of the children even knew until then, naturally color blind as they were. Who says you never learn anything in school?

* * *

CREATES DIVISION

But how do 7- and 8-year-olds react to all this continually downbeat, violent material, emphasizing racial division above all, for hours and days on end?

There are reports of growing numbers of children in therapy, plus an increasing suicide rate abounds, though some of it is due to COVID-19 as well. But I heard a personal story that affected me particularly deeply.

I was at a recent, surprisingly well-attended Moms for Liberty meeting in Franklin, at which an immigrant woman from Thailand, married to a Caucasian, spoke.

She read aloud a lengthy, heartfelt letter she wrote to Williamson County School Superintendent Jason Golden about the severe educational and emotional disturbances her mixed-race 7-year old son suffered from attending one of their schools. To his parents consternation, the boy ended up despising his white half. I quote her, in part:

The story of Dr. King and his I have a Dream speech is beautiful and uplifting. This is the world my child lived in until now. He was color blind. But this curriculum has changed that. It is far more harmful than helpful. It depresses him. It is dark and divisive. It paints a world with only white and black people. It paints a picture of poor black people being attacked by evil white people.

Even more problematic, the teacher would not accept the non-racial, color blind answer from our son to a question she asked. So, the teacher asked again and again, looking for a different (acceptable) answer.

Years ago, during Soviet times, I visited a Young Communist League Training School in Crimea. They used a similar method.

The mother concluded:

We expect 2nd graders to be learning basic educational concepts and not be force fed story after story of racial aggressions and evils committed in the past. This is not how we create a better world for our children. This curriculum only highlights race and creates further division among the new generation. We want our child to be colorblind and value people for who they are and not the color of their skin or for past evils or mistakes that other people made in history.

Amen to that.

* * *

ITS CHILD ABUSE

What that mother wrote goes for all children, although those of mixed race clearly have a special problem - and there is an increasing number of those.

We can conclude that critical race theory and all its evil spawn in various curricula, such as those permeating the vaunted Williamson County schools, are little more than a form of child abuse, one so extreme that it promises to tear our country apart.

Indeed, that is its not-so-hidden intention, given in its provenance in earlier schools of Marxism and critical theory. And its succeeding all too well. As I said, if its happening in Williamson, its probably happening everywhere.

These Moms for Liberty are part of the solution, a big part since theyre motivated by that strong natural urge for mothers to protect their children. And theyve got a lot to protect them from these days.

This is a movement to applaud and strengthen as they are the ones who could really make our educational system, and therefore our country, great again. Moms For Liberty already has a fast-growing number of chapters. (Knoxville and Chattanooga have new chapters. To learn more about Moms for Liberty in Chattanooga, address inquires to momsforlibertyhamiltontn@gmail.com. The national website is www.momsforliberty.org)

And, in Franklin, Tn., perhaps the mother from Thailand should switch roles with Williamson Co. Schools Supt. Golden.

* * *

Roger L. Simon is an award-winning novelist, Oscar-nominated screenwriter, co-founder of conservative PJ Media website , and editor-at-large for The Epoch Times. His most recent books are The GOAT (fiction) and I Know Best: How Moral Narcissism Is Destroying Our Republic, If It Hasnt Already (nonfiction). He can be found on Parler as @rogerlsimon

royexum@aol.com
District Attorney Neal Pinkston announced Wednesday that his Cold Case Unit has solved a murder going back 42 years in a case that he said has ties to the corrupt Tennessee Governor Ray Blanton administration.

The Hamilton County Grand Jury ruled in nine pages of findings that it would have indicted Chattanooga crime figure Ed Alley for the first-degree premeditated murder of liquor store operator and alleged mob associate Samuel Pettyjohn  except for the fact that Alley died in 2005.

District Attorney Pinkston, along with CCU supervisor Mike Mathis and Investigator Ben Scott, presented their new findings before the grand jury on Tuesday.

DA Pinkston said the confirmation by the grand jury of the investigative findings means the cold case murder of Pettyjohn is officially closed.

Our Cold Case Unit put in countless hours to solve this unusual case, said DA Pinkston. Hopefully, it will bring some closure and peace to Pettyjohns surviving family members.

One of Pettyjohn's sons, Saadiq, was present for the news conference with his wife, sister and two daughters, and speaking on behalf of his 92-year-old mother and the entire family, thanked DA Pinkston and everyone involved in solving his father's murder. "It is a curse and a blessing to grow up in a family that is connected to crime," said Saadiq Pettyjohn. "When that person dies, you can either go that route, or you can go a different route, and all of us chose to go a better route with education and try to do better in our lives."

On Feb. 1, 1979, Samuel Pettyjohn was discovered at the Beverage Center at 2001  Market St. deceased from multiple gunshot wounds. Pettyjohn was the proprietor of the Beverage Center.

The case was first investigated by the Chattanooga Police Department, then it was taken up by the Cold Case Unit in 2015.

At the Beverage Center crime scene, investigators located seven .45 caliber shell casings. A .38 caliber pistol was found near the body of Pettyjohn. That pistol had not been fired.

The DA said Pettyjohn was carrying cash and jewelry worth over $100,000 at the time, but those items were not taken and the cash register was not disturbed.

Police located an attache case owned by Pettyjohn that contained a recording device with some 4-5 recordings inside. The attache case, the recording device and the recordings were removed from the crime scene and have never been located. DA Pinkston said some witnesses have indicated there were at least 40-50 total recordings.

The police department located eyewitnesses to the homicide, who described the suspect as a heavy-set black male with a beard and glasses standing over Pettyjohn and shooting him. After the murder, the suspect, who was wearing a trench coat, exited the Beverage Center and fired 1-2 shots in the air.

The suspect traveled out of sight and disappeared.

DA Pinkston said Pettyjohn had previously owned a number of nightclubs and stores on 9th Street (MLK Boulevard). He said Pettyjohn had strong ties with the Teamsters Union and was a personal friend of Jimmy Hoffa.

He said, Pettyjohn was also active with a number of prominent Chattanooga business owners who engaged in both legal and illegal activities. He also assisted individuals in the local and state Democratic Party."

The DA said Pettyjohn's nightclubs on 9th Street were insured by Lloyds of London. On Aug. 8, 1974, a bomb exploded in the 300 block of 9th Street, destroying all of Pettyjohns businesses and other buildings. One person was killed.

DA Pinkston said around 1976 illegal activities began between citizens of the state of Tennessee and then governor of Tennessee Ray Blanton. The illegal activities constituted citizens paying Governor Blanton or his designees amounts of cash money in exchange for prisoners in the Tennessee Department of Corrections to receive an early parole.

He also said, A Chattanooga businessman known as William Aubrey Thompson engaged in various gambling ventures as well and was a local county Democratic boss for the Blanton campaign. He said Thompson was also known as Bob Rountree. He said beginning in 1976, Thompson raised cash and paid the money to Blantons office in exchange for the early release of Tommy Prater, Larkin Bibbs, William Cole and others.

He said Pettyjohn helped Thompson secure the early release of Bibbs.

The DA said records showed that Thompson and Pettyjohn would visit inmates ostensibly for the purposes of indicating that money would secure their early release from TDOC. He said after these meetings, Thompson and Pettyjohn would secure the money and pay them to the Blanton office.

He said the FBI began an investigation known as Operation TennPar that was headed by Agent Hank Hillin, who later wrote a book about it.

During that investigation, Pettyjohn was subpoenaed to testify before a federal grand jury, and on at least one occasion he did testify before a grand jury. He said Pettyjohn later met with Agent Hillin and agreed to cooperate in the probe.

The DA said Pettyjohn's meeting with Hillin and other agents was in an abandoned building near downtown Chattanooga. He said Pettyjohn provided a list of names of individuals who secured money to pay the governors office for the early release of prisoners. The list was maintained as an exhibit in the FBI investigative file. The DA said the Cold Case Unit was not able to secure a copy of the list despite filing open records requests.

In December 1978, certain individuals were indicted in the pardons and parole case. Blanton was not charged in that scheme, but he was later federally indicted for issues related to the issuance of liquor licenses.

DA Pinkston said William Aubrey Thompson was later convicted in the Pardons and Parole scheme. He said Thompson agreed to cooperate with agents and said he would answer any questions except about the Pettyjohn murder.

The DA said at the close of the TennPar investigation five witnesses had either been murdered or committed suicide.

ATF in July 2014 re-opened the investigation into the 9th Street bombing due to new leads showing an organized group engaged in interstate and foreign travel set the explosion to collect insurance money on the buildings that were destroyed or damaged. The organized group has threatened or intimidated witnesses who could testify against them in court making it difficult for investigators to obtain statements from witnesses."

After the bombing, Pettyjohn and other Chattanooga business owners received Insurance payouts from Lloyd's of London. Due to his untimely death, Pettyjohn was never brought to trial on the arson case, the DA said.

He noted, "After his cooperation with federal authorities in the Operation TennPar case, Pettyjohn was killed in an execution-style hit inside the Beverage Center on Market Street. Hours before his execution, Pettyjohn told various individuals he needed to discuss important business with them after the Beverage Center closed."

He also said two city police officers who came by the Beverage Center that day were told by Pettyjohn to leave because "they were across the street" watching him.

The DA said close friends of Pettyjohn said he seemed very anxious and nervous that day.

No suspect was ever arrested by the Chattanooga Police Department until 1982 when William "Butch" Smith and William "Billy" Cameron were charged.

The arrests were mainly based on statements given by Smith and another witness. Smith gave his statement while he was being held at Brushy Mountain State Prison. Soon afterward, he was transferred to a jail in Chattanooga, where he gave another statement. The two statements were virtually identical and implicated both himself and Cameron.

After being charged with murder, Smith and Cameron were each given legal counsel. Smith then recanted his statement and said he only implicated himself so he could be transported back to jail in Chattanooga. Authorities administered a polygraph to Cameron and concluded he was being truthful when he said he was in the Metro Detroit area when Pettyjohn was murdered. There was a notice of alibi filed for each defendant. The charges were dismissed when the state could not refute either alibi.

DA Pinkston said the Cold Case unit was able to interview a cooperating witness on two occasions and that witness indicated City Police told him what to say in the statement given to police in the 1982 investigation.

He said in 1987 City Police renewed the investigation into Pettyjohn's homicide, but it yielded negative results.

The district attorney said for many years the Pettyjohn case remained unsolved and no efforts were made to find the identity of the murderer. The Cold Case unit began looking into the case, reviewing all known previous investigations and investigative reports as well as new information developed based on old statements, old interviews and more current interviews of close associates of Alley.

He said during the 1990s Alley and his close associates committed a number of bank robberies all across the Southeast. Alley and several others were finally arrested. Several of those individuals began cooperating with the FBI.

DA Pinkston said in 1993, an investigator with the District Attorney's Office interviewed one witness who indicated that Alley admitted to the Pettyjohn murder. He said FBI agents shared this information with Chattanooga Police Chief Ralph Cothran and he replied, "Be careful who you share this information with."

He said Alley admitted to several cooperating witnesses that he was hired by various individuals to murder Pettyjohn. He said the murder contract price was between $25,000 and $50,000.

The DA said Alley admitted to the cooperating witnesses that he entered the Beverage Center on Feb. 1, 1979, while disguised with face paint, a false beard and glasses. He shot Pettyjohn twice in the head, once in the neck and once in the chest with a .45 caliber gun, it was stated. After he was outside he fired at least one random shot in the air to intimidate two people he saw in the Beverage Center parking lot.

DA Pinkston said several individuals said they were approached by Alley to participate in the Pettyjohn killing, but they declined. One witness assisted Alley with his disguise, it was stated.

The prosecutor said for days prior to the murder, Alley was holed up at the Admiral Benbow Inn - across the street from the Beverage Center - to surveil Pettyjohn.

DA Pinkston said, "Cooperating individuals indicated Alley admitted Pettyjohn was murdered for various reasons including he was a source of cooperation for the FBI in investigations of Governor Ray Blanton.

"Cooperating individuals said Alley was paid for the contract murder from various Chattanooga sources and one cooperating individual indicated an undisclosed third party may have paid some of the contract money on behalf of Governor Blanton's administration."

He said, "Pettyjohn knew too much about illegal activities and his cooperation with federal authorities placed other individuals' freedom, including that of Governor Ray Blanton, at severe risk."
County School Board member Steve Highlander was voted in as the next County Commissioner for District 9. He replaces the exiting Chester Bankston, who left the district for Florida a few weeks ago.

The commissioners voted last week. However, neither Dean Moorhouse or Shannon Stephenson was able to get the needed five votes. This week, Commissioner Katherlyn Geter had to miss the meeting due to medical matters.

Commissioner Greg Martin nominated Jeff Eversole, and Commissioner Warren Mackey nominated Steve Highlander. Commissioners Randy Fairbanks, David Sharpe, Sabrena Smedley, and Tim Boyd voted for Highlander, with Boyd originally passing but later confirming his vote for the school board member. Chairman Chip Baker and Commissioner Martin both voted for Ebersole.



Im very thankful to serve the citizens of district nine and Hamilton county, and I thank you for your confidence in me, Dr. Highlander told the Commission, and he said he will bring his experience in education and knowledge of finance to District 9.



Commissioner Sabrena Smedley wondered about Dr. Highlanders now-dual status as commissioner and school board member. County Attorney Rheubin Taylor said he did not know off-hand what the rules are concerning someone serving on both the School Board and County Commission.



My intention is not to serve long term on both, and I need to focus on just the commission job, the new commissioner said before being sworn in as District 9s newest commissioner.


Recently, I had the privilege of speaking to the Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce and reflected on just how similar our two organizations are to one another. After all, when it comes to jobs and homeownership, you cant have one without the other.Did you know that jobs are created every time a house is built, bought, or sold? A job is created for every two homes sold, and each home sale touches 80 different occupations.According to a National Association of Realtors 2020 study of Tennessee home sales, each home purchase generates an estimated $75,000 in economic activity over time.Think about it  furniture, home improvements, landscaping. All of these businesses benefit from just one home sale. When you look at the big picture, in our state alone, the real estate industry accounted for $59.6 billion, or 16.4 percent of the gross state product in 2020. Clearly, the economic impact of a typical home sale is anything but typical.And just like the Chambers role in promoting positive relations within the business community, Greater Chattanooga realtors promotes positive relationships throughout our real estate market, which is interesting since our realtor members compete daily amongst themselves for listings and buyer or tenant clients. Even though by nature were competitive, we all see the common good of promoting homeownership in our community.Ive found that many people, and some Realtors, might not fully grasp the role of Greater Chattanooga Realtors in our community. Our advocacy efforts are likely where the community (and heck, even our members at times) see that the Greater Chattanooga realtors are about so much more than getting people into homes and the next commission check. Through the Association, Realtors focus on all things impacting private property rights.In local news, you may hear Realtors take a position on a city or county initiative such as form-based code, storm water requirements, and payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT) programs. Taking these positions on such issues is not a self-serving one to protect our profession. Rather, Realtors firmly believe in the delicate balance between the local economy and the real estate market. For instance, since our association is working on behalf of property owners, housing affordability is constantly on our minds. We believe in the power of owning a home, and we are working with different organizations to make the dream of owning a home a reality for the people of our community.Through various committees and the Greater Chattanooga Realtors staff, Realtors are constantly monitoring local initiatives that could impact, positively or negatively, the real estate market and our community. When needed, just like the Chamber, we meet with elected officials to discuss such initiatives and any concerns we may have.Partners like the Chamber help bring talented individuals and their businesses to our area, and its our job to make sure their housing needs are met. We all work together for the benefit of everyone. We are excited to continue to work with our partners in making sure Chattanooga remains a great place to live and work. Thats Who We R.
Ashland City, TN (37015)

Today

Partly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 67F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 67F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph.
Prince Harry and his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussexs explosive sit-down with Oprah Winfrey on March 7, may have sent shockwaves through the monarchy but the royals havent said much about the claims made by the Sussexes. Other than a brief 61- word statement from the palace that the allegations would be addressed by the family privately senior royals havent spoken about the interview, until now.

(L): Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby marrying Prince Harry and Meghan Markle | OWEN HUMPHREYS/AFP via Getty Images, (R): Oprah Winfrey arriving at the royal wedding | Ian West / POOL / AFP

During a chat with The Telegraph on June 4, Prince Edward and his wife Sophie, Countess of Wessex were asked about that other interview everyone has been talking about for months.

Oprah who? the Earl of Wessex joked, before Sophie added: Yes, what interview?

The countess then spoke a little more about her nephew and said it was nice to see Harry when he returned to the U.K. for Prince Philips funeral and that they had a lengthy chat with him. When questioned about specific things brought up in the duke and duchesss Oprah interview, Sophie put on a united front and simply stated that they are still a family no matter what happens.

Sophie gives reason why Archbishop didnt know who Oprah Winfrey was

Sophie, Countess of Wessex speaks to students at the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls | Maritz Verwey/Getty Images

Edward and Sophies remarks about not knowing Oprah raised some eyebrows before fans realized they were joking. The Earl and Countess of Wessex know exactly who the longtime journalist is and even visited the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls while in South Africa in 2013. However, Sophie brought up that not everyone in the U.K. is familiar with Lady O.

At Prince Harry and Meghans wedding Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury reportedly had a conservation with Oprah but was not aware of who she was during their chat. Sophie defended the Archbishop, saying: You know, if youre not into chat shows, theres no reason why you should know who she is. Certainly not in this country, anyway.

RELATED: Why Isnt Prince Edwards Wife Sophie a Duchess Like Kate, Meghan, and Camilla?

Archbishop has denied marrying Prince Harry and Meghan prior to their royal wedding

Prince Harry removes the veil of Meghan Markle at the altar before Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby | Owen Humphreys / AFP via Getty Images

Welby actually made headlines in April 2021 after he responded to a claim Meghan made during the Sussexes televised special with Oprah.

The duchess told the media personality that the archbishop married her and Harry privately three days before their royal wedding that millions watched. But Welby told the Italian newspaper La Repubblica that is not true.

The legal wedding was on Saturday, he stated. I signed the wedding certificate, which is a legal document, and I would have committed a serious criminal offense if I signed it knowing it was false. So you can make what you like about [it]. But the legal wedding was on [May 19].

RELATED: How Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie Disprove Claim Meghan Markle Made During Interview With Oprah
All fell quiet in Northwest Arkansas after an eventful two months. At the end of April 2021, Joshua Duggar was arrested on two child pornography charges. In early May, he was released on bond to await trial. Since then, Josh, his parents, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, and his wife, Anna Duggar, appear to have gone mostly underground. While they await more information about Joshs trial, family followers have taken to theorizing about just how much Anna knew about the charges against Josh.

Duggar family followers are debating how much information Anna has been provided about Joshs arrest

Joshs trial is set to start on July 5. For now, the eldest child of Jim Bob and Michelle is living with a chaperone. Still, family followers are debating just how much Joshs wife knew about the charges against her husband before he was officially arrested. Several Reddit users point out that Anna appeared blindsided back in 2015 when Josh was caught cheating. Based on previous events, it seems possible that she was also unaware of the seriousness of his current charges.

Anna Duggar and Josh Duggar | Kris Connor/Getty Images

RELATED: Duggar News: Anna Duggar Finally Announces the Pregnancy Family Followers Have Long Suspected

Users point to her Instagram activity in the days leading up to his arrest as proof. The week before federal agents took Josh into custody, Anna announced her seventh pregnancy. She featured Josh in the photos. In the days before his arrest, Anna took to Instagram to defend her husband, suggesting he was a diligent worker. Duggar family critics theorize that Annas behavior indicates she was unaware of what was going on. They think, at the very least, Josh and his parents withheld important details from her.

Its impossible to say just how much information the Duggar family gave Anna

There is plenty of reason to believe Josh told Anna very little about the nature of his alleged crimes. Still, there is no way to know for certain. Anna has not publicly spoken about her husbands legal troubles. It seems unlikely that she will do so in the coming weeks.

That doesnt mean shell stay quiet forever, though. In the past, Anna has spoken out in defense of her infamous husband. In 2015, after the media revealed that Josh had molested several of his siblings. Anna went on the record to tell the public that she was aware of his behavior before their marriage. Anna claimed Jim Bob, Michelle and Josh assured her that he had repented and recommitted himself to his faith. The same year, Anna sat down for an interview after Joshs infidelity became public fodder.

Anna Duggar is reportedly still committed to her marriage

It may be hard to say just how much Anna knew of Joshs alleged crimes before his bond hearing. One thing seems to be for sure, though. Anna, along with her six children, is staying put in Alabama for the time being. According to The Sun, Anna is supportive of Josh, despite the charges he is facing. The publication reportedly spoke to a source. The insider claimed that Anna drove Josh to turn himself over to federal agents in April.

Josh Duggars mug shot in 2021 | Washington County Sheriffs Office via Getty Images

RELATED: Duggar News: What Has the Duggar Family Said in the Wake of Josh Duggars Arrest?

While Anna did not appear to be present at the virtual bond hearing on May 5, she may have viewed the proceedings from home under an alias. Duggar family followers were quick to notice that several viewers appeared to be using pseudonyms. Amy Duggar King, Joshs cousin, and Jill Dillard, Joshs younger sister and one of his earlier abuse victims, were reportedly in the virtual courtroom. Both seemed to use their real names. Anna and Jill have grown close in recent years. Jill remains largely estranged from her parents.
Michael B. Jordans rapid ascension into one of Hollywoods most sought-after actors has been remarkable. After starting his career as a preteen on HBO dramas such as The Sopranos and The Wire, he transitioned into films when he landed the lead role in the biographical drama Fruitvale Station in 2013.

Fruitvale Station was the first collaboration between Jordan and esteemed director Ryan Coogler. The two formed a close bond during production and went on to create three more films together, Creed, Black Panther, and Creed II, but few people know that they had decided to create Creed long before they shot a single frame of Fruitvale Station.

Michael B. Jordan and Ryan Coogler agreed to make Creed before they filmed Fruitvale Station

Michael B. Jordan (L) and filmmaker Ryan Coogler attend the 2014 National Board Of Review Awards Gala | Jamie McCarthy/WireImage

RELATED: Michael B. Jordan Felt Insecure as an Actor When He Signed on For Fruitvale Station

Jordan discussed his prolific relationship with Coogler during a resurfaced 2019 interview with Vanity Fair. During the conversation, Jordan said that he and Coogler asked him about starring in the movie out of the blue, and he obliged with no question.

For me, Creed was something me and Ryan talked about before we shot one frame of Fruitvale Station, Jordan revealed. It was something that was in his head a long time ago. I remember him just asking me, like Hey man, Im doing this movie about Apollo Creeds son, do you want to play him? And I was like, Yeah, cool, lets do it.

Michael B. Jordan lacked confidence as an actor when Fruitvale Station filming began

Even though Jordan emphatically accepted the lead role in Creed, the actor was secretly quite insecure about carrying the film. In the same interview, Jordan admitted that he lacked confidence in himself as an actor around the time he filmed Fruitvale Station, and had no idea if his acting career was going to pan out.

Fruitvale Station for me was I guess the first time that I ever had an opportunity to carry a film, Jordan said. I think inside, I as an actor at that age was pretty insecure and not really confident in what the future was gonna be.

Ryan Coogler had to convince Sylvester Stallone to star in Creed

Because Jordan was a relatively unproven film actor at the time, Coogler knew that it would be hard to get Creed greenlit by a studio. On top of that, he had to convince Sylvester Stallone, star of the Rocky film franchise that Creed is based on, to be in the movie. According to Jordan, this wasnt an easy task.

During that production, Ryan was running back and forth to MGM, Sly, just trying to make it happen, Jordan said. Trying to convince Sly to kinda come back in a role he wasnt really planning on doing. And yeah, that process was another milestone moment for me.

Even though getting Creed off of the ground was difficult, everything worked out in the end. Jordan and Coogler maintain a close relationship to this day, and Jordan will be directing Creed III.
Pakistan is getting ready to mobilize against a non-existent group of "Uyghur terrorists" as it aligns itself with their ally, China. The Muslim country has vowed to crack down on the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM), which according to evidence does not actually exist.

China human rights magazine Bitter Winter reported this week that Pakistan is now committed to defeating a non-existent Uyghur terrorist group after a "Trilateral Dialogue" held between foreign ministers of Pakistan, China, and Afghanistan outlined their goals. A joint statement outlining the goals of the meeting read that the three countries "reiterated their commitment to strengthening political mutual trust, intensifying exchanges and communication, and forging closer and friendly neighbors and partnerships."

In a statement, the foreign ministers also reaffirmed their cooperation to combat "all forms of terrorism" and "strengthen joint efforts to combat the 'Eastern Islamic Movement,' the Pakistani Taliban, and the 'Islamic State,' and other terrorist forces." However, in November of 2020, then U.S. State Secretary Mike Pompeo announced that the U.S. will remove the ETIM from Washington's terror list, "because, for more than a decade, there has been no credible evidence that ETIM continues to exist," DW reported.

According to Breitbart, Uyghur Muslims refer to the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) as East Turkestan, which was annexed as a province of China following military conquests in the 18th century throughout the Communist invasion of 1949. The Uyghur Muslims hail from Central Asian countries such as Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan.

But today, communist China is using CCP propaganda to quash the Muslim minority, committing acts of genocide and other human rights abuses to gain control of the region that is rich in resources such as cotton and oil.

The Uyghur Muslims formed a militant group in the late 1990s, known as the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM), which was led by Afghanistan-trained Hasan Mahsum, who was killed by the Pakistani military in 2003. Abdul Haq, who took his place, was killed in 2010, marking the end of the militant group, according to counterterrorist experts. But 11 years later, CCP propaganda still uses the ghost of the ETIM, a non-existent Uyghur terrorist group to encourage Pakistan to get on board with China's plans for the religious minorities in the Xinjiang Province.

Pakistan, unfortunately, has little of a choice but to uphold CCP propaganda. Vice reported in May that Pakistan authorities are "under huge pressure from China owing to CPEC, the China Pakistan Economic Corridor." The project, which is part of China's ambitious Belt and Road Initiative, has a price tag of $62 billion. It is an economic project composed of several loans from China that will fund infrastructure, power plants, telecommunications, and schools in Pakistan.

Niaz Ghafoor, an Uyghur Muslim who fled China in fear of persecution and found his way to Pakistan, said, "The Pakistani government will do anything China orders them to do. Uyghurs are suffering so much because of CPEC."
Last summer, Outer Banks took a quarantined world by storm. Now, many fans of the Netflix series cant wait to see new episodes. Heres what we know about Outer Banks Season 2, including details about the latest teaser image released on the official OBX Instagram account.

MADELYN CLINE and CHASE STOKES | JACKSON LEE DAVIS/NETFLIX

Outer Banks Season 1 ended on a cliffhanger. When Ward Cameron (Charles Esten), frames John B. (Chase Stokes) for the murder of Sheriff Peterkin (Adina Porter), he runs away with Sarah Cameron (Madelyn Cline).

At this point, Netflix has not shared a concrete date regarding the release of Outer Banks Season 2. However, they have confirmed fans can expect new episodes this summer. Fans have known for a while that the show wrapped a few months ago, thanks to social media posts from the cast.

Jonathan Daviss, who plays Pope in the series, shared a photo on social media at the beginning of April 2021. Goodbye, Barbados, the actor wrote. Thats a wrap on @obx season 2!!!

Since then, fans have been eagerly awaiting news regarding the new season. Stay tuned to Showbiz Cheat Sheet for updates.

Outer Banks Netflix show teases new season on social media

The Outer Banks social media accounts shared a new teaser image on June 8. Pogues 4 life, the caption reads. The picture shows JJ (Rudy Pankow), Kiara (Madison Bailey), and Pope standing next to a tree with John B.s memorial carved into it.

At the end of season 1, John B. and Sarah Cameron are presumed dead after sailing off into a tropical storm. What the Pogues dont know is that a cargo boat picked them up and took them to the Bahamas, which happened to be their destination.

RIP John B and Sarah, Daviss captioned the same photo on Instagram. Just gonna leave this right here Pankow shared on his Instagram account.

Fans are excited to see where season 2 of Outer Banks picks up. Having filmed in Barbados, many are expecting new episodes to pick up where John B. and Sarah ended up in the Bahamas.

Chase Stokes Instagram hints at new season of Outer Banks

Stokes recently shared an image to his Instagram Stories of a screen with the end credits of Outer Banks. Well ladies and gents, thats the official official wrap wrap of [John B.] szn2, he wrote over the image.

Outer Banks fans on Reddit are assuming its only a matter of time before Netflix announces the release date for season 2. Looks like theyve officially wrapped and had a viewing party, one fan wrote. I think we should be expecting season 2 very soon.

RELATED: Outer Banks: Chase Stokes and Madelyn Clines Relationship Is Still Thriving; Heres Proof

Meanwhile, some fans believe this was Stokes doing voice-over work and not a viewing party. Regardless, this still means fans are one step closer to being able to watch the new season.

Many Outer Banks fans in the thread think season 2 will be released in July. I saw July 25 somewhere online, one fan commented on the post. At this time, this is purely fan speculation. Stay tuned for updates on the release of Outer Banks Season 2.
Food Network star Giada De Laurentiis recently released her new book on healthy eating. While the Food Network star doesnt believe in boycotting certain indulgent edibles, she provides readers with a list of items that should be consumed in moderation. De Laurentiis shared her perspective on how she keeps specific categories in check.

Giada De Laurentiis | Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images for NYCWFF

Giada De Laurentiis consumes her caffeine on the early side

A confessed sugar and caffeine lover, De Laurentiis is the first to admit she cannot go long without her two top vices. In her book, Eat Better, Feel Better: My Recipes for Wellness and Healing, Inside and Out, the chef shared some pros and cons on that kick in your coffee.

Medical science has been going back and forth on this one for years, with some studies showing it to be harmful and others suggesting it is actually beneficial in fighting cancer and other diseases, De Laurentiis wrote. The one thing we know for sure, though, is that it will keep you from getting the sleep you need, particularly if you drink it close to bedtime, as its effects can last for hours.

The Food Network personality still allows herself some coveted caffeine, yet is mindful of what time and how much she consumes.

I limit the amount of caffeine I drink, De Laurentiis remarked. That includes black and green teas  and avoid it all together after noon.

RELATED: Giada De Laurentiis Almost Specialized in This Cuisine Instead of Italian

Giada at Home star puts a limit on liquor

De Laurentiis stresses balance with all aspects of nutrition, and explains why its best to limit your alcohol intake on a regular basis.

When it comes to alcohol, moderation is key, the Everyday Italian star remarked. Alcohol is known to put a strain on your liver and cause inflammation. Overconsumption of alcohol has also been shown to disrupt sleep, preventing you from getting the deep, sustained rest you need.

Specializing in Italian cuisine, De Laurentiis has a penchant for fine wine. Realizing her digestive system may be a bit slow on processing alcoholic beverages, she puts a cap on how many glasses she allows herself per each week.

Because Im one of those folks whose liver is a slow detoxifier, I limit my drinking to one or two glasses of wine her week, De Laurentiis revealed. I avoid sugary, fruity drinks or wines with high additives like sulfites.

Giada De Laurentiis gives some facts on fat

While alcohol and caffeine fall under her Proceed with Caution section, De Laurentiis considers the heading more of a culinary practice than a list of foods. Still, she recommends being careful with certain fatty fare.

Proceed with Caution is really more a cooking method than a particular food category, she explained. But if you want to do your body some good, so no thanks next time youre asked Do you want fries with that? Im not saying that all fat is evil  thats just not true.  But when some fats are exposed to high heat, they change chemically, becoming much harder for your body to break down. These so-called trans fats are associated with serious health concerns.

RELATED: Why Giada De Laurentiis Had Some Days in Italy With Bobby Flay Where She Thought OK, Ive Had Enough of Him

De Laurentiis notes that while some fats are to be consumed in moderation, they can add flavor and provide certain health benefits. She recommends choosing foods rich in unsaturated fats to help reduce the risk of heart disease and lower cholesterol levels.

You will get the same stomach-filling effect from avocados and olive oil, fatty fish, and lean meats, she wrote, with far less downside than you will from fries and chips.

Eat Better, Feel Better is now on sale.
Memorial Service for Carol "Sue" Woods will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 5, 2021 at Hawkins Baptist Church in Alex, OK. Carol "Sue" Woods, of Alex, OK passed away on Saturday May 29, 2021 at the age of 76 in her home surrounded by her family. Sue was born June 15, 1944 in Scipio, 
From KANERE refugee news service in Kenya, a much different picture than the U.S. is seeing.

In April 2021, during World Health Week, the first phase of the COVID-19 vaccination program for refugees and asylum seekers living in Kakuma and Kalobeyei was rolled out at Ammusait General Hospital, Clinic 7 and Natukubenyo Health Centre, respectively.

In Kakuma, the first phase sought to prioritize health workers, security personnel, teachers, other critical service providers and refugees who are 58 and older. These groups are now eligible to receive their first vaccine dose from Monday to Friday between 8:30am- 3:00pm. Accordingly, around 2800 refugees, who account for 3% of the total refugee population, are expected to get priority access to COVID vaccines in the first phase of the roll-out.

On World Health Day, UN High Commission for Refugees Filippo Grandi called for vaccine equity: The blatant imbalances observed in vaccine-sharing among states are counterproductive and shortsighted. A my country first approach just cannot work in a pandemic that knows no borders.

Kakuma reported its first positive case on 13 March, 2020. As of April 30, 2021, the positivity rate was 7% among refugees and 4.9% among humanitarian workers, with the total number of cases and refugee deaths being 935 and 12, respectively.

As per recent UNHCR statistics, children who are younger than 18account for 52 % of the total population, suggesting that 104,000 refugees are excluded from the vaccine roll out entirely in Kakuma and Kalobeyei. Conversely, this means that 48 % of the total refugee population, constituting approximately 96,000 people, are eligible for vaccination in Kakuma and Kalobeyei.

During the first phase 2000 jabs of the AstraZeneca vaccine have been allocated for refugees, said a doctor at Clinic 7, who wishes to remain anonymous. He added that the shortages will be revealed at the later phases of the vaccine roll out.

The arrival of COVID-19 vaccine is a ripe opportunity for refugees, whose livelihoods rely mainly on humanitarian assistance from aid agencies, as they are not able to adhere to preventive measures and lack access to essential goods to prevent the spread of COVID-19 (e.g. hand sanitizer and other sanitary goods).

Throughout the camp, misinformation has been circulating since the outbreak of the COVID-19 to justify reluctance to wear masks and again now several myths and misconceptions are being put forth to deter vaccination. The implications of this misinformation have been that many refugees are refusing the vaccine, even when it is available for free.

An outreach volunteer who was vaccinated at FilmAid international said I took the first dose of the Covishield and I am still ok. Covishield is the local name given to Oxford -AstraZeneca by the Indian Serum manufacturer.

According to the doctor at Clinic 7, vaccine hesitancy and misinformation are the main challenges being exhibited during the first phase of the campaign and so far over 1000 refugees have been vaccinated, a figure much smaller than the total number of refugees eligible for vaccination.

In the first place, I will not take this vaccine, because the virus is the wrath of God up on us, read Revelation 19:15 if you dont believe me. The only solution is to pray, said a 65 year old refugee who stated he will not be vaccinated.

UNHCR and religious institutions have been calling for fair distributions of the vaccine to low income countries and vulnerable groups, including refugees and asylum seekers. We commend these countries for their exemplary dedication and leadership.By including refugees in their vaccine distribution, they mitigate the risks associated with exclusion and discrimination, said Grandi.

On March 3, 2021, amid the third COVID-19 wave in Kenya, the Ministry of Health (MOH) received 1.02 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine and launched their vaccination campaign. Per the MOH, Kenya is using the AstraZeneca vaccine that is given in two doses; the roll out became available in all counties on March 4, 2021. According to the Kenyan Ministry of Health directives, the first phase will run until the end of June 2021 and to boost effectiveness, the second dose will be administered 12 weeks after the first dose. In Kakuma and Kalobeyei, the second dose will be administered after 8 weeks. The target population will be vaccinated in three phases between 2021 and 2023.

Kenya is one of the few countries in the world to start vaccinating refugees.

Tolossa Asrat is an Ethiopian journalist based in Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya. He holds a bachelors degree, diploma, and several certificates, and is currently earning a diploma in Community Interpreting through the University of Nairobi, with an expected graduation date of December 2021. Tolossa is also a photographer and professional interpreter, translator and voiceover artist in the Amharic language. For more information about the KANERE Refugee News service, visit https://kanere.org/.
Faithful parents everywhere aspire to Train up a child in the way he should go, (Prov. 22:6, ESV throughout) but are sometimes torn between do not provoke your children to anger (Eph. 6:4) and whoever spares the rod hates his son (Prov. 13:24). Threading the needle of Christian parenting is tough, any way you cut it.

How religious mothers and fathers balance their childrens growing autonomy with robust discipleship is the topic of a new book, Handing Down the Faith: How Parents Pass Their Religion on to the Next Generation, by Christian Smith, the William R. Kenan Jr. Professor of Sociology at the University of Notre Dame, and Amy Adamczyk, professor of sociology at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in the City University of New York (CUNY).

Lyman Stone, a demographer specializing in fertility and family, spoke with Smith about where their research connects with the National Study of Youth and Religion (NSYR), why young adult faith is more consumeristic than ever, and how parents and youth pastors often talk past in each other in their efforts to disciple the next generation of believers.



(Click here for a companion interview with Melinda Lundquist Denton, NSYR researcher and coauthor of Back Pocket God.)

At a personal level, what was your reaction to the research findings?

I would say we started getting a handle on the importance of parents way back when we were studying teenagers in the National Study of Youth and Religion, which started in 2000. But there are two things that did surprise us a lot.

The first surprise in talking to religious parents in the United States is how similarly they talk about why they want to raise their children religiously, what the value of being religious is, and how they want to go about religious parenting.

In sociology, theres a lot of emphasis on difference and diversity, and we were expecting to find all these differentiated ways that parents from various traditions and social classes structures would talk about parenting. But it turns out they all basically say the same things. Even Buddhists, Muslims, Hindus, and Mormons have a similar way of understanding religious parenting.

Image: Illustration by Mallory Rentsch / Portrait Courtesy of Christian Smith

The other piece of that, which wasnt surprising but is still worth pointing out, is that most parents think whats really important about raising kids in the faith is that itll be good for them in this world. Theres very little reference to salvation or eternity. Its very this worldly focused: The kids will be happier and make better choices. So I think religious parents have a very immanently oriented, not transcendently oriented, rationale.

The other big surprise was parents views of their religious congregations. The common story is that laypeople just want to dump their kids off at church and have religion taken care of by youth ministers. But we found parents just want church to be friendly and a good environment, but they think its their job to take care of religious things. That seemed to be kind of a mismatch in how clergy and youth ministers think about parental involvement and the way parents described that involvement.

Whats the connection between this book and the National Study of Youth and Religion?

When we started the NSYR, we had no idea about parents. That wasnt the focus. But over the course of that study, it became very clear how important parents were in the formation of their children. We realized that what parents are doing with teenagers really matters more than media, school, or friends. If we really wanted to figure this out, we needed to do a study focused on religious parents.

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In the book, you say that a central part of your argument is that what religion is has fundamentally changed from a communal solidarity project to a personal identity accessory. Can you elaborate briefly on what that means?

This is my historical interpretation of our findings, trying to make the best theoretical sense I can of whats going on. The idea of a communal solidarity project is that in a former time in American history, religion would have been much more of a collective, community-based experience. It would have been something people shared in common and that had much more of a social dynamic to it. The parents wouldnt have had so much burden to promote religion because it wouldve just been living in the community. Over time, that world has dissolved.

There are pockets of it here and there, but for the most part, religion has been redefined. Its an individualistic thing that may or may not be part of ones personal identity, along with other features like your career or your sexual orientation or your hobbies. Religious faith may be a piece of that larger sense of individual self. You can choose it or you can not. As a result, its a lot of pressure on parents.

As congregations think about this change, especially in context of their programmatic offerings, what are the implications?

Parents are looking to congregations basically as resource centers. Theyre not community ways of life. Theyre not bodies of people who are embodying some alternative or renewed way of living. Theyre resources. My sense is that clergy understand this to some degree.

I dont want to prescribe anything. But if congregations want to be able to connect with parents where they are and maybe lead them to somewhere else, they need to think about what the resources are that parents want. But I hate even talking like this; it sounds like marketing.

No, I understand.

But yes, it has implications. I would say the way to think about it in terms of faithfulness is something like this: If what parents are demanding is not exactly what we want to be offering, you cant just ignore the parents.

So how do you create an environment that meets people where they are but draws them into something beyond that, without becoming just a dispensary of religious resources for people who want to pick and choose?

And it has big theological implications too.

A major theme in your interviews is that many or even most parents would prefer to use indirect methods of religious transmission. Not so much sit your kid down and lecture them about the faith, but instead, show them whats happening, and by osmosis, theyll kind of pick it up along the way.

But you found that the frequency of religious conversations between parents and kids strongly predicted the success of religious transmission. What do you make of this mismatch? Are religious parents adopting a bad strategy?

I dont feel its too much of a mismatch. First of all, parents who are effective are just being who they are. Theyre not saying, Oh my gosh, my kids age seven, I better start some religious training. Theyre being who they are authentically. And part of who they are is they think about things in view of their religious faith.

Some do that more intentionally than others. I think those who are more successful at passing on their faith to their kids either are so authentically religious to begin with or theyre intentional about saying, Hey, we need to pay attention to this and not just let it happen. In other words, theres a way to do something by osmosis which is still intentional.

What absolutely doesnt work (and what parents are not going to try anyways) is the sit down and lecture for one hour a week approach. Parents are way too worried about rebellion, and so theyre willing to play religious transmission kind of with kid gloves. I think that most parents have this sense theyre worried about overdoing it. Theyre worried about doing too much, being too direct, but still they kind of push and prod as much as they can.

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Lets go back to what you said about parents who had fairly modest expectations of religious congregations. They saw themselves as the primary actor in their childs religious formation. But if youth ministers, for example, see parents as very disengaged, and parents see themselves as very engaged, what might account for this difference?

First of all, I have to say, we didnt do an ethnography of parents. We didnt drive to church with Susan and pick up her kids from youth group. So were basing this on what parents and teenagers report in interviews and surveys. But my sense of things from studying this over the years is that its probably a combination of things. It could be that youth ministers want more direct investment from parents, but parents just dont want to do it that way.

My suspicion is that a lot of youth ministers get their information about parents from the teenager. Theyre not going out for coffee and breakfast with the parents. Im not saying teenagers are lying, but teenagers obviously are going to give their own perspective on whats going on at home.

Also, part of it is probably just expectations. If youre hired as a youth minister, youre ready to do great things. But then you enter into a situation where families have their settled routines. And it probably is kind of a frustrating situation for a youth minister, right?

Maybe, per your earlier point, clergy or youth ministers have a different kind of religion in mind than parents and really want something transcendent to be communicated. That gets into this cultural model of parenting that you describedwhere parents see religion as a kind of moral training to prepare kids for the journey of life, and additionally, as a way of building family solidarity.

In addition to the moral training, I would say religion gives you kind of a home base, a place to return to when things go badly.

So thats moral, but its also psychological, emotional, mental, relational. Which, as I anticipate youre about to point out, I doubt that thats what clergy learned in seminary.

As a missionary and a dad, I find this portrait terrifying for my childs future. To me, the idea of religion as a psychological, emotional, moral script detached from existential or fundamentally spiritual questions is concerning. Was this research finding surprising to you?

On one level, it was. I expected there to be more of a mix at least. At another level, having studied American religion for decades, no, it wasnt surprising. American religion has just become very therapeutic, consumeristic, and this-world-oriented.

And you raised the question of mismatch earlier, but I would say this is the real mismatch. Not so much strategy differences between parents and youth ministers, but what church is for. I think some of the main actors that are gathered in congregations have very different ideas of what theyre even doing there. Whats fascinating, sociologically, is how they can continue that mismatch for years and not really figure out the differences between each otherlike not really have it dawn on them, Oh, we have totally different realities going on here.

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Out of curiosity, I did a poll of my Twitter followers to get their take on some elements of the cultural model you describe.

My Twitter followers are not a representative sample, but I found a rather large majority who disagreed with the idea that exclusivity in religion is bad, or that parenting is largely about helping kids discover who they are. Do you think there are meaningful subpopulations who might be consciously resisting the cultural model that you identify?

Yeah, I guess I would say two things. First, Twitter followers of somebody whos getting a PhD in demography, whos a missionary, and writes for Christianity Today are not the average sort of American religious parents. I also think it shows the last point that you raised: Of course there are pockets of people out there who dont conform.

But you know, we were just blown away with how similarly all these parents talk. I think its fair to say there is this dominant model, but it hasnt turned everyone into a robot.

There are clearly subpopulations who dont believe that cultural model of parenting. And from the point of view inside that subpopulation, it can look like the world has all these faithful people in it. But when you look at a national sample the vast majority are still what we described.

That makes sense to me. Speaking of interesting subpopulations, I wanted to give you a chance to talk about the chapter on immigrant religious groups, which was just fascinating.

Im particularly proud of that chapter. I didnt write it, so I can say that. I would say for a lot of evangelicals, the world is sort of college educated or some college and largely white. But theres a lot of the world that isnt that. Even though evangelicalism has in some ways been diversifying ethnically and racially, I think its worth bearing in mind that the world out there is much more diverse than what our individual experiences can convey. Society changes. Its interesting to think about how to be faithful while connecting with these differences.

So whats the big takeaway for people of faith?

This is not a new conclusion, but its reinforcing what we have known for a while: American religion has really morphed into an individualistic, consumeristic reality.

It seems to me that requires some stepping back, reflecting, and having conversationshard onesabout how you bridge between all these different tugs and pushes and pulls so that youre not just selling out but youre also not a going-down-the-toilet sectarian.

Read the companion interview here:
When the Honduran woman got to Alma Ruths studio apartment in McAllen, Texas, she took a shower.

She was nine months pregnant, and it was the first real shower shed taken in more than a year and a half, since a day in 2019 when she and her husband and their toddler fled the violence that has wreaked havoc on Central America.

She thanked God for the clean, hot water, and for the people who had helped her along the way.

God is always surprising us with his miracles, she told CT in Spanish. The rest of my life will not be enough time to thank him for all the miracles he has done for my family and for me.

The woman, allowed into the US in March, is one of an estimated 68,000 asylum seekers who now have permission to wait for their court hearings in the United States, as President Joe Biden reversed Donald Trumps Migration Protection Protocols.

The former presidents policy, known as MPP or the Remain in Mexico policy, was suspended in January. The Biden administration officially ended it last week in a victory for asylum seekersincluding the woman taking the shower, who asked that her name not be used because her asylum case is still pendingand their advocates, like the showers owner, Alma Ruth.

But Ruth, founder and president of Practice Mercy, is worried about the new challenges asylum seekers will now face.

They finish one Via Dolorosa, she said, using the Spanish phrase for the path of sorrow that Jesus took on the way to the cross, and they start another one.

The migrants in the makeshift refugee camp in Matamoros found themselves in a kind of no mans land, neither here nor there, with few lawyers, few social workers, and few Christian mission and aid groups to help them as they waited to apply for asylum. Now, as they finally leave the camp and enter the US, will they fall further into the cracks between Christian ministries?

The need in the camps

Ruth originally felt called to do ministry around the world, working in Cuba and Jerusalem. A Mexican citizen, she moved to the border city of McAllen in 2012 and began her work with the international community.

When the Remain in Mexico program began in 2019, Ruth soon realized that the need in her backyard was too big to ignore. She began visiting the camps as they swelled in size, helping families procure basic necessities and praying with the many Christians who were desperate for spiritual encouragement.

According to Ruth, the majority of Spanish-speaking asylum seekers are people of faith. Those living in the camps had begun to form their own churches, meeting in tents. But while Ruth scurried back and forth across the border, she began to wonder: Where was the American church?

Sometimes churches and ministries would donate larger items, and even visit. But as far as a sustained, Christian presence in the Matamoros camp, Ruth said, it was limited. This messy, transient community didnt seem to fit into most ministry plans.

You can count with your fingers the faith-based organizations that were involved in helping the refugee camp in Matamoros, Ruth said. A lot of photo ops, but people of faith serving on a weekly basis  you can count them with your fingers.

Once inside the US, more Christian ministries have systems in place to help immigrants and their families, meeting them at bus stations, connecting them to community services, and in some cases hosting ministries in their native languages. But for those out of range, help has been scarce.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, even the few visiting churches and short-term missions stopped coming. But those committed to the camps continued crossing back and forth daily, praying, delivering food, monitoring health.

Ruth sought out women and children, paying special attention to pregnant women, who were particularly vulnerable during the pandemic, intense summer heat, flooding brought by Hurricane Hanna, and dangerous conditions of Winter Storm Uri. One woman gave birth outside the camp. Another crossed the Rio Grande on an air mattress during labor and had the baby in a Customs and Border Patrol cell.

A few faithful women

The woman from Honduras crossed into the US with her husband and toddler in late 2019. The young family hoped to find safety and security in America and live near the husbands relatives in Minnesota.

According to US law, they had to be physically present in the country to apply for asylum. So they came. Then the woman and her family were sent back to Mexico with thousands of other asylum seekers, where they were absorbed into an ever-growing huddled mass, and told to wait.

We endured hunger, cold, heat, and racism for a long time, the woman said. We suffered many injustices.

The little help there did not come from well-funded humanitarian organizations, international ministries, or large American churches. It came from those who habitually allow their lives to be interrupted so they can slip into the churchs cracks and blind spots in search of those at risk of being forgotten.

Ruth started Practice Mercy, a Christian nonprofit that allowed her to receive financial support from American churches. She said Christians must change the way they think about ministry to those caught up in the countrys chaotic immigration system, in which planning and predictability are a luxury.

When Winter Storm Uri blanketed the temperate border towns in ice and snow, Ruth brought blankets to the migrants. When the woman from Honduras got pregnant, Sister Alma was there to help.

I thank God for putting her in our path, she said. She was and continues to be an angel for us.

When the US government began bringing the asylum seekers into Texas at the start of the year, Ruth started working to get them to their destination. Donations allowed her ministry to arrange Airbnb rentals while the immigrants waited for travel arrangements. Occasionally, she let them shower in her studio apartment.

For many of them it was the first time they took a real shower in two years, Ruth said.

Soon it was clear that, with Remain in Mexico over, there would be additional needs. Asylum seekers usually have family or camaradas waiting for them in a destination city, but many of those are recent immigrants themselves. When the pandemic devastated the service and hospitality industry, many of the recent arrivals found themselves in precarious financial situations.

Few could afford to pay for a plane or even bus ticket for an entire family to travel from Texas to Minnesota or anywhere else in the US, Ruth said. We realized those support networks are extremely fragile.

On social media, Practice Mercy began to broadcast calls for help in the US cities where asylum-seeking women and children needed to go. Ruth asked for help with the migrants travel and supporting them once they arrived.

When the pregnant woman from Honduras was allowed to re-enter the US in March, Ruth knew that she was about to have her baby. She would need real support, not a one-time meal or a referral to a shelter. Ruth took the family into her studio apartment and began working on getting them to their destination in Minnesota as quickly as possible.

This time, Ruth did not rely on Instagram. She called a supporter, Melissa Carey, who happened to live in the Twin Cities area.

As a believer, you are called

Carey emigrated from Peru with her family at age 10. She remembers the feeling of nervousness that comes with temporary legal status. She and her siblings didnt enroll in free lunch programs at schooleven when they were hungrybecause they were afraid it would somehow violate the terms of their visa.

When youve experienced it yourself, you know that dread of trying to do everything right so you dont get kicked out, Carey said. It controls your life.

Keeping her head down is now second nature, but when Carey became a citizen 11 years ago, she felt compelled to begin advocating for those living in fear.

As a believer, she said, you are called to be the voice for those who have no voice.

She began volunteering and became involved with a campaign to make drivers licenses available to undocumented immigrants. She found that, as a Christian with many conservative values, she could talk with some legislators and lawmakers in a way others could not. Soon she began working with the Minnesota immigrant movement.

As a volunteer who is also a full-time mom, Careys other niche has become crisis response. She regularly responds to last-minute emergency calls, helping families connect to food or shelter for the night while reaching out to a network of faith communities to see if longer-term support is possible. The more people she helps, the more likely it is shell get the next call.

Immigration emergencies dont happen according to a schedule, she explained. There isnt a regular database of needs and opportunities someone can check at their convenience. Instead, those committed to helping need to be within arms reach at a moments notice. They have to be consistent amid inconsistency.

You have to choose to get involved in a community and continually show up, Carey said. So much of serving and helping is actually having community with your neighbors.

In March, one of those emergency calls was from Ruth, whom Carey had been following and supporting from afar. Ruth told Carey about the pregnant woman and her family, and Carey sprang into action, calling Faith City Church in St. Paul to see if they could purchase plane tickets. They did, and committed to supporting the family further while they settled in.

It took longer to find midwives who spoke Spanish and could give the woman the kind of care she needed after spending her entire pregnancy in a makeshift refugee camp with no prenatal care. It wasnt enough for Carey to find someone to do an examination, she said. She needed to be nurtured.

Carey made a connection just in time for the midwives to lead the Honduran woman through a difficult birth that would have been dangerous for both mother and child without the midwives expertise and tools.

We, the privileged, dont realize the resources we have, Carey said.

Concerned for the future

Mother and child are safe and healthy and living in Minnesota while they wait for the government to hear their arguments why it would not be safe for them to return to Honduras.

The long-term camps along the border have largely been emptied, but smaller encampments remain and shelters are full of people hoping to enter as the Biden administration tries to regulate entry procedureswhich so far have been uneven. Asylum-seeking is also a regular part of the southern US border, and people in great need will continue to get on planes and busses out of McAllen, El Paso, San Diego, and other cities to start new lives around the country.

Ruth and Carey say the church must take a more active role in both the acute crises and the long-term chaos of the asylum process, where court backlogs and detention practices keep families in disconnected limbo for years.

They say ministry to the least of these has to be flexible and faithful, proximate and consistent, aware of the needs and resources in the community, willing to call in a request.

For the pregnant woman, it just took a few faithful Christians to make a difference.

I thank God for beautiful people who have helped us a lot and continue to do so, she said. God is always surprising us.
The George H.W. Bush Foundation for US-China Relations, which was founded by the late Republican president's son, Neil Bush in 2017, was recently revealed to be funded by China-United States Exchange Foundation (CUSEF), which is linked to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) under its leader, Xi Jinping.

The foundation was established in May 2017 and began full operations on September 1, 2019, just months before George H. W. Bush passed in November. Its "active, wide-ranging and highly innovative program of activities" seeks to promote the "most consequential bilateral relationship in the world" between China and the U.S.

According to Axios, however, the George H.W. Bush Foundation for U.S.-China Relations had recently accepted $5 million in funding from CUSEF, which not only is closely linked to communist Chinese government officials, but also has a "reputation as an arm of Beijing's political influence operation." The report also indicates that CUSEF provided a "significant share of the funds" for the Bush foundation's efforts to improve relations between the U.S. and China.

"We are proud of our partnership with CUSEF and deeply appreciative of CUSEF's generous support," Bush foundation spokesperson Leslie Reagan, who confirmed the authenticity of the $5 million deal, told Axios. "(T)he Bush China Foundation has staked out a very strong independent posture on virtually all of the major issues in the U.S.-China relationship; in the process, we have frequently leveled sharp criticism of Chinese policies and actions when we believe that has been merited."

However, the Hong Kong-based CUSEF is led by the the city's former chief executive, Tung Chee-Hwa, who is also the vice-chair of a Beijing-based advisory body that promotes the political objectives of the CCP. This advisory body is led by a Politburo official named Wang Yang, who oversees China's "united front" global influence campaign.

Breitbart reported that CUSEF's relationship with the CCP has been "widely documented." In fact, the Jamestown Foundation wrote in a 2020 report that "CUSEF is indeed a major player in the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)'s organizational apparatus for conducting united front work in the United States."

But representatives in the CCP-linked firm insist that they are "not an agent of the Chinese Communist Party." Foreign Policy reported in 2017 that as per CUSEF representatives, they only "cooperated on projects with the People's Liberation Army" and uses the Chinese embassy's Washington PR firm. (It's worth noting, however, that reports revealed the CCP paid millions of dollars to western media outlets, including Foreign Policy, to promote propaganda. The Washington Free Beacon noted that the outlet recently ramped up advertising deals with China Daily, a state-controlled media outlet, and also revealed that it had received more than $630,000 for promotions since 2019.)

This isn't the first time a Bush foundation was found to have ties with a CCP-linked firm. The Project on Government Oversight recently reported that the George W. Bush Center lists the China CEFC Energy Company as one of its donors in the Freedom Registry section of its website.

According to CNN, China CEFC Energy Company was formerly headed by Ye Jianming, who led a "$44 billion business empire." The report also describes China CEFC Energy Company as a company that "aligned itself so closely with the Chinese government that it was often hard to distinguish between the two."

But the Bush foundation shut down assumptions that they were under China's bidding. Their agreement with the CCP-linked form reads, "The Bush China Foundation in no way acts under the order, request, direction or control of CUSEF. This agreement establishes no 'principal'/'agent' relationship between the two parties."
Burger King donating up to $250K to LGBT group in swipe at Chick-fil-A

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A prominent fast-food company announced that it's donating nearly half of the proceeds from its sales of chicken sandwiches to an LGBT activist group while taking a shot at one of its competitors.

Burger King, one of the largest and most popular global fast food companies, sent out a tweet Thursday announcing that the #ChKing says LGBTQ+ rights! The tweet, which is now pinned to the Burger King Twitter account, referred to the ChKing, the restaurant chains newly created chicken sandwich.

During #pridemonth (even on Sundays) your chicken sandwich craving can do good! We are making a donation* to @HRC for every ChKing sold!

Burger King will donate 40 cents to the Human Rights Campaign, the largest LGBT activist group in the United States, for every ChKing sold between June 3 and June 30. The fast-food chain will donate up to $250,000 to HRC, a goal that can be reached with the sale of 625,000 chicken sandwiches.

the #ChKing says LGBTQ+ rights!



during #pride month (even on Sundays ????) your chicken sandwich craving can do good! we are making a donation* to @HRC for every Ch'King sold ??????????  Burger King (@BurgerKing) June 4, 2021

The reference to Sundays in the tweet is seen as a veiled swipe at Chick-fil-A, another major fast-food chain that, unlike nearly all of its primary competitors, does not open on Sundays because of the religious beliefs of the restaurant chains founders.

Steve Cortes, a Newsmax host and former Trump campaign employee, took issue with Burger Kings jab at Chick-fil-A for closing on Sundays: This corporation makes it clear it mocks Christians (and other religious people) and doesnt want our business.

First, Burger King food is terrible.



Second, we should welcome the acceleration of the Great Sorting. This corporation makes it clear it mocks Christians (and other religious people) and doesnt want our business. So be it. pic.twitter.com/F2I8dCHeCT  Steve Cortes (@CortesSteve) June 8, 2021

In the past, Chick-fil-A has come under fire from progressives because its CEO, Dan Cathy, has expressed opposition to same-sex marriage. A recent article in The Daily Beast alleges that Cathy is among several donors to the National Christian Charitable Foundation, a charity that's opposed to the passage of the Equality Act. Supporters of the Equality Act paint the wide-reaching legislative initiative as necessary to prevent discrimination against LGBT people. Opponents of the bill worry about its implications for religious liberty and womens sports.

More than 400 major companies have signed onto the Human Rights Campaigns Business Coalition for the Equality Act, a coalition of companies that have publicly declared their support for the Equality Act. Although Burger King has made its support for LGBT activism quite clear over the years, it is not a member of HRCs Business Coalition for the Equality Act.

In addition to supporting the Equality Act, the Human Rights Campaign called on the Biden administration to strip accreditation from Christian schools that subscribe to biblical beliefs about sexuality and marriage, and therefore oppose homosexuality.

The group has also steadfastly opposed efforts by states to prevent boys who identify as female from competing in girls' sports.

In response to the passage of such a bill in Alabama, Alphonso David, the president of HRC, characterized it as a politically motivated bill designed to discriminate against an already vulnerable population. Conservative political commentator Paul Joseph Watson slammed Burger Kings partnership with HRC, which he described as a radical LGBT lobby group that supports child sex changes.

Burger King under the leadership of CEO Daniel Schwartz have begun donating 40 cents for every sale of its new chicken sandwich to a radical LGBT lobby group that supports child sex changes. https://t.co/dpkmGFCAZm  Paul Joseph Watson (@PrisonPlanet) June 8, 2021

Speaking to USA Today, a Burger King spokesperson defended the companys decision to collaborate with HRC: This is a community we love dearly and have proudly supported over the years, so we couldnt miss an opportunity to take action and help shine a light on the important conversation happening.

Burger Kings partnership with the Human Rights Campaign is not the first example of the restaurant chain embracing LGBT activism. In 2014, Burger King introduced a Gay Pride Whopper in San Francisco ahead of the annual Pride Parade. While the Gay Pride Whopper tasted and looked the same as a regular Whopper, it was packaged in a rainbow-colored wrapper containing the message we are all the same inside.

Additionally, the San Francisco Burger King, which was located along the parade route, handed out more than 50,000 rainbow-colored Burger King crowns to those participating in the parade. The Gay Pride Whopper was sold exclusively in San Francisco for a limited time and the proceeds from its sales went to the Burger King McLamore Foundation, which provided scholarships to LGBT high school seniors who were slated to graduate in the spring of 2015.
Judge orders Christian teacher who opposes trans pronouns be reinstated by school district

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A judge has ordered a Virginia school district to reinstate an elementary school teacher who was placed on leave after criticizing a proposed policy that would require him and other teachers to use the preferred names and pronouns of trans-identified students.

Byron Tanner Cross, a physical education teacher at Leesburg Elementary School, was put on administrative leave not long after he expressed his opposition to the proposed pronoun policy at a Loudon County School Board meeting in May.

In an order released Tuesday, Judge James E. Plowman of the 20th Judicial Circuit of Virginia granted Cross' request for a temporary injunction against the school board's decision to place him on leave, which will expire in December.

Plowman wrote that putting Cross on leave was extreme and an unconstitutional action since the teachers words, even if controversial, were nevertheless permissible.

The Court agrees with Plaintiffs analysis and concludes that Defendants actions to suspend the Plaintiff, as well as the additional restrictions placed upon him, adversely affected his constitutionally protected speech, wrote the judge.

Here, it was clear that the Plaintiff was speaking as a citizen, not in his official capacity. His speech was not conducted at his usual place of employment, occurred during non-working hours and at a forum where public comment was invited.

Alliance Defending Freedom President and CEO Michael Farris, whose legal nonprofit is representing Cross, said in a statement that he is pleased at the courts decision to halt Loudoun County Public Schools retaliation against Tanner Cross while his lawsuit continues.

Educators are just like everybody else  they have ideas and opinions that they should be free to express. Advocating for solutions they believe in should not cost them their jobs, stated Farris.

Dozens of other teachers have shared their beliefs on various policies without retaliation; Tanner deserves to be treated with the same respect.

On May 25, the Loudon County School Board held a meeting to debate a proposed policy, known as Policy 8040, that would require staff and students to use the chosen pronouns of students who identify as transgender or gender-expansive.

LCPS staff shall allow gender-expansive or transgender students to use their chosen name and gender pronouns that reflect their gender identity without any substantiating evidence, regardless of the name and gender recorded in the students permanent educational record, a draft of the policy explains.

Inadvertent slips in the use of names or pronouns may occur; however, staff or students who intentionally and persistently refuse to respect a students gender identity by using the wrong name and gender pronoun are in violation of this policy.

At the meeting, Cross argued that as a Christian, he is unable to affirm that a biological boy can be a girl and vice versa.

My name is Tanner Cross, and I am speaking out of love for those who suffer with gender dysphoria, stated Cross. I love all of my students, but I will never lie to them regardless of the consequences.

Im a teacher, but I serve God first and I will not affirm that a biological boy can be a girl and vice versa because its against my religion," he added.

Two days after the meeting, Cross was placed on administrative leave with pay "pending an investigation of allegations that [he] engaged in conduct that had a disruptive impact on the operations of Leesburg Elementary School.

Cross was prohibited from entering the property of Loudon County Public Schools for any event unless permitted to do so.

In response, Cross filed a lawsuit against the school board and other school district officials, accusing them of engaging in viewpoint-based retaliation.

 this case is not about how schools should treat students who struggle with gender dysphoria, stated the legal filing.

It is about whether public schools can punish a teacher for objecting, as a private citizen, to a proposed policy, in a forum designated for the purpose of considering whether to implement such policies, where the policy would force him to express ideas about human nature, unrelated to the schools curriculum, that he believes are false.
Nevada to pay church $175K for legal battle over COVID-19 worship restrictions

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Nevada has agreed to pay a church $175,000 for legal fees incurred during its legal battle against the state's worship restrictions enacted during the coronavirus pandemic.

The Nevada Board of Examiners unanimously approved a request on Tuesday morning from the Office of the Attorney General to pay a tort claim to Calvary Chapel Dayton Valley.

Susan Brown, chief of the Board, explained at the meeting that the $175,000 payment was to comply with the consent decree in this case that requires the state of Nevada to pay a reasonable attorney fees, adding that this cost will come out of the tort claim fund.

From there, no questions on the item were asked by those attending the board meeting in-person or virtually, with a motion to approve the tort claim coming without a nay vote.

Calvary Chapel Dayton Valley filed a lawsuit against Nevada in May 2020, accusing Gov. Steve Sisolak of treating churches worse than secular institutions in the state's COVID-19 rules.

For example, while churches could only have 50 people in attendance regardless of the size of the building, secular businesses like casinos and gyms could operate at 50% capacity.

In June 2020, District Court Judge Richard Boulware II ruled against the Dayton church, claiming that the church had failed to prove that it was facing discrimination.

It is difficult to establish a pattern of selective enforcement directed toward places of worship when new, more restrictive measures have been imposed against secular activities and no similar restrictions were imposed on religious activities, wrote Boulware last year.

Plaintiffs requested relief would require the court to engage in potentially daily or weekly decisions about public health measures that have traditionally been left to state officials and state agencies with expertise in this area.

Last July, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5-4 to reject a request by the church to block the restrictions, allowing the district court's ruling against them to stand for the time being.

However, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit sided with the church last December. Judge Milan D. Smith Jr. wrote in the panel opinion that the church has demonstrated a likelihood of success on the merits of its Free Exercise claim.

It has also established that the occupancy limitations contained in the Directive  if enforced will cause irreparable harm, and that the issuance of an injunction is in the public interest, concluded Smith.

Accordingly, we reverse the district court, instruct the district court to employ strict scrutiny review to its analysis of the Directive, and preliminarily enjoin the State from imposing attendance limitations on in-person services in houses of worship that are less favorable than 25% of the fire-code capacity.
Nikki Haley slams Kamala Harris for not going to the border: You cant fix what you cant see

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Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley called Vice President Kamala Harris border response embarrassing" because Harris has yet to visit the U.S.-Mexico border since being appointed border czar on March 24.

This is embarrassing, Haley, the former South Carolina governor, said on Fox News America Reports during a Tuesday interview, discussing Harris' travel to Guatemala and Mexico.

I dont know what the problem is, the Republican continued. Clearly, shes fearful, but Kamala Harris was given one job, one job, and that was to deal with the border. And any leader knows you cant fix what you cant see. She hasnt been on the ground. She hasnt talked to border patrol. She doesnt know what is happening there.

Vice President Harris was tasked with fixing the border crisis. Yet, she's been in office for five months and she still cant explain why she hasnt been there.



Its embarrassing.https://t.co/2R4gzwTWKo  Nikki Haley (@NikkiHaley) June 9, 2021

Since the vice president has received criticism for not visiting the border, NBCs Lester Holt interviewed Harris on Tuesday about whether she has plans to visit the southern border.

Do you have any plans to visit the border? Holt asked her.

At some point, Harris said as she threw her hands into the air.

We are going to the border. Weve been to the border, so this whole thing about the border, weve been to the border. Weve been [to] the border, she added, referring to other Biden administration officials.

You havent been to the border, Holt responded.

And I havent been to Europe, Harris said as she appeared frustrated by the question. I dont understand the point that youre making. Im not discounting the importance of the border  I care about whats happening at the border.

Haley criticized Harris for dodging the question about visiting the border by bringing up Europe.

So she says she wants to go to the root cause, and then she brings up Europe, Haley said. No one has given her the job of Europe. She got the job of the border.

Haley said she appreciates that Harris traveled to Guatemala and Mexico recently because both countries leaders have blamed the Biden administration as "the reason they are having all these problems at the border."

Haley noted how Harris tone on immigration has changed since she originally implored immigrants to come to the U.S. but now says, do not come.

This is the same woman that literally tweeted out, come one, come all, were open for everyone.  Now she says, do not come. Do you know what says do not come? When you show up at the border and you really have actions speak louder than words, Haley explained.

I dont know what her fear is of the border, but clearly she has one, she continued. And I dont know what Bidens fear of the border is, but he has one. What I will call it is flat-out denial. They think that if they dont go, it wont be real. Its very real.

At a press conference in Guatemala City, Harris said, I want to be clear to folks in this region who are thinking about making the dangerous trek to the United States-Mexico border  do not come, do not come," Harris said.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki defended Harris during a press briefing Tuesday and said she might visit the border at some point.

I dont have any trips to preview for you or predict a timeline for that, Psaki said. But what I would reiterate is that her assignment was to work with country or leaders in the Northern Triangle to address root causes, address corruption, ensure were working together to address humanitarian concerns.

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, tweeted on Tuesday that Biden and Harris could could fix the border crisis tomorrow by ending catch and release and by reinstating the Remain in Mexico policy."

"But neither Kamala or Joe are willing to do that," he said.

Joe Biden and Kamala Harris could fix the border crisis tomorrow by ending "catch and release" and by reinstating the Remain in Mexico policy.



But neither Kamala or Joe are willing to do that. pic.twitter.com/eYIyL1HQxF  Senator Ted Cruz (@SenTedCruz) June 8, 2021

Cruz noted how Harris laughs it off when asked about the border.

We dont have a border crisis in Europe, Cruz said during a Fox News interview, referring to Harris recent comment.

We have a border crisis on the southern border, Cruz said. Come to Texas. Come to the Rio Grande Valley. Come to McAllen. Come see the cages that the Biden Harris administration has built and then, even more importantly, stand up and be willing to enforce our laws to fix it because thats not what theyre doing right now.

Preliminary Customs and Border Protection data shows that the surge of illegal immigrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico southern border in the fiscal year 2021 has surpassed the totals of every year since 2006 with four months left, Axios reported.

The U.S. formally ended the Trump-era remain in Mexico policy last week. This policy required Central American asylum-seekers to remain in Mexico and wait for their asylum cases to be adjudicated in the U.S., Reuters reported.

The Biden administration has reversed many of former President Donald Trumps immigration policies and halted border wall construction.

The Biden administration said it might file a lawsuit against Texas since Gov. Greg Abbott mandated that state licenses be pulled for shelters used to house unaccompanied minors who cross the border.

A Monday letter from the Department of Health & Human Services, the federal agency responsible for caring for the unaccompanied minors, said that Texas would be violating immigration law by banning the shelters.

Abbott said HHS's letter is pressure from the White House to support its immigration policies.

The Biden administration is yet again pressuring Texas to aid its illegal immigration program and force our state to do its job, Abbott said in a statement. The federal government caused this problem and should be solely responsible for the care of these children. No child will be uncared for. Texas will remain focused on doing our jobprotecting Texans.
Should Christian jurors find people innocent, even when proven guilty? John Piper answers

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Theologian and author John Piper addressed the question of whether Christians have a duty to find people innocent of a crime  even if they've been proven guilty  when serving on a jury.

In an episode of the Ask Pastor John podcast on Desiring God Friday, a listener asked a question about a professor he'd heard claim that even if a Christian juror knew without a doubt  based on evidence  that a defendant was guilty of a crime, the Christians duty is to pass along a verdict of not guilty.

For evidence, the unnamed professor cited John 8:1-11, in which Jesus saved the life of a woman who had been found guilty of adultery and was going to be stoned.

Since Jesus didnt convict the guilty woman, neither should we convict guilty criminals today. Thats a basic summation of the professors argument, inquired the listener. How would you respond? I would appreciate your thoughts on what God expects from Christian jurors.

Piper responded that he believed the event was the way in which Jesus was showing how the Church would be distinct from ethnic, political, geographic Israel and would not be governed as a national, political, geographic body politic with civil laws regulating, for example, capital punishment, the way Israel was.

Rather, the church, the new people of God, will not be a political or ethnic or geographic reality, but it will be governed by the law of Christ, which introduces significant changes from the law of Moses, said Piper.

Piper then stressed that he didn't believe the passage called for Christians selected to be on juries to acquit the guilty, noting that the New Testament was full of commands for governing officials to mete out justice on evildoers and the Church was commanded to enact discipline on members who sin.

I, we, desperately need the Holy Spirit to guide us: When should our witness to Christ involve turning the other cheek? he asked. And when should it involve spanking a child or not, letting an employee go or not, giving the student a C instead of an A or not, excommunicating an adulterous Christian or finding some other way to move them forward for now, and finding a murderer guilty while serving as a Christian juror?

Last month, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit ruled that a court erred in dismissing a juror who had said that the Holy Spirit led him to conclude that the defendant was not guilty.

Chief Judge William Pryor wrote the majority opinion of the circuit decision, writing that the district judge abused his discretion by dismissing the juror.

Jurors may pray for and believe they have received divine guidance as they determine another persons innocence or guilt, a profound civic duty but a daunting task to say the least, wrote Pryor.

Juror No. 13s vivid and direct religious language  read in the light of his other statements  suggests he was doing nothing more than praying for and receiving divine guidance as he evaluated the evidence or, in secular terms, provided an explanation of his internal mental processes  all consistent with proper jury service.
A valedictorian champions Christ!

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A high school in Michigan has reversed course after initially telling a graduating senior that references to her Christian beliefs were "not appropriate" for her upcoming valedictory speech, her lawyers say.

After receiving a demand letter from the First Liberty Institute, officials at Hillsdale High School relented after pressuring student Elizabeth Turner to alter the valedictory speech for her June 6 graduation ceremony.

"Im grateful I will be able to share my faith with my classmates, and I pray that God uses this situation to advance His kingdom," Turner said in a statement Thursday shared by First Liberty Institute, a legal nonprofit that defends First Amendment rights.

Read more at: https://www.christianpost.com/news/school-backs-down-after-opposing-christian-students-speech.html
Mike Stone says leaked Russell Moore letter an attempt to sway SBC presidential election Leaked 4,000-word letter details anguish about SBC leadership, racism, sex abuse

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A leaked letter from Russell Moore, the former head of the Southern Baptist Convention's public policy arm, details what he says is a "toxic" culture of protecting sexual abusers in churches and allowing racial prejudice. But Mike Stone, a leading candidate running for SBC president, believes the letter's release is an attempt to sway the upcoming election.

Moore, who recently left SBC's Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission to take a job with Christianity Today, explained in a February 2020 letter to ERLC trustees leaked to Religion News Service that his time at the helm of the organization has been one of deep anguish due to dynamics at work within the upper echelons of the convention.

In addition to leaving the denomination professionally, Moore appears to have left it personally, having recently accepted a ministerial position at Immanuel Church in Nashville, Tennessee, an Acts 29 network congregation not affiliated with the SBC.

At the time he wrote the letter, the SBC Executive Committee scrutinized the ERLC amid ongoing concerns from within the denomination about Moore's leadership, with some threatening to withhold donations from the SBC Cooperative Program, which in part funds the commission.

Though Moore was a frequent critic of Donald Trump, the 45th president was not the source of Moore's distress. Instead, it was the opposition by some to the stance he took on sexual abuse within the SBC and the promotion of racial reconciliation.

Moore recounted in the letter how SBC leaders and entities were protecting sexual abusers within churches, racist comments against fellow Christians were uttered and how he was subjected to unfair attacks, manipulative threats and investigations by the SBC Executive Committee.

Although he was not explicitly named in the letter, some of Moore's grievances seemed to be aimed at the then-president of the Executive Committee and former head of the Georgia Baptist Convention, Mike Stone.

Stone is the pastor of Emmanuel Baptist Church in Blackshear, Georgia, and one of the leading candidates for president of the SBC. This election will be decided later this month in Nashville.

In a statement emailed to The Christian Post Thursday, Stone said he does not recognize the SBC that Moore describes and that he had mischaracterized Southern Baptists.

"The accusation that a special 2020 ERLC Task Force was a unilateral action on my part is blatantly and provably false," Stone, who was a member of the task force that found the ERLC under Moore to be a threat to SBC funding, said. "This attack is a deflection from the fact that Russells leadership of the ERLC has been an ongoing source of division and distraction for Southern Baptists."

An area of contentiousness Moore described as "unrelenting and draining" was racial reconciliation, particularly related to the emergence of critical race theory within the denomination, which was brought to the fore with the adoption of Resolution 9 at the 2019 annual meeting.

The resolution recognized the theory as an analytical tool that can be useful though incomplete as a worldview framework. It has been a source of significant division in the convention ever since.

"From the very beginning of my service, I have been attacked with the most vicious guerilla tactics on such matters, and have been told to be quiet about this by others,'" Moore reportedly wrote in the leaked letter. "One SBC leader who was at the forefront of these behind-closed-doors assaults had already ripped me to shreds verbally for saying, in 2011, that the Southern Baptist Convention should elect an African-American president. This same leader told a gathering that 'The Conservative Resurgence is like the Civil War, except this time unlike the last one, the right side won.'"

"Another SBC leader used constant pressure against me in protest of our hiring of Dan Darling and Trillia Newbell, in 2013. At the time, this was, he said, because they did not have adequate Southern Baptist backgrounds. When I answered his concerns to his face, he said, 'I was really just concerned about that black girl, whether shes an egalitarian.' When I asked what possibly could lead him to think that a woman who has written complementarian articles for complementarian websites was an 'egalitarian,' he responded: 'A lot of those black girls are.'

In a tweet, Newbell said that she has experienced racism her entire life and its not going to stop her from "doing the good work the Lord planned for me."

The long-running debate over complementarian and egalitarian theology has surged within the SBC in recent months after Bible teacher Beth Moore announced her departure from the denomination and Rick Warren's Saddleback Church in California ordained several women in defiance of convention policy.

While nuances abound regarding what theological complementarians and egalitarians believe, in general, complementarians hold that women are restricted from certain offices within the church, such as the lead pastor. Egalitarians believe Scripture does not warrant such restrictions.

Moore additionally claimed he was constantly accused of being a liberal, despite his repeated assertions that he adheres to theological orthodoxy and that some wanted him to live in terror of and under the "rule of a toxic and abusive gerontocracy."

Moore added that he meets faithful Christians who were raised or are former Southern Baptists everywhere he goes. The reason they left the denomination is that they have seen and experienced similar things. He said former Southern Baptist young people who are now nondenominational Christians "just look at the rage and the bigotry and the cover-ups and the buffoonery and they shrug their shoulders and say, 'I guess they dont want people like me.'"

Regarding sexual abuse, Moore shared with the ERLC trustees that the organization intended to host an honest conversation about the issues at a 2019 national conference and that nobody would be policed from speaking what they had experienced or thought.

"At least one speaker harshly criticized us for not doing enough, or not handling things the way he thought we should. I welcomed that criticism. I learned from it, and was glad that the speaker felt the freedom to do so," he explained.

At that conference, advocate Rachael Denhollender participated with Moore in an exchange where she voiced strong feelings about how poorly the SBC Executive Committee staff had treated a sexual abuse survivor, an account Moore said was accurate.

"This enraged some Executive Committee trustee leadership, who communicated that they were incensed that we would allow such a story to be told," he recalled, noting it was communicated with "special outrage" because the Executive Committee had financially contributed to the conference and a story like that should not have been shared from the platform.

In his statement, later published online, Stone accused the letter of being a "back-door press release" that is "clearly an attempt to influence the upcoming presidential election in the SBC."

"And I think Southern Baptists can see this letter for exactly what it is," he argued. "His letter contains numerous misrepresentations of me and of the leadership of our beloved Convention. More broadly, it illustrates that he holds a markedly different view of the Southern Baptist Convention than the one held by the overwhelming majority of our 14 million members who have generously paid his salary."

"His view is apparently of an SBC filled with 'white nationalists and white supremacists,'" Stone continued. "His view is of an SBC that contains 'neoconfederate activities' and 'raw racist sentiment.' That is not the SBC that I know."

Stone refuted the notion that SBC national leaders employed "'psychological terror" against Moore to "prevent him from speaking the truth about sexual abuse and racism."

"In my entire service at the Executive Committee and as a pastor, I have never heard a single Southern Baptist be angry over opposition to sexual abuse or racism," Stone stressed. "That is not the SBC that I know. Today, at our 47,000 churches, devoted Southern Baptists are preparing for Vacation Bible School, childrens camps, student mission trips, and more. Thats the SBC that I know."

He concluded that Moore's terse accusations against the SBC and its leadership were supposedly made in private correspondence in February of 2020, and it is strange that they were sat on for nearly a year and a half, given their seriousness.

"I regret that Russells service as president of one of our agencies has led him to such a disillusioned opinion of who we are. My prayer is that his new place of service outside the SBC will lead him to a better and more peaceful place personally and professionally," he said.

Others running for SBC president this year include Southern Baptist Theological Seminary President Al Mohler and Alabama Pastor Ed Litton, who is endorsed by the SBC's first and only black president, Fred Luter.
In St. Louis, old churches rival Europes great cathedrals

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Forget going to Europe this summer to see old churches. Instead, stay much closer to home with a trip to St. Louis.

Missouris biggest city and the first American city west of the Mississippi River, the local history dates back to the mid-18th century when the continent was divided among the British, French and Spanish colonial powers.

As a result of this rich history, there are several historic churches in St. Louis. The most notable are Christ Church Cathedral (Episcopal), the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis (Roman Catholic) and the Basilica of St. Louis, King of France (also Roman Catholic).

The seat of the Episcopal bishop of Missouri, Christ Church Cathedral features Gothic revival architecture fairly typical to when the core of the present-day edifice was built between 1859 and 1867.

The tower at the northwest corner of the exterior  erected in the early 20th century  is perhaps the most striking element of the design, if only because the Indiana limestone contrasts with the cathedrals original Illinois sandstone. Inside is a spectacular reredos or altar screen. Rising 35 feet above the high altar at the east end, the reredos was inspired by a similar screen at St. Albans Cathedral in England and sculpted by noted period ecclesiastical artist Harry Hems.

The Episcopal cathedral pales in comparison to the two Roman Catholic churches. Somewhat confusingly, both are dedicated to the citys namesake, Louis IX, king and saint.

The Basilica of St. Louis, King of France, almost universally called the Old Cathedral, is just that: The old cathedral. It was also the first cathedral west of the Mississippi River.

The Greek Revival edifice was built in the early 1830s a stones throw from the riverfront on land set aside for a church after Pierre Laclede and Auguste Chouteau founded St. Louis in 1764. Today, it is overshadowed by Eero Saarinens landmark Gateway Arch (part of the Gateway Arch National Park). The green space was redeveloped in recent years through the construction of a beautiful so-called lid park that blankets a hideous postwar highway to seamlessly connect the riverfront and downtown.

Last but certainly not least is the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis, aka the New Cathedral.

Architect George Barnetts design, inspired by the Cathedral Basilica of St. Mark in Venice and the cathedral-turned-mosque-turned-museum-turned-mosque Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, combined Romanesque and Byzantine styles into an architectural masterpiece unrivaled anywhere in North America. So much so that the cathedral has been called the Rome of the West.

The interior feels heavenly, thanks to the 41.5 million pieces of glass used to create the mosaics. The mosaics, which depict various biblical stories and saints, were installed in the decades after then-Archbishop John Glennon initiated construction of the cathedral in 1907.

If you go

For now, public access to Christ Church Cathedral is almost nonexistent, as the cathedral shifted to virtual services during the pandemic. The Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis and the Basilica of St. Louis, King of France are open daily outside of services with no visitor admission charges. Be sure to also visit the very informative museum in the undercroft of the New Cathedral.

I stayed at the Le Meridien, a Marriott-branded property just outside St. Louis proper in Clayton. The relatively new hotel is located a short drive from the must-visit Forest Park, where the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition (also known as the Worlds Fair) was held.

Follow @dennislennox onInstagramandTwitter.
Another Catholic church shelled in Myanmar; seminary volunteer murdered in military raid Multiple churches attacked in recent weeks as post-coup violence continues

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The Burma military shelled another Catholic church as violence continues in the Kayah State of Myanmar. The shelling occurred less than a week after a young man volunteering at a Catholic seminary was reportedly killed during a military raid.

The Church of Mary Queen of Peace in Daw Ngan Kha in Kayah State, which was acting as a place of refuge for many displaced individuals, was bombarded on Sunday. No casualties were reported, according to Vatican News.

Sources say that parishioners sheltering inside the church fled as they sensed an attack was near. Although no one was hurt in the incident, the church's walls sustained damage, and windows were broken. Some damage was also done to nearby homes.

Amid ongoing fighting in the region, the Catholic news outlet reports that the shelling of the church appears to have been deliberate because the church compound is large and visible on a busy street.

The Church of May Queen of Peace is the latest in a string of church shellings said to have been carried out by Burmese military forces.

Last month, it was reported that four people were killed, and around eight were injured during an attack on another Catholic church in the Kayah state after a month of fatal attacks.

Two days before that, military forces raided a Baptist church in Yangon, where they beat and detained three people, including the pastor, and destroyed property.

The shelling of Church of May Queen of Peace follows the reported killing on May 29 of a young man volunteering at a Catholic seminary in the Kayah state.

Locals claim the young man was killed during a military raid on the building, where the soldiers did a room-by-room search, Asia News reported. The report did not publish the deceased man's name. Locals say the murder had no motive, and priests tried to prevent it from happening.

Clashes between the Burmese military and pro-democracy groups have heightened since the military coup on Feb. 1, which has left many to seek shelter in churches, seminaries or convents. Those institutions have been targeted for military attacks, religious persecution watchdog International Chrisitan Concern reports.

The military is known for targeting young people to stifle pro-democracy resistance.

In the three months between Feb. 15 and May 15, Asia News reported that 73 people under the age of 18-years-old had been killed.

Some attacks target pro-democracy demonstrators, while others appear to be random.

Myanmar, also known as Burma, is ranked No. 18 on Open Doors 2021 World Watch List of countries where Christians face the most severe persecution.

The persecution level in Myanmar is very high due to the religious nationalism that places increasing emphasis on Buddhism.

Myanmar is predominately Buddhist, while Christians make up around 6.2% of its 54 million population.

Catholics only make up around 1.5% of the country, according to Vatican News.

Myanmar/Burma is also home to the worlds longest civil war that began in 1948.

Despite an election last November, the military refuses to accept the result and has raised allegations of voter fraud. The military, also known as the Tatmadaw, declared a yearlong state of emergency and put civilian leaders under house arrest.

The coup has led to another round of violence and protests.

The U.S. Commission for International Religious Freedom raised concern about violence toward religious minorities after the Burmese military coup in February.

Given the history of brutal atrocities by the Burmese military, our fear is that violence could quickly escalate, especially towards religious and ethnic communities, such as the Rohingya and other Muslims, USCIRF Chair Anurima Bhargava said in a statement at the time. We urge the Burmese military to honor the faith and will of the Burmese people and restore democratic civilian rule as soon as possible."

USCIRF recommends the U.S. State Department designate Burma as a country of particular concern for engaging in systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom.

USCIRF called on the Biden administration to hold the Burmese military accountable for its genocidal atrocities committed against the Rohingya Muslim refugees.

The European Union has imposed sanctions on at least 21 leaders of the government-ousting military. The United States has also sanctioned Burma.

American journalist Danny Fenster was recently detained in Myanmar, a country hostile to foreign journalists, before boarding his plane home to Michigan on May 24 for allegedly performing acts of journalism, Chicago Tribune reported.

The country was known as Burma for generations until military leaders changed the name to Myanmar. In the Burmese language, Myanmar is the more formal name for Burma, and the name was changed only in English, according to PBS.

The United States typically refers to the country as Burma, while most other countries call it Myanmar.
Charles Stanley says websites claiming hes now selling CBD oil are scams

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Iconic Southern Baptist Pastor Charles F. Stanley, who led the 13,000-member First Baptist Church Atlanta in Georgia for more than 40 years before retiring last September, wants the world to know that he has not started a CBD oil business, and any claims that he has can be dismissed as a scam.

In Touch Ministries has received reports that scammers have been posting Dr. Charles Stanleys image, falsely reporting that Dr. Stanley is beginning a new business venture in CBD oil. Some of the articles even utilize fake Fox News headers to appear more convincing. However, none of it is true. IT IS A SCAM. Dr. Stanley has not begun any new venture, the ministry founded by Stanley announced in a statement over the weekend.

CBD is short for cannabidiol, the "second most prevalent of the active ingredients of cannabis," also known as marijuana. While it's an "essential component of medical marijuana, it's derived directly from the hemp plant, which is a cousin of the marijuana plant," according to Harvard Health. Even though CBD is one of hundreds of components found in marijuana, taken alone, it does not cause a high.

Stanleys team urged followers to avoid sharing any personal information with websites connected with the deceptive posts that have been exploiting his likeness.

PLEASE DO NOT CLICK ON THESE DECEPTIVE POSTS, EMAILS, TEXTS, OR WEBSITES. Scammers are attempting to trick you into giving your personal information or infect your electronic devices by using Dr. Stanleys image, the ministry warned.

On Dec. 10, 2017, Stanley announced a succession plan for his ministry, naming Anthony George as the churchs future pastor. Approximately three years later, as COVID-19 marched across the nation killing hundreds, Stanley announced in September 2020 that he would retire and become pastor emeritus.

I have no doubt there are many great days ahead for the First Baptist Church of Atlanta. My hope is that the greatest days are still ahead, he said.

Stanley became senior pastor of First Baptist Church Atlanta in 1971 after a hard fought battle for the position, according to CNN.

His son, Andy Stanley, was once his father's heir apparent, but later founded his own church and is senior pastor of the multi-campus North Point Community Church in Georgia, one of the largest churches in the country.

The elder Stanley met another hurdle when the veteran preacher's wife, Anna, officially divorced him after 40 years of marriage in 2000, saying she experienced "many years of discouraging disappointments and marital conflict. ... Charles, in effect, abandoned our marriage. He chose his priorities, and I have not been one of them."

While many in the Southern Baptist Convention called on him to step down over his divorce, Stanley refused to give up his role as senior pastor.

"God said you keep doing what I called you to until I tell you to do something else," he told CNN. "I got that straight from the Lord. ... I was simply obeying God."
Guatemalans told U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris to "go home" during her first visit last Sunday because they reject the current administration's "LGBTQ, pro-abortion ideology," reports say.

According to Central America media outfit El Faro, the protesters were not against Harris's visit but against the Biden Administration's pro-LGBT and pro-abortion agenda. El Faro said the twenty protesters who picketed in the airport belonged to "the real civil society" group Society In Action and the Veterans' Association of Guatemala.

"We're not against Kamala Harris's diplomatic visit, but rather her interference and blackmail in return for aid," said Society In Action, a group of 20 which calls itself "the real civil society," El Faro quoted the protesters in a tweet last Monday that included their photos.

The photos showed the messages "Kamala Go Home," "Kamala, TRUMP WON," "Lawfare," "Unemployment," and "Unconstitutional reforms," among others.

One of the protesters told El Faro photojournalist Victor Pena the reason why they were protesting.

"We're against their (the Biden administration's) agenda of imposing the LGBTQ, pro-abortion ideology. In Guatemala we're pro-life," the member said.

We're against their (the Biden administration's) agenda of imposing the LGBTQ, pro-abortion ideology. In Guatemala we're pro-life," one member of the group told @_elfaro_'s photojournalist @victorpena84. pic.twitter.com/3UzF2s60En  El Faro English (@ElFaroEnglish) June 6, 2021

The Western Jounal reported that Guatemala is mostly a Christian country based on a 2016 poll of the United States Department, making up 87% of the population. The Journal explained that Guatemalans, as Christians, value human life with the right to life and liberty, as well as, the pursuit of happiness that is contrary to Biden's policies shown by his "anti-freedom" and "anti-scientific" LGBTQ+ agenda.

The protestors find that the humanitarian aid provided by the Biden Administration is but "bribery" to insist their "ideological leftism" along with their poor solutions to the crisis in illegal immigration, which involves rejecting Trump's previous undertakings, the Journal noted.

A commentary by University Of New York Anthropology Professor Dr. Victoria Sanford published in El Faro on May 26 sheds light to the protesters against Harris. Sanford said Harris announced last April that the United States will release a $310 million humanitarian aid package for Central America that was followed by a joint border protection task force agreement of the United States with Guatemala. The Biden Administration was said to "militarize Mexico and Central America with proxy forces for their shared borders" with a deployment of almost 20,000 troops from Mexico and Guatamela at the Honduran border and within it.

"While humanitarian aid is desperately needed, beefing up security forces in Central America while cozying up to authoritarian leaders will only exacerbate the criminality and corruption pushing so many families and youth to seek haven in the United States," Sanford said.

"Shadowy relations between police, the judiciary, cartels, organized crime, and gangs fuse daily life with fear while also facilitating undocumented migration through trafficking networks," she added. "To stem migration from Central America, we need an internationally supported commission to investigate and prosecute corruption throughout the region--not the U.S.-led working group on corruption that is currently under consideration. The United States must carefully choose its institutional partners."

The commission Sanford referred to is the UN-backed International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala, or CICIG.

Sanford elaborated that the aid is only adding on to the struggle of corruption in Guatemala, and what is needed is not Harris's visit to the country, but to work with the United Nations to prosecute corruption and criminality, and to establish human rights.

"Support for access to education, economic growth, expanding labor opportunities and enhancing democracy are benchmarks for U.S. international aid programs, but they cannot flourish in corrupt Central American states," Sanford pointed out.

"Vice President Harris can address the root causes of migration and re-establish U.S. priorities of strengthening human rights, rule of law, and democracy by working with the United Nations and the Organization of American States to reboot the CICIG as an independent regional commission against impunity that is empowered to investigate and prosecute corruption and criminality in Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras," she stressed.
Christian alternative to Boy Scouts sees growth amid pandemic, 70% more new members in 2021

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A youth scouting group formed in response to the controversial changes within the Boy Scouts of America has reported an increase in the number of chapters during the pandemic.

Trail Life USA, launched in 2014 and headquartered in Greenville, South Carolina, is reporting dozens of new chapters and more than 30,000 members.

Trail Life USA CEO Mark Hancock told The Christian Post that 65 new troops have been created thus far in 2021, with over 100 in the process of being chartered.

So far this year, we have seen a 70% increase in new members over this time last year and a 30% increase over the same period the prior year, explained Hancock.

Just this year, we have seen over 65 new troops started as men across the nation have stepped up to lead and make a difference in the lives of boys in their churches, their families, and their communities.

The launching of Trail Life USA came partly in response to the Boy Scouts voting in 2013 to allow openly gay males to become scouts while maintaining the organization's ban on openly gay scout leaders.

This change prompted many churches  a significant source of support for the Boy Scouts  to sever their ties with the prominent scouting organization.

Later, the Boy Scouts announced further changes, such as allowing openly gay scout leaders in 2015. BSA also expanded membership to include girls, prompting a lawsuit from the Girl Scouts of the United States of America.

Hancock told CP that Trail Life membership initially came largely from individuals who had participated in the Boy Scouts" and churches have come to see Trail Life as a distinct program.

Trail Life USA is not just a program that meets at the Church. We are a ministry of the Church, said Hancock. We are not an outdoor program that incorporates a Christian experience. We are, at our core, a Christ-centered program that utilizes the outdoors to draw boys and their families into a closer relationship with their Creator.

It is a significant distinction, and we are seeing unprecedented growth. Churches are attracted to our model as a means to engage men, connect fathers and sons, impact families and grow the Church.

Reports of Trail Life's growth amid the coronavirus pandemic come as the Christian scouting group recently held its National Backyard Concert and Campout event.

An estimated 20,000 people took part in the event, according to Hancock. An additional 15,000 people watched the broadcasted event during Memorial Day Weekend.

The past year was a difficult time for kids and families across the country. As Trail Life USA, we realized that boys would need a safe outlet for their rough-and-tumble, adventurous nature, explained Hancock.

Many people appreciated our approach, and we saw growth last year. As things have begun to open up this year, families are flocking to the program.
Jack Phillips reveals abuse, vandalism and death threats after he refused to make gay wedding cake

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A Christian baker in Colorado who has been at the center of a yearslong debate after he declined to make a cake for a same-sex wedding has revealed the intense harassment and horrific response he and his business faced amid the fallout.

The emails [and] the phone calls were sometimes horrific, Masterpiece Cakeshop owner Jack Phillips recently told the Edifi With Billy Hallowell podcast of the events that followed his July 2012 cake refusal. Youd just hear profanity.

SUBSCRIBE: LISTEN TO EDIFI WITH BILLY HALLOWELL ON YOUR FAVORITE PODCAST PLATFORMS

Phillips, who shares his story in the new book, The Cost of My Faith, said he had to protect his staff and totally take over any and all incoming phone calls to the bakery, as his business was severely impacted by the anger and angst.

And before long, the nasty phone calls morphed into something far more diabolical.

"We had our store vandalized. We had death threats, he said. I had a guy call me up one day, said he was in his car, he's got a gun, he's on his way to the shop and he's going to blow my head off ... the man kept calling and calling. It was just crazy."

Listen to Phillips share his story and reveal why he wouldnt simply bake the cake as some implored:

Phillips, who has spent the past nine years amidst legal battles stemming from the refusal, recounted the day two men came into Masterpiece Cakeshop and sought a wedding cake.

I sat down, I introduced myself  I immediately knew what my answer would be, he said, noting that he said, Im sorry, guys, I dont do cakes for same-sex weddings.

The men were purportedly frustrated and left the bakery, with their anger leaving Phillips a bit shocked.

I was stunned. I tried to be polite, he said. I tried to, in that couple of sentences, let them know that Id be happy to serve them in any other capacity  but this was a cake, because of the message and my faith, that I couldnt create.

The baker said his phone started ringing within 20 minutes of the encounter and then emails started streaming in. That quick encounter was soon a national debate, and by October  just three months later  Phillips received notice that he was being sued by Colorado.

The [Colorado Civil Rights Commission] required me to change my policies, ignore my faith, Phillips explained. And when Im at the cake shop I dont get to exercise my freedom of religion.

The baker said he would have had no rights over the design of his cakes and that the incident would force him to report to the commission quarterly for two years as he retrained his staff to meet government standards. Phillips stood his ground and battled the government in court.

As the legal battle progressed, he eventually decided to simply stop making wedding cakes altogether.

We decided that the way around it was not to create wedding cakes at all, Phillips said. We were doing probably 300 wedding cakes every year. But we had to give that up.

Despite the chaotic problems that followed, Phillips has continued over the past decade to defend his decision. After years of seeing his case volley back and forth in the courts, the Supreme Court reversed Colorados punishment in 2018 and offered a victory of sorts.

Phillips still faces the fallout from a separate 2017 instance in which a customer contacted the bakery and asked for a cake to celebrate a gender transition  something Phillips declined. He has since been back in court to battle over that incident.

Despite all of the chaos, though, the baker made one thing clear: he believes God has sustained him throughout the ordeal.

Gods provided everything we needed all the way through, he said.

For more powerful and inspiring interviews, be sure to listen to Edifi With Billy Hallowell.
One year after George Floyd, are Christians preaching the Gospel?

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Is the central message of American evangelicalism today that God opposes racism, or is it the good news that God offers salvation to those who are guilty of racism? Over the last year, the moralistic message of the Black Lives Matter movement has too often eclipsed the Christian message of Gods salvation.

After the killing of George Floyd, a remarkable thing happened in American churches. Across the country, evangelical leaders took to virtual pulpits, blogs, and social media platforms to make passionate declarations of moral outrage. They condemned the entire American system of lawand indeed all Western institutions of law, commerce, and cultureas an unjust system of structural racism, designed by whites to privilege whites and to keep blacks in a perpetual state of oppression. They explained that this institutional white supremacy is a collective sin of non-blacks who have sinfully abetted systemic racism with complicit silence. And they declared that non-black Christians must repent of their collective injustice and show the fruit of repentancenamely, emotional solidarity with the political frustrations of black Democrats and political solidarity with Progressive social programs.

Others were more subdued in their response. For example, Southern Baptist Convention President J.D. Greear called on his fellow Southern Baptists to put the slogan Black Lives Matter to Christian use. He explained,

Southern Baptists, we need to say it clearly: As a Gospel issue, black lives matter. Of course, black lives matter. Our black brothers and sisters are made in the image of God. Black lives matter because Jesus died for them.

Mr. Greear clarified, however, that when he said, black lives matter, he was not simply speaking about the fact that God saves men and women with black skin, but also that Southern Baptists must reevaluate their political positions on issues such as police reform:

[W]e need to take a deep look at our police systems and structures and ask what were missing. Where are we missing the mark? And Ill say that we do that because black lives matter. We know that honoring Christ in this moment  means listening to those who hurt, lamenting with them, and bearing their burdens.

It is unclear exactly what Mr. Greear is advocating for here. But one thing is clear. For him, BLM is a Gospel issue. Supporting BLMwhatever political or cultural ramifications that entailsis part of the Gospel, the central message of Christianity.

This raises an important question: What is the Gospel?

According to the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 15, the Gospelwhich literally means good newsis the following message: [T]hat Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to [many].

Why is this good news? Because, as Paul explains elsewhere in Romans 3, all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and deserve eternal punishment. But Christs life, death, and resurrection provide salvation from Gods wrath against sin and eternal life with Christ. Jesus summarized this message succinctly in John 3 when he explained, For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

So how, then, is Black Lives Matter a Gospel issue? What does BLM have to do with the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus? In a recent podcast, evangelical pastor and author Jonathan Leeman explained that they are, in fact, inextricably linked:

[P]reaching the Gospel means (a) naming sin and (b) calling people to repentance. So, if there is sin out there that our people are confused about, we need to name it. You can think of the whole LGBT agenda, for instance. I think wed understand that, lets suppose we as a church decide not to call that sinwell, we are missing something about the Gospel, arent we?...In the same way, I think when there is grave, say, racial injustices, to not call something sin [that is] sin, you cant separate so quickly and easily, Oh, were just here to preach the Gospel! Really? Are you going to name sin, sin?

There is some truth in this. The Christian message is not limited to the Gospel; it also contains moral teachings about sin. In fact, a person cannot even understand the good newsChrists salvation from sinunless they first understand sin.

But calling people to repentance is not the good news. The good news is that God sent Jesus to die for the sins of unrepentant sinners, not for those who first reevaluate their political stance on structural racism and police reform. As Jesus said in Luke 5, I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance. Repentance, then, is the immediate and life-long fruit of salvationsalvation is not the fruit of repentance. Put in simpler terms, a person who desires salvation does not need to muster up within themselves the requisite amount of repentance to receive eternal life with God; they need only come to God acknowledging their wickedness, including their lack of repentance, and ask for Gods mercy in Christ. As Paul explains in Romans 4, God saves the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly[.] This is much better news than the Gospel of BLM, namely, Thou shalt first repent of your racial guilt before you may receive salvation.

I ask evangelicals who embrace BLM: What is, and is not, the Gospel? This question is always, in every age and every generation, the most urgent question the church can ask. Because even if Christians get the most important moral question of the day wrong, as long as they get this question right, they can find salvation. For example, Southern Christians who fought for the Confederacy and agreed with racial domination will one day, by Gods grace, be resurrected to eternal life. Conversely, non-Christians from the North who fought for freedom will one day, because of their sin, experience eternal torment in hell. Why? Because all peoplehave sinned, both racist and non-racist people, and salvation is not obtained by fighting for freedom. It is only obtained by Gods grace, through faith in Christ. BLM is not Christ. It cannot save souls. It is not the Gospel.

Please dont misunderstand me. The Gospel has moral implications, and therefore it implicates racism. The book of James teaches that showing partiality is a sin. Those who are guilty of racial partiality need Christs sacrifice to cover their guilt before God. Moreover, the Christian Gospel offers freedom from sin. People can be liberated from partiality through the power of the Holy Spirit, because God gives the Spirit to everyone who believes in Christ. Through the work of the Spirit, many Christians throughout history have repented of their racism and devoted their lives to fighting against it through various political efforts, such as the abolition of slavery, segregation, and other forms of racial mistreatment. For example, John Newton was once a slave trader, but when God saved him, Newton spent the rest of his life opposing slavery. Reflecting on Gods free gift of salvation for a wretch like me, he later wrote the hymn Amazing Grace, one of the most beautiful modern expressions of the Gospel.

In other words, when the church gets the Gospel rightand does not confuse it with a political slogan or a party platformthe Holy Spirit saves souls and produces racial harmony.

Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) perfectly described this Gospel transformation in his June 17, 2020 speech on the Senate floor:

Mr. President  In South Carolina, this Wednesday, June 17, is the fifth anniversary of when a racist walked into Mother Emmanuel Churchand sat through a Bible study for an hour, and listened to believers talk about their love of God. At the end of that Bible study, [he] pulled out a weapon and killed nine people. So for me, and so many South Carolinians, this is a hard day. Ill tell you, Mr. President, that standing on this floor, remembering the words of one of the victims sons, Daniel Simmons Jr., five years ago, a Wednesday had passed, one week later, and I asked Daniel Simmons Jr., whose father Daniel Simmons Sr. had been killed in an attempt to start another race war at the home of the Civil WarI asked him, What should I say to the people who will be watching around the country? He said what I could not believe, which was, please remind them of Romans 8:28, that all things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose. I was standing at those doors on my cell phone; I could not believe the words he was speaking. And in an act of true unconditional love, he inspired me, he encouraged me, he taught me lessons of strength and courage and mercy our nation needs to remember.

This is the power of Gospel. The good news that God saves sinners brings radical moral transformation and social peace. It so transformed Daniel Simmons, Jr., that a U.S. Senator was moved to tears on the Senate floor.

In the U.S. Capitol, there is a marble relief of Moses that looks down on our lawmakers as they seek to create just laws for our society. I pray that their laws will be just. But even more than that, I hope that the Gospel grips our pulpits and our nation, because only the Gospel can heal us. Through the Gospel witness of saints like Daniel Simmons, Jr., Americans heard a better word than Moses. They heard the good news that someone greater than Moses is here.

[1] https://bit.ly/3eD4EiF.
Pastor accused of touching at least 21 girls sues megachurch for defamation in $3.1M lawsuit

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Wayne Aarum, a pastor and operator of the Circle C Ranch Christian camp in Delevan, who has been accused of inappropriately touching at least 21 teenage girls in the past, is now suing The Chapel megachurch over what he says are manufactured allegations against him to gain control of the camps land.

In the civil lawsuit filed on June 2, Aarum, 55, who leads the First Baptist Church of Arcade, and sits on the board of the Living Waters Ministries Inc., which runs the Christian camp, is seeking a collective $3.125 million in damages from The Chapel for "harm to reputation, mental anguish, humiliation, embarrassment, and emotional injury," as well as financial damages.

For over one and a half years The Chapel has been leading an aggressive campaign against Circle C Ranch, our family, and the ministry legacy of Mr. Wes. Throughout this entire time we have done our best in trying to resolve the issues they have put forth. We have requested to meet with them several times and each time they have refused, a statement on the camps website said, explaining the reason for the lawsuit.

We have repeatedly requested to know who the anonymous accusations are coming from and again, with the exception of one instance, they have refused. When requesting that we follow the guidelines for settling disputes as outlined by Jesus in Matthew 18, we were told that Matthew 18 doesnt apply. Therefore, we have chosen to follow the instructions given by the Apostle Paul in Romans 13 to use the God-appointed government institutions and have officially lodged a legal complaint against The Chapel, the camp continued.

While this is not the path we had ever hoped for, we simply refuse to allow this unjust activity to continue any longer for the sake of the camp, our families, and the lives of so many we pray are yet to be impacted for good by the ministry God birthed over 53 years ago in the heart of Mr. Wes.

At least 21 women reportedly told lawyers hired by The Chapel that they were inappropriately touched by Aarum who worked with the church as one of the directors of student youth groups from 1990 to 2000.

A MinistrySafe investigation cited by WKBW alleged that Aarums inappropriate touching of the girls included: "stroking legs (outside clothing and on bare skin); stroking genital area outside clothing; touching vaginal area outside clothing (in shorts or jeans); touching, rubbing and stroking breasts, outside clothing; stroking labia, outside clothing; stroking from hips to breasts, clothed, on the side of the body; touching legs and knees; hand placed on upper thigh; pressing penis into back of girl (hugging from behind); rubbing penis repeatedly in a girls presence and the extended hug of a partially dressed girl."

In his lawsuit, Aarum accuses The Chapels Executive Pastor John A. Camardo and members of his staff of orchestrating the campaign to damage his reputation because he refuses to support the sale of some of the 315 acres of land connected with his camp to developers seeking to build a $500 million windmill project.

The 315 acres of land owned by Plaintiff Living Waters Ministries Inc. lies astride the most direct route for the windmill projects essential transmission line. Without a transmission line to transport the electricity generated by the windmills in an economically feasible fashion, the windmill projects economic value diminishes substantially, the lawsuit said.

The windmill project developer made efforts, beginning in 2015 and continuing in 2019 to purchase access to the land controlled by the board of directors of Living Waters Ministries Inc. both for the construction and operation of very large windmills and for the construction and operation of the very large transmission line associated with the windmill project.

On each occasion, Wayne Aarum, as spokesperson for the board of directors, refused to sell or lease any portion of the land used by the Circle C Ranch for such purposes  recognizing that the corporation was giving up hundreds of thousands of dollars over the next decade, the lawsuit says.

Aarum and the Living Waters Ministries Inc., according to the lawsuit, had maintained a peaceful, cooperative, and mutually supportive relationship with The Chapel for more than 30 years due to the founding of the two organizations by two close friends, James Andrews at The Chapel in 1961 and Wesley Aarum Sr. at the Circle C Ranch in 1968.

For thirty years, from 1968 to 1999, the close friendship between the Andrews family and the Aarum family was important for their organizations and their personal satisfaction with their work. The Chapel recommended the camp to members of its congregation and contributed funds to help expand the camps facilities and enable the camp to operate on a basis that was affordable to campers from Christian church youth groups and families at all income levels," the suit continues.

"The camp programs, which ran primarily in the summer, complemented [T]he Chapels youth programs, which ran primarily during the school year. Dr. Andrews never sought to influence the operations of the camp. He never asked for a representative on the board of directors of the Living Waters Ministries Inc. He never asked for a quid pro quo of any kind for The Chapels contributions.

When Andrew died in 1999, however, the new management at The Chapel became more expansionist and financially oriented, the suit argues.

Jerry Gillis was appointed as lead pastor of the church in 2002 and Camardo joined the staff as executive pastor in 2010. Together they worked to increase contributions from the members of the church and expand the churchs membership with three satellite locations.

The church continued to contribute financially to the camp each year and recommended it to families. But Wesley Aarum Sr. did not respect or trust Mr. Gillis and his financial ambitions, the lawsuit adds.

Aarum Sr. managed the camp's operations until his health failed in the fall of 2019. He later died in March 2020.

This testy relationship allegedly led one of Camardos staffers to recommend that he take up the cause of a woman who claimed Wayne Aarum had sexually harassed her while she was employed as a counselor at the Circle C Ranch camp in 2006, 13 years earlier.

Although he considered this womans accusation to be criminal in nature, Mr. Camardo did not make a report to any law enforcement authority or encourage the woman to do so. Instead, he used the allegation to begin a campaign to remove Wayne Aarum from his leadership at the Circle C Ranch, because he opposed the sale of camp land to a large wind project developer from Chicago.

The lawsuit stated that the Chapels leadership was aware of the increasing value of the property and embarked on a campaign to remove Aarum from the board of Living Waters Ministries Inc., to create a more favorable board of directors to control the Circle C Ranch Camp and the use and disposition of its land.

The Christian Post reached out to Aarums lawyer as well as The Chapel about the allegations Tuesday but neither party was available to immediately respond.
SBC leaders mishandled crisis of sexual abuse, Russell Moore claims in second leaked letter

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Southern Baptist Convention leaders mishandled a crisis of sexual abuse in the denomination through methods such as intimidating whistleblowers into silence and exonerating churches with credible allegations of negligence of sexual abuse victims, according to Russell Moore, the former leader of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission.

In a May 31 letter to outgoing SBC President J.D. Greear, which comes in the wake of an earlier letter in which he exposed what he called gutter level racism in the denomination, Moore refers specially to the crisis of sexual abuse as it relates to the SBC Executive Committee.

You know well the obstacles that both you and I faced from figures within the Executive Committee in merely raising questions about sexual abuse, questions compellingly raised by the Houston Chronicle, among others. You and I both, in seeking to address this issuewith the full authorization both in terms of entity ministry assignment and direct vote by the messengers to the SBC annual meetingfaced one stonewall after another by leaders within the SBC Executive Committee, Moore wrote to Greear.

Simply speaking to the press or, in your case, reading off the names of churches already identified in the Houston Chronicle reporting by Rob Downennot in your case as indictment, but merely as warranting an examinationresulted in backroom and hallway threats of retribution and intimidation. These included possible attempts to censure you to investigations and defunding, and all the rest, he said.

You and I both heard, in closed door meetings, sexual abuse survivors spoken of in terms of Potiphars wife and other spurious biblical analogies. The conversations in these closed door meetings were far worse than anything Southern Baptists knewor the outside world could report. And, as you know, this comes on the heels of a track-record of the Executive Committee staff and others referring to victims as crazy and, at least in one case, as worse than the sexual predators themselves, Moore added.

In 2019, the Houston Chronicle published a three-part series in which the publication found more than 700 victims of alleged sexual abuse by 380 Southern Baptist leaders and volunteers since 1998. Some 220 were convicted and 100 remain in prison.

Many of the victims, who were children when the abuse occurred, accused other Southern Baptist leaders, including past presidents, of concealing their ordeal. Some of those who were accused of sexual abuse also reportedly left their congregations and were able to find jobs in other Southern Baptist churches.

Greear would go on to propose and implement a range of reforms to help make churches safer, but Moore alleged that SBC Executive Committee leaders were not happy about some of the measures taken.

Behind all of this was the undiluted rage that you and I faced from Executive Committee officersincluding the then-chairman. This included but was hardly limited to the tense meeting that you, Todd Unzicker, and Phillip Bethancourt from my team had with Mike Stone and Ronnie Floyd in Atlanta in May of 2019. There Stone vigorously insisted on delaying the formation of a credentials committee to assess churches reported to be mishandling sexual abuse, Moore wrote.

Phillip concluded by telling Stone that the question would not be whether or not Southern Baptists would be presented with a motion in Birmingham for a credentials committee, that we would see to it that such was done regardless. The only question was whether Southern Baptists would see Executive Committee opposition to it, he wrote.

Reacting to the letter in a statement Saturday, Floyd, president of the SBC's Executive Committee, said while he takes the allegations seriously, he did not recall some of the events as stated by Moore.

I have received a copy of the letter from former ERLC president Russell Moore to our current SBC president J.D. Greear. Some of the matters referenced occurred prior to my coming here in this role. For those matters of which I was present, I do not have the same recollection of these occurrences as stated, he said.

I do take seriously allegations in this letter which may raise concern for Southern Baptists. I have been very committed to always operate with the highest integrity and skillful hands. I am right now considering ways in which we can develop the best path forward for the sake of Southern Baptists and our God-called commitment to our unified Great Commission vision, he added.

The 2021 SBC Annual Meeting, set to take place June 15-16 in Nashville, Tennessee, is expected to draw a historic crowd this year as it addresses a range of disagreements on critical race theory, sexual abuse and gender issues.
The feminization of the modern man

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Recently, I was having a discussion with one of my female acquaintances and we approached the subject of masculinity. She told me about how she had gone on a few dates last month with no second dates being on the horizon. She looked at me with a look of hopelessness and sadness and said, You know Solomon, I always wanted someone similar to my dad. I dont know if its just me, but I think men today just arent what they used to be.

Shes not alone and many other girls just like her ask relatively the same question: What is up with men today? And questions like this are certainly reasonable. Are modern men weaker than men belonging to previous generations? If so, who or what is to blame?

There are a plethora of reasons why men are of a lesser caliber these days, but I cant point all of them out. In this piece, Im going to focus on the three main causes of men being less masculine today.

Attacks on masculinity

The first part I would like to address is the multifaceted cultural attack on masculinity. Many boys now grow up in fatherless homes. Brookings Institute points out that in 1965, 3% of white infants were born to single mothers, while 24% of black infants were born to single mothers. In 25 years, the number grew to 64% for blacks and 18% for whites. In 2019, more than a third (34%) of children in the United States come from a single-parent home and about 25% of children grow up in a home without a father, whether that is biological, step, or adoptive.

Many men are told that being masculine is evil, that it is wrong, that it perpetuates the pandemic of rape. Little boys can even be made to apologize for the behaviors of their gender. Many little boys grow up in school and are placed at the back of the classroom and misdiagnosed with learning disorders. In several of his books, Dr. Leonard Sax explains how many boys are disproportionately misdiagnosed with learning disorders when they simply are either disengaged with school and/or they simply cant hear their teachers. A vast majority, 76%, of public school teachers are female and 89% of elementary school teachers are female; because boys usually dont hear as well as girls and women typically have higher pitched voices, young boys sometimes cant hear their teachers and pay attention to other things as well as girls. Misbehavior is medicalized and boys begin to have a negative relationship with school.

Then these boys step on college campuses where they are villainized as dangerous, predatory, power-hungry, and sex-hungry. When it comes to allegations of sexual assault, rape, domestic violence, and the like, men are discriminated against due to the paradigm of Believe All Women. This is why Dr. Jordan Peterson has become such a cultural icon; he tells men that being masculine is not just OK, but that it is necessary.

Pornography

The second part I would like to address is the issue of porn. Having battled my own addiction to pornography for several years, I can attest to how this affects development in masculinity. Porn is free, easily accessible, unlimited, and extraordinarily powerful. Yes, women are addicted to porn as well, but porn affects men on a much greater scale. In real life and real relationships with women, men have to work on themselves in many areas. How to properly groom, how to talk to women, how to act on a date, how to muster up the courage to ask a woman out, how to dress well, and many other things. These steps for self-improvement arent a cakewalk; they take a lot of work. With porn, there is no need to go up to a girl and ask her what her name is because all a guy has to do is go to his favorite sites, type in the name of his favorite porn stars, and voila! Hundreds of thousands of pieces of content at the fingertips. With porn, there is no need to shave, shampoo, or shower. A man can sit in his favorite spot in whatever condition he likes with his device. With porn, responsibility and maturity are irrelevant.

Jordan Peterson explains it best in his analysis of Peter Pan. Wendy is a young English girl who wants to mature and have children and a family of her own. She desires that responsibility and accepts her mortality. Tinker Bell is a fairy; she doesnt exist. Yet Peter doesnt desire a romantic relationship with Wendy, a real woman, but rather entertains a relationship with Tinkerbell, the fairy of porn. Peter wants Wendy to be the mother of the Lost Boys. He refuses to grow up.

Too many men have fallen down this hole of becoming Peter Pans. Too many men have fallen for the Tinker Bells of society and ignored the Wendys around them. Many men would rather focus on living the life of a teenage boy, focusing on their own needs and desires instead of finally maturing. Men have taken the easy road to pleasure and fantasy, and ignored or delayed their way to the road of reality and responsibility.

The internet and social media

The third issue is the virtual world of video games and social media. Now to be clear, Im not saying video games and social media are bad in and of themselves. Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Playstations, and Xboxes are tools, like hammers, cars, dumbbells or forks. But like porn, they are often used as an escape from the real world and responsibility. The average gamer spends almost 8.5 hours a week playing video games and 23% of men play more than 12 hours a week! The average person spent 145 minutes on social media daily last year. Thats 10% of the day wasted on just scrolling! The amount of time spent on social media and video games has only gone up, and trends show time spent in these areas will only increase.



I went to get my haircut last month. My barber, who is older than me, said this: There is a sharp distinction between the real world that humans live in, and the virtual world that humans escape to. The more time spent in the real world working on your craft, the more likely you are to succeed. The more time spent in the virtual world, the more likely you are to lose yourself.

In this country, there is a wide chasm between the average amount of time spent reading (15 minutes a day) versus the average amount of time spent watching television (166 minutes a day). What we see here is a decrease in time spent by men developing themselves and becoming more masculine. Time spent escaping maturation and manhood is increasing and has been increasing for years, which means time spent retreating from real-life responsibilities is increasing as well.

Men today are weaker physically, emotionally, and mentally than men of past generations. No one person or problem is to be blame. However, one thing is certain: When we men arent fulfilling our roles, taking on our responsibilities, and doing what we are created to do, we hurt ourselves, the women around us, the future generation of children, and society at large.
Manchin denounces HR 1 voting rights bill, says it will 'destroy binds of our democracy'

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One of the congressional Democrats legislative proposals, H.R. 1, has run into a significant roadblock as one of the most influential Democrats in the U.S. Senate has announced that he will vote against the legislation.

In an op-ed for The Charleston Gazette-Mail Sunday, Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., announced that he would vote against the For the People Act, which Democrats bill as a necessary measure to protect the right to vote.

Since Democrats have a narrow 50-50 majority in the Senate and all Republicans are expected to vote against the legislation, Manchins decision will likely deal a fatal blow to the bill also known as H.R. 1.

Manchin, who represents one of the most conservative states in the country, maintained that congressional action on federal voting rights legislation must be the result of both Democrats and Republicans coming together to find a pathway forward.

He warned that by embracing a wide-reaching bill without Republican support, his fellow Democrats risk further dividing and destroying the republic we swore to protect and defend as elected officials.

I believe that partisan voting legislation will destroy the already weakening binds of our democracy, and for that reason I will vote against the For the People Act, he added. For as long as I have the privilege of being your U.S. Senator, I will fight to represent the people of West Virginia, to seek bipartisan compromise no matter how difficult and to develop the political bonds that end divisions and help unite the country we love.

The For the People Act passed the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives earlier this year but has always faced long odds in the Senate because of the filibuster rule, which requires most legislation to receive 60 votes instead of a simple majority.

While Democrats have proposed eliminating the legislative filibuster to enable legislation to pass with a simple majority, Manchin poured cold water on that effort as well, vowing that I will not vote to weaken or eliminate the filibuster.

The 73-year-old former governor of the Mountain State acknowledged that while the legislative process under the current Senate rules can be frustrating and slow and force compromises that are not always ideal, the alternative is much worse.

Do we really want to live in an America where one party can dictate and demand everything and anything it wants, whenever it wants?" he asked. "I have always said If I cant go home and explain it, I cant vote for it. And I cannot explain strictly partisan election reform or blowing up the Senate rules to expedite one partys agenda.

As an alternative to the For the People Act, Manchin suggested that the Senate work on passing the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, which has already secured the support of one Republican: Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska.

According to Manchin, this bill would update the formula states and localities must use to ensure proposed voting laws do not restrict the rights of any particular group or population.

The senator stressed the importance of opposing laws that seek to needlessly restrict voting while acknowledging the need to secure our elections.

Conservatives and Republicans have warned that the For the People Act will have negative implications for Americans trust in the outcome and legitimacy of elections.

In a previous interview with The Christian Post, Hans von Spakovsky, a senior legal fellow at the Heritage Foundation, asserted that H.R. 1 would make it easier to cheat and easier to manipulate election results.

A group of 20 Republican attorneys general reached a similar conclusion. They expressed particular concern about the Acts regulation of congressional elections, including by mandating mail-in voting, requiring states to accept late ballots, overriding state voter identification (ID) laws, and mandating that states conduct redistricting through unelected commissions.

Additionally, they argued that mandated nationwide automatic voter registration and Election Day voter registration would provide too many opportunities for non-citizens and others ineligible to vote, to register, and cast fraudulent ballots before officials can take preventive action.

In addition to the For the People Act, Manchins opposition could hurt Democrats' chances of passing the Equality Act, another top legislative priority for congressional Democrats that would codify protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity into federal discrimination law.

Manchin opposed the Equality Act when it was first introduced in 2019, but his opposition did not matter since the Republican-controlled Senate never brought the bill up for a vote.

While Manchin has not explicitly opposed the Equality Act this time around, he is expected to vote against the legislation. Conservatives worry about the Equality Acts implications for religious liberty and womens sports.

Manchin has explicitly announced that he will not support a bill that would make Washington, D.C. a state, a decision that will likely cause the demise of the Democrat-backed legislation.

Even if Manchin supported the aforementioned legislative initiatives, his opposition to the filibuster would likely prevent them from becoming law because of the lack of Republican support.
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Sometimes compromise can help strengthen and grow a relationship. But sometimes, it is just code for a bad bargain. Unfortunately, the so-called Fairness for All Act is the latter.



Its supporters claim that the bill, which was reintroduced in Congress earlier this year, balances the interests of religious Americans and individuals who identify as LGBT, and it looks good enough on paper to garner the support of some religious leaders. But, in practice, FFA does not adequately protect religious freedom. It does not fully protect the rights of individual Christians to live out their faith freely.



By undermining the freedom of Christians to proclaim the Gospel through their lives and work, FFA undermines the very purpose of the church. I pray that Christian leaders who have expressed support for FFA will reconsider that support as they learn more about the threats this misguided law poses to the churchs mission.



FFA has been offered as an alternative to the egregiously misnamed Equality Act, which restricts religious freedom for individuals and institutions in nearly every aspect of life. The Equality Act could prevent churches from hiring people who live according to the churchs teachings about marriage and sexual morality. It could require churches to open sex-specific facilities to members of the opposite sex, and it specifically prohibits religious individuals and groups from using the Religious Freedom Restoration Act to defend their rights.



Advocates of FFA present it as a compromise between religious leaders and LGBT activists. It offers limited exemptions for religious organizations like adoption and foster care agencies, religious colleges, universities and schools, and churches. But in many contexts, it does not protect Christians and other religious individuals: those who work as doctors and nurses, who own small businesses, who teach in public schools, and who run charitable organizations to care for the least among us. It does not adequately protect the rights of Christians to love God wholly, with their whole hearts and minds and strengths, in every area of their lives.



Christians are the hands and feet of Christ, and FFA does not give them and other people of faith enough protection. As a result, this proposal would undermine the mission of the church, which is to equip Christians to live out the Gospel in every area of their lives. Church leaders who support FFA are giving a mixed message to the faithful, telling them that laws that prevent Christians from living out their faith are goodwhich is simply not true.



FFA could force religious doctors to participate in procedures that violate their conscience, like gender reassignment surgeries for minors. It could compel religious creative professionals to use their creative skills and talents to celebrate same-sex weddings, even if they believe that marriage is the union between a man and a woman. It could force girls to share locker rooms, bathrooms, and showers with biological males who identify as females.



It could punish religious business owners who serve everyone but cannot express every message. It could force all employerseven those who hold the biblical belief that gender is an immutable, biological gift from Godto pay for puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and gender reassignment surgeries through their healthcare plans.



In other words, FFA tells Christians that their beliefs are fine in church, but they cannot live according to those beliefs at work, at school, or in many aspects of their private lives. It says that as long as we behave well at church, stay in our church schools, and make church activities exclusive to church people, well retain our tax-exempt status and our federal funding, and we will not be threatened with being shut down.



That is not a compromise. That is a blow to the very heart of our faith.



That is not the Gospel. The Gospel does not say, Go therefore and make disciples, but only in church. It says, Go therefore into all the world and make disciples. Jesuss Great Commission sends us out from churches into the world to share the truth of His love with everyone.



What is at stake here is the churchs ability to do her mission: equip and encourage her members to follow Jesus Christ. The Gospel says that we are to surrender every area of our lives to Christ. The local church exists to help Christians learn to hold nothing back. It exists to equip Christians to love God with their whole being, and to spread the Gospel everywhere they go.



FFA hampers the freedom of Christians to do that. It is vital that church leaders learn the truth, see through the misleading language, and withdraw their support for this harmful law that would hamstring the faithful and forbid them from living out their beliefs.



Christians who choose to share their beliefs outside the four walls of the church already face serious consequences today. FFA would only make it worse.



I have personal experience with how sexual orientation and gender identity laws like FFA threaten religious freedom. During my time as the fire chief of Atlanta, I wrote a short book for men about how to live out their Christian faith. I briefly mentioned the Christian teachings on marriage, sexuality, and genderteachings that billions of people around the world share. Even though I wrote this book in my spare time and in my personal capacity, LGBT activists used a sexual orientation and gender identity law very similar to FFA to attack me.



Without warning, I found myself fired from my job, even though an investigation showed that I had never discriminated against anyone based on my beliefs. By Gods grace, I was blessed to be excellent at my work; I was the first Black fire chief for the city of Shreveport, and I received Fire Chief of the Year, among other honors. After I served as U.S. fire administrator in the Obama administration, the mayor of Atlanta begged me to return (his word, not mine). I do not share these things to boast, but merely to say that if I, with this track record of excellence, could lose my job for my beliefs, anyone could.



Fortunately, with the help of Alliance Defending Freedom, I received justice. But it was a hard fight, and victory was in no way guaranteed. If FFA becomes law, every American Christian could find himself or herself in my situation: losing their job, their career, and their reputation simply because of their deeply held beliefs.



The Bible tells us to let our light shine before others. But FFA offers little to protect those who boldly do so. It would have us pigeonhole our faith rather than live it out. Living the Gospel outside of church would risk severe government punishment. By leaving Christians vulnerable to such consequences, FFA encourages them to keep the light of Christ hidden under a bushel.



That is not a bargain Christians can accept.
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With the release of Dr. Anthony Faucis emails, detailing his communications early in the COVID-19 pandemic, many Americans are now facing hard truths. The emails show that Dr. Fauci was warned by scientists, at the earliest stages of the pandemic, of solid evidence COVID-19 showed signs of human engineering. The emails include communications about quieting public disclosure that the source of the virus might be from a Wuhan lab leak.

Dr. Faucis public stance, until forced to change, was that the virus almost certainly originated naturally from animal transmission to humans; likely from the Wuhan wet market, as hard as that appears to believe. The mainstream media helped push this narrative by calling the engineered COVID-19 lab leak theory a dangerous fringe conspiracy. Social media censored any publication of the lab leak theory. We also learned through the emails Dr. Fauci knew of the potential positive effects of hydroxychloroquine.



Unfortunately, he kept this quiet and allowed the narrative of hydroxychloroquine being too dangerous to use; similar issues with masks.

Over many decades, Americans have come to put more faith in government experts to the exclusion of all else. Its time we get away from what President Eisenhower warned about over 60 years ago, putting our ultimate faith in a scientific-technological elite over God and reason. Let me explain.

First, Americans have not traditionally put such sole and unquestioning faith in government expertise to handle problems. The nations founding fathers, starting with George Washington, continuously asserted the importance of the nation putting ultimate faith in God and the brainpower of individuals outside of government. During the Civil War, the Treasury Department first started putting the motto In God We Trust on coins as a testimonial to ultimate faith. As for faith in experts, Abraham Lincoln fired General officer after General officer before finally appointing Ulysses S. Grant as the commanding general of Union Forces in 1864.

In following the traditional national faith, On Flag Day (1954), President Eisenhower provided the following as justification for putting under God in our national pledge of allegiance: In this way we are reaffirming the transcendence of religious faith in Americas heritage and future; in this way we shall constantly strengthen those spiritual weapons which forever will be our countrys most powerful resource in peace and war. In 1956, Eisenhower successfully pushed In God We Trust through Congress as the official motto of the United States and signed it into law. The next year that motto went on all currency.

The dynamic of Americans putting ultimate and unquestioning faith in elite experts predated World War II. President Woodrow Wilson brought that eras progressive ideas with his administration, including the idea of an elite ruling class of experts managing and centralizing society for the alleged benefit of the non-experts. The nation, including elected leaders, would be expected to unquestioningly follow expert opinion and advice for the critical issues facing the nation. After World War II, that dynamic of centralized management of the nation gained steam with challenges associated with the Cold War.

President Eisenhowers Farewell Address in 1961, often referred to as the military industrial complex speech, provided a prescient warning of the dangers of putting ultimate faith in national experts over God and reason. Eisenhowers words describe worrying changes in American faith during his lifetime:

Today, the solitary inventor, tinkering in his shop, has been overshadowed by task forces of scientists in laboratories and testing fields. In the same fashion, the free university, historically the fountainhead of free ideas and scientific discovery, has experienced a revolution in the conduct of research. Partly because of the huge costs involved, a government contract becomes virtually a substitute for intellectual curiosity. The prospect of domination of the nation's scholars by Federal employment, project allocations, and the power of money is ever present and is gravely to be regarded. Yet, in holding scientific research and discovery in respect, as we should, we must also be alert to the equal and opposite danger that public policy could itself become the captive of a scientific-technological elite.

Ironically, President Eisenhower is not ranked as one of the more religious presidents. He was only baptized as a Presbyterian in 1953 as president and remained comparatively silent on most religious issues. Regardless, Eisenhower was able to see the importance of putting ultimate national faith in God and personal reason, not elite experts. With the Fauci emails evidencing the multiple critical mistakes and disingenuous information, Americans should pay more heed to Eisenhowers warnings. In God We Trust is our national motto, and its time we get back to putting ultimate faith in God. Never again giving unquestioned obedience to a scientific-technological elite.
CCP threatens 7 Hong Kong Catholic churches over Tiananmen Square remembrance mass

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Seven Hong Kong Catholic churches, which were to hold mass to commemorate the 32nd anniversary of the Tiananmen Massacre of 1989 by the Chinese Communist Party, found threatening signs posted in front of their buildings, according to reports.

The posters that appeared on Thursday carried an image of Cardinal Joseph Zen, former bishop of Hong Kong who supported the democracy movement, and warned that public functions in remembrance of the Tiananmen Massacre violate the controversial national security law, which was passed last year, AsiaNews reported.

It's believed that a pro-CCP group was behind the threats.

The Justice and Peace Commission of the city diocese said the masses would go ahead as planned.

Hong Kong authorities had also banned an annual candlelight vigil Friday, which is held every year on June 4 to remember the sacrifice of thousands of Chinese citizens who were demanding freedom and democracy in 1989.

Despite the warnings, thousands of people in Hong Kong defied the ban and took part in the candlelight vigil, The Wall Street Journal reported, saying people started walking toward the citys Victoria Park, where it is held each year. Many people held their phones up with the flashlights shining at around 8 p.m. Friday.

Friday morning, police had arrested Chow Hang Tung, vice-chairwoman of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, which organizes the vigil, according to The Telegraph. Police also arrested a 20-year-old food delivery man for promoting an unauthorized assembly.

Last year, Hong Kong implemented the mainland China-imposed national security law after delaying legislative elections as pro-democracy candidates could have won due to anger among the citys people against that law.

The law, which went into effect without a review by Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam, has four categories of crimes: succession, subversion of state power, local terrorist activities and collaborating with foreign or external foreign forces to endanger national security.

In 1997, China had agreed to a one country, two systems arrangement to allow certain freedoms for Hong Kong when it received the city back from British control. The security law undercuts the promised autonomy.

The law also positions Beijing as over the Hong Kong judicial system in cases deemed related to national security, China Aid said earlier. This means that the judges in these cases must be Beijing-approved. Hong Kong residents can now also be taken to China, where they will face a courtroom with allegiance to the government.

The U.S.-based persecution watchdog International Christian Concern also warned that Chinas notorious legal system and its lack of transparency can easily criminalize anybody and place them in jail. Many Chinese pastors and Christians, such as Pastor Wang Yi, elder Qin Derfu, Pastor John Cao, are now imprisoned for trumped-up charges, such as subversion of state power, illegal border crossing, and illegal business operation.

After the passage of the new security law, former U.S. President Donald Trump approved sanctions on Chinese officials and banks and also ended Hong Kongs preferential treatment, saying it will now be treated the same as mainland China.
Conservative Italian legislators of the National-conservative Brothers of Italy or FdI reportedly proposed a bill that would ban Communism and Islamism in the country.

Breitbart reported that FdI was led by Giorgia Meloni and was joined by its former president Salerno Edmondo Cirielli and other members of the chamber of deputies in presenting the bill that banks on a 2019 law against fascism in Italy. The new bill extends the said Anti-Nazi law that was approved by the European Parliament to encompass Communism as modeled by the Soviet Union, Cuba, and Venezuela.

The 2019 law commemorates the importance of remembrance for Europe's future by declaring the "crimes of totalitarian communist regimes adopted by a number of national parliaments" for the "80th anniversary of the outbreak of the Second World War, which led to unprecedented levels of human suffering" by the communist Soviet Union and Nazi Germany. It "condemns" the said crimes and their ideologies "to honour the victims" as "ground for a reconciliation based on truth and remembrance."

As per Il Giornale, the new bill is "inspired by the principles of the Constitution to preserve human rights" inflicted by "Islamic extremist ideology" along with actions carried out by individuals or groups of troublemakers inspired by totalitarian ideologies" and brings back the debate on communism.

"Time to equate the Communist regime with the fascist regime," Meloni said to Il Giornale in an interview.

Breitbart disclosed that the bill, which aims to create provisions to counter groups,organizations, movements, associations and parties that are "pursuing anti-democratic purposes according to communist totalitarian ideologies or extremist Islamic religious ideologies," was proposed after the signing of the "Madrid Charter" last November 2020 by Meloni, VOX Leader Santiago Abascal, and 70 other individuals.

The Madrid Charter is said to be anti-communist and affirms the group's belief that the advancement of Communism poses a serious threat to the prosperity and development of our nations, as well as to the freedoms and rights of our compatriots."

Meloni has been active in speaking out against violence and injustice. In a separate report by Breitbart, Meloni condemned violence inflicted by leftists in Spain against Abascal who was stoned while delivering his speech in Vallecas. Meloni expressed unity with European conservatives who sympathized with Abascal for the "scandalous" attack of the militants during the rally VOX attended.

"The left is dramatically the same all over the world. You only have the right to speak if you think, say and support what they want," Meloni told Il Giornale during an interview on the incident.

Meloni also stressed that the European Conservatives are "a very strong political family" who are the only ones courageous enough to go against "progressive dictatorship" and are "prepared to speak" on their values and mission for human rights. She also announced her plan to form partnerships with American Republicans and British Tories in line with their objective to become central in the international scene and in Europe.

As per Breitbart, Meloni's plans on visibility seem to be unfolding as a recent poll showed that FdI has increased in popularity by 20%. This historical increase is said to make the FdI the second largest party in Italy from a mere 4% rating during the 2018 Italian national elections. FdI's opposition to the coalition of Prime Minister Mraio Draghi was said to contribute to the party's increase in popularity.
Theres no way back for us: Pastor of congregation that fled China says their suffering is part of God's plan

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Two years after fleeing severe persecution in China, 60 members of a house church, including 30 children, have been living in a small rented house on an island off the southern tip of South Korea with little or no hope of returning to their homeland or getting asylum in the East Asian country.

The Chinese Christians, who are from the Shenzhen Holy Reformed Church in Chinas southern city of Shenzhen, and is considered illegal in China, fled to South Koreas Jeju island in the fall of 2019 and have been struggling to earn a living while trying their best to meet the requirements of the asylum process, The Wall Street Journal reports.

South Korea reviewed about 12,000 refugee applications last year, but only 0.4% of them got approved, according to a refugee-rights center in Seoul, called Nancen.

Pan Yongguang, the pastor of the house church, which was founded in 2012, is a 43-year-old former doctor and told the Journal that the families from his church would like to resettle in the United States. Last month, he spoke to an American diplomat.

Pan, who was trained by pastors from a U.S.-based Reformed Presbyterian church, had been detained and questioned by authorities in China. A couple of church members who returned to China also faced retribution. Their homes were raided and their movements restricted.

Most of the 60 church members in South Korea are surviving by doing menial jobs. Some wanted to go back to China but Beijing had tightly secured its borders due to COVID-19.

According to reports, religious persecution in China intensified in 2020, with thousands of Christians affected by church closures and other human rights abuses.

The Christian families from Pans church also suspect that Chinese authorities are trying to find their whereabouts, as they have received some alarming phone calls.

Pastor Pan tells the members of his church that their suffering is part of Gods plan, and, Theres no way back for us.

Under the direction of President Xi Jinping, CCP officials are enforcing strict controls on religion, according to a report released in March by the U.S.-based persecution watchdog China Aid.

Christians in both official, state-run churches and house churches were ordered to fly the Chinese flag and sing patriotic songs in services, it said.

China is ranked as one of the worst countries in the world when it comes to the persecution of Christians, according to Open Doors USAs World Watch List.

The communist regimes crackdown on religious freedom has also led the U.S. State Department to label it as a country of particular concern for continuing to engage in particularly severe violations of religious freedom.

In an earlier interview with The Christian Post, the then-U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said it was certainly the case that the Chinese Communist Party [engages in] efforts to stamp out religious freedom every place that they find.
Egyptian authorities seize centuries-old monastery over unpaid taxes

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Egyptian authorities have confiscated land and property belonging to a Coptic Orthodox monastery founded in 360 AD because the monks have not been able to pay taxes since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a report.

Officials and police arrived at the Saint Macarius Monastery in Wadi Al-Rayyan in Al-Fayyoum Governorate with bulldozers on May 30 and demolished a fence and other constructions that had been erected by the monks who live there, the U.K.-based Christian Solidarity Worldwide reported Friday.

A number of monks who protested and tried to stop the operation were arrested and released shortly afterwards, CSW added.

The monks received official permission from Egypts Ministry of Environment in 2017 to use the land on which the monastery stood with the condition that they would pay $32,000 a year for 3,000 acres of land and another $255,000 a year for a further 1,000 acres of the land outside the fenced area.

The monastery has failed to pay the rent since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

CSWs founder, President Mervyn Thomas, said the monastery has been on that site for centuries and that the rental levies were a relatively recent expense in its historic existence.

We encourage all parties to engage in a process of negotiation to ensure a just settlement in this matter, including a reappraisal of the rent that the monastery is required to pay, which is a considerable financial burden even outside the unusual circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has negatively impacted livelihoods in Egypt and across the world, Thomas said.

In recent months, Egypt has been seeking to woo tourists by presenting archaeological finds, which include ancient Christian monasteries.

The Copts, who make up about 10% of Egypts population, are the descendants of a long line of ancient Egyptians who later converted to Christianity in the early first century, according to Encyclopedia Britannica.

Christian monasticism first emerged in Egypt at the beginning of the fourth century, originating with St. Anthony, considered the founder and father of the practice. Anthony began the practice at age 20. After 15 years, he withdrew for absolute solitude to a mountain by the Nile River, where he lived from about 286 to 305.

The early monks who followed Anthony into the desert considered themselves the vanguard of Gods army, and, by fasting and performing other ascetic practices, they attempted to attain the same state of spiritual purity and freedom from temptation that they saw realized in Anthony.

When St. Anthony died (circa 356 or 357 A.D.), two types of monasticism flourished in Egypt  villages or colonies of hermits and monasteries that fostered community life.

However, according to the Christian persecution watchdog group Open Doors USA, Egypt is one of the 20 worst persecutors of Christians in the world.

Many Egyptian Christians encounter substantial roadblocks to living out their faith, it noted last year. There are violent attacks that make news headlines around the world, but there are also quieter, more subtle forms of duress that burden Egyptian believers. Particularly in rural areas in northern Egypt, Christians have been chased from villages, and subject to mob violence and intense familial and community pressure. This is even more pronounced for Christians who are converts from Islam.
Pakistani Christian man demands justice for wife abducted, raped and beaten by wealthy Muslim captor

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A wealthy Muslim man in Pakistans Punjab Province ordered his workers to abduct a Christian mother of five and then he repeatedly raped, drugged and beat her for 20 days, according to a report.

The 30-year-old Christian woman, Venus Bibi, who is from Sahoo Ki Malian village near Sheikhupura city, had gone out for household shopping on April 1 when she was abducted and held captive until April 20, according to her husband, Warris Masih, the Pakistan Christian Post reported.

When she was returning home, some Muslim men blocked her way and told her to accompany them without making a noise, Masih said, adding that before she could respond, they grabbed her by the hand and dragged her to a car that was parked nearby.

Masih identified the abductor as Muhamad Akbar, a wealthy and influential Muslim man who had previously kidnapped a separate Christian woman but escaped punishment. After several attempts, Masih said policemen forced Akbar to release Bibi, who was later found on a roadside near her village but she was unable to walk.

Bibi and Masih are both brick kiln workers, and they suspect that police accepted a bribe from Akbar.

I want justice for my wife, Masih was quoted as saying. I want all the kidnappers arrested and punished for their crimes so they can stop kidnapping more Christian women.

Commenting on the incident, the U.S.-based persecution watchdog International Christian Concern said, With the second-largest Muslim population in the world, Christians in Pakistan are seen as second-class citizens and are provided little protection by their government.

As a result, Christian girls and women are often kidnapped, tortured, and killed without consequence for their perpetrators.

The incidence of abduction of Christian girls and women, and, in many cases, also their forced marriage and conversion to Islam, is high in Pakistan.

International persecution watchdog group Open Doors USA ranks Pakistan No. 5 on its 2021 World Watch List of countries where Christians face the most severe persecution due to an extreme level of Islamic oppression. Pakistan is also listed by the U.S. State Department as a "country of particular concern" for tolerating in or engaging in egregious violations of religious freedom.

Last month, a 32-year-old Christian man, Arif Masih, was allegedly poisoned and killed by a group of radical Muslims for defending his sister from harassment on the street in the Muslim-majority Tariqabad village of the Punjab province on May 23, the Union of Catholic Asian News reported.

Earlier that week, two young men dragged his sister into the street and stripped her naked after following her home from the store and breaking into the home.

They fought her brother, Masih, who filed a complaint against Muhammad Tariq and Muhammad Majid, the two men who harassed his sister on May 20.

According to Asia News, the men were not arrested and Masih was reportedly threatened for not dropping the complaint and was attacked by the perpetrators three days later.

The perpetrators allegedly loaded Masih on their motorcycle, beat him, poisoned him and threw him into the street. He was taken to the hospital but did not survive his injuries.
The French Competition Authority imposed a fine on Google for 220 million euros (more than 5.2 billion Mexican pesos approximately). According to the authorities, the technology firm promotes its own services from the Internet advertising market , abusing its power completely. The US company did not deny the accusations and the fine is in a negotiation process.

This is not the first time that Google has gone through a similar situation, it is the object of French antitrust scrutiny regarding online advertising. Bruno Le Maire, the French Minister of Economy, mentioned that "The large platforms have progressively acquired dominant positions and it is essential to apply our competition rules to the digital giants that carry out their activity in our territory."
What the pandemic has taught everyone is that pivoting business operations in crisis can be a challenge. I recently invited a renowned leader in sales, operations and technology to discuss the winning strategies for small and medium-size businesses (SMBs) to drive product innovation and growth during this monumental time. For the latest episode of Comparably and Entrepreneurs Leadership Lessons series, I sat down with Burton M. Goldfield, president and CEO of TriNet (NYSE: TNET). TriNet is a cloud-based provider of full-service HR solutions for SMBs, and its net revenue has more than quadrupled during Goldfield's tenure as CEO since 2008.

Born in inner-city Philadelphia with no silver spoons in sight, Goldfield credits his early success to his natural aptitude for science and math. After graduating high school, he was asked to be part of Syracuse Universitys first graduating class in biomedical engineering. I didnt really know what a biomedical engineer was, but I knew that having my degree paid for at that time was a really good thing, he says.

Related: Free On-Demand Webinar: How to Grow a Disruptive Software Company & Scale Globally

Biomedical engineer or not, Goldfield found that people were most drawn to the computer skills he had picked up as part of the deal. Between you and I, I wasnt that good. But there werent many people in the late 70s who appreciated computers and computer software. From there, Goldfield left Philly for Silicon Valley, settling in Palo Alto near the Hewlett-Packard garage, which he drew inspiration from. And from there, a bold 40-plus year career in the technology sector began, from his executive sales and operational roles at IBM and Hyperion Solutions Corporation to his role as CEO at Ketera Technologies, a Santa Clara-based SaaS provider.

Ive been lucky enough to know this terrific leader for years, and his skill and humor as a speaker and storyteller made our conversation an especially rich and valuable session. Here are nine lessons from Burton Goldfield to keep in your back pocket:

1. Take things personally

Goldfield says his greatest strength is also his greatest weakness. To me, seeing people succeed is very personal. I feel the joy of their success, he says. And that extends to failures as well: It tests who I am as I face those challenges. He stays in a constant state of learning by talking to small businesses and prospects, as well as mentoring folks.

2. Surround yourself with great people

Goldfield credits surrounding himself with the right people as being a critical element of his success. He met the founders of Rational Software, which he considers his first true company in the tech arena, on an interview. He was so impressed with their character that he joined the company, which he was loyal to for 14 years, as it went from a $19 million outfit to a $1 billion one by the time IBM bought it.

Related: Free On-Demand Webinar: Winning Strategies to Drive Product Innovation & Growth

3. Hire for core values and motivation

Knowledge, skills and experience can be taught on the job, so make sure to hire people with values that already align with the company and a motivation beyond simply making a living. You're not evaluating whether people are good or bad. You're evaluating whether their core values and their motivation is what you need for the mission that your company is on, Goldfield told me.

4. You cant fake a genuine interest in other people

To be an effective CEO and to work with small businesses, curiosity and care about the people you work with has to be one soft skill that comes naturally to you. I love hearing what you're doing when we catch up, Goldfield told me. I love going and seeing my clients taking apart their devices, or talking to them about their markets, because it gets me energized. But it's a genuine interest. It's not a sales technique.

5. Dont depend on linear career progress

Goldfield says hes never chased money or had a particular desire for a job title. Those things came to him as a result of his efforts, but they were never the driver, nor were they defining markers for encouragement or discouragement. I had a desire to be around people that I cared about and believed in, and could learn from. I wanted to be given a big gnarly problem to solve, and I also wanted to solve it and go back and say, See, I did it?

Related: How Lynn Jurich Turned an Innate Passion for Saving the Environment into a Definitively Disruptive Energy Company

6. A lack of being content drives a CEO to innovate

Goldfield believes people are currently more risk-averse than they were in the 90s, when startups could get going without benefits and a bunch of options that had no value yet. Innovation is risky, especially to a company that is doing well financially, but Goldfield maintains that innovation has to remain of utmost importance to a CEO  he or she cant become too content with the company as it currently is. I don't wake up content, I wake up happy, Goldfield says. Youre not chasing revenue and profit. You're chasing value, you're chasing execution, you're chasing hiring great people. And when you put it all together, the revenue and profit become the result.

7. The Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated technology

Goldfield agrees with those who speculate that the recent crisis has sped up development of technology by 10 years. Innovation needs to happen now on that advanced schedule as well. Customers want answers faster and with more user-friendly interfaces. The ability to take knowledge and distribute that knowledge to help make decisions is going to accelerate even further.

8. Know what your goals are before accepting seed money

Make sure you have a clear idea of the reason youre going public, or the reason youre using a SPAC, or the reason youre taking money from your uncle, Goldfield says. Everything comes with positives and negatives. Before taking money, think about what your goals are and how you will measure success with the project. If you're developing an app that you think is going to make you a million dollars, and believe that you can live on a Caribbean island for the rest of your life with a million dollars, I wouldn't take a dime, he jokes. I would eat beans, finish your app, get the million dollars, make the decisions yourself, declare victory, and go off and live on that island. On the other hand, if you are trying to cure cancer, the question is not whether you will take money, the question is how many rounds of funding and how many years will it take?"

Related: 12 Leadership Lessons from Envoy Founder and CEO Larry Gadea

9. A companys mission and vision are paramount for recruiting and retaining employees, particularly in remote work situations.

Theres a place at every company for great employees for whom the paycheck is the bottom line motivator, but especially in a remote setting, genuine passion for the mission is irreplaceable. I believe that a connection with the mission and vision will become an even more important element to keeping people and for opening up innovation and dialogue in companies over the next 10 years, Goldfield says.

To learn more about Goldfields approach to leadership and other insights he shared with me during our chat, watch the full webinar here. For more extraordinary talks with other CEOs from high-profile brands like Zoom, Nextdoor, WarbyParker, Dallas Mavericks, GoDaddy and Docusign, check out our series page.

Copyright 2021 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved
Many states in Mexico have been facing extreme droughts for several weeks. The state of Sinaloa is one of those that has suffered the most, according to figures from the National Water Commission (Conagua).

Image: Conagua

According to the local newspaper Expreso , none of the dams that supply their communities have more than 30% capacity, and in fact, the El Salto dam has the lowest level of catchment as it barely reaches 15%. The ravages of this drought are already beginning to affect the city of Culiacan severely.

It is in this context that the governor of Sinaloa, Quirino Ordaz Coppel , announced that a cloud bombing program will be carried out to cause rain. Although at first it sounds like something strange, the initiative consists of flying small planes that drop silver iodide or dry ice bombs, since these components alter the physical processes of clouds and generate precipitation.

Today at #Culiacan I met with FAM commanders and with Eng. Ramon Sandoval to start with the cloud "bombing" project. Sinaloa is going through a harsh dry season, and we need it to start raining. #FelizLunes and continue working with everything. #PuroSinaloa pic.twitter.com/EgZ9DD4kX6 - Quirino Ordaz (@QuirinoOC)June 7, 2021

Ordaz Coppel affirmed that this "bombing" will be carried out with the King Air 350i military aircraft of the Ministry of National Defense and with the support of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

The initiative It will take place in June, because, according to the governor, the drought is an "urgent situation" considering that there are 16 municipalities with extreme water shortages and two more with severe drought.

Copyright 2021 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved
MADRID (AP)  French author Emmanuel Carrere, popular for his non-fiction books in a high literary vein, has been granted this years Spanish Princess of Asturias Literature Award.

The award is one of the eight prestigious prizes by the foundation named after the heir to the Spanish throne, Princess Leonor.

Its jury said Wednesday that Carrere, 63, was chosen among 33 candidates from 20 countries because of the ability of his works to straddle reality and fiction.

Starting with his The Adversary in 2000, about the murderer Jean-Claude Romand, Carrere abandoned a previous career in fiction and began to write stories narrating his own experience or the lives of others.

His books contribute to the unmasking of the human condition and relentlessly dissect reality, the awards jury said in a statement. It added that, in doing so, Carrere draws an incisive portrait of todays society.

The author has also worked as a screenwriter and maker of films and documentaries, including a collaboration with German filmmaker Werner Herzog. Carrere has also been a jury member at the Cannes and Venice film festivals.

The 50,000-euro ($61,000) award is handed out annually during a lavish ceremony, normally in October, by the Princess of Asturias Foundation, which is presided over by Princess Leonors father, King Felipe VI.

The eight prizes cover different disciplines, from arts to social sciences or sports.
40 YEARS AGO

Voters okay 15.5 mills

A 15.5 mill request was approved by Manistee school district voters by a 614 vote margin while an additional two mill request failed in the annual school elections held yesterday. A request to discontinue student busing was turned down as voters overwhelmingly voiced their decision to retain student transportation.

At the drive-in

Now playing at the Chippewa Drive-In is a horror double feature. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre shows at 9:35 p.m. followed by When the Screaming Stops at 11:30 p.m. Today is bargain night with all tickets are $1.75.

60 YEARS AGO

City area in blackout

The southwest section of Manistee was without electric power last night for about 90 minutes. Cause of the blackout is believed to have been some unknown motorists backing into or striking a guy wire leading to a power pole with transformer located just west of the Manistee Community Armory The power failure occurred soon after the completion of the commencement exercises for Manistee High Schools senior class last night, or about 8:45 p.m.

So long, school year

The 1960-61 school year ended in Manistee today as school officially closed today for students at Manistee High School and the city elementary schools. Yesterday morning, school officially closed at St. Josephs with students reporting for their final grades and then to begin the summer vacation.

80 YEARS AGO

Draft quota

Manistee County has been called upon to furnish 20 men for military training day during June, it was announced this morning. Orders call for the contingent to leave the city on June 26. Many of the May group who were inducted on May 27 have been stationed at Fort Davis, North Carolina while some selectees still remain at Fort Custer.

Distributing literature

Literature advertising Manistee as a resort and touristland will be distributed to all parts of the country again this year by the Western Time Table Distributing Co., directors of the board of commerce voted this morning. The firm, which served Manistee successfully last year, will service hotels, depots, information booths and other public agencies with thousands of illustrated folders and other pamphlets advertising the community.

Compiled by Mark Fedder at the Manistee County Historical Museum
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP)  Residents of western and central New Mexico are being warned that air quality is being diminished by large amounts of smoke from wildfires in Arizona and southwestern New Mexico.

An air quality alert issued Wednesday by the National Weather Service said the reduced air quality likely would continue through the day and redevelop overnight into Thursday morning.
SEATTLE (AP)  A Denver-based collection agency must return about $475,000 it collected improperly from up to 5,000 Washington consumers after state Attorney General Bob Ferguson prevailed in a lawsuit alleging unlawful debt-collection practices.

Fergusons office says Machol & Johannes must also forgive as much as $250,000 in fees and costs for hundreds of people, and pay $414,000 to the attorney generals office to cover investigation costs, The Seattle Times reported.
A California County reportedly made a big mistake by inflating the number of COVID-19 deaths by 25%.

WND said California's Alameda Country has recently announced that their recorded 1,634 deaths due to COVID has been reviewed adjusted to 1,223 deaths only, a decrease in 25% or 411 cases. Alameda County is one of California's most populated, ranking 7th, providing a precedent that other heavily populated counties might also need to look into their records if it was really accurate.

As per WND, the decline in the recorded deaths was attributable to an adjustment in the policy the county follows when it comes to COVID. The county is said to have an "expansive definition" of what a COVID death is such that a person who died after testing positive to the virus is regarded as one even though the virus is not the direct cause of death or the contributing factor leading to the person's death.

The Oaklandside said in its report that the county officials have decided to revise the records after reviewing the California Department of Public Health guidance on classifying deaths for COVID-19. Alameda County Public Health Department spokesperson Neetu Balram told the Oaklandside in an interview that the new data now reflects more accurately how many people died of COVID-19 infection.

"(COVID-19 deaths are those) as a direct result of COVID-19, with COVID-19 as a contributing cause of death, or in whom death caused by COVID-19 could not be ruled out," Balram explained on the state's policy.

However, the county's method "was to attribute a death to COVID-19 if the coroner or medical provider (like a hospital) listed someone as being positive for the coronavirus at the time of their death," that Balram said was obviously "broader than the state's."

An example cited was a person who died in a car accident after testing positive to COVID-19 that would have been classified by the county as a COVID-19 death but would have been classified differently by the state. The actual causes of the deaths of the 411 cases that were removed from the county's record were not provided, however.

Alameda County Health Officer Nicholas Moss said that the adjustment shows the county's desire to provide accurate reporting on the virus although it did take them long to make the necessary review since they had to wait for the situation to stabilize.

"It's not an excuse. It's a reality. Unfortunately, it took us longer to get to this point than we would have liked," Moss told The Oaklandside in an interview.

Moss explained that unlike with other pandemics, the recording of information on the virus was done daily and directly to their database that is displayed publicly such that there was no more time to countercheck information received on COVID-19. He admitted during the interview that they expected negative reactions on the changes in figures but would have to continue maintaining their policy decisions.

"We knew any change like this would have raised some eyebrows. Nothing about this changes our policy decisions now or during the height of the pandemic," he added.

Meanwhile, NBC Bay Area reported that Alameda County has been moved to the yellow reopening tier on Tuesday that allows lesser restrictions on COVID such as opening with modifications of outdoor playgrounds and recreational activities, hair salons and barbershops, all retail, and critical infrastructures. Indoor gatherings are still strongly discouraged, however, but allowed with modifications to a maximum of three households only.
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP)  Connecticut lawmakers closed out a legislative session like no other on Wednesday night, with the state Senate approving a two-year, $46.3 billion state budget that proponents said will help Connecticut in its continued recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic while beginning to address some longstanding inequities in the state.

Legislators wrapped up their work shortly before midnight. In the final moments, the House and Senate chambers were nearly filled with lawmakers - a rare sight this session, given the strict COVID-19 protocols.

As in the House, there was bipartisan support for the budget in the Senate, where the bill passed 31 to 4. Shortly afterward, Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont said he will sign it into law, calling it the most progressive, transformative, and life-changing budget our state has ever seen. The new fiscal year begins on July 1.

Wednesday's vote marked the culmination of an unusual and challenging legislative session, where the state Capitol was closed to the public due to COVID-19 restrictions and staff and legislators were forced to rely on Zoom meetings to get much of their work done, including committee meetings and public hearings. Besides dealing with the devastating impacts of the pandemic and its continuing challenges, the General Assembly was also under pressure to pass a budget that addresses the state's racial and economic inequities in the light of the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

This is a budget, I think, to celebrate, said Senate President Pro Tempore Martin Looney, D-New Haven. It is one that puts us in a position to meet the needs of the state of Connecticut. I think it reflects the fact that Connecticut has an obligation to help people who are in need and struggling. Government needs to be a partner and friend.

While General Assembly was able to pass a new budget before Wednesday's midnight adjournment, a bill legalizing the adult use of cannabis was not going to make it in time. Democratic leaders of the House of Representatives said they would take up that and other bills in a special legislative session. Their decision comes after Republican House members who oppose the legislation were expected to run out the clock by continuing to debate the bill until the legislature's deadline.

Because we were not allowed to do the business we needed to do today, every item to me is open for consideration in the special session, said House Speaker Matt Ritter, D-Hartford, acknowledging the list could be expansive. They should have allowed us to vote. So, that's how it's going to be.

The special session could happen within the next couple weeks, said Ritter.

Despite their concerns with the marijuana bill, there was some GOP support for the budget deal that Democratic legislative leaders reached with Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont. Twenty-two House and eight Senate Republicans voted for the bill, some lauding it for not increasing taxes, something progressive Democrats had sought early on in the legislative session to address long-standing racial and economic inequities.

The state of Connecticut is not in a position to begin looking at revenue, especially at a time when families are suffering," said House Minority Leader Vincent Candelora, R-North Branford, who voted for the bill. Our economy is trying to recover and were not sure where were going to be a year from now when the federal dollars start to dissipate and maybe show the real landscape of what our economy looks like.

The new budget benefits from a massive infusion of federal COVID relief funds, including $2.28 billion over two years from the American Rescue Plan, and an improving state economy that has led to historic tax collections. It boosts funding for local education, nonprofit agencies, nursing homes, college scholarships, health insurance programs, municipal aid, workforce development, group homes, housing, summer camp and learning opportunities for children and expanded day care slots.

Sen. Rob Sampson, R-Wolcott, however, criticized the level of spending in the budget, saying it creates the largest state government that this state will have ever had.

The Senate chairman of the Finance Revenue and Bonding Committee, said he was disappointed the final budget did not include the tax increases that were voted out of the committee, with the goal of raising money for the long-term to address the state's inequities after the federal COVID relief funds run out. Sen. John Fonfara, D-Hartford, argued now is the time to address the concentration of poverty in Connecticut and issues such as the lack of home ownership opportunities, capital for businesses and infrastructure and kindergarten readiness.

We can make those investments and not change the lives of those that were asked to contribute a little bit more, Fonfara said, who called the budget a status quo budget" that will lead to status quo results.

It's as though we have our policies, our knee, on the neck of the Black community and other underserved communities of our state, he said. We can do better and we must do better.

Lamont opposed the tax increases included in the Democrats' original revenue package, such as a new consumption tax and a capital gains tax on higher income residents, a so-called mansion tax and a tax on digital advertising, arguing they could stymie the state's economic recovery. He told reporters he took exception" to the comments of Fonfara, a veteran state legislator.

I think this is an incredibly important transformative budget. I think it makes a big difference in peoples lives, especially the lives of people who've been hardest hit by the pandemic, especially in the lives of Black and brown people, the likes of which hasnt been done for 30 years, Lamont said. "And I think youre finally getting it done right now.

Lamont said he's also pleased that the House and Senate finally passed legislation that generates new revenue for transportation projects. Both chambers late Tuesday approved, along party lines, Lamonts mileage-based highway use fee on tractor-trailers to help shore up the states financially troubled transportation fund. Republicans argued the fee is unfair to local trucking companies and will lead to higher prices for consumer, accusing Lamont and the Democrats of being disingenuous when they say no taxes will be raised.
BAGHDAD (AP)  An Iraqi militia commander whose arrest last month sparked a standoff between the government and paramilitary groups was freed Wednesday after a judge ordered his release.

The release of Qassim Mahmoud Musleh came as Iranian Gen. Esmail Ghaani, head of the expeditionary Quds Force, arrived in Baghdad to meet with militia and political leaders, two Shiite political officials said.

The officials said the meeting was to address ongoing tensions between the government and some militia groups linked to Iran following Musleh's arrest. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to media.

Supporters of Musleh greeted him with hugs and kisses on Baghdad's central Jadriya Bridge after his release, taking photos and videos with him to celebrate. Two Iraqi officials said Musleh was released at 8 a.m. and he returned to the southern city of Karbala, his hometown, where supporters also greeted him.

Musleh is head of the Popular Mobilization Forces in Anbar province. He was arrested May 27 on terrorism charges following a judicial investigation. His release was ordered by an investigative judge within the PMF, to whom his case file had been sent, two Iraqi officials said.

Iraq's Supreme Judicial Council said Musleh was released because of insufficient evidence and that proper legal procedures had been followed  an apparent effort to dispel criticism over his release.

The PMF is a state-sanctioned group comprised of an array of militias formed to battle the Islamic State group in 2014. Among the most powerful members of the group are Iran-backed Shiite militia groups. Their growing clout within Iraq has troubled Western, especially U.S., officials and presented an ongoing challenge for Iraq's government.

Musleh's arrest sparked tensions and fears of violence when, shortly after, forces affiliated with the PMF surrounded Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimis headquarters inside the heavily fortified Green Zone, the seat of the Iraqi government.

Iraqi security forces and the elite Counter-Terrorism Service were deployed to protect the government and diplomatic missions. PMF factions had also gathered around the Green Zone's entrance gates.

It was the latest incident highlighting al-Kadhimi's ongoing challenge to impose the rule of law on militia groups. The groups are suspected of targeting anti-government protesters and outspoken activists as well as the American presence in Iraq.

Musleh's release was considered by many to be a win for the PMF in its standoff with the government.

In comments to local media in Karbala after his release, Musleh said: "The leadership of the PMF expect that they will be accused of terrorism. ... It has happened before and it is happening now. Enemies outside of Iraq are pointing fingers toward the leadership of the PMF ... the PMF is the one defending this country."

The charges had accused Musleh of corruption and complicity in the assassinations of Iraqi activists in Karbala, in particular the targeted killing of Ehab al-Wazni. Al-Wazni was an outspoken activist in Karbala whose death sparked outrage and protests across Iraq's south and Baghdad.

The Supreme Judicial Council said Wednesday investigative authorities were unable to produce evidence implicating Musleh in the death of al-Wazni, according to a statement.

It was proven according to the passport information that (Musleh) was outside of Iraq when al-Wazni was assassinated and he denied committing or participating in this crime, and the investigative court did not find any evidence to prove his involvement in that crime, directly or indirectly," the statement said.

Following Muslehs detention, Al-Kadhimi held a meeting with key Shiite leaders to quell tensions. Based on the meeting's outcome, Musleh was taken into PMF custody.

Of particular concern during his detention was which Iraqi security body should have physical custody of Musleh. Al-Kadhimis government was aware that a transfer to PMF security would be widely seen as a concession.

An investigative committee comprised of officials from the defense and interior ministries, National Security and the PMF was formed to look into his case. Musleh was in the custody of the Joint Operations Command during that time. The JOC oversees an array of Iraqi security forces.

On Monday, his file was sent to a PMF investigative judge, who ordered his release.

Ghaani's arrival in Baghdad coincided with Musleh's release. Officials said ongoing tensions were the subject of his meetings but did not elaborate further.

Attempts to arrest militia-affiliated individuals in the past have unfolded in a similar pattern, with pressure coming from militia groups and concessions on the part of the government.

A raid carried out by the Counter-Terrorism Service last summer against Iran-backed Kataib Hezbollah led to over a dozen arrests. All were eventually released after pressure and threats of violence against the government.
CHICAGO (AP)  A jury on Tuesday awarded $7.5 million to a man who was exonerated after spending nearly 30 years in prison for a murder in Chicago.

Daniel Andersen sued a group of current and former Chicago police officers, arguing that he was coerced into confessing to the slaying of Cathy Trunko in 1980.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP)  A prosecutor urged the Minnesota Supreme Court on Wednesday to uphold the third-degree murder conviction of a former Minneapolis police officer who fatally shot an Australian woman who had called 911 in 2017, saying a reversal would make it impossible to prosecute other officers on the same charge.

But defense attorney Caitlinrose Fisher argued that the Minnesota Court of Appeals erred in February when it affirmed Mohamed Noor's conviction. She argued that the language of Minnesota's third-degree murder statute, backed by case law, requires that a defendant's actions be directed at more than one person, and that the law is meant for cases such as indiscriminate killings.

The state law defines third-degree murder as an act eminently dangerous to others and evincing a depraved mind, without regard for human life. A central dispute is whether dangerous to others must be read as plural, or if the fatal act can be directed at a single, specific person. The high courts ultimate decision has repercussions for four other ex-officers charged in the death of George Floyd, another high-profile police killing.

Hennepin County prosecutor Jean Burdorf told the justices that nearly all killings by officers are directed at a specific person. Noor testified in his 2019 trial that a loud bang on the squad car made him fear for his and his partner's life, so he reached across his partner from the passenger seat and fired through the drivers window, believing it was necessary to protect his partners life. His shot killed Justine Ruszczyk Damond, a dual U.S.-Australian citizen engaged to a Minneapolis man, who had called 911 to report a possible sexual assault behind her home.

If you maintain that a person can not be convicted of third-degree murder ... if their actions are directed at a particular person, there is not going to be an officer-involved shooting that can be prosecuted under Minnesota's depraved-mind murder statute, Burdorf said.

It was associate Justice Anne McKeig who raised the question of whether police officers could ever be convicted of third-degree murder if the high court agrees with Noor's interpretation of the statute. Fisher replied that it would be very hard to imagine that an officer's split-second reaction to a perceived threat would count as a depraved-mind murder but that other charges could be justified instead, such as manslaughter.

Fisher pointed out that Noor isn't contesting his conviction on a lesser charge of second-degree manslaughter. She urged the justices to send the case back to the trial court for resentencing on that count. While Noor was sentenced to 12 1/2 years on the murder count, which matched the prison term recommended by the state's sentencing guidelines, those guidelines recommend just four years for the manslaughter count.

Mohamed Noor did not act with a depraved mind. Mohamed Noor was not indifferent to human life," Fisher said. "With the benefit of hindsight we now know that Mr. Noor made a tragic split-second mistake. But if there is to be any meaningful difference between murder and manslaughter, that mistake is not sufficient to sustain Mr. Noor's conviction for third-degree murder.

Burdorf asked the justices to make the law clear because the proper interpretation of the statute has become unclear amid conflicting rulings over the years.

We have this confusion. I think it exists and we have to acknowledge it." Burdorf said. "The solution, I think, is to go back to the fundamentals.

The decision in Noor's appeal is expected to affect the cases of the four ex-officers charged in Floyd's death.

Former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin was convicted in April of second- and third-degree murder, as well as second-degree manslaughter, and is appealing. Prosecutors are seeking 30 years in prison for Chauvin, who will be sentenced June 25. The sentence wouldn't change even if the Supreme Court rules in Noor's favor, but that decision could become significant if Chauvin's second-degree murder conviction were overturned on appeal. Prosecutors are seeking to add charges of aiding and abetting third-degree murder to the existing counts against three other ex-officers, who are due to go on trial in March.

The judge overseeing Chauvin's trial initially threw out the third-degree murder charge against Chauvin, but later reinstated the count after the Court of Appeals affirmed Noor's conviction. All four former officers also face federal civil rights charges.

Prosecutors wrote in their brief that over 40 states have some form of depraved mind or depraved indifference homicide statute, but only a handful" require a defendant to endanger more than one person for prosecutors to get a conviction.
BILLINGS, Mont. (AP)  The sponsor of the Keystone XL crude oil pipeline pulled the plug on the contentious project Wednesday after Canadian officials failed to persuade President Joe Biden to reverse his cancellation of its permit on the day he took office.

Calgary-based TC Energy said it would work with government agencies to ensure a safe termination of and exit" from the partially built line, which was to transport crude from the oil sand fields of western Canada to Steele City, Nebraska.

Construction on the 1,200-mile (1,930-kilometer) pipeline began last year when former President Donald Trump revived the long-delayed project after it had stalled under the Obama administration. It would have moved up to 830,000 barrels (35 million gallons) of crude daily, connecting in Nebraska to other pipelines that feed oil refineries on the U.S. Gulf Coast.

Biden canceled the pipeline's border crossing permit in January over longstanding concerns that burning oil sands crude could make climate change worse and harder to reverse.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had objected to the move , raising tensions between the U.S. and Canada. Officials in Alberta, where the line originated, expressed frustration in recent weeks that Trudeau wasn't pushing Biden harder to reinstate the pipelines permit.

Alberta invested more than $1 billion in the project last year, kick-starting construction that had stalled amid determined opposition to the line from environmentalists and Native American tribes along its route.

Alberta officials said Wednesday they reached an agreement with TC Energy, formerly known as TransCanada, to exit that partnership. The company and province plan to try to recoup the government's investment, although neither offered any immediate details on how that would happen.

We remain disappointed and frustrated with the circumstances surrounding the Keystone XL project, including the cancellation of the presidential permit for the pipelines border crossing," Alberta Premier Jason Kenney said in a statement.

The province had hoped the pipeline would spur increased development in the oil sands and bring tens of billions of dollars in royalties over decades.

Climate change activists viewed the expansion of oil sands development as an environmental disaster that could speed up global warming as the fuel is burned. That turned Keystone into a flashpoint in the climate debate, and it became the focus of rallies and protests in Washington, D.C., and other cities.

Environmentalists who had fought the project since it was first announced in 2008 said its cancellation marks a landmark moment in the effort to curb the use of fossil fuels.

Good riddance to Keystone XL, said Jared Margolis with the Center for Biological Diversity, one of many environmental groups that sued to stop it.

On Montanas Fort Belknap Reservation, tribal president Andy Werk Jr. described the end of Keystone as a relief to Native Americans who stood against it out of concerns a line break could foul the Missouri River or other waterways.

Attorneys general from 21 states had sued to overturn Bidens cancellation of the pipeline, which would have created thousands of construction jobs. Republicans in Congress have made the cancellation a frequent talking point in their criticism of the administration, and even some moderate Senate Democrats including Montana's Jon Tester and West Virginia's Joe Manchin had urged Biden to reconsider.

Tester said in a statement Wednesday that he was disappointed in the project's demise, but made no mention of Biden.

Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso, the top Republican on the Senate energy committee, was more direct: President Biden killed the Keystone XL Pipeline and with it, thousands of good-paying American jobs.

A White House spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment on TC Energy's announcement. In his Jan. 20 cancellation order, Biden said allowing the line to proceed "would not be consistent with my administrations economic and climate imperatives.

TC Energy said in canceling the pipeline that the company is focused on meeting evolving energy demands as the world transitions to different power sources. It said it has $7 billion in other projects under development.

Keystone XLs price tag had ballooned as the project languished, increasing from $5.4 billion to $9 billion. Meanwhile, oil prices fell significantly  from more than $100 a barrel in 2008 to under $70 in recent months  slowing development of Canadas oil sands and threatening to eat into any profits from moving the fuel to refineries.

A second TC Energy pipeline network, known simply as Keystone, has been delivering crude from Canada's oil sands region since 2010. The company says on its website that Keystone has moved more than 3 billion barrels of crude from Alberta and an oil loading site in Cushing, Oklahoma.

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Follow Brown on Twitter: @MatthewBrownAP
WILBER, Neb. (AP)  A man was sentenced to death Wednesday for killing and dismembering a Nebraska hardware store clerk who refused to commit to his lifestyle of group sex and fraud.

Aubrey Trail was convicted in 2019 of first-degree murder and criminal conspiracy to commit murder. in the 2017 murder of Sydney Loofe. A three-judge panel sentenced Trail Wednesday at the county courthouse in Wilber, about 40 miles (65 kilometers) southwest of Lincoln.

Prosecutors said at trial that Trail and his girlfriend, Bailey Boswell, had been planning to kill someone before Boswell met the 24-year-old Loofe, a cashier at a Menards store in Lincoln, on the dating app Tinder and lured her to them.

Loofes body parts were found in garbage bags, cut into 14 pieces and left in ditches along country roads in rural Clay County.

In his statement to the court, Trail, 54, recanted his earlier claim that Loofe died of erotic asphyxiation during rough sex and admitted that he strangled her with an electric cord, as prosecutors had alleged. He said he tied up Loofe and killed her because she freaked out when he told her about his lifestyle, which included defrauding antique dealers and group sex with Boswell and other women.

I had no doubt she would tell people if I let her go, said Trail, who was handcuffed, clad in orange jail garb and sat in a wheelchair throughout the sentencing.

Trail didn't apologize to Loofe's family in the courtroom, saying it would be an insult to you for what I've put you through," but he said killing her was the only thing he has done in his life that he regrets.

Trail admitted that he repeatedly lied to authorities and plotted to kill Loofe two to three hours before he carried out the murder. But he asserted that Boswell wasnt in the room and didnt know he was going to do it. He said he could care less about the sentence he receives.

I am not looking for mercy, forgiveness, or anything else, he said.

Saline County District Court Judge Vicky Johnson said the murder met the legal standard of exceptional depravity necessary to impose the ultimate punishment. She noted that Trail  who changed his story numerous times  bragged about the murder and implied to investigators that he and Boswell drank Loofes blood. Evidence also showed he bought a hacksaw, tools and bleach before the killing.

Trail's words and actions demonstrate he had no regard for the life of Sydney Loofe beyond his own personal pleasures, Johnson said.

Loofes family left the Saline County Courthouse without taking questions.

Trail becomes the 12th man on death row in Nebraska, a state that rarely carries out executions, currently lacks the drugs it needs to do so and isn't likely to get them anytime soon.

Trail missed much of his own trial after slashing his neck in the courtroom in 2019 and yelling, Bailey is innocent, and I curse you all."

Trail's court-appointed attorney, Ben Murray, said his client would appeal the sentence at least initially, but he didn't know if Trail would continue to do so over the long term, as other Nebraska death-row inmates have done.

In Nebraska, all death penalty sentences are automatically appealed. The state's most recent execution was of convicted murderer Carey Dean Moore in 2018. Before that, Nebraska's last execution was in 1997.

Authorities said Trail and Boswell were captured on video at a Home Depot in Lincoln on Nov. 15, 2017, buying tools used to dismember Loofe, hours before her death and while she was still at work.

In court documents, Assistant Nebraska Attorney General Sandra Allen said Trail has a history of serious assaultive or terrorizing criminal activity and that Loofes murder manifested exceptional depravity by ordinary standards of morality and intelligence.

Boswell was convicted in October of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder and improper disposal of human remains for her role in Loofes death. Prosecutors are also seeking the death penalty for Boswell; a three-judge panel will start hearing evidence to determine her fate June 30.

If she's sentenced to death, Boswell will become Nebraska's first female death-row inmate.

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Follow Grant Schulte on Twitter: https://twitter.com/GrantSchulte
LAS VEGAS (AP)  U.S. Rep. Dina Titus of Nevada wants to create a national lottery to incentivize people to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

The Democrat who represents Las Vegas introduced legislation in Congress Tuesday that would create a national cash prize offering $1 million to 100 winners who have received at least one dose of the vaccine.
(The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.)

Melissa N. Stuckey, Elizabeth City State University

(THE CONVERSATION) Protests have been taking place in a small North Carolina city for the past two months, sparked by the early morning report on April 21, 2021, that Andrew Brown Jr., a local African American man, had been shot and killed by county sheriffs deputies serving search and arrest warrants.

Eleven months after the murder of George Floyd and just one day after former police officer Derek Chauvins conviction, Browns killing immediately became part of a larger national story about African Americans being killed by law enforcement agents and subsequent demands for accountability and reform.

For weeks, protesters have held daily marches along Road, Ehringhaus, Main and Water Streets in Elizabeth City. They have also marched through the Shepard Street-South Road Historic District, a historically African American neighborhood that Andrew Brown called home and where his life was taken.

Protesters have also staged rallies at nearby Waterfront Park and in front of the county sheriffs office. Some have engaged in acts of civil disobedience, challenging a city-imposed curfew and blocking traffic at key intersections.

The intersections  Morgans Corner, located outside of town, and Elizabeth and Water streets, which front the Camden Causeway Bridge  are key transportation arteries in this part of North Carolina. Respectively, they connect Elizabeth City to U.S. Highway 17 and to the Outer Banks, an iconic North Carolina vacation spot.

The shooting and ensuing protests have brought international attention to Elizabeth City and, for many Americans, this fraught moment is their first exposure to the North Carolina city.

However, as a resident of Elizabeth City and a history professor at Elizabeth City State University, I know that todays protesters are not the first to march here. Instead, they follow in the footsteps of previous generations of freedom seekers.

From Road Street to Water Street, from Ehringhaus Street to Elizabeth Street, this picturesque city has long been a site where quintessential African American struggles for freedom have taken place.

Maroons and fugitives

Elizabeth City is located on the edge of the Great Dismal Swamp. During the era of slavery, this dense wetland served as home to unknown numbers of escaped slaves, known as maroons.

The Great Dismal also offered respite to slaves who were lying out  temporarily escaping the brutality of plantation life. In addition, the swamp was a way station along the Underground Railroad, hiding many fugitive slaves along their journeys to free states.

In The Narrative of the Life of Moses Grandy, the life story of a former slave, Grandy described the privations of many who sought refuge in the Great Dismal Swamp. One such person was his sister, Tamar.

Tamar escaped from a slave trader by hiding in the swamp. For several years she lived in a den she made for herself in the woods. Occasionally she hid in a hollow under the floor of her mothers home at the edge of the swamp, Moses Grandy wrote.

Tamar remained hidden in the Great Dismal long enough to bear three children. Eventually she was caught, returned to bondage and transported to Georgia. After securing his own freedom, Moses Grandy spent years trying to free Tamar and other family members from slavery.

Today, the Great Dismal Swamp and the Pasquotank River, whose tributaries connect the swamp to Elizabeth City, are listed as part of the National Park Services Underground Railroad Network to Freedom, a group of sites throughout the country with a verifiable connection to the Underground Railroad.

United States Colored Troops

During the Civil War, the roads and waterways surrounding Elizabeth City were used for the large-scale liberation of slaves.

The U.S. Navy captured Elizabeth Citys port in 1862. The following year, the U.S. Army twice deployed several regiments of U.S. Colored Troops to the city.

In December 1863, the Black soldiers marched from southern Virginia to Elizabeth City. Many of them were from the area and knew it well. They confidently navigated the Great Dismal Swamp and maneuvered down roads that today form part of U.S. 17. As they moved through the territory, they raided plantations and freed slaves, including their own family members.

Once in Elizabeth City, these U.S. Colored Troops encamped on the waterfront near Elizabeth and Water streets. The Black soldiers patrolled and held drills along these and other downtown streets. Freedom-seeking slaves flocked to their camp.

Describing the scene, a New York Times correspondent wrote, The lately deserted streets of the city were thronged with liberated slaves that came pouring in from the country in every direction.

In the aftermath of Andrew Browns killing, the streets near this former U.S. Colored Troops encampment have become a staging ground for police who have arrested protesters for violating curfew and for blocking the bridge.

After the Civil War, Elizabeth Citys Black veterans paraded annually on Emancipation Day, Jan. 1, and on Memorial Day. Long before any monument to the Confederacy was erected here, Elizabeth Citys African American community commemorated its freedom by marching from the Shepard Street-Road Street neighborhood to the courthouse and other downtown destinations.

Just like todays marchers, they laid claim to the streets of Elizabeth City by filling these spaces with their bodies and their voices.

Desegregation, picketing and sit-ins

During the civil rights era, a new generation of Black freedom seekers followed in these veterans footsteps.

Local residents, along with students at what was then Elizabeth City State College, picketed and staged sit-ins on Main Street to desegregate Elizabeth Citys downtown businesses.

College student Willie Thurman battled through fear and complacency to participate in the 1963 protests. Describing what he was feelings while marching to town, Thurman wrote, There is no choice. Who wishes to remain lost, except a fool? I dont. Consequently, I am following the mass, one hundred twenty demonstrators.

Thurman was one of the hundreds of Elizabeth City State students jeered at, threatened, assaulted or arrested while protesting against segregation.

In the footsteps

Since April 21, with the exception of a brief pause on a quiet Monday in early May, protesters have moved along these same streets every day. They have done so while crying for accountability and reform in the name of Andrew Brown and chanting in unison that Black lives matter in their city. City councilors voted in May to paint the phrase on Colonial Avenue, in front of the county sheriffs office.

The pause from daily protests took place on May 3. On this day Andrew Brown Jr. was memorialized. A public viewing of his casket was held at the Museum of the Albemarle. The museum faces Waterfront Park, a regular starting point for marches.

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After the viewing, the very roads that have borne the feet of three centuries of Black freedom seekers in Elizabeth City bore Brown on a final journey. In solemn procession, a horse-drawn carriage carried Browns coffin down Water and Ehringhaus streets.

The journey ended at a church on U.S. 17 where his funeral was held. The Rev. Al Sharpton delivered the eulogy. Later, Sharpton reflected on the ongoing protests.

Elizabeth City is not a, quote, activist town. [And yet], he said, theyve been marching every day.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: https://theconversation.com/protesters-marching-in-elizabeth-city-n-c-over-andrew-browns-killing-are-walking-in-the-footsteps-of-centuries-of-fighters-for-black-rights-161563.
LONDON (AP)  A top European Union official said Wednesday that Britain could face retaliatory tariffs or other sanctions after talks failed to resolve an increasingly heated dispute over implementation of their post-Brexit trade deal in Northern Ireland.

Maros Sefcovic, the EUs chief negotiator, said the relationship between the two sides had reached a crossroads amid the U.K.s continued failure to live up to its obligations under the Brexit agreement.

Trust, which should be at the heart of every partnership, needs to be restored, Sefcovic told reporters after the talks. That is the EU approach and the EU preference. If the U.K. were to take further unilateral action over the coming weeks, the EU will not be shy in reacting swiftly, firmly and resolutely to ensure that the U.K. abides by its international law obligations.

Sefcovic met with his British counterpart, David Frost, amid rising tensions over provisions of the Brexit deal that essentially created a regulatory border between Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom. That angered many pro-British residents of the territory who reject anything that threatens their status as part of the U.K.

The so-called Northern Ireland protocol was designed to protect the peace process there by ensuring that trade with the Republic of Ireland continued to flow freely after Britain left the EU. To do so, the protocol required Britain to conduct regulatory checks on some goods shipped to the region from other parts of the U.K.

Britain earlier this year unilaterally delayed some of those inspections, saying it needed more time to put systems in place to carry out the required checks. The EU threatened legal action over what it saw as a breach of Britains international obligations. Now the U.K. government is considering further delays and the EU is ramping up its response.

Frost called for pragmatic solutions to bridge the divide.

What the EU is insisting on is we should operate the protocol in an extremely purist way, Frost said separately. The reality is that its a very balanced document thats designed to support the peace process and deal with the very sensitive politics in Northern Ireland.

Sefcovic said the bloc was ready to compromise. For example, he said, the EU has offered to amend the rules to ensure they dont slow the delivery of medicines and to make it easier to send guide dogs and used cars to Northern Ireland.

The bloc has also offered a deal that would do away with most checks if Britain agreed to align its rules on animal and plant health with EU regulations. Such an arrangement, similar to the EUs trade deal with Switzerland, could be implemented on a temporary basis to give Britain more time to come up with a permanent solution, Sefcovic said.

But he also said the EU was growing frustrated as Britain delays the implementation of rules it agreed to 18 months ago.

Our patience, really, is growing very, very thin, Sefcovic said.

Behind the dispute is the unique situation of Northern Ireland, where more than 3,000 people were killed during three decades of violence between those who support unification with the Republic of Ireland and those who seek to maintain ties to the U.K.

The 1998 Good Friday Agreement, which brought peace to region, was underpinned by the fact that both the U.K. and Ireland were members of the EU. That made it possible for trade to flow freely between Ireland and Northern Ireland, stimulating economic growth and creating jobs on both sides of the border.

In an effort to keep the border open, the EU and the U.K. agreed that Northern Ireland would remain part of the European single market after Brexit. But that meant EU rules on issues such as food safety would still apply in Northern Ireland and there would have to be checks on some goods shipped into the region from England, Scotland and Wales.

The divorce deal, which took effect Jan. 1, included a number of grace periods that gave Britain time to put in place new systems for checking goods coming into Northern Ireland to ensure they complied with EU rules. Those grace periods are now ending.

Now, the two sides are sparring over the rules governing chilled meats, raising the specter of what British newspapers are calling a sausage war. British officials are considering extending the grace period covering chilled meets to prevent the EU from blocking shipments of products such as sausages and ground beef on July 1.

The issue has attracted the attention of U.S. President Joe Biden, who will meet with EU officials and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson this weekend, when leaders of the Group of Seven richest democracies meet in Cornwall.

Aware of the central role his country played in brokering the Good Friday Agreement, Biden has warned that the U.S. wont sign a trade deal with Britain if Brexit undermines the peace deal.

Johnson said Wednesday that any solution to the dispute must protect the unity of the U.K.

What we want to do is make sure that we can have a solution that guarantees the peace process, protects the peace process, but also guarantees the economic and territorial integrity of the whole United Kingdom, he told reporters in Cornwall.

___

Follow AP's Brexit coverage at: https://apnews.com/hub/brexit
A young officer in Arkansas thanked God for his rescue of a baby from choking.

Officer Cody Hubbard of Pottsville Police Department (PPD) saved Joe and Katelin Chronister's infant son, Grady, from choking on anti-gas drops, Fox 16 reported.

Joe shared that they were trying to give his three-week old baby medicine. Grady was fine at first but he started choking on the medicine towards the end. The infant then turned "purple" and stopped breathing. Joe and his wife then decided to call 911.

Hubbard, himself a father, disclosed that he prayed on his way responding to the call.

"A normal day went to a chaotic day in a matter of seconds. When a family is depending on you like that, you know the pressure hits," he said.

The baby's family panicked over the situation, seeing Grady struggling to breathe.

When the officer came, he immediately took the child to help.

Joe said that his family tried everything but Hubbard seemed to know "exactly what to do." He repeatedly tapped the baby on his back to dislodge the drops. The rescue was even recorded on his body camera.

But the officer declared that it was God who helped him do it.

"Pretty much for the Lord to be on my side on this one," Hubbard stated.

After the incident, the officer revealed that he returned to his car, turned off his camera and cried.

"I started just kind of bawling because, you know, it felt good to see how that turned out. Mentally, I just broke down. I was crying, but it was happy tears," he remembered.

Joe was grateful to the officer for saving his child's life.

"Thank you so much for saving Grady's life. We're grateful for it," he said.

The officer described the experience as "life-changing." He uncovered that he encountered the same incident with his own daughter before. He also explained that every time he deals with this situation involving children, he treats them as if they are his kids.

His action was also commended by Rev. Franklin Graham.

On his Facebook page, the evangelist posted a statement, reacting to the article about Hubbard's story.

"This police officer is a hero!" he began.

He then shared how Hubbard saved the baby's life and honored God with the good outcome.

Further, he also expressed his gratitude to all the police officers serving the country.

"Our police and law enforcement respond to calls day in and day out where lives are on the line-including their own sometimes. This story is a reminder to be thankful for their dedication and courage as they serve in our communities. They need our prayers and our encouragement. Let Officer Hubbard and other officers reading this know that you appreciate them in the comments below," Rev. Graham wrote.

Hubbard's police department also recognized him for rescuing the child. On its Facebook page, the Pottsville Arkansas Police Department shared that it is grateful to the officer for his "quick response" that saved the "little life."

The rookie is set to receive a life-saving award for his heroic effort later this month.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP)  Three young adults have filed a federal lawsuit alleging Minnesota's minimum age of 21 to carry a gun is unconstitutional.

The Minneapolis Star Tribune reported Wednesday that Kristin Worth, Austin Dye and Axel Anderson filed the action on Monday. Three gun groups  the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus, Second Amendment Foundation and the Firearms Policy Coalition  joined them on the complaint.

They argue that minimum carry age of 21 is discriminatory since anyone at least 18 years old is considered an adult for most purposes.

There is simply no legal or constitutional justification that an entire class of adult citizens in Minnesota should be completely denied their fundamental, individual right to keep and bear arms, said Bryan Strawser, chairman of the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus.

The lawsuit names state Public Safety Commissioner John Harrington as a defendant as well as Mille Lacs County Sheriff Don Lorge, Douglas County Sheriff Troy Wolbersen and Washington County Sheriff Dan Starry, the sheriffs in the counties where the young adults live.

A state Department of Public Safety spokesman said Tuesday the agency doesn't comment on pending litigation. Lorge told the Star Tribune in an email he will be inquiring with our attorney on the matter. Wolbersen and Starry didn't return messages.
Midland County Records

A former Ector County ISD teacher who was previously charged with having an improper relationship with a student has now been arrested and charged with possession of child pornography.

William Hikes Boone, 51, was arrested Monday for the child pornography charge after he was charged in August of 2020 with having an improper relationship with a student at Odessa Collegiate Academy, where he taught.
Florida, FL (34429)

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Thunderstorms likely this evening. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms overnight. Low 71F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%..

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Florida, FL (34429)

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Thunderstorms - some may contain locally heavy rain, especially this evening. Low 72F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%..

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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.

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A California mother, who almost aborted her baby when she was a teenager, shared her experience on the grim reality of abortion and encouraged other women to dismiss the idea of undergoing this horrendous procedure that will end life.

Rebekah Hagan was a college freshman at Sacramento State University when she got pregnant with her second child in 2013. Having been warned by his parents to never get pregnant "under their roof again" after having her firstborn at 17, she got confused with her situation and decided to abort her baby.

In an interview with The Epoch Times, Hagan revealed the lie behind the abortion propaganda and the psychological trauma women encounter undergoing this procedure.

She said that she visited a Planned Parenthood clinic to undergo chemical abortion. But after taking her first abortion pill, she felt "completely deceived" by the clinic.

"Grief, guilt, and regret kicked in within a few minutes and as I sat in the parking lot. I kept asking myself, 'What did I just do? I don't even believe in abortion!'" she revealed.

She said that fear makes people do "irrational things" like what happened to her at that time, wherein she thought abortion was a "responsible choice."

"After I began the process and swallowed the first abortion pill, I realized that was all a lie and that abortion can never be good-not for the baby and not for the mother," she continued.

She revealed that the marketing stunts are lying by making it appear that chemical abortion is "simple, easier to hide, less invasive, and more natural" but the psychological impact of this procedure is actually "extremely traumatic."

"I was simply told the first pill would end my pregnancy and that the second would just expel my pregnancy and to expect cramping and mild bleeding. I was not told that the second medication was labor-inducing but that is what Misoprostol does. It literally induces labor," Hagan shared.

Moreover, she uncovered that women are sent to their homes to complete the abortion process themselves.

Realizing that she was "not emotionally or physically prepared" to go into labor at home without medical supervision, she decided to dismiss her abortion plan and took abortion pill reversal treatment instead to continue her pregnancy.

Feeling the guilt on her supposed abortion, she asked God for forgiveness.

When she called up the Planned Parenthood clinic to inform about her decision, the staff discouraged her and warned about it.

"The clinic worker said, 'Do you have any idea what you're doing? Because of the abortion drug you already took, you likely won't carry to term, and if you do, your baby could very well have severe fetal anomalies. It was an awkward phone call to say the least, and their words remained with me throughout my pregnancy," Hagan recalled.

But the clinic worker's prediction was proven wrong when she gave birth to a healthy baby boy.

"I named my child Zechariah, which means the Lord remembers, because when I look back I see God saying, "Pause, Rebekah. Trust in Me. I have a better plan," she said.

His son now excels in school and is a "perfect addition" to her family.

With her experience, she aims to help other women, who are challenged with pregnancy, by sharing her story on forums.

She testified about the abortion pill reversal informed consent bills before state legislators in Idaho, Nebraska and Oklahoma. She also shared her story fighting against California's Senate Bill-24, requiring state colleges to "administer chemical abortion pills in health centers on campus."

Hagan, who now has four children, met her husband when she spoke about her story at the church of his parents.

She is scheduled for several speaking engagements in the fall and is set to speak at Tennessee's Abby Johnson's Pro-Life Women's Conference in June.

She is hoping that her son would be proud of her someday, seeing his mother as a woman who committed but rectified a mistake to save the life of her child.

Looking into her own experience, Hagan declared that God can transform an ugly story into something new, adding that the Lord also gives grace "even when we don't deserve it."

"God went as far to pull me out of the mess I created and saved not just my unborn baby, but He also saved me, and as a result, my family," she said.

In conclusion, she shared that she applies her faith by loving others and sharing what God has done in her life.

"I live out my faith by trying to love the broken-girls like me who are considering abortion. God radically transformed my life, and I am living to tell others He can do the same for them too," Hagan further stated.

Hagan now works for Heartbeat International, a pro-life pregnancy center whose mission "is to make abortion unwanted today and unthinkable for future generations" by helping women with unwanted pregnancies make the right choice to not abort their unborn baby and instead let them live.

Heartbeat International was "[c]alled into existence by the Christ-centered pregnancy help movement" and has been helping women in unexpected pregnancies since 1971.
Created in 2020 by the merger of UOL Diveo and Compasso, Compasso UOL brings more than 40 years of combined B2B IT services expertise to Brazils business sector. The companys partnership with VMware began more than a decade ago, and in 2016 Compasso began offering multi-cloud services with a high-speed connection between public and private clouds in the San Paulo metropolitan area.

Today, Compasso has more than 2,200 employees serving more than 1,300 customers, including 50 of the largest companies in Brazil as well as an impressive roster of international firms.

We recently connected with Rodrigo Rangel Lobo, Engineering and Operations Director at Compasso, to learn more about the companys growing cloud business. We also took the opportunity to explore the nations changing IT landscape and where Compassos experts see the clouds potential to change how we work.

We run a global delivery model that enables our customers to maximize the value of their business processes and IT investments, said Lobo. Consumers habits and the way they interact with brands and products have changed. To keep up with todays hyper-connected users businesses need the right IT infrastructure, systems, applications, and processes.

Compasso UOL offers the wide range of services its customers need to keep pace with these users and customers, including everything required to transition to software-defined data centers. The company offers Infrastructure-as-a-Service, Storage-as-a-Service, Desktop-as-a-Service, Disaster Recovery-as-a-Service, and managed security services.

Lobo also notes that Compasso builds customized cloud strategies for customers to ensure that they have the best experience in the use, governance and management of their cloud environments. This includes offering the companys own Compasso Cloud based on VMware technology, public cloud integrations, and hybrid cloud deployments.

The software-defined data center not only makes infrastructure hardware agnostic, of course, but it also automates the provisioning of resources and is configurable to meet the needs of specific applications, says Lobo. Our Compasso Cloud is highly competitive with the large hyperscalers because of its large computational and storage capacities. And besides the reliability we deliver, we also provide our customers with more scalability, flexibility, and security, as well as the ability to analyze data for insights that facilitate smarter decision making. Every company today needs to be data driven.

All of the companys services are offered in a personalized manner. Not only are Compassos experts equally at home helping customers with their on-premises systems and their cloud infrastructure  a strength it refers to as Managed IT Services Anywhere  but the company also offers dedicated teams so customers always speak with experts who are intimately familiar with their network and deployment.

Our customization begins with our Architecture Design Framework, says Lobo. In this way we explore each customers environment and determine how we can best deliver the performance, security, reliability, and cost optimization they need. We also offer agile development services and teams. One of the biggest misconceptions about the cloud today is that enterprises automatically gain the benefits of the cloud merely by migrating to it. Thats not the case. Its imperative to review the architecture and to build systems and applications that make better use of cloud resources and draw on its inherent capabilities.

Notably, Compassos strong partnership with VMware touches on nearly all of its cloud services. The Compasso Cloud platform uses the entire VMware stack.

We have been partners with VMware since 2009 and were the first partner in Latin America to obtain the VMware Cloud Verified badge, says Lobo. Were actively leading our customers on their journey to the cloud, and our strong relationship with VMware has been fundamental throughout this process. Our relationship grows stronger with every passing year.

Lobo also stresses that helping enterprises realize the full potential of the cloud positions them for more than just success today. It also enables them to embrace new ways of working.

We just launched a new business unit in conjunction with the $1 million in scholarship funds we are giving this year to foster greater development acumen among students in Brazil, he says. Our new Gaming & Real-time 3D Innovation Studio will bring electronic gaming technology, real-time rendering, and virtual and augmented reality solutions to the gaming industry and other sectors of the economy. Were working with tomorrows technology today.

Learn more about Compasso UOL and its partnership with VMware here.
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Wilkes-Barre, PA (18701)

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Cloudy skies this evening followed by thunderstorms late. Low 64F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 80%..

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Cloudy skies this evening followed by thunderstorms late. Low 64F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 80%.
Brooklyn Democratic Party boss Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn personally endorsed Eric Adams for mayor back in March, but for a while, the county party appeared to be avoiding making any formal endorsement in the mayoral race.

On Staten Island, Democratic Party boss Michael Cusick endorsed Andrew Yang last month, and in Queens, party boss Rep. Gregory Meeks endorsed Ray McGuire in April  but their parties have both stayed quiet on making any formal endorsements. Manhattan Demoratic Party boss Keith Wright hasnt endorsed and neither has his party.

Political insiders say the cause of this trend may not come as a surprise: there are simply too many Democrats to choose from in the mayoral race and party leaders already have their own allegiances to different candidates.

This years trend of Democratic parties not endorsing a candidate for mayor in the primary stands in contrast to the 2013 primary, when every party made an endorsement four months before the primary, as Politico New York reported.

Manhattan Democratic Party Executive Director Kyle Ishmael told City & State that the partys district leaders are all over the place, with some supporting Scott Stringer on the Upper West Side, leaders in Central Harlem backing Eric Adams and some factions supporting Dianne Morales or Maya Wiley. Even if we were to do a party endorsement, there wouldnt be a clear favorite or a clear majority for anyone in particular, Ishmael said.

Last weekend, the Bronx became the first to break. With less than two weeks to go till the June 22 primary, the Bronx Democratic Party and its chair, state Sen. Jamaal Bailey, both endorsed Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams. The partys endorsement of Adams didnt come from a formal vote of stakeholders though, but rather a sort of straw poll, a spokesperson for the party, Jason Laidley, told City & State. We spoke to our district leaders and our vice chairs, he said, and thats who people are going for.

Now Brooklyn may be trying to do the same thing. On Tuesday, a Brooklyn Democratic Party spokesperson told City & State that the party was backing Adams  more or less in spirit  without casting a formal vote, which came as a surprise to some members of the party.

Brooklyn Democrats are backing Eric Adams. The majority of Brooklyn district leaders and elected officials, including the Brooklyn Democratic County Leader Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn, are supporting our borough president for mayor. Traditionally, the executive committee does not do a formal vote. However, unofficially, the county typically backs a candidate and in this instance it is Eric Adams for mayor, the Brooklyn Democratic Party spokesperson told City & State.

With no formal endorsement through a vote, the partys announcement surprised at least one party member, who told City & State speaking on the condition of anonymity, that the party choosing to softly endorse Adams rather than hold an official vote to endorse him or another candidate, was to avoid another 13-hour Zoom debacle, like the one in December, which laid bare the partys fractures.

They are trying to make it appear as if the (Brooklyn Democratic Party) apparatus is backing in its official Democratic Party certain candidates, which is not the case, its just individual actors doing that and using the party name, said the source within the party about Tuesdays announcement. I think there definitely are schisms and divides within the group of district leaders. I dont think we could confidently say that a vote would have gone in favor of Eric Adams this time around. I think it was just easier for (the party) to just sweep things under the rug and say were just going to continue to move in this suspect fashion and not draw attention to it by not actually holding a meeting and by not formalizing the process in any way.

Had the party held a formal endorsement vote, the Brooklyn Democratic source thinks there would have been vote whipping for party leaders to back Yang or Adams.

Even though theres less than two weeks to go before the primary, at least two Democratic parties didnt rule out making a last-minute endorsement.

We will continue to listen to our members and interview candidates, Staten Island Democratic Party Executive Director James Clinton, told City & State when pressed on whether an endorsement in the mayoral race from the party could still be coming.

The executive director of Manhattans Democratic Party didnt rule out the possibility either. We have not endorsed yet, but theres potential room for an endorsement, Ishmael said.
First implemented in 1970, the Department of Justices news-media guidelines were meant to restrict the use of certain investigatory tools, like subpoenas and court orders, that might unreasonably impair newsgathering activities. The information sought by the DOJ had to be essential to an investigation, and the agency must have tried all other reasonable alternative[s] to obtain it. The agency was also generally required to give affected journalists advance notice of the surveillance.

Despite these rules, the Trump DOJ nevertheless obtained court orders for communications records of eight journalists, delaying notice until after the fact. The past month brought a series of revelations that, under the Trump administration, the DOJ had secretly seized communications records of three Washington Post reporters, a CNN correspondent, and four New York Times reporters to try to identify their sources.

President Biden called this surveillance simply wrong. Following his comments, however, the New York Times revealed that Bidens DOJ had continued to seek its reporters email records long after the change in administration. (The White House said it did not learn of this until the day the Times article was published.) After fresh outrage over the Times article, the DOJ announced on Saturday that it would no longer seek compulsory legal process in leak investigations to obtain source information from members of the news media doing their jobs.

This is a significant improvement to the DOJs previous approach. Still, there are questions to be answered. When will the DOJ officially update its news-media guidelines to reflect this change? And as the Times noted, the DOJs statement appears to leave some wiggle room surrounding the circumstances in which the policy applies, limiting it to when journalists are doing their jobs. What exactly does this mean?

A final critical question remains. The DOJs new policyjust like the previous guidelinesonly applies to members of the news media. But who counts as a member of the news media? A document recently obtained through a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit filed by the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University and Freedom of the Press Foundation, our respective organizations, shows that the DOJs internal criteria give the agency substantial latitude when making that determination, raising concerns that some newsgatherers will be denied protection.

While it seems clear that the DOJ reasonably considered the Washington Post, CNN, and The New York Times reporters to be members of the news media, the news media guidelines do not actually define that termcreating uncertainty about whether the Biden administrations new moratorium is limited to traditional news media or whether it also applies to those engaged in less traditional newsgathering, like bloggers, newsletter authors, or other independent journalists who dont fit neatly within the traditional mainstream news-style rubric. The FBIs Domestic Investigations and Operations Guide defines news media as an entity organized and operated for the purpose of gathering, reporting or publishing news, and expressly notes that bloggers dont qualify. But this working definition is specific to the FBIs internal policies, and it was unclear whether the rest of the DOJ was also using this definition when applying the news media guidelines.

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We submitted a FOIA request in October 2017 seeking information about how the guidelines operate. In response to this request, the government released a trove of information weve previously described, but it also redacted certain critical information.

In particular, the DOJ redacted part of its News Media Policy Consultation form, which lays out the relevant facts that the agency considers when determining whether someone qualifies as a member of the news media. It argued that revealing that information would harm the ability of DOJ attorneys to conduct investigations and prosecutions. The district court rejected that argument, ordering the DOJ to release the form. The unredacted form contains a list of 12 factors.

These factors raise at least two serious concerns. First, these malleable criteria give the agency significant discretion to determine who qualifies and who doesnt, creating the risk that the protection of the new policy will be granted only in unduly narrow circumstances. The DOJ considers, for example, whether the subject of the planned surveillance primarily reports facts (No. 6), whether the person regularly engages in newsgathering (No. 2), and the frequency with which the individual or entity publishes (No. 11).

This phrasing suggests that the agency may exclude from protection individuals or entities that do engage in some amount of investigation and newsgathering, but perhaps just not with the regularity the government deems sufficient.

The criteria also hint that the DOJ may be drawing unjustifiable lines between traditional media and newer forms of independent journalism like blogs and newsletters. The criteria ask if the person is employed by a media organization (No. 10), has press credentials (No. 9), and whether the persons focus is bring[ing] to light new information, rather than analyzing information that already ha[s] been reported (No. 1). The lack of clarity around how these factors are weighed is unsettling, especially considering journalists like Matt Yglesias (formerly of Vox), Casey Newton (formerly of The Verge), and Charlie Warzel (formerly of The New York Times), who eschew more traditional media outlets for the editorial freedom of Substack.

Did they inadvertently sacrifice the protections of the DOJs news media guidelinesand the Biden administrations new prohibitionby shifting their mode of distribution? Or would their original content (No. 3), independence (No. 4), and frequency of publication (No. 11) be enough in the eyes of the agency?

Without any indication of how the DOJ weighs and interprets each of these factors, it is difficult to predict whether any given individual will qualify as a member of the news media and thus benefit from the protections of the Biden administrations new moratorium. To be clear, a range of the criteria need not necessarily be a bad thing. The DOJ could use its discretion to broaden, rather than narrow, the scope of the protections. But based on how the document we obtained is worded, and without more information from the DOJ, there is certainly reason for concern.

The revelations that the DOJ secretly obtained the records of Washington Post, CNN, and New York Times reporters are a stark reminder that the DOJs protections for the news media can be changed or reinterpreted with any administration. Thats why Congress should codify the DOJs newly stated policy into law. But for some involved in investigation and newsgathering, an even more pressing issue is whether these protections apply to them at all.

THE MEDIA TODAY: Local newsrooms can combat polarization, if only they have the margins

Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today

Anna Diakun and Trevor Timm are the authors. Diakun is a staff attorney at the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University. Timm is the executive director of Freedom of the Press Foundation.
Today, CJR is pleased to share the Journalism Crisis Project newsletter with Media Today readers. The newsletter is part of a joint project between CJR and the Tow Center for Digital Journalism that has tracked newsroom cutbacks amid the pandemic and examined the state of journalism on the ground, particularly at the local level. The Media Today will return tomorrow.

Recently, former president Barack Obama spoke with the New York Times Ezra Klein about persuasion and pluralism. During his 2008 presidential campaign, Obama told Klein, it was still possible for me to go into a disproportionately white conservative town in rural America and get a fair hearing. As an example, Obama offered what he described as a typical interaction with a local newspaper in small-town southern Illinois. Usually, the local paper was owned by a modestly conservative, maybe even quite conservative guy, Obama said. Hed call me in. Wed have a cup of coffee. Wed have a conversation about tax policy, or trade, or whatever else he cared about. He might have a small editorial board of two or three writers. In the end, the paper would publish an amicable write-up on Obamas candidacy.

This worked, Obama told Klein, because local people approached him without spoon-fed preconceptions. If I went into those same places now, or if any Democrat whos campaigning goes in those places now, almost all news is from either Fox News, Sinclairs news stations, talk radio, or some Facebook page, he said. Trying to penetrate that is really difficult.

Much has changed since 2008. The Pew Research Center reported that Republicans and Democrats have moved further apart in views on voting access, race and gender, and the value of higher education, along with the possibility of unity and compromise. Between 1994 and 2017, the first year of the Trump presidency, the average partisan gap on ten values questions addressing subjects such as the role of government, national security, and environmental protection more than doubled. Those partisan divides are informed, in part, by where people get their news. Republicans who looked to former President Donald Trump for their news about the 2020 election or the coronavirus pandemic were more likely to believe false or unproven claims about these events, Pew researchers wrote in a later study. While Americans widely agree that misinformation is a major problem, they do not see eye to eye about what actually constitutes misinformation. In many cases, one persons truth is anothers fiction.

ICYMI: When misinformation meets scarcity: A Q&A with Kiera Butler

While partisan divides have increased, local newsrooms have struggled. Since 2008, the number of journalists in US newsrooms has been cut in half. At least 1,800 geographic communities that had a local newspaper in the year 2004 had no local source of original reporting left by 2020. Municipalities made up of low-income residents are twice as likely to be news deserts; rural municipalities are also more likely to be underserved. Hedge funds have squeezed local newsrooms for profit. Anticompetitive tech platforms have siphoned advertising dollars and attention; their algorithms have altered human behavior and, with it, the information ecosystem. Over the past year, the pandemic pummeled an already beleaguered media market, leading to widespread cutbacks: layoffs at local newspapers, radio and television stations, magazines, and digital publications; significant print reductions; and the closure of more than sixty news outlets. Though some local outlets have built back much of what they lost over the past year, an unstable industry has been further shaken, and the local news ecosystem is nowhere near as healthy as it was fifteen years ago.

Last week, Joshua Darr, a political-communications researcher, wrote for FiveThirtyEight about the correlation between local news and partisanshipspecifically, between the absence of local news and increased partisanship. In 2018, Darr and his colleagues found that communities without local news outlets turned instead to national reporting and were more likely to vote for a single party up and down the ballot, rather than splitting their ticket. After reading Darrs research, Julie Makinen, executive editor at the Desert Sun, decided to eliminate national politics from the papers opinion page for a month in 2019. The experiment attracted Darr and colleagues, who surveyed Desert Sun readers and found that their political polarization slowed, while opinion-page traffic nearly doubled. The results were encouraging; still, Darr warned in his FiveThirtyEight piece, the market is simply not providing local newspapers the resources they need to deliver the civic benefits theyre capable of.

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The Desert Sun, for its part, has tried to carry on by prioritizing local news as the de facto standardusing wire content as little as possible, maintaining a robust local opinion sectionbut it hasnt always been an easy road. The editor who was in place when the paper tried its 2019 experiment took a buyout in December; Makinen was left without an opinion editor, and without a budget to replace him. Believing strongly that Darrs research had demonstrated the value of the role, she worked alongside a few community members to set up a new foundation supporting local journalism. Their first fundraising effort was to raise money to hire an opinion editor. They came up with $60,000 in just four months; the paper hired a new opinion editor in May.

Its very easy to fill your opinion page with columns from a wire service; that takes five minutes a day, Makinen says. But editing local columns, soliciting local columns, processing letters to the editor, going back and forth with people to refine what theyre trying to express, Zooming the local editorial board, writing editorials, and getting consensus is time consuming. In other words: prioritizing robust, time-intensive, local-first reporting requires having the margins to do so, and thats a luxury many local newsrooms cant afford.

Makinen believes wholeheartedly in the value of local opinion content; in her experience, a robust opinion page creates an open line of communication between readers and newsroom staff. She has also found that, while such opinion pieces arent necessarily the highest-read content, they can drive subscriptions.

I would love to see a survey of how many local newspapers still have opinion, or publish letters to the editor, have an editorial board or local columnist, Makinen says. The loss of these kinds of forums has not been well studied. People think that because of Twitter, we dont need this kind of thing. But one of the values of an opinion page is that its a moderated space. People get to take turns, and its not just people in your own bubble. Its people who live in close proximity to you, but you probably dont know them. You can have a certain back-and-forth with them in this forum.

Its a complicated picture. The partisan divides that have proliferated over the past decade represent, in some cases, positive movement toward progressive social change. The shakeup of the local news ecosystem has offered opportunities for journalists to consider how to better serve all communities. Still, the nationalization of political discourse hinders such progress by flattening conversation and reducing political engagement to talking points. Local news might better support nonpartisan progress, but it needs the resources to do so. Therein lies the challenge.

Below, more on local journalism and the challenges it faces:

Other notable stories:

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Lauren Harris is a freelance journalist. She writes CJR's weekly newsletter for the Journalism Crisis Project. Follow her on Twitter @LHarrisWrites.
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP)  Criminal gangs divulged plans for moving drug shipments and carrying out killings on a secure messaging system secretly run by the FBI, law enforcement agencies said Tuesday, as they unveiled a global sting operation they said dealt an unprecedented blow to organized crime in countries around the world.

The operation known as Trojan Shield led to police raids in 16 nations. More than 800 suspects were arrested and more than 32 tons of drugs  including cocaine, cannabis, amphetamines and methamphetamines  were seized along with 250 firearms, 55 luxury cars and more than $148 million in cash and cryptocurrencies.

The seeds of the sting were sown in 2018 when law enforcement agencies took down a company called Phantom Secure that provided customized end-to-end encrypted devices to criminals, according to court papers. Unlike typical cell phones, the devices dont make phone calls or browse the internet  but allow for secure messaging. As an outgrowth of the operation, the FBI also recruited a collaborator who was developing a next-generation secure-messaging platform for the criminal underworld called ANOM. The collaborator engineered the system to give the agency access to any messages being sent.

ANOM didnt take off immediately. But once other secure platforms used by criminal gangs to organize drug trafficking underworld hits and money laundering were taken down by police, chiefly EncroChat and Sky ECC, gangs were in the market for a new one and the FBIs platform was ready. Over the past 18 months, the agency provided phones via unsuspecting middlemen to more than 300 gangs operating in more than 100 countries.

Intelligence gathered and analyzed enabled us to prevent murders. It led to the seizure of drugs that led to the seizure of weapons. And it helped prevent a number of crimes, Calvin Shivers, assistant director of the FBIs Criminal Investigative Division, told a news conference in The Hague, Netherlands.

The operation _ led by the FBI with the involvement of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the European Union police agency Europol and law enforcement agencies in several countries _ dealt an unprecedented blow to criminal networks, and this is worldwide, said Dutch National Police Chief Constable Jannine van den Berg.

Australian Federal Police Commander Jennifer Hearst called it a watershed moment in global law enforcement history.

The ANOM app became popular in criminal circles as users told one another it was a safe platform. All the time, police were looking over the shoulders of criminals as they discussed hits, drug shipments and other crimes.

There was a void that was created by a lack of these encrypted platforms, Shivers said, of the initial move to take down apps previously used by gangs. So that created an opportunity for collaboration with our international partners, to not only develop the specific tool but also to develop the process of gathering the intelligence and disseminating the intelligence.

The FBI collaborator effectively created a blind copy channel so that every single message sent by ANOM users ended up on a server run by the agency, court documents say.

Since October 2019, the FBI has has cataloged more than 20 million messages from a total of 11,800 devices _ with about 9,000 currently active, according to the documents, which cited Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Australia and Serbia as the most active countries.

They say the number of active ANOM users was only 3,000 until Sky, one of the platforms previously used by criminal gangs, was dismantled in March.

While primarily used in drug trafficking and money-laundering, an FBI agent quoted in the documents says high-level public corruption cases (also were ) initiated as a result. The agent said a goal of Trojan Shield was to shake the confidence in this entire industry because the FBI is willing and able to enter this space and monitor messages.

Law enforcement agencies from Sweden to New Zealand described the operation as having a significant impact.

Swedish police prevented a dozen planned killings and believe that they have arrested several leading actors in criminal networks, according to a statement from Linda Staaf, the head of Swedens national criminal intelligence unit.

Finnish police said Tuesday that nearly 100 people have been detained and more than 500 kilograms (half a ton) of drugs confiscated, along with dozens of guns and cash worth hundreds of thousands of euros (dollars). In Germany, the general prosecutors office in Frankfurt said that more than 70 people were arrested Monday and drugs, cash and weapons were also seized.

In Australia, authorities said they arrested 224 people and seized more than four tons of drugs and $35 million. New Zealand police said they had arrested 35 people and seized drugs and assets worth millions of dollars.

Today, the Australian government, as part of a global operation, has struck a heavy blow against organized crime, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison told reporters. Not just in this country, but one that will echo around organized crime around the world.

European police last year delivered a major blow to organized crime after cracking an encrypted communications network, known as EncroChat, used by criminal gangs across the continent.

In March, Belgian police arrested dozens of people after cracking another encrypted chat system and seizing more than 17 tons of cocaine.

The latest operation went even further.

The success of Operation Trojan Shield is a result of tremendous innovation, dedication and unprecedented international collaboration, Shivers said. And the results are staggering.

Perry reported from Wellington, New Zealand. Associated Press writers Kirsten Grieshaber in Berlin, Jari Tanner in Helsinki, and Jan M. Olsen in Copenhagen, Denmark, and Frank Bajak in Boston contributed to this report.

About the photo: In this undated photo supplied by the New Zealand police, a box containing a large amounts of cash is seen after being discovered during a police raid as part of Operation Trojan. Authorities in Australia and New Zealand Tuesday, June 8, 2021, say theyve dealt a huge blow against organized crime after hundreds of criminals were tricked into using a messaging app that was being secretly run by the FBI. (New Zealand Police via AP)

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Ismet Islamis estranged husband burned down her house in 2013. All parties involved agreed that she played no part in the arson. In fact, she was out of the country at the time.

Nevertheless, a divided Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that Islami cannot collect on the $2 million insurance policy she had purchased to protect her home and belongings after legally separating from her husband. A state law that generally protects innocent insureds from wrongdoing by abusive spouses did not apply to Islamis claim because there was no fear of domestic violence, the majority ruled in a 4-3 decision.

James Friedman, an attorney for the Wisconsin Insurance Alliance, said the high court correctly interpreted the policy language and a statute that is pretty clear.

Islamis attorney, Joseph Owens, said the ruling upends long-held Wisconsin legal principles regarding the treatment of property owned by people who are divorced or legally separated.

This is a triumph of insurance money over the rights of the insured, Owens said.

Ismet married Ydbi Islami in 1978. In 1988, Ydbi was convicted of a number of crimes, including stalking and sexual assault of a minor. Ismet was not a victim of any of the crimes.

Ismet initially considered divorcing her husband, but decided on a legal separation instead because of her Muslim religion, Owens said. Under terms of the 1998 separation agreement, Ismet was awarded sole ownership of their home in Oconomowoc, a distant suburb of Milwaukee.

But the couple continued to live together even though they were legally separated. In 2012 Ismet purchased a property insurance policy from Kemper Independence Insurance Co. that covered her home and vehicles. Ydbi was listed as Operator 2 for the vehicles. The martial status on the policy application was marked as married.Any spouse who resided at the home was an insured under the terms of the policy.

In June 10, 2013, Ydbi set fire to Ismets home while she was away on vacation in her native Macedonia. He initially denied any involvement, but later pleaded guilty and was sentenced to six years in prison.

Kemper denied Ismets claim seeking replacement of her home, which was totally destroyed by the fire. The insurer said the policy clearly bars coverage if any of the insureds fraudulently conceals facts. As a spouse who resided at the property, Ybdi was an insured even though he didnt own the home, the carrier said.

A Waukesha County Circuit Court Judge agreed and granted summary judgment in favor of Kemper. The Court of Appeals affirmed the decision.

The Wisconsin Supreme Court upheld those decisions on Friday. In an opinion written by Justice Rebecca Grassl Bradley, the court said Ybdi lived in Ismets house and was listed as an operator of her vehicles. When Kempers claims adjuster questioned the couple, Ismet described Ybdi as her husband.

Giving effect to the expectations of the parties, and applying the plain language of the contract, Ismet and Ydbi are spouses and therefore insureds under the policy, the opinion says.

A statute passed by the Wisconsin legislature in 2000, 631.95(2)(f), allows innocent insureds to retain coverage for damage caused by intentional acts if the loss resulted from acts or patterns of domestic abuse. The majority said the law did not apply in this case because there was no evidence that any domestic abuse had occurred.

Three Supreme Court justices disagreed. Justice Jill J. Karofsky said the majority misinterpreted the statute to create new hurdles that domestic abuse victims will have to overcome. She said the majority also erred in finding that Ismet could not have been a victim of domestic abuse while she was out of country.

The statutory language protects innocent insureds if they fear imminent harm. Karofsky said the majority misunderstood imminent to mean immediate.

When we apply the correct objective standard to this case, it is clear that there is enough in the record for the question of whether the arson may have caused a person in Ismets position to reasonably fear imminent harm to go before a jury, Karofsky wrote.

Owens said that until now, Wisconsin courts have always held that a legal separation is tantamount to a divorce in matters involving property. He said the Supreme Courts ruling focuses on a single word in the policy that states there is no coverage if any insured commits a fraudulent act.

He said the effect of the ruling is that if Ybidi had admitted he torched his wifes house, Ismet would be able to recover for her loss, but because he lied, she cannot. Owens said thats exactly the type of situation that the state legislature tried to prevent when it passed the domestic abuse insurance statute in 2000.

Friedman said the majority correctly interpreted the law. He said while there are strong policy arguments to be made for protecting domestic abuse victims, the majority correctly decided that domestic abuse at issue in this case.

How can this be spousal abuse when shes thousands of miles away? he said.

About the photo: The city of Oconomowoc is shown. Photo from the citys website.
A Baltimore megachurch denied health and law enforcement officers access into its premises unless they have a search warrant, reports say. They were instead directed to speak with a church official.

Greater Grace World Outreach Church in Northeast Baltimore hosted services without masks or physical distancing. They ignored coronavirus regulations and refused to follow orders to close.

On a Wednesday night in March, city officials came and tried to enter the building, but were stopped by a guard who asked them to wait for his supervisor and inquired whether they had a search warrant.

"I just wanted you to wait for my supervisor," the security officer said. "Can you folks please wait a second? Do you have a search warrant?"

A police officer said: "We don't need a search warrant. This is the health department. This is the housing department. They have every right to go into your business. Please step aside."

The confrontation between the church and the city authorities that ensued is captured on a body camera video, the Baltimore Sun reports.

Peter Taggart, the church's chief of operations, walked outside a few moments later to face them. Someone removed the health department's closed notice from a church entrance, and they asked Taggart that they vacate the building.

"I'm not going to do that," Taggart reasoned. "We've got a message going on. We're worshipping God in there."

One of the first cops to arrive at the church that evening was a member of the "social club task force," which is responsible for patrolling pubs and restaurants.

After speaking with Taggart, the officer is heard on the phone saying: "We are at a standoff with a fake police force here. They're refusing to let us inside, so I'm going to have to call the district to have them bring me out some troops so we can empty out this church."

However, when additional cops arrived, it became clear that removing attendees from the church was both impractical and legally problematic. So, after a half-hour dispute on Moravia Park Drive's 6000 block of churches, where the health services had issued a close notice, the cops eventually opted to stand back and let the church continue to worship.

"There's obviously a lot going on nationwide, and I won't even pretend to understand the legalities of all of it," a lieutenant who arrived admitted to Taggart. "I don't think anybody knows the legalities of it. I think it's something that we're crossing as a bridge."

"We're not forcibly removing 300 churchgoers," he added.

In an earlier report, Pastor Thomas Schaller was quoted as saying, "This is not a barroom. This is not Home Depot. This is not a bowling alley. This is not the Baltimore Oriole stadium. This is a church. And when we come in here, God is in charge," during Wednesday's service.

Additionally, the health department's attempt to meddle in the church's activities was met with disappointment by several at Greater Grace.

"It's everything to me," said Maggie Lockhart, a church member. "It's my life. It's dragged on long enough."

For the next two weeks, the church continued function in its enormous auditorium without face masks or social distance while livestreaming sermons and other church activities. On those livestreams, Pastor, Schaller repeatedly raged against mask mandate and other religious prohibitions, declaring that he was "done" with the virus. He's more concerned with the psychological impact of pandemic constraints rather than the disease's impact.

"Many of us don't care about it anymore," Schaller said of COVID-19 during his Wednesday sermon.

On one of his Sunday sermons, Schaller bemoaned the fact that the public conversation is centered on the coronavirus rather than diseases spread via unprotected sex, such as HIV, which may be transmitted between homosexual people.

"I never hear about it," he said. "All I hear about is masks."

"Where's the church? It's shut down. People are afraid. People are gonna get sick, they're gonna die," said Schaller. "Shut it down - no."

Such disagreements have reached the United States Supreme Court, which in late last year, ruled 5-4 that a New York governor's decree was unconstitutional. The Supreme Court has ruled those prohibitions that treat churches, synagogues, and mosques differently than other indoor facilities are unconstitutional.

Back to the church and city standoff, the Baltimore Sun correspondent aptly noted that the incident demonstrates how implementing limitations at houses of worship might force authorities to weigh between religious freedom issues and health and safety issues.
A few years before it was hit by a major cyberattack, the worlds largest meat producer, JBS SA, rebuffed efforts to spend more on cybersecurity because it wasnt considered a priority and didnt show an immediate return on investment, according to three former employees.

The employees, who worked in information technology and security in the U.S., said the company had commissioned a cybersecurity audit between 2017 and 2018, which identified weaknesses in the companys infrastructure that hackers could exploit. The audit recommended the purchase of specialist monitoring technology that could detect possible intrusions, but JBS executives viewed the technology as too costly and declined to purchase it, said the employees.

While the audit was commissioned in the U.S., it had implications for the Brazilian company globally because some systems are interconnected, the employee said.

One of the employees described cybersecurity as a back burner issue at JBS, where the person said executives were focused on cost cutting. A second ex-employee shared similar concerns. The company was so focused on profits, the employee said, that it was difficult to push through cybersecurity improvements. The ex-employees requested anonymity as they werent authorized to speak publicly about their work with the company.

A JBS USA representative, Nikki Richardson, denied the former employees allegations about the companys cyber culture.

The company has been and remains committed to investing in and maintaining robust IT systems and protocols to protect it from criminal cybersecurity attacks, she said in an email on June 4. Relying on former, disgruntled employees as sources and positioning dated information as fact is not relevant to this weeks events.

Sophisticated Group

It wasnt known if JBS paid the hackers ransom demand. Richardson didnt respond to messages seeking comment on whether the company paid up.

The company was attacked by one of the most specialized and sophisticated groups in the world but was able to quickly recover and lost less than one days worth of production, she said. Our ability to quickly resolve the issues was due to our heightened encryption and security of our backup servers, Richardson said. The FBI noted this is extremely rare and complimented our process.

JBS was forced to shut down all of its beef plants in the U.S. after a breach at the end of May, amid a string of major ransomware attacks that included one on Colonial Pipeline Co. that squeezed fuel supplies along the East Coast. The attack on JBS, which the FBI blamed on Russia-linked group REvil, also slowed pork and poultry production. JBSs networks have been restored and its plants are operating at full capacity, Richardson said.

Ransomware is a type of malware that encrypts a victims files, rendering them useless unless a payment is made to unlock them. Some ransomware gangs also steal files, providing an extra avenue for extortion. JBS as provided few details about the attack itself.

Cybersecurity experts said the food industry generally performs poorly in protecting networks against attacks because of a lack of investment and little or no regulation or uniform standards.

The food industry hasnt traditionally focused on technology, said Dmitri Alperovitch, chairman of Silverado Policy Accelerator and co-founder of the cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike Holdings Inc. They have not paid much attention to cybersecurity, either spending money on latest technologies and services or recruiting top talent.

John Hoffman, a senior research fellow at the Food Protection and Defense Institute at the University of Minnesota, said the modern food industry relies on computers from factory floors to farm fields, where software carefully manages such things as fertilizer and water use. Even so, he said there arent uniform cybersecurity standards  or regulations  making the sector vulnerable to attacks. One bright spot? insurance underwriters are working with the food business on ways to prevent attacks, he said.

The industry tends to react to regulatory pressure, Hoffman said. And areas where there isnt pressure dont tend to get the same attention. In addition, he said the food industry often uses outdated operating systems and software, or code written for specific machinery, that is vulnerable to hacking. For instance, he said he has been in food plants in the last two years that were still using Windows 98.

In many cases, corporate boards dont pay attention to cybersecurity until something goes wrong, he said, adding, I think the formula just shifted in food.

Cyber Scorecard

A cybersecurity consultant who works with a large U.S. meatpacker, and asked not to be named to discuss confidential matters, said that the state of security in the industry generally is non-existent. Companies in the meatpacking industry and other commodities markets often dont have basic security technologies because they dont view their intellectual property as having value to hackers, the person said.

The person said organizations with limited IT and security investments inevitably ask the same question: Why hasnt anything happened to us yet if this is such a big issue? But it is difficult to detect threats  or investigate hacks  if cybersecurity controls arent in place, the person said.

An analysis of JBS SA by the security rating firm SecurityScorecard Inc., conducted days after the cyberattack, determined that the company was a particularly vulnerable target within the food and beverage industry. JBS ranked in the bottom 10th of the 57,251 companies in the food industry rated by the firm. The rankings are based on a series of publicly viewable cybersecurity metrics.

They were the under performers in the food industry, said Aleksandr Yampolskiy the firms co-founder and chief executive officer. Based on the analysis, it wouldnt be difficult for an attacker to breach JBS using widely available hacking tools, he said.

Richardson, the JBS spokesperson, disputed the findings. We question any evaluation of our cybersecurity performance that relies solely on publicly available data. Our interactions with leading cybersecurity professionals during this crisis completely contradict the analysis from SecurityScorecard.

Two of the former JBS employees said that during their time with the company some of its computers, particularly those connected to machinery on production lines, ran outdated software and were not always disconnected from JBSs internet-connected networks, meaning they could be vulnerable to hackers. The systems werent segregated particularly well, meaning an adept hacker could access other areas of JBSs network once they breached a computer or other endpoint, one of the employees said.

During the cybersecurity audit that took place between 2017 and 2018, the company hired outside experts to carry out a simulated cyberattack, or penetration test, to check its infrastructure for vulnerabilities, according to the three former JBS employees, who were familiar with the audit. The experts recommended that the company purchase endpoint detection tools, which could be used to monitor potential intrusions or suspicious network activity.

Instead, in the aftermath of the audit, JBS continued to rely on more basic cyber defenses, the employees said. The company had an event management system that logged anomalies on its networks, such as failed employee logins. It also had a firewall to shield its computers against attack, in addition to anti-virus solutions, such as Windows Defender, that came as a standard feature with some of the computers it purchased.

Instead of prioritizing cybersecurity, the employees said, the companys management focused on ensuring the company maintained regular backups of computer systems so that in the event of a major breach or outage, they could recover their data.

A handful of employees who worked on IT and security issues for JBS in both the U.S. and Australia had in recent years quit the company, partly due to frustration over executives declining to provide a larger budget to bolster the security of internal systems, according to two of the former employees.

Two of the former employees said it was an ongoing joke that there was only one way JBS would significantly bolster its cybersecurity: after a major hack.

Richardson said JBS USA conducts annual audits on cybersecurity and evaluates and promptly implements improvements, including endpoint protection. She declined to provide a recent audit, citing security reasons.

Asked about an alleged breach last year, she said there was a minor incident involving a server that included no company or employee data.

As for employees leaving, Richardson said, As in any company, there is some turnover on every team, and people are also replaced due to performance issues.

With assistance from Brody Ford, Jordan Robertson and Michael Hirtzer.

About the photo: The JBS beef production facility in Greeley, Colorado, U.S. on June 1.

Copyright 2021 Bloomberg.
WASHINGTON (AP)  The chief executive of the massive fuel pipeline hit by ransomware last month told senators on Tuesday that authorizing a multi-million-dollar payment to hackers was the right thing to do to bring an end to fuel shortages affecting much of the eastern United States, even as authorities have discouraged such payments.

Asked how much worse it would have been if Colonial Pipeline hadnt paid to get its data back, CEO Joseph Blount said, Thats an unknown we probably dont want to know. And its an unknown we probably dont want to play out in a public forum.

He said that given the companys crucial role in fuel transport, and the potential for pandemonium arising from a prolonged shutdown of the pipeline, he made the decision to pay a ransom to the hackers. The encryption tool the hackers provided the company in exchange for the payment helped to some degree but has not been perfect, with Colonial still in the process of fully restoring its system, Blount said.

Blount faced the Senate Homeland Security Committee, one day after the Justice Department revealed it had recovered the majority of the $4.4 million ransom payment the company made in hopes of getting its system back online.

Blounts testimony marks his first appearance before Congress since the May 7 ransomware attack that led Georgia-based Colonial Pipeline, which supplies roughly half the fuel consumed on the East Coast, to temporarily halt operations. The attack has been attributed to a Russia-based gang of cybercriminals using the DarkSide ransomware variant, one of more than 100 variants the FBI is currently investigating.

The company began negotiating with the hackers on the evening of the attack and, the following day, paid a ransom of 75 bitcoin _ then valued at roughly $4.4 million. Though the FBI has historically discouraged ransomware payments for fear of encouraging cyberattacks, Colonial officials have said they saw the transaction as necessary to resume the vital fuel transport business as rapidly as possible.

It was one of the toughest decisions I have had to make in my life, Blount said in prepared remarks. At the time, I kept this information close hold because we were concerned about operational security and minimizing publicity for the threat actor. But I believe that restoring critical infrastructure as quickly as possible, in this situation, was the right thing to do for the country.

The attack, which Blount says began after hackers exploited a virtual private network that was not intended to be in use and has since been shut down, had significant collateral consequences, including gas shortages as concerned motorists rushed to fill their tanks.

The operation to seize cryptocurrency paid to the Russia-based hacker group is the first of its kind to be undertaken by a specialized ransomware task force created by the Biden administration Justice Department. It reflects a rare victory in the fight against ransomware as U.S. officials scramble to confront a rapidly accelerating threat targeting critical industries around the world.

By going after the entire ecosystem that fuels ransomware and digital extortion attacks  including criminal proceeds in the form of digital currency  we will continue to use all of our resources to increase the cost and consequences of ransomware and other cyber-based attacks, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said at a news conference announcing the operation.

In a statement Monday, Blount said he was grateful for the FBIs efforts and said holding hackers accountable and disrupting their activities is the best way to deter and defend against future attacks of this nature.

The private sector also has an equally important role to play and we must continue to take cyber threats seriously and invest accordingly to harden our defenses, he added.

Cryptocurrency is favored by cybercriminals because it enables direct online payments regardless of geographical location, but in this case, the FBI was able to identify a virtual currency wallet used by the hackers and recovered the proceeds from there, Abbate said. The Justice Department did not provide details about how the FBI had obtained a key for the specific bitcoin address, but said law enforcement had been able to track multiple transfers of the cryptocurrency.

For financially motivated cyber criminals, especially those presumably located overseas, cutting off access to revenue is one of the most impactful consequences we can impose, Abbate said.

The Bitcoin amount seized  63.7, currently valued at $2.3 million after the price of Bitcoin tumbled_ amounted to 85% of the total ransom paid, which is the exact amount that the cryptocurrency-tracking firm Elliptic says it believes was the take of the affiliate who carried out the attack. The ransomware software provider, DarkSide, would have gotten the other 15%.

The extortionists will never see this money, said Stephanie Hinds, the acting U.S. attorney for the Northern District of California, where a judge earlier Monday authorized the seizure warrant.

Ransomware attacks _ in which hackers encrypt a victim organizations data and demand a hefty sum for returning the information _ have flourished across the globe. Last year was the costliest on record for such attacks. Hackers have targeted vital industries, as well as hospitals and police departments.

Weeks after the Colonial Pipeline attack, a ransomware attack attributed to REvil, a Russian-speaking gang that has made some of the largest ransomware demands on record in recent months, disrupted production at Brazils JBS SA, the worlds largest meat processing company.

The ransomware business has evolved into a highly compartmentalized racket, with labor divided among the provider of the software that locks data, ransom negotiators, hackers who break into targeted networks, hackers skilled at moving undetected through those systems and exfiltrating sensitive data _ and even call centers in India employed to threaten people whose data was stolen to pressure for extortion payments.

Associated Press writer Frank Bajak in Boston contributed to this report.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
SUPERIOR, Ariz. (AP)  Crews made progress toward containing one of two major wildfires in south-central Arizonas desert hill country, allowing evacuation notices to be lifted for several rural areas though towns elsewhere continued to be threatened.

Areas where evacuations were canceled included the small community of Soda Canyon near San Carlos Lake and San Carlos High School near Peridot, but residents were told to be prepared to evacuate again because of the so-called Mescal fire southeast of Globe, according to an interagency firefighting website.

Hundreds of firefighters were battling the blazes, and while thousands of structures are threatened, none so far have been damaged, and no deaths or injuries have been reported, according to the states interagency wildfire prevention website.

The so-called Telegraph Fire has now expanded to more than 96 square miles (248 square kilometers) and is at zero containment, according to the website. A forecast of low humidity and high winds throughout the week will likely facilitate more spread.

The Gila County Sheriffs Office has issued an immediate evacuation order for part of Miami. The order specifically applies to those who reside west of the town limits, south of U.S. Highway 60 from Dairy Canyon to Mackey Camp.

Two schools are open as shelters.

Evacuations were ordered Sunday for the Top-of-The-World area and northeast of Superior, roughly 60 miles (97 km) east of Phoenix. The Pinal County sheriffs office also evacuated the Oak Flats campground.

The human-caused blaze has also forced closures of stretches of State Route 177, State Route 77, U.S. 70 and U.S. 60.

More than 200 firefighters have been battling the fire since it broke out Friday. It has so far burned mostly shrub and grass but continues to threaten as many as 150 residents, Tonto National Forest spokesman John Scaggs said Sunday.

The largest type of federal incident management team has assumed control of the operation.

Meanwhile, airtankers and helicopters were assisting more than 500 firefighters working the Mescal Fire about 12 miles (19 km) southeast of Globe. It has grown to more than 83 square miles (215 square kilometers), mostly burning through desert brush, oak and grass, and was only 8 percent contained late Monday.

Some neighborhoods in Globe and the community of Coyote Flats had been evacuated. The cause of the Mescal fire, which started May 31, is under investigation.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Grace Louise Archer, age 90, a resident of Aurora, Colorado, a former resident of Chillicothe, Missouri, passed away on Wednesday, June 2, 2021, at Shalom Park, Aurora, Colorado. Grace was born the daughter of Maurice P. Martin, Sr., and Margaret (O'Connor) Martin on October 10, 1930, in Chi
Dramatic news indeed. It looks like Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should be ordering movers to come to the Prime Ministers residence in Jerusalem. He and his family have been living there for more than 12 years. Any Israeli under age of 20 would have little memory of anyone leading the country other than him.

Israel has been through a lot in the last two years, including the COVID-19 pandemic, an 11-day war last month with Hamas and four parliamentary elections, the first three of which were rather inconclusive. After Israels election in March  the fourth one  Netanyahu was called upon by Israels ceremonial head of state, the president, to form a government that would have a majority in parliament. He failed.

President Reuven Rivlin then called on the centrist telegenic former television anchor Yair Lapid, whose Yesh Atid party is the second-largest in the Knesset. The law gave him until June 2 to form a coalition government. Just prior to a midnight deadline, he called Rivlin to say he and the head of the right-wing Yamina party, Naftali Bennett, had formed an eight-party coalition.

Its a coalition government unlike any that Israel has ever had. It spans virtually the entire political spectrum and for the first time includes the United Arab List, an Islamist religious party. But the countrys two small ultra-Orthodox parties are not in the government. The coalition agreement calls for Bennett to serve as prime minister for the first two years, followed by Lapid for two years. Bennett will be the first Orthodox prime minister in the countrys history. The son of American immigrants from San Francisco, even though he has spent extended periods in the United States, his English is surprisingly unpolished.

This is a particularly nervous time for the country. Among Netanyahus supporters, its unfathomable that he would no longer be leading the country. For many of his detractors, including me, its unfathomable that he would remain prime minister after repeated failed attempts to remain in office  and in the middle of his trial on corruption charges.

In echoes of the aftermath of President Donald Trumps defeat to Joe Biden, on June 2, Netanyahus transportation minister, Miri Regev, fumed the election was being stolen from Netanyahu. In an earlier political era, Regev would also have taken Bennett and Lapid to task for making common cause with an Islamist party, but she could hardly complain when Netanyahu did everything possible to woo the party to his political camp.

For those like me who want Netanyahu out, there is concern he will use his considerable power before the new government is sworn this month to woo away just a couple legislators in the new coalition, whose razor-thin majority would be lost, prompting a fifth election.

I have no illusions that such a broadly based coalition will have an easy time making policy, but its been unhealthy to have one man at the helm for so long. The right-winger Bennett is not my cup of tea, although he lives about a five-minute drive from my apartment in the Tel Aviv suburb of Raanana. What I think the transition will do, however, is restore the transfer of power as a natural occurrence in a democracy.

Lapid and Bennett have shown remarkable fortitude in pulling together the disparate coalition that they have. What the parties in the coalition do have in common is their commitment to remove Netanyahu from office. Thats enough from my perspective. Anything beyond that, such as restoring a commitment to good government, which has been lacking lately despite all of Israels successes, would be the cherry on top.

Cliff Savren is a former Ohioan who covers the Middle East for the Columbus Jewish News from Raanana, Israel.
As I walk through the hospital wards to see patients, something is shifting. The once air of tension and uneasiness stemming from this virus is now breeding a feel of hope and vibrance as we see the numbers falling. Vaccinations are decreasing new cases and attenuating the virus severity overall.
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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 9)  Former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV has scored another win against the government after the Court of Appeals affirmed a 2018 ruling not to revive the coup d'etat case against him.

In a 67-page decision dated May 31 and released to the media on Wednesday, the CA upheld the verdict of Judge Andres Soriano of the Makati Regional Trial Court Branch 148 to junk the Department of Justice's petition to have Trillanes arrested.

The non-bailable coup d'etat charges against the ex-lawmaker were dismissed in September 2011 after he was granted amnesty by former President Benigno Aquino III.

Some seven years later, in August 2018, President Rodrigo Duterte revoked this amnesty through Proclamation No. 572. Duterte cited his vocal critic's supposed failure to comply with requirements for the granting of the official pardon.

However, based on Sorianos ruling  which was sustained by the CA  Trillanes did adhere to the requirements, which include the filing for an amnesty application in the prescribed form and admitting guilt for his participation in the 2003 Oakwood Mutiny, among others.

Therefore, it cannot be said that the grant of amnesty in favor of private respondent was validly revoked, the CA said.

As a result, the charges against private respondent in connection with the offenses forgotten or forgiven by the amnesty must be necessarily dropped, it added.

Trillanes thanked the justices decision, saying it is a victory against what he calls the Duterte governments "weaponization" of the law.

Nagpapasalamat ako sa mga Court of Appeals Justices sa pagtataguyod ng hustisya sa gitna ng mga baluktot na paggamit ni Duterte ng batas laban sa mga miyembro ng oposisyon, he said.

[Translation: I would like to thank the Court of Appeals justices for upholding justice amid Dutertes crooked ways in using the law to target members of the opposition.]

He also expressed gratitude to Soriano for standing firm in favor of the truth and against the oppression by the Duterte administration.

Last month, the CA also ruled in favor of Trillanes as it reversed a separate Makati court ruling that revived his rebellion case.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 9)  Independent research group OCTA said Wednesday that Davao City is currently among the COVID-19 epicenters in the country due to its increasing number of coronavirus cases. This, despite caution from the Department of Health on the use of the term epicenter.

OCTA Research fellow Guido David said Davao City joins Western Visayas as well as NCR Plus -- which includes the National Capital Region, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal -- in the list of areas under this classification.

"From our perspective, we could say na it (Davao City) is also one of the epicenters ngayon (now) along with Western Visayas," David said in a briefing.

David said Davao City has overtaken Quezon City in terms of new cases recorded, which OCTA earlier projected would happen. "Nangyari na nga siya (It has already happened)," David said.

For her part, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire told reporters earlier in the day that "Davao City is not an epicenter," but one of the "flagged areas" because of rising cases and hospitalizations.

Vergeire said DOH discourages the use of epicenter in describing increased cases in an area since some use the term to refer to the source of infection.

She added that using it "detracts from other surrounding areas which may be equally or more affected by COVID-19."
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 9)  President Rodrigo Duterte said he will ensure the imprisonment of the policeman who gunned down a woman in Quezon City.

My rule is, if you are a military man, you are a policeman, and you do your duty in accordance with law, tapos nasabit ka (then you get into a fix) I will defend you," Duterte said in an interview with his friend Pastor Apollo Quiboloy Tuesday night.

However, in the case of Master Sergeant Hensie Zinampan, who was arrested last week after shooting Lilibeth Valdez in Barangay Greater Fairview, the President said he will ensure that the former police officer will be punished.

Makulong yan sigurado I will see to it na makulong (sya), he said. Itong policeman na lasing ka... tapos pumatay ka pa ng tao ah kung nandiyan ako papatayin kita. Wala kang silbi.

[Translation: He will be surely imprisoned. I will see to it he will be imprisoned. This policeman who was drunk and killed a person, if I had been there, I would have killed you. You are useless.]

In a police report, a witness said Zinampan confronted the victim in front of a store at around 9:30 p.m. The visibly agitated policeman reportedly drew his firearm and shot the victim on the back of her head, which resulted in her instantaneous death.

Philippine National Police chief Guillermo Eleazar had ordered the filing of administrative and criminal charges against Zinampan, saying the video evidence speaks strongly of the policeman's guilt.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 9) -- Both the Chinese and Philippine governments have approved the donation of an additional 500,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines by Filipino-Chinese businessmen, said Chinese Embassys charge daffaires Tan Qing Sheng on Wednesday.

The Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (FFCCCII) made the donation of additional vaccine doses made by Chinese firm Sinovac through a tripartite deal. The Chinese Embassy official added that the fresh supply is now under production.

The approval was announced during the 46th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and China.

In ceremonies marking the event, FFCCCII president Henry Lim Bon Liong said he is hoping for economic revival once more people get vaccinated against the coronavirus.

The sooner we get more vaccinated, the sooner we can revive consumer confidence, rebuild business and restore economic growth. Let us not lose sight of the bigger picture which is the rise of our neighbor and soon the worlds largest economic power, he said.

The donation of half a million doses by the business group will be on top of the 7.5 million shots of Sinovacs CoronaVac that earlier arrived in the country.

READ:1 million more Sinovac doses arrive in PH

The Philippines has administered at least 5.96 million COVID-19 shots, with 1,520,788 vaccinees having received their second dose.

CNN Philippines' correspondent Lois Calderon contributed to this report
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 9)  Majority of essential workers in some cities in Metro Manila and nearby provinces may have to wait a little more for their turn to get vaccinated.

It has been three days since the national government ordered a start to the vaccination of the A4 group in the "NCR Plus 8" composed of Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, Rizal, Pampanga, Batangas, Cebu and Davao. However, not all local governments received sufficient vaccines for inoculation.

In Marikina, majority of essential workers may get their COVID-19 shot starting June 14, Mayor Marcy Teodoro said Wednesday.

Speaking to CNN Philippines' The Source, Teodoro said the city has not yet started vaccinating individuals from the A4 priority group, citing lack of available doses.

"According to Secretary Charlie Galvez, we could expect arrival of the vaccines around June 14, and by June 14 hopefully the supply will be steady starting that day," he added, noting that over 80,000 individuals from the sector are waiting for their shots.

He said the city has just received fresh doses from the Department of Health that were allocated for some 2,000 residents within the day, but not necessarily for people in the A4 category.

"Yun ang maaasahan nila ngayon, may mababakunahan nang kaunti pero hindi pa mababakunahan ang marami, hindi pa mababakunahan ang lahat ng naghihintay na A4," Teodoro said.

[Translation: That's what the people can expect today, there are some who may get vacccinated, but not many, and not all those in A4 who are waiting.]

About 95,000 Marikina residents have been given shots to date, 30,0000 of whom have already completed their doses, the mayor said.

But aside from Marikina, other Metro Manila LGUs such as Quezon City, Taguig, Navotas and Valenzuela have not yet started inoculating the A4 group due to limited vaccine supply.

Navotas City Mayor Toby Tiangco also said Tuesday that the COVAX-donated Sputnik V doses are the only ones currently available for first dose in the city. Only those within A1 to A3 (health workers, senior citizens, persons with comorbidities) priority groups can get vaccinated with doses from COVAX, in line with rules of the global vaccine facility.

Valenzuela City Mayor Rex Gatchalian said they aim to start with A4 this week "as soon as we get hold of the vaccines."

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said in a separate interview on Wednesday that the vaccination of A4 group is "dependent" on the current available doses.

"The vaccination of the A4 priority group in NCR+8 is dependent on our supply," Vergeire said. "The Vaccine Cluster is doing all they can to secure the needed doses to vaccinate A4, whilst prioritizing those in the A1-A3 priority groups."

Galvez, the country's vaccine czar, previously said that more than 10 million vaccines may be delivered to the country this month.

READ: PH to receive over 10M vaccines in June  Galvez

The government wants all the 35.5 million frontline workers under the A4 priority group to have their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine by September or October, he added.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 9) - An opposition lawmaker has called for a halt to the construction of Kaliwa Dam, which is considered to be the administrations biggest solution to Metro Manilas water woes.

During the hearing by the House Committee on Indigenous Cultural Communities and Indigenous peoples, the lawmakers revealed that the Free Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC), which serves as the memorandum of agreement between the Dumagat tribe and the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System, has yet to be signed.

Bayan-Muna Partylist Rep. Carlos Zarate said that without an FPIC, no operations should take place in creating the dam.

I think this committee has already taken a cognizant that as admitted in this committee resource persons that despite the absence of an FPIC ay may ginagawa na silang activities in pursuant of Kaliwa Dam Project so yun po ang gusto natin maging subject ng mimungkahi ko na resolution calling for the cessation of any activity in that area, said Zarate.

[Translation: I think it was already admitted by the resource persons in this committee hearing that despite the absence of an FPIC, activities pertaining to the construction of the Kaliwa Dam are still ongoing. My suggestion is to file a resolution calling for the cessation of any activity in that area.]

The National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), which serves as the negotiating party between the government agencies and indigenous peoples, said there is a lack of an FPIC because there was a misunderstanding in the sharing of the project's profits.

NCIP said MWSS presented an amount of 10.7 million, which the indigenous peoples rejected.

Ang nangyari po doon ay nagpresenta po ang MWSS ng a certain amount I believe its 10.7 million para maicover yung share of the profit subalit ang naging tanong po ng ating katutubo which is yon din ang tanong ng NCIP  paano po or ano ba ang basehan ng 10.7 million? said Atty. Josefina Agusti, spokesperson of NCIP.

[Translation: The MWSS presented an amount of P10.7 million to cover the indigenous peoples' share of profit. The IPs did not accept the amount. Their question was: what is the basis of the P10.7 million?]

NCIP says negotiations are currently laid out among agencies involved and the Dumagat Tribe.

According to MWSS, once the necessary documents are signed they are looking at starting excavation in General Nakar in Quezon province by December of this year.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 9) The leaders of the Philippines and China vowed to promote "win-win" cooperation as the countries commemorated the 46th anniversary of their diplomatic relations on Wednesday.

"Win-win cooperation will ensure that our relations remain a partnership for greater peace, progress, and prosperity," President Rodrigo Duterte said in a taped message aired during an event led by the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry Incorporated.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, in a letter addressed to Duterte, said Beijing is also ready to work with Manila to strengthen bilateral ties.

"I attach great significance to the development of China-Philippines relations, and stand ready to work with you in guiding our bilateral relations to move forward in a sustained and steady manner, so as to achieve greater win-win results and mutual benefits," Xi wrote, as he hailed the "everlasting friendship" between the two nations.

Their pronouncements come amid tensions and issues surrounding the West Philippine Sea. In late May, the Philippine government filed a fresh diplomatic protest against the "prolonged presence and illegal activities" of the East Asian giant's maritime assets and fishing vessels in the vicinity of Pag-asa Island.

China  in a special assembly with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations earlier this week  vowed to avoid activities that could further escalate tensions in the area.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 9)  The Department of Health will immediately send more COVID-19 vaccines to local governments once additional supplies arrive, an official assured Wednesday.

Department of Health Director Napoleon Arevalo made the remark after a number of local governments said they have yet to start vaccinating the A4 priority group or essential workers pending the arrival of additional supplies.

READ: LGUs still waiting for vaccine doses for A4 residents

"Bukas, may dadating din po tayo na karagdagang bakuna at ito po ay idedeploy kaagad sa ating mga vaccination centers," he said in a briefing.

[Translation: Tomorrow, more vaccines will arrive, and they will be immediately deployed to our vaccination centers.]

The allocation for each priority area will be determined in the next couple of days, he added.

Incoming vaccine deliveries had been largely earmarked for the so-called NCR+8 area, specifically Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, Rizal, Pampanga, Batangas, Metro Cebu, and Metro Davao. NCR+8 accounts for the majority of COVID-19 cases in the country. Arevalo said they are also considering giving the limited supplies to other localities experiencing a surge in infections.

Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez earlier said 3.2 million doses are set to be delivered to the country on June 10. Of the number, 2.2 million are Pfizer shots, while 1 million are Sinovac doses. Galvez earlier said they are expecting around 10 million doses in all this month, including the shots for the A4 sector.
Centre County's election board certified its primary election results Monday, which made the tentative results for State College's mayoral, borough council and school board races official.

Of 105,067 total registered voters in Centre County, 29,996 ballots were cast  13,939 by Democrats and 13,960 by Republicans, along with 2,097 nonpartisan ballots and 3 blank ballots.

Ezra Nanes was certified as the Democratic mayoral nominee after initially taking the lead over fellow Democratic candidate Jim Leous on election night  Tuesday, May 18.

Nanes' vote total of 1,728 won him the nomination over Leous' total of 875. Leous is a longtime member of the State College Area School Board.

Currently, there is no Republican nominee for Novembers general election, so Nanes will likely succeed Ronald Filippelli, State College's interim mayor, to become the 11th mayor of the borough on Nov. 2.

A native of New York City, Nanes arrived in State College after completing his undergrad at the University of Pennsylvania to attend Penn States Smeal College of Business for his masters degree.

The valedictorian of his Smeal class, Nanes began his career at AccuWeather, a forecasting service headquartered near State College, where he is currently director of business development in account management.

Nanes became involved in politics following the 2016 elections. In 2018, he was defeated by Republican Jake Corman in his first political race  for Pennsylvanias 34th State Senate district.

Since then, Nanes remained involved in local Democratic politics and was the first to file an application to run for State College mayor in December.

One of his primary goals, as Nanes mentioned previously to The Daily Collegian, is increased representation for marginalized communities within the borough.

He also hopes to increase student involvement in local politics, advocate for policing reform, aid in the creation of a community oversight board for community relations with State College police and increase sustainability efforts in the borough.

Among many ballot questions State College residents were asked to vote on during the primary elections, some votes were particularly relevant locally  for seats in State College's Borough Council.

Three spots for the council will be available during the general election. For the primaries, six Democratic candidates campaigned for their partys support, while only one Republican sought a seat on the borough council  Jim Werner.

Though voters could ultimately choose candidates individually, some Democratic candidates ran joint campaigns or canvassed together with similar platforms and goals.

Gopal Balachanandran, Richard Biever and Divine Lipscomb canvassed together as progressives under the banner of PA United, a progressive activist group. Current State College interim mayor Ronald Filippelli and Catherine Dauler also ran a joint campaign. Katherine Yeaple was the only incumbent among the borough council candidates.

Ultimately, voters chose the progressive slate of candidates to run in November.

Here are the certified winners of the Democratic primary elections for State College Borough Council:

Gopal Balachanandran

Balachanandran currently serves as an assistant professor of clinical law at Penn State. He said he hopes to advocate for police reform and has proposed occasionally closing roads like South Allen Street for pedestrian traffic and urban projects. He received 1,702 total votes.

Richard Biever

Biever is the co-director of Singing Onstage and the artistic director of FUSE Productions, a performing arts group in State College. He said he hopes to advocate for a $15 minimum wage in the borough and issues relating to climate change. He received 1,217 total votes.

Divine Lipscomb

Lipscomb is a 38-year-old student at Penn State and a formerly incarcerated advocate involved with State Colleges 3/20 Coalition. He said he hopes to advocate for a progressive slate and represent those below the poverty line. He received 1,465 total votes.

Out of those who weren't nominated, Dauler received 870 total votes, Filippelli received 963 and Yeaple received 1,153.

Primary election results were also certified for the State College Area School Board. The four highest vote totals from each party are the certified nominees for November:

Democratic candidates

Peter Buck with 6,077

Deborah Anderson with 5,011

Carline Crevecoeur with 5,340

David Hutchinson with 3,707

Michelle Glenn Young with 2,483

Jackie Huff with 4,174

Dawn Lorenz with 2,701

Republican candidates

Deborah Anderson 2,330

Jackie Huff 1,375

David Hutchinson 2,490

Dawn Lorenz 1,448

Carline Crevecoeur 994

Peter Buck 1,723

Michelle Glenn Young 3,078

MORE BOROUGH COVERAGE
Focusing on feminine spirit and strength, a new art exhibit titled Fem-Fusion: Visual Art + the Written Word had its grand opening on Saturday at the Art Alliance of Central Pennsylvanias Art Center.

With art and written works of various types on display, the walls of the gallery were adorned with the work of 14 Centre County women. Poems, paintings, essays, tattoos, photographs and more occupied the space.

Following the opening, a spoken word event was held later Saturday evening, highlighting several of the writers featured in the exhibit, as well as its origins.

Co-organizers of the exhibit Stacie Bird and Nicole Miyashiro united in 2019 to discuss a potential collaboration. Volleying ideas back and forth over cups of coffee, the pair reached a decision that would eventually evolve into the current exhibit.

The final concept of Fem-Fusion was to pair artists and writers to create pieces inspired by each others work. The artists and writers would hand over a piece of their own work and then create something entirely new based on the original piece they were given.

Bird, vice president of the Art Alliance and a Penn State alumna, said she was first introduced to Miyashiro during an exhibit she curated, and the two sporadically met again through various events. A 1985 graduate with a degree in film, Bird said she felt a connection to Miyashiro and her poetry, which eventually led her to approach Miyashiro and propose a collaboration.

I ran into her a couple more times after that, and I finally said, You know, Ive got this feeling were supposed to do something together, Bird said.

Miyashiro, the writer-in-residence for the Pennsylvania Center for the Book, said when Fem-Fusion came to fruition, she was tasked with inviting the writers, and Bird was tasked with finding the artists.

The decision to center the exhibit around female experiences and expression was almost always a natural part of the process, according to Bird.

I didnt really think of it as a female thing to begin with, Bird said. I dont think we ever really considered asking men to participate in it I really wanted this to be women collaborating and supporting each other and coming up with completely new things.

We were in alignment, Miyashiro said. We didnt have too much of a long conversation about the fem part My focus has been more toward those themes.

Originally planned to show in June 2020, Bird and Miyashiro had to quickly step on the brakes during the coronavirus pandemic. The artists and writers involved turned to Zoom to continue their work, according to Bird.

A year later, the exhibit was finally rescheduled and is now on full display for Centre County to witness. Bird said being able to finally see the artists and writers works together for the first time has been almost overwhelming.

I really didnt know how it was going to work until I started receiving the pieces, and I just sat here and cried, Bird said. When you look at the works by themselves, they are wonderful pieces of writing and artwork, but when you put them together, theyll just blow you away.

Jordan Haines, a tattoo artist and founding member of the Paper Moon Tattoo Company in State College, is one of the featured artists in the exhibit. Her displayed work features drawings she made in response to Miyashiros poetry, as well as a photograph of a tattoo she drew.

Haines said the experience of being able to create art inspired by someone elses work was phenomenal.

Working with Nicole almost felt like a blessing, Haines said. Our creativity and visions complimented each other instantly. Reading her work, there were moments that I recognized and related to that I try to pinpoint in my own fine art and also in relation to tattooing.

Hearing about the exhibit through Abby Minor, a friend and featured artist in the exhibit, Nicole Gargiulo said being able to see the work created by women was wonderful at the opening event.

After the bleakness of the last year, to come back into a space thats celebrating color, image, written word, feminine art and creativity  its just nice to be in this energy, Gargiulo said.

Saturday was Juliette Hawkinss first time in the Art Alliances building, and she said the space and featured artwork were positive experiences.

I love the idea of the inter-art collaboration and the fact that they were inspired by each other and responding to each other, Hawkins (doctorate-literature) said. Each one of them had a piece that was complete and a response.

Hawkins said attending the opening of the exhibit was the first time she attended a group event since the pandemic began.

The exhibit in the art center, which is located in Lemont just outside of State College, will open again to the public on June 12 from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and June 13 from noon-4 p.m. Masks are required inside.

In addition to the exhibit, Bird and Miyashiro created a virtual exhibit book for those who are not able to be there in person. The virtual option can be found on the Art Alliances website.

Bird said those who are planning to attend the exhibit should prepare themselves and keep an open mind for what to expect.

Art is good for your soul  good art and good exhibits make you think about things you didnt expect to think about, Bird said. In the case of Fem-Fusion, look at what women can do when we collaborate Be prepared to have your mind blown.

MORE BOROUGH COVERAGE
The Colorado Hispanic Chamber of Commerce has stepped into the congressional redistricting ring, proposing a district map plan that they argue would give the proper voice to the growing Hispanic community in the Denver-area suburbs.

The group has proposed a map that would include a district that would group together the areas north and northeast of the Denver metro area, which includes a significant and growing Hispanic population. It would include portions of Adams County, southwest Weld County and Greeley, and northeast portions of Boulder County. It would be 26% Hispanic and in total 32% nonwhite.

The district would have a 6% Democratic lean, based on election data from 2012 to 2018.

The district prioritizes communities of interest that may be subject to federal legislation around growth and transportation and the intersection of oil and gas development with air- and water-quality concerns, a press release from the group described.

The group also proposes a district like the current Congressional District 1, mostly preserving the county of Denver. That district would be roughly 20% Hispanic and 10% Black, with a total 35% nonwhite.

Like the current Congressional District 1, the district would be a heavy Democratic-favoring district.

RELATED:

With the proposed plan, the Chamber joins a short list of advocacy groups that have so far presented maps to the independent congressional redistricting commission.

But the maps presented to the commission already show how conflicts over the next decades map are beginning to take shape.

The Chambers plan also proposed districts for the rest of the state, including a three-way split of the states rural areas, which is at odds with what the rural counties have asked for  a pair of districts with one in the east and one in the west.

At the same time, other individuals have advocated for a district plan that doesnt split southern Colorados Hispanic and Latino communities, located in Pueblo, Trinidad and the San Luis Valley, like the rural counties east-west divide proposal would.

At the commission's Wednesday hearing, Commissioner Simon Tafoya, a Denver Democrat, pressed a representative from one of the rural county associations on whether those communities are not served best by being split.

Brian McCain, the chief operating officer for Action22, a coalition of southern Colorado counties, said he thought the plan backed by his organization, along with Pro15 and Club20, representing the rest of the state's rural counties, isn't perfect. He told Tafoya that ideally, southern Colorado wouldn't be split, but that given the population requirements, the plan jointly proposed by the three groups is the best option.

The result of the Chambers proposed non-urban districts is a map with four solid Democratic districts, three solid Republican districts and one that leans 6% Democratic.

The Chambers plan has detractors already.

This proposal *fractures* the Latino voice in CO, would result in zero minority districts (when 2 are possible) and is deliberately designed to protect an incumbent, Jennifer Parenti, a redistricting specialist with the civic and democratic rights organization Common Cause, said in a tweet this week about the Chambers map. These are violations of federal law and CO Constitution. It's a bad map and should not be given any press.

Parenti did not respond to requests to further clarify her tweet.
From doctors to deliveries and the comings and goings of tax rates on property, it was a dizzying session for dollars flowing into and out of the Colorado state Capitol.

As always, the government gives and the government takes away. Redistribution is the American way.

Ive been doing this for decades, and Ive never seen anything like 2021 when it came to the exercising of a checkbook.

Lawmakers handed out $3.9 billion in federal stimulus money and another $800 million in state recovery aid, which is about 15% of what the legislature would spend in a normal years budget, simply as a coronavirus bonus.

Those who use the roads for all kinds of reasons will have to pay more to cover a $5.3 billion transportation package. Coloradans will pony up a little extra for gasoline, electric vehicle registration, deliveries and ride-sharing services, a little here and a little there.

A proposed ballot question in November that could have given home and business owners a $1 billion break on their property taxes, as values soar, was complicated and watered down by Senate Bill 293, which went down to the last days of the session.

Republicans got a pretty good tax deal, if you assume the November tax cut wouldn't have made the ballot, then wouldn't have passed. It's hard to vote against a tax cut, however.

Some relief is better than none.

Low-income Coloradans will catch some tax breaks from the Tax Fairness for Coloradans package, House Bill 1311 and House Bill 1312.

My friend Carol Hedges, the executive director over at the Colorado Fiscal Institute, said this session delivered the largest tax reforms this state has seen in decades.

"For too long, our state tax system has been written by a handful of wealthy and powerful people and corporations, while working people and families  especially Black and brown Coloradans  pay a higher share of their income in taxes," she said.

The package more than doubled the state earned income tax credit, finally funded the state child tax credit, Democrats said, and delivered a spike in the number of small businesses to be exempt from paying the business personal property tax, the levy paid on land and buildings, as well as inventory and operations.

Thats the good news. The bad news, as usual, is the money has to come from somewhere.

House Bill 1311 caps itemized income tax deductions for those who earn $400,000 or more a year at $30,000 for individual filers and $60,000 for joint returns. That's expected to help raise up to $60 million annually by its third year.

House Bill 1312 will eventually could lift $145 million a year from the pockets of Colorado biggest industries: insurance, oil and gas and large retailers by taking a bite out of their tax breaks.

Take insurance companies for example: to qualify for an established tax break, they would have to maintain a growing percentage of the companys workforce in Colorado, which allows companies to cut its premium taxes in half. This years legislation, then, creates a standard to qualify.

"Closing wasteful loopholes that aren't creating jobs or growing the economy and instead using our tax code to invest in workers and families is a huge win for Colorado, explained one of my go-to financial advisers, Scott Wasserman, president of the left-leaning Bell Policy Center and a former policy adviser to then-Gov. John Hickenlooper.

Another of my friends, Loren Furman, the legislative brains and brawn for the Colorado Chamber, called it a frustrating session from a business perspective.

The Democrats have had three sessions in power, and used this one in the shadow of the pandemic and a sagging economy to go after economic drivers, perhaps the right plan at the wrong time.

Businesses chafed against Senate bills 176 (workplace discrimination rules), 200 (vague but aggressive environmental enforcement), 197 (worker's compensation evaluations) and 175 (the new prescription affordability board), plus House Bill 1232 (formerly known as the public option) "and many others," Loren told me Tuesday.

The governor's priorities, a year out from his reelection, put pressure on members of his party, I heard from sources on the right and left this week.

Fast-moving amendments combined and rewrote legislation that had been in the works for months, before supporters and, especially, opponents could react. To say this session lacked transparency behind negotiations is akin to saying paint needs to dry; opinion isn't a factor, when the result speaks for itself.

One session aside, Loren raised a worrisome point.

"The legislative process is indeed changing, and many who represent public- and private-sector employers who are at the Capitol every day are very concerned about this shift," she told me in a text I interpreted as weary.

Democrats see the hoi polloi in their corner, flagging an April poll for the press on Tuesday when they crowed about their tax reform package.

Colorado-based Keating Researchs findings suggested more than 73% of likely Colorado voters favored cutting loopholes for corporations and rich people: 91% of Democrats, 75% of unaffiliated voters and 48% of Republicans.

Very few people consider themselves rich, however, or their tax breaks they receive to be loopholes. Moreover, if you ask me if Id like to pay less while a fat cat picks up the difference, my answer is always yes.

Editor's note: This story was updated to note House Bill 1311 is expected to ratchet up over three years, bringing in about four times what it will the first year.
The Senate on Tuesday confirmed Regina M. Rodriguez on a bipartisan vote to serve as a U.S. district court judge in Colorado, making the trial lawyer and former federal prosecutor the first Asian-American judge to sit on the state's federal bench.

"She has blazed trails in Colorado and in Colorado law through the sheer force of her intellect, hard work and character," U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet told the Senate before the first of two 72-28 votes to advance and then approve her nomination.

"Regina and her family are what we mean when we come to this floor and talk about the American dream."

The Democratic-led Senate is confirming President Bidens outstanding and diverse judicial nominees. Today, @SenatorBennet laid out why hes proud to support Regina Rodriguez to be US District Judge for Colorado. pic.twitter.com/8AOSz2729Z  Senate Democrats (@SenateDems) June 8, 2021

A Gunnison native, Rodriguez is the daughter of a Mexican-American father and a Japanese-American mother whose family was relocated to an internment camp in Wyoming during World War II. She headed the U.S. attorney for Colorado's civil rights division during her tenure working for the U.S. Justice Department and represented corporate clients in private practice, most recently for global firm Wilmer Hale.

In addition to Rodriguez, the full Senate approved Julien Xavier Neals to be a district court judge in New Jersey on Tuesday, marking the first of President Joe Biden's judicial nominees to pass through the confirmation process.

Rodriguez was recommended to the bench by Bennet and fellow Democratic senator John Hickenlooper. She fills a seat on the seven-member court left open by Senior Judge Marcia S. Krieger's decision two years ago to step down from active status.

In a statement, Biden thanked the Senate for confirming Rodriguez and Neals with bipartisan support and said his administration is on track to have more federal judges confirmed by July than in any other president's first year in office in more than 50 years.

"I was honored to include both of them in the very first nominations I made to the Federal Bench, and they embody the professional excellence and devotion to the rule of law and our Constitution that the American people expect of Federal judges," Biden said.

"They are both highly qualified, and they represent the diversity that is one of the ultimate strengths of our nationin all branches of government, including the judiciary."

Rodriguez was nominated for a vacancy on the same court in 2016 by former President Barack Obama with the support of Bennet and then-U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner, a Republican, but the GOP-controlled Senate didn't take up her nomination.
Colorado Politics is published both in print and online. Our website features subscriber-only news stories daily, designed for public policy arena professionals. Member subscribers also receive the weekly print edition of our award-winning newspaper, containing outstanding features and news stories, in their mailboxes every Saturday.
In a legislative session in which the House minority caucus floor actions were largely defined by efforts to slow progress on the majoritys agenda, the session's final bill gave House Republicans one last chance to play the hits.

Rep. Dave Williams, R-Colorado Springs, tried to have the landmark greenhouse gas emissions legislation read at length but was thwarted on procedural grounds. A series of GOP members read elements of the bill from the well. Rep. Richard Holtorf, R-Akron, was warned about toeing the decorum line by Speaker Alec Garnett, D-Denver. Rep. Andy Pico, R-Colorado Springs, questioned the legitimacy of human-induced climate change. And in the end, the last bill of the session passed on the back of Democratic votes.

The debate on House Bill 1266 carried on just past 7:30 p.m., some 3.5 hours after Senate lawmakers adjourned their chamber for the session. But with the end in sight, House Republicans said they werent ready to wrap up for the year without a fight.

GOP lawmakers raised concerns on the policy of the bill, but their issued centered primarily on the process by which it came before them. The bill originally cleared the House last month on a 38-24 party-line vote with three Democrats excused. But when it reappeared before the chamber 26 days later, it was a vastly different piece of legislation.

The measure was originally aimed at environmental justice via the creation of an ombudsperson and an advisory committee, and those elements remained. But end-of-session maneuvering saw elements of Senate Bill 200, what was once seen as the sessions landmark emissions bill, added at the last moment.

That legislation from Sens. Faith Winter, D-Westminster, Dominick Moreno, D-Commerce City, and Rep. Dominique Jackson, D-Aurora, was a wide-ranging bill designed primarily to make the Air Quality Control Commission the program manager of meeting our greenhouse gas reduction goals.

Those goals were established by the states landmark climate action plan, put in place by legislation passed in 2019, seeking to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 26% by 2025, at least 50% by 2030 and 90% by 2050, based on 2005 levels. But some Democratic lawmakers and climate activists worry that a road map to meeting the 2050 goal released by Polis earlier this year could fall short without clear, enforceable standards.

Implementing those standards across five sectors of the economy  transportation, oil and gas, electric, industry and buildings  was one of the primary goals of the original legislation. One problem, though: Gov. Jared Polis was not on board and the bill stalled when it reached the Senate floor after the governor told the Gazette editorial board he would veto the legislation if it reached his desk.

After weeks of negotiation, Winter and Jackson decided to move in a different direction, and yesterday added elements of the original bill into HB 1266 via an amendment the Westminster Democrat described as the baby of Senate Bill 200. Along with those two, the bill was carried by Sen. Janet Buckner and Rep. Mike Weissman, both Aurora Democrats.

Among other things, that 26-page amendment added measurability and equity goals laid out in SB 200, as well as some of enforceability mechanisms. To bring the Polis administration on board though, the bill sponsors dropped the enforcement provisions on the transportation and building sectors. According to Colorado Energy Office Director Will Toor, that change addressed Polis biggest discomfort and was enough to bring the administration on board.

But Republican lawmakers in both chambers cried foul as the revamped bill sped through two Senate committee hearings, second and third readings in the Senate and reconsideration in the House in 31 hours.

I just need to put on the record what a grotesque abuse of the legislative process this is, said Rep. Terri Carver, R-Colorado Springs.

Minority Leader Hugh McKean, R-Loveland, also railed against the process.

No one wants to be here right now, he said. The reason why were standing here right now is because its wrong ... . Shame on us if we accept this is what our institution becomes in the last days of the session.

Republicans used nearly every trick they could think to drag out the debate. They sought to reset the 10-minute-per-person time cap on debate with a variety of motions. They sought to adhere to the original version of the bill, a move that would effectively kill it. They sought to send it back to committee in the name of good governance and process. But in the face of a 17-vote deficit, they were delaying the inevitable.

After Republican members spent three hours exhausting their arguments, the chamber voted 37-27 to pass the bill, with Democratic Reps. Don Valdez of La Jara, Adrienne Benavidez of Denver and Majority Leader Daneya Esgar of Pueblo joining their GOP colleagues in opposition.

The bill now goes to Polis desk and lawmakers go back home until the next legislative session convenes in January.
Democratic leaders in the General Assembly on Wednesday took a victory lap, touting their legislative accomplishments during what they repeatedly described as a historic session.

We did the best we could with the information that we had last year, but history really made us, House Speaker Alec Garnett, D-Denver, told reporters. "But if you look at what we've accomplished this session, I'm really proud of the work that we got done. I think this is one of the most historic sessions that I can remember and we clearly made history this year.

Those comments came while speaking at a news conference along with Senate President Leroy Garcia, Senate Majority Leader Steve Fenberg and House Majority Leader Daneya Esgar. The quartet alternated between praising their members and hailing various aspects of the hefty agenda of Democratic priorities that cleared the legislative process and landed on Gov. Jared Polis desk this session.

Garnett pointed to efforts to lower healthcare and prescription drug costs. Garcia, D-Pueblo, highlighted transformational infrastructure investments that the state will see in the form of a $5.4 billion transportation funding package. Esgar, D-Pueblo, emphasized the state stimulus package, including the first significant sum of money directed to the so-called just transition effort to help communities whose economies are powered by coal.

Fenberg highlighted many of those elements and also pointed to legislation on climate change. But he said he was most proud of the way his members stood up to challenges brought by the session.

We had challenges that probably no other legislature has faced and we met those challenges in a way that wasn't just about getting us through the few months or getting us through a year or responding specifically to the crisis at hand, but doing it in a way that actually prepares us to better weather the storms that are still ahead, he said.

They also noted that the legacy of the 2021 legislative session would live on, both legislatively and in some of the ways the General Assembly operates. Esgar, for instance, said she was keen on continuing the practice of remote testimony at committee hearings, one of the measures adopted more broadly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

I was actually really excited to see how well I feel like it turned out for not only the people of Colorado, but the committees that were hearing those witnesses, Esgar said.

As somebody who was a community organizer before I came to the legislature who tried to organize people who didn't live in Denver to be able to come up to the Capitol, take an entire day off to come up and testify, I really see how this opened it up to a more transparent way to make sure that all people across Colorado have the ability to be able to be involved in the crafting of legislation.

Quizzed on some of the larger bills that were tripped up ahead of reaching the finish line  like efforts from Sen. Faith Winter, D-Westminster, on workplace anti-discrimination and harassment and Sen. Pete Lee on arrest and bond provisions for low-level crimes  Garcia said Winter and Lee were extremely optimistic by a lot of progress that happened this year.

Several of these policies take years in formation and that's not always a bad thing, I think we should look at that as a healthy thing to the democratic process, he said. I think you'll continue to see those conversations advance as we go into the next year.

To that point, Garnett highlighted the multi-year negotiations that took place to get the Colorado Option legislation in a place where it could clear the General Assembly.

That took years  three, four, two years to get across the finish line and so there are always those proposals that might not make it through in year one, but come back in an even stronger place in year two, he said.

Fenberg and Garnett also gave a glimpse into some of the legislative work the leaders are planning for the interim. The pair said they anticipated interim committees examining affordable housing, homelessness, mental health and economic relief, with the Boulder Democrat indicating they would be formed very soon.

We're going to have those conversations in the interim  there'll be public meetings ... and then come January, we're going to take action on those ideas and invest that money in a way that's going to pay off the best for the most Coloradans, Fenberg said.

House and Senate Republicans plan to hold a joint press availability on Thursday at 10 a.m.
This year our dine and drink business locations throughout the Gorge have suffered with closures. You can help support your favorites by purchasing take out and gift cards. Many of these business will offer curb-side delivery and some will deliver to your home. Lets keep the Gorge going strong!
'Singaporeans must push back anything that is testing our multicultural way of life, our cosmopolitan city'

On Sunday, the video of a man making allegedly racist remarks against an interracial couple went viral, evoking a strong critique from Singapore Home and Law Minister K Shanmugam. Earlier this year, in May, an Indian-origin woman was assaulted in an allegedly racially motivated incident.

In light of the two incidents, we caught up with Rajesh Rai, Associate Professor and Head of the South Asian Studies Programme, National University of Singapore. A celebrated scholar in the field of Indian Diaspora and Heritage studies, Rai has authored and edited several major works including: Indians in Singapore, 1819-1945: Diaspora in the Colonial Port City. He was also assistant editor of the Encyclopedia of the Indian Diaspora, a highly acclaimed volume that has gained global recognition for its path-breaking contribution to Indian diaspora studies.

In an exclusive interview with Connected to India, Rai provides a big-picture historical and economic perspective to incidents of alleged racism in Singapore and why third-generation Singaporeans such as him are keen to push back against anything that is testing the multicultural way of life in the cosmopolitan city. Edited excerpts:

Connected to India (C to I): Do you think these two incidents are, in a way, a by-product of the accumulation of racial tensions building up over time?

Rajesh Rai: I do think that they are an accumulation. What's changed is perhaps what was relatively covert is now becoming quite overt. And so you're beginning to see incidents like this, more commonly in Singapore, which for long really seemed, at least in the eyes of the world, to relatively be a place where racism didn't weigh so strongly. That's not to suggest that there were no undercurrents. As a person who has grown up here, I think the longstanding undercurrents were there. But certain changes have taken place, perhaps from the 2000s onwards. Going into the contemporary times and then added by COVID, the situation has changed from a more introverted form of racism into a more extroverted variant of it.

C to I: Could you please give us a brief historical context to the evolution of tensions against the Indian Diaspora? Is it being exaggerated with social media amplification?

Rajesh Rai: At one level, xenophobia towards new migrants from India has increasingly become strident. The line between xenophobia and racism is a thin one. The growing racism is being represented on social media. The attack on the lady was one instance. This couple being singled out for the interracial connection is another. We hear about people being told to get out of the country on buses, on the mass rapid transit system, and so on and so forth.

I mean, you just need to go onto a few sites, and you will see this being amplified. Perhaps in the past, those avenues were not available. People seem to be fundamentally far more irresponsible on social media, but that's the nature of the online medium.

C to I: The world has always perceived Singapore as a great melting pot of religions and faiths and races. And now that the government is also kind of out to protect that perception

Rajesh Rai: Well, I think the government has this on their radar. Theyve also come out strongly against this issue before the Law Minister. When the issue was raised about banning all Indians from coming into Singapore in COVID times another minister took pains to emphasise that it was about a geographical location where theres a spread of the virus and not about Indians per se. I think the government on its part is very concerned about race, as it always has been.

This is a country that has seen racist incidents historically. Early on in its birth, you will find racial riots that did take place, serious ones. For example, in 1964, riots occurred between Malays and Chinese just prior to Singapores independence in 1965.

But since our independence, we've generally kept the line that says that you are a Singaporean regardless of race, language or religion. It's really very in-built within our system. Since independence, we've not seen much in the way of racial riots or attacks and the state has been very strict about policing. This is something that they're keeping a watchful eye on.

A celebrated scholar in the field of Indian Diaspora and Heritage studies, Rai has authored and edited several major works including: Indians in Singapore, 1819-1945: Diaspora in the Colonial Port City. He was also assistant editor of the Encyclopaedia of the Indian Diaspora, a highly acclaimed volume that has gained global recognition for its path-breaking contribution to Indian diaspora studies.

C to I: Could you elaborate upon the evolution of these interracial tensions?

Rajesh Rai: This needs a little bit of context. In Singapore when we became independent, Indians comprised about 8 to 9 per cent of the population. We were committed towards multiculturalism. In general, there was a very strong emphasis on merit. And this system was emphasised by the government. So, if you were entering government service you went in on the basis of merit. This principle was followed very strongly within the government. However, one could argue that the same kind of lack of importance of race didn't exist in the same way in the private industry.

So, in the private sector, you found that race still mattered to some extent. There were certain industries that one could say were dominated largely by the majority population. Now, as a Singaporean, when one got socialised, we went to national schools for different races. In some ways we were beginning to deal with our racial issues. So you'll find over time, more inter-marriages in the 70s, perhaps in the 80s. But that's not to suggest that there wasn't racism. This is something that perhaps I grew up with. So at a young age for example in primary school you will find racial remarks being made vis-a-vis Indians. But at the same time, you know, as we went into college, it became less. So in the coffee shop, a person would give it to you and we would give it back to them. And in this way, we managed to in some way sort out our issues and come to some kind of modicum.

Since the mid-to-late 1990s, and especially in the 2000s, you had a situation in which the number of Indian immigrants and expatriates increased. Now, this was for many reasons: The Singapore economy expanded. New MNCs emerged and they would bring in their own skilled personnel and many of them were Indians. It was also boosted to some degree, though not to a great degree, because of the special agreement between Singapore and India called the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement.

And so this began to take the form in some ways of xenophobia towards new migrants. This extended towards the new Chinese immigrants as well. And as you know, the line between xenophobia and racism though is a very thin one.

C to I: How did economic reasons end up fuelling the sentiment?

Rajesh Rai: As I mentioned to you in the private sector, racism continued covertly. There were certain industries that were largely dominated by the Chinese. The financial sector, from the 60s onwards was a domain largely dominated by the Chinese. At many of the major banks, minus the government-connected banks and a few others, there were no Indians of any prominent position. Right, so the only Indian who would be in that sector would be the cleaner for example, or the person who's the watchman, or the guard. Few, if any, of the white-collar jobs were with Indians.

Then in the late 1990s and early 2000s, a slew of Indian immigrants came in with the new MNCs. HSBC, Standard Chartered, all these new players came in and recruited large numbers of Indians in a sector that was dominated by the Chinese. They found that Indians, migrants mostly, but perhaps even some locals, were now taking their place. And so they were being shifted out of a sector which they didn't like and I think it took the form of xenophobia against migrants and began to centre on Indian migrants.

So we can call it majoritarian privilege that existed in Singapore. And then, in the 2000s, or in the 2010s the escalator began to slow down economically. If you went to some of the rich neighbourhoods in Singapore, you would find many of the Indians occupying that space, and in a Chinese parents mind, his child should be having that house, or condominium or that bungalow. And now, it's occupied by this group which perhaps historically was connected to labour. It's not the Caucasian taking the bungalow. It's the Indian who's taking the bungalow.

The new-found economic status has fuelled the feelings of xenophobia, especially in the context of an economy that is perhaps not growing at the pace that it used to in the 70s and in the 80s.

C to I: But the sentiment against migrants is a global phenomenon that the likes of Donald Trump fanned Europe has imposed many more curbs. Worldwide, since the world economy is not doing well. So, Singapore is not alone in that sense is it?

Rajesh Rai: Yes, it's not alone. The point is, there are some differences. Here, from the very outset, the so-called claimants of the land are in question. Who does the country belong to? This was from its birth, a multicultural country. Nobody can say that this is mine and this is not yours. We were all outsiders until the British that created this outpost. If anything it is the Malay community that has some claim on this land of indigenitySo there was no such claim, which makes it different. And you know, although we are a very young nation, we are a very old multicultural society. People sometimes forget that we are a 200-year-old multicultural society. In that sense, perhaps, we were multicultural before Europe, or the Americas, or Australia became multicultural. So in that sense we are different.

C to I: The government has its concerns but I guess the civil society also realises the importance of the ethos of multiculturalism in Singapore. Are there people making efforts in this direction?

Rajesh Rai: In Singapore, we have traditionally dealt with our issues, one would say far less loudly than they usually do in India or in many other countries. In general, civil society in Singapore has not developed very much, in part because the government was often seen as the group that will do the little cleaning. Now, the point is though, the government was quiet and perhaps in the 60s, 70s, 80s, may have not taken action against the covert racism that may have existed.

And so it left it at that, so long as it didn't become overt. When it became overt, then the State would come in. Now the bad side of this was in general, although we have laws against racism in place, I'm hard-pressed to think of an NGO focused on the issue of race. We have organisations for gender equality. We have quite a lively Pink Dot movement that is concerned about LGBTQ rights. But we have hardly anything in the way of race. Perhaps they thought not talking too much about it will sustain it in a covert fashion and over time, Singapore will be able to solve the problem without shouting it out. I think people are recognising that perhaps this is not enough, that perhaps it doesn't go away. And one would argue that over the last five to 10 years, it has become worse.

C to I: So maybe it is time to kind of invoke the original vision of Lee Kuan Yew

Rajesh Rai: This is not to suggest again that in Mr. Lee's time it did not exist. The government is still committed to that vision. The thing is, when Mr Lee Kuan Yew decided to do something it came down as a sledgehammer and so people would be too worried to be able to show that overtly. I am not sure our citizenry, as democracy have evolved and social media developed, has that kind of fear of the government, as it used to be. This is certainly not a negative development, but it can sometimes have negative consequences.

C to I: So, is the discipline that was a trademark of Singaporean society a thing of the past? Hasnt it helped you contain Corona so well

Rajesh Rai: No, I think we still have a relatively disciplined population. You know we have, surprisingly perhaps, 35 deaths from Corona. I think part of this is about the government and its initiatives, but without a disciplined population, it wouldnt have been possible. Still I sometimes think Singapore has taken in a lot of immigrants. Yes, they are from India, but they also come from China in larger numbers than Indians. Now, I am wondering whether some of this is also about new migrants from China who perhaps, also carry racism with them in this new setting. I won't just blame the whole diaspora Singaporean Chinese born here for this. I think that there is a new Chinese migrant population as well. And I'm wondering whether they too are adding to the sentiments vis-a-vis Indians, because they are socialised within the Chinese context and not so clear about multiculturalism as we have been.

Thirdly, I think it is something that requires a bit more work. Singapore generally tries to sustain the ethnic balance when it comes to taking in migrants. So if there's 70% Chinese, there should be eight to 10% Indians, and so on and so forth. The problem is this: local Chinese are not having many children nor are the local Indians. Now, if you want to maintain the ethnic balance you need to get migrants from China. But it's not easy to get top-skilled migrants from China anymore. Because they prefer to stay in China. They may not want to relocate. So you end up getting semi-skilled workers. On the other hand, Singapore is still a top destination for very talented Indians with high incomes. So, this may irritate certain segments of the new Chinese diaspora as well. And so I think we might be seeing this play out a little as well.

C to I: Perhaps, we can end on that note with the hope that these incidents of overt racism, stay only aberrations 

Rajesh Rai: Definitely, we can hope for that and we can understand that. I would think that Singapore society is far more resilient and we are all people who feel deeply for these principles. People like me -- third-generation Singaporeans with deep roots here - are very keen to push back against anything that is testing our multicultural way of life, our cosmopolitan city.
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However, this is far from the first time the luxury brand has bastardized  or enhanced, depending on how you view the nuances of the fashion industry  the famously comfortable footwear, dropping a series of other strange crocs, including weirdly high platform clogs. We were inspired by Crocs and we worked with them on a Balenciaga reinterpretation," said Demna Gvasalia, the brand's creative director and Vetements co-founder told French Vogue of the collaboration in 2017. Balenciaga x Crocs isnt impossible, the question of taste is a very subjective value. Well see if this works in six months time in the stores.

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Although Gvasalia described Crocs as the worlds comfiest shoes during his chat with the French fashion publication, the $850 platforms are far from Balenciaga's only collab with an erm, unconventional footwear brand. The fashion house also paired up with Vibram  a.k.a the company that makes those weird toe sock boots your hippie friend claims is the best for running despite looking absolutely bizarre  to create a collection of aggressively toed high heels.

So folks, if you're ever wondering how to class up your crocs or weird toe-y running shoes, Balenciaga has got you covered. Fashion.

For more internet nonsense, follow Carly on Instagram @HuntressThompson_ on TikTok as @HuntressThompson_, and on Twitter @TennesAnyone.
Bad news for Matt Gaetz  it seems the controversy-embroiled Florida Representative's alleged aspirations to work for Newsmax, the notoriously incredible (as in not credible) media outlet have officially been thwarted  according to Reuters, it seems the company wants absolutely nothing to do with him, publicly stating they have no plans to hire the lawmaker.

Earlier this year, Gaetz found himself in hot water after several reports emerged claiming that officials were investigating whether or not he had sex with an underage girl. Although he has not faced any charges and continually denies the allegations against him, it seems the Floridian may have been looking for a way out of politics, allegedly reaching out to the outlet about employment opportunities around the time the story broke, according to a source at the publication. Earlier this year, [Gaetz] reached out and said he might leave Congress early and was interested in TV work, said an anonymous source allegedly familiar with the topic.

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While according to the source, the discussion was just a conversation, with the outlet reportedly never telling the Representative they were interested in hiring him, much to the politician's likely chagrin, it seems working for the outlet may remain a pipe dream for the foreseeable future. Earlier this week, a brand representative blatantly denied their involvement with him. "Newsmax has had no plans to hire Rep. Gaetz," company spokesperson, Brian Peterson, told Reuters.

Can't win 'em, all!

For more internet nonsense, follow Carly on Instagram @HuntressThompson_ on TikTok as @HuntressThompson_, and on Twitter @TennesAnyone.
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Crossville, TN (38555)

Today

Some clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low near 65F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Some clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low near 65F. Winds light and variable.
We hear Bible verses quoted at church from a young age. Maybe we read the Bible with our family or do Bible devotions ourselves. Did you ever wonder about the origin of the large collection of writing in the Bible? Who wrote down the history, poetry, and Gospels in ancient times? The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, first found by a teenage shepherd boy in 1947, answered many of those questions.

Finding the Dead Sea Scrolls was a profound archeological and spiritual discovery. Texts from all but one of the books of the Bible were found in Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic languages. The material containing the scrolls was carbon dated by scientists and aged at about 2000 years old, 1000 years older than previously found copies of Scripture. The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls lent credence to the authenticity of the Bible

Having copies of Scripture dating that far back in timesome recorded before the life of Jesus and closer to times of Old Testament history than earlier copies of Scripturesupports Christians belief that the Holy Bible is a genuine account of and set of instructions for Gods people on earth. These ancient Scriptures are a foundation of the Bible Christians use today as a guide to living the Christian life.

What Are the Dead Sea Scrolls?

Archeologists determined that a monastic community of Jewish aesthetics called the Essenes worked as scribes to record older texts in the collection known as the Dead Sea Scrolls. This group lived under a strict moral and behavioral code and worked to record the Bible texts as their mission. The Essenes lived in caves in Israels mountains. Scrolls with Scripture and other documents were found near the Essenes living quarters.

Joseph L. Trafton's study of the Dead Seas Scrolls determined that the Essene community was governed by rigorous entrance procedures, a detailed code of conduct, and a strict organizational hierarchy under the leadership of priests. The Essenes lived in a communal lifestyle with shared property and work. They studied the Torah and met to discuss community matters and practice ceremonies. Worship, including a sacred meal, was an important part of their lives. From archeological evidence of a great fire and Roman arrowheads and coins, it appears the Essene culture disappeared during the Jewish Revolt in 66 to 70 CE (Common Era). The Essenes were most likely vanquished by Roman forces.

A third of the material on the scrolls is biblical, with sections of every book of the Bible except Esther. There is a 24-foot-long scroll of Isaiah. Psalms and Deuteronomy are also nearly complete in the scrolls. Not coincidentally, these three books of the Bible are those most often quoted in the New Testament. The scrolls also contain thousands of smaller fragments of books of the Bible and are compiled from over 900 documents written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek.

How Were the Dead Sea Scrolls Discovered?

The first Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered by a teenage, Bedouin boy tending sheep and goats near the town of Qumran on the shores of the Dead Sea. The boy left his group of shepherds to search for a lost goat. He threw a rock into a cave and heard pottery shatter. When he went into the cave, he discovered some of what would become known as the Dead Sea Scrolls in jars inside the cave. The archeological site of the Dead Sea Scroll is known today as Khirbet Qumran. The site was first excavated between 1951 and 1956.

Archeological digs in the Essenes former caves produced ten scrolls, in addition to the one found by the Bedouin shepherd, over the next nine years. This large collection of writing became known as the "Dead Sea Scrolls, because the scrolls were found in caves a kilometer or two from the northwest shore of the Dead Sea.

Why Do the Dead Sea Scrolls Play Such a Huge Role in Supporting the Truth of the Bible?

The Dead Sea Scrolls documents are almost identical to those in the Masoretic Text from the Middle Ages, which scholars have used to translate the Bible. Jewish scholars completed the Masoretic text between 500 and 950 CE. Old Testament translations we currently use derive from the scribe work of these Masorete scholars. The Dead Sea Scrolls are estimated to be at least 1000 years older than the Masoretic text, however. Carbon dating of the Dead Sea Scrolls places these works of the Essene community as originating from the last two centuries BCE to the first century CE.

The Dead Sea Scrolls were meticulously copied and stored by the Essene monastic community. Since their discovery, they have been recognized by Bible scholars as to the oldest copies of the Bible available to the world. Their text validates much of the current translations accuracy. The Dead Sea Scrolls have also aided scholars in translating modern versions of the Bible.

Bible literature is a cornerstone of the Christian faith. The Dead Sea Scrolls make more real the Word of God. Although the existence of copies of scripture recorded close to and during actual biblical time may not change anyones faith, it adds a reassuring certainty to the Bibles authenticity. The fact that the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered in the 20th centuryand have been carbon dated by scientists to have originated in the first century CEconnects our Christian world to that of the time of Jesus. The Dead Sea Scrolls have a closer reach back to the time of the Old Testament as well. Archeologists have established what Christians always believed about the Biblethat it is the true word of God.

10 Fun Facts about the Dead Sea Scrolls

1. Essenes living in caves near Qumran, Israel, copied Scripture when Jesus was alive.

2. The archeological site of the Dead Sea Scrolls, called Khirbet Qumran, is in the West Bank of Israel, and the site is managed by Israels Qumran Nation Park.

3. Thousands of fragments of the Dead Sea Scrolls have yet to be pieced together and read.

4. A third of Dead Sea Scrolls contain Bible Scripture; a third contain commentary, and a third contains rules and regulations for the Essene monastic community.

5. Several inkwells and plaster elements that may have been tablets were found when archeologists excavated Khirbet Qumran.

6. Section of the Dead Sea Scrolls describes ritual washing of Jewish people, which may explain how baptism emerged as a Christian church sacrament.

7. The Dead Sea Scrolls contain expectations for Gods Messiahsone a warrior king, one a priest, and one a prophet.

8. The Dead Sea Scrolls explain the context of New Testament Scripture, especially Johns Gospel.

9. The Dead Sea Scrolls contain thirteen liturgical songs, one for each Sabbath in the first quarter of the year.

10. The Dead Sea Scrolls are owned by Israel and housed in the Shrine of the Book at the Israel Museum. Pieces of the scrolls collection occasionally travel as an exhibit. The Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit was at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science in 2018 and the Royal Ontario Museum in 2009.

The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever. Isaiah 40:8

Photo credit: GettyImages/VladimirZapletin

Betty Dunn hopes her articles in Crosswalk.com help you hold hands with God, a theme in her self-published novel Medusa. A former high school English teacher and editor, she is working on new writing projects from her home in West Michigan, where she enjoys woods, water, pets, and family. Check out her blog at Betty Dunn and her website, www.elizabethdunning-wix.com
"You shall have no other gods before me." Exodus 20:3

God's Word leads us to the full life Christ died for us to live. The Ten Commandments are guardrails for our modern-day lives. We no longer live in the Old Testament church, where animal sacrifices upon altars were required for breaking God's laws. Today, we live under the new covenant, ushered in by Christ Jesus and His sacrifice on the cross to forgive our multitude of sins. We cannot follow the Ten Commandments through our own sheer will but can aim to through the power of the Holy Spirit given to us at salvation. Still, we will never hit the mark of perfection as Christ did. He loved the Father with His whole heart, soul, and mind. Thankfully, perfection is not required of us.

What Does it Mean to Have No Other Gods before Our God?

"Jesus replied: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and the greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'" Matthew 22:37-39

In ancient times, and in some places and people groups around the globe today, people worship a variety of gods. God clearly stated, "I am," and commands His people to worship Him alone. "No deity, real or imagined, is to rival the one true God in Israel's heart and life" (NIV Study Bible). Worshipping other gods gives a false sense of security from a source other than God, who is everywhere, all-powerful, and all-knowing. "The Hebrew, often translated as 'besides me' or 'before me,' means 'in my presence," J.D. Greear wrote. "The point is that nothing else can qualify as god in your life. The true God is not only to be number one but the only one."

Other gods can also constitute things we place higher than God in our lives. The Bible defines these as idols, and they can be anything from money and possessions to food and working out or people and relationships. Anything or anyone we place above God is another god. As Christians, we are a "chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation" ( 1 Peter 2:9). Kevin DeYoung explains, "We are God's people, set apart to live according to his ways." His ways are not our ways. Our tendencies are to cave to the cravings of our flesh and fall prey to the thinking they will give us the comfort and happiness we need. God is faithful to bless us in this life, but there is no blessing bigger and more important than the source of the blessing. Our marriages, best friends, jobs, houses, habits, and hobbies all take a backseat to the One who numbers our days.

Why Is it Important That This Is the First Commandment?

"For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people."

God's laws are for our own good. He is a loving Father who provides rules, boundaries, and discipline for His children as any good parent/caregiver does. We don't earn or keep our salvation by following God's rules. Obedience is a heart issue, which expresses our faith and trust in the Lord by instilling limits in our lives. He has our best interest in mind. "Though Christians do not believe achieving the law is demanded for salvation, they still see the Ten Commandments as the establishment of God's moral law," Bible Study Tools explains. "Jesus called people to an even higher standard by obeying the commandments not only in their behavior but also in their hearts and minds."

When we take the time to be with God each day through prayer, worship, and the Word, we get to know Him better. We're not promised an understanding of all of the ways of God, but the deeper our relationship is with Him, the more we trust and obey. "God's timing in waiting until the third month to give the commandments was no coincidence," Jennifer Waddle writes. "He had already proven Himself as their Deliverer and Provider and it was time to test their faith and reveal His divine standards for them." God's people knew then He who He was to them: their Provider and Deliverer. He is unchanging. He's still our Provider and Deliverer today, and so much more.

What Other Gods Might the Israelites Have Been Tempted By?

"When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said, 'Come, make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don't know what has happened to him.'" Exodus 32:1

God's people struggled with faithfulness to Him. In their fickleness, impatience, and lack of faith, they quickly turned to the temptation to worship as other nations did. This time, it was by creating a golden calf representing Baal to worship. But over time, Scripture mentions others gods they worshipped, too: Molek, Chemosh, Dagon, Asherah, and more. "In ancient times, this law steered people away from the many false gods worshipped by various cultures," Dolores Smyth explains. God's people were surrounded by other nations who worshipped other gods. I imagine, much like we compare ourselves to others who live different lifestyles today, God's ancient people often wondered what life would be like if they worshiped other gods. It's a temptation they often fell into and angered God with.

What Other Gods Might Christians Be Tempted to Bow Down to Today?

"Jesus said to him, 'Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.'" Matthew 4:10

Before we are tempted to think of God's ancient people in a bad light, we have to realize that the devil tempted even Jesus to worship other gods! In the modern, new covenant age we live in, we are tempted every day to look outside of the providence and provision of God for something the world promises to give us. In fact, the world will always tempt us to believe we are entitled to certain things, such as amenities and circumstances. When we genuinely seek to obey it with all our hearts, the first commandment guards us against falling for those lies. "In Modern times," Dolores Smyth wrote, "this Commandment is a warning against elevating money or other worldly things to god-like status in our lives." We could include social media, the Internet, shopping, coffee, or even our gym memberships. Anything we are tempted to find happiness and peace in other than God is a lie that will end up failing us.

"Outside of Christ, we are only wretched," Jon Bloom wrote. "But in Christ, united to him, we are completely forgiven of our constant failure to keep them and his constant and perfect keeping of them is credited to us." Jesus died for us, knowing we would not only be tempted by these things but fall prey to them, too. Sometimes, we dive right in without much convincing or swaying. The hope of Christ Jesus assures us forgiveness when we turn from those idols and other gods- no matter how deep we're in - and come back to the Lord, who is our all in all. The first commandment addresses a very human struggle, unavoidable even to the most faithful. Following this commandment perfectly is not God's goal. He knows we can't do that. He is much more concerned with our hearts and our trust in and obedience to Him. The Holy Spirit will convict us when we're falling off the rails, and when we're repentant to turn back to Jesus, over and over again, He welcomes us and washes us with living water, again and again.

A Prayer to Have No Other Gods before God

Abba, Father.

You are the best Father to us. Yahweh, You are the path to peace, hope, and grace. Christ Jesus, Messiah, we come to the Father through You alone, by Your sacrifice to forgive our sins. Holy Spirit, You convict and counsel us when we fall away and stray from the guardrails intended to help us live our lives to the full. Help us to cling to this commandment, to love You alone, God. May our lives bring glory to You, today and always. Help us to grow a love for Your Word that inspires us to come to You daily through it, Father. You tell us to pray about everything. Let us take Your wisdom into every day of our lives and let it fill our hearts to the brim. We pray to saturate our minds with Your wisdom so that we follow it in our daily lives, Father.

In Jesus' Name,

Amen.

God has our best interest in mind. He loves us so much He sacrificed His one and only Son Jesus on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins. He saved us from ourselves before we saw our first fleck of sunlight. He knit us in our mother's womb with such care, gifted us with talents, and gave each of us a unique purpose on this earth no one else can accomplish. Our God loves us wholly, perfectly, and completely. In Him, we find peace and happiness, hope and comfort, encouragement and love. The true gauge of our lives is measured only by the Father, through our relationship with God through Christ Jesus. He alone knows our hearts.

NIV Study Bible, Copyright  1985, 1995, 2002, 2008, 2011 by Zondervan.

Photo credit: GettyImages/Tuned_In
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Wildfires devoured 625,000 acres in Colorado last year  more action on climate is needed from Gov. Polis and the Legislature.
BRIDGEPORT  Have some ideas how the city should spend its share of the latest round of federal coronavirus relief?

The City Council on Monday formally accepted the $110 million allotted Connecticuts largest city as part of the $1.9 trillion coronavirus rescue package the U.S. Congress and President Joe Biden approved earlier this year.

And while members of Bridgeports legislative body already have some ideas on what to do with the funds, a public hearing has been scheduled for 6 p.m. June 15, via teleconference to get more proposals.

With the spirit of the ARP (American Rescue Plan) they (the federal government) want community input and opinions about how it could be, should be spent, Councilman Scott Burns, a budget committee co-chairman, said Tuesday. Everybody sees all that money and they get their own ideas.

Individuals can also complete a just-launched survey at bridgeportct.gov/arp.

The U.S. Department of Treasury has been working on finalizing criteria for municipalities to follow. Using those guidelines, the council on Monday also established a fairly broad outline of goals.

Only $41 million of the ARP money is immediately available to Bridgeport, with the balance coming over the next two years.

The council voted to set aside $5 million of that $41 million to make up for revenues  park fees, building permits, etc.  Bridgeport lost because of the health/safety rules aimed at stopping the illness spread last year. Burns said the remaining $36 million will be split between two currently very broad categories: Community needs and infrastructure.

Thats why were waiting to hear from the community, Burns said.

His co-chairman, Councilman Ernie Newton, hoped in particular that several non-profit organizations would step forward with requests for dollars.

Theyre really the boots on the ground, Newton said Tuesday. I want to make sure that the money gets to the individuals that are at the lower level, doing the work.

Finance Director Ken Flatto in late May told the budget committee that only certain types of infrastructure work, more specifically wireless broadband, sewer/storm water needs and home weatherization/lead removal work, would qualify under the U.S. Treasury Departments guidelines.

And Nestor Nkwo, the budget director, had told committee members at the time that Mayor Joe Ganim was particularly interested in investing in broadband technology given all of the challenges households faced in educating their children from home, online, when the schools were shuttered due to COVID-19.

I think were all gung-ho on the broadband, Burns said Tuesday.

The council on Monday also signaled it will take advantage of another allowance in the ARP to issue premium pay to for-now-unspecified municipal employees who had to report in-person during the pandemic rather than work from home.

Those are the people who sacrificed, Councilwoman Jeanette Herron, a vocal proponent of the premium pay initiative, said Tuesday.

The federal rules allow for up to $13 per hour in additional wages, not to exceed $25,000 per employee.

It doesnt mean we have to do $13 an hour, Herron said. Anything is better than nothing. I just want employees to know theyre appreciated and if this funding is available it should be entitled to them.

Burns said given that police and fire personnel already receive overtime per contract, it was more likely the extra wages would be geared toward non-emergency staff.

That was the hope of one of Bridgeports largest municipal unions  the National Association of Government Employees  which in a letter to the council, Ganim and Schools Superintendent Michael Testani urged those officials to provide the premium pay.

NAGE Local R1-200 represents more than 700 workers employed by the city and its Board of Education, many of whom ... performed and now perform functions essential to the citys and the citys schools continued operation during the COVID crisis but have not been recognized or compensated for their contributions as essential workers, union executives wrote. This is true despite the fact that these workers have faced and now face the same or similar risks faced by other essential workers that have been recognized by the city.
With one day left in the 2021 legislative session, the state House of Representatives adopted a two-year, $46 billion budget just after midnight that uses $1.75 billion in federal stimulus dollars to avoid tax increases and spending cuts.

The taxing and spending plan passed in a 116-31 tally that included 22 Republican votes, among them GOP leader Vincent Candelora, R-North Branford. No Democrats voted against it even though it does not include the sweeping reforms many in the party had hoped to see.

The budget delivers added money to cities and towns and nonprofit social service providers, with no significant state program cuts. It now goes to the Senate, where passage before Wednesdays midnight deadline is a certainty, then to Gov. Ned Lamont, who will sign it into law.

Leaders hailed the budgets bipartisan support, a rarity in recent years. Opponents in the GOP  and some liberal Democrats  warned that when the federal money runs out in two years, Connecticut will be right back where it has been for most of the last two decades: facing a fiscal crisis.

Debate began in the House of Representatives after 9 p.m. and took less than three hours.

Majority Leader Jason Rojas, D-East Hartford, closed the debate by reminding the House of the death and economic chaos of the pandemic, which pointed to a massive hole in the state budget in the spring of 2020.

But a year later, today, there is hope for a brighter future. Our states economy has continued to regain its footing and expand, Rojas said.

Although the budget itself doesnt raise taxes, earlier Tuesday the House adopted a highway use tax on heavy tractor trailer trucks, with no Republican votes. That measure, which later passed in a divided Senate, is expected to raise $90 million a year for transportation improvements although the trucking industry argues that the revenue will fall short as out-of-state shippers avoid the payments.

In another non-budget vote Tuesday, the House adopted a controversial measure to expand HUSKY Medicaid coverage to children 8 and under who are undocumented immigrants, and to immigrant mothers.

Despute the differences that weve had, Rojas said, there is a spirit of collaboration that exists.

Candelora had said he was still undecided late Tuesday afternoon on whether he would vote to approve the budget, which allocates $22.7 billion in the fiscal year that starts July 1 and $23.6 billion in fiscal 2023.

Theres a lot of good in that budget, not just the fact that theres no tax increases, but theres money for our private providers, for our nursing homes, for initiatives that our party has also supported, Candelora said. On the other hand, it does create a cliff. It does put money into some areas that we dont support. Theres earmarks and pork again, so its going to be balancing act.

In his closing remarks, he said, It truly is sort of a tale of two cities. The glass is half full and half empty.

Progressive Democrats largely did not secure support for their budget proposal, which included tax hikes on the wealthy and a $600-per-child credit. They wanted to go further than the proposed federal stimulus spending to address the problems of urban poverty and lack of opportunity  repeating a phrase coined by Sen. Gary Winfield, D-New Haven, throughout the debate: Equity requires revenue.

But they were met with a resistant Lamont, who opposed increasing taxes on the wealthy at a time when many rich New Yorkers are deciding to move to Connecticut. Lamonts oft-repeated phrase was that the state should embrace more taxpayers, not higher taxes.

The budget does, however, include an increase in the states earned income tax credit, raising it to 30.5 percent of the federal EITC, from 23 percent.

Despite the pandemic, Connecticuts tax revenue was boosted over the past year by a surge in stock prices and a hot real estate market.

The result is a budget that places a big focus on economic growth to get this state moving again and economic opportunity for all of our citizens, with a special focus on those who were hit hardest by COVID and left behind over the last generation, Lamont said Tuesday outside his office in the Capitol.

While the budget is a win for the rich, it also includes better pay and benefits for long-term care workers, who, after risking sickness and death during the pandemic, demanded a pathway to $20 per hour. The workers reached tentative agreements on new contracts that include historic wage increases after threatening to wage large-scale strikes.

Private nonprofit agencies that provide the bulk of social services in the state stand to gain $190 million in new funding  a significant increase that will begin to address more than a decade of under-funding of services for some of the states most vulnerable citizens, Gian Carl Casa, president and CEO of the CT Community Nonprofit Alliance, said in a statement this week.

Cities and towns are also big winners, set to receive at least a $227 million increase in state funding for the fiscal year that starts July 1 over the current year, plus $2.6 billion in federal stimulus money.

Providing a stable funding stream for towns and cities is an important part of the post-pandemic recovery, said Joe DeLong, executive director of the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities, so they are not forced to increase property taxes to raise revenue.

Lamont, whos expected to run for re-election in 2022 on a record of dealmaking, said in a written statement that the House vote marked a success.

That is exactly the outcome the people of our state are looking for: they want our elected officials to work together across the aisle and craft collaborative public policy to the benefit of our residents. We have accomplished that with this historic budget.

Ken Dixon and Dan Haar contributed to this story

julia.bergman@hearstmediact.com Twitter: @JuliaSBergman
Amna Mohamed and her four children, born in Sudan, are learning English in New Haven public schools. Ali is in the fifth grade; Halima and Mostafa are in second grade and kindergarten, respectively. Walid, the youngest, is in preschool.

When COVID-19 pushed school online, the district provided Mohameds children with computers and iPads but couldnt give them the morale or resolve needed to attend and engage with virtual class. Mohamed said the absences began to pile up.

They were stressed and not happy when learning was online, she said in Arabic through a translator. The year was extremely difficult for them. It affected me too as their mother.

As initial crisis settled into habit, Ali stepped up to help siblings log online. The students returned to their school building two days a week in February and four days a week in March, but remote days are still a challenge: Mohamed can only work when the kids are in school or her husband is home on Saturdays, she said.

English learners like the Mohameds were much more likely to miss school during the pandemic than their English-speaking peers, data show. Almost 34 percent of English learners are chronically absent this year so far, according to the most recent state data. About 19 percent of their non-ELL classmates have been chronically absent.

Students are considered chronically absent if they miss 10 percent or more of available school days. All absences, even if theyre excused, contribute to the tally, so that educators can track the total loss of academic and social-emotional learning time.

A report out Wednesday from Attendance Works shows English learners were significantly more likely to be chronically absent than their peers, though differences decreased slightly as the year progressed. The study broke the data down into the fall and winter, and showed that those students had better attendance in-person than online.

About 36 percent of English learners in school districts with predominantly remote learning were chronically absent this fall, compared with 25 percent of their English-speaking peers, state data show.

The report also found chronic absence rates declined between the fall and winter  as time went on, more students showed up for class. That was especially notable since before the pandemic, districts often reported that attendance is highest when school begins, researchers said.

Chronic absence has a wide-ranging impact on student outcomes including lower academic achievement, a higher probability dropping out of high school and worse social emotional outcomes, according to Attendance Works researchers.

Chronic absence measures when a kid has missed so much instruction that theyre academically at risk, said Hedy Chang, the executive director and president of Attendance Works. Its a leading indicator and a contributor to educational disparities.

In other words, chronic absenteeism both exposes and creates challenges in childrens lives and education.

Before the school closures, about 17 percent of English learners were chronically absent during the 2019-20 school year, compared with 12 percent of non-English learners, according to state data.

Interviews with families and experts revealed several reasons for this years spike. Some students had increased responsibilities, from caring for younger siblings or sick family members to working to support the family financially. Others had trouble with computer or internet access, or had working parents who werent present during the day. Families have also expressed concerns about privacy and surveillance with online instruction.

In Bridgeport, Nohelia Sanchezs son found adjusting to a new country a challenge.

In the beginning, it was a cultural shock for him, she said in Spanish. He felt like he didnt want to go to school because he didnt understand the language.

He transferred just before the pandemic hit to the Cesar A. Batalla School. About half of the students at Batalla are English language learners, according to district enrollment data.

The pandemic, and particularly remote learning, made the language barrier a greater issue for the newly emigrated Sanchez family, who was still in the process of connecting with the school after moving here from Colombia.

The computer was in English, the Wi-Fi  everything, she said. And mind you, we just arrived to the states.

Sanchez and her husband had to work, so they couldnt always supervise their fourth grader in remote classes. They later discovered that their young son was distracted playing online games during class, Sanchez said.

Chang from Attendance Works and one of her co-authors Kevin Gee, a UC Davis researcher, applauded Connecticut for the standardization, level of detail and speed of collection and publication of its attendance data. The education department has been collecting data from districts monthly, as opposed to when the school year wraps. That put the state in a unique position, they said, to use the figures as diagnostic tools of targeted support.

When we dont look at data until after the school year ends, its an autopsy, said Chang. It doesnt help prevent chronic absence or academic failure.

Gee added that the data can be used to make informed decisions as districts head into the fall.

Investments need to be made in targeted outreach, said Gee. That needs to start now.

At an online event this week, Charlene Russell-Tucker, acting commissioner of the Connecticut State Department of Education, cited past and present state investments in devices and connectivity, summer enrichment and a learner engagement and attendance program with more than a $10 million price tag.

We can literally put supports on the ground, in districts, using the (chronic absentee) data, she said. We have folks who are able to go knock on doors if necessary to reconnect families and find out what the needs are.
Getty Images / Contributed

A Las Vegas man pleaded guilty Tuesday to his role in submitting false documents to a Connecticut immigration agency to try to withdraw or cancel pending applications for two individuals, federal prosecutors said.

Arash Vakhshouri, 42, pleaded guilty in front of Judge Janet Bond Arterton via video conference to submitting false documents to a government agency .
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP)  U.S. Rep. Val Demings launched a bid for the U.S. Senate on Wednesday, raising hope among Democrats of ousting Florida's Republican Sen. Marco Rubio from the evenly divided chamber.

With the Senate now split 50-50 between Democrats and Republicans, the Florida race will undoubtedly be among the nation's most high profile and expensive battles next year.

The Orlando congresswoman used a video on social media to begin introducing herself to a wider audience. In the video, Demings showcases her rise from a working-class background to become the police chief of one of Floridas largest cities before ascending to the U.S. Congress.

When you grow up in the South, poor, Black and female, you have to have faith and progress and opportunity, she says in her video.

Demings was on the short list of potential running mates for now-President Joe Biden after helping lead the first impeachment against then-President Donald Trump.

Some Florida Democrats had hoped that Demings would instead take on Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is banking on reelection next year to help propel him for a possible run for the presidency in 2024.

In her Senate announcement video, Demings takes aim at Trump, calling him a lawless president. Then she takes aim at Rubio.

There are some in Washington who prefer the same old tired ways of doing business, she says, too tired to fight the efforts to suppress the peoples vote. They fall back to tired talking points and backwards solutions.

Rubio hit back Wednesday, calling Demings, who was first elected to Congress in 2016, a far left extremist" with an undistinguished legislative record.

Look, I've always known that my opponent for the Senate was going to be a far left liberal Democrat. Today we just found out which one of them Chuck Schumers picked, Rubio says in a video, referring to the top Democrat in the Senate. He called her a do-nothing member of the U.S. House.

That's an argument Democrats have also made in the Senate against Rubio, who they charge has been more focused on pursuing political ambition, not accomplishment. Rubio announced he would not run for reelection six years ago to make a bid for the White House in 2016 but abandoned that effort after getting little traction.

To face off with Rubio in November 2022, Demings would have to first win the Democratic primary. It remains to be seen if any other Democratic heavy hitters will get into the race.

As it became clearer that Demings was preparing a Senate campaign, U.S. Rep. Stephanie Murphy, another Orlando Democrat, announced late last month that she would not be seeking the post.

Former U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson is again hoping for a chance to go head-to-head against Rubio after failing in 2016 to advance through the Democratic primary. Miami City Commissioner Ken Russell announced last week that he is pursuing a bid, and Albert Fox Jr., who has espoused reestablishing stronger relations with Cuba, is considering a run.

If Demings wins the race, she would become only the third Black woman to serve in the Senate, after fellow Democrats Carol Moseley Braun of Illinois, in the 1990s, and Kamala Harris of California, before she became Biden's vice president.

Despite her law enforcement background, Republicans have attempted to tie Demings to activists calling for greater scrutiny on how police operate. Demings has forcefully pushed back by highlighting her 27 years as a law officer. Demings is married to Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings, also a former Orlando police chief.

Already, Rubio is attempting to brand Demings as a socialist  a playbook that Republicans have used with much success in Florida, which has a significant population of voters whose families fled Cuba and other Latin American countries with a history of repressive leaders.

Desperate people will do and say desperate things," Demings told the Orlando Sentinel in an interview ahead of her campaign launch, "and I dont blame Rubio and the GOP for being very concerned about me running for the United States Senate against Marco Rubio.
STRATFORD  Bunnell High School students were dismissed early Wednesday morning after a student was taken to the hospital for a self-inflicted knife wound, officials said.

In a prepared statement Wednesday afternoon, Stratford Police Capt. Frank Eannotti said the student was listed in stable condition.

The student used a knife to cause the injury to himself, Eannotti said. As a result, the school was temporarily placed in lockdown until officers and medical personnel arrived and the student was transported to a local hospital for treatment.

The student will not be identified because of his age, Eannotti said.

As a result of the incident, the school was dismissed at 9 a.m.

This was an isolated incident of self-harm and no other students were harmed, Eannotti said.

In an email to families Wednesday afternoon, Schools Superintendent Janet Robinson said no other students were in danger.

Due to the seriousness of this incident, counselors have been available to speak with both students and staff, Robinson said.

In a statement sent to students and families Wednesday, Bunnell Principal Nancy Dowling said the school will have half-days Thursday and Friday, dismissing at 11:15 a.m.

We appreciate the support of the Stratford Police Department, and we continue to work closely with them for the continued safety of our students, Dowling said. We understand that this can be very disturbing for students and staff.

She said the school will remain open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday with teams of counselors available for students and parents.

Virtual TeleHealth would be offered through Stratford Community Services from 2 to 8 p.m. at 203-385-4095, and after 8 p.m., anyone seeking support can call 211.

After-school activities have been canceled through the end of the week, Dowling said, and school officials will send more information to families regarding the rescheduling of end-of-year events.

Graduation is scheduled to proceed as scheduled June 16, the principal said.

As always, I thank you for your unwavering support of and commitment to our students, staff, school, and community, Dowling wrote. At this time, I ask that we all respect the privacy of the students and their families most impacted today.
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Meriden Police / Contributed

MERIDEN  A search of a local mans home earlier this week led authorities to two guns, ammunition, over $280,000 in cash and nearly 400 grams of cocaine, according to police.

The Crime Suppression Unit was doing drug surveillance in the area of North and South avenues on Monday when they saw a vehicle leave a driveway in the 50 block of South Avenue. Police described the area as a known location for drug activity.
BUCARAMANGA, Colombia (AP)  An international monitoring group on Wednesday accused police officers in Colombia of responsibility for the deaths of 20 people and other violent actions against protesters during recent unrest, including sexual abuse, beatings and arbitrary detentions.

Human Rights Watch in a report said it has credible evidence indicating police killed at least 16 protesters or bystanders with live ammunition fired from firearms, while three other people died when police used nonlethal weapons. The report said another person died after being beaten repeatedly.

These brutal abuses are not isolated incidents by rogue officers, but rather the result of systemic shortcomings of the Colombian police, Jose Miguel Vivanco, the group's director for the Americas, said in a statement. Comprehensive reform that clearly separates the police from the military and ensures adequate oversight and accountability is needed to ensure that these violations dont occur again.

The report portrays more widespread violence than Colombian authorities have acknowledged. It says Human Rights Watch has received credible information of a total of 68 deaths during the protests, 34 of which it was able to confirm, including two police officers.

Colombia's government has reported 18 deaths related to the protests and says an additional nine are under investigation. The country's human rights ombudsman, meanwhile, reported late Monday that it had confirmed 58 deaths related to the protests.

Thousands of Colombians have turned out across the country for mostly peaceful protests against the administration of President Ivan Duque. The protests started over proposed tax increases on public services, fuel, wages and pensions, but it has morphed into a general demand for the government to do more for the most vulnerable in society, such as Indigenous and Afro-Latino people.

The administration withdrew the tax proposal just days after the protests began, but the unrest has continued and grown as reports emerged of police violence, deaths and disappearances.

Human Rights Watch said its investigation into police response to the nationwide protests that began April 28 found that the majority of fatal victims suffered injuries to vital organs, including head and chest, which experts said are consistent with being caused with the intent to kill.

The report says that among those killed by police was Kevin Agudelo, who died during a demonstration May 3 in Cali, a city in southwestern Colombia that has been the epicenter of the protests. Witnesses said antiriot police fired flash-bang cartridges and teargas when demonstrators blocked cars at a traffic circle, prompting several demonstrators to throw rocks.

One witness said he heard shots that sounded like live ammunition, the report says. He said that Agudelo, who had been hiding behind a post, then ran toward him along with another protester. The witness said he saw a police officer shoot Agudelo from a short distance. The other protester was also injured, he said. Human Rights Watch reviewed three videos that appear consistent with the witnesses accounts, in which Agudelo is seen lying next to the injured protester

TA photo of his body showed wounds to the chest and arms, which the report said forensic experts concluded were consistent with being shot by live ammunition.

Authorities have been slow to investigate the reports of violence, and as of Saturday, only four people had been indicted in connection with two homicides that occurred during the protests. Of the 170 police officers under disciplinary investigation, only two have been suspended, according to Human Rights Watch. Official public data indicates most of these investigations are for abuse of authority and 13 are linked to deaths.

Police have also been accused gender-based and sexual violence. The Ombudsmans Office, an agency in charge of protecting human rights, has reported 14 cases of sexual assault and 71 cases of gender-based violence, including physical and verbal assault.

Police have arrested more than 1,000 people for crimes allegedly committed during the protests, but hundreds of them were released for lack of evidence or due process violations.

The president has said all cases of police abuse will be investigated and duly punished. However, Duque has insisted that they are isolated cases.

Colombia is not a country that violates human rights, we have difficulties, but we face them with justice, presidential counselor for human rights, Nancy Patricia Gutierrez, told reporters Tuesday.

Representatives of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights were in Colombia investigating the alleged human rights violations.

During a news conference Wednesday, Vivanco characterized the U.S. government's reaction to allegations of human rights violations in Colombia as disappointing.

Our impression is that current government officials are unwilling to issue comments or judgments and to condemn these events in clear terms as they would in other countries in the region simply because of the strategic alliance they have with Colombia and specifically with the police, he said.

U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken told lawmakers Monday that the Colombian government has to assure people that they can express their opinion peacefully and called on the police to respect this right.
Summertime is here. For some kids, its time to dust off their lemonade stand. For others, its a chance to make some extra cash with a summer job. Its also an opportunity to put action to their daydreams and attack that business plan theyve been thinking about. Whatever their summer plans entail, Biz Kid$ can help.

Biz Kid$ is a credit union-funded and branded financial education program for young adults, championed by the National Credit Union Foundation. The initiative includes an Emmy award-winning television series, free classroom curriculum, outreach activities, and a resource-rich website.

Biz Kid$ empowers young adults to think differently about their financial futures. A big part of that is encouraging young adults to become entrepreneurs by introducing them to other Biz Kid$ who have built their own successful businesses. It shows kids how to become a young entrepreneur, from brainstorming new ideas, to marketing a product, selling to customers, and making a profit.

Business plan competitions are also a unique way for students to learn the ins and outs of business planning and put their ideas into action. The Foundation has granted funds for credit union organizations to host these in-person competitions in the past. This year, we hosted the first-ever national Biz Kid$ Showcase to encourage the learning and creativity to continue in a virtual world.

Presented in partnership with the Southeastern Credit Union Foundation, the RMJ Foundation, the Illinois Credit Union Foundation and the Credit Union Association of New Mexico, over 100 students completed learning modules focused on creating a business plan, building a brand, and setting a business up for future success. Each participant or team submitted both a business plan and a final showcase project, displaying all of their hard work. Here is a snapshot of the national level winners and their business ideas:

1st Place: GradGenie was created by Yuktha Senthil, a student at Westview High School in San Diego, California. GradGenie is a student social platform with features that promote school resources, as well as giving students a place to share posts and announcements about clubs and organizations. The goal is to help students connect with each other and empower them to make the best of their life as a student.

2nd Place: C Squared Cakes was created by Casey Harrison and Camdon Farmer from New Mexico. C Squared Cakes is a cake business with a mission. For each cake purchased, C Squared Cakes will donate a cake to UNM Hospital to bring joy to a child who may be there during a special occasion.

3rd Place: Safety Calls was created by Trinity Blackwood from Nevada. Safety Calls is a small business that would help connect people with designated drivers. Safety Calls aims to provide those incapable of driving for any reason a safe way to get around.

The entrepreneurial mindset teaches kids to take initiative, solve problems, think critically, and look for opportunities around them. Looking for more resources to share with kids on becoming an entrepreneur? Check out the Biz Kid$ entrepreneurship page. Whatever kids summer plans entail, Biz Kid$ has a collection of free tools, games, and resources to keep them motivated, inspired, and equipped until the school bell rings again.
Cullman, AL (35055)

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The Cyber Revolutions Effects on International Trade

Digital transformation is altering many of the old trading business models and enabled the creation of entirely new ones. Today every international transaction requires a data flow across national borders and some electronic versions of products and services now are competing with physically embodied versions and these changes include the replacements of some jobs by electronics.

Digital technology is wide open to inappropriate use by some governments, commercial operators and by criminals too. This has affected international trade. According to a recent report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, (OECD) trade in counterfeit and pirated goods has risen steadily, and now stands at $509 billion a year. As with previous Industrial Revolutions some governments and corporates are really benefiting.

Historical Perspective

Roughly 13 million slaves were sold between the 15th and the 19th century. Now the interconnectivity that the Internet has created has allowed slave traders more opportunities to understand markets, consumers and the economics, and this is being done on the Dark Web and on Facebook Instagram and Google and Apple Apps. And slavery has increased and today over 40 million peoples are living in some form of modern slavery.

Women and girls comprise 71% of all modern slavery victims and many are sexually exploited.

Children make up 25% and account for 10 millions of all the slaves worldwide.

In almost half of the world's countries, there is no criminal law penalising either slavery or the slave trade.

Modern slavery affects people of every colour, age and gender.

Slavery is big business. Globally slavery generates 116 billion in profit every year, more than one third of which is generated in developed countries, including the European Union.

Another historic feature of international trade was traditional piracy, where pirates attacked and stole from ships, although was reduced by the actions of national governments by the end of the 17th century, leading the pirates to refocus their efforts on the growing smuggling industry. Pirates were largely dependent on attacking ports and settlements and facilitating illegal trade.

Today piracy is still an international crime that directly threatens the lives of seafarers and it strongly impacts maritime activity as well as economic development, although now there is satellite tracking and monitoring of shipping and this has reduced shipping piracy.

There is however, a new form of piracy - Digital Piracy - which emerged in late 1990s, driven by the exponential growth of World Wide Web.

Current examples of digital piracy include using technology to download licensed software, movies and albums and downloading or streaming licensed digital content directly from certain pirating Dark Web sites. All it takes is one supplier to share the content online, and consumers themselves contribute to further sharing, making the content go viral and be reachable globally.

The global damage caused by digital piracy is currently estimated at $ 6.9 billion through commercial fraud, loss of cargo or delay ane online piracy is a real problem that harms the many countries economies, and threatens jobs for significant numbers of middle-class workers and hits some of nation's most creative and innovative companies and entrepreneurs by stealing their ideas and commercial secrets.

However, the next generation of technologies will reshape trade flows and global value chains again. Some advances, like Digital Connectivity, Blockchain, and the Internet of Things (IoT) , will continue to reduce transaction and logistics costs, thereby fueling trade and digital platforms connect buyers and sellers directly, lowering the costs of search, sales time and delivery coordination.

Digital technology has advanced more rapidly than any innovation in our history, reaching around 50 per cent of the world's population in only two decades.

Recently, 2020 Was Named The Year from Hell

Last year began with the virus pandemic, more issues about climate change, serious economic problems for many international businesses and also Brexit for the UK. As Internet users increase in emerging economies the challenges of disinformation, fake news and cyber-attacks were seriously experienced.And so now, in 2021 over half the planets population has Internet access and this is one of the main drives of the Fourth/Fifth Industrial Revolution.

Vast amounts of data will be created and collected than ever before, making policy attempts to protect this data more urgent.

So what is lacking and definitely necessary is for business to create a strong cyber security culture within their organisations.

New technologies like 5G will substantially increase access for both devices and people and this will improve the potential of international trading.

Greater and more convenient broadband at higher speeds will encourage the development and deployment of connected devices and artificial intelligence.

Data borders will continue to be drawn which will have effects on International trading making it legally necessary for internationally trading companies to be more responsible with the data they collect from customers.

Digital technologies will begin to have an even more important impact on the ways in which businesses across the world trade in the coming years. According to a recent report from the World Trade Organisation,

Blockchain, artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things (IoT) could add up to 34 percentage points to trade growth by 2030.

The World Trade Organisation (WTO) has pointed out that key benefits can come about as trading businesses put factors like better route planning. Also, a system like blockchain could reduce the amount of time needed to follow customs rules.

Digital technologies could also have an effect on what is being shipped across the world, opening up new opportunities for exporters.

The director-general of the WTO, said: "From the invention of the wheel, to the railways, to the advent of containerisation, technology has shaped the way we trade. Today, this phenomenon is accelerating as never before.... We are living through an era of unprecedented technological change. Some call it the 4th Industrial Revolution or the New 5th Digital Revolution. But the common theme is clear that this is a New Revolution." He added that the WTO and other bodies have a duty to make this revolution work for everyone, so debates over emerging technologies cannot be shied away from. The WTO chief economist agreed that digital technologies have the power to "transform the world economy more deeply than other technologies have before".

From trade finance to customs clearance, transportation and logistics, trade in goods in many countries remains paper-intensive. But now blockchain is seen by many as an interesting tool to improve the efficiency of trade processes and help move towards paperless trade. The Internet is increasing the sales and decreasing the costs. This is partly because the web advertisements can reach massive numbers of customers all over the world if organisations use the technology well.

AI & Autonomous Ships.

The autonomous ship is also known as crewless watercraft piloted by artificial intelligence (AI) without human interference.Autonomous ships work on artificial intelligence technology and sensors which include lidar, radar, high definition cameras, sonar, and thermal imaging.There is the potential of satellites to enable the free flow of information in countries that simply dont have enough bandwidth, or have central governments or operators that block some social networks like Facebook and Google, et al.

International trade was formerly not possible for many countries. However, with the Internets ability to communicate with investors and customers worldwide, many small countries have been able to expand their businesses and industries worldwide. The maritime shipping world was already making great strides toward making international trade a reality for smaller and smaller businesses when the Internet started making it possible for these businesses to actually utilise these services.

The Internet has not only allowed small companies and isolated countries to do international business, but it has improved the ocean shipping industry. The Internet allows companies to easily communicate with their shipping provider. This one advancement has allowed industries and companies to avoid major delays.

Retail & Shopping

Online shopping has also changed the retail market, with shoppers foregoing a trip to the high street in favour of buying what they need from their computer or phone. It has also opened up the market for local businesses, with the likes of small boutiques now being able to export to an international market. Some businesses now choose to exist solely online, avoiding the costs of rent and retail staff.

The rise of social media, and data capture has meant that businesses potentially know more about their customers than ever before and it allows companies to understand a buyers personality to enable more sales.

New digital technologies Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning can be used to optimise trade shipping routes, manage vessel and truck traffic at ports, and translate e-commerce search queries from one language into other languages and respond with translated inventory.

More than efficiencies gains and better consumer services, AI is also being used to make global trade sustainable.

For example, Google launched Global Fishing Watch in 2016, which is a real-time tool using machine learning to combat illegal fishing by providing a global view of commercial fishing activities based on ship movements and satellite data. It can be used by governments and other organisations to identify suspicious behaviours and develop sustainable policies.

Just a decade ago, building an accurate picture of commercial fishing across the globe would have been impossible.

International Trade Continues To Grow Due To Better Connectivity.

In 2020 the US Trade Representative threatened to impose 25% tariffs on French cheese, champagne and luxury goods, in retaliation for Frances 3% levy on large technology companies, which the US said unfairly targeted American businesses. Recently President Biden has tried to suspend the tariffs, but the office of US Trade has said it still wants to impose tariffs, while France and other countries view digital services and social media as businesses taking revenue from the local operations. They criticise the big tech companies are not paying local taxes and yet are profiting enormously from these markets.

The Internet helps countries find new markets and then helps them monitor their trade history, current role, global position and potential future markets, but of course this also means they are often being monitored and spied on by other organisations and countries. Organisations like Zen Innovations have created an on-line Global Trade Tracker to help countries and organisations monitor their international trade. This helps them collect, manage, disseminate data, statistics and trends in international trade and policy, including customs tariffs, tariff preferences, trade agreements, security measures.

Cyber crime is being carry out by individual criminals, cyber gangs and some of these gangs are funded and controlled by governments, in a way very similar to 17th Century piracy.

In the last decade what is apparent is that some of the larger commercial organisations are more effective at using the technology than many governments. The globalisation of technology is being spearheaded by North America, Western Europe, and Japan.

The United States is a leader in developing important emergent technologies, in response to competitive pressure from China.

Japan, which has demonstrated enormous success in commercialising new technologies, has an economy excessively dependent on exports.

Western Europe has the cultural tradition and a core of excellent research groups to facilitate its leadership in the technology arena.

Trade, like many aspects of human history, is often based on previous commercial activity. As the current revolutions in automation and connectivity take effect, its time for countries and organisations around the world to get up to date - and that is definitely the most urgent current effect of digital technology on international trade.

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City appointments

The Kankakee City Council also approved during its Monday meeting the appointments of Adam Heid as deputy fire chief and Chris Kidwell as deputy police chief.

Heid has been with the Kankakee Fire Department for 19 years and has been an officer for the past seven years.

"He's a very good leader, and I'm happy to have him," said Fire Chief Bryan LaRoche.

Kidwell has been with the Kankakee Police Department for 29 years, was promoted to sergeant in 1996 and to lieutenant in 2000 and has been a deputy director for KAMEG for 12 years.

"I think our officers respect him more than probably any other officer in the department, so I'm glad to have him as deputy chief," Police Chief Robin Passwater said.
Ushering in Another "Golden Five Year" of Lancang-Mekong Cooperation

- Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Foreign Ministers' Meeting Held in Chongqing

2021/06/09

On June 8, 2021, the sixth Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) Foreign Ministers' Meeting was held in Chongqing. State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Myanmar's Foreign Minister U Wunna Maung Lwin co-chaired the meeting attended by Lao Foreign Minister Saleumxay Kommasith, Cambodian Vice Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn, Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai, and Vietnamese Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son. Themed with "Defeat Pandemic in Solidarity and Deliver Post-COVID Development with Joint Efforts", the meeting reviewed the progress of the LMC, concluded experience over the past five years, and charted the course for major cooperation in the next stage.

Wang Yi said, the Lancang and Mekong connect all six countries. The launch of the LMC has been motivated by a river, which brings all the countries together. Over five years, the LMC has set sail and marched forward. We adhere to mutual benefit, and promote fruitful practical cooperation; we take into account the development needs of the six countries and continuously strengthen internal drivers for growth; we uphold openness and inclusiveness, and advance sub-regional peace and development. The LMC has become one of the most dynamic emerging cooperation mechanisms at the sub-region level.

Wang Yi said, since the COVID-19 outbreak, the six Lancang-Mekong countries have earnestly implemented the consensus reached at the third Leaders' Meeting and the fifth Foreign Ministers' Meeting, practiced the Five-Year Plan of Action on Lancang-Mekong Cooperation, and vigorously carried out cooperation to fight the pandemic, jointly boosting economic recovery, deepening people-to-people exchanges, and maintaining high-level development of the LMC. We have set an example for anti-COVID cooperation, broken new grounds for economic growth, upgraded cooperation in water resources, delivered new progress of people's wellbeing, and constructed a new architecture for all-round cooperation.

Wang Yi expressed, the LMC is the new-type sub-regional framework initiated by riparian countries with extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits. Over five years, it has developed rapidly with remarkable outcomes, which can be attributable to four experiences:

First, implement the principle of good-neighborly and friendly cooperation. We uphold the equality of all countries, big or small, strong or weak, promote cooperation through consultations and discussions, increase friendly exchanges, fully accommodate each other's comfort level, attach no political strings, and support each other in pursuing development paths suited to our respective national conditions.

Second, follow the purpose of putting development first. We concentrate on development and cooperation, and establish the "development-first, efficiency-oriented, and project-based" LMC mode, demonstrating the great efficiency with progress made every day and results delivered every year, and creating the coordinated and interconnected development.

Third, stay committed to the principle of win-win cooperation. We uphold openness and inclusiveness, and foster greater synergy and coordinated development efforts between the LMC and the Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy, Greater Mekong Subregion Economic Cooperation Programme and the Mekong River Commission, boosting ASEAN community construction and contributing "LMC Plan" and "LMC Wisdom" for improving regional governance.

Fourth, stay true to the original aspiration of putting people first. We always put people first, and treat their concerns and worries as our own. We promote the cooperation in urgent fields such as education, health, women's welfare, and poverty reduction, and foster a Lancang-Mekong culture of equality, sincerity, mutual assistance and affinity, enabling more people to benefit from the LMC.

Wang Yi emphasized, standing at the new historical point, China will firmly follow President Xi Jinping's diplomatic concept of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness for dealing with our neighbors, share development opportunities and jointly tackle challenges with Mekong countries, striving to build a community with a shared future of Lancang-Mekong Countries. It is suggested focus on the following six aspects:

First, deepen anti-pandemic cooperation. China will continue to provide vaccines and medical supplies to Mekong countries. We should make full use of the LMC Special Fund for Public Health to support the construction of biosafety labs, epidemic monitoring, and prevention and control of cross-border infectious diseases, and strengthen cooperation in traditional medicine.

Second, jointly seek recovery after COVID-19. We should align the LMC with the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, and strengthen cooperation in customs clearance facilitation, production capacity and connectivity, digital economy, and technological innovation. We should leverage the Lancang-Mekong Agricultural Cooperation Center, host the Seminar on Lancang-Mekong Tourism Cities Cooperation Alliance, and Lancang-Mekong Mayors' Culture and Tourism Forum. We should assist the six member countries in recovering economy and improving livelihood through the LMC Special Fund.

Third, expand water resources cooperation. We should host the Second Ministerial Meeting on Lancang-Mekong Water Resources Cooperation, and the Second Lancang-Mekong Water Resources Cooperation Forum, conduct joint studies of flood and drought disaster mitigation, water information monitoring, and changes of the hydrologic conditions, further improving the information sharing platforms. We should establish cooperation in environmental policy dialogue and biodiversity protection, and combat illegal logging and wildlife trafficking.

Fourth, promote pragmatic cooperation at local levels. We should host the local government cooperation forum of LMC member countries, and strengthen cooperation in border trade, cross-border e-commerce, and border economic parks.

Fifth, strengthen people-to-people ties. China stands ready to share poverty alleviation experience with all countries, and support the assistance for rural women, diversified rural economy, and border development. We should strengthen cooperation in such fields as human resource, cultural tourism, media, sports, women and children.

Sixth, improve cooperation mechanisms. We should formulate the Five-Year Plan of Action on Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (2023-2027). China will support Mekong countries to implement more cooperation projects through the LMC Special Fund.

Wang Yi said, looking ahead, China will work with other five countries to adhere to the Lancang-Mekong spirit of "Shared River, Shared Future", deepen good-neighborliness and pragmatic cooperation, build a Lancang-Mekong Economic Development Belt, and continuously build an LMC community with a shared future. In addition, we will jointly boost post-pandemic economic recovery and regional prosperity of all countries along the Lancang-Mekong River, play an active role in forging a higher-level China-ASEAN strategic partnership, and make greater contribution to South-South cooperation and implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, ushering another "Golden Five Year" of the LMC.

All participating foreign ministers speak highly of the speech of Wang Yi, fully confirm fruitful results of the LMC over the past five years, and recognize the vital role of the mechanism in promoting economic growth, improving livelihood, protecting environment, closing cultural and people-to-people exchanges, and deepening water resources cooperation and regional integration. They are satisfied with the progress of the project cooperation within the LMC framework, and think the deepening LMC helps better address challenges. They said, the birth and development of the LMC accord with the needs of all countries in the region. They appreciate China's support for and efforts to the LMC, especially the sincere assistance for the Lancang-Mekong countries in virus fighting and economic recovery, and expect China's bigger role in advancing the LMC.

The foreign ministers expressed, their countries are willing to maintain the growing momentum of the LMC, synergize development strategies, strengthen infrastructure construction and connectivity, leverage respective strengths, and explore production capacity cooperation in various forms. Meanwhile, they will deepen the cooperation in fields such as education, youth, and local governments, and strengthen complementarity with other regional and sub-regional mechanisms, delivering mutual benefit and shared prosperity.

The meeting passed the consensus-based documents such as the Joint Statement on Enhancing Sustainable Development Cooperation of the Lancang-Mekong Countries, the Initiative on Deepening Cooperation among Local Governments of Lancang-Mekong Countries, the Joint Statement on Deepening Cooperation on Traditional Medicine Within the Framework of Lancang-Mekong Cooperation, and distributed research reports and materials such as the Progress Report of the Year 2020 on Implementing the Five-Year Plan of Action on Lancang-Mekong Cooperation, the Joint Research Report on Promoting Synergy between Lancang-Mekong Economic Development Belt and the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, the List of the Projects Supported by LMC Special Fund of 2021, and the Hotline Information Platform of Lancang-Mekong Cooperation. The Chinese side also distributed the lists such as the List of Letter of Intent between Chinese Provinces and Cities and Local Governments of Mekong Countries, and the Initial Measures of the Chinese Government on Promoting Synergy between Lancang-Mekong Economic Development Belt and the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor.

Prior to the meeting, Wang Yi and foreign ministers of the five countries visited the Exhibition of LMC Achievements, and attended the launch ceremony of the new version of the China Secretariat for LMC.
According to a new report published by Allied Market Research, titled, "North America and Europe Medical Display Market by Device, Panel Size, Resolution and Application: Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2018-2026," the market is expected to reach $1,515.8 million by 2026, registering a CAGR of 5.2% from 2018 to 2026, in terms of value.

Visualization of medical images presented by PACS viewer on LCD displays has been critical part of the diagnosis procedures. Performing diagnosis with medical grade displays that provide better visualization compared to consumer displays has highlighted the importance of medical displays in healthcare facilities. Medical displays help streamlining the diagnosis as well as surgical procedures in hospitals with improvement of quality and consistency in performance. With such benefits, medical professionals such as surgeons, radiologists and information technology specialists need medical grade displays for better healthcare outcomes.

The key factors that drive the growth of the market include Increase in number of medical establishments and rise in healthcare expenditure fuel the demand for medical display devices in these regions. Furthermore, rise in geriatric population in the countries boosts the demand for medical-aid and medical display devices in North America and Europe. The growth in demand for multimodality displays for radiology and various medical applications to get a detailed view of ultrasound outputs and PET further drive the growth of the North America and Europe medical display market.

Based on device type, the North America and Europe market is divided into the desktop, mobile, and all-in-one product. The desktop segment is largest among the device type with its wide usage in major applications owing to high image quality, ease of image analysis, and others.

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Based on panel size, the market is divided into the under-22.9-inch panels, 23.0 to 26.9-inch panels, 27.041.9-inch panel, and above-42-inch panels. The 27.041.9-inch panel segment is largest among the panel size owing to its suitability for wide range of applications including surgical as well as diagnostics. Based on resolution, the North America and Europe medical display market is divided into up to 2MP, 2.14MP, 4.18MP, and above 8MP. The 2.14MP segment is largest among the device type owing to its decent configuration that is suitable for multiple applications. Based on application, the market is divided into the digital pathology, multi-modality, surgical, radiology, mammography, and others. The surgical segment is largest among the application owing to wide usage of medical displays for surgeries with its critical impact on the quality of procedures.

U.S. held the largest share of the market in 2018 owing to increase in adoption of hybrid operating rooms along with the short duration of replacement cycle supports the growth of the medical display market in North America. Moreover, the lesser budget constraints on the U.S. hospitals results in the increase in purchases of equipment including medical display, followed by Germany. On the other hand, Germany is also anticipated to be the fastest-growing regional segment during the analysis period due to rise in expenditure in healthcare and increase the demand for medical devices in Germany.

Key Benefits for North America and Europe Medical Display Market:

This report entails a detailed quantitative analysis along with the current North America and Europe medical display market trends from 2019 to 2026 to identify the prevailing opportunities along with the strategic assessment.

The North America and Europe medical display market forecast is studied from 2019 to 2026.

The North America and Europe medical display market size and estimations are based on a comprehensive analysis of key developments in the industry.

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A qualitative analysis based on innovative products facilitates strategic business planning.

The development strategies adopted by the key market players are enlisted to understand the competitive scenario of the market.

Major players operating in the medical display market include Alpha Display, ASUSTeK Computer Inc., Axiomtek Co., Ltd., Barco NV, BenQ Medical Technology, Coje CO., LTD., Dell Technologies Inc., Double Black Imaging Corporation, FSN Medical Technologies, Hisense Medical, HP INC., JVC Kenwood Holdings Inc., Nanjing Jusha Commercial & Trading Co, Ltd., Shenzhen Beacon Display Technology Co., Ltd., Steris PLC, EIZO Corporation (EIZO), Sony Corporation, LG Display Co., Ltd., Novanta Inc. (Novanta), and Advantech Co., Ltd. (Advantech).

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Dalton, GA (30720)

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Some clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low around 70F. Winds light and variable..

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Former IBM Building 25 at TechCity is demolished in late 2015. Debris from the demolition remains at the site more than five years later.
This armored vehicle is similar to the one that would be purchased by the city of Kingston and town of Ulster, N.Y.
Since 1990, Patricia R. Doxsey has been a reporter for the Freeman, covering politics, crime, and government affairs.
Diane Pineiro-Zucker has been a reporter at the Daily Freeman since April 2013. Pineiro-Zucker worked as a reporter in the Freemans Rhinebeck bureau in the early 1980s, left to become executive editor at Taconic Newspapers in Dutchess County.
NEWBURGH, N.Y.  Divers on Thursday recovered the body of a man who fell into the Hudson River and drowned.
The following items are based on information provided by officials in law enforcement and the criminal justice system.
India is witnessing a greater number of tire manufactures venturing into digital tire solutions. Major factors emphasizing the need for digital tire solutions is the need for increasing fuel efficiency, safety, and tire life. Basic process in digital tire ecosystem involves diagnostic management, notification services, and final report generation. Like any other IoT solution for realizing the ecosystem there is a need for proper communication network and tire companies are forming strategic relationship with telecom companies for providing connected solutions. In 2018, Continental tires partnered with Vodafone for its IoT based tire monitoring platform, ContiConnect. ContiConnect helps to prevent tire-related breakdowns by transmitting tire temperature and pressure data to a central web portal through a wireless network.

Some of the major tire manufacturers and their digital solutions are given below.

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By components, the digital tire solutions market in India is segmented into hardware, software, and services. Hardware includes revenue generated from the sale of tire sensors, yard reading stations, and controlling devices. Software involves web portals and mobile applications for monitoring and recording the tire statistics. It also includes management tools for storing the inventory data including rethreaded tires and digital platform for managing all the tire-related information. Services include installation, maintenance, and repairing services for the hardware and software. Another major service provided by tire manufacturers is emergency response services. For instance, Apollo is providing free 24x7 response service for 6 months or 1 year (based on the number of tires purchased).

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Based on the type of solution, the digital tire solutions market in India is segmented into TPMS and fleet solutions. TPMS is used for monitoring air pressure in pneumatic tires. Fleet solutions and services provided by tire manufacturers including constant inspection and maintenance for checking tread depth and damage. It involves professional advice helping customers for choosing the type of tires best fit for their vehicles, weather conditions, load capacity, distance traveled, and fitting those tires.

By region, the digital tire solutions market in India is segmented into North Zone, South Zone, East Zone, West Zone, and Central Zone. South Zone is active in implementing several fleet management solutions and is expected to be one of the major adopters of digital tire solutions during the forecast period.

By type of vehicle, the digital tire solutions market in India is segmented into trucks, buses, and others. Others include heavy equipment machineries (mainly used in construction, mining, and other heavy-duty activities) and light motor vehicles including passenger cars and vans. Digital tire solutions are mainly used by fleet management companies compared to individuals with personal vehicles. Hence, the revenue generation from light motor vehicles was considerably less in 2018 compared to other segments. However, with more logistics and transportation solution planning to implement tire solutions in their fleet, light motor vehicles are expected to see an increasing demand for digital tire solutions in the forecast period.

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According to Trends Market Research, the digital tire solutions market in India will grow at a CAGR of over 40% during the forecast period 20192025. The aim of this report is to define, analyze, and forecast the digital tire solutions market in India based on segments, which include type of vehicle, components, type of solution, and region. In addition, digital tire solutions market in India report helps venture capitalists in understanding the companies better and make well-informed decisions and is primarily designed to provide the companys executives with strategically substantial competitor information, data analysis, and insights about the market, development, and implementation of an effective marketing plan.
Madison, SD (57042)

Today

Partly cloudy this evening with more clouds for overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 61F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy this evening with more clouds for overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 61F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph.
This market research report includes a detailed segmentation of the global context aware computing market by type (device manufacturers, communication service providers, web service providers), by vertical (BFSI, consumer goods & retail, manufacturing, transportation & logistics, energy & utilities, telecom & IT), by region (North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East Africa, Latin America). The market research report identifies Amazon, Apple, Autodesk, Facebook, Microsoft, Samsung, Verizon Communications, Intel, Proxomo, and Baidu as the market leaders operating in the global context aware computing market.

Overview of the Context Aware Computing Market

Infoholics market research report predicts that the global context aware computing market will grow at a CAGR of more than 30% during the forecast period 20192025. The market for context aware computing is driven by analyzing each case as per the requirement and in the context of user activities.

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The uses of context aware computing are realized by various industries as it assists in developing new-age technologies in mobile and services. Data synthesis from different environments across various industries provides multiple useful experiences for customers. Context aware computing anticipates the usage patterns and behavior of customers.

According to the Infoholic Research analysis, North America is anticipated to account for the largest share of the global context aware computing market in 2019. There is a heavy focus on enhancing customer uses in different environments in various functions and industries. Asia Pacific is expected to witness the fastest growth rate due to the increasing focus on customer reach, thereby enhance brand loyalty in huge consumer markets in China, India, and others. The use of context aware computing is unfurling new growth opportunities for OEMs and service providers. The context aware computing vendors are partnering with several industries to provide specialized insights and services for their clients.

Context Aware Computing Market Research Competitive Analysis and Key Vendors

The report covers and analyzes the context aware computing market. The context aware computing is being implemented in mobile devices with several sensorics and mechanical devices. The key players in the context aware computing market are adopting various organic as well as inorganic growth strategies such as collaborations & partnerships, joint ventures, and few other strategies to be in a strong position in the market.

Few of the Key Vendors in the Context Aware Computing Market:

Amazon

Apple

Autodesk

Facebook

Microsoft

These companies are striving in the market sphere by acquiring clients across regions to stay ahead in the competitive world. For instance, Apple and Google are developing several in-built features and APIs that provide personalized information by analyzing proximity, environment, and social context to provide rich customer experience.

There are few other vendors that have been studied based on the portfolio, geographical presence, marketing & distribution channels, revenue generation, and significant investments in R&D for analysis of the entire ecosystem.

Context Aware Computing Market Segmentation By Type

Device Manufacturers

Communication Service Providers (CSPs)

Web Service Providers

Others

The device manufacturers segment is the major contributor to the context aware computing market. CSPs are expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period 20192025.

Context Aware Computing Market Segmentation By Vertical

BFSI

Consumer Goods & Retail

Manufacturing

Transportation & Logistics

Energy & Utilities

Telecom & IT

Others

The consumer goods & retail segment is estimated to hold the largest market share in 2019, and it is also expected to grow at the fastest CAGR during the forecast period 20192025.

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Context Aware Computing Market Research Benefits

The report provides an in-depth analysis of the global context aware computing market. Context aware computing uses analytical tools to provide customer-rich data to help enterprises to grow. By analyzing several data points from environment and use-cases, it can provide several insights for the consumers. Vendors are focusing on the successful delivery of specific requirements of different industries for various field services to collect data and retrieve information, primarily through mobile devices and features. The adoption of context aware computing is transforming the mobile experience and enabling it for various field services of industries. It helps in filtering various data sets and pick those data impacting consumer use or employees the most. The technology is evolving with better and improvised products of sensors and analytical tools. Also, many new vendors are emerging in the market by offering custom requirements of industries and organizations, primarily energy & utilities and manufacturing. The report discusses the market in terms of type, vertical, and region. Furthermore, the report provides details about the major challenges impacting the market growth. The context aware computing vendors are focusing on enhancing partner ecosystem across many technology and integration vendors to widen their product portfolio and gain new customers. The context aware computing market growth is dependent on the adoption of smart mobile devices that can positively impact the user experience. The context aware computing market is growing; however, data access, data security, and data integration remain as areas of concern for many organizations. Mobile device manufacturers, telcos, and web service providers are all empowering the ecosystem of context aware computing.

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So it was an American who cancelled our Queen at Oxford University.

Should we be surprised? Hell no!

This was always the risk of the corrosive narrative spread by Harry and Meghans diehard Yank supporters like Oprah Winfrey and Gayle King, who seem cravenly obsessed with linking the modern-day Royal Family to racism without any evidence to back up such claims.

Computer science lecturer Matthew Katzman  who tabled the motion to remove the unwelcoming portrait of the Queen from Magdalen's Middle Common Room (MCR)  is the epitome of US privilege.

The 25-year-old is the son of a lawyer who lives in a 4 million mansion in Washington DC.

Computer science lecturer Matthew Katzman  who tabled the motion to remove the unwelcoming portrait of the Queen from Magdalen's Middle Common Room (MCR)  is the epitome of US privilege, writes DAN WOOTTON

The MailOnline today revealed he attended a 33,000 posh college attended by the Obamas daughters and Chelsea Clinton, then went to the elite Stanford University, before arriving at Oxford to study for a PhD in 'complexity theory'.

So far, so all-American.

His interests include CrossFit, poker, board games, playing the trumpet and Spartan races.

Certainly not history, based on his totally warped view of the Queen.

What this woketopian prat has failed to realise is that our monarch has proven in actions throughout her life to be the ultimate anti-racist.

Like the fact that during World War Two  as her London home was bombed  she joined the fight against the Nazis as a 19-year-old member of the Auxiliary Territorial Service.

Or the small matter that she was on the throne as the British Empire was dismantled.

And the reality that shes spent her working life passionately protecting the multi-racial Commonwealth, with a special focus on Africa.

In the Eighties she was even prepared to go head to head with her Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher over sanctions on the racist South African regime.

But for a student show off like Katzman none of that matters.

Id bet money on the fact Meghan, the Californian Duchess of Woke, will enter the discussions, writes Wootton

The MCR decided the print  based on a 1952 photo showing the Queen with a youthful glow in a white gown and blue sash ahead of her coronation  was unwelcoming because the monarch represents recent colonial history'.

The committee, no doubt led by Katzman, is now going to explore replacing the portrait with 'art by or of other influential and inspirational people'.

Id bet money on the fact Meghan, the Californian Duchess of Woke, will enter the discussions.

Defending the ludicrous decision, which has caused outrage across Great Britain today, Katzman said it did not equate to a statement on the Queen'.

But he added: It has been taken down. It was decided to leave the common room neutral. That was what this was about. The college will have plenty of depictions of various things, but the common room is meant to be a space for all to feel welcome.

Would this rabble-rouser disrespect his own country like this? I highly doubt it.

His social media profile is full of pictures of him proudly flying the stars and stripes.

But thats the real problem with this breed of identity politics, where everything is about virtue signalling rather than facts on the ground.

The cult of woke spreading like a plague throughout our universities is intent on cancelling and hiding our history and heritage, rather than having rational conversations about the good, the bad and the ugly.

The print was bought and put up by a previous group of students, and shows the monarch in a white gown and blue sash. It is based on a 1952 photograph taken by Dorothy Wilding to mark her accession and coronation (pictured)

Just last month Joleen Clarke, the associate director at King's College libraries, felt the need to issue a pathetic grovelling apology after she shared an innocuous historic snap of Prince Philip visiting the university.

She wrote: 'The picture was included as a historical reference point following his death. The inclusion of the picture was not intended to commemorate him. Through feedback and subsequent conversations, we have come to realise the harm that this caused members of our community, because of his history of racist and sexist comments. We are sorry to have caused this harm.'

It must be disconcerting for the 95-year-old Queen to see this reaction from universities to her legacy and that of her late husband during the twilight years of her superb reign.

I hope she understands the British public stand firm against this sort of nonsense and there is now growing evidence the government will also stand up against the woke mob trying to destroy our culture.

Mr Katzman's social media profile is full of pictures of him proudly flying the stars and stripes

The Education Secretary Gavin Williamson moved fast to condemn the most recent decision, writing: Oxford University students removing a picture of the Queen is simply absurd. She is the Head of State and a symbol of what is best about the United Kingdom. During her long reign she has worked tirelessly to promote British values of tolerance, inclusivity and respect around the world.

We should remember too that Oxford students have a long history of backing the wrong side of the argument.

In 1933, the Oxford Union debating society passed a controversial motion declaring: This House will under no circumstances fight for its King and country.

If the rest of the country had followed Oxfords lead, Elizabeth II may never have become Queen and we might still be giving Nazi salutes today.

When it comes to cancelling the Queen, the students  including the American ringleader  should be roundly ignored again.
Is there nothing Harry and Meghan do that doesn't involve a row? How desperately sad that even something so uplifting as the birth of their new baby is accompanied by thundering controversy.

The brusque public statements and angry threats of legal action that followed claims by the BBC that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex did not ask the Queen about naming their daughter Lilibet  her childhood nickname  now seems depressingly familiar.

But even allowing for the couple's inflated sense of grievance that their every action is wilfully misconstrued, there was something intensely unedifying about this latest incendiary development  not least the fact of the timing.

For it has come on the eve of what would have been Prince Philip's 100th birthday, a moment of deep personal reflection for the Queen who, just nine weeks after his death, is still grieving the husband who was her 'strength and stay'.

Instead she finds herself in the crossfire of a bitter war of words between the BBC, Buckingham Palace and the America-based Sussexes.

From the moment Harry and Meghan unexpectedly alighted on Lilibet for the baby born in faraway California last Friday, their choice of name has been the focus of intense speculation  and unanswered questions.

Just when did the duke consult his grandmother or seek her permission? How much notice was she given? And was the request made in person  perhaps when Harry returned to Britain for his grandfather's funeral  or during a long-distance telephone call?

Queen Elizabeth II, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex watch a flypast to mark the centenary of the Royal Air Force from the balcony of Buckingham Palace on July 10, 2018

Yesterday the BBC  quoting an unnamed Palace source and attempting to get to the bottom of competing claims about what, if any, advance knowledge the Queen had  reported bluntly that the monarch was 'not asked' by the couple about the choice of name.

The story was headline news on Radio 4's agenda-setting Today programme. Allowing for the time difference between London and the west coast of the US, the response from Harry and Meghan was swift.

Within 90 minutes of the report being aired, the couple's journalist friend Omid Scobie was briefing that the Queen was the first person Harry called after the birth of his daughter.

Scobie, co-author of Finding Freedom, a biography of the couple, also claimed that the Sussexes would not have used the name Lilibet unless the Queen had supported the move.

Not long afterwards came the intervention from Schillings, Harry's attack-dog solicitors, threatening the BBC with legal action and accusing its report of being 'false and defamatory'.

This, surely, was an unprecedented move in which one member of the Queen's family raises the possibility of legal proceedings to contradict guidance given on behalf of the monarchy to Britain's national broadcaster.

Meanwhile, notice of the legal threat was followed by a carefully worded statement, issued on behalf of the couple, which appeared to raise more questions than answers and fuel conjecture about how and when the Queen knew of their plans or indeed whether they informed her as a fait accompli.

The row will do nothing to improve transatlantic relations between the duke and duchess and the rest of the Royal Family. And the naming of baby Lilibet, whose arrival was initially heralded as an olive branch after months of upheaval, was being seen as yet another stumbling block.

It is certainly ironic that something that observers thought would draw the couple closer towards the royals might actually end up pushing them further away.

There is no doubt that the issue has caused disquiet at the Palace. And the row also comes at a sensitive time for the BBC in the wake of the devastating inquiry into how Martin Bashir secured his Panorama interview with Princess Diana.

As a BBC insider told me yesterday: 'Any story involving the royals is being handled with extreme sensitivity and triple checked.'

It may be significant, therefore, that the BBC's report of its story about the naming remained on its website and the reporter's tweet citing a Buckingham Palace source also remained 'live', despite the angry denunciations.

The Palace itself was refusing to be drawn on the matter and would not offer a comment on whether the BBC version of events was true.

In the statement issued by Camp Sussex, an aide said that the duke 'spoke with his family in advance of the announcement' and that 'in fact his grandmother was the first family member he called'.

The aide added: 'During that conversation, he shared their hope of naming their daughter Lilibet in her honour. Had she not been supportive, they would not have used the name.'

Is there nothing Harry and Meghan do that doesn't involve a row?

However, there was no explanation when this call was made and how far in advance of the announcement, which came on Sunday evening London time. The statement has done little to dispel the views of some within the Palace that if the first the Queen knew of Harry's intentions to name his daughter Lilibet was after her birth, it left her with little room for manoeuvre.

The language is also puzzling. It says that it is Harry's 'hope' to name his daughter Lilibet. This is not the same as seeking his grandmother's permission  and make no mistake, the Queen is very particular about the names given to her great-grandchildren. The closer they are to the throne, the closer she takes an interest.

When Prince George was born in 2013, Prince William had to secure the express permission of his grandmother. And this was not done in some last-minute telephone call but was, rather, the subject of a face-to-face conversation. She was happy to approve, of course, because George was the name of her beloved father.

Harry's children are that much further down the line of succession  Archie and Lilibet are seventh and eighth respectively  and, barring a catastrophe, are unlikely to come close to the Crown.

Another aspect baffling courtiers was why, having chosen the name Lilibet in honour of the Queen, the couple intend to call their daughter Lili  something Harry's grandmother was never known by.

'It might even suggest that they don't actually much like the name Lilibet anyway,' says one long-standing Palace figure.

Lilibet has a special resonance for the Queen: it was invented by her grandfather King George V, adopted by her mother and father, and used affectionately by her sister Margaret and later by her husband.

And while it is also used by cousins such as Princess Alexandra and the Duke of Kent, only two younger members of the family are permitted to call her Lilibet.

They are her niece Lady Sarah Chatto and nephew David, the Earl of Snowdon. And both preface it with the word 'Aunt'.

Meanwhile, there is the issue of how the Queen received the news from Harry in California. If it was over the phone, might this have been problematic?

Most people of 95 no longer have perfect-pitch hearing and on a long-distance line there is ample room for a misunderstanding or two. After all, 'Elizabeth' and 'Lilibet'  unless carefully annunciated  do not sound so dissimilar, especially when said at speed.

Only two people, or more likely three, know the complete truth of the situation: the Queen, her grandson and his wife.

Does all this matter? I fear it does, if only because it adds to the endless pycho-drama that seems to have enveloped Harry and Meghan and has added to the chasm that separates them from the rest of his family.

As one observer put it: 'Briefings and counter-briefings about the name of a royal baby is not a good look for the House of Windsor.'

Friends of Harry say the Palace intervention with the BBC goes to the heart of his long-standing claims that the officials  those who work for the monarchy  cannot be trusted.

In their interview with Oprah Winfrey in March, the couple complained about the attitude of the royal 'firm' which had abandoned them, particularly over Meghan's mental health problems.

Once again his total discomfort with an institution that exists to serve the monarchy is revealed.

The debate over the naming is likely to continue, just as the mystery continues over the birth of the couple's son in 2019. Then it was the refusal to identify the hospital or the time of the birth and later came the decision not to name the godparents.

Perhaps it is churlish to dwell on the negative aspects of what is a happy event  but it is Harry's reaction that has triggered the storm.
As both our countries emerge from lockdown, I would like to give a pinch of hope from Israel to all of you in our international efforts to overcome the pandemic.

Three days ago, my government announced that wearing face-masks indoors  in shops and restaurants was no longer necessary.

This followed a step taken last week to rescind restrictions on social distancing and public gatherings.

On Sunday, there were zero Covid deaths across Israel, and seven positive tests.

Israel's ambassador to Britain, Tzipi Hotovely said she would like to give a pinch of hope from Israel to everyone in their international efforts to overcome the pandemic

So, this week the beach bars and restaurants of Tel Aviv are once again packed. The holy sites in Jerusalem are welcoming visitors and worshippers.

Theatres, cinemas and concert halls are fully open. Sporting events can go ahead in front of full stands of supporters.

Israelis are getting married, and buried, in front of the full complement of their families, friends and loved ones.

This is astonishingly good news, and a great relief  and hopefully the UK, with its hugely successful vaccination programme, is on its way to freedom too.

Not that we are complacent in Israel. On the contrary, like Britain, we are already preparing for a programme of booster shots in the autumn to deal with possible mutant strains that may arise. We know this pandemic is far from finished yet, and we will have to learn to live beside it.

I would like to share the experiences of my country in tackling coronavirus in the spirit of learning from each others best practices, and certainly not presuming that we Israelis have all the answers.

The Israeli government announced three days ago that wearing face masks indoors, including in shops and restaurants, was no longer necessary

The Israeli and British governments were both quick to spot that vaccination was the way out of this nightmare, and acted fast to access vaccines and roll out a vaccination programme.

In both countries there are relatively low levels of public vaccine scepticism and in Israel  as in the UK  there was a very strong sense of civic duty in getting jabbed. As it currently stands about 80 per cent of the population is fully vaccinated in Israel.

Health officials encountered pockets of vaccination reluctance, particularly in minority populations among more traditional communities.

This was addressed through a public information campaign and through bespoke messages. The prime minister and health minister made regular visits to these communities to raise awareness of the importance of vaccination, accompanied by leaders of these target groups.

After an initial fast rollout, the Israeli government decided that interim measures were needed to allow the economy to cautiously reopen after periods of enforced business shutouts, while balancing this with the necessity to safeguard public health and the rights of our citizens.

A lengthy queue formed through the Home Park car park in Plymouth for the mass vaccination centre

There was acute anxiety about the harm to the local economy, and indeed the mental health of Israelis cooped up in their homes.

So we created the Green Standard earlier this year, which opened up non-essential public events to citizens who had had both vaccine jabs.

This was in part an experiment to allow for a safe opening and give business some breathing space. Proof of a double jab was mostly provided via a phone app, though it was possible to procure a paper version. There were some objections to this measure, as you would expect in any multicultural democracy.

But most Israelis understood it was necessary as a short-term measure, which incentivised some to quickly get vaccinated, and last week the Green Standard was safely abandoned.

Foreign travel remains a challenge, of course, as sovereign states have their own rules about international incoming and outgoing visitors. But for Israeli citizens, the rules are simple. If you can show you are double vaccinated, you can fly in and out of the country without the need for quarantine, subject to having had the standard Covid tests before departure. Right from the beginning Israel understood that this pandemic could not be won alone.

Tzipi Hotovely said that Israel has shown that it is possible to get back to 'almost normal life' (pictured: People queue outside the NHS vaccine centre in Newcastle)

We have strong medical and scientific co-operation and ties with the UK and the NHS, as we also have a universal, publicly funded health care system in Israel.

We have had many important deliberations between our health establishments, and we were delighted to host Cabinet Minister Michael Gove and Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab to further these discussions.

Israel has shown that it is possible to get back to almost normal life. And as both our countries emerge from lockdown, I believe Israels experience can give hope to everyone here in the UK. But until the world unites to defeat Covid, no country, including Israel and the UK, can regard themselves safe from this global scourge.
A doctor and a group of beauty experts have revealed this season's top five most popular and powerful skincare ingredients.

Dr Deborah Lee, of Dr Fox Online Pharmacy, spoke to the experts at Look Fantastic to share the trendy skincare ingredients everyone should consider adding to their skincare routine.

The top ingredients included rosehip, mushroom, tranexamic acid, pomegranate and probiotics.

The top skincare ingredients included rosehip, mushroom, tranexamic acid, pomegranate and probiotics

Rosehip

Rosehip is a natural ingredient that contains vitamins A, C and E as well as fatty acids to help hydrate the skin, increase radiance and reduce inflammation.

The ingredient, which comes from the fruit of a rosebush, also provides anti-aging benefits, such as boosting elasticity and firmness.

'Rosehip has hit the headlines with many happy customers enjoying the benefits. These include Kate Middleton, as well as many Reddit enthusiasts. Consultant dermatologists sing the praises of rosehip, whether this is the seed or the oil,' Dr Lee said.

Products containing rosehip have been praised by thousands on TikTok who claim this ingredient is 'top tier' and always has a dedicated spot on the skincare shelf.

Rosehip is a natural ingredient that contains vitamins A, C and E as well as fatty acids to help hydrate the skin, increase radiance and reduce inflammation

Probiotics

One of this year's biggest skincare trends is the use of the probiotic microbiome, which is used to nourish the skin's natural bacteria that is responsible for immunity.

Probiotics are key ingredients for caring for the skin's microbiome and are good bacteria that help repair the barrier, restore healthy pH balance and improve the skin's natural immune response.

The inclusion of this ingredient in your skincare routine will assist with reducing inflammation and help build resilience to environmental stress for healthier, hydrated skin.

Tranexamic acid

Searches for tranexamic acid have increased by 25 per cent over the past year and its popularity is set to continue into the upcoming season.

This ingredient stops pigmentation production and can assist with skin brightening.

Similarly to rosehip, tranexamic acid is popular on social media and has been viewed 1.4million times on TikTok, with the likes of The Derm Doctor discussing the benefits of the ingredient in online videos.

Dr Lee said: 'Topical tranexamic acid has shown promising results when used to reduce unwanted skin hyperpigmentation.

'Hyperpigmentation is a common problem in skincare, and topical use of tranexamic acid, until recently, was not recognised as a potential treatment.

'Tranexamic acid has been described as a 'hero ingredient' due to its potent skin properties.'

The benefits of each skincare ingredient at a glance: Rosehip - contains vitamins A, C and E as well as fatty acids to help hydrate the skin, increase radiance and reduce inflammation Mushroom - high in antioxidants and metabolites to protect the skin from environmental damage Tranexamic acid - this ingredient stops pigmentation production and can assist with skin brightening Pomegranate - the polyphenols within the pomegranate help detox the skin from particles in the air, protect against UV damage from the sun and regenerate the skin to prevent aging Probiotics - probiotics are key ingredients for caring for the skin's microbiome and are good bacteria that help repair the barrier, restore healthy pH balance and improve the skin's natural immune response Advertisement

Mushroom

Traditionally used in Chinese medicine, mushrooms have been experimented with for skincare for years and are now beginning to be incorporated in skin lotions, creams, and ointments, with the popularity of the ingredient expected to take off this season.

Dr Lee said mushrooms are high in antioxidants and metabolites to protect the skin from environmental damage.

Using a skincare product containing mushroom will brighten and hydrate the skin as well as reduce inflammation and the appearance of dark spots.

When used in skincare, Dr Lee said mushrooms are high in antioxidants and metabolites to protect the skin from environmental damage

Pomegranate

Pomegranate derived from the seeds of the fruit is also becoming an increasingly popular skincare ingredient.

The polyphenols within the pomegranate help detox the skin from particles in the air, protect against UV damage from the sun and regenerate the skin to prevent aging.

'Pomegranates have many properties that lend themselves to skin protection. And everyone is talking about pomegranates!' Dr Lee said.

'Dermatologists extol the virtues of topical application of pomegranate to the skin because they are rich in antioxidants, aid skin repair and regeneration, help protect the skin from sun damage, and have an anti-ageing effect to produce youthful, firmer-looking skin.'
The daughter of former UKIP spin chief Gawain Towler has gone viral on TikTok after revealing she's a 'raging homosexual feminist who argues with all her dad's friends'.

Rose Towler, 17, from London, racked up more than a million views on the video sharing website after revealing how her political views don't align with her family's.

In the clip, titled: 'I am proud to be the embarrassment of the family', the student who says she has 'daddy issues' played the popular TikTok sound 'there's one thing you can expect from me and it's the unexpected'.

With it she wrote the caption: 'My dad being the press officer for UKIP and the Brexit Party party...' followed by a series of snaps of her and her father.

Next she put the camera on herself and added the caption, 'Me: A raging homosexual and feminist who argues with politicians at all of my dad's parties'.

Gawain Towler became a Conservative MEP in the late 1990s before he was approached by Farage to become Head of Communications at UKIP. He said it took him 'less than a sip of beer' to accept the role.





He stayed in the party from 2002 until 2018, when he stepped down to start his own PR company. He welcomed Rose, now 17, with his artist wife Joslin in 2004.



At the time of Towler's resignation, Nigel Farage said he was 'sad to see him go' and that he was 'always on call, always honest and always loyal' while political journalists said him leaving was a 'disaster for UKIP'.





But his venture into private PR was short-lived, as he later joined the Brexit Party (now Reform UK) as Head of Communicators. He has since returned to consultancy.

Speaking to BBC's Daily Politics Show in 2018, Towler said one of his highlights as UKIP press officer was helping Caerphilly parliamentary candidate Sam Gould in 2015, who became stranded on a beach in Margate during the party's annual conference after getting caught in high tide when he jumped onto the beach to write 'We love Nige' in the sand.

He added that he also enjoyed dealing with the fall out from David Silvester, a UKIP councillor who blamed 2014 storms and flooding on legalisation of gay marriage and the revelation that a candidate for Bristol John Langley had worked as a porn star for 40 years.

His views are clearly a world away from his daughter's who often posts about her feminist views and support for LGBTQ+ rights to her nearly 9,000 followers.

The daughter of former UKIP spin chief Gawain Towler has gone viral on TikTok after revealing she's a 'raging homosexual feminist who argues with all her dad's friends'. Rose, 17, racked up more than a million views on the video sharing website after revealing her parentage

Gawain Towler (pictured at the Conservative party conference in 2013) was the Head of Communications at Ukip until 2018, when he stepped down to start his own PR company

Videos show her in front of a bisexual pride flag lipsyncing and dancing with friends, while in another she puts her middle finger up to 'girls who say they're feminists while defending their homophobic and racist boyfriends'.

Meanwhile, Gawain was instrumental in helping the Leave campaign secure Brexit, with him previously telling Radio 4's Today programme that Farage's popularity is because people can tell he 'shags a bit' and 'drinks and smokes'.

In another clip, Rose says that she's 'not the main character', but the 'the one with family trauma and is a feminist with daddy issues', and compared herself to Phoebe from Friends, Maeve from Sex Education and Luna Lovegood from Harry Potter.

Many people quickly commented on Rose's video revealing who her Dad is saying they'd 'love to be a fly on the wall' in their conversations.

'Take em down from within!' said one.

'Im so sorry that you have to interact with that many gammons,' wrote another.

Then UKIP party leader Henry Bolton and press officer Gawain Towler on the beach in Torquay in 2017

In a follow up video Rose said she doesn't live with her father and that he doesn't support her financially.

In a follow up video Rose said she doesn't live with her father and that he doesn't support her financially.

She wrote: 'Hi, I am Rose, let me clarify a few things.

'I have had many rare opportunities in my life, meeting politicians, attending parliament and debates. Participating in protest, for which I am grateful for.

'But I now live in my own place, alone. I am 17-years-old.

'I earn my own money and I am still in full-time education. My father doesn't support me financially or emotionally.

'And I have no other family helping me with my earnings. Yet I am not giving up my fight for equality

'And I will continue voicing my opinion, whether it rivals or supports my biological fathers' beliefs.

FEMAIL has contacted Rose for comment.
Bryan Adams has revealed he will be the photographer for the 2022 Pirelli Calendar, after this year's edition was suspended because of the pandemic.

Posting on Instagram and Twitter, the Canadian guitarist, 61, shared a photograph working on the project along with a personal voice note gushing about his excitement.

He tagged Italian tyre company Pirelli, saying: 'Proud to finally reveal that I'm the photographer for the 2022 Pirelli Calendar. More information on this exciting project to follow throughout the summer @Pirelli #PirelliCalendar #photobyadams'

Hundreds of Bryan's 857,000 followers were quick to congratulate him on the opportunity to work on the highly anticipated annual calendar, despite his theme not yet being revealed.

The Pirelli calendar was once synonymous with scantily-clad women, sizzling photo shoots and topless models, but in recent years it's had an overhaul and focuses on brooding artistic shots of famous women, with a focus on diversity and a broad age range.

Bryan Adams (pictured) has revealed he will be the photographer for the 2022 Pirelli Calendar, after the 2021 project was suspended because of the pandemic

Bryan has combined his rock career with his passion for photography since the late 90s, with his portraits appearing in Vogue, Vanity Fair, GQ and Harper's Bazaar as well as his own celebrated art magazine Zoo.

He has also published a number of books featuring his work, including 'American Women' (2004), 'Exposed' (2012), a project on Injured British war veterans entitled, 'Wounded: The Legacy of War' (2014), and 'Homeless' released in 2019.

Among the famous people he has photographed is; Sir Mick Jagger, John Boyega, Amy Winehouse, Naomi Campbell and even the Queen who he photographed for her Golden Jubilee.

Bryan said: 'I'm proud to have been chosen as the photographer of the Pirelli Calendar 2022. Combining photography and music for 'The Cal' is very exciting and it will of course feature some extraordinary people. In a few weeks the shoot will begin. I am thrilled.'

Bryan's announcement marks the return of the Pirelli Calendar, which was suspended last year in light of the Covid emergency.

Previous photographers to take on the ambitious project have included Annie Leibovitz, Helmut Newton and Mario Testino.

Also known as The Cal, it was published annually from 1964, and caused a stir when it featured full nudity for the first time nine years later.

It was disconinued 10 years later in response to the recession brought on by the 1973 oil crisis, before being brought back in 1984 - with sexier shoots than ever before.

The Italian tyre company first signaled it was changing direction with its 2017 calendars, announcing it was 'ripping up the rule book' and giving the hotly-anticipated calendar a new feminist overhaul.

The spread featured Robin Wright, Julianne Moore, Charlotte Rampling, and Helen Mirren (then aged 50, 55, 70 and 71 respectively) and was hailed a triumph for its representation of older women.

For the 2020 edition, Paolo Roversi took inspiration from Shakespeare as he revealed 'Looking for Juliet' at a premiere in Verona at the Teatro Filarmonico.

Bryan took to social media to reveal that he's excited to release more information about the project throughout summer. Pictured: Bryan at work

The calendar featured stars including Emma Watson, Kristen Stewart, and Yara Shahid. Paolo told Pirelli how he was looking for the 'Juliet in every woman', saying: 'I was looking for a pure soul, someone full of innocence that combined strength, beauty, tenderness and courage.

'I found this in the glimmers of an eye, in the gestures and words of Emma and Yara, Indya and Mia. And in the smiles and tears of Kristen and Claire.'

When the 2021 edition of the calendar was cancelled, Pirelli announced that the project would donate 100,000 euro to the fight against and research into coronavirus.

CEO of Pirelli Marco Tronchetti Provera, said: 'The production of the Pirelli Calendar has been stopped before, in 1967 and then from 1975 to 1983. The unprecedented Covid-19 emergency has forced us to do so again today.

'We will return to the project when the time is right, together with the people who today were working on it with us.'

Bryan (pictured) has had his photography showcased across the globe at locations including the Saatchi Gallery and the National Portrait Gallery in London

Bryan Adams who is reviving the calendar, was given honorary fellowship to the Royal Photographic Society in London for his work in 2015.

His work has also been exhibited at museums and galleries across the globe, such as the Saatchi Gallery and the National Portrait Gallery in London, the Haus der Kunst in Munich and at Fotografiska in Stockholm.

Along with his photography, he has been successful with music over the past four decades, having achieved Number 1 status in 40 countries. He has three Academy Award and five Golden Globe nominations and a Grammy Award, and he will release his 15th album in 2021.

Fans have taken to Instagram to congratulate him on his latest project, admitting they're impressed by his range of creative skills.

One person wrote: 'Wow! Your photography is amazing! Well deserved'

Another said: 'Congratulations, a true multifaceted artist'

A third added: 'Congratulations! What an accomplishment'
A single woman fears a stranger is secretly living in her home after she came home from work and found clumps of unexplained brown hair in her shower.

Mia Aurora Powell, from Utah, documented the alleged discovery in a now viral TikTok video, stressing that she is the only one who lives in her home and uses her shower.

'Whenever s**t happens to me, my first thing that I think about is "I better make a TikTok about this." So this is what I'm doing,' she said, whispering in her bathroom.

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Scary: Mia Aurora Powell, from Utah, revealed on TikTok that she fears a stranger is living in her home after making a shocking discovery in her bathroom

Yikes: The TikToker claimed she found clumps of brown hair in her shower, both on the wall and at the bottom of the tub

Powell explained that she lives alone and rarely has visitors, saying her friends will 'come over occasionally,' but she mostly goes to their houses.

'Nobody uses my shower, OK? Nobody,' she insisted.

Before she revealed her findings, she noted that she has been dealing with other strange disturbances in her house as well.

'Every time I'm home I hear the weirdest noises. Weird s**t happens all the time that's unexplainable, and I just like brush it off because I'm like whatever. But this is my final straw,' she continued, taking a deep breath.

Terrifying: Powell stressed that she is the only one who lives in her home and uses her shower, insisting the hair wasn't hers

Evidence: Powell pointed out that the hair in her shower was brown while hers is dyed pink

'I'm like freaking out right now. I came home wanting to take a shower. I just got off work. All I wanted to do is take a shower.'

Powell then opened her shower curtain to show the clumps of dark hair that were left on the wall and in the bathtub.

She pointed out that it couldn't possibly be hers because her hair is dyed magenta.

'Someone lives in my house that has brown hair. My hair is f**king pink!' she said at the end of the video, which has been viewed more than 1.2 million times in one day.

Too much: She explained that she has been hearing noises that she has brushed off, but this was the 'final straw' for her

To be continued... The video has been viewed 1.2 million times, and she revealed in the comments that she is staying with friends who are going to help her search her house

Thousands of people have commented on the TikTok, with many begging Powell for an update on what was going on.

Others urged her to get a camera, change her locks and call the police.

'Check every corner of the house, check the roof, everywhere. Don't do it alone though, one TikToker advised. 'Get some big tough person or multiple.'

'That's so much hair. Why would they leave behind that much hair,' someone else asked, while another added: 'Call the police?? Why do people never call the police in these situations.'

Powell responded to the concern in the comments and with a follow-up video, saying she has been staying with friends for the past few nights, and they are going to help her do a sweep of the house.
his market research report identifies Novartis AG, Allergan Inc., Elli Lilly and Company, AstraZeneca Plc, GSK, Otsuka Holdings Co., Ltd., and Johnson & Johnson as the major vendors operating in the global antidepressant drugs market. This report also provides a detailed analysis of the market by drug class (SSRI, NDRI, SNRI, MAOI, TCA and Others) and region (North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Rest of the World).

Overview of the Antidepressant Drugs market

Infoholics market research report predicts that the global antidepressant drugs market will grow at a CAGR of 2.2% during the forecast period 20182024. The major drivers of the market are the growing aging population and increasing prevalence of depression which are driving the global antidepressant drugs market growth. Supportive initiatives from the government and other organizations and increasing clinical trials will provide an opportunity for the market growth of the antidepressant drugs market in the future.

Request for Report Sample: https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/sample/11148

According to the antidepressant drugs market analysis, North America accounts for the largest share of the antidepressant drugs market, followed by Europe, Asia Pacific, and Rest of the World. North America alone occupies more than 30% of the market, with a significant contribution from the US to the market growth.

Competitive Analysis and Key Vendors

At the global level, over 300 million people are estimated to suffer from depression, which is equivalent to 4.4% of the worlds total population. Only less than 10% of the affected people are treated although there is the availability of branded and effective treatments for depression. The challenges for effective care include lack of capitals, unavailability of qualified healthcare providers, and public stigma associated with mental disorders. Along with these, imprecise assessment of the condition is also a challenge which is faced globally.

Government initiatives have been greatly changing the antidepressant drugs market scenario. Many initiatives are taken to increase the awareness and reduce the suicidal rate globally. Depression is confined by the mental health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP) of the World Health Organization (WHO) to assists countries to increase their facilities for those suffering from mental disorders, through special aid by healthcare workers. A special transitory was established by WHO for the treatment of depression. The companies are striving to develop innovative drugs to address the unmet needs in the market. For instance, in May 2018, Esketamine Nasal Spray of Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson demonstrated rapid enhancements in depressive symptoms in patients with treatment-resistant depression in phase III trials. Thus, this drug is expected to be one of the bestsellers in the market.

Place a Direct Purchase Order @ https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/checkout/11148/Single

Some of the Antidepressant Drugs Market key vendors:

Novartis AG

Allergan Inc

Elli Lilly and Company

AstraZeneca Plc

GSK

Otsuka Holdings Co., Ltd

Johnson and Johnson

The other prominent players include Pfizer, Shionogi & Co. Ltd., Abbott Laboratories, Takeda Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., and H. Lundbeck A/S.

Antidepressant Drugs Market by Drug Class

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)

Norepinephrine-dopamine reuptake inhibitor (NDRI)

Serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs)

Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs)

Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs)

Others

During the forecast period, SSRIs are the most attractive drug in the market, owing to the highly effective treatment of depression and anxiety.

Benefits

The report provides detailed information about the usage and adoption of antidepressant drugs in various regions. With that, key stakeholders can know about the major trends, drivers, investments, vertical players initiatives, and government initiatives toward the product adoption during the forecast period in the market. Moreover, the report provides details about the major challenges that are going to have an impact on market growth. Additionally, the report gives complete details about the business opportunities to key stakeholders to expand their business and capture revenues in the specific verticals. The report will help companies interested or established in this market to analyze the various aspects of this domain before investing or expanding their business in the antidepressant drugs market.

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A top Australian chef has revealed her surprising secret for seasoning meat and poultry to perfection - and why fish and vegetables require a very different approach.

Danielle Alvarez, head chef at Fred's in Paddington, Sydney, said thick cuts of steak, shoulders of lamb and whole chickens should be salted up to two days before cooking, then kept covered in the fridge until you are ready to use it.

Ms Alvarez told Good Food Australia that pre-seasoning days in advance will make meat sweeter, juicier and infinitely more tender than doing so during cooking.

She said fish is 'more delicate' and should only be salted 10 to 15 minutes beforehand to prevent skin from becoming tough.

A top Australian chef says thick cuts of steak, shoulders of lamb and whole chickens should be salted up to two days before cooking (stock image)

A chef's guide to perfect seasoning Steak, lamb and pork: Salt up to two days in advance, cover and refrigerate until needed. Whole chickens: Salt up to two days in advance, cover and refrigerate until needed. Fish: Salt 10 to 15 minutes before cooking. Vegetables: Generously salt pots of boiling water that will be used for cooking - don't season veggies themselves. Source: Danielle Alvarez Advertisement

Danielle Alvarez, head chef at Fred's in Paddington, Sydney

And when it comes to vegetables, Ms Alvarez said she adds flavour by generously salting pots of boiling water instead of seasoning the greens themselves.

'Even if you cannot salt meat a day in advance, some time is better than no time,' she said

'If you only have an hour or two, salt the meat and leave it out at room temperature as cold temperatures impede the salt from doing its thing.'

The cookbook author, who has almost 15 years of experience in some of the world's best kitchens, including four at the legendary Chez Panisse in Berkeley, California, said waiting to season until food is fully cooked can leave it 'bland and salty'.

Ms Alvarez said seasoning at the right time also reduces the amount of salt needed to pack a flavoursome punch, making dishes healthier.

She said it's also important to be discerning about the type of salt you use.

Ms Alvarez's preferred choice of seasoning is sea salt, because it gives food the 'cleanest, most natural' flavour (stock image)

Her preferred choice of seasoning is sea salt because it gives food the 'cleanest, most natural' flavour.

You should also be mindful about how much salt you use, according to Ms Alvarez.

She said using roughly one percent of the total weight of whatever you are cooking is a good rule of thumb.

Ms Alvarez said it's crucial to season with just enough salt, because too little leaves food tasteless and dull while too much makes it inedible.
While it's important to drink enough water every day, customers are turning to a antioxidant-packed tea to improve the look and texture of their skin.

Australian brand X50 has released a Matcha Tea derived from Uji, the Kyoto region of Japan, to produce a sweet, nutrient-rich drink that contains 50 per cent less caffeine than coffee.

The high antioxidant and concentrate levels help to repair the skin from damage due to environmental factors, acne, scarring and adds plumpness.

Matcha also has the power to reduce puffiness, skin inflammation, and dark under-eye circles because of its high vitamin K content, a vitamin that promotes better blood circulation.

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Australian brand X50 has released a Matcha Tea derived from Uji, the Kyoto region of Japan, to produce a sweet, nutrient-rich drink that contains 50 per cent less caffeine than coffee.

The high antioxidant and concentrate levels in matcha help to repair the skin from damage due to environmental factors, acne, scarring and adds plumpness

According to X50 Lifestyle Naturopath, Bianca Richardson, the vibrant green colour is thanks to the high amount of chlorophyll matcha contains.

These natural plant compounds are essential for photosynthesis, the chemical reaction in which sunlight is transformed into energy, and protects skin from sun damage and reduces photo-ageing, which means fewer wrinkles and sunspots.

Chlorophyll also protects the skin by shielding it from impurities and chemicals in the environment that could clog pores.

To make the tea, simply add one to two teaspoons of matcha into a bowl or teacup, add between 75mL to 150mL of hot water and whisk with a chasen (traditional bamboo whisk) or fork until a froth has formed.

To make the tea, simply add one to two teaspoons of matcha into a bowl or teacup, add between 75mL to 150mL of hot water

Then whisk with a chasen (traditional bamboo whisk) or fork until a froth has formed

Aside from its benefits on blemishes, this antioxidant promotes smoother, more supple skin due to its ability to rejuvenate skin cells and support skin structure.

Studies have shown that drinking Matcha enhances both resting metabolic rate and the speed at which we burn fat, with research showing that exercising immediately after drinking it can result in 25 per cent more fat burned during exercise.

The 'superfood' drink has also been proven to reduce inflammation, boost the immune system and lower cholesterol.

The product is available on the X50 website for $29.95 per 30g tub.
Shoppers are rushing to get their hands on a $30 knit dress from Kmart, and saying not only is it perfect for the cool months but it's also so comfortable that it feels like wearing a 'warm hug'.

The Long Sleeve Oversized Midi Dress by the discount store costs just $30, but looks infinitely more expensive.

The dress has been worn by bloggers and stylists across Australia, who have raved about how cosy it is.

Shoppers are rushing to get their hands on a $30 Kmart knit dress (pictured), and saying not only is it perfect for cool months but it's also so comfortable it feels like wearing a 'warm hug'

'Seriously, this jumper dress is a DREAM! Like a warm hug, so I can forget about how cold my toes are!' fellow blogger The 30 Style wrote (pictured)

'Ultimate comfort in this Kmart knit dress,' Sydney style blogger Luxe and Lemonade posted, pairing her outfit with lace-up boots, red lipstick and a chic bun.

'Seriously, this jumper dress is a DREAM! Like a warm hug, so I can forget about how cold my toes are!' fellow blogger The 30 Style wrote.

The dress features a flattering roll neck to keep you warm, as well as long extended sleeves, a flattering midi length and relaxed oversized fit.

It is made from a knitted polyester, acrylic and elastane blend and is currently available in a neutral shade.

On the Kmart website, there are also glowing reviews of the dress, where users have said it's 'just as good as any from an expensive brand' (pictured on)

On the Kmart website, there are also glowing reviews of the dress, where users have said it's 'just as good as any from an expensive brand'.

'When you wear it, it feels like the dress is hugging you. Best winter dress,' one user wrote.

'I love the style, colour and the collar on the dress,' another added.

Shoppers recommend going down a size in order to get your perfect fit.

'When you wear it, it feels like the dress is hugging you. Best winter dress,' one user wrote (the dress pictured)

Kmart's autumn/winter collection - which includes three remarkably stylish coats made with recycled materials - has drawn major accolades (the collection pictured)

The dress isn't the only item flying off the shelves from Kmart's coveted autumn/winter collection.

The line - which includes three remarkably stylish coats made with recycled materials - has drawn major accolades.

Among the standouts this year are a $49 puffer jacket filled with repurposed polyester and a $35 'Teddy' shacket - a hybrid between a shirt and a jacket.

But the true showstopper is perhaps a chic longline fur coat, which wouldn't look out of place on a high-end fashion rack.

The collection is designed to provide 'timeless' pieces for a capsule wardrobe, a Kmart representative said.

The womenswear range is dominated by classically feminine colours such as aqua blue and staple shades like slate grey, along with neutrals including ecru and dusty pink.
Prince Harry's biographer has questioned the royal's bond with Britain after spotting a hidden message in wife Meghan Markle's book, The Bench.

Angela Levin, author of Harry: Biography of a Prince, appeared on Sky News on Tuesday and spoke to host Kay Burley about one specific illustration in Meghan's first children book, where a red-headed soldier wearing an American uniform is seen holding his young son aloft as a woman watches on crying from a window.

This is a likely reference to her and Harry, who served in Afghanistan with the Blues and Royals. The words read: 'This is your bench, Where life begins, For you and our son our baby, our kin'.

The royal expert suggested that the Duke of Sussex may feel estranged from Britain and explained: 'They have got obviously a caricature of Prince Harry, red hair with his son. And he is wearing an American army uniform.

'Now is there something else there. Is it "I don't want to be British anymore?" Is it a mistake because they thought this is what an Englishman wears when he is out in the army. It has all sort of has innuendos and separate meanings.'

Prince Harry's biographer Angela Levin has questioned the royal's bond with Britain after spotting a hidden message in wife Meghan Markle's book, The Bench. Pictured, an illustration of what appears to be the royal donning a US-style army uniform in The Bench

The Duke of Sussex (pictured, in a British army uniform), served a decade in the military and two tours in Afghanistan between 2007 and 2008

The illustration of the red-headed soldier resembles the same hat, boots and pattern of the US-military uniform (pictured)

The debut book, which hit stores across the UK yesterday, was inspired by a poem the Duchess of Susssex, wrote for Prince Harry's first Father's Day the month after Archie was born.

However, the children's book was slated by critics as a 'vanity project' on the day of its release - with one calling it a 'bland self-help manual for needy parents'.

The book, which costs 12.99, explores the 'special bond between father and son' as 'seen through a mother's eyes'.

Meghan dedicated it to Prince Harry and Archie, saying they make her heart go 'pump-pump', and wrote alongside a picture of a father and son playing with toy dinosaurs: 'When life feels in shambles, you'll help him find order.'

Royal expert Angela Levin (pictured) suggested that the Duke of Sussex may feel estranged from Britain

Speaking of the possible hidden meanings, Angela Levin continued: 'I think if you want to write a book for children you don't have to go into all these things. You can make it fun, make it interesting.'

'Have some sort of interesting thought for the children to think about. But I don't think anyone who wasn't Meghan would have got this through the publisher.'

Scenes in the book include several illustrations of Prince Harry, recognisable with his ginger hair and beard, and the couple's two-year-old son Archie.

The first illustration features a bearded ginger father  who bears a resemblance to the duke  cradling a smiling baby on a bench under a tree.

The text reads: 'This is your bench, where life will begin, for you and our son, our baby, our kin.'

According to royal biographer Phil Dampier, the children's book (pictured) hints at how unhappy Prince Harry, who served a decade in the military and two tours in Afghanistan between 2007 and 2008, is to have lost his military titles

Another illustration shows the duke sitting on a bench while feeding his rescue chickens, which the couple house at their 11million mansion in Montecito.

Meghan, dressed in a summer's hat, white T-shirt and jeans, also appears to be sketched in a vegetable patch located near her husband and son cradling her daughter, Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, who arrived on Friday.

As well as the chickens  which appeared during the broadcast of the couple's bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey in March  two dogs also feature in the illustration.

Further into the book, a father lies asleep on a bench holding his son closely. The boy sweetly clutches a toy giraffe in one hand while holding his father's hand in the other.

The text reads: 'From here you will rest, see the growth of our boy.'

In another illustration, a father and son duo each wear pink tutus while performing ballet poses.

The accompanying words read: 'You'll love him. You'll listen. You'll be his supporter.'
The mother of a domestic abuse victim who died in 2017 admitted she encouraged her daughter to remain friends with her estranged husband because she didn't know the extent of the violence she suffered.

Faye Caliman, 30, was stabbed 12 times by her estranged husband Marian Caliman at their Bestwood Village home in Nottinghamshire, six weeks after they separated and following years of physical and emotional abuse.

Caliman was sentenced to 19 years without parole at Nottingham Crown Court in September 2018 after pleading guilty to murder.

Speaking in last night's episode of 5Star's True Crime Series My Lover My Killer, her mother, Stella Williams revealed Faye, a mother-of-three, never told her the extent of the abuse she suffered from Caliman.

She added Caliman had 'charmed' her and that she encouraged Faye to remain friends with him, in hopes that they would rekindle their romance during an ucoming family holiday.

Stella Williams, right, from Bestwood Village in Nottinghamshire, said she wanted her daughter Faye Calima, centre, to reconcile with her estranged husband Marian Caliman, left, because she didn't know he had been abusive. Calima killed Faye on April 28 2017. Pictured at Faye and Caliman's wedding

'She didn't tell me everything that was going on, you see, I was still under his charm,' Stella said.

The family had planned a trip to Fuerteventura to celebrate Stella's 50th birthday, and Caliman was still invited, despite the couple's split.

Recalling her hopes for the trip, Stella explained: 'If we get away, it's beautiful in Fuerteventura, it's sunny, they can go for a walk on the beach, I can have the girls, they can have a romantic meal, whatever they like, and try to reconcile everything.'

The couple had been separated for six weeks after Faye finally gathered the courage to leave Marian, a Romanian builder who had been abusive during their marriage.

Faye Caliman, pictured, was murdered by her estrange husband Maian Caliman on April 28 2017 after three years of an increasingly violent abusive relationship

The couple, who had met in 2014 on a night out and married the following year, shared a daughter who was two-years-old at the time of Faye's death.

Following an argument regarding childcare, an enraged Caliman drove up to Faye's house, and recorded as he made her beg for her life before stabbing her several times with a kitchen knife.

He then called an ambulance saying 'I have killed my wife.' Paramedics tried to save Faye's life, but one of the stab wound she sustained to the heart was fatal, and she was pronounced dead at the scene.

Stella remembered her shock at hearing her daughter had passed on when two police officers came to her door at midnight.

'He had to tell me three times because I was like, "Let me get dressed, is she okay? Is she in the hospital? Is she asking for me? Can you take me to her?",' the distraught mother recalled.

'I just didn't take it in, it wasn't registering that it was fatal,' she added.

Caliman, pictured, was arrested following Faye's murder and sentenced to 19 years in jail without parole

'He had to stop me from going up the stairs to get there and then he said: "I think you better sit down".'

Caliman tried to go on the run from the police and called a friend admitting to murdering Faye and threatening to kill himself, but was eventually caught.

Faye's family and friend had to watch the video the abuser recorded of his wife in court, and the moment still haunts Stella to this day.

'I knew what the video would look like but seeing it and hearing it, you just don't understand the feelings that run through you,' she said.

'I saw exactly where the knife was positioned, the phone. The only thing I didn't know was what she was wearing, and what she would be saying.'

Breaking down in tears, she said: 'To see the footage, that was crippling, and I never never seen her like that. She knew she was going to die, she was saying all sorts just to get out of it, begging him.

'And that, on my worst days, on my lowest days, that haunts me.'

Caliman first pleaded not guilty, claiming he was not resposible for his actions, but the video he recorded dispelled that belief.

Author and criminal barrister Tony Kent said in the documentary: 'You'd have to wonder why anyone would choose to do it, the one effect that it did have is to undermine any claim from Caliman that this murder was a loss of control.

'Because if it was loss of control, in what world is he reaching to his pocket, taking out his phone, typing in his PIN or whatever pattern it takes to unlock his phone, going to camera, switching to video rather than photo, and then starting recording,' he added.

Stella said she expected Caliman to come clean and plead guilty.

'I expected him to say sorry, I expected him to put his hands up and say "I didn't mean it",' she revealed.

Stella, pictured with Faye on her wedding day, said she wished Caliman could have been hung, and that he never showed remorse for killing her daughter

'But he didn't even look at me, he wouldn't look at anybody, he stood with his head down and nothing, no remorse, no tears, no nothing

'He stood there as if nothing had happened, which made me angry.'

After Caliman was convinced to plead guilty, he was sentenced to 19 years without parole, which was not punishment enough for Stella.

'I wanted him... You know, but that's not in this country now, is it? We don't do hanging,' she said.

Faye, who had just ended a previous relationship and had two daughters when she met Caliman on a night out in 2014.

Hailing from Romania, Caliman didn't speak great English, which led to communication issues between the couple.

Faye, a mother-of-three, pictured, had started to turn her life around after separating from Caliman in March 2017

'When you look at the beginning of their relationship, there is a communication issue, there was a language barrier,' said author and criminal barrister Tony Kent

'From the very beginning, Faye was projecting something onto this that wasn't there. She was desperate for a relationship that worked, she just came out from one that hadn't. She was desperate for a successful relationship.'

The pair moved quickly after a whirlwind romance, and Stella admitted Caliman put a lot of effort into winning over, including getting her flowers and chocolates when they met.

'He was very polite, very charming, really, nothing was too much trouble for me,' she said.

The couple married in 2015, and soon Faye gave birth to their daughter. But while everything seemed fine on the surface, the relationships was not as idyllic as it seemed.

'It was very up and down at the beginning of the relationship, they had a few issues but then she put a good front on to make every seem perfect,' said her friend Kirsty Newbury.

The issues escalated after the couple were married, and friends started to notice bruises on Faye's body, which she brushed off, saying she had walked into a cupboard.

Caliman also grew more controlling and would constantly be texting Faye or limiting the number of cigarettes she could smoke.

Kirsty said in the documentary she was once driving out with Faye when Caliman caught up with them, tried to keep Faye from going out and spat on her face.

But Tony Kent argued it was just 'the tip of the iceberg.'

'Not everything could be kept a secret,' he said. 'Ultimately what you're seeing is the tip of the iceberg, you're seeing the things she can't hide, so what is she hiding?

'She is willing to hide all this different abuse she's suffering, willing to hide the abuse, the emotional, psychological abuse that she's not disclosing.'

Dr Roberta Babb, a psychologist, explained in the documentary: 'When somebody is in an abusive relationship, it's really, really difficult to leave. Ultimately, the person believe their partners can change.

The couple, pictured, met in 2014 and married in 2015 after a whirlwind romance. They shared on daughter

Violence escalated further on Christmas eve 2016, when a drunk Caliman took Faye by the hair and threw her down the stairs, an assault she couldn't keep away from her friends and family.

After a brief separation, Faye was drawn back to Caliman after he sent her a text reading 'I miss my baby.'

'The point is, she's being emotionally manipulated, maybe it's the version of "I'm sorry, I love you," or the version of "We need to keep out family together",' Tony said.

'That's what we see in those cases and it's tragic that, like so many other women, Faye took that as a reason to go back.'

In 2017, Faye eventually gathered the courage to leave Caliman, and started to turn her life around.

She changed jobs and was earning more money, and had reconnected with friends and family.

Caliman was struggling to see the mother of his child move forward and upward without him, and started to bombard her with messages.

He would also make their childcare arrangements difficult for her, by clashing with her work hours.

The fact she grew in confidence and stood her ground led to her untimely death, according to Tony Kent.

Faye, pictured, was a 'happy go lucky' girl, according to her friends, who admitted they knew the couple had issues, but that Faye would often put on a brave face

'There is always a trigger, there always has to be a trigger, and in a situation in which Faye has found this new job. She's standing her ground, she is fighting over childcare, she's got the support of her family, she's no longer as isolated as she was,' he said.

A few days before the family was meant to leave for Fuertventura for Stella's birthday, there was a movie night planned at Stella's, and Faye was meant to attend with her youngest daughter.

Caliman tried to keep her from going, saying that if she went to the movie night, he wouldn't be looking after their daughter when she next went to work.

Faye called her mother, and Stella offered to look after the child herself. This enraged Caliman, who could tell he was losing control over Faye.

That same night, he drove to her house to confront her, and eventually took her life.

'A particular horrible aspect of this case is the fact that when he started the final assault on Faye, Caliman took out his mobile phone and filmed it,' Tony said.

'He's standing over with her cowering on the floor, it's incredibly hard to watch,' he added.

'He was intimating Faye before he actually attacked her, and it's quite a calculated, thoughtful move which speaks to the sadism and control he was trying to exert over

Faye in this moment of extreme vulnerability for her,' said Dr Roberta Babb.

Tony Kent added that one of the most horrific thing to come out of the murder investigation was that Faye's two year-old-daughter saw some of her mother's assault, and reported 'Daddy hit Mummy on the head.'

'And perhaps that was intentional, "I'm going to put you in your place, I'm going to show you where the power lies, and I'm going to do it over the children too," he suggested.

Faye was buried after the police investigation, and Stella said she visits her resting place every year, affectionately calling Faye her 'fairy,' after the meaning of her name.

My Lover My Killer airs on Tuesdays on 5Star at 10pm.
The Queen wore a rarely-seen diamond and ruby brooch she received as a wedding gift for public engagement days before what would have been the Duke's 100th birthday.

The monarch, 95, donned the glittering butterfly brooch as she held a virtual audience to receive Ambassador from the Republic of South Sudan yesterday.

The heirloom was a gift from the Dowager Countess of Onslow at her wedding to the late Prince Philip, in 1947 and is rarely worn by the royal.

The appearance from the Queen comes as she prepares to mark what would have been her husband's 100th birthday tomorrow.

The Queen, 95, wore a rarely seen diamond and ruby brooch she received as a wedding gift for her first public appearance since Prince Harry and Meghan Markle named their daughter Lilibet

The rarely-seen glittering butterfly brooch features diamonds and rubies and was a wedding gift for the royal

The monarch has worn the piece less than a handful of times in the last couple of years, last opting for the brooch for a church service in Sandringham in 2019.

Before that, the Queen hadn't worn the glittering brooch since 2012, when she wore the first to visit the Sandringham Women's Institute.

On Tuesday, her Majesty conducted two virtual Audiences via video link from Windsor Castle.

She met with the ambassador from the Republic of South Sudan, Ms Agnes Oswaha, and with the High Commissioner for the Republic of Mozambique in London, Ms Albertina MacDonald.

The heirloom was a gift from the Dowager Countess of Onslow at her wedding to the late Prince Philip, in 1947 and is rarely worn by the royal

This week may be particularly poignant for the Queen, who tomorrow will mark what would have been Prince Philip's 100th birthday.

The Duke died 'peacefully' on April 9, aged 99, Buckingham Palace announced at the time.

It comes amid a briefing war between Buckingham Palace and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex over their decision to call their daughter the Queen's personal nickname Lilibet.

The Duke of Edinburgh referred to his wife as Lilibet, writing to his mother in law after their wedding: 'Lilibet is the only 'thing' in the world which is absolutely real to me.'

It was revealed today Prince Harry and Meghan Markle did not ask the Queen for permission to name their daughter Lilibet.

Senior Buckingham Palace sources confirmed to BBC royal correspondent Jonny Dymond this morning that the Queen was 'never asked' her opinion on the couple's decision to name their second child after her.

The monarch donned the glittering diamond and ruby butterfly brooch as she held a virtual audience to receive Ambassador from the Republic of South Sudan earlier this week

The bombshell briefing from senior palace aides refutes claims from sources close to Harry and Meghan who told the BBC and other media sources that the couple had asked the Queen for permission before naming their daughter Lilibet - the monarch's nickname coined when she was a child.

But in another twist to an increasingly muddled saga, Omid Scobie, a close friend of the Sussexes, slapped down the BBC's report just an hour later and insisted the Queen was the first person Harry called after the birth of his daughter.

Mr Scobie also said that the couple would not have used the name Lilibet if the Queen had not been supportive of the move.

On Tuesday, the Queen met with the ambassador from the Republic of South Sudan, Ms Agnes Oswaha, and with the High Commissioner for the Republic of Mozambique in London, Ms Albertina MacDonald

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex welcomed their daughter on Friday morning - before announcing her birth on Sunday - and made headlines after they named her Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor.

Sources close to the couple insisted they had discussed the new baby's name with the Queen before the announcement but Buckingham Palace revealed to the BBC this morning that the monarch was not consulted.

In an extraordinary briefing war between the palace and the Sussexes played out through the BBC, Omid then said: 'A Sussex source says that the Queen was the first family Harry called after Lilibet's birth and during that conversation, he shared the couple's hope of naming their daughter in her honor. Had she not been supportive, they would not have used the name.

The appearance comes amid a briefing war between Buckingham Palace and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex over their decision to call their daughter the Queen's personal nickname Lilibet

'Those close to Prince Harry confirm that he spoke to close family before the announcement so perhaps this report highlights just how far removed aides within the institution (who learned of the baby news alongside the rest of the world) now are from the Sussexes' private matters.'

Experts are split on how the Queen will view the tribute - some have claimed that Her Majesty will have been unhappy about the choice of name - others believe she will be touched.

Angela Levin told ITV's Good Morning Britain that Her Majesty will be upset, adding: 'I think she's desperately unhappy because they were desperately rude about her. I don't think it's a good idea. I think it's quite rude to her Majesty the Queen'.
A bar owner has won support on social media after a customer gave his pub a scathing one-star review because staff refused to serve her after discovering she'd arrived with her own tea bags.

Kelvin Collins, who runs Ben Madigans Bar and Kitchen in North Belfast, tweeted: 'I really cant believe this happened today' after reading the review that branded service at the pub 'disgraceful'.

On Google reviews, the 'local' woman revealed how she'd arrived at the bar and ordered a hot water and sugar - at no cost - before proceeding to make her own cuppa using a teabag she'd brought with her.

Teacup storm: Kelvin Collins, who runs Ben Madigans Bar and Kitchen in North Belfast, said a negative review left by a local woman 'beggared belief' after she complained she couldn't have free hot water on tap to brew her own tea while sitting in the pub

A disgruntled customer was not impressed when she was refused service after bringing her own teabag to the bar to make a cuppa

Collins was praised for the way he responded, telling the woman: 'There is a cost to my business for everything you were consuming while at Ben Madigans' and outlining that the bar had been closed for 13 out of 18 months during the pandemic

When staff cottoned on, they refused her a second cup of hot water and she left the one-star review shortly after.

She wrote: 'They wouldnt serve me again as I used my own teabag. The bar was virtually empty and they weren't under any pressure I find it disgraceful that they would begrudge me a 2p teabag.'

Owner Collins has been praised with the way he responded to the online complaint, with some Twitter users saying they're surprised he didn't go the full 'Basil Fawlty on her', referencing John Cleese's frequently irate character in 70s BBC hotel sitcom Fawlty Towers.

He wrote back: 'There is a cost to my business for everything you were consuming while at Ben Madigans - heating/aircon, lighting, the staff that served you, the electricity to heat the water, the water itself, the dishwasher used to wash the cup and saucer, the sugar, our rent, the cost to clean the building - I could go on and on.but I wont.'

Kelvin's response sparked 'solidarity' from fellow small business owners, with one saying they admired the fact he hadn't gone the full 'Basil Fawlty' in his response

He then pointed out that the industry had faced huge challenges due to the pandemic, saying: "We have been closed for 13 months out of the past 18 - forgive me if I begrudge you the cost of all of the above, and for you to follow it up with a 1 star review beggars belief.'

After tweeting the reviews on social media, many supported Collins' response.

@clarescastle wrote: 'Solidarity. I hope this brings out lots of supportive locals for you, to cancel out this cheapskates absurd review.'

@MetaEvidence wrote: 'Im sorry this happened; but your response demonstrates restraint and class. For that alone, my family and I will stop by and support your business when we are next in the area.'

And @Weebud45 agreed, penning: 'You deserve the right kind of "customer". You have shown remarkable restraint. I must admit, I would've found it hard not to have gone the Full Basil Fawlty on that lady. Best of luck.'

Collins responded: 'I think some people have no idea about business and think, sure its just a 2p tea bag.'

One user felt that maybe the bar staff should have served for a second time, writing: 'Total sympathy with you but it's best to turn a negative situation into a positive. You can create raving fans by going the extra mile. I'm thinking of you here. If it were me I'd have given her endless amounts of hot water/ sugar. Word of mouth and lifetime customer value.'

@MagpieLee added that they'd experienced similar, saying: 'On a serious note, this used to happen in one of my previous places, a Private Members Club in Central London. We eventually had to change the price of hot water to 20p to cover costs.'
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Roman Abramovich's ex-wife Dasha Zhukova has been pictured with her newborn son for the first time as she celebrates her 40th birthday.

The Moscow-born art collector and her billionaire shipping heir husband Stavros Niarchos, 36, welcomed baby boy Philip Stavros Niarchos, in March, 14 months after tying the knot in a lavish St Moritz ceremony.

Philip, the couple's first child together, is named after Stavros' father, who is worth 2billion. Dasha also shares a son, Aaron, and a daughter, Leah, with ex-husband Abramovich, from whom she split in 2017.

Radiant Dasha looks every inch the proud mother in the candid snap, which was shared on Instagram by close friend Derek Blasberg to mark the mother-of-three's milestone birthday.

The adorable photo shows Dasha smiling over her shoulder at the camera while baby Philip sleeps soundly in her arms. Derek wrote: 'Wishing a happy (40th!?) birthday to this hot momma'.

Mummy's boy! Dasha has been pictured with her son, Philip, for the first time. The sweet photo was shared on Instagram by BFF Derek Blasberg in honour of Dasha's 40th birthday today. Philip, her first child with Stavros Niarchos, was born in March

Blended families: Dasha and her billionaire shipping heir husband Stavros Niarchos, 36, pictured left in 2018 welcomed their first child together, Philip Stavros Niarchos, in March, 14 months after tying the knot in a lavish St Moritz ceremony. She shares two children, Aaron Alexander and Leah Lou (right in a photo shared by Blasberg), with ex Roman Abramovich

Split: Abramovich and Dasha were married for nine years from 2008 to 2017. Pictured, the couple in March 2017

Fashion insider Derek, who counts Kate Hudson, Victoria Beckham and Kendall Jenner among his inner circle, also shared a snap of Dasha with older children Aaron and Leah. His Instagram tribute also featured a new photo taken while Dasha was pregnant.

Dasha and Stavros kept the pregnancy private and did not officially announce their plans to start a family.

Philip's birth - and his name - was inadvertently announced on Instagram by close friend Diane von Furstenberg who shared a post in mid-March declaring: 'Welcome to the world Philip Stavros Niarchos'.

Speaking to the Daily Mail's Sebastian Shakespeare last week, a friend said: 'Theyre delighted. After what has been a very difficult year, being so isolated from loved ones, this is the perfect way for them to start a new chapter.'

It was the perfect early birthday present for Dasha, whose friends Sara Foster and jeweller to the stars Jennifer Meyer also shared their well-wishes on Instagram.

Sara and Jennifer both shared sweet throwback photos of Dasha to celebrate the birthday girl's big day.

Blooming beautiful! Close friend Blasberg also shared this previously unseen photo of Dasha while pregnant with Philip

Best friends: Fashion insider Blasberg shared a series of sweet images of Dasha (pictured) to mark her 40th birthday today

Birthday wishes! Jeweller to the stars Jennifer Meyer also shared a sweet post to mark Dasha's birthday (pictured)

Fun in the sun: Sarah Foster, daughter of music executive David Foster, also shared throwback snaps for Dasha's birthday

Close friends: Jennifer Meyer's birthday slideshow including this sweet snap of the pair holding hands in the sun

Dasha and Stavros had been friends for more than a decade but became a couple after her nearly 10-year marriage to Abramovich came to an end.

Stavros previously dated socialite and hotel heiress Paris Hilton, from late 2005 until March 2007.

The businessman, who is part of the Greek shipping Niarchos dynasty, was also in relationships with actresses Lindsay Lohan and Mary-Kate Olsen, and model Jessica Hart.

Upon their split, Dasha and Roman said they were committed to jointly raising their children together and working together as co-founders of the Garage Museum of Contemporary Art and the New Holland Island cultural center in St Petersburg.

Court documents filed in New York show Abrahmovich and Zhukova finalized their divorced in August last year.

The settlement included the transfer of over $92 million worth of property to Dasha - including a four-storey mansion in Manhattan.

Time for a selfie! Jennifer and Dasha sip on coconuts in this photograph shared on Instagram to mark Dasha's big day

Poking fun: Sara Foster used her birthday tribute as a way to make jokes about her friendship with Dasha

Smile! Another touching photograph of Jennifer (left) and Dasha shared on Instagram to mark the occasion

Dasha and Stravo's relationship was all but confirmed back in January 2019 when he spent New Year's Eve with her friends in Peru.

The shipping heir joined music magnate David Geffen, supermodel Karlie Kloss and her venture capitalist boyfriend Josh Kushner, jeweler Jennifer Meyer and her frequent companion Mikey Hess, and screenwriter Erin Foster on a journey through the Amazon.

Sources then revealed in July of that year that the couple were engaged, with one telling Page Six that they were openly discussing their plans to marry with friends at her birthday party in New York City.

Royalty, Hollywood and some of fashion's most famous faces were present at the couple's wedding in January 2020 when they married in a specially erected marquee close to the main ski jump Olympaschanze.

Among those present was Princess Beatrice and Edo Mapelli Mozzi, actress Kate Hudson and fashion designer Stella McCartney.

Wrapped up: Dasha and Stavros were seen out in St Moritz in January but any hint of a baby bump was hidden under a coat

Pictures of the nuptials were not released at the time but have since emerged, showing the glamorous bride wearing a stunning white gown with a chic embellished coat over the top.

Her new husband meanwhile looked dapper in a navy suit, complete with a white rose pinned to his lapel.

In one picture the couple are seen with the mayor of St Moritz, Christian Jott Jenny.

Stavros's father Stavros Jr and uncle Spyros are the largest private landowners in St. Moritz.

The 6 million Swiss leg of the marriage was held 24 hours before scheduled with guests keeping the timing a secret with the main celebration was at the Kulm Hotel.

The bride was given away by her father Alexander Zhukov, a Russian businessman who is a British citizen.
The Duchess of Cornwall appeared effortlessly elegant as she met with Darcey Bussell during a trip to the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

Camilla, 73, who is based at Clarence House with the Prince of Wales, donned a blue polka dot frock when visiting the On Point: Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) at 100 display today.

The royal met with retired ballerina Darcey, 52, who previously appeared on the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing as a judge and is the president of RAD, to hear about the organisation's century-long history.

The Duchess of Cornwall appeared effortlessly elegant as she met with Darcey Bussell during a trip to the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, today (pictured)

Camilla (pictured left), 73, who is based at Clarence House with the Prince of Wales, donned a blue polka dot frock when visiting the On Point: Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) at 100 display today

Putting her best fashion foot forward, Camilla opted for an eye-catching floral face mask, along with cream heels.

She completed her sophisticated ensemble with a golden heart necklace and matching bracelets.

The Duchess of Cornwall, who wore her blonde hair coiffured away from her face, kept her makeup minimal and opted for a fine layering of mascara.

Camilla is the vice patron of The RAD, while the Queen has been patron of the academy since 1953.

The royal met with retired ballerina Darcey (pictured together), 52, who previously appeared on the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing as a judge and is the president of RAD, to hear about the organisation's century-long history

On Point: Royal Academy of Dance at 100 is a free display curated between V&A and RAD celebrating 100 years of the organisation.

It tells the story of how the academy helped shape the future of dance training and is the first time in its history that RAD has given access to its archive on such a scale.

Last year, the Duchess of Cornwall revealed that she starts the day with ballet lessons and a 'little bit of pilates' to keep fit during the coronavirus lockdown.

Camilla let slip her secret in a video call to mark International Dance Day with Darcey Bussell, the Royal Ballet's former principle dancer and president of The Royal Academy of Dance (RAD), and former newsreader Angela Rippon.

Putting her best fashion foot forward, Camilla opted for an eye-catching floral face mask, along with cream heels

The Duchess of Cornwall is given a bunch of flowers from RAD student Ottilie McKinley at the V&A

The Duchess revealed that she has secretly been taking ballet lessons at home with a group of friends for the last 18 months and also opened up about her and Prince Charles' experiences of lockdown.

Camilla admitted: 'Well it's very peculiar. My husband is a workaholic so it's work wherever he is. We try to do something for our charities most days.

'We've got to keep active otherwise we will all seize up and we won't be able to get out of bed in the morning. It doesn't matter if it is ten minutes. It doesn't matter if it is ten minutes or 20 minutes, it just starts off the day. '

Camilla revealed that she starts her day 'with a bit of Silver Swans and a bit of Pilates... and a lot of walking, which I love,' she added.
The Prince of Wales was all smiles today on a visit to a biogas plant near Poundbury, Dorset, despite a row between his son Prince Harry and the BBC over the name of the newest member of the royal family.

Charles, 72, looked in good spirits as he unveiled a plaque at Rainbarrow Farm, an anaerobic digester plant, where he officially opened BioCarbonics, a new joint venture that will produce green CO2 in a sustainable manner for use by the food and drink and horticultural industry.

It marks Charles' first visit to the 'designer village', which is built on land owned by the Duchy of Cornwall, since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The visit comes hours after Prince Harry threatened the BBC with legal action after it reported that he and Meghan Markle did not ask the Queen for permission to name their daughter Lilibet.

Senior Buckingham Palace sources told BBC royal correspondent Jonny Dymond this morning that the Queen was 'never asked' her opinion on the couple's decision to name their new baby after her childhood nickname.

However, Harry hit back within 90 minutes of the BBC's report being published through a statement from his and Meghan's close friend Omid Scobie that insisted the Queen was the first person the Duke called after the birth of his daughter.

Prince of Wales, 72, visited an anaerobic digester plant, Rainbarrow Farm, near Poundbury in Dorset today, after describing the birth of grandaughter Lilibet as 'happy news'

Prince Charles yesterday described the birth of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's daughter Lilibet as 'happy news' after he became a grandfather for the fifth time.

This afternoon, Charles met with site staff and board members from J V Energen, who own the power plant in a joint venture partnership between the Duchy of Cornwall and local farmers.

Poundbury, in Dorset, which mixes private and affordable housing side-by-side, is owned by Charles' Duchy of Cornwall estate, which covers more than 130,000 acres across 23 counties.

The heir to the throne also visited the Royal National Lifeboat Institution's (RNLI) College to witness its lifesaving training as the charity prepares for thousands of people to flock to the beaches during staycations this summer.

He wore sunglasses as he unveiled a plaque to officially open BioCarbonics, a new joint venture that will produce green CO2 in a sustainable manner

Charles met with site staff and board members from J V Energen, who own the power plant in a joint venture partnership between the Duchy of Cornwall and local farmers

Charles watched a live demonstration by lifeboat trainers and volunteers in the Sea Survival Centre in Poole, Dorset.

He saw an exercise involving the righting of a capsized inshore lifeboat in a wave tank, with simulated thunder, lightning and darkness.

The prince heard of the challenges the RNLI has faced during the pandemic, as it kept operational throughout, saving 349 lives last year.

Stuart Popham, RNLI chairman, said: 'Our committed volunteers have maintained a 24/7 rescue service throughout the pandemic and today was an opportunity for the prince to personally thank some of them for their dedicated service.

'We are expecting another busy summer as more and more people flock to the UK and Irish coastlines and His Royal Highness's visit will help raise the profile of our services and how the public can keep themselves safe.'

It marks Charles' first visit to the 'designer village', which is built on land owned by the Duchy of Cornwall, since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic

Yesterday, The Prince of Wales commented the birth of Lilibet 'Lili' Diana Mountbatten-Windsor after she was born to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in California on Friday 4 June

Prince Charles' comments come after royal biographer Robert Jobson claimed the royal is 'unlikely to meet his new granddaughter for some time'.

Training, which is now back to a full programme, was paused during the height of lockdown to protect crew and keep the lifeboat service in operation throughout the Covid-19 crisis.

The charity said that 2020 was busier than ever for the RNLI as people headed to the beaches at home rather going abroad, so training was vital to meet the growing demand.

Only one in 10 of the RNLI's volunteer crew members come from a professional maritime background, so training is essential.

In 2004, the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh officially opened the College.

Charles paid his respects at the RNLI Memorial - a sculpture which honours the courage of all lifeboat crew and search and rescue service people lost at sea while endeavouring to save the lives of others.

Later today, the prince also visited the Royal National Lifeboat Institution's (RNLI) College to witness its lifesaving training (pictured at the Sea Survival Centre in Poole, Dorset)

Charles watched a live demonstration by lifeboat trainers and volunteers undertaking an exercise involving the righting of a capsized inshore lifeboat in a wave tank
Value Market Researchs Global Recent Trends in Release Liner Market Report is a comprehensive analysis study that include industry trends, size, share, growth, estimation and forecast for the year 2020-2027. The Recent Trends in Release Liner market report also covers the comprehensive profiles of the key players in the market and an in-depth view of the competitive landscape worldwide.

The research report also covers the comprehensive profiles of the key players in the market and an in-depth view of the competitive landscape worldwide. The major players in the Release Liner include 3M (US), Mondi (US), Gascogne Flexible Company (Norway), UPM Raflatac (Finland), Loparex Holding B.V. (The Netherlands), Avery Dennison Corporation (US), Sappi Limited (Saudi Africa), Ahlstrom-Munksjo (Sweden), Eastman Chemical Company (US), LINTEC CORPORATION (Japan), Rayven, Inc. (US), and Polyplex (US). This section includes a holistic view of the competitive landscape that includes various strategic developments such as key mergers & acquisitions, future capacities, partnerships, financial overviews, collaborations, new product developments, new product launches, and other developments.

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Market Segmentation

The broad Release Liner has been sub-grouped into the Substrate, Labelling Technology, Printing Process, Application and region. The report studies these subsets with respect to the geographical segmentation. The strategists can gain a detailed insight and devise appropriate strategies to target specific market. This detail will lead to a focused approach leading to identification of better opportunities.

By Substrate

Paper-based (Supercalendered Kraft, Glassine & Calendered Kraft, Clay-coated Kraft, Polycoated Kraft, Polyethylene-coated Kraft, Others)

Film-based (Polyvinyl Chloride, Polypropylene , Polyethylene, Polyethylene Terephthalate, Polystyrene)

By Labelling Technology

Pressure Sensitive

Glue Applied

Shrink Sleeve

Stretch Sleeve

In-mold

Others

By Printing Process

Flexography

Offset

Gravure

Screen

Digital Printing

By Application

Food & Beverage

Medical & Pharmaceuticals

Cosmetics & Personal Care

Automotive

Electronics

Construction

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Regional Analysis

Furthermore, the report comprises of the geographical segmentation which mainly focuses on current and forecast demand for Release Liner in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. The report further focuses on demand for individual application segments in all the regions.

Table of Content

Preface Executive Summary Release Liner  Industry Analysis Value Chain Analysis Impact Analysis Of Covid-19 Outbreak Global Release Liner Analysis By Substrate Global Release Liner Analysis By Labelling Technology Global Release Liner Analysis By Printing Process Global Release Liner Analysis By Application Global Release Liner Analysis By Geography Competitive Landscape Of The Release Liner Companies Company Profiles Of Release Liner Industry

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A moment that will stay with me for ever is driving back from a Narcotics Anonymous meeting in a rehab minibus affectionately nicknamed the druggy buggy.

There were eight of us heading back to the rehab clinic. The conversation was raucous, as people recalled their experiences on recreational drugs. Unable to join in, I stared gloomily out of the window. I had never felt more alone in my life.

It was 2014 and my fellow inmates had problems with cocaine, ketamine, heroin and alcohol. My poison was Valium, which I took not for kicks, but because I couldnt sleep. And my dealer was a doctor.

Insomnia, and the dark places it took me, ruled and ruined my life for the best part of a decade. Much of this was down to my reaction to taking (and withdrawing from) prescribed psychiatric medications.

Miranda Levy (pictured) recalls turning to prescription drugs as she struggled to sleep, after her husband said he wanted to 'call time' on their nine-year marriage

My descent into sleeplessness had been triggered by my husband telling me in July 2010 that he wanted to call time on our nine-year marriage. Our children were aged seven and five. I was devastated.

Sleeping for just 30 minutes a night, or not at all, I went to see my GP. Then 42, I was terrified about how I was going to cope as a single mother. He wrote me a two-week prescription for the sleeping pill temazepam, which is from a class of drugs called benzodiazepines (or benzos for short).

That first night, the pill didnt work. The second night I took two. Still no effect.

I was unaware that Id taken the first step into my psychiatric safari, a ten-year voyage of mood pills with seductive names such as Seroquel and Lyrica. Even to this day, I am not free of them all.

By the end of the summer, I was a pale, jittery ghost on sick leave from my job as a magazine editor. Thankfully, my ex-husband  with help from grandparents and a succession of kind after-school nannies  made sure the kids were well looked-after.

Still not sleeping, I was referred to an NHS psychiatrist who noted my distress and put me on antidepressants, plus a new benzo called clonazepam. This was a day-time tranquilliser rather than a sleeping pill, but I was told it should help me get some rest. There was no discussion of its potential dangers, or of how long I was to stay on it, but at that point I didnt care.

The relief of the clonazepam didnt last. A month on, the consultant doubled my dose. At a later date, he upped it over the phone. At my most medicated, I was on a dose equivalent to 50mg of diazepam (Valium). Most people on Valium for sleeplessness are prescribed 5mg to 15mg daily.

My diagnosis changed from adjustment disorder to depression to treatment-resistant depression and generalised anxiety disorder. At times, I felt suicidal.

Miranda booked herself into a rehab clinic because she felt too weak to follow a plan from her doctor by herself. Pictured: With her daughter in happier times

There was barely any therapy, but there were lots of pills: antidepressants, antipsychotics, more benzos. When these didnt work, psychiatrists upped the doses and added new tablets into the cocktail.

Eventually, I decided all my problems were down to my dependence on these drugs.

There is a heated conversation among campaigners about whether you should use the term addicted or dependent for those who have problems with doctor-prescribed medications. Most prefer the latter, because the stigma of being addicted means they are inappropriately treated.

I visited my local authoritys Addiction Service, where the doctor and I worked out a gradual reduction programme to cut back my pills over a matter of months. Its really dangerous to stop these drugs cold turkey. Feeling too weak to follow the plan by myself, I booked into a rehab clinic within striking distance of my home. It enthusiastically reported success in bringing people off benzos.

The clinic GP told me that in a supervised environment I could detox more quickly than if I was at home. The aim was to come off the benzodiazepines within three weeks, with one drug-free week at the end.

The clinic employed the 12-step programme, which charts a course of action for recovery with the goal of becoming clean or sober. There were five meetings a week: a mix of AA and NA.

Miranda (pictured) said she felt isolated as withdrawal symptoms started to kick in, and began to be seen as a 'difficult' client

Others at the clinic included an older Scottish woman who drank a bottle of vodka a day; a PR with an alcohol addiction; an alcoholic fireman; a trust-fund guy who had problems with ketamine; an executive coke-head; and a heroin addict who had been back many times.

Mornings tended to follow the same pattern. A therapist held a 30-minute meditation, after which everyone would stretch, grin and say how relaxed they felt. All except me. I was so tense, I could feel my teeth grinding together. It didnt occur to me that this might be down to drug withdrawal.

The rest of the day there were readings, homework based on a big AA textbook and group hugginess, which isnt my thing at all. We took turns to cook and clean. Five evenings out of seven, there were fellowship meetings. I didnt identify with the journeys of the alcoholics and drug addicts at all, although not for a second did I judge them.

Feeling isolated, I was really not sure the 12-step treatment model was working for me.

As withdrawal symptoms started to kick in, I grew antsy, deranged. I couldnt sit still, ran up and down the stairs, and began to be seen as a difficult client. I was failing my homework, doing my chores badly, trying to get out of meetings. At one session, the group leader made me stand on a chair and sing God Save The Queen. I was mortified.

A standard rehab stay is 28 days. I hung on a couple of weeks beyond that, until it was decided that it would be better if I left.

Miranda (pictured) said she was deemed something of a time-waster, after spending around five days on a psychiatric ward

Though I had cut my Valium dose (I had switched from clonazepam) significantly, I wasnt off it. And I was still taking my antidepressant, trazodone, though theyd wanted to take me off that as well.

Two clinic counsellors drove me back to London. I asked them to drop me at A&E, where I begged doctors to take me into a psychiatric unit. I was in such a state, they admitted me. I was hoping for a new approach  some therapy, even. But this was almost non-existent (an hours art therapy a week). The TV was on without sound all day. My ward was by the side of a railway, and Tubes rattled past until 1am, then started again at 5am. Staff peeked in all night long, making no effort to be quiet.

It really wasnt conducive to sleep, which, if anyone remembers that far back, was the reason I was in this mess.

During this stay, I recall seeing a doctor once. The young consultant decided to keep my medications as they were. This was disappointing.

After five days or so, I was deemed something of a time-waster and kicked back home, where my health deteriorated further. I decided to come off all the remaining benzodiazepines myself in two or three weeks  way too quickly.

From this point on, I was pretty deranged. I could no longer speak in sentences, just stuttering repetitively. I even started hitting myself in the face, one time so violently I detached a retina and had to have three eye operations. Things got so bad that it was decided it would be better if I moved to Essex to live with Dad, who had just retired from his dental practice.

I remained in a frightful state for more than two years. But I did not go back on the Valium, though I was put on several other medications.

Eventually, however, at the start of 2019, I began to notice there were gaps in my wakefulness: my clock might say 01.34, then the next time I looked, 02.55. With a tiny bit of sanity restored, I slowly began re-engaging with the world, watching TV. Dad bought me a smartphone. I deleted 60,000 junk emails. I was even able to start exercising and cooking.

In April, I saw friends for the first time in years. These little things were like a virtuous cycle: the more I did, the more I slept. Gingerly I came off the olanzapine and lost a chunk of weight. Soon I got up to four hours sleep a night, and started to feel human again.

Miranda (pictured) revealed her life has now improved beyond recognition, and she sleeps six or seven hours a night

Of course, the question is: why? Why was I so ill? Why did I get better? I have consulted many sleep experts and its becoming clear that the worst of my illness was because of something called post-acute withdrawal syndrome  when you come off benzos too quickly.

I spoke to Melanie Davis, who runs a group called REST (Recovery Experience Sleeping Pills and Tranquillisers) as part of the organisation Change, Grow, Live. She told me: Benzodiazepines cannot be treated in the same way as other addictive substances. They need separate attention. Regular rehab is often not appropriate and most rehab workers do not have training in this area.

This is one of the reasons why the 12-step programme, which can be life-saving for other addictions, is not appropriate. It is based on abstinence: you have to stop and stay stopped, which you cant do suddenly with benzos.

Coming off too quickly could mean you suffer with terrible sleep problems, anxiety, depression and flu-like symptoms. These could last for years.

Davis thinks the Government should provide specialist services for prescription drug dependency, and that GPs and psychiatrists need up-to-date education on how to withdraw people safely.

Amazingly, my own life has now improved beyond recognition. I sleep six or seven hours a night. I feel happy and strong. Ive stopped most of the pills, though not all of them. Its one battle at a time with the drugs.

Against the odds, I have been able to resume my career. Most of my friends are back  some new ones to boot  and Im forging a new relationship with my children, now in their teens. I also have a nice new boyfriend, who lives in New York.

Yes, there is always the fear Ill be plunged back into the maelstrom of insomnia again. Even if this happens, I will never take another benzo.

In the meantime, I say thanks to the Gods of Sleep each morning. To tell them that sleep is a blessing, that Im so grateful for this wonderful gift. And that I am going to make the most of every waking moment.

The Insomnia Diaries: How I Learned To Sleep Again by Miranda Levy is published by Aster at 9.99.
An anonymous relative of Meghan Markle has claimed that she 'won't ever talk to her family again' because she acts like she is 'in a different social class' and therefore 'above them and where she came from'.

The unnamed Markle insider spoke out about the Duchess of Sussex, 39, during an interview with Fox News, hitting out at the mother-of-two for her treatment of her family, while also insisting that her relatives do not wish to pursue a reconciliation.

'We're clearly in different social classes and we won't ever talk again,' the person - who did not reveal their relation to the mother-of-two - said of Meghan's relationship with her family.

'You shouldn't have to be someone you're not, or a certain class to be accepted and loved,' the person added.

Rift? An unnamed relative of Meghan Markle has claimed that she 'won't ever talk to her family again' because she acts like 'she is above them and where she came from'

Distance: Although Meghan, 39, and Harry, 36, moved much closer to her family when they relocated to California, the anonymous relative does not think the Duchess will ever visit them

The source's comments come just days after Meghan welcomed her second child with Prince Harry, a baby daughter named Lilibet 'Lili' Diana in honor of the Queen and the late Princess Diana.

Meghan and Harry actually moved much closer to the Duchess' family when they relocated to her home state of California last year, moving into a $14 million mansion in Montecito where they now live with their two-year-old son Archie and newborn daughter Lili.

But while the Duchess's relative offered congratulations to the couple on the arrival of their daughter, they admitted that they don't believe a playdate between the little girl and her Markle cousins is ever going to happen despite their physical proximity, joking that a meeting with Oprah Winfrey would be just as likely to take place.

According to the Markle relative, the rift between Meghan and her family is entirely 'her choice', adding that the family has no plans to try and mend it because they don't want to 'chase after someone that doesn't want to talk to' them.

Although Meghan is known to be incredibly close to her mother, Doria Ragland - who is understood to be living with the Sussexes at their $14 million Montecito mansion where she is helping them to care for Archie and his newborn sister - the Duchess does not appear to have a tight bond with anyone else6 in her immediate family.

Indeed, this relative is not the first of Meghan's family members to publicly criticize her, or to accuse the Duchess of widening the rift between herself and them.

Meghan and Harry have both been blasted on a number of occasions by her estranged father, Thomas Markle, and her half-sister Samantha, most recently over comments they made during their explosive interview with Oprah.

Estranged: The Duchess of Sussex's complicated relationship with estranged father Thomas (pictured center with his daughter and ex-wife Doria Ragland) has been widely reported

Tight-knit: The only relative that Meghan is known to have a close connection with is her mother Doria, who is believed to be living with the Sussexes at their $14m Montecito home

Following the Sussexes' TV sit-down in March, Thomas and Samantha spoke out to slam the couple, with Meghan's half-sister accusing the Duchess of using her mental health struggles as 'an excuse to treat people like dishrags'.

During the primetime sit-down, which aired on March 7, Meghan revealed that she had struggled with suicidal thoughts while pregnant with her son Archie, and claimed that the palace turned a blind eye to her mental health struggles.

But despite her admission, Samantha, 56, said she has no sympathy for Meghan.

'Depression is not an excuse for treating people like dishrags and disposing of them,' she told Inside Edition.

In a follow-up interview with TMZ, Samantha launched another blistering attack on the Duchess, claiming that her marriage to Harry is heading for divorce unless the couple undergoes 'extensive counselling'.

She also called on the Sussexes to go on an 'apology tour' after the couple made accusations of racism within the Royal Family during their Oprah interview.

Thomas then took aim at Harry, branding him 'snotty' and accusing him of failing to properly support Meghan while she was struggling with suicidal thoughts.

'It really did upset me, like I said, it would have been easy for her to reach out to me, any of the rest of her family, who she claims she doesn't know,' he told Good Morning Britain.

'But the other thing is that I would think that she could turn to her husband.'

When noted she did speak to Harry, Thomas said Meghan's husband had 'obviously not supported her that well'.

Criticism: The unknown relative is not the first of Meghan's family members to publicly criticize her. Thomas has openly slammed his daughter on a number of occasions

Under fire: The Duchess's half-sister Samantha Markle has also been very outspoken in her criticism of Meghan

He then slammed his daughter's decision to refuse to see or speak to him, saying: 'The biggest problem here is she's pretty much ghosted all of her family.'

The Sussexes' relationship with Prince Harry's family is also understood to have become very strained in recent months, particularly in the wake of the very damaging allegations the couple made about the royals during the Oprah interview - which was followed up by further comments made by the Duke during a podcast interview with actor Dax Shepard and accusations he made during his mental health series on Apple TV+.

Further tension arose just today after Prince Harry threatened legal action against UK broadcasting corporation the BBC, which reported that he and Meghan did not ask the Queen for permission to name their daughter Lilibet.

Senior Buckingham Palace sources are said to have told BBC royal correspondent Jonny Dymond on Wednesday that the Queen was 'never asked' her opinion on the couple's decision to name their new baby after her childhood nickname.

However, Harry hit back within 90 minutes of the BBC's report being published through a statement from his and Meghan's close friend Omid Scobie that insisted the Queen was the first person the Duke called after the birth of his daughter.

Scobie, who wrote the bombshell Finding Freedom biography of the couple, also claimed the Sussexes would not have used the name Lilibet unless the Queen had supported the move.

Harry, who together with wife Meghan announced they were expecting a girl during their interview with Oprah in March, took things a step further mere hours after his rebuttal of the report, threatening the BBC with legal action through law firm Schillings.

Tension: Meanwhile Harry's relationship with the royal family has become increasingly strained since the Sussexes stepped down as working members of the royal family

Notice of the legal action was followed by a carefully-worded statement that raised more questions than answers over whether the Queen did give permission or if the couple simply informed her of their intentions in a fait accompli.

The statement insisted that the BBC report was wholly wrong and read: 'The Duke spoke with his family in advance of the announcement, in fact his grandmother was the first family member he called.

'During that conversation, he shared their hope of naming their daughter Lilibet in her honor. Had she not been supportive, they would not have used the name.'

The episode is the latest display of the chasm between the Sussexes and Buckingham Palace, after officials appeared to be caught off guard by the timing of the baby news with a spokesman for the Palace congratulating the couple 90 minutes after the announcement broke on the Archewell website at 1pm on Sunday.

Harry and his brother Prince William are due to unveil a statue of their mother Princess Diana at Kensington Palace on her birthday, but the arrangements have yet to be confirmed, amid a long-reported rift between the brothers.

Harry and Meghan plunged the Windsors into crisis with their Oprah interview in March when they accused an unnamed royal of making a racist remark about their son Archie's skin tone before he was born.

They also said the institution failed to help Meghan when she was suicidal. But during the televised interview with Winfrey, the Sussexes lauded the Queen.

Harry spoke of his respect for his grandmother, while Meghan said: 'The Queen... has always been wonderful to me.'
How many times have you opened your wardrobe only to declare you have nothing to wear? The average British woman is estimated to own around 14 handbags and up to 30 pairs of shoes, and  according to the Office for National Statistics  spends 43.88 on clothes each month.

But for a select group of avid collectors, buying clothes or accessories is something of an obsession, to the extent that these women admit to owning enough to wear a different piece every single day of the year.

Here, they proudly display their prized collections  and reveal the eye-watering sums theyve spent . . .

MY COLLECTION RANGES FROM PRIMARK TO PRADA

Nicola Crawford, 44, is a civil servant and lives near Belfast with her husband and their ten-year-old daughter.

364 BAGS

TOTAL COST: 20,000

Four women reveal the eye-watering sums they've spent on their fashion collections - including Nicola Crawford, 44, (pictured) who has spent 20,000 on 364 bags

For my 40th birthday, in October 2016, my lovely husband flew me to Paris for a weekend, where he whisked me to the flagship Chanel store and treated me to my most prized handbag: a classic black shoulder one with a gold chain strap.

It cost 2,500, and the whole experience  including being served champagne while we browsed  was a long-held dream come true.

I already had a lot of handbags when I met my husband, so hes always known about my obsession. My collection currently stands at 364 handbags and includes lots from the high street, such as the first one I ever bought  a plain black shoulder bag from Primark for a fiver when I was 18. My most expensive bags are under lock and key in a safe. The others are stored neatly in boxes under the bed, on top of wardrobes, in the attic and at my mums house, all of them in boxes, dust bags or tissue paper. I keep a spreadsheet and a notebook listing each bag and where its stored.

When I was a child, my mum had a fuchsia pink bag that I adored, and Id walk around the house with it, admiring myself in the mirror.

After starting a part-time job in a shop when I was a teenager, I was able to buy my own bags  and Ive never stopped.

My first designer one was by Chloe, bought in a sale 14 years ago. Since then Ive collected bags by Louis Vuitton, Prada, Kate Spade, Lulu Guinness and Michael Kors.

Im a fussy customer and its taken me 20 years to amass so many bags. I like them to match shoes or an outfit that I already own. I never throw any away.

If I see a designer bag that catches my attention, I will save up for months to treat myself. The money I saved during lockdown meant I was recently able to buy my 363rd bag: a cream Chanel one with a top handle, that cost more than 1,000.

Next week Ill buy a 1,100 green crocodile Mulberry, my 365th bag, meaning Ill have one for every day of the year  a real milestone.

Im already thinking about which one I might like for my 50th birthday in 2026. My dream bag is a Hermes tote, costing at least 7,000, but Ill need to win the lottery for that!

And then, of course, there are leap years  which will be the perfect excuse to buy just one more . . .

DRESS SHOPPING IS MY HOBBY

Rachael Cresswell, 40, is married to Daniel, 38, a fisheries officer. They live near Paignton, Devon with their four boys aged seven, five, four and two.

400 DRESSES

TOTAL COST: MORE THAN 10,000

Rachael Cresswell, 40, (pictured) who lives near Paignton, Devon, has spent over 10,000 on her 400 dresses

As a mother of four little boys, it would be easy to descend into a daily mum uniform of jeans and jumpers. But Im determined to maintain my femininity. Even when Im playing in the park, am on the school run or out in the rain, I wear a dress. And with more than 400, I can wear a different one every day of the year.

Most of my recent purchases are floaty and floral, maxi-length with a boho feel and a big swishy skirt. My favourites include two sparkly, embroidered frocks from Needle & Thread which, at 200 and 400, were a birthday treat to myself when I turned 40 last October.

My husband Daniel loves that Im so feminine, and our boys tell me I look like a princess. But my four-year-old, Cole, is brutally honest if he doesnt like a dress and will tell me: Dont keep that one, Mummy, it doesnt suit you!

The most Ive spent was on a Needle & Thread dress that cost 500. Its lilac, flowing, with beautiful embroidered flowers.

Dresses only really became an obsession when I had my first son seven years ago and realised I felt more like me whenever I wore one. Since then, adding to my vast collection has become a hobby, and each month I either splash out on a pricier dress (costing 200 or more) or several cheaper ones.

I love the current collection of Oliver Bonas summer dresses and I also recently bought two frocks from Free People, one of them a retro paisley print at 100 and the other black linen and backless that was in the sale for 40. Others, such as my second-hand Topshop dresses, cost as little as 4 from car boot sales.

I fund my dress habit by selling pieces I no longer wear on eBay.

I also snap up dresses that go viral in order to resell them. For example, when Giles Deacon launched a range for H&M in 2015, I bought several garments and sold them on, often for as much as 100 profit.

I love tracking down celebrity favourites, too. Just before we got married in October 2012, I saw the actress Blake Lively wearing a beautiful Jenny Packham dress, which I then imported for 300 from the U.S. as a second wedding dress.

On another occasion I drove 132 miles to Cardiff to buy a dress from the Karen Millen store there  the only place with one left in my size  after Id seen Leona Lewis wearing it on The X Factor.

Dan and our respective families just find it amusing.

Half of my dresses are stored in a walk-in wardrobe, and the rest are in the loft. I rotate them seasonally.

The boys love it if a parcel arrives for me and will say: Is it a new dress? Can we see it? They think its hilarious trying them all on.

I EVEN WEAR HATS TO THE SUPERMARKET

Nicky Miller, 46, is a milliner and lives in Glasgow with her two children, aged 23 and 17.

HATS: 400

TOTAL COST: 15,000-20,000

Nicky Miller, 46, (pictured) who lives in Glasgow, has spent around 20,000 on her collection of 400 hats

I love hats so much that I retrained as a milliner three years ago having previously worked as a hairdresser, a dental nurse and on department store beauty counters. Since then Ive sold more than 1,000 hats while steadily growing my personal collection: I now own around 400.

Even as a child I always wore a straw or sailor hat. My mother, who has a great sense of style, chose them but I gladly wore them.

When I left school, earned my own money and was finally able to go to France, I fell in love with berets and there was one almost permanently on my head for years. I still adore them and have lots in various colours.

Hats are my trademark, and whether its a felt trilby or wool fedora in winter or an elaborate Ascot style hat in summer, Im rarely without one.

Theres a beret with a veil on it that I love so much that I have it in black, navy and red. I wear it with everything, even my joggers on trips to the supermarket during lockdown.

I also adore vintage hats with sumptuous velvets and decadent fur trims, most of which I buy from eBay and second-hand fashion shops. A particular favourite is a vintage cocktail hat with a flat style black cap and black iridescent feathers that sweep down onto my face. It was a steal at 25 from a second-hand market in Glasgow and Ive worn it to black tie events in the past.

Taking inspiration from my grandparents generation who always used to wear hats on a Sunday, Ill often wear a beautiful button hat if Im having Sunday lunch somewhere particularly lovely.

Half my hats are in the spare room at home and the rest in storage as they take up so much space, especially as I keep my more ornate occasion hats in boxes.

The most Ive ever paid was 400 for a royal blue teardrop shape hat with a big bow for a wedding three years ago. But it was worth it as it made me feel fabulous and helped me stand out from the crowd.

Hats are such a conversation starter, too. Strangers often come up and say: I love your hat.

Many people tell me that they dont think they suit them, but there really is a hat for everyone as long as you get the right shape and style  and its probably in my spare room at home.

MY FAMILY CALL ME IMELDA MARCOS

Rebekah Prince, 43, is director of a consultancy helping companies with legal compliance. She is single and lives in Cheshire.

SHOES: 500 pairs

TOTAL COST: MORE THAN 50,000

Rebekah Prince, 43, (pictured) who lives in Cheshire, has spent over 50,000 on 500 pairs of shoes

I spend around 5,000 a year on shoes and own around 500 pairs  so many that my family call me Imelda Marcos. I store them in a large walk-in wardrobe (a spare room I converted) as well as in my bedroom, with specially built shoe shelves. I have a penchant for designer labels and adore heels from Louboutin, YSL, Dior, Mulberry and Alexander McQueen, which cost upwards of 500.

The most Ive ever spent was 995 on a pair of elegant, grey, handmade ankle boots with floral details by Cesare Paciotti, during a weekend in Rome in 2016.

Other than trainers for the gym or walking boots for the charity treks I often do, you wont find any flats in my vast collection.

Why wear something frumpy when I can wear a leg-lengthening heel that helps me exude confidence and glamour?

I wear a different pair most days, and because I rotate them, I rarely need them re-heeled.

I can track my obsession with shoes back to junior school where I was bullied aged nine or ten for wearing trainers with a Velcro fastening while all the other children had laces. When I was a bit older my parents bought me shoes from Kickers and Wallabee, which were the fashionable footwear for kids at the time, and suddenly I was the coolest girl at school.

Being young and naive, I interpreted this as meaning that popularity came with being fashionable. So, in my teens, I got weekend jobs in a nursing home and waitressing in a diner to earn money to buy trendy clothes.

Aged 15, Mum and Dad bought me a pair of shoes with high cork heels which I absolutely loved, and from then on I was obsessed.

While my weight may have yoyoed over the years, there are no thin or fat days with heels. A killer pair in a gorgeous colour with statement stud details can transform a simple, understated black outfit and get me noticed.

However Ive had to put my once favoured six-inch heels into semi-retirement because although I loved wearing them clubbing in my 20s and 30s, theyre not practical for teetering down the cobbles to my local pub.

Ive also changed my buying habits. Where once Id buy Louboutins brand new, Ive got wise to the fact that a lot of women wear them once, discover they cant walk in them and sell them for a third of the price on eBay.

Ill never stop buying shoes as I love the way slipping on a gorgeous pair can transform my mood and confidence in an instant.
You cant really blame us for not being prepped for summer after what seemed like the grimmest May in years.

But now that the sun has finally turned up, fashion is all about shorter skirts, sleeveless tops and generally much more flesh on display which can be something of a shock to the system for limbs that havent seen the light of day for months on end.

Yes, you could go for a fake tan, but often it requires a fair amount of prep, a full-body head-to-toe treatment and hours to develop  all of which is not much help when, exactly five minutes before you walk out the door, you realise your legs could do with a dash of colour.

Step forward the increasingly popular body make-up  which is, exactly as the name suggests, designed to do for your body what cosmetics do for your face.

Claire Coleman puts a selection of the best-selling body make-up products on the market to the test - including Charlotte Tilbury Supermodel Body (pictured)

There are concealers, foundations and highlighters, all of which dont just disguise the grey or milk-bottle pallor, but can actually subtly skim over anything from bruises to thread veins, and give a hint of muscular definition.

Furthermore, they require next to no prep, can be applied in seconds, demand very little skill  if you can apply make-up to your face, you can apply it to your body  and come with zero risk of smelling like stale biscuits (a common complaint about fake tan) or ending up with orange palms or streaks that wont fade for days.

No wonder retailers are seeing a boom in these types of cosmetics.

Weve had a lot of body glow and highlighter-style body products selling very well recently, says Alexia Inge, founder of beauty e-tailer Cult Beauty. This seems to be a growing category for us, not just in terms of the number of products, but in terms of the volume were selling, with sales of them up 31 per cent in the past year.

Celebrity make-up artist Amanda Harrington (amandaharrington.com) is a huge advocate of using colour on your body in the way you would on your face. She applies a range of tinted products with body brushes, and also thinks its perfectly acceptable to only colour the bits you can see.

Its quicker than going for head-to-toe colour and makes so much more sense if the weather is changeable, she says.

She also likes to use light and shade to sculpt the body. You can get extra definition by stippling more product under the collarbones to make that area darker, she says. Similarly, if you apply more colour around your biceps or triceps, you can create the illusion of more defined muscles. Just make sure you blend well.

Fancy giving the body make-up trend a go? We put some of the best-selling products on the market through their paces

THE ORIGINAL BODY GLOW

Charlotte Tilbury Supermodel Body, 45, charlottetilbury.com

this highlighter, which has a roller-head applicator, is what beauty guru Charlotte Tilbury calls her celebrity limb trick.

The idea is that by applying it down the middle of your legs or arms, you get a glossy glow that tricks the brain into thinking your limbs are longer and slimmer than they are. It can be used to highlight the decolletage, too.

It wont cover anything up, but gives a nice finish to skin, even if it doesnt add any colour.

Verdict: Adds shine, but I need colour, too. 3/5

LIKE PUTTING ON A PAIR OF STOCKINGS

Vita Liberata Body Blur Instant HD Skin Finish, from 17.97, thefragrance shop.co.uk

Claire said Vita Liberata Body Blur Instant HD Skin Finish (pictured) is like applying a filter to your skin

This comes in a range of shades and does more than just add colour. Its a bit like applying a filter to your skin, or wearing very sheer stockings, as it really seems to blur any scars, veins or similar. And once its on, its on. A bit of colour may rub off on the inside of clothes, but it needs soap and warm water to remove, so theres no streaking.

Verdict: Its cult for a reason. 5/5

THAT JUST STEPPED OUT OF A POOL LOOK

Vieve Skin Dew, 19, vieve.co.uk

Claire said Vieve Skin Dew (pictured) creates a gorgeous, glassy finish

Similar to the Charlotte Tilbury product, this is a liquid shimmer that works on any skin tone to give you a sleek, wet effect  that just stepped out of a pool in St Tropez look.

Make-up artist Jamie Genevieve, who is behind the range, says she uses it anywhere I want a lit-from-within look, including cheeks, brow bone, Cupids bow and collar bones. It wont hide much, but it will give you a glow.

Verdict: It creates a gorgeous, glassy finish. 4/5

CAMOUFLAGING MATTE CONCEALER

Estee Lauder Double Wear Maximum Cover Camouflage Makeup for Face and Body SPF 15, 34.50, esteelauder.co.uk

Claire said Estee Lauder Double Wear Maximum Cover Camouflage Makeup for Face and Body SPF 15 (pictured) is excellent at covering bruises, pigmentation and even tattoos

While many products help to disguise any skin blemishes, if you want something more heavy duty, then this matte waterproof concealer is ideal.

The shade range could be better  just 16 colours, yet the iconic Double Wear foundation comes in more than 60. But if you find one that suits you, its excellent at covering bruising, pigmentation, and even tattoos.

Verdict: Not great for large areas but good at what it does. 4/5

A SHIMMERY TINT IN SEVEN SHADES

Fenty Beauty Body Sauce Body Luminizing Tint, 40, boots.com

Claire said Fenty Beauty Body Sauce Body Luminizing Tint (pictured) is ideal for instant colour

Available in an impressive seven shades, this body tint from pop star Rihannas hugely successful beauty range promises lightweight all-over glow and instant body blur.

I couldnt fault it on the colour  dont panic, it comes out looking darker than it ends up, but you do have to rub it in quite vigorously. The Salty Caramel shade left me looking as if Id spent three weeks in Barbados, while Agave Spice was more two weeks in Santorini.

The hint of shimmer means even if you go for a shade that exactly matches your skin, youll get that skin-finishing effect, but I didnt think it had quite the same blurring effects as the Vita Liberata one.

Verdict: Ideal for instant colour and a great shade range. 4.5/5

RADIANCE-BOOSTING BRONZING BALM

Beauty Pie Awesome Bronze Luxe Shimmer Oil Body Balm, 50 or 14.86 for members, beautypie.com (from June 16)

Claire said Beauty Pie Awesome Bronze Luxe Shimmer Oil Body Balm (pictured) is a luxe body cream to enhance skin

You can imagine slathering on this body cream, which looks like an iridescent chocolate mousse, after a day on the beach or by the pool. Lightweight but moisturising with a vanilla-y, coconut-y scent that transports you to a far-flung island, it leaves skin feeling soft, thanks to ingredients designed to attract moisture to the skin.

Theres a hint of colour  though not loads  and a slight shimmer that is more subtle than the glitter of other products I tried.

Verdict: A luxe body cream to enhance skin  but only a touch of colour. 3/5

GO FOR GOLD AND SAY NO TO SUNBURN

This Works Perfect Legs Skin Protector SPF 30, 40, thisworks.com

Claire said This Works Perfect Legs Skin Protector SPF 30 (pictured) protects while also giving colour

One of the biggest issues with applying make-up to your skin to make it look like youve been in the sun, then actually going out into the sun, is that when you wash the make-up off, youre likely to look red rather than golden, thanks to sunburn.

Ideally youd do the same as you do with your face and apply sun protection before applying the make-up, but this clever spray offers the best of all worlds.

Its a broad-spectrum sun cream thats tinted, meaning you can spritz and go, knowing youre both tanned and protected. It looks very dark when you first apply it, but rubs in easily, leaving a very subtle wash of colour.

Verdict: Protects while giving colour, and easy to reapply. 4/5

GET THE FULL-ON KARDASHIAN GLITZ

Patrick Ta Major Glow Body Oil, 48, cultbeauty.com

Claire said Patrick Ta Major Glow Body Oil (pictured) is too glitzy for every day, but fun

Available in three shades  a pale champagne, a warm rose, and a deep bronze  this spray-on oil feels moisturising but not too greasy.

Simply spritz on, then either rub it in by hand or buff it in with a large brush. Developed by a make-up artist who counts supermodels Bella and Gigi Hadid and the Kardashians among his clients, he says this is the last step he uses on celebrities before sending them down the red carpet.

You can see how the glittery sheen it gives would attract the cameras. Subtle it is not  it has quite a heavy, sweet fragrance, and its also very definitely glitter rather than shimmer. One for evenings out, rather than every day.

Verdict: Too glitzy for every day, but fun. 3/5
My son and his family used to spend weekends with us in our former house where they had a separate kitchen.

On Mondays, when theyd gone back to London, Id help myself to the contents of their fridge, knowing that by next weekend the food would be past its best and get binned. The leftovers would feed me and my husband for a couple of suppers.

While I can understand families of limited means, who have never learnt to cook, wasting food, Id have thought middle-class families like mine would know better. But it turns out its people like us who bin the most food.

On my Channel 4 show, Cook Clever, Waste Less, Dr Rupy Aujla and I helped people cook healthily, more cheaply and less wastefully.

Prue Leith (pictured) shares her advice for saving money and reducing food waste, as its estimated that 60 per cent of the food produced in the UK ends up in landfill

Its estimated that 60 per cent of the food produced in the UK ends up in landfill. Some of it is lost on the farm when the crop doesnt get sold, maybe rejected by the supermarket as not quite meeting its specification on size, shape, packaging, etc; theres the crazy waste of excellent food that we dont want to eat, like offal or veal; theres unsold or past-its-sell-by date food thrown away by retailers.

But worst of all is the waste we the public are responsible for, mostly caused by overbuying; cooking too much, or leaving food uneaten or half-eaten. Turning yesterdays wilted salad into a pasta sauce or making soup out of Sunday roast leftover veg and gravy wouldnt occur to most young people. They have other priorities, such as Zooming, homework, housework, children and watching telly. Whereas I like nothing better than making something delicious out of scraps.

Its largely a generation thing. I was born in the war, and brought up to waste not, want not.

When gassing with my oldie friends, we all complain about profligate children who never mend a sock, save the wrapping paper or turn off the lights.

But mostly we bemoan expensive ready-made dishes and half-eaten, or untouched, thrown away food. It doesnt help that family meals, which should be the highlight of the day, often degenerate into a battleground with picky kids screaming or whining their way to victory and defeated parents resorting to giving them what they want, generally fish fingers or pasta, day after day.

I swear if people liked cooking, theyd find a good use for leftovers. Ive been bleating for 60 years about the madness of not teaching cookery at school. People who enjoy cooking welcome the creative challenge of making something delicious out of yesterdays leftovers. And they tend not to be so picky about sell-by dates.

Prue (pictured) said going vegetarian two or three days a week, could help to save money and is better for the planet

With fresh meat and fish, we need to take notice of the use by date, although common sense could moderate that a bit: if your fridge is very cold (say under 4c or 40f) and the food came from supermarket chiller to your fridge without you stopping for a coffee while it warmed up in the car, a couple of days more wont hurt. If in doubt, use the sniff test. As to the best by date, ignore it. All fresh food tastes better on Day One than it does on Day Five.

And if you want to save money as well as reduce waste, go vegetarian two or three days a week. It will be cheaper and better for the planet, and probably healthier too. Im proud that my husband answers the frequent remark, You must get wonderful meals, being married to Prue, with Actually, I live on leftovers. So, as the Leftover Queen, I can tell you that a little organisation goes a long way.

First things first, plan the weeks main meals ahead  and make a shopping list before doing the big shop which you stick to. If you fall for something unplanned, cross something else off the list or put it back. Another top tip is buy cream in small pots. Big is cheaper, ounce-for-ounce, but not if you end up with half a pot going off.

To make leftovers more tantalising, do something visually different from the original incarnation; so, turn leftover chicken into filling for a pancake or pate for toast; cooked veg into soup.

Prue (pictured) said you'll be surprised how easily scraps can become scrumptious, try using a recipe or YouTube video if you're not a confident cook

I recommend batch cooking. Make a lot of thick Bolognese sauce then use whats left in a cottage pie, in baked stuffed mushrooms or peppers, as a filling for pancakes, for mince on toast, with rice in a burrito, with tinned kidney beans and chili for chili con carne.

Similarly, chicken can end up in a pie, in soup, wrapped with fried mushrooms in filo pastry, in a cheese sauce on toast, with Thai spices in a stir-fry, mashed with butter into a pate. The key is to use leftovers as soon as possible when they still taste great.

If youre not a confident cook, dont just sling them all in a pan together and hope for the best. Use a recipe or download a YouTube video. Youll be surprised how easily scraps can become scrumptious.

Delicious ways to use it all up

Root Veg Cake

This delicious root veg cake (pictured) is made from leftover cooked or raw vegetables

A delicious cake made from leftover cooked or raw veg with a citrusy flavour. Fresh oranges are perfect as you can grate the rind, but bottled juice or orange squash will do instead of the juice and a teaspoon of vanilla or orange essence can replace rind.

For the cake:

3 large eggs, separated

250g self-raising flour

250g caster sugar

250g soft butter

Grated zest of two small or one large orange

2tsp mixed spice

1 tsp bicarb of soda

200g cooked or raw beetroot, parsnip, carrot or butternut squash.

For the icing:

100g very soft butter

100g icing sugar

200g full fat cream cheese.

Leftover orange from cake

Heat the oven to 180c (160c fan oven)/Gas 4. Line and grease two 20cm sandwich cake tins.

If the veg is raw, grate it; if cooked, chop finely. Only peel it if the skin is wrinkled, discoloured or tough. If the veg is cooked, puree it in a liquidiser.

In a processor, whisk together all the cake ingredients, except the egg whites and vegetables, until smooth. Then mix in the veg. Whisk the egg whites until stiff but not dry-looking and fold into the mix. Divide between the cake tins and smooth the tops. Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick will emerge clean when poked into the centre of the cakes.

Cool for 10 minutes before running a knife round the edges of the cakes to loosen them and turn out onto a wire rack.

To make the icing: Using a machine, beat the butter, sugar and orange juice together until smooth and fluffy. (Scrape down the sides as you go.)

In a separate bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth and then gradually, a blob at a time, fold it into the butter and sugar until evenly mixed. If the mixture is too runny to spread, chill it and it will stiffen up. When the cakes are cold, sandwich them with half the icing and spread the rest on the top. Peel the orange you used for the zest and slice it into thin rounds to decorate the cake top.

Pancakes to the rescue

Thin French pancakes make a great container for leftovers whether stew, savoury pie filling, curry, mince or vegetable mixtures like ratatouille or pulse casseroles.

For the pancakes

300ml milk

2 eggs

100g flour

Good pinch salt

Butter for frying

Grated parmesan or cheddar for serving

Blend the pancake ingredients until smooth. Warm a serving plate to receive the pancakes as you cook them and warm the leftovers destined for the filling.

On medium heat, melt a small blob of butter, enough to just cover your frying pan. When it starts to sizzle pour in batter to cover the pan thinly with gentle swirling. Leave on the heat for a couple of minutes until the pancake looks dry and begins to lift from the edges of the pan. Slide a palette knife or fish slice under and gently turn it over to brown the other side. Then slide it onto the warm plate and cover with a folded tea towel. Make the rest of the pancakes. Spoon a line of hot filling onto the middle of each pancake, roll them up and add to the serving dish.

Top with the cheese and serve while hot.

Cook Clever, Waste Less With Prue And Rupy is available on channel4.com
A collection of vintage clothing worn by Queen Victoria and some of her nine children is to be auctioned next week.

Two pairs of silk stockings once owned by the monarch, each knitted with large imperial crowns and monogrammed VR [Victoria Regina] are set to be sold.

An assortment of tiny shoes, gloves and socks, dated as early as the 1840s and said to be worth as much as 3,000, will also go under the hammer at Kerry Taylor Auctions' Vintage, Antique Textiles & Passion for Fashion sale on June 15.

Vintage clothing worn by Queen Victoria and her children is set to be auctioned next week including an assortment of tiny shoes, gloves and socks, dating to the 1840s

They were kept in a wooden box by the children's nanny, Mary Thurston, who was employed by the royal family for 22 years until 1867.

The collection includes a pair of grey wool and black patent ankle boots with 'Princess Alice' inscribed on the sole, and a pair of ivory satin slippers worn by Victoria's first child, also named Victoria.

There is also a pair of 13cm-long brown leather shoes with ankle straps, probably worn by Victoria's third son Arthur, and a pair of shoes possibly for Albert Edward who grew up to become King Edward VII.

Two pairs of silk stockings once owned by the former Queen, each knitted with large imperial crowns and monogrammed VR [Victoria Regina] are set to be auctioned

Collection includes a pair of grey wool and black patent ankle boots with 'Princess Alice' inscribed on the sole, and a pair of ivory satin slippers worn by Victoria's first child, also named Victoria (pictured)

Victoria was born in 1819 to Prince Edward, Duke of Kent and Strathearn, the fourth son of King George III.

She inherited the throne at the age of 18, after her father's three elder brothers had all died, leaving no surviving legitimate children and reigned from 1837 to 1901.

Victoria was the longest-serving monarch in the UK at 63 years and seven months until Queen Elizabeth II broke the record in September 2015.

Victoria married her first cousin Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha in 1840 and they had nine children; Victoria (born 1840), Albert Edward (b. 1841), Alice (b. 1843), Alfred (b. 1844), Helena (b. 1846), Louise (b. 1848), Arthur (b. 1850), Leopold (b. 1853) and Beatrice (b. 1857).

Queen Victoria reigned from 1837 to 1901. She married her first cousin Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha in 1840 and they had nine children

More recent items will also be available, including three British-made bespoke creations for Sarah, Duchess of York.

They are a teal printed day dress which was worn during a visit to the Berlin Wall in May 1989, a pink floral silk dress worn twice in 1987, and a bright green silk ensemble worn at Royal Ascot in 1991.

The most expensive of the three is said to be worth 300.

More recent items will also be available at the June 15 auction with Kerry Taylor Auctions, including three British-made bespoke creations for Sarah, Duchess of York
One-third of breast cancer patients may be hesitant to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, a new study suggests.

Of 619 women who responded to a survey on breast cancer-related social media pages, 183, or 34 percent, said they were tentative to get immunized against the virus.

More than 50 percent of the women said they feared adverse reactions and about one-fifth distrust the health care system.

The women also reported that they were most likely to be motivated to take the vaccine if it was recommended to them by their oncologist.

For the study, published in JAMA Oncology, the team surveyed 540 women resisting in Mexico who visited social media channels dedicated to improving breast cancer care.

Of the group, 357 said they were willing to be vaccinated immediately against COVID-19 and 183 were hesitant to be vaccinated right away.

Among the hesitant group, 54.6 percent - 100 women -feared side effects or adverse reactions and 20.2 percent - 37 women - said they distrusted the health care system.

Other primary reasons women cited for not wanting the vaccine was that some believed that the vaccine is not for women with breast cancer, 12.6 percent, or their physician has not recommended it to them, 9.8 percent.

Some also believe that the vaccine is either not effective (17, 9.3 percent), or can cause Covid-19 (14, 7.7 percent).

The survey also asked what it would take for the women to get the vaccine.

Other potentially effective measure to getting hesitant people vaccinated include providing patients with more information on the vaccines effectiveness (85, 46.4 percent) and safety (78, 42.6 percent).

The patients also trust their loved one and other personal figures in their life, as 61 (33.3 percent) answered that they would receive the vaccine if someone close to them did so and did not experience a negative reaction, and 32 (17.5 percent) said they would receive the vaccine if their primary care physician recommended them to do so.

The least effective measure was the vaccine being endorsed by national health officials, with only three hesitant respondents saying that would convince them to receive the vaccine.

Researchers also found that those hesitant to receive the vaccine were most likely to be younger than 60, have no education past a high school degree, and were unlikely to have received a flu shot in the past year.

The results seem to match strategies outlined by American public health officials in getting hesitant people vaccinated.

While a majority of national figures have endorsed the vaccine and its effectiveness, many of those hesitant about receiving the vaccine are unlikely to be swayed by them.

Instead, many officials have focused on getting primary care physicians and community leaders - people who a hesitant person has a personal, trustworthy, relationship with - to endorse the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine.

The researchers point out oncologists in particular as being key to getting more breast cancer patients vaccinated, since patients are most likely to trust putting their health into them.

Researchers also note that their survey may have some limitations, since they were relying on self reported data from social media, and the sample size of 619 is relatively small.

Cancer patients are at an increased risk of dying of Covid-19, and the best way to protect themselves, according to health experts, is by getting vaccinated.

A recent study found that patients with an active cancer diagnoses are up to 70 percent more likely to die from Covid-19 than the average person.

Cancer patients may be more vulnerable than others even after receiving the vaccine, though, as another recent study found cancer patients were developing lower antibody levels after being vaccinated.
More than 170 employees at Houston Methodist hospital system in Texas have been suspended for refusing to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

The company put out a new policy last month, requiring all of its 26,000 workers to get both shots of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines - or the one shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine - by June 7 or risk termination.

Houston Methodist says 99 percent of its employees - 24,947 - are fully vaccinated, but a small group refused to do so.

In total, 178 workers who did not get vaccinated have alleged been suspended for two weeks without pay.

It is currently unknown whether they will be able to return to work after the suspension ends.

In a statement, Marc Bloom, CEO of the hospital system, said 27 of the suspended workers have since gotten at least one dose of the vaccine.

'It is unfortunate that today's milestone of Houston Methodist becoming the safest hospital system in the country is being overshadowed by a few disgruntled employees,' Bloom said.

'I know that today may be difficult for some who are sad about losing a colleague who's decided to not get vaccinated.'

'We only wish them well and thank them for their past service to our community, and we must respect the decision they made.'

Houston Methodist hospital suspended 170 employees who failed to get vaccinated by the June 7 deadline have been suspended for two weeks without pay

Jennifer Bridges (pictured), who was among the suspended, is leading 117 employees in a lawsuit against the hospital

Earlier this month, 117 employees sued Houston Methodist, claiming the hospital 'is forcing its employees to be human 'guinea pigs' as a condition for continued employment,' reported KHOU 11 last month.

They also claim coronavirus vaccines are 'experimental,' because they have only received emergency use authorization and not full U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval.

The federal government's Equal Employment Opportunity Commission ruled in December 2020 that employers could legally set vaccine requirements for their workforce.

The hospital system became the first in the U.S. to set a coronavirus vaccine requirement in April month.

'As health care workers we must do everything possible to keep our patients safe and at the center of everything we do,' said Bloom in an email to employees.

'By choosing to be vaccinated, you are leaders - showing our colleagues in health care what must be done to protect our patients, ourselves, our families and our communities.'

The hospital system first told its administrative staff and new hires to get vaccinated by mid-April before extending the deadline to early June.

Two employees chose to leave the hospital system instead of getting vaccinated at the time.

The system also offered employees $500 if they got vaccinated early on in the rollout of the shots.

Employees who have a religious or health exemption for receiving the vaccine had until May 3 to apply for a waiver.

According to The Washington Post, 285 employees were given exemptions for medical reasons, and 332 received medical deferrals to receiving the vaccine.

After the suspension on Monday, dozens of workers protested outside the hospital.

Dozens of people joined Houston Methodist hospital employees in protest of the hospital systems vaccine requirement on Monday

'No one should be forced to put something into their body if they're not comfortable with it,' Jennifer Bridges, a nurse who has worked at the hospital for more than six years, told The Texan.

The group of 117 workers suing the hospital is led by Bridges, who garnered international attention last month for speaking out against the hospital's requirements.

'People trying to force you to put something into your body that you're not comfortable with, in order to keep your job, is just insane,' she told KHOU 11 last month, explaining why she is rejecting the vaccine.

'I'm not an anti-vax person. If you want to get it, by all means, get it. I don't take that away from anybody Just let everybody have a choice and the right to make their own decision.'

Bloom released a statement on two weeks ago, responding to employees who are refusing to take the vaccine.

Marc Bloom (pictured), CEO of the hospital system, released a statement saying he stands by the decision to make employees get vaccinated

'It is unfortunate that the few remaining employees who refuse to get vaccinated and put our patients first are responding in this way,' he said.

'It is legal for health care institutions to mandate vaccines, as we have done with the flu vaccine since 2009.

'The COVID-19 vaccines have proven through rigorous trials to be very safe and very effective and are not experimental.

'More than 165 million people in the U.S. alone have received vaccines against COVID-19, and this has resulted in the lowest numbers of infections in our country and in the Houston region in more than a year.'

Bridges and the group of employees are being represented by Jared Woodfill from the Houston-based Woodfill Law Firm.

Woodfill told KHOU that his firm filed a declaration action, asking the court to declare the hospital's orders illegal.

He argues that the vaccine is an experimental product, and that it should not be legal to force employees to receive it.

'[The vaccine] that's been on the market for less than a year. And yes, it's being used under EUA, but at the same time, that is experimental by definition,' he said.

'You can't fire someone for refusing to do something illegal, and if you look at federal law, it makes it very clear that it's illegal to force someone to participate in a vaccine trial.'

The three available vaccines in the U.S. have all received emergency use authorization from the FDA. Bridges says she is waiting for the vaccines to receive full approval before she receives it

Currently, all three of the available COVID-19 vaccines in the U.S. have given emergency use authorization by the FDA, and are pending further trials to receive full approval.

The vaccines will be allowed as long as the country remains in a state or emergency related to COVID-19, which will be until March 2022 under the current schedule.

Vaccine suppliers must submit six months worth of clinical data to the FDA for full approval, and the application to receive full approval often takes six months to review.

Currently, only Pfizer has applied for full approval.

Bridges told reporters that she is waiting for the vaccine to receive full approval from the FDA before she receives it.
Johnson & Johnson's CEO said on Wednesday that he believes people will likely need boosters for the COVID-19 vaccine for years to come.

During The Wall Street Journal's Tech Health conference, Alex Gorsky said that not enough people have gotten vaccinated around the world to prevent the spread of highly infectious variants.

Until that happens, he says Americans may need to get an annual shot, just like they do with the influenza vaccine.

'We could be looking at this tagging along with the flu shot, likely over the next several years,' Gorsky said.

On Wednesday, Johnson & Johnson CEO Alex Gorsky says Americans will likely need COVID vaccine boosters for 'several years. Pictured: Gorsky in the South Court Auditorium, next to the White House, March 2021

He said the boosters are to protect against variants and may be given alongside annual flu shots (file image of J&J COVID-19 vaccines)

Public health experts have previously stated that they believe COVID-19 is going to become an endemic disease.

This means it will always present in the population but circulating at low rates.

Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna have each launched clinical trials examining the efficacy of coronavirus booster shots.

In Pfizer's clinical trial, the potential booster shot will be given to participants six to 12 months after they were fully vaccinated.

Researchers will examine volunteers upon injection of the third dose one week later and one month later to see if they developed neutralizing antibodies.

Meanwhile, Moderna's clinical trial will be testing three different types of booster shots.

Two-thirds of the volunteers will be given two different doses of the booster and the other group will receive a shot that combines Moderna's original vaccine and the booster shot in one dose.

This is not the first time Gorsky has made such comments.

In an interview on CNBC in February, Gorsky discussed how the COVID-19 vaccine may become a seasonal shot because the virus has kept mutating.

'Unfortunately, as [the virus] spreads it can also mutate,' Gorsky told host Meg Tirrell during a Healthy Returns Spotlight event.

'Every time it mutates, it's almost like another click of the dial so to speak where we can see another variant, another mutation that can have an impact on its ability to fend off antibodies or to have a different kind of response not only to a therapeutic but also to a vaccine.'

During the Tech Health Event, Gorsky also defended the company's vaccine and said he believes J&J's one dose vaccine will play a large role in helping contain the pandemic despite some setbacks.

The firm experienced supply issues after a manufacturing plant in Baltimore accidentally ruined 15 million doses.

What's more, the shot was paused in April for 11 days after reports of rare blood clots, mostly in women.

'We still believe that this is going to be a very important tool in the overall armamentarium to help overall contain Covid and make a big difference for the world, Gorsky said.
About 80,000 doses of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine in Oklahoma are set to expire at the end of the month.

If they are not used then they will have to be thrown away, representing a large waste of the once highly sought after shots.

Health experts fear the vaccine will be wasted as Oklahoma's demand for vaccines has plummeted by more than 80 percent from mid-April to early June from 33,000 doses distributed a day to around 5,000.

The excess supply of vaccines is a problem health departments are facing nationwide as they try to convince millions of unvaccinated Americans to get the shots.

About 80,000 doses of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine may go unused and expire at the end of the month in Oklahoma as vaccine demand falls across the state, and across the country

'We have pulled expired vaccine from active inventory and are in the process of following CDC guidance on proper disposal,' Keith Reed, deputy commissioner of the Oklahoma State Department of Health, told ABC News.

'We are seeing kind of a steady decline, and it's a bit concerning.

'We are not reaching the goals we would like to be reaching to ensure that we are positioned well to go on into the summer and into the fall.'

Johnson and Johnson CEO Alex Gorsky said Wednesday during a Wall Street Journal Tech Health event that his company is working on giving the vaccines a longer shelf life.

'We're working very hard, both at the federal level and at the local level, to do everything we can to make sure that these vaccines can be used and deployed in the very best possible way,' he said.

According to data from the Oklahoma State Department of Health, 42 percent of adults in the state have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

One-third of Oklahomans over age 18 are fully vaccinated.

The state is pacing behind the rest of the country, where 63.8 percent of American adults have received at least one shot, and more than 53 percent are fully vaccinated, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show.

Oklahoma ranks 40th in the nation in percentage of population fully vaccinated.

The Sooner State has faced many challenges in its vaccine rollout.

The U.S Department of Health and Human Services estimates that it is among the most vaccine hesitant states in the nation, with some counties having a vaccine hesitant population of more than 30 percent.

Getting the vaccine to the states rural population is a challenge as well, and the state even rolled out a 'vaccine vans' program, bringing mobile vaccine clinics to the more remote areas of the state.

Oklahoma's challenges with vaccine hesitancy and failure to deliver the jab to certain populations are a microcosm of a nationwide trend.

Vaccine demand across the country has plummeted in recent weeks after reaching highs in late April.

Oklahoma is among the most vaccine hesitant states in America, with more than 30 percent of people in some counties not wanting the Covid-19 vaccine

The weekly distribution of the vaccines peaked on April 1, where over 21 million doses were distributed over seven days.

Around 5.5 million vaccine doses have been distributed over the past week, a fall of almost 75 percent.

There are also still four percent of Americans who want the vaccine but are yet to receive it yet due to some sort of barrier, whether actual or perceived, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.

Barriers include lack of time, lack of ability to travel to a vaccine site, belief the vaccine costs money (it is free) or just not knowing where to even get the vaccine.

Experts estimate the nation will need 80 percent of the population to get fully vaccinated in order to reach herd immunity.

President Joe Biden has set a target of getting at least 70 percent of Americans their first shot of the vaccine by July 4.

Neither goal seems to be in reach at the moment, with vaccine demand hitting lows and doses expiring unused.

'I have to be honest with you that, at this point, I do not see us getting close to that by July 4,' Reed said.

'Not to say we're not going to continue to work hard and diligently to increase our numbers.'
According to IMARC Groups latest report, titled Indian Advertising Market: Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Competitive Analysis Forecast 2021-2026, the Indian advertising market exhibited strong growth during 2015-2020. Looking forward, IMARC Group expects the market to grow at a CAGR of around 11% during 2021-2026.

As the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis takes over the world, we are continuously tracking the changes in the markets, as well as the purchase behaviors of the consumers globallyour estimates about the latest market trends and forecast values after considering the impact of this pandemic. These observations will be integrated into the report.

Request for a free sample copy of this report: https://www.imarcgroup.com/advertising-industry-india/requestsample

Market Trends and Drivers:

Over the years, the Indian advertising industry has creatively evolved as one of the major industries in the tertiary sector. The industry has broadened in every aspect employing more personnel and offering a host of services to its clients such as client servicing, media buying, media planning, creative conceptualization, etc. In addition, media channels in India have also been expanding, providing opportunities for the advertisers to promote their products and services extensively. Although, the traditional media platforms remain the most effective, online and digital advertising are rapidly gaining popularity.

The Indian advertising market is driven by the rising penetration of smartphones and internet in the country which is encouraging the use of digital advertising. Mobile advertising is also expanding due to huge popularity and affordability of smartphones. Favourable support from the government is another factor facilitating the growth of the advertising industry since advertising is a crucial communication material for the government. High rate of economic growth, flourishing businesses, increase in spending power and a rise in the number of brand-conscious consumers in India are some of the other market drivers. As a result of these factors, India is one of the fastest growing advertising markets in Asia Pacific.

Buy full report with table of contents: https://bit.ly/3gkQ2GD

Indian Advertising Market 2021-2026 Competitive Analysis and Segmentation:

Competitive Landscape With Key Players:

The competitive landscape of the Indian advertising market has been studied in the report with the detailed profiles of the key players operating in the market.

Some of these key players include:

Rediffusion  DY&R

McCann Erickson India

JWT India

DDB Mudra Group

FCB-Ulka Advertising Ltd.

Ogilvy & Mather India

Key Market Segmentation:

The report has segmented the Indian advertising market on the basis of television advertising, print advertising, radio advertising, internet/online advertising, mobile advertising and outdoor advertising.

Television Advertising Market

Print Advertising Market

Radio Advertising Market

Internet/Online Advertising Market

Mobile Advertising Market

Outdoor Advertising Market

Key Highlights of the Report:

Market Performance (2015-2020)

Market Outlook (2021-2026)

Porters Five Forces Analysis

Market Drivers and Success Factors

SWOT Analysis

The Impact of COVID-19 on the Market

Value Chain Analysis

Structure of the Market

Comprehensive mapping of the competitive landscape

If you need specific information that is not currently within the scope of the report, we will provide it to you as a part of the customization.

About Us

IMARC Group is a leading market research company that offers management strategy and market research worldwide. We partner with clients in all sectors and regions to identify their highest-value opportunities, address their most critical challenges, and transform their businesses.

IMARCs information products include major market, scientific, economic and technological developments for business leaders in pharmaceutical, industrial, and high technology organizations. Market forecasts and industry analysis for biotechnology, advanced materials, pharmaceuticals, food and beverage, travel and tourism, nanotechnology and novel processing methods are at the top of the companys expertise.

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As desirable as it may be for the UKs no-frills carriers that holiday destinations to Europe turn green, it is even more important to IAG-owned British Airways and Virgin Atlantic that routes to America be reopened.

BA has long been the dominant carrier across the Atlantic and the closure of the United States is an immense drain on resources.

British carriers BA and Virgin Atlantic, in contrast to US and EU rivals, have received no government subvention other than access to lending and furlough.

Grounded: British Airways has long been the dominant carrier across the Atlantic and the closure of the United States is an immense drain on resource

In the first three months of the year IAG losses hit 896million. New fissures also opened in Virgin Atlantics finances and it raised 160million of extra cash in March.

This weeks G7 summit in Cornwall has much to deal with including the new global taxation regime, vaccine manufacture and distribution, Cop-26 and relationships with autocratic regimes in China and Russia.

However, if it is fine for world leaders and their huge entourages (the US Secret Service contingent is 400 alone) to resume long-haul travel then it ought to be possible for transatlantic routes to be opened to commercial and consumer travel.

Ahead of his eight-day sojourn in Europe, US President Joe Biden offered a chink of light with the creation of an Atlantic Taskforce.

He has set up groups to advise on loosening restrictions on arrivals from the UK, the EU, Canada and Mexico.

Former president Donald Trump imposed travel bans in 2020 to limit the spread of Covid-19. He dropped the rules before leaving office. Biden immediately reimposed them.

With the rapid vaccine rollout among the Western democracies, Bidens team have recognised the importance of opening up global travel.

Britain, with its close finance and commercial ties to the US, is particularly harmed by the strict rules.

It will be no surprise if Boris Johnson uses the G7 as an opportunity to put some jet fuel behind the idea of a trans-Atlantic corridor.

The meeting of G7 leaders is of enormous significance. It comes as the US Senate has approved legislation designed to boost the capability of US technology to compete with China.

For Britains gasping global airlines, a big victory would be a green light from Washington on opening up airspace.

Whether the Covid-shy members of the Government think that is a good idea is a whole different ball of wax.

Soft Shu shuffle

The slump in Deliveroo shares has been terrible both for investors and for Londons reputation as a great place to float.

Founder and chief executive Will Shu made a huge strategic error. He insisted on exploiting Lord Hills backing for two classes of shareholders, enabling him to stay in the driving seat. He reasoned this would allow it to repel any takeovers.

But in so doing he alienated potential British long investors and should have adjusted to this by lowering the ambition of the float price.

The IPO proved catastrophic, with the shares falling 25 per cent from a lowered target of 390p and currently trading at just 249.6p.

This is a blow to private investors who bought into the Deliveroo brand, as well as institutions who backed the float.

Even though turnover remains strong, as the pandemic retreats, big battalion investors are displeased.

High-profile communications boss Thea Rogers is blamed for a flawed strategy when it came to defending the employment terms of riders. As seriously, investors are concerned that Shu wields too much power.

They are insisting that if confidence is to be restored, he needs to bring in a powerful chief operations officer who can inspire market confidence.

There is no free lunch for the boss of a public company, even one protected by super-voting shares.

Trading stamp

Where would we be without eclectic London fund manager Gary Channon?

His mix of investments includes funeral director Dignity, toy maker Hornby and the high priests of stamp collecting, Stanley Gibbons.

A loan from Channons Phoenix Asset Management allowed Gibbons, which makes a loss, to snaffle up the 1856 One-Cent Magenta from British Guiana, (now Guyana) for a cool 6million. It is, in effect, an option on the collectables market.

But also a great draw designed to bring philatelists to the holy of holies  the Gibbons emporium on the Strand in London.
Bitcoin has rallied more than 10 per cent today to reach $35,000 again after Central American nation El Salvador made the crypto asset legal tender for purchases.

The cryptocurrency was up almost 14 per cent to $36,435 just after the London market close, according to Coindesk figures.

Meanwhile, the FTSE 100 shed 14 points, or 0.2 per cent, to 7,081, while the UK-focused FTSE 250 ended the day down 0.6 per cent to 22,758.

Upper Crust owner SSP has revealed it plunged to a half-year loss of 300million as sales crashed 79 per cent due to global coronavirus restrictions, but said trading was beginning to improve as sites reopen.

The UK's competition regulator is investigating British Airways and Ryanair over whether they breached consumer laws by not offering refunds to customers for cancelled flights due to the pandemic.

Zara owner Inditex reported a first-quarter net profit of 421million, a number that easily beat analysts' expectations but was still a third below pre-pandemic levels for the same period a year ago.
A new era of Poldark mining is drawing closer after Cornish Metals revealed that there are bigger reserves of tin in the county than previously thought.

There is 1.4billion of the metal, which is used in electric batteries, around the South Crofty mine near Redruth, the company said yesterday.

About 65,000 tonnes of tin are thought to be in the area and tin prices have rocketed in recent months to more than $33,000 (23,380) per tonne.

There is 1.4bn of tin - which is used in electric batteries - around the South Crofty mine near Redruth, the company said yesterday

The findings are a huge boost to Cornwall, which is one of the UK's most deprived regions and a focus of the Government's levelling up agenda.

Cornish Metals plans to mine the tin, providing much needed jobs and investment.

The news comes as Cornwall is gearing up to host the G7 meeting at St Ives, which will see political leaders from all over the world descend on the seaside town.

Cornish Metals has planning permission to renovate the mine and build a processing plant nearby.

The AIM-listed group wants to restart operations at a site, where tin was mined from the 1590s until 1998.

It believes it could have everything up and running in four years' time.

Cornwall had some of the richest copper and tin reserves on earth during the 18th and early 19th century, and the county's mining technology was the most sophisticated in the world.

During this heyday, highly skilled miners were sent to nations including Australia, South Africa and Mexico to establish nascent industries.

It is claimed that the Cornish pasties they made helped to inspire international dishes such as Mexico's 'pastes'.

In Winston Graham's Poldark novels, set in that era, hero Ross Poldark's family had made their fortune in Cornish copper mines.

The stories were adapted in two hit BBC TV series starring Robin Ellis in the 1970s and Aidan Turner more recently.

Cornish Metals chief executive Richard Williams said: 'The potential here is enormous  there's 2,000 years of mining history here.

'We will use mining technology and techniques and, hopefully, this is just the start.

'If you can build one mine here you could encourage lots more investment.

'We have a lot of mining experts in the region, many of whom still live in Cornwall but ply their trades all over the world. Mining will bring highly paid and highly skilled jobs into the local economy.'

In Winston Graham's Poldark novels, recently adapted in two hit BBC TV series starring Aidan Turner (pictured) hero Ross Poldark's family had made their fortune in Cornish copper mines

Richard Williams said the mine could create around 1,300 jobs  280 or so directly and potentially 1,000 indirectly  in an economically deprived area.

Around 150 local investors who have put their own money into the company could benefit too.

Britain's mining industry has been seeing a revival for several years and demand for tin is likely to keep soaring as there is not enough supply to meet the needs of companies and countries now ploughing money into what has been dubbed the 'green industrial revolution'.

Last September another firm, Cornish Lithium, said it had found 'globally significant' amounts of lithium in underground waters.

And UK retail shareholders got heavily involved in another mining project, Sirius Minerals, in North Yorkshire.

But that imploded at the start of 2020 and had to be rescued by mining giant Anglo American after it failed to raise billions of pounds to develop its sprawling fertiliser mine under the North York Moors national park.

The collapse of Sirius wiped out the pensions and life savings of hordes of Yorkshire locals who had enthusiastically backed the project.

Cornish Metals needs to raise far less than Sirius required, at 85million, which Williams said could be done over several fundraising rounds.

But beyond the county, the rest of the UK could benefit from Cornwall's transformation back into a mining hub.

Green metals such as tin and lithium are hard to get hold of, and manufacturing companies in Britain are likely to be keen to purchase local supplies.

Williams said a number of firms have already been in touch. No agreements have been signed yet, though when a mine is being built it is usual for a potential customer to enter talks for what is called an 'offtake agreement'.

This means that in exchange for providing some funding for the project, they will be able to receive a portion of the materials produced by the mine.

Williams said: 'Tin is essential in batteries and the rise in prices has been driven by this.

'We see an opportunity to tap into end users like electronics or car makers, who might want to secure that supply by investing in us at the development stage.'

The South Crofty mine is also likely to be much more environmentally friendly than many other mines.

According to Williams, there are empty areas underground that could be safely turned into places where Cornish Metals could dispose of waste from the mine.

This would mean it would not need to create a separate waste area  known as a 'tailings' dam or pond  above ground.
Russia will quit the International Space Station by 2025 unless the US lifts sanctions that prevent it from launching satellites, the head of its space programme says.

Dmitry Rogozin, director of the Roscosmos space agency, said Russia has a number of semi-finished satellites it would like to launch - but cannot because they lack one specific microchip that the country cannot import due to sanctions.

Unless the sanctions are lifted, Rogozin added, then Russia will quit the ISS - a joint project with the US that the two countries have been working on since 1998 and which NASA wants to maintain until at least 2030.

Moscow and Washington had established the ISS project as a sign of strengthening ties following the Cold War and it had been immune to the earthly squabbles of its two parent countries - at least until now.

Russia will quit the International Space Station (pictured) by 2025 unless the US lifts sanctions which are preventing the country from launching satellites

Dmitry Rogozin, head of Russian space agency Roscosmos, said he has several semi-finished satellites that he cannot launch because they lack a specific microchip hit by sanctions

Rogozin made the remark to ministers on Tuesday, amid rapidly deteriorating relations between the US and Russia and ahead of summit between Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin scheduled for June 16 aimed at resolving some of the issues.

But it is hardly the first time that Rogozin has threatened to quit the ISS.

In April Rogozin had announced Russia's decision to quit the project by 2025, saying the country planned to launch its own station by 2030.

'We are beginning negotiations with our Nasa partners, we are formalising them now,' Rogozin had said at the time.

'It does not mean that the station will be scrapped and dumped into the ocean immediately after 2025. We will simply hand over the responsibility for our segment to the partners.'

Russia has been under sanctions by the US since its annexation of Crimea in 2014, a move that western governments have condemned as an illegal occupation.

Biden recently added to those sanctions for what he described as attempts to interfere in US elections, state-sponsored hacking, and other issues.

Relations soured even further when Biden agreed with the description of Putin as 'a killer', to which the Russian president retorted it 'takes one to known one'.

Amid the deterioration in relations, Russia has been increasingly turning towards China for support - including in space.

Rogozin spoke ahead of a summit between Vladimir Putin (left) and Joe Biden (right) scheduled for June 16 in Geneva, in what will be their first meeting since Biden became President

The two countries recently announced a joint project to build a base on the moon, saying it will 'promote the peaceful exploration and use of space for all of mankind'.

The project was announced after Russia rejected a US offer to join European partners in establishing their own base on the moon.

Biden and Putin are expected to discuss a number of topics when they meet next week in Geneva, among them arms control, human rights issues, and the annexation of Crimea. It is not clear whether cooperation in space will be on the agenda.

Both sides have been playing down the prospect of significant progress being made.

Launched in 1998, the ISS is a multinational project and comprises two segments, a Russian one and another one used by the United States and other space agencies.

The project has relied heavily on Russian rocket power to ferry astronauts and cargo into space, and on Russian-engineered modules to expand the station.

Between 2011 and last year, the ISS was also a major money-earner for Roscosmos after the US retired the Space Shuttle programme.

The US and other national space agencies paid an estimated $4billion to secure seats and space on board Russian Soyuz rockets during that time, which were the only craft capable of reaching it.

Now, however, the US has begun making trips in Elon Musk's SpaceX rockets instead.
The 'very strange and unusual' echidna penis remains a mystery to researchers who still don't understand why it has four heads.

The 'very long' phallus makes up a third of the mammal's body while erect, is bright red and has four endings, which can all be used for reproduction.

University of Queensland researcher Dr Steve Johnston co-authored a study on the short-beaked echidna's impressive member, but said only 'the creator God' knows why it is so bizarrely shaped.

It may be to please the insatiable female echidna, who scientists believe may mate with up to a dozen males while ovulating.

The echidna is native to Australia, has spiky pines, a bird-like beak, a pouch like a kangaroo and also lays eggs.

The 'very strange and unusual' echidna penis remains a mystery to researchers who still don't understand why it has four heads

When the echidna has sex, two of the four prongs are engorged while the others are flaccid.

The female has two separate reproductive tracts which take a penis head each during sex.

It is possible she could mate with up to a dozen partners while ovulating, as scientists have found sperm from eleven different males inside one deceased female echidna.

Researchers also predicted the pair may have intercourse multiple times, possibly using all prongs in the course of a mating session.

'It does look like they do it more than once, but there's still a bit of debate... we're not quite sure whether these guys are induced ovulators or not,' Dr Johnston said.

'Not only is the [echidna] penis strange in the way it looks, it's also strange in terms of they don't actually urinate through their penis,' said Dr Johnston.

'[This is unlike] all other species of mammals expect for the platypus and the other species of echidna. These animals urinate not through their penis, but at the base of the penis.'

Researchers want to understand the short-beaked echidna reproductive system to help breed the critically endangered species, which is found in Papua New Guinea.

Dr Johnston said the echidna, a spiny animal akin to the hedgehog and porcupine, remains a poorly understood species, despite being widespread in Australia.

'They're very common. You'll find echidnas nearly all over Australia, across Mt Kosciuszko right through to the desert, on the coastline, even here in suburban Brisbane,' he said.

The 'very long' phallus makes up a third of the mammal's body while erect, is bright red and has four prongs which can all ejaculate
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Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Cullors has been pictured for the first time since her $3.2 million property portfolio sparked controversy.

Cullors, 37, was pictured in Los Angeles Tuesday carrying the book Self Evident Truths: 10,000 Portraits of Queer America - for which she wrote the foreword.

The activist recently announced her resignation from the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation, after news reports revealed she owned four residential properties in upscale California and Georgia neighborhoods with a total value of more than $3 million dollars.

Critics were concerned that the homes were purchased with money the prominent activist earned from the nonprofit foundation - though she has clarified that they were purchased with money she earned through public speaking and book deals.

Last month, Cullors - who described herself as a 'trained Marxist' - referenced stories about her four homes when resigning, saying reporting of the properties was a 'tactic of terror' and an example of 'right-wing bullying.'

Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Cullors has been seen out in Los Angeles publicly for the first time and was pictured carrying the book Self Evident Truths: 10,000 Portraits of Queer America - for which she wrote the foreword

The activist recently announced her resignation from the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation

News reports had revealed she owned four residential properties with a total value of more than $3 million dollars

Cullors purchased her homes with cash she earned from public speaking and books she earned - but faced accusations of hypocrisy

Some publications falsely alleged she took a large annual salary from the foundation, affording her recent purchase of a southern California home

Cullors and BLM have clarified that the homes were purchased with money she personally earned through public speaking and book deals

Cullors, who has been at the helm of the foundation for nearly six years, said she is leaving to focus on other projects, including the upcoming release of her second book and a multi-year TV development deal with Warner Bros.

'I've created the infrastructure and the support, and the necessary bones and foundation, so that I can leave. It feels like the time is right,' she said.

Her departure follows a massive surge in support and political influence in the U.S. and around the world for the BLM movement, which was established nearly eight years ago in response to injustice against black Americans.

'Those were right-wing attacks that tried to discredit my character, and I dont operate off of what the right thinks about me,' Cullors said.

The foundation is bringing aboard two new interim senior executives to help steer it in the immediate future: Monifa Bandele, a longtime BLM organizer and founder of the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement in New York City, and Makani Themba, an early backer of the BLM movement and chief strategist at Higher Ground Change Strategies in Jackson, Mississippi.

'I think both of them come with not only a wealth of movement experience, but also a wealth of executive experience,' Cullors said.

The BLM foundation revealed to the Associated Press in February that it took in just over $90 million last year, following the May 2020 murder of George Floyd, a black man who was murdered by white Minneapolis cop Derek Chauvin.

The foundation said it ended 2020 with a balance of more than $60 million, after spending nearly a quarter of its assets on operating expenses, grants to black-led organizations and other charitable giving.

Critics of the foundation contend more of that money should have gone to the families of black victims of police brutality who have been unable to access the resources needed to deal with their trauma and loss.

'That is the most tragic aspect,' said the Rev. T. Sheri Dickerson, president of an Oklahoma City BLM chapter and a representative of the #BLM10, a national group of organizers that has publicly criticized the foundation over funding and transparency.

'I know some of (the families) are feeling exploited, their pain exploited, and that's not something that I ever want to be affiliated with,' Dickerson said.

Cullors and the foundation have said they do support families without making public announcements or disclosing dollar amounts.

In 2020, the BLM foundation spun off its network of chapters as a sister collective called BLM Grassroots, so that it could build out its capacity as a philanthropic organization. Although many groups use 'Black Lives Matter' or 'BLM' in their names, less than a dozen are considered affiliates of the chapter network.

It emerged earlier this year that Cullors had bought this $1.4 million home in a mainly-white area of LA

She has also bought three other homes including this one in Georgia - altogether totaling around $3 million

In 2018, Cullors released When They Call You a Terrorist: A Black Lives Matter Memoir which became a New York Times bestseller. She has also consulted on a number of racial justice projects outside of BLM, taking compensation for that work in her personal capacity.

She and the BLM movement have come a long way since its inception as a social media hashtag, following the 2013 acquittal of George Zimmerman, the neighborhood watch volunteer who killed 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in Florida.

Cullors, along with BLM co-founders Alicia Garza and Opal Tometi, pledged then to build a decentralized movement governed by consensus of a members collective.

In 2015, a network of chapters was formed, while donations and support poured in. Garza and Tometi soon stepped away from day-to-day involvement in the network to focus on their own projects.

Cullors, who has arguably been the most publicly visible of the co-founders, became the foundations full-time executive director last year purely out of necessity, she said.

'We needed her,' said Melina Abdullah, who leads BLM Grassroots and co-founded, with Cullors, BLMs first-ever official chapter in Los Angeles.

Cullors is set to release a new book later this year, and is also developing and producing original cable and streaming TV content that centers on Black stories, under a multi-year deal with Warner Bros.

The first of her TV projects will debut in July, she said.
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Vice President Kamala Harris hit back at questions about when she would visit the southern border on Tuesday, saying it was 'short-sighted' to focus on the symptoms and not the root causes of the migrant crisis as she wrapped up her visit to Guatemala and Mexico.

She was dogged throughout her trip about with questions about when she would go to the border with Mexico to see for herself the scale of the problem. And she let her frustrations show.

At a news conference in Mexico City she shrugged off the idea.

'I think it's short-sighted, for any of us who are in the business of problem solving to suggest we're only going to respond to the reaction as opposed to addressing the cause,' she said.

Vice President wrapped up her two-day trip to Guatemala and Mexico with a news conference at a Mexico City hotel. Questions about when she would visit the southern border dogged her during the trip but she responded by saying it was 'short-sighted' to focus on the 'reaction' and not the 'cause' of a problem

Speaking to reporters in Mexico City, Harris said: 'I also believe that if you want to fix a problem. You have to go to where the problem exists. She was due to return to Washington D.C. on Tuesday evening

Harris' first international trip included stops in Guatemala and Mexico, 1,308 and 582 miles away respectively from the Rio Grande, where families risk their lives ever day trying to cross into the U.S.

Conservatives have sought to saddle Harris with problems at the border ever since President Joe Biden asked her to take the lead in diplomatic efforts to stem the flow of migrants.

They have dubbed her the 'border czar,' criticized her for not holding a press conference on the issue and demanding that she visit the Mexico-U.S. frontier.

For weeks she has sought to portray her job as one that was focused on addressing the root causes of migration - from violence to corruption and poverty.

She stuck to the themes during her two-day trip as she spelled out her approach.

'I also believe that if you want to fix a problem. You have to go to where the problem exists,' she said in Mexico City, some 500 miles from the border.

'If you want to address the needs of a people, you must meet those people. You must spend time with those people.'

And she said, as a politician from California, she was well aware of the issues at the border.

Earlier she snapped at reporters for allowing the border crisis to overshadow her first international trip.

'Why not go to the border, as well, so you do see the full complexity?' a reporter asked Harris as she took some questions following a bilateral meeting with Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.

'Listen, I've been to the border before and I'll go again,' she said with an awkward laugh.

'But when I'm in Guatemala, dealing with root causes, I think we should have a conversation about what's going on in Guatemala,' she said  even though she is in Mexico.

Harris also made an inappropriate and uncomfortable joke during an interview that aired Tuesday morning with NBC's Lester Holt about not going to the border but also not yet taking a trip to Europe as vice president.

Harris held bilateral talks with Lopez Obrador during her trip to Mexico on Tuesday. The duo discussed stopping mass immigration from Central America by way of migrating through Mexico.

The vice president said the 'bottom line' was that the administration had to apply 'equal weight' to what's going on at the border and 'root causes' in Northern Triangle nations.

Republicans argue, however, that there is not equal attention since she nor President Joe Biden have gone to the southern border to see the humanitarian crisis first hand.

Vice President Kamala Harris lashed out when reporters again brought up the southern border during her trip to Mexico on Tuesday. 'Listen, I've been to the border before and I'll go again. But when I'm in Guatemala, dealing with root causes, I think we should have a conversation about what's going on in Guatemala,' she said with a laugh even though she is in Mexico

Kamala Harris and Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador had a bilateral meeting in Mexico City on Tuesday as the vice president still refuses to visit the southern border but says the U.S. is 'embarking on a new era' of relations

Harris, however, is visiting Guatemala and Mexico to see for herself what sort of 'root causes' the U.S. can help address there.

Ahead of her bilateral meeting with Lopez Obrador, Harris said the U.S. and Mexico are 'embarking on a new era'.

Although Harris is 582 miles from the border the U.S. shares with Mexico, she will not make a stop to survey for herself the humanitarian crisis still unfolding there.

She said in short remarks to the press before the bilateral meeting that the U.S. wants more cooperation with Mexico because 'you are closest to us.'

The vice president kicked off the second and final of her first foreign trip by meeting with Lopez Obrador as the two nations reaffirmed their commitment to stopping the flow of illegal migration from Central America to the U.S.

Harris received her first dose of the Moderna vaccine in December and Obrador got the AstraZeneca shot in April  meaning both are fully vaccinated against coronavirus.

During Harris' trip to Guatemala, however, she was reminded she needed to wear a mask by Guatemalan President Alejandor Giattammei and one of his aides after they concluded their joint press conference and she walked away from the podium without a mask.

On Tuesday, Harris and Lopez Obrador witnessed signatories signing a memorandum committing the two nations to help Northern Triangle countries address 'root causes' that lead their citizens to migrate illegally to the U.S.

At the same time, more images emerged Tuesday of Central American migrants being apprehended by Border Patrol agents after crossing the Rio Grande River into La Joya, Texas.

When asked if Lopez Obrador would commit to increasing border security in Mexico, he said: 'We are very pleased to have her here and we will touch on that subject but always addressing the fundamental root causes.'

Although both Harris and Lopez Obrador are vaccinated, the vice president masked up for the meeting

New images were taken June 8 of Central American migrants sitting on the ground after being apprehended by Border Patrol agents after crossing the Rio Grande River into La Joya, Texas on Tuesday

House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy said Harris should stop in McAllen, Texas on her way back to Washington, D.C. Tuesday evening  considering it's only a two-hour plane ride from Mexico City.

'On her way back from Mexico City, VP Kamala Harris should stop by McAllen, Texasa border community overwhelmed by illegal immigrants, drug cartels, and COVID risks,' McCarthy tweeted with an image of the plane route.

'No guarantee that the flight serves cookies of her likeness, but it's just a 2-hour plane ride.'

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki also pushed back against the criticism during a press briefing on Tuesday as the GOP ups its attacks on the vice president's avoidance of the border.

'I expect that at sometime she may go to the border, we'll see,' Psaki told Fox News reporter Peter Doocey as Harris met with Lopez Obrador in Mexico.

When the reporter pushed on what the White HOuse strategy is in keeping Harris away, she said: 'She's made a couple of announcements already, probably more to come before she comes back to the United States.'

'Republicans and conservatives are going crazy on Twitter,' Psaki told reporters when she was pushed on why Harris called visiting the border a 'grand gesture' in her Monday briefing in Guatemala. 'They're worked up. I've seen it.'

Harris lashed out at Lester Holt in an interview in Guatemala on Monday when he asked why she has refused to the border in the 76 days since President Joe Biden put her in charge of the crisis.

'Do you have any plans to visit the border?' the NBC host questioned Harris in an interview taped Monday in Guatemala during the vice president's first international trip.

'At some point, you know, we are going to the border,' she insisted in the interview 1,308 miles from where migrants are risking their lives crossing the Rio Grande River on inflatable rafts.

'We've been to the border. So this whole thing about the border. We've been to the border. We've been to the border,' she repeated.

'You haven't been to the border,' Holt pushed back.

'And I haven't been to Europe,' Harris snapped, then quickly turned it into her signature laugh.

'And I mean, I don't understand the point that you're making,' she said to Holt 'I'm not discounting the importance of the border.'

Before the bilateral meeting, Harris and Lopez Obrador watched as two signatories signed a memorandum of cooperation between the two nations on tackling immigration problems in the U.S.

Harris lashed out during an interview on Monday when asked again why she hasn't visited the southern border. 'I haven't been to Europe,' she snapped at interviewer Lester Holt (right). 'And I mean, I don't understand the point that you're making'

The migrants are transported on Tuesday by bus to holding facilities where they will be processed

Customs and Border Patrol number show record numbers of encounters with illegal crossers with a record-high of 178,622 in April alone, continuing on from massive spike in February and March

Texas Senator Ted Cruz shot back against Harris' comments, claiming she was 'laughing off' the seriousness of the border crisis.

'You haven't been to Europe, you haven't been to Australia, but we don't have an Australian border crisis, we don't have a border crisis in Europe. We have a border crisis on the southern border,' Cruz told Fox News during an interview on America's Newsroom.

'Come to Texas, come to the Rio Grande Valley, come to McAllen,' the Texas lawmaker insisted of Harris.

'Come see the cages that the Biden-Harris administration has built and then, even more importantly, stand up and be willing to enforce our laws to fix it, because that's not what they're doing right now,' Cruz added.

As Harris continues to refuse to visit the border, Colorado Representative Lauren Boebert released a video where she brought a cardboard cut out of the vice president to a part of the southern border wall

She set up the life-size cut out facing the wall looking into Mexico and said: 'I brought Kamala down to see exactly what this regime is responsible for with their man-made crisis. Now Kamala, I want you to stand here and look at what you've done'

WHITE HOUSE FACT SHEET: U.S.-Mexico Bilateral Cooperation Following a bilateral meeting with Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on June 8, 2021 and in light of the United States and Mexico's deep cultural, social, and economic ties and the two governments' shared commitment to a prosperous and secure North America, Vice President Harris announces the following: High-Level Economic Dialogue The United States and Mexico agreed to hold a High-Level Economic Dialogue in September, fulfilling President Biden's and President Lopez Obrador's commitment on March 1 to revive this key forum that will expand bilateral economic cooperation and collaboration. The proposed agenda will cover key themes, such as trade facilitation, telecommunications and interconnectivity, and supply chain resiliency. Cabinet-Level Security Dialogue The United States and Mexico agreed to hold a cabinet-level security dialogue to discuss a shared vision for security. Transnational criminal organizations do not recognize borders. They pose a threat to all peoples and require a joint response. The United States and Mexico are committed to working together to reduce homicides and drug-related deaths on both sides of the border and counter the illicit forces that drive them. Strengthen Labor Cooperation The United States will invest an additional $130 million in technical assistance and cooperation over the next three years to work with Mexico as it implements labor legislation and to fund programs that will support workers, improve working conditions, and address child and forced labor. President Lopez Obrador signed historic labor reform legislation into law on May 1, 2019. Work Together To Address Root Causes of Migration in Central America The governments of the United States and Mexico signed a memorandum of understanding to establish a strategic partnership to address the lack of economic opportunities in northern Central America. The two governments will work together to foster agricultural development and youth empowerment programs in El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala and will co-create and co-manage a partnership program enabling them to better deliver, measure, and communicate about assistance to the region. Operations Group on Human Smuggling and Human Trafficking U.S. and Mexican law enforcement agencies will partner to exchange information and take appropriate actions to address the shared priority of disabling human trafficking and human smuggling organizations. These groups prey on vulnerable individuals, falsely promising them safe passage or a good job in the United States in exchange for their savings. In fact, these organizations often use lies and threats to lure migrants into being trafficked or leave them stranded in Mexico or at the border, far from help and without basic supplies. Law enforcement agencies will work jointly to identify targets, develop investigations, and take enforcement actions such as freezing bank accounts associated with criminal groups. Attract Investment to Southern Mexico The U.S. government has developed a package of grants, loans, and other commitments that will help generate broad-based growth in southern Mexico, create jobs and reduce economic inequality in the region. The U.S. government will aim to create $250 million in new investment and sales in southern Mexico by strengthening rural value chains such as cacao, coffee, and eco-tourism. The U.S. International Development Finance Cooperation will issue a loan to support affordable housing and mortgages; 40 to 50 percent of new homes will be built in southern Mexico. The U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) and the Department of Commerce will organize trade and business development missions that will support infrastructure development in southern Mexico. USTDA plans to provide a grant to Mexico's aviation regulator for technical assistance to improve efficiencies. Partnership to Resolve Disappearances Cases in Mexico The United States and Mexico will work to expand forensic capacity and partnerships to help solve the more than 82,000 cases of missing persons and disappearances in Mexico, potentially bringing closure to tens of thousands of families and ending impunity for offenders. The Department of State, U.S. Agency for International Development, and the Department of Justice will continue to train lab technicians and police to enhance their skills in forensic analysis of decomposed bodies and support Mexico's National Search Commission to collect, maintain, and analyze missing persons registries across the country. As a next step, the Federal Bureau of Investigation will train genetics experts on a new system to track forensic information and improve capacity. Advertisement

Minority Whip Steve Scalise tweeted in shock: 'This is a crisis we're talking aboutnot a vacation.'

Perhaps most flamboyant of all responses was from Representative Lauren Boebert of Colorado, who released a video Tuesday where she brought a cardboard cut out of Harris with her on a trip to the border.

'She hasn't even been down here to see the border,' Boebert said in a clip of her walking along part of the southern border wall to the tune of instrumental rock music. 'You can't just hear about what's happening, you have to come down here to see for yourself, to really understand the devastating reality at our southern border.'

'So I brought Kamala down to see exactly what this regime is responsible for with their man-made crisis,' she continued.

The video then showed Boebert carrying under her arm sideways a life-sized full-body cutout of Harris.

She then set down the cutout so it was facing the border wall and said in a reprimanding tone, 'Now Kamala, I want you to stand here and look at what you've done,' before leaving it there and walking away.

Holt made it clear it was important to bring it up since Republicans have consistently criticized Harris for not visiting the border where the humanitarian crisis is taking place  even though she was put in charge of tackling it.

'Listen, I care about what's happening at the border,' Harris said. 'I'm in Guatemala because my focus is dealing with the root causes of migration. There may be some who think that that is not important, but it is my firm belief that if we care about what's happening at the border, we better care about the root causes and address them. And so that's what I'm doing.'

Harris landed in Guatemala City on Sunday evening for her first out-of-country trip as vice president to address 'root causes' in the country that lead to mass migration to the U.S.

She met with Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei on Monday for bilateral talks and later flew to Mexico City, Mexico for the second part of her two-day Latin America trip.

Harris said during a press conference alongside Giammattei on Monday that she does not plan to visit the southern border because it would just be a 'grand gesture' as opposed to a genuine trip.

She vowed to take on corruption and insisted climate change was one of the driving forces behind people fleeing their homes and heading North.

'On the issues of Republicans' political attacks or criticism or even concerns, the reason I am here in Guatemala as my first trip as vice president of the United States is because this is one of our highest priorities,' Harris said during a question and answer portion of her press conference.

'I came here to be here on the ground, to speak with the leader of this nation around what we can do in a way that is significant, is tangible and has real results,' she continued.

'And I will continue to be focused on that kind of work as opposed to grand gestures.'

Congressman Andy Biggs, a Texas Republican, didn't buy Harris' reasoning for not visiting the southern border.

'It is not a grand gesture for Vice President Harris to inspect the damage and inhumanity fueled by the Biden Administration at the southern border,' Biggs said in a statement to DailyMail.com. 'However, Kamala would rather turn a blind eye to the mounting chaos than reinforce Trump's policies that would bring security and stability back to our border.'

Other Republicans also have been open about their criticism of Harris refusing to visit the border even after being named 'border czar' by President Joe Biden in March. They claim her avoiding the region is proof she is not committed to solving the problem.

Harris said she 'believes' any migrants who attempt to enter the U.S. through non-legal channels will be turned away if they arrive at the border.

'I want to emphasize that the goal of our work is to help Guatemalans find hope at home,' Harris said after her bilateral meeting with Giammattei.

'At the same time, I want to be clear to folks in this region who are thinking about making that dangerous trek to the United States-Mexico border: Do not come,' she said, and repeated for emphasis: 'Do not come.'

'The United States will continue to enforce our laws and secure our border,' the vice president insisted. 'There are legal methods by which migration can and should occur, but we, as one of our priorities, will discourage illegal migrations. And I believe if you come to our border, you will be turned back.'

Harris' chief spokesperson Symone Sanders clarified to reporters that the administration still wants immigrants to come to the U.S. by seeking the legal ways to do so from their home countries.

'The President and Vice President have been clear in dissuading people from making the dangerous and treacherous journey to the U.S./Mexico border,' Sanders said.

'We encourage those who do want to come to the U.S. to do so legally and seek legal immigration options in their home countries,' she continued. 'The Vice President is committed to addressing the root causes of migration, which also addresses why migrants are coming to our border.'

Harris and Guatemalan President Alejandro Giamattei (right) held a bilateral meeting in Guatemala on Monday as part of talks to deal with 'root causes' of mass migration from Latin America to the U.S.

Harris' first international trip was met with protesters demanding she 'mind your own business'

'Kamala go home' one sign read outside the Guatemalan Air Force facility

'This is disappointing': AOC slams Kamala for telling migrants not to come and blames the US for influx after 'setting Latin America on fire' Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has described Kamala Harris' remarks on immigration as 'disappointing', after the vice president used a speech in Guatemala to declare to migrants: 'Do not come'. Ocasio-Cortez accused the United States of having 'set the house on fire' when it comes to Latin America - but being unwilling to allow people to escape. She didn't explain why she made her explosive claim. She then argued that the U.S. needed to emphasize the root causes of migration, rather than punishing those who seek to enter the country. She reacted to a clip of Harris' press conference by stating: 'This is disappointing to see. 'First, seeking asylum at any US border is a 100% legal method of arrival. Second, the US spent decades contributing to regime change and destabilization in Latin America. We can't help set someone's house on fire and then blame them for fleeing.' Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, pictured on June 5, criticized Vice President Kamala Harris' remarks in Guatemala. On Monday Harris told would-be migrants from the country that her message was: 'Do not come' The New York congresswoman added: 'It would be helpful if the US would finally acknowledge its contributions to destabilization and regime change in the region. 'Doing so can help us change US foreign policy, trade policy, climate policy, & carceral border policy to address causes of mass displacement & migration.' She was responding to Harris' remarks at her press conference on Monday besides Alejandro Giammattei, Guatemala's president. Advertisement

Republicans were not happy with Harris classifying a trip to the border as a 'grand gesture.'

'Traveling to our Southern Border is not a grand gesture; it is her responsibility as the 'Border Czar' and Vice President of the United States,' Republican Florida Representative Byron Donalds told DailyMail.com.

'Vice President Harris is refusing to travel to the border because she will be forced to acknowledge the crisis she and the President have created if she does,' he continued.

'Local, State, and Federal leaders and law enforcement officials will be the first to let the Vice President know that there is a growing crisis on the border and that ignoring it or evading her responsibility by examining the root causes will only exacerbate this crisis.'

Republican House leader Kevin McCarthy also tore into Harris' bid to tackle the crisis as 'spend now strategize later'. In a statement he wrote: 'Today marks 75 days since President Biden chose Vice President Harris as his administration's point person to '[stem] the migration to our southern border.' She still has yet to travel to our southern border and see the extent of the crisis she and President Biden have created over the past six months.

'Instead of upholding her responsibilities to the American people and our communities impacted by the border crisis, Vice President Harris decided to focus her efforts on studying the 'root causes of migration' from Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries.

'That's why she's in Guatemala today, her first foreign trip since becoming Vice President, where she just held a press conference during which she dismissed going to the border as nothing more than 'grand gestures,' and declined to say when she'd actually go.

'This unconventional approach is nothing more than a cynical political decision to ensure the blame doesn't fall on her shoulders by distancing herself from Biden's Border Crisis.

'Now Vice President Harris and the Biden administration want to take the typical Democrat approach of throwing more taxpayer dollars at a problem without first thinking through a coherent strategy. Over the next four years, President Biden is proposing we send $4 billion in aid to Central America with the pretense this will help curb the historic migration happening at our southern border. But there are two glaring problems to their proposal of spending our way out of the border crisis: Aid programs have failed to stem migration in the past and border order apprehensions of individuals from countries outside of Central America are rapidly increasing.

'As Vice President, Biden has already tried spending our way out of a migration surge. He 'led an enormous push to deter people from crossing into the United States by devoting hundreds of millions of dollars to Central America.' However, that never panned out. In fact, in Guatemala specifically, the $1.6 billion America provided in aid over the last decade proved ineffective.

'Vice President Harris won't find the root cause of the border crisis on her Central America tour because it's her and President Biden's policies that are actually responsible. And word that our southern border is open reached significantly further than just Central America. The Border Patrol reported that encounters with individuals from nations other than Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador jumped by 35 percent since March 2021, and individuals from over 160 countries have recently been apprehended.'

GOP Senator Rick Scott called Harris' refusal to visit the border 'disgraceful' and an 'insult' to border law enforcement.

He said: 'Months after being chosen to lead the Biden administration's response to the border crisis it created, Vice President Harris has shown she'll do anything to avoid taking responsibility and showing real leadership. Her continued refusal to address the border crisis  which threatens the safety of American families  is disgraceful and an insult to our brave Customs and Border Protection agents. Buy in from Guatemala and Mexico is critical to getting this crisis under control, but first, Biden and Harris must acknowledge the humanitarian and national security chaos their policies have created here in America and see it firsthand at our border. Anything less is an unacceptable failure.'

Harris affirmed during her bilateral press conference Monday that she told Giammattei the U.S. will be donating 500,000 doses of the coronavirus vaccine to Guatemala.

Harris was greeted with protesters when she arrived for her first international trip as vice president in Guatemala City, which is 1,308 miles from where families are streaming across the U.S.-Mexico border.

'Kamala go home,' one white flag with black painted letters read, while another demanded she 'mind her own business'.

As the vice president rode in her motorcade from her hotel to Palacio Nacional de la Cultura, reporters spoted a group of pro-Trump demonstrators with signs reading: 'Kamala, Trump won.'

During the press conference, Giammattei vowed Guatemala would set up 'returnee centers' where they would accept their citizens who the U.S. sent back after crossing the border illegally.

Harris began her meeting with Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei with quick remarks where she said: 'I very much have been looking forward to this trip, we have had many conversations, but it is good to see you in person.'

The two have spoken on the phone previously.

'I am very proud that this is my first foreign trip as vice president,' Harris continued. 'It is a reflection of the priority that President Biden placed on this region.'

As Harris commenced her two-day trip south of the border, migrant families continue to stream over into the U.S. either by foot or on inflatable rafts.

Harris doubled-down that she will not be visting the border during her trip  or any time soon. 'I will continue to be focused on [addressing root causes of migration and corruption] as opposed to grand gestures'

The border is closed: During the press conference, Harris warned those thinking of crossing illegally: 'Do not come!' She said, 'I believe if you come to our border, you will be turned back'

Ahead of the meeting, Giammattei made a statement in English.

'Thank you very much for your visit,' he said to Harris. 'For us, it's very important to have you here because it means that Guatemala and the United States can work as partners with common goals.'

He details some of the main goals as addressing narcotics trafficking, immigration, corruption in the region and building up prosperity walls within departments near the border with Mexico.

In a press conference following the meeting, Giammattei said  in Spanish this time  that the two nations would work toward more 'orderly migration' that would 'allow people to migrate regularly to the United States.'

'We also spoke about the need to support the United States with a returnee center that will be located in the western part of the country,' he continued, adding they are wording on a 'strong family reunification program.'

These efforts, he ensured, would 'help to ensure that the flow of persons in the southern border of the United States be controlled.'

Harris' trip started off bumpy on Sunday when Air Force 2 was forced to turn around minutes after take-off due to 'technical issues', which appeared to stem from an unusual noise coming from the landing gear.

'I'm good, I'm good. We all said a little prayer, but we're good,' Harris told reporters as she deplaned Air Force 2 and waited for another plane to get ready.

The vice president's team has made it clear that Harris' role as 'border czar' is to address the 'root causes' that lead to a mass amount of Central American citizens fleeing their home countries and migrating to the U.S.

Harris chief spokesperson Symone Sanders told reporters climate and economic downfall were among 'main drivers' of the surge in migrants.

Critics claim, however, that President Joe Biden is to blame for the crisis after he immediately rolled back Trump-era border restrictions upon taking office this year.

The Biden administration has denied that they are sending the message that the border is 'open', and instead is blaming it on 'root causes' in Northern Triangle nations like climate, poverty, crime and corruption.

More than 178,000 migrants crossed the border in April alone, which was a continuation of a spike in February and March. Numbers for May have not yet been released.

The bilateral meeting between Harris, Giammattei and their team was held Palacio Nacional de la Cultura

Harris' first foreign trip comes as migrants continue to make the trek from Central America to the U.S. southern border. Here people ride rafts across the Suchiate River between Ciudad Hidalgo, Mexico and Tecun Uman, Guatemala on June 7, 2021

Demonstrators urged Harris to 'respect Guatemala's constitution'

The Supreme Court sided with President Joe Biden by unanimously refused on Monday to let immigrants who have been allowed to stay in the U.S. on humanitarian grounds apply to become permanent residents if they entered the country illegally.

The justices, acting on an appeal by a married couple from El Salvador who were granted so-called Temporary Protected Status, upheld a lower court ruling that barred their applications for permanent residency, also known as a green card, because of their unlawful entry.

The case could affect 400,000 immigrants, many of whom have lived in the U.S. for years.

Biden, who has sought to reverse many of his Republican predecessor Donald Trump's hardline immigration policies, had opposed the immigrants in this case, placing the president at odds with immigration advocacy groups and some of his fellow Democrats.

The Biden administration is facing a massive crisis at the southern border, which includes record-high levels of illegal crossers and all-time high numbers of unaccompanied minors in U.S. custody.

In March, Biden put Harris in charge of the migration crisis  but the administration has still not referred to the situation as such.

As it appeared the problem wasn't going anywhere at the southern border, the administration quickly rebranded to indicate Harris is focused on addressing root causes that lead to mass migration to the U.S. from Northern Triangle countries  Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador.

Reports show the vice president's office didn't want to give her something that could be seen as a failure on her part.

Since taking over, Republicans have slammed the vice president for not once visiting the southern border, where enforcement groups are overwhelmed and facilities reached near 2,000 per cent capacity at some points.

Harris said she will go to Mexico during her trip south of the border, but maintained that she will still not stop at the U.S. side of the border.

She has also already spoken on the phone with Guatemalan President Giammattei and Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.

Harris is meeting with Giammattei on Monday and will afterwards engage in events with Guatemalan community leaders and entrepreneurs afterwards.

On Tuesday, she will travel to Mexico City to meet with President Lopez Obrador and participate in roundtables with women entrepreneurs and labor leaders in Mexico.

People protesting the Guatemalan government hold signs during Harris and Giammattei's bilateral meeting

Supreme Court unanimously BLOCKS 400,000 immigrants who entered the US illegally and were allowed to stay on 'humanitarian grounds' from applying for a green card

The Supreme Court on Monday unanimously refused to let immigrants who have been allowed to stay in the United States on humanitarian grounds apply to become permanent residents if they entered the country illegally, siding with President Joe Biden's administration.

The justices, acting in an appeal by a married couple from El Salvador who were granted so-called Temporary Protected Status, upheld a lower court ruling that barred their applications for permanent residency, also known as a green card, because of their unlawful entry.

The case could affect 400,000 immigrants, many of whom have lived in the United States for years.

The Supreme Court on Monday unanimously refused to let immigrants who have been allowed to stay in the United States on humanitarian grounds apply to become permanent residents if they entered the country illegally. The case involves Jose Sanchez and Sonia Gonzalez from El Salvador (above), who entered the US twice illegally

Biden, who has sought to reverse many of his Republican predecessor Donald Trump's hardline immigration policies, had opposed the immigrants in this case, placing the president at odds with immigration advocacy groups and some of his fellow Democrats.

A federal law called the Immigration and Nationality Act generally requires that people seeking to become permanent residents have been 'inspected and admitted' into the United States. At issue in the case was whether a grant of Temporary Protected Status (TPS), which gives the recipient 'lawful status,' satisfies those requirements.

Writing for the court, liberal Justice Elena Kagan said that 'because a grant of TPS does not come with a ticket of admission, it does not eliminate the disqualifying effect of an unlawful entry.'

Foreign nationals can be granted Temporary Protected Status if a humanitarian crisis in their home country, such as a natural disaster or armed conflict, would make their return unsafe.

There are about 400,000 people in the United States with protected status, which prevents deportation and lets them work legally.

The case involves Jose Sanchez and Sonia Gonzalez, who live in New Jersey and have four children.

The couple twice entered the United States illegally: in 1997 and 1998. After a series of earthquakes in 2001, the United States designated El Salvador as covered under the Temporary Protected Status program. The couple received protection under the program that same year.

Biden, who has sought to reverse many of his Republican predecessor Donald Trump's hardline immigration policies, had opposed the immigrants in this case, placing the president at odds with immigration advocacy groups and some of his fellow Democrats

U.S. officials rejected their 2014 applications for green cards because they had not been lawfully admitted.

They sued in federal court, saying that those with lawful status, including Temporary Protected Status recipients, are deemed to have been lawfully admitted, and may apply for permanent residency.

Last year, the Philadelphia-based 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against the couple.

Besides El Salvador, 11 other countries currently have such designations: Haiti, Honduras, Myanmar, Nepal, Nicaragua, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Syria, Venezuela and Yemen. Myanmar was the latest addition to the list, placed there by Biden's administration in the wake of a Feb. 1 military coup there.

The Supreme Court ruled in the case on a day when U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris visits Guatemala as part of the Biden administration's efforts to lower migration to the United States from that country as well as El Salvador and Honduras.

Conservative justice Clarence Thomas initially suggested the Supreme Court would be reluctant to let immigrants with protected status apply for permanent residency when the case was first presented to the court on April 19.

'They clearly were not admitted at the borders, so is that a fiction, is it metaphysical, what is it? I don't know,' conservative Justice Clarence Thomas asked.
The wild weather battering eastern Australia is bringing torrential rain, damaging winds and snow to areas that haven't seen it for six years.

Heavy rainfall warnings are in place for Victoria and Tasmania, while New South Wales reels from temperatures 10 degrees below average across the state.

The wettest parts of Victoria will be West Gippsland and the Central Highlands, with up to 250mm of rain expected for the Mount Baw Baw area.

The nearby towns of Sale, Traralgon and Daylesford could see up to 100mm and flooding is possible in eastern Victoria.

Australia's alpine areas are being pounded with snow as the mercury plummets but snow is also expected to fall in the NSW Northern Tablelands for the first time in six years, as NSW drivers are warned black ice will make driving conditions extremely dangerous

Temperatures are dropping across Eastern Australia with snow expected in several locations, making driving hazardous in areas not used to it

Australians are in for a miserable week with chilly temperatures forecast along with large dumps of snow

Alpine regions of Victoria and NSW are experiencing blizzard-like conditions.

Forecasters have warned as much as 100cm of snow could fall at snowfields including Perisher and Thredbo over the next 10 days.

Snow is likely to fall at 800m and could even fall as low as 500m including areas in NSW like Oberon, Orange, Armidale and the Blue Mountains.

One of the main concerns the Bureau of Meteorology has is for graziers and their livestock, which they have urged be moved to shelter out of the cold

Road weather alerts have been issued with gusty winds and reduced visibility due to rain making driving conditions dangerous in Melbourne on Wednesday and Thursday.

The entire state of NSW is experiencing temperatures between 6-10 degrees below average, according to the NSW Bureau of Meteorology with snow expected to blanket parts of the Northern Tablelands.

NSW rainfalls were heaviest on the northwest slopes and Upper Hunter Valley, of between 25mm and 40mm.

The Bureau of Meteorology has also issued sheep grazier warnings for all areas of NSW.

'There will be wet and windy conditions and it will be particularly cold, we are telling tell people with livestock to get them to sheltered areas as soon as possible,' said Helen Kirkup, of the NSW Bureau of Meteorology.

A deadly combination of black ice forming on roads after rain and gusty winds will make driving conditions extremely dangerous across the NSW Central and Northern Tablelands.

Residents around the NSW Northern Tablelands towns of Glen Innes, Guyra, and Armidale - which haven't seen snow on the ground since 2015 - are being warned road accidents could result if they go looking for snow.

'Don't be a snow tourist unless you are well prepared and used to it,' said Ms Kirkup.

'People do not think through the dangers of driving in conditions they are not used to.'

Snow flurries could still hit the granite belt of southern Queensland, including towns such as Stanthorpe.

Black ice is a major concern in coming days, especially around the NSW Northern Tablelands with wet roads expected to become extremely slippery in very cold temperatures

Melburnians are in for a cold and miserable week with heavy rain forecast and temperatures to reach a high of just 16C

Pictured: A cold front moving over the east coast of Australia on Monday. It will being freezing temperatures to the nation from Tuesday

Pictured: A woman enjoying the snow at Perisher, in south-west New South Wales. The region is set to get more snow this week

In Sydney the mercury won't get past 14 degrees during the day on Thursday, warning up to 17 on Friday and the city could see up to 10mm of rain both days.

The wild weather is being driven by a vigorous cold front which pushed up from the Southern Ocean on Monday, with strong winds giving way to rain, thunderstorms and small hail, the Bureau of Meteorology said.

BoM senior meteorologist Sarah Scully told Daily Mail Australia that the heaviest rainfall appears to be centered over eastern Victoria and coastal parts of southern NSW and adjacent inland areas.

'Potential rainfall totals could be in excess of 100mm, with Wednesday and Thursday the wettest days,' she said.

Snow may also be seen in South Australia's Flinders Ranges while thunderstorms with a chance of hail are also expected to sweep through the state.

Up north in Queensland locals living in the state's south-east may experience winds of up to 110km/h while snow is also on the cards for the Queensland/NSW border.

Meanwhile on the other side of the country Western Australia is in for a wet and miserable week.

From Wednesday heavy rainfall of up to 100m is possible for coastal areas along the west coast including suburbs like Denham and Mardie.

On Thursday more isolated falls of up to 65mm is expected to pour down between Exmouth and Karratha.

For the capital cities Sydney will see a rainy end to the week with temperatures to hit a maximum of just 14C on Thursday.

Melbourne will also be hit with heavy rain for the rest of the week with the mercury only rising to a top of 16C.

The maximum temperature in Hobart this week will reach just 11C on Wednesday, and Brisbane will hit 18C.

Adelaide will see highs of 14C on Wednesday, and people in Canberra will shiver through the day with highs of 9C.

Perth residents will see storms developing on Thursday with scattered rain on Friday and Saturday, while people in Darwin experience lows of just 22C and sunshine.
Donald Trump praised Nigeria's Twitter ban in a statement and said he wishes he had done the same while he was president of the United States.

Trump also appeared to suggest that he would consider banning Twitter if elected again in the 2024 presidential election.

'Congratulations to the country of Nigeria, who just banned Twitter because they banned their President. More COUNTRIES should ban Twitter and Facebook for not allowing free and open speech  all voices should be heard,' Trump said.

'In the meantime, competitors will emerge and take hold. Who are they to dictate good and evil if they themselves are evil?'

He continued: 'Perhaps I should have done it while I was President. But Zuckerberg kept calling me and coming to the White House for dinner telling me how great I was. 2024?'

Donald Trump praised Nigeria's Twitter ban in a statement and said he wishes he had done the same while he was president of the United States

Donald Trump leaves Trump Tower in New York City on Tuesday after a storm passed through and waved to the few people lucky enough who withstood the poor weather

Donald Trump leaves Trump Tower in New York City on Tuesday after a storm passed through and waved to the few people lucky enough who withstood the poor weather

President Buhari's tweet reportedly referenced the bloody civil war in Nigeria's Biafra region in the late 1960s, during which a million people were killed

Twitter had removed a tweet from Buhari that was seen as threatening separatist movements, with Twitter saying that it violated its policies. Nigeria then banned Twitter from the country

Trump also appeared to suggest that he would consider banning Twitter if elected again in the 2024 presidential election in his statement

Trump's statement also appeared to conflate the CEO of Twitter, Jack Dorsey, right, with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, left

The statement falsely said that Twitter had banned Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari. The social media company had removed a tweet from Buhari that was seen as threatening separatist movements, with Twitter saying that it violated its policies.

Trump's statement also appeared to conflate the CEO of Twitter, Jack Dorsey, with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

He was branded a 'wannabe dictator' by journalist Andrew Feinberg. The former president used his Twitter account to make big announcements, pick fights and share what often appeared to be his stream of conscious with his 88.7 million followers.

Trump was permanently banned the day after the deadly riots at the U.S. Capitol on January 6 after Twitter accused him of using his account - which had close to 90 million followers - of inciting violence.

Trump has also been suspended from Facebook for two years, after Zuckerberg's company gave a seemingly finite end to Trump's ban from the platform.

President Buhari's tweet reportedly referenced the bloody civil war in Nigeria's Biafra region in the late 1960s, during which a million people were killed, in what some perceived as a veiled threat to modern day separatists.

'Those of us in the fields for 30 months, who went through the war, will treat' the secessionists 'in the language they understand,' reads the tweet from Buhari - who was a military officer in the civil war.

Twitter removed the tweet and said it violated policies against 'abusive behavior.' The company's rules prohibit promoting or threatening violence.

Nigeria's Federal Ministry of Information and Culture then tweeted on Friday that the social media account would be banned across the country with violators reportedly facing prosecution.

'The Federal Government has suspended, indefinitely, the operations of the microblogging and social networking service, Twitter, in Nigeria,' the ministry tweeted.

Trump was permanently banned the day after the deadly riots at the U.S. Capitol on January 6

Twitter accused Trump of using his account - which had close to 90 million followers - of inciting violence

With the Washington Monument in the background, people attend a rally in support of President Donald Trump on Wednesday, January 6

With the White House in the background, then-President Donald Trump speaks at a rally Wednesday, January 6

Twitter declared access to its platform a 'human right' on Saturday in response to the ban in Nigeria.

'We are deeply concerned by the blocking of Twitter in Nigeria. Access to the free and #OpenInternet is an essential human right in modern society,' the company said in a statement.

'We will work to restore access for all those in Nigeria who rely on Twitter to communicate and connect with the world. #KeepitOn.'

The United States Diplomatic Mission to Nigeria also addressed the Twitter ban in a statement, condemning Nigeria for the ban.

'Nigerias constitution provides for freedom of expression. The Governments recent Twitter ban undermines Nigerians ability to exercise this fundamental freedom and sends a poor message to its citizens, investors and businesses,' the mission tweeted.

'Banning social media and curbing every citizens ability to seek, receive, and impart information undermines fundamental freedoms.'

The statement continued: 'As President Biden has stated, our need for individual expression, open public conversation, and accountability has never been greater. The path to a more secure Nigeria lies in more, not less, communication, alongside concerted efforts toward unity, peace, and prosperity.'

While president, Trump attempted numerous times to block access to the Chinese-owned company TIkTok but his efforts were repeatedly blocked by federal judged, as noted by Forbes.
The Victorian Government's mental health tax is set to become law.

State Taxation and Mental Health Acts Amendment Bill 2021 passed the Legislative Council 24-14 and will now go to the governor for royal assent.

Eight of the state's 11 crossbenchers voted with the Labor government to pass the bill.

Under the Mental Health and Wellbeing Levy, businesses that pay more than $10 million in wages nationally will pay an additional 0.5 per cent surcharge from January 1, 2022.

Businesses with national payrolls above $100 million will pay one per cent.

Treasurer Tim Pallas said the tax will affect less than five per cent of employers and is anticipated to raise almost $3 billion in four years.

The levy was a main recommendation of the state's mental health royal commission, which found the state's system operates in crisis mode, fails patients and requires a complete rebuild

The levy was a main recommendation of the state's mental health royal commission, which found the state's system operates in crisis mode, fails patients and requires a complete rebuild.

The bill stipulates that all revenue collected by the levy must be spent on the provision of mental health services.

'We are committed to making a difference to the lives of Victorians through better mental health support, whether that's through access to health providers, counsellors, therapists, support, suicide prevention, education programs,' Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes told the upper house.

Reason MP Fiona Patten, who voted in support of the levy, said poor mental health costs the Victorian economy more than $14 billion each year, including a direct cost to employers of $1.9 billion.

'I don't think there's many Victorian who would not say we need to fix our public mental health system and we understand it needs money to do that,' she said.

Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party MP Jeff Bourman supported the bill while maintaining he was 'not a fan of new taxes'.

'If you're going to increase the services, then it's got to come from somewhere,' he said.

Treasurer Tim Pallas said the tax will affect less than five per cent of employers and is anticipated to raise almost $3 billion in four years

An opposition attempt to amend the bill to exempt universities from the new levy failed to garner enough support.

Opposition spokesman for higher education Matt Bach said universities had been dealt a 'devastating blow' by the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent loss of international students.

'Universities have been crippled, they're on their knees,' the former teacher said.

Mr Pallas said the Victorian government has provided more than $1 billion to assist universities throughout the pandemic and would continue to support the sector.

The bill also introduces a premium stamp duty rate of 6.5 per cent on transactions above $2 million, as well as increases to land tax on investment and commercial properties.
Market Overview:

The continuously flourishing the automotive industry is likely to offer the most lucrative opportunities for growth in the coming years. Additionally, the aerospace industry is adopting the natural rubber-based tires, which is augmenting demand for rubber vulcanization. Swiftly changing the aerospace industry is fueling the growth of the global rubber vulcanization market. Furthermore, natural rubber is extensively used in the production of aircraft tires for its better quotient of heat resistance.

The vulcanization process modifies the properties of the rubber and adds elasticity and strength by forming a crosslink between the long chain of molecules. These properties make the material suitable for several end-use industries. Thus, the market for rubber vulcanization is likely to witness robust growth in the coming years. Rubber Vulcanization Market Analysis is anticipated to reach a valuation of USD 11,219.7 million by 2025 by exhibiting a growth rate of 4.94% over the estimated timeframe from 2018 to 2025. This growth is primarily attributable to the high demand for rubber from pharmaceutical, automotive, and consumer goods industries.

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Market Scenario and Growth Factors:

Additionally, thriving construction and infrastructural development globally and especially across emerging countries is propelling growth of the global rubber vulcanization market. Growing demand for the products including natural rubbers in gloves, rollers, injection parts, tubes, mammary prostheses, and the pacemaker is positively impacting the growth of the market. Further, the demand for the seals & gaskets, pipe, O-rings, tubing, hose, washers, grommets, sleeves and rubber bladders, connectors, couplings, and fittings in the oil & gas industry is propelling growth of the market.

Competitive Analysis:

The Key Players Operating In the Global Rubber Vulcanization Market:

LANXESS,

Arkema SA,

BASF SE,

Eastman Chemical Company,

Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd.,

Kumho Petrochemical,

Duslo, a.s.,

Willing New Materials Technology Co., Ltd,

Shandong Stair Chemical & Technology Co., Ltd,

King Industries, Inc.

Industry News:

The automotive industry is trying to offer advanced featured vehicles such as self-seal tires. In these kinds of tires, the inner liner and covers the tread area. For instance, Ford Motor Co. announced the offering of a self-sealing version of Michelin Primacy A/S.

Segmentation:

The Rubber Vulcanization Market is segmented based on type, technique, end-user industry, and region.

In terms of type, the global rubber vulcanization market is categorized into the vulcanizing agents, accelerators, activators, and others. The vulcanizing agent segment is further categorized into sulfur, selenium, tellurium, and metallic oxides. The accelerators segment is sub-segmented into dithiocarbamate, sulfenamides, dithiophosphate, and xanthates. Of these, the accelerators type segment dominated the global rubber vulcanization market and is estimated to procure a value of USD 4,710.0 million by the end of the forecast period.

Based on the end-use industry, the market is segmented into automotive & transportation, industrial, consumer goods, healthcare, and others. Of these, the automotive & transportation segment held more than 58% share in 2017 and is estimated to witness lucrative growth over the forecast period.

Based on the technique, the market is segmented into sulfur vulcanization and other curing techniques. Of these, the sulfur vulcanization technique segment dominated the market in 2017 and is anticipated to exhibit a CAGR of 4.8% during the forecast period.

Regional Analysis:

By region, the market is segmented into North America, Asia-Pacific, Europe, and Latin America. Of these, Asia Pacific held the lions share in the overall market in 2017 and is estimated to exhibit a CAGR of 5.68% over the forecast period. Among these, China accounted for 30% of the share in 2017. Indian market is likely to grab a value of USD 927.1 million during the forecast period. As per the Association of Natural Rubber Producing Countries (ANRPC), countries including India, Indonesia, China, Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines, Sri Lanka, and others are producing around 91% of global rubber production in 2017.

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Auckland rose to the top of the ranking due to its containing the pandemic

Researchers assessed 140 cities across the globe and scored them on stability

Auckland has been named the world's most liveable city for 2021 with Adelaide surprisingly taking the third spot - while London and New York didn't even make the top 50.

Researchers assessed 140 cities across the globe and scored them on stability, healthcare, culture, environment, education and infrastructure.

Auckland, known internationally for its multi-cultural hub of food and music, topped the list thanks in part to the New Zealand Government's handling of Covid-19, with the country having only recorded 26 deaths.

The Japanese port city of Osaka came in second while surprisingly, the often-overlooked South Australian capital of Adelaide came in third after being recognised for its thriving arts culture and renowned wineries.

'Six of the top ten cities in the March 2021 survey are in New Zealand or Australia, where tight border controls have allowed residents to live relatively normal lives,' the EIU said.

Despite enjoying some of the most relaxed restrictions of all Australian cities, Sydney dropped from third to 11th, behind four other local state capitals.

Auckland has been named the world's most liveable city for 2021, due in part to its containment of Covid

Researchers assessed 140 cities across the globe and scored them on stability, healthcare, culture, environment, education and infrastructure. Pictured: The Japanese port city of Osaka came in second

The global survey was postponed in 2020 as enforced lockdowns made it difficult for contributors and expert analysts to collect data for many cities.

Neither London nor New York made the top 50, while the least liveable city is the Syrian capital Damascus for the ninth year in a row.

The list has been compiled by the Economist Intelligence Unit as part of its Global Liveability Ranking for 2021.

According to the EIU, Auckland rose to the top of the ranking 'owing to its successful approach in containing the Covid pandemic, which allowed society to remain open and the city to score strongly on a number of metrics including education, culture and environment'.

In joint fourth place is another city in New Zealand, Wellington - famous for its scenery and sprawling mountains - and the Japanese capital Tokyo.

Surprisingly, the often-overlooked South Australian Adelaide capital came in third thanks to its thriving arts scene

Australia was ranked high on the list, with Perth coming in sixth followed by Zurich, Switzerland in seventh.

Geneva and Melbourne tied for eighth, and Brisbane rounded out the list at 10.

Sydney just misses out on a place in the top 10 and came in at 11th most liveable city for 2021.

The highest-ranked city in the UK is Manchester in 54th, while London is ranked 60th.

The most highly-rated American city is Honolulu, which has rose 46 places this year to take 14th spot.

The EIU says this is due to its 'strong progress in containing the pandemic and rolling out its vaccination programme'.

THE WORLD'S MOST LIVEABLE CITIES INDEX 2021 THE 10 MOST LIVEABLE 1. Auckland, New Zealand 2. Osaka, Japan 3. Adelaide, Australia 4= Wellington, New Zealand 4= Tokyo, Japan 6. Perth, Australia 7. Zurich, Switzerland 8= Geneva, Switzerland 8= Melbourne, Australia 10. Brisbane, Australia THE 10 LEAST LIVEABLE 131. Caracas, Venezuela 132. Douala, Cameroon 133. Harare, Zimbabwe 134. Karachi, Pakistan 135. Tripoli, Libya 136. Algiers, Algeria 137. Dhaka, Bangladesh 138. Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea 139. Lagos, Nigeria 140. Damascus, Syria Source: The Economist Intelligence Unit Advertisement

Other US cities in the ranking are Atlanta (24th), Pittsburgh (25th), Houston (31st), Boston (34th), Minneapolis (36th), Seattle (40th), San Francisco (joint 43rd), Washington DC (joint 43rd), Cleveland (48th), Detroit (52nd), Los Angeles (55th), Lexington (56th) and New York (59th).

At the bottom of the table, cities in Africa, Asia and South America make up the least liveable cities.

These are Caracas in Venezuela (131st), Douala in Cameroon (132nd), Harare in Zimbabwe (133rd), Karachi (134th), Tripoli (135th), Algiers (136th), Dhaka (137th), Port Moresby (138th) and Lagos (139th).

Overall, the EIU says the Covid-19 pandemic caused liveability to decline in the last 12 months 'as cities experienced lockdowns and significant strains on their healthcare systems'.

It adds: 'This led to an unprecedented level of change in the rankings, with many of the cities that were previously ranked as the most liveable tumbling.

'In particular, European and Canadian countries fared poorly in this year's edition. Vienna, previously the world's most liveable city, fell to the 12th position. While the biggest mover down overall was Hamburg, which fell 34 places to 47th.'

Upasana Dutt, head of global liveability at the Economist Intelligence Unit, said: 'The Covid-19 pandemic has taken a heavy toll on global liveability.

'Cities across the world are now much less liveable than they were before the pandemic began, and we've seen that regions such as Europe have been hit particularly hard.

In joint fourth place is another city in New Zealand, Wellington (pictued) and the Japanese capital Tokyo

'The cities that have risen to the top of the rankings this year are largely the ones that have taken stringent measures to contain the pandemic.

'New Zealand's tough lockdown allowed their society to reopen and enabled citizens of cities like Auckland and Wellington to enjoy a lifestyle that looked similar to pre-pandemic life.

'One area where there has been regrettably little change is at the bottom of our rankings.

'Damascus remains the world's least liveable city, as the effects of the civil war in Syria continue to take their toll. Indeed, most of the previous 10 least liveable cities remain in the bottom 10 this year.'
A couple are suing after their stillborn baby was mistakenly given to another couple, who then cremated the child without being aware it wasn't theirs.

Rita and Chris Santorini, from Perth, discovered the error when they returned to the King Edward Memorial Hospital, where their daughter Lily had been delivered stillborn a week earlier in January 2017, for her funeral.

Realising the child in the coffin before them was not their daughter but another child who had recently died at another hospital, the Santorinis soon after discovered Lily had been cremated at Perth's Karrakatta cemetery by the family who had received her body.

'Having a stillborn child is devastating but not being able to say goodbye to your child is worse,' Ms Santorini said.

'I don't think we'll ever get over that because the opportunity was taken away from us and we don't know how it happened or why.'

King Edward Memorial Hospital where the couple's child Lily was stillborn in January 2017

The family who mistakenly received Lily's body cremated her in a private ceremony at Perth's Karrakatta Cemetery

The couple are now suing the North Metropolitan Health Service, which runs the hospital, as well as Pathwest and a Perth funeral company, alleging all three are liable for the bungle.

In the action brought by Maurice Blackburn Lawyers, it's claimed one of the three entities is responsible for the misidentification of Lily, and that her body was released without the consent or knowledge of Rita and Chris to the third party.

The Santorinis are seeking damages for psychiatric harm as a result of the mistake, with Ms Santorini claiming she now experiences anxiety and panic attacks, and has 'trust' issues with the medical profession.

'I am scared of doctors and anyone in the medical profession,' she said. 'I cant trust them after what weve been through.'

The Santorinis had decided to speak out in the hope the same mistake would not be made again.

'You are dealing with human beings who have just experienced an extraordinary loss so steps must be put in place to make sure this never happens to another family,' Ms Santorini said.

She said that those responsible 'could apologise and take responsibility'.

'We feel that this has gone on for far too long.'

The Santorinis are suing for negligence and seeking damages for psychiatric harm in the WA District Court

Ms Santorini also revealed she and her husband had been in touch with the family who had cremated their daughter.

'They are lovely people,' she said. 'We met with them about a month after and they gave us photos they had taken of Lily and the mother gave me a candle from the private ceremony they had held to say goodbye to who they thought was their baby.'

The other family are not believed to be involved in legal action over the mistake.

The North Metropolitan Health Service and PathWest provided a statement to the West Australian which said that 'the North Metropolitan Health Service and PathWest understand and sympathise with the stressful situation the families have had to endure during their time of grief.'

Daily Mail Australia has approached the hospital for comment.
Former UK military translators who fled Taliban death threats in Afghanistan and are now trapped in other countries are expected to be allowed to seek refuge in Britain.

In a major breakthrough for men who stood shoulder-to-shoulder with British troops, the Ministry of Defence is exploring ways for them to relocate to the UK from other countries.

It will mean they no longer face returning to Afghanistan to submit an application to come to this country  a journey which, for many, is simply too dangerous.

The move by Defence Secretary Ben Wallace is a victory for the Daily Mails Betrayal of the Brave campaign, which has highlighted the plight of ex-interpreters in so-called third countries.

Up to 20 former translators are trapped, mainly across Europe but also in India, Pakistan and Australia, according to estimates.

Former UK military translators who fled Taliban death threats in Afghanistan and are now trapped in other countries are expected to be allowed to seek refuge in Britain

Only a small number have so far been told they would qualify for sanctuary.

Many fled Taliban death threats and attacks after being told they did not qualify for relocation under previous UK government policies.

But now they are likely to be included under the revised Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy.

It is expected to see hundreds of interpreters currently in Afghanistan approved for sanctuary with their families.

Under the new arrangements translators in third countries would have their paperwork processed at a British Embassy before travelling to the UK.

Many fled Taliban death threats and attacks after being told they did not qualify for relocation under previous UK government policies

The first group of around 50 interpreters and their families have already been placed on standby to fly to Britain.

Hundreds more cases are still being processed.

The move comes as the Taliban announced yesterday that interpreters should show remorse for their actions in assisting so-called occupying forces in Afghanistan.

A post on Twitter by its Commission for Cultural Affairs described their activities as treasonous but insisted interpreters would not be harmed following the withdrawal of international troops.

The pledge flies in the face of reality as at least five coalition translators have been murdered this year and former UK interpreters have been attacked.

The Taliban said: As foreign forces are withdrawing from Afghanistan Afghans who worked alongside them also seek to flee the country and are fearful.

None should desert the country.

'The Islamic Emirate will not perturb them, but calls for them to return to their normal lives and if they have expertise to serve their country. They shall not be in any danger on our part.
Breeding cows for food has reduced the size of their brains by almost a third, scientists have found.

Dairy cows have brains which are 30 per cent smaller than their wild ancestors.

This effect is also seen in pet dogs and horses, according to researchers from the University of Zurich who say it may be due to breeding animals for docility.

The scientists analysed 317 cows from 71 domestic breeds, and discovered a pattern of smaller brain sizes in breeds with more intense human interaction and those selectively reared for obedience.

Breeding cows for food has reduced the size of their brains by almost a third, scientists found

Meanwhile bullfighting cattle, which experience no human contact except for fighting with Spanish matadors, had the largest brains, according to the study in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B.

The study found that the brains of dairy cows had shrunk by twice as much as bullfighting cows when compared to their wild ancestors.

Lead researcher Ana Balcarcel said: We found that in cattle, the more human engagement they have, the smaller their brains are.

This is evident when we look at the way different breeds are reared. Bullfighter cattle are essentially living in wild conditions, except for the fact that they are protected from predators and provided with food.

'But they have no contact until they fight in the ring. They have the largest brains of all cattle.

Beef cattle are much more familiar with humans, but dairy cattle are the most docile. This docility is bred into them - or, better said, the fear and aggression is bred out of them.

Bullfighting cattle, which experience no human contact except for fighting with Spanish matadors, had the largest brains according to the study in Proceedings of the Royal Society B

The size of this brain correlates along this same pattern. It is remarkable that this pattern is so clear and truly follows the pattern in behaviour.

It is amazing how and how much we impact the anatomy and behaviour of the animals we consume and care for.

She said making inferences about intelligence and brain size are far beyond the findings of the paper  but the results could be useful for future studies.
Said his proposal of using private firm to pay suppliers was 'at best a distraction'

David Cameron's banker boss did not save taxpayers a penny when he was brought into Government, MPs were told yesterday.

Lex Greensill was introduced to Whitehall by late mandarin Sir Jeremy Heywood as a 'very clever guy' who could find substantial savings for the public sector, it was claimed.

But former Cabinet Office minister Lord Maude said Mr Greensill's idea of using a private firm to pay suppliers was 'at best a distraction'.

David Cameron's banker boss Lew Greensill did not save taxpayers a penny when he was brought into Government by the Cabinet Secretary, MPs were told yesterday

He said he ended up sending a 'stroppy' message to then Cabinet Secretary Sir Jeremy, complaining that major suppliers were going to be encouraged to use the controversial Supply Chain Finance scheme.

Mr Greensill later hired Mr Cameron as a senior adviser in his now-collapsed financial services firm, triggering a scandal when details emerged of the former PM's lobbying of ministers for Covid loans.

Lord Maude told MPs investigating the Greensill saga: 'I have seen nothing that suggests that any involvement the Government had with Supply Chain Finance actually saved the Government money.'

He added: Cutting the running costs of Government was my day job, and this was immensely demanding.

Lex Greensill was introduced to Whitehall by late mandarin Sir Jeremy Heywood as a 'very clever guy' who could find substantial savings for the public sector, it was claimed

But former Cabinet Office minister Lord Maude said Mr Greensill's idea of using a private firm to pay suppliers was 'at best a distraction'

Jeremy Heywood, at some stage I think before he became Cabinet Secretary which was New Year 2012, asked me to see Lex Greensill.

He said, this is a very clever guy who is going to help you to save lots of money, what he is proposing is completely consistent with what youre trying to do.

But he went on: I could not see how Jeremys contention that this would save the government a lot of money stacked up, because it is kind of rule 101 of finance that nobody could provide finance more cheaply than a triple-A rated Government, which is what we were.

And so if we wanted to advance money through our supply chain, and there were good reasons for doing that, then, the best way to do it was for us to do it ourselves, not get someone else to do.

He said documents show Mr Greensill was initially appointed for three months starting on January 1, 2012, the exact date when Sir Jeremy became Cabinet Secretary.

But Lord Maude claimed that while his Efficiency and Reform Group eventually saved taxpayers more than 52billion over five years, Mr Greensills work did not help.
Priti Patel will today renew her backing for footage from police body-worn cameras to be shared more frequently  to combat 'trial by social media'.

Speaking at the Police Federation annual conference, the Home Secretary will back its call for the clips to be published more regularly by forces.

The federation, which represents 120,000 officers in England and Wales, says it will combat false accusations of heavy-handedness or prejudice.

'I will not let the police be subjected to trial by social media,' the Home Secretary will say.

Home Secretary Priti Patel will today renew her backing for footage from police body-worn cameras to be shared more frequently  to combat 'trial by social media'

'That's why I backed the Federation's call for forces to share body-worn video footage to counter highly selective, and misleading, video clips uploaded onto social media.

'I want forces to be more pro-active in sharing body-worn video footage to highlight the good work of their officers, to build public confidence, and to correct harmful misinformation circulating online.'

According to extracts released ahead of today's online event, Miss Patel will also praise officers for their actions during the pandemic.

There have been allegations made against officers for abusing their powers when using stop and search, for example, and when policing protests, such as those by Black Lives Matter and Extinction Rebellion. Pictured: A BLM protest in London last year

There have been allegations made against officers for abusing their powers when using stop and search, for example, and when policing protests, such as those by Black Lives Matter and Extinction Rebellion.

The Police Federation claims bystanders videos of confrontations posted online often give a one-sided version of incidents.

Miss Patel added: It is critical that we work as a system to ensure that we maintain public confidence in policing, which is vital for victim reporting, intelligence-led policing, and to maintain our treasured model of policing by consent.

As part of this process, we will be looking carefully at strengthening the system of local community scrutiny and the value of body-worn video, because transparency is vital.

Miss Patel first voiced her support for the campaign last September.
A case of mistaken identity at Kamala Harris' press conference in Mexico City on Tuesday has exposed a possible security breach, which allowed a woman wrongly identified as a Univision reporter with a similar name and strikingly similar looks to ask the vice president a fawning question.

The imposter, introduced by Harris' press secretary Symone Sanders as 'Maria Fernanda from Univision', was one of only five people called on for questions at the Mexico City event.

'Thank you, Madam Vice President,' the woman responded as she stood up. 'For me, it's an honor because I actually got to vote for the first time as a naturalized citizen. I voted for you.'

'My question is, what would you say to these women, those mothers and also women of color on both sides of the border, farmers, many of them who I see every day as a message of hope but also as  What will you do for them in the next coming years?'

Harris nodded and said: 'That's a great question.'

The question was roundly mocked online for its gushing tone, prompting a clarification from Univision that the woman was not one of their reporters.

Late on Tuesday, Fox News revealed that the woman was in fact a San Francisco Bay-area entrepreneur and charity founder named Maria Fernanda Reyes.

Univision has a correspondent named Maria Fernanda, but her surname is Lopez. She is based out of Miami and did not attend the Mexico City event, where Univision was actually represented by reporter Jesica Zermeno.

A press secretary for Harris told DailyMail.com the incident at the press conference, which allowed a random person to be in close proximity to the nation's second highest-ranking official, was under review,

Doppelgangers: Maria Fernanda Reyes, an entrepreneur from California (left), was called on to ask a question during VP Kamala Harris' Mexico City event on Tuesday, after she was mistaken for lookalike Univision reporter Maria Fernanda Lopez (right)

The imposter, introduced by Harris' press secretary Symone Sanders as 'Maria Fernanda from Univision', was one of only five people called on for questions at the Mexico City event

Kamala Harris was in Mexico City on Tuesday, where she was questioned by a woman who was incorrectly introduced as a Univision reporter

Reyes, a blonde, dark-eyed woman who bears a striking resemblance to Lopez, told Fox News that she was in Mexico City on Tuesday working with farmers when she was asked by fellow entrepreneurs to attend Harris' event.

She said everyone in attendance was asked if they would be interested in asking a Harris a question, and that she did not correct the moderator because she was so surprised to be called on.

Reyes' obsequious question, prefaced by her admission that she had cast a vote for Harris, immediately raised the hackles of right-wing critics, who pointed to it as purported proof of the media's biased coverage of the Biden Administration.

'Before asking Kamala Harris a question, the reporter from Univision just stated how honored she was to be able to ask a question to @VP & told her that she voted for her,' tweeted Amy Tarkanian, former Nevada GOD chairwoman. 'Ah, how nice it is to have an impartial and unbiased media.'

Reyes (left and right) is the founder of the AdoptaHero campaign, which aims to supply frontline workers in Mexico with medical equipment. She lives in the Bay Area

Univision's Maria Fernanda Lopez (left and right) has worked for the Spanish-language network for 17 years. She is a native of Cali, Colombia

Reyes expressed surprise at the reaction to her question, which made headlines in English and Spanish-language media.

'Everyone's trying to twist it for their own agenda,' she told Fox News. 'I don't care. I asked a question... If people don't like it, fine.'

Reyes added that she was not especially interested in politics, but wants to see conditions improve in Mexico and Central America.

She is the founder of the AdoptaHero campaign, which aims to supply frontline workers in Mexico with medical equipment and PPE.

She was interviewed by Univision Noticias in July 2020 regarding the campaign.

The mission of Reyes' charity is to provide PPE to frontline workers and hospitals in Mexico

On Reyes' LinkedIn page, she says: 'I am a fourth generation farmer and care about agriculture, food waste and supporting rural farmers, especially women rural farmers across the world.

'I'm on a journey to empower farmers to reduce food loss and food waste through technologies and education.'

Prior to Reyes' comments, Univision clarified that she was not one of its reporters.

'In Mexico an individual which has no association with @Univision claimed to be a reporter for @UniNoticias in order to ask the @VP a question and to compliment,' said Daniel Coronell, Univision's president of news in a post on Twitter.

'Let it be clear to everyone that Ms. Maria Fernanda Reyes is not part of this media organization.'

Jesica Zermeno, the real correspondent for Univision in Mexico City, was in the room at the time that Reyes was called on to ask a question

Univision's Maria Fernanda Lopez, also addressed the 'misunderstanding'.

'I have never traveled to Mexico, I was in Miami during the incident where Maria Fernanda REYES claimed to be a reporter of @UniNoticias asked @KamalaHarris saying an unethical comment'.

According to her LinkedIn page, Lopez is an Emmy-winning journalist who has worked for Univision Noticias 23, the Spanish-language network's Miami station, for more than 17 years.

Jose Zamora, Senior Vice President for Univision News, told DailyMail.com that Univision's correspondent in Mexico City, Jesica Zermeno, was in the room at the time.

Photographs of her at the same press conference have been shared online.

'The person has no relationship with Univision,' Zamora told DailyMail.com.

'No idea who she is. And correct, our Mexico correspondent Jesica Zermeno was there.'

Harris's press secretary Sanders told DailyMail.com on Tuesday night that they were looking into the incident, amid questions over how Reyes was able to get so close to the world's most powerful woman.

In response to Cornell's clarification, Sanders tweeted: 'Thank you for bringing this to our attention. We are looking into this.'

The Harris team has yet to comment on the incident following Reyes' identification.

Security at press conferences involving the president and vice president is usually high, with multiple layers of accreditation required.

Serious questions will be asked as to how Reyes managed to attend.

Some said the incident drew parallels with a December 2008 press conference in Baghdad, when an Iraqi journalist, Muntadhar al-Zaidi threw his shoes at then-U.S. President George W. Bush.

Al-Zaidi shouted at the outgoing president: 'This is a farewell kiss from the Iraqi people, you dog.'

He served nine months in prison, and now works for a Lebanese television station.

Harris was in Mexico City on Tuesday to meet with Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, Mexico's president.

She hit back at questions about when she would visit the southern border on Tuesday, saying it was 'short-sighted' to focus on the symptoms and not the root causes of the migrant crisis as she wrapped up her visit to Guatemala and Mexico.

She was dogged throughout her trip with questions about when she would go to the border with Mexico to see for herself the scale of the problem. And she let her frustrations show.

At a news conference in Mexico City she shrugged off the idea.

'I think it's short-sighted, for any of us who are in the business of problem solving to suggest we're only going to respond to the reaction as opposed to addressing the cause,' she said.

Conservatives have sought to saddle Harris with problems at the border ever since President Joe Biden asked her to take the lead in diplomatic efforts to stem the flow of migrants.

They have dubbed her the 'border czar,' criticized her for not holding a press conference on the issue and demanding that she visit the Mexico-U.S. frontier.

For weeks she has sought to portray her job as one that was focused on addressing the root causes of migration - from violence to corruption and poverty.

She stuck to the themes during her two-day trip as she spelled out her approach.

'I also believe that if you want to fix a problem. You have to go to where the problem exists,' she said in Mexico City, some 500 miles from the border.

'If you want to address the needs of a people, you must meet those people. You must spend time with those people.'

And she said, as a politician from California, she was well aware of the issues at the border.

Vice President wrapped up her two-day trip to Guatemala and Mexico with a news conference at a Mexico City hotel. Questions about when she would visit the southern border dogged her during the trip but she responded by saying it was 'short-sighted' to focus on the 'reaction' and not the 'cause' of a problem

Speaking to reporters in Mexico City, Harris said: 'I also believe that if you want to fix a problem. You have to go to where the problem exists. She was due to return to Washington D.C. on Tuesday evening

Harris' first international trip included stops in Guatemala and Mexico, 1,308 and 582 miles away respectively from the Rio Grande, where families risk their lives every day trying to cross into the U.S.

Earlier she snapped at reporters for allowing the border crisis to overshadow her first international trip.

'Why not go to the border, as well, so you do see the full complexity?' a reporter asked Harris as she took some questions following a bilateral meeting with Lopez Obrador.

'Listen, I've been to the border before and I'll go again,' she said with an awkward laugh.

'But when I'm in Guatemala, dealing with root causes, I think we should have a conversation about what's going on in Guatemala,' she said  even though she is in Mexico.

Harris held bilateral talks with Lopez Obrador during her trip to Mexico on Tuesday. The duo discussed stopping mass immigration from Central America by way of migrating through Mexico.

The vice president said the 'bottom line' was that the administration had to apply 'equal weight' to what's going on at the border and 'root causes' in Northern Triangle nations.

Republicans argue, however, that there is not equal attention since she nor President Joe Biden have gone to the southern border to see the humanitarian crisis first hand.

Harris, however, is visiting Guatemala and Mexico to see for herself what sort of 'root causes' the U.S. can help address there.

Ahead of her bilateral meeting with Lopez Obrador, Harris said the U.S. and Mexico are 'embarking on a new era'.

When asked if Lopez Obrador would commit to increasing border security in Mexico, he said: 'We are very pleased to have her here and we will touch on that subject but always addressing the fundamental root causes.'

Vice President Kamala Harris lashed out when reporters again brought up the southern border during her trip to Mexico on Tuesday. 'Listen, I've been to the border before and I'll go again. But when I'm in Guatemala, dealing with root causes, I think we should have a conversation about what's going on in Guatemala,' she said with a laugh even though she is in Mexico

Kamala Harris and Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador had a bilateral meeting in Mexico City on Tuesday as the vice president still refuses to visit the southern border but says the U.S. is 'embarking on a new era' of relations
An entitled Porsche 4WD owner has been caught on camera failing to give way and performing an illegal U-turn in front of oncoming traffic - before narrowly avoiding a collision with a motorbike rider.

Bad Driving Australia uploaded the footage on June 9, with the vision from Subiaco in Western Australia.

The clip shows the motorbike rider in the right lane stop at a pedestrian crossing before then cautiously proceeding forward.

The motorbike rider (pictured right) was forced to take evasive action after the poor driving of the 4WD (partially obscured) in Western Australia

The rider (pictured) soon found himself off his vehicle due to the questionable driving of the Porsche occupant

The rider was stopped in his tracks instantly when the 4WD failed to give way, then illegally crossed multiple lanes - almost causing a serious accident.

Forced to take evasive action, the rider can then be seen falling off his motorbike on the busy street, fortunate to avoid a prang.

According to the rider, he was lucky not to be 'flattened.'

'The Porsche performed a U-turn across two lanes of (incoming) traffic as I was getting ready to merge in front of the silver car,' he fumed on the popular You Tube page.

'He was kind enough to give me a sorry wave before driving off.'

It didn't take long for people to comment on the video, with one person stating the Porsche driver was 'one of those special breeds that thinks the road belongs to them.'

A second couldn't believe the occupant of the luxury 4WD failed to stop and see if the rider was injured, stating it was 'very rude.'
Acquitted socialite Lady Nourse says the 'stain' of sex abuse allegations made against her will tarnish her whole life.

A jury last month found the 77-year-old not guilty of abusing a boy under the age of 12 in the 1980s, and she now says she 'desperately' wants the law for those charged with such offences to be given anonymity until convicted.

Lady Nourse's gilded life as the wife of one of the UK's most senior judges, Sir Martin Nourse, who wined and dined former Cabinet Ministers at their 2.75m county house came crashing down when the allegations were made against her, a court was told.

She defiantly denied the historic offences had taken place, claiming that her accuser, who is now an adult, was 'very psychologically disturbed' and was trying to extort money from her, nearly three decades after they were said to have taken place.

Lady Lavinia Nourse waves from her car as she leaves court in Peterborough, after being cleared of historic sex offences last month

Lady Lavinia Nourse (pictured outside court last month), was found not guilty of sexually abusing a boy in the 1980s

Lady Nourse, from Newmarket, Suffolk, was married to Sir Martin Nourse (pictured), who died in 2017 aged 85

Lady Nourse, from Newmarket in Suffolk, said that he only came forward to 'blackmail' her after her husband died aged 85 in 2017.

She told the Telegraph how she had met with the accuser's psychotherapist thinking she could 'find out what was happening in his mind' - but that the meeting was recorded in full without her knowledge.

Lifting the lid on the ordeal three weeks on, the socialite revealed how she is suffering from post traumatic stress disorder, and now has to think twice about doing simple tasks like going to her local butcher or fishmonger.

'It was just the worst nightmare anyone could find themselves in,' she told the Telegraph.

'That information is going to be there for the rest of my life, because of the very lasting terrible stain that it leaves on the accused.'

'They always say there's no smoke without fire, and some people even now will, I'm sure, be saying 'oh well, the jury got it wrong'. I have to live with that.'

Lifelong anonymity is granted to anyone who makes an allegation that they are the victim of a sexual offence, but suspects can be named when charged, even if they ultimately end up being found not guilty.

As a result, she is joining the likes of Sir Cliff Richard and Paul Gambaccini - two other falsely accused public figures who saw their reputations tarnished regardless - in backing the FAIR pressure group, which campaigns for those accused of child sexual abuse to not be named in the press until and unless found guilty.

'It can't be right that the accuser has anonymity for life, and judgment has to be made by my friends on me,' she added.

Following the conclusion of the trial last month, Lady Nourse's barrister claimed the victim had made a 'determined and coordinated' attempt to 'obtain money from her' before going to police in the hope that he could later 'sue her as a convicted paedophile'.

She told the police that the claims were 'completely repulsive' and that her accuser's evidence was a 'fantasy' and 'beyond belief'.

Lady Nourse told The Telegraph how she had been forced to face her accuser at the Nightingale court in the Knight's Chamber at Peterborough's cathedral, as he had chosen not to give evidence from behind a screen.

Giving evidence in the witness box, the defendant wept as she repeatedly denied indecently touching him.

As she left the court after being cleared, she told reporters: 'It's a happy result. Finally some good news.'

Now Lady Norse has been left to foot the bill for her expert legal team, only part of which was covered by Legal Aid. She was represented by Sandra Paul at Kingsley Napley and Jonathan Caplan, QC.
Former High Court Justice Michael Kirby has opened up about the moment he told his mother he was gay just days before she died, and her hilarious response.

The 82-year-old Sydneysider gave a candid interview while speaking with comedian and artist Anh Do on Tuesday's episode of Anh's Brush with Fame, where he talked about the struggles he faced divulging his sexuality to his parents.

On the program, the humanitarian explained that he brought his partner Johan van Vloten home for a Sunday roast 52 years ago, but didn't tell his mother Jean Langmore Kirby that they were romantically linked until she died in 1998.

When Mr van Vloten, who was originally from The Netherlands, was first introduced to the Kirby family in 1969, homosexuality was illegal in Australia.

Pictured: Former High Court Justice Michael Kirby standing with his portrait, painted by Anh Do

Pictured: Anh Do with Former High Court Justice Michael Kirby. Anh Do interviewed the former judge on his ABC program, Anh's Brush with Fame

'When my mother was dying, I felt an obligation to verbalise it. I'd never verbalised it with her. I felt I couldn't let her die without having been completely honest with her,' he told Anh Do.

'So I said, "Mum, there's something I've got to tell you," and so she looked at me with her lovely eyes and I said, "I have to tell you that I'm homosexual".'

The former judge said the gravely ill mother-of-five replied: 'Michael, you've been bringing Johan here for 30 years, every Sunday night. I didn't come down in the last shower'.

He explained the 82-year-old's cheeky expression was a common phrase used in the 1930s, and was her way of saying that she knew he was gay.

A few days after the confession, his mother died.

Pictured: Michael Kirby (left) with three of his siblings and his parents, Jean Langmore Kirby and Donald Kirby. The couple had another child who died at the age of 18 months

Mr Kirby described his mother as 'intuitive, accepting and loving', but his father Donald Kirby was more 'complex' and never truly accepted his son's sexuality.

The father-of-five was concerned his sexual orientation would bring him down and cause him misfortune.

The former judge dedicated his book 'A Private Life: Fragments, memories, friends' to his father when it was published in 2012 - which detailed events in his family and personal life.

He recalled the moment his dad phoned him at 2am, two days before he died to contest the dedication.

Pictured: Michael Kirby (left) with his partner Johan van Vloten. they have been together for 52 years

Pictured: Michael Kirby (left) with his partner Johan van Vloten after homosexuality was legalised in Australia

'He rang up and said "why did you dedicate that book to me? Talking about these issues of your private life and your relationship with Johan - why did you dedicate that to me? Why couldn't you have kept me out of that?",' Donald Kirby said.

'That showed me that, at the end, he was still struggling with that aspect. I realised from that intervention - virtually on his deathbed - that he still was troubled.'

The 82-year-old said he never got the closure with his father that he got with his mother, but said he has lived a very happy life with Mr van Vloten over the course of their 52-year relationship.

Pictured: Justice Michael Kirby (left) with his partner Johan van Vlote at the High Court in Canberra during Justice Kirby's retirement ceremony in 2009

Pictured: Justice Michael Kirby listening to valedictory speeches during his retirement ceremony at the High Court in Canberra in 2009

Mr Kirby had to keep his sexuality a secret during a large part of his illustrious legal career, that saw him serve as a Federal Court judge and as president of the New South Wales Court of Appeal.

Homosexuality wasn't decriminalised in NSW until 1984, when Mr Kirby was already in his mid-forties.

Revealing his private life could have potentially seen him imprisoned, destroying his livelihood in the legal fraternity, which would almost certainly have stopped him serving on the High Court bench from 1996 until his retirement in 2009.

He and Mr van Vloten wed in 2019, two years after same-sex marriage was legalised in Australia.
Market Definition:

Ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) is a highly versatile synthetic rubber, which exhibits excellent resistance to oxygen, ozone, polar materials, and sunlight and is highly resistant to steam, heat, and water. It is used across diverse industry verticals for a wide range of applications. Market Research Future (MRFR) has added the global COVID-19 Impact ON Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer Market to its existing portfolio, which is a compilation of the key dynamics affecting the market. As per the report, COVID-19 Impact ON Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer Market is expected to catapult to USD 6.5 Bn by the end of 2025 from USD 3.9 Bn in 2019, at a CAGR of 6% over the forecast period of 2019-2025.

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Market Scenario and Growth Factors:

EPDM experiences significant demand from the automotive industry, where its properties such as excellent resistance to heat, UV rays, and ozone is highly desirable. They help in reflection of UV rays and reduce polymer degradation due to which they are used in engine mounts, vehicle glazing systems, moisture barriers, valves, and pumps. They are used in the manufacturing of seals & gaskets, weather-stripping, brake parts, radiator, tubing, belts, windshield wipers, and others. Expanding the automotive industry and increasing the production of vehicles is supporting the growth of the market. EPDM is also used in the construction industry for waterproofing applications. They help in lowering air-conditioning costs as well. The booming construction industry in the developing countries of Asia Pacific is favoring the growth of the market. Other factors supporting the growth of the market include numerous rainwater harvesting initiatives undertaken in various countries and increasing adoption of green cities.

On the other hand, the growth of the market might be hindered by the volatile price of raw materials.

Competitive Landscape:

Firestone Building Products Company (US),

Exxon Mobil Corporation (US),

SABIC (Saudi Arabia), Dow (US),

Carlisle Companies Inc. (US),

JSR Corporation (Japan),

SK global chemical Co., Ltd (South Korea),

Mitsui Chemicals, Inc. (Japan),

Lion Elastomers (US),

LANXESS AG (Germany),

KUMHO POLYCHEM (South Korea),

Johns Manville (US),

Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd (Japan)

Segmentation:

The Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer Market has been segmented based on application and end-use industry.

By application, the ethylene propylene diene monomer market has been segmented into seals & gaskets, weather-stripping, tires & tubes, wire & cables, roofing membranes, electric insulation, radiators, oil additives, and others.

By end-use industry, the ethylene propylene diene monomer market has been segmented into automotive, building & construction, aerospace & defense, electrical & electronics, consumer goods, medical, and others.

Regional Analysis:

Region-wise, the ethylene propylene diene monomer market has been segmented into North America, Latin America, the Middle East & Africa (MEA), Europe, and Asia Pacific (APAC).

The largest share of the market was captured by APAC in 2019. The region is in the midst of rapid industrialization, and various end-use industries of EPDM are expanding at an accelerated pace in the region, which is generating constant demand within the market.

The prolific growth of the automotive industry in the UK, Germany, Italy, and France are supporting the growth of the EPDM market in Europe. Besides, the European Union (EU) has laid down stringent regulations for environment protection, which works in favor of the EPDM market. The region is investing significantly in the medical sector, which is inducing the growth of the market.

North America EPDM market is likely to exhibit substantial growth in the coming years. Demand will be generated from the automotive, electrical & electronics, construction, and healthcare industries.

The growth of Latin America EPDM market can be attributed to the fast track industrialization in countries such as Brazil and Chile.

The MEA market growth is driven by the GCC countries. Construction activities are going on at a torrid pace, which is inducing high demand within the market.

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Australia is urgently working through protection visa applications for Afghan interpreters placed on Taliban kill lists.

At least 300 interpreters who worked with Australian troops during the war are seeking protection in here as allied troops depart Afghanistan.

Murderous Taliban operatives placed many of them on 'kill lists' for working with 'enemy infidel' over the past 20 years of war.

A letter was handed out to some interpreters making direct threats on their lives, including a father who worked with Australian troops in 2010.

A letter (written in Pashto) was handed out to some interpreters making direct threats on their lives, including a father who worked with Australian troops in 2010 reading: 'Await your death very soon'

Taliban operatives tracked him to his home and taped the letter signed by 'guerilla operations' commander named Spin Talib to his door.

'We are honest in our words and we will get you, be it day or night, and you will be punished, and we will reach our goal,' the letter read.

'Await your death very soon.'

The letter condemned him for his work 'for a long time with infidel enemies of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, as an interpreter and a slave'.

'We have tried to kill you by hitting you with a vehicle, but unfortunately you did not die, only your leg was broken,' it read.

This chilling threat was a reference to a 2016 attack on the man when he was out shopping.

'My leg is broken [in] three places, when I open my eyes, I was in hospital,' he said in a video filmed in his hospital bed at the time.

The letter obtained by the ABC went on to claim the Taliban 'Department of Intelligence and Military Council' ordered Commander Talib to kill him.

'We have reports that you and other interpreters are in contact with infidel friends, to get you out of Afghanistan and get you a visa,' it continued..

'Therefore you will not be forgiven by the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, neither will we accept any other excuse.'

Retired Australian Army officer Jason Scanes, who worked with the translator, said the man was now in hiding with his family.

'He's extremely concerned about this situation, obviously he's had to move himself and his young family out of his house  they are moving around trying to find secure locations,' he told the ABC.

The Taliban claimed translators would not be harmed if they 'repented' for their work with foreign soldiers, but the interpreters do not trust their word.

Incredibly, the translator's application for a humanitarian visa in 2013 was rejected by then-Immigration Minister in 2018 on 'character grounds' - despite his risky work for Australian troops in the field.

The translator was in 2016 run down with a car by Taliban operatives while he was out shopping, breaking his leg in three places

The Federal Court finally overturned the decision last May, finding Mr Dutton didn't did not adequately consider the threat to the interpreter's life.

'Had the Minister concluded that the risk that the wife and child would be murdered by jihadists was outweighed by the risk that the appellant might cause harm to the Australian community because of sympathetic links to the same jihadists, the Minister could reasonably be expected to have said so,' the bench ruled..

'It is apparent that there was no meaningful engagement given to the assertions made by the declarants concerning the appellant's family.

'[Mr Dutton's decision] neither acknowledges nor grapples with the extraordinary circumstance that the work the appellant had undertaken with the ADF in Afghanistan was said to have placed his family members at risk of being murdered.'

Scott Morrison said Australia was 'very aware' of the issue and was steadfastly going through the paperwork for all 300 of the translators.

The prime minister said it was a sensitive matter but one that he recognised had to be dealt with swiftly.

'We have done this before safely, and we will be able to do it again, but it would be very unhelpful for me to elaborate any further on that issue,' he told reporters in Sydney on Tuesday.

'We are very aware of it and we are working urgently and steadfastly and patiently to ensure that we do this in the appropriate way as we have done on earlier occasions.'

Scott Morrison said Australia was 'very aware' of the issue and was steadfastly going through the paperwork for all 300 of the translators

The military chief who led Australia into Afghanistan 20 years ago earlier warned vulnerable interpreters must not be left behind.

'We have a very serious obligation,' retired admiral Chris Barrie told ABC radio.

'It would be unconscionable to leave these people to the mercy of the Taliban. We must do something to help them.'

Mr Barrie likened the situation to the aftermath of the Vietnam war, when military supporters brought refugees into Australia before political leaders officially endorsed their arrival.

The interpreters' plight has been made all the more difficult following Australia's decision to close its embassy in Kabul due to security fears.

Mr Barrie questioned the embassy closure decision, saying it made it even harder to lodge visa applications.

'But I'm sure if we put our minds to it we could find a way around that,' he said.

'I'm not sure that (closure) was a good call myself but we must not ever leave these people to fend for themselves.'

Britain and the US both agreed to fast-track the resettlement of thousands of Afghan interpreters and their families.

Foreign Minister Marise Payne spoke about the visa issue on a recent trip to Kabul and has indicated the government is keen to support all eligible translators.

The last remaining Australian troops will depart Afghanistan by September, following America's decision to end the war before the 20-year anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks.
The five highly-educated girlfriends of a man accused of keeping a sex slave made a lengthy journey to support him in court on Wednesday, only to be turned away when the case got adjourned.

The women - Charlotte, Sophie, Hanne, Hunter and Finlay - entered the New South Wales Supreme Court side-by-side as their boyfriend, James-Robert Davis, applied for bail accused of keeping a woman as a slave and forcing her into prostitution.

The women made the six-hour trek from the home they share in Yarrowyck, about 30km outside of Armidale, to put on a united front as the court heard they remain in a consensual polyamorous BDSM relationship.

Among the five partners was Davis' pregnant girlfriend of six years Charlotte. The women wore matching black face masks and sunglasses.

They entered and exited the court in a pack, moving in sync before sitting next to one another in front row of the court, all craning to get a good look of their lover on the main screen.

Charlotte, Sophie, Hanne, Hunter and Finlay entered the NSW Supreme Court side by side as their boyfriend, James-Robert Davis, appeared via video link on Wednesday afternoon

Five highly educated, sexually adventurous women (pictured) have arrived at the NSW Supreme Court to stand by their man as he languishes in jail accused of keeping a sex slave

Davis (centre) had allegedly been living with as many as six women he called 'slaves' at his home near Armidale in northern New South Wales

Charlotte, Sophie, Hanne, Hunter and Finlay entered the court side by side to support their boyfriend, James-Robert Davis

The court previously heard the women deny allegations that Davis is in the business of keeping women as his slaves.

Davis, a former soldier and prison officer and self-proclaimed 'kinky sex overlord', is facing charges of possessing a slave, reducing a person to slavery and causing a person to remain in servitude.

He is accused of making a woman sign a contract to enter into slavery, forcing her to wear a steel collar and locking her in a cage for up to three days.

Police allege that woman was subjected to extreme violence and threatened with court action if she broke the contract for indiscretions including going to the toilet without obtaining permission.

Each of the women refute allegations that Davis is in the business of keeping women as his slaves

The women, who are all in a polyamorous relationship with Davis, made the six-hour trek from the home they share in Yarrowyck, about 30km outside of Armidale, to put on a united front

The property also contained a shed which had a barber's chair and boxes filled with whips, collars and other sex instruments

James Robert Davis (pictured), 40, has been charged with slavery offences

None of the charges relate to his present girlfriends, and they all insist they are in a consensual and loving polyamorous relationship with the 40-year-old.

Each of the women is educated, most have stable jobs and they all have access to personal bank accounts, own their own cars and are free to travel however they wish.

Charlotte is an English as a second language teacher with a Master of Teaching.

The court heard the woman has filed an affidavit in which she described living with Davis and his four other girlfriends in an 'openly polyamorous relationship with aspects of BDSM'.

None of the charges relate to his present girlfriends, and they all insist they are in a consensual and loving polyamorous relationship with the 40-year-old

Pictured is a supplied Australian Federal Police photo of their Thursday afternoon raid on the sprawling rural estate

Pictured: Robert James Davis (centre) with lingerie-clad women. He has been charged with slavery offences

The couple are due to give birth to their first child later this year.

One of the women is completing a Bachelor of Laws while another works with animals.

A third is undertaking a finance degree and the final girlfriend is employed as a nurse.

As someone familiar with the make up of the relationship put it; 'they're not just some junkies from Mt Druitt who have grabbed onto a sex cult because it's thrilling.'

Finlay is employed as a laboratory technician while undertaking a Bachelor of Finance and finally, Hunter is a registered nurse and also completing a Diploma in Mathematics

Australian Federal Police vision is pictured of the moment Davis was arrested by officers outside the Bunnings in Armidale, northern New South Wales on Thursday afternoon

An Australian Federal Police supplied picture of multiple cabins on the rural NSW property

On Wednesday, Davis' barrister Ian Lloyd QC, supported by solicitor Bianca Barnes, from George Sten & Co, were expected to make a bid for Davis' bail with his five girlfriends watching from the wings

On Wednesday, Davis' barrister Ian Lloyd QC, supported by solicitor Bianca Barnes, from George Sten & Co, were expected to make a bid for Davis' bail.

Instead, they asked the court for a suppression order on the entire case, arguing that their client would not be granted a fair trial due to media scrutiny.

The magistrate admitted it was unlikely the request would be granted, but adjourned the bail application until after she could make a decision on the application of a suppression order.

'There is obviously significant media interest... I can assume that reflects the wish of the public,' Justice Helen Wilson said.

Mr Lloyd, who was the state's Senior Crown Prosecutor before returning to private practice, is representing Davis and will be rigorously defending the charges.

Davis (pictured) spent 17 years with the Australian Defence Force and served in the second Gulf War, the court heard

Four large wooden sandboxes with women's names engraved on the side are pictured on Davis' property

Several small wooden huts are scattered throughout the rural property, several hundred metres from the main home

He maintains Davis has 'done nothing wrong' and is simply in a consensual polyamorous relationship with five women which 'may have elements of BDSM'.

'As strange as this case may be, it is very defendable,' Mr Lloyd said. 'And it will be strenuously defended because my client has said all along he's done nothing wrong.'

Davis styles himself as the patriarch of the 'House of Cadifor' which includes the five women who have allegedly signed 'slavery' contracts.

'I'm instructed that nothing that has occurred in their interplay with my client is a slave relationship or non-consensual,' Mr Lloyd said at a previous court hearing.

Images released by the Australian Federal Police show the property contained a shed with large wooden doors

The Australian Federal Police raided the sprawling rural property of James Robert Davis about 30km outside Armidale, northern New South Wales, last Thursday

'It's said that when my client's premises were raided a cage was seen. I'm instructed that, as much as a cage may have been involved with the complainant, that cage had no bottom, could be lifted up, and one could simply unlock the door by putting one's arm around through it.'

'Each of these women  if they're a slave  has had the opportunity to run away; they have not done so,' Mr Lloyd said.

'My client won't be on trial for being a member of a cult even if, ultimately, that was accepted as a fact,' Mr Lloyd said, according to The Telegraph.

'There is no crime in lifestyle choices, no crime associated with consensual BDSM, these matters are not crimes and he has not been charged.'
An English teacher at a $52,000-a-year private school in Englewood, New Jersey has quit her job over critical race theory lessons she has branded racist.

Dana Stangel-Plowe, who taught at the Dwight-Englewood School in Bergen County, accused the school of creating a 'hostile culture of conformity and fear' in her resignation letter on Tuesday.

Stangel-Plowe said Head of School Rodney De Jarnett told the entire faculty that he would fire everyone if he could to replace them with people of color. She also accused the school of segregating teachers by their skin color - and said students were also made to segregate themselves 'within the oppressor or oppressed group.'

Her resignation letter was published by the Foundation Against Intolerance & Racism, (FAIR) an organization created to combat critical race theory teachings in school.

The organization said Stangel-Plowe is an 'award-winning teacher' and a graduate of Cornell University, as well as a published poet, in highlighting her credentials.

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Dana Stangel-Plowe, who taught at the Dwight-Englewood School in Bergen County, accused the school of creating a 'hostile culture of conformity and fear'

Stangel-Plowe said Head of School Rodney De Jarnett told the entire faculty that he would fire everyone if he could to replace them with people of color

She also accused the school, pictured, of segregating teachers by their skin color pondered if the school would start to racially segregate its students

'I became a teacher at Dwight-Englewood because, as a parent, I loved how the school both nurtured and challenged my own children. Today, I am resigning from a job I love because D-E has changed in ways that undermine its mission and prevent me from holding true to my conscience as an educator,' she wrote.

'I believe that D-E is failing our students. Over the past few years, the school has embraced an ideology that is damaging to our students' intellectual and emotional growth and destroying any chance at creating a true community among our diverse population.'

She added: 'I reject the hostile culture of conformity and fear that has taken hold of our school.'

Stangel-Plowe claimed that the school's ideology requires students to see themselves 'not as individuals, but as representatives of a group, forcing them to adopt the status of privilege or victimhood.'

'They must locate themselves within the oppressor or oppressed group, or some intersectional middle where they must reckon with being part-oppressor and part-victim. This theory of power hierarchies is only one way of seeing the world, and yet it pervades D-E as the singular way of seeing the world,' she wrote.

Stangel-Plowe wrote that her students would arrive in her classroom accepting critical race theory as fact.

Dana Stangel-Plowe resigned from her job teaching at a private school after condemning its decision to teach students' critical race theory, and did so via a video statement and email

'People born with less melanin in their skin are oppressors, and people born with more melanin in their skin are oppressed. Men are oppressors, women are oppressed, and so on. This is the dominant and divisive ideology that is guiding our adolescent students,' she wrote.

Stangel-Plowe claimed that critical race theory would hinder her the ability of her students to 'read, write and think.'

'I teach students who recoil from a poem because it was written by a man. I teach students who approach texts in search of the oppressor. I teach students who see inequities in texts that have nothing to do with power,' she wrote.

'Students have internalized the message that this is the way we read and think about the world, and as a result, they fixate on power and group identity. This fixation has stunted their ability to observe and engage with the full fabric of human experience in our literature.'

Stangel-Plowe added that it was her opinion that the school was failing to teach 'intellectual curiosity, humility, honesty, reason, and the capacity to question ideas and consider multiple perspectives.'

'In our school, the opportunity to hear competing ideas is practically non-existent,' she wrote.

She added: 'Sadly, the school is leading many to become true believers and outspoken purveyors of a regressive and illiberal orthodoxy.'

'Understandably, these students have found comfort in their moral certainty, and so they have become rigid and closed-minded, unable or unwilling to consider alternative perspectives,' she wrote.

'These young students have no idea that the school has placed ideological blinders on them.'

Stangel-Plowe also claimed some students were 'self-censoring' their opinions for fear of being frozen out by peers if they said the wrong thing

She said that not all students are 'true believers' and claimed that many pretend to agree 'because of pressure to conform.'

'I've heard from students who want to ask a question but stop for fear of offending someone. I have heard from students who don't participate in discussions for fear of being ostracized,' Stangel-Plowe wrote.

Critical race theory teaches that racism is a social construct used to oppress people of color, and that it is present in almost all aspects of everyday life.

Its supporters say the theory helps illuminate the obstacles faced by BIPOC (black, indigenous and people of color) individuals in their everyday lives, that their white counterparts do not have to worry about.

The teaching of critical race theory has become a cultural lightning rod in recent months, particularly when taught in schools. Critics claim it is unnecessary divisive, and teaches young children that they are either victims or oppressors from an early age.

Stangel-Plowe claimed that one student even did not want to finish a personal essay about an experience she had in a foreign country over fears the essay would be racist.

'In her fear, she actually stopped herself from thinking. This is the very definition of self-censorship,' Stangel-Plowe wrote.

Stangel-Plowe claimed that in 2019 she tried to 'introduce positive and constructive alternative views' but they fell on 'deaf ears.'

'You expressed dismay, but I did not hear any follow up from you or other administrators. Since then, the stifling conformity has only intensified,' she wrote.

'Last fall, two administrators informed faculty that certain viewpoints simply would not be tolerated during our new 'race explicit' conversations with our new 'anti-racist' work. They said that no one would be allowed to question the orthodoxy regarding 'systemic racism.' The message was clear, and the faculty went silent in response.'

Documents provided by FAIR show the posh school's teachings on whiteness

Stangel-Plowe added that the faculty members are pervaded by fear and at that the Head of School Rodney De Jarnett told the entire faculty that he would fire everyone if he could to replace them with people of color.

'During a recent faculty meeting, teachers were segregated by skin color. Teachers who had light skin were placed into a 'white caucus' group and asked to 'remember' that we are 'White' and 'to take responsibility for [our] power and privilege',' she wrote.

'D-E's racial segregation of educators, aimed at leading us to rethink of ourselves as oppressors, was regressive and demeaning to us as individuals with our own moral compass and human agency.'

Stangel-Plowe then pondered if the school would start to racially segregate its students.

'I reject D-E's essentialist, racialist thinking about myself, my colleagues, and my students,' she wrote.

'Neither the color of my skin nor the 'group identity' assigned to me by D-E dictates my humanist beliefs or my work as an educator.'

She added: 'Being told that it does is offensive and wrong, and it violates my dignity as a human being. My conscience does not have a color.'

Joe Algrant, the principal of Dwight-Englewood's Upper School, told the New York Post that he could not comment on personnel matters.

'In this case all I can say is that Ms. Stangel-Plowe notified us several months ago that she would not be returning next school year,' he said.

Multiple other expensive private schools have also hit the headlines in recent months over CRT. Elite Manhattan school Dalton saw some parents hit out at its alleged obsession with critical race theory.

And Grace Church School - another private facility located in NoHo - fired math teacher Paul Rossi after he spoke out against CRT.

Another high-profile critic, banker Andrew Gutmann, announced plans to pull his daughter out of elite Manhattan school Brearley over his concerns with CRT.
Millions of Victorians will finally be let out of most aspects of lockdown on Friday, but crippling restrictions will remain in place despite the state reporting just one new and traceable Covid-19 case on Wednesday.

The single infection was linked to existing cases and the person was already in pre-emptive quarantine, meaning there was almost no risk to others.

There are just three people in hospital with Covid statewide, none of whom is in a critical condition, but Melburnians will still be banned from having guests at their home beyond Friday, and even those in the regions will only be permitted to have two people over.

Acting Premier James Merlino on Wednesday said metropolitan Melbourne will move to 'most of the same settings' currently in place across regional Victoria, with masks mandatory indoors and people encouraged to work from home.

What has been lifted is most restriction on movement, with residents now allowed to leave home for whatever reason they want, with shops, restaurants and cafes permitted to open with strict capacity limits.

The existing 10km radius limit for movement will be increased to 25km, with travel beyond that only allowed for work, education, caregiving or getting a vaccination.

The 25km travel limit for Melburnians is a crushing blow for many regional businesses who will now not receive city visitors over the coming long weekend.

Millions in Melbourne will finally be released from strict lockdown on Friday but many restrictions will remain (pictured, a woman in the city on Tuesday)

Melbourne restaurants and cafes can reopen for seated service with up to 100 people per venue and a maximum of 50 inside (pictured, the locked down city this week)

Mt Buller, Victoria's biggest ski resort, is a third hour drive away from the city and is usually packed over the Queen's Birthday.

'Travel into regional Victoria still remains a no go for now. We are also still not in a position to be able to have visitors in our homes, but outdoor gatherings will be increased to a maximum of 10 people,' Mr Merlino said.

'We all know how fragile this thing is. We've seen how easily it can take hold. And if we allow complacency to creep back even a little, we could lose everything we've worked so hard to protect.'

Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said visitors are still banned from homes because they are a 'cumulative risk' of spreading the virus.

Masks will no longer be required outdoors, but remain mandatory inside and when shopping, in offices or on public transport (pictured, women in the city on Wednesday)

Those living in the city will now be allowed to leave home for whatever reason they want, with shops, restaurants and cafes permitted to open with strict capacity limits (pictured, mates at St Kilda Beach)

'We are talking about hundreds of thousands, millions of homes across Victoria,' he said.

'When you have a particular easing of a restriction for an indoor environment, the most high risk environment for coronavirus, you have to look at the cumulative effect at what it means to allow two people... across hundreds of thousands of homes.'

Prof Sutton said restrictions across the state can't ease at midnight on Wednesday, and have to wait until 11.59pm on Thursday, due to 'complex legal' issues.

'There is complex legal drafting to be done that needs to be measured against all of the charter considerations for each and every charter obligation that is in play with restrictions,' he said.

NEW RULES FOR MELBOURNE AND VICTORIA FROM FRIDAY 00.01 Melbourne What you can do: Travel 25km from your house Have an outdoor gathering with up to 10 people Go to school for face-to-face learning Go to a funeral with maximum 50 people and weddings at 10 Go to restaurants and cafes to reopen, with a maximum 100 people outside and 50 people inside Go to retail shops, with a one person per four square metre density limit Get your hair done with a mask on Play community sport with 50 people outdoors What you can't do Have a party, stand at bars, go to a nightclub or concert Have any guests round to your house Go to the gym Travel further than 25km from your home unless in exceptional circumstances Regional Victoria - already subject to the above rules, but with extra easing Visit another home, with a cap of two adults per household Gather in pubic with up to 20 people Go to a restaurant or cafes with up to 150 people seated outdoors or 75 indoors Attend a religious ceremony, with a cap of 150 people outdoors or 75 indoors Attend a funerals with a cap of 75 and weddings with a maximum of 20 Advertisement

'And to make sure that it is not a sloppy process, we have to go through with a fine tooth comb to make sure that every single drafted piece with the public health directions are appropriate and correct.

'We have needed to see how the cases have emerged over the last few days to have that level of confidence. You can't flip a coin and say I hope with a fifty-fifty chance that we can get control of this.'

Prof Sutton said the prospect of ongoing transmission or the return of either the Kappa variant or the Delta variant is 'pretty awful'.

'We are looking to snuff it out completely. We have to take that path. So, you have to have sufficient confidence that the measures in place and the timing and easing of them do that,' he said.

Schools will be able to resume face-to-face learning from Friday.

Masks will no longer be required outdoors, but remain mandatory inside and when shopping, in offices or on public transport.

Restaurants and cafes can reopen for seated service with up to 100 people per venue and a maximum of 50 inside.

Shops, cafes and restaurants will open with capacity limits from Friday (pictured, a quiet Melbourne street on Wednesday)

Retail can reopen in line with density limits of one person per four square metres, while hairdressing, beauty and personal care can resume but only for services where masks can be kept on.

Funerals and religious ceremonies are limited to 50 people, while weddings are capped at 10 people.

In regional Victoria, from 11:59pm on Thursday night, public gatherings will be increased to 20 people.

Restaurants and cafes can open to a maximum of 150 in the venue for seated service, including up to 75 allowed indoors.

Funerals will be limited to 75 people, while weddings will be limited to 20.

Those in Melbourne will still be banned from having visitors to their homes (pictured, the city on Tuesday)

Mr Merlino said the further easing of restrictions next Thursday will be based on public health advice.

'The expectation is that from Thursday night next week we will be in a position where we can bring Melbourne and regional Victoria closer together. That would mean the travel restriction, in terms of the 25km, that would go,' he said.

'Bringing Melbourne and regional Victoria further together and also announcing where we can, further easing of restrictions for regional Victoria.'

Prof Sutton said it had been an 'awfully painful period' and authorities had no other option to bring the outbreak under control.

'I have always had in mind that we need to do what is required to make sure that we get back down to zero,' he said.

'There is really no alternative. Our national strategy of aggressive suppression is there for a reason.'

Some Melbourne businesses such as gyms, amusement parks, dance studios and nightclubs will remain closed, on health advice.

Chapel Street Precinct General Manager Chrissie Maus said the fact people can't go to the gym 'only exacerbates the mental health situation'.

'I find it extraordinary that you can go for a Parma 'n' Pot before you can step foot inside a health and fitness facility,' she said.

'The fitness sector has led the way with outstanding hygiene standards and gone above and beyond to ensure the safety of their clients.

Schools in Melbourne will be able to resume face-to-face learning from Friday

The new rules still keep Melburnians banned from travelling more than 25km from their homes - forcing many to cancel holiday plans for the long weekend (pictured, the locked down city on Wednesday)

'While the additional support and openings are much needed and welcomed, what we must see is an expedited clear roadmap that does not apply the heavy restrictions announced today that Victorian businesses have to operate under.

'It's simply inequitable for many.'

Mr Merlino said a further $8.36million would be added to the state government's lockdown package to support businesses that cannot reopen yet.

Victorian tracers are working on the case of a man in his 40s, who returned from Sri Lanka on May 8 and is now considered to be the likely original source of the Delta strain that spread across Melbourne.

Genomic sequencing showed his infection was identical to one of two families linked to the North Melbourne Primary School, which has emerged as the epicentre of the West Melbourne outbreak.

Tracers were trying to establish the link between the man and that outbreak, with no obvious breach of infection prevention control protocols.

The 'Delta' Covid strain outbreak in West Melbourne has been linked to a man who stayed at the Holiday Inn (pictured) in May

Meanwhile, the absence of Premier Dan Andrews continues to hang over Victorians after he suffered five broken ribs and a fractured T7 vertebrae

Deputy Chief Health Officer Allen Cheng said there were four main theories, including that the man transmitted the virus to a staff member while in transit or to a fellow guest inside one of the hotels.

It may have then entered the community.

Emma Cassar, the head of Covid-19 Quarantine Victoria, said the man also mistakenly opened his room door soon after entering hotel quarantine, but she did not believe the incident was responsible for the virus escaping.

Victoria's deadly second wave of coronavirus in 2020 was sparked by leaks in hotel quarantine.

It led to a major overhaul of the hotel quarantine system after Melbourne spent 112 days in lockdown.

'You just wonder has the government really learned anything from the mistakes that were made last year,' Mr O'Brien said.

The revamped program restarted in December, only for it to be paused in February as a leak from the Holiday Inn grew to nearly 25 cases and triggered a three-day lockdown.

There are 83 active cases of Covid across the state, but only three requiring hospital treatment and none in intensive care.

Some 28,485 Victorians were tested on Tuesday and 19,533 received a vaccine dose at state-run sites.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews (right) and his wife Catherine Andrews. They had been staying in Sorrento when the Premier took a fall

Daniel Andrews in a tweet on April 18. It was the last time anyone saw him until this week

Meanwhile, the absence of Premier Dan Andrews continues to hang over Victorians after he suffered five broken ribs and a fractured T7 vertebrae after falling on 'wet and slippery' stairs at a holiday home on the Mornington Peninsula, south of Melbourne on March 9.

Media experts have told Daily Mail Australia it was more than likely Mr Andrews had embarked on an extended break in a tactical play to rebuild his image to Victorians, who had him earmarked as a 'control freak'.

'The problem is they let him sit on the sidelines too long, and now it's come back to bite them,' a source said.

The Premier's office was bombarded with inquiries, which fueled speculation something massive had transpired after the media team took six hours to go public with the fall.

Mr Andrews was later transferred to the intensive care unit at The Alfred hospital.
Melbourne's extended lockdowns have hampered Australia's economic recovery by making consumers nervous and less likely to spend money.

Westpac chief economist Bill Evans said Victoria's two-week Covid restrictions, ending on Friday, caused a sharp drop in a key consumer sentiment reading.

'The latest fall in June is almost certainly due to concerns around the two-week lockdown in Melbourne,' he said.

The Westpac-Melbourne Institute monthly barometer, measuring how upbeat Australians are about buying things, fell by 5.2 per cent in June.

Melbourne's extended lockdowns have hampered Australia's economic recovery by making consumers nervous and less likely to spend money. Westpac chief economist Bill Evans said Victoria's two-week Covid restrictions, ending on Friday, had caused a sharp drop in a key consumer sentiment reading. Pictured is Bourke Street in the city almost deserted

When people are pessimistic about the economy, they are less likely to spend money and create jobs.

The survey of 1,200 Australians was taken during the first week of Melbourne's lockdowns.

Consumer sentiment is a key driver of the national recovery, with Sydney and NSW now seen as the key to reviving Australia's economic activity as Melbourne falters.

'That resilience in NSW, our largest state, will be very important for supporting national sentiment and, in turn, sustaining the economic recovery,' Mr Evans said.

Melbourne's five million residents will finally be released from lockdown on Friday, but stifling restrictions will remain in place despite just one new Covid-19 case.

Despite the low infection rates, Melburnians will still be banned from having guests at their home, and even those in the regions will only be permitted to have two people over.

The Westpac-Melbourne Institute monthly barometer, measuring how upbeat Australians are about buying things, fell by 5.2 per cent in June. The survey of 1,200 Australians was taken during the first week of Melbourne's lockdowns. Pictured is Melbourne's Lygon Street

Acting Labor Premier James Merlino on Wednesday said metropolitan Melbourne would move to 'most of the same settings' already in place across regional Victoria, with masks still compulsory at public indoor areas as people were encouraged to work from home.

Those living in the city will now be allowed to leave home for whatever reason they want, with shops, restaurants and cafes allowed to open with strict capacity limits.

The existing 10km limit will be increased to 25km, meaning the only reasons to go further than 25km will be for work, education, caregiving or getting a vaccination.

The 25km travel limit for Melburnians is likely to reek havoc on regional businesses who rely on a major influx from the city over the upcoming long weekend.

Melbourne's five million residents will finally be released from lockdown on Friday, but stifling restrictions will remain in place despite just one new Covid-19 case. Lygon Street pictured

The Westpac-Melbourne Institute consumer sentiment reading score of 107.2 points was still above the 100 level where there are more optimists than pessimists.

It is now back the January level when Sydney's Northern Beaches and Brisbane had been put into lockdown.

Nonetheless, Australians are still upbeat about the share market with the benchmark S&P/ASX200 hitting a record high on Friday, surpassing the previous peak of February 2020 before the World Health Organisation declared a Covid pandemic.

The monthly consumer sentiment survey showed 12.1 per cent of consumers regarded the share market as the 'wisest' place for savings  the highest score in a decade.

The ASX200 on Wednesday afternoon was trading at 7,285, slightly below Friday's record high of 7,295.
Republican Representative Mo Brooks shared his fury after a Democrat rival hired a private investigator to track him down - then got the PD to confront his wife with a lawsuit accusing him of inciting the January 6 riots.

Rep Brooks was served with the papers at his home in Huntsville, Alabama, on Sunday by private detective Christian Seklecki, who was acting for Democrat Rep Eric Swalwell.

Swalwell is suing Brooks for inciting the US Capitol riots after Brooks appeared at Donald Trump's 'Save America' hours before the riot and told attendees: 'Today we kick some ass.'

Dramatic home surveillance footage Brooks shared showed private detective Christian Seklecki racing up his driveway in a sedan as his wife Martha returned from church just ahead of him.

Surveillance footage has captured the shocking moment a process server raced his car up Rep. Mo Brooks' driveway and followed his wife into the garage of their home to serve her with a lawsuit accusing her husband of inciting the Capitol riot

Seklecki then ran into the Brooks' garage and dropped the papers at Martha's feet, before running out again, with an angry-looking Martha in tow.

That clip, which does not have any sound, showed the server reversing down the driveway and disappearing moments later.

Brooks posted the video online Monday, writing: '@ericswalwell's lying attorney falsely claimed that the process server never entered my house (aka trespassed).

'If so, why do I have this video showing the man chasing my wife into my home?'

The GOP congressman filed a police report over the incident.

He told Fox News' Laura Ingraham Tuesday night that the investigator committed a crime when he 'illegally entered my home.'

He said his wife was returning from church at the time and said one of their 10 grandchildren could have been in the car at the time.

Brooks blasted Swalwell for serving the suit at his home saying he 'could have been a man about it' and served it to him in the Capitol.

In the video, an SUV - which Martha is thought to be inside - is seen coming up the driveway and driving into the open garage of their home

Seklecki gets out clutching what appears to be documents and a mobile phone and runs toward the garage. He disappears from view as he enters the garage behind Martha

A few moments later, Seklecki exits the garage walking backwards toward his car. Martha is seen walking after him, following him to his car as he opens the door

'He could have had it served as I walked to and from the Capitol,' he said, saying his schedule there is publicly known.

'Instead the Swalwell team chose to hire a process server that would chase my wife down as she came home from church.

The Republican has raged about the incident in several social media posts this week.

He blasted the server and Swalwell on Twitter Sunday claiming the man was 'unlawfully sneaking INTO MY HOUSE & accosting my wife.'

'Well, Swalwell FINALLY did his job, served complaint (on my WIFE). HORRIBLE Swalwell's team committed a CRIME by unlawfully sneaking INTO MY HOUSE & accosting my wife!' he wrote.

Brooks told Fox's Laura Ingraham Wednesday night his wife was returning from church and one of their 10 grandchildren could have been in the car at the time

'Alabama Code 13A-7-2: 1st degree criminal trespass. Year in jail. $6000 fine. More to come!'

He doubled down on his accusations in another tweet, hitting out at a CNN article about his lawsuit being served.

'@ericswalwell's team committed Criminal Trespass INSIDE Mo Brooks' home. #CNN Swalwell attorney Phillip Andonian denies agent's crime. Agent's video is PROOF! Release it!' he tweeted.

'Experts to download home security video tomorrow. Arrest warrant to be sought.'

Swalwell's legal team has denied any crime was committed, with Seklecki detailing in court documents Tuesday how he served Brooks' wife with the suit.

Brooks with his wife Martha. He said she was 'chased' by the man serving the suit at their home

Brooks posted the video on Twitter and accused the server of breaking the law in trespassing

The private investigator, hired by Swalwell, said he had tried knocking on the front door of Brooks' home Sunday to hand over the suit but received no answer.

He said he waited nearby and saw a Toyota Highlander pull into the driveway.

'I followed and also drove down the driveway. When I stopped my car at the bottom of the hill, the Toyota Highlander was parked in a parking garage and the parking garage door was open,' he said.

I got out of my car and walked to the driver's side door of the Toyota Highlander.'

He said he was about two or three feet away when the driver's side door opened, and he saw Martha inside.

'I extended the papers towards the woman for her to accept and said, 'Mrs. Brooks, I am serving you with legal paperwork. This is for your husband, Mo Brook,'' he said in the sworn statement.

Seklecki said Martha 'yelled' at him to leave and told her she was calling the police.

He said he then dropped the papers near her feet and 'reminded her that the papers have been served'.

Brooks is being sued by Rep. Eric Swalwell (above) for inciting the January 6 Capitol riot

He said he went back to his car but was unable to immediately leave because Martha had walked around to the rear of his car to note his license plate.

'The moment I saw she was clear of my intended path off the property, I reversed up the driveway and left the area,' he said.

Meanwhile, Martha told Al.com that the incident left her 'terrified' and that she screamed at Selkecki to leave her alone over fears for her safety.

Swalwell has claimed he hired a private investigator to track Brooks down because he had been dodging being served the suit.

Swalwell's attorney Philip Andonian told CNN Brooks' claims that the investigator entered his home are 'completely untrue.'

'No one entered or even attempted to enter the Brooks house. That allegation is completely untrue. A process server lawfully served the papers on Mo Brooks' wife, as the federal rules allow,' he said.

Brooks told 'American patriots' to 'start taking down names and kicking ass' moments before a MAGA mob stormed the US Capitol in the riot that left five dead

'This was after her initial efforts to avoid service. Mo Brooks has no one but himself to blame for the fact that it came to this. We asked him to waive service, we offered to meet him at a place of his choosing.

'Instead of working things out like a civilized person, he engaged in a juvenile game of Twitter trolling over the past few days and continued to evade service. He demanded that we serve him. We did just that.'

He added that now the suit is served, Brooks can be 'held accountable' for his role in the Capitol riot.

Swalwell filed a civil lawsuit against Donald Trump, Donald Trump Jr., Brooks, and Rudy Giuliani for inciting the insurrection.

In the suit, Swalwell claims Brooks 'directly incited the violence at the Capitol that followed' when he addressed the crowd at Trump's rally in Washington DC.

Brooks warmed up the crowd telling them: 'Today is the day American patriots start taking down names and kicking ass.'

Moments later, an angry mob of pro-Trump rioters - among them white supremacists, QAnon fanatics and Proud Boys - marched to the Capitol and violently broke into it.

Some rioters appeared to follow Brooks' call to 'take down names', with the sign above House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office removed and destroyed in the siege

Rioters hold up Pelosi's destroyed and looted sign during the siege on the Capitol

Rioters storm the US Capitol in the MAGA mob riot that left five dead and sent lawmakers running for their lives

Inside, they fought with law enforcement, hunted lawmakers, looted items and smashed windows to enter the chambers and offices.

Some rioters appeared to follow Brooks' call to 'take down names', with the sign above House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office removed and destroyed in the siege.

Five people - including a Capitol police officer - died in the day's chaos.

In the aftermath of the riot, Brooks refused to apologize for his comments and even claimed he was talking about a donkey when he spoke about 'kicking ass' - saying he was making a reference to the Democratic party's mascot.

Prior to the riot, Brooks was also among the former president's allies who pushed his false claims that the election was fraudulent and 'stolen.'

Rep. Mo Brooks objecting to confirming the Electoral College votes from Nevada during a joint session of the House and Senate to confirm the Electoral College

When lawmakers returned to certify the Electoral College votes following the riot, he objected to Nevada's and Arizona's votes.

'Brooks - acting in his personal capacity - conspired with the other Defendants to undermine the election results by alleging, without evidence, that the election had been rigged and by pressuring elected officials, courts, and ultimately Congress to reject the results,' Swalwell's lawsuit said.

Brooks told Ingraham Wednesday the suit is 'politically motivated' and contains 'flat out lies' with 'zero evidence to support it.'

He said neither he nor Trump are liable for the events of January 6.
A wedding on a Queensland island ended in chaos when the bride, two groomsmen and a mate were all charged with a range of offences.

The after-party for the April 24 wedding at North Stradbroke Island continued into the early hours of Anzac Day before police were called to Point Lookout Bowling Club after a disturbance.

Tyson Sproules, 22, of northern Brisbane suburb Lawnton, was arrested for allegedly kicking in a window and door at the Point Lookout Library.

Members of the wedding party, including the bride, Shelley Baker, 45, allegedly swore at police and attempted to intervene as Sproules was arrested.

Tyson and Jake Sproule (left) were groomsmen at the wedding of Shelley Baker (centre) who also faces a charge of obstructing a police officer but did not appear in court on the same day

The wedding on the beach of North Stradbroke Island (above)

The alleged drunken behaviour was described as 'disgusting' by a local policeman.

'I reviewed the officers' body warn cameras and what they subjected the officers to was disgusting,' Sergeant Darren Scanlan told the Redland City Bulletin after the arrests.

'On what should have been a joyous and memorable occasion for all involved, (it) will now be remembered for all the wrong reasons.'

Sproules was alleged to have spat at officers through the back of the police vehicle and urinated on the walls and floors of the cell while being transported to Dunwich watch house on the island.

Sproules appeared in Cleveland Magistrates Court on Tuesday charged with wilful damage of police property, obstructing a police officer and committing a public nuisance.

Sproules' fellow groomsman, his brother, Jake, 24, and another guest, Matthew Fenn, also appeared on charges of obstructing a police officer.

Ms Baker, the bride, also faces charges of obstructing a police officer and committing public nuisance within a licensed premises, but her matter was not heard on the same day.

The three men's cases were adjourned on Tuesday so that they could view CCTV footage which captured their behaviour ahead of their next court date on July 6.

Point Lookout Bowls Club, where the wedding party occurred before local police were called after midnight on Anzac Day
A woman has been found crushed to death by her quad bike on a remote property in rural New South Wales.

A neighbour stumbled upon the grisly scene yesterday afternoon after being asked to look for the 58-year-old when she was late in returning home to farmland in the state's Central West.

Emergency services were called to Old Station Road, Gollan, about 60km east of Dubbo, at 4pm on Tuesday but paramedics found the victim dead at the scene.

Officers from Orana Mid-Western Police District established a crime scene and commenced an investigation.

A woman has been found crushed to death by her quad bike on a remote property in rural New South Wales (stock image)

'A report will be prepared for the Coroner,' said a police spokesman who declined to give further details.

Last year, 24 people in Australia died in quad bike accidents, with ages of victims ranging from just two to 80, according to Safe Work Australia.

Half of those who died were aged over 60 and seven of the dead were female.
Owners of a beloved cafe said they have been forced to close because a super fund did not want it to disrupt the view from a shopping centre.

Bocelli's Espresso is in a legal battle with $19 billion superannuation giant ISPT, which owns mall Forrest Chase, both located in Forrest Place in Perth's CBD.

The massive company said the cafe was 'old' and looked out of place with the new upgraded complex, and pushed the council to not renew its lease.

Owners of Perth cafe Bocelli's Espresso (pictured) said they have been forced to close because a superfund did not want it to disrupt a view from a shopping centre

The cafe was situated in front of the $127million renovated shopping centre, Forrest Chase

At least 3300 customers signed a petition to save the cafe

'We are heart-broken our cafe has closed its doors,' the cafe wrote on social media.

Industry superannuation property fund ISPT launched a Supreme Court action asking City of Perth to force the business off the land, which is owned by the council.

ISPT said it spent $127 million in renovations on the centre and surrounds because the council allegedly promised them the cafe would not have its lease renewed, the West Australian reported.

The 20-year lease on the family owned business allegedly ran out three months ago and the council demanded they leave the premises.

Leo and Frank Agnello owned the business for 20 years, and said they have spent $1.5 million on the building.

They closed the doors on Tuesday after the council said it would charge them with trespassing if they tried to operate from that date.

The Agnellos launched their own Supreme Court case against both ISPT and the City of Perth to allow them to keep the cafe running where it is.

The cafe (pictured) and shopping centre are located in the centre of Perth's CBD

They claim claim to have been denied their business 'quiet enjoyment' during the lease with the disruption caused by the Forrest Place renovations a decade ago, and by ISPT's construction in Forrest Chase from 2017.

Leo Agnello hoped the complex legal saga could be resolved amicably to allow Bocelli's to start serving again.

A petition to save the cafe had over 3,300 signatures at the time of writing.

'Stupid move Perth. Taking away one of the few things that attract us to the city,' one of Bocelli's Facebook followers commented.

'This is terrible, this makes us not want to go into the city anymore. It was always fun going to the cafe with the kids for coffee and ice cream,' another wrote.
A brazen plot to gun down a man leaving a restaurant in Adelaide last year was foiled by Operation Ironside, the international sting on organised crime, police have revealed.

The plot involved members of the Comancheros bikie gang luring the man to the suburban Norwood location before using a machine gun in the killing.

Assistant Commissioner Peter Harvey said the conspirators were being monitored and police moved to seize a motorbike that was to be used in the killing to prevent it from happening.

It's alleged the man was to be machine-gunned to death as he left a cafe on The Parade, Norwood, in Adelaide's suburbs

The machine gun was seen in pictures released as part of police sting Operation Ironside

"The conspirators then stole another motorcycle to set up the plot to continue," he said.

"They are relentless. They have no conscience."

The second motorbike was also seized, and around the same time a search was conducted in scrubland in Adelaide's northeast which located the weapon, hidden in bushes along with two fully loaded magazines.

Mr Harvey said police intelligence had revealed the intended victim of the plot was "one of their own".

"It's unbelievable the level of violence and distrust among this group," he said.

A second murder plot was also foiled by Operation Ironside which related to people going to a home in suburban Adelaide on two separate occasions to murder the occupant.

"Most disturbingly, the intended murder victim didn't even live at the address," Mr Harvey said.

"Such is the danger that this group represents, that they're willing to go to a house to kill the occupant and it's the wrong person.

"It's an alarming example of the potential harm to innocent people."

South Australian Assistant Commissioner Peter Harvey provided details of the bikies' plan

In details released on Tuesday, police said Operation Ironside had resulted in more than 90 arrests in SA, including a record 40 on a single day.

Those arrested have been charged with a range of offences from conspiracy to murder to drug and firearm trafficking and money laundering.

Detectives seized 90 kilograms of methamphetamine with a street value of $45 million.

They also found 50 litres of the drug fantasy, 350 kilograms of cannabis, 10,000 ecstasy tablets and 30 illegal firearms.

Three clandestine drug labs were uncovered, including one capable of producing $25 million worth of methamphetamine each week.

Luxury cars worth a total of $3 million were seized, including a Maserati, two Lamborghinis and one Bentley, along with $1.9 million in cash.

Detectives also found jewellery, valuable watches and wine collections.
The global Radar Sensor Market is anticipated to reach USD 44.4 billion by 2026 according to a new research published by Polaris Market Research. In 2017, the non-imaging radar sensor segment accounted for the highest Radar Sensor market share in terms of revenue. North America is expected to be the leading contributor to the global Radar Sensor market revenue in 2017

.

The growing military expenditure in countries such as China, U.S, and others have resulted in radar sensor market growth. The advancements in technologies and increasing need for national security would further lead to radar sensor market growth. Increasing demand for high range and enhanced radar accuracy, along with stringent security regulations supplement the growth of radar sensors market. Growing adoption of radar sensors in developing nations provide growth opportunities for the market.

Request for a sample of this research report @ https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/radar-sensor-market/request-for-sample

Features of radar sensors such as increased discrimination accuracy, enhanced sustainability, greater detection ranges and high reliability are propelling the growth of global radar sensor market. Furthermore, viewing the real-time data with the help of Radar through interfaces such as internet is opportunistic for the market expansion. Increasing cases of road accidents and stringent vehicle safety regulations supplement the market growth. Increasing development of self-driving and autonomous vehicles provide growth opportunities for radar sensor industry.

North America generated the highest Radar Sensor market share in terms of revenue in 2018, and is expected to lead the global Radar Sensor industry throughout the forecast period. The adoption of radar sensors is expected to increase significantly in this region owing to increasing need to offer safety and security. The increasing demand for surveillance and border monitoring also drives the radar sensor market across various countries. Market players in the global radar sensor industry are introducing highly efficient and low-cost radar sensors to cater to the growing consumer needs. These market players are also integrating advanced technologies to improve the radar systems to cater to wider audiences. Increasing safety concerns, growing military expenditure, and development of autonomous vehicles are factors encouraging market players to launch efficient radar sensors across the globe.

Complete Summary with TOC Available @ https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/radar-sensor-market

Leading global players are expanding their presence in developing nations of India, China, and Japan to tap the growth opportunities offered by these countries. For instance Continental AG, a German automotive manufacturer company on November 2017 incorporated their extensive, long standing expertise in vehicle surrounding sensors into fifth generation of short and long range radar sensors. This resulted in more accurate detection of smaller objects such as a lost spare wheel or an exhaust that has fallen off. Long range radar, has maximum range of 300 m and an opening angle of 60 depending on required performance. The series production of the same will start in 2019.

The well-known companies profiled in the Radar Sensor market report include Delphi Automotive LLP, Autoliv Inc., Robert Bosch GmbH, NXP Semiconductors N.V., Continental AG, Lockheed Martin Corporation, Denso Corporation, Infineon Technologies AG, Hella KGaA Hueck & Co., and Smart Microwave Sensors GmbH. 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.

Check for discount: https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/radar-sensor-market/request-for-discount-pricing

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.

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Senators approved the biggest investment in scientific research in decades, with a $250 billion spending program designed to help the United States compete with China.

The Senate overwhelmingly approved a bill on Tuesday that aims to boost U.S. semiconductor production and the development of artificial intelligence and other technology in the face of growing international competition, most notably from China.

The 68-32 vote for the bill demonstrates how confronting China economically is an issue that unites both parties in Congress. That is seen as a rarity in an era of division, as pressure grows on Democrats to change Senate rules to push past Republican opposition and gridlock.

The centerpiece of the bill is a $50 billion emergency allotment to the Commerce Department to increase semiconductor development and manufacturing through research and incentive programs previously authorized by Congress.

Joe Biden, seen at Cuyahoga Community College Manufacturing Technology Center, on May 27, said that he is looking forward to signing the new spending bill when it comes to his desk. Supporters of the plan say it is the biggest investment in science and tech in decades

The bill has been designed to take on the might of China (pictured, President Xi Jinping). The United States has in recent years seen its market share of semiconducters reduce significantly

Employees are seen walking through a semiconductor manufacturing facility in Malta, New York, on March 16. A large chunk of the $250 billion fund - around $50 billion - will be spent on semiconductor research

The bill's overall cost would increase spending by about $250 billion, with most of the spending occurring in the first five years.

It comes as the nation's share of semiconductor manufacturing globally has steadily eroded from 37 per cent in 1990 to about 12 per cent now, and as a chip shortage has exposed vulnerabilities in the U.S. supply chain.

Semiconductor chips are vital components in a huge array of electronic devices, with the US keen to produce more of them at home as demand for technology continues to swell.

'The premise is simple, if we want American workers and American companies to keep leading the world, the federal government must invest in science, basic research and innovation, just as we did decades after the Second World War,' said Chuck Schumer, the Senate Majority Leader.

'Whoever wins the race to the technologies of the future is going to be the global economic leader with profound consequences for foreign policy and national security as well.'

Mitch McConnell, his Republican counterpart, said the bill was incomplete because it did not incorporate more Republican-sponsored amendments. He nonetheless supported it.

Chuck Schumer, the Senate Majority Leader, is seen on Tuesday amid the passing of the bill. His team have spent at least two years working on some of the legislation included in the plan

Mitch McConnell, the most senior Republican in the Senate, said the bill was incomplete because it did not incorporate more Republican-sponsored amendments. He did, however, vote in favor

An employee makes a chip at a factory of Jiejie Semiconductor Company in Nantong, in eastern China's Jiangsu province on March 17. China is seen as the biggest rival to the U.S. in the field

'Needless to say, final passage of this legislation cannot be the Senate's final word on our competition with China,' said McConnell.

'It certainly won't be mine.'

President Joe Biden applauded the bill's passage in a statement Tuesday evening, saying: 'As other countries continue to invest in their own research and development, we cannot risk falling behind.

'America must maintain its position as the most innovative and productive nation on Earth.'

Senators slogged through days of debates and amendments leading up to Tuesday's final vote.

Schumer's office said 18 Republican amendments will have received votes as part of passage of the bill. It also said the Senate this year has already held as many roll call votes on amendments than it did in the last Congress, when the Senate was under Republican control.

While the bill enjoys bipartisan support, a core group of Republican senators has reservations about its costs.

One of the bill's provisions would create a new directorate focused on artificial intelligence and quantum science with the National Science Foundation.

The bill would authorize up to $29 billion over five years for the new branch within the foundation with an additional $52 billion for its programs.

Rand Paul, Republican senator for Kentucky, said Congress should be cutting the foundation's budget, not increasing it.

He called the agency 'the king of wasteful spending.'

The agency finances about a quarter of all federally supported research conducted by America's colleges and universities.

'The bill is nothing more than a big government response that will make our country weaker, not stronger,' Paul said.

Rand Paul, senator for Kentucky, is seen inside the Capitol on Tuesday. He voted against the bill, and described it as a waste of money

Maria Cantwell, a Democrat representing Washington, praised the passing of the bill

But Senator Maria Cantwell, a Democrat representing Washington, noted that a greater federal investment in the physical sciences had been called for during the administration of President George W. Bush to ensure U.S. economic competitiveness.

'At the time, I'm pretty sure we thought we were in a track meet where our competitor was, oh, I don't know, maybe half a lap behind us.

'I'm pretty sure now as the decade has moved on, we're looking over our shoulder and realizing that the competition is gaining,' said Cantwell, the chairman of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee.

The lead Republican on the committee also weighed in to support the bill.

'This is an opportunity for the United States to strike a blow on behalf of answering the unfair competition that we are seeing from communist China,' said Senator Roger Wicker, of Mississippi.

Senators have tried to strike a balance when calling attention to China's growing influence.

They want to avoid fanning divisive anti-Asian rhetoric when hate crimes against Asian Americans have spiked during the coronavirus pandemic.

Other measures spell out national security concerns and target money-laundering schemes or cyberattacks by entities on behalf of the Chinese government.

There are also 'buy America' provisions for infrastructure projects in the U.S.

Senators added provisions that reflect shifting attitudes toward China's handling of the COVID-19 outbreak.

One would prevent federal money for the Wuhan Institute of Virology as fresh investigations proceed into the origins of the virus and possible connections to the labs research. The city registered some of the first coronavirus cases.

It's unclear whether the measure will find support in the Democratic-led House, where the Science Committee is expected to soon consider that chamber's version.

Ro Khanna, a Democrat member of the House representing California, who has been working with Schumer for two years on legislation that's included in the bill, called it the biggest investment in science and technology since the Apollo spaceflight program a half century ago.

'I'm quite certain we will get a really good product on the president's desk,' Schumer said.

Biden said he looked forward to working with the House on the legislation, 'and I look forward to signing it into law as soon as possible.'
The secret AN0M technology which has kneecapped global crime empires was created by a tech whiz ex-drug trafficker as part of a deal for a lighter sentence.

More than 800 people have been arrested worldwide and 224 charged in Australia alone in a sensational global sting spearheaded by the FBI, the Australian Federal Police and European law enforcement agencies.

Court filings released by the US Department of Justice on Wednesday revealed a 'confidential human source' first developed the phones and messaging apps for the FBI.

The Tech Whiz had been working on developing next-gen encrypted devices and had spent years supplying similar products to shadowy criminal organisations around the world.

But the Whiz was nervous. He was facing new criminal charges, after already spending six years behind bars in the United States over a drug conviction.

So the Whiz offered FBI agents a deal - he would develop and help distribute the priceless technology among criminal networks in exchange for possible leniency.

More than 800 people have been arrested worldwide and 224 charged in Australia alone as a result of the AN0M app (above, as part of Operation Ironside)

A tactical police officer guards a handcuffed Australian during a raid off the back of the AN0M encrypted messaging app

This white Lamborghini was seized during raids in Vaucluse, in Sydney's east, on Wednesday

A fire engine red Ducati is also now in the possession of the Australian Federal Police

'San Diego FBI agents recruited a Confidential Human Source who had been developing the 'next generation' encrypted communications product, poised to compete for market share against established hardened encrypted device competitors,' special agent Nicholas Cheviron said in court documents.

'The Confidential Human Source offered this next generation device, named 'Anom,' to the FBI to use in ongoing and new investigations.'

The FBI paid the Whiz $USD120,000 ($AUD155,000) for his services and covered a further $USD60,000 ($AUD77,500) in living and travel expenses.

It was a small price to pay. The stunning police scam has had a domino effect among major crime syndicates.

As of Tuesday, more than 11,800 AN0M devices were being used in some 90 countries around the world. Authorities were able to read each and every message. Some '100% of Anom users in the test phase used Anom to engage in criminal activity', the document said.

The devices were planted among criminal networks by Australian authorities and gradually spread around the world.

Users bought the devices for about $AUD2500 and a further fee for a six month subscription to an encrypted messaging app.

Unbeknownst to all of them, police were reading each and every word.

Australian law enforcement on Tuesday sized tonnes of drugs, more than $45million in cash and luxury goods including Rolex watches and Lamborghinis.

American court papers made clear what sort of information police were able to gain from the elaborate sting.

There have been a series of cocaine busts in Spain, with authorities intercepting tonnes shipped from Ecuador and Costa Rica.

There was also an elaborate alleged plot to smuggle cocaine from California to a car workshop in Sydney.

Text messages showed an alleged dealer codenamed TOM FORD - after the American fashion designer - apparently discussing the shipments with his friend, Sion.

Anatomy of an AN0M drug deal: Text messages exchanged between two AN0M users allegedly organising cocaine shipments to Australia are on left. The pair sent each other pictures of cocaine bricks - photos of which were intercepted by authorities (on right)

The drug shipment allegedly travelled from California to a small suburb in Sydney's inner south, the US court documents said

In May, thanks to messages sent via AN0M, Spanish officials located this almost 1.6 tonne shipment of cocaine in hollowed out pineapples, according to the court filing

'We are on standbys to receive the package today bro,' Ford said.

'Tell him the two available addresses for now is the hotel and the mechanic shop. The next mechanic shop and hotel I waiting on final approval to have them on board.'

Ford, believed to be in Australia, later sent his mate, thought to be in Armenia, pictures of a consignment notice showing a delivery was being made from a homewares centre in Carlsbad, California to the Sydney workshop.

The pair also allegedly exchanged photographs of cocaine bricks and their apparent movements. The FBI sought a warrant to search an email address associated with the alleged shipment.
New York Times editorial board member Mara Gay has been defended by her bosses after saying she was 'disturbed' by the number of stars and stripes flags on display during a trip to Long Island.

The paper's official PR Twitter account backed Gay on Tuesday night, tweeting: 'New York Times editorial board member Mara Gay's comments on MSNBC have been irresponsibly taken out of context.'

'Her argument was that Trump and many of his supporters have politicized the American flag. The attacks on her today are ill-informed and grounded in bad-faith.'

The controversy began on MSNBC's Morning Joe on Monday after Gay said she was 'disturbed' to see American flags flown on pickup trucks in a recent trip to Long Island.

Gay, who also works as an MSNBC commentator, said the flags were being flown on trucks belonging to Trump supporters, with the vehicles also bearing expletives against President Joe Biden.

New York Times editorial board member Mara Gay said the flags were being flown on trucks belonging to Trump supporters, with the vehicles also bearing expletives against President Joe Biden

The New York Times has since defended editorial board member Mara Gay, claiming that recent comments she made were taken out of context

NYT/MSNBCs @MaraGay: In Long Island last weekend, I saw dozens of American flags, which was just disturbing pic.twitter.com/RhGdqqJope  Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) June 8, 2021

Gay said the flag-bearing trucks were sending a message that, 'this is my country. This is not your country. I own this.' Pictured are Trump supporters sailing through the streets of Portland, Oregon in their pickup in August 2020

Gay sparked fierce backlash on social media Tuesday as she said the displays were symptomatic of a broad coalition of Americans who feel threatened as citizens.

'The reality is here that we have a large percentage of the American population  I don't know how big it is, but we have tens of millions of Trump voters who continue to believe that their rights as citizens are under threat by simple virtue of having to share the democracy with others,' Gay had said on MSNBC.

'I was on Long Island this weekend visiting a really dear friend, and I was really disturbed. I saw, you know, dozens and dozens of pickup trucks with explicatives (sic) against Joe Biden on the back of them, Trump flags, and in some cases just dozens of American flags, which is also just disturbing because essentially the message was clear. It was this is my country. This is not your country. I own this.'

She added that a solution, 'to get every American a place at the table,' needed to involve separating 'whiteness' from 'Americanness.'

Gay was responding to a call by host Mika Brzezinski for an investigation into the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.

Her comments received a scathing response on social media, after which she further tweeted: 'I see Im being trolled with the American flag this morning. Trolling a Black journalist with the American flag is not the own some people think it is.'

The commentator was slammed for what many said was a dig against displays of patriotism.

New York Times editorial board member Mara Gay was slammed on social media Tuesday for comments she made on MSNBC's Morning Joe earlier in the day saying she was 'disturbed' to see dozens of American flags flying from pickup trucks in a recent trip to Long Island

'As a son of a WWII [veteran], I proudly display the American flag on the front of my house,' tweeted Harry McNeir.

'American flags is now considered hateful what the hell is going on with our country,' posted @DankRhythm.

'Wow dozens of American flags the horror of of it lol,' Blake Katuin commented.

'Wait now a pick up trick with an American flag is now racist?? What's next saluting the American flag?' tweeted @swell472.

'Why is skin color even being brought into this discussion?' tweeted Matt Haubrich. 'This narrative is disgusting and they keep peddling it, and Joe's panel says nothing. I find people who group everyone in boxes very disturbing.'

Many said Gay's comments represented a dig against displays of American patriotism

'Mara gay is but a glimpse of what the future will be like for the US, a self-loathing, socialistic hateful country, with no borders.' said @kendrickNQB.

'So... who's the threat? This is disturbing!' wrote Chris Barnett. 'American flags relate to whiteness? The American flag represents any color or creed of [a] person who legally lives here!'

Mark Ashworth said, it's likely that the people Gay was referring to would likely be the first to help if she were in trouble.

'The people she's snarling at are the ones who'll pull over and put her spare on if she has a flat,' he tweeted.
Tucker Carlson claims 'fake' Kamala Harris 'doesn't understand the point' around why she needs to visit the US-Mexico border because the media treats her like 'a god.'

The Fox News' host took aim at the vice president for a second night in a row Tuesday over her role in tackling the surge of migrants who have been pouring into America in recent months.

He accused the media of joining 'the cult of Kamala' and claimed she has 'continued to ascend' because of 'how she looks' - despite her not 'even know[ing] who [she is].'

'Next time you see someone walking across the top of your pool it's probably Kamala Harris!' he said.

Tucker Carlson has said 'fake' Kamala Harris 'doesn't understand the point' around why she needs to visit the US-Mexico border because the media treats her like 'a god'

Joe Biden appointed Harris his 'border czar' but - 77 days into taking charge - she is yet to visit the border to see the conditions for herself.

She finally traveled to the Northern Triangle of Central America this week, first stopping in Guatemala and then Mexico Tuesday where she met with Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.

But there are still no plans for her to visit the border during this trip. The vice president has avoided making the trip despite a surging migrant crisis at the border, which saw 177,000 migrants make the crossing into the US during March, and another 122,000 cross in April.

March also saw the highest number ever of unaccompanied minors cross into the US.

Harris snapped at NBC's Lester Holt in an interview in Guatemala Monday when he asked if she had plans to pay a visit.

'At some point, you know, we are going to the border,' she said.

'We've been to the border. So this whole thing about the border. We've been to the border. We've been to the border.'

Holt pushed back at this saying: 'You haven't been to the border.'

Harris fired back saying: 'And I haven't been to Europe.

'And I mean, I don't understand the point that you're making.' She has also infuriated the progressive wing of the Democrat party by warning migrants who try to cross the border: 'You will be turned back,' with New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez among those blasting Harris over the remarks.

Carlson aired the Lester Holt clip during Tuesday night's show, saying 'of course' Harris does not 'understand the point' because the media does not ask 'real questions.'

'Of course she doesn't understand the point. No one ever asks her real questions,' he said.

Carlson claimed the 'last time' they did was in her presidential debate with Tulsi Gabbard.

Kamala Harris walks with Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador Tuesday

They held a meeting in Mexico City on Tuesday with Harris saying she wants to focus on 'root causes' of the crisis

'And in the almost two years since, she's continued to ascend. How did she do this? Clearly on the basis of how she looks,' claimed Carlson.

The Fox host played a reel of clips taken from various news channels showing their commentary on Harris's trip to the border.

In it, numerous different commentators spoke of her making history as the first woman of color to be vice president and how she - the daughter of immigrants - was heading to Latin America to tackle migration.

'The fact that Kamala Harris is visiting as the first woman, female vice president, first woman of color, herself a child of immigrants that speaks volumes as well to those people of those countries,' said Sergio Gonzales, a former senior policy adviser to Harris, in an MSNBC clip.

A CNBC clip was similar. 'From the night that Kamala Harris made history as the first woman, first person of color elected vice president, she made clear that winning a seat at the table was just the first step,' said reporter Ylan Mui.

'At the highest profile assignment so far, a solo trip to Guatemala and Mexico this weekend to tackle the root causes of the surge in migration.'

While CNN reporter Jasmine Wright sent a similar message: 'She's the first woman vice president, she is the first woman of color vice president, and this trip will start to shape how Americans view her.

Harris' first international trip and the press conferences which took place miles away from the US-Mexico border

Carlson also pointed to the LA Times which he said 'was a news organization at one point', which has a section 'dedicated exclusively to Kamala Harris.'

'Readers get their business news, international news, and then their critical Kamala Harris news,' he mocked.

'She's now her own category of news.'

The paper also focused on 'the way she looks,' he said, rather than her policy achievements.

'In other words, what really matters about Kamala Harris and what should matter to you according to The New York Times is her DNA. It's really science projects,' he added.

Carlson said Disney has taken this even further, making the vice president out to be a 'god.'

He played a video Harris that the Disney Channel ran as part of a special series for Black History Month in February.

'There was a young girl who used her voice to make the world around her a better place,' it began.

Harris snapped at NBC's Lester Holt Monday when he said she hadn't been to the border. 'I don't understand the point that you're making,' she said

Carlson said 'of course' Harris does not 'understand the point' because the media does not ask 'real questions' of her. Pictured Harris was met with some protesters in Guatemala demanding she 'mind your own business'

Carlson, who took issue with the video back in February when it aired, mocked that Harris is being treated 'like a god.'

'Next time you see someone walking across the top of your swimming pool, it's probably Kamala Harris,' he said.

'She became part of a divine group of leaders. divine in the literal sense, like the Dalai Lama or Kim Jong-Un.'

The TV host claimed Harris views herself as more of a superhero - a reference to her children's book 'Superheroes are everywhere.'

'Kamala Harris does have a kind of appealing humility, so she doesn't compare herself to god,' he said.

'She prefers the superhero analogy.'

As well as the media, Carlson claimed the White House was also behind the 'cult' to popularize the vice president.

Carlson said the Biden administration had to 'create a Soviet level cult of personality around her' in order to turn the tide on the view of American voters who he said found her 'repellent' when she was running for president.

Harris and Guatemalan President Alejandro Giamattei (right) held a bilateral meeting in Guatemala on Monday

Harris waves alongside Guatemalan Foreign Minister Pedro Brolo upon arrival in Guatemala City on Sunday

'Because it's so improbable that someone this unimpressive has become so powerful, the people in charge are forced to assure us almost with hysteria that she is brilliant and impressive in order to prepare the rest of us for her inevitable march to the White House they've had to create a Soviet level cult of personality around her,' he said.

Carlson described Harris as 'too phony to win' and 'too fake for politics.'

'Actual voters found her repellent. We don't need to guess about this, we have the numbers,' he said.

'And the more Kamala Harris they got, the more repelled they became.'

He continued: 'Even in the business that is famous for rewarding falseness, Kamala Harris was just too phony to win.

'She was too fake for politics. So the question is, how did she end up effectively in charge of the entire country?

'That's a question that historians of democracy will spend decades pondering - democracy being a system in which citizens get to choose their own leaders.'

Carlson continued to slam the vice president, claiming she is so 'fake' that 'she can't even decide how to pronounce her own first name.'

The Fox host went on to argue that her traits were not lost on Latin American residents some of whom protested her visit.

He said the media and the government had seemed to believe that 'when a person of color goes to Latin America to be around other people of color, it's a love match'.

New images were taken June 8 of Central American migrants sitting on the ground after being apprehended by Border Patrol agents after crossing the Rio Grande River into La Joya, Texas on Tuesday

People ride rafts across the Suchiate River between Ciudad Hidalgo, Mexico and Tecun Uman, Guatemala on June 7, 2021

'Unfortunately for Kamala Harris, that's not actually how Latin Americans think.'

Harris visited Mexico City Tuesday to meet with Mexico's president to discuss stopping mass immigration from Central America by way of migrating through Mexico.

There, she shielded questions for a second day about when she would visit the southern border.

Harris said it was 'short-sighted' to focus on the symptoms and said she was focused on the 'root causes' of the migrant crisis on the ground in Guatemala and Mexico.

'I think it's short-sighted, for any of us who are in the business of problem solving to suggest we're only going to respond to the reaction as opposed to addressing the cause,' she said.

The vice president said the 'bottom line' is that the administration has to apply 'equal weight' to what's going on at the border and 'root causes' in Northern Triangle nations.

This came after she batted away similar questions during a briefing in Mexico earlier that day.

'Why not go to the border, as well, so you do see the full complexity?' a reporter asked.

'Listen, I've been to the border before and I'll go again,' she replied.

'But when I'm in Guatemala, dealing with root causes, I think we should have a conversation about what's going on in Guatemala,' she said.
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Joe Biden's hopes of passing his much-touted infrastructure bill now rest on a bipartisan group of senators after direct talks with Republicans collapsed.

Shelley Moore Capito, a Republican representing West Virginia, had been liaising with the White House over the bill.

But their talks collapsed on Tuesday after they'd tentatively bargained $928 billion worth of infrastructure improvements.

Instead Biden turned to a small group of about half a dozen Republicans and Democrats, hoping that they could find a way to reach a compromise, that would see his plan receive a similar amount of cash.

The group comprised of Republicans including Mitt Romney of Utah, Rob Portman of Ohio, Susan Collins of Maine, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska.

On the Democrat side, those involved included Joe Manchin of West Virginia, Mark Warner of Virginia, and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, plus Jon Tester of Montana.

The group has been discussing a plan that would spend up to $900 billion over five years, according to people familiar with the talks, who spoke to The Wall Street Journal.

That falls far short of the $2 trillion Biden had hoped to obtain to fix America's bridges, roads, railroads and public buildings.

On Tuesday night a group of around nine Senators - Mitt Romney, Lisa Murkowski, Rob Portman, Susan Collins and Bill Cassidy from the Republican side, plus Jon Tester, Mark Warner, Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema from the Democrats, met to discuss the infrastructure bill.

The meeting ended with Romney describing it as positive. He said they reached fairly good agreement on specific items but were a 'a little less solid' on how to pay for them

Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) and Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), with Senator Rob Portman (R-OH), look up as Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA) arrives at a bipartisan meeting on infrastructure in a hideaway office at the Capitol on Tuesday night

The meeting on Tuesday is seen as a highly significant step in reaching an agreement on the infrastructure bill. Pictured are Sinema and Romney

The group are pictured taking a break from their session on Tuesday night to try and agree over the infrastructure plan

Romney is seen with Krysten Sinema during Tuesday evening's meeting

Republican Bill Cassidy (left) and Democrat Jon Tester (right) talk as they leave a bipartisan meeting on infrastructure on Tuesday night - after original talks fell through

'We've pretty much agreed on the spending level. I'm sure there will be some adjustments as we go along, and the pay-fors,' said Romney.

'We have a proposal that we'll take to the entire group and see how they feel about it.

'Maybe they'll just throw it out altogether.'

The senators emerged from the meeting encouraged about the discussions, but offered no concrete time line.

Romney said they reached fairly good agreement on specific items but were a 'a little less solid' on how to pay for them.

He said they could release some details in the coming weeks.

Romney, seen leaving the meeting, told reporters that some of the details had been agreed, and he expected they would be made public in the coming weeks

Manchin, frequently described as the most influential man in the Senate - a conservative-leaning Democrat, who can vote either way - is seen leaving Tuesday's meeting, and being mobbed by reporters

Manchin, of West Virginia, said on Sunday that he was hopeful that a deal could be reached

Susan Collins, a Republican of Maine, continues her discussions with Romney and Mark Warner, a Democrat representing Virginia, on Tuesday evening as they leave the meeting

Manchin said over the weekend that he's still 'confident' Republicans can reach a deal with the White House.

'I think we can come to that compromise to where we'll find a bipartisan deal,' Manchin said during a Fox News interview on Sunday.

'I'm very confident of that.'

Biden spoke with Manchin and Sinema on Tuesday, the White House confirmed.

'He urged them to continue their work with other Democrats and Republicans to develop a bipartisan proposal that he hopes will be more responsive to the country's pressing infrastructure needs,' said Jen Psaki, White House press secretary.

The Senate currently has 50 Republican senators, 48 Democrats, and two independents who vote with their Democrat colleagues. Vice President Kamala Harris can act as a tiebreaker if necessary, with any Republican support for Biden's proposals seen as crucial to get them through.

Biden would continue outreach on his trip to Europe, which begins Tuesday night, the White House said.

Separately, in the House, the Problem Solvers Caucus, made up of 29 Democrats and 29 Republicans, has agreed to support $487.2 billion in new physical infrastructure spending over eight years, according to NBC News's political correspondent, Sahil Kapur.

President Joe Biden ended budget talks with GOP Sen. Shelley Moore Capito after talks collapsed following a Republican counter-offer that the White House rejected

Yet while the negotiations were continuing, a consortium of 90 advocacy groups were pushing Biden and Democratic leaders to abandon bipartisan infrastructure negotiations and instead use the partisan reconciliation process to enact a more progressive package.

Axios reported that, on Wednesday, the 90 will publish an open letter stating that Republicans' 'unreasonable demands' have left the White House and Democratic leadership 'with no choice but to move forward without them'.

The letter was organized by Real Recovery Now!, Invest in America Action and the CareCantWait coalition.

Psaki confirmed earlier on Tuesday that Biden's talks with Capito had ended without agreement.

Biden 'informed Senator Capito today that the latest offer from her group did not, in his view, meet the essential needs of our country to restore our roads and bridges, prepare us for our clean energy future, and create jobs,' Psaki said in a statement.

'He offered his gratitude to her for her efforts and good faith conversations, but expressed his disappointment that, while he was willing to reduce his plan by more than $1 trillion, the Republican group had increased their proposed new investments by only $150 billion.'

The White House had rejected a GOP increase of $50 billion, saying it didn't meet Biden's policy goals for a much larger package.

Sen. Shelley Moore Capito said in her own statement that she and Republicans worked 'in good faith'

The White House said Biden had spoken to Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.)

A bipartisan group including Senator Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) is still meeting

Capito said in her own statement that she and Republicans worked 'in good faith.'

She said Biden 'understood one of our red lines,' which was not rolling back the 2017 Trump tax cuts.

Earlier in the day, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said the talks 'seem to be running into a brick wall.'

An administration official said Biden changed course after Capito, the leader of a group of six Senate Republicans handling the negotiations, offered $330 billion in new spending on infrastructure - far short of Biden's reduced $1.7 trillion offer.

Capito had a five-minute call with the president on Tuesday, a Capito spokesperson said.

'After negotiating in good faith and making significant progress to move closer to what the president wanted, I am disappointed by his decision,' Capito said in a statement.

Roy Blunt, a Republican senator for Missouri who was part of Capito's group, said: 'We don't seem to be able to arrive at something that we can all agree on.

'But there does seem to be a reluctance on all sides to totally give up.'

Schumer, the top Senate Democrat, gave new life to the possibility of some sort of a bipartisan bill being cobbled together that ultimately could be paired with a Democrat-only bill to achieve more of the administration's $2 trillion investment goals.

Republicans have been talking about a far more modest package of less than $1 trillion, with much of the money coming from initiatives already enacted into law, such as COVID-19 relief.

Some liberal members of Biden's party have become worried that the talks are dragging on for too long and may result in a smaller package than the country needs.

They are keenly aware of the risk that they could lose their narrow majorities in either or both chambers of Congress in next year's midterm elections, making progress on Biden's agenda urgent now.

The two parties remain far apart on one of Biden's major domestic policy goals, disagreeing on how much to spend, how to pay for it and even what constitutes infrastructure.

The White House has offered to whittle down its package of proposals, which include climate change, home healthcare and education initiatives, to $1.7 trillion.

It also includes spending on more traditional infrastructure projects such as roads and bridges.

'I'm working hard to find common ground with Republicans when it comes to the American Jobs Plan, but I refuse to raise taxes on Americans making under $400,000 a year to pay for it,' Biden wrote on Twitter on Tuesday.

'It's long past time the wealthy and corporations pay their fair share.'

Biden also reached out to Senator Bill Cassidy on Tuesday to discuss infrastructure, the Republican said.

'POTUS just called to discuss infrastructure,' Cassidy wrote on Twitter.

'I brought up flood resiliency and energy provisions that would benefit Louisiana as well as the rest of our nation. Strongly support @SenCapito's efforts. Any infrastructure package should and must be bipartisan.'

Administration officials had said that Biden would not let the negotiations drag on endlessly.
A woman who left Melbourne while it was in lockdown and went on a road trip through three states has tested positive for coronavirus in Queensland.

Regional centres in NSW and Queensland are on alert after the woman's case was confirmed on Wednesday.

She and her husband left an unidentified suburb on the edge of greater Melbourne on June 1, while the Victorian capital was in lockdown to control community transmission of the virus.

They then travelled through regional Victoria, crossed the border into NSW where they visited regional centres, and then entered Queensland on June 5 - two days after she started showing symptoms of coronavirus.

The 44-year-old woman from Caloundra on the Sunshine Coast was tested on Tuesday and returned a positive result on Wednesday.

She had been experiencing symptoms from June 3 but only sought a test on June 8.

Six close contacts of the woman have been identified so far, including her husband who has to date tested negative.

But Dr Young fears he could become infected, given how much time the pair spent in the car together. Both are now at the Sunshine Coast University Hospital.

A shock Covid-19 case has been detected on Queensland's Sunshine Coast (Noosa pictured) after a couple travelled from locked down Victoria, one infected with coronavirus

The woman was potentially infectious at Stockland Caloundra Shopping Centre (above) - Coffee Club and Kmart stores between 10.45 - 11.30am on June 7

Queensland's Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young has said it is possible the woman was infectious from the day she left Melbourne.

'She could well have been infectious while travelling through New South Wales and I have been working with my colleague to determine that,' Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young told reporters in a press conference Wednesday afternoon.

Queensland currently classifies Victoria as a Covid-19 hotspot, and anyone entering from the state must complete hotel quarantine.

Health Minister Yvette D'Ath and Doctor Young held a press conference confirming the case on Wednesday afternoon and added a number of exposure sites in Queensland.

'We don't know why they left or what the situation was,' Doctor Young told reporters.

'Hopefully we have got this early and there are no other positive cases and community transmission.

'It's only in the last hour that we've had this absolutely confirmed by double checking the results.'

They believe she may be at the end of her infection upon conducting her test.

There are reports the woman lied on her declaration form when entering the state.

Authorities in NSW have issued alerts for several regional centres after the couple stopped in Forbes, Dubbo, Moree and Gillenbah.

NSW venues on alert include a Woolworths in Moree and a petrol station in Dubbo.

Anyone who has visited the venues have been urged to get tested immediately and isolate until given further instructions.

Queensland's list of exposure sites include a McDonald's restaurant in Goondiwindi, where they crossed the border from NSW, and sites on the Sunshine Coast, including at Moffat Beach, Kings Beach, Buddina, Baringa and Caloundra.

The couple also travelled through Toowoomba, west of Brisbane. The list of exposure sites is on the Queensland Heath website and will inevitably grow.

The Sunshine Coast region has been sent double the amount of coronavirus vaccine it normally receives and Dr Young has urged residents to get their shots, and front up for testing if they develop symptoms.

NSW VENUES ON ALERT Gillenbah, Caltex Narrandera on Tuesday, June 1 from 10.30am - 11.00am Forbes, Vandenberg Hotel on Tuesday, June 1 from 6.00pm - 10.00pm Forbes, Brew Coffee Bar on Wednesday, June 2 from 7.00am - 10.00am Dubbo, CSC - Church Street Cafe on Wednesday, June 2 from 11.30am - 2.30pm Dubbo, Reading Cinemas Dubbo on Wednesday, June 2 from 6.00pm - 10.00pm Dubbo, Homestead Motel on Wednesday, June 2 at 12.00pm - Thursday, June 3 at 10.00am Moree, Gwydir Carpark/Motel & Thermal Pools on Thursday, June 3 at 1.45pm - all day Friday, June 4 to Saturday, June 5 at 7.30am Moree, Cafe Omega on Thursday, June 3 from 1.30pm - 4.30pm, Friday, June 4 from 7.00am - 9.30am and Friday, June 4 from 11.50am - 2.00pm Moree, Amaroo Tavern on Friday, June 4 from 4.30pm - 11.00pm Dubbo, Shell Petrol Station on Wednesday June 2 from 10.30am - 11.30am Moree, Woolworths Moree on Thursday June 3 from 3.30pm - 4.30pm Advertisement

The woman visited Goondiwindi McDonalds on June 5 between 7.35am - 7.50am

The positive woman was at Bunnings in Caloundra, QLD between 12.10pm - 12.45pm on June 7

Infected woman's timeline: June 1: Left Melbourne and travelled through New South Wales June 5: Arrived at Goondiwindi border and crossed into Queensland 7.35 - 7.50am: Goondiwindi McDonalds 11 - 11.15am: Toowoomba Caltex June 6: 2.45 - 3pm: Sunny's in Moffat Beach 3.30 - 4.30pm: Coffee Cat in Kings Beach June 7: 10.45 - 11.30am: Stockland Caloundra Shopping Centre - Coffee Club and Kmart stores 12.10 - 12.45pm: Bunnings in Caloundra 1 - 2pm: Kawana Shoppingworld June 8: 3.50pm - 4pm: Baringa IGA in Caloundra Advertisement

Deputy Commissioner Steve Gollschewski said Queensland Police will be investigating why the couple entered into the sunshine state.

'We've got a couple that have come from Victoria, when Victoria's in lockdown, into Queensland,' he said.

'We'll examine all those issues around passes - whether they were appropriate and what has happened - it is too early to say.

'It's really important for us to remind the whole community that we cannot possibly check every single person moving around the country.'

From Friday Victorians outside of Greater Melbourne will be able to visit Queensland without having to undergo quarantine.

Several venues across both NSW and Queensland have been put on alert (pictured Covid-19 testing clinic in Brisbane)

It comes as a Melbourne family-of-three who tried to escape lockdown by flying from Sydney to Auckland have been forced into hotel quarantine.

The trio will have to pay for their two week stint in an Auckland quarantine facility with New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern warning there will be consequences for the rule breakers.

The family had driven to Sydney before boarding a plane across the ditch last week when they were caught at the border.

It's believed the trio had not declared they had been in Covid-affected Melbourne and had travelled to New Zealand to attend a funeral, the NZ Herald reported.

They face up to six months in prison and a $4,000 fine if they're found to have breached Trans-tasman bubble laws.
A Victorian prisoner repeatedly warned authorities not to free him and threatened to go on a killing spree if released so he could return to jail.

Ali Jalal last year told his psychologist he'd commit an extreme act of violence if let out. He later told a corrections staffer it was up to the judge to take a risk and gamble with an innocent person's life.

Letters were found in the 34-year-old Iraqi-born man's cell addressed to counter-terror police. One said 'death to all Muslims' and another 'white power'.

Ali Jalal penned a string of disturbing letters while held at Victoria's Barwon prison (pictured)

In a separate intercepted letter, Jalal wrote he was an angry man with extreme views and inspired by the Christchurch gunman.

Jalal has personality disorders and is effectively institutionalised after spending eight years in custody since 2013, Victoria's County Court was told on Wednesday.

His sentence for robbery expired in 2019.

He repeatedly told Victoria Police, Corrections Victoria and his psychologist he'd target 'any random person' or someone 'who looked at him funny' if let out so he could be imprisoned again.

'If you let me out, I'm going to kill a lot of people,' Jalal said.

'I'll f***ing murder every single one of them.'

Jalal pleaded guilty to 5 counts of making threats to kill someone and one count of threatening to inflict serious injury. He was locked up inside Barwon prison (pictured) for eight years

He pleaded guilty to five counts of making threats to kill and one count of threatening to inflicting serious injury for the comments made between October 2020 and April this year.

They included Jalal saying he'd 'manipulate the f***' out of the judge and corrections staff and there'd be a public inquiry about why he was let out.

Appearing in court via video link, Jalal said 'all this started when I was denied access to religious materials'.

'I'm in a toxic cycle in prison,' he also told Judge Duncan Allen.

'My only human interactions are with officers who pat me down and strip search me.'

Judge Allen said it appeared Jalal had become institutionalised and was frightened about how he'd cope in the community.

'These letters, these threats ... they're effectively 'I'm saying these things to convince you, you have to keep me locked up,' the judge said.

Acting for Jalal, barrister Rishi Nathwani said the man did not intend to do any of the things he threatened, but was trying to get what he wanted from authorities.

This behaviour was linked to Jalal's under-privileged background, which caused his personality disorders, Mr Nathwani said.

Jalal was classified as a serious violent offender and he'd inevitably serve more jail time, the court was told.

Corrections Victoria said it could not manage Jalal on a community order given his mental health needs, and the risk he posed to staff and the public.

He was remanded to reappear in court for a further pre-sentence hearing on June 22.

Lifeline 13 11 14
A bitter race row has torn apart a rural community in far north New Zealand after the landlady of one of the town's pubs was filmed calling a local a 'Maori slapper'.

Taipa Tavern publican Carol Delamore was caught on video apparently saying she was 'very racist' as she slurred insults at the pub-goer in the bar on Sunday night.

But it's the latest escalation of rising racial tensions in the tiny township which has seen the pub and locals exchange barbs on social media over Maori names and spellings.

On Sunday though, Ms Delamore was filmed calling one female regular 'a Maori slapper' and later lashing out at the pub-goer's phone as she tried to film the confrontation.

A 36-second video was later published on a local website, which sent Ms Delamore into hiding.

The pub, 300km north of Auckland, told Daily Mail Australia the co-owner was not available and declined to comment further.

The video clip opens with the person behind the phone asking the grey-haired Ms Delamore: 'What did you call me?'

'A Maori slapper,' replies the woman. 'You are a slapper.'

'Are you racist?' says the holder of the phone and Ms Delamore appears to say: 'I'm very racist' before she is led away by friends who step in to deny the claim.

A bitter race row has torn apart a tiny community in far north New Zealand after the landlady of Taipa Tavern (left), 300km north of Auckland, was filmed calling a local a 'Maori slapper'. Publican Carol Delamore (right) was caught on video looking tired and emotional in the bar as she slurred insults at the pub-goer on Sunday night.

'Why did she call me a MAORI slapper?' demands the woman filming.

'Because she's had too much up here,' says an elderly man. 'What does that mean?' asks the woman.

Before he can reply though, the grey-haired woman lets fly with more abuse that's been censored out of the published video.

Ms Delamore has to be restrained as the woman filming approaches before she wriggles free to slap the phone away as the clip ends amid more censored swearing.

A six-month battle on Facebook preceded last weekend's incident on video amid increasing anger about the pub's refusal to correctly spell local Maori place names correctly or fix errors after they are pointed out.

Ms Delamore (seen here on the right in her Facebook profile picture) was filmed lashing out at the pub-goer's phone (left) as she tried to film the confrontation

'The publican made derogatory comments as the bar was closing, and we were leaving. She hit my phone out of my hand when she realised I was recording the incident,' the patron told local website Newshub.

'The publican has previously raised debate in our small community for her incorrect use of te reo. We are a small community and this is our local tavern - we should feel safe to go out and not be abused by pub owners.

'I hope she makes changes to create a safe environment in her licensed premises for all patrons, including Maori women.'
Pubs, farms and stately homes have teamed up to ask for restrictions to be relaxed so more campsites can be opened this summer.

Sites can currently be opened for 56 days without planning permission, which is double the number allowed pre-pandemic.

But a campaign group said the looser restrictions do not go far enough to help businesses struggling amid lockdown.

Carry on Camping now wants loosened rules from June until October, a full six months, to allow landowners to make the most of a rush in demand.

It comes as minister George Eustice was rapped for telling Britons not to go abroad for holidays.

Dan Yates, managing director of PitchUp, is behind the camping campaign told the BBC it was 'all about making the most of the weather'.

He said the current legislation wasn't enough to justify the work businessowners need to put in to make their sites ready for holidaymakers.

Dan Yates, managing director of PitchUp, has urged the camping allowance to be extended

Chatsworth Estate in Derbyshire is welcoming people to camp over the next few months

Mr Yates said a change in the rules could help owners earn up to 50,000-a-season as many of those looking to offer temporary pitches are wedding venues.

He added: 'No other type of accommodation in Britain can scale up to meet customer demand.

'This is all about making the most of the weather.

'We've had the 28-day rule a long time, and for most businesses it wasn't viable to plumb in toilets, train staff and take a chance on the forecast.

'Fifty-six is a whole different ball game - but we need longer.'

Landlady Fiona Kirby offers pitches for 15-a-night behind the Devonshire Arms in the Peak District. 'It's been amazing,' she said.

The government has extended the period people can camp without a planning licence

Happy campers? The rules on pop-up sites Central Government grants 56 day temporary uses through legislation. You cannot operate different temporary uses each for 56 days such as 56 days use for camping and 56 days for car parking. The 56 days limit is the total allowed for all temporary uses cumulatively. Some uses are limited further such as trials of speed. You cannot have 56 days of camping in one field and then another 56 in another. The limit applies to the whole land holding, not only the field or parcel. Every day that tents are on the land counts towards the 56 days even if they are not occupied. This means that you cannot put up tents at Easter and leave them up until the end of August. Advertisement

'We've been full every night we've been open.'

Chatsworth Estate in Derbyshire is another one of the venues welcoming camping for the period.

Sally Ambrose, head of visitor experience, told Radio 4 it would be helpful if the rule could be extended.

She added: 'It is important for all the local tourism and hospitality businesses.

'They have suffered tremendously from not being able to welcome guests and visitors.

'We would love it to be extended and we would also love it to be repeated in next year or the year after.

'I am constantly speaking to colleagues in the sector and we are all rallying together to help people in the industry.'

The Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government is responsible for the regulation in England and Wales.

A spokesperson said: 'We have doubled the number of days temporary campsites can operate as part of our support for businesses and local economies during the pandemic.

'These measures are in place until the end of the year and we are keeping them under review.'

In Scotland and Northern Ireland, more relaxed camping rules are already in place.

Environment Secretary George Eustice advised Britons not to book overseas breaks this week

The camping call just two days after travel bosses were enraged by a minister who said the public should not go on foreign holidays 'unless it's absolutely necessary'.

Environment Secretary George Eustice advised Britons not to book overseas breaks and instead travel at home because 'we've got some great places here'.

Anyone who does book a trip abroad should understand that there are risks, he warned.

The comments were met with fury by the travel industry, which said the traffic light system appeared to be dead little more than three weeks after coming into force.

Adding to the confusion, it emerged that the Foreign Office is still declaring Portugal safe for holidays despite it being downgraded to amber.

It has refused to advise against non-essential travel to Portugal and the islands of Madeira and the Azores.

This will fuel suspicions that ministers went further than Joint Biosecurity Centre data suggested they should when they moved Portugal to amber without first putting it on a watch list to warn of a possible change.

Mr Eustice hinted the chance of the green list expanding was slim due to the risk of importing new variants.

Asked if it would be better for the public to go on holiday in the UK, he told Sky News: 'Our advice all along has been don't travel unless it's absolutely necessary.'

However, the Prime Minister's spokesman suggested the comments were not in line with official advice, and that Mr Eustice was 'speaking personally about his own plans to holiday at home'.
Heavily-armed tactical officers smashed down the door of an alleged drug kingpin with a battering ram before storming the property as part of Operation Ironside.

Dramatic bodycam footage from Australia's most audacious organised crime sting shows police make their way through a house at Upper Coomera on the Gold Coast, where they allegedly uncovered cocaine, MDMA, steroids, large sums of cash, ammunition, three mobile phones, scales and a gel blaster handgun.

The 35-year-old man charged with serious drug offences also had an impressive collection of designer caps.

He appeared in Southport Magistrates Court today charged with three counts of trafficking dangerous drugs, four counts of possession of a dangerous drug and one count each of possessing explosives and dealing in the proceeds of crime.

Another property at Mermaid Waters was also raided on Monday where a 41-year-old was arrested for alleged drug trafficking.

The raids were among 36 warrants executed over the past few days in Queensland as part of Operation Ironside - resulting in 258kg of illicit drugs being taken off the street and 38 arrests.

Heavily-armed tactical officers smashed down the door of an alleged drug kingpin with a battering ram before storming the property as part of Operation Ironside

Dramatic bodycam footage from Australia's most audacious organised crime sting shows police make their way through a house at Upper Coomera on the Gold Coast

The 35-year-old man charged with serious drug offences also had an impressive collection of designer caps (pictured hanging on the wall)

Across the rest of Australia, authorities sensationally carried out the country's biggest ever organised crime bust this week, announcing 224 people had been arrested as a result of an elaborate sting using technology designed by the FBI.

Some of Australia's most sinister criminal networks began using 'AN0M' branded phones and encrypted messaging almost three years ago, not realising the Federal Police were using the platform to read their messages.

A huge overnight bust in Australia saw 4,000 officers storm the underworld after gangsters were monitored for 18 months using the AN0M app, which has also been deployed by police in the US and Britain.

Through the covert operation, detectives allegedly foiled 21 murder plots - saving the lives of a family of five - and shut down gun distribution and mass drug trafficking rings, with Mafia bosses, bikies and reality TV stars among those arrested.

The app gained currency in the underworld after being promoted by criminal figures including Australia's most wanted man, suspected drug lord Hakan Ayik, after first being distributed by police informants.

Australian police have warned Ayik - dubbed the 'Facebook gangster' for the flashy lifestyle he shows off on social media - he is a marked man after unwittingly peddling the 'trojan horse' app to his underworld associates.

Queensland Police are pictured after uncovering a sizeable stack of cash

Cocaine, MDMA, steroids, large sums of cash, ammunition, three mobile phones, a money counter, scales and a gel blaster handgun were allegedly uncovered as part of the raid

A firearm was seized during 36 raids carried out over Queensland as part of Operation Ironside

With the alleged 'Aussie cartel' now crippled thanks to the cunning international scheme, police say they want suspected drug kingpin Hakan Ayik, now hiding in Turkey, to turn himself in and protect his family.

AFP Commissioner Reece Kershaw said the man nicknamed the 'Facebook Gangster' is now facing the threat of reprisals after he unwittingly encouraged other criminals to use the app.

'Given the threat he faces, he's best off handing himself into us as soon as he can,' he says.

'He was one of the coordinators of this particular device, so he's essentially set up his own colleagues.'

An indoor cannabis crop is located by police as part of Operation Ironside

Pictured: A gel blaster handgun, which are illegal in Australia was seized during the raids

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the AFP operation, known as Operation Ironside, had struck a 'heavy blow' against organised crime.

'The operation puts Australia at the forefront of the fight against criminals who peddle in human misery and ultimately, it will keep our communities and Australians safe,' he said on Tuesday.

'Illicit drug use ruins lives and fuels organised crime.'

AFP Commissioner Reece Kershaw said federal agents had been in the 'back pockets' of criminals through the encryption app.

The idea, Mr Kershaw said, came over a 'couple of beers' between officers and FBI agents years back.

'The FBI had the lead on this. We provided the technical capability to decrypt those messages,' he said.

'Some of the best ideas come over a couple of beers.'

Australia's most wanted Hakan Ayik (centre) was influential in spreading the AN0M app through his criminal networks, it has been claimed
Global Mobile Mapping Market is anticipated to reach US$ 55.8 billion by 2026, according to a new research published by Polaris Market Research. In 2017, the travel and logistics segment dominated the global mobile mapping industry, in terms of revenue. North America is expected to be the leading contributor to the global market revenue during the forecast period.

The penetration of mobile devices, and growing applications of mobile mapping in sectors such as automotive, transportation, telecommunication, mining, BFSI, and defense among others have boosted the growth of the overall industry. The increasing demand for location-based services, improved network connectivity, and improvement of components and mapping software support the market growth. Use of geospatial information in applications such as infrastructure management, risk and emergency management, urban planning, resource management, and logistics has increased the demand of mobile mapping solutions over the years. Increasing investments by vendors in technological advancements coupled with increasing applications in city planning and development of smart cities would support the growth of this market during the forecast period. Growing demand from emerging economies, and advancements in mapping analytics are factors expected to provide numerous growth opportunities to the mobile mapping industry in the coming years.

Request for a sample of this research report @ https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/mobile-mapping-market/request-for-sample

The adoption of mobile mapping is rising at a significant rate worldwide. Mobile mapping is increasingly being used for various applications such as BFSI, government, defense & intelligence, agriculture & forestry, telecommunication, transportation, real estate, and others. Varied applications of this technology include topographic mapping, infrastructure planning, traffic management, GIS data collection, asset management, land survey, imaging services, emergency response planning, and others and others. Defense and military sectors utilize mobile mapping on a large basis primarily for geospatial mapping. The increasing concern for security has led the defense sector to become a prominent buyer for geospatial intelligence and mapping services all over the world.

North America generated the highest revenue in 2017 and is expected to lead throughout the forecast period. The increasing applications in the transportation and logistics sectors have increased the demand of mobile mapping in the region. Growing use in defense, and government sectors further boosts the market growth. Local players are introducing low cost solutions with high performance to cater to the growing consumer demand. Numerous key players have adopted partnership and expansion strategies to increase their market share in the region. Asia-Pacific is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period

Complete Summary with TOC Available @ https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/mobile-mapping-market

The well-known companies profiled in the mobile mapping market report include Microsoft Corporation, Foursquare Labs, Inc., Tomtom NV, Mapquest, Inc., Trimble Navigation Ltd., Apple Inc., Google Inc., Leica Geosystems Inc., Garmin International, and EveryScape, Inc. 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.

 Mobile Mapping Market Size and Forecast, 2018-2026 by Type

o Location Based Services

o 3D Mapping

o Location Based Search

o Indoor Mapping

o Licensing

o Others

 Mobile Mapping Market Size and Forecast, 2018-2026 by Component

o Hardware

o Software

o Services

 Mobile Mapping Market Size and Forecast, 2018-2026 by Application

o GIS Data Collection

o Asset management

o Land Survey

o Imaging Services

o Emergency Response Planning

o Others

 Mobile Mapping Market Size and Forecast, 2018-2026 by End-User

o Banking, Financial Services and Insurance

o Transportation and Logistics

o Telecommunication

o Agriculture

o Mining

o Defense

o Public Sector

o Others

 Mobile Mapping Market Size and Forecast, 2018-2026 by Region

o North America

 U.S.

 Canada

o Europe

 Germany

 UK

 France

 Italy

 Spain

 Russia

 Rest of Europe

o Asia-Pacific

 China

 India

 Japan

 Korea

 Australia

 Singapore

 Rest of Asia-Pacific

o Latin America

 Brazil

 Mexico

 Rest of LATAM

o Middle East & Africa

 Saudi Arabia

 UAE

 South Africa

 Rest of MEA

Avail discount on this report @ https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/mobile-mapping-market/request-for-discount-pricing

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-

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Police have arrested a mother after a nearly 12-hour hunt following the discovery of her autistic son's body dumped on a Las Vegas hiking trail.

Samantha Moreno Rodriguez, 35, is now facing court charged with the murder of seven-year-old Liam Husted, who was found in the early hours of May 28.

She was arrested at a roadside hotel in Denver, Colorado by the Denver Rocky Mountain Safe Streets Task Force on Tuesday morning, pending extradition to Las Vegas.

Las Vegas police Lieutenant Ray Spencer said Rodriguez was with a man when she was found but police do not believe he had 'any involvement whatsoever in this case.'

'We are all relieved that we were able to get her into custody so quickly,' said Spencer, the homicide lieutenant who had made nearly daily pleas for public help to identify the child's body after it was discovered by hikers.

Spencer would not say during a news conference on Tuesday how Husted died or describe a motive for the killing. He referred to a coroner's investigation and toxicology tests, which can take weeks to complete.

However he did say it was clear that the boy had been killed in the remote Mountain Springs area where he was found.

Police have arrested a mother after a nearly 12-hour hunt following the discovery of her autistic son's body dumped on a Las Vegas hiking trail. Samantha Moreno Rodriguez (pictured), 35, is now facing court charged with the murder of seven-year-old Liam Husted, who was found in the early hours of May 28

Left: A photo provided by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department of Samantha Moreno Rodriguez who has been charged with murder over the killing of her seven-year old son Liam Husted (right) whose body was found near a highway outside Las Vegas 10 days ago

In San Jose, the boy's grandfather told The Mercury News that Husted had lived with his mother and father, Nick Husted.

He said the boy had special education needs, attending a learning center for autistic children and had a home counselor for behavioral issues though outside help ended during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Spencer has previously described a 'heartbreaking conversation' with the child's father following his identification and has confirmed that the father is not a suspect in the killing.

The homicide lieutenant had also said there was 'nothing that would indicate any prior abuse that we're aware of'.

The boy's father found a letter after Rodriguez and Liam left home. It included the lines: 'I'm sorry I had to do it like this,' and 'I'm going to try to get a house for Liam and I and we can talk about this in the future,' Spencer said.

Spencer added that the father reported Husted missing on June 1, a week after finding the letter, but said he did not think his son was in danger.

Rodriguez's arrest comes a day after police revealed Husted's identity and stated that his mother was a suspect in this death.

This followed the release of digitally enhanced images of the boy in a bid to help identify him.

Prior to her arrest, Rodriguez was last seen on May 31 alone at a Denver-area hotel. She was last seen with Husted on May 26 - two days before he was found dead.

Spencer said the mother and son left San Jose on May 24, driving a dark blue 2007 Dodge Caliber sedan with the back seat packed full of belongings.

Pictured: Artist's renderings created by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and distributed Thursday, June 3, 2021, by the FBI and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department depict a slain boy, who was later identified as Liam Husted from San Jose

Husted's body was found by hikers behind a bush on Mountain Springs Trailhead between Las Vegas and Pahrump, Nevada. The police official had said it was clear the boy was killed, but did not say on Monday how Husted had died

Pictured: A grab from a Fox 2 news report showing the site where the boy's body was found, and flowers people have left for him

A family friend told San Jose police on Friday that she had not seen Rodriguez or Husted in more than a week. Pictured: The site where Husted's body was found

A family friend told San Jose police on Friday that she had not seen Rodriguez or Husted in more than a week, and she recognized the boy from a rendering that was prepared by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and distributed by the media.

Husted and Rodriguez were seen on May 26 in Laguna Beach, California, and Victorville, California, an Interstate 15 city about 190 miles southwest of Las Vegas, Spencer said.

Husted's body was found shortly after dawn May 28 behind a bush at a trailhead off the main highway between Las Vegas and rural Pahrump.

He became the focus of an intense public campaign that on Thursday included an offer from the FBI of up to $10,000 for information to identify him and his assailant.

Spencer did not say if anyone became eligible for the reward, and no FBI official spoke on Monday with reporters.

Police are still trying to determine where the mother and boy stayed on May 26, Spencer said.

Police believe the body was left near State Route 160 after dark May 27.

Before Husted was identified, authorities released digitally enhanced images of an unidentified boy, developed by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children - based on images shared by the medical examiner.

They were released on Thursday, June 3, along with news of the $10,000 reward for anyone with information pointing to the boy's identity.

The renderings painted a vivid picture of an eight-to-10-year-old Hispanic boy dubbed John 'Little Zion' Doe, who was later identified as Husted.

The FBI and the LVMPD both say the child was a victim of homicide. They believe his body was found within 24 hours of his death

Pictured: The mother and son left San Jose on May 24 driving a dark blue 2007 Dodge Caliber sedan with the back seat packed full of belongings

The images were created on Adobe Photoshop, and authorities said they hoped they would identify the boy sooner thanks to the stark details drawn by the artists.

Colin McNally, the supervisor for the imaging unit at the NCMEC, told Las Vegas station KVVU that the images 'open up the eyes, sort of clean up the tissue damage, (and) change the perspective of the image so that its turned upright'.

'These images are really important to make sure were capturing what this child wouldve looked like - it's not just creating a face to put out with the case, but making this truly specific to this child based on the image that we have ... to go along with the case information in the hopes that someone will recognize him and give the child his name back,' McNally said.

The boy's body was spotted at around 7.30am on May 28 by a group of hikers on Mountain Springs Trailhead, near mile marker 20 off State Route 160 between the cities of Las Vegas and Pahrump.

The Las Vegas Metro Police Department and the FBI's Las Vegas division say the child was a victim of homicide.

They believe the body was found within 24 hours of his death.

'I was just shaken,' said Shawna Burke, 63, who lives close to where the body was found, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. 'Nothing ever happens up here.'
El Salvador has become the world's first nation to approve bitcoin as legal tender after the country's congress voted to approve it in law on Tuesday.

'The #BitcoinLaw has just been approved by a qualified majority' in the legislative assembly, El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele tweeted after the vote on Tuesday.

'History!' the president added, before noting that 'the government will guarantee the convertibility to the exact value in dollars at the moment of each transaction.'

El Salvador has become the world's first nation to approve bitcoin as legal tender after the country's congress voted to approve the it in law on Tuesday, the country's president Nayib Bukele (pictured on June 6) announced on Twitter

He said a majority of 62 out of 84 lawmakers approved the bill, which he proposed last week.

The law passed with the support of Bukele's allies despite minority opposition parties - who had criticised the speed of the vote - refusing to back it.

Before the vote, Bukele said adopting the cryptocurrency would bring 'financial inclusion, investment, tourism, innovation and economic development' to the country.

The 39-year-old president, who has maintained approval ratings above 90 percent and made Twitter his preferred way of communicating, characterized it as an idea that could help El Salvador move forward.

The Salvadoran leader has hailed bitcoin as 'the fastest growing way to transfer' billions of dollars in remittances and to prevent millions from being lost to intermediaries.

El Salvador's dollarized economy relies heavily on money sent back from workers abroad, with remittances from Salvadorans working overseas representing a major chunk of the economy - equivalent to roughly 22 percent of Gross Domestic Product.

In 2020, remittances to the country totaled $5.9 billion, according to official reports, and about one quarter of El Salvador's citizens live in the United States.

El Salvador - a small nation where four out of 10 people live in poverty - has turned to the top crypto asset that has been backed by billionaires like Elon Musk and large financial companies such as PayPal in a bid to boost its remittance-reliant economy.

The president said a majority of 62 out of 84 lawmakers approved the bill, which he proposed last week. Pictured: Roberto Carlos Silva, owner of La Zontena store, poses at his business where he accepts Bitcoins at El Zonte Beach in Chiltiupan, El Salvador June 8, 2021

'This is a law that will put El Salvador on the world's radar, we will be more attractive for foreign investment,' Romeo Auerbach, deputy of the Grand Alliance for National Unity party, an ally of Bukele, said.

But experts have said the country's move to bitcoin could complicate talks with the IMF, where El Salvador is seeking a more than $1 billion program.

Stephen McKeon, a finance professor at the University of Oregon who studies cryptocurrencies, told Reuters earlier this week that Bitcoin is legal to own in most countries but has never before been designated as legal tender, which would mean it could be used to to settle financial obligations, including taxes.

But, he added, 'It is unclear whether anyone desires to pay their taxes in Bitcoin.'

Bukele's New Ideas party holds a supermajority in the new congress seated May 1, giving any legislative proposal from the president a strong likelihood of passage.

In the week before the vote in Congress, the president said 70 percent of El Salvador's population does not have a bank account and works in the informal economy. Bitcoin could improve financial inclusion, he said.

Riding his high popularity and his party's dominance performance in February 28 elections, Bukele has concentrated power. His party's supermajority in congress ousted the justices of the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court May 1.

They then replaced the attorney general.

They had been critical of some of Bukele's more drastic measures during the pandemic, including a mandatory stay-at-home order and containment centers where those caught violating the policy were detained.

Pictured: A man poses for a picture outside of a small restaurant at El Zonte Beach in Chiltiupan, El Salvador June 8, 2021, with a sign saying 'Bitcoin Beach' behind him

While enjoying a positive relationship with former U.S. President Donald Trump, Bukele has had a much more tense relationship with the administration of President Joe Biden.

Last month, the White House Special Envoy for the Northern Triangle Ricardo Zuniga said during a visit to El Salvador that the U.S. government would like to see El Salvador reverse the moves against the court and the attorney general. Bukele said that would not happen.

Bukele's concentration of power, attacks on critics and open disdain for checks on his power have raised concerns about El Salvador's path.

However, Bukele has a wide base of support in part due to the utter failure of the country's traditional parties who ruled during the past 30 years to improve people's lives and to his ability to provide short-term benefits.

Bukele has been praised for aggressively obtaining COVID-19 vaccines and running an efficient vaccination program far more successful than El Salvador's neighbors.

The cryptocurrency market grew to more than $2.5 trillion in mid-May 2020, according to the Coinmarketcap page, driven by interest from increasingly serious investors from Wall Street to Silicon Valley.

But the volatility of bitcoin - currently priced at $34,256.50 (24,159.40) - and its murky legal status has raised questions about whether it could ever replace traditional currency in day-to-day transactions.

The passage of the law in El Salvador came as Bitcoin slumped by ten percent in 24 hours on Tuesday morning amid questions over the cryptocurrency's security.

It came after FBI investigators in the U.S. revealed they had been able to access a hacker's digital wallet and retrieve part of a ransom paid over the cyberattack that shut down the Colonial Pipeline last month.

The Salvadoran leader has hailed bitcoin as 'the fastest growing way to transfer' billions of dollars in remittances and to prevent millions from being lost to intermediaries.

The world's largest cryptocurrency's value dropped to $32,154 Tuesday morning, but was back up to $34,256.50 by Wednesday morning.

Bitcoin's value has dropped by nearly in half recent weeks after surging to an all-time high of $63,000 in April, shaking confidence in the market.

But the digital currency is still up 9 percent since the start of the year, and has more than tripled in price from a year ago, according to CNBC.

Smaller digital coins also slumped Tuesday, with Ether falling 13 percent to $2,396 and XRP falling 12 percent to $0.82.

The slump comes after U.S. officials said they seized $2.3 million of a $4.4million bitcoin ransom which was paid to hacker group after it shut down the Georgia-based Colonial Pipeline, causing fuel shortages and panic buying at the pump.

Court documents said investigators had access to the password for a bitcoin wallet allegedly belonging to one of the hackers, and were able to retrieve the funds.

The U.S.' largest pipeline, which supplies roughly half the fuel consumed on the East Coast, temporarily shut down its operations on May 7 after hacker group DarkSide broke into its computer system.

The world's largest cryptocurrency's value dropped to $32,154.73 Tuesday morning amid security concerns following a cyberattack

Colonial officials said they took their pipeline system offline before the attack could spread to its operating system, and decided to pay a 75 Bitcoin ransom, which equals about $4.4million, in hopes of bringing the pipeline back online as soon as they could.

Bitcoin has struggled in recent weeks amid fears of renewed regulatory scrutiny in China, and critical tweets by tech kingpin Elon Musk.

Musk has been a major promoter of cryptocurrencies but has turned critical of bitcoin since suspending Tesla plans to take it in payment for cars, owing to concerns about the energy use required to 'mine' the digital coins

Many crypto specialists have struggled to understand the motives behind his tweets.

'He's trolling the community,' Bobby Ong, co-founder of crypto data aggregator and analytics website CoinGecko said last week.

A slew of crypto-related accounts in China's Twitter-like Weibo platform were blocked over the weekend, as Beijing stepped up a crackdown on bitcoin trading and mining.

More actions are expected, including linking illegal crypto activities in China more directly with the country's criminal law, according to analysts and a financial regulator.

Last month, China's State Council, or cabinet, vowed to crack down on bitcoin mining and trading, escalating a campaign against cryptocurrencies days after three industry bodies banned crypto-related financial and payment services.

Over the weekend, access to several of widely followed crypto-related Weibo accounts was denied, with a message saying each account 'violates laws and rules.'
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The Oxford student who tabled the motion to remove an 'unwelcoming' portrait of the Queen from Magdalen College's common room is a privately educated American post grad who went to school with Barack Obama's daughter, it can be revealed today.

Matthew Katzman is a lecturer in computer science and the son of a top lawyer at international firm Steptoe & Johnson. His family live in a 4million mansion in Washington DC, where he attended $48,000-a-year Sidwell Friends School, a historic Quaker private college.

It is likely he counted Malia Obama, 22, as a contemporary at the elite institution, whose other alumni include Nancy Reagan, President Bill Clinton's daughter, Chelsea, the grandchildren of Joe Biden during his vice-presidency, and the offspring of Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and Richard Nixon.

The 25-year-old brought forward the measure to 'cancel' the Queen in his role as president of Magdalen's Middle Common Room (MCR), which is made up of graduates.

Before Oxford, where he is studying for a PhD in 'complexity theory', he gained a bachelor's degree in mathematics and a masters in theoretical computer science at Stanford.

In an online biography, Mr Katzman lists his non-academic interests as CrossFit, poker, board games, playing the trumpet and Spartan Races - a popular series of long-distance obstacle courses.

The move generated a huge backlash today, with Education Secretary Gavin Williamson calling it 'absurd', and Oxford University's Chancellor Lord Patten condemning the students for being 'offensive and obnoxiously ignorant'.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson this afternoon said backed Mr Williamson's criticism, with a No 10 spokesman saying: 'You have had the Education Secretary's words, which the PM supports.'

Matthew Katzman (pictured), tables all motions as part of his position as President of the Middle Common Room (MCR) at Magdalen College, Oxford

In a statement, Mr Katzman (pictured) told MailOnline: 'The Magdalen College MCR voted yesterday to remove an inexpensive print of the queen that was hung in the common room a few years ago (a motion I brought forward in my role as MCR President as I do all motions raised in a sub-committee)'

MCR members agreed to remove the photographic print of the Queen by a substantial majority after deciding it was 'unwelcoming' because the monarch represents 'recent colonial history', with one student commenting that 'patriotism and colonialism are not really separable'.

The committee will now explore replacing the portrait with 'art by or of other influential and inspirational people' and subject any future depictions of the Royal Family to a vote, according to committee minutes that have not been released to the public.

Oxford, like all public universities, benefits from large amounts of taxpayers' money to fund research, eight percent (196million) in the form of direct grants from the Office for Students and Research England and 16% (392m) from tuition fees, many of which are backed by government loans.

The row comes amid growing concern at the rise of intolerance and 'cancel culture' at British universities, which ministers have vowed to tackle.

However, Mr Katzman, the son of commercial lawyer Scott Katzman, 65, claimed the move did not 'equate to a statement on the Queen' but said the painting was being taken down to create 'a welcoming, neutral place for all members regardless of background, demographic, or views'.

Magdalen - whose alumni include CS Lewis and Oscar Wilde - has indicated it will not attempt to reverse the decision, despite its long association with royalty. This includes visits from the Queen in 1948 to receive an Honorary Degree and again in 2008 to mark the college's 550th anniversary.

The print was bought and put up by a previous group of students in 2008, and shows the monarch in a white gown and blue sash. It is based on a 1952 photograph taken by Dorothy Wilding to mark her accession and coronation (pictured)

Before Oxford, where Mr Kutzman is studying for a PhD in 'complexity theory', he gained a bachelor's degree in mathematics and a masters in theoretical computer science at Stanford

Mr Katzman lists Spartan Races among his interests. This is a form of long-distance racing over an obstacle course

In an online biography, Mr Katzman lists his non-academic interests as CrossFit, poker, board games and playing the trumpet

The trumpet-playing millionaire lawyer's son who went to elite private school with Obama's daughter - and has a passion for poker and Spartan Races The student who tabled the motion to remove the Queen's portrait is a privately educated academic high achiever who graduated from Stanford University to become a lecturer in computer science at Oxford. Matthew Katzman is the son of Scott Katzman, 65, a lawyer specialising in mergers and acquisitions, cryptocurrency and finance. His family live in a 4million mansion. His mother is called Sandy. The 25-year-old, who grew up in Washington DC before attending the $48,000-a-year Sidwell Friends School - which was founded by Quakers in 1883. It is likely he counted Malia Obama, 22, as a contemporary. The elite institution's distinguished list of alumni include Nancy Reagan, President Bill Clinton's daughter, Chelsea, the grandchildren of Joe Biden during his vice-presidency, and the offspring of Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and Richard Nixon. Mr Katzman is a trustee of Magdalen College Trust, which manages donations from alumni. His studies are partly funded by Deep Mind, a leading British artificial intelligence company The student lists playing the trumpet among his non-academic hobbies Mr Katzman earned a bachelor's degree in mathematics and a masters in theoretical computer science and is now studying for a PhD in 'complexity theory'. In his role as Middle Common Room president, Matthew Katzman is in charge of tabling all motions that are proposed by members. Speaking to MailOnline, he said that the move was intended to make the common room a 'neutral place for all members regardless of background, demographic, or views'. In an online biography he lists his other interests as CrossFit, poker, board games, playing the trumpet and Spartan Races - a popular series of long-distance obstacle courses. Mr Katzman is the son of Scott Katzman, 60, a lawyer specialising in mergers and acquisitions, cryptocurrency and finance Describing his academic background, he says: 'I studied for a BS with Distinction and Honors in Mathematics alongside an MS in Computer Science at Stanford University. While there, I assisted in the teaching of courses in mathematics, algorithms/complexity, machine learning/artificial intelligence, and computer systems. At Oxford, I have tutored courses in both algorithms/complexity and machine learning/artificial intelligence.' Mr Katzman is a trustee of Magdalen College Trust, which manages donations from alumni. His studies are partly funded by Deep Mind, a leading British artificial intelligence company. Advertisement

Mr Katzman told MailOnline last night: 'The Magdalen College MCR yesterday [Monday] voted to remove an inexpensive print of the queen that was hung in the common room a few years ago (a motion I brought forward in my role as MCR President as I do all motions raised in a sub-committee).

'It is being stored securely and will remain in the MCR's art collection.

'The action was taken after a discussion of the purpose of such a space, and it was decided that the room should be a welcoming, neutral place for all members regardless of background, demographic, or views.

'The Royal Family is on display in many areas of the college, and it was ultimately agreed that it was an unnecessary addition to the common room.

'The views of the MCR do not reflect the views of Magdalen College, and the aesthetic decisions made by the voting members of its committee do not equate to a statement on the Queen.

'Indeed, no stance was taken on the Queen or the Royal Family  the conclusion was simply that there were better places for this print to be hung.'

The print was bought and put up by a previous group of students in 2008, and shows the monarch in a white gown and blue sash. It is based on a 1952 photograph taken by Dorothy Wilding to mark her accession and coronation.

Amid an intense backlash, the president of Magdalen College swiftly moved to distance the institution itself from the students involved, despite defending their right to make the decision.

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson weighed into the row, tweeting: 'Oxford University students removing a picture of the Queen is simply absurd. She is the Head of State and a symbol of what is best about the UK.

'During her long reign she has worked tirelessly to promote British values of tolerance, inclusivity and respect around the world.'

Oxford's vice-chancellor Lord Patten also intervened, saying: 'Freedom of speech allows even intelligent people to be offensive and obnoxiously ignorant.

'I hope it does not do too much damage to the reputation of the college. I am sure old members of the college will try to be charitable in their assessment.'

Sir John Hayes, chairman of the Common Sense Group of Conservative MPs, told The Telegraph: 'The sad thing is that you would think that the people of Magdalen College Oxford are reasonably bright, and this decision would suggest that they are not.

'The Queen is the head of the Commonwealth and respected across the world as such, and to try to suggest anything otherwise is a dishonest distortion. The people involved should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves.'

The MCR committee will now explore replacing the portrait with 'art by or of other influential and inspirational people' and subject any future depictions of the Royal Family to a vote, according to committee minutes that have not been published.

Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick today called the row 'student union politics' but said he was 'proud' to have a portrait of the monarch in his office.

'Well, this really is student union politics, and I'm not going to get involved in that - it's their decision,' he told BBC Breakfast.

'I have a portrait of the Queen on my office wall in my Government department and I'm proud to do so.'

Asked about Gavin Williamson's comments, Mr Jenrick said: 'I'm a huge fan and supporter of Her Majesty the Queen, I think we are incredibly lucky to live in a country with a head of state of her stature.

'I wouldn't want anyone to disrespect her out of ignorance in this way but I don't think that we should waste too much time on student union politics.'

Others also criticised the move.

Former Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith said: 'This petulant and pathetic insult to Her Majesty the Queen is childish and pointless. It will change nothing.'

Toby Young, general secretary of the Free Speech Union and himself an Oxford graduate, said: 'The students are perfectly within their rights to remove this painting from their common room, but it is baffling that they associate the Queen with colonialism.

'I don't think these students realise how loved the Queen is by the people of the Commonwealth. It is only woke British students who feel offended by it.'

Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham said he 'does not support' the idea of removing the portrait.

'These kind of gestures are getting a bit out of hand,' he told Nick Ferrari on LBC.

'We should always respect the Queen but particularly now given things that have happened in the last few months. I don't support that.

'Let's get a sense of proportion and a bit of respect. People can air their views but those kind of gestures are divisive actually - they just divide people, and I don't think they achieve much, to be honest.'

The Queen walking through the cloisters at Magdalen College alongside college president David Clary during a visit on November 27, 2008

In an online biography Mr Katzman lists his non-academic interests as CrossFit, poker, board games, playing the trumpet and Spartan Races - a popular series of long-distance obstacle courses

Speaking to MailOnline, he said that the move was intended to make the common room a 'neutral place for all members regardless of background, demographic, or views'

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson (pictured) has slammed the 'absurd' cancelling of the Queen by Oxford students

Magdalen's rich history of kings and cognoscenti, from Laurence of Arabia to George Osborne Founded in 1458, Magdalen boasts a history of illustrious connections. Henry VIII's Archbishop Thomas Wolsey was an early alumni, and the college was also visited by Edward IV, Richard III and James I. More recent alumni include - John Betjeman, poet

Lord Alfred Douglas, poet

King Edward VIII

Malcolm Fraser, ex-Australian PM

William Hague, former Tory leader

Robert Hardy, actor

Ian Hislop, journalist

Nicholas Kristof, Pulitzer winner

TE Lawrence, archaeologist, army officer and diplomat better known as 'Lawrence of Arabia'

CS Lewis, writer

Dudley Moore, actor

George Osborne, former chancellor

Dr Erwin Schrodinger, physicist

Oscar Wilde, poet

AJP Taylor, historian

Jeremy Hunt, former health secretary

Andrew Lloyd-Webber, playwright. Advertisement

BBC TV presenter Richard Madeley asked: 'How can this make any sense when this queen has presided over the dismantling of what was left of empire?'

And Twitter user Samantha Smith added: 'The Queen was a pioneer of anti-racism in an era of widespread segregation and apartheid.

'Imagine trying to cancel the reigning monarch.'

Barrister Dinah Rose, who was appointed president of Magdalen College last year, emphasised that the students were not representative of the college, but supported their right to 'free speech and political debate'.

In a series of tweets, she said: 'Here are some facts about Magdalen College and HM the Queen.

'The Middle Common Room is an organisation of graduate students. They don't represent the College.

'A few years ago, in about 2013, they bought a print of a photo of the Queen to decorate their common room.

'They recently voted to take it down. Both of these decisions are their own to take, not the College's.

'Magdalen strongly supports free speech and political debate, and the MCR'S right to autonomy.

'Maybe they'll vote to put it up again, maybe they won't. Meanwhile, the photo will be safely stored.'

She finished: 'Being a student is about more than studying. It's about exploring and debating ideas. It's sometimes about provoking the older generation. Looks like that isn't so hard to do these days.'

Ms Rose also said college staff had been receiving abusive messages in the wake of the scandal.

'So if you are one of the people currently sending obscene and threatening messages to the College staff, you might consider pausing, and asking yourself whether that is really the best way to show your respect for the Queen,' she added.

Ms Rose was recently criticised for representing the Cayman Islands in a legal case in which the government opposed the legality of gay marriage. The lawyer has voiced her support for LGBT rights.

Twitter user Samantha Smith said: 'The Queen was a pioneer of anti-racism in an era of widespread segregation and apartheid. Imagine trying to cancel the reigning monarch'

How the Queen has helped change perceptions of Britain and the Royal Family During her reign, the Queen has overseen the growth of the Commonwealth - an organisation which aims to foster international co-operation and trade links between people all over the world. It has brought together dozens of countries, once under British rule, to be a unified, major global force for change. And in response to Harry and Meghan's explosive recent claims of institutionalised racism, the Queen is to appoint a diversity tsar to modernise the Monarchy. As part of a major drive encompassing Buckingham Palace, Clarence House and Kensington Palace, aides will undertake a 'listen and learn' exercise over the coming weeks which will involve speaking to a range of businesses and individuals about how the Monarchy can improve representation. Advertisement

On its website, Magdalen College Middle Common Room described itself as 'one of the biggest graduate communities of the traditional Oxford Colleges', with 200 members.

It states: 'Our graduates come from many different countries throughout the world, and have diverse interests, academic and otherwise.

'The MCR forms an integral part of the Magdalen graduate experience - not only do we organise social and cultural events for students so that we can make the utmost out of our time in Oxford, but we also provide a network of support for graduate life in representing the concerns of students to the College.'

Mr Williamson has been a vocal opponent of so called no-platforming of speakers on university campuses who hold controversial views.

In May, the Department for Education introduced new legislation to Parliament to protect the rights of visiting speakers through the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill.

If passed, the bill could see universities face fines if those invited to speak are cancelled as a result of their views.

For the first time, students' unions will also be required to take steps to protect the freedom of speech for both its members and visiting speakers.

The Office for Students (OfS), the higher education regulator in England, would have the power to impose fines on institutions if they breached this condition.

MailOnline has contacted Magdalen College (pictured) and members of the Middle Common Room executive committee for comment

Now black studies professor who sparked outrage by saying the Queen is the 'world's number one symbol of white supremacy' By Emer Scully A taxpayer-funded academic has labelled the Queen 'the number one symbol of white supremacy in the entire world'. Professor Kehinde Andrews, a campaigner who is regularly wheeled out on TV debates to air his divisive views, today said he did not know 'why it's such a big deal' Oxford University students voted to take down a picture of the Queen from their common room. Professor Kehinde Andrews on GMB today discussing the Magdalen row The professor of black studies at Birmingham City University - where senior lecturers receive an average base salary of 46,000 - has previously branded 'whiteness' a 'psychosis', called for the overthrow of 'genocidal' capitalism and repeatedly compared Sir Winston Churchill to Adolf Hitler. During a debate into whether the Queen had been cancelled today, Professor Andrews told Good Morning Britain: 'If we're honest the Queen doesn't just represent modern colonialism, the Queen is probably the number one symbol of white supremacy in the entire world. 'A born to rule elite of this really white family. The head of the commonwealth which is actually the empire.' Advertisement

Academics, students or visiting speakers will be able to seek compensation through the courts if they suffer loss from a breach of the free speech duties.

Mr Williamson said last month: 'Our legal system allows us to articulate views which others may disagree with as long as they don't meet the threshold of hate speech or inciting violence.

'This must be defended, nowhere more so than within our world-renowned universities.'

Mr Williamson said the measures were needed to counter 'the chilling effect of censorship on campus once and for all'.

During her reign, the Queen has overseen the growth of the Commonwealth - an organisation which aims to foster international co-operation and trade links between people all over the world.

It has brought together dozens of countries, once under British rule, to be a unified, major global force for change.

And in response to Harry and Meghan's explosive recent claims of institutionalised racism, the Queen is to appoint a diversity tsar to modernise the Monarchy.

As part of a major drive encompassing Buckingham Palace, Clarence House and Kensington Palace, aides will undertake a 'listen and learn' exercise over the coming weeks which will involve speaking to a range of businesses and individuals about how the Monarchy can improve representation.

The row at Magdalen comes after another university has apologised for sending staff a photograph of Prince Philip opening its library after it sparked complaints about the Duke's 'history of racist and sexist comments'.

Left-wingers working at King's College London reacted angrily to an email bulletin they received after the Duke's death in April, featuring a photograph of him opening the university's Maughan Library with the Queen in 2002.

Following weeks of simmering tensions, Joleen Clarke, the associate director at King's College libraries, sent out an extraordinary apology for the 'harm' caused by including the photo in her email.

'The picture was included as a historical reference point following his death,' she wrote last month.

'The inclusion of the picture was not intended to commemorate him.

'Through feedback and subsequent conversations, we have come to realise the harm that this caused members of our community, because of his history of racist and sexist comments. We are sorry to have caused this harm.'

Free speech campaigners and MPs condemned the apology, labelling it the latest example of a 'cancel culture' by woke activists on university campuses. Royal experts insisted it was wrong to accuse the Prince of being racist or sexist.

MailOnline has contacted Magdalen College and members of the Middle Common Room executive committee for comment.

From 'white supremacy' in the music curriculum to Cecil Rhodes's statue: The woke rows rumbling through Oxford's quadrangles Oxford University has found itself at the forefront of the culture wars at late, with 'woke' demands for change gaining extra momentum as Black Lives Matter protests arrived on Britain's shores. Recent rows include - Rhodes WON'T fall: College officials decide to keep statue after student protest The statue of Cecil Rhodes outside Oriel College The governing body of an Oxford University college last month rejected calls from an inquiry to tear down a statue of Cecil Rhodes. Oriel College's said they had decided not to remove the monument due to 'considerable obstacles', including financial costs and 'complex' planning processes It came after a long-running campaign demanding the removal of the British imperialist's monument. An independent inquiry to examine Rhodes' legacy was set up last June in the wake of BLM protests after the governing body 'expressed their wish' to remove the statue from outside the college. A majority of members on the Commission supported the college's original wish to remove the Rhodes' statue. But Oriel College said: 'In light of the considerable obstacles to removal, Oriel's governing body has decided not to begin the legal process for relocation of the memorials.' The Rhodes Must Fall campaign accused Oriel College of 'institutional racism' Music faculty considers reforms to address 'white hegemony' In March, Oxford was considering changes to the music curriculum, including alternative titles for courses, after certain staff raised concerns about the 'complicity in white supremacy' in the teaching of the subject. Professors were set to reform their music courses to move beyond the classic repertoire, which includes the likes of Beethoven and Mozart, in the wake of the BLM movement. University staff argued that the current curriculum focuses on 'white European music from the slave period', according to The Telegraph. The University of Oxford (Merton College pictured) was in March considering changes to the music curriculum, including alternative titles for courses, after certain staff raised concerns about the 'complicity in white supremacy' in the teaching of the subject Documents seen by the publication indicate proposed reforms to target undergraduate courses. It claimed that teaching musical notation had 'not shaken off its connection to its colonial past' and would be 'a slap in the face' to some students. And it added that musical skills should no longer be compulsory because the current repertoire's focus on 'white European music' causes 'students of colour great distress'. It is thought that music writing will also be reformed to be more inclusive. But the proposals caused upset among some faculty members who argued that it was unfair to accuse those teaching music from before 1900 of being concerned with just 'white'. College defies calls to remove statue of slave owner Christopher Codrington from its library after agreeing to change room's name All Souls College in January removed the name of an 18th century slave trader from its main library but defied calls to take down his statue (pictured) All Souls College in January removed the name of an 18th century slave trader from its main library but defied calls to take down his statue. The college reviewed its link to Christopher Codrington, a Barbados-born colonial governor, in the wake of last year's Black Lives Matter movement. The former fellow, who died in 1710, bequeathed 10,000 to the library which has since been unofficially known as the Codrington Library. A marble statue by Edward Cheere of the benefactor has been standing in the library for centuries and the college says it has no plans to take it down despite the clamour from students. The All Souls governing body said: 'Rather than seek to remove it the College will investigate further forms of memorialisation and contextualisation within the library, which will draw attention to the presence of enslaved people on the Codrington plantations, and will express the College's abhorrence of slavery.' Their review found that Codrington's wealth 'derived largely from his family's activities in the West Indies, where they owned plantations worked by enslaved people of African descent'. The college claims it has undertaken a number of measures to address the colonial legacy, including erecting a memorial plaque in memory of those who worked on the Caribbean plantations. The college's review found that Codrington's (pictured) wealth 'derived largely from his family's activities in the West Indies, where they owned plantations worked by enslaved people of African descent' Advertisement

Hartlepool council will put a sign on 'unfriendly' monkey statue which explains the local legend of a primate hanged as a French spy during Napoleonic wars - over fears it makes town 'unwelcoming' to tourists

Councillors have been accused of 'virtual-signalling gone crazy' after insisting on adding a plaque to Hartlepool's monkey statue over fears it could be used to depict the town as 'unfriendly to foreigners' in the wake of the Black Lives Matter protests.

Legend says the monkey was hanged as a French spy after being washed ashore at the seaside town in County Durham following a shipwreck during the Napoleonic Wars.

Hartlepool United's mascot is called H'Angus the Monkey in tribute, and a man wearing his costume was famously elected mayor of the town three times after standing on a platform of 'free bananas'.

But the monkey's statue - which is located in the town's marina and is thought to date back to the 1990s - will now be fitted with an explanatory plaque over fears it could be 'misused by those with differing agendas to portray Hartlepool as unfriendly towards foreigners'.

Legend says the monkey was hanged as a French spy after being washed ashore at the seaside town in County Durham following a shipwreck during the Napoleonic Wars. A statue of the animal is located in the town's marina

The conclusion was contained in a report - seen by The Telegraph - which was commissioned by Hartlepool Borough Council on links between statues and 'the slave trade, colonialism, and imperialism' began after the BLM protests.

Historian Dr Zareer Masani criticised the move: 'This is an example of tragedy ending as farce, virtue-signalling gone crazy.

'As this legend is probably a myth, will we be searching the Greek classics next for xenophobia?'

But Conservative Councillor Gordon Cranney said he had 'no objection' to the context of the monkey story being explained on a plaque to make it clear it had nothing to do with race.

He told MailOnline: 'It was a made up rumour. Hartlepool used to be split in two, West Hartlepool and then Old Hartlepool, so it was one mocking the other.

'Now we are classed as the monkey hangers. It has absolutely nothing to do with race - it's an old wives tale.

'So I've got no objections to the story being explained.'

The June 2020 report, which reviewed all monuments and street names, warned that the monkey statue - which includes a bowl to collect coins for a local hospice - 'could be perceived negatively by some'.

A new plaque is expected to make it clear that the incident is most 'not a factual event'.

The council declined to say whether it was concerned about the monument being used by BLM supporters to paint the town as racist, or by the far-right.

Hartlepool United's mascot is called H'Angus the Monkey in tribute, and a man wearing his costume was famously elected mayor of the town three times after standing on a platform of 'free bananas'

The primate hanged for being a spy: What is the Hartlepool monkey story and is there any truth to it? Hartlepool is famous as the place where a monkey was hanged by locals after being mistaken for a French spy, but whether the incident ever actually happened is up for debate. The story goes that the monkey was the only survivor from a shipwreck during the Napoleonic Wars, when fears of a French invasion were at their height. Having never seen a Frenchman before, locals mistook it for a 'hairy French spy' and put it to death on the beach. The legend led to the townsfolk being branded as 'monkey hangers', but they in turn embraced the story. But is it actually true? 'There is no evidence whatsoever that the people of Hartlepool hanged a monkey,' said Keith Gregson, a local historian, told the BBC. The story was first mentioned in a 1855 song by Edward 'Ned' Corvan, a Victorian travelling performer whose performances included mocking whichever town he was in. Some aspects of the legend appear to crib from another story about a baboon who is believed to have visited Newcastle with some Cossack soldiers in 1825. Hartlepool Borough Council itself accepts that the monkey story is 'not a factual event'. Advertisement

A spokesperson said: 'We are currently working on an interpretation of the Hartlepool monkey legend with the intention of installing an explanatory sign on the monkey statue at the Hartlepool Marina lock gates for the benefit of visitors

'The statue does not belong to the Council and is not on our land, but is believed to date back to the 1990s, a time when the Teesside Development Corporation was responsible for regenerating this area.

'We have not received any complaints about the statue, and in fact it helps raise around 2,000 a year for charity thanks to the coins deposited within it by visitors

'In putting up an explanatory sign, we intend to liaise closely with the marina's current owners, Hartlepool Marina Ltd.'

The council report made a number of other tendentious comments, including noting that a statue of Andy Capp, a comic strip character created by Reg Smythe, a local cartoonist, could be criticised for portraying a stereotypical northerner.

Street names mentioning Winston Churchill and Scouts founder Robert Baden-Powell were also mentioned over their beliefs on race. Admiral Lord Nelson and former Prime Minister William Gladstone were also referenced.

Hartlepool recently elected a Tory MP, Jill Mortimer, for the first time since the 1970s.

The fate of statues with links to colonialism or the slave trade has generated intense controversy after some were targeted by left-wing protesters.

A paint-spattered statue of slave trader Edward Colston was recently installed lying down at a Bristol museum after being torn down and thrown in the harbour during a pro-BLM protest last summer.

However, a statue of Cecil Rhodes above Oriel College in Oxford was recently spared the chop after officials noted 'considerable obstacles', including financial costs and 'complex' planning processes

An independent inquiry to examine Rhodes' legacy was set up in June in the wake of BLM protests after the governing body 'expressed their wish' to remove the statue from outside the college.

A majority of members on the Commission supported the college's original wish to remove the Rhodes' statue, but there was a substantial backlash from donors.

But Oriel College said: 'In light of the considerable obstacles to removal, Oriel's governing body has decided not to begin the legal process for relocation of the memorials.'

The Rhodes Must Fall campaign accused Oriel College of 'institutional racism'

The fate of statues with links to colonialism or the slave trade has generated intense controversy after some were targeted by left-wing protesters. A paint-spattered statue of slave trader Edward Colston was recently installed lying down at a Bristol museum after being torn down and thrown in the harbour during a pro-BLM protest last summer

It came as new Church of England guidance, published last month, urged churches and cathedrals to consider the history of their buildings and the physical artefacts and how it could impact their congregations' worship.

Churches that have already taken action include St Margaret's church in Rottingdean, Sussex, which has removed two 'deeply offensive' grave headstones which contained racial slurs.

St Peter's Church in Dorchester has also covered a plaque commemorating a plantation owner.
More than 50 students had to be rescued from historic Bondi Beach Public school after it burst into flames on Wednesday afternoon.

Firefighter were called just before 5pm on Wednesday to reports of a fire at Bondi Beach Public School on the corner of Campbell Parade and Warners Avenue.

Witnesses reported there were kids and teachers on the school grounds when the blaze erupted as there is an after school care service inside the school, which overlooks the famous beach and is home to a popular weekend market.

Emergency services were called just before 5pm on Wednesday to reports of a fire at Bondi Beach Public School on the corner of Campbell Parade and Warners Avenue

Ten fire trucks, two ambulances, and four cop cars are currently on Warners Avenue

There was no one inside the building when the top floor caught alight, however, two officers who entered were were treated at the scene for smoke inhalation. They did not require further treatment.

There are no other reports of any injuries.

A mother told Daily Mail Australia she got the 'shock of her life' when she saw children running out of the school.

Witnesses say the fire was in a classroom and burnt through the top of the roof.

Ten fire trucks, two ambulances, and four cop cars attended the scene, which has now been taped off by police.

Around 200 bystanders were gathered outside the school alongside the evacuated children as firefighters worked to extinguish the blaze.

Meanwhile, Sydneysiders flocked to social media to share photos of smoke billowing across the sky over the city's eastern suburbs.

The fire has now been put out but dull smoke continues to pour out of the roof

Ten fire trucks, two ambulances, and four cop cars attended the scene, as police taped off the school

The fire has now been put out but dull smoke continues to pour from the roof.

Firefighters could be seen on a crane inspecting the hole, and shining a light down through the top of the roof to help other crew members inside the smoke-filled historic building, which was constructed in 1923.

Local police and fire crews remain at the scene and will investigate the circumstances surrounding the fire.

Inquiries are continuing.

More to come.
British Airways and Ryanair are being investigated over whether they breached consumer laws by not offering refunds for flights customers could not take during the coronavirus pandemic.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said the companies should have issued refunds for the trips that had been scheduled during lockdown restrictions.

Investigators will be writing to both airlines and will also look at whether refunds should have been given where flights took place but non-essential travel was banned due to lockdown restrictions.

Today BA were defiant and accused the government of 'punishing an industry on its knees', while Ryanair said it 'welcomed' the probe.

During the pandemic BA offered vouchers or rebookings, while Ryanair provided the option to rebook, the CMA added. Legally, customers are entitled to a cash refund within 14 days.

The watchdog said: 'The CMA is concerned that, by failing to offer people their money back, both firms may have breached consumer law and left people unfairly out of pocket.

'It is now seeking to resolve these concerns with the companies, which may include seeking refunds, or other redress, for affected customers.'

CMA chief executive Andrea Coscelli said he did not want the public left out of pocket

BA said it had issued well over 3m of refunds during the pandemic to customers so far

Ryanair looked at refund requests on a case by case basis and has paid out in justified cases

CMA chief executive Andrea Coscelli added: 'While we understand that airlines have had a tough time during the pandemic, people should not be left unfairly out of pocket for following the law.

'Customers booked these flights in good faith and were legally unable to take them due to circumstances entirely outside of their control. We believe these people should have been offered their money back.'

The agency added that it should not be assumed either airline has broken the law.

It comes after the CMA launched enforcement action against several package holiday firms, forcing them to agree to offer cash refunds to customers.

Last month, package holiday firms Teletext Holidays and Alpharooms agreed to hand back 7 million to customers who saw their holidays cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

It follows similar agreements made by LoveHolidays, Lastminute.com, Virgin Holidays and Tui UK, after thousands of customers complained that the companies had failed to refund them for cancelled trips.

BA staff talk to each other as passengers stand in a queue to check-in desks at T5 departures

Travellers at Heathrow airport in London arriving back from Portugal after it was on amber list

The travel sector has been one of the hardest hit during the pandemic and has faced the most scrutiny from the CMA, which wrote to more than 100 firms reminding them of their responsibility to process all refunds within 14 days by law for any cancellations.

A BA spokesperson said: 'During this unprecedented crisis we have issued well over 3m refunds and helped millions of our customers change their travel dates or destinations and we're grateful to them for their ongoing support.

'We continue to offer highly flexible booking policies at the same time as operating a vastly reduced schedule due to Government-imposed travel restrictions, and we have acted lawfully at all times.

'It is incredible that the Government is seeking to punish further an industry that is on its knees, after prohibiting airlines from meaningful flying for well over a year now.

'Any action taken against our industry will only serve to destabilise it, with potential consequences for jobs, business, connectivity and the UK economy.'

A spokesperson for Ryanair signalled it was not worried about the probe.

They added: 'Ryanair today welcomed the UK CMA's update on its review of airline policies on refund requests made by UK consumers whose flights operated during periods of lockdown.

'Ryanair has approached such refund requests on a case by case basis and has paid refunds in justified cases.

'Since June 2020, all our customers have also had the ability to rebook their flights without paying a change fee and millions of our UK customers have availed of this option.'
Lindsey Graham has blasted a letter by 27 scientists in February 2020 which claimed Covid-19 originated naturally rather than being engineered in a lab, saying it was 'orchestrated' to damage then-President Donald Trump.

The Republican senator, 65, accused the scientists who published the message in the British medical journal The Lancet of trying to influence the election and 'cover their a**'.

The letter was signed by 27 eminent public health experts who described speculation about the origins of the virus from the Wuhan Institute of Virology as 'rumors' and 'misinformation.'

They wrote at the time: 'We stand together to strongly condemn conspiracy theories suggesting that COVID-19 does not have a natural origin.

'Conspiracy theories do nothing but create fear, rumors, and prejudice that jeopardize our global collaboration in the fight against this virus.'

But now, as the lab leak theory gains ever more credence, Graham has blasted the scientists for political interference.

Lindsey Graham has blasted a letter by 27 scientists in February 2020 which claimed Covid-19 originated naturally

He told Fox News' Hannity: 'This is the Russia dossier all over again. This stinks to high heaven. This is lab-gate, China-gate, call it whatever you want to call it.

'In other words, 27 scientists signed a political document shaming Cotton and Trump and anyone else, shutting them up. The media took it and ran, and it changed the course of the election.

'Why? Number one the scientists are tied to this lab. They were covering their a**. They put out a letter, not based on science, but a political document to trying to destroy people suggesting that it came out of a lab.

'Why does this matter? If Trump was right about the lab leak it would change the image the public had of Trump regarding the coronavirus.

'More importantly, if it came out of the lab in China, he was right it was the China virus, and the 2020 election would have been about who could hold China accountable, Trump or Biden.'

The Republian senator, 65, accused the scientists who published the message in the British medical journal The Lancet of trying to influence the election

As the lab leak theory gains ever more credence, Graham has blasted the scientists for political interference

On Monday, the editor of The Lancet, Dr Richard Horton, refused to reveal if he still supports the controversial letter debunking claims that COVID-19 started in a Chinese laboratory.

When MailOnline contacted Dr Horton about the decision to publish and support the letter, both he and his office declined to comment.

The letter's credibility has been questioned after details emerged of the involvement of Peter Daszak, a major financial backer of the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIU).

He signed and organized the letter while his group has funneled US taxpayer dollars to the organization for carrying out controversial gain-of-function research.

Controversy is swirling around the letter and those who publicly denounced the lab leak theory with US infectious diseases director Anthony Fauci coming under intense scrutiny for publicly denying it was a possibility while published emails suggest he was entertaining the idea behind closed doors.

One of the letter's signatories, Dr Peter Palese, a microbiologist at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York, last week softened his stance when he told MailOnline a 'thorough investigation was needed'.

The letter played a key role in suppressing early debate on the pandemic's origins, but its credibility has since been questioned after details emerged of the involvement of Peter Daszak (pictured), a major financial backer of the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIU)

He was one of three of those named on the letter to respond to request for comment  all 27 were asked. Dr Jeremy Farrar and Professor Leo Poon did not offer substantive opinions on the developments but Dr Farrar said: 'We must stay open-minded'.

Weeks after the letter's publication, Dr Horton praised Mr Daszak on Twitter writing: 'Peter Daszak rejects conspiracy theories about the origins of COVID-19; and he knows more than most of us about coronaviruses.'

Dr Horton has also publicly slammed conspiracy theories about China's role in the pandemic, referring to it as 'Sinophobia.'

He has also called for greater co-operation between scientists in the country and those in the west.

In The Lancet last July, he wrote: 'The global emergency of COVID-19 is sharpening the confrontation between China and the west, exacerbated by President Trump's insistence on referring to the 'China virus.'

Controversy is swirling around the letter and those who publicly denounced the lab leak theory with US infectious diseases director Anthony Fauci (pictured) coming under intense scrutiny for publicly denying it was a possibility while published emails suggest he was entertaining the idea behind closed doors

He added: 'The present wave of anti-China sentiment has now evolved into a Sinophobia that threatens international health.

Theories that the coronavirus emerged in a lab rather than in an animal at a market have been circulating since the start of the pandemic, initially branded conspiracies.

They were fuelled by the existence of the Wuhan Institute of Virology, one of the country's top virus research centres, in the same city that the pandemic started.

Some scientists have claimed there are elements of the virus that make it look potentially engineered while other sceptics have tried to link it to 'gain-of-function' research.

This type of research is done by lab scientists who try to force viruses to mutate in certain ways to work out how they could cause serious illness in humans in future  and in this way get ahead of them to produce cures or vaccines, for example.

Pictured: A nurse prepares a dose of Covid-19 vaccine

There are claims this was being done in Wuhan with a coronavirus  extremely similar viruses to Covid already existed, such as SARS  and that the bug accidentally escaped the lab and spilled into the population.

US President Joe Biden last week ordered intelligence agencies to launch a probe into whether Covid was man-made after all.

But China immediately hit back and called the suggestion a 'conspiracy'.

Most scientists maintain the belief that the virus evolved naturally in animals; probably bats and then other small or medium-sized mammals before transferring to humans.

The Wellcome Trust's Dr Farrar, who signed the letter alongside Dr Horton last year, said in a statement last week: 'The origins of Sars-Cov-2 are not yet certain  it is possible the origin will never be fully established  but nature is a powerful force and, in my view, the most likely scenario is that the virus crossed from animals to humans and then evolved in humans.

'The best scientific evidence available to date points to this. It is most likely it crossed the species barrier to infect and then adapt to humans at some point in 2019, but there are other possibilities which cannot be completely ruled out and retaining an open mind is critical.

'There is no place for unsubstantiated rumour, or conspiracy theories often fuelled for political purposes

'The answers can only be found in robust scientific evidence, with full transparency from all involved. There has been too much conjecture and theory without data or evidence, although still there is not enough transparency.'

Another of the signatories, Professor Palese, 77, made a U-turn on his original rebuttal of the theory and admitted a full review is needed.

He told MailOnline: 'I believe a thorough investigation about the origin of the Covid-19 virus is needed.

'A lot of disturbing information has surfaced since the Lancet letter I signed, so I want to see answers covering all questions.'

Asked how he was originally approached to sign the letter and what new information had come to light specifically, Professor Palese declined to comment.

Dr Palese spoke out as America's leading pandemic expert Dr Anthony Fauci continues to face fevered calls to resign after emails revealed that leading virus experts warned Covid could be man-made even as he downplayed the possibility.

The emails also showed he communicated with Dr Daszak, the head of the non-profit that funnelled U.S. taxpayer dollars to the Wuhan lab.

Biden threw his support behind the embattled expert on Friday, saying: 'Yes I'm very confident in Dr Fauci.'
The EU today threatened to launch a trade war against Britain if it fails to implement checks on goods entering Northern Ireland under the terms of the Brexit 'divorce' settlement.

After talks in London on averting a 'sausage war' ended without a breakthrough, European Commission vice-president Maros Sefcovic said patience with the UK was wearing 'very, very thin'.

His warning came after Brexit Minister Lord Frost refused to rule out the prospect that the UK could unilaterally delay imposing checks on British-made sausages and other chilled meats due to come into force at the end of the month.

Following three-and-a-half hours of discussions at Admiralty House, Lord Frost accused Brussels of adopting an 'extremely purist' approach to the implementation of the Northern Ireland Protocol in the Withdrawal Agreement signed by Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

But in a press conference afterwards, Mr Sefcovic insisted the EU has shown 'enormous patience' in the face of 'numerous and fundamental gaps' in the UK's compliance with the agreement.

It came as it emerged that Lord Frost will accompany Boris Johnson to the G7 summit in Cornwall this week to avoid a Brexit ambush by the EU.

President Joe Biden's national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, said the US does not want to see any action that would put at risk the Northern Ireland peace process, which the Protocol is designed to protect.

Ahead of Mr Biden's meeting with Mr Johnson on Thursday, before the G7 summit in Cornwall, Mr Sullivan said it is up to the two sides to find an agreed way forward.

The Prime Minister said tonight that there needed to be a solution to the Brexit row that protects the 'economic and territorial integrity' of the UK.

He told reporters in Cornwall: 'On the Northern Ireland Protocol, let's be absolutely clear the purpose is to uphold the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement, to make sure that we keep the balance in relationships in Northern Ireland.

'Of course, there's a north-south dimension to that, between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, making sure that trade flows freely there.

'There's also an east-west dimension, that's very, very clearly at the heart of what the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement is trying to do.

'So, what we want to do is make sure that we can have a solution that guarantees the peace process, protects the peace process, but also guarantees the economic and territorial integrity of the whole United Kingdom.'

Lord Frost met EU counterpart Maros Sefcovic in London today in an attempt to avoid an escalation of tensions over the Northern Ireland Protocol he agreed as part of the Brexit deal that came into force in January

Boris Johnson will take Lord Frost to the G7 summit in Cornwall this week to avoid a Brexit ambush by the EU, it was claimed today. Lord Frost is pictured today in London with EU counterpart Maros Sefcovic

The Prime Minister said tonight that there needed to be a solution to the Brexit row that protects the 'economic and territorial integrity' of the UK.

The PM is said to have invited the Brexit minister to attend amid growing concerns a row over the Northern Ireland Protocol will dominate the meeting of world leaders.

Mr Sefcovic told reporters in London that any further backtracking by the UK will be met with a resolute response.

'Of course, as you would understand, the fact that I mentioned that we are at a crossroads means that our patience really is wearing very, very thin, and therefore we have to assess all options we have at our disposal,' he said.

'I was talking about the legal action, I was talking about arbitration, and of course I'm talking about the cross-retaliation.'

Lord Frost insisted there is still time to reach an agreement before the current 'grace period' for chilled meats ends, but said the UK will consider 'all options' if it proves impossible.

A senior source later confirmed that includes the option of extending the grace period unilaterally.

'The PM has been pretty clear that he can't see a reason why we shouldn't be able to sell the British banger in Northern Ireland. The biosecurity risk is zero. We don't see why there should be a problem with that,' the source said.

Under the terms of the Protocol - which is intended to ensure there is no return to a hard border with the Republic - Northern Ireland remains part of the EU single market, which in turn requires checks on some goods coming from the rest of the UK.

It has however resulted in renewed tensions - particularly among Unionist communities, who fear it represents a weakening of Northern Ireland's place in the UK.

Lord Frost said negotiations will continue in an effort to find 'pragmatic solutions' to their differences.

'What we really now need to do is very urgently find some solutions which support the Belfast Good Friday Agreement, support the peace process in Northern Ireland and allow things to return to normal,' he said.

'What the EU is insisting on is we should operate the Protocol in an extremely purist way. The reality is that it's a very balanced document that's designed to support the peace process and deal with the very sensitive politics in Northern Ireland.

'It's obviously best to find a negotiated agreement if we can, and that's what we are really intending to do.

'If we can't, and we're working very hard to do it, then obviously we consider all our options for next steps.'

The PM has invited the Brexit Minister to Cornwall to attend meetings with EU leaders amid growing concerns a row over the Northern Ireland Protocol will overshadow the meeting of world leaders.

His attendance, first reported by Bloomberg, will be seen as an attempt to counter expected Brexit criticism from French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

Mr Johnson is expected to hold a bilateral meeting with US President Joe Biden at the G7 summit.

The Times reported earlier this week that Mr Biden will warn Mr Johnson not renege on the terms of the Brexit trade deal he agreed with the EU.

US politicians have repeatedly warned that the row between Britain and Brussels over the protocol could derail a future trade deal between London and Washington.

Lord Frost's presence at the summit would enable Mr Johnson to lean on his Brexit supremo in crunch meetings and to hit back in detail at any claims made by EU figures.

The growing risk of the Brexit row being dragged into the G7 summit was highlighted last night after a phone call between Mr Johnson and Mrs von der Leyen.

The President of the European Commission tweeted after the call that she had expressed her 'deep concern' over the implementation of the trade deal and said 'we will discuss how to progress and ensure compliance in margins of G7'.

The agreement  intended to ensure there is no return to a hard border with the Republic  means that Northern Ireland remains part of the EU single market, which in turn requires checks on some goods coming from Great Britain.

Mr Johnson is expected to hold a bilateral meeting with US President Joe Biden at the G7 summit. Mr Biden will reportedly warn the PM not to renege on the Brexit deal with the EU

In a statement following the meeting between Lord Frost and Maros Sefcovic, the Government said: 'The UK made clear its continued commitment to constructive engagement in order to find pragmatic solutions that ensure the Protocol operates in a way that safeguards the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement in all its dimensions, minimises its impact on the day-to-day lives of communities in Northern Ireland, and maintains the integrity of the EU's Single Market.

'The UK will continue to put forward detailed proposals, as we have throughout this year, and looks forward to discussing any proposals the EU may put forward.

'There is an urgent need for further discussions in order to make real progress, particularly to avoid disruption to critical supplies such as medicines.'

Earlier, Downing Street insisted there could be no justification for preventing chilled meats from the rest of the UK being sold in Northern Irish shops, while Environment Secretary George Eustice said the suggestion was 'bonkers'.
Extraordinary footage has captured the moment chaos descended on the floor of the Bolivian Parliament when opposing politicians threw punches during a debate over the detention of a former president.

The dramatic brawl broke out between opposition politician Henry Montero and a member of the ruling socialist MAS party, Antonio Colque, in La Paz on Tuesday.

The pair exchanged blows on the floor of Bolivia's legislative assembly, where ministers had gathered to discuss the events which led to the detention of former interim president Jeanine Anez.

Their parties disagree on whether Anez led a legal transitional government following election fraud, or launched a coup d'etat to overthrow former president Evo Morales.

Footage from the fight captures Colque as he rains punches on Montero while two onlookers frantically try to pull the feuding men apart.

A dramatic brawl breaks out between opposition politician Henry Montero (left) and a member of the ruling socialist MAS party, Antonio Colque (right, in blue), in La Paz, Bolivia, on Tuesday

Montero soon reciprocates, the pair moving through the Bolivian Parliament until eventually toppling over and continuing their tussle on the ground.

But as the politicians scramble to their feet, a second fight between two female legislators - Tatiana Anez de Creemos and Maria Alanoca - breaks out nearby.

One of the women grabs the hair of the other, but the pair are quickly pulled apart as chaos continues to descend and members of the two parties shout across the room.

'They all grabbed me, pulled me by my back,' Colque said after the fight. 'We can't allow this.'

The conflict was rooted in Bolivia's recent tumultuous political history.

In March, former interim president Anez was jailed amid allegations that she helped plot a coup that forced Morales to resign as president in November 2019.

The Bolivian Parliament was reviewing how she came to power and questioning Interior Minister Eduardo del Castillo when the brawl began on June 8.

The pair throw punches and wrestle to the ground during a debate over the detention of former interim president Jeanine Anez

Montero (left) and Colque (right, in blue) exchange blows on the floor of Bolivia's legislative assembly as onlookers attempt to break up the fight

They topple to the ground after raining punches on each other during a meeting at Bolivia's legislative assembly

Following a recess called amid the chaos, Del Castillo explained why he believed that in 2019 there was a 'coup d'etat and not an electoral fraud', according to the Rio Times.

The two political parties involved in the fight are polarised on this very issue.

There was an equally bitter atmosphere outside the room, where many had gathered with cardboard coffins and banners calling for 'justice' for victims of clashes that claimed the lives of 33 people following the election of Morales.

Morales, Bolivia's socialist former president, resigned from office and fled to Mexico amid violent protests against his government in November 2019.

A second fight between two female legislators - Tatiana Anez de Creemos and Maria Alanoca (seen pulling hair) - breaks out nearby

The conflict was rooted in Bolivia's recent tumultuous political history

It had been alleged that he fraudulently won the election when running for an unprecedented and unconstitutional fourth term.

In October 2020, after an 11-month caretaker government, Morales' former economy minister Luis Arce won a landslide election, paving the way for Morales to return home.

Anez, a conservative lawmaker who had taken the helm of the interim government, was sent to prison in March 2021 on charges she helped plot a coup against Morales.

She had spent almost a year in power, between November 2019 and November 2020, and now faces allegations of 'sedition, conspiracy and terrorism.'

In March, former interim president Jeanine Anez (above) was jailed amid allegations that she helped plot a coup that forced Evo Morales to resign as president in 2019

Morales (above in January 2020), Bolivia's socialist former president, had resigned from office amid violent protests against his Government

Anez has rejected the allegations against her as 'political persecution' and insisted she took part in a 'constitutional succession' to replace Morales after he stepped down.

'All we are asking for is that we be respected, that they stop calling us criminals, murderers, and that they stop exploiting the pain of the Bolivians who died in Senkata,' said Montero, for Comunidad Ciudadana and Creemos.

'And surely it will be up to the law to clarify it all, as with all the subsequent tragic events.'
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Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick hinted today that long-awaited weddings for more than 30 guests could be delayed beyond June 21 as the Prime Minister comes under increasing pressure to delay lockdown easings

People in England making summer plans for after 'Freedom Day' were today told to 'wait until you've heard from the Prime Minister', in another hint that June 21 easings will be pushed back because of the Indian variant.

No10 is considering delaying the final stage of the roadmap out of lockdown following jittery warnings from top scientists about the spread of the mutant strain.

Some are pushing for restrictions to remain in place until as late as the start of English school holidays on July 23, hoping the move would give the NHS valuable extra time to ensure millions more over-50s are fully vaccinated and protected against the Delta variant.

Cabinet minister Robert Jenrick today appeared to drop the biggest hint yet that England's final unlocking will be delayed, with cases 'clearly rising'. Yesterday Britain recorded the biggest week-on-week jump in infections since before Christmas, after the number of positive tests jumped by 90 per cent to 6,083.

Asked whether weddings with more than 30 guests will once again be allowed from June 21, he said: 'I wouldn't make plans until you have heard from the PM if that is important to you.

'We have always said that the roadmap is subject to review of the data. That is what is happening right now, so whether it is weddings or international travel or any of these other important topics, you always have to wait until the judgement is made on the basis of the data at the decision point.'

Weddings are one of the few areas of society yet to enjoy any freedom, with ceremonies currently capped to 30 guests in England. The final step of the roadmap will remove the limit, alongside allowing nightclubs to reopen and people to invite more than six others into their homes.

Boris Johnson is expected to confirm by Monday at the latest whether the June 21 plan will go ahead and he is running the roadmap timetable down to the wire, so far refusing to give any indication of what he will do.

Despite growing calls to delay the move, Michael Gove  who has called for a cautious approach to the roadmap  said he would 'bet on a relaxation' of the coronavirus rules on June 21 if he was a 'betting man'.

Meanwhile, Whitehall sources say Rishi Sunak  who is desperate for the PM to stick to the target date to get key sectors such as hospitality firing on all cylinders  could reluctantly accept an extension to lockdown but for no longer than 'a week or two'. But The Guardian claims the Chancellor would be willing to delay Freedom Day by a month, which could see it pushed back until July 19.

Other experts and Tory MPs have lined up to urge the Prime Minister not to delay the unlocking, saying people must learn to live with the virus and the NHS should be 'able to cope' with any surge from the Indian variant.

Dr David Nabarro, the World Health Organization's special envoy on Covid, said that 'life has to go on' when asked whether the Government should stick to its roadmap on BBC Radio 4's Today programme. But he added vaccines would not be enough and people would need to keep adapting their lifestyles to fight the disease.

Chris Hopson, head of NHS Providers which represents hospitals across England, said trusts could 'cope' with the inevitable rise in Covid cases fuelled by the Indian variant. He pointed to Bolton  the first place to be battered by the Indian variant  where hospitalisations were now falling.

Mr Hopson added jabs had 'broken the link' between rising cases and hospitalisations, and those being admitted to wards tended to be younger and less sick than those during the first and second waves.

Ministers yesterday ramped up support for Greater Manchester and parts of Lancashire, urging 4million people living in both areas not to leave the area and avoid meeting people indoors. Andy Burnham, Greater Manchester's mayor, said there was 'every reason to believe' the extra support will successfully curb the spread of the mutant strain.

It came as official data revealed eight in 10 adults in England now have signs of immunity to Covid from either a vaccine or catching the virus in the past. Office for National Statistics blood testing found 80.3 per cent of adults tested positive for antibodies in the third week of May.

The Indian variant is now dominant in more than two thirds of England's local authorities, and has spread to 85 per cent of the country, according to the latest surveillance data from Britain's leading centre for tracking the virus the Sanger Institute

Rishi Sunak (left, pictured at Oswald's club in London last night) could reluctantly accept an extension to lockdown of 'a week or two' following calls to delay the final stage of the roadmap out of lockdown. Michael Gove (right) has said he would 'bet on a relaxation' of the coronavirus rules on June 21 - if he were a 'betting man'

Hospitals are 'coping' with Covid infection levels, says NHS boss Chris Hopson said hospitals could 'cope' with rising cases Hospitals in Covid hotspots are seeing a 'significantly' lower death rate among people admitted for treatment and are coping with current levels of infection, the head of NHS Providers has said. Chris Hopson, chief executive of the body which represents NHS trusts in England, said there was a degree of confidence that vaccines appear to have 'broken' the link between infections and the 'very high level of hospitalisations and mortality we've seen in previous waves'. He told Times Radio: 'And if, and it is a big if, if Bolton has gone through its complete cycle and if other areas follow Bolton, the view from the hospital there was that they were able to cope with the level of infections. 'It's important not to just focus on the raw numbers here you also do need to look at who's being admitted into hospital and how clinically vulnerable and what level of acuity they've got. 'What chief executives are consistently telling us is that it is a much younger population that is coming in, they are less clinically vulnerable, they are less in need of critical care and therefore they're seeing what they believe is a significantly lower mortality rate which is, you know, borne out by the figures. 'So it's not just the numbers of people who are coming in, it's actually the level of harm and clinical risk.' An increased package of support is being provided to Greater Manchester and Lancashire, similar to that seen in Bolton, where case numbers of the Delta variant first identified in India have been relatively high. Mr Hopson said any decision on easing remaining lockdown restrictions in England on June 21 was finely balanced, adding that if 'incredibly busy' hospitals see even a small rise in Covid patients, they could have to 'make some trade-offs between Covid and non-Covid care'. He added that 'we don't quite know where we are in terms of, are we at the beginning of an exponential rise or not?'. But he said the 'picture on mortality seems really pretty clear, that we've had less than 15 people a day dying from Covid for nearly about seven weeks now and that compares to well over 1,000 a day in the January peak and 800 a day in April last year'. Advertisement

In other coronavirus developments today:

Hundreds of British passengers on a cruise ship sailing around the country were told they could not disembark when they arrived in Scotland because of Nicola Sturgeon's coronavirus restrictions;

Andrew Lloyd Webber warned Boris Johnson that nothing would stop him from reopening his theatres on June 21 and that he was prepared to be arrested;

Eight out of 10 adults in England now have signs of immunity to Covid either from a vaccine or having had the virus in the past, study showed today;

An American senator blasted a letter by 27 scientists claiming Covid originated naturally as an 'orchestrated' attempt to damage then-President Donald Trump;

Cambridge University researchers found people most worried about catching Covid would judge other people's behaviour more harshly;

Indian doctors claimed the new Covid variant is giving people gangrene and hearing loss not seen in older strains of the virus;

Weekly Covid deaths in England and Wales have dropped below 100 for the first time in nearly nine months;

Britain's daily Covid cases yesterday spiked to 6,048 in a 90 per cent jump on last Tuesday  and 13 deaths from the virus were recorded.

The final batch of restrictions are due to be relaxed on June 21, but there are growing calls for the last round of easings to be delayed amid the rapid spread of the Indian variant, which is now dominant in the UK and at least 40 per cent more transmissible than the Kent strain of the virus.

Mr Jenrick hinted to Sky News that June 21 could be pushed back, saying:'We created this five-week period between the stages of the road map and that has actually proved invaluable on this occasion, because it's a finely balanced decision.

'We need to see that data of cases, which are clearly rising, but the link to hospitalisations and ultimately to death.

'So the Prime Minister is reviewing that ahead of the decision point, which is going to be June 14  at that point of course he will let everybody know what the ultimate decision is.'

He added: 'We are going to take a cautious approach but if we can proceed with that reopening on the 21st of June of course all of us would love to see that, for our own lives and for the livelihoods that depend on that further reopening.'

The minister was also grilled on whether Britons would be able to holiday abroad this year, saying people should stick to the 'admittedly relatively small number of countries' on the 'green' list, and not travel to 'amber' or 'red' areas unless absolutely necessary.

'You shouldn't be booking holidays to countries that are currently on either the amber list or the red list,' he told the programme.

'You can go to the admittedly relatively small number of countries on the green list.

'Even there be aware that this isn't a normal summer for holidays, we are reviewing that list every three weeks and so I would advise people to look for travel operators who can offer flexibility, would be able to offer rescheduling or repayments if something changes.

'We would like to open up that green list to more countries but we have obviously got to do so cautiously.'

Only 11 countries and territories are on the green list, which includes no major travel destinations in Europe.

The Prime Minister was yesterday reported to be considering delaying June 21 by about two weeks to give extra time for all over-50s  who are most at risk of hospitalisation and death from the virus  to get their second dose of the Covid vaccine, and for it to take effect.

But some experts have called on him not to delay the unlocking. Asked whether June 21 should go ahead, Dr Nabarro suggested ministers should stick to the roadmap.

'It can't be just about restrictions  the future for humanity is going to require that we adapt our lifestyles so that we make it hard for this virus to spread,' he said.

Cases in Bolton have begun to fall amid surge testing to root out every case of the Indian variant. Bolton was the first area in England to experience a major outbreak of the mutant strain

Department of Health data shows its Covid hospitalisations are also now falling, and did not reach the peaks during either the first or second wave. NHS officials in the area say they are confident they will not be overwhelmed

The Army is being sent in to help with surge testing and health chiefs will have the power to enforce mandatory face masks in secondary schools. Pictured: The Royal Horse Artillery help out at a walk-in vaccination bus in Bolton town centre today

DARK RED/PURPLE = MORE INDIAN VARIANT CASES. Variant-tracking data from the Wellcome Sanger Institute shows that the now-dominant Indian 'Delta' strain is hotly focused in the North West of England, where the new restrictions are coming into place

Eight out of 10 adults in England now have Covid antibodies Eight out of 10 adults in England now have signs of immunity to Covid from either a vaccine or having had the virus in the past. A regular blood-testing report from the Office for National Statistics found that 80.3 per cent of adults in England tested positive for coronavirus antibodies in the third week of May, up from 76 per cent at the end of April. Antibodies are virus-fighting proteins that give people immunity to the virus and should stop them from getting sick if they catch it, although they don't always give total protection. The country's huge vaccination programme, which yesterday started offering jabs to people in their 20s for the first time, is the driving force behind the surging numbers of people who show signs of immunity. Antibody positive levels are highest among older age groups who have had two doses but rising fast in younger adults, too Across the whole of the UK a total of 40.6million people have had at least one dose of a jab  more than three quarters of all adults  and 28.2m have had both jabs giving them the maximum possible protection. NHS bosses Sir Simon Stevens said on Monday that the vaccine rollout is entering 'the home straight' as health chiefs and Matt Hancock urged everyone to get a jab as soon as possible to help the country end lockdown rules. The ONS report said: 'There is a clear pattern between vaccination and testing positive for Covid-19 antibodies.' The ONS report showed that Wales had the most people testing positive for antibodies in the UK, with 83 per cent. In Scotland it was 73 per cent and Northern Ireland 80 per cent. Across the regions of England, positivity was highest in the East Midlands and the North West, with 80 per cent, and lowest in London with 76 per cent. Vaccine uptake is significantly lower in the capital, with only 68 per cent of adults having had a jab, compared to more than 76 per cent in every other region. Higher rates of infection in London in the first and second waves have boosted immunity, however, because most people also test positive if they have had coronavirus in the past. Advertisement

'We know that the virus is constantly changing, which means that although vaccination is a marvellous marvellous asset, it's not going to be enough.

'We are going to have to continue to behave as though the virus is an ever present threat.

'So by all means, let the restrictions be released, but at the same time could I encourage everybody, everywhere to go on behaving carefully.

'At school, at the university, in the pub, in the restaurant, in the social club, the virus is still going to be around and it can come back with a huge surge, very, very quickly.'

Mr Hopson has also suggested the latest round of easings could go ahead because the NHS may be able to cope with the higher pressure if hospitalisations follow Bolton.

The Greater Manchester borough's hospitalisations are falling after cases also began to drop, following efforts to ramp up vaccinations in the community and surge testing to root out every case.

The NHS Providers chief executive told Times Radio: 'And if, and it is a big if, if Bolton has gone through its complete cycle and if others areas follow Bolton, the view from the hospital there was that they were able to cope with the level of infections.

'It's important not to just focus on the raw numbers hereyou also do need to look at who's being admitted into hospital and how clinically vulnerable and what level of acuity they've got.

'What chief executives are consistently telling us is that it is a much younger population that is coming in, they are less clinically vulnerable, they are less in need of critical care and therefore they're seeing what they believe is significantly lower mortality rate which is, you know, borne out by the figures.

'So it's not just the numbers of people who are coming in, it's actually the level of harm and clinical risk.'

Amid growing concern June 21 may be pushed back, impresario Andrew Lloyd Webber warned Boris Johnson that nothing will stop him from reopening his theatres on that date and he was prepared to be arrested.

The composer, 73, told the Daily Telegraph he may have to sell his six West End venues if the Government does not relax its restrictions.

He also revealed he has already remortgaged his London home.

'We are going to open, come hell or high water,' Lord Lloyd-Webber told the Telegraph.

Asked what he would do if the Government postponed lifting lockdown, he said: 'We will say: ''Come to the theatre and arrest us.'''

Ministers yesterday announced enhanced support for Greater Manchester and parts of Lancashire to help the area curb the spread of the Indian variant.

Matt Hancock said the military would be brought in as part of the 'strengthened package of support'.

The Health Secretary also encouraged the up to six million people living in the area not to travel to other parts of the UK and get tested twice a week to help curb the spread the spread of the Indian variant.

He added that residents should try to work from home where possible, and that schools could reintroduce face coverings in communal areas if they were advised to do so by local directors of public health.

Mr Burnham has expressed support for the measures taken in his region and Lancashire.

He said the package was 'better than the way they went about it last year', adding it had a 'better chance of carrying the public with it'. 'We have every reason to believe it will be successful,' he said.

It comes as Chancellor Rishi Sunak was reportedly among a string of Cabinet ministers pressing Boris Johnson to stick to the target date, arguing there is a pressing need to get key sectors such as hospitality firing on all cylinders.

A Whitehall source said Mr Sunak could live with a delay of 'a week or two' but would resist any further slippage as this could involve extending the furlough scheme.

'I don't think he's in principle against a short delay if that is what is necessary,' the source said. 'If it is more than a week or two then that is problematic.'

Treasury sources said there were no plans to extend the furlough scheme, which continues in full until the end of this month. From July, employers will have to make a gradually increasing contribution until the scheme ends in September.

 Slide me  APRIL LEFT, MAY RIGHT: Graphs show the proportions of people in different age groups who show signs of immunity to coronavirus in blood tests. The levels are almost maxed out in elderly and middle-aged groups who were first to get vaccinated and have clearly risen in younger groups during May

Andrew Lloyd Webber says Boris Johnson will have to arrest him to stop theatre reopening on June 21 Andrew Lloyd Webber has warned Boris Johnson that nothing will stop him from reopening his theatres on June 21 and he is prepared to be arrested. The composer, 73, told the Daily Telegraph he may have to sell his six West End venues if the Government does not relax its restrictions. He also revealed he has already remortgaged his London home. The composer, 73, told the Daily Telegraph he may have to sell his six West End venues if the Government does not relax its restrictions The pandemic has had a catastrophic financial impact on the theatre industry and many have remained closed despite the ease in Covid-19 restrictions as it is not financially viable for them to open with reduced capacities. Lord Lloyd-Webber is preparing for a production of Cinderella, which is scheduled to open for previews on June 25 ahead of its world premiere in July. 'We are going to open, come hell or high water,' Lord Lloyd-Webber told the Telegraph. Asked what he would do if the Government postponed lifting lockdown, he said: 'We will say: ''come to the theatre and arrest us.''' Advertisement

It comes as eight out of 10 adults in England now have signs of immunity to Covid from either a vaccine or having had the virus in the past.

A regular blood-testing report from the Office for National Statistics found that 80.3 per cent of adults in England tested positive for coronavirus antibodies in the third week of May, up from 76 per cent at the end of April.

Antibodies are virus-fighting proteins that give people immunity to the virus and should stop them from getting sick if they catch it, although they don't always give total protection.

The country's huge vaccination programme, which yesterday started offering jabs to people in their 20s for the first time, is the driving force behind the surging numbers of people who show signs of immunity.

Across the whole of the UK a total of 40.6million people have had at least one dose of a jab  more than three quarters of all adults  and 28.2m have had both jabs giving them the maximum possible protection.

NHS bosses Sir Simon Stevens said on Monday that the vaccine rollout is entering 'the home straight' as health chiefs and Matt Hancock urged everyone to get a jab as soon as possible to help the country end lockdown rules.

The ONS report said: 'There is a clear pattern between vaccination and testing positive for Covid-19 antibodies.'

The ONS report showed that Wales had the most people testing positive for antibodies in the UK, with 83 per cent. In Scotland it was 73 per cent and Northern Ireland 80 per cent.

Across the regions of England, positivity was highest in the East Midlands and the North West, with 80 per cent, and lowest in London with 76 per cent.

Vaccine uptake is significantly lower in the capital, with only 68 per cent of adults having had a jab, compared to more than 76 per cent in every other region.

Higher rates of infection in London in the first and second waves have boosted immunity, however, because most people also test positive if they have had coronavirus in the past.

The age distribution of immunity is directly linked to the vaccine rollout, with higher rates in older people and lower ones among younger people who haven't yet had their jabs.

In over-50s in England, for example, more than 98 per cent of people showed signs of immunity.

In those aged 35 to 49 it was 78 per cent, in 25 to 34-year-olds it was 59 per cent and in under-25s it was 53 per cent.

Andy Burnham calls for No10 to redirect Covid vaccine supplies to Greater Manchester' Andy Burnham has called for vaccine supplies to be diverted to Indian Covid variant hotspots including Greater Manchester to jab over-18s Greater Manchester's mayor Andy Burnham has today called for vaccine supplies to be redirected to his region and other Indian Covid variant hotspots to tackle the spread of the mutant strain. The former Labour MP, dubbed the 'King of the North', is urging ministers to open up jabs to over-18s in badly-hit areas to deal with surging cases. He argued surging supplies to the region would stop the spread of the Delta variant and offered the best hope of No10 being able to unlock fully on June 21. But a Government minister today dismissed Mr Burnham's calls to divert coronavirus vaccine supplies to areas including Greater Manchester and Lancashire. Four million people living in both areas were yesterday slapped with tougher guidance urging them not to leave the area and avoid meeting people indoors. Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick said No10 was 'going to stick with the advice' given to them by top scientific advisers regarding the roll-out. Currently the inoculation drive is only open to over-25s in England. But some areas have already begun offering jabs to over-18s, including in parts of Manchester. Asked about whether he wanted over-18s to be prioritised in the roll-out on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, he said: 'We absolutely would say surge vaccine supplies into high case areas, so not just Greater Manchester and Lancashire [but] other parts of the country. 'It makes much more sense to get on with the vaccination programme in June, then doing that later in the year or later because obviously the need is now to stop the spread of the virus. 'Of course it would slow the vaccination programme in other parts of the country where cases are lower.' Advertisement

Debate about the lifting of lockdown has intensified at the top of government following a surge in Covid cases.

Government scientists are understood to have warned ministers that daily cases are on course to be running at well over 10,000 a day by June 21.

Yesterday, daily cases topped 6,000 for the second time since mid-March. And there is concern that those who have had only one jab are at risk from the virulent Indian strain.

Matt Hancock told MPs on Monday that only three of the 126 people hospitalised by the Indian variant in the UK had been fully vaccinated. But a further 28 in hospital  just over a fifth of the total  had received one jab.

Mr Hancock and the Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty are said to have argued that a short delay would enable many more to gain the extra protection of a second jab. But Michael Gove, who is also urging caution, is said to believe Mr Johnson will press ahead with lifting at least some restrictions on June 21.

Downing Street said the Prime Minister wanted to see more data before announcing the decision on Monday.

Tory MPs urged Mr Johnson to overrule the scientists.

Former party leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith said: 'Scientists have got themselves into a frightened state where none of them want to be the one who says unlock because they are fearful they will be blamed if something goes wrong, even though there is no evidence that it will.

'They are drifting towards a zero Covid goal, which is unattainable, and the politicians have to take back control.'

Former Cabinet minister David Jones also warned against further delay. 'We cannot continue to live as we have for the last 15 months,' he said. At some stage we have to take our courage in our hands and start getting back to normal, and that stage is now.'

It comes after MailOnline analysis yesterday revealed all over-50s in England could be fully protected against Covid by July 1  nearly two weeks after 'freedom day on June 21.

The figures will boost calls for the Government to delay opening up all restrictions on June 21 for a fortnight in order to ensure the most vulnerable members of society have all had time for both doses to have had an effect.

Experts say the vaccine forecast supports the case for a delay in reopening because one dose of vaccine can be as little as 30 per cent effective against the Indian coronavirus variant that is now dominant in the UK.

Cases are currently rising by around 40 per cent a week and new infections will be well above 15,000 a day by June 21, although it remains to be seen if the full vaccination of older Britons will keep hospital occupancy low.

But opponents of a postponement believe the vaccines have successfully broken the link between cases and hospitalisations, and argue the economic cost of a delay would be greater than that caused by a third wave this summer.

Experts told MailOnline the figures suggest the Government would be right to delay by two weeks in order to ensure all over-50s have had their second dose and are protected.

SIX MILLION people are told to stay outdoors: A tenth of the UK's population gets tough new 'advice' to curb Indian 'Delta' variant in the North West of England

By Sophie Borland for The Daily Mail

Nearly six million residents in the North West were yesterday told to meet other people outdoors and keep travel to a minimum to curb the spread of Covid's Indian variant.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said restrictions currently in place in Bolton would be expanded across the rest of Greater Manchester and Lancashire.

People will be urged to avoid meeting others inside where possible, cut back on travel in and out of the region and maintain social distancing.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said restrictions currently in place in Bolton would be expanded across the rest of Greater Manchester and Lancashire

The 22 councils in the region will be given military support to help with Covid testing and health chiefs will have the power to enforce mandatory face masks in secondary schools. Local leaders last night insisted the measures do not amount to a North West lockdown, but 'guidance and advice' for residents.

Although people in Greater Manchester and Lancashire have been told to minimise travel, they are still allowed to go on holiday. However, ministers are urging the 5.7million covered by the guidance to be cautious about social interaction in the face of high rates of the Indian variant.

Mr Hancock described the measures, which affect nearly one in ten of the UK population, as a 'strengthened package of support'. He also admitted the Government faces a 'challenging decision' in working out whether 'Freedom Day'  the final step in lifting lockdown  can go ahead as planned on June 21.

He told the Commons: 'We know that this approach can work. We've seen it work in south London and in Bolton in stopping a rise in the number of cases.

'This is the next stage of tackling the pandemic in Manchester and Lancashire and, of course, it's vital that people in these areas, as everywhere else, come forward and get the jab as soon as they are eligible because that is our way out of this pandemic together.'

He added: 'We face a challenging decision ahead of June 21. These are difficult judgments.'

Mr Hancock also stressed that 'conclusive data' on the effectiveness of the vaccine against the Indian variant would not be available for at least two more weeks.

He said Public Health England officials were trying to determine the crucial figure which would show how effective the jabs were at reducing serious diseases and hospital admissions. He added: 'It's obviously an absolutely critical figure and I'll report it to the House as soon as we have it.'

The areas affected by the measures  which cover ten council areas in Greater Manchester and 12 in Lancashire  all have particularly high cases of the Indian variant, which has since been renamed the Delta variant.

The 22 councils in the region will be given military support to help with Covid testing and health chiefs will have the power to enforce mandatory face masks in secondary schools

But Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham insisted the measures were guidance rather than a regional lockdown.

He said it was 'very important to keep a sense of proportion', adding: 'This is guidance  it is advice to the public. It is not a lockdown. It is not a ban.

'This is not about telling people to cancel their plans  it is about asking them to be careful in setting any new ones, to minimise non-essential travel.'

He urged ministers to release extra vaccine stocks, saying: 'We are not asking for any more vaccine here than our fair share. What we are asking for is the bringing forward of Greater Manchester's supplies so that we can run a surge vaccination programme over the next three weeks.'

Sacha Lord, night-time economy adviser for Greater Manchester, said: 'We remain hopeful that with these measures in place Step Four of the roadmap on June 21 will go ahead.

'However, we must not allow a disregard for the guidance now to affect those chances.

'We must all continue to work as one to help prevent a surge of infections delaying our exit from this crisis  from those taking the time to discuss vaccine concerns with friends and family to the thousands of businesses who have worked hard to implement measures to aid the reduction in transmission.'
Russia is close to completing its first stealth warship that will be capable of avoiding detection by enemy vessels, state media reported on Tuesday.

The hull of the Mercury naval corvette, dubbed Project 20386, has been built and the vessel is expected to be delivered to the navy next year, RIA reported.

The warship will be armed with cruise missiles, anti-aircraft missiles and artillery, as well as being capable of hunting down submarines.

The Mercury will have a radar-absorbent coating as well as a sleek design with minimal protrusions and crevices on her surface to help avoid detection, according to the Kremlin mouthpiece.

An artist's impression of the Mercury, dubbed Project 20386. The hull has been completed and it would be delivered to the navy next year, according to Russian state media

Russia has incorporated stealth technology such as a radar-absorbing coating into some of its navy vessels, but those ships have not had full stealth technology, RIA said.

Vladimir Putin had invested heavily in the navy in recent years, though the Defence Ministry's projects have been beset by Western sanctions. Political ties with the West are at their worst since the 1991 breakup of the Soviet Union.

Before the annexation of Crimea in 2014, it was reported that Russia was going to axe plans for a stealth vessel altogether.

A prototype model of the vessel is displayed at a military convention in Russia in 2016

The Izvestia daily newspaper quoted a military source in 2013 who claimed the ship was going to be too expensive, with costs running to 18 billion rubles (175 million), and that the weaponry proposed was 'excessive.'

The source said the Kalibr cruise missiles were unnecessary.

And in April, Russia's premier defence journal, The Military Review, ran an article which shredded the Mercury project.

The report also cited lack of equipment to kit the vessel out and design flaws.
U.S. Intelligence Community refuses to accept facts: I just won't listen

Ecns.cn) 17:10, June 08, 2021

A conclusion from the joint WHO-China study mission has clarified that "a laboratory origin" of the pandemic is "extremely unlikely," yet some U.S. politicians and media are still hyping up this conspiracy theory. Their refusal to accept facts will turn out to be a farce of self-deception. (Caricature by Zhang Jianyuan)

(Web editor: Guo Wenrui, Liang Jun)
Market Highlights

The Vitamin test market is expected to witness tremendous growth owing to the rising prevalence of vitamin deficiency. Other key factors such as the change to sedentary lifestyle, increase in smoking, and increasing consumption of junk food and packaged food, growing geriatric population, rising consumer awareness for vitamin benefits, and technologically advanced laboratories are contributing towards the growth of the market. However, factors such as, high cost of vitamin test, limitations of the tests like false positives and false negatives and lack of awareness in developing countries are expected to restrict the market growth during the forecast period.

ALSO READ @ http://www.marketwatch.com/story/vitamin-test-market-regional-growth-key-values-future-demand-covid19-impact-business-opportunities-and-challenges-2027-2021-05-06

Segmentation

The global Vitamin test market is segmented on the basis of type, technology, and end-user. the vitamin test market, by type, is categorized into vitamin B12 & folic acid test,folic acid (folate) test , carotene (beta carotene) test, vitamin K1 test, vitamin E test, vitamin d 25-dihydroxy (calcitriol) test, vitamin C test, vitamin B12 test, vitamin B6 test, vitamin B5 test, vitamin B3 (niacin) test, vitamin B2 (riboflavin) test, vitamin a (retinol) test, vitamin B1 test. On the basis of Technology, the market is segmented into high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), radioimmunoassay, ELISA tests, chemiluminescent immunoassay (CLIA)and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. On the basis of end-user, the market is segmented into hospitals and clinics, ambulatory surgical centers, diagnostic centers, research centers, and others.

Regional Analysis

The Americas is the largest in the market owing to the increasing prevalence of vitamin deficiency and growing healthcare expenditure. According to the The United States Department of Agriculture in 2014, 50% of Americans are deficient in vitamin A, vitamin C, and magnesium. Such a high incidence of vitamin deficiency drives market growth in this region.

Europe (UK, Belgium, France, and Netherlands) is the second largest vitamin test market during the forecast period. The increasing in awareness for vitamins and vitamin testing drives the market in this region. The European Laboratory of Nutrients (ELN) is an advanced laboratory for testing the nutrient levels in European population. Every year European Laboratory of Nutrients (ELN) organizes an international symposium titled Advanced Clinical Nutrition - Nutrients for Prevention and Cure of Disease'. Thus enhancing vitamin testing market in this region.

Asia-Pacific was projected to be the fastest growing region for the global Vitamin Test Market Demand in 2017. The market is expected to witness growth owing to the rising prevalence of chronic diseases in this region. Also, the presence of technologically advanced countries like China and Japan in this region is expected to influence the market growth in this region.

The Middle East and Africa accounts for the least share due to low per capita income and lack of availability of well-trained healthcare professionals. However, the rising healthcare services both at the hospital level and in the community are expected to influence the market in a positive way.

Access Report @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/vitamin-test-market-6377

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Key Players

Some of the key players in the global Vitamin test market are VitaMe Technologies Inc., R-Biopharm AG, Abbott Laboratories, ImmunoDiagnostics Inc., F. Hoffman-La Roche, Siemens AG, Diazyme Laboratories, DiaSorin S.p.A, ORGENTEC Diagnostika GmbH and others.

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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), Statistical Report, Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.
The man who slapped Emmanuel Macron across the face yesterday is a 28-year-old medieval role-playing fan who lives with his mother, police have revealed.

Long-haired and bespectacled Damien Tarel was bundled to the ground by bodyguards after striking the president and crying out: 'Montjoie Saint Denis,' an old royalist war cry, 'A Bas La Macronie' ('Down with Macronia').

The grievous security breach has overshadowed the start of a Macron's 'Tour de France,' intended to gauge public opinion after a year of lockdowns, and drew condemnation from across the political spectrum.

Police searched Tarel's home where they uncovered reproduction weapons, a Soviet flag, fantasy novels, Japanese comics and military simulation games.

In the immediate aftermath, a police source had claimed Tarel was an 'anarchist,' but detectives are now working on the basis he subscribes to a sort of 'ideological mush,' Le Parisien newspaper reported.

A source close to the investigation described him as someone who was 'a bit lost, a bit geeky, a bit of a gamer'.

Scroll down for video.

Damien Tarel is a medieval enthusiast whose social media reveals him wearing clothing of the era and participating in re-enactments

Tarel, wearing a green t-shirt and white mask, is seen slapping Macron across the face as bodyguards leap in to intervene

French President Emmanuel Macron was slapped across the face by a man during a trip to southeast France on Tuesday, an aide said.

The president is hauled away to safety after being struck as his guards bundle the attacker to the ground

Macron looks at his attacker as bodyguards move in to tackle the assailant

His Instagram account shows him donning armour and wielding swords, posing on hay bales in robes and a velvet beret, and wearing a helmet used in the Japanese martial art of Kendo.

Tarel managed a local club of martial arts enthusiasts focused on the practice of historical European martial arts, including traditional swordsmanship.

A source told Le Parisien he lives 'in a kind of parallel world made of role-playing games, simulations of medieval fights.'

He was detained with his friend, Arthur C. who is the same age, and who is accused of shouting abuse at Macron. A search of Arthur's house is reported to have uncovered a copy of Mein Kampf and rifle, for which he had a licence.

The pair travelled from their home town Saint-Vallier to the village of Tain-l'Hermitage, about 10 miles south along the Rhone, where Macron was greeting voters.

They had been attending a Yellow Vest protest which took place in the nearby town of Valence at around midday, according to L'Obs magazine.

At some point in the day the pair, along with another friend who has not been arrested, were chatted to by a journalist who asked them what they thought of the president being in town.

Tarel is seen standing next to the man in the video who tells the reporter he is an 'anarchist' and references the 'decline of France.'

He adds that he cannot say anything more, claiming that the media often misconstrues such views.

At around 1.15pm on Tuesday, Tarel was seen standing at barriers outside the Tain-l'Hermitage culinary school which Macron had been visiting.

Macron came over to greet him and he appeared to be stopping the president for a chat, taking hold of his arm before lashing out with a slap, shouting: 'Down with Macronia' ('A Bas La Macronie').

Tarel in a suit of plate armour carries a shield at a re-enactment

Tarel hugging a tree in a post from Instagram. A source told Le Parisien he lives 'in a kind of parallel world made of role-playing games, simulations of medieval fights.'

Detectives are now working on the basis he subscribes to a sort of 'ideological mush,' Le Parisien newspaper reported

Bodyguards quickly seized upon the assailant and bundled him to the ground before dragging him away, as Macron was pulled to safety by a member of the security detail.

A few seconds later, Macron returned to the barriers to get a word in, although it was unclear what he was saying.

Macron said he had not feared for his safety, and continued shaking hands with members of the public after he was struck.

In an interview with the Dauphine Libere newspaper afterwards, Macron said: 'You cannot have violence, or hate, either in speech or actions. Otherwise, it's democracy itself that is threatened.'

Sources claim Tarel and Arthur C. are 'marginal' members of their local community, 'without jobs.'

Tarel follows both right-wing and and left-wing YouTube channels, among others which are focused on Japanese Manga comic books and historical combat.

One of the channels he follows is called Media for All and is hosted by Vincent Lapierre, who rose to prominence with his coverage of the Yellow Vest protests in 2018 - which he openly supported.

Two people were arrested following the incident in the village of Tain-l'Hermitage in the Drome region where Macron had been meeting restaurateurs and students to talk about how life is returning to normal after the Covid restrictions were eased

Another YouTuber followed by Tarel is Papicito, a 35-year-old fan of comics who has trenchant positions against immigration and released a controversial video earlier this year of him shooting a 'liberal' before repeatedly stabbing him. It has since been removed by YouTube.

Tarel and Arthur C. may be detained for up to 48 hours before an appearance at the court in Valence.

They have been charged with 'wilful violence against a person holding public authority.'

If convicted, the attacker faces up to three years in prison and a fine of 45,000 euros (38,000).
A major British fresh food distributor has warned fruit and vegetables are rotting in cold stores because of a major shortage of HGV drivers.

Tim O'Malley, managing director of Nationwide Produce PLC is one of the biggest companies supplying fruit and vegetables to supermarkets and restaurants across Britain.

He has warned that perfectly good food is being left to rot as there are not enough truck drivers to transport produce across the country.

Nationwide Produce PLC MD Tim O'Malley, pictured, has warned that a shortage of HGV drivers in the UK could result in empty supermarket selves

Mr O'Malley warned that fresh food and vegetables are rotting in cold storage because there are not enough truck drivers to bring the goods from the depot to the supermarket

The firm, which had a turnover of 144 million in 2018/19, imported 61 per cent of its products from outside the UK.

In an article in the Fresh Produce Journal, Mr O'Malley has warned that his industry has been hit by Brexit, Covid-19 and changes to the tax system of HGV agency drivers.

Mr O'Malley wrote: 'The acute shortage of HGV drivers is now the direct cause of perfectly good, graded and packed fresh produce being dumped or left rotting in cold stores, waiting for wheels to go under it. Supermarket shelves and restaurant plates are going empty, and this is now a crisis of national importance.'

He said hauliers have been forced to call their customers to warn them that due to a shortage of drivers they are unable to deliver their produce, leaving them with little notice.

He said one major supermarket could not get 22 full loads of produce delivered over last weekend.

Mr O'Malley said he has had an excellent relationship with his main haulier for many years and said the industry has been warning about the impending shortages for many years.

He said Britain has been reliant on large numbers of EU drivers who have returned to their home countries instead of remaining in the UK.

Worse still for the industry, truck drivers are not included on the Government's list of skilled labour so new arrivals will need immigration paperwork which makes the UK less attractive.

Also, Covid-19 has seen no new British truck drivers trained within the past 12 months.

He also said changes in the rules of self employment have seen a 25 increase in agency driver charges, which has a further impact on the cost of a delivery.

Mr O'Malley said British truck drivers are getting older on average, with 13 per cent over 60 compared with one per cent under 25.

He said the government has to change the tax rules and add foreign drivers to the skilled migrant list to help avert a crisis.

He added: 'If not that, perhaps a spike in fresh produce prices as the industry is forced to pass on the huge increase in all labour costs to the consumer.'

Mr O'Malley warned the entire industry was facing crisis and the government needed to take immediate action to avoid having empty supermarket shelves.

The shortfall of 70,000 HGV drivers in the UK has already seen wages shoot up by 20 per cent and consumers are now being warned that grocery prices could rocket to pay for the drivers' increased pay.

The shortage of lorry drivers has been fuelled by EU workers going back to the continent during the pandemic.

The introduction of the IR35 rules in April, which ensures agency drivers pay broadly the same Income Tax and National Insurance contributions as individuals who are directly employed, has also pushed wages up by 2 an hour per driver.

Asset Alliance Group CEO Willie Paterson said he is growing increasingly concerned by the shortage of HGV drivers in the UK.

He said: 'Truck drivers were rightly hailed as national heroes for helping to keep the UK moving throughout this Covid-19 pandemic  and yet the industrys pleas for help in addressing the growing driver shortage continue to go ignored.

#The lack of skilled HGV drivers  estimated to be about 76,000  isnt just a problem for the sector, but the wider economy too, with potential to cause huge disruption to supply chains and the countrys coronavirus recovery.

'Whilst the recent increase in the funding limit for Large Goods Vehicle apprenticeships is welcome, it just doesnt go far enough.

'The government needs to take this issue seriously, and work hand-in-hand with the industry to make it easier  and more attractive  for new recruits to enter the profession, including resolving the driver test backlog, improving facilities and removing financial barriers such as high insurance and training costs.'
A beauty pageant for female Russian prison officers has been blasted by activists for 'objectifying women'.

The Miss Penal System Contest 2021 sees female guards from across Russia submit a short video in which they are expected to dance, glamourise their profession, advertise the beauty of their region, and pretend they are a museum object.

They also submit photographs of themselves in their prison uniform and in evening wear that will be judged by a mostly-male panel as well as in an online poll before a winner is picked.

Nastya Krasilnikova, a women's rights campaigner, branded the event 'sad' and said it encourages people to see the contestants as mere objects - 'that can be admired, that can be lusted after, but that are not interesting in any other way.'

Veronika Shved, a prison officer from the Chelyabinsk region near the border with Kazakhstan, poses in uniform and evening wear as part of the beauty pageant

Tatiana Gritsaenko, a prison officer from the Saratov region near the city of Volgograd, poses for photos submitted as part of the beauty contest

Anastasia Okolelova, from the Samara region on the Volga river, is current in second place in an internet poll to find 'Miss Penal System 2021'

Among the contestants is Senior lieutenant Anastasia Okolelova, from Samara, said she had dreamed since childhood of 'wearing shoulder straps' and serving in the prison force.

She is currently in second place in the internet poll.

Captain Ekaterina Vasilieva, from Vladimir region, wanted to be a fashion model but then decided to follow her family's tradition and become the third generation to be a jail guard.

She is also a professional horse rider.

Lt Diana Sat, a native of the mountainous Tuva republic in Siberia, was leading today in the internet voting.

She joined the service last year after graduating from law college, and posed as a prehistoric queen.

Senior Lieutenant Yulia Osokin is from Dimitrovgrad, Ulyanovsk region, where she says every family has a relative who is in an employee of the penal system.

Lt Yana Kondrashova serves on Russia's largest island Sakhalin and served in a platoon of drummers when she studied at the Academy of the Federal Penitentiary Service.

Lt Diana Sat, a native of the mountainous Tuva republic in Siberia, was leading today in the internet voting

Indira Farsina, from Tatarstan, is in third place in internet voting and counts Coco Chanel among her idols

Ekaterina Vasilieva, from the Vladimir region near Moscow, wanted to be a model before following her family into the prison service - according to her profile

Yana Kondrashova from the Sakhalin region on Russia's far eastern coast, near Japan, poses for photographs submitted to the competition

Lt Dayia Tarasevich, from the Ivanovo region, said from childhood she wanted 'to stand guard over the law'

Lt Darya Stroganova, a law graduate, was posted to work in the Arctic city of Murmansk.

Senior Lieutenant Indira Farsina, from Tatarstan, in third place in the internet voting, said she is guided by the dictum of Coco Chanel: 'Everything is in our hands, so they cannot be omitted.'

Senior Lieutenant Valeria Agoyan, from Ulyanovsk region, graduated three years ago and now works at a female penal colony in Kurgan region.

Senior Lieutenant Veronika Shved, from Zlatoust, is a champion mogul skier.

Lt Tatiana Gritsaenko combines working as a warder with singing.

Ensign Veronika Unzhakov studied for a degree in Jurisprudence before entering the prison service in Kemerovo region, Siberia.

Lt Dayia Tarasevich said from childhood she wanted 'to stand guard over the law'.

The final judging will take place in Moscow on Friday night.

Ms Krasilnikova said ahead of the event: 'Although they are wearing uniforms, these photos are about so-called beauty.

'Why is objectifying bad? Because it teaches to treat women as objects, not living individuals.

'As objects that can be admired, that can be lusted after, but that are not interesting in any other way... It is sad and bitter.'

Senior Lieutenant Valeria Agoyan, from Ulyanovsk region, graduated three years ago and now works at a female penal colony in Kurgan region

Lt Darya Stroganova, a law graduate, was posted to work in the Arctic city of Murmansk

Ensign Veronika Unzhakov studied for a degree in Jurisprudence before entering the prison service in Kemerovo region, Siberia
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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's biographer Omid Scobie revealed Telegraph columnist Julie Burchill had been 'fired' hours after highlighting a 'racist' tweet by the journalist about the couple's new baby to her boss.

Miss Burchill, 61, was criticised for a remark made on Twitter where she had described the naming of the baby, Lilibet Diana  a tribute to both the Queen and the Duke of Sussex's mother  as a 'missed opportunity'.

The columnist said on Sunday: 'They could have called it Georgina Floydina'  a reference to George Floyd, whose murder by US police officer Derek Chauvin in May 2020 led to global Black Lives Matter protests against racism.

But the following day Mr Scobie - who is the royal editor at Harper's Bazaar and a friend of Harry and Meghan who co-wrote their biography Finding Freedom - highlighted Miss Burchill's comments to his 69,000 followers.

Commenting on the newspaper columnist's post, Mr Scobie said at about 1.30pm on Monday: 'The fact that credible outlets still employ this individual speaks volumes about the state of our media landscape.

By 5pm he posted an image showing her account  under the name @boozeandfagz  no longer existed, saying: 'Twitter wasted no time. Would be interested to hear your thoughts on the matter, @chrisevans1 @Telegraph.'

Julie Burchill (left) was criticised by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's biographer Omid Scobie (right) for a remark on Twitter

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, pictured with Archie at Windsor Castle in May 2019, now have a second child, Lilibet Diana

Chris Evans is the editor of the Telegraph. Miss Burchill then said on Facebook at 1pm yesterday: 'I've been sacked by the Telegraph  it's been a lovely five years, and I'll always be grateful to them for ending my wilderness years.

'However, I'd be lying if I said that I hadn't often moaned to my husband recently about them always rejecting my edgy column ideas and giving me more pedestrian ones  which I've done splendidly anyway.'

Five hours later, at 6pm, Mr Scobie wrote: 'A spokesperson for The Telegraph confirms that Julie Burchill no longer works for the paper. A source confirms that she was fired following her racist tweets about the Sussexes' second child (and refusal to apologise for them).'

A source at the Telegraph said it was wrong to say Miss Burchill had been sacked, because she was not a member of staff and not on a freelance contract. They added that she was a 'contributor' and it would be wrong to 'infer' she would not be used in this capacity again.

A source also told MailOnline that the Telegraph was not contacted about Miss Burchill by Harry, Meghan or a representative for them - and the newspaper was also not aware of Mr Scobie's tweets in advance of making a decision on Miss Burchill.

Barrister Joanna Toch was suspended from her legal practice after she suggested that the girl should be called 'Doprah'

MailOnline has asked the Telegraph whether Mr Scobie's tweets played a part in Miss Burchill being let go.

Julie Burchill: 1980s wild child who made her name on NME aged 17 and had a 30-year cocaine habit Julie Burchill in London in 1989 Julie Burchill was born in 1959 in Bristol to a communist trade union activist who worked in a distillery and mother who worked in in a cardboard box factory. The 61-year-old began her media career writing in the New Musical Express as a 17-year-old before later working for the Sunday Times, the Mail on Sunday and Vanity Fair. Miss Burchill, who is said at her peak to have become the highest-paid woman writer in the history of UK journalist, was briefly married to NME colleague Tony Parsons with whom she had a son. But aged 25 she left him and married another journalist, Cosmo Landesman, with whom she also had a son. She also had relationships with the writer Charlotte Raven and her younger brother Daniel Raven. Known as the 'Queen of the Groucho Club' in the 1980s, she gained a reputation for wild partying, binge drinking and drug use, revealing just last year that she eventually quit a 30-year cocaine habit. In March she admitted she 'deeply regrets' waging a campaign of abuse against the Muslim journalist Ash Sarkar and should have 'behaved better'. She agreed to pay substantial damages to Ms Sarkar after admitting making defamatory comments about her, including that she 'worshipped a paedophile' and was an Islamist and a hypocrite. Advertisement

Last year Miss Burchill was at the centre of controversy over comments she made to a Muslim journalist about the Prophet Muhammad.

She gave an 'unreserved' apology and agreed to pay Ash Sarkar, a journalist at Novara Media, substantial damages.

Following on from the Lilibet row, a top barrister was suspended from her job over a 'racist' tweet posted in reply to Miss Burchill's original remark.

Referring to Meghan's mother Doria Ragland, Joanna Toch, 59, wrote: 'No Doria? Don't black names matter?'

Miss Burchill wrote back: 'I was hoping for Doria Oprah, the racist rotters'  a reference to chat show star Miss Winfrey, who had hosted Harry and Meghan's infamous interview back in March. The family law barrister then replied: 'Doprah?'

After a furious backlash online, Miss Toch apologised 'unreservedly' and said she herself had 'children of colour'.

Before deleting her Twitter account, Miss Toch  a former British Olympic rower  wrote: 'I am very sorry for the comment and what I saw as a joke. I've fought during my professional life against racism which is abhorrent.'

But her company Family Law Cafe then said it had suspended her 'pending an internal review' into the remarks.

Miss Burchill had sparked controversy late last year after telling Ms Sarkar that her following of the Prophet Muhammad was the 'worship of a paedophile'.

She then apologised 'unreservedly and unconditionally' and revealed in a statement published on Twitter that she had agreed to pay Ms Sarkar 'substantial damages' for the 'distress' caused by the row last December.

The spat started when Miss Burchill defended journalist Rod Liddle after Ms Sarkar hit out at a 2012 article in the Spectator where Mr Liddle said he did not become a teacher because he would want to sleep with pupils.

Miss Burchill then claimed Ms Sarkar's reverence of the Prophet was the 'worship of a paedophile', referring to the 7th-Century leader's marriage to his third wife when she was around 10, and that she was an 'Islamist' and a 'hypocrite'.

Miss Burchill also 'liked' posts which said Ms Sarkar should kill herself and even suggested that she was a victim of female genital mutilation.

Ms Sarkar brought defamation complaints, claiming they played into 'damaging tropes of anti-Muslim hate'.

In a statement in March this year, Miss Burchill said she accepted that her statements were 'defamatory of Ms Sarkar and caused her very substantial distress' and agreed not to contact her directly except for legal reasons.
Several New South Wales towns are on high alert after a woman with Covid-19 travelled by road from Victoria to Queensland.

The road trip over four days preceded her diagnosis in Queensland, and she could have been infectious while in NSW.

Authorities are working to track down close contacts and investigate whether she and her partner broke three states' Covid rules.

The infected woman visited the Church St Cafe (pictured) in Dubbo on Wednesday, June 2

She visited several venues throughout her four-day road trip through regional NSW, including the Amaroo Tavern (pictured) on Friday, June 4

Victorians were forbidden from travelling more than five kilometres from home at the time the woman began her trip on June 1.

NSW did not shut its border with Victoria, but any travellers from the state were supposed to abide by the lockdown rules of each jurisdiction.

Queensland required all Victorian arrivals to spend two weeks in hotel quarantine.

Instead, the woman visited numerous venues in Queensland and NSW.

She stopped at a service station in Gillenbah on her way through NSW, but also visited several cafes in Forbes and Moree and caught a movie at the Reading Cinemas at Dubbo.

Elleven venues in the four towns have been identified by NSW Health as potential exposure sites.

Anyone who attended venues must immediately get tested and isolate.

NSW venues on alert include a Woolworths in Moree and a petrol station in Dubbo.

Queensland Health have identified six close contacts so far. Pictured: The Brew Coffee Bar in Forbes, NSW, where the woman spent time on Wednesday, June 2

She also caught a movie at the Reading Cinemas at Dubbo (pictured) on Wednesday, June 2

Queensland Chief Health Officer Dr Jeanette Young said the woman developed symptoms on June 3, and it is believed she could have been infectious on the day she left Melbourne.

'She could well have been infectious while she was travelling through NSW and that is something I've been working through with my colleagues in NSW,' Dr Young told reporters.

The pair presented for testing on Tuesday - five days after the onset of the woman's symptoms.

Her husband has not tested positive so far.

NSW Health is urging anyone who has been in any of the affected towns to monitor for symptoms.

Earlier on Wednesday some under-40s spoke about getting the Pfizer COVID-19 jab despite not meeting the state's vaccination eligibility criteria.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian has said she won't yet open expressions of interest for the vaccine to those aged in their 30s

Premier Gladys Berejiklian said she wouldn't yet open expressions of interest for the vaccine to those aged in their 30s.

Three people aged in their late-20s and early-30s have told AAP how they skirted regulations, by means including using an online registration system, to get a vaccination.

Asked of any reservations about booking, one replied: 'none at all'.

'I want to be vaxxed,' he said.

'I want the world to open up, I want to be able to go live overseas.'
A Melbourne family-of-three who tried to escape lockdown by flying from Sydney to Auckland have been forced into hotel quarantine.

The trio will have to pay for their two week stint in an Auckland quarantine facility with New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern warning there will be consequences for the rule breakers.

The family had driven to Sydney before boarding a plane across the ditch last week when they were caught at the New Zealand border.

It's believed the trio had not declared they had been in Covid-affected Melbourne and had travelled to New Zealand to attend a funeral, the NZ Herald reported.

They face up to six months in prison and a $4,000 fine if they're found to have deliberately breached Trans-tasman bubble laws.

A Melbourne family-of-three who tried to escape their state's lockdown by flying from Sydney to Auckland have been forced into hotel quarantine (pictured Melbourne residents walk through streets during lockdown)

Travel between New Zealand and Victoria was paused last month due to the state's recent coronavirus outbreak.

'For anyone considering breaching the rules that we have in place, you see in this case the family has been picked up and they have been put into a managed isolation facility, so there are consequences,' Ms Ardern said.

'As for fines, those decisions sit elsewhere.'

New Zealand director general of health Ashley Bloomfield said all three had returned negative 'day zero' Covid-19 tests.

Those in Greater Melbourne are in the midst of a lockdown which is due to end on Friday.

There was one case on Wednesday but a string of restrictions will remain in place in the Victorian city.

Melburnians will still be banned from having guests at their home beyond Friday, and even those in the regions will only be permitted to have two people over.

Acting Premier James Merlino on Wednesday said metropolitan Melbourne will move to 'most of the same settings' currently in place across regional Victoria, with masks mandatory indoors and people encouraged to work from home.

What has been lifted is most restriction on movement, with residents now allowed to leave home for whatever reason they want, with shops, restaurants and cafes permitted to open with strict capacity limits.

The existing 10km radius limit for movement will be increased to 25km, with travel beyond that only allowed for work, education, caregiving or getting a vaccination.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted the NSW and Victorian Health Department for comment.

The trio will have to pay for their two week stint in an Auckland quarantine facility with New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern warning there will be consequences for the rule breakers
The boss of Ryanair today labelled the Government's traffic light scheme for international travel a 'shambles' and claimed 'there is no green list'.

Michael O'Leary accused ministers of 'making this stuff up as they go along' after the decision to move Portugal to the 'amber list' sparked travel chaos.

He accused Boris Johnson of 'trying to lock up the British public for no good reason'.

His comments came as Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick admitted there is a 'degree of risk involved' even when travelling to countries on the 'green list' because they could be swiftly downgraded.

Mr Jenrick said 'this isn't a normal summer for holidays' as he urged travellers to ensure their bookings to 'green' nations have 'flexibility' built in.

Meanwhile, a travel industry body today said the 'failed and damaging' traffic light scheme must be ditched if the sector is to be saved from total collapse.

The London-based World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) said the Government must scrap the system, which has 'wreaked havoc' among consumers and businesses, in order to save hundreds of thousands of jobs.

Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick today admitted there is a 'degree of risk involved' even when travelling to countries on the 'green list'

The risk-based traffic light scheme rates countries red, amber and green and it determines the quarantine and coronavirus testing requirements people face when returning to the UK.

Portugal being moved from 'green' to 'amber' caught many holidaymakers by surprise and left thousands of UK tourists scrambling to get home before new quarantine rules came into force yesterday morning.

Mr O'Leary, Ryanair's chief executive, told Sky News the current scheme must be overhauled.

'This stop, go, stop approach to travel is bonkers,' he said.

'Portugal has exactly the same Covid case rates and higher vaccination rates when it was taken off the UK's green list last week than it had when it went on it.

'Malta which has higher vaccination rates than the UK and only one third the Covid case rates can't get from the amber list to the green list.

'The whole thing is a shambles and it is typical of Boris Johnson's Government just making this stuff up as they go along.

'There is no green list. What we keep calling for in the travel industry is now that we have 80 per cent of the adult population in Britain vaccinated, why can't those people go on holidays to Portugal, Spain without restrictions? They are already vaccinated.'

Told that people who are vaccinated could still contract coronavirus and then spread it to others, Mr O'Leary replied: 'The percentage of people who are vaccinated contracting Covid is minuscule.

'The risk to public health is equally minuscule Boris Johnson is trying to lock up the British public for no good reason other than they can. There is no public health reason.'

Environment Secretary George Eustice sparked confusion about the 'green list' yesterday after he said: 'My advice to people would be holiday at home, we've got some great places here.'

Asked whether people should be booking trips to 'green list' nations, Mr Jenrick told Sky News this morning: 'Well, let me be clear, you shouldn't be booking holidays to countries that are currently on either the amber list or the red list.

'You can go to the admittedly relatively small number of countries on the green list.

'Even there be aware that this isn't a normal summer for holidays, we are reviewing that list every three weeks and so I would advise people to look for travel operators who can offer flexibility, would be able to offer rescheduling or repayments if something changes.

'We would like to open up that green list to more countries but we have obviously got to do so cautiously.'

Mr Jenrick said decisions on holidays are a 'matter for individuals' but people should 'exercise caution' when booking foreign travel because the traffic light ratings are reviewed every three weeks.

He added: 'People will make their own judgements. You can choose to book a holiday to a country that is on the green list but there is always a degree of risk involved in that because those countries are reviewed as we have seen with Portugal and things can move quite quickly.'

WTTC acting chief executive Virginia Messina said it is now time ministers 'abandoned the hugely damaging traffic lights system'.

She said: 'Consumers, airlines and the wider travel sector were promised a watchlist and three weeks' notice of any changes from green to amber, and not just four days.

'It has been incredibly disruptive and costly for both travel and tourism businesses and consumers. It simply hasn't worked.

'What's needed now is a watertight government policy enabling those who've been fully jabbed to travel freely, and not have to self-isolate on their return.'
A taxpayer-funded academic has labelled the Queen 'the number one symbol of white supremacy in the entire world'.

Professor Kehinde Andrews, a campaigner who is regularly wheeled out on TV debates to air his divisive views, today said he did not know 'why it's such a big deal' Oxford University students voted to take down a picture of the Queen from their common room.

The professor of black studies at Birmingham City University - where senior lecturers receive an average base salary of 46,000 - has previously branded 'whiteness' a 'psychosis', called for the overthrow of 'genocidal' capitalism and repeatedly compared Sir Winston Churchill to Adolf Hitler.

During a debate into whether the Queen had been cancelled today, Professor Andrews told Good Morning Britain: 'If were honest the Queen doesnt just represent modern colonialism, the Queen is probably the number one symbol of white supremacy in the entire world.

Professor Kehinde Andrews (pictured), a campaigner who is regularly wheeled out on TV debates to air his divisive views, today said he did not know 'why it's such a big deal' Oxford University students voted to take down a picture of the Queen from their common room

Professor Kehinde Andrews: Controversial academic who said Britain was 'built on racism' and compared Winston Churchill to Adolf Hitler Professor Kehinde Andrews is well-known for his regular appearances on Good Morning Britain. The academic at Birmingham City University previously claimed Britain was 'built on racism' and compared war-time leader Sir Winston Churchill to Adolf Hitler. In October 2018, he claimed Churchill was a 'clear racist' in a heated debate in which host Piers Morgan asked him: 'Why do you live in a country that you loathe?' He clashed with Mr Morgan as he claimed Britain was 'built on racism' and 'everyone involved in it probably has a really racist past'. The academic also compared Churchill to Hitler for his treatment of Indians when the country endured a famine in 1943. He said British imperialism had 'ruined' many other parts of the world, including the Caribbean and Africa. On January 2019 he faced the wrath of Britain's veterans and their families after calling the RAF airmen who bombed Nazi Germany war criminals. He said the decision to build tributes like the Bomber Command Memorial was like 'justifying terrorism'. He said: 'We are talking about a war crime. I think it is a tragedy they died, but we don't need a statue.' Meanwhile on August 2019, Professor Andrews appeared on Good Morning Britain to argue that author Enid Blyton was not 'worthy' of the honour of a commemorative coin. He said: 'The reason why Enid isn't worthy ...it's just widely inappropriate, she was racist her books were racist. What the committee said was yeah she's popular but [it's] because of that racism, it's the 21st century. ' Professor Andrews earned a phD in Sociology and Cultural Studies from the University of Birmingham in 2011 and is now a professor of Black Studies in the school of social sciences at Birmingham City University. He also has Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a MA in Social Research and was a member of the team that launched the first Black Studies degree in Europe. The professor is the director of the Centre for Critical Social Research; founder of the Harambee Organisation of Black Unity; and co-chair of the Black Studies Association. Alongside his academic work, he is currently working on a project examining the role of Black radicalism in contemporary organising against racial oppression. In 2013 Professor Andrews wrote his first book Resisting Racism: Race, Inequality and the Black Supplementary School Movement and went on to write Back to Black: Retelling Black Radicalism for the 21st Century in 2018. Writing in the latter about 2018's Black History Month, he said: 'If schools want to genuinely engage with black history then they can embed it into their teaching.' And speaking about the wedding of Prince Harry to Meghan Markle in May, he said it was meaningless for Britain's black community in addressing racism in job prospects, the criminal justice system and health disparities. He added: 'When we sit back and actually analyse what's happened and what's changed, we'll realise it means nothing at all.' Advertisement

'A born to rule elite of this really white family. The head of the commonwealth which is actually the empire.'

The professor's comments came as members of the Middle Common Room (MCR) at Magdalen College passed a measure to take down an 'unwelcoming' portrait of the monarch from the graduates' common room because 'she represents recent colonial history'.

It was voted through by a substantial majority, with one student commenting that 'patriotism and colonialism are not really separable'.

GMB showed a portrait of the Queen in her youth, wearing the blue sash that symbolises her role as a member of the Royal Victorian Order as well as a variety of jewels.

In his comments during the live television debate, Professor Andrews added: 'Even in that picture shes wearing jewels stolen from different parts of the black and brown world.

'If were 100 per cent honest thats what the Queen represents and if the students decide they dont want the Queen in the common room Im not sure why its such a big deal.'

The university students' decision to remove the portrait proved controversial as MPs lined up to blast the move as 'ignorant' and 'absurd'.

Expressing his outrage, Gavin Williamson tweeted: 'Oxford University students removing a picture of the Queen is simply absurd. She is the Head of State and a symbol of what is best about the UK.

'During her long reign she has worked tirelessly to promote British values of tolerance, inclusivity and respect around the world.'

Oxford's vice-chancellor Lord Patten also weighed in, calling the decision 'offensive and obnoxiously ignorant'.

Communities minister Robert Jenrick told GMB he did not think it was his place to comment on the matter, but added that he thought it was 'ridiculous'.

He said: 'This really is student politics so we shouldnt lose too much sleep over it. I quite famously have a portrait of the Queen in my office.

'The Queen is held in high esteem. I dont think we should waste time debating what happens in a student common room. It does seem ridiculous to me and ignorant but students can do what they want to do. I dont think its for ministers to weigh in.'

The committee will now explore replacing the portrait with 'art by or of other influential and inspirational people' and subject any future depictions of the Royal Family to a vote, according to committee minutes that have not been published.

The motion was brought forward by MCR President Matthew Katzman, a 25-year-old lecturer in computer science who studied at Stanford University and is from Maryland in the USA.

Mr Katzman, the son of top lawyer Scott Katzman, 60, claimed the move did not 'equate to a statement on the Queen' but said the painting was being taken down to create 'a welcoming, neutral place for all members regardless of background, demographic, or views'.

The decision sparked an immediate backlash, with the president of Magdalen College swiftly moving to distance the institution itself from the students involved. It comes amid growing concern at the rise of intolerance and 'cancel culture' at British universities.

Meanwhile, Professor Andrews has previously revealed he believes Britain's prosperity is 'largely produced off the economic system that extracts wealth by exploiting Africa and the underdeveloped world'.

Nonetheless, the 38-year-old, who lives in Birmingham with his wife, Nicole, a lecturer in Health and Social Care at Newman University, accepts that as an employee of a public university his 'primary income' comes from the state.

Tory MP Andrew Bridgen asked in February: 'Well if he holds those views why is he living off the public purse?'

GMB showed a portrait of the Queen in her youth, wearing the blue sash that symbolises her role as a member of the Royal Victorian Order as well as a variety of jewels

The motion was brought forward by MCR President Matthew Katzman, a lecturer in computer science who studied at Stanford University and is from Maryland in the USA

In an online discussion held by Churchill College, Cambridge, in February, Professor Andrews called the British Empire 'worse than the Nazis' and suggested WWII 'would have ended the same day' with or without Churchill's leadership.

Speaking of Churchill, he said: 'It's almost like he has been beatified, he's a saintly figure who's beyond reproach. But Churchill wasn't even that popular at the time, he was never elected and after the war effort where he supposedly single-handedly lead the world against the Nazis he lost the election.

'So this is a kind of historical re-placing of him back on his pedestal and the question you have to ask is why is that. It's because he kind of is the perfect embodiment of white supremacy if you think about his politics, his ideas and what he did.

'Why that has a mythic status is because that white supremacy is still the politics of the day. We like to pretend that things have changed and the logic of the British Empire and empires generally has changed and shifted beyond race, but that's nonsense.'

The British Empire was branded 'far worse than the Nazis' during a controversial debate about Sir Winston Churchill's (pictured) legacy in February

He also belittled the former PM's contribution to the country, saying: 'Was it Churchill out there fighting the war? I'm pretty sure it wasn't. I'm pretty sure he was at home.

'I'm pretty sure that if Churchill wasn't in the war it would have ended the same way.'

This is despite historians crediting Churchill's leadership with overcoming Britain's policy of appeasement towards Hitler and helping to persuade the USA to join the war.
Rishi Sunak wants the City of London to be excluded from a global G7 tax crackdown, it was claimed today.

The Chancellor is said to be pushing for a carve-out for banks based in the capital's financial district amid fears new proposals could hit Treasury coffers hard.

G7 finance ministers agreed to a two-part plan last weekend aimed at targeting large firms including online tech giants, with the first-part setting a corporation tax base level of 'at least 15 per cent'.

The second-part will ensure major firms, especially those with a strong online presence, will pay taxes in the countries where they operate and not just where they have headquarters.

One UK official told the Financial Times the Chancellor wants an 'exemption on financial services' on the second-part of the plan on the grounds that banks already pay local taxes in countries where they operate.

Rishi Sunak wants the City of London to be excluded from a global G7 tax crackdown, it was claimed today

The Chancellor is said to be pushing for a carve-out for banks based in the capital's financial district amid fears new proposals could hit Treasury coffers hard

There are fears that Britain could unfairly lose out on tax revenues if UK-headquartered banks with large operations overseas are included in the scope of the plan.

Mr Sunak reportedly raised the issue at the meeting of G7 finance ministers, with one UK official telling the FT: 'Our position is we want financial services companies to be exempt and EU countries are in the same position.'

However, the Chancellor is likely to face opposition to the demand from the US.

The White House is insistent that the plan should apply broadly amid concerns in Washington that the changes could unfairly target US tech giants.

The G7's tax plan was agreed following two days of talks in London and after years of discussion and was hailed by Mr Sunak as a 'historic' moment.

He said the changes will make the global tax system 'fair so that the right companies pay the right tax in the right places'.

The UK corporation tax rate is due to rise from 19 per cent to 25 per cent by 2023 under proposals announced by the Chancellor at the Budget in March.

Explaining the agreed tax reforms, a Treasury spokeswoman said: 'Under pillar one of this historic agreement, the largest and most profitable multinationals will be required to pay tax in the countries where they operate  and not just where they have their headquarters.

'The rules would apply to global firms with at least a 10 per cent profit margin  and would see 20 per cent of any profit above the 10 per cent margin reallocated and then subjected to tax in the countries they operate.

'The fairer system will mean the UK will raise more tax revenue from large multinationals and help pay for public services here in the UK.'
Cross channel migrants are bringing high levels of Covid with them when the arrive in the UK, a Border Force union official has warned.

Lucy Moreton, of the Immigration Services Union, said that staff were reporting between five and 10 arrivals every day were testing positive upon arrival.

But because the migrants are often crammed onto tiny boats to make the dash a cross from the Continent they were risking spreading the virus to many others.

It came as Home Secretary Priti Patel came under pressure to sort out the crisis at the UK's borders as the high season for Channel crossings gets underway.

This year the number of arrivals expected to reach the south coast from France will far outstrip last year's 8,400 if current rates continue.

Ms Moreton told the Times: 'We have positive arrivals all the time, putting staff and migrants at risk of infection.

'We have a handful, between five and 10 a day, testing positive, but anyone who has been in close contact with them - and that could be a lot, because of overcrowding - risks catching the virus.'

It's believed that the infection rate among arrivals could be around three per cent, compared to the UK population rate of 0.16 per cent, the Times reported.

However the Home Office denied that recent arrivals had brought Covid with them, with a spokeswoman today saying: 'These numbers are completely wrong.

Because the migrants are often crammed onto tiny boats to make the dash a cross from the Continent they risk spreading the virus to many others

Border Force officials guide a pregnant lady ahead of other newly arrived migrants to a holding facility after being picked up in a dinghy in the English Channel this morning

Lucy Moreton, of the Immigration Services Union, said that staff were reporting between five and 10 arrivals every day were testing positive upon arrival.

'In May and so far in June no migrants arriving via small boat have received a positive Covid test.

'Testing is in place to reduce the risk of infection for staff, contractors and small boat arrivals who might come into contact with other arrivals the same day who are Covid positive.'

More than 1,000 Channel migrants have arrived in the UK in the past week, while at least 4,300 have landed in the country this year so far. The annual total is expected to exceed the 8,400 who made the journey in 2020.

Some 250 minors have made the dangerous journey across the Channel this year so far, including 50 over the recent Bank Holiday weekend. They include large numbers of unaccompanied girls, leaving local authorities fearful that they will be targeted by criminal gangs.

Priti Patel has ordered social media giants including Facebook and Twitter to remove posts that 'glamorise' illegal Channel crossings

More than 1,000 Channel migrants have arrived in the UK in the past week, while at least 4,300 have landed in the country this year so far. The annual total is expected to exceed the 8,400 who made the journey in 2020

A group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dover, Kent, following a small boat incident in the Channel at the weekend

A view of boats used by people thought to be migrants, being stored at a warehouse facility in Dover, Kent

The numbers of migrants risking the dangerous journey are rising despite Ms Patel's pledge in March to overhaul the immigration system and to make illegal Channel crossings 'unviable'.

The Home Secretary blamed the spiralling crisis on social media giants such as Facebook and Twitter who allow people-smugglers to use their platforms to advertise their criminal services. One video showing migrants travelling from Calais to Dover has been seen more than 800,000 on Chinese-owned TikTok.

In the strongly worded letter which has been seen by this newspaper, Ms Patel asks the internet giants to 'put an end to the exploitation of your platforms by criminals involved in organised immigration crime' as more people than ever are making 'incredibly dangerous journeys across the Channel'.

At the weekend, Ms Patel ordered an urgent investigation after a Border Force boat brought dinghy migrants from French waters to Dover.

The UK's 140ft cutter Valiant headed to the French side of the Channel and launched a fast inflatable boat to collect migrants and take them to Dover after discussions with local authorities.

The incident at the end of May was orchestrated between senior crew members of HMC Valiant and French patrol ship Athos.

During a revealing maritime radio conversation, a recording of which was obtained by the Mail this week, the officers discuss the 'legality' of the operation.
ST. JULIAN'S, Malta, June 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Newly launched fractional ownership brand, JetClub, has been awarded its Air Operator Certificate (AOC) by Transport Malta Civil Aviation Directorate (TM-CAD) and can now begin operating fractional and charter passenger flights. JetClub CEO & Founder, Vishal Hiremath commented: "Over the past 12 months, we have been building processes that satisfy stringent safety standards of a commercial Air Operating Certificate (AOC) holder. Receiving an AOC is a testament that we as an operator have met and exceeded the exceptionally high operating standards of the Maltese and EU Authorities.A This makes receiving an AOC an important milestone for JetClub."A Charles Pace, Director General for Civil Aviation at Transport Malta CAD added: "To obtain an AOC, an operator must meet high regulatory, safety and operational standards.A Applicants go through a rigorous process to demonstrate that they will be able to carry out safe operation of commercial aviation services. We are proud to have JetClub as part of the Maltese and European aviation ecosystem." While issuing an AOC, TM-CAD looks for qualified, experienced personnel holding key positions in the company along with evidence of operational capability, safety standards, maintenance oversight and proper documentation.A Malta is highly regarded as having stringent safety standards and a professional transport authority, and competent staff with an aviation friendly environment. JetClub, along with its sister company in the US, Jet It, are the world's largest operators of the HondaJet. The company launched in Europe after two years of rapid expansion in the US. JetClub seeks to meet the needs of businesses and individuals that are looking for a more efficient, lower cost, and transparent approach to owning an aircraft.A A Having successfully established a presence in the US and Europe, JetClub plans to expand further as the company looks to offer the same level of accessibility and superior service worldwide.A A About JetClub: JetClub is an innovative fractional ownership business aviation company that offers its members with an affordable and transparent private travel solution. Members have the flexibility and convenience of owning a business jet without undergoing the traditional hassle and expense related to jet administration and operations. JetClub has a dedicated flight operations team to take care of pilot training, maintenance, logistics, and international operations.A A world class concierge team manages all travel details and provides best in class service. JetClub plans to serve in Europe, Asia, South Asia, and South America. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1528585/JetClub_HondaJet.jpgA
Upper Crust owner SSP has plunged to a loss of 300million and warned it does not expect to recover to pre-pandemic levels for another three years.

The London-based group, whose food and drink sites are located at airports and railway stations, saw pre-tax losses for the six months to March 31 hit 299.7million, up from 34.3million a year ago.

Revenues also fell dramatically - down 79 per cent against pre-pandemic levels to 256.7million. The company was heavily hit due to lockdowns and decimated passenger numbers in travel markets.

SSP shut about 2,500 outlets and furloughed over 22,000 employees across the world at the peak of the crisis. It has already cut 14,000 jobs.

Upper Crust, whose food and drink sites are located at airports and railway stations, saw pre-tax losses for the six months to March 31 hit 299.7million (file photo of group's cafe in London's Marylebone Station)

But chief executive Simon Smith (pictured above) said teams are 'busy reopening units in line with passenger demand' as countries ease travel restrictions for vaccinated travellers

But bosses said trading had begun turning around as sites reopen and passenger numbers improve, particularly in the UK and US, with sales in the first week of June down around 70 per cent on 2019 levels.

They added that renewed travel restrictions, largely in India and Thailand, were continuing to weigh on the group and it expects third-quarter sales to be down around 75 per cent on 2019.

SSP said it remained financially robust following a rights issue in April, alongside extensions to bank facilities until 2024 and the waiver and amendments of covenants with lenders.

However, net debt increased to 840million in March this year from 692million at the end of September 2020. SSP has access to facilities worth around 854million, it said.

Since the end of March, the company has reopened 250 units, taking the total number of sites open to around 1,150.

It added: 'If current trends continue, we expect to have 1,200-1,500 units open over the summer, in line with the recovery in demand.'

The Indian variant is now dominant in more than two thirds of England's local authorities, and has spread to 85 per cent of the country, according to the latest surveillance data from Britain's leading centre for tracking the virus the Sanger Institute

Cases in Bolton have begun to fall amid surge testing to root out every case of the Indian variant. Bolton was the first area in England to experience a major outbreak of the mutant strain

Department of Health data shows its Covid hospitalisations are also now falling, and did not reach the peaks during either the first or second wave. NHS officials in the area say they are confident they will not be overwhelmed

Demand for air and rail travel is expected to increase in the coming months, particularly in the leisure segment, after more than a year in the doldrums as mass vaccination programmes gain pace and countries ease travel restrictions for vaccinated travellers.

Chief executive Simon Smith said: 'The recovery in domestic and leisure travel has now begun in a number of our territories, and our teams are busy reopening units in line with passenger demand.

'Over the past year we've strengthened our competitive advantages and created a more flexible operating model.

'We have a strong balance sheet and can see many opportunities to accelerate growth as the market recovers and to deliver sustainable growth for the benefit of all our stakeholders.'

In March, the firm said that conditions had not improved in the first two quarters of the 2020-2021 fiscal year. It also reported a two-year extension to its bank facilities, due to mature in 2022, and waivers of existing borrowing terms.
A top barrister has been suspended by the legal firm she set up after tweeting that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle should have named their new daughter 'Doprah'.

Joanna Toch, 59, made the comments during a conversation on Twitter with Julie Birchill that is thought to have led to the Telegraph columnist losing her job.

Miss Burchill, 61, was criticised for described the naming of the baby, Lilibet Diana, as a 'missed opportunity', adding: 'They could have called it Georgina Floydina'.

This was a reference to George Floyd, whose murder by US police officer Derek Chauvin in Minnesota in May 2020 led to worldwide protests against racism.

In reply to Miss Burchill's remark, Miss Toch referred to Meghan's mother Doria Ragland and wrote: 'No Doria? Don't black names matter?'

Joanna Toch (left) made the comments about Harry and Meghan during a Twitter conversation with Julie Birchill (right) that is said to have led to the Telegraph columnist losing her job

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex holding their son Archie in South Africa in September 2019

Miss Burchill wrote back: 'I was hoping for Doria Oprah, the racist rotters'  a reference to chat show star Oprah, who had hosted Harry and Meghan's bombshell interview in March and Harry's Apple TV+ series on mental health last month.

The family law barrister then replied: 'Doprah?' After a furious backlash online, Miss Toch apologised 'unreservedly' and said she herself had 'children of colour'.

Before deleting her Twitter account, Miss Toch  a former British Olympic rower  wrote: 'I am very sorry for the comment and what I saw as a joke.

'I've fought during my professional life against racism which is abhorrent.'

But her company Family Law Cafe then said it had suspended her 'pending an internal review' into the remarks.

A statement from the Family Law Cafe board of directors said: 'Family Law Cafe Limited has suspended Joanna Toch with immediate effect pending an internal review into her recent comments on Twitter.

'FLC considers her comments as offensive, unacceptable and highly contradictory to the inclusive manner in which FLC has always and will continue to work with members of all the communities in managing the challenges of matrimonial and family disputes".

Miss Burchill last night claimed she had been 'sacked' from her role at the Telegraph, just days after she was accused of racism over her own social media post.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex during their interview with Oprah Winfrey in March

But a source at the Telegraph said it was wrong to say Miss Burchill had been sacked, because she was not a member of staff and not on a freelance contract.

They added that she was a 'contributor' and it would be wrong to 'infer' she would not be used in this capacity again.

Last year Miss Burchill was at the centre of controversy over comments she made to a Muslim journalist about the Prophet Muhammad.

She gave an 'unreserved' apology and agreed to pay Ash Sarkar, a journalist at Novara Media, substantial damages.
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A World War Two amphibious vehicle that was buried for 74 years is seen up close for the first time in a new documentary after it was dug up in April.

The 26ft-long LVT-4 landing craft was uncovered by a team of dedicated volunteers who spent five days digging in an area beneath the Lincolnshire Fens on the outskirts of Peterborough.

It was one of 16 brought in to act as a flood defence in the village of Crowland during the 1947 floods after high tides, rain and wind caused the River Welland to burst its banks.

However, when the water was pumped back into the flood plain, several of the LVT-4s floated away.

The one dug up in April sank into a hole, whilst a further two of them remain in fishing pits. At least another five have been located beneath the ground and are set to be excavated.

Now, in a new short documentary on streaming platform History Hit, the LVT-4 dug up in April is revealed for the first time since being cleaned by a team led by local man Daniel Abbott.

Because the 13-tonne vehicle was buried in clay and many of its parts were made from brass, which is resistant to corrosion, the vehicle is in incredible condition.

A plate bearing its name  'Water Buffalo'  is still clearly visible, as are its internal engine dials; whilst its rear ramp still opens, supported by its original stainless steel cables.

Mr Abbott, chairman of Crowland Buffalo LVT, also shows presenter Dan Snow bullet holes in the craft  evidence of his revelation that it took part in the key operation to cross the Rhine at the end of the Second World War.

He also reveals that, beneath the vehicle's floorboards, his team found a ration pack which stated it was used during battle.

A World War Two amphibious vehicle which was excavated from the Lincolnshire Fens in April after being buried for more than 70 years is seen up close for the first time in a new History Hit documentary, presented by historian Dan Snow

The 26ft-long LVT-4 landing craft as a flood defence in the village of Crowland, Lincolnshire, during the 1947 floods after high tides, rain and wind caused the River Welland to burst its banks

The discovery of the LVT in April made global headlines and captivated locals, who gathered to watch as the vehicle was pulled out of the earth with two cranes.

Mr Abbott said to Mr Snow that he spent three years carrying out research and speaking to pensioners who remembered the floods during his quest to find the LVTs.

An RAF bomb disposal team then scanned an area of ground and found 'blobs' which turned out to be two of the tanks.

Around 4,500 tonnes of earth was then excavated to uncover the one which has now been cleaned up.

It was then moved to a nearby crane yard, where Mr Abbott and his fellow volunteers have been working to clean it up.

The team used hammers and chisels to get the dirt off the metal.

Remarkably, the team believe this LVT took part in the operation to ferry troops across the Rhine during the final days of fighting against Adolf Hitler's retreating forces.

The LVT's ramp still opens, supported by its original stainless steel cables. They have been preserved by the clay the craft was buried in

Presenter Dan Snow is amazed when Mr Abbott releases the ramp and it unfolds in front of him

Mr Abbott, chairman of Crowland Buffalo LVT, also shows presenter Dan Snow bullet holes in the craft

Known as Operation Plunder, it was the largest amphibious airborne operation since the D-Day Normandy invasion in June 1944.

The Daily Mail's original report about the floods

As well as ferrying troops, the Buffaloes also carried equipment and Jeeps.

Mr Snow is seen getting inside the craft, where he sees that its dials are still visible.

A Bakelite sign which reads 'Danger' in capital letters above a warning stating 'before starting engine, always run blower for five minutes' is still fixed to its side.

He is also amazed when Mr Abbott releases the ramp and he tells him that the cables supporting it are the original ones which have survived for 74 years beneath the ground.

Mr Abbott and his fellow volunteers hope to fully restore the LVT and put it on display.

Later in the programme, Mr Snow is taken to a nearby field where the team believe 'at least another five' of the LVTs are buried.

He said: 'We have measured the inside of these humps and bumps and these are the same measurement as the inside of a buffalo.'

In March 1947, the Buffalo LVTs were deployed by the Government to Crowland after floods, which came after a combination of heavy snow, a sudden thaw, high tides, rain and wind, caused the River Welland to break its banks.

Around 30,000 acres of land around Crowland were flooded and some people were made homeless temporarily.

The Buffalo, also known as the Landing Vehicle Tracked, was an American cargo carrier originally designed to bring stores from ship to shore.

However, it soon became an assault vehicle bringing troops ashore during amphibious operations.

The craft was designed by engineer Donald Roebling who adapted his previous military tank, which he called the Alligator, so that it could be used by the Navy and Marine Corps during the Second World War.

The LVT-4 was able to protect the men inside with its armoured construction and its rear ramp also allowed troops to make a swift exit when facing incoming fire.

The US Marines used them extensively in the Pacific against Japanese forces, even arming them with deadly flamethrowers.

In Europe, the British Army used 600 of them to cross the Rhine in 1945, armed with 20mm cannon and machine guns.

The Royal Marines also used them in Burma and Malaya and in the ill-fated 1956 Suez Crisis.

In 1943, the US Marines used the vehicles when landing on the island of Bougainville, which is part of Papua New Guinea, during the Second World War.

The tanks were also used by the US Army in Europe in small numbers between 1944-45 for river crossing operations.

In 1945, the LVT-2s and LVT-4s were used by US troops crossing the Roer River, between Roermond in the Netherlands and Duren in Germany, during Operation Grenade.

The Second World War operation marked the beginning of the allied invasion of Germany.

A plate bearing its name  'Water Buffalo'  is visible after Mr Abbott spent several weeks chipping away at the clay which covered the craft

The original dials, complete with their varying labels, are also seen inside the craft - with their glass coverings still in place

A Bakelite sign which reads 'Danger' in capital letters above a warning stating 'before starting engine, always run blower for five minutes' is still fixed to its side

Mr Abbott and his fellow volunteers hope to fully restore the LVT and put it on display. Pictured: A view of the cleaned craft from the front

The craft was designed by engineer Donald Roebling who adapted his previous military tank, which he called the Alligator, so that it could be used by the Navy and Marine Corps during the Second World War. Pictured: The craft from above

Although they are rusted, the craft's tracks are still fitted to the vehicle and have been well-preserved by the clay they were buried in

Mr Snow is seen getting inside the craft and is amazed by its remarkable condition despite its age and the fact it was buried for so long

Later in the programme, Mr Snow is taken to a nearby field where the team believe 'at least another five' of the LVTs are buried

In April, Mr Abbott said his team had to carry out 'a lot of digging by hand' as well as using a machine from the North Level Drainage Board in order to uncover the vehicle.

'I've always wanted to get one of the tanks out before the 75th anniversary of the floods and we started planning this a couple of years ago,' he said.

'I'm over the moon with what we've achieved, it's very exciting.'

He said the gun mount was found first and was in 'fantastic condition'.

The discovery of the LVT in April made global headlines and captivated locals, who gathered to watch as the vehicle was pulled out of the earth with two cranes

The craft was dragged out before being taken to a nearby crane yard, where Mr Abbott and his team have been working to clean it up

Daniel Abbott poses holding a Union flag by the 26-foot-long craft shortly after it was pulled from the earth in April

The volunteers spent five days digging the area after years of research to find the craft's location

The tanks were first used North Africa in 1942 in order to tow vehicles and also for boat salvage operations.

After the Second World War some of the tanks were used during the Korean War for the landing in Incheon and the subsequent Han River crossing.

The amphibious vehicles were also used in the evacuation of Hungnam Harbour when Chinese forces attacked.

Following the war, the oldest Buffalo's were disposed of or sold to other countrie,s however the LVT-3 and LVT(A)-5s remained with the US army.
A mother-of-two law student who was investigated by university chiefs after saying 'women have vaginas' has today been cleared of misconduct.

Mature student Lisa Keogh, 29, was hauled before a disciplinary panel at the University of Abertay in Dundee after her comments made during a seminar on transgender issues were reported to tutors by her classmates.

But after a two month probe, which took place while she underwent her final year exams, the university's disciplinary board has decided not to uphold the misconduct charge against her.

Today Ms Keogh hit out at the university for subjecting her to what she described as a 'cruel modern day witch hunt' due to her 'gender critical views'.

The university deny Ms Keogh was put through the disciplinary procedure because of her 'personal opinions'.

In a comment, sent to MailOnline, a 'victorious' Ms Keogh said: 'As overjoyed as I am about this decision, I am saddened that I went through this at such a critical time in my university career.

'The very end of my period at Abertay is now tarnished with these bad memories.

Lisa Keogh, 29, was hauled before a disciplinary panel at the University of Abertay in Dundee after she made the comments during a seminar on transgender issues

'I know the university has a duty to investigate all complaints, but to draw this process out for two months while I was taking my final exams was needlessly cruel.

'I always knew the complaints made against me were groundless and now the Student Disciplinary Board has confirmed that.

'I was targeted because of my gender critical views  it was a modern day witch hunt.'

The row erupted after Ms Keogh made comments during a discussion on transgender issues in an online seminar.

She said during the seminar that women were born with female genitals and the difference in physical strength between men and women 'was a fact'.

Ms Keogh was reported to academic chiefs by classmates who launched a formal probe for alleged 'offensive' and 'discriminatory' comments.

On Monday the university's disciplinary board met to rule on the case of Ms Keogh, who was formally charged with 'making inappropriate comments' which 'could be construed as discriminatory'.

The charge also claimed Ms Keogh had 'behaved in a disrespectful manner', despite being 'reminded about the university's policy on conduct.'

However the board said that, after reviewing the recordings made available from the lesson, it had found 'no evidence of discrimination'.

It also found that the student had 'not intentionally shouted in class'.

'As a result, the board found there was insufficient evidence to support the allegations made against you on your behaviour in class and, therefore, decided to not uphold the charge of misconduct.'

Ms Keogh, who has since finished her course and is awaiting her exams results, said she hopes the university can now 'learn from the experience'.

And she says she hopes other students will 'not be put through a similar ordeal for voicing their opinions'.

Ms Keogh, who has since finished her course at Abertary University and is awaiting her exams results, said she hopes the university can now 'learn from the experience'

She said: 'While I may no longer be a student at the University, it is still vital to me that others have the opportunity to take part in lively open debates without worrying about being punished afterwards.

'If Abertay just carries on as before, this journey will have been for no good reason.'

Speaking about the judgment, MP Joanna Cherry QC, who represents Edinburgh South West, said: 'I'm pleased at this outcome.

'But Lisa should never have been put through this ordeal in the first place and the University should review its free speech and equality policies to make sure that future students are not subject to the stress of spurious complaints nor discriminated against, harassed or victimised for their beliefs.'

MP Joanna Cherry QC said she was 'pleased at this outcome'

Toby Young, General Secretary of the Free Speech Union, a campaign group which supported Ms Keogh throughout the process, said: 'I'm delighted that the complaints against Lisa have been dismissed, but the University should not have taken two months to reach this conclusion.

'It should have been obvious that the complaints against her were due to her gender critical views, not the manner in which she expressed them.

'In a seminar on gender, feminism and the law there should be room for a range of views, from militant trans activism to traditional feminism.

'Lisa deserves a huge amount of credit for standing up for herself.

'The path of least resistance would have been to apologise and renounce her heretical belief, but instead she fought her corner.

'Thanks to her courage, there is now space for a broader range of views at Abertay  it is no longer taboo to defend sex-based women's rights.'

A university spokesperson said: 'Under normal circumstances the University does not comment on student disciplinary cases, however as the student involved in this case has chosen to comment publicly we feel it is necessary for us to do so on this occasion.

Toby Young, General Secretary of the Free Speech Union, a campaign group which supported Ms Keogh throughout the process, said: 'I'm delighted that the complaints against Lisa have been dismissed, but the University should not have taken two months to reach this conclusion.'

'As we have previously stated, the University is legally obliged to investigate all complaints.

'This does not mean every element of a complaint about a student becomes the subject of a disciplinary case.

'Contrary to misleading statements by some commentators who view this as a case about gender identity, Lisa Keogh was not subject to disciplinary action for expressing so-called 'unacceptable opinions' about gender identity, or any other topic.

'Ms Keogh met with a student disciplinary board on Monday to consider a single element of an initially complex complaint, which fell within the scope of the Code of Student Discipline.

'This concerned a complaint about the behaviour of Ms Keogh in class.

'The disciplinary panel did not uphold the complaint against Ms Keogh.

'As previously stated, our Code of Student Discipline does not constrain lawful free speech, but does cover student behaviour.

'The University is committed to upholding freedom of speech on campus and we will continue to actively encourage open and challenging debate at Abertay.'
Health authorities were able to detect a Covid-infected woman thanks to 'sheer luck' after she travelled across three states with her husband.

The 44-year-old woman fled locked-down Melbourne on June 1 and travelled with her partner through regional NSW before entering Queensland on June 5.

The woman is believed to have been visiting family in Caloundra on the Sunshine Coast and was tested on Tuesday before returning a positive result on Wednesday.

She had been experiencing symptoms from June 3 but only sought a test on June 8.

The pair were only detected when the couple came forward for testing because the man needed negative results for work purposes - with health authorities admitting it was down to luck that the case was caught.

A shock Covid-19 case has been detected on Queensland's Sunshine Coast (Noosa pictured) after a couple travelled from locked down Victoria, one infected with coronavirus

Six close contacts of the woman have been identified so far, including her husband who has to date tested negative.

But Queensland's Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young fears he could become infected, given how much time the pair spent in the car together. Both are now at the Sunshine Coast University Hospital.

Dr Young has said it is possible the woman was infectious from the day she left Melbourne.

'She could well have been infectious while travelling through New South Wales and I have been working with my colleague to determine that,' she told reporters in a press conference Wednesday afternoon.

Queensland currently classifies Victoria as a Covid-19 hotspot, and anyone entering from the state must complete hotel quarantine.

Health Minister Yvette D'Ath and Dr Young held a press conference confirming the case on Wednesday afternoon and added a number of exposure sites in Queensland.

The positive woman was at Bunnings in Caloundra, QLD between 12.10pm - 12.45pm on June 7

The woman visited Goondiwindi McDonalds on June 5 between 7.35am - 7.50am

'We don't know why they left or what the situation was,' Doctor Young told reporters.

'Hopefully we have got this early and there are no other positive cases and community transmission.

'It's only in the last hour that we've had this absolutely confirmed by double checking the results.'

They believe she may be at the end of her infection upon conducting her test.

There are reports the woman lied on her declaration form when entering the state.

Infected woman's timeline: June 1: Left Melbourne and travelled through New South Wales June 5: Arrived at Goondiwindi border and crossed into Queensland 7.35 - 7.50am: Goondiwindi McDonalds 11 - 11.15am: Toowoomba Caltex June 6: 2.45 - 3pm: Sunny's in Moffat Beach 3.30 - 4.30pm: Coffee Cat in Kings Beach June 7: 10.45 - 11.30am: Stockland Caloundra Shopping Centre - Coffee Club and Kmart stores 12.10 - 12.45pm: Bunnings in Caloundra 1 - 2pm: Kawana Shoppingworld June 8: 3.50pm - 4pm: Baringa IGA in Caloundra Advertisement

The Amaroo Tavern in NSW has been added to the list of possible exposure sites

The couple had visited the Kawana Shoppingworld in Queensland between 1pm-2pm on June 7

Police have suggested the couple crossed the NSW/Queensland border at Goondiwindi instead of the Gold Coast because there were less officers patrolling.

'If you try to get into Queensland illegally through the Gold Coast, there is a high likelihood of being identified and intercepted,' Gold Coast police Superintendent Rhys Wildman said.

Authorities in NSW have issued alerts for several regional centres after the couple stopped in Forbes, Dubbo, Moree and Gillenbah.

NSW venues on alert include a Woolworths in Moree and a petrol station in Dubbo.

Anyone who has visited the venues have been urged to get tested immediately and isolate until given further instructions.

Queensland's list of exposure sites include a McDonald's restaurant in Goondiwindi, where they crossed the border from NSW, and sites on the Sunshine Coast, including at Moffat Beach, Kings Beach, Buddina, Baringa and Caloundra.

The pair were only detected when the couple came forward for testing because the man needed negative results for work purposes - with health authorities admitting it was down to luck that the case was caught (pictured cyclist in Melbourne this week)

The couple also travelled through Toowoomba, west of Brisbane. The list of exposure sites is on the Queensland Health website and will inevitably grow.

Deputy Commissioner Steve Gollschewski said Queensland Police will be investigating why the couple entered into the sunshine state.

'We've got a couple that have come from Victoria, when Victoria's in lockdown, into Queensland,' he said.

'We'll examine all those issues around passes - whether they were appropriate and what has happened - it is too early to say.

'It's really important for us to remind the whole community that we cannot possibly check every single person moving around the country.'
A British backpacker who was rescued from the jaws of a crocodile in Mexico by her twin sister has developed sepsis from her wounds.

Melissa Laurie, 28, from Berkshire, was dragged underwater by the ten-foot-long reptile that attacked her and sister Georgia as they swam in a lagoon during a wildlife tour on the Pacific west coast.

Georgia, who fought off the crocodile, has now visited Melissa's hospital bedside for the first time where the zookeeper is in a medically induced coma.

Georgia Laurie (right) rescued her twin sister Melissa (left) from the jaws of a crocodile in Mexico as they swam in a lagoon

Georgia, who fought off the crocodile, has now visited Melissa's hospital bedside for the first time where the zookeeper is in a medically induced coma (file image)

Melissa was put into a terrifying death roll as the crocodile tried to drown her before Georgia, an experienced diver, fought off three attacks by punching the predator repeatedly in the head.

The pair was rushed to hospital in the surfing resort of Puerto Escondido on Sunday where Melissa was put in an induced coma to help treat her horrific injuries which include extensive bite wounds and a suspected punctured lung.

Georgia, who was severely bitten on her arms and hands, was released from hospital on Tuesday night and was able to visit her twin for the first time since the horrific crocodile attack.

Their older sister Hana told the BBC that bite wounds to Melissa's stomach and legs had become infected, saying the situation was 'still really serious' and 'we're not relaxing yet'.

The twins had been assured it was safe for them to swim in the water ten miles from the surfing resort of Puerto Escondido (above)

Melissa (left), a zookeeper, was saved from certain death by her sister who bravely entered the water to look for her

She added: 'She has now developed sepsis.'

Sepsis occurs due to an overreaction of the body's immune response to an infection.

The girls' father Sean Laurie told MailOnline: 'Georgia has been released from hospital and has been able to visit Melissa for the first time.

'She found it quite upsetting.

'Georgia was not able to talk to her because Melissa is still intubated and in a medically induced coma.

The twins' parents, Sue and Sean Laurie, said both their daughters had bite injuries from the predator

'She now knows the extent of her sister's injuries.

'Melissa has lacerations to her face, black eyes, as well as lacerations to her body. Her legs are quite badly injured too  all bite injuries.'

The 63-year-old business consultant from Berkshire added: 'Georgia's injuries are not as bad but they are still substantial.

'She has tooth marks on her skin.

'The crocodile bit straight through the palm of her hand.

'Her wrist is bad. She is lucky the bite did not penetrate an artery.'

The twins, who were volunteering with animals in the country and had been taking a break when the crocodile attacked, were lead to the lagoon by an 'unlicensed tour guide'

It has now emerged that the twins were taken on an illegal tour of a part of the Manialtepec Lagoon, which is renowned for the natural phenomenon of bioluminescence, by a rogue guide who has now fled the resort.

Melissa and Georgia Laurie, pictured as schoolchildren, had been on a dream trip to Mexico

Twins Melissa and Georgia Laurie, now both 28, when they were babies dressed in identical clothing

Mr Laurie is hoping to travel to Mexico to support Georgia and help bring Melissa home.

A GoFundMe page set up by the twin's older sister Hana to pay for medical bills has raised more than 28,000 and is rising.

Hana Laurie has asked for financial assistance to overcome the 'difficulty of travelling to Mexico to support them and pay for their medical care'

The appeal, entitled 'Georgia and Melissa Laurie  Crocodile Attack' states:

'Due to the tour guide being disreputable, Covid-19 and a general struggle to be clear on paperwork at this time, we humbly and sincerely ask for any help anyone can spare.

'Mel and Georgia are in real need of their parents, and the most amazing medical assistance we can get to turn this awful accident away from tragedy.'
Masked gunmen have shot dead 10 Afghans working for a mine-clearing charity championed by Prince Harry and his mother Princess Diana.

The workers for the Halo Trust were killed in an attack on their camp in the north of the country, with the insurgents going from 'bed-to-bed' killing ten and wounding another 16.

The attack came at around 10pm local time on Tuesday in Baghlan province, where fighting has been heavy in recent weeks.

Violence has sharply increased across Afghanistan since the United States announced plans in April to pull out all of its troops by Sept. 11.

Taliban insurgents are fighting government troops in 26 out of 34 provinces, government officials say, with the government and the Taliban in a deadlock over peace talks between the two opposing forces.

Masked insurgents have shot dead 10 Afghans working for a mine-clearing charity the Halo Trust - championed by Prince Harry and his mother Princess Diana. Pictured: The coffins of the victims in Tuesday's attack are placed on the ground at a hospital in northern Baghlan province, Afghanistan, Wednesday, June 9, 2021

Pictured: An Afghan worker of Halo Trust, working on a land mine clearance project, is shifted to an ambulance to be transferred to capital Kabul for medical treatment after militants stormed their camp, in Baghlan, Afghanistan, June 9 2021

The UK-American charity has been working in Afghanistan since 1988 to clear mines and munitions that have been left behind in more than 42 years of conflicts.

The trust, which has offices in Dumfries, Wilton and Washington DC, confirmed that 10 Afghan staff were shot dead with a further 16 being wounded.

Former British Army major general James Cowan, who runs the charity, said the trust would continue its work despite the attack - the worst in its history.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme he said the militants had gone 'bed-to-bed, murdering in cold blood my staff'.

'Ten of my people were killed and 16 were badly wounded. My thoughts are obviously very much with the families and the loved ones of the bereaved and wounded,' he added when speaking to The Daily Telegraph.

'This is a horrific incident, the worst in the Halo Trust's history. It's very sad, but we are here for Afghanistan. We were in Afghanistan many years before 9/11 and we will be here many years after the international withdrawal.'

The workers for the Halo Trust were killed in an attack on their camp in the north of the country, with the insurgents going from 'bed-to-bed' killing ten and wounding another 16. Pictured: Wounded people receive treatments at a hospital following the attack

The attack came at around 10pm local time on Tuesday in Baghlan province (pictured on map), where fighting has been heavy in recent weeks

Provincial police spokesman Jawed Basharat also confirmed workers were with the Halo Trust, which is the largest demining organisation in Afghanistan.

'The Taliban brought them into one room and opened fire on them,' Basharat said.

The workers had reportedly spent the day in the fields clearing mines.

The Afghan government was quick to blame the Taliban for the attack in a region that has seen near-daily battles between the group and government forces.

A Taliban spokesman did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment from Reuters news agency, but the group later denied involvement on Twitter.

'We condemn attacks on the defenceless and view it as brutality,' Zabiullah Mujahid said on Twitter. 'We have normal relations with NGOs, our Mujahideen will never carry out such brutal acts.'

Mr Cowan said that he was not going to speculate on who was responsible, but noted the Taliban's denial, saying that a local band of the group came to the aid of the trust's workers.

'I think it's important to know that the Taliban have denied responsibility for this, and indeed the local Taliban group came to our aid and scared the assailants off,' he said.

'We don't know who the assailants were - we could speculate about, that but I won't - but I think we have the capacity as the Halo Trust to operate on both sides of the line in this awful conflict,' he added on the Today programme.

The brutal shootings also came to the attention of the United Nations who condemned the 'heinous attack'.

Ramiz Alakbarov, the secretary general's special representative, said: 'It is repugnant that an organisation that works to clear landmines and other explosives and better the lives of vulnerable people could be targeted.'

Violence has sharply increased across Afghanistan since the United States announced plans in April to pull out all of its troops by September 11. Pictured: Afghan special force commando unit officers and soldiers attend a graduation ceremony at the military academy in Kabul, Afghanistan, on May 31, 2021

Taliban insurgents are fighting government troops in 26 out of 34 provinces, government officials say. Pictured: Afghan security officials present arrested members of the Taliban, on the outskirt area of Ghazni, Afghanistan, 29 May 2021

A clip shared by local police with the BBC was reported to show a survivor of the attack saying that the gunman were asking workers if any of them were from the Hazara minority community before opening fire.

'Five to six armed men came, they took us to a room,' he said. 'First they took all our money and mobile phones, and then they asked who our leader was. They asked, 'Is any Hazara here among you?' We told them, 'We don't have any Hazara here.''

He said that he was shot in the head but survived, and was able to escape through a window.

Hazaras are Afghanistan's third largest ethic group and have long-faced discrimination and persecution, primarily because of the Shia faith.

Both Islamic State and the Taliban had kidnapped and killed Hazaras in recent years.

After decades of conflict, Afghanistan is strewn with mines and unexploded ordnance and agencies have been working to clear them in the years since the Taliban were ousted in 2001.

De-mining organisations have made great strides in removing mines over the past forty years, but there are still parts of the country where the work is dangerous.

In addition to the threat posed by mines, workers are also regularly kidnapped or threatened in local disputes by insurgents or local criminals.

The Halo Trust was greatly supported by Princess Diana, with it gaining attention when the Princess of Wales visited a minefield in Angola shortly before her death.

A photo of the princess visiting the minefield remains to this day one of the most famous and recognizable images of her.

Her son - Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex - took up the mantle and continued to work with the charity, himself visiting a site in Angola in 2019. He also undertook two tours of Afghanistan during his ten years in the army.

Pictured: Prince Harry walks through a minefield in Dirico, Angola, during a visit to see the work of landmine clearance charity the Halo Trust in 2019

The Halo Trust was greatly supported by Princess Diana, with it gaining attention when the Princess of Wales visited a minefield in Angola shortly before her death. A photo of the princess visiting the minefield remains to this day one of the most famous and recognizable images of her. Pictured: File photo of Princess Diana visiting minefield in Angola - Jan 15, 1997

Meanwhile, a minivan carrying civilian passengers in north-west Afghanistan was been hit by a roadside bomb, leaving at least 11 passengers dead, including three children, an Afghan official said.

The minivan fell into a valley due to the explosion, said Badghis provincial governor Hesamuddin Shams.

He added that rescuers were still searching for bodies in the valley.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for the explosion but the provincial government accused the Taliban of placing the bomb to target security forces.
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Kim Jong Un appeared noticeably slimmer as he was pictured in North Korean state propaganda this week - the first time in a month that he has been seen in public - with his watch strap in particular giving his weight loss away.

The despot was shown leading an economic meeting that is said to have taken place on Monday, and seemed to have lost weight around his chin, chest and arms.

Looking at his watch strap in this week's photographs, more of the leather could be seen protruding after the buckle and did not appear as tight on his wrist as it did in December 2020 and March 2021, when the same watch was last visible in photographs released by the secretive state.

That has set off fresh speculation about the 'Supreme Leader's' health, a year after he is thought to have suffered a major health scare during a prolonged public absence - sparking false rumours that he had died.

Pictured: Kim Jong Un's watch strap shown in North Korean state propaganda this week appeared to give away his weight loss, compared with photos from December 2020 and March 2021 show his watch strap was done up looser to accommodate his thicker wrists. Photos from this week showed more of the watch strap showing after the buckle, and did not look as tight

 Slide me  MARCH 2021/JUNE 2021: Kim Jong Un appeared noticeably slimmer in recent propaganda images released by North Korea, sparking fresh speculation about his health. The despot was shown leading an economic meeting that is said to have taken place on Monday, and seemed to have lost weight around his chin, chest and arms

Observers have long warned that Kim's health presents probably the largest single threat to his brutal dynasty, and speculate that his slimming waist is a sign he is re-exerting control

While that absence has never been officially explained, it is widely thought that Kim was suffering some kind of health issue - a view reinforced by the fact that he has appeared far less frequently in public since.

His party has also been restructured to give a clear deputy role to his sister, Kim Yo-jong, amid speculation that she was being groomed as a possible successor.

State propaganda has also been restructured to give more prominence to the powerful Party Central Committee and less to Kim.

Experts now believe that Kim's shrinking waist could be a sign that his health is recovering, and foreshadow his return to a more prominent role at the head of the country's brutally repressive regime.

While Kim's weight has long been the subject of mockery, observers have pointed out that it also represents perhaps the largest single threat his family dynasty.

Observers believe Kim, in his mid-30s, weighed a whopping 22st (308lbs) in November last year as well as being a heavy smoker.

That was at a time when Covid was believed to be circulating in the country, with obesity and lung issues both significantly raising the risk of death from infection.

Kim is thought to have three children but none old enough to assume leadership of the country if he dies.

JUNE 2021: Since his health scare last year, Kim has appeared in public less and delegated more powers - but experts believe that could be coming to an end as he trims down (pictured)

FEBRUARY 2021: Kim is thought to have tipped the scales at 22st (308lbs) at his heaviest and is known to be a frequent smoker

North Korea's strict Paektu bloodline succession would potentially put sister Kim Yo-jong next in line to inherit, but it is far from clear that she would be able to command the respect of the country's military leaders.

That could spark a bloody power struggle and threaten the Kim dynasty which has ruled North Korea since father-of-the-nation Kim Il-sung came to power in 1948.

Vipin Narang, an associate professor of political science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, told NK News that Kim's weight-loss 'likely improves his position at home.'

'That in turn provides more predictability perhaps for regional actors like Japan, [South Korea ] and the US who may have greater confidence that he will be running the show,' he added.

Kim was already noticeably over-weight when he came to power in 2011, following the death of his father Kim Jong-il.

His weight continued to balloon as he tightening his grip on the country, carrying out a wave of assassinations thought to include the murder of his own half-brother - Kim Jong-nam - who was poisoned with a nerve agent at Malaysia's main airport.

DECEMBER 2011: Kim was already noticeably over-weight when he took power (pictured) but his weight has continued to balloon ever since, potentially threatening his regime's survival

But his size increased most in recent years as he pushed the country's nuclear programme - begun under his grandfather and pursued by his father despite crippling international sanctions - to completion in 2017.

He then embarked on a series of unprecedented international diplomacy missions, including the first-ever sit-down talks between a North Korean leader and US President when he met Trump for two summits between 2018 and 2019.

Hailed as a major diplomatic victory for the North - and scorned as a humiliation for the US by Trump's critics - the meetings put a stop to North Korea's long-range missile tests but failed to achieve any tangible gains for the Kim regime.

Then, in 2020, Kim suffered what is believed to have been a major health scare that saw him absent from public for 20 days including missing birthday celebrations for his grandfather - an event that no North Korean leader has missed before.

That sparked heated speculation including a rumour that he had died during a heart operation which ultimately turned out to be false.

Even when Kim did reappear in public, eagle-eyed observers pointed to marks on his wrist as possible evidence of heart surgery while others theorised it was in fact a body double and the North Korean leader was still desperately ill.

Kim's many public appearances since have put paid to rumours of his death, but he has notably taken longer breaks from public view and a less-prominent role in running the ruling Communist Party.
A Government decision to award a contract to a company whose bosses were friends of adviser Dominic Cummings was unlawful, a High Court judge has ruled.

Campaigners took legal action against the Cabinet Office over the decision to pay 560,000 of taxpayers' money to market research firm Public First, following the start of the coronavirus crisis in March 2020, and questioned the involvement of Mr Cummings.

Lawyers representing the Good Law Project said Mr Cummings, Boris Johnson's then-chief adviser, wanted focus group and communications support services work to be given to a company whose bosses were his friends.

Ministers and Mr Cummings - who left Downing Street late in 2020 - disputed the Good Law Project's claim.

Mrs Justice O'Farrell, who is based in London, considered rival arguments at a virtual High Court hearing in February and delivered a ruling on Wednesday.

She said: 'The claimant is entitled to a declaration that the decision of 5 June 2020 to award the contract to Public First gave rise to apparent bias and was unlawful.'

Campaigners took legal action against the Cabinet Office over the decision to pay more than 560,000 of taxpayers' money to market research firm Public First, following the start of the coronavirus crisis in March 2020, and questioned the involvement of Mr Cummings (pictured)

Mr Coppel said Public First is a 'small research agency' whose directors and owners are Rachel Wolf (right) and her husband, James Frayne (left)

Dominic Cummings' friend's firm that 'influences public opinion' Public First says it helps firms 'understand and influence public opinion through research and targeted communications campaigns'. Its website claims to help companies create business ideas that can be used by governments. The firm, based on Tufton Street in Westminster, is a stone's throw away from the Houses of Parliament. Dominic Cummings previously said he was friends with people involved with Public First, including director James Frayne. But he said he had not met Mr Frayne since 2016. He said: 'James Frayne and I worked on the euro campaign 20 years ago, other political issues, and set up the campaign to fight the proposed formation of a regional assembly in north-east England in 2004. 'I have talked to them extensively about focus groups and public opinion over many years. 'I knew from my experience that Public First were very good at running focus groups and that its key staff had thought extensively about how people who usually ignore most news and political communication think and might be influenced.' Advertisement

Good Law Project director Jo Maugham said: 'This is not government for the public good - it is government for the good of friends of the Conservative Party.

'We just don't understand how the Prime Minister can run a Cabinet that acts without proper regard for the law or value for public money.

'Government has claimed there was no favouritism in the awarding of contracts. But the High Court has held an informed observer would conclude otherwise.'

A spokesman for Public First said: 'We're deeply proud of the work we did in the early stages of the pandemic, which helped save lives.

'The judge rejected most of the Good Law Project's claims, not finding actual bias in the awarding of this work, nor any problems with the pace or scale of the award.

'Rather, the judge found that weak internal processes gave rise to the appearance of bias.'

They added: 'The judge made no criticism whatsoever of Public First anywhere in the judgment.'

Lawyers representing the Good Law Project told Mrs Justice O'Farrell a 'fair-minded' and 'informed' observer would conclude there was a 'real possibility of bias', and argued the decision was unlawful.

Lawyers representing the Cabinet Office told the judge Mr Cummings made a recommendation, not a decision, and the Good Law Project's claim should be dismissed.

They said, during a national emergency, Mr Cummings 'recommended a firm he knew could get the job done'.

Mr Cummings said he 'obviously' did not ask for Public First to be brought in because they were friends.

Barrister Jason Coppel QC, who represented the Good Law Project, had told the judge: 'Public First was awarded this contract because Dominic Cummings wanted Public First to have this contract. No other provider was considered.'

Good Law Project director Jo Maugham (pictured) said: 'This is not government for the public good - it is government for the good of friends of the Conservative Party'

Mr Coppel said more than 500,000 had been spent and told the judge it was 'not strictly necessary' to award the contract to Public First without competition.

He said the current minister for the Cabinet Office is Michael Gove.

Mr Coppel said Public First is a 'small research agency' whose directors and owners are Rachel Wolf and her husband, James Frayne.

He said the couple have 'long-standing personal relationships' with both Mr Cummings and Mr Gove.

Mr Coppel added: 'The fair-minded and informed observer would conclude that there was a real possibility of bias: it was Mr Cummings who decided, without giving any consideration to alternative providers, that work valued at hundreds of thousands of pounds of public money should be given to his friends.'

Mr Cummings did not give evidence at the hearing but outlined his position in a written witness statement seen by the judge.

He said the country was facing an emergency because of the coronavirus crisis and 'the award of the contract without delay' was 'entirely justified'.

The judge said in her ruling: 'The fair-minded and informed observer would have appreciated that there was an urgent need for research through focus groups on effective communications in response to the Covid-19 crisis and that those research services were required immediately.

'The fair-minded and informed observer would have appreciated that it was vital that the results and conclusions from the research were reliable and that Mr Cummings was uniquely placed, given his experience and expertise, to form a rapid view on which organisation might best be able to deliver those urgent requirements.

'His professional and personal connections with Public First did not preclude him from making an impartial assessment in this regard.'

She went on: 'However, the defendant's failure to consider any other research agency, by reference to experience, expertise, availability or capacity, would lead a fair-minded and informed observer to conclude that there was a real possibility, or a real danger, that the decision-maker was biased.

'(The) claimant has established its case that the circumstances in which the contract was awarded to Public First gave rise to apparent bias.'

Mr Coppel said more than 500,000 had been spent and told the judge it was 'not strictly necessary' to award the contract to Public First without competition. He said the current minister for the Cabinet Office is Michael Gove (pictured)

A Good Law Project spokesman said: 'Michael Gove had tried to argue that only Public First could carry out the contracted work and everyone was acting under pressure.

'However, the High Court found that version of events 'does not stand up to scrutiny' and ''the time constraints ... did not exonerate the defendant from conducting the procurement so as to demonstrate a fair and impartial process of selection''.

'The truth, it said, is the Cabinet Office didn't even consider whether to give the contract to anyone else.

'Emails between civil servants revealed in the course of Good Law Project's legal action revealed both Michael Gove and No 10 wanted contracts to be awarded to Public First.'

A Cabinet Office spokesman said: 'We welcome the court's ruling that we were entitled to award the contract on grounds of extreme urgency in response to an unprecedented global pandemic.

'The judge recognised the very complex circumstances at the height of the pandemic and that failure to provide effective communications would have put public health at risk.

'The judgment makes clear that there was no suggestion of actual bias and that the decision to award the contract was not due to any personal or professional connections.

'Procedural issues raised in this judgment have already been addressed through the implementation of the independent Boardman review of procurement processes.'

Angela Rayner, Labour's deputy leader and shadow chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, said: 'We all know that the Government has acted immorally and unethically, and now a judge has confirmed that yet again the Government acted unlawfully in handing out contracts to their mates.

'In the middle of a deadly pandemic not only were those at the heart of Government giving out taxpayers' money to their friends and associates, they have wasted even more trying to cover it up.

'Ministers need to come clean about how they plan to recoup this cash, as well as the billions of pounds dished out to Tory donors and for duff PPE that wasn't safe.'
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Birmingham and Bedfordshire may be next in line for help with tackling the Indian variant after tough guidance was issued to nearly 4million people in the North West yesterday, experts have said.

Greater Manchester and Lancashire joined eight other areas where surge testing and tighter travel advice have been implemented to curb the spread of the mutant Delta strain.

It means 28 councils are now subject to the guidelines, which has seen the Army drafted in to help give out tests and vaccines and residents urged not to leave the area and meet friends outdoors.

But official data shows only six of the 10 areas to have spotted at least 150 cases of the Indian variant have been hit with the tougher advice, with Birmingham (223), Sefton in Merseyside (193), Nottingham (192) and Central Bedfordshire (183) yet to be added to the list.

The Indian variant makes up more than 85 per cent of all new infections in Birmingham and is also dominant in the neighbouring areas of Walsall, Sandwell, Dudley and Wolverhampton which have each spotted at least 30 cases.

Bedford has been subject to the advice since last month but Central Bedfordshire (183) has yet to be added to the list. The other borough in the county  Luton  has also seen 119 cases.

For comparison, Lancaster  one of the boroughs to be affected by yesterday's update  has only spotted 11 cases, Public Health England data shows.

Professor David Livermore, an epidemiologist at the University of East Anglia, told MailOnline the high case numbers and dominance of the strain in Birmingham and other areas means they will 'most likely' be put under similar guidance by No10.

Downing Street is hopeful that the measures adopted will snuff out outbreaks, after Bolton saw its infection rate quickly start to fall once surge testing was brought in to root out every case. Hospital admissions have also begun to tail off in the Greater Manchester borough, fuelling hopes the NHS won't be battered by an inevitable surge in cases from the Indian variant.

Separate MailOnline analysis showed today six of the 10 towns in England seeing the sharpest spike in Covid cases were hotspots for the Indian variant. The other three had not detected any cases of the mutant strain, but had only checked up to two cases in the latest two weeks, and no surveillance data was available for the other.

It comes as people in England making summer plans for after 'Freedom Day' were today told to 'wait until you've heard from the Prime Minister', in another hint that June 21 easings will be pushed back because of the Indian variant.

'Professor Lockdown' Neil Ferguson today warned it will be another 'two to three weeks' before SAGE can work out how dangerous the Indian variant is, as he dealt a killer blow to hopes of lockdown ending on June 21.

'It's well within the possibility we could see another, third, wave at least comparable in terms of hospitalisations as the second wave. At least deaths, I think, would certainly be lower. It's hard to judge,' he said.

DARK RED/PURPLE = MORE INDIAN VARIANT CASES. Variant-tracking data from the Wellcome Sanger Institute shows that the now-dominant Indian 'Delta' strain is hotly focused in the North West of England, where the new restrictions are coming into place

BIRMINGHAM: Covid cases in the city  which is also a hotspot for the Indian variant  have been rising in recent weeks. It is yet to be offered enhanced support by the Government, although experts say this could happen in the coming weeks

SEFTON: Cases are also up in this Merseyside borough. It suppressed the first outbreak of the Indian variant, but cases again appear to be rising. It is not being given extra support by the Government at this stage. It is yet to be offered enhanced support by the Government, although experts say this could happen in the coming weeks

CENTRAL BEDFORDSHIRE: Covid cases are also rising slightly in this area, a hotspot for the Indian variant. It is yet to be offered enhanced support by the Government, although experts say this could happen in the coming weeks

NOTTINGHAM: And this city is also seeing its infections begin to rise as Indian variant cases surge. It is yet to be offered enhanced support by the Government, although experts say this could happen in the coming weeks

England's top 10 areas with the fastest growing Covid case numbers Six out of 10 English towns with the fastest growing Covid outbreaks are hotspots for the Indian variant, official data revealed today. A further three areas seeing the fastest growth in cases have not detected a single case of the mutant strain. But less than five infections were checked for variants in each over the last two weeks of May, the latest period data is available for. One area seeing the sharpest rise in cases carried out no surveillance for mutant strains over the past two weeks. It comes as Boris Johnson comes under pressure to push back June 21 lockdown easings amid the rapid spread of the new variant. Department of Health-calculated infection rates for local authorities in England on June 3 were compared to those a week beforehand to determine which areas had the fastest upticks in infections. Staffordshire Moorlands, Cheltenham, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Tewkesbury, Cheshire East and Chester and Elmbridge were all hotspots for the Indian variant with the fastest rising cases in the country. Maldon, Adur and Rochford had no cases of the mutant strain but had done very little sequencing, and Eden had carried out no surveillance. Eden, in the Lake District, saw the sharpest rise, with its infection rate leaping more than 10-fold from 1.9 cases per 100,000 residents to 31.9. It was followed by Maldon, in Essex, where cases spiked almost nine-fold from 3.1 to 30.8 per 100,000. And the Staffordshire Moorlands where cases rose seven-fold from 12.2 to 95.5 cases per 100,000. Across Britain 302 out of 380 local authorities saw their infections rise in the week to June 3, the latest available. Only eight saw no change in their Covid infections, and 73 saw cases continue to fall. Advertisement

MailOnline's analysis of Public Health England and Sanger Institute data shows Birmingham has the fifth highest number of Indian variant cases in the country  the highest of areas where guidance has not already been issued.

Of those areas, Sefton had the second highest followed by Nottingham. The strain, scientifically called B.1.617.2, made up 60 per cent and 79.3 per cent of cases in the areas respectively.

The strain made up 89.7 per cent of cases in Central Bedfordshire, 76.4 per cent in Hillingdon (148 Indian variant cases), 94.4 per cent in Croydon (137) and 76.8 per cent in Luton (119).

Asked whether Birmingham, Sefton and Central Bedfordshire were likely to be next in line for surge testing and tougher travel guidance, Professor Livermore said he expected them to.

He said: 'Im loth to best guess what the Government will do but they are most likely to pursue such approaches in places where the Indian variant is most prevalent and where its incidence in the population is also high.'

But Professor Livermore suggested the approach may be too lax to reduce cases although even with an increase in infections, hospitals are unlikely to become overrun because of how many vulnerable people have now been vaccinated.

SAGE advisers fear a huge uptick in admissions with a variant that is up to 40 per cent more transmissible than the once dominant Kent strain, a figure that advisers believe is feasible.

Grim modelling which spooked ministers following the emergence of the Indian variant warned hospitalisations could hit levels seen at the peak of the second wave  even though more than 80 per cent of Britons have already received their first dose.

Data shows one jab is less effective at blocking symptoms against the Indian variant but two doses appear to thwart the strain.

Professor Livermore said: 'The variant seems able to out compete the previously dominant Kentish type and is well on the way to becoming nationally predominant in the UK.

'We know the Kentish variant expanded in North Kent and East London during the second lockdown in November last year so it is to be expected that the Indian variant will do so under the laxer conditions of "guidance"  though this will be slowed by growing herd immunity and the coming of summer.

'Despite this inevitable spread, and rising case numbers, there is scant evidence of rising severe disease and none that NHS is still under severe Covid pressure.'

Tougher guidance designed to stop the spread of the Indian variant was already in place in eight councils, including Bolton and Blackburn with Darwen before Lancashire and Greater Manchester were added to the list.

But another 20 councils were added to the list yesterday, with 5.7million people  around a tenth of the country  now living under stronger advice.

The specific areas included in the new guidance in Greater Manchester are: Manchester, Salford, Bury, Rochdale, Wigan, Oldham, Stockport, Trafford, Tameside and Bolton.

And in Lancashire they are: Rossendale, Hyndburn, Ribble Valley, Preston, South Ribble, Chorley, Pendle, Fylde, Lancaster, West Lancashire, Wyre, Burnley and Blackburn with Darwen.

BOLTON: Ministers brought in surge testing and ramped up the vaccination drive in this borough of Greater Manchester, which appears to be beginning to snuff out their outbreak of the Indian variant. The area is receiving extra support from the Government

WIGAN: Covid cases are also rising in this Greater Manchester borough amid the spread of the Indian variant. The area is receiving extra support from the Government

MANCHESTER: They are also up in central Manchester, which is now receiving extra support from the Government

LEICESTER: The city is also experiencing rising Covid cases, after suffering an outbreak of the Indian variant. The area is receiving extra support from the Government

BEDFORD: Cases appear to have started to level off in this area, one of the first to be hit by the Indian variant. The area is receiving extra support from the Government

BLACKBURN WITH DARWEN: There are early signs that infections in this area which is a hotspot for the Indian variant may be beginning to peak after surge testing was brought in and officials ramped up the local vaccination drive

Six out of 10 English towns with the fastest growing Covid outbreaks are hotspots for the Indian variant, official data revealed today.

A further three areas seeing the fastest growth in cases have not detected a single case of the mutant strain.

But less than five infections were checked for variants in each over the last two weeks of May, the latest period data is available for.

One area seeing the sharpest rise in cases carried out no surveillance for mutant strains over the past two weeks.

Staffordshire Moorlands, Cheltenham, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Tewkesbury, Cheshire East and Chester and Elmbridge were all hotspots for the Indian variant with the fastest rising cases in the country.

Maldon, Adur and Rochford had no cases of the mutant strain but had done very little sequencing, and Eden had carried out no surveillance.

Freedom Day delayed for a MONTH? Minister warns 'wait until you've heard from the PM' on Monday before planning your summer amid fears for weddings and large events as June 21 unlocking is cast further into doubt

By Luke Andrews for MailOnline and Jason Groves Political Editor for the Daily Mail

Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick hinted today that long-awaited weddings for more than 30 guests could be delayed beyond June 21 as the Prime Minister comes under increasing pressure to delay lockdown easings

People in England making summer plans for after 'Freedom Day' were today told to 'wait until you've heard from the Prime Minister', in another hint that June 21 easings will be pushed back because of the Indian variant.

No10 is considering delaying the final stage of the roadmap out of lockdown following jittery warnings from top scientists about the spread of the mutant strain.

Some are pushing for restrictions to remain in place until as late as the start of English school holidays on July 23, hoping the move would give the NHS valuable extra time to ensure millions more over-50s are fully vaccinated and protected against the Delta variant.

Cabinet minister Robert Jenrick today appeared to drop the biggest hint yet that England's final unlocking will be delayed, with cases 'clearly rising'. Yesterday Britain recorded the biggest week-on-week jump in infections since before Christmas, after the number of positive tests jumped by 90 per cent to 6,083.

Asked whether weddings with more than 30 guests will once again be allowed from June 21, he said: 'I wouldn't make plans until you have heard from the PM if that is important to you.

'We have always said that the roadmap is subject to review of the data. That is what is happening right now, so whether it is weddings or international travel or any of these other important topics, you always have to wait until the judgement is made on the basis of the data at the decision point.'

Weddings are one of the few areas of society yet to enjoy any freedom, with ceremonies currently capped to 30 guests in England. The final step of the roadmap will remove the limit, alongside allowing nightclubs to reopen and people to invite more than six others into their homes.

Boris Johnson is expected to confirm by Monday at the latest whether the June 21 plan will go ahead and he is running the roadmap timetable down to the wire, so far refusing to give any indication of what he will do.

Despite growing calls to delay the move, Michael Gove  who has called for a cautious approach to the roadmap  said he would 'bet on a relaxation' of the coronavirus rules on June 21 if he was a 'betting man'.

Meanwhile, Whitehall sources say Rishi Sunak  who is desperate for the PM to stick to the target date to get key sectors such as hospitality firing on all cylinders  could reluctantly accept an extension to lockdown but for no longer than 'a week or two'. But The Guardian claims the Chancellor would be willing to delay Freedom Day by a month, which could see it pushed back until July 19.

Other experts and Tory MPs have lined up to urge the Prime Minister not to delay the unlocking, saying people must learn to live with the virus and the NHS should be 'able to cope' with any surge from the Indian variant.

Dr David Nabarro, the World Health Organization's special envoy on Covid, said that 'life has to go on' when asked whether the Government should stick to its roadmap on BBC Radio 4's Today programme. But he added vaccines would not be enough and people would need to keep adapting their lifestyles to fight the disease.

Chris Hopson, head of NHS Providers which represents hospitals across England, said trusts could 'cope' with the inevitable rise in Covid cases fuelled by the Indian variant. He pointed to Bolton  the first place to be battered by the Indian variant  where hospitalisations were now falling.

Mr Hopson added jabs had 'broken the link' between rising cases and hospitalisations, and those being admitted to wards tended to be younger and less sick than those during the first and second waves.

Ministers yesterday ramped up support for Greater Manchester and parts of Lancashire, urging 4million people living in both areas not to leave the area and avoid meeting people indoors. Andy Burnham, Greater Manchester's mayor, said there was 'every reason to believe' the extra support will successfully curb the spread of the mutant strain.

It came as official data revealed eight in 10 adults in England now have signs of immunity to Covid from either a vaccine or catching the virus in the past. Office for National Statistics blood testing found 80.3 per cent of adults tested positive for antibodies in the third week of May.

The Indian variant is now dominant in more than two thirds of England's local authorities, and has spread to 85 per cent of the country, according to the latest surveillance data from Britain's leading centre for tracking the virus the Sanger Institute

Rishi Sunak (left, pictured at Oswald's club in London last night) could reluctantly accept an extension to lockdown of 'a week or two' following calls to delay the final stage of the roadmap out of lockdown. Michael Gove (right) has said he would 'bet on a relaxation' of the coronavirus rules on June 21 - if he were a 'betting man'

Hospitals are 'coping' with Covid infection levels, says NHS boss Chris Hopson said hospitals could 'cope' with rising cases Hospitals in Covid hotspots are seeing a 'significantly' lower death rate among people admitted for treatment and are coping with current levels of infection, the head of NHS Providers has said. Chris Hopson, chief executive of the body which represents NHS trusts in England, said there was a degree of confidence that vaccines appear to have 'broken' the link between infections and the 'very high level of hospitalisations and mortality we've seen in previous waves'. He told Times Radio: 'And if, and it is a big if, if Bolton has gone through its complete cycle and if other areas follow Bolton, the view from the hospital there was that they were able to cope with the level of infections. 'It's important not to just focus on the raw numbers here you also do need to look at who's being admitted into hospital and how clinically vulnerable and what level of acuity they've got. 'What chief executives are consistently telling us is that it is a much younger population that is coming in, they are less clinically vulnerable, they are less in need of critical care and therefore they're seeing what they believe is a significantly lower mortality rate which is, you know, borne out by the figures. 'So it's not just the numbers of people who are coming in, it's actually the level of harm and clinical risk.' An increased package of support is being provided to Greater Manchester and Lancashire, similar to that seen in Bolton, where case numbers of the Delta variant first identified in India have been relatively high. Mr Hopson said any decision on easing remaining lockdown restrictions in England on June 21 was finely balanced, adding that if 'incredibly busy' hospitals see even a small rise in Covid patients, they could have to 'make some trade-offs between Covid and non-Covid care'. He added that 'we don't quite know where we are in terms of, are we at the beginning of an exponential rise or not?'. But he said the 'picture on mortality seems really pretty clear, that we've had less than 15 people a day dying from Covid for nearly about seven weeks now and that compares to well over 1,000 a day in the January peak and 800 a day in April last year'. Advertisement

In other coronavirus developments today:

Hundreds of British passengers on a cruise ship sailing around the country were told they could not disembark when they arrived in Scotland because of Nicola Sturgeon's coronavirus restrictions;

Andrew Lloyd Webber warned Boris Johnson that nothing would stop him from reopening his theatres on June 21 and that he was prepared to be arrested;

Eight out of 10 adults in England now have signs of immunity to Covid either from a vaccine or having had the virus in the past, study showed today;

An American senator blasted a letter by 27 scientists claiming Covid originated naturally as an 'orchestrated' attempt to damage then-President Donald Trump;

Cambridge University researchers found people most worried about catching Covid would judge other people's behaviour more harshly;

Indian doctors claimed the new Covid variant is giving people gangrene and hearing loss not seen in older strains of the virus;

Weekly Covid deaths in England and Wales have dropped below 100 for the first time in nearly nine months;

Britain's daily Covid cases yesterday spiked to 6,048 in a 90 per cent jump on last Tuesday  and 13 deaths from the virus were recorded.

The final batch of restrictions are due to be relaxed on June 21, but there are growing calls for the last round of easings to be delayed amid the rapid spread of the Indian variant, which is now dominant in the UK and at least 40 per cent more transmissible than the Kent strain of the virus.

Mr Jenrick hinted to Sky News that June 21 could be pushed back, saying:'We created this five-week period between the stages of the road map and that has actually proved invaluable on this occasion, because it's a finely balanced decision.

'We need to see that data of cases, which are clearly rising, but the link to hospitalisations and ultimately to death.

'So the Prime Minister is reviewing that ahead of the decision point, which is going to be June 14  at that point of course he will let everybody know what the ultimate decision is.'

He added: 'We are going to take a cautious approach but if we can proceed with that reopening on the 21st of June of course all of us would love to see that, for our own lives and for the livelihoods that depend on that further reopening.'

The minister was also grilled on whether Britons would be able to holiday abroad this year, saying people should stick to the 'admittedly relatively small number of countries' on the 'green' list, and not travel to 'amber' or 'red' areas unless absolutely necessary.

'You shouldn't be booking holidays to countries that are currently on either the amber list or the red list,' he told the programme.

'You can go to the admittedly relatively small number of countries on the green list.

'Even there be aware that this isn't a normal summer for holidays, we are reviewing that list every three weeks and so I would advise people to look for travel operators who can offer flexibility, would be able to offer rescheduling or repayments if something changes.

'We would like to open up that green list to more countries but we have obviously got to do so cautiously.'

Only 11 countries and territories are on the green list, which includes no major travel destinations in Europe.

The Prime Minister was yesterday reported to be considering delaying June 21 by about two weeks to give extra time for all over-50s  who are most at risk of hospitalisation and death from the virus  to get their second dose of the Covid vaccine, and for it to take effect.

But some experts have called on him not to delay the unlocking. Asked whether June 21 should go ahead, Dr Nabarro suggested ministers should stick to the roadmap.

'It can't be just about restrictions  the future for humanity is going to require that we adapt our lifestyles so that we make it hard for this virus to spread,' he said.

The Army is being sent in to help with surge testing and health chiefs will have the power to enforce mandatory face masks in secondary schools. Pictured: The Royal Horse Artillery help out at a walk-in vaccination bus in Bolton town centre today

Eight out of 10 adults in England now have Covid antibodies Eight out of 10 adults in England now have signs of immunity to Covid from either a vaccine or having had the virus in the past. A regular blood-testing report from the Office for National Statistics found that 80.3 per cent of adults in England tested positive for coronavirus antibodies in the third week of May, up from 76 per cent at the end of April. Antibodies are virus-fighting proteins that give people immunity to the virus and should stop them from getting sick if they catch it, although they don't always give total protection. The country's huge vaccination programme, which yesterday started offering jabs to people in their 20s for the first time, is the driving force behind the surging numbers of people who show signs of immunity. Antibody positive levels are highest among older age groups who have had two doses but rising fast in younger adults, too Across the whole of the UK a total of 40.6million people have had at least one dose of a jab  more than three quarters of all adults  and 28.2m have had both jabs giving them the maximum possible protection. NHS bosses Sir Simon Stevens said on Monday that the vaccine rollout is entering 'the home straight' as health chiefs and Matt Hancock urged everyone to get a jab as soon as possible to help the country end lockdown rules. The ONS report said: 'There is a clear pattern between vaccination and testing positive for Covid-19 antibodies.' The ONS report showed that Wales had the most people testing positive for antibodies in the UK, with 83 per cent. In Scotland it was 73 per cent and Northern Ireland 80 per cent. Across the regions of England, positivity was highest in the East Midlands and the North West, with 80 per cent, and lowest in London with 76 per cent. Vaccine uptake is significantly lower in the capital, with only 68 per cent of adults having had a jab, compared to more than 76 per cent in every other region. Higher rates of infection in London in the first and second waves have boosted immunity, however, because most people also test positive if they have had coronavirus in the past. Advertisement

'We know that the virus is constantly changing, which means that although vaccination is a marvellous marvellous asset, it's not going to be enough.

'We are going to have to continue to behave as though the virus is an ever present threat.

'So by all means, let the restrictions be released, but at the same time could I encourage everybody, everywhere to go on behaving carefully.

'At school, at the university, in the pub, in the restaurant, in the social club, the virus is still going to be around and it can come back with a huge surge, very, very quickly.'

Mr Hopson has also suggested the latest round of easings could go ahead because the NHS may be able to cope with the higher pressure if hospitalisations follow Bolton.

The Greater Manchester borough's hospitalisations are falling after cases also began to drop, following efforts to ramp up vaccinations in the community and surge testing to root out every case.

The NHS Providers chief executive told Times Radio: 'And if, and it is a big if, if Bolton has gone through its complete cycle and if others areas follow Bolton, the view from the hospital there was that they were able to cope with the level of infections.

'It's important not to just focus on the raw numbers hereyou also do need to look at who's being admitted into hospital and how clinically vulnerable and what level of acuity they've got.

'What chief executives are consistently telling us is that it is a much younger population that is coming in, they are less clinically vulnerable, they are less in need of critical care and therefore they're seeing what they believe is significantly lower mortality rate which is, you know, borne out by the figures.

'So it's not just the numbers of people who are coming in, it's actually the level of harm and clinical risk.'

Amid growing concern June 21 may be pushed back, impresario Andrew Lloyd Webber warned Boris Johnson that nothing will stop him from reopening his theatres on that date and he was prepared to be arrested.

The composer, 73, told the Daily Telegraph he may have to sell his six West End venues if the Government does not relax its restrictions.

He also revealed he has already remortgaged his London home.

'We are going to open, come hell or high water,' Lord Lloyd-Webber told the Telegraph.

Asked what he would do if the Government postponed lifting lockdown, he said: 'We will say: ''Come to the theatre and arrest us.'''

Ministers yesterday announced enhanced support for Greater Manchester and parts of Lancashire to help the area curb the spread of the Indian variant.

Matt Hancock said the military would be brought in as part of the 'strengthened package of support'.

The Health Secretary also encouraged the up to six million people living in the area not to travel to other parts of the UK and get tested twice a week to help curb the spread the spread of the Indian variant.

He added that residents should try to work from home where possible, and that schools could reintroduce face coverings in communal areas if they were advised to do so by local directors of public health.

Mr Burnham has expressed support for the measures taken in his region and Lancashire.

He said the package was 'better than the way they went about it last year', adding it had a 'better chance of carrying the public with it'. 'We have every reason to believe it will be successful,' he said.

It comes as Chancellor Rishi Sunak was reportedly among a string of Cabinet ministers pressing Boris Johnson to stick to the target date, arguing there is a pressing need to get key sectors such as hospitality firing on all cylinders.

A Whitehall source said Mr Sunak could live with a delay of 'a week or two' but would resist any further slippage as this could involve extending the furlough scheme.

'I don't think he's in principle against a short delay if that is what is necessary,' the source said. 'If it is more than a week or two then that is problematic.'

Treasury sources said there were no plans to extend the furlough scheme, which continues in full until the end of this month. From July, employers will have to make a gradually increasing contribution until the scheme ends in September.

 Slide me  APRIL LEFT, MAY RIGHT: Graphs show the proportions of people in different age groups who show signs of immunity to coronavirus in blood tests. The levels are almost maxed out in elderly and middle-aged groups who were first to get vaccinated and have clearly risen in younger groups during May

Andrew Lloyd Webber says Boris Johnson will have to arrest him to stop theatre reopening on June 21 Andrew Lloyd Webber has warned Boris Johnson that nothing will stop him from reopening his theatres on June 21 and he is prepared to be arrested. The composer, 73, told the Daily Telegraph he may have to sell his six West End venues if the Government does not relax its restrictions. He also revealed he has already remortgaged his London home. The composer, 73, told the Daily Telegraph he may have to sell his six West End venues if the Government does not relax its restrictions The pandemic has had a catastrophic financial impact on the theatre industry and many have remained closed despite the ease in Covid-19 restrictions as it is not financially viable for them to open with reduced capacities. Lord Lloyd-Webber is preparing for a production of Cinderella, which is scheduled to open for previews on June 25 ahead of its world premiere in July. 'We are going to open, come hell or high water,' Lord Lloyd-Webber told the Telegraph. Asked what he would do if the Government postponed lifting lockdown, he said: 'We will say: ''come to the theatre and arrest us.''' Advertisement

It comes as eight out of 10 adults in England now have signs of immunity to Covid from either a vaccine or having had the virus in the past.

A regular blood-testing report from the Office for National Statistics found that 80.3 per cent of adults in England tested positive for coronavirus antibodies in the third week of May, up from 76 per cent at the end of April.

Antibodies are virus-fighting proteins that give people immunity to the virus and should stop them from getting sick if they catch it, although they don't always give total protection.

The country's huge vaccination programme, which yesterday started offering jabs to people in their 20s for the first time, is the driving force behind the surging numbers of people who show signs of immunity.

Across the whole of the UK a total of 40.6million people have had at least one dose of a jab  more than three quarters of all adults  and 28.2m have had both jabs giving them the maximum possible protection.

NHS bosses Sir Simon Stevens said on Monday that the vaccine rollout is entering 'the home straight' as health chiefs and Matt Hancock urged everyone to get a jab as soon as possible to help the country end lockdown rules.

The ONS report said: 'There is a clear pattern between vaccination and testing positive for Covid-19 antibodies.'

The ONS report showed that Wales had the most people testing positive for antibodies in the UK, with 83 per cent. In Scotland it was 73 per cent and Northern Ireland 80 per cent.

Across the regions of England, positivity was highest in the East Midlands and the North West, with 80 per cent, and lowest in London with 76 per cent.

Vaccine uptake is significantly lower in the capital, with only 68 per cent of adults having had a jab, compared to more than 76 per cent in every other region.

Higher rates of infection in London in the first and second waves have boosted immunity, however, because most people also test positive if they have had coronavirus in the past.

The age distribution of immunity is directly linked to the vaccine rollout, with higher rates in older people and lower ones among younger people who haven't yet had their jabs.

In over-50s in England, for example, more than 98 per cent of people showed signs of immunity.

In those aged 35 to 49 it was 78 per cent, in 25 to 34-year-olds it was 59 per cent and in under-25s it was 53 per cent.

Andy Burnham calls for No10 to redirect Covid vaccine supplies to Greater Manchester' Andy Burnham has called for vaccine supplies to be diverted to Indian Covid variant hotspots including Greater Manchester to jab over-18s Greater Manchester's mayor Andy Burnham has today called for vaccine supplies to be redirected to his region and other Indian Covid variant hotspots to tackle the spread of the mutant strain. The former Labour MP, dubbed the 'King of the North', is urging ministers to open up jabs to over-18s in badly-hit areas to deal with surging cases. He argued surging supplies to the region would stop the spread of the Delta variant and offered the best hope of No10 being able to unlock fully on June 21. But a Government minister today dismissed Mr Burnham's calls to divert coronavirus vaccine supplies to areas including Greater Manchester and Lancashire. Four million people living in both areas were yesterday slapped with tougher guidance urging them not to leave the area and avoid meeting people indoors. Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick said No10 was 'going to stick with the advice' given to them by top scientific advisers regarding the roll-out. Currently the inoculation drive is only open to over-25s in England. But some areas have already begun offering jabs to over-18s, including in parts of Manchester. Asked about whether he wanted over-18s to be prioritised in the roll-out on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, he said: 'We absolutely would say surge vaccine supplies into high case areas, so not just Greater Manchester and Lancashire [but] other parts of the country. 'It makes much more sense to get on with the vaccination programme in June, then doing that later in the year or later because obviously the need is now to stop the spread of the virus. 'Of course it would slow the vaccination programme in other parts of the country where cases are lower.' Advertisement

Debate about the lifting of lockdown has intensified at the top of government following a surge in Covid cases.

Government scientists are understood to have warned ministers that daily cases are on course to be running at well over 10,000 a day by June 21.

Yesterday, daily cases topped 6,000 for the second time since mid-March. And there is concern that those who have had only one jab are at risk from the virulent Indian strain.

Matt Hancock told MPs on Monday that only three of the 126 people hospitalised by the Indian variant in the UK had been fully vaccinated. But a further 28 in hospital  just over a fifth of the total  had received one jab.

Mr Hancock and the Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty are said to have argued that a short delay would enable many more to gain the extra protection of a second jab. But Michael Gove, who is also urging caution, is said to believe Mr Johnson will press ahead with lifting at least some restrictions on June 21.

Downing Street said the Prime Minister wanted to see more data before announcing the decision on Monday.

Tory MPs urged Mr Johnson to overrule the scientists.

Former party leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith said: 'Scientists have got themselves into a frightened state where none of them want to be the one who says unlock because they are fearful they will be blamed if something goes wrong, even though there is no evidence that it will.

'They are drifting towards a zero Covid goal, which is unattainable, and the politicians have to take back control.'

Former Cabinet minister David Jones also warned against further delay. 'We cannot continue to live as we have for the last 15 months,' he said. At some stage we have to take our courage in our hands and start getting back to normal, and that stage is now.'

It comes after MailOnline analysis yesterday revealed all over-50s in England could be fully protected against Covid by July 1  nearly two weeks after 'freedom day on June 21.

The figures will boost calls for the Government to delay opening up all restrictions on June 21 for a fortnight in order to ensure the most vulnerable members of society have all had time for both doses to have had an effect.

Experts say the vaccine forecast supports the case for a delay in reopening because one dose of vaccine can be as little as 30 per cent effective against the Indian coronavirus variant that is now dominant in the UK.

Cases are currently rising by around 40 per cent a week and new infections will be well above 15,000 a day by June 21, although it remains to be seen if the full vaccination of older Britons will keep hospital occupancy low.

But opponents of a postponement believe the vaccines have successfully broken the link between cases and hospitalisations, and argue the economic cost of a delay would be greater than that caused by a third wave this summer.

Experts told MailOnline the figures suggest the Government would be right to delay by two weeks in order to ensure all over-50s have had their second dose and are protected.
MIT celebrates decade as world's best university; Harvard falls to lowest rank ever LONDON, June 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- QS Quacquarelli Symonds, global higher education analysts, have today released the eighteenth edition of the QS World University Rankings. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) celebrates an unprecedented, unbroken decade as the world's best university. L. Rafael Reif, President of MIT, said: "We deeply appreciate the recognition of our institution and the faculty, staff, alumni, and students that make MIT what it is a and we also tremendously admire the achievements of academic institutions around the globe. The world benefits from a strong higher education network that delivers countless benefits for humanity, from fundamental discoveries to novel solutions to pressing challenges in climate and health, to the education of the next generation of talent. We are proud and grateful to belong to this great human c! ommunity of scholars, researchers and educators, striving together to make a better world."A The top five also experiences its most significant reconfiguration for half a decade: Harvard University (5th) falls out of the top three a its lowest-ever rank - to be replaced by the University of Oxford (2nd, up from 5th) and the University of Cambridge (joint-3rd, shared with Stanford University). Caltech (6 th ) drops out of the top five for the first time since 2015.

) drops out of the top five for the first time since 2015. ETH Zurich remains continental Europe's best university for a fourteenth consecutive year.

best university for a fourteenth consecutive year. In a major milestone, Mainland China is home to two of the world's top twenty universities for the first time ever.

Asia's two top universities are National University of Singapore (11 th ) and Nanyang Technological University (12 th ).

two top universities are (11 ) and (12 ). Australia's four top universities rise, with Australian National University re-entering the top 30.

four top universities rise, with re-entering the top 30. The progress of Malaysia and Russia slows after years of improvement, but both are home to one of the world's top 100 universities each.

and slows after years of improvement, but both are home to one of the world's top 100 universities each. 4! 8% of Japan's universities decline.

Latin America's best university is Universidad de Buenos Aires (69 th ). Hampered by low research impact scores, more of the continent's universities fall than rise.

best university is Universidad de (69 ). Hampered by low research impact scores, more of the continent's universities fall than rise. Saudi Arabia's top university a King Abdulaziz University, 109th - reaches a record high. A QS World University Rankings 2022: Global Top 20 A A 2022 2021 InstitutionA LocationA 1 1 MIT USA 2 5 University of Oxford UK 3=A 7 University of Cambridge UK 3=A 2 Stanford University USA 5 3 Harvard University USA 6 4 California Institute of Technology USA 7 8 Imperial College London UK 8=A 6 ETH Zurich Switzerland 8=A 10 UCL UK 10 9 University of Chicago USA 11 11 National University of Singapore Singapore 12 13 Nanyang Technological University Singapore 13 16 University of Pennsylvania USA 14=A 14 Ecole Polytechnique FAdArale de Lausanne Switzerland 14=A 17 Yale University USA 16 20 University of Edinburgh UK 17 15 Tsinghua University Mainland China 18 23 Peking University Mainland China 19 19 Columbia University USA 20 12 Princeton University USA A QS Quacquarelli Symonds 2004-2021 https://www.TopUniversities.com/. A Ranking's methodology Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1503777/QS_World_University_Rankings_Logo.jpg A A A
AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccine has today been linked to another rare bleeding disorder.

Researchers say around one in 100,000 people given the jab will suffer idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP).

The condition can cause minor bruising around the body and can leave some with a purple-dotted rash.

Almost 350 Brits have been struck down with a separate rare clotting disorder after getting the AstraZeneca vaccine, which was developed by Oxford University.

The complication  blood clots occurring alongside abnormally low platelet levels, cells which cause blockages  spooked health chiefs into advising under-40s are given a different jab.

ITP can cause minor bruising around the body and can leave some with a purple-dotted rash called petechiae (pictured)

Edinburgh University experts, who uncovered the link to ITP, did not say how many people also went on to develop clots.

But they said it was likely to be a 'manifestation' of the main troubling complication.

Researchers spotted the link after analysing data from 5.4million people in Scotland between December 8 and April 14. By then, 1.7million had received their first dose of the Oxford jab, while 800,000 had the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

They examined vaccinated individuals' health records to identify any previous issues with ITP, clotting or bleeding disorders and compared these to people who had not been vaccinated.

No cases were linked to Pfizer's Covid jab, which works in an entirely different way.

They said the finding for that jab  which has been administered 24.6million times in Britain  was 'reassuring'.

What is idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP)? ITP is a condition that causes the immune system to destroy platelets. Platelets are blood cells that clot the blood and are needed to prevent bleeding and bruising after injury. People can get ITP after a virus, vaccine or certain medicines, but the cause is often unknown. It is usually diagnosed with a blood test. Between 3,000 and 4,000 people in the UK have ITP. Someone who does not have enough platelets can bruise very easily or may be unable to stop bleeding when cut. Other common symptoms include petechiae - a pin prick rash of blood spots that can appear red, purple or brown - bruising and nose bleeds. A normal platelet count is between 100 and 400 thousand million per litre of blood. Those who have ITP are unlikely to get bleeding symptoms unless their platelet count is below 20 thousand million per litre of blood. ITP in children almost always gets better without any treatment. But adults are usually prescribed a short course of steroids to treat the condition. Source: NHS Advertisement

For the AstraZeneca jab, the risk of developing ITP lasted for almost four weeks after getting jabbed.

There is no proof the AstraZeneca's jab has caused blood clots despite mounting claims, and that remains under investigation.

The experts also insist the benefits of the jab outweigh risks for the large majority of adults.

UK health chiefs only advised under-40s were given a different vaccine because of their tiny risk of falling seriously ill, coupled with the very low prevalence of Covid at the time.

The recommendation from the JCVI, which advises No10 may change if cases spiral out of control because of the Indian variant.

Edinburgh scientists said the risk of ITP after AstraZeneca's jab  calculated to be 11 per 1million doses  was similar to rates seen for the MMR vaccine.

Professor Aziz Sheikh, study author, claimed the 'very small risk' of ITP, clotting and bleeding needed to be 'seen within the context of the very clear benefits' of the jab, which has been repeatedly proven to save lives.

Dr Will Lester, a consultant haematologist at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, who was not involved in the study, said ITP is often 'manageable', and the risk of death from the condition 'very rare'.

He insisted there is 'currently no evidence' that any vaccine against Covid is riskier than another.

Patients who developed ITP had an average age of 69 and often had at least one underlying health condition, such as heart disease or diabetes.

The first clots to alarm people given AstraZeneca's vaccine were ones appearing in veins near the brains of younger adults in a condition called CSVT (cerebral sinus venous thrombosis).

Since that, however, people have developed clots in other parts of their bodies.

All of the clots have occurred alongside thrombocytopaenia, an abnormally low numbers of platelets  an unusual effect because platelets are usually used by the immune system to build the clots.

In most cases people recover fully and the blockages are generally easy to treat if spotted early, but they can trigger strokes or heart or lung problems if unnoticed.

Symptoms depend entirely on where the clot is, with brain blockages causing excruitiating headaches. Clots in major arteries in the abdomen can cause persistent stomach pain, and ones in the leg can cause swelling of the limbs.

Some countries have decided to stop using the jab altogether, with Denmark and Norway opting against rolling it out. Other nations have restricted it to certain age groups.

The Oxford vaccine was approved in the UK in December and is recommended for use in over 40s

But AstraZeneca's jab isn't the only one thought to cause blood clots. Johnson & Johnson's single-dose vaccine, which has yet to be approved in the UK, has been linked to 28 cases in the US out of more than 10.4million shots.

Researchers in Germany believe the problem lies in the adenovirus vector  a common cold virus used so both vaccines can enter the body.

Academics investigating the issue say the complication is 'completely absent' in mRNA vaccines like Pfizer's and Moderna's because they have a different delivery mechanism.

Experts at Goethe-University of Frankfurt and Ulm University, in Helmholtz, say the AstraZeneca vaccine enters the nucleus of the cell  a blob of DNA in the middle. For comparison, the Pfizer jab enters the fluid around it that acts as a protein factory.

Bits of coronavirus proteins that get inside the nucleus can break up and the unusual fragments then get expelled out into the bloodstream, where they can trigger clotting in a tiny number of people, scientists claim.

AstraZeneca said in a statement that its Covid vaccine is 'highly effective', helping to save over 100,000 lives around the world.

Ensuring the safety of the vaccine is 'paramount' and the company is working with regulators and the scientific community to understand the 'extremely rare' blood clots, it said.
A beautician who enjoyed a '100-a-night lifestyle' died after taking liquid ecstasy, an inquest heard today.

Claire Anderson's badly bruised body was found by police at her home in Doncaster, in July 2020, after a friend asked a neighbour to ring an ambulance.

The 35-year-old had been taking liquid ecstasy (GBL) and cocaine regularly and had high levels of them in her system.

Her body was discovered at the property by officers two days after she passed away.

Detective constable Alex Britland of South Yorkshire Police's Major Crime Unit, who appeared before the inquest via videolink, said officers later arrested a 38-year-old man, a friend Ms Anderson had met in Australia.

DC Britland said the inquiry was initially treated as a criminal investigation and that Miss Anderson's flat was a 'crime scene'.

Claire Anderson's badly bruised body was found by police at her home in Doncaster, just before 9.30pm on July 11, 2020

The man, who had met Miss Anderson in Australia several years ago and had stayed with her for a couple of weeks, told the court she was very sociable and 'liked a party' adding they would party 'for four days out of 10'.

Detective constable Britland said: 'In his opinion he said Crack had a negative effect on her but the other drugs seemed to make her happy and would spend 100 a night on her lifestyle.'

The inquest heard he went round to her flat and 'found Claire lying on the floor. He saw a crack pipe and it looked like she had been partying....he tried to give her CPR but there was no response.

'He said he could taste alcohol on her mouth. He asked a neighbour to ring for an ambulance.'

Miss Anderson's body was discovered at the property by officers two days after she passed away

A forensic post mortem revealed the bruises were likely to have been suffered by Miss Anderson while under the influence of drink or drugs. The enquiry was dropped and her friend was released without charge.

Earlier Miss Anderson's brother said he was 'very close' to his sister but said she lived a 'chaotic lifestyle'.

He said his relationship with his sister had become strained in the weeks leading up to her death after she stole his bank card and using it to withdraw 180 which she used to spend on drugs.

A friend, who last saw Miss Anderson on July 7, said: 'I went to her house. The flat was in a mess and she was in a bad way. She suffered from depression, was drinking and was addicted to GBL.'

Miss Anderson's brother said he was 'very close' to his sister but said she lived a 'chaotic lifestyle'

Another friend said: 'I knew she took GBL but she knew what her limit was. She liked to have a a drink, but she was happy with no problems. She was just p***** off that she had no money.'

She arrived at the flat soon after her friend's body was discovered, adding: 'I just screamed. I was in a panic. I knew she was dead.'

In his summary of the evidence, assistant coroner Matt Stanbury said: 'Claire had a very happy childhood apart from one traumatic incident outside the home, [on a family holiday in Tenerife when she was 13-years-old], which had a considerable impact on her.

'She had a passion for health and beauty and gained a number of qualifications in that field and started her own business (after spending 15,000 on training).

'Unfortunately that business had to be wound up in 2020 and Claire was declared bankrupt.'

He said she developed a problematic relationship with alcohol and drugs and suffered from anxiety and depression.

Following a toxicology report which found traces of cocaine and high levels of the liquid ecstasy drug GHB in her blood, the coroner concluded she died from a drug-related death.
The cause of the fire is not known and there were no injuries, fire service said

The wooden vessel has been left as a charred shell after firefighters put out blaze

The clinker-built ship had sat at shingle beach at Romney Marsh for over 65 years

The 'Ian and Tina' starred in Countryfile, EastEnders and a Vogue fashion shoot

Iconic fishing boat was destroyed in a fire at 4pm on Sunday in Dungeness, Kent

An iconic fishing boat which starred in Countryfile and EastEnders has been destroyed in a fire after sitting on a Kent beach for more than 65 years.

The picturesque 'Ian and Tina', which had become a beach landmark in Dungeness, Kent, was destroyed in a blaze at 4pm on Sunday.

Firefighters used hose reel jets and drag rakes to extinguish the flames which have left a charred shell of the previously stunning wooden vessel.

The cause of the fire is not known and no injuries were reported by 5.30pm, according to Kent Fire and Rescue Service.

The picturesque 'Ian and Tina', which had become a beach landmark in Dungeness, Kent, was destroyed in a fire at 4pm on Sunday and left as a charred shell (pictured)

The clinker-built wooden boat (pictured) featured in a 2007 episode of EastEnders, BBC's Countryfile and most recently a British Vogue fashion shoot last year

The clinker-built wooden boat featured in a 2007 episode of EastEnders, BBC's Countryfile and most recently a British Vogue fashion shoot last year.

The fishing boat was made in Rye, East Sussex and allowed to see out its years on the shingle beach in Romney Marsh after it was deemed unseaworthy.

The vessel's former owner Len Prebble, who has a memorial plaque commemorating him as the last fisherman to live in Myrtle Cottage, died in 2004.

His well-weathered RX15 registered boat has been left in its place on the beach ever since as a mark of respect and had become renowned in the area for its history.

The well-recognised vessel is just one of many abandoned wooden boats that sit on the pebbled beaches of Dungeness, which are popular spots for visitors to pose for photographs.

The popular fishing boat had been sat on top of a pile of wooden slats alongside old, rusted railway tracks on the shingle 'desert' for more than 65 years.

The fishing boat (pictured) was made in Rye, East Sussex and allowed to see out its years on the shingle beach in Romney Marsh after it was deemed unseaworthy

The popular fishing boat (pictured) had been sat on top of a pile of wooden slats alongside old, rusted railway tracks on the shingle 'desert' for more than 65 years

The well-recognised vessel is just one of many abandoned wooden boats that sit on the pebbled beaches of Dungeness, which are popular spots for visitors

The tracks were used by fisherman who would secure their carts on to the tracks to pull their haul across the shingle for transportation.

Photographer Susan Pilcher, who has fond memories of the vessel from her first night time shoot back in October 2017, said: 'It's really sad.

'That boat is part of my night time photography and my go to place to shoot the milky way.

'It's absolutely devastating for the family and the grandkids who would go and visit as a way of remembering Len Prebble, who died in 2004.

'The boat has seen out its years on the shingle and become a favourite with locals.

'I just hope it was a tragic accident and nothing malicious.'

Dungeness beach has previously been called Britain's only 'desert' due to its low levels of rainfall and is one of Europe's largest expanses of shingle.
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A model maker who spent 26 years building a stunning miniature Georgian doll's house has put it up for sale for 8,750.

Len Martin, from Charlton Marshall, Dorset, spared no expense or time in creating the incredibly ornate model townhouse that includes Swarovski chandeliers, gold furniture and artwork from Egyptian King Farouk's artist.

The 42ins tall dolls house also includes 16 statues, 138 balustrades, marble floors, stone cherubs on the ceilings and more tiny oil paintings crafted by real artists.

Len Martin, from Charlton Marshall, Dorset, spared no expense or time in creating the incredibly ornate Georgian-style doll's house

The 77-year-old's creation also includes Swarovski chandeliers (pictured), gold furniture and artwork from Egyptian King Farouk's artist

Mr Martin, 77, who created the miniature mansion in memory of his late mother Pearl Langdon, has now decided to put the model up for sale for 8,750

The 42-inch tall doll's house also includes 16 statues, 138 balustrades, marble floors and stone cherubs on the ceilings (pictured)

Mr Martin, 77, created the miniature mansion in memory of his late mother Pearl Langdon.

Georgian architecture was her favourite style and Mr Martin called it Langdon Hall in her honour.

Now he has decided to part with his treasured model and has put it up for sale.

He said: 'I built it in memory of my late mum and called it Langdon Hall. She was very artistic and I follow in her footsteps.

'I love making doll's houses - I started making them in the early 1970s and I am still making them to this day.

Mr Martin (pictured alongside his creation), who started making doll's houses in the early 1970s, said that he designed everything himself

The 77-year-old model maker said that in order to create the patterned ceilings he made a single mould and replicated it multiple times

Mr Martin said the only part he struggled with was the electrics but added that he managed to hide all the wiring in the cavity walls meaning the chandelier and all the fire places (pictured) light up

'When I ran my shop I would start making things when it was quiet and I designed this on a piece of paper and the next day decided to start making it.

'I designed everything myself but based on Georgian architecture and it just grew and grew.

'I found patterns I liked that I wanted to make a moulded ceiling, made a mould and just replicated it multiple times. I found a cherub on a pot and cut that out and used it to make a mould.

'Then I bought some gold leaf and taught myself how to do that to gold leaf the ceiling and the balustrades. It took me about three weeks just to finish the staircase.

'When I made the chandelier I went out and bought some Swarovski crystals, but I didn't realise how expensive they are, it cost me 100 just to make one chandelier.

Mr Martin, who was previously a militaria dealer, said that the project was 'a lot of trial and error' and that he had to 'experiment with different things to see if they would work'

The 42ins tall dolls house also includes 16 statues, 138 balustrades, marble floors, stone cherubs on the ceilings and more tiny oil paintings crafted by real artists (left and right)

Mr Martin, who is now selling the doll's house, said: 'When you take pictures and blow them up, you would think you were sitting in a real room'

Mr Martin bought some gold leaf and taught himself how to apply it to ceilings and the balustrades. He said it took him about three weeks just to finish the staircase

'I cut some marble up to make the floor in the entrance and to make the wooden floors I laid each strip of wood one at a time and French polished them.

'I was going to stick real bricks on but it would have cost a fortune so I cut them all out of cardboard and hand painted them with a special paint to look like bricks.

'It was a lot of trial and error, experimenting with different things to see if they would work. The only thing I really struggled with is the electrics, I'm no electrician, but I taught myself what to do and everything is hidden in the cavity walls and the chandelier and fire places all light up.

'When you take pictures and blow them up, you would think you were sitting in a real room.'

Before he retired as a militaria dealer Mr Martin had his own shop - half of which was dedicated to dolls' houses.
The charter plane organized by the White House for members of the press corps accompanying President Joe Biden to Europe was delayed nearly seven hours overnight after cicadas invaded the engine and caused mechanical issues.

The plane was meant to take off from from Dulles International Airport in Virginia at 9:00 p.m., but didn't get off the ground until almost 4:00 a.m.

'The White House press charter, flying from Dulles to Europe ahead of President Biden, has been delayed for hours - due to mechanical issues caused by cicadas. Yes. Cicadas,' Associated Press' White House Reporter Jonathan Lemire, who is part of the press charter, tweeted at 10:02 p.m.

At 3:56 a.m., he tweeted: 'And after a delay of nearly 7 hours, we're finally wheels up to the UK and the G7. Stupid cicadas.'

When Biden left for the trip Wednesday morning, he was seen swatting away cicadas as he walked across the tarmac and boarded Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews, located in Prince George's County, Maryland.

The White House charter for press accompanying Joe Biden to Europe was delayed seven hours due to cicadas invading the engine. The plane was supposed to take off from Dulles International Airport at 9:00 p.m. Tuesday night, but did not get off the ground until nearly 4:00 a.m. Wednesday morning

Associated Press White House Reporter Jonathan Lemire, who was on the charter, tweeted 'stupid cicadas' after finally getting off the ground

CNN reporter Kaitlan Collins posted an image when they were finally on board before departure for Biden's first foreign trip as president

CNN Chief White House Correspondent Kaitlan Collins tweeted: 'No, [Jon Lemire] isn't kidding, the White House press charter for the foreign trip is delayed several hours because of cicada-related mechanical issues.'

The Brood X cicadas are the largest breed of the incest, and they only emerge every 17 years.

That specific brood is found mostly around Pennsylvania, Northern Virginia, Indiana and eastern Tennessee, according to the National Park Service. They do, however, emerge along most of the East Coast.

Trillions of the Brood X, which have orange stripes down their body and an orange patch between their eyes, emerged this summer. Although they are large and make a very loud noise, they are harmless to humans.

Brood X cicadas only are above ground for about one month in which they mate, lay eggs and die.

'Just when you had an earful of cicada tales, here's another: Swarms of the creatures are to blame for delaying the White House press plane to Europe for President Biden's trip overseas. Tonight's chartered flight is expected to be delayed for hours until a new plane arrives. Yep,' CNN Chief National Affairs Correspondent Jeff Zelenksy tweeted.

President Biden was also swarmed by a cicada before he jetted on his eight-day trip to Europe for the G7, a meeting with the Queen and the Putin summit

Biden looks at the tarmac at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland at the cicada he just swatted from his neck

'It's a flight delay 17 years in the making,' he wrote in another tweet. 'The great cicada invasion strikes the White House press charter plane.'

Biden and first lady Jill are traveling to Europe for the G7 summit in Cornwall, England June 11-13, but are making a few other stops along the way.

Air Force One will depart from Joint Base Andrews on Wednesday morning.

The president and first lady will deliver remarks on Wednesday evening to the U.S. Air Force personnel  and their families  who are stationed at Royal Air Force Mildenhall in Suffolk, England.

The trip is off to a bumpy start for the press after they had to hunker down at Dulles airport for the night as they awaited the cicada issue to be resolved with their plane.

Brood X emerged this year in Connecticut, Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana, along with Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and Washington D.C.

There are 15 major 'broods' of cicadas in different geographic areas, with life cycles of either 13 or 17 years. Brood X is the tenth - with the X being the roman numeral for ten.

Brood X cicadas, the largest of all cicada species, emerge from underground every 17 years in the trillions along the East Coast to breed before they die

These insects emerge from the ground in droves, with some years seeing trillions of cicadas in a season. They mostly appear in the eastern and central parts of the US.

Notably, Kamala Harris also had mechanical issues with Air Force Two when leaving for her first international trip as vice president on Sunday.

Her plane was forced to turn around minutes after take off due to an unusual sound with the landing gear, which was chalked up to a small 'technical issue.'

After about an hour-and-a-half, the vice president was back on the plane and off the ground headed to Guatemala.
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Haunting mugshots showing Victorian child criminals as young as TEN who faced jail for petty crimes over 145 years ago have been unearthed.

The fascinating custody shots reveal real-life Artful Dodgers and Oliver Twists who were remanded for offences such as stealing frocks, food, underwear and coal.

They are believed to be among some of the world's oldest mugshots and show the youngest criminals to face harsh justice in Victorian Birmingham.

The images date back to the 1870s, when photography was still in its infancy. They show baby-faced offenders smartly dressed in waistcoats and oversized jackets.

The collection was unearthed in the West Midlands Police archives and has now recently gone on display at their museum in Sparkhill, Birmingham.

Haunting mugshots showing Victorian child criminals as young as TEN who faced jail for petty crimes over 145 years ago have been unearthed. Left: Among the rogues gallery of juveniles is Charles Lambourne, who was just 10 when he first appeared in the police records. He is seen above in his second appearance, wearing a striped cravat aged 16. Right: Charles Paul, 13, who pinched six pairs of drawers from his father in 1876, is also pictured in the black-and-white snaps

The young street urchins stared fixedly at the camera while holding blackboards displaying the date of their offence and their name in chalk.

Birmingham was the earliest UK police force to photograph criminals, snapping their first crook in 1853.

Pictured in the gallery is Charles Lambourne, who was just 10 when he first appeared in the police records.

He was sent to prison for seven days in 1876 and whipped for stealing a frock from his father.

Lambourne appears again on June 12, 1882, aged 16, this time wearing a striped cravat.

He received a one-month sentence for stealing 18 shillings and a watch from his master.

They are believed to be among some of the world's oldest mugshots and show the youngest criminals to face harsh justice in Victorian Birmingham. The images date back to the 1870s, when photography was still in its infancy. They show baby-faced offenders smartly dressed in waistcoats and oversized jackets. Left: William Harris stole a bicycle and was sent to prison for 14 days. Right: Thomas Giblin stole coal and went to prison for two weeks

Charles Paul, 13, who pinched six pairs of drawers from his father in 1876, is also pictured in the black-and-white snaps.

The teen was sent to prison for 14 days then spent five years in a reformatory - a Victorian version of a young offender's institution.

More images show stony-faced youngsters at Birmingham's Moor Street Public Office in 1876.

William Harris stole a bicycle and was sent to prison for 14 days.

Joseph Haynes' crime is not recorded but he was sent to prison for 21 days and to a reformatory for four years.

William Walton was sent to prison for 14 days and a reformatory for five years for stealing beef.

Thomas Giblin and John Welch were both convicted of stealing coal and sentenced to one month and 14 days imprisonment respectively.

They were both packed off to a reformatory for five years afterwards.

Lambourne was just 10 when he first appeared in the police records, in 1876. The teen was banged up for 14 days in prison then five years in a reformatory, which was like a Victorian young offender's institution. William Walton (right) was sent to prison for 14 days and a reformatory for five years for stealing beef

Corinne Brazier, the heritage manager at West Midlands Police, said she had spent painstaking hours cataloguing and sorting the archive.

She added: 'Victorian criminal justice has a strong focus on punishment - long prison sentences for minor offences, reformatories and hard labour.

'As the country moved away from transportation and capital punishment, a significant number of people were imprisoned, including a large number of children.

'Many of those children were first time offenders and probably completed their incarceration hardened and streetwise.

'If the desired effect was to 'scare them straight' it often fell short of the mark, with many young offenders repeatedly coming before the courts.

'We have delved into our archives to find some of the youngest offenders to face the harsh Victorian justice.

Joseph Haynes' crime is not recorded but he was sent to prison for 21 days and to a reformatory for four years. John Welch was convicted of stealing coal and sentenced to one month in prison

'It could well be the case that the West Midlands Police Museum holds the oldest surviving police custody photos in the world - some dating back to the 1850s.

'Suspects would be marched round to a new photographic studio that had opened up down the road where they would have their picture taken.

'In the 1870s it was legislated that all police forces had to take photographs of people in custody, and this is when the first ledger of the Birmingham Police collection starts.

'These images show some sad characters - all in black, many in bedraggled clothing holding a chalk board for the reference number identifying their record, which also identified the year the image was taken.'
A bigamist mother-of-three who tied the knot and had a baby with her lover while still married to her first husband of 22 years has been spared jail.

Brinda Kantamaneni, 43, from Guildford, Surrey, hid her relationship and pregnancy with Matthew Hall from her first husband, Ravi.

Their homes were just three minutes apart and she even entered an incorrect name on the birth certificate of her five-year-old child with Mr Hall.

She has not been able to speak to her two children from her marriage with her first husband for three years, the court was told.

Kantamaneni, who had pleaded guilty to a charge of bigamy at a previous hearing, appeared at Isleworth Crown Court for sentencing accompanied by Mr Hall.

The court heard that she was forced to wed at the age of 20 in an arranged marriage to her first husband, Ravi, in May 1999 in North Carolina in the United States, and had a traditional Indian ceremony later that year.

Brinda Kantamaneni (pictured above), 43, from Guildford, Surrey, hid her relationship and pregnancy with Matthew Hall from her first husband, Ravi

The couple later went on to have a son and daughter, now aged 17 and 15, before moving to live in London where Ravi works as a director for an international consultancy firm.

Ravi asked the court for a restraining order against Kantamaneni, but this was denied. The earlier hearing was told that said she could have faced up to seven years in prison for bigamy.

Judge Hannah Duncan said, however, during mitigation: 'I'm not going to send her to prison.'

The court was told she was subject to emotional and physical abuse and was kept in the unhappy marriage by her husband, father and brother.

Prosecutor Olu Phillips, reading out the first husband's victim impact statement, said: 'For me, everything is a constant battle.

'My mind is in a constant movie of memories. I only live for my children and ensure they will have a happy healthy life.

'I don't trust anyone. My work has been impacted. I have been forgetful, I just keep thinking about why she did this to her own children.

'We didn't deserve any of this. I'm in constant distress, sadness and pain.'

Paul Mylvaganam, in mitigation, said: 'There is a long and sad history in this case.

'The case is obviously unusual, but the real punishment has already happened - she has not spoken to her children for three years.

'When divorce proceedings initiated in 2018, she gave away her house in Arlington, Virginia, and her house in London and walked away without anything in the hopes she could see her children.

'In early 2020, she was reported for bigamy by her first husband. She could have tried to force seeing her children through the courts, but she was fearful at that point.

Mr Hall, pictured above. Their homes were just three minutes apart and Kantamaneni even entered an incorrect name on the birth certificate of her five-year-old child with Mr Hall

'She wants nothing more than to be able to build bridges and mend the relationship.'

He added: 'She's a lady who can hold together a family and hopes to be a good mother to that young five-year-old.'

Passing sentence, the judge handed her 20 days rehabilitation activity requirement to be completed over two years. No costs or compensation, other than the victim surcharge, were ordered.

She said: 'You went through an arranged marriage when you were a very young woman to the complainant in this case.

'You had two children. The marriage took place in 1999, the first child was born in 2004 and the second child born in 2007. You tried to keep up the facade, but you knew your marriage was over.

'There was nothing legally stopping you leaving your first husband. You were perfectly entitled to do that.

'The reason you are here is that you lied in order to live the life with a man you are in love with. There is harm in the case, not just because of the lie but due to the sad breakdown of a family.

'You did not want to be in the first marriage. You were reluctant to be in an arranged marriage and you were only 20 years old.

'Several times over the years you have tried to leave your husband but you were not allowed to do so by your husband, your brother and your father.

'You were subjected to coercive control and subject to physical abuse. You were put into a position where you couldn't leave.

The court (file photo, above) heard that she was forced to wed at the age of 20 in an arranged marriage to her first husband, Ravi, in May 1999 in North Carolina in the United States

'You were emotionally abused and emotionally manipulated. This is how you found yourself saying a lie. This is not something you should have done.

'It was open to you to do things the right way, but you have already lost your job and contact with your two children. That reduces a great deal in your culpability.'

Judge Duncan added: 'In terms of the harm, I look at the lie you told and the humiliation, hurt and the shame you brought to your husband.

'I've read the victim impact statement written by him. I note none of the children has been asked to write a victim impact statement.

'It is clear there is a great deal of bad will from your former husband towards you and I must bear that in mind.

'What they are hurt about is they have left your father, they are no longer living with you, and that would have hurt whether you did this the right way or the wrong way.

'You were always entitled to leave, but you were forced to stay against your will by physical and emotional abuse.

'I refuse to make a restraining order. That would be wholly inappropriate. I don't see that there is any risk that makes a restraining order necessary.

'It was not strictly speaking where a double life was led for many years. You were doing the best you could to make everyone happy.

'You came to make this decision by for once putting yourself first, no matter how foolish that decision may have been.'
A man has been arrested over the fatal shooting of a 10-year-old boy in Queens.

Justin Wallace was standing in the doorway of a relative's house on Saturday when he was shot in the stomach during an alleged argument about a shared driveway.

On Tuesday, Jovan Young, 29, was arrested and charged with murder and two counts of criminal possession of a weapon, the NYPD said.

The arrest came on what would have been Justin's 11th birthday.

Cops have recovered a gun tied to the individual, who is awaiting arraignment,' The New York Post reporting, citing law enforcement sources.

Pictures from late on Tuesday showed a handcuffed Young being led from the 101 Precinct command by officers.

Young is accused of shooting Justin and his 29-year-old cousin Kyle Forrester, who was hit in the shoulder and is expected to survive.

The shooting occurred at around 9:30 p.m. at 342 Beach 45 Street in the Edgemere neighborhood of Queens.

Jovan Young (center) has been arrested over the fatal shooting of 10-year-old Justin Wallace in Queens

Young, 29, was arrested and charged with murder and two counts of criminal possession of a weapon, the NYPD said. Pictures from late on Tuesday showed a handcuffed Young (center) being led from the 101 Precinct command by officers

Justin Wallace was standing in the doorway of a relative's house on Saturday when he was shot in the stomach over an alleged argument about a shared driveway

Friends and family lamented the senseless killing, which is believed to have been sparked by a dispute over a driveway that relatives of Wallace share with a next-door neighbor.

'Can you imagine that, man? Three days before his birthday,' Justin's father, Albert Wallace, who witnessed the killing, told the New York Daily News. 'I don't know how I'm going to deal with this .... For a driveway? You're gonna kill my son over stupid things?'

Speaking before Young's arrest, Albert told the outlet that he believed the shooter had been a next-door neighbor, whom his nephew had gotten into a fight with earlier in the night.

However police sources said that they had ruled out that suspect but still believed the shooting was somehow related to the dispute over the shared driveway and its maintenance.

Police released chilling footage of the shooting, which begins with a dark-colored SUV that investigators said at the time was believed to be connected to the crime.

It is unclear if or how the vehicle may be linked to Young.

The footage cuts to a man in a gray camouflage jacket with a sliver of a white t-shirt poking out from underneath. He is also wearing black pants and black sneakers.

The video appears to cut again to a man running up to a black fence. He sticks a gun through an opening and fires several times.

Eight flashes of light come from the gun before the suspect runs out of the frame.

Speaking before news of Young's arrest broke, Justin's father Albert, 57, recalled the events of Saturday, which began with a celebratory trip to the beach with his son and a schoolmate.

The trip was the family's first beach outing since lockdown.

Albert Wallace, Justin's father, said his son was a people person. He is seen outside his home on Monday

The gunman fired eight shots through the door of the home of a relative of Justin's, where the boy had been attending a family barbecue that night

Police released video of the shooting. The suspect can be seen firing eight times into the doorway of the house, where Justin was standing

'I said "Listen, let's go!" Because with the pandemic situation these kids don't get out of the house. So that's why I said, let me make it my point of duty to take him, because that's where he wants to go,' Albert recalled.

'They were all there, playing. One hour turned into four hours. I said, 'You know what, you need this.' I said "OK, have fun, son."'

After the beach, Albert and Justin headed to a relatives' barbecue, the Daily News reported, but Albert said he was waylaid to the home's basement to check on a maintenance issue as they were leaving.

'That's when I turned back with my son,' he said. 'If I didn't turn back, my son would be alive today.'

Justin was standing in the doorway when the gunman opened fire. Upon hearing the shots, Albert rushed upstairs to see Forrester lying in a pool of blood. Beyond him was Justin.

'I see my son laid down at the door, curled up,' he said. 'When I turn him over, I see this puddle of blood. And I'm saying, "No no no." And at the time I heard a [sigh], so I don't know, that could probably be the last breath he take, because he had internal bleeding.'

Police said Justin was rushed to St. John's Episcopal Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

A sign written by Kaylah Lingerin, 11, a classmate of Justin's

Carleada Lee a classmate of Justin's recalled her friend's kindness. 'He never left me sad,' she said

Lee's family placed balloons outside of the home where Justin was shot

A friend wrote 'Live long Justin' on a t-shirt placed at the location of the boy's death

Carleada Lee, a classmate of Justin's, was among those who have laid flowers and other mementos outside the home where he died.

'He never left me sad. He always had a smile, and he's always had a good personality,' she told the Daily Mail. 'He was always friends with everybody.'

Lee said she had last spoken to Justin on the day of his death.

He had texted her, 'rawr I'm a dinosaur,' she said.

When, on Sunday, she found out what had happened to Justin , she said she started crying and 'felt miserable.'

Asked what she thought of the person that killed her friend, she was speechless, but for Justin, she said, 'I miss him and I hope he's in a good place.'

Albert too said his son was known for his kindness and jovial attitude, as well as his smarts, noting that his nickname was the 'calculator' for his love of math.

'My son is a people person,' he said. 'He don't care if you're white, Black, whatever it is. He's there for you. He's charming, he's caring, he's so intelligent.'

Blood could still be seen on Monday splattered across the stoop where Justin fell to the ground

Justin was standing in the doorway when the gunman opened fire, his father recounted

Video of the shooting opens with a picture of this dark-colored SUV

The video cuts to a clip of this man walking up to the property

Suddenly the suspect runs up with this fence and sticks a gun through the opening, opening fire

A woman speaks with police at the scene of a fatal double-shooting near 342 Beach 45th St. in Queens

An officer is seen burying his face into his hands while another appears to cover his mouth in horror outside of the scene where the boy was killed

Police gather at the scene where a 10-year-old boy was shot in his stomach and died and a 29-year-old man was injured after an alleged argument with a neighbor on Saturday night

An officer with the NYPD stands guard over evidence at the scene of a deadly shooting in New York City

An investigator looks at the ground where two markers appear to indicate bullet casings

NYPD data shows that gun violence and shooting victims continue to surge in New York City even as the number of murders fell from 13 in 2020 to 6 in 2021 for the week of May 24 to May 30. That marks a 52.8 percent drop year-over-year.

There have been 173 total murders this year so far as of May 30, with just 147 by the same date in 2020  marking a 17.7% increase year-over-year.

The murder rate appears to have fallen some year-over-year for the week of May 24 to May 30 compared to earlier weeks in April and May.

NYPD data shows that for the week of May 5 to May 9, there were nine murders in New York City  compared to two in 2020, marking a 350% increase year-over-year.

By that time, there were a total of 146 murders in New York City in 2021 compared to 115 by the same date in 2020, then a 27% increase.

It was not immediately clear why the murder rates appear to be declining again even as the city continues to grip with the alarming spate of gun violence.

The NYPD recorded 35 shooting victims for the May 24-30 recording period in 2021, up 45.8% from the 24 shooting victims for the same period in 2020. So far this year there have been a whopping number of 637 shooting victims by May 30, with just 360 by the same point last year  for an increase of 76.9%.

The number of shooting incidents were also up 43.5% in 2021 from 2020 for May 24 to May 30 recording period. There were 33 shooting incidents in 2021 compared to 23 shooting incidents in 2020 for that time frame.

There have been 564 shooting incidents so far this year compared to just 318 last year, for an increase of 77.4%.

The category of crimes that have seen the largest jump from 2020 to 2021 are hate crimes, which climbed 104.3% year-over-year by May 30. There have been 239 hate crimes in 2021 with 117 by the same date in 2020. There were 14 hate crimes recorded in the Big Apple for the week of May 24 to May 30.

A chart shows crime levels are significantly up in 2021 compared to 2020 for most crime categories, though burglaries are notably down
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A 25-year-old Stanford graduate who attended the prestigious DC school Sidwell Friends and is the son of a top commercial lawyer has enraged British politicians and sparked a free speech row in the UK by removing a portrait of the Queen from the students' room at the Oxford college where he is now getting his PhD.

Matthew Katzman grew up in privilege in Bethesda, Maryland, a rich suburb of DC where he attended Sidwell Friends, a $48,000-a-year school where the Obama daughters, the Biden grandchildren and countless other politicians' kids have studied. After graduating from Sidwell in 2014, he studied math and theoretical computer science at Stanford, where a four-year undergraduate degree costs $295,000. He graduated in 2018.

Now, he is getting a PhD in computer science at Oxford, the historic university attended by British Prime Ministers. The four-year DPhil course he is enrolled in is $38,800-a-year. In total, his education costs $640,000.

This week, he sparked fury by removing a portrait of the Queen from the common room at Magdalen College, in his role as president of Magdalen's Middle Common Room, an organization of around 200 graduate students.

They decided between them that the portrait was 'unwelcoming' and represents 'recent colonial history'. They're going to replace it with 'art by or of other influential and inspirational people'.

The decision has been blasted as 'absurd' by British politicians who say the young students ought to 'show some respect' for the 95-year-old Monarch.

British Education Secretary Gavin Williamson tweeted: 'Oxford University students removing a picture of the Queen is simply absurd. She is the Head of State and a symbol of what is best about the UK. During her long reign she has worked tirelessly to promote British values of tolerance, inclusivity & respect around the world.'

Katzman is the son of Scott and Sandy Katzman, both 65. His father is a partner at the commercial law firm Steptoe & Johnson. The family lives in a sprawling, $4million home in Bethesda. They have not yet commented on the row their son has unapologetically caused.

Matthew Katzman, 25, has sparked fury in the UK by removing a portrait of the Queen from the students' room at his Oxford college because he and other students think it's 'unwelcoming'. The PhD student is the son of Sandy and Scott Katzman (shown with him right, on his graduation day at Stanford in 2018). They haven't commented on the row their son has caused

Members of the Middle Common Room at Magdalen College - which is made up of graduates - overwhelmingly backed the removal of a portrait of the Queen (pictured is a likeness of the photographic print)

Katzman has defended his position, telling DailyMail.com on Wednesday the removal of the portrait 'did not equate to a statement on the Queen'.

He said instead it was being taken down to create 'a welcoming, neutral place for all members regardless of background, demographic, or views'.

'The Magdalen College MCR yesterday [Monday] voted to remove an inexpensive print of the queen that was hung in the common room a few years ago (a motion I brought forward in my role as MCR President as I do all motions raised in a sub-committee).

'It is being stored securely and will remain in the MCR's art collection.

'The action was taken after a discussion of the purpose of such a space, and it was decided that the room should be a welcoming, neutral place for all members regardless of background, demographic, or views.

'The Royal Family is on display in many areas of the college, and it was ultimately agreed that it was an unnecessary addition to the common room.

'The views of the MCR do not reflect the views of Magdalen College, and the aesthetic decisions made by the voting members of its committee do not equate to a statement on the Queen.

'Indeed, no stance was taken on the Queen or the Royal Family  the conclusion was simply that there were better places for this print to be hung.'

Magdalen has indicated it will not attempt to reverse the decision, despite its long association with royalty. This includes visits from the Queen in 1948 to receive an Honorary Degree and again in 2008 to mark the college's 550th anniversary.

Katzman - who lists his hobbies as CrossFit - has unapologetically defended his position, telling DailyMail.com that the print was being removed to a 'create a welcoming, neutral place for all members regardless of background, demographic, or views'

Magdalen College (pictured) at Oxford. Famous alumni include Oscar Wilde, Dudley Moore, Edward VIII and Andrew Lloyd Webber

The print was bought and put up by a previous group of students in 2008, and shows the monarch in a white gown and blue sash. It is based on a 1952 photograph taken by Dorothy Wilding to mark her accession and coronation.

Boris Johnson joins backlash against Oxford students Boris Johnson Boris Johnson today joined the backlash against Oxford students who voted to remove a portrait of the Queen from Magdalen College after Gavin Williamson branded the move 'absurd.' Williamson, the Education Secretary criticized the move last night, and today a Number 10 spokesman responded: 'You have had the Education Secretary's words, which the PM supports.' Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick called the row 'student union politics', but said he is 'proud' to have a portrait of the Queen in his office. He told BBC Breakfast: 'I'm a huge fan and supporter of Her Majesty the Queen, I think we are incredibly lucky to live in a country with a head of state of her stature. 'I wouldn't want anyone to disrespect her out of ignorance in this way, but I don't think that we should waste too much time on student union politics.' Advertisement

Amid an intense backlash, the president of Magdalen College swiftly moved to distance the institution itself from the students involved, despite defending their right to make the decision.

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson weighed into the row, tweeting: 'Oxford University students removing a picture of the Queen is simply absurd.

'She is the Head of State and a symbol of what is best about the UK.

'During her long reign she has worked tirelessly to promote British values of tolerance, inclusivity and respect around the world.'

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson also weighed in through a spokesman who said: 'You have had the Education Secretary's words, which the PM supports.'

Oxford's vice-chancellor Lord Patten also intervened, saying: 'Freedom of speech allows even intelligent people to be offensive and obnoxiously ignorant.

'I hope it does not do too much damage to the reputation of the college. I am sure old members of the college will try to be charitable in their assessment.'

Sir John Hayes, chairman of the Common Sense Group of Conservative MPs, told The Telegraph: 'The sad thing is that you would think that the people of Magdalen College Oxford are reasonably bright, and this decision would suggest that they are not.

'The Queen is the head of the Commonwealth and respected across the world as such, and to try to suggest anything otherwise is a dishonest distortion.

'The people involved should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves.'

Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick today called the row 'student union politics' but said he was 'proud' to have a portrait of the monarch in his office.

'Well, this really is student union politics, and I'm not going to get involved in that - it's their decision,' he told BBC Breakfast.

'I have a portrait of the Queen on my office wall in my Government department and I'm proud to do so.

'I'm a huge fan and supporter of Her Majesty the Queen, I think we are incredibly lucky to live in a country with a head of state of her stature.

'I wouldn't want anyone to disrespect her out of ignorance in this way but I don't think that we should waste too much time on student union politics.'

Katzman told DailyMail.com that the students voted to remove the print to create a 'welcoming space for people of all backgrounds'. The student's father is Scott Katzman, 65, who is a partner at commercial law firm Steptoe & Johnson. He is an M&A lawyer who specializes in cryptocurrency and blockchain law, and works on behalf of financial companies

SIDWELL FRIENDS: THE $48k-A-YEAR 'FIRST FAMILIES' SCHOOL Sidwell Friends, where Katzman studied from 2010-2014, is the prestigious private school near DC where many Presidents have sent their children. Malia Obama was at Sidwell at the same time as Katzman, two years beneath him, and Joe Biden's grandkids also attended at the same time. Katzman was two years ahead of Malia Obama at Sidwell Friends. The former First Daughter is shown with her parents at a function at the school in 2011 Jill and Joe Biden with their granddaughter Maisy at her 2019 Sidwell gradutation Fees are $48,000-a-year and it's common for kids to be picked up at the gates by security guards. For First Children, Secret Service are there too. Chelsea Clinton graduated from Sidwell in 1997, and Richard Nixon's daughter Tricia also attended. Unlike many other elite private schools, Sidwell has been quiet on Critical Race Theory. Bill, Hillary and Chelsea Clinton at her 1997 Sidwell graduation Its board of trustees has however vowed to improve the school's diversity with a plan announced last year that includes adding more events from different backgrounds for the younger levels. They'll now celebrate Diwali, Dia de los Muertos, Black History Month, and Martin Luther King Day. In the upper levels of the school, they have launched two student clubs devoted to diversity, but they have not announced changes to curriculum. The school appointed Director of Equity, Justice & Community Natalie Randolph in 2019, after Katzman graduated. Advertisement

Former Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith said: 'This petulant and pathetic insult to Her Majesty the Queen is childish and pointless. It will change nothing.'

Toby Young, general secretary of the Free Speech Union and himself an Oxford graduate, said: 'The students are perfectly within their rights to remove this painting from their common room, but it is baffling that they associate the Queen with colonialism.

'I don't think these students realize how loved the Queen is by the people of the Commonwealth. It is only woke British students who feel offended by it.'

Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham said: 'These kind of gestures are getting a bit out of hand,' he told Nick Ferrari on LBC.

'We should always respect the Queen but particularly now given things that have happened in the last few months. I don't support that.

'Let's get a sense of proportion and a bit of respect.

'People can air their views but those kind of gestures are divisive actually - they just divide people, and I don't think they achieve much, to be honest.'

BBC TV presenter Richard Madeley asked: 'How can this make any sense when this queen has presided over the dismantling of what was left of empire?'

Other students at Magdalen College fumed that they'd been dragged into the row.

Rufus, a postgraduate student, told DailyMail.com that all 250 post grads students at the college are invited to a weekly meeting on how they MCR should be run but the majority do not bother turning up.

He fumed: Most of us are too busy doing more important things than worrying about what is happening with the MCR or what is on its walls. Only 17 people turned up to the MCR meeting to discuss the Queens portrait, which is about the normal turnout.

We didnt know it was going to be on the agenda because most of us dont even bother finding out what theyre going to talk about at these meetings. Theyre a waste of time and you usually get a small number of angry students latching onto one issue or another.

Sidwell Friends, where Katzman went to high school, is among a wide collection of elite private schools across the country that is now steeped in diversity programs.

It does not teach Critical Race Theory - like other schools - and there have not been any public complaints from parents about the school's position on race and free speech, whereas the parents at other schools have spoken out angrily and even withdrawn their kids in some cases.

The school appointed a Director of Equity, Justice & Community in 2019 - after Katzman had graduated.

Fees are $48,000-a-year and it's common for kids to be picked up at the gates by security guards. For First Children, Secret Service are there too.

Chelsea Clinton graduated from Sidwell in 1997, and Richard Nixon's daughter Tricia also attended.

Unlike many other elite private schools, Sidwell has been quiet on Critical Race Theory.

Its board of trustees has however vowed to improve the school's diversity with a plan announced last year that includes adding more events from different backgrounds for the younger levels.

They'll now celebrate Diwali, Dia de los Muertos, Black History Month, and Martin Luther King Day.

In the upper levels of the school, they have launched two student clubs devoted to diversity, but they have not announced changes to curriculum.

The school appointed Director of Equity, Justice & Community Natalie Randolph in 2019, after Katzman graduated.

The $48,000-a-year school Sidwell Friends, where the children of countless politicians and DC dignitaries study before going on to Ivy League colleges. Katzman graduated in 2014

Magdalen's rich history of kings and cognoscenti Founded in 1458, Magdalen boasts a history of illustrious connections. Henry VIII's Archbishop Thomas Wolsey was an early alumni. More recent alumni include - John Betjeman, poet

Lord Alfred Douglas, poet

King Edward VIII

Malcolm Fraser, ex-Australian PM

William Hague, former Tory leader

Robert Hardy, actor

Nicholas Kristof, Pulitzer winner

TE Lawrence, archaeologist, army officer and diplomat better known as 'Lawrence of Arabia'

CS Lewis, writer

Dudley Moore, actor

George Osborne, former chancellor

Dr Erwin Schrodinger, physicist

Oscar Wilde, poet

AJP Taylor, historian

Jeremy Hunt, former health secretary

Andrew Lloyd-Webber, playwright. Advertisement

And Twitter user Samantha Smith added: 'The Queen was a pioneer of anti-racism in an era of widespread segregation and apartheid. Imagine trying to cancel the reigning monarch.'

Barrister Dinah Rose, who was appointed president of Magdalen College last year, emphasized that the students were not representative of the college, but supported their right to 'free speech and political debate'.

In a series of tweets, she said: 'Here are some facts about Magdalen College and HM the Queen.

The Middle Common Room is an organization of graduate students. They don't represent the College. A few years ago, in about 2013, they bought a print of a photo of the Queen to decorate their common room.

'They recently voted to take it down. Both of these decisions are their own to take, not the College's. Magdalen strongly supports free speech and political debate, and the MCR'S right to autonomy. Maybe they'll vote to put it up again, maybe they won't. Meanwhile, the photo will be safely stored.'

'Being a student is about more than studying. It's about exploring and debating ideas. It's sometimes about provoking the older generation. Looks like that isn't so hard to do these days.' Rose also said college staff had been receiving abusive messages in the wake of the scandal.

'So if you are one of the people currently sending obscene and threatening messages to the College staff, you might consider pausing, and asking yourself whether that is really the best way to show your respect for the Queen,' she added.

On its website, Magdalen College Middle Common Room described itself as 'one of the biggest graduate communities of the traditional Oxford Colleges', with 200 members.

It states: 'Our graduates come from many different countries throughout the world, and have diverse interests, academic and otherwise.

'The MCR forms an integral part of the Magdalen graduate experience - not only do we organize social and cultural events for students so that we can make the utmost out of our time in Oxford, but we also provide a network of support for graduate life in representing the concerns of students to the College.'
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Chris Hopson, chief of NHS Providers which represents hospitals across England, said if other areas have a similar experience to Bolton the NHS should be able to cope

The NHS can cope with spikes in Indian variant cases without lockdowns if other areas have similar outbreaks to Bolton  the first place to be hit by the mutant strain, according to a health union boss.

Chris Hopson, the chief of NHS Providers which represents hospitals across England, said today that the surge in cases and hospital admissions in the Greater Manchester town was manageable for its hospitals.

Patients were generally younger and less sick than in the crippling second wave over the winter, he said, and the numbers of infected people coming in were lower and significantly fewer of them are dying.

Vaccines appear to be doing a lot of the heavy lifting, Mr Hopson said, adding that they have broken the link between infections and 'very high' levels of hospital admissions and deaths in earlier waves of the virus.

But he warned that if virus infections surged when the last lockdown restrictions are eased non-Covid care was likely to suffer. He told Times Radio 'we will have to make some trade-offs', adding: 'We know that if we do open up, there will be higher levels of hospitalisation and mortality, and are we prepared to take the risk?'

Although there are fears single doses of the jabs may not work as well against the 'Delta' strain as they did against the Kent variant, full vaccination with two doses is still expected to protect the vast majority of people from severe illness or death.

Bolton has been overtaken by nearby Blackburn as the country's Covid hotspot after cases surged there driven by the Indian variant, which accounts for almost all infections in the town. Hospital admissions rose shortly after, to a peak of 49 people on wards with Covid and 14 admitted in a day, but these appear to be falling now, too, with 42 reported in patients on June 1.

Mr Hopson said: 'If  and it is a big if  if Bolton has gone through its complete cycle and if other areas follow Bolton, the view from the hospital there was that they were able to cope with the level of infections.'

His comments come as pressure is building towards Boris Johnson's speech next Monday when he is expected reveal whether June 21's 'Freedom Day' end of social distancing will go ahead. Current trends look as though he will prolong lockdown laws for a few more weeks or until the summer holidays to buy more time for vaccinations.

The number of people being admitted to hospital each day across the whole of the UK has remained roughly stable for the past couple of weeks but a surge in infections last week and this week is expected to lead to a rise later in June. Ministers and scientists will hope that the ratio of cases to admissions is significantly smaller than in earlier waves, thanks to vaccines

Cases in Bolton appear to have begun falling amid surge testing and contact tracing to root out the Indian variant. Bolton was the first area in England to experience a major outbreak of the mutant strain but seems to have managed to contain it without a lockdown

Department of Health data shows its Covid hospitalisations are also now falling, and did not reach the peaks during either the first or second wave. NHS officials in the area say they are confident they will not be overwhelmed

The Indian variant is now dominant in more than two thirds of England's local authorities, and has spread to 85 per cent of the country, according to the latest surveillance data from Britain's leading centre for tracking the virus variants, the Sanger Institute

Andy Burnham calls for No10 to redirect Covid vaccine supplies to Greater Manchester' Andy Burnham has called for vaccine supplies to be diverted to Indian Covid variant hotspots including Greater Manchester to jab over-18s Greater Manchester's mayor Andy Burnham has today called for vaccine supplies to be redirected to his region and other Indian Covid variant hotspots to tackle the spread of the mutant strain. The former Labour MP, dubbed the 'King of the North', is urging ministers to open up jabs to over-18s in badly-hit areas to deal with surging cases. He argued surging supplies to the region would stop the spread of the Delta variant and offered the best hope of No10 being able to unlock fully on June 21. But a Government minister today dismissed Mr Burnham's calls to divert coronavirus vaccine supplies to areas including Greater Manchester and Lancashire. Four million people living in both areas were yesterday slapped with tougher guidance urging them not to leave the area and avoid meeting people indoors. Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick said No10 was 'going to stick with the advice' given to them by top scientific advisers regarding the roll-out. Currently the inoculation drive is only open to over-25s in England. But some areas have already begun offering jabs to over-18s, including in parts of Manchester. Asked about whether he wanted over-18s to be prioritised in the roll-out on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, he said: 'We absolutely would say surge vaccine supplies into high case areas, so not just Greater Manchester and Lancashire [but] other parts of the country. 'It makes much more sense to get on with the vaccination programme in June, then doing that later in the year or later because obviously the need is now to stop the spread of the virus. 'Of course it would slow the vaccination programme in other parts of the country where cases are lower.' Advertisement

Mr Hopson told Times Radio: 'It's important not to just focus on the raw numbers here you also do need to look at who's being admitted into hospital and how clinically vulnerable and what level of acuity [illness] they've got.

'What chief executives are consistently telling us is that it is a much younger population that is coming in, they are less clinically vulnerable, they are less in need of critical care and therefore they're seeing what they believe is a significantly lower mortality rate which is, you know, borne out by the figures.

'So it's not just the numbers of people who are coming in, it's actually the level of harm and clinical risk.'

He added: 'Hospitals are very, very busy at the moment, they are incredibly busy, worryingly busy. And therefore if we do see even small numbers of Covid patients, we will have to make some trade-offs between Covid and non-Covid care.'

Nick Scriven, immediate past president of the Society for Acute Medicine, told The Times: 'Across our hospitals staff are facing pressures much like those seen in mid-winter, with bed occupancy levels well above 90 per cent, which is dangerous and unsustainable.

'This is before we face any further rise in Covid patients, which would lead to a third wave for the south but, as it seems is often overlooked, a fourth for those in the north.

'The worry is that hospitals are on a knife-edge but not necessarily a Covid one, with acute units on the brink due to very high numbers of patients being admitted due to chronic illnesses that have taken their toll over past lockdowns and, in many cases, are due to an inability to access urgent primary care.'

People in England making summer plans for after 'Freedom Day' were today told to 'wait until you've heard from the Prime Minister', in another hint that June 21 easings will be pushed back because of the Indian variant.

No10 is considering delaying the final stage of the roadmap out of lockdown following jittery warnings from top scientists about the spread of the mutant strain.

Some are pushing for restrictions to remain in place until as late as the start of English school holidays on July 23, hoping the move would give the NHS valuable extra time to ensure millions more over-50s are fully vaccinated and protected against the Delta variant.

Cabinet minister Robert Jenrick today appeared to drop the biggest hint yet that England's final unlocking will be delayed, with cases 'clearly rising'. Yesterday Britain recorded the biggest week-on-week jump in infections since before Christmas, after the number of positive tests jumped by 90 per cent to 6,083.

Asked whether weddings with more than 30 guests will once again be allowed from June 21, he said: 'I wouldn't make plans until you have heard from the PM if that is important to you.

'We have always said that the roadmap is subject to review of the data. That is what is happening right now, so whether it is weddings or international travel or any of these other important topics, you always have to wait until the judgement is made on the basis of the data at the decision point.'

Weddings are one of the few areas of society yet to enjoy any freedom, with ceremonies currently capped to 30 guests in England. The final step of the roadmap will remove the limit, alongside allowing nightclubs to reopen and people to invite more than six others into their homes.

Boris Johnson is expected to confirm by Monday at the latest whether the June 21 plan will go ahead and he is running the roadmap timetable down to the wire, so far refusing to give any indication of what he will do.

Despite growing calls to delay the move, Michael Gove  who has called for a cautious approach to the roadmap  said he would 'bet on a relaxation' of the coronavirus rules on June 21 if he was a 'betting man'.

Meanwhile, Whitehall sources say Rishi Sunak  who is desperate for the PM to stick to the target date to get key sectors such as hospitality firing on all cylinders  could reluctantly accept an extension to lockdown but for no longer than 'a week or two'. But The Guardian claims the Chancellor would be willing to delay Freedom Day by a month, which could see it pushed back until July 19.

Other experts and Tory MPs have lined up to urge the Prime Minister not to delay the unlocking, saying people must learn to live with the virus and the NHS should be 'able to cope' with any surge from the Indian variant.

Dr David Nabarro, the World Health Organization's special envoy on Covid, said that 'life has to go on' when asked whether the Government should stick to its roadmap on BBC Radio 4's Today programme. But he added vaccines would not be enough and people would need to keep adapting their lifestyles to fight the disease.

Ministers yesterday ramped up support for Greater Manchester and parts of Lancashire, urging 4million people living in both areas not to leave the area and avoid meeting people indoors. Andy Burnham, Greater Manchester's mayor, said there was 'every reason to believe' the extra support will successfully curb the spread of the mutant strain.

The final batch of restrictions are due to be relaxed on June 21, but there are growing calls for the last round of easings to be delayed amid the rapid spread of the Indian variant, which is now dominant in the UK and at least 40 per cent more transmissible than the Kent strain of the virus.

Mr Jenrick hinted to Sky News that June 21 could be pushed back, saying:'We created this five-week period between the stages of the road map and that has actually proved invaluable on this occasion, because it's a finely balanced decision.

'We need to see that data of cases, which are clearly rising, but the link to hospitalisations and ultimately to death.

'So the Prime Minister is reviewing that ahead of the decision point, which is going to be June 14  at that point of course he will let everybody know what the ultimate decision is.'

He added: 'We are going to take a cautious approach but if we can proceed with that reopening on the 21st of June of course all of us would love to see that, for our own lives and for the livelihoods that depend on that further reopening.'

The minister was also grilled on whether Britons would be able to holiday abroad this year, saying people should stick to the 'admittedly relatively small number of countries' on the 'green' list, and not travel to 'amber' or 'red' areas unless absolutely necessary.

'You shouldn't be booking holidays to countries that are currently on either the amber list or the red list,' he told the programme.

'You can go to the admittedly relatively small number of countries on the green list.

'Even there be aware that this isn't a normal summer for holidays, we are reviewing that list every three weeks and so I would advise people to look for travel operators who can offer flexibility, would be able to offer rescheduling or repayments if something changes.

'We would like to open up that green list to more countries but we have obviously got to do so cautiously.'

Only 11 countries and territories are on the green list, which includes no major travel destinations in Europe.

The Prime Minister was yesterday reported to be considering delaying June 21 by about two weeks to give extra time for all over-50s  who are most at risk of hospitalisation and death from the virus  to get their second dose of the Covid vaccine, and for it to take effect.

But some experts have called on him not to delay the unlocking. Asked whether June 21 should go ahead, Dr Nabarro suggested ministers should stick to the roadmap.

'It can't be just about restrictions  the future for humanity is going to require that we adapt our lifestyles so that we make it hard for this virus to spread,' he said.

The Army is being sent in to help with surge testing and health chiefs will have the power to enforce mandatory face masks in secondary schools. Pictured: The Royal Horse Artillery help out at a walk-in vaccination bus in Bolton town centre today

DARK RED/PURPLE = MORE INDIAN VARIANT CASES. Variant-tracking data from the Wellcome Sanger Institute shows that the now-dominant Indian 'Delta' strain is hotly focused in the North West of England, where the new restrictions are coming into place

'We know that the virus is constantly changing, which means that although vaccination is a marvellous marvellous asset, it's not going to be enough.

'We are going to have to continue to behave as though the virus is an ever present threat.

'So by all means, let the restrictions be released, but at the same time could I encourage everybody, everywhere to go on behaving carefully.

Eight out of 10 adults in England now have Covid antibodies Eight out of 10 adults in England now have signs of immunity to Covid from either a vaccine or having had the virus in the past. A regular blood-testing report from the Office for National Statistics found that 80.3 per cent of adults in England tested positive for coronavirus antibodies in the third week of May, up from 76 per cent at the end of April. Antibodies are virus-fighting proteins that give people immunity to the virus and should stop them from getting sick if they catch it, although they don't always give total protection. The country's huge vaccination programme, which yesterday started offering jabs to people in their 20s for the first time, is the driving force behind the surging numbers of people who show signs of immunity. Antibody positive levels are highest among older age groups who have had two doses but rising fast in younger adults, too Across the whole of the UK a total of 40.6million people have had at least one dose of a jab  more than three quarters of all adults  and 28.2m have had both jabs giving them the maximum possible protection. NHS bosses Sir Simon Stevens said on Monday that the vaccine rollout is entering 'the home straight' as health chiefs and Matt Hancock urged everyone to get a jab as soon as possible to help the country end lockdown rules. The ONS report said: 'There is a clear pattern between vaccination and testing positive for Covid-19 antibodies.' The ONS report showed that Wales had the most people testing positive for antibodies in the UK, with 83 per cent. In Scotland it was 73 per cent and Northern Ireland 80 per cent. Across the regions of England, positivity was highest in the East Midlands and the North West, with 80 per cent, and lowest in London with 76 per cent. Vaccine uptake is significantly lower in the capital, with only 68 per cent of adults having had a jab, compared to more than 76 per cent in every other region. Higher rates of infection in London in the first and second waves have boosted immunity, however, because most people also test positive if they have had coronavirus in the past. Advertisement

'At school, at the university, in the pub, in the restaurant, in the social club, the virus is still going to be around and it can come back with a huge surge, very, very quickly.'

Ministers yesterday announced extra support for Greater Manchester and parts of Lancashire to help the area curb the spread of the Indian variant.

Matt Hancock said the military would be brought in as part of the 'strengthened package of support'.

The Health Secretary also encouraged the up to six million people living in the area not to travel to other parts of the UK and get tested twice a week to help curb the spread the spread of the Indian variant.

He added that residents should try to work from home where possible, and that schools could reintroduce face coverings in communal areas if they were advised to do so by local directors of public health.

Mr Burnham has expressed support for the measures taken in his region and Lancashire.

He said the package was 'better than the way they went about it last year', adding it had a 'better chance of carrying the public with it'. 'We have every reason to believe it will be successful,' he said.

The Army will be sent in to help carry out surge testing to flush out cases of the virus, while NHS boards in the area will be given extra help to ensure vaccine uptake is as high as possible. Residents are also being asked to get tested twice a week.

Both Greater Manchester and Lancashire were added to the 'coronavirus restrictions' page of Government guidance under the heading 'If youre in an area where the new Covid-19 variant is spreading', alongside other parts of the North West, Leicester, Hounslow in London and North Tyneside. They cover a total of 5.7million people  around 10 per cent of England.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: 'We know that this approach can work, we've seen it work in south London and in Bolton in stopping a rise in the number of cases.'

Manchester's Mayor Andy Burnham insisted the guidance was 'not a lockdown'.

Specific areas included are:

In Lancashire: Rossendale, Hyndburn, Ribble Valley, Preston, South Ribble, Chorley, Pendle, Fylde, Lancaster, West Lancashire, Wyre, Burnley and Blackburn with Darwen.

In Greater Manchester: Manchester, Salford, Bury, Rochdale, Wigan, Oldham, Stockport, Trafford, Tameside and Bolton.

The same rules and advice were already in place in Blackburn, Bolton and Burnley, along with Kirklees, North Tyneside, Bedford, Leicester and the London borough of Hounslow.

The Army will go door-to-door in some areas to hand out swab kits, and schoolchildren will be helped to get tested.

Labs will test as many of the positives as possible to identify outbreaks of the Indian variant  although almost all cases are now expected to be caused by it. More than eight out of 10 cases in most of the affected areas have already been linked to the strain.

Vaccinations will also be boosted with extra capacity and supplies and appointments opened up to all adults, as happened unofficially in Bolton when it was the country's hotspot.

Mr Hancock said: 'I want to encourage everyone in Greater Manchester and Lancashire to get the tests on offer. We know that this approach can work  we have seen it work in South London and in Bolton in stopping a rise in the number of cases.

'This is the next stage of tackling the pandemic in Greater Manchester and in Lancashire, and of course, it is vital that people in these areas as everywhere, come forward and get the jab as soon as they are eligible.'

It comes as Chancellor Rishi Sunak was reportedly among a string of Cabinet ministers pressing Boris Johnson to stick to the target date, arguing there is a pressing need to get key sectors such as hospitality firing on all cylinders.

A Whitehall source said Mr Sunak could live with a delay of 'a week or two' but would resist any further slippage as this could involve extending the furlough scheme.

'I don't think he's in principle against a short delay if that is what is necessary,' the source said. 'If it is more than a week or two then that is problematic.'

Treasury sources said there were no plans to extend the furlough scheme, which continues in full until the end of this month. From July, employers will have to make a gradually increasing contribution until the scheme ends in September.

 Slide me  APRIL LEFT, MAY RIGHT: Graphs show the proportions of people in different age groups who show signs of immunity to coronavirus in blood tests. The levels are almost maxed out in elderly and middle-aged groups who were first to get vaccinated and have clearly risen in younger groups during May

It comes as eight out of 10 adults in England now have signs of immunity to Covid from either a vaccine or having had the virus in the past.

A regular blood-testing report from the Office for National Statistics found that 80.3 per cent of adults in England tested positive for coronavirus antibodies in the third week of May, up from 76 per cent at the end of April.

Antibodies are virus-fighting proteins that give people immunity to the virus and should stop them from getting sick if they catch it, although they don't always give total protection.

Andrew Lloyd Webber says Boris Johnson will have to arrest him to stop theatre reopening on June 21 Andrew Lloyd Webber has warned Boris Johnson that nothing will stop him from reopening his theatres on June 21 and he is prepared to be arrested. The composer, 73, told the Daily Telegraph he may have to sell his six West End venues if the Government does not relax its restrictions. He also revealed he has already remortgaged his London home. The composer, 73, told the Daily Telegraph he may have to sell his six West End venues if the Government does not relax its restrictions The pandemic has had a catastrophic financial impact on the theatre industry and many have remained closed despite the ease in Covid-19 restrictions as it is not financially viable for them to open with reduced capacities. Lord Lloyd-Webber is preparing for a production of Cinderella, which is scheduled to open for previews on June 25 ahead of its world premiere in July. 'We are going to open, come hell or high water,' Lord Lloyd-Webber told the Telegraph. Asked what he would do if the Government postponed lifting lockdown, he said: 'We will say: ''come to the theatre and arrest us.''' Advertisement

The country's huge vaccination programme, which yesterday started offering jabs to people in their 20s for the first time, is the driving force behind the surging numbers of people who show signs of immunity.

Across the whole of the UK a total of 40.6million people have had at least one dose of a jab  more than three quarters of all adults  and 28.2m have had both jabs giving them the maximum possible protection.

NHS bosses Sir Simon Stevens said on Monday that the vaccine rollout is entering 'the home straight' as health chiefs and Matt Hancock urged everyone to get a jab as soon as possible to help the country end lockdown rules.

The ONS report said: 'There is a clear pattern between vaccination and testing positive for Covid-19 antibodies.'

The ONS report showed that Wales had the most people testing positive for antibodies in the UK, with 83 per cent. In Scotland it was 73 per cent and Northern Ireland 80 per cent.

Across the regions of England, positivity was highest in the East Midlands and the North West, with 80 per cent, and lowest in London with 76 per cent.

Vaccine uptake is significantly lower in the capital, with only 68 per cent of adults having had a jab, compared to more than 76 per cent in every other region.

Higher rates of infection in London in the first and second waves have boosted immunity, however, because most people also test positive if they have had coronavirus in the past.

The age distribution of immunity is directly linked to the vaccine rollout, with higher rates in older people and lower ones among younger people who haven't yet had their jabs.

In over-50s in England, for example, more than 98 per cent of people showed signs of immunity.

In those aged 35 to 49 it was 78 per cent, in 25 to 34-year-olds it was 59 per cent and in under-25s it was 53 per cent.

Debate about the lifting of lockdown has intensified at the top of government following a surge in Covid cases.

Government scientists are understood to have warned ministers that daily cases are on course to be running at well over 10,000 a day by June 21.

Yesterday, daily cases topped 6,000 for the second time since mid-March. And there is concern that those who have had only one jab are at risk from the virulent Indian strain.

Matt Hancock told MPs on Monday that only three of the 126 people hospitalised by the Indian variant in the UK had been fully vaccinated. But a further 28 in hospital  just over a fifth of the total  had received one jab.

Mr Hancock and the Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty are said to have argued that a short delay would enable many more to gain the extra protection of a second jab. But Michael Gove, who is also urging caution, is said to believe Mr Johnson will press ahead with lifting at least some restrictions on June 21.

Downing Street said the Prime Minister wanted to see more data before announcing the decision on Monday.

Tory MPs urged Mr Johnson to overrule the scientists.

Former party leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith said: 'Scientists have got themselves into a frightened state where none of them want to be the one who says unlock because they are fearful they will be blamed if something goes wrong, even though there is no evidence that it will.

'They are drifting towards a zero Covid goal, which is unattainable, and the politicians have to take back control.'

Former Cabinet minister David Jones also warned against further delay. 'We cannot continue to live as we have for the last 15 months,' he said. At some stage we have to take our courage in our hands and start getting back to normal, and that stage is now.'

It comes after MailOnline analysis yesterday revealed all over-50s in England could be fully protected against Covid by July 1  nearly two weeks after 'freedom day on June 21.

The figures will boost calls for the Government to delay opening up all restrictions on June 21 for a fortnight in order to ensure the most vulnerable members of society have all had time for both doses to have had an effect.

Experts say the vaccine forecast supports the case for a delay in reopening because one dose of vaccine can be as little as 30 per cent effective against the Indian coronavirus variant that is now dominant in the UK.

Cases are currently rising by around 40 per cent a week and new infections will be well above 15,000 a day by June 21, although it remains to be seen if the full vaccination of older Britons will keep hospital occupancy low.

But opponents of a postponement believe the vaccines have successfully broken the link between cases and hospitalisations, and argue the economic cost of a delay would be greater than that caused by a third wave this summer.

Experts told MailOnline the figures suggest the Government would be right to delay by two weeks in order to ensure all over-50s have had their second dose and are protected.
SYDNEY, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --A A Booking.com today releases the 2021 Sustainable Travel Report, revealing the pandemic might have been the tipping point for travellers to finally commit to their own sustainable journey. The research finds Aussies are more committed than ever to travel mindfully, with 61% of travellers believing people have to act now to save the planet for future generations. 72% think sustainable travel is a vital part of achieving this, with 51% stating the pandemic has influenced them to want to travel more sustainably. The timing of the report makes the findings even more poignant, as the travel industry looks to rebuild amidst the ongoing pandemic, says Tracey Foxall, Regional Manager Oceania at Booking.com. "Our research uncovers how the travel hiatus has opened Australians' eyes to the impact, both positive and negative, their trips can have on local ecosystems and communities around the world," says Foxall. "At Booking.com we believe travel is a force for good, but it has to be done in the right way to ensure we're protecting the planet for future generations." While on holiday in the past 12 months, 41% made a conscious decision to turn off their air conditioning/heater, 44% took their own reusable water bottle and 33% did activities to support the local community. In fact, over half (53%) admit they get annoyed if accommodations stop them from being sustainable. 72% say they want to stay in a sustainable accommodation in the upcoming year, a notable increase from 55% in 2016. Overall, 46% of travellers still believe in 2021, there aren't enough sustainable travel options available. While 3 out of 4** accommodation partners say they implemented sustainable steps, only one-third (31%**) actively communicate about their efforts proactively. Booking.com is currently rolling out a program for properties to support them in becoming more sustainable. This includes sharing best practices through educational opportunities, handbooks and dedicated content via the Booking.com Partner Hub . Booking.com now displays 'Sustainability initiatives' banner on property pages, including over 30 certifications officially approved by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), Green Tourism and the EU Ecolabel. Find full release and methodology here. CONTACT DETAILS For further information, contact the Booking.com Australia

Press Office;

kelly.ferrier@redhavas.com
Investor Carl Icahn has hit back as it emerged that he and other billionaire Americans like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos paid zero federal income tax some years, asking: 'Do you think a rich person should pay taxes no matter what?'

Icahn, who is ranked the 40th wealthiest American with an estimated fortune of $14.9 billion, did not pay any federal income tax in 2016 and 2017.

The 85-year-old's tax records were included in the trove of confidential IRS records for the country's wealthiest that was made public on Tuesday after an anonymous source leaked the data to ProPublica.

Law enforcement and the IRS are now investigating the leak.

ProPublica have said they do not know who provided the data and the outlet acknowledged the possibility it could have come from 'a state actor hostile to American interests'.

When asked about his tax returns, Icahn told ProPublica that he had paid the taxes he owed. He said he registered tax losses in 2016 and 2017 because he took hundreds of millions in deductions for interest on his various loans.

'I didn't make money because, unfortunately for me, my interest was higher than my whole adjusted income,' he said.

Investor Carl Icahn, who is ranked the 40th wealthiest American with an estimated fortune of $14.9 billion, did not pay any federal income tax in 2016 and 2017. He is pictured with wife Gail Golden

Icahn hit back at questions over whether he thought it was inappropriate he hadn't paid federal income tax some years.

'There's a reason it's called income tax,' he said.

'The reason is if, if you're a poor person, a rich person, if you are Apple - if you have no income, you don't pay taxes.

'Do you think a rich person should pay taxes no matter what? I don't think it's germane. How can you ask me that question?'

In the two years that Icahn did not pay federal income tax, his records show that he reported an adjusted gross income of $544 million.

According to the IRS records, he had an outstanding Bank of America loan of $1.2 billion that was secured, in part, to purchase penthouses and other properties in Manhattan.

Icahn, who acknowledged that he does 'borrow a lot of money', is able to deduct the interest from his loans from his taxes.

When asked if he borrowed large amounts of money in order to lower his taxes, Icahn said: 'No, not at all. My borrowing is to win. I enjoy the competition. I enjoy winning.'

Icahn, who relocated his business from New York to Florida two years ago, insists his adjusted gross income is misleading because his interest on his loans is higher.

In addition to Icahn, the trove of IRS records revealed that Amazon founder Jeff Bezos paid no income tax in 2007 and 2011, while Tesla boss Elon Musk's income tax bill came to zero in 2018.

Investor George Soros went three straight years - between 2016 and 2018 - without paying federal income tax, according to the records.

Tesla founder Elon Musk's income tax bill came to zero in 2018, the records show. He is pictured with musician girlfriend Grimes

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos paid no income tax in 2007 and 2011, according to IRS records obtained by ProPublica and published on Tuesday. He is pictured with girlfriend Lauren Sanchez

TAX DATA FOR RICHEST AMERICANS: 2014 to 2018 Warren Buffett Year Total taxes paid Total income reported 2014 $7.93 million $46.8 million 2015 $1.85 million $11.6 million 2016 $3.82 million $19.6 million 2017 $4.75 million $22 million 2018 $5.36 million $24.8 million Jeff Bezos Year Total taxes paid Total income reported 2014 $85.4 million $367 million 2015 $126 million $542 million 2016 $320 million $1.35 billion 2017 $398 million $1.68 billion 2018 $43.5 million $284 million Elon Musk Year Total taxes paid Total income reported 2014 $30.4 million $165 million 2015 $78.5K $3.15 million 2016 $42 million $1.34 billion 2017 $73.7K $6.22 million 2018 $8.41K $3.85 million Source: IRS DATA OBTAINED BY PROPUBLICA

ProPublica revealed when it published its story that it does not know who gave them the data.

'We do not know the identity of our source. We did not solicit the information they sent us,' ProPublica president Richard Tofel and editor Stephen Engelberg said.

'The source says they were motivated by our previous coverage of issues surrounding the IRS and tax enforcement but we do not know for certain that is true.

'We have considered the possibility that information we have received could have come from a state actor hostile to American interests.'

IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig said on Tuesday that authorities were investigating the leak.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said that 'any unauthorized disclosure of confidential government information' is illegal.

A Treasury Department spokeswoman said in an emailed statement that the matter has been referred to the FBI, federal prosecutors and two internal Treasury Department watchdogs, 'all of whom have independent authority to investigate'.

In reviewing the tax data, the site calculated what it called a 'true tax rate' for the billionaires by comparing how much tax they paid annually from 2014 to 2018 to how much Forbes estimated their wealth had grown in that same period.

The report found that, overall, the richest 25 Americans pay less in tax than the average worker does.

The median American household, in recent years, earned an average salary of about $70,000 and paid 14 percent in federal taxes per year.

Based on data from the 25 richest Americans, they collectively paid a true tax rate of 3.4 percent between 2014 to 2018 on wealth growth of $401 billion.

Warren Buffett, the CEO and chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, has avoided the most tax, according to the records. George Soros, the founder of Soros Fund Management, paid no federal income tax between 2016 and 2018

ProPublica reported that Mike Bloomberg, who is the 13th richest American with an estimated wealth of $48 billion, hasn't paid federal taxes in recent years but did not specify when. His spokesman noted that when he was running as a 2020 Democratic presidential candidate he had advocated for tax hikes

HOW CAN THE SUPER-RICH PAY LOWER TAXES? Many billionaires are able to reduce their federal tax bills using legal tax strategies. Among the ways they can reduce tax bills are: Making sizable donations to charity The rich can reduce tax bills through the use of charitable donations. They can deduct up to 60 percent of adjusted gross income with donations. Investing in stocks to avoid wage income The rich can reduce taxes by avoiding wage income, which can be taxed at up to 37 percent. They can instead benefit from investment income, which is often taxed at 20 percent. Paying themselves lower salaries If the mega-rich pay themselves a lower salary, they can then take a higher portion of the income as dividends. The lower salary is then taxed a normal rate. Dividends are often taxed the same as the capital gains rate, which is between 15 to 20 percent. Another option is to opt for part of their compensation in their company stock options. Stock is usually only taxed when the options are exercised. Advertisement

Warren Buffett, the CEO and chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, has avoided the most tax in recent years, according to the records.

Between 2014 and 2018, Buffet's wealth grew by about $24.3 billion but he reported paying $23.7 million in taxes.

It showed a so-called true tax rate of 0.1 percent, which equates to less than 10 cents for every $100 Buffet added to his wealth in that period.

For Bezos, his wealth grew an estimated $99 billion and his total reported income was $4.22 billion between 2014 and 2018.

In that period, Bezos paid $973 million in tax, which equates to a 0.98 percent true tax rate.

In 2007 when Bezos paid no income tax, the Amazon founder - in a joint tax return with then-wife MacKenzie Bezos - reported $46 million in income, which was mostly from interest and dividend payments from investments.

He was able to offset his earnings with losses from other investments and deductions.

In 2011, his tax return showed he had lost money and he claimed a tax credit worth $4,000 for his children.

Elon Musk's wealth grew an estimated $13.9 billion between 2014 and 2018. He reported $1.52 billion in total income and paid $455 million in taxes. It equates to a 3.27 percent true tax rate.

In 2018, Musk paid no federal income tax. The records show he paid $68,000 in 2015 and $65,000 in 2017.

Michael Bloomberg's wealth grew $22.5 billion between 2014 and 2018 - a period where he reported a total income of $10 billion.

Bloomberg paid $292 million in taxes during that time, which is a 1.30 percent true tax rate.

ProPublica reported that Bloomberg, who is the 13th richest American with an estimated wealth of $48 billion, hasn't paid federal taxes in recent years but did not specify when.

His spokesman said in a statement that when Bloomberg was running as a 2020 Democratic presidential candidate he had advocated for tax hikes.

'Mike Bloomberg pays the maximum tax rate on all federal, state, local and international taxable income as prescribed by law,' a statement read.

'Taken together, what Mike gives to charity and pays in taxes amounts to approximately 75 percent of his annual income.

'The release of a private citizen's tax returns should raise real privacy concerns regardless of political affiliation or views on tax policy. In the United States no private citizen should fear the illegal release of their taxes. We intend to use all legal means at our disposal to determine which individual or government entity leaked these and ensure that they are held responsible.'

George Soros, the founder of Soros Fund Management, has an estimated wealth of $8.6 billion.

He paid no federal income tax between 2016 and 2018, according to the records.

'Between 2016 and 2018 George Soros lost money on his investments, therefore he did not owe federal income taxes in those years. Mr Soros has long supported higher taxes for wealthy Americans,' his spokesman said.

After examining the IRS records, ProPublica found that Americans earning between $2 million and $5 million per year paid an average of 27.5 percent in tax.

Meanwhile, the top .001 percent of taxpayers - the 1,400 people whose reported income came in at more than $69 million - paid 23 percent in tax.

Many billionaires are able to drastically reduce their federal tax bills using legal tax strategies.

Among the ways they can reduce tax bills is via charitable donations or by avoiding wage income, which can be taxed at up to 37 percent. Instead, they can benefit from investment income, which is taxed roughly at 20 percent.

The release of the confidential IRS records comes as President Joe Biden is proposing tax hikes on the wealthy to finance his spending plans.

Biden wants to hike the top tax rate to 39.6 percent for people earning $400,000 a year or more in taxable income, which is less than 2 percent of US households. The current top tax rate workers pay on wages is 37 percent.

He has also proposed nearly doubling the tax rate high-earners pay on earnings from stocks and investments.
Mary Margaret Kreuper, 79, has agreed to plead guilty to stealing $835,000 from a school

A nun who took a vow of poverty has agreed to plead guilty to stealing more than $800,000 from a school to fund her gambling habit.

Mary Margaret Kreuper, 79, from Los Angeles faces up to 40 years in federal prison for embezzling funds for over 10 years from St. James Catholic School in Torrance.

In court papers it was revealed Kreuper, who was the school principal for 28 years, had run up huge gambling debts.

She was charged on Tuesday with one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering, the U.S. attorney's office said.

Prosecutors said that in a plea agreement also filed Tuesday, the now-retired nun acknowledged that over a decade ending in 2018, she embezzled about $835,000 in donations, tuition and fee money.

Kreuper 'controlled accounts at a credit union, including a savings account for the school and one established to pay the living expenses of the nuns employed by the school,' the U.S. attorney's office said.

Kreuper, 79, from Los Angeles, faces up to 40 years in jail for embezzling funds from St. James Catholic School (pictured)

Her scheme was discovered in 2018 after an investigation into an old check.

In her plea agreement, Kreuper acknowledged diverting money to pay for personal expenses that included credit card charges and 'large gambling expenses incurred at casinos,' the U.S. attorney's office said.

Kreuper admitted in her plea agreement that she falsified monthly and annual reports to the school administration to cover up her fraudulent conduct and misled her school administration into believing the finances were properly accounted for.

The criminal information also alleges that Kreuper directed St. James School employees to alter and destroy financial records during a school audit, the Justice Department statement said.

In her plea agreement, Kreuper acknowledged diverting money to pay for personal expenses that included credit card charges and 'large gambling expenses incurred at casinos'

A statement from her attorneys said that Kreuper was 'very remorseful for what happened' and had been cooperating with law enforcement and the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles.

Kreuper became a nun at 18, said the statement, reported by KNX-AM radio.

'Unfortunately, later in her life she has been suffering from a mental illness that clouded her judgment and caused her to do something that she otherwise would not have done,' the statement said.

'She is very sorry for any harm she has caused.'

Kreuper has agreed to appear in United States District Court for an arraignment on July 1.
A teenager killed two sisters in a brutal knife attack after seeking a deal with the devil to 'sacrifice' women in order to win the lottery, a court heard today.

Danyal Hussein, 19, allegedly stabbed Nicole Smallman, 27, and Bibaa Henry, 46, multiple times in Wembley, North West London, in the early hours of June 6 last year.

Earlier that night, Ms Henry had been celebrating her birthday with her sister and friends at Fryent Country Park. The women's bodies were found intertwined and concealed in a hedgerow the next day.

Police allegedly uncovered a handwritten note in Hussein's home purporting to make a bargain with a demon to 'sacrifice' women for gain. The defendant also bought lottery tickets, three of which were folded inside the note, jurors were told.

Opening Hussein's murder trial at the Old Bailey, prosecutor Oliver Glasgow QC told how the women had chosen to go to the park due to restrictions during the first lockdown.

A court artist's sketch of Danyal Hussein (centre) appearing in the dock at the Old Bailey today

He said the sisters had enjoyed themselves so much that they decided to stay on after their guests had left and lit fairy lights, listened to music and danced.

When they failed to come home, their loved ones became concerned and some of their closest friends went back to the park to search.

Police were alerted after the women's glasses were discovered by the searchers. A few moments later a knife was found lying in the grass.

A trail of flattened grass led to the 'shocking' discovery of the bodies, Mr Glasgow said. The prosecutor said the women had been 'butchered' one after the other.

Describing the scene, he said: 'The bodies of Bibaa Henry and Nicole Smallman lay on their sides, they were top to toe and their limbs were intertwined, both of them had been repeatedly stabbed and they were clearly dead.

'The attack upon them had been as savage as it was devastating.'

Ms Henry was stabbed eight times and Ms Smallman was stabbed 28 times, jurors heard.

Mr Glasgow suggested Ms Henry was taken by surprise and overpowered first, then Ms Smallman attempted to fight off her attacker.

'Once the two sisters had been brutally murdered, their killer dragged their bodies across the grass and concealed them in a hedgerow,' he said.

The day after the killings, Hussein went to Northwick Park Hospital seeking treatment for the cut on his hand, claiming he had sustained the injury during a robbery by a group of boys.

'Whilst the defendant was seeking help for the injuries he had sustained when he had murdered Bibaa Henry and Nicole Smallman, the friends of those two women were growing increasingly concerned for their friends,' said Mr Glasgow.

The bodies of Nicole Smallman (right), 27, and Bibaa Henry (left), 46, were found intertwined and concealed in a hedgerow, the court was told

'Phone calls and text message to both women went unanswered and by Sunday morning people were sufficiently concerned that several people decided to go back to Fryent Country Park to try to find out what on earth had happened to either woman,' said the prosecutor.

After a pair of sunglasses belonging to Ms Henry were found, her friend Nina Esmat took them to a police station while Mr Stone and his parents continued to comb the park for clues.

'They found a kitchen knife lying on the ground and, although the side of the blade they could see appeared to be clean, Adam Stone was now terrified, and he rang the police to tell them about the discovery of the knife.

'Whilst he was still on the phone to the emergency operator, he ran towards the trees, forced his way through the bushes and this was when he discovered the two bodies.

'He could see some of the stab wounds to Nicole Smallman's body.

'It was obvious that she was dead, and Adam Stone began to scream in horror at what he had found,' said Mr Glasgow.

The black handled knife that the sisters' friends discovered was an exact match for the ones bought using Hussein's card a few days' ago.

Forensic analysis of the knife found DNA matching that of Ms Smallman and Hussein, jurors heard.

The court heard that a combination of forensic evidence and CCTV footage led police to Hussein.

His DNA was at the scene, on the bodies of the victims and on a bloodstained knife found nearby, it was alleged.

In addition, Hussein had allegedly bought a set of knives in Asda and attended hospital the day after the killings with cuts to his hand from a knife.

Flowers at an entrance to Fryent Country Park, in Wembley, North London, on June 8 last year

Investigators also uncovered handwritten notes at the defendant's home setting out his intention to kill women 'as part of a sacrifice to secure personal advantage for himself', Mr Glasgow said.

He told jurors: 'When the defendant's bedroom was searched, the police found a handwritten document purporting to be an agreement between the defendant and a demon, in which he promised to sacrifice women in order to win the lottery and not to be suspected of any crime he had committed.

'It would appear that the defendant had confidence that his plan would work since following the fatal attacks upon Bibaa Henry and Nicole Smallman, the defendant purchased several lottery tickets and three lottery tickets folded up inside the agreement he had written with the devil.'

Mr Glasgow added: 'As it turned out, the demon did not come good on the bargain since not only did the defendant not win the lottery but the police identified all the evidence that links him to these two murders.

'The defendant does not accept that he played any part in the murder, but we will have to wait and see what possible explanation the defendant can offer for the forensic evidence that proves he is lying and that he is a murderer.

'Even if it were possible for the defendant to construct an incredible tale of a conspiracy designed to frame an innocent man by planting his blood and DNA all over Fryent Country Park, such a conspiracy cannot explain what the police found when they searched his mother's home address in Eltham.'

Hussein, of Blackheath, South East London, has denied double murder and possessing a knife.

The trial before Mrs Justice Whipple is due to go on for up to four weeks.
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President Joe Biden and first lady Jill left the White House on Wednesday on the way to Europe for the G7, a meeting with the Queen and his summit with Vladimir Putin.

Officials have billed the trip as a coming out party for a new administration intent on rebuilding alliances after the Trump years but it will come as a welcome relief to a president a day after the collapse of infrastructure talks with Republicans and amid intense criticism of Kamala Harris' trip to Guatemala and Mexico.

As he left Joint Base Andrews he swatted away a cicada that landed on his neck.

'Watch out for cicadas,' he told journalists traveling with him on Air Force One. 'I just got one... it got me.'

His brief brush proved a lucky escape. Journalists traveling separately to cover Biden's visit were delayed by seven hours on Tuesday night as the flying insects overran their charter plane.

Biden also told reporters that his G7 mission was part of a mission to demonstrate unity among western democracies.

'Making clear to Putin and and to China that Europe and the United States are tight,' he said, adding that he would also be unveiling a COVID-19 vaccine plan for the world.

President Biden brushes a cicada from his neck as he and first lady Jill Biden leave for the United Kingdom from Joint Base Andrews. The eight-day swing to Britain and Europe is the president's first foreign trip as he tries to reassert the United States on the world stage, but it will come as welcome relief a day after his key infrastructure package suffered a setback when negotiations with Republicans collapsed

Cicadas delayed the departure of a press plane carrying journalists by seven hours. Biden swatted away one of the flying insects before warning his traveling pool of journalists, 'Watch out for cicadas' before leaving for the United Kingdom

Biden told reporters that part of the aim of the trip is demonstrate unity between Europe and the United States to Russia and China. 'Making clear to Putin and and to China that Europe and the United States are tight,' he said, adding that he would also be unveiling a COVID-19 vaccine plan for the world

Joe Biden's G7 schedule includes a meeting with the Queen after summit President Joe Biden's first foreign trip as the US leader will feature a meeting with the Queen following the G7 summit. Here's his full schedule to June 16: Wednesday, June 9 Biden and his wife, Jill, leave Washington on Wednesday morning. Their first stop in the UK will be at Royal Air Force Mildenhall to greet U.S. Air Force personnel stationed there. Mildenhall is home to the 100th Air Refueling Wing, the only permanent U.S. Air Force air refueling wing in the European theater. Thursday, June 10 Biden will meet Prime Minister Boris Johnson in Cornwall, site of the G7 summit, to reaffirm the special relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom. Friday, June 11 Biden will attend the G7 summit for three days starting on Friday, to work on U.S. policy priorities such as the economy and allied unity. Saturday, June 12 Biden will attend more G7 summit meetings in Cornwall and have bilateral meetings with fellow G7 leaders. Sunday, June 13 Biden will finish his meetings at the G7 summit. Afterward, the Bidens will meet Britain's Queen Elizabeth at Windsor Castle. Then Biden will travel to Brussels for the night. Monday, June 14 Biden will meet NATO leaders and have a private meeting with the president of Turkey, Tayyip Erdogan. Tuesday, June 15 Biden will hold more NATO meetings and then fly to Geneva for the night. Wednesday, June 16 Biden will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday, their first face-to-face meeting since Biden became president. White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said on Monday it was unclear whether the two leaders would hold a joint news conference after their talks. Advertisement

Biden and Jill are expected to land at RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk to meet US troops on Wednesday night as they kick off an eight-day trip to Europe.

He will then meet British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Thursday, where the pair will affirm their special relationship, discuss global vaccine strategies and discuss reopening travel corridors.

The president will then prepare to meet with the rest of the G7 leaders on Saturday in St.Ives in the first major face-to-face summit between world leaders in two years. He is believed to be staying in the Tregenna Castle Resort.

On Sunday, he will travel from Cornwall to Windsor Castle where he and Jill will hold a reception with the Queen.

He will then head to Brussels that night ahead of meetings on Monday with NATO leaders and the European Union before his highly-anticipated summit with Vladimir Putin on June 16.

Biden is kicking off his first foreign trip after White House insiders said they were 'perplexed' by Vice President Harris' pointed answers to questions on whether she will visit the border.

He also heads to the UK amid outrage over American PhD student at Oxford University who removed a portrait of the Queen from a student's room at Magdalen College.

As president of Magdalen's Middle Common Room, an organization of 200 graduate students, Matthew Katzman of Maryland said the portrait was 'unwelcoming' and represents 'recent colonial history'. They're going to replace it with 'art by or of other influential and inspirational people'.

British Education Secretary Gavin Williamson tweeted: 'Oxford University students removing a picture of the Queen is simply absurd. She is the Head of State and a symbol of what is best about the UK. During her long reign she has worked tirelessly to promote British values of tolerance, inclusivity & respect around the world.'

Biden's hopes of passing his much-touted infrastructure bill now rest on a bipartisan group of senators after direct talks with Republicans collapsed.

Shelley Moore Capito, a Republican representing West Virginia, had been liaising with the White House over the bill.

But their talks collapsed on Tuesday after they'd tentatively bargained $928 billion worth of infrastructure improvements.

Ahead of his trip, Biden is facing increasing criticism for not nominating ambassadors to more than 90 ambassadors, including a representative to the UK.

Many in the diplomatic world expected Biden to name his British ambassador - one of the poshest postings in the diplomatic world - by Thursday's G7 meeting.

The president has named a series of career diplomats to lower level ambassadorial postings, including Bahrain, Somalia, and Algeria. But no one has been nominated for the London position nor any other top destination, such as France, Israel, Russia, China or the European Union.

Biden and first lady Jill Biden flew by Marine One to Joint Base Andrews on Wednesday morning. From there they travel on Air Force One to Royal Air Force Mildenhall in the United Kingdom

Biden shouted at the press and told them to watch out for the bugs before he spoke to a huddle of reporters at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland

Biden salutes on the top of the steps of Air Force One ahead of his flight to the UK for the G7 summit

President Joe Biden and first lady Jill left the White House on Wednesday on the way to Europe for the G7, a meeting with the Queen and his summit with Vladimir Putin

Coronavirus restrictions have limited the president's travel since taking power in January. But the G7 and NATO summits will allow him to pack multiple meetings with world leaders into one trip, before he sits down with President Putin in Geneva. He and his officials have made clear that the trip offers a chance to highlight the importance of alliances in standing up to rival powers such as China and Russia

They jetted off for the president's first foreign trip with his administration facing the fallout of the collapse of his infrastructure talks with Republicans and amid intense criticism over Kamala Harris' trip to Guatemala and Mexico

Biden and Jill are expected to land on Air Force One at RAF Mildenhall to meet US troops in Suffolk on Wednesday night as they kick off an eight-day trip to Europe

Biden's first UK destination: The RAF base that's housed American troops since 1950 RAF Mildenhall has been home to US Air Force personnel and equipment for decades. The Suffolk base has been used by the American military since 1950, providing Washington with a military foothold in Europe. Several units are still based there permanently, including the 100th Air Refuelling Wing and a branch of its special operations command. It had been originally earmarked for closure in 2022 after the Pentagon decided to scale down its military presence on the continent. However, that decision was later reversed and operations are due to continue at the base. Biden is set to address the American troops at the base when he lands on Wednesday night. He will then head to Cornwall for his first face-to-face meeting with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson ahead of the G7 summit. Advertisement

'It is embarrassing that six months into office we still have over ninety embassies without ambassadors,' Brett Bruen, former US Diplomat and Director of Global Engagement at the Obama White House, told DailyMail.com.

Biden held off on foreign travel due to the coronavirus pandemic but is making up for it with this trip that includes meetings with foreign leaders, Queen Elizabeth II, the king of Belgium, and his Russian counterpart.

First lady Jill Biden will join him for the British portion of the trip but will return to the United States after the first couple meets with the Queen at Windsor Castle next Sunday.

Biden will be the 13th American president the Queen has met since ascending to the throne in 1953.

There is speculation that the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall will also meet the American couple at some point during their visit to the UK.

At his sit down with Johnson, Biden will 'affirm the enduring strength of the special relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom,' White House press secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement last week.

Biden and Johnson have spoken on the phone multiple times since Biden was elected president.

'There's a range of issues of mutual interest,' Psaki said Thursday at her White House press briefing when asked about the sit down. 'From the future of economic growth in the world to addressing the COVID pandemic to security issues around the world so they have a range of topics they can clearly discuss.'

Johnson will also ask the American president to exempt vaccinated British and American travellers from quarantine restrictions to facilitate travel between the two nations.

The pair board Marine One on the way to Joint Base Andrews where they will catch the flight to the UK for the first leg of their trip

Surfers enjoy the waves as a Royal Navy ship is seen, as security preparations are underway for the G7 leaders summit, near St Ives, Cornwall

A Royal Navy ship is pictured near St Ives, as security preparations are underway for the G7 leaders summit, in Cornwall, Britain. Biden left on Wednesday morning for an eight-day trip leaving behind a series of headaches for his administration

An RAF Giraffe agile multibeam radar system is set up near the beach in Cornwall ahead of the G7 summit

United States Marine Corps (USMC) Osprey helicopters are seen flying above St Michael's Mount, left, and landing on a grass area of the mount, right. The Osprey helicopters carry Biden's staff, while the President travels in Marine One

A 400-strong contingent of Secret Service agents and support staff are due to arrive for the summit being hosted by Boris Johnson and held in the tiny Cornish resort of Carbis Bay. President Biden is believed to be staying in the Tregenna hotel. They have hired 50 luxury RVs to house agents during the trip

Police officers and security stand by erimieter barriers erected in Carbis Bay, Cornwall, ahead of the G7 summit

Snipers take up position ahead of the G7 summit in Corbis bay, Cornwall. Security is tight, with warships stationed off the coastline, as the area prepares for the arrival of world leaders

Armed British police land on Carbis Bay beach early on Tuesday morning as security teams practice ahead of the summit

Biden is believed to be staying at the Tregenna Castle in Newquay. Military planes and helicopters have been seen flying around the area over the last few days

Demonstrators have begun assembling in Cornwall ahead of the G7 summit. Pictured here, an activist from climate action group Ocean Rebellion wearing a mask depicting Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson and another representing the fossil fuel industry, known as 'Oil head' demonstrate in St Ives Harbour

The President's security team for the Summit is so vast they will have to stay in more than 50 hired luxuryRVs because there is not enough accommodation.

The recreational vehicles have been delivered to St Mawgan airbase near Newquay, 20 miles from where the meeting of leaders takes place in the tiny Cornish resort of Carbis Bay at the weekend.

A 400-strong contingent of Secret Service agents and support staff will be at the summit, but with thousands of vacationers already in the area, almost every hotel and B&B in a 30-mile radius of the summit has been booked.

Meanwhile, video footage showed two Sea King and three V-22 Osprey helicopters soaring above Cornwall and Devon as they practiced the route the President will take from the airbase to Tregenna Castle Resort, St Ives, after Air Force One lands at RAF Mildenhall and then Newquay airport on Wednesday.

Some 1,000 police will be staying on a cruise liner docked in Falmouth harbour and others will stay in RVs currently parked up at the RAF airbase near Newquay.

The PM wants to create a 'green channel' for those fully vaccinated, The Times reported, as the summer holiday season approaches.

National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan on Monday declined to say when travel restrictions might be eased.

'This is a process being driven by science and public health guidance and so it is ultimately up to the public health professionals in the US government to make that determination,' he said.

'We have heard very clearly, the desire of our friends in Europe and in the UK, to be able to reopen travel across the Atlantic. And we want to see that happen. But we have to follow the science and we have to follow the guidance of our public health professionals so we're actively engaging with them to determine the timeframe, and I can't give him a date today but I will tell you that we recognize the concern and we are fundamentally being guided by objective analysis,' he added.

Afterward the meeting with Johnson, Biden will attend the G7 summit, where he will hold bilateral meetings with fellow G7 leaders. The G7 includes Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States and the European Union.

After his meeting with The Queen, Biden will travel to Brussels, Belgium, to participate in in a NATO meeting and an EU Summit.

Security fences have also been set up around the Villa La Grane in Geneva, Switzerland, which is slated to be the destination of Biden's summit with Putin
A 1933 Double Eagle gold coin - the last of its kind to be minted in the US and the only copy authorized for private ownership - has sold for a record-setting $18.9 million at auction in New York.

Shoe designer and collector Stuart Weitzman put the coin up for sale on Tuesday along with the world's rarest stamp, which went for $8.3million, and a group of unique American stamps for $2.9million.

The unprecedented sale makes the Double Eagle the most valuable coin ever to appear at auction. It was expected go for anywhere between $10 and $15million - despite having a face value of just $20.

Weitzman acquired the coin at auction in 2002 for what was then the world record price of $7.6million. The identity of the new owner has not been disclosed.

This rare 'Double Eagle' gold coin sold for a record-setting $18.9million at auction on Tuesday

The coin with a distinctive design of an American eagle in flight one side and Liberty striding forward on the other was never issued after President Franklin Roosevelt took the United States off the gold standard and most copies were melted down.

Only a handful of the coins ever made it into the public's hands, but in 1944 the US government deemed it illegal to be in possession of one, all except the one sold Tuesday due to a unique set of circumstances.

'The 1933 Double Eagle has a richly captivating history which encapsulates large swathes of United States history and has been at the center of intrigue for more than 80 years,' Sotheby's, which hosted the auction, said in a statement.

Shoe designer Stuart Weitzman (pictured) put the coin up for sale along with the world's rarest stamp, which went for $8.3million, and a group of unique American stamps for $2.9million

Weitzman on Tuesday also sold a British Guiana One-Cent Magenta stamp, issued in 1856, for $8.3million, confirming its place as the most valuable stamp in history.

The stamp is the only surviving one from a series that was printed by the South American nation because of a shortage of stamps sent over by its then British colonial rulers.

The designer had bought it in 2014 for $9.5million and continued a tradition started by previous owners by adding his own flourish - a line drawing of a stiletto shoe and his initials - to the back of the stamp.

British Guiana One-Cent Magenta is the last known stamp of its kind, and the most valuable stamp in the world

The 'Inverted Jenny' stamp is unique for a printing error in which the biplane appears upside down. Sold on Tuesday for $4.9 million it is the most valuable US stamp

The buyers of the two items wished to remain anonymous, Sotheby's said.

In addition, a plate block of the 24 cent Inverted Jenny stamp, which was issued in 1918 for the first US air mail letters, sold for $4.9million. It is the most valuable US stamp.

The Inverted Jenny, which was last sold at auction some 26 years ago for $2.9million, is a collector's item because of a printing error in which its biplane design appears upside down.

Sotheby's said the stamp block, which sold below its pre-auction estimate, was bought by David Rubenstein, a co-founder of private equity company The Carlyle Group.

Weitzman, who has been collecting stamps and coins since boyhood, has said he will use the money from Tuesday's sale to fund his charitable ventures including medical research, his design school, and a Jewish museum in Madrid.
Jane Fonda is demanding that the Biden administration act 'boldly' on climate change, warning that he's not acting fast enough to avoid a cataclysmic crisis.

The Hollywood A lister and lifelong activist joined CNN on Tuesday a day after marching alongside indigenous protestors trying to stop the construction of the Enbridge line 3 pipeline.

She is calling on Joe Biden to end Trump's pipeline projects, including halting construction on the Enbridge pipeline in Minnesota.

'We need him to stop this and stop all of the pipelines that Trump okayed as a lame duck president, none of them are following the proper permit guideline,' the 83-year-old Grace and Frankie star said.

The pipeline project was approved by Trump administration but President Biden has not taken a stand on the Enbridge line 3 pipeline.

Fonda added she was 'grateful' to Biden for cancelling the Keystone XL pipeline permit and suspending oil drilling leases in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, but urged him to do more.

'He's done a lot of very good things. But not enough. Not bold enough. And not fast enough.'

'We're up against time,' she added. 'The scientists say we have less than nine years to cut our emissions in half. Line 3 is going in the absolute opposite direction, and the news every day is telling us, emissions are going up, not down. So we have to put our bodies on the line and do whatever we can to get our administration to call a halt to these permits.'

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83-year-old actress and activist Jane Fonda (pictured) is pressuring the Biden administration to be 'bolder' against the 'existential crisis' of climate change, starting with the Enbridge pipeline

Fonda (right) joined CNN's Brianna Keilar (left) on Tuesday a day after marching alongside indigenous protestors trying to stop the construction of the Enbridge line 3 pipeline

Jane Fonda says President Biden isnt doing enough to fight climate change, but says:



Its much better to push a moderate than to fight a fascist, right? pic.twitter.com/HFMHhlL8vt  The Recount (@therecount) June 8, 2021

Fonda said she is encouraging protestors to use her method of 'raising the ruckus' to get the attention of the Biden administration in order to 'create pressure' for bolder action.

The oil pipeline is being built by Canadian-based energy infrastructure company Enbridge and would run from Canada across the wetlands and forests of northern Minnesota.

The company put out a statement following Monday's protest condemning the 'destruction' done by demonstrators.

'The destruction done today by protesters is disheartening,' the statement read. 'We respect everyones right to peacefully and lawfully protest, but trespass, intimidation, and destruction are unacceptable.'

Enbridge also added that they employ native workers and are giving back to the community.

'Over 500 native workers are part of the Line 3 workforce,' the statement said. 'The project is already providing significant economic benefits for counties, small businesses, Native American communities, and union membersincluding creating 5,200 family-sustaining construction jobs, and millions of dollars in local spending and tax revenues.'

Fonda, a lifelong activist, stood alongside indigenous protestors trying to stop the construction of the Enbridge line 3 pipeline in Minnesota

Fonda said that Enbridge is using the familiar tactic of 'buying off' the community but that the climate crisis is bigger than any one community, it is a global issue.

'This is what they do all over the world,' she scoffed. 'The oil companies, they do their drilling and fracking in areas that are economically depressed and then they create child care centers and recreational parks and they build schools and they try to buy them off. But again, we are confronting an existential crisis. its not just the tribal nations here, its the globe. We have to stop all new oil development. We cannot allow this to happen.'

Protestors argue the pipeline could worsen climate change and risk spills in sensitive areas where Native Americans harvest wild rice, hunt, fish, gather medicinal plants, and claim treaty rights, the Associated Press reported.

Fonda said the pipeline is pushing us closer to the 'existential catastrophe' of climate change and goes against the advise of scientist who say we have to cut emissions in half.

'Its bringing very destructive tar sands under 200 bodies of pristine water, but look at the big picture  we are barreling toward a true catastrophe, an existential catastrophe, which is the climate crisis,' she told the CNN host. 'Climate scientists are universally telling us we have to cut our emissions in half and we can have absolutely no new development of fossil fuels. No new mining. No new fracking. No new drilling if were going to achieve this.

Protestors are calling on the Biden administration to ask the Army Corps of Engineers to halt construction on the pipeline

Fonda said she is encouraging protestors to use her method of 'raising the ruckus' to get the attention of the Biden administration in order to 'create pressure' for bolder action

'We have to keep warming it 1.5 degrees celsius. No higher than that. We cant even burn what we already develop, much less new, so this pipeline is threatening what science is saying. Its threatening the climate crisis. This is going to affect everybody. Not just the tribal nations whose sovereign rights are being broken here in Minnesota but the whole world. We cannot afford this.'

Fonda specifically called for the Biden administration to ask the Army Corps of Engineers to halt construction on the pipeline and to re-examine Enbridge's permit, which she says was 'rushed though'

While she was critical of the president she also acknowledged his small steps 'He's done a lot and were really grateful,' but said the climate crisis is too severe to only do a few good things.

When asked if Biden's lack of bold action has caused her to regret her vote and she quipped she much preferred pushing the current president than 'fascist' former president Trump.

'Well, it's nice to be hopeful again, and it's much better to push a moderate than to fight a fascist, right?' Fonda said.

Jane was arrested by U.S. Capitol Officers in November 2020 during a 'Fire Drill Fridays' climate change protest in Washington D.C.

It was the fourth time she had been arrested for protesting climate change, with the Julia star admitting conditions inside her holding cell were 'not good for old bones like mine on a metal slab'.
Malachy Doherty, pictured, was convicted of stealing the two Labradors called Denzel and Welly from outside a Marks & Spencer store in Nantwich on March 27

A thief who stole two dogs from outside a Marks & Spencer store has been jailed following his conviction in court.

Malachy Doherty, 37, and his 14-year-old accomplice took the pair of Labradors called Denzel and Welly from outside the supermarket in Nantwich town centre on March 27.

The dogs' owners Charlotte and Dale Robson were left heartbroken after the dogs were stolen and launched a major social media campaign to track them down.

South Cheshire Magistrates' Court heard thousands of people shared details of the theft online and appealed for further information.

After three days, police were able to track the dogs down to an address in Tunstall, Staffordshire, after a neighbour saw the dogs and became suspicious.

The court heard Mr Robson left his dogs tied outside the store for a few minutes while he popped inside. When he returned he discovered his two dogs were missing.

The two dogs were offered for sale by the 14-year-old, although they claimed they were selling different pets.

According to the Stoke Sentinel, a statement was read out in court on behalf of Mr Robson. He wrote: 'I cannot believe that someone can be so heartless as to steal two dogs who are members of the family.'

He said his friends helped in a search of the area for the two Labradors.

Doherty told the court he had no knowledge of his accomplice's plan to sell the dogs and intended to keep them as pets.

Police were able to track Doherty on CCTV after stealing the two dogs from outside the store

Charlotte and Dale Robson were reunited with their dogs Welly and Denzel after they were recovered by Cheshire Police three days after the theft

The two dogs Denzel and Welly appeared to be very happy with being back at home

The couple were left heartbroken after their dogs were stolen. They launched a major social media campaign which assisted police in tracking down the dog thieves

He said he gave his wife, Mary Doherty the dogs to look after. She admitted handling stolen goods and will be sentenced at a later stage.

Their solicitor Colin Drew said the couple have faced significant abuse on social media after being linked to the dog napping.

Doherty said he had never intended to sell on the dogs and wanted to simply keep them as pets. He claimed he had no knowledge of his accomplices text.

He had asked his 28-year-old wife Mary Doherty to look after them at home. Today in court, she admitted handling stolen goods and her case was adjourned for a pre-sentence report.

Colin Drew, representing the couple, said they had experienced a torrent of social media abuse since they were linked with the theft of the dogs.

In addition to the jail term, Doherty has been ordered to pay 1,000 in compensation to Mr Robson along with a further 930 in costs and a 128 surcharge.

Mr Doherty said both his dogs have been castrated so there was no point stealing them for a breeding farm

Sentencing Doherty, District Judge Nick Sanders said: 'This is not theft of a push bike. Its the theft of two family pets. I cannot begin to imagine the distress you caused that family.'

Commenting after his dogs were returned, Mr Robson said: 'We are absolutely lost for words at the power of social media and the incredible work of Cheshire Police .... our boys are home!!!!

'This feeling is like no other and we will be doing everything in our power to make sure dogs are safe going forward.

'Thank you to each and every one of you who has shared, messaged, been out there, offered help and anything and everything in between!!!'

Mr and Ms Robson had launched a desperate appeal for the safe return of their 'beloved family pets' after they were snatched outside in March.

Mr Robson said: 'They are both castrated and will not be able to be used as breeding dogs. They are family dogs and belong here with their family.'
An unemployed drunk driver who reversed his girlfriend's car through a Gold Coast pub while four times over the limit has been jailed for 18 months.

Nathan Simpson, 28, faced Southport District Court on Wednesday over a string of driving offences relating to the crash at the Robina Pavilion on August 5 last year.

The court heard Simpson had been drinking at the venue, on Ron Penhaligon Way, when he was asked to leave for being too drunk, the Gold Coast Bulletin reports.

Simpson got into a verbal argument with one of the staff members before exiting the premises and getting behind the wheel, with his girlfriend in the passenger seat.

Nathan Simpson, 28, reversed his girlfriend's car through the glass doors of the Robina Pavilion on August 5 last year (pictured)

CCTV footage tendered in court showed the red car reversing through the glass doors into a walkway about 8.30pm as staff members leapt out of its path.

Simpson drove away, shedding part of his tyre at the scene, before he was taken into police custody where he blew an alcohol reading of 0.202 - fourfold the 0.05 legal limit.

He pleaded guilty to dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, wilful damage and driving without a licence and was sentenced to 18 months behind bars.

'Quite simply, what you did was extremely dangerous and extremely reckless,' Judge William Everson.

Simpson, who has never had a job, has previously been caught driving without a licence on six other occasions and was on parole at the time of the crash.

The court heard the car continued down until it smashed into an obstacle on the far wall, leaving glass and debris strewn across the walkway.

Defence barrister James McNab said his client had an unhappy childhood, left school in year 8, and had spent time homeless.

Simpson will be eligible for parole on October 16.
Cruise companies are heading for a showdown with Republican governors over vaccination passports as the industry seeks to reopen after a year of sailing bans.

Carnival Cruise Lines plan to require passengers to show proof they are vaccinated against COVID-19 has put the firm on a collision course with Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott who banned businesses from doing so earlier this week.

The impasse comes after another Republican governor, Ron DeSantis of Florida, signed into law his own ban on vaccine passports as other cruise companies vow to defy it and require passengers to be inoculated.

Miami-based Carnival Cruise Line this week announced sailings from the Port of Galveston, Texas with vaccinated guests, and said it was working with Florida officials for a ship to leave from PortMiami.

Carnival announced on Monday that it would be resuming service this coming July for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic forced the shutdown of all cruise lines.

Texas and Florida have banned companies from requiring their customers to show proof of vaccination - or so-called 'vaccine passports.' Texas Governor Greg Abbott is seen left. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is seen right

Sailing into the unknown: Which cruise firms will require proof of COVID vaccinations Carnival Passengers must have received their final dose of a CDC-approved COVID-19 vaccine at least 14 days prior to the beginning of the cruise and have proof of vaccination. Princess Cruises Princess is owned by Carnival and is expected to follow the same rules. Norwegian All passengers will need to be vaccinated when operations out of Miami resume in August. Royal Caribbean Guests are 'strongly recommended' to set sail fully vaccinated, but it is not mandatory for cruises out of Texas and Florida. Those who are unvaccinated or unable to verify vaccination will be required to undergo testing. Passengers aged 16 and older on cruises from Seattle will be required to be vaccinated Celebrity Cruises Celebrity Cruises is owned by Royal Caribbean and is expected to follow the same rules. Disney Cruises Disney has not yet announced a vaccine policy for its U.S. ships. A two-night simulation cruise later this month requires guests to be vaccinated. Guests aged 18 and older must be vaccinated before embarking on its planned UK sailings. Advertisement

Two of the companys ships - the Carnival Vista and the Carnival Breeze - will be returning to the Port of Galveston next month, and the company plans to begin setting sail from the port on July 3.

'These cruises are available for guests who have received their final dose of a CDC-approved COVID-19 vaccine at least 14 days prior to the beginning of the cruise and have proof of vaccination,' Carnival said in a press release on Monday.

But the sailing plans come amid conflicting legal requirements between the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and states.

The CDC recently announced new guidelines permitting cruises to resume operations but only on condition that 95 percent of crew members and 95 percent of customers are vaccinated.

Abbott on Monday responded to Carnivals announcement by signing into law a bill that bans businesses in the Lone Star State from requiring vaccine passports or any vaccine information.

Texas is open 100% without any restrictions or limitations or requirements, the governor said on Monday.

And Florida has sued the CDC and has asked a court to lift restrictions imposed by the federal agency. Arguments in the case are expected to resume this week in Tampa.

'Unfortunately, the CDC has opted to continue its ridiculous and unlawful regulations that target a single industry by imposing vaccine requirements - something no other business or industry must do,' a news release from DeSantis office said.

Norwegian, which has stated that it will still require customers to show proof of vaccination, said in a statement that it is in contact with DeSantis' office on the requirements.

We are currently in communication with his staff and legal counsel to ensure that we can offer the safest cruise experience for our passengers departing from the cruise capital of the world, said Norwegian CEO Frank Del Rio.

Royal Caribbean backpedaled on vaccination requirements for passengers preparing to set sail next month from ports in Texas and Florida after the states passed laws banning businesses from asking for so-called vaccine passports.

Guests are now 'strongly recommended' to set sail fully vaccinated, but it is not mandatory for cruises out of Texas and Florida.

The cruise line announced last week that eight of its ships will resume voyages in July and August with trips leaving ports in Florida, Texas and Washington state .

In a dramatic about-face, Royal Caribbean has announced that cruise passengers sailing from Texas and Florida won't be required to show proof of vaccination. The image above from March 2 shows Royal Caribbean's Navigator of the Sea docked at PortMiami

Royal Caribbean International said on Friday all crew members will be vaccinated against COVID-19.

Passengers 16 and older on cruises from Seattle to Alaska will also be required to be vaccinated.

The requirement will be expanded to cover Alaska-bound passengers 12 and over starting August 1.

For other trips passing through US water, Royal Caribbean said that passengers are 'strongly recommended' to get vaccinated.

Unvaccinated passengers must be tested for the virus and follow other measures that will be announced later, the company said.

But Royal Caribbean appears to be an outlier as the other firms say theyre not backing down.

At least one CEO has stated that if DeSantis follows through on his stance, firms could begin operating their ships from ports in the Caribbean or other states that would accommodate their pro-vaccine stance.

Norwegian Cruise Line also said that it will require all passengers to be vaccinated when it resumes operations out of Miami in August.

Earlier this week, Norwegian announced sailings from New York, Los Angeles, Port Canaveral and Miami.

Norwegian, which has stated that it will still require customers to show proof of vaccination, said in a statement that it is in contact with DeSantis' office on the requirements.

Last month, Del Rio told Fox News that the first seven ships that will set sail this summer will be operating from outside the United States.

In a recent earnings call, he suggested that his company could base its ships elsewhere if DeSantis forces his hand.

At the end of the day, cruise ships have motors, propellers and rudders, and God forbid we can't operate in the state of Florida for whatever reason, then there are other states that we do operate from, and we can operate from the Caribbean for a ship that otherwise would have gone to Florida, Del Rio said.

His comments were reported by CNN.

DailyMail.com has sought comment from Celebrity, Carnival, and Norwegian.

Disney Cruise Line said last week that the CDC approved a request to conduct a two-night simulation cruise later this month departing from Port Canaveral.

Last month, Florida filed a lawsuit against the federal government demanding that cruise ships be allowed to start sailing immediately.

DeSantis said the no-sail order is outdated and hurts the state as the industry generates billions for the economy and employs tens of thousands of Floridians.

'We don't believe the federal government has the right to mothball a major industry for over a year based on very little evidence and very little data,' the Republican governor said at a news conference at the Port of Miami.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued new guidelines last week for companies on how to respond in the event of COVID-19 cases but has so far not lifted its no-sail order.

The lawsuit says the new guidance doesn't take into consideration another CDC statement made that fully vaccinated people can now travel at low risk to themselves.

It also says the new rules increase the frequency of reports of COVID-19-like illnesses and require agreements be made between cruise companies and all US ports and local health authorities where ships have to dock.

The CDC shut down sailing in March 2020 when several coronavirus outbreaks were tied to ships worldwide, prompting ports to reject docking plans and leaving some passengers and crew members to navigate for an extended time.

Florida is the nation's cruise capital with three of the world's busiest ports: Miami, Port Canaveral near Kennedy Space Center, and Port Everglades near Fort Lauderdale.

The lawsuit says industry generates billions for the states economy as millions of people typically cruise from one of Floridas ports each year.

DeSantis has maintained the ban disproportionally impacts Florida and has said that cruising has resumed in much of the world, forcing Americans to fly to other ports in the nearby Bahamas.

Miami-based Carnival Cruise Line announced sailings from the Port of Galveston, Texas, with vaccinated guests and was working with Florida officials for a ship to leave from PortMiami. Carnival announced on Monday that it would be resuming service this coming July for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic forced the shutdown of all cruise lines

Industry leaders say there have been no new outbreaks tied to their ships.

'People are going to cruise one way or another. The question is are we going to do it out of Florida, which is the number one place to do it in the world, or are they going to be doing it out of the Bahamas or other locations?' DeSantis said.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said last month she did not have a direct response to the lawsuit, but denied accusations the CDC uses flawed data to ban sailing.

'I will just reiterate that the CDC guidance is based on data and health and medical guidelines, hence that's why they put it out and why they are regularly updated,' she said.

Michael Winkleman, a maritime lawyer, said that he does not expect such a lawsuit to succeed in court.

But DeSantis' advocating for the cruise industry in a public way could change the public perception on the matter, and pressure the federal government to resume traveling, Winkleman says.

'The reason why this would be futile is CDC officials have wide discretion in how they do their federally mandated job,' he said.

'From a big-picture perspective, I dont think there is any reason why cruises cannot sail safely.'
Kamala Harris has come under fire for handing out cookies with her likeness during her first foreign tour of Central American countries ravaged by the border crisis.

The vice president gifted the treats - which featured a bust of her drawn in frosting without the details of her face - to reporters aboard Air Force 2 on Sunday as she set off for Guatemala.

USA Today reporter Courtney Subramanian shared a photo of one of the cookies on Twitter - sparking an onslaught of criticism from conservatives.

'I never even imagined this level of narcissism,' Republican congressional candidate Buzz Patterson tweeted.

Commentator Matt Walsh chimed in: '"Here you go, everyone. I thought you might like to eat my face." What a weirdo. Extremely disturbing behavior.'

Kamala Harris came under fire for handing out cookies with her likeness during her first foreign tour of Central American countries ravaged by the border crisis

The vice president gifted the treats - which featured a bust of her drawn in frosting without the details of her face- to reporters aboard Air Force Two on Sunday as she set off for Guatemala

Another set of cookies is reported to have featured Air Force 2, according to a tweet posted Sunday night by Subramanian.

Many critics wondered why the vice president would give out cookies of her own likeness while she faces backlash for avoiding the US-Mexico border, a visit she said would be akin to nothing but a 'grand gesture.'

The former presidential hopeful visited Guatemala on Monday to try to address the 'root causes' of illegal immigration.

Harris passed out treats to reporters during an on-the-record visit to the back of Air Force 2

The vice president's baked busts drew comparisons to French monarch Marie Antoinette

The cookies are reported to have been provided by a black-owned bakery in Washington, DC

'Handing out cookies with her face on them as the border crisis rages The modern-day equivalent of "let them eat cake,"' said GOP Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel.

'I thought someone gave Kamala cookies that look like her. That would've been a cute gift,' wrote Canadian Youtuber Lauren Chen. 'Instead, she gave cookies that look like her to other people. That's a narcissistic AF and a totally weird gift.'

The vice president drew even more comparisons to a certain French monarch.

'Kamala Antoinette: "Let them eat cookies,"' remarked one Twitter user.

The cookies were baked by black-owned Washington, DC, bakery CakeWichCraft, according to Mediaite reporter Tommy Christopher.

The shop did not respond to calls or emails from DailyMail.com

Some found the hullabaloo much ado about nothing.

'Kamala was given cookies that look like her by a Black owned business. Kamala then handed them out to the press. The press is now saying that was a gross thing to do. Tell me, was she just supposed to eat them all herself,' one user asked.

Harris boards Air Force 2 during her first foreign trip as vice president in an effort to quell a surging border crisis that has left government facilities overrun with migrants

Some criticized the backlash as 'petty,' noting that the cookies were a gift

President Barack Obama was criticized by conservatives for wearing a tan suit during his presidency, a departure from his typical navy or charcoal

Harris met with the leaders of Guatemala and Mexico to tackle the 'root' of illegal crossings

'They have nothing else to criticize. So petty & childish,' wrote a Twitter user by the name Carol Fiorello.

Customs and Border Patrol number show a record-high of 178,622 encounters with illegal border crossers in April alone, creeping up from massive spike in February and March.

In a press conference with Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei on Monday, Harris delivered a stern message.

'I want to be clear to folks in the region who are thinking about making that dangerous trek to the United States-Mexico border: Do not come. Do not come,' she said. 'I believe if you come to our border, you will be turned back.'

That same day, the Supreme Court upheld a lower court ruling that barred certain illegal immigrants from applying for permanent residency, also known as a green card, because of their unlawful entry.

The case is expected to affect as many as 400,000 people, many of whom have lived in the US for years.

Still, Harris said she would not be visiting the US-Mexico border.

Customs and Border Patrol number show record numbers of encounters with illegal crossers with a record-high of 178,622 in April alone, continuing on from massive spike in February and March

'I came here to be here on the ground, to speak with the leader of this nation around what we can do in a way that is significant, is tangible and has real results,' Harris said.

'And I will continue to be focused on that kind of work as opposed to grand gestures.'

Giammattei blamed the new administration's rhetoric for encouraging illegal immigration.

'The message changed too: "We're going to reunite families, were going to reunite children,"' he told CBS News. 'The very next day, the coyotes were here organizing groups of children to take them to the United States.'

On Tuesday, Harris appeared with Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador in Mexico City.

Meanwhile, border enforcement groups are overwhelmed and facilities have reached near 2,000 percent capacity at some points.
Litchfield (06759)

Today

Cloudy skies with periods of rain late. Low 57F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch..

Tonight

Cloudy skies with periods of rain late. Low 57F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.
Even the Biden administration appears to be baffled by Kamala Harris' trip to Guatemala and Mexico to address the border crisis.

White House insiders were 'perplexed' by her answers to her questions over whether she would visit the Rio Grande and 'hoped her first foreign trip would be a success', CNN reported.

Officials also fear that any progress she made during her meetings with the Guatemalan and Mexican presidents may be undone by her mixed messages and terse encounters with reporters.

Harris' trip was meant to focus on the 'root causes' of migration that have led to families and unaccompanied children heading north to the border.

But she made a series of seemingly conflicting statements about her decision not to visit the border and enraged progressives by telling migrants: 'Do not come'.

By the end of her trip, at a press conference in Mexico City with President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, Harris insisted the trip was a success.

'Listen, I've been to the border before and I'll go again,' she said.

She also hinted that a border trip would be 'short-sighted', but did promise to visit without giving a date.

Administration officials are 'perplexed' at some of the conflicting statements made by Vice President Kamala Harris on her first foreign trip in office

CNN reported that officials were concerned within the administration that whatever progress Harris had made on the leader-to-leader level might have been undermined by her conflicting answers and PR missteps.

'Its left some of the administration officials perplexed, and the vice presidents team frustrated,' the network Wednesday.

'There was hope the trip would be a success, and in the end, they feel it may have been overshadowed by some of her answers to these questions,' the network reported.

She also snapped at reporters a few times when questioned about a border visit. Among those asking about it was a CNN correspondent. Fox News correspondents have been hounding the White House on the topic for weeks, so it was unlikely to have surprised her team.

At the same news conference where she said she would go to the border, Harris also shrugged off the idea.

Harris visited Mexico and Guatemala in her first trip outside the country as VP

She said at a Mexico City press conference she would visit the border, after earlier commenting about 'grand gestures'

Vice President Kamala Harris (R) participates in a roundtable with Guatemalan community and civil society leaders to continue conversations about how best to address the root causes of migration at Universidad del Valle de Guatemala in Guatemala City on June 7, 2021

Vice President Kamala Harris is greeted by Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard as she steps off the plane upon arrival at Benito Juarez International airport in Mexico City, for her first international trip as Vice President to Guatemala and Mexico, in Mexico June 7, 2021

'I think it's short-sighted, for any of us who are in the business of problem solving to suggest we're only going to respond to the reaction as opposed to addressing the cause,' she said.

It echoed her earlier comments in Guatemala, where she characterized such a visit as being for show.

'I came here to be here on the ground, to speak with the leader of this nation around what we can do in a way that is significant, is tangible and has real results,' she said.

'And I will continue to be focused on that kind of work as opposed to grand gestures.'

There is an element of showmanship in any foreign trip  and Harris was not shy about calling her own first foreign foray a victory.

'Do I declare this trip a success? Yes I do,' she said.

She also took heat on the trip when she shot back at NBC anchor Lester Holt when he asked her about visiting the border.

'At some point, you know, we are going to the border,' she said. 'We've been to the border. So this whole thing about the border. We've been to the border. We've been to the border,' she repeated.

'You haven't been to the border,' Holt pushed back.

'And I haven't been to Europe,' Harris snapped, then quickly turned it into her signature laugh.

'And I mean, I don't understand the point that you're making,' she said to Holt 'I'm not discounting the importance of the border.'

She also kicked off her trip with a blunt message to migrants: 'Do not come,' an admonition that Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York called 'disappointing.'

In another odd moment, a case of mistaken identity at Harris' press conference in Mexico City on Tuesday allowed a woman wrongly identified as a Univision reporter with a similar name to ask the vice president a fawning question.

The woman, introduced by Harris' press secretary Symone Sanders as 'Maria Fernanda from Univision', was one of only five people called on for questions at the Mexico City event.

She asked a soft question, which Harris called 'great.' Late on Tuesday, Fox News revealed that the woman was in fact a San Francisco Bay-area entrepreneur named Maria Fernanda Reyes. Univision put out a statement saying the woman was not their reporter.

'I never imagined this level of narcissism': Kamala Harris is slammed for passing out cut out cookies of herself on Airforce 2 during border crisis tour

Kamala Harris has come under fire for handing out cookies with her likeness during her first foreign tour of Central American countries ravaged by the border crisis.

The vice president gifted the treats - which featured a bust of her drawn in frosting without the details of her face - to reporters aboard Air Force 2 on Sunday as she set off for Guatemala.

USA Today reporter Courtney Subramanian shared a photo of one of the cookies on Twitter - sparking an onslaught of criticism from conservatives.

'I never even imagined this level of narcissism,' Republican congressional candidate Buzz Patterson tweeted.

Commentator Matt Walsh chimed in: '"Here you go, everyone. I thought you might like to eat my face." What a weirdo. Extremely disturbing behavior.'

Kamala Harris came under fire for handing out cookies with her likeness during her first foreign tour of Central American countries ravaged by the border crisis

The vice president gifted the treats - which featured a bust of her drawn in frosting without the details of her face- to reporters aboard Air Force Two on Sunday as she set off for Guatemala

Another set of cookies is reported to have featured Air Force 2, according to a tweet posted Sunday night by Subramanian.

Many critics wondered why the vice president would give out cookies of her own likeness while she faces backlash for avoiding the US-Mexico border, a visit she said would be akin to nothing but a 'grand gesture.'

The former presidential hopeful visited Guatemala on Monday to try to address the 'root causes' of illegal immigration.

'Handing out cookies with her face on them as the border crisis rages The modern-day equivalent of "let them eat cake,"' said GOP Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel.

'I thought someone gave Kamala cookies that look like her. That would've been a cute gift,' wrote Canadian Youtuber Lauren Chen. 'Instead, she gave cookies that look like her to other people. That's a narcissistic AF and a totally weird gift.'

Harris passed out treats to reporters during an on-the-record visit to the back of Air Force 2

The vice president's baked busts drew comparisons to French monarch Marie Antoinette
Carl Langdell met Katie Locke, 23, on Plenty of Fish and took her to the same hotel he had taken at least one other woman

A psychopathic fantasist who murdered a young history teacher he met through a dating site had internet contact with up to 20 women, an inquest has heard.

Carl Langdell met Katie Locke, 23, on Plenty of Fish and took her to the same hotel he had taken at least one other woman.

The Southampton University graduate was unaware Langdell was serving a suspended sentence for threatening to kill two people.

He had also told a Community Psychiatric Nurse that he wanted to cut a girl's throat, see her naked and have sex with her when she was dead.

In the early hours of Christmas Eve 2015 he strangled Ms Locke at Theobolds Park Hotel in Hertfordshire. Her body was found in a bush near a skip in the grounds.

At an inquest in Hatfield today a statement was read from a pathologist Charlotte Randall, who found the cause of death to be compression of the neck.

She said: 'There is little doubt it was a forceful and prolonged assault and was accompanied by serous sexual violence.'

Langdell, then 26, pleaded guilty to murdering Ms Locke. He was sentenced to life with a minimum term of 26 years in June 2016.

In February Langdell, who was 30, and from Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, died in Wakefield Maximum Security Prison, having cut his throat.

The Southampton University graduate (pictured) was unaware Langdell was serving a suspended sentence for threatening to kill two people

Assistant Coroner Alison McCormick said the inquest - without a jury - was being held after an application was made by Ms Locke's parents Bill and Jennifer.

The coroner said she will decide whether 'acts or admissions' by public bodies contributed to the death of Ms Locke, the youngest of three daughters who lived with her parents in Buckhurst Hill, Essex.

Nick Armstrong, who is representing Mr and Mrs Locke, said Langdell had internet contact with up to 20 women and had talked about carrying out rape scenarios.

He said Langdell, who had studied journalism at Hertfordshire University, was released from a mental ward on 20 September 2015.

'He was dating multiple woman across multiple websites. He had used the hotel at least one before and had lied about who he was.'

In a report Dr Philip Joseph, a forensic psychiatrist who examined Langdell for his sentencing hearing said he was 'emotionally unstable' and had 'psychopathic disorders'.

Langdell also told a Community Psychiatric Nurse that he wanted to cut a girl's throat, see her naked and have sex with her when she was dead

He said: 'He was narcissistic, emotionally unstable and was also cold and callous. He got sexual satisfaction from controlling women.

'It is likely the killing was sexually motivated. He had a callous unconcern for Katie Locke.'

Chief Inspector Stephen O'Keefe of Hertfordshire police said Langdell had been cautioned in 2009 for assault a girlfriend.

In July 2013 he was regarded as a risk to himself. In September that year he made unsubstantiated claims that someone was threatening to harm him.

He had assaulted his brother in July 2014, but the brother had failed to support a prosecution.

In February 2015 he made threats to kill his girlfriend's sister and threatened to kill a Mental Health worker in Avon and Somerset.

He was bailed to Hertfordshire where he attempted to kill himself and was placed under the supervision of Hertfordshire's mental health services.

Chief Inspector O'Keefe said the bail conditions had been had not been communicated to Hertfordshire police.

Three weeks before he killed Ms Locke he had received a suspended sentence at Bristol for making the threats.

Earlier Ms Locke's father Bill told the coroner she had 'lived life to the full' and 'was a generous person who cared for other people and put them first'.

She loved being part of a team, was a Brownie, a Guide and loved water sports, becoming a Kayak instructor.

Ms Locke studied history and politics at Southampton University, had volunteered at the London Olympics and worked with underprivileged children in the US.

'She was self-confident and fearless and an energetic and beautiful person,' he said. His wife said she 'died' on the day Ms Locke died.

At the time of her death she was working as a history teacher at Cardinal Pole School in Hackney, east London.

The coroner is expected to return her findings on June 22 or June 23.
A doctor known for her wild anti-vaccination claims has testified that the Covid-19 vaccination causes recipients to become magnetized.

Sherri Tenpenny, an osteopathic physician, made the bizarre declaration on Tuesday at a Ohio State Health Committee meeting.

She based her theory on viral internet videos purporting to show vaccinated people sticking keys, forks and spoons to their body.

'They put a key on their forehead and it sticks, they could put spoons and forks all over them and they could stick because now we think that there's a metal piece to that,' the doctor said on the House floor.

During testimony at a Ohio State Health Committee meeting Tuesday, Sherri Tenpenny claimed that the Covid-19 vaccine magnetizes people

She continued by tying her claims into another theory about the vaccines containing microchips that use 5G technology.

'There's been people who have long suspected that there was some sort of an interface, yet to be defined, an interface between what's being injected in these shots and all of the 5G towers,' she said.

Tenpenny was speaking in favor of Ohio State House Bill 248, dubbed the Vaccine Choice and Anti-Discrimination Act, which would ban mandatory vaccinations in Ohio and prohibit schools and businesses from requiring that attendees are vaccinated.

Sherri Tenpenny based her theory on viral internet videos purporting to show vaccinated people sticking keys, forks and spoons to their body. In this clip, a woman, claiming to be vaccinated is seen sticking a quarter to her arm. She claims, rather than simple glue, it is because she is 'magnetized'

One of the videos that Tenpenny mentioned was flagged as 'false' on Facebook

Twitter users were quick to poke fun at her statements as StarDustArt1 wrote, 'WOW! No words... Odd though, I can't get my keys or a fork to stick to me anywhere and I've been fully vaccinated. Wonder when this will start?'

Another Twitter user, DeeDee SMITH, wrote 'That could be convenient. Never lose your keys again, just stick them to your forehead. Thanks, Bill Gates!!'

And Twitter user Tommy wrote, 'So what's she saying is ppl are turning into Magneto,' referencing the magnetized X-Men comic book character.

The anti-vaxx claims about the COVID-19 have been thoroughly debunked since they first emerged last year.

Professor Michael Coey from the School of Physics at Trinity College Dublin called the claims 'complete nonsense' and said that someone would need a gram of iron metal to attract and support a permanent magnet at the injection site, 'something you would 'easily feel' if it was there.'

Sherri Tenpenny, a an osteopathic physician from Cleveland, Ohio, has long been an outspoken anti-vaxxer

Tenpenny has long touted a number of other assertions about vaccinations, including claims that they cause autism, in her own talk show The Tenpenny Files Podcast. She has also been a guests on a number of outlets, most notably the Dr. Oz Show and the Today Show Australia.

The site's home page describes Tenpenny as being 'Widely regarded as the most knowledgeable and outspoken physician on the adverse impact that vaccines can have on health.'

Tenpenny works at the Tenpenny Integrative Medical Center in Cleveland, Ohio, which she founded in 1996 and treats patients with a combination of conventional and holistic therapies.

She also offers a $595, eight-week course in anti-vaccine talking points despite a federal judge having found her 'unqualified' to weigh in as an expert witness on a vaccine-related lawsuit.
Dayane Cristina Rodrigues Machado, 33, was arrested by police in the Brazilian city of Sao Goncalo on of June 7 on suspicion of killing her husband named as Andre

A woman has been arrested in Brazil on suspicion of killing her husband before cutting his penis off and cooking.

Dayane Cristina Rodrigues Machado, 33, was arrested by police in the Brazilian city of Sao Goncalo - across the Guanabara Bay from Rio de Janeiro - on of June 7.

Officers were called to the couple's house in the neighbourhood of Santa Catarina and found the victim's lifeless, naked and mutilated body inside.

He was identified only by his first name, Andre.

According to officers, his wife had cut off his penis and cooked it in soybean oil in a frying pan.

They believe the crime took place at around 4 am after the couple had argued about splitting up, according to reports.

The cops seized a kitchen knife from the scene believed to be the one she used to kill her husband with and subsequently dismember him.

Machado, who was arrested, has been charged with murder and corpse desecration.

According to reports, the couple were together for 10 years and had been separated for two years, but still continued to see each other on and off.

They have an eight-year-old son and a five-year-old daughter, and they ran a pizzeria together. It is not clear if the children were present at the time of the crime.

Officers were called to the couple's house in the neighbourhood of Santa Catarina and found the victim's lifeless, naked and mutilated body inside.

According to news site UOL, the couple went out to a snack bar on the night of the crime and a row ensued.

Machado's lawyer, Carla Policarpo, has said that Andre threatened her and she killed him in self-defence.

Andre's sister, Adriana Santos, however, says the suspect killed her brother in revenge for him cheating on her.

Relatives have revealed that the couple constantly fought, and Machado had even reported her husband to the police on one occasion.

Pictured: A general view of the Brazilian city of Sao Goncalo - across the Guanabara Bay from Rio de Janeiro - where the killing is alleged to have taken place

According to her lawyer: 'He did not accept the end of the relationship and said that if she could not be with him, she could not be with anyone.'

The lawyer, Policarpo, says her client is remorseful, with local news reports saying she turned herself in to the police.

Some sources have given the suspect's name as Dayana instead of Dayane, and it is not reported if she will undergo a mental health test.

The investigation is ongoing.
This is the disturbing moment a law enforcement officer tasered a 16-year-old boy at a shelter for migrant children in Texas.

Bexar County Sheriff's Deputy Patrick Divers responded to staff's 911 call at the Southwest Key Casa Blanca shelter in San Antonio on May 12, 2020 over reports the Honduran teen had broken two beds and some storage bins.

The footage, first obtained by Reveal News, shows Divers stepping out of his vehicle where he is met by a staffer outside the center who tells him, 'One of our youths (is) acting really crazy. He's been breaking stuff He's super aggressive.'

The migrant boy, who is not being named as a minor, was sitting inside a bathroom when the deputy entered the building.

Ricardo Cisneros, the shelter's interim program director, can be seen talking to the teen, telling him Divers is 'not here to scare you. He is here to make sure everything is OK.'

The upset migrant teen then replied, 'Dude go the f*** away. I don't need no son of a b****. Go to hell, dude.'

Cisneros reassured the boy that Divers was not there to harm, but the boy snapped back, 'Let that son of a b**** touch me. I don't care Let him hit me.'

Moments later, Divers tells his partner Harold Schneider, 'I am going to taser his kid.'

Still image from a bodycam video provided by the Bexar County Sheriff's Office to Reveal News shows the moment deputy Patrick Divers points his taser at a then 16-year-old boy from Honduras at the Southwest Key Casa Blanca shelter in San Antonio on May 12, 2020. The officer tasered the migrant teen before taking him into custody. The shelter staff called 911 after the boy had broken two beds and plastic bins because he did not want to attend class that day

The migrant teen, who was 16 years old at the time of the incident, reacts as he is tasered

Bexar County Sheriff's Deputy Patrick Divers responded to a 911 call at the Southwest Key Casa Blanca shelter in San Antonio on May 12, 2020 over reports the Honduran teen had broken two beds and some storage bins.

Divers subsequently instructs the teen to 'stand up' and to 'turn around' before he shocked him on the right side of his body. He walked over to the boy and continued to taser him while he appeared to be kneeling on the bathroom floor.

He is later marched out the building.

'Where are you going to f******* take me? Tell me where you are going to take me?', the teen asked the cops as he was being led out of the immigrant children's shelter.

Schneider is then heard referring to the boy as 'El Estupido.'

The Honduran boy was 15 years old when crossed the border alone in 2019 after abandoning his native town where a gang had beaten him to rob the money he made selling coconut water in the street and threatened to kill him, Reveal reported.

Because he arrived in the country as an unaccompanied minor, he was placed in the custody of the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) and passed through a total of five migrant shelters in contracted by the ORR. He had only been at the Texas shelter for a week after spending most of his nine months at centers located in California and Virginia.

U.S. Representative Joaquin Castro told Reveal News he would be requesting the ORR to open an investigation into the incident.

Ricardo Cisneros, a director at Southwest Key Casa Blanca shelter in Texas, attempted to calm down the migrant teen from Honduras while assuring him that the police officer was not there to hurt him. Moments later, the cop tasered the boy and took him into custody

A worker at the Southwest Key Casa Blanca shelter in San Antonio, Texas, met Bexar County Sheriff's Deputy Patrick Divers outside the center and explained that 'One of our youths (is) acting really crazy. He's been breaking stuff  He's super aggressive.'

Bodycam footage obtained by @reveal captures the tasering of a migrant child at a shelter. (cw: violence) pic.twitter.com/KaUbK1fMXj  Reveal (@reveal) June 8, 2021

'Here you have a young man who's experienced incredible trauma,' said the Democratic politician who represents San Antonio. 'We've talked a lot in his country about over-policing in different situations, and this is clearly an example of over-policing with respect to asylum-seeking youth.'

DailyMail.com reached out to the Office of Refugee Resettlement, Southwest Key Programs and officer Divers for comment.

Data obtained by Reveal News shows that at least 84 migrant children between the ages of 11 to 17 were taken into police custody following incidents at the privately run immigrant shelters during the last six years.

Police reports and court documents showed that 19 of the minors were arrested for reportedly fighting, destroying property or due to mental health issues. In the majority of the incidents, the children were hit with misdemeanor charges while a child in the state of Washington was charged with a felony, but prosecutors did not proceed with the case.

Claudia Valenzuela, a lawyer for the Immigrant Legal Defense, slammed the Southwest Key Casa Blanca workers for calling the police.

'I'm kind of speechless at the fact that they were the ones that decided to press charges, which triggered the tasering,' she said.

U.S. Customs and Borders Protection last monthly report, released May 11, showed that Border agents detained 17,171 unaccompanied children in the southwestern border region in April, down nine percent from 18,890 in March when a record number of unaccompanied migrant children entered US custody.

Overall, Border Patrol agents encountered 178,622 undocumented immigrants seeking to enter the United States in April, surpassing March's total by 5,274.

A border southwestern border report for the month of May is scheduled to be released this week.
The five-year-old boy whose decomposing body was found in a plastic bin in an East Texas motel room died from blunt force trauma to the head, an autopsy has revealed, and his death has officially been ruled a homicide.

The Harris County Institute of Forensic Science in Houston, which conducted the autopsy, confirmed the boy's identity is Samuel Olson, who would have turned six on May 29.

Theresa Raye Balboa, 29, who was the girlfriend of Samuel's father Dalton, is the main suspect in Olson's death and has already been charged with tampering with evidence, a human corpse.

Balboa was arrested on June 1 when police found her at a Best Western motel in Jasper, Texas with Olson's body, which was stuffed in a plastic tote. Police believe the boy had been dead since May 10.

Balboa had reported Olson missing from her home in suburban Houston on May 27, and officials said they believe she was on her way to Louisiana when she was found at the motel 135 miles away.

Samuel Olson's death has been ruled blunt force trauma to the head, according to an autopsy

Balboa pictured with Samuel's father Dalton Olson before the boy's body was found and she was arrested in connection to his death

Samuel Olson was last seen by a family member on May 8, when his grandmother spent the weekend

Theresa Balboa (in mug) will face more charges over the death of her boyfriend's five-year-old son

During Balboa's Monday court appearance, prosecutors said more charges will be added but didn't say what charges, when and how many more.

Balboa's bond was also hiked up to $600,000 in total over Samuel's death and a separate alleged assault six months prior to the child's disappearance.

Andrea Beall, a prosecutor with the Harris County District Attorney's Office said a murder or a capital murder investigation is pending in the case.

TIMELINE OF SAMUEL OLSON CASE: April 30: Samuel Olson, 5, seen for the last time by anyone outside his family May 8-9: Samuel's paternal grandmother, Tonya Olson, says she spent the weekend with her grandson May 10: Theresa Balboa, girlfriend of Samuel's father, Dalton Olson, allegedly calls a roommate to tell him that Samuel had died. The two allegedly place the body in their bathtub May 13: The roommate and Balboa allegedly wrap the body in duct tape and place it in a plastic bin before taking it to a storage unit in Webster May 27: Balboa reports Samuel missing in Houston June 1: Police in Jasper, Texas, receive anonymous tip that leads them to Best Western motel, where they find Balboa and later child's body in a plastic bin June 2: Police in Houston announce discovery of body, Balboa's arrest and evidence tampering charge, with ID of remains still pending. June 3: Details of Balboa's meeting with a man in Walmart emerge, as its claimed he helped transport child's body. Balboa is also revealed to have lost custody of her own young daughters in 2019. June 4: Balboa is transferred from Jasper County to Harris County jail and is ordered held on $500,000 bond Advertisement

Balboa didn't speak during Monday's brief court hearing.

The last time Olson was seen alive by his paternal grandmother, Tonya Olson, was May 8, when she says she spent the weekend with him.

His last verified sighting by someone outside of his family was on April 30 at his school.

Balboa wouldn't report the boy missing until May 27.

After her arrest, Balboa's roommate told investigators she called him May 10 and said the boy was dead, according to court documents.

Roommate Benjamin Rivera had reportedly rushed home from work to find the boy, bruised and unresponsive in bed, and the two allegedly moved the body into their bathtub where it remained for two days.

The next day, on May 13, Rivera told police he purchased duct tape and a plastic bin from Walmart, and he and Balboa allegedly wrapped the boy's body and placed it in the bin before transporting it to a nearby storage locker.

The net closed in on Balboa following a tip off from a friend.

The 29-year-old had reportedly called a friend on May 31, and asked him to pick her up at a Walmart parking lot in Cleveland.

They then drove nearly 70 miles south to the storage facility in Webster where she retrieved the bin.

They then allegedly drove another 160 miles northeast to the Best Western motel.

Once there, they carried the bin inside room 106, with the man so horrified by the smell coming from it that he made an anonymous call to CrimeStoppers tipline to report it.

Officers responding to the scene found her with the plastic tote with the boy's body.

Balboa's next-door neighbor Tiffany Schultz, 25, has told police she heard loud scratches from the apartment a day after the boy is believed to have died.

Schultz, 25, along with her fiance and newborn son had moved into their new apartment in Webster on May 11 - the day after next-door neighbor Balboa allegedly told her roommate that Samuel Olson, 5, had died, according to court documents.

'The second day we were here, it was probably about 3 or 4 o'clock in the morning, we heard loud scratching noises, really, really loud,' she told The Sun. 'It lasted for a good ten or fifteen minutes.'

Her fiance, she said, started banging on the wall to make the noises stop.

'I've heard loud scratching from animals before and it wasn't that, I don't believe they had animals,' Schultz recalled. 'We didn't hear any other noises, it was strange.'

The map above shows the four locations associated with the search for missing Samuel Olson

Olson's body was found in a tote in a Texas motel on June 1, but police believe he died on May 10

Samuel's parents had been involved in a bitter custody battle over the boy after filing for divorce in January 2020.

His mother, Sarah Olson, had primary custody but she had not seen Samuel since summer 2020, her lawyer, Marco Gonzalez, told reporters this week.

Gonzalez accused Dalton Olson of keeping Samuel from his mother and avoiding being served court paperwork that would have ordered him to return the boy to her.

After reporting Samuel missing, Balboa initially accused Gonzalez and a man who presented himself as a police officer of taking the boy.

Police had not been able to verify Balboa's claim.

Samuel had been living with Balboa since April 30, which was the last day he was seen at school.

Authorities have not said why Samuel was staying with Balboa. Dalton lived at a different address.

It emerged on Wednesday night that Balboa previously lost custody over her two young daughters in 2019 over claims she was a bad mom.

Court records obtained by Click2Houston revealed that the girls - now aged six and eight - were removed from their mom's care after she failed to show up to court for a custody hearing.

Sarah Olson Samuel's birth mother is pictured with him left and Samuel is pictured right. Balboa is believed to have kept his body hidden for two weeks including in a bathtub in her apartment
The Facebook whistleblower sacked after leaking internal documents exposing the tech giant's 'vaccine hesitancy' censorship campaign has received over $500,000 in donations to support his family.

Morgan Kahmann revealed his identity last month on Tucker Carlson Tonight and said he had come forward because he believed it was 'highly immoral' that Facebook is allegedly censoring the content of its users without their knowledge.

Kahmann, a data center technician, had initially come forward anonymously to Project Veritas with leaked documents allegedly showing that the company was testing a 'beta' version of the algorithm to target anti-vaxxers.

After revealing his identity, Kahmann launched a fundraiser on the crowdsourcing site GiveSendGo where he has since raised over $501,000 from over 12,600 donors - something he describes as 'nothing short of a miracle'.

He said that the support and donations he has received shows there is a 'silent majority in this country who believe in truth and morality' and they are making themselves heard.

Morgan Kahmann, the Facebook whistleblower who was sacked after leaking internal documents exposing the tech giant's 'vaccine hesitancy' censorship campaign is amazed after he received over $500,000 in donations

Kahmann launched a fundraiser on the crowdsourcing site GiveSendGo where he has since raised over $501,000 from over 12,600 donors - something he describes as 'nothing short of a miracle'

Kahmann said he came forward with the internal documents because he believed it was 'highly immoral' that Facebook is allegedly censoring the content of its users without their knowledge. Pictured: Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg

Kahmann also warned that the days of tech giants such as Facebook are 'limited' and told his followers to not give up their freedoms to the 'tech tyrants'.

Posting an update on the page, Kahmann, who has a two-year-old son and an eight-month pregnant wife, said: 'The flood of donations, prayers and distribution of my story in the past weeks has been nothing short of a miracle.

'There is a silent majority in this country who believe in truth and morality, and they have made themselves heard.

'My wife and I were uncertain when all this began, we were afraid of where this may take us, and how we could maintain stability for our family.

'Those worries have been taken care of by like-minded people donating to my fundraiser from around the globe.'

Kahmann added: 'It only takes one person to stand up for what's right, to set an example for all to see, to inspire others.

'I am not some special person, I'm nothing but a regular guy from a small town in the USA, and that did not stop me, don't let it stop you.'

Kahmann also warned that the days of tech giants such as Facebook are 'limited' and told his followers to not give up their freedoms to the 'tech tyrants'

Morgan Kahmann's full statement on receiving more than $500,000 in donations 'The flood of donations, prayers and distribution of my story in the past weeks has been nothing short of a miracle. 'There is a silent majority in this country who believe in truth and morality, and they have made themselves heard. 'My wife and I were uncertain when all this began, we were afraid of where this may take us, and how we could maintain stability for our family. 'Those worries have been taken care of by like-minded people donating to my fundraiser from around the globe. 'My family and I now have the resources to secure stability for ourselves, and we look forward to spreading this message of hope and providence. 'It only takes one person to stand up for what's right, to set an example for all to see, to inspire others. 'My message is this; whatever you do in your life, build it upon the solid foundation of God's truth, and you will not face any trial you can't overcome. 'I am not some special person, I'm nothing but a regular guy from a small town in the USA, and that did not stop me, don't let it stop you. As for companies like Facebook, their days are limited. 'Do not relinquish your God-given freedoms to these tech tyrants. 'Stand up for the truth, no matter the cost, no matter the risk. Be brave. Do something. Our world depends on it.' Advertisement

He also warned that the days of 'tech tyrants' like Facebook are 'limited'.

'As for companies like Facebook, their days are limited,' he wrote. 'Do not relinquish your God-given freedoms to these tech tyrants. Stand up for the truth, no matter the cost, no matter the risk. Be brave. Do something. Our world depends on it.'

The post comes after Kahmann appeared on Tucker Carlson Tonight on May 28 to reveal his identity.

The data center technician alleged to Carlson that posts that went 'outside of the realm' of promoting vaccines is considered 'vaccine hesitancy' by Facebook's algorithms.

'They're afraid of what people might conclude if they see that other people are having negative side effects. They think that this is going to drive up vaccine hesitancy among the population and they see that as something that they have to combat,' Kahmann said.

Kahmann, who said he has since been fired from the company, told Carlson that Facebook's alleged actions went against his 'moral compass.'

'The users at Facebook are not aware that this is going on and if you're using Facebook or a social platform and they're censoring the content of your comments unbeknownst to you, I think that's highly immoral,' he said.

Kahmann told Carlson that Facebook managers ordered him to stop working and escorted him to his car after collecting his equipment and his access badge.

He claims that he was told an 'investigatory meeting' would be scheduled with him that was canceled.

Kahmann said that that the consequences he faced 'don't really weigh much' when it comes to having to live with himself.

'I saw these documents and I had the opportunity to, you know, show the public this and what's going on behind the scenes and I didn't do it, and so I wouldn't be able to live with myself after that,' he said.

After the interview, Kahmann set up the GiveSendGo page where he said he could 'not sit idly by while Facebook enacted Orwellian measures on its users'.

Morgan Kahmann appeared on Tucker Carlson Tonight and said he decided to come forward because he believed it was 'highly immoral' that Facebook is allegedly censoring the content of its users without their knowledge

James O'Keefe, the head of Project Veritas, interviewed an anonymous whistleblower who claimed to provide documents showing that Facebook was demoting or removing content from those who expressed skepticism of the COVID-19 vaccine

O'Keefe (above) appeared on Sean Hannity's show on Fox News in May to break the story

He wrote: 'I chose to come forward with Facebook internal company documents detailing a plan to curb "vaccine hesitancy" (VH) on a global scale.

'The stated goal of this feature is to "drastically reduce user exposure" to "vaccine hesitant" comments.

'It was such a shocking plan that it moved me to come forward to Project Veritas so the public could be made aware of this plan to stifle free speech.

'I had to do somethingI saw no other option. I didnt want to leave a world without these liberties to my children.'

He added: 'Throughout history, truth-tellers have received a lot of blowback. I knew this, yet could not sit idly by while Facebook enacted these Orwellian measures on its users.

'Due to my willingness to expose the truth about Facebooks secret censorship of vaccine concerns, I have been let go from my job.

'I have a wife who is 7 months pregnant and a son who is 2 years oldwe would appreciate any support you are able to offer at this time.'

Kahmann and another Facebook employee came forward with their leaked documents in May, alleging that the social network is censoring skeptics of the COVID-19 vaccine by demoting user comments by way of an algorithm that calculates a 'vaccine hesitancy score.'

The documents purport to show that the beta version was being tested on 1.5 per cent of some 3.8 billion users of Facebook and its subsidiary, Instagram, around the world.

'Based on that VH score, we will demote or leave the comment alone depending on the content within the comment,' one of the whistleblowers told Project Veritas.

In a statement to Project Veritas, a spokesman said: 'We proactively announced this policy on our company blog and also updated our help center with this information.'

Project Veritas says it obtained the purportedly leaked documents from the whistleblowers.

The title of the document reads 'Vaccine Hesitancy Comment Demotion.'

In its 'executive summary' section, it states that the goal is to 'drastically reduce user exposure to vaccine hesitancy (VH) in comments.'

The document states that 'reducing the visibility of these comments represents another significant opportunity for us to remove barriers to vaccination that users on the platform may potentially encounter.'

Project Veritas unveiled documents it claims to have obtained from the whistleblowers. The title of the document reads 'Vaccine Hesitancy Comment Demotion.' In its 'executive summary' section, it states that the goal is to 'drastically reduce user exposure to vaccine hesitancy (VH) in comments.'

The company documents recommend 'action mapping' which involves either demoting or outright removing comments depending on the severity of the violation, according to Project Veritas

Facebook's aim is to 'decrease in other engagement of VH comments including crate, likes, reports [and] replies.'

'The narrative [is] get the vaccine, the vaccine is good for you, everyone should get it,' the documents state.

'If you don't, you will be singled out as an enemy of society.'

One whistleblower told O'Keefe that Facebook wants to 'build a community where everyone complies - not where people can have an open discourse and dialogue about the most personal and private and intimate decisions.'

'It doesn't match the narrative,' the whistleblower said.

'The narrative being, get the vaccine, the vaccine is good for you. Everyone should get it.

'And if you don't, you will be singled out.'

The system set up by the social network ranks users into tiers that grade comments based on the degree to which they are aimed at dissuading others from getting inoculated, according to Project Veritas.

'Tier 0' is assigned to any comments that 'coordinate harm' by 'promoting interference with the administration of a vaccine, including an event, group, page, account, etc dedicated to this purpose.'

That tier is also assigned to any comment that 'advocates' or 'promotes' that 'others not get a vaccine.'

'Tier 1' is for any comments that express 'alarmism and criticism' of the vaccines, including 'disparaging others on the basis of their choice to vaccinate.'

'T1' is also assigned to comments that 'suggest or imply that vaccines are unsafe, ineffective, sacrilegious, or irrelevant.'

'Tier 2' comments are those that offer 'indirect discouragement' against taking the vaccine by speculating on 'unproven or severe side effects or death.'

The company documents recommend 'action mapping' which involves either demoting or outright removing comments depending on the severity of the violation, according to Project Veritas.

'What's remarkable about these private documents that Facebook has not wanted you to see until tonight is that 'Tier 2' [violation] says even if the facts are true that you will be targeted and demoted - your comments will be targeted and demoted,' O'Keefe told Fox News.

'They don't want you to know that they are doing this. And this is the town square as you all know. We are trying to retake our town square,' he said.

'They are demoting your comments and de-boosting you on Facebook without you knowing that they are doing that.

'And they are obviously terrified of this report because they are responding to Project Veritas before they would attack us or ignore us.

'There is more to come.'

On its company blog, Facebook acknowledges that it reduces the visibility of content that may not violate company policy but does 'discourage someone from getting vaccinated.'

In March, Facebook announced that it would be adding informational labels to posts about vaccines as it expands efforts to counter COVID-19-related misinformation flourishing on its platforms.

CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in a blog post that labels will contain 'credible information' about the vaccines from the World Health Organization.

They will be in English and five other languages, with more languages added in coming weeks.

'For example, we're adding a label on posts that discuss the safety of COVID-19 vaccines that notes COVID-19 vaccines go through tests for safety and effectiveness before they're approved,' Zuckerberg said.

The social network also added a tool to help get users vaccinated by connecting them to information about where and when they can get their shot.
No bats or pangolins were sold at Wuhan wet markets immediately before the coronavirus pandemic started, according to an Oxford-led study.

The research documents a menagerie of nearly 50,000 animals from 38 species, including badgers and boars, peacocks and pit vipers, traded at animal markets in the Chinese city from 2017 to November 2019.

But the team found 'no evidence' that a single bat or pangolin was kept at the market, leading them to conclude that these species - frequently blamed for Covid-19 - 'were not the likely spillover host at the source of the coronavirus'.

Instead, they argued that the scores of wild animals kept in filthy cages and neglected by the merchants provided an abundance of routes for Covid-19 to pass on to humans.

Chris Newman, from the University of Oxford, told Mailonline: 'Some of these species are known to host a variety of diseases.

'A few have subsequently been identified as competent hosts of Covid-19, but the main suspected spill-over hosts, namely bats and pangolins, were not for sale in these markets.

'Our data cannot determine how humans became infected with Covid-19, only that direct contact with pangolins or bats in these markets seems highly implausible.'

The claim emerges amid growing scrutiny over whether the virus emerged from a Wuhan lab and did not pass naturally from animals to humans at all.

The notorious Huanan wet market in Wuhan which has been blamed for spreading the coronavirus. Most of the early theories pointed to bats - but according to the new study, no bats were sold there

A menagerie of nearly 50,000 animals was documented by the scientists, but not a single bat was among the 38 species recorded

Neither was the pangolin, which some have also theorised may have been the source animal of Covid-19

'Rare' genome sequence suggests the virus WAS man-made Two U.S. experts have penned a damning essay saying that science strongly suggests the novel coronavirus was manufactured inside a Chinese laboratory. The claim was made by Drs Stephen Quay, CEO of biopharmaceutical company Atossa Therapeutics Inc, and Richard Muller, a physics professor at the University of California Berkeley, in The Wall Street Journal on Sunday. In the op-ed, the men say their proof lies in genome sequencing, or analyzing the DNA, of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. There are 36 DNA segments - made up of three-letter 'words' - that viruses use to make an amino acid known as L-arginine. L-arginine helps make proteins but is also often used in so-called 'gain of function' research, which alters viruses to make them more transmissible and more deadly. The new virus contains a segment called CGG-CGG, which is considered rare even in experiments in which researchers are trying to manipulate virus. But even more telling is that this combination has never been found naturally in any other type of coronavirus, including in SARS and MERS, both of which are cousins of the new virus. 'A virus simply cannot pick up a sequence from another virus if that sequence isn't present in any other virus,' Quay and Muller wrote. 'The CGG-CGG combination has never been found naturally. That means the common method of viruses picking up new skills, called recombination, cannot operate here.' Advertisement

The authors, whose work was published in Scientific Reports on Wednesday, said the thousands of animals that were traded in Wuhan were 'capable of hosting a wide range of infectious zoonotic diseases or disease-baring parasites.'

'The creatures were sold for huge sums. Marmot meat, for example, was five times the cost of pork.

'This is not subsistence bushmeat, but a costly delicacy,' Prof Macdonald added.

China claims it has since cracked down on these hotbeds for disease, outlawing the sale of live animals, but more than a year after the first outbreak, people still pack into these markets to buy food, including live fish, frogs and turtles.

The study authors wrote that there is a persistent desire among Chinese people to trade in so-called 'charismatic species' which are considered 'prestige items.'

'In major part this is because protective legislation has not been enforced consistently, fostering a nonchalant disregard for wildlife exploitation,' the study says.

Prof Macdonald told The Times: 'With these huge concentrations of diverse species under one roof... it would seem but a matter of time before some other unwelcome disease might skip into the human population.'

The well-trodden theory that the virus originated from sordid animal cages in Wuhan has faced growing counter arguments over the last month since Joe Biden told his intelligence networks to redouble efforts to probe the lab leak theory.

The agencies will also investigate the competing idea that it evolved naturally and passed from animals to humans. He gave them 90 days to report back.

The move has given the investigation, previously considered a risible notion by the liberal media in the United States after it was promoted by his predecessor Donald Trump, new credence.

The Huanan wet market, where scientists say the first cluster of infections were officially reported, is just a few hundred yards from the Wuhan Centres for Disease Prevention and Control and only a few miles from the the Wuhan Institute of Virology Lab, where scientists were reportedly conducting experiments on bats before the pandemic began.

The lab is one of only a handful in the world that is cleared to handle Class 4 pathogens  dangerous viruses that pose a high risk of person-to-person transmission.

Three researchers from the institute sought medical care in November 2019, before the virus began to spread, according to a recent report from the Wall Street Journal.

There are scientists who have claimed for more than a year that the genomic sequence of the virus is such that it must have been engineered by humans.

Marmots and a raccoon dog at the Huanan market in Wuhan

King rat snakes and Chinese bamboo rats which were on sale at the Huanan market

An Amur hedgehog and a hog badger at the Huanan market in Wuhan

Chinese scientist 'filed a patent for a vaccine BEFORE virus was declared a pandemic' A Chinese military scientist with ties to the United States reportedly filed a patent for a COVID-19 vaccine well before the disease was declared a global pandemic. Yusen Zhou, who worked for the People's Liberation Army (PLA), lodged the paperwork on behalf of the Chinese political party on February 24 2020, according to The Australian newspaper. That date was just five weeks after China first confirmed human transmission of the coronavirus. Zhou is also said to have 'worked closely' with scientists at the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV), including Shi Zhengli - the deputy director of the lab who is famous for her research on coronavirus in bats. Zhou mysteriously died less than three months after he filed the patent. The New York Post claims his death was only reported in one Chinese media report, despite the fact he was one of the country's most prominent scientists. Zhou had previously worked on research linked to the US institutions, including the University of Minnesota and the New York Blood Center, the newspaper reported. Advertisement

This follows revelations that a government laboratory in California concluded last May 2020 that COVID-19 may have escaped from a facility in Wuhan.

Scientists at the the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, near Berkeley, analyzed the genetic makeup of the virus to try to understand how it evolved.

They passed their May 27, 2020 findings on to the State Department in October. The five-month delay was not explained.

On January 15 the State Department published a fact sheet about COVID-19, which said that 'circumstantial' evidence suggested a lab leak theory was possible.

The secret document the California lab produced was not known about until Monday, when The Wall Street Journal reported on its existence.

People familiar with the Lawrence Livermore study said that it was prepared by their 'Z Division,' which is its intelligence arm.

The California lab has not confirmed the contents of their report, which remains secret.

And last month an explosive new study obtained exclusively by DailyMail.com suggested the scientists created Covid-19 and then tried to cover their tracks by reverse-engineering versions of the virus to make it look like it evolved naturally from bats.

The paper's authors, British Professor Angus Dalgleish and Norwegian scientist Dr. Birger Srensen, wrote that they have had 'prima facie evidence of retro-engineering in China' for a year - but were ignored by academics and major journals.

Dalgleish is a professor of oncology at St George's University, London, and is best known for his breakthrough creating the first working 'HIV vaccine', to treat diagnosed patients and allow them to go off medication for months.

While China has tried to insist the virus originated elsewhere, academics, politicians and the media have begun to contemplate the possibility it escaped from the WIV - raising suspicions that Chinese officials simply hid evidence of the early spread

The idea the coronavirus escaped from a Wuhan lab was at best a 'fringe theory' until recently, when the Biden administration ordered a review

Srensen, a virologist, is chair of pharmaceutical company, Immunor, which developed a coronavirus vaccine candidate called Biovacc-19. Dalgleish also has share options in the firm.

The shocking allegations in the study include accusations of 'deliberate destruction, concealment or contamination of data' at Chinese labs, and it notes the silencing and disappearance of scientists in the communist country who spoke out.

The journal article, which has been submitted for publication, is set to make waves among the scientific community, as the majority of experts have until recently staunchly denied the origins of COVID-19 were anything other than a natural infection leaping from animals to humans.

Some experts still believe the virus was transmitted from a bat to some other species of animal, then to humans. However, its origins remain unproven.

The Wuhan lab was famed for conducting tests on bat coronaviruses, with experts who support the leak theory saying the same city being ground zero for the outbreak is too great a coincidence to ignore.
More than 100 employees of the New Yorker and two other Conde Nast publications staged a protest Tuesday evening calling for fair pay and job security outside publishing executive Anna Wintour's $12.5million home in Greenwich Village.

The group was made up of unionized staff members and fact checkers for the weekly magazine along with staff from Conde Nast publications Ars Technica and and Pitchfork.

They marched from the New York University Campus at Washington Square Park to Wintour's townhouse on Sullivan Street chanting: 'Bosses where Prada, workers get nada!'

The demonstration came after the New Yorker Union released a list of demands Monday, saying they were 'on the verge of a strike' after two and half years of bargaining.

More than 100 staffers at the New Yorker, along with two other Conde Nast publications staged a protest Tuesday outside the Greenwich Village home of Anna Wintour calling for fair wages, among other demands

The protestors chanted 'Bosses wear Prada, workers get nada' outside Wintour's $12.5 million townhouse (pictured)

The protest began at the New York University campus, and was organized on behalf of the NewsGuild of New York, which represents staff at the magazine in its negotiations with Conde Nast

The protest represented the highest-profile break down in talks between the New Yorker Union and Conde Nast since they began in 2018 shortly after roughly 100 of the magazine's staff, including copy editors and fact checkers organized with the NewsGuild.

Wintour is widely seen as the figurehead of the international publishing house, although she doesn't directly oversee the New Yorker

Chief among the demands are fair pay, job security and health care benefits, with the union saying that some members make as little as $42,000, and with some who have been with the publication for more than 20 years making less that $60,000.

'People from a range of backgrounds can't afford to work there,' Genevieve Bormes, an associated cover editor at the New Yorker, told the New York Times.

She said she makes $53,000 a year, and that her salary was $33,000 when she started at The New Yorker in 2016.

Recent bargaining talks saw the company offering a floor of $54,500 for workers, Natalie Meade, a fact checker and chairwoman of NewGuild's New Yorker unit, told the Times.

A spokeswoman for the publisher said there had been progress in recent negotiations, the outlet also reported, adding 'We hope to have a contract soon so that real wage increases find their way to our union employees.'

The union is calling for a base pay of $60,000.

An email volley between the union and the company Monday night saw Conde Nast attempt to put a stop to the protest, with it writing, 'Targeting an individuals private home and publicly sharing its location is not acceptable,' the Times reported.

The New Yorker Union replied that what the publisher was doing what 'what looks like an unlawful attempt to discourage protected concerted activity.'

Staff at the New Yorker have been in talks with its publisher for nearly three years

Much of the magazine's writers are freelancers and as contract workers are unable to unionize. The New Yorker Union asked that they not file articles for the magazine.

While Wintour does not directly oversee The New Yorker - author David Remnick has led the magazine since 1998 - as global editorial director for Conde Nast she is the most prominent figurehead of its publisher.

Meade said the union chose her home as the site of the protest because she is seen as a 'proxy,' the Times reported.

'Whats happening at The New Yorker is not necessarily happening in a vacuum,' she said.

Tuesday's protest was the most direct action taken by the New Yorker Union since its members walked off the job for a day in January. It also comes after it, along with its fellow NewsGuild units at Ars Technica and Pitchfork authorized a strike in January, according to the Times.

All three are seeking a first-time contract with the publisher.

The demonstration came after the New Yorker Union posted a list of demands online Monday, saying they were 'on the verge of a strike.'

The protests also come as NewsGuild of New York's meteoric success in recent years in organizing news rooms has come with drawbacks, as it burns through cash at an unsustainable rate, according to Vanity Fair, also a Conde Nast publication.

Its reserves have dropped from $11million in 2016 to just over $5million in 2020, the union reported, and as a result it's asking members with contracts to increase their dues, which has rankled some Newsguild workers at Reuters and the New York Times, who say they are essentially bankrolling the union's efforts elsewhere.

'The Guild expects some major organizing fights ahead, including a strike at Conde Nast, and they want enough money to keep up the fight,' Times reporter Nicholas Confessore wrote in an email that has been circulating the newsroom.

'It is not clear to me why the Guild has been deficit spending at such a high burn rate for so long and is only now seeking to bring income in line with expenses.'

The problem appears to stem from the condition, Vanity Fair reported, that the guild's members only start paying dues to the union once they have obtained a contract, which as evidenced by its dealings with Conde Nast, can take years.
Daunte Wright, the black man shot dead by a white police officer in Minneapolis, has been accused of being involved in two separate shooting incidents before he was killed.

The new allegations against the 20-year-old black man have emerged just two months after he was fatally shot by Brooklyn Center cop Kim Potter during an April traffic stop.

Potter, who resigned days after the shooting and is charged with second-degree manslaughter, allegedly mixed up her Taser and her handgun when she opened fire on Wright.

In the days after he was killed, it was revealed that Wright had a warrant out for his arrest and had previously appeared in court for attempted aggravated robbery charges after he allegedly choked and held a woman at gunpoint for $820 in 2019.

Now, allegations have surfaced in two different lawsuits filed against Wright's estate that allege he was involved in the shooting of two men, including one that left the victim permanently disabled and another that occurred just three weeks before his death.

Wright was not charged in either shooting incident and police have not confirmed if he was a suspect in either case.

Daunte Wright, the black man shot dead by a white police officer in Minneapolis, has been accused of being involved in two separate shooting incidents before he was killed

The latest lawsuit was filed on Tuesday and alleges that Wright was one of two men involved in a carjacking on March 21 that left the victim, Joshua Hodges, with a gunshot wound to his leg.

Hodges allegedly recognized Wright because they had gone to the same middle school.

According to the lawsuit, Wright and the other man approached Hodges while he was sitting in his car.

The other man opened his car door and shot Hodges in the leg. Wright then leaned in and allegedly assaulted him before stealing the victim's wallet and cellphone. Wright allegedly then also stole the victim's car.

The lawsuit says Hodges spent two weeks in hospital recovering from his gunshot wound injuries.

The second lawsuit, which was filed last month, relates to the shooting of Caleb Livingston back in May 2019.

It alleges that Wright shot the then-teenager in the head and left him permanently disabled.

The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Livingston's mother, Jennifer LeMay, who claims her son, who is now 18, was once friends with Wright.

The lawsuit alleges the pair had a 'falling out' that came to a head after her son beat up Wright in front of a group. Wright allegedly retaliated by shooting Livingston outside a gas station in Minneapolis.

The shooting is still an open investigation and no one has been charged.

The latest lawsuit was filed on Tuesday and alleges that Wright was one of two men involved in a carjacking on March 21 that left the victim, Joshua Hodges (pictured above), with a gunshot wound to his leg

The second lawsuit alleges that Wright shot Caleb Livingston (above) in the head and left him permanently disabled outside a Minneapolis gas station in May 2019

Livingston's mother said her son spent 33 days in intensive care and had part of his skull removed to relieve pressure on his brain following shooting. He is pictured above in his wheelchair following the shooting

LeMay told the Star Tribune in a 2019 interview that her son spent 33 days in intensive care and had part of his skull removed to relieve pressure on his brain.

She said the medical costs had surpassed $545,000.

'I didn't ask for my child to be shot,' LeMay said. 'So I have literally liquidated everything that I have stored away for savings.'

The same lawyer, Michael Padden, is behind both lawsuits, which are each seeking $50,000 from Wright's estate.

Wright was fatally shot by Brooklyn Center cop Kim Potter during an April traffic stop. Potter, who is charged with second-degree manslaughter, allegedly mixed up her Taser and her handgun when she opened fire

A statement from the lawyers representing Wright's family, including civil rights attorney Ben Crump, slammed the new lawsuits.

'Already grieving the loss of their loved one, is Daunte Wright's family also expected to endure this character assassination on top of it?' the statement, obtained by KARE11, reads.

'The audacity of this attorney is disappointing, and we implore members of the community to not be drawn in by these opportunistic efforts to tear down Daunte and hurt his family.

'Ploys like these aim to do one thing: distract. But our team will not be distracted in our fight for justice in this case and in our fight for justice for all marginalized communities.'

Padden, the attorney behind the two lawsuits, says he isn't sure what his clients might be able to get from the legal action.

'We don't know. We'll figure that out. We'll see how it plays out,' Padden said.

Speaking specifically about the latest lawsuit, Padden said: 'But look, someone needs to answer for this. This kid was badly injured in a terrible crime, and it's perfectly reasonable to issue a claim against one of the two individuals responsible.'

Police body cam footage of the fatal incident showed three officers approaching Daunte Wright's car in Brooklyn Center after he had been pulled over for the traffic stop

Bodycam footage of the incident showed Potter firing her gun at Wright after shouting 'Taser'

Details of Wright's criminal history emerged in the days after his death, including that he had a warrant out for his arrest after he missed a court appearance on separate firearms charges at the time he was killed.

Wright was due to face trial on a charge of attempted aggravated robbery related to a December 2019 incident.

Charging papers say Wright and a second man, Emajay Driver, went to a home shared by two women in Osseo, Minnesota 'to party' in December 2019. At the time, Wright was 19 and Driver was 18.

Wright (pictured in his booking photo) was arrested on attempted aggravated robbery charges after allegedly holding a woman at gunpoint for $820 in December 2019

The women asked them to leave around 2.30 am on December 1 but they said they didn't have a ride and the women - who are not identified in the court documents - allowed them to sleep on the floor.

In the morning, one of the women went to the bank to get her $820 rent money, which she gave to the other woman and then left for work.

As Wright, Driver and the second woman were leaving, Wright allegedly tried to hold up the woman and pulled out a black handgun.

He was accused of choking the woman as he grabbed the money.

Wright's April 11 death sparked days of unrest in Minneapolis at a time when fired cop Derek Chauvin was standing trial for the murder of George Floyd.

He was shot and killed by police officer Kim Potter, a 26-year veteran in the Brooklyn Center Police Department, after he was pulled over for what police said were expired license plate tags.

Police said a struggle broke out when they tried to arrest Wright after running his name and realizing he had an outstanding warrant.

At the time, the city's police chief described the shooting as 'an accidental discharge' and said Potter had mistakenly fired her gun instead of a taser.

Wright's April 11 death sparked days of unrest in Minneapolis at a time when fired cop Derek Chauvin was standing trial for the murder of George Floyd. A number of high-profile Democratic lawmakers in Minnesota and activists attended Wright's funeral

Bodycam footage of the incident showed Potter and two other officers approaching Wright's car after he had been pulled over.

The footage showed one officer trying to handcuff Wright as a second officer told him he was being arrested on a warrant. Wright immediately jumped back into his car in an apparent attempt to flee.

A struggle then broke out between the officers and Wright, who was still sitting inside his car.

Potter could be heard shouting 'Taser!' several times in the moments before she fired her gun. Immediately after, Potter could be heard saying: 'Holy sh*t. I shot him'.

Wright managed to drive several blocks before coming to a stop when he hit another car. He was pronounced dead at the scene and his girlfriend, who was a passenger in the car, sustained non-life-threatening injuries.

His death has sparked several days of violent protests and unrest in the city that was already on edge because of the trial of Derek Chauvin, the first of four police officers charged in George Floyd's death.

A number of high-profile Democratic lawmakers in Minnesota later attended Wright's funeral.

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison is leading the case against Potter, who is scheduled to go on trial on December 6. If convicted, she faces a sentence of up to 10 years in prison.
Sal Luciano, president of the Connecticut AFL-CIO, a federation of labor unions, told lawmakers in February that some employers use salary history to screen out job applicants. Hiring managers may assume a job applicant whose salary is too high would refuse a lower-paying job and that another whose salary is too low does not have the skills, knowledge or experience for the job, he said.
New York City has voted unanimously to scrap solitary confinement in its jails, promising to let prisoners spend at least 10 hours outside their cells each day under new reforms.

Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the decision by the New York City Board of Correction, an independent oversight committee, in a statement on Tuesday.

It stated that a proposed new disciplinary model will allow the city to 'go further than any major jail system in the country in banning solitary confinement.'

'Through our work with our Board of Correction, we have found a plan that will provide a safe and humane environment for those who are incarcerated and officers alike,' New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said in a statement posted to Twitter.

'The new disciplinary system fundamentally changes the way the Department of Corrections responds to violence committed by people in custody, ensuring accountability and safety in a more humane and effective manner.'

The new model, called the Risk Management Accountability System, is expected to come into effect this fall, replacing solitary confinement, which can see inmates spending 20-24 hours alone in a cell either for punishment or their own safety.

As well as ending solitary confinement, it will also implement rules to grant inmates attorney representation at infraction hearings, at least 10 hours outside of a cell each day socializing with at least one other person and access to personalized behavioral support plans.

New York City has voted unanimously to scrap solitary confinement in its jails, promising to let prisoners spend at least 10 hours outside their cells each day under new reforms. Pictured: Rikers Island jail complex with the Man

Prisoners' placement in the Risk Management Accountability System beyond 15 days must be justified by documentation of 'a clear threat to safety' and inmates must receive daily visits from health staff, including mental health staff.

The statement said the changes come after an 'extensive public engagement process' that involved speaking to people that had served time in New York City's jails, as well as family members, advocates, researchers and prison staff.

The new rules build upon 2015 reforms that scrapped solitary confinement for 16-21 year olds and people with serious mental health issues.

Those reforms contributed to an 81% decrease in the use of solitary confinement, the statement said.

The 2015 reforms followed the death of Kalief Browder, a teenager from the Bronx borough accused of stealing a backpack who spent two of his three years at the infamous Rikers Island jail complex in solitary confinement.

Two years after his release, Browder hanged himself in 2015.

'Imagine how much harm was done by all those years of unfettered use of solitary confinement,' de Blasio said.

Mayor Bill de Blasio (pictured) announced the decision by the New York City Board of Correction, an independent oversight committee, in a statement on Tuesday. It stated that a proposed new disciplinary model will allow the city to 'go further than any major jail system in the country in banning solitary confinement'

On Monday, protesters marched past Manhattan's courthouses demanding an end to solitary confinement

Relatives of Layleen Polanco, who died in solitary confinement in Rikers Island, and Kalief Browder, who killed himself shortly after his release from the same prison where he spent two years of his three-year sentence in solitary confinement, carried a coffin past Manhattan's courthouses on Monday

The new changes also come almost two months after New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed a bill into law which imposes a 15-day limit on solitary confinement in the state's jails and prisons. The law goes into effect next year.

The statement acknowledged that reforms in 2019 to restrict solitary confinement were considered inadequate by 'the vast majority of community members who testified and/or submitted written comments on the proposal.'

'The Board's new rule recognizes that solitary confinement creates significant risks of psychological and physical harm to people in custody.'

The statement added that new rules also abolished the use of routine restraint desks and limited lockdowns to only the housing areas that must be locked down.

The Board's decision was met with frustration by campaigners against solitary confinement, who say NYC has simply replaced one form of solitary with another.

'This is literally what political b******* looks and sounds like,' wrote one user, who was retweeted by NYC Jails Action Coalition, an advocacy group.

The JAC said in a tweet that the new system approved by the Board of Corrections 'emulates the torturous conditions that have led people to a lifetime of trauma and even death,' referring to solitary confinement.

Prior to the Board of Corrections' approval of the new system, the Legal Aid Society, which defends the city's indigent criminal defendants, was also critical, calling it a 're-branding' that 'replicates some of the most inhumane features of the current system'.

On Monday, protesters marched past Manhattan's courthouses demanding an end to solitary confinement.

They held signs bearing slogans such as 'End Solitary Now' and 'No More Solitary by Another Name'.

Relatives of Browder attended, along with family members of Layleen Polanco, a transgender woman with epilepsy who died in an isolated cell in Rikers Island jail complex.

Browder's brother Akeem Browder and Polanco's sister Melania Brown carried a black coffin through the streets during the march.

'The mayor made my family a promise that he would end solitary confinement,' Melania Brown said Monday, after the demonstration. 'But he has broken that promise.'

Social media users also hit out at the reforms, though many comments focused more on rising crime rates in New York City.

'So out of touch with reality,' one user wrote.

'NYC is a dangerous mess!! That's where your focus should be! Not with those who are convicted criminals,' another commented.
Jurors to consider conclusion tomorrow on whether Khan was lawfully killed

Usman Khan, 28, was sprayed with bullets minutes after he killed two graduates

Just 12 of the 20 gunshots fired by police hit Fishmongers' Hall terrorist Usman Khan and only three inflicted fatal injuries - while a narwhal tusk used by a hero bystander nearly killed him as it missed an artery in his neck, an inquest has heard.

Khan, 28, was sprayed with bullets by armed officers on London Bridge minutes after he murdered Cambridge graduates Jack Merritt, 25, and Saskia Jones, 23, in the hall on the banks of the River Thames.

Convicted terrorist Khan had been attending a prisoner education alumni event in the grand building in November 2019, just 11 months after being released after an eight-year jail term.

On the day of the attack, he strapped knives to his hands before launching his fatal attack on Ms Jones and Mr Merritt and several other attendees before escaping from the hall to London Bridge where he was shot dead.

Forensic pathologist Dr Ashley Fegan-Earl told the inquest into Khan's death that despite receiving 12 gunshot wounds, many of them were superficial.

Usman Khan, 28, was sprayed with bullets by armed officers on London Bridge minutes after he murdered Cambridge graduates in Fishmongers' Hall on the banks of the River Thames

As well as the gunshot wounds, Khan had several blunt force trauma injuries consistent with being jabbed with the narwhal tusk (pictured), punched and hit with other solid objects

Khan pictured at Bank station on his way to attend a prisoner rehabilitation event, in a photo which was shown in court during an earlier inquest into the terror attack at the Fishmongers Hall in London in November 2019

Two shots were fired at 14.02 but Khan continued to move around on the floor until 14.10, at which point a further 18 shots were fired.

He still managed to sit upright briefly before losing consciousness.

The jury was shown computer-generated images of how the bullets had traversed his body, many of them passing through layers of skin, fat and muscle but missing his critical organs.

One shot passed through his nose and gauged a track through his cheek, while another penetrated his shoulder, carved a shallow wound through his chest and abdomen and exited through his left leg.

He was also shot just above his groin, with the bullet passing through his pelvis and exiting just above the level of his right buttock but again missing major blood vessels and organs.

Only three shots, which hit his thoracic aorta, left lung and kidneys, would have caused the catastrophic bleeding that eventually caused him to lose consciousness.

Before armed officers arrived, other attendees at the event tried to incapacitate Khan  striking him with a chair, a fire extinguisher and even a narwhal tusk grabbed from the walls of Fishmongers' Hall.

Dr Fegan-Earl said: 'Death in this case was due to gunshot wounds and was not related to any injuries caused by the members of the public who engaged him.

'There were a number of gunshot wounds and all of these injuries would bleed to a greater or lesser degree, but those that penetrated the body, and in particular those that damaged the lungs, the kidneys and the thoracic aorta would have given rise to very rapid blood loss.'

He said the bleeding for these key injuries would have occurred predominantly internally.

Cambridge graduates Jack Merritt (pictured left), 25, and Saskia Jones (right), who were murdered in the hall on the banks of the River Thames

A man carrying a tusk as he exits Fishmongers' Hall in pursuit of Usman Khan. Before armed officers arrived, other attendees at the event tried to incapacitate Khan

Dr Fegan-Earl added: 'Blood pressure would drop and it would drop to a certain degree such that he lost consciousness.'

He said that as Khan's critical organs were deprived of oxygen he would have fallen into cardiac arrest.

It was not unusual that Khan had survived for so long, nor that he was able to sit upright as the second volley of shots were fired, he added.

Dr Fegan-Earl said: 'Very, very few injuries in forensic pathology cause instant incapacitation  it is not as we see in film and TV where individuals drop lifeless to the ground and only one gunshot does all of that.

'Only a gunshot to a part of the brain vital to the functions of life would do that  we do not have that here.'

He continued: 'In the context of a bleeding injury, the heart beats faster to keep blood pressure up, and adrenalin  the hormone released when we feel fear or excitement  will also contribute to that.'

Dr Fegan-Earl said a person suffering Khan's level of injury would still be capable of 'entirely purposeful movement for some time' between the shots being fired and him falling into cardiac arrest.

Usman Khan on board a train to London, which was shown in court at the earlier inquest into the terror attack at the Fishmongers' Hall

He added that there was no evidence of perimortem injuries  wounds inflicted at the point of death  or post-mortem gunshots.

The jury was told that there was no evidence of drug use by Khan at the time of the attack, and a very low level of alcohol was found in his blood and urine.

'It is certainly the case that natural changes that occur in the body after death may result in the production of alcohol and one has to concede that's a very possible cause of the presence of alcohol,' Dr Fegan-Earl said.

'Even if it was the alcohol was ingested, Usman Khan would not have been intoxicated.'

Analysis of hair and toenail samples found evidence Khan occasionally used cocaine in the months before his death, and also evidence of heroin use, although this might have been from being around someone who was smoking crack.

As well as the gunshot wounds, Khan had several blunt force trauma injuries consistent with being jabbed with the narwhal tusk, punched and hit with other solid objects.

There was extensive bruising to his hands from being stamped on and crushed with the fire extinguisher by members of the public who tried to disarm him. He also had lesions from Taser barbs.

The jury is due to retire to consider its conclusion on Thursday. Jurors will have to decide whether Khan was lawfully killed.
Fox News host Sean Hannity has slammed the mainstream U.S. media for ignoring an exclusive DailyMail.com report showing Hunter Biden's nonchalant use of the n-word.

'While the media spends time attacking the country and demonizing every-day Americans, getting the vapors seeing the American flag or the name Donald Trump, they still refuse to seriously cover the Biden foreign crime syndicate and new developments surrounding Hunter's hard drive from hell,' Hannity said during his show on Tuesday.

Hannity went on to cite DailyMail.com's report showing Hunter's free use of the n-word with his white lawyer George Mesires, warning him in one: 'N***a you better not be charging me Hennessy rates.'

'Imagine if this was Donald Trump or Don Jr, or Eric Trump or anybody with the last named Trump,' said Hannity.

Twenty-four hours after the text messages were revealed, the U.S. mainstream media has met Hunter's shocking use of racial slurs with stony silence -- even as '#RacistHunter' trended on Twitter for the world to see.

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Sean Hannity (left) slammed the US mainstream media for ignoring shocking revelations that Hunter Biden (right) used the n-word repeatedly in texts with his lawyer

Sean Hannity discussing an exclusive DailyMail.com report showing Hunter Biden referring to his white lawyer as the n-word Tuesday night

Don Trump Jr also slammed the media's silence on the scandal in a series of tweets, writing: 'Try to imagine one of the Trump kids dropping the n-word.'

Hunter used the racial slur multiple times while speaking to Chicago corporate attorney George Mesires - who is reported to have an hourly rate of $845

'And the media wonders why no one trusts them anymore...' he wrote.

'They would lose their damn minds, it would be the number one story on CNN, MSNBC, and the usual outlets for weeks straight,' Trump Jr told Breitbart when asked how the liberal U.S. media would respond if he had used the same slurs.

'Don Lemon, Yamiche [Alcindor], all of the usual suspects would go nuts, but amazingly they are 100% silent on this,' he continued.

'The bottom line is the left is not intellectually honest about racism,' Don Jr. added.

'They use it when they can for political gain, and when it serves no purpose it's totally ignored. It's a shame that they take something so serious so lightly and in essence make a mockery of all those afflicted.'

Katrina Pierson, a former Trump campaign spokeswoman, agreed, tweeting: 'If @DonaldJTrumpJr had just ONE text like this, the media mob would be enraged!!!'

The DailyMail.com published a report on Tuesday showing Hunter wrote to the lawyer: 'I only love you because you're black' and 'true dat n***a'.

This is just a snippet of years of exchanges and comes a week after President Joe Biden gave a speech decrying racism on the 100th anniversary of the Tulsa massacre.

On Hannity's program, a contributor called the Bidens the 'Klan family' and said 'Joe's the Imperial Wizard' while discussing Hunter's use of the n-word.

Civil rights attorney Leo '2.0' Terrell made the comments on Hannity's Tuesday night show.

'I'll tell you right now, with all the facts that you have shown on this program about Joe Biden, and you look at what Hunter Biden said, the Biden family is the Klan family. It's the Klan. And Joe's the Imperial Wizard,' Terrell said.

'The terms that he used - Hunter - was the most derogatory, prejudicial way of using the n-word  regarding wine, regarding body parts. That is a person who's comfortable using the n-word.'

Leo '2.0' Terrell, a Fox news contributor and former civil rights attorney, called the Bidens the 'Klan family' and said 'Joe's the Imperial Wizard' on Sean Hannity's show

Terrell is a podcast host, a former civil rights lawyer and a former school teacher based in Los Angeles, according to his Twitter profile.

He continued to express his thoughts on the Biden family saying they've 'had a history of demonizing blacks.'

'The number one reason why I left the Democratic Party [was] because Joe Biden went on national radio and said, 'If you don't vote for me, you ain't black,'' Terrell said. 'This guy is a racist. He needs to look into the mirror and acknowledge that him and his family are racist. It's insulting.'

Terrell was referring to a May 2020 interview with Charlamagne tha God, a rapper and a host on 'The Breakfast Club,' which is a nationally syndicated morning show popular with black millennials.

During the interview, Biden suggested made a cavalier comment about black voters having no reason to vote for Donald Trump.

'If you have a problem figuring out whether you're for me or Trump then you ain't black,' Biden said during the interview, which sparked an immediate uproar and sent shockwaves through social media.

A December 2018 text message exchange obtained by DailyMail.com show Hunter asked Mesires: 'How much money do I owe you. Becaause (sic) n***a you better not be charging me Hennessy rates'

The president has since backtracked and apologized, but the damage was done.

Joe Biden was also the subject of a recent smear attempt that claimed he had used the n-word as a racial epithet.

The smear used a video of a 1985 Senate hearing in which Biden says 'We already have a n****r mayor, we don't need any more n****r big shots!'

The then-senator did utter the words, but was in fact quoting a Louisiana lawmaker, asking then-deputy attorney general nominee William Bradford Reynolds why he had ignored the racist comments by the lawmaker and allowed gerrymandering that underrepresented black residents.

The messages have emerged just days after Joe Biden gave a speech decrying racism on the 100th anniversary of the Tulsa massacre in Oklahoma

The text messages from Hunter, revealed by DailyMail.com show the president's frequent use of the n-word.

In one text he wrote to Chicago lawyer Mesires saying: 'how much money do I owe you. Becaause (sic) n***a you better not be charging me Hennessy rates.'

Mesires replied: 'That made me snarf my coffee.'

Hunter added: 'That's what im saying ni', cutting off the racial slur mid-word, then texted a picture to Mesires.

The picture was not downloaded on Hunter's laptop, from which the text exchange was recovered by DailyMail.com.

But Mesires replied: 'Why are you so tan?'

'I'm sorry for sexting you accidentally that was meant for another friend named Georgia,' Hunter replied.

In the January text exchange, the two men were talking about philosophy and bantering with each other.

In another exchange the following month, Hunter flippantly addressed Messires as 'n***a' again and cracked jokes saying 'I only love you because you're black' during a seemingly somber conversation

Mesires: 'There are ideals of unconditional love that serve as proxies. I don't have many. You. God,'

Hunter: 'OMG n***a did you just a fictional character from the imagination of the collective frightened and my dead brothers unconditional love is what I should rely on and my kids aren't children George.'

Mesires: 'My parents love was conditioned.'

Hunter: 'My penis as of late has been un conditional.'

Mesires: 'That's why we are searching.'

Hunter: 'For my penis.'

Mesires: 'And we will always be searching.'

Hunter: 'Its big penis George. They always find it. And I only love you because you're black.'

Mesires: 'It's so annoying when you interject with frivolity.'

Hunter: 'True dat n***a. But I'm done my rant.'

Among the photos stored on Hunter's laptop was a meme of his father and President Obama that also included the n-word, though it is unclear why he saved it

In October 2018 Mesires sent a bill to Hunter's business partner Mervyn Yan, involved in his infamous deal with Chinese oil giant CEFC, showing the attorney's hourly rate of $845.

The bill, which included 'teleconferences with H. Biden regarding Hudson West', Hunter's joint venture with the Chinese, totaled $88,465, for 107 hours work from August 2017 to April 2018.

Among the photos stored on Hunter's laptop was a meme which also included the n-word.

The meme, dated June 5, 2017, included a photo of Joe Biden hugging Barack Obama with a caption describing a joke conversation between the former president and vice president.

'Obama: Gonna miss you, man

'Joe: Can I say it? Just this once?

'Obama: *sigh* go ahead

'Joe: You my n***a, Barack'

It is unclear why Hunter saved the meme on his computer.

Neither he nor Mesires responded to DailyMail.com's request for comment.

The president's son and the White House have repeatedly failed to respond to any requests from DailyMail.com about any of the material on his laptop.

The 51-year-old's computer had a week of his internet browsing history from March 2019 saved on it before he abandoned it at a Delaware shop, which showed pornographic photos and videos downloaded on his laptop included an orgy between a woman and several black men.

Hunter's father has attempted to make race a central issue in both his presidential campaign  which came amid nationwide protests over racism and police brutality in 2020  and in his administration.

In a speech last week on the 100th anniversary of the Tulsa massacre in which a white mob killed an estimated 300 black people in Oklahoma, Joe Biden said he had come to 'fill the silence'.

'Some injustices are so heinous, so horrific, so grievous, they cannot be buried, no matter how hard people try,' he said. 'Only with truth can come healing.'
A South African woman who claims to have given birth to ten babies is appealing for money to help raise the huge brood as officials insist they can't find any evidence of her alleged delivery.

Gosiame Sithole, 37, a former store manager, said today that she will be unable to return to her job following the birth on Monday night in Pretoria, and urgently needs donations of nappies, baby formula, bottles, clothes and cash to get by.

Sithole, whose husband is unemployed, told Pretoria News that she exhausted her savings by taking unpaid leave from work two months into her pregnancy, and is currently relying on her elderly mother-in-law to care for the decuplets.

But doubts are being raised over Sithole's account, with government officials saying today that they cannot confirm the birth because nobody has seen her since.

Social workers said they have been aware of the family since 2016 - when Sithole gave birth to twins - and will send someone to her home tomorrow to try and confirm the new delivery.

Thabo Masebe, a spokesman for the regional governor, said there has been no record of a delivery of 10 babies at any hospital - public or private - in his province and that such an event would be 'hard to hide'.

A statement read: 'Following reports from the Independent Media group about a Gauteng woman having given birth to decuplets on Monday, the Gauteng Provincial Government conducted a thorough check with all hospitals in the province to establish the veracity or otherwise of the report.

'None of the hospitals in the province, public and private, have any records of such a delivery in their facilities.'

If the birth is confirmed as genuine, it would be a world record - coming just a month after a Malian woman, Halima Cisse, gave birth to nine children in Morocco.

Gosiame Sithole, a former store manager, poses in her living room in Pretoria before the birth

The decuplet birth was revealed late Monday by Sithole's husband Tebogo Tsotetsi (right), who claimed she had given birth to seven boys and three girls

Sithole's husband, Tebogo Tsotetsi, was the first to announce the birth to journalists late Monday, saying his wife had given birth to seven boys and three girls.

MailOnline has been unable to independently verify the birth because the name of the hospital where it took place has not been made public.

Feziwe Ndwayana, a spokesman for the Department of Social Development, told TimesLIVE: 'I can only make confirmations tomorrow, because our social workers will visit the mother tomorrow.

'We have not physically seen the mother and her children but the mother is our client, she has been our client since 2016.

'She has had twins before, so since that time she has been our client.'

South African media have been at loggerheads over the alleged birth, with some outlets racing to defend the reporting while others have quickly disparaged it.

The Pretoria News has even published a strongly worded column by the editor of another newspaper defending their story.

Gosiame Thamara Sithole, 37, claims to have given birth to ten children in what would be the world's largest live birth, if confirmed by doctors

Meanwhile nobody has yet published images of Ms Sithole after birth or images of her children, leaving a considerable amount of doubt about its authenticity.

The story first emerged on Tuesday when Pretoria News spoke to Sithole's husband Tsotetsi, who allegedly told them: 'It's seven boys and three girls. She was seven months and seven days pregnant.

'I am happy. I am emotional. I can't talk much.'

Underneath that, the paper then ran an interview with the couple they said had been conducted months before the birth - but kept secret until now.

In that interview, Sithole claimed that doctors had initially told her that she was pregnant with six children.

But that was increased to eight following a later scan. It was only while undergoing surgery that the other two babies were discovered, they said.

Sithole said she suffered through the complicated pregnancy, experiencing morning sickness early on followed later by pain in her leg.

Meanwhile Tsotetsi revealed that he initially could not believe his wife with pregnant with six children, thinking it was medically impossible.

Halima Cisse (right) and husband Kader Arby (left) welcomed five girls and four boys on May 4 after a pregnancy that is thought to have been the result of fertility treatments

Cisse's children are still being cared for at a specialist hospital in Morocco more than a month after their birth (pictured) after they were born premature and malnourished

'But after I found out that these things do happen, and saw my wife's medical records, I got excited. I can't wait to have them in my arms,' he said at the time.

The condition of the children following the birth was not made clear by Pretoria News, which was the first to report the case.

Children of such extreme multiple pregnancies are almost always born under-weight and can often be malnourished as the mother's body struggles to provide nutrients for so many infants.

Cases of infant mortality are also not uncommon following large multiple births.

Sithole's case comes just a month after the world's first live nonuplets were born in Morocco to Malian woman Halima Cisse.

Cisse, 25, from Timbuktu, was taken to hospital in the Malian capital of Bamako in March to be kept under observation before being flown to Morocco to be cared for at a specialist hospital after the country's president intervened.

The children - five girls and four boys - were then delivered by a team of 10 doctors and 25 nurses via Caesarean on May 4, in a complicated operation that almost caused Cisse to die of blood loss.

Doctors later revealed the babies were born significantly underweight and had 'deficiencies in everything', but are now in a stable condition.

As of last week, the children were still being cared for around the clock in Morocco with doctors saying their weight has increased significantly.

But medics said they will still need to be kept under observation for at least another six weeks before they can consider sending them home.

Cisse is thought to be staying nearby after coming out of intensive care, where she was recovering from a ruptured artery during the birth.

Ms Cisse's pregnancy was just the third reported instance of nonuplets in history.

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.

Ms Suleman is still the official world record holder for the largest live birth.

The babies were a result of IVF treatment, and were nine weeks premature when they were delivered via c-section.
The White House has dropped Trump-era executive orders that attempted to ban the popular apps TikTok and WeChat and will conduct its own review aimed at identifying national security risks with software applications tied to China.

A new executive order directs the Commerce Department to undertake what officials describe as an 'evidence-based' analysis of transactions involving apps that are manufactured or supplied or controlled by China.

Officials are particularly concerned about apps that collect users' personal data or have connections to Chinese military or intelligence activities.

President Joe Biden's (left) administration has rolled back executive orders signed by former President Donald Trump (right) from August that sought to ban Chinese-owned apps including TikTok and WeChat

The White House has dropped Trump-era executive orders that attempted to ban the popular apps TikTok and WeChat and will conduct its own review, administration officials said Wednesday

The department also will make recommendations on how to further protect Americans' genetic and personal health information, and will address the risks of certain software apps connected to China or other adversaries, according to senior administration officials.

Trump's administration had worked to ban TikTok and force its Chinese owned company, ByteDance, to sell the app.

President Donald Trump signed executive orders in August 2020 putting in place a ban of TikTok and WeChat in 45 days if they were not sold.

The WeChat order threatened to take on its Chinese-based parent company Tencent, by banning financial transactions with the company. The app allows users to send money to one another.

The TikTok order alleged that the app 'automatically captures vast swaths of information from its users' which 'threatens to allow the Chinese Communist Party access to Americans' personal and proprietary information - potentially allowing China to track the locations of Federal employees and contractors, build dossiers of personal information for blackmail, and conduct corporate espionage.'

TikTok slammed the Trump order.

'We are shocked by the recent Executive Order, which was issued without any due process,' a statement from the company said. 'For nearly a year, we have sought to engage with the US government in good faith to provide a constructive solution to the concerns that have been expressed. What we encountered instead was that the Administration paid no attention to facts, dictated terms of an agreement without going through standard legal processes, and tried to insert itself into negotiations between private businesses.'

TikTok has yet to put out a statement on the new Biden order.

A White House fact sheet said the Biden administration will use 'criteria-based decision framework and rigorous, evidence-based analysis to address the risks posed' by TikTok, WeChat and eight other apps.

Still, the language of the Biden executive order repeated many of the same safety warnings as the Trump-era ones.

'By operating on United States information and communications technology devices, including personal electronic devices such as smartphones, tablets, and computers, connected software applications can access and capture vast swaths of information from users, including United States persons' personal information and proprietary business information,' the new order reads.

'This data collection threatens to provide foreign adversaries with access to that information,' it continues. 'Foreign adversary access to large repositories of United States persons' data also presents a significant risk.'

The order goes on to label it an 'unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States.'

A section of the new order also goes after companies that engage in 'serious human rights abuse.'
A Texas state representative accused CNN of harboring a left-leaning bias towards critical race theory during a tense back-and-forth with anchor Victor Blackwell.

Republican State Rep Steve Toth appeared on the network on Tuesday to discuss a bill he introduced last month that would limit discussions of the theory in Texas public schools.

Instead, the bill would require teachers who talk about race relations and how they shaped history to look at viewpoints 'from diverse and contending perspectives without giving deference to any one perspective.'

It has already passed both chambers of the Texas legislative branch, and is headed to Governor Greg Abbott's desk for his signature.

Toth's interview with Blackwell turned contentious after the anchor asked the lawmaker why he thought it was a priority to limit discussion on the theory, an educational concept that claims racism is a social construct that has been embedded in American legal systems and policies.

'Critical race theory is not about not teaching the egregious things that happened in the past,' Toth replied. 'Critical race theory is about blaming children today in the classroom for things that happened in the past.'

When Blackwell disagreed with that argument, Toth proceeded to launch an attack on CNN and the mainstream media for pushing a 'slanted' view of CRT.

'I don't care what CNN thinks and I don't care what you think about my bill,' Toth said, as Blackwell reminded him that he agreed to the interview.

'It doesn't matter to me! You're not doing this from a non-biased perspective. You have a bias.'

In an interview with CNN host Victor Blackwell (left) on Tuesday, Republican Texas representative Steve Toth defended a bill he introduced which would require teachers to discuss current events 'from diverse and contending perspectives'

Toth appeared on the show with a copy of a children's book entitled 'Not My Idea: A Book About Whiteness' that he claimed was found at a Texas school.

'Years ago, we said stereotyping, racial profiling, we said that was the wrong thing, and yet that's what's being taught in our classroom,' he said as he held the book up.

The book is described on Amazon as 'a picture book about racism and racial justice, inviting white children and parents to become curious about racism, accept that it's real, and cultivate justice.'

CRITICAL RACE THEORY: The divisive concept that portrays racism as the foundation of American institutions 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

'How about we start talking to kids about what brings us together instead of the things that make us different and separate us?' Toth asked, rhetorically. 'We need to teach the egregious things in the past, while we don't blame this generation for them.'

'I don't think a discussion about slavery blames the children in the class,' Blackwell responded, to which Toth said under his bill, 'You can talk about slavery, you can talk about Jim Crow.'

At that point, Blackwell decided to question Toth on part of his bill that reads: 'A teacher may not be compelled to discuss a particular current event or widely-debated or current controversial issue of public policy or social affairs.'

'Don't teachers lose credibility if they see an insurrection, but the teachers are not compelled to discuss what is happening at the Capitol or give context to what is happening in the country?' Blackwell asked Toth.

'Shouldn't they be at least compelled to teach what is happening in the world or give some information about what is happening around them?'

'But that's the problem,' Toth said. 'You guys, the left, you are the left, CNN is the left, you guys have completely-'

'Sir, that is a lazy argument," Blackwell interrupted. 'Just answer the question'

'It is not a lazy argument,' Toth shot back. 'Whether it's what happened on January 6th or whether it's what happened in Portland, Oregon, CNN does so from a slanted view towards Marxism and-'

'Your bill does not address CNN,' the CNN anchor responded. 'There's not a student in Texas who is going to learn anything more about you slamming CNN. Answer the question: Why shouldnt teachers be compelled to teach about the widely debated issues of the day?'

Toth replied that under his bill teachers 'cant be compelled to teach it from a leftist point of view' but rather from a 'diverse and contending perspective without showing to deference any one perspective.'

'But that's not good enough for you,' Toth spat back at Blackwell. 'As you question me right now, you're trying to make it sound like teachers have to do this from one perspective and one perspective only.'

At one point in the interview, Toth held up a copy of the children's book 'Not my Idea: A Book About Whiteness,' that he claimed was found at a Texas school

Blackwell later asked: 'How do you "both sides" Charlottesville?' referring to The Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia in 2017 in which people protesting the proposed removal of Confederate statues started chanting: 'Jews will not replace us.'

'If you want to talk about Charlottesville, you should talk about people who were there peacefully,' Toth said. 'There were people that were there that had lost their minds. Some guy drove his car into people. Is it appropriate to say that's evil? Yes, it is.

'But there are also people at Charlottesville that sought to voice something peacefully.'

'"Very fine people on both sides," is what I'm hearing you say,' Blackwell said, referencing then-President Donald Trump's comments about the marchers.

'That is also the way you lied about what Trump said,' Toth said.

'That's a direct quote,' Blackwell responds.

'Yeah, yeah. That's because you're trying to make it into something it's not.

'There were people who were there peacefully and there were racist, bigoted, hateful people. And that's the truth.'

During the interview, Blackwell asked Toth how teachers would be able to teach 'both sides' of the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia in 2017 when people gathered to protest the removal of Confederate statues and started chanting 'Jews will not replace us'

Blackwell also asked Toth whether he believed teachers should be compelled to discuss the January 6 Capitol riots, when protestors broke into the Capitol in an effort to stop Congress from certifying the 2020 election results

The critical race 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, with opponents claiming it promotes racism by categorizing people and supporters arguing that it is vital to eliminate racism.

Backlash against it grew in April when the Department of Education unveiled new federal grant priorities that used the infamous 1619 Project, which spreads the theory, as an example of how 'American History and Civics Education programs can play an important role in this critical effort by supporting teaching and learning that reflects the breadth and depth of our Nation's diverse history and the vital role of diversity in our Nation's democracy.'

Several Republican-led states have since adopted laws banning the teaching of the theory, with many more advancing similar legislation.

In Texas, Toth's bill was passed by both houses of the Legislature on May 22.

'The more people learn about critical race theory, whether Republican or Democrat, the more they oppose it,' Toth told Yahoo News, calling his bill a 'direct reflection of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.'

'It echoes Dr. King's wish that we should judge people on the content of their character, not their skin,' he said.

Bernice King, the daughter of the late reverend, later tweeted: 'Don't use my father to justify banning teaching about racism in U.S. schools,' claiming he also said: 'The roots of racism are very deep in America. Historically, it was so acceptable in the national life that today it still only lightly burdens the conscience.'

Georgia, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Montana and Idaho have already banned the teaching of the critical race theory, which critics claim promotes racism by labeling people

Bernice King, the daughter of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., pushed back at claims that her late father would support bills limiting the teaching of the critical race theory

When Blackwell asked Toth his thoughts on that on Tuesday, he replied: 'We're not asking people not to talk about racism. We're asking teachers to absolutely the egregious things of the past. We want to make sure that's covered in full, totally.'

'To not talk about the egregious things of the past means that we as a nation could repeat them,' he said. 'That's the reality, that's the desperate part of man that we need to teach the past.'

'My bill does not encourage not teaching the past.'

Georgia, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Montana and Idaho have already banning the teaching of the theory, and a number of other states are in the process of passing similar legislation.

Here's a breakdown of the states that have banned critical race theory in public schools or are considering a ban:

Georgia - BANNED

The Georgia State Board of Education voted 11 - 2 on June 3 to pass a resolution banning the teaching of critical race theory in schools, after Republican Governor Brian Kemp wrote the board a letter urging them to adopt such a policy.

In the letter, Kemp writes: 'It is ridiculous that the Biden Administration is considering using taxpayer funds to push a blatantly partisan agenda in Georgia classrooms.

'Parents, educators and local communities here in the Peach State know how best to educate their students  not the federal government,' he wrote, adding: 'Education in Georgia should reflect our fundamental values as a state and nation  freedom, equality and the God-given potential of each individual.'

The state's new policy 'no state education agency, school district or school shall teach or instruct' any concepts about race in the classroom that make 'an individual feel discomfort, guilt, anguish or any form of psychological distress on account of his or her race or sex.'

Board members Leonte Benton and Kenneth Mason were the only two dissenting votes, with Mason, a black man telling CBS Atlanta, 'The statement, when I read it, made me feel like I don't belong, because it excused the existence of racism.'

Helen Rice, a white board member, however defended the move, saying: 'We are respecting equality. That means treating people like you'd like to be treated.'

Montana - BANNED

Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen issued a binding opinion on May 27 that labeled critical race theory and some antiracism programs taught in schools as 'discriminatory' and said they violate federal and state law, the Associated Press reported.

Knudsen's decision came after Republican Superintendent of Public Instruction Elsie Arntzen requested the AG to weigh in on the issue.

'Committing racial discrimination in the name of ending racial discrimination is both illogical and illegal,' Knudsen said in a statement. 'Montana law does not tolerate schools, other government entities, or employers implementing CRT and antiracist programming in a way that treats individuals differently on the basis of race that creates a racially hostile environment.'

The order states that certain activities that fall under the umbrella of critical race theory teaching violate the U.S. and state constitutions.

The activities include grading students differently based on race, forcing people to admit privilege or reflect on their racial identities, assigning fault, blame or bias to a race, and offering training or assignments that force students or employees to support concepts such as racial privilege, AP reported.

Schools and government and public workplaces in Montana that offer critical race theory training or activities could lose state funding and could be liable for damages from lawsuits, AP reported.

Knudsen's office also encouraged students and parents who believe they experience illegal discrimination under critical race theory programming to sue their schools directly or file complains with the U.S. Department of Education.

Tennessee - BANNED

A Tennessee law that bans teachers from teaching the critical race theory was signed by the Governor Bill Lee on May 24, after months of debate about the bill.

The Republican governor had previously claimed he would sign the bill, but black Democrats in the majority-white Legislature spoke out against the bill, claiming it would make teachers fearful to teach the history of racial relations in America.

'Critical race theory is rooted in critical theory, which argues that social problems are created and influenced by societal structures and cultural assumptions,' Sen. Katrina Robinson, a black Democrat from Memphis, said.

'How ironic that a body made up of a simple majority of white privileged men can determine whether even my grandchildren can see reflections of themselves in the history lessons at their school.'

Republican Sen. Brian Kelsey, also of Memphis, however, argued that teaching the theory was 'harmful to our students'.

'Critical race theory teaches that American democracy is a lie. It teaches that the rule of law does not exist and is instead a series of power struggles among racial groups,' he said.

'It is harmful to our students and is antithetical to everything we stand for as Americans and as Tennesseans.'

Idaho - BANNED

Idaho's Republican Governor Brad Little signed legislation in April that prevents schools and universities from 'indoctrinating' students with critical race theory.

The state's bill allows for the teaching of critical race theory but bans curriculums from forcing belief systems onto students that claim groups of people are inferior or superior to others because of their race, gender or religion.

It also prevents teachers from making students 'affirm, adopt or adhere to' belief systems that claim individuals of any race, sex or religion are responsible for the past actions of other members of the same group.

Idaho's Republican-controlled Senate had earlier passed the bill with a 28-7 vote. One Republican, Senator Dan Johnson, broke rank and joined Democrats in opposing the bill.

Idaho's Republican Governor Brad Little signed legislation in April that prevents schools and universities from 'indoctrinating' students with critical race theory. Students filled the gallery as the legislation was passed in the Senate last month

Governor Brad Little became the first to sign the critical race theory ban into law last month

'The claim that there is widespread, systemic indoctrination occurring in Idaho classrooms is a serious allegation,' Little said. 'Most worryingly, it undermines popular support for public education in Idaho.'

State Democrats had accused Republicans of holding crucial education budget bills hostage while they focused on passing the bill - as they argued the bill was contrary to First Amendment rights.

Senator Janie Ward-Engelking argued the bill was 'not needed' and said the idea that schools are 'brainwashing' children with 'a liberal leftist indoctrination' false.

'Our universities and school districts districts already have procedures in place that will deal with any problem we have in curriculum,' she told the Idaho Press.

'What's happening is we have a group that's put out for public release comments that our teachers are brainwashing our children with a liberal leftist indoctrination. And that's simply not true.'

Oklahoma - BANNED

Oklahoma's Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt signed his state's bill into law on May 7 after the GOP-controlled House voted 70-19 in its favor.

Under the law, Oklahoma City public school teachers are prohibited from teaching certain concepts of race and racism, including critical race theory.

The bill, which takes effect on July 1, also prevents colleges and universities from requiring students to undergo training on gender or sexual diversity.

Oklahoma's Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt signed his state's bill into law last Friday after the GOP-controlled House voted 70-19 in favor

Stitt said that the new law will allow history to be taught without labeling a 'young child as an oppressor'.

'As governor, I firmly believe that not one cent of taxpayer money should be used to define and divide young Oklahomans about their race or sex. That is what this bill upholds for public education,' he said.

'We must keep teaching history and all of its complexities and encourage honest and tough conversations about our past. Nothing in this bill prevents or discourages those conversations.

'We can and should teach this history without labeling a young child as an oppressor or requiring that he or she feel guilt or shame based on their race or sex. I refuse to tolerate otherwise.'

The bill has received pushback from some, including the Oklahoma City Public Schools Board of Education who unanimously voted on Monday to denounce the law.

All eight board members took turns criticizing Stitt's bill, including Ruth Veales who argued that the legislation was attempting to shut off conversations about racism to 'protect white fragility'.

'As a district that's over 80 percent students of color, this is definitely an insult,' Veales said. 'It is a situation that is so egregious to me.'

Texas - IN PROGRESS

Both houses of the Texas Legislature passed a bill on May 22 that would ban schools from requiring staff to discuss or teach critical race theory.

'House Bill 3979 makes certain that critical race philosophies, including the 1619 founding myth, are removed from our school curriculums statewide,' Lt. Governor Dan Patrick said.

'When parents send their children to school, they want their students to learn critical thinking without being indoctrinated with misinformation charging that America and our Constitution are rooted in racism,' he continued, adding: 'Texans roundly reject the 'woke' philosophies that espouse that one race or sex is better than another and that someone, by virtue of their race or sex, is innately racist, oppressive or sexist.'

The bill requires teachers who talk about race relations and how they shaped history to look at viewpoints 'from diverse and contending perspectives without giving deference to any one perspective.'

A number of teaching organizations have opposed the legislation, however, by arguing that it is attempting to downplay the role of racism in America's history.

'By telling teachers what and how to teach and ordering TEA to play police, HB 3979 may be one of the most disrespectful bills to teachers I've seen the #txlege dignify with debate,' Mark Wiggins, a lobbyist for The Association of Professional Educators, tweeted over the weekend.

Texas is in the process of approving similar legislation to ban critical race theory in public schools. Texas Gov Greg Abbott has already expressed support for it and is expected to sign it into law

Mark Wiggins, a lobbyist for The Association of Professional Educators, called the bill 'one of the most disrespectful ... to teachers I've seen'

Arizona- IN PROGRESS

An Arizona bill banning 'biased' topics in schools, such as critical race theory, has advanced.

The Arizona House of Representatives voted in favor of a bill to ban racist, sexist, politicized or other controversial topics in schools and penalize teachers with fines earlier this month.

Under the bill, which is now with the Senate, charter schools and state agencies would be banned under the Unbiased Teaching Act from discussing controversial issues with students unless teachers give equal weight to divisive topics.

Violations would result in $5,000 fines.

House Democrats voted against the bill and argued it was unconstitutional. They said it was reminiscent of a 2010 law that banned Mexican-American studies but was later struck down in court.

Republican state Rep. Michelle Udall hit back at arguments the bill is trying to ban conversations regarding racism.

'We cannot allow children in our public schools to be taught that their skin color or ethnicity or sex somehow determines their character or actions. No forms of racism should be allowed to enter our classrooms,' Udall said.

'Biased teaching needs to be stopped.'

Iowa - IN PROGRESS

A bill that will ban Iowa students from being taught that the US or the state is systemically racist is currently with Republican Governor Kim Reynolds.

The Republican-controlled House of Representatives passed the bill in a 53-35 vote earlier this month. The Senate also passed it 30-18.

In Iowa, the pending legislation will limit the 'divisive concepts' that can be taught in schools and in diversity training in government-related jobs.

Republicans who support the bill argue that it will prevent students from being indoctrinated.

While debating the bill earlier this month, Republican Rep. Steven Holt said it would not ban discussions about slavery, sexism, racism or discrimination.

He argued, however, that teachers didn't need to 'use racism to teach against racism'.

'Of course these issues must be taught. They must be discussed, and they can be without scapegoating entire groups of people,' Holt said.

Missouri - IN PROGRESS

Republicans in Missouri are currently trying to ban school districts from teaching critical race theory and anything related to 1619 Project.

The ban was included in an amendment to House Bill 1141 that was introduced last month.

The amendment seeks to ban teachers from identifying any people or institutions as racist, biased, privileged or oppressed.

Representative Nick Schroer, who sponsored the amendment, said at the time: 'I sponsored the amendment to stop 'critical race theory,' including the erroneous and hate-filled 1619 Project, from being shoved into our curriculum in our Missouri schools.

'For those trying to push scare tactics claiming this is about 'white washing' history, you are dead wrong. This is about ensuring no one taints a factual teaching of our American history.'

The ACLU of Missouri has since launched a campaign to stop the legislation from being approved, arguing it is 'loaded down with harmful amendments seeking to undermine the rights of people all across the state'.

Rhode Island - IN PROGRESS

Republican legislators introduced a bill back in March that seeks to ban teaching divisive concepts in schools.

The bill, known as H.6070, has since stalled after being debated by the House Committee on Education.

Republican Rep. Patricia Morgan, who is behind the bill, argued that teachers should not make white students, in particular, feel bad because of their skin color.

When the bill was first put to the committee, more than 150 people submitted written testimony objecting to it.

There is currently no law banning critical race theory in Florida but Governor Ron DeSantis has publicly vowed not to let it be taught in the state's schools

Florida - IN PROGRESS

There is currently no law banning critical race theory in Florida but Governor Ron DeSantis has publicly vowed not to let it be taught in the state's schools.

DeSantis declared back in March that critical race theory would not be taught in the state's schools because it 'teaches kids to hate their country and each other'.

He made the comments as he proposed a $106 million boost in funding for civics education in across the state using money from President Biden's COVID-19 aid package.

DeSantis said $17 million would be targeted for developing civics curricula with 'foundational concepts' - and not 'unsanctioned narratives like critical race theory'.

'Let me be clear: There is no room in our classrooms for things like critical race theory,' he said.

'Teaching kids to hate their country and to hate each other is not worth one red cent of taxpayer money.'

New Hampshire - IN PROGRESS

Lawmakers in New Hampshire are currently debating a critical race theory amendment that is included in the state's proposed budget.

Republicans are now trying to compromise with Democrats in the House about the amendment that seeks to ban 'divisive' topics regarding race and gender in schools.

West Virginia - IN PROGRESS

Republican lawmakers first introduced a bill in February that seeks to ban schools from promoting 'divisive concepts'.

The bill was referred to the state House's Workforce Development Committee.

The ACLU West Virginia is objecting to the bill, arguing it would prevent discussions 'in curriculum regarding the racial history of the United States, implicit bias, and privilege'.

South Dakota - IN PROGRESS

Likewise in South Dakota, there is no legislation banning critical race theory.

Governor Kristi Noem, however, has put her name to the '1776 pledge' that opposes the teaching of critical race theory in public schools.

'Teaching our children and grandchildren to hate their own country and pitting them against one another on the basis of race or sex is shameful and must be stopped,' Noem said earlier this month.

The 1776 Pledge was launched as an attempt to counter the 1619 Project, which posits the true founding of America in 1619, when the first African slaves arrived, rather than 1776, when the Declaration of Independence was signed.

South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem has boasted of signing the '1776 pledge' that opposes the teaching of critical race theory (CRT) in public schools

North Carolina - IN PROGRESS

North Carolina House Republicans approved a plan on May 19 to prohibit public schools from embracing certain ideas related to critical race theory.

The measure passed by a vote of 65 to 48 and now heads to the Senate.

If approved, it would go to Democratic Governor Roy Cooper's desk.

House Bill 324, if approved, would prevent schools from endorsing the view that any person should feel guilty because of their race or sex, or that the person's race or sex makes them inherently racist, sexist or oppressive, even if unconsciously.

North Carolina's proposal doesn't prohibit teachers from introducing the ideas to students as long as they make it clear that the school isn't endorsing such concepts.

Democrats and racial justice advocates in the state have accused Republicans of trying to rewrite history and deprive pupils of a fulfilling curriculum.

Louisiana - IN PROGRESS

A bill to ban schools and colleges from teaching 'divisive concepts', including critical race theory has now stalled in Louisiana amid opposition from some lawmakers and education officials.

Efforts by the House Education Committee late last month to kill the bill failed in a 7-7 vote, which means the bill can resume being debated later.

Rep. Ray Garofalo, who is chairman of the committee, has already said he intends to try to push forward with the bill.

GOP House Speaker Clay Schexnayder was among those who raised concerns about it.

Garofalo said he was trying to take the 'politics out of the classroom' and ensure 'a learning environment free of discrimination' with the bill.

'I have no doubt there are certain factions in this country that are trying to infiltrate and indoctrinate our students,' he said.

Those who oppose it said the proposal was a distraction from the real education problems Louisiana faces and is an attempt to whitewash American history.

Rep. Gary Carter, a New Orleans Democrat, said: 'The state of Louisiana was fundamentally, institutionally racist in the past.'
Astonishing footage captures the moment two kayakers wade into rough water to save an exhausted moose calf from drowning in a fast-moving river.

The clip follows firefighter Scott Linton and his friend Benny Clark as they move quickly to save the calf after she fell into the Sheep River in Alberta, Canada.

The two kayakers had been enjoying a morning paddle on the river near Turner Valley when they spotted the female moose balancing on a ledge above the water.

But as they considered how to reach the calf, she fell into the fast-moving river.

Footage from the rescue captures Mr Linton as he races through the rough water to reach the desperate animal - who is rapidly being swept away by the current.

Astonishing footage captures firefighter Scott Linton (above) and his friend Benny Clark as they move quickly to save a moose calf after she fell into the Sheep River in Alberta, Canada

He clings onto a safety rope held by Mr Clark and thankfully manages to grab hold of the panicked calf as she passes him.

Mr Linton then wades back to shore with the moose, who he explains is 'pretty cold' but doesn't appear to have any injuries.

The pair let the moose go moments later, and the calf slowly makes her way back towards the nearby woodland.

Posting on Instagram, Mr Clark assured well wishers that the moose's mother was nearby when they released it following the ordeal.

Footage from the rescue captures Mr Linton as he races through the rough water to reach the desperate animal - who is rapidly being swept away by the current

He clings onto a safety rope held by Mr Clark and thankfully manages to grab hold of the panicked calf as she passes him

He said: 'Dawn patrol on the sheep turned into a quick and clean rescue with @rivers4slinton and the cutest Canadian ever.'

The kayaker added he has previously pulled a fallen animal out of the Red Deer River in Saskatchewan.

Speaking to CBC News, his fellow rescuer Mr Linton explained how the young moose was already wet and shivering when they spotted it on a ledge above the river.

He added that the animal was perched around 100 metres from an area of rapids, so the pair had to move quickly in their rescue attempt.

The pair let the moose go moments later, and she slowly made her way towards nearby woodland

Posting on Instagram, Mr Clark assured well wishers that the moose's mother was nearby when they released it. Pictured: Mr Linton with the rescued calf

However, as they considered their next move, the moose fell into the water.

Mr Linton said: 'That's when I grabbed the rope and ran out.

'Ideally, we would have tied my end to me but it was too quick for that  so I just held on basically for some support and ran out.'

He added the calf was clearly exhausted from her ordeal, saying: 'I'm sure that the firefighting definitely played in it.

'You just see something that needs to be fixed and you try to fix it. That's kind of the role.'

Mr Clark (above), an avid whitewater paddler, told Global News that he treated the rescue as if he was saving a person

Mr Clark, an avid whitewater paddler, told Global News that he treated the rescue as if he was saving a person.

He added: 'You just go in the mode, serious, get it done. Kind of just acted like a human being going by.

'I think it was partly our fault, so getting her out of the river, it was we should have done.'

The pair believe the calf - who they nicknamed Mindy - was around two to four weeks old.
Boris Johnson today joined the backlash against Oxford students who voted to remove a portrait of the Queen from Magdalen College after Gavin Williamson branded the move 'absurd.

Members of Magdalen College Middle Common Room (MCR), which is made up of graduate students, overwhelmingly voted to remove the photographic print after describing the monarch as a 'symbol of recent colonial history' who could make some people feel unwelcome.

Mr Williamson, the Education Secretary criticised the move last night, and today a Number 10 spokesman responded: 'You have had the Education Secretary's words, which the PM supports.'

Meanwhile, Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick called the row 'student union politics', but said he is 'proud' to have a portrait of the Queen in his office.

Boris Johnson's (seen today) spokesman said that he supported Education Secretary Gavin Williamson's criticism of the Oxford students

Members of the Middle Common Room at Magdalen College - which is made up of graduates - overwhelmingly backed the removal of a portrait of the Queen

He told BBC Breakfast today: 'I'm a huge fan and supporter of Her Majesty the Queen, I think we are incredibly lucky to live in a country with a head of state of her stature.

'I wouldn't want anyone to disrespect her out of ignorance in this way, but I don't think that we should waste too much time on student union politics.'

Yesterday evening, Mr Williamson tweeted: 'Oxford University students removing a picture of the Queen is simply absurd.

'She is the Head of State and a symbol of what is best about the UK. During her long reign she has worked tirelessly to promote British values of tolerance, inclusivity and respect around the world.'

Political website Guido Fawkes reported that the motion to remove the portrait was launched to make members 'feel welcome', with one student said to have commented 'patriotism and colonialism are not really separable'.

The MCR president is Matthew Katzman, a lecturer in computer science and the son of a top lawyer at international firm Steptoe & Johnson. His family live in a 4million mansion in Washington DC, where he attended $48,000-a-year Sidwell Friends School, a historic Quaker private college.

Today barrister Dinah Rose, president of Magdalen, said staff had received 'threatening messages' over the controversy, as she defended students' right to 'free speech and political debate'.

She tweeted: 'So if you are one of the people currently sending obscene and threatening messages to the college staff, you might consider pausing, and asking yourself whether that is really the best way to show your respect for the Queen.

'Or whether she'd be more likely to support the traditions of free debate and democratic decision-making that we are keeping alive at Magdalen.'

Yesterday evening, Mr Williamson tweeted: 'Oxford University students removing a picture of the Queen is simply absurd'

Meanwhile, Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick called the row 'student union politics', but said he is 'proud' to have a portrait of the Queen in his office

In a series of tweets, she emphasised that the students are not representative of the college, but added: 'Magdalen strongly supports free speech and political debate, and the MCR'S right to autonomy.

'Maybe they'll vote to put it up again, maybe they won't. Meanwhile, the photo will be safely stored.'

She concluded that being a student is about 'exploring and debating ideas' and often about 'provoking the older generation', adding: 'Looks like that isn't so hard to do these days.'

On its website, Magdalen College Middle Common Room describes itself as 'one of the biggest graduate communities of the traditional Oxford colleges'.

It says: 'Our graduates come from many different countries throughout the world, and have diverse interests, academic and otherwise.

'The MCR forms an integral part of the Magdalen graduate experience - not only do we organise social and cultural events for students so that we can make the utmost out of our time in Oxford, but we also provide a network of support for graduate life in representing the concerns of students to the college.'

Mr Williamson has since faced criticism from the University and College Union (UCU), which said the comments were a 'distraction from the disastrous, systemic failings this Government has presided over in higher education'.

Matthew Katzman (pictured), tables all motions as part of his position as President of the Middle Common Room (MCR) at Magdalen College, Oxford

General secretary Jo Grady said: 'Williamson styles himself as a champion of free speech and academic freedom, but never misses an opportunity to attack staff and students who are merely exercising these rights.

'As university staff have already pointed out, this Government doesn't care about freedom of speech on campus, and its attempts to change the law should be seen as nothing other than a Trojan horse for policing what students and staff can and cannot do.'

Mr Katzman told MailOnline last night: 'The Magdalen College MCR yesterday [Monday] voted to remove an inexpensive print of the queen that was hung in the common room a few years ago (a motion I brought forward in my role as MCR President as I do all motions raised in a sub-committee).

'It is being stored securely and will remain in the MCR's art collection.

'The action was taken after a discussion of the purpose of such a space, and it was decided that the room should be a welcoming, neutral place for all members regardless of background, demographic, or views.

'The Royal Family is on display in many areas of the college, and it was ultimately agreed that it was an unnecessary addition to the common room.

'The views of the MCR do not reflect the views of Magdalen College, and the aesthetic decisions made by the voting members of its committee do not equate to a statement on the Queen.

'Indeed, no stance was taken on the Queen or the Royal Family  the conclusion was simply that there were better places for this print to be hung.'
A woman who fled locked-down Melbourne and drove to Queensland with her husband before testing positive to Covid has sparked fears of outbreaks in three states as authorities scramble to find out who else was exposed to the virus.

Police believe the woman, 44, crossed the NSW/Queensland border at the remote rural town of Goondiwindi with her partner on June 5 in a bid to evade authorities.

The couple, who left a suburb on the edge of greater Melbourne on June 1, likely drove the scenic route so they could avoid passing through the Gold Coast - where police perform 100 random intercepts a day and have stricter border control measures in place.

The woman was tested on Tuesday before returning a positive result on Wednesday, but may have been infectious from the day she left Melbourne and as she stopped off at a string of venues while road-tripping across NSW and Queensland.

It's understood she broke lockdown to visit her family in Caloundra on the Sunshine Coast.

She had been experiencing symptoms - including loss of her sense of smell - from June 3 - but only sought a test on June 8 despite coming from Covid-hit Melbourne.

Even then, she only got a test because her husband needed negative results for work purposes.

The couple crossed the NSW/Queensland border at the remote town of Goondiwindi, four hours inland of the Gold Coast where police are much more strict with their patrols

Church St Cafe in Dubbo (pictured) is one of the venues where the infected woman visited on her road trip

There are reports the woman lied on her declaration form when entering Queensland.

Six close contacts of the woman have been identified so far, including her husband who has to date tested negative.

The remaining five close contacts are quarantining at a house together on the Sunshine Coast until their results come back.

Queensland's Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young fears the woman's partner could become infected, given how much time the pair spent in the car together.

Both are now at the Sunshine Coast University Hospital.

Dr Young has said it is possible the woman was infectious from the day she left Melbourne.

Three states are scrambling to contain a potential Covid outbreak after an infected woman left locked-down Melbourne and drove through NSW to the Sunshine Coast (Mooloolaba pictured)

'She could well have been infectious while travelling through New South Wales and I have been working with my colleague to determine that,' she said on Wednesday.

Authorities are working to track down close contacts and investigate whether she and her partner broke three states' COVID rules.

Victorians were forbidden from travelling more than 5km from home at the time the woman began her trip on June 1.

NSW did not shut its border with Victoria, but any travellers from the state were supposed to abide by the lockdown rules even in NSW.

Queensland required all Victorian arrivals to spend two weeks in hotel quarantine.

The woman visited Goondiwindi McDonalds on June 5 between 7.35am - 7.50am

VENUES ON ALERT ACROSS NSW AND QUEENSLAND AS INFECTED WOMAN'S TIMELINE IS REVEALED June 1: Left Melbourne and drove across the border to regional New South Wales 10.30-11am: Gillenbah, Caltex Narrandera 6pm-10pm: Forbes, Vandenberg Hotel June 2: 7-10am: Forbes, Brew Coffee Bar 10.30-11.30am: Dubbo, Shell Petrol Station 11.30am-2.30pm: Dubbo , Church Street Cafe 6-10pm: Dubbo, Reading Cinemas June 3: Midnight-10am: Dubbo, Homestead Motel 1.30-4.30pm: Moree, Cafe Omega From 1.45pm onwards: Moree, Gwydir Carpark/Motel & Thermal Pools 3.30-4.30pm: Moree, Woolworths June 4: All day until 7.30am June 5 : Moree, Gwydir Carpark/Motel & Thermal Pools 7-9.30am: Moree, Cafe Omega 11.50-2pm: Moree, Cafe Omega 4.30-11pm: Moree, Amaroo Tavern June 5: Arrived at Goondiwindi border and crossed into Queensland 7.35-7.50am: Goondiwindi, McDonalds 11-11.15am: Toowoomba, Caltex June 6: Travelled to Sunshine Coast 2.45-3pm: Moffat Beach, Sunny's 3.30 - 4.30pm: Coffee Cat in Kings Beach June 7: 10.45-11.30am: Stockland Caloundra Shopping Centre - Coffee Club and Kmart stores 12.10 - 12.45pm: Caloundra, Bunnings 1-2pm: Buddina, Kawana Shoppingworld June 8: 3.50-4pm: Caloundra, Baringa IGA Advertisement

The positive woman was at Bunnings in Caloundra, QLD between 12.10pm - 12.45pm on June 7

Instead, the woman visited numerous venues in Queensland and NSW.

She stopped at a service station in Gillenbah and Dubbo on her way through NSW, but also visited several cafes in Forbes and Moree and caught a movie at the Reading Cinemas at Dubbo.

Eleven venues in the four towns have been identified by NSW Health as potential exposure sites.

Anyone who attended venues must immediately get tested and isolate.

NSW Health is urging anyone who has been in any of the affected towns to monitor for symptoms and get tested.

Pop-up testing clinics will be set up and opening hours extended to support the increase in testing.

The pair were only detected when the couple came forward for testing because the man needed negative results for work purposes - with health authorities admitting it was down to luck that the case was caught (pictured Melbourne this week)

Queensland's list of exposure sites include a McDonald's restaurant in Goondiwindi, where they crossed the border from NSW, and sites on the Sunshine Coast, including at Moffat Beach, Kings Beach, Buddina, Baringa and Caloundra.

The couple also travelled through Toowoomba, west of Brisbane. The list of exposure sites is on the Queensland Health website and will inevitably grow.

Deputy Commissioner Steve Gollschewski said Queensland Police will be investigating why the couple entered into the sunshine state.

'We've got a couple that have come from Victoria, when Victoria's in lockdown, into Queensland,' he said.

'We'll examine all those issues around passes - whether they were appropriate and what has happened - it is too early to say.

'It's really important for us to remind the whole community that we cannot possibly check every single person moving around the country.'
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A Victorian street running though Bradford University campus has been uncovered by first-year archaeology students who had time on their hands after their ordinary fieldwork trip was cancelled due to coronavirus.

The cobbled street dates from around 1880 and would have been covered over when Victorian terraced houses were demolished in the 1960s to make way for the construction of the university in its current form.

Prior to the West Yorkshire institution being built the area around it would have been lined with dozens of historic terraces, creating a warren of back alleys and yards.

The students who found the street would normally conduct fieldwork on the island of Orkney, off the coast of Scotland, but digging took place closer to home due to the coronavirus pandemic.

At the dig site, the students have already found objects including a 1950s Pepsi bottle, model aircraft wing and tableware.

A Victorian street running though Bradford University campus has been uncovered by first-year archaeology students who had time on their hands after their ordinary fieldwork trip was cancelled due to coronavirus

 Slide me  The cobbled street dates from around 1880 and would have been covered over when Victorian terraced houses were demolished to make way for the construction of the university in its current form. Above: The University's Richmond Building is seen both when it being built - next to Victorian terraced houses which have since been demolished - and in the present day

The students found pieces of pottery and other items at the site. They will cover the road with a protective sheet when they have finished their excavations

Dr Cathy Batt, head of the School of Archaeological and Forensic Sciences, said: 'Normally, we run student training in Orkney but this year that was impossible due to Covid, so we thought we would turn that to our advantage and do something closer to home.

'We started with a geophysical survey to understand what was beneath the ground and then put trenches in. What was found was a Victorian cobbled street and we're now beginning to uncover the yards and outhouses that would have backed onto it.

'At Bradford, archaeology is a very practically taught subject, with a lot of hands-on experience, which is why we were determined students would get to experience a dig this year, despite the pandemic.'

Dr Batt said that the team know from studying Ordnance Survey maps that the road ran next to the Listerhills Working Men's Club, which was demolished when the university was built.

Stunning images show the students in high-vis jackets working at the site with pick axes. They dug trenches into the grass to find the road

Along with a 1950s Pepsi bottle, students also found pieces of pottery and other items. Pictured: One student proudly displays one of her finds

The stunning road was uncovered after students carried out their field work on campus, rather than on the Scottish island of Orkney

The students have been supervised by University of Bradford archaeologists. Pictured: A female student carries a bucket as her male counterpart kneels above a patch of the uncovered road

The students uncovered the road using hand tools. Geophysicist Professor Chris Gaffney, from the Faculty of Life Sciences, said: 'Although we are on campus we are conducting the dig using the same method as we would anywhere in the world'

Prior to the university being built, the area around it would have been lined with dozens of original terraces, creating a warren of back alleys and yards. Pictured: Some of the Victorian homes being demolished in the 1960s to make way for the homes

Dr Batt added: 'When you discover objects like this, it doesn't matter whether it's 70 years or 7,000 years, it's the story that object reveals in terms of its human connections. I think we have uncovered enough here to consider extending the dig for another year.'

Geophysicist Professor Chris Gaffney, from the Faculty of Life Sciences, said: 'Although we are on campus we are conducting the dig using the same method as we would anywhere in the world.

'It's fascinating to imagine how life was then and how much our city has changed.'

University archaeologist Dr Ben Jennings told the BBC: 'We did some research on Ordnance Survey maps to identify the street which was confirmed by ground-penetrating radar.

The warren of Victorian alleys and terraced homes were demolished in the 1960s when the University of Bradford campus was built in its place

'Parts are only 15cm below ground because the housing was only demolished in the 1960s and then the university was built, which means there's been very little time for soil to build up across the top.'

He added: 'We had to improvise because of Covid and remembered when it was really warm two years ago there were some parch marks came up on campus which indicates there's something beneath the surface.'

Student Erika DaNel said: 'I'm very happy with what we've found so far and the fact it's so near my accommodation is very helpful

Dr Jennings said that once the excavation is complete, a protective membrane will be put down to cover the road and the trenches they dug will be filled in again.

Next year's first-year students will then be able to explore the site further.
She didnt know the Heimlich Maneuver and acknowledged being a bit frantic watching her younger son pointing at his own head and struggling for air. Campfield immediately walked behind his brother and started upper abdominal thrusts while telling his brother to stand. Paxton didnt listen at first, so Campfield told him again.
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The Oxford student who tabled the motion to remove an 'unwelcoming' portrait of the Queen from Magdalen College's common room is a privately educated American post grad who went to school with Barack Obama's daughter, it can be revealed today.

Matthew Katzman is a lecturer in computer science and the son of a top lawyer at international firm Steptoe & Johnson. His family live in a 4million mansion in Washington DC, where he attended $48,000-a-year Sidwell Friends School, a historic Quaker private college.

It is likely he counted Malia Obama, 22, as a contemporary at the elite institution, whose other alumni include Nancy Reagan, President Bill Clinton's daughter, Chelsea, the grandchildren of Joe Biden during his vice-presidency, and the offspring of Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and Richard Nixon.

The 25-year-old brought forward the measure to 'cancel' the Queen in his role as president of Magdalen's Middle Common Room (MCR), which is made up of graduates.

Before Oxford, where he is studying for a PhD in 'complexity theory', he gained a bachelor's degree in mathematics and a masters in theoretical computer science at Stanford.

In an online biography, Mr Katzman lists his non-academic interests as CrossFit, poker, board games, playing the trumpet and Spartan Races - a popular series of long-distance obstacle courses.

The move generated a huge backlash today, with Education Secretary Gavin Williamson calling it 'absurd', and Oxford University's Chancellor Lord Patten condemning the students for being 'offensive and obnoxiously ignorant'.

Members of the Middle Common Room (MCR), used by post-graduate students at Magdalen College, reacted with fury, saying they were angry that they had all been portrayed in a negative light by the decision.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson this afternoon said backed Mr Williamson's criticism, with a No 10 spokesman saying: 'You have had the Education Secretary's words, which the PM supports.'

Matthew Katzman (pictured), tables all motions as part of his position as President of the Middle Common Room (MCR) at Magdalen College, Oxford

In a statement, Mr Katzman (pictured) told MailOnline: 'The Magdalen College MCR voted yesterday to remove an inexpensive print of the queen that was hung in the common room a few years ago (a motion I brought forward in my role as MCR President as I do all motions raised in a sub-committee)'

The relevant section of the committee minutes which mentioned the motion to remove the Queen's portrait

MCR members agreed to remove the photographic print of the Queen by a substantial majority after deciding it was 'unwelcoming' because the monarch represents 'recent colonial history', with one student commenting that 'patriotism and colonialism are not really separable'.

The MCR's decision to take down the Queen, in their own words The MCR believes that: i) The MCR should be a welcoming space for all MCR members ii) Recognizes that for some students depictions of the monarch and the British monarchy represent recent colonial history. The MCR therefore resolves to: iii) Take down the portrait Queen Elizabeth the 2nd from the MCR wall and iv) For the MCR to investigate moving the portrait of Queen Elizabeth the 2nd to the JCR / MCR art collection and v) For the MCR to investigate replacements of the portrait with art by or of other influential and inspirational people and vi) For any future depictions of the Monarch and British royal family to be put up on the wall subject to a vote during a committee meeting or General members meeting.' vii) In favor 10 viii) Opposed: 2 ix) Abstain: 5 x) Motion passes. j) Action: Arts officer to move the portrait to the arts collection and investigate future use Advertisement

The committee will now explore replacing the portrait with 'art by or of other influential and inspirational people' and subject any future depictions of the Royal Family to a vote, according to committee minutes that have not been released to the public.

Oxford, like all public universities, benefits from large amounts of taxpayers' money to fund research, eight percent (196million) in the form of direct grants from the Office for Students and Research England and 16% (392m) from tuition fees, many of which are backed by government loans.

Members of the Middle Common Room (MCR), which is used only by post-graduate students at Magdalen College, said they were angry that they had all been portrayed in a negative light by the decision, which was first reported by political blog Guido Fawkes.

Rufus, a postgraduate student, told MailOnline that all 250 post grads students at the college are invited to a weekly meeting on how they MCR should be run but the majority do not bother turning up.

He fumed: 'Most of us are too busy doing more important things than worrying about what is happening with the MCR or what is on its walls. Only 17 people turned up to the MCR meeting to discuss the Queen's portrait, which is about the normal turnout.

'We didn't know it was going to be on the agenda because most of us don't even bother finding out what they're going to talk about at these meetings. They're a waste of time and you usually get a small number of angry students latching onto one issue or another.'

Phillip, a post-graduate physics student revealed: 'The MCR meetings are a bit of a joke. In all the time that I've been at Magdalen College I've not turned up to a single one.

'The small number of people that do go are always looking to latch on to what they think are the current socially progressive issues. Not that long ago it was Black Lives Matter, then it was gender pronouns and now it's colonialism.

'They don't speak for all of us and this minority have painted the whole college in a very negative light.'

Both post-graduate students revealed that opinion was growing among many of them to introduce another motion within the next two weeks to allow the portrait to remain.

Phillip added: 'It's almost guaranteed that another motion will be brought forward at the next MCR meeting for the portrait to stay where it is. A lot of students at the college don't agree with what's been done but it's being made to appear that we are all in favour of it.

'That's simply inaccurate and unfair because 10 people voted to do this, that's all.'

Undergraduate students revealed that they would also bring forward a motion within the next two weeks to have the portrait erected in another part of the college.

The print was bought and put up by a previous group of students in 2008, and shows the monarch in a white gown and blue sash. It is based on a 1952 photograph taken by Dorothy Wilding to mark her accession and coronation (pictured)

Before Oxford, where Mr Kutzman is studying for a PhD in 'complexity theory', he gained a bachelor's degree in mathematics and a masters in theoretical computer science at Stanford

The MCR is a popular social space for post-graduates and contains a television, pool table and darts board. Students are allowed to bring their own alcohol and it is open throughout the night.

Oliver Clement, 19 an undergraduate law student said: 'We are not allowed access to the MCR but if they don't keep the Queen's portrait then we will vote on putting it up somewhere else in the college.

'It's quite disgraceful what a handful of graduate students have done. You can question history and even debate it but it's not right to start removing portraits and statutes. And as far as I'm concerned, the Queen doesn't represent colonial history in a negative way. She is a fantastic symbol of our nation.'

Fellow student Ben Emerson, 19 added: 'The whole thing has been blown out of proportion by a handful of postgraduate students. We have nothing to do with the MCR and what they want to do in there is up to them but it's not right that the whole world thinks that all the college is behind this.'

Residents of Oxford also expressed anger at the decision to remove the Queen's portrait.

Idress Khan, 19, said: 'I've lived in Oxford all my life and these students get on my nerves. They're just a bunch of upper-class elitists who latch onto issues that they don't even know about.

'What is the point in removing a portrait of the Queen and what does that achieve? These Oxford students are meant to be the elite of the country but as far as I'm concerned it's just hot air to make themselves look good.'

The row comes amid growing concern at the rise of intolerance and 'cancel culture' at British universities, which ministers have vowed to tackle.

However, Mr Katzman, the son of commercial lawyer Scott Katzman, 65, claimed the move did not 'equate to a statement on the Queen' but said the painting was being taken down to create 'a welcoming, neutral place for all members regardless of background, demographic, or views'.

Magdalen - whose alumni include CS Lewis and Oscar Wilde - has indicated it will not attempt to reverse the decision, despite its long association with royalty. This includes visits from the Queen in 1948 to receive an Honorary Degree and again in 2008 to mark the college's 550th anniversary.

Mr Katzman lists Spartan Races among his interests. This is a form of long-distance racing over an obstacle course

In an online biography, Mr Katzman lists his non-academic interests as CrossFit, poker, board games and playing the trumpet

The trumpet-playing millionaire lawyer's son who went to elite private school with Obama's daughter - and has a passion for poker and Spartan Races The student who tabled the motion to remove the Queen's portrait is a privately educated academic high achiever who graduated from Stanford University to become a lecturer in computer science at Oxford. Matthew Katzman is the son of Scott Katzman, 65, a lawyer specialising in mergers and acquisitions, cryptocurrency and finance. His family live in a 4million mansion. The 25-year-old, who grew up in Washington DC before attending the $48,000-a-year Sidwell Friends School - which was founded by Quakers in 1883. It is likely he counted Malia Obama, 22, as a contemporary. The elite institution's distinguished list of alumni include Nancy Reagan, President Bill Clinton's daughter, Chelsea, the grandchildren of Joe Biden during his vice-presidency, and the offspring of Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and Richard Nixon. Mr Katzman is a trustee of Magdalen College Trust, which manages donations from alumni. His studies are partly funded by Deep Mind, a leading British artificial intelligence company The student lists playing the trumpet among his non-academic hobbies Mr Katzman earned a bachelor's degree in mathematics and a masters in theoretical computer science and is now studying for a PhD in 'complexity theory'. In his role as Middle Common Room president, Matthew Katzman is in charge of tabling all motions that are proposed by members. Speaking to MailOnline, he said that the move was intended to make the common room a 'neutral place for all members regardless of background, demographic, or views'. In an online biography he lists his other interests as CrossFit, poker, board games, playing the trumpet and Spartan Races - a popular series of long-distance obstacle courses. Mr Katzman is the son of Scott Katzman, 60, a lawyer specialising in mergers and acquisitions, cryptocurrency and finance Describing his academic background, he says: 'I studied for a BS with Distinction and Honors in Mathematics alongside an MS in Computer Science at Stanford University. While there, I assisted in the teaching of courses in mathematics, algorithms/complexity, machine learning/artificial intelligence, and computer systems. At Oxford, I have tutored courses in both algorithms/complexity and machine learning/artificial intelligence.' Mr Katzman is a trustee of Magdalen College Trust, which manages donations from alumni. His studies are partly funded by Deep Mind, a leading British artificial intelligence company. Advertisement

Mr Katzman told MailOnline last night: 'The Magdalen College MCR yesterday [Monday] voted to remove an inexpensive print of the queen that was hung in the common room a few years ago (a motion I brought forward in my role as MCR President as I do all motions raised in a sub-committee).

'It is being stored securely and will remain in the MCR's art collection.

'The action was taken after a discussion of the purpose of such a space, and it was decided that the room should be a welcoming, neutral place for all members regardless of background, demographic, or views.

'The Royal Family is on display in many areas of the college, and it was ultimately agreed that it was an unnecessary addition to the common room.

'The views of the MCR do not reflect the views of Magdalen College, and the aesthetic decisions made by the voting members of its committee do not equate to a statement on the Queen.

'Indeed, no stance was taken on the Queen or the Royal Family  the conclusion was simply that there were better places for this print to be hung.'

The print was bought and put up by a previous group of students in 2008, and shows the monarch in a white gown and blue sash. It is based on a 1952 photograph taken by Dorothy Wilding to mark her accession and coronation.

Amid an intense backlash, the president of Magdalen College swiftly moved to distance the institution itself from the students involved, despite defending their right to make the decision.

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson weighed into the row, tweeting: 'Oxford University students removing a picture of the Queen is simply absurd. She is the Head of State and a symbol of what is best about the UK.

'During her long reign she has worked tirelessly to promote British values of tolerance, inclusivity and respect around the world.'

Oxford's vice-chancellor Lord Patten also intervened, saying: 'Freedom of speech allows even intelligent people to be offensive and obnoxiously ignorant.

'I hope it does not do too much damage to the reputation of the college. I am sure old members of the college will try to be charitable in their assessment.'

Sir John Hayes, chairman of the Common Sense Group of Conservative MPs, told The Telegraph: 'The sad thing is that you would think that the people of Magdalen College Oxford are reasonably bright, and this decision would suggest that they are not.

'The Queen is the head of the Commonwealth and respected across the world as such, and to try to suggest anything otherwise is a dishonest distortion. The people involved should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves.'

The MCR committee will now explore replacing the portrait with 'art by or of other influential and inspirational people' and subject any future depictions of the Royal Family to a vote, according to committee minutes that have not been published.

Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick today called the row 'student union politics' but said he was 'proud' to have a portrait of the monarch in his office.

'Well, this really is student union politics, and I'm not going to get involved in that - it's their decision,' he told BBC Breakfast.

'I have a portrait of the Queen on my office wall in my Government department and I'm proud to do so.'

Asked about Gavin Williamson's comments, Mr Jenrick said: 'I'm a huge fan and supporter of Her Majesty the Queen, I think we are incredibly lucky to live in a country with a head of state of her stature.

'I wouldn't want anyone to disrespect her out of ignorance in this way but I don't think that we should waste too much time on student union politics.'

Others also criticised the move.

Former Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith said: 'This petulant and pathetic insult to Her Majesty the Queen is childish and pointless. It will change nothing.'

Toby Young, general secretary of the Free Speech Union and himself an Oxford graduate, said: 'The students are perfectly within their rights to remove this painting from their common room, but it is baffling that they associate the Queen with colonialism.

'I don't think these students realise how loved the Queen is by the people of the Commonwealth. It is only woke British students who feel offended by it.'

Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham said he 'does not support' the idea of removing the portrait.

'These kind of gestures are getting a bit out of hand,' he told Nick Ferrari on LBC.

'We should always respect the Queen but particularly now given things that have happened in the last few months. I don't support that.

'Let's get a sense of proportion and a bit of respect. People can air their views but those kind of gestures are divisive actually - they just divide people, and I don't think they achieve much, to be honest.'

The Queen walking through the cloisters at Magdalen College alongside college president David Clary during a visit on November 27, 2008

In an online biography Mr Katzman lists his non-academic interests as CrossFit, poker, board games, playing the trumpet and Spartan Races - a popular series of long-distance obstacle courses

Speaking to MailOnline, he said that the move was intended to make the common room a 'neutral place for all members regardless of background, demographic, or views'

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson (pictured) has slammed the 'absurd' cancelling of the Queen by Oxford students

Magdalen's rich history of kings and cognoscenti, from Laurence of Arabia to George Osborne Founded in 1458, Magdalen boasts a history of illustrious connections. Henry VIII's Archbishop Thomas Wolsey was an early alumni, and the college was also visited by Edward IV, Richard III and James I. More recent alumni include - John Betjeman, poet

Lord Alfred Douglas, poet

King Edward VIII

Malcolm Fraser, ex-Australian PM

William Hague, former Tory leader

Robert Hardy, actor

Ian Hislop, journalist

Nicholas Kristof, Pulitzer winner

TE Lawrence, archaeologist, army officer and diplomat better known as 'Lawrence of Arabia'

CS Lewis, writer

Dudley Moore, actor

George Osborne, former chancellor

Dr Erwin Schrodinger, physicist

Oscar Wilde, poet

AJP Taylor, historian

Jeremy Hunt, former health secretary

Andrew Lloyd-Webber, playwright. Advertisement

BBC TV presenter Richard Madeley asked: 'How can this make any sense when this queen has presided over the dismantling of what was left of empire?'

And Twitter user Samantha Smith added: 'The Queen was a pioneer of anti-racism in an era of widespread segregation and apartheid.

'Imagine trying to cancel the reigning monarch.'

Barrister Dinah Rose, who was appointed president of Magdalen College last year, emphasised that the students were not representative of the college, but supported their right to 'free speech and political debate'.

In a series of tweets, she said: 'Here are some facts about Magdalen College and HM the Queen.

'The Middle Common Room is an organisation of graduate students. They don't represent the College.

'A few years ago, in about 2013, they bought a print of a photo of the Queen to decorate their common room.

'They recently voted to take it down. Both of these decisions are their own to take, not the College's.

'Magdalen strongly supports free speech and political debate, and the MCR'S right to autonomy.

'Maybe they'll vote to put it up again, maybe they won't. Meanwhile, the photo will be safely stored.'

She finished: 'Being a student is about more than studying. It's about exploring and debating ideas. It's sometimes about provoking the older generation. Looks like that isn't so hard to do these days.'

Ms Rose also said college staff had been receiving abusive messages in the wake of the scandal.

'So if you are one of the people currently sending obscene and threatening messages to the College staff, you might consider pausing, and asking yourself whether that is really the best way to show your respect for the Queen,' she added.

Ms Rose was recently criticised for representing the Cayman Islands in a legal case in which the government opposed the legality of gay marriage. The lawyer has voiced her support for LGBT rights.

Twitter user Samantha Smith said: 'The Queen was a pioneer of anti-racism in an era of widespread segregation and apartheid. Imagine trying to cancel the reigning monarch'

How the Queen has helped change perceptions of Britain and the Royal Family During her reign, the Queen has overseen the growth of the Commonwealth - an organisation which aims to foster international co-operation and trade links between people all over the world. It has brought together dozens of countries, once under British rule, to be a unified, major global force for change. And in response to Harry and Meghan's explosive recent claims of institutionalised racism, the Queen is to appoint a diversity tsar to modernise the Monarchy. As part of a major drive encompassing Buckingham Palace, Clarence House and Kensington Palace, aides will undertake a 'listen and learn' exercise over the coming weeks which will involve speaking to a range of businesses and individuals about how the Monarchy can improve representation. Advertisement

On its website, Magdalen College Middle Common Room described itself as 'one of the biggest graduate communities of the traditional Oxford Colleges', with 200 members.

It states: 'Our graduates come from many different countries throughout the world, and have diverse interests, academic and otherwise.

'The MCR forms an integral part of the Magdalen graduate experience - not only do we organise social and cultural events for students so that we can make the utmost out of our time in Oxford, but we also provide a network of support for graduate life in representing the concerns of students to the College.'

Mr Williamson has been a vocal opponent of so called no-platforming of speakers on university campuses who hold controversial views.

In May, the Department for Education introduced new legislation to Parliament to protect the rights of visiting speakers through the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill.

If passed, the bill could see universities face fines if those invited to speak are cancelled as a result of their views.

For the first time, students' unions will also be required to take steps to protect the freedom of speech for both its members and visiting speakers.

The Office for Students (OfS), the higher education regulator in England, would have the power to impose fines on institutions if they breached this condition.

MailOnline has contacted Magdalen College (pictured) and members of the Middle Common Room executive committee for comment

Now black studies professor who sparked outrage by saying the Queen is the 'world's number one symbol of white supremacy' By Emer Scully A taxpayer-funded academic has labelled the Queen 'the number one symbol of white supremacy in the entire world'. Professor Kehinde Andrews, a campaigner who is regularly wheeled out on TV debates to air his divisive views, today said he did not know 'why it's such a big deal' Oxford University students voted to take down a picture of the Queen from their common room. Professor Kehinde Andrews on GMB today discussing the Magdalen row The professor of black studies at Birmingham City University - where senior lecturers receive an average base salary of 46,000 - has previously branded 'whiteness' a 'psychosis', called for the overthrow of 'genocidal' capitalism and repeatedly compared Sir Winston Churchill to Adolf Hitler. During a debate into whether the Queen had been cancelled today, Professor Andrews told Good Morning Britain: 'If we're honest the Queen doesn't just represent modern colonialism, the Queen is probably the number one symbol of white supremacy in the entire world. 'A born to rule elite of this really white family. The head of the commonwealth which is actually the empire.' Advertisement

Academics, students or visiting speakers will be able to seek compensation through the courts if they suffer loss from a breach of the free speech duties.

Mr Williamson said last month: 'Our legal system allows us to articulate views which others may disagree with as long as they don't meet the threshold of hate speech or inciting violence.

'This must be defended, nowhere more so than within our world-renowned universities.'

Mr Williamson said the measures were needed to counter 'the chilling effect of censorship on campus once and for all'.

During her reign, the Queen has overseen the growth of the Commonwealth - an organisation which aims to foster international co-operation and trade links between people all over the world.

It has brought together dozens of countries, once under British rule, to be a unified, major global force for change.

And in response to Harry and Meghan's explosive recent claims of institutionalised racism, the Queen is to appoint a diversity tsar to modernise the Monarchy.

As part of a major drive encompassing Buckingham Palace, Clarence House and Kensington Palace, aides will undertake a 'listen and learn' exercise over the coming weeks which will involve speaking to a range of businesses and individuals about how the Monarchy can improve representation.

The row at Magdalen comes after another university has apologised for sending staff a photograph of Prince Philip opening its library after it sparked complaints about the Duke's 'history of racist and sexist comments'.

Left-wingers working at King's College London reacted angrily to an email bulletin they received after the Duke's death in April, featuring a photograph of him opening the university's Maughan Library with the Queen in 2002.

Following weeks of simmering tensions, Joleen Clarke, the associate director at King's College libraries, sent out an extraordinary apology for the 'harm' caused by including the photo in her email.

'The picture was included as a historical reference point following his death,' she wrote last month.

'The inclusion of the picture was not intended to commemorate him.

'Through feedback and subsequent conversations, we have come to realise the harm that this caused members of our community, because of his history of racist and sexist comments. We are sorry to have caused this harm.'

Free speech campaigners and MPs condemned the apology, labelling it the latest example of a 'cancel culture' by woke activists on university campuses. Royal experts insisted it was wrong to accuse the Prince of being racist or sexist.

MailOnline has contacted Magdalen College and members of the Middle Common Room executive committee for comment.

From 'white supremacy' in the music curriculum to Cecil Rhodes's statue: The woke rows rumbling through Oxford's quadrangles Oxford University has found itself at the forefront of the culture wars at late, with 'woke' demands for change gaining extra momentum as Black Lives Matter protests arrived on Britain's shores. Recent rows include - Rhodes WON'T fall: College officials decide to keep statue after student protest The statue of Cecil Rhodes outside Oriel College The governing body of an Oxford University college last month rejected calls from an inquiry to tear down a statue of Cecil Rhodes. Oriel College's said they had decided not to remove the monument due to 'considerable obstacles', including financial costs and 'complex' planning processes It came after a long-running campaign demanding the removal of the British imperialist's monument. An independent inquiry to examine Rhodes' legacy was set up last June in the wake of BLM protests after the governing body 'expressed their wish' to remove the statue from outside the college. A majority of members on the Commission supported the college's original wish to remove the Rhodes' statue. But Oriel College said: 'In light of the considerable obstacles to removal, Oriel's governing body has decided not to begin the legal process for relocation of the memorials.' The Rhodes Must Fall campaign accused Oriel College of 'institutional racism' Music faculty considers reforms to address 'white hegemony' In March, Oxford was considering changes to the music curriculum, including alternative titles for courses, after certain staff raised concerns about the 'complicity in white supremacy' in the teaching of the subject. Professors were set to reform their music courses to move beyond the classic repertoire, which includes the likes of Beethoven and Mozart, in the wake of the BLM movement. University staff argued that the current curriculum focuses on 'white European music from the slave period', according to The Telegraph. The University of Oxford (Merton College pictured) was in March considering changes to the music curriculum, including alternative titles for courses, after certain staff raised concerns about the 'complicity in white supremacy' in the teaching of the subject Documents seen by the publication indicate proposed reforms to target undergraduate courses. It claimed that teaching musical notation had 'not shaken off its connection to its colonial past' and would be 'a slap in the face' to some students. And it added that musical skills should no longer be compulsory because the current repertoire's focus on 'white European music' causes 'students of colour great distress'. It is thought that music writing will also be reformed to be more inclusive. But the proposals caused upset among some faculty members who argued that it was unfair to accuse those teaching music from before 1900 of being concerned with just 'white'. College defies calls to remove statue of slave owner Christopher Codrington from its library after agreeing to change room's name All Souls College in January removed the name of an 18th century slave trader from its main library but defied calls to take down his statue (pictured) All Souls College in January removed the name of an 18th century slave trader from its main library but defied calls to take down his statue. The college reviewed its link to Christopher Codrington, a Barbados-born colonial governor, in the wake of last year's Black Lives Matter movement. The former fellow, who died in 1710, bequeathed 10,000 to the library which has since been unofficially known as the Codrington Library. A marble statue by Edward Cheere of the benefactor has been standing in the library for centuries and the college says it has no plans to take it down despite the clamour from students. The All Souls governing body said: 'Rather than seek to remove it the College will investigate further forms of memorialisation and contextualisation within the library, which will draw attention to the presence of enslaved people on the Codrington plantations, and will express the College's abhorrence of slavery.' Their review found that Codrington's wealth 'derived largely from his family's activities in the West Indies, where they owned plantations worked by enslaved people of African descent'. The college claims it has undertaken a number of measures to address the colonial legacy, including erecting a memorial plaque in memory of those who worked on the Caribbean plantations. The college's review found that Codrington's (pictured) wealth 'derived largely from his family's activities in the West Indies, where they owned plantations worked by enslaved people of African descent' Advertisement

Hartlepool council will put a sign on 'unfriendly' monkey statue which explains the local legend of a primate hanged as a French spy during Napoleonic wars - over fears it makes town 'unwelcoming' to tourists

Councillors have been accused of 'virtual-signalling gone crazy' after insisting on adding a plaque to Hartlepool's monkey statue over fears it could be used to depict the town as 'unfriendly to foreigners' in the wake of the Black Lives Matter protests.

Legend says the monkey was hanged as a French spy after being washed ashore at the seaside town in County Durham following a shipwreck during the Napoleonic Wars.

Hartlepool United's mascot is called H'Angus the Monkey in tribute, and a man wearing his costume was famously elected mayor of the town three times after standing on a platform of 'free bananas'.

But the monkey's statue - which is located in the town's marina and is thought to date back to the 1990s - will now be fitted with an explanatory plaque over fears it could be 'misused by those with differing agendas to portray Hartlepool as unfriendly towards foreigners'.

Legend says the monkey was hanged as a French spy after being washed ashore at the seaside town in County Durham following a shipwreck during the Napoleonic Wars. A statue of the animal is located in the town's marina

The conclusion was contained in a report - seen by The Telegraph - which was commissioned by Hartlepool Borough Council on links between statues and 'the slave trade, colonialism, and imperialism' began after the BLM protests.

Historian Dr Zareer Masani criticised the move: 'This is an example of tragedy ending as farce, virtue-signalling gone crazy.

'As this legend is probably a myth, will we be searching the Greek classics next for xenophobia?'

But Conservative Councillor Gordon Cranney said he had 'no objection' to the context of the monkey story being explained on a plaque to make it clear it had nothing to do with race.

He told MailOnline: 'It was a made up rumour. Hartlepool used to be split in two, West Hartlepool and then Old Hartlepool, so it was one mocking the other.

'Now we are classed as the monkey hangers. It has absolutely nothing to do with race - it's an old wives tale.

'So I've got no objections to the story being explained.'

The June 2020 report, which reviewed all monuments and street names, warned that the monkey statue - which includes a bowl to collect coins for a local hospice - 'could be perceived negatively by some'.

A new plaque is expected to make it clear that the incident is most 'not a factual event'.

The council declined to say whether it was concerned about the monument being used by BLM supporters to paint the town as racist, or by the far-right.

Hartlepool United's mascot is called H'Angus the Monkey in tribute, and a man wearing his costume was famously elected mayor of the town three times after standing on a platform of 'free bananas'

The primate hanged for being a spy: What is the Hartlepool monkey story and is there any truth to it? Hartlepool is famous as the place where a monkey was hanged by locals after being mistaken for a French spy, but whether the incident ever actually happened is up for debate. The story goes that the monkey was the only survivor from a shipwreck during the Napoleonic Wars, when fears of a French invasion were at their height. Having never seen a Frenchman before, locals mistook it for a 'hairy French spy' and put it to death on the beach. The legend led to the townsfolk being branded as 'monkey hangers', but they in turn embraced the story. But is it actually true? 'There is no evidence whatsoever that the people of Hartlepool hanged a monkey,' said Keith Gregson, a local historian, told the BBC. The story was first mentioned in a 1855 song by Edward 'Ned' Corvan, a Victorian travelling performer whose performances included mocking whichever town he was in. Some aspects of the legend appear to crib from another story about a baboon who is believed to have visited Newcastle with some Cossack soldiers in 1825. Hartlepool Borough Council itself accepts that the monkey story is 'not a factual event'. Advertisement

A spokesperson said: 'We are currently working on an interpretation of the Hartlepool monkey legend with the intention of installing an explanatory sign on the monkey statue at the Hartlepool Marina lock gates for the benefit of visitors

'The statue does not belong to the Council and is not on our land, but is believed to date back to the 1990s, a time when the Teesside Development Corporation was responsible for regenerating this area.

'We have not received any complaints about the statue, and in fact it helps raise around 2,000 a year for charity thanks to the coins deposited within it by visitors

'In putting up an explanatory sign, we intend to liaise closely with the marina's current owners, Hartlepool Marina Ltd.'

The council report made a number of other tendentious comments, including noting that a statue of Andy Capp, a comic strip character created by Reg Smythe, a local cartoonist, could be criticised for portraying a stereotypical northerner.

Street names mentioning Winston Churchill and Scouts founder Robert Baden-Powell were also mentioned over their beliefs on race. Admiral Lord Nelson and former Prime Minister William Gladstone were also referenced.

Hartlepool recently elected a Tory MP, Jill Mortimer, for the first time since the 1970s.

The fate of statues with links to colonialism or the slave trade has generated intense controversy after some were targeted by left-wing protesters.

A paint-spattered statue of slave trader Edward Colston was recently installed lying down at a Bristol museum after being torn down and thrown in the harbour during a pro-BLM protest last summer.

However, a statue of Cecil Rhodes above Oriel College in Oxford was recently spared the chop after officials noted 'considerable obstacles', including financial costs and 'complex' planning processes

An independent inquiry to examine Rhodes' legacy was set up in June in the wake of BLM protests after the governing body 'expressed their wish' to remove the statue from outside the college.

A majority of members on the Commission supported the college's original wish to remove the Rhodes' statue, but there was a substantial backlash from donors.

But Oriel College said: 'In light of the considerable obstacles to removal, Oriel's governing body has decided not to begin the legal process for relocation of the memorials.'

The Rhodes Must Fall campaign accused Oriel College of 'institutional racism'

The fate of statues with links to colonialism or the slave trade has generated intense controversy after some were targeted by left-wing protesters. A paint-spattered statue of slave trader Edward Colston was recently installed lying down at a Bristol museum after being torn down and thrown in the harbour during a pro-BLM protest last summer

It came as new Church of England guidance, published last month, urged churches and cathedrals to consider the history of their buildings and the physical artefacts and how it could impact their congregations' worship.

Churches that have already taken action include St Margaret's church in Rottingdean, Sussex, which has removed two 'deeply offensive' grave headstones which contained racial slurs.

St Peter's Church in Dorchester has also covered a plaque commemorating a plantation owner.
'Convoy For Palestine' activists are planning a new trip to London in male and female segregated buses just weeks after a group bearing Palestinian flags drove through Finchley yelling 'F*** the Jews, rape their daughters'.

In a poster, the group told fellow activists they would be providing separate male and female coaches at 20 per person for the journey this Saturday.

The buses are due to depart from Bradford and make stops in Sheffield and Leicester before arriving in the capital.

Activists will then join forces with the 'Justice for Palestine Protest' outside Downing Street at 1pm.

The Metropolitan Police told MailOnline they were 'aware of the planned convoy' and added that they were currently 'gathering intelligence'.

It comes just weeks after four people were arrested on suspicion of racially aggravated public order offences after footage showed a pro-Palestinian group drive through a Jewish community in north London while the passengers screamed 'f*** their mothers, f*** their daughters'.

'Convoy For Palestine' activists are planning a trip to London on Saturday in male and female segregated buses

It comes after a Pro-Palestinian group drove cars through a Jewish community in north London while the passengers screamed 'f*** their mothers, f*** their daughters'

In a leaflet advertising the latest convoy, shared on Instagram, organisers said: 'Join us on a convoy in support of standing up for the voiceless where we aim to bring every background, from every city within the UK together in solidarity for our brothers and sisters who have been oppressed for far too long.'

Conservative MP for Finchley and Golders Green Mike Freer said the issue has been raised with the area's Borough Commander, who will take 'appropriate action'.

Mr Freer told the JC: 'Reports of a planned repeat of last month's convoy are extremely concerning.

'The anti-Semitism on show that day was unacceptable. My constituents should not have to live in fear in their own homes and communities. Freedom of speech is not a freedom to intimidate.'

Dave Rich, Director of Policy National at Community Security Trust, told MailOnline: 'The practice of cars flying flags through Jewish neighbourhoods in London and elsewhere as a means of intimidation has become commonplace over the past month and it has to stop.

'The last time this particular convoy came to London it caused huge outrage and we have already received several calls about this weekend from Jewish people who are extremely alarmed and fearful. The impact on the Jewish community is enormously damaging and it would be better for all concerned if this convoy doesn't happen.'

A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police told MailOnline: 'We are aware of the planned convoy and are gathering intelligence to ensure a proportionate policing plan is in place.'

Last month, four men were arrested by on suspicion of racially aggravated public order offences for shouting anti-Semitic abuse while driving through a Jewish community in Finchley, North London

Last month, four men were arrested by on suspicion of racially aggravated public order offences for shouting anti-Semitic abuse while driving through a Jewish community in Finchley, North London, as part of a convoy that travelled 200 miles from Bradford.

Police stepped up patrols at synagogues as a result with Sadiq Khan saying there was 'no excuse' for racism.

Onlookers were left horrified on May 16 after the passengers yelled: '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.'

One of the men inside the car where the abuse was coming from had a shirt reading 'Blackburn'.

Mr Khan, who was recently re-elected as Mayor of London, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme at the time: 'Many of us feel quite strongly about what's happened in Israel and Gaza, what we can't do is use that as an excuse for any kind of anti-Semitism or hate crime.'

The mayor said he has been in contact with the Metropolitan Police Commissioner and the Deputy Commissioner and there will be an increased police presence in Jewish communities, synagogues and schools with the aim of trying to make people feel safe, but also to alert 'anybody who is involved in any race crimes that action will be taken'.

He added: 'It is important for us to realise the impact of this criminal behaviour has a ripple of fear effect on Jewish Londoners and those across the country. It is really important that we don't bring conflicts 3,000 miles away to the capital city.'

The Community Security Trust, a charity that monitors the security of the Jewish community, said the car rally had travelled down to attend a protest about Israel's ongoing military actions against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
The immigrant owner of a grocery chain in Minneapolis has spoken out against cancel culture after his business was attacked last summer over racist tweets his daughter made as a teenager.

Majdi Wadi, the founder and CEO of Holy Land brands, had to lay off 69 longtime employees last summer after furious social media backlash over his daughter Lianne's tweets from 2012, he revealed on Bari Weiss' new podcast.

Weiss, the former New York Times op-ed editor who quit the paper last year citing woke bullying, dubbed the incident a prime example of 'America's cultural revolution' on the first episode of her podcast series Honestly.

Lianne Wadi, who was then working for Holy Land as a catering director, apologized profusely for her old tweets and was fired by her dad, but it did nothing to stem the mob outrage at the family business, leading vendors to cancel $5 million in contracts and the landlord at one location to revoke the lease.

'This mob, they were very powerful in a way. For example, I remember a guy writing a tweet defending Holy Land, and saying, no Holy Land is a good family,' Majdi said.

'They attacked him and they cancelled him...this is what scared me the most. This is not what America's about,' he added.

Majdi Wadi (center), the founder and CEO of Holy Land brands in Minneapolis, fired his daughter Lianne (right) over her racist teenage tweets, but still lost millions over protests

Bari Weiss, the former New York Times op-ed editor who quit the paper last year, did an in-depth interview with Majdi for the first episode of her new podcast, Honestly

In the interview, Majdi told how he was born in Kuwait as a stateless Palestinian refugee, before immigrating to America in 1992 and building his business from scratch.

A multi-enterprise business, Holy Land runs several specialty grocery stores, a restaurant, bakery and catering service, and produces a popular brand of hummus that was sold by major retailers.

The saga with Majdi's daughter Lianne unfolded in the early days of June last year, when Minneapolis and the nation were roiled by video of George Floyd's murder by a police officer.

The Wadi family, like many others, was shocked by the footage, and responded by hanging BLM banners from their stores and donating food to demonstrators.

Lianne also joined Black Lives Matter protesters on the streets of Minneapolis to express outrage over Floyd's death -- but as she marched, her already-deleted tweets as a teenager mysteriously resurfaced.

The tweets expressed a noxious range of racist, anti-Jewish and anti-gay sentiments.

In one, she wrote, '#HighSchoolTaughtMe If your Somalian your automatically hated<3.'

She also said that a fake Hitler account 'reads my mind.' The original tweet said 'Top 3 races you wish to eliminate. Ready, go! Jews, blacks, and the fats.'

Holy Land was a popular multi-business brand in Minneapolis, and celebrity chef Guy Fiere even stopped by the family restaurant on his show Diners, Drive-ins and Dives

Last June, someone dug up Lianne's tweets from 2016, which she had already deleted, spurring furious protests targeting her family's business

With emotions already running high over Floyd's murder, BLM demonstrators channeled some of their fury against Holy Land, bombarding the company with nasty social media messages and phone calls, and even harassing customers and employees in the parking lot of the stores.

Lianne issued a groveling televised apology, telling WCCO-TV: 'I want to apologize from the bottom of my heart.'

'They were such, like, horrible and vile things, and that's not who I am. It's not what I believe in,' she said.

Still the outrage mounted, and Majdi responded by firing his daughter.

'I was facing a tough decision as a dad and as a CEO. As a dad I know who my daughter has become, but as a CEO for this company I have 189 families that live off my business, and if this demand from the people that they're sending us messages and calling, I give it to them although I feel it's not fair for my daughter,' Majdi recalled in the new interview.

'Hopefully this will calm the anger down, but still it did not,' he said. 'They have my home address in the social media... People asking other people to come attack where I live. I had to evacuate the home for 10 days, live in the secret place where nobody knows where my family is.'

Major vendors including Costco, Target, Sam's Club, Super Value dropped Holy Land products from their stores, costing the company $5 million in contracts, Wadi said.

The landlord at the chain's flagship location in Minneapolis' Midtown Global Market even revoked the company's lease, caving to fears that the building would be attacked.

The landlord at the chain's flagship location in Minneapolis' Midtown Global Market even revoked the company's lease

In the end Majdi had to lay off about a third of his employees, many of whom had been working for the company for 15 to 20 years.

Majdi said that the ordeal has taken a toll on his daughter, who found another job at a restaurant but was quickly hounded out when protesters discovered where she was working.

Now, Lianne is planning to move overseas to start a new life, he said. Majdi said he offered to hire her back at the family business, but she refused, fearing that Holy Land would suffer further fallout.

'She said, 'no I'm not going to come back.' She's beating herself up,' he said. 'She still believes that she's responsible for all the people who lost their job.'

'Honestly I'm so worried and concerned about her,' Majdi said of his daughter.

Majdi said he is speaking out because he is worried about the direction the country is going in.

'I say I am not here to defend these tweets, they are horrible, they do not represent who she is or who we are as a family,' he said.

But he said that his daughter and the family business do not deserve a 'life sentence' for the racist tweets she sent when she was 16 years old.

Majdi said he is speaking out because he is worried about the direction the country is going in

'If the police stop somebody for speeding, they cannot shoot him in the head. They cannot give him life sentence. It's a speeding ticket,' he said.

'Guys wake up please, the whole world is changing. And we have to stay united and to get together. Let's disagree, we have to disagree with each other from here to tomorrow, it's healthy,' said Majdi.

'America for me is not a place to collect money only. This is home. This is home, I'm gonna defend my home, I would give my life to defend my home,' he added.

In a commentary, Weiss stressed that she does not like the term cancel culture, saying it is overused, but expressed fear that the phenomenon of mob shaming on social media is having a profound chilling effect on America.

'The main goal is to send a message to everyone else: step out of line, and you're next,' said Weiss.

'Normal people who watch others attacked or expelled or demonized, they have a perfectly human response. They stay quiet,' she added.

'The threat of public shaming has been massively, enormously amazingly effective. It has led to an epidemic of self-silencing and fear,' she said. 'It's time to come out. It's time to speak honestly.'
An ex-pentagon official says that UFOs have repeatedly meddled with U.S. nuclear technology, even forcing some facilities to go offline.

Luis Elizondo, the former head of the Pentagon's Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program, told The Washington Post that UFOs or as they are officially identified UAPs (unidentified aerial phenomenon) have actually interfered with U.S. nuclear technology.

'Now in this country we've had incidents where these UAPs have interfered and actually brought offline our nuclear capabilities,' Elizondo said in an interview.

Elizondo was asked about several UFO sightings above secret nuclear weapons facilities and the fact that almost every major nuclear power across the globe has reported and declassified these sightings.

He said that the phenomenon is a national security 'concern,' and added that the same observation has been made in other countries, making it a 'global issue'

Luis Elizondo, (pictured) the former head of the Pentagon's Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program, said UFOs have interfered with U.S. nuclear technology

The Pentagon's UAP Task Force is set to reveal their findings when they submit a long-awaited report on UFOs to Congress on June 25

'There does seem to be some sort of congruency or some sort of intersection between these UAP or UFO sightings and our nuclear technology with nuclear propulsion, nuclear power generation, or nuclear weapons systems,' he said.

'Furthermore, those same observations have been seen overseas in other countries. They too have had the same incidents. So that tells us this is a global issue.'

Elizondo said some people have suggested that UFOs bringing U.S. nuclear capabilities offline could be interpreted as a sign that the unidentified objects are 'peaceful' but said in other countries the UFOs have actually turned on nuclear technology.

'So that is equally, for me, just as concerning,' he said of their interference either way. 'I think that there is certainly at this point enough data to demonstrate there is an interest in our nuclear technology, a potential to even interfere with that nuclear technology.'

Elizondo said that the pentagon's upcoming report will definitively state that UAPs are not U.S. technology, despite speculation

Public interest in UFOs has heightened after the release of Navy pilot footage that captured an' unidentified aerial phenomenon'

He added that considering the huge nuclear footprint the U.S. has- including nuclear-powered aircrafts, nuclear-powered submarines and nuclear-powered destroyers, there should be nothing surprising about increased interest by the UFOs.

Elizondo also told the Post that the Pentagon's upcoming report will definitively state that UAPs are not U.S. technology, despite speculation.

He said he believed the findings would conclude that they were also not Russian or Chinese technology either, saying that instead he believes it is 'next generation' technology, decades ahead of our own.

'You know, through observations we are, we are quite convinced that were dealing with a technology that is multigenerational, several generations ahead of what we consider next generation technology, so what we would consider beyond next generation technology,' he said. 'Something that could be anywhere between 50 to 1,000 years ahead of us.'

While UFOs have been sighted by civilians for decades, their existence was brushed off as nothing more than a conspiracy theory.

But public opinion has shifted in recent years, especially after video footage and pictures taken by U.S. Navy pilots between mid-2014 and March 2015, was leaked to the New York Times, three years ago.

The images showed a 30 to 40ft object, shaped like a Tic Tac, with no wings or rotors, yet able to hover, turn and accelerate through the sky at hypersonic speeds. The flabbergasted Navy pilots can be heard exclaiming in awe: Oh dude!

A New York Times also reported on a shadowy organization based at the Pentagon dedicated to reports of UFO sightings, the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program  AATIP.

The Pentagon's UAP Task Force is set to deliver its report on UFO sightings to Congress later this month, with some lawmakers pushing for the information to be made public.

NASA's new top administrator Bill Nelson is encouraging the agency's scientists to investigate unidentified flying objects as they see fit

The Pentagon's Director of National Intelligence is required to turn over a report on U.S. military sightings of UFOs to Congress on June 25.

An unclassified version will be made public, while a more detailed classified one will remain secret -- and anticipation has been mounting over what might be revealed.

Recently, 60 Minutes interviewed US Navy pilots who said they had seen inexplicable aircraft that flew faster and were more maneuverable that anything seen before.

Retired officials with access to classified intelligence have been cashing in on the fervor and drumming up the mystery.

'What is true - and I'm actually being serious here- is that there's footage and records of objects in the skies that we don't know exactly what they are,' former president Barack Obama said in a May 17 interview.

'There are a lot more sightings than have been made public,' John Ratcliffe, who was director of National Intelligence for the last eight months of Donald Trump's administration, said in March.

'There are instances where we don't have good explanations for some of the things that we've seen.'

Meanwhile, NASA's new top administrator is directing the agency's scientists to investigate unidentified flying objects, just a month after taking charge of the agency.

Bill Nelson, the former Florida senator who flew aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia, says there is no evidence yet that extraterrestrials have visited Earth, telling CNN on Thursday: 'I think I would know.'

But, as the Pentagon prepares to release a highly anticipated UFO report that does not rule out an extraterrestrial origin for high-profile military sightings, Nelson agrees that the possibility remains open.

'We don't know if it's extraterrestrial. We don't know if it's an enemy. We don't know if it's an optical phenomenon,' Nelson told CNN of encounters filmed by Navy pilots.

'We don't think [it's an optical phenomenon] because of the characteristics that those Navy jet pilots described ... And so the bottom line is, we want to know,' he said.
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Boris Johnson today gave the biggest hint yet that the June 21 'Freedom Day' will be pushed back because of the rapid spread of the Indian Covid variant as he admitted 'everybody can see cases are going up' and accepted there were 'arguments on both sides'.

The Prime Minister's comments mark a softening in his lockdown-ending stance after previously saying there is nothing in the data to suggest the date should be delayed.

It came after the UK recorded another 7,540 positive tests in the biggest week-on-week spike since February, as the mutant strain continues to spiral.

Speaking at the G7 summit in Cornwall the Prime Minister said: 'What everybody can see very clearly is that cases are going up and in some places hospitalisations are going up. What we need to assess is the extent to which the vaccine rollout, which has been phenomenal, has built up enough protection in the population in order for us to go ahead to the next stage.

'So that is what we will be looking at and there are arguments being made one way or another. But we will be driven by the data, we will be looking at that and setting it out on Monday.'

Just hours before Mr Johnson spoke, one of his top SAGE advisers Professor Neil Ferguson dashed hopes of the roadmap coming to an end in two weeks' time when he said scientists need up to three weeks of data before they can accurately work out how dangerous the Indian variant is and how bad the third wave could be.

The virus modelling expert, who has guided the Government through the pandemic and earned himself the nickname 'Professor Lockdown', said scientists still don't know how much faster the variant spreads, how much more deadly it is nor how big the third wave will be.

The chance that scientific advisers, ministers and Boris Johnson  who committed to 'data not dates'  will sign off on June 21 without this information is slim to none. An extra three weeks to collect the figures plus the PM's one-week notice for a change in restrictions suggests that, best case scenario, it will be early July before Step Four of the roadmap is taken.

Professor Ferguson said: 'It's well within the possibility that we could see another, third, wave at least comparable in terms of hospitalisations, as the second wave. At least deaths, I think, would certainly be lower. It's hard to judge.'

The Imperial College London epidemiologist said researchers need to see how many people are admitted to hospital and die as a result of the current surge in infections.

They believe it is around 60 per cent more transmissible than the Kent variant, more likely to put people in hospital and that vaccines work less well against it.

Britain's surge in cases today was 74 per cent higher than last Wednesday's. Another six deaths were recorded  down 50 per cent in a week  and 123 people were admitted to hospital last Thursday, the same as a week earlier.

There have now been more than 19,000 new cases in just three days and Professor Ferguson suggested the outbreak's doubling time could be less than a week, warning of 'quite fast doubling, comparable with what we saw before Christmas.'

The prolific SAGE member's warning is the closest thing to confirmation that Boris Johnson will delay the ending of social distancing laws planned for June 21, dubbed 'Freedom Day'. His ministers today took a 'wait and see' approach to questions about the roadmap and told people to hold off making summer plans.

Some remain optimistic, however, with Michael Gove saying he would put money on the June 21 schedule going ahead and Rishi Sunak quietly lobbying for it to happen  although he is reportedly resigned to accepting a short extension.

There is still hope that any delay will only be temporary  likely around a month or until the school holidays start in England at the end of July  and long enough to buy time for experts to collect more data and the NHS to give out more jabs. Bolton, the first area hit by the Delta strain, appears to have managed to control it without lockdown. NHS Providers chief Chris Hopson said if the same thing plays out in other areas the NHS should cope.

Boris Johnson (left) is expected to announce his decision about June 21 by Monday at the latest. Professor Neil Ferguson (right) warned it will be 'two to three weeks' until SAGE can work out how dangerous the Indian variant is, dealing a killer blows to hopes of lockdown ending

Professor Ferguson, commenting amid a week of swirling speculation about whether lockdown will end this week on schedule, said: 'There is a risk of a substantial third wave but we cannot be definitive about the scale of that.

'It could be substantially lower than the second wave or it could be of the same order of magnitude. And that, critically depends on how effective the vaccines still are protecting people against hospitalisation and death against the Delta variant, as well as a few other unknowns.

BIRMINGHAM AND BEDFORDSHIRE COULD BE NEXT HOTSPOTS Birmingham and Bedfordshire may be next in line for help to tackle the Indian variant after tougher guidance was issued to nearly 4million people in the North West yesterday, experts have said. Greater Manchester and Lancashire joined eight other areas where surge testing and tighter travel advice have been implemented to curb the spread of the mutant Delta strain. It means 28 councils are now subject to the guidelines, which has seen the Army drafted in to help give out tests and vaccines and residents urged not to leave the area and meet friends outdoors. But official data shows only six of the 10 areas to have spotted at least 150 cases of the Indian variant have been hit with the tougher advice, with Birmingham (223), Sefton in Merseyside (193), Nottingham (192) and Central Bedfordshire (183) yet to be added to the list. DARK RED/PURPLE = MORE INDIAN VARIANT CASES. Variant-tracking data from the Wellcome Sanger Institute shows that the now-dominant Indian 'Delta' strain is hotly focused in the North West of England, where the new restrictions are coming into place The Indian variant makes up more than 85 per cent of all new infections in Birmingham and is also dominant in the neighbouring areas of Walsall, Sandwell, Dudley and Wolverhampton which have each spotted at least 30 cases. Bedford has been subject to the advice since last month but Central Bedfordshire (183) has yet to be added to the list. The other borough in the county  Luton  has also seen 119 cases. For comparison, Lancaster  one of the boroughs to be affected by yesterday's update  has only spotted 11 cases, Public Health England data shows. Professor David Livermore, an epidemiologist at the University of East Anglia, told MailOnline the high case numbers and dominance of the strain in Birmingham and other areas means they will 'most likely' be put under similar guidance by No10. Advertisement

'One of the key things we want to resolve in the next few weeks is do we see an uptick in hospitalisations? We're seeing in some areas, but a consistent uptick or growth in hospitalisations to match the cases? And then what's the ratio between the two? Because vaccination has fundamentally changed that ratio.'

On ending lockdown completely he said: 'Clearly you have to be more cautious if you want measures to be irreversibly changed and relaxed, but the Government will decide in the next few days...

'One of the challenges in the last few weeks is case numbers have so much lower than they were back in December of last year when we resolved the transmission advantage of Alpha [Kent] over other variants. There by the time we realised what was going on Alpha was spread over a large proportion of the country and there were many thousands per week.'

On whether delaying June 21 would be a good idea, he said it was not his job to advise Government but added: 'Having a delay does make a difference because it allows more people to get second doses, and what we do know about this Delta variant is it has a bigger effect on efficacy after one dose than two.

'The PHE data suggest that first dose efficacy drops by about 20 per cent from somewhere between 50-60 per cent to 30-40 per cent if you're infected with the Delta variant. But the second dose efficacy stays higher. It's still affected but it doesn't drop by anywhere near as much.

'There would be benefits, from a purely public health point of view, in terms of protecting people and it would have an effect on transmission of having more weeks of people vaccinated...

'In two or three weeks we will be in a better position to refine those estimates and say this is what we would expect to see.'

Dr Wendy Barclay, a virologist at Imperial College London, added: 'Any delay, from a purely scientific basis, will help because it will allow more time for people to get the second dose.

'Just having it isnt enough, you need about seven days for the vaccine to really boost the immune response back up to the levels that wed like it to be.'

No10 is considering delaying the final stage of the roadmap out of lockdown following jittery warnings from top scientists about the spread of the mutant strain.

Some are pushing for restrictions to remain in place until as late as the start of English school holidays on July 23, hoping the move would give the NHS valuable extra time to ensure millions more over-50s are fully vaccinated and protected against the Delta variant.

But there are also hopes that the virus won't be as difficult to deal with as models suggest because vaccines are protecting millions of people from getting seriously ill.

If other local areas can follow the example of Bolton, which appears to have arrested the spread of the virus without using lockdown, the NHS is unlikely to get overwhelmed, Chris Hopson said.

The medical union boss told Times Radio: 'It's important not to just focus on the raw numbers here you also do need to look at who's being admitted into hospital and how clinically vulnerable and what level of acuity [illness] they've got.

'What chief executives are consistently telling us is that it is a much younger population that is coming in, they are less clinically vulnerable, they are less in need of critical care and therefore they're seeing what they believe is a significantly lower mortality rate which is, you know, borne out by the figures.

'So it's not just the numbers of people who are coming in, it's actually the level of harm and clinical risk.'

He added: 'Hospitals are very, very busy at the moment, they are incredibly busy, worryingly busy. And therefore if we do see even small numbers of Covid patients, we will have to make some trade-offs between Covid and non-Covid care.'

The Prime Minister is pictured arriving at Newquay Airport in Cornwall today. He is set to decide this week whether to go ahead with lifting lockdown rules for good in England

The number of people being admitted to hospital with Covid is increasing very slowly in the UK but a surge in cases over the past 10 days is expected to lead to a significant rise in admissions in the coming weeks. It will be this, Professor Ferguson said, that dictates how Britain moves forward into the third wave

Nick Scriven, immediate past president of the Society for Acute Medicine, told The Times: 'Across our hospitals staff are facing pressures much like those seen in mid-winter, with bed occupancy levels well above 90 per cent, which is dangerous and unsustainable.

'This is before we face any further rise in Covid patients, which would lead to a third wave for the south but, as it seems is often overlooked, a fourth for those in the north.

Andy Burnham calls for No10 to redirect Covid vaccine supplies to Greater Manchester' Andy Burnham has called for vaccine supplies to be diverted to Indian Covid variant hotspots including Greater Manchester to jab over-18s Greater Manchester's mayor Andy Burnham has today called for vaccine supplies to be redirected to his region and other Indian Covid variant hotspots to tackle the spread of the mutant strain. The former Labour MP, dubbed the 'King of the North', is urging ministers to open up jabs to over-18s in badly-hit areas to deal with surging cases. He argued surging supplies to the region would stop the spread of the Delta variant and offered the best hope of No10 being able to unlock fully on June 21. But a Government minister today dismissed Mr Burnham's calls to divert coronavirus vaccine supplies to areas including Greater Manchester and Lancashire. Four million people living in both areas were yesterday slapped with tougher guidance urging them not to leave the area and avoid meeting people indoors. Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick said No10 was 'going to stick with the advice' given to them by top scientific advisers regarding the roll-out. Currently the inoculation drive is only open to over-25s in England. But some areas have already begun offering jabs to over-18s, including in parts of Manchester. Asked about whether he wanted over-18s to be prioritised in the roll-out on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, he said: 'We absolutely would say surge vaccine supplies into high case areas, so not just Greater Manchester and Lancashire [but] other parts of the country. 'It makes much more sense to get on with the vaccination programme in June, then doing that later in the year or later because obviously the need is now to stop the spread of the virus. 'Of course it would slow the vaccination programme in other parts of the country where cases are lower.' Advertisement

'The worry is that hospitals are on a knife-edge but not necessarily a Covid one, with acute units on the brink due to very high numbers of patients being admitted due to chronic illnesses that have taken their toll over past lockdowns and, in many cases, are due to an inability to access urgent primary care.'

People in England making summer plans for after 'Freedom Day' were today told to 'wait until you've heard from the Prime Minister', in another hint that June 21 easings will be pushed back because of the Indian variant.

Cabinet minister Robert Jenrick today appeared to drop the biggest hint yet that England's final unlocking will be delayed, with cases 'clearly rising'. Yesterday Britain recorded the biggest week-on-week jump in infections since before Christmas, after the number of positive tests jumped by 90 per cent to 6,083.

Asked whether weddings with more than 30 guests will once again be allowed from June 21, he said: 'I wouldn't make plans until you have heard from the PM if that is important to you.

'We have always said that the roadmap is subject to review of the data. That is what is happening right now, so whether it is weddings or international travel or any of these other important topics, you always have to wait until the judgement is made on the basis of the data at the decision point.'

Weddings are one of the few areas of society yet to enjoy any freedom, with ceremonies currently capped to 30 guests in England. The final step of the roadmap will remove the limit, alongside allowing nightclubs to reopen and people to invite more than six others into their homes.

Boris Johnson is expected to confirm by Monday at the latest whether the June 21 plan will go ahead and he is running the roadmap timetable down to the wire, so far refusing to give any indication of what he will do.

Despite growing calls to delay the move, Michael Gove  who has called for a cautious approach to the roadmap  said he would 'bet on a relaxation' of the coronavirus rules on June 21 if he was a 'betting man'.

Meanwhile, Whitehall sources say Rishi Sunak  who is desperate for the PM to stick to the target date to get key sectors such as hospitality firing on all cylinders  could reluctantly accept an extension to lockdown but for no longer than 'a week or two'. But The Guardian claims the Chancellor would be willing to delay Freedom Day by a month, which could see it pushed back until July 19.

Other experts and Tory MPs have lined up to urge the Prime Minister not to delay the unlocking, saying people must learn to live with the virus and the NHS should be 'able to cope' with any surge from the Indian variant.

Dr David Nabarro, the World Health Organization's special envoy on Covid, said that 'life has to go on' when asked whether the Government should stick to its roadmap on BBC Radio 4's Today programme. But he added vaccines would not be enough and people would need to keep adapting their lifestyles to fight the disease.

Ministers yesterday ramped up support for Greater Manchester and parts of Lancashire, urging 4million people living in both areas not to leave the area and avoid meeting people indoors. Andy Burnham, Greater Manchester's mayor, said there was 'every reason to believe' the extra support will successfully curb the spread of the mutant strain.

The final batch of restrictions are due to be relaxed on June 21, but there are growing calls for the last round of easings to be delayed amid the rapid spread of the Indian variant, which is now dominant in the UK and at least 40 per cent more transmissible than the Kent strain of the virus.

NHS UNION BOSS SAYS HOSPITALS WILL 'COPE' IF OUTBREAKS SIMILAR TO BOLTON'S The NHS can cope with spikes in Indian variant cases without lockdowns if other areas have similar outbreaks to Bolton  the first place to be hit by the mutant strain, according to a health union boss. Chris Hopson, the chief of NHS Providers which represents hospitals across England, said today that the surge in cases and hospital admissions in the Greater Manchester town was manageable for its hospitals. Patients were generally younger and less sick than in the crippling second wave over the winter, he said, and the numbers of infected people coming in were lower and significantly fewer of them are dying. Vaccines appear to be doing a lot of the heavy lifting, Mr Hopson said, adding that they have broken the link between infections and 'very high' levels of hospital admissions and deaths in earlier waves of the virus. But he warned that if virus infections surged when the last lockdown restrictions are eased non-Covid care was likely to suffer. He told Times Radio 'we will have to make some trade-offs', adding: 'We know that if we do open up, there will be higher levels of hospitalisation and mortality, and are we prepared to take the risk?' Mr Hopson said: 'If  and it is a big if  if Bolton has gone through its complete cycle and if other areas follow Bolton, the view from the hospital there was that they were able to cope with the level of infections.' Advertisement

Mr Jenrick hinted to Sky News that June 21 could be pushed back, saying:'We created this five-week period between the stages of the road map and that has actually proved invaluable on this occasion, because it's a finely balanced decision.

'We need to see that data of cases, which are clearly rising, but the link to hospitalisations and ultimately to death.

'So the Prime Minister is reviewing that ahead of the decision point, which is going to be June 14  at that point of course he will let everybody know what the ultimate decision is.'

He added: 'We are going to take a cautious approach but if we can proceed with that reopening on the 21st of June of course all of us would love to see that, for our own lives and for the livelihoods that depend on that further reopening.'

The minister was also grilled on whether Britons would be able to holiday abroad this year, saying people should stick to the 'admittedly relatively small number of countries' on the 'green' list, and not travel to 'amber' or 'red' areas unless absolutely necessary.

'You shouldn't be booking holidays to countries that are currently on either the amber list or the red list,' he told the programme.

'You can go to the admittedly relatively small number of countries on the green list.

'Even there be aware that this isn't a normal summer for holidays, we are reviewing that list every three weeks and so I would advise people to look for travel operators who can offer flexibility, would be able to offer rescheduling or repayments if something changes.

'We would like to open up that green list to more countries but we have obviously got to do so cautiously.'

Only 11 countries and territories are on the green list, which includes no major travel destinations in Europe.

The Prime Minister was yesterday reported to be considering delaying June 21 by about two weeks to give extra time for all over-50s  who are most at risk of hospitalisation and death from the virus  to get their second dose of the Covid vaccine, and for it to take effect.

But some experts have called on him not to delay the unlocking. Asked whether June 21 should go ahead, Dr Nabarro suggested ministers should stick to the roadmap.

'It can't be just about restrictions  the future for humanity is going to require that we adapt our lifestyles so that we make it hard for this virus to spread,' he said.

The Army is being sent in to help with surge testing and health chiefs will have the power to enforce mandatory face masks in secondary schools. Pictured: The Royal Horse Artillery help out at a walk-in vaccination bus in Bolton town centre today

DARK RED/PURPLE = MORE INDIAN VARIANT CASES. Variant-tracking data from the Wellcome Sanger Institute shows that the now-dominant Indian 'Delta' strain is hotly focused in the North West of England, where the new restrictions are coming into place

'We know that the virus is constantly changing, which means that although vaccination is a marvellous marvellous asset, it's not going to be enough.

'We are going to have to continue to behave as though the virus is an ever present threat.

'So by all means, let the restrictions be released, but at the same time could I encourage everybody, everywhere to go on behaving carefully.

Eight out of 10 adults in England now have Covid antibodies Eight out of 10 adults in England now have signs of immunity to Covid from either a vaccine or having had the virus in the past. A regular blood-testing report from the Office for National Statistics found that 80.3 per cent of adults in England tested positive for coronavirus antibodies in the third week of May, up from 76 per cent at the end of April. Antibodies are virus-fighting proteins that give people immunity to the virus and should stop them from getting sick if they catch it, although they don't always give total protection. The country's huge vaccination programme, which yesterday started offering jabs to people in their 20s for the first time, is the driving force behind the surging numbers of people who show signs of immunity. Antibody positive levels are highest among older age groups who have had two doses but rising fast in younger adults, too Across the whole of the UK a total of 40.6million people have had at least one dose of a jab  more than three quarters of all adults  and 28.2m have had both jabs giving them the maximum possible protection. NHS bosses Sir Simon Stevens said on Monday that the vaccine rollout is entering 'the home straight' as health chiefs and Matt Hancock urged everyone to get a jab as soon as possible to help the country end lockdown rules. The ONS report said: 'There is a clear pattern between vaccination and testing positive for Covid-19 antibodies.' The ONS report showed that Wales had the most people testing positive for antibodies in the UK, with 83 per cent. In Scotland it was 73 per cent and Northern Ireland 80 per cent. Across the regions of England, positivity was highest in the East Midlands and the North West, with 80 per cent, and lowest in London with 76 per cent. Vaccine uptake is significantly lower in the capital, with only 68 per cent of adults having had a jab, compared to more than 76 per cent in every other region. Higher rates of infection in London in the first and second waves have boosted immunity, however, because most people also test positive if they have had coronavirus in the past. Advertisement

'At school, at the university, in the pub, in the restaurant, in the social club, the virus is still going to be around and it can come back with a huge surge, very, very quickly.'

Ministers yesterday announced extra support for Greater Manchester and parts of Lancashire to help the area curb the spread of the Indian variant.

Matt Hancock said the military would be brought in as part of the 'strengthened package of support'.

The Health Secretary also encouraged the up to six million people living in the area not to travel to other parts of the UK and get tested twice a week to help curb the spread the spread of the Indian variant.

He added that residents should try to work from home where possible, and that schools could reintroduce face coverings in communal areas if they were advised to do so by local directors of public health.

Mr Burnham has expressed support for the measures taken in his region and Lancashire.

He said the package was 'better than the way they went about it last year', adding it had a 'better chance of carrying the public with it'. 'We have every reason to believe it will be successful,' he said.

The Army will be sent in to help carry out surge testing to flush out cases of the virus, while NHS boards in the area will be given extra help to ensure vaccine uptake is as high as possible. Residents are also being asked to get tested twice a week.

Both Greater Manchester and Lancashire were added to the 'coronavirus restrictions' page of Government guidance under the heading 'If youre in an area where the new Covid-19 variant is spreading', alongside other parts of the North West, Leicester, Hounslow in London and North Tyneside. They cover a total of 5.7million people  around 10 per cent of England.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: 'We know that this approach can work, we've seen it work in south London and in Bolton in stopping a rise in the number of cases.'

Manchester's Mayor Andy Burnham insisted the guidance was 'not a lockdown'.

Specific areas included are:

In Lancashire: Rossendale, Hyndburn, Ribble Valley, Preston, South Ribble, Chorley, Pendle, Fylde, Lancaster, West Lancashire, Wyre, Burnley and Blackburn with Darwen.

In Greater Manchester: Manchester, Salford, Bury, Rochdale, Wigan, Oldham, Stockport, Trafford, Tameside and Bolton.

The same rules and advice were already in place in Blackburn, Bolton and Burnley, along with Kirklees, North Tyneside, Bedford, Leicester and the London borough of Hounslow.

The Army will go door-to-door in some areas to hand out swab kits, and schoolchildren will be helped to get tested.

Labs will test as many of the positives as possible to identify outbreaks of the Indian variant  although almost all cases are now expected to be caused by it. More than eight out of 10 cases in most of the affected areas have already been linked to the strain.

Vaccinations will also be boosted with extra capacity and supplies and appointments opened up to all adults, as happened unofficially in Bolton when it was the country's hotspot.

Mr Hancock said: 'I want to encourage everyone in Greater Manchester and Lancashire to get the tests on offer. We know that this approach can work  we have seen it work in South London and in Bolton in stopping a rise in the number of cases.

'This is the next stage of tackling the pandemic in Greater Manchester and in Lancashire, and of course, it is vital that people in these areas as everywhere, come forward and get the jab as soon as they are eligible.'

It comes as Chancellor Rishi Sunak was reportedly among a string of Cabinet ministers pressing Boris Johnson to stick to the target date, arguing there is a pressing need to get key sectors such as hospitality firing on all cylinders.

A Whitehall source said Mr Sunak could live with a delay of 'a week or two' but would resist any further slippage as this could involve extending the furlough scheme.

'I don't think he's in principle against a short delay if that is what is necessary,' the source said. 'If it is more than a week or two then that is problematic.'

Treasury sources said there were no plans to extend the furlough scheme, which continues in full until the end of this month. From July, employers will have to make a gradually increasing contribution until the scheme ends in September.

 Slide me  APRIL LEFT, MAY RIGHT: Graphs show the proportions of people in different age groups who show signs of immunity to coronavirus in blood tests. The levels are almost maxed out in elderly and middle-aged groups who were first to get vaccinated and have clearly risen in younger groups during May

It comes as eight out of 10 adults in England now have signs of immunity to Covid from either a vaccine or having had the virus in the past.

A regular blood-testing report from the Office for National Statistics found that 80.3 per cent of adults in England tested positive for coronavirus antibodies in the third week of May, up from 76 per cent at the end of April.

Antibodies are virus-fighting proteins that give people immunity to the virus and should stop them from getting sick if they catch it, although they don't always give total protection.

The country's huge vaccination programme, which yesterday started offering jabs to people in their 20s for the first time, is the driving force behind the surging numbers of people who show signs of immunity.

Across the whole of the UK a total of 40.6million people have had at least one dose of a jab  more than three quarters of all adults  and 28.2m have had both jabs giving them the maximum possible protection.

NHS bosses Sir Simon Stevens said on Monday that the vaccine rollout is entering 'the home straight' as health chiefs and Matt Hancock urged everyone to get a jab as soon as possible to help the country end lockdown rules.

The ONS report said: 'There is a clear pattern between vaccination and testing positive for Covid-19 antibodies.'

The ONS report showed that Wales had the most people testing positive for antibodies in the UK, with 83 per cent. In Scotland it was 73 per cent and Northern Ireland 80 per cent.

Across the regions of England, positivity was highest in the East Midlands and the North West, with 80 per cent, and lowest in London with 76 per cent.

Vaccine uptake is significantly lower in the capital, with only 68 per cent of adults having had a jab, compared to more than 76 per cent in every other region.

Higher rates of infection in London in the first and second waves have boosted immunity, however, because most people also test positive if they have had coronavirus in the past.

The age distribution of immunity is directly linked to the vaccine rollout, with higher rates in older people and lower ones among younger people who haven't yet had their jabs.

In over-50s in England, for example, more than 98 per cent of people showed signs of immunity.

In those aged 35 to 49 it was 78 per cent, in 25 to 34-year-olds it was 59 per cent and in under-25s it was 53 per cent.

Debate about the lifting of lockdown has intensified at the top of government following a surge in Covid cases.

Government scientists are understood to have warned ministers that daily cases are on course to be running at well over 10,000 a day by June 21.

Yesterday, daily cases topped 6,000 for the second time since mid-March. And there is concern that those who have had only one jab are at risk from the virulent Indian strain.

Matt Hancock told MPs on Monday that only three of the 126 people hospitalised by the Indian variant in the UK had been fully vaccinated. But a further 28 in hospital  just over a fifth of the total  had received one jab.

Mr Hancock and the Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty are said to have argued that a short delay would enable many more to gain the extra protection of a second jab. But Michael Gove, who is also urging caution, is said to believe Mr Johnson will press ahead with lifting at least some restrictions on June 21.

Downing Street said the Prime Minister wanted to see more data before announcing the decision on Monday.

Tory MPs urged Mr Johnson to overrule the scientists.

Former party leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith said: 'Scientists have got themselves into a frightened state where none of them want to be the one who says unlock because they are fearful they will be blamed if something goes wrong, even though there is no evidence that it will.

'They are drifting towards a zero Covid goal, which is unattainable, and the politicians have to take back control.'

Former Cabinet minister David Jones also warned against further delay. 'We cannot continue to live as we have for the last 15 months,' he said. At some stage we have to take our courage in our hands and start getting back to normal, and that stage is now.'

It comes after MailOnline analysis yesterday revealed all over-50s in England could be fully protected against Covid by July 1  nearly two weeks after 'freedom day on June 21.

The figures will boost calls for the Government to delay opening up all restrictions on June 21 for a fortnight in order to ensure the most vulnerable members of society have all had time for both doses to have had an effect.

Experts say the vaccine forecast supports the case for a delay in reopening because one dose of vaccine can be as little as 30 per cent effective against the Indian coronavirus variant that is now dominant in the UK.

Cases are currently rising by around 40 per cent a week and new infections will be well above 15,000 a day by June 21, although it remains to be seen if the full vaccination of older Britons will keep hospital occupancy low.

But opponents of a postponement believe the vaccines have successfully broken the link between cases and hospitalisations, and argue the economic cost of a delay would be greater than that caused by a third wave this summer.
Shocking footage has captured the moment a dolphin sank its teeth into a six-year-old boy's hand after mistaking it for food.

The unidentified child was bitten by the dolphin in Odessa, Ukraine, on Sunday after he held his hand over a pool at the Nemo Dolphinarium.

As he stands with his arm outstretched, video captures the dolphin as it leaps out of the water and bites down on the six-year-old boy's hand.

The boy, who was attempting to touch the mammal, was rushed to hospital with deep cuts and was given several stitches.

The unidentified child was bitten by the dolphin in Odessa, Ukraine, on Sunday after he held his hand over a pool at the Nemo Dolphinarium

As he stands with his arm outstretched, the dolphin leaps out of the water and bites down on the six-year-old boy's hand

According to the dolphin's trainer, the animal was not hungry or aggressive.

Officials added the incident took place after visitors were warned not to approach the edge of the pool or put their hands in the water.

The footage, filmed by the boy's mother, captures the child as he holds his palm above a pool in the Nemo Dolphinarium on Sunday.

Moments later, a dolphin jumps out of the water and sinks its teeth into the visitor's outstretched hand.

The terrified boy shouts in pain, and the mammal lets go of his limb.

Olena Komogorova, the Dolphinarium's head trainer, said: 'A hand, stretched above the water, means that somebody offers a treat.'

The terrified boy holds out his hand to the dolphin and shouts in pain as the mammal bites

The boy, who was attempting to pet the mammal, was rushed to hospital with deep cuts and was given several stitches

The boy's mother said her son held his hand above the water trying to stroke the dolphin.

Speaking with local media, the woman reportedly blamed herself for what happened and said she would not sue the aquarium.

The Dolphinarium administration is planning to strengthen its security measures following the incident, say local media.

Olena Komogorova (above), the Dolphinarium's head trainer, said: 'A hand, stretched above the water, means that somebody offers a treat'
President Joe Biden flies into the UK today for his first trip abroad since winning the White House, and the most significant test so far of his fledgling presidency.

Biden's made a big deal of not being Donald Trump and wanting the U.S. to pursue a more global, unifying, and diplomatic doctrine than his bombastic predecessor's nationalistic 'America First!' mantra.

His attendance at the G7 summit, to discuss the state of the world with other leaders from Britain, Germany, France, Italy, Japan and Canada, is being billed as his superpower nation's 'comeback into the international community' after the tempestuous Trump era.

And all eyes will be on Biden to see what exactly he wants to do about some of the biggest issues facing the planet including, of course, the coronavirus pandemic.

We'll also be watching closely to see how he navigates his meetings with the most polarizing and popular people in Britain.

The first thing Biden's expected to do on arrival in Cornwall is see Prime Minister Boris Johnson, the man who attracts equal measures of loathing and adoration after taking the UK out of the European Union, and the last thing he'll do before departing on Sunday is drop in at Windsor Castle to see the Queen who is arguably the most respected leader of any kind in the world.

All eyes will be on Biden to see what exactly he wants to do about some of the biggest issues facing the planet including, of course, the coronavirus pandemic. Pictured: President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden board Air Force One as they depart for the G-7 summit

The first thing Biden's expected to do on arrival in Cornwall is see Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Carbis Bay Hotel in Cornwall is one of the smallest locations ever to host the G7

Biden's attendance at the G7 summit, to discuss the state of the world with other leaders from Britain, Germany, France, Italy, Japan and Canada, is being billed as his superpower nation's 'comeback into the international community' after the tempestuous Trump era. Some of the G-7 delegates will stay at the hilltop Tregenna Castle Resort (pictured).

As a Brit who has spent a lot of time in both the United States and Cornwall, and someone who has met both Boris and Her Majesty on many occasions, I feel perfectly qualified to proffer some advice to the leader of the free world.

This, then, is my 10-point memo to the President which he would do well to ruminate over on Air Force One before he lands this evening.

1) First, some Cornish house rules: Don't tell the locals you're a big fan of Gordon Ramsay (who owns a house there but seems to infuriate the natives), vegan pasties or their 'cute small roads', don't say 'Alright me lover' to an attractive female resident in a thick pseudo-Cornish accent, and if you don't want to REALLY want p*ss them off, then for God's sake resist the temptation to muse that you're so charmed by the place you're thinking of buying a second home down there 'if I can find somewhere for all the Secret Service to stay.'

2) Please don't spew any woke nonsense while you're here. We've inherited enough ultra-liberal cancel culture bullsh*t from America already, thanks very much, and we definitely don't want to hear any presidential lectures about this summit being a great step forward for 'Peoplekind', or how awful Winston Churchill was, or why it's great news that the imminent Olympic Games in Japan will see the first transgender athlete (New Zealand weightlifter Laurel Hubbard, who used to compete as a man but will now compete, very unfairly, as a woman) and if Usain Bolt and Floyd Mayweather want to suddenly identify as women too then of course they should be allowed to race and fight against women born to female biological bodies.

Boris Johnson will try to bamboozle you with endless blathering bluster and buffoonery, interspersed with fancy Latin words and phrases to throw you off your linguistic game and make himself sound more intelligent. So, my firm advice is to get in first by whispering in his ear something to really disconcert him

3) Boris Johnson will try to bamboozle you with endless blathering bluster and buffoonery, interspersed with fancy Latin words and phrases to throw you off your linguistic game and make himself sound more intelligent. So, my firm advice is to get in first by whispering in his ear something to really disconcert him like 'Dulce periculum' ('Danger is sweet') or 'Estne volume in toga, Boris, an solum tibi libet me videre?' ('Is that a scroll in your toga, Boris, or are you just happy to see me?'). And just to really annoy him, start your joint press conference by saying how important the 'peculiari necessitudine' ('special relationship') is to you. Boris won't know what you mean and will think you're calling him peculiar.

4) You've just blown $6 trillion on a gigantic domestic spending spree so recklessly outlandish that it made Imelda Marcos look frugal. But the very last thing the G7 needs is for you to bully it into to committing to more insane expenditure like this at a time when the No1 global priority should be jabs and jobs. Get the world covid-vaccinated and get it back to work. Economic recovery will surely follow from that simple maxim, but not if you bet the G7 bank on the kind of green woke stuff you've been obsessing about in the U.S.

President Joe Biden flies into the UK today for his first trip abroad since winning the White House, and the most significant test so far of his fledgling presidency

5) Put the tech giants back in their box. Their power is as disturbing as their inability to pay taxes. Firms like Facebook, Google and Twitter have shown a ferocious determination to fleece us of our cash but an equally ferocious determination not to be properly accountable for what appears on their platforms. They need regulation of the kind that governs all other forms of publishing or broadcast media, and if they refuse to agree, then don't be afraid to break them up.

6) Stay out of Ireland. I know, I know, you've got Irish roots God knows you bang on about it enough. But when you were asked by a reporter 'Mr Biden, a quick word for the BBC?' and you responded, 'I'm Irish!' it's very clear where your priorities lie, and the very last thing Britain needs right now as it emerges from the bitter wreckage of the Brexit battle is an American president poking his meddling Remainer nose into the situation in the way that you've already shown a disconcerting keenness to do. And I say this as a man with Irish roots myself, who voted Remain. Your job is to calm the temperature of EU-Britain relations, not inflame them further by barking out orders that anger the victorious Brexiteers who will rightly say that the whole point of leaving the EU was to stop foreign powers bossing us around and telling us what to do.

When you meet the Queen, best not remind her that you publicly saluted Meghan Markle for her 'courage' after she trashed the Royal Family as a bunch of uncaring racists in her Oprah whine-athon

7) We need you to drive the G7 into a proper definitive strategy to wrestle the truth out of China about where and how Covid-19 started, and if that means imposing draconian sanctions on them until you get the free unfettered investigative access you need to places like the Wuhan Institute of Virology, then do it. The world's been brought to its knees by this pandemic, and China's lies and obfuscation about it indicate a deep level of state-controlled cover-up that must be demolished so the truth can finally emerge. And if it transpires that covid DID leak from that lab, then the G7 must agree to hammer China where it will really hurt them  right in the renminbis.

8) You've rightly made it clear that climate change is a massive priority for you, and one of your first actions as President was returning the U.S. to the Paris Agreement. But environmental bogeyman Trump was correct about one thing: you can have all the very costly virtue-signalling agreements you like but if mass polluters like China and India don't step up on emissions then it's all pretty pointless. What are you going to do to make them pay and cut their way to achieving their targets?

To make up to the Queen for your Markle-slathering treachery, can you find room in the hold of Air Force One for Matthew Katzman, the incredibly annoying woke-ravaged American nerd at Oxford University who tabled the motion to remove the Queen's portrait from the common room of Magdalen College

9) When you meet the Queen, best not remind her that you publicly saluted Meghan Markle for her 'courage' after she trashed the Royal Family as a bunch of uncaring racists in her Oprah whine-athon. Or maybe try a bit of old-fashioned grovelling if she brings it up? For all his faults, Donald Trump always vociferously backed the Queen, and saw right through Princess Pinocchio, and your shocking disloyalty won't have gone unnoticed in Palace quarters. I'd also steer clear of saying 'You must be thrilled Harry stole your late husband's affectionate nickname for you for his new baby, just after he criticized your parenting skills in a podcast?' Unless you want to be led straight to the Tower of London.

10) To make up to the Queen for your Markle-slathering treachery, can you find room in the hold of Air Force One for Matthew Katzman, the incredibly annoying woke-ravaged American nerd at Oxford University who tabled the motion to remove the Queen's portrait from the common room of Magdalen College because he thinks it's offensive? And then preferably drop the whiny insolent brat somewhere over the Atlantic?
Burger King has been accused of trying to profit off of Pride Month and attack its rival Chick-fil-A with a 'disingenuous' pledge to donate a fraction of sales from its new chicken sandwich to the pro-LGBTQ Human Rights Campaign.

The fast food brand announced the promotion last week on Twitter, writing: 'The #ChKing says LGBTQ+ rights! during #pride month (even on Sundays) your chicken sandwich craving can do good! we are making a donation* to @HRC for every Ch'King sold.'

Twitter users seized on the announcement and slammed Burger King for its not-so-veiled shot at Chick-fil-A, which is closed on Sundays for religious reasons and whose owner has a history of donating to anti-LGBTQ groups.

Critics also condemned the plan as a self-serving ploy for Burger King to make up ground in the so-called chicken sandwich wars.

They noted that while the promise to pass 40 cents per each chicken sandwich sold through June 30 appears generous on the surface - the maximum donation of $250,000 is only a drop in the ocean of Burger King's $1.6billion annual revenue.

Burger King has been accused of trying to profit off of Pride Month and attack its rival Chick-fil-A with a 'disingenuous' pledge to donate a fraction of sales from its new chicken sandwich to the pro-LGBTQ Human Rights Campaign

Burger King is promising to contribute to the Human Rights Campaign this month

'Reminder: Burger King is doing this because they get write offs for charity donations to avoid paying taxes, not because they give a s**t about what happens to those of us in the queer community,' one user tweeted on Tuesday.

Some people also called out Burger King for only doing this promotion during Pride Month.

'Awesome on you, but would be nice if you didn't put a cap on it or only donate during the month of the year when every business 'cares' about LGBTQ+,' one user donated.

Other people noted that a 40-cent donation on sandwiches that cost between four and five dollars doesn't amount to much, particularly with a $250,000 cap and high profits for the fast-food company.

'Thats nice but @BurgerKing made 1.6 BILLION in profits in 2020. They can afford more than 40. How about an even 50 & then $1 to cover paying employees a living wage?'

SFGate notes that the CEO of Restaurant Brands International, which owns Burger King, is worth at least $37.3million.

Additionally, the average hourly wage of a Burger King employee hovers around nine dollars.

Some also noted the financial implications linked to Burger King's donations

Some questioned why Burger King was only donating to HRC in June, though

In a statement to USA Today, a Burger King spokesperson said: 'This is a community we love dearly and have proudly supported over the years, so we couldnt miss an opportunity to take action and help shine a light on the important conversation happening.'

According to the HRC website, 'The Human Rights Campaign envisions a world where every member of the LGBTQ family has the freedom to live their truth without fear, and with equality under the law.'

Chick-fil-A owner Dan Cathy has made disparaging comments about same-sex marriage

The shot at Chick-fil-A was relatively obvious, as Burger King remarked specifically that Sunday sales would count. Chick-fil-A is closed on Sundays because of founder Truett Cathy's Christian faith.

Chick-fil-A has a well-known history of donating to anti-LGBTQ groups.

They announced in 2019 that they would stop donating to these groups.

This week, however, The Daily Beast reported that current Chick-fil-A owner Dan Cathy is among those donating to the National Christian Charitable Foundation (NCF).

That organization, in turn, is funding efforts to defeat the Equality Act, legislation that would make discrimination against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people in most settings illegal.

Dan Cathy has previously said that same-sex marriage could bring God's wrath on the country.

Another element to the controversy is a lawsuit Burger King is embroiled in involving an alleged anti-LGBTQ incident at one of their locations.

In October 2018, a gay man and transgender woman allege a South Beach Burger King employee used a gay slur before they were pepper-sprayed by a security guard.

In a lawsuit, Raymond Ortega and Toni Lleren said they were called 'f*****g f*****s' by a store employee, according to Miami New Times.

Ortega says he complained to a guard about the employee, which led to the pepper spray.

The February 2019 lawsuit alleges negligence by Burger King, as well as battery by the security guard. Ortega said he suffered a fractured jaw and busted ear while racking up about $14,000 in medical bills.

Burger King has defended itself, claiming the incident didn't rise to the level of a hate crime and that it 'was an unfortunate incident ... one that was brought on by Mr. Ortega.'

Burger King's new chicken sandwich 'Ch'King' is seen on display in May

DailyMail.com has reached out to the attorney representing Ortega and Lleren for an update on the lawsuit.

Many users did note that every donation counted and that Burger King appeared to have their heart in the right place.

'I have to say this is a corporate Pride event that doesn't feel cynical or half-assed. We don't need more corporate rainbow merch. We need real corporate allies. Thank you,' one user tweeted.
The chief executive of the Guardian Media Group (GMG) has quit just 15 months into the job with an expected payoff of 600,000.

Annette Thomas will leave the company this month and will be replaced by financial and operating officer Keith Underwood on an interim basis.

GMG is owned by the Scott Trust, the 1 billion endowment fund set up to bankroll the news organisation.

A recent report in the Daily Telegraph suggested tensions between Ms Thomas and Guardian editor Katharine Viner have risen over the direction of the publication and the power structure within the business.

It is believed that Ms Thomas and Ms Viner - who was elected to her position in 2015 following a poll of editorial staff - had clashed over the chief executive's attempts to bring in more revenue from the publication's online audience, The Times reports.

Their dispute was said to have been over whether the organisation could afford to invest further in journalism, with Ms Viner reported to have believed that it could, and Ms Thomas arguing for a more disciplined approach.

Annette Thomas (right) will leave the company this month. Recent reports suggested tensions between Ms Thomas and Guardian editor Katharine Viner (left) had risen over the direction of the publication and the power structure within the business

It is believed that Ms Thomas and Ms Viner - who was elected to her position in 2015 following a poll of editorial staff - had clashed over the chief executive's attempts to bring in more revenue from the publication's online audience. Pictured: The Guardian's King's Cross office

A source blamed a clash of personalities for the dispute between the two, who would reportedly escalate 'minor issues into big disagreements'.

Anette Thomas: The academic who oversaw reduced the Guardian's losses by 50% Anette Thomas joined the company in March 2020. Ms Thomas, who is from the US, has a doctorate in neuroscience from Yale and had spent decades in academic publishing before taking her position at GMC. She is a non-executive Trustee Fellow of the Yale Coropration and was a board member of Cambridge Assessment at the university's press. Ms Thomas, who describes herself as a 'mother and feminist' on her Twitter biography, earned her Bachelor's degree in Biochemistry and Biophysics from Harvard University between 1982 and 1986. She then went on to a five-year Doctor of Philosophy, Cell Biology and Neuroscience PhD at Yale. Reports had claimed staff at the Guardian had thought that either she or Katharine Viner would have to leave due to differences of opinion over the newspaper's direction. Ms Thomas had overseen a 'strong financial performance' in the 2020/21 year, having grown annual revenue and reduced operating losses by 50%, the Guardian press office said. Advertisement

American Ms Thomas, who has a doctorate in neuroscience from Yale, had spent decades in academic publishing before taking her position at GMC, while Ms Viner joined the Guardian in 1997 and worked her way up the ranks.

The source said: 'Annette is a high function corporate woman who's process driven and would expect to exercise full control. Kath is a Guardian lifer and a fully signed-up believer in its mission.'

Ms Thomas's decision to quit comes two months after the Scott Trust announced a review into GMG's governance and structures.

The departing boss said: 'After a significant turnaround year, having put a new strategic plan and a high-calibre team in place, substantially increasing our focus on journalism and digital recurring reader revenues, I have decided to step down from the role of chief executive, as the current governance and structures need more time to fully evolve to support the implementation of the reader-centric strategic plan.'

According to reports, the complex structure at GMG has contributed to tensions over who is in charge and how the Guardian should proceed.

Ms Thomas was said to favour a more prudent approach after losses were staunched by pandemic job cuts, while Ms Viner, who reports to the Scott Trust, rather than GMG, is viewed as pushing for reinvestment into the newsroom.

GMG chairman Neil Berkett said: 'We have a clear strategy and a strong management team in place.

'Despite the difficulties caused by coronavirus, Guardian and Observer journalism has never been stronger or more relevant and our long-term commitment to trusted reader relationships is beginning to power our growth.

'The board will continue to support Keith Underwood, Katharine Viner and the wider management team to achieve our long-term goals.'
The president of the Palestinian Authority allegedly approved a $42,000 (30,000) payment to the family of a killer who stabbed two Israelis to death in 2015.

The payment came after U.S. President Joe Biden's administration sent a $112 million aid package to the Gaza strip following last month's conflict.

Palestinian National Authority President Mahmoud Abbas reportedly sent a district governor of Ramallah, Laila Ghannam, to personally deliver cash this week to the family of Muhannad Al-Halabi.

Palestinian National Authority President Mahmoud Abbas [file photo, 2018] reportedly sent a district governor of Ramallah, Laila Ghannam, to personally deliver cash this week to the family of Muhannad Al-Halabi

Al-Halabi was part of the terrorist group Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and stabbed and killed two Israeli citizens in 2015, according to Fox News.

According to a report from the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), the payment was 'on behalf of Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas to "complete the payment of the cost" of their home' which Israel demolished after the attack.

The Washington Free Beacon was the first to flag the report from the MEMRI.

'The governor stressed that the meeting was being held on instructions from Abbas, who had ordered [Ghannam] to handle the issue of the house 'in order to preserve the dignity of the family,' the MEMRI wrote.

'Ghannam thanked Abbas, who she said 'attributes special importance to the families of the martyrs, prisoners and fighters' and is 'like a compassionate father to all our [Palestinian] people.'

In 2015, Al-Halabi stabbed two Israeli citizens to death before he was killed by police.

Left: Pictured: Muhannad Al-Halabi, who stabbed two Israeli citizens to death before he was killed by police. Right: District governor of Ramallah, Laila Ghannam, who reportedly personally delivered the cash to Al-Halabi's family

The Palestinian Authority runs a 'Palestinian Authority Martyrs Fund' that pays monthly cash stipends to the families of Palestinians killed, injured, or imprisoned while carrying out politically motivated violence against Israel.

Criticised by some as a 'pay to slay' scheme that supports terrorism, the fund has received hundreds of millions of dollars in funding from the Palestinian government, according to the U.S. State Department.

The payment from Abbas came after the Biden administration announced a $112 million (85 million) aid package to the Gaza Strip last month.

The enclave found to the south-west of Israel is controlled by the Palestinian Authority-backed terror group Hamas.

Abbas has previously told Western leaders that his government does not have any formal involvement with militants or terror organisations, and has denied that he is supporting the so-called 'pay-to-slay' programmes.

The $112 million aid package was announced by the U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken during a tour of the Gaza Strup after recent clahses between Israel and Hamas.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken boards his plane upon departure from Queen Alia International Airport, May 27, 2021, in Amman, Jordan following his visit to Gaza. The $112 million aid package was announced by the U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken during a tour of the Gaza Strup after recent clahses between Israel and Hamas

Israel's Iron Dome missile defence system (left) intercepts rockets (right) fired by the Hamas movement from Gaza city towards Israel early on May 16, 2021

Israel carried out hundreds of airstrikes on Gaza during the 11-day war, in which Hamas and other militant groups fired more than 4,000 rockets at Israel.

At least 254 people were killed in Gaza, including 67 children and 39 women. according to the Gaza health ministry.

Hamas has acknowledged the deaths of 80 militants. Twelve civilians, including two children, were killed in Israel, along with one soldier.
When Vega-Cruzs car came to a stop, Eulizier exited his police vehicle and ran out onto the roadway, repeatedly yelling show me your hands. He stepped in front of the car as Vega-Cruz was trying to drive away and fired at least two shots into the windshield, hitting him once in the head. Vega-Cruz died two days later.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez insisted Wednesday that President Joe Biden and the Senate Democrats would be 'setting the planet on fire' if they kept 'playing patty-cake' with the GOP by removing climate proposals from the $1 trillion infrastructure plan.

The New York Democrat shared a tweet from Sen. Martin Heinrich, a New Mexico Democrat, that warned, 'An infrastructure package that goes light on climate and clean energy should not count on every Democratic vote.'

'Yep,' AOC said, adding, 'Mitch McConnell and the Koch brothers are not worth setting the planet on fire for.'

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez suggested Democrats could withhold their votes on President Joe Biden's infrastructure package if climate change proposals are removed

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez dashed off two tweets agreeing with Sen. Martin Heinrich that an infrastructure package that 'goes light on climate and green energy' proposals may not attract every Democratic vote

AOC also tweeted Wednesday that President Joe Biden and Senate Democrats should assess whether it's worth 'playing patty-cake' with GOP senators, as they've threatened to block voting rights legislation and want a narrower infrastructure bill

'I know some Dems may disagree with me, but that's my unpopular opinion of the day,' Ocasio-Cortez continued.

She also blasted the Biden administration's continued push for bipartisanship.

'Pres. Biden & Senate Dems should take a step back and ask themselves if playing patty-cake w GOP Senators is really worth the dismantling of people's voting rights, setting the planet on fire, allowing massive corporations and the wealthy to not pay their fair share of taxes, etc,' Ocasio-Cortez wrote.

AOC was joining a chorus of progressives in Congress who were warning Biden that every Democratic vote may not be guaranteed.

Heinrich had linked to Politico's interview with Biden's National Climate Adviser Gina McCarthy that was headlined, 'Infrastructure plan could omit some climate proposals.'

Sen. Brian Schatz, a Democrat from Hawaii, shared the same interview on Twitter.

'Just a gentle, friendly reminder that the executive branch doesn't write the bills,' Schatz said.

The more moderate Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet also suggested he could hold out his vote if climate change proposals are omitted.

'Colorado and New Mexico share a watershed. I agree wholeheartedly with my friend [Sen. Martin Heinrich],' Bennet tweeted.

AOC has made climate change one of her key issues, rolling out a 'Green New Deal' proposal during her first weeks in office in 2019.
Ashli Babbit's family are suing Washington, DC, police for records about the police officer who shot and killed her during the January 6 Capitol riots.

The civil lawsuit, which was filed in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia last week, demands that the Metropolitan Police Department hand over all video footage of the fatal shooting, as well as witness statements and documents gathered during the department's internal investigation into the shooting.

It comes more than a month after the Department of Justice announced it would not pursue criminal charges against the Capitol police officer responsible for Babbitt's death.

The civil lawsuit is separate from a $10million wrongful death lawsuit Babbitt's family announced they were preparing to file last month.

Ashli Babbit's family are suing Washington, DC, police for records about the police officer who shot and killed her during the January 6 Capitol riots

According to the lawsuit, which was obtained by CNBC, Babbitt's husband filed a Freedom of Information Act request for the records from the Metropolitan Police Department after the Department of Justice concluded in mid-April that the unnamed police officer did not use excessive force against Babbitt in her death.

It claims the police department failed to comply with the request by missing the May 12 deadline to either provide him with the records or notify him that he would not be given access to them.

Babbitt family attorney Terrell Roberts told CNBC the purpose of the lawsuit is to uncover records about the shooting and the investigation that followed.

Video footage from the riots, which was a failed bid to stop Congress from certifying President Joe Biden's election victory, showed Babbitt (top right) trying to enter the Speaker's Lobby through the broken door

The Metropolitan Police Department's Internal Affairs Division, along with two other civil rights offices within the US Attorney's Office conducted the investigation, the Department of Justice announced in mid-April, by sifting through video footage posted to social media, Babbitt's autopsy results and statements from the officer who fired the gun as well as others who were on the scene.

'Based on that investigation, officials determined that there is insufficient evidence to support a criminal prosecution,' the Department of Justice reported.

'Specifically, the investigation revealed no evidence to establish that, at the time the officer fired a single shot at Ms. Babbitt, the officer did not reasonably believe that it was necessary to do so in self-defense.'

Roberts, however, disagreed with that assessment.

'The actual evidence is this: the officer shot an unarmed woman who was not an immediate threat to him or any member of Congress,' Roberts previously told CNBC. 'That is inconsistent with any claim of self-defense or the defense of others, period.'

He said he and the family 'strongly disagree with the U.S. Attorney's decision, but we are not dissuaded from our goal of ultimately vindicating Ashli Babbitt's constitutional rights in the civil arena.'

The family is now planning on filing another lawsuit against the police department, alleging the police violated Babbitt's constitutional right against excessive force and 'possibly failure to train, discipline and supervise the officer who killed Babbitt,' Roberts told CNBC.

They will seek 'an amount well above $10million' in recovery from losses.

Her family is now seeking all of the records related to her death as well as all of the documents used in the Metropolitan Police Department's internal investigation into her fatal shooting

The investigation found an officer shot her in her left shoulder and she fell backwards. An emergency response team was then deployed to tend to her wounds

Babbitt, a 35-year-old Air Force veteran, was one of hundreds of former-President Donald Trump supporters who stormed the Capitol on January 6 in an effort to prevent Congress from certifying the results of the 2020 presidential election.

They started at a rally nearby, and broke-into the Capitol, breaching perimeters set by the Capitol Police Department, shortly after Trump told his followers they should pressure Republicans not to accept the results of the election.

Ashli Babbitt, a 35-year-old Air Force veteran from San Diego, was shot and killed when she and other Trump supporters stormed the Capitol on January 6

According to the Department of Justice, Babbitt was part of a group of protestors that managed to force their way into a hallway outside the Speaker's Lobby, which leads directly to the House Chamber.

She tried to climb head-first through the broken glass window of a door separating the hallway from the lobby, which was barricaded from the inside with furniture, the department claimed in mid-April, following its investigation into Babbitt's death.

Other members of the group tried to break through the doors 'by striking them and breaking the glass with their hands, flagpoles, helmets and other objects,' the Department of Justice said, and the U.S. Capitol Police had to evacuate members of Congress stuck inside.

One of the officers inside the lobby then fired one round from his service pistol, the department said, striking her once in her left shoulder, and causing her to fall backward onto the floor.

An emergency response team was deployed to tend to her wounds, the department concluded, before she was transported to Washington Hospital Center, where she was pronounced dead.

Babbitt has since become a martyr for Trump supporters, with some raising over $90,000 for a memorial to her, and a pro-Babbitt group clashing with Breonna Taylor supporters in California over the weekend.

An initial scheduling conference for the lawsuit is scheduled for September 3.

Supporters of former President Donald Trump broke through the barriers of the Capitol on January 6 in an effort to prevent Congress from certifying the results of the 2020 election
The Transportation Security Administration is so short on bodies that it's asking desk workers to help move things along amid staffing shortages at 235 airports across the country.

Office workers were asked to volunteer at checkpoints on June 1 for at least 45 days, according to a May 30 memo obtained by the Washington Post.

The employees will not screen passengers, but will instead help officers manage the daunting lines that plague airports across the country as travel climbs back up post-pandemic.

On Tuesday, TSA screened 1.56 million passengers, up from 338,000 on June 8, 2020

Airports have been slammed as re-openings and vaccines encourage people to resume travel

Passenger counts have skyrocketed with vaccines making people more comfortable traveling and congregating in large groups, but the current demand for air travel has stretched the TSA thin.

'With this increase in volume, TSA must maintain operational readiness and ensure that the screening workforce is available to perform screening functions,' acting TSA head Darby LaJoye wrote in the memo.

On Tuesday, the TSA screened 1.56 million passengers, up from a measly 338,382 in June 8, 2020.

But travel volume isn't nearly where it used to be pre-COVID.

On June 8, 2019, the TSA scanned the bags of more than 2.4 million passengers.

Passengers are complaining of long lines that leave them exasperated and anxious.

TSA head Darby LaJoye said the new 'increase in volume' is forcing agency to 'ensure that the screening workforce is available,' according to a May 30 memo

Passengers have taken to Twitter in recent days to complain of shortages at TSA checkpoints

The Transportation Security Administration was down 2,500 officers heading into June

The agency wants to add another 3,000 employees by the end of summer

'I have NEVER been more happy to have TSA pre check than today...holy smokes the lines at CLT,' wrote NASCAR driver Garrett Smithley on Tuesday.

'On both ends of my trip (departing SAT and OKC) airport security lines have been massive. Pre helped both times but hoping the capacity of staff gets increased before summer travel booms even more,' wrote a user by the name Maiya C-Y Edelson.

On June 5, American Airlines said hundreds of people missed their flights because there werent enough TSA workers at Charlotte Douglas International Airport, according to WBTV.

One traveler told the station she now gets to the airport 'three hours early' to avoid any drama.

Some travelers have said they now arrive at airports as early as three hours before their flight

The Biden administration has pledged to raise pay for 'essential' TSA workers. Above, a TSA agent screens a passenger at Chicago O'Hare International Airport in October

The TSA was short 2,500 officers heading into June.

The federal agency, part of the US Department of Homeland Security, says it wants another 3,000 employees by the end of summer in a bid to fulfill an earlier goal of adding 6,000 new workers by the end of September.

They have also identified 235 airports that were short-staffed by at least 5 percent.

At those airports, officers will be eligible for monthly $500 bonuses as an 'incentive' for them to 'successfully perform their operations,' according to a memo.

In a statement released June 3, Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas promised to expand 'collective bargaining' for TSA workers and to increase their pay to 'improve morale and retention of these essential workers.'

In a statement, the TSA said it's 'well positioned' to meet the current upswing in travel.

'The agency began a concerted recruitment effort this past winter in anticipation of increasing volumes and is on pace with established benchmarks to meet hiring goals.'
Democratic governors risk their states falling further behind red states as they rebuild from COVID-19 if they don't immediately halt President Biden's $300 weekly unemployment payments, according to a new study.

It found that in 21 states households that qualify can receive a maximum wage worth $25 an hour in cash without working thanks to a host of payments.

The benefits are under intense scrutiny as economists grapple with a sluggish labor markets despite lockdowns ending and broad vaccine distribution.

Some 25 states - all with Republican governors - have announced they will end the payments as soon as next week.

But Steven Moore, who was President Trump's pick for a seat on the Federal Reserve Board before dropping out, said blue states were in greater need of a lift.

'Right now in America, blue states have unemployment rates that are about roughly two percentage points higher than red states,' he said.

Rising job vacancies are being used by opponents of extra unemployment benefits to argue that it is time for President Biden to end subsidies they believe act as a disincentive to seeking work as stores and businesses reopen

Economist Steven Moore called for more states to end President Biden's $300 supplementary unemployment benefit, which he said was a disincentive for people to seek work

In May the U.S. economy added 559,000 jobs under the 675,000 jobs economists predicted, but better than April's showing of 266,000 workers

'So if any state should be cutting the extra unemployment benefits it should be the blue states to get people back on the job, and that isn't happening.'

Latest Bureau of Labor Statistics figures show 9.3 million unfilled jobs in America at a time when some nine million people are listed as unemployed.

Small businesses complain they cannot attract workers.

Congress passed Biden's $1.9 trillion American Rescue in March, extending Biden's $300 supplement until September.

But since then, 25 states announced they would suspend the payments in June or July, citing the slow return of workers to the jobs market.

The new report spells out the impact of the payments. Authors Moore, Casey Mulligan, who was chief economist at the White House Council of Economic Advisers under President Trump and Antoni, of the Texas Public Policy Foundation, claim that in 19 states the benefits are equivalent to a $100,000 income for a family of four with two unemployed parents.

When COVID closures were at their height last year there was no disincentive to work, they write in a paper for the Committee to Unleash Prosperity.

'Whether those policies made sense or not a year ago, what is clear is that today, America faces the opposite problem,' they continue.

'Demand for workers is very high with the pandemic close to being completely behind us and businesses reopening.

'Labor shortages are now an economic growth deterrent, and, in most states, jobs are widely available in most professions.'

The most recent jobs report showed that employers added 559,000 jobs in May, short of Wall Street forecasts. It was the second time in a row that numbers failed to meet expectations.

Rep. Jackie Walorski, who sits on the House Ways and Means Committee, said even Biden had now admitted it was time for the extra benefits to end.

'So after two dismal monthly job reports and with more than 9 million job openings left unfilled across the country President Biden even said it makes sense to end these enhanced benefits when they expire in early September,' she said.

'We of course would love for them to expire today.'

Last week the president said they had done their job and would expire as planned.

'A temporary boost in unemployment benefits that we enacted helped people who lost their jobs through no fault of their own, and who still may be in the process of getting vaccinated," he said during a visit to Delaware.

'But it's going to expire in 90 days - it makes sense it expires in 90 days.'
Socialite Jasmine Hartin was smuggled out of a Belize jail under a blanket Wednesday after she posted bail of 30,000 Belizean dollars - equivalent to $15,000 - over the shooting death of a top cop.

Hartin, 32, was exclusively photographed by DailyMail.com leaving Hattieville Prison in Belize and clambering into a waiting vehicle which quickly sped away.

The mom-of-two, whose partner, Andrew Ashcroft, is the son of influential British billionaire, Lord Michael Ashcroft, was flanked by prison guards as she exited the facility and hid her face under a white sheet.

Her release came as she posted bond after a judge ruled she was not a flight risk and could return home to her two four-year-old twins.

In a court hearing Wednesday, the court heard how she had accidentally shot dead Superintendent Henry Jemmott as she practiced reloading his service weapon during a late night drinking session.

Socialite Jasmine Hartin was smuggled out of a Belize jail under a blanket Wednesday after she posted bail of 30,000 Belizean dollars - equivalent to $15,000 - over the shooting death of a top cop

Hartin, 32, was exclusively photographed by DailyMail.com leaving Hattieville Prison in Belize

The socialite clambered into a waiting vehicle which quickly sped away from the jail

Hartin was arrested for 'accidentally' shooting dead police superintendent Henry Jemmott with his own service weapon

Jemmott, 42, was found floating dead beside a pier on the upscale vacation island of San Pedro in the early hours of May 28.

Hartin was arrested that day and had been held behind bars ever since at the notorious Belize Central Prison, which once featured on the Netflix documentary 'Inside the World's Toughest Prisons.'.

She was charged with manslaughter by negligence, the least serious charge she could have faced and one that will likely result in just a fine or a maximum of nine months' imprisonment.

Under the terms of her bail, she will have to report daily to a police station, adhere to a curfew, surrender her ID and passport and will require permission from the court to travel.

Hartins attorney Godfrey Smith, Belize's former Attorney General, said outside court earlier that the judge rejected arguments she was a flight risk.

'There were very long arguments. But in the end the judge felt that there was not an unacceptable risk of flight once the appropriate conditions could be put in place,' Smith said.

At the bail hearing to determine whether the mother-of-two should be released, Belizean prosecutor Shanice Lovell said Hartin had indicated to police she was drinking and downing shots before Jemmott, 42, let her handle his gun.

'After a while he said let's head back inside and asked me to hand back the magazine. I struggled with it, trying to get the magazine back in, and it discharged,' Hartin told investigators in an extract from her sworn statement read out at the country's Supreme Court.

Hartin's blonde hair is seen as she is surrounded by guards on leaving the prison in Belize

The mom-of-two, whose partner, Andrew Ashcroft, is the son of influential British billionaire, Lord Michael Ashcroft, was flanked by prison guards as she exited the facility

She hid her face under a white sheet. Her release came as she posted bond after a judge ruled she was not a flight risk and could return home to her two four-year-old twins

Hartin, a 32-year-old Canadian national, joined the hearing by zoom from a cellblock in Belize Central Prison, where she has been locked up for the past eight days.

However she did not speak and the video screen was angled so her face could not be seen by Jemmott's grieving sister Marie Tzul Jemmott and nephew Mark Tzul, who were sat in the public gallery.

'The petitioner used a dangerous weapon while under the influence of alcohol. Her subsequent use of that weapon therefore resulted in a loss of life,' Lovell told Justice Herbert Lloyd.

She argued the seriousness of the charge 'was not diminished' by suggestions Jemmott, a father-of five and 24-year police veteran was negligent in letting an unlicensed person handle his gun.

The court heard that Hartin accidentally killed Jemmott as she practiced reloading his service weapon during a late night drinking session

'The petitioner is a person of means and vast resources. As such it's likely she would leave the jurisdiction without so much as a backward glance,' Lovell added.

Hartin's attorney, Godfrey Smith, questioned whether it was legal for Jemmott to possess a firearm while off duty and drinking.

He also told the court that 'the deceased had allowed the petitioner to handle his firearm the previous week.'

Smith said Belizean law dictates that Hartin should be bailed unless there is an unacceptable risk of her absconding.

'It would defy logic' for her to flee, given her likely punishment may just be a fine, he told Justice Lloyd.

'On the morning in question of the incident, Jemmott allowed Jasmine to handle his service firearm and asked her to hand it to him. Not to impugn the character of the deceased, but evidence makes it clear this was likely an accident and so what is there for her to run away from?' he said.

Smith said Hartin has a home, a family and substantial ties to Belize, as well as investments including the gleaming new Alaia hotel resort in San Pedro which she runs with her husband.

'It makes no sense whatsoever for this applicant to become a fugitive for life, damaging her investments, damaging the brand, especially considering the scrutiny she's under, to be pursued by international media on an ongoing basis,' he told the hearing.

'Her character has not been impugned. She has assets, she has family ties, her behavior is good or if it's not, no evidence has been offered to the contrary. She clearly has economic ties to the country.'

Hartin leaving San Pedro Police Station in handcuffs hidden by her belongings on May 30 - two days after Jemmott's death

'After a while he said let's head back inside and asked me to hand back the magazine. I struggled with it, trying to get the magazine back in, and it discharged,' Hartin told investigators in an extract from her sworn statement read out at the country's Supreme Court

Hartin's attorney questioned whether it was legal for Jemmott to possess a firearm while off duty and drinking. He also told the court that 'the deceased had allowed the petitioner to handle his firearm the previous week'

Smith suggested the court could impose an 'unprecedented' travel ban on Hartin's four-year-old twins as a means to ensure she remains in Belize.

'What would the father have to say about fugitive children joining a fugitive mother?' he added.

After a short adjournment Justice Lloyd agreed to set bail at 30,000 Belizean dollars ($15,000), twice the normal amount.

Hartin, dubbed 'Queen of the Alaia', spent her short stint behind bars there in a females-only unit where she is isolated from other inmates because of a two-week Covid quarantine requirement.

Prison authorities built a separate facility for women in 2002 after a spate of rapes and sexual assaults.

The unit she was in is staffed by female guards and men, including senior male management, need special permission to enter.

As of last week Hartin was one of only two Caucasians among the 1,041 prison population.

The baffling case began with a single gunshot in the early hours of May 28 after Hartin and Jemmott socialized alone at the Mata Rocks pier in violation of San Pedro's midnight Covid curfew.

The blonde socialite spent days holed up in a tiny concrete cell at the stiflingly hot police and magistrates court complex in San Pedro, the tropical resort's only town. She was pictured behind bars by local media on Monday evening

Police arrived to find the petite blonde pacing up and down, covered in blood, and the dead officer floating face up 30ft from the shore. He had been shot once, behind the right ear.

Jemmott's Glock 17 was found on the pier with an empty shell casing lodged in the chamber.

Scattered nearby were loose 9mm rounds and a magazine, according to a criminal complaint seen by DailyMail.com.

Hartin allegedly told a fellow inmate at the San Pedro Jail that the shot was fired from a passing boat.

But when she spoke to investigators in the presence of Smith, she said Jemmott had placed it on the ground because she was giving him a shoulder massage. When she picked it up it went off.

The hotelier was also caught with a small amount of cocaine in her purse but has thus far not been charged over it.

DailyMail.com revealed this week that Jemmott had boasted to a friend that he had a date on the night of his death but wouldn't tell him who it was.

He said he would take his secret 'to the grave' when the curious pal asked for details of the mystery woman.

Lord Ashcroft, 75, is a former deputy chairman and key financial backer of the UK's ruling Conservative Party.

He also holds Belizean citizenship, has invested heavily in the country and has represented it at the United Nations.
Dozens more migrants arrived in Dover today as they seized on the warmer weather to reach Britain.

Border Force officials were seen guiding newly arrived migrants to a holding facility after being picked up in a dinghy in the English Channel.

The UK has been enjoying a mini-heatwave, which sent temperatures soaring to 82.4F today.

It comes after a Border Force union official warned cross-channel migrants are bringing high levels of Covid with them when they arrive in the UK.

A border force vessel carries newly arrived migrants after being picked up in a dinghy in the English Channel today

A Border Force official holds a young girl that arrived with other migrants after they were picked up in a dinghy

An official guided newly arrived migrants to a holding facility after they were picked up in a dinghy

More than 500 migrants arrived in the final week of May, according to the UK Home Office, adding that 3,600 people had been stopped from crossing the channel by French authorities.

A Home Office spokesperson said that the French have intercepted five crossings, preventing 95 people from reaching the UK today.

They added that the UK authorities dealt with 6 events today, involving 179 people.

One official was seen holding a young girl who arrived in the UK, while another held a newborn baby which arrived with the other migrants.

Lucy Moreton, of the Immigration Services Union, said that staff were reporting between five and 10 arrivals every day were testing positive upon arrival.

But because the migrants are often crammed onto tiny boats to make the dash a cross from the Continent they were risking spreading the virus to many others.

It comes after a Border Force union official warned cross-channel migrants are bringing high levels of Covid with them when they arrive in the UK

More than 500 migrants arrived in the final week of May, according to the UK Home Office, adding that 3,600 people had been stopped from crossing the channel by French authorities

One official was seen holding a young girl who arrived in Dover on Wednesday

Another held a newborn baby wrapped in a blue blanket which arrived with the other migrants

It came as Home Secretary Priti Patel came under pressure to sort out the crisis at the UK's borders as the high season for Channel crossings gets underway.

This year the number of arrivals expected to reach the south coast from France will far outstrip last year's 8,400 if current rates continue.

Ms Moreton told the Times: 'We have positive arrivals all the time, putting staff and migrants at risk of infection.

Lucy Moreton, of the Immigration Services Union, said that staff were reporting between five and 10 arrivals every day were testing positive upon arrival (pictured: Border Force officials guide newly arrived migrants)

This year the number of arrivals expected to reach the south coast from France will far outstrip last year's 8,400 if current rates continue (pictured: A Border Force official holds a young girl that arrived with other migrants after they were picked up in a dinghy)

Dinghies were pictured stacked up while Border Force officials guide newly arrived migrants to a holding facility

'We have a handful, between five and 10 a day, testing positive, but anyone who has been in close contact with them - and that could be a lot, because of overcrowding - risks catching the virus.'

It's believed that the infection rate among arrivals could be around three per cent, compared to the UK population rate of 0.16 per cent, the Times reported.

However the Home Office denied that recent arrivals had brought Covid with them, with a spokeswoman today saying: 'These numbers are completely wrong.

Because the migrants are often crammed onto tiny boats to make the dash a cross from the Continent they risk spreading the virus to many others

Border Force officials guide a pregnant lady ahead of other newly arrived migrants to a holding facility after being picked up in a dinghy in the English Channel this morning

Lucy Moreton, of the Immigration Services Union, said that staff were reporting between five and 10 arrivals every day were testing positive upon arrival.

'In May and so far in June no migrants arriving via small boat have received a positive Covid test.

'Testing is in place to reduce the risk of infection for staff, contractors and small boat arrivals who might come into contact with other arrivals the same day who are Covid positive.'

More than 1,000 Channel migrants have arrived in the UK in the past week, while at least 4,300 have landed in the country this year so far. The annual total is expected to exceed the 8,400 who made the journey in 2020.

Some 250 minors have made the dangerous journey across the Channel this year so far, including 50 over the recent Bank Holiday weekend. They include large numbers of unaccompanied girls, leaving local authorities fearful that they will be targeted by criminal gangs.

Priti Patel has ordered social media giants including Facebook and Twitter to remove posts that 'glamorise' illegal Channel crossings

More than 1,000 Channel migrants have arrived in the UK in the past week, while at least 4,300 have landed in the country this year so far. The annual total is expected to exceed the 8,400 who made the journey in 2020

A group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dover, Kent, following a small boat incident in the Channel at the weekend

A view of boats used by people thought to be migrants, being stored at a warehouse facility in Dover, Kent

The numbers of migrants risking the dangerous journey are rising despite Ms Patel's pledge in March to overhaul the immigration system and to make illegal Channel crossings 'unviable'.

The Home Secretary blamed the spiralling crisis on social media giants such as Facebook and Twitter who allow people-smugglers to use their platforms to advertise their criminal services. One video showing migrants travelling from Calais to Dover has been seen more than 800,000 on Chinese-owned TikTok.

In the strongly worded letter which has been seen by this newspaper, Ms Patel asks the internet giants to 'put an end to the exploitation of your platforms by criminals involved in organised immigration crime' as more people than ever are making 'incredibly dangerous journeys across the Channel'.

At the weekend, Ms Patel ordered an urgent investigation after a Border Force boat brought dinghy migrants from French waters to Dover.

The UK's 140ft cutter Valiant headed to the French side of the Channel and launched a fast inflatable boat to collect migrants and take them to Dover after discussions with local authorities.

The incident at the end of May was orchestrated between senior crew members of HMC Valiant and French patrol ship Athos.

During a revealing maritime radio conversation, a recording of which was obtained by the Mail this week, the officers discuss the 'legality' of the operation.
More than 16,200 children are still in custody of Health and Human Services, which is 50 per cent higher than the levels in March, the agency reported Tuesday.

HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra appeared before the Ways and Means Committee to face questions on the border crisis.

President Joe Biden has promised to reunite families separated during the Trump administration and to expedite processing unaccompanied minors who arrived at the border in the last few months.

However, a new report from Biden's task force on reuniting families indicates that 2,127 children have 'not yet been reunified' with their parents.

The poor showing in progress at the border comes on the heels of Vice President Kamala Harris trip to Guatemala and Mexico  where she faced backlash for laughing her way through serious topics and handing out cookies on the Air Force Two flight with her face-less likeness printed on them.

The task force progress report submitted to the president last week shows only seven children have successfully been reunited since Biden took office.

In a 22-page task force progress report, which was released Tuesday during Harris' trip, was submitted to President Joe Biden last week and shows that 2,127 children are still awaiting their reunions.

It also states, however, that 29 more families 'will be reunited in the coming weeks.' The provision will allow the families to enter the U.S. under humanitarian parole, which lasts 36 months and can be renewed.

The dismal showings in reunification is being blamed on the Trump administration's failure to keep accurate and organized data on families and children when they were separated at the border.

As thousands of illegal crossers continue to be apprehended by Border Patrol, new Health and Human Services numbers show more than 16,200 minors remain in the agencies custody, double that of March

A task force aimed at reuniting families sent a progress report to Biden last week, which was released publicly Tuesday, that shows 2,127 children separated by families under Trump have still not been united. Biden left Wednesday for his first international trip in office to Europe

'No comprehensive interagency system was in place to separate parents and their migrant children,' a senior Department of Homeland Security official said in a call with reporters.

Becerra was summoned to testify about Biden's budget proposal, which includes a request to Congress to boost spending on care for unaccompanied migrant children to $3.3 billion.

Harris' trip south of the border Monday and Tuesday was focused on addressing 'root causes' of migration and the vice president still refused to visit the border, dismissing questions surrounding the crisis.

Even the Biden administration appears to be baffled, however, by Harris' trip to address the border crisis and her icy treatment of reporters who questioned why she hasn't been to the U.S.-Mexico border.

White House insiders were 'perplexed' by her answers to her questions over whether she would visit the Rio Grande and 'hoped her first foreign trip would be a success', CNN reported.

White House also fear that any progress she made during her meetings with the Guatemalan and Mexican presidents may be undone by her mixed messages and terse encounters with reporters.

Harris' trip was meant to focus on the 'root causes' of migration that have led to families and unaccompanied children heading north to the border.

But she made a series of seemingly conflicting statements about her decision not to visit the border and enraged progressives by telling migrants: 'Do not come'.

By the end of her trip, at a press conference in Mexico City with President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, Harris insisted the trip was a success.

'Listen, I've been to the border before and I'll go again,' she said.

She also hinted that a border trip would be 'short-sighted', but did promise to visit without giving a date.

The new numbers come on the heels of Vice President Kamala Harris' trip to Guatemala and Mexico. Administration officials are 'perplexed' at some of the conflicting statements made on her first foreign trip in office

CNN reported that officials were concerned within the administration that whatever progress Harris had made on the leader-to-leader level might have been undermined by her conflicting answers and PR missteps.

'It's left some of the administration officials perplexed, and the vice president's team frustrated,' the network Wednesday.

'There was hope the trip would be a success, and in the end, they feel it may have been overshadowed by some of her answers to these questions,' the network reported.

She also snapped at reporters a few times when questioned about a border visit. Among those asking about it was a CNN correspondent. Fox News correspondents have been hounding the White House on the topic for weeks, so it was unlikely to have surprised her team.

At the same news conference where she said she would go to the border, Harris also shrugged off the idea.

Harris visited Mexico and Guatemala in her first trip outside the country as VP

She said at a Mexico City press conference she would visit the border, after earlier commenting about 'grand gestures'

'I think it's short-sighted, for any of us who are in the business of problem solving to suggest we're only going to respond to the reaction as opposed to addressing the cause,' she said.

It echoed her earlier comments in Guatemala, where she characterized such a visit as being for show.

'I came here to be here on the ground, to speak with the leader of this nation around what we can do in a way that is significant, is tangible and has real results,' she said.

'And I will continue to be focused on that kind of work as opposed to grand gestures.'

There is an element of showmanship in any foreign trip  and Harris was not shy about calling her own first foreign foray a victory.

'Do I declare this trip a success? Yes I do,' she said.

She also took heat on the trip when she shot back at NBC anchor Lester Holt when he asked her about visiting the border.

'At some point, you know, we are going to the border,' she said. 'We've been to the border. So this whole thing about the border. We've been to the border. We've been to the border,' she repeated.

'You haven't been to the border,' Holt pushed back.

'And I haven't been to Europe,' Harris snapped, then quickly turned it into her signature laugh.

'And I mean, I don't understand the point that you're making,' she said to Holt 'I'm not discounting the importance of the border.'

She also kicked off her trip with a blunt message to migrants: 'Do not come,' an admonition that Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York called 'disappointing.'

In another odd moment, a case of mistaken identity at Harris' press conference in Mexico City on Tuesday allowed a woman wrongly identified as a Univision reporter with a similar name to ask the vice president a fawning question.

The woman, introduced by Harris' press secretary Symone Sanders as 'Maria Fernanda from Univision', was one of only five people called on for questions at the Mexico City event.

She asked a soft question, which Harris called 'great.' Late on Tuesday, Fox News revealed that the woman was in fact a San Francisco Bay-area entrepreneur named Maria Fernanda Reyes. Univision put out a statement saying the woman was not their reporter.

'I never imagined this level of narcissism': Kamala Harris is slammed for passing out cut out cookies of herself on Airforce 2 during border crisis tour

Kamala Harris has come under fire for handing out cookies with her likeness during her first foreign tour of Central American countries ravaged by the border crisis.

The vice president gifted the treats - which featured a bust of her drawn in frosting without the details of her face - to reporters aboard Air Force 2 on Sunday as she set off for Guatemala.

USA Today reporter Courtney Subramanian shared a photo of one of the cookies on Twitter - sparking an onslaught of criticism from conservatives.

'I never even imagined this level of narcissism,' Republican congressional candidate Buzz Patterson tweeted.

Commentator Matt Walsh chimed in: ''Here you go, everyone. I thought you might like to eat my face.' What a weirdo. Extremely disturbing behavior.'

Kamala Harris came under fire for handing out cookies with her likeness during her first foreign tour of Central American countries ravaged by the border crisis

The vice president gifted the treats - which featured a bust of her drawn in frosting without the details of her face- to reporters aboard Air Force Two on Sunday as she set off for Guatemala

Another set of cookies is reported to have featured Air Force 2, according to a tweet posted Sunday night by Subramanian.

Many critics wondered why the vice president would give out cookies of her own likeness while she faces backlash for avoiding the US-Mexico border, a visit she said would be akin to nothing but a 'grand gesture.'

The former presidential hopeful visited Guatemala on Monday to try to address the 'root causes' of illegal immigration.

'Handing out cookies with her face on them as the border crisis rages The modern-day equivalent of 'let them eat cake,'' said GOP Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel.

'I thought someone gave Kamala cookies that look like her. That would've been a cute gift,' wrote Canadian Youtuber Lauren Chen. 'Instead, she gave cookies that look like her to other people. That's a narcissistic AF and a totally weird gift.'

Harris passed out treats to reporters during an on-the-record visit to the back of Air Force 2

The vice president's baked busts drew comparisons to French monarch Marie Antoinette
Dear A.G.,

It is with sadness that I write to tell you that I am resigning from The New York Times.

I joined the paper with gratitude and optimism three years ago. I was hired with the goal of bringing in voices that would not otherwise appear in your pages: first-time writers, centrists, conservatives and others who would not naturally think of The Times as their home. The reason for this effort was clear: The papers failure to anticipate the outcome of the 2016 election meant that it didnt have a firm grasp of the country it covers. Dean Baquet and others have admitted as much on various occasions. The priority in Opinion was to help redress that critical shortcoming.

I was honored to be part of that effort, led by James Bennet. I am proud of my work as a writer and as an editor. Among those I helped bring to our pages: the Venezuelan dissident Wuilly Arteaga; the Iranian chess champion Dorsa Derakhshani; and the Hong Kong Christian democrat Derek Lam. Also: Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Masih Alinejad, Zaina Arafat, Elna Baker, Rachael Denhollander, Matti Friedman, Nick Gillespie, Heather Heying, Randall Kennedy, Julius Krein, Monica Lewinsky, Glenn Loury, Jesse Singal, Ali Soufan, Chloe Valdary, Thomas Chatterton Williams, Wesley Yang, and many others.

But the lessons that ought to have followed the electionlessons about the importance of understanding other Americans, the necessity of resisting tribalism, and the centrality of the free exchange of ideas to a democratic societyhave not been learned. Instead, a new consensus has emerged in the press, but perhaps especially at this paper: that truth isnt a process of collective discovery, but an orthodoxy already known to an enlightened few whose job is to inform everyone else.

Twitter is not on the masthead of The New York Times. But Twitter has become its ultimate editor. As the ethics and mores of that platform have become those of the paper, the paper itself has increasingly become a kind of performance space. Stories are chosen and told in a way to satisfy the narrowest of audiences, rather than to allow a curious public to read about the world and then draw their own conclusions. I was always taught that journalists were charged with writing the first rough draft of history. Now, history itself is one more ephemeral thing molded to fit the needs of a predetermined narrative.

My own forays into Wrongthink have made me the subject of constant bullying by colleagues who disagree with my views. They have called me a Nazi and a racist; I have learned to brush off comments about how Im writing about the Jews again. Several colleagues perceived to be friendly with me were badgered by coworkers. My work and my character are openly demeaned on company-wide Slack channels where masthead editors regularly weigh in. There, some coworkers insist I need to be rooted out if this company is to be a truly inclusive one, while others post ax emojis next to my name. Still other New York Times employees publicly smear me as a liar and a bigot on Twitter with no fear that harassing me will be met with appropriate action. They never are.

There are terms for all of this: unlawful discrimination, hostile work environment, and constructive discharge. Im no legal expert. But I know that this is wrong.

I do not understand how you have allowed this kind of behavior to go on inside your company in full view of the papers entire staff and the public. And I certainly cant square how you and other Times leaders have stood by while simultaneously praising me in private for my courage. Showing up for work as a centrist at an American newspaper should not require bravery.

Part of me wishes I could say that my experience was unique. But the truth is that intellectual curiositylet alone risk-takingis now a liability at The Times. Why edit something challenging to our readers, or write something bold only to go through the numbing process of making it ideologically kosher, when we can assure ourselves of job security (and clicks) by publishing our 4000th op-ed arguing that Donald Trump is a unique danger to the country and the world? And so self-censorship has become the norm.

What rules that remain at The Times are applied with extreme selectivity. If a persons ideology is in keeping with the new orthodoxy, they and their work remain unscrutinized. Everyone else lives in fear of the digital thunderdome. Online venom is excused so long as it is directed at the proper targets.

Op-eds that would have easily been published just two years ago would now get an editor or a writer in serious trouble, if not fired. If a piece is perceived as likely to inspire backlash internally or on social media, the editor or writer avoids pitching it. If she feels strongly enough to suggest it, she is quickly steered to safer ground. And if, every now and then, she succeeds in getting a piece published that does not explicitly promote progressive causes, it happens only after every line is carefully massaged, negotiated and caveated.

It took the paper two days and two jobs to say that the Tom Cotton op-ed fell short of our standards. We attached an editors note on a travel story about Jaffa shortly after it was published because it failed to touch on important aspects of Jaffas makeup and its history. But there is still none appended to Cheryl Strayeds fawning interview with the writer Alice Walker, a proud anti-Semite who believes in lizard Illuminati.

The paper of record is, more and more, the record of those living in a distant galaxy, one whose concerns are profoundly removed from the lives of most people. This is a galaxy in which, to choose just a few recent examples, the Soviet space program is lauded for its diversity; the doxxing of teenagers in the name of justice is condoned; and the worst caste systems in human history includes the United States alongside Nazi Germany.

Even now, I am confident that most people at The Times do not hold these views. Yet they are cowed by those who do. Why? Perhaps because they believe the ultimate goal is righteous. Perhaps because they believe that they will be granted protection if they nod along as the coin of our realmlanguageis degraded in service to an ever-shifting laundry list of right causes. Perhaps because there are millions of unemployed people in this country and they feel lucky to have a job in a contracting industry.

Or perhaps it is because they know that, nowadays, standing up for principle at the paper does not win plaudits. It puts a target on your back. Too wise to post on Slack, they write to me privately about the new McCarthyism that has taken root at the paper of record.

All this bodes ill, especially for independent-minded young writers and editors paying close attention to what theyll have to do to advance in their careers. Rule One: Speak your mind at your own peril. Rule Two: Never risk commissioning a story that goes against the narrative. Rule Three: Never believe an editor or publisher who urges you to go against the grain. Eventually, the publisher will cave to the mob, the editor will get fired or reassigned, and youll be hung out to dry.

For these young writers and editors, there is one consolation. As places like The Times and other once-great journalistic institutions betray their standards and lose sight of their principles, Americans still hunger for news that is accurate, opinions that are vital, and debate that is sincere. I hear from these people every day. An independent press is not a liberal ideal or a progressive ideal or a democratic ideal. Its an American ideal, you said a few years ago. I couldnt agree more. America is a great country that deserves a great newspaper.

None of this means that some of the most talented journalists in the world dont still labor for this newspaper. They do, which is what makes the illiberal environment especially heartbreaking. I will be, as ever, a dedicated reader of their work. But I can no longer do the work that you brought me here to dothe work that Adolph Ochs described in that famous 1896 statement: to make of the columns of The New York Times a forum for the consideration of all questions of public importance, and to that end to invite intelligent discussion from all shades of opinion.

Ochss idea is one of the best Ive encountered. And Ive always comforted myself with the notion that the best ideas win out. But ideas cannot win on their own. They need a voice. They need a hearing. Above all, they must be backed by people willing to live by them.

Sincerely,

Bari
Donald Trump Jr has hit out at cable news networks and individual journalists, accusing them of turning a blind eye to the explosive story of Hunter Biden's repeated use of the n-word in texts addressed to his white lawyer.

DailyMail.com exclusively obtained the exchanges between President Joe Biden's son and his $845-year-old attorney, whom he jokingly referred to as 'n***a.'

'Wonder if Don Lemon is going to cover this tonight???' Don Jr tweeted as news of the bombshell expose began spreading on social media.

Lemon, a veteran CNN host, has been openly critical of Donald Trump and his family, and repeatedly clashed with the former president on Twitter during his time in office over the latter's racially charged remarks.

Donald Trump Jr on Twitter hit out at media outlets for failing to cover the Hunter Biden n-word texts, accusing them of hypocrisy

DailyMail.com on Tuesday exclusively published text message exchanges between Hunter Biden and his attorney, in which the president's son used the word 'n***a'

The texts came from Hunter's laptop that was abandoned at a Delaware computer repair shop

In another barbed missive: the ex-president's son mused: 'try to imagine one of the Trump kids dropping the n-word.'

Don Jr also has retweeted multiple tweets from some leading right-wing figures, among them Trump's former aide Stephen Miller, who wrote sarcastically: 'Quietly picturing to myself Yamiche Alcindor in the Trump press briefing room the day after a story like this drops on Don Jr.'

'Me too,' Don Jr responded.

Alcindor is the White House correspondent for the PBS NewsHour who covered the Trump Administration and was repeatedly insulted by the former president during press briefings.

Hunter, 51, repeatedly used a variation on the n-word in his foul-mouthed written exchanges with corporate attorney George Mesiers, who is white. In January 2019 he wrote: 'I only love you because you're black' and 'tru dat n***a.'

Hunter, 51, was talking to his $845-dollar-an-hour corporate lawyer, Georgie Mesiers (right), who is white

In another text a month earlier he wrote to the Chicago lawyer saying: 'how much money do I owe you. Becaause (sic) n***a you better not be charging me Hennessy rates.'

Mesires replied: 'That made me snarf my coffee.'

Hunter added: 'That's what im saying ni', cutting off the racial slur mid-word, then texted a picture to Mesires.

The text messages were recovered by DailyMail.com from Hunter's infamous laptop that he abandoned at a Delaware computer repair shop.

Neither Hunter nor Mesires responded to DailyMail.com's request for comment on the exchanges.

In an interview with the conservative news site Breibart News, Don Jr doubled down on his accusations of bias directed at CNN and MSNBC, arguing that if he or brother Eric were caught using similar racially charged language, those outlets would 'lose their damn minds' and spend weeks covering the story.

Don Jr contended that were he or brother Eric caught using racially charged language, CNN and MSNBC would have meticulously covered the story

'Don Lemon, Yamiche [Alcindor], all of the usual suspects would go nuts, but amazingly they are 100% silent on this,' Don Jr lamented.

'The bottom line is the left is not intellectually honest about racism,' he continued. 'They use it when they can for political gain, and when it serves no purpose its totally ignored. Its a shame that they take something so serious so lightly and in essence make a mockery of all those afflicted.'

Meanwhile, Eric Trump complained that despite his $30million fundraising efforts benefiting pediatric cancer patients at St Jude's Children's Hospital, he has been portrayed as a 'villain' in the media.

'Hunter Biden smokes crack, uses horrible racist rhetoric, and sells his fathers influence around the world to enrich himself, yet he is praised by the media while writing books titled Beautiful Things,' the younger Trump told Breibart. 'Give me a break.'

Eric Trump lamented that he has been portrayed as a 'villain' in the media despite his multimillion-dollar fundraising efforts

Hunter's recently published autobiography documents his yearslong battle with drug and alcohol addiction.

Trump supporters on Twitter also took aim at media outlets for their apparent reluctance to cover the Hunter Biden story, with Richard Grenell, former acting director of the US National Intelligence insinuating that CNN's Don Lemon has been 'instructed by the ruling party to ignore it.'

Rep Vernon Jones, a Republican from Georgia, tweeted: 'If Hunter Biden was @DonaldJTrumpJr, wed been enduring wall-to-wall coverage on every major media outlet on why the First Son finds it appropriate to so flippantly use the N word.'

Katrina Pierson, former spokesperson for Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign, wrote: 'If @DonaldJTrumpJr had just ONE text like this, the media mob would be enraged!!! Where is the #cancelculture #RacistHunter.'
The European Union will join forces with the United States in demanding a new study into the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a draft communique circulated among E.U. ambassadors.

The announcement will be a significant boost for President Joe Biden who announced last month he had asked the intelligence community to redouble its efforts to get to the truth.

'We call for progress on a transparent, evidence-based and expert-led WHO-convened phase 2 study on the origins of COVID-19, that is free from interference,' the draft said, according to Reuters.

Both sides will also agree to co-operate on China policy.

Biden told reporters he would be, 'making clear to Putin and and to China that Europe and the United States are tight,' during his eight-day trip to Europe

President Biden brushes a cicada from his neck as he and first lady Jill Biden leave for the United Kingdom from Joint Base Andrews. The eight-day swing to Britain and Europe is the president's first foreign trip as he tries to reassert the United States on the world stage, but it will come as welcome relief a day after his key infrastructure package suffered a setback when negotiations with Republicans collapsed

Joe Biden's G7 schedule includes a meeting with the Queen after summit President Joe Biden's first foreign trip as the US leader will feature a meeting with the Queen following the G7 summit. Here's the full schedule: Wednesday, June 9 Biden and his wife, Jill, leave Washington on Wednesday morning. Their first stop in the UK will be at Royal Air Force Mildenhall to greet U.S. Air Force personnel stationed there. Mildenhall is home to the 100th Air Refueling Wing, the only permanent U.S. Air Force air refueling wing in the European theater. Thursday, June 10 Biden will meet Prime Minister Boris Johnson in Cornwall, site of the G7 summit, to reaffirm the special relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom. Friday, June 11 Biden will attend the G7 summit for three days starting on Friday, to work on U.S. policy priorities such as the economy and allied unity. Saturday, June 12 Biden will attend more G7 summit meetings in Cornwall and have bilateral meetings with fellow G7 leaders. Sunday, June 13 Biden will finish his meetings at the G7 summit. Afterward, the Bidens will meet Britain's Queen Elizabeth at Windsor Castle. Then Biden will travel to Brussels for the night. Monday, June 14 Biden will meet NATO leaders and have a private meeting with the president of Turkey, Tayyip Erdogan. Tuesday, June 15 Biden will hold more NATO meetings and then fly to Geneva for the night. Wednesday, June 16 Biden will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday, their first face-to-face meeting since Biden became president. White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said on Monday it was unclear whether the two leaders would hold a joint news conference after their talks. Advertisement

Biden left for the United Kingdom and the first leg of an eight-day trip to Europe.

He told reporters traveling with him on Air Force One that his mission was to demonstrate unity among western democracies.

'Making clear to Putin and and to China that Europe and the United States are tight,' is how he described it.

Officials have said the schedule - meeting with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson ahead of a G7 Summit, before travelling to Brussels for a NATO summit and E.U. meetings - was carefully co-ordinated as a show of unity before sitting down with President Vladimir Putin in Geneva.

'The trip, at its core, will advance the fundamental thrust of Joe Biden's foreign policy to rally the world's democracies to tackle the great challenges of our time,' said national security adviser Jake Sullivan.

In an opinion article for the Washington Post, Biden wrote: 'Will the democratic alliances and institutions that shaped so much of the last century prove their capacity against modern-day threats and adversaries?

'I believe the answer is yes. And this week in Europe, we have the chance to prove it.'

COVID-19 will be one of those threats or challenged under discussion. Johnson and Biden are both expected to make announcements on global vaccine provision.

Meanwhile, the question of its origins is exercising scientists and politicians in the U.S.

The two competing theories are that the virus jumped naturally from an animal host into humans, triggering the pandemic, or that it escaped from a virus laboratory in Wuhan, China.

Members of a WHO team that visited the region earlier this year said the lab leak hypothesis was unlikely but complained they were not given proper access to data.

This week Trump-era officials called for the Biden administration to halt certain types of research funding for China and investigate sanctions in order to force Beijing to co-operate with investigations.

The president and the first lady are expected to land at RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk to meet US troops on Wednesday night as they kick off an eight-day trip to Europe.

He will then meet British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Thursday, where the pair will affirm their special relationship, discuss global vaccine strategies and discuss reopening travel corridors.

The president will then prepare to meet with the rest of the G7 leaders on Saturday in St. Ives in the first major face-to-face summit between world leaders in two years. He is believed to be staying in the Tregenna Castle Resort.

On Sunday, he will travel from Cornwall to Windsor Castle where he and Jill will hold a reception with the Queen.

He will then head to Brussels that night ahead of meetings on Monday with NATO leaders and the European Union before his highly-anticipated summit with Vladimir Putin on June 16.

Security personnel keep watch outside the Wuhan Institute of Virology during the visit by the World Health Organization team tasked with investigating the origins of the coronavirus disease earlier this year

Biden shouted at the press and told them to watch out for the bugs before he spoke to a huddle of reporters at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland

Biden and first lady Jill Biden flew by Marine One to Joint Base Andrews on Wednesday morning. From there they travel on Air Force One to Royal Air Force Mildenhall in the United Kingdom
It was unclear how cicadas disrupted the mechanics of the press plane. Weather and crew rest issues also contributed to the flight delay late Tuesday. Ultimately, the plane was swapped for another one, and the flight took off shortly after 4 a.m. on Wednesday.
Federal inmates use a separate, prison-run banking system that allows them to evade scrutiny and hold large sums of money even though they may owe restitution to victims.

In total, federal inmate accounts hold more than $100million in cash - all of it out of reach of law enforcement officials who say they cannot force incarcerated people to pay what they owe in child support, alimony, or other debts.

And of the approximately 129,000 people currently in the federal prison system, more than 20 of them have inmate accounts with more than $100,000 each - good for a total of more than $3million.

The claim was made by a person familiar with the banking system run by the federal Bureau of Prisons who spoke to The Washington Post.

DailyMail.com has reached out to the BOP as well as the Department of Justice seeking comment.

According to a recently retired agent with the United States Marshals Service, the prison-run banking system is not subject to the same regulations that govern transactions outside of prison walls.

Federal inmates use a separate, prison-run banking system that allows them to evade scrutiny and hold large sums of money even though they may owe restitution to victims, it has been claimed. The stock photo above shows the exercise yard and inmates at the Federal Correctional Institution building on Terminal Island San Pedro near Los Angeles

That means that criminals can continue to engage in illegal activity from within the prison walls.

'Inmates are using this banking system to shelter this money,' former US Marshal Jason Wojdylo told the Post.

'We have actually discovered the source of deposits in some cases to be from ongoing criminal conduct, and weve opened up criminal investigations in some of these instances.'

Wojdylo said that he has for years begged the BOP, an agency run by the Department of Justice, to change its ways.

Federal law enforcement officials often have to go to court in order to force inmates to settle outstanding debts, the Post reported.

According to the Post, inmates who hold significant sums of money in their account often draw from various sources, including 401(k) retirement accounts, and payouts from insurance policies.

New federal inmates prepare to undergo health screenings while being processed at the Val Verde Correctional Facility in Del Rio, Texas in this undated file photo

In other cases, however, the sources of funds are less clear.

In 1970, the Nixon administration signed into law the Bank Secrecy Act. It requires banks and other financial institutions to assist the US government in investigating instances of money laundering.

The law requires banks to report any transaction of more than $10,000 in cash so that it can be investigated for suspicious activity.

The BOP, however, is exempt from the law because the agency is not considered a financial institution.

The banking system used by the agency is not subject to the screening mechanism put in place by the Department of Treasury to flag outstanding debts, officials told the Post.

That means white-collar criminals who are incarcerated can potentially engage in illegal activity without having to worry about being scrutinized by any regulatory body.

'That's a huge problem if you think about the possibilities - if a white-collar offender gets money while he's in an institution, that's better than having it in a bank account in some ways,' said Dan Eckhart, a lawyer and former federal prosecutor.

'From a taxpayer point of view, and for law enforcement, thats a big vulnerability.'

A spokesperson for BOP told the Post that the agency recognizes the importance of victim compensation and encourages all inmates to meet his or her financial obligations through participation in the Inmate Financial Responsibility Program.

The spokesperson said the BOP cannot force inmates to comply with court orders to pay child support or alimony.

Instead, it encourages inmates to settle debts through payment plans. Failure to do so could result in loss of privileges, the spokesperson told the Post.

'Court-ordered obligations such as child support, state restitution, etc., are eligible for collection . . . provided documentation is received from the appropriate court and/or state authorities,' the spokesperson, Randilee Giamusso, told the Post.

Music mogul Lou Pearlman arrives at the George C. Young federal courthouse in downtown Orlando in July 2007. Pearlman, who died in prison in 2016 after he was convicted of fraud, held $20,000 in a prison-run bank account even though he owed millions to his victims

The Post, however, reported that internal BOP documents show that the agency does not acknowledge state court orders. It will only comply with federal orders to seize inmates money.

In 2007, Lou Pearlman, the former manager of boy bands N Sync and the Backstreet Boys, was indicted by the federal government for fraud.

He was sentenced to several years behind bars and ordered to pay millions of dollars in restitution.

While incarcerated, however, he maintained a prison-run bank account that held more than $20,000.

In 2015, the US Marshals Service seized the money. The next year, Pearlman died.

While there are a select few federal inmates who hold large sums of cash, most prisoner accounts contain modest amounts that are used to buy snacks and other goods in the commissary.

Prisoners also use money to make a limited number of phone calls or send a limited number of emails.

Inmates in the federal system can also send up to $100 per day or have the government issue US Treasury checks from their prison accounts.
Senior Republicans are demanding to know why Facebook censored posts that shared the COVID-19 lab leak hypothesis after it emerged that chief executive Mark Zuckerberg was in e-mail contact with Dr. Anthony Fauci, the government's leading coronavirus scientist.

Republicans on the House judiciary and oversight committees have written to Zuckerberg asking him to hand over all documents and communications between Facebook employees and U.S. government officials.

They accuse the federal government of using a private company to skirt First Amendment protections.

'In light of Facebook's subsequent censorship of certain COVID-19 content - including content about the pandemic's origin - these communications with Dr Fauci raise the prospect that the federal government induced Facebook to censor certain free speech in violation of the First Amendment,' write ranking members Jim Jordan and James Comer.

Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg has been asked to provide information about contacts between staff and government officials as Republicans accuse him of censoring information on the origins of COVID-19

Rep. Jim Jordan, ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee, has written to Zuckerberg demanding information about contacts between Facebook and government officials as Republicans probe the social media platform's stance on misinformation

James Comer, ranking member on the House Oversight Committee, signed the letter accusing Facebook and federal officials of violating First Amendment protections

Ranking members of the House judiciary and oversight are demanding to know more about why Facebook censored posts supporting the idea that COVID-19 was manmade

Like other social media platforms, Facebook has grappled with how best to control the spread of misinformation.

At first it announced a policy to promote accurate information and put warnings against claims that might be harmful.

In October it banned adverts discouraging vaccination and later started removing posts that had been debunked by public health experts.

Last month, it announced it had removed more than 14m pieces of misinformation, including content about exaggerated cures or fake preventative measures.

But for critics of Facebook, the lab leak hypothesis illustrates the problems with that sort of intervention.

The idea that the coronavirus had escaped from a Chinese laboratory was widely dismissed by scientists until recently. They said it was far more likely to have emerged in nature, leaping from an animal host to human - like previous coronavirus infections.

But two weeks ago, when the scientific mainstream changed course and President Joe Biden said the lab leak hypothesis needed more investigation, Facebook announced it would stop removing the claim that COVID-19 was man-made or manufactured.

In their letter, Jordan and Comer said the recent release of Fauci's emails suggested co-ordination between Facebook and the federal government.

'Facebook's censorship decisions did not occur in a vacuum, and there are indications that Facebook may have made content-moderation decisions regarding COVID-19 at the behest of certain government policies and positions,' their letter stated.

Security personnel keep watch outside Wuhan Institute of Virology during the visit by the World Health Organization team tasked with investigating the origins of COVID-19, in Wuhan, Hubei province, China, earlier this year

Republicans have stepped up their attacks on Dr. Anthony Fauci since the release of a slew of his emails, demanding to know how much he knew about research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology and whether he had something to hide

'The federal government appears to have had significant contact with Facebook about COVID-19 during the pandemic.

'You emailed personally with Dr. Fauci to enlist him in Facebooks Coronavirus Information Hub and encouraged him to provide a video because people trust and want to hear from experts rather than just a bunch of agencies and political leaders.'

They gave Zuckerberg two weeks to respond.

Fauci has faced an avalanche of criticism from conservatives since a cache of emails was published in response to a freedom of information request.

They say communications show he was warned that COVID-19 could have escaped from a lab early in the pandemic but failed to take the warnings seriously.

Instead they allege he was part of a cover-up among officials who were aware of U.S. funding for controversial 'gain of function' research at the Wuhan Institue of Virology.

Fauci says the emails have been taken out of context.
A teenage girl has died after she was choked, beaten and stabbed more than 20 times in a random attack while she was skateboarding past a mall on her way home.

Daisey 'Jupiter' Paulsen, 14, was found bloody and unconscious by police after being left for dead at a strip mall in Fargo, North Dakota, at 7am on Friday.

Paulsen was skateboarding from her father's house to her mother's house when she was set upon in a brutal beating and stabbing which lasted 20 minutes and was partially seen on a store surveillance camera, court documents say.

Paulsen was rushed to the hospital, where she was hooked up to machines and survived for four days, but passed away on Tuesday.

Police arrested Arthur Prince Kollie, 23, for the attack, after he was allegedly seen standing over Paulsen by a garbage worker who was driving past.

He was tracked to a nearby Walmart where surveillance footage allegedly showed him stealing clothes to replace his bloodied t-shirt.

Kollie allegedly told police that he had used meth the afternoon before and said he did 'not recall' the incident, WDAY reported. He denied being involved in any assault.

Daisey 'Jupiter' Paulsen, 14, was skateboarding to her North Dakota home when police say she was attacked

Paulsen was in the hospital for four days after she was beaten before succumbing to her injuries and dying on Tuesday

Arthur Prince Kollie, 23, was arrested in connection with the fatal attack

He was charged with attempted murder, robbery and aggravated assault of a child victim and bail was set at $1million cash after Monday's court appearance.

When he was told his charges, he asked: 'Attempted murder, as is she alive? Or what? What does attempted murder mean?' WDAY reported.

The Cass County State's Attorney's Office told the outlet Tuesday afternoon that papers would soon be filed with the court to bump attempted murder charge to murder.

Daisey's family were left devastated by her passing after hoping that she may be able to recover from her injuries.

Her father Robert wrote on a GoFundMe page: 'We just got word from the doctor today that our baby girl is too far gone and there isnt anything they can do. Just to gather family and to say our goodbyes.'

According to court documents, the garbage worker was driving near the Party City store at the strip mall at around 7am when he saw a man wearing a white t-shirt and black pants standing over Paulsen with one hand on her nose and the other on her throat.

Paulsen's body was found near Party City in Fargo, North Dakota, less than two miles away from North Dakota University

The man fled the area, but by 7pm that night, police arrested Kollie near a Walmart about a half a mile away.

The store's surveillance camera allegedly caught him grabbing new clothes and changing in the changing room before leaving without paying. His bloodied shoes and clothes were allegedly found the changing room.

Fargo police said on Twitter that they're still looking for Paulsen's belongings, including a burgundy backpack, an unknown brand black backpack, an unknown brand black iPhone in a black case and a black leather wallet with a weave pattern.

At the time of the attack on Paulsen, Kollie was on probation for a 2017 conviction for simple assault on a peace officer.

Kollie had also pleaded guilty on May 7, 2021, to discharging a firearm within city limits, possessing a firearm as a felon and possessing drug paraphernalia, according to court documents.

He was sentenced to 18 months of supervised release and 27 day in jail, which he served.
A mother in New York is going viral after she branded school board members 'thieves' and 'liars' for exposing children to critical race theory.

Tatiana Ibrahim, a mother of a child in the system, spoke up in front of the Carmel Central School District school board last Thursday after officials asked for feedback on a failed budget vote.

In an 11-minute speech, Ibrahim accused board members of indoctrinating students with left-wing ideologies and teaching them that they are inherently racist, that police officers are killers and that disagreeing with LGBT values makes them homophobic.

'I think that the Board of Education and those sitting on the panel are thieves,' Ibrahim said. 'I think they're liars and have committed treason against our children.'

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A New York mother blasted her local school board during a recent meeting

She claimed the school her child is attending was teaching 'communist values'

'My message to this district and the members of the Board of [Education]  stop indoctrinating our children,' the mother continued.

'Stop teaching our children to hate the police. Stop teaching our children that if they dont agree with the LGBT community that theyre homophobic.'

'You have no idea each childs life. You dont know what their family lifestyle consists of. You dont know the makeup of their life. You have children, like mine, who [are] Muslim and Im Christian.'

Ibrahim made mention of a specific educator who called her child 'too pasty white' before a board member asked Ibrahim not to use names.

She questioned why they couldn't be named, saying that they 'expose themselves on social media. Talking about calling for the death of a former president. Or, saying that any child that doesnt believe in Black Lives Matter should be canceled out. Is this what my tax dollars is paying for?'

Ibrahim went on to call out another educator who she accuses of creating a curriculum of 'Black Panther indoctrination.'

'Youre teaching my children and other children that if they believe in God almighty, theyre part of a cult. These educators put their own names out there,' Ibrahim said.

Addressing the entire board, Ibrahim said: 'You work for me. I dont work for you. You have a duty. We are entrusting our children to you. We teach our children morals, values. When they grow up to commit crimes and end up in prison, and kill a police officer. Its our fault? No, its your fault.'

At one point, a board member chided Ibrahim on her failure to hold a 'peaceful conversation' - but she kept going to note that many of the students in the district are children of police officers before going off on 'cancel culture.'

Ibrahim also said that teachers shouldn't go on social media to 'indoctrinate' children.

Ibrahim calls the board members 'thieves and liars,' accusing them of hiding what is being taught in the schools

When asked to end her speech, Ibrahim refused because the board works for her, before a board member remarked that her position is actually voluntary.

'Youre emotionally abusing our children and mentally abusing them,' she told the board. 'Youre demoralizing them by teaching them communist values.

'This is still America maam. And as long as Im standing here on this good ground Earth of God, I will fight. This is not the last of me you will see. Im retired, Ive got nothing else better to do.

'I will become your worst nightmare,' she added before threatening to take her fight 'to the highest court because you know and I know Im not the only parent fighting.'

'You want to silence me because I spoke the truth ... now you're exposed,' she said before concluding a speech that lasted nine minutes over her allotted time.

Ibrahim is now campaigning for critical race theory to be banned from being taught

On Facebook, she updated her bio to reflect her rant during the school board meeting

The school board has not commented publicly on the rant since last week's meeting. The video has been viewed over 683,000 times since Thursday.

Ibrahim shared her speech on Facebook and updated her profile to say: 'I'm that mom who told the board they're thieves, liars and committed treason against our children.'

On June 7, Ibrahim posted, 'We will end the wickedness of Critical Race Theory... TOGETHER!'

She has also been touting a hashtag on social media: '#YouAndMeCanEndCRT.'

Last month, the Carmel Central School District budget failed, with 1,296 voting against it and 1,125 voting in favor of it (high school pictured)

A public budget hearing was set to be held on June 8, with a new vote set for June 15

According to 77WABC, the community is working on a proposed $133,581,366 budget for the 2021-22 school year.

Last month, the budget failed, with 1,296 voting against it and 1,125 voting in favor of it.

A public budget hearing was set to be held on June 8, with a new vote set for June 15.

The teaching of critical race theory has become a cultural lightning rod in recent months, particularly when taught in schools.

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

Critical race theory teaches that racism is a social construct used to oppress people of color, and that it is present in almost all aspects of everyday life.

Its supporters say the theory helps illuminate the obstacles faced by BIPOC (black, indigenous and people of color) individuals in their everyday lives, that their white counterparts do not have to worry about.

Critics claim it is unnecessary divisive, and teaches young children that they are either victims or oppressors from an early age.

An English teacher at a $52,000-a-year private school in Englewood, New Jersey quit her job over critical race theory lessons she branded racist.

Dana Stangel-Plowe, who taught at the Dwight-Englewood School in Bergen County, accused the school of creating a 'hostile culture of conformity and fear' in her resignation letter on Tuesday.

Stangel-Plowe said Head of School Rodney De Jarnett told the entire faculty that he would fire everyone if he could to replace them with people of color.

She also accused the school of segregating teachers by their skin color - and said students were also made to segregate themselves 'within the oppressor or oppressed group.'

Her resignation letter was published by the Foundation Against Intolerance & Racism, (FAIR) an organization created to combat critical race theory teachings in school.

Joe Algrant, the principal of Dwight-Englewood's Upper School, told the New York Post that he could not comment on personnel matters.

'In this case all I can say is that Ms. Stangel-Plowe notified us several months ago that she would not be returning next school year,' he said.

Multiple other expensive private schools have also hit the headlines in recent months over CRT. Elite Manhattan school Dalton saw some parents hit out at its alleged obsession with critical race theory.

And Grace Church School - another private facility located in NoHo - fired math teacher Paul Rossi after he spoke out against CRT.

Another high-profile critic, banker Andrew Gutmann, announced plans to pull his daughter out of elite Manhattan school Brearley over his concerns with CRT.

The state has now joined Tennessee, Oklahoma, Montana and Idaho in banning the teaching of the critical race theory, which critics claim promotes racism

Meanwhile, the opposite debate seems to be unfolding in Georgia at the same time.

Everton Blair Jr., chairman of the Gwinnett County Board of Education, took to Facebook on Friday, one day after the State Board of Education passed a resolution banning the theory in schools.

He said that officials were 'manufacturing outrage around a problem that isn't even present, over a concept that most of us haven't even understood.'

The Georgia State Board of Education voted 11 - 2 on June 3 to pass a resolution banning the teaching of critical race theory in schools, after Republican Governor Brian Kemp wrote the board a letter urging them to adopt such a policy.

In the letter, Kemp writes: 'It is ridiculous that the Biden Administration is considering using taxpayer funds to push a blatantly partisan agenda in Georgia classrooms.

'Parents, educators and local communities here in the Peach State know how best to educate their students  not the federal government,' he wrote, adding: 'Education in Georgia should reflect our fundamental values as a state and nation  freedom, equality and the God-given potential of each individual.'

The state has now joined Tennessee, Oklahoma, Montana and Idaho in banning the teaching of the theory, as debate over the concept continues throughout the state.
The profile, published by the Los Angeles Magazine on Wednesday, delves into Yashar Ali's troubled past relationships with high profile figures and celebrities. He is pictured above in his Twitter profile image

Journalist and Twitter 'power broker' Yashar Ali has been accused of owing $179,000 to a Getty heiress and was once evicted from Kathy Griffin's home, according to a lengthy new profile that details his 'checkered history' and rise to fame.

The profile, published by the Los Angeles Magazine on Wednesday, delves into Ali's troubled past relationships with high profile figures and celebrities.

It also likens the popular social media personality to the 'Talented Mr Ripley' and includes claims that Ali is a 'grifter' who can be 'vengeful and very vindictive'.

The 41-year-old is well-connected and has roughly 800,000 followers on Twitter. He tweets an average of 60 times per day.

Ali, who was born and raised in Chicago, started out as a Hollywood production assistant before becoming a political operative and adviser to now-California Gov. Gavin Newsom.

Ali has made a name for himself in the last five years as a journalist and social media star whose most recent reporting - which he mostly breaks on Twitter and Substack - included the takedown of Sharon Osbourne where she was accused of racism on the set of The Talk. Osbourne has denied the allegations of racism.

While the profile details his journalistic scoops and influence, the magazine also notes Ali's pattern of behavior in making friends with powerful people and becoming part of their inner circles.

It also details some of Ali's subsequent fallouts, including one with Kathy Griffin, and his legal fight with heiress Ariadne Getty.

The 41-year-old, who has roughly 800,000 followers on Twitter, started out as a Hollywood production assistant before becoming an adviser to now-California Gov. Gavin Newsom. Ali has made a name for himself in the last five years as a powerful journalist and social media star whose most recent reporting included the take down of Sharon Osbourne

The 41-year-old is well-connected and has roughly 800,000 followers on Twitter. He tweets an average of 60 times per day

Ali made friends with heiress Ariadne Getty after getting a staff job on Gavin Newsom's gubernatorial campaign back in 2008. Getty's family have supported Newsom's political career.

Ali started flying regularly between San Francisco and LA to see Getty at her $14 million Beverly Hills home.

Unnamed sources told the magazine that Ali began to borrow large amounts of money from Getty in 2012.

Getty filed a lawsuit in 2017 to recoup the money, which she says totaled $179,000.

Despite them reaching an agreement to repay the money in monthly installments, Ali allegedly only made two repayments and the debt is still outstanding.

In 2017, Ali made friends with Kathy Griffin after the comedian came under fire for posting an image of her holding the severed head of former president Donald Trump.

The magazine detailed how Griffin sent Ali a DM on Twitter and they realized they both attended the same high school in Chicago.

They initially started chatting about a potential interview to clear up the Trump matter but Ali eventually became Griffin's unofficial advisor and publicist.

Griffin let him stay at her Bel Air mansion when he said he was coming to LA in 2018.

Sources told the magazine that Ali ended up staying for nine months before Griffin asked him to leave in 2019.

In 2017, Ali made friends with Kathy Griffin after the comedian came under fire for her Trump severed head stunt. Griffin let him stay at her Bel Air mansion when he said he was coming to LA in 2018. Sources told the magazine that Ali ended up staying for nine months before Griffin asked him to leave in 2019

Ali made friends with heiress Ariadne Getty after getting a staff job on Gavin Newsom's gubernatorial campaign back in 2008. Unnamed sources told the magazine that Ali began to borrow large amounts of money from Getty in 2012. Getty filed a lawsuit in 2017 to recoup the money, which she says totaled $179,000

Griffin and her staff had allegedly become concerned when Ali essentially became a recluse in his bedroom and started receiving official government mail at her address.

Griffin's friend, journalist Joan Walsh, said of the comedian's relationship to Ali: 'I completely believed that she was uncomfortable and maybe even afraid, and I sympathized with her.'

Ali insists he only stayed for six months and it was because Griffin insisted.

Griffin would not comment about Ali but her representative issued a statement saying: 'Sometimes you make a new friend and that friend turns out to be quite a different person than you thought they were.'

A former unnamed colleague in Newsom's office said Ali had always attached himself to high profile people.

'He's always attached himself to rich, powerful people and to elected officials and made himself appear indispensable,' the colleague said.

'I don't exactly fear him, but he can be vengeful and very vindictive.'

Another former colleague said: 'There's a little bit of the Talented Mr Ripley in him.'

The Talented Mr Ripley, which was written as a novel and then adapted for the big screen, depicts Tom Ripley - a career criminal and con artist who adopts the life of someone else.

Ali, who was born and raised in Chicago, started out as a Hollywood production assistant before becoming a political operative and adviser to now-California Gov. Gavin Newsom

Ali, who was interviewed for the profile, was asked by the magazine whether he had people who would be willing to comment on him for the profile.

He sent the reporter a list of 40 names and phone numbers of high profile people, including Busy Phillips, Piers Morgan and Meghan McCain.

When asked specifically about his fall-outs with the likes of Getty and Griffin, Ali said he had signed NDAs with them that limited his ability to respond.

'I have grappled a lot with entering into codependent relationships of all sorts over the past decade,' he said.

'Wanting to fix things and wanting to fix too much was one of my dysfunctional behaviors. It's something I've talked about in therapy at length and something that I've worked past but it... still makes me sad when I think about it.'

In the interview, Ali also appeared to address his social media fame and popularity.

'I'm vulnerable on Twitter, and that creates trust,' he said.

'I share things that I care about personally, and I also share the stuff that people would consider to be messy. Somebody I've never met tweeted at me the other day, 'We refer to you by your first name in our household.' As in, 'Today Yashar said this, and today Yashar said that.' Whatever that is, reporters don't have that. I don't know any reporters who have that, which is fine. I'm unusual.'
White House COVID-19 czar Dr Anthony Fauci has denied he tried to play down claims that the virus was genetically engineered in a Chinese laboratory.

Speaking at The Wall Street Journal's Tech Health event on Wednesday, Fauci also blasted allegations that he kept quiet about the lab leak theory for political reasons.

Jonathan Rockoff, WSJ Health and Medicine Editor, asked him: 'Did you downplay the possibility that the virus came from a lab in China, for political reasons?'

Fauci answered: 'Well absolutely not, and lets go back and talk about that. That's honestly an accusation that I have to tell you, mildly, is preposterous.

'Right from the very beginning, when there was an issue of some people who looked at the virus and said maybe it might actually have been manipulated

'And what we did is that they mentioned it to me, I called together a group of people and said "Let's take a look at this, make sure, get some virologic evolutionary biologizes together to take a look at it."'

Fauci, who is director of the National Institutes of Health, added: 'This was back at the very beginning of February. Looked at it, had a good discussion, and some people thought maybe it looked like a virus that was manipulated and could have leaked.

'And most of the people thought - all of us were thinking at the time - that it was very likely a natural evolution.

'But we never ruled out the possibility, and we were really open about it. It wasn't like we were trying to hide anything.'

Dr. Anthony Fauci on Wednesday declared that an attack on him is an attack on science 'because all of the things that I have spoken about consistently from the very beginning have been fundamentally based on science'

Fauci came under fire last week after emails were released showing other virologists had messaged him suspicions that COVID-19 may have been genetically modified

But he also told the WSJ summit that one of those virologists - Dr Christian Andersen - later came to the conclusion that COVID likely jumped from an animal to human.

Fauci added: 'There was always an open-mind that it could be something else. You could have a strong opinion and not necessarily rule out anything else. As a scientist you always keep things open.'

Explaining his animal to human theory further, Fauci said: 'As a scientist, you always keep things open, and the reason we felt besides the molecular makeup of the virus, that it was a jumping species from an animal to a human, is the historically we have such experience over decades and decades of that's how viruses get into the human population, by the animal-human interface.'

He referenced other viruses including HIV, Ebola and SARS which were either speculated to have jumped from an animal to human, or have since been proven to have made that biological jump.

Fauci also appeared on MSNBC's Meet the Press Daily, where he spoke about himself in the third person while defending himself over the same lab leak claim.

'It's very dangerous, because a lot of what you're seeing as attacks on me, quite frankly, are attacks on science because all of the things that I have spoken about consistently from the very beginning have been fundamentally based on science,' Fauci told host Chuck Todd.

'Sometimes those things were inconvenient truths for people, and there was pushback against me. So if you are trying to get at me as a public health official, you're really attacking not only Dr. Anthony Fauci, you are attacking science.'

'And anybody that looks at what is going on clearly sees that,' Fauci concluded. 'You have to be asleep not to see that.

'Science and the truth are being attacked.'

The comments come as Republican legislators ramp up their attacks against the director of the NIAID after Buzzfeed News published thousands of his emails since the coronavirus pandemic began last year, which critics claim shows him flip-flopping on the issues.

In one email, he told a woman who was traveling in late February 2020 that she does not need to wear a mask.

'Masks are really for infected people to prevent them from spreading infection to people who are not infected, rather than protecting uninfected people from acquiring infection,' he wrote in the leaked email.

'The typical mask you buy in the drug store is not really effective in keeping out the virus, which is small enough to pass through the material. It might, however, provide some slight benefit in keep out gross droplets if someone coughs or sneezes on you.'

'I do not recommend that you wear a mask, particularly since you are going to a very low-risk location.'

The comments come amid claims that Fauci flip-flopped on his stance on masks, claiming in an email to a woman in February 2020 that they are 'not really effective in keeping out the virus'

In Wednesday's interview, Fauci said he was acting on the information he had at the time, when officials believed there was a mask shortage, people were not sure masks would work outside of a hospital setting and were unaware COVID-19 could be spread through asymptomatic carriers.

Fauci said the 'entire CDC was saying the same thing' at the time, but eventually data came back and showed that mask-wearing helped reduce the spread and more than half of the coronavirus cases in the United States were being spread though asymptomatic contact.

'That's when we said we've got to get people to wear masks,' he said.

'You've got to be guided by the science and the current data,' Fauci said, noting: 'People want to fire me or put me in jail for what I've done - namely follow the science. It's preposterous.'

Fauci has also come under scrutiny for a $600,000 grant the NIAID gave the Wuhan Institute of Virology to study the risk that bat coronaviruses could infect humans under Fauci's leadership.

He tried defend the grant in a congressional hearing last month, saying the money was meant to be used to 'study the animal-human interface, to do surveillance and to determine if these bat viruses were even capable of' infecting humans.

He cited comments made by Francis Collins, director of the National Institute of Health, who said that the American tax dollars that went to the Wuhan lab, where officials now believe COVID-19 originated, was not approved for gain-of-function research, which is research that involves modifying a virus to make it more infectious among humans.

But, Collins said, the National Institute of Health would not be aware of other experiments being done at the lab.

The Wuhan Institute of Virology is one of only a handful in the world that is cleared to handle Class 4 pathogens  dangerous viruses that pose a high risk of person-to-person transmission. Recently, Fauci admitted granting the lab money to study the risk that bat coronaviruses could infect humans

In one of the leaked emails, it appeared Fauci was warned as early as January 31 by another infectious disease expert, Kristian G. Andersen, that the virus could have leaked from the lab and been altered.

In the email, Andersen referenced a Science magazine article about how researchers around the world were racing to share 'full sequences of the virus from patients' to understand how it related to viruses found in animals.

'The unusual features of the virus make up a really small part of the genome (<0.1%) so one has to look really closely at all the sequences to see that some of the features (potentially) look engineered,' he wrote.

At the time, the lab leak hypothesis was largely dismissed by many experts. It has recently gained traction.

Andersen said he and his team found that 'the genome [is] inconsistent with expectations from evolutionary theory.

'But we have to look at this much more closely and there are still further analyses to be done, so those options could still change,' he added.

By the next month, it turned out, they had.

He and his colleagues published an article in Nature Medicine in which they concluded that it was 'improbable that SARS-CoV-2 emerged through laboratory manipulation of a related SARS-CoV-like coronavirus.'

In May, Andersen was referenced in a New York Times article about scientists calling into more investigations into the origins of the virus.

On Sunday, Anderson's Twitter account was deactivated.

While China has tried to insist the virus originated elsewhere, academics, politicians and the media have begun to contemplate the possibility it escaped from the WIV - raising suspicions that Chinese officials simply hid evidence of the early spread

Scott Gottlieb, the former head of the Food and Drug Administration, has also claimed that Fauci told world leaders in the spring of 2020 that he thought the virus may have escaped from the lab.

'I think early on, when they looked at the strain, they had suspicions,' Gottlieb recalled Sunday on CBS Face the Nation, speaking of US scientists. 'And it takes time to do that analysis, and that dispelled some of those suspicions.'

The Wuhan Institute of Virology is one of only a handful in the world that is cleared to handle Class 4 pathogens  dangerous viruses that pose a high risk of person-to-person transmission.

It is located only a few miles from the Huanan wet market, where scientists say the first cluster of infections were officially reported, and scientists in the lab were reportedly conducting experiments on bats before the pandemic began.

Three researchers from the institute sought medical care in November 2019, before the virus began to spread, according to a recent report from the Wall Street Journal.

The Wuhan Institute of Virology is about 20 miles from the Huanan Seafood Market where the first coronavirus cases are reported to have occurred

In another email, Fauci was thanked by the head of a nonprofit that helped fund research at Chinas Wuhan Institute of Virology, 'for publicly standing up and stating that the scientific evidence supports a natural origin,' which he said 'will help dispel the myths being spun around the virus origins.

The author, Peter Daszak, was a member of the World Health Organization team that visited the lab as part of an investigation into the origins of the virus when the pandemic began, which has been widely criticized for its lack of transparency.

The team's report, written in part by Chinese scientists, was repeatedly delayed, as China refused to give the WHO team raw data on the outbreak.

It wrote in its final report, which was co-authored by Chinese scientists, that the virus could have been imported on frozen meat.

The lab leak theory has since gained traction with a number of world leaders, including President Joe Biden, calling for an investigation into the origins of the respiratory virus.

Now, Republicans are calling for Fauci to be removed, with House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy calling for Fauci to either resign or be fired.

'The American people don't have trust in Dr. Fauci,' he said on Saturday. 'Let's find a person we can trust... I mean we're talking about American lives here.'

How Fauci flip-flopped on the origins of COVID April 2020: Fauci repeatedly made public statements suggesting that that COVID was the result of an 'unusual human-animal interface' in a Chinese 'wet market' and that 'the mutations that it took to get to the point where it is now is totally consistent with a jump of a species from an animal to a human.' May 2020: Still adamant that he didn't believe the coronavirus was man-made. 'If you look at the evolution of the virus in bats and what's out there now, [the scientific evidence] is very, very strongly leaning toward this could not have been artificially or deliberately manipulated,' he told National Geographic in an exclusive interview published May 4, 2020. 'Everything about the stepwise evolution over time strongly indicates that [this virus] evolved in nature and then jumped species.' Late May 2021 to early June 2021: During an event called 'United Facts of America: A Festival of Fact-Checking,' Fauci was asked if was 'still confident' that the virus evolved naturally. 'No, actually  I am not convinced about that. I think we should continue to investigate what went on in China until we continue to find out to the best of our ability what happened,' Fauci said. 'Certainly, the people who investigated it say it likely was the emergence from an animal reservoir that then infected individuals, but it could have been something else, and we need to find that out.' He added: 'So, you know, that's the reason why I said I'm perfectly in favor of any investigation that looks into the origin of the virus.' Advertisement




Major Gen. Robert F. Castellvi, the former Commanding General of 1st Marine Division, has been relieved of his duties, the military announced on Wednesday

The Marine Corps is relieving a general of his duties for failing to properly train Marines and sailors before an exercise last summer when a seafaring tank sank off the Southern California coast, killing nine troops, the military announced on Wednesday.

The training accident 70 miles off San Diego's coast was one of the deadliest for the Marines in recent years. Leaders said it could have been prevented.

The commandant of the Marine Corps met personally with Major Gen. Robert F. Castellvi, the former Commanding General of 1st Marine Division, who has been suspended since April from his position as inspector general of the Marine Corps.

An investigation by the maritime branch found the accident July 30 off San Clemente Island was caused by inadequate training, shabby maintenance of the 35-year-old amphibious assault vehicles and poor judgment by commanders.

It said Castellvi 'bears some responsibility.'

The investigation found the eight marines and one sailor who were killed had not received appropriate instruction on escaping the amphibious assault vehicle quickly, and the unit had not completed a required evaluation meant to address any issues before the exercise.

Castellvi could not be immediately reached for comment.

The Marine Corps said the commandant 'personally and formally counseled him for his failure to properly train the Marines and Sailors for whom he was entrusted and for the inadequate evaluation of the AAV Platoon.'

The Marine Corps first reached out to the families of the eight Marines and one sailor who were killed, some of whom had questioned why no generals were being held accountable.

Castellvi was the commanding general of the 1st Marine Division, of Camp Pendleton, north of San Diego, during the exercise. He became Marine Corps inspector general several weeks after the tragedy.

The action against Castellvi will go on his permanent record and will be taken into consideration as to whether the Marine Corps will promote or retain him.

Typically such an action prevents an officer from being promoted or serving in a role charged with the responsibility of caring for troops, the Marine Corps said.

Pfc Bryan J. Baltierra (left), 19, of Corona, California, and Lance Cpl Guillermo S. Perez (right), 20, of New Braunfels, Texas were among those who died in the accident last summer

Other victims include Lance Cpl Marco A. Barranco (left), 21, of Montebello, California, and Pfc Jack Ryan Ostrovsky (right), 21, of Bend, Oregon

Pfc Evan A. Bath (left), 19, of Oak Creek, Wisconsin, and US Navy Hospitalman Christopher Gnem (right), 22, of Stockton, California, were killed in the accident last year

Other victims include: Cpl Wesley A. Rodd (left), 23, of Harris, Texas, and Cpl Cesar A. Villanueva (right), 21, of Riverside, California

Lance Cpl Chase D. Sweetwood, 19, of Portland, Oregon, was also killed

Action was taken against 11 other Marine officials who were previously removed from their jobs or otherwise disciplined.

The investigation is ongoing, and more action could be taken against others.

Castellvi was the commanding general of the Camp Pendleton-based 1st Marine Division until September.

The commanding officers of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit and Battalion Landing Team involved in the accident were both relieved of command and seven other Marines faced other administrative or disciplinary action, the Marines said.

The Marines use the Assault Amphibious Vehicles (AAV) to transport troops and their equipment from Navy ships to land. The armored vehicles, outfitted with machine guns and grenade launchers, look like tanks as they roll ashore.

A report released March 26 detailed a slew of missteps and oversights, adding that the vehicle should never have left the off-ramp in the first place.

Slides from the report, obtained by The Marine Corps Times, reportedly show one failure lead to the nine deaths.

'Crew deviations from required actions per the Common SOP (standard operating procedures) the general lack of experience and effective instructional periods doomed this crew and its passengers to a preventable tragedy,' one of the slides read, according to the news outlet.

The vehicle took on water on July 30, 2020 while 15 Marines and one sailor were inside near San Clemente Island in Los Angeles County. Pictured: The 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit is seen during training on July 27 2020, three days before the disaster

There are about 800 AAV's in the Marine inventory that can carry up to 21 people and each weighs 26 tons

Pictured: A map showing the location of San Clemente island, off the coast of San Diego

The victims of the amphibious tank disaster Pfc. Bryan J. Baltierra, 18, of Corona, California

Lance Cpl. Marco A. Barranco, 21, of Montebello, California

Pfc. Evan A. Bath, 19, of Oak Creek, Wisconsin

Navy Hospitalman Christopher Gnem, 22, of Stockton, California

Pfc. Jack Ryan Ostrovsky, 21, of Bend, Oregon

Lance Cpl. Guillermo S. Perez, 20, of New Braunfels, Texas

Cpl. Wesley A. Rodd, 23, of Harris, Texas

Lance Cpl. Chase D. Sweetwood, 18, of Portland, Oregon

Cpl. Cesar A. Villanueva, 21, of Riverside, California Seven marines in the vehicle, including its commander, survived. Advertisement

One of the failures was the vehicle itself, it said. It had 'two specific areas of watertight integrity that would have met Not-Mission Capable Deadline criteria,' according to the slides.

Such faults, if detected, would have meant the vehicle would never have been used for training in the first place.

The AAV was returning to the USS Somerset, an amphibious ship, after a day of training training for the Marines on San Clemente Island, a Navy-owned facility, when it started to take on water.

'The transmission failed, bilge pumps were unable to expel water rapidly enough due to the transmission failure, and the AAV began to sink,' an investigation found.

In addition to the two potential leaks, the slides also showed that emergency lighting inside the vehicle was stuck in the disabled position.

That left the crew of the assault vehicle in the dark, which forced them to use their cell phone lights to desperately try to find an unmarked escape hatch as they took on water.

However, when trying to open the hatch himself, one of the marines discovered the 'handle had spun past the open position due to a broken woodruff key.'

The boat lost audio communication, according to the slides, leaving the Marines to use flags in a desperate bid to signal that they were sinking. There were also no safety boats nearby to save them.

Although nine died, seven Marines in the vehicle, including its commander, survived.

Three commanders have previously been dismissed as a result, including Col. Christopher Bronzi, the commanding officer of the 15th MEU, and Lt. Col. Michael Regner, who commanded the 1st Battalion, 4th Marines.

The unit is made up of more than 1,000 troops, all of which reported to Bronzi as part of his task force.

Seven other military personnel faced administrative or disciplinary action.

'Why are these men allowed to be in control of peoples lives period anymore?' Christiana Sweetwood of Danville, Virginia, whose son was among those killed, told The Washington Post earlier this year before the latest investigation was launched.

'No more. That's the angry part of me speaking. Are these generals getting off and these lower-level guys taking the blame?'
CNN General Counsel David Vigilante has revealed he was under a gag order for almost a year, banning him from sharing details about the government's efforts to seize reporters emails and phone records.

Vigilante revealed on Wednesday he was 'forbidden' from revealing that the Department of Justice was seeking to compel the disclosure of CNN reporter Barbara Starr's professional emails.

The Trump administration secretly obtained the phone and email records of Starr, covering two months, from June 1, 2017 to July 31, 2017, including phone numbers for her Pentagon extension, the CNN Pentagon booth, her home and cell phones. It also included her work and personal email accounts, CNN reports.

The Justice Department also went to court to try and seize the emails of four New York Times reporters; Matt Apuzzo, Adam Goldman, Eric Lichtblau and Michael S. Schmidt - who had all worked on an April 2017 investigation into Comey and the election.

Vigilante appeared on CNN's network show on Wednesday where he hit out at the 'incredibly unusual' gag order.

CNN General Counsel David Vigilante revealed Wednesday that he was under a gag order involving the Trump administration's seizure of a CNN Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr's records

CNN General Counsel David Vigilante spoke about the conditions of the gag order he was under on CNN Wednesday

'I was told in no uncertain terms (multiple times) that I was forbidden from communicating about any aspect of the order or these proceedings to the journalist whose interests I am duty-bound to protect, Barbara Starr,' Vigilante wrote in a report published the same day. 'And I was further informed that if I violated the order, I was subject to charges of contempt and even criminal prosecution for obstruction of justice.'

Vigilante said that he was aware that such orders were used by the Justice Department on matters of national security, but that CNN had never faced on in his 20 years there because they are often used as a last resort. His attempts to negotiate went nowhere, he said, and the Justice Department refused to give him any more information about their investigation. 'In short, all the tools lawyers use every day to navigate these situations were refused to us,' he wrote.

It's still not clear what the Trump administration was searching for. Starr was reporting on military options in North Korea, as well as ongoing conflicts in Syria and Afghanistan during the time spanning the record obtainment.

After numerous attempts by CNN to have the Justice Department narrow its gag order, they reached a resolution on January 26. Last month, Starr finally learned of the Justice Department's seizure of her personal records.

The news comes days after the Biden administration vowed to no longer secretly obtain reporters' records during leak investigations.

The Trump administration secretly obtained the phone and email records of Starr, covering two months in 2017. She only learned about their efforts last month

Biden said it was 'simply, simply wrong' to seize journalists' records and that he would not permit the Justice Department to continue the practice.

Then, it was revealed that the Times was under a similar gag order  placed on them under the Biden administration, that had barred the newspaper from revealing a secret court fight over efforts to obtain records from their four reporters - who had all worked on an April 2017 investigation into Comey and the election.

Donald Trump's administration started the ball rolling - although attempts to obtain the emails continued for three months of the Biden presidency, with the Biden team putting the gag order on the paper, preventing it from disclosing the request.

The gag order had been in place since March 3 before a federal court lifted it, allowing the newspaper to speak of the DOJ's attempt to get email logs from Google, which runs the NYT's system.

The request to Google was made on January 5 this year, with only 15 days left of the Trump presidency.

Though Biden's comments in an interview were not immediately accompanied by any change in policy, a pair of statements from the White House and Justice Department on Saturday signaled an official turnabout from an investigative tactic that has persisted for years.

Democratic and Republican administrations alike have used subpoenas and court orders to obtain journalists' records in an effort to identify sources who have revealed classified information.

But the practice had received renewed scrutiny over the past month as Justice Department officials had alerted reporters at three news organizations - The Washington Post, CNN and The New York Times - that their phone records had been obtained in the final year of the Trump administration.

Michael Schmidt (left) and Adam Goldman (right) were targeted by the Justice Department

Matt Apuzzo (left) and Eric Lichtblau were also identified by the Justice Department

Prosecutors in the office of the United States attorney in Washington had obtained a sealed court order from a magistrate judge, demanding that Google hand over the records in relation to the New York Times in secret. Google refused, and the emails were never obtained.

On March 3, now under the Biden administration, the Justice Department placed a gag order on the paper. The gag order was lifted on Friday.

'Clearly, Google did the right thing, but it should never have come to this,' executive editor said Dean Baquet. 'The Justice Department relentlessly pursued the identity of sources for coverage that was clearly in the public interest in the final 15 days of the Trump administration. And the Biden administration continued to pursue it.'

Baquet added, 'As I said before, it profoundly undermines press freedom.'

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Saturday that no one at the White House was aware of the gag order until Friday night, but that more broadly, 'the issuing of subpoenas for the records of reporters in leak investigations is not consistent with the President's policy direction to the Department.'

The New York Times revealed that four of their reporters were targeted by the Justice Department, which went to court to try and force Google to hand over their email records. Google pushed back, and ultimately the emails were never handed over, but the move has been described as an assault on the First Amendment

In a separate statement, Justice Department spokesman Anthony Coley said that 'in a change to its longstanding practice,' the department 'will not seek compulsory legal process in leak investigations to obtain source information from members of the news media doing their jobs.'

He added: 'The department strongly values a free press, protecting First Amendment values, and is committed to taking all appropriate steps to ensure the independence of journalists.'

In ruling out 'compulsory legal process' for reporters in leak investigations, the department also appeared to say that it would not force journalists to reveal in court the identity of their sources.

The statement did not say whether the Justice Department would still conduct aggressive leak investigations without obtaining reporters' records.

It also did not define who exactly would be counted as a member of the media for the purposes of the policy and how broadly the protection would apply.

Even so, it marked a startling reversal concerning a practice that has persisted across multiple presidential administrations.

To discuss the commitments further, Vigilante will be joining with representatives from CNN, the New York Times and the Washington Post in a meeting with Attorney General Merrick Garland on Monday.

'This article is the first time in almost a year that I have been able to publicly address what happened to CNN without fear of prosecution,' Vigilante wrote in his article following the CNN report. 'While we are gladdened by recent commitments from both the President and the Office of the Attorney General, these commitments must be made permanent and binding on future officeholders to have any meaning.'
A California man is lucky to be alive after crawling into a piece of farming equipment while high on methamphetamine then getting stuck there for two days.

The man was not named but he was publicly shamed by Sonoma sheriffs who shared photos of him still inside the shaft, before they cut him out, on Tuesday.

They were alerted to him by his car, which he'd parked next to the shaft. He has also left his hat nearby.

Someone called the cops to report the suspicious vehicle and when the sheriff's deputy showed up to investigate, they found him inside the shaft.

At first, he said he was a vintage farming equipment enthusiast and he'd crawled inside to take pictures of the fan shaft.

Given the fact he had 'far more methamphetamine than camera equipment', they quickly figured out he was lying.

He was taken to the hospital and is expected to survive. The sheriff's office says they now recommend charges of trespassing and drug possession.

The man was not named but he was publicly shamed by Sonoma sheriffs who shared photos of him still inside the shaft, before they cut him out, on Tuesday

At first, he said he was a vintage farming equipment enthusiast and he'd crawled inside to take pictures of the fan shaft

The man was found by sheriffs after someone reported his car, that was parked suspiciously next to the fan

In a good-humored Facebook post about the incident, the Sheriff's Office said: 'Hide and seek is a two player game, at a minimum. Lets find out why...

'Early this morning, the Sheriffs Office received a complaint of a suspicious vehicle parked on private property in the 2800 block of Piner Rd. A deputy responded and located the vehicle, but not the occupant. The vehicle was parked in a location that made no sense. The deputy saw a hat resting on a nearby piece of farm equipment and went over to investigate. The deputy found way more than the hat.

'The occupant of the vehicle had, inexplicably, decided to climb into the shaft of the vineyard fan and became completely stuck inside the shaft. He had been stuck there for two days before we found him. The Fire Department responded and was able to extricate the man out of the fan shaft.

'When interviewed, the man indicated he liked to take pictures of the engines of old farm equipment. After a thorough investigation which revealed the farm equipment wasnt antique and the man had far more methamphetamine than camera equipment, the motivation to climb into the fan shaft remains a total mystery.

'We elected to not arrest him as he required medical treatment after his unintended multi-day stay in the fan shaft. The Sheriffs Office will be recommending charges of trespassing and drug possession, as well as violations of both his probation case and the pending case for which he is currently out of custody on pre-trial release.

'Lucky for this guy the citizen called in to report his vehicle, otherwise this story ends with a far more tragic outcome. Instead he should make a full recovery and hopefully be wiser for the experience.'
Attorney General Merrick Garland on Wednesday defended a decision by the Justice Department to continue to defend Donald Trump against a lawsuit by a writer who accused him of raping her decades ago and defaming her during his presidency.

'I know about the criticism', Garland said in response to a question from Democrat Senator Patrick Leahy during a Senate budget meeting.

'The job of the Justice Department in making decisions of law is not to back any administration, previous or present. Our job is to represent the American people,' Garland said during testimony before a U.S. Senate appropriations panel.

'Sometimes it means that we have to make a decision about the law that we would never have made and that we strongly disagree with as a matter of policy.

'The fundamental rule of a democracy, or a republic, or a republican democracy, and the essence of the rule of law  is that like case be treated alike, that there not be one rule for Democrats and another for Republicans, that there not be one rule for friends and another for foes.'

Attorney General Merrick Garland on Wednesday defended a decision by the Justice Department to continue to defend Donald Trump against a lawsuit by a writer who accused him of raping her decades ago and defaming her during his presidency

The Justice Department, which Garland leads, has been criticized by some Democrats over decisions to continue to back positions taken by the Republican Trump administration in pending litigation.

Writer E. Jean Carroll in a lawsuit alleges Trump defamed her when he called her a liar over her rape allegations, and said he could not have raped her because she was not his 'type.'

Under previous Attorney General William Barr, the department defended Trump, arguing it was appropriate to do so because he was a government employee entitled to immunity under federal law from Carrolls claims and said he spoke about her in his capacity as president.

Last month, the department also appealed a court ruling that faulted Barr for his handling of the 2019 report by former Special Counsel Robert Mueller on whether Trump's campaign colluded with Russia during the 2016 election.

The department in that case is seeking to keep under wraps portions of a memo which was presented to Barr as he weighed how to handle the question of whether there was evidence to suggest that Trump had obstructed justice during Mueller's probe.

House Judiciary Democrats split with the DOJ over the decision to defend former Trump earlier on Wednesday.

The lawmakers, including Rep. Eric Swalwell of California, Judiciary Committee Chairman Rep. Jerold Nadler, Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland, and other panel members, wrote to Garland Wednesday urging him to abandon the department's 'push to represent former President Trump, at taxpayer expense'  calling it 'profoundly misguided.'

'President Trumps disgusting comments about Ms. Carroll had nothing to do with his official responsibilities as President, and the whole world knows it. Survivors of sexual assault, among other victims, deserve better,' they wrote.

Writer E. Jean Carroll in a lawsuit alleges Trump defamed her when he called her a liar over her rape allegations, and said he could not have raped her because she was not his 'type.

They call out what they consider 'deeply problematic' circumstances of the case  even though DOJ a brief filed Monday took pains not to condone Trump's comments in the case.

The lawmakers  some of whom were involved in House efforts to impeach Trump  took issue with DOJ's reasoning, that Trump was engaging in official duties when he trashed Carroll while at the White House  including saying she was not his 'type.'

Are we to understand that federal employees are free to engage in private tortious conduct for personal gain, so long as they maintain federal employment and can assert some pretextual benefit to the public for their actions?

Biden's Justice Department is continuing to defend Trump in the defamation lawsuit brought by rape accuser, saying he can't be held liable for his 'crude and disrespectful' comments because he was acting within his scope as president at the time.

Justice Department lawyers argued in a brief Monday that the US government should be allowed to replace Trump as the defendant, paving the way for him to be given immunity over his comments and the suit against him to be dropped.

Carroll, a former Elle magazine columnist, came forward at the height of the #MeToo movement in 2019 to accuse the then-president of raping her back in 1996.

Trump denied the allegations claiming she was 'totally lying' to sell her new book, was 'not my type' and that he had 'never met' her.

His comments prompted Carroll to sue him for defamation later that year.
But a senior administration official said Wednesday that the Trump actions werent always implemented in the soundest fashion and the aim of the review is to set up clear criteria to evaluate specific data security and privacy risks for each app. He said that could lead to a range of potential future actions on an app-by-app basis.
A manhunt is underway for four masked men who threatened terrified residents with a sawn-off shot gun during an attempted home invasion in western Sydney.

Police were called to a home in Rowley Street, Seven Hills around 9pm on Wednesday night following reports a group of men of Pacific Islander appearance had attempted to break in.

Officers were told the four attempted robbers were wearing face coverings and threatened the homeowner with a sawn-off shot gun before fleeing from the scene without entering the home.

NSW Police are investigating an attempted armed invasion in Seven Hills (stock image)

All three residents at home at the time were unharmed.

No shots were fired during the incident.

Blacktown Police established a crime scene and commenced an investigation.

With the assistance of the Dog Squad, officers conducted an extensive search of the surrounding area but were unable to find the men.

Inquiries are continuing.

Anyone with information about the incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Provided the cloud cover clears in time, it will be one of our best chances to see an eclipse in years.

This morning, just after 10am, the Moon will move across the path of the Sun so that, wherever you are in Britain, it will look as if someone is taking a bite out of it.

Forecasters say they cant be certain we will get a perfect view. But fingers crossed, there is a good chance that early cloud across the UK will disappear in time, leaving the eclipse plainly visible.

Even if your view is obscured by cloud, you can still watch it  the Royal Observatory in Greenwich is live-streaming the eclipse on Facebook and YouTube.

Here, JOHN NAISH looks at the mayhem, madness and hysteria eclipses have caused throughout history; and reveals all you need to know about one of the most mesmerising sights in the natural world.

On Thursday morning, just after 10am, the Moon will move across the path of the Sun so that, wherever you are in Britain, it will look as if someone is taking a bite out of it

When to watch it?

According to the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, the eclipse will begin at 10.08 this morning.

Maximum eclipse will occur just over an hour later at 11.13am, when the Moon will block out about a third of the Sun (depending on where you are in the country), giving it a crescent shape. The partial eclipse will end at 12.22pm.

Best view in the UK?

The view should be similar across the UK but according to the BBCs Sky At Night magazine, those watching in Shetland are likely to see the most dramatic effect because more of the Sun  39 per cent  will be covered by the Moon.

In Inverness it will be 35 per cent; in Edinburgh 31 per cent. Farther south the obscuration will be less pronounced, with Newcastle at 28 per cent and Penzance at 22 per cent

Best in the world?

Most of Europe will also see a partial eclipse, as will Greenland, Iceland, the Arctic, much of North America and Asia.

But some places will get the eclipse at its maximum obscuration. These are the ones that lie under its central track  which passes over Canada, goes north of the Great Lakes, crosses to the Arctic Ocean, then heads via the North Pole to north-eastern Siberia.

In these places, for just under four minutes, nine tenths of the Sun will be covered.

A what eclipse?

Even directly under the eclipse, the Sun will not be blocked from view entirely: a bright solar ring will still be visible around the Moon.

Such an event is called an annular eclipse  the word annular comes from the Latin annulus, meaning ring.

Annular eclipses occur when the Moon is near the farthest part of its orbit around the Earth. This makes it look smaller in the sky, which is why it doesnt completely cover the Suns circumference.

Because of this, it instead leaves that bright ring around the Moon, rather than plunging the world into full darkness. The phenomenon is also called the ring of fire.

Annular eclipses occur when the Moon is near the farthest part of its orbit around the Earth. This makes it look smaller in the sky, which is why it doesnt completely cover the Suns circumference

How rare is it?

Solar eclipses occur every one or two years, when the Sun and Moon are exactly in line with the Earth. Often the eclipses paths dont cross over Europe, though, so we see nothing of them.

Safe to watch?

Even though a large part of the solar disc will be covered for those watching the event in the UK, experts warn that you can still suffer serious and permanent eye damage if you look directly at the partially eclipsed Sun without proper protection, as well as if you point normal cameras, telescopes or binoculars at it.

Dr Emily Drabek-Maunder, an astronomer and astrophysicist at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, says: Never look at the Sun directly or use standard sunglasses. It can cause serious harm to your eyes.

She suggests that you instead make a simple pinhole projector, or  if you have them  make use of solar-eclipse viewing glasses or special solar filters which can be fitted on telescopes.

You can make your own pinhole projector by poking a small hole in a piece of card. Hold the card up to the Sun so light shines through the hole and onto a piece of paper behind the card.

On this you can safely see projected the shape of the Sun and watch its shape change as the Moon passes in front of it.

Any other dangers?

No, but solar eclipses have long been thought of as harbingers of doom and death. This is not least because the Bible records how the Sun was totally eclipsed at the moment when Jesus died on the cross.

The gospel of Luke says: It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness fell over the whole land until the ninth hour, because the Sun was obscured. And the veil of the temple was torn in two.

In 6BC, a battle in Asia Minor between the Medes and the Lydians came to a sudden halt when a total eclipse darkened the land. The soldiers became eager to make peace with each other, believing the eclipse must be a heavenly warning to them to cease their fighting.

Less happily, in 1878 during a total solar eclipse in America, a man named Ephraim Miller became convinced this sudden darkness marked the coming of the biblical Apocalypse.

Rather than endure the cataclysmic horrors that were sure to follow, he murdered his son with an axe and committed suicide.

Much more recently, media scares about eclipse-related illnesses in Serbia meant that about 97 per cent of the country avoided seeing the rare total solar eclipse in August 1999. Even the national airline stopped flying during the event.

Serbias Ministry of Labour and Social Politics had tried beforehand to reassure people about the risk, but this only increased their fears.

It published a list of possible eclipse-related symptoms that had no scientific basis whatsoever. These included palpitations, stomach cramps, elevated blood pressure, spikes in blood-sugar levels and frequent urination.

Any odd effects?

Since the 1830s, scientists have used solar eclipses as a way to study the Suns corona  the rays that point out from the annular ring like a crown (hence corona).

Solar eclipses represent an almost miraculous scientific opportunity. Imagine the cosmic odds against an inhabited planet with intelligent life having a moon that is the just right diameter and distance away to appear virtually the same size in the sky as the Sun, blocking its glare so neatly that the outer atmospheric edges can be safely observed.

Here on Earth, scientists have proved that eclipses have a fairly obvious effect  temperatures fall in Britain when the Sun is blocked  by as much as 3c in some places.

Winds normally strengthen in the sudden cold too, says a report in the journal Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society.

Most intriguing, though, is evidence that Earths gravity changes wherever the eclipses shadow passes over us.

The fall in temperature caused by the shadow generates gravitational waves that have been detected by ultrasensitive barometers. As the track of the eclipse crosses Earth, these gravity waves are similar to the wake that a boat leaves behind as it travels through water, investigators believe.

The phenomenon has been recorded as lasting for up to 90 minutes beneath an eclipses path.

Am I an umbraphile?

You will have to become a serious globetrotter to compete with the most avid umbraphiles (as eclipse-chasers are sometimes called).

Three American scientific investigators  Glenn Schneider, Jay Pasachoff and John Beattie  each individually hold the equal world record for observing more total solar eclipses than any other human being in history: 35 each.

In their eagerness to catch sight of rare eclipses despite obstacles of weather and terrain, the three New Yorkers have made numerous last-minute scrambles to find cloud-free viewing spots, chartering private aircraft, boats and off-road vehicles to find the perfect view, often on a mountain or other area of high ground.

Whens the next one?

There is a partial eclipse of the Moon visible in Britain on the night of November 18. The next partial solar eclipse visible in Europe is on October 25, 2022.

But total solar eclipses are rare. The next one wont arrive over the UK until September 2090.
We have long known that elephants are dazzlingly intelligent creatures who form close-knit family groupings, but the aerial photograph of a sleeping herd gives us a fresh insight into the touching bonds they form.

At the top of the picture three adults can be seen lying in what appears to be a protective triangle around a calf, their rears forming a well in which it can sleep in complete safety. Elsewhere, others appear to be spooning each other as they doze in another display of exquisite tenderness.

It is images like these that have captivated China in recent months as a herd of elephants continues an unprecedented jumbo journey across the south west of the country.

So far it has sucked in more than 400 police officers and members of the emergency services, some 120 vehicles, and an armada of drones, as well as creating a social media storm and baffling the battery of experts called upon to explain why a group of wild elephants would want to leave their long-standing home in a protected Chinese national nature reserve and traipse more than 300 miles north.

Aerial photograph of elephants lying in what appears to be a protective triangle around a calf

A trek, mark you, that has taken in motorways, city centres and normally crowded housing estates.

Chen Mingyong, a professor at Yunnan University, has suggested the matriarch of the herd may have led the whole group astray, possibly because she was lacking in experience.

He added, not entirely helpfully: We have no way of telling where they are going. The trunk-swaying convoy got under way on March 15 last year, when 16 Asian elephants left their reserve in Xishuangbanna, deep in Chinas mountainous south west near the border with Laos and Burma, and headed in the direction of Puer City, a tea-producing centre with a population twice the size of Birminghams.

A month later, their number had risen to 17 on account of two newborns joining the gang and one elephant dropping out.

By December last year, they had reached Mojiang County. As they continued heading north, at some point they gained access to fermented grain, with the result that two of them got so inebriated that they were incapable of going any further, leaving 15 to carry on to Yuxi City in Yunnan.

And thats where the fun really started.

It is images like these that have captivated China in recent months as a herd of elephants continues an unprecedented jumbo journey across the south west of the country

For six hours, they roamed the streets, rummaging in bins, bashing into garage doors, and generally leaving homes in a worse state than a student flat after a full-throttle freshers party.

At one point, one of the elephants found a water tap in someones back yard and  miraculously  managed to turn it on. Drinks all round. In all, the herd is estimated to have caused more than 1 million worth of carnage, including the destruction of nearly 60 hectares of crops, and forced thousands of people to abandon their homes.

Things began to get really serious at the start of this month when the elephants entered Jinning District and headed for the state capital of Kunming, home to eight million people.

This is where the 400 personnel mentioned earlier were deployed to put out 18 tons of corn, pineapples and other delicacies in the hope of distracting them. But while the elephants were happy to tuck in, they refused to stay put.

A migrating herd of elephants graze near Shuanghe Township, Jinning District of Kunming city in southwestern China

Yesterday, the images of them sleeping were taken as they enjoyed a well-deserved rest in Xiyang, due north of Kunming. They may have been out for the count but they were far from out of the limelight as no fewer than 14 drones hovered above them.

So did the group just take a wrong turning 15 months ago? Or is it more a case of seeking pastures new due to habitat loss?

As a result of an increase in deforestation dating back to the 1980s to make way for agricultural land  mainly rubber plantations  the elephants now find themselves moving through areas populated by people, says Becky Shu Chen, a leading conservationist at London Zoo. Others speculate that they were lured out of their reserve by the availability of nutritious cultivated crops more appealing than their customary forest fare of grass, leaves and tree bark.

Miss Shu Chen says that while elephants roam over huge areas in search of food they do not usually migrate. And a trek of 300 miles is unprecedented.

If this group ever does lose the travel bug, they will find themselves a long way from home.
A proposed travel bubble between Australia and Singapore will be on high on the agenda when prime ministers Scott Morrison and Lee Hsien Loong meet on Thursday.

Singapore will be the first stop for Mr Morrison on his way to Cornwall for the G7 leaders' summit, as well as trade and security talks in London and Paris.

Australia already has a COVID-safe travel agreement with New Zealand but a Singapore deal would deliver a major confidence boost for the tourism, education and corporate sectors.

It is understood the Singapore government has submitted a number of proposals to Australia, as far back as October last year.

Australians may soon be able to pack their bags for a holiday in Singapore (pictured)

Both countries have rolled out a certificate system to verify who has been vaccinated for coronavirus, which could make a safe travel corridor easier to establish.

Australian officials are hopeful some progress can be made during the leader talks on setting out the preconditions for a travel bubble.

Some countries are setting up travel corridors on the basis of 50 to 60 per cent vaccination rates.

Singapore Airlines says the growing pace of vaccinations provides hope for a recovery in international air travel demand.

Airline regional vice president Louis Arul told AAP it was committed to working with all levels of government to reopen Australia's borders.

Australians could be travelling to Singapore (pictured) again by the end of the year.

'Our commitment to Australia throughout this time has been unwavering, supporting the government's efforts to return Australian citizens, facilitating Australian producers and suppliers to export produce ... and ensure the uninterrupted import of essential medical supplies to support the fight against COVID-19,' he said.

'We are keen to work with key stakeholders and state and federal governments to progress the safe, staged reopening of borders to facilitate the return of more Australians, international students as well as skilled workers and our aviation on the path to recovery.'

Singapore Airlines brought the first batch of Belgian-made Pfizer into Australia in February, the same month it became one of the first carriers to operate flights with a full complement of vaccinated pilots and cabin crew.

Australian prime minister Scott Morrison and Singapore counterpart Lee Hsien Loong will discuss a proposed travel bubble between the two countries on Thursday.

The airline has received the highest level of international certification for its health safety measures.

It hopes to integrate the International Air Transport Association's (IATA) Travel Pass mobile application for digital health verification into its own SingaporeAir mobile app from mid-2021.

Mr Morrison and Mr Lee will also discuss military training and cooperation and regional security.

At the G7, Mr Morrison will attend three sessions - on health, the economy and climate - and meet with US President Joe Biden, Japanese leader Yoshihide Suga and Korea's Moon Jae-in.

After the summit he'll meet with British PM Boris Johnson in London and hold talks in Paris with French President Emmanuel Macron.
A coronavirus-infected couple who fled locked-down Melbourne and went on a 1,900km road trip may have crossed the NSW-Queensland border at a remote town to avoid detection.

Health authorities in Victoria, NSW and Queensland are scrambling to track down hundreds of people who may have been exposed to the virus during their interstate trip.

The woman, 44, tested positive on Wednesday but may have been infectious from the day she left Melbourne on June 1, which was already in lockdown.

Her husband was confirmed to have the virus on Thursday morning.

Police believe the couple crossed the NSW-Queensland border at the remote rural town of Goondiwindi on June 5 in a bid to evade authorities.

The couple likely drove the scenic route so they could avoid passing through the Gold Coast - where police perform 100 random intercepts a day with strict border control measures in place.

There are also reports the woman lied on her declaration form when entering Queensland, sparking a chorus of public outrage led by Karl Stefanovic.

The furious Today host called for the border hopping couple to be named and shamed and have 'the book thrown at them.

Health authorities in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland are scrambling to track down hundreds of people who may have been exposed to the virus during their interstate trip

'I think there is understandable anger across regional Victoria, into regional NSW and then into some of those regional parts of Queensland as well particularly, because they have done such a great job protecting themselves against COVID,' the Today show co-host fumed on Thursday morning.

'A lot of people are furious. They have to throw the book at these people. They have to. I'm not averse to naming and shaming. We have to get this message through.'

Poll SHOULD COVID RULE-BREAKERS BE NAMED AND SHAMED? Yes No Depends on circumstances SHOULD COVID RULE-BREAKERS BE NAMED AND SHAMED? Yes 1840 votes

No 202 votes

Depends on circumstances 196 votes Now share your opinion





Co-host Allison Langdon agreed the couple should be punished, but stopped short of demanding they be named and shamed.

'My initial reaction is I want to know who they are, they've done the wrong thing but if you do that, you don't have people coming forward and don't have people getting tested,' she argued.

Stefanovic continued his furious rant.

'They are going to get named if they're charged,' he replied.

'How do you not get it? How do you not get that message through and maybe embarrassment is a way of doing it.'

Stefanovic felt for residents in the regional towns the couple had driven through.

'You'd be filthy if you lived in the country and these people had driven your town, wouldn't you,' he said shortly afterwards.

'How does the message not get through? It puts enormous stress on people who are now waiting for tests and enormous stress on businesses.

'Let's just hope [the couple has] got a good excuse.'

Stefanovic had weighed into the debate following an interview with Queensland-based Royal Australian College of General Practitioners vice president Dr Bruce Willett.

Karl Stefanovic (right) called for the couple to be named and shamed but co-host Allison Langdon (left) disagreed

'I think there's a lot of anger and disappointment really that people would do this. People's lives are at stake and also people's livelihoods with shutdowns,' Dr Willett told the program.

'I think it's a wait and see game. I think we have to keep our fingers crossed that there are no more cases in the near future and we avoid the lockdown.

'I think the important lesson from this is this can happen anywhere, anytime.'

Dr Willett added Queenslanders would like to the couple to be charged.

It's understood the woman broke lockdown to visit her family in Caloundra on the Sunshine Coast.

She had been experiencing symptoms - including loss of her sense of smell - from June 3 but only sought a test on June 8.

In an extraordinary twist, the pair were only detected when they came forward for testing because the husband needed negative results for work purposes.

The Today co-hosts weighed into the debate following an interview with Queensland-based Royal Australian College of General Practitioners vice president Dr Bruce Willett (right)

The couple crossed the NSW/Queensland border at the remote town of Goondiwindi, four hours inland of the Gold Coast where police are much more strict with their patrols

Three states are scrambling to contain a potential Covid outbreak after an infected woman left locked-down Melbourne and drove through NSW to the Sunshine Coast (Mooloolaba pictured)

Six close contacts of the woman have been identified so far, including her husband who has to date tested negative.

The remaining five close contacts are quarantining at a house together on the Sunshine Coast until their results come back.

Queensland's Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young fears the woman's partner could become infected, given how much time the pair spent in the car together.

Both are now at the Sunshine Coast University Hospital.

Dr Young has said it is possible the woman was infectious from the day she left Melbourne.

'She could well have been infectious while travelling through New South Wales and I have been working with my colleague to determine that,' she said on Wednesday.

Authorities are working to track down close contacts and investigate whether she and her partner broke three states' COVID rules.

The positive woman was at Bunnings in Caloundra, QLD between 12.10pm - 12.45pm on June 7

The woman visited Goondiwindi McDonalds on June 5 between 7.35am - 7.50am

VENUES ON ALERT ACROSS NSW AND QUEENSLAND AS INFECTED WOMAN'S TIMELINE IS REVEALED June 1: Left Melbourne and drove across the border to regional New South Wales 10.30-11am: Gillenbah, Caltex Narrandera 6pm-10pm: Forbes, Vandenberg Hotel June 2: 7-10am: Forbes, Brew Coffee Bar 10.30-11.30am: Dubbo, Shell Petrol Station 11.30am-2.30pm: Dubbo , Church Street Cafe 6-10pm: Dubbo, Reading Cinemas June 3: Midnight-10am: Dubbo, Homestead Motel 1.30-4.30pm: Moree, Cafe Omega From 1.45pm onwards: Moree, Gwydir Carpark/Motel & Thermal Pools 3.30-4.30pm: Moree, Woolworths June 4: All day until 7.30am June 5 : Moree, Gwydir Carpark/Motel & Thermal Pools 7-9.30am: Moree, Cafe Omega 11.50-2pm: Moree, Cafe Omega 4.30-11pm: Moree, Amaroo Tavern June 5: Arrived at Goondiwindi border and crossed into Queensland 7.35-7.50am: Goondiwindi, McDonalds 11-11.15am: Toowoomba, Caltex June 6: Travelled to Sunshine Coast 2.45-3pm: Moffat Beach, Sunny's 3.30 - 4.30pm: Coffee Cat in Kings Beach June 7: 10.45-11.30am: Stockland Caloundra Shopping Centre - Coffee Club and Kmart stores 12.10 - 12.45pm: Caloundra, Bunnings 1-2pm: Buddina, Kawana Shoppingworld June 8: 3.50-4pm: Caloundra, Baringa IGA Advertisement

Victorians were forbidden from travelling more than five kilometres from home at the time the woman began her trip on June 1.

NSW did not shut its border with Victoria, but any travellers from the state were supposed to abide by the lockdown rules even in NSW.

Queensland required all Victorian arrivals to spend two weeks in hotel quarantine.

Instead, the woman visited numerous venues in Queensland and NSW.

She stopped at a service station in Gillenbah and Dubbo on her way through NSW, but also visited several cafes in Forbes and Moree and caught a movie at the Reading Cinemas at Dubbo.

Eleven venues in the four towns have been identified by NSW Health as potential exposure sites.

Anyone who attended venues must immediately get tested and isolate.

NSW Health is urging anyone who has been in any of the affected towns to monitor for symptoms and get tested.

Pop-up testing clinics will be set up and opening hours extended to support the increase in testing.

The couple had visited the Kawana Shoppingworld in Queensland between 1pm-2pm on June 7

The pair were only detected when the couple came forward for testing because the man needed negative results for work purposes - with health authorities admitting it was down to luck that the case was caught (pictured Melbourne this week)

Queensland's list of exposure sites include a McDonald's restaurant in Goondiwindi, where they crossed the border from NSW, and sites on the Sunshine Coast, including at Moffat Beach, Kings Beach, Buddina, Baringa and Caloundra.

The couple also travelled through Toowoomba, west of Brisbane. The list of exposure sites is on the Queensland Health website and will inevitably grow.

Deputy Commissioner Steve Gollschewski said Queensland Police will be investigating why the couple entered into the sunshine state.

'We've got a couple that have come from Victoria, when Victoria's in lockdown, into Queensland,' he said.

'We'll examine all those issues around passes - whether they were appropriate and what has happened - it is too early to say.

'It's really important for us to remind the whole community that we cannot possibly check every single person moving around the country.'
An Air Force base in San Antonio was placed on lockdown for almost two hours Wednesday after military officials say two gunmen opened fire from outside before fleeing.

Two gunshots were reported heard coming from outside Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland around noon.

Officials said the shots were fired near the Valley Hi gate on the western side of the main base, just east of Interstate 410 and near a shopping center.

The base immediately implemented lockdown protocols.

A base spokesman said: 'Two suspected shooters from off base fired shots towards JBSA-Lackland. There were trainees in the area and the shooters fled the scene on foot.

'JBSA emergency responders are working with the San Antonio Police Department to clear the area and search for the shooters.'

A military policeman closes a gate at JBSA-Lackland Air Force Base gate on June 9, 2021, in San Antonio following reports of gunshots

The JBSA-Lackland Air Force Base was on lockdown for almost two hours following reports of gunshots but was eventually given the all clear to reopen

Base officials sent an alarming tweet saying, 'Active Shooter warning for all JBSA-Lackland personnel. All base personnel implement LOCKDOWN procedures immediately and take cover. Real World LOCKDOWN, LOCKDOWN, LOCKDOWN.'

The next three tweets, showed a gradual lifting of lockdown until the final 'all clear' was tweeted around 2pm local time. No injuries were reported.

Lt. Col. Brian Loveless, 802nd Security Forces Squadron commander, had previously said it was unclear whether anyone saw a shooter or whether more than one shooter may have been involved.

'We're trying to investigate a couple of leads right now to confirm that gunshots actually did take place on the installation.'

Lackland is on San Antonio's southeast side and is where the Air Force conducts all of its basic training and is one of three Air Force bases - along with Fort Sam Houston and Randolph Air Force base - that make up the Joint Base San Antonio.

'There's a lot of facilities on this installation that are very important to the Air Force. I would rather overreact (to a gunfire report) than underreact,' Loveless said.

San Antonio police said they were assisting in the investigation. In a statement, police spokeswoman Jennifer Rodriguez said officers were looking for the spot from which gunfire might have originated.
Several regional NSW communities face an anxious wait to see if they have been exposed to the coronavirus after an infected Melbourne woman road tripped through the state for four days.

The woman made stops in Gillenbah, Dubbo, Forbes and Moree on her way to the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, where she tested positive to the virus on Tuesday.

Eleven venues in the four towns have been identified by NSW Health as potential exposure sites, with more expected.

Among them are two service stations, Moree Woolworths, several cafes and the Reading Cinemas in Dubbo.

The woman made stops in Gillenbah, Dubbo, Forbes and Moree on her way to the Sunshine Coast in Queensland. The infected woman visited the Church St Cafe (pictured) in Dubbo on Wednesday, June 2

Anyone who attended the listed venues must immediately get tested and isolate.

NSW Health is also urging anyone who has been in any of the affected towns to monitor for symptoms and if they have any to get tested.

Pop-up testing clinics will be set up and opening hours extended to support the increase in testing.

Queensland Chief Health Officer Dr Jeanette Young said the woman developed symptoms on June 3, and it is believed she could have been infectious on the day she left Melbourne.

She was travelling with her husband, who has not tested positive so far.

Authorities in Queensland and NSW are working to track down contacts and investigate whether she and her partner broke three states' COVID rules.

A testing blitz is underway for regional NSW after the woman visited several venues (pictured, the vaccine centre in Homebush, with locals urged to get vaccinated)
President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Boris Johnson will pledge to open a US-UK travel corridor 'as soon as possible' and open up Transatlantic travel restrictions when the two leaders met face-to-face for the first time on Thursday.

They will also establish a new 'Atlantic Charter,' modelled on the one put together by Winston Churchill and Franklin Delano Roosevelt in World War II.

International travel will be a top issue at this week's G7 summit, where the coronavirus pandemic has essentially halted traffic as the summer holiday season approaches. Johnson planned to press Biden about a 'green channel' between their respective nations so those who are vaccinated could travel without observing a quarantine.

Before the outbreak of coronavirus more than 5 million British subjects visited the US and over 4.5 million Americans visited the UK every year  more than any other country.

To restart transatlantic travel, the two leaders will launch a new travel taskforce that will make recommendations on safely reopening it.

President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden step off Air Force One at RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk, England, upon their arrival in the UK on Wednesday

Prime Minister Boris Johnson is hosting the G7 summit; he and Biden hold their first face-to-face meeting on Thursday

Joe Biden's G7 schedule includes a meeting with the Queen after summit President Joe Biden's first foreign trip as the US leader will feature a meeting with the Queen following the G7 summit. Here's his full schedule to June 16: Wednesday, June 9 Biden and his wife, Jill, leave Washington on Wednesday morning. Their first stop in the UK will be at Royal Air Force Mildenhall to greet US Air Force personnel stationed there. Mildenhall is home to the 100th Air Refueling Wing, the only permanent US Air Force air refueling wing in the European theater. Thursday, June 10 Biden will meet Prime Minister Boris Johnson in Carbis Bay. Jill Biden will have tea separately with the Prime Minister's wife Carrie Johnson, and they will tour St Michael's Mount, a 17th-century castle on an island just off the coast of Cornwall. The Bidens are staying at Tregenna Castle Hotel n St Ives with the rest of the G7 leaders. Friday, June 11 Biden will attend the G7 summit for three days starting on Friday, to work on US policy priorities such as the economy and allied unity. Saturday, June 12 Biden will attend more G7 summit meetings in Cornwall and have bilateral meetings with fellow G7 leaders. Jill Biden will meet members of Bude Surf Veterans, which helps UK military veterans through surfing. Sunday, June 13 Biden will finish his meetings at the G7 summit. Afterward, the Bidens will meet Britain's Queen Elizabeth at Windsor Castle. Then Biden will travel to Brussels for the night. Monday, June 14 Biden will meet NATO leaders and have a private meeting with the president of Turkey, Tayyip Erdogan. Tuesday, June 15 Biden will hold more NATO meetings and then fly to Geneva for the night. Wednesday, June 16 Biden will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday, their first face-to-face meeting since Biden became president. White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said on Monday it was unclear whether the two leaders would hold a joint news conference after their talks. Advertisement

'Weve established two working groups of experts -- public health experts: one with the United Kingdom and one with the European Union,' National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters in a press briefing on Air Force One.

'The point of these working groups is to share data and set out both milestones and criteria to enable a reopening of travel between our two countries as swiftly as possible, consistent with public health guidance,' he said.

Thursday marks the first time that Biden and Johnson have met face-to-face. They have spoken on the phone numerous times since Biden was elected president.

Additionally, Biden and Johnson will also agree to a new 'Atlantic Charter', modelled on the historic joint statement made by Winston Churchill and Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1941 that set out the leaders goals for the world post-WWII.

The 'special relationship' between the US and the UK was formed during the dark days of that war. Since then, leaders of the two nations have used it to describe the close alignment of American and British interests.

Biden touted the importance of the 'special relationship' between the US and the United Kingdom in his remarks to Air Force personnel upon his arrival in the UK.

'These bonds of history, the shared sacrifice, run deep and are strong, based on values. They endure - the connection and camaraderie between our troops, this community and American citizens, stationed in UK,' he said. 'You are not only warriors. You are bridge builders. You are an essential part of this special relationship.'

The 1941 Atlantic Charter was devised at sea on board the Royal Navy battleship HMS Prince of Wales and the American ship USS Augusta.

The modern namesake of HMS Prince of Wales will sail along the coast of Cornwall providing the backdrop for the two leaders' sit down, which will take place at St Michael's Mount, a 17th-century castle on an island just off the coast of Cornwall.

The new Atlantic Charter will focus on threats to modern democracies, an agenda item the White House as emphasized ahead of the trip as American worries grow about the growing world influence of Russia and China.

The areas the two leaders will pledge to work together include defending democracy, reaffirming the importance of collective security, and building a fair and sustainable global trading system.

It will also recognize the threats of cyber attacks and climate change.

Biden called climate change a great threat to the world.

'When I went over to the tank in the Pentagon when I was first was elected vice president with President Obama, the military sat us down and let us know what the greatest threats facing America were, the greatest physical threats,' he told Air Force personnel stationed at Royal Air Force Maidenhall on Wednesday night.

'This is not a joke. You know what the Joint Chiefs told us the greatest physical threat facing America was? Global warming,' he said.

Biden and Johnson will announce a new Atlantic Charter modelled on one announced by Franklin D. Roosevelt and Winston Churchill during World War II

Anyone for haggis mousse? World leaders will dine on the likes of haggis mousse, pineapple weed and celeriac desserts this weekend. Scottish chef Adam Handling, who has appeared on Masterchef: The Professionals, will provide the menu for the likes of Joe Biden and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. The leaders meals at the Carbis Bay Hotel in Cornwall will include Dover sole with scallop roe and cultured butter, and Balmoral chicken and haggis mousse. Cream teas will also be served  although with no guidance on whether the jam should go before the cream (the Cornish way). Mr Handlings restaurant Ugly Butterfly will open permanently at the Carbis Bay Hotel in August. This weekend he will work with ten colleagues from his flagship London restaurant, Frog, to provide breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea for the G7 leaders. Mr Handling said: Cooking for these people is massive... but Im confident theyll like the food. Advertisement

'There will be significant population movements, fights over land, millions of people leaving places because they're literally sinking below the sea in Indonesia, because of the fights over what is arable land anymore,' he added.

The US formally rejoined the Paris Climate Accord this year after then President Donald Trump removed the country from it.

Afterward the meeting with Johnson, Biden will attend the G7 summit, where he will hold bilateral meetings with fellow G7 leaders. The G7 includes Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States and the European Union.

On Sunday, he and first lady Jill Biden will travel to Windsor Castle to meet with The Queen.

Then Biden will travel to Brussels, Belgium, to participate in in a NATO meeting and an EU Summit.

There, the president will discuss transatlantic security and the collective defense of Europe.

He will also meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Biden also will participate in the U.S.EU Summit while in Brussels. That meeting with focus on global health and the world economy. Leaders will discuss climate change, trade, and democracy.

President Biden will also meet with His Majesty King Philippe of Belgium and Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo.

Then Biden travels to Geneva for his sit down with Russian President Vladimir Putin on June 16. He will also meet with Swiss President Guy Parmelin and Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis.
Oxford University descended into civil war last night after academics urged colleagues to 'boycott' Oriel College over its refusal to remove a statue of Cecil Rhodes.

In an unprecedented move, dons led by Professor Kate Tunstall  the head of another Oxford college  called on staff to stop holding tutorials for Oriel students until the monument to the colonialist is removed.

More than 100 academics had signed up last night. While they will still give lectures, the 'work to rule' will see staff deny the college's 300 undergraduates the chance for in-depth discussion in small groups or one-to-one sessions.

In an unprecedented move, dons led by Professor Kate Tunstall  the head of another Oxford college  called on staff to stop holding tutorials for Oriel students until the monument to the colonialist is removed

One senior don told the Daily Mail: 'This is despicable and mean-minded. It is unprecedented for the head of one college to attack and detract from the teaching of students at another college. This is politics based on ignorance and bias, and should have nothing to do with Oxford or any other university, where the principal aim should be to educate students and not damage their learning through left-biased agitation.'

The storm is the second to hit Oxford in as many days, after students at Magdalen College voted to remove a portrait of the Queen from their common room because she 'represents recent colonial history'.

While they will still give lectures, the 'work to rule' will see staff deny the college's 300 undergraduates the chance for in-depth discussion in small groups or one-to-one sessions. Pictured: Dr Kate Tunstall

Last month saw Oriel reject calls to tear down the statue of Rhodes, after an independent commission produced a 144-page report on the isssue following a long-running Rhodes Must Fall campaign.

An Oxford student in the 1870s, Rhodes left money to Oriel on his death in 1902 and his statue stands on the college's building on Oxford High Street. An imperialist, businessman and politician, he played a dominant role in southern Africa in the late 19th century, driving the annexation of vast swathes of land.

More than 1,400 people wrote to the independent commission with their views, including alumni who said removing Rhodes's statue would amount to 'censoring the past' and 'erasing history'.

The commission ultimately recommended that the statue be removed  but also highlighted how challenging it would be to conduct such work on a Grade II listed building. In addition to the cost, such changes would also require permission from Robert Jenrick, the Communities Secretary.

Previous vows from ministers to protect statues from 'baying mobs' suggest any moves to remove Rhodes would be blocked by the Government.

Following Oriel's decision to keep the statue, college provost Lord Mendoza insisted any money needed to pay for its removal  and associated legal challenges  would be better spent on students. But Professor Tunstall, interim provost of Worcester College, is among Oxford academics who invited colleagues to sign a 'statement of a boycott of Oriel College'. Their joint declaration states: 'Faced with Oriel's stubborn attachment to a statue that glorifies colonialism and the wealth it produced for the College, we feel we have no choice but to withdraw all discretionary work and goodwill collaborations.'

One senior don told the Daily Mail: 'This is despicable and mean-minded. It is unprecedented for the head of one college to attack and detract from the teaching of students at another college. This is politics based on ignorance and bias, and should have nothing to do with Oxford or any other university, where the principal aim should be to educate students and not damage their learning through left-biased agitation'

Signatories agree to 'refuse requests from Oriel to give tutorials to Oriel undergraduates'. They will also refuse to interview prospective students, nor will they speak at Oriel talks and conferences.

The petition has been spearheaded by Professor Tunstall, who has previously attempted to scrap the saying of grace before meals. Other apparent authors of the boycott statement include Sneha Krishnan, an associate professor in human geography at Brasenose, and two academics from St Antony's College: Miles Larmer, professor of African history, and Simukai Chigudu, associate professor of African politics.

The college is establishing a 'task force' to look at how to 'retain and explain' the statue, by making the public aware of the context and history behind it.

A likely option is to add a plaque, but dons are also considering creating a 'digital museum' about the statue, which could be accessed around the world.

But the Rhodes Must Fall campaign called it a 'slap in the face' and vowed to carry on fighting.

Responding to the campaign, a senior Oxford don said: 'This is despicable and mean-minded. It is unprecedented for the head of one college to attack and detract from the teaching of students at another college.

'This is politics based on ignorance and bias, and should have nothing to do with Oxford or any other university, where the principle aim should be to educate students and not damage their learning through left-biased agitation.'

Lord Wharton, the chairman of the Office for Students, told the Telegraph the boycott was 'utterly unacceptable' if it led to students being 'disadvantaged in any way'.

Tory MP Tim Loughton added: 'This is academic blackmail by a group of academics who think their own political views should trump everyone else's, and if they don't get their own way then any innocent students who happen to fall within their boycott will become the victims.'
Australia will be a sitting duck for coronavirus and the flu when international borders open due to the sub-standard operations of our major hospitals.

That's the stark warning the Australian Medical Association has issued to the federal government ahead of a predicted re-opening of international borders by mid-2022.

AMA president Omar Khorshid said the current operation of our hospitals would not be able to handle a new outbreak of Covid-19 or a bad influenza season.

'We are sitting ducks for not just COVID but for flu when those borders open,' he told the National Press Club on Wednesday.

There are fears Australia could be easily exposed to Covid-19 when borders reopen sometime next year

Ambulance ramping, which is when patients have to wait around for emergency treatment after being rushed to hospital, has been getting more common around Australia as hospitals were incapable of handling the case load.

Dr Khorshid said more avoidable deaths would happen with the situation worse than it had been in a long time.

'When you have public hospitals busting at the seams with ambulance ramping it's hard to see how there's any capacity to deal with the surge that we know happens normally every winter,' he said.

Queensland is on high alert after a 44-year-old woman, who travelled from Victoria despite lockdown, tested positive on the Sunshine Coast.

Multiple exposure sites in Queensland and NSW have been identified with authorities attempting to trace the woman and her husband's movements.

Victorians continue to lead the charge on vaccination numbers with Melbourne to lift some lockdown measures on Friday while retaining others.

Australia's international borders have been closed since March 2020 to stop the virus coming in from overseas

There were more than 140,000 doses administered nationally over the past 24 hours taking the total past 5.3 million.

The number of people who have received the requisite two doses is 650,000.

ATAGI, which advises the federal government on vaccines, has given the green light for pregnant women to receive the Pfizer jab.

The expert panel revealed the updated advice in a joint announcement with the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

'Global surveillance data from large numbers of pregnant women have not identified any significant safety concerns with mRNA COVID-19 vaccines given at any stage of pregnancy,' they said in a statement.

'Furthermore, there is also evidence of antibody in cord blood and breastmilk, which may offer protection to infants through passive immunity.'
Chinese straw sculpture team earns up to 40 million yuan a year

People's Daily Online) 17:23, June 08, 2021

Photo shows two children inside a straw giant. (Photo/yangtse.com)

Video footage of life-like colossal straw sculptures of a stern-looking gorilla and terrifying crocodiles and mantises, produced by a team from Shuyang county, Suqian city, east China's Jiangsu province, has recently left many netizens stunned.

One netizen marveled that their childhood dream of big toys made of straw has now become a reality, while another commented that these innovative works have created a fairy tale world for children. Others believed that they can be used to attract tourists and develop the rural economy.

Xie Zhuangzhi, a member of the production team behind these mammoth sculptures, explained that there are mainly two steps involved in making them -- welding and manual straw weaving.

"Welding is a very important step. Only by vividly welding out the main frameworks of the animals can we weave straw based on them in the later stage," explained Xie, adding that the welding of steel frames require the right weather and welders with at least one or two years of experience.

According to Xie, in the second step of manual straw weaving, the team will invariably use straw ropes or curtains, instead of raw materials directly from the fields.

The process seems simple, but due to the degree of difficulty and complexity, it takes a lot of time to complete these two procedures in the course of a sculptures production. To produce an 8-meter-high gorilla, seven people need to work together for half a month," said Xie.

These sculptures are mainly sold for decoration purposes at tourist attractions, rural areas and farmlands. "Our team has been producing straw sculptures since 2016. Now, our annual sales reach about 40 million yuan ($6.2 million). There is still a big market to be tapped," disclosed Xie.

"In fact, the straw sculpture can be said to be the inheritance of Chinese traditional farming culture," Xie said, while explaining that straw sculpture production is beneficial for the re-employment of the rural population and increasing farmers' incomes.

"Our team has employed more than 30 villagers in Shuyang who specialize in straw weaving. At present, their monthly income is about 3,000 yuan," he said.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun)
Postal officials had already installed surveillance camera at the shed because of two break-ins last fall, when someone stole a total of 42 tires. In each of the crimes, the security gate and fence around the perimeter of the maintenance yard were undamaged, but the shed lock was broken.
The NHS is sexist and women should challenge doctors who fob them off, a health minister said yesterday.

In an extraordinary interview, Nadine Dorries accused many doctors of failing to listen to female patients.

She said the health service had been guilty of 'shutting down' complaints by women over their care.

Mrs Dorries, a former nurse, added that doctors too often deny vital help for menopausal women and refuse to prescribe Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)  giving out antidepressants instead.

And she revealed she had herself been 'fobbed off' by doctors when she sought treatment.

In an extraordinary interview, Nadine Dorries accused many doctors of failing to listen to female patients

IVF clinics 'must not guarantee success' Concerns about the mis-selling of IVF treatment have led to a crackdown on fertility clinic practices. The competition watchdog has created new tough guidelines for clinics and patients, highlighting that some clinics are wrongly offering women a 'guaranteed baby' or claiming to be 'number one in the UK for success rates'. Centres which give the impression their success rates are better than the reality are likely to be in breach of consumer law, according to the Competition and Markets Authority. Prices can exceed 20,000 for a cycle of IVF. The new guidelines state: 'Clinics should not be advertising misleadingly low headline prices to attract patients.' Centres which break any laws in their business practices could be taken to court, or made to give financial compensation to wronged couples. Dr Raj Mathur, chairman of the British Fertility Society, which represents members of the private fertility sector and the NHS, said: 'We are absolutely clear that clinics should represent success rates in a responsible way in line with the regulations.' Advertisement

The outspoken comments come as the Government urges women to give evidence about their care to shape a new strategy on the future of women's health.

Appearing on BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour, Mrs Dorries was asked by presenter Emma Barnett whether the NHS system was sexist. She replied: 'I think it is to a degree. The core theme of most of the reports we have are, 'Women are not listened to'.

'I've experienced that myself, I know how it happens, I know how the system shuts down a complaint, shuts down a woman who has issues with either treatment or surgery or a wrong diagnosis.'

The health minister added: 'Male is the default in health  we want women to be our priority. I can't even count the number of times women have told me that rather than being prescribed HRT they're given antidepressants.'

Mrs Dorries called on women to have more confidence to challenge doctors if they do not believe they are being listened to.

'What I'm trying to do is empower women to have the confidence to go into a doctors' and challenge what the doctor is saying to them,' she said. 'I honestly believe we need to take that responsibility.'

She told the programme there had been 'unconscious biases against women since the beginning of time'. Certain biases 'get into the people who are working within the system' despite large numbers of women working in the NHS, she said.

The minister listed a range of reports which exposed the way the NHS had failed women, including the Cumberlege review into the misuse of pelvic mesh and hormone pregnancy tests, and the inquiry into breast surgeon Ian Paterson who was convicted of wounding women.

'It's always women at the bottom of an inquiry or something that is going wrong within the NHS,' she said.

Appearing on BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour, Mrs Dorries was asked by presenter Emma Barnett whether the NHS system was sexist. She replied that she thinks it is 'to a degree' (pictured: Mrs Dorries when she was a young nurse)

Mrs Dorries, a former nurse, added that doctors too often deny vital help for menopausal women and refuse to prescribe Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)  giving out antidepressants instead (stock image)

The minister added: 'My point was to women: don't be fobbed off. It happened to me... I was fobbed off, don't be fobbed off.' A Department of Health spokesman would not say what personal instance Mrs Dorries had been referring to.

The call for evidence on the women's health strategy will close this Sunday. Already 100,000 women, organisations, clinicians and carers have responded.

As well as health issues specific to women, the strategy will look at the different ways in which women experience health issues that affect both sexes.
Hospitals in virus hotspots are coping well with surging Covid cases because patients are younger and in less need of critical care, a senior NHS boss has said.

Chris Hopson, chief executive of NHS Providers, said hospital leaders are confident vaccinations have broken the link between coronavirus cases, hospital admissions and deaths.

The breakthrough means fewer patients need treatment and those who do are generally younger and less sick than during the second wave, he said.

Chris Hopson, chief executive of NHS Providers, said hospital leaders are confident vaccinations have broken the link between cases, hospital admissions and deaths

Even in badly affected towns such as Bolton, it was striking that hospital admissions had not risen as they did before, Mr Hopson said, adding that deaths remain low nationwide.

After troops were deployed to Greater Manchester and Lancashire to help battle soaring cases of the Delta, or Indian variant, members of Queen Alexandras Royal Army Nursing Corps opened a vaccine centre outside Bolton Town Hall.

Despite mounting concerns, Mr Hopson, who represents hospital bosses, told Times Radio it was vital to look at the bigger picture. Its important not to just focus on the raw numbers here ... you also do need to look at whos being admitted into hospital and how clinically vulnerable and what level of acuity theyve got.

What chief executives are consistently telling us is that it is a much younger population that is coming in, they are less clinically vulnerable, they are less in need of critical care and therefore theyre seeing what they believe is a significantly lower mortality rate which is borne out by the figures.

His reassurances came as the UK recorded a further 7,540 cases yesterday, with the seven-day average up 66 per cent in a week.

Mr Hopson said it was unclear if the country was at the beginning of an exponential rise.

After troops were deployed to Greater Manchester and Lancashire to help battle soaring cases of the Delta, or Indian variant, members of Queen Alexandras Royal Army Nursing Corps opened a vaccine centre outside Bolton Town Hall

Weve had less than 15 people a day dying from Covid for nearly about seven weeks now and that compares to well over 1,000 a day in the January peak and 800 a day in April last year, he said. In a blog for the British Medical Journal yesterday, he wrote that NHS trust leaders felt they are coping well, adding that they were not seeing the same pressures on intensive care this time.

There is a growing sense that thanks to the vaccine, the chain seen in previous waves between rising infections and high rates of hospital admissions and deaths has been broken. That feels very significant, he wrote.

But Mr Hopson warned any decision on easing remaining lockdown restrictions on June 21 was finely balanced, adding that even a small rise in Covid patients could see hospitals forced to make some trade-offs between Covid and non-Covid care.

Philip Thomas, professor of risk management at the University of Bristol, said we should brace ourselves for a surge in infections which could be greater than that seen in January.

But he agreed that cases will mainly be among the young, adding: Crucially, the NHS should not come close to being overwhelmed. Likening it to a flu season, he estimated the UK will face another 7,000 deaths, with daily deaths peaking at a quarter of previous waves, before subsiding.

Mr Hopson said it was unclear if the country was at the beginning of an exponential rise (pictured: Combat medics from Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps vaccinate members of the public at a rapid vaccination centre, set up outside Bolton Town Hall)

He wrote in The Spectator magazine: There is no point delaying reopening, because a landmark has been reached: Covid-19 has been downgraded into a nasty bug which is now no more lethal than viruses such as influenza.

My model points to about 7,000 more deaths to come. A daunting figure, yes, but about a third less than in a typical flu season.

Official estimates show four-fifths of UK adults had potentially life-saving Covid-19 antibodies by the middle of May  up ten per cent on the previous month.

And in another landmark achievement for the vaccination programme, a record one million people signed up for jabs on the NHS website on Tuesday, causing the site to temporarily crash.

A total of 1,082,596 first and second dose slots  about 750 a minute  were booked online and by phone over 24 hours, as 25 to 29-year-olds were invited for jabs.

Sir Simon Stevens, the head of NHS England, said the figures have blown out of the water the suggestion that people in their 20s might not come forward.
Daunte Wright was 'an arch criminal' whose death at the hands of a white police officer in Minneapolis is being used to push 'false narratives', according to a lawyer representing the victims of two separate shootings the black man is accused of being involved in.

Attorney Michael Padden told DailyMail.com in an exclusive interview that the 20-year-old was a 'very serious criminal' who should never have been out on the streets on April 11, the day he was shot dead.

Padden is representing two families who have filed separate lawsuits against Wright's estate that allege he was involved in the shooting of two men.

In one incident, Wright is accused of shooting Caleb Livingston - who he went to school with - in the head in 2019, leaving him in a permanently vegetative state.

In the other, Wright was allegedly involved in a carjacking just three weeks before his death where the victim - Joshua Hodges - was shot in the leg.

Wright was not charged in either shooting incident and police have not confirmed if he was a suspect in either case.

The new allegations against the 20-year-old black man have emerged just two months after he was fatally shot by Brooklyn Center cop Kim Potter during an April traffic stop.

Potter, who resigned days after the shooting and is charged with second-degree manslaughter, allegedly mixed up her Taser and her handgun when she opened fire on Wright.

In the days after he was killed, it was revealed that Wright had a warrant out for his arrest and had previously appeared in court for attempted aggravated robbery charges after he allegedly choked and held a woman at gunpoint for $820 in 2019.

Daunte Wright, the black man shot dead by a white police officer in Minneapolis, has been accused of being involved in two separate shooting incidents before he was killed

It has now emerged that Wright is also accused of being involved in the two separate shooting incidents involving Hodges and Livingston.

Lawyers for Wright's family have slammed the new lawsuits calling them an effort to 'distract' from the cop killing of the young black father-of-one.

But Padden hit back at these claims, telling DailyMail.com that Wright was an arch criminal who was looking at a long stretch behind bars for numerous alleged crimes.

He blasted the 'false narratives' surrounding the black man and said America is 'sick and tired' of them.

I think Americans are sick and tired of false narratives. The sad reality was that Dante Wright was an arch criminal and anyone who says otherwise is not being honest,' Padden told DailyMail.com.

I think the full extent of his criminal history may never be known.

While Padden admitted it is 'unfortunate' that Wright died, he urged people to take into account the experiences of Livingston's mother Jennifer LeMay who has been left to care for her permanently disabled son following the shooting.

My job is to represent the people who have been violated by Daunte Wright. I think people need to look at it from the perspective of Jennifer LeMay, the mother of Caleb Livingston  what she has to deal with on a daily basis, with a son who is in a vegetative state,' he said.

The reality is that Daunte Wright was a very serious criminal and had he not evaded arrest on the date that they attempted to apprehend him when he was unfortunately killed he would not have been shot.

Its unfortunate that he was killed, Im not denying that. But he was probably looking at a minimum of 20 years for three separate crimes and he would have never made bail because he had already violated the terms of one felony case.

Padden added: He shouldnt have been out running around on April 11 anyway.

The latest lawsuit was filed on Tuesday and alleges that Wright was one of two men involved in a carjacking on March 21 that left the victim, Joshua Hodges (pictured above), with a gunshot wound to his leg

The second lawsuit alleges that Wright shot Caleb Livingston (above) in the head and left him permanently disabled outside a Minneapolis gas station in May 2019

Livingston's mother said her son spent 33 days in intensive care and had part of his skull removed to relieve pressure on his brain following shooting. He is pictured above in his wheelchair following the shooting

The attorney said he believes Wright mistakenly thought Potter was trying to arrest him in connection with the Hodges carjacking and shooting after Hodges had identified him to the police some days earlier.

I would have more respect for his attorneys and family if they would have just come out and said, Look, this young man had real problems,' he added.

'He was a flawed human being but this should never have happened. I would have respected that.

Padden told DailyMail.com he is confident that he will secure victory for both families should their cases get as far as court.

Ive got a job to do and that is to be a zealous advocate for these people that have been violated by Daunte Wrights conduct. I take that obligation very seriously, he said.

Padden also pointed out that his clients would have no access to any funds paid out by the city of Brooklyn Center in Wrights familys wrongful death suit.

I think if people understand that theyll calm down, he said.

The latest lawsuit was filed Tuesday, alleging Wright was one of two men involved in a carjacking on March 21 that left Hodges with a gunshot wound to his leg.

According to the suit, obtained by DailyMail.com, the theft and shooting was perpetrated by Wright and an accomplice and, need not and should not have happened  and was entirely foreseeable.

The suit goes onto state that Wright had established himself as an arch criminal having committed significant crimes, prior to March 21.

The latest suit, filed Tuesday, claims Wright was involved in a carjacking on March 21 that left the victim, Joshua Hodges, with a gunshot wound to his leg. The suit claims the theft and shooting was perpetrated by Wright and an accomplice

But, it claims, the legal system failed..in the sense that Perp 2 [Wright] was free to commit crimes.

This was, it states, classic black on black crime.

In fact the complaint goes onto allege that Wright, had a penchant not only for victimizing people of color, but also, people he knew and who knew him who could therefore identify him to authorities.

Wright was never charged with the shooting but the suit states that Wright and the victim, Hodges, had attended school together and that although Wright was masked he was easily identifiable to Hodges as he sat in his car near his home in North Minneapolis on the evening of the shooting.

According to the lawsuit, Wright and the other man approached Hodges while he was sitting in his car.

The other man opened his car door and immediately shot Hodges in the leg, causing massive bleeding and fracturing his left fibula.

In a state of shock and bleeding profusely the suit claims that Hodges was then assaulted about the face by Wright, causing face, mouth and teeth injuries.

He was then robbed of his wallet and cell phone and his assailants took off in his car.

The lawsuit says Hodges spent two weeks in hospital recovering from his gunshot wound injuries.

Hodges complaint lists what it claims was Wrights lengthy criminal record at the time of this alleged assault.

The record includes the shooting of Caleb Livingston (though the investigation remains open), aggravated robbery of a woman in Osseo, Minnesota with which Wright was charged, illegal possession of a handgun and violation of his terms of bond.

Wright had had an active warrant for over six months at the time of his alleged assault on Hodges.

The second lawsuit alleges that Wright shot Caleb Livingston in the head and left him permanently disabled outside a gas station in May 2019. It says Livingston has been left suffering severe pain, disability, disfigurement, humiliation, embarrassment and grave emotional distress following the shooting

The second lawsuit, which was filed last month, relates to the shooting of Caleb Livingston back in May 2019.

It alleges that Wright shot the then-teenager in the head and left him permanently disabled.

The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Livingston's mother, Jennifer LeMay, who claims her son, who is now 18, was once friends with Wright.

The lawsuit alleges the pair had a 'falling out' that came to a head after her son beat up Wright in front of a group.

Wright allegedly retaliated by shooting Livingston in the head.

The suit states that both Livingston and Wright were at a gas station/convenience store known as Full Stop on May 14, 2019 at 9.19 pm when the shooting took place.

The shooting is still an open investigation and no one has been charged.

Wright was fatally shot by Brooklyn Center cop Kim Potter during an April traffic stop. Potter, who is charged with second-degree manslaughter, allegedly mixed up her Taser and her handgun when she opened fire

But LeMays suit claims that it was Wright who, brandished, pointed and discharged a firearm at and towards Caleb.

Livingston was hit with a single shot to the head, causing serious, disabling and permanent injuries.

Medics had to remove a large portion of Livingstons skull in an attempt to save him.

After he was declared brain dead he was taken off life support but, remarkably, he survived.

Livingston, the suit states, has suffered and will continue to suffer, severe pain, disability, disfigurement, humiliation, embarrassment and grave emotional distress.

Livingston is, not able to handle his personal affairs or meet his basic living needs and has significant permanent disability both mentally and physically following the shooting, it states.

LeMay told the Star Tribune in a 2019 interview that her son spent 33 days in intensive care and had part of his skull removed to relieve pressure on his brain.

She said the medical costs had surpassed $545,000.

'I didn't ask for my child to be shot,' LeMay said. 'So I have literally liquidated everything that I have stored away for savings.'

The same lawyer, Michael Padden, is behind both lawsuits, which are each seeking $50,000 from Wright's estate.

A statement from the lawyers representing Wright's family, including civil rights attorney Ben Crump, slammed the new lawsuits.

'Already grieving the loss of their loved one, is Daunte Wright's family also expected to endure this character assassination on top of it?' the statement, obtained by KARE11, reads.

Police body cam footage of the fatal incident showed three officers approaching Daunte Wright's car in Brooklyn Center after he had been pulled over for the traffic stop

Bodycam footage of the incident showed Potter firing her gun at Wright after shouting 'Taser'

'The audacity of this attorney is disappointing, and we implore members of the community to not be drawn in by these opportunistic efforts to tear down Daunte and hurt his family.

'Ploys like these aim to do one thing: distract. But our team will not be distracted in our fight for justice in this case and in our fight for justice for all marginalized communities.'

Padden, the attorney behind the two lawsuits, says he isn't sure what his clients might be able to get from the legal action.

'We don't know. We'll figure that out. We'll see how it plays out,' Padden said.

Speaking specifically about the latest lawsuit, Padden said: 'But look, someone needs to answer for this. This kid was badly injured in a terrible crime, and it's perfectly reasonable to issue a claim against one of the two individuals responsible.'

Wright (pictured in his booking photo) was arrested on attempted aggravated robbery charges after allegedly holding a woman at gunpoint for $820 in December 2019

Details of Wright's criminal history emerged in the days after his death, including that he had a warrant out for his arrest after he missed a court appearance on separate firearms charges at the time he was killed.

Wright was due to face trial on a charge of attempted aggravated robbery related to a December 2019 incident.

Charging papers say Wright and a second man, Emajay Driver, went to a home shared by two women in Osseo, Minnesota 'to party' in December 2019. At the time, Wright was 19 and Driver was 18.

The women asked them to leave around 2.30 am on December 1 but they said they didn't have a ride and the women - who are not identified in the court documents - allowed them to sleep on the floor.

In the morning, one of the women went to the bank to get her $820 rent money, which she gave to the other woman and then left for work.

As Wright, Driver and the second woman were leaving, Wright allegedly tried to hold up the woman and pulled out a black handgun.

He was accused of choking the woman as he grabbed the money.

Wright's April 11 death sparked days of unrest in Minneapolis at a time when fired cop Derek Chauvin was standing trial for the murder of George Floyd.

He was shot and killed by police officer Kim Potter, a 26-year veteran in the Brooklyn Center Police Department, after he was pulled over for what police said were expired license plate tags.

Police said a struggle broke out when they tried to arrest Wright after running his name and realizing he had an outstanding warrant.

At the time, the city's police chief described the shooting as 'an accidental discharge' and said Potter had mistakenly fired her gun instead of a taser.

Wright's April 11 death sparked days of unrest in Minneapolis at a time when fired cop Derek Chauvin was standing trial for the murder of George Floyd. A number of high-profile Democratic lawmakers in Minnesota and activists attended Wright's funeral

Bodycam footage of the incident showed Potter and two other officers approaching Wright's car after he had been pulled over.

The footage showed one officer trying to handcuff Wright as a second officer told him he was being arrested on a warrant. Wright immediately jumped back into his car in an apparent attempt to flee.

A struggle then broke out between the officers and Wright, who was still sitting inside his car.

Potter could be heard shouting 'Taser!' several times in the moments before she fired her gun. Immediately after, Potter could be heard saying: 'Holy sh*t. I shot him'.

Wright managed to drive several blocks before coming to a stop when he hit another car. He was pronounced dead at the scene and his girlfriend, who was a passenger in the car, sustained non-life-threatening injuries.

His death has sparked several days of violent protests and unrest in the city that was already on edge because of the trial of Derek Chauvin, the first of four police officers charged in George Floyd's death.

A number of high-profile Democratic lawmakers in Minnesota later attended Wright's funeral.

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison is leading the case against Potter, who is scheduled to go on trial on December 6. If convicted, she faces a sentence of up to 10 years in prison.
Almost a third of Republican voters believe former President Donald Trump will be 'reinstated,' new polling from Morning Consult and Politico found.

A national tracking poll conducted from June 4 through 7 found that 29 per cent of self-identified Republicans believed it very or somewhat likely that Trump will be reinstated as U.S. president this year.

'That's actually something that appears to be resonating fairly deeply with Republican voters,' Morning Consult senior editor Cameron Easley said Wednesday on SiriusXM's 'Julie Mason Mornings' adding that he found it to be an 'eye-popping number.'

Almost a third of Republican voters believe former President Donald Trump will be 'reinstated' polling from Morning Consult and Politico found

Overall, 29 per cent of Republicans said they believed it was very or somewhat likely Trump will be reinstated as president this year

The New York Times' Maggie Haberman tweeted last week that former President Donald Trump has been telling people he expects to be reinstated as president by August

'That seems really high,' Easley said.

Last week, New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman tweeted that Trump 'has been telling a number of people he's in contact with that he expects he will get reinstated by August.'

'No that isn't how it works but simply sharing the information,' the journalist added, as an aside.

The Washington Post confirmed Haberman's reporting noting that Trump has become fixated on election audits and shared with allies that they could result in him returning to the White House later this year.

'Some advisers said that such comments appear to be just offhand musings,' The Post also wrote.

No matter the seriousness the sentiment has triggered that belief in various groups, the poll found.

Among Republicans, 17 per cent said they thought it very likely and 12 per cent said it was somewhat likely that Trump would be reinstated.

Among all voters, 10 per cent said it was very likely and 9 per cent said it was somewhat likely that Trump would get put back in the White House.

Beyond Republicans, 22 per cent of those who said they were employed by the government told Morning Consult and Politico's pollsters that there was a very high chance Trump was reinstated.

An additional, 11 per cent of government employees found the scenario to be somewhat likely.

Older voters tended to believe it to be less possible.

Just 11 per cent of baby boomers said it was very or somewhat likely, compared to 32 per cent of millennials and 27 per cent of Gen-Z polled.

The June 4-7 poll was conducted among 1,990 registered voters, with a margin of error of plus-or-minus 2 per cent.

Trump has continued stoking the so-called 'big lie,' telling supporters for months he was robbed of a second term, despite there being no evidence of widespread election fraud.

During an appearance in North Carolina last week, Trump gave a wink to those wanting to believe the theory.

'We're gonna take back the White House, and sooner than you think,' he said.
A black professor at Columbia University has called for parents to pull their kids out of a $52,000-a-year private school in Englewood, New Jersey after a teacher quit over critical race theory lessons.

John McWhorter, an associate professor of English and comparative literature at Columbia University, tweeted his support for Dana Stangel-Plowe - who resigned from the Dwight-Englewood School on Tuesday.

'All hail Dana Stangel-Plowe, who has resigned from the Dwight-Englewood School, which teaches students "antiracism" that sees life as nothing but abuse of power, and teaches that cringing, hostile group identity against oppression is the essence of a self,' McWhorter tweeted.

The academic is also a distinguished journalist, who serves as a contributing editor at The Atlantic magazine.

'Truly antiracist parents, in the name of love of their kids, should pull them from the Dwight-Englewood school as of next fall. Only this will arrest these misguided Elect parishioners from their quest to forge a new reality for us all,' he added.

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John McWhorter, an associate professor of English and comparative literature at Columbia University, has called for parents to pull their kids out of a $52,000-a-year private school

He tweeted his support for Dana Stangel-Plowe - who resigned from the Dwight-Englewood School on Tuesday over the school's teaching of critical race theory

Stangel-Plowe herself retweeted McWhorter's praise.

She did so a day after accused the school of creating a 'hostile culture of conformity and fear' in her resignation letter on Tuesday.

She said Head of School Rodney De Jarnett told the entire faculty that he would fire everyone if he could to replace them with people of color. She also accused the school of segregating teachers by their skin color - and said students were also made to segregate themselves 'within the oppressor or oppressed group.'

Her resignation letter was published by the Foundation Against Intolerance & Racism, (FAIR) an organization created to combat critical race theory teachings in school.

'I'm not doing any interviews,' Stangel-Plowe said when reached by DailyMail.com over the phone on Wednesday evening.

Dana Stangel-Plowe, who taught at the Dwight-Englewood School in Bergen County, accused the school of creating a 'hostile culture of conformity and fear'

Stangel-Plowe said Head of School Rodney De Jarnett told the entire faculty that he would fire everyone if he could to replace them with people of color

She also accused the school, pictured, of segregating teachers by their skin color pondered if the school would start to racially segregate its students

The move comes after it was recently announced that Dr. Mirangela Buggs, who has served as Director of Equity and Diversity Engagement for the Dwight-Englewood School since 2017, would be leaving her post for a job at another private school in London.

The American School in London, whose fees run to $40,000-a-year, announced in a press release in March that Buggs would take on a new role as Director of Institutional Equity. Her appointment was confirmed months before Stangel-Plowe's dramatic resignation. DailyMail.com has contacted Buggs for further comment.

FAIR said Stangel-Plowe is an 'award-winning teacher' and a graduate of Cornell University, as well as a published poet, in highlighting her credentials.

'I became a teacher at Dwight-Englewood because, as a parent, I loved how the school both nurtured and challenged my own children. Today, I am resigning from a job I love because D-E has changed in ways that undermine its mission and prevent me from holding true to my conscience as an educator,' she wrote.

'I believe that D-E is failing our students. Over the past few years, the school has embraced an ideology that is damaging to our students' intellectual and emotional growth and destroying any chance at creating a true community among our diverse population.'

She added: 'I reject the hostile culture of conformity and fear that has taken hold of our school.'

Stangel-Plowe claimed that the school's ideology requires students to see themselves 'not as individuals, but as representatives of a group, forcing them to adopt the status of privilege or victimhood.'

'They must locate themselves within the oppressor or oppressed group, or some intersectional middle where they must reckon with being part-oppressor and part-victim. This theory of power hierarchies is only one way of seeing the world, and yet it pervades D-E as the singular way of seeing the world,' she wrote.

Stangel-Plowe wrote that her students would arrive in her classroom accepting critical race theory as fact.

The move comes after it was recently announced that Dr. Mirangela Buggs, center, who has served as Director of Equity and Diversity Engagement for the Dwight-Englewood School since 2017, would be leaving her post for a job in London

Dana Stangel-Plowe resigned from her job teaching at a private school after condemning its decision to teach students' critical race theory, and did so via a video statement and email

'People born with less melanin in their skin are oppressors, and people born with more melanin in their skin are oppressed. Men are oppressors, women are oppressed, and so on. This is the dominant and divisive ideology that is guiding our adolescent students,' she wrote.

Stangel-Plowe claimed that critical race theory would hinder her the ability of her students to 'read, write and think.'

'I teach students who recoil from a poem because it was written by a man. I teach students who approach texts in search of the oppressor. I teach students who see inequities in texts that have nothing to do with power,' she wrote.

'Students have internalized the message that this is the way we read and think about the world, and as a result, they fixate on power and group identity. This fixation has stunted their ability to observe and engage with the full fabric of human experience in our literature.'

Stangel-Plowe added that it was her opinion that the school was failing to teach 'intellectual curiosity, humility, honesty, reason, and the capacity to question ideas and consider multiple perspectives.'

'In our school, the opportunity to hear competing ideas is practically non-existent,' she wrote.

She added: 'Sadly, the school is leading many to become true believers and outspoken purveyors of a regressive and illiberal orthodoxy.'

'Understandably, these students have found comfort in their moral certainty, and so they have become rigid and closed-minded, unable or unwilling to consider alternative perspectives,' she wrote.

'These young students have no idea that the school has placed ideological blinders on them.'

Stangel-Plowe also claimed some students were 'self-censoring' their opinions for fear of being frozen out by peers if they said the wrong thing

She said that not all students are 'true believers' and claimed that many pretend to agree 'because of pressure to conform.'

'I've heard from students who want to ask a question but stop for fear of offending someone. I have heard from students who don't participate in discussions for fear of being ostracized,' Stangel-Plowe wrote.

Critical race theory teaches that racism is a social construct used to oppress people of color, and that it is present in almost all aspects of everyday life.

Its supporters say the theory helps illuminate the obstacles faced by BIPOC (black, indigenous and people of color) individuals in their everyday lives, that their white counterparts do not have to worry about.

The teaching of critical race theory has become a cultural lightning rod in recent months, particularly when taught in schools. Critics claim it is unnecessarily divisive, and teaches children that they are either victims or oppressors from an early age.

It was not immediately clear when the Dwight-Englewood School began teaching critical race theory, but the school has previously faced race-related scandals.

In 2019, the school removed and investigated a student for a racist and anti-Semitic 'hate' messages scribbled in the stalls of a boys' bathroom, De Jarnett said in a statement obtained by NorthJersey.com.

After the school started teaching critical race theory, Stangel-Plowe claimed that one student even did not want to finish a personal essay about an experience she had in a foreign country over fears the essay would be racist.

'In her fear, she actually stopped herself from thinking. This is the very definition of self-censorship,' Stangel-Plowe wrote.

Stangel-Plowe claimed that in 2019 she tried to 'introduce positive and constructive alternative views' but they fell on 'deaf ears.'

'You expressed dismay, but I did not hear any follow up from you or other administrators. Since then, the stifling conformity has only intensified,' she wrote.

'Last fall, two administrators informed faculty that certain viewpoints simply would not be tolerated during our new 'race explicit' conversations with our new 'anti-racist' work. They said that no one would be allowed to question the orthodoxy regarding 'systemic racism.' The message was clear, and the faculty went silent in response.'

Documents provided by FAIR show the posh school's teachings on whiteness

Stangel-Plowe added that the faculty members are pervaded by fear and at that the Head of School Rodney De Jarnett told the entire faculty that he would fire everyone if he could to replace them with people of color.

'During a recent faculty meeting, teachers were segregated by skin color. Teachers who had light skin were placed into a 'white caucus' group and asked to 'remember' that we are 'White' and 'to take responsibility for [our] power and privilege',' she wrote.

'D-E's racial segregation of educators, aimed at leading us to rethink of ourselves as oppressors, was regressive and demeaning to us as individuals with our own moral compass and human agency.'

Stangel-Plowe then pondered if the school would start to racially segregate its students.

'I reject D-E's essentialist, racialist thinking about myself, my colleagues, and my students,' she wrote.

'Neither the color of my skin nor the 'group identity' assigned to me by D-E dictates my humanist beliefs or my work as an educator.'

She added: 'Being told that it does is offensive and wrong, and it violates my dignity as a human being. My conscience does not have a color.'

Joe Algrant, the principal of Dwight-Englewood's Upper School, told the New York Post that he could not comment on personnel matters.

'In this case all I can say is that Ms. Stangel-Plowe notified us several months ago that she would not be returning next school year,' he said.

Multiple other expensive private schools have also hit the headlines in recent months over CRT. Elite Manhattan school Dalton saw some parents hit out at its alleged obsession with critical race theory.

And Grace Church School - another private facility located in NoHo - fired math teacher Paul Rossi after he spoke out against CRT.

Another high-profile critic, banker Andrew Gutmann, announced plans to pull his daughter out of elite Manhattan school Brearley over his concerns with CRT.
Rishi Sunak was last night urged to launch a new bailout package for the beleaguered aviation industry amid growing fears of a second lost summer.

In a letter to the Chancellor, the industry warned that huge debts being racked up due to the continued shutdown of foreign travel were not sustainable much longer.

If planes are to remain mostly grounded for the summer, a more generous bailout package is needed to avert a jobs bloodbath, Mr Sunak is warned.

Aviation bosses have penned an open letter to chancellor Rishi Sunak (pictured) urging him to put together a more generous bailout package for the industry to avoid huge job losses

Since the start of the pandemic, the industry has seen passenger numbers drop by 90 per cent and 30,000 jobs lost by UK-registered airlines alone. Pictured: British passengers queue at Faro airport to head back from Portugal after it was removed from the UK's travel green list

The re-start of international travel has stalled after only 12 destinations made the quarantine-free green list when the traffic light system was launched last month.

And last week Portugal was removed from the list, meaning holidays effectively remain off limits to all major destinations.

Official test firms list has 'serious flaws' Holidaymakers are at the mercy of rogue operators due to serious flaws with the Governments approved list of Covid test providers, a consumer group claimed yesterday. Travellers from green countries must take one PCR test while those from amber destinations take two. Some two-test kits priced on the gov.uk site turned out to be for single swabs, research by Which? found. Some of the firms did not yet offer tests. A Department of Health spokesman said providers that do not meet minimum standards are removed from the travel test list. Advertisement

This could now be the case until August amid growing fears among ministers of the threat posed by new Covid mutations being imported into the country and derailing the vaccine programme.

In its plea to Mr Sunak, the industry bleakly points out that passenger numbers are 90 per cent down, and 30,000 jobs have been shed by UK-registered airlines alone.

The letter warns: In order to bridge to the point of recovery airlines have taken on billions of pounds in additional debt, a situation not sustainable much longer. It is likely more jobs will be at risk without government action.

It adds: If a meaningful reopening is not possible during the summer... then targeted economic support will be essential to ensure UK airlines are able to reach the point when a restart is possible, in order to protect many tens of thousands of jobs.

It calls on the Chancellor to create three special support measures to recognise the industry as the hardest hit. They are:

A furlough scheme which would cover 100 per cent of wages for aviation workers and last until April next year. The current scheme ends on September 30;

An extension to the deadline for paying off Government-backed loans and of business rates relief;

An aircraft furlough scheme, which would cover the costs of maintaining grounded aircraft.

The letter was organised by trade body Airlines UK and backed by its members, including British Airways, easyJet, Jet2, Virgin Atlantic and Tui.

It adds: The economic support measures that you have put in place during this crisis have undoubtedly been essential for our sector as revenues have remained near zero for over a year.

Re-start of international travel has stalled after only 12 destinations made the green list when the traffic light system was launched last month and holidays are off limits to major resorts

However, the bulk of the Governments headline 7.2billion of support for UK airlines has essentially been taken on as new debt.

The letter also calls for an overhaul of the traffic light system.

A Government spokesman said: We continue to work with the aviation sector to help them navigate this difficult time, and encourage them to draw on the unprecedented package of support measures previously announced.

We in Israel ended our Covid curbs... so there IS hope for the world, writes TZIPI HOTOVELY, Israel's ambassador to Britain

By Tzipi Hotovely for the Daily Mail

As both our countries emerge from lockdown, I would like to give a pinch of hope from Israel to all of you in our international efforts to overcome the pandemic.

Three days ago, my government announced that wearing face-masks indoors  in shops and restaurants was no longer necessary.

This followed a step taken last week to rescind restrictions on social distancing and public gatherings.

On Sunday, there were zero Covid deaths across Israel, and seven positive tests.

Israel's ambassador to Britain, Tzipi Hotovely (pictured) said she would like to give a pinch of hope from Israel to everyone in their international efforts to overcome the Covid-19 pandemic

So, this week the beach bars and restaurants of Tel Aviv are once again packed. The holy sites in Jerusalem are welcoming visitors and worshippers.

Theatres, cinemas and concert halls are fully open. Sporting events can go ahead in front of full stands of supporters.

Israelis are getting married, and buried, in front of the full complement of their families, friends and loved ones.

This is astonishingly good news, and a great relief  and hopefully the UK, with its hugely successful vaccination programme, is on its way to freedom too.

Not that we are complacent in Israel. On the contrary, like Britain, we are already preparing for a programme of booster shots in the autumn to deal with possible mutant strains that may arise. We know this pandemic is far from finished yet, and we will have to learn to live beside it.

I would like to share the experiences of my country in tackling coronavirus in the spirit of learning from each others best practices, and certainly not presuming that we Israelis have all the answers.

The Israeli government announced three days ago that wearing face masks indoors was no longer necessary. Pictured: Israelis sit at a restaurant with no face mask on in Tel Aviv in April

The Israeli and British governments were both quick to spot that vaccination was the way out of this nightmare, and acted fast to access vaccines and roll out a vaccination programme.

In both countries there are relatively low levels of public vaccine scepticism and in Israel  as in the UK  there was a very strong sense of civic duty in getting jabbed. As it currently stands about 80 per cent of the population is fully vaccinated in Israel.

Health officials encountered pockets of vaccination reluctance, particularly in minority populations among more traditional communities.

This was addressed through a public information campaign and through bespoke messages. The prime minister and health minister made regular visits to these communities to raise awareness of the importance of vaccination, accompanied by leaders of these target groups.

After an initial fast rollout, the Israeli government decided that interim measures were needed to allow the economy to cautiously reopen after periods of enforced business shutouts, while balancing this with the necessity to safeguard public health and the rights of our citizens.

A lengthy queue formed in the Home Park car park in Plymouth for the mass vaccination centre

There was acute anxiety about the harm to the local economy, and indeed the mental health of Israelis cooped up in their homes.

So we created the Green Standard earlier this year, which opened up non-essential public events to citizens who had had both vaccine jabs.

This was in part an experiment to allow for a safe opening and give business some breathing space. Proof of a double jab was mostly provided via a phone app, though it was possible to procure a paper version. There were some objections to this measure, as you would expect in any multicultural democracy.

But most Israelis understood it was necessary as a short-term measure, which incentivised some to quickly get vaccinated, and last week the Green Standard was safely abandoned.

Foreign travel remains a challenge, of course, as sovereign states have their own rules about international incoming and outgoing visitors. But for Israeli citizens, the rules are simple. If you can show you are double vaccinated, you can fly in and out of the country without the need for quarantine, subject to having had the standard Covid tests before departure. Right from the beginning Israel understood that this pandemic could not be won alone.

Tzipi Hotovely said that Israel has shown that it is possible to get back to 'almost normal life' (pictured: People form queue outside the NHS vaccine centre in Newcastle earlier this year)

We have strong medical and scientific co-operation and ties with the UK and the NHS, as we also have a universal, publicly funded health care system in Israel.

We have had many important deliberations between our health establishments, and we were delighted to host Cabinet Minister Michael Gove and Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab to further these discussions.

Israel has shown that it is possible to get back to almost normal life. And as both our countries emerge from lockdown, I believe Israels experience can give hope to everyone here in the UK. But until the world unites to defeat Covid, no country, including Israel and the UK, can regard themselves safe from this global scourge.
Illegal border crossings have exploded by 674 per cent in a year, with 180,034 recorded in May - the fourth consecutive monthly rise.

Newly-released figures from U.S. Customs and Border Protection show the number of migrants rocketed by more than six-fold from the 23,237 who crossed from Mexico into the United States in May 2020.

Last year's number was far lower than usual because of the COVID-19 outbreak, but this year's figures still spell worrying news for Joe Biden, with 2021 on-track to record the highest number of illegal border crossings since 2006.

Illegal border crossings have increased for the fourth month in a row growing to 180,034 in May, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

That represented a slight increase over the approximately 178,000 migrants encountered in April and the 172,000 encountered in March at the southwest border.

In February, roughly 100,000 migrants illegally crossed the U.S.-Mexico border into the United States.

This chart shows how 2021 border crossings - pictured in blue - rocketed on crossings made in 2020, represented by the brown line (2018 is pictured in gray, with 2019 in orange)

Central American migrants sit on the ground while waiting to be transported by U.S. Border Patrol agents after crossing the Rio Grande river into the United States

Vice President Kamala Harris traveled to Guatemala and Mexico earlier this week to discuss the root causes of migration with the countries' leaders

Chanel, 7, and her sister Adriana, 10, both unaccompanied minors traveling alone from Honduras, sits among other asylum-seeking children as they await to be transported to a U.S. border patrol processing facility

Single adults still represented the majority of border-crossers, data from the U.S. Border Patrol showed.

In May there was a decrease in the number of unaccompanied minors, from roughly 16,910 to 13,906, Border Patrol found.

CBP also said that a majority of those who crossed the border were already expelled due to Title 42, which allows the U.S. government to quickly remove people using the COVID-19 pandemic.

Of the 180,034 crossers, 112,302 had already been expelled.

CBP also pointed out, according to Fox News, that Title 42 is leading people to try to cross the border more than once, which could also factor into the high numbers.

Axios reported Tuesday that premlinary CBP data from the fiscal year 2021 showed that illegal crossings have been the most since 2006 - with four months still to go.

Additionally on Tuesday the Department of Health and Human Services reported that 16,200 children were still in custody, which is 50 per cent higher than the levels in March.

HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra appeared before the Ways and Means Committee to face questions on the border crisis.

President Joe Biden has promised to reunite families separated during the Trump administration and to expedite processing unaccompanied minors who arrived at the border in the last few months.

However, a new report from Biden's task force on reuniting families indicates that 2,127 children have 'not yet been reunified' with their parents.

The poor showing in progress at the border comes on the heels of Vice President Kamala Harris trip to Guatemala and Mexico  where she faced backlash for laughing her way through serious topics and handing out cookies on the Air Force Two flight with her face-less likeness printed on them.

The task force progress report submitted to the president last week shows only seven children have successfully been reunited since Biden took office.

In a 22-page task force progress report, which was released Tuesday during Harris' trip, was submitted to President Joe Biden last week and shows that 2,127 children are still awaiting their reunions.

It also states, however, that 29 more families 'will be reunited in the coming weeks.' The provision will allow the families to enter the U.S. under humanitarian parole, which lasts 36 months and can be renewed.

The dismal showings in reunification is being blamed on the Trump administration's failure to keep accurate and organized data on families and children when they were separated at the border.

This graph shows the number of migrants caught by the Office of Field Operation (OFO) and US Border Patrol agents in April and May

As thousands of illegal crossers continue to be apprehended by Border Patrol, new Health and Human Services numbers show more than 16,200 minors remain in the agencies custody, double that of March

A task force aimed at reuniting families sent a progress report to Biden last week, which was released publicly Tuesday, that shows 2,127 children separated by families under Trump have still not been united. Biden left Wednesday for his first international trip in office to Europe

'No comprehensive interagency system was in place to separate parents and their migrant children,' a senior Department of Homeland Security official said in a call with reporters.

Becerra was summoned to testify about Bien's budget proposal, which includes a request to Congress to boost spending on care for unaccompanied migrant children to $3.3 billion.

Harris' trip south of the border Monday and Tuesday was focused on addressing 'root causes' of migration and the vice president still refused to visit the border, dismissing questions surrounding the crisis.

Even the Biden administration appears to be baffled, however, by Harris' trip to address the border crisis and her icy treatment of reporters who questioned why she hasn't been to the U.S.-Mexico border.

White House insiders were 'perplexed' by her answers to her questions over whether she would visit the Rio Grande and 'hoped her first foreign trip would be a success', CNN reported.

White House also fear that any progress she made during her meetings with the Guatemalan and Mexican presidents may be undone by her mixed messages and terse encounters with reporters.

Harris' trip was meant to focus on the 'root causes' of migration that have led to families and unaccompanied children heading north to the border.

But she made a series of seemingly conflicting statements about her decision not to visit the border and enraged progressives by telling migrants: 'Do not come'.

By the end of her trip, at a press conference in Mexico City with President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, Harris insisted the trip was a success.

'Listen, I've been to the border before and I'll go again,' she said.

She also hinted that a border trip would be 'short-sighted', but did promise to visit without giving a date.

The new numbers come on the heels of Vice President Kamala Harris' trip to Guatemala and Mexico. Administration officials are 'perplexed' at some of the conflicting statements made on her first foreign trip in office

CNN reported that officials were concerned within the administration that whatever progress Harris had made on the leader-to-leader level might have been undermined by her conflicting answers and PR missteps.

'It's left some of the administration officials perplexed, and the vice president's team frustrated,' the network Wednesday.

'There was hope the trip would be a success, and in the end, they feel it may have been overshadowed by some of her answers to these questions,' the network reported.

She also snapped at reporters a few times when questioned about a border visit. Among those asking about it was a CNN correspondent. Fox News correspondents have been hounding the White House on the topic for weeks, so it was unlikely to have surprised her team.

At the same news conference where she said she would go to the border, Harris also shrugged off the idea.

Harris visited Mexico and Guatemala in her first trip outside the country as VP

She said at a Mexico City press conference she would visit the border, after earlier commenting about 'grand gestures'

'I think it's short-sighted, for any of us who are in the business of problem solving to suggest we're only going to respond to the reaction as opposed to addressing the cause,' she said.

It echoed her earlier comments in Guatemala, where she characterized such a visit as being for show.

'I came here to be here on the ground, to speak with the leader of this nation around what we can do in a way that is significant, is tangible and has real results,' she said.

'And I will continue to be focused on that kind of work as opposed to grand gestures.'

There is an element of showmanship in any foreign trip  and Harris was not shy about calling her own first foreign foray a victory.

'Do I declare this trip a success? Yes I do,' she said.

She also took heat on the trip when she shot back at NBC anchor Lester Holt when he asked her about visiting the border.

'At some point, you know, we are going to the border,' she said. 'We've been to the border. So this whole thing about the border. We've been to the border. We've been to the border,' she repeated.

'You haven't been to the border,' Holt pushed back.

'And I haven't been to Europe,' Harris snapped, then quickly turned it into her signature laugh.

'And I mean, I don't understand the point that you're making,' she said to Holt 'I'm not discounting the importance of the border.'

She also kicked off her trip with a blunt message to migrants: 'Do not come,' an admonition that Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York called 'disappointing.'

In another odd moment, a case of mistaken identity at Harris' press conference in Mexico City on Tuesday allowed a woman wrongly identified as a Univision reporter with a similar name to ask the vice president a fawning question.

The woman, introduced by Harris' press secretary Symone Sanders as 'Maria Fernanda from Univision', was one of only five people called on for questions at the Mexico City event.

She asked a soft question, which Harris called 'great.' Late on Tuesday, Fox News revealed that the woman was in fact a San Francisco Bay-area entrepreneur named Maria Fernanda Reyes. Univision put out a statement saying the woman was not their reporter.
Victorian health officials have backtracked on easing compulsory mask use after a family-of-four tested positive for Covid without having visited any known exposure sites.

The Department of Health said the four cases reported on Thursday were all from the same household and 'investigations into acquisition source are underway'.

The family, from Reservoir in Melbourne's north, is made up of a man and woman in their 80s, a man in his 50s and a man in his 20s.

Deputy Chief Health Officer Allen Cheng said it was concerning that a source for Thursday's four new cases had not been traced, and the family hadn't visited any exposure sites.

The elderly man developed symptoms on June 7 and got tested the following day, with that swiftness limiting potential exposure to others.

On Wednesday, the state government announced Melbourne's extended 'circuit breaker' lockdown will end at 11.59pm on Thursday, meaning people will be free to leave home for any reason

The Department of Health said the cases were from the same household and 'investigations into acquisition source are underway'

'As yet, we don't know where they've acquired the infection from. They're not identified as close contact. None of them has given a history of being at an exposure sire,' Prof Cheng said.

'While we can't pinpoint the source of this infection, we're aware that one of the cases had checked in to the Craigieburn Central shopping centre on 23 May.

'We're not sure if either of them might have been in the shopping centre or at exposure sites close by.'

There have been nine cases linked to Craigieburn Central shopping centre.

New exposure sites include Marco Fine Food and Groceries in Reservoir, Coles at Bundoora Square, BP in Thomastown, and Bunnings Warehouse in Thomastown.

The compulsory use of masks outdoors will be reimposed as a result of the new cases, reversing the previous decision to lift that measure as part of the easing of restrictions due to begin on Friday.

'It is inconvenient but an easy thing to do. We are used to it, we know it works,' Deputy Premier James Merlino said.

Several measures in the state's fourth 'circuit breaker' lockdown will end at 11.59pm on Thursday, including the need for people to have a justification for leaving their homes.

But Melburnians will need to remain within 25km of their homes, unless working or studying, care giving or getting a COVID-19 vaccine.

Acting Premier James Merlino said the distance restriction was in place to keep Melbourne residents out of regional areas over the Queen's Birthday long weekend.

Thursday's four new cases have also cast doubt on whether more restrictions will be eased next week.

'As I've said before, once we get down to small numbers, what happens next is very dependent on who those last cases are, what they do and how infectious they are,' Prof Cheng said.

The four new locally-acquired cases are from the same household and investigations into acquisition source are underway

There are now 78 active cases across Victoria, down five from Wednesday

'What I am anxious about is that whoever gave infection to both these groups is identified quickly and doesn't have the opportunity to transmit to other people.'

Restrictions will also ease further for regional Victoria from Friday.

It comes after Victorian health authorities held an emergency meeting of the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee with their Queensland and NSW counterparts over the case of a Melbourne woman who tested positive and travelled interstate.

The woman left Melbourne with her husband on June 1, when the city was in lockdown, and tested positive at the end of a road trip through NSW and into Queensland.

The woman tested positive on Wednesday, putting regional centres in NSW and Queensland on alert.

Victoria's health department confirmed an emergency meeting of the was held on Wednesday night about the case.

The woman and her husband had departed from an unidentified suburb on the edge of greater Melbourne.

They then travelled through regional Victoria, crossed the border into NSW where they visited regional centres, and then entered Queensland on June 5 - two days after she started showing symptoms of coronavirus.

Queensland's Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young has said it was possible the woman was infectious from the day she left Melbourne.

Separately, three people were caught flying into New Zealand last week, after leaving Melbourne during the lockdown and trying to enter the country via Sydney.

The trio, understood to be a family who planned to attend a funeral, are now in quarantine after they were caught on arrival in Auckland but had tested negative.

Also on Wednesday night, the health department said COVID-19 viral fragments had been detected in a wastewater sample taken from a sewer sub-catchment near Bendigo.

The sub-catchment services the country town's north-west suburbs and residents, plus visitors from June 3-7, are being urged to get tested if they develop symptoms.

The northern states' scare and news of the Auckland incident came as Melbourne had confirmation its two-week lockdown was on the verge of ending.
NASA has released two stunning close-up photos of Ganymede  the solar system's largest moon.

The images were captured by the space agency's Juno spacecraft on Monday, as it passed within 645 miles (1,038 kilometers) of the icy moon.

The last time a spacecraft came that close to Ganymede was in May 2000 when NASA's Galileo spacecraft swept past.

With a diameter of 3,280 miles (5,262 kilometres), Ganymede is larger than both Mercury and dwarf planet Pluto.

Ganymede is not only Jupiter's largest moon, but the largest moon in our solar system, and the only moon with its own magnetic field.

Image made available by NASA and captured by the Juno spacecraft on Monday shows the dark side of the moon Ganymede as Juno flies by

This second image from NASA shows the dark side of the Jovian moon Ganymede taken by the Juno spacecraft as it flew by on Monday

The images highlight Ganymede's craters and long, narrow features, which are possibly related to tectonic faults. One shows the moon's far side, opposite the Sun.

'This is the closest any spacecraft has come to this mammoth moon in a generation,' said Juno's lead scientist, Scott Bolton of the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio.

'We are going to take our time before we draw any scientific conclusions, but until then we can simply marvel at this celestial wonder - the only moon in our solar system bigger than the planet Mercury.'

GANYMEDE'S HISTORY Since its discovery in January 1610, Ganymede has been the focus of repeated observation, first by Earth-based telescopes, and later by flyby missions and spacecraft orbiting Jupiter. These studies depict a complex icy world whose surface is characterised by the striking contrast between its two major terrain types - the dark, very old, highly cratered regions and the lighter, somewhat younger (but still ancient) regions marked with an extensive array of grooves and ridges. With a diameter of 3,280 miles (5,262 kilometers), Ganymede is larger than both planet Mercury and dwarf planet Pluto. It's also the only satellite in the solar system known to have its own magnetosphere. Advertisement

The images were captured by Juno's on-board JunoCam imager as it flew past Ganymede at almost 12 miles per second (19 kilometres per second).

NASA will reveal colour versions of the two new black-and-white images, once data from two other colour filters from the camera are incorporated. NASA describes the images above as 'preliminary' because they only show Ganymede as seen through JunoCams green filter.

NASA is also set to reveal more images from the fly-by, which is also set to yield insights into Ganymede's composition, ionosphere, magnetosphere and icy shell.

Ganymede has three main layers  a sphere of metallic iron at the centre (the core, which generates a magnetic field), a spherical shell of rock (mantle) surrounding the core, and an outer shell of mostly ice, about 497 miles (799 kilometres) thick, surrounding both the rock shell and the core.

On its surface, the mysterious ice moon has large, bright regions of ridges and grooves that slice across older, darker terrains.

These grooved regions are a clue that the moon experienced dramatic upheavals in the distant past, according to NASA.

Ganymede is one of 79 known moons around Jupiter, a gas giant. Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei discovered Ganymede in 1610, along with Jupiter's three next-biggest moons  Callisto, Io and Europa.

'Ganymede's ice shell has some light and dark regions, suggesting that some areas may be pure ice while other areas contain dirty ice,' said Bolton.

Juno's measurements of the radiation environment near the moon will also benefit future missions to the 'Jovian System' (i.e. Jupiter, its rings and its moons).

With a diameter of 3,280 miles, Ganymede (pictured) is larger than both planet Mercury and dwarf planet Pluto. This image shows mosaic and geologic maps of Ganymede, assembled incorporating the best available imagery from NASAs Voyager 1 and 2 spacecraft and NASAs Galileo spacecraft

Juno is pictured here in an artist's impression as it approaches Jupiter. Launched a decade ago, Juno has been orbiting Jupiter for five years

Monday's flyby became the closest a spacecraft has come to Ganymede since NASA's Galileo spacecraft made its penultimate close approach back on May 20, 2000.

On this day, Galileo  which became the became first spacecraft to orbit Jupiter in 1995  reached 600 miles (1,000 km) from Ganymede.

A rotating, solar-powered spacecraft, Juno arrived at Jupiter on July 4, 2016, after making its five-year journey.

It has three giant blades stretching out some 66 feet (20 meters) from its cylindrical, six-sided body.

Juno will continue its investigation of the solar systems largest planet through September 2025, or until the spacecrafts end of life.

An interactive NASA tool is providing real-time updates of Juno's location relative to Jupiter and its moons.
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Security experts have warned that yesterday's internet crash that took major sites offline could be just the tip of the iceberg.

An outage at a little-known firm that speeds up access to websites knocked a lot of top internet destinations offline on Tuesday, disrupting business and leisure for untold millions globally.

Millions of users across the globe reported problems trying to access web pages, with Netflix, Twitch and news websites including the BBC, Guardian, CNN and the New York Times hit by the issue.

The problem was caused by the US firm Fastly, a content delivery network (CDN) company which helps users view website content more quickly.

The problem was quickly resolved, and the company blamed a configuration error in its technology.

But the incident raises questions about how vulnerable the global internet is to more serious disruption.

San Francisco-based Fastly's 'edge server' computing technology is used by many of the world's most popular websites, such as The New York Times, Shopify, Ticketmaster, Pinterest, Etsy, Wayfair and Stripe. The British government is among its clients.

The company provides a content delivery network - an arrangement that allows customer websites to store data such as images and videos on various mirror servers across 26 countries so that the data is closer to users, and thus shows up faster.

David Warburton, of the cybersecurity company F5 Labs, said centralisation is fairly new for the internet - and will probably continue to raise issues. He told The Guardian: 'The web as a whole was intended to be decentralised.

The problem was caused by the US firm Fastly, a content delivery network (CDN) company which helps users view website content more quickly

Hundreds of websites worldwide crashed yesterday morning following a massive internet outage  with the UK government, Spotify and Amazon among those experiencing issues. The outage tracker site DownDetector picked up the problems (pictured)

In an error message posted at 10.58 BST (pictured), Fastly - a content delivery network (CDN) company that helps users view digital content more quickly - said: 'We're currently investigating potential impact to performance with our CDN services'

'By not relying on any one central system, it meant that many different components could fail and internet traffic could still find a way to get where it needed to go.

'What we've seen over the past decade, however, is the unintentional centralisation of many core services through large cloud solution providers like infrastructure vendors and CDNs.'

Former deputy national security adviser for intelligence security between 2014 and 2018, Paddy McGuinness, said yesterday's incident should serve as 'a wake-up call', and the Government should expand the current security approach.

Which sites were affected? The outage saw visitors to a vast array of sites, including the UK government's pages, receive error messages including 'Error 503 Service Unavailable' (pictured) and 'connection failure.' Countless popular websites have been affected by the issues, including: - Amazon - Spotify - Reddit - Netflix - gov.uk - PayPal - Twitch - Stack Overflow - GitHub - Hulu - HBO Max - Quora - Vimeo - Shopify - Stripe - CNN - The Guardian - The New York Times - BBC - Financial Times Advertisement

He said: 'We need resilience as an explicit policy goal, especially on the new networks we are building to deliver services to the citizen. A ''secure by design and default'' mantra is welcome but it isn't enough in itself.'

Many of Fastly's customers are news sites that use its technology to update their websites with breaking news.

Buzzfeed, for example, used Fastly to cut the time its users took to reach the site by half. Fastly had $290.9 million in revenues last year.

Customers rely on Fastly and its rivals to host and protect their website data from denial-of-service attacks and disruption from spikes in traffic. Had this outage been more serious, customers could have moved to competitors such as Cloudflare or Akamai.

But that's not simple; many businesses would have had to scramble and might have suffered losses.

'You can't switch quickly to another service unless you had it set up ahead of time,' said Doug Madory, an internet infrastructure expert with the traffic-measuring company Kentik. 'If Fastly were down for a day, that would be pretty bad.'

Even if they do have an alternative provider, engineering a smooth switchover from one to another is not for the faint of heart, said Ben April, chief technical officer of Farsight Security.

Madory and other experts said Fastly and its competitors spend heavily and devote major engineering resources to reducing the possibilities of such outages and ensuring they can recover as quickly as Fastly did on Tuesday.

Such outages are not new - but not at all common. 'There may be years between when a company has an outage like this,' Madory added. 'I think we are going to have these very rare but probably impactful short outages for the foreseeable future.'

Like the content distribution network world, cloud computing - when computing services are entrusted to a remote provider - is dominated by just a few major players led by Amazon Web Services, Google and Microsoft. Amazon, the biggest cloud provider, periodically has brief outages, which are a big deal for customers.

'And if it became a major outage of, say, more than six, eight hours - but days - it could put companies out of business,' said Josh Chessman, an analyst with the tech market researcher Gartner Inc.

The question is: What could cause such a serious outage that might destroy customer data? A major cyberattack is one possibility. Another is fire or catastrophic natural disaster. These businesses, after all, are based in datacenters. In March, a fire at a datacenter in Strasbourg, France, owned by a major cloud computing firm knocked out service to millions of websites.

Businesses and consumers should be thinking seriously about how much they should rely on the cloud for their most valuable data. 'If there's an outage, what's the impact on our business?' Chessman asked. Perhaps it makes sense not to rely on a cloud-based service for your company's email if you'd go bankrupt without it during a two-week outage.

But running your own email and backup services is complicated and costly - one reason companies turned to the cloud in the first place.

David Vaskevitch, a former Microsoft chief technical officer and CEO of the photo management app Mylio, said people have grown so accustomed to the always-on internet - everywhere we go, we carry a pocket computer with us - that we wrongly assume it will be available.

'It's not very realistic and it's not a good way to live,' said Vaskevitch, 67. 'The internet is always there - until it isn't.'

Despite the vast interconnectedness of the world, it can still be wise to store some data locally, said Vaskevitch. Instead of streaming all our music, we should think about saving some locally. Same goes for email - for instance, in an arrangement where you store it on the computing device you use most.

'Your device is both the best friend of the internet and the best insurance policy,' he said. 'When the internet goes down, if you arrange things carefully, you can still do most of the things you need to do.'

Fastly later tweeted around midday UK time that it had identified the issue and its global network was 'coming back online'

Users took to social media to vent their frustrations about the outage, saying that it appeared 'most of the internet is down'

Hundreds of websites worldwide crashed yesterday morning following a massive internet outage  with the UK government, Amazon and Spotify among those experiencing issues.

The aim of CDNs is to reduce latency  the delay from the moment a user makes a request to the exact instant they receive a response. The higher the latency, the worse the user experience.

But if the service suffers a failure, as Fastly's did yesterday, it prevents the companies that use it from operating on the net at all.

What is Fastly and why did it affect so many sites? Fastly is a content delivery network (CDN) that makes content transmission faster between websites and consumers. For CDNs, the goal is always to reduce latency - the delay from the moment a user makes a request to the exact instant they receive a response. The higher the latency, the worse the user experience. For example, when you load a page on a server on the other side of the world, it will take hundreds of milliseconds to get the page. Over time, this latency adds up, resulting in a sluggish consumer experience. However, when sites use a CDN like Fastly, they can start sending the content of the page in less than 25 milliseconds. Fastly is used by a range of popular websites, including several media site like the Guardian, New York Times and Buzzfeed. This means that when Fastly suffers a 'disruption', it affects data centres worldwide. Jake Moore, a cybersecurity specialist at ESET, explains: 'Web pages are located all over the world so content delivery networks are placed to distribute the data evenly by reducing the physical distance between where it's actually held and the end user. 'This helps users around the world view the same high quality information and content without any lag or slow loading times. 'With Fastly down, millions of web pages will be affected.' Advertisement

Many of the world's biggest websites run on the 'edge cloud' platform's network, hence the mass outage.

Fastly first posted an error message at 10.58 BST (05.58 ET), saying it was 'investigating potential impact to performance with our CDN services'.

It later tweeted shortly after midday UK time: 'We identified a service configuration that triggered disruptions across our POPs globally and have disabled that configuration.

'Our global network is coming back online.'

Users took to social media to vent their frustrations about the outage.

One called it an 'internet apocalypse', while another said 'everything just shut out of nowhere'.

Another tweeted that the internet was 'broken'.

The outage saw visitors to a vast array of sites receive error messages including 'Error 503 Service Unavailable' and 'connection failure.'

Streaming sites Netflix, Twitch and Hulu were also hit by the problem.

Some sites including the UK government website were offline entirely, while others such as Twitter had more specific errors, such as not showing emojis.

Travelling Britons revealed their frustration at not being able to complete their passenger locator form because the Gov.UK website was down.

Among them was Priya Bhargava from London, who tweeted: '@GOVUK hello your website is down I need to submit a passenger locator form by this eve. Pls can this get looked at ASAP. Thanks!!!'

Another, Jo Thornhill, tweeted: '@GOVUK your website is down and I need to complete a passenger locator form ASAP.'

And a third, Richard Pearson, from Nottingham, said: 'Need to fill out passenger locator forms to return to the uk but http://gov.uk is down so I can't. Great.'

Passenger locator forms are required by British border officials for those returning from all countries abroad.

These must be completed online at Gov.UK, although those aged under 18 may be included on adults' forms if they are staying at the same UK address.

The form details your home address, passport number and test package booking reference.

The official Gov.UK Twitter account said: 'We are aware of the issues with http://GOV.UK which means that users may not be able to access the site.

'This is a wider issue affecting a number of other non-government sites. We are investigating this as a matter of urgency.'

Outage tracker website DownDetector also reported problems for Squarespace, Shopify, Vimeo, Imgur, Tidal, Weightwatchers and Kickstarter. UK chemist Boots was also affected.

The Guardian earlier tweeted: 'The Guardian's website and app are currently being affected by a wider internet outage and will be back as soon as possible.'

Other websites hit by the issue included the online discussion platform Reddit and French newspaper Le Monde.

A CDN is a platform of servers that helps minimize delays in loading web page content.

Jake Moore, a cybersecurity specialist at ESET, said: 'Web pages are located all over the world so content delivery networks are placed to distribute the data evenly by reducing the physical distance between where it's actually held and the end user.

'This helps users around the world view the same high quality information and content without any lag or slow loading times.

'With Fastly down, millions of web pages will be affected.'
Restaurants normally post ads on places like Indeed. If you pay to boost that ad, you stay at the top of the list. The problem right now is that every single restaurant in the nations is hiring. One restaurant posts a job, and then another posts a job, by the time youre 10 posts ago, applicants arent seeing it unless youre paying $1,000 a month for your postings to be up higher, Marcarelli said.
A rare type of solar eclipse that creates a 'ring of fire' around a blacked out Sun will cast a dramatic shadow over Russia and Canada tomorrow.

Skygazers in the UK and US won't miss out entirely though, as a partial solar eclipse will be visible, with about 30 per cent of the Sun blocked out in Scotland, 20 per cent in southern England and as much as 70 per cent over Eastern US states.

This is known as an annular eclipse, occurring when the Sun and Moon are exactly in line with the Earth, but the apparent size of the Moon is smaller than that of the Sun.

It results in the Sun appearing as a very bright ring, or annulus, surrounding the Moon, a phenomenon dubbed 'the ring of fire by astronomers.

British and Irish observers will see a crescent Sun instead of a ring, and in the US, viewers will be able to see a partial eclipse at sunrise, another rare phenomenon.

In the UK the partial eclipse will begin at 10:08 BST tomorrow, reaching maximum coverage - or about a third - at 11:13 BST, ending at 12:22 BST the same day.

A rare type of solar eclipse that creates a 'ring of fire' around a blacked out Sun will cast a dramatic shadow over Russia and Canada tomorrow

Skygazers in the UK and US won't miss out entirely though, as a partial solar eclipse will be visible, with about 30 per cent of the Sun blocked out in Scotland, 20 per cent in southern England and as much as 70 per cent over Eastern US states

WHEN IS THE NEXT TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE? The next US solar eclipse will take place on April 8, 2024, passing from Texas to Maine. The next total solar eclipse after that is on August 12, 2026, and will be seen from the Arctic, Greenland, Iceland, Spain and Northeastern Portugal. On September 2, 2035, China, northern Japan and Korea will witness a total solar eclipse. Between 2023 and 2038, the greatest number of total solar eclipses will take place in Australia. There will be five solar eclipses visible from the continent between April 20th, 2023 and December 26th, 2038. The next total solar eclipse visible in the UK isn't until 2093. Advertisement

'From the UK, the annular solar eclipse will be a partial eclipse, meaning that we'll only see the Moon pass in front of a small part of the Sun,' said Dr Emily Drabek-Maunder, an astronomer at the Royal Observatory Greenwich.

She warned that looking directly at the Sun, even one partially eclipsed, can cause serious and permanent damage to the eyes.

'Never look at the Sun directly or use standard sunglasses, it can cause serious harm to your eyes,' added Dr Drabek-Maunder.

It also isn't safe to look at the Sun through binoculars, telescopes or a camera lens without specialist filters - so best to avoid taking direct images.

Using a simple pinhole projector, solar eclipse viewing glasses, which can be purchased online, or special solar filters are viable alternatives.

'You can make a projector by poking a small hole into a piece of card,' said Dr Drabek-Maunder, adding you hold the card to the Sun so it shines through the hole on to a piece of paper placed behind the card.

'You will be able to see the shape of the Sun projected on to the piece of paper and watch its shape change as the Moon passes in front of the Sun.'

The Royal Observatory Greenwich is also live-streaming the eclipse on its website and YouTube channel.

The ring of fire is best viewed from Qaanaaq, a town in Northwest Greenland, but should be visible across much of Canada and Russia.

People in the Northeastern US will get to view a rarer sight than the ring of fire - a partially eclipsed sun at sunrise.

This unusual and rare sunrise eclipse will be visible up the Atlantic coast, according to astronomers.

While the UK won't see the 'ring of fire', we will be able to watch a a partial solar eclipse where the Moon covers 32 per cent of the sun

From South Carolina and moving north, skygazers should look north just after sunrise to spot the Moon taking a bite out of our star as it slowly rises over the horizon.

Philadelphia, New York and Boston will see 70 per cent of our star eclipsed by the Moon during sunrise.

A small stretch of coast in the US, in New Jersey and New York, will see 'red devil horns,' also known as the crescent sun.

UK stargazers will see the sun with a 'bite taken out of it' as the highest level of eclipse will be 32 per cent in northern Scotland, going as low as 20 per cent in southern England.

A solar eclipse occurs when the Sun, moon and Earth are in alignment such that the Moon appears  from certain locations  to completely block out the Sun in the sky

Current forecasts suggest clear skies over much of the UK tomorrow at about 10:10 BST, the point where the Moon will appear to pass in front of the sun.

The next partial eclipse after this, visible from the UK, will be on March 29, 2025 when 60 per cent of the sun will appear to be covered by the Moon.

This will be followed by another on August 12, 2026 where the UK will see up to 90 per cent of the sun obscured. The UK won't see totality until July 23, 2093.
Cartographers at the National Geographic have finally recognised Antarctica's Southern Ocean on their maps, bringing their count of Earth's oceans to five.

The society  which has been releasing maps of the world since 1915  publicly announced their new policy yesterday, to coincide with World Ocean Day.

National Geographic have defined the ocean as being bound by the current that flows around Antarctica  with a northernmost reach up to the 60th parallel south.

The Southern Ocean joins the Arctic, Atlantic, Indian and Pacific on their charts, although the Antarctica-encircling body's status remains internationally contested.

Nevertheless, National Geographic hope their revised maps will help people think differently about the Southern Ocean, thereby encouraging its conservation.

Cartographers at the National Geographic have finally recognised Antarctica's Southern Ocean on their maps, bringing their count of Earth's oceans to five. Pictured: the Southern Ocean (in red) surrounds Antarctica and abuts against the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans

National Geographic have defined the ocean (pictured) as being bound by the current that flows around Antarctica  with a northernmost reach up to the 60th parallel south

'The Southern Ocean has long been recognized by scientists,' explained National Geographic Society geographer Alex Tait in the announcement.

'But because there was never agreement internationally, we never officially recognized it. Its sort of geographic nerdiness in some ways,' he added.

'Weve always labelled it, but we labelled it slightly differently [than the other oceans]. This change was taking the last step and saying we want to recognize it because of its ecological separation.'

REDRAWING THE MAP The National Geographic has hired a specific geographer to oversee all edits to their maps since the late 70s. Since 2016, Mr Tait has held this role  working with a team of geographers and editors and factoring in current social and political events and shifts. For example, their maps show that the Falklands are controlled by the UK, despite a similar claim from Argentina. However, he said, 'it is important to note [this is] a map policy, not a policy about National Geographics position on [geopolitical] disputes.' Minor edits, Mr Tait explained, occur as often as on a weekly basis. Major alterations, however  such as the recent labelling of the Southern Ocean  are much rarer. Advertisement

The National Geographic said that Mr Tait  who oversees changes to all the maps they publish  and their map policy committee have been debating the merits of acknowledging the Southern Ocean as a body in its own right for years now.

Previously, they had categorised the waters around Antarctica as merely cold, southern extensions of the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans.

However, they noted, scientists and members of the press have been increasingly making use of and popularising the term 'Southern Ocean.'

The society's decision to now recognise it stems from an acknowledgement of the distinct and rapid Antarctic Circumpolar Current that encircles the southernmost continent.

They also factored in the unique marine ecosystem found in the Southern Ocean's cold waters.

'While there is but one interconnected ocean, bravo to National Geographic for officially recognizing the body of water surrounding Antarctica as the Southern Ocean,' said Marine biologist and National Geographic Explorer at Large Sylvia Earle.

'Rimmed by the formidably swift Antarctic Circumpolar Current, it is the only ocean to touch three others and to completely embrace a continent rather than being embraced by them.'

The National Geographic had previously categorised the waters around Antarctica as merely cold, southern extensions of the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans, even as scientists and members of the press increasingly made use of the term 'Southern Ocean.' Pictured: a National Geographic map of Antarctica from 2009, in which the Southern Ocean is absent

Before now, the National Geographic had broadly followed the precedents set by the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) when it came down to the labelling of marine features like oceans.

The IHO  which works in tandem with the United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names to standardise designations  did recognise the Southern Ocean as part of its 1937 guidelines, but repealed this in 1953, citing controversy.

The organisation's ongoing deliberations on the matter have yet to reach a definite consensus form its members in favour of reinstating the name.

In contract, the US Board on Geographic Names has recognised the 'Southern Ocean' since 1999, while the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration also only adopted the label in the February of this year.

The National Geographic Society  which has been releasing maps of the world since 1915  publicly announced their new policy yesterday, to coincide with World Ocean Day. Pictured: a new map of the southern hemisphere from the National Geographic, showing the 'new' ocean

'The Southern Ocean has long been recognized by scientists,' explained National Geographic Society geographer Alex Tait. 'But because there was never agreement internationally, we never officially recognized it. Its sort of geographic nerdiness in some ways,' he added. Pictured: Scientific Base Argentina, which lies in Paradise Bay, on the Antarctic Peninsula. Until this week, it would have lain on the coast of the Pacific in National Geographic maps

Mr Tait said that he hopes National Geographic's new policy regarding the Southern Ocean will influence how children using maps in schools will learn to see the world.

'I think one of the biggest impacts is through education. Students learn information about the ocean world through what oceans youre studying.'

'If you dont include the Southern Ocean then you dont learn the specifics of it and how important it is,' he concluded.
NASA's Ingenuity helicopter has made its seventh successful flight on Mars, this time landing in an airfield that had only previously been seen by a Mars orbiter.

The 4-pound helicopter made its successful journey on June 6, more than two weeks after its last flight.

'Another successful flight,' NASA JPL tweeted.

The miniature helicopter flew for 62.8 seconds, traveling 348ft south before settling down in a new airfield.

The drone also took a black-and-white photo during its flight.

NASA's Ingenuity helicopter made its seventh successful flight on Mars, this time landing in an airfield that had only previously been seen by a Mars orbiter

The 4-pound helicopter made its successful journey on June 6, more than two weeks after its last flight

INGENUITY: FIRST SEVEN FLIGHTS ON MARS Flight one: April 19, 2021 with a vertical takeoff up to 9.8ft, stationary hover and a landing Flight two: April 22, 2021 with a vertical takeoff up to 16ft, hover, then shift westward for 14ft before returning and landing Flight three: April 25, 2021 with a vertical takeoff up to 16ft, hover, shift northwards for 328ft at an airspeed of 2 m/s before returning to land Flight four: April 30, 2021 with a vertical takeoff up to 16ft, hover, shift southwards 873ft at 3.5m/s before returning to land Flight five: May 7, 2021 with a vertical takeoff up to 33ft, hover, shift southwards 423ft at 3.5 m/s before landing at that new location Flight six: May 22, 2021 with a vertical takeoff of 33ft, hover, shift southwest 492ft at 9mph, travel 49ft south, travel 164ft before returning to land Advertisement

This airfield, previously observed by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, is the fourth it has landed on since the Perseverance rover landed on the Red Planet on February 18.

On May 22, Ingenuity's sixth flight took some unwanted turns, resulting in an 'unexpected motion' due to an 'image processing issue.'

At the time, NASA said the helicopter 'landed safely and is ready to fly again.'

Ingenuity first deployed from Perseverance on April 3, starting a 30-day clock to make its first powered flight.

Ingenuity, which is just 18-inches tall, made its first flight on April 19, 2021, making history as the first powered controlled flight on another planet.

Since then it has completed six successful flights, the first five as part of a 'technical demonstration' to prove something could fly on Mars.

The sixth and seventh flights are part of an extended mission support role, helping Perseverance.

While airborne, Ingenuity keeps track of its motion using an onboard inertial measurement unit (IMU) - that tracks acceleration and rotation rates.

By integrating this information over time, it is possible to estimate where it is, how fast it is moving, and how it is oriented in space.

The onboard control system reacts to the estimated motions by adjusting control inputs rapidly - at a rate of 500 times per second.

The $2.7 billion Perseverance is currently heading south from its landing spot on the Jezero Crater, where it landed 107 sols (Martian days) ago, on February 18.

So far, it has driven 0.32 miles within the crater, NASA said, where it is performing a number of tasks, including searching for evidence of ancient life.

Perseverance is currently heading south from its landing spot on the Jezero Crater, where it landed 107 sols (Martian days) ago. So far, it has driven 0.32 miles within the crater

At this point, it's unclear how many more times Ingenuity, which cost $85 million to build and operate, will fly.

Lori Glaze, director of NASA's Planetary Science Division, said "We're in a kind of see-how-it-goes phase," in a recent press briefing, according to Insider.

Despite encountering an anomaly on its sixth flight, the helicopter landed within 16ft of the intended landing location and did so due to 'stability margins' within flight control
More than 500 mysterious fast radio bursts have been detected by the CHIME radio telescope in its first year of operation, astronomers have revealed.

Fast radio bursts, or FRBs, are radio emissions that appear temporarily and randomly from space, ranging from a fraction of a millisecond to a few milliseconds.

CHIME has nearly quadrupled the number of fast radio bursts discovered to date, according to the CHIME Collaboration, which includes researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

The telescope detected 535 new fast radio bursts during its first year of operation, from July 2018 to July 2019.

CHIME (Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment), situated in British Columbia, Canada, has four 328-foot-long U-shaped cylinders, allowing it to detect signals from when the universe was between six and 11 billion years old.

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 scientists have assembled the new signals in the telescope's first FRB catalog, which they will present this week at the American Astronomical Society Meeting.



'Before CHIME, there were less than 100 total discovered FRBs  now, after one year of observation, we've discovered hundreds more,' said CHIME member Kaitlyn Shin, a graduate student in MIT's Department of Physics.

'With all these sources, we can really start getting a picture of what FRBs look like as a whole, what astrophysics might be driving these events, and how they can be used to study the universe going forward.'

Calvin Leung, also a researcher at MIT, said there is a lot of more recent data to sift through that's from after CHIME's first year of operations.

Processing the data is quite time-intensive, he said, but doing so will likely reveal more FRBs.

The average number of FRBs detected every day the telescope is running is around two, he added.

'We take shifts to monitor the telescope, and I think my personal record is four in a night.'

FRBs  described as 'brief and mysterious beacons'  have been spotted in various and distant parts of the universe, as well as in our own galaxy.

Their origins are unknown, and their appearance is unpredictable.

WHAT IS THE CHIME TELESCOPE? Image provided by the Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment collaboration shows the CHIME radio telescope The Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment (Chime) is a radio telescope in Canada. 12.2 million ($16 million) in funding, CHIME sits in the mountains of British Columbia's Okanagan Valley at the NRC's Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory near Penticton. It contains four 100-meter-long (328 foot) U-shaped cylinders, allowing it to detect signals from when the universe was between 6 and 11 billion years old. With its U-shaped cylinders made of metal mesh, the experts have compared it to the half-pipes used by snowboarders and skateboarders. CHIME is a stationary array, with no moving parts. The telescope receives radio signals each day from half of the sky as the Earth rotates. While most radio astronomy is done by swivelling a large dish to focus light from different parts of the sky, CHIME stares, motionless, at the sky. It focuses incoming signals using a correlator  a powerful digital signalling processor that can work through huge amounts of data, at a rate of about 7 terabits per second, equivalent to a few per cent of the world's internet traffic. 'Digital signal processing is what makes CHIME able to reconstruct and "look" in thousands of directions simultaneously,' said Kiyoshi Masui, assistant professor of physics at MIT. 'That's what helps us detect FRBs a thousand times more often than a traditional telescope.' Its unique design, coupled with advanced computing power, will serve as a 'time machine' to peer deep into the history of the universe. CHIME collects radio waves with wavelengths between 37 and 75 centimeters. Most of these signals come from the Milky Way, but, some began their journey billions of years ago. Advertisement

When the scientists mapped the locations of the 535 FRBs, they found they were evenly distributed in space, seeming to arise from any and all parts of the sky.

From the ones CHIME was able to detect, the scientists calculated that FRBs bright enough to be seen by a telescope like CHIME occur at a rate of about 9,000 per day across the entire sky.

'That's kind of the beautiful thing about this field  FRBs are really hard to see, but they're not uncommon,' said Kiyoshi Masui, assistant professor of physics at MIT.

'If your eyes could see radio flashes the way you can see camera flashes, you would see them all the time if you just looked up.'

The newly discovered FRBs appear to fall in two distinct classes  those that repeat, and those that don't.

Scientists identified 18 FRB sources that burst repeatedly, while the rest appear to be one-offs.

The repeaters also look different, with each burst lasting slightly longer and emitting more focused radio frequencies than bursts from single, nonrepeating FRBs.

These observations strongly suggest that repeaters and one-offs arise from separate mechanisms and astrophysical sources.

As radio waves travel across space, any interstellar gas or plasma along the way can distort or disperse the wave's properties and trajectory.

The degree to which a radio wave is dispersed can give clues to how much gas it passed through, and possibly how much distance it has travelled from its source.

For each of the 535 FRBs that CHIME detected, Masui and his colleagues measured its dispersion, and found that most bursts likely originated from far-off sources within distant galaxies.

Artist's impression of FRBs from a magnetar - stellar remnants with some of the most intense magnetic fields in the universe

The fact that the bursts were bright enough to be detected by CHIME suggests that they must have been produced by extremely energetic sources.

As the telescope detects more FRBs, scientists hope to pin down exactly what kind of exotic phenomena could generate such ultrabright, ultrafast signals.

Scientists also plan to use the bursts, and their dispersion estimates, to map the distribution of gas throughout the universe.

'Each FRB gives us some information of how far they've propagated and how much gas they've propagated through,' said Shin.

'With large numbers of FRBs, we can hopefully figure out how gas and matter are distributed on very large scales in the universe.

'So, alongside the mystery of what FRBs are themselves, there's also the exciting potential for FRBs as powerful cosmological probes in the future.'
A new Neptune-sized exoplanet with a 'substantial atmosphere' and the potential for water has been identified in deep space, according to a new study.

Known as TOI-1231 b, the exoplanet has a 24-day orbit around its star, TOI-1231, and could have an atmosphere similar to Neptune, given its size and density.

There is also the potential for water vapor on the planet, which is 90 light-years from Earth, leaving scientists intrigued.

'The low density of TOI-1231 b indicates that it is surrounded by a substantial atmosphere rather than being a rocky planet,' said the study's co-author, Diana Dragomir, an assistant professor in UNM's Department of Physics and Astronomy, in a statement. 'But the composition and extent of this atmosphere are unknown!'

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Dragomir continued: 'TOI-1231 b could have a large hydrogen or hydrogen-helium atmosphere, or a denser water vapor atmosphere. Each of these would point to a different origin, allowing astronomers to understand whether and how planets form differently around M dwarfs when compared to the planets around our Sun, for example.'

M dwarfs are types of stars that are significantly smaller than the Sun, ranging between eight percent and 50 percent of its mass. They are the most abundant class of stars.

Researchers discovered a Neptune-sized exoplanet, known as TOI-1231 b, with a 'substantial atmosphere' and the potential for water

The exoplanet has a 24-day orbit around its star and could have an atmosphere similar to Neptune, given its size and density. There is also the potential for water vapor on the planet, which is 90 light-years from Earth

Water vapor on TOI-1231 b may be a possibility, but it is still one of the coolest exoplanets discovered, with an expected temperature of 140 degrees Fahrenheit.

Previous studies have suggested that planets with a temperature like this could have clouds high in the atmospheres, but further research into the exoplanet K2-18 b shows there is the potential for water in the atmosphere.

'TOI-1231 b is one of the only other planets we know of in a similar size and temperature range, so future observations of this new planet will let us determine just how common (or rare) it is for water clouds to form around these temperate worlds,' said the study's lead author, Jennifer Burt.

The exoplanet was discovered by NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) and later confirmed with the Planet Finder Spectrograph (PFS) on the Magellan Clay telescope at Las Campanas Observatory in Chile.

Burt said the researchers were able to measure the radius and mass of the planet, which allowed them to theorize it's similar to Neptune in its composition.

'Those values in turn allowed us to calculate the planet's bulk density and hypothesize about what the planet is made out of,' Burt explained.

'TOI-1231 b is pretty similar in size and density to Neptune, so we think it has a similarly large, gaseous atmosphere.'

Scientists hope to further examine the planet's atmosphere with the Hubble Space Telescope and the James Webb Telescope, set to launch later this year.

'This new planet weve discovered is still weird  but its one step closer to being somewhat like our neighborhood planets,' Burt continued. 'Compared to most transiting planets detected thus far, which often have scorching temperatures in the many hundreds or thousands of degrees, TOI-1231 b is positively frigid.'

The study is set to be published in The Astronomical Journal, but a pre-print version can be read here.

Last month, NASA delayed the launch of the $10 billion Hubble replacement because the rocket to launch it is not yet ready, among other reasons.
The massive internet blackout which brought down hundreds of websites across the world has been blamed on a single unnamed IT customer.

It left millions of people unable to access a host of major sites including Amazon, Spotify and PayPal, as well as the BBC, UK government and the White House.

Yesterday's outage was caused by a software bug triggered when a customer for Fastly  the US cloud-computing company responsible for the problems  changed their settings, the firm said.

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Source: The internet blackout which brought down hundreds of websites across the world has been blamed on a single customer of Fastly, the US company responsible for the issue (stock)

Which sites were hit? The outage saw visitors to sites including the UK government's pages receive the message: 'Error 503 Service Unavailable' Many popular websites were affected by yesterday's outage, including: - Amazon - Spotify - Reddit - gov.uk - PayPal - Twitch - Stack Overflow - GitHub - Hulu - HBO Max - Quora - Vimeo - Shopify - Stripe - CNN - The Guardian - The New York Times - BBC - Financial Times Advertisement

It has raised questions about the reliance of many of the world's biggest websites on just a handful of firms who run the infrastructure underpinning the internet.

More than half of the web's traffic is served by a content delivery network (CDN) company such as Fastly, which helps users view website content more quickly.

The aim of CDNs is to reduce latency  the delay from the moment a user makes a request to the exact instant they receive a response. The higher the latency, the worse the user experience.

But if the service suffers a failure, as Fastly's did, it prevents the companies that use it from operating on the net at all.

In a blog post on its website, Fastly apologised for the outage  which lasted about an hour  and said it should have anticipated it.

Nick Rockwell, senior vice president of engineering and infrastructure, said: 'We experienced a global outage due to an undiscovered software bug that surfaced on June 8 when it was triggered by a valid customer configuration change.

'We detected the disruption within one minute, then identified and isolated the cause, and disabled the configuration.'

He said within 49 minutes, 95 per cent of Fastly's network was operating as normal.

The company has vowed to carry out a 'post mortem of the processes and practices we followed during this incident' and to 'figure out why we didn't detect the bug during our software quality assurance and testing processes'.

'This outage was broad and severe, and we're truly sorry for the impact to our customers and everyone who relies on them,' Mr Rockwell added.

MailOnline has contacted Fastly for further information on the 'customer' behind the outage.

The blackout saw visitors to a vast array of sites receive error messages including 'Error 503 Service Unavailable' and 'connection failure'.

Streaming sites Twitch and Hulu were also hit by the problem.

Some sites including the UK government website were offline entirely, while others such as Twitter had more specific errors, such as not showing emojis.

Among those affected were travelling Britons trying to fill out locator forms on gov.uk to enter the UK from Portugal and abroad.

Former deputy national security adviser for intelligence and security between 2014 and 2018, Paddy McGuinness, said yesterday's incident should serve as 'a wake-up call', and the UK government must expand its current security approach.

'We need resilience as an explicit policy goal, especially on the new networks we are building to deliver services to the citizen,' he said.

'A ''secure by design and default'' mantra is welcome but it isn't enough in itself.'

Many of Fastly's customers are news sites that use its technology to update their websites with breaking news.

Buzzfeed, for example, used Fastly to cut the time its users took to reach the site by half.

Fastly had $290.9 million in revenue last year.

Issues: A number of major websites crashed yesterday following a massive internet blackout. The outage tracker site DownDetector picked up the problems users experienced (pictured)
A Cornish pasty has a carbon footprint of up 4.4 pounds (2 kilograms) of CO  but this could be halved by replacing beef with a vegan filling  a study has found.

Researchers from the University of Exeter have made a new tool which can determine how much carbon emissions are released in the making of a given pasty.

The Carbon and Low Impact Pasty (CLIP) tool factors in not only raw ingredients but carbon expenses related to water use, energy, transportation and refrigeration.

Experts estimate that some 120 million Cornish pasties are produced each year  and are thought to contribute some 300 million to Cornwall's economy.

The team noted that the carbon footprint of the average pasty is relatively low, however, compared to that of other popular foods.

A roast dinner, for example, can produce up to 7 lbs (3.2 kg) of carbon emissions, while a lasagne is even worse at 11 lbs (5 kg).

A Cornish pasty has a carbon footprint of up 4.4 pounds (2 kilograms) of CO  but this could be halved by replacing beef with a vegan filling  a study has found (stock image)

Researchers from the University of Exeter have made a new tool which can determine how much carbon emissions are released in the making of a given pasty. Pictured: the Carbon and Low Impact Pasty (CLIP) tool, which runs within a spreadsheet

THE HISTORY OF THE CORNISH PASTY While its origins are a little unclear, the earliest records of pasties dating from the 13th centuries suggest that they were consumed by the upper classes. Henry III reportedly gave a charter to the town of Great Yarmouth to supply each year 'one hundred herrings, baked in twenty four pasties.' These were to be delivered to the king via the lord of the manor of lord of the manor of East Carlton in Northamptonshire. It wasn't until the 1718th centuries that pasties became popular with Cornish workers. Tin miners, in particular, were said to favour the pastry for its ease of consumption without the need for cutlery and for being able to stay warm for hours. Furthermore  should one end up growing cold  pasties could be easily reheated by placing it on the blade of a shovel that was held over a candle. Advertisement

'Im in Cornwall and I love pasties,' said CLIP developer and energy/environment researcher Xiaoyu Yan of the University of Exeter.

'But the reason I want to look at this is not so much for the pasties but because I think they are an iconic, traditional type of processed food that has the potential to raise peoples awareness of embedded carbon in food products.'

'Usually what people see in the news is about the carbon in raw ingredients really but theres very little out there for processed food like a pasty or even a pizza or other types of ready-made foods.'

'Its quite difficult to get a number because you need to know exactly whats in there and how its produced and how theyre transported and stored.'

'Thats why we want to look at such a product to help people to understand the complexity of the processed food were dealing with today.'

In creating the CLIP tool, the researchers found that the most significant contributor the the carbon footprint of a particular pasty was whether or not it contained beef.

The origins of such meat was also found to have an impact, as Brazilian beef is 10 per cent more carbon intensive than European beef, in part due to the potential for such to be associated with deforestation.

Furthermore, the team found that the duration for which a pasty was frozen also impacted its carbon emissions  with those frozen for, say, six months having a footprint that is 20 per cent higher than those that are only chilled for a week.

The strength in the tool lies in how it can compare the environmental impact of different business models.

For example, smaller pastry producers tend to tailor their production to meet seasonal demands, while bigger firms output at a more consistent rate, meaning that they often over-produce and freeze their surplus  which releases more carbon.

The team were also able to use CLIP to look at the impact of transporting pasties from their point of manufacture to other towns and cities, finding that such did not result in a significant increase in carbon emissions.

For example, transporting a regular pasty some 311 miles (500 km) increased its carbon footprint by just 1 per cent in comparison with a local distribution of 15.5 miles (25 km) or less.

A long-haul journey of 1,243 miles (2,000 km), meanwhile, raised emissions by just 56 per cent over a local delivery.

The Carbon and Low Impact Pasty (CLIP) tool factors in not only raw ingredients but carbon expenses related to water use, energy, transportation and refrigeration (as depicted). CLIP is being made available free-of-charge to pasty makers in Cornwall, with the tool having received positive feedback from those that have already used it

CLIP is being made available free-of-charge to pasty makers in Cornwall, with the tool having received positive feedback from those that have already used it.

'By using the CLIP tool, Cornish pasty manufacturers will have the ability to select the best food from an environmental perspective,' said organisation and sustainability researcher Steffen Boehm of the University of Exeter Business School.

CLIP, he added, works 'by providing clear information on the true environmental impacts incurred at every stage, including production, manufacture, processing, transport, storage and disposal.'
Brits may have been soaking up the long hours of sunshine in the last week, but one drawback of the lovely weather is the increased prevalence of pesky moths.

Higher temperatures in the summer are known to accelerate the moths' reproductive cycles, making wardrobe invasions more likely, according to experts.

Famously, common clothes moths (Tineola bisselliella) feed on wool and natural fibres such as cashmere, tweed, sheepskin and fur.

The textile-loving species destroys natural fabrics with their larvae, which feeds on protein in natural materials.

This results in irreparable and costly damage to carpets, upholstery, blankets and other soft furnishings, as well as holes in clothing.

Larvae of the common clothes moth (Tineola bisselliella, pictured) eats through our favourite jumpers and cardigans in millions of homes in the UK every summer

HOW TO PROTECT YOUR WARDOBE When moths strike, experts suggest deep cleaning your wardrobe. Wash or dry clean clothes, then vacuum and wipe drawers and shelves. Putting lavender bags, fresh conkers and eucalyptus and bay leaves inside wardrobe drawers is also thought to help. Keeping valuable clothing in air-tight garment bags is advised. When it's too late, putting infested items in a bag and then into a freezer will kill the eggs. Washing clothes at high temperatures is effective, but this is not an option with delicate natural fibres such as pure wool. Advertisement

'Moths, like many pest species, rely on certain conditions in order to thrive,' a spokesperson for the British Pest Control Association (BPCA) told MailOnline.

'The warmer temperatures in summer give moth life cycles a helping hand  however increasingly warmer winters and temperature-controlled buildings mean that they can be a problem at other times of the year too.'

Clothes moths are not like other moths that are attracted to light. They prefer 'dark and warm' habitats, like the bottom of a chest of drawers or wardrobes.

Adult females typically lay around 40 eggs over a three-week period, then die. The eggs take only a few days to hatch and remain as larvae for up to two years, feasting on whatever fibres they can find.

It's actually the moth's larvae that eats natural materials in fabrics, not the adults  and not all moth species are a threat.

According to Butterfly Conservation, moths generally are threatened by habitat destruction, driven by land-use change and chemical pollution, as well as artificial light.

But the warming climate is causing many moth species to emerge earlier in the year compared with the 1970s, it says.

UK pest control company Rentokil has blamed warmer weather and washing machine cycles at lower temperatures.

Although better for the environment, lower temperature washing cycles allows moth larvae to grow and hatch, further bolstering the population.

Moth larvae are only killed when washed in water heated above 55C (131F), meaning washes at 30C (86F) allow them to survive.

'Spring is traditionally when clothes moths start to emerge and look to mate, and for somewhere to lay their eggs,' said Paul Blackhurst at Rentokil.

Moth-eaten carpets may be a common sight from summers past. It's actually the moth's larvae that eats natural materials in capets and clothes

'The complete moth life cycle can take between four to six months, but in heated buildings they are able to breed all year round and produce two generations per annum.

'A female will lay 40 to 50 eggs in her lifetime, gluing them to a surface, usually on or very close to a food source.

'By dry cleaning or washing clothes at 55 degrees or higher ensures moth larvae are killed.'

Another method of controlling the pests include purchasing moth balls, which release fumes that are toxic to moth larvae.

Other ways to limit the damage they have in the home are vacuum-packing clothes, storing high-risk items in the freezer and switching to moth-proof carpets.

Well-ventilated rooms also fare better because they can discourage habitation.

English Heritage is another institution that offers advice and tips for protecting homes against the pests.

Preventing the insects from decimating centuries-old upholstery is part of the charity's conservation efforts.

An English Heritage spokesperson previously said: 'Clothes moths are a conservator's worst nightmare and it's an ongoing battle to keep them under control.'

A moth mapping initiative in 2017 by the charity found clothes moths numbers were higher in older, pre-1950 properties as they have more voids, fireplaces and attics than modern houses.

Despite the damage they can cause to clothes, only 3 per cent of Brits named moths as their most disliked creepy crawly, according to recent YouGov data.
The 'unexpected' discovery of elemental copper and iron in the brains of deceased Alzheimer's patients has raised hopes of finding new treatments for the condition.

It is the first time elemental metals have been confirmed in human brain tissue, researchers said, and could help better understand how they may be contributing to neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.

Although metals can occur naturally in the body, and are vital for health, they are usually stored as compounds in oxidised form.

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'Unexpected' find: The discovery of elemental copper and iron in the brains of deceased Alzheimer's patients has raised hopes of finding new treatments for the condition

Scientists identified copper and iron in the human brain using intense X-ray beams (pictured)

HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE DEMENTIA? The charity Alzheimer's Research UK has described dementia as the greatest health challenge of our time. Somebody is diagnosed with it every three seconds. It is the biggest killer in some wealthier countries - and is completely untreatable. Memory loss is the most common feature. Other symptoms can include changes to behaviour, mood and personality. It can reach the point where people don't know they need to eat or drink. Globally around 50 million people are currently living with dementia. But cases are predicted to soar to 130 million by 2050 as populations age. According to the World Health Organisation, deaths from dementia have doubled since 2000 and dementia is now the fifth biggest killer worldwide. In England and Wales, one in eight death certificates cite dementia. Advertisement

Scientists, led by experts at Keele University, found nanoparticles of copper and iron around 1/10,000th the size of a pinhead in the brains of two deceased people with Alzheimer's.

They were discovered in 'plaques' containing harmful proteins, known as amyloid, which are linked to Alzheimer's disease and often accumulate in the spaces between nerve cells.

The metals were found in 'chemically reduced states', including various ionized (where an atom or molecule acquires a negative or positive charge) and elemental forms.

In such states, metals can produce unstable atoms which are toxic to brain cells.

Metal imbalances have previously been linked to the development of dementia and neurodegenerative diseases, however one of the authors of the study said there is 'absolutely no reason to think that everyday exposure to these metals could cause their presence in the brain'.

Neil Telling, professor of biomedical nanophysics at Keele University, told the PA News agency: 'In fact, it is not yet clear whether such particles are indeed linked to disease.

'At the very least their presence indicates that there is much more to learn about the way in which metals are processed in the brain.'

Telling said the discovery of the elemental metals had been 'unexpected' but added: 'It will take considerably more time and further research before this (the findings) could impact on treatments for neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's disease.

'For example, by answering ongoing questions regarding how metals interact with the amyloid proteins that the plaques are formed from.

Researchers used facilities in California and Harwell, Oxfordshire (pictured) for the study

Earlier this year, scientists identified the brain cells that are most vulnerable to Alzheimer's disease for the first time. They lie in a region known as the entorhinal cortex, which controls memory, navigation and time perception, and are the first to be killed off by the disease

'Ultimately, this line of research could lead to new treatments that target metals as well as the amyloid proteins currently under consideration.'

Researchers said the discovery could facilitate 'the development of new therapies to restore metal balance in diseased brains, potentially slowing or preventing the progression of these currently incurable diseases'.

Scientists identified copper and iron in the human brain using intense X-ray beams at facilities in California and Harwell, Oxfordshire.

There are around 850,000 people with dementia in the UK, which is projected to rise to 1.6 million by 2040, according to the Alzheimer's Society.

Earlier this year scientists identified the brain cells that are most vulnerable to Alzheimer's disease for the first time, in what was labelled the 'holy grail' of dementia studies.

The brain cells lie in a region known as the entorhinal cortex, which controls memory, navigation and time perception, and are the first to be killed off by the disease.

The brain cells are particularly prone to toxic clumps, or 'tangles', of a protein called tau that destroys them from within.

Co-senior author Professor Martin Kampmann, of Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, said targeting them could stop the disease in its tracks.

The Keele University study was published in the journal Science Advances.
A trove of 118 silver coins was unearthed in a forest in northeastern Poland in March that experts believe may have been part of an ancient bribe.

The coins, minted in the 9th century during the Carolingian Empire, are the largest number of their kind ever found in Poland.

Experts believe the hoard may have been part of a bribe to protect Paris from being sacked by Vikings more than a thousand years ago.

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More than 100 silver coins from the Carolingian Empire were found in a forest in northeast Poland in March. The 1,200-plus-year-old coins may have been part of a bribe to keep Vikings from sacking Paris

In November 2020, metal detector enthusiasts uncovered a handful of silver denarius, or Roman-style coins, in a field near Biskupiec, a town in northeastern Poland about 120 miles from Warsaw.

They notified researchers at the nearby Museum of Ostroda and, in March 2021, archaeologists returned to the field to investigate.

They uncovered a total of 118 coinsall but one of which dated to the reign of the Carolingian emperor Louis the Pious, who ruled from 814 until 840 AD.

The remaining silver piece was minted during the brief reign of his son Charles the Bald, who ruled from 875 to 877.

It's exceedingly rare for Carolingian money to be found in northeast Poland, which was well beyond the boundaries of the empire, according to experts

All had the distinctive markings of the Carolingian dynasty, with a cross and Latin inscriptions.

Charlemagne, a Frankish leader, founded the Carolingian Empire in 800 AD and, during the Early Middle Ages, he and his descendants united much of western and central Europe after the fall of Rome.

But finding Carolingian specie in Poland is highly uncommon, as the region was well beyond the borders of the empire.

Only three Carolingian coins have previously been unearthed in north Poland, at an archaeological site at Truso, about 60 miles west of Biskupiec.

Researchers theorize the coins came from Truso, a Norse trading post about 60 miles from where the coins were found

The researchers believe this newfound hoard also came from Truso, which in the 800s, was a Norse trading center.

They theorize the money was part of a massive bribe paid by Charles the Bald to keep the Norse from invading Paris, the capital of the Carolingian Empire.

Mateusz Bogucki, an archaeologist and numismatist at the University of Warsaw, told Live Science that it's too soon to know for certain, but some of the coins can be traced back to Paris.

It's also possible the coins were left in the uninhabited area as a 'drop,' for Vikings from Truso to pick up

'If a larger number of the coins can be attributed to Paris, then yes, it is possible,' Bogucki told the news outlet.

If the coins weren't used to buy off the Vikings, their presence is a mystery: Biskupiec was uninhabited at the time and Prussian tribes in the region used Arab coins.

Charles the Bald paid 7,000 livres, or more than five tons of silver and gold, to the Vikings for them to not sack Paris, Bogucki told Live Science, and it's possible the coins found in Biskupiec were part of that ransom.

'The functioning of the settlement in Truso and the related activity of the Vikings is currently the most reliable clue indicating how the treasure reached the territory of ancient Prussia,' Lead archaeologist ukasz Szczepanski told Science in Poland.

Carolingian king Charles the Bald (pictured) reportedly paid the Vikings 7,000 livres, or more than five tons of silver and gold, to not sack Paris in the 9th century

'In the 9th century, we see a clear increase in the threat posed by the Vikings taking part in the invasions of Western Europe,' Szczepanski added.

The siege of Paris in 845 was the culmination of a Viking invasion of West Francia, he noted.

The treasure was found in the Drweca River basin, according to Science in Poland, which lead to the mouth of the Vistula River, where Truso is located.

It's possible the location was a drop site intended for the invaders to pick up the hoard, but for whatever reason the deal was never closed.

While the coins are clearly Carolingian, there's little to show precisely where they were minted.

Boguki hopes to discern more of their origins by studying the shapes of the letters in their Latin inscriptions and other characteristics.
Ortiz said hes proud of the four newest recruits and a new administrative services officer, but acknowledged that none are from the city. The department still has four vacancies, and Ortiz is eager to get strong candidates from the city to fill at least some of those.
Alexander Zverev was involved in a heated row with the umpire during the early stages of his French Open quarter-final on Thursday night.

The German, who went on to book his place in the last four with a straight sets win, was left furious with a a close line call during his encounter with Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.

Zverev chose to make his own decision and called a wide backhand from Fokina out during a point in the fourth game of the match, which would have given the 24-year-old a break of serve.

Alexander Zverev was involved in a heated row with an umpire at the French Open on Thursday

The German was left furious with a close line call against Alejandro Davidovich Fokina

After calling the ball out, umpire Alison Hughes inspected the mark and said the ball was in

Zverev was furious with the call and protested with the official before play got back underway

But the umpire, Britain's Alison Hughes, climbed down from her seat to inspect the ball mark and did not agree with Zverev's decision that the ball was out.

Believing she had looked at the wrong mark on the court, Zverev rushed back towards the mark and said: 'No, no, no! It's here! No!'

But as Hughes returned to her seat and declared it was not a full mark, the German crouched to his knees and protested.

He said: 'I never complain about much - if you say it's in or out I always agree. But how do you call this in?

Hughes replied: 'For me it is not a complete mark.'

Zverev, still not convinced with her decision, replied: 'I understand that for you it's in because you say it's in, but it is not!'

After play resumed, Zverev cruised into the semi-finals with a 6-4, 6-1, 6-1 win over Fokina.

After play resumed, Zverev cruised into the semi-finals with a 6-4, 6-1, 6-1 win over Fokina

He became the first German to reach the last four at Roland Garros since Michael Stich in 1996

Sixth seed Zverev became the first German to reach the last four at Roland Garros since Michael Stich in 1996.

He was simply too good for the world No 46, who managed to hold serve only three times for his first appearance on court Philippe Chatrier.

After a tense opening set in which both players had struggled to hold serve, world number six Zverev stepped up a gear as the Spaniard faltered.

Another double break in the third set saw Zverev move 4-1 ahead before Davidovich Fokina failed to hold again as the German took his place in the last four, completing a comfortable victory in one hour and 38 minutes.

Zverev will face either Greek fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas or world No. 2 Daniil Medvedev of Russia.

'Obviously it's very nice to be in the semi-finals but that doesn't satisfy me,' said Zverev.

'I've been playing better and better and now we'll see what happens next.'
New research has revealed that as many as 24 per cent of Britons claim they currently have a holiday booked to an amber-list country.

And as many as three quarters (75 per cent) of those with trips abroad planned over the next few months insist they are happy to go against the governments advice and go ahead with the holiday - despite the testing and 10-day quarantine involved - even if their country doesnt move to the green list in time.

Of those who said they would jet away on a foreign holiday regardless of warnings, 39 per cent said they needed to get away for their mental health, while 27 per cent said they were fully vaccinated and saw no reason not to go.

As many as 24 per cent of Britons claim they currently have a holiday booked to an amber-list country. Pictured are passengers at Heathrow last month (file image)

The research, by insights agency Perspectus Global, found that a further 24 per cent said they were sick of being told what to do, while 23 per cent said they had given up listening to advice given by the Government and 15 per cent said the traffic light system was unclear and confusing.

However, almost half (47 per cent) of those who have not booked a holiday to an amber list country said those who were prepared to go were irresponsible.

Forty-two per cent felt people holidaying in a country on the amber list were selfish, while a further 24 per cent said it was up to individuals to make their own decisions.

And it seems those in their 30s and 40s are the most likely to head off anyway, according to Prospectus Global, with 82 per cent of those aged 30 to 45 saying they would definitely go abroad to an amber list country.

In the 16 to 29 age group, 67 per cent said they would be happy throwing caution to the wind and those aged over 50 with holidays booked to an amber list country were the most cautious, with under half (44 per cent) planning to go away anyway.

Evie Porter, head of projects at Perspectus Global, which surveyed 2,000 Britons for the study, said: 'There is a real polarisation between those who think heading off on holiday to an amber list country is perfectly fine and those who feel very strongly that doing so is irresponsible.

Forty-two per cent felt people holidaying in a country on the amber list were selfish, while a further 24 per cent said it was up to individuals to make their own decisions (file image)

'Its a contentious subject at the moment and there dont seem to be many people sitting on the fence when it comes to whether we should or will be able to jet off on our holidays this year.'

The UK government's traffic light scheme for international travel has come under criticism from the travel industry.

Today, Virginia Messina, the acting chief executive of the World Travel and Tourism Council, said that it's now time for ministers to 'abandoned the hugely damaging traffic lights system'.

What's needed now is a watertight government policy enabling those who've been fully jabbed to travel freely, and not have to self-isolate on their return

She explained: 'Consumers, airlines and the wider travel sector were promised a watchlist and three weeks' notice of any changes from green to amber, and not just four days.

'It has been incredibly disruptive and costly for both travel and tourism businesses and consumers. It simply hasn't worked.

'What's needed now is a watertight government policy enabling those who've been fully jabbed to travel freely, and not have to self-isolate on their return.'

Meanwhile, Michael O'Leary, the boss of Ryanair, labelled the scheme a shambles and accused ministers of 'making this stuff up as they go along' after the decision to move Portugal to the 'amber list' sparked travel chaos earlier this week.

His comments came as Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick admitted there is a 'degree of risk involved' even when travelling to countries on the 'green list' because they could be swiftly downgraded.

Mr Jenrick said 'this isn't a normal summer for holidays' as he urged travellers to ensure their bookings to 'green' nations have 'flexibility' built-in.
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A top 30 ranking of 'the world's coolest streets' has been revealed by Time Out  and Smith Street in Melbourne has been awarded the coveted No1 spot.

The runner-up in the list is Passeig de Sant Joan in Barcelona and London's South Bank comes third. In fourth is Havana's San Isidro and Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles rounds out the top five.

A first for Time Out, the list was compiled by a global survey of more than 27,000 locals who were each asked to nominate their city's coolest street. Time Out's 'expert local editors and writers' added their thoughts to produce a ranking that 'celebrates the great local businesses and communities that make our cities and streets exciting'.

Smith Street in Melbourne, which is No1 in Time Out's 'world's coolest streets' ranking

Passeig de Sant Joan in Barcelona is the silver medallist in Time Out's coolest streets list, in part thanks to its 'stylish restaurants' and 'amazing collection of comic-book stores'

Time Out said of Smith Street in Melbourne: '[It's] a bustling, lively place filled with independent pubs, wine bars, restaurants and more. Live music and an array of nightlife make this an exciting place to get under the skin of Melbourne  once lockdown has eased.'

Silver-medallist Passeig de Sant Joan was praised for its pedestrian and cycle-friendly layout, 'stylish restaurants' and 'amazing collection of comic-book stores called the "manga triangle"'.

Third-place South Bank, which is strictly an area, but known primarily for its buzzing Thameside pathway, was lauded for being 'the ideal place to stroll and take in some of London's major attractions, including some of the world's most iconic theatres and art galleries'. Time Out added: 'The food market, pop-ups and famous skate park are all reasons to spend a day walking along the Thames.'

THE 30 COOLEST STREETS IN THE WORLD RIGHT NOW 1. Smith Street, Melbourne 2. Passeig de Sant Joan, Barcelona 3. South Bank, London 4. San Isidro, Havana 5. Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles 6. Witte de Withstraat, Rotterdam 7. Rua Tres Rios, Sao Paulo 8. Haji Lane, Singapore 9. Rua Rodrigues de Faria, Lisbon 10. Calle Thames, Buenos Aires 11. Krizikova Ulice, Prague 12. 7th Street, Melville, Johannesburg 13. Cat Street, Tokyo 14. 30th Avenue, New York 15. Levinsky Street, Tel Aviv 16. Milwaukee Avenue, Chicago 17. Gran Via, Madrid 18. Calle Ocho, Miami 19. King Street, Sydney 20. Rua de Miguel Bombarda, Porto 21. Paseo de la Reforma, Mexico City 22. Main Road, Kalk Bay, Cape Town 23. Alserkal Avenue, Dubai 24. Rue Tiquetonne, Paris 25. Mariannenstrase, Berlin 26. Calle Jose Galvez, Lima 27. Seaport Boulevard, Boston 28. Jgersborggade, Copenhagen 29. Allen Avenue, Lagos 30. Star Street, Hong Kong Source: Time Out Advertisement

Third-place South Bank was lauded for being 'the ideal place to stroll and take in some of London's major attractions'

Pictured is the fourth coolest street in the world, according to Time Out - San Isidro in Havana

San Isidro, meanwhile, received praise for its 'great street art' and alfresco dining and cocktail-ordering action, and fifth-place Sunset Boulevard was described as 'a 22-mile stretch [that] attracts visitors from all walks of life and leads you from the leafy shoreline to the ever-buzzing Hollywood media district'.

In sixth place is Rotterdam's Witte de Withstraat, which 'fizzes with activity from dawn till dusk' and is 'filled with great galleries, respected restaurants and, in normal times the best club nights too'.

Sao Paulo's 'fast-evolving' Rua Tres Rios with its 'exhilarating gastronomic scene' comes seventh and Singapore's Haji Lane  'a wanderer's paradise filled with interesting shops selling vintage finds, fabrics and more'  comes eighth.

Sunset Boulevard, in fifth, was described as 'a 22-mile stretch [that] attracts visitors from all walks of life and leads you from the leafy shoreline to the ever-buzzing Hollywood media district'

In sixth place is Rotterdam's Witte de Withstraat, pictured, which 'fizzes with activity from dawn till dusk'

In eighth place is Singapore's Haji Lane  'a wanderer's paradise filled with interesting shops selling vintage finds, fabrics and more'

In ninth is Lisbon's Rua Rodrigues de Faria  'a creative hub lined with restaurants, shops, studios, co-working spaces and loads of street art'

Pictured here is 10th-place Calle Thames in Buenos Aires, a stretch that has 'an abundance of independent restaurants and bars to choose from, as well as plenty of dazzling street art'

In ninth is Lisbon's Rua Rodrigues de Faria  'a creative hub lined with restaurants, shops, studios, co-working spaces and loads of street art' - and in 10th is Calle Thames in Buenos Aires, a stretch that has 'an abundance of independent restaurants and bars to choose from, as well as plenty of dazzling street art'.

'Our first-ever World's Coolest Streets list celebrates the great local businesses and communities that make our cities and streets exciting,' said James Manning, International Editor of Time Out. 'They have kept us going through the past year and it's more important than ever to support them as the world begins reopening. From outdoor dining to open-air culture, street life is where you can glimpse the future of our cities. Humans are social creatures and these streets are the places to be as we start eating, drinking and socialising together once again.'

Rebecca Russo, Time Out Melbourne Editor, said: 'After four hard lockdowns, Melburnians have spoken and they clearly want to have fun. And boy, there's a lot of fun to be had on Smith Street. Whether it's digging into a parma at the pub, dancing all night at a queer-friendly club or shopping for cool Scandi furniture, Smith Street is where you can get it done  and all are welcome to enjoy it.'

Visit www.timeout.com/things-to-do/coolest-streets-in-the-world for more on the full list.
Celia Pacquola has issued an emotional apology after learning about her family connection to colonial 'atrocities' on Who Do You Think You Are?

The 38-year-old comedian discovered on Tuesday's episode of the SBS docuseries that her mother's English ancestors had received 'stolen land' from Indigenous Australians in the early 1800s.

In emotional scenes, Celia then met with Darug Elder Chris Tobin on the very land that had been taken from his ancestors and given to hers - something she described as 'one of the most confronting and overwhelming experiences of my life'.

'I'm sorry if this has upset anyone': Celia Pacquola has issued an emotional apology after learning about her family connection to colonial 'atrocities' on Who Do You Think You Are?

Before the episode aired, Celia shared a statement to Instagram in which she addressed the revelations about her family.

'I'm sorry if this episode has upset anyone - I write this with the best intentions at heart and I'm hoping some good can come of it,' she said.

'I am very grateful to have been part of the show, to have the opportunity to discover more about my family, in particular to share with my mum whose parents passed away when she was in her early twenties. Her side of the family was a mystery to us.'

She added that she 'loves being Australian' but has always felt 'guilt and shame about our history'.

As she began her genealogical journey, she had hoped the English side of her family were 'convicts with hearts of gold who came here against their will'.

However, this was not the case.

History: In emotional scenes, Celia met with Darug Elder Chris Tobin (left) on the very land that had been taken from his ancestors and given to hers, something she described as 'one of the most confronting and overwhelming experiences of my life'

With the help of experts, Celia traced the lives of two of her ancestors who were free settlers in Australia and ended up buying or being given stolen land.

'One of them was in the military and arrived in the very early 1800s,' she said. 'I couldn't shy away from my personal connection to the atrocities and mistreatment of First Nations peoples and Country anymore.'

She went on to say that Darug Elder Chris was 'amazing and knowledgeable', and she was grateful to talk with him about their ancestors' pasts.

'No, we cant do anything about what happened in the past,' she added.

'But we can do something now. As a white person it is only for me to listen and take cues from First Nations peoples as to what exactly that is.'

She went on to say that the process had made her want to 'learn more, read more and be a better ally' by supporting more Indigenous causes.

Lessons learned: Celia said she was now trying to learn more, read more and be a better ally by supporting more Indigenous causes going forward

On the show, Celia became emotional while meeting Chris, who showed her a map of the land that her ancestors had been given.

'In Aboriginal culture, we are part of the country,' he told her.

'Our trees are the trees of the country, the birds are the birds of the country, and we are the people of the country. We have that responsibility to look after the country for the next generation.

'The British claiming our country and taking it was one of those great injustices. But there were some lovely people that allowed Aboriginal people to camp on their properties.'

Celia responded: 'It was very confronting to see one of my direct ancestors given land which was not theirs to give.'
Fans were thrilled when Channel Seven confirmed Australian Idol would be making a return to screens 12 years after it last aired.

But on Wednesday, the network was forced to deny rumours the highly anticipated show would be dropped from the channel's 2022 line-up.

'As we announced in October last year, Australian Idol will be on Seven in 2022,' a Seven spokesperson told TV Tonight.

It will be back! Channel Seven has been forced to deny rumours that Australian Idol is being axed, after New Idea reported the show would not go ahead in 2022

The network's denial comes after New Idea reported on Monday that Idol had been 'axed' amid tensions between Seven and production company Fremantle concerning the show's pre-recorded format.

At the time, an unnamed source claimed Fremantle 'wouldnt budge on the [live] format of relying on the Australian public to vote on a weekly basis'.

In October, the show's return to television after 12 years was confirmed as part of Channel Seven's 2022 prime-time line-up.

The talent show is famous for discovering a string of top-selling artists, including Guy Sebastian, Jessica Mauboy, Casey Donovan, Matt Corby and Ricki-Lee Coulter.

Angus Ross, Seven's Director of Programming, said at the time: 'Idol is the granddaddy of them all! The biggest show in the world comes to Seven in 2022, and we know Australians are going to love it.

'We can't wait to bring Idol back to Australian audiences in 2022, putting our prime time content line-up even further ahead of the competition.'

Launching careers: The talent show is famous for discovering a string of top-selling artists, including Guy Sebastian, Jessica Mauboy, Casey Donovan, Matt Corby and Ricki-Lee Coulter. Pictured: season one winner Guy Sebastian performing in Sydney on November 13, 2003

'We're home to the biggest franchises in television at Seven, and Idol is the biggest of them all. Bring on 2022!' Mr Ross added.

Fremantle Asia Pacific's CEO, Chris Oliver-Taylor, also said: 'Idol is renowned for launching global music artists. That's what we've done here in Australia and across the world. We can't wait to break the next superstar Idols on Seven in 2022.'

Australian Idol is a Fremantle and Eureka co-production for the Seven Network and will premiere on Channel Seven and 7plus in 2022.

Based on the global Pop Idol format - the most-watched TV franchise in history - Australian Idol aired from 2003 to 2009 on Channel 10.

Industry gossip: Australian Idol was hosted by Osher Gunsberg (right) and James Mathison (left) from 2003 to 2007, before former contestant Ricki-Lee Coulter joined them in 2008. The following year, James left the show and it was hosted by Osher and Ricki-Lee. Pictured in 2005

Success: Unlike other singing shows, Australian Idol has a track record for making bona fide stars, the most notable being its inaugural winner, Guy Sebastian (pictured at the 2019 ARIAs)

Champion: The first season of Australian Idol was a ratings bonanza and attracted more viewers than major events such as the AFL grand final

Many TV insiders had predicted an Idol revival on Seven as the network had already brought back Big Brother and The Farmer Wants a Wife in 2020.

Channel 10 had originally bought rights to the Idol franchise for $15million in 2003.

The first season was a ratings bonanza and attracted more viewers than major events such as the AFL Grand Final.

Unlike other singing shows, Australian Idol has a track record for making bona fide stars, the most notable being its inaugural winner, Guy Sebastian.

Reboot central: Many TV insiders had predicted an Idol revival on Seven as the network had already brought back Big Brother and The Farmer Wants a Wife in 2020. Pictured: hosts James and Osher with season two finalists Casey Donovan and Anthony Callea on November 21, 2004

In May, New Idea reported that former judge Marcia Hines had been offered a contract to join the panel in 2022.

At the time, the publication reported she wanted to change her persona from the 'nice judge' to the 'mean judge'.

'Dicko [Ian 'Dicko' Dickson] was always known as the "mean judge" but producers are keen for Marcia to step up as the tough and controversial judge this time round,' a source said at the time.
Her great-grandfather, psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud, claimed our romantic relationships are modelled on childhood bonds with our parents.

And now novelist Esther Freud suggests her own father  the late celebrated artist Lucian Freud  was the cause of her marriage breakdown to actor David Morrissey.

My father was a very powerful person, and I learned so much about relationships from him, admits Esther, 58, whose bohemian childhood formed the basis of her acclaimed novel Hideous Kinky, which was turned into a 1998 film starring Kate Winslet.

Novelist Esther Freud suggests her own father - the late celebrated artist Lucian Freud - was the cause of her marriage breakdown to actor David Morrissey

What was most important to him was work. So in my relationships with men, I never felt I had the right to be more important than work.

'That affected me and really ran my marriage. I could never say: I need you. 

Esther has three children with The Walking Dead star David, 56, from whom she split in 2019 after 13 years of marriage.

If he had to go away for six months somewhere, who was I to say: Maybe another Robert De Niro film will come along... The idea of him being disappointed or missing out, I couldnt have borne it.

'So he worked and I did the bulk of the childcare.

Esther and her fashion designer sister Bella spent their early years travelling with their mother, the writer Bernardine Coverley, after she split upwith Freud.

My father was a very powerful person, and I learned so much about relationships from him, admits Esther, 58

She later under-went therapy.

I was determined not to fall into being with absent men, she explains. It took me a long time to realise: Ive just fallen into it but at a slightly different angle.

Her marriage to Liverpudlian cobblers son Morrissey wasnt all bad, however.

I did have what I wanted: I really wanted a family. I was prepared to pay almost any price for having one.

'That kept me going for years but then it occurred to me I was very lonely and I thought it would be incredible to also have a companion and someone I could trust. I guess your priorities shift.

Youll never keep a dedicated party-goer down.

Jeffrey Archer is holding a lavish do to celebrate his 80th, even though he reached that milestone more than a year ago.

The bash will be at Banqueting House in Whitehall in December.

Sir John Major will be there, and one of Lord Archers friends tells me: We all need a party more than ever.

Off-road Rosie steers a very tricky course

Boris Johnsons bride, Carrie, hired her wedding dress, and Vogue cover girl Rosie Tapner has taken the rental trend one step further by taking on glorious Goodwood for the day.

Rosie, whose father Rory is the former boss of the Queens banker Coutts, got behind the wheel of a classic 1960s Land Rover in West Sussex

Rosie, whose father Rory is the former boss of the Queens banker Coutts, got behind the wheel of a classic 1960s Land Rover to navigate steep descents, sharp inclines and mud traps on the Duke of Richmonds 12,000-acre estate in West Sussex.

It calls the experience Trenches And Traps.

Im fiercely competitive about everything I do and I loved every second of driving those Land Rovers, she tells me.

Trying to control them was a challenge! The clay pigeon shooting was amazing, too.

Colourful Italian heiress Princess Camilla de Bourbon is in a state of fury.

I can reveal shes lost her appeal in the Royal Court in Jersey against a 2 million fine for allegedly lying that she didnt know the whereabouts of her mothers assets including a painting by Paul Gauguin valued at 50 million.

I am outraged by this decision and by the level of the fine, which is unprecedented in Jersey, she tells me.

I maintain my innocence and that I have only ever spoken the truth throughout these proceedings.

She plans to appeal to the Privy Council and is considering an application to the European Court of Human Rights, adding: This process has caused me huge distress, and I am determined that justice will be done.

Bea stepson a super snapper

Not only was Princess Beatrices stepson, Christopher, best man at her wedding at the tender age of three, but now hes a skilled snapper, too.

The boy, known as Wolfie, took this and other photos of his glamorous mother, Dara Huang, on holiday in Portugal, prompting her to hail him a baby Picasso.

The boy, known as Wolfie, took this and other photos of his glamorous mother, Dara Huang, on holiday in Portuga

Architect Dara boasts: Sometimes I pick up my phone and find that my baby has taken all of these incredible photos.

'I think hes really talented  biased of course.

Wolfies father, property developer Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, married Bea last year in a Windsor ceremony attended by her grandparents, the Queen and Prince Philip.

Baby Lilibet is not the only new arrival grandpa Prince Charles has to celebrate.

His foundations farming team at Dumfries House in Scotland has overseen the birth of almost 100 rare-breed animals recently.

They include 27 Castlemilk Moorit lambs, 27 Boreray lambs, seven Vaynol calves and three Pied Crollwitzer turkey chicks.

I bet Charles will see the animals before he meets Harry and Meghans girl...

Noel knocks it back in anger

His band sang about Cigarettes & Alcohol, but Oasis star Noel Gallaghers been ordered by his GP to quit the booze after he hit the bottle too hard in lockdown.

Ive had a couple of timeouts from the doctor, Noel reveals.

Going to see the doctor saying [groans], Ive got this pain and I feel like s***.

Oasis star Noel Gallagher hass been ordered by his GP to quit the booze after he hit the bottle too hard in lockdown

'Hes like, Yeah you dont look good. Have you been sleeping? Na...

'Have you been drinking? Yeah

'How much?

****ing s*** loads.

'Im on the go-slow, but theres nothing else to do.

Sounds like a champagne supernova.
She's the glamorous blonde who wasn't afraid to flaunt her incredible figure during her time in the Big Brother house.

But following her eviction on Tuesday, Charlotte McCristal has revealed she was once told by producers to wear less-revealing clothes.

'I actually got called to the Diary Room because one of my outfits was too revealing,' the 25-year-old told Daily Mail Australia.

'It's a family-friendly show!' Following her eviction on Tuesday, Big Brother star Charlotte McCristal has revealed she was once told by producers to wear less-revealing clothes

'He [Big Brother] said it's a family-friendly show and that I had to change it to something else, and I feel kind of proud of that too,' she laughed.

Charlotte said that despite getting a warning from Big Brother, she kept up her rebellious antics and didn't adjust her wardrobe.

'I guess it's very different to the Big Brother of the old days, so that's kind of an achievement. Who gets told off for that?' she added.

Too sexy for TV! 'I actually got called to the Diary Room because one of my outfits was too revealing,' the 25-year-old told Daily Mail Australia

Charlotte said that the dress she was scolded for wearing was actually similar to one her twin sister Alex had worn during her eviction.

The Melburnian was sent packing on Tuesday's episode after she was voted out by the other housemates.

Charlotte said she felt 'betrayed' by Ari Kimber but was glad she 'played a very open game'.

Raunchy: Charlotte explained that the dress she was scolded for wearing was actually similar to one her twin sister Alex (centre) had worn during her eviction

Remember this? Alex and Charlotte were among the six intruders on this year's season of Big Brother. Alex forfeited her place to keep her sister in the house

Charlotte's housemates Daniel Hayes and Sarah Jane Adams used their Head of House power to nominate her for eviction.

She was sent home after receiving more votes than Adriana Fernandez and Christina Podolyan.

Big Brother Australia continues Wednesday at 7:30pm on Seven
The stage is set for Wednesday night's State of Origin clash between the New South Wales Blues and the Queensland Maroons.

And it seems no one is more excited for kick-off than Today show reporter Lara Vella, who knocked back a cocktail live on air at 6.30am.

The 34-year-old journalist toasted to the Origin opener by drinking a large blue cocktail while interviewing the manager of a 24-hour bar at The Star Sydney.

It's five o'clock somewhere! Today show reporter Lara Vella drank a blue cocktail live on air at 6.30am while speaking to rowdy NSW fans at a Sydney bar ahead of the State of Origin opener

'I want to introduce you to John. He's the venue manager and he has whipped up something special for us. It's a Blues-themed cocktail,' she said.

Lara was surrounded by a crowd of rowdy NSW fans, while a troupe of cheerleaders performed a routine in the background.

'I will take a sip of this,' the reporter declared as she sucked from the straw.

Getting the party started! Lara was surrounded by a crowd of NSW supporters, while a troupe of cheerleaders performed a routine in the background

She immediately grimaced after tasting the alcoholic beverage, saying afterwards: 'That is rocket fuel, yep!'

Lara's on-air antics have made headlines over the years, the most memorable being in September 2019 when she abruptly walked off set during a weather broadcast.

She was forced to cut short her report in order to catch a flight, and dramatically tossed her script into the air and rushed off set to make it to the airport on time.



That'll put hairs on your chest! She immediately grimaced after tasting the alcoholic beverage, telling the camera: 'That is rocket fuel, yep!'

'Guys, that is it for me because I have to hightail it to the airport and we are off to Bowen, and this week you will see everything from redheads, snags, mangoes... that is all I have to say!' Lara announced.

'I will leave you to read the rest of the weather. I'm out of here, guys. That is a good tease,' she added.

Lara's colleagues Deborah Knight, Georgie Gardner and Tom Steinfort - who have all since left Today - were puzzled by her sudden exit.

'I thought you were here for the day. Goodness me, clocked off? Well, at least you're working. Thank you, Lara!' Deborah said with a laugh.
Whitney Port's husband Tim Rosenman has revealed how he met the long lost brother who was put up for adoption when his mother was just 19-years-old.

Speaking on his wife's podcast With Whit, Tim recalled receiving a phone call from his mother informing him she had reconnected with the son she had put up for adoption when she was still in college.

Not long after, Tim would finally meet his brother Carey, a 50-year-old man from the South whose daughter coincidentally lived on the same street he did in Los Angeles.

'He looks exactly like my mom': Whitney Port's husband Tim Rosenman has revealed how he met the long lost brother who was put up for adoption when his mother was just 19-years-old

It all started eight years ago, when Tim received a phone call from his mother confessing to him about her long lost son.

Tim's mother was only 19 when she became pregnant. Her boyfriend broke up with her, and her mother rented an apartment for her to stay in until she gave birth.

After welcoming her son Carey and putting him up for adoption, his mom returned to school and ultimately started a life with Tim's father.

At this point, Tim's mother had already connected with Carey's wife online however had not yet met him.

Touching: Speaking on his wife's podcast With Whit, Tim recalled receiving a phone call from his mother informing him she had reconnected with the son she had put up for adoption while she was still in college

It is Tim who ends up meeting Carey first, however.

Several months after the revelatory conversation, Tim gets another phone call from his mother, asking if he was able to meet Carey that day.

As it turns out, Carey was in town, visiting his adult daughter who lived on the same street Tim did in Venice Beach.

'Full disclosure, I had just smoked fat one and was like high off my a**,' he told Whitney.

'I had just smoked fat one and was like high off my a**': Tim admitted he was inebriated at the time his mother asked if he could meet his long lost brother (pictured 2020)

While Tim was not necessarily in the best state to meet his brother, he did it anyways.

'This is not something you can say no to... You have to say yes,' he said.

'So 10 minutes later, we get a knock on our door and it's Carey, my brother, his wife Pam, their daughter Christie, her boyfriend at the time, now husband, Pete. And that was it, right?'

'Their son Zach wasn't there, but there they are at my doorstep and I opened the door and Carey's there and he looks exactly like my mom and he looks exactly like my brother and he, he just like, looks like my family.'

Aww! Tim and his wife Whitney Port now share a three-year-old son named Sonny together (pictured 2020)

'And all I knew was that he was from the South and that I think that he was a general contractor and I had no preconceived notions of what that would mean. And I just hope that, you know, we lived up to his expectations and I didn't blow it for my mom or whatever, make a bad impression. And I knew Whitney would knock it out of the park.'

Tim said he felt connected with his brother the moment he looked into his eyes.

'As soon as I looked in his eyes, like I felt connected to him and his family and, and they luckily happened to be fantastic people. And they came in on that Easter morning and we hung out and we, we sort of just made small talk for an hour and talked about my mom and my life and Whitney's life and their life.'

They rock! The Hills vet and her family exploring a jaw-dropping vista

'We miss him!' Port gushed about Carey and his family in a post detailing her upcoming podcast episode

Several weeks later, Tim's mother finally meets her son, and from there on out he is fully embraced as family.

'They also hit it off and my dad was there and sort of after that, we just kinda decided like, 'Hey, we're each other's family and that's how we're going to act.'

'And we call each other brother and like, my mom celebrated her 75th birthday a few years ago and we all went to Montana together and they get together when they can. And we text each other on holidays, just like you would anyone else. And so this last weekend, we were all, uh, at their lake house in Georgia.'

Speaking of their trip to the South on her Instagram account, Whitney gushed about Carey and his family on her Instagram Stories.

'Timmy has an amazing brother, Carey, who we just met and found out about eight years ago. He is one of the main reasons we planned a vacation to the South. We miss him and his family so much!'
Tom Cruise is reportedly in a rush to finish filming Mission: Impossible 7 in only three weeks.

Thanks to several delays to the shooting schedule brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic, there is said to be only 21 days left to get the film completed.

A source told The Sun: 'Mission: Impossible has been hit by so many delays, there is now a huge pressure to finish on time.

Pressure: Tom Cruise is reportedly in a rush to finish filming Mission: Impossible 7 in only three weeks (pictured on set in April)

'Tom and the team are tearing their hair out. Some of the crew are agency contractors and are already booked to move on to new projects.

'Without them, Tom will be left scratching around for replacements. And if that wasn't enough, he has his own scheduling conflicts.'

The source added that as Top Gun 2 is released in November, Tom will have to begin promotional work for the movie soon.

While the majority of the next Mission: Impossible is already filmed, there is said to be one final big scene to do that involved a speeding train being driven over the edge of a cliff.

Production: Thanks to several delays to the shooting schedule brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic, there is said to be only 21 days left to get the film completed

MailOnline has contacted a representative for Tom Cruise for comment.

It comes after Tom was reportedly forced to self-isolate for two weeks after 14 people on the UK set of Mission: Impossible 7 tested positive for coronavirus.

The actor was said to have spent a day filming with four female dancers as they shot scenes in a nightclub for the upcoming movie, who later tested positive.

Filming of the new instalment has been taking place at Longcross Studios in Chertsey, Surrey and production was halted and the 60-member team self-isolated amid the positive tests.

Pressure: A source told The Sun: 'Mission: Impossible has been hit by so many delays, there is now a huge pressure to finish on time'

Mission: Impossible 7 filming has been hit with several set backs and delays amid the Covid pandemic, with it shooting on location in Italy, the UK and Norway.

In December it was reported that five crew members had quit after Tom launched into two rants.

The actor was said to have given staff a dressing down after he caught them breaking UK Covid rules at Warner Bros. Studios in Leavesden, Hertfordshire.

A source claimed after news of the first outburst was made public, there was 'more anger' at the already 'tense' production.

An insider said: 'Tension has been building for months and this was the final straw. Since it became public there has been more anger and several staff have walked.

They added: 'Tom and the team are tearing their hair out. Some of the crew are agency contractors and are already booked to move on to new projects' (pictured in 2018)

'But Tom just can't take any more after all the lengths they have gone to just to keep filming at all. He's upset others aren't taking it as seriously as him.'

They added that it was Tom who feels responsible for the production after putting so much time and money into ensuring precautions are in place so the team can film.

It was previously reported that the Hollywood star scolded workers who flouted social distancing rules while filming at Warner Bros. Studios.

MailOnline contacted Tom's representatives for further comment at the time.

Tom later addressed his outburst in an interview with Empire magazine, stating: 'I said what I said. There was a lot at stake at that point. But it wasn't my entire crew. I had the crew leave the set, and it was just select people.'

Scene: While the majority of the next Mission: Impossible is already filmed, there is said to be one final big scene to do that involved a speeding train being driven over the edge of a cliff

'And here we are, continuing to film. I do Zoom parties and kids' parties also, you know!' he joked.

It comes after Tom reportedly had to call security to deal with trespassers breaking into the huge Mission: Impossible 7 set in Yorkshire.

The movie had been filming in the village of Stoney Middleton in Derbyshire, with the movie using Darlton Quarry for some of the stunt scenes.

A source told The Sun that because the area was so large, it had been difficult to seal it off and stop daredevil's from trying to climb the production's equipment.

They explained: 'So trespassers have been getting in and attempting to scale the rigs and equipment set up for the stunts.

Trespassers: It comes after Tom reportedly had to call security to deal with trespassers breaking into the huge Mission: Impossible 7 set in Yorkshire

'Police were called to one incident last week and then Tom was forced to take action when it happened again.

'Extra security might have to be drafted in Along with it being a safety nightmare, Tom and the team don't want any delays to filming.'

The second incident mentioned by the source reportedly involved two intruders 'clambering' all over the set, however security were on site to get them off.

MailOnline contacted Tom Cruise's representative for further comment at the time.

In February it was reported that plans to shoot MI7 in the Middle East had been abandoned after production staff 'demanded' to return to the UK before mandatory 10-day hotel quarantine rules are enforced.

Filming: Crew first began shooting scenes in February in 2020, a few weeks prior to the first global lockdown, and production has been delayed multiple times due to the pandemic

The Sun reported that studio executives were forced to hire a private jet to ensure staff could return home.

A source said to the publication: 'The whole production has hit yet another issue and there have been revolts among the cast and crew.

'Morale is really down and many of the younger staff who arent earning the big bucks just dont feel its worth it any more.'

Crew first began shooting scenes in February in 2020, a few weeks prior to the first global lockdown, and production has been delayed multiple times due to the pandemic.

Mission: Impossible 7 is currently slated for release on May 27, 2022, with Mission: Impossible 8 expected to follow on July 7, 2023.
But when it comes to facing the truth, there is nothing to be afraid of. You can still study the notions of Democratic rule championed by Thomas Jefferson while also learning he benefited from a deplorable system that exploited and abused Black people. You can respect aspects of the U.S. Constitution and also understand that some of its architects believed slavery needed to be abolished but caved in to the South. And what exactly is dangerous about learning that the textile mills that fueled Connecticuts industrial growth in the 19th century were kept running by processing cotton picked by enslaved people?
She announced in April that she's running as a Republican for governor of California in the upcoming recall election targeting Democrat incumbent Gavin Newsom.

But Caitlyn Jenner clearly still has plenty of time away from the campaign trail to indulge her daily run to Starbucks in Malibu.

The transgender reality star, 71, picked up coffee to go again on Tuesday from her favorite cafe.

Joe to go: Caitlyn Jenner stopped by her favorite Starbucks in Malibu Tuesday for her regular caffeine fix dressed in a white top and white skinny jeans with brown belt and gold buckle

Caitlyn was dressed in a white top and white skinny jeans for her outing.

She added a dusky pink wraparound cardigan and a pair of beige heels along with a brown belt with gold buckle.

Her hair was loose and she accessorized with sunglasses and diamond earrings.

Outing: The transgender reality star, 71, added a dusky pink wraparound cardigan and a pair of beige heels. Her hair was loose and she accessorized with sunglasses and diamond earrings

The former husband of Kardashians Momager Kris Jenner and father of reality stars Kendall and Kylie Jenner declared her political campaign on Twitter.

She faces stiff competition from within the Republican party.

San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, businessman John Cox and former Rep. Doug Ose have all thrown their hat into the ring and all three polled better than the I Am Cait TV star in a recent survey of California voters from UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies and the Los Angeles Times .

Faulconer and Cox got support from 22 percent of those polled, Ose got 14 percent and Caitlyn got six percent.

Political aspirations; The former husband of Kardashians Momager Kris Jenner and father of Kendall and Kylie Jenner announced in April she's running as a Republican for governor of California in a recall election

Meanwhile, the one-time Olympian shared with LA Fox affiliate KTTV recently that it was easier to come out as transgender to her family than it was for her to declare that she is a Republican.

Elex Michaelson, host of 'The Issue Is', asked if her stepdaughter Kim Kardashian was going to be an adviser to her on criminal justice reform.

Caitlyn laughed and replied: 'One thing, and I've talked to all my family about running for governor and to be honest with you, it was easier to come out as trans than as a Republican candidate for governor, it was a lot tougher to sell.'
Former Geordie Shore star Charlotte Crosby has been sharing all her raunchy secrets on her Nova podcast Values and Vibrators.

But on Wednesday, it was one of Charlotte's I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! campmates who spilled the beans on her wild antics, after they met in the South African jungle in early 2020.

During the hilarious episode, comedian Dilruk Jayasinha recalled the moment he was sharing a deep conversation with Charlotte, 31, in the camp - before she suddenly decided to perform a bizarre act of vaginal flatulence in front of him.

She did what!? On Wednesday, Charlotte Crosby's I'm a Celebrity campmate revealed the very crude act she performed in the South African jungle that never made it to air

'The conversations would range... there was one particular one that we were talking about what happens when you die, and do you think your energy goes somewhere else...' Dilruk, 36, began.

'All of this was happening for about 20 minutes, then Charlotte just stops and goes, "Do you know I can f***y fart on cue?"'

After the pair burst into laughter, Dilruk continued: 'I said "What do you mean?" and she goes "Watch!" and starts putting her hand down her pants.'

Awkward! Comedian Dilruk Jayasinha recalled how he was sharing a deep conversation with Charlotte in the camp - before she suddenly decided to show off her vaginal flatulence skills

After asking what she was doing, Dilruk said that Charlotte casually responded: 'Oh, I've got to adjust my flaps first!'

'How the f**k did we get from philosophy to f***y flaps so quickly!' he said.

Charlotte added: 'Who doesn't love it when a conversation jumps?'

Preparation: Dilruk revealed Charlotte had put her hands down her pants 'to adjust my flaps' before starting her performance

'That's Charlotte really. That's why she's got such a following on the philosophy podcasts and the vagina ones,' comedian Russell Kane chimed in.

'That's why we do the values and the vibrators!' Charlotte giggled.

Charlotte is currently in a relationship with Liam Beaumont.

She previously dated her Geordie Shore co-star Gary 'Gaz' Beadle and had a brief romance with Ryan Gallagher in the I'm a Celebrity jungle.
She may have been fired from The Real Housewives Of New York City.

But Dorinda Medley is still a showstopping presence around the city that never sleeps as she proved this Tuesday.

The 56-year-old platinum blonde cut a fashionable figure when she swung by the opening of an Immersive Van Gogh exhibit at Pier 36.

On the town: Dorinda Medley is still a showstopping presence around the city that never sleeps as she proved this Tuesday

She slid her enviably trim frame into a dazzlingly mirrored sleeveless mini-dress that flashed a bit of flesh and showed off her legs.

Balancing on a pair of sky-high stilettos she wore her hair in a stylish coif and accentuated her features with makeup.

Dorinda treated the shutterbugs to her megawatt smile as she posed up a storm on the red carpet at the star-studded event.

The opening also played host to 1970s ballet heartthrob Mikhail Baryshnikov who arrived with his wife Lisa Rinehart and daughter Sofia-Luisa Baryshnikova.

Swanking about: The 56-year-old platinum blonde cut a fashionable figure when she swung by the opening of an Immersive Van Gogh exhibit at Pier 36

Making it happen: She slid her enviably trim frame into a dazzlingly mirrored sleeveless mini-dress that flashed a bit of flesh and showed off her legs

Whilst at the event Mikhail could be spotted mingling with stage legend Ben Vereen who starred in the original Broadway casts of Pippin and Jesus Christ Superstar.

Boogie Nights actor Luis Guzman seemed in bright spirits as he posed up on the red carpet alongside his son Cemi Briggs-Guzman.

During her last season on The Real Housewives Of New York City last year Dorinda was seen feuding bitterly with Tinsley Mortimer.

One outbreak of tension between Dorinda and Tinsley came when the former made a joke about the latter's difficulties conceiving.

Star stature: Balancing on a pair of sky-high stilettos she wore her hair in a stylish coiff and accentuated her features with makeup

Dorinda made a joke that Tinsley could use a turkey baster to become pregnant - a quip that Tinsley denounced as 'vile.'

On the latest series finale episode Dorinda raged that Tinsley had 'ruined this show' and accused her of breach of contract.

A source alleged to The Sun last autumn that it was this particular outburst that caused Dorinda to lose her job.

Family outing: The opening also played host to 1970s ballet heartthrob Mikhail Baryshnikov who arrived with his life Lisa Rinehart and daughter Sofia-Luisa Baryshnikova

'Bravo hates nothing more than when cast members break the fourth wall. The second Dorinda did that, she basically put in her resignation!' said the insider.

'Producers hate when they bring the show into the plot. Sure, Dorinda isn't the nicest drunk, but she tells it like it is.'

Tinsley herself left the show to move to Chicago and marry her fiance Scott Kluth but the engagement has since been broken.

Icons: Whilst at the event Mikhail could be spotted mingling with stage legend Ben Vereen who starred in the original Broadway casts of Pippin and Jesus Christ Superstar

Former New York Housewife Bethenny Frankel, who has become a successful businesswoman with her Skinnygirl brand, also shed some light on Dorinda's firing.

'I really did help her through that entire journey. I was the first phone call she made after she was let go, and I kind of walked her through what I thought was the best way for her to handle herself as a woman, as an employee,' she said last fall.

Bethenny told Us Weekly: '99 percent of the people that leave the Housewives have been fired. I would be in the 1 percent. 99 percent have been fired and kind of lie about it. And it was just good that she just walked through it and owned it.'
They tied the knot in an intimate ceremony in 2018.

And Vogue Williams and Spencer Matthews shared a series of heartwarming throwback snaps on Tuesday as they celebrated their third wedding anniversary.

The TV presenter, 35, and her husband, 32, penned a deceleration of love to one another on social media and reflected on their four and a half year relationship.

Sweet: Vogue Williams and Spencer Matthews shared a series of heartwarming throwback snaps on social media on Tuesday as they celebrated their third wedding anniversary

Spencer uploaded a photo sporting a navy tuxedo blazer while Vogue wowed in a strapless red dress.

She looked radiant as she raised a glass of champagne while the former Made In Chelsea star looked off into the distance.

He captioned the upload: 'In the four and a half years weve been together and the three years (today) that weve been married, Ive never been happier and more in love.

'You inspire me daily with your warm open heart and rigorous work ethic. Its really no surprise to me that everybody loves you.

Love is in the air: The TV presenter, 35, and her husband, 32, penned a deceleration of love to one another and reflected on their four and a half year relationship

'You deserve all of your success, now and forever and our kids are lucky to have you as their mother. HAPPY ANNIVERSARY '.

Vogue responded on the post: 'Aw thats very sweet my love '.

Taking to her own Instagram account, the mother-of-two shared additional throwback photos with Spencer.

In one upload, she wore a textured cream dress as she planted a kiss on her husband's cheek.

Mark the occasion: Spencer wrote: 'In the four and a half years weve been together and the three years (today) that weve been married, Ive never been happier and more in love'

In a second photo, Vogue rested her head on Spencer's shoulder after taking a dip in the ocean.

Her water-drenched tresses were swept back and she wore Ray-Ban shades.

Vogue captioned the post: 'Happy Anniversary to my gorgeous husband and very best pal @spencermatthews 

'Three years married today, what an incredible time that has been. Thank you for always making us happy, we love you!'

'We love you': Taking to her own Instagram account, Vogue shared additional throwback photos with Spencer as she thanked him for making her and their two children happy

Vogue and Spencer met when they both signed up to compete in the Channel 4 reality series, The Jump.

They exchanged vows on the 8th June 2018 at Spencer's family estate in Scotland which spans 3000 acres.

They organised a second wedding celebration a year later at Westminster Boating Base on the bank of the River Thames

Spencer and Vogue share son Theodore, two, and Gigi, ten months and live together in London.
999: What's Your Emergency?

Rating:

Hospital

Rating:

Channel 4 and BBC2 are sometimes like old-fashioned housewives in an Alan Bennett drama  both itching to share gossip, but with their beady eyes fixed on two quite different classes of person.

Mrs Four is scrubbing her terrace doorstep. 'The state of that one!' she says, indicating a skinny, bedraggled neighbour with six children and a hangover. 'She's no better than she ought to be.'

Around the corner in a row of bungalows you'll find Mrs Two (or 'Her Ladyship' as Mrs Four calls her). Mrs Two wants you to know that she's friends with some very 'naice and refained' people.

In their own ways, both channels were investigating the rise in mental health problems and the pressure this puts on Britain's emergency services.

Police in South Yorkshire were run ragged, in the low-budget documentary 999: What's Your Emergency? (C4), with 800 callers every day.

The low-budget documentary 999: What's Your Emergency? (C4) captures random incidents dealt with by the police

Among the random incidents captured by the jolting, skittering handheld cameras, there was a shaven-headed bloke who felt his new neighbours slammed their car door too loud.

Insisting he simply wanted to maintain standards on the street, he took an iron bar to their windscreen. Mrs Four relished this, though not quite as much as she enjoyed the antics of a lady called Carmen.

Getting ready to celebrate her birthday, Carmen returned home to find her fella in bed with a prostitute.

Or possibly two prostitutes  Carmen's account was a bit garbled.

Unconvinced by her boyfriend's explanation that he was just keeping the woman (or women) company for a friend, Carmen grabbed a pair of scissors and talked about removing a part of his anatomy to use for earrings.

In these and most other cases, the police weren't there to investigate. Their job was to calm down the anger of people, both offenders and victims, who felt their lives were descending into chaos.

Some tried to resolve their problems with violence. 'It never ends well,' remarked one officer, 'when people start taking matters into their own hands.'

As lockdown began to lift earlier this year, Accident & Emergency departments across the country saw a surge in mental health cases.

Medics in Coventry, on Hospital (BBC2), reported a 30 per cent increase. One woman of 20 who felt constantly suicidal was admitted with dozens of cuts to both arms. She had slashed herself with a broken bottle.

The BBC2 programme Hospital shows the challenges faced by frontline workers amid the pandemic

Another, a middle-aged woman with depression who had taken an overdose, had to wait in A&E for more than 48 hours while a bed was found in the overcrowded mental care wards.

'We're not running a psychiatric service,' said a despairing A&E medic, Ed Hartley.

Mental health services in the UK, he added, were 'at times utterly unacceptable'.

Mrs Two tried to remain focused on this crisis, but her attention kept wandering away to the surgical wards where dashing consultants worked miracles.

She was particularly taken with a handsome neurosurgeon named Sandeep Solanki, who supplied a running commentary as he carried out repairs to the spinal bone of a woman with rheumatoid arthritis.

Viewers are shown how medics in the Coventry hospital must deal with the coronavirus crisis

With the nerves of the spinal column on one side of his scalpel and a pulsating major artery on the other, Sandeep invited us to peer through his magnifying lenses.

'It's tiger country in all directions,' he said. 'This is scary, man.' Mrs Two was trembling in admiration, as well she might.

On the other side, Mrs Four was peering round her curtains at a man who was attempting to sort out a family dispute with a meat cleaver. That's what you call a class divide.
An Australian royal expert has weighed in on Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's decision to use the Queen's nickname Lilibet for their newborn daughter.

Speaking to The Morning Show on Wednesday, Angela Mollard suggested they did so to ensure the Sussex brand remained connected to the palace, regardless of the status of their royal titles.

Mollard also said the Queen's hands may have been tied over the use of the name, suggesting Harry and Meghan would have likely 'complained to Oprah' if she said no.

'Not a great look': Royal expert Angela Mollard (left) told The Morning Show on Wednesday that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle called their daughter Lilibet to 'secure the Sussex brand' and ensure it remained connected to the palace, regardless of the status of their royal titles

'I imagine they used the name Lilibet to secure the brand, the Sussex brand, to make that connection to the palace,' she told hosts Kylie Gillies and Larry Emdur, suggesting they were using it for strategic reasons in case they lose their titles.

Mollard said she liked the name, but that it was 'too close' to the Royal Family that they have chosen to separate from.

'It's a personal name. It's a name that Philip obviously called Elizabeth. It's too close,' she said.

'But could you imagine if the Queen had said no, they could have gone on Oprah and [complained], "Yeah, she wouldn't let us use that name."'

'Too close': Mollard said she liked the name, but that it was 'too close' to the Royal Family that the Sussexes have chosen to separate from. Pictured: The Morning Show hosts Larry Emdur (left) and Kylie Gillies (right)

Mollard acknowledged that Harry had been fond of the name Lili for a number of years, but said the Duke of Sussex lost the right to use it when he criticised the Queen last month on the Apple TV+ docuseries The Me You Can't See.

'When you trounce your grandmother for her poor parenting and then you go and take her name, it's not a great look,' she said.

Mollard said the Queen likely feels 'disheartened' by the way Harry and Meghan have spoken about her in the media, and that using the name Lilibet is in poor taste.

Hands were tied? Mollard also said the Queen's hands may have been tied regarding the use of the name, suggesting Harry and Meghan would have likely 'complained to Oprah' if she said no

'To have [used the name Lilibet] so soon after criticising the monarchy, it just doesn't fit with me,' she said.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex plunged the royal family into crisis with their televised Oprah interview in March, during which they accused an unnamed royal of making a racist remark about their son Archie's skin tone and claimed Harry's family had failed to help Meghan when she was suicidal.

Last month, Harry also suggested in the Apple TV+ series The Me You Don't See that his father, Prince Charles, had allowed his children to 'suffer' at the hands of the media because of his own negative experience growing up in the Royal Family.

'It just doesn't fit': Mollard said the Queen likely feels 'disheartened' by the way Harry and Meghan have spoken about her in the media, and that using the name Lilibet is in poor taste

Sweet family nickname for Queen that inspired Harry and Meghan's name for their baby daughter Lilibet - the Queen's family nickname - was first used when Princess Elizabeth was just a toddler and unable to pronounce her own name properly. Her grandfather King George V would affectionately call her 'Lilibet', imitating her own attempts to say Elizabeth. The sweet nickname stuck and she became Lilibet to her family from then on. The Duke of Edinburgh also referred to his wife as Lilibet, writing to his mother in law after their wedding: 'Lilibet is the only 'thing' in the world which is absolutely real to me.' Harry and Meghan's new baby daughter - the Queen's 11th great-grandchild - will be known as Lili. A variation on Lily, the flower is often seen to symbolise purity, commitment, rebirth and fertility. Lili's middle name Diana honours Harry's later mother Diana, Princess of Wales. It is no surprise the couple chose to pay tribute to Diana, who died in a car crash in 1997 when Harry was just 12. Lili has been born almost a month before the princess would have celebrated her 60th birthday on July 1. Her cousin Princess Charlotte also has Diana as one of her middle names, as well as Elizabeth. She is Charlotte Elizabeth Diana. Harry and the Duke of Cambridge are due to unveil a statue of their mother at Kensington Palace on her birthday, but the arrangements have yet to be confirmed, amid a long-reported rift between the brothers. The Sussexes' tribute to the Queen is likely to be seen as an olive branch to the monarch and the rest of the family. Pictured: Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital in California where Lilibet was born. The hospital is a private facility where births cost up to $37,000. Harry and Meghan plunged the Windsors into crisis with their Oprah Winfrey interview in March when they accused an unnamed royal of making a racist remark about their son Archie's skin tone before he was born. They also said the institution failed to help Meghan when she was suicidal. But during the televised interview with Winfrey, the Sussexes lauded the Queen. Harry spoke of his respect for his grandmother, while Meghan said: 'The Queen... has always been wonderful to me.' Advertisement

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced their daughter's arrival on Sunday.

'On June 4, we were blessed with the arrival of our daughter, Lili,' they said.

'She is more than we could have ever imagined, and we remain grateful for the love and prayers we've felt from across the globe. Thank you for your continued kindness and support during this very special time for our family.'

Lilibet, who is eighth in line to the throne, was born in Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital in California, a private facility where births cost up to $37,000.
She is set to turn 53 in the next few months.

But Naomi Watts looked nowhere near her age in a bikini snap she posted on Tuesday to celebrate World Ocean Day.

The 52-year-old showed off her incredible figure in a retro-style bikini in the image.

Bathing beauty! Naomi Watts, 52, showed off her incredible figure in a retro-style bikini at the beach on Tuesday to celebrate World Ocean Day

The sun smart actress also wore a protective straw hat to cover her makeup free face.

Naomi recalled her childhood growing up in Australia and spending time at the beach in an accompanying caption.

'How I love the ocean. And all the beautiful experiences that surround it. Breathtaking views. Salty kisses from my youth,' she wrote.

'Joyful screeches from my kids. Delicious meals. Indelible smells. Calming swims. Splashing and frolicking...all of these memories etched in my heart.

'So robust and so pure. The ocean is our life sourceit supports our sustenance and that of every organism on earth. Lets celebrate it and the incredible people working to preserve it!'

Vaxxed! The Mullholland Drive star recently received her Covid vaccine and posted a photo while getting her second shot

The Mullholland Drive star recently received her Covid vaccine and posted a photo while getting her second shot.

'Got that second dose! Thank you!! Here's to getting back to biz!,' she wrote.

Though she was seen flying solo for the outing, the King Kong star previously said that she likes 'a busy house,' and a bit of 'gentle chaos.'

'I like a busy house, kids' friends over, mums over...Unstructured, gentle chaos is comfort to me - but somehow the best days always follow the same rhythm,' she told Hamptons.com.

She did however tell the New York Times earlier this month, that she enjoys quality time for herself sans-kids. 'Being a mom, I do love that moment at the end of the day when the kids are in bed, where I'm taking time for a ritual for me.

Naomi shares two children with ex-husband Liev Schreiber: Sasha, 13, and Kai, 12. She and the Ray Donovan actor called it quits on their 11-year-relationship in 2016.

She is both an actress and a beauty enthusiast, founding ONDA beauty and subsequently opening up three different outposts  one in Tribeca, one in Sag Harbor and one in Sydney.

Her latest movie Goodnight Mommy recently kicked off production in Bedminster, New Jersey and is slated to shoot through the end of June. The Amazon Studios horror movie is a remake of the 2014 Austrian movie by the same name.
His most memorable TV role was on The Bachelor in 2018, which concluded with him dumping both finalists and leaving the show single.

And Nick 'The Honey Badger' Cummins will return to screens this weekend with a second season of his Seven travel show Off the Grid.

The BCF-sponsored program, which will focus on the Northern Territory's Arnhem Land, premieres this Sunday on 7Plus and 7Mate.

Coming soon: Nick 'The Honey Badger' Cummins will return to screens this weekend with a second season of his travel show Off the Grid on 7Plus and 7Mate

'Need a morale boost?' Nick wrote on Instagram. 'Well you've come to the wrong place. But if you've got time, check out Off the Grid in Arnhem Land.'

In a promo shot, Nick is seen with his friend Blair Frendin fishing in a boat while wearing a BCF fishing shirt and black shorts.

In the background is a picturesque scene including a crocodile on the muddy shoreline, a four-wheel drive bursting through the brush, and boulders and palm trees set against the afternoon sky.

Adventure: The five-episode second season already aired in early April on the BCF Australia YouTube channel, with the first episode reaching 155,000 views

The five-episode second season already aired in early April on the BCF Australia YouTube channel, with the first episode reaching 155,000 views.

Each week Nick hikes, drives, cooks, camps and explores every nook and cranny of Arnhem Land - only carrying the bare essentials.

The first season of the show focused on West Australia's breathtaking Kimberley region and clocked an impressive three million views online.

On a journey: Each week Nick hikes, drives, cooks, camps and explores every nook and cranny of Arnhem Land - only carrying the bare essentials

The new season also sees Nick experiencing close encounters with a number of native animals and predators, including sharks, crocodiles and wild buffalos.

'Travelling through Arnhem Land was a helluva adventure' Nick said earlier this year.

'BCF had us fully equipped to tackle ever challenge the Top End had for us' he added.

'Helluva adventure': The new season also sees Nick experiencing close encounters with a number of native animals and predators, including sharks, crocodiles and wild buffalos
Leighton Meester will take a break from her recent television performances to star in the upcoming Netflix thriller feature The Weekend Away.

The 35-year-old Gossip Girl star will appear as a woman accused of murder who's desperate to clear her name for the popular streamer, according to Variety.

The mystery thriller will be adapted from the novel of the same name by Sarah Alderson, with the writer returning to adapt the screenplay.

New role: Leighton Meester, 35, will return with her first feature film lead role in years in the upcoming Netflix adaptation of the thriller novel The Weekend Away, according to Variety; seen in 2019

Leighton will lead the movie as a woman who jets off to Croatia for a weekend getaway with her best friend.

What should have been an idyllic vacation for the two turns into a nightmare after her friend turns up dead, leaving her as the prime suspect.

But even as she tries to clear her name, she dredges up painful secrets hidden between the two.

'I am so excited to see The Weekend Away make it to the screen,' Alderson said via a statement. 'To have adapted my own novel makes it even more special, and I am thrilled that Leighton will be bringing this character to life.'

Reversal of fortune: Leighton will play a woman who jets off to Croatia for a weekend vacation with her best friend, only to find herself accused of murdering her

The prolific author specializes both in thrillers for adults and YA novels.

Kim Farrant, an Australian filmmaker, will be handling directing duties for the fast-paced mystery.

She previously directed the 2015 thriller Strangerland, which starred Nicole Kidman with Joseph Fiennes and Hugo Weaving.

The director followed it up with the critically acclaimed 2019 film Angel Of Mine, featuring Noomi Rapace, Luke Evans and Yvonne Strahovski.

Meester will be joined in The Weekend Away by Batwoman actress Christina Wolfe, along with Ziad Bakri and Luke Norris.

Supporting players: Meester will be joined in The Weekend Away by Batwoman actress Christina Wolfe, along with Ziad Bakri and Luke Norris; Wolfe pictured in a still from Batwoman

Small screen: The actress has focused on TV roles in recent years, including a lead part on ABC's Single Parents, which was canceled in 2020 after two seasons; seen in 2019 in Hollywood

Meester most recently starred on the ABC sitcom Single Parents opposite SNL's Taran Killam, but the two-season series was canceled in 2020.

Prior to that, she starred in the 2017 Fox comedy Making History. The critically acclaimed series also starred Adam Pally and focused on a group of time-traveling friends, but it ended after a single season.

The actress also had guest roles in recent years on The Orville and The Last Man On Earth, both for Fox.

Meester is best known for her lead role on The CW's Gossip Girl, which ran on The CW from 2007 to 2012.

She appeared with Blake Lively and Penn Badgley as students at an elite New York City private high school.

Going strong: She married The OC's Adam Brody in 2014 after meeting in 2010 on the set of their film The Oranges. The couple share a five-year-old daughter Arlo and a son born in September; seen in 2019 in Culver City, Calif.

Since 2014, Meester has been married to Adam Brody, 41, best known for starring in another iconic teen series, The OC.

The couple share a daughter named Arlo, five, and they confirmed that they had welcomed a son in September of last year, though the celebrity couple haven't yet publicly revealed his name.

The couple were first introduced in 2010 while starring together in the film The Oranges, and since then Adam went on to appear in several episodes of Single Parents with her.

Last year, he appeared in the critically acclaimed film The Kid Detective as well as the Oscar-winning black comedy thriller Promising Young Woman.
Courteney Cox was stylish as ever when she was spotted stepping out for dinner in Santa Monica this week.

The 56-year-old Friends icon was headed over to the swank Italian restaurant Giorgio Baldi which has become beloved by celebrities.

She slid her enviably slim figure into a summery chic dark floral dress that was cinched in to emphasize her slender waistline.

Looking fab: Courteney Cox was stylish as ever when she was spotted stepping out for dinner in Santa Monica this week

Courteney's outfit featured a plunging neckline that featured a bit of bronze trim that matched the waist of her dress.

Accessorizing with a leather handbag that matched her dress she rounded off the ensemble with a pair of high-heeled boots.

As she left the restaurant at the end of her evening she could be seen graciously signing autographs for her fans.

Her latest leggy outing comes after she organized an all-star Instagram musical tribute to her Friends co-star Lisa Kudrow.

Off she goes: The 56-year-old Friends icon was headed over to the swank Italian restaurant Giorgio Baldi which has become beloved by celebrities

So sweet: As she left the restaurant at the end of her evening she could be seen graciously signing autographs for her fans

The look: She slid her enviably slim figure into a summery chic dark floral dress that was cinched in to emphasize her slender waistline

Kicks: Accessorizing with a leather handbag that matched her dress she rounded off the ensemble with a pair of high-heeled boots

Off she goes: Courteney let her luxurious dark hair down for her latest outing

She managed to get Elton John, Belinda Carlisle and Ed Sheeran around a piano to sing a brief rendition of Elton's song Tiny Dancer from the 1970s.

Whilst Belinda and Ed were on the guitar Courteney banged out the piano accompaniment and Elton held her supportively.

The musical Instagram post was a tip of the hat to a memorable moment from Lisa's character Phoebe on season three of Friends.

Phoebe names Tiny Dancer as the most romantic song ever - but believes the line: 'Hold me closer tiny dancer,' is actually: 'Hold me close young Tony Danza.'

Star power: Her latest leggy outing comes after she organized an all-star Instagram musical tribute to her Friends co-star Lisa Kudrow

Incredible: She managed to get Elton John, Belinda Carlisle and Ed Sheeran around a piano to sing a brief rendition of Elton's song Tiny Dancer from the 1970s

In the caption of her Instagram post Courteney wrote: 'One of the greatest moments of my life. This ones for you @lisakudrow #phoebe #tonydanza #tinydancer.'

Lisa responded on her own Instagram page that Courteney's post 'was the most thrilling thing ever. It was so good!'

She quipped: 'Technically, its, though: "Hold me close, young Tony Danza," so but, you know, but what you did was great too, you know. And including the original song that you wrote, Sir Elton. That was really good.'

Courteney, Lisa and their Friends co-stars Jennifer Aniston, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry and David Schwimmer all just appeared in a much-hyped reunion special.

Delighted: Lisa responded on her own Instagram page that Courteney's post 'was the most thrilling thing ever. It was so good!'

The show dropped on HBO Max on May 27 and included an interview segment controversially hosted by James Corden.

Lisa recently used an interview to put fans on alert to watch out for a blink-and-miss-it tender moment on the new Friends reunion.

In fact the gesture passes by so fast that even Lisa, 57, confessed she would never have noticed it if David had not brought it to her attention.

She told E! News that the moment occurred when their colleague Courteney Cox walked onto the old set of her character's apartment.

Looking back: All six of the main cast - (from left) Matt LeBlanc, Lisa Kudrow, Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, David Schwimmer and Matthew Perry - got together for the reunion special

At the beginning of the reunion special the six principal actors arrived at the set of Courteney's character Monica's apartment where much of the show takes place.

Courteney was one of the last to show up and saw that Lisa, Jennifer, David and Matt were already there sharing their memories.

Matt had in fact been telling a story about him and Courteney when she appeared so he started it over for her benefit - and that was when he wiped her eyes.

Looking back: Lisa just put fans on alert to watch out for a blink-and-miss-it tender moment on the new reunion; she is pictured on the special

There's David: In fact the gesture passes by so fast that even Lisa, 57, confessed she would never have noticed it if her co-star David had not brought it to her attention

'Well, Courteney comes in and burst into tears and I grab a napkin or a tissue - LeBlanc takes it because he is telling us a story and doesn't want to skip a beat and starts dabbing her eyes, just on automatic. That's who we were!' said Lisa.

He recalled that Courteney at one point 'had this big speech and you were struggling with it all week long and you wrote it on the table, and then just - and I didn't know that that's what you did.'

Matt added: 'And I saw it and I asked you and you told me to mind my business, so when you weren't looking I erased it before we shot it and you got so mad at me!'

'That's so mean! Why would you erase it?' said Courteney with a smile and Matt who could barely control his laughter said: 'Just to get you!'

The moment: When Courteney Cox walked onto the show's old set she was in such tears that Lisa picked up a tissue and gave it to Matt LeBlanc to dry her eyes
Its one thing to have an honest, robust debate on a complicated topic, he said. The concern in my caucus is the four or five people that never want to stop and that goes into your calculation. If you had 36 people speak for 10 minutes, ask good questions  not the same questions  because they want to learn about the bill, that is an honest debate. The concern on my end is six people who want to go for nine hours each.
Kyle Sandilands' girlfriend Tegan Kynaston may have been picking up the radio host's birthday present on Wednesday, but it seems she got a little distracted by the stunning engagement rings on offer.

The 35-year-old was spotted trying on a gorgeous diamond sparkler as she visited the upmarket House of K'dor luxury jewellery store in Sydney's Double Bay.

The blonde bombshell was seen slipping the gorgeous design on her ring finger as Kyle's present was wrapped up in a box.

Got your eye on something? Kyle Sandilands' girlfriend Tegan Kynaston was caught trying on a sparkling diamond engagement ring while picking up his 50th birthday present on Wednesday

Hint hint, Kyle! The 35-year-old was spotted trying on a gorgeous diamond sparkler as she visited the upmarket House of K'dor luxury jewellery store in Sydney's Double Bay

During the outing, Tegan showed off her trim figure in a pair of white high-waisted jeans and a beige teddy bear jumper.

She wore her short blonde locks out and natural-looking makeup and added height to her petite frame with a pair of black high-heeled boots.

Tegan was joined during the outing by KIIS FM producer 'Coffee John' Nicholson.

What a rock: The blonde bombshell was seen slipping the gorgeous design on her ring finger as Kyle's present was wrapped up in a box

Eyeing off some designs: Tegan took a seat as she waited in the store, before trying on some goodies

Wishing he'd propose? Tegan tried the large rock on her left hand wedding ring finger

Out and about: Tegan was joined during the outing by KIIS FM producer 'Coffee John' Nicholson

In January last year, Kyle, 49, and Tegan went public with their romance.

At the time, the blonde, who used to be Kyle's personal assistant, shared a photo to Instagram of herself kissing the radio host on the cheek in front of the Sydney Harbour Bridge on New Year's Eve.

Kyle split from ex-girlfriend Imogen Anthony is 2019 after eight years together.

What a gift! Kyle's present was wrapped up in a box and bag for Tegan

Going strong: In January last year, Kyle, 49, and Tegan went public with their romance

Kyle and Tegan were romantically linked in November 2019, after his split from Imogen.

Kyle is set to turn 50 on Thursday and will mark the milestone birthday with a yacht party on Sydney Harbour at the weekend.

Last week, he told Stellar about his wild party plans, saying guests include the likes of Karl Stefanovic.

Lavish plans: Kyle is set to turn 50 on Thursday and will mark the milestone birthday with a yacht party on Sydney Harbour at the weekend

Birthday boy: Last week, he told Stellar about his wild party plans, saying guests include the likes of Karl Stefanovic

Other guests include his close friends and family, various KIIS FM staffers and his girlfriend Tegan.

'[Karl] Stefanovic has weaseled his way in,' Kyle jokingly said.

Meanwhile on the Kyle and Jackie O Show on Wednesday, the show's resident psychic Georgina Walker recently predicted how the shock jock will meet his demise in frighteningly accurate detail.

Just days before Kyle is due to celebrate his birthday on a superyacht, a loyal listener called in on Tuesday to remind him of Georgina's chilling prediction.

'She was saying that she dreamt that you were in the water,' the caller said.

Predictions: Meanwhile on the Kyle and Jackie O Show on Wednesday, the show's resident psychic Georgina Walker recently predicted how the shock jock will meet his demise in frighteningly accurate detail

'You weren't in the water playing or swimming, she had no idea why you were in the water,' she continued.

'And I remember her saying to you, "Kyle, be very careful if you're around a boat." So I do hope it's not the end,' she added.

Jackie 'O' Henderson than revealed that KIIS FM producer Adam Price recently had a 'very vivid dream' that everybody at Kyle's boat party would end up overboard.

'The boat sank,' Adam said cryptically, before later adding that even if it does sink, it's right on the Sydney Harbour so everybody 'should be fine'.
Chris Harrison asked for $25 million in his exit from The Bachelor to quell a potentially nasty battle with ABC.

'Instead of handing them a rose, he was absolutely ready to hand them a lawsuit detailing all the behind-the-scenes details,' a source told Page Six of the Dallas native, 49, amid his parting from the reality romance franchise after 19 years as host.

Harrison on Tuesday permanently left the reality romance franchise, about four months after a race-related controversy in which he suggested 'a little understanding' toward a contestant who had attended a plantation-themed theme bash in 2018.

The latest: Chris Harrison, 49, asked for $25 million in his exit from The Bachelor to quell a potentially nasty battle with ABC. He was snapped last year in Pasadena, California

The longtime host of all three Bachelor Nation shows - The Bachelor, The Bachelorette and Bachelor in Paradise, 'has nearly 20 years of dirt,' the source told the outlet.

'He knows a lot about inappropriate behavior on set: fights between contestants, misbehavior including use of illegal substances while overseas and complaints from producers that were allegedly brushed under the carpet by ABC execs,' the source added.

Harrison 'was ready to tell the truth about how things really work over there - and he has plenty of evidence to back him up,' the source said. 'Chris was making $5 million a season and wanted $25 million to go.'

The source added that Harrison's 'whole life was The Bachelor, and he didnt want to let go,' as 'there have been very tough and very heated negotiations going on for weeks.'

Exit: Harrison on Tuesday permanently left the reality romance franchise, about four months after a race-related controversy in which he suggested 'a little understanding' toward a contestant who had attended a plantation-themed theme bash in 2018

Details: The longtime host of all three Bachelor Nation shows - The Bachelor, The Bachelorette and Bachelor in Paradise - 'has nearly 20 years of dirt,' a source told Page Six

ABC higher-ups had hoped he would leave 'quickly and quietly' in the wake of the racial insensitivity scandal, which erupted following a February Extra interview with The Bachelorette alum Rachel Lindsay.

A second insider said that Harrison and the network hammered out a deal that was thought to be less than the $25 million total, the outlet reported.

Another wrinkle in the severance process came with Harrison's hiring of Los Angeles lawyer Brian Freedman, who past represented Gabrielle Union amid her parting with NBC and Americas Got Talent prior to the sides settling; and Laura Kaeppeler Fleiss, the ex-wife of the show's creator Mike Fleiss, in their split.

Details: Harrison 'was ready to tell the truth about how things really work over there - and he has plenty of evidence to back him up,' a source said

Farewell message: Harrison addressed his exit from the franchise in an Instagram post Tuesday

'Chris Harrison hired Brian Freedman ... which immediately set an aggressive playing field, and the exit negotiations were extremely fraught,' the second source told the outlet. 'It was a bunch of emotionally-charged men in a room who were not happy with each other at all.'

Harrison addressed his exit from the franchise in an Instagram post Tuesday.

'I've had a truly incredible run as host of The Bachelor franchise and now I'm excited to start a new chapter. I'm so grateful to Bachelor Nation for all of the memories we've made together,' he said. 'While my two-decade journey is wrapping up, the friendships I've made will last a lifetime.'

The insider also said that Harrison was also upset in March over his chat with Good Morning America's Michael Strahan, who characterized an apology Harrison gave as 'a surface response.'

'Chris was not happy with that Strahan interview and the way it went down,' the source told Page Six. 'He was not happy with Strahans comment at the end of the interview, that it was a "surface" apology. He felt angry and that Strahan made a bad situation even worse.'
She has two high profile projects in the works.

And Dakota Fanning is making the most of her current downtime as she waits for productions to begin.

The actress, 27, ran some errands in West Hollywood on Tuesday, grabbing a cold beverage to go and chatting on her phone as she walked.

Summer style: Dakota Fanning chatted away on her phone as she ran errands in West Hollywood on Tuesday wearing a white crop top and white cargo pants rolled up at the hem

The former child star was dressed for the warm sunny day in a white crop top and white cotton cargo pants rolled up at the hem.

She added a zebra-patterned cotton jacket and carried a wicker basket over one shoulder.

Fanning's blonde hair was loose with a center parting and she sported sunglasses.

Star: The actress, 27, added a zebra-patterned cotton jacket and carried a wicker basket over one shoulder. Her blonde hair was loose with a center parting and she sported sunglasses

The Man On Fire and Twilight Saga star is preparing to play Susan, the daughter of President Gerald Ford and First Lady Betty Ford in the upcoming Showtime anthology series The First Lady.

She's is also set to play a leading role in another Showtime series based on Patricia Highsmith's Ripley novels.

In March, it was announced that Fanning will join Fleabag star Andrew Scott in the drama.

New roles: Fanning is set to play Susan Ford in Showtime's anthology series First Lady and will also star in the Showtime series Ripley based on the best-selling novels by Patricia Highsmith

Her co-stars: Irish actor Andrew Scott, 44, (left) will star as Tom Ripley in the project first announced in 2019. Johnny Flynn, 37, (right) has been cast as Dickie Greenleaf

Scott will star as protagonist Tom Ripley and Fanning will play Marge Sherwood, an American living in Italy who starts to suspect Ripley's motives when he shows up looking for her boyfriend Dickie Greenleaf.

Rising actor Johnny Flynn, 37, most recently seen in Netflix's The Dig, has been cast as Greenleaf.

In the series set in the 1960s, Ripley is hired by a wealthy New Yorker to travel to Italy to convince his wayward son Dickie to return home.

But along the way, Ripley starts to weave a complex web of deceit with murderous consequences.

Juicy part: Fanning will play Marge Sherwood, an American living in 1960s Italy who starts to suspect Ripley's motives when he shows up looking for her boyfriend Dickie

The drama is being adapted from Highsmith's novels by Schindler's List scribe Steve Zaillan.

Production is set to begin in Italy later this year with a 2022 release date on Showtime.

In the 1999 movie The Talented Mr. Ripley, directed by the late Anthony Minghella, starred Matt Damon as Tom Ripley with Gwyneth Paltrow as Marge and Jude Law as Dickie.

Film incarnation: Matt Damon played Tom Ripley on the big screen in a 1999 movie directed by the late Anthony Minghella
Amy Pejkovic has bared her skin in a revealing and racy beach selfie with her partner, AFL superstar and Essendon player, David Zaharakis.

The 28-year-old athlete, model and WAG posted the Byron Bay beach snap to her Instagram Stories on Wednesday.

In the photo, Amy is seen laying on her stomach while wearing a racy black bikini with white polka dots.

Racy: Amy Pejkovic has bared her skin in a revealing and racy beach selfie with her partner, AFL superstar and Essendon player, David Zaharakis

Meanwhile, David, 31, is seen resting his head on her back while cradling her bare thigh with his hand and watching the water roll in.

The couple have been holidaying in Byron Bay, with Amy sharing another bikini photo on Instagram on Sunday.

'Running to vacay,' she captioned the photo, which showed her running down the beach in a white bikini.

Flaunting it: The couple have been holidaying in Byron Bay, with Amy sharing another bikini photo on Instagram on Sunday

Amy and David have been dating since September of last year.

The relationship was initially long distance, as Amy is Sydney-based, while David resides in Melbourne.

Like David, Amy is also an accomplished athlete, previously competing as a high jumper, triple jumper and runner.

Smitten: Amy and David have been dating since September of last year. The relationship was initially long distance, as Amy is Sydney-based, while David resides in Melbourne

The relationship was originally kept private, with neither disclosing any details.

However, Amy did eventually post about her man on Instagram on March 8 as they enjoyed a picnic in the park.

'Maserati photos have been postponed. So, @zacka11 will do for tonight,' she said.
It was revealed in March that Sam Armytage doesn't follow her former Sunrise co-hosts David 'Kochie' Koch and Natalie Barr, amid rumours of a strained relationship on-set.

And on Wednesday, the 44-year-old gave a very vague response when grilled about the subject by radio host Kyle Sandilands during a discussion on her own Something To Talk About podcast.

The cheeky KIIS FM star questioned Sam: 'I read that you were unfollowing Kochie and Nat! Did you unfollow these people?'

Awkward response: On Wednesday, Sam Armytage (left) was grilled by Kyle Sandilands on her podcast as to why she's unfollowed her former co-host David 'Kochie' Koch and Natalie Barr on Instagram

Through awkward laughter, Sam responded: 'I don't think I unfo...' before trailing off and adding: 'I don't think anyone's following anyone in there.'

Indeed, despite being colleagues for years, neither Kochie nor Natalie are in the 1.2k people that Sam follows.

The pair, who currently host Sunrise together since Sam's departure in March, still happily follow her themselves.

No holds barred: Kyle Sandilands questioned Sam: 'I read that you were unfollowing Kochie and Nat! Did you unfollow these people?'

Eek! Through awkward laughter, Sam responded: 'I dont think I unfo...' before trailing off and adding: 'I don't think anyone's following anyone in there'

Gone: Sam's still follows many of her former Seven co-workers, including Kylie Gillies and Sam Mac. However, a search for David Koch on her 'following' list yields no results

Not on the list: She is also not following Natalie, as shown here

Sam still follows many of her former Channel Seven colleagues, including Kylie Gillies, Sam Mac and Edwina Bartholomew.

It comes after Kochie 65, and Natalie, 53, revealed they weren't invited to Sam's farewell party, which took place after her last day on Sunrise on March 11.

The pair were grilled about Sam's departure on The Kyle and Jackie O Show, and they admitted weren't even told about the shindig at Catalina in Rose Bay.

'We didn't know about it and we had a postponed Christmas party the next day,' said Koch.

The Sydney Morning Herald reported on March 8 that Sam and Kochie's professional relationship had hit an 'all-time low' in the months before her resignation.

Barr'ed! Both David and Natalie (pictured) follow Sam on the social media platform, even though she doesn't follow them back

The plot thickens! It comes after Kochie 65, and Natalie, 53, revealed they weren't invited to Sam's farewell party, which took place after her last day on Sunrise on March 11

Network sources claimed they barely spoke off camera, and the dynamic between them had become 'untenable' by early 2021.

Sam has previously said in her column for Stellar magazine she is quite selective with the people she follows on social media.

It's possible she isn't following the current Sunrise hosts because she wants to move on from that chapter in her life.

In March, Sam stepped down from hosting Channel Seven's breakfast show after eight years in order to spend more time with her family.

Her departure followed her intimate wedding to millionaire businessman Richard Lavender on New Year's Eve.
He's found new love with a younger woman after his shock split from wife Rebecca Rigg earlier this year.

And Simon Baker appears to have let himself go, based on recent photos of the 53-year-old Mentalist star grabbing food in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs.

The High Ground actor was dishevelled and barefoot as he and girlfriend Laura May Gibbs, 36 strolled down the street.

Former hunk: Simon Baker appeared to have let himself go, based on recent photos of the 53-year-old Mentalist star grabbing food in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs

Simon wore tracksuit pants and a plaid jacket as he chatted on the phone while carrying a loaf of bread.

The L.A. Confidential actor's hair was tousled and he bore a scruff on his chin.

His fashion designer girlfriend epitomised casual chic in peach leggings, white sneakers and a black blouse.

Dressing down: The High Ground actor was dishevelled and barefoot as he and girlfriend Laura May Gibbs, 36 strolled down the street

Laura: His fashion designer girlfriend (pictured) epitomised casual chic in peach leggings, white sneakers and a black blouse

The couple are believed to have first begun dating around March this year.

Once rumours began circulating, the pair were pictured ramping up the PDA as they hit the beach in Byron Bay - with Simon cheekily grabbing his bikini-clad lover's derriere while playfully attempting to pull her under a wave.

Just days later, the duo went 'Facebook official' in March as they promoted Simon's new film together in the Northern Territory, with a picture emerging of the duo visiting the home of local Yirrkala community members.

New couple: The couple are believed to have first begun dating around March this year

The pair then sparked rumours they were moving in together in Sydney in April, after they were seen packing their car with suitcases and crates near the actor's Bronte home.

Laura is the founder of Nagnata, a Byron Bay-based sustainable activewear label inspired by her love of yoga.

News of Simon's relationship came weeks after he announced his split from wife Rebecca on January 29.

The pair told PEOPLE in a joint statement: 'We remain close friends and our three children will always be the most important focus of our lives.'

But according to Fox News, they actually separated nine months earlier, in April last year.
Malin Andersson has said that trolling over her appearance on Love Island drove her to get plastic surgery because her 'self-esteem plummeted completely'.

The body positivity activist, 28, who appeared on the 2016 series of the ITV2 dating show, recalled that she tried to put a 'brave face' on during the difficult time but secretly she was 'dying inside'.

Malin admitted that after appearing on Love Island, she felt as though she had to change her 'whole f***ing appearance', and she received liposuction and a breast uplift in Turkey - which only acted as a 'band aid'.

Upsetting: Malin Andersson has said that trolling over her appearance on Love Island drove her to get plastic surgery as her 'self-esteem plummeted completely' (pictured in May)

Talking on Lookfantastic's new YouTube channel series, Fearless, the reality star, who battled an eating disorder before joining the ITV2 villa, said: 'It was overwhelming when I saw the trolling about my appearance.

'That added fuel to the fire and when I came out I thought, "Right, I've got to change my whole f***ing appearance, I need to get this done and that done." My self-esteem plummeted completely.

'Even though you put on a brave face and you're on social media trying to pretend you're living the high life, actually you're dying inside. It's all a farce, it's absolute bull***t.

'I booked myself into Turkey and went for a bit of lipo and a breast uplift. But having that done didn't solve anything that was going on in my head. It's just a band aid.'

Difficult time: The body positivity activist, 28, who appeared on the 2016 series of the ITV2 dating show, recalled that she tried to put a 'brave face' on during the difficult time but secretly she was 'dying inside' (pictured on Love Island in 2016)

Scrutiny: Malin admitted that after appearing on Love Island, she felt as though she had to change her 'whole f***ing appearance', and she received liposuction and a breast uplift in Turkey - which only acted as a 'band aid' (pictured one year after Love Island)

Malin said that after appearing on Love Island she was a 'lost little soul' and 'fell into a really dark place' as she didn't have a 'real job' and she faced devastating family news.

During this time, the reality star's beloved mother's, who had battled breast cancer before, cancer returned and spread to her stomach. She tragically died aged 65 in November 2017.

Malin said: 'I was in denial about her becoming ill again, "Oh, she will be fine, she will be fine." I am in the party scene, trying to stay relevant.

'It was so f**king embarrassing, I had no real job - I was just promoting bulls**t products trying to get dough.

Love Island: Talking on Lookfantastic's new YouTube channel series, Fearless, the reality star, who battled an eating disorder before joining the ITV2 villa, said: 'It was overwhelming when I saw the trolling about my appearance.' (pictured in 2016)

'To everyone else, you're living a really cool lifestyle, but you're suffering. I was suffering, I'm living at home with my mum still, who was getting ill.

'No one actually sees what goes on behind-the-scenes properly, but you can't blame them. You're not sharing that part of your life and that's why social media is very dishonest and you have to be really brave to share parts of your life - it's not easy.'

Malin added: 'I was such a lost little soul. I didn't know what I was doing with my life career wise, work wise, family, everything was kind of slipping out my hands. I fell into a really dark place, the lowest I'd been to be fair.'

The reality star faced more tragedy as her baby girl Consy tragically died with a heart defect in January 2019, just one month after being delivered at 33 weeks.

Tragic: During this time, the reality star's beloved mother's, who had battled breast cancer before, cancer returned and spread to her stomach. She tragically died aged 65 in November 2017

Malin's ex Tom Kemp was then sentenced to 10 months in prison last September after he admitted to assaulting the reality star, which left her with a broken her hand.

Tom was released in December after three months and will serve the rest of his term on Home Detention Curfew.

During the candid video, Malin said that the 'lowest' point in her life was when she lost her baby girl Consy.

She added: 'It's weird, when you go through trauma, you wonder why it happens to you but it makes sense afterwards and that's what I've taken from it all. I have to take a step back and view my life as a whole, and it makes sense.'

Heartache: The reality star faced more tragedy as her baby girl Consy tragically died with a heart defect in January 2019, just one month after being delivered at 33 weeks

Malin continued: 'Talking about things I've gone through, even though it's painful, I know it can help someone else.

'The advice I'd give to anybody who has suffered what I've gone through, whether it's eating disorders, or you're stuck in a violent relationship or you've lost a child... everything interlinks, in that you need hope and perseverance.'

Malin added: 'You yourself, you need hope, hope that things will get better and they do get better.'

If you are a victim of domestic abuse, call Refuge's freephone, 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247.

Anyone affected by the death of a baby who wants to talk about their experience can call Sands on 0808 164 3332 or email helpline@sands.org.uk.
Michelle Keegan and Mark Wright have enjoyed a sun-drenched family getaway to Portugal complete with boozy meals, dancing and singing.

The former TOWIE star's, 35, sister Jess Wright took to Instagram on Monday to share several updates from the trip which included dinner at Maria's in Almancil, Algarve.

Michelle, 34, and Mark, 34, were able to jet back to the UK in time before it joined the 'amber' travel list at 4am on Tuesday.

Lovely: Michelle Keegan and Mark Wright, centre, have enjoyed a sun-drenched family getaway to Portugal complete with boozy meals, dancing and singing

Taking to her Instagram Story, Jess, 35, shared several updates from the trip on Monday which included sizzling selfies with Michelle, dancing and laughter.

In the posts, the trio were also joined by Wright family members - parents Mark Snr and Carol, sister Natalya and brother Josh.

Jess' fiance William Lee-Kemp, Josh's wife Hollie and Natalya's boyfriend Tommy also joined the fun trip.

The family were seen enjoying a lavish meal at Maria's in the Algarve where they enjoyed tasty beverages and started singing to Oasis' Don't Look Back In Anger.

Updates: The former TOWIE star's, 35, sister Jess Wright took to Instagram on Monday to share several updates from the trip which included dinner at Maria's in Almancil, Algarve

Fun times: Taking to her Instagram Story, Jess, 35, shared several updates from the trip on Monday which included sizzling selfies with Michelle, dancing and laughter

Family: In the posts, the trio were also joined by Wright family members - parents Mark Snr and Carol, sister Natalya and brother Josh - Jess' fiance William Lee-Kemp, Josh's wife Hollie and Natalya's boyfriend Tommy also joined the fun trip

Michelle was seen dancing to a band performing at the venue while Mark laughed along during the fun meal.

The former Coronation Street star looked sensational in a brown crop top which she teamed with a white figure-hugging skirt.

Michelle styled her brunette locks into a blow-dried hairdo, she added a slick of radiant make-up, gold jewellery and sunglasses.

While Mark looked dapper in an unbuttoned white shirt and beige shorts for the family getaway.

Lovely: The family were seen enjoying a lavish meal at Maria's in the Algarve where they enjoyed tasty beverages and started singing to Oasis' Don't Look Back In Anger

So sweet: Jess also shared a sweet video of her parents Mark Snr and Carol enjoying a dance together later in the evening

Memories: She later wrote on a different update the reality star said: 'Have waited so long to sit at a beach restaurant & drink this.'

Jess also shared a sweet video of her parents Mark Snr and Carol enjoying a dance together later in the evening, writing on a different update the reality star said: 'Have waited so long to sit at a beach restaurant & drink this.'

Almancil is in the affluent golden triangle region outside of Faro, the capital of the Algarve.

It is famous for its luxury resorts and Michelin star restaurants, and lies between the town of Vilamoura, Almancil and the gated communities of Quinta do Lago and Vale do Lobo.

It is not known whether the rest of the family have since jetted back to the UK or if they are still in Portugal after it moved onto the UK's 'amber' travel list at 4am on Tuesday.

Home? Mark's brother Josh, who also went on the holiday, posted updates from Chigwell, Essex, on Tuesday night - suggesting he has since returned

Updates: However, Jess continued to share updates from Portugal on Tuesday evening - although she did not specify if she was still in the country or posting throwback snaps (pictured with Natalya)

Mark's brother Josh, who also went on the holiday, posted updates from Chigwell, Essex, on Tuesday night.

However, Jess continued to share updates from Portugal that evening - although she did not specify if she was still in the country or posting throwback snaps.

Amber rules mean travellers arriving home from Portugal will now have to self-isolate for 10 days and pay for two PCR tests to take on day 2 and day 8.

Breaking quarantine could lead to a 10,000 fine with those who do not take tests on day 2 and day 8 of their self-isolation facing 2,000 penalties.

'Bikini kinda mood': It comes after Jess Wright shared a sizzling snap of herself with her 1.4million followers on Instagram on Tuesday

Those who provide incorrect information on their passenger locator forms could be fined 10,000 or be jailed for 10 years - or both.

It comes after Jess Wright shared a sizzling snap of herself with her 1.4million followers on Instagram on Tuesday.

Taking to her social media account, the 35-year-old uploaded a photo of herself candidly walking along in a bikini.

Sizzling: Taking to her social media account, the 35-year-old uploaded a photo of herself candidly walking along in a bikini

The high-waisted mint green two-piece left little to the imagination as she showcased her tanned and toned frame.

With intense sunlight beaming down on her in the photo, Jess also had on a large pair of sunglasses and her raven locks tumbled down over her left shoulder as she walked along.

Jess was also seen carrying a wicker handbag with similar coloured handles to her bikini, which a towel had been draped over the top.

Fun in the sun: It comes after her sister Natalya, 20, shared more snaps from her holiday in the Algarve, Portugal with her boyfriend Tommy

Ready to roll: The internet star, who has more than 297,000 followers on Instagram and is the sister of former The Only Way Is Essex stars Mark and Jess Wright, dressed perfectly for the summer in a post

Penning a short message alongside the two latest photos, Jess wrote: 'Bikini kinda mood.'

It comes after her sister Natalya, 20, shared more snaps from her holiday in the Algarve, Portugal with her boyfriend Tommy.

The internet star, who has more than 297,000 followers on Instagram and is the sister of former The Only Way Is Essex stars Mark and Jess Wright, dressed perfectly for the summer in a post.

Flashing a glimpse of her skimpy bikini, Natalya donned an eggshell linen top which she tied at the waist with a bow.

Natalya had on a pair of matching low-rise shorts which were perfect for the hot Southern European weather.

The web wonder had on a pair of white flip flops and a Fendi designer bag ready to spend the day in the sunshine.

Natalya captioned the image: 'Ready for the pool. I wish I could tell you where to buy this outfit but I cant just yet.. coming soon.'

Forever: Natalya has flown on holiday with her boyfriend Tommy and they posed for a picture in the beautiful sunlight of golden hour by the beach

The model has been enjoying her time in the sun and on Monday she shared a picture of herself and boyfriend Tommy at Maria's Beach & Restaurant in Almancil.

Natalya has certainly been making the most of the post lockdown freedom by dining out while away.

She captioned the image of her and Tommy: 'Forever,' while she kissed him on the cheek.

Natalya did not specify if she was still in the country or posting throwback snaps, after Portugal moved onto the government's amber list as of 4am on Tuesday.
She's expecting to welcome her first child with her boyfriend Nathan Dalah.

And on Wednesday, Georgia Fowler flaunted her growing baby bump ahead of the arrival of her newborn.

The 28-year-old model shared a selfie to Instagram, while posing in front of a mirror in a black bikini.

Baby bump: Georgia Fowler showed off her growing baby bump in a black bikini as she awaits the arrival of her first child with boyfriend Nathan Dalah

She appeared makeup free and tied her long brunette locks back in a low bun.

Georgia is expecting her first child with restaurateur boyfriend Nathan, 26, and sweetly wrote: 'We can't wait to meet you little one.'

'It's been hard to keep this one quiet, but now it's pretty hard to hide,' Georgia said.

New addition: The 28-year-old model shared a selfie to Instagram, while posing in front of a mirror in a black bikini

'Nathan and I couldn't be happier to share our exciting news with you. We cannot wait to meet you little one and begin our next adventure together.'

She finished: 'The best is yet to come.'

Nathan, a co-founder of the Fishbowl restaurant group, also shared the sweet baby news on his respective Instagram account and revealed they're having a daughter.

Growing family: Georgia is expecting her first child with restaurateur boyfriend Nathan, 26, and sweetly wrote: 'We can't wait to meet you little one'

'Beyond excited to welcome a little princess into the world with my superwoman,' he wrote.

Georgia and Nathan confirmed their romance in February last year.

Last year, they welcomed a pup into their family, called Chilli.
Penny Lancaster has revealed she helped save the life of a suicidal woman.

The model, 50, has been working as a Special Constable with the City of London police after officially obtaining her badge - and was at the scene when a woman was stood on a bridge in the capital.

During an appearance on Good Morning Britain on Wednesday she said that she hadn't made any arrests during her five duties to date, but had helped the woman, who was in 'desperate' need.

On the beat: Penny Lancaster, 50, has joined the City of London police as a Special Constable and revealed during an appearance on Good Morning Britain on Wednesday she'd saved a life

Penny told hosts Susanna Reid and Richard Madeley: 'When you think of policing, you think of the most violent crimes but were out there to help the most vulnerable.

'At this particular time theres a lot of incidents on the bridges and I did help someone who was very desperate on the bridge the other night. It can be rewarding in so many ways.'

Penny added that she's drawing on her life experience and role as a mother for her police work, insisting she has the full support of her rocker husband Rod Stewart, 76.

Undercover: The model, who appeared on Channel 4's Famous and Fighting Crime in 2019 #(pictured) says she's gone unrecognised in the uniform despite her public profile

When asked if he tried to dissuade her from taking the job, she said: 'Not at all. It is dangerous, but the police are the public, the public are the police.

'Theres women and men alike - brothers, sisters, uncles, aunties, were just regular people but we put that uniform on to help protect.'

Penny has managed to go under the radar while on patrol, with her saying no one has recognised her thanks to the uniform despite her public profile.

Speaking out: Penny explained to GMB hosts Susanna Reid and Richard Madeley she considers her police role an extension of her charity work and is drawing on her life experience to help

Raising awareness: Penny appeared alongside PC Harper's widow Lissie Harper who was on Good Morning Britain to talk about Harper's Law

She insists the 'stab vest, armour, baton, cuffs' ensure she's 'dressed as a regular'.

And on why she joined the force, she concluded: 'The campaigning and charity work I do, this is just an extension of working for the community and for the good of people. Its free of charge.

'Im giving up my time to help the community and thats why I wanted to become a police officer, to be out there. Weve got to look after the police and make sure when their lives are taken, punishment is given.'

Supportive husband: Penny's rocker husband Rod Stewart, 76, is standing by his wife's choice to become a police officer, and she insists she is safe while out on patrol

Penny appeared on GMB alongside PC Harper's widow Lissie Harper, who was on to discuss Harper's Law, a mandatory life sentence for those who kill emergency workers due to a criminal act.

Lissie started the campaign after she was left 'outraged' over the sentences handed to three teenagers over her husbands death.

Henry Long, 19, was sentenced to 16 years and 18-year-olds Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers were handed 13 years in custody over the manslaughter after Harper was caught in a strap attached to the back of a car driven by Long down a winding country road in Berkshire on the night of August 15 2019.

Topic of discussion: Penny added that she's drawing on her life experience and role as a mother for her police work, insisting she has the full support of her rocker husband Rod

Penny revealed in April that she had become a qualified police officer after training for the City of London Police on one weeknight every week and from 9am to 5pm on Saturday and Sunday every other weekend.

She was inspired to undergo training after taking part in Channel 4's 2019 series Famous and Fighting Crime, in which celebrities shadowed police offers on the beat.

Speaking about the experience in an Instagram Live last year, she confessed: 'It was terrifying but I never felt more comfortable in a position and I felt like this is where I was supposed to be. I have signed up to be an officer.

'I had to sit exams, English and maths type of exams, and go for an interview with two officers. And then I did a fitness test which was the bleep test which was pretty tricky so I had to get fit for that and I passed.'

The former lingerie model previously preferred to her police training as being part of 'who she is'.

Speaking to The Mail On Sunday in December, Penny said: 'This is who I am. I could be walking the red carpet with Rod, or I could be in our stable with my goats.

'But there comes a time when everyone questions themselves and asks, "Who am I? Who am I at my core?" This is what I feel I should always have been doing. It's about identity.'
Terrance LaFromboise is seen with one of many COVID-19 outreach projects aimed at suicide prevention and mental health in Blackfeet Country. The hopeful reminder stands near Seville on the eastern edge of the Blackfeet Reservation.
She often commands attention in colourful and stylish ensembles.

And Amanda Holden was once again showing off her fashion credentials as she left her Heart FM shift at Global Studios in central London on Wednesday.

The presenter, 50, was a vision in a patterned yellow ochre midi dress as she confidently strutted her stuff along the pavement to head home.

Wow! Amanda Holden was once again showing off her fashion credentials as she left her Heart FM shift at Global Studios in central London on Wednesday in a yellow ochre floral dress

She looked incredible in the summery number which was adorned with red flowers and cinched in at the waist to show off her youthful figure.

The mother-of-two accessorized perfectly with a matching orange handbag and wore strappy nude heels.

The star wore her honey tresses in loose waves over her shoulders and opted for a typically bronzed makeup look while donning sunglasses.

Incredible: The presenter, 50, was a vision in the patterned midi dress as she confidently strutted her stuff along the pavement to head home

It comes as Amanda posted a picture of herself on Instagram on Monday alongside Davina McCall, revealing they are working on a project together.

The pair both showed off their incredible figures with plunging outfits.

Davina, 53, looked radiant in a bright pink blazer which she paired with matching trousers along with silver hoop earrings.

Stunning: She looked incredible in the summery number which was adorned with red flowers and cinched in at the waist to show off her youthful figure

Amanda opted for a silver sleeveless dress with a plunging neckline while she cinched her waist with a chain belt.

Letting her blonde locks fall loose down her shoulders, Amanda completed her outfit with gold earrings as she joked she and Davina should fill in for Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman on Strictly Come Dancing.

Alongside the post, she wrote: '@davinamccall and I are taking the PLUNGE together  exciting project on the way. ( oh and if @tessdaly & @claudiawinkle need a night off...)'.

It comes after Amanda recently returned from Portugal, after the country was put on the amber list and joined a hoard of holidaymakers racing back before the change in quarantine rules.

Exciting: It comes as Amanda posted a picture of herself on Instagram on Monday alongside Davina McCall, revealing they are working on a project together

Thousands of British travellers in Portugal have faced chaos at airports, with many describing boarding flights with just minutes to spare while others will be forced to quarantine because they cannot book PCR tests.

As Portugal moves into the amber list, passengers have until 4am Tuesday to return to the UK or quarantine for 10 days, and must have proof of a negative PCR test taken no more than three days before their departure or face a 500.

Last week, Amanda sizzled in a dreamy shot that saw her cooling off in the sea while showing off her stunning figure in her skimpy beachwear.

In the picture shared to Instagram, she had teamed her almost see-through swimsuit with a chunky pair of shades and sported wet locks as she flashed a smile while making her way back up onto the sand from the ocean.
She announced in May that she and her fiance Luke Jerdy are expecting their first child together.

And on Tuesday, Hollyoaks star Daisy Wood-Davis showcased her blossoming baby bump as she took to Instagram to share photographs of herself in a strapless bikini, using different colour filters to alter the look of her selfie.

The actress, 30, who played Kim Butterfield on the soap from 2014 to 2018, looked sensational in the floral print two-piece, and used her post to get candid about her 'daily changing body.'

Bumping along! On Tuesday, Hollyoaks star Daisy Wood-Davis, 30, showcased her blossoming baby bump as she took to Instagram to share photographs of herself in a strapless bikini

Standing in her bedroom, the mother-to-be popped her knee for the shot and hit one arm behind her body to ensure the shape of her tummy could be seen clearly.

Alongside her trio of bikini snaps, Daisy wrote: 'Pregnant or not pregnant, our bodies are supposed to change!

'Too often we are made to feel this shouldn't happen and we should still look the same as we did 10 years ago which is quite frankly a load of b**locks.

'Am loving associating this daily changing body with a healthy, growing baby.'

Congratulations: In May, Daisy and Luke Jerdy announced they are expecting their first child together, with their bundle of joy due to arrive in October

In May, Daisy and Luke Jerdy, 31, announced the pregnancy, with their bundle of joy due to arrive in October.

She wrote: 'We have been keeping the biggest (smallest) secret of our lives!

'We couldn't let Covid get in the way of any more of our plans so instead of saying 'I do' this year, we've been growing and preparing for our precious baby son or daughter (still can't believe those words are coming out of my mouth!)'

'Cannot wait to tell you all more about our journey so far #19weekspregnant #nearlyhalfwaythere #dueoct2021'.

Heartwarming: The couple, who both starred on Hollyoaks, confirmed the exciting news with a series of snaps of their sonogram and Daisy's growing baby bump

Luke, who played Jesse Donovan on the show from 2016 to 2020, shared the same snaps and wrote: 'Just call us Mum and Dad'.

Exciting: The actress, who played Kim Butterfield on the soap from 2014 to 2018, revealed the couple's baby is due in October

She wrote: 'We've been growing and preparing for our precious baby son or daughter (still can't believe those words are coming out of my mouth!)'

Father-to-be : Luke, 31, who played Jesse Donovan on the show from 2016 to 2020, shared the same snaps and wrote: 'Just call us Mum and Dad'

Luke and Daisy got engaged in August 2019 when he popped the question to his former co-star during a holiday in Greece - after he got down on one knee with a ring he designed himself.

He penned: 'She said yes @daisy_wood_davis is going to be my wife. I'll take that.'

Daisy shared the same pictures and added: 'On Thursday evening @lukejerdy asked me to marry him by the beach in front of my family.

'I've never felt a happiness like this. It's so surreal but nothing has ever felt more natural. I can't wait to marry my best friend and celebrate how lucky we are to have found what we have.'

Betrothed: Luke and Daisy got engaged in August 2019 when he popped the question to his former co-star during a holiday in Greece

The cute couple met on the Hollyoaks set and quickly became inseparable.

Daisy starred as Kim on the Channel 4 soap, playing a feisty nurse, but left in 2018 when her character went on the run after taking the blame for Glenns murder.

Luke joined the show in 2016 playing Jesse, the half-brother of Grace Black.

Daisy previously admitted she wasn't a big fan of sharing scenes with her significant other, telling OK! magazine: 'We've only had one or two scenes together, I get nervous. I don't like it.

'I'm not used to behaving myself around him or being serious. He was at my [character's] wedding to Esther.'
Brent Draper struck a chord with the MasterChef judges when he presented them with fried chicken and beers during Wednesday's episode.

The 31-year-old boilermaker admitted he was nervous to serve the judges his meal, describing it as 'a really tough cook'.

But he had nothing to worry about, with the show's judges unable to contain their excitement when he pulled out three beers.

Winner, winner, chicken dinner: Brent Draper (centre) struck a chord with the MasterChef judges when he presented them with fried chicken and beers during Wednesday's episode. Pictured with Melissa Leong (left) and Jock Zonfrillo (right)

'He did not! He did not!' exclaimed Andy Allen, before happily clinking cans with fellow judges Jock Zonfrillo and Melissa Leong.

'I couldn't bring the kegs, but a can will do,' Brent told them, as Melissa, 39, confessed, 'Not a bad day at the office.'

The show's contestants had been tasked with cooking food that reflected the city of Melbourne as they continued their road trip around Australia.

Serving up smiles: The 31-year-old boilermaker admitted he was nervous to serve the judges his meal, describing it as 'a really tough cook'

Cheers to that: He had nothing to worry about, with the show's judges unable to contain their excitement when he pulled out three beers

Brent explained that he'd been inspired by Melbourne's Hosier Lane, which is renowned for its street art.

After tasting the dish, Melissa acknowledged that Brent had taken a gamble by delivering them fried chicken.

'I think collectively per year, the three of us eat close to a metric tonne of fried chicken - we eat a lot,' she explained.

Constructive criticism: Andy Allen (pictured) branded it 'pretty bloody good', but admitted it could've done with 'some salt in that buttermilk'

'He did not! He did not!' exclaimed Andy, before happily clinking cans with fellow judges Jock Zonfrillo and Melissa Leong

'And in order for fried chicken to be presented to us, then for it to be successful, it was going to have to be fantastic. And I think it really was fantastic.'

Andy, 33, branded it 'pretty bloody good', but admitted it could've done with 'some salt in that buttermilk'.

Despite winning praise from the judges, Jock, 44, noticed that Brent still appeared to be worried.

Taking inspiration: Brent explained that he'd been inspired by Melbourne's Hosier Lane, which is renowned for its street art

'No one's going home today... You alright? Like, you know that's good, right? Smile,' Jock reassured him.

The Scottish chef then walked over to Brent and said, 'Give us a bloody hug,' before wrapping his arms around him.

Meanwhile, Network 10 last month confirmed that Celebrity MasterChef would be making a welcome return after weeks of rumours.
Roxy Jacenko has welcomed a new addition to her family.

The PR Queen, 41, her husband Oliver Curtis, and their two children have adopted an adorable French Bulldog and introduced him to her fans on Wednesday.

Roxy shared a sweet snap of her son Hunter sitting next to the pooch to Instagram and wrote: 'The "Vaucluse Zoo" is growing - welcome to the family Minnie Curtis.'

'Welcome to the family': Roxy Jacenko (pictured with son Hunter) announced a new addition to her brood on Wednesday

In a second adorable image, Roxy carried her pet dog as she posed alongside her son.

It comes after Roxy celebrated her 41st birthday in decadent style on Tuesday.

The PR powerhouse was treated by her family to an exquisite fine-dining meal at Cantonese restaurant Silks at Sydney's Crown Towers.

New addition: The PR Queen, her husband Oliver Curtis, and their two children have adopted an adorable French Bulldog and introduced him to her fans on Wednesday

Celebrations: It comes after Roxy celebrated her 41st birthday in decadent style on Tuesday. The PR powerhouse was treated by her family to an exquisite fine-dining meal at Cantonese restaurant Silks at Sydney's Crown Towers

In photos shared to her Instagram, the mother of two was gifted a statement cake and multiple stunning floral bouquets.

Roxy, her husband Oliver Curtis and their family, enjoyed a private dining room experience at Silks, with a round table featuring a Parisian-style flower centrepiece.

Place cards with calligraphy, bespoke tableware and a stunning light fixture above, created an intimate feel.

Family outing: Roxy, her husband Oliver Curtis and their family, enjoyed a private dining room experience at Silks, with a round table featuring a Parisian-style flower centrepiece

The cake, inspired by a sister-run cake business in London, made a statement on its own with various pink tones and intricate detail in the icing.

After dinner, a grateful Roxy shared a photo to Instagram of herself posing with a large bunch of flowers inside her home in Sydney's eastern suburbs.

'Thank you all so very much for all the thoughtful messages and incredible surprises today,' she wrote in the caption.

'Wonderful day with my work family followed by a fabulous family dinner.'
Michael Douglas has revealed that he was mistaken for his daughter Carys' grandfather during her recent high school graduation in May.

The actor, 76, who shares Carys, 18, and Dylan, 20, with wife Catherine Zeta-Jones, 51, discussed the family milestone on Tuesday's episode of The Kelly Clarkson Show.

Michael said that it was a 'little rough' but insisted that he's not going to take it 'personally' as the other parents at the ceremony were 'just trying to be nice'.

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Graduation: Michael Douglas has revealed that he was mistaken for his daughter Carys' grandfather during her recent high school graduation in May (pictured with children - Dylan and Carys - and wife Catherine L-R at the ceremony)

He said: 'It was so wonderful, I'm so proud of her. But I gotta tell you Kelly, it's a little rough when you're going out the doors and the other parents are saying, "Oh congratulations, you must be so proud of your granddaughter".'

Michael added: 'I said, "Well, I don't know, man. Yeah, okay." I'm not gonna take it personal, they're just trying to be nice.'

The actor also admitted that he and Catherine are worried about becoming 'empty nesters' since the graduation as their son Dylan, who is currently a college student at Brown University, has already moved out their family home.

Michael said: 'It's scary. It really is. You look at each other and go, "Well, it's just you and me babe".'

Milestone: The actor, 76, who shares Carys, 18, and Dylan, 20, with wife Catherine Zeta-Jones, 51, discussed the family milestone on Tuesday's episode of The Kelly Clarkson Show

The actor revealed in May that Carys had graduated from high school and shared a collection of sweet photos to his Instagram to mark the milestone.

In one snap, Michael and Catherine proudly beamed with Carys, who wore a white skirt suit, and Dylan.

In a different photo, Dylan was seen affectionately picking up his little sister as she held her diploma.

Michael penned: 'Congratulations to Carys and the entire class of 2021! Your Mom and I are so proud of you! We love you so much and we are so excited for your future as the best is yet to come!  Dad.'

'Rough': Michael said that it was a 'little rough' but insisted that he's not going to take it 'personally' as the other parents at the ceremony were 'just trying to be nice'

Candid: He said: 'It was so wonderful, I'm so proud of her. But I gotta tell you Kelly, it's a little rough when you're going out the doors and the other parents are saying, "Oh congratulations, you must be so proud of your granddaughter".'

The actor revealed in a 2019 interview with Closer Weekly that his daughter had decided to start attending boarding school.

The previous year, Carys discussed her school life with Town And Country and said she would often face 'snide remarks about her father's age', she said: 'People would be like, "Your grandpa's here to pick you up".'

Earlier this year, Carys celebrated her 18th birthday and her mother Catherine shared a sweet post to Instagram, writing: 'You are everything, and everything is you. Thank you for the joy you bring me.'

Lovely: The actor revealed in May that Carys had graduated from high school and shared a collection of sweet photos to his Instagram to mark the milestone (Carys and her brother Dylan pictured during ceremony)

The morning of her birthday Cerys texted her mother: 'Thank you for giving birth to me!' to which Catherine replied: 'Oh, giving birth to you was my proudest moment!'

Catherine then joked: 'Wait........... Oscar?........ No......... Definitely YOU!' and added two crying laughing emoji at the end.

She won her Oscar in 2002 for her supporting role in Chicago - and during both the film shoot and the awards show she was pregnant with Carys.

In a recent Today show interview, Catherine gushed that her 'extremely bright' children both want to follow their parents into the acting business.

'Michael and I would be the first parents to say: "You know, maybe you should think of another career," but we've seen how passionate they are about the craft,' she said.

Catherine and Michael welcomed Dylan in August 2000 and married at the iconic Plaza Hotel on 5th Avenue that November.

Carys, whom Catherine was heavily pregnant with when she danced at the Oscars and accepted her trophy for Chicago, arrived in April 2003.
His best friend died by suicide in August 2020.

And on Wednesday, Roman Kemp, 28, paid tribute to the late radio producer Joe Lyons on what would have been his 32nd birthday.

Taking to Instagram, the I'm A Celeb star shared pictures and videos of his late friend and admitted: 'I miss you beyond words.'

Tribute: On Wednesday, Roman Kemp, 28, paid tribute to the late radio producer Joe Lyons (pictured) on what would have been his 32nd birthday - he died in August 2020

Two of the photographs saw Roman and Joe sitting next to each other on a flight, with the radio producer pretending to pour vodka into Roman's mouth while he slept.

Another snap showed Joe smiling while sitting outside in the sunshine and flashing a peace sign at the camera, during a group gathering.

One video saw Roman blast Joe with a wind machine, while the other showed the Capital FM team having presented Joe with a pink cake on a previous birthday.

Roman joked alongside his post: 'On what I would've said was your 40th birthday, I miss you beyond words pal. Love you mate. @producerjoe @joesbuddyline.'

Much-loved: Roman's best friend Joe, who had been a well-loved producer at Global radio for nine years, died by suicide in August last year

Joker! Two of the photographs saw Roman and Joe sitting next to each other on a flight, with the radio producer pretending to pour vodka into Roman's mouth while he slept

Best buddies: Roman also shared a shot of himself and Joe asleep next to each other

Joking about one of the photos in which Joe can be seen wearing a Tottenham Hotspur FC shirt, he added: 'PS this is the only time I will post a Spurs shirt.'

Roman's best friend Joe, who had been a well-loved producer at Global radio for nine years, suddenly died in August last year.

After Joe's death, Roman emotionally addressed fans on his show Sunday Best, which he co-hosts with his father Martin Kemp, urging them to 'reach out'.

Work pals: One video saw Roman blast Joe with a wind machine

Birthday boy: The other showed the Capital FM team having presented Joe with a pink cake on a previous birthday

Paying tribute to Joe, he said: 'Before we can start with our usual show, you may have read that it's been an incredibly hard week for me personally, as I lost my best friend...

'It has completely devastated his family, friends, me, my family. I really want to make sure that I use this time right now to say if you are struggling, then please know that you can reach out...

'There is always someone you can talk to: your family, friends, colleagues... or anyone from the support charities that are out there...

Touching: Roman also had a tattoo tribute inked onto his leg, to honour his late friend, who was one of his Capital Breakfast show producers

'At ITV there is the mental wellness initiative called Britain Get Talking, which encourages all of us to reach out and talk to someone.'

Roman also had a tattoo tribute inked onto his leg, to honour his late friend, who was one of his Capital Breakfast show producers.

Explained why he had chosen his bird design tattoo, he wrote on Instagram: 'Joe had this tattoo and I always used to say it was awful and looked like a pigeon. So I got it in the same spot...'

Tribute: After his friend's death, Roman emotionally addressed fans on his show Sunday Best, urging them to 'reach out'. The episode was touchingly dedicated to Joe

Best friend: When the DJ discovered that Joe had died, he suddenly went off the air and did not return to Capital Breakfast until the following week

In March, Roman fronted a BBC documentary 'Our Silent Emergency' about male suicide and mental health.

The radio host presented the one-off special in a bid to 'show that there are ways to reach those who are suffering' following Joe's death.

Roman, who has suffered with depression since he was 15, revealed he once considered suicide, while reflecting on his mental health with mother.

For confidential support call the Samaritans on 116123 or visit a local Samaritans branch, see www.samaritans.org for details.
Scott Disick, 38, and Amelia Hamlin, 19, were seen holding hands after a dinner date in Malibu on Tuesday.

The lovebirds were dining at upscale Japanese restaurant Nobu, which his ex Kourtney Kardashian, 42, often frequents with her new rocker beau Travis Barker, 45.

This sighting comes just days before the stunning model daughter of Lisa Rinna and Harry Hamlin is set to say goodbye to her teen years as she turns 20-years-old.

Going strong: Scott Disick and Amelia Hamlin were seen holding hands after a dinner date in Malibu on Tuesday

Amelia, whose birthday falls on June 13, looked lovely as she went bra-free in a pink and yellow halter top that made the most of her frame while flashing her toned tummy. She added white jeans and a white mini purse.

The Calvin Klein model wore her dark stick straight and down over her shoulders as she carried a green shopping bag from Bottega Veneta.

Scott was sporting an edgier look than usual as he had on a North Face vest over a red print shirt with camp slacks and a bulky silver watch.

Scott's former partner Kourtney is often seen at Nobu in Malibu with her Blink 182 drummer boyfriend Travis.

The best sushi on the shore: The lovebirds were dining at upscale Japanese restaurant Nobu

A gift from Scott? Amelia, whose birthday falls on June 13, looked lovely as she went bra-free in a pink and yellow halter top as she carried a green shopping bag from Bottega Veneta

The power couple were seen at the seaside venue as recently as last month.

On this season of Keeping Up With The Kardashians, Kourtney has made it clear she does not want to get back together with Scott even though they have three children together - Mason, 11, Penelope, eight, and Reign, six.

Scott asked Kourtney to make a 'final decision' about their relationship so he could finally 'move on'. The episode was filmed earlier this year.

He said: 'It's hard. It sucks. I'm OK with you doing whatever you want, if you can just make the final decision that you and I are never going to try to be a family again. Then I could move on, and I could deal with you being with other people.'

They go there too: Nobu is also where Scott's ex Kourtney Kardashian often dines with her new beau Travis Barker. Seen in late March

Kourtney felt a 'lot of pressure' as she wasn't expecting the subject to arise while on vacation but Scott insisted he wasn't planning to give the beauty an 'ultimatum', he was just tired of being left hanging.

He added: 'I don't want to give you an ultimatum and I don't want to push you. I don't want to make you anxious.

'But you don't say no, and you leave this door open. So I have expectations in my mind, and they don't seem to ever get met. And I don't want to live in limbo for the rest of my life with you.'

A new day: Hamlin donned a colorful tie-dye ensemble while out getting some shopping done in West Hollywood on Wednesday

Kourtney agreed: 'I don't want to live in limbo either. I feel like I'm happy right now.'

Scott - who used to date model Sofia Richie - replied: 'Well, I'm not. I love you, so it's difficult... It seems like we do everything else together but the intimacy part. That we leave for other people.

'And then those other people just get jealous of our relationship and feel like the only thing they have is the intimacy part.'

And in a teaser for next week's show, Kourtney is seen telling Khloe to stop 'enabling' Scott as she is 'over it.'

Stop please: And in a teaser for next week's show, Kourtney is seen telling Khloe to stop making 'excuses' for Scott

They began dating in 2006 after meeting at Girls Gone Wild founder Joe Francis' home in Mexico but split for good in 2015 after rumours of infidelity.

The exes are still very civil. Kardashian reunited with Disick to mark his 38th birthday in May.

The POOSH star was spotted attending her former partner's celebrations with sisters Kim and Khloe Kardashian. Hamlin was also at the event.
George and Amal Clooney are reportedly 'thrilled' to be back in Lake Como for the first time in two years.

The actor, 60, and his wife, 43, are said to have jetted off to their Italian villa earlier this month to celebrate their twins Ella and Alexander's fourth birthday.

According to new reports, George and Amal's friends are 'very excited' that the couple are back after they were unable to see each other during the pandemic.

'Thrilled': George and Amal Clooney are reportedly 'thrilled' to be back in Lake Como for the first time in two years (pictured in 2019)

The family-of-four are said to be spending the summer at their holiday home, Villa Oleandra.

A source told People: 'They didn't spend time in Lake Como last year. It's the first time in two years that they are back in Italy. They seem thrilled to be back. Friends that they didn't see during the pandemic are very excited that they are back.'

Although George and Amal are said to have remained positive during their time at home at the height of the pandemic.

They added: 'George and Amal took every day as it came. They have always prioritised family time, so they were very positive about all the extra time with the kids. They are the most amazing parents. George is such a fun dad. The kids adore him.'

Idylic: The actor, 60, and his wife, 43, are said to have jetted off to their Italian villa earlier this month to celebrate their twins Ella and Alexander's fourth birthday (George's villa pictured)

Last year, George spoke about raising his two children and how 'very different' their personalities are despite being twins.

Talking to People in December, the actor said: 'You learn so much with twins because you're raising them both at the same time, born the same day, but you realise how little it has to do with you.

'They were the person they were going to be when they were born. Now all your hope is to just kind of guide them along in the right direction.'

It was reported earlier this month that George had whizzed his wife and their children to Lake Como ahead of the twins' fourth birthday.

Sweet: According to new reports, George and Amal's friends are 'very excited' that the couple are back after they were unable to see each other during the pandemic (pictured in 2019)

A source told E! News at the time that the family 'haven't been there in two years' but they'll be spending the summer at their family home, Villa Oleandra.

They added: 'They brought along their giant St. Bernard puppy, Rosie. They will be spending as much of the summer as they can in Lake Como.'

Meanwhile, the 'Midnight Sky' star  who wed the human rights lawyer in 2014  recently said he didn't realise there was something missing in his life until he met his spouse.

He said: 'There are some people, their goal was: "I have to have children." Mine wasn't. I wasn't looking at life, going: "My life will be unfulfilled without children." I felt like I had a pretty full life.

'Then I met Amal and realised that my life had been pretty empty. And then when you throw these two kids in there, then suddenly you realise how incredibly empty it was.'

George admitted fatherhood has also made his life less empty, and explained having children has given him 'everything' that Hollywood could not.

He said: '[I have] a sense of belonging and a sense of home and unconditional love  all the things that you were hoping you could get from a really good career and a dog. You realise that this is a lot more than that.'

And the Ocean's Eleven actor has since been teaching his young children to play pranks on their unsuspecting mother.

Speaking on The Today Show, he said: 'My whole job really is to teach them terrible things. And I really do enjoy teaching my children to do things that shock their mother.

'And it's fun because, you know, Amal, she'll be talking to a judge on a trial in the Sudan or a trial in Myanmar  she's having very serious conversations and then my son'll come in with a nappy on his head. This is a stroke of genius, you know.'
Their Audible podcast series, Coupledom, is set to premiere on June 24, with a full line of S'able Labs branded wellness products coming out later this year.

And in a new interview, Idris Elba, 48, and wife Sabrina, 33, have detailed how their marriage is 'forever growing and changing and evolving'.

The newlyweds explained that they are 'learning every day' and wanted to share their experience with others by openly delving into their relationship.

A journey: In a new interview, Idris Elba, 48, and wife Sabrina, 33, have detailed how their marriage is 'forever growing and changing and evolving'

The couple - who tied the knot in April 2019 - are gearing up for the launch of S'able Labs, a new lifestyle brand focused on relationship, with a podcast at its centre.

Speaking to People, Idris explained that, how after two previous marriages: 'I had famously said I'd never get married again and here I was about to marry Sabrina, and we really got into questioning why.'

After meeting Sabrina in 2017 at a Vancouver jazz bar, the actor gushed: 'We started dating and I fell head over heels. 'Everyone was like, 'Hey man, you seem so much happier.'

'I didn't realize I was, but the truth is that it really sparked a lot of conversations around how a partnership can bring out the best in you.'

Beginnings: The newlyweds explained that they are 'learning every day' and wanted to share their experience with others by openly delving into their relationship (Pictured in April 2019)

Speaking of why they decided to delve into their relationship on a podcast, he insisted: 'We're learning every day that sharing is a good thing.'

Sabrina described their marriage as 'forever growing and changing and evolving,' explaining that they're not just newly weds but also new business partners.

She gushed: 'Idris is my best friend. I want to be around this guy every day of my life, so it's really great to be able to see what that morphs into.'

The actor added: 'I'd say we're in a good place. It was a challenging year, but ultimately, when you look to the side and you've got someone that's been there, ride or die, that's really comforting.'

Life partners: 'Idris is my best friend. I want to be around this guy every day of my life, so it's really great to be able to see what that morphs into' gushed Sabrina

The couple have previously said that they aim to make their Sable Labs brand a 'global community that celebrates partnerships of all kinds - romantic couples, business partners, creative duos, long standing friends, family ties and much more.'

Speaking in February on a video shared to the brand's new website, Idris said: 'We've started something called Sable Labs - that's Elba's backwards!

'We believe if we can create a Coupledom community, we can share our experiences and help each other communicate better, and achieve more.'

Sabrina continued: 'We'd love to explore couples and relationships of all kinds under the topic of Coupledom - which is two people coming together to make a shared dream a reality.

Head over heels: Idris met Sabrina in 2017 at a Vancouver jazz bar (Pictured in 2017)

'My hope is that by listening to other partnerships, people will recognise themselves and their own relationships, finding common ground that they can apply to their own lives.

'We hope that Coupledom becomes an inspiring space to help one another grow.'

The couple exchanged vows at the Ksar Char Bagh hotel in Marrakesh surrounded by 150 of their nearest and dearest in April 2019.

Speaking of his decision to wed Sabrina, the British actor admitted: 'We've been literally inseparable since we met. Inseparable.

He then detailed how the former beauty queen had changed his outlook on marriage, Sabrina has deepened friendships with people Ive known longer than [her], nurturing the best side of me to make me connect to my friends more.'
Rarely does a day go by when Khloe Kardashian isn't in the gym.

The 36-year-old reality star showed off the fruits of her labor in a new Instagram post that put her six-pack abs on display on Wednesday morning.

Her workout session comes after she defended a birthday post to her estranged brother-in-law Kanye West - who was later seen out on a romantic holiday in Europe with model Irina Shayk - amid his split from Kim Kardashian.

Looking good: Khloe Kardashian showed off the fruits of her labor in the gym in a new Instagram post that put her six-pack abs on display on Wednesday morning

Shooting a mirror selfie video in her fully equipped home gym, Khloe modeled her trim physique for her 153 million Instagram followers.

The mother of one was wearing a simple pair of black workout leggings with black sneakers and a black T-shirt that she pulled up to expose her defined abs.

A day prior, Khloe wished brother-in-law Kanye West a happy 44th birthday on social media amid his split from her sister Kim.

Fans were quick to point out the irony of the gushing post considering the couple's acrimonious divorce thus far but Khloe shut down the haters.

Muscle tone: The mother of one was wearing a simple pair of black workout leggings with black sneakers and a black T-shirt that she pulled up to expose her defined abs

After seeing a nasty comment questioning why the star would call her sister's ex-spouse her 'brother for life', Khloe advised the fan not to comment on 'something you know nothing about.'

'You don't think me and my sisters talk about one another's feeling? We are with one another everyday. This is MY FAMILY. Not yours!' she replied.

The Good American founder continued: 'Don't comment as if you in the know unless you are actually in the know. Weirdo!!'

The commenter, who was directing her message to Kim, wrote that she was 'glad' the KKW Beauty founder has stayed strong through her divorce, but felt Khloe's post was inconsiderate to her older sibling as she navigates the end of their marriage.

It's complicated: This week Khloe wished brother-in-law Kanye West a happy 44th birthday on social media amid his split from her sister Kim and clapped back at a fan who criticized the post saying 'This is MY FAMILY'

'Your divorce was so hard on you, even the picture is just uncalled for,' the woman said, referring to Khloe's latest Instagram. 'There are so many other pictures. Google could of been her friend. This wasn't cute.'

The whole defense of her 'family' seemed a moot point just a day later when DailyMail.com obtained exclusive photos of Kanye out on a romantic getaway in France with model Irina Shayk.

Kanye can be seen in the shots taking a romantic stroll with Irina, 35, in Provence, France, where they are staying at the luxury 600-acre Villa La Coste boutique hotel together.

Rumors of the pair's romance began late last month, with claims that Kanye was secretly dating the Russian supermodel, who shares a child with actor Bradley Cooper.

Rebound: The whole defense of her 'family' seemed a moot point just a day later when DailyMail.com obtained exclusive photos of Kanye out on a romantic getaway in France with model Irina Shayk

The pair have a long history as acquaintances. Back in 2010, the runway maven was a featured player in West's Heaven-inspired Power music video, where she portrayed an angel.

Just two years later, the Russian-born beauty put her modeling skills to the test as she graced the runway for West's Fall/Winter fashion collection at Paris Fashion Week.

Rumors began to swirl last month when an anonymous tipster wrote in to DeuxMoi, claiming: 'Kanye West is now secretly dating Irina Shayk aka Bradley Cooper's baby mama,' a tipster wrote in.

Kanye wife Kim Kardashian, 40, filed for divorce back in February, but even amid their marital turmoil she shared a sweet birthday tribute to her soon-to-be ex-husband.

Romantic: Kanye can be seen in the shots taking a romantic stroll with Irina, 35, in Provence, France, where they are staying at the luxury 600-acre Villa La Coste boutique hotel together

The Keeping Up With The Kardashians star made it a family affair as she shared a throwback photo of the two adults with their three eldest children, North, seven, Saint, five, and Chicago, three, who was only a baby in the picture taken aboard a private jet.

The photo appeared to have been snapped before two-year-old Psalm West had even been born.

'Love U for Life!' Kim gushed in her short caption after wishing the Monster rapper a happy birthday.

A more recent photo showed Kanye being a doting father to his four children. He leaned down to help Psalm stand up for the photo and showed off a joyous grin

Kim also included a cute photo of him in a red sweater that was snapped in 1987, when he would have been around 10 years old.
Memphis, TN (38152)

Today

A few clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 73F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

A few clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 73F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph.
Addison Rae seemed to ditch one of her usual workouts at BFF Kourtney Kardashian's 'Kamp Kourt' in favor of a pilates class in West Hollywood.

The 20-year-old TikTok sensation was seen making her way out of a private class in tiny neon shorts alongside seemingly new pal Shanina Shaik, 30, on Wednesday.

Fresh from a morning sweat session she made her way to her matte Tesla before heading to a dental appointment to get her Invisalign removed.

Sweat session: Addison Rae, 20, was seen ditching her usual workout at Kourtney Kardashian's house in favor of a private pilates class in West Hollywood

Short shorts: The mega star was seen showing off her toned dancer's legs in very short shorts

The blonde-haired content creator tucked her locks back in a high ponytail, showing off her dancer's legs in a pair of fluorescent shorts.

She opted for a lilac long sleeve shirt with thumb holes and slipped her feet into a pair of black converse with pink socks.

The He's All That actress was seen suited up in a face mask as she clutched both her phone and a Fiji water in hand.

And she was joined by Australian model Shaik who made her way out in sheer leggings and a striped hoodie with white slides.

Pilates pals: The TikTok darling was joined by Australian model Shaik who made her way out in sheer leggings and a striped hoodie with white slides

All smiles: Despite wearing a face covering the teen star could be seen flashing her infectious grin

Model figure: The Victoria's Secret vet took to her Instagram to share that she had had 'a morning' as she alluded to some stress bubbling

Gotta go! The He's All That star jumped into her Tesla to head to a dentist appointment in Beverly Hills after working up a sweat

The two appeared to briefly chat before walking to their respective vehicles, Addison later taking to Instagram to share glimpses of a visit with a dentist in Beverly Hills.

'I'm here getting my invisalign removed! Hopefully its a quick and easy process,' she told her 38.2M followers.

Despite not working a sweat up with BFF Kourtney, 42, Addison and the reality star continue to be attached at the hip.

Over the weekend the pair kicked off a summer of 'twinning' as they matched in jean shorts and white crop tops with black converse.

Twinning: The twosome kicked off a summer of 'twinning' with matching outfits

BFF: Showing some love for her dear friend, Addison also donned a choker that read 'Kourt' on it over the weekend

Showing some love for her dear friend, Addison also donned a choker that read 'Kourt' on it as they hung out with boyfriend Travis Barker at his gym.

And though Addison seems to be on the market after splitting up with Bryce Hall, she has been romantically linked to rapper Jack Harlow.

Days ago she shared photos of herself in a bikini with the caption 'thank u next,' which many thought was aimed at her TikTokking ex.

In a recent promotion for he and fellow 'Sway House' members' show Sway Life on Facebook, a post alluded to spilling tea about what happened when the former pair crossed paths in Atlanta.

Moving on: Days ago she shared photos of herself in a bikini with the caption 'thank u next,' which many thought was aimed at her TikTokking ex

The Instagram caption read: 'The Last Straw for Bryce - Want to know what really happened with Bryce's relationship in Atlanta? The truth will shock you,' to which Addison commented: 'The truth? This is very one sided.'

According to Hall, he was hurt about rumors swirling regarding Addison and Jack. 'It hit me in the f***ing chest. I'm like, shocked. I feel so f***ing stupid.'

And the pair seemed to go back and forth on twitter as Addison tweeted 'double standards,' which prompted her legion of fans to come to her defense over the video after they felt he was profiting off of their drama.

'why is everyone's first insult at me to go for my ex as if it bothers me? she's my EX for a reason lmao,' he tweeted in defense.
Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman's son Connor Cruise just revealed his new look with a rare Instagram selfie.

The 26-year-old usually rocks shaggy hair and a bristly beard, but in a recent Instagram Story post he showed off a buzzcut and much shorter facial hair.

'New face, who dis?' Connor wrote a top the snapshot, which appeared to be taken while he was relaxing shirtless.

Makeover! Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman's son Connor Cruise revealed a new look online recently, ditching his usually shaggy hair and thick beard for a cleaner look

Cruise leads a very private life, but has offered brief glimpses into his world with semi-regular posts on his Instagram.

He appears to be a giant fishing enthusiast, often seen showing off his catches on social media.

Connor recently started a separate account called @ConnorsMeatShack, where he highlights his adventures in grilling.

Cruise was adopted by Kidman and action star Tom not long after he was born in 1995, but the exact timeline remains unclear.

Sister Isabella, 28, was adopted by the couple three years earlier in 1992.

Before and after: The 26-year-old usually rocks longer hair and a bristly beard, but now has a buzzcut and short facial hair

Go fish! Connor keeps very private but appears to be a fishing enthusiast who lives in Florida

Though he remains out of the spotlight, Connor still remains close to father Tom and the Church Of Scientology, according to People magazine.

'Connor lives in Clearwater, which is the church's main hub. He still deejays but he has really become a big fishing guy.

'He's content with living a quieter life,' the source said of the Florida beach town, where the Church of Scientology is headquartered.

Connor and Bella's relationship with mom Nicole is less strong according to insiders who say they've limited contact with her based on Scientologist's practice of severing ties with those deemed critical or unsupportive of the religion.

Nicole spoke about her relationship with her adult children in 2018, telling Australia's Who magazine: 'I'm very private about that.'

Parents: Cruise was adopted by Kidman and action star Tom not long after he was born in 1995 along with sister Isabella, 28. They're seen in 1996 above, while first introducing their kids to the media

Close: Though he remains out of the spotlight, Connor still remains close to father Tom and the Church Of Scientology, according to People magazine. 'Connor lives in Clearwater, which is the church's main hub. He still deejays but he has really become a big fishing guy.' He and sister Bella are seen with dad in 2008 above

'I have to protect all those relationships. I know 150 percent that I would give up my life for my children because it's what my purpose is.'

'They are adults. They are able to make their own decisions. They have made choices to be Scientologists and, as a mother, it's my job to love them.

'And I am an example of that tolerance and that's what I believe  that no matter what your child does, the child has love and the child has to know there is available love and I'm open here.

'I think that's so important because if that is taken away from a child, to sever that in any child, in any relationship, in any family  I believe it's wrong.

Younger set: Kidman now shares daughters Sunday, 12, and Faith, nine, with husband Keith Urban, seen in 2017 in Sydney above

'So that's our job as a parent, to always offer unconditional love,' the talent went on.

Kidman now shares daughters Sunday, 12, and Faith, nine, with husband Keith Urban.

Tom has daughter Suri, 14, with ex-wife Katie Holmes, but they do not have a close relationship.

According to some reports has not seen his daughter since 2013, shortly after he and Holmes split.
Tom Hiddleston's Loki was revealed to be gender fluid in a teaser video for the upcoming Disney+ series dropped this week.

Director Kate Herron explained in a chat with Insider why it was 'important' to her that the Norse god's non-binary gender identity was acknowledged in the new show.

While Hidddleston has portrayed the trickster across multiple films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the new Disney+ series will mark the first time that the character is played as gender fluid.

God of Mischief: Tom Hiddleston's Loki is gender fluid in the upcoming Disney+ series and director Kate Herron explained in a chat with Insider why it was 'important' to her that the Norse god's non-binary gender identity was acknowledged

'I would say that details are marked in but it is something acknowledged,' the director said.

Adding: 'He's gender fluid in the Norse mythology and the comics and it felt like an important thing to, as you say, make sure it's canon.'

A teaser for Loki was dropped on Monday and confirmed that Hiddleston's Disney+ Loki was 'fluid.'

The clips shows a file documenting Loki Laufeyson's Time Variance Authority and lists 'FLUID' under the gender.

'I would say that details are marked in but it is something acknowledged,' the director said. 'He's gender fluid in the Norse mythology and the comics and it felt like an important thing to, as you say, make sure it's canon.'

Non-binary: A teaser for Loki was dropped on Monday and shows a file documenting Loki Laufeyson's Time Variance Authority and lists 'FLUID' under the gender

The series also stars Owen Wilson as Mobius M. Mobius, Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Ravonna Renslayer and Wunmi Mosaku as Hunter B-15, as well as Sophia Di Martino and Richard E. Grant.

The timeline of the show follows the Asgardian in the wake of 2018's Avengers: Endgame.

Hiddleston was first seen as the character in Thor in 2011, and has gone on to appear in the role in 2012's The Avengers, 2013's Thor: The Dark World, 2017's Thor: Ragnarok and 2018's Avengers: Infinity War.

Loki's gender identity had been speculated upon in the wake of a comic book in which Odin called Loki, 'my son, and my daughter, and my child who is both.'

Canon: Loki's gender identity had been speculated upon in the wake of a comic book in which Odin called Loki, 'my son, and my daughter, and my child who is both'

Loki's gender fluidity was also topical in the 2019 book Loki: Where Mischief Lies from writer Mackenzi Lee.

'I think queer undertones are intrinsic to Loki and his magic,' Lee told Comics Beat in 2019. 'Being a shapeshifter already makes him fluid, and as far back as versions of him in the Norse myths, we see Loki manipulating his gender and taking a variety of partners.

'It would have felt disingenuous to portray him as anything else. And, while we've come a long way with representation in comics, we still have a long way to go. As for direct references on the page - like many people, I'm tired of queer rep being only subtext in media. We need to bring identity onto the page.

Disney+ is no doubt anticipating another huge hit on their hands after the immense success of the first two Marvel series, Wandavision and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, which both crashed the platform when new episodes debuted.

Loki premieres Wednesday June 9 on Disney+.
Having voted to axe the Queen, Oxbridge is now turning its guns on another national symbol.

I hear that serious plans are being considered by Cambridge Universitys Churchill College to change its name.

While Winston Churchill might be a hero in this country, overseas his legacy is much more controversial, a university source tells me.

The college wants to be an inclusive institution, attracting the brightest students from around the world. A more neutral name would help.

Sources at Churchill College at Cambridge have said that leaders think 'a more neutral name' would help attract the brightest students from around the world. Pictured: Winston Churchill

The college caused outrage earlier this year when it held an event called The Racial Consequences of Mr Churchill, during which a panellist said wartime leader Sir Winston was the perfect embodiment of white supremacist philosophy.

The event also included claims that the British Empire was far worse than the Nazis.

A regular at high table at Churchill College tells me: This is just a persistent whisper at the moment, but such whispers have a remarkable record of becoming reality.

Churchills grandson Sir Nicholas Soames is alarmed by the rumours. I just dont believe that its going to happen, he tells me.

It would be a total disaster. Frankly, its unthinkable.

He was so concerned that he contacted university officials yesterday.

Churchills biographer Andrew Roberts linked the claims to yesterdays disclosure that graduate members of Magdalen College, Oxford, had voted to remove a portrait of the Queen from their common room because she represents recent colonial history.

Churchills grandson Sir Nicholas Soames (pictured) is alarmed by the rumours the Churchill College may change its name and was so concerned he contacted university officials

Controversy: Churchill College (pictured) is said to be particularly troubled by his reputation in the Indian subcontinent, where hes held responsible by some for the 1943 Bengal famine

Roberts tells me: After the news from Magdalen, anythings possible.

Churchill College is said to be particularly troubled by his reputation in the Indian subcontinent, where hes held responsible by some for the 1943 Bengal famine.

His views on race are also a cause for concern. However, Roberts says: Far from being tarnished by his honourable service in defence of Indians, when he put his life on the line several times, Churchills legacy is untarnishable in the eyes of anyone willing to use their common sense and examine the historical evidence in an objective way.

A spokesman for the academic establishment insists: Churchill College has no plans to change its name.

This country is being robbed of the next David Hockney, according Andrew Marr.

Im really upset about it, says the BBC star, whos a keen painter himself. We have now several generations of kids coming through schools who have never been taught the basics of drawing.

'Somebody who is 21 or 31 years old has almost certainly not been given the skills Hockney was given. That is absolutely awful.

Strictly charity as Emma helps to feed the hungry

Emma Weymouth looked typically chic in a Dolce & Gabbana dress as she celebrated her eighth wedding anniversary with dinner at Mayfair private members club 5 Hertford Street this week.

But the Strictly star was happy to slip into a bright green T-shirt and hi-viz jacket the next morning.

Emma, 35, whos the Marchioness of Bath, donned the uniform as she helped prepare food baskets for The Felix Project, which donates fresh food to hungry Londoners.

Emma Weymouth, The Marchioness of Bath, helps The Felix Project prepare food baskets for delivery getting much needed nourishment to hungry Londoners at the distribution centre

I think its extremely important work theyre doing, she says. Im really proud to have been a part of it for so long.

Emma became chatelaine of Longleat House, with its 9,000-acre estate and safari park in Wiltshire, when her husband, Ceawlin Thynn, 47, inherited the title of his eccentric father, the Marquess of Bath.

Princess Dianas historian brother Charles Spencer is determined to get to the bottom of one of Englands most mysterious shipwrecks.

A team of divers is looking into the disaster of the White Ship, which is also the subject of a book he wrote last year.

Loading up the submersible which should get us from the UK to the Normandy coast in two and a half hours, he remarks from the scene of the dive.

The heir of Henry I was on the ship when it sank  thus changing the course of European history.

Daisy gets her skates on to party

The rule of six might make parties challenging, but Daisy Bell is still on a roll.

The vivacious daughter of late advertising legend Lord (Tim) Bell held a roller-disco in a kitchen, complete with hotpants and luminous wigs.

My friend Olivia Bangham has rented a house in Hastings for the summer and we were celebrating, she tells me.

Pictured: Daisy Bell held a roller disco in a kitchen complete with hotpants and luminous wigs

You cant beat an indoor roller-disco! Daisy married Australian banker Andrew Gray in Chelsea last year.

She met him while she was with Prince Harrys ex, Cressida Bonas, on Bondi Beach, Sydney.

Calls to delay the end of lockdown have alarmed former MP Mark Oaten, whos slated to get married next month.

Weddings are currently limited to 30 people but this restriction was among those due to end by June 21.

We have no idea how many guests can be invited and may have to change plans at the last moment, he says. Oaten, 57, who has two daughters with his ex-wife, Belinda, is to wed his landlord boyfriend Chris Staines.

Im happy to be gay, out and getting married, he says, adding: The Prime Minister should give clarity now that, even if lockdown is extended, the wedding rules will be abandoned.

Lily's fashion habit... as a funky disco nun

Lily Cole made her name strutting down the catwalk in eye-catching outfits designed by some of the biggest names in fashion.

But, for the doll-faced models latest look, shes enlisted the sartorial advice of a five-year-old.

The Cambridge graduate, 33, reveals her daughter Wylde helped style her on a night out.

Lily Cole reveals daughter Wylde helped style her with this silver sequin miniskirt head dress

Lily shared a picture of the final result which included a silver sequin miniskirt on her head.

When your daughter helps you dress, she says of the picture, describing the look as disco nun.

Wylde has already got the thumbs-up from fashion designer Bella Freud, who calls the idea inspired.
Sadie Robertson took to Instagram Tuesday to commemorate the one-month birthday of her daughter Honey James.

'I love taking my girl everywhere with me,' the Duck Dynasty personality, 23, wrote, adding she 'cant believe shes four weeks old today.'

Sadie, who gave birth to the child May 11 with husband Christian Huff, shared an image of herself at a wedding in which she held the tot.

The latest: Sadie Robertson, 23, took to Instagram Tuesday to commemorate the one-month birthday of her daughter Honey James

She wore a patterned green dress with chunky beige sandal heels to the event.

She added an adorable video to Instagram Stories in which the comforted the baby as she rested, telling her child, 'You're so beautiful.'

The couple initially told their fans they were having a child last October.

After giving birth last month, Sadie took to social media with a spiritual message.

Milestone: Sadie gave birth to the child May 11 with husband Christian Huff

Upcoming: Robertson and Huff celebrate their second anniversary this November

Too cute! Sadie added an adorable video to Instagram Stories in which the comforted the baby as she rested, telling her child, 'You're so beautiful'

'We saw a million little miracles yesterday - the best one being this girl right here... Honey,' she wrote. 'The pure goodness of God ... Im way too occupied right now by cuteness.'

Robertson and Huff, who celebrate their second anniversary this November, initially crossed paths in 2018 while on a crab fishing trip and commenced dating months later.

Sadie, who was precious linked to Disney Channel actor Austin North, revealed her relationship with Huff on Instagram on Valentine's Day 2019.
Radio presenter Kyle Sandilands was roasted by his favourite comedian on Thursday as he celebrated his milestone 50th birthday.

Jim Jefferies was given free rein on The Kyle and Jackie O Show to ridicule the shock jock over his weight, poor health and habit of dating younger women.

While Kyle notoriously doesn't like being mocked on air, he made an exception for Jim, 44, because he's such a fan of his comedy.

Taking it on the chin: Radio presenter Kyle Sandilands was roasted by his favourite comedian on Thursday as he celebrated his milestone 50th birthday

Kyle's co-host Jackie 'O' Henderson organised the roast, which Jim performed via Zoom from his quarantine hotel after recently arriving in Australia for a tour.

'This is my first time doing it. I've written about five jokes, so let's see how they go,' he said before starting his routine.

Jim then began: 'Happy birthday to Kyle. Fifty years old. I'd like to do your 60th but I doubt we'll make it to that.'

Roast: Jim Jefferies was given free rein on The Kyle and Jackie O Show to ridicule the shock jock over his weight, poor health and habit of dating younger women

He added: 'I did meet you once at one of my shows and I always thought, "It'd be good to be friends with Kyle, but he just lives too far away in Australia." And then I found out you live most of your life in LA, two miles up the road from my house.

'It's still too f**king far away.'

Jim then told a joke about Kyle's years as a homeless teenager in Brisbane.

'F**king hell, you couldn't be homeless anymore. You couldn't live in a gutter unless it was a f**king four-lane highway,' he said.

'Imagine this fat c**t showing up at a soup kitchen.'

Fan: While Kyle notoriously doesn't like being mocked on air, he made an exception for Jim, 44, because he's such a fan of his comedy

After this, the roast took an unexpected turn as Jim shifted his attention to Jackie.

'You have a lot in common, Jackie O, with the original Jackie O,' he said.

This was in reference to Jackie Kennedy, the wife of slain U.S. president John F. Kennedy, who was later known as Jackie Onassis - shortened to Jackie O in the tabloids - after her marriage to Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis.

Jim continued: 'You sit next to important men and you contribute nothing.'

Jackie, 46, was furious at the remark, yelling out: 'What the f**k?! This isn't about me, Jim. This is a roast on Kyle.'

But he wasn't done there, as Jim went on: 'So, Kyle, I found out that you've been the most-hated celebrity in Australia six times.

'And that's twice after Rolf Harris was convicted of being a pedophile. Imagine losing a popularity contest to a guy who dates younger women than you do!'

Kyle was laughing so hard he couldn't be angry, and even acknowledged: 'All accurate too, so far. Not even lying, this bloke.'

Winding up his routine, Jim continued: 'Some people have called you a sugar daddy, but with your size, it should be a diabetes daddy.'

Not disputing it: Kyle was laughing so hard he couldn't be angry, and even acknowledged: 'All accurate too, so far. Not even lying, this bloke'

'I deserve that,' admitted Kyle, who has made no secret of his weight struggles over the years.

Kyle's positive reaction to the roast was surprising given that he is actually quite thin-skinned, despite his brash on-air persona.

Several years ago, he said he would never do ABC's Hard Chat with Tom Gleeson because he didn't like the idea of being mocked.

However, it seems he's willing to make an exception for a comedian he actually likes.

Jim Jefferies' tour of Australia kicks off this month, with two new shows in Sydney and Brisbane just announced  head to www.frontiertouring.com for all the info
She's weathered the storm of dating a famous athlete with a history of infidelity.

And Khloe Kardashian was taken aback when Andy Cohen addressed her on-again, off-again relationship with Tristan Thompson amid a host of cheating allegations.

The 36-year-old Good American founder squirmed in her seat during a round of questioning in the trailer for the reunion episode of Keeping Up With The Kardashians.

Tough talk: Khloe Kardashian was taken aback when Andy Cohen addressed her on-again, off-again relationship with Tristan Thompson amid a host of cheating allegations

Khloe joined momager Kris Jenner and younger sister Kylie on a couch across from Kim, Kourtney and Kendall as the Bravo patriarch asked the hard-hitting questions.

'When Tristan first cheated on you, how did you know it would be done again?' Cohen asked.

While she didn't immediately respond to his question, she looked visibly uncomfortable and cleared her throat.

Tristan and Khloe have battled through numerous cheating allegations throughout their five-year relationship, which began shortly after he was dating model Jordan Craig.

'When Tristan first cheated on you, how did you know it would be done again?' Cohen asked

Eek: While she didn't immediately respond to his question, she looked visibly uncomfortable and cleared her throat

Tough times: Khloe joined momager Kris Jenner and younger sister Kylie on a couch across from Kim, Kourtney and Kendall as the Bravo patriarch asked the hard-hitting questions

When Khloe was nine months pregnant with their daughter, True, Tristan was spotted getting close to a woman at a bar before she headed to his hotel room at 5 a.m. in photos exclusively revealed in DailyMail.com

Nearly one year later, Tristan was back in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons after kissing Kylie Jenner's ex-best friend, Jordyn Woods, at a party on Valentine's weekend in LA.

At the time, Khloe publicly accused Jordyn for the tryst after Woods attempted to set the record straight on a Red Table Talk episode with Jada Pinkett Smith.

Troubled: They confirmed their relationship in a 2016 Instagram post and she fell pregnant a year later with Tristan's baby (pictured 2018)

Woah! At the time, Khloe publicly accused Jordyn for the tryst after Woods attempted to set the record straight on a Red Table Talk episode with Jada Pinkett Smith

'Why are you lying @jordynwoods ??' she tweeted If youre going to try and save yourself by going public, INSTEAD OF CALLING ME PRIVATELY TO APOLOGIZE FIRST, at least be HONEST about your story. BTW, You ARE the reason my family broke up!'

She continued: 'Tristan is equally to blame but Tristan is the father of my child. Regardless of what he does to me I wont do that to my daughter. He has been addressing this situation PRIVATELY. If Tristan were to lie publicly about what conspired, then yes I would address him publicly as well.'

Despite the challenging time, Khloe and Tristan attempted to patch things up and he was spotted at the family's Christmas party in 2019.

The couple grew closer during the pandemic as a source told PEOPLE: 'The lockdown made them closer. They hadn't spent this much time together since they lived in Cleveland. They have had an amazing spring with True in LA.'

But by 2021, Tristan was caught in new cheating storms as multiple women once again came forward with allegations he had been unfaithful to Khloe, most recently with Kimberly Alexander and model Sydney Chase.
She has moved back to the US after spending a long period of time in London amid the Covid pandemic.

And Shanina Shailk is settling back into the quintessential LA lifestyle.

The Aussie model showed off her long slender pins in a pair of very tight leggings as she headed to a Pilates class with her good friends and TikTok star, Addison Rae.

Legs for days! Makeup free Shanina Shaik showed off her endless slender pins in VERY tight leggings as she headed to a Pilates class in Los Angeles on Wednesday

The 30-year-old flaunted a hint of her flat abs in her hooded black and white top and revealed her natural beauty by going makeup free.

Last month, Shanina shared the 'secrets' to her supermodel physique in an Instagram post.

The Melbourne-born model captioned the set of skin-baring snaps, 'Home cooking , Pilates and lymphatic massage.... thats my secret'.

Fit as a fiddle! The 30-year-old flaunted a hint of her flat abs in her hooded black and white top and revealed her natural beauty by going makeup free

In the images, the Australian beauty posed while standing in a shower.

She took several mirror selfies while wearing just a crop top and skimpy bikini bottoms.

Shania's raven tresses were pulled back up into a high bun for the impromptu photo shoot.

VIP treatment: Shanina attended a private Pilates class with her good pal and TikTok star Addison Rae

Back in LA: Shanina has moved back to the US after spending a long period of time in London amid the Covid pandemic

The sultry pictures came after she celebrated the 93rd Academy Award in April, attending a private star-studded soiree in Bel Air.

The Aussie model dressed to the nines, showing off her incredible figure in an elegant black strapless gown.

The designer dress, by Ulyana Sergeenko Couture, featured a thigh-high slit that showed off the Victoria's Secret star's slender pins.

It also boasted a low-cut neckline to flaunt a hint of cleavage.

Shanina left her decolletage bare, but accessorised with some diamond drop earrings.

Her makeup with absolutely flawless, with the beauty accentuating her gorgeous green eyes with wing-tipped eyeliner and her perfect pout with a nude lipstick.

The brunette stunner recently debuted her new boyfriend Matthew Adesuyan.

The pair went Instagram official with their relationship on Valentine's Day earlier this year.

Prior to becoming romantically involved with the record label owner, the model was married to Gregory Andrews from 2018 until the following year.
Megan Fox broke Machine Gun Kelly's nose in the first teaser for the Lionsgate film Midnight in the Switchgrass, which hits select theaters and VOD on July 23.

In the trailer - obtained by ET on Wednesday - the 35-year-old Jennifer's Body alum portrays FBI agent Rebecca Lombardi, whose honey trap ropes in a sex trafficker, played by the 31-year-old pop-punk rocker.

MGK (born Colson Baker) tells Megan's character: 'You belong to me. You understand what I'm saying? Now lift up that skirt.'

Knockout: Megan Fox broke Machine Gun Kelly's nose in the first teaser for the Lionsgate film Midnight in the Switchgrass, which hits select theaters and VOD on July 23

At which point, Fox's Rebecca tells him 'no' and disarms him before punching him in the face.

The Tennessee-born brunette later interrogates the blond Texan, now wearing bandages on his nose, about the identity of the 'Truck Stop Killer' slaughtering young girls.

MGK's character responds: 'He tried to cop one of my girls. He had a lightning bolt on his truck.'

'The minute I got made bait it became my operation': In the trailer, the 35-year-old Jennifer's Body alum portrays FBI agent Rebecca Lombardi, whose honey trap ropes in a sex trafficker, played by the 31-year-old pop-punk rocker

MGK (born Colson Baker) tells Megan's character: 'You belong to me. You understand what I'm saying? Now lift up that skirt'

Self defense: At which point, Fox's Rebecca tells him 'no' and disarms him before punching him in the face

Things go far less smoothly when Megan's character attempts a sting operation to trap the real-life Florida serial killer (Lukas Haas), who holds her hostage and tortures her.

Midnight in the Switchgrass - arriving on Blu-ray/DVD on July 27 - also stars Bruce Willis and Emile Hirsch and marks the directorial debut of producer Randall Emmett.

Fox and the Project Power actor originally met in March 2020 on the Puerto Rican set of Midnight in the Switchgrass and quickly fell in love.

'Who was he?' The Tennessee-born brunette later interrogates the blond Texan, now wearing bandages on his nose, about the identity of the 'Truck Stop Killer' slaughtering young girls

MGK's character responds: 'He tried to cop one of my girls. He had a lightning bolt on his truck'

'We'll have our time together': Things go far less smoothly when Megan's character attempts a sting operation to trap the real-life Florida serial killer (Lukas Haas, R), who holds her hostage and tortures her

'We're supposed to be protecting these girls': Midnight in the Switchgrass - arriving on Blu-ray/DVD on July 27 - also stars Bruce Willis and Emile Hirsch and marks the directorial debut of producer Randall Emmett

MGK made no secret of his obvious admiration of the legally separated mother-of-three, posting a snap of their director's chairs side by side on March 11, 2020.

'I don't know if people understand what a good actor he is. He is so charismatic and he's so naturally gifted and he's so intense,' Megan gushed to ET.

'Which is annoying because he's also a brilliant, creative genius as a musician. So then, for him to show up on set and just be so much better than you at what you do for a living is very annoying.

Besotted: Fox and the Project Power actor originally met in March 2020 on the Puerto Rican set of Midnight in the Switchgrass and quickly fell in love (pictured in April 2020)

Starstruck: MGK made no secret of his obvious admiration of the legally separated mother-of-three, posting a snap of their director's chairs side by side on March 11, 2020

Megan gushed to ET: 'I don't know if people understand what a good actor he is. He is so charismatic and he's so naturally gifted and he's so intense...He's going to win awards one day'

'But he's really gifted. He's an amazing actor. He's going to win awards one day.'

Fox indicated she separated from the father of her three sons - 90210 alum Brian Austin Green - in November 2019 and officially filed for divorce from him on November 25.

Meanwhile, the heavily-tattooed millennial has an 11-year-old daughter Casie Colson Baker from his prior relationship with Emma Cannon.
Shipyard president George Lyon said other states had approached Lyon trying to get it to relocate, but said he decided to stay due to the resources here in Virginia and the willingness of the city and the Commonwealth to help us with our plans.
Nacogdoches, TX (75965)

Today

Isolated thunderstorms this evening. Skies will become partly cloudy after midnight. Low 73F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Isolated thunderstorms this evening. Skies will become partly cloudy after midnight. Low 73F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%.
Asked how he was feeling, Cooper said: Im feeling great. Ive been on the rodeo before. We ran a wonderful campaign, and we tried to make a difference. But the people have spoken, and we will certainly accept the outcome. So we wish her the best of luck.
VP Records co-founder Pat Chin was a recent guest on The Breakfast Club where she recounted her trailblazing journey as the matriarch of Jamaican music to hosts Charlamagne Tha God, Angela Yee and DJ Envy. Born Dorothy Patricia Williams, Miss Pat, as shes affectionately called, is inextricably linked to the islands long and lively recording history spanning ska, rocksteady, dub and reggae.

While promoting her new book Miss Pat  My Reggae Music Journey, From Mento, Ska, Rocksteady, Reggae To Dancehall, she revealed how the largest independent record label in the world was bolstered by her behind the scenes efforts. Shes as much an avid fan as she is the revered first lady of the genre; as DJ Kool Herc, the Jamaican founding father of hip hop put it: What Berry Gordy was to Motown, Patricia Chin is to VP Records and the reggae industry.

Miss Pat and her late husband Vincent Randy Chin founded the infamous Randys Records in Kingston in 1958, right when Jamaicas music scene was taking off. They stocked the store with the old jukebox records sourced from Vincents maintenance job, and then set up another famed fixture of Jamaicas music scene, Studio 17.

From selling jukebox records, we started to produce our own music and also had a studio. We were very successful in the studio, we did mixing, mastering, cutting the acetate and they could come downstairs and listen to the records being played. So we got first hand information about the song and that was a great asset for us, Miss Pat said.

Among the classic reggae albums recorded at Studio 17 were The Wailers Soul Rebel, Burning Spears Marcus Garvey and Peter Toshs Equal Rights. Though she remembers the 60s and 70s as an exciting time for the couple, memories of a volatile climate, which ultimately spurred their departure from the island, were just as fresh.

I left Jamaica in 1977 because we were going through political unrest and we took the kids with us. It was very dangerous, she began. I remember with the riots and things we had to shut down the shutters 2-3 times a day, everybody would come in until the riots were over, then wed open back. We just felt we couldnt live that way. There was no fun doing business. We chose Jamaica (Queens) because it reminded us so much of Jamaica, the 83-year-old said.

Once theyd relocated, the family started from scratch: selling reggae recordings to the growing West Indian community, getting into distribution as well as pressing their own records. When they were finally able to afford a building to house their venture, The Chins chose the name VP Records, using the initials of Vincent and Pats first names.

Instances of racism and sexism did little to deter the 4-foot-11-inch entrepreneur, driven by their humble beginnings and her high hopes. Every day we tried to do something better, she said. Didnt plan it, didnt go to business school but we just followed instinct and there were a lot of people who helped us along the way.

Established in 1979, VP Records is currently the worlds largest independent label, distributor, and publisher of reggae and dancehall music, controlling more than 30,000 song titles. Its now run by the immigrants three sons with offices in New York, Miami, Tokyo, London and Jamaica, and annual grosses in excess of $10 million. The impressive list of VP artists and alumni includes Buju Banton, Beres Hammond, Shaggy, Sean Paul, Maxi Priest, Marcia Griffiths, Elephant Man, Wayne Wonder and Lady Saw.
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The high infection rates in these age-groups are attributed to their work profile and caring for the Covid-19 patients and being at hospitals for them.  PTI

HYDERABAD: Positive cases of Covid-19 have been higher in men when compared to women and the most vulnerable age group has been 21 to 60 years in both the genders, according to reliable data.

The highest cases have been noted from 21 to 40 years with 43.5 per cent in males and 27.7 per cent in females. This age-group which is the most productive has suffered mild and serious cases also. Experts say that in the second wave, the intensive care units had more young patients than middle-aged and old patients.

The long Covid complications have been noted in these age-groups with scarring of lungs, problems in functioning of heart and extreme fatigue.

The high infection rates in these age-groups are attributed to their work profile and caring for the Covid-19 patients and being at hospitals for them. Doctors say that declining cases are only an indication that there has been maximum infection with 79.9 percent asymptomatic cases and 20.1 per cent symptomatic cases.

Those districts which are close to Maharashtra border were infected in April and they are showing a decline now but there are still districts where the numbers are double digit. Karimnagar, Peddapalli, Sangareddy, Suryapet, Vikarabad and Warangal are still having more than 50 new cases every day.

Decline in these cases further will depend on the movement of people within the state and also inter-state. This human activity allows for movement of viruses and also creates scope for emergence of new variants. Experts say that vaccination of maximum people must be achieved in the next two months to have minimum new infections in the third wave.
NIZAMABAD: Gulf migrant workers are worried over Covid-19 vaccine slots for them in their native places in Telangana. Around 4,000 migrant workers reached their native places in north Telangana districts prior to the second wave of Covid-19. Due to the nonavailability of Covid-19 vaccines, Gulf migrant workers are unable to return to their workplaces.

Usually, Gulf migrants visit their native places once every two or three years for vacation. Based on their work rules, they stay in their native places for 2-6 months on vacation. The migrant workers, who reached composite Nizamabad, Adilabad, Karimnagar and Warangal districts, are stranded due to Covid-19 pandemic. The Gulf countries allowed the migrant workers to go back to work, only if they get Covid-19 vaccine.

There is no special category for Gulf migrant workers to get Covid-19 vaccines. It is noted that the majority of workers are under the 20 to 44 years age group. They are not covered by any special groups designated for Covid-19 vaccination drive. Shockingly, there is no private hospital facility to provide vaccines for a cost in rural areas.

Speaking to this newspaper, Abdul Khadar, a migrant worker, said he should have reached Dubai by May end. Because of not getting Covid-19 vaccine, his visa was extended twice so far, he said. I approached medical and health officials to get the vaccination done, but in vain, he lamented. The Telangana state government should provide a special category for Gulf migrant workers for jabs, he urged.

Meanwhile, a few Gulf migrant workers welfare associations are trying to provide vaccination for migrant workers. Reportedly, they approached higher-ups and requested for vaccination on priority basis for migrants. There is no employment chance for migrants in native places and they are losing opportunities in Gulf countries, the association leaders said. It is high time they were provided in north Telangana districts, they opined.
We must elect leaders who will be proactive, not reactive and rise to meet this moment in our history, Jones said in the written statement. As we enter the new Virginia decade, we cannot afford to rest on our laurels. I look forward to working in the House of Delegates to build on the progress we have made towards a Virginia that guarantees justice for every community.
As the junior doctors requested the Deputy CM for an incentive/hike in stipend, the latter assured to look into the issue based on feasibility.  Representational image/DC

Vijayawada: Junior doctors including postgraduates and house surgeons called off their strike and resumed duty on Wednesday, following state governments assurance to consider some of their demands positively.

The junior doctors were invited for talks with Minister for Health All Kali Krishna Srinivas along with Principal Secretary (Health) Anil Kumar Singhal in the presence of Director of Medical Education (DME) Dr M. Raghavendra Rao. The government assured them to sanction Rs 25 lakh as ex-gratia/health insurance in case any doctor succumbed to Coronavirus, irrespective of any assistance by the Centre. It also assured to release an ex-gratia of Rs 25 lakh to the family of house surgeon Dr Kandikatla Rosy from ASRAM Medical College, who died of the Coronavirus recently, in next couple of days.

The state government conceded their demand to provide specialist health care to the Covid-infected doctors free of cost and to enhance security at all government hospitals to prevent any untoward behaviour towards the doctors. It also assured to resolve the TDS (tax deducted at source) issue regarding stipends after consulting the authorities concerned.

As the junior doctors requested the Deputy CM for an incentive/hike in stipend, the latter assured to look into the issue based on feasibility. Later, they thanked Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy and all others for the timely response and called off the strike immediately and resumed work.
The girl also enclosed in her letter a drawing depicting discharge of duties by the apex court where a judge is seen hammering down coronavirus and has the tricolour, national emblem and smiling portrait of father of the nation. (ANI)

New Delhi: Amid debate whether the Centre's decision to provide free COVID-19 vaccine to all above 18 years was triggered by the Supreme Court's recent remarks on the jab policy, a class 5 student of Kerala has written to Chief Justice N V Ramana lauding the top court for its effective intervention and saving lives in the fight against pandemic.

The 10-year-old Lidwina Joseph got lucky as the Chief Justice of India responded to her "beautiful letter" and "heart-warming illustration of a judge at work" in her drawing along with it and gifted her a signed copy of the Indian Constitution.

"I have received your beautiful letter along with a heart-warming illustration of the Judge at work. I am really impressed with the way you kept track of happenings in the country and the concern that you have displayed for the well-being of people in the wake of the pandemic.

"I am sure you will grow-up into an alert, informed and responsible citizen who will contribute immensely towards nation building", the CJI wrote back wishing the best and all-round success to the little girl.

Joseph, a student of Kendriya Vidyalaya at Thrissur, also enclosed in her letter a drawing depicting discharge of duties by the apex court where a judge is seen hammering down coronavirus and has the tricolour, national emblem and smiling portrait of father of the nation.

"I was much worried about the deaths in Delhi and other parts of the country due to Corona. From the newspaper I understood that your honourable court has intervened effectively at the sufferings and death of ordinary people in the fight against Covid-19.

"I am happy and feel proud that your honourable court has moved orders for supply of oxygen and saved many lives. I understood your honourable court has initiated effective steps in bringing down Covid-19 and the death rate in our country especially in Delhi. I thank you, your Honour for this. Now I feel very proud and happy".., Joseph wrote to CJI Ramana towards the end of May when Delhiites were facing tough times due to the deadly second wave of coronavirus.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Monday that the central government will provide free coronavirus vaccine to states for inoculation of all above the age of 18 from June 21 and this led to an intense debate in the media as to who and what triggered the decision.

As per news reports, while Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan thanked the Centre for the decision, the Delhi government credited the Supreme Court for the decision announced by the Prime Minister in his address to the nation.

Some reports also said the Centre had initiated the decision-making process and the ground work before the apex court's remarks.

Few days before the Prime Minister announced free COVID inoculation for those above 18 years of age from June 21, the Supreme Court, in its May 31 order which was uploaded two day after the hearing, had asked the Centre to review its vaccination policy saying it was prima facie arbitrary and irrational for allowing states and private hospitals to charge people of 18-44 age group for the jabs.
Chennai: On Tuesday, Tamil Nadu's Mudumalai reserve in Chennai conducted COVID-19 tests on 28 elephants. This decision was taken after reports broke out of the virus surfacing in wild animals, causing death.

The tests were conducted on Tuesday, June 8, and the test samples were sent to the Indian Veterinary Research Institute in Uttar Pradesh. The results are expected to arrive in a few days.

This action was taken after a few lions were tested positive for COVID-19 at Arignar Anna Zoological Park in Tamil Nadu. Out of the covid positive lions, one of the lionesses died of the virus.

Following this, the State Forest Minister Thiru K. Ramachandran ordered for tests to be conducted on all the elephants of Chennais Mudumalai Tiger reserve to ensure proper safety of the animals, and to stop the virus from spreading further within wild animals.

The test was conducted on all elephants, ranging from the ages of 2 to 60. In this special camp, trunk wash samples, as well as rectal swab samples, were collected from all 28 elephants [of the reserve] and sent to the Indian Veterinary Research Institute in Uttar Pradesh, Dhyandhan, a Forest Ranger at Theppakkad Elephant Camp, told ANI. The rests were conducted for all 28 elephants, ranging from 2 to 60 years, and the results are expected in a couple of days.

Last month, two lionesses tested positive for the virus at Etawah Safari Park in Uttar Pradesh. On May 4, eight other Asiatic lions had tested positive for the COVID-19 virus at the Nehru Zoological Park in Hyderabad.

Further, reports of animals being infected with the COVID-19 virus have been reported from across the globe. Several animals in zoos and sanctuaries worldwide have tested positive for the virus, including big cats (lions, tigers, pumas, snow leopards) and non-human primates (gorillas) after showing symptoms of the illness.

Though unconfirmed, it is suspected that the animals contracted the virus after being exposed to an animal caretaker with COVID-19.
. There is an opinion that illegal structures are a ruse for officials and politicians to claim compensation in collusion with encroachers.  Representational image/DC

HYDERABAD: Despite repeated orders of Telangana High Court, Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has failed in removing encroachments over city water bodies, including River Musi, city lakes and nalas.

The failure of civic body has resulted in thousands of illegal structures including cattle sheds, multiple-storey buildings and mechanic sheds coming up on buffer zones of water bodies.

Revenue department has estimated that there are 6,218 encroachments on just the River Musi along its 57 kilometres of length in three districts of Hyderabad, Rangareddy and Medchal-Malkajgiri. These encroachments have been classified into permanent and temporary structures. They had been the primary reason for floods in several areas of the city and its environs during last rainy season.

GHMC authorities claim that only after the revenue department surveys and identifies these structures, can the corporation remove or demolish the encroachments.

Expressing concern over failure of authorities in checking illegal construction in buffer zones of water bodies including Musi River, Telangana High Court had instructed authorities to file an action taken report on April 3. The failure of authorities to contain illegal constructions would compel one to think they are hand-in-glove with persons who are raising such illegal structures, the High Court bench observed. It expressed surprise that authorities had failed to control unauthorised constructions despite having infrastructure and paraphernalia to do so.

However, despite multiple directions from the High Court, nodal agencies, including GHMC, revenue department and Musi Riverfront Development Corporation Limited (MRDCL) have failed in curtailing the growing encroachments along the Musi and other water bodies.

Highly placed sources say despite removing encroachments on city water bodies, they reappear as a few officials are hand-in-glove with politicians in the area who have been encouraging these illegal structures. One reason could be government asking authorities to pay compensation before removing long-standing encroachments, since that would displace several families eking out a livelihood at the spot. There is an opinion that illegal structures are a ruse for officials and politicians to claim compensation in collusion with encroachers.

When asked about the subject, a senior official, requesting anonymity, said political leaders cutting across the party lines have been hindering their anti-encroachment programme. He said the issue has been taken to the notice of government, whose decision is awaited.
VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy writes another letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking support from the Union government for 28.35 lakh pucca houses as Greenfield colonies under Mega Housing programme. CM Jagan said that AP government distributed 68,381 acres of land to the poor and decided to construct 28.35 lakh pucca houses in the Greenfield houses.

CM Jagan said that the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), a flagship program of Government of India being implemented jointly by Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MOHUA) and Ministry of Rural Development, is one of the path breaking welfare programmes in the world. He further said that the programme addresses housing shortage among the under privileged household categories (EWS) including the slum dwellers by ensuring a pucca house to all eligible households by the year 2022, when Nation completes 75 years of its Independence. He stated that this nation-wide programme has further progressed India's journey of achieving UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.

CM Jagan said, In continuation to the ongoing efforts of Government of India towards empowerment of people in line with 'housing for all' vision, I would like to humbly submit that the Government of Andhra Pradesh has taken the vision forward and has acquired 68,381 acres of land and allotted house sites at the rate of 1 cent in urban areas and 1.5 cent in rural & Urban Development Authority areas, to 30.76 lakhs beneficiaries spread across 17,005 Greenfield colonies at an estimated cost of Rs. 23,535 Crores. We are now assisting these beneficiaries to construct 28.30 lakh pucca houses in proposed 17,005 Greenfield colonies, under PMAY Urban and Gramin programme with an estimated cost of Rs. 50,944 Crores.

The Chief Minister wrote,  To ensure quality and timely construction of these houses, we have created a post, equivalent to Additional District Magistrate rank, in all the districts by the designation of 'Joint Collector, Housing'. These posts are being manned by Direct Recruit young IAS Officers. With such strong thrust from the Government of India, State Government, and district level institutional mechanism, I am hopeful that these houses will be constructed by the end of the mission period. However, the objectives of the PMAY programme will not be fulfilled without development of basic infrastructure in these Greenfield colonies. In Andhra Pradesh, construction of such basic infrastructural amenities requires an estimated amount of Rs.34,109 Crores. Sir may appreciate that the State Government has spent a total of Rs. 23,535 Crores in providing house sites to all eligible beneficiaries under PMAY programme.

CM Jagan said, Presently, the PMAY Urban and Gramin programme envisages the development of basic infrastructure in all these Greenfield colonies by the State Governments. In this regard, I would like to humbly submit that it will be difficult for State Governments to bear such huge cost. I request your kind self to visualize a scenario wherein, houses will be completed and fit for occupancy but due to lack of basic infrastructure, couldn't be occupied by the intended beneficiaries. In such a case, all the investments made in procuring land for house sites and assistance received under PMAY programme may not yield optimum results.

The Chief Minister concluded by appealing, I request your kind intervention to direct the concerned Ministries i.e. Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MOHUA) and Ministry of Rural Development to incorporate the creation of basic infrastructure in Greenfield colonies, also as a part of assistance given to State Governments under the PMAY programme.
It will extend Rs 1 lakh if an earning member in 18-50 age group dies naturally, and Rs 5 lakh if a person between 18-70 years dies in accident. It is already incurring premium expenses.  ANI

VIJAYAWADA: A massive amount of Rs 1.35 lakh crore could be disbursed to beneficiaries and credited directly into their bank accounts the past two years, thanks to transparency and honesty, noted Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy. Of this total disbursement, direct benefit transfer schemes account for Rs 95,000 crore, and the remaining was spent on welfare schemes.

Taking pride in the achievement, the Chief Minister directed senior officials at a review meeting on YSR Bima on Wednesday to clear all the pending insurance claims by July 1.

Jagan Mohan Reddy congratulated the officials of the finance department for their hard work in reaching welfare benefits to the public even during Covid times. He said that despite the crippling effect on state finances by the Covid-induced lockdown, the government was moving ahead without holding back any welfare scheme.

On the occasion, the CM asked the officials to implement the YSR Bima scheme with new changes from July 1. Hereafter, the state government would directly provide assistance to the families of the deceased. Insurance of Rs 1 lakh would be paid if an earning member in the 18-50 age group dies naturally, and Rs 5 lakh if a person aged between 18-70 years is killed in an accident.

The CM called for fast settlement of claims by making the process simpler and easier. He asked the officials to reach out to the families which lost earning members. Compensation should be paid within a month of receiving an application.

In addition to these, the Chief Minister told the authorities to compensate for the deaths of farmers, accidental death of fishermen, deaths of livestock, without any delay. He instructed the Collectors to report on all types of insurance claims every three months. Village, ward secretariats could be involved for screening the applications, he said.

The officials explained that the government started the YSR Bima scheme for about 1.4 crore ration cardholders across the state, and was bearing all expenses including premium payment despite the central government withdrawing from the scheme. The Centre used to bear 50 per cent of the premium amount.

The officials pointed out the huge pendency of applications at banks as accounts are neither opened nor linked to insurance.

Even after completing the paper process, 45 days time is treated as a lean period during which compensation is not paid if any earning member dies. Almost 12,039 people died within the 45-day period of taking insurance and no compensation was paid to those families by the banks.

However, the intervention by the Chief Minister saw that Rs 254.72 crore was paid to the affected families on humanitarian grounds.

So far only 60 lakh accounts have been opened and 58 lakh applications are pending. In regard to claims, 6,173 applications were received till date, where only 2,839 documents were uploaded and 152 families received the claim settlement. To make it easy for the distressed families, officials recommended that the government bring in certain changes in the scheme, so the government could compensate families directly under the YSR Bima.
These centres will undertake 57 types of tests relating to coronavirus, blood, urine, diabetes, hypertension, cardiac ailments, orthopaedic cases, liver, kidney, thyroid related x-ray, biochemistry, pathology etc.  Representational image

HYDERABAD: The public healthcare system in Telangana state got a boost on Wednesday with the launch of 19 diagnostic centres at various government hospitals across districts. Each diagnostic Centre has been set up at a cost of Rs 2.50 crore.

A festive mood was evident at these centres as ministers inaugurated them, as people are getting the expensive diagnostic services without any payment.



These centres were at Mahabubnagar, Nizamabad, Sangareddy, Medak, Jangoan, Mulugu, Mahabubabad, Bhadradri, Kothagudem, Jagtial, Siddipet, Nalgonda, Khammam, Siricilla, Vikarabad, Nirmal, Karimnagar, Adilabad, Gadwal and Asifabad district headquarters.



Ministers hailed the start of free diagnostic centres in government hospitals and said this is a landmark in the history of the public healthcare system in the state.



They said chief minister Chandrashekar Rao planned to spend Rs 10,000 crore for the development of government hospitals and Rs 5,000 crore for setting up seven new government medical colleges and nursing colleges this year.



The ministers said the blood samples collected from patients at all government hospitals including PHCs would get tested in TDC and soft copies of the reports would be sent to the doctor and patient. This would mean a significant change in the health care services at rural level by ensuring early detection of the diseases.



These centres will undertake 57 types of tests relating to coronavirus, blood, urine, diabetes, hypertension, cardiac ailments, orthopaedic cases, liver, kidney, thyroid related x-ray, biochemistry, pathology etc.



These centres have been provided with advanced testing equipment such as fully automatic immunoassay analyser, five-part cell counter and urine analyser. ECG, 2D Echo, ultrasound, digital x-ray and other such imaging testing units are also provided, which can produce 400 to 800 reports per hour.
As the world reeled from the Belarus kidnapping, the crackdown in Hong Kong and Israels bombardment of the Gaza Strip, I came across a poignant description not just of another tragedy but of an underlying factor in all such traumas. Looking back at Beijings Tiananmen Square massacre of June 4, 1989, when hundreds, perhaps thousands, of demonstrators were killed for demanding democratic governance, the writer spoke bluntly about the corruption of absolute power which undermines democracy.

It is the monopoly of power by the ruling party, which makes it impossible for people to check the abuses from which they suffer, Chaohua Wang wrote towards the end of an essay of nearly 4,000 words in the London Review of Books of July 5, 2007. Only democratic rights could make the holders of power accountable for their actions and release the popular energies needed to achieve all the things of which they are incapable.

In short, no matter how legitimately political power is acquired, justice demands the balancing factor of an opposition. If there is none, then only the supervision of the law courts can prevent the tyranny of the majority and save the populace from elective absolutism. China had neither.

Ms Wang was an ardent activist and office-bearer in the Beijing Autonomous Association of College Students, which organised the 1989 movement. As a result, she was put on the Chinese governments 21 Most Wanted Student Leaders list and had to spend more than six months underground before escaping to the United States (where she still lives) in early 1990. What she wrote could apply to many other seemingly democratic countries, at times even to the nation whose official spokesmen as well as sycophantic TV anchors miss no opportunity of boasting that India is the worlds largest democracy. That undeniable numerical achievement makes for representative government but not necessarily a democracy, as Senator Adlai Stevenson once pointed out to me at a seminar in Chicago.

Belarus seems almost to have been choreographed for the latest outrage. The protests against last years election when President Alexander Lukashenko (often called Europes Last Dictator) claimed victory on August 9 for a sixth term in office had left behind a deeply unsettled country. Domestic discontent was matched by sharp differences abroad with the European Union, which imposed sanctions against 40 Belarusian officials accused of political repression and vote rigging. Belarus retaliated with symmetrical sanctions against an undisclosed number of EU officials. While the United Nations Human Rights Office cited more than 450 cases of torture and ill-treatment of detainees, as well as rape and other sexual abuse, the human rights centre in Minsk, Belaruss capital, documented 1,000 testimonies of torture of victims.

What excites and outrages civilised opinion even more is the manner in which subterfuge was used to kidnap a young dissident Belarusian journalist, Roman Protasevich, while he was flying from Athens, Greece, to Vilnius in Lithuania on May 23. While in Belarusian airspace, the pilot of his commercial flight was ordered to divert from his course and land in Minsk. Mr Protasevich -- a prominent opponent of President Lukashenko -- and his girlfriend, a law student, Sofia Sapega, were arrested there.

No one thinks the Belarussian claim of being tipped off about Hamas planting a bomb on the aircraft at all plausible. Even if Belarus can show that it lawfully diverted the plane, under International Civil Aviation Organisation treaties, Flight FR4978 was under the jurisdiction of Poland where the plane was registered. No country has the right to detain suspects on a civil aircraft for crimes that were not committed on board that aircraft.

Of course, such things have happened down the ages. Lawlessness has always been mans natural state. History records that in 1804 Napoleon Bonaparte, then First Consul, sent his soldiers illegally into Switzerland to seize a 32-year-old Bourbon prince, the Duke of Enghien, and take him to France where he was shot after a parody of a rushed trial. In 1956, France forced a Moroccan charter plane to land in Algiers to jail four Algerian nationalists travelling to a diplomatic conference in Tunis. Four years later Israeli Mossad and Shin Bet intelligence agents captured the German Nazi Adolf Eichmann in Argentina and took him to Israel to be hanged.

Napoleon would not have become what he did if he had been at all finnicky about democratic norms. Republican France saw no reason to respect democratic niceties either in its determination to retain Algeria as a colony against the will of the Algerians. Despite -- perhaps because of -- the agony European Jews suffered, the State of Israel knows no rules save those it frames for its own survival and aggrandisement.

Whatever the outcome of the tortuous ministry-making in Tel Aviv (the only capital city to which Israel is entitled until it is prepared to share Jerusalem with Palestine), hardly any Israeli leader accepts the two-state solution this column had welcomed on May 25 (Israel & Gaza: Use truce to find a lasting solution).

Even Israels late President Shimon Peres, a dove among Zionist hawks, wrote that the two states already existed in Israel and Jordan, leaving no scope for a third. Hong Kongs transition from a free (to the extent that a colony can be free) colony to a subservient one is perhaps the most tragic instance of democracy denied. Despite Beijings clampdown, small numbers of Hong Kongers turned up on June 4 with candles and glowing mobiles to honour those who perished in Tiananmen Square 32 years ago. But what is remembered so powerfully in Hong Kong cannot even be mentioned on the other side of the border that separates the Special Administrative Region from the rest of the Peoples Republic of China, Ms Wang lamented.

The problem is as old as man. It suggests no quick fix solution. But if democracies dont go to war against each other, as is said, they also have the capacity to address grievances and provide each citizen, however humble, the assurance that his or her voice will not be ignored. A vigorous Opposition and a vigilant judiciary can most effectively practise the eternal vigilance that Bagehot had famously called the price of liberty. They offer the only protection against a majoritarian abuse that is no less pernicious because it can claim voter legitimacy.
This column was provided to The Associated Press by the personal finance site NerdWallet. The content is for educational and informational purposes and does not constitute investment advice. Liz Weston is a columnist at NerdWallet, a certified financial planner and author of "Your Credit Score." Email: lweston@nerdwallet.com. Twitter: @lizweston.

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NerdWallet: What Are Required Minimum Distributions, or RMDs? http://bit.ly/nerdwallet-minimum-distributions
Vaccine tourism exposes moral outrage of Americas hoarding

People's Daily Online) 17:40, June 08, 2021

We have arrived in the US not for the American dream, we are here for the vaccine dream, said a citizen who had travelled from Peru to get inoculated against COVID-19, according to a CNN report.

Peru now has the worlds highest rate of COVID deaths per capita at 551 per 100,000 people, but has not been able to obtain enough vaccines. Many Peruvians had to travel to foreign countries to get their injection, while the US, which has hoarded large quantities of COVID-19 vaccines, has become a popular tourist destination for them.

Photo taken on June 1, 2021 shows a vial of the Sinopharm vaccine in Beijing, capital of China. (Xinhua)

An estimated 70,000 Peruvians have already traveled abroad to get vaccinated, according to an official from Peru. With the number of people traveling from Peru to the US quadrupling in recent months, flight costs have also gone up several times.

But not everyone can pay for vaccine tourism in the US. According to an article published by New York Times, most of the vaccine tourists to the US are wealthy and middle-class Latin Americans with American tourist visas, while poor Latin Americans cant afford the high cost of travel.

Statistics from the Pan American Health Organization show that although over 400 million COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered across the Americas, most of those have been in the US. Indeed, just 3 percent of Latin Americans have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

It is evident that vaccine tourism was born out of the inequitable distribution of vaccines, which does more harm than good to the control of the pandemic and exacerbates the social divide. While many countries are denied access to COVID-19 vaccines, the US is hoarding them, adding fuel to the fire.

The US has snapped up some 2.6 billion doses of vaccines, a quarter of the global total, far more than it needs, and left hundreds of millions of unused vaccine doses piled up in warehouses, according to reports by Western media.

We are right now in possession of a supply that could be shared, that were worried about expiring, Arkansas governor told the White House in a phone call.

Stephen Morrison, director of the Global Health Policy Center at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said that the US is going to have an embarrassing accumulation of vaccine surplus.

By the end of the year, it is estimated that the US vaccine surplus will surpass 1 billion doses, according to a study by the Brookings Institution.

Given how sensitive the issue of equitable vaccine distribution has become, it is almost certain that the foreign and international economic policy goals of the Biden Administration will be compromised if this matter is handled poorly, the study said.

It's unimaginable that nearly a dozen countries are vaccine deserts where nobody, not even doctors treating COVID-19 patients, has gotten a single shot.

Americas vaccine surplus is staggering, American news website Vox said, adding that its a moral outrage that they are not being shared faster with a virus-ravaged world.

In stark contrast, China has taken completely different actions. Despite its own huge population and tight vaccine supply, China has provided more than 350 million doses to the international community, including vaccine assistance to over 80 countries and exports to over 40 countries. In addition, China has also carried out production cooperation with a number of developing countries to promote large-scale and rapid production of vaccines.

The imbalance in the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines was a catastrophic moral failure , said the World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

On several occasions, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has criticized some developed countries for pursuing vaccine nationalism, hoarding vaccines, or cutting deals in private with vaccine suppliers. He said the inequitable distribution is immoral and called for equitable distribution of vaccines globally.

However, the US keeps stressing that the country should stick to the approach of America First or domestic priority on vaccine distribution, and restricts the export of raw materials of vaccines.

American politicians have always failed to match their words with their deeds. Its a moral outrage that the American dream has been turned into the vaccine dream in the face of the pandemic.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji)
Lyndon German Staff writer

Lyndon German is a Virginia native born in Mechanicsville. After graduating from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2016, he went on to work for the Hopewell News, the Progress Index, the Richmond Free Press and Virginia Public Media. He has a passion for news, radio, podcasts and the NBA.
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Highlights of this day in history: Sen. Joseph McCarthy confronted over his anti-communist tactics; Author Charles Dickens dies; Comedian Richard Pryor suffers burns; Secretariat wins Triple Crown; Electric guitar pioneer Les Paul born. (June 9)
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Derry's council has come out of the Covid-hit financial year of 2020/21 with a 1.3m surplus instead of a predicted loss of 10.7m.

The 'incredible' state of Derry City and Strabane District Council's current finances were outlined today at a meeting of the council's Governance and Strategic Planning committee.

One year ago, in June 2020, as the full impact of the Covid pandemic was being assessed, councillors on the committee were told that the council was facing a 'very scary' financial future.

It was estimated at last year's meeting that the council could lose up to 10.7m in the 2020/21 financial year.

However, the more positive position was outlined at today's meeting of the committee.

The council's Lead Finance Officer, Alfie Dallas, said just over 7.2m in support had been given to the council by central government in the past year as a result to the pandemic.

This included 2m from the Department of Communities and 1.1m from the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs.

The Department of Economy also allocated 2m to offset losses at City of Derry Airport, which is managed by the council.

The council also saved 2.1m through the government's job retention scheme which was introduced in response to the pandemic.

Without this support, council would have faced a critical financial situation, Mr Dallas said.

He said that further support of 4.6m would be provided by the government towards the council's budget in the 2021/22 financial year.

The council's chief executive John Kelpie said the 'very positive' news on the council's finances would allow it to move forward with its 'highly ambitious' capital investment programme.

Mr Kelpie described the current state of the council's finances, when compared with where the local authority was this time last year, as 'incredible'.

Councillors on the committee also welcomed the news about the council's current financial situation, especially given the dire predictions put forward at the corresponding June meeting in 2020.

Councillors agreed at today's meeting to transfer the 1.3m surplus to the council's Capital Fund.

However, it also emerged at today's meeting that the council is facing a proposed reduction of 733,000 in 2021/22 in the money it receives as part of the Rates Support Grant.

The grant is provided to the seven 'most deprived' councils in Northern Ireland.

The local council agreed to write to the other six councils facing a reduction in the grant to organise a joint delegation to the Department of Communities to try and get the proposed cuts reversed.
Health Minister Robin Swann and Education Minister Peter Weir have announced that the programme of regular testing for Covid-19 in post-primary schools is to be expanded to include all pupils.

Since March, regular testing using Lateral Flow Device (LFD) tests has been made available to older students in years 12 to 14 in schools and in Education Other Than at School (EOTAS) centres.

All school staff, including teaching and support staff, have also been offered the tests.

Starting this week, the offer of twice-weekly testing will be expanded to pupils in years 8 to 11, providing further reassurance to the school community and families.

Health Minister Robin Swann welcomed the expansion of the schools testing programme.

He said: The aim of testing is to identify asymptomatic individuals so they and their close contacts can be isolated, therefore breaking chains of transmission in the school and beyond.

To date, the programme has successfully identified a significant number of positive cases in schools, enabling contact tracing and helping to minimise the risk of transmission.

"Asymptomatic testing should be used in addition to the range of other measures in place in schools and wider society such as social distancing, hand hygiene and face coverings.

With our successful vaccine programme, weve made tremendous progress in our fight against Covid-19, but we must remain cautious and take every step possible to prevent the spread of the virus.

Testing for school staff and pupils is twice weekly, three to four days apart, using Lateral Flow Devices which provide a result within approximately 30 minutes.

Education Minister Peter Weir said: I have been working closely with Minister Swann throughout this pandemic to ensure that my Department can provide the most up to date guidance to schools, taking account of all available public health advice.

Regular testing of staff and pupils, who do not have symptoms of Covid-19, using the self-test Lateral Flow Device (LFD) is an important additional mitigation available to schools.

"The purpose of asymptomatic testing is to find individuals who are infected but do not realise it. They can then be advised to isolate so reducing the risk of them unwittingly spreading infection in the school and elsewhere.

Post-primary schools are encouraged to make use of their stock of LFD kits to extend the offer to all pupils in Years 8-11 for the remaining weeks of term. Further stock is available from the Education Authority if required.

Individuals who receive a positive result from an LFD test will have to isolate along with members of their households from the time of their positive LFD result.

A confirmation PCR test will be required for everyone who tests positive on LFD.

If the PCR test result is negative, the individual and their household can end the isolation period and return to school as normal. If the PCR test result is positive. the individual and their household and all other close contacts should complete a full 10 days of self-isolation.
Kirti Kulhari opens up about Shaadistan, says 'Life is no longer happening to me; I am making it happen'

Kirti Kullhari's filmography is as varied as it could be. From playing a harassment survivor in Pink to playing an empowered woman in her series Four More Shots Please, she has done it all. The actress will next be seen in Shaadistan, which would head to OTT for a direct release. In a recent interview, she has opened up about it.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kirti Kulhari (@iamkirtikulhari)

Talking to Mid Day, she opened up about the film, and her character in it. She is playing Sasha in Shaadistan. Kirti said, My character Sasha is sorted and empowered. She came across as a person I am hoping to become some day, begins the actor. The Raj Singh Chaudhary-directed venture revolves around four free-spirited musicians, including Sasha, whose lives collide with that of a small-town couple and their daughter as they travel together from Mumbai to Rajasthan. I knew it was a small film, but I gravitated towards it because its the kind of movie that has to be made. The budgets and resources were limited, but our heart was in the right place.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kirti Kulhari (@iamkirtikulhari)

Talking about her choice of projects, Kirti said, Life is no longer happening to me; I am making it happen. I am choosing my work carefully. Its not about playing an empowered woman all the time. The reason I did Criminal Justice: Behind Closed Doors was to explore the other side of the spectrum, where she was a victim. That said, I want viewers to take something back with them, through my subjects. I could play a victim, and yet the subject of the series will stay with people. As artistes, we are always in a position to choose. As an actor, I want to leave people with a fresh perspective.

We are eagerly waiting to see her in Shaadistan, which would release on Disney+ Hotstar.
Priyanka Chopra celebrates Pride Month with new social media post; Watch

As the calendar turns to June, LGBTQIA+ communities and their allies across the world mark Pride Month. On Tuesday, global star Priyanka Chopra Jonas also celebrated the occasion on social media. The 'Baywatch' actor posted a happy sunkissed video of her on Instagram and extended Pride Month wishes in her caption. She wrote, "Love is....Take a video sharing what love means to YOU and tag me so I can see! #HappyPrideMonth," followed by pride-themed heart emojis. See the post here:

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Priyanka Chopra Jonas (@priyankachopra)

Bollywood actor Zareen Khan dropped several emotions in the comments section of the post that garnered more than 2 lakh likes.

June marks a time when millions of people come together to support the LGBTQ community. It was first celebrated in the US in 2000 when then US President Bill Clinton issued a presidential proclamation designating the month. To celebrate it, people come out on the streets for pride parades, marches, rallies.

Pride is about people coming together, to show and celebrate how far gay rights have come and how much is still left to achieve. Pride month is about equality, teaching acceptance, education in pride history and above all, love. This year, celebrations across the globe will resume gradually as COVID-19 restrictions are lifted and more people get vaccinated.

On the work front, Priyanka is currently working on the spy series 'Citadel'. It also stars Richard Madden. The project is backed by Amazon and helmed by the Russo Brothers of 'Avengers' fame. The actor has finished shooting 'Text for You' with Sam Heughan, Celine Dion, Russell Tovey, and Omid Djalili. Priyanka will also be seen in an Indian wedding comedy with Mindy Kaling, which she will co-produce and feature in. She also has 'Matrix 4' and a film based on the life of Maa Anand Sheela in the pipeline.
Khatron Ke Khiladi 11 star Sana Makbul is keen on doing Bollywood films; Will consider Bigg Boss if offered

The gorgeous Sana Makbul, popular for her work in the Indian television industry, jetted off to Cape Town, South Africa with many other celebrities last month to participate in the 11th season of Khatron Ke Khiladi. Hosted by Rohit Shetty, the stunt reality show will air on television in July and fans are super excited to watch it. Well, Sana has now revealed her plans for the future, which may include other reality shows as well.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sana Makbul (@divasana)

In a recent chat with Spotboye, Sana was quoted saying, I am very keen on doing Bollywood films. And you never know I might surprise you all with something soon. When asked which other reality shows she would be interested in taking up, the actress shared, Well, I always wanted to be part of the dance reality show Jhalak Dikhlaja. And I have been offered Bigg Boss in my past but that did not excite me. So, I didn't say yes to it.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sana Makbul (@divasana)

However, Sana went on to share that she will consider the controversial reality show if she gets an offer now. She explained, Since the pandemic began last year, we have learnt a lot of things, including staying in a lockdown. So, if it gets offered to me this year again, I would definitely give it a thought. The show makes you stronger I feel and I think if I participate in it, I will be stronger than ever.

Well, we hope makers of Bigg Boss 15 are listening!
Officers responding to a report of shots fired near the arena around 2 p.m. Wednesday found the injured teen. Police said they believe the shooting happened in the parking lot and the teen ran inside. No one has been arrested.
Nia Sharma apologies to Devoleena Bhattacharjee after bitter Twitter exchange over Pearl V. Puri rape case: 'It was impulsive'

Devoleena Bhattacharjees rant on Twitter against people shaming the victim and her parents on social media in the Pearl V Puri rape case led to a war of words between her and actress Nia Sharma. While Devoleena asked those wishing to show their support to Pearl to do it peacefully and without badmouthing the victim and her family, Nia fired back in a reply.

Well, Nia has now apologized to Devoleena in an Instagram story after her mother, brother and co-star Ravi Dubey pointed out that she was in the wrong. The actress was forgiven by Devoleena who also said sorry to Nia for the unpleasant exchange.

My mom, brother and Ravi very lovingly told me I wasnt right and considering 3 close ones cant be wrong.. so here I go.. Hey @devoleena I may have crossed the line in being personal.. Im sorry. It was impulsive. Hope youll forget it, Nia wrote on Instagram.

Devoleena in reply wrote, Hey @niasharma90 that is ok. Forgive me too if i have hurt you anyway though that wasnt my intention at all. Convey my regards to your mom, brother and ravi. Stay safe & take care.

Nia had taken a stand against Pearl V Puris arrest along with several other celebrities on social media. Devoleena after Nias tweet asking her to go practice her dance videos wondered why her tweets offended the Jamaai Raja actress.
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SEATTLE (AP)  The Washington Department of Ecology has fined dam operator Electron Hydro, LLC, $501,000 for discharging discarded plastic field turf into the Puyallup River.

Pieces of the artificial turf were found up to 21 miles downstream while deposits of ground-up tire rubber are believed to have entered into Commencement Bay in Tacoma, 41 miles) downstream, Ecology said in a Tuesday news release.





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SEATTLE (AP)  Federal officials are planning to curtail nontribal salmon fishing along the West Coast in especially bad years to help the Northwest's endangered killer whales.

NOAA Fisheries is taking public comment on the plan, which calls for restricting commercial and recreational salmon fishing when Chinook salmon forecasts are especially low.





. . .
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JUNEAU, Alaska (AP)  An agreement announced Tuesday between an Alaska Native village corporation and conservationists would restrict development on lands in the Bristol Bay region where a mine developer has proposed a road, a move that could create another obstacle for the proposed Pebble Mine.

The Conservation Fund said it has launched a fundraising campaign to buy the land easements on more than 44,000 acres from the Pedro Bay Corp. for $18.3 million. Terms call for the money to be raised by the end of 2022, said Ann Simonelli, a spokesperson for the Virginia-based conservation group.





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KIRKLAND  An office building at 570 Kirkland Way sold for a bit over $6.2 million, according to King County records.

The seller was HJP Kirkland Properties LLC, which acquired the property in 2012 for $3.5 million.





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EVMS hired Tigercomm in early November 2020 when it clashed with Sentara over the future of the quasi-public school, which receives a majority of its funding from the not-for-profit hospital system. The feud became public as a consultant, hired by a third party think tank, prepared to make recommendations on how the standalone medical school could instead be run by Old Dominion University.
Pharmacists in Louth look set to get the green light to begin administering Covid-19 vaccines within the coming days.

It comes after Health Minister Stephen Donnelly announced in the Seanad last week that pharmacists will play a role in the vaccination centre beginning early this month.

Since the beginning of the rollout, only GPs or mass vaccination centres have been used, but now Ardee pharmacist Mark McPhilips is delighted to be acknowledged by the government as a vaccinator.

McPhilips, who owns and operates Ardee Pharmacy, said that hes looking forward to getting people into his premises and to begin administering jabs.

Im delighted that we're going to be included in this, said McPhilips, adding that he was excited to help do his bit to get more people fully vaccinated.

McPhilips said that while there arent complete details available at the moment, pharmacists are itching to get to vaccinating.

Most pharmacists are trained vaccinators at this stage people are used to being vaccinated by their pharmacist, said McPhilips, speaking to the Dundalk Democrat.

According to McPhilips, by allowing pharmacists to work on the vaccine programme, it will provide more options to people who dont live near a mass vaccination centre.

It gives more people the option of getting a vaccination within their own community, said McPhilips, saying that it would be especially helpful for those who are either elderly or disabled.

On some of the benefits, McPhilips said that due to the flexible opening hours of many pharmacies, vaccinations could be done at different times of the day, whether thats early morning or late in the evening.

McPhilips also believes that it will help increase the speed of the vaccine rollout, saying every little helps to get shots into arms.

The more hands on deck to vaccinate and the more slots for patients to get vaccinated is a good thing, he continued.

McPhilips previously told the Dundalk Democrat that he was considering the use of either a church hall or a community centre to help with the rollout, as well as increasing his own staff levels.

We are planning to extend our opening hours and increase our staff levels to facilitate administering the vaccine to local people,

There are a total of 65 community pharmacies in Louth, according to the latest figures from the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland (PSI).

It comes as Pfizer recently announced that Ireland would be receiving additional Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines before the end of June.
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In Hyderabad and on its outskirts, 14 hospitals have been barred from treating Covid-19 patients due to complaints of overcharging against them.  PTI

HYDERABAD: In a clear case of misinformation, 10 persons who were treated for Covid-19 turned up at five small private hospitals in Siddipet on Tuesday, demanding refund of the excess fee they paid for treatment in those hospitals.

These hospitals are parts of the Telangana Hospitals and Nursing Homes Association (THANA) which contacted its head office in Hyderabad to verify if there are any orders issued with regards to the refund of fee. In fact, there is no government order for refund but respective legal teams are looking into complaints on a case-to-case basis.

In a back-to-back online meeting in Hyderabad, members of small hospitals condemned this action in the district and wanted to know on what basis this was being done.

Dr C.R.K. Prasad, senior member of THANA said, "Revenue officials are calling the patients and their relatives stating that they are going to be refunded but it is wrong. There was commotion at the hospitals. On what basis is it being done as there are no orders from the government? When the rates of the government are not feasible, the authorities have been apprised of the same and the association is waiting for them to get back."

In Hyderabad and on its outskirts, 14 hospitals have been barred from treating Covid-19 patients due to complaints of overcharging against them. Senior officials of both small and multi-specialty hospitals say that they have kept a legal team ready to deal with these problems.

A senior hospital director on condition of anonymity said, "There is an observation by the High Court on the fees that are charged by private hospitals. There exists proof of high oxygen prices, medical devices and manpower costs that have been incurred by hospitals in treating patients. These documents will be produced to make the picture clear of the real costs incurred in treating moderate, serious and critical patients."

There are a total of 22 hospitals in the state which have been debarred from treating Covid-19 patients on complaints of 174 people. Covid-19 patients who are coming to hospitals which are not allowed to treat are referred to those hospitals where the treatment is presently available. This is leading to inconvenience of patients who are often coming via reference from their relatives and recovered patients.

Dr V. Rakesh of Telangana Small Hospitals Association says, "It is the patient who is suffering as they have to first find out which private hospital has the license to treat and which does not. Till May end, they were aware of the hospitals treating Covid-19 but now there is confusion. This affects the infected patients who need care and family members are anxious as they have to go around hospitals. Blaming doctors and hospitals does not help during the pandemic as we have to first get the situation under control."

Many hospital authorities say the government officials are making them scapegoats and diverting attention of the public from their inadequacies.

To control the outrage of the public, they are trying to show that refund is the way forward. But private hospitals are gearing up to fight legally as they claim that they are not wrong. With most hospitals debarred on the basis of complaints of some patients, it has evoked a strong resistance from them. In the end, it is the patient who suffers as private hospitals will be very cautious and not want to risk themselves in tackling severe and critical cases.
Some four thousand Polish coal mining and power workers have protested in Warsaw against the gradual phasing out of coal use and against a European Union court order to immediately close down a mine
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TIRUPATI: Chandragiri MLA Chevireddy Bhaskar Reddy distributed Anandaiah herbal medicine for Covid treatment in a container with photographs of Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, former Chief Minister late YS Rajasekhar Reddy and the MLA himself to the people of his constituency on Monday. This stirred up a controversy with Opposition parties accusing YSRCP leaders of self-promotion at the time of crisis and also it created a hullabaloo on social media with many netizens trolling the MLA.

After the state government gave green signal, Anandaiah and his team resumed distribution of herbal concoction on Monday. While the herbal medicine maker himself was engaged in preparing and distributing the concoction for the people of Sarvepalli constituency, his son Sridhar and Anandaiahs followers were involved in the same at Chandragiri constituency.

On Monday, the ruling party MLA Chevireddy Bhaskar Reddy officially started the distribution of Anandaiahs concoction in his constituency. The concoction supplied here was packed in containers sporting the photographs of the Chief Minister, his father and the local MLA.

Questioning the decency of YSRCP leaders still meddling with distribution of Anandaiah medicine even after the High Court issued orders against interference, TDP politburo member Yanamala Ramakrishnudu said even Bhaskar Reddy started his own distribution of Anandaiah medicine and the packets he was distributing were printed with the labels of YSRCP leaders.

He found fault over the decision of YSRCP leaders in fixing their pictures on Anandaiah medicine and accused the latter of creating problems for patients instead of helping with the distribution of the herbal medicine.

The TDPs official twitter handle also pointed fingers at the YSRCP leaders using their pictures on herbal medicine containers. "Though it was announced that Anandaiah's medicine would be distributed free of cost to the people of the state, there were no records of distribution so far; but Chandragiri MLA Chevireddy Bhaskar Reddy (YCP) distributing Anandaiah's medicine - sporting YCP stickers on it - to his constituency people is strange. The Telugu Desam Party is demanding that the government immediately distribute Anandaiah medicine free of cost to the people of the state", the TDP tweeted on its official handle.

Meanwhile, there was a new meme-fest on microblogging sites soon after the photos of the herbal medicine containers with YSRCP leaders pictures affixed on them appeared on social media platforms.
The Minister for Education Norma Foley TD has sent her best wishes to students who are sitting the 2021 Leaving Certificate Examinations beginning today Wednesday 9 June.

Minister Foley said: I would like to wish all students starting their Leaving Certificate examinations today the very best of luck. These exams are the culmination of many days and nights of hard work and I want to thank you for all your determination and efforts throughout a challenging period for all students.

This is a unique year with students having the option of sitting the examinations and also receiving Accredited Grades. It is heartening to see so many students taking the exams this year while also having the second option of the State Examinations Commission Accredited Grades.

I would also like to take this opportunity remind students of the public heath guidelines that should be followed throughout the next number of weeks during the examination period. You should limit your contacts and continue to follow the public health advice right up until 29 June. This is incredibly important to ensure all students have a fair opportunity to sit their exams.

ENDS

Notes to Editors

In any subject where a candidate sits the examination and opts to receive Accredited Grades, they will be credited with the better of the two results.

The written examinations begin on Wednesday 9 June and will run until 29 June. Students had the choice to opt to sit the examination or seek an Accredited Grade, or both, in each of their subjects.

Of all candidates initially entered for Leaving Certificate and final year Leaving Certificate Applied examinations this year, just 4% did not make a selection on the Candidate Self Service Portal.

Of those that made a selection on the portal, 99% have opted for an Accredited Grade in at least one subject and 91% have opted to sit an examination in at least one subject.

The full timetable for this years examinations is available from examinations.ie
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In this May 29 file photo, Illinois House Republican Leader Jim Durkin, R-Western Springs, joins Illinois House and Senate Republicans outside Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzkers office to urge him to veto the redrawn Illinois legislative maps at the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield. Illinois Republican leaders have filed a federal lawsuit challenging new legislative district boundaries drawn and approved by Democrats who control state government.
When Grace Straatmann plays with dolls, she plays with three at a time. Since October, the 2-year-old of Villa Ridge is seldom seen with any o
Rajendar declared that like the Karimnagar Simhagarjana, Huzurabad by-election will be a Kurukshetra battle between justice and injustice.  Twitter

KARIMNAGAR: People of Shabunipally and Kaniparthi villages in Kamalapur mandal of Huzurabad accorded a warm welcome to former minister Etala Rajendar when the latter visited his assembly constituency for the first time after meeting leaders of BJP in Delhi.

He was taken by his supporters in a long convoy of vehicles to his house in Kamalapur, where he addressed media on Tuesday. Rajendar said after resigning from TRS, he wishes to take the blessings of people belonging to his native place before launching his crusade against the ruling party. He expressed his gratitude to women, youth and other people who gave his a grand welcome from Shambunipet to Kamalapur.

The former minister said people have expressed their disappointment for the injustice that Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has meted out to him despite serving the party for 19 long years.

People are cursing the Chief Minister for encouraging leaders who had once tried to suppress the Telangana movement, while ignoring the real fighters of the movement. He said people are ready to teach Chandrasekhar Rao a fitting lesson.

Rajendar declared that like the Karimnagar Simhagarjana, Huzurabad by-election will be a Kurukshetra battle between justice and injustice. He said students, working sections, intellectuals and women have assured that they would be with him, like they have been for the past 19 years.

He appealed to the people of Huzurabad constituency to come out from every house in each village and participate in the by-election and teach a befitting lesson to TRS party and CM Chandrasekhar Rao.
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Sgt. Lloyd A. Alumbaugh, 21, of Jasper, Missouri, was a member of Ambulance Company, 7th Medical Battalion, 7th Infantry Division. He was reported MIA on Nov. 28, 1950, following an attack by enemy soldiers on his units position near the Chosin Reservoir of North Korea.
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Shilpa Nag, the Mysuru corporation commissioner, reportedly resigned from the IAS after accusing her senior, Rohini Sundari Dasari, deputy commissioner of the district, of interfering in her efforts to manage the pandemic.(ANI)

The instances of bureaucrats getting caught in the middle of political battles are a growing and dynamic list. Those in the know say that after the Centre recently amended the empanelment policy for IAS officers, young officers fear that their careers will be jeopardised if there is no political consensus between the Centre and the concerned state government.

Under the revised policy, the Centre has made the Central deputation of two years mandatory for IAS officers before they complete the first 16 years of service in their cadre state to be eligible for joint secretarys post in Delhi in the future. This would not be a problem if the Centre and state were ruled by the same party. The problem arises, as in the case of West Bengal, when there are ruled by bitter political foes. The babus are caught in a bind. Whether this is an inevitable feature of federalism isnt clear yet, but babu nervousness isnt something that helps with better administration in these perilous times.

Home and the world

Its not just the Vice-President and the Prime Minister who are getting new residences in Lutyens Delhi. Though not included in the Central Vista project underway in the heart of the capital, officials, or at least some lucky ones, at the ministry of external affairs too may get spanking new residences by 2023.

The ministry is building 97 state-of-the-art residences in the Gole Market area, known these days mostly for its nondescript and low-cost sarkari housing, into a high-powered diplomatic enclave replete with the modern bells and whistles that matches the lifestyle the IFS mandarins are accustomed to when serving abroad.

Perhaps the residential project is a belated move by the Modi sarkar to signal that it does not ignore the Indian Foreign Service. While in recent years other services have gained ground eroding the exclusivity enjoyed for decades by the IAS club, the IFS is too is now getting its share. A sarkari house in Delhi, as any government babu will tell you, is all about availability and location. The IFS seems to have scored a diplomatic victory on both.

An avoidable fracas

Even as Karnataka grapples with the Covid pandemic, two women IAS officers have stirred up an avoidable controversy, given the current circumstances.

Shilpa Nag, the Mysuru corporation commissioner, reportedly resigned from the IAS after accusing her senior, Rohini Sundari Dasari, deputy commissioner of the district, of interfering in her efforts to manage the pandemic. The state government has indicated that Ms Nags resignation has not been accepted nor will it be. But sources say that Ms Nag has gathered several voices in her support, with other city corporators demanding that Ms Dasari be transferred out. Ms Dasari has denied the allegation and said that she had merely asked Ms Nag to explain the contradictory data on Covid from her ward.

It is believed that the root of the dispute between the two senior IAS officers is Ms Dasaris insistence on the deployment of CSR funds for the entire district rather than limiting the funds for managing Covid in the city area only.

Meanwhile, to allow tempers to cool down, the state government has transferred both officers. Ms Dasari will be the new commissioner of Hindu religious and charitable endowments, while Ms Nag has been named director of e-governance in rural development and panchayati raj department. Sources say that the fracas was wholly avoidable and the disputed issue could have been dealt with within the government without a fuss.

Share a babu experience! Follow dilipthecherian@Twitter.com . Lets multiply the effect.
Ford said its plans for electrified vehicles were expanding, and the latest example is its new Maverick pickup. Despite hijacking the name of a 70s car most people under the age of 40 have already forgotten, its aimed directly at people who want something more efficient but without the high price and need for a place to plug in.

Ford

With destination charge included, the Mavericks base price is $21,495, which will bring home a front-wheel drive hybrid truck thats supposed to have an EPA rating for 40 mpg for city driving and up to 500 miles of range on a tank of gas. The Mavericks bed only measures 4.5-feet long, but a Flexbed tailgate should help move large items even if they stick out a bit. There doesnt seem to be much risk that this will compete with vehicles like the F-150 Lightning or Mustang Mach-E, but as an alternative to crossovers thats easier on gas and your budget, it could be a hit.

 Richard Lawler

All part of a global crime sting.

AFP

The FBI covertly ran an encrypted communications platform for years, which allowed it to intercept 20 million messages from international criminal organizations. Hundreds of arrests have been made across 18 countries as part of the investigation known as Operation Trojan Shield. Suspects included members of the Italian Mafia.

The app was born out of the ashes of a popular encrypted phone service, known as Phantom Secure. The FBI were able to peddle a new app, dubbed Anom, to criminal networks, all while having the master key to everything it sent encrypted. Roughly 9,000 Anom devices are currently active in the wild. According to the FBI, it has identified over 300 transnational criminal organizations using the chat platform. The Australian Police, which helped intercept local messages, said the communications included alleged plots to kill, mass drug trafficking and gun distribution.

Continue reading.

CDN provider Fastly was the source of the problem.

Fastly

On Tuesday, a huge internet outage affected large swaths of the internet, including major sites like Amazon, Reddit, Twitter and Twitch, along with news sites including the New York Times and The Guardian. Other affected sites were Stack Overflow, GitHub, gov.uk, Hulu, HBO Max, Quora, PayPal, Vimeo and Shopify. The source of the problem was the Fastly content delivery network (CDN). The CDN is often responsible for images, meaning the repercussions were more widespread than you might think.

Fastly announced "the issue has been identified and a fix is being implemented, and the internet returned to normal soon after.

Continue reading.

Yoko Kanno is also writing the adaptation's soundtrack.

Cowboy Bebop fans wont have to wait much longer to revisit the world of Spike, Faye, Jet and Edward  and the good news is original series composer, Yoko Kanno, is writing the adaptations soundtrack, too. Netflix will release its live-action adaptation of the legendary Sunrise anime this fall. The company added that new episodes of Locke and Key and a new series of Shadow and Bone are both incoming, too.

Continue reading.

Excellent earbuds, awkward fit

Billy Steele / Engadget

Our long-running favorite pick for the best wireless earbuds has received an upgrade. Sonys WF-1000XM4 are $280 headphones that improve on its predecessor in pretty much every way. That said, theyre a little bit pricier, and the new ear tips might be uncomfortable for some. There are some notable features, though, alongside the great sound quality wed expect, including support for 360 and high-res audio. Billy Steele gives them a thorough testing.

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But that doesnt include any Apple AirPods.

Apple

Lossless-quality streaming is now available on Apple Music, shortly after it flipped the switch on Dolby Atmos spatial audio earlier this week. Now, you can stream supported tracks in both standard CD-quality lossless or high-res lossless on the latest versions of iOS, iPadOS and macOS.

While Dolby Atmos spatial audio will be limited to certain albums, Apple said yesterday at WWDC that lossless streaming will eventually come to its entire catalog of 75 million tracks. Over 20 million songs should already be available on the service as of today. Once you have the latest OS, you'll need to switch your preferences from AAC to lossless in the Music app section of the iOS/iPad OS settings. Lossless audio requires a wired connection and thus won't work on any of Apple's AirPod wireless audio devices.

Continue reading.

Echo and Ring devices in the US are automatically enrolled.

Amazon is today switching on Sidewalk, a low-bandwidth network that aims to keep compatible devices connected even when they lose their link to your router. Many Echo and Ring products are automatically being used as bridges to extend the range of the network. Sidewalk is effectively a mass mesh network, earmarking a small chunk of your internet bandwidth (up to 500MB of monthly data in total) to share with your neighbors.

If you dont want to be a part of that, you'll need to opt out. To do so for Echo devices, weve laid out all the steps right here.

Continue reading.

But wait, theres more...

HBO Max update mostly fixes its broken Apple TV app

Lordstown Motors warns it doesn't have enough cash to produce electric trucks

AT&T is giving six months of Stadia Pro to 5G and fiber internet subscribers

'Ron's Gone Wrong' trailer stars Zach Galifianakis as a buggy domestic robot

Panic's Playdate handheld will be available for pre-order in July

A new plant-based tuna is coming to restaurants in 2022

'Loki' brings the MCU's next phase into focus
Lordstown Motors has been among the startups (Rivian, Canoo) promising electric pickups that can compete with the current titans of the truck world, but an update today shows the company's future is in doubt. The New York Times reports on a filing with the SEC that shows the company's ability to move forward as a going concern is at risk, simply because it doesn't currently have enough cash to start manufacturing the Endurance electric truck.

Lordstown Motors:

The Company had cash and cash equivalents of approximately $587.0 million and an accumulated deficit of $259.7 million at March 31, 2021 and a net loss of $125.2 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2021. Since inception, the Company has been developing its flagship vehicle, the Endurance, an electric full-size pickup truck. The Companys ability to continue as a going concern is dependent on its ability to complete the development of its electric vehicles, obtain regulatory approval, begin commercial scale production and launch the sale of such vehicles. The Company believes that its current level of cash and cash equivalents are not sufficient to fund commercial scale production and the launch of sale of such vehicles. These conditions raise substantial doubt regarding our ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least one year from the date of issuance of these unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.

To alleviate these conditions, management is currently evaluating various funding alternatives and may seek to raise additional funds through the issuance of equity, mezzanine or debt securities, through arrangements with strategic partners or through obtaining credit from government or financial institutions. As we seek additional sources of financing, there can be no assurance that such financing would be available to us on favorable terms or at all. Our ability to obtain additional financing in the debt and equity capital markets is subject to several factors, including market and economic conditions, our performance and investor sentiment with respect to us and our industry.

The company went public in October via the maneuver known as a SPAC, special acquisitions company, and recently warned investors it was at risk of being delisted for missing a filing deadline. The plan has been to sell its truck to businesses, but with electric pickups arriving from Ford and others, it's only going to get harder to compete, assuming the Endurance comes to market in the first place.
On Tuesday afternoon the Senate passed S.1260, an amended version of Chuck Schumer's Endless Frontier Act that authorizes billions in funding to strengthen US tech and research. Dubbed the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act, it's also intended to build up US manufacturing and tech to compete with options from China, and passed by a 68 - 32 vote.

As Reuters notes, of the $190 billion in spending laid out in the bill, more than $50 billion is available to "increase U.S. production and research into semiconductors and telecommunications equipment," with $2 billion focused specifically on chips used by automakers  ones that have been in short supply, stalling production lines across the country.

In a tweet after the vote, Schumer said "This legislation will set the United States on a path to out-innovate, out-produce, and out-compete the world in the industries of the future." The original bill proposed last year committed over $100 billion to boost research and create regional technology hubs, however this version has expanded to $250 billion, as Bloomberg notes it's added legislation from a number of committees focusing on competition with China.

The Senate just passed the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act, including my Endless Frontier Act.



This legislation will set the United States on a path to out-innovate, out-produce, and out-compete the world in the industries of the future.  Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) June 8, 2021

The bill still includes $10 billion that will go to the Commerce Department intended to reshape cities and regions as technology hubs, while the $100 billion for a National Science and Technology Foundation (NSTF) has turned into $29 billion for a new Directorate of Technology and Innovation at the existing NSF.

It also includes provisions for NASA spending and the Artemis mission to the moon, however it isn't a law yet. The House still needs to pass a version of the bill and bipartisan support there is uncertain.
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The Service celebrating and honoring the life of Thomas "Tommy" Crawford, 74, of Enid are pending under the direction of Brown-Cummings Funeral Home. Condolences and special memories may be made to the family online at WWW.Brown-Cummings.Com
No grandparent can truly ignore a grandchild, especially one who is just born into this world.

Prince Charles, despite being relatively just quiet most of the time about his son Prince Harry's decision to not just leave his royal duties, but to leave the United Kingdom, his home, actually gushed about baby Lilibet Diana.

The royal spoke about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's daughter for the first time on June 8.

Prince Charles Calls Lilibet Diana's Birth a Happy News

"The development of technology like electric vehicles ... is vital for maintaining the health of our world for future generations, something I am only too aware of today, having recently become a grandfather for the fifth time," the Prince of Wales, 72, exclaimed, while touring a BMW Mini factory.

"Such happy news really does remind one of the necessity of continued innovation in this area - especially around sustainable battery technology - in view of the legacy we bequeath to our grandchildren," he added.

He did not explicitly name Lilibet, but suddenly having the inkling to talk about his grandchildren must be inspired by this baby's birth. Having him said he became a grandfather for the fifth time is just truly endearing to hear, even if he did not say the baby's name.

This is, of course, not the first time since he acknowledged Lilibet Diana - so preciously named after his own mother and ex-wife.

The heir and his present wife, Duchess Camilla, already shared their support via Instagram on Sunday, June 6.

"Congratulations to Harry, Meghan and Archie on the arrival of baby Lilibet Diana," Charles and Camilla, 73, captioned a throwback photo of the couple with their 2-year-old son, Archie.

ALSO READ: Harry Styles, Olivia Wilde's Romance Is Making One Person 'Heartbroken'- 'Upset' and 'Angry'

The two added a line that would imply that they are mindful of the distance between them and Prince Harry's family. "Wishing them all well at this time," they also wrote.

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Prince Charles Kept Quiet About Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's 'Transgressions'

Analysts have been quite busy trying to explain Prince Charles' relative silence ever since Megxit happened. Some could not understand why the father did not stop his son from leaving the palace, let alone the whole country to live in another continent.

Charles is well known for distancing himself from emotional heightened situations as he is a very caring, sensitive man. He therefore chooses to wait to let strong feelings settle down before responding," an insider told Us Weekly.

At the same time, he is not totally blind and deaf to what Prince Harry had been doing to the royal family either. Ever since Prince Harry and Meghan Markle started to live in the United States, articles and reports have been made of the two revealing family secrets and drama, including the fact that both have mentally suffered while living in the palace. Meghan Markle even said she was at the brink of suicide.

"He does not agree with Harry trashing his whole family in public. Charles thinks these matters could have easily been addressed in private," an insider revealed back in March to US Weekly. Prince Charles reportedly hated that the bombshell CBS interview even happened, but chose to stay quiet about it.

ALSO READ: 'Bridgerton Actor Rege-Jean Page Corrects Fans on a 'Burning' Mistake About 'Wedding Night Scene'

See Now: Famous Actors Who Turned Down Iconic Movie Roles
Barack Obama unceasingly works on the worsening cancel culture despite being out of the office for years.

Obama recently sat down for a serious interview with CNN's reporter Anderson Cooper and addressed the dangers of cancel culture in the country.

Per the former POTUS, the issue currently goes too far in American society across the country. Still, he shed some light and hope by revealing that his daughters and their friends work on eliminating the stigma.

He said, "A lot of the dangers of cancel culture and 'we're just going to be condemning people all the time,' at least among my daughters, they'll acknowledge that among their peer group or in college campuses, you'll see people going overboard."

Former President Barack Obama says cancel culture goes overboard, but highlights calling out institutions or individuals if they are being cruel. pic.twitter.com/2Se5EECmGn  The Recount (@therecount) June 8, 2021

The 59-year-old detailed that his daughters Malia and Sasha already learned how not to expect everybody to be right at all times. Despite their very understanding nature, Obama and his family know when to call out people or institutions once they are being cruel and discriminating.

Barack Obama Believes in Forgiveness

Highlighting the cancel culture while being brave enough to call out racists surely helps everyone in raising and spreading awareness. While most people still need to learn how not to abuse other people racially and emotionally, he believes that people know everyone is not perfect.

For what it's worth, Obama delivered a life-changing message during his foundation's Summit in Chicago in 2019. At that time, he slammed the ongoing woke culture which affects people's capacity to forgive others and be kind.

"This idea of purity and you're never compromised and you're always politically woke and all that stuff, you should get over that quickly," he said. "The world is messy. There are ambiguities. People who do really good stuff have flaws.

READ ALSO: Ellie Kemper Admits Ignorance When She Joined Controversial Debutante Ball: 'I Reject White Supremacy'

Obama then encouraged everyone to call out abusive people online and assured them that it will never be a form of activism.

The former president expanded the awareness even more through his memoir, "A Promised Land."

Obama once talked with NPR's Michel Martin to discuss the racial issues during his presidency. Being one of the Black Presidents the U.S. ever had, he noted that his election broke the fever of racism.

He told the reporter that his appointment as the U.S. President broke the barrier that once divided the people. Because of that milestone, the young generation realized that having a Black person in the highest position of the government is not weird nor exceptional.

READ MORE: Jimi Ono's Viral TikTok Video Outs Drake Bell's Shameless Abuse on Women

See Now: Famous Actors Who Turned Down Iconic Movie Roles
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.
Rapper Pooh Shiesty, whose real name is Lontrell Williams, was arrested recently after allegedly shooting a security guard in Miami, Florida.

According to documents obtained by TMZ, the Miami-Dade County Corrections' records show Shiesty was arrested for aggravated battery with a deadly weapon which is considered to be a felony. He is under police custody since 2PM on Tuesday.

The reported shooting happened in King of Diamonds nightclub in Miami on the early morning of May 30 where authorities were called to respond to the incident.

Witnesses of the scene told the police that the security guard was escorting the 21-year-old rapper after his performance when the shooting began between the two all of a sudden.

According to the warrant, which was also obtained by Miami Herald, he was escorted out of the club because the security guard saw him with a gun, he then told Shiesty to hide the firearm.

The report also stated that the reason behind the shootout is dispute over money. Apparently, money had fallen from the rapper's back pocket then someone had pick up the cash which the amount was not disclosed.

READ NOW: Katy Perry, Orlando Bloom As Lilibet Diana's Godparents? Experts Explain Prince Harry, Meghan Markle's Possible Choices

One of the security guards got shot in the right ankle and was immediately brought to the hospital. When authorities came to respond, the rapper had already left the building.

Soon after the incident happened, rumors began circulating around social media that someone had stole $40,000 from Shiesty but he immediately shut down the rumors on Instagram by saying "false allegations nothing never been took from me."

Pooh was represented by his lawyers Saam Zangeneh and Bradford Cohen but they have not issued a public statement about the charges.

This is not the first time Shiesty got involved in a shooting incident. According to Miami Herald, late last year when the rapper was also arrested and charged with armed robbery, aggrevated assault with firearm, and theft. He then pleaded not guilty and was released on bond.

Pooh Shiesty rose to fame with his hit song "Back In Blood". He is signed under Gucci Mane's record label called 1017 Records.

The rapper has not publicly addressed the said shooting incident.

READ ALSO: Jim Fassel Cause of Death: Former NY Giants Coach Suffers Severe Medical Condition

See Now: Famous Actors Who Turned Down Iconic Movie Roles
Armie Hammer has reportedly left the Cayman Islands and checked into a rehab facility in Orlando, Florida.

According to Vanity Fair, the "Call Me By Your Name" actor will address his drug, alcohol, and sex issues in the wake of sexual assault and abuse allegations.

Though the news only got out now, Hammer has been in the in-patient treatment facility since May 31.

A fan reportedly spotted the embattled 34-year-old actor at the Grand Cayman airport about two weeks ago as he said goodbye to his estranged wife, Elizabeth Chambers, and their two kids, Harper, 6, and Ford, 4.

The outlet's source revealed, "Elizabeth and kids dropped him off and walked in as far as allowed. A lot of hugs and seemed emotional."

Hammer and Chambers called off their marriage in July 2020 after ten years of being together.

Another insider revealed to the outlet that Armie Hammer had a lot going on in his life, just like everybody else.

"Everyone looks at Armie thinking that he's had some privileged life - and that must mean there were no problems in his youth, and everything was peachy keen."

They added, "But that's not necessarily the way things go. Just because you come from an upbringing where financial resources are plentiful doesn't mean life isn't without problems."

A close friend of the actor's family also confirmed to the outlet that the "Rebecca" star is "committed to getting healthy" and has even agreed to stay as long as it takes to get healthy.

So does that mean Armie Hammer will be out of Hollywood temporarily? Or permanently?

He has already dropped out in several major projects, including the one where he was co-starring with Jennifer Lopez for "Shotgun Wedding."

Is Hollywood still going to offer him some roles after all of the disturbing allegations thrown at him?

READ ALSO: Kim Kardashian Challenged To Fight UFC World Champ Amanda Nunes For a Whopping Amount

What Led to Armie Hammer Seek Treatment?

Per the article, Armie Hammer has been in a custody battle with his soon-to-be ex-wife Elizabeth Chamber's ongoing divorce.

Aside from getting healthy, he also wants to have custody of his kids.

The close friend added, "This is a clear sign that he is taking back control of his life and knows that this is a step towards his overall well-being."

Armie Hammer Scandal Revisited

Several women accused Armie Hammer of "violently raping" and physically assaulting them.

The allegations were the most severe claims against him, who was first accused of psychological abuse and sexual coercion in social media posts in early January.

Hammer's alleged BDSM and cannibalism fantasies were also highlighted in light of the allegations being thrown against him.

His lawyer, Andrew Brettler, denied all of the allegations against his client, claiming that he and his partners have been "completely consensual, discussed and agreed upon in advance and mutually participatory."

ok here's a too-online take: I think Armie Hammer's leaked DMs is a bean dad situation. just in a private convo. he's not literally a cannibal, he's "relating a probably inflated anecdote" to make "him sound like a brilliant eccentric," "only to find that it scans" as disturbing pic.twitter.com/B0zu29chQS  mike cavalier  (@mikecavalier) January 14, 2021

READ MORE: Liam Payne, Maya Henry Cause of Split: Was it Because of This Woman?

See Now: Famous Actors Who Turned Down Iconic Movie Roles
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have announced the arrival of their daughter, Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor.

There have been many congratulatory messages for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, but there have also been many damaging statements, mockeries and negative remarks sent to them.

With people using their personal and public social media accounts for these hate posts, it's only a matter of time before someone from their workplace gets a hold of the messages.

One person, in particular, a journalist, has reportedly been fired following her racist remarks against Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's baby.

Controversial journalist Julie Burchill took to her Facebook page to say that the firm she's an employee of, The Telegraph, has let her go after five years of being with them.

"I've been sacked by The Telegraph - it's been a lovely five years, and I'll always be grateful to them for ending my wilderness years."

She also tried to make it seem that her termination was going to be good for her by saying, "I'd be lying if I said that I hadn't often moaned to my husband recently about them always rejecting my edgy column ideas and giving me more pedestrian ones - which I've done splendidly anyway."

The Telegraph confirmed that Burchill was indeed fired from their company. It also wasn't the first time she was embroiled in this controversy.

A few years back, Burchill had to pay "substantial damages" after writing racist remarks about another journalist.

She also described transwomen as disturbing names in the past.

READ ALSO: Prince Harry, Meghan Markle's Baby Mocked By Family Lawyer -- Gets Instant Karma [REPORT]

News of Julie Burchill's firing comes after another person she interacted with, Lawyer Joanna Toch, also mocked Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's daughter, Lilibet Diana.

When the announcement of the new Sussex baby's name was announced, Burchill first tweeted, "What a missed opportunity. They could have called it Georgina Floydina!"

Its all lets be racist against a new born baby when youre down a couple of glasses of wine on a Sunday evening and then suddenly These Tweets are protected when you face the consequences in the morning @Joannatoch pic.twitter.com/ZCUNXq7rvt  AM  (@iDontHaveTawita) June 7, 2021

Toch, a lawyer and founder of the UK-based film Family Law Cafe, responded to one of Burchill's now-deleted tweet, "No Doria? Don't black lives matter?"

The tweet is about the Duchess of Sussex's mom, Doria Ragland, and the Black Lives Matter movement.

Then Burchill responded to Toch's tweet, "Was hoping for Doria Oprah, the racist rotters," then Toch said, "Doprah?" When their tweets went viral, the lawyer immediately apologized for her "joke."

Oh, and shout out to family law barrister @Joannatoch who replied to that tweet with her own - since deleted - offerings that had all the creativity and finesse you'd expect from an 8-year-old.



Now apologising swiftly and unreservedly as you'd expect from a legal professional. pic.twitter.com/fvas1JDYMS  Elizabeth Pears (@BizPears) June 6, 2021

However, she was immediately punished by her firm, as the lawyer has reportedly been suspended.

In a statement released by Family Law Cafe, they said that they would be having an internal investigation regarding her comments on Twitter since her words seem "offensive, unacceptable and highly contradictory to the inclusive matter" in their company.

READ MORE: Why Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Baby's Name Is More Than Just A Tribute To Queen Elizabeth II

See Now: Famous Actors Who Turned Down Iconic Movie Roles
2021-06-08

Maeci

The Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Luigi Di Maio, spoke on Tuesday 8 June at the event Oceans and Health. We Thought Wed Stay Healthy in a World that Was Sick, held at the Italian Embassy to the Holy See. The Minister underlined Italys renewed commitment to the protection of oceans, seas and biodiversity, stressing that it is one of the countrys priorities in the context of Italys presidency of the G20 and Cop26.
2021-06-09

Maeci

On 12 June, at 16:00, live from the Interport of Nola, a webinar will be held on the subject of The Italian System for the Internationalisation of Companies in Campania. The Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Luigi Di Maio, together with the key players in the public export support system will take stock of the initiatives and tools put into place to support business internationalisation. The event is organised by the Foreign Ministry in partnership with the ICE Agency and CIS-Interporto Campano.

After the opening speeches of the institutional session, the event will feature a round table with the main representatives of the national public system and regional support components. The final part of the webinar will showcase several specific training initiatives of direct interest to SMEs and young entrepreneurs, such as Smart Export  a digital academy for internationalisation and Riparti con l'Export (Back to Business through Export).

The Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Luigi Di Maio, will hold the closing address.

Programme

To participate and receive the link to access the live-streamed event sign up at the following link https://cutt.ly/xncxOQ1
2021-06-08

Maeci

On 7 June 2021, in New York, Italy was elected as a member of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ESCOSOC) for the 2022-2024 three-year term, with 175 votes out of 182 voting countries.

This was the best result ever achieved by a Western Group country in this electoral round. It confirms the very high level of trust that Italy has earned in the field of multilateral diplomacy.

Italy's tenth term as a Member State of ECOSOC, since the Council was established in 1946, will begin on 1 January 2022; at the end of its further three-year term Italy will have been a member of ECOSOC for a total of 38 of its 78-year life.

As a member of ECOSOC, Italy intends to continue its commitment, actively contributing to the efforts of the United Nations and to the work of the Council, in the economic, social and environmental fields, in the very delicate scenario resulting from the impact of the pandemic. It will do so in synergy with the many Italian Non-Governmental Organisations accredited by ECOSOC because of their valuable and far-reaching actions aimed at bringing the UN closer to the demands and needs of civil society.

ECOSOC is the UN platform for reflection, debate and innovative thinking on sustainable development.

Established by the United Nations Charter in 1946, the Council has 54 members: 14 African countries; 11 from Asia and the Pacific; 6 from Eastern Europe; 10 from Latin America and the Caribbean and 13 from the West.
2021-06-09

Maeci

Italy renews its longstanding commitment to the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) with a 25 million pledge towards GPEs Raise Your Hand financing campaign. The campaign seeks to raise at least US $5 billion to help transform education systems in up to 90 low-income countries and territories, which are home to more than 1 billion children.

The pledge is a significant increase from Italys previous contribution of 12 million in 2018. The contribution confirms Italy as a key GPE partner, and highlights the priority that Italy is giving to development cooperation in education worldwide.

During the online webinar on the role of multi-stakeholder partnerships in promoting global education, organized by Save the Children-Italy on 9 June 2021, the Italian Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Marina Sereni said: We strongly believe that investing in education and especially in girls education means investing in the future of countries and in peaceful, just and inclusive societies.

She added that Italy recognizes the impressive results achieved by GPE to ensure quality education for millions of children all over the world, especially those in the most fragile and vulnerable contexts. Despite all our efforts, there is still so much to be done and this is why Italy decided to increase its political and financial support to the Global Partnership for Education.

The Italian Vice Minister Sereni concluded: Italy will be contributing 25 million for the next five years. Half of our contribution will be dedicated to girls education in Africa, which is a top priority area for Italian Cooperation.

Italy has been a long-standing GPE partner, said Alice Albright, Chief Executive Officer of GPE. Their increased contribution to the GPE Raise Your Hand comes at a critical time for global education. Millions of young students will never return to the classroom because of COVID-19. We must continue to build strong, resilient and quality education systems that can respond to future crises and ensure that all children remain in school.

Covid-19 has drastically worsened education prospects for millions of children. At the height of pandemic-related closures, 1.6 billion children were shut out of schools, with an estimated 24 million students at risk of dropping out permanently. The pandemic is increasing the chance that children will be sent to work instead of school. Girls, children from poor families, and children with disabilities face the greatest risks of dropping out.

As the economic fallout from Covid-19 continues to squeeze government budgets, countries require urgent support to secure the resources to deliver quality education for every girl and boy. GPE funding will help countries make transformative reforms, address bottlenecks in their education systems, train teachers, invest in new and innovative curricula and find new ways of delivering education to the children most at risk of being left behind.

The Raise Your Hand campaign will culminate at the Global Education Summit, co-hosted by UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and President of Kenya Uhuru Kenyatta, in London on 28-29 July.
As new research on anaesthesia trainee morale is published, an impassioned plea is today being made in an open letter from the Association of Anaesthetists to the UK's four Health Secretaries: to urgently double the number of training posts for anaesthetists this summer and for subsequent years so that the UK can safely negotiate the current COVID-19 pandemic, any future pandemics, and deal with the huge backlog of surgical procedures that has built up during lockdown.

The Association has sent a separate letter to go to each Health Secretary - Matt Hancock MP in the UK Department of Health, Humza Yousaf MSP in Scotland, Baroness Eluned Morgan MS in Wales, and Robin Swann MLA in the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Association of Anaesthetists President Dr Mike Nathanson and Trainee Committee Chair Dr Roopa McCrossan explain that due a combination of a number of factors, this year there are many more applicants for specialist training in anaesthesia than in previous years. A recent estimate* found there are only around 350 jobs for approximately 1050 candidates, leaving up to 700 trainee anaesthetists without a suitable training post.

The increase in applicants this year results from a number of factors: the introduction of a new curriculum (mandated by the UK General Medical Council) which places an imperative on obtaining a training post before the regulations** change and the 'goal posts' move; the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the number of trainees who might otherwise have spent a year abroad to consolidate their learning but who are now unable to travel and wish to remain in the UK; the difficulty in achieving educational targets while re-deployed during pandemic surges; and a desire to complete training without any further interruptions after the unprecedented pressures and challenges of the last 14 months.

Dr Nathanson and Dr McCrossan add: "Providing these young doctors with training posts now will ensure we have a supply of trained senior staff in five years' time, and during their five-year training they will provide significant service, staff many out-of-hours rotas, and ensure the resilience we need for any further surges of the COVID-19 pandemic."

Recent research published in the Association's journal Anaesthesia revealed the pressure that hospitals in the UK have been under across the winter wave. Furthermore, the most recent census published by the Royal College of Anaesthetists has confirmed the findings of previous censuses that there is a very significant shortage of anaesthetists in the UK (over 1000, and almost certainly closer to 2000). The authors say: "At a time of a very significant shortage in the anaesthetic workforce, it is disappointing and surprising that, to date, there has been no increase in the number of training posts. As a result, the workforce gap will continue to grow. The impact of fatigue and stress, leading to more retirements or moves to part-time working, will only further increase the shortage."

Dr Nathanson and Dr McCrossan also point to the Association's own research*** (embargoed to the time above) that has shown a very significant degree of disillusionment in trainee anaesthetists. They say to the four Health Secretaries: "If you do not act, we believe there is a very real risk that many of these doctors in whom we have already invested time and money in training will be lost to the profession forever as they will seek alternative careers or move to work abroad once travel restrictions are lifted."

They suggest that the number of training posts (ST3) is doubled this year from approximately 350 to 700, and remains at that level for the subsequent two years. They explain that Health Trusts (and Boards) have money set aside for creating non-training 'locally employed doctor' (LED) posts this year as they recognise the need for more anaesthetists. The authors also suggest Health Education England already has money set aside to support the education of trainee anaesthetists. They say: "LED posts will not lead to training of qualified specialists, but if the funds we have identified and some additional new money was used to create training posts then there will be a long-lasting improvement in the anaesthetic workforce and the capability to provide more surgical services."

They conclude by giving an open invitation to the four Health Secretaries to discuss the matter further.

Dr Nathanson says: "There is very little time to act if we are to keep these doctors in the NHS. They have already committed to a career in anaesthesia and have spent at least two years training. We urgently need more anaesthetists; the backlog from the pandemic will take some years to clear, yet we risk losing the future workforce we clearly need. There has been a small increase in training posts in Wales. We need the other administrations to act now."

Dr McCrossan adds: "These highly skilled, dedicated anaesthetic trainees have worked tirelessly during the pandemic, providing the workforce needed to expand critical care. Nearly 700 of these trainees now have no job to go to from August 2021 and we risk losing them from our specialty. There is a documented shortage of consultant anaesthetists and nearly 700 doctors wanting to train in anaesthesia.

"By providing these much-needed training posts now, the four nation governments will resolve the anaesthetic workforce shortage, protecting the future surgical and intensive care capacity of the NHS. In short, it is a simple, cost effective, win-win for the governments involved and the NHS."

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ACM, the Association for Computing Machinery, today recognized five individuals with awards for their exemplary service to the computing field. Working in diverse areas, the 2020 award recipients were selected by their peers for longstanding efforts that have strengthened the community. This year's ACM award recipients made important contributions in areas including computing curriculum; increasing the participation of women in computing; strengthening ACM's presence in Europe; leading technology policy efforts; and bridging the fields of computer science, education, and global health.

Andrew McGettrick receives the Karl V. Karlstrom Outstanding Educator Award for his scholarship and tireless volunteer work and contributions, which have fundamentally improved rigorous computer science as a field of professional practice and as an academic pursuit.

Over five decades, McGettrick, a professor at the University of Strathclyde, has consistently made outstanding contributions to computing education. At the University of Strathclyde, he drove key curriculum improvements in Computer Science and Software Engineering. Additionally, his program evaluation initiatives for other universities and colleges improved the quality and rigor of undergraduate, Master's, and doctoral programs around the world. McGettrick's work for the UK government, including driving the first benchmarking standard for computing degrees and chairing the five-year revision of the QAA benchmarking standard for Master's degrees in Computing, was similarly transformative.

McGettrick has played multiple leadership roles within the British Computing Society (BCS) and has served on the ACM Education Board for two decades. With Eric Roberts, he launched ACM's Education Council, and he served as its Chair from 2007 to 2014. Under his leadership, the council developed numerous curricular volumes including the ACM/IEEE Curriculum Task Force's Computer Science, Software Engineering, Computer Engineering, and Overview volumes. He recently served on the ACM Education Board's Data Science Curriculum Task Force and helped launch the Learning at Scale series of annual conferences.

McGettrick was involved in the Committee on European Computing Education and was a co-founder and member of the Steering Committee of the Informatics for All coalition, a multi-organizational advocacy body that collaborates with the European Commission.

McGettrick's publications include more than 130 research articles, textbooks, and scholarly papers. His white papers have shaped the nature and progress of computing in Europe. He also edited or co-edited numerous influential collections, including Concurrent Programming Software Specification Techniques (1988), Software Engineering - A European Perspective (1993), and Grand Challenges in Computing (2004). McGettrick was the founding editor of Addison-Wesley's (now Pearson's) International Computer Science series (~100 books) and co-editor of Taylor and Francis' Computer Science undergraduate textbook series (20 books to date).

The Karl V. Karlstrom Outstanding Educator Award is presented annually to an outstanding educator who is appointed to a recognized educational baccalaureate institution. The recipient is recognized for advancing new teaching methodologies; effecting new curriculum development or expansion in Computer Science and Engineering; or making a significant contribution to the educational mission of ACM. Those with 10 years or less teaching experience are given special consideration. A prize of $10,000 is supplied by Pearson Education.

Jennifer Tour Chayes, a professor at the University of California, Berkeley, receives the ACM Distinguished Service Award for her effective leadership, mentorship, and dedication to diversity during her distinguished career of computer science research, teaching, and institution building.

Chayes' service to the computing community is broad and sustained, encompassing leadership at both Microsoft Research and the University of California, Berkeley; service to many computing organizations; expanding the diversity of the computing field through mentorship of women, underrepresented racial minorities and other disadvantaged groups; and making important research contributions.

Chayes' distinguished service includes founding and leading the Theory Group at Microsoft Research and the Microsoft Research New England and New York City Labs. She also had an important role in the development of Microsoft's Montreal lab.

The MSR labs that Chayes founded had three times the percentage of women compared to corporate labs, and an unusually high percentage of people of color and members of the LGBTQ community. She has mentored more than 100 women in her career, many of whom have gone on to become leaders in their fields. Chayes continues to emphasize diversity as a core value at Berkeley in her position as Associate Provost of the Division of Computing, Data Science, and Society, and Dean of the School of Information.

Additionally, Chayes has an exceptionally strong record of service at the national and international levels to the computing community. Her service includes participation in advisory boards and committees associated with the National Academy of Sciences, the National Research Council, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and numerous other organizations. She has served on the Turing Award committee and the Heidelberg Laureate Selection Committee. She has served as an Associate Editor for many leading journals in statistical physics, computer science, mathematics, and data science, and has served as a co-organizer of numerous conferences across these fields.

The ACM Distinguished Service Award is presented on the basis of value and degree of services to the computing community. The contribution should not be limited to service to the Association, but should include activities in other computer organizations and should emphasize contributions to the computing community at large.

Chris Hankin receives the Outstanding Contribution to ACM Award for fundamental contributions to ACM Europe and for bringing a European perspective to critically important ACM committees and activities.

Hankin, a professor at Imperial College London, has been a continuous member of ACM since 1994, and has made significant contributions to the association. He served on the Editorial Board of ACM Computing Surveys from the mid-1990s and acted as co-editor of the Computing Surveys Symposium on Strategic Directions for Research on Programming Languages, held at MIT in 1996 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of ACM. He served with distinction as Editor-in-Chief of ACM Computing Surveys from 2007 to 2013. He joined the Assessment and Search Committee of the Publications Board in 2015 and became Co-chair in 2017.

Hankin was elected to the ACM Europe Council in 2015 with the goal of reinforcing the policy arm of ACM in Europe. He is the co-author of two major policy papers from the Committee: the white paper on cybersecurity and the white paper on automated decision making. The first was referenced by the European Commission's top scientific advisory group (SAM). In July 2020, he became Chair of the ACM Europe Technology Policy Council and contributed to the enlargement and restructuring of the group, with the goal of making it the leading technology policy body in Europe.

Hankin served as Chair of the ACM Europe Council from 2017 to 2019, when he made it a priority to strengthen the visibility of ACM with younger generations in Europe. In this direction, he promoted the organization of two highly successful summer schools (organized by Yannis Ioannidis and Fabrizio Gagliardi), which addressed outstanding graduate and senior undergraduate students.

Finally, Hankin co-edited (with Panagiota Fatourou) the first CACM Special Regional Section on Europe in 2019, which offered a representative imprint of some of the most exciting activities on the continent.

The Outstanding Contribution to ACM Award recognizes outstanding service contributions to the Association. Candidates are selected based on the value and degree of service overall, and may be given to up to three individuals each year.

Richard Anderson, a Professor at the University of Washington, receives the ACM Eugene L. Lawler Award for Humanitarian Contributions within Computer Science and Informatics for contributions bridging the fields of Computer Science, Education, and global health.

Anderson, his students and collaborators have developed a range of innovative applications in health, education, the internet, and financial services, benefiting underserved communities around the globe. He is one of the founders of the emerging field of Information and Communications Technologies for Development (ICTD), which seeks to develop and apply computing and information technologies to benefit low-income populations worldwide, particularly in developing countries.

Anderson has also led various projects using technological innovations to drive community-led video instruction and achieve success in education, agriculture, and health practice. For example, Projecting Health employs handheld projectors to show locally-produced videos to groups of women, spurring follow-up conversations on maternal and child health. Projecting Health has led to over 15,000 screenings across 180 villages, reaching an estimated 190,000 residents.

The Open Data Kit (ODK) research project is another exemplar of an open source infrastructure project revolutionizing data collection in developing regions and enabling improved learning, health care, and farming. Anderson provided leadership to the project as it transitioned from a university-led project to a free-standing organization, and continues to conduct research on expanding ODK-X, a platform for building data management applications that are having significant impact on humanitarian response, control of vector borne diseases, and country immunization systems.

Other successful partnerships have included a human milk bank project in South Africa; a mobile health communication platform for maternal and child health in Kenya; and a vaccine cold-chain project in Uganda and Pakistan.

In addition to research excellence and humanitarian projects, Anderson has played a core leadership role in bringing together several communities under the umbrella of ACM COMPASS (Computing and Sustainable Societies), and organizing and championing conferences, workshops, and tutorials, many of them in developing countries (e.g., Pakistan, Ghana, and Ecuador). Anderson has fostered a growing community of researchers, practitioners and students engaged in using computing and information technology for humanitarian causes.

The ACM Eugene L. Lawler Award for Humanitarian Contributions within Computer Science and Informatics recognizes an individual or group who has made a significant contribution through the use of computing technology. It is given once every two years, assuming that there are worthy recipients. The award is accompanied by a prize of $5,000.

Marc Rotenberg receives the ACM Policy Award for long-standing, high-impact leadership on privacy and technology policy.

Rotenberg is founder and President of the Center for AI and Digital Policy. Previously he was President and Executive Director of the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC), a public interest research center he co-founded in 1994. Early in his career, he launched the Public Interest Computer Association, the first organization in the US to help nonprofits use microcomputers. Rotenberg then helped draft key US privacy and computer security laws as counsel to the Senate Judiciary Committee. He was director of the Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility (CPSR) DC office.

He was also the first ACM Director of Public Policy, and a Chair of the ACM Committee on Scientific Freedom and Human Rights. In 2020 he joined the Michael Dukakis Institute for Leadership and Innovation to launch the Center on Artificial Intelligence and Digital Policy. In late 2020, and in collaboration with others, he edited and published Artificial Intelligence and Democratic Values: The AI Social Index 2020.

A leading advocate for privacy and data protection, Rotenberg has testified before the US Congress and European Parliament more than 60 times and has filed over 150 Freedom of Information lawsuits and amicus briefs in pursuit of greater government transparency and corporate accountability. He also edited and published such landmark reports as Privacy and Human Rights: An International Survey of Privacy Laws and Developments and Cryptography and Liberty.

Rotenberg has mentored two generations of public interest attorneys through internships at EPIC, as an adjunct professor at Georgetown Law, and as the author of many textbooks and articles. He is also a leading voice for civil society at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and elsewhere. He helped draft and gather support for several global declarations, including The Civil Society Seoul Declaration (2008), The Madrid Privacy Declaration (2009) and The Universal Guidelines for AI (2018).

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The ACM Policy Award was established in 2014 to recognize an individual or small group that had a significant positive impact on the formation or execution of public policy affecting computing or the computing community. This can be for education, service, or leadership in a technology position; for establishing an innovative program in policy education or advice; for building the community or community resources in technology policy; or other notable policy activity. The award is accompanied by a $10,000 prize.

About ACM

ACM, the Association for Computing Machinery, is the world's largest educational and scientific computing society, uniting computing educators, researchers and professionals to inspire dialogue, share resources and address the field's challenges. ACM strengthens the computing profession's collective voice through strong leadership, promotion of the highest standards, and recognition of technical excellence. ACM supports the professional growth of its members by providing opportunities for life-long learning, career development, and professional networking.
A new study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society suggests that survival rates after heart transplant surgery are similar in adults ages 18 to 69 and adults ages 70 and older.

Researchers examined a large U.S. database of patients who were listed as candidates for surgery to replace their failing hearts with healthier donor hearts. The researchers found that:

Only 1 in 50 people who are considered for heart transplant surgery and 1 in 50 people who receive a heart transplant are ages 70 or older.

For older adults in the study, the likelihood of surviving one or five years after a heart transplant was about the same as for younger adults.

Having a stroke after heart transplant surgery was more common in older adults, but the risk in both age groups was low.

Older patients were more likely to receive hearts from higher-risk donors, who are older and more likely to have diabetes and high blood pressure.

Advanced age alone should not prevent people from being considered as candidates for heart transplants.

Why We May Need Heart Transplants as We Age

Heart failure develops when your heart can no longer pump enough blood to provide your body with the oxygen and nutrients it needs. It is usually caused by other chronic conditions that become more common as we age and is the leading cause of hospitalizations in people over 65. When heart failure can no longer be treated with medication or medical devices, a heart transplant may be necessary.

Because the supply of donor hearts is limited, healthcare professionals must make decisions about who they think has the most potential for a good recovery and long-term survival. [1] Until recently, many believed that people aged 70 or older were only good candidates for the operation if they: (a) were strong enough; (b) were able to take all the medications needed to prevent their bodies from rejecting their new heart; (c) had strong support from family and friends; (d) did not drink alcohol or smoke; and (e) did not have other serious chronic diseases or infections.

That opinion is changing as the population of older adults increases in the U.S. and a growing number of older patients receive heart transplants with positive results. Because of improvements in patient screening and care after surgery, heart transplant surgery has become an option for people with heart failure who are expected to live five years or less.

What the Researchers Learned

Researchers at the Hartford Hospital in Connecticut included 57,285 adult patients (aged 18 and older) listed as candidates for heart transplant surgery in the U.S. between January 2000 and August 2018 in their study. They found that only one in 50 of these patients was 70 years old or older. Of the 37,135 patients who had heart surgery over the 18-year period, about the same proportion was at least 70 years old, but the number of older patients receiving a heart transplant each year has increased from 30 in 2000 to 132 in 2017.

The researchers looked at the difference between the percentage of patients ages 18-69 and patients aged 70 or older who died (the mortality rate) within one year and five years after heart transplant surgery. There was no significant difference between groups for the mortality rate in the first year after surgery, even though the older patients were more likely to receive hearts from older donors with chronic diseases like diabetes and blood pressure. The difference between the mortality rate for the older and younger patients within five years of heart transplant surgery disappeared when researchers took into consideration factors like patients' body mass index (BMI) and the time patients spent on the transplant waitlist.

Having a stroke after heart transplant surgery was more common for older patients, but the risk was still very low (3.5 percent). In older patients, most strokes occurred during year three of the follow-up period.

Study Limitations

This study's researchers looked at information collected in the past and observed the differences between the older and younger groups. This means they were unable to identify specific causes for their findings. What's more, the number of older patients was very small, making it hard to draw definite conclusions from. Finally, most of the older patients who received heart transplants were white, not frail, and did not have other chronic diseases besides heart failure. The researchers noted that this group of older heart transplant recipients does not represent most older adults who have heart failure.

What This Study Means for You

If you're 70 or older and have heart failure, heart transplant surgery might be a life-extending option for you. Consider asking your heart failure doctor whether you could be a candidate for a heart transplant.

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This summary is from "Clinical Outcomes of Older Adults Listed for Heart Transplantation in The United States." It appears online ahead of print in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. The study authors are Abhishek Jaiswal, MD; Naga Vaishnavi Gadel, MBBS; David Baran, MD; Kathir Balakumaran, MD; Andrew Scatola, MD; Joseph Radojevi, MD; Jason Gluck, MD; Sabeena Arora, MD; Jonathan Hammond, MD; Ayyaz Ali, MD; Douglas L. Jennings, PharmD; and William L. Baker, PharmD.

[1] https:/ / www. mayoclinic. org/ tests-procedures/ heart-transplant/ about/ pac-20384750

About the Health in Aging Foundation

This research summary was developed as a public education tool by the Health in Aging Foundation. The Foundation is a national non-profit established in 1999 by the American Geriatrics Society to bring the knowledge and expertise of geriatrics healthcare professionals to the public. We are committed to ensuring that people are empowered to advocate for high-quality care by providing them with trustworthy information and reliable resources. Last year, we reached nearly 1 million people with our resources through HealthinAging.org. We also help nurture current and future geriatrics leaders by supporting opportunities to attend educational events and increase exposure to principles of excellence on caring for older adults. For more information or to support the Foundation's work, visit http://www. HealthinAgingFoundation. org .

About the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society

Included in more than 9,000 library collections around the world, the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society (JAGS) highlights emerging insights on principles of aging, approaches to older patients, geriatric syndromes, geriatric psychiatry, and geriatric diseases and disorders. First published in 1953, JAGS is now one of the oldest and most impactful publications on gerontology and geriatrics, according to ISI Journal Citation Reports. Visit wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/JGS for more details.

About the American Geriatrics Society

Founded in 1942, the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) is a nationwide, not-for-profit society of geriatrics healthcare professionals that has--for more 75 years--worked to improve the health, independence, and quality of life of older people. Its nearly 6,000 members include geriatricians, geriatric nurses, social workers, family practitioners, physician assistants, pharmacists, and internists. The Society provides leadership to healthcare professionals, policymakers, and the public by implementing and advocating for programs in patient care, research, professional and public education, and public policy. For more information, visit AmericanGeriatrics.org.
WASHINGTON, June 9, 2021 -- The World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control recommend keeping a certain distance between people to prevent the spread of COVID-19. These social distancing recommendations are estimated from a variety of studies, but further research about the precise mechanism of virus transport from one person to another is still needed.

In Physics of Fluids, by AIP Publishing, researchers from Stony Brook University, Harvard, ETH Zurich, and Hanyang University demonstrate normal breathing indoors without a mask can transport saliva droplets capable of carrying virus particles to a distance of 2.2 meters, or 7.2 feet, in a matter of 90 seconds.

The use of a face mask significantly reduces the distance these droplets travel. After almost two minutes, the saliva droplets restricted by a mask had traveled only 0.72 meters, under 2.4 feet and well below the distance of 1.8 meters, or 6 feet, suggested by the CDC.

The study used computer simulations with a more realistic model for the situation of interest than those used in previous studies. Previous work considered aerosol transport after coughing or sneezing, while this study specifically looked at normal human breathing. A normal breath produces periodic jet flows that contain saliva droplets, but the velocity at which the jet travels is less than a tenth that of a cough or sneeze.

The investigators found even normal breathing produces a complex field of vortices that can move saliva droplets away from the person's mouth. The role of these vortices has not previously been understood.

"Our results show that normal breathing without a facial mask generates periodic trailing jets and leading circular vortex rings that propagate forward and interact with the vortical flow structures produced in prior breathing cycles," said author Ali Khosronejad.

This complex vorticity field can transport aerosol droplets over long distances. A face mask dissipates the kinetic energy of the jet produced by an exhaled breath, disrupting the vortices and limiting the movement of virus-laden droplets.

The investigators considered the effect of evaporation of the saliva droplets. In the case of no mask, they found the saliva droplets near the front of the plume of exhaled breath had partially evaporated, reaching a size of only one-tenth of a micron. In stagnant indoor air, droplets this size would not settle to the ground for days.

The use of a mask partially redirects the exhaled breath downward and significantly restricts forward movement of the plume, so the risk of suspended droplets remaining in the air is substantially reduced.

"To simplify the breathing process, we did not consider the flow of air-saliva mixture through the nose and solely accounted for the flow through the mouth," Khosronejad said. "In future studies, we will explore the effect of normal breathing via both the nose and mouth."

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The article "A computational study of expiratory particle transport and vortex dynamics during breathing with and without face masks" is authored by Ali Khosronejad, Seokkoo Kang, Fabian Wermelinger, Petros Koumoutsakos and Fotis Sotiropoulos. The article appears in Physics of Fluids (DOI: 10.1063/5.0054204) and can be accessed at https:/ / aip. scitation. org/ doi/ 10. 1063/ 5. 0054204 .

ABOUT THE JOURNAL
MELVILLE, N.Y., June 9, 2021 -- The world is filled with myriad sounds that can overwhelm a person with relentless acoustics. Noise is so prevalent in everyday life that the concept and achievement of comfortable quiet is hard to define.

During the 180th Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America, which will be held virtually June 8-10, Aggelos Tsaligopoulos, from the University of the Aegean, will describe how quiet could be measured in the hopes of better understanding its impact on people. The session, "Towards a new understanding of the concept of quietness," will take place Wednesday, June 9, at 11:20 a.m. Eastern U.S.

Tsaligopoulos said there is a dualism between noise and quiet, meaning quietness so far is viewed as a contradiction and as the lack of something, even if that something is noise. Quietness in the urban context is more than the absence of noise -- it's searching for wanted noise in order to avoid the unwanted.

"The context and the environment surrounding the listener changes dramatically the way we understand quietness, highlighting the phenomenology in acoustic perception," Tsaligopoulos said. "So, what if we try to break the association between noise and quietness? What if we try to assign to the term quietness quantifiable characteristics that can be subject to measurements?"

The Composite Urban Quietness Index is an effort quietness quantification based on the levels of acoustic complexity in an area. The goal is to give a new meaning to quietness in terms of sound complexity and provide for a reduction in noise intensity.

Tsaligopoulos points out stress can be caused by high-intensity sound but also by silent acoustic environments. He said there could be a "sweet spot" of quietness that reduces the stress without creating it because it is too quiet, but he believes this is equivalent to mediocracy.

"It is time to look beyond our phenomenological short-term pleasure and realize that well-being is a long-term multidisciplinary effort that we need to plan ahead, keeping in mind ecological sustainability environmental equity and perhaps biocultural diversity."

Stella Kyvelou, from Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences; Nefta Votsi, from the National Observatory of Athens; Aimilia Karapostoli, from Democritus University of Thrace; and Chris Economou and Yiannis Matsinos, from University of the Aegean, contributed to this research.

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MORE MEETING INFORMATION

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WORLDWIDE PRESS ROOM

In the coming weeks, ASA's Worldwide Press Room will be updated with additional tips on dozens of newsworthy stories and lay language papers, which are summaries of presentations written by scientists for a general audience and accompanied by photos, audio and video. You can visit the site during the meeting at http://acoustics. org/ world-wide-press-room/ .

PRESS REGISTRATION FOR MEETING SESSIONS

We will grant free registration for credentialed and professional freelance journalists who wish to attend the meeting sessions. If you are a reporter and would like to attend, contact the AIP Media Line at media@aip.org. We can also help with setting up interviews and obtaining images, sound clips or background information.

VIRTUAL MEDIA BRIEFINGS

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ABOUT THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA
India's national government has inappropriately prioritised people for covid-19 vaccination

Current approach is causing huge numbers of avertable deaths, warn experts

India's national government has inappropriately prioritised people for covid-19 vaccination, argue doctors and researchers in The BMJ today.

Peter Lloyd-Sherlock and colleagues warn that the government's current approach to vaccination - focusing on younger age groups - "is causing huge numbers of avertable deaths and is deeply inequitable."

From 3 May to 5 June 2021, more first doses were administered to people under 45 than over 60, even though at least 77 million people aged 60 remain unvaccinated, they say.

As such, they urge the government to take a more targeted approach and reallocate available doses to older people, especially in more deprived areas.

They explain that in January 2021, India's vaccination programme began with health professionals and "frontline workers." In March, it was extended to people aged 60 or over and those aged 45 or over with comorbidities, and in April to anyone aged 45 or over. From 1 May, vaccine entitlement was extended to all people aged 18 or over, although people under 45 had to pay.

Earlier this week, the government announced that vaccines would now also be free for people aged 18-45, which the authors suggest is likely to increase the focus of vaccination on people in this age group, rather than those aged 45 or over.

In practice, they say access to covid-19 vaccination is mainly determined by socioeconomic status, with very low coverage in rural areas and among disadvantaged urban populations.

As a result, Indians of all ages are increasingly resorting to private purchases, and the country's minimal pension system makes this especially unaffordable for older people.

What's more, no special provision has been made to facilitate vaccine access for adults with impaired mobility, they add, and older people tend to be less familiar with the digital technology required to make a booking.

They note that some Indian states have now reallocated available doses to older people and they urge the national government to do the same until all older people in India have received at least one dose.

"Its current approach to vaccination is causing huge numbers of avertable deaths and is deeply inequitable, both between age groups and within them," they conclude.

[Ends]

Externally peer reviewed? No Evidence type: Letter; Opinion Subject: Covid-19 vaccination in India

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Batteries have come a long way since Volta first stacked copper and zinc discs together 200 years ago. While the technology has continued to evolve from lead-acid to lithium-ion, many challenges still exist--like achieving higher density and suppressing dendrite growth. Experts are racing to address the growing, global need for energy-efficient and safe batteries.

The electrification of heavy-duty vehicles and aircraft requires batteries with more energy density. A team of researchers believes a paradigm shift is necessary to make a significant impact in battery technology for these industries. This shift would take advantage of the anionic reduction-oxidation mechanism in lithium-rich cathodes. Findings published in Nature mark the first time direct observation of this anionic redox reaction has been observed in a lithium-rich battery material.

Collaborating institutions included Carnegie Mellon University, Northeastern University, Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology (LUT) in Finland, and institutions in Japan including Gunma University, Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute (JASRI), Yokohama National University, Kyoto University, and Ritsumeikan University.

Lithium-rich oxides are promising cathode material classes because they have been shown to have much higher storage capacity. But, there is an 'AND problem' that battery materials must satisfy--the material must be capable of fast charging, be stable to extreme temperatures, and cycle reliably for thousands of cycles. Scientists need a clear understanding of how these oxides work at the atomic level, and how their underlying electrochemical mechanisms play a role, to address this.

Normal Li-ion batteries work by cationic redox, when a metal ion changes its oxidation state as lithium is inserted or removed. Within this insertion framework, only one lithium-ion can be stored per metal-ion. Lithium-rich cathodes, however, can store much more. Researchers attribute this to the anionic redox mechanism--in this case, oxygen redox. This is the mechanism credited with the high capacity of the materials, nearly doubling the energy storage compared to conventional cathodes. Although this redox mechanism has emerged as the leading contender among battery technologies, it signifies a pivot in materials chemistry research.

The team set out to provide conclusive evidence for the redox mechanism utilizing Compton scattering, the phenomenon by which a photon deviates from a straight trajectory after interacting with a particle (usually an electron). The researchers performed sophisticated theoretical and experimental studies at SPring-8, the world's largest third-generation synchrotron radiation facility which is operated by JASRI.

Synchrotron radiation consists of the narrow, powerful beams of electromagnetic radiation that are produced when electron beams are accelerated to (almost) the speed of light and are forced to travel in a curved path by a magnetic field. Compton scattering becomes visible.

The researchers observed how the electronic orbital that lies at the heart of the reversible and stable anionic redox activity can be imaged and visualized, and its character and symmetry determined. This scientific first can be game-changing for future battery technology.

While previous research has proposed alternative explanations of the anionic redox mechanism, it could not provide a clear image of the quantum mechanical electronic orbitals associated with redox reactions because this cannot be measured by standard experiments.

The research team had an "A ha!" moment when they first saw the agreement in redox character between theory and experimental results. "We realized that our analysis could image the oxygen states that are responsible for the redox mechanism, which is something fundamentally important for battery research," explained Hasnain Hafiz, lead author of the study who carried out this work during his time as a postdoctoral research associate at Carnegie Mellon.

"We have conclusive evidence in support of the anionic redox mechanism in a lithium-rich battery material," said Venkat Viswanathan, associate professor of mechanical engineering at Carnegie Mellon. "Our study provides a clear picture of the workings of a lithium-rich battery at the atomic scale and suggests pathways for designing next-generation cathodes to enable electric aviation. The design for high-energy density cathodes represents the next-frontier for batteries."

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"Tomographic reconstruction of non-bonding oxygen orbitals in Li-rich battery materials," Nature, DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-03509-z
In a decade-long quest, scientists at Berkeley Lab, the University of Hawaii, and Florida International University uncover new clues to the origins of the universe - and land new chemistry for cleaner combustion engines

For nearly half a century, astrophysicists and organic chemists have been on the hunt for the origins of C 6 H 6 , the benzene ring - an elegant, hexagonal molecule comprised of 6 carbon and 6 hydrogen atoms.

Astrophysicists say that the benzene ring could be the fundamental building block of polycylic aromatic hydrocarbons or PAHs, the most basic materials formed from the explosion of dying, carbon-rich stars. That swirling mass of matter would eventually give shape to the earliest forms of carbon - precursors to molecules some scientists say are connected to the synthesis of the earliest forms of life on Earth.

Paradoxically, PAHs have a dark side, too. The industrial processes behind crude oil refineries and the inner-workings of gas-powered combustion engines can emit PAHs, which can snowball into toxic air pollutants like soot.

Exactly how the first benzene ring formed from stars in the early universe - and how combustion engines trigger the chemical reaction that alters the benzene ring into soot particle pollutants - have long mystified scientists.

But now, researchers at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab), the University of Hawaii at Manoa, and Florida International University have demonstrated the first real-time measurement, using lab-based methods, of unstable particles called free radicals reacting under cosmic conditions, prompting elementary carbon and hydrogen atoms to coalesce into primal benzene rings.

The researchers say that their findings, recently published in the journal Science Advances, are key to understanding how the universe evolved with the growth of carbon compounds. That insight could also help the car industry make cleaner combustion engines.

A type of free radical called the propargyl radical (C 3 H 3 ) is extremely reactive due to its propensity for losing an electron, and has been implicated in soot formation for decades. Researchers believed that the recombination of two free propargyl radicals, C 3 H 3  + C 3 H 3 , gave rise to the first aromatic ring, benzene.

The current study is the first demonstration of the so-called "radical propargyl self-reaction" under astrochemical and combustion conditions. Using a high-temperature, coin-sized chemical reactor called the "hot nozzle," the researchers simulated the high-pressure, high-temperature environment inside a combustion engine as well as the hydrocarbon-rich atmosphere of Saturn's moon Titan, and observed the formation of isomers - molecules with the same chemical formula but different atomic structures - from two propargyl radicals leading up to the benzene ring.

The hot-nozzle technique, which co-senior author Musahid Ahmed, senior staff scientist in Berkeley Lab's Chemical Sciences Division, adapted 10 years ago at Berkeley Lab's Advanced Light Source (ALS) for synchrotron experiments, relies on vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) spectroscopy to detect individual isomers. The ALS is a type of particle accelerator known as a synchrotron that generates extremely bright beams of light ranging from infrared through X-rays.

The researchers steered the technique to arrest the propargyl radical self-reaction - which unfolds within microseconds - just before larger PAHs and subsequent soot form. The compelling result supports predictions from experiments led by co-senior author Ralf Kaiser, professor of chemistry at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, and quantum chemistry simulations formulated by co-senior author Alexander Mebel, professor of chemistry at Florida International University.

They believe that the finding could one day lead to cleaner combustion engines. Having more efficient gas engines, some analysts say, is still important, because it may take another 25 years before we can replace the entire fleet of gas cars with electric vehicles (EVs). Furthermore, equipping airplanes and the gas-powered component of hybrid plug-in EVs with cleaner combustion engines could help reduce CO 2 emissions contributing to climate change.

Ahmed said he plans to extend the methods employed to study PAH growth, and probe other systems of relevance to the DOE mission, such as water desalination and environmental science.

"We'd also like to go and catch a buckyball, C 60 , one of nature's biggest clues to the secrets behind symmetry," Ahmed said.

Kaiser added that their research could help astronomers plot a carbon map of the universe, and zero in on the cosmic origins behind DNA's carbon frameworks.

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Co-authors on the paper include Long Zhao at the University of Hawaii at Manoa; Wenchao Lu at Berkeley Lab; and Marsel Zagidullin and Valeriy Azyazov at Samara National Research University in Russia.

The Advanced Light Source is a DOE user facility at Berkeley Lab.

This work was supported by the DOE Office of Science.

Founded in 1931 on the belief that the biggest scientific challenges are best addressed by teams, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and its scientists have been recognized with 14 Nobel Prizes. Today, Berkeley Lab researchers develop sustainable energy and environmental solutions, create useful new materials, advance the frontiers of computing, and probe the mysteries of life, matter, and the universe. Scientists from around the world rely on the Lab's facilities for their own discovery science. Berkeley Lab is a multiprogram national laboratory, managed by the University of California for the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science.

DOE's Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States, and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, please visit energy.gov/science.
Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) is involved in an international research project launched by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). The aim of the project is to improve water security in the Middle East. Various cross-border research and development projects will be carried out - ranging from the use of innovative water technologies to efficient water sector management approaches. The Mainz teams, led by Professor Sebastian Seiffert from JGU and Professor Michael Maskos, also from JGU and head of the Fraunhofer Institute for Microengineering and Microsystems IMM, will be participating in the BMBF project and collaborating with three partners from Iran and Iraq. "Our goal is to use temperature-sensitive polymer gels to convert seawater from the Persian Gulf into drinking water to supply small settlements in the region - an energy-independent process which is simply driven by the alternation of day and night," explained Sebastian Seiffert, Professor for Physical Chemistry of Polymers at JGU. The German Federal Ministry of Education and Research will be supporting the project with EUR 600,000 in funding over the next three years.

Mainz expertise in the field of polymer gels is one of the cornerstones of the project

The intention is to develop desalination processes inspired by membrane-based and membraneless forward osmosis, a liquid separation technique. There will be two major development phases: In the first phase, the focus will be on the development of optimized hydrogels and novel membrane concepts. In the second phase, a laboratory set-up of a desalination plant will be created using the developed components and subsequently tested on-site by one of the project partners. "We hope that this will lay the foundations for developing simple desalination plants that can supply small settlements with fresh water," emphasized Seiffert. Another key element of the project is to make a regional contribution to solving the global problem of water scarcity, which particularly affects Middle Eastern countries. "The region is already characterized by conflict. This international collaboration with partners from formerly hostile Gulf states is an excellent way to prevent possible resource conflicts over drinking water that could arise as a result of climate change," the chemist added. Seiffert is also the spokesperson for the Adaptive Polymer Gels with Controlled Network Structure research unit funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG).

An additional benefit of the project is the multilateral cooperation involved. Although Iran and Iraq have good academic and industrial capabilities in the field of desalination, the two countries to date have contributed relatively little to progress in desalination programs in the Middle East - despite the fact that the Persian Gulf represents a significant water resource in the region. The German partners in the project have extensive know-how when it comes to the physical chemistry of polymer networks and thermoresponsive hydrogels, as well as in the fields of nanotechnology and the development of continuous production methods. "By pooling our various resources and expertise, we can provide that extra impetus to drive the project forward," said Seiffert. He also expects the collaboration between the partners from Germany and the region to continue and intensify, even after the project has been completed, in order to foster even more cooperation in the field of water desalination.

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Faster and more accurate methods come in useful in various applications from energy storage to medicines -- publication in Nature Materials

Research, development, and production of novel materials depend heavily on the availability of fast and at the same time accurate simulation methods. Machine learning, in which artificial intelligence (AI) autonomously acquires and applies new knowledge, will soon enable researchers to develop complex material systems in a purely virtual environment. How does this work, and which applications will benefit? In an article published in the Nature Materials journal, a researcher from Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and his colleagues from Gottingen and Toronto explain it all. (DOI: 10.1038/s41563-020-0777-6)

Digitization and virtualization are becoming increasingly important in a wide range of scientific disciplines. One of these disciplines is materials science: research, development, and production of novel materials depend heavily on the availability of fast and at the same time accurate simulation methods. This, in turn, is beneficial for a wide range of different applications - from efficient energy storage systems, such as those indispensable for the use of renewable energies, to new medicines, for whose development an understanding of complex biological processes is required. AI and machine learning methods can take simulations in material sciences to the next level. "Compared to conventional simulation methods based on classical or quantum mechanical calculations, the use of neural networks specifically tailored to material simulations enables us to achieve a significant speed advantage," explains physicist and AI expert Professor Pascal Friederich, Head of the AiMat - Artificial Intelligence for Materials Sciences research group at KIT's Institute of Theoretical Informatics (ITI). "With faster simulation systems, scientists will be able to develop larger and more complex material systems in a purely virtual environment, and to understand and optimize them down to the atomic level."

High Precision from the Atom to the Material

In an article published in Nature Materials, Pascal Friederich, who is also associate group leader of the Nanomaterials by Information-Guided Design division at KIT's Institute of Nanotechnology (INT), presents, together with researchers from the University of Gottingen and the University of Toronto, an overview of the basic principles of machine learning used for simulations in material sciences. This also includes the data acquisition process and active learning methods. Machine learning algorithms not only enable artificial intelligence to process the input data, but also to find patterns and correlations in large data sets, learn from them, and make autonomous predictions and decisions. For simulations in materials science, it is important to achieve high accuracy over different time and size scales, ranging from the atom to the material, while limiting computational costs. In their article, the scientists also discuss various current applications, such as small organic molecules and large biomolecules, structurally disordered solid, liquid, and gaseous materials, as well as complex crystalline systems - for example, metal-organic frameworks that can be used for gas storage or for separation, for sensors or for catalysts.

Even More Speed with Hybrid Methods

To further extend the possibilities of material simulations in the future, the researchers from Karlsruhe, Gottingen, and Toronto suggest the development of hybrid methods: these combine machine learning (ML) and molecular mechanics (MM) methods. MM simulations use so-called force fields in order to calculate the forces acting on each individual particle and thus predict motions. As the potentials of the ML and MM methods are quite similar, a tight integration with variable transition areas is possible. These hybrid methods could significantly accelerate the simulation of large biomolecules or enzymatic reactions in the future, for example.

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Original publication:

Pascal Friederich, Florian Hase, Jonny Proppe & Alan Aspuru-Guzik: Machine-learned potentials for next-generation matter simulations. Nature Materials, 2021. DOI: 10.1038/s41563-020-0777-6

Abstract at https:/ / www. nature. com/ articles/ s41563-020-0777-6

More information on the AiMat research group: https:/ / aimat. science

More details about KIT Information, Systems, Technologies Center (KCIST): https:/ / www. kcist. kit. edu

More about KIT Materials Center: https:/ / www. materials. kit. edu

Contact for this press release:

Margarete Lehne, Press Officer, Phone: +49 721 608-41157, Fax: +49 721 608-41157, margarete.lehne@kit.edu

Being "The Research University in the Helmholtz Association", KIT creates and imparts knowledge for the society and the environment. It is the objective to make significant contributions to the global challenges in the fields of energy, mobility, and information. For this, about 9,600 employees cooperate in a broad range of disciplines in natural sciences, engineering sciences, economics, and the humanities and social sciences. KIT prepares its 23,300 students for responsible tasks in society, industry, and science by offering research-based study programs. Innovation efforts at KIT build a bridge between important scientific findings and their application for the benefit of society, economic prosperity, and the preservation of our natural basis of life. KIT is one of the German universities of excellence.
[RALEIGH, N.C.] - How are the squirrels doing this year? The bears? The armadillos? How would you know? A new paper published June 8 sets up the framework for answering these questions across the United States by releasing the data from the first national mammal survey made up of 1,509 motion-activated camera traps from 110 sites located across all 50 states.

Unlike birds, which have multiple large-scale monitoring programs, there has been no standard way to monitor mammal populations at a national scale. To address this challenge, scientists from the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences and the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute recently collaborated with more than 150 scientists on the first-ever nationwide wildlife survey, called Snapshot USA. "Our goal was to provide a space for researchers from all 50 states to contribute a subset of their data to a broader initiative to maximize our coverage of the country and better understand drivers of mammal distributions to best inform conservation as rapidly as possible," said the Museum's Curator of Mammalogy Michael Cove, lead author of the new paper.

For two months in fall 2019 researchers collected more than 166,000 images of 83 different mammal species. White-tailed deer were the most common species detected (34,000+ times at 1,033 sites), followed by eastern gray squirrels and raccoons. Pygmy rabbits, mountain beavers, hog-nosed skunks and marsh rabbits were among the least common mammals photographed. Yet, the overall detection winner was the coyote, which was detected in all 49 continental states -- they have not made it to Hawaii yet. All the data are archived at the Smithsonian Institution's eMammal database and published as part of the new paper.

In an interesting twist, developed areas tended to have the highest overall mammal detections, with three of the top five sites for total mammal activity being urban -- Urbana, IL.; Baltimore, MD.; and Washington, D.C. "These new data show that the urban mammal paradox, with more animals actually living close to people, is not just an isolated phenomenon," said coauthor Roland Kays, a scientist at the museum and at NC State University.

When comparing particular species across the country, North Carolina stood out for being in the "Top 10" for the relative abundance of black bears (#3 Dare County, #4 Craven County, #7 Pender County, #8 Haywood County); bobcats (#5 Dare County); coyotes (#8 Haywood County); white-tailed deer (#5 Surrey County, #9 Alamance County, #10 Moore County); and turkeys (#8 Craven County, #9 Burke County and #10 Moore County). Nationally, ranking of top sites for select mammal species can be found at https:/ / public. tableau. com/ app/ profile/ roland. kays/ viz/ SS_USA_rankings/ Dashboard1 .

The research results appeared June 8 in Ecology, a publication of the Ecological Society of America, the nation's largest organization of professional ecologists. The publication makes the 2019 survey data available online for anyone to use for research questions, such as the evaluation of changes in animal populations over time or informing conservation strategies for threatened and endangered species. "This project involved a remarkable level of cooperation and data sharing that will have to be the standard going forward to adequately monitor our valuable wildlife resources at the national scale," adds William McShea of the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute.

The scientists repeated the survey in fall 2020 likely providing insights on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on wildlife distributions and habitat use -- resulting data will be available as the eMammal database is updated in 2021.

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Note to Editors: The study abstract follows.

"SNAPSHOT USA 2019: The first coordinated national camera trap survey of the United States"

Published: June 8, 2021, Ecology

DOI: https:/ / doi. org/ 10. 1002/ ecy. 3353

Abstract: With the accelerating pace of global change, it is imperative that we obtain rapid inventories of the status and distribution of wildlife for ecological inferences and conservation planning. To address this challenge, we launched the Snapshot USA project, a collaborative survey of terrestrial wildlife populations using camera traps across the United States. For our first annual survey, we compiled data across all 50 states during a 14-week period (17 August - 24 November of 2019). We sampled wildlife at 1530 camera trap sites from 109 survey arrays covering 12 different ecoregions across four development zones. This effort resulted in 165,426 unique detections of 80 species of mammals and 17 species of birds. All images were processed through the Smithsonian's eMammal camera trap data repository and included an expert review phase to ensure taxonomic accuracy of data, resulting in each picture being reviewed at least twice. The results of this survey are the first standardized camera trap survey of the USA, and possibly the largest coordinated mammal assessment of its kind. All of the 2019 survey data are made available herein. We will repeat surveys in fall 2020, opening up the opportunity to other institutions and cooperators to expand coverage of all the urban-wild gradients and ecophysiographic regions of the country. Future data will be available as the database is updated at eMammal.si.edu/snapshot-usa. These data will be useful for local and macroecological research including the examination of community assembly, effects of environmental and anthropogenic filters, effects of fragmentation and extinction debt dynamics, as well as species-specific population dynamics and conservation action plans.

Authors/Affiliations:

Michael V. Cove1,2, Roland Kays2,3, Helen Bontrager1, Claire Bresnan1, Monica Lasky3, Taylor Frerichs1, Renee Klann1, plus ~150 others.

1Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, VA 22630

2North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, Raleigh, NC 27601

3Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27607

Funding/Acknowledgements:

This project was a huge collaboration effort. Thanks to data contributors, students, interns, and citizen scientists with data collection and camera trap image review. The Smithsonian Institution provided support and data storage in the Smithsonian repository.
NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope team recently flight-certified all 24 of the detectors the mission needs. When Roman launches in the mid-2020s, these devices will convert starlight into electrical signals, which will then be decoded into 300-megapixel images of large patches of the sky. These images will allow astronomers to explore a vast array of celestial objects and phenomena, bringing us closer to solving many pressing cosmic mysteries.

"As the telescope's eyes, Roman's detectors will enable all of the mission's science," said John Gygax, the focal plane system manager for the Roman Space Telescope at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. "Now, based on our testing results, our team can confirm these infrared detectors meet all the requirements for Roman's purposes."

Each detector has 16 million tiny pixels, providing the mission with exquisite image resolution. While 18 detectors will be incorporated into Roman's camera, another six will be reserved as flight-qualified spares.

"The heart of Roman's detectors are millions of mercury-cadmium-telluride photodiodes, which are sensors that convert light into an electrical current - one for each pixel," said Greg Mosby, a research astrophysicist at Goddard who is helping assess the performance of Roman's detectors. "One of the reasons we chose this material is because by varying the amount of cadmium, we can tune the detector to have a specific cutoff wavelength. That allows us to focus more precisely on the wavelengths of light we're trying to see."

To make the detectors, technicians at Teledyne Imaging Sensors in Camarillo, California built up the photodiodes on the base of the detector layer by layer. Then, they secured the detector to a silicon electronics board that will help process the light signals using indium - a soft metal that has roughly the same consistency as chewing gum. The pixels were glued down using a tiny drop of indium for each one.

The drops were meticulously placed just 10 microns apart - about the width of a typical cotton fiber. If we scaled one of Roman's detectors up to be as long as an Olympic-size swimming pool, the indium blobs would be less than half an inch apart. This precise alignment ensures that each of the sensors will operate independently.

"The Roman team has spent years identifying an optimal recipe for the mission's detectors," Mosby said. "It's gratifying to see the team's hard work pay off on this crucial technical aspect of the mission. We can't wait to see how the images from these detectors transform our understanding of the universe."

Hubble's wide-eyed cousin

Combining so many detectors and pixels gives Roman its wide field of view, enabling the mission to create infrared images that will be around 200 times larger than Hubble can provide while revealing the same level of rich detail. The spacecraft is expected to collect far more data than any other NASA astrophysics mission before it. Scientists had to develop new processes that will compress and digitize the mission's downpour of data.

Goddard engineers also pioneered novel testing methods to ensure the detectors will meet the mission's needs. Roman requires extremely sensitive detectors to see faint signals from far across the cosmos. But it isn't easy to create detectors that meet the mission's strict quality requirements.

The team knew that not all of the detectors would pass their stringent tests, so they ordered more than the mission requires and will use the best ones. But the extra detectors won't go to waste - some are destined to serve as the eyes of other telescopes that have more lenient requirements, while others will be used for additional testing on the ground.

Staying cool

Roman will create enormous, high-resolution panoramas of the infrared universe, building on the Spitzer Space Telescope's groundbreaking observations and complementing the James Webb Space Telescope. Viewing space in infrared light is like using heat-vision goggles, helping us spot things we wouldn't be able to see otherwise. But doing so requires precise and extremely cold detectors.

"Space is very dark, and everything gives off infrared light according to its temperature," said Dominic Benford, the Roman program scientist at NASA Headquarters. "Roman's telescope, camera, and detectors all have to be cooled so that they are darker than the universe they'll be looking at."

Since we can detect infrared light as heat, Roman's detectors will have to be supercooled to a frigid -288 degrees Fahrenheit (-178 degrees Celsius). Otherwise heat from the spacecraft's own components would saturate the detectors, effectively blinding the telescope. A radiator will redirect waste heat from the spacecraft components away from the detectors out into cold space, ensuring that Roman will be sensitive to faint signals from distant galaxies and other cosmic objects.

The combination of Roman's fine resolution and enormous images has never been possible on a space-based telescope before and will make the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope an indispensable tool in the future.

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The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is managed at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, with participation by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Caltech/IPAC in Southern California, the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, and a science team comprising scientists from various research institutions. The primary industrial partners are Ball Aerospace and Technologies Corporation in Boulder, Colorado; L3Harris Technologies in Melbourne, Florida; and Teledyne Imaging Sensors in Camarillo, California.

Banner: A technician holds one of Roman's detectors. Credit: NASA/Chris Gunn

By Ashley Balzer

NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
Materials scientists from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) have developed a reusable "nanotech mask" that can filter out 99.9 per cent of bacteria, viruses and particulate matter (PM), as well as kill bacteria.

Its novel antimicrobial coating kills bacteria within 45 seconds and is effective for at least 144 hours (six days).

Its filtration efficiency surpasses those of N95 masks (95 per cent filtration of PM0.3) and can be washed and reused over 10 times.

In mid-May, Singapore tightened its Covid-19 measures as the country was facing an increase in the number of infections, and the population was advised to use face masks with high filtration capability to help curb the spread of the coronavirus.

The made-in-NTU mask comprises two key components: an antimicrobial coating made from copper nanoparticles developed and patented by Professor Lam Yeng Ming, coated on a fabric mask invented by Associate Professor Liu Zheng, which has a unique dielectric property that attracts all nanoparticles and germs.

Prof Lam, who is also the Chair of NTU's School of Materials Science and Engineering, said their mask prototype combines the two most desired properties needed to fight COVID-19, into a single filter.

"In experiments, our copper nanoparticle coating has an extremely fast and sustained antibacterial activity, with a killing efficiency of up to 99.9 per cent when it meets multi-drug resistant bacteria. This coating will help to reduce the spread of bacteria as it kills microbes in droplets trapped by the mask fibres, which provide excellent filtration efficiency. This should give users a double layer of protection compared to conventional surgical masks," explained Prof Lam.

Experiments on the antibacterial effectiveness of the mask were conducted in collaboration with scientists from the National University of Singapore (NUS). They simulated real-life conditions by introducing multi-drug resistant bacteria in droplet form on fabric surfaces and observed that almost all the bacteria were dead by 45 seconds.

The reason for the effectiveness of the antimicrobial coating was two-fold: the first is the extremely small size of the nanoparticles, which are about 1,000 times smaller than the width of a human hair. Collectively, millions of nanoparticles provide a huge surface area for the viruses and bacteria to contact, compared to bigger particles.

The second is the high level of oxidative damage caused by the copper oxide material. Copper oxide induces the generation of reactive oxygen species, resulting in DNA damage of important cell structures in the bacteria, such as the cell membrane, severely damaging it and causing the bacteria to die.

To make it easy to apply, the antimicrobial nanoparticle solution is designed to be spray-coated on all soft and hard surfaces.

Various peer-reviewed studies have shown that copper oxide is effective in killing viruses, such as the recent study published in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces by The University of Hong Kong and Virginia Tech, where door handles were coated with a layer of copper oxide material.

The NTU team tested their nanoparticle coating in harsh conditions for 120 washing cycles (in the presence of soap or its active components at 45 degC) and found that there was almost no copper loss - posing very little risk of toxicity to humans. The nanoparticles are also bonded to the fibres within the mask, so there is no contact with human skin when the mask is worn.

Superior trapping capabilities of the mask

Killing viruses and bacteria would only work if the mask is able to trap and stop them from passing through. This is where Assoc Prof Liu's breakthrough came in handy.

Last year, his team developed a way to integrate dielectric materials to plastic fibres during the manufacturing process of an unwoven fabric filter made from Polypropylene (PP), commonly used in disposable surgical masks used by hospitals. This was done in collaboration with Prof Guan Li from the Renmin University of China.

The dielectric materials have excellent electrostatic capabilities, which can attract and bind to particles possessing a negative or positive charge, similar to how magnets attract metal particles.

Made from fibres with a diameter of 200 to 300 nanometres, the mask has a higher surface area that lowers the breathing resistance - making it easy for its wearer to breathe as compared to conventional N95 respirators, which are denser.

In tests, the next-generation dielectric composite fabric had 50 per cent higher filtration efficiency than pure PP masks, which are commonly rated at 95 per cent BFE (Bacterial Filtration Efficiency).

Assoc Prof Liu said: "With our new composite filter, we can achieve up to 99.9 per cent BFE, trapping almost all microbes and particulate matter from smoke or haze. Its filtration efficiency surpasses a N95 mask but allows the wearer to breathe much easier.

"More importantly, it can be mass-produced easily using the current production process. It is also washable for more than 10 times before losing filtration efficiency, making it more sustainable than current one-use disposable masks."

In experiments, the mask was able to attract and trap a broad range of particulate matter: from PM10 (average particle size of 10 microns) to PM0.3 (0.3 microns - about 0.3 per cent the diameter of a human hair) with a filtration efficiency of 99.9 per cent.

The antimicrobial coating has a patent filed through NTU's enterprise and innovation company, NTUitive, and Prof Lam's team is already working with a local company to coat it on their products.

Assoc Prof Liu's dielectric composite fabric material is now used by an overseas manufacturer to make N95 masks that are as easy to breathe as disposable surgical masks and are available commercially.

The team is now looking to work with local industry partners who are keen to license and scale up the production of their 2-in-1 mask and are currently preparing scientific papers for submission in scientific journals.

NTU scientists have been working on developing solutions in the global fight against COVID-19.

These include innovations such as autonomous disinfection robots, COVID-19 rapid test kits and a breathalyser device, a smart mask, antimicrobial coatings, as well as fundamental research on the coronavirus to find new drug targets for treatment and vaccine development.

Healthcare is one of humanity's grand challenges that NTU seeks to address under the NTU 2025 strategic plan.

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Media contact:

Lester Kok

Assistant Director

Corporate Communications Office

Nanyang Technological University

Tel: +65 6790 6804

Email: lesterkok@ntu.edu.sg

About Nanyang Technological University, Singapore

A research-intensive public university, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) has 33,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students in the Engineering, Business, Science, Humanities, Arts, & Social Sciences, and Graduate colleges. It also has a medical school, the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, established jointly with Imperial College London.

NTU is also home to world-renowned autonomous institutes - the National Institute of Education, S Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Earth Observatory of Singapore, and Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering - and various leading research centres such as the Nanyang Environment & Water Research Institute (NEWRI) and Energy Research Institute @ NTU (ERI@N).

Ranked amongst the world's top universities by QS, NTU has also been named the world's top young university for the last seven years. The University's main campus is frequently listed among the Top 15 most beautiful university campuses in the world and it has 57 Green Mark-certified (equivalent to LEED-certified) building projects, of which 95% are certified Green Mark Platinum. Apart from its main campus, NTU also has a campus in Singapore's healthcare district.

Under the NTU Smart Campus vision, the University harnesses the power of digital technology and tech-enabled solutions to support better learning and living experiences, the discovery of new knowledge, and the sustainability of resources.
On June 8, World Oceans Day, the President of Panama Laurentino Cortizo signed an executive decree that expands the limits of the Cordillera de Coiba protected area, a step that will double the amount of Panamanian marine surface that is under some degree of protection. The scientific basis for this initiative was a multidisciplinary effort led by marine biologist Hector M. Guzman, from the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI), with the participation of MigraMar Foundation and Panama's Ministry of the Environment (MiAmbiente). This white paper was funded by the Wyss and Mission Blue foundations.

In 2015, the government of Panama established the Cordillera de Coiba protected area composed of 17,223.52 square kilometers (about 6,650 square miles). In January of this year, the country joined the High Ambition Coalition (HAC) for Nature and People with the commitment to support the "30x30 Initiative," which seeks to protect at least 30% of the world's land and marine surface by the year 2030.

To determine the new limits, the consulting team analyzed oceanographic data obtained through satellite sensors. With the expansion, Panama adds 50,518.84 square kilometers (about 19,505 square miles) to the Coiba protected area, reaching a total of 98,228.25 square kilometers (about 37,916 square miles) of marine protected areas throughout the country and achieving the goal of the 30x30 Initiative nine years ahead of schedule. This will bring the country closer to several important environmental objectives for the area, which has unique characteristics.

The expansion will protect a series of underwater mountain ranges that are home to species exclusive to those depths and that are still unknown to science due to the great difficulty in studying them. The areas where migratory marine species circulate will also be better preserved. At least 14 species of marine mammals use the area, 12 of which are threatened according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, including the blue whale, the sperm whale and the fin whale.

A system for monitoring, control and surveillance of illegal fishing will also be established with the collaboration of the Blue Nature Alliance and Skylight. The sustainable use of natural resources in the area will be promoted, such as selective fishing, to reduce the incidence of accidental fishing of species important to the health of the oceans.

The expansion will also strengthen the management of neighboring protected areas and connectivity with other marine protected areas of the Eastern Tropical Pacific Marine Corridor, such as Malpelo and Gorgona (Colombia), Coco (Costa Rica) and the Galapagos Islands (Ecuador). Further, it will help increase scientific research on marine biodiversity, the conservation status of species, migrations, upwelling processes, the effects of climate change, among others.

"STRI is proud to be part of this historic moment where Panama reaches the 30x30 goal, and reaffirms its commitment to the conservation of marine and terrestrial ecosystems," said Oris I. Sanjur, acting director of STRI. "As a scientific institution, we are pleased to know that the country is advancing important actions, using scientific knowledge as the basis for decision making. Our gratitude and congratulations to President Cortizo and to the Panamanian people for such an important achievement in protecting natural resources for the future generations of Panama and the world."

"By expanding the Cordillera de Coiba Marine Protected Area, the government of Panama is not just taking bold action to safeguard the region's exceptional wildlife and biodiversity, but also strengthening Panama's robust ocean-based economy, and establishing itself as a global ocean conservation leader," said Wyss Foundation President Molly McUsic. "Thank you and congratulations to President Cortizo, Minister Concepcion and the people of Panama for permanently protecting this remarkable place and charting the course to 30% for other countries to follow."

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The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, headquartered in Panama City, Panama, is part of the Smithsonian Institution. The Institute furthers the understanding of tropical nature and its importance to human welfare, trains students to conduct research in the tropics and promotes conservation by increasing public awareness of the beauty and importance of tropical ecosystems.
Millions of people with diabetes are at risk of developing foot ulcers, which often lead to amputations and other health complications. Now, Scientists from the Centre for Biomechanics and Rehabilitation Technologies (CRBT) have developed a new method to reliably detect this risk without the need for complex electronic in-shoe sensors.

Dr Panagiotis Chatzistergos, Associate Professor in Orthopaedic Biomechanics, explained: "In the UK alone, 169 people have a toe, foot or limb amputated as a result of diabetes every week, yet importantly up to 80% of these amputations could have been prevented with correct management.

"Routine overloading of the sole of the foot during daily activities can trigger the onset of foot ulcers, so being able to identify which areas in the sole of the foot are most affected is extremely important."

A common method involves assessing plantar pressure to prescribe special footwear or insoles, however many clinicians cannot use this because it is expensive and difficult to use. Dr Chatzistergos and colleagues have developed a novel concept to address this problem, using 3D-printed, tuneable structures that will help clinicians better understand the cause of ulcer development and lead to improved patient outcomes.

Dr Chatzistergos, who led the study, said: "Our work has demonstrated a method to reliably detect overloading using a low-cost non-electronic technique. We have used a 3D-printed thin-wall structure that changes its properties when repeatedly loaded above or below a tuneable threshold. We believe that this is a step change from current practice."

Patients would be required to wear the sensor-insoles in their everyday footwear for a representative time period, for example a day or a week, before returning them for analysis. During the analysis of the sensor-insole, plantar areas that were routinely subjected to higher pressures should be identifiable, against those where pressure was below that threshold.

The concepts behind the work, published in Royal Society Open Science, have been fully developed at Staffordshire University and the intellectual property has been protected.

Professor Nachi Chockalingam, Director for CRBT who co-authored the study, said: "Plantar pressure assessment is common amongst clinical practice and it contributes to insoles and footwear prescription. However, the current technologies are expensive and difficult to use in an everyday clinic.

"Each year more than 26 million people worldwide develop diabetic foot ulcers and the lifetime incidence of foot ulcers in developing countries is more than 20% among people with diabetes. Establishing low-cost methods to help prevent foot ulcers will reduce the global socioeconomic burden of diabetes and ultimately save lives. The concept reported within this paper, with further development, has the potential to transform clinical management of foot ulcer risk across the world."

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A novel concept for low-cost non-electronic detection of overloading in the foot during activities of daily living is published in Royal Society Open Science.
Inside each proton or neutron there are three quarks bound by gluons. Until now, it has often been assumed that two of them form a "stable" pair known as a diquark. It seems, however, that it's the end of the road for the diquarks in physics. This is one of the conclusions of the new model of proton-proton or proton-nucleus collisions, which takes into account the interactions of gluons with the sea of virtual quarks and antiquarks.

In physics, the emergence of a new theoretical model often augurs badly for old concepts. This is also the case with the description of collisions of protons with protons or atomic nuclei, proposed by scientists from the Institute of Nuclear Physics of the Polish Academy of Sciences (IFJ PAN) in Cracow. In the latest model, a significant role is played by interactions of gluons emitted by one proton with the sea of virtual quarks and antiquarks, appearing and disappearing inside another proton or neutron.

Gluons are carriers of the strong force, one of the four fundamental forces of nature. This binds quarks into composite structures, such as protons or neutrons. In many respects, the strong force differs from the others. For example, it does not weaken, but grows with the distance between the particles. Moreover, unlike photons, gluons carry a specific kind of charge (picturesquely known as colour) and can interact with each other.

The majority of nuclear reactions - including the bulk of collisions of protons with protons or atomic nuclei - are processes in which particles only "brush against" each other by exchanging gluons. Collisions of this type are called soft by physicists and cause them quite some trouble, since the theory describing them is incalculable from first principles. Thus, by necessity, all today's models of soft processes are more or less phenomenological.

"In the beginning, we only wanted to see how the existing tool, known as the Dual Parton Model, handles more precise experimental data on proton-proton and proton-carbon nucleus collisions," recalls Prof. Marek Jezabek (IFJ PAN). "It rapidly turned out that it was not coping well. So, we decided, on the basis of the old model which has been under development for over four decades, to try to create something which was on the one hand more precise, and on the other - closer to the nature of the described phenomena."

The Gluon Exchange Model (GEM) built at IFJ PAN is also phenomenological. However, it is not based on analogies to other physical phenomena, but directly on the existence of quarks and gluons and their fundamental properties. Moreover, GEM takes into account the existence in protons and neutrons of not only triplets of the main (valence) quarks, but also the sea of constantly arising and annihilating pairs of virtual quarks and antiquarks. In addition, it takes into account the limitations resulting from the principle of baryon number conservation. In simplified terms, it says that the number of baryons (i.e. protons and neutrons) existing before and after the interaction must remain unchanged. As each quark carries its own baryon number (equal to 1/3), this principle allows to draw more reliable conclusions on what is happening with the quarks and the gluons exchanged between them.

"GEM has allowed us to explore new scenarios of the course of events involving protons and neutrons," stresses Dr. Andrzej Rybicki (IFJ PAN) and goes into more detail: "Let's imagine, for example, that in the course of a soft proton-proton collision, one of protons emits a gluon, which hits the other proton - not its valence quark but a quark from the virtual sea that exists for a fraction of a moment. When such a gluon is absorbed, the sea quark and antiquark forming a pair cease to be virtual and materialize into other particles in specific final states. Note that in this scenario new particles are formed despite the fact that the valence quarks of one of the protons have remained untouched."

The Cracow gluon model leads to interesting insights, two of which are particularly noteworthy. The first concerns the origin of diffractive protons, observed in proton-proton collisions. These are fast protons that come out of the collision site at small angles. Until now, it was believed that they could not be produced by colour change processes and that some other physical mechanism was responsible for their production. Now it turns out that the presence of diffractive protons can be explained by the interaction of the gluon emitted by one proton with the sea quarks of another proton.

Another observation is no less interesting. Earlier, when describing soft collisions, it was assumed that two of the three valence quarks of a proton or a neutron are bound together so that they form a "molecule" called a diquark. The existence of the diquark was a hypothesis that not all physicists would vouch for indiscriminately, but the concept was widely used - something that is now likely to change. The GEM model was confronted with experimental data describing a situation in which a proton collides with a carbon nucleus and interacts with two or more protons/neutrons along the way. It turned out that in order to be consistent with the measurements, under the new model in at least half the cases the disintegration of the diquark must be assumed.

"Thus, there are many indications that the diquark in a proton or neutron is not a strongly bound object. It may be that the diquark exists only effectively, as a random configuration of two quarks forming a so-called colour antitriplet - and whenever it can, it immediately disintegrates," says Dr. Rybicki.

The Cracow model of gluon exchange explains a wider class of phenomena in a simpler and more coherent way than the existing tools for description of soft collisions. The current results, presented in an article published in Physics Letters B, have interesting implications for matter-antimatter annihilation phenomena, in which an antiproton could annihilate on more than one proton/neutron in the atomic nucleus. Therefore, the authors have already formulated first, preliminary proposals to perform new measurements at CERN with an antiproton beam.

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The Henryk Niewodniczanski Institute of Nuclear Physics (IFJ PAN) is currently one of the largest research institutes of the Polish Academy of Sciences. A wide range of research carried out at IFJ PAN covers basic and applied studies, from particle physics and astrophysics, through hadron physics, high-, medium-, and low-energy nuclear physics, condensed matter physics (including materials engineering), to various applications of nuclear physics in interdisciplinary research, covering medical physics, dosimetry, radiation and environmental biology, environmental protection, and other related disciplines. The average yearly publication output of IFJ PAN includes over 600 scientific papers in high-impact international journals. Each year the Institute hosts about 20 international and national scientific conferences. One of the most important facilities of the Institute is the Cyclotron Centre Bronowice (CCB), which is an infrastructure unique in Central Europe, serving as a clinical and research centre in the field of medical and nuclear physics. In addition, IFJ PAN runs four accredited research and measurement laboratories. IFJ PAN is a member of the Marian Smoluchowski Krakow Research Consortium: "Matter-Energy-Future", which in the years 2012-2017 enjoyed the status of the Leading National Research Centre (KNOW) in physics. In 2017, the European Commission granted the Institute the HR Excellence in Research award. The Institute holds A+ Category (the highest scientific category in Poland) in the field of sciences and engineering.

CONTACTS:

Prof. Marek Jezabek

Institute of Nuclear Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences

tel.: +48 12 6628421

email: marek.jezabek@ifj.edu.pl

Dr. Andrzej Rybicki

Institute of Nuclear Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences

tel.: +48 12 6628447

email: andrzej.rybicki@ifj.edu.pl

SCIENTIFIC PUBLICATIONS:

"The Gluon Exchange Model for diffractive and inelastic collisions"

M. Jezabek, A. Rybicki

Physics Letters B, 816, 136200 (2021)

DOI: https:/ / doi. org/ 10. 1016/ j. physletb. 2021. 136200

LINKS:

http://www. ifj. edu. pl/

The website of the Institute of Nuclear Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences.

http://press. ifj. edu. pl/

Press releases of the Institute of Nuclear Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences.

IMAGES:

IFJ210609b_fot01s.jpg

HR: http://press. ifj. edu. pl/ news/ 2021/ 06/ 09/ IFJ210609b_fot01. jpg

When a proton collides with a proton, the gluon emitted by one of the valence quarks can interact with a virtual quark from the the quark-antiquark pair inside the other proton. According to the GEM model, the result of such an interaction will be a fast proton with an intact structure of valence quarks, and other particles created in processes taking place in the interaction region (outlined in white). (Source: IFJ PAN / Dual Color)
Integrated strategies of systems metabolic engineering and membrane engineering led to the production of natural rainbow colorants comprising seven natural colorants from bacteria for the first time

A research group at KAIST has engineered bacterial strains capable of producing three carotenoids and four violacein derivatives, completing the seven colors in the rainbow spectrum. The research team integrated systems metabolic engineering and membrane engineering strategies for the production of seven natural rainbow colorants in engineered Escherichia coli strains. The strategies will be also useful for the efficient production of other industrially important natural products used in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries.

Colorants are widely used in our lives and are directly related to human health when we eat food additives and wear cosmetics. However, most of these colorants are made from petroleum, causing unexpected side effects and health problems. Furthermore, they raise environmental concerns such as water pollution from dyeing fabric in the textiles industry. For these reasons, the demand for the production of natural colorants using microorganisms has increased, but could not be readily realized due to the high cost and low yield of the bioprocesses.

These challenges inspired the metabolic engineers at KAIST including researchers Dr. Dongsoo Yang and Dr. Seon Young Park, and Distinguished Professor Sang Yup Lee from the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. The team reported the study entitled "Production of rainbow colorants by metabolically engineered Escherichia coli" in Advanced Science online on May 5. It was selected as the journal cover of the July 7 issue.

This research reports for the first time the production of rainbow colorants comprising three carotenoids and four violacein derivatives from glucose or glycerol via systems metabolic engineering and membrane engineering. The research group focused on the production of hydrophobic natural colorants useful for lipophilic food and dyeing garments. First, using systems metabolic engineering, which is an integrated technology to engineer the metabolism of a microorganism, three carotenoids comprising astaxanthin (red), ?-carotene (orange), and zeaxanthin (yellow), and four violacein derivatives comprising proviolacein (green), prodeoxyviolacein (blue), violacein (navy), and deoxyviolacein (purple) could be produced. Thus, the production of natural colorants covering the complete rainbow spectrum was achieved.

When hydrophobic colorants are produced from microorganisms, the colorants are accumulated inside the cell. As the accumulation capacity is limited, the hydrophobic colorants could not be produced with concentrations higher than the limit. In this regard, the researchers engineered the cell morphology and generated inner-membrane vesicles (spherical membranous structures) to increase the intracellular capacity for accumulating the natural colorants. To further promote production, the researchers generated outer-membrane vesicles to secrete the natural colorants, thus succeeding in efficiently producing all of seven rainbow colorants. It was even more impressive that the production of natural green and navy colorants was achieved for the first time.

"The production of the seven natural rainbow colorants that can replace the current petroleum-based synthetic colorants was achieved for the first time," said Dr. Dongsoo Yang. He explained that another important point of the research is that integrated metabolic engineering strategies developed from this study can be generally applicable for the efficient production of other natural products useful as pharmaceuticals or nutraceuticals. "As maintaining good health in an aging society is becoming increasingly important, we expect that the technology and strategies developed here will play pivotal roles in producing other valuable natural products of medical or nutritional importance," explained Distinguished Professor Sang Yup Lee.

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This work was supported by the "Cooperative Research Program for Agriculture Science & Technology Development (Project No. PJ01550602)" Rural Development Administration, Republic of Korea.

About KAIST

KAIST is the first and top science and technology university in Korea. KAIST was established in 1971 by the Korean government to educate scientists and engineers committed to the industrialization and economic growth of Korea.

Since then, KAIST and its 64,739 graduates have been the gateway to advanced science and technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship. KAIST has emerged as one of the most innovative universities with more than 10,000 students enrolled in five colleges and seven schools including 1,039 international students from 90 countries.

On the precipice of its semi-centennial anniversary in 2021, KAIST continues to strive to make the world better through the pursuit in education, research, entrepreneurship, and globalization.
It all started, when Patrice Cani, FNRS researcher at University of Louvain (UCLouvain), and his team repeatedly observed that a bacterium (called Subdoligranulum) is almost absent in obese and diabetic people, while it is systematically present in healthy people. So, they decided to take a closer look at this "family" of bacteria.

There is as yet only one cultivated strain of this family available in the world (the only known member of a large family) and, no luck, it is not the strain that was observed to be decreased in sick people. This is not unusual: nearly 70% of bacteria in the intestine have not yet been identified (this is called the dark matter of the intestine).

In 2015, the team then set out to isolate the bacterium themselves in order to learn about its action on the human body, knowing that it is only present in healthy people. For 2 years, the scientists searched, isolated and cultivated nearly 600 bacteria from the intestine, in an attempt to find a second member of the family. All in vain. Instead, the UCLouvain team uncovered a bacterium of a new kind, still unknown until then. This achievement is already extraordinary in itself: very few scientists have the opportunity in their careers to discover a new genus of bacteria, and name it. The name they chose? Dysosmobacter welbionis. Dysosmo ("which smells bad", in Greek), bacter (bacterium) is the bacterium which stinks (!), "Because, when you grow it, it has a slight odor". Welbionis for WELBIO, the organization in the Walloon region which funded this research.

The peculiarity of this bacterium? To begin with, it produces butyrate. Nothing exceptional so far, many other bacteria produce this molecule that is known to decrease the risk of colon cancer, for example by strengthening the intestinal barrier and boost immunity. But the team also observed that Dysosmobacter welbionis was less present in people with type 2 diabetes.

Through the analysis of 12,000 fecal samples (microbiota) from around the world (i.e. a very representative population sample), the UCLouvain scientists observed that the bacteria is present in 70% of the population (which is huge). A surprising discovery. With such a presence, how come it has never been discovered before? Part of the answer probably lies in the improved cultivation techniques developed by the UCLouvain team.

The UCLouvain team including Emilie Moens de Hase (doctoral student) and Tiphaine Le Roy (post-doctoral fellow) then tested the action of Dysosmobacter welbionis in mice. The Results? The bacteria increased the number of mitochondria (a kind of power plants within cells that burns fat), thereby lowering sugar levels and weight, in addition to having strong anti-inflammatory effects. All these effects are very promising for type 2 diabetic and obese subjects and resemble those of Akkermansia, a beneficial bacterium that is at the heart of the research in Patrice Cani's lab.

Another observation? The bacteria's effects are not limited to the gut: Scientists have found that certain molecules produced by Dysosmobacter migrate around the body and have distant actions as well. This is promising and probably explains the effects of the bacteria on the fat tissues, but also opens the doors for a possible impact on other diseases such as inflammation and cancer. This is currently being investigated by the team.

The next step? To test the action of Dysosmobacter welbionis coupled with that of Akkermansia, in order to see if their association allows to cumulate their effects on health, while always keeping in mind the fight against type 2 diabetes, inflammatory diseases, obesity and cancer. "That's the fun of research: you dig for dinosaur bones and you end up finding a treasure," enthuses Patrice Cani.

The originality of these discoveries? Identifying a new bacterium and giving it a name that will then be used around the world: the number of times this was achieved in Belgium can be counted on the fingers of both hands. But that's not all, the same research team also identified the effects of this bacterium on the body and its potential interest in the fight against certain diseases. This is an additional, extremely rare step that very few scientists have taken in Belgium. In fact, this is a first, led by a team from UCLouvain, and published in the prestigious scientific journal Gut!

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The coronavirus that causes COVID-19 also tends to co-locate with one particular type of bacteria

Watching what was happening around the world in early 2020, University of California San Diego School of Medicine researchers knew their region would likely soon be hit with a wave of patients with COVID-19, the infection caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. They wondered how the virus persists on surfaces, particularly in hospitals, and they knew they had only a small window of time to get started if they wanted to capture a snapshot of the "before" situation -- before patients with the infection were admitted.

After a call late one Sunday night, a team assembled in the hospital lobby the next day, ready to swab.

In the resulting study, described June 8, 2021 in Microbiome, researchers swabbed patient room surfaces before, during and after occupancy, and repeatedly collected samples from the skin, noses and stool of COVID-19 patients and their health care workers over time. In total, they tested 972 hospital-associated samples for traces of SARS-CoV-2 over two months.

"Although it feels like we've been living with this virus for a long time, the study of the interactions between SARS-CoV-2 and other microbes is still new, and we still have a lot of questions," said co-senior author Sarah Allard, PhD, assistant project scientist at UC San Diego School of Medicine and Scripps Institution of Oceanography. "The more we know about how a virus interacts with its environment, the better we can understand how it's transmitted and how we might best disrupt transmission to prevent and treat the disease."

Their findings: The virus, or at least its genetic signature, abounds. The team detected the virus on the floors next to the beds of patients with COVID-19 (39 percent of samples tested), floors outside patient rooms (29 percent) and surfaces inside the rooms (16 percent). SARS-CoV-2 detection tended to be highest during the first five days after a patient's onset of symptoms.

The researchers are quick to point out that just because they can detect the virus' unique genetic signatures on a surface, it doesn't mean the virus is able to infect people. Since they started the study, it has been well documented that SARS-CoV-2 spreads primarily through close human interactions, while surface transmission is likely very rare. What's more, none of the health care workers actively caring for patients in the study tested positive for the virus. The study focused on one hospital, but the researchers expect they would find similar results in any hospital treating patients with COVID-19.

"This is huge on so many levels," said co-senior author Daniel Sweeney, MD, critical care and infectious disease physician at UC San Diego Health. "We need to know if our personal protective equipment, PPE, is adequate, and fortunately we know now that things like masks, gloves, gowns and face shields really do work. This pandemic has been a global disaster, but it could've been even worse if our health care workers were getting infected, especially if we didn't know why."

Viruses don't typically hang out alone. Whether on people or surfaces, they are part of complex communities known as microbiomes, which may include a variety of other viruses, bacteria and additional microbes. In looking for the coronavirus, the team discovered something else: one particular type of bacteria from the genus Rothia was found alongside SARS-CoV-2 more often than not, regardless of collection site. In other words, the presence of Rothia strongly predicted that they would also detect SARS-CoV-2 in the same sample.

"Why that relationship?" asked Allard. "Does the bacteria help the virus survive, or vice versa? Or is it just that these bacteria are associated with the underlying medical conditions that put patients at higher risk for severe COVID-19 in the first place? That's an area for future research."

The study was a challenge from the beginning, and became more difficult as the hospital's intensive care unit began to take in more patients with COVID-19. The team specifically designed their approach to leverage existing resources to not stress the supply chain needed for clinical care and testing. In a separate effort, some of the team and their colleagues developed alternative swabs for research purposes. They collected samples as quickly and as efficiently as possible to minimize disruption to patient care. The samples were transported back to the lab in alcohol, preserving the virus for analysis but not exposing researchers to active organisms.

"A lot of people did a lot of basic and clinical research these last few months, and we did it well," Sweeney said. "We added to our infrastructure. We acquired the experience. I hope the same sort of focus, drive and spirit carry forward in whatever comes next."

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Co-authors of the study include: Clarisse Marotz, Pedro Belda-Ferre, Farhana Ali, Promi Das, Shi Huang, Kalen Cantrell, Lingjing Jiang, Cameron Martino, Rachel E. Diner, Gibraan Rahman, Daniel McDonald, George Armstrong, Sho Kodera, Sonya Donato, Gertrude Ecklu-Mensah, Neil Gottel, Mariana C Salas Garcia, Leslie Y. Chiang, Rodolfo A. Salido, Justin P. Shaffer, MacKenzie Bryant, Karenina Sanders, Greg Humphrey, Gail Ackermann, Laxmi Parida, Yoshiki Vazquez-Baeza, Francesca J. Torriani, Rob Knight, Jack Gilbert, UC San Diego; Niina Haiminen, IBM, T.J. Watson Research Center; Kristen L. Beck, Ho-Cheol Kim, IBM Research-Almaden; and Anna Paola Carrieri, IBM Research UK.
Researchers studying how we make moral judgements found that people more concerned about catching COVID-19 were more disapproving of the wrong-doings of others, whatever they were doing wrong.

The researchers say their findings are evidence that our morality is shaped by various emotions and intuitions, of which concerns about health and safety are prominent. This means that our judgements of wrongdoing are not completely rational.

The study, published today in the journal Evolutionary Psychology, did not focus on behaviours relating to the pandemic itself - such as social distancing - but considered a wide range of moral transgressions.

Between March and May 2020, over 900 study participants in the USA were presented with a series of scenarios and asked to rate them on a scale from 'not at all wrong' to 'extremely wrong'. This enabled the researchers to measure participants' responses across five key moral principles: harm, fairness, in-group loyalty, deference to authority, and purity.

Example scenarios include one of loyalty: 'You see a man leaving his family business to go work for their main competitor'; and one of fairness: 'You see a tenant bribing a landlord to be the first to get their apartment repainted.'

People who were more worried about catching COVID-19 judged the behaviours in these scenarios to be more wrong than those who were less worried.

"There is no rational reason to be more judgemental of others because you are worrying about getting sick during the pandemic," said Professor Simone Schnall in the University of Cambridge's Department of Psychology, senior author of the report.

She added: "These influences on judgements happen outside of our conscious awareness. If we feel that our wellbeing is threatened by the coronavirus, we are also likely to feel more threatened by other people's wrong-doing - it's an emotional link."

The findings contribute to a growing body of evidence of a link between physical disgust - an emotion designed to keep us from harm - and moral condemnation.

"Disgust is an emotion we think evolved to protect us from harm - avoiding a filthy toilet that might contaminate us with disease, for example. But now we apply it to social situations too, and can feel physically repulsed by other people's behaviour," said Robert Henderson, a PhD student and Gates Scholar in the University of Cambridge's Department of Psychology and first author of the report.

He added: "The link between being concerned about COVID-19 and moral condemnation is about risks to wellbeing. If you're more conscious of health risks, you're also more conscious of social risks - people whose behaviour could inflict harm upon you."

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From 1980 to 2016, grain production in Brazil increased more than fourfold, and the country now stands as the world's largest soybean exporter and the second largest exporter of corn. The two main drivers of this increase in food production were cropland expansion and double-cropping, harvesting two crops, such as corn and soybeans, from the same field in a single year.

While cropland expansion has long been recognized as one of the drivers behind the increase in Brazil's agricultural output, a new study published in Nature Food quantifies for the first time the impact that double-cropping also had on helping Brazil achieve its national grain boom.

Jing Gao, assistant professor of Geospatial Data Science in the University of Delaware's College of Earth, Ocean and Environment (CEOE) and Data Science Institute (DSI), was a co-author on the study that included collaborators from institutions in China and Brazil.

Gao contributed to the team efforts by examining agriculture census-related data gathered from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), and identifying spatial patterns and changes that occurred over time in three key agricultural regions with regards to food production: the Centre-West, Southeast-South, and Matopiba regions in Brazil.

"You don't know what is happening until you analyze data," said Gao. "This was the first time this unique dataset was analyzed from this angle to show how the system worked. Understanding how the boost in Brazil's grain productivity was achieved in the recent past provides insight for developing sustainable food production in the future."

These three regions covered 36% of Brazil's territory and accounted for 79% of the national soybean production and 85% of the country's corn production in 2016. The Centre-West area showed the biggest increases in production as well as cropland expansion. As such, the Centre-West displaced the Southeast-South as the dominant grain producer in the country, producing 46% of the nation's grain compared to 29% for the Southeast-South.

The increase in grain production in the Centre-West can be attributed to cropland expansion as well as double-cropping.

Contributions from double-cropping in the Centre-West increased from 19% to 33% from 2003 to 2016. While the increase in soybean production was largely due to cropland expansion -- soybean fields account for more than one-third of Brazil's cropland -- the increase in corn production could be linked to the practice of double-cropping. In the Centre-West, the agricultural area for second season corn -- or the corn grown after the first season soybean is harvested -- increased from 26.3% to 66.6% from 2003 to 2016, and in 2012, the second season corn crop surpassed the corn grown during the first season as the main source of corn nationwide.

Tao Lin, from the College of Biosystems Engineering and Food Science at Zhejiang University in China and the corresponding author of the paper, said that it was interesting to see the agricultural developments in these regions had different approaches to agricultural expansion and double-cropping.

"The Centre-West region has experienced a rapid cropland expansion in the last few decades, and after the new cropland was created, farmers then decided to also increase the double-cropping area a lot," said Lin. "Meanwhile, the contribution of double-cropping in the Southeast-South region is over 50%, which has had a much higher impact than cropland expansion in recent times, because there is not much arable land remaining for further expansion in this commercial agricultural region."

The researchers also found that the strongest driver behind this rapid increase in grain production has been the rising demand for corn and soybean exports from Brazil on a global scale.

It is important to understand how double-cropping has helped a country like Brazil, which plays a critical role in the global food supply chain, increase its agricultural productivity while limiting the conversion of natural land for agricultural use and possibly helping offset some of the negative environmental impacts that might result from cropland expansion.

From 2003 to 2016, double-cropping in Brazil offset the equivalent of about 76.7 million hectares of arable land for corn production, that is, more than twice the annual harvested area of corn in the United States.

While not every country is growing food in an area of the world that is conducive or even possible for double-cropping, for other grain-growing pantropical countries, double-cropping could be a solution to increase grain production without expanding cropland over natural landscapes.

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A condition that affects the blood, known as idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), may be associated the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine in rare cases, research suggests.

The very small increased risk of the condition - which is characterised by low platelet counts - is estimated to be 11 per million doses, similar to figures seen in vaccines for flu and MMR.

A low number of platelets - blood cells that help prevent blood loss when vessels are damaged - can result in no symptoms or can lead to an increased risk of bleeding or, in some cases, clotting.

Researchers say that the increased chance of developing ITP after receiving the vaccine remains smaller than the risk of developing it because of Covid-19 and should not deter the roll out of the vaccine programme.

The same risk was not found for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. Other vaccines were not included in the study.

Experts recommend that recipients of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine should be made aware of the slight increased risks of ITP, but also stress that the risk of developing these disorders from Covid-19 is potentially much higher.

The Medical and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) had previous reported low platelet counts in combination with blood clots following vaccination with the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, estimated to occur at a rate of approximately 13 per million first doses.

Experts say the new study's specific findings about ITP are likely to be a manifestation of this general condition. The MHRA is actively monitoring the situation.

The study of 5.4 million people in Scotland, of whom 2.5m had received their first vaccine dose, is the first analysis of ITP, clotting and bleeding events following vaccination for an entire country.

Researchers were unable to establish a definitive link between other forms of clotting - including the rare form called cerebral venous sinus thrombosis or CVST - due to the very low number of cases in vaccinated people included in the study.

Those at most risk from ITP tended to be older - a median age of 69 years old - and had at least one underlying chronic health problem such as coronary heart disease, diabetes or chronic kidney disease.

The research team, led by the University of Edinburgh, analysed a dataset as part of the EAVE II project, which uses anonymised linked patient data to track the pandemic and the vaccine roll out in real time.

They investigated data up to 14 April 2021 for people in Scotland who had received the first dose of either vaccine. By this date more than 1.7 million had an Oxford-AstraZeneca jab and some 800,000 had a dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

Researchers - working in collaboration with the Universities of Strathclyde, Aberdeen, Glasgow, Oxford, Swansea and St Andrew's, Victoria University of Wellington, Queen's University, Belfast, and Public Health Scotland (PHS) - also looked at health records dating back to September 2019 to investigate any previous issues with ITP, clotting or bleeding disorders.

The data - including GP records on vaccination, hospital admissions, death registrations and laboratory test results - were then compared with those who were yet to be vaccinated to determine if any clotting events were outside what would have been expected pre-pandemic.

The data indicated that there was a slight increase in ITP in the second week following vaccination for those who received the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine and possibly also increased risk of arterial clotting and bleeding events.

The 11 cases of ITP per million vaccine doses is similar to numbers seen for Hepatitis B, MMR and flu vaccines, which range from 10 to 30 cases of ITP per million doses.

The team found no adverse events in relation to ITP, clotting or bleeding in their analysis for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

Experts say that while the study adds to the evidence linking the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccination to blood clots and ITP, a causal association has not yet been definitively demonstrated. This is under active investigation.

Researchers say a two-week lag for hospital data may mean some data are missing, which possibly limits the study's findings.

The study also included relatively few young vaccinated people under 40, especially for the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine because the Scottish vaccination programme followed the recommendations of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, which prioritised vaccinations for older and vulnerable adults.

The results are published in the journal Nature Medicine. The study was funded by the Medical Research Council, UK Research and Innovation Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund and Health Data Research UK (HDR UK), and was supported by the Scottish Government.

Additional support was provided through the Scottish Government Director-General Health and Social Care, and the UKRI COVID-19 National Core Studies Data and Connectivity programme led by HDR UK.

If a member of the public experiences side effects following vaccination with Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine, or wishes to find out more, the researchers advise that they seek information contained in the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine and rare blood clots leaflet which can be accessed on the NHS Inform web page.

Professor Aziz Sheikh, Director of the University of Edinburgh's Usher Institute and EAVE II study lead, said: "This careful analysis of an entire country's vaccination programme, which involved the study of over 2.5m first dose vaccines, has found a small increase in the risk of ITP, clotting and bleeding events following the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine. This very small risk is important, but needs to be seen within the context of the very clear benefits of the vaccines and potentially higher risks of these outcomes in those who develop Covid-19."

Lead author Professor Colin Simpson from the Victoria University of Wellington said: "Reassuringly, we did not identify any overall increased risk of ITP, clotting and bleeding events in those receiving the Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA vaccine. We are now planning to update our analysis as the vaccine programme is being extended to younger, healthier individuals and as new vaccines are becoming available."

Professor Chris Robertson from the University of Strathclyde and Public Health Scotland said: "This study shows the advantage of being able to link together large national data sets to provide near real time information of vaccine safety, using a number of analytical methods. An important next step is to replicate this work in other settings to ensure that the findings are robust."

Professor Andrew Morris, Director of Health Data Research UK (HDR UK) and Vice Principal of Data Science at the University of Edinburgh said: "This is a terrific example of why access to health data is crucial for vital research that rapidly informs the response to the COVID 19 pandemic. This research is important for individuals, the NHS, policy makers and the world. To do this safely, the UK has established the ability to perform secure and confidential data analysis that enables vital research questions to be answered in a trustworthy way. The HDR UK and ONS National Core Studies have supported the UK Health Innovation Gateway to provide a common entry point for researchers to discover and request access to UK health datasets for vital research that is improving people's lives."

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In a major scientific leap, University of Queensland researchers have created a quantum microscope that can reveal biological structures that would otherwise be impossible to see.

This paves the way for applications in biotechnology, and could extend far beyond this into areas ranging from navigation to medical imaging.

The microscope is powered by the science of quantum entanglement, an effect Einstein described as "spooky interactions at a distance".

Professor Warwick Bowen, from UQ's Quantum Optics Lab and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Engineered Quantum Systems (EQUS), said it was the first entanglement-based sensor with performance beyond the best possible existing technology.

"This breakthrough will spark all sorts of new technologies - from better navigation systems to better MRI machines, you name it," Professor Bowen said.

"Entanglement is thought to lie at the heart of a quantum revolution.

"We've finally demonstrated that sensors that use it can supersede existing, non-quantum technology.

"This is exciting - it's the first proof of the paradigm-changing potential of entanglement for sensing."

Australia's Quantum Technologies Roadmap sees quantum sensors spurring a new wave of technological innovation in healthcare, engineering, transport and resources.

A major success of the team's quantum microscope was its ability to catapult over a 'hard barrier' in traditional light-based microscopy.

UQ team researchers (counter-clockwise from bottom-left) Caxtere Casacio, Warwick Bowen, Lars Madsen and Waleed Muhammad aligning the quantum microscope.

"The best light microscopes use bright lasers that are billions of times brighter than the sun," Professor Bowen said.

"Fragile biological systems like a human cell can only survive a short time in them and this is a major roadblock.

"The quantum entanglement in our microscope provides 35 per cent improved clarity without destroying the cell, allowing us to see minute biological structures that would otherwise be invisible.

"The benefits are obvious - from a better understanding of living systems, to improved diagnostic technologies."

Professor Bowen said there were potentially boundless opportunities for quantum entanglement in technology.

"Entanglement is set to revolutionise computing, communication and sensing," he said.

"Absolutely secure communication was demonstrated some decades ago as the first demonstration of absolute quantum advantage over conventional technologies.

"Computing faster than any possible conventional computer was demonstrated by Google two years ago, as the first demonstration of absolute advantage in computing.

"The last piece in the puzzle was sensing, and we've now closed that gap.

"This opens the door for some wide-ranging technological revolutions."

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The research was supported by the United States Air Force Office of Scientific Research and the Australian Research Council. It is published in Nature (DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-03528-w).
South Africa: SA records 120 more COVID-19 deaths

South Africa has recorded 120 new COVID-19 deaths on Tuesday, which pushes the death toll to 57 183.

Meanwhile, the cumulative cases now stand at 1 699 849 after 4 209 new infections were detected.

This is an increase from the 3 285 cases that were reported on Monday.

According to the Health Department, 1 581 540 patients beat COVID-19, which works out to a recovery rate of 93%.

In addition, the country is home to 61 246 active cases, while the total number of people that have been vaccinated in South Africa is 1 524 589.

Health Department Director-General, Dr Sandile Mkhize, said South Africa has officially vaccinated over one million senior citizens aged 60 years and above under phase two.

Global view

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the global case and death incidences continued to decrease with over three million new weekly cases and over 73 000 new deaths.

According to the WHO, this translates to a 15% and an 8% decrease respectively, compared to the previous week.

Meanwhile, the European and South-East Asia regions recorded marked declines in the number of new cases in the past week, whereas Africa reported an upsurge.

The region of the Americas, as well as the Eastern Mediterranean and the Western Pacific, reported similar numbers compared to the previous week.

The organisation said the number of additional deaths reported in the past week decreased in the European and South-East Asia regions and increased in the Western Pacific region.

Death incidences remained stable in the region of the Americas as well as the Eastern Mediterranean and African regions.

According to the WHO, despite the downward trend in global case and death incidences for a sixth and fifth consecutive week respectively, many countries across all six regions have reported rises in the number of cases and deaths.

The highest numbers of new cases were reported from India (914 539 new cases, 33% decrease), Brazil (449 478 new cases, 7% increase), Argentina (212 975 new cases, 3% decrease), Colombia (175 479 new cases, 17% increase), and the United States (99 103 new cases, 35% decrease).  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2021-06-09. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Xi sends congratulatory letter to 2nd China-CEEC Expo

Xinhua) 08:37, June 09, 2021

Aerial photo taken on June 8, 2021 shows the main venue of the 2nd China-Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC) Expo in Ningbo, east China's Zhejiang Province. (Xinhua/Jiang Han)

BEIJING, June 8 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday sent a congratulatory letter to the 2nd China-Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC) Expo, expressing hope that all parties can take this opportunity to tap the potential for collaboration and open up broader space for cooperation.

Xi pointed out the China-CEEC cooperation mechanism is an important platform for China and the CEEC to enhance their friendship, expand cooperation and seek common development.

The China-CEEC Summit was successfully held in February this year. At the summit, Xi stressed that under the new situation, China and the CEEC should take a practical approach to cooperation and expand the outcomes of mutually beneficial cooperation. Also at the summit, Xi put forward a plan that China would import commodities with a cumulative value of over 170 billion U.S. dollars from the CEEC in the coming five years, and said that China would strive for doubling the import of agricultural products from the CEEC in the next five years, and continue to promote the construction of China-CEEC economic and trade cooperation demonstration zones in China's Ningbo and other places.

"With the joint efforts of all relevant parties, the results of the summit are being implemented," Xi said.

Xi said the 2nd China-CEEC Expo will help the Chinese market learn more about the commodities from the CEEC, expand CEEC's exports to China, and help all parties respond to the challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic and promote the economic recovery.

The 2nd China-CEEC Expo opened in Ningbo of east China's Zhejiang Province on Tuesday, with the theme of "Fostering a New Development Paradigm, Sharing a Win-Win Opportunity." The expo is jointly organized by the Chinese Ministry of Commerce and the Zhejiang Provincial People's Government, attracting guests and companies from China and the CEEC.

(Web editor: Guo Wenrui, Liang Jun)
Researchers from the University of Tsukuba experimentally tested a long-presumed, yet never confirmed, light-emission hypothesis on a molecular level, with applications in many advanced optical technologies

Tsukuba, Japan - Holographic displays help add a three-dimensional--and thus more life-like--feel to what would otherwise appear as a two-dimensional image. Now, researchers in Japan have tested how this may work on a supramolecular level; such tests could lead to improved displays.

Commonly, one cannot overlay a certain type of molecular component that underlies helically arranged liquid crystals onto their molecular mirror images, much like a person cannot overlay their two hands and have them match up exactly without flipping one over. Molecules with this property are described as "chiral." Some materials make use of the principle of chirality to rotate light in a plane perpendicular to the direction of the light wave, known as circular polarization. Understanding how such materials work may help researchers develop, for example, advanced holography or optical coding.

Researchers have long postulated that helical molecular assemblies, upon being illuminated, emit circularly polarized light in a spatially anisotropic manner that depends on the three-dimensional morphology and orientation of the assemblies. However, this orientation presumption hasn't been conclusively tested on a molecular level. Doing so should help researchers develop improved displays and better understand the optical principles that underlie such displays.

In a study recently published in Journal of the American Chemical Society, researchers from the University of Tsukuba demonstrated the spatial distribution of circularly polarized light emitted from a micro-spherical molecular assembly composed of a chiral polymer.

"The constituent polymers spontaneously aggregate with each other in a helical manner with a micro-spherical morphology just by slow diffusion of methanol vapor into a chloroform solution of the chiral polymer," explains Professor Yohei Yamamoto, senior author. "This is essential to imparting maximum macroscopic order to the polymer assemblies, which is unattainable in solution or thin-film states."

Polarized optical microscopy imaging of the microparticles revealed the helical, or spiral-like, structure. From these microscopic observations, the team deduced that the atomic-scale chirality of the polymer defined the "handedness" or direction of the spiral texture of the microparticles. Picking up a single microparticle and observing it while rotating it in various ways confirmed this deduction.

"The spatial distribution of the circularly polarized fluorescence from individual particles substantially lacks rotational symmetry," says Professor Yamamoto. "This is attributable to the three-dimensionally anisotropic molecular stacking of the polymer that constitutes the microparticles."

Biological organisms frequently use helical stacking to fold proteins or nucleic acids--biological polymers. Such folding may be useful in computer algorithms, drug delivery, and other technologies. Researchers could be inspired by the findings reported here to incorporate three-dimensional color readout into nano-scale objects. In the meantime, researchers now have a new versatile tool for studying how one can use molecular structure to enhance the spatial properties of computer displays, lasers, and other everyday technologies.

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Today, solar energy provides 2% of U.S. power. However, by 2050, renewables are predicted to be the most used energy source (surpassing petroleum and other liquids, natural gas, and coal) and solar will overtake wind as the leading source of renewable power. To reach that point, and to make solar power more affordable, solar technologies still require a number of breakthroughs. One is the ability to more efficiently transform photons of light from the Sun into useable energy.

Organic photovoltaics max out at 15% to 20% efficiency -- substantial, but a limit on solar energy's potential. Lehigh University engineer Ganesh Balasubramanian, like many others, wondered if there were ways to improve the design of solar cells to make them more efficient?

Balasubramanian, an associate professor of Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics, studies the basic physics of the materials at the heart of solar energy conversion -- the organic polymers passing electrons from molecule to molecule so they can be stored and harnessed -- as well as the manufacturing processes that produce commercial solar cells.

Using the Frontera supercomputer at the Texas Advanced Computing Center (TACC) -- one of the most powerful on the planet -- Balasubramanian and his graduate student Joydeep Munshi have been running molecular models of organic solar cell production processes, and designing a framework to determine the optimal engineering choices. They described the computational effort and associated findings in the May issue of IEEE Computing in Science and Engineering.

"When engineers make solar cells, they mix two organic molecules in a solvent and evaporate the solvent to create a mixture which helps with the exciton conversion and electron transport," Balasubramanian said. "We mimicked how these cells are created, in particular the bulk heterojunction -- the absorption layer of a solar cell. Basically, we're trying to understand how structure changes correlate with the efficiency of the solar conversion?"

Balasubramanian uses what he calls 'physics-informed machine learning'. His research combines coarse-grained simulation -- using approximate molecular models that represent the organic materials -- and machine learning. Balasubramanian believes the combination helps prevent artificial intelligence from coming up with unrealistic solutions.

"A lot of research uses machine learning on raw data," Balasubramanian said. "But more and more, there's an interest in using physics-educated machine learning. That's where I think lies the most benefit. Machine learning per se is simply mathematics. There's not a lot of real physics involved in it."

Writing in Computational Materials Science in February 2021, Balasubramanian and Munshi along with Wei Chen (Northwestern University), and TeYu Chien (University of Wyoming) described results from a set of virtual experiments on Frontera testing the effects of various design changes. These included altering the proportion of donor and receptor molecules in the bulk heterojunctions, and the temperature and amount of time spent in annealing -- a cooling and hardening process that contributes to the stability of the product.

They harnessed the data to train a class of machine learning algorithms known as support vector machines to identify parameters in the materials and production process that would generate the most energy conversion efficiency, while maintaining structural strength and stability. Coupling these methods together, Balasubramanian's team was able to reduce the time required to reach an optimal process by 40%.

"At the end of the day, molecular dynamics is the physical engine. That's what captures the fundamental physics," he said. "Machine learning looks at numbers and patterns, and evolutionary algorithms facilitate the simulations."

Trade-Offs and Limitations

Like many industrial processes, there are trade-offs involved in tweaking any facet of the manufacturing process. Faster cooling may help increase power efficiency, but it may make the material brittle and prone-to-break, for instance. Balasubramanian and his team employed a multi-objective optimization algorithm that balances the benefits and drawbacks of each change to derive the overall optimal manufacturing process.

"When you try to optimize one particular variable, you are looking at the problem linearly," he said. "But most of these efforts have multi-pronged challenges that you're trying to solve simultaneously. There are trade-offs that you need to make, and synergistic roles that you must capture, to come to the right design."

Balasubramanian's simulations matched experimental results. They determined that the make-up of the heterojunction and the annealing temperature/timing have the largest effects on overall efficiency. They also found what proportion of the materials in the heterojunction is best for efficiency.

"There are certain conditions identified in literature which people claim are the best conditions for efficiency for those select molecules and processing behavior," he said. "Our simulation were able to validate those and show that other possible criteria would not give you the same performance. We were able to realize the truth, but from the virtual world."

With an award of more time on Frontera in 2021-22, Balasubramanian will add further layers to the machine learning system to make it more robust. He plans to add experimental data, as well as other modalities of computer models, such as electronic structure calculations.

"Heterogeneity in the data will improve the results," he said. "We plan to do first principle simulations of materials and then feed that data into the machine learning model, as well as data from coarse-grained simulations."

Balasubramanian believes that current organic photovoltaics may be reaching the limits of their efficiency. "There's a wall that's hard to penetrate and that's the material," he said. "These molecules we've used can only go so far. The next thing to try is to use our framework with other molecules and advanced materials."

His team mined the literature to understand the features that increase solar efficiency and then trained a machine learning model to identify potential new molecules with ideal charge transport behaviors. They published their research in the Journal of Chemical Information and Modeling. Future work on Frontera will use Balasubramanian's framework to explore and computationally test these alternative materials, assuming they can be produced.

"Once established, we can take realistic molecules that are made in the lab and put them in the framework we've created," he said. "If we discover new materials that perform well, it will reduce the cost of solar power generation devices and help Mother Earth."

Balasubramanian's research harnesses the two things that computer simulations are critical for, he says. "One is to understand the science that we cannot study with the tools that we have in the real world. And the other is to expedite the science - streamline what we really have to do, which reduces our cost and time to make things and physically test them."

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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- According to the Tennessee Department of Health, 35.3 percent of Tennesseans have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. However, of Tennessee's 95 counties, 18 have vaccination rates of 20 percent or below. Two grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture with funds awarded to University of Tennessee Extension hope to change that.

"UT Extension has offices in all 95 counties across Tennessee, so we are in a unique position to be able to assist with vaccine education and combat misinformation," states Lisa Washburn, UT Extension community health specialist and principal investigator for the grant. "In many communities across the state and the nation, Extension may be perceived as a more credible or highly trusted source than other government entities that do not have a local presence," adds Washburn. "Our goal is to utilize local partnerships with the community to increase vaccine rates and continue to eliminate COVID-19 infection and transmission from communities across Tennessee."

The first of the two projects will help family and consumer sciences agents in high-risk counties in Tennessee identify specific areas of concern among their constituents, such as misinformation about the vaccines, vaccine safety and how the vaccines were developed and produced. Counties that are considered high-risk are primarily rural, have low vaccination rates, and have higher scores on both the Pandemic Vulnerability Index and the Social Vulnerability Index, two tools used by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The project will leverage social media outlets in order to target Tennesseans who are 18-50, as this age group represents those with the lowest vaccination rates. Messaging will aim to correct misperceptions, strengthen vaccine norms and provide information on where and how to access vaccines locally.

The second, more extensive project is led by Soghra Jarvandi, assistant professor with UT Extension, in partnership with the UT Health Science Center and the Tennessee Department of Health. Working with community advisory groups in counties with lower rates of vaccinations, grant investigators will hold listening sessions to uncover attitudes and concerns related to not only COVID-19 vaccines but other immunizations that prevent disease. Combining the community expertise of UT Extension with the vast clinical experience of both the UT Health Science Center and the Tennessee Department of Health will support the development of community-based educational events and products that address identified issues and questions related to vaccine hesitancy.

"UT Extension," asserts Jarvandi, "is proud to be one of 24 grantees across the nation participating in this important two-year project to advance the prevention of infectious diseases through vaccination."

The projects are funded by USDA's National Institute for Food and Agriculture, Cooperative Extension, and the CDC.

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Through its mission of research, teaching and extension, the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture touches lives and provides Real. Life. Solutions. utia.tennessee.edu.
Scientists from the lab of Franz Klein from the Department of Chromosome Biology at the Max Perutz Labs, a joint venture of the University of Vienna and the Medical University of Vienna, have now discovered that cells sometimes liberate DNA fragments at sites of paired, or double, DSBs. Whilst this presents an obvious risk of germline mutations as a consequence of erroneous repair or of integration of fragments from elsewhere at break sites, it may also be a source of evolutionary diversity. The study is published as a research article in Nature.

Genetic information in humans is encoded in 23 chromosome pairs, where one pair consists of two slightly different copies or homologs. One is inherited from the father and one from the mother. Human gametes, however, are haploid - they start out with only half the number of chromosomes. When gametes fuse during sexual reproduction they create an organism with the full set of chromosomes. The random assortment of parental chromosomes together with the exchange of genetic material between homologous chromosomes during early meiosis, account for genetic diversity in the offspring.

Meiosis begins with controlled self-harm

Each human gamete contains one of billions of possible combinations of the genetic information they inherit from their parental cells. Sexually reproducing organisms take a high risk to achieve this diversity. To initiate meiotic recombination, cells introduce hundreds of dangerous DNA DSBs in chromosomes with an enzyme called Spo11-complex. By using the homologous copy as a template, the breaks are repaired and genetic information is exchanged between chromosomes. "Cells have been observed to keep double strand breaks far apart from one another", explains group leader Franz Klein. "However, rather surprisingly, we have now discovered that approximately 20% of breaks correspond to closely positioned pairs of DSBs, that punch out entire pieces of the chromosome. These gaps can also initiate recombination, something that has not been considered before."

Spo11 recognizes physical strain of DNA

The team led by molecular biologist Dr. Silvia Prieler and bioinformatician Dr. Doris Chen mapped the liberated fragments across the entire yeast genome with single nucleotide precision, better than DSBs had ever been mapped before. This precision led to several new observations, for instance that DNA may have to be bent during the cleavage reaction. They also found that sites where DNA is frequently under high topological stress are cleaved more efficiently. During transcription, the two DNA strands are separated to allow RNA production. This causes the DNA-strands on both sides of the transcription-bubble to be over- or underwound and generates considerable physical strain. This kind of topological strain is resolved by so-called topoisomerases, to which the Spo11-complex is closely related. A key question, therefore, is why a topoisomerase-relative initiates meiotic recombination, given that the cell has dedicated nucleases that could cleave the DNA. "The goal in meiosis is to provide chances for novel genetic combination on as many sites as possible, to combine even closely spaced parental alleles", says Franz Klein. "Our study provides a hint as to why Spo11 may be so suitable to initiate meiotic recombination: instead of recognizing specific DNA sequences, which would recombine chromosomes always at predetermined positions, it recognizes stressed DNA, something that can occur at any sequence that is frequently used."

High risk - high potential

Why cells undergo the risk to punch out chromosome pieces is still unclear. The gaps and their corresponding fragments pose an enhanced risk for mutations, caused by deletions or by the insertion of fragments in irregular positions. The scientists show that although these pairs of double strand breaks are spread across the genome, they often correspond with promoter regions that are especially prone to topological stress. Promoters are genetic elements that regulate the level of transcription. "Evolutionarily, it would be great to be able to exchange functional regulatory elements between different sites in the genome. This raises the intriguing possibility that meiotic gaps at double DSBs could stimulate the evolution of control elements in the genome", concludes Franz Klein. A risky business for a single cell, no doubt, but perhaps worth the risk for the species.

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About the Max Perutz Labs

The Max Perutz Labs are a research institute established by the University of Vienna and the Medical University of Vienna to provide an environment for excellent, internationally recognized research and education in the field of Molecular Biology. Dedicated to a mechanistic understand-ing of fundamental biomedical processes, scientists at the Max Perutz Labs aim to link break-throughs in basic research to advances in human health. The Max Perutz Labs are located at the Vienna BioCenter, one of Europe's hotspots for Life Sciences, and host around 50 research groups, involving more than 450 scientists and staff from 40 nations. http://www. maxperutzlabs. ac. at

Publication in Nature: Silvia Prieler, Doris Chen, Lingzhi Huang, Elisa Mayrhofer, Soma Zsoter, Magdalena, Vesely, Jean Mbogning, Franz Klein: Spo11 generates chromosomal gaps through 1 concerted cuts at sites of topological stress. Nature 2021, DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-03632-x
Research from the University of Washington shows that endangered blue whales are present and singing off the southwest coast of India. The results suggest that conservation measures should include this region, which is considering expanding tourism.

Analysis of recordings from late 2018 to early 2020 in Lakshadweep, an archipelago of 36 low-lying islands west of the Indian state of Kerala, detected whales with a peak activity in April and May.

The study was published in May in the journal Marine Mammal Science.

"The presence of blue whales in Indian waters is well known from several strandings and some live sightings of blue whales," said lead author Divya Panicker, a UW doctoral student in oceanography. "But basic questions such as where blue whales are found, what songs do they sing, what do they eat, how long do they spend in Indian waters and in what seasons are still largely a mystery."

Answers to those questions will be important for the region, which is also experiencing effects of climate change.

"This study provides conclusive evidence for the persistent occurrence of blue whales in Lakshadweep," Panicker said. "It is critical to answer these questions to draw up science-based management and conservation plans here."

While enormous blue whales feed in the waters around Antarctica, smaller pygmy blue whale populations are known to inhabit the Indian Ocean, the third-largest ocean in the world.

In previous preliminary research, Panicker -- who grew up in Cochin, India -- talked to local fishers who reported seeing whale blows during the spring months.

But since whales surface only occasionally and soundwaves travel well in water, the best way to study whales is the same way they communicate.

The typical blue whale song is a series of one to six low moans, each up to 20 seconds long, below the threshold of human hearing. The pattern and number of moans varies for different populations. Songs provide insights into this poorly studied population; a possible new song was recently reported in the central Indian Ocean and off the coasts of Madagascar and Oman.

For the new study, scuba divers placed underwater microphones at two ends of Kavaratti Island. Other studies in nearby waters suggested that the presence of blue whales would be seasonal, and recordings confirmed their presence between the winter and summer monsoons.

"Our study extends the known range of this song type a further 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) northwest of Sri Lanka," Panicker said. "Our study provides the first evidence for northern Indian Ocean blue whale songs in Indian waters."

The researchers believe that the whales are likely resident to the northern Indian Ocean, and come to the Lakshadweep atoll seasonally.

"The Indian Ocean is clearly important habitat for blue whales -- an endangered species that is only very slowly recovering from 20th-century commercial and illegal whaling, especially in the Indian Ocean," said senior author Kate Stafford, an oceanographer at the UW Applied Physics Laboratory.

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Future work by another UW research group will use recordings of blue whales in the Indian Ocean to calculate their historic numbers and better understand how historic whaling affected different populations in this region.

This research was funded by the U.S. Navy's Office of Naval Research through its Marine Mammal and Biology Program.

For more information, contact Panicker at dpanic@uw.edu or Stafford at kate2@uw.edu. Panicker is on Maldives Time, 12 hours ahead of Pacific Daylight Time.
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (JUNE 8, 2021) -- Chronic inflammation in the gut may propel processes in the body that give rise to Parkinson's disease, according to a study by scientists at Van Andel Institute and Roche.

The study, published in Free Neuropathology, is the latest in a growing list that links the gut and the immune system to Parkinson's. The researchers' findings in an experimental mouse model of gut inflammation track with several large-scale epidemiological studies that show an association between Parkinson's and inflammatory bowel diseases, such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease.

Epidemiological evidence from other groups indicates the risk of developing Parkinson's fades in certain people whose inflammatory bowel disease is treated with anti-TNF, a standard-of-care anti-inflammatory therapy, which suggests that reducing gut inflammation may have promise for mitigating Parkinson's onset.

"There is increasing evidence that changes in the gut can affect a variety of neurological and psychiatric brain disorders," said Patrik Brundin, M.D., Ph.D., VAI deputy chief scientific officer and co-corresponding author of the study. "Parkinson's is a complex disease with a wide range of factors that work in concert to spark its onset and progression. We need to understand the gut's likely influence on Parkinson's development better. This study provides novel insights, and this new knowledge can facilitate the development of improved treatment approaches."

In their disease models, the team found that chronic gut inflammation triggers a protein called alpha-synuclein to clump together in walls of the colon, as well as in local immune cells called macrophages. A similar process may play out in the colons of some people -- such as those with inflammatory bowel diseases -- thereby increasing their risk to develop Parkinson's as shown in studies by other groups.

Similarly, in the brains of people with Parkinson's, "sticky" alpha-synuclein aggregates also develop. For reasons that still are unclear, these aggregates can clog the molecular machinery that keep neurons alive. The resulting loss of some of these critical cells -- and the chemical messenger they produce called dopamine -- causes Parkinson's hallmark movement-related symptoms, such as freezing and loss of voluntary movement. The additional wide-spread development of alpha-synuclein aggregates throughout the brain also may be associated with the disease's non-motor symptoms and may fuel its progression, which cannot be slowed or stopped with existing treatments.

The study also revealed that chronic inflammation in the gut early in life can exacerbate alpha-synuclein clumping throughout the brain in older mice. While it isn't clear exactly how this happens, the team has two theories: first, they suggest inflammatory chemicals may travel from the gut to the brain via the bloodstream, triggering a runaway inflammatory immune response that leads to protein aggregation. Another idea is that alpha-synuclein aggregates may travel to the brain via the vagus nerve, one of the longest nerves in the body and a "superhighway" between the gut and the brain. Once there, the proteins may then execute their toxic activity in the brain.

"We now know that systems throughout the body contribute to Parkinson's," said Emmanuel Quansah, Ph.D., a postdoctoral fellow in Brundin's lab and a key contributor and co-author of the study. "It was striking to see protein aggregation pathology in the brain that mirrored pathology in the colon brought on by inflammation. A particularly intriguing observation was the loss dopamine-producing nerve cells -- which play a major role in Parkinson's onset -- in our models that had gut inflammation a year-and-a-half earlier."

Notably, the team also found that modulating immune activation in the colitis mouse model by genetic or therapeutic means tuned the level of alpha-synuclein clumps in the colon up or down.

"Our results in mice, together with the genetic and epidemiological data by others in humans, make a strong case for further exploring systemic immune pathways for future therapies and biomarkers for Parkinson's," said Markus Britschgi, Ph.D., Senior Principal Scientist and Section Head in the Neuroscience and Rare Diseases Research Department at the Roche Innovation Center Basel and co-corresponding author of the study.

Authors include first author Stefan Grathwohl, Ph.D. (previously a Roche postdoctoral fellow), Nazia Maroof, Ph.D. (previously a Roche postdoctoral fellow), Liz Spycher, Krisztina Oroszlan-Szovik, M.S., Helga Remy, Markus Haenggi M.S., and Marc Stawiski of Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Neuroscience and Rare Diseases Discovery and Translational Area, Roche Innovation Center Basel; Jennifer A. Steiner, Ph.D., Zachary Madaj, M.S., and Martha L. Escobar Galvis, Ph.D., of VAI; Fethallah Benmansour, Ph.D., of Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, pREDi, Roche Innovation Center Basel; Gonzalo Duran-Pacheco, Ph.D., Juliane Siebourg-Polster, Ph.D., Matthias Selhausen, Pierre Maliver, EVCP, Arel Su, DVM, and Annika Herrmann, DECVP, of Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Roche Innovation Center Basel; Andreas Wolfert and Thomas Emrich, Ph.D., of Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Roche Innovation Center Munich; and Christoph Mueller, Ph.D., of Institute of Pathology, University of Bern.

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Free Neuropathology is a new type of open-access journal that is run entirely by scientists working in the field.

Research reported in this publication was funded by Van Andel Institute and Roche. Early work on this project was supported in part by the European Research Council.

ABOUT VAN ANDEL INSTITUTE

Van Andel Institute (VAI) is committed to improving the health and enhancing the lives of current and future generations through cutting edge biomedical research and innovative educational offerings. Established in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in 1996 by the Van Andel family, VAI is now home to more than 400 scientists, educators and support staff, who work with a growing number of national and international collaborators to foster discovery. The Institute's scientists study the origins of cancer, Parkinson's and other diseases and translate their findings into breakthrough prevention and treatment strategies. Our educators develop inquiry-based approaches for K-12 education to help students and teachers prepare the next generation of problem-solvers, while our Graduate School offers a rigorous, research-intensive Ph.D. program in molecular and cellular biology. Learn more at vai.org.
Researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) have identified a common mechanism underlying a spectrum of epilepsy syndromes and neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism, that are caused by variations in a gene encoding a vital transporter protein in the brain.

Their findings, reported last month in the journal Brain, suggest that boosting transporter function via genetic or pharmacological means could be beneficial in treating brain disorders linked to these genetic variations.

"This points (to) a clear direction of treating a wide spectrum of neurodevelopmental disorders, from various epilepsy syndromes (and) autism to neurodevelopmental delay and intellectual disabilities, caused by the pathological variants in this gene," said Jing-Qiong (Katty) Kang, MD, PhD, associate professor of Neurology and Pharmacology, and the paper/s corresponding author.

"The disorders associated with the gene mutations are rare and there is no effective treatment available," Kang said. "If ... the clinical syndromes we see are the tip of an iceberg, we now know what is going on underneath, and we start to know how to correct the problems."

The gene, SLC6A1, encodes the GABA transporter 1 (GAT-1) at the axonal termini (ends) of neurons (nerve cells) and astrocytes (star-shaped glial cells that support and protect neurons). GAT-1 removes or "reuptakes" GABA, the major inhibitory neurotransmitter, from the synaptic cleft between two neurons.

GABA regulates nerve signals throughout the brain and plays a key role in normal brain development. Reuptake enables the brain to precisely regulate the supply of the neurotransmitter in concert with GABAA receptors, ion channels that bind it.

Kang and her colleagues have extensively studied GABAA receptors and are world leaders in determining how disrupted GABA signaling can affect brain function and development.

SLC641 variants previously have been associated with a spectrum of epilepsy syndromes, autism and impaired cognition. But until now scientists did not know how these variants could cause such a broad range of brain disorders.

Using high-throughput assays such as flow cytometry and a radioactive labeling technique for measuring GABA reuptake by neurons and astrocytes, the VUMC researchers determined the impact of 22 different variants of SLC6A1 on GAT-1 function in several types of nerve cells derived from patients with neurodevelopmental disorders, epilepsy and autism.

The work was validated in patient-induced pluripotent stem cells that were "reprogrammed" to form neurons and astrocytes.

The researchers found that disease-causing variants were associated with misfoldings of the GAT-1 protein that led to its degradation and which reduced its expression on cell surfaces. Less GAT-1, in turn, lowered GABA reuptake by nerve cells and astrocytes and disrupted neurotransmitter function.

"This is the first large-scale study on SLC6A1 pathological variants," Kang said. "Our work indicates that SLC6A1-mediated disorders are good candidates for pharmacological as well as gene therapy that restore the functional transporter at the cell surface."

A compound identified at VUMC that corrects GAT-1 function in mouse models and cells from patients with urea cycle disorder is now being tested in a clinical trial. The inherited disease causes a buildup of ammonia in the bloodstream that can damage the brain and may be fatal.

Another potential approach is the use of antisense oligonucleotides, short, synthetic pieces of genetic material that may increase expression of the normal, "wild-type" GAT-1 protein.

Kang said the research could not have been done without the help of two "hero" mothers of children with rare genetic disorders: Amber Freed, founder and CEO of the Denver-based advocacy group SLC6A1 Connect; and Terry Jo Bichell, PhD, founder and director of Nashville-based COMBINEDBrain, which supports brain research.

"I have been very lucky and privileged to work with them," Kang said. "They have taught me so much along the way and inspired me to do meaningful research."

"She loves kids with SLC6A1 as her own and selflessly works to improve their lives with the urgency of a mother," Freed responded. "Throughout this journey, Katty has been a loving person, inquisitive scientist and pillar of strength."

"That empathy kept her discoveries progressing through the pandemic," Bichell added. "She would ride her bicycle to the lab and care for the mouse and cell models at night, on weekends and even holidays ... Dr. Kang is doing basic science that will translate to real treatments for real children she has met--and hugged."

Felicia Mermer and Sarah Poliquin are the paper's first authors. Other VUMC co-authors are Kathryn Rigsby, Anuj Rastogi, Wangzhen Shen, MD, Alejandra Romero-Morales, Gerald Nwosu and Vivian Gama, PhD.

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The research was supported by SLC6A1 Connect, Taysha Gene Therapies, the Charles C. Gates Center Director's Innovation Fund, the Stoddard family, and by National Institutes of Health grants NS082635, GM128915, CA227483 and MH116901.
Therapy based on the Nintendo Wii Balance Board can help improve balance in children with cerebral palsy, according to an analysis published in Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology.

For the analysis, researchers from the University of Jaen, in Andalusia, Spain examined data from all relevant randomized controlled trial published to date. In 11 trials with 270 children with cerebral palsy, there was very low-quality evidence of a large effect of Nintendo Wii therapy on functional balance (compared with no intervention) and moderate-quality evidence for a benefit to using Nintendo Wii therapy plus conventional physical therapy (compared with conventional physical therapy alone) in sessions of approximately 30 minutes and interventions lasting longer than 3 weeks.

For dynamic balance (involving balance while in motion or when switching positions), investigators found very low-quality evidence for a medium effect for using Nintendo Wii therapy plus conventional physical therapy vs. conventional physical therapy alone.

"Our results suggest that Nintendo Wii therapy may be a useful tool that can be included in neurorehabilitation physiotherapy protocols to improve balance in children with cerebral palsy," said corresponding author Esteban Obrero-Gaitan, PT, PhD. "Virtual reality-based rehabilitation using Nintendo Wii is considered a multi-sensory and active therapy that encourages the child's participation, increasing motivation and adherence to therapy due to its playful nature. In addition, it is a low-cost tool that can be used at home for therapeutic purposes, a fact that is of great relevance during the COVID-19 pandemic."

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Two gene variants found in African American women may explain why they are more likely to be diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) than white women of European ancestry, according to Weill Cornell Medicine and NewYork-Presbyterian investigators. The study findings may have implications for developing better risk assessment tools for TNBC in African American women and for understanding why they have poorer TNBC outcomes.

In a study, published April 29 in Scientific Reports, the investigators found that a version of the ANKLE1 gene that can be protective against TNBC is less likely to be found in African American women than white women of European ancestry. In addition, African American women with a mutation in the Duffy gene, which plays a role in inflammation, have a higher risk of TNBC.

"While more white women are diagnosed with breast cancer, African American women are more likely to die from the disease," said Dr. Melissa B. Davis, who was recruited to Weill Cornell Medicine as an associate professor of cell and developmental biology research in surgery, and is scientific director of the International Center for the Study of Breast Cancer Subtypes (ICSBCS). Moreover, African American women have twice the risk of developing TNBC than white women of European ancestry.

Historically, genetic studies of breast cancer have not included enough information about people of African descent, Dr. Davis said. This lack of data contributes to problems with understanding some of the less common versions of genes, or genetic mutations that are found in populations that are not of European descent.

To help address this problem, Dr. Davis and her research team analyzed genetic information from the ICSBCS cohort. The scientists collected DNA from saliva samples in 120 breast cancer patients from Ghana and Ethiopia. Additional samples were collected from 193 African American and 184 European American women with breast cancer. Dr. Davis's team also collected data from 271 healthy controls in the United States and Ghana. The team then assessed the effect in these patients of different gene versions, known as alleles, that had been previously associated with breast cancer risk.

"We have this African-enriched cohort where we've assessed genetic ancestry, and this includes patients and case controls of African ancestry, which is unlike any other study," said Dr. Davis, acknowledging the work of her research partners in Ghana and Ethiopia over the last 17 years, as part of the ICSBCS. The center was founded by co-author Dr. Lisa Newman, chief of the Section of Breast Surgery at Weill Cornell Medicine and NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, who was recruited to Weill Cornell Medicine as a professor of surgery.

The researchers found two risk alleles previously defined by the African American Breast Cancer Epidemiology and Risk (AMBER) Consortium were replicated in the ICSBCS study group of patients. Dr. Davis's team validated that an ANKLE1 variant is protective against TNBC but that African American women are more likely to have a version that may be oncogenic, or cancer causing.

ANKLE1 has not been thoroughly studied in cancer yet. "Part of the reason would be that it's under the radar," Dr. Davis said. "It's a risk allele that was only identified when looking at African-Americans and Africans."

ANKLE1 appears to have DNA repair properties like the BRCA gene. BRCA has enzymatic activity that helps to correct mistakes in DNA leading to cancer. Mutations in the gene increase breast cancer risk and physicians often recommend screening for mutations in BRCA in the Ashkenazi Jewish population in which it appears at higher rates. The researchers' current findings on ANKLE1 should inform breast cancer risk models in African American women, Dr. Davis said.

The researchers also verified that a mutation in the Duffy gene, known for its role in inflammation and tumor biology, was associated with an increased risk of TNBC in African American women. The mutation causes the gene to lose function and is what researchers call a null allele. "I would like women to be more informed about their Duffy-null status," Dr. Davis. "If you have that status, you have a higher likelihood of developing triple negative breast cancer, if you get breast cancer," she said.

A better genetic understanding of breast cancer in African American women can help to inform treatment. "Genetic signature tests can predict whether or not patients have a high risk of recurrence or high risk of having a refractory tumor," Dr. Davis said. "Doctors can then determine whether the current standard of care is going to be effective or if they need to adjust the treatment plan for better outcomes."

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KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of Congo (June 9, 2021) - A new study led by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) has updated the global population estimate for the Critically Endangered Grauer's gorillas (Gorilla beringei graueri) - the world's largest gorilla subspecies- to 6,800 individuals from a previous global estimate of 3,800 individuals. This revised estimate comes from recent field surveys conducted in one of this animal's largest remaining strongholds, in areas that were previously inaccessible for surveys. However, these gorillas continue to be heavily impacted by ongoing insecurity, and by human incursion into their remaining habitat in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

Publishing in the American Journal of Primatology, the authors found a total of 3815 Grauer's gorillas remaining in Kahuzi-Biega National Park and the contiguous Oku community forests These two areas hold almost 60 percent of the global population.

A previous peer-reviewed paper led by WCS in 2016 showed a decline of almost 80 percent in the population of these gorillas since the last range-wide survey carried out in the mid-1990s. However, due to insecurity, the 2016 estimate did not include data from all areas of the Grauer's gorilla range. The 2021 population estimate includes new field surveys in the Oku forests conducted over the past four years and provide the most up to date assessment of the subspecies to date. These new findings still maintain Grauer's gorillas as Critically Endangered, but suggest declines were not as great as previously feared. The findings also provide hope for the conservation of Grauer's gorilla in this challenging area. Gorilla populations in the Oku forests and the highland sectors of the Kahuzi-Biega National Park have remained relatively stable over the past 20 years, highlighting the importance of these areas for the future of this subspecies.

"This is one of the most extensive surveys ever of this great ape, carried out under very difficult circumstances. It is a tribute to the courage and dedication of the Congolese biologists who took part, often at great risk from the ongoing insecurity." said the study's lead author Dr. Andrew Plumptre, Key Biodiversity Area Secretariat hosted by Birdlife International, who conducted the research while with WCS. "We show that gorillas and chimpanzees are avoiding areas where people are extracting minerals, an occupation that contributes to the insecurity in the region"

Additionally, there is good news for chimpanzee populations, which have also held steady over the past twenty years. Many other primates have declined however, likely due to bushmeat hunting, especially the Endangered Ulindi River Red Colobus (Piliocolobus lulindicus).

Grauer's gorillas are a subspecies of eastern gorilla found only in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and can weigh over 450 pounds (204 kilograms).

The authors say that the results of the study underscore the importance of good forest protection in the region. They note that the Oku community forests probably has more Grauer's gorillas than any other site across its range, and together with the Kahuzi?Biega National Park is the last stronghold for this ape. In 2018, three local community forest concessions comprising a total area of 1,465 square kilometers (565 square miles) were created and attributed to community management in Oku. Additionally, WCS is working with these communities, the Government's Nature Conservation Agency, ICCN, and the local NGO Reserve des Gorilles de Punia (RGPu), to create an additional Wildlife Reserve in the Oku forests to secure up to 3,000 square kilometers (1,158 square miles) of forest for gorillas and other flora and fauna in this area.

Said Deo Kujirakwinja, co-author and WCS DRC Technical Director: "Without good protection and forest management, Grauer's gorillas would be on the brink of extinction. They face growing pressure from habitat destruction from mining and poaching for food. We must secure these forests to safeguard Grauer's gorillas and other primates."

The civil war in DRC and continued presence of armed rebel groups have made conservation exceedingly difficult. Furthermore, expansion of mining in the area brings further pressures on gorilla habitat and from hunting of gorillas for food to feed the burgeoning mining towns. More than 80 percent of the world's supply of coltan - used in many electronic devices and electric cars - is found in the DRC, including much of the Grauer's gorilla habitat. The focus of conservation efforts must now be on supporting local community management of the Oku forests to protect gorillas and their habitats from outside threats.

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Support for the surveys was provided by the Arcus Foundation through the Jane Goodall Institute, German Financial Cooperation, USAID's Central African Regional Program for the Environment, US Fish and Wildlife Service and the UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Andrew Plumptre was also supported by the Daniel K. Thorne Foundation. Ongoing support to WCS, the Kahuzi-Oku landscape and local communities to protect the Oku forests is provided through Rainforest Trust, the Swedish Postcode Lottery Foundation and the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs.

WCS (Wildlife Conservation Society)

MISSION: WCS saves wildlife and wild places worldwide through science, conservation action, education, and inspiring people to value nature. To achieve our mission, WCS, based at the Bronx Zoo, harnesses the power of its Global Conservation Program in nearly 60 nations and in all the world's oceans and its five wildlife parks in New York City, visited by 4 million people annually. WCS combines its expertise in the field, zoos, and aquarium to achieve its conservation mission. Visit: newsroom.wcs.org Follow: @WCSNewsroom. For more information: 347-840-1242.
June 9, 2021 - The first analysis of medical evidence on domestic mass shooters in the U.S. finds that a large majority of perpetrators have psychiatric disorders for which they have received no medication or other treatment, reports a study in the Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology. The journal is published in the Lippincott portfolio by Wolters Kluwer.

"Without losing sight of the larger perspective that most who are violent are not mentally ill, and most of the mentally ill are not violent, our message is that mental health providers, lawyers, and the public should be made aware that some unmedicated patients do pose an increased risk of violence," according to the report by Ira D. Glick, MD, of Stanford University School of Medicine and colleagues.

In-depth analysis of psychiatric evidence on domestic mass shooters

The researchers identified 115 persons identified as committing a mass shooting in the United States from 1982 to 2019, based on the most comprehensive listing available (the Mother Jones database). The database excluded shootings related to "conventionally motivated" crimes such as armed robbery or gang violence.

"In the vast majority of the incidents identified in the database, the perpetrator died either during or shortly after the crime," the researchers note. They focused on the 35 cases where the assailant survived and underwent criminal proceedings - providing the best information on their symptoms of mental illness and psychiatric state.

For each mass shooting event, the researchers spent hours analyzing records or interviewing the forensic psychiatrists or psychologists who examined the assailant after the crime. Other sources of information included court proceedings, public records, videotaped interviews, and social media posts or writings by the perpetrator. Dr. Glick's coauthors were Nina E. Cerfolio, MD, of the Icahn School of Medical at Mount Sinai Hospital, New York; Danielle Kamis, MD, of Stanford; and Michael Laurence, JD, a prominent capital defense attorney.

"Based on this data, 32 of the 35 perpetrators had signs and symptoms of brain illness, which fit scientific diagnostic criteria for a clinical psychiatric disorder," Dr. Glick comments. Eighteen of the shooters had schizophrenia while 10 had other diagnoses including bipolar disorder, delusional disorder, personality disorders, and substance-related disorders. In three cases, there was not enough information to make a diagnosis; in four cases, no psychiatric diagnosis was found.

Of the 28 surviving assailants with a psychiatric diagnosis, "None were medicated or received other treatment prior to the crime," the researchers write. They also analyzed 20 mass shooters who died at the crime scene, using available data from the media or significant others. Eight assailants had schizophrenia, seven had other diagnoses, five had unknown diagnoses. Similarly, none were receiving appropriate medications.

Despite the tragically high frequency of mass shooting events, there has been almost no medical research on the nature and incidence of brain illness among the perpetrators of these crimes. The study originated in Dr. Glick's clinical impression that many, if not most, mass shooters are people with unidentified psychiatric illness - complicated by a lack of support from family or significant others in getting the help they needed.

The authors acknowledge some important limitations of their study: it included only limited evidence on a small group of domestic shooters who survived, with no comparison group. "Nonetheless," the researchers write, "our data suggest that persons who commit mass murders may suffer from compromising and untreated psychiatric illness."

"The psychiatric disorders seen in perpetrators of mass shootings are serious brain illnesses - as much in need of proper diagnosis and treatment as heart disease or any other medical condition," Dr. Glick adds. "We need to reduce the stigma associated with these diseases to enable patients to receive appropriate and adequate psychiatric medication and other treatments. By actually talking to patients and their significant others, we have the opportunity to save lives."

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Click here to read "Domestic Mass Shooters: The Association With Unmedicated and Untreated Psychiatric Illness."

DOI: 10.1097/JCP.0000000000001417

About the Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology

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Wolters Kluwer provides trusted clinical technology and evidence-based solutions that engage clinicians, patients, researchers and students in effective decision-making and outcomes across healthcare. We support clinical effectiveness, learning and research, clinical surveillance and compliance, as well as data solutions. For more information about our solutions, visit https:/ / www. wolterskluwer. com/ en/ health and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter @WKHealth.
TORONTO, June 9, 2021 - Researchers from York University and the University of British Columbia have found social media use to be one of the factors related to the spread of COVID-19 within dozens of countries during the early stages of the pandemic.

The researchers say this finding resembles other examples of social media misinformation ranging from the initial phase of vaccine rollout to the 2021 Capitol riot in the United States.

Countries with high social media use leading to off-line political action prior to the pandemic, as surveyed before the pandemic by V-Dem (a database from the University of Gothenburg), showed the strongest trend toward a high R0 - an indicator of how many secondary infections one infected individual is likely to cause - and a faster initial spread of the virus. For example, Canada when compared to the United States had a lower level of social media use leading to off-line action and a lower R0. A set of multiple factors, including social media, could explain the different outcomes between the two countries, although the findings do not imply causation.

"What we found was surprising, that the use of social media to organize off-line action tended to be associated with a higher spread rate of COVID-19. This highlights the need to consider the dynamic role that social media plays in epidemics," says Assistant Professor Jude Kong of York University's Faculty of Science, who led the research with University of British Columbia Postdoctoral Fellow Edward Tekwa.

Watch video: https:/ / youtu. be/ 7ICj1CPX6So

The research team examined national level demographic, disease, economic, habitat, health, social and environmental characteristics that existed before the pandemic across 58 countries, including Ghana, Canada and the United States. They broke those characteristics down into covariates and analyzed which ones had the strongest associations with vulnerability to the virus before government interventions were put in place.

"The world has changed to modify R0. Social media, for example, could help rather than hurt now that we have more reliable information to pass around. But some of the factors identified in our research have not changed and could be informative for the current and future pandemics," says Tekwa.

Kong and Tekwa found a country with an intermediate number of youth (between the ages of 20 and 34), an intermediate GINI inequality factor (the amount of income inequality across a population), and a population that primarily lives in cities of more than one million people were three additional factors with the strongest relationship to the rate of spread.

"We found that with a lower youth population, the spreading was very low, while a country with an intermediate level of youth population had the highest rate of spreading of COVID-19," says Kong of the Department of Mathematics & Statistics. "Interestingly, we found that as the youth population increases, it was associated with a lower number of cases, rather than a higher number."

Pollution, temperature, and humidity did not have a strong relationship with R0. The overall goal was to find baseline epidemiological differences across countries, shape future COVID-19 research, and better understand infectious disease transmission.

What's Next?

"Different countries have different characteristics that predispose them to greater vulnerability," says Kong. "When we are looking to compare COVID-19 progression among countries, we need to take into account those pre-existing country characteristics. The reason being is that if you just do a simple analysis the result will be misleading."

Understanding the initial phase will help account for pre-existing, intrinsic differences, as regions try to identify their own best management strategy going forward. Kong says they are already using this data to inform policymakers in Africa about which communities are most vulnerable. The paper was published today in the journal PLOS ONE.

###

York University is a modern, multi-campus, urban university located in Toronto, Ontario. Backed by a diverse group of students, faculty, staff, alumni and partners, we bring a uniquely global perspective to help solve societal challenges, drive positive change and prepare our students for success. York's fully bilingual Glendon Campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education. York's campuses in Costa Rica and India offer students exceptional transnational learning opportunities and innovative programs. Together, we can make things right for our communities, our planet, and our future.
At least 10 people were killed in an attack on a camp of an international mine clearing organization, the Halo Trust, in Afghanistans northern Baghlan province.
Thousands of government, news and social media websites across the globe were coming back online on Tuesday after getting hit by a widespread hour-long outage linked to U.S.-based cloud company Fastly.
Picture: Carbis Bay, the location for the G7 Summit today.

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Northern Ireland Protocol Dispute Flares up Again

Joint Committee Will Meet on Wednesday

UK Trade Data and G7 Meeting on Friday

UK-EU Set for Showdown over Northern Ireland Protocol, Brexit Row Liable to Overshadow G7 Summit

The EU has warned the UK not to take further unilateral action to extend grace periods on the Northern Ireland protocol and that customs checks on some chilled products must go ahead.

The latest Joint Committee talks are due on Wednesday and markets will be concerned that an escalating trade row will create friction at this weekends G7 meetings. Serious tensions could start to undermine Pound Sterling sentiment in global currency markets, especially if risk appetite weakens and the US criticises the UK stance.

Northern Ireland Protocol Dispute Flares up Again

Under the 2019 Brexit trade deal, Northern Ireland remained in the EU single Market and this means that incoming goods are subject to customs checks.

The immediate burden was eased by allowing grace periods, but these are scheduled to be phased out during the year. The UK has already angered the EU by unilaterally extending some of these grace periods on food safety checks until the beginning of October from March and another deadline is due at the end of this month.

The next phase of new controls, affecting chilled meat products like sausages and mince, are due to begin at the end of June.

Without concessions or an agreed extension of the grace period, the products will be prohibited from moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.

The EU has warned the UK not to take further unilateral action to delay controls.

European Commission vice president Maros Sefcovic warned; If the UK takes further unilateral action over the coming weeks, the EU will not be shy in reacting swiftly, firmly and resolutely to ensure that the UK abides by its international law obligations."

The EU has already started the legal process against the UK and an EU official noted; "Unless theres a change of course by the British government, it seems like we need to consider further measures."

Joint Committee Will Meet on Wednesday

The EU-UK Joint Committee is due to meet in London on Wednesday to review progress on technical talks that have been examining ways to simplify the Northern Ireland Protocol.

The Northern Ireland Business Brexit Working Group has reiterated that urgent action is needed; "We cannot afford another missed opportunity at the joint committee."

It also warned that there was a negative impact on the economy; "It undoubtedly is having an impact and will increasingly do so as more stringent requirements come in from October."

U.K. agriculture and environment secretary George Eustice on Tuesday stated; "We should be working together to identify ways forward, and that's where the European Union have been quite slow to date to engage.

He added that a ban on sending British sausages and chicken nuggets to Northern Ireland would be "bonkers."

UK Trade Data and G7 Meeting on Friday

The latest UK trade data will be released this Friday with markets examining the data closely to assess underlying trends and the extent to which trade stresses have eased. Last months data indicated a further gradual recovery in volumes following Januarys slump.

In particular, the data on exports to the EU will be watched closely.

Political developments will also important at this weekends G7 Summit with German Chancellor Merkel and French President Macron set to criticise the UK stance.

There have also been reports that President Biden will warn the UK over the need to implement the Northern Ireland protocol.

Sustained tensions could have an impact on the US-UK trade talks and also unsettle Pound Sterling confidence.
Wednesday, June 9, 2021

CEOs, COOs, and consultants like myself do NOT know everything. We shouldnt pretend to, nor expect ourselves to. We do need to constantly focus on learning, thinking, and applying what makes sense.

We all too often overemphasize the differences and underestimate the similarities of our operations with that of others. Becoming skilled at recognizing which differences truly matter in a specific circumstance and which similarities allow us to learn the most is crucial to the effective leader of a manufacturing business.

Lazy leaders believe that copy/paste is a step forward, when it is doomed to fail. For example, failing to comprehend the thinking system behind its tools, many see a Toyota tool like kanban and try to copy/paste it into our own operations. Toyota developed, and continues to evolve kanban and every other visible tool it has to address its own business challenges and its own current state. They dont have you in mind.

When we observe others, strong leaders will focus on the thinking behind what they see that seems effective; then we ask ourselves how that thinking might make us better. Some of it wont. Its up to us to recognize the difference.

Thats why Toyota lets everyone, including its competitors visit its factories. No one can see what they do that makes them special, and the vast majority of visitors are seeking silver bullets, not entirely different thinking.

You and I can learn by observation, listening, and thinking. The first two without the third are dangerous. The third without the first two is stymied by our own myopic blinders.

Lets actively prioritize learning from everything we observe, and applying to our own businesses the thinking that helps us move forward.
Wednesday, June 9, 2021

The Herman Trend Alert

June 9, 2021

Mobile App Cuts Food Waste

Early in the Pandemic, due to major dislocations in the food supply chain, most of us saw or read about virtually tons of food being destroyed. Honestly, watching the mountains of produce being turned over and the millions of eggs and chickens being thrown away, I felt physically ill. To this day, many of those issues have yet to be solved. However, when I read about this ingenious mobile app, I cheered, and I knew I had to share it with you.

A Mobile Marketplace



The new app titled "Flash Food" is a mobile marketplace. Flash Food solves the problem of surplus food that would have expired and been dumped in a landfill. However, the app connects the extra food in grocery stores with local shoppers to help sell the expiring food. This app has already diverted over 50 million pounds of food from landfills.

How Flash Food Works



The app allows people to order and buy groceries at a discounted rate then pick them up from the participating stores. Launched in Canada, the company had successful rollouts this year in over a thousand stores. In the United States, there are participating in nine states: Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Kentucky, Massachusetts, New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania; in Canada, there are participating stores in all ten provinces and one territory.

Where the Idea Came from. . .Wasted Food



The sister of Flash Food's founder Josh Domingues is a caterer. After supplying food to an under-attended event, she was disturbed, as she watched the discarding thousands of dollars of food. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, in 2018, 81.4 billion pounds of food waste, worth about $161 billion was wasted. Another agency, The United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization reports that globally people waste a third of all food produced for human consumption.

Gaining Traction



By now, Flash Food has been implemented in over a thousand stores, reducing food waste and food insecurity. Their mission is "to reduce food waste and feed people more affordably." The app's discounted prices have provided a lot of families affordable access to fresh food---in spite of the challenges of the Pandemic.

Growing a Company Virtually



Responding to the health and safety needs of shoppers because of the pandemic, Flash Food had to pivot overnight, scheduling virtual meetings with possible grocery stores. In fact, one of the executives said that the sudden need to adapt to different circumstances actually strengthened the company's relationship with its store clients.

A Great Role Model for Finding Solutions to Other Big Problems



Flash Food is a relatively small company that responded to a big problem. The app is free to download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. In the app, you will discover whether you live near one of their participating stores. If you want to know that there is definitely a store near you before downloading the app, just visit their website. Flash Food uses readily available technology to address what is the huge problem of how to reduce food waste. Kudos to Domingues, his sister, and the whole team! How could we use this and other available technologies to address other seemingly big problems?

Special thanks to Nina Felicidario, the Great Lakes Echo, and Google for connecting me with them. To read the entire article, visit here.

Next Week's Herman Trend Alert: Post-COVID Career Shifts



Major life events often cause us to rethink our career choices. Combine that with the fact that over one-quarter of today's workers plan to change companies, once the pandemic has subsided and you have a recipe for some serious issues for employers. This Alert will focus on the causes as well as the solutions.

**********

BE RECOGNIZED AS AN EMPLOYER OF CHOICE IN 2021



We've seen a strong resurgence in interest by employers in being recognized as an Employer of Choice. Celebrate your employee-centered corporate culture! This coveted award is well worth the effort, yet is not easy to achieve. Download the extensive application at https://EmployerOfChoice.com; or for a Word version, drop a note to Joyce@EmployerOfChoice.com or call Joyce at 336.210.3548.

**********
A group of investors has purchased the Wyndham San Antonio River Walk Hotel and plans to spend $50 million to turn the aging 20-story property into a luxury InterContinental Hotel.

The new hotel is expected to open in early 2023.

The Wyndhams last day of operation was May 31, clearing the way for a top-to-bottom interior renovation of the 410-room hotel, said Rob Sadoff, the Chicago-based principal and co-founder of the Scarlett Hotel Group.

Scarlett, which owns seven other U.S. hotels, said the project is a joint venture with Trailbreak Partners, a Denver-based private equity firm. The East Pecan Street hotel is the firms first San Antonio property.

The new owners did not disclose the purchase price. The seller, Austin-based Cypress Real Estate Advisors, did not return phone calls.

When it opens, the InterContinental will be the luxury brands first outpost in San Antonio. Wyndham is considered a mid-level brand.

The partners are bullish on the future of San Antonios luxury hotel market.

We do believe the luxury market is under-served in downtown San Antonio, Sadoff said.

After the renovation, the hotel will have 390 guest rooms, including as many as 30 suites, and feature a rooftop restaurant and bar.

Two new upscale hotels have opened downtown since February  the Thompson San Antonio Hotel opened in February followed by the Canopy By Hilton San Antonio Riverwalk. Both were under construction before the pandemic devastated San Antonios hotel industry.

On ExpressNews.com:New San Antonio luxury hotel to open in January; it's the city's first in more than five years

Hotel Contessa on the River Walk was purchased in November. The new owners say they plan to renovate the 12-story, 265-room upscale hotel.

Downtown hotels were hit hard by the pandemic. But the Wyndham suffered a little more than other properties, according to statistics from Source Strategies, a locally based hotel consulting firm.

The hotel averaged a 39-percent room occupancy rate in 2020 and realized revenue per room of $38.77, or half of what it posted in 2019, according to Source Strategies.

The average downtown hotel saw even less occupancy last year, with a rate of 34.3 percent. But inner-city properties on average saw more revenue per room than the Wyndham, at $44.78.

Wyndham hotels have had a hard time positing themselves in the marketplace, said Paul Vaughn, senior vice president at Source Strategies.

He said the companys parent, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, owns several lower-end brands, including Days Inn, La Quinta, Super 8 and Travelodge.

They've acquired so many low-end brands that they're kind of muddying their brand footprint, he said.

The Wyndham San Antonio Riverwalk is housed in a onetime National Bancshares Corp. building, opened in 1958. In 1997, after an extensive renovation, the building was converted to an Adams Mark hotel.

It was later turned into a Crown Plaza Hotel before becoming a Wyndham property about a decade ago.

Many guests staying at the hotel in April and May gave the Wyndham a one-star rating on the Wyndham Hotels & Resorts website. They complained of substandard rooms and the fact that the hotels restaurant and bar were permanently closed.

Construction of the InterContinental is scheduled to begin in October.

Vaughn said the new hotel should attract guests familiar with the InterContinental brand.

Its in a good location on the River Walk, he said. It just needs some serious love.

randy.diamond@express-news.net
Lets posit for a moment that we want renewable energy, but the technology does not exist to make a fast, substantial shift financially viable in 2021.

Lets further posit that were looking for a financial mechanism for encouraging the renewables shift faster rather than slower, and bigger rather than smaller.

Maybe we need a Green Bank?

No, dont feel bad  I hadnt heard of it until recently, either. This is a thing that exists in Australia. It briefly existed in the U.K. It is being used in smaller forms in Michigan, Connecticut and New York.

As a concept, I like it better than other financial tools.

The context in which I like the Green Bank is twofold: First, as the Biden administration tries to give shape to a big infrastructure bill and weighs different levers to accelerate a move to renewables. Second, as compared to other levers.

More from Taylor: Biden's bold plans and the laws of financial physics

I recently wrote that ESG investing isnt my preferred nudge.

ESG, or environmental, social and governance investing, is too diffuse. I see it delivering marketing hype but questionable benefit for transitioning to renewables at a large scale.

Mutual fund ESG investing is also typically negative, in the sense that it encourages divestiture from legacy fossil-fuel companies  the ExxonMobils, the BPs, the pipeline companies. It generally seeks change by removing capital. But it cant necessarily accomplish the positive role of providing capital to innovative renewable energy companies.

Another problem with divestiture from the legacy oil and gas companies is that the oil majors represent the largest potential private investors in renewable energy. They have deep expertise, technology and logistical prowess in delivering energy from sources to users. We could remain skeptical of BPs net-zero carbon by 2050 pledge or Exxons recent inclusion of up to three climate activists on its board. But we could also allow for the fact that the oil majors move toward renewables could and would be a great private-sector boon to the climate fight.

On the private-market side, the most appealing approach to me would be for innovative, climate-friendly energy companies to find a way to accelerate the transition in a profitable way. No doubt many private equity firms and venture capitalists are attempting this right now.

A Green Bank, at its best, is a public-sector, or quasi-public, financial nudge to accelerate and expand this kind of private-sector investment. To the extent a Green Bank can provide scale and speed to a private-equity market, it is a much more appealing financial model than ESG.

More from Taylor: Allowable, still unwise: Values investing category known as ESG has its ups and downs

The typical financial approach up until now has been to push a renewables shift through tax credits. Federal tax credits made building the GE-Alstom Block Island Wind Farm  the nations first offshore wind farm, off the coast of Rhode Island  possible. Texas property tax breaks in the form of the Chapter 313 program (R.I.P.!) boosted some renewable-energy projects  along with a more substantial number of traditional fossil-fuel energy projects.

Federal investment tax credits, or ITCs, provide a 26 percent tax savings on the cost of a solar installation, with no upper limit on the amount of tax savings. These ITCs were extended in 2020 for an additional two years, so theyll continue to spur investment in solar and wind facilities and adoption of renewable-energy sources.

So we already do a lot of tax credits.

The problem with tax credits as a primary solution to renewable energy, however, is ironically captured in the word renewable. These credits typically have to be renewed according to a political process. This makes them inherently short term. They can expire or be canceled. Spurring a long-term transition in energy technology is poorly served by something subject to a political process for renewal.

A Green Bank by contrast offers a (possibly) better financial model. The idea is that a one-time investment creates a more permanent source of capital with independence from a two- or four-year political cycle. Like the World Bank, infrastructure banks or export banks, Green Bank loans to renewable energy projects would need to be paid off over time, albeit on attractive terms. As a successful loan portfolio returns capital to a bank like this, it can theoretically provide a financial spur indefinitely, beyond the time frame of the tax credit.

I keep saying theoretical because real-world Green Banks have run into political trouble.

The Connecticut Green Bank is a quasi-public entity, created by that states General Assembly in 2011. The main idea is to leverage private-sector banks and private capital for green projects. The bank also has offered $1,000 Green Liberty bonds to people who want to invest their money this way, which in turn can help fund households and businesses that want to invest in solar and other renewable-energy projects.

In Texas, state funding is already available to public institutions that want to upgrade their energy facilities to lower usage and energy costs. Its called LoanSTAR. That type of funding sounds useful at the state level. But it is different from, and less ambitious than, a bank that would fund the creation of private renewable energy companies or transitional technologies.

More from Taylor: Texas' shameful Chapter 313 program is the sort of corporate welfare we don't need

A 2020 survey of existing and nascent Green Banks in dozens of countries shows that the methods and focuses of banks vary tremendously.

Australia established what is considered the largest Green Bank in the world, the Clean Energy Finance Corp., with a reported $10 billion available to invest. It has notably succeeded in funding large-scale wind energy projects. Perhaps as importantly, it has, to date, survived attacks from a political party opposed to the model.

In the U.K., an experiment in a national Green Bank ended when it was sold and privatized in 2017. That may be an argument for designing a bank that is sufficiently independent of a political process and not overly associated with one side of the political spectrum.

Certainly a Green Bank has a better chance of lasting if it has unimpeachable good governance and is separated from a traditional political process.

Michael Taylor is a columnist for the San Antonio Express-News and author of The Financial Rules for New College Graduates.

michael@michaelthesmart

money.com |twitter.com/michael_taylor
In South Texas, kolaches come in all shapes, sizes and flavors.

Of course, only some of what we call kolaches are exactly that  a tender pastry stuffed with fruit, jam or other sweet ingredients, a recipe hailing from Central Europe that came to the United States with Moravian immigrants. The sausage-filled rolls frequently sold here as kolaches are, technically speaking, better described as klobasneks. Their roots, unlike kolaches, are decidedly Texan, first being made by Czech settlers in the Lone Star state.

And, oh, how theyve evolved over the years. These days in San Antonio you can find kolaches (and klobasneks) filled with carne guisada, migas, jalapenos and countless other ingredients more commonly found in Mexican food traditions.

However you like them  be it a traditional sweet pastry similar to a jelly doughnut or a savory, meat-filled roll  there is no shortage of places to find spectacular kolaches in the area. Heres a look at five such purveyors worth a visit the next time your appetite strikes.

Bexar Kolaches: This newcomer to the kolache scene opened a tiny Olmos Park shop in early 2021 with a lineup of pastries sure to please. Yes, you can find traditional kolaches filled with poppy seeds and fruity jams, but thats only the beginning. Mango and chamoy fill one, or you might opt for a raspa-inspired kolache topped with pineapple, pickles and a sprinkling of Kool-Aid. On the savory side, look for petite kolaches stuffed with sausage, cheese and jalapenos or eggy migas laced with bits of tortilla.

205 E. Hildebrand Ave., 361-878-8355, bexarkolaches.com, Facebook: @bexarkolaches

Kolache Factory: This Houston-based chain has a Texas history dating back to 1982. Youll find unusual offerings on tap here, as well. In addition to fruit and sausage, these kolaches get stuffed pizza-style with pepperoni and cheese, or beef and peppers like a Philly cheese steak sandwich. Barbecued brisket, creamed spinach, chicken enchilada and other flavors fill out a robust menu of inventive and playful kolaches.

11018 Culebra Road, Suite 106, 210-509-9400, kolachefactory.com, Facebook: @kolachefactory

On ExpressNews.com: Where to find pickles from India, Japan, China, the Middle East, Thailand and Eastern Europe in San Antonio

Paul Stephen /Staff

Kolache Stop: This San Antonio-born business was the citys first bakery focused specifically on kolaches and has been keeping bellies filled since 2010. Its traditional kolaches  both fruit- and sausage-stuffed  are a sure hit, starting with a terrific bread dough thats tender, sweet and irresistible. The fillings can range widely, as well, including meatballs, green chile-laced chicken, pulled pork and others.

Paul Stephen /Staff

11703 Huebner Road, Suite 200, 210-558-3900, kolachestop.com, Facebook: Kolache Stop

Love Kolaches: If youre in Boerne, dont miss out on the exceptional kolaches from chef Denise Mazal of Little Gretel fame, who sells pastries out of her celebrated restaurant. These kolaches are large and generously stuffed with both fruity fillings or sausage, but the best part may be the bread. Its remarkably tender with a hint of sweetness and bit of salt perfect for balancing the big flavor of the fillings.

518 River Road in Boerne, 830-331-1368, lovekolaches.com

Swine House: Kolaches come in one variety from this whole-animal butcher shop  stuffed with carne guisada. And you will only find them on weekends at the Pearl Farmers Market. These kolaches  a partnership between Swine House founder Joe Saenz and noted San Antonio baker Jenn Reisman, whose pastries can be found at the Silo family of restaurants  came about as a way to use cuts of meat better suited for stewing into rich carne guisada than grinding into sausage. Theyre huge, indulgent flavor bombs that will satisfy even the biggest appetite.

Pearl Farmers Market, 312 Pearl Parkway, 210-269-4404, swinehousesa.com, Facebook: @swinehousesa

pstephen@express-news.net | Twitter: @pjbites | Instagram: @pjstephen
Last week, Whataburger announced the launch of a virtual museum of art exclusively on Instagram. The fast food chain is calling the collection, which is "made by fans for the fans," the Whataburger Museum of Art, or WMOA.

The Texas burger chain is featuring artwork by 16 artists from across the country, including four from San Antonio, according to Whataburger.

"Like a true curated art collection, we looked for a variety of perspectives and interpretations of Whataburger fandom, and the artwork was sourced through Instagram and online galleries," Whataburger said.

One San Antonio-based artist, Empire, said Whataburger reached out to him to feature his work.

I made a piece a while back made with Whataburger [table] tents that I collected over the years and did a graffiti over it and named it 'WhataLove,'" he said.

The 24-year-old mostly uses graffiti and creates "hype art," which he described as an evolved type of pop art seen mainly in fashion. The artist currently has some of his work displayed in local restaurants and sneaker stores, including in Monterrey, Mexico, where hes originally from.

Empire said he had always dreamed of working with Whataburger.

Whataburger Corporate Communications

"Its a place where burgers always taste the same, and its a place where anytime, any hour of the day, you can go get a burger," he said. "Its [been a] part of my bucket-list as an artist to do something with Whataburger."

Empire said he hopes to incorporate some of his Mexican heritage in future pieces, to honor the local influence and language.

"Whataburger has a lot of Hispanic influence. In their menu, you can see burritos and tacos," he said. "They make commercials in Spanish, too. I think it's important to do something in both languages."

On Expressnews.com: Bexar County commissioners commit $25 million to Alamo museum

Raul Gonzalez is another San Antonio artist whose work was selected. Gonzalez said he began incorporating Whataburger in his "Texas Series" in 2016.

"I was thinking of what makes Texas unique. I started using the Whataburger stripes as a reference, as a signifier of community, something all Texans can relate to," he said.

He said anyone who knows him, knows his love for the burger chain.

I've been a Whataburger consumer since a teenager and have always been an 'unofficial spokesperson,'" Gonzalez said.

When asked of WMOA's future plans for a physical museum or installation, Whataburger said to "stay tuned."

The virtual museum will feature the current crop of artists through the end of this month and will accept submissions until the end of the year. Whataburger asks artists to tag @TheWMOA on their online submissions.

Malak.Silmi@express-news.net
PHILADELPHIA (AP)  For all the love Wawa has gotten thanks to the HBO hit TV show Mare of Easttown, the popular Pennsylvania convenience store chain is giving a little back.

To celebrate its newest store opening in Delaware County  where the Kate Winslet-led crime drama is set  Wawa is dedicating Thursday as Mare of Easttown Day, an homage to the show that introduced the world to the coffee and hoagies Pennsylvanians have loved for years.

Customers of the relocated Upper Darby store will get to enjoy that coffee Thursday free of charge, and the first 100 customers will get a Wawa Delco t-shirt.

British actress Winslet plays Mare Sheehan, a detective sergeant in Easttown  a fictional town just outside of Philadelphia  who is investigating the murder of a teen mother while looking into the disappearance of another young girl. As Mare, the Oscar winner eats hoagies and drinks Wawa coffee, all in the perfect patois of Philadelphia and its suburbs. Winslet said she worked on the accent every day to get it just right.

To turn into Mare, Winslet worked alongside Chester County Detective Christine Bleiler, who also served as a police technical adviser on the drama. Bleiler will be at the Wawa store Thursday ordering the very first Mare of Easttown Spicy Cheesesteak, a limited edition sandwich that will be sold throughout dozens of Wawas in Delaware County.

It's a nod to how spicy the show is, Wawa said in a statement.

Local police and fire officials will also be honored at the event and Wawa will donate money each to the charities of their choice, as well as $10,000 to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

Wawa said they wanted to celebrate the authenticity of the show as it depicts the culture and resilience of a community that stands by one another during good times and bad, and shines a light on everyday heroes who go to great lengths to serve their community.

While Wawa is inextricably tied to Pennsylvania, the chain also has locations in New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Florida and Washington, D.C.
Texas public university officials and higher education leaders said state lawmakers added a last-minute influx of $380 million in funding for four-year universities and health institutions at the end of this years legislative session, a welcome addition for many schools that have seen enrollments rise as they deal with the financial strain caused by the COVID-19 shutdown.

But community colleges arent feeling as lucky, as they lost tens of millions of dollars worth of state funding due largely due to enrollment declines during the pandemic. Leaders across two- and four-year schools also say theyre hoping to squeeze out some additional support for higher education in the expected special session later this year.

The additional money for university enrollment growth was not originally included in the budget conference committee report negotiated by the Texas House and Senate, to the frustration of many university officials. But it was added by the time the budget was sent to Gov. Greg Abbotts desk. How much each university will receive from the late session boost depends on enrollment changes.

That (funding for enrollment) wasnt there a week ago, state Rep. Chris Turner, D-Grand Prairie, said on the House floor before the budget was approved. I want to thank (Republican House Appropriations Committee) Chairman (Greg) Bonnen for listening on that and for all who led to make that happen. That is a significant win for higher ed and sorely needed.

On ExpressNews.com: 'Breathtaking' and 'surreal' - San Antonio College wins Aspen Prize as top U.S. community college

Overall, university leaders and postsecondary advocates said higher education fared better than anticipated at the start of the session, as a global pandemic and statewide winter freeze captured lawmakers attention and threw the states budget into question.

Legislators put $8.6 billion into the formulas that make up the majority of funding for higher education institutions  including four-year universities, health-related institutions and community colleges which is $486 million more than the current biennium budget.

But funding per semester credit hour, which the Legislature uses to determine how much money a public university receives based on the type of class and enrollment, has continued to decline since 2008. Back then, universities received $59.02 per weighted credit hour. Lawmakers approved a $55.65 weighted credit hour for the next biennium.

Texas Higher Education Commissioner Harrison Keller said theres more work to be done to ensure adequate continued funding remains so the state can meet its long-term goals to educate more students and prepare them for the Texas workforce.

Texas leaders have set an ambitious goal that at least 60 percent of Texans ages 24-35 have a certificate or degree by 2030.

We are going to have to educate more Texans to higher standards than weve ever achieved before, Keller said. The late decision to fund the majority of enrollment growth  was a strong signal that the Legislature understands that higher education is going to have a special role and responsibility to play in driving economic recovery.

Multiple higher education leaders told the Texas Tribune the U.S. Department of Education disbursement of additional federal COVID-19 stimulus funding during the height of state budget negotiations in early May created a major wrinkle for those advocating for additional state dollars for higher education. While it appeared Texas colleges and universities were receiving a huge influx in funding, it was largely required to be used for direct student aid and pandemic-related costs  and would not cover general day-to-day finances.

While that (federal) money was really important for us to continue our progress, its not the same as recurring appropriations for the lifeblood of the accomplishments that each university provides for its community, said Sandra Woodley, president of University of Texas Permian Basin. We needed the increase in the recurring money to take on our everyday expenses of the work that we do.

Ultimately, the extra funding boost added about $2.6 million to UT-Permian Basins budget in the next biennium, which Woodley says is vital for a small school with an approximately $100 million budget in an area of the state with high unemployment.

On the other side of Texas, University of Houston System Chancellor Renu Khator said the federal funding helped UH fill a $100 million shortfall and avoid layoffs. She said it would have been disastrous for higher education if the Legislature had not provided that extra money.

If you do not have that, what that means is larger class sizes, fewer professors, fewer course selections, she said, which she worried would only compound the burnout professors have experienced in the last year during the pandemic.

She also said the extra funding helps universities provide students support that keeps them on track to graduate, especially as they are tasked with educating increasing numbers of underprivileged students who enroll in schools across Texas.

It requires actually more intensive labor, much more solid support services, she said. You need positive, timely, proactive intervention when you see a student not succeeding, and in order to do that, you need funding to be able to hire the staff to do that.

Meanwhile, community college leaders say not enough was done to help two-year colleges, many of which are facing budget cuts in the next biennium due to large enrollment declines last year during the pandemic. The Texas Association of Community Colleges had asked the state to essentially maintain funding from the last biennium, which was not provided.

Everybody understands that the academic year 2020-21 was an anomaly by a lot of stretch, right? said TACC President Jacob Fraire. And yet, those are the figures that were using to determine the next biennial budget. And so thats the quandary we find ourselves.  We did come up short.

In total, budgets for 24 of 50 community colleges in the state were cut by about $43 million overall. Houston Community College saw a 7 percent funding cut and Central Texas College in Killeen had its budget drop by 11 percent.

The state set aside an additional $110 million to provide financial aid grants for students at community colleges and public and private universities. The largest amount of funding, $433 million, is set aside for TEXAS Grants for students at public four-year schools.

But higher education leaders estimate that will just allow the state to provide need-based grants to only 56 percent of eligible students at four-year public universities and about 18 percent of eligible students at two-year colleges.

The Texas Tribune is a nonprofit, nonpartisan media organization that informs Texans about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues.
San Antonio police Tuesday arrested a man accused of shooting two people after an argument that started in a downtown bar led to gunfire in the Alamo Plaza area early Saturday morning.

Avante Tyree Bird, 19, has been charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

In the early morning hours of Saturday, Bird and at least three others began arguing at the Merkaba, a bar at 111 West Crockett St., officer Alicia Pruneda said.

After the owners kicked them out before 2 a.m., Pruneda said their argument continued as they made their way east through the downtown area.

At some point, Bird pulled out a gun and began shooting at the others, including a woman and two men, she said.

On ExpressNews.com: Two injured in Alamo Plaza shooting early Saturday morning

The woman, 23, was shot in both legs while in a car with one of the men, police said. The man, 22, was not injured. He told police on the scene that two men had shot at him and his girlfriend. He was not very cooperative at the time, investigators said.

The second man, 17, and his friends sought help in the Menger Hotel, the hotels general manager, Garvin ONeil, reported Saturday. The 17-year-old had been grazed by a bullet on the right side of his head and was treated by EMS at the scene.

The woman was taken to Brooke Army Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries, police said.

Bird was quiet Tuesday afternoon as he was led to a police vehicle at the Public Safety Headquarters downtown bound for the Bexar County Jail.

Asked by a reporter if he had any regrets, he said no.

Pruneda said detectives are still trying to piece together what occurred and who was involved in the shooting.

The gunfire early Saturday morning in the heart of San Antonios tourist district led to multiple reports being called into the San Antonio Police Department. Officers searched Alamo Plaza and the surrounding area and called in a police helicopter to look for vehicles.

Numerous shell casings were recovered in front of Pat OBriens bar-restaurant and Louis Tussauds Waxworks and at the intersection of Houston and Alamo, at the northwest end of the plaza, a block from the historic Emily Morgan Hotel, according to the police report.

Express Briefing: Get the morning headlines in your inbox

Two people matching descriptions provided by the 22-year-old man were spotted on foot near College and St. Marys and were detained for questioning, police said.

One of the men, identified as Nikolas Holland, 21, had a gun in his waistband, police said.

Police discovered he had an outstanding warrant for possession of less than 2 ounces of marijuana. They charged him with unlawfully carrying a weapon.

Pruneda said Tuesday she was not able to say what his involvement in the case was, only that the incident remains under investigation.

A second man, who had been arrested alongside Holland was released from police custody a short time after the incident.

Detectives are asking anyone with information regarding the incident to call police at 210-207-7635.
RICHMOND, Va. (AP)  Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring fended off a strong primary challenge, while Del. Hala Ayala emerged from a field of six candidates to win the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor in Tuesday's primary election.

Herring and Ayala will join gubernatorial nominee Terry McAuliffe at the top of the Democratic ticket in November as the party seeks to extend a 12-year winning streak in statewide races.

Herring defeated Norfolk Del. Jay Jones in the attorney general primary, even though Jones was backed by Gov. Ralph Northam.

Northam's endorsed candidate fared better in the lieutenant governor race, though. Ayala was the favorite of establishment Democrats, including Northam and House Speaker Eileen Filler-Corn, and defeated Del. Sam Rasoul, who was favored by the Democratic left.

Virginias off-year elections typically draw national attention as a possible bellwether for trends heading into next years midterms.

Republicans chose their statewide candidates in a nominating convention last month. The GOP hasn't won a statewide race in Virginia since 2009.

ATTORNEY GENERAL

Herring won the Democratic nomination in the race for attorney general Tuesday, fending off a challenge from a state lawmaker who sought to cast Herring as insufficiently progressive.

Herring, who is seeking a third term, will face Republican state Del. Jason Miyares in the November general election.

After eight years of unprecedented progress, well have the opportunity with a Democratic majority to break progressive ground like never before, Herring said on Twitter after he was declared the winner.

Jones conceded and tweeted that he'll work to elect Herring and the entire Democratic ticket.

Herring is a former state senator who became attorney general in 2014 and was reelected easily in 2017. He pitched himself to voters as a progressive champion on abortion rights, gun control and immigrant-friendly policies and argued that his experience made him the best choice to keep the office in Democratic control.

Herring has touted his record battling former President Donald Trumps policies in court, his work to eliminate Virginias backlog of untested rape kits, his defense of marriage equality, and his efforts to hold manufacturers accountable for their role in the opioid crisis.

Jones, a Black 32-year-old two-term delegate, argued it was time for change and sought to cast Herring as slow to respond to the reckoning sparked by the police killing of George Floyd last summer.

He repeatedly criticized Herring, who is white, for creating an animal rights unit before an office of civil rights. Jones said that as attorney general he would use the office to more aggressively investigate police shootings.

Another issue in the sometimes-contentious race was Herrings acknowledgement in 2019 that he had worn blackface in college.

During a debate, Jones attacked Herring not for having worn blackface but for what he described as an insincere apology at the time to the legislative Black caucus.

Jones picked up Northams endorsement in a move seen as a significant snub of Herring. He also had the backing of former Attorney General Mary Sue Terry, the first and only woman ever elected to statewide office in Virginia, and U.S. Rep. Elaine Luria.

Many other establishment Democratic figures, including two of the states most powerful Black lawmakers, had endorsed Herring.

Miyares issued a statement after Herring's victory calling the attorney general too liberal.

Under Mark Herring's leadership, the Attorney General's office has become radically liberal and more dangerous, Miyares said.

LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR

Del. Hala Ayala, who launched her political career in 2017 in response to the election of Donald Trump, won the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor, boosted by the endorsement of Gov. Ralph Northam.

Ayala was the favorite of the Democratic establishment, and had the endorsement of House Speaker Eileen Filler-Corn as well as Northam. She defeated Roanoke Del. Sam Rasoul, who had been a slight favorite and the preferred candidate of the partys progressive wing.

Ayala represents parts of Prince William County and claims Afro-Latina, Irish and Lebanese heritage. Her nomination also practically ensures that Virginia will elect its first female lieutenant governor  her Republican opponent is Winsome Sears, the first Black woman to receive a major partys endorsement for statewide office.

In a statement issued after her victory, Ayala emphasized her personal story, as she did throughout her campaign, including her father's death to gun violence and a harrowing pregnancy where she relied on Medicaid for health care.

I understand the struggles so many Virginia families face because Ive lived them, she said.

Ayala ran for delegate after helping organize the Womens March on Washington after Trumps election in 2016. She went on to defeat a four-term incumbent, Richard Anderson, who now chairs the Republican Party of Virginia.

Late in the campaign, Ayala accepted $100,000 from Dominion Energys political action committee, despite a pledge to environmental group Clean Virginia  which itself had donated $25,000 to Ayalas campaign  that she wouldnt do so.

Sears quickly jumped on the issue, criticizing Ayala Tuesday night after her victory for taking Dominion's money.

Delegate Ayala has proven that Virginians cannot trust her, that her pocket is prime for lining, and that her loyalty can be bought, Sears said in a written statement.

The lieutenant governor presides over the state Senate and can break tie votes in a chamber that is narrowly controlled by Democrats. The post has often served as a launching pad for gubernatorial bids.

___

Barakat reported from Falls Church.
BOSTON (AP)  Bostons leaders are scrambling to tamp down a series of political crises.

The acting mayor just fired the new police commissioner. Two school committee members abruptly quit after exchanging a series of racially charged text messages. The Boston Police Department is embroiled in an overtime fraud scandal. And on Beacon Hill, the governor is getting heat for hiring a veterans home administrator who had nearly 80 former military members die of COVID-19 under his watch.

All the drama is playing out against a potentially historic mayoral race that will likely see Boston elect its first person of color or woman to lead the city.

The challenges have landed on the desk of the citys Black chief executive, acting Mayor Kim Janey, also the citys first woman to occupy the office.

For Janey, the most recent development  the resignation of two Latina members of the Boston School Committee  has proven to be one of the more delicate problems shes faced since assuming the office in March after former Mayor Marty Walsh stepped down to become President Biden's labor secretary.

The two resigned after texts obtained by The Boston Globe showed school committee Chair Alexandra Oliver-Davila and fellow committee member Lorna Rivera disparaging parents at a virtual hearing about a proposal to temporarily drop the entrance test requirement to the citys exam schools.

Wait until the white racists start yelling at us, Rivera texted. Whatever. Theyre delusional, texted Oliver-Davila. I hate WR, she texted Rivera again, a reference to the citys West Roxbury neighborhood.

Sick of Westie whites, Rivera replied. Me too. I really feel like saying that, Oliver-Davila texted.

In her resignation letter, Oliver-Davila said she regretted the texts, but also said she was not ashamed of the feelings from history that made me write those words, referencing a personal history growing up in a city where she said was ostracized, teased, and called racial slurs.

The texts put Janey in an awkward spot, having also experienced racist attacks growing up in Boston.

In a written statement, Janey said the texts were unfortunate and unfairly disparaged members of the Boston Public Schools community.

But she was quick to praise the two as passionate advocates for Boston families" and said she could empathize with their personal stories.

As a Black woman, I know that racism hurts. The rocks and racial slurs thrown at me as a child left a lasting impression," Janey wrote.

As the revelation over the school committee texts was playing out over the weekend, Janey was also deciding the fate of Bostons police commissioner after decades-old domestic violence accusations came to light.

On Monday, Janey fired the top cop.

Dennis Whites removal came four months after he was placed on leave just days into his job. White, who waged a bitter legal battle to keep the job, had been appointed by Walsh, who later said he was unaware of the accusations.

Janey said keeping White on the job would send a chilling message to victims of domestic violence in our city and reinforce a culture of fear and a blue wall of silence in our police department.

White denied ever engaging in domestic violence.

I am a Black man, who has been accused falsely of crimes, White said during his termination hearing, according to a statement provided by his lawyer.

The firing of White isnt the only police-related controversy facing the city.

Just last week two more former Boston police officers pleaded guilty to federal charges in connection with an investigation into overtime fraud at the departments evidence warehouse.

Twelve current and former officers have been charged in the scheme. Prosecutors say more than $250,000 was embezzled.

And on Beacon Hill, Gov. Charlie Baker has been facing increasing scrutiny of his handling of a COVID-19 crisis at the Holyoke Soldiers Home, with calls mounting for a legislative response to the outbreak that killed 76 veteran residents last year.

The tragedy led to the removal last year of Bennett Walsh, the former superintendent of the 240-bed, state-run facility.

Critics say investigations of the outbreak, including one headed by a former federal prosecutor commissioned by Baker, have raised more questions, including about Bakers decision to appoint Walsh to lead the home in 2016 despite scant health care administration experience.

A legislative committee charged with looking into the tragedy found that a crisis of leadership on many counts contributed to the deaths.

Baker last week said he was eager to work with the Legislature and that he and lawmakers largely agree on the reforms needed. Baker signed a $400 million spending bill to finance construction of a new home.

Boston, of course, is no stranger to crises.

The most notable in recent decades came in the turmoil over school busing in the 1970s that thrust Boston into the national limelight and exposed in ugly ways the city's simmering racial tensions  a crisis that also helped give rise to a new generation of leaders in communities of color that have transformed the city's political landscape.
DENVER (AP)  Colorados Legislature during its 2021 session launched an ambitious path to recovery from the coronavirus pandemic's devastating economic and social consequences, with majority Democrats doling out millions of dollars to dozens of business and health care needs.

They also strengthened a state greenhouse gas emissions plan, passed gun measures and mandated reduced health insurance premiums and costs for individuals and small businesses.

A transportation funding plan that eluded lawmakers for years was approved, as were measures addressing racial disparities in health care and criminal justice.

Lawmakers also followed up on a sweeping 2020 police accountability bill that was passed during protests over the killing of George Floyd.

Republicans fought in vain against a hastily-prepared, last-minute bill that, in part, requires rural electric cooperatives  and power providers including larger utilities  to prepare clean energy plans for the state.

It also directs the Air Quality Control Commission, a panel appointed by the governor, to create fees on greenhouse gas emissions and regulate emissions sources that directly affect lower income and communities of color.

Lawmaker after lawmaker railed against having to vote on legislation many hadnt seen and that had been modified after a threatened veto by Democratic Gov. Jared Polis, who prefers market-based solutions to achieve Colorados carbon emissions goals.

Weve not seen this bill, lamented House Minority Leader Rep. Hugh McKean, insisting its expanded spending required at least a committee hearing and not a rushed vote.

McKeans Senate counterparts warned that the legislation would punish thousands of Colorado residents, especially in rural areas, who are employed by the states multibillion-dollar oil and gas industry.

What about my justice? What about my family? If the continual drumbeat from Denver is to put me out of business, how can you possibly say I dont get justice as well? Republican Sen. Ray Scott of Mesa County recounted a field worker as telling him about the bill.

Our health is not expendable. We deserve access to clean air, clean water, just like every other community, countered Democratic Sen. Dominick Moreno, whose Commerce City constituents live next to an oil refinery thats been cited for air and water emissions. This gives us a seat at the table.

Following the mass shooting at a Boulder supermarket, Democrats passed legislation to require safe firearms storage, tighten background checks, allow municipalities to enact gun control laws that are stricter than state laws.

They also created a state Office of Gun Violence Prevention aimed at educating residents about gun safety while collecting data about gun violence in the state. Opponents said the office would amount to a state government gun-control agency.

Democrats also passed the nations first state restrictions on the use of the sedative ketamine by law enforcement and first responders. Ketamine has been blamed for contributing to the 2019 death of Elijah McClain, a Black man, hustled to the ground by police after someone reporting a suspicious person.

Another bill to reduce jail populations and limit arrests for lower-level offenses that primarily affect persons of color failed.

The purpose of this bill was to heal and reset the relationship between law enforcement and the community  ending the dangerous practices that have both criminalized poverty and taken innocent lives, lamented Democratic Sen. Pete Lee, a sponsor of the bill.

Colorado state senators clashed over government control of health care pricing and affordability in a prolonged quest to increase state regulation of health insurance premiums.

What was once envisioned as a so-called public option to be offered by the state became a plan to require insurers to offer a standard health plan to individuals and small businesses  and sanction hospitals and other health care providers that dont participate.

The bill requires insurers to offer a to-be-developed standard health plan that could affect about 15% of Colorados health insurance market by 2025. It requires gradual premium reductions of 15% from plans now offered. And it would give the state insurance commissioner power to fine hospitals and health care providers.

Advocates argued the bill will expand health care affordability, especially among underserved communities that include minorities and rural residents. Opponents said it could force many physicians and specialists who refuse to participate to leave the state.

Lawmakers from both parties contend that an $800 million state stimulus package passed this year and $3.8 billion in federal pandemic relief will have far-reaching impacts in future years. A bipartisan legislative task force will study how to invest the coming pandemic relief funds in housing, behavioral health and job creation over the summer.

This was an ambitious and historic session, House Speaker Alec Garnett tweeted Wednesday. From the start, we were clear about our priorities and we delivered on our promises.
NORWALK  A Norwalk police officer has been arrested after he was accused of trespassing at a Fairfield residence last month, according to police.

Officer Nelson Figueroa, 36, of Norwalk, was taken into custody by Fairfield police officers on May 14 on charges of first-degree criminal trespass and second-degree breach of peace.

Lt. Antonio Granata, a spokesperson for the Fairfield Police Department, said on Wednesday that the arrest was made in connection to a May 12 incident that took place at a home on Center Street. He said police were called to the home after a woman reported that a man was on her property and was refusing to leave.

The complainant and her boyfriend stated Figueroa came to their property looking for his girlfriend and refused to leave, Granata said. The complainant told officers this incident may be an extension of a previous incident between Figueroa and his girlfriend.

Granata said the case was turned over to detectives, who then obtained an arrest warrant from a Superior Court judge in Bridgeport.

Figueroa was taken into custody at the Norwalk Police Departments Monroe Street headquarters without incident, Granata said. He was processed at Fairfield police headquarters and was released after promising to appear in court.

Deputy Chief James Walsh said on Wednesday that Figueroa was placed on administrative leave by Chief Thomas Kulhawik on the day of his arrest, but was allowed to return to work on Tuesday. Walsh said the department plans to conduct an internal investigation into the incident after the criminal case concludes.

Chief Kulhawik wanted to take time to analyze the facts of what we received from the Fairfield Police Department. He was placed on administrative leave and he was brought back, Walsh said. Now were now waiting for the results of the court disposition.

Online court records show Figueroa has not yet entered a plea in the case.

Eugene Riccio, an attorney for Figueroa, declined to discuss the details of the case on Wednesday, but suggested police do not yet have a complete picture of the alleged incident.

The circumstances around this incident and whether they constitute a crime are yet to be determined, he said.

Figueroa declined comment through Riccio. Norwalk Police Union President Dave OConnor also declined to discuss the arrest.

Figueroa, who joined the force in 2013, previously served in the U.S. Marine Corps, according to a Norwalk Police Department Facebook post. A graduate of Norwalk High School and Norwalk Community College, he was deployed to Iraq for three combat tours.

Figueroas arrest marked the third time this year that a Norwalk police officer has faced criminal charges. In January, officers Michael DiMeglio and Sara Laudano were arrested after they were accused of consuming alcohol while on duty in October. Their cases are now pending in court. The officers and their attorneys have not provided comment on these charges.

richard.chumney@hearstmediact.com
FAIRFIELD  Officials are looking to residents to help determine the towns housing needs and how to address them.

Residents are asked to share their personal housing experiences and feedback about possible housing options through a community survey over the next few weeks. The input will be used to update the 2014 Housing Plan and the 2016 Plan of Conservation and Development.

With the affordable housing plan, we know the needs are changing and unfortunately theres not nearly enough resources available at the local, state or federal level to cover it all, said Stephen Grathwohl, chairman of the Fairfield Affordable Housing Committee. We want to gather data so that we can pinpoint more accurately the needs and then we can plan the programs to help address those needs.

Grathwohl said Fairfield has long been on the forefront for focusing on the communitys housing needs.

In 1988, the town created its first affordable housing plan, one of the few in the state at the time. In 2013, on the 25th anniversary of the initial plan, the town decided to update it to meet the current needs.

The town has needs and the needs change as the residents change and the population grows, Grathwohl said. Theres a need for the town to address certain issues.

A recently enacted state regulation now requires every community to have an affordable housing plan and update it every five years. Fairfield is looking to identify the communitys major needs through a quick survey for its latest update.

Its critically important that we hear from the community because even those of us who are out in the community or work in housing as a profession have limited exposure to all the people in town and to all of their needs, Grathwohl said.

He said the residents best know their needs, and those of their children and parents.

Its best that they articulate their thoughts on what the needs are because it will inform and influence the plan and the programs that get developed, Grathwohl said.

Grathwohl said he believes the housing needs stretch to all demographics, including seniors, college students, young couples, minorities, employers and employees. They also span a broad scope, from wheelchair accessible units and roll-in showers to proper-sized starter homes.

He said that while Fairfield lacks significant underdeveloped land that is also accessible to sewers, public transportation and shopping  which makes it harder to create new affordable housing projects  the previous plans have helped in the housing crusade.

There have been a number of new developments and multi-family housing proposals since the previous update in 2013-2014, however Grathwohl and the rest of the affordable housing committee still want more input.

We need to hear from the people in town because this is really their towns affordable housing plan, Grathwohl said. We really do hope we gain all of the information from the residents and from the people who work in town.

Were trying as best as we can to provide options for the whole range. The town should do what it can, and as best it can, to meet the residents needs, he added.

The survey can be accessed at: Surveymonkey.com/r/Fairfield_2021_Housing_Survey
Vacation Bible Schools are returning to the community following a tough 2020.

A staple in many youth ministries, VBS was canceled in several churches due to COVID-19. This year, many local churches are planning for the beloved childrens event.

This years theme for many Southern Baptist congregations is Destination Dig.

VBS 2021 is headed to present-day Israel where discovery awaits at Destination Dig, according to Lifeways VBS website. Kids will unearth more than dirt as they dig up exciting evidence that proves biblical events were not just stories. As junior archeologists, kids will explore real-life archaeological finds that have helped to uncover the truth about Jesus!

Youth at Riverview Baptist Church in Loudon began VBS adventures Sunday and will continue nightly through Thursday, the Rev. Gene Farmer, church pastor, said.

He said church leadership felt comfortable resuming childrens ministries gradually.

As things in society started opening back up, and peoples comfort levels with the vaccines and things of that nature have been materializing stronger, and weve seen an influx of our people coming back into the congregation and sanctuary worship times, Farmer said. The church felt they were good with the children being less susceptible to the virus and most of all our workers have been vaccinated. We felt pretty comfortable going forward with VBS this year.

Farmer said this year will be set up similar to previous iterations  with some changes.

We have maybe compromised a little bit as far as our outreach, he said. We did not go door to door this year inviting people. We did it mostly through social media and through our associational office here in Loudon County and, of course, by word of mouth. We just felt like maybe that was the right approach.

Farmer suspects attendance could be affected by the changes in outreach.

I believe we will be probably much lower than previous years just because of one reason  awareness, he said. Without being able to do all the door-to-door community outreach, the awareness may not be as abundant but also peoples comfort level. We believe certainly well be down, so I really dont have a great feel. Were expecting anywhere from one to 100.

In case numbers are higher than expected, the church prepared for up to 150 children.

Loudon Cumberland Presbyterian Church saw big numbers for VBS by expanding to a virtual platform.

The Rev. Beth Brakebill, pastoral care pastor, said VBS was going to happen no matter what this year, with the church choosing a hybrid situation.

While hosting in-person meetings, VBS was also recorded and livestreamed. Brakebill said 44 activity packets were requested by online viewers, some as far as Pennsylvania, Alabama and Montana.

They could participate live, virtually, or they could go back and rewatch it later, Brakebill said. But we had close to 200 people each night logged on, joining us virtually. Then we had the opportunity for kids to come live and in person. The biggest night we had, we had 16 kids live and in person. Then we had about another 10 adults that were there either helping or watching. We did it outside. It was all outside in our church yard and lasted about an hour, and it was fantastic.

Hosting VBS gave Brakebill a sense of normalcy and relief.

I told somebody about halfway through the week that it almost felt normal, she said. It was a lot of normal and a lot of excitement. We even ended up  a lady came in and brought dinner each night for all the participants. We had ice cream every night when it was over and just the fellowship was so very special. Even the kids, you could tell even the kids felt how special it was.

Other churches, such as First Baptist in Loudon, however, are still figuring out if VBS can be a reality.

Right now, were kind of waiting, Teresa Wood, church member, said. We have not finished planning whether or not were going to be able to do it. Our pastor is out of town. ... Were supposed to meet to discuss it. We havent finalized any plans yet.
The United States Supreme Court on Tuesday reversed a lower court ruling limiting tribal law enforcement authority to stop and search non-Native residents. The high courts unanimous decision in United States v. Cooley, which originated on the Crow Reservation in southeast Montana, was heralded as a win for tribal sovereignty and law enforcement authority.

In the opinion issued by Justice Stephen Breyer, the court found that restricting tribal law enforcement officers from stopping, searching and temporarily detaining non-Native people could compromise officers ability to protect the health or welfare of the tribe. That language stems from a previous case, Montana v. United States, in which the court ruled against the Crow Tribes ability to regulate fishing and hunting by non-tribal members on land that is not owned by the tribe. That limitation on the tribes enforcement authority, Breyer wrote, was issued with important exceptions, including a provision for responding to threats against a tribes health or welfare.

To deny a tribal police officer authority to search and detain for a reasonable time any person he or she believes may commit or has committed a crime would make it difficult for tribes to protect themselves against ongoing threats, Breyer wrote in the Cooley decision. Such threats may be posed by, for instance, non-Indian drunk drivers, transporters of contraband, or other criminal offenders operating on roads within the boundaries of a tribal reservation.

The Cooley case arose in 2016. A Crow Police Department officer found a man with a child in the backseat of his truck pulled over on the side of U.S. Highway 212, which runs through the Crow Nation. The officer, James Saylor, found that the man, Joshua Cooley, had watery, bloodshot eyes and did not appear to be Native American. After a search of Cooley and the vehicle, Saylor found methamphetamine, a glass pipe and two semi-automatic rifles.

While he was later indicted on federal drug and gun offenses, Cooleys defense successfully argued to suppress the evidence Saylor had collected, citing the officers lack of investigative authority over a non-Native person on a public road. The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals later upheld that decision, prompting the case to be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court.

The Crow Tribe did not immediately issue a statement in response to the courts Tuesday ruling. Chairman Frank White Clay could not be reached for comment.

During oral arguments in the case, the Department of Justice attorney representing the petitioner argued that tribal law enforcement agents should be allowed to exercise authority over non-Native people, saying the 9th Circuits ruling puts tribal members at risk.

These areas are policed primarily often by tribal officers. And if they lack this authority, its going to endanger everyone on the reservation, DOJ attorney Eric J. Feigin said in late March.

The attorney representing the defendant, Eric H. Henkel, sought to convince the justices that tribes do not have authority over non-Native people and that Congress has plenary authority over Indian affairs. In his opinion, Breyer did not side with the defendants argument, saying no treaty or statute has explicitly divested Indian tribes of the policing authority at issue, and that the case at hand fit within the exemptions outlined in the courts previous Montana ruling.
Farming businesses have been issued seven steps to help the agricultural sector reach net-zero emissions by 2040.

Lee Reeves, Head of Agriculture for Lloyds Bank, explains what farmers could consider to help them achieve the NFUs ambitious target.

Climate change is one of the biggest challenges facing the UK today, with the sustainability agenda playing an increasingly key role in business strategies.

But with agricultural land making up 70 percent of UKs land area, the farming sector has a particularly crucial role to play in helping to meet targets.

Not only has the government set an ambition to be net0zero by 2050, the NFU has laid down an even more ambitious goal to the sector.

And while many farmers are already actively carrying out adjustments in land use, soil restoration and woodland creation - all great ways of removing carbon from the

atmosphere - the scale of the challenge ahead for agricultural businesses should not be underestimated.

So, what can farmers be doing to help them move towards a greener future?

Measure your carbon footprint

Every farm is facing a different journey to achieve net zero, but whatever your position, its essential to have an understanding of your carbon footprint so you can create a feasible action plan for lowering it.

Carbon calculators like Farm Carbon Calculator, Agrecalc or Cool Farm Tool can identify sources of emissions, benchmark emissions against similar businesses and create a baseline for monitoring progress towards low carbon practices.

They can vary in their results, so consider sticking to one.

Plant trees and hedgerows

Reforestation is a powerful way to fight climate change, with trees and hedgerows acting as carbon sinks that naturally absorb carbon emissions from the air. But farmers may be missing out on these benefits.

The Woodland Trust can help farmers plant trees and hedgerows at heavily subsidised rates, and increasing trees can also protect valuable topsoil from being eroded.

They also offer protection from drought and floods and helping to boost biodiversity.

Improve productivity and efficiency

Sustainability is at the heart of many new farming practices, so taking steps to improve productivity can also reduce emissions levels.

Precision farming, using controlled-release fertilisers and increasing use of organic manures, can contribute to a reduction in nitrous oxide emissions, while gene editing and breeding, as well as improving livestock health, can lower methane emissions.

Invest in low-carbon agri-technology

The rapidly growing agri-tech market can play a key role in helping farms become more sustainable.

Sustainable intensification by investing in solutions like nitrogen-fixing bacteria, vertical farming and drones, aims to improve productivity with reduced inputs and lower environmental impact.

Boost renewable energy generation

Many farmers have already taken advantage of making their farm more sustainable through renewable energy, and for good reason.

Whether through wind or solar power, installing biomass boilers, or circular waste streams such as Anaerobic Digestion, the benefits can be substantial.

Alongside generating clean energy, Anaerobic Digestion plants can offer opportunities for generating extra income and improving waste management.

Improve soil health

The UKs soil currently contains the equivalent of 80 years of carbon emissions. However, depleting fertile topsoil levels mean improved farming practices are needed to help rebuild the soils carbon stores.

This process is already underway, with 78% of farmers we surveyed saying they had either already started improving soil to become more sustainable or planned to.

Soil health can be improved by using cover crops within crop rotations to help maintain organic matter, management and timing of cultivations and grazing pressure to reduce soil compaction.

And planting more trees in shelterbelts along field boundaries will help prevent soil erosion, as well as introducing minimum till cultivation and regenerative grazing practices.

Restore peatlands

Peatlands are a key part of the UK landscape, covering 12% of the nations land area, and historically, theyve acted as a carbon sink.

However, as a result of modification, drainage and damage over the years, they are now a source of carbon emissions.

Restoring peatlands is therefore key. Adapting grazing routines and considering grip blocking, drainage and re-wetting peat soils to restore natural functioning of peatland can all help prevent erosion and loss of carbon emissions from peat soils.
A Gloucestershire farmer has admitted causing unnecessary suffering to a sheep which was found dead on his farm during an unannounced inspection.

Keith Barber, aged 72, of Joys Green, Lydbrook, also pleaded guilty to failing in his duty of care to two other sheep.

The Forest of Dean farmer appeared at Cirencester Magistrates Court on Monday 7 June and pleaded guilty to five charges.

They were brought by Gloucestershire County Councils trading standards service, relating to the welfare of his sheep and his failure to dispose of carcasses appropriately.

Barber had previously been disqualified from keeping pigs and cattle after being convicted of eight animal welfare offences at Cheltenham Magistrates Court on 28 January 2019 when he was given an 18-month prison sentence, suspended for two years.

In December 2019, trading standards officers visited the farm as part of an investigation into allegations that Barber was caring for cattle in breach of his disqualification.

He subsequently admitted breaching this disqualification and in March 2020 was sentenced to 100 hours of community service.

At the same time, officers discovered in a shed at the farm an extremely thin dead sheep on a bed of wet muck alongside two other live sheep, which were showing signs of sheep scab. A dead turkey and a dead chicken were also found in other pens on the farm.

Farmers are legally required to treat any sheep displaying signs of scab, but despite being advised to call his vet to inspect and treat the sheep, Barber failed to do so.

A post mortem was carried out which revealed that the animal had been kept in poor conditions for some considerable time prior to its death and also had sheep scab.

Sophia Hepple, an Animal Plant Health Agency (APHA) vet, said Barber failed to provide correct nourishment and prompt treatment and his lack of action led to post mortem findings consistent with starvation.

Barber also pleaded guilty to failing to dispose of the carcasses of two other sheep which were found by vets in November 2019, as well as the sheep and poultry carcasses found on the farm in December 2019.

Cllr Dave Norman, cabinet member for trading standards, said it was 'vitally important' that animal welfare standards were adhered to.

"The action taken by trading standards reflects the suffering caused to this animal and will ensure that no other animals will suffer at the hands of Keith Barber.

Sentencing was adjourned to 11 August while a pre-sentence report is made.
A new tree planting grant scheme designed for landowners and farmers has today opened for applications.

Farmers will gain more support to plant woodland under the government's new England Woodland Creation Offer.

The grant offer, which opened on Wednesday (9 June), will support the creation of over 10,000 hectares of new woodland over its lifetime.

It focuses funding predominantly on planting native broadleaf woodlands at a large scale, but also well-designed majority conifer and mixed woodlands.

The EWCO supports projects at different scales, from a minimum size woodland of just 1 hectare per application and 0.1 hectare per block.

It provides extra incentive for the creation of new broadleaves woodlands, especially those which extend existing priority woodlands, benefit water habitats, or provide access to the public.

The grant offer covers the capital costs of establishing the woodland, alongside annual maintenance payments for 10 years.

It also issues payments toward recreational infrastructure, such as paths and picnic benches.

The Country Land & Business Association (CLA), which represents 28,000 farmers and land managers, welcomed the scheme's launch, calling it a 'much-needed impetus to tree planting in England'.

President Mark Bridgeman said: Payments are significantly better than previous schemes and the minimum application area has been reduced to 1 ha, which should increase interest in tree planting.

Higher standard payments, with optional supplements for biodiversity, flood mitigation or access provision, makes woodland creation under the EWCO a more attractive option than before.

It is well worth landowners looking into whether this new scheme can work for them.

The grant scheme is being administered by the Forestry Commission and funded through the Nature for Climate Fund.
Farmers are often targeted repeatedly by hare-coursing gangs, a concerning new survey says, with many having to spend thousands of pounds to repair the damage caused.

Troubling new insights into the prevalence and impacts of hare coursing in the countryside have been provided by farming families.

More than 300 people took part in the survey by the Yorkshire Agricultural Society (YAS), with the findings showing the prevalence of the crime in the county.

Results show that farmers face a barrage of abuse from brazen criminals, with many forced to fork out huge costs to repair damage caused.

The highest number of hare coursing incidents were reported from farmers in North Yorkshire and East Yorkshire.

However, evidence of the crime was shared from as far afield as Aberdeenshire, Gloucestershire, Somerset and Northern Ireland.

In most cases the crime is a reoccurring problem on the same farms. The survey found that in 82% of cases the same farm had been targeted at least three times since the start of last year.

It also provides troubling insights into the confidence farmers have in the police. In more than one in four hare coursing cases (29%) the farmer did not call the police.

The most common reason for not doing so was that the farmer did not think the police would respond in a timely fashion.

When police were called, their response was rated as satisfactory by just 18 percent of farmers.

Farmers reported inconsistent responses when reporting the crime. Most of the time (87%), the police call handler confirmed that officers were being dispatched to the scene, but 88% failed to offer their estimated time of arrival.

When an estimated time of arrival was given, officers rarely attended within the given timeframe (28 percent).

The importance of tackling hare coursing is clear for farming families well-being and the profitability of their businesses, the survey shows.

In almost half of all cases (48%) farmers were either threatened or verbally assaulted, with one respondent saying they had been physically attacked.

Overwhelmingly, hare coursing results in criminal damage (86% of cases). Crop damage was the most widely reported (45%), followed by damaged fences and hedges (11%).

There were also reports of sheep being killed and livestock being left to escape onto highways.

Farmers are doing what they can to deter hare coursing - most (81%) said they had taken measures such as installing extra gates and security cameras.

Some farmers said they had created earth banks and ditches to keep criminals out of fields, with all of this coming at a great cost.

One in five said they had spent at least 5,000 on repairing damage or taking preventative action in the last three years. For 7% of farmers, this bill has exceeded 10,000.

More than half (54 percent) of farmers who responded to the survey said they had raised the issue with the police or their MP.

Charles Mills, a farmer near York and show director of the Great Yorkshire Show, has experienced hare coursing on his farm for at least 35 years.

"Farming families are paying a heavy price, both in terms of their sense of safety and wellbeing being compromised, and the costs of repairing damage and installing deterrents.

"The survey results tell me that hare coursing is not being driven out of the countryside anywhere near effectively enough," Mr Mills said.

The Yorkshire Agricultural Society has shared the survey findings to add to calls for a more robust response to hare coursing.

It has written to MPs and Police and Crime Commissioners, Defra, the Home Office, the National Police Chiefs Council and the National Rural Crime Network.

The findings have also been shared with the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) and the NFU to help inform UK-wide efforts by countryside groups to secure legislative change.

NFU regional director Adam Bedford said: "The NFU has highlighted to government how farming families suffer emotionally, mentally and financially from increasing levels of hare coursing.

"We are encouraged by the governments announcement in the Queens Speech that they will introduce laws to crack down on this shameful crime.

"But we are eager to see the detail of their plans and understand how we can continue to work with them and the police to secure the best possible outcome."
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.
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.
Rosenberg, TX (77471)

Today

Partly to mostly cloudy skies with scattered thunderstorms mainly during the evening. Low around 75F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Partly to mostly cloudy skies with scattered thunderstorms mainly during the evening. Low around 75F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
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Sonam Kapoor turns a year older today. The actress is in London with her husband Anand Ahuja but her family, friends and her loved ones are sending love-filled messages on social media and making the diva feel special on her birthday.

Anil Kapoor took to his Instagram profile to wish his daughter and the actor got super nostalgic. He shared three pictures on his post from his family album archives. They are a major throwback to Sonams childhood and depict her having simple birthday celebrations as a kid. In one of the pictures Sonam is a tiny tot lying comfortably in her fathers arms, in another click we see her all happy about the cake.

While the pictures make us go as mushy, what further melts our hearts is Anil Kapoors caption. He calls himself a lucky father to have such wonderful children and praises Sonam to be wise, kind and talented. He said, O the girl who chases her dreams and follows her heart... @sonamkapoor, watching you grow everyday has been a dream come true as a parent. I surely got lucky with the best kids. Youre strong when you need to be, kind without fail and always evolving. You have a way of infusing a bit of you in everything and it's one of my favorite things about you.

Anil Kapoor further adds how grateful he is that she is safe with Anand at these uncertain times, I'm so thankful that you and Anand are safe and healthy and we can't wait to be with you again... Happy Birthday Sonam Beta! Love you and miss you!

Now isnt this adorable. Sonam Kapoor reacted to this post and left a comment saying, Love you so so much daddy miss you more than anything else.
Parineeti Chopra has surely had a big year at the movies in 2021. With three back-to-back releases in The Girl On The Train, Saina, Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar  the actress has been applauded for all recent performances.

In an interview with E Times, the actress says that she has found herself as an actor and its a huge success for her. Elaborating on what brought this change in her as an actor, she says, It just so happened that when I was shooting for The Girl On The Train (TGOTT) I stayed out in London for two months and focused only on that film. After that, I shot Saina for two months in a similar fashion. That was something I had never done before. I had to focus on nothing else, but the role at hand. And that is how I love to do things, which I realised while I was in London. There was a time when I would just shoot and go home. I no longer feel or work that way. That change came about wonderfully on that set. The hangover spilled over on the set of Saina, and it worked wonderfully. Its the team of TGOTT that gave me the courage to be myself at the right time.

Parineeti adds that until then, many of her professional decisions were half-baked. I knew I didnt like what was being offered, and yet I took it up, and on so many occasions, I went home dissatisfied with my own work. Today, I say yes or no very clearly on the basis of my own filters. What happens to a film eventually is its fate, but now when I go home, I am more satisfied as a professional. Today, if someone tells me I didnt do something correctly, I will be interested to know what happened because I did it believing in it, which was not the case earlier. I was listening to so many people, and despite being dissatisfied, I would go back and do the same thing repeatedly, but not anymore. Parineeti Chopra 2.0 is a much more sorted individual indeed.
Sonu Sood was out there for the masses last year and this year too when the second wave hit our country, he stepped out again to help with oxygen cylinders, medicines and hospital beds.

Today, Bombay Times reports that Sonu Sood is all set to host a vaccination drive this week in his hometown - Saffuwala village, located at Moga district in Punjab. In April this year, the actor was announced the brand ambassador of Punjabs COVID-19 vaccination programme by Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh. And now looks like the actor is surely living up to the brand ambassadors duty. Speaking about the same to Bombay Times, Sonu Sood said, The idea is to get maximum people vaccinated. The problem in Punjab is that people are still shying away from getting the vaccine against COVID-19. So, my sister Malvika Sood, who stays in Moga, had a few meetings with the sarpanch of the village and set this up. She met with the villagers too. I even shared video messages to help them understand the importance of getting vaccinated. I will be sponsoring the vaccines for 18-year old plus individuals there.

The actor with the golden heart hopes that the village of Saffuwala sets an example for other villages of Punjab and very soon the entire state gets vaccinated. Sonu Sood further added in the interview that he soon wants to hold a similar vaccination drive in Mumbai to help Bollywood folks and industry people get vaccinated. Hes truly a Good Samaritan who deserves all the respect and love.


Varun Dhawan is one of the most bankable stars of todays time. He has many hits attached to his name and also has a string of projects in his kitty. Varun will next be seen in Bhediya and Jug Jugg Jeeyo. The actor has been doing his best to play these two different parts, making the audience eager to watch both these films. However, right now even though the lockdown restrictions eased out a bit in Mumbai, rains lashed out the city. Since this morning today, there has been heavy rainfall in Mumbai. But Varun made full use of the pleasant weather and after completing his workout he enjoyed standing in the rain.

He even shared two pictures and wrote,MUMBAI ki baarishAs a kid I would always love to play in the rain so after getting in the work I stepped out to enjoy the rain and it felt amazing.
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DGAP-Ad-hoc: Dexus Finance Pty Limited / Key word(s): Real Estate/Investment

Dexus Finance Pty Limited: Healthcare real estate - establishment of relationship with Australian Unity



09-Jun-2021 / 02:49 CET/CEST

Disclosure of an inside information acc. to Article 17 MAR of the Regulation (EU) No 596/2014, transmitted by DGAP - a service of EQS Group AG.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.





Dexus (ASX: DXS)

ASX release

9 June 2021

Healthcare real estate - establishment of relationship with Australian Unity

Dexus announces that it has established a new healthcare platform relationship with Australian Unity regarding the Australian Unity Healthcare Property Trust ("AUHPT" or the "Fund"), including entering into arrangements in relation to the Australian Unity platform, opportunities to invest in certain aspects of Australian Unity's healthcare development pipeline and making a $180 million cornerstone investment in AUHPT's $320 million capital raising announced today.

The establishment of this relationship and investment in AUHPT is consistent with Dexus's focus on increasing the resilience of its investment portfolio income streams and enhances Dexus's ability to obtain further scale in the increasingly attractive healthcare property sector.

Australian Unity is one of Australia's largest healthcare operators and real estate owners with a significant depth of industry relationships from its 22 years of specialist healthcare real estate investing. AUHPT has a development pipeline of $1 billion of high quality greenfield and brownfield development opportunities, which as a result of this relationship, Dexus will have an opportunity to participate in.

Dexus has also provided AUHPT a first right to acquire a 25% indirect interest in the Australian Bragg Centre (on market-based terms), and Dexus will have a first right over the Australian Unity management platform for AUHPT in circumstances in which Australian Unity decides to sell an interest in the platform.

Darren Steinberg, Dexus CEO said: "We are confident in the outlook for healthcare real estate and the investment in AUHPT provides us with an efficient way to increase our exposure to this attractive asset class at an appealing price. The broader relationship with Australian Unity provides an opportunity for us to accelerate our growing footprint in healthcare real estate and provides our funds and third party partners with additional investment opportunities."

Dexus is participating in AUHPT's $320 million placement and entitlement offer announced today, subscribing for $180 million worth of wholesale units in AUHPT, representing approximately 7% of the pro forma issued equity in AUHPT. Dexus believes the subscription price of $2.60 per unit represents good value, based on the high-quality nature of the assets and strong investor demand for healthcare real estate.

The establishment of the Australian Unity healthcare platform relationship and investment in AUHPT is expected to be accretive to Dexus's FY22 Adjusted Funds From Operations and distribution per security.

Dexus will continue to separately develop and grow the group's healthcare exposure through the circa $1.1 billion[1] Dexus Healthcare Property Fund. Today's announcement represents a new healthcare investment stream and does not impact Dexus's existing healthcare business which will continue to operate independently of Australian Unity.

Australian Unity Healthcare Property Trust (AUHPT)

AUHPT comprises a scale portfolio of Australian hospital and healthcare properties valued at $2.33 billion and consisting of 67 properties including the recently completed Surgical, Treatment & Rehabilitation Service (STARS) a 182-bed public hospital at Herston in Queensland.

The Fund has delivered a strong total return to unitholders of 25.1% over the past 12 months and 14.9% per annum over the past five years[2].

The following table details key investment metrics for the Fund:

AUHPT key metrics As at 30 April 2021 Gross asset value[3] $2,553 million Number of properties 67 Number of tenants 164 Weighted average capitalisation rate (at Net Asset Value) 5.18% Weighted average lease expiry (by income) 15.7 years Occupancy by income 98.3% Gearing ratio 26.0%

Authorised by the Board of Dexus Funds Management Limited



For further information please contact:

Investors

Rowena Causley

Senior Manager, Investor Relations

+61 2 9017 1390

+61 416 122 383

rowena.causley@dexus.com Media

Louise Murray

Senior Manager, Corporate Communications

+61 2 9017 1446

+61 403 260 754

louise.murray@dexus.com

[1] Includes estimated on completion value of $223 million for DHPF's 50% interest in Australian Bragg Centre and Bethesda at an estimated on completion value of $58.3 million (100% DHPF).

[2] As at 30 April 2021. Based on Wholesale Units. Returns are calculated after fees and expenses and assume the reinvestment of distributions.

[3] Includes listed property, cash and other assets.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 8, 2021) - China Keli Electric Company Ltd. (TSXV: ZKL.H) (the "Company" or "China Keli") is pleased to announce a non-brokered private placement of up to 4,347,826 common shares at $0.23 per share for aggregate gross proceeds of up to $1,000,000 (the "Private Placement"). Certain insiders may participate in the Private Placement.

Proceeds of the Private Placement will be used to settle the principal and interest on the Company's $200,000 bridge loan, maintain and bring up to date the Company's continuous disclosure record, pay outstanding accounts and invoices, and provide the Company with working capital to seek new business opportunities. Closing of the Private Placement is expected on or prior to June 30, 2021.

In addition, the Company announces that it has reached an agreement to settle $745,531 of the Company's outstanding debt with certain creditors of the Company. The debt settlement will result in the Company issuing 3,241,439 common shares at a price of $0.23 per share, in full and final satisfaction of the Company's obligations to such creditors (collectively, the "Shares for Debt Transaction"). It is expected the Shares for Debt Transaction will complete concurrently with or shortly following the completion of the Private Placement. The number of shares to be issued pursuant to the Shares for Debt Transaction will represent 71.75% of the Company's current issued and outstanding shares, or 36.5% following the completion of the Private Placement (assuming the Private Placement is fully subscribed) and the Shares for Debt Transaction.

No new insiders or control persons are expected to result from the Private Placement or Shares for Debt Transaction.

Mr. Philip Lo, Chief Executive Officer of the Company, states, "The Private Placement and Shares for Debt Transaction will enable the Company to pay off its debt, clear its accounts payable, and secure adequate working capital to sustain the Company's public company expenses in the near to mid-term. The clean balance sheet will also make the Company more attractive as we seek out new business opportunities."

Closing of the Private Placement and the Shares for Debt Transaction are subject to all necessary regulatory approvals including acceptance from the NEX Board of the TSX Venture Exchange. All shares issued in connection with the Private Placement and the Shares for Debt Transaction will be subject to a four-month hold period from the closing date under applicable Canadian securities laws. Finders' fees may be payable in connection with the Private Placement and those qualified persons involved as finders will receive a cash fee of 7% of the proceeds raised.

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities in the United States. The securities 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, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws, unless an exemption from such registration is available.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain forward-looking statements based on the Company's current expectations and assumptions as to a number of factors including regulatory approval. If those expectations and assumptions prove to be incorrect, or factors change, then actual results could differ materially from the forward-looking statements contained in this press release.

Generally, statements included in this press release that address activities, events or developments that the Company expects, believes or anticipates will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond the Company's control, including changes in laws and regulations including changes in how they are interpreted and enforced, and obtaining required approvals of regulatory authorities. Therefore the Company's actual results, performance or achievement could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements will transpire or occur, or if any of them do so, what benefits, the Company will derive therefrom. Such statements are based on assumptions made by the Company based on its experience perception of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other factors it believes are appropriate in the circumstances.

For further information, please contact:

CHINA KELI ELECTRIC COMPANY LTD.

Philip Lo, Chief Executive Officer

Tel. No.: (86) 13632 173732

Email: philip@zkl.cc

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.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/87026
Timmins, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - June 8, 2021) - Alan Martin ("Mr. Martin") announced today that he and persons acting jointly or in concert with him disposed of ownership and control of an aggregate of 760,000 common shares ("Common Shares") in the capital of Golden Birch Resources Inc. (the "Company") through the facilities of the Canadian Securities Exchange (the "Disposition"). The consideration received per Common Share under the Disposition was approximately $0.10, for total consideration received of $76,000. The completion of the Disposition, together with other dispositions of Common Shares during the month of May, 2021 made by Alan and persons acting jointly or in concert with him, resulted in a slightly greater than 2.0% decrease in the Common Shares beneficially owned by Alan and persons acting jointly or in concert with him.

Immediately after the Disposition, Alan and persons acting jointly or in concert with Alan beneficially own 7.66% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares of the Company on a non-diluted basis and 10.57% on a partially-diluted basis.

Alan currently has no plans to acquire or dispose of any additional securities of the Company. However, Alan may acquire additional securities of the Company, dispose of some or all of the existing or additional securities that he holds or will hold, or may continue to hold his respective current position, depending on market conditions, reformulations, and/or other relevant factors.

Alan has filed the early warning report under National Instrument 62-103 - The Early Warning System and Related Take-Over Bid and Insider Reporting Issues in connection with the completion of the Disposition. A copy of the Early Warning Report filed by Alan is available under the Company's issuer profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

To obtain a copy of the early warning report, please contact Mr. Martin at:

Alan Martin

E: alanmart@bigpond.net.au

C: +61.488.22.3828

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/87014
The New SaaS Offering is Available Now for European Organisations, With Disaster Recovery as a Service Arriving this Summer

Cohesity today announced the launch of its Backup as a Service (BaaS) offering, DataProtect delivered as a Service, to customers in Europe.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210608006171/en/

Cohesity Brings Backup as a Service to Europe (Graphic: Business Wire)

Hosted on Amazon Web Services, Inc. (AWS) in Europe,1 the offering gives enterprise and mid-size customers another radically simple way to back up data, eliminate silos, and drive down capital expenditure costs, while Cohesity takes care of managing the underlying infrastructure.

Cohesity DataProtect delivered as a Service includes support for an array of workloads including Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (Amazon EC2) instances and compute infrastructure, Amazon Relational Database Service (Amazon RDS),2 Microsoft 365 SaaS applications, and data sources such as VMware, Network Attached Storage (NAS), and SQL Server.

Thousands of customers globally already rely on Cohesity DataProtect to back up their data on-premises or in cloud environments that they manage directly. Now, they have even more choice in how to consume the value Cohesity provides with this SaaS-based solution, all of which can easily be managed through one user interface on the Cohesity Helios multicloud platform.

"We are thrilled about this new offering because it gives European customers even greater choice in how to manage their data, but with all of the hallmarks of Cohesity's multicloud data management platform they already know and trust," said Richard Gadd, vice president, EMEA sales, Cohesity. "Not only does the expansion of our SaaS offering to Europe empower customers to further simplify data management, but also gives our European partners the opportunity to add their unique value and resell the solution through our distribution channels or via AWS Marketplace."

Data Management as a Service: A New Chapter in Comprehensive Data Management

DataProtect delivered as a Service is the first offering from Cohesity's comprehensive Data Management as a Service (DMaaS) portfolio. DMaaS is a portfolio of 'as a service' offerings designed to provide customers with a radically simple way to back up, secure, govern, and analyze their data, all managed directly by Cohesity and hosted on AWS-Cohesity's preferred cloud provider for DMaaS.

In addition to announcing the availability of Cohesity DataProtect delivered as a Service in Europe today, Cohesity announced the imminent arrival of its second SaaS offering in its DMaaS portfolio, Cohesity SiteContinuity, which will enable automated disaster recovery of mission-critical applications and data to the cloud. This Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRaaS) solution is designed to help enterprises reduce infrastructure costs substantially by utilising on-demand cloud resources from AWS instead of requiring a costly secondary data centre.

Cohesity's portfolio of DMaaS offerings gives organisations even more choice in how they can protect and manage their data. With Cohesity, customers can choose from a SaaS model, on-premises Cohesity cluster, or a combination of both in a hybrid model all on a single platform and managed with a single UI.

Customers can subscribe to DMaaS offerings through authorised Cohesity channel partners, distributors, and via AWS Marketplace. DMaaS not only gives partners the opportunity to grow their recurring revenue business, but it also allows them to expand their existing managed service offerings without having to build out infrastructure themselves. They can also use this as an entry point if they are thinking about starting a managed service practice.

With Cohesity DataProtect delivered as a Service, customers can also:

Reduce complexity with BaaS that is built for the hybrid cloud, freeing up cycles to focus on other critical tasks with a single backup service for on-premises and cloud data sources and a single UI to manage it all.

freeing up cycles to focus on other critical tasks with a single backup service for on-premises and cloud data sources and a single UI to manage it all. Reduce backup setup to minutes by automatically discovering workloads once a secure connection is established and applying either preset or custom policies to begin protection.

by automatically discovering workloads once a secure connection is established and applying either preset or custom policies to begin protection. Ensure efficient use of available bandwidth, accelerating backups to the cloud and data recovery from the cloud by only transmitting data blocks that have been changed.

accelerating backups the cloud and data recovery the cloud by only transmitting data blocks that have been changed. Improve their data security posture by keeping a snapshot in an alternate location with flexible encryption key management and the ability to separate and isolate data for legal and compliance purposes.

Supporting Partner Quotes:

We're really excited to work with Cohesity to bring its Data Management as a Service (DMaaS) to France," said Sebastien Hurst, chief technology officer at SCC. "Customers are really struggling to manage their constantly-growing data, on-premises and in the clouds. They are looking for new ways of thinking to keep innovation running. We are committed to bringing new innovative and elegant solutions to help our customers overachieve their goal, and we strongly believe that everything is aligned to get a real value back from the use of such a refined service."

"SVA is pleased to collaborate with Cohesity to bring its Data Management as a Service (DMaaS) to Germany by leveraging the AWS Europe (Frankfurt) Region," said Michael Todt, head of business continuity at SVA. "Our commercial and enterprise customers continue to grow their data exponentially each year, and we are committed to helping them find new technologies. We do this not just by managing and protecting that data, but also by staying up to date on the latest innovations, so they can stay one step ahead of others in their markets. As a result, our customers can provide better IT scalability and resiliency, have smoother operations, and save further costs."

"Conscia has an important relationship with AWS and Cohesity helping customers with hybrid cloud deployments," said Henrik Moll, chief technology officer at Conscia. "We help our customers protect cloud-native data and/or manage traditional data centre workloads in a modern way as easy as sign up, connect, and protect with DMaaS. Conscia is excited to be a launch partner in EMEA for Cohesity DMaaS on AWS as this aligns very well with our vision to bring data management as a service to European enterprises."

For More Information:

Learn more about Cohesity DataProtect delivered as a Service.

Read about our broad support for Microsoft 365 SaaS applications.

Please register for the AWS Summit Online here.

View how to interact with Cohesity at AWS Summit Online on our event page and the AWS Summit sponsor page.

Check out the Cohesity DataProtect solution brief.

Watch this interview with Kevin Miller, general manager, Amazon S3, AWS, as he discusses the strategic collaboration with Cohesity for cloud data management and more.

About Cohesity

Cohesity radically simplifies data management. We make it easy to protect, manage, and derive value from data across the data center, edge, and cloud. We offer a full suite of services consolidated on one multicloud data platform: backup and recovery, disaster recovery, file and object services, dev/test, and data compliance, security, and analytics reducing complexity and eliminating mass data fragmentation. Cohesity can be delivered as a service, self-managed, or provided by a Cohesity-powered partner.

 2021 Cohesity, Inc. All rights reserved. Cohesity, the Cohesity logo, Helios, and other Cohesity marks are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cohesity, Inc. in the US and/or internationally. Other company and product names may be trademarks of the respective companies with which they are associated.

_______________________

1 Launching on the AWS Europe (Frankfurt) Region, with the AWS Europe (London) Region expected to follow in summer, 2021, and the AWS Europe (Paris) Region by fall, 2021.

2 Expected to be available Summer 2021.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210608006171/en/

Contacts:

James Warnette

Head of International PR, Cohesity

James.warnette@cohesity.com

+44 7766800899



Gabrielle Jasinski

Bospar for Cohesity

gabrielle@bospar.com

708.732.3913
Leading luxury e-commerce platform Mytheresa is delighted to announce a partnership with leading global app for desirable pre-loved fashion Vestiaire Collective. The partnership of industry leaders aims to drive the fashion industry's shift towards more sustainable practices by introducing a resale service dedicated to Mytheresa's high-end luxury customers.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210608005814/en/

The partnership between Mytheresa and Vestiaire Collective aims to drive the fashion industry's shift towards more sustainable practices. (Photo: Business Wire)

Mytheresa's top clients will be invited to participate in the program. They can participate in a simple and efficient way via a dedicated web interface where after uploading the required information, customers will be directly informed of a price quote for their pre-loved treasure. Once the item has arrived at Vestiaire Collective and has undergone quality and authentication checks, Mytheresa customers will receive immediate payment in the form of a Mytheresa store credit. A dedicated Mytheresa X Vestiaire Collective team will support the customers throughout their journey with personal assistance. Items sold by Mytheresa clients will be available to purchase worldwide on Vestiaire Collective.

In the initial phase the items eligible for resale are handbags from a set list of approx. 20 luxury designer brands and for customers in Europe. However, both Mytheresa and Vestiaire Collective are committed to roll out the service to more Mytheresa customers as well as for all product categories including ready-to-wear and a wider list of luxury brands before the end of 2021. This initiative marks the first time that a multi-brand luxury platform embraces designer resale in a comprehensive way to reinforce the shift to circularity as part of the fashion ecosystem.

Michael Kliger, CEO of Mytheresa says "We are excited to be entering this unique and innovative partnership with Vestiaire Collective. We are confident that with this unique service we are providing a real benefit to our customers giving their beautiful designer pieces a second life. It further allows us to help drive change in the fashion industry by incorporating circularity into our business model. We see a huge potential for the program and can't wait to extend it to more customers, categories and markets in the next months."

Fanny Moizant, President and Co-Founder of Vestiaire Collective says: "We're thrilled to partner with Mytheresa to showcase our service and our passion for circularity. We're also excited to see this unique initiative extend to a digital luxury platform, and we can't wait to see how their loyal customers respond to it! We're going to keep amplifying the voice of resale as a crucial part of achieving a more sustainable fashion system. And we'll continue partnering and fighting side-by-side with brands and retailers, encouraging their customers to embrace circular fashion by reselling pieces they no longer wear."

The designer resale program will be live for selected Mytheresa top clients starting on June 9th, 2021.

ABOUT VESTIAIRE COLLECTIVE

Vestiaire Collective is the leading global app for desirable pre-loved fashion. It is dedicated to transforming the fashion industry for a more sustainable future by promoting the circular fashion movement as an alternative to overproduction and overconsumption and the wasteful practices of the fashion industry. It provides its fashion activist community with inspiration, tools and features to lead the change as they sell and buy unique pre-loved pieces from each other's wardrobes. The platform is unique thanks to its highly engaged activist community and its rare, desirable inventory of 3 million items that includes 550,000 new listings every month. Launched in Paris in 2009, Vestiaire Collective has offices in Paris, New York, Hong Kong, Singapore and a tech hub in Berlin. Find out more by downloading the app, visiting vestiairecollective.com and following @vestiaireco on Instagram.

ABOUT MYTHERESA

Mytheresa is one of the leading global luxury fashion e-commerce platforms. Mytheresa was launched in 2006 and offers ready-to-wear, shoes, bags and accessories for women, men and kids. The highly curated edit focuses on true luxury with designer brands such as Bottega Veneta, Burberry, Dolce Gabbana, Fendi, Gucci, LOEWE, Loro Piana, Moncler, Prada, Saint Laurent, Valentino and many more. Mytheresa's unique digital experience is based on a sharp focus on high-end luxury shoppers, exclusive product and content offerings, leading technology and analytical platforms as well as high quality service operations.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210608005814/en/

Contacts:

MYTHERESA

ALBERTO FRAGOSO

PHONE: +49 152 38297355

EMAIL: ALBERTO.FRAGOSO@MYTHERESA.COM



VESTIAIRE COLLECTIVE

FRANCESCO GIRONE

EMAIL: FRANCESCO.GIRONE@VESTIAIRECOLLECTIVE.COM
Company uses its $35M Series A funding to expand Remote availability across the globe, grow its team, and rapidly innovate to release new products and features

Remote, the HR technology platform for international payroll, benefits and compliance, has announced exponential growth since its $35 million Series A funding in November 2020, including substantial increases across customers, employees, country availability and new product offerings. These advancements deliver on Remote's vision to make it easier for businesses to hire international employees and contractors from anywhere in the world.

In the last six months, Remote has directed its funding towards reaching a number of key milestones. The company has:

Increased its customer base sixfold since November, with aggressive month-over-month growth.

Increased availability by over 100% to 40 countries today. New markets include Germany, Belgium, Hong Kong, Brazil, Argentina and Singapore, with a goal to be available in 80 countries by the end of 2021.

Expanded its technology customer base and added new customers across consumer packaged goods, retail and several major industries, enabling thousands of companies to now hire the best talent regardless of where they are located.

Internally, the Remote team has nearly tripled since the end of last year, with notable hires including Nadia Vatalidis, Head of People, James Ramsay and Jeremy Watson in product leadership roles, and team members across engineering, operations, HR, finance, marketing and sales. The team is spread across 40 countries and six continents with marked growth in the UK and US.

Job van der Voort, CEO and Co-Founder at Remote, said: "Our Series A funding has enabled us to accelerate our mission to democratise opportunity around the world. Not only have we significantly expanded the team and introduced several new product features, we are outpacing our own aggressive growth targets by bringing the Remote platform to even more markets, much faster than we ever anticipated. I attribute our success to the Remote values of kindness, ownership, transparency and excellence that empower everything we do. It's fantastic to see them manifest in the way we're building the Remote business".

Operating by its core values, Remote was recently recognised by Inc. Magazine in their annual list of the Best Workplaces for 2021. The company was part of a select group of honorees due to Remote's commitment to prioritising people and culture, its ongoing advocacy for a more inclusive, people-first future of work, and its extraordinary support offered to employees during a turbulent year.

Rapid cycle innovation to help business quickly expand into new markets

The Remote platform continues to expand with new products and features that meet the dynamic requirements of businesses worldwide. The platform includes:

Employer of Record (EOR) Service that manages the end-to-end global employment process, including onboarding, international payroll, benefits, taxes, stock options, and compliance. Businesses can pay employees in their local currency, without having to worry about exchange rates or manual currency conversions, and use localised employment contracts for built-in compliance with local laws. Remote IP Guard gives clients the strongest protections in the industry, reducing their risk and IP exposure. This year, the EOR service has been expanded to more countries than ever before, starting at $299.

Contractor Management enables businesses to legally and compliantly onboard, pay and manage contractors anywhere in the world. It provides the ability to automatically pay contractors in their local currency, supplies compliant contract templates tailored to local labor laws, and provides built-in intellectual property and invention rights.

The only company with a 100% vertically integrated stack

Remote owns legal entities in all covered countries for faster service with no third party delays, legal and HR experts in each country, ironclad intellectual property (IP) protection, and transparent pricing.

The company also offers special pricing via its Remote for Startups and Remote for Social Purpose Organisations (SPOs) initiatives to equip these organizations with the tools necessary to onboard, pay and manage their global teams in compliance with local laws at an accessible price point.

About Remote

Remote is the world's first self-serve platform for global payroll, tax, benefits and compliance. Remote enables companies to employ anyone anywhere in the world in minutes through the Remote platform. Founded in 2019 by Job van der Voort (former VP of Product at GitLab) and Marcelo Lebre (former VP of Engineering at Unbabel), Remote is a fully distributed company with employees based in several different countries.

For more information, visit www.remote.com

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210608006090/en/

Contacts:

Ilona Mosejeva

Tyto for Remote (Europe)

remote@tytopr.com

Wynton Yu

Gravitate for Remote (US)

remote@gravitatepr.com
Allschwil, Switzerland - June9, 2021



Idorsia Ltd (SIX: IDIA) today announced that nine abstracts for daridorexant, the company's investigational dual orexin receptor antagonist for the treatment of adults with insomnia, will be presented at SLEEP 2021. The annual joint meeting of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society is conducted virtually from June 10-13.

Antonio Olivieri, Senior Vice President, Head of Global Medical Affairs of Idorsia commented:

"As a company with a strong scientific core rooted in innovative small molecules, Idorsia aims to transform the horizon of therapeutic options. We look forward to presenting new data from our Phase 3 clinical program and other important new data on daridorexant. This reflects our commitment to advance research for insomnia, a condition that can substantially impact the physical and mental health of patients and remains an area with great unmet need."

Posters for daridorexant include the following:

Fietze I, et al. Daridorexant is safe and improves both sleep and daytime functioning in elderly patients with insomnia. [347]

Leger D, et al. Absence of Withdrawal Symptoms and Rebound Insomnia Upon Discontinuation of Daridorexant in Patients with Insomnia. [348]

Zammit G, et al. Daridorexant Improves Total Sleep Time (TST) in Insomnia Patients Without Altering the Proportion of Sleep Stages. [344]

Heidenreich S, et al. A benefit-risk assessment of daridorexant for the treatment of insomnia using patient preference data from two phase 3 trials. [343]

Roch C, et al. Daridorexant, a dual orexin receptor antagonist, improves age-related insomnia in rats. [002]

Bergamini G, et al. Effect of the dual orexin receptor antagonist (DORA) daridorexant on behaviour upon awakening in rats and dogs. [09]

Grandjean CM, et al. A dual, equipotent, and insurmountable antagonist of both orexin-1 and orexin-2 receptors. [059]

Boof ML, et al. Daridorexant Does Not Impair Respiratory Function in Patients with Mild/Moderate Obstructive Sleep Apnea Irrespective of Severity. [357]

Boof ML, et al. Daridorexant Improves Sleep in Patients with Mild/Moderate Obstructive Sleep Apnea. [358]





The abstracts can be found in the SLEEP 2021 Abstract (https://www.sleepmeeting.org/abstract-supplements/)supplement (https://www.sleepmeeting.org/abstract-supplements/).

Daridorexant is currently investigational and is not approved for any use anywhere in the world. In March, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) accepted a new drug application (NDA) for review of daridorexant for the treatment of adult patients with insomnia. Idorsia has also submitted marketing authorization applications (MAA) to the European Medicines Agency and Swissmedic for daridorexant for the same indication.

Notes to the editor

About insomnia

Insomnia is defined as a combination of dissatisfaction with sleep and a significant negative impact on daytime functioning. Dissatisfaction with sleep refers to the difficulty to initiate and/or maintain sleep on at least three nights per week for at least three months, despite adequate opportunity to sleep.

Insomnia is a condition of overactive wake signaling and studies have shown that areas of the brain associated with wakefulness remain more active during sleep in patients with insomnia.

Insomnia is a common problem with a prevalence of approximately 10%. On this basis, and assuming a US adult population of around 250 million, there are approximately 25 million adults in the US who suffer from insomnia.

Insomnia as a disorder is quite different from a brief period of poor sleep, and it can take its toll on both physical and mental health. It is a persistent condition with a negative impact on daytime functioning. Idorsia's research has shown that poor-quality sleep can affect many aspects of daily life, including the ability to concentrate, mood, and energy levels.

The goals of managing insomnia are to improve sleep quality and quantity, as well as daytime functioning. Current recommended treatment of insomnia includes sleep hygiene recommendations, cognitive behavioral therapy and pharmacotherapy.

About the orexin system

Wake and sleep signalling is regulated by intricate neural circuitry in the brain. One key component of this process is the orexin system, which helps promote wakefulness. There are two forms of orexin neuropeptides - small protein-like molecules used by nerve cells (neurons) to communicate with each other in the brain - orexin A and orexin B. Orexin promotes wakefulness through its receptors OX1R and OX2R. Together, these neuropeptides and receptors make up the orexin system. The orexin system stimulates targeted neurons in the wake system - leading to the release of several chemicals (dopamine, serotonin, histamine, acetylcholine, norepinephrine) which promote wakefulness. Under normal circumstances, orexin levels rise throughout the day as wakefulness is promoted and then fall at night. Overactivity of the wake system is an important driver of insomnia.

About daridorexant

Daridorexant is an investigational dual orexin receptor antagonist (DORA) designed and developed for the treatment of insomnia. Daridorexant reduces overactive wakefulness associated with insomnia by blocking the activity of orexin. DORAs specifically target the orexin system by competitively binding with both receptors, thereby reversibly blocking the activity of orexin. Blocking orexin receptors reduces the downstream activity of the wake-promoting neurotransmitters that are overactive in insomnia.

About the registration program

The Phase 3 registration program comprised two three-month studies, together with a long-term double-blind extension study. Both pivotal studies are complete, having enrolled around 1,850 patients with insomnia at over 160 sites across 18 countries. As insomnia often presents later in life, and elderly patients are more susceptible to fragmented sleep, early awakening and daytime sleepiness, around 40% of the recruited population was aged 65 years or older. The placebo-controlled studies investigated the effects of three doses of daridorexant (10 mg, 25 mg, and 50 mg) on sleep and daytime functioning parameters, objectively in a sleep lab by polysomnography and subjectively with a daily patient diary at home. The impact of insomnia on patients' daytime functioning was measured daily using the sleepiness domain score from the Insomnia Daytime Symptoms and Impacts Questionnaire (IDSIQ) - a patient-reported outcome (PRO) instrument validated according to FDA industry guidance. Both Phase 3 studies met their primary endpoints and the results were first presented in a late-breaking oral presentation at the Associated Professional Sleep Societies (APSS) SLEEP 2020 medical congress in August 2020.

More than 800 patients continued treatment into a 40-week extension study, which measured the effects of all three doses vs placebo, generating data for long-term treatment of insomnia.

About Idorsia

Idorsia Ltd is reaching out for more - We have more ideas, we see more opportunities, and we want to help more patients. In order to achieve this, we will develop Idorsia into a leading biopharmaceutical company, with a strong scientific core.

Headquartered near Basel, Switzerland - a European biotech-hub - Idorsia is specialized in the discovery, development and commercialization of small molecules to transform the horizon of therapeutic options. Idorsia has a broad portfolio of innovative drugs in the pipeline, an experienced team of professionals covering all disciplines from bench to bedside, state-of-the-art facilities, and a strong balance sheet - the ideal constellation to translate R&D efforts into business success.

Idorsia was listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (ticker symbol: IDIA) in June 2017 and has over 900 highly qualified specialists dedicated to realizing our ambitious targets.

For further information, please contact

Andrew C. Weiss

Senior Vice President, Head of Investor Relations & Corporate Communications

Idorsia Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Hegenheimermattweg 91, CH-4123 Allschwil

+41 58 844 10 10

investor.relations@idorsia.com (mailto:investor.relations@idorsia.com)

www.idorsia.com (http://www.idorsia.com)

The above information contains certain "forward-looking statements", relating to the company's business, which can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "estimates", "believes", "expects", "may", "are expected to", "will", "will continue", "should", "would be", "seeks", "pending" or "anticipates" or similar expressions, or by discussions of strategy, plans or intentions. Such statements include descriptions of the company's investment and research and development programs and anticipated expenditures in connection therewith, descriptions of new products expected to be introduced by the company and anticipated customer demand for such products and products in the company's existing portfolio. Such statements reflect the current views of the company with respect to future events and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Many factors could cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the company to be materially different from any future results, performances or achievements that may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as anticipated, believed, estimated or expected.

Anhang
Press contact:

Sam Connatty

Tel.: +44 (0) 370 904 3601

Email: sam.connatty@capgemini.com

Capgemini launches "Sustainable IT" to reduce IT carbon footprint: first offering of Capgemini's end-to-end sustainability framework

Sustainable IThelps clients achieve their sustainability goals by reducing the environmental impact of their enterprise IT and creating an organization-wide culture aroundnet-zero objectives.

Paris, June 9, 2021 -Capgeminiunveilsa new Sustainable IT offering, designed to help clients reduce their IT carbon footprint.Greenhouse emissions generated by Enterprise IT1 could be compared to the third largest country, in terms of energy consumption, and areexpected to grow significantly with digital acceleration.Sustainable ITis a building block of Capgemini's global sustainability offering framework.The Group is in a unique position to support clients on their sustainability journey through its technical expertise, customized approach, and strong partner ecosystem.

IT generates 4% of global CO2 emissions and consumption is expected to increase three-fold from 2010 to 20252. Organizations across sectors must both reduce their carbon footprint and become enablers of positive climate action. A recent reportfrom the Capgemini Research Institute suggests that 61% of organizations which have built a comprehensive roadmap to accelerate sustainable IT3 implementation have realized improved ESG scores, 56% have seen improved customer satisfaction and 44% have witnessed tax savings as a direct result of sustainable IT practices. Moreover, companies that have already scaled sustainable IT use cases have achieved 12% cost savings on an average4.

New offering goes beyond IT consumption

Capgemini's new offering goes beyond structurally transforming IT in terms of consumption habits and ways of working, to empowering clients to create a culture of sustainable IT that is organization wide. Capgemini works with clients to provide qualitative and diagnostic tools that establish baseline business approaches to sustainable practice. Across business functions, Capgemini takes a holistic approach to identifying a company's emission hotspots and reducing their environmental impact.

"Sustainability is a key pillar of our strategic ambition and we are committed to helping our clients achievetheir net zero objectives. Sustainable IT isthe first block of Capgemini's newsustainability offeringframework, which is thebackbone of a climate positive future. Organizations must re-assess their sustainability approaches tounlock the potential of smart technologies and move from a net-zero strategy to green product and service experiences," comments Aiman Ezzat, CEO of Capgemini.

The offering has already been applied to several key clients in the banking, insurance, utilities, manufacturing, public services and energy sectors.

Capgemini's strong network includes partners such as Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and applications suppliers, IT Hardware Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and infrastructure/cloud providers which provide further end-to-end opportunities to accelerate the client's sustainable journey with this new offering.

It is based on a holistic, four-pillar framework focusing on:

Sustainable IT strategy: Setting a shared vision that includes qualitative and quantitative analysis of an organization's IT environmental impact. Quantitative analysis includes 'Life Cycle Assessment' methodology that covers the impact of devices, infrastructures, applications and data. This enables organizations to assess their sustainable IT maturity score, allowing them to develop the right roadmap to achieve their sustainability goals.

Sustainable IT transformation: Leveraging 50 existing levers identified to reduce carbon emissions generated by enterprise IT through hardware, infrastructure, data and software. This transformation pillar includes levers such as server optimisation, cloud migration, application eco-design, streamlining data or the sustainable IT module of Capgemini's proprietary economic Application Portfolio ManagementeAPM)to not only reduce carbon footprint but also cut operating costs.

Sustainable IT employees: Evolving employee IT consumption habits and ways of working to embrace a culture of Sustainable IT through a set of engagement tools and training programs, which can be readily deployed to accelerate the sensitization and mobilization of the workforce.

IT for sustainable business: Leveraging new technologies like Internet of Things (IoT), Augmented Reality(AR), Virtual Reality(VR), and Analytics to address the environmental challenges of an organization that enables efficient data capture, evaluation and analysis, monitoring and control, supports decision making. It is enriched and facilitated by Capgemini's Applied Innovation Exchange5 network globally.

About Capgemini

Capgemini is a global leader in partnering with companies to transform and manage their business by harnessing the power of technology. The Group is guided everyday by its purpose of unleashing human energy through technology for an inclusive and sustainable future. It is a responsible and diverse organization of 270,000 team members in nearly 50 countries. With its strong 50 year heritage and deep industry expertise, Capgemini is trusted by its clients to address the entire breadth of their business needs, from strategy and design to operations, fueled by the fast evolving and innovative world of cloud, data, AI, connectivity, software, digital engineering and platforms. The Group reported in 2020 global revenues of 16 billion.

Get The Future You Want | www.capgemini.com

1 Enterprise IT generates around 11 MtCO2e of greenhouse emissions (2) and 53.6 million tons of e-waste (2) worldwide per year.

2 "LEAN ICT" --- TOWARDS DIGITAL SOBRIETY - The Shift Project.

3 Sustainable IT is an umbrella term that describes an environment-focused approach to the design, usage and disposal of computer hardware and software applications, and the design of accompanying business processes. The term also extends to activities such as responsible mining of rare metals used to develop IT hardware, water conservation, and the application of circular economy principles across the technology lifecycle. Capgemini's research spans four key areas of enterprise IT including user hardware and devices, networks and communication systems, applications and data, and cloud computing.

4 Sustainable IT report published by Capgemini Research Institute in May 2021.

5 Capgemini's Applied Innovation Exchange (AIE) brings together a framework for action, a global network of exchanges, and a rich and diverse ecosystem to deliver a high-performance innovation engagement experience through a portfolio of more than 20+ distinct services that span the breadth of the applied innovation process.

Attachment


LONDON (dpa-AFX) - Rolls-Royce Holdings plc (RYCEF.PK, RR.L, RYCEY.PK) said Wednesday that it has appointed Anita Frew as a Non-Executive Director and Chair Designate.



Anita will join the Board with effect from 1 July 2021 and will succeed Ian Davis as Chair on 1 October 2021. Ian will retire from the Board on 30 September 2021, after nearly nine years as Chairman.



On joining the Board, Anita will be appointed to the Nominations & Governance Committee and will succeed Ian as Chair of that Committee on 1 October 2021.



Anita Frew is currently chair of Croda plc, the science, technology and chemicals group and a non-executive director of BHP Group. Until recently she was the deputy chairman and senior independent director of Lloyds Banking Group and has also held chair and board roles in companies in industrial, engineering and utilities sectors.



The Directors have determined that upon appointment Anita Frew will be independent.



Rolls-Royce also announced the appointment of Mike Manley as a Non-Executive Director.



Mike Manley will join the Board with effect from 1 July 2021 and, on appointment, he will become a member of the Nominations & Governance Committee and the Science & Technology Committee. He is currently head of Americas of Stellantis N.V. and a member of their executive team. He joined Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V. in 2011 and has held a number of senior executive positions, including chief operating officer for both the APAC region and NAFTA regions.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

ROLLS-ROYCE-Aktie komplett kostenlos handeln - auf Smartbroker.de
MONTREAL, QC / ACCESSWIRE / June 9, 2021 / Quebec Precious Metals Corporation ("QPM" or the "Company") (TSXV:QPM)(OTCQB:CJCFF)(FSE:YXEP) is pleased to report the drill results from the 2021 winter program (7 holes, 2,079 m) for its 100% owned Sakami Project (the "Project") in Quebec's Eeyou Istchee James Bay territory. The fully-funded summer program has started (see press release of June 1, 2021) and is designed to expand the mineralized zone at La Pointe Extension with 12,000 m of drilling in (40+ holes).

Highlights (Figures 1 to 5, Table 1)

Two holes (PT-21-177, -182) have intersected mineralization over wide intervals (silicified paragneiss with disseminated pyrite and arsenopyrite),

- 1.83 g/t Au over 58.6 m including 2.40 g/t Au over 30.9 m; and

- 2.15 g/t Au over 42.2 m including 5.17 g/t Au over 14.5 m.

including 2.40 g/t Au over 30.9 m; and 2.15 g/t Au over 42.2 m including Three holes (PT-21-177, -178, -182) have reported high-grade intervals (> 10 g/t Au over at least 1 m).

The mineralization continues to extend at depth and along strike as illustrated by the grade x thickness values contours on longitudinal sections (Figures 2, 3 and 4).

The La Pointe Extension deposit, has a strike length of 3,500 m, a minimum depth of 400 m and an average estimated true thickness of 40 m (and up to 101 m), on the basis of the 35 holes drilled to date.

Normand Champigny, CEO of QPM, stated: "The 2021 winter program at the La Pointe Extension generated some of the best drill results on the Sakami Project. We are very excited to drill this summer to confirm the high-grade potential at depth and along strike."

Complete drill results and calculated drill hole composites are available on QPM's website (https://www.qpmcorp.ca/en/projects/sakami-technical-information/ ).

The Project provides the Company with a controlling position over a 23-kilometre-long segment of a favourable geological contact and comprises 281 claims (142 km2). It is located 570 km north of Val d'Or, Quebec, 120 km east of the municipality of Wemindji, 90 km from the Eleonore gold mine and 47 km northeast of the paved James Bay Road. Good infrastructure is present including major access roads, a hydro-powered electric grid and airports. Drilling can be carried out throughout the year.

Quality Assurance/Quality Control

For the Sakami project, the drilling contract was awarded to Forage Val-d'Or Inc. based in Val-d'Or, Quebec. The hole diameter is NQW. Quality assurance and quality control procedures have been implemented to ensure best practices in sampling and analysis of the core samples. The drill core was logged and then split, with one-half sent for assay and the other retained in the core box as a witness sample. Duplicates, standards and blanks were inserted regularly into the sample stream. The samples were delivered, in secure tagged bags, directly to the ALS Minerals laboratory facility in Val-d'Or, Quebec. The samples are weighed and identified prior to sample preparation. All samples are analyzed by fire assay with AA finish on a 30 g sample (0.005-10 ppm Au), with a gravimetric finish for assays over 10 ppm Au.

Qualified Persons

Normand Champigny, Eng., Chief Executive Officer of the Company, and Richard Nieminen,

P. Geo., Senior Exploration Manager, both Qualified Persons under NI 43- 101 on standards of disclosure for mineral projects, have prepared and approved the technical content of this release.

About Quebec Precious Metals Corporation

QPM is a gold explorer with a large land position in the highly-prospective Eeyou Istchee James Bay territory, Quebec, near Newmont Corporation's Eleonore gold mine. QPM's flagship project is the Sakami project with significant grades and well-defined drill-ready targets. QPM's goal is to rapidly explore the Project to advance it to the mineral resource estimate stage.

For more information, please contact:




INDIA, June 9, 2021 - (JCN Newswire) - The 10th edition of Big CIO Show - India gathered major stakeholders of India's technology ecosystem such as government think-tanks, technology experts and leading technology solution providers, to discuss the critical infrastructure, where digital transformation can help the nation boost economic competitiveness.The attendees were enlightened by the speakers from governments and enterprises such as Dr Rajendra Kumar - Additional Secretary, MeitY, Government of India; Ripu Bajwa - Director and GM, Data Protection Solutions, Dell Technologies; Golok Kumar Simli - Chief of Technology, Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India; Sudhir Kanvinde - Executive Director - IT, Ministry of Ports Shipping, Government of India; Sanjiv Mehta - Country Manager, AMD; Sridhar S - VP, Managed Services - Cloud, Hosting and Security, Tata Communications Ltd; Veneet Sharma - Regional Sales Director - APAC(IAM), Thales; Rajiv Ramanan - Director - Technology Partnerships, Freshworks Inc.; Harish Sekar - Senior Technical Evangelist, Manage Engine, a division of Zoho Corp; to name a few.The show covered key topics such as driving businesses to reassess transformation roadmap, understanding the value of customer data platforms, the rise of native clouds, cyber security implications of working remotely, edge computing gaining the edge, emergence of the software-defined enterprise, future of data centres, and more.Key highlights and takeaways from Big CIO Show - India include:Sridhar S, VP, Managed Services - Cloud, Hosting and Security Tata Communications Ltd discussed at length on the topic 'From Technology to Business Innovation with Unified Cloud Experience'. He stated that "It is very clear that cloud is becoming a biggest business improvement machine. The innovations that one can bring about in your business model has made us realize that all these are important as we go ahead into the future because we need to be present everywhere and we need to be present close to the customers."In a panel discussion on the topic 'The Cyber security Implications of Working Remotely', moderated by Jacxine Fernandez, VP, Cyber Security at Adani Group, the panellists discussed key areas such as 'Protecting the remote workforce' major cyber-attack trends of 2020 and alternatives to the current solutions on remote working and much more.Dell Technologies tech talk on the topic 'Increase your agility with Multi-Cloud flexibility' stated that "Business transformation is a pre-requisite for all organizations and is crucial for every kind of business."While speaking about 'Digital Transformation in Government', Dr Rajendra Kumar, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India mentioned that "MeitY has unveiled its vision for 2025, to create USD 1 trillion of economic value using digital technology in India."Ranganath Sadasiva, CTO, Hybrid IT at Hewlett Packard Enterprise, while delivering a keynote on 'Fuelling Edge-to-Cloud Digital Transformation', mentioned that, "HPE essentially focuses on workloads that prevail in the marketplace today and ensure that it delivers right kind of compute resources for everything as a service."A highly engaging keynote addressed by Veneeth Sharma, Regional Sales Director - APAC (IAM), at Thales on 'Somebody Else's Mistake: Our Learning'. In his discussion, he mentioned that "There is knowledge in the organization, but not all aspects are covered. A dive is used to formulate an architectural approach where security is designed, and no aspects are left uncovered."Rajiv Ramanan, Director, Technology Partnerships at Freshworks Inc. discussed at length on 'The Greater Good - Building a Digital-Ready Culture'. He stated that, "Because of the change in customers that have come in so rapidly due to the pandemic, DT journey of enterprises has been accelerated by more than 5 years, and for the customers for more than 7-10 years.""While pandemic-related challenges have manifested themselves in a variety of ways across industries, businesses survive to emerge from these pandemic effects, CIOs are tasked with driving rapid growth and profits. It is 'all hands on deck' for organizations to recover and get back into development mode," says Mithun Shetty, CEO of Trescon.The show was hosted on the virtual events platform Vmeets which helped the participants to network and conduct business in an interactive and immersive virtual environment. Participants were also able to engage with speakers in Q&A sessions and network with solution providers in virtual exhibition booths, private consultation rooms and private networking rooms.Big CIO Show - India was officially sponsored by - Presenting Sponsor - Dell Technologies and AMD; Powered By Sponsor - TATA Communication; Co-Powered By Sponsor - Hewlett Packard Enterprise and Team Computers; Gold Sponsors: Thales and Technobind, Freshworks and Silver Sponsor - ManageEngineAbout Big CIO ShowBig CIO Show is a thought-leadership-driven, business-focused initiative that provides a platform for CIOs who are looking to explore new-age technologies and implementing them in their organizations.For further details, please contact:Monith M ShettyCorporate Communication Executivemarketing@tresconglobal.comSource: Big CIO ShowCopyright 2021 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved.
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / June 9, 2021 / Pampa Metals Corp. (CSE:PM)(FSE:FIRA)(OTC PINK:PMMCF) ("Pampa Metals" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has started a drone-flown aeromagnetic survey at its 10,000 hectare, wholly-owned Block 3 project in northern Chile. Geological mapping of the largely post-mineral covered property has also advanced.

Block 3

Block 3 is a large, more than 10,000-hectare property, located along the mid-Tertiary aged Domeyko Cordillera porphyry copper belt of northern Chile that comprises the world's preeminent copper belt. The Block 3 project is in a highly prolific segment of the belt, centered approximately 55 km south-southwest of the giant La Escondida and Zaldivar copper mining district (BHP, Rio Tinto, Barrick, Antofagasta Minerals) and 170 km north-northeast of El Salvador (Codelco) (see news release dated March 9, 2021).

Two third-party porphyry-related prospects, Anakena and Sierra de Varas, are located adjacent to Block 3:

Anakena is located within the uplifted Paleozoic basement block that flanks the eastern margin of the Block 3 property, and contains evidence of historic drill holes.

Sierra de Varas is located within a third-party in-holding in the middle of the Block 3 property, and was previously drilled by Anglo American and others.

Both porphyry prospects occur close to, and to the east and west respectively, of the north-south trending Sierra de Varas fault system, which represents a major fault strand of the Domeyko Cordillera mineral belt.

Large portions of the Block 3 property are characterised by post-mineral Miocene to Recent alluvial and volcanic cover believed to be generally less than 150m thick. North-south trending ranges of hills border the western and eastern margins of the property, and consist of Paleozoic rhyolitic and dacitic lavas, Paleozoic granites and porphyries, Triassic sediments, Jurassic limestones, and Paleocene-Eocene rhyolite-dacite tuffs and porphyry domes. BHP completed a program of 13 wide-spaced, vertical, and shallow RC drill holes totaling 2,200m in 2014-2015 over parts of the post-mineral covered areas of Block 3. Several large areas within Block 3 remain untested by this shallow drilling.

Geophysics is the principal exploration methodology that will be applied by Pampa Metals to explore Block 3, to be followed by drill testing if warranted by results. Existing low resolution, wide-spaced, regional airborne magnetic data reveal a large magnetic feature that might represent a magmatic intrusive complex centered on the Sierra de Varas project area, with significant extensions onto the Block 3 post-mineral covered ground controlled by Pampa Metals. According to limited radiometric data in the area, it is possible that such an intrusive complex could be of early-mid Tertiary age, and could in turn be related to one or more concealed porphyry copper systems.

Geological mapping has added detail to the sparse outcrops on the bulk of the project area, including the presence of fault-controlled exposures of Paleocene-Eocene rhyolite to dacite tuffs and porphyry/domes affected by weak argillic (kaolin-smectite) and intermediate argillic (smectite-hematite / smectite-chlorite-hematite) alteration, which may reflect the outer margins of possible concealed porphyry copper systems.

Pampa Metals has initiated a drone-flown aeromagnetic survey at 200m line spacing over the project area to improve on the quality of the geophysical data available. Depending on results, consideration will be given to subsequently completing an electrical geophysical survey over portions or the whole of the property.

Technical information in this news release has been approved by Mario Orrego G., geologist and a registered member of the Chilean Mining Commission and a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Orrego is a consultant to the company.

ABOUT PAMPA METALS

Pampa Metals is a Canadian company listed on the Canadian Stock Exchange (CSE: PM) as well as the Frankfurt (FSE: FIRA) and OTC (OTCPK: PMMCF) exchanges. Pampa Metals owns a highly prospective 59,000-hectare portfolio of eight projects for copper and gold located along proven mineral belts in Chile, one of the world's top mining jurisdictions. The Company has a vision to create value for shareholders and all other stakeholders by making a major copper discovery along the prime mineral belts of Chile, using the best geological and technological methods. For more information, please visit Pampa Metals' website www.pampametals.com.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 9, 2021) - Spey Resources Corp. (CSE: SPEY) (OTC Pink: SPEYF) ("Spey" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has completed the surface exploration and TEM geophysics at Salar de Incahuasi (the "Incahuasi Project" or "Incahuasi") in the Province of Salta, located approximately 45 kilometers from the township of Tolar Grande, Argentina.

A Transient Electro Magnetic ("TEM") geophysics study was conducted over 9 kilometres with three lines done at 200m spacing. The results are being processed in Salta, Argentina and also Vancouver, Canada. Three days of heavy snow slowed work down but this cleared enabling the crew to complete their work.

Quantec utilized a center loop sounding method and the loop size was 200m x 200m. Depth of analysis went down to 200-250m below surface and the total number of TEM sites with 200m station intervals was 50 sites. All sites were read using transmitter frequencies of 25 Hz.

Our geology team pegged the lines for the geophysics and were able to take ten 20 litre samples using a motorized augur from 6 locations on the surface of the salar. Given the rain and snow conditions, it was clear that rainwater had soaked into the surface brines. However, they were able to collect 25 surface samples and ten 20 litre samples for processing in Melbourne, Australia.

The results of two 20L samples processed so far are very pleasing with one showing a lithium concentration at 143ppm and it appears that the aquifers are stratified. It is expected that the lithium will be more concentrated at depth. The other chemical elements were exceptional for the Ekosolve Direct Processing system.

Spey Resources chief executive officer and director Nader Vatanchi states, "The initial results are very promising and exciting. We patiently await more data as more detailed information will help the company plan and strategize around its upcoming drill program."

Once the surface samples assays have been processed, a further announcement will be made.

Qualified Person

Phillip Thomas, BSc Geol, MBusM, FAusIMM, MAIG, MAIMVA, (CMV), a Qualified Person as defined under NI 43-101 regulations, has reviewed the technical information that forms the basis for portions of this news release, and has approved the disclosure herein. Mr. Thomas is independent of the Company but discloses that he is a shareholder of SPEY.

About Spey Resources Corp.

Spey Resources is a Canadian mineral exploration company which holds an option to acquire 100% interest in the Candela II lithium brine project located in the Incahuasi Salar, Salta Province, Argentina. Spey also holds an option to acquire a 100% undivided interest in the Silver Basin Project located in the Revelstoke Mining Division of British Columbia as well as an option to acquire a 100% interest in the Kaslo Silver project, west of Kaslo British Columbia.

For more information, please visit the Company's public disclosure at www.sedar.com and www.speyresources.ca

Contact:

Nader Vatanchi

CEO, Director

nader@speyresources.ca

778-881-4631

www.speyresources.ca

###

The Canadian Securities Exchange accepts no responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Certain statements contained in this press release constitute "forward-looking information" as such term is defined in applicable Canadian securities legislation. The words "may", "would", "could", "should", "potential", "will", "seek", "intend", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect" and similar expressions as they relate to the Company, are intended to identify forward-looking information. All statements other than statements of historical fact may be forward-looking information. Such statements reflect the Company's current views and intentions with respect to future events, and current information available to them, and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including, without limitation: the potential of the Company's mineral properties; the estimation of capital requirements; the estimation of operating costs; the timing and amount of future business expenditures; and the availability of necessary financing. Many factors could cause the actual results, performance or achievements that may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking information to vary from those described herein should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize. Such factors include but are not limited to: changes in economic conditions or financial markets; increases in costs; litigation; legislative, environmental and other judicial, regulatory, political and competitive developments; and exploration or operational difficulties. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect forward-looking information. These and other factors should be considered carefully, and readers should not place undue reliance on such forward-looking information. Should any factor affect the Company in an unexpected manner, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking information prove incorrect, the actual results or events may differ materially from the results or events predicted. Any such forward- looking information is expressly qualified in its entirety by this cautionary statement. Moreover, the Company does not assume responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of such forward-looking information. The forward-looking information included in this press release is made as of the date of this press release and the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking information, other than as required by applicable law.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/87046
CATANIA, Italy, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- SIFI, a leading international ophthalmic company focused on the development and commercialization of innovative therapeutic solutions for patients with ophthalmic conditions, announced today that it will be presenting at the upcoming 2021 BIO Digital, (June 10-11 & 14-18, 2021). To register for a One-on-One Partnering meeting with the company, please register here.

BIO Digital 2021 will be an opportunity to present some of SIFI's most significant research projects with a view to identify strategic partners for some of its late-stage assets and patented drug-delivery platforms.

Francesco Giuliano, Senior Manager Business Development, will present SIFI's innovative technological assets that address serious unmet medical needs:

Polihexanide, the first and only drug candidate for Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK) globally, with orphan drug designation in the United States and European Union. It is currently in the landmark pivotal Phase III trial, with topline results expected within Q4 2021; NaMESys, a novel nanostructured microemulsions platform designed for the topic delivery of drugs to the retina, a site normally not reachable by topical formulations; CaliXol, a calixarene-based delivery system designed to provide novel choline-functionalized nanoassemblies with improved retinal uptake.

The presentation will be available to attendees registered at BIO, on 9 am EDTJune 10.

About Polihexanide

Polihexanide is a polymer that acts on both the trophozoites and cysts of protozoan Acanthamoeba. It is developed in the 0,08% high dose which make it possible to administer as monotherapy eye drops. Acanthamoeba keratitis is an acute extremely painful severe corneal infection caused by Acanthamoeba. AK often leads to poor vision, potential blindness or eye loss. While its incidence is very rare, it has been rapidly increasing in recent years.

About NaMESys and CaliXol

NaMESys carrying 0.3% sorafenib demonstrated to reduce inflammation and neo-angiogenesis in three degenerative retinal pathology models (age-related macular degeneration - AMD, diabetic retinopathy, and retinal ischemia). NaMESys data have been recently published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences (IF 4.556), receiving a broad consensus from the scientific community (more than 220 full text downloads within a month from publication). Thanks to their novelty and peculiar characteristics both NaMESys and CaliXol technologies have recently been patented. The tailored formulation and excellent bioavailability make these two drug delivery systems desirable for the development of eye drop formulations capable of overcoming the burden associated to currently available intravitreal therapies.

About BIO and BIO Digital

BIO is the world's largest advocacy organization representing biotechnology companies, academic institutions, state biotechnology centers and related organizations across the United States and in more than 30 other nations. BIO members are involved in the research and development of innovative healthcare, agricultural, industrial, and environmental biotechnology products. BIO also produces the BIO International Convention, the world's largest gathering of the biotechnology industry, along with industry-leading investor and partnering meetings held around the world.

Subscribe to Good Day BIO.

About SIFI

SIFI is a leading international ophthalmic company headquartered in Italy, focusing on eye care since 1935. SIFI develops, manufactures, and markets innovative therapeutic solutions for patients with ophthalmic conditions. SIFI is fully committed through its R&D to improve patients' quality of life, exporting treatments to more than 20 countries worldwide with a direct presence in Italy, Spain, France, Romania, Mexico, and Turkey.

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Creates Global Forged Products Platform

Marks Second Mid-Cap Fund Acquisition in Italian-based Company

NEW YORK, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- KPS Capital Partners, LP ("KPS") announced today that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Siderforgerossi Group, S.p.A. ("Siderforgerossi" or the "Company"), a global manufacturer of large diameter forged products. Upon completion of the transaction, Siderforgerossi will become the fifth acquisition completed by KPS Special Situations Mid-Cap Fund (the "Mid-Cap Fund") and KPS' second Mid-Cap Fund acquisition in Italy in 2021.

Siderforgerossi is a leading, vertically integrated manufacturer of rolled and forged products with capabilities across the manufacturing spectrum, including ring-rolled, open die and closed die forging capabilities. The Company is specialized in large diameter forged products and primarily serves the Wind Power, Oil & Gas, Earth Moving, Automotive, Conventional & Nuclear Power Generation and Aerospace end-markets across Europe and India. Siderforgerossi provides customers with a vertically integrated offering including heat treating, destructive and non-destructive testing and machining. The Company is headquartered in Veneto, Italy and operates nine manufacturing sites in Italy and three additional sites in India.

Ryan Harrison, a Partner of KPS Mid-Cap Investments ("KPS Mid-Cap"), said, "Siderforgerossi is a market leader with unmatched manufacturing capabilities and a differentiated quality control and customer service track record. We are excited for this investment to form the basis of a global forged products platform that KPS and the Siderforgerossi team intend to grow both organically as well as through acquisitions. We look forward to working with Chief Executive Officer Adriano Zambon, the Company's talented management team and dedicated employees to accelerate growth opportunities and create value by leveraging KPS' very successful, multidecade experience in investing in the metals and forged products industries."

Adriano Zambon, Chief Executive Officer of Siderforgerossi, said, "We are excited to operate under KPS' ownership as the Company enters this next phase of development. KPS' demonstrated track record of driving manufacturing excellence will position Siderforgerossi to capitalize on meaningful growth opportunities, while maintaining our focus on quality, safety and customer service. Under KPS' ownership, we will develop a range of growth and operational initiatives to build upon our long and successful history."

Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Intesa Sanpaolo S.p.A. - IMI Corporate & Investment Banking Division served as lead financial advisor, Houlihan Lokey served as debt capital markets advisor, and Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP served as legal counsel to KPS.

Mediobanca - Banca di Credito Finanziario S.p.A. served as lead financial advisor and NTCM Studio Legale served as legal counsel to selling shareholders of Siderforgerossi and to the Company.

About Siderforgerossi Group

Siderforgerossi is a leading, vertically integrated manufacturer of rolled and forged products with capabilities across the manufacturing spectrum, including ring-rolled, open die and closed die forging capabilities. The Company is specialized in large diameter forged products and primarily serves the Wind Power, Oil & Gas, Earth Moving, Automotive, Conventional & Nuclear Power Generation and Aerospace end-markets across Europe and India. Siderforgerossi provides customers with a vertically integrated offering including heat treating, destructive and non-destructive testing and machining. The Company is headquartered in Veneto, Italy and operates nine manufacturing sites in Italy and three additional sites in India. For additional information, please visit www.siderforgerossi.com.

About KPS Capital Partners

KPS, through its affiliated management entities, is the manager of the KPS Special Situations Funds, a family of investment funds with approximately $12.8 billion of assets under management (as of March 31, 2021). For nearly three decades, the Partners of KPS have worked exclusively to realize significant capital appreciation by making controlling equity investments in manufacturing and industrial companies across a diverse array of industries, including basic materials, branded consumer, healthcare and luxury products, automotive parts, capital equipment and general manufacturing. KPS creates value for its investors by working constructively with talented management teams to make businesses better, and generates investment returns by structurally improving the strategic position, competitiveness and profitability of its portfolio companies, rather than primarily relying on financial leverage. The KPS Funds' portfolio companies have aggregate annual revenues of approximately $10.9 billion, operate 149 manufacturing facilities in 22 countries, and have approximately 35,000 employees, directly and through joint ventures worldwide. The KPS investment strategy and portfolio companies are described in detail at www.kpsfund.com.

KPS Mid-Cap focuses on investments in the lower end of the middle market that require up to $100 million of initial equity capital. KPS Mid-Cap targets the same type of investment opportunities and utilizes the same investment strategy that KPS' flagship funds have for nearly three decades. KPS Mid-Cap leverages and benefits from KPS' global platform, reputation, track record, infrastructure, best practices, knowledge and experience. The KPS Mid-Cap investment team is managed by Partners Pierre de Villemejane and Ryan Harrison, who lead a team of experienced and talented professionals.

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Press release

Atos joins AI4Cities, the European project to accelerate the transition of cities to carbon neutrality

Madrid, a three-year EU-funded project which aims to help six European cities and regions accelerate their transition towards carbon neutrality. This includes: Helsinki (Finland), Amsterdam (Netherlands), Copenhagen (Denmark), Paris Region (France), Stravanger (Norway) and Tallin (Estonia). The artificial intelligence (AI) solutions will ultimately contribute to the reduction of CO2 in the areas of mobility and energy, two domains responsible for 82% of all greenhouse gas emissions in European cities.

Atos has been selected for the Phase 1 of AI4Cities: the pre-commercial procurement (PCP) process that challenges technology companies in the six cities and regions to design, implement and test innovative artificial intelligence solutions helping them to modernize public sector services and solve societal key challenges. The selected companies will, with artificial intelligence: analyze travel patterns to design more efficient routes and schedules, contributing to a much smaller environmental footprint; optimize the use of electric vehicle charging locations by providing recommendations based on artificial intelligence; and reduce the time to evaluate, plan and promote investments (e.g. for building renovation). In addition, companies will work to optimize the consumption and energy efficiency in buildings and maximize the use of local renewable electricity through demand management, using buildings as distributed thermal energy storage, among other solutions. The total funding for this project, which will be divided among the selected suppliers throughout the whole PCP process, is 4.6 million euros.

Atos will be responsible for developing services through the solution called "AI4GreenBuildings" which uses artificial intelligence to improve the energy performance of buildings and its impact in terms of greenhouse gas emissions, through a control suite that monitors the building flexible energy supply (i.e. electricity, heating , ventilation, air conditioning, water) and usage in buildings. In parallel, the solution will help municipal decision-makers to create smarter and more effective streamlined policies. The solution will also raise citizen awareness on how their actions can impact energy consumption and CO2 emissions.

"AI4GreenBuildings" proposes an innovative solution to empower cities and their citizens, allowing them to manage all the energy resources of buildings, thanks to an innovative Information and Communication Technology (ICT) platform, that enables interoperability and integration of devices (e.g. meters, sensors, etc.) for efficient generation, storage and consumption management specifically designed for homes, buildings, and even entire neighborhoods and communities. Its open, standard, and flexible design opens the door to future scalability, replicability, collaboration, and integration of external communities in a simple way.

Atos will use machine learning (ML) models to exploit the collected data and to create AI-powered services to optimize energy resource management and consequently reduce overall CO2 emissions.

"We are very proud to work on helping deliver a sustainable society withAI4Cities, which is the ideal framework to test Atos's most innovative solutions for improving energy efficiency in cities, with the necessary technical scope and the sufficient geographic dimension to get impactful and visible results in several big cities of Europe", said Javier Valino, Head of the Energy, Climate and Decarbonization Unit of the R&D department of Atos Iberia.

Atos has recently confirmed its position as the leader of decarbonized and secure digital, driven by its ambition to reach net-zero by 2028 and, by providing customers with the launch of the most comprehensive, end-to-end decarbonization portfolio on the market: LINK .

AI4cities is made up of several multidisciplinary partners from countries such as France, the Netherlands, Estonia, Denmark, Norway and Spain among others.

For more information, visit https://ai4cities.eu/

####

About Atos

Atos is a global leader in digital transformation with 105,000 employees and annual revenue of over  11 billion. European number one in cybersecurity, cloud and high performance computing, the Group provides tailored end-to-end solutions for all industries in 71 countries. A pioneer in decarbonization services and products, Atos is committed to a secure and decarbonized digital for its clients. Atos operates under the brands Atos and Atos|Syntel. Atos is a SE (Societas Europaea), listed on the CAC40 Paris stock index.

The purpose of Atos is to help design the future of the information space. Its expertise and services support the development of knowledge, education and research in a multicultural approach and contribute to the development of scientific and technological excellence. Across the world, the Group enables its customers and employees, and members of societies at large to live, work and develop sustainably, in a safe and secure information space.

Press contacts:

Global:

Marilyn Florent | marilyn.florent@atos.net | +33 6 66 51 36 80

Spain:

Christian Suell | Christian.suell@atos.net | +34 91 038 98 27

Attachment
LONDON (dpa-AFX) - The U.K.'s Competition and Markets Authority or CMA Wednesday said it has launched action against airlines British Airways PLC, and Ryanair PLC over refunds. The move comes after the CMA opened an investigation whether the two British airlines have broken consumer law by failing to offer refunds for flights customers could not legally take. The CMA said it has opened enforcement cases into both firms and written to them detailing its concerns. CMA's investigation into the airlines sector was initiated in December 2020 following reports that consumers were being denied refunds for flights that they could not legally take. The agency noted that British Airways and Ryanair refused to give refunds to people that were lawfully unable to fly during periods of lockdown across the UK. Instead, British Airways offered vouchers or rebooking and Ryanair provided the option to rebook. Ryanair told that they repaid a small number of people having reviewed the specifics of their cases. By failing to offer people their money back, the CMA is concerned that both firms may have breached consumer law and left people unfairly out of pocket. It is now seeking to resolve these concerns with the companies, which may include seeking refunds, or other redress, for affected customers. Only a court can decide whether a breach has occurred. Andrea Coscelli, Chief Executive of the CMA, said, 'While we understand that airlines have had a tough time during the pandemic, people should not be left unfairly out of pocket for following the law. Customers booked these flights in good faith and were legally unable to take them due to circumstances entirely outside of their control. We believe these people should have been offered their money back.' British Airways and Ryanair now have the opportunity to respond to the CMA's detailed concerns. 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.


BOULOGNE-BILLANCOURT (dpa-AFX) - French carmaker Renault (RNSDY.PK, RNSDF.PK, RNT.L) announced Wednesday that it has signed an agreement with the representative trade unions for the future of the Renault sites in the Hauts-de-France region.



The deal, which is part of the Renaulution strategic plan, will result in the launch of Renault ElectriCity. The new legal entity would group together the sites of Douai, Maubeuge and Ruitz in northern France, with nearly 5,000 employees. It will be the largest and most competitive electric vehicle production centre in Europe.



The representative trade unions include CFDT, CFE-CGC, CFTC, CGT, FO and SUD.



Renault ElectriCity aims to produce 400,000 vehicles per year by 2025, and will contribute to the creation of 700 direct jobs spread across the various sites by 2025 and a university and training centre.



Renault plans to create 700 permanent jobs between 2022 and the end of 2024, with 350 new hires at the Maubeuge site and 350 new hires spread over the Douai and Ruitz sites.



Renault will also participate in innovation initiatives in partnership with start-ups and specialised entities to support future developments in the automotive world by participating in 'Incubator' type initiatives.



Douai plant is expected to produce its first electric vehicle, Megane E-Vision, from 2021 on the Alliance's new modular CMF-EV platform. On the same platform, Douai will be assigned a new C-segment vehicle.



Maubeuge site manufactures New Kangoo, New Kangoo Van for Renault and its partners Mercedes and Nissan and will produce New Kangoo E-Tech Electric in 2022.



Ruitz plant will host a new electrical components manufacturing activity.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

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Singapore, June 9, 2021 - (ACN Newswire) - Infocus International Group has announced a brand new online training - Renewable Energy Power Purchase Agreements (RE PPAs) and it will be commencing live on 3 August 2021. The practical models and techniques for analyzing & structuring, drafting, and negotiating Renewable Energy Power Purchase Agreements for bankable green investments in today's competitive energy markets.In the global marketplace of the 2020s, both developed and developing economies urgently need to master the key techniques and models for transforming to renewable generation while strengthening the reliability of new energy markets and systems. These focus on adapting and negotiating the latest models for RE PPAs and on rapidly attracting new private investments in renewable energy sources. Unlike past fossil-fuel based Independent Power Project (IPP) models that featured standardized take-or-pay contracts - today's renewable energy markets demand more innovative incentives to attract RE supply, conform to RE generation availability, ensure power system reliability, as well as more attractive and sustainable mixtures of fuel sources. Government power sector strategies are now struggling to choose among different practical incentives for new private investments in renewable technologies including solar energy, wind power, bio-mass incineration and mini-hydro investments.This interactive five sessions training will provide clear explanations of the new models of Renewable Energy PPA risk allocation, of ensuring project bankability, of allowing RE generators to compete in energy markets and power pools. The practical models for RE investment credit enhancements will be demonstrated through a series of real case examples of RE PPA contracts, renewable project finance transactions, and competitive energy markets. Case Studies will include real examples from Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and North America.Benefits of Attending:- Best practices from international case studies of successful RE PPAs to avoid common pitfalls- Direct the legal design of RE PPAs based on your own company's risk profile and corporate goals- Lead strategies for the design and regulation of new competitive electricity markets to attract renewable private power investments- Develop clear incentives for bankable private investments in renewable energy generation- Environmental, social & governance (ESG) impact mitigation techniques to ensure sustainability- Manage successful renewable power project finance transactionsThis online training features a dynamic combination of experiential exercises and practical case studies to reinforce the ability of participants to apply RE PPA analysis, structuring, and negotiation techniques to real transactions.Want to learn more?Simply email emilia[at]infocusinternational.com or call +65 6325 0210 to obtain your FREE COPY of the event brochure. For more information, please visit https://www.infocusinternational.com/pparenewable.About Infocus International GroupInfocus International is a global business intelligence provider of strategic information and professional services for diverse business communities.Infocus International recognises clients' needs and responds with innovative and result oriented programmes. All products are founded on high value content in diverse subject areas, and the highest level of quality is ensured through intensive and in-depth market research from local and international insights.Emilia MokTel: +65 6325 0210 | Email: emilia[at]infocusinternational.comWebsite: www.infocusinternational.comCopyright 2021 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved.
Baltic Technology Ventures AS (BTV) has concluded an Investment/Consulting and Business Development Agreement with Efectio (SIA Efectio). Efectio is a digital HR tool for employee engagement, designed to educate, engage, and connect employees. The platform's employee engagement programs are based on gamification, microlearning, and health app integrations. Efectio's mission is to offer an innovative tool based on science and data and they want to help employees become engaged in the culture of their company, realize their potential, and for companies - to succeed thanks to a productive and happy workforce.Arturs Bernovskis, the CEO of Efectio, commented: "We here at Efectio believe that employee engagement is essential to any organization and needs to be addressed comprehensively. We have developed a tool that promotes employee well-being, competence development, team building and brings company values to life. We are excited to partner with BTV that will allow us to benefit from their expertise, access to funding and their broad global network."BTV will aim to support the growth of Efectio with key introductions to investors, field experts and industry professionals.BTV is the only publicly listed venture capital/business development firm focusing on the Baltic market, aiming to connect local innovation with deep experience and access to funding.Contacts:Address: 1-5 Rupniecibas Street, Riga, LV-1010Phone: +371 67783611Contact person:Gene ZolotarevMember of the Management BoardPhone: +371 67783601e-mail: gene@baltictechventures.comCertified consultant:Svetlana Hramcenko"Law Office Spridzans" Ltd.Phone: +371 26712718e-mail: svetlana.hramcenko@spridzans.lv

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.
Long Standing exploration executive with significant industry experience

Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - June 9, 2021) - Cerrado Gold Inc. (TSXV: CERT) ("Cerrado" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that Dr. Sergio Gelcich, PGEO, has joined as Vice President of Exploration replacing Mr. Robert (Andy) Campbell, who is retiring from day-to-day operations. Mr. Campbell will remain a Director of the Company.

Dr. Gelcich is a senior exploration geologist whose career spans over 20 years in a broad range of jurisdictions and geological environments. Prior to joining Cerrado, Dr. Gelcich served as the Exploration Director at Hudbay Minerals where he was in charge of global exploration with special emphasis on technical geological aspects. Sergio formed and guided a highly skilled geoscientific team that dealt with green to brown field exploration contributing also to the geological understanding of Hudbay's operations, notably in VMS (Flin Flon/Snow Lake world class belt including the Lalor/Chisel gold rich camps), Orogenic Gold (Snow Lake, Manitoba) and Porphyry/Skarn/Epithermal environments (Nevada, Arizona and Peru).

Dr. Gelcich started his career as a project Geologist in the Geological Survey of Chile and after completing his PhD at the University of Toronto in 2006 moved into the exploration/mining sector through a number of positions in Toronto based junior and mid-tier mining companies. Before his tenure at Hudbay, Dr. Gelcich was the Regional (Americas) Exploration Manager for GlobeStar Mining, where among other duties he led the geology aspects of the Cerro de Maimon VMS (Cu-Zn-Au-Ag) project development (from prospect to open pit profitable operation). Sergio's field experience includes almost every country in the Americas. Sergio has an Honours Bachelor of Science in Geology and a Master of Science in Geology from Universidad de Chile; and a PhD in Geology from the University of Toronto. Mr Gelcich is a practicing member of the Association of Professional Geoscientists Ontario (APGO) and will serve as Cerrado's Qualified Person as defined in National Instrument 43-101.

Mark Brennan, CEO and Co Chairman of Cerrado stated, "We are extremely pleased to have Sergio join our team at Cerrado as we continue to make strong progress at Monte do Carmo and Minera Don Nicolas. Sergio's extensive experience will be invaluable as we grow these projects in the coming months and years. We expect his unique exploration experience should also allow us to fully define the potential of these regions." He continued, "We thank Andy for his significant contribution in helping to progress Cerrado to date and look forward to his continued support and advice as a Director of Cerrado."

For further information please contact

Mark Brennan

CEO and Co Chairman

Tel: +1-647-796-0023

mbrennan@cerradogold.com

Nicholas Campbell, CFA

Director, Corporate Development

Tel: +1-905-630-0148

ncampbell@cerradogold.com

About Cerrado Gold

Cerrado Gold is a public gold producer and exploration company with gold production derived from its 100% owned Minera Don Nicolas mine in Santa Cruz province, Argentina. It also owns 100% of the assets of Minera Mariana in Santa Cruz province, Argentina. The company is also undertaking exploration at its 100% owned Monte Do Carmo project located in Tocantins, Brazil. For more information about Cerrado Gold please visit our website at: www.cerradogold.com.

Disclaimer

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.

This press release contains statements that constitute "forward-looking information" (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation, All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. Any statement that discusses predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as "expects", or "does not expect", "is expected", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "plans", "budget", "scheduled", "forecasts", "estimates", "believes" or "intends" or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results "may" or "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements.

Forward-looking statements contained in this press release include, without limitation, statements regarding the business and operations of Cerrado Gold. In making the forward- looking statements contained in this press release, Cerrado Gold has made certain assumptions, including, but not limited to ability of Cerrado to expand its drilling program at its Minera Don Nicolas Project and increase its resources. Although Cerrado Gold believes that the expectations reflected in forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that the expectations of any forward-looking statements will prove to be correct. Known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this press release. Except as required by law, Cerrado Gold disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in assumptions, changes in factors affecting such forward-looking statements or otherwise.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/87028
OTTAWA, ON, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Replica Analytics announced today the formation of an Advisory Board and its first three members.

The three new members have extensive experience in health research, data analysis, data sharing, and bringing health technology innovations to market.

Anil Sethi is the CEO of Ciitizen, which is a platform that helps patients turn paper records into computable data, which are then matched to clinical trials, and more generally enables clinical research. He has founded seven health technology companies in his career thus far.

Janice Branson is the Global Head of Advanced Methodology and Data Science at Novartis, managing data science and statistics teams globally across all therapeutic areas, with particular emphasis on Immunology, Hepatology & Dermatology, Respiratory and Metabolism.

Jason Colquitt is the CEO of Across Healthcare, which develops the Matrix software platform for the rapid deployment of rare disease registries.

"We have brought together a very strong team of advisors to help the company navigate the next stages of innovation and growth, as we bring our Replica Synthesis software to market. The business benefits of our synthetic data generation technology are quite significant, and we have accumulated several compelling case studies and reference clients. I am looking forward to working with our new Advisory Board members to move Replica Analytics through its next set of milestones."

Khaled El Emam, the CEO of Replica Analytics

"I am excited to join the Advisory Board of Replica Analytics. The company's technology has the potential to change the way we access and share data, and how we conduct clinical research. I met Khaled during my previous role as Director of Apple Health Records, and I find him to be extremely thoughtful."

Anil Sethi, Replica Analytics Advisory Board and CEO of Ciitizen

About Replica Analytics Replica Analytics develops unique technologies for generating privacy protective synthetic data that maintains the statistical properties of real data. The Replica Synthesis software provides a full suite of synthetic data generation and evaluation capabilities that can solve multiple grand challenges facing the life sciences industry, and health research in general. Synthetic data enables rapid innovation by accelerating the development of AI models and accelerating clinical studies through data simulations.

For Media Inquiries: Lisa Brazeau, +1-613-807-0663, (Europe: +011-613-807-0663), media@replica-analytics.com


WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Air Products (APD), and its subsidiary Air Products Canada Ltd., in partnership with the Government of Canada and the Province of Alberta on Wednesday announced its plan to build a multi billion dollar net-zero hydrogen energy complex in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.



Since Alberta being the center of western Canada's hydrogen economy, Air Products believes that the new complex will help it to operate the most competitive and lowest-carbon-intensity hydrogen network in the world.



The new energy complex in Edmonton will begin with a $1.3 billion (CAD) net-zero hydrogen production and liquefaction facility expected to be operational in 2024.



'As the global leader in hydrogen production, Air Products is focused on providing competitive solutions for our customers. The combination of multiple facilities, state of the art technologies, our existing 55-kilometer Alberta Heartland Hydrogen pipeline, our project execution expertise, and our record of reliable operations will set the benchmark for competitive hydrogen to support growth in Alberta for many years to come,' said Dr. Samir J. Serhan, Air Products' Chief Operating Officer.



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1.6MW Community Solar Facility Adds to Company's Backlog in Westchester County

New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - June 9, 2021) - UGE International Ltd. (TSXV: UGE) (OTCQB: UGEIF) (the "Company" or "UGE"), a leader in commercial and community solar energy solutions, is pleased to announce that it has signed agreements to develop, build, own, and operate a second community solar project in Peekskill, New York, adding to its existing portfolio.

The 1.6MW rooftop project is UGE's largest yet in the metro-New York region. Atop the roofs of a storage facility in Westchester County, the project will provide clean, affordable energy to Con Edison subscribers that sign up to save on their electric utility bills. In total, the project is expected to offset the energy bills of approximately 236 energy users.

UGE was able to secure the contract through the Company's unique approach of including roofing upgrades as part of the compensation to the real estate owner for hosting the solar facility. The building owner, a new client for UGE, will receive a new roof and 25 years of lease payments for hosting the system.

"This project provides an additional example of the strength and resiliency of the New York solar market," said Mateo Chaskel, UGE USA's Managing Director. "For years, UGE has been working with property owners to develop creative solar projects. We are excited to be at the forefront of the community solar industry, developing new projects that maximize benefits for real estate owners and energy users, while providing UGE with long term returns."

The project adds 1.6MW to UGE's project development backlog. The project is expected to be operational in mid-2022.

Interested consumers can visit www.ugei.com/community-solar-marketplace to register their interest in subscribing to one of UGE's upcoming solar facilities.

About UGE

UGE develops, owns, and operates commercial and community solar projects in the US and strategic markets abroad. Our distributed energy solutions deliver cheaper, cleaner energy to businesses and consumers with no upfront cost. With over 400MW of global experience, we work daily to power a more sustainable world. Visit us at www.ugei.com.

For more information, contact UGE at:

+1 917 720 5685

investors@ugei.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, certain of which are beyond the control of the Company. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "continue", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "may", "will", "potential", "proposed" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. 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. The Company assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Market Regulator (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/86956
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 9, 2021) - Forum Energy Metals Corp. (TSXV: FMC) (OTCQB: FDCFF) ("Forum" or "Company") is pleased to announce the second round of drill results from Rio Tinto Exploration Canada's (RTEC) Rafuse drill target on Forum's 100% owned Janice Lake copper/silver project in Saskatchewan. RTEC has mobilized crews to open the onsite Burbidge Lake camp and plans to be drilling before the end of June. A detailed plan for follow-up drilling and plans for regional exploration of the 52 kilometre extent of the Janice Lake property will be reported when finalized.

Ken Wheatley, VP, Exploration noted, "Hole 28 intersected 14 metres of high-grade oxide copper that is interpreted as structurally controlled mineralization on the last section drilled to the northeast. This adds another dimension to the potential at Janice. The Rafuse target continues for approximately 800 metres to the northeast and further drilling will be focused on this trend."

Assays from the final five holes of the winter drill program have extended copper mineralization for 670 metres of strike on the Rafuse target:

JANL0026 - 0.25% copper and 2.05 g/t silver over 12.3 metres from 39.7m to 52m.

JANL0027 - No significant intercept.

JANL0028 - 0.89% copper and 8.02 g/t silver over 14 metres from 246m to 260m, including 6m of 1.67% copper and 13.6 g/t silver from 254.1 to 260.1m

JANL0029 - 0.23% copper and 2.52 g/t silver over 6 metres from 3m to 9m.

JANL0030 - 0.27% copper and 3.08 g/t silver over 39 meters from 172m to 211m.

Drill hole JANL0026 was a down-dip follow-up to historic drill hole RA4-69 that intersected 0.68% copper over 17.1 metres at the top of the hole and was stopped at 61.6 metres in mineralization (see Rio Tinto commences drilling at Forum's Janice Lake Copper/Silver Project, Saskatchewan news release dated February 16, 2021). JANL0026 confirmed the down-dip extension of the mineralization to the northwest.

Holes JANL0028 and 29 are located on a cross-section another 200m northeast of JANL0026 and 27 (Figure 2). These holes are 100m apart and continue to show mineralization having a shallow dip to the northwest. JANL0028 intersected 14 metres of oxide mineralization consisting of chrysocolla and malachite within an interpreted fault zone. It appears that hole JANL0029 intersected only the surface expression of the mineralization and it should continue to dip to the northwest.

Hole JANL0030 is located 270 metres southwest of the JANL0022 to JANL0026 cross section previously reported in a news release (Rio Tinto intersects 1.78% copper and 9.25 g/t silver over 3.1 metres within 48 metre copper zone at Forum's Janice Lake Copper/Silver Project, Saskatchewan dated May 25, 2021). The mineralized interval shows mineral zoning beginning in chalcocite and gradationally transitions downhole into zones with more dominant bornite and then chalcopyrite over 39 metres.

The Rafuse target is one of four targets drilled to date by RTEC, a 2.8 kilometre long priority target of surface copper mineralization. Figure 3 is a table of the results from all nine holes drilled to date on the Rafuse target. Final drilling plans for this summer are being developed by Rio Tinto and will be reported when available.





Figure 1: Plan Map of the Rafuse Target. Background is from the airborne magnetic survey, with red colours indicating magnetic highs.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/4908/86988_cf5a848c540ad9d8_003full.jpg





Figure 2: Cross Section JANL-28 and 29 with interpreted geology.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/4908/86988_cf5a848c540ad9d8_004full.jpg





Figure 3: Assay Results from the 2021 Drill Program.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/4908/86988_figure3.jpg

Quality Control/ Quality Assurance

Core samples were sawed in half, keeping the half with the reference line for orientated core in the box. Samples averaged 2 metres in length through the mineralized zone, 4 metres in length in the unmineralized zone, however these lengths varied depending on stratigraphy, alteration or mineralization. Standards were introduced after every 20th sample, using a high grade, low grade or unmineralized, depending on the surrounding core. Duplicates were also introduced on every 20th sample, quartering the core. Blanks were used for the first sample of the hole and at the beginning and end of a mineralized interval, using certified rose quartz. A 4-acid digestion was used on the samples at ALS lab in Vancouver, followed by analysis by ICP-MS (the ME-MS61L package).

Ken Wheatley, P.Geo., Forum's VP, Exploration and Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed and approved the contents of this news release.

Conference Call Information

Rick Mazur, President & CEO and Ken Wheatley, VP, Exploration will discuss the significance of these drill results on the Rafuse target and Rio Tinto's plans for exploration and drilling this summer.

A question and answer period will follow.

Topic: Forum Energy Metals (TSXV: FMC) (OTCQB: FDCFF) Janice Lake exploration results update

Time: Jun 9, 2021 01:00 PM Vancouver

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About Forum Energy Metals

Forum Energy Metals Corp. (TSXV: FMC) has three 100% owned energy metal projects being drilled in 2021 by the Company and its major mining company partners Rio Tinto and Orano for copper/silver, uranium and nickel/platinum/palladium in Saskatchewan, Canada's Number One Rated mining province for exploration and development. In addition, Forum has a portfolio of seven drill ready uranium projects and a strategic land position in the Idaho Cobalt Belt. For further information: www.forumenergymetals.com

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Richard J. Mazur, P.Geo.

President & CEO

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.

For further information contact:

NORTH AMERICA

Rick Mazur, P.Geo., President & CEO

mazur@forumenergymetals.com

Tel: 778-772-3100

UNITED KINGDOM

Burns Singh Tennent-Bhohi, Director

burnsstb@forumenergymetals.com

Tel: 074-0316-3185

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/86988
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 9, 2021) - World Copper Ltd. (TSXV: WCU) ("World Copper" or the "Company") announces that, further to its news release of April 20, 2021, it has reached an agreement to amend the letter agreement dated April 13, 2021 with Cardero Resource Corp. ("Cardero"; TSXV: CDU), whereby the Company agreed to acquire 100% of Cardero's Zonia copper oxide project located in central Arizona ("Zonia") by way of business combination between the Company and Cardero (the "Proposed Transaction").

Summary of Amendments

The terms of the Proposed Transaction have been amended to provide that, upon the closing of the Proposed Transaction, and subject to acceptance by the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV"), the Company will grant to Robert Kopple, a controlling shareholder of Cardero, or an entity controlled by him (the "Royalty Holder") an option (the "Royalty Option") to acquire a 1% net smelter returns royalty (the "Royalty") on Zonia. The Royalty Option may be exercised by the Royalty Holder, in its sole discretion, by paying to World Copper an amount equal to approximately $1.41 million. At the election of World Copper or the Royalty Holder, 100% of the Kopple Royalty can be bought-out by World Copper in common shares of World Copper, each issued at a deemed price equal to the offering price of the previously announced concurrent private placement (see news release dated April 13, 2021), for an approximate buy-out amount of $3.0 million to $3.87 million. In connection with the amendment to the terms of the Proposed Transaction, the parties have extended the deadline for the execution of the definitive transaction agreement to June 30, 2021.

About Zonia

Zonia is located in the Walnut Grove Mining District, Yavapai County, Arizona, and consists of 261 patented (96) and unpatented (185) mineral claims, and 566.85 acres of surface rights acquired from the State of Arizona, all totaling 4,279.55 acres.

Zonia is a near-surface, copper-oxide resource and a brownfields site having already been mined in the late 1960s and '70s. The project has been significantly de-risked with over 50,000 metres of drilling completed to date and with substantial amounts of detailed engineering completed. Zonia contains Measured Mineral Resources of 15.6 million short tons grading 0.43% copper (129.3 million pounds of copper), Indicated Mineral Resources of 61.4 million short tons grading 0.31% copper (380.6 million pounds of copper) and Inferred Mineral Resources of 27.2 million short tons grading 0.28% copper (154.6 million pounds of copper) at a 0.2% total copper cut-off grade. A preliminary economic assessment dated April 17, 2018, effective date March 22, 2018 (the "PEA") was prepared by Global Resource Engineering Ltd., which suggests that the project can be advanced utilizing low-cost open pit mining and heap leach with SX-EW processing to produce pure copper cathode (a copy of the PEA technical report is available on Cardero's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com).

Zonia was pre-stripped during mining in the late 1960s and 1970s so that, as described in the PEA, the strip ratio is a low 1:1. Furthermore, GRE outlines a mine plan and development strategy entirely on private land, which significantly reduces the timeline for permitting. At a copper price of $3.00/lb, Zonia shows an after-tax NPV at 6% of $225 million, and an IRR of 29.0%.

The PEA is preliminary in nature, it includes Inferred Mineral Resources that are considered too speculative geologically to have the economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be categorized as mineral reserves, and, as such, there is no certainty that the PEA results will be realized. Mineral resources are not mineral reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability as there is no certainty that all or any part of the resources will be converted into reserves.

In addition to the established resource, the Zonia land position contains a copper-molybdenum geochemical anomaly (associated with depressed manganese values) that is similar in intensity and scale (1000 by 1500 metres) to the main resource, and within the same prospective geology. This anomaly is located two kilometers northeast of the resource and represents a high-priority copper-oxide porphyry exploration drill target.

Additional Information

Additional information about the Company or Cardero is available under their respective SEDAR profiles available at www.sedar.com.

Qualified Person

John Drobe, P.Geo., a qualified person as defined by NI 43-101, has reviewed the scientific and technical information that forms the basis for this news release and has approved the disclosure herein. Mr. Drobe is not independent of the Company as he is a consultant of World Copper.

ABOUT WORLD COPPER LTD.

World Copper Ltd., headquartered in Vancouver, BC, is a Canadian resource company focused the exploration and development of its two primary copper porphyry projects, Escalones and Cristal, both located in Chile. World Copper is pursuing five copper porphyry targets, one with estimated mineral resources, significant soluble copper mineralization, and exciting potential to expand the resource base.

Escalones has estimated mineral resources of 185 million tonnes of 0.33% copper (0.37% CuEq) Indicated and 254 million tonnes of 0.39% copper (0.43% CuEq) Inferred, based on nearly 25,000m of drill core from 53 holes. In addition, three significant hydrothermal alteration zones, each measuring between 2,000m and 3,000m in diameter, lie 8-10km to the north of the main discovery.

Mineral resources are not mineral reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability as there is no certainty that all or any part of the resources will be converted into reserves. Inferred Mineral Resources are that part of a mineral resource for which quantity and grade or quality are estimated on the basis of limited geological evidence and sampling. It is reasonably expected that the Inferred Mineral Resources could be upgraded to Indicated Mineral Resources with continued exploration.

The World Copper team has a unique skill in navigating the mining sector within Chile, with some members having worked in the country for more than 40 years and with discovery success.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors of

WORLD COPPER LTD.

"Nolan Peterson"

Nolan Peterson

Chief Executive Officer

For further information, please contact:

Nolan Peterson or Michael Pound

Phone: 604-638-3665

E-mail: info@worldcopperltd.com

Follow us:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/WorldCopperLtd

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WorldCopperLtd

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/worldcopperltd

Neither 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.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian and U.S. securities legislation, including the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein including, without limitation, the Company's expectation that it and Cardero will be able to complete the Proposed Transaction, the closing and amount of the private placement, that Zonia can be advanced utilizing low-cost open pit mining and heap leach, the results of the PEA (including, without limitation the NPV, IRR, estimated costs and average rate of production), the anticipated exploration program results from exploration activities and the anticipated business plans and timing of future activities of the Company, including the timing for the closing of the Proposed Transaction, are forward-looking statements. 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 typically identified by words such as: "believes", "expects", "anticipates", "intends", "estimates", "plans", "may", "should", "would", "will", "potential", "scheduled" or variations of such words and phrases and similar expressions, which, by their nature, refer to future events or results that may, could, would, might or will occur or be taken or achieved. In making the forward-looking statements in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including without limitation, that it will be able to negotiate and enter into a definitive agreement with respect to the Proposed Transaction, and that it will obtain TSXV acceptance and the required corporate approvals of the Proposed Transaction, that there will be investor interest in the private placement, market fundamentals will result in sustained copper and precious metals demand and prices, the receipt of any necessary permits, licenses and regulatory approvals in connection with the future development of the Company's projects in a timely manner, the availability of financing on suitable terms for the development, construction and continued operation of such projects and the ability to comply with environmental, health and safety laws.

Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Such risks and other factors include, among others, requirements for additional capital, actual results of exploration activities, the reasonability of the economic assumptions at the basis of the results of the PEA for Zonia, the estimation or realization of mineral reserves and mineral resources, future prices of copper, changes in general economic conditions, changes in the financial markets and in the demand and market price for commodities, lack of investor interest in the private placement, accidents, labour disputes and other risks of the mining industry, delays in obtaining governmental approvals (including acceptance of the Proposed Transaction and the private placement by the TSXV), permits or financing or in the completion of development or construction activities, risks relating to epidemics or pandemics such as COVID-19, including the impact of COVID-19 on the Company's business, financial condition and results of operations, changes in laws, regulations and policies affecting mining operations, title disputes, the timing and possible outcome of any pending litigation, environmental issues and liabilities, as well as the risk factors described in the Company's annual and quarterly management's discussion and analysis and in other filings made by the Company with Canadian securities regulatory authorities under the Company's profile at www.sedar.com.

Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any of the forward-looking statements in this news release or incorporated by reference herein, except as otherwise required by law.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/87059
BERLIN (dpa-AFX) - Germany's exports growth eased more-than-expected in April and imports dropped for the first time in three months, data released by Destatis revealed on Wednesday. Exports rose only 0.3 percent month-on-month in April, after a 1.3 percent rise in March. Economists had forecast a monthly growth of 0.5 percent. Meanwhile, imports declined 1.7 percent in April reversing a 7.1 percent rise in the previous month. This was bigger than the economists' forecast of -1.1 percent. As a result, the trade surplus rose to EUR 15.9 billion in April from EUR 14 billion in March. The expected level was EUR 16.3 billion. On a year-on-year basis, exports growth surged to 47.7 percent from 16.3 percent. At the same time, imports rose at a faster pace of 33.2 percent after a 16.2 percent increase a month ago. The trade surplus increased to an unadjusted EUR 15.5 billion from EUR 3.4 billion last year. The current account balance showed a surplus of EUR 21.3 billion in April versus EUR 10.0 billion in last year. Exports to the United Kingdom jumped 64.1 percent annually, while imports from the UK declined 0.6 percent. Exports to China advanced 16.0 and imports from China rose 13.3 percent. Exports to the United States surged 59.9 percent, while imports from the US rose only 2.2 percent. 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.


KENILWORTH (NJ) (dpa-AFX) - Merck & Co Inc. (MRK), known as MSD outside the U. S. and Canada, today announced it has entered into a procurement agreement with the U.S. government for molnupiravir (MK-4482). Merck is developing molnupiravir in collaboration with Ridgeback Biotherapeutics.



Through the agreement, if molnupiravir receives Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) or approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Merck will receive approximately $1.2 billion to supply approximately 1.7 million courses of molnupiravir to the U.S. government.



Molnupiravir is currently being evaluated in a Phase 3 clinical trial, the MOVe-OUT study, for the treatment of non-hospitalized patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 and at least one risk factor associated with poor disease outcomes.



Molnupiravir (EIDD-2801/MK-4482) is an investigational, orally bioavailable form of a potent ribonucleoside analog that inhibits the replication of multiple RNA viruses including SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of COVID-19.



Molnupiravir has been shown to be active in several models of SARS-CoV-2, including for prophylaxis, treatment and prevention of transmission, as well as SARS-CoV-1 and MERS.



Merck has been investing at risk to support development and scale-up production of molnupiravir and expects to have more than 10 million courses of therapy available by the end of 2021.



Merck also plans to submit applications for emergency use or approval to regulatory bodies outside of the U.S. and is currently in discussions with other countries interested in advance purchase agreements for molnupiravir.



It intends to implement a tiered pricing approach based on World Bank data that recognizes countries' relative ability to finance their public health response to the pandemic.



As part of its access strategy, Merck has also entered into non-exclusive voluntary licensing agreements for molnupiravir with established generic manufacturers to accelerate availability of molnupiravir in 104 low- and middle-income countries



In addition to developing molnupiravir, Merck is contributing to the pandemic response by collaborating with Johnson & Johnson to support the manufacture of its COVID-19 vaccine.



Merck currently anticipates that, pending favorable results from MOVe-OUT, the earliest possible submission for an Emergency Use Authorization for molnupiravir will be in the second half of 2021.



In addition, Merck plans to initiate a clinical program to evaluate molnupiravir for post- exposure prophylaxis in the second half of 2021.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

MERCK & CO-Aktie komplett kostenlos handeln - auf Smartbroker.de
Facility Expanded to 68,000 Square Feet to House New Customer Center

HALIFAX, NS / ACCESSWIRE / June 9, 2021 / Metamaterial Inc. (the "Company" or "META") (CSE:MMAT) a developer of high-performance functional materials and nanocomposites, today announced that it has executed an amended Ten-Year lease agreement (the "Amended lease") with its landlord, Rank Incorporated and Page Property Management (the "Landlord"), to amend the lease to its Highfield facility (the "Highfield Facility"), located in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, expanding the space by about 15,000 square feet, to approximately 68,000 square feet. In addition to holography and lithography R&D labs and the next phase of META's development of roll-to-roll processes, the expanded space will include a new customer center for training and technology transfer.

In exchange for the Landlord's agreement to expand the rentable square footage in the Company's lease at Highfield Park Drive, their further agreement to reduce the annual rent for the 10-year term of the lease by $2,877,867, and their agreement to provide the Company with $500,000 in cash for on-going tenant improvements, the Landlord agreed to subscribe to 993,490 common shares of the Company at $3.40 per common share, representing a 15% discount to the closing price of the common shares on the Canadian Securities Exchange on June 1, 2021.

About Metamaterial Inc.

META delivers previously unachievable performance, across a range of applications, by inventing, designing, developing, and manufacturing sustainable, highly functional materials. Our extensive technology platform enables leading global brands to deliver breakthrough products to their customers in consumer electronics, 5G communications, health and wellness, aerospace, automotive, and clean energy. Our achievements have been widely recognized, including being named a Global Cleantech 100 company. Learn more at www.metamaterial.com.

Neither CSE nor its Regulation Services Provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Media inquiries:

media@metamaterial.com

Investor inquiries:

Mark Komonoski

Investor Relations

phone: 1-877-255-8483

mark@metamaterial.com

SOURCE: Metamaterial Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/651089/Metamaterial-Signs-Amended-Ten-Year-Lease-Agreement
CAIRO, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Chery Automobile Co., Ltd., China's top car export company for 18 consecutive years, has accelerated the upgrade of its smart technology with the launch of the PRO series models. As the first blockbuster product in the series, the TIGGO 7 PRO has seen a surge in worldwide sales following its global launch this year.

Since its launch, the TIGGO 7 PRO has been selling exceptionally well in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, South America and other markets, its fashionable design and smart technology features proving to be a massive hit with consumers. Nowhere more so than in Russia, where it has been the top-selling Chinese SUV brand in the first quarter of 2021.

Compared with previous models, Chery has created a brand-new series design with the TIGGO 7 PRO, featuring stylish new elements such as the large hexagonal diamond shape front grille, penetrating LED taillight, an embracing cabin design and a luxurious double-stitched interior trim. The TIGGO 7 PRO is also configured with smart tech features that include a spacious high-definition integrated central control screen, an electric trunk door opener and wireless mobile phone charging, leading the way among models of the same class in bringing a smart car experience to consumers.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of Chery's global presence with vehicles gracing roads in more than 80 countries and regions and the total number of customers around the world approaching 9.4 million. Chery has emerged as the preferred choice for drivers in numerous countries especially in the Egyptian market where Chery has a 16-year-history and with more than 110,000 consumers, ranks first among Chinese automobile brands.

The TIGGO 7 PRO, with its high probability of being introduced into the Egyptian market, is certain to be a very competitive model in the Egyptian SUV segment, providing Egyptian consumers with a rich driving experience bursting with smart technology features.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1529507/Chery_TIGGO_7_PRO.jpg
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Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 9, 2021) - Golden Independence Mining Corp. (CSE: IGLD) (OTCQB: GIDMF) (FSE: 6NN) (the "Company" or "IGLD") is pleased to announce it has completed its previously announced non-brokered private placement financing (the "Private Placement") and has issued 1,728,864 common shares at a price of $0.29 per common share for gross proceeds of $501,370.56. The Company intends to use the proceeds of the Private Placement for working capital.

In connection with the Private Placement the Company has paid certain cash finder's fees and has issued an aggregate of 49,998 finder's warrants (each, a "Finder's Warrant"). Each Finder's Warrant is exercisable for one common share at an exercise price of $0.29 for 18 months.

All securities issued pursuant to the Private Placement are subject to a four-month hold period from the date of issuance.

About Golden Independence Mining Corp.

Golden Independence Mining Corp. is an exploration company currently focused on exploring the advanced-stage Independence property located adjacent to Nevada Gold Mine's Phoenix-Fortitude mine in the Battle Mountain-Cortez Trend of Nevada. The Independence property hosts a M&I resource of 537,300 ounces of gold and Inferred resource of 943,500 ounces of gold with a substantial silver credit. The Company is actively advancing the near-surface resource towards a production decision with a PEA anticipated in late 2021.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

Christos Doulis, Chief Executive Officer

Telephone: 1.647.924.1083

Email: christos@goldenindependence.co

This press release contains forward-looking information (within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation) that involves various risks and uncertainties regarding future events. Such forward-looking information includes statements based on current expectations involving a number of risks and uncertainties and such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance of the Company, and include, without limitation, statements regarding the use of proceeds of the Private Placement. There are numerous risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and the Company's plans and objectives to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking information in this news release, including without limitation, the) management's discretion regarding the use of proceeds. Actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. This forward-looking information is based on estimates and opinions of management on the date hereof and is expressly qualified by this notice. Risks and uncertainties about the Company's business are more fully discussed in the Company's disclosure materials filed with the securities regulatory authorities in Canada at www.sedar.com. The Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking information or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from such information unless required by applicable law.

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION OR DISSEMINATION INTO THE UNITED STATES OR THROUGH U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/87020
Road Town, Tortola, British Virgin Islands--(Newsfile Corp. - June 9, 2021) - Talon Metals Corp. (TSX: TLO) ("Talon" or the "Company") is pleased to provide an update on the Tamarack Nickel-Copper-Cobalt Project ("Tamarack Nickel Project"), located in Minnesota, USA. The Tamarack Nickel Project comprises the Tamarack North Project and the Tamarack South Project.

Figure 1: 7.31 meters (23.6 feet) of mixed massive nickel-copper mineralization in drill hole 21TK0316 from the CGO West area

To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/2443/86996_3110410cd44c28aa_001full.jpg

HIGHLIGHTS

Drilling by Talon has been focussed on following up on the recently announced 13.88 meters (45.5 feet) of mixed massive nickel-copper mineralization in the CGO West area (the CGO West area lies 100 meters north-north-east of the resource area) (see press release dated May 19, 2021).

New drilling has resulted in multiple thick intersections of mixed massive nickel-copper mineralization.

Today, Talon reports a total of seven new drill holes, all of which successfully intersected nickel-copper mineralization at shallow depths in the CGO West area. Highlights are:

Drill hole 21TK316 intersected two separate intervals of nickel-copper mineralization as follows:

6.41 meters (21.0 feet) of nickel-copper mineralization starting at 224.14 meters, and

7.31 meters (23.6 feet) of mixed massive nickel-copper mineralization starting at 241.55 meters.

Drill hole 21TK0317 intersected two separate intervals of nickel-copper mineralization as follows:

10.67 meters (35.0 feet) of nickel-copper mineralization starting at 213.6 meters, and

5.44 meters (17.8 feet) of mixed massive nickel-copper mineralization starting at 247.78 meters.

Drill hole 21TK0320 intersected two separate intervals of nickel-copper mineralization as follows:

21.57 meters (70.7 feet) of nickel-copper mineralization starting at 230.43 meters, and

9.81 meters (32.2 feet) of mixed massive nickel-copper mineralization starting at 266.06 meter.

These results significantly expand the area of high volume 'pooled' massive sulphides first indicated by the 13.88 meter (45.5 feet) thick massive sulphide intersection in drill hole 21TK0313.

"New drill holes 21TK0316 and 21TK0320 are respectively 26 and 32 meter step-outs to the west and south-west of recently announced drill hole 21TK0313 where we intersected 13.88 meters (45.5 feet) of massive nickel-copper mineralization. The drilling results reported today provide further evidence to support our hypothesis that this area is a pool of massive nickel-copper mineralization that is much thicker than the surrounding layer of massive nickel-copper mineralization. More drilling will be completed to test the east and north extension of the pool. In this pool alone, there may be more metal than what has been drilled in the entire CGO East area in the last 4 months," said Dr. Etienne Dinel, Vice President of Geology.

SUMMARY

The CGO West exploration area lies approximately 100 meters north-north-east of the Tamarack Nickel Project's resource area and extends for an additional 400 meters beyond where past drilling showed the presence of nickel-copper mineralization. Talon has previously reported six holes that intersected massive nickel-copper mineralization, including 13.88 meters (45.5 feet) of mixed massive nickel-copper mineralization in drill hole 21TK0313 (see the Company's press release dated May 19, 2021).

The seven new holes reported today all successfully intersected nickel-copper mineralization and have significant intervals of mixed massive nickel-copper mineralization up to 9.81 meters (32.2 feet) thick. This demonstrates the presence of a large, massive sulphide 'pool' in the CGO West area that has accumulated at the base of the intrusion. A massive sulphide pool of this volume is expected to make a significant contribution of metal to future resource expansions at the Tamarack Nickel Project. Additionally, potential remains to locate more thickened pools of sulphide along the 18-km Tamarack Intrusive Complex.

Talon is currently using Bore Hole EM (geophysics) across the CGO West area. Based upon the results of the geophysics, the Company expects to drill the geophysical targets with the goal of identifying additional massive sulphide intercepts. The mineralization in the CGO West area remains open in all directions.

Results from the seven reported drill holes are:

Drill hole 21TK0314 intersected 2.41 meters (7.9 feet) of nickel-copper mineralization starting at 197.84 meters, including 0.67 meters (2.2 feet) of mixed massive nickel-copper mineralization starting at 197.84 meters;

Drill hole 21TK316 intersected two separate intervals of nickel-copper mineralization as follows:

6.41 meters (21 feet) of nickel-copper mineralization starting at 224.14 meters, and

7.31 meters (23.6 feet) of mixed massive nickel-copper mineralization starting at 241.55 meters.

Drill hole 21TK0317 intersected two separate intervals of nickel-copper mineralization as follows:

10.67 meters (35 feet) of nickel-copper mineralization starting at 213.6 meters, and

5.44 meters (17.8 feet) of mixed massive nickel-copper mineralization starting at 247.78 meters.

Drill hole 21TK0319 intersected three separate intervals of nickel-copper mineralization as follows:

3.35 meters (11.0 feet) of nickel-copper mineralization starting at 191.1 meters;

10.68 meters (35.0 feet) nickel-copper mineralization starting at 197.8 meters, and

2.35 meters (7.7 feet) of nickel-copper mineralization starting at 221.28 meters, including 1.06 meters (3.5 feet) of semi-massive nickel-copper mineralization starting at 222.57 meters.

Drill hole 21TK0320 intersected two separate intervals of nickel-copper mineralization as follows:

21.57 meters (70.7 feet) of nickel-copper mineralization starting at 230.43 meters, and

9.81 meters (32.2 feet) of mixed and massive nickel-copper mineralization starting at 266.06 meters.

Drill hole 21TK0321 intersected 13.82 meters (45.3 feet) of nickel-copper mineralization starting at 193.86 meters, including 0.41 meters (1.3 feet) of mixed massive nickel-copper mineralization, starting at 207.27 meters;

Drill hole 21TK0322 intersected 14.94 meters (49 feet) of nickel-copper mineralization starting at 186.1 meters, including 0.31 meters (1.0 feet) of semi-massive nickel-copper mineralization starting at 200.73 meters;

Assays are pending for all of the above-noted drill holes.

Figure 2: Plan view geological map of the northern portion of the Tamarack Nickel Project's resource area showing the nickel-copper mineralization intersected in seven new drill holes in green text boxes in the CGO West area



To view an enhanced version of Figure 2, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/2443/86996_3110410cd44c28aa_002full.jpg

QUALITY ASSURANCE, QUALITY CONTROL AND QUALIFIED PERSONS

Please see the technical report entitled "NI 43-101 Technical Report Updated Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) #3 of the Tamarack North Project - Tamarack, Minnesota" with an effective date of January 8, 2021 prepared by independent "Qualified Persons" (as that term is defined in National Instrument 43-101 ("NI 43-101") Leslie Correia (Pr. Eng), Andre-Francois Gravel (P. Eng.), Tim Fletcher (P. Eng.), Daniel Gagnon (P. Eng.), David Ritchie (P. Eng.), Oliver Peters (P. Eng.), Volodymyr Liskovych (P.Eng.), Andrea Martin (P. E.) and Brian Thomas (P. Geo.) for information on the QA/QC, analytical and testing procedures at the Tamarack Project. Copies are available on the Company's website (www.talonmetals.com) or on SEDAR at (www.sedar.com). The laboratory used is ALS Minerals who is independent of the Company.

Lengths are drill intersections and not necessarily true widths. True widths cannot be consistently calculated for comparison purposes between holes because of the irregular shapes of the mineralized zones. Drill intersections have been independently selected by Talon. Drill composites have been independently calculated by Talon. The geological interpretations in this news release are solely those of the Company.

The locations and distances highlighted on all maps in this news release are approximate.

Dr. Etienne Dinel, Vice President, Geology of Talon, is a Qualified Person within the meaning of NI 43-101. Dr. Dinel is satisfied that the analytical and testing procedures used are standard industry operating procedures and methodologies, and he has reviewed, approved and verified the technical information disclosed in this news release, including sampling, analytical and test data underlying the technical information.

ABOUT TALON

Talon is a TSX-listed base metals company in a joint venture with Rio Tinto on the high-grade Tamarack Nickel-Copper-Cobalt Project located in Minnesota, USA, comprised of the Tamarack North Project and the Tamarack South Project. Talon has an earn-in to acquire up to 60% of the Tamarack Project. The Tamarack Project comprises a large land position (18km of strike length) with numerous high-grade intercepts outside the current resource area. Talon is focused on expanding its current high-grade nickel mineralization resource prepared in accordance with NI 43-101; identifying additional high-grade nickel mineralization; and developing a process to potentially produce nickel sulphates responsibly for batteries for the electric vehicles industry. Talon has a well-qualified exploration and mine management team with extensive experience in project management.

For additional information on Talon, please visit the Company's website at www.talonmetals.com or contact:

Sean Werger

President

Talon Metals Corp.

Tel: (416) 361-9636 x102

Email: werger@talonmetals.com

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This news release contains certain "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 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. Such forward-looking statements include statements relating to the timing and results of the exploration program, including assay results, grades, mineralization, potential and results, and drilling plans; the potential to add more metal to the Company's resource. Forward-looking statements are subject to significant risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause the actual results 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.

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 guarantees of future performance and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such statements due to the inherent uncertainty therein.

TABLE 1: Collar Locations of New Drill Holes Referred to in this Press Release.

HOLEID Easting (m) Northing (m) Elevation (masl) Azimuth Dip End Depth (m) 21TK0314 491069.4 5169034.3 388.0 11.8 -55.5 236.4 21TK0316 491069.4 5169033.6 388.0 308.9 -54.1 313.9 21TK0317 491077.0 5169038.0 388.0 305.6 -59.7 292.6 21TK0319 491076.0 5169038.0 388.0 307.3 -64.8 292.6 21TK0320 491008.4 5168962.4 388.8 340.2 -53.5 293.1 21TK0321 491076.0 5169038.0 388.0 21.7 -55.1 224.9 21TK0322 491076.0 5169038.0 389.5 324.4 -64.6 274.3 21TK0298 491113.6 5169254.2 388.0 241.9 -72.4 203.3 21TK0299 491108.8 5169252.7 388.0 0.5 -65.9 187.3 21TK0313 491067.0 5169034.0 388.0 317.9 -56.0 267.3 21TK0282 491191.6 5169241 388 318.81 -75.91 166.57 21TK0285 491002.8 5169146 388 338.54 -87.05 218.54 21TK0287 491005.1 5169143 388 35 -75 217.93



Collar coordinates are UTM Zone 15N, NAD83.

Azimuths and dips are taken from survey record at collar unless otherwise noted.

TABLE 2: Quick Lithology Log for New Drill Holes in the CGO West Area

HOLEID From (m) To (m) Length (m) Quick Log % Sulphides 21TK0314 0 54.25 OB 54.25 197.84 FGO/MZNO tr-1% 197.84 198.51 0.67 MMS/MSU 10% 198.51 200.25 1.74 FGO/MZNO 3% 200.25 236.37 SED 21TK0316 0 54.25 OB 54.25 224.14 FGO/MZNO tr-1% 224.14 230.55 6.41 FGO/MZNO 3-5% 230.55 241.55 FGO/MZNO tr-2% 241.55 248.86 7.31 MMS/MSU 35-85% 248.66 313.94 SED 21TK0317 0 52.05 OB 52.05 213.36 FGO/MZNO tr 213.36 224.03 10.67 CGO 3-5% 224.03 247.78 CGO tr 247.78 253.22 5.44 MMS/MSU 80% 253.22 292.61 SED 21TK0319 0 43.38 OB 43.38 191.11 FGO/MZNO 191.11 194.46 3.35 CGO 5% 194.46 197.8 CGO 1% 197.8 200.03 2.23 CGO 3% 200.03 204.2 4.17 CGO/SMSU 10-70% 204.2 208.48 4.28 CGO 3-7% 208.48 221.28 CGO 221.28 223.63 2.35 CGO/SMSU 3-50% 223.63 264.64 CGO tr 264.64 292.61 SED 21TK0320 0 46.03 OB 46.03 230.43 FGO/MZNO 230.43 252 21.57 CGO 3-20% 252 266.06 CGO tr 266.06 267.78 SED 3% 267.78 277.59 9.81 MMS/MSU 40-95% 277.59 296.11 SED 21TK0321 0 51.52 OB 51.52 193.86 FGO/MZNO tr-1% 193.86 207.27 13.41 FGO/MZNO 1-5% 207.27 207.68 0.41 MMS/MSU 80% 207.68 224.94 SED 21TK0322 0 51.49 OB 51.49 184.42 FGO/MZNO tr 184.42 186.1 CGO 1-2% 186.1 200.73 14.63 CGO 2-8% 200.73 201.04 0.31 SMSU 30% 201.04 203 CGO tr 203 274.32 71.32 SED tr-5

Quick lithology log of drill holes: Fine-grained Orthocumulate/Mixed Zone (FGO/MZNO); Mixed massive sulphides (MMS); Massive sulphides (MSU); Meta-sedimentary rocks (SED); Coarse-grained Orthocumulate (CGO).

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/86996
Company enters into agreement to acquire NS Holdings Inc. to bolster its Oregon-based manufacturing assets

Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - June 9, 2021) - SLANG Worldwide Inc. (CNSX: SLNG) (OTCQB: SLGWF) ("SLANG" or the "Company"), a leading global cannabis consumer packaged goods ("CPG") company with a diversified portfolio of popular brands, is pleased to announce that it has closed its previously announced acquisition (the "ACG Acquisition") of Allied Concessions Group, Inc. ("ACG"), a manufacturing and distribution business based in Colorado. The ACG Acquisition is expected to become effective within the next week and upon confirmation by the Colorado Secretary of State of its acceptance of the statement of merger.

Additionally, SLANG is pleased to announce that it has entered into a definitive agreement and plan of merger (the "NSH Merger Agreement") with respect to a proposed acquisition (the "NSH Acquisition", and together with the ACG Acquisition, the "Acquisitions") of NS Holdings Inc. ("NSH"). Pursuant to the terms of the NSH Merger Agreement, SLANG will issue to the shareholders of NSH (i) 2,152,002 common shares in the capital of SLANG (the "Common Shares") and 3,187,503 restricted voting shares in the capital of SLANG (the "Restricted Shares" and together with the Common Shares, the "Shares") within the next ten days as a deposit, and (ii) 2,125,002 Common Shares and 2,629,690 Restricted Shares upon closing of the NSH Acquisition. Pursuant to the terms of the NSH Merger Agreement, SLANG may issue additional Shares to the NSH vendors upon the achievement of certain performance milestones. Completion of the NSH Acquisition and the issuance of any Shares in connection therewith remain subject to the satisfaction or waiver of all conditions set forth in the NSH Merger Agreement, including the approval of the Canadian Securities Exchange (the "Exchange") and the Oregon Liquor Control Commission. Closing of the NSH Acquisition is expected to occur in Q3 2020.

The Acquisitions are the latest development in the Company's strategy to consolidate its supply chain in both of its core markets Colorado and Oregon. Colorado's and Oregon's estimated combined cannabis market size is over US$3.3B1. Upon consolidation of these manufacturing assets, the Company will be able to streamline its operations, creating efficiencies and controlling its supply chain in Oregon and Colorado. This is expected to result in an improved ability to scale production volumes in response to changes in demand, ensuring a more nimble operation that can rapidly adapt to changing market dynamics.

Chris Driessen, CEO of SLANG, said, "We are thrilled to complete our acquisition of Allied Concessions Group. The integration of ACG into our platform will allow us to control our own destiny from seed to wholesale of the entire portfolio of SLANG brands in our largest market by consolidating and streamlining our operations in Colorado. While we have been consolidating the economics of ACG since December 31st, we now fully own the asset, securing an integral part of our operations. NSH represents a further opportunity to consolidate our supply chain throughout our core market of Oregon. By having complete control over our production in these core markets we can more effectively address fluctuations in demand while efficiently managing costs."

ACG is an Infused Product Manufacturer (MIP) that produces O.pen, Bakked, Firefly and Pressies branded cannabis products in Colorado. ACG is comprised of two different manufacturing and distribution facilities that extract both hydrocarbon and CO 2 oil for SLANG branded products in Colorado. This expansion follows SLANG's recent acquisitions of licensed cannabis cultivator Slang Colorado Cultivation, Inc. and licensed manufacturer and distributor, Slang Colorado Distribution, LLC. in Colorado.

NSH is the parent company of GNT Oregon, LLC ("GNT"), the operating asset in Oregon that produces O.pen, Bakked and District Edibles branded cannabis products in Oregon. GNT operates a licensed CO 2 extraction and manufacturing facility in Portland, Oregon. The NSH Acquisition follows SLANG's recent acquisition of licensed manufacturer and distributor, Lunchbox Alchemy in Oregon.

Share Issuances

SLANG also announces that it will issue an aggregate of 315,249 Common Shares, at a deemed price of C$0.295 per Common Share, to 26 employees, including 3 executive officers, who elected to receive shares in lieu of cash as part of their compensation. The Company further announces that it will issue an aggregate of 112,035 Common Shares at a deemed price of C$0.56 per Common Share in consideration of the provision of past services to the Company by a current director. The issuance of the Common Shares is subject to Exchange approval and such Common Shares shall be subject to a hold period expiring 4 months and 1 day from the date of issuance, unless waived by the Exchange.

About SLANG Worldwide Inc.

SLANG Worldwide Inc. is a global leader in the cannabis CPG sector with a diversified portfolio of popular brands distributed across the United States. The Company specializes in acquiring and developing market-proven regional brands as well as launching innovative new brands to seize global market opportunities. For more information, please visit www.slangww.com.

To be added to SLANG's email distribution list, please email SLNG@kcsa.com with "SLNG" in the subject.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains statements that constitute "forward-looking statements." Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements, or developments in the industry to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects," "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the ACG Acquisition becoming effective and the timing thereof, the terms and completion of the NSH Acquisition and SLANG's prospects and the manufacture and distribution of SLANG branded products in Colorado and Oregon.

Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management of SLANG at this time, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive risks, uncertainties and contingencies that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. Investors are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Applicable risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to regulatory risks, risks related to the COVID-19 global pandemic, changes in laws, resolutions and guidelines, market risks, concentration risks, operating history, competition, the risks associated with international and foreign operations and the other risks identified under the headings "Risk Factors" in SLANG's annual information form dated April 29, 2021 and other disclosure document available on the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. SLANG is not under any obligation, and expressly disclaims any intention or obligation, to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable law.

Third Party Information

This press release includes market and industry data that has been obtained from third party sources, including industry publications. The Company believes that the industry data is accurate and that its estimates and assumptions are reasonable, but there is no assurance as to the accuracy or completeness of this data. Third party sources generally state that the information contained therein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but there is no assurance as to the accuracy or completeness of included information. Although the data is believed to be reliable, the Company has not independently verified any of the data from third party sources referred to in this press release or ascertained the underlying economic assumptions relied upon by such sources.



NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

Media and Investor Inquiries

Investors@SLANGww.com



KCSA Strategic Communications

Phil Carlson / Elizabeth Barker

SLANG@kcsa.com

1 Source: BDSA

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/87048
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - JetBlue Airways Corp. (JBLU) said it now expects revenue for the second quarter of 2021 to decline between 30% and 33% year over year. This range compared to the company's prior planning assumption of a revenue decline between 30% and 35% year over year. JetBlue said it has experienced a continued improvement in bookings in recent weeks. The company continues to expect flown capacity for the second quarter of 2021 to decrease approximately 15%, when compared to the second quarter of 2019. The company plans to continue to manage and align capacity with demand on a rolling basis. JetBlue continues to believe demand and revenue recovery may be non-linear and may not be able to predict changes to revenue due to additional COVID-19 related disruptions or other factors. The company now expects total operating expenses for the second quarter of 2021 to decrease about 7%. This compares to the company's prior planning assumption of a decrease of about 8%. 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.
Driven by the need for better collaboration and risk reduction in payment processes, TIS launches Enterprise Payment Optimization (EPO); a platform for global payments that breaks down business silos and provides needed visibility into people, processes, and data.

TIS, the leading cloud platform for managing corporate payments and cash flows today announced the launch of Enterprise Payment Optimization, a smart platform ecosystem that increases capabilities and lowers risk for multinational corporations. Focusing on outbound payments and the data resulting from these transactions, EPO enables organizations to capture and managereal-time cash flows and information. EPO is the orchestration layer to support financial strategies, business transformation, and successful collaboration across an entire organization.

Reimagining the world of enterprise payments

Every day, global enterprises collect millions of inbound payments from customers around the world, while simultaneously generating massive volumes of outbound payments to suppliers, employees, as well as to settle treasury transactions. To complicate matters, these inbound and outbound payments can look very different across an organization, especially for those that operate in numerous countries, markets, and industry verticals. Different currencies may be involved, and enterprises with subsidiaries or localized business units may use a separate set of banks and systems to manage payments across each location. This all adds significant complexity each time a new business is acquired, established or sold.

In the world of payments, a lack of visibility and automation impacts liquidity, profitability, and increases risk exposure including cybercrime and fraud across all associated business units, departments, and systems. A systematically controlled payments workflow is managed by TIS for both inbound information andoutbound payments. No matter where a corporation operates, TIS provides global payments connectivity by creating and maintaining compatibility with all required formats and banks, allowing organizations to connect with any bank partner or entity in the world. TIS's EPO platform is a global, multi-channel, and multi-bank connectivity ecosystem for payments while providing robust bank account management, cash management, compliance, and security features.

Increase strategic agility and growth through EPO

The collected data managed and stored on the EPO platform provides the basis for monitoring liquidity, engaging in cash forecasting, as well as supporting the information needs of finance, risk, compliance, and management. The ability to actively use data produced via the payments process is key for better decision-making.

Payments data can be exchanged with the EPO platform from anywhere using a "plug-in" for ERPs, TMS, payroll systems, among other mission-critical platforms. By activating these connectors, the TIS platform extracts and enriches the information. Given an often-fragmented systems landscape, a holistic view of payments via an integrated platform may be the only way to get a consolidated view across all corporate departments, subsidiaries, and geographies.

The EPO platform offers full compatibility with all relevant financial messaging protocols and provides a world-class library of continuously updated payment formats that eliminates reliance on e-banking tools and provides centralized connectivity to virtually any bank.

"The business landscape is evolving rapidly requiring firms to increase standardization, centralization, and transparency as it relates to enterprise payments. The TIS EPOplatform goes beyond just delivering the information needed for companies to perform better; it also provides the foundation for a best-of-breed solution set that helps businesses sunset legacy platforms and take advantage of next generation technology" said Erik Masing, CEO of TIS.

Enterprise Payment Optimization allows organizations to maintain cloud connectivity from their back-end systems (where payments are initiated) to their banks (where payments are executed). Data collaboration can be extended to partners such as service vendors and banks, as well as between enterprises. This creates a real community effect, where payments processing and data are leveraged through a single, standardized, and secure dashboard. EPO powers the ability to drive improvement through robust and versatile connectivity, effective collaboration, secure payments processing, and continuous analysis.

About TIS:

TIS is reimagining the world of enterprise payments through a cloud-based platform uniquely designed to help global organizations optimize outbound payments. Corporations, banks, and business vendors leverage TIS to transform how they connect global accounts, collaborate on payment processes, execute outbound payments, analyze cash flow and compliance data, and improve critical outbound payment functions. The TIS corporate payments platform helps businesses improve operational efficiency, lower risk, manage liquidity, gain a strategic advantage, and ultimately achieve enterprise payment optimization. Visit www.tis.biz

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210609005501/en/

Contacts:

Treasury Intelligence Solutions Inc.

Jennifer Knutel

1 Broadway 14th Floor

Cambridge, MA 02142

Email: jennifer.knutel@tis.biz

Phone: +1 978.875.2085
STOCKHOLM, Sweden, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Corre Energy BV ("Corre Energy" or "the company") and Italian Energy Efficiency Fund II ("IEEF") managed by Fondo Italiano per I'Efficienza Energetica SGR S.P.A ("FIEE"), have today signed a long-term equity-linked funding agreement for the strategic development of the company.

IEEF will invest up to EUR 20 million in Corre Energy, and the funds will be used for bringing its flagship hydrogen based storage projects in the Netherlands and Denmark to financial close alongside the strategic development of the company's EU project pipeline, integrating renewables and catalysing the green hydrogen economy at scale across Northern Europe in line with EU emission reduction targets.

Keith McGrane, CEO of Corre Energy commented: "We are delighted to welcome FIEE, one of the largest European funds specialising in energy efficiency for the energy transition, as a long-term strategic investor in Corre Energy. In partnership we will develop, construct and operate grid-scale underground energy storage with the production and sale of green hydrogen. Corre Energy will accelerate the development of its large-scale hydrogen-based energy storage projects across Europe, which will play a vital role in the EU energy transition which has chosen green hydrogen to enable a zero emission society."

Fulvio Conti, Chairman of FIEE commented: "Investing in Corre Energy means being at the edge of energy transition, whereby an ever increasing share of electricity production from renewable sources will have to go hand in hand with storage to ensure a greater stability of the power grid. The company's mission is fully aligned with the EU objective of reaching net zero emissions, and our partnership with Corre Energy will further enhance our knowledge of this very promising sector."

Andrea Marano and Raffaele Mellone, co-CEOs of FIEE, added: "We are very pleased to begin a long-term partnership with Corre Energy, a company which enjoys a significant first mover advantage in two key segments of the energy transition, represented by energy storage as well as the production of green hydrogen. We trust the company's very experienced management team will deliver great results for all stakeholders involved."

About Fondo Italiano per I'Efficienza Energetica SGR S.P.A ("FIEE")

FIEE is a large equity fund dedicated to financing energy transition projects in partnership with energy service companies, with an attractive return on investment and low volatility. FIEE is an independent equity fund focused on the energy efficiency and infrastructure sector, which operates on behalf of some large institutional investors, including the European Investment Bank. FIEE is among the largest European funds specialising in energy efficiency for the energy transition.

Mario Vitiello

Chief Financial & Operating Officer

Fondo Italiano per l'Efficienza Energetica SGR S.p.A.

Email: mario.vitiello@fieesgr.com

Tel: +39 06 91 65 8102

About Corre Energy

Corre Energy develops, builds and operates grid-scale underground energy storage using hydrogen-fueled Compressed Air Energy Storage ("CAES") with bulk green hydrogen storage and production across Northern Europe. The company's development pipeline of 11 green hydrogen storage projects, including its flagship projects in the Netherlands and Denmark, provides deep integration of renewables and the decarbonisation of the energy systems at a national and continental scale.

Lisa Green

Head of Communications

Corre Energy BV

Email: lisa.green@corre.energy

Mob: +44 7917 826088

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/corre-energy/r/italian-eib-backed-fund-makes-long-term-strategic-investment-into-corre-energy,c3363922

The following files are available for download:
Nobel Peace Laureate Prof. Muhammad Yunus' organisation Yunus Social Business, together with partners at the World Economic Forum's Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship and the Porticus Foundation, have launched an ambitious platform to bring 'corporate social intrapreneurs' together to learn from each other and scale. It's called the Unusual Pioneers.

BERLIN, June 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Using the resources, expertise, and assets of the company, dedicated employees are developing solutions to social and environmental problems -with a business model at their heart. These "social intrapreneurs" take on an entrepreneurial role within their company and, with the CEO's blessing, they are creating social businesses, which are 100% focused on solving a societal problem and reinvesting profits. The Unusual Pioneers is a platform created solely to support these social intrapreneurs.



"Large corporations are finally feeling the pressure to do better for the societies they serve. But it's a movement coming from their employees. We started researching these emerging social intrapreneurs, and found that the single most important thing we could provide them with is a platform to connect with each other. When you are doing something against the grain, it's so important to know there are others out there like you," said Saskia Bruysten, CEO & Co-Founder at Yunus Social Business.

"Citizens, activists and young people are crying out for strong action, requiring complex changes within businesses. We have seen this call answered by a committed group of social innovators acting as internal agents of change. These social intrapreneurs develop new products, services, and business models that create value both for society and their companies in ways that are built to last, while striving for the internal changes needed towards realising stakeholder capitalism," said Francois Bonnici, Head of Social Innovation at the World Economic Forum and Director of the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship.



The Unusual Pioneers cohort will be led through an extensive curriculum, peer-to-peer exchange and mentoring to scale their initiatives with the help of partner organisations including Acumen, Impact Hub, The UNDP's Business Call to Action, Fundacao Dom Cabral, League of Intrapreneurs, Craigberoch Business Decelerator and many more. See the full cohort of the corporate social intrapreneurs announced today at Global Intrapreneur Week by Prof. Muhammad Yunus:



Cristina Campos , Integrated Access Program & Market Lead at Novartis. Working on transforming health on lower income populations, the initiative provides access to quality healthcare and medicines in South Asia & Central America.



Ruchika told us, "I'm at a company that has the resources, the capabilities, the talent and the ideas. If we don't step up to solve these challenges and play a meaningful role, who will?"



Garance Wattez-Richards is CEO of AXA Emerging Customers, a business she founded that provides insurance products aimed at low-income communities. Established in 2016, they cover over 22 million people across the world, ranging from migrants, small retail merchants, smallholder farmers, gig economy workers, etc.



Agnes Weil - Social Impact Director at Club Med. Club Med are buying from local farmers who live in the proximity to their resorts and thereby helping to reduce poverty and protect the local environment. They are already working in six countries and have been highlighted as a best practice by the World Tourism Organisation of the UN.



The cohort also includes:

Gisela Sanchez, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer at FIFCO.

Cristina Campos, Integrated Access Program & Market Lead at Novartis.

Lisa Neuberger, Managing Director, Strategy & Innovation at Accenture.

Benoit Bonello, Social Innovation Director at Suez.

Juddy Gichuki, Senior Manager, Corporate Strategy at Safaricom.

Saad Arshad, Senior Manager Program & Research at HBL Habib Bank.

Saulo Di Pizzo, Head of Social Innovation & Community Engagement at Givaudan.

Sharda Gautam, Head Crafts at Tata Trusts.

Ritesh Agarwal, Senior Manager, Growth & Partnerships at Educational Initiatives.

Nicola Galombik, Executive Director at Yellowwoods Ventures Investments

Salah Goss, Senior Vice President, Global Markets Humanitarian & Developmen at Mastercard.



About Yunus Social Business

Yunus Social Businessbelieves in the power of business to end poverty, a model pioneered by our co-founder, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Prof. Muhammad Yunus. YSB has supported or invested in more than 2000 social entrepreneurs worldwide to build meaningful social businesses in agriculture, health, education, mobility, clean water, and energy. They also accelerate the transformation of corporations into net 'people and planet' positive businesses by applying their core competencies to some of the greatest human challenges. Founded in 2011, YSB has headquarters in Berlin and is led by co-founder and CEO Saskia Bruysten. For more information visit https://www.yunussb.com .

About Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship

The Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship , sister organization of the World Economic Forum , is a leading global platform that accelerates outstanding models of social innovation. Every year, the Schwab Foundation, awards outstanding social innovation models through four categories: Corporate Social Intrapreneurship , Social Entrepreneurs, Public Social Intrapreneurs and Social Innovation Thought Leader. The awardees accelerate their impact through a strong collaboration with the World Economic Forum and its platforms. Founded in 1998 by Professor Klaus Schwab and Hilde Schwab, it is chaired by Hilde Schwab and led by Dr Francois Bonnici, Director, Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship The Foundation involves a community of over 400 change-leaders who have impacted the lives of over 622 million people in over 190 countries. For more information visit https://www.schwabfound.org/ .

Media Contact for Yunus Social Business

Ruby Frankland

ruby.frankland@yunussb.com

Yunus Social Business

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/75d5a90a-89da-4887-89bd-decf1173ddbb
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / June 9, 2021 / Wedgemount Resources Corp. (CSE:WDGY) ("Wedgemount" or the "Company"), is pleased to update shareholders on the Company's progress and activities in building a new top-class copper-gold mineral exploration Company since incorporation in August 2020.

Summary of Key Milestones to date:

Successfully Iisted on the CSE and is fully funded for current exploration activities.

Optioned three highly prospective copper-gold projects in the Quesnel trough, a productive alkalic copper-gold porphyry belt with proven and significant mineral production.

District scale potential with an aggregate of over 36,500 hectares under option (365 km 2 ) in one of the industry's most sought-after copper exploration and development districts with clear potential for new discoveries.

) in one of the industry's most sought-after copper exploration and development districts with clear potential for new discoveries. Current projects are located in the mining friendly and geopolitically stable jurisdiction of British Columbia.

Each project is road-accessible, close to existing infrastructure and surrounded by either operating mines, development projects or advanced exploration properties held by majors and juniors alike.

Brought on a multi-discovery technical advisory team consisting of Christopher Leslie, Garry Clark and Ken Thorsen.

Appointed three highly qualified board members with multi-decade mineral exploration and capital markets experience.

Engaged Tripoint Exploration Services to conduct field work during the 2021 exploration season.

2021 Plans

Wedgemount will conduct focused exploration programs on each of its Eagle, Cookie and Friendly properties during the upcoming exploration season, commencing on June 8 at Eagle.

Each program will align with the corporate strategy to advance the highest priority exploration targets with aggressive and systematic exploration.

Objectives are to re-examine and advance known mineralized zones and evaluate coincident geophysical and geochemical anomalies from previous surveys that are currently untested.

Wedgemount will examine all Phase 1 data and rank and prioritise targets for drill target generation.

Contingent on results from Phase 1, Wedgemount will commence fall and winter drilling programs at its Eagle and Friendly properties.

Wedgemount will continue to review additional assets as part of the company's ongoing strategy to de-risk the property portfolio and create significant optionality for shareholders.

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.

National Instrument 43-101 Disclosure

The scientific and technical information disclosed in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Christopher Leslie, P.Geo., a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. Mineralization hosted on adjacent and/or nearby and/or geologically similar properties is not necessarily indicative of mineralization hosted on the Company's properties.

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

WEDGEMOUNT RESOURCES CORP.

Mark Vanry, President and CEO

For more information, please contact the Company at:

Telephone: (604) 343-4743

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. Forward looking statements made in this news release include the Company's plans for exploration of the property and anticipated exploration results. 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, availability of funds, personnel and other resources necessary to conduct exploration programs, successes of the Company's exploration programs, 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.

SOURCE: Wedgemount Resources Corp.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/651073/Assembling-a-Prospective-Portfolio-of-British-Columbia-Copper-Assets-Through-an-Experienced-Team-of-Project-Developers
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - China Automotive Systems, Inc. (CAAS) Wednesday announced that Hubei Henglong Automotive Systems Group Co. Ltd., a unit of the company, has bought 40% stake in Sentient AB, a Swedish automotive technology company. Jingzhou WiseDawn Electric Car Co., Ltd. will sell its Sentient shares to Henglong for about 20 million euros, to be paid in cash in three tranches. Two directors of CAAS, Hanlin Chen and Qizhou Wu, are the majority and minority owners of WiseDawn. Founded in 2009, Sentient provides software development and hardware design for advanced steering functions, vehicle motion control and autonomous driving. 'With the rise of artificial intelligence and electrification taking the automotive sector by storm, we are committed to elevating our steering technologies for the advancement and empowerment of autonomous driving in the foreseeable future. By joining our combined resources, technology and customer bases in China, Europe, the US and South America, we look forward to capturing more market opportunities and expanding our market share globally,' Qizhou Wu, chief executive officer of CAAS, commented. 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.
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.
Deployments with leading payments fintech Global Payments, as well as additional partners across Europe and North America help ensure cardholders worldwide can leverage their preferred name on their Mastercard cards

As PRIDE month kicks off, Mastercard is proud to announce the expansion of its True Name card feature across the globe as Global Payments, a leading provider of payment technology and software solutions, implements this feature for its TSYS issuer customers. In addition, Mastercard partners across Europe and North America will enable cardholders to leverage their chosen name on their card offerings, including bunq and Monzo as the first issuers to implement in Europe and expanded deployment in North America through BM Technologies, Inc. (BMTX) and Republic Bank Trust Company.

For many people around the world, the identity printed on their cards does not reflect who they truly are. True Name from Mastercard has been designed to change that, enabling people to display their preferred name on their card. As Mastercard seeks to achieve ubiquity for True Name across all card offerings, the collaboration with Global Payments ensures deeper market penetration.

True Name Enablement Expands in Launch Market North America: True Name continues to expand within North America, the introductory market for the feature, as partners across the region commit to enabling True Name for their cardholders. New deployments in the region include BM Technologies, Inc. (BMTX) and community institution Republic Bank Trust Company who join BMO Harris and Citi in enabling True Name for their cardholders.

"We are excited to partner with Mastercard's initiative of fostering a more inclusive and diverse community by providing our issuers and their cardholders the opportunity to participate in the True Name program," said Gaylon Jowers, Senior Executive Vice President, Global Payments and President, TSYS Issuer Solutions. "We have a longstanding record of providing innovative solutions that put people at the center of payments."

"We are proud that Mastercard is partnering with BM Technologies (BMTX) on its True Name initiative, which will become part of our white label banking product offering," stated Luvleen Sidhu, Chair, CEO and Founder of BM Technologies (BMTX). "Diversity and inclusion are fundamental components of our company and we hope our banking experience makes all of our customers feel empowered both individually and financially."

True Name Achieves First Deployments Across Europe: True Name is expanding into the European market with the card feature being made available via challenger bank bunq in 30 markets across Europe. In addition, challenger bank Monzo becomes the first U.K. based issuer to partner with Mastercard on the True Name initiative, having enabled its customers to leverage their preferred name on their Monzo card and in the Monzo app since 2016.

"At bunq we believe in the freedom to live your life the way you want to," said Ali Niknam, CEO and founder of bunq. "True Name helps ensure that everyone who chooses to bank with bunq is able to do just that, enabling the use of your chosen name on your bunq banking solutions. We're thrilled to join Mastercard in this important initiative."

"Inclusion is the foundation of what we stand for as a company, which is why we continue to call on the industry to join this effort and enable cardholders to leverage their chosen name because everyone deserves financial products that reflect their true identity," said Cheryl Guerin, EVP of Marketing and Communications in North America for Mastercard.

True Name has no incremental compliance requirements above typical credit or debit card programs, making implementation with Mastercard simple. Accessibility and enablement are vitally important to the LGBTQIA+ community. Nearly one-third (32%) of individuals who have shown IDs with a name or gender that did not match their presentation reported negative experiences, such as being harassed, denied services, and/or attacked**.

For more information on global inclusion and diversity at Mastercard, click here.

* Source: James, S. E., Herman, J. L., Rankin, S., Keisling, M., Mottet, L., Anafi, M. (2016). The Report of the 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey. Washington, DC: National Center for Transgender Equality.

About Mastercard (NYSE: MA), www.mastercard.com

Mastercard is a global technology company in the payments industry. Our mission is to connect and power an inclusive, digital economy that benefits everyone, everywhere by making transactions safe, simple, smart and accessible. Using secure data and networks, partnerships and passion, our innovations and solutions help individuals, financial institutions, governments and businesses realize their greatest potential. Our decency quotient, or DQ, drives our culture and everything we do inside and outside of our company. With connections across more than 210 countries and territories, we are building a sustainable world that unlocks priceless possibilities for all.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210609005225/en/

Contacts:

Sarah Ely, Mastercard

+1(914) 249-6714 sarah.ely@mastercard.com

Margaret Williams, Mastercard

+1(914) 249-2926 margaret.williams@mastercard.com
Grande Prairie, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - June 9, 2021) - Angkor Resources Corp. (TSXV: ANK) (OTC Pink: ANKOF) ("Angkor" or "the Company") announces that recent exploration has expanded the copper anomaly to 1.5 by 1.2 kilometres with up to 443 ppm (g/t) copper on the 100%-owned Andong Meas license.

Further exploration and analysis confirm the Canada Wall prospect as a large zone of copper-molybdenum (Cu-Mo) mineralization hosted within the western side of the Andong Meas tenement. The copper-in-soil anomaly is 1.5 by 1.2 kilometres and contains a 500 by 500 metre zone of 150 ppm to 443 ppm copper. An anomaly of 30 ppm up to 299 ppm molybdenum is contained within the larger copper anomaly (see map below).

Highlights:

Copper-in-soil values up to 443 ppm which trend conformably, and occur within broader copper-anomalous zones.

11,376 soil samples collected and analyzed for Copper and Molybdenum over an area of two kilometers by three kilometers.

Activities are under way to trench and complete a detailed grid on both anomalies and expand the soil geochemical program on both prospects to establish drill targets.

Consulting Australian geologist, John Menzies, further assessed the Andong Meas prospects and comments, "I was genuinely surprised to find a convincingly interesting porphyry Cu-Mo prospect of likely Cretaceous age at Canada Wall. Diamond drilling has intersected wide intervals of vein stockwork and breccia with pyrite, chalcopyrite and locally molybdenite. It is recommended that the soil geochemical program be extended." John C. Menzies, BSc., Fellow of the Society of Economic Geologists and the Australian Institute of Geoscientists., Chairman of Cmi Capital Ltd.

VP Exploration Dennis Ouellette comments, "In tropical environments with heavy rains, mobile elements like copper are leached and carried lower in the soil profile when the rains recede and the water table drops. The expected diminishment of copper in the upper soil environments means that encountering soil results of 200 ppm Cu or higher makes the anomaly at Canada Wall very intriguing."

Previous exploration work included soil geochemistry from termite mounds and shallow holes, ground magnetics, and an IP/Resistivity survey. The latter identified two large conductors, Canada Wall to the north and South Creek/JD2 to the south (a new area of exploration). The two geophysical features indicate mineralization hosted by quartz veins and breccias containing pyrite, chalcopyrite, molybdenite and pyrrhotite. Canada Wall copper prospect is 3 km west of the Wild Boar gold prospect.





"Andong Meas Mineralization Targets"

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/7648/87015_fbd51e93544b7903_001full.jpg

QUALIFIED PERSON

Dennis Ouellette, B.Sc, P.Geo., is a member of The Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta (APEGA #104257) and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 ("NI 43-101"). He is the Company's VP Exploration on site and has reviewed and approved the technical disclosure in this document.

ABOUT ANGKOR RESOURCES CORP.

Angkor Resources Corp. is a public company, listed on the TSX-Venture Exchange, and is a leading mineral explorer in Cambodia with a large land package across four 100%-owned licenses and a fifth license under an earn-in agreement with a third party. In 2020, the Company received approval and initiated negotiations on Production Sharing Contract (PSC) terms for Block VIII, a 7,300 square kilometre oil and gas license in Cambodia.

CONTACT:

Delayne Weeks, CEO

Telephone: +1 (780) 831-8722

Email: da@angkorgold.ca

Website: http://www.angkorresources.ca or follow us on Twitter @AngkorResources

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.

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 the Company, including, but not limited to the potential for gold and/or other minerals at any of the Company's properties, the prospective nature of any claims comprising the Company's property interests, the impact of general economic conditions, industry conditions, dependence upon regulatory approvals, uncertainty of sample results, timing and results of future exploration, and the availability of 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.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/87015
Thunder Bay, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - June 9, 2021) - White Metal Resources Corp. (TSXV: WHM) (FSE: CGK1) (OTC Pink: TNMLF) ("White Metal" or the "Company") is pleased to announce it has signed a contract with Forage BRL Drilling who are based out of Temagami, Ontario. The diamond drilling program is expected to start the first week of July and last approximately four weeks, with a total of 3,000 metres planned.

Michael Stares, President and CEO of White Metal, commented, "I am very pleased to have signed the new drill contract with BRL and look forward to commencing our second phase of drilling on the Tower Stock Gold Project. Drilling will initially focus on the Ellen Zone to determine the possibility of expanding the zone north and south. The orientation of the Ellen Zone is not yet determined and this new round of drilling is designed to increase our understanding of this exciting new gold bearing zone. I am equally as pleased to announce follow up drilling on the Bench Zone. Some areas of the Bench Zone have separations in drilling of up to 75 to 100 metres and as a result a considerable amount of detailed drilling is required."

The drilling program will be part of the follow up program to further test and extend the newly discovered Ellen Zone, as reported from drill hole TM-21-94, which returned 1.7 g/t Au over 82.5 metres, including 3 g/t Au over 45 metres, and including 1.5 metres of 58 g/t Au and 198 g/t Ag (see news release dated April 20, 2021).

The newly discovered Ellen Zone, located about 340 metres south of the U-V Zone and about 300 metres north of the Bench Zone, is an area that has seen no historical drilling and is open in all directions. The drilling campaign will be focused on several KEY areas:

Tracing the Ellen Zone to the northwest and to the southeast;

Extending the Bench Zone both northwest and southeast;

Step out holes to follow up on drill hole TM-21-97, which intersected anomalous gold mineralization over nearly its entire 347.71 m length (47% of 229 samples >100 ppb Au, to maximum 2.16 g/t Au) and supported the interpretation that the Bench Zone dips 50 to 60 degrees southwest;

Confirming the Company's interpretation that the Bench Zone is open in all directions; and

Testing the extension of the D Zone, TM-21-95 which returned 0.63 g/t Au over 63.5 metres. This wide intercept of elevated gold mineralization is located 300 metres southeast of TM-21-95 and is thought to be connected to the Bench Zone to the north.

A more detailed description of the planned drilling areas can be viewed on the Company's website (https://www.whitemetalres.com/tower-stock-au.html).

The Tower Stock Gold Project, which until now has not seen any exploration activity for more than eight years, is located about 40 km west-northwest of the port city of Thunder Bay, Ontario and covers approximately 1,968 hectares.

All drill hole intersections presented herein represent drill core lengths (intervals) and are not considered true widths.

The Company also announces the grant of 3,175,000 incentive stock options to various directors, officers, and consultants of the Company. The Stock Options will be exercisable at $0.15 for 5 years.

Technical information in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Dr. Scott Jobin-Bevans (P.Geo.), Vice President Exploration and a Director of White Metal, who is a Qualified Person under the definitions established by the National Instrument 43-101.

Qualified Person

Technical information in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Dr. Scott Jobin-Bevans (P.Geo.), Vice President Exploration and a Director of White Metal, who is a Qualified Person under the definitions established by the NI 43-101.

About White Metal Resources Corp.:

White Metal Resources Corp. is a junior exploration company exploring in Canada and southern Africa. The company's two key properties are the Flagship Tower Stock Gold Project in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada and the Okohongo Copper-Silver Project in Namibia, Africa. For more information about the Company please visit www.whitemetalres.com.

On behalf of the Board of Directors

"Michael Stares"

President & CEO

For further information contact:

Michael Stares

President & CEO

White Metal Resources Corp.

684 Squier Street

Thunder Bay, ON P7B 4A8

Phone: +1 (807) 358-2420

Nancy Massicotte

Investor Relations

White Metal Resources Corp.

Phone: +1 (604) 507-3377

TF: +1 (866) 503-3377

ir@whitemetalres.com

THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE HAS NOT REVIEWED AND DOES NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.

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 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 gold price and other 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. Actual events or results could differ materially from the Company's expectations or projections

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/86991
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 9, 2021) - Black Mountain Gold USA Corp. (TSXV: BMG) ("BMG" or the "Company") is pleased to announce it has received encouraging assay results from its recent mechanical rock chip-channel sampling program at its Mohave Gold Project in Mohave County, Arizona. Channel sampling was completed at several gold prospects in the northern half of the Project and confirmed the widespread nature of gold mineralization outlined in the M3 Metals sampling program in 2020 (see M3 Metals press release dated May 5, 2020) returning values up to 53.80 g/t Au and 94.2 g/t Ag over 2.8m.

Graham Harris, CEO and Director, commented, "BMG is very pleased with the results from the channel sampling program at our Mohave Gold Project confirming the nature of the widespread gold values encountered previously. Particularly encouraging are the high grade gold values such as 53.8 g/t Au over 2.8m suggesting potential for higher grade feeder zones to the epithermal system. Equally encouraging are some of the wider intersections such as channel C36 at the Scout Prospect where sampling over 24.75m yielded 0.71 g/t Au which suggests potential for an open pit mining scenario. We look forward to our next channel sampling program which will target the southern prospects at the Project as we continue with the permitting process in preparation for drilling."

Channel sampling was focused on the northern half of the Project with the prospects Klondyke, Apex, Jim & Jerry and Scout tested to confirm the widespread gold values outlined by rock chip sampling completed by M3 Metals in 2020. Results of composited channel samples are presented in Table 1 and indicate that gold grades vary from 0.31 g/t Au to 53.8 g/t Au and composited widths vary from 1m to 24.75m. Sampling focused on areas of low sulfidation epithermal gold mineralization hosted by quartz-calcite veins, stockwork zones and breccias associated with low angle structures. Zones of gold mineralization varied from quartz-calcite veins and breccia returning 53.8 g/t Au and 92.4 g/t Ag over 2.8m to large zones of stockwork veining dominated by quartz-calcite in altered andesite which yielded up to 24.75m of 0.71 g/t Au and 4.2 g/t Ag.

Results from the channel sampling program confirm the widespread nature of the gold mineralization in the northern half of the Project identified in the 2020 program completed by M3 Metals. Numerous zones of relatively high grade gold mineralization over short widths (see Table 1, Figure 1) suggest potential for high grade feeder structures to the epithermal system and warrant further exploration. In addition wider zones of lower gold grades such as at the Jim & Jerry prospect where channel sampling over a quartz-calcite stockwork zone approx. 24.75m wide returned 0.71 g/t Au and 4.2 g/t Ag indicating potential for a near surface open-pittable target. All data generated by the sampling program will be incorporated into the Mohave Project geological model to aid in drill hole targeting. A follow-up channel sampling program on several other prospects in the north as well as various prospects in the southern portion of the Project is planned for Q3, 2021.

Table 1 Composite assay results

CHANNEL # PROSPECT TYPE SAMPLED LENGTH (m) AU GRADE (G/T) AG GRADE (G/T) C1 Klondyke Outcrop 2.30 1.48 1.30 C2 Klondyke Outcrop 2.80 1.44 1.70 C3 Klondyke Outcrop 3.50 0.77 1.20 C4 Klondyke Outcrop 2.80 0.39 1.80 C5 Klondyke Outcrop 2.00 0.89 3.10 C6 Klondyke Outcrop 2.80 53.80 94.20 C7 Klondyke Outcrop 2.80 2.75 5.50 C8 Klondyke Outcrop 1.90 0.17 2.10 C9 Klondyke Outcrop 1.80 0.23 1.10 C10 Klondyke Outcrop 7.15 0.79 2.40 C37 Klondyke Outcrop 2.50 2.05 4.50 C11 Apex Outcrop 8.40 1.14 3.40 C12 Apex Outcrop 1.80 1.10 3.60 C13 Apex Outcrop 3.70 0.39 4.50 C14 Apex Outcrop 3.50 0.16 2.10 C15 Apex Outcrop 3.00 3.07 7.40 C16 Apex Stope 2.25 1.20 0.90 C17 Apex Outcrop 2.40 0.30 0.10 C18 Jim & Jerry Outcrop 1.90 2.59 7.10 C19 Jim & Jerry Outcrop 3.50 5.04 13.50 C20 Jim & Jerry Outcrop 2.60 1.66 5.70 C21 Jim & Jerry Outcrop 1.10 0.20 2.40 C22 Jim & Jerry Outcrop 4.10 9.00 11.80 C23 Jim & Jerry Outcrop 6.40 3.85 12.20 C24 Jim & Jerry Outcrop 2.05 6.02 17.40 C25 Jim & Jerry Outcrop 2.80 6.96 19.90 C26 Jim & Jerry Outcrop 3.70 6.61 25.60 C27 Jim & Jerry Outcrop 3.30 2.17 4.40 C28 Scout Outcrop 3.30 2.70 4.50 C29 Scout Outcrop 4.90 1.26 1.70 C30 Scout Outcrop 5.10 1.25 3.20 C31 Scout Outcrop 4.00 3.36 0.90 C32 Scout Outcrop 3.50 4.39 5.70 C33 Scout Outcrop 7.00 6.39 8.40 C34 Scout Outcrop 4.30 2.25 4.50 C35 Scout Outcrop 2.35 2.01 3.70 C36 Scout Outcrop 24.75 0.71 4.20

Figure 1 Location of 2021 composite channel sampling at Mohave Project



To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/4674/86606_e2b85facc4a78b3a_001full.jpg

Samples were generally oriented perpendicular to the strike of the zones of quartz-calcite veins, stockwork veining and brecciation wherever terrain permitted and samples lengths below are not true widths. Composite lengths in Table 1 may not be strictly continuous due to terrain restrictions nor do they necessarily delineate the entire width of the mineralized zones. A portable mechanical rock saw with dual diamond blades was utilized for sampling via cutting two continuous parallel lines 2.5cm apart and approx. 3cm deep and then chiseling out the rock sample. Sampling was completed to produce more reliable data via channel sampling than the rock chip sampling and to expand the sampling done in 2020. In general the channel sampling data provides a more reliable sample due to increased depth penetration into the rock and more consistent systematic sampling than standard rock chip sampling with a rock hammer.

Quality Assurance / Quality Control (QAQ C)

All sampling was done using a portable mechanical rock saw with dual diamond blades via cutting two continuous parallel lines 2.5cm apart and approx. 3cm deep and then chiseling out the rock sample. In general sampling was done perpendicular to the main strike length of the zones quartz calcite veins and stockwork veining where terrain permitted. Quality control of the sampling program includes insertion of reference standards and blanks. One hundred samples were submitted to American Assay Laboratories in Sparks, Nevada and the results from the blanks and standards do not suggest any issues in the sample prep and analytical procedures.

Robert Johansing, Economic Geologist, M.Sc., Q.P., has been responsible for all phases of sample collection, labelling, bagging and transport from the project to his base in Santa Barbara, California and then via FedEx to American Assay labs of Sparks, Nevada. Samples were then dried, crushed and split, and pulp samples were prepared for analysis. Gold was determined by fire assay with an ICP finish, over limit samples were determined by fire assay and gravimetric finish. Silver plus 34 other elements were determined by Aqua Regia ICP-AES, over limit samples were determined by fire assay and gravimetric finish. Standard sample chain of custody procedures were employed during field work until delivery to the courier and analytical facility.

Robert Johansing, Economic Geologist, M.Sc., is a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 for the above-mentioned project. The QP is a Qualified Professional in good standing of Mining and Metallurgical Society of America (MMSA). Mr. Johansing has reviewed and approved the technical information disclosed above and is independent of the Company.

To find out more about Black Mountain Gold USA Corp. please contact Investor Relations at (604) 662-8184 or email info@blackmountaingoldusa.com.

BLACK MOUNTAIN GOLD USA CORP.

"Graham Harris"

CEO, Director

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.

This news release may contain certain "Forward-Looking Statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and applicable Canadian securities laws. When used in this news release, the words "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "target, "plan", "forecast", "may", "schedule" and similar words or expressions identify forward-looking statements or information. These forward-looking statements or information may relate to future prices of commodities, accuracy of mineral or resource exploration activity, reserves or resources, regulatory or government requirements or approvals including approvals of title and mining rights or licenses, the reliability of third party information, continued access to mineral properties or infrastructure, changes in laws, rules and regulations in Arizona which may impact upon the Company or its properties or the commercial exploitation of those properties, currency risks including the exchange rate of USD$ for Cdn$, fluctuations in the market for gold/silver, changes in exploration costs and government royalties, export policies or taxes in Arizona and other factors or information. The Company's current plans, expectations and intentions with respect to development of its business and of the Mohave Gold Project may be impacted by economic uncertainties arising out of COVID-19 pandemic or by the impact of current financial and other market conditions on its ability to secure further financing or funding of the Mohave Gold Project. Such statements represent the Company's current views with respect to future events and are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by the Company, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social risks, contingencies and uncertainties. Many factors, both known and unknown, could cause results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements or information to reflect changes in assumptions or changes in circumstances or any other events affections such statements and information other than as required by applicable laws, rules and regulations.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/86606
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 9, 2021) - Westminster Resources Ltd. (TSXV: WMR) ("WMR" or "Westminster" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that the Company has applied for four new exploration licenses, located in the southwestern copper belt of Peru and in the same region as the company's 100%-owned Ilo Este and Ilo Norte copper projects (Figure 1).

Jason Cubitt, Westminster's President and CEO, commented, "We've been monitoring land positions in Peru for several years, with a particular interest in changes of control and the availability of new public data within our focus area. These acquisitions, generated by our in-country advisors, perfectly fit our model of big copper porphyry and IOCG targets within known copper mineralized systems."

Westminster is committed to using the best available data and current interpretive technologies and methodologies to direct its activities. Together with regional knowledge gained from work on the Ilo Norte and Ilo Este projects, the identification of prospective IOCG and copper porphyry targets was aided by revised geological, geochemical, and geophysical models, and the addition of spectral-data made available to the company. Each of the applied-for concessions was secured through staking. As such, the company was able to add 100% exposure to strategic and prospective ground at the lowest possible cost of entry.

The new projects are located to the south-east of Westminster's existing 100%-owned Ilo projects, within the highly prospective Upper-Cretaceous age rocks which run in a northwest - southeast orientation and host numerous world-class copper-molybdenum porphyry deposits in the region. Mineralization is generally associated with Paleocene-Eocene intrusive rocks and the Inca-Puquito fault system. Much of this region in Peru is covered with recent volcanic flow deposits, which mask the underlying prospective intrusive rocks, resulting in many areas being significantly under-explored by modern systematic exploration techniques.





Figure 1: Westminster Resources Ltd southern Peru project locations, showing simplified regional geology.



To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/1134/86987_08635d6c64bf7afc_001full.jpg

The Caruca concession is located in the Inclan District of Tacna, covering copper and molybdenum anomalies, and covering the Pampa M copper-molybdenum porphyry showing. The Pallagua 1 concession is located in the Estique district of Tarata, and covers a historically reported copper-rich vein. The Uchusuma A and B concessions in the Pachia district of Tacna, cover historically reported copper in veins.

The Company will evaluate and integrate existing data with its own reconnaissance fieldwork including detailed geological mapping and systematic geochemical sampling to develop a series of targets for further examination. More information on each of these claims will be released upon receipt of approved applications.

Westminster's Ilo Projects

Porphyry copper deposits are the world's largest source of copper mined today and are generally the lowest unit cost mines due to their size and additional by-product credits for molybdenum, gold, silver and other metals. Peru and Chile together produce approximately one third of the world's copper and the western flanks of the Andes Mountains in Southern Peru are host to Peru's largest and most prolific copper producers. Nearly 600,000 tonnes of copper is produced each year within 100 km of Westminster's concessions in the region and is set to increase in coming years with expansions and new mines coming online.

Previous exploration drilling of the Ilo Este copper project has successfully demonstrated the presence of a large copper porphyry system with coincident gold, silver and molybdenum mineralisation which has been mapped at surface over more than 3km2.

Westminster's Ilo Norte project is 29km north of the port city of Ilo and hosts IOCG and skarn replacement style mineralisation in a package of Jurassic volcano-sedimentary rocks. Historic diamond drilling completed by Latin Resources demonstrated improving results toward the north east of the project area.

Westminster has developed a multi-phase work program for 2021 at Ilo Este and Ilo Norte including a 3D Induced Polarization (IP) survey and 2,500m exploration drill campaign at Ilo Norte. The program will follow-up on an aeromagnetic survey flown by Teck Resources Ltd. in 2003, and limited reverse circulation (RC) and diamond core drilling in 2011 and 2013 by Latin Resources. Highlights from the historical drill programs (Table 1) include intercepts of 30m @ 0.93% Cu, and 18m @ 0.66% Cu.





Table 1: Selected drill results from LRS RC and diamond drilling completed in 2011 and 2013.



To view an enhanced version of Table 1, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/1134/86987_08635d6c64bf7afc_002full.jpg

Tony Greenaway, Head of Exploration for Westminster noted, "We are excited about the addition of these new projects to the Company's portfolio in this highly prospective region of southern Peru. The work programs the Company has developed over the Ilo Este and Ilo Norte copper porphyry and IOCG projects will significantly add to the understanding of the mineralisation controls in the area and assist in defining target areas. The Company will be keeping its shareholders updated with a more detailed geological review of the new project areas and proposed next stage work programs over the coming weeks."

ABOUT WESTMINSTER RESOURCES

Westminster is a Latin American focused mining exploration company. The Company holds a 100% interest in a package of highly prospective IOCG and porphyry copper projects in southwestern Peru within the country's prolific coastal copper belt-source of nearly half of Peru's copper production. The Company also recently acquired an option to purchase a 100% interest in the Mostazal copper project in Chile's Atacama Desert, one of the world's premier copper production jurisdictions.

For further information please contact:



Jason Cubitt, President & CEO

info@westminsterresources.com

Carrie Howes, VP Corporate Communications

carrie@westminsterresources.com

www.westminsterresources.com

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as the term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

The qualified person has not verified the information on the adjacent properties and the information disclosed is not necessarily indicative of mineralization on the Westminster projects. Mineralization hosted on adjacent and/or nearby and/or geologically similar properties is not necessarily indicative of mineralization hosted on the Company's properties.

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.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/86987
Presentation at 4:15 pm ET on Monday, June 14, 2021

Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - June 9, 2021) - SusGlobal Energy Corp. (OTCQB: SNRG) ("SusGlobal" or the "Company"), the developer of SusGro, a revolutionary pathogen free organic liquid fertilizer, is pleased to announce that it will present at the Lytham Partners Summer 2021 Investor Conference on Monday, June 14, 2021 at 4:15 pm Eastern Time.

A webcast of the presentation will be available on SusGlobal's website at https://irdirect.net/snrg or https://www.webcaster4.com/Webcast/Page/2733/41645 . The webcast will also be archived and available for replay following the live event.

Management will also be participating in virtual one-on-one meetings throughout the event, which run from June 14, 2021 through June 16, 2021. To arrange a meeting, please contact Lytham Partners at 1x1@lythampartners.com.

About SusGlobal Energy Corp.

SusGlobal Energy Corp., the developer of SusGro, a revolutionary pathogen free organic liquid fertilizer, is a renewables company focused on acquiring, developing, and monetizing a portfolio of proprietary technologies in the waste to energy and regenerative products applications globally. It is management's objective to grow SusGlobal into a significant sustainable waste to energy and regenerative products provider, as LEADERS IN THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY. For more information, please visit the Company's website at: www.susglobalenergy.com

Safe Harbor Statement

This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding the Company's objectives. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," "projects," "aims," "potential," "goal," "objective," "prospective," and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will," "would," "may," "can," "could" or "should" occur. The Company cautions investors that any forward-looking statements by the Company are not guarantees of future results or performance, and that actual results may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including, but not limited to, lack of sufficient financial resources; variations in market conditions, currency and our stock; the Company's ability to obtain any necessary permits, approvals, consents or authorizations required for its activities; the Company's ability to produce energy, biogas, compost or organic fertilizer from its properties successfully or profitably, to continue its projected growth, or to be fully able to implement its business strategies and other risk factors described in the Company's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which may be viewed at www.sec.gov.

Contact

SusGlobal Energy Corp.

Marc Hazout, President and CEO

(416) 223-8500 or Toll Free: 1-866-512-7374

Email: info@susglobalenergy.com

Investor Relations Contact

Lytham Partners, LLC

Ben Shamsian

New York | Phoenix

(646) 829-9701

Email: shamsian@lythampartners.com

SOURCE: SusGlobal Energy Corp.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/86992


WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - El Salvador's parliament has passed a law to adopt Bitcoin as its legal tender, thus becoming the first country in the world to officially classify a cryptocurrency as legal currency.



The Legislative Assembly of El Salvador approved the Bitcoin Bill by an overwhelming majority on Tuesday night.



62 Deputies in the 84-member Assembly voted in favor of the Bill, introduced by President Nayib Bukele.



'The purpose of this law is to regulate bitcoin as unrestricted legal tender with liberating power, unlimited in any transaction, and to any title that public or private natural or legal persons require carrying out,' the law states.



President Bukele announced that people who invest Bitcoin in El Salvador's economy would be granted permanent residency in the country.



'In the short term this will generate jobs and help provide financial inclusion to thousands outside the formal economy,' according to Bukele. He claimed that the historical move would make it easier for Salvadorans living abroad to send money home through Bitcoin.



The Central American country will now have two legal tenders - the US dollar and Bitcoin.



Bitcoin will become El Salvador's legal tender 90 days after the passage of the law, enabling its citizens to make tax payments with the cryptocurrency.



Also, Bitcoin transactions will be exempted from capital gains tax.



The new law says that the government will 'promote the necessary training and mechanisms so that the population can access bitcoin transactions' in the impoverished the country, where most of the people doesn't have access to traditional financial services such as bank accounts.



Bitcoin, a virtual asset that is not directly linked to the real economy, has been losing its glow recently. The value of the most popular cryptocurrency plunged sharply after hitting its all-time record of around $65,000 in April.



Bitcoin is currently trading at $35173.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de
- Growing use of product in construction industry is estimated to boost the growth of solid flow rate valve control market in the assessment period 2020-2030. Thus, market will expand at 4.5% CAGR during forecast period.

- Presence of several key players makes Southeast Asia a prominent region in the market.

ALBANY, N.Y., June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Solid flow rate valve control finds application across a wide range of industrial sectors such as chemicals, food and beverage, water treatment, additive manufacturing, mining, and animal feed. The main purpose of this product is to offer control for material flow from hoppers, bins, silos, long downspouts, and chutes. The device is gaining immense popularity across end-user industries owing to several advantages it offers. Owing to the presence of pinion design and self-cleaning rack, the solid flow rate valve control are widely utilized for bulk material applications in which positive shut-off is needed through a standing material column.

The analysts at Transparency Market Research (TMR) trust that the global solid flow rate valve control market is likely to expand at promising pace and touch the valuation of over US$ 2.2 Bn by 2030. It was accounted for more than US$ 1.4 Bn during 2019.

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Solid Flow Rate Valve Control Market: Key Findings

Thriving Construction Industry Fuels Demand Avenues in Market

Solid flow rate valve control is extensively used across the building and construction industry. With the increased focus of major developing countries from all across the globe toward the infrastructure development, the construction industry in those regions is expanding at promising pace. This scenario, in turn, is creating lucrative avenues for vendors in the solid flow rate valve control market.

Market Enterprises Focus on Improving Product Quality

Major enterprises in the global solid flow rate valve control market are increasing their interest toward the research and development activities that are focused on material handling systems and technologies. Moving forward, players are also growing emphasis on the quality advancement of the products they offer.

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Southeast Asia: Prominent Region for Market Development

On regional front, the market is likely to gather sizeable growth avenues in the Southeast Asia region. This growth is attributed to many factors including technological advancements, increasing presence of major players, and existence of rapidly expanding end-use industries in the region.

Solid Flow Rate Valve Control Market: Growth Boosters

The global solid flow rate valve control market is estimated to witness prodigious growth avenues in the upcoming years. One of the key factors driving the market growth includes increased device use in the chemicals and food and beverages industries from all across the globe.

Many players operating in this market are increasing interest in the research and development activities. Main motive of this strategy is the incorporation of technological advancements in their products. One of such latest advancement includes the development of digital flow metering technology.

Increasing use of solid flow rate valve control for regulating the flow of materials from silos, chutes, hoppers, and bins is expected to generate substantial demand avenues for market enterprises in the years to come. Moving forward, the market is likely to gain prominent growth opportunities on the back of increasing demand for bulk solid handling systems.

Several enterprises in the market are growing interest toward providing solid flow rate valve control as per the requirement of end-user industries. This strategy is helping them achieve upper hand over other competitors in the solid flow rate valve control market.

View Detailed Table of Contents at https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/report-toc/80648

Solid Flow Rate Valve Control Market: Well-Established Participants

The report profiles key participants working in the solid flow rate valve control market. Thus, the study offers important data pertaining to many important aspects of players including their key product offerings, financials, strategic moves, and recent developments.

The list of key players in the market includes following names:

Parker Hannifin Corporation

Polimak Grup Endustriyel Uretim San. A.S.

Salina Vortex Corporation

Schenck Process India Private Ltd

WAMGROUP S.p.A.

Coperion GmbH

GEA Group Aktiengesellschaft

DMN-WESTINGHOUSE

TBMA

Palamatic Process

XP Power

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Adds to previous recoverable resource estimate of approximately 9 billion barrels of oil equivalent

Mako-2 appraisal well results, together with the previously announced Uaru-2 discovery, give line of sight to a potential fifth FPSO on the Stabroek Block

Hess Corporation (NYSE: HES) today announced a discovery offshore Guyana at the Longtail-3 well on the Stabroek Block. Drilling at Longtail-3 encountered 230 feet (70 meters) of net pay, including newly identified, high quality hydrocarbon bearing reservoirs below the original Longtail-1 discovery intervals. The well is located approximately two miles (3.5 kilometers) south of the Longtail-1 well. It was drilled in more than 6,100 feet (1,860 meters) of water by the Stena DrillMAX. The Longtail-1 discovery on the Stabroek Block was drilled in 2018, encountering approximately 256 feet (78 meters) of high-quality, oil-bearing sandstone reservoir.

In other drilling activity, the Mako-2 appraisal well on the Stabroek Block confirmed the quality, thickness and areal extent of the reservoir. When integrated with the previously announced discovery at Uaru-2, the data supports a potential fifth floating production storage and offloading vessel (FPSO) in the area east of the Liza complex. The Koebi-1 exploration well on the Stabroek Block has shown evidence of non-commercial hydrocarbons.

CEO John Hess said: "The Longtail-3 discovery together with the previously announced discovery at Uaru-2 will add to the gross discovered recoverable resource estimate of approximately 9 billion barrels of oil equivalent and underpin future development opportunities for the Stabroek Block."

The Stabroek Block is 6.6 million acres. ExxonMobil affiliate Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited is operator and holds 45 percent interest in the Stabroek Block. Hess Guyana Exploration Ltd. holds 30 percent interest and CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of CNOOC Limited, holds 25 percent interest.

Hess Corporation is a leading global independent energy company engaged in the exploration and production of crude oil and natural gas. More information on Hess Corporation is available at http://www.hess.com.

Cautionary Statements

This news release 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. Words such as "anticipate," "estimate," "expect," "forecast," "guidance," "could," "may," "should," "would," "believe," "intend," "project," "plan," "predict," "will," "target" and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements, which are not historical in nature. Our forward-looking statements may include, without limitation, the expected number, timing and completion of our development projects and estimates of capital and operating costs for these projects; estimates of our crude oil and natural gas resources and levels of production; and our future financial and operational results. Forward-looking statements are based on our current understanding, assessments, estimates and projections of relevant factors and reasonable assumptions about the future. Forward-looking statements are subject to certain known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from our historical experience and our current projections or expectations of future results expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. The following important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those in our forward-looking statements: fluctuations in market prices or demand for crude oil, NGLs and natural gas, including due to the global COVID-19 pandemic or the outbreak of any other public health threat, or due to the impact of competing or alternative energy products and political conditions and events; potential failures or delays in increasing oil and gas reserves and in achieving expected production levels, including as a result of unsuccessful exploration activity, drilling risks and unforeseen reservoir conditions; inherent uncertainties in estimating quantities of proved reserves and resources; changes in laws, regulations and governmental actions applicable to our business, including legislative and regulatory initiatives regarding environmental concerns, such as measures to limit greenhouse gas emissions and flaring; the ability of our contractual counterparties to satisfy their obligations to us, including the operation of joint ventures which we may not control; unexpected changes in technical requirements for constructing, modifying or operating exploration and production facilities and/or the inability to timely obtain or maintain necessary permits; potential disruption or interruption of our operations due to catastrophic events, including the global COVID-19 pandemic; and other factors described in Item 1A-Risk Factors in our Annual Report on Form 10-K and any additional risks described in our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. As and when made, we believe that our forward-looking statements are reasonable. However, given these risks and uncertainties, caution should be taken not to place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements since such statements speak only as of the date when made and there can be no assurance that such forward-looking statements will occur and actual results may differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement we make. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether because of new information, future events or otherwise.

We use certain terms in this release relating to resources other than proved reserves, such as unproved reserves or resources. Investors are urged to consider closely the oil and gas disclosures in Hess Corporation's Form 10-K, File No. 1-1204, available from Hess Corporation, 1185 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10036 c/o Corporate Secretary and on our website at www.hess.com. You can also obtain this form from the SEC on the EDGAR system.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210609005516/en/

Contacts:

Investor Contact:

Jay Wilson

(212) 536-8940

jrwilson@hess.com

Media Contact:

Lorrie Hecker

(212) 536-8250

lhecker@hess.com
NINGBO, China, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The second China-CEEC Expo & International Consumer Goods Fair and the 23rd China Zhejiang Investment & Trade Symposium will be held from June 8 to June 11 in the eastern coastal city of Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, east China, according to Zhejiang Provincial Commerce Department.



Co-organized by the country's commerce ministry and the local provincial government, the event will feature trade exhibitions, investment talks and people-to-people exchanges. Against the global COVID-19 epidemic and economic recession, Zhejiang and Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries have once again joined hands, integrating economy with people-to-people exchanges and giving equal emphasis to trade and investment. The two sides will carry out all-round, high-quality and multi-level cooperation.



Zhejiang, located on the southeast coast of China, has made great efforts to build a high-level open platform represented by the China-CEEC Expo in its bid to become a central hub in boosting bilateral cooperation.



Leveraging the bilateral cooperation mechanism, Zhejiang has been dedicated in serving the development of the Belt and Road Initiative. A new development pattern is taking shape as Zhejiang seeks to lift the bilateral cooperation and local opening-up to new levels.



As China's only national-level institutional exhibition facing CEE, this year's expo focuses on building a new pattern and sharing new opportunities.



Three exhibitions have been set up specifically to showcase CEE countries, international consumer goods and imported goods, with a total area of about 200,000 square meters. More than 2,000 CEE exhibitors and over 6,000 Chinese purchasers will attend the event.



During the four-day event, more than 20 important events will be held to promote closer ties with CEE in the fields of economy, trade, science and technology, health, business associations and so on.



The expo is not only an important joint achievement following the China-CEEC Leaders Summit, but also a concrete action to promote the bilateral economic cooperation, trade exchange and high-quality development between China and CEE.



Since its establishment in 2012, the cooperation mechanism between China and CEEC has achieved fruitful results. Compared with nine years ago, the bilateral trade volume between China and CEEC increased by nearly 85 percent, exceeding 100 billion U.S. dollars for the first time in 2020. Two-way trips have increased nearly fourfold, and the China-Europe freight train service has covered most CEE countries.



As a vanguard of cooperation and development between China and CEE, Zhejiang has taken many measures to overcome the adverse effects of the epidemic, with its economic cooperation, trade exchanges with CEEC bucking the downward trend.



In the first quarter of this year, the total trade volume between Zhejiang and CEEC reached 3.96 billion U.S. dollars, up 42.5 percent year on year. While sea transport is blocked and air transport capacity is limited, the China-Europe freight train services starting from Zhejiang's Yiwu city to Europe has become an important link connecting economic and trade exchanges between Europe and Asia. By end-March, CEE countries had set up 514 enterprises in Zhejiang, with contracted foreign investment of 1.1 billion U.S. dollars.



Zhejiang has also made full use of the benefits of China-CEEC cooperation mechanism by linking it with the development of the China-CEEC economic cooperation demonstration zone, Zhejiang pilot free trade zone and the Zhejiang investment & trade symposium. Thus a new cooperation mechanism and the docking of new policies with CEE countries have been established. During the expo, the e-commerce cooperation and dialogue mechanism between China and CEEC will be launched to facilitate CEE enterprises' export to China.



In the next five years, Zhejiang will strive to import 20 billion U.S. dollars of goods from CEE countries with two-way investment exceeding 1.5 billion U.S. dollars. Zhejiang is expected to become a central hub of China-CEEC cooperation, an important bridge for CEE countries to enter the Chinese world market, and an important window to showcase China's development model to CEE countries.
China-Europe freight trains bring win-win results to countries along routes in past decade

09:06, June 09, 2021 By Li Yan ( People's Daily

A China-Europe freight train loaded with medical supplies and electronic equipment departs from Chengdu International Railway Port in Chengdu, capital of southwest Chinas Sichuan province, for Felixstowe, the U.K., April 26, 2021. (Peoples Daily Online/Bai Guibin)

On June 2, a China-Europe freight train, fully loaded with cargoes containing medical supplies and gym equipment, departed from a logistics park in north Chinas Shanxi province for Paris. It was the first non-stop freight train from Shanxi to France.

According to data from Chinas General Administration of Customs, China-Europe freight trains made a total of 1,941 trips and transported 174,000 Twenty-foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) of goods in the first quarter of this year, up 15 percent and 18 percent respectively from the same period last year.

As of May 2021, China-Europe freight trains had made 38,000 trips, carried 3.4 million TEUs of cargoes, and reached 151 cities in 22 European countries, suggested the data.

Ten years ago, the first China-Europe freight train, the Yuxinou (Chongqing-Xinjiang-Europe), departed from the Tuanjiecun Station in southwest Chinas Chongqing municipality for the faraway city of Duisburg in Germany, thus ushering in a new chapter in the history of international railway transportation and offering fresh impetus to the trade between China and Europe.

Since the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) was proposed by China in 2013, China-Europe freight trains have moved onto a fast track of development, with more and more Chinese cities, including Chengdu, Zhengzhou, Yiwu, Xian, and Urumqi, opening routes for China-Europe freight trains.

Over the past decade, China-Europe freight trains have continuously picked up speed, and facilitated connectivity and win-win cooperation among countries along the routes.

China-Europe freight trains have become one of the main means of land transportation in international logistics.

Compared with other freight transport means, China-Europe freight trains are safer, faster, more convenient and environment-friendly, and less likely to be affected by natural environment.

They carry a good number of types of goods, including clothing, daily necessities, electronic products, mechanical equipment, chemical products, wood and paper pulp, grain, fresh food in cold chain, as well as medical equipment.

Last year, Saic Fiat Powertrain Hongyan Co., Ltd. (SFH), a Chinese-Italian joint venture based in Chongqing, which mainly produces diesel engines and exports its products to Europe via China-Europe freight trains, saw the best business performance since it was founded in 2007, according to Federico Gaiazzi, general manager of the company, who added that the result was unexpected given that trade was seriously plagued by the COVID-19 pandemic.

China-Europe freight trains can help SFH save more than ten days of transport time compared with sea transportation, and have brought more profits to the company, said Gaiazzi.

As COVID-19 lock-downs have sharpened foreign appetite for Chinas manufactured goods from electronics to home appliances, and a wave of demand in Europe stoked a sharp rise in transcontinental rail freight, many Chinese manufacturers have shifted from sea transport to safe, stable, and smooth China-Europe freight trains due to shipping delays and skyrocketing shipping prices, according to an article publish on the website of the Financial Times.

Since the outbreak of the COVID-19, the role of China-Europe freight trains in promoting mutual benefits and win-win cooperation has been further demonstrated to the world. They have not only transported much-needed anti-epidemic supplies, production goods, and daily necessities to European countries, but brought a great number of quality products from foreign countries to China.

China is not only the worlds factory, but the worlds market as it has 400 million middle-class consumers.

In Zhengzhou, capital of central Chinas Henan province, many people are used to buying imported goods at a store selling products carried by China-Europe freight trains. Such products as pure milk from Germany, chocolates from Belgium, and French red wine are particularly popular among local consumers.

Imported luxury cars introduced by China-Europe freight trains can also be seen on the streets of some Chinese cities.

Although the COVID-19 is still raging around the world, China-Europe freight trains, which are dubbed steel camel fleets, are running in good order.

While conveying the ideas of mutual assistance and a community with a shared future for humanity, the freight trains have promoted the resumption of work and production as well as rapid reopening of economy in countries along the routes, greatly driving the stability of global industrial and supply chains and bringing new opportunities for global economic recovery and development.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun)
A Schererville native who previously worked for President George W. Bush and Gov. Eric Holcomb is seeking the Indiana Republican Party's nomination for state treasurer.

Pete Seat, a 38-year-old Lake Central High School graduate, announced his bid for the statewide office Thursday at the Kosciusko County Lincoln Day Dinner in North Webster, approximately 100 miles east of his Region hometown.

His goal, if elected next year, is to promote "freedom, prosperity, safety and capitalism" in everything the state treasurer's office does, including short- and long-term investment of public funds, managing Indiana's college savings program, and leading the state's 911 board.

WATCH NOW: Casinos drop face mask requirement for vaccinated guests

"This role is not for a dispassionate money manager. The job of state treasurer is for someone with a passion for the office and a heart for service," Seat said.

"It's a role for someone with a vision for how we best invest in Indianas future and empower Hoosiers to plan for the best and prepare for the worst."

To that end, Seat said as state treasurer he will seek to expand eligibility for disability savings accounts, encourage employers to match Hoosier contributions to College Choice 529 plans, strengthen cybersecurity initiatives and support local infrastructure improvements through the Indiana Bond Bank.

"I intend to solidify the gains of Treasurer Kelly Mitchell's outstanding tenure in office and accelerate the office's already lightning-fast momentum by exploring innovative ways of doing the job and spreading the good news," he said.

Mitchell, a Valparaiso University graduate, is barred by the Indiana Constitution from running for a third consecutive four-year term.

Seat's campaign already has been endorsed by state Rep. Ethan Manning, R-Logansport, and Dubois County Treasurer Kitty Merkley, the incoming president of the Indiana County Treasurer's Association.

"Through his travels to all 92 Indiana counties, and his work with Republican candidates and officeholders at every level, Pete has demonstrated to me and others his conservative values, his grasp of the issues people care about, and his ability to bring people together to get important work done," Manning said.

"Pete knows what it takes to be an effective leader as state treasurer and he has a unique perspective on the importance of advancing the state treasurers office in a way that connects with Hoosiers."

The Republican nominee for state treasurer will be selected by the approximately 1,800 delegates attending the party's state convention in June 2022.

Two other candidates, so far, have formed committees to compete for the nomination: Morgan County Republican Chairman Daniel Elliott; and Suzie Jaworowski, of Fishers, a former coal company executive and director of Donald Trump's 2016 Indiana campaign for president.

WATCH NOW: Riding Shotgun with NWI Cops  Aaron Crawford preview

No Hoosier Democrats are openly seeking their party's nomination for state treasurer yet. But Indiana Democratic Party Spokesman Drew Anderson is skeptical Seat will be successful in his campaign.

"It'll be tough for Pete Seat, a Bush-Cheney administration alum, to solve the Indiana Republican Party's ongoing civil war and their aversion to common-sense solutions. While he figures that out, we'll be talking about how Democrats are delivering for Hoosiers through programs like President Joe Biden's American Rescue Plan," Anderson said.

Hoosier voters will elect the next state treasurer, along with state auditor and secretary of state, at the Nov. 8, 2022, general election.

Meet the 2021 Northwest Indiana legislative delegation




PETALING JAYA, MALAYSIA, June 9, 2021 - (ACN Newswire) - Pertama Digital Berhad announced today that it has secured the first four product partners, Trevo, Paywatch, Qoala and Butterfly FX, which will bring expertise and solutions in their respective fields to plug into Pertama Digital's proposed digital bank. This comes after its recent announcements on securing Crowdo Holdings Pte Ltd and INFOPRO Sdn Bhd as consortium partners to apply for a digital banking licence from Bank Negara Malaysia.In order to build a digital bank that empowers financially underserved Malaysians, Pertama Digital has built strong relationships with existing financial inclusion innovators, such as these companies, on ethical financial products addressing insurtech (takaful), gig economy and edtech.Pertama Digital's Director of Strategy Saify Akhtar said: "We are very excited to collaborate with our new product partners to build financially inclusive solutions for the Rakyat. Over the years, we gained valuable experience and insights from delivering digital financial services to the financially underserved via MyPay and eJamin. Pertama Digital champions people-private-public partnerships and has attracted product experts within the local and regional financial inclusion ecosystem such as these four partners. We are taking position as the platform that facilitates flow of value between innovators and the Rakyat."Trevo, Paywatch, Qoala and Butterfly FX share our common values to stay close to the Rakyat and permanently place customers at the centre of the digital bank strategy and business model. Together, our impactful solutions will help vulnerable Malaysians gain access to efficient, affordable and user-friendly digital financial services, which are needed now more than ever in the face of economic and social challenges presented by the pandemic."Trevo, incorporated as Future Mobility Solutions Sdn Bhd, is a fully owned subsidiary of car-rental platform SOCAR Malaysia. Currently the largest P2P car-sharing marketplace in Southeast Asia, Trevo enables those not financially equipped to lease or purchase cars, to own one by only paying for it as needed. On the other hand, a different segment of users can make money from sharing their cars when it is not in use, which helps to alleviate the financial burden of servicing their monthly loan instalments. Pertama Digital will establish a Shariah-compliant short-to-medium term Digital Investment Trust that will be used to, among others, offer vehicle financing to the needy via Trevo's products. The digital bank will provide the initial seed fund and manage it on behalf of customers from the underserved group as micro-investors. This product allows individuals like delivery riders to not only earn an income doing deliveries but also from the very assets they use to do so; the vehicles.Paywatch, a winner of the Gig Economy Challenge hosted by the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), Bank Negara Malaysia, Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) and MetLife Foundation, partners with employers and banks to provide B40 workers instant access to earned wages, in real-time, before payday - without disrupting the existing human resource operations of employers. In collaboration with Pertama Digital, Paywatch strives to serve as a bridge for low-income workers to access low-cost financing directly from Paywatch's major financial institutional partners. In this way, they deter workers from turning to informal and predatory lenders and facilitate access to legitimate institutions for the financially underserved. As a regional player, Paywatch has offices in Seoul, Kuala Lumpur and Hong Kong, with representatives in Singapore.With its head office in Jakarta, Indonesia, Qoala is the leading insurtech in Southeast Asia that has expanded its reach across Malaysia, Vietnam and Thailand, helping millions of consumers get access to affordable insurance and convenient claims by leveraging technology. Qoala will work with Pertama Digital to help protect the financially underserved through takaful coverage for vehicle owners and operators among the B40 group, takaful payout to cover sick leave days and microtakaful to cover reduction in or loss of income of MSMEs and cash-earners.EdTech provider Butterfly FX, part of the UNCDF Financial Innovation Lab cohort, is a women-led social enterprise that provides solutions for underserved communities. Their behaviour-based financial education platform is based on years of experience in financial literacy outreach serving Projek Perumahan Rakyat communities in Malaysia, combined with product design for global Fortune 500 companies. Microfinance institutions, fintechs and other institutions have leveraged their solutions in Malaysia, the Philippines and Haiti, to ensure better financial understanding and more informed financial product adoption, particularly in the area of micro-financing and credit for MSMEs. Pertama Digital will collaborate with Butterfly FX to equip underserved communities (including MSMEs) with knowledge and skills in personal finance management, in order to achieve positive financial well-being. The latter will provide bite-sized and principles-based content, including animations, to make the experience more memorable for learners' understanding and real-life application."The pandemic has surfaced opportunities to innovate and deploy solutions rapidly for both social and commercial gain, especially in the space of financial inclusion. Our research shows that a large number of small businesses and the Rakyat are concerned about the future of their income and livelihood. This is where our digital bank and all stakeholders in the financial ecosystem, can play a role for the greater good by coming together to help those of us who have been affected. We feel reassured about finding and working with these partners who have proven that their solutions will meet the nation's financial inclusion goals," concluded Saify.Issued by: Sense Consultancy on behalf of Pertama Digital BerhadFor further media enquiries please contact:Anthony LeeTel: +6012 338 3705Email: anthony@leesense.comJaz NgTel: +6012 202 0096Email: jaz@leesense.comSource: Pertama Digital BerhadCopyright 2021 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved.
EP Global Opportunities Trust plc (the "Company")

Director changes

Further to the announcement made on 18 May 2021, the Board confirms that Mr Teddy Tulloch has retired as a non-executive Director of the Company at the conclusion of the Board Meeting held today.

Following Mr Tulloch's retirement, Mr Cahal Dowds, a non-executive Director of the Company, has succeeded Mr Tulloch as Chairman of the Company with immediate effect.

9 June 2021

Legal Entity Identifier: 2138005T5CT5ITZ7ZX58

Enquiries:

Kenneth J Greig

Edinburgh Partners AIFM Limited

Tel: 0131 270 3800

The Company's registered office address is:

27-31 Melville Street

Edinburgh

EH3 7JF
Edmonton, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - June 9, 2021) - Grizzly Discoveries Inc. (TSXV: GZD) (OTCQB: GZDIF) (FSE: G6H) ("Grizzly" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that field crews have mobilized to commence the evaluation of high-priority conductivity anomalies in the search for Cobalt (Co) - Copper (Cu) - Silver (Ag) mineralization that have been identified at its Robocop Property following analysis of the recent 400 line-km Versatile Time Domain Electromagnetic ("VTEM") and magnetic survey data (Figure 1 below). Initial geochemical sampling will be conducted across the property which will be followed up by ground geophysical surveys over the high-priority anomalies. The Robocop Property is 100% owned by Grizzly and is easily road accessible in Southeast British Columbia (the "Property"), near the hamlets of Grasmere and Roosville.

Brian Testo, CEO of Grizzly commented, "It is great to see the mobilization of field crews. The geophysical anomalies will be drill tested later in the year following additional fieldwork to identify drill-collar locations. The Property has significant potential for new copper-cobalt discoveries."

Crews from APEX Geoscience Ltd. have been mobilized to the field to conduct follow-up geochemical surveys to test a number of high and secondary priority geophysical anomalies identified in the vicinity of the "Discovery Area" (See Figure 2 below) and across the property. The Discovery Area has provided historical anomalous trench and core intersections of up to 0.134% cobalt (Co), 1.19% copper (Cu) and 33.8 g/t silver (Ag) over 1.23 m. Sampling will extend the geochemical coverage in the discovery area and across the entire project area in order to assist with targeting the important geophysical anomalies with follow-up ground surveys leading to drilling.

Fig 1. New mineral claims (in white outlines) on a map of calculated time constant TAU values for conductance for S Field (dB/dt) with Cu in rocks & soils.





To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/4488/87045_6f86ae2fd4db098b_002full.jpg

A number of high priority targets have been identified with some in close proximity to known Co-Cu-Ag geochemical anomalies identified in historical rocks grab samples, soils and drilling. Figure 2 below provides an example of several such targets in the vicinity of the main Discovery Area (Anomalies 14-3, 15-3 and 16-3) and a buried series of EM anomalies (13-3 and 54-3 to 58-3) along a ridge with significant down-slope Cu-Co-Ag anomalies on the south face of the ridge. These targets will be further investigated using IP or some similar ground geophysical technique in the upcoming program. Figure 2 also shows a number of EM anomalies of interest elsewhere on the property. All of these anomalies will be targeted with at least prospecting, rock, soil and stream sediment sampling during the upcoming exploration program.

Fig 2. EM anomalies (including high priority anomalies as white stars) on a map of conductance for S Field (dB/dt) with Cu in rocks & soils and planned sampling areas.





To view an enhanced version of Figure 2, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/4488/87045_6f86ae2fd4db098b_003full.jpg

The property is hosted within a similar geological setting to the Idaho Cobalt-Copper belt where conductivity (EM) and magnetic surveying techniques have been used previously to successfully guide drilling of prospective targets and assist in making new metal discoveries.

HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE ROBOCOP PROPERTY

The Robocop Project is comprised of 9,053 acres (3,663 ha) across five mineral claims that are all road accessible, just off Provincial Highway 93 in southeast B.C.





Initial surface trenching in the late 1980's to early 1990's yielded up to 0.06% Co and 1.93% Cu over 6 metres (m) in one trench, and in a separate trench up to 0.146% Co , 1.8% Cu and 5.3 grams per tonne (g/t) Ag over 5 m in sediment-hosted sulphide mineralization within middle Proterozoic Purcell Group rocks (Thomson, 1990).





and over (m) in one trench, and in a separate trench up to , and 5.3 grams per tonne (g/t) Ag over in sediment-hosted sulphide mineralization within middle Proterozoic Purcell Group rocks (Thomson, 1990). A total of 15 drill holes in the area between 1990 and 2008 have yielded several intersections of near surface Co-Cu-Ag mineralization with grades of up to 0.134% Co , 1.19% Cu and 33.8 g/t Ag over 1.23 m core length in hole R-1990-5 and 0.14% Co , 0.9% Cu and 2.7 g/t Ag over 3.1 m core length in hole R-1990-6 (Thomson, 1990), along with an intersection of 0.18% Co , 0.28% Cu and 4.1 g/t Ag over 1 m core length in hole R-2008-02 (Pighin, 2009).





, and over core length in hole R-1990-5 and , and 2.7 g/t Ag over core length in hole R-1990-6 (Thomson, 1990), along with an intersection of , and 4.1 g/t Ag over core length in hole R-2008-02 (Pighin, 2009). All but one of the historical drillholes tested a single target in an area about 500 m by 350 m. The Property is approximately 10 km in length and 3.5 km in width and contains at least four untested anomalous soil +/- rock geochemical targets.





Sediment hosted Co-Cu-Ag mineralization is similar in style, age and host rocks to mineralization at Jervois Mining Ltd.'s Idaho Cobalt project and Hecla's Revett Formation hosted mineralization near Troy, Montana.

The Property has yielded significant historical cobalt, copper and silver results and presents an opportunity to discover battery and electrification metals as the world shifts to electric vehicles, sustainable practices and greener alternatives. The macroeconomic outlook for battery metals such as Co and Cu remains strong with the ongoing shift to electric vehicles. It is estimated that the battery sector accounts for approximately 57% of current Co demand; this is expected to grow over the next five years to 72%, and will require an additional 100,000 tonnes/annum of Cobalt to meet demand.[1]

The technical content of this news release and the Company's technical disclosure has been reviewed and approved by Michael B. Dufresne, M. Sc., P. Geol., P.Geo., who is the Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

ABOUT GRIZZLY DISCOVERIES INC.

Grizzly is a diversified Canadian mineral exploration company with its primary listing on the TSX Venture Exchange, with 93.3 million shares issued, focused on developing its over 160,000 acres of precious and base metals properties in southeastern British Columbia. Grizzly is run by a highly experienced junior resource sector management team, who have a track record of advancing exploration projects from early exploration stage through to feasibility stage.

On behalf of the Board,

GRIZZLY DISCOVERIES INC.

Brian Testo, CEO, President

Tel: 780 693 2242

For further information, please visit our website at www.grizzlydiscoveries.com or contact:

Chris Beltgens

Corporate Development

Tel: 604 347 9535

Email: cbeltgens@grizzlydiscoveries.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.

Caution concerning forward-looking information

This press release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. This information and statements address future activities, events, plans, developments and projections. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, constitute forward-looking statements or forward-looking information. Such forward-looking information and statements are frequently identified by words such as "may," "will," "should," "anticipate," "plan," "expect," "believe," "estimate," "intend" and similar terminology, and reflect assumptions, estimates, opinions and analysis made by management of Grizzly in light of its experience, current conditions, expectations of future developments and other factors which it believes to be reasonable and relevant. Forward-looking information and statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause Grizzly's actual results, performance and achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking information and statements and accordingly, undue reliance should not be placed thereon.

Risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to vary include but are not limited to the availability of financing; fluctuations in commodity prices; changes to and compliance with applicable laws and regulations, including environmental laws and obtaining requisite permits; political, economic and other risks; as well as other risks and uncertainties which are more fully described in our annual and quarterly Management's Discussion and Analysis and in other filings made by us with Canadian securities regulatory authorities and available at www.sedar.com. Grizzly disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information or statements except as may be required by law.

[1] Cobalt's Price Rises Highlight Shift to Battery-Driven Pricing Dynamics, Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, November 19th, 2021

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/87045
Montreal, Quebec--(Newsfile Corp. - June 9, 2021) - Beauce Gold Fields (Champs D'Or en Beauce) (TSXV: BGF), ("BGF"), is pleased to announce it has commenced a 20 holes 4,000 meter diamond drill program to test a series of high-priority targets on the Company's Beauce Gold property located in Saint-Simon-les-Mines, Quebec.

Patrick Levasseur, President and CEO of Beauce Gold Fields said, "This will be the first significant diamond drill program that this historical placer gold property has ever witnessed." Mr. Levasseur added: "We look forward to building our understanding of the recently discovered mineralized structures and fault line and how this can lead us to a possible lode gold discovery."





Figure 1: Diamond Drill Rig positioned over hole number one



To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/6198/87079_DDH%20BGF.JPG

St-Gustave Targets

The St-Gustave targets centres around the axis of the Rang St-Gustave road and the Gilbert river. Drilling will test multiple gold bearing bedrock structures discovered by the Company's recent trenching. BGF geologists interpret these structures as NE-SW splays off the main fault line structure which was identified using AMT surveys in 2018 carried out along the Chemin du Rang St-Gustave (the "AMT Fault"). Notably, the AMT Fault is sub-parallel to the placer channel and the splays appear to cross a N-S section the Placer Channel. (see company news releases of May 12, 2021).

Historical Placer Gold Channel Targets

The Beauce Gold property contains a six kilometre long historical placer channel consisting of unconsolidated gold-bearing auriferous units of a lower saprolite and an upper brown diamictite. Western sections of the channel has been the subject of historic placer gold production from 1860 to 1912 via underground drifts and in the East by a major gold dredging operation in the 1960s. Analysis of all historical overburden drill logs drilled into the placer gold channel (see company news releases of January 21, 2021) indicates sections of possible bedrock mineralisation. Diamond drilling will test targets along a two kilometre stretch of channel that aligns with the 1959 Churn Drill holes lines of L15-400 to L23-200 and to the 1980s RC drill holes of G-49 to G-70.

The drill program will be supervised by Jean Bernard, B,Sc. Geo supported by a highly experienced team of drillers working two shifts, 24/7. Marc Richer LaFleche, Ph.D., Geo., of INRS is an independent advisor to the Company for the drill program as well as the ongoing exploration of the Beauce Gold property.

Other corporate news

In accordance with the agreement between BGF and Agora Internet Relations Corp., entered into on August 1, 2020 for the term ending July 31, 2021, BGF board has approved the issuance of 86,923 common shares at a deemed price of $0.13 per share to pay $11,300 for services rendered for the period ending October 31, 2020. The BGF Board has also approved the issuance of 80,714 common shares at a deemed price of $0.14 per share to pay $11,300. for services rendered during the period from November 1, 2020 to January 31, 2021and the issuance of 53,809 shares common shares at a deemed price of $0.21 per share to pay $11,300. for services rendered during the period from February 1, 2021 to April 30, 2021. Each share issued pursuant to the debt settlement will have a mandatory four (4) month and one (1) day holding period from the date of closing. This transaction is subject to the TSX Venture Exchange approval.

About Beauce Gold Fields

Beauce Gold Fields is a gold exploration company focused on placer to hard rock exploration in the Beauce region of Southern Quebec. The Company's flagship property is the St-Simon-les-Mines Gold project site of Canada's first gold rush that pre-dates the Yukon Klondike. The Beauce region hosted some of the largest historical placer gold mines in Eastern North America that were active from 1860s to the 1960s It produced some of the largest gold nuggets in Canadian mining history (50oz to 71oz). The intent of Beauce Gold Fields is to trace the placer gold workings back to the bedrock source and uncover economic bedrock gold mineralization.

Comprising 152 contiguous claims and 7 real estate lots, the project area contains a six kilometer long placer channel consisting of unconsolidated gold-bearing auriferous units of a lower saprolite and an upper brown diamictite.

The Company has identified a major Fault Line in bedrock that coincides with geophysical findings of an interpreted fault structure across the property, referred to herein as the AMT Shear. Evidence suggests the erosion of the AMT Fault or related splay fractures as a probable source of the historical placer gold channel, and has conducted bedrock sampling and geophysics outside the expression of the placer gold channel.

Beauce Gold Fields website www.beaucegold.com

Disclaimers:

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements containing the words "may", "plan", "will", "estimate", "continue", "anticipate", "intend", "expect", "in the process" and other similar expressions which constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements reflect the Company's current expectation and assumptions, and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, our expectations regarding mineral exploration. Such statements reflect the current views of the Company with respect to future events and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties and other risks detailed from time-to-time in the Company's on-going filings with the securities regulatory authorities, which filings can be found at www.sedar.com. Actual results, events, and performance may differ materially. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements either as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by 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.

For further information contact

Patrick Levasseur, President and CEO Tel: (514) 262-9239

Bernard J. Tourillon, Chairman and COO Tel (514) 907-1011

www.beaucegold.com

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/87079
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 9, 2021) - Great Thunder Gold Corp. (CSE: GTG) (OTC PINK: GTGFF) (FSE: M4KQ) ("Great Thunder" or the "Company") is pleased to announce it has entered into an option agreement to acquire 106 claims totaling 2,650 hectares located 40 kilometres ("km") northeast of Deer Lake, NL (Figure 1). The Wigwam Property (the "Property") belongs to Kevin and Allan Keats. Both are prominent Newfoundland prospectors whose names are borne by the high-grade gold deposit, the 'Keats Zone', currently undergoing a 200,000 metre drill program by New Found Gold (TSXV: NFG).





Figure 1. Regional location of the Wigwam Property.

To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/7129/87054_c9375717e4375b32_002full.jpg

Under the terms of the option agreement, Great Thunder can acquire a 100% interest in the Wigwam claim group from the optionors by paying $150,000 and issuing 2,500,000 shares in four tranches over three years and granting a 3% net smelter returns royalty. The Company may repurchase half of the royalty at any time for $1,500,000. The Company will also pay a finder's fee of $4,500 and 75,000 shares in respect of the transaction. Access is deemed excellent through a network of logging roads.

Wigwam Claim Group

The Property lies along the Doucer's Valley Fault, a crustal scale fault zone that extends from the southwestern tip of Newfoundland 325km northeast to the Jackson's Arm-Sop's Arm mineral trend (Figure 2). The Rattling Brook Deposit located south of Jackson's Arm hosts resources of 255,000 ounces of gold at an average grade of 1.45 gpt Au. Historical exploration on the Wigwam property was for uranium in the early 1980's, however indications of extensive gold mineralization have been documented by government sponsored lake sediment sampling and coincident pristine gold grains in till samples collected by Altius Resources Inc between 2000 and 2003. Grab samples taken by Inco in 1989 returned gold values ranging from trace to 3.05 gpt Au and Westfield Minerals in 1979 had gold values ranging from trace to 17.89 gpt Au.





Figure 2. Wigwam property location along the Doucer's Valley Fault.

To view an enhanced version of Figure 2, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/7129/87054_c9375717e4375b32_003full.jpg

Commentary from the CEO

Blair Naughty, CEO of Great Thunder states: "We are extremely pleased to have signed an option agreement with such prominent prospectors of Newfoundland, Alan and Kevin of the Keats family. The Wigwam property represents Great Thunder's expansion in the Newfoundland exploration and discovery boom. We are very excited to commence our initial field work on this well-situated project."

Qualified Person

Mr. Mike Kilbourne, P. Geo, an independent qualified person as defined in National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed, and approved the technical contents of this news release on behalf of the Company.

The QP has not completed sufficient work to verify the historic information on the Wigwam property particularly regarding historical exploration, neighbouring companies, and government geological work. The information provides an indication of the exploration potential of the Property but may not be representative of expected results.

About Great Thunder Gold

Great Thunder Gold is a Canadian junior mining exploration company focused on mineral projects located in Quebec & Newfoundland, Canada.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors,

GREAT THUNDER GOLD CORP.

"Blair Naughty"

President & CEO

Investor Relations

Email: info@greatthundergold.com

Direct Line: (236) 513-4653

www.greatthundergold.com

Neither the CSE nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Statement

This news release may contain certain "forward-looking statements". Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions, and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of this news release 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.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/87054
Researchers present findings at EASL International Liver Congress 2021, June 23-26, 2021

Echosens, a high-technology company offering the FibroScan family of products, today announces the global launch of FibroScan-based Agile scores to easily detect advanced fibrosis and cirrhosis in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) patients, reduce the number of false positive cases compared to liver stiffness measurement by vibration controlled transient elastography (LSM by VCTE) alone, accurately predict liver complications and, in coming years, identify patients eligible for pharmaceutical treatments.

Learn more about myFibroScan here.

"Agile scores deliver a new level of value to the FibroScan solution by enhancing capabilities in the management of non-alcoholic fatty liver patients, improving early identification of those who are at risk and helping providers initiate the right intervention," says Dominique Legros, Group CEO, Echosens. "Agile scores also make it possible to more accurately predict liver complications and identify patients sooner for hepatocellular carcinoma and portal hypertension screening."

Currently available noninvasive tests, including FIB-4 and LSM by VCTE, are highly effective in excluding cirrhosis and advanced fibrosis, but their ability to rule them in is moderate. Agile 3+ can improve the identification of advanced fibrosis among patients with NAFLD and may reduce the necessity of liver biopsy in this patient population. Agile 4 improves the identification of cirrhotic patients and may reduce the need for liver biopsy for this diagnostic target, as well as identify patients for hepatocellular carcinoma and esophageal varices screening.

The worldwide prevalence of NAFLD is about 25%, with a close association with Type 2 diabetes, obesity and metabolic syndrome. The burden of this disease has increased 10% since 2005 in parallel to rising rates of obesity.

Jon Gingrich, CEO, Echosens North America: "Research demonstrates that broad deployment of VCTE devices, like FibroScan, is a financially advantageous solution to address the fatty liver disease (FLD) epidemic."

To learn more visit here.

About Echosens

Pioneer in its field, Echosens significantly changed the practice of liver assessment with FibroScan, the non-invasive solution for comprehensive management of liver health. FibroScan is recognized worldwide and validated by over 2,500 peer reviewed publications and 70 international guidelines. Echosens has made FibroScanavailable in over 100+ countries enabling millions of liver examinations worldwide. https://www.echosens.com/

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210609005524/en/

Contacts:

Media:

Brittany Tedesco

CPR Communications

btedesco@cpronline.com

201.641.1911 x 14
Open season on camping fun this summer

OKEMOS, MI / ACCESSWIRE / June 9, 2021 / As the number of vaccinated people rise and masks come off, RV dealers and campground owners are looking forward to a new season of fun in the summer sun, reports the Michigan Association of Recreation Vehicles and Campgrounds (MARVAC).

"When people go RVing and camping, in addition to getting fresh air, exercise, rest and relaxation, they are also helping revitalize the local community they are visiting," said Darren Ing, Director of MARVAC.

"We are up and running and looking forward to seeing everyone," said Betty Workman, owner of Vacation Trailer Park, Benzonia. A long-standing member with MARVAC, Workman and her team anticipate a great season with the return of many long-time campers and are ready to greet some new ones.

"We're a campground for everyone, from old to young," she said. That may explain why they enjoy so many returning families that often span generations. "Everyone gets along with everyone. Oldtimers love to show fishing techniques to younger anglers, and the kids are a breath of fresh air for others."

While the fishing is amazing at this destination, many people tell Workman the real reason they return year after year is the relationships they've made over the years. Workman is always happy to see the familiar families coming back and she is also excited about the new families that are discovering the fun of camping.

The campground continues to be conscientious about cleaning public areas, Workman said, but she doesn't anticipate any issues. "Camping has always been a naturally social-distance activity."

Workman recommends checking availability soon if looking to do some RVing or camping over the summer. The trick these days, she said, is to keep an open mind and be flexible with dates.

If you have an RV, this is either the time to hold onto it or to sell it. RVs are in high demand this year and it's a buyer's market, said Carl Kline, owner of Kline's RV Center, Warren. "We're expecting an even better year than last, and we were closed for six weeks," he said.

According to the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA), Michigan continues to be one of the top five states for RV deliveries. In 2020, 16,571 RVs were shipped to Michigan, 1,336 RVs were shipped in the first quarter (January-March) of the year. So far, in the first quarter of 2021, more than 5,270 RVs have been shipped to Michigan.

"It's great to see the level of enthusiasm for RVing continues to grow. Camping and RVing is a fantastic way for families to spend quality time together, enjoying the natural beauty of pure Michigan," said Ing.

For information on MARVAC-member dealers and campgrounds, visit www.marvac.org.

Celebrating 80 years, the Michigan Association of Recreation Vehicles and Campgrounds (MARVAC) is a statewide, nonprofit organization dedicated to encouraging growth in the recreation vehicle and private campground industries while contributing to the quality of Michigan tourism. For more information, visit MARVAC's website, www.marvac.org. MARVAC, 2222 Association Drive, Okemos, Mich. 48864-5978; 517.349.8881.

CONTACT:

Gretchen A. Monette

Agency: All Seasons Communications

Email: gmonette@allseasonscommunications.com

Phone: 586.752.6381

SOURCE: Michigan Association of Recreation Vehicles and Campgrounds

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/650894/MARVAC-Expects-Open-Season-on-Camping-Fun-This-Summer
The cybersecurity services and software company is moving its Nodeware SaaS platform and other IP to a wholly owned subsidiary focused on software sales and development solutions to accelerate growth

PITTSFORD, NY / ACCESSWIRE / June 9, 2021 / Infinite Group, Inc. (IGI) (OTCQB:IMCI) announces today that the company is creating a wholly owned subsidiary to support its Nodeware solution and continued software development: IGI CyberLabs. The company has named cybersecurity industry veteran Stuart Cohen as the new President of IGI CyberLabs.

IGI is sharing this news today as it showcases the company at the ChannelPro SMB Forum-Dallas, both in person and virtually.

IGI is the creator of the patented Nodeware Vulnerability Management Solution, its proprietary SaaS solution that was developed by IGI's own cybersecurity practitioners to provide complete network visibility and monitoring to help businesses lower their risk of a cyber attack. Nodeware is unique in the VM market, combining new device recognition with vulnerability scanning to enable businesses to easily monitor their network, identify security gaps, and access detailed reports in order to achieve security compliance-all while running silently in the background during normal business hours.

"Nodeware is a cost-effective vulnerability management solution tailored for the unique requirements of small and medium businesses," Cohen said. "This solution identifies devices and vulnerabilities on networks that are constantly under attack. And Nodeware's ability to scan during normal business hours without any disruption to the network is a game-changer, making it a must-have for business executives and owners who are concerned about their business continuity."

Cohen joined IGI to help bring Nodeware to a wider audience through a network of partners and to build out the portfolio of offerings for IGI CyberLabs. The new subsidiary is focused on providing solutions-like Nodeware-to SMBs that were previously only affordable or accessible to larger corporations that have CISOs and CIOs. With many small businesses concerned about cyber security risk, Nodeware helps bring a cost-effective security solution to this underserved segment of the market.

Cohen was the Founder of The Cybersecurity Collaborative and a former VP at the CyberRisk Alliance. He brings more than 35 years of industry experience in high tech, open source, and cybersecurity collaboration.

"Stuart brings strong cybersecurity leadership and decades of experience to his role as the new leader of Nodeware and IGI CyberLabs," said IGI President and COO Andrew Hoyen. "We are thrilled to be growing this division of IGI and continuing to bring new, essential cybersecurity solutions to the market."

Nodeware is sold directly and through the channel, including via Telarus Inc., SYNNEX Distribution, and Staples Business Solutions.

Learn more about Nodeware at www.nodeware.com or visit the company website at www.IGIcybersecurity.com. Email IR@igius.com for investment inquiries.

Safe Harbor Statement

This release contains forward-looking statements that are based upon current expectations or beliefs, as well as a number of assumptions about future events. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements and the assumptions upon which they are based are reasonable, we can give no assurance or guarantee that such expectations and assumptions will prove to have been correct. Forward-looking statements are generally identifiable by the use of words like "may," "will," "should," "could," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "believe," "intend," or "project" or the negative of these words or other variations on these words or comparable terminology. The reader is cautioned not to put undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, as these statements are subject to numerous factors and uncertainties, including but not limited to: the ability of our products and services to detect and prevent cybersecurity threats, our ability to maintain our listing on the OTCQB Market, our ability to maintain and expand our business partnerships, adverse economic conditions, competition, federal, state and local government regulation, international governmental regulation, inadequate capital, inability to carry out research, development and commercialization plans, loss or retirement of key executives and other specific risks, including those discussed under the heading "Risk Factors" in our Annual Reports and Quarterly Reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. To the extent that statements in this press release are not strictly historical, including statements as to revenue projections, business strategy, outlook, objectives, future milestones, plans, intentions, goals, future financial conditions, events conditioned on stockholder or other approval, or otherwise as to future events, such statements are forward-looking, and are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The forward-looking statements contained in this release are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the statements made. Readers are advised to review our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission that can be accessed over the Internet at the SEC's website located at http://www.sec.gov, as well as IMCI's website located at http://www.igicybersecurity.com.

About IGI

Headquartered in Rochester, NY with a remote workforce spanning across the United States, IGI Cybersecurity delivers people-driven cybersecurity for personalized, resilient cyber defense focused on individualized business strategy, enterprise-wide expertise and unshakeable partnership. We are The Cybersecurity People.

IGI is also the OEM of the Nodeware vulnerability management solution, an award-winning SaaS platform that continuously scans networks to identify critical vulnerabilities. Learn more at igicybersecurity.com and nodeware.com.

Media Contact

Megan Brandow, Director of Marketing

mbrandow@igius.com

(585) 727-0983

SOURCE: Infinite Group, Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/651069/IGI-Creates-Subsidiary-IGI-CyberLabs-Names-Stuart-Cohen-as-President
GaN Systems is the global leader in GaN power semiconductors with the most extensive transistors portfolio that uniquely addresses the needs of today's most demanding industries, including consumer electronics, data center servers, and power supplies, renewable energy systems, industrial motors, and automotive electronics. As an industry-leading innovator, GaN Systems makes possible the design of smaller, lower cost, more efficient power systems. The company's award-winning products provide system design opportunities free from the limitations of yesterday's silicon. By changing the transistor performance rules, GaN Systems enables power conversion companies to revolutionize their industries and transform the world.

OTTAWA, ON / ACCESSWIRE / June 9, 2021 / GaN Systems, the global leader in GaN (gallium nitride) power semiconductors, today announced it will showcase its most recent GaN-based solutions at the Applied Power Electronics Conference (APEC) 2021, taking place from June 14-17, 2021. The company will demonstrate new GaN Systems' solutions in mobile phone and laptop PC chargers, audio, electric vehicles and more, highlighting the technology's ability to meet the rapid growth of data and energy demands across key industries.

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.
Appoints Ty Minnick as Chief Financial Officer

VACAVILLE, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 9, 2021 / Athena Gold Corporation (OTCQB:AHNR) ("Athena" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that the Company has closed the first tranche of a non-brokered private placement offering (the "Offering") of units of the Company (each, a "Unit") at a price of CDN $0.08 per Unit. Each Unit consists of one common share in the capital stock of the Company and one common share purchase warrant, with each warrant entitling the holder thereof to purchase one common share in the capital stock of the Company at a price of CDN $0.15 until May 31, 2024.

In connection with the closing of the first tranche of the Offering, the Company has issued 6,250,000 Units for gross aggregate proceeds of CDN $500,000 of which $200,00 was purchased by affiliates of Athena. All securities issued in connection with the first tranche of the Offering are subject to applicable Canadian and United States hold periods. The Company has paid finder's fees on a portion of the Offering consisting of 7% cash and 7% broker warrants, each broker warrant entitling the holder thereof to purchase one common share in the capital stock of the Company at a price of CDN $0.15 until May 31, 2023.

Preliminary Prospectus and CSE Listing Application

On June 2, 2021, Athena filed a non-offering preliminary long form prospectus dated May 31, 2021 (the "Preliminary Prospectus") with the British Columbia Securities Commission for the purposes of becoming a reporting issuer in Canada pursuant to the securities legislation of the Province of British Columbia and to become eligible for listing and trading on the Canadian Securities Exchange (the "CSE"). The Preliminary Prospectus has been filed on the Company's SEDAR profile and may be viewed by shareholders and interested parties at www.sedar.com.

The Company has applied for the listing and trading of its common shares on the CSE and listing will be subject to the Company fulfilling all of the listing requirements of the CSE. As of the date hereof, the CSE has not conditionally approved the Company's listing application and there is no assurance that it will do so.

John Power, President and CEO of the Company said, "The closing of the first tranche of our Offering and CSE listing application are important milestones for Athena as we pursue our aggressive exploration plans on our flagship Excelsior Springs project in Nevada."

Appointment of Chief Financial Officer

Athena is also pleased to announce the appointment of Ty Minnick as the Company's Chief Financial Officer in May 2021. Mr. Minnick is the former Chief Financial Officer and Director of Finance and Administration since mid-2011 for Bullfrog Gold Corp. He is a CPA with more than 25 years of experience and will be a strong contributor to Athena as the Company advances its plans.

About Our Flagship Excelsior Springs Project

The Company's Excelsior Springs project is located in the prolific Walker-Lane tectonic zone, an area that has seen a recent resurgence with several important gold discoveries, new mines going into production and hosts a number of large historic gold mines.

Total gold production from the Walker-Lane tectonic zone has exceeded 20 million ounces ("Moz"), including notable deposits by Goldfields (5 Moz), Bullfrog (2 Moz), Tonopah (2 Moz), Mineral Ridge (1.5 Moz) and Comstock (8 Moz Au, 200 Moz Ag). Readers are cautioned that the Company has no interest in or right to acquire any interest in any of the above mentioned properties, other than the Excelsior Springs project, and that the mineral deposits, and the results of any mining thereof, on adjacent or similar properties are not indicative of mineral deposits on the Excelsior Springs project or any potential exploitation thereof.

From the mid-1980s through 2011, a number of exploration companies conducted drilling programs, primarily on the patented claims, that began to define the near-surface Buster Mine gold zone. Gold mineralization at the Excelsior Springs project occurs within an east-west trending zone that is 200 to 400m wide and at least 3 km long.

Gold mineralization discovered at the Excelsior Springs project to date occurs in quartz vein stock-works and silicified zones in hornfels and calc-silicate altered country rock and is generally close to porphyry dykes. The best mineralization (grade and thickness) is found in altered sediments immediately above porphyry dykes that have intruded along existing east- and east-northeast trending faults. The mineralized stock-work vein zones are shallow and have a relatively flat plunge, making them amenable to open pit mining methods.

Most historical exploration at the Excelsior Springs project has focused on a 2.5 km long section in the central part of the Buster zone where mineralization is at or near the surface. Surface mapping and an Induced Polarization (IP) geophysical survey conducted by Zonge International Inc. identified multiple zones of silicification that correlate well with the known mineralization. Many of the silicified zones defined by the IP (resistivity highs) surveys have not been tested by drilling and remain targets for future exploration.

A National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101") technical report dated January 29, 2021 and dated effective December 16, 2020, entitled "Technical Report for the Excelsior Springs Property Esmeralda County, Nevada, U.S.A." prepared by Ken Brook, RPG, was filed on SEDAR by the Company in connection with the filing of the Preliminary Prospectus.

Qualified Person

John Hiner, Licensed Geologist and Registered Member of SME (Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration), a qualified person as defined by NI 43-101, has reviewed the scientific and technical information that forms the basis of this news release and has approved the disclosure herein. Mr. Hiner is not independent of the Company as he is a director of the Company, and holds stock options in the Company.

About Athena Gold Corporation

The Company is engaged in the business of the acquisition and exploration of mineral resources and is currently focused on the exploration and development of precious metals properties in the Western United States.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors

John Power

Chief Executive Officer and President

Contact:

Phone: John Power, 707-291-6198

Email: info@athenagoldcorp.com

Cautionary Statement to U.S. Investors

This press release references NI 43-101, which differs from the requirements of U.S. securities laws. NI 43-101 is a rule developed by the Canadian Securities Administrators that establishes standards for all public disclosure an issuer makes of scientific and technical information concerning mineral projects.

The United States Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") permits mining companies, in their filings with the SEC, to disclose only those mineral deposits that a company can legally extract or produce. Pursuant to SEC Industry Guide 7 under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, a "final" or "bankable" feasibility study is required to report reserves. Currently Athena has not delineated "reserves" on any of its properties. Athena cannot be certain that any deposits at its properties will ever be confirmed or converted into SEC Industry Guide 7 or any successor rule or regulation compliant "reserves". Investors are cautioned not to assume that any part or all of the historic Buster Mine gold zone will ever be confirmed or converted into reserves or that it can be economically or legally extracted.

The SEC has adopted amendments to its disclosure rules to modernize the mineral property disclosure requirements for issuers whose securities are registered with the SEC under the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These amendments became effective February 25, 2019, with compliance required for the first fiscal year beginning on or after January 1, 2021, and historical property disclosure requirements for mining registrants that were included in SEC Industry Guide 7 will be rescinded from and after such date.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian and U.S. securities laws. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein including, without limitation, statements regarding the completion of the application to list the Company's common shares on the CSE, the Company becoming a reporting issuer in British Columbia, anticipated business plans and timing of future activities of the Company, are forward-looking statements. 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 typically identified by words such as: "believes", "will", "expects", "anticipates", "intends", "estimates", "plans", "may", "should", "potential", "scheduled", or variations of such words and phrases and similar expressions, which, by their nature, refer to future events or results that may, could, would, might or will occur or be taken or achieved. In making the forward-looking statements in this press release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including without limitation, that there will be investor interest in future financings, market fundamentals will result in sustained precious metals demand and prices, the receipt of any necessary permits, licenses and regulatory approvals in connection with the future exploration and development of the Company's projects in a timely manner, that the Company will obtain a receipt for its final long form prospectus, the availability of financing on suitable terms for the exploration and development of the Company's projects and the Company's ability to comply with environmental, health and safety laws.

The Company cautions investors that any forward-looking statements by the Company are not guarantees of future results or performance, and that actual results may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including, operating and technical difficulties in connection with mineral exploration and development activities, actual results of exploration activities, the estimation or realization of mineral reserves and mineral resources, the inability of the Company to obtain the necessary financing required to conduct its business and affairs, as currently contemplated, the timing and amount of estimated future production, the costs of production, capital expenditures, the costs and timing of the development of new deposits, requirements for additional capital, future prices of precious metals, changes in general economic conditions, changes in the financial markets and in the demand and market price for commodities, lack of investor interest in future financings, accidents, labour disputes and other risks of the mining industry, delays in obtaining governmental approvals, permits or financing or in the completion of development or construction activities, risks relating to epidemics or pandemics such as COVID-19, including the impact of COVID-19 on the Company's business, financial condition and results of operations, changes in laws, regulations and policies affecting mining operations, title disputes, the inability of the Company to obtain any necessary permits, consents, approvals or authorizations, including British Columbia Securities Commission and CSE approvals in connection with the filing of the Preliminary Prospectus and the CSE listing application, the timing and possible outcome of any pending litigation, environmental issues and liabilities, and other factors and risks that are discussed in the Company's periodic filings with the SEC and disclosed in the Preliminary Prospectus.

Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any of the forward-looking statements in this press release or incorporated by reference herein, except as otherwise required by law.

SOURCE: Athena Gold Corporation

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/651033/Athena-Gold-Closes-CDN-500000-First-Tranche-of-Private-Placement-and-Applies-for-Listing-on-the-Canadian-Stock-Exchange
The Doctor Will See You Nowand Vaccinate You
New Bioplastic Manufacturing Technology Substantially Lowers Cost of Entry for Conventional Packaging Producers

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 9, 2021 / Clean Vision Corporation (OTC PINK:CLNV), a holding company that acquires and operates sustainable clean tech and green energy businesses, today announced that its majority-owned subsidiary 100BIO has developed and unveiled a proprietary, upgraded process that enables manufacturers of food packaging and serving products to produce its certified compostable products utilizing their legacy, conventional (petroleum-based plastic) manufacturing equipment.

100BIO is a technology provider of stylish, sustainable, and eco-friendly food packaging products for the food services and packaging industries. With its latest technology breakthrough, it offers a sustainable material solution to those manufactures looking to upgrade from petroleum-based plastic and transition to a compostable (non-toxic, biodegradable) option without compromising quality, or production efficiency or cost. 100BIO will provide the specifications of its new process to credentialled food packaging industry manufacturers or its materials consulting firms under NDA.

"I'm excited that our new tech processes represent a pivotal breakthrough to our industry and greatly increases the value of our manufacturing process and its end products," said 100BIO President, Jea So. "Consumer awareness of, and demand for, certified-compostable, single-use food packaging and serving products is growing daily. Manufacturers and consumers both want eco-friendly products, while the primary resistance we've encountered has been from manufacturers over the cost of production and transitioning from their conventional plastics production processes. This breakthrough effectively solves that for practical intents and purposes."

100BIO Bioplastic Technology Background

In general, the use of polylactid acid (PLA) as a bioplastic material requires less or no mechanical characteristic production processes in comparison to petroleum-based plastic, as well as far less reliance on thermal controls or considerations. Although PLA was initially used only in high-end products, increasing manufacturing efficiencies and rapidly growing market demand for eco-friendly vs. plastic materials in single-use packaging is leading to its widespread adoption.

In order to improve its compostable products' tensile strength and thermal properties, 100BIO has discovered several more commonly used cross-linking agents and plasticizers to complement a wider range of extrusion and injection molding applications. This produces a new compound that enables various plastics manufacturers, not just of rigid packaging, to accommodate 100BIO's resin composition without the additional capital expense of new or modified equipment. As a result, this new development can improve the elongation rate of foam in order to maximize sufficient cell-forming. Although the final product looks and feels like Styrofoam it is completely compostable and non-toxic, with great insulating properties.

"Single-use plastics are a growing, global scourge," Ms. So added. "100BIO has been investing for years into upgraded production of our certified-compostable single-use products on legacy, conventional plastics manufacturing equipment to bring our costs in line with that of plastics. With today's announcement, I confident we've reached the inflection point where consumer demand and eco-friendly manufacturing economics successfully intersect."

About 100BIO, LLC

100BIO has created the world's first 100% biodegradable foam for the food services and packaging industries. It has developed a proprietary solution for the creation and manufacturing of compostable single-use food packing and serving solutions to meet the needs of specific customer requirements.

Located in Southern California, 100BIO licenses its technology to manufacturers across the broad spectrum of the packaging industry. 100BIO was founded in 2016 and has been delivering its products and services to customers in the growing bioplastic packaging sector ever since. Its patented technology has secured composting certifications in the US, EU, and Asia and it continues to develop new technologies and solutions to drive its business globally. For more information go to: onehundredbio.com.

About Clean Vision Corporation

Clean Vision is a public company that acquires, manages, and operates a portfolio of synergistic companies in the clean technology and green energy sectors.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release may include forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements related to anticipated revenues, expenses, earnings, operating cash flows, the outlook for markets and the demand for products. Forward-looking statements are no guarantees of future performance and are inherently subject to uncertainties and other factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements. Such statements are based upon, among other things, assumptions made by, and information currently available to, management, including management's own knowledge and assessment of the Company's industry and competition. The Company assumes no duty to update its forward-looking statements.

Company Contact

100BIO

Jea So

Tel: 310.985.4025

E: jea@onehundredbio.com

Clean Vision

Dan Bates, CEO

d.bates@cleanvisioncorp.com

Investors

Frank Benedetto

Tel: 619.915.9422

Twitter: @CleanVisionCorp

SOURCE: Clean Vision Corporation

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/650974/Clean-Visions-Subsidiary-100Bio-Unveils-Breakthrough-Tech-Solution-to-Compostable-Food-Package-Manufacturing
Howden Group, a leading global provider of mission critical air and gas handling products, technologies and services, has reached an agreement to acquire Fancraft (Pty) Ltd.

Established in 1989 by Andries Gouws and based in Sasolburg, South Africa, Fancraft is an independent aftermarket services company focused on the maintenance, repair and installation of air gas handling equipment and turbomachinery.

The combination of Fancraft with Howden's South African business allows Howden to expand its aftermarket service capabilities, while providing Fancraft customers with access to Howden's network of technologies and global experts. The acquisition will also accelerate the growth of Howden's compressors and turbines aftermarket services business and broaden its footprint in Southern Africa. The strong fit between the companies is underscored by the fact that Fancraft has operated as a qualified service agent for Thomassen compressors and Peter Brotherhood steam turbines, which are both product brands owned by Howden.

Ross Shuster, CEO of Howden, comments: "We are pleased to welcome the Fancraft team to Howden. This acquisition is well aligned with Howden's strategy to aggressively expand the aftermarket services we provide to our customers globally. Fancraft already has strong experience with a variety of Howden technologies, including Thomassen compressors, and also steam turbines from Peter Brotherhood, a company which Howden recently acquired, demonstrating the natural fit of Fancraft within the Howden family."

Andries Gouws, founder of Fancraft said: "This deal represents great news for our customers, giving them direct access to the skills and technology of Howden, and the wider global access to services and spares that comes through this network. Fancraft has an established track record of working with Howden, and we are excited by the opportunities this combination brings to our team and our customers across the Southern Africa region."

Howden is focused on helping customers increase the efficiency and effectiveness of their air and gas handling processes enabling them to make sustainable improvements in their environmental impact. Howden Africa designs, manufactures and supplies products, solutions and services for a diverse range of industries including mining and a variety of industrial services in the region.

The Fancraft acquisition agreement follows three other acquisitions made by Howden in 2021: Balcke-Durr Rothemuhle GmBH in Germany; Peter Brotherhood in the U.K.; and Maintenance Partners NV in Belgium.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210609005520/en/

Contacts:

Devan LaBrash

Pagoda PR

howden@pagodapr.com

+44 (0) 7741 614 756
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 9, 2021) - Peekaboo Beans Inc. (CSE: BEAN) (OTC Pink: PBBSF) ("PK Beans" or the "Company") is pleased to share an update on the Company's sales reporting promising growth year over year for May.

PK Beans saw an overall 45% increase in revenue for May; reflected by a 12% increase in online store conversion rate, 18% increase in average order value, and 24% increase in total orders. Another revenue stream showing traction and growth for the Company was PK Bean's new presence on Faire, an online wholesale marketplace. May 2021 was the Company's most profitable month on Faire marketplace to date.



The Company's sustainability program consisting of reselling and repurposing product from previous seasons, continues to grow in supply and demand, providing a strong margin for the company while supporting their efforts of sustainability and keeping textiles out of landfills. The Company continues to see positive ROA and customer loyalty with a 73% returning customer rate and has strategized their marketing and ad-spend budget to grow a wider customer base across Canada and the US. The Company is pleased to report steady growth in the US through both wholesale opportunities on Faire and directly to customers.

About Peekaboo Beans Inc.

PK Beans is an integrated and innovative children's wellness brand. From sustainable clothing options that kids love to wear, to healthy foods that fuel children's play, our mission is to provide the ingredients for a playful life. Together with our monthly adventure subscription box, consisting of interactive and engaging activities that educate and entertain, developed by an Emmy award-winning child psychologist and devoted kid-experts, our goal is to enrich, empower and nourish children through quality nutrition, clothing and play - every day. The company maximizes revenue by reaching sellers and online retailers through an omnichannel approach.

To learn more about PK Beans, visit: www.pkbeans.com

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

Peekaboo Beans Inc.

Ms. Traci Costa, President and CEO

(604) 279-2326

For more information, please contact the Company at:

IR@pkbeans.com

1-604-279-2326

Reader Advisory

This news release may include forward-looking information that is subject to risks and uncertainties. All statements within, other than statements of historical fact, are to be considered forward-looking. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking information are based on reasonable assumptions, such information is not a guarantee of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking information include, but are 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 its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/87042
Company Achieves 11th Consecutive Quarter of Profitability

 Record revenues (Q1 '22) of $2,639,402, an increase of 259% compared to revenues of $734,764 in the year-ago quarter, and a 35% improvement on revenues of $1,951,406 in the prior (Q4 '21) quarter

 Net income of $127,872 versus net income of $52,158 in Q4 '21

 Adjusted EBITDA of $663,311, when excluding interest expense, interest income, amortization expense and stock-based compensation expense*

 Cash and cash equivalents of $11,750,489, and total assets of $15,162,029, as of April 30, 2021

 Total current liabilities of $1,241,070, and no long-term liabilities as of April 30, 2021

 Company acquires fully functional seamless aggregation platform, which positions GMGI for entry into multiple new markets with gaming operators worldwide

LAS VEGAS, NV / ACCESSWIRE / June 9, 2021 / Golden Matrix Group Inc. (OTC PINK:GMGI), a developer and licensor of online gaming platforms, systems and gaming content, today reported that it achieved record revenues exceeding $2.6 million and its eleventh consecutive quarter of profitability in the first fiscal quarter ended April 30, 2021.

The Company said acceleration in total Q1 revenues was a result of strong revenue contributions from non-related-party distributors, which also accounted for an increase in cost of goods sold and a decrease in gross profit margin. According to CEO Anthony Brian Goodman, "This is a highly scalable business and we expect the margins to improve over time due to cost optimization and the deployment of the new fully functional seamless aggregation platform."

Mr. Goodman noted, "GMGI's strong recurring quarterly results and solid balance sheet - with almost $12 million in cash and cash equivalents - has distinguished the Company from many of the other emerging companies in the gaming space. Whereas revenues thus far have resulted primarily from licensing fees received from gaming operators located in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region, we have begun to pursue opportunities in new vertical markets that we believe can vastly expand our user base and extend GMGI's global footprint."

"We are extremely excited about these new opportunities for the Golden Matrix brand as we continue to grow our core business. We expect them to make meaningful contributions to revenues and profits during this calendar year and beyond. With the Company's growing financial strength, we continue to evaluate additional partnerships and potential acquisitions that we expect to further accelerate overall growth," added Mr. Goodman.

For additional information on Golden Matrix's Q1 2022 performance, please refer to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for Q1 2022, which can be found at https://www.otcmarkets.com/stock/GMGI/disclosure or www.sec.gov.

A summary of the Company's performance and highlights can be found at www.goldenmatrix.com/highlights.

* Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP financial measure. See also "Non-GAAP Financial Measures" and "Reconciliation of Net Income attributable to Golden Matrix Group Inc., to Adjusted Earnings excluding Interest Expense, Interest Income, Amortization Expense and Stock-based Compensation Expense" included at the end of this release.

About Golden Matrix

Golden Matrix Group, based in Las Vegas NV, is an established gaming technology company that develops and owns online gaming IP and builds configurable and scalable white-label social gaming platforms for its international customers, located primarily in the Asia Pacific region. The gaming IP includes tools for marketing, acquisition, retention and monetization of users. The Company's platform can be accessed through both desktop and mobile applications.

Our sophisticated software automatically declines any gaming or redemption requests from within the United States, in strict compliance with current US law.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements made in this press release contain forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws ("forward-looking statements"). These forward-looking statements represent the Company's current expectations or beliefs concerning future events and can generally be identified using statements that include words such as "estimate," "expects," "project," "believe," "anticipate," "intend," "plan," "foresee," "forecast," "likely," "will," "target" or similar words or phrases. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are outside of the Company's control which could cause actual results to differ materially from the results expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Company; the need for additional financing, the terms of such financing and the availability of such financing; the ability of the Company to manage growth; disruptions caused by acquisitions; the Company's reliance on its management; the fact that the Company's chief executive officer has voting control over the Company; related party relationships; the potential effect of economic downturns and market conditions on the Company's operations and prospects; the Company's ability to protect proprietary information; the ability of the Company to compete in its market; the Company's lack of effective internal controls; dilution caused by efforts to obtain additional financing; the effect of future regulation, the Company's ability to comply with regulations and potential penalties in the event it fails to comply with such regulations; the risks associated with gaming fraud, user cheating and cyber-attacks; risks associated with systems failures and failures of technology and infrastructure on which the Company's programs rely; foreign exchange and currency risks; the outcome of contingencies, including legal proceedings in the normal course of business; the ability to compete against existing and new competitors; the ability to manage expenses associated with sales and marketing and necessary general and administrative and technology investments; and general consumer sentiment and economic conditions that may affect levels of discretionary customer purchases of the Company's products. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any of the forward-looking statements, whether because of new information, future events or otherwise, made in this release or in any of its Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings. Consequently, you should not consider any such list to be a complete set of all potential risks and uncertainties. More information on potential factors that could affect the Company's financial results is included from time to time in the "Forward-Looking Statements," "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" sections of the Company's periodic and current filings with the SEC, including the Form 10-Qs and Form 10-Ks, filed with the SEC and available at www.sec.gov. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise that occur after that date, except as otherwise provided by law.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

Adjusted EBITDA, which is disclosed below, is a "non-GAAP financial measure" presented as a supplemental measure of the Company's performance. Adjusted EBITDA is not presented in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States, or GAAP. Adjusted EBITDA represents net income before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization and stock-based compensation. Adjusted EBITDA is presented because we believe it provides additional useful information to investors due to the various noncash items during the period. Adjusted EBITDA is not recognized in accordance with GAAP, is unaudited, and has limitations as an analytical tool, and you should not consider it in isolation, or as substitutes for analysis of the Company's results as reported under GAAP. Some of these limitations are: Adjusted EBITDA does not reflect cash expenditures, or future requirements for capital expenditures, or contractual commitments; Adjusted EBITDA does not reflect changes in, or cash requirements for, working capital needs; Adjusted EBITDA does not reflect the significant interest expense, or the cash requirements necessary to service interest or principal payments, on debt or cash income tax payments; although depreciation and amortization are noncash charges, the assets being depreciated and amortized will often have to be replaced in the future, and Adjusted EBITDA does not reflect any cash requirements for such replacements; and other companies in this industry may calculate Adjusted EBITDA differently than the Company does, limiting its usefulness as a comparative measure. The Company's presentation of these measures should not be construed as an inference that future results will be unaffected by unusual or nonrecurring items. For more information on these non-GAAP financial measures, please see the section titled "Reconciliation of Net Income attributable to Golden Matrix Group Inc., to Adjusted Earnings excluding Interest Expense, Interest Income, Amortization Expense and Stock-based Compensation Expense" included at the end of this release.

Connect with us:

Twitter - https://twitter.com/GMGI_Group

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/goldenmatrixgroup/"

Golden Matrix Group

Contact: Scott Yan

info@goldenmatrix.com

www.goldenmatrix.com

TABLES

Reconciliation of Net Income attributable to Golden Matrix Group Inc., to Adjusted Earnings excluding Interest Expense, Interest Income, Amortization Expense and Stock-based Compensation Expense



Three Months Ended April 30,

2021 Three Months

Ended April 30,

2020 GAAP Net Income $ 127,872 $ 229,739 + Interest Expense - $ 6,151 - Interest Income $ (40 ) $ (1,296 ) + Amortization Expense $ 9,526 - + Stock-based Compensation Expense $ 525,953 $ 328,056 Non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA $ 663,311 $ 562,650

Golden Matrix Group, Inc.

Consolidated Balance Sheets



As of

April 30,

2021

(Unaudited) As of

January 31,

2021

(Audited) ASSETS Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents 11,750,489 11,706,349 Account receivable, net 2,066,972 1,040,410 Account receivable - related parties 1,126,793 656,805 Prepaid expenses 53,301 410,983 Total current assets 14,997,555 13,814,547 Non-current assets Intangible assets 164,474 - Total non-current assets 164,474 - Total assets 15,162,029 13,814,547 LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY Current liabilities: Accounts payable and accrued liabilities 914,025 78,913 Accounts payable - related parties 316,821 208,521 Advances from shareholders 101 99 Accrued interest 123 123 Consideration payable - related party - 115,314 Customer deposit 10,000 149,640 Total current liabilities 1,241,070 552,610 Total liabilities 1,241,070 552,610 Shareholder's equity: Preferred stock, Series A: $0.00001 par value; 19,999,000 shares authorized, none outstanding - - Preferred stock, Series B: $0.00001 par value, 1,000 shares authorized,1,000 and 1,000 shares issued and outstanding, respectively - - Common stock: $0.00001 par value; 40,000,000 and 40,000,000 shares authorized; 23,289,273 and 22,741,665 shares issued and outstanding respectively 233 227 Additional paid-in capital 38,859,526 38,320,729 Stock payable 6,000 7,420 Stock payable - related parties - 7,420 Accumulated other comprehensive loss 209 (978 ) Accumulated deficit (24,945,009 ) (25,072,881 ) Total shareholders' equity 13,920,959 13,261,937 Total liabilities and shareholders' equity 15,162,029 13,814,547

GOLDEN MATRIX GROUP. INC.

Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss)

Unaudited



Three Months

Ended

April 30,

2021 Three Months

Ended

April 30,

2020 Revenues 1,969,414 203,199 Revenues - related party 669,988 531,565 Cost of goods sold (1,493,043 ) (31,496 ) Gross profit 1,146,359 703,268 Costs and expenses: G&A expense 327,711 110,640 G&A expense- related party 562,344 337,646 Professional fees 93,607 20,388 Research and development expense 21,218 - Total operating expenses 1,004,880 468,674 Gain from operations 141,479 234,594 Other income (expense): Interest expense - (6,151 ) Interest Earned 40 1,296 Foreign exchange loss (13,647 ) - Total other income (expense) (13,607 ) (4,855 ) Net income 127,872 229,739 Other comprehensive income (loss) Foreign currency translation adjustment 1,187 - Total comprehensive income (loss) 129,059 229,739 Net earnings (loss) per common share - basic 0.01 0.01 Net earnings (loss) per common share - diluted - 0.01 Weighted average number of common shares outstanding - basic 22,939,379 18,968,792 Weighted average number of common shares outstanding - diluted 34,938,942 28,136,963

SOURCE: Golden Matrix Group Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/651030/Golden-Matrix-Reports-Record-Revenues-for-First-Fiscal-Quarter-Ended-April-30-2021
CHICAGO, June 9, 2021 PRNewswire/ -- According to a research report "Exoskeleton Market with COVID-19 Impact by Type (Powered, Passive), Component (Hardware, Software), Mobility, Body Part (Lower Extremities, Upper Extremities, Full Body), Vertical (Healthcare, Defense, Industrial) and Region - Global Forecast to 2026", published by MarketsandMarkets, the Exoskeleton Market is valued at USD 499 million in 2021 and is projected to reach USD 3,340 million by 2026; it is expected to grow at a CAGR of 46.2% from 2021 to 2026.

Ask for PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=40697797

Factors such as the increasing adoption of human augmentation in industrial and military sectors, the introduction of soft actuators, and growing insurance coverage for exoskeletons are likely to provide opportunities for market growth.

The exoskeleton market includes major Tier I and II players like Ottobock (Germany), DIH Medical (China), CYBERDYNE (Japan), Ekso Bionics. (US), Lockheed Martin Corporation (US) and others. These players have a strong market presence for exoskeleton across various countries in North America, Europe, APAC, and RoW.

Increasing adoption of human augmentation equipment in industrial and military sectors

Many companies are enhancing their facilities using exoskeletons. Also, with the evolution across industrial and military sectors, the need for automation is also increasing; hence, manufacturers are focusing on developing prototypes that can adapt to the real-time need for exoskeletons. Thus, the intensifying need for human augmentation in industrial and military sectors creates opportunities for the growth of the exoskeleton market.

Powered exoskeleton segment is expected to grow at the highest rate during the forecast period

Powered exoskeletons accounted for the larger share of the overall exoskeleton market in 2020. The high cost of powered exoskeletons leads to a higher market share of the technology compared to passive exoskeletons. At present, powered exoskeletons are mainly used in the healthcare vertical to assist people with disabilities, but with the introduction of cost-efficient systems and because of their additional benefits over the passive ones, powered exoskeletons will find their applications in several new verticals, ultimately resulting in the high growth of the segment during the forecast period.

Healthcare vertical to hold the largest market size of exoskeleton market during the forecast period

Exoskeletons are being widely deployed at rehabilitation centers for therapies to assist people with disabilities; owing to this, the healthcare segment accounted for the largest share of the exoskeleton market in 2020. Over the last few years, there have been major developments in this field, giving hope to people with spinal cord injuries, neurological disorders, and strokes. The use of these devices during rehabilitation is growing, and their benefits are becoming more widely recognized. Moreover, the increasing usage approvals for exoskeletons in the medical industry have encouraged companies to invest more in the research and development of exoskeletons.

Browse in-depth TOC on "Exoskeleton Market"

125 - Tables

49 - Figures

201 - Pages

Inquiry Before Buying: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Enquiry_Before_BuyingNew.asp?id=40697797

Exoskeleton market in North America to hold the highest market share during the forecast period

North America is a major regional market for exoskeletons. The growth of the market can be attributed to the presence of major players, their subsidiaries, distributors, and resellers in this region. Growing demand from the healthcare sector for rehabilitation, advancements in robotic technologies, and huge investments made for the development of exoskeleton technology is boosting the demand for exoskeletons in North America.

Ottobock (Germany), DIH Medical (China), CYBERDYNE (Japan), Ekso Bionics. (US), Lockheed Martin Corporation (US), ATOUN. (Japan), BIONIK (Canada), B-Temia (Canada), MediTouch (Israel), ReWalk Robotics (US), Daiya Industry (Japan), Europe Technologies (France), Exhauss (France), Focal Meditech BV (Netherlands), Fourier Intelligence (China), Gogoa Mobility (Spain), Honda Motor Co (Japan), Hyundai Motors (South Korea), Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (Japan), Myomo (US), Parker Hannifin (US), P&S Mechanics (South Korea), Rex Bionics (UK), suitX (US) and Wandercraft (France) are some of the key players in the exoskeleton market.

Related Reports:

Collaborative Robot Market (Cobot) by Payload, Component (End Effectors, Controllers), Application (Handling, Assembling & Disassembling, Dispensing, Processing), Industry (Electronics, Furniture & Equipment), and Geography - Global Forecast to 2026

Industrial Robotics Market by Type (Articulated Robots, Collaborative Robots), Application (Handling, Processing, Dispensing), Industry (Automotive, Electrical & Electronics, Metals & Machinery, Food & Beverages) and Geography - Global Forecast to 2024

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Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 9, 2021) -Boosh Plant-Based Brands Inc. (CSE: VEGI) ("Boosh" or the "Company") announces the start of its digital and television commercial campaign promotion. Both digital and television commercials will begin airing today, June 9th, with the television commercials running during news segments on Global TV in BC, Ontario and Quebec. The digital commercials can be seen on social media platforms.

The campaign consists of both 30 second and 15 second variations of the commercials for greater frequency and impact, as well as rotating tags of various retailers. Click below to see an example of one of our commercials.





Cannot view this video? Visit:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZI-rwaIF8U

Boosh anticipates in the fall, a more comprehensive campaign will run on lifestyle channels similar to HQTV and Food Network Canada.

In December, 2020, the Company leased an 8,500 sq ft multi-use facility which, when completed, will include a multi-media studio kitchen. The Company is in the final stages of completion and expects the studio kitchen to be operational by July 15th. The kitchen will include commercial grade camera and supporting equipment, as well as state-of-the-art lighting and broadcasting equipment to produce both pre-recorded and live content to be distributed through social media platforms.

The Company will utilize the studio for educational purposes about living a plant-based life and is currently scheduling interviews with successful vegan athletes, industry experts and other plant-based food producers.

In other news, the Company has entered into an online marketing with Agora Internet Relations Corp. The term of the agreement is for one year. As consideration for such services, Boosh will issue stock equaling a total of $100,000 to be valued at the end of each quarter with the first issuance of 17,094 common shares with an aggregate value of $20,000 occurring immediately for set up and creation of a custom HUB, and $20,000 in shares every three months thereafter. All securities issuable thereunder will be subject to a four month hold period in accordance with the policies of the CSE. The Company has also entered into a marketing agreement with Amherst Baer Consultancy Corporation ("ABCC") to provide video interviews, copywrite creation, and digital media buying. The agreement has a three-month term and the total aggregate cost is $100,000.

The Company has entered into an episode and branding contract dated June 4, 2021 with Milky Way Marketing Inc. to provide advertising services including BTV episodes over a six month term for aggregate consideration of $94,690. The Company entered into an advertising agreement dated June 2, 2021 with Gold Standard Media, LLC ("Gold Standard") on June 2nd for a one (1) year term with an aggregate cost equaling $650,000. Finally, the Company entered into a market maker service agreement with Venture Liquidity Providers, Inc. (VLP) to provide market making activities over a three-month period, which automatically renews every month thereafter until terminated in accordance with the terms of the agreement. The compensation payable to VLP is $5,000 per month plus applicable taxes.

On behalf of the Board of Directors

James Pakulis

Chief Executive Officer

Telephone: (833) 882-6674

Investor Relations

Contact - Edge Communications Group

Email: invest@booshfood.com

Telephone: (236) 237-1315

About Boosh Plant-Based Brands Inc.:

Boosh Plant-Based Brands Inc., through its wholly owned subsidiary, Boosh Food, is the gateway to experience high quality, non-GMO, gluten free, 100% plant-based nutritional comfort foods for the whole family. We currently offer six frozen meals which are sold throughout Canada, and in the summer will be expanding our meals to include three refrigerated products. Boosh, good for you and good for planet earth.

The information in this news release includes certain information and statements about management's view of future events, expectations, plans and prospects that constitute forward looking statements. These statements are based upon assumptions that are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Because of these risks and uncertainties and as a result of a variety of factors, the actual results, expectations, achievements or performance may differ materially from those anticipated and indicated by these forward looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, the Company's proposed use of the proceeds of its initial public offering. Any number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements as well as future results. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in forward looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurances that the expectations of any forward looking statements will prove to be correct. Except as required by law, the Company disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward looking statements to reflect actual results, whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in assumptions, changes in factors affecting such forward looking statements or otherwise.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/87049
LAS VEGAS, NV / ACCESSWIRE / June 9, 2021 / Tego Cyber Inc. (OTCQB:TGCB), an emerging developer of proactive cyber threat intelligence applications and solutions, today announced that Shannon Wilkinson, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of Tego Cyber, will be a guest today, June 9, 2021, on Bloomberg Radio at approximately 10:30 a.m. EST with Paul T. Sweeney and Matt Miller. Mrs. Wilkinson will be discussing the Company's technology and its Tego Threat Intelligence Platform as well as the rise in cyber and ransomware attacks around the country. Bloomberg Markets AM Radio is on weekdays from 10am-12pm EST.

Paul Sweeney and Matt Miller focus on market coverage as Wall Street begins its day, with analysis from Bloomberg Opinion writers, Bloomberg Intelligence analysts, and influential newsmakers.

To listen to the interview please go to: https://www.bloombergradio.com/shows/bloomberg-markets-am/

The Tego Threat Intelligence Platform takes in vetted and curated threat data and after utilizing a proprietary process, the platform compiles, analyzes, and then delivers that data to an enterprise network in a format that is timely, informative, and relevant. The threat data provides additional context including specific details needed to identify and counteract threats so that security teams can spend less time searching for disparate information.

The Tego Cyber Threat Intelligence Platform provides context on threats in the customer's environment through its integrated, aggregated real-time threat feed. In today's world, real-time updates in addition to context are crucial as threat vectors are changing constantly.

About Tego Cyber Inc.

Tego Cyber Inc. (OTCQB:TGCB, "the Company") was created to capitalize on the emerging cyber threat intelligence market. The Company has developed a cyber threat intelligence application that integrates with top end security platforms to gather, analyze, then proactively identify threats to an enterprise network. The Tego Threat Intelligence Platform (TTIP) takes in vetted and curated threat data and after utilizing a proprietary process, the platform compiles, analyzes, and then delivers that data to an enterprise network in a format that is timely, informative, and relevant. The threat data provides additional context including specific details needed to identify and counteract threats so that security teams can spend less time searching for disparate information. The first version of the TTIP will integrate with the widely accepted SPLUNK platform to provide real-time threat intelligence to macro enterprises using the SPLUNK architecture. The Company plans on developing future versions of the TTIP for integration with other established SIEM systems and platforms including: Elastic, IBM QRadar, AT&T Cybersecurity, Exabeam, and Google Chronical. For more information, please visit www.tegocyber.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

The statements contained in this press release, those which are not purely historical or which depend upon future events, may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Statements regarding the Company's expectations, hopes, beliefs, intentions or strategies regarding the future constitute forward-looking statements. Prospective investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties, and that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements because of various factors. All forward-looking statements included in this press release are based on information available to the Company on the date hereof and the Company assumes no obligation to update any such forward-looking statement. Prospective investors should also consult the risks factors described from time to time in the Company's Reports on Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K and Annual Reports to Shareholders.

CONTACT:

Tego Cyber Inc.

8565 S Eastern Avenue, Suite 150

Las Vegas, Nevada 89123

USA

Tel: 855-939-0100 (North America)

Tel: 725-726-7840 x 705 (Europe)

Email: info@tegocyber.com

Web: tegocyber.com

Facebook: facebook.com/tegocyber

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/tegocyber

Twitter: twitter.com/tegocyber

Investor Relations:

Crescendo Communications, LLC

Tel: 212-671-1020

Email: TGCB@crescendo-ir.com

SOURCE: Tego Cyber Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/651108/Tego-Cyber-Inc-CEO-Shannon-Wilkinson-to-be-Featured-Today-on-Bloomberg-Radio
GURUGRAM, India, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --

The demand for the pharmaceutical products increased in Saudi Arabia during the COVID pandemic but due to the restrictions on travel & trade the market witnessed delayed deliveries

during the COVID pandemic but due to the restrictions on travel & trade the market witnessed delayed deliveries The freight forwarding market is anticipated to grow with a CAGR of 11.4% and the warehousing market with a CAGR of 9.6% during the forecast period 2019-2025F

Local manufacturing of pharma products is leading to an increased demand for the logistics services in Saudi Arabia

Saudi's Vision 2030 & National Transformation Program (NTP): The Government of Saudi Arabia seeks to expand the private sector's role in providing healthcare services under Vision 2030 and the National Transformation Program. Vision 2030 & National Transformation Program (NTP) include plans to expand the privatization of government services, incorporate health IT and digital records, double the number of qualified Saudi nurses by 2020, and increase the number of licensed medical facilities from 40 to 100 by 2020. The Kingdom is focusing on developing new sources of competitiveness to meet its goal of substituting imports in critical segments to avoid potential shortages. It aims to increase the local cluster value add while also transitioning into more complex products with the objective of becoming a leading manufacturer and innovator in the MENA region.

Infrastructure and Technological advancements in transportation and warehousing segments: Government of KSA is taking initiatives for development of economic zones and logistics centers to accommodate the increasing demand of freight forwarding owning to economic diversification & Vision 2030. KSA government aims to aggressively drive and position 50 islands and 100 miles of Red Sea as a global tourist destination. Expansion of Red Sea corridor in Jeddah, the minerals hub in Yanbu, King Abdullah port and NEOM project are also expected to drive the freight forwarding industry.

Government Investment: Saudi Arabian government is investing to improve its port infrastructure that envisages using innovative technological solutions to also automate processes & activities. Companies have started adopting technologies such as WMS, RFID and others to have an edge over other players in the logistics industry.

The report titled "Saudi Arabia Pharmaceutical Logistics Market Outlook to 2025: Driven by rising demand for a variety of drugs as a result of increasing cases of chronic and lifestyle-related diseases" by Ken Research suggested that the pharma logistics market is further expected to grow in the near future as pharma companies have started manufacturing or assembling the pharma products within the country. The rising demand for a variety of drugs as a result of increasing cases of chronic and lifestyle-related diseases is also a crucial factor that will drive the market growth. Pharma Sales is expected to grow at a double digit CAGR till 2025, signaling increasing pharmaceutical imports and production. The government is also diverting the funds towards creating a robust healthcare infrastructure by building new hospitals which would further lead to an increase in the demand for the logistics services. The market is expected to register a positive CAGR of 10.2% in terms of revenue during the forecast period of 2019-2025F.

Key Segments Covered in KSA Pharma Logistics Market:-

By Service Mix

Freight Forwarding



Warehousing



Value Added Services

KSA Pharma Freight Forwarding Market

By Mode of Freight



Road Freight





Air Freight





Sea Freigh



By Type of Transport



Domestic Freight





International Freight



By 3PL & Integrated Logistics



3PL Logistics





Integrated Logistics



By Type of Delivery



Normal Delivery





Express Delivery



By Flow Corridor



Middle East





European Countries





Asian Countries





Others ( North America , South America & Africa Region)

, & Africa Region) KSA Pharma Warehousing Market

By 3PL & Integrated Logistics



3PL Logistics





Integrated Logistics



By Cities



Jeddah





Riyadh





Dammam





Others

By Type of Warehouse

Ambient



Cold Storage

Key Target Audience:-

International Domestic Freight Forwarders

Warehousing Companies

Logistics Companies

Logistics Consultants

Pharmaceutical Dealers and Distributors

Ministry of Health

Time Period Captured in the Report:-

Historical Period: 2014-2019

2014-2019 Forecast Period: 2019-2025

Companies Covered:-

Mosanada Logistics

Oriental Commercial & Shipping Co.

Hala Shipping Services

Gulf System

Abdui Global

Four Winds

KWE Transport

Arabian Transport Co.

SITCO Logistics

Takhzeen Logistics

Agility Logistics

BAFCO International

Wolf Transport

GAC Logistics

JAS Logistics

3 Camel Logistics

Motion Supply Chain

Uniworld Logistics

NTF Logistics

Kerry Logistics

Kamer Logistics

Tranzone Logistics

Starlinks

RIADCO Logistics

Pharma Companies Covered:

Pfizer

Jamjoom Pharma

GSK

Hikma Pharma

Saja Pharma (Tamer Group)

Key Topics Covered in the Report:-

Saudi Arabia Overview and Major Economic & Logistics Zones

Healthcare Infrastructure

Government Initiatives

Economic zones in Saudi Arabia

Logistics Parks in Saudi Arabia

Cross Comparison of Pharma Logistics Market with GCC Countries

Saudi Arabia Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Clusters

End-User Analysis (Pharma)

Saudi Arabia Pharma Logistics Market

Saudi Arabia Pharma Freight Forwarding Market

Saudi Arabia Pharma Warehousing Market

Industry Analysis (SWOT Analysis, Trade Scenario, Regulations for Import & Export)

Covid-19 Impact on the Pharma Logistics Market

Comparative Landscape - KSA Pharma Logistics Market

Comparative Landscape in Saudi Arabia Pharma Market

Pharma Market Recommendations / Success Factors

Research Methodology

Appendix

Saudi Arabia Pharma Logistics Market

Warehousing Automation in Saudi Arabia

Transport Infrastructure Saudi Arabia

Seaport Operations Saudi Arabia

Jeddah Islamic Port Saudi Arabia

King Abdul Aziz Port Saudi Arabia

Maritime Network Saudi Arabia

Yanbu Commercial Port Saudi Arabia

King Fahad Industrial Port Yanbu Saudi Arabia

Jubail Commercial Port Saudi Arabia

Ras Al-Khair Port Saudi Arabia

Dhiba Port Saudi Arabia

Jizan Port Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia Cargo Logistics

King Abdullah Economic City KSA

Knowledge Economic City KSA

Pharma Logistics Revenue Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia Pharma Companies

Saudi Arabia API Manufacturing Companies

Saudi Arabia Overall Logistics Revenue

Expansion of Industrial Cities Saudi Arabia

Non-Oil Manufacturing Saudi Arabia

Pharma Market in Saudi Arabia

Modern Logistics Hub Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia Supply Chain Network

Leading Export Categories Saudi Arabia

Leading Import Categories Saudi Arabia

New Cargo Facilities Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia Pharma Freight Forwarding Market

International Freight Saudi Arabia

Pharma Freight Saudi Arabia

Road Freight Saudi Arabia

Sea Freight Saudi Arabia

Air Freight Saudi Arabia

Rail Freight Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia Key Flow Corridors

Saudi Arabia Freight Forwarders

Saudi Arabia Trucking Industry

KSA Pharma Freight Forwarding Revenue

Airport Expansion Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia Industrial Production

Autonomous Vehicles in Saudi Arabia

Development of KSA Logistics Infrastructure

COVID Impact KSA Pharma Freight Forwarding Market

Pharma Warehousing Revenue Saudi Arabia

Ambient Warehouses Saudi Arabia

Cold Storages Saudi Arabis

Container Freight Saudi Arabia

Inland Container Depots Saudi Arabia

Warehousing End User Demand Saudi Arabia

Real Estate Companies in KSA Warehousing

Captive Companies in KSA Warehousing

Logistics Companies in KSA Warehousing

Total Warehousing Space Saudi Arabia

Pharma Normal Delivery Saudi Arabia

Pharma Express Delivery Saudi Arabia

Warehousing Price Saudi Arabia

Warehousing Occupancy Rate Saudi Arabia

Logistics and Distribution Centers Saudi Arabia

Robotic Automation KSA Warehousing

COVID Impact on Saudi Warehousing Market

COVID Impact on Pharma Warehousing in KSA

Number of Containers Imported in Saudi Arabia

Air Shipments Saudi Arabia

Container Load Dominance in Saudi Arabia

Container Yard Model in Dammam

Container Yard Model in Riyadh

Transhipment Restrictions in Saudi Arabia

Logistics Companies in Saudi Arabia

Logistics Companies Fleet Size Saudi Arabia

Logistics Companies Fleet Type Saudi Arabia

For More Information on the research report, refer to below link:-

Saudi Arabia Pharmaceutical Logistics Market

Related Reports by Ken Research:-

Saudi Arabia Dry Logistics and Warehousing Market Outlook to 2025 - Warehousing Automation and Investment within Transport Infrastructure to Drive Market Revenue)

The market showcased a volatile growth trajectory. Dry logistics revenue declined at a CAGR of single digit CAGR during 2015-2019 due to oil price shock further leading to an economic slowdown during 2016-2017 period. Saudi Arabia is located at the crossroads of significant international trade route that connects Asia, Europe and Africa. This strategic location provides the Kingdom with a unique advantage over other nations thus, enabling it to become a leading regional logistics hub. In April of 2016, Saudi Arabia announced its Vision 2030 which includes transforming the Kingdom into a preferred logistics hub. It is making continuous efforts to make imports and exports processes more streamlined. Additionally, government is restructuring the regulations and structures logistics sector government and opening the way for market liberalization and private sector participation. Expansion of industrial cities continues to offer opportunities for foreign investors towards developing the non-oil manufacturing base, warehousing & logistics segments. For instance, Pfizer opened a manufacturing facility in the King Abdullah Economic City in the year 2017. Non-oil manufacturing growth is facilitated by launch of National Industrial Development and Logistics Program (NIDLP) in Jan 2019 by KSA government. Various companies are investing in Special bulk trucks and heavy lift movements to diversify their Revenue streams and Operations. For instance, Bahri launched new dry-bulk carrier 'Sara' & increased their total fleet of dry-bulk carriers to 6 ships in KSA.

UAE Logistics and Warehousing Market Outlook to 2025 - By Road , Sea and Air Freight Forwarding; Domestic and International Freight, Major Flow Corridors, Integrated and Contract Freight Forwarding; By Warehousing (Industrial / Retail, CFS / Inland Container Depot & Cold Storage, Agriculture), End Users (Manufacturing, Retail, Food and Beverage, Automotive, Oil and Gas, Healthcare), Type of Warehouses; By Courier Express & Parcel Market , and, E-commerce Logistics

UAE logistics and warehousing market is on strong and sustainable growth trajectory. The economy has faced volatility in 2013-2019 owning to increasing foreign direct investments, increase investments in infrastructures, negative repercussions of global economic slowdown, 100% ownership in certain sectors and fall in oil prices. Foreign Direct investments in 2016-2018 is estimated to be USD 139 Billion leading to total foreign direct investments of USD 139 Billion in UAE. Government of UAE has consistently taken initiatives to reduce dependence on oil exports due to falling prices. Various government initiatives such as EXPO 2020, Dubai Vision 2020 , Abu Dhabi Vision 2030 and flexible rules and regulations have been taken up to promote economic diversification of the economy.

Philippines Logistics Market Outlook to 2024 (Sixth Edition)- By Sea, Land, and Air Freight Forwarding; By Warehousing (Industrial/ Retail, ICD/CFS, Cold Storage, Agriculture), By End Users; By Cold chain market (Cold transportation and Cold storages)

Philippines Logistics Market has witnessed an average CAGR during 2014-19 due to favorable laws from CTAP, Investments in Bridges to promote Inter-island transportation through RORO, and development of ports both by the government and with Public-Private Partnerships. The Current logistics cost comprise 27.16 % of sales in the Philippines which is very high in comparison to other SEA countries. The influx of foreign players, increasing consolidation, Green freight policies by the Government, and investing in innovative technologies has stimulated the growth in the market.

Australia Logistics Market Outlook to 2025- Led by Growth in Road Freight Services and Rising demand for Cold Storage Space

The Australian Logistics Market was observed to be in a growth stage during the period of 2015-2020 owing to the expanding manufacturing & retail sector, increasing disposable income, a growing number of foreign companies, and increasing value of exports and imports in the country. The Australia Logistics Industry has grown at a CAGR of 4.6% on the basis of revenue. The market is booming owing to increasing infrastructure investment, e-commerce, and cold chain facilities in Australia. The freight forwarding sector is the leading segment towards the revenues of the logistics industry, followed by warehousing and courier & parcel activities. Value-Added services also contribute a significant proportion to the overall logistics market in Australia.

Competitive Landscape of Top 8 Indonesia E-Commerce Logistics Companies and Leading 5 E-Commerce Marketplace Platform: Basis GMV, GMV Split, Order Volume, Shipment Profile, Logistics Cost, Network, Fleets and Customer Profiles

The competition in the E-Commerce Logistics space in Indonesia is moderately concentrated whereby major 4-5 companies hold the majority of the share in the market. The major e-commerce logistics companies include Lazada express, JNE, J&T, Sicepat, Ninja Express, Wahana Express, Lion Parcel, Tiki, First logistics, and few others. The E-Commerce market is also moderately fragmented as the majority of the market share is composed by the top 5-6 players. Fleet size, clientele, no. of delivery centers, number of orders, value-added services, price, delivery time are the key competing parameters for the e-commerce logistics providers.

Contact Us:-

Ken Research

Ankur Gupta, Head Marketing & Communications

Ankur@kenresearch.com

+91-9015378249

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/661352/Ken_Research_Logo.jpg
ORANGEBURG, S.C., June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Zeus Industrial Products, Inc. (Zeus), the global leader in advanced polymer solutions, announced today that it has finalized an agreement to integrate CathX Medical Inc. (CathX) into its organization. Based in San Jose, California, CathX is a medical device contract manufacturer that offers customers a single source for catheter design engineering services, rapid prototyping, manufacturing, and full or sub-assemblies. CathX leadership will continue to manage the San Jose facility, services, and team members under the global leadership of Zeus President and CEO Steve Peterson.

Zeus' core business has always been and remains component manufacturing across medical and industrial markets. However, the integration with CathX extends the company's capabilities serving medical customers to include contract manufacturing services. As medical device companies and OEMs face increasing pressure to constantly innovate, solve complex problems, and bring solutions to market faster than ever before, Zeus is positioning itself to increase its strategic value for customers significantly. Peterson remarks, "As their trusted supply partner, adding contract design and manufacturing capabilities is a natural progression for Zeus and our customer partnerships. We know this capability will help us better serve our customers' ever-evolving needs."

The integration also provides important advantages for CathX customers. As part of a well-established, global organization, CathX customers will benefit from Zeus' extensive R&D facilities, comprehensive product lines, and high-volume manufacturing capabilities across North America and internationally. "With access to greater resources, we can deepen our customer partnerships by offering increased support, stability, and opportunities," remarks Suresh Sainath, Co-founder and President of CathX Medical. "We are excited to expedite plans to expand our team and San Jose facility so that we can continue to collaborate closely with customers in delivering outstanding innovation and customer successes well into the future."

However, underpinning the decision for both organizations is their strong cultural alignment. "Like Zeus, CathX is very much a 'people-first' company," said Peterson. "We share the same core values across excellence, people, integrity, and creativity, and are delighted to welcome the entire CathX team into our Zeus family." As a family-run business for 55 years, a major draw for CathX is the family oriented culture at Zeus and its long-term view. "They look after their people, and I know they'll do the same for our team and our customers," remarks Suresh Sainath.

This synergy is sure to translate into more of the top-tier products and services customers have come to expect from both Zeus and CathX. Importantly, it positions Zeus for long-term, sustainable growth without changing its corporate culture or compromising its core values.

COMMENTS

"To serve our customers' evolving needs, Zeus has added catheter-based contract manufacturing capabilities to the organization. While component manufacturing has always been and remains our core business, adding contract design and manufacturing capabilities increases our strategic value for customers. We believe this development is a natural progression for Zeus and our customer partnerships. This move aligns with our corporate strategy and is pivotal to our organization's continued success. We are thrilled to welcome the CathX team to our Zeus family." - Steve Peterson, President & CEO, Zeus Industrial Products, Inc.

"In under 18 months, we found ourselves on a steep growth trajectory and quickly reaching capacity. Demand for our contract manufacturing services has accelerated more than projected. So, years ahead of schedule, we have expedited our expansion and chose Zeus to help propel us forward. We now have access to greater resources to service our customers, including multiple facilities, worldwide locations, high-volume manufacturing capabilities, and the supporting internal infrastructure. Most importantly, Zeus shares our strong corporate values. We are excited to work with such a culturally similar, well-respected, global organization." - Suresh Sainath, Co-founder & President, CathX Medical Inc.

QUICK FACTS

Zeus finalized an agreement to integrate CathX Medical Inc. into its organization. Based in San Jose, California , CathX is a medical device contract manufacturer.

, CathX is a medical device contract manufacturer. Zeus' core business remains component manufacturing. However, the CathX partnership will extend the company's capabilities to include contract design and manufacturing services.

Adding contract manufacturing services will increase Zeus' value to customers and strengthen their strategic partnerships significantly.

CathX can also offer its customers added value by leveraging Zeus' R&D facilities, product lines, and high volume global manufacturing capabilities.

CathX will remain located in San Jose . The company will begin expanding their team and facility. Until they are ready, Zeus will not be actively extending contract manufacturing services to Zeus customers.

. The company will begin expanding their team and facility. Until they are ready, Zeus will not be actively extending contract manufacturing services to Zeus customers. It's business as usual for both Zeus and CathX customers. Customers can expect complete business continuity with no changes to services, standards or people.

ABOUT ZEUS INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS, INC.

Zeus Industrial Products, Inc., is headquartered in Orangeburg, SC, USA. Its core business is the development and precision extrusion of advanced polymeric materials. The company employs over 1,800 people worldwide with manufacturing and sales facilities in Aiken, Columbia, Gaston, and Orangeburg, South Carolina; Branchburg, New Jersey; Chattanooga, Tennessee; Guangzhou, China; and Letterkenny, Ireland. Zeus products and services serve companies in the medical, automotive, aerospace, fiber optics, energy, and fluid management markets. For more information, visit www.zeusinc.com.

ABOUT CATHX MEDICAL, INC.

CathX Medical, is a catheter-based medical device contract manufacturer. Based in San Jose, California, CathX offers customers a single source for design engineering services, rapid prototyping, manufacturing, and full or sub-assemblies. The CathX leadership team includes four seasoned professionals with outstanding industry reputations. In its brief history, CathX has built an impressive track record of collaborating closely with customers on design concepts and converting them into reality. For more information, visit www.cathxmed.com

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JZ Capital Partners Limited

(A closed-ended investment company incorporated in Guernsey with registration number 48761)

LEI Number: 549300TZCK08Q16HHU44

(The "Company")

9 JUNE 2021

NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Notice is hereby given that the 2021 Annual General Meeting of the Company will be held at the offices of Northern Trust International Fund Administration Services (Guernsey) Limited, Trafalgar Court, Les Banques, St Peter Port, Guernsey on 6 July 2021 at 13:00 BST.

The Notice of Annual General Meeting together with the Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 28 February 2021 is today being posted to shareholders.

The Company has been closely monitoring the evolving situation relating to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, including the current guidance and restrictions on travel and public gatherings and social distancing. The priority of the Company's Board at this time is the health, safety and wellbeing of all shareholders and directors.

If the current restrictions on inbound travel introduced by the States of Guernsey in response to the COVID-19 pandemic remain in place at the intended time scheduled for the meeting, physical attendance at the Annual General Meeting will be difficult or impossible for all shareholders, proxies and corporate representatives. Up to date information on Guernsey travel and local restrictions is available at covid19.gov.gg.

Shareholders should carefully consider whether or not it is appropriate to attend the Annual General Meeting if the guidance continues to be the same or becomes even more restrictive. The situation in respect of COVID-19 may change rapidly and shareholders should note that further changes may need to be put in place at short notice in relation to the Annual General Meeting.

Shareholders are strongly encouraged to exercise their voting rights by completing and submitting a Form of Proxy. It is highly recommended that shareholders submit their Form of Proxy as early as possible to ensure that their votes are counted at the Annual General Meeting. Given the limitations on attendance, shareholders are strongly encouraged to appoint the Chairman of the Annual General Meeting or the Company Secretary as their proxy rather than a named person who may not be permitted to attend the meeting.

The Company will continue to closely monitor the situation in the lead up to the Annual General Meeting and will make any further updates as required about the meeting on its website at www.jzcp.com.

In accordance with Listing Rule 9.6.3, a copy of the Notice of Annual General Meeting, Form of Proxy and Annual Report and Accounts have been submitted to the National Storage Mechanism and will shortly be available for inspection at: https://data.fca.org.uk/#/nsm/nationalstoragemechanism and will be uploaded to the Company's website at www.jzcp.com.



Enquiries:

Northern Trust International Fund Administration Services (Guernsey) Limited

The Company Secretary

Trafalgar Court

Les Banques

St Peter Port

Guernsey

GY1 3QL



Tel: 01481 745001



END


(The Center Square)  COVID-19 restrictions might be winding down, but 762,000 Michiganders are still receiving unemployment benefits while records jobs stay unfilled.

The location of those receiving unemployment is skewed toward high-population areas. Oakland, Wayne, and Macomb Counties compose 400,000 claims.

But business owners are having trouble hiring, and not just in Michigan. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics says a record 9.3 million jobs are open nationwide.

Nationwide, a record-high 48% of small business owners in May reported unfilled job openings (seasonally adjusted), according to the National Federation of Independent Business monthly jobs report. May is the fourth consecutive month of record-high readings for unfilled job openings  26 points higher than the 48-year historical reading of 22%.

Small business owners are struggling at record levels trying to get workers back in open positions, NFIB Chief Economist Bill Dunkelberg said in a statement. Owners are offering higher wages to try to remedy the labor shortage problem. Ultimately, higher labor costs are being passed on to customers in higher selling prices.

Some, including Michigan Chamber President & CEO Rich Studley and many Republicans, blame $300/week boosted federal unemployment benefits extended through September on the labor shortage. Studley says his members cant find workers even after offering $19/hour jobs plus hiring bonuses.

The fundamental public policy problem continues to be the state, and federal government are paying people not to work, Studley previously told The Center Square.

Eight U.S. Republican Representatives asked Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in May to end the states $300/week enhanced federal supplemental unemployment benefits, which she declined. Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) Acting Director Liza Estlund Olson has told lawmakers that boosted benefits arent keeping Michiganders from finding work.

Folks arent staying on unemployment, Olson told lawmakers. They could max out at 79 weeks (over a year). We are seeing 15 weeks for regular unemployment and 24 weeks for PUA [Pandemic Unemployment Assistance].

Michigans unemployment rate dropped to 4.9% in April compared to April 2020s peak rate of 22.7%.

More than 25 states have ended extended benefits.

NFIB says 61% of owners reported hiring or trying to hire in May. A net 34% of owners (seasonally adjusted) reported raising compensation, the highest level in the past year. A net 22% of owners plan to raise wages in the next three months, up two points from April.

Of small business owners hiring, 93% reported problems finding qualified workers. The struggles are across the board: 40% of small business owners have job openings for skilled workers, while 27% have openings for unskilled labor. In construction, 66% of construction businesses reported few or no qualified applicants.
LONDON, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Chubb has today announced the development of a Pay As You Roam (PAYR) travel insurance proposition.

The PAYR service uses digital technology to simplify the way customers access and purchase travel insurance, using mobile phone roaming data to identify when they are away from their home country, activating coverage automatically at a daily premium.

It will be made available through Chubb partners in banking, fintech and telecommunications industries. To use the service, customers must first register for free through the Chubb partner's core app, where they can also add the names of other travellers they would like to include on trips.

As soon as the customer is detected as roaming, trip cover is activated, and a text message or the app's pop-up notification informs them cover is in place. Customers have four hours from receipt of this to either decline coverage for the trip or to confirm who needs to be included for cover, if they did not do this prior to travel.

Trip cover ends when the customer is detected as no longer roaming (has returned to their home country) or if they reach the maximum trip duration limit of 31 days. Customers will receive an email or app notification at the end of each trip detailing the total premium. If the Chubb partner is a mobile phone operator the cost of the insurance is added to their next monthly mobile phone bill, or to their next bank statement, if the partner is a bank.

PAYR customers can view their trip history at any time and access all policy information and documents via the partner's core app.

In June, 2020, Bulgaria's leading mobile operator Telenor became the first telecommunication company to offer Chubb's Pay As You Roam travel insurance product, marketed by Telenor Bulgaria as "Smart Tourist".

Ruben Rivero, Head of Travel Insurance, Continental Europe, Middle East & North Africa, A&H Chubb said:

"Chubb's Pay As You Roam travel insurance has been developed specifically to make life easier for customers and to provide a compelling proposition for our business partners. Once users sign up for the service, the process of getting travel insurance becomes very simple because everything is done automatically. Customers pay a daily rate so they are only charged for what they use and payment - through their mobile phone bill or direct from their bank - is also simple and secure. We believe this is genuinely innovative and disruptive technology because it fundamentally changes the way in which people buy travel insurance and that is a clear benefit to our partners."

About Chubb



Chubb is the world's largest publicly traded property and casualty insurance company. With operations in 54 countries and territories, Chubb provides commercial and personal property and casualty insurance, personal accident and supplemental health insurance, reinsurance and life insurance to a diverse group of clients. As an underwriting company, we assess, assume and manage risk with insight and discipline. We service and pay our claims fairly and promptly. The company is also defined by its extensive product and service offerings, broad distribution capabilities, exceptional financial strength and local operations globally. Parent company Chubb Limited is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: CB) and is a component of the S&P 500 index. Chubb maintains executive offices in Zurich, New York, London, Paris and other locations, and employs approximately 31,000 people worldwide. Additional information can be found at: www.chubb.com.

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/324916/Chubb_Logo.jpg
Despite Labeling Mobile Security as Important for Their Financial Institutions, CISOs Often Leave Mobile Application Security Decisions to Others

Regulatory News:

Verimatrix, (Euronext Paris: VMX), the leader in powering the modern connected world with people-centered security, today announced the release of its commissioned ISMG report titled, "The State of Mobile Banking App Security." The full report is available for download at www.verimatrix.com/ebooks/state-of-mobile-security.

Featuring responses from 150 financial services security professionals throughout the United States, Canada and EMEA, the report's survey illustrates a notable disconnect between the importance placed on mobile apps and the attention it receives from the highest-level security professionals. Although 82 percent of respondents said securing the mobile channel was important or very important, just over half of CISOs report evaluating, influencing or deciding on mobile security.

More than 60 percent of respondents said they were confident about the level of security on their mobile apps, yet they admitted they outsourced mobile app development 50% of the time, or purchased a white label solution 19% of the time, meaning the chain of responsibility for app security is less verifiable than might be expected in the sector. A surprising 39% of respondents don't run vulnerability analysis and penetration tests on mobile channels.

In addition to tracking executive-level involvement and outsourcing trends, the report discusses the challenges surrounding developing and securing the mobile channel. It highlights banking security teams' greatest concerns related to mobile banking as well as what types of mobile attacks are most prevalent and how today's banking security executives are mitigating the risk.

"It's clear that security professionals within the financial services sector understand just how critical mobile apps are to their business, but this must translate into more executive-level involvement when creating a strategy to protect their apps that ingest and deliver highly sensitive data," said Asaf Ashkenazi, Chief Operating Officer at Verimatrix. "We're pleased to sponsor this ISMG report that shows that words are one thing, deeds are quite another. Taking ownership of mobile app security early on is the key to secure users and save corporate reputations."

A summary of top findings includes:

82% of respondents consider securing the mobile channel to be important or very important for their financial institution

69% perceive the mobile channel to be critical or very critical to their financial institution

53% of CISOs are involved in evaluating, influencing or deciding on mobile security

Nearly 70% perceive the mobile channel to be critical or very critical for their financial institution

60% are confident about the level of security on their mobile apps, and only 8% of those are extremely confident

Nearly 33% are worried or very worried about application/API hacks

About ISMG

Information Security Media Group (ISMG) is the world's largest media organization devoted solely to information security and risk management. Each of our 28 media properties provides education, research and news that is specifically tailored to key vertical sectors including banking, healthcare and the public sector; geographies from North America to Southeast Asia; and topics such as data breach prevention, cyber risk assessment and fraud. Our annual global summit series connects senior security professionals with industry thought leaders to find actionable solutions for pressing cybersecurity challenges. Visit www.ismg.io.

About Verimatrix

Verimatrix (Euronext Paris: VMX) helps power the modern connected world with security made for people. We protect digital content, applications, and devices with intuitive, people-centered and frictionless security. Leading brands turn to Verimatrix to secure everything from premium movies and live streaming sports, to sensitive financial and healthcare data, to mission-critical mobile applications. We enable the trusted connections our customers depend on to deliver compelling content and experiences to millions of consumers around the world. Verimatrix helps partners get to market faster, scale easily, protect valuable revenue streams, and win new business. To learn more, visit www.verimatrix.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210609005635/en/

Contacts:

Verimatrix Investor Contact:

Richard Vacher Detourniere

General Manager Chief Financial Officer

+33 (0)4 42 905 905

finance@verimatrix.com

Verimatrix Media Contact:

Matthew Zintel

+1 281 444 1590

matthew.zintel@zintelpr.com
Halifax, Nova Scotia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 9, 2021) - Ucore Rare Metals Inc. (TSXV: UCU) (OTCQX: UURAF)i ("Ucore" or the "Company") is pleased with recent developments in Washington D.C. that are poised to strengthen United States supply chains and spur the domestic production capacity of rare earth elements ("REEs") and other critical materials.

On Tuesday, June 8th, 2021, United States President Joe Biden released a review of US supply chain vulnerabilities pursuant to Executive Order 14017. The review shows that the US government will continue to invest in REE technologies and production capabilities, which could serve to benefit Ucore, its wholly owned subsidiary, Innovation Metals Corp. ("IMC"), and their proprietary RapidSX separation technology for the separation of both light REEs ("LREEs") and heavy REEs ("HREEs"). Key recommendations include:

Encourage the development and adoption of 21 st century standards for the extraction and processing of critical minerals;





century standards for the extraction and processing of critical minerals; US $50 billion to establish a Supply Chain Resilience Program to monitor and forecast vulnerabilities and promote industry partnerships;





A "trade strike force" to identify and counter unfair foreign trade practices, the first action of which will be to investigate unfair trade practices surrounding neodymium (NdFeB) permanent magnets;





Reducing the time, cost, and risk of permitting for critical mineral mining projects; and





Using the US government's buying power and investment authorities to encourage the purchase of critical materials from secure and reliable domestic and allied sources. This includes: Additional funding for the Defense Production Act (" DPA ") Title III program to scale emerging technologies for critical materials and enable offtake agreements; and Recapitalizing the National Defense Stockpile to better buffer against supply chain threats.



Ucore Chairman and CEO, Pat Ryan, P.Eng. said, "We are very pleased with the White House's concern for REEs and its efforts to spur the domestic production of critical materials. China has long dominated the REE supply chain, but with the US government's help, we can and will use our groundbreaking 21st Century separation technology, RapidSX, to bring control back into the hands of Americans. Our ALASKA2023 business model is founded on this transformative technology and the development of a resilient US supply chain through the development of two REE separation plants and ultimately a HREE mine at Bokan Mountain Alaska - the very definition of US resiliency."

i Ucore has received questions from shareholders regarding recent brokerage industry notices warning investors who hold shares in companies that do not share publicly available information about the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") adopting amendments to Rule 15c2-11 (the "Rule") and its impact on the quoted market for over-the-counter ("OTC") securities categorized as Pink No Information.

The OTC Markets Group has informed Ucore that as an OTCQX company, Ucore already shows good corporate governance by actively demonstrating its compliance with securities laws and meeting OTCQX disclosure standards, including making current information publicly available. The OTCQX market standards exceed the requirements for continued quoting under Rule 15c2-11 and the proposed amendments will not affect shareholders of UURAF.

# # #

About Ucore Rare Metals Inc.

Ucore is focused on rare- and critical-metals resources, extraction, beneficiation, and separation technologies with potential for production, growth, and scalability. Ucore has a 100% ownership stake in the Bokan-Dotson Ridge Rare-Earth Element Project in Southeast Alaska, USA. Ucore's vision and plan is to become a leading advanced technology company, providing best-in-class metal separation products and services to the mining and mineral extraction industry.

Through strategic partnerships, this vision includes disrupting the People's Republic of China's ("PRC") dominance of the US REE supply chain through the development of a heavy rare-earth processing facility - the Alaska Strategic Metals Complex in Southeast Alaska and the long-term development of Ucore's heavy rare-earth element mineral resource property located at Bokan Mountain on Prince of Wales Island, Alaska.

Ucore is listed on the TSXV under the trading symbol "UCU" and in the United States on the OTC Markets' OTCQX Best Market under the ticker symbol "UURAF."

For further information, please visit www.ucore.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements" regarding, among other things, the Company's ALASKA2023 Business Plan as well as the upcoming online awareness campaign. All statements in this release (other than statements of historical facts) that address future business development, technological development and/or acquisition activities (including any related required financings), timelines, litigation outcomes, events, or developments that the Company expects, are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance or results and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. In regard to the disclosure in the "About Ucore Rare Metals Inc." section above, the Company has assumed that it will be able to procure or retain additional partners and/or suppliers, in addition to IMC, as suppliers for Ucore's expected future Alaska Strategic Metals Complex ("Alaska SMC"). Ucore has also assumed that sufficient external funding will be found to prepare a new National Instrument 43-101 ("NI 43-101") technical report that demonstrates that the Bokan Mountain Rare Earth Elements project ("Bokan") is feasible and economically viable for the production of both REE and co-product metals and the then prevailing market prices based upon assumed customer off-take agreements. Ucore has also assumed that sufficient external funding will be secured to develop the specific engineering plans for the Alaska SMC and its construction. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include, without limitation: IMC failing to protect its intellectual property rights in RapidSX; RapidSX failing to demonstrate commercial viability in large commercial-scale applications; Ucore not being able to procure additional key partners or suppliers for the Alaska SMC; Ucore not being able to raise sufficient funds to fund the specific design and construction of the Alaska SMC and/or the continued development of RapidSX; adverse capital-market conditions; unexpected due-diligence findings; unexpected or adverse outcomes in the currently outstanding litigation matters between Ucore and IBC Advanced Technologies, Inc.; the emergence of alternative superior metallurgy and metal-separation technologies; the inability of Ucore and/or IMC to retain its key staff members; a change in the legislation in Alaska and/or in the support expressed by the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority ("AIDEA") regarding the development of Bokan and/or the Alaska SMC; the availability and procurement of any required interim and/or long-term financing that may be required; and general economic, market or business conditions.

Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined by the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

CONTACT

Mark MacDonald

Vice President, Investor Relations

Ucore Rare Metals Inc.

+1 902 482 5214

mark@ucore.com

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/87090
COLORADO SPRINGS, CO / ACCESSWIRE / June 9, 2021 / Fortitude Gold Corp. (OTCQB:FTCO) (the "Company") today announced exploration drill results from its East Camp Douglas property's lithocap target including 17.92 meters grading 1.29 grams per tonne (g/t) gold and 6.10 meters grading 1.42 g/t gold. This maiden drill program focused on understanding geologic structures associated with the silicified lithocap located on the southern end of the East Camp Douglas property located in Mineral County, Nevada. Fortitude Gold is a gold producer, developer, and explorer with operations in Nevada, U.S.A.

The Company completed its initial eleven core holes into three small areas of the lithocap target (see summary table and drill hole location map). The lithocap is an expansive 1.5 kilometer by 1.0-kilometer geologic structure that has the potential to host a significant near-surface gold deposit (see property location and lithocap surface sample maps). Lithocaps are stratabound alteration domains that are laterally and vertically extensive and typically have steeply dipping structural roots with significant lateral fluid flow during formation. The lithocap structure at the south end of the Company's East Camp Douglas property has been of particular interest, as high-grade gold surface samples have been taken around the eroded margins of this large lithocap which conforms with extensive lateral fluid flows during formation. In addition, high-grade gold rock chip samples from the lithocap's surface have graded as high as 31 g/t gold. The geologic model being developed through the Company's exploration program looks to test for gold mineralization potentially consolidated in areas beneath the large lithocap structure (see conceptual "The Lithocap Environment" schematic below). Initial drill targets included "D2 Cliffs", "Gypsum Shaft" and "Discovery Breccia" targeted primarily for an understanding of the geologic structural setting of the lithocap as well as testing for gold mineralization. All reported lithocap gold intercepts are oxidized, and preliminary cyanide leach assaying suggests that mineralization could be amenable to cyanide leach processing methods.

East Camp Douglas "lithocap" drill highlights include:

(m=meters, g/t=grams per tonne) (full drill table below)

Hole # ECCD20-001 Discovery Breccia

25.3m of 0.78 g/t gold

incl. 6.10m of 1.42 g/t gold

Hole # ECDD20-004 D2 Cliffs

17.92m of 1.29 g/t gold

incl. 1.13m of 1.73 g/t gold

incl. 5.00m of 2.11 g/t gold

Hole # ECDD20-005 D2 Cliffs

6.10m of 1.06 g/t gold

incl. 3.05m of 1.55 g/t gold

"We are pleased to add to our understanding of the structural setting of this large lithocap target, and we are very excited to have intercepted attractive widths of significant gold in this initial drill program," stated Mr. Barry Devlin, Vice President of Exploration. "Similar large lithocap-related structures associated with gold have hosted substantial deposits around the world, like Yanacocha in Peru. We have high-grade gold surface samples associated with our large lithocap, which were identified in our 2017 comprehensive grid sampling field study that generated numerous drill targets. We are encouraged with these initial drill results as they give credence to our geologic model whereby high angle structures feeding this system trap potential gold-bearing fluids beneath the impermeable lithocap structure. We are excited to have intercepted gold mineralization in our first drill program from which we plan to build on with future drill programs by following-up on the most significant mineralized structures in search of the potential throat of the system. This is a large mineralized system and drill target that will take time for us to explore. We expect to return to East Camp Douglas during the third quarter of 2021 for a phase two drill program to build on these positive initial drill results."

Mr. Jason Reid, CEO and President of Fortitude Gold, stated, "To have surface samples and now high-grade gold drill intercepts associated with our East Camp Douglas lithocap increases our chances of discovering a substantial deposit in this area. As I have stated before, we are swinging for a home run at the lithocap target and if we swing and miss, we will move to the high-grade gold veins located on the north end of the property. But mineralized lithocaps, as our consultant geologist Dr. Jeffery Hedenquist pointed out during his site visit, have the potential to be substantial and the size of our lithocap, albeit a challenge to explore such a large area, is very prospective due to its favorable structural setting, widespread alteration and associated high-grade surface samples and now gold drill intercepts. Our exploration efforts have vaulted from structural reconnaissance to now chasing known high-grade gold mineralization under the lithocap which further substantiates our geologic model. In addition, initial testing indicates that this oxidized material is amenable to cyanide leaching which could lend itself to processing to a gold infused carbon stage and hauling carbon to our permitted and operating ADR plant at Isabella Pearl for final dore gold production. This is in line with our larger synergistic mining unit approach."

Mr. Reid continued, "These exciting initial East Camp Douglas drill results warrant expedited follow up which we plan to commence a second drill campaign later this year. We also remain focused as a company on both the Scarlet and Golden Mile exploration drill programs as we move both those targets forward on a parallel basis. With continued drill success at East Camp Douglas, we are optimistic we will be moving all three targets forward towards the thresholds of a potential production decision."

EAST CAMP DOUGLAS DRILL SUMMARY HIGHLIGHTS Hole # Angle Target From Interval Au deg Meters Meters g/t ECDD20-001 -45 Discovery Breccia 43.30 25.30 0.78 incl. 55.40 6.10 1.42 86.00 7.80 0.37 100.25 2.47 0.34 147.83 0.55 0.46 ECDD20-002 -50 Discovery Breccia 0.00 11.83 0.32 24.44 0.40 0.95 56.45 0.40 0.52 107.90 1.37 0.60 ECDD20-003 -50 Discovery Breccia 4.36 0.98 0.36 13.41 8.14 0.40 37.03 1.07 1.03 61.94 1.07 0.54 83.12 2.07 2.12 160.32 2.62 1.68 incl. 160.32 0.82 4.70 ECDD20-004 -45 D2 Cliffs 23.77 1.28 0.41 34.90 17.92 1.29 incl. 35.75 1.13 1.73 incl. 39.01 5.00 2.11 ECDD20-005 -45 D2 Cliffs 33.22 16.76 0.55 53.04 3.05 0.79 62.18 6.10 1.06 incl. 62.18 3.05 1.55 ECDD20-006 -45 D2 Cliffs 10.30 1.22 0.39 17.43 3.44 0.51 31.85 7.25 0.35 ECDD20-007 -45 D2 Cliffs 22.25 6.10 0.30 58.83 7.68 0.30 70.77 1.83 0.37 77.11 17.89 0.40 ECDD20-009 -45 Gypsum Shaft 16.15 2.99 0.30 ECDD20-010 -45 Gypsum Shaft 49.99 8.84 0.50 ECDD20-011 -45 D2 Cliffs 12.19 1.52 0.62 59.44 3.05 0.46 94.49 6.10 0.61

Assays by ALS Global - Geochemistry Analytical Lab in Reno, Nevada, USA. Meters downhole, not true width

Drill hole location map showing three initial East Camp Douglas lithocap drill targets

Property location and lithocap surface sample maps

The Lithocap Environment

(Image source: https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Schematic-illustration-of-alteration-zoning-and-overprinting-relationships-in-a-porphyry_fig1_322087357)

Lithocap Alteration Size Comparison, from site visit and associated report on East Camp Douglas by Dr. J. Hedenquist

A) View to west over southern East Camp Douglas property; polygon sketched around cliffs of silicic lithocap, approximately 1.5 km by 1.0 km in size. Rock chip samples of oxidized silicic-altered tuffs from the Discovery Anomaly (Breccia) at 1,800 m elevation and D2 Cliffs at 2,000 m elevation returned numerous assays >1 g/t Au, up to 31 g/t Au. B) Looking west to D2 Cliffs on the southern half of the silicic lithocap with resistant, cliff-forming silicic alteration exposed. C) Looking to northeast along the base of D2 Cliffs exhibiting moderate to strongly silicified tuffaceous units.

About Fortitude Gold Corp.:

Fortitude Gold is a U.S. based gold producer targeting projects with low operating costs, high margins, and strong returns on capital. The Company's strategy is to grow organically, remain debt-free and distribute substantial future dividends. The Company's Nevada Mining Unit consists of five high-grade gold properties located in the Walker Lane Mineral Belt, with the Isabella Pearl gold mine in current production. Nevada, U.S.A. is among the world's premier mining friendly jurisdictions.

Cautionary Statements: This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. If you are risk-averse you should NOT buy shares in Fortitude Gold Corp. The statements contained in this press release that are not purely historical are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. When used in this press release, the words "plan", "target", "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "intend" and "expect" and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements include, without limitation, the statements regarding the Company's strategy, future plans for production, future expenses and costs, future liquidity and capital resources, and estimates of mineralized material are forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements in this press release are based upon information available to the Company on the date of this press release, and the Company assumes no obligation to update any such forward-looking statements.

Forward looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties, and there can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate. The Company's actual results could differ materially from those discussed in this press release. In particular, the scope, duration, and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mining operations, Company employees, and supply chains as well as the scope, duration and impact of government action aimed at mitigating the pandemic may cause future actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by any forward-looking statements. Also, there can be no assurance that production will continue at any specific rate.

Contact:

Greg Patterson

719-717-9825

greg.patterson@fortitudegold.com

www.Fortitudegold.com

SOURCE: Fortitude Gold Corporation

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/651112/Fortitude-Golds-East-Camp-Douglas-Returns-1792-Meters-Of-129-GT-Gold-Under-Lithocap
DUBAI, UAE, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Takeda (TSE: 4502) (NYSE: TAK) has introduced the "In Their Shoes" platform, an award-winning, immersive simulation program to promote greater awareness and empathy for patients with Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a condition to describe Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, to a group of healthcare providers in the Middle East the first time.

The subscription-based program launched with a two-day simulation where healthcare providers and Takeda employees learned about the condition most effectively and profoundly: by "living with it."

The program utilized a mobile application to guide participants through some of the everyday struggles patients face. An "IBD kit" of materials was used to participate in "challenges" prompted by the app. These challenges were designed to simulate several physical and emotional aspects of the disease. Through role-play scenarios and interactions with actors playing nurses, and healthcare professionals, participants gained unparalleled insight into the impact that IBD can have across all aspects of someone's life, including professional and personal relationships. While a simulation can never fully replicate the pain and disruption associated with IBD, physical discomfort and regular interruptions incorporated into the program helped participants walk "in the shoes" of someone with IBD.

Toby Shepard, Head of Medical Affairs for Takeda in ICMEA, said, "The platform has been highly successful in helping both employees and healthcare professionals gain more knowledge about IBD by 'becoming the patient' and experiencing what it's like to live with IBD. The program has been developed in consultation with immersive learning experts to help participants gain a deeper understanding of how IBD negatively affects people in their daily lives, inspiring new facets in their work in serving patients with IBD, whether it be in research and development, marketing, or patient outreach. The program seeks to support the wider healthcare community become true advocates with a deeper emotional connection to the disease, and ultimately improve how our healthcare partners and we support these patients."

An evaluation study[1] conducted by the University of Westminster, London, UK, and published in Frontiers in Psychology demonstrated statistically significant increases in understanding, empathy, and connection to patients living with IBD, as well as a greater desire to help raise public awareness and improve access to patient support among the "In Their Shoes" participants.

As part of the program, over 1,900 participants from more than 30 countries worldwide have had the opportunity to simulate an IBD patient's daily life via mobile app challenges, experiencing first-hand the emotional and physical burden of living with the disease. In early 2019, following the global success of In Their Shoes, Takeda expanded the program's scope with the launch of a new version simulating a patient's life with Crohn's disease living with a complex perianal fistula.

1. Halton C, Cartwright T. Walking in a Patient's Shoes: An Evaluation Study of Immersive Learning Using a Digital Training Intervention. Front Psychol [Internet]. Available from: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02124/full.

About Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited

Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (TSE: 4502) (NYSE: TAK) is a global, values-based, R&D-driven biopharmaceutical leader headquartered in Japan, committed to bringing Better Health and a Brighter Future to patients by translating science into highly-innovative medicines. Takeda focuses its R&D efforts on four therapeutic areas: Oncology, Rare Diseases, Neuroscience, and Gastroenterology (GI). We also make targeted R&D investments in Plasma-Derived Therapies and Vaccines. We are focusing on developing highly innovative medicines that contribute to making a difference in people's lives by advancing the frontier of new treatment options and leveraging our enhanced collaborative R&D engine and capabilities to create a robust, modality-diverse pipeline. Our employees are committed to improving quality of life for patients and to working with our partners in health care in approximately 80 countries. For more information, visit https://www.takeda.com.

For more information:

mohammed.alnasseri@fleishman.com

M: +971 507694646
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 9, 2021) - Advanced Proteome Therapeutics Corporation (TSXV: APC) (FSE: 0E8) ("APC" or the "Company") reports that its US subsidiary, Advanced Proteome Therapeutics Inc. ("APTI") has a appointed a new Scientific Advisory Board Member and hired a new lead chemist.

APTI is pleased to report that Dr. Ravi Chari is joining the Company's Scientific Advisory Board and Dr. Rajeshkumar Manian is joining as the lead organic chemist.

Dr. Chari has over 30 years of experience in the field of Antibody-Drug Conjugates (ADCs). After completing a postdoctoral fellowship at Yale Medical School, he joined the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Harvard Medical School as a research scientist, where he initiated work on ADCs. He subsequently joined ImmunoGen, where he rose to the position of Vice President - Chemistry & Biochemistry. During Dr. Chari's career at Immunogen, his group designed novel linkers and several classes of cytotoxic payloads including maytansinoids, camptothecins and indolinobenzodiazepines. He was involved in several aspects of ADC development, including biological evaluation, and scale up and manufacture of payloads and linkers. Dr. Chari is an inventor on 98 patents including the composition of matter patent for Kadcyla. He is an author on more than 60 peer-reviewed publications and is a member of the Editorial board of the journals MAbs and ChemMedChem. He was appointed a Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE) in 2016.

Dr. Rajeshkumar Manian is an experienced synthetic organic chemist. He completed his PhD at Chonnam National University and postdoctoral research at Florida International University where he worked on conjugated polymer nanoparticles for anticancer drug delivery and bioimaging. He most recently was a Senior Scientist at Tocol Pharmaceuticals where he oversaw multiple steps in the drug design and synthesis.

Dr. Benjamin Krantz, Director of APTI commented, "We are very excited to welcome Dr. Chari and Dr. Manian to APTI. Dr. Chari is a giant in the ADC space and brings a wealth of experience to his role on the Scientific Advisory Board. As we continue to develop our conjugation technology, build complementary ADC platforms and move toward drug candidate development, there is no better person to advise us. His involvement in the company is a testament to the potential of APT's technology. Dr. Manian is a phenomenal organic chemist with experience in early stage biotechs who will be leading the synthesis for our projects. His arrival will propel our platforms forward."

Dr. Ravi Chari, "I am delighted to be joining the Advanced Proteome Therapeutics Scientific Advisory Board. APTI has developed a truly novel and differentiated site-selective conjugation platform, with exciting pre-clinical data and a sound development strategy. I look forward to working closely with the APTI team to facilitate advancement of their conjugation and linker platforms to create drug candidates."

Paul Woodward, CEO of the Company stated, "We're excited about the team that Dr. Krantz is putting together in advance of his joining the Company on a full-time basis. Dr. Chari's contributions will be invaluable - both in technology development as well as in business development, while Dr. Manian's synthetic chemistry expertise will advance our in-process IP development and accelerate ongoing and future projects."

ABOUT THE COMPANY:

Advanced Proteome Therapeutics Corporation, through its subsidiary, Advanced Proteome Therapeutics Inc., has invented proprietary protein conjugation technology which enables the development of superior antibody-drug conjugates through improved site-selective labeling, drug-antibody ratio control and enabling of combination payloads. The technology has compelling pre-clinical data demonstrating improved homogeneity and increased in-vivo potency relative to current state of the art linker technology. The Company believes that the technology will enable the development of safer and more potent antibody-drug conjugate therapeutics and is pursuing licensing and partnership opportunities to advance development and create shareholder value.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

Advanced Proteome Therapeutics Corporation

Paul Woodward

President and CEO

Tel: 604 690-3797

http://www.advancedproteome.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.

This news release contains forward-looking statements relating to the future operations of the Company and other statements that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements are often identified by terms such as "will", "may", "should", "intends", "anticipates", "expects" and similar expressions. All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this release, including, without limitation, statements regarding the future plans and objectives of the Company, are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations are risks detailed from time to time in the filings made by the Company with securities regulators.

Readers are cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of any forward-looking information may prove to be incorrect. Events or circumstances may cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted, as a result of numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. As a result, the Company cannot guarantee that any forward-looking statement will materialize and readers should not 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 Canadian securities law.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/87101
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - June 9, 2021) - Green Environmental Technologies Inc. (the "Company") announces that the new Board of Directors consists of, Mr. Jon Bridgman, a director since November 05, 2008, Mr. Dominique Monardo, appointed May 6, 2021, upon the resignation of Mr. Gene Shelp on May 6, 2021, and Mr. Salvatore Monardo, appointed May 6, 2021, upon the resignation of Mr. Barry Shelp on May 6, 2021.

Also, effective May 6, 2021, the Board appointed Mr. Dominique Monardo as Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer.

Pursuant to National Instrument 62-103 - The Early Warning System and Related Take Over Bids and Insider Reporting Issues, the Company announces that Current Water Technologies Inc. ("CWT") formerly ENPAR Technologies Inc. previously disclosed that on October 9, 2003 it owned 2,942,933 common shares of the Company. CWT increased its shareholdings by 315,061 common shares at a price of $0.10 on February 13, 2004, by way of a private transaction. CWT is now the beneficial owner, and exercises control a total of 3,257,994 common shares, representing approximately 14% of the outstanding common shares of the Company. CWT hold these shares for investment purposes only.

For more information, please contact:

Ms. Sheri Monardo

sfmonardo@rogers.com

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/87105


WOLFSBURG (dpa-AFX) - Volkswagen AG ((VKW.L, VLKAF.PK, VOW.BE) on Wednesday said that it has reached an agreement to settle its claims against four former executives, including long-time CEO and former Chairman Martin Winterkorn, related to its dieselgate scandal.



Winterkorn will pay an amount of 11.2 million euros, while former board member and Audi AG's Chairman Rupert Stadler will pay an amount of 4.1 million euros. Volkswagen has also reached an agreement about compensation payments from its D&O insurance in this regard to an amount of 270 million euros.



Volkswagen said that 'Winterkorn breached his duties of care as former Chairman of the Board of Management of Volkswagen AG by failing, in the period from 27 July 2015 on, to comprehensively and promptly clarify the circumstances behind the use of unlawful software functions in 2.0l TDI diesel engines sold in the North American market between 2009 and 2015.'



'Winterkorn also failed to ensure that the questions asked by the US authorities, in this context were answered truthfully, completely and without delay,' the company added.



Meanwhile, the Berlin prosecutors charged Winterkorn on Wednesday for giving false testimony to the German parliament.



Besides Winterkorn and Stadler, former Audi executive Stefan Knirsch will pay 1 million euros and Wolfgang Hatz, a former executive for Porsche, will pay 1.5 million euros. Porsche is a part of the Volkswagen Group.



In 2015 that Volkswagen was caught using illegal software in thousands of vehicles to cheat U.S. pollution tests. Winterkorn stepped down as Volkswagen CEO in September 2015, a week after the scandal broke. In January 2017, the automotive giant pleaded guilty to criminal charges. and agreed to pay some $4.3 billion in U.S. penalties for its scheme to deliberately rig hundreds of thousands of U.S. diesel vehicles to cheat on emissions tests.



The VW scandal extended to some 11 million other vehicles the company sold worldwide and led to U.S. criminal charges against eight people. The company had set aside more than $30 billion to cover costs and settlements, including $15 billion to buy back or fix vehicles in the U.S.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

VOLKSWAGEN-Aktie komplett kostenlos handeln - auf Smartbroker.de
WEST MELBOURNE, FL / ACCESSWIRE / June 9, 2021 / BK Technologies Corporation (NYSE American:BKTI), ("BK Technologies" or the "Company") today announced the closing of its previously announced public offering of 4,249,250 shares of its common stock at a public offering price of $3.00 per share, for aggregate gross proceeds of $12,747,750, before deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses. The shares sold in the offering include the exercise in-full by the underwriters of their over-allotment option to purchase up to 554,250 shares of common stock in addition to the 3,695,000 shares of the Company's common stock, which the underwriters initially agreed to purchase.

ThinkEquity, a division of Fordham Financial Management, Inc., acted as sole book-running manager for the offering.

The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the offering primarily for general corporate purposes, which may include working capital, capital expenditures, operational purposes, strategic investments and potential acquisitions in complementary businesses.

The offering was made pursuant to an effective shelf registration statement filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). The final prospectus supplement relating to the offering was filed with the SEC on June 8, 2021. Copies of the final prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus relating to the offering may be obtained from ThinkEquity, a division of Fordham Financial Management, Inc., 17 State Street, 22nd Floor, New York, New York 10004, by telephone at (877) 436-3673, or by email at prospectus@think-equity.com.

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.

About BK Technologies

BK Technologies manufactures high-specification, American-made communications equipment of unsurpassed reliability and value for use by public safety professionals and government agencies. BK Technologies is honored to serve these heroes with reliable equipment when every moment counts. The Company's common stock trades on the NYSE American market under the symbol "BKTI". Maintaining its headquarters in West Melbourne, Florida, BK Technologies can be contacted through its website at www.bktechnologies.com or directly at 1-800-821-2900.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain certain forward-looking statements that are made pursuant to the "Safe Harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "believes," "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "will," "may," "plans," "would," "could," or similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements concern the offering and the Company's operations, economic performance, and financial condition and are based largely on the Company's beliefs and expectations. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of the Company, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors and risks, some of which have been, and may further be, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, include, among others, the following: changes or advances in technology and our ability to adapt to such changes; the success of our land mobile radio product line; successful introduction of new products and technologies, including our ability to successfully develop and sell our anticipated new multiband product and other related products in the planned new BKR Series product line; competition in the land mobile radio industry; general economic and business conditions, including federal, state and local government budget deficits and spending limitations, any impact from a prolonged shutdown of the U.S. Government, and the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic; the availability, terms and deployment of capital; reliance on contract manufacturers and suppliers; risks associated with fixed-price contracts; heavy reliance on sales to agencies of the U.S. Government, which are highly regulated and subject to termination and oversight audits by government representatives that could result in adverse findings and negatively impact our business, and our ability to comply with the requirements of contracts, laws and regulations related to such sales; allocations by government agencies among multiple approved suppliers under existing agreements; our ability to comply with U.S. tax laws and utilize deferred tax assets; our ability to attract and retain executive officers, skilled workers and key personnel; our ability to manage our growth; our ability to identify potential candidates for, and consummate, acquisition, disposition or investment transactions, and risks incumbent to being a noncontrolling interest stockholder in a corporation; having a large stockholder that might have interests that differ from the interests of our other stockholders; risks associated with our general investment strategy; impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the companies in which the Company holds investments; impact of our capital allocation strategy; risks related to maintaining our brand and reputation, including reputational risks in the event we are unable to obtain conflict-free components; impact of government regulation; rising health care costs; our business with manufacturers located in other countries, including changes in the U.S. Government and foreign governments' trade and tariff policies, as well as any further impact resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic; our inventory and debt levels; protection of our intellectual property rights; fluctuation in our operating results and stock price; acts of war or terrorism, natural disasters and other catastrophic events, such as the COVID-19 pandemic; any infringement claims; data security breaches, cyber-attacks and other factors impacting our or our distributors', manufacturers' suppliers' and other partners' technology systems; availability of adequate insurance coverage; maintenance of our NYSE American listing; risks related to being a holding company; and the effect on our stock price and ability to raise equity capital of future sales of shares of our common stock. Certain of these factors and risks, as well as other risks and uncertainties, are stated in more detail in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020, in the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2021, and in the Company's subsequent filings with the SEC. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release, reflect the Company's views with respect to future events, and should not be relied upon as representing the Company's views as of any date subsequent to the date of this release, and the Company assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements.

Company Contact:

John Nesbett / Jennifer Belodeau

IMS Investor Relations

51 Locust Avenue Suite 300

New Canaan, CT 06840

jnesbett@institutionalms.com

jbelodeau@institutionalms.com

(203) 972-9200

SOURCE: BK Technologies Corporation

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/651116/BK-Technologies-Corporation-Announces-Closing-of-Public-Offering-Including-Full-Exercise-of-Underwriters-Over-allotment-Option
Regulatory News:

Pershing Square Holdings, Ltd. (LN:PSH) (LN:PSHD) (NA:PSH) today released its regular weekly Net Asset Value ("NAV") and performance returns on its website, https://www.pershingsquareholdings.com/company-reports/weekly-navs/. The NAV and returns were computed as of the close of business on Tuesday, 8 June 2021.

PSH NAV per share as of close of business on 8 June 2021 was 48.97 USD 34.59 GBP and year-to-date performance was 7.9%.

Weekly net asset value ("NAV") is calculated as of the close of business on each Tuesday and posted on the following business day. In the event that Tuesday is not a business day, the Company will calculate the close-of-business NAV as of the business day immediately preceding that Tuesday. The end-of-month NAV is calculated as of the close of business on the last day of the month and posted on the following business day. For weeks that include a month-end NAV report, PSH will provide only the month-end NAV and not report the Tuesday NAV. Monthly NAVs are published in accordance with the Decree on Conduct of Business Supervision of Financial Undertakings under the Wft (Besluit Gedragstoezicht financiele ondernemingen Wft).

Performance is presented on a net-of-fees basis and reflects the deduction of, among other expenses: management fees, brokerage commissions, administrative fees and accrued performance fees, if any. The performance figure includes the reinvestment of all dividends, interest and capital gains. Depending on the timing of a specific investment, net performance for an individual investor may vary from the net performance as stated herein. Net performance is a geometrically linked time weighted calculation.

Past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results. All investments involve risk including the loss of principal.

About Pershing Square Holdings, Ltd.

Pershing Square Holdings, Ltd. (LN:PSH) (LN:PSHD) (NA:PSH) is an investment holding company structured as a closed-ended fund that makes concentrated investments principally in North American domiciled companies.

Category: (PSH:WeeklyNAV)

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210609005916/en/

Contacts:

Media

Camarco

Ed Gascoigne-Pees Hazel Stevenson +44 020 3757 4989, media-pershingsquareholdings@camarco.co.uk
Rep. Choi Seung-jae of the main opposition People Power Party speaks during a press conference at the National Assembly in Seoul, Monday, urging the ruling party and the government to offer retroactive compensation to small business owners who suffered lost earnings due to administrative orders since the outbreak of the coronavirus. Yonhap



By Lee Min-hyung



The ruling and opposition parties remain poles apart in their views on whether the government should provide retroactive compensation for small business owners to help compensate for losses incurred since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic last year.



The ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) decided not to provide retroactive compensation for small business owners whose sales were hit hard by administrative orders that forced bars, restaurants and other establishments to close temporarily or reduce their hours of operation due to the pandemic. The ruling party and the government also offered, instead, to widen support for 10 more business sectors  such as travel, education and transportation  hit hard by the pandemic shock.



The decision was made because it was realistically difficult for the government to force small business owners to return their cash assistance provided earlier.



"We are going to offer a package of financial aid to the self-employed and small business owners in the form of previously provided cash assistance or super-low-interest-rate loans," Rep. Song Gap-seok from the ruling party said during a briefing, Tuesday.



But the main opposition People Power Party is stepping up criticism of the ruling party's decision, urging it to provide retroactive compensation to virus-hit small business owners.



The opposition party argued that the ruling camp and the government should be fully responsible for the losses suffered by small business owners, who had to endure huge losses after the government started restricting their business hours last year.



"The government should reconsider its decision not to provide full compensation for the losses suffered by vulnerable groups," said Lee Eun-joo, spokesperson for the progressive Justice Party. "Offering retroactive compensation for any losses due to the government's administrative order is a move to realize the spirit of the Constitution and this is a natural procedure for the public who made sacrifices for the country."



The National Assembly passed this year's first supplementary budget of 14.9 trillion won in March, and half of it was spent on helping small business owners. The government is in the process of deciding on a second extra budget worth around 20 trillion won to 30 trillion won. The exact amount has not been confirmed.


Ottawa, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - June 9, 2021) - WHAT: Earlier this week, the Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC) announced the launch of a new campaign to open the Canada-U.S. border that has been closed for nearly 15 months. TIAC will now host a series of panel discussions on border reopening and the implications.

WHO: Brian Higgins, US Member of Congress New York's 26th District Wayne Easter, MP, Co-Chair of the Canada United States Inter Parliamentary Group Althia Raj, Canadian political journalist, Member of the Parliamentary Press Gallery Beth Potter, President and CEO, Tourism Industry Association of Canada.

Moderated by: Huw Williams, US/Can Relations Expert.

WHEN & WHERE: Thursday, June 10th, 2021 at 9am EDT.

The event will be broadcast live on the Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC) Facebook page. Our Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/TIACAITC.

WHY: TIAC is calling on the federal government to commit to a plan to reopen borders before another summer season is lost. Tourism was the first hit, hardest hit, and will be the last to recover. While keeping the health and safety of Canadians at the forefront, TIAC is calling on all levels of government to work together on a transparent reopening plan based on science.

About the Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC)

Founded in 1930 to encourage the development of tourism in Canada, TIAC serves today as the national private-sector advocate for this $105 billion sector. Based in Ottawa, TIAC takes action on behalf of Canadian tourism businesses and promotes positive measures that help the industry grow and prosper.

Media Inquiries:

Madison Simmons

Director of Government Affairs, TIAC

msimmons@tiac-aitc.ca /613-864-3079

Source: Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC)

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/87134
Global impact data provider partners with impact investment app tickr to provide data on companies' social and environmental performance

Net Purpose is dedicated to helping investors report on their impact and their contribution to the UN Sustainable Development Goals

tickr is providing a new generation with the tools to invest for their future and has grown its monthly revenue 10 times during the pandemic



LONDON, June 10, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Net Purpose, the global impact data provider for responsible, sustainable and impact investors, is partnering with tickr, the impact investing app, to provide data to measure the social and environmental outcomes of its funds.

Founded in 2019 with the goal of reaching one million investment professionals by 2025, Net Purpose is the world's first dedicated data provider for a new generation of investors who invest for profit and purpose. By quantifying the social and environmental outcomes of companies and investment portfolios, Net Purpose enables investors to effortlessly report on their impact and their contribution to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

The deal represents the first digital, consumer-facing customer for Net Purpose, whose clients include global asset and wealth managers with more than $1 trillion in assets under management collectively.

Impact investment app tickr, which enables users to invest in companies driving social and environmental solutions, will use Net Purpose's data to measure the outcomes of companies across a range of sectors, including water, food, clean energy, healthcare and education. To date, a mix of company research and index analysis has helped tickr users understand their impact. The partnership with Net Purpose will help to give users more insight into their impact, by providing supporting data for a range of metrics. This accessible and insightful information will support tickr's community of more than 100,000 users, 90% of whom are first-time investors, and help them invest in companies that align with their values.

The data will inform tickr's decision-making process, drive its engagement approach and provide the foundations for the company's reporting. To its users, impact is as important as financial returns and the partnership with Net Purpose means that tickr will be able to provide quantitative in-app reporting, allowing users to keep up to date with both their personal and community impact. As the majority of tickr users are first-time investors, investment engagement and education are key to tickr's mission as their team supports users on their journey. The data from Net Purpose provides an opportunity to showcase the real-world impact of the companies they invest in, building relatability and trust.

Net Purpose Founder and CEO Samantha Duncan said: "We're delighted to be working with tickr, which is demystifying impact investing for everyday investors. Our data will play a critical role in providing tickr's users with reliable and insightful information to make the right decisions about where to invest. We look forward to expanding our relationship with tickr to further sectors in the future to ensure that investors have access to meaningful impact data across all industries."

tickr Co-Founder Tom McGillycuddy said: "We want to show a new generation of investors that they're able to grow their money and have a positive impact at the same time. Net Purpose's data will be central to ensuring our users know and understand the good they're doing. Showing how their investments contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals will be an especially powerful marker for our users to understand their impact in the wider world."

London-based Net Purpose aggregates, cleans and standardises quantitative data on the social and environmental performance of the world's largest listed companies.

In December 2020, Net Purpose raised $2.5m in an investment round led by Illuminate Financial and has angel investor backing from Jim O'Neill, former Chairman of Goldman Sachs Asset Management, and Kevin Gould, Co-Founder of Markit.

tickr, which grew its monthly revenue 10 times during the pandemic, allows people to invest their money in companies grouped together under the themes of People and Planet, or a mix of the two. Only offering investments in companies that generate social and environmental solutions, tickr, which has offices in London and Liverpool, is challenging the status quo in the investment industry. Now, the platform is expanding to include services that give users the tools to have a positive impact through their finances beyond investing.

Notes to Editors

For further details, please contact netpurpose@wearesevenhills.com

About Net Purpose

London-based Net Purpose is the world's first dedicated data provider for a new generation of investors who invest for profit and purpose. Net Purpose aggregates, cleans and standardizes quantitative data on the social and environmental outcomes of companies and investment portfolios, so that investors can effortlessly report in line with all global standards and goals. The company was founded by impact measurement experts Sam Duncan, former Head of Impact at Leapfrog Investments, and Dinah Koehler, former Executive Director, Sustainable Equities, at UBS Asset Management. Net Purpose's investors include Illuminate Financial; Revent Ventures; Jim O'Neill, former Chairman of Goldman Sachs Asset Management; and Kevin Gould, Co-Founder of Markit.

For more information, visit www.netpurpose.com

About tickr

tickr is an app that empowers users to positively impact the world through their finances - from investing in companies making a positive impact on the planet, to offsetting their carbon footprint. A certified B Corp, tickr was built by Matt Latham and Tom McGillycuddy after stints at Barclays and Wellington Management, respectively. Together they set out to demystify investing, opening it up to a new generation, showing them that they're able to invest their money without compromising their values. In 2020, tickr became twice carbon neutral through offsetting double the amount of its carbon output, before launching a carbon offsetting subscription for its users - giving people the power to wipe their emissions off the planet and take climate change into their own hands.
Jet Edge International, a Los Angeles CA & New York-based full-service private aviation company, raised $150M in funding.

The round was led by KKR.

The company intends to use the funds to develop technology to support clients, invest in marketing and talent, and accelerate the progress of business lines including the aircraft sales division, Jet Edge Partners and roll out the AdvantEdge charter management platform nationwide.

Led by Bill Papariella, CEO, Jet Edge International is a global leader in full-service private aviation responsible for operating a large fleet of managed Challenger and Gulfstream aircraft in the United States. As an integrated super-midsize and large cabin management operator and maintenance provider, Jet Edge services aircraft owners and charter flyers with an operational platform and extends individual clients and corporations 365-day-a-year access to diverse and luxurious aircraft fleet.

FinSMEs

08/06/2021
PowerTech Water, a Lexington KY-based company focused on delivering clean water to industrial consumers, raised $6M in Series B funding.

The round was led by HG Ventures.

The company intends to use the funds to meet the demand for sustainable industrial water treatment, accelerate corporate partnerships, and expand operations.

Led by Cameron Lippert, Chief Executive Officer, PowerTech Water delivers clean water to industrial customers with an automated platform. Its flagship brand, ElectraMet, removes metals from water, no sludge production, and reduction in operating expenses.

ElectraMet water treatment systems are being used across North America by metal finishers, electronics manufacturers, recyclers, and automotive suppliers.

FinSMEs

09/06/2021
Trulioo, a Vancouver, BC, Canada-based global identity verification company, completed a $394M Series D funding round at a $1.75 Billion valuation.

The round was led by TCV, with participation from existing investors Amex Ventures, Citi Ventures, Blumberg Capital and Mouro Capital. In conjunction with the funding, TCV General Partner, Jake Reynolds, and Principal Amol Helekar will join Trulioos Board of Directors.

The company intends to use the funds to expand operations and its business reach.

Led by Steve Munford, President and CEO, Trulioo is a global identity verification company, enabling businesses and consumers to transact safely and securely. The platform provides real-time verification of 5 billion consumers and 330 million business entities worldwide  all through a single API integration. Organizations use its identity verification solution, GlobalGateway, to meet their business and compliance requirements and automate due diligence and fraud prevention workflows.

Over the past year alone, the company has expanded into new verticals, grown its leadership team and established a presence in Dublin, Austin and San Diego.

FinSMEs

09/06/2021
UpGuard, a Mountain View, CA- and Sydney, Australia-based third-party risk and attack surface management platform, completed a $19m ($25 million AUD) Series B-1 funding round.

Backers included existing investors IAG Firemark Ventures, the corporate venture capital unit of IAG, the largest general insurer in Australia, Pelion Venture Partners, Square Peg Capital and August Capital.

This Series B-1 round brings UpGuards total funding to $45m ($59m AUD).

The company intends to use the funds to accelerate the development of the UpGuard product and global expansion.

Led by Co-founders and Co-CEOs Mike Baukes and Alan Sharp-Paul, UpGuard is a cybersecurity platform that prevents data breaches by allowing businesses to assess and monitor the risk of their third-party vendors and protect against data leaks. Hundreds of companies use UpGuard with their vendor risk management such as The New York Stock Exchange, Tech Mahindra, the New South Wales Government, Superloop, Aware Super, PagerDuty, USO, and Lendlease.

FinSMEs

09/06/2021
Zenoti, a Bellevue, Wash-based-enterprise cloud platform for the beauty, wellness, and fitness industries, raised an additional $80m as an extension to its Series D funding round.

The additional investment, which was led by TPG, increases Zenotis valuation to almost $1.5 billion.

The company intends to use the funds to continue to expand its platform through forthcoming M&A, while providing some liquidity to its employees.

Led by Sudheer Koneru, CEO and Founder, Zenoti provides a software platform for salon and spa businesses, which serves all aspects of consumer engagement, allowing for appointment scheduling, self-check-ins, automatic payments, and more. The company has recently expanded into the fitness industry through partnerships with CorePower Yoga and other fitness leaders. It currently powers more than 12,000 businesses including global brands such as European Wax Center, Hand & Stone, Massage Heights, Rush Hair & Beauty, Sono Bello, Hair Cuttery, Profile by Sanford and Toni&Guy, in over 50 countries.

FinSMEs

09/06/2021
George Clooney is such a fun dad to his twins.

The Midnight Sky star has four-year-old twins Ella and Alexander with his wife Amal Clooney, and has been spending more time than ever at home with his brood amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

And sources have now said the 60-year-old actor was very positive about his increased time at home over the past year, and has been a fun dad to his brood.

The insider said: "George and Amal took every day as it came. They have always prioritised family time, so they were very positive about all the extra time with the kids. They are the most amazing parents.

"George is such a fun dad. The kids adore him."

George and Amal recently flew out to their vacation home in Lake Cuomo, Italy, to celebrate their twins birthday, and are thrilled to be back after the health crisis stopped them from visiting last year.

The source added to People magazine: "They didn't spend time in Lake Como last year. It's the first time in two years that they are back in Italy. They seem thrilled to be back. Friends that they didn't see during the pandemic are very excited that they are back.

Meanwhile, the Gravity star  who wed the human rights lawyer in 2014  recently said he didnt realise there was something missing in his life until he met his spouse.

He said: There are some people, their goal was: I have to have children. Mine wasnt. I wasnt looking at life, going: My life will be unfulfilled without children. I felt like I had a pretty full life. Then I met Amal and realized that my life had been pretty empty. And then when you throw these two kids in there, then suddenly you realize how incredibly empty it was.

George admitted fatherhood has also made his life less empty, and explained having children has given him everything that Hollywood could not.

He added: [I have] a sense of belonging and a sense of home and unconditional love  all the things that you were hoping you could get from a really good career and a dog. You realise that this is a lot more than that.

And the Oceans Eleven actor has since been teaching his young children to play pranks on their unsuspecting mother.

He said: My whole job really is to teach them terrible things. And I really do enjoy teaching my children to do things that shock their mother. And its fun because, you know, Amal, shell be talking to a judge on a trial in the Sudan or a trial in Myanmar  shes having very serious conversations and then my sonll come in with a nappy on his head. This is a stroke of genius, you know.




By Jun Ji-hye







A program offering virtual school tours to Korea, operated by the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO), has become popular in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Japan.







The KTO said its "Digital School Tour to Korea" program, which was designed in response to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, enables students in other countries to interact with Korean students via video conferencing and virtually experience Korean food, K-pop and tourist attractions in the country.







Since the organization's Hong Kong branch began the program on April 15, targeting 120 middle school students of Christ College, the program has been drawing attention from other schools. Some 20 schools in Hong Kong have since applied for the program for their 3,900 students.







The number is higher than the 3,209 students there who visited Korea in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic started.







In Taiwan, Kaohsiung Girls' Senior High School became the first to participate in the program in May. The KTO said some 400 Taiwanese students are expected to participate in the program annually.







The program will begin in Japan in July targeting 1,200 students.







The KTO said the program will offer a wider range of content after reviewing the requests made by each school.







"We hope our Digital School Tour to Korea program will lead to a recovery in international interactions between students that were almost suspended due to the pandemic," said Kim Yong-jae, who head the KTO's Northeast Asia team. "Through the program, we also expect Korea to become a more popular school trip destination after the public health crisis comes to an end."


The aftermath

Heres what City Council members said in requests for comment by the Finger Lakes Times on what had transpired Monday night:

Mayor Valentino: Several incidents at last nights meeting were very disappointing and disrespectful. The goal of the work session was to understand staffing situations in GPD. Unfortunately the information provided was under attack. Finding the balance between freedom of speech and order at the meeting was not achievable. Councilor Camera's comments attempting to invalidate the reasons officers are leaving and Councilor Salamendras inciteful comments (which Chief Passalaqua was trying to provide more accurate information than she provided) provoked some councilors and the public. The accusations that the PRB and accountability were reasons were corrected by the chief as not being a factor in departures. In an attempt to call order several times and then call a five-minute recess, it quickly became obvious that order was not going to take place. My response was to end the meeting before things got out of hand. It is unfortunate because Council has important business to address, and most other councilors and public were respectful. This is nothing new for this Council. There are many in the community that have been engaged virtually and now that open meetings are in person those frustrations surfaced.

Laura Salamendra: Last night, the mayor, the city manager and the chief of police failed the democratic process by allowing the work of local government to be blocked by an angry mob, giving free reign to an unruly disruption, the clear aim of which was to halt the work of duly elected officials. As a city councilor who campaigned on police reform, I continue to carry out the will of the people who supported and voted for me. Asking tough questions of the police and other city employees is my job. When the mayor allowed the meeting to be hijacked by an angry mob who charged the Council to yell at me, he not only demonstrated his utter disregard for the democratic process, he failed to do his job.

The harassment I experienced last night is not new. The mayor is well aware of the regular threats to my and Councilor Regans safety, as is the city manager. That they, along with the chief of police, chose to do nothing only fuels the hatred and bigotry that was on full display last night. I will not be intimidated by a handful of people who resort to threats and harassment in a desperate attempt to control political speech they find disagreeable. Rest assured, I will continue my remarks at the next meeting, as I was elected to do.

Jan Regan: Work sessions were put on Councils calendar for brainstorming and discussion of items outside regular meeting topics. Public commentary is not a part of these meetings, let alone the dramatic outrage and screaming at Council that ended this one. This Council is NOT pushing for further reductions in police staffing  or preventing the Chief from filling recent vacancies, one of MANY implications I would have liked to speak to.

Anthony Noone: The way the work session ended was embarrassing and shows the division that this council has created within our city. Words matter and some councilors still don't seem to get it. Their poor word choice, lack of respect for our city employees when they speak, and overall tone of their message resulted in last nights firestorm. I hope that after what we saw and heard, we will self-reflect and find a way to raise the morale of city staff and that of our constituents.

Bill Pealer: It is ironic that 2020 was spent all on accountability, and yet this body appeared to reject it when confronted with its own. I knew the meeting had derailed when councilors began to insult and harass staff, chide the public in attendance, overstep the bounds of their duties as per the charter, interrupt the chief and engage in multiple ethics violations. That is anti-governance. It is plain wrong. In other communities, councilors get removed from office for less. I had a duty to my family and community to disengage. I do not revel in chaos.

Ken Camera: The message in Monday nights near melee was simple: Change is hard. It is hard for a police department facing a nation and a city that is rethinking the traditional military roots to its service. It is hard for employees who chose a career and are seeing it change all around them. And it is also hard for the public, many of whom have had the benefit of traditions that made them feel safe, even if they made others feel threatened and abused. As the events of 2020 and the state mandates that spurred these discussions prove, however, change is coming. We can do it collaboratively and with the best of all in mind or we can do it in pitched camps that produce meetings like last night.

John Pruett: I had hoped to be allowed to speak at the meeting because I feel that a respectful exchange of thoughts would be enlightening on an important subject and be beneficial to all sides. Instead political self-promotion and poor leadership prevailed, without specific call to action, as should have been identified initially as session objectives. Graciously, the chief has agreed to meet me personally to improve understanding, despite his busy schedule.

Tom Burrall: I enjoyed the police department staffing overview from Chief Passalacqua and was pleased to have Lt. Potter answer some good questions. I felt the meeting was well worth it, and I thank the chief and Lt. Potter for being with us, as well as Councilor Gaglianese for bringing this valuable work session agenda item. The meeting erupted to an all-time low when despicable behavior and a full lack of decorum went on public display. I am at a loss sorting through a damaging exhibition of childish communication coupled with a total lack of verbal editing skills. Last night was certainly a textbook case why so many should be reading Dale Carnegies classic How to Win Friends and Influence People."

Frank Gaglianese III: The end of the meeting was a sad display of disrespect by Councilor Salemendra towards our police chief, police department and residents who attended this work session. This was truly unethical behavior and was sad to witness.
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Geneva, NY (14456)

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Xiaomi just confirmed the launch of Mi 11 Lite, a new smartphone in the Mi 11 series in India on June 22nd after several teasers. At just 6.8mm thickness and 157g weight, this is the slimmest and lightest smartphone in 2021, says the company in a teaser image that shows the side profile of the phone along with Lite & Loaded tag.

From the weight mentioned, it is clear that the company will launch the 4G version of the phone in the country. It was introduced back in March and is powered by Snapdragon 732G compared to Snapdragon 780G in the 5G version. The company already sells the Redmi Note 10 Pro series with the same SoC starting at Rs. 15,999.

Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite specifications

6.55-inch (1080  2400 pixels) Full HD+ 20:9 AMOLED screen with 90Hz refresh rate, Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection

Octa Core (2.3GHz Dual + 1.8GHz Hexa Kryo 470 CPUs) Snapdragon 732G 8nm Mobile Platform with Adreno 618 GPU

6GB LPDDR4X RAM with 64GB / 128GB (UFS 2.2) storage / 8GB LPDDR4X RAM with 128GB (UFS 2.2) storage, expandable memory with microSD

Android 11 with MIUI 12

Dual SIM

64MP rear camera with f/1.79 aperture, LED Flash, 8MP 119 ultra-wide sensor with f/2.2 aperture, 5MP telemacro macro camera with f/2.4 aperture

16MP front camera

Side-mounted fingerprint sensor, IR sensor

USB Type-C audio, Stereo speakers, Hi-Res Audio

Dimensions: 160.53 x 75.72 x 6.81mm; Weight: 157g

Dual 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 ac (2.4GHz + 5GHz), Bluetooth 5.1, GPS/GLONASS/Beidou, USB Type-C

4250mAh (typical) battery with 33W fast charging

The Mi 11 Lite will be sold on Flipkart after the launch, and we should know the price of the phone in India when it launches in a couple of weeks.
Every few months or so, Google has a Pixel Feature Drop, where they bring new features for their Pixel smartphones. The latest one adds support for creating short clips of a starry night sky, rolls out Locked Folders support in Google Photos and more.

When it comes to photography on Pixel smartphones, they are well known for their astrophotography capabilities. Google is now adding upon this feature and letting Pixel users create short video clips of a starry night sky. The feature will only be available to Pixel 4 and newer devices.

Locked Folder in Google Photos was a feature announced back in Google IO 2021, and now has begun rolling out to Pixel users first. The feature allows users to protect sensitive media in the phone behind a passcode or biometric authentication, and Pixel devices will even have a shortcut in the camera to save photos or videos straight to the Locked Folder.

The clipboard in Pixel devices are getting smarter, where it will show key snippets of text suggested in the clipboard when the user copies text that includes a phone number, email address or URL.

In celebration of Pride Month, Pixel devices will have three exclusive new wallpapers created by artist Ashton Attzs.

Other features with this Pixel Drop include:
In 2018, Google introduced an Android choice screen for users to select their Search engine of choice when setting up an Android phone, but its implementation still received many complaints from third-party search engines. The company has now updated it to allow third-party search engines to sign up for free and will soon feature more search engines in the choice screen.

The European Union fined Google for $5 billion back in July 2018, for imposing their services in Android and violating various anti-trust protections. To comply with the regulations, Google introduced a Choice screen in Android when users in the EU set up their smartphone for the first time. Ideally, users should have been able to select the search engine of their choice from here.

However, to appear on the list, Search Engines were required to pay Google through a sealed bidding process, which made it incredibly difficult and unfair for smaller search engine companies. After 3 years of complaints, the EU has finally directed Google to make this selection process fair and free.

Now Google announced that search engines will now be able to apply for a spot on the Android choice screen for free, with some eligibility criteria. Only general search engines will be allowed, and not vertical search engines. Along with this, Google will filter through multiple search brands owned by the same entity, and only allow one to enter.

Lastly, Google announced that they will feature more than 4 search engines on the list, and these changes will rollout to EU Android users during September 2021.

While this change has been welcomed by many search engine companies, there are few who are still critical of Googles approach to the solution. Gabriel Weinberg, founder of the privacy focused search engine DuckDuckGo, has pointed out the Google is still refusing to seamlessly allow changes to the default search engine in Android and only providing the choice at the phones set up screen or when it is reset. He also pointed out that Google should roll out these changes to all Android users, including those outside of the EU.

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South Korea has been attempting to call North Korea via a cross-border communication line every morning for the past year, but there has been no response from the North, a unification ministry official said Wednesday.







Last year, the North vowed to cut off all communication lines with the South and even blew up an inter-Korean liaison office in its border city of Kaesong in anger over anti-Pyongyang propaganda leaflets coming in from the South.







Still, a communication line set up at the border village of Panmunjom remains active as it has a dial tone. The South has used the line to try to call the North at 9 a.m. every working day, but all calls have gone unanswered, the ministry official said.







"Regardless of what North Korea's response is, we continue to send a signal at 9 a.m. every day as part of the officer's basic duties and based on the view that the channel for the two Koreas must remain open," the official said. (Yonhap)


The Nature Conservancys Kankakee Sands is an 8,300-acre prairie and savanna habitat in Northwest Indiana, open every day of the year for public enjoyment. For more information about Kankakee Sands, visit www.nature.org/KankakeeSands or call the office at 219-285-2184.
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP)  Republican Katie Boyd Britt entered the race for Alabamas open U.S. Senate seat Tuesday promising to put Alabama first while stressing her experience as the former leader of a state business group and former chief of staff to retiring U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby.

Britt is expected to be a formidable entry into the GOP primary. Two Republicans are already in the race: Congressman Mo Brooks, who is armed with an endorsement from former President Donald Trump, and Lynda Blanchard, a businesswoman who was Trumps ambassador to Slovenia.

Shelby, one of the Senates most senior members, announced earlier this year that he would not seek reelection in 2022, igniting what is expected to be a messy GOP primary at a time when the national Republican Party is trying to chart a direction following Trumps departure.

In what appeared to be a play on Trumps America First motto, Britt vowed to put Alabama First.

I will put Alabama First and never apologize for it, championing pro-jobs policies that increase opportunity for hardworking families in every corner of our state. Because we dont just need a senator from Alabama, we need a Senator for Alabama, Britt said in a statement.

Britt introduced herself to state voters with a three-minute video that hit conservative themes of faith, border security and pro-business policies.

She said she was proud of her work for Shelby, which included the confirmation of conservative judges and support for a border wall with Mexico. In her most recent role, Britt served as president of the Business Council of Alabama, an influential business lobby. She resigned the post last week ahead of her Senate run.

When I look at whats happening in Washington, I dont recognize our country," Britt said in the video. The leftists are attacking our religious freedoms and advancing a socialist agenda. In Joe Bidens America people can collect more money staying at home than they can earn on the job.

Its time for a new generation of conservative leaders to step up and fight for the next generation and preserve the American dream, she added.
FORT MORGAN, Ala. (WALA)  The Fort Morgan Volunteer Fire Department on Wednesday pulled a drowning vacationer from northern Alabama out of the Gulf of Mexico, but he did not survive, officials said.

The victim is identified as 63-year-old James Campbell of Athens.

Capt. Clint Cadenhead, of the Baldwin County Sheriffs Office, said a fire-rescue crew responded to a call for a distressed swimmer near Buchanan Court East, near the Tacky Jacks restaurant.

They were able to get him out of the water, he said. They were doing CPR on him.

Cadenhead said Campbell was not conscious as rescue workers took him to a local emergency room.

In addition to the man, Cadenhead said, rescue workers helped other swimmers out of the water, but none of them was injured.

The rescue comes three days after Baldwin County sheriffs Deputy Bill Smith died while rescuing a man farther down Fort Morgan.
BALDWIN COUNTY, Ala. (WALA)  Mack Funeral Home in Robertsdale announced the funeral plans for Baldwin County Sheriffs Deputy William Bill Smith. The deputy died saving swimmers in distress in Fort Morgan on Sunday.

Services will be held on Saturday, June 12 at the Baldwin County Coliseum in Robertsdale. Visitation will start at 12:30 p.m. and will be followed by the funeral at 2 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Michael Malone Memorial Scholarship Fund in Gulf Shores, or to the Baldwin County Sheriffs Foundation.

Smith died when he went into the rough waters of the Gulf of Mexico to save a swimmer in distress. The deputy is being remembered as a true hero who put his life on the line to save another.
Two suspected arsonists target Mobile Walmart stores just 24 hours apart MOBILE, Ala. (WALA)-- Investigators in Mobile are now looking for two different people accused of very similar crimes, setting fires inside of

MOBILE, ALA. (WALA)- Almost two weeks, two states and four stores later, local and federal investigators are still trying to identify the people setting fires inside Walmarts.

The FBI said all the crimes are connected, but who is doing it and why is a big mystery! The FBI has released pictures of at least seven different suspects.

Tim white a former FBI Special Agent said, "This is really unusual. I've never seen it in my career where somebody would do something like this. It doesn't seem to be for economic gain or personal gain. So there's really something odd that they want."

A quick google search turns up dozens of arson attacks at Walmarts across the United States, but most cases seem to be committed by lone wolves.

White, with 27 years in the FBI under his belt, called these local cases very bizarre and said it's likely an organized, out of town group with a message they want to send, but what that message is, is still a mystery.

"The really weird thing is that they're setting fires in the back of the place and then escaping, and so far, to my knowledge, no one has been hurt. If somebody really did intend on taking the place down with an arson attack, it would be done differently than what this is, so this is again a tactic to gain attention," said White.

White said the fact that the suspects are targeting Walmarts close to the interstate helps them elude authorities easier. He also said the FBI is likely getting help from the ATF to solve the case.

Some incentive to help them catch the people responsible. The FBI offered $2500 and the Mississippi Gulf Coast Crime Stoppers with a $7500 reward.

Lori Massey with the Gulf Coast Crimestoppers said, "If they just know one of these individuals and let law enforcement do the rest, do their magic, we feel confident it will lead to the rest of the individuals."

A bit of good news. The Rangeline Road Walmart will reopen Friday at 6am.
The US Army is hoping to recruit 1,700 new soldiers before they wrap up their Hiring Days campaign next Monday. Fox Carolina's Grace Runkel walks us through the incentives they have for new recruits.
By Lee Hyo-jin



The nation's human rights watchdog said Wednesday that peaceful one-person protests in front of the U.S. ambassador's residence should be allowed, and recommended law enforcement authorities to guarantee such demonstrations.



The National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK) delivered the opinion in response to a petition filed by a man who organized a solo demonstration in front of the ambassadorial residence in downtown Seoul's Jeong-dong from Oct. 25 to 27, 2019.





National Human Rights Commission of Korea headquarters / Korea Times file
Genipapo: The Fruit That Decorated Skins of Tribes

Raw Materials

According to legend, for many, many moons, in a village in the heart of the Amazon forest lived a brave and fearless warrior called Xhanga. He was famous for his cunning and intelligence, which led him to win countless battles and conquer many villages.

The village of Xhanga was very prosperous and attracted a lot of envy from the surrounding villages, who tried to get hold of the resources of the village of Xhanga. One of them was Prinhan, whose people were considering invading the village of Xhanga and starting a war.

Xhanga learned of this and soon prepared the tribe and warriors for war in the usual way: The men painted their bodies in strong colors such as red, green, and blue. But even though Xhanga trusted in his skills as a warrior, he always feared the evils caused by war: death, hunger, and losses. So one night, Xhanga went to bathe in the river and reached out to Tupa, the God of Heaven, who had a conversation with him.

Tupa handed him a green fruit in his hand and told Xhanga and his warriors to dye their skin with the juice of the fruit so that they would win the war without fighting or killing because with this color on their bodies, they would drive away their enemies.

Tupa also told Xhanga that the nature he had created was broad and should be shared among all the tribes without fighting. He said he would order Jurura Acu, the God of Rain, to water and fertilize the land so that everyone would have good harvests, and that Suma, the Goddess of Agriculture, would guarantee plenty of food.

Tupa also said that his wife, Jaci, the Moon Goddess, would bless all females in nature who were pregnant so that there would be no lack of game meat for anyone. Still, she had one condition: that Caapora, the protective spirit of animals, and Curupira, the protective spirit of the forests, should always be revered.

On top of that, the rivers of Yara, the Goddess of Freshwater, would always be full of fish so that nobody would ever be hungry, and Icatu, the Goddess of Beauty, and Ruda, the Goddess of Love, would make men and women fall in love and procreate. All this so that the tribes would thrive in peace and not war.

After this conversation with Tupa, Xhanga dyed his body with the fruit and painted the bodies of his men. Their skin took on a deep black tone, which frightened the enemy, and then Xhanga spoke to the chief of the enemy tribe and passed on the message of Tupa, which resulted in everyone living in peace.

Since then, the nutritious fruit that was given to Xhanga by the God Tupa was called genipapo, which in the Tupi language means "fruit that makes black ink."

Legends aside, the genipapo has the scientific name Genipa Americana, a tree that reaches up to 20 meters in height and is from the same family as coffee. The genipapo is found throughout tropical America, especially in the Amazon and the Brazilian Atlantic forest. It is a plant that adapts very well to moist soil and even waterlogged and marshy soil.

For many centuries, the green genipapo has been used by several indigenous groups as paint to dye the skin as well as ceramics. The genipapine in the green fruit interacts with skin proteins and takes on a bluish-black tone when oxidized with oxygen, and it lasts approximately up to two weeks.

The fruit has a brownish-yellow flesh with a strong, and I would say, not very pleasant smell in nature. It varies between the smell of indole and animalic civet, complemented with a touch of very ripe fruit, almost rotten. It is particularly unpleasant if left for a few days in the fruit bowl or even in the refrigerator if it is not in a closed bag.

However, the taste is not as repugnant as the smell! There are several forms of consumption, ranging from jelly to jam, to juice, and finally to artisanal liqueur. In these preparations, genipapo takes on nuances of flavor and smell that are much more delicate and pleasant, with a sweet, juicy, slightly indolic, and sour sensory feel and a slightly astringent sensation in the mouth and nose.

The liqueur is definitely my favorite way to consume the fruit, as here, I can perceive all of the nuances of the smell and flavor that exist in it; from the sweet smell to the discreet and astringent sensation, which is completed on the palate by the alcoholic aspect of the aroma.

Perhaps because of the repugnant aspect of genipapo in nature, very few perfumers have explored the possibilities that this note offers combined with other fragrant structures. Besides a touch of exoticism, it can offer succulent, sweet, astringent, sour, indolic, and alcoholic notes in a perfume, leaving a more vivid fragrance on the skin.

It's probably due to the general unawareness of this fruit and its possibilities for the olfactory palette that it is represented only once in our Fragrantica database, and that's in L'Occitane Au Brasel Compotas Corporais Jenipa, which explores the above-mentioned nuances, combining everything into a pyramid of musk, peach, and vetiver.

How about you? Do you know the taste of the genipapo fruit, and if not, would you be interested in trying it? Or would you rather smell a perfume with that note instead?
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Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong expressed hope Wednesday that relations between the United States and China will develop in a "stable" manner during phone talks with his Chinese counterpart, stressing the importance of cooperation in tackling global challenges.







The phone talks between Chung and Wang Yi came as President Moon Jae-in prepares to attend the upcoming Group of Seven (G7) summit in Britain, where U.S. President Joe Biden is expected to rally major democracies against an assertive China.







"As cooperation between the U.S. and China in responding to global challenges is in the interests of the international community, Minister Chung voiced hope for the stable development of relations between the U.S. and China," the foreign ministry said in a press release.







The conversation came after tensions emerged following last month's joint summit statement by Moon and Biden, which touched on sensitive geopolitical issues surrounding the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea.







During their talks, the ministers reaffirmed the shared goal of the denuclearization and establishment of lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula, the ministry said.







They also agreed to continue communication to realize the visit to Seoul by Chinese President Xi Jinping at an early date as soon as the COVID-19 situation stabilizes to create the conditions for his trip here. (Yonhap)


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)

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Galveston, TX (77553)

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Scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Partly cloudy skies after midnight. Low around 80F. Winds WSW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 60%..

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Coffee Talk developer Toge Productions has launched the Toge Game Fund Initiative to help developers from Southeast Asia secure funding for their game projects.

The Indonesian developer and publisher will offer creators in the region up to $10,000 in funding to build a minimum viable product or vertical slice. Funding will be paid in installments based on projected milestones and deliverables agreed upon by both parties.

Notably, the company explained that developers who secure a grant won't be required to pay any cash back and will retain full ownership of their IP. Toge, meanwhile, will provide consultation and mentorship, project management assistance, and testing and feedback. In exchange, Toge is requesting developers offer it the right of first refusal to agree a publishing deal for completed projects.

Outlining why it established the fund, Toge said it wants to help marginalized and underrepresented game developers in Southeast Asia turn their ideas into reality.

"During the Flash game era, small developers in Southeast Asia flourished with the help of game sponsorships. These sponsorships help new teams experiment and iterate their ideas while minimizing their risks. Unfortunately, the Flash sponsorship era is now gone," said the company.

"In order to help marginalized and underrepresented game developers of Southeast Asia turn their game ideas into reality, we need to provide a safety net for them to experiment and iterate, similar to the Flash sponsorship era. This is the reason Toge Productions is launching Toge Game Fund Initiative."

Those keen to learn more about the fund can visit the Toge website where there's an extensive FAQ and information on how to sign up.




[This unedited press release is made available courtesy of Gamasutra and its partnership with notable game PR-related resource Games Press.]

Paris, 9 June 2021  Voodoo, one of the worlds leading mobile games publishers, has today announced the acquisition of Tel Aviv based Bidshake Ltd., a leading cross-channel marketing automation platform for mobile games and apps. Since its official launch in January 2020, Bidshake has been on a mission to become the one-stop automation platform for all user acquisition and monetization needs. Bidshake combines data aggregation and analytics with campaign and creative management. Through a customer-centric approach and automation, Bidshake enables marketers to make data-driven decisions in real-time and at scale. With Bidshakes unified solution, mobile developers can grow their app or game quickly, easily, and efficiently. Bidshake will continue to operate as an independent entity, extending its products and services to cater to the growth scaling needs of its expanding roster of mobile games and app developers. We have been fortunate to work with Voodoo as our design partner and first customer, taking our marketing automation platform to the next level. From the start, our goal has been to help mobile developers navigate through an increasingly competitive and data-driven environment, and joining Voodoo is the perfect next step in this journey. said Stephane Pitoun and Alexandra Palacci, co-founders of Bidshake. It was the mutual recognition of the power of automation coupled with our marketing insights that led to our close cooperation with the Bidshake team from day one. We couldnt be more excited about our further integration that will address the growth needs of the mobile games and app ecosystem. said Alexandre Yazdi, CEO of Voodoo. Horn & Co. Law Offices and Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP acted as legal advisors to Voodoo. Volovelsky Dinstein & Co. served as legal advisors to Bidshake and its shareholders. KPMG Somekh Chaikin provided financial and tax transaction services to Voodoo in connection with the transaction. -ENDS- For further press enquiries please contact Alfred London: Email: [email protected] About Voodoo - https://www.voodoo.io/ Founded in 2013, Voodoo develops and publishes hyper casual mobile games in partnership with thousands of studios worldwide. Its free-to-play mobile games are available on the Apple Store and Google Play. Ranked first worldwide in terms of downloads on the App Store, Voodoo has over 300 million monthly active users, and has reached over 5 billion downloads. The company has pioneered the development of emblematic games such as Helix Jump, Aquapark.io, Bounce & Collect and City Takeover.
This is one of those situations where what the law says and how I feel dont match up, said Commissioner Sherrie Sprenger. I am not a fan of solar. Never have been. But when I went through the criteria  I could not find criteria in this that wasnt in line with the law.

Commission chair Roger Nyquist voted against the project, however, saying that this kind of project should be housed on industrial land, not a parcel slated for farm use. He also feared the precedent the board could set by allowing this project.

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This sets a precedent that Im absolutely not comfortable with, he said. If you approve this, with the level of houses around this, we will have to approve this on any and every square inch of (exclusive farm use) property in this county.

He was the lone dissenter on the vote to approve the application, as commissioners Sprenger and Tucker voted in favor. Nyquist was still able to influence the outcome, though, because the motion to approve the application was amended after he urged his fellow commissioners to consider what he thought would be a lenient state-run analysis of the wetlands on the flood plain there.
But Rep. Noble, a Republican from McMinnville who is co-leader of the conduct committee, said the special committee was the better alternative right now.

"Today we are faced with a process that would take up to a year or more" if it were left to the conduct committee, he said.

The Committee on Conduct earlier this year recommended the expulsion of then-Rep. Diego Hernandez after members concluded he committed 18 violations of the rule against creating a hostile work environment through sexual harassment. Hernandez, a three-term Democrat from Portland, resigned his seat before the full House voted on the recommendation.

Three representatives in other states have been expelled in recent years after accusations of sexual harassment. They are Luke Simons in North Dakota on March 4, and Steve Lebsock of Colorado and Don Shooter of Arizona, both in 2018.

Nearman mused during a June 7 interview with a Portland radio talk-show host that his name might someday end up as the answer to a question on the television game show "Jeopardy!" He also acknowledged his aiding of the protesters, but said Oregon State Police and Salem police failed to keep them out of the Capitol. Police eventually ejected protesters from the vestibule and blocked a second attempt by them to breach the double doors at the west entrance. Several people were arrested, some of them for assaulting news reporters and photographers outside the Capitol.
Students prepare to take a mock college scholastic ability test at Yeouido Girl's High School in Yeongdeungpo District, Seoul, June 3. Korea Times photo by Wang Tae-seok



By Bahk Eun-ji



Some people in their early 20s are planning to apply for the state-run college entrance exam to be held in November, not because they want to enter a university, but because the government will give COVID-19 vaccines to test-takers to prevent the infection from spreading among them.



Complicating the issue is the fact that the education authorities have virtually no way of sorting out who is "really" taking the exam for its given purpose and who is not.



Under a vaccination plan devised by the education and health ministries, high school seniors and others who also plan to take the college scholastic ability test (CSAT) are allowed to be vaccinated during the summer vacation between July and August. The measure is aimed at preventing them from becoming infected with COVID-19 ahead of one of the most important academic events in the nation's education system, where hundreds of thousands of applicants will take the examination at indoor test sites.



As they are under the age of 30, test-takers will receive the Pfizer vaccine, which is allowed for this age group. If they get the first shot of the two-dose vaccine during the summer vacation, they will develop immunity before the November CSAT.



The authorities plan to draw up a list of those allowed to get the vaccination based on applicants signing up for a mock CSAT scheduled for Sept. 1. Applications for the mock test will be received between the end of June and the beginning of July.



Some college students have expressed their intention to take the mock exam and CSAT, because people in their 20s are expected to be almost the last group to receive vaccine shots under the government's inoculation program. They are even willing to pay test fees  12,000 won ($10.8) for the mock test and an additional 37,000 won for the CSAT.



"I'm thinking about taking the college entrance exam so that I can get a Pfizer vaccine injection. It's a good idea to pay 50,000 won to get vaccinated first," a person wrote on Everytime, an online community for university students.



Many also complained about the fact that people in their 20s, who have relatively more active social lives, have been pushed to the back of the list of people getting vaccinated.



The Ministry of Education said it is in fact difficult to identify people who are applying for the CSAT simply to get vaccinated.



"It is difficult to force people, who are unlikely to show up at the CSAT sites, not to apply for the exam because we have to guarantee their freedom," said Cho Hoon-hee, head of the University Admission Policy Department at the education ministry.



"Instead, we are considering ways to encourage only those who are really willing to take the test to apply, but detailed plans have not been decided yet," Cho said.



Last month, the education ministry requested the health ministry to vaccinate college students and faculty members as early as possible so that universities can have in-person classes in the second half of the year. But nothing has been decided on yet.



"It is too early to announce the specific timing or scope of the inoculation, but we are holding discussions to ensure that as many students and faculty members of universities can be inoculated as quickly as possible," Cho said.


More than 800 suspects were arrested and more than 32 tons of drugs seized, including cocaine, cannabis, amphetamines and methamphetamines. Police also seized 250 guns, 55 luxury cars and more than $148 million in cash and cryptocurrencies. An indictment unsealed Tuesday in San Diego named 17 foreign distributors charged with racketeering conspiracy.

The seeds of the sting were sown when law enforcement agencies took down a company called Phantom Secure that provided customized end-to-end encrypted devices to criminals, according to court papers.

Unlike typical cellphones, the devices do not make phone calls or browse the internet  but allow for secure messaging. As an outgrowth of the operation, the FBI recruited a collaborator who was developing a next-generation secure-messaging platform for the criminal underworld called ANOM. The collaborator engineered the system to give the agency access to any messages being sent.

ANOM didn't take off immediately. But then other secure platforms used by criminals to organize drug-trafficking hits and money laundering were taken down by police, chiefly EncroChat and Sky ECC. That put gangs in the market for a new app, and the FBI's platform was ready. Over the past 18 months, the agency provided phones via unsuspecting middlemen to gangs in more than 100 countries.
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This story was produced as part of an investigative reporting class at the UW-Madison School of Journalism and Mass Communication under the direction of Dee J. Hall, Wisconsin Watchs managing editor.

The nonprofit Wisconsin Watch (wisconsin

watch.org) collaborates with WPR, PBS Wisconsin, other news media and the UW-Madison School of Journalism and Mass Communication. All works created, published, posted or disseminated by Wisconsin Watch do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of UW-Madison or any of its affiliates.
An Adams County resident who also lives part-time in New York City, Cooper-White is President Emeritus of United Lutheran Seminary and Director of Lutheran Formation at Union Theological Seminary. The opinions expressed in these columns are his own.




Defense Minister Suh Wook apologized Wednesday over the suicide death of a sexually harassed female noncommissioned officer, vowing to conduct a thorough probe and overhaul the military's system of handling sex crimes.







It is the first public apology the defense chief has issued after the late Air Force master sergeant took her own life on May 22, around three months after she was groped and suffered other abuse by a colleague of the same rank.







The case sparked public outrage and criticism, as the military, despite her appeal, failed to take proper measures to protect her and instead tried to persuade her to reach a settlement with the perpetrator in a suspected attempt to cover up the case.







"I am very sorry for causing deep concerns to the bereaved family and the people over the recent death of the sexual abuse victim. As defense minister, I feel heavy responsibility," Suh said during a parliamentary session.







"The ministry will thoroughly investigate every detail, including suspicions of appeasement and concealment," Suh said. "We will also review the sex crime handling system to come up with fundamental reform measures."







President Moon Jae-in on Sunday offered a public apology over "the tragic and unjust death" by "such an evil practice in the barracks culture," and ordered the government to establish a task force on overhauling military culture. (Yonhap)


Relocated poor resident embraces better life through embroidery

09:14, June 09, 2021 By Wang Weijian, Xu Liwei ( People's Daily

Photo shows trained embroiderers working in a factory near a resettlement site in Wanshan district, Tongren city, southwest Chinas Guizhou province. (Photo/Zhou Feng)

At 9 a.m., Li Tinge, who had been relocated to a new house in southwest Chinas Guizhou province under the countrys poverty alleviation program, arrived in a factory near her home and started to make embroideries. With the movements of her hands, a lifelike peony gradually took shape.

She seemed so skillful and confident that its hard to imagine that she had just learned the craft and was struck by polio.

I can make 50 yuan (about $8) by embroidering such a flower, Li said, adding that her monthly income, which comprises basic salary and performance-related pay, exceeds 2,000 yuan. As long as you are diligent, you can earn a living here, she said.

Sometimes Li still cant believe her family has moved from the mountains to a tall building in Wangjia community, Wanshan district, Tongren city of Guizhou, a resettlement site for people who used to live in the mountains.

Her hometown, Yangjiaao Miao and Tujia township, is situated in the remote mountains of Sinan county, Tongren. It took her two hours to get to the county hall from her home, and another two hours to the city.

Because there was no bus route, my daughters needed to get up before daybreak and walk through the mountain road for over one hour to school, always exhausted from climbing the two mountains, Li recalled.

Whats worse, Yangjiaao suffered from severe water shortage. According to Li, the water her family used to wash vegetables and rice would be reused for washing faces and feet, and then watering livestock.

Lis family moved to Wangjia community in 2019. Her new house is not only equipped with a TV, induction cooker, and other electrical appliances, but guaranteed safe water supply, freeing the family from the predicament in using water.

Her daughters have been enrolled at a public school near their home. It takes them merely several minutes to get to school by bus, which means the major troubles bothering Li in the past have all been resolved.

In 2013, Suzhou city in east Chinas Jiangsu province started to help Tongren alleviate poverty under the countrys pairing assistance program. Suzhou national high-tech industrial development zone has paired up with Wanshan district of Tongren and rolled out a plan to help the latter improve the income of poor residents through embroidery.

Suzhou national high-tech industrial development zone sends embroidery masters to Wanshan twice every year to teach local residents embroidery skills.

Because of the plan, Li was able to observe Suzhou embroidery closely and was soon enchanted by the craft. She took pictures of the stitches, procedures, and embroideries and studied carefully at home.

She has also watched embroidery videos via her mobile phone whenever she had time and repeatedly watched the patterns of Suzhou embroidery.

Her hard work has paid off. Li has mastered various kinds of stitches, and the peonies she embroiders, with layers of petals and delicate stamens, look as if they would give out scent in the breeze.

Lis husband is also hardworking. Before we moved to our new home, he was a migrant worker in a place far away, and only went back home twice or three times every year. He has now gotten a job on a nearby construction site, and our family can have meals together every day, Li said happily.

Lis family bid farewell to poverty in 2019, and is now living a more comfortable life in their new house.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun)
Defense Minister Suh wok, facing front row, third from left, attends a session of the National Assembly's Defense Committee at the Assembly on Yeouido, Seoul, Wednesday. Yonhap



By Jung Da-min



The recent debate on mandatory military service for women has all but disappeared, following the suicide of a female Air Force non-commissioned officer last month after her report of a sexual assault was allegedly covered up.



Critics say the military's macho hierarchical culture is to blame for this and other ongoing sex crimes, many of which go unreported.



The decades-long debate on women's mandatory service had again been brought up by some presidential hopefuls after the April 7 by-elections, in which the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), which took the mayoral seats of the country's two biggest cities, Seoul and Busan.



After a large percentage of men in their 20s voted for opposition party candidates seemingly being the most dissatisfied with government policies, the two major parties and their presidential hopefuls jumped into a policy competition to appeal to them. Besides improving service conditions for young men during the mandatory military service, and offering them "rewards" for serving, some came up with the idea of conscripting both men and women.



Public opinion in favor of this has also grown. A survey of 1,003 adults conducted from May 25 to 27 by Gallup Korea showed that 46 percent of respondents supported the idea, while 47 percent said that only men should be conscripted. The figure was notable, as military service has long been considered the duty of men alone.



But this debate has quickly almost disappeared following additional revelations of sex crimes, in which mostly women service members were victims and their superior officers were the assailants.





President Moon Jae-in pays tribute to an Air Force master sergeant who killed herself after being sexually assaulted by a fellow service member, at her memorial altar at the Armed Forces Capital Hospital in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, Sunday. Yonhap
Lawmakers hit for illegal property dealings



The ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) has told 12 of its lawmakers to leave the party voluntarily after the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission (ACRC) discovered they had been involved in illegal real estate transactions. The party disclosed the names of the suspected lawmakers Tuesday amid growing public anger over civil servants, politicians and employees of state-run enterprises who have purchased real estate for speculative purposes by using inside information about development projects.



DPK Chairman Rep. Song Young-gil said Wednesday, "It is heartbreaking, but inevitable if the party is to ease public distrust over the real estate issue." He urged the party members to submit to investigations as "independents" and return to the party after/if the allegations made against them are cleared up. Among the 12, four are suspected of buying real estate using another person's name; three are suspected of using confidential information obtained during official business; and five others are accused of violating the Farmland Act that allows only people cultivating the land to own farmland.



The DPK case shows how prevalent real estate speculation is in Korean society. The 12 members include veteran legislators such as Rep. Woo Sang-ho, who served as the DPK floor leader, and freshman lawmakers hailing from civic groups. The party had to take "pre-emptive steps" against the suspected lawmakers to avoid a stronger backlash from the public over the real estate speculation. However, some of the lawmakers are protesting the move, denying any allegations of speculation.



The party has been desperate to quell public anger, as it has already taken flak for applying double standards and being hypocritical. It still remains arrogant and self-righteous despite its crushing defeat in the April 7 mayoral by-elections in Seoul and Busan. The party is struggling to win back voters with nine months left before the presidential election slated for March next year.



The opposition People Power Party (PPP) Wednesday asked the Board of Audit and Inspection (BAI) to conduct investigations into all of its lawmakers to check whether any of them have been involved in illegal real estate dealings. However, the state audit agency has no legal authority to carry out any probes into members of the National Assembly and the judiciary. As a result, some critics denounced the PPP for trying to avoid any investigation over property speculation.



The DPK, for its part, should pay more heed to the lingering skepticism that its recent move was only designed to minimize the public's growing disenchantment with the party. It should realize that it is high time to root out real estate speculation in the political sector.



Any expedient steps will only worsen public sentiment. The DPK should expel the lawmakers immediately and ban them from returning to the party. It also needs to apply stricter ethical standards to prevent further illegalities. This will be the only way for it to carry out President Moon Jae-in's much-touted pledge to usher in a fair and just society.


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KT headquarters in Seoul. Yonhap



By Kim Hyun-bin



KT has joined hands with global IT giant Amazon Web Services (AWS) to expand its digital platform and media business. The two firms signed a strategic cooperation agreement for the media sector, KT said, Tuesday.



Since its CEO, Ku Hyeon-mo, took power, the domestic telecom company has been investing heavily in non-telecom businesses, such as artificial intelligence (AI). It established the AI One Team recently to better cooperate with local conglomerates and universities, including Hyundai Heavy Industries & Construction, LG Electronics, KAIST and Seoul National University.



However, Wednesday's partnership marks its first collaboration with a foreign firm under his leadership.



"Through the partnership with global IT company AWS, we have established a foundation for future business growth," Ku was quoted as saying in the statement. "We plan to enhance KT's corporate value and global competitiveness."





KT CEO Ku Hyeon-mo
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Lauren Gore is principal and co-founder at LDR Advisory Partners, specializing in the design, implementation and operation of complex multi-party strategic-growth ventures. Previously, he practiced as an attorney with Baker Botts LLP, with a specialization in large-scale energy transactions and complex deal design. A graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, he served in a combat deployment to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, where he was awarded a Bronze Star. He holds a law dregree from Harvard University.
Formula 1 will travel to Saudi Arabia for the first time in 2021. Construction of the brand new circuit in Jeddah is in full swing and race organizers have revealed the first renders of the new pit complex.

On December 5, 2021, Saudi Arabia will host its first Grand Prix. The circuit will be built on the Red Sea and will feature as many as 27 corners. The organizers are hoping for a super-fast circuit, which will allow it to take the title of fastest street circuit off of Baku.

Pit building represents the race

Prince Khalid Bin Sultan Al Abdullah Al Faisel, President of the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation unveiled the new renders, giving a brief explanation at F1.com: "The Pit Building stands as a symbol of all that this race represents: welcoming, modern and spectacular."

"With only six months to go until the pinnacle of motorsport reaches Saudi Arabia, preparations are progressing at an incredible rate as our dedicated team gears up for the first-ever Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. We cant wait to welcome you to Jeddah next December."

We've got six months until the newest race on our calendar!



Here's a taste of what the @SaudiArabianGP will look like...#SaudiArabianGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/msQgNFFNID  Formula 1 (@F1) June 8, 2021
The calendar hasn't changed as rigorously as it did last year, but the 2021 Formula One calendar has had its fair share of changes too. The latest change is the cancellation of the Singapore Grand Prix, which also affects Red Bull's development.

Red Bull chooses another way

Last week it was announced that the Singapore Grand Prix [1-3 October] will be cancelled, just like last year. Especially for Red Bull it was a very unpleasant development, also says Helmut Marko. "The race in Singapore is of course a race that suits us well", the Red Bull advisor told Auto Motor und Sport. "But anyway, that's the way it is. At least we were informed early on."

The lack of Singapore on the calendar has even more consequences for Red Bull. According to Marko, this has direct consequences for the direction in terms of further development of the team. "Absolutely. It's a decisive factor in the development of the team. Singapore demands something completely different from the car than any other race. Now there is only one slow circuit left and that is in Budapest. Fortunately, they cancelled this race in time, so we could adjust the planning of our development."

Honda goes for reliability

The performance of the new Honda engine has been excellent so far and so has its reliability. "We are trying to run with the first engine as long as possible. Since there are no signs of fatigue or a drop in horsepower at Red Bull Racing, we'll keep it that way," Marko said, pointing to Pierre Gasly' s engine problems in Baku.

Read more Verstappen shows class after the race in Baku: Personal congratulations to Vettel

"The damage to Gasly with the loss of power is being investigated," the Austrian continued. "If something is found there that also affects the engines in the Red Bull, that would be a new finding and would affect further plans." Honda will therefore focus on reliability in the coming period.
For a moment Lewis Hamilton looked set to take the lead of the race at the restart in Baku and gain crucial points on title rival Max Verstappen, who had crashed out moments earlier. Hamilton made a mistake, however, and left Azerbaijan with zero points.

A bit of bad luck

It was not the best of weeks for the reigning world champion. After finishing seventh in Monaco, the Briton crossed the finish line in 15th place in Baku. "I think it's been an incredibly difficult two races," Hamilton told Autosport.com. "It was certainly a painful experience, but I think Sunday was really a bit of bad luck. But Max was unlucky too, and these things happen."

Still, Hamilton remains positive. He thinks the team will come back stronger. "I think you can clearly see that the Red Bull is the fastest at the moment. It was very difficult to keep up with them, but it was good that we were back there."

Key role for Perez

In Baku, Verstappen's retirement allowed Perez to win the race, but even before that the Mexican was competing well up front and managed to keep Hamilton behind him. For Hamilton, this was no surprise."This is what we expected at the beginning of the year. Their car is incredibly fast, so no doubt those two [Verstappen and Perez] together will make it difficult for me."

In the end, neither title contender managed to score points in Baku, but for Hamilton it was not necessarily reassuring that his main rival also remained scoreless. "It's irrelevant, it doesn't really make a difference to be honest. These classes have been sent to test us."


Berlin prosecutors said Wednesday they have charged Volkswagen's former chief executive Martin Winterkorn with making false statements to a parliamentary committee over the automobile giant's emissions-cheating "Dieselgate" scandal.





"The public prosecutor's office accuses the defendant of giving false testimony on January 19, 2017, as a witness before the 'emissions' investigation committee," they said.





Winterkorn claimed to have learnt about illegal devices installed in VW vehicles to trick emissions tests only in September 2015, when he is believed to already be aware by May that year, they said.





The issue was also raised at a crisis meeting of Volkswagen executives in July 2015, the statement said.



Winterkorn resigned in September 2015, a week after the diesel emissions scandal broke.





He is already facing trial in Germany on charges of organized commercial fraud and serious tax evasion over the case.



Separately, Volkswagen on Wednesday said it had come to a deal with Winterkorn for the former chief executive to pay the company 11.2 million euros ($14 million) in damages.





Another former board member, Rupert Stadler, will pay 4.1 million euros.





Stadler, the former head of VW's Audi division, had been the first VW senior executive to go on trial over "dieselgate" in the fraud proceedings which opened in Munich last year.





The revelations that Volkswagen had installed devices in 11 million diesel vehicles worldwide to dupe pollution tests plunged the company into a deep crisis.





It has so far cost the German car giant more than 30 billion euros in fines, legal costs and compensation. (AFP)






Grand Haven, MI (49417)

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Entrance of Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction's plant in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province. Yonhap
Industry Minister Moon Sung-wook, third from left, looks around a booth during the InterBattery tech fair at the COEX convention center in Seoul, Wednesday, along with SK Innovation's battery division CEO Ji Dong-seop, from left, Samsung SDI CEO Jun Young-hyun and POSCO Chemical CEO Min Kyung-jun. Korea Times photo by Baek Byung-yeul



By Baek Byung-yeul



With more electric vehicles (EVs) expected to hit the roads, rechargeable battery makers are accelerating efforts to add more battery manufacturing plants to secure a lead in the rapidly-growing market.



They are especially targeting the U.S., where the Biden administration is pushing to foster the EV industry.



Samsung SDI CEO Jun Young-hyun said Wednesday that the company is reviewing whether it will establish a rechargeable battery manufacturing plant in the U.S.



"It depends on customers and the market situation. We are in the process of reviewing it," Jun said when asked whether the company will establish a battery manufacturing plant in the U.S., during the InterBattery event, a tech fair held in Seoul, focusing on the battery business.



When asked about the possibility of establishing a joint venture with a local carmaker, the CEO said, "The company is thinking about it, leaving the possibility open."



Samsung SDI runs rechargeable battery manufacturing plants in Korea, Hungary and China and also operates a plant in the U.S. state of Michigan that assembles battery packs. Industry watchers say that Samsung SDI is slightly behind its local competitors  LG Energy Solution and SK Innovation  which are actively establishing rechargeable battery joint ventures with U.S. automotive giants GM and Ford, respectively.



Jun also stressed that the government needs to provide more support to foster talented workers for the battery industry. "The secondary battery business is growing, but we are also experiencing a shortage of manpower," he said. "As we have seen rapid growth in the secondary battery business, we need government support to foster talented people so that companies in the industry can grow together."





Visitors to the InterBattery tech fair take a look at Samsung SDI's Gen. 5 battery for electric cars, at the COEX convention center in Seoul, Wednesday. Korea Times photo by Baek Byung-yeul



SK Innovation's (SKI) battery chief said that the company is on-track to decide on the precise location for its new battery joint venture project. The joint venture project with Ford is called BlueOvalSK, and will be established in the U.S. state of Ohio, where its cross-town rival, LG Energy Solution (LGES), also operates a battery plant, according to news reports.



"We are looking at four or five sites for possible battery cell plants for the joint venture," Ji Dong-seop, SKT's battery head, told reporters at the fair. "We will proceed with the plan as soon as the location is decided."



SKI recently revealed its plan to establish BlueOvalSK with Ford.



Samsung SDI and SKI ranked fifth and sixth in the global EV battery market in the first quarter, with shares of 5.3 percent and 5.1 percent, respectively, according to SNE Research. CATL led the market with 31.5 percent, followed by LGES with 20.5 percent.



The InterBattery tech fair is a three-day expo focusing on the country's battery industry. Thanks to the government's drive to foster the secondary battery business as its major export, the annual event has become one of the world's largest battery-related tech shows, along with the Battery Japan event and the China International Battery Fair. Featuring 229 companies, the event will run until Friday.





Visitors to POSCO Chemical's booth at the InterBattery fair in Seoul, Wednesday. Courtesy of POSCO Chemical
Rome-based transport company, Atac, will receive 100 Mercedes-Benz Citaro hybrid buses. The city buses are to be delivered in three lots between June and the autumn of this year. They are part of an ambitious investment program to modernize the bus fleet of the transport company in Italys capital. One of the companys goals is to significantly reduce pollutant emissions.





The current large order signals the return of EvoBus Italia to the capital; the company has already supplied buses to Atac: 450 Citaro between 2001 and 2005.

When compared with conventional city buses with a combustion engine, the Citaro hybrid buses reduce fuel consumption and emissions by up to 8.5%. A compact hybrid module assists the low-emissions diesel engine. An electric motor converts energy into electricity when the vehicle is coasting or braking. It is stored in high-performance supercaps. The electric motor assists the combustion engine when the bus pulls away. The Citaro hybrid is also equipped with intelligent eco-steering, an electrohydraulic steering system. It operates in a need-optimized way and likewise helps reduce fuel consumption in local city transport.

The new vehicles are painted amaranth red and have a band that runs around the upper section of the bus bearing the wording + Bus x Rom + Bus x Rom  which stands for more buses for Rome. The solo buses for Atac are equipped with two passenger doors and are fully air-conditioned. A protective glass drivers cab door prevents close contact between the passengers and driver which protects the driver from infections. Both the air conditioning system and the air conditioner housing are fitted with anti-viral active filters. A CCTV system provides for safety onboard and a counting system records the number of passengers. The vehicles are also equipped with GPS surveillance and a telematics system assists fleet management.

Atac plans to modernize 10% of its city bus fleet annually. The emissions from the 100 Citaro hybrid buses are lower than those permitted by the current strict Euro VI emissions standard. The buses replace Euro-III vehicles which have been in operation for more than ten years.

Atac (Azienda per i Trasporti Autoferrotranviari del comune di Roma) is Italys number one municipal transport company and one of the largest companies of its kind in Europe. In addition to the extensive bus network in Rome, Atac operates trams, three underground train lines and train routes in the suburbs. Vehicles depart from 320 final bus stops and stations and cover around 8500 stops. The company also operates car parks with space for around 70,000 vehicles.
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STAMFORD  The attorneys general of Massachusetts and Idaho and many Congress members condemned in a hearing Tuesday the owners of OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma for their alleged role in fueling the opioid crisis, a hearing that also focused on their concerns that the owners might evade accountability through the firms bankruptcy.

Tuesdays nearly three-and-a-half-hour meeting of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform followed an acrimonious hearing last December that featured testimony from two of the Sackler family members who own Purdue and the companys CEO. This time, none of the companys owners or executives testified  but the proceedings again generated vociferous criticism of the firm and also cast attention on legislation seeking to curb the Sacklers legal protections.

Over and over, the people closest to this crisis have said what must be done. They want a commitment to treatment and prevention, they want the whole truth exposed, and they want the perpetrators to be held accountable, Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey, a Democrat, said during remote testimony to the committee, which simultaneously convened in person in Washington, D.C.. Thats why my team investigated the Sackler family members who controlled Purdue Pharma. Thats why Massachusetts was the first state to sue the Sackler family. And its why Ive rejected the Sacklers repeated attempts to cover up, to conceal, to buy off their misconduct, avoid accountability and walk away billionaires richer today than they were yesterday.

Idaho Attorney General Lawrence Wasden also accused Purdue of contributing to his states opioid crisis. Healey and Wasden belong to a group of 24 non-consenting state attorneys general who have not agreed to settle their states lawsuits against Purdue. Connecticut Attorney General William Tong is also a member of that coalition.

Beginning in the 1990s, Purdue and the Sackler family executed one of the deadliest marketing campaigns in history, Wasden, a Republican, said during remote testimony. Tragically, this campaign resulted in a dramatic rise in opioid abuse, addiction, overdoses and death. The Sackler family bears substantial responsibility for the opioid crisis ravaging our country.

In response to an inquiry from Hearst Connecticut Media, Purdue provided a statement that did not directly address the hearing, but instead reiterated the main points of the settlement plan that the company values at more than $10 billion. It is aiming to get the proposal approved in bankruptcy court.

We are focused on advancing our proposed plan of reorganization, which would transfer billions of dollars of value into trusts for the benefit of the American people and direct critically needed resources to communities and individuals nationwide who have been affected by the opioid crisis, the company said in the statement. Our broadly supported plan will deliver funds and resources that are needed now and would have a profoundly positive impact on public health.

Through a statement from late Purdue founders Mortimer and Raymond Sacklers sides of the family, which was provided by a spokesperson, the Sacklers who own Purdue reiterated their support for the companys settlement plan.

It will ensure the timely deployment of resources for their intended purposes in ways that could never be achieved in fractured litigation that would face strong defenses and consume enormous sums on years of legal proceedings, the statement said. Were litigation to resume, we are confident the evidence would show that members of the Sackler family who served on Purdues board alongside respected outside directors acted ethically and lawfully.

Purdue and the Sacklers have repeatedly denied the allegations of the approximately 3,000 pending lawsuits consolidated in its bankruptcy that the company stoked the opioid crisis with deceptive marketing of OxyContin.

The Sacklers did not file for bankruptcy. But the implementation of Purdues settlement plan would release the company and its owners from the pending lawsuits  as well as potential claims related to Purdues opioids or any other claims in connection with opioid-related activities.

In a related move, House Oversight Committee Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney, D-New York, and Rep. Mark DeSaulnier, D-California, introduced in March the Stop Shielding Assets from Corporate Known Liability by Eliminating Non-Debtor Releases Act, or SACKLER Act. It aims to close a loophole by preventing those who have not filed for bankruptcy from obtaining releases from lawsuits brought by government bodies.

Your work can be a turning point towards justice. I applaud you all. I applaud Chairwoman Maloney and Rep. DeSaulnier for introducing the SACKLER Act, Healey said. We need common-sense legislation to prevent billionaires who arent bankrupt from abusing the bankruptcy code to avoid accountability.

Patrick Radden Keefe, a New Yorker writer and author of the recently published Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty, said in his testimony that he thought that the judge overseeing Purdues bankruptcy was inclined to overrule the intentions of the chief law enforcement officers of two-dozen states and give the Sacklers permanent immunity despite the fact that the Sacklers themselves have not declared bankruptcy. If this happens, it will be a colossal miscarriage of justice.

Disagreements between Democrats and Republicans

Dreamstime / TNS

As they did in last Decembers hearing, Democratic and Republican committee members united in denouncing the Sacklers and highlighting their concerns about the opioid crisis. Opioids were involved in 49,860 overdose deaths in 2019, accounting for about 70 percent of all U.S. drug overdose deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Republican committee members complained, however, that the hearing was too narrowly focused and accused their Democratic counterparts of failing to respond adequately to other drivers of the epidemic such as the flow of illicit opioids including fentanyl across the U.S.-Mexico border.

Purdue and the Sacklers undoubtedly must be held to account for their contribution to the growing opioid epidemic, said Rep. James Comer, R-Kentucky, the committees ranking member. He added, though, that at this point, we should be focused on other aspects of the opioid epidemic. We have a growing number of illicit opioids streaming across our southern border.

About two hours into the hearing, another of the witnesses, Alexis Pleus, founder and executive director of Truth Pharm, a Binghamton, N.Y.-based nonprofit focused on reducing the harms caused by substance use, chastised the legislators.

Its stunning to me that this committee has an opportunity to hold the greatest family cartel in the history of the United States  and possibly the world  responsible for what theyve done. And yet here you are distracting from your opportunity by focusing on the southern border  which is a waste of time, money and resources, said Pleus, who also told the committee that her oldest son had died of a heroin overdose in 2014 after being prescribed OxyContin a number of years earlier. The other countries who have lower overdose fatality rates do not have walls built around their country.

Maloney closed the hearing by indicating that she was still hopeful that Republicans would support the SACKLER Act.

It is a good-faith proposal, Maloney said. Im serious about working in a bipartisan manner on this issue.

pschott@stamfordadvocate.com; Twitter: @paulschott
GREENWICH  As part of the investigation into a major water main break that damaged a private residence and a town road, state utility regulators holding a virtual public hearing on the issue received a complaint about poor customer service from a Greenwich resident affected by the flood.

The Public Utilities Regulatory Authority, which regulates the Aquarion Water Co., is continuing to seek public comments on the flood that hit Anderson Road in central Greenwich on April 12. A 100-year-old main broke, sending thousands of gallons of water down the street, causing the roadway to buckle and flooding a home.

A nearby resident, Howard Fields, offered his concerns about Aquarions response on a teleconferenced meeting with PURA, which is charged with investigating major events involving utilities in the state.

Fields had a number of criticisms regarding what he said was deficient public information about restoring the water service and about the process of repairs. Inadequate customer service and communications failures was how Fields described his experience.

Fields told the authority that the contractors at the site were unresponsive to his questions, and the Aquarion website offered little information besides the initial notification about the break. There was nothing on the website that kept us informed, he said.

He said a customer service representative promised a call back with information, but it never happened.

As to the repair work, Fields said the noise prevented him and his family from getting any sleep. It kept us up all night, with no warning that was going to be the case, he said.

Aquarion President Dan Morrissey, who was on the call, said he appreciated the input. Thank you for the feedback, he said.

An internal review by Aquarion found that the cast-iron 16-inch main on Anderson Road originally installed in 1920 was the source of the problem. There was another water main break in 2020 in the same area. The Aquarion report on the incident stated, We do not believe that the 2020 break is a causal factor in the 2021 break.

We believe that the age of the main (100 years old) is the cause of the break, the report stated.

About 25 customers were left without water service for a short time, with neighboring streets experiencing lower pressure. The old main, which was due for replacement, was taken out of service and a new one was installed.

The floodwaters caused major damage to a home at the bottom of Anderson Road, which was also damaged by the water main break in 2020. According to Aquarion reports, their claims department was resolving the cost of repairs.

The total repair costs to Aquarion for the incident, as of May 17, were estimated at $284,970, according to a water company document. The cost of repairs in the 2020 water main break cost $192,575, according to Aquarion.

A Greenwich fire engine that responded to the flooding was temporarily disabled when the pavement collapsed beneath it, but it was not seriously damaged, according to the after-action report.

Email on the incident can also be sent to Pura.ExecutiveSecretary@ct.gov, with a reference to Docket No. 21-04-09.

rmarchant@greenwichtime.com
LANSING, Mich. (AP)  Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson said Tuesday her office is adding 350,000 appointments over nearly four months to address a pandemic-related backlog as Michigan residents try to renew driver's licenses, transfer vehicle titles and conduct other business in person.

Branch offices will be able to serve 25% more customers than planned, she said, citing efficiencies  namely shortening 20-minute appointment slots to 10-minute slots. She also eased a requirement that all visitors book an appointment in advance, saying those who need a disability placard can show up without one and be served.

Dedicated greeters will be stationed at the doors of some of the department's busiest offices. At other branches, counter staff will check outside between serving customers with appointments. They will tell people if any immediate appointments are available or help schedule them for later.

Benson, a Democrat, is confronting a logjam caused by the end of a 13-month grace period for drivers license and ID renewals, which has been exacerbated by branch closures due to COVID-19 exposures. Republican lawmakers continued to press her to restore motorists' ability to walk in without an appointment, pointing to monthslong waits and frustrated customers. But she wants to stay the course and notes more transactions can be done online.

We're able to do this after discussions with our frontline workers who are concerned about the chatter here in Lansing to revert back to a broken take-a-number system, Benson said. Employees suggested that they could work harder and faster to be able to handle more transactions each day efficiently and quickly. ... Having residents schedule their visits ahead of time is a vastly superior way of doing business.

Benson's announcement came just a week after she sought $25 million from legislators to add 500,000 appointments through September.

She's starting to listen to what people need in Michigan, and that's a start. The fact that she can add on 350,000 more appointments, you have to wonder why she didn't already do that," said Sen. Ruth Johnson, a Holly Republican who was secretary of state from 2011 through 2018. She criticized Benson for having closed offices on Wednesday nights and Saturday mornings.

Benson noted that the Senate has proposed cutting the departments budget by nearly $10 million, or 4.5%, in the next fiscal year. She said she needs more funding, not less, to hire workers and pay overtime to expand hours at branches.

Johnson has proposed bills that would extend the expiration date of registrations, licenses and ID cards until Sept. 30, retroactive to April 1. Late fees would be waived until branches offer at least 25 hours a week of walk-in services without an appointment.

Benson said expirations should be lengthened on a rolling basis instead of to a single day, which placed 13 months of pent-up demand on the system all at once when the grace period lapsed on March 31.

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Follow David Eggert at https://twitter.com/DavidEggert00
WASHINGTON (AP)  Once dismissed by most public health experts and government officials, the hypothesis that COVID-19 leaked accidentally from a Chinese lab is now receiving scrutiny under a new U.S. investigation.

Experts say the 90-day review ordered on May 26 by President Joe Biden will push American intelligence agencies to collect more information and review what they already have. Former State Department officials under President Donald Trump have publicly pushed for further investigation into virus origins, as have scientists and the World Health Organization.

Many scientists, including Dr. Anthony Fauci, say they still believe the virus most likely occurred in nature and jumped from animals to humans. Virus researchers have not publicly identified any key new scientific evidence that might make the lab-leak hypothesis more likely.

Virologists also say it is unlikely that any definitive answer about virus origins will be possible in 90 days. The work to fully confirm origins and pathways of past viruses  such as the first SARS or HIV/AIDS  has taken years or decades.

A look at what is known about the U.S. investigation of the virus.

WHAT ARE INTELLIGENCE AGENCIES REVIEWING?

Biden ordered a review of what the White House said was an initial finding leading to two likely scenarios, an animal-to-human transmission or a lab leak. The White House statement says two agencies in the 18-member intelligence community lean toward the hypothesis of a transmission in nature; another agency leans toward a lab leak.

One document drawing new attention is a State Department fact sheet published in the last days of Trumps administration. The memo notes that the U.S. believes three researchers at a Wuhan, China, lab sought medical treatment for a respiratory illness in November 2019. However, the report is not conclusive: The origin and severity of the staffers illness is not known  and most people in China regularly go to hospitals, not primary-care physicians, for routine care.

The memo also pointed to gain of function studies  which in theory could enhance the lethality or transmissibility of a virus  allegedly done at the Wuhan lab with U.S. backing. However, National Institutes of Health Director Francis Collins has since adamantly denied that the U.S. supported any gain-of-function research on coronaviruses in Wuhan.

David Feith, who served as deputy assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific Affairs under Trump, said he supported Bidens call for an enhanced review. Implicit in the presidents statement is that there is more to analyze and more to collect than has been analyzed or collected to date," Feith said.

The Director of National Intelligence declined to comment.

IS CHINA HAMPERING INVESTIGATIONS?

The White House statement criticized China for a lack of transparency, echoing previous criticisms by Democrats and Republicans. The failure to get our inspectors on the ground in those early months will always hamper any investigation into the origin of COVID-19, the White House said.

The Associated Press has reported on Chinas interference in the World Health Organizations probes of the virus and its fanning of conspiracy theories online. China has also forced journalists to leave the country in recent years and silenced or jailed whistleblowers from Wuhan and elsewhere.

The lack of transparency in China is a significant and familiar challenge. But that does not in itself signal that something in particular is being hidden.

The problem is when you make that announcement (Bidens call for investigation) in a highly politicized environment, it makes it even less likely that China will cooperate with efforts to find the origins of the virus, said Yanzhong Huang, a senior fellow for global health at the Council on Foreign Relations.

WHAT DO SCIENTISTS BELIEVE ABOUT VIRUS ORIGINS?

The most compelling argument for investigating the possibility of a lab leak is not any new hard evidence, but rather the fact that another pathway for virus spread has not been 100% confirmed.

The great probability is still that this virus came from a wildlife reservoir, said Arinjay Banerjee, a virologist at the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization in Saskatchewan, Canada. He pointed to the fact that spillover events  when viruses jump from animals to humans  are common in nature, and that scientists already know of two similar beta coronaviruses that evolved in bats and caused epidemics when humans were infected, SARS1 and MERS.

However, the case is not completely closed. There are probabilities, and there are possibilities, said Banerjee. Because nobody has identified a virus thats 100% identical to SARS-CoV-2 in any animal, there is still room for researchers to ask about other possibilities.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO CONFIRM THE ORIGIN OF A VIRUS?

Confirming with 100% certainty the origin of a virus is often not fast, easy, or always even possible.

For example, scientists never confirmed the origin of smallpox before the disease was eradicated through a global vaccination program.

In the case of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)  a disease caused by a beta coronavirus, like the current coronavirus  researchers first identified the virus in February 2003. Later that year, scientists discovered the likely intermediary hosts: Himalayan palm civets found at live-animal markets in Guangdong, China. But it wasnt until 2017 that researchers traced the likely original source of the virus to bat caves in Chinas Yunnan province.

HOW IMPORTANT IS IT TO UNDERSTAND THE ORIGIN?

From a scientific perspective, researchers are always keen to better understand how diseases evolve. From a public health perspective, if a virus has transitioned to being spread mostly by human-to-human contact, discovering its origins is not as essential to strategies for containing the disease.

Questions of origins and questions of disease control are not the same thing once human-to-human transmission has become common, said Deborah Seligsohn, an expert in environment and public health at Villanova University.

Republicans have pressed for more inquiries into a possible lab leak as part of a broader effort to blame China and vindicate Trump's handling of the pandemic. Nearly 600,000 people in the United States have died of COVID-19, the highest toll of any country.

WHAY HAPPENS AFTER THE 90 DAYS?

Many scientists caution that it's unlikely a 90-day investigation will yield definitive new answers.

We rarely get a smoking gun,'" said Stephen Morse, a disease researcher at Columbia University. Even under the best of circumstances we rarely get certainty, just degrees of likelihood."

Any findings will likely be politically explosive, especially if new evidence comes to light supporting or dismissing the zoonotic transfer or lab-leak theory. And a failure to reach definitive conclusions, almost inevitable after a 90-day review, could provide grist for Trump supporters and opponents alike, as well as embolden conspiracy theorists.

Meanwhile experts like the Council on Foreign Relations' Huang suspect China may simply clamp down more, adding another complication to already tense relations. This will likely make it even more challenging to extract concessions from China to allow another team to visit Wuhan, or have unfettered access to investigate there, he said.
NORFOLK, Va. (AP)  A city engineer who fatally shot 12 people in a Virginia Beach municipal building in 2019 was motivated by perceived workplace grievances that he fixated on for years, according to findings released by the FBI on Wednesday.

The investigation, conducted by the FBIs Behavioral Analysis Unit, found that DeWayne Craddock struggled with how he perceived his own work performance and how others at work viewed him.

The shooters inflated sense of self-importance contributed to this conflict and led him to believe he was unjustly and repeatedly criticized and slighted, the FBI said in a news release. Violence was viewed by the shooter as a way to reconcile this conflict and restore his perverted view of justice.

But the FBI cautioned that no person or group was in a position to see the confluence of behaviors that may have forewarned the attack because Craddock had purposely isolated himself and disengaged from his relationships.

The agency also said that Craddock suffered from significant mental health stressors, although they alone cannot explain the Virginia Beach attack.

It is important to note that only the shooter knew the real reason why he committed this horrific act of violence; however, at this time, the FBI is confident, based on evidence collected, that the above assessment is accurate, the FBI stated.

The FBI's findings appear to go a step further than two previous investigations into the mass shooting in the coastal city of nearly half a million people.

Virginia Beach police said in March that they could not determine a motive.

Despite exhaustive investigative work and in spite of unsubstantiated rumors and accusations, it appears we may never know why he committed this heinous act, the city's report concluded.

Craddock had worked in the citys public utilities department for more than nine years. He killed 11 co-workers and a contractor who was in the building at the time getting a permit. Four others were seriously wounded and a police officer responding to the shooting received a bullet in his tactical vest but escaped serious injury. Craddock was killed in a shootout with police.

The city's report had said Craddock's life began to change around 2017. He was getting a divorce and started to have performance issues at work. In 2018, he received a written reprimand for poor performance, failed to meet expectations on an evaluation and didnt get a merit raise.

At times, the suspect referenced the belief he was being tasked with work outside of his pay grade, the city's report said. This concern was specifically addressed by his supervisor in 2018. The suspect was told that he had been making improvements and was given encouragement.

Leaders in the department said the shooter would have met job performance standards in his 2019 evaluation, the report said.

The city's report said investigators didn't uncover "any indications of violent tendencies or acts of violence committed by the suspect prior to May 31, 2019.

It echoed similar findings released by Chicago-based security company Hillard Heintze in November 2019. The firm offered no clear motive and said that Craddock did not work in a systemically toxic workplace.

The FBI's report, however, is somewhat validating for some of the victims families who have long blamed what they say was a toxic workplace environment and a failure by supervisors to recognize warning signs.

Jason Nixon, whose wife, Kate Nixon, was killed, has long said that the shooter was upset because he was having trouble at work and lost out on a promotion.

Human resources dropped the ball on policies, protocol and procedures, Nixon said in March. My wife warned them all the time that theres something wrong with this guy.

Nixon said Wednesday that he expects little to come of the FBI's report because Virginia Beach plays by its own rules.

Hillard Heintze did offer several recommendations in its 2019 report to Virginia Beach, such as improving its workplace violence prevention programs and human resources functions. City spokeswoman Julie Hill wrote in an email Wednesday that Virginia Beach has implemented  or is in the process of implementing  a number of those recommendations.

Mayor Robert M. Bobby Dyer said in a statement Wednesday that no matter how much information we have about some situations, it may never be enough to really explain what happened and why ... we have seen the worst evil one person can do, and the very best of what a community can do when people come together.

The rampage in Virginia Beach had been the latest in a string of high-profile mass shootings, happening in between the high school killings in Parkland, Florida, that left 17 people dead and the Walmart massacre in El Paso, Texas, that left 23 dead.

Some of the victims family members have felt that the tragedy was effectively forgotten after the national spotlight moved on to other mass killings. Then the coronavirus pandemic arrived.

The Virginia Beach mass shooting is still under investigation by a state commission that was formed to look into the tragedy. It held its first meeting Wednesday morning, according to the Kate Hourin, a spokeswoman for the Virginia Office of the State Inspector General.

The state IG's office is providing staff support for the commission, which will investigate Craddock's possible motives and develop recommendations to minimize the risk of similar shootings.
WASHINGTON (AP)  Advocates for Americans held hostage overseas are raising concerns that the U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan will make it harder to bring home captives from the country.

An annual report from the James W. Foley Legacy Foundation, released Wednesday, examines the status of U.S. government efforts to secure the release of hostages and unlawful detainees in foreign countries. The report's findings are based on interviews with former hostages and detainees or their representatives and relatives, as well as current and former government and military officials.

The report shows general satisfaction with changes instituted as part of a 2015 hostage policy overhaul, which included the creation of an FBI-led hostage recovery fusion cell and the appointment of a State Department envoy for hostage affairs. But it also raises potential areas for improvement, including more mental health and financial support for hostages and detainees who return from captivity. And it says more may need to be done to make hostage recovery a greater priority.

Among the concerns raised by hostage advocates interviewed for the report is that once American troops leave Afghanistan  a process the Biden administration has said will be completed by Sept. 11  it will become more difficult to generate the intelligence needed to find Americans and conduct rescue operations for current hostages held in the area.

They include Mark Frerichs, a contractor from Lombard, Illinois, who vanished in January 2020 and is believed held by the Taliban-linked Haqqani network, and Paul Overby, an American writer who disappeared in Afghanistan in 2014.

They also fear that the further reduction of U.S. physical presence in the country is an erosion of the leverage needed to make progress on resolving these cases, the report states. It is perceived by some advocates that securing the release of these hostages was not made a precondition for any settlement during the peace talks in Doha, Qatar with the Taliban.

The departure of all U.S. special operations forces from Afghanistan will make counterterrorism operations, including the collecting of intelligence on al-Qaida and other extremist groups, more difficult. The administration hopes to be able to compensate through the military's wide geographic reach, which has only expanded with the advent of armed drones and other technologies.

The administration has said it will retain a U.S. Embassy presence, but that will become more difficult if the militarys departure leads to a collapse of Afghan governance.

Washington's special envoy to Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, has told Congress that he has repeatedly demanded the release of Frerichs and has enlisted the support of senior Qatari and Pakistani officials on his behalf.

The foundation behind the report was created by Diane Foley, whose son, James Foley, was killed by Islamic State militants in 2014 while in Syria as a freelance journalist.

The deaths of James Foley and other Western hostages at the hands of IS operatives helped prompt the Obama administration's 2015 policy overhaul following complaints by hostage families that government officials had failed to sufficiently communicate with them and had even threatened prosecution if relatives tried to raise a ransom.

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Follow Eric Tucker on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/etuckerAP.
NORWALK  Jimmy Johns, a popular national fast food chain known for its sandwiches, is eyeing an expansion into Connecticut, in particular Norwalk.

A local developer has asked city officials to sign off on plans to turn an old bank branch on Westport Avenue into the states first Jimmy Johns location, according to an application recently submitted to the Planning and Zoning Department.

The Illinois-based fast food chain, which was founded in 1983, has more than 2,700 locations across the country, but so far none in Connecticut. Virtually all of the stores are franchise-owned.

The fast-growing company has credited its relatively simple menu for its popularity. Jimmy Johns offers sandwiches made from just seven types of meat, three types of bread and only one type of cheese: Provolone.

After a renovation to the now vacant bank branch, the proposed 2,200 square foot restaurant would feature a walk-up pickup window, enough space for a handful of indoor dining tables and a deck oven to bake fresh bread, according to layout plans filed with the city.

(N)o changes are being made to the existing approved building, only interior, developers wrote in the application.

The developer behind the proposal  295 Westport Avenue, LLC  aims to repurpose the drive-thru window at the bank branch for the planned restaurant. The building previously housed a Wells Fargo.

The proposed sandwich shop is not expected to generate the traffic levels commonly found at traditional fast food restaurants with drive-thru windows, according to a traffic report submitted with the application.

Congestion at local fast food restaurants has caused headaches for commuters during the coronavirus pandemic. A popular Chick-fil-A location on Connecticut Avenue was forced to rework its drive-thru system this spring after long lines of cars backed up onto a main road.

It is important to note that a Jimmy Johns Store when compared to a Chick-fil-A or McDonalds-type fast-food restaurant generates significantly less trips based on average sales, traffic engineers wrote in the report, adding that traditional fast food restaurants generate 9.7 times more drive-thru transactions than the average Jimmy Johns location.

If approved, the restaurant would be the second fast food chain to get the green light to open a new store on Westport Avenue. Last month, the zoning commission approved plans to renovate an old Burger King at 480 Westport Ave. into a new Popeyes location.

It is unclear when the developer hopes to open the Jimmy Johns location. John Ryan, an attorney and the representative for 295 Westport Avenue, LLC, did not return a request for comment on Tuesday. A spokesperson for Jimmy Johns was not immediately available.

Steve Kleppin, the citys planning and zoning director, said it is not yet clear when the application will go before the citys zoning commission. Kleppin added that the proposal still needs to be reviewed by the Transportation, Mobility and Parking Department.

This story has been updated to reflect the Jimmy Johns proposed for Norwalk would be the first location in Connecticut. There are several locations in the Boston area.

richard.chumney@hearstmediact.com;
People walk along Carcavelos beach near Cascais, outside Lisbon, June 4. The U.S. government is forming expert working groups with Canada, Mexico, the European Union and the U.K. to determine how best to safely restart travel after 15 months of pandemic restrictions, a White House official said on June 8. AP-Yonhap



The Biden administration is forming expert working groups with Canada, Mexico, the European Union and the United Kingdom to determine how best to safely restart travel after 15 months of pandemic restrictions, a White House official said on Tuesday.



Another U.S. official said the administration will not move quickly to lift orders that bar people from much of the world from entering the United States because of the time it will take for the groups to do their work. The White House informed airlines and others in the travel industry about the groups, the official said.



"While we are not reopening travel today, we hope that these expert working groups will help us use our collective expertise to chart a path forward, with a goal of reopening international travel with our key partners when it is determined that it is safe to do so," the White House official said, adding "any decisions will be fully guided by the objective analysis and recommendations by public health and medical experts."



The groups will be led by the White House COVID Response Team and the National Security Council and include the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and other U.S. agencies.



The CDC said on Tuesday it was easing travel recommendations on 110 countries and territories, including Canada, Mexico, Japan, South Africa and Iran, but has declined to lift any COVID-19 travel restrictions.






LOS ANGELES (AP)  The sheriff of Los Angeles County dispatched deputies Tuesday to Venice Beach to assess the homelessness problem, a day after he called out city officials for failing to adequately address the growing number of people sleeping outdoors along the famous strand.

Venice is the jurisdiction of the Los Angeles Police Department, not the Sheriff's Department. But Sheriff Alex Villanueva said he was moved to act because of the failures of local politicians in regard to the homelessness crisis.

Villanueva tweeted Monday that he was sending the Sheriff's Department's Homeless Outreach Services Team to the beach, where encampments have proliferated along the popular boardwalk and in surrounding neighborhoods.

The sheriff said the goal was to clear the area of homeless encampments by July 4.

News reports showed nearly two dozen sheriff's deputies along with social workers and volunteers talking to some of the dozens of people living in tents and makeshift shelters near the famous boardwalk.

What we saw was human misery, Lt. Geff Deedrick, head of the sheriff's team, told KNBC-TV.

This isnt a one-size-fits-all issue, he said. This is individual conversations. We need to know whos here and what their individual needs are.

Theyre going to start interfacing with the homeless, start doing their assessments and figuring out where everybody is in their transition from being homeless to being housed, he told CBS 2 News.

Villaneuva told CBS 2 News that he was not trying to start a turf battle with the Police Department, but instead was trying to help.

Im not going to blame LAPD whatsoever, he said. I think they can definitely do the job. Theyre more than capable, have good leadership. However, if theyre hamstrung by politicians that dont want them to do their job, well then theyre left in a very, very bad situation.

The Los Angeles Police Department is committed to working with all of our public safety partner agencies and elected officials to improve the safety of our communities," the LAPD said in a statement Tuesday. Including efforts to increase outreach and provide needed housing and supportive services in the Venice Beach community and elsewhere.

Police Chief Michel Moore also called on the City Council to end a moratorium that he said wouldn't allow his officers to enforce city no-camping laws, KNBC-TV reported.

The conditions in the encampments on the Venice boardwalk are not safe or healthy for anyone, Alex Comisar, spokesman for Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, told the station.

But he added: The courts have been clear about how were allowed to enforce camping laws in public spaces, and the mayor is more interested in pressing ahead with the difficult work of ending homelessness than in political theater.

City Councilman Mike Bonin, who represents the district that includes the area, accused Villanueva of making political hay out of a serious problem.

He didnt call to offer services or housing, which would help," Bonin said in a tweet Tuesday. He went on a PR blitz, promising his own notorious brand of justice. To anyone familiar with Villanueva and LASD, thats incredibly ominous."

Villanueva's move comes as the county struggles with ways to deal with a homeless population estimated at more than 60,000.

On Tuesday, the county Board of Supervisors ordered homeless and public health agencies to look into a plan for providing housing to an estimated 600 women and 55 families now living on skid row in Los Angeles.

A lack of stable housing increases womens vulnerability to violence, exacerbating the trauma many unhoused women have already experienced," the motion said.
SALT LAKE CITY (AP)  Sex therapist Lisa Butterworth has long been willing to delve into sensitive sexuality questions with clients who belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They seek her out to have open and frank conversations about the faiths strict rules.

But after seeing another prominent sex therapist she considers a close friend and colleague recently kicked out of the church, Butterworth is worried fewer church members will seek help in fear of being reprimanded.

Butterworth, a church member living in Idaho, is among a contingent of mental health professionals who fear Natasha Helfer's ouster will further embolden a culture of shame. She wrote a letter condemning the decision thats been signed by over 800 mental health professionals.

Helfer was excommunicated and lost her appeal last month to remain in the faith known widely as the Mormon church  a move critics say reflects the church doubling down on some of its more conservative views on sexuality. The Salt Lake City-based church has cited comments she made in support of removing the stigma around pornography, masturbation and same-sex marriage, saying that contradicts church teachings.

Such an ouster is rare and is the harshest punishment available for a member of the faith like Helfer, who had cultivated a national reputation of pushing for mental health advocacy among church members. The majority of her patients come from a Latter-day Saint background, and many are mixed-faith couples in which one person belongs to the church and another has left.

Lauren Rogers, who was raised in the church, started a petition urging the church to reverse the decision and organized a protest outside its Salt Lake City headquarters. She said she wanted to fight for Helfer after her brother was excommunicated in 2015 for sharing his experience as a gay church member online.

I wanted to make up for not being there for (my brother) and be there for this woman who was trying to protect people like him in the church, said Rogers, who lives in Maricopa, Arizona. Excommunication needs to done away with. I think its an abusive practice ... and its a tool the church uses to silence people.

Helfer said she fears her case could set a precedent for removing other professionals and result in devastating consequences for church members who may no longer feel safe seeking treatment.

Doing this to me alone is sending the message both to clinicians and, more importantly, to the public that you shouldnt trust sex therapists, Helfer said. Even if it doesnt necessarily mean that other professionals will directly be affected, it will affect the population as to who will seek out those kinds of services.

Church officials declined to comment on Helfer losing her appeal or the criticism against them.

Members are taught not to have sex before marriage, kiss passionately or arouse emotions in your own body that are supposed to be reserved for marriage. Gay sex also is forbidden.

Scott Gordon, president of FAIR, a volunteer organization that supports the church, acknowledged that it can be difficult for gay and transgender individuals to belong to a faith that they feel doesnt fully accept them. But, he said, Helfer was not ousted because of her profession or her views on LGBTQ issues or sexuality.

While that may seem like its the issue, its really not the issue, Gordon said. The issue is actively going out and campaigning against the church. What the content is is almost irrelevant.

The message of Helfers excommunication and that of other members seems to be that the faith can tolerate diverse opinions but when that behavior seeks to influence others, then thats when the church takes official action, said Kathleen Flake, a professor of Mormon studies at the University of Virginia.

Sam Young, who led a campaign criticizing the churchs practice of allowing lay leaders to do one-on-one interviews with young people that sometimes included sexual questions, was kicked out in 2018. Kate Kelly, founder of a group pushing for women to be allowed in the lay clergy, was excommunicated in 2014.

In Helfers case, her former church leaders in Kansas sent her a letter in April after holding a disciplinary hearing explaining the reasons for her removal. The letter said her professional activities did not play a role but that she could no longer be a member because of a pattern of clear and deliberate opposition to the Church, its doctrine, policies, and its leaders.

After a year, they will consider allowing her back if she stops using disparaging and vulgar language to describe the Church and its leaders and attends church meetings, the letter says.

Helfer said she has no plans to change her professional services but that shes already heard from some clients who say theyre no longer comfortable working with her.

My practice will survive, she said. But a family with a young gay child may deal with their issue very differently after witnessing something like this  that may have long-term implications for them.

Thats where my heart weighs heaviest, she said.

___

Eppolito 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.
LOS ANGELES (AP)  Six weeks after California officials announced that Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom would face an almost certain recall election that could drive him from office, the contest continues to be roiled by uncertainty and questions  even the date when it might take place remains unclear.

The list of Republican challengers who have signaled an intention to enter the race is about to top 20, though no consensus front-runner has emerged. State Assemblyman Kevin Kiley this week became the latest to announce he is considering stepping in.

Newsom, meanwhile, has regained his footing after seeing his popularity fall at the start of the year amid the worst of the pandemic and criticism over his COVID restrictions for the public and businesses. The first-term governor has since benefited from a sharp decline in cases during the spring and a record-breaking surplus that allows him to bestow billions on favored projects and issues.

Still, just last week he faced another round of criticism for saying he planned to keep an emergency declaration in place even after the state fully reopens its economy next Tuesday. Theres uncertainty in the future, he warned.

The declaration means California can be reimbursed from the federal government for many of its pandemic-related expenses. But it also gives Newsom the authority to suspend state laws and impose new rules. Since declaring this emergency, Newsom has issued at least 58 executive orders to alter or suspend hundreds of laws because of the virus.

Recent polling suggests Newsom would beat back the recall; a Republican hasn't won a statewide race in heavily Democratic California since 2006. But those same surveys reveal signs of an unsettled public: independent voters, for example, tend to view his job performance skeptically and most say the state is going in the wrong direction.

Meanwhile, many voters say they are not paying much attention to the unfolding race, leaving open questions about which way they might turn. The slow push to reopen public schools, an emerging drought that is drying up reservoirs and streams, and the looming wildfire season all pose risks for the incumbent, who was elected in a 2018 landslide.

With Kileys potential entry into the race, it signals that many Republicans remain underwhelmed with the field so far, which includes businessman John Cox, who Newsom defeated in 2018, former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer and reality TV personality and 1976 Olympic decathlon champion Caitlyn Jenner.

Kiley, who is 36 and represents suburbs east of Sacramento, has been one of Newsoms chief critics in the state capital during the pandemic. Though little known to a broad swath of voters, he is a hero of sorts among the recalls most fervent organizers and volunteers.

He sued to stop Newsoms use of broad emergency powers during the pandemic. A state Superior Court ruled in favor of Kiley, but an appeals court overturned that ruling in May. Kiley and fellow Republican Assemblyman James Gallagher plan to appeal to the state Supreme Court.

Earlier this year he released a book called Recall Newsom: The Case Against Americas Most Corrupt Governor, and he spoke at dozens of recall rallies and events during the signature-gathering process.

The recall's chief organizer, Orrin Heatlie, is informally advising Kiley as he ponders a candidacy and said hes hearing a lot of frustration about the current field, but declined to give specifics.

Heatlie said his assistance to Kiley is being done outside of his role with the recall committee, which is barred from coordinating with a candidate. Heatlie said he reached out to Kiley after getting a slew of phone calls from recall volunteers asking if the assemblyman planned to run.

With the lawsuit that he had against the governor, hes gained a lot of notoriety and hes gotten a lot of attention," said Heatlie, a former sheriffs sergeant who filed the recall petition and led the volunteer signature-collection drive.

Kiley said he has no timeline for deciding when to run and declined to criticize any of the Republican candidates, saying they all share the goal of getting a majority of Californians to support recalling Newsom.

He said he sees opportunity to appeal to many voters by pointing out Californias failures in dealing with the homeless crisis and poverty, high taxes and that under Newsom public school classrooms remained closed through most of the pandemic  all familiar themes for the leading GOP candidates.

Part of the unsettled landscape around the expected election is the result of the states time-consuming rules for placing a recall on the ballot.

State officials announced in late April that recall organizers had gathered more than the necessary 1.6 million petition signatures to place the election on the ballot, following a preliminary count. That kicked off a lengthy review process.

Even now, its possible it could take another two months before the recall is certified for the ballot, following various required state financial reviews. Under that scenario, it would push the election into at least October. But given wiggle room in the law, and the potential for more quickly concluding those reviews, that date could come sooner.

The recall took root last year, driven largely by public dismay with Newsom's long-running virus restrictions that shuttered schools and businesses.

In the election, voters would be presented with two questions: Should Newsom be recalled? Who should replace him?

If voters say yes to the recall, then whoever among the listed candidates gets the most votes becomes the next governor.

Tuesday marked the deadline for voters to withdraw their signatures from the recall petition, a new addition to the process adopted by Democrats several years ago after a state senator was removed from office. State elections officials will release the official count later, but it is improbable enough signers pulled back to change anything.

For example, in Orange County, the state's third-most populous county, more than 215,000 people signed the petition. Just one person withdrew, Registrar of Voters Neal Kelley said.
WASHINGTON - Many of those charged in the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol have blamed former president Donald Trump for their actions, saying he riled them with his claims of election fraud and his promises to join them in fighting it.

Now, Trump's continued refusal to accept the results of the 2020 election is helping to keep some of those supporters behind bars.

"The steady drumbeat that inspired defendant to take up arms has not faded away; six months later, the canard that the election was stolen is being repeated daily on major news outlets and from the corridors of power in state and federal government, not to mention the near-daily fulminations of the former President," U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson wrote recently in denying bond to a Colorado man. The man is accused of driving to Washington with two firearms and thousands of rounds of ammunition after threatening to kill House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Washington D.C. Democratic Mayor Muriel Bowser.

Although Trump has been blocked from major social media platforms and recently shut down his own blog, he is still monitoring and promoting false claims of election fraud. Citing Trump's ongoing comments, federal judges have shared fears that those defendants accused of the worst violence or threats of violence that day remain a danger to public safety.

"Unfortunately," said Judge Amit Mehta in detaining a man accused of throwing a hatchet and a desk during the riot, the "political dynamics that gave way to January 6th have not faded."

In keeping a Trump supporter and felon in jail in Michigan pending trial, Jackson highlighted a message in which the man said he was in D.C. on Jan. 6 because "Trump's the only big shot I trust right now."

The man has been charged with obstructing a congressional proceeding and related crimes, and his "promise to take action in the future cannot be dismissed as an unlikely occurrence given that his singular source of information . . . continues to propagate the lie that inspired the attack on a near daily basis," Jackson wrote.

At least half a dozen defendants detained on riot-related charges have been released in recent weeks in part by arguing that the insurrection was a singular event that could not be re-created. That argument was upheld by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, which found that the dangerousness of any individual defendant had to be considered in light of the fact that "the specific circumstances of January 6" created "a unique opportunity to obstruct democracy."

Judge John D. Bates on April 12 agreed to release a former State Department employee who joined the mob pushing back against police in a tunnel under the Capitol, saying that "the specific concerns in the wake of the January 6 events over future protests and violent attacks on the government . . . have dissipated to some degree." He noted that despite concerns, there was no attempt to attack President Joe Biden on his Inauguration Day or to seize the government on March 4, the day some conspiratorial supporters believed Trump would retake office.

"The threat to public safety must be continuing and prospective," Bates wrote.

Trump said through attorneys in a recent civil court filing that he bears no responsibility for the events of Jan. 6. Letting a lawsuit brought by Democratic members of Congress to go forward, they wrote, "would essentially hold politicians vicariously liable for the actions of their supporters, substantially chilling critically important political speech."

The former president has remained fixated on Republican-led efforts to put him back in office. Republicans in Arizona and Georgia have gotten permission to inspect ballots, and Trump supporters in other states are pushing similar "audits." Republican state legislators nationwide have also introduced bills echoing Trump's false fraud claims as justification for new voting restrictions. Trump and his lawyer Rudy Giuliani have been directly encouraging some of those lawmakers.

"The Court is not convinced that dissatisfaction and concern about the legitimacy of the election results has dissipated for all Americans," Judge Emmet G. Sullivan wrote in an April 20 ruling denying bond for a man accused of beating a police officer with a crutch and dragging him into the crowd. "Former President Donald J. Trump continues to make forceful public comments about the 'stolen election,' chastising individuals who did not reject the supposedly illegitimate results that put the current administration in place."

Sullivan cited a statement Trump released on Easter, wishing a happy holiday to "the Radical Left CRAZIES who rigged our Presidential Election," along with reporting on a speech the former president gave to donors criticizing other Republicans for not keeping him in power.

The judge raised the same comments in denying bond to physicist Jeffrey Sabol, who, according to court records, dragged an officer down the steps and used a baton to hold him down. In court, Sabol's attorney argued that his client now realizes that he was "lied to" about the election. But given Trump's recent comments, "There is ample reason to believe that fight is not finished for Mr. Sabol and others like him, making the threat of further violence present, concrete, and continuing," the judge wrote.

He is not the only one behind bars despite repudiating Trump.

"I've got some of my good friends and myself facing jail time cuz we followed this guy's lead and never questioned it," Ethan Nordean wrote on the encrypted messaging service Telegram on Inauguration Day, according to prosecutors. "We are now and always have been on our own."

Nordean's attorneys argued that the message is evidence that he is no longer interested in political protest. But prosecutors argued, and a judge agreed, that the message showed that Nordean was a leader in the Capitol attack and could marshal fellow members of the far-right Proud Boys group in the future.

"Even if the election has passed," Judge Timothy J. Kelly said at a hearing in April, "all of politics has not."

Joseph Hurley, who represents a Capitol defendant out on bond, said it is fair for judges to weigh Trump's words in detention decisions - "to the extent that there has not been a complete denial of the lack of reasoning and stupidity that led them to be involved."

He said Anthony Antonio, his client, was "no longer infected" by belief in the former president. Although at the beginning of the riot Antonio taunted police and proclaimed that it was "1776 all over again," by the end, Hurley said, he was pleading with others to be peaceful and now considers Trump "a liar."

But, Hurley said, when "Trump keeps beating that drum, he keeps firing them up . . . the burden is on them to convince the judge" that they aren't listening.

Richard Wilson, a professor at the University of Connecticut who studies international speech crimes, disagrees. He said the onus is on the courts to carefully consider over time whether the danger has passed.

"If there's a continued risk that's a high level of risk, and it's imminent, and there is continued incitement by leading individuals from in around the Trump administration," he said, caution makes sense. "But I think the power and influence is waning all the time. . . . Donald Trump might be out there for a very long time, and people can't be detained indefinitely."
One week away from its official announcement, more details have been revealed about the upcoming Honor 50 Pro. The top-tier model of the lineup, RNA-AN00, has been benchmarked by popular benchmarking app AnTuTu. The 50 Pro scored just shy of 526K for its run. The phone will debut running the Snapdragon 778G chipset and Adreno 642L GPU, paired with 8GB of LPDDR4x RAM.

The benchmark listing shows that the device will come with 256GB of UFS 2.X storage and it will run Android 11. Theres also note of high refresh rate support up to 120Hz.

The Honor 50 Pro was previously reported to arrive with a 108MP main sensor behind an f/1.8 lens housed in one of the camera rings. The other ring would contain two auxiliary cameras, though neither a periscope one. The Honor 50, meanwhile, will come with a 50MP main camera with the same kind of lens. Both phones cameras may be marketed to vloggers.



Honor 50 Pro  Honor 50

Teaser poster with Honor 50 Pro+

3C certifications confirmed that the Honor 50 and 50 Pro will support 66W and 100W charging, respectively.

Honor is set to announce the Honor 50 lineup at a June 16 event. The Honor 50 series is the first of the brand to be powered by a Qualcomm chipset since the (then parent company) Huawei-US ban.

Source  Via
The Honor Band 6 global sales began back in late March, and today the wearable reaches India as well. The brand announced the launch date for the wristband, as well as its price - it will start selling on June 14 for INR3,999 (thats about $55/45).

The Honor Band 6 is definitely not a new device - it arrived in China back in November 2020 but due to the change in ownership and the brand splitting from Huawei, global operations were halted for several months. Eventually, the wearable escaped the domestic scene and we even got to review it.

We handled the Black variant, but Honor also offers the Band 6 in Gray and Pink colors. Along with the 1.47 rectangular AMOLED and 6-axis sensor, it is a great device both as a smart accessory and as an assistant for casual sportspeople.

Also, the price in India is a tad cheaper than it is in Europe, making it an even more attractive choice for a wristband.

Source
Samsung is attending MWC in Barcelona this year, but will do it virtually. During the first day of the conference, June 28, the company will hold a Galaxy Experience keynote which will reveal the latest in Galaxy ecosystem, new watch experience and mobile security.

Yes, that is correct - Samsung is planning to tell us more about its new Galaxy smartwatches that will now launch with Wear OS.

According to the official description, Samsung is reimagining smartwatches, creating new opportunities for both developers and consumers. It is also enhancing security, as well as empowering people in its ecosystem of connected devices, services, providing users with choice, freedom, and possibility.

In reality, we expect to see how Samsung will transition from its in-house Tizen OS to the more widespread system for wearables. Hopefully, the Korean manufacturer will also give us a sneak peek of the Galaxy Watch4 and Galaxy Watch Active4, although they are theyll likely only be fully introduced alongside the Galaxy Z foldable smartphones.

Source
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of N.Y., talks with reporters on Capitol Hill, Washington, June 8. AP-Yonhap



The U.S. Senate passed a sweeping industrial policy bill Tuesday aimed at countering a surging economic threat from rival China, overcoming partisan divisions to support pumping more than $170 billion into research and development.



With both American political parties increasingly worried about competition from Asia's largest power, the measure cleared the chamber on a 68-32 vote, one of the most significant bipartisan achievements in Congress since Joe Biden's presidency began in January.



It also represents the largest investment in scientific research and technological innovation "in generations," according to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.



The bill now heads to the House of Representatives, which earlier passed a different version. The two will have to be reconciled into a single bill before it is sent to the White House for the president's signature.



Biden said he was "encouraged" by the Senate's passage of the United States Innovation and Competition Act.



"We are in a competition to win the 21st century, and the starting gun has gone off," Biden said.



"As other countries continue to invest in their own research and development, we cannot risk falling behind. America must maintain its position as the most innovative and productive nation on Earth."



The package, a key provision of which addresses a shortage of semiconductors that has slowed U.S. auto production this year, will help U.S. industry bolster its capacity and improve technology.



It is seen as crucial for U.S. efforts to avoid being out-maneuvered by Beijing as the adversaries compete in the race to technological innovation.



Schumer called the measure "one of the most important things this chamber has done in a very long time, a statement of faith in America's ability to seize the opportunities of the 21st century."



The proposal aims to address a number of technological areas in which the United States has fallen behind its Chinese competitors, including in semiconductor production.



The bill allocates $52 billion in funding for a previously approved plan to increase domestic manufacturing of the components.



It also authorizes $120 billion over five years for activities at the National Science Foundation to advance priorities including research and development in key areas like artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum science.



And it facilitates tie-ups between private firms and research universities.



"This is an opportunity for the United States to strike a blow on behalf of answering the unfair competition that we are seeing from communist China," said Republican Senator Roger Wicker, one of the main co-sponsors.



Whichever countries best harness technologies like AI, robotics and quantum computing will be able to shape innovation to its image, added Schumer, before criticizing Chinese President Xi Jinping.



"Do we want that image to be a democratic image, small D? Or do we want it to be an authoritarian image, like President Xi would like to impose on the world?" Schumer asked.





U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer speaks during a press conference following the weekly Democrat luncheon on Capitol Hill, Washington, June 8. AFP-Yonhap




Haiti - Religion : The Catholic Church mourns the death of Bishop Ducange Sylvain





Tuesday around 1:00 a.m. Bishop Ducange Sylvain (58 years old), died at Mirebalais University Hospital where he had been hospitalized for a week, following respiratory complications related to Covid-19.



In a statement the Archdiocese of Port-au-Prince writes "[...] The Catholic Church, the Archdiocese of Port-au-Prince in particular and the entire Salesian family in Haiti are in mourning. A deep sadness dwells in our hearts as we announce the regrettable news of the departure for the house of the Father of His Excellency Mgr. Ducange SYLVAIN, S.D.B. Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Port-au-Prince since 2016, will have spent 6 years of pastoral service in our particular Church, during which he showed an apostolic zeal and a solicitude which testify to his love of God as a humble disciple and of his great humanity as a pastor



[...] Mgr. Ducange lived his days of hospitalization as a great trial to which all the faithful (clergy and laity) united in faith and in prayer. The Lord called him to Himself on June 8, 2021



[...] May the soul of our late brother, His Excellency Mgr. Ducange SYLVAIN, S.D.B. rest in Peace by the mercy of God !"



HL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - COVID-19 : Donation of 50 oxygen concentrators from the United States





U.S. Embassy Charge d'Affaires a.i. Nicole Theriot stated: "The U.S. donation of these 50 new oxygen concentrators to Haiti reaffirms our commitment to helping Haiti cope with the global COVID-19 pandemic. The United States government, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), is providing $18 million to support the provision of medical oxygen to 11 countries, including Haiti, in the global fight against COVID-19."



Lety's remind that these concentrators will play a vital role in caring for critically ill COVID-19 patients requiring medical oxygen. Oxygen concentrators provide an economical source of oxygen in countries where the production of industrial medical oxygen cannot keep up with demand. An oxygen concentrator takes in the air we breathe and removes nitrogen from it, delivering a steady and unlimited supply of oxygen-enriched gas. Unlike medical oxygen tanks, these concentrators do not require any additional infrastructure or refilling, and they are easy to install and operate.



The 50 oxygen concentrators arrived in Haiti and will be dispatched to 16 select hospitals in the coming days. The facilities were chosen in collaboration with the National Coronavirus Response Coordination Unit (CNRC) at the Ministry of Public Health (MSPP) and include hospitals and health clinics in Port-au-Prince and in the Artibonite, Center, North, and South departments.



HL/ HaitiLibre


















Romney, WV (26757)

Today

Isolated thunderstorms this evening. Skies will become partly cloudy after midnight. Low 61F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%..

Tonight

Isolated thunderstorms this evening. Skies will become partly cloudy after midnight. Low 61F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%.
French President Emmanuel Macron is protected by a security member after getting slapped by a member of the public during a visit in Tain-L'Hermitage, France, in this still image taken from video, June 8. Reuters-Yonhap



French President Emmanuel Macron was slapped in the face while greeting a crowd in southeast France on Tuesday, in a shock incident he shrugged off as "isolated" but which drew widespread condemnation in a tense political climate.



Video footage on social media shows Macron shaking hands with voters when a man in a green t-shirt takes hold of his forearm and slaps him.



Someone can be heard in the video shouting an old French royalist battle cry, and "Down with Macronism".



Macron's bodyguards quickly intervened and two people were detained after the incident in the village of Tain l'Hermitage, local officials said.



Two 28-year-old men living in the region are being questioned, said local prosecutor Alex Perrin. But "at this stage of questioning, their motives remain unknown".



The incident took place in a tense and increasingly polarized political climate in France, weeks ahead of regional elections and less than a year before presidential polls.



In an interview with the Dauphine Libere newspaper, Macron insisted he was unafraid and would continue to meet people in this way.



"I am doing fine. We must put this incident, which I think is an isolated event, into perspective," he said.



He added that "ultra-violent individuals" should not be allowed to "take hold of the public debate: they do not merit it."





French President Emmanuel Macron interacts with people during his visit to Valence, southeast France, June 8. AFP-Yonhap
Published on 2021/06/08 | Source

New posters added for the upcoming Korean movie "Shark: The Beginning" (2021)

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Directed by Chae Yeo-joon

With Kim Min-seok, Wi Ha-joon, Jung Won-chang, Lee Hyun-wook-I,...

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Release date in Korea : 2021/06/17
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:
Yangtze conservation efforts bear fruit

China Daily) 09:30, June 09, 2021

Fish are released into Taihu Lake on Tuesday in Huzhou, Zhejiang province, as part of efforts to replenish the various species living in the lake. Taihu, China's third-largest freshwater lake, is located in the southern part of the Yangtze River Delta. QIAN CHENFEI/CHINA NEWS SERVICE

China has made great progress in conserving and restoring the Yangtze River ecosystem following wide-ranging efforts to protect Asia's longest waterway, according to Ecology and Environment Minister Huang Runqiu.

In 2020, the water quality at all monitored sections of the Yangtze mainstream rated for the first time at or above Grade II in China's five-tier surface water assessment system, Huang said while delivering a report on Monday at the ongoing session of the Standing Committee of the 13th National People's Congress.

The achievement can be attributed to a series of measures that were adopted last year to curb the discharge of pollutants into the river.

Huang said 558 hazardous chemical plants in densely populated areas of the Yangtze River Economic Belt were either upgraded or relocated. All outdated chemical production facilities in areas within a kilometer of the Yangtze's trunk have been closed.

The economic belt covers nine of the 11 regions the Yangtze's mainstream flows throughQinghai province and the Tibet autonomous region are the exceptions. It also includes Zhejiang and Guizhou provinces, which are home to tributaries of the Yangtze.

Aside from enhancing wastewater management in major industrial parks, the ministry has also beefed up management in the mining sector. Pollution control work has been completed in most tailing ponds in the basin, he said.

"Accelerated efforts have been made to address the problems in collecting and disposing of domestic wastewater," Huang noted. "All cities along the mainstream of the Yangtze are now covered by concentrated wastewater disposal facilities."

Around 24,000 sewage draining feeds that directly discharged into the basin in urban areas have been removed, he added.

Huang said authorities have essentially reduced the scale of illegal sand mining in the mainstream of the Yangtze with a campaign jointly launched by various government bodies.

Meanwhile, 2,431 projects that invaded the banks of the Yangtze were halted, which helped restore 158 kilometers of riverbank.

The Yangtze has seen a marked increase in the number of species and their population through a 10-year fishing moratorium imposed on the entire basin.

The basin's iconic species, such as the Yangtze finless porpoise, are now more frequently sighted, he said.

The moratorium started in 2017 in the Chishui River, a major tributary of the Yangtze in Southwest China, and was gradually extended. Since Jan 1, it covers all of the Yangtze's natural waterways.

Huang also underscored the great efforts China has made to implement the moratorium and crack down on illegal fishing.

To date, more than 110,000 fishing boats have been decommissioned along the Yangtze basin, and over 25 billion yuan ($3.9 billion) has been designated by central and local governments to helping the 228,000 people driven from the fishing industry by the moratorium, he said.

In addition to seizing unlicensed fishing boats and illegal fishing facilities, authorities mounted a campaign to halt illegal sales of aquatic products from the Yangtze, inspecting millions of businesses and online stores for such contraband, he said.

Also, he said, 26,600 online messages related to illegal trading were removed during the campaign.

(Web editor: Guo Wenrui, Liang Jun)
Girls' Generation Tiffany and Sunmi are reportedly chosen as mentors for Mnet's "Girls Planet 999."

What is Mnet's "Girls Planet 999"?

"Girls Planet 999" is a new audition show involving participants with different cultures and languages, particularly those from Korea, Japan, and China. Their growth as they move towards this goal will be unraveled in a fantasy world called "Girls Planet."

In this new program, Mnet will partner up with UNIVERSE, the new global fandom app, with the latter providing the official platform for "Girls Planet 999." In addition to the global voting system for the final results, UNIVERSE will also host an array of digital content and services for fans.

Girls' Generation Tiffany and Sunmi Reportedly Acting as Mentors on Mnet's "Girls Planet 999"

On June 9, SPOTV News reported that Sunmi and Tiffany will appear on Mnet's "Girls' Planet 999" will take on the role of mentors, also called K-pop Masters.

They will be among the mentors who will share their experiences and girl group know-how they have gained in the past years.

Tiffany is known as a member of Girls' Generation, while Sunmi is noted to be a former member of Wonder Girls - both girl groups are considered representatives of K-pop and have been loved by global fans.

Sunmi and Tiffany have both went through an intense process just to reach their dream of becoming an idol and have also experienced the lows and highs in the K-pop industry.

In addition to successful group activities, they have expanded their career as solo artists and musical actors, steadily showing their irreplaceable presence in K-pop. These aspects are said to have made them perfect for the mentor roles who will guide the 99 trainees in achieving their dream.

Sunmi's reported appearance on Mnet's "Girls Planet 999" is even more anticipated after her success as a mentor on JTBC's audition program "Sing Again," which concluded this past February.

On June 8, Mnet released a new teaser featuring Yeo Jin Goo as the program's host. In the video, he explains the different roles in the show, including the K-pop Master (the role model and mentor of the girls) and the Professional Masters.

Would you like to see Girls' Generation Tiffany and Sunmi on Mnet's girl group audition show "Girls Planet 999"? Tell us in the comments!

Girls' Generation Tiffany and Sunmi's 2021 Activities So Far

On Feb. 16, Tiffany was cast in the South Korean production of the Broadway musical "Chicago." The Girls' Generation member took the role of Roxie Hart, the female lead in the play. She revealed in the variety show "Ask Us Anything" that Roxie Hart has always been one of her dream roles.

Before she officially claimed the role, Girls' Generation Tiffany participated in an open audition where only 22 individuals were chosen from more than a thousand applicants.

Meanwhile, Sunmi made her solo comeback this past February with her new single album, "Tail." This album is her first solo release in more than seven months since her song "Pporappippam" in June 2020.

Sunmi's "Tail" album features the title track of the same name. Watch the music video for "Tail" below!

For more news updates about other K-Pop news, always keep your tabs open here at Kpopstarz.

Owned by Kpopstarz.

Written by Mhaliya Scott
At its monthly meeting Tuesday in the Timmons Room of the Hill County Courthouse, the Rural Fire District 1 board approved a new fire suppression agreement for submission to the Havre mayors office.

Board Chair Steve Jamruszka said during the meeting that he would be submitting the proposed contract immediately following the meetings conclusion.

Rural Fire District 1 is essentially a ring around Havre in which the Havre Fire Department provides services under the current agreement.

The city announced last December it was canceling the current agreement effective July 1 so a new ag...
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McDonough, GA Richard M (Dick) Gecoma was born July 18, 1929 in the coal mining community of Francis, PA to the late George and Victoria Gecoma. He is survived by his wife Betty L. Gecoma and their five children Vicky Lynn (George) Fenton, Fredericksburg, VA; Janice Kay (Dave) Hudgins, Athens, GA; Deborah Lee (Scot) Fuller, Watkinsville, GA; Amy Lee (Kenny) Wilkerson, McDonough, GA; Richard W. (Lantha) Gecoma, Molino, FL; 10 grandchildren; one great grandchild; brother, Robert J. (Carol) Gecoma, Montgomery Village, MD; nieces, nephews and cousins. In addition to his parents, he is preceded in death by his brother James R. Gecoma.

He served over 22 years in the U.S. Army and rose from the rank of Private in 1948 to full colonel in 1970 when he elected to accept early military retirement in 1971. He served as an Infantry officer in Korea in 1950-51 and as an Infantry Battalion Commander in Vietnam in 1968-69. He received 29 military medals and badges for his military service to include two awards of the Combat Infantry Badge, two Silver Stars, two Legions of Merit, one Distinguished Flying Cross, seven Air Medals to include one for Valor, two Commendations Medal and four foreign awards for his service in Korea and Vietnam.

He culminated his career from the U.S. Army while serving as Chief of Plans Division, Assistant Chief for Intelligence, U. S. Army, Washington, D.C. He joined the University of Georgia in 1971 and rose to the level of Public Service Associate, Institute of Government after 20 years of full-time service. Some of the recognition he received for this period were a Proclamation from Governor Zell Miller for outstanding public service to the State of Georgia; the establishment of a yearly Richard Gecoma Scholarship by the Building Officials of Georgia to be awarded annually to a college enrollee of a child or grandchild of a member in good standing; recipient of a bronze medallion from the President of the University of GA for his contribution to the continuing education programs sponsored by UGA and GA Dept. of Community Affairs; was chosen Educator of the Year in 1982 by the Southern Building Code Congress for his work in educating construction code officials in Georgia.

After retirement from UGA in 1991 he continued to serve as a part time consultant until 2001 when he elected to fully retire and focus on the joy of being able to simply enjoy his remaining years with his wife Betty, their children and grandchildren.

Recommended for you +21 Best comedy TV shows of the 70s Stacker compiled data on all comedy TV shows from 1970-1979 and ranked them according to iMDb user rating, with ties broken by votes. Click for more.

Among his proudest achievements was earning three degrees from the University of Georgia after having joined the Army in 1948 with only a high school education.

He specified that a simple memorial service at St Joseph's be conducted, followed by inurnment at Georgia Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Milledgeville.

A Memorial Service will be held at 1:00 pm on Saturday, June 12, 2021 at St. Joseph's Episcopal Church in McDonough, GA. Inurnment will be held at 1:00 pm on Monday, June 14, 2021 at Georgia Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Milledgeville, GA. Those who wish may sign the online guest registry at www.southerncrescentcrematorium.com. Southern Crescent Crematorium, 770-692-3819.
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The Uyghur population in China's southern Xinjiang region could suffer massive losses due to Chinese birth-control policies, resulting in the loss of up to a third of its population in the next 20 years.

Experts analyzed the policies and believe they could result in a population cut of anywhere between 2.6 and 4.5 million minority births during the timeframe. Many Western nations and leaders have accused China of committing genocide in Xinjiang, particularly against the Uyghur minority.

However, Chinese leaders have continued to deny the statements saying the decline of Uyghur birth rates are brought about by other factors.

Uyghur Minority

Researcher Adrian Zenz conducted the new study, the first peer-reviewed academic paper on the long-term effect of China's attempt to control the Uyghur and other minorities. The study discovered that by 2040, China's birth-control policies would result in an ethnic population of 8.6 million to 10.5 million in Xinjiang.

The number is a stark contrast to a projected 13.1 million that Chinese researchers estimated before Beijing started its control of the Uyghur population. Zenz said the results of the study showed the objective of the Chinese government with regard to the Uyghur minority.

Zenz reported that by 2019, Xinjiang authorities began to force intrusive birth prevention surgeries to at least 80% of women who were at the age where they could bear a child in the southern minority prefectures. The researcher referred to the Chinese government using IUDs or sterilisations.

Read Also: Putin Not Happy As M16 Chief Says Kremlin Is "Declining Power," Warns US of Dollar Sanctions

Many experts accused China of forcibly detaining at least a million Uyghur and other Muslims in the southern region of the country. Chinese leaders are facing criticisms that they planned to reduce the minority Muslim population in Xinjiang, BBC reported.

Mass Genocide

Chinese leaders are denying that the reduced birth rate is due to forced birth-preventive processes. They cited factors such as the full implementation of the region's existing birth quotas, development factors, and a broader access to family planning services.

China's Foreign Ministry said the term "genocide" against the Uyghur minority was pure nonsense. It said many anti-China forces in the United States and other countries in the West fabricated the lies with ulterior motives.

The ministry also said data showing a reduced birth rate of the Uyghur population from 2017 to 2019 was not indicative of the situation in the region. It said the minority still had a higher population than the Han ethnic people in Xinjiang.

The preventive measures to reduce the Uyghur birth rate come in sharp contrast with China's wider birth policies. Beijing announced last week they are allowing married couples to have up to three children, previously a maximum of two. This signified one of the largest changes since the country's one-child policy was removed in 2016, Rappler reported.

Many residents, researchers, and rights groups, are criticizing China for its alleged disproportionate passing of judgement to people who exceed the Quota. For the majority of the country, residents are only fined, but in the case of Islamic minorities, they are given detention for exceeding birth quotas.

Related Article: Israel's Security Chief Cautions Trouble if Netanyahu Incites his Supporters to Oppose His Ousting

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French President Emmanuel Macron was slapped in the face by a male citizen during a public appearance, prompting the police to arrest two civilians connected to the attack.

The incident was caught on video which showed the man in a crowd gathered in Tain-l'Hermitage found in the southeastern part of France slapping the French leader. The suspect was seen wearing a green T-shirt and glasses.

In the recording, the male suspect could be heard shouting, "Down with Macronia" in the French language before smacking Macron in the face. Security personnel with the French president quickly responded and tackled the man to the ground while escorting Macron to a secure location.

National Crime

Afterward, Macron visited another city nearby, Valence, and said he was always ready to meet the citizens of France. The French president was with his wife Brigitte Macron during the visit. He also said there are many people who expressed their anger and feelings in violent acts. He assured everyone that the government would continue to deal with these types of citizens properly.

In a statement, French Prime Minister Jean Castex said the violent act was a complete contrast to what democracy was about. Castex told the National Assembly shortly after the incident that democracy must never include violence, verbal aggression, and physical attacks even there is a legitimate disagreement between different parties.

While the French government said there have been attempts to assault Macron, it did not reveal additional information regarding the matter.

Read Also: Colonial Pipeline Ransom Mostly Recovered, but US Still Vulnerable to Attacks

After the Attack

National Assembly member and leader of the far-left party, La France Insoumise Jean-Luc Melenchon, posted on social media expressing his support of President Macron, Yahoo News reported. Far-right leader Marine Le Pen also publicly expressed her disagreement with using violence and physical attacks in trying to prove a point. Former France president, Francois Hollande, posted on Twitter condemning the attack. He also urged the people of the country to support Macron in these circumstances.

The current French president is touring the Drome region found in the southeastern parts of France to meet and speak with students, restaurateurs, and small business owners. His agenda is to discuss the people's return to normal life after the COVID-19 pandemic.

CNBC reported that shortly before Macron was attacked, he was visiting a professional high school that educates and trains students to become professionals in the hospitality industry. French authorities have not yet revealed the identity or motive of the man responsible for slapping the president. During the encounter, he could be heard shouting "Montjoie Saint-Denis," a battle cry used by French army soldiers in the times of Monarchy.

Despite the attack, officials said Macron will continue his tour of the region on Tuesday, which includes a tour to a vocational institute for 25-to-30-year-olds. Macron's visit followed the night when French bars and restaurants were first allowed to reopen after seven months of closing down because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

French authorities also decided to change overnight curfew hours from 9:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. starting on Wednesday. After visiting the hotel school, Macron posted on Twitter about how life in the country will slowly come back to normal, BBC reported.



Related Article: Police Arrest the Suspect of Shooting Spree in Atlanta

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Progressive New York representative Alexandria Oscasio-Cortez has criticized Vice President Kamala Harris for indicating undocumented Guatemala migrants should not enter the United States.

Harris made her first international trip as VP to Guatemala on Monday. While discussing the United States border amid a news conference with Guatemalan president Alejandro Giammattei, Harris tried to persuade residents not to travel to the US border. According to Harris, "I want to be clear to folks in this region who are thinking about making that dangerous trek to the United States-Mexico border: Do not come. Do not come," reported Independent.

The vice president also spoke to Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei on Monday that the United States is planning to bolster relief to the Northern Triangle region and increase cooperation to help manage the steep increase in migration at the US southern border.

The former Californian senator specifically spoke about probing into human trafficking and corruption in Central America. She described a future where Guatemalans could discover "hope at home."

Harris stated that individuals who come to the border will be returned and asked the audience to discourage people around them from embarking on the jeopardizing journey.

Harris made the remarks amid a virtual meeting with the president that marked a ramping up of her diplomatic efforts to underscore the root causes of migration from the region. This was a role designated to her by President Joe Biden in May.

AOC: the US has contributed to the destabilization

The remarks of Vice President Harris did not go unscrutinized. According to Ocasio-Cortez, coming to the US border seeking asylum is a legal method of arrival. The progressive Democrat added the United States has contributed to the destabilization of particular areas of Latin America. She also said that they cannot help set someone's house on fire and then accuse them of running away, reported Fox News.

Read Also: VP Kamala Harris' Plane to Guatemala Forcibly Turns Around Due to Technical Issue

Several international groups also spoke about the issue. According to Rachel Schmidtke, a Latin America advocate at the non-profit Refugees International, "We continue to urge the Biden administration to build policies that recognize that many Guatemalans will need to seek protection until the longstanding drivers of forced displacement are addressed and realign its message to the Guatemalan people to reflect America's commitment to the right to seek protection internationally," reported The Guardian.

Meanwhile, according to the Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project, a non-profit organization that works with asylum seekers, the process of seeking asylum is legal, and turning back asylum seekers is illegal, dangerous, and usually sends them back to their deaths. It emphasized that seeking asylum is a right under the United States and international law.

According to the global humanitarian aid organization, the International Rescue Committee, eeking asylum is legal even in a pandemic.

AOC added that the US will continue to enforce its laws and secure its border. She also said there are legal methods by which migration could and should occur.

Related Article: Mexican Man Cuts Throat at U.S. Border After Denied Entry

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Neonatology Hospitalist wanted by Pediatrix Medical Group of Kansas P.A. in Wichita, KS. Provide medical care to infants in the hospital's Labor & Delivery, Neonatal Intensive Care (NICU) & Emergency Dept. Diagnose & provide treatment for a variety of conditions in newborns, incl birth defects, illness & breathing difficulties; stabilize newborn patients who are seriously ill; perform frequent procedures incl but not limited to intubation, circumcision, IV placement, umbilical line placement, daily physical exams. Request: Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) or foreign equiv & BE/BC by American Board of Pediatrics. Send resume to: HR Dept., Pediatrix Medical Group of Kansas P.A., 1301 Concord Terrace, Sunrise, FL 33323 or clinical_staffing@mednax.com

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On Tuesday, President Joe Biden ended talks with a group of Republican senators on a major infrastructure package. He began reaching out to senators from both parties to strengthen a bipartisan agreement while laying the groundwork for a possible Democratic-only approach for one of his legislative priorities.

After speaking with main Republican negotiator Sen. Shelley Moore Capito on Tuesday, the president walked away from the negotiations. According to White House press secretary Jen Psaki, Biden expressed thanks to the West Virginia senator for her good faith efforts, but he also voiced dismay with the GOP senators' new offer.

In a statement, Capito expressed her disappointment at Biden's decision to stop the negotiations.

Biden is disappointed with Capito's offer in infrastructure talks

According to US News, Psaki said, "The President is dedicated to passing his economic agenda through Congress this summer, and is seeking many routes to accomplish so."

The impasse arose because the two parties were unable to reach an agreement on the extent of the President's massive infrastructure project and how to pay for it. The Republican senators proposed a $928 billion budget that included about $330 billion in new spending, which is less than Biden's $1.7 trillion investment plan to rebuild the nation's roads, highways, bridges, and other infrastructure, including Veterans Affairs hospitals and care centers.

Biden suggested increasing the corporate tax rate from 21% to 28%, rejecting Republican senators' proposal to use unspent COVID-19 funds to pay new infrastructure expenditures.

As Biden seeks a bipartisan agreement, he has begun approaching additional senators, including Republican Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and two key centrist Democrats, Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, who are now in discussion.

Biden switched his efforts towards negotiations with a bipartisan group of 20 senators after talks with Capito's group fell apart. During Biden's impending trip to Europe, the President and key Cabinet officials will continue discussions with the group on infrastructure. In the following days, the group is expected to present its own plan, as per Fox News.

Read Also: Donald Trump Says Facebook Ban Until January 2023 Insults His Supporters, Teases Presidential Run in 2024

Infrastructure plan discussions take too long

Per Daily Mail, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer warned earlier in the day that the discussions seemed to be facing a brick block. The leading Senate Democrat resurrected the idea of putting together a bipartisan plan that could be combined with a Democrat-only package to help the administration accomplish more of its $2 trillion investment goals.

According to a White House official, Biden changed his mind after Capito, the leader of a group of six Senate Republicans negotiating the deal, proposed $330 billion in new infrastructure investment, significantly less than Biden's reduced $1.7 trillion offer.

Some liberal members of Biden's party are concerned that the discussions are taking too long and that the country will end up with a lesser package than it needs. They are keenly aware of the possibility of losing their narrow majority in one or both chambers of Congress in next year's midterm elections, making success on Biden's agenda essential right now.

On one of Biden's primary domestic policy priorities, the two parties remain far apart, arguing on how much to spend, how to pay for it, and even what constitutes infrastructure. The White House has proposed to reduce its $1.7 trillion proposal package, which includes climate change, home healthcare, and education projects. Spending on more typical infrastructure projects, such as roads and bridges, is also included.

Related Article: Infrastructure Plan: President Joe Biden Willing To Keep Trump Tax Cuts in Counteroffer; Proposes Minimum Rate of 15%



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U.S. authorities arrested a man in connection to an alleged fundraising scheme that involved the man impersonating former President Donald Trump's family members on social media platforms to urge the public to donate money for a fake political organization.

On Tuesday, police arrested 22-year-old Joshua Hall from Pennsylvania after he allegedly took thousands of dollars of the donated money for himself. The fake organization Hall created claimed the money was to be used to support Trump in his reelection attempts and to operate social media accounts, reported ABC News.

The accounts were falsely claiming to be owned by Trump's family members to give himself and the organization a platform, the Southern District of New York federal prosecutors said in a criminal complaint.

Massive fraud scheme

The complaint alleged Hall was able to gain more than 100,000 followers through the use of fake social media accounts.

The suspect is accused of writing messages impersonating Trump's deceased brother Robert Trump and falsely claiming he was running the organization with Hall. Authorities said Hall also made a fake account of Barron Trump, the former U.S. president's 15-year-old son.

Hall created the fake fundraising scheme along with a campaign on a crowdfunding website. The online platform quickly closed his account when the suspect failed to provide proper documentation, the complaint said, CNN reported.

Read Also: NYC Law Department Hacked, Investigation Continues

The court documents did not directly name any of the involved parties such as Donald Trump, his family members, or the crowdfunding website. Authorities said Hall will face up to 22 years in prison if convicted of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft charges. Officials did not reveal if the suspect had an attorney to represent him.

Impersonating Donald Trump's family

In a statement on Tuesday, Manhattan U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said Hall used his fraudulent scheme to collect financial donations from hundreds of victims across the United States. She said the funds were given to a fake organization that did not exist and that Hall used the money for his own gains.

Court records said that in July, Hall impersonated one of Trump's siblings and used the social media account to announce he was managing a fake political organization and credited himself. When Hall impersonated Trump's son, wrote that he was a colleague of the 15-year-old and expressed support for Hall, ABC News reported.

Strauss said the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation worked together with other local government agencies to investigate the case and bring the suspect to justice.

Last year, Hall said his fake social media accounts were not meant for any illegal activities. The suspect said he was only trying to gather "Make America Great Again" (MAGA) supporters and have fun together.

In one instance, Hall used a fake social media account impersonating Elizabeth Trump Grau which the former president replied to. On Twitter, Trump was seen replying to the fake account of his sister, thanking her for her words. Hall later questioned if the former president knew if the fake account was illegitimate.



Related Article: D-Day Operation Overlord: What Really Happened in History's Largest Amphibious Invasion

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Nicknamed "decumom", a woman from Southern Africa is another case of rare multiple births.

The mother is Gosiame Thamara Sithole, age 37. She already has six-year-old twins from a previous pregnancy. Getting 10 kids was a surprise as the initial expectancy was eight children like Octomom Nadya Suleman, noted the New York Post.

When Suleman from California had her eight kids, it caused a media stir because of the rarity of such births. One outlet in South Africa, the Pretoria News was given a statement by Sithole's husband, Teboho Tsotetsi, who said that all the babies were delivered via C-section at a hospital in Pretoria. It was a surprise when not eight, but 10 babies, emerged. The event got the attention of local media immediately.

Fertility on overdrive

Sithole's husband also told media outlets that his wife gave birth to seven boys and three girls prior. This oarticular pregnancy lasted seven months and seven days, which is shorter than the usual 40 weeks.

During the interview, the new father of 10 said that he was ecstatic, emotional, and was having a hard time expressing himself. He told the media they can resume with the interview the next morning.

The new decumom

Sithole is native of Ekurhuleni. She mentioned that her 'odd' pregnancy was all-natural. Fertility treatment was given to her, which can sometimes result in multiple births. This South African woman has 10 babies and she is the first-ever decuplet mom.

Read also: Oldest Human Burial in Africa Is That of a Child Called Mtoto

Before her, the delivery a month ago of Halima Cisse from Malia with nine in one birth was the record. According to a spokesman for the records listing, "The Guinness World Records is aware of the report that Gosiame Thamara Sithole had given birth to decuplets, and wish her and her family all the best.", cited Jacaranda FM. "At this time, we are still unable to validate this as a record because the mother and her children's safety is important."

The Guinness Book stated that their team and consultant are investigating it as a possible world record. Sithole showcased her huge baby bump during one photoshoot alongside her husband last month, when they were still anticipating octuplets. Initially, they had scans to see how many children were coming, which showed only six babies as remarked by local media.

When the doctor told her of the coming births, Sithole could not believe what she heard, because of the prior idea she would be having octuplets. Even seeing scans took her by surprise, and it took time to fully realize it. Sleeping at night was difficult as the birth date drew closer.

The South African mother mentioned that it was a miracle nothing happened to affect her pregnancy, which was not easy. Finally, she added that hopefully everyone, including her and her children would be safe. Her husband has no job but he said that he was blessed by his wife Gosiame - a South African woman has 10 babies - and their expanding family.

Related article: Mali Woman Gives Birth to 9 Babies, Nanoplets Are All Safe and Healthy!

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Although it has only been about three months since President Biden signed the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan into law, some members of Congress are already pushing for a bill that will authorize new stimulus checks for millions of Americans. The American Rescue Plan funded the third wave of stimulus checks worth an average of $1,400,

A new letter written to President Biden by some members of the House Ways and Means Committee believes that two additional stimulus checks, a fourth and a fifth, might help prevent another 12 million Americans from falling into poverty. In their letter to the President, the legislators also state that when the two new stimulus checks are paired with the $1.9 trillion legislation that Biden has already signed, total poverty in the United States may drop from 44 million to 16 million this year, as per BGR via MSN.

Other advantages contained in the American Rescue Plan, such as the increase in the federal child tax credit that would create monthly payments for millions of families and is due to begin on July 15, might also make that projection come true.

Many stimulus checks from the previous package remain unclaimed

However, Internal Revenue Services (IRS) data indicates that many stimulus checks from the first coronavirus-related stimulus legislation remain unclaimed. This first wave of checks was authorized in early 2020 when the Trump administration was still dealing with the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. A new report from the Boston Herald reveals that the unspent $1,200 checks amount to $1.7 billion in total that the federal government simply shoved out the door and never spent.

To put it another way, unspent stimulus checks are floating around that are worth nearly as much as the full $1.9 trillion stimulus package that Biden signed in March. The IRS data reveals that the unspent stimulus funds are not just accumulating digital dust in bank accounts. The IRS said the money was given to persons who either refused to take it, gave it back, or never cashed the stimulus checks they got from the IRS as a consequence of the CARES Act that was signed into law on March 27, 2020.

Also, two of the most populous states in the US have the most outstanding, unspent stimulus checks. California and Florida had the most unspent stimulus checks, totaling 123,265 and 92,018, respectively.

Read Also: IRS Says Millions Will Receive Unemployment Tax Refunds. When Will You Receive Yours?

How to be eligible for new stimulus checks?

The child tax credit was increased from $2,000 to $3,000 under Biden's $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan, allowing parents with children under the age of six to qualify for $3,600. The bill also allows parents of children under the age of 17 to get a tax credit, which some experts call a baby step toward universal basic income.

The IRS will send a letter to families that qualify for the enhanced child tax credit based on their 2019 or 2020 federal income tax returns. The organization has stated that it will send another letter to families with an estimate of their monthly payment amount, which will begin next month.

According to the IRS per National Interest, qualifying families that used the IRS's website's "non-filers tool" to formally register for a stimulus payment last year will get a letter in the mail. Parents of children under the age of six will get a $300 monthly payment per child, while parents of children aged six to seventeen would get a $250 monthly payment per child.

Individuals earning up to $75,000, joint filers earning up to $150,000, and heads of households earning up to $112,500 are all eligible for the full expanded credit amount, just as they are for the stimulus checks from Biden's relief plan. After that, for every $1,000 of income exceeding these limits, the amount will be reduced by $50.

Payments will be made monthly, beginning on July 15, and continuing through August 13, September 15, October 15, November 15, and December 15. Several Democratic members of Congress have urged the White House to make the payments permanent, claiming that they are critical to a successful recovery.

Related Article: New Stimulus Check: White House Hints You Can Receive Another Payment Automatically. When Will It Hit Your Bank Account?



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On Tuesday, U.S. politicians voted with a tally of 68-32 to pass a sweeping China-focused global competition bill, which some Republicans continue to oppose.

Supporters of the bill said the approval of the measure was evidence that the Senate could still run on a bipartisan basis despite being divided. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer was also forced to delay final passage for weeks after the last-minute chaos that occurred.

Experts also said the competition bill is a sign of the generally accepted consensus across the United States about the need to win over China. This includes bringing back the former glory of the U.S.'s manufacturing and research efforts while doubling down on Beijing's economic abuses.

Competition With China

Schumer called the passage of the bill a momentous moment in the history of the United States. He said it is one of the most significant bipartisan achievements that future generations in the years to come would be proud of.

Schumer and Senator Todd Young were responsible for authoring the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act. It is a wide-ranging bipartisan proposal that would provide additional funding to support the National Science Foundation (NSF) while ushering in a new technology directorate. The legislation brings $50 billion in emergency funding to give the Commerce Department enough finances to boost the country's domestic semiconductor production. The efforts come as worldwide, companies are seeing a shortage of the chip supply.

Read Also: Biden Infrastructure Plan Talks With Capito End, President Turns to Centrist Senators for Support

Officials also provided billions of dollars to support other aspects of the country, including the Energy Department, the Pentagon, and NASA. The legislation would also support areas such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, robotics, and 5G, Yahoo News reported.

The legislation would also require U.S. companies to use iron, steel, manufactured products, and construction materials produced by the country. There are some federal projects that do not currently require the materials to be made by American companies.

Becoming Globally Competitive

A major part of the legislation that lawmakers are critical of is how it counters China's state-directed economic policies. Many officials accused the Asian country of practicing unfair trade such as intellectual property theft and forced technology transfers. The U.S. Secretary of State is required, under the new bill, to list all state-owned enterprises in China that are known to have used either of the two trade strategies.

The legislation also strengthens the United States' relationship with its allies, including Japan and Australia, in an effort to halt the import of goods using stolen intellectual property

.President Joe Biden can use the full range of his authority to impose proper sanctions on any person or entity that has committed such crimes or benefited from stolen U.S. trade secrets. He can also, under the new bill, sanction foreign entities or persons that were found to have supported cyberattacks or undermined the country's cybersecurity benefitting China.

The new bill will lead to the creation of an inter-agency task force that would be responsible for addressing China's market manipulation within the United States. It would also authorize the spending of funds to support an independent media in Chinese territory, CNN reported.

Related Article: AOC Criticizes VP Kamala Harris for Telling Guatemalan Migrants Not To Come to the US, Tells Her Seeking Asylum Is Legal

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Khloe Kardashian knew how to knock down an internet troll calmly and concisely. On Monday, the 36-year-old Keeping Up with the Kardashians star retweeted a Twitter commenter who slammed her for using a migraine medicine and questioned her use of plastic surgery.

Kardashian appeared in an ad for the migraine medicine Nurtec that was uploaded on Twitter, and one user commented with the question, "Does research imply that the more cosmetic surgery someone gets, the more likely they are to suffer from migraines?" The user also chastised Kardashian's appearance, claiming that she has undergone so much plastic surgery that she resembles an alien.

@KhloeKardashian has big news for people with migraine! For acute treatment of migraine and preventive treatment of episodic migraine in adults. Don't take if allergic to Nurtec ODT. Most common side effects were nausea and stomach pain/indigestion. PI: https://t.co/wZDdZ9yfXi  Nurtec ODT (rimegepant) (@NurtecODT) May 28, 2021

Reacting to the tweet, Kardashian commented, "I'm sorry you're feeling this way. You have all the authority to block/mute me."

Khloe Kardashian faces allegations of excessive plastic surgery, photoshop

After speaking out, Kardashian got a flood of messages of support, including one from someone who expressed gratitude to Nurtec for highlighting a celebrity who suffers from migraines. The reality star recently revealed to PEOPLE that she used to suffer from severe migraine discomfort that forced her to cancel her whole day.

Khloe is no stranger to photo controversy. She has been accused of plastic surgery and photoshopping photos in the past. When an unedited photo of her in a leopard-print bikini was posted online in April, she came under criticism. Despite receiving several positive comments on her body, her public relations and legal staff went on a fury to "scrub" the photo from the internet but were unsuccessful.

Khloe later spoke out about the photo, appealing to people to understand the hardship she's gone through over the years. She stated she had "struggled with body image her whole life," posing topless to show off her unretouched and unfiltered figure, The Sun reported.

Kim Kardashian's sister has long stated that she has not had any cosmetic surgery. However, she has admitted to getting lip fillers and has not ruled out future treatments. Extreme makeup usage and digital filters on social media sites have been blamed for some of her changing looks, and her Instagram photos are frequently changed before being posted.

Khloe Kardashian eventually called herself "beautiful" in the photo and criticized the pressure many women face to modify their looks. She maintained her freedom to transform her looks as she considers fit.

Read Also: John Cena Causes Outrage After Apologizing to China for Calling Taiwan a Country

Kardashian was previously chastised for ranting about plastic items

Per Daily Mail, Khloe Kardashian was called out yet again on social media early Monday morning after she posted a video on her Instagram Stories ranting about individuals who use a lot of single-use plastic items, such as small water bottles. However, Twitter users quickly pointed out that many of Khloe's events involve massive balloon displays that are almost certainly dumped once they have been utilized.

Helium, a non-renewable material that rises out of the Earth's atmosphere and into space after usage, is also used to fill the balloons. Others pointed out that Khloe previously showed off her pantry, which was stocked with single-use plastic wraps and containers.

Related Article: Kim Kardashian Gets Protection Against Alleged Stalker; Denies Testing Positive From COVID-19 at Birthday Bash



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On Monday, a meteorologist traveling to Denver received a tornado warning on her phone and gazed out the plane window to see the tornado evolve in real-time. She was not the only one who saw the weather phenomenon. Other passengers on other flights saw it as well.

Adrienne Vonn remarked on Twitter, "Never had this happen before." Vonn works as a meteorologist for Spectrum News in Texas. She also said in her tweet that she received a tornado alarm on her phone and that her plane landed safely in Denver. Her post included a stunning snapshot of the twister taken from the window of her airplane.

Several flights witnessed the tornado

Other passengers departing and arriving at Denver International Airport saw the tornado from their planes at the same time. Chief meteorologist James Spann WBMA-LD, an ABC affiliate in Birmingham, Alabama, uploaded a video captured by someone named JC Schroeder on Twitter.

Weld County CO tornado as seen from a departing passenger jet today video from JC Schroeder pic.twitter.com/k4QVAiXa8S  James Spann (@spann) June 8, 2021

Schroeder filmed the video before leaving the airport, while Vonn was on an incoming airplane, according to Spann. Because the tornado struck just after 5 p.m. local time, the photos and video were likely captured at the same time.

Per Newsweek via MSN, the following was the first tweet on Denver International Airport's official Twitter account on the area's biggest weather-related news: "Weather alerts and tornado warnings in the proximity are creating departure and arrival delays. Before flying to DEN, make sure to verify the status of your trip with your airline."

The tornado struck roughly 20 miles north of downtown Denver and 15 miles east-northeast of Bouler. It landed near the town of Firestone before traveling northeast a few miles.

Along the tornado's route, downed power lines and damage to crops and buildings were recorded, although no deaths are believed to have occurred. The tornado seemed to be a landspout, according to many local news sites, which implies it developed on the ground owing to clashing air boundaries during the early stages of a thunderstorm.

Some of the craziest tornado footage Ive seen



Scott and Gayle Meining, Platteville Colorado pic.twitter.com/CgEWVW4Vkt  Simone De Alba (@Simone_DeAlba) June 8, 2021

Landspouts, unlike other tornadoes, originate near the ground and travel toward the sky. According to the Storm Prediction Center database of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Weld County, which was hit by a tornado on Monday, holds the record for the most tornadoes in both Colorado and the United States.

"When I saw the tornado, I said to myself, 'OK, let's go.' I didn't close the home or garage - simply left it open to get out of the way," resident Bob Ulmer told KDVR. He said that he was watching TV when his door blew open. He walked outdoors and estimated the tornado's distance to be less than two miles. He grabbed his dog and climbed into his pickup, heading north of Denver to the hamlet of Firestone in northern Colorado.

Read Also: Arizona Boy, 11, Faces Felony Charges for Starting Brush Fire, Causes $30,000 Damage

Colorado Tornado destroys homes, buildings

Per US News, authorities say a tornado that struck a rural region of northern Colorado on Monday destroyed structures on seven homes. There were no injuries recorded.

According to a damage report conducted by Weld County, two residences and two buildings at a feedlot were among the structures that were considered destroyed. The county said one of the feedlot buildings was destroyed by a fire caused by downed power lines triggered by the tornado, while the other was destroyed directly by the tornado.

With sustained winds of 99 mph, the National Weather Service categorized the tornado as an EF1 on the Enhanced Fujita scale, the second-lowest classification (159 kph), following a survey of the damage. According to the county, the tornado went around six miles and stayed on the ground for around 30 minutes.

Related Article: Look: World Dazzles With Stunning Blood Supermoon Through Photos, Videos Posted Online



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Last Tuesday, a federal judge threw the book at a pharmacist from Wisconsin who was accused of trashing many vials of the Covid-19 vaccine. Identified as Steven Brandenburg, he was deemed responsible for the incident last January, which was considered a serious offense in the middle of a pandemic.

A serious crime

When the sentence was handed down to the accused, one of the reasons given for the jail sentence was that Brandenburg destroyed something vital to alleviating a public health crisis. He got a total of three years in prison for his offense, reported NBC via Yahoo News. Brandenburg during his trial last January faced two counts of tampering with a consumer product with serious disregard for the consequences.

The defendant faced up to 51 months in jail under federal guidelines regarding his offense. But he was also liable for 10 years for each count against him, which was more than the three years given. After he serves time, Brandenburg will be under supervision for another three years. He was also sentenced to pay $83,000 for all the vaccines he destroyed.

Brandenburg did not receive the possible maximum sentence for his crime, but other conditions made it more difficult for a pharmacist accused of destroying 500 vials of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Read also: Sinopharm: China Gives Approval For Homegrown Vaccine with Alleged 79.3% Efficacy

According to Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian Boynton in a statement, cited by the United States Department of Justice, "Trying to sabotage vaccine doses deliberately during a national public health emergency is a serious crime." He added, "To safeguard these life-saving treatments, the Justice Department will continue to work closely with its law enforcement partners."

Brandenburg was terminated from the Aurora Medical Center in Grafton, Wisconsin last December after confessing to "intentionally discarding the vaccines from refrigerators," said the hospital.

In a statement noted by NBC affiliate WTMJ, it was reported that the defendant confessed to the sentencing court. He also said he was sorry and ashamed for his grave offense that has affected many. In court, he said his apologies and thanked U.S. District Court Judge Brett Ludwig publicly.

Judge Ludwig said the apology was accepted. The judge stated, "I think your words are genuine." "I wish you the best of luck serving your sentence and getting forward with your life."

Prosecutors alleged doses of the Moderna vaccine had been deliberately taken from refrigeration during two consecutive overnight shifts last December, possibly rendering them useless because vaccine vials should be stored at particular temperatures.

According to the Department of Justice, Brandenburg replaced the vaccines in the refrigerator once he realized they had been left out. The incident led to 57 patients getting shot with potentially spoiled vaccines.

The convicted pharmacist is a "confirmed conspiracy theorist," that according to Grafton police, "told investigators that he thought the Covid-19 vaccination really wasn't safe for people and could hurt them and change their DNA."

Reports say that Wisconsin Pharmacy Examining Board took away his license earlier this year, which will prohibit him from working at state pharmacies. A pharmacist accused of destroying 500 vials of COVID vaccine was given a severe sentence that including a revoked license.

Related article: South African COVID Variant May Have Evolved New Spike Protein to Bypass Immune System

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The famed aviator Amelia Earhart and her flight partner, Fred Noonan, were attempting a flight around the world on their Lockheed Model 10-E Electra, but they never reached their destination.

A record of the amazing last flight

Noonan's letter was a record of their progress before he and Earhart disappeared. It is a collection of papers 17 pages long and in his handwriting. The last report was that it was sent from Indonesia, just before they checked in eight days later. Their last records point to their last location over the Pacific Ocean, then radio silence and a mystery that lasted decades reported the Daily Mail.

The last flight record was sent from the Grand Hotel in Indonesia, mailed on June 23, 1937. It represents one of the last communications from the daring pair. In the letters were details of dates, locations, and weather experienced while on the flight.

A treasure trove of Earhart's last journey

Hunter Person, a San Diego resident, discovered the letter along with four others, rolled up in her dad's desk 40 years ago.

Noonan's was a good friend of her grandfather, and the two had been trading letters for decades, right until the time the captain vanished. Historically, Earhart was an innovator for women as an accomplished flyer, who dared the first circumnavigation on June 1, 1937, with Noonan.

Both flyers embarked Oakland, California, and headed to Miami. The pair then traveled to South America, Africa, east to India, and South Asia. Amelia Earhart's navigator lost letters have records of this leg of the flight.

Read also: UFO Sighting: Witnesses Share Videos of Bright Flying Objects Over Missouri, Lake Okanagan

They left Papua New Guinea a few weeks later with plans to fuel in Howland tentatively on July 2, 1937. Earhart and Noonan were on dead air for a time and did not respond to attempts at radio contact. They were never seen ever again.

The letters, which were postmarked from 1935 and 1937, might provide crucial information about what happened after Earhart and Noonan departed Papua New Guinea many years ago.

Person spoke to KSWB, "It's a very fascinating letter. It describes the complete story, as I have said, and the last postmark was from Bandung, Java." They were penned by Amelia Earhart's navigator, Captain Fred J. Noonan, who was accompanying her on the unfortunate flight, she added.

Beverly, Person's mom told her before that both Noonan and her dad were writing letters since she was 15 years old. Her mom said a few were for her sometimes.

The letter astonished many experts because it is the final complete account of the trip's final days before the pilots disappeared, and may therefore provide a trail to where the plane has been resting all these years.

Regardless of the fact no one has verified what happened, many individuals have risen to the challenge of resolving the mystery, the most recent are scientists from Penn State University, noted PSU.

Several theories exist on the disappearance, but Amelia Earhart's navigator lost letters were found to give better insights over the flight.

Related article: Scientist Reveals Logical Explanation Behind Disappearances in Bermuda Triangle

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Joe Biden hasn't ruled out a fourth stimulus check to aid cash-strapped Americans, saying he's "open to ideas" on how to get the economy rolling again. Since March, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has been distributing monthly stimulus payments of up to $1,400, but Democratic leaders in Congress are pressuring the president to introduce recurring checks.

It looks that Biden hasn't ruled out the possibility of introducing new stimulus payments. White House press secretary Jen Psaki stated that the president is "happy to listen" to ideas on how to get the economy moving ahead.

Biden has not ruled out fourth stimulus checks

"But hes also proposed what he thinks is going to be most effective for the short term for putting people back to work, to getting through this pivotal period of time, and also to making us more competitive over the longterm, " Psaki said, according to Fox8.

Biden has already suggested solutions that he feels would be the most successful in the short run, she said. It contains his latest infrastructure investment plans as well as the Americans Families Plan. According to this week's jobs report, 9.3 million people are unemployed, up from 5.8 million in February of last year, before the pandemic started. Yahoo Money reveals over 20 Democrats signed a petition requesting that stimulus checks be automatically deposited into American bank accounts.

A Change.org petition encouraging lawmakers to adopt legislation for recurring $2,000 monthly payments had over 2.2 million signatures as of Wednesday. In late March, twenty-one Democratic senators signed a letter to President Biden advocating continuing stimulus funding.

At the state level, a proposal by Governor Gavin Newsom to distribute $600 stimulus checks to people as part of a multibillion-dollar spending package released earlier this week may put millions of Californians in line for a fourth stimulus check. Under his idea, over two-thirds of Californians might get a stimulus payment.

Read Also: Two New Stimulus Checks Could Hit Bank Accounts in The Next Six Months. Are You Eligible For Both?

Biden recognizes the needs for another relief

In the meantime, many Americans are still waiting for their third round of stimulus payments. More than 165 million payments of up to $1,400 per individual have been paid out in the two months after Biden's American Rescue Plan was authorized. Last week, almost 1 million paper checks and Economic Impact Payment cards were mailed out, along with "plus-up payments" for people who didn't get what they were entitled at the time.

The goal of the legislators is to prevent the bureaucratic nightmare that individuals go through while waiting for stimulus checks to be carefully authorized during partisan bickering. A letter signed by 26 Democrats hinted at the possibility of automatic payments.

It lays out "automatic stabilizers" for increased unemployment benefits and stimulus payments. If carried out, any future economic crises, such as the present pandemic, would be quickly addressed, as stimulus checks would not be hindered by political differences.

According to some members of the House Ways & Means Committee, another round of payments may keep another 12 million Americans out of poverty. "The pandemic has served as a sharp reminder that families and employees need certainty in a crisis. They have the right to know that they will be able to put food on the table and have a roof over their heads. They shouldn't have to rely on ad hoc solutions and continuously fluctuating legislative timelines," the legislators wrote in a letter to the president, The Sun reported.

Related Article: Fourth Stimulus Check, If Approved, May Reach Only Fewer Americans: Why and How to Qualify

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IT

Hearst Business Publishing, Inc. seeks Application Developer in Troy, MI to create production ready code with automated unit & integration testing.

Requirements: Bachelor's or foreign equivalent in Computer Engineering, Electronic Engineering, Software Engineering, or rel field & 8 years progressively responsible experience in job offered or related occupation: utilizing frameworks incl VB, #, & .NET for building stacks; performing query performance & stored procedure using advanced SQL knowledge; & integrating SQL into software using ADO.Net. Employer requires 4 years experience in job offered or rel occupation: writing & maintaining automated unit & integration testing. Employer requires 3 years experience in job offered or rel occupation: performing web site data scrapping. In addition, employer requires 2 years experience in job offered or related occupation: utilizing AWS cloud-based tools & technologies incl S3, EC2 & serverless solutions; utilizing Docker, Kubernetes & Azure DevOps deployments & workflow technologies.

We are an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, gender, age, veteran status, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status or disability (in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act) with respect to employment opportunities.

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Exclusive audiotape recording of a July 2019 phone call acquired by CNN revealed former United States President Donald Trump's then-lawyer, Rudy Giuliani pressured Ukrainian officials to participate in a smear campaign against 2020 presidential candidate Joe Biden.

The audio is said to be a phone call between Giuliani, U.S. diplomat Kurt Volker, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's senior adviser Andriy Yermak. The recording is believed to be the precursor to the call between Trump and Zelenskiy which was the main focus of the former U.S. president's 2019 impeachment.

Giuliani could be heard telling the people in the call that he wanted Zelenskiy to appoint a prosecutor to investigate and dig up dirty secrets about Biden and conduct a smear campaign against the now-president of the United States.

Smear Campaign

Previously, Trump denied accusations that his administration pressured the Ukrainian government to find information he could use against Biden In December 2019, the U.S. House of Representatives, which was dominated by Democrats, voted to impeach Trump. He was then acquitted in 2020 by the then-Republican-dominated Senate.

Despite efforts to overturn the results of the vote and continuous denial that Biden won, Trump lost the election in 2020 and finally left office in January 2021, Reuters reported.

On Tuesday, Yermak said Ukraine has done everything it could to foster its relationship with the United States. He said the Ukrainian government avoided taking sides in U.S. domestic political squabbles.

Read Also: Two New Stimulus Checks Could Hit Bank Accounts in The Next Six Months. Are You Eligible For Both?

In written comments, Yermak said they were successful in supporting their cooperation with the U.S. as they now have an unprecedented level of coordination with American administrations at all levels. On Monday, Ukrainian President Zelenskiy spoke with U.S. President Biden and was able to secure the White House invitation Yermak was trying to acquire previously.

False Accusations

The audio recording showed how Giuliani aggressively pushed Ukrainian officials to cooperate with the Trump administration in tarnishing Biden's image and campaign. The phone call also contrasted Trump's previous assertion there was no "quid pro quo" between his administration and the Ukrainian government.

Officials said the contents of the phone call was one of the first strategies Trump used to win the election by damaging Biden's image during the 2020 process. The Republican is also accused of soliciting foreign meddling, lying about voter fraud, trying to overturn election results, and inciting the Capitol siege that happened on January 6, CNN reported.

Previously, Giuliani said he had sufficient evidence there was tampering in the 2016 election by Ukrainian parties. He said the attempts looked into tarnishing the image of then-candidate Trump and Paul Manafort. Giuliani claimed George Soros was responsible for the activities.

"I got information from a reliable investigator, international investigator, that there was a certain amount of activity in Ukraine during the 2016 election.. to produce dirt on then-candidate Trump and Paul Manafort," the former mayor of New York City said. "Another one was involved with [George] Soros ... Soros apparently is behind a lot of this."

However, officials have yet to find evidence to support Giuliani's theories.

Related Article: Man Charged with Impersonating Trump, Thousands Ripped Off in Massive Fraud Scheme

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Vice President Kamala Harris received much criticism on Tuesday after her awkward response to questions surrounding the current border issue. Her laugh after being asked whether she would visit the border is said to make light of the crisis.

Harris was asked questions about the border, which was prompted by the fact that she has been overseeing the border crisis as designated by President Joe Biden in March.

Harris remarked there is no "quick fix" to stem the migrant surge. Harris chuckled during an NBC News interview on Tuesday, mere hours before she was meeting with Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.

'I've Been To the Border and I'll Go Again'

Harris met with reporters amid a Mexico briefing on Tuesday. A reporter asked if she would go to the border for her to see the "full complexity" of the situation as Harris took a number of questions after a bilateral meeting with the Mexican president. Harris responded with an awkward chuckle, "Listen, I've been to the border before and I'll go again," reported Daily Mail.

The VP claimed they have been to the border, appearing to refer to other administration officials. NBC's Lester Holt responded that Harris, particularly, has not been to the border. Harris then responded while laughing, "And I haven't been to Europe. I mean, I don't understand the point you are making," reported Fox News.

Read Also: AOC Criticizes VP Kamala Harris for Telling Guatemalan Migrants Not To Come to the US, Tells Her Seeking Asylum Is Legal

Harris added, "And I mean, I don't -- I don't understand the point that you're making," she said. She then insisted, "I'm not discounting the importance of the border," reported The Sun.

She also said when she believes they should have a conversation regarding what is transpiring in Guatemala since she was in the country to discuss the root causes of the border crisis. The VP was apparently unamused by the border being brought up during her trip on Monday to Guatemala and then brought up again on Tuesday in Mexico.

Harris was criticized on social media after her response. Some, including Republican members of Congress, said that the issue was not a joke to poke fun of and criticized the Vice President for making light of the situation. Others noted the inability of Harris to respond to the question, pointing out that the discussion was surrounding a crisis and not a "vacation."

This is like a clip from Veep and really, really uncomfortable. https://t.co/kYh6coJjjR  Meghan McCain (@MeghanMcCain) June 8, 2021

Telling Holt that there is not going to be a quick fix for the crisis at the border, she added they are not going to see an immediate return. She stated the real work is going to take time to manifest and added it will be worth it.

Vice President Kamala Harris held bilateral talks with Lopez Obrador on her Mexico trip on Tuesday. The duo discussed how to halt the mass immigration from Central America by migrating through Mexico.

Related Article: VP Kamala Harris' Plane to Guatemala Forcibly Turns Around Due to Technical Issue

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A former pharmacist in Wisconsin who purposefully ruined more than 500 doses of COVID-19 vaccine has been sentenced to three years in prison
CHICAGO, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- In 2009, long before Black Lives Matter, when the term "buy Black" was taboo, John and Maggie Anderson, a corporate, highly-educated suburban couple, decided to make their own protest against racism and inequality by buying Black for an entire year.
Full Time School Business Administrator, Board Secretary Position

Neptune City School District seeks to fill an anticipated vacancy for F/T School Business Administrator, Board Secretary position with starting August 1, 2021. The position requires a NJDOE School Business Administrator certification and Qualified Purchasing Agent license.

Send Letter of interest, resume, references and appropriate certifications to Dr. Raymond J. Boccuti, CSA, Neptune City BOE, 210 West Sylvania Avenue, Neptune City, NJ 07753 or apply here today.

Deadline for application is 5:00 PM on June 18, 2021 at 5:00 PM. EOE

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Now Open

9 June 2021

SpringHill Suites Chicago Chinatown, the first hotel of its kind to hit Chicago's Chinatown, has officially opened its doors at 2357 S. Wentworth Ave. The latest development to hit this century-old neighborhood, located in the heart of Chicago's vibrant Chinatown community, offers guests a sensory-overload of history and culture as soon as guests enter through the community's iconic red "Welcome Gate". Pioneered, owned and developed by T2 Properties, patrons looking to sleep, work and relax now have the opportunity to do so while enjoying access to 148 comfortable suites, a fitness studio, and a complimentary daily buffet or hot breakfast option. The hotel also features an expansive lobby perfect for small gatherings as well as a boardroom for upcoming meetings, small weddings, and more.

This all-suites hotel was specifically designed with corporate and leisure travelers in mind, offering whisper-quiet suites, select heated bathroom floors, and luxurious bathroom amenities. The on-site fitness center, open 24 hours, offers health conscious guests a selection of treadmills, ellipticals, stationary bikes, free weights and yoga mats.

Patrons who would like to indulge in all Chinatown has to offer during their stay are invited to visit many nearby local attractions including the Chinese American Museum of Chicago, the Nine Dragon Wall, Ping Tom Memorial Park, and much more. Along with cultural institutions, Chinatown also features herbal grocery stores, colorful boutiques, souvenir shops, and various family-owned restaurants that offer a rich blend of heritage, culture, activities and people.
Pipeline

9 June 2021

Welcome to the vibrant world of GLOW Sukhumvit 71, tucked in a beautiful residential neighbourhood in the exciting Ekamai area of Bangkok. Far enough away from the traffic of Sukhumvit and Petchaburi road, yet only 10 minutes' drive from the convenience of the BTS sky train system (Pra Kanong / Ekamai). GLOW Sukhumvit 71 is an urban oasis with 108 modern designed guestrooms, casual dining restaurant and skyline bar with city views, as well as an outdoor swimming pool and fitness gym to help you stay healthy and fit. The facility provides plentiful and secure parking.

Located in Pridibanomyong, a known crossroads for several major thoroughfares in the east of Bangkok, the property offers accessibility via many connecting routes, including Ekamai, Rama 4 Road, Petchaburi Road, Rama 9 Road, Sukhumvit Road and Bangna Road. GLOW Sukhumvit 71 offers a choice of comfortable room types as well as ASPIRA long-stay residences, both just 10 minutes to the BTS Skytrain Phra Khanong station and Airport Link Skytrain. Open 24 hours daily and providing all household needs, Max Value and Makro supermarkets are only a 15 minutes' walk away.

The combined hotel and residential facility of GLOW and ASPIRA SUKHUMVIT 71 offers first class services and facilities for short or long stay guests, with quick access to expressways, world-class schools and internationally accredited Bangkok Hospital and Samitivej Hospital. This an excellent choice close to main roads of Rama 9, Phra Khanong and Pattanakarn, and just 35 minutes to Suvarnabhumi International Airport.

At GLOW Sukhumvit 71, we are safeguarding our staff, guests and community by actively taking part in the collective effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19 infection and have implemented our Stay Safe program following strict procedures to ensure elevated cleaning and hygiene measures.
Industry Update

Appointment

9 June 2021

Paul Bennie

Promoted Vice President of Sales and Marketing

At ProfitSword in Orlando - FL, USA

Paul Bennie is promoted to Vice President of Sales and Marketing, where he will be primarily focused on driving additional market growth and ensuring that the company's solutions are readily available to hoteliers regardless of location or business size.

Related News Positioning Hotels For Growth: ProfitSword Reaffirms Vision And Strategy Through Reimagined Senior Leadership Team 9 June 2021  ProfitSword, a premier developer of business intelligence and data integration software, has announced a bolstering of its commitment to staying ahead of the latest business intelligence trends through a reimagined corporate leadership team. The companys vision will see existing leadership streamline their roles and responsibilities along with an ongoing expansion of the corporate team to ensure maximum effectiveness in adapting to new industry needs. Read more

ProfitSword Founded in 2001, ProfitSword is an innovator in business intelligence software and applications. ProfitSword solutions provide seamless integration of data and real-time information to enhance decision-making process and improve profitability. more information

Recent Appointments at ProfitSword Anne Martinelli - Vice President of Finance 9 June 2021  Anne Martinelli will leverage her financial expertise to continue enhancing ProfitSword's forecasting and budgeting abilities in order to provide hoteliers with the vital business performance insight they need to make quick, yet informed decisions in real-time. read more

Robert Ryan - Chief Executive Officer (CEO) 9 June 2021  Previously serving as ProfitSword's Chief Revenue Officer, Robert Ryan will be taking on the new role of company CEO. Ryan will leverage his years of expertise in devising effective business plans to ensure that ProfitSword's company strategy continues to align with evolving hotelier business intelligence requirements. read more
Appointment

9 June 2021

In 2019 Warsaw Airports recorded a traffic of 22 million passengers. In recent years Warsaw has grown a reputation as a major business and leisure destination in Europe. The Polonia Palace Hotel is one of the landmark hotels in Warsaw - it dates back to 1913 and was thoroughly renovated in 2004-2005 accommodating more than 100,000 guests every year. The hotel is mainly targeted at business travelers, but due to its historic nature and uniqueness it is also extremely popular with tourists.

With more than 20 years of professional and diversified experience within international and Polish chains as well as unique independent hotels, Pawe Lewtak as General Manager and Board Member has a progressive record of achievements including successful opening and positioning of hotels, developing business through effective sales and marketing strategies, managing

operations including major renovation projects, food and beverage including MICE sales. Setting and maintaining highest quality standards proven by excellent online reviews. Building and leading successful teams. Pawe Lewtak has been working in Syrena Hotels for 14 years, he has been General Manager of Polonia Palace since 2013 and he has served as Member of the Management Board of the company responsible for operations and marketing for more than 5 years. He holds and executive MBA from ESG - University of Quebec at Montreal and from the Warsaw School of Economics. During 2020 Pawel Lewtak set up new sanitary standards for hotels in Poland together with Polish Chamber of the Hotel Industry and Polish Tourism Organization.
Supplier News

9 June 2021

ORLANDO, Fla. - ProfitSword, a premier developer of business intelligence and data integration software, has announced a bolstering of its commitment to staying ahead of the latest business intelligence trends through a reimagined corporate leadership team. The companys vision will see existing leadership streamline their roles and responsibilities along with an ongoing expansion of the corporate team to ensure maximum effectiveness in adapting to new industry needs.

Previously serving as ProfitSwords Chief Revenue Officer, Robert Ryan will be taking on the new role of company CEO. Ryan will leverage his years of expertise in devising effective business plans to ensure that ProfitSwords company strategy continues to align with evolving hotelier business intelligence requirements.

As the hospitality industry inches closer towards recovery, hoteliers can count on ProfitSword to continue aligning with their latest business intelligence needs so that they can look forward to maximum revenue generation and the ability to gain a vital edge over the competition, commented Ryan. ProfitSword is fortunate to have such a talented team of dedicated business intelligence experts at its disposal, and I have no doubt that their in-depth knowledge of hotelier business needs will continue to propel our ability to innovate according to the latest industry demands.

Continuing as company President, Maureen Allen will work closely with Ryan in likewise devising a company vision that continues to push the boundaries on what business intelligence technology can achieve for hospitality-based organizations. In furthering this goal, Allen will also ensure that ProfitSwords company culture remains geared towards embracing a positive atmosphere of innovation and results-driven objectives.

This is a very exciting chapter in our companys ongoing evolution towards providing customers with the latest tools they need to run more efficient, responsive and profitable organizations, said Allen. I am very proud of what our team has been able to accomplish in pushing the boundaries on business intelligence capabilities, and remain fully confident in their abilities to keep pace with growing demands for ever greater data analysis flexibility and business performance insight.

Additional leadership team realignments include Paul Bennie being promoted to Vice President of Sales and Marketing, where he will be primarily focused on driving additional market growth and ensuring that the companys solutions are readily available to hoteliers regardless of location or business size. Continuing to serve as Chief Operating Officer is John Crutchfield who will leverage his expertise in research and development to provide hotels with the latest business intelligence tools that can lead to a swift and full recovery. Brian Treadwell will also continue as Chief of Staff to further ensure that ProfitSword objectives align with new industry business intelligence trends. As Vice President of Finance, Anne Martinelli will leverage her financial expertise to continue enhancing ProfitSwords forecasting and budgeting abilities in order to provide hoteliers with the vital business performance insight they need to make quick, yet informed decisions in real-time.

For details on ProfitSwords full range of business intelligence solutions that are available to the hospitality industry, please visit www.profitsword.com.
Press Release

9 June 2021

WTTC says international travel will be critical to achieve global economic recovery

Travel & Tourism accounts for more than 5% of the economy and over 9% of the workforce of G7 countries

Open letter to UK premiere says urgent and coordinated action will be needed to save the millions of jobs and livelihoods that depend on this sector

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LONDON, UK: The World Travel & Tourism Council has called on Boris Johnson and the G7 Heads of State, to lead a coordinated response to restart international travel safely, which it says will be critical to the global economic and social recovery.

WTTC, which represents the global private sector, made the plea in an open letter to UK Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, Chair of the G7 group of nations in 2021, just days before leaders are due to meet at Carbis Bay in Cornwall.

The letter laid out the critical role the G7 must play to drive real change and save the global Travel & Tourism sector by safely restoring international travel and mobility through three key measures.

The first is to put Travel & Tourism at the heart of all governmental decision making globally, recognising its economic and social importance and committing to stronger global public-private collaboration.

Secondly, to commit to implementing a consistent framework to safely reopen international travel, through the use of testing, health & hygiene protocols, and digital health travel passes to ensure the safe and seamless flow of people.

Finally, to reopen international borders between countries with similar successful vaccination rollouts and low levels of infection, such as the US and the UK. This move would unlock both inbound and outbound travel and provide a significant boost to both economies, based on clear, consistent metrics and following a data-driven approach.

Virginia Messina, WTTC Senior Vice President and Acting CEO, said: With the global Travel & Tourism sector hanging by a thread, Boris Johnson is in a unique position to lead the G7 response to restart international travel and save the millions of jobs and livelihoods that depend on a thriving sector.

The situation is critical, so we must put Travel & Tourism at the heart of all governmental decision making globally and agree a consistent framework to reopen international borders.

The risks of not doing so are enormous. In the G7 countries alone, the sector accounts for 5.11% of the total economy and almost one in 10 of all jobs globally (9.07%). If we dont save international travel, we simply wont achieve global socio-economic recovery.

However, we can and should harness the opportunity presented by the hugely successful vaccination rollout, to remove travel restrictions and build bridges not walls, which will allow the safe and free movement of people who are fully vaccinated or can show proof of a negative test.

We urge Boris Johnsons government which led the world by administering the very first COVID-19 vaccination dose, and the other Leaders of the G7 to take this courageous step and save a sector which will be crucial in saving their economies.

In the letter to Boris Johnson, WTTC said the Travel & Tourism sector will play a key role in achieving the G7 policy priorities set by his Presidency.

The global tourism body said we will not achieve global recovery unless international mobility resumes and helps bring back millions of jobs into the economy; enabling free & fair trade to flourish once again. Travel & Tourism will also play a key role in enhancing our preparedness and resilience against future pandemics, as well as tackling climate change.

According to WTTCs latest Economic Impact Report (EIR), in 2019, Travel & Tourism contributed to 10.4% of global GDP and created more than 330 million jobs, thats one in ten jobs across the world.

However, following a year of global lockdowns and closed borders, some 62 million jobs in Travel & Tourism have been lost around the world, with many more at risk, and the sectors contribution to global GDP has slumped by US$4.5 trillion (-49.1%).

Download the press release.
Press Release

9 June 2021

Summit Hotel Properties, Inc. (NYSE: INN) (the Company) today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the 110-guestroom Residence Inn by Marriott Steamboat Springs for $33.0 million through its joint venture with GIC. Opened in December 2020, the newly built Residence Inn by Marriott Steamboat Springs is ideally located in close proximity to the base of Mount Werner and Gondola Square, biking and hiking trails, downtown Steamboat Springs, restaurants, shopping, and numerous other attractions.

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The hotel is well-positioned to capture strong winter ski demand and summer leisure demand in what has been an extremely high barrier-to-entry market as only six other hotels have opened in the last 20 years, and there are none in any stage of development. In addition to robust peak winter and summer demand, the hotel is also expected to benefit from recurring special corporate and project business that will help balance demand patterns, particularly during shoulder seasons. As the newest hotel in Steamboat Springs and first Marriott-branded extended-stay hotel in the market, the hotel has been able to achieve a significant RevPAR premium of more than 30% compared to its competitive set in the first six months of operation.

Steamboat Springs Expansion

As a participant in the Ikon Pass ski program, Steamboat is one of the top five busiest ski resorts in the United States, hosting more than one million skier visits per year and is poised for meaningful growth in part driven by the significant capital investment planned to improve the mountain. Alterra Mountain Company is the current owner and operator of Steamboat Resort and acquired the mountain in 2017 with a goal of increasing airlift, enhancing summer demand, and building out the mountain base. In April 2021, Alterra announced updated plans to spend $135 million on base area improvements, ski acreage expansion and enhancement of the overall guest experience. Phase 1 of the improvement plan is currently underway which includes gondola upgrades that will improve skier circulation and enhance the overall guest experience by reducing ski lift wait times. In addition, the project investment will increase skiable terrain by approximately 20% to more than 3,600 acres, making Steamboat the second largest skiable area in Colorado. The project is expected to be completed by the start of the 2022/23 winter season.

The Steamboat market is serviced by the Yampa Valley Regional Airport which has recently seen incoming seats increase by 20% and continues to service flights from 15 airports in major markets across the country.

Acquisition Funding and Timing

The Company expects to fund its 51% interest in the joint venture acquisition using approximately $17 million of cash on-hand. After completion of the transaction, the Company expects to have over $425 million of total liquidity and over $150 million of current investment capacity permitted under recent credit facility amendments to pursue future investment opportunities. The transaction is expected to be completed late in the second quarter or early in the third quarter and remains subject to customary closing conditions.
Press Release

9 June 2021

The first Sunerra Hotel was officially launched last week in Jakarta, Indonesia.

The company has also grown the footprint of SANS Hotels in six major cities in Indonesia and is now gearing up to launch the first SANS Hotel in the Philippines.

RedDoorz has recently added new hotel brands to its platform across economy lifestyle, extended stays and midscale segments in addition to its namesake budget hotel brand.

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Singapore - RedDoorz, Southeast Asias largest and fastest-growing, technology-driven hotel management and booking platform, announced the launch of Sunerra Hotels, which marks the companys first foray in the midscale hotel segment (three stars and above). The launch cements RedDoorzs vision to become an ecosystem of multiple hospitality and accommodation products, each of them backed by distinct brands and catering to the different needs of consumers in Southeast Asia: from no-frills budget stays to more design-inspired better experiences and even extended stays offerings.

In November 2020 RedDoorz had also launched SANS Hotels, a trendy economy lifestyle hotel brand that primarily targets millennial and Gen Z's customers, which can now be found in 10 different locations across 7 cities in Indonesia and the Philippines.

The brand vision behind Sunerra Hotels aims to provide an experience that inspires unforgettable moments and sparks the joy of travel and discovery by creating delightful experiences rooted in local art, beautiful design, bold flavours and gastronomy. We envision Sunerra Hotels to be the perfect hotel choice for the modern travelers who value comfort, local flavors and a memorable hospitality experience at the best value in the market., said Liviu Nedef, Chief Marketing Officer, RedDoorz.

The first Sunerra hotel has 142 rooms across four categories and includes premium hotel facilities such as swimming pool & spa, fitness and health center, Sunerra signature food and drinks menu inspired by Indonesian and international cuisines.

"We are very excited to announce the launch of Sunerra Hotels as we get ready for our next phase of growth. Despite the difficult macro environment of last year, we remain deeply committed to building the future of hospitality in Southeast Asia and Sunerra, our first midscale brand, brings us closer in realising our ambitious vision for the company and the region," said Amit Saberwal, Founder and CEO, RedDoorz.

Sunerra Hotel marks the companys third brand launch since 2020 after SANS, a trendy, design inspired economy lifestyle hotel brand, and KoolKost, an extended stay co-living brand in Indonesia that allows long term guests to rent rooms under flexible leases.

Customers can book stays at Sunerra Hotel via the RedDoorz mobile application, which is available on both Android and iOS mobile devices, or via its dedicated brand website (www.sunerra.com).
Press Release

9 June 2021

The main partner and jersey sponsor of Paris Saint-Germain, ALL - Accor Live Limitless, presents the second episode of its #LimitlessChallenges campaign. The winner selected at the start of the year launched her challenge to player Alessandro Florenzi: a yoga-based challenge at the iconic Molitor hotel, MGallery Collection.

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Earlier this year, ALL - Accor Live Limitless, the groups loyalty programme and booking platform, launched a campaign offering its members the opportunity to challenge Paris Saint-Germain players based on their own passions.

Through the #LimitlessChallenges initiative, the daily lifestyle companion ALL - Accor Live Limitless allows its members to enjoy exceptional experiences within its hotels. It was at the Molitor Paris - MGallery Hotel Collection that an Italian winner, with a passion for yoga, had the chance to meet her favourite player: full-back Alessandro Florenzi. The idea was to challenge the Paris Saint-Germain player to a Fight Gently class - a variation of traditional Yoga mixing martial arts, pilates and tribal movements.

The challenge is in perfect harmony with the brand's approach centred on well-being. It was over the indoor pool, on a glass platform set up for the occasion, that the ALL winner was able to face her compatriot under the leadership of the founder of Fight Gently, Vanessa Villa, karate champion and yoga and meditation teacher, invited for the occasion.

The two protagonists were able to share a privileged moment in this exceptional setting reflecting the MGallery Hotel Collection universe. The experience reflects the ambitions of the Collection, which endeavours to offer its guests a place for them to devote themselves to their happiness and well-being each time they stay there.

This is yet another experience that reflects what ALL - Accor Live Limitless offers members in its various hotels, and which is part of the Group's unique art of welcoming and accommodating.

ALL - Accor Live Limitless has one last unforgettable encounter to be continued in the next episode!

This event was held in compliance with sanitary measures. The participants were first tested for Covid-19.

About ALL  Accor Live Limitless

ALL - Accor Live Limitless is a daily lifestyle companion. ALL harness and enhance the brands, services and partnerships offered by the Accors ecosystem. ALL delivers meaningful experiences and rewards to its most engaged customers while enabling them to work live, and play, far beyond their stay, at home and around the world. Thanks to this rich value proposition, Accor is bringing its Augmented Hospitality strategy to life with new digital platforms, iconic partnerships (Credit Cards, Mobility, Airlines, Entertainment with AEG, IMG, Paris Saint-Germain) and global roll-out plan for all its guests and 68 million of loyalty members.
Press Release

9 June 2021

AAHOA announced that Cecil P. Staton is stepping down as President & CEO. Staton will continue to work with AAHOAs leadership to ensure an effective

transition and the success of ongoing projects and relationships as a consultant to AAHOA leadership.

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On behalf of Americas hoteliers, we thank Cecil for his service to AAHOA," AAHOA Chairman Biran Patel said. For more than a year, hoteliers faced immense pressure as the COVID-19 pandemic brought a period of decade-long prosperity to a grinding halt. Cecil proved to be a steady hand, leading and guiding the association to record member engagement through this turbulent year. His leadership in the development of our Strategic Plan will have a lasting, positive impact upon the association.

Im grateful to have led this organization through one of the hardest times in our industrys and associations history through our concentrated efforts related to COVID-19 support and relief and for making a difference in the lives of so many hoteliers, Staton said. AAHOA has the most dedicated team with whom Ive had the privilege to work, and Ive been impressed with their commitment to excellence from the moment I joined this great organization. Our work to develop AAHOAs new Strategic Plan holds the promise to propel the association forward toward its fullest potential.

AAHOA Executive Vice President & COO Rachel Humphrey announced that she also will be exiting the association on August 7.

Over 20 years ago, Rachel began working with AAHOA by providing franchisees with legal advice, Patel said. In 2015, she became part of AAHOAs Executive Leadership Team as the VP of Franchise Relations before rising to become EVP and COO. She also served as Interim President & CEO for most of 2019, including leading the association during AAHOAs recordbreaking 30th-anniversary celebration at the 2019 AAHOA Convention & Trade Show in San Diego. Rachel's dedication to AAHOA and her impact on franchise and industry relations and association operations have helped us achieve a new level of success over the past six years. On behalf of the AAHOA membership and our Board, I thank her for her selfless dedication to serving AAHOA.

Its been a privilege to serve Americas hotel owners and, more specifically, AAHOAs nearly 20,000 members over the last six years, Humphrey said. Im incredibly proud of AAHOAs critical role in the industry today and the team I have served alongside. I know AAHOA will continue its successful trajectory of being the foremost resource and advocate for Americas hotel owners and look forward to seeing everyone in Dallas.

AAHOA has accomplished remarkable work on behalf of its members during what has been one of the worst times in our industrys history  and the work never stops. AAHOA is well-positioned to continue its work to fulfill its vision and the ambitious goals set forth in the Strategic Plan.

AAHOA is a strong organization led by exceptional teams, Patel said. Our dedicated Board of Directors, Executive Leadership Team, and professional staff will continue to lead AAHOA into the future. AAHOAs work on behalf of our members will continue to be guided by our Strategic Plan, which will carry the association's strategy into 2023 and leave a lasting impact for many years to come.

The organization is in the process of conducting a comprehensive search process to identify new leadership that will continue to help guide Americas hoteliers on the road to recovery.
OB/GYN Associates, P.C. in currently recruiting for a float nurse to work full time (40 hours) Monday thru Friday, between the hours of 8-5. This position will provide nursing support to ambulatory patients throughout the office. The float nurse will have a wide range of responsibility, including but not limited to, assessing patient vitals, acquiring patient history with accurate documentation, record concerns or symptoms and provide assistance with the patients questions and concerns as well as help provide patient education. Float nurses may assist as a primary nurse, procedure nurse, triage nurse or in other nursing roles after orientation. The expectations of a float nurse, besides providing exceptional patient care, includes the ability to prioritize in their assistance of others, be knowledgeable and current in carrying out the specific responsibilities in all clinical nursing areas, and be able to build and maintain staff relationships.

The requirements for this position include completion of an accredited nursing program and must possess a current RN license.

For additional information or to apply for the position, please forward a cover letter and resume to Jackie Martin, RN, BSN via email.

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Opinion Article

9 June 2021

Transactions in the Asia Pacific

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In 2020, transaction activity in the Asia Pacific took a hit from the new high in 2019, achieving a transaction volume of approximately US $8.6 billion worth of hospitality assets, indicating a 41.8% decline year on year. Similarly, from 2Q 2020 to 1Q 2021, transaction activity in the Asia Pacific has continued to slow down. Despite the slow-moving transaction activity, growing interest in hospitality assets continues to be observed in regions such as Australia & New Zealand, China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and certain markets in the South-East Asia regions.

Photo: HVS

The slowdown is mainly attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to weak market performance and a cautious macro economical outlook with uncertainties. Investment interest is anticipated to pick up in late 2021 and 2022 as investors seize opportunities to tap on the gradual recovery of the tourism sector, albeit with a cautious approach.

Transaction History in the Asia Pacific (2016 - 1Q 2021)

Transaction History in the Asia Pacific (2016 - 1Q 2021)  RCA Analytics & HVS Research

Top Three Most Active Markets (2Q 2020 to 1Q 2021)

While the transaction activity by the number of completed transactions has declined, strong transaction volume for hospitality assets is observed over the last four quarters (2Q 2020  1Q 2021) in China, Taiwan, and Thailand. In particular, Taiwan has seen transaction volume tripled from US $0.36 billion to US $1.1 billion with 13 hospitality assets having traded hands. The strong investor appetite is contributed by both local and Chinese investors.

Transaction Volume in Top Three Most Active Markets (2Q 2020- 1Q 2021)

Transaction Volume in Top Three Most Active Markets (2Q 2020- 1Q 2021)  RCA Analytics & HVS Research

Major Investors in the Asia Pacific

In 2020, transaction activity from the top ten investors in the Asia Pacific accounted for approximately US $3.35 billion or 41.4% of total transaction volume. The majority of the transaction volume by the top ten investors are local investments (investment in the country of origin), representing approximately US $2.3 billion. Despite the coronavirus pandemic, there is an increasing interest from foreign investors. In terms of the transaction activity by the number of transactions, Australia-based Iris Capital tops the list with 17 deals in Australia while Australia-based Salter Brothers and Singapore-based GIC recorded eight in Australia. This is followed by Singapore-based CDL which recorded six in China, Malaysia, and Singapore, Japan-based Daiwa Securities recorded five in Japan, and US-based Blackstone recorded four in China and India.

Top Ten Investors

Top Ten Investors  RCA Analytics & HVS Research

Transaction Volume by Top Ten Investors in 2020

Transaction Volume by Top Ten Investors in 2020  RCA Analytics & HVS Research

Hotel Performance in the Asia Pacific (2021)

Overall hotel performance across the tracked markets is anticipated to remain subdued from the COVID-19 pandemic impact for 2021. Despite the headwinds, certain markets emerge to be more resilient and rebound faster due to strong domestic travel demand, success in controlling the spread of the coronavirus, and extensive tourism sector support from the government. On the other hand, certain markets face more challenges including prolonging lockdown, travel restrictions, social distancing measures, reliance on international travel demand, and the spike in cases.

The top five least impacted markets are Beijing, Maldives, Shanghai, Sydney and Taipei while the most impacted markets are Bali, Bengaluru, Bangkok, Colombo and Phuket. In general, hotel performance in North Asia is forecasted to improve from the year 2020. The overall sentiment in Myanmar seems to be less bullish due to the aftermath of the military coup. Resort locations will struggle to rebound if the pandemic situation is not well handled within the country, resulting in the loss of both domestic and international travel demand.

Hotel Performance in the Asia Pacific (2021)

Hotel Performance in the Asia Pacific (2021)  HVS Research

To see the full report, please visit : https://www.hvs.com/article/9089-market-snapshot--asia-pacific-2021
Chief executives of some of the largest U.S. oil companies are set to meet with White House National Climate Adviser Gina McCarthy on Wednesday as the Biden administration nears pivotal decisions on drilling and auto emissions.

The session will be at least the second meeting this year between top oil executives and McCarthy, who is coordinating the Biden administrations efforts to clamp down on greenhouse gas emissions from burning the industrys core products. The meeting is set to involve McCarthy and members of the American Petroleum Institutes executive committee, according to two people familiar with the matter.

The White House said in an emailed statement that it meets with a wide-range of sectors that all play an important role moving us towards a clean energy future that tackles the climate crisis, creates good-paying union jobs and secures environmental justice.

Representatives of API did not have an immediate comment.

The session comes as the Biden administration weighs a number of new regulations that will directly affect the oil industry. The administration is also asking Congress to impose a clean electricity mandate as part of a goal for a carbon-free grid by 2035, which could edge natural gas out of the nations power system.

The Interior Department is preparing to send a report to the White House this month on whether, and how, it can restart the U.S. governments oil and gas leasing programs. The agency paused selling new oil and gas leases on federal lands and waters in January so it could conduct the broad review. The interim report is set to outline potential changes -- from narrowed acreage and more stringent climate considerations to higher royalty payments -- that could accompany the restart of leasing.

Some oil and gas industry advocates have criticized the pause, saying a long-lasting moratorium threatens jobs and essential American energy production. The Western Energy Alliance and the state of Wyoming have challenged the pause in federal court.

The Environmental Protection Agency, meanwhile, is honing a proposal for new standards governing greenhouse gas emissions from automobile tailpipes. And the Energy Department is advancing programs to spur development of hydrogen that dovetail with oil industry efforts to produce hydrogen using natural gas.

During a previous meeting with McCarthy in March, executives pledged to collaborate with the administration on the reduction of methane releases from oil wells and equipment.
Crude extended gains after an industry report showed another draw in U.S. crude inventories, while Iran said a deal to end sanctions on its oil sector remained elusive.

Futures in New York rose 0.2 percent after settling above $70 a barrel on Tuesday for the first time since October 2018. Theres no conclusive agreement to lift U.S. restrictions on Irans oil sector despite the two nations making great progress on broader economic issues, a top Iranian official said on Wednesday. A new round of talks is expected later this week.

The oil market has been underpinned by a demand recovery in the U.S., China and Europe, and there are signs the COVID-19 resurgence in Asia may be easing. Crude inventories have been sliding and likely fell further last week, according to the American Petroleum Institute. The U.S. State Department loosened its travel warnings for nations around the world, which could pave the way for more airline travel.

There have also been signs of strength in the physical market for Middle Eastern oil. But its tinged with caution elsewhere. A delay in the distribution of quotas that allow Chinese private refiners to buy crude is now adding some uncertainty. A unit of China National Petroleum Corp. has even stopped supplying oil to independent processors amid a government crackdown.

The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies also havent given a clear indication of their output policy beyond July. The group has been returning some shuttered production to the market.

Theres a risk of oil prices overshooting due to OPEC+ being too conservative in its output policy, said Helge Andre Martinsen, senior oil market analyst at DNB Bank ASA. Improved traffic mobility data and a change in perception of the likelihood of Iranian barrels returning quickly as nuclear talks drag on are contributing to oil prices rising, he said.

Options traders continue to wager on higher oil prices, with Brent strategies profiting a buyer from a rise toward $100 trading again this week. Theres been a steady stream of such activity over the last month, as traders try to make money from the potential for acute market tightness.

The price of oil is going to head higher for the right reasons, Byron Wien, vice chairman at Blackstone Private Wealth Solutions said in a Bloomberg Television interview. The economy is recovering, business is doing extremely well, people are returning back to normal, theyre going to be traveling over the summer, the demand for gasoline is going to increase.
Four months after the failure of the Texas electric grid sparked a backlash against clean power, investors and developers have decided just what the state needs: more renewable energy. Much more.

Texas is on pace to have as much green-power development in coming years as the next three states combined, according to the American Clean Power Association, a Washington-based trade group. Projects totaling 15 gigawatts -- equal to the total electrical capacity of Finland in 2019 -- are under construction or in advanced development, more than double three years ago. Thats according to data from the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, or Ercot, the states grid operator.

All told, the forthcoming wind, solar and battery-storage projects are worth an estimated $20 billion to $25 billion, the American Clean Power Association said.

Were not tapping the brakes, said Philip Moore, senior vice president of Danish power giant Orsted A/Ss North American onshore unit, which just finished building a large solar and storage complex to provide power for West Texas oil and natural gas fields. Coming out of the storm, we continue to see Ercot as a growth market.

The building boom demonstrates the appeal that wind and solar continue to have for investors as the green transition accelerates, with companies under increasing pressure from shareholders and environmental groups to tackle climate change. It also bodes well for U.S. President Joe Bidens push to eliminate power-sector emissions, since Texas produces more electricity than any other state.

Just four months ago, the industrys future in Texas was called into question after widespread blackouts during a deadly winter storm stoked speculation among some conservatives and fossil-fuel proponents that frozen wind turbines were to blame. Though gas plants also failed and were a bigger factor in the crisis, Republican lawmakers in the state considered slapping fees on new clean-power projects, a threat that made investors skittish. But the legislative session wrapped up recently without passage of a law imposing such fees.

The amount of renewable energy in the Ercot queue in May was much higher than the same month in any of the past three years. That massive growth is driven by jumps in solar farms and battery storage that outweigh a drop in the amount of wind power in the queue.

New utility-scale solar installations in Texas totaled 3.3 gigawatts last year, nearly matching the 3.5 gigawatts of new wind, according to BloombergNEF. The research group projects more than double the amount of new utility-scale solar and 4.2 gigawatts of new wind there this year.

Republicans bashed renewable energy during and after the storm, even as the states grid operator said that frozen instruments at gas, coal and even nuclear plants were the main reason for the blackouts. This shows how the Green New Deal would be a deadly deal for the United States of America, Texas governor Greg Abbott told Sean Hannity on Fox News in the midst of the freeze. He went on to blame wind and solar power and said fossil fuel plants are necessary for baseline power.

Several renewable developers said new laws that targeted clean power projects would force them to rethink building in Texas. A group including big power companies, Amazon.com Inc. and Goldman Sachs Group Inc. sent letters to Abbott and lawmakers in April, writing that proposed new laws would chill investment in the state.

Despite the rosy data, the storm will have some effects on clean energy development in Texas. While projects are still moving forward there, developers and investors are rethinking their risk and some weaker projects may not get built in the wake of the storm, said Daniel Sinaiko, a lawyer who represents renewable energy clients for the law firm Allen & Overy. That could include projects that are higher risk, less certain to bring in a profit, or less likely to find a buyer after completion.

The tax investors and the lenders are lining their contracts with covenants and reserves, things that cause the sponsor to be on the front edge of wearing the risks, he said.

Some investors got burned by the Texas freeze and may be a little bit more hesitant to participate in future deals, said Oliver Metcalfe, a BNEF analyst. BNEF sees a drop-off in wind installations in Texas starting in 2022 as some wind developers race to start construction by year-end to qualify for a federal tax credit at existing rates, Metcalfe said.

One financial instrument that helped provide revenue for projects may no longer be viable as investors now want financing models to consider freak events like the February storm, said Lee Taylor, chief executive officer at clean-energy analytics firm RESurety. Under agreements called fixed volume swaps, projects must supply a fixed quantity of energy each hour whether the turbines are generating or not. Owners were hit hard during the Texas storm when prices spiked at the same time the cold had shut down projects.

Energy giant Enel SpA is spending $1.9 billion on solar, wind and storage projects in Texas. Georgios Papadimitriou, head of North America for Enel Green Power, said the U.S. is the biggest source of growth for the company and about 85% of that growth is currently in Texas. He expects to keep investing in the state unless the legislature there passes onerous new laws that target renewable energy.

Texas has been for us and continues to be a key state for growth, said Papadimitriou. We have much bigger plans coming forward.
Royal Dutch Shell Plc will accelerate its carbon-emission cuts following a Dutch court ruling last month that said the companys climate plans werent sufficient.

The oil and gas giant still expects to appeal the verdict and believes it has been unjustly singled out, Chief Executive Officer Ben van Beurden said Wednesday. However, the company also feels determination to rise to the challenge posed by the ruling, he said.

A court in The Hague on May 26 ordered Shell to slash its emissions harder and quicker than planned, after determining that the companys strategy didnt go far enough. The verdict could have far-reaching consequences for the rest of the global fossil fuel industry.

We will seek ways to reduce emissions even further in a way that remains purposeful and profitable, Van Beurden said in a statement posted on LinkedIn. That is likely to mean taking some bold but measured steps over the coming years.

Oil majors have come under intense pressure to curtail greenhouse gases and ramp up investments into cleaner sources of energy. On the same day that Shell was ordered to do more on emissions, investors ousted two Exxon Mobil Corp. board members and Chevron Corp. shareholders voted in favor of a proposal to reduce pollution from its own customers.

Shells own plan involves cutting the intensity of its emissions -- a measure of the energy needed to produce a unit of oil or gas, for example -- by 20% by 2030. That compares with the judges order to reduce its absolute emissions by 45%, after the Dutch arm of Friends of the Earth sued Shell for violating human rights.

No easy options

Van Beurden, 63, didnt say how the company will accelerate its transition plan and there are no easy options. The oil major could increase the $3 billion-a-year ceiling it has earmarked for renewables and low-carbon technologies, but these businesses remain less profitable than its core hydrocarbons segment. Carbon sequestration and hydrogen production -- key to Shells plans -- are still in their infancy and rely on government subsidies.

The principal way Shell has removed emissions from its ledgers so far is the sale of assets. But of course those greenhouse gases arent eliminated; theyre simply transferred onto the books of whoever is buying the oil and gas fields. Such divestments can even result in higher emissions under new operators.

Shell plans to shrink its oil production by as much as 2% annually. But Van Beurden on Wednesday cautioned against focusing on reducing supply. The company could lessen its carbon footprint by selling no more gasoline and diesel, but demand for those fuels wouldnt change, he said. People would fill up their cars and delivery trucks at other service stations.

Shells own shareholders have given a mixed reaction to its transition plans. At its annual general meeting in May, the company received 89% support for its climate strategy -- something that the court didnt take into consideration -- Van Beurden said. Still, 30% of investors also voted in favor of a competing proposal asking the major to set more stringent emissions targets.

The Anglo-Dutch company is boosting investments into cleaner sources of energy, but it expects to continue pumping and selling oil and gas for a long time to come, to maintain a financially strong company, according to Van Beurden.

Ultimately, just forcing Shell to cut its emissions wont solve the problem, he said. The energy transition is far too big a challenge for one company to tackle.
Residents of the Balmoral community in Humble are livid after a June 2 incident, in which hundreds of teenagers took over the community's lagoon and neighborhood, turned violent.

Comments on a petition started by one resident, Brandon Baker, 30, display a number of complaints from residents of fighting, looting, and destroyed property.

A teenager identified himself to the Houston Chronicle as the organizer of the party and said he was employed by the lagoon at the time of the event, but fired the next day. The Houston Chronicle is not naming the teen, whose name is similar to an Instagram handle promoting the party, because he is a juvenile.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Lagoon blues: Homeowners say promise of paradise broken

He said he and his parents planned the party a month in advance, and they were told by the lagoon staff that there would be no limit on capacity. After word went out on social media, he said "about 70% of the kids there I did not know."

The teen said fights broke out in the parking lot after the party was shut down due to weather and capacity concerns.

Instagram videos showed crowds parading the streets and different angles of fights that erupted.

"We had no control over the fights, and also have no relationship with everyone involved in the altercations," said the teen, who has been a resident in the community since 2019.

The incident occurred during the new lagoon's showcase summer kickoff event, held from May 31 to June 6, in which it was opened to the public. The two-acre oasis advertised on its website as "Texas first Crystal Clear Lagoon," is typically only accessible to residents. This time however, Houstonians could take full advantage of the lagoon lifestyle for $20 a ticket.

The teen said after a back gate was originally allowed to be used by party guests, lagoon management told them after 100 people they were closing the gate for "capacity reasons" and anyone else would have to use the main entrance and pay $20 to enter.

He calls the move a "last-minute decision" that he had no control of and couldn't warn people of in advance. Social media posts sent to the Houston Chronicle had advertised free entry for female guests and $5 entry for male guests.

"My mom was furious because when we were signing papers (they) didn't say anything about that," the teen said.

He said he directly asked about the guest limit and was told "well it's a big space, there's not really a capacity limit."

But Land Tejas, the company that manages the lagoon, says otherwise.

"All those who host parties at the lagoon receive the same agreement, which includes capacity limits for that specific event," said spokesperson Haunani Shipper.

"This particular event had a capacity limit of 60 people."

Betty Driver, the mother of the teenager, said when initially planning the party they were required to give management a number for documentation purposes, so they estimated at least 60 guests. She said she notified the general manager the day of that 60 had turned into 100, and he verbally agreed.

She alleges the problem was with the guests who arrived, not the amount of people.

"From the moment that those kids began to come, (the general manager) had a problem with these children of color," Driver said.

"The capacity of the Balmoral lagoon is well over 100. It really can reach 1,000 at any given time. On Memorial Day weekend itself I know they had well over 1,000 people."

Driver said she learned afterwards that the lagoon had been advertising a public "beach party" on US 59 and had she known, she would have never planned her son's party around the same time.

Submitted by Betty Driver

"It was a chaotic nightmare," Driver said of her experience working with Land Tejas.

She also said she did not see any security present, and she felt the staff on site was not equipped to handle the large crowds they were welcoming.

Driver said her entire family has faced backlash since the incident, and she's concerned about the safety of her child, whom she described as a high school athlete and a good student.

"They're putting my child's life and my entire family's life in danger. Both of my children are in danger just living in Balmoral because of Land Tejas not wanting to take accountability for what they did," she said.

"He's received death threats. He's been called a monkey and people have said they're coming to shoot up our house."

Shipper said she cannot confirm whether a lagoon employee was part of the private resident birthday party, but that question is part of what the company is exploring.

"A portion of the investigating will help us determine if any staff members played a role in the events that occurred last week."

After the crowd got out of control, there were reports of gunshots fired at the nearby Shell gas station located at 15640 Woodland Hills Drive, just north of the community entrance, according to Thomas Gilliland, the senior deputy and public information officer with the Harris County Sheriff's Office.

Gilliland said the sheriff's office received nearly 10 complaints within one hour that evening mainly from residents, who also said the crowd just wouldn't leave even after instructed to do so ahead of an incoming storm.

Deputies arrived 10 minutes after they were first notified, Gilliland said, and dispersed the crowd.

"It was almost like being in the hood," said Baker, who purchased a new home there in June 2020 with his fiance.

Some residents are even contemplating leaving the community over it.

"If I wanted it open to the public I would have moved to (Lago Mar) that is advertised as part public," Chriselda Garcia commented on the petition.

"I hate that I want to move already and I've only been here since March!"

More from Monique Welch: Things to know about the Paxton-Bush attorney general primary

Lago Mar is a community in Texas City that houses a 100-acre crystal clear lagoon and is open to the public and private residents.

Other disturbed residents expressed safety concerns.

"I dont feel safe bringing my family to the lagoon when the public has access to it," wrote Aimee Langlois.

The incident also infuriated many residents like Baker, who said that they are being treated unfairly by Land Tejas.

"($20) is not even a fraction of what we pay," Baker said. "$300 of our annual HOA fees goes to the lagoon and we can't even use it year-around."

Kayla Gutierrez agreed.

"If it's going to be for the public, we shouldn't have to pay for it," she wrote.

In addition, Baker said the company isn't fulfilling its promises of a private lagoon, which he attributes as the main reason he and others bought a home there. He provided the Houston Chronicle with a screenshot from 2018 of an email from Hope Allday with Land Tejas stating that the lagoon is for residents only.

Courtesy Brandon Baker

"We're getting used, we're getting lied to, and it's just not right. It's just a big money-grab."

He added this wasn't the first time the lagoon has allowed public access. But he hopes his petition will hold Land Tejas accountable and get residents what they say they were promised. The petition is close to approaching its goal of 1,500 signatures.

Shipper also provided the following statement on behalf of Land Tejas via email:
Frito-Lays ongoing expansion just got bigger with an announced $200 million investment in its Rosenberg facility.

A division of PepsiCo, Frito-Lay announced Tuesday that it is making a $200 million investment at its Rosenberg side, adding two manufacturing lines for Funyuns and tortilla chips. The investment will also increase warehouse capacity as well as enable more growth in the future.

The latest expansion is expected to be completed by 2023 and provide 160 new, full-time jobs. The plant currently employs 750 full-time and fleet associates while producing more than 117 million pounds of snacks each year.

Weve called Rosenberg home for nearly 40 years. Throughout that time, the support of Fort Bend County has helped us invest in the right areas so that we can continue to grow and provide jobs to the community, said Laura Maxwell, senior vice president of supply chain, PepsiCo Foods North America. The Rosenberg site has the largest footprint of any Frito-Lay facility in Texas, producing snacks for Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Kansas and Georgia, and several other parts of the country when we hit times of peak demand. We thank Fort Bend County for bringing investments like this to life.

This marks the second major investment in the Rosenberg facility in two years. In 2019, the company announced a $138 million investment that added a new Cheetos line as well as new seasoning and packaging equipment. That investment, which included plans for a larger warehouse, is expected to be completed later in 2021.

Frito-Lay has been a long-time partner in Fort Bend County, coming to Rosenberg in 1982 with about 100 employees, said Vincent M. Morales, Jr., commissioner, Fort Bend County Commissioners Office, Precinct One. They have expanded in Rosenberg over the years, choosing to grow their footprint in our community, and now have more than 700 employees - and that number will go up with this latest expansion. They are active corporate citizens, and one of our larger employers. We are proud of our partnership with Frito-Lay and thank them for their investment in Fort Bend.

In an agreement with Fort Bend County, Frito-Lay will receive a 55 percent tax abatement through 2033, assuming it maintains employment levels and meets other stipulations in an agreement with the company and the county.

The 2019 agreement was approved by Fort Bend County Commissioners Court and included a tax abatement agreement through Dec. 31, 2031. The agreement included a 45 percent tax reduction.

Frito-Lay North America is the $18 billion convenient foods division of PepsiCo, Inc. It is headquartered in Purchase, N.Y. For more information, go to www.fritolay.com.

rkent@hcnonline.com
WARSAW, Poland (AP)  Some four thousand Polish coal mining and power workers protested in Warsaw Wednesday against the gradual phasing out of coal extraction and use and against a European Union court order to immediately close down a mine.

Trade unions organizing the protest with banners and noisy horns said Europe's shift from coal  which is abundant in Poland but polluting  towards renewable energy will eliminate hundreds of thousands of jobs in the country.

The protesters also argued that the policy would threaten Poland's energy security and make the country dependent on fuel and power imports from Germany and Russia.

We are threatened with the loss of energy sovereignty if we close our mines, our power plants and will be forced to import power, said Krzysztof Gonerski, head of a Solidarity union chapter at the ENEA energy company in Gorzow Wielkopolski.

Tens of thousands of good jobs will be eliminated. We are protesting against that, Gonerski told The Associated Press.

He said wind and solar energy are not enough to substitute for coal, while the only viable option is nuclear energy.

"But Germany is already saying it will not allow a nuclear power plant near its border, so we will have to import expensive energy from Germany, from France, Gonerski said.

He said the EU is ruled by ecoterrorists who are not really aware of the situation.

The demonstrators accuse the right-wing government of caving in to EU demands and charting out the timetable for the full closure of mines by 2049. Energy experts say that will happen much sooner, because Poland's coal mines are becoming increasingly deeper and costlier, making extraction unviable. Some users are already importing cheaper coal, including from Russia.

Wednesday's protest was spurred by an order last month from a top EU court for Poland to immediately halt operation of the Turow brown coal mine that feeds the Turow power plant, the source of some 7% percent of Poland's energy. The ruling was in response to a lawsuit by the neighboring Czech Republic which says the mine is draining water from its border villages.

Also Wednesday, in a boost to the Czech complaint, the European Commission, the EU's executive body, said it will support Prague's case against Poland to demand Turow's closure, before the EU Court of Justice, Poland's state news agency PAP said, quoting commission spokeswoman Vivian Loonela.

Poland has not stopped the Turow mine, that belongs to the state PGE energy group, arguing it would cut power to over 2 million households and would have a negative effect on the European power grid. It insists that the court did not have full information on the situation while taking its decision, which is temporary, pending a full ruling that can take many months. Warsaw is holding intensive talks with Prague seeking to settle the matter out of court.

I cannot imagine Turow being closed, it is too important in Polands grid, Gonerski said, stressing that the Czech Republic and Germany operate a number of lignite mines in the same area.

On Tuesday, authorities in the central Lodz province and PGE announced that Europe's biggest brown coal power plant in Belchatow will be phased out between 2030-2036, and its mine will close in 2038.

The announcement was celebrated by environmental groups. The plan to phase out coal will allow the Lodz region to seek means from the EU Just Transition Fund for regions most hit by the switch away from coal.

The Belchatow mine and its 11-unit power plant are the region's biggest employers, offering some 10,000 jobs. Lignite, or brown coal, is lighter and softer than black coal but more polluting.

Formerly coal-driven, Poland has taken strides in embracing renewable energy sources.

Of over 70 coal mines and almost 400,000 miners it had in 1990, it now has some 20 mines and fewer that 80,000 miners, and is planning further cuts. At the same time the solar energy sector boomed in the past two years thanks to government and local subsidies and wind energy is developing, despite some recent legislative obstacles. There are plans for a nuclear power plant to start operations around 2035, but crucial decisions as to the technology, partnership and financing still need to be taken.

Still, Poland is always negotiating its own terms and timetables for phasing out coal and the EU and environmental groups say the changes are too slow and the plans not ambitious enough to meet the bloc's goals of greenhouse gas reductions.
CASPER, Wyo. (AP)  A legislative committee in Wyoming has voted to pursue legislation that would significantly change the way statewide elections are run as early as next year, including a bill that would create a rank-choice system and another bill that would institute an open primary.

The state Legislatures Joint Committee on Corporations, Elections and Political Subdivision voted Monday to draft the two bills after initially discussing legislation that would require a runoff if a candidate did not receive a certain portion of the vote, the Casper Star-Tribune reported Monday. But many were unsure if that approach would be feasible by next year's election.

The effort to change the primary elections is gaining support because of the effort to unseat Republican Rep. Liz Cheney and the size of the last gubernatorial election.

Republican Gov. Mark Gordon received less than 50% of the vote during the 2018 election but won after several candidates split the electorate. Critics worry about a similar result in the Republican House primary, which already has nine candidates.

Liz Cheneys vote to hold the president accountable for his actions has really been the catalyst for Wyoming to say, We need to address this issue as immediately as possible,  said Republican state Rep. Dan Zwonitzer, who also is chair of the committee. The governors race also added to it.

One of the bills would implement a ranked-choice voting system, which requires voters to rank their candidates in order of preference, though voters are not required to rank more than one. Maine is currently the only state that uses this system statewide.

The other bill would implement an open primary where the top two voted candidates move to the general election regardless of party. Neither candidate would need a majority. Currently, Washington, California and Alaska use this method.

The committee voted to pursue these approaches because the ranked-choice and open primary systems do not require runoff elections, which happen if no one candidate gets a certain share of the vote. But not everyone agreed with the proposals.

Republican state Rep. Chip Neiman was pushing lawmakers to sign a pledge to support some sort of election reform because Wyoming has struggled with primary election integrity, he told lawmakers, sparking backlash. Some said his claims lacked understanding for how complex the situation was.

Crook County Clerk Linda Fritz, who serves in Neimans district, told lawmakers that Wyomings elections system is already secure.

We have worked our tails off to make sure that you have good elections, and we have not heard one single, solitary, substantiated complaint that we have done something wrong, Fritz said. So until we hear that, I think the legislative body really needs to consider what laws you pass to correct something that isnt wrong.
Zenz's Xinjiang population 'research' lacks evidence, ignores basic demographic facts: experts

(Global Times) 09:33, June 09, 2021

Residents participate in a wedding ceremony at a scenic spot by Ili River in Yining of Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, May 5, 2017.Photo:Xinhua

Some Western media outlets have started hyping another report by pseudo scholar Adrian Zenz, which claimed there will be millions fewer Uygur and other ethnic minority newborns in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in the coming 20 years, but the unreliable "research" has been slammed by Chinese observers as pure political manipulation.

Adrian Zenz, a darling of Western media, told Reuters that his new "research report" found China's policies would cut 2.6 to 4.5 million births of Uygurs and other ethnic minorities in Xinjiang within 20 years compared to the projected population.

Reuters reported that the research was accepted for publication after peer review. Reuters did not reveal or even hint at the data source and methodology leading to the sensational conclusion, but claimed that some anonymous experts thought the analysis and conclusion were "sound" after seeing the methodology Reuters shared with them.

Some other news outlets including BBC and VOA followed suit in their reporting.

However, demographers pointed out that Zenz's "estimate for the future" ignored the fact that a dropping birth rate is a natural trend of all societies that see economic and social development.

It is impossible to evaluate the accuracy of the number Zenz alleged without getting access to the raw data and methodology he used, but both Han and ethnic minorities in China are seeing dropping birth rates alongside economic progress, Huang Wenzheng, a demography expert and senior researcher from the Center for China and Globalization, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

Actually, the Han group's drop in birth rate came way earlier than that for Uygurs and other ethnic minorities, and the latter has only recently seen such changes as a result of anti-extremism and anti-poverty achievements that gave women opportunities to work rather than restricted them to the house to have babies, Huang said.

Zenz also claimed that the Han population would increase from 8.4 to 25 percent in southern Xinjiang, but Huang scorned the claim, as it picked just one spot to indicate the big picture.

Uygurs and other ethnic minorities are having more children than Han people and they are prospering across Xinjiang. The population structure change in one area could be driven by economic growth, as well as inbound and outbound migrations. "Why is this kind of migration alright in other provinces but suddenly becomes a problem in Xinjiang?" Huang asked.

Zenz always shouted about his reports before they made a splash academically, proving "his purpose was not to make achievements in Xinjiang studies but to hype up the topic to smear China," said Jia Chunyang, an expert at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations.

Jia told the Global Times on Tuesday that Zenz has no background or training on Xinjiang studies, but suddenly appeared on the stage in the past few years with the assistance of Western media.

No matter how ridiculous Zenz's reports are, he always has Western media's backing, because they are in the same anti-China camp, analysts said.

(Web editor: Guo Wenrui, Liang Jun)


Cook

(PT/FT Hourly-Non-Exempt)

12.00  17.00 DOE

Summary:

Cooks for Sun City Summerlin Community Association, are responsible for preparing, cooking and presenting menu items for consumption by customers of SCSCAI restaurants. Friendly and outgoing this position will perform primarily Back Line duties, but will occasionally interact directly with the customers.

Description of Duties:

 Prepares, seasons and cooks soups, meats, vegetables, fruits, appetizers, deserts and other menu items

 Reads and understands menus to estimate food requirements and procure food from storage

 Accurately maintains temperature of ovens, broilers and grills

 Checks and records reach-in refrigerator temperatures daily

 Expedites items for cooking needs, measuring, ingredients, observing and testing portions

 Properly present foods

 Carve/butcher meats, prep ingredients and bake goods  baking a plus

 Properly store food with labels at all times

 Receives deliveries, check-in and properly store shipments from vendors

 Stock and rotate inventory shelves and kitchen supplies

 Cleans Kitchen/Walk-ins/Wash Dishes/Wash Floors

 Maintains clean work area and equipment at all times. Clean all appliances in accordance with Standards Operating Procedures

 Keeps kitchen set up during mid-day shift and reset for next morning shift at end of day

 Assists in menu design and product ordering

 Additional duties relevant to this position as assigned by the restaurant supervisor Essential Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

 Working knowledge of proper food preparation, safe and sanitary food handling, storing, cooking and presentation

 Ability to consistently apply safe work practices at all times

 Thorough knowledge of menu items, and their ingredients

 Ability to prioritize, maintain organization and multitask efficiently and productively

 Working knowledge of standard kitchen sanitary practices Minimum Requirements:

 Must be 21

 Available for morning and/or afternoon shifts Mon to Sun 5:00am to 3:00 and/or flexible combination

 Two years Culinary Training, Restaurant/Kitchen/Food preparation experience required.

 Must have all required food handling and liquor clearance i.e. Sheriffs, Health Card, TAM etc. or ability to acquire

 Follow all OSHA, Federal, State, City, County regulations in regards to health and safety

 Must possess valid drivers license and reliable transportation.

Machines and Equipment used is typical of a Restaurant Environment:

 Commercial Grade Appliances

 Point of Sales System/Computer/Printer/Credit Card Machine

 AED, first aid supplies

Physical Demands and Work Environment:

 Physical demands: While performing the required duties of this job typical to that in a commercial kitchen

environment, the employee is regularly required to reach with arms and hands. There is considerable walking,

standing, bending, kneeling and lifting. Must be able to lift and/or move up to 50lbs occasionally, and carry multiple

serving trays. Will occasionally be required to sit; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.

 Work Environment: Involves everyday risks and discomforts with exposure to hot or cold temperatures and

light noise exposure typical of a restaurant environment. Requires performing job functions in compliance with all SCSCAI policies, safety procedures, including but not limited to the use of safe work practices with restaurant

equipment, avoidance of trips and falls, observance of OSHA and fire regulations and SNHD clean kitchen practices.

Some work may be conducted outdoors.

To Apply:

Include Cover Letter stating interest, Resume and 3 Professional References. Include completed application for employment: www.http://scscai.com/Employment/Employment_Application.pdf

E-mail to: Jobs at Human Resources at jobs@suncitylv.com

Fax to: (702) 966-1497, Mail or hand-deliver in person (Monday - Friday, 8 am - 4:00 pm) to: Sun City Summerlin, Attn: Human Resources, 9107 Del Webb Boulevard, Las Vegas, NV, 89134

SCSCAI is an Equal Opportunity Employer

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Jennifer Bridges on Monday left her job as a nurse at the Houston Methodist Baytown campus for what will presumably be the last time.

Dozens of like-minded supporters had gathered to support Bridges, who opposes Houston Methodists policy requiring employees to get vaccinated against COVID-19. But it wasnt particularly dramatic, as I am Spartacus! moments go.

Bridges is among a handful of Houston Methodist workers who have refused to get vaccinated, in defiance of the hospitals policy.

In April, Houston Methodist announced that by mandatory it means just that: Employees who refused to get vaccinated by this past Monday would be suspended for 14 days without pay, leaders said, and fired if they didnt get their shots during that two-week period. (Houston Methodist carved out an exemption for workers who qualify for medical or religions reasons.)

More than 80 percent of the systems 26,000 employees had already been vaccinated, CEO Marc Boom wrote in a letter to employees at the time.

Mandating the vaccine was not a decision we made lightly, Boom wrote, noting that Houston Methodist had also been one of the first health care systems in the country to mandate that employees get flu vaccines, a policy it adopted in 2009. Because science has proven that the COVID-19 vaccines are not only safe, but extremely effective, it became an easier decision to make.

The men and women who work for the health care system seem to agree. Virtually all Houston Methodist employees had received at least one dose of the COVID vaccine by this weeks deadline.

Bridges, who has worked for Houston Methodist for six years, was not swayed.

If you want the vaccine, that is great, but it should be your choice, she wrote in a Change.org petition on the subject, which has amassed nearly 9,000 signatures. It should not be forced into your body if you are not comfortable with it!

And last month she, along with 116 other unvaccinated employees, sued Houston Methodist over the policy, in a lawsuit filed by conservative activist Jared Woodfill that outrageously compares the policy to the atrocities committed in the name of medical experimentation by Nazi Germany.

Methodist Hospital is forcing its employees to be human guinea pigs as a condition for continued employment, the plaintiffs assert.

The rhetoric gets ratcheted up from there: Among the horrors that emerged from the rubble of World War II were stories of barbaric medical experiments performed on unwilling victims of Nazi Germanys concentration camps...

This is probably not the line of argument you want to pursue if youre trying to convince the general public that your concerns about the COVID vaccines are well-considered and grounded in science. In any case, Bridges was suspended Monday, along with the other Houston Methodist employees who have refused to comply with the policy.

And its instructive that the movement shes leading, or attempting to leave, has gained relatively little traction, even as a large subset of Texans have chafed at public health restrictions imposed or attempted during the pandemic.

The vaccine freedom movement, in particular, is alive and well in the state. Indeed, it enjoys the tacit support of high-ranking state leaders, including Gov. Greg Abbott. The governor, while touting the COVID vaccines, has consistently stipulated that receiving one is always voluntary. On Monday, Abbott announced that he was signing a law barring Texas businesses and government entities from requiring vaccine passports or any vaccine information.

Texans should have the freedom to go where they want without any limits, restrictions, or requirements, Abbott tweeted, echoing a theme thats been popular among grassroots Republicans voters.

Nearly 52,000 people have died in Texas due to COVID-19.

Abbotts announcement drew pushback from the right as well as the left, with many conservatives questioning the wisdom of the state trying to micromanage private entities. Business owners, after all, should also enjoy the blessings of liberty.

But the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has already given employers the go-ahead to require that employees be vaccinated against COVID-19  and as Houston Methodist leaders have already argued, such a mandate makes sense when it comes to health care workers.

While weve made tremendous strides, our best shot at defeating the virus continues to be vaccinating enough Americans to create herd immunity, Boom wrote in an op-ed, encouraging leaders of other health care systems to adopt similar policies.

In addition to creating herd immunity within the hospital community, he continued, the vaccine policy sets an important example for Americans who remain skeptical of the COVID-19 vaccines, and for giving patients peace of mind. Health care providers had found, over the course of the previous year, that some patients were avoiding coming in for care out of fear of being exposed to COVID-19 at the hospital.

Employers can require their employees to get vaccines. In fact, United Airlines is requiring it of new employees starting next week. And if the employer that imposes such a mandate is a hospital, the move is unlikely to be a controversial one, for obvious reasons. Its bracing to see Houston Methodist take such a clear stance, on behalf of the patients it serves and the broader community.

erica.grieder@chron.com
OnSceneTV

A man in his 70s allegedly shot and killed a young man during a Tuesday night dispute about paying rent, police said.

Officers were dispatched to a shooting around 10:45 p.m. at a residence in the 6000 block of Glenhurst Drive in southeast Houston where they found one man dead from a gunshot wound, said Lt. R. Willkens of the Houston Police Department.
A man was shot dead early Wednesday in Houston's Greater Fifth Ward, police said.

Officers were dispatched around 12:20 a.m. to the 4000 block of Market Street where they found a man in his early 60s laying in the street with a gunshot wound to the chest, said Sgt. Josh Horn of the Houston Police Department.

Paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene. Neighbors told investigators that they had previously seen the man, who was not identified, walk through the area on his way home.

No suspect description or motive was immediately available, and the circumstances surrounding the shooting death remain unclear, police said.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the HPD homicide division or Crime Stoppers.
A student was shot in the hand as bullets flew Wednesday morning in a North Forest High School parking lot, Houston ISD police said.

The injured student, whose name and age were not released, did not need to be hospitalized, HISD Police Chief Pedro Lopez Jr. said. Police have detained an 18-year-old who fled the scene in a truck and are searching for any occupants of another vehicle that left the area, Lopez said.
When the Texas Legislature gaveled in nearly five months ago, Houston officials were bracing for a bloodbath.

Leading up to the session, Republican officials had telegraphed their plans to ban local governments from hiring lobbyists, outlaw Harris Countys 2020 voting expansion measures and close a so-called loophole that Houston had used to skirt a state-imposed cap on its property tax revenue.

Instead, many of the major legislative proposals opposed by Mayor Sylvester Turner either failed to pass or have reached the governors desk in a narrowed form, often through amendments supported by city officials.

Under Turner, who has increased Houstons police budget each year as mayor, the city also is unlikely to see any effect from a new law that penalizes cities for reducing their police spending.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Bush blamed federal rules for Harris County's lack of flood aid. Our analysis shows that's false.

And while Houstons city finances were scrambled by a 2019 law that limited the right-of-way fees it receives from telecommunication and cable companies, the citys recently approved $5.1 billion budget is coming out of the recent session without any major revisions forced by state lawmakers.

Some of the wins for Turner and other city leaders may be temporary, however, as Republican lawmakers could revive them in 2023 or even later this year. Gov. Greg Abbott has announced plans to reconvene the Legislature for two special sessions, though he has yet to announce his priorities, aside from resurrecting a bail reform measure that died near the end of session and the GOP-led effort to overhaul voting and elections, which Democrats defeated by leaving the Capitol just before the deadline.

With the special sessions looming, city and county officials remain wary.

Local government is closest to people, and we provide core services and programs in neighborhoods that assist families in diverse communities, said Bill Kelly, the citys director of government relations. So, it is frustrating that some in the Legislature continue to attack local government. While many of the attacks werent successful, local governments continue to be on the defensive. We faced serious crises this legislative session and were hopeful more of the focus would be on solving big problems.

Among the major victories for Turner and other local leaders was the failure of Senate Bill 10, which would have prevented cities and counties from using public funds to hire lobbyists. Mayors and county judges around the state vehemently opposed the bill, arguing that lobbyists help them track the flood of bills filed each session and shape key legislation  in Houstons case, Hurricane Harvey recovery and pension reform during recent sessions. Republicans say local officials use lobbyists to fight legislation aimed at restricting local taxes and spending, which they say runs counter to the interest of taxpayers.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Republicans wield power 'unapologetically' to steamroll Democrats in Texas Legislature

Though SB 10 was a priority of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, it died in the waning days of the session over a dispute between Republican House members. Patrick has urged Abbott to revive the measure by placing it on his agenda for the upcoming special session.

State Sen. Paul Bettencourt, a Houston Republican who authored SB 10, said he expects the lobbying ban to come back before the Legislature at some point, in part because of its broad approval from Texas voters, particularly Republicans.

"The public strongly believes that there should be some limitation on taxpayer-funded lobbying, Bettencourt said. So, by not having a vote ... all you're doing is delaying the inevitable."

A former Harris County tax assessor-collector, Bettencourt last session authored Senate Bill 2, which requires most local governments to receive voter approval before raising property tax revenue more than 3.5 percent above the previous year. The law allows cities and counties to return to the previous cap of 8 percent during a state disaster, a provision Houston used when setting its most recent tax rate, citing the COVID-19 pandemic.

Bettencourt has said the exception is intended for natural disasters like hurricanes, but not pandemics. He codified that language in Senate Bill 1438, which states that cities and counties no longer may use epidemics or pandemics to trigger the exception. The bill was sent to Abbotts desk last week.

A provision of the bill also would prevent Houston  or any other cities that cited COVID to exceed the 3.5 percent cap  from using the February winter storm to trigger the exception again this year, Bettencourt said.

Republicans also sought to shore up last sessions property tax overhaul through House Bill 1869, a measure from state Rep. Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, that is on the governors desk.

On HoustonChronicle.com: 'Everything that needed to be done': Gov. Abbott signs bill to strengthen Texas' electric grid

The bill aims to prevent local governments from issuing debt to avoid hitting the 3.5 percent trigger, which for now does not account for certain kinds of debt. HB 1869 requires cities and other local entities to count the debt they have issued when calculating whether their property tax rate will exceed the 3.5 percent threshold, unless the debt has been approved by voters or meets other conditions.

However, an amendment from state Rep. John Cyrier, R-Lockhart, carves out exceptions for forms of debt that support infrastructure projects and public safety facilities and vehicles, among other exceptions. Kelly, in written testimony urging a Senate committee to approve Cyriers changes, noted that Houston uses certificates of obligation  a type of long-term debt that does not require voter approval  to demolish dangerous buildings and fund other services, many of which are tied to infrastructure that is exempted under the bill.

Bettencourt, who sponsored HB 1869 in the Senate and saw it through the Senate Local Government Committee that he chairs, said most local government debt spending goes toward traditional uses such as infrastructure. The bill is intended to stop the 15 to 20 percent of the usage that clearly, in my mind, needs voter approval, he said.

jasper.scherer@chron.com
Liliana Romero was exiting La Herradura nightclub in Aldine an hour before sunrise March 16, 2020, when a man shed never seen before aimed a handgun at her and ordered her to get in his vehicle.

Romero feared for her life and got into his black four-door muscle car. What transpired between these two strangers over the next few hours would change the lives of eight people from four countries.

Their encounter that morning, described in detailed allegations by a special agent from the Department of Homeland Security investigating the case, led authorities to a ramshackle north Houston house where strongmen were holding several immigrants hostage. Their captives were deprived of food, water and bathroom breaks. The saga recounted here is based on court documents and stems from federal charges against two men accused of conspiring to harbor and take hostage foreign nationals whod traveled thousands of miles and invested thousands of dollars to make it to the U.S.

Romero, who knew nothing about any of this, arrived at 3:30 a.m. at the after-hours dance joint named after a famous tequila or a horseshoe. It was perhaps a last hurrah for everyone there  the weekend after the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo shut down and when people across the region, country and much of the world were stocking up for a lengthy lockdown.

She left the bar at 6:30 a.m. A trim dark-haired man abducted her in the dirt parking lot and drove her to a house a couple miles away. In Spanish, he announced they were going inside the residence to have sex. She refused to get out of the car. He then tried to rape her in the car. She fought back. The man offered her money for oral sex. She said no.

Ken Ellis / Ken Ellis illustration / staff

The man started the ignition and drove north with Romero on Interstate 45 to Gulf Bank. At a Gulf gas station on the feeder road, she escaped from the car. He took off. But Romero had her cellphone ready. She got an image of the man and another of the license plate on his 2007 Dodge Charger before he pulled away.

Romero contacted police and shared the photos and the address of the house where the abductor intended to rape her. Within hours, Harris County Sheriffs deputies pulled up with warrants for a suspect and a vehicle parked outside.

Deputies arrested Victor Martinez, 26, who was walking out of the house as they arrived. Inside the car they found a loaded Ruger .40 caliber pistol. The officers went to check whether anyone else was in the house.

A tall hefty man, Eneas Ramos, 24, responded when they knocked at the door. Then deputies saw several others jump out a window at the back of the residence. Homeland Security agents summoned to the rickety three-bedroom house documented six people who had been held captive inside it  three from Sri Lanka, two from Mexico and one from Honduras.

The three Sri Lankans had spent about a week at the house on Warwick Road, which had minimal furniture and one visible air mattress. Two armed guards locked them in a room and routinely threatened to kill them if they didnt hand over additional money. The refrigerator had no food, they hadnt been given water for at least a day and visits to the bathroom prompted outrage from guards.

Kajenthini Anathajeyam, 28, her partner and a third man had fled the country besieged by civil war and unemployment, as have one-third of their Tamil compatriots. She told officials in a combination of English and Tamil that she flew to Ecuador, took a bus to Colombia, walked to Panama and then handlers guided her through Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Guatemala. She floated across to Mexico on inner tubes and then came to a halt.

Anathajeyam was held for 25 days at a camp in Chiapas, Mexico. Smugglers moved her to an armed stash house and said she needed another $10,000 to continue north. Her aunt sold some properties back home to get her out. She was held for a month in another stash house in Reynosa until she could get another $4,000 wired to her captors. On the other side of the border in McAllen, smugglers extorted her for more money over 15 days until shed made the journey to Houston and her fourth hostage situation. The man who took her was driving a black Dodge Charger.

Harekokulan Sinnathamby, who said hed been imprisoned, beaten and harassed by government officials in Sri Lanka, told agents through a Tamil translator that his parents had paid $20,000 to get him to anyplace in America. In Panama, his cellphone and some money were stolen and then armed bandits threatened him on a mountain trail saying theyd kill him if he didnt give them cash. He had spent more than eight months traveling when agents found him at the Warwick house.

Kuganesan Kirushnarasa, a 25-year-old countryman headed to Dallas, had also spent eight months traveling north. He identified Martinez, the leaner of the guards, as the man who drove him to Houston in a Dodge Charger. Once there the guard told him over and over hed be killed if he didnt come up with $2,450.

Darwin Reyes, a 27-year-old Honduran, told investigators hed paid $9,000 at the outset. Hed left a country pummeled by hurricanes and crushed by poverty and violence for his sister-in-laws in Denver. A string of handlers took Reyes  and other clandestine travelers  by bus through Guatemala and by inner tube across the Rio Grande to the U.S. He hiked for hours through the brush at night. Then a driver took him to a warehouse. Smugglers shifted him between three stash houses in McAllen over a couple weeks time before shipping him to the Houston house where guards with guns  one leaner and the other chunky  told him hed need $5,500 more to be released.

One Mexican in the group had left Michoacan, a region rife with violent cartels, on March 14, just two days before Homeland Security agents showed up at the stash house. Fernando Tapia-Sanchez wanted to get to Florida, where his wife lived.

He and others identified Ramos, the chubby guy, as one of the guards. Martinez, the thinner one believed to have abducted a woman, had brandished a gun and threatened them, another hostage said. He was ruler of the house.

Ramos appeared in a Houston courtroom this week before U.S. District Judge Charles Eskridge. In an olive green jail uniform, the larger of the accused guards said he was guilty of conspiring to harbor unauthorized immigrants. In a plea agreement, he acknowledged he would not challenge the rest of the accusations against him. State charges against Martinez were dropped when the feds took over. He has prior convictions on state charges. A hearing where he could enter a plea is set for early July.

The six immigrants in the stash house  rescued because the alleged kidnapping victim took swift action  were allowed to remain in the U.S. under deferred action due to circumstances revealed last year on Warwick Street.

gabrielle.banks@chron.com
Lets be reasonable

Regarding Proof of vaccine barred in Texas, (A1, June 8): I was a member of a group of eight senior citizens practicing Tai Chi at Midtown Park in Houston who were asked to leave the park due to COVID-19 restrictions on gatherings. It was my understanding that Gov. Greg Abbots executive orders GA-34 and GA-36 prohibit local officials from issuing restrictions such as mask mandates or gathering size limitations in all counties not in an area of high hospitalizations. Harris County is not an area of high hospitalizations. It does not seem reasonable for a park in Houston to prevent eight fully vaccinated senior citizens from practicing Tai Chi together and blaming it on COVID-19 restrictions.

Donald Buttermore, Houston

Brouhaha

Regarding Straight talk on the voting rights debate, (A13, June 7): It is so frustrating to read the continual rant about voter suppression in your editorials. The unvarnished truth is we have no voting fraud nor voter suppression in Houston. Both of these red meat terms are used by the right and left to fire up their base. Voting in Houston has never been easier (Im a native so I should know). Is voting perfect? No. Did the temporary voting changes allowed during the pandemic make voting easier? Yes. But voting rights were not suppressed the year before the pandemic and they are not suppressed now, nor is there rampant voter fraud that needs to be addressed.

This entire brouhaha is about political power. Who has it, who doesnt, how to keep it or change it.

Richard Loving, Houston

Peaceful sharing

Regarding A line at the border doesnt always divide, (A3, June 7): Reading Joe Holleys article, I was reminded of my first trip to the Big Bend over 20 years ago. Amid all the awe-inspiring beauty and vistas, the thing that struck me most forcefully was that the Rio Grande was not a boundary. It was a highway of unity bringing together people for work, food and play. It was a fascinating blend of cultures. My fervent hope is that it will be that unique, peaceful sharing of a wonderful part of our earth.

Christine Eheman, Houston

More info needed

Regarding Donor gives students chance at free degree, (A2, June 5): I was disappointed in the Houston Chronicles news values when announcing that San Jacinto College, via a private donor, was going to offer free scholarships to 2021 high school graduates. When Prairie View A&M received a similar large donation this year, the gift afforded a much larger, more comprehensive article than the 5 inches on page 2 accorded to the San Jacinto College donation. The lead of the story says, San Jacinto College is offering Houston-area 2021 high school graduates a one-time opportunity to earn a degree for free. Yet, the final paragraph states that the offer is available only to graduates within the colleges six school districts, but does not even name those six independent school districts. I understand the colleges desire to withhold details of the anonymous gift, but this is a really big deal that deserves a really big story.

Cheryl Bolen, Pearland

We want to break free

Regarding Stop pretending most plastics are recycled, (A9, June 5): Visiting Padre National Seashore for Memorial Day weekend was both a refreshing break from the city and an appalling glimpse of the plastic pollution plaguing our oceans and coast. Hundreds of pieces of plastic were scattered along the beach, many of which had clearly washed up from the water, sea-worn and wrapped in vegetation. It was as if the plastic had churned the stomach of the sea, which then spit it up onto the coast.

An estimated 33 billion pounds of plastic enter the ocean every year. Thats like dumping two garbage trucks full of plastic into the oceans each minute. About 900 marine species are affected by this pollutant, and its becoming our reality as well. Plastic has infiltrated our water, air, bodies and food. Government policies are critical in prompting companies to stop producing plastic and shift to sustainable alternatives, like reusable and refillable product packaging, and they need your support. The federal Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act would phase out unnecessary single-use plastic, regulate plastic waste exportation and hold plastic producers accountable for their waste.

Please join me in calling on our members of Congress to support this important legislation and safeguard our planets future. What better way to honor our oceans this World Oceans Day?

Angie Torres, Houston
NASA took a bold and timely step when they awarded funding for the Human Lander System that will once again land astronauts on the Moon. However, in an unexpected departure from its proven and effective practice of creating competition and engendering diversity in the development of new vehicles, they picked only one provider  SpaceX. This approach, which suppresses competition at the start, putting space exploration in the hands of one enterprise, gives me great concern  for the mission, future program costs, and also for the nations industrial base.

In a public-private partnership, two providers means protection against technical risk, cost escalation and default by the contractor.

With only a single provider, NASA is risking the nations return to the Moon entirely on one providers ability to deliver a lander, despite the immense complexity and high risk NASA itself documented in the source selection rationale. Human spaceflight  like all exploration  is a difficult and risky business, regarding very large investment for returns that may materialize years later. Due to this, it has, until recently been the province of governments and not commercial entities. As we expand human spaceflight to commercial entities, it is imperative to involve more than one company. Otherwise, the US will obtain the strategic and economic benefits of human spaceflight only if it is still advantageous to one specific company.

In fact, NASAs own lessons learned from the International Space Station warn against this risk and definitively state that future exploration programs must be structured with alternative transport vehicles, so there is no particular system that becomes a single-point-of-failure. My personal experience in both NASAs Engineering and Safety organizations leave no doubt that the ISS was able to sustain operations after the Columbia disaster only because we had an alternate crew launch capability with our Russian partners. Many years later, both cargo providers to the ISS, Space X and Orbital, experienced mishaps and lost spacecraft. Because the mishaps occurred at different times, for different reasons, and there was redundancy in the system, the ISS was able to continue relatively seamless operations and safely maintain crewed operations with one provider while the other provider recovered from the mishap.

Not many in the aerospace community would argue against the benefits of multiple commercial providers for a mission as risky and complex as landing humans on the moon, but some would say fiscal realities force us to that solution. However, I believe that fiscal reality is what actually forces us to multiple providers. An April 19, 2021 NASAs Office of Inspector General finding states that NASA officials themselves expressed concern that selecting a single contractor would result in potentially higher, less sustainable future HLS costs due to a lack of competition. And NASA has certainly recognized this in the past  under the Commercial Crew Program, the agency made two awards with less available funding and less out-year funding certainty. This multi-provider approach successfully insulated both programs from delays in system development when SpaceX and Boeing each experienced significant setbacks.

I am also concerned that the impact on NASAs own supplier base could be substantial. Selecting only one provider, particularly one so vertically integrated that it manufactures virtually all its own components, endangers our broad-based nationwide supplier network. This has ramifications beyond NASA and into both the Department of Defense and the broader aerospace industry. Such supplier consolidation cuts most of the space industrial base out of NASA exploration, impacting national security, jobs, the economy and NASAs own future options.

One might argue that we went to the Moon during the Apollo program with sole providers. And we certainly did. With high risk  anecdotally, some of the Apollo astronauts tell me that they were given a 1 in 5 chance of not making it back  and with historically high cost. The Apollo program at its peak cost more than 4 percent of the annual federal budget. In contrast, NASAs entire budget for all of its programs today is less than 0.5 percent of the federal budget. NASA and its commercial partners are able to accomplish what we do today in large part because a robust commercial space industry offers options, competition and investment. Journeying to the Moon for the first time in nearly 50 years will undoubtedly present challenges that require flexibility and options for operators. Maintaining competition now is the best way to have flexibility and viable options ready for when we need them.

Competition drives innovation and ingenuity by forcing us to find the best solutions to our needs and challenges. That, in turn fosters teamwork  between industry and government and even between competitors. The absence of competition breeds complacency, and adds risk to an inherently risky mission. Moreover, a single provider is appropriate when NASA maintains control over the technical design, but not when a commercial company maintains control.

Space travel can be unforgiving. We must learn from our mistakes, and also diligently learn from our successes. Congress needs to act in the interest of our future in space, and Im pleased there has been progress made. The Senate Commerce Committee has taken action to add a second provider and more resources to the program. The full Senate voted today to pass the bill that includes the measure. I hope the House will do the same. It is in the interest of NASA, the crew, and the entire nation to keep our competitive options open.

Hansen is a retired director of engineering at the Johnson Space Center and former project manager of the Altair Lunar Lander.
Now that the pandemic is subsiding, Texas leaders and public health officials are starting to reflect on how quickly the state reacted and how it could improve.

Enter the Texas CDC, as lawmakers have branded it.

A bill that passed out of the Legislature this session and is awaiting Gov. Greg Abbott's signature would create the Texas Epidemic Public Health Institute based at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.

It would operate in partnership with sister campuses and other academic centers across the state, as well as the state health and emergency management departments.

We, in recent years, have been become very much accustomed to disaster response for hurricanes and the storms that we endured like Hurricane Harvey and others before it, said bill author Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe. With the pandemic  we found for certain communication efforts and coordination efforts that we were behind in planning at that scale.

Using the National Guard as a model, the institute would train and maintain a reserve of 3,500 public health professionals and others throughout the state who would be ready to mobilize in the event of a future pandemic, said Eric Boerwinkle, dean of the UTHealth School of Public Health.

The Texas Epidemic Public Health Institute Gov. Greg Abbott is expected to sign legislation creating the institute, which would have the three main responsibilities, as described by Eric Boerwinkle, dean of the UTHealth School of Public Health: 1) Train a workforce of public health professionals and others This could be anyone from epidemiologists to data analysts to people who may not even have a specialized health degree but can help with coordination between health professionals and the business and public education sectors. They would be trained and ready to mobilize when needed. 2) Coordinate statewide testing capacity The institute would work to make a catalog of laboratories across the state that can be used right away in the event of a pandemic. It would also help train laboratories how to pivot quickly to a particular kind of infectious disease testing and develop statewide best practices. 3) Improve the state's data analytics In partnership with state and local health departments, as well as other universities, the institute will help coordinate and distribute analysis of pandemic data to help lawmakers and business leaders use it in real time. See More Collapse

Plans call for 100 full-time employees, including epidemiologists and data analysts, to conduct that training, help build on the statewide laboratory infrastructure and improve statistical reporting. Training opportunities for the reserve would be ongoing and include, for example, weekend simulations of pandemics.

COVID DATA FUMBLES: Texas positivity rate, key metric in pandemic response, proven to be unreliable

The coronavirus pandemic exposed the need for more coordination and preparation, Boerwinkle said.

Given the time frame and how quickly this came upon us, I dont think we did a bad job as a state, he said. This is going to help us achieve a better, earlier response.

The idea of the institute first surfaced during discussions about another bill, House Bill 3, which would have set rules for the governors emergency powers during pandemics but failed to pass this session.

Dr. John Zerwas, executive vice chancellor for health affairs at the University of Texas system and one of Abbotts medical advisers during the pandemic, in March had testified on the need for the institute.

If the Legislature this session doesnt respond with really some definitive lessons from this, if you will, some things they can actually make happen, then shame on us, he said. We should be taking these things and saying there are clearly things we can do, not only as a state but as a nation, that will put us in a better place to respond.

TEXAS TAKE: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox

State Rep. Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, who co-sponsored the bill creating the institute, said one of its strongest selling points was that much of what the institute will be doing has already been put in place during this pandemic.

Were not going to have to create anything new from scratch, Burrows said. Were taking whats already being done, and were just making sure its better coordinated.

Rep. Armando Walle, D-Houston, who last year was named Harris Countys COVID-19 pandemic recovery czar, added that the institute will be especially helpful for rural counties that didnt have the resources available to larger counties.

This will complement what both cities and counties do and take the pressure off, he said.

Funding is expected to come from the almost $16 billion in federal coronavirus relief funds, which Abbott has said will be dealt with during a special session this fall. In the first two years, the institute would require about $30 million annually, then $20 million annually thereafter, Boerwinkle said.

Funding in later years will likely come from a mix of federal and state dollars and philanthropy.

It sounds like a lot of money until you think about  Google the economic impact of COVID on Texas, he said. Its a good investment for the future of Texas.

While the funding is a big piece, Creighton said that hasnt slowed down planning efforts, noting that a national search for a director is already on the way.

Creighton and Boerwinkle said theyre not aware of any other state with such an institution.

What were doing here in Texas, or what Im hoping were going to be doing here in Texas, is unique and will become a model for other states, Boerwinkle said.

taylor.goldenstein@chron.com
PAUL RATJE, Contributor / AFP via Getty Images

WASHINGTON  U.S. Rep. Lizzie Fletcher is calling for a federal investigation into persistent cases of mail theft in her West Houston district.

The Houston Democrat urged the Postmaster Inspector General to probe the issue, writing in a letter to the watchdog that her office has received more than 100 complaints about stolen and lost mail, mailbox break-ins and washed checks since 2019, with a substantial increase in complaints during the second half of last year. In one case, a check worth $22,000 was stolen, Fletcher wrote.


Director of Conference Services Indiana University of Pennsylvania, IUP is seeking qualified applications for a Director of Conference Services. The successful candidate will be responsible for authorization and administration of non-university meetings, camps, and conference activity held on university property. The candidate will independently market the campus as an event destination, identify potential client leads, develop client relationships, contract in accordance with the Commonwealth procurement code, coordinate event details and bill for services provided. The incumbent will work independently to accomplish all tasks within established guidelines and regulations. The Director will also coordinate event details in close collaboration with university business partners. Minimum position requirements include: Bachelor's Degree in Hospitality Management, Business, or related field. Preferred: Certification as Certified Program Planner, or related certification.

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DALLAS (AP)  The Texas bar association is investigating whether state Attorney General Ken Paxton's failed efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election based on bogus claims of fraud amounted to professional misconduct.

The State Bar of Texas initially declined to take up a Democratic Party activist's complaint that Paxton's petitioning of the U.S. Supreme Court to block Joe Bidens victory was frivolous and unethical. But a tribunal that oversees grievances against lawyers overturned that decision late last month and ordered the bar to look into the accusations against the Republican official.

The investigation is yet another liability for the embattled attorney general, who is facing a years-old criminal case, a separate, newer FBI investigation, and a Republican primary opponent who is seeking to make electoral hay of the various controversies. It also makes Paxton one of the highest profile lawyers to face professional blowback over their roles in Donald Trump's effort to delegitimize his defeat.

A spokesman for the attorney general's office did not respond to requests for comment. Paxton's defense lawyer, Philip Hilder, declined to comment.

On HoustonChronicle.com: George P. Bush announces bid to unseat embattled Texas AG Ken Paxton

Kevin Moran, the 71-year-old president of the Galveston Island Democrats, shared his complaint with The Associated Press along with letters from the State Bar of Texas and the Board of Disciplinary Appeals that confirm the investigation. He said Paxton's efforts to dismiss other states' election results was a wasteful embarrassment for which the attorney general should lose his law license.

He wanted to disenfranchise the voters in four other states, said Moran. It's just crazy.

Texas' top appeals lawyer, who would usually argue the state's cases before the U.S. Supreme Court, notably did not join Paxton in bringing the election suit. The high court threw it out.

Paxton has less than a month to reply to Moran's claim that the lawsuit to overturn the results in Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin was misleading and brought in bad faith, according to a June 3 letter from the bar. All four of the battleground states voted for Biden in November.

From there, bar staff will take up the case in a proceeding that resembles the grand jury stage of a criminal investigation. Bar investigators are empowered to question witnesses, hold hearings and issue subpoenas to determine whether a lawyer likely committed misconduct. That finding then launches a disciplinary process that could ultimately result in disbarment, suspension or a lesser punishments. A lawyer also could be found to have done nothing wrong.

The bar dismisses thousands of grievances each year and the Board of Disciplinary Appeals, 12 independent lawyers appointed by the Texas Supreme Court, overwhelmingly uphold those decisions. Reversals like that of Moran's complaint happened less than 7% of the time last year, according to the bar's annual report.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Texas AG Ken Paxton sues Biden administration over billions in rescinded Medicaid funding

Claire Reynolds, a spokeswoman and lawyer for the bar, said state law prohibits the agency from commenting on complaints unless they result is public sanctions or a court action.

The bar's investigation is confidential and likely to take months. But it draws renewed attention to Paxton's divisive defense of Trump as he and Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush vie for the former presidents endorsement in the Republican primary to run for attorney general in 2022.

On the Democratic side, Joe Jaworski, the former mayor of Galveston, has said he'll run. Moran said Jaworski is a friend but that he played no role in the complaint against Paxton.

Paxton's election challenge was filled with claims that failed to withstand basic scrutiny. A succession of other judges and state elections officials have refuted claims of widespread voter fraud, and Trump's own Justice Department found no evidence of fraud that could have changed the election's outcome.

Nonetheless, Paxton's lawsuit won him political and financial support from Trump loyalists at a time when fresh allegations of criminal wrongdoing led many in the state GOP to keep their distance from the attorney general.

Last fall, eight of Paxton's top deputies mounted an extraordinary revolt in which they accused him of abusing his office in the service of a wealthy donor. The FBI is investigating their claims.

Paxton has denied wrongdoing and separately pleaded not guilty in a state securities fraud case that's languished since 2015. He has also used his office in ways that have benefited allies and other donors.

The new criminal allegations prompted an exodus of the top lawyers from Paxton's office. But Solicitor General Kyle Hawkins was still serving as Texas' top appellate lawyer at the time of the election lawsuit.

Although the solicitor general usually handles cases before the U.S. Supreme Court, it was a private Washington D.C.-based lawyer who brought election challenge with Paxton. Hawkins has since moved to private practice. A spokesman for his firm said we cant help you" with questions about why he didn't handle the suit.
When Bexar County Sheriffs Deputy Patrick Divers pulled into the shelter for migrant children, a few staff members waited outside to greet him. They gave him the basics: There was a 16-year-old boy inside. He hadnt wanted to go to class that day. He'd broken some stuff and was super aggressive. The boy had anger issues, Divers was told.

Well, obviously, he scoffed before entering the building.

As Divers was led to the boy, he didnt ask many questions. He eventually arrived to find the child sitting in a bathroom, yelling in Spanish to the facilitys staffers.

If theyre going to take me, lets just ... get it over with, the child yelled over and over again, according to Divers body camera footage.

Ricardo Cisneros, the interim director of the Southwest Key Casa Blanca shelter in San Antonio, repeatedly gave the teen his word that the police wouldnt touch him or take him anywhere. They just wanted the boy to come out. The boy sat motionless and didnt touch anyone.

Divers didnt request evidence of the childs alleged wrongdoing at the time, according to the footage. He did ask staff whether they wanted to press charges. After Cisneros said yes, the deputy shared his plan with the staff members: He would wait for his partner to arrive. As soon as they get here, well take care of this, he said.

The boy repeatedly asked what they were going to do with him.

On HoustonChronicle.com: How a violent nightclub abduction helped police unearth a stash house holding migrants captive

He was a refugee, an asylum-seeker in the country without his parents and in the custody of the federal Office of Refugee Resettlement. The previous year, hed fled a gang that had beaten him and, his family says, threatened his life in Honduras.

By that afternoon in May 2020, the teen had already spent nine months bouncing around five refugee agency-sponsored shelters from California to Virginia and Texas; hed only been at this shelter for a week. Like so many other teenagers across the United States, hed decided on this day that he didnt want to attend class.

Except he now faced a sheriffs deputy looming over him.

After a seven-minute wait, Divers partner, Deputy Harold Schneider, showed up.

Ready? Im going to tase this kid, Divers said.

The deputy had repeatedly been told that the child, who was sitting on the toilet seat cover, understood little English. He was surrounded by bilingual staff members who could interpret, but they stepped aside when Divers drew his weapon. He did not tell the boy that he was under arrest. He ordered the teen in English to stand up and turn around. The child stood up; he was adjusting the drawstring on his pants when Divers shot him with his Taser.

The child showed no signs of fighting back or resisting arrest. Divers then repeatedly pulsed the weapon on the childs torso and thighs. In all, the 16-year-old experienced 35 seconds of electric current running through his body, rendering him immobile. Divers partner eventually cuffed the teen, who was dripping blood; its unclear what caused the bleeding.

After picking him up, Schneider chose a nickname for the refugee child, whod just lost voluntary control of his muscles and who was screaming in pain and agony.

El Stupido, he said.

Calling in local police

When migrant children enter the United States without their parents and end up in U.S. government custody, either after presenting themselves at a port of entry or after being picked up by the Border Patrol, theyre supposed to be taken care of by the Office of Refugee Resettlement.

The children arent generally detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The refugee agency, ORR, is a separate agency and is subject to a court decree thats designed to safeguard migrant children from neglect and abuse.

The decree, called the Flores settlement, was crafted in response to a class-action lawsuit representing children fleeing violence in El Salvador in the 1980s who were strip searched, handcuffed and denied release to their families by the federal government. The settlement, which the Trump administration unsuccessfully tried to end, sets guidelines for how long and under what conditions the U.S. government can detain migrant children without their parents  generally less than 20 days.

To care for the tens of thousands of children who pass through its custody each year, ORR finances a network of about 100 privately run shelters across the country.

An investigation by Reveal from The Center for Investigative Reporting has found that a number of the governments shelters have been turning to police to manage the sort of behavior that could be expected of children, in particular isolated refugee children. Over the last six years, shelters have discharged at least 84 children, from ages 11 to 17, to local law enforcement, according to data Reveal obtained after suing the federal government.

On HoustonChronicle.com: $10,000 VIP packages add new level of sophistication to migrant smuggling

Local law enforcement and courts released records for 19 of those children. An examination of more than 200 pages of records, nearly four hours of body camera footage and a half-dozen 911 call recordings shows that many of the children were turned over for arrest after they allegedly fought, damaged property or had mental health challenges. Most children were processed for misdemeanors; one in Washington state was arrested for a felony, but prosecutors didnt pursue the charge.

In April 2018, for example, police in Houston were called to a Southwest Key shelter after a 16-year-old allegedly made a suicidal threat. According to police records, officers took him into custody. The child had spent more than seven months in four different shelters.

Two shelter operators, Southwest Key Programs and BCFS, account for three-fourths of all the cases in which migrant children were turned over to law enforcement, the records show. And the incidents overwhelmingly stem from two Texas counties, Bexar and Cameron.

Over a one-month span in the summer of 2019, federal records indicate seven children, including a 12-year-old, were arrested from the Staff Secure shelter in San Antonio run by BCFS, a nonprofit that received more than $186 million from federal grants for the care of migrant children last year.

Reveal obtained local law enforcement records for four of the cases involving 17-year-olds; all four were charged with misdemeanor offenses for allegedly hitting staff or peers or, in one case, breaking a television and a chandelier.

In one case, no injuries were reported. Another case alleging bodily injury was later dismissed for lack of evidence. A third resulted in a misdemeanor conviction for bodily injury to another child. The child who was hurt in that case was arrested for misdemeanor assault a few days later in a separate incident and pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault. He was sentenced to serve 28 days.

At least 10 migrant youth were charged as adults in Texas, where the criminal justice system treats 17-year-olds as adults.

A number of current and former shelter workers and immigration advocates said staffers should be able to handle situations in which children have simple fights or break things because they dont want to go to class. Children can be separated, for example, or a child can be transferred to a different shelter thats more equipped to handle a childs needs.

Claudia Valenzuela, an attorney with the nonprofit legal service provider Immigrant Legal Defense, said Southwest Key staffers did not need to call the police on the 16-year-old boy who was tased in San Antonio.

There was no appreciation of the circumstances of this young man, she said after Reveal showed her the video. Im kind of speechless at the fact that they were the ones that decided to press charges, which triggered the tasering.

Such an arrest could make it more difficult for a child to get a visa or be released to live with a family member or friend, she said.

Reveal showed the video to U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio. He called what happened horrendous.

On HoustonChronicle.com: No food for days, took turns sitting: Inside a 'stash house' packed with 90 migrants in Houston

Here you have a young man whos experienced incredible trauma, Castro said. Weve talked a lot in this country about over-policing in different situations, and this is clearly an example of over-policing with respect to asylum-seeking youth.

Castro told Reveal that hell be asking the federal refugee agency to review what occurred and evaluate Southwest Key Casa Blanca and its staffers training.

Neither Southwest Key nor BCFS would answer Reveals questions about the police calls. In a statement, Southwest Key spokesperson Kasey El-Chayeb said staff receive crisis intervention training and contact law enforcement only if their de-escalation techniques are not effective or if children present a danger to themselves or others.

We understand that we provide care to young people who have suffered various traumas while coming to this country as unaccompanied minors, El-Chayeb said.

The refugee agency, now under the purview of President Joe Biden, would not answer questions about the police transfers, saying it doesnt respond to anonymous allegations. Xavier Becerra, secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the refugee agency, issued an identical statement.

Reveals reporting is not based on anonymous allegations. The data - 266,000 records, one for every child whos made their way through the refugee agencys system from late 2014 to late 2020 - were obtained directly from ORR through litigation. The bodycam video was obtained under the Texas public information law directly from the Bexar County Sheriffs Office. Even after Reveal made that clear, ORR declined to view video evidence of tasing in one of its shelters.

The boy in that video was arrested on a charge of criminal mischief. Officials in Bexar County wont disclose whether the boy was charged with a crime and, if he was, whether he was found guilty. When Reveal requested to interview Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar about the incident, his spokesperson said she was unaware of the case.

I have checked on my end to see if there was any recent incident involving our deputies using a taser on a migrant child, Adelina Simpson wrote in an email, and have not been able to find any information.

When provided more detailed information about the case, including the shelters address and the names of the deputies who were involved, Change Management Specialist Sandra Altamirano-Pickell thanked Reveal for making the department aware of the incident and said the department would launch an internal affairs investigation.

The following day, Sgt. Abraham Abraham, an open records officer at the sheriffs department, called a Reveal reporter and requested that Reveal destroy the video, saying he should not have turned it over in response to a public records request because it involves a minor.

Reveal will not destroy the video. There is a strong public interest in its airing. The childs grandmother told Reveal that she wants the video to be published so the public knows what can happen in shelters for migrant children in the United States.

Threats in Honduras

When the boy was 12, he began helping his family get by, selling coconut water on the street in Honduras. Reached by phone from Honduras, his grandmother - who raised him - recalled how soon after he began working, he was hounded by a local gang to pay a tax on the little money he made. Threats against him grew more serious, and, she said, he was brutally beaten for all of his money on a few occasions.

Terrified for his life, he eventually decided to do what thousands of Central American children do each year: He made his way north. He was 15 years old.

Reveal is not naming the grandmother out of concern for her safety and is not naming the boy because hes a juvenile.

He eventually arrived in the United States, and its unclear how he ended up in federal custody. Typically, migrants either present themselves as asylum-seekers at a port of entry or are picked up by Border Patrol while attempting to cross without authorization. The government then began shuttling him from shelter to shelter across the country.

It first put him in a shelter in Fullerton, Calif. Two weeks later, it moved him to a more restrictive facility for children about an hour north of San Francisco. There, he turned 16. Then the government sent him to Virginia, to one shelter in San Antonio and then to the Southwest Key Casa Blanca shelter across town.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Big Houston area impact expected from Supreme Court ruling barring permanent residency for many immigrants

Children are moved for a variety of reasons, without judicial oversight. Some children are moved when a shelter reaches maximum capacity; others are sent to more restrictive facilities because of how they behave or the support they are deemed to need.

Nine months, five facilities, three states and one birthday.

The governments migrant shelter system isnt designed for this kind of prolonged stay, depriving children of the emotional and educational support they need in the long term. Indeed, the Flores settlement calls for the government to release a minor from its custody without unnecessary delay.

Yet nearly 1 in 10 migrant children spent more than 100 days in custody over the last six years. Nearly 1,000 spent more than a year in custody.

Persistently moving around the country, having to adjust to a new setting with new rules and new people, stressed out the boy and made him anxious, said his grandmother, whos still in contact with the child through weekly phone calls. Before his detention, she said, he was a relatively carefree kid.

She said she noticed he was anxious when they talked by phone after he arrived at his first shelter. The anxiety, she said, grew into depression with time.

It was the tasing that drastically changed her grandson, she said.

After he was tased, she said he cried a lot more on their weekly phone calls and has expressed a desire to end his life. Hes terrified of being tased again. She said he wants to seek deportation to escape the shelter but remains terrified of the death threats that motivated him to flee Honduras originally.

You dont know how much this has hurt my heart, she said.

Records from the refugee agency show that a day or two after his arrest in Bexar County, the 16-year-old boy was transferred for a second stint at the Shenandoah Valley Juvenile Center in Virginia.

After four months in Virginia, the child was transferred back to Texas - this time to a different shelter run by Southwest Key, Casa Montezuma in Harris County. He turned 17 years old there, his second birthday in custody. Two months later, he was sent to the Shiloh Treatment Center outside Houston, which has a history of drugging children without parental consent. He was there for a few months before being transferred to another shelter in Washington state.

Tased and handcuffed

Once Southwest Keys staffers called police, they put the boys fate in the hands of Bexar County deputies. He had been a child seeking protection from violence, someone afforded special protections under federal law. Then he became a criminal suspect turned over to law enforcement.

Even then, deputies are bound by rules about when and how they can use force against a suspect.

According to the departments use-of-force policy, officers should use the minimum amount of force required to bring any incident under control. The handbook explains that (g)enerally, the use of force against another is not justified in response to verbal provocation alone. If the officer determines the need for force, the policy manual states that an officer will use verbal persuasion first, followed by a physical hold. Deploying a Taser would be the next step.

The body camera video does not show the boy provoking the deputies verbally. It doesnt show Deputy Divers attempting verbal persuasion. When Divers demanded that the boy stand up, he did so, while appearing to tighten the drawstring on his pants. Its then that Divers deploys his Taser. In two bodycam videos, neither deputy read the child his Miranda rights following his arrest.

On HoustonChronicle.com: New Houston center opens to help overflow of migrant families

The video shows that after the child is handcuffed, led out of the shelter and placed in the back of the squad car, Divers returns to the shelter with Ricardo Cisneros, the shelters interim director, to assess the damage. Cisneros explains that the child broke two bed frames and three plastic bins, estimating a total of about $500 worth of damage. But the alleged evidence was removed because, according to Cisneros, they were things (the teen) can use for self-harm.

Divers and his partner, Schneider, couldnt be reached for comment.

Personnel records indicate Divers is a 24-year veteran of the force; Schneider retired in late March after 30 years as a Bexar County deputy.

Moved 10 times in 2 years

The Office of Refugee Resettlements policies indicate that care providers must call 911 for true emergencies, like immediate dangers that would require hospitalization, situations in which a child has run away or in the event of a childs death.

Congressman Castro said the agency needs to take the care of migrant children, and the trauma theyre facing, more seriously. With Biden now in the White House, he said federal departments charged with the custody of migrants of all ages have an opportunity to alter the way asylum-seekers are treated.

If we get through these next few years of the Biden administration and nothing has structurally changed - I don't mean, like, little things on the edges - structurally changed about how we do this, then that will have been a tragic missed opportunity, he said.

Police arrested 31 migrant children at shelters run by BCFS, which has operated more than a dozen federally funded migrant children shelters in Texas and California, over the six-year period, records from the refugee agency show.

In a statement, a BCFS spokesperson said: The safety and well-being of both those in our care and our employees is a top priority. BCFS Health and Human Services follows all protocols and policies as outlined by the Office of Refugee Resettlement. Law enforcement is called whenever incidents of violence occur or as deemed necessary.

Southwest Key, the nations largest shelter network for migrant children, accounted for the largest number of arrests. At least 36 children in Southwest Keys care were turned over to local law enforcement.

Southwest Key, which has run approximately 30 shelters in Texas, Arizona and California, declined to discuss the boys Taser incident, claiming that doing so would violate the privacy of children in its care.

When law enforcement is present, we respect their authority and judgment on how to handle the situation and what approach officers take, wrote spokesperson Kasey El-Chayeb.

Cisneros, the shelters interim director at the time, declined to comment.

After the teen was tased and taken into custody, the footage doesnt capture Southwest Key staffers making objections to Divers actions. In one conversation between deputies and Julie Tamez, who was listed in records as the childs lead case manager at the time, Tamez explained that the child had previously been in a different facility.

After she informs Divers that the child may bang his head against the window, Divers responds, I aint worried about it.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Five people charged after 90+ migrants found in Houston stash house

Tamez throws her head up, shrugs and smiles. Apparently, when they cross countries without anybody, they feel they know all, she told the deputies.

When reached by phone last month, Tamez stressed that she wasnt the person who called 911 the day the child was tased. Tamez said she was shocked by how quickly the situation escalated after Divers arrival to the shelter.

I was very surprised to see that there was a Taser used, she said.

She expressed regret for what happened and wanted the child and his family to know she was sorry for what occurred that day. Tamez said she would never call 911 for a similar situation.

The boy is now back in Virginia - he was sent to the Shenandoah Valley Juvenile Center for a third time in mid-May. In nearly two years, the Office of Refugee Resettlement has moved him into 10 placements across four states.

The boy could be turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement for adult detention when he turns 18 in September. At that time, the possibility of a special visa reserved for children abandoned by a parent will evaporate.

And the legal and social services granted to him by the federal government as a minor will also vanish, along with the traumatic pubescent years wasted in refugee agency custody.

Former Reveal reporter Patrick Michels and Reveal data reporter Melissa Lewis contributed to this story.

This story was produced by Reveal from The Center for Investigative Reporting, a nonprofit newsroom. Sign up to follow this investigation and more at revealnews.org/newsletter.
JEFFERSON CITY  The top budget official in the Missouri House said Tuesday that negotiators were making progress in talks to extend a tax on health care providers that covers major portions of the states Medicaid program.

House Budget Chairman Cody Smith, R-Carthage, told the Post-Dispatch he was encouraged by recent discussions over the Federal Reimbursement Allowance, which expires Sept. 30.

Were making progress towards acting relatively quickly to renew the FRA, Smith said. I think its clear that we need to address this as quickly as possible.

At issue are two provisions sought by conservatives: restricting Medicaid funding from covering certain contraception and restricting funds from abortion provider Planned Parenthood.

With conservatives pushing those measures, lawmakers left Jefferson City last month without a deal to extend the tax, concluding their annual legislative session. Approval of the FRA legislation was, until this session, considered routine and necessary to ensure the continuity of the states Medicaid program.

Gov. Mike Parson, a Republican, has vowed budget cuts if no deal to extend the tax is reached by July 1, the start of the new fiscal year.

That means lawmakers would have to return to the capital city this month for a special session to approve the FRA in order to meet that deadline.

I believe the House can, Smith said when asked whether lawmakers could sign off on a deal before July 1. I dont want to speak for the Senate. But I believe the House can mobilize and come together and pass a bill relatively quickly.

The bottom line is we need to get it done before the end of this month, Smith said, adding that he hoped Parson would call lawmakers back to the Capitol this month.

I would call that a hope rather than an expectation, Smith said.

He said the Legislature has restricted funds from abortion providers through the state budget; a judge blocked such a provision in 2019. On contraception restrictions, Smith said there are some questions as to whether the restrictions would jeopardize federal Medicaid dollars.

One is clearly established policy and one is still developing, Smith said. I would anticipate moving forward with a plan that has some of these  that addresses some of these pro-life issues, but at the same time protects the integrity or the functionality of the Medicaid program.

Sen. Paul Wieland, R-Imperial, who sponsored the contraception restrictions, said Tuesday he wasnt going to predict whether his plan would be included in any package that negotiators finalize.

Opponents of the efforts by conservatives, including some Republicans, have blasted this years attempts to insert controversial proposals into the FRA.

Sen. Lincoln Hough, a Springfield Republican and vice chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, said the push to attach controversial riders to this years FRA bill may have been because of the legislations importance.

They know that it has to get done, said Hough, who opposed the efforts. It gives people a little more of a stick, I guess, to say well if you want to get it done youve got to take  youve got to take what I want on here and I just dont think its the right place to have that discussion.

If the situation isnt resolved, Hough said, I think it will be catastrophic.

Hough said the budget lawmakers approved this year includes billions of dollars that the state is banking on having with this FRA.

If I was in the governors shoes right now I would be talking about and having my team put in place budget restrictions, even though weve had incredible economic growth, Hough said.

He said one of the targets could be health care provider reimbursement rates.

Wieland agreed it was prudent of the governor to consider contingency plans.

I think it makes sense, Wieland said. The governors job is to control the budget and control the inflows and the outflows.

House Minority Leader Crystal Quade, D-Springfield, said she wished Parsons office had been more involved in talks during the legislative session in order to avoid the current situation.

I wish he wouldve been a little bit more engaged in the legislative process and applied ... any type of pressure to the Republicans in the Senate to make sure that they got this done, she said.
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Position Objective: Provides psychiatric nursing care including intake, assessment and interventions (including crisis interventions). Provides care for psychiatric patients including medication administration and medication management as needed. For the inpatient unit, initiates the interdisciplinary care plan. For the mental health emergency department, collaborates with ED and MH team with final disposition authorized by the Emergency Department MD and Mental Health Clinician. Assists with discharge planning and education. Collaborates with all colleagues and communicates in a professional manner. Essential Job Duties: Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Clinical Decision Making/Judgment: Demonstrates clinical nursing knowledge and skill in the specialization of the unit

Demonstrates the ability to apply the nursing process effectively in the care of culturally diverse patients and families

Demonstrates the ability to utilize all applicable laws and regulations, policies, standards, guidelines and evidence-based practice in the provision of patient/family care

Organizes and reprioritizes patient care activities based on subtle and overt and/or environmental changes

Consistently and thoroughly assesses patients to collect data and identify learning needs according to established standards and policies

Utilizes a systematic, continuous and complete analysis of assessment data to develop individualized problem lists for assigned patients

Develops and individualizes a plan of care for each patient in accordance with established standards, appropriate prioritization of problems/needs, and mutually agreed upon goals;

Efficiently implements the patient's plan of care in accordance with applicable standards, policies, procedures and guidelines

Demonstrates proficiency in medication administration, pain management and other unit or initiative specific skills

Continuously evaluates the effectiveness of the plan(s) of care, making revisions and recommendations based on analysis of patient responses to interventions. Nurse-Patient Family Relationships: Demonstrates the ability to assess the patient/family learning needs, readiness to learn, learning style, and presence of barriers to learning

Demonstrates the ability to develop, implement and evaluate teaching plans for patient populations in unit specialty in accordance with applicable standards

Demonstrates the ability to apply knowledge of growth and development across the life span to the care of patients

Provides direct patient care to patients and families in a culturally, developmentally and ethically appropriate manner

Plans of care address the physical, psychosocial, spiritual and learning needs of the patient/family. Clinical Scholarship: Participates in QI, CPI and risk management activities at the unit, department or organizational level

Demonstrates the ability to effectively perform and improve all processes in order to achieve excellence with regard to AAMC's quality standards and benchmarks

Supports the use of evidence based guidelines and organizational policies and procedures to promote safe patient care and a safe practice environment. Clinical Leadership: Participates in unit shared governance according to departmental standards

Participates in the education and orientation of new staff

Delegates patient care activities as appropriate; evaluates delegated activities for expected patient care outcomes

Employs real time computer documentation when completing patient record.

Performs charge nurse duties as needed and supervises other nursing staff as needed. Educational/Experience Requirements: 1 year-Psychiatric Nursing.

Successful completion of approved nursing program. If not BSN, actively working on completion Required License/Certifications: Current licensure as a registered nurse by the Maryland Board of Nursing.

American Heart Association Healthcare Providers BLS.

Adherence to credentialing requirements of AAMC as stated in the nursing bylaws.

Certification in Crisis Prevention Intervention(CPI) within 30 days of hire. Working Conditions, Equipment, Physical Demands: There is a reasonable expectation that employees in this position will be exposed to blood-borne pathogens and agitated patients. Physical Demands - Medium Work. Exerting up to 50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 30 pounds of force frequently, and/or up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move object. The physical demands and work environment that have been described are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The above job description is an overview of the functions and requirements for this position. This document is not intended to be an exhaustive list encompassing every duty and requirement of this position; your supervisor may assign other duties as deemed necessary.


The City Council's newest members, Bryan Sapienza, left, and Peter Oleskiwiecz pull names for the seating of the council now that members are back in chambers at City Hall.

North Adams $42M Draft 2022 Budget Includes New Positions



Mayor Thomas Bernard presents the proposed $42 million budget for fiscal 2022 that starts on July 1. The budget is posted below. NORTH ADAMS, Mass.  The City Council on Tuesday reviewed a $42 million spending plan for fiscal 2022 that represents a 3.5 percent increase over this year.

The budget was presented by Mayor Thomas Bernard and referred to the Finance Committee for final review and to come back to the council on June 22.

The $41 million fiscal 2021 budget that was passed in September included several months of level-funding in light of the financial uncertainty of the pandemic that had begun in March. The spending plan was essentially flat and $320,000 in reserve funds were used to offset the amount to be raised by taxes.

This year finds the city's financial conditions more optimistic  no reserves are being used  but it still has looming infrastructure needs shadowing spending decisions. Officials are looking toward federal funding to help with that investment. The School Department has already put federal and state aid for pandemic relief to use.

"We can expect to receive approximately $3.7 million to spur local economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic," Bernard wrote in his communique to the City Council. This funding through the federal American Rescue Plan Act may be used "to replace revenue lost or reduced as a result of the pandemic, fund COVID-related costs, provide support to aid households and businesses impacted by the crisis, invest in economic recovery and renewal, and fund investments in water, sewer and broadband infrastructure."

Total expenses are $42,384,486, up $1,444,730 from this year's $40,939,756. The total budget, including cherry sheet offsets and expenses, is $46,166,998, up $1,699,262 over this year. The city is anticipating $26,033,278 in state aid and local revenue with $20,133,720, up 10 percent, to be raised by taxation.

The fiscal 2022 budget includes the addition of a deputy fire chief position; four full-time workers in Public Services; several reclassifications of existing positions; and a level-service school budget of $17,769,074.

"Recent months have shown us the consequences of disinvestment, and of how difficult it is to address deferred maintenance without sufficient capital investment nor the staff to adequately address maintenance needs. To address the staff needed to advance this critical work, I have proposed investments in personnel, particularly in the Public Services Division, as well the addition of a new deputy fire chief," the mayor wrote in his communication to the council. "I also have made difficult decisions not to include discretionary positions that staff and members of the Council advocated for, including a technical specialist in the Office of Community Development, and a second lieutenant position in the Police Department. This does not reflect a lack of support for these positions, but rather the difficult choice we must make when considering all budget needs and priorities."

The deputy fire chief, analogous to the lieutenant position in the Police Department, would come in at a salary of $76,890 and the fire chief's salary would to go $87,500. The director of inspection services would be reclassified to S-33 to bring the recompense ($74,306) on par with other departmental leaders.

The four Public Services position would be one laborer at the transfer station to comply with state mandates; one Highway Department laborer; a mechanic at the water filtration plant, and a maintenance worker in the Water Department that will now bring that department up to four people including the meter reader.

The transfer station and Highway Department laborers are two unfilled positions in Highway. The mechanic would essentially replace Commissioner of Public Services Timothy Lescarbeau, who has been doing double duty, and the Water Department's minimal staffing had come into focus when faulty hydrants became an issue earlier this year.

As for the School Department, "the basic message is level service, level fund," the mayor told the City Council. "So there will be no increase in the city share or the Chapter 70 [education aid] share for this year."

The School Department is leaning on federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Funds, or ESSER funds, and for the first time in years is not using school choice funds to offset expenses.

The capital outlay plan is being finalized based on how the federal ARPA money can be used.

"One of the several areas of potential for ARPA use is water and sewer infrastructure," the mayor told the council. "We've talked to some of the needs that we have, but we also know that there are other needs, and given that we have  I won't say inexhaustible  but we have a clear source of funding, I'm trying to build that into the plan."

Some of that funding is for organizations to aid businesses and residents affected by the pandemic and will filtered through human services. Bernard described it as Community Development Block Grant funding "with a rocket strapped to it."

"My intention is to lay out a vision for the use of the funds over time, understanding that it will fall to others to make determinations about future allocations," he said. "The potential to do water and sewer infrastructure, we've talked about the needs we have both established and the ability to do some some targeted investment as well, is really one of the most critical pieces of funds that are available."

Councilor Marie T. Harpin noted that this budget will include seven positions that will be making more than the mayor.

"The mayor is the CEO, he should be compensated appropriately, and right now based on what I'm seeing in this budget, he is way below where he needs to be," she said.

Councilors Lisa Blackmer and Keith Bona agreed, with Blackmer saying it should weighed in comparison to other positions within the city. Councilor Benjamin Lamb thought this year, with Bernard not running for re-election, would be the year consider the salary since it would not have any political implications.

Councilor Jessica Sweeney thought the city clerk's salary also should increase. President Jason LaForest said the city needs to be thinking about succession in terms of its ability to recruit qualified candidates.

In other business, the council:

 Passed an amended Airport Commission ordinance to a second reading. The ordinance would allow no more than two members from surrounding communities to sit on the council and require at least two commissioners to have a background in aviation or airport management.



Councilor Lisa Blackmer is sworn in as vice president by City Clerk Cathleen King.

 Referred the compensation and classification plans to the Finance Committee and new transfer station fees to the Public Services Committee.

 Declared 11 vehicles dating as far back as 1994 and rated in fair to poor condition as surplus. The vehicles will be put out to bid.

 Approved the Approved the submission of a statement of interest to the Massachusetts School Building Authority for Brayton School.

 Approved an application for a secondhand license from Timothy Randall, operating as Sanford & Kid at 160 Houghton St., with Bona abstaining; and an application from Jennifer Serre of North Adams to drive a taxi for RJ's Taxi.

 Voted in Blackmer as vice president to replace LaForest, who became president on the departure of Paul Hopkins. She was nominated by Bona and seconded by Peter Oleskiewicz. The vote was 7-2 with LaForest and Harpin voting no.

 Had the newest councilors, Oleskiewicz and Bryan Sapienza, pull the names for the new seating plan. This is normally done at the beginning of the year but the council had been operating remotely for 14 months. The councilors will take their new seats at the next meeting.

North Adams FY2022 Budget P... by iBerkshires.com
Medical Matters Weekly Welcomes Patricia Ryan

BENNINGTON, Vt.  Southwestern Vermont Health Care's (SVHC) Medical Matters Weekly with Dr. Trey Dobson, a weekly interactive, multiplatform medical-themed talk show, will feature Patricia Ryan, RN, MSN, CCRP, the Cardiac Rehabilitation program coordinator at Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC), on its June 16 program.

The show will air at 12 p.m., and Ryan will share the role cardiac rehabilitation plays in the health and wellbeing of patients.

The show is produced with cooperation from Catamount Access Television (CAT-TV). Viewers can see Medical Matters Weekly on Facebook at facebook.com/svmedicalcenter and facebook.com/CATTVBennington

Ryan earned her bachelor's in nursing from Hartwick College in New York and her master's in nursing from Drexel University in Pennsylvania. She has worked at SVMC for 31 years, serving in the Cardiac Rehabilitation Department for 27 of those. She is a certified American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation Professional, a board member for the Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation at Hoosick Falls, and a Vermont Cardiac Network board member. In addition, Ryan is and SVHC mentor and contributed to the department's having earned certification from the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR).

After the program, the video will be available on area public access television stations. On CAT-TV, viewers will find the show on channel 1075 at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, 1:30 p.m. Monday, 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, 7:30 a.m. Wednesday, 7:30 p.m. Thursday, 7:30 a.m. Friday, and 7 p.m. Saturday. GNAT-TV's Comcast channel 1074 airs the program at 8 a.m. Monday, 9 p.m. Wednesday, and 1 p.m. Saturday.

Upcoming guests include:

12 p.m. Wednesday, June 23: SVMC Pediatrician Meghan Gunn, MD, will share her interest in children's health and her thoughts about vaccinating adolescents and children for COVID-19.

12 p.m. Wednesday, June 30: Nicholas Weinberg, MD, Emergency Medicine physician at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Health, will share his experiences working on the search-and-rescue teams, including at Mt. Denali in Alaska.

12 p.m. Wednesday, July 7: Jeffrey Parsonnet, MD, infectious disease physician at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Health, will share his work as leader of the organization's post-acute COVID syndrome (commonly referred to as "long haulers") program.

12 p.m. Wednesday, July 14: Becca Filson, FNP, of SVMC's Hospital Medicine, and Lisa Downing-Forget, MD, of SVMC Internal Medicine, will discuss diversity and inclusion at SVMC and in the healthcare field.

Videos and podcasts are on svhealthcare.org/MedicalMatters , as well as YouTube and on many podcast-hosting platforms, respectively.
Latest edition of ICSF's newsletter on gender and fisheries, Yemaya No.63, dated May 2021, published

June 09,2021 | Source: ICSF | Alert Type(s): Samudra Exclusive

The International Collective in Support of Fishworkers (ICSF) has released the latest edition of Yemaya, its newsletter on gender and fisheries.



Yemaya No. 63, dated May 2021, features articles from US, The Netherlands, Myanmar, Senegal, and an article on women in fisheries and human rights.



The article from the US by Linda Behnken argues that a growing coalition of small-scale, community-based fishers is calling for the recognition and protection of Alaskas invaluable coastal fisheries during COVID-19.



The article from the Netherlands by Cornelie Quist looks at the challenges facing women engaged in small-scale fishing and supplying fish through retailers and how they found new ways to directly reach consumers.



The conversation between Miranda Bout and Cornelie Quist focuses on how they combined new product development with the use of social media to contact their customer base during the pandemic-induced disruption of traditional marketing chains.



The article by Elena Finkbeiner, Juno Fitzpatrick and Whitney Yadao-Evans looks at recent media revelations and scientific research that have brought increased attention to human-rights violations and the myriad social issues facing fisheries, but with a disproportionate focus on labour-rights violations at sea and in industrial fishing operations. The systemic inequalities combined with the effects of COVID-19 exacerbated vulnerabilities of women to health risks, food and livelihood security.



The article from Senegal by Aby Dia from Lumiere Synergie pour le Developpement (LSD), in collaboration with WoMin African Alliance, South Africa, narrates the story of traditional women fish processors from the Bargny who have been, for more than a decade, struggling against development projects that jeopardise their environment, health and livelihoods. In order to preserve their livelihoods, women processors in Senegal have come together to oppose the Tosyali steel project.



The European Network of Women in Fisheries and Aquaculture in Europe (AKTEA) urges the Office of the Commissioner for the Environment, Oceans and Fisheries to integrate gender into all aspects of European fishing policy.



The Profile column looks at how Linda Behnken became a fisher in Alaska and how fishing has shaped her individuality and work. Natalie Sattler says that fishing for halibut, sablefish and salmon from the sparkling waters of the Pacific along with her children and at the same time passion for working with the Alaska Longline Fishermens Association and the Alaska Sustainable Fisheries Trust is an immense challenge.





The Milestones colum

n by Venugopalan looks at the pledge of 193 member states of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) of the United Nations during the meeting in march 2021. What are the significant developments in support of gender equity and equality that took place in last 25 years and argues that 192 countries had one or more dedicated gender equality mechanisms or focal points.



In the What's New, Webby? column, Vandana Menon presents the details of a new web page on social protection for fisheries launched by FAO. The page addresses the systematic exclusion of small-scale fishery- and aquaculture-dependent communities who are excluded from access to basic services and social guarantees, and secure tenure rights.



Vishakha Gpta, in the Yemaya Recommends section, points out that the book, "Gender, COVId-19 and Food Systems: Impacts, Community Responses and Feminist Policy Demands" summarizes acts of mutual aid and solidarity and the negative impacts on women worldwide. The reviewer argues that the recommendations go beyond food systems and have the potential to catalyse structural transformation.





The current issue of Yemaya also carries the ever-popular cartoon strip, "Yemaya Mama"(Small-scale fishing for food security!).



Yemaya No. 63, dated May 2021, can be accessed at:



https://www.icsf.net/en/yemaya/article/EN/63.html?limitstart=0



For more, please visit www.icsf.net

 2021 ICSF

Theme(s): Others.
Declaration by Grupo de las Gentes del Mar (People of the Sea) of Costa Rica on fisheries, human rights and democratic sustainable development

June 09,2021 | Source: People of the Sea | Alert Type(s): Samudra Exclusive

As a response to Costa Rica's 30x30 initiative, created by the High Ambition Coalition (HAC) for Nature and People, a group of organizations working in the fields of fisheries, human rights and democratic sustainable development has called on the government to participate in a

democratic and earnest dialogue with fishers and mollusk catchers, in order to humanize the 30x30 initiative and reach agreements that are satisfactory and benefit all, recognize and value fishermens traditional knowledge in the decision-making processes, and give adequate follow-up to the dialogue.



Declaring its firm opposition to the enforcement of the 30x30 initiative in Costa Rica, the group notes that the initiative is based on exclusion, and does not respect human dignity, the fundamental right to work, the right to culture, the right to food security, and the right to tenure of land which the fishermen have ancestrally inhabited.



Asserting that they wish to live in a clean and healthy environment, enjoy basic human rights and dignity, the group says its goal is in accordance with the values of union, loyalty, alliance, honesty, perseverance, respect, social commitment and earnestness. Environmental sustainability, human rights and human dignity are all an essential part of democratic sustainable development and thus cannot be understood separately, says the group.



It identifies the following as the fundamental issues that negatively affect fishermen and mollusk catchers: (1) The lack of alternatives to fishing; (2) The difficulties in maintaining a dialogue between the fishers and the government; (3) The existence of an international agenda promoted by NGOs and international agencies; and (4) The generalized condition of informality of the small-scale fishermen.



On 15 October 2020, the People of the Sea proclaimed the Declaracion sobre el modelo de desarrollo en la actividad pesquera y acuicola (Declaration about the fishing and aquaculture development model). In it, the development model currently being used by the State was questioned, since the model generates unfair and undesirable conditions, such as an increase in poverty and the exclusion of the coastal communities from the decision-making processes. This situation affects thousands of families in the coastal provinces, both in the Pacific and the Caribbean. In the light of this scenario, inspired by the Churchs Social Doctrine, and considering the States duties to guarantee the common good through the fair and equitable distribution of wealth, to grant fair access to the benefits derived from the biodiversity, and the principle of democratic sustainable development, we declare the importance of abandoning the fake dilemma between environmental conservation and the socioeconomic wellbeing of the people and the communities, of resorting to dialogue and the democratization of the decision-making processes,

as well as ensuring the respect for human dignity, human rights and adequate working conditions for the fishermen.



An integral analysis of the 30x30 initiative reveals very high costs regarding the living

conditions of the coastal communities of Costa Rica, says the Declaration. It is an initiative based on exclusion, which is not respectful of human dignity, of the fundamental right to work, the human right to culture, the right to food security, and the right to the tenure of land which the fishermen have ancestrally inhabited. Due to these reasons, and in attention to the indisputable supremacy of human rights, the protection of human dignity, the concept of democratic sustainable development, and the principles of humanity and justice, the People of the Sea declares its firm opposition to the

enforcement of the 30x30 initiative in Costa Rica, as long as the terms of the project remain the same.

The People of the Sea also invites the government once again to participate in a democratic and earnest dialogue with the fishers and the mollusk catchers, with the aim to humanize the 30x30 initiative. This type of dialogue cannot be reduced to the participation in a meeting; the government must listen to the people and understand their problems, reach agreements that are satisfactory and that benefit all, recognize and value the fishermens traditional knowledge in the decision-making processes and give adequate follow-up to the dialogue.



The Declaration concludes: We, the fishermen, want to live in a clean and healthy environment too, and just like everybody else, we deserve to enjoy our human rights and human dignity.

Theme(s): Communities and Organisations.


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Assists the Quality Assurance Manager in guaranteeing quality product. Duties and Responsibilities: Perform first article services on machined, plastic, metal, etc. and assembled parts

Perform visual and dimensional inspection on manufactured parts, assemblies, and subassemblies and submit reports

Perform receiving inspection from various outside suppliers and document results on an inspection report

Perform in process and document results on an inspection report

Perform any other assignment as required to meet customer demands and special projects. Qualifications: 1 plus year experience in a quality role is preferred

Understanding of control of nonconforming products preferred

General knowledge of manufacturing processes is preferred

Ability to read and interpret blue prints required

Basic math skills required

Basic computer skills (MS office, Outlook, etc.) required

Ability to make decisions while following company policies required Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities: Basic knowledge and experience with measuring tools such as: Tape measures Calipers Micrometers Height gages Weight scales Optical comparator Material test equipments such as tensile tester, etc.

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Magnolia, AR (71754)

Today

Partly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 74F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Partly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 74F. Winds light and variable.
This 2019 photo provided by NOAA shows the Mauna Loa Atmospheric Baseline Observatory, high atop Hawaii's largest mountain in order to sample well-mixed background air free of local pollution. Heat-trapping carbon dioxide levels in the air peaked in May 2021, in amounts nearly 50% higher than when the industrial age began and they are growing at a record fast rate, scientists reported Monday, June 7, 2021. (Susan Cobb/NOAA Global Monitoring Laboratory via AP)
FILE - In this Nov. 5, 2020, file photo the Supreme Court is seen in Washington. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)
Sorry south sound, world's largest firefighting plane will not come to the rescue this fire season after state's failure to fund it
Imperial Valley News Center

Foodies beware: Its locust season

Imperial, California - The 17-year cicadas, sometimes known as locusts, are back, swarming in large numbers in several parts of the United States,. But, the Association of Mature American Citizens suggests you dont try snacking on them if you are allergic to seafood.

Anthropologist Cortni Borgerson touts the shrimpy looking critters as a tasty snack. But, the FDA warns that they are, indeed, related to shrimp and lobsters and can cause a reaction if crustaceans should not be on your menu.
Calexico Carjacking Results in Arrest in El Centro

El Centro, California - June 8, 2021, at approximately 9:09 a.m., Agents from the Imperial County Narcotic Task Force (ICNTF) located a stolen vehicle our agency was actively looking for in the 2000 block of South Fourth Street. The vehicle, a red 1999 Isuzu Rodeo, was stolen during a carjacking in Calexico.

The suspect in the carjacking was identified as Jesus Diaz, a 27 year-old Calexico resident. Officers from the El Centro Police Department responded to the area to attempt to recover the vehicle. While responding, agents from ICNTF advised the suspect was entering the vehicle and began driving west on Smoketree from Fourth Street. The suspect, later confirmed to be Jesus Diaz, noticed El Centro Police patrol vehicles approaching and fled at a high rate of speed. El Centro Police pursued the vehicle for approximately a mile and a half. During the pursuit speeds reached over 50 miles per hour and Diaz drove in a reckless manner.

The vehicle came to a stop near 2nd Street and Smoketree, where Diaz fled from the vehicle on foot. Officers established a perimeter in the area of 200 E. Mineo where Diaz was seen running into a business. Resources from allied agencies responded to assist. Diaz was located as he attempted to flee from a property in the 200 block of Mineo Road.

He was arrested and later charged with felony carjacking, felony evading, and resisting arrest.

The El Centro Police Department would like to thank thier law enforcement partners from the California Highway Patrol, Imperial County Narcotics Task Force, and Imperial County Sheriff Department for their assistance in apprehending Diaz. Partnerships with our community and law enforcement partners enable us to keep our community safe
At the Chicago coffeehouse Two Hearted Queen, customers get what they order and more. Every to-go cup comes with a love note.

The shop started this small extra at the height of Covid-19 and will continue it post-pandemic. It's been a big hit with the community it serves in Northalsted.

Northalsted, long known as Boystown, is the oldest officially recognized gay neighborhood in the U.S. For a community that thrives on an active social scene and packed bars and clubs, 2020 was a test. How district business owners pulled through the pandemic is a case study in resilience. Like businesses across the U.S. and around the world, they experienced drops in revenue and had to get creative to stay open. Yet fewer than five businesses there have closed permanently, says Northalsted Business Alliance business development coordinator Robert Morvay. To survive, some, like Two Hearted Queen, relied on customer relationships. For others, like soul-food restaurant Supper House and nightclub Progress Bar, the pandemic slowdown prompted experiments that they would not have otherwise tried but now plan to keep well past 2021. Their stories offer a playbook with lessons bound to outlast the pandemic.

Connecting With Customers.

Pre-pandemic, the team at Two Hearted Queen would welcome customers with a loud "Good morning!" and strike up conversations at the register, says co-founder Cassandra Andrewson. When social distancing required a patron to leave before another could enter, she says, there was hardly any time to talk. The location had been open only a month, and Andrewson and her co-founder, Cely Garcia, worried about connecting with the community. "So we started writing on everybody's cups, like, 'We love you!' and 'You're awesome!'"

Andrewson and Garcia closed their Northalsted location temporarily and saw revenue drop at their original shop in Roscoe Village, which opened in 2015. In their minds, a coffeehouse wasn't an essential business. They were wrong.

"People would leave their houses just to come get coffee to have a two-second conversation with us," Andrewson says. "Just to have some kind of connection."

The company's efforts to connect with customers also paid off in a different way. What really pulled the business through 2020 was a campaign to raise $20,000 that they launched on crowdfunding site Indiegogo to support their staff, according to Andrewson. Within two hours, they had raised more than half of their goal and ultimately raised more than $24,000, which she says mostly came from customers in Lakeview.

"Without that, it would have been incredibly difficult," she says. "Who's going to donate to a crowdfunding campaign for a business they've never even heard of?"

Experiments Worth Keeping

What had been a rhetorical question for Andrewson was a bet Thomas Masse had to make. His soul food restaurant, Supper House, opened for delivery in Northalsted on March 16, 2020, the same day the state of Illinois closed indoor dining. Supper House then closed on March 28, less than two weeks after it opened.

His biggest concern wasn't cash. "In a startup, you always predict to be running as short as possible," says Masse, who is Supper House's owner and executive chef. The restaurant had enough financial cushion to run six months without making money. His big concern was customers. "We didn't get a chance to get to know the neighborhood, because as soon as we opened, we shut down," he says.

Supper House became a ghost kitchen--a delivery-only restaurant. It started offering takeout a few weeks later. The business was already geared toward to-go orders because of Northalsted's proximity to Wrigley Field and frequent neighborhood events, such as Chicago Pride Fest each June. "It's been kind of a clean slate from the beginning," says Masse.

The pandemic pushed Masse, a former culinary instructor, to experiment with new products and sites. Sweet Rush, Supper House's dessert line, was one of them. Masse says it's been well-received, and the success has inspired him to try pop-up stores, such as a bakery and a breakfast-foods line.

"Everything we've done, we plan on keeping," Masse says. While he is a newcomer to the community, he says he has felt its support. Masse applied for and received a grant from nonprofit community organization Northalsted Business Alliance, and a PPP loan from the federal government also helped.

New Improvements

For drag bar and nightclub Progress Bar, business is booming. But owner Justin Romme says getting to where he is now has taken a lot of patience--and money.

In March 2020, revenue hit zero, and the bar closed for three months, says Romme.

Romme says he secured a food license for Progress to qualify as a restaurant, because restaurants were eligible to reopen before bars. He put in a grease trap and bought more tables and barstools because the city regulations require seating for dine-in patrons.

"I had to jump through hoops to get re-inspected," Romme says. But he says it was worth the expense. Because of the tables, Progress Bar now gets an earlier crowd, and Monday to Thursday sales tripled. "Hopefully that sticks," he says.

Romme says he's eager for things to return to the way they were before. He's no longer using his food license, and he's allowing fully vaccinated staff and customers to go unmasked.
How do I Choose an Online Trading Broker?

The Internet is full of stories of people who have become successful Forex brokers without even financial experience and education. Undoubtedly, it is tempting for every person to try themselves in Forex trading to understand if it is the niche where they can make money. If you are one of them, one of the first steps is the selection of a Forex broker and a platform. When it comes to the choice of a broker, there are some crucial aspects to take into consideration.

What does a Trader Face When Choosing a Broker?

When a trader decides to make money in the market, they need an intermediary that will provide access to this market, that is, a broker. It is a difficult task for both novice and experienced traders because the abundance of promises of easy enrichment makes novice traders overemotional.

What guides a trader when choosing a broker

Every novice trader is sure that he/she is guided by ones own mind, that is, intellect. Traders or future traders usually analyse:

how many people are already trading with a broker  the more, the more reliable a broker is; how many people a broker has successfully trained; how many years this broker has been on the market, and so on.

And it may seem strange, but a novice trader manages to find positive answers to all these questions. Then, a future trader will switch on an internal calculator to calculate how long it will take to double/ triple a $100 deposit by opening a trading account with this broker and buy a flat/car/trip You can congratulate yourself  you are on the hook.

Why do people fall for the brokers hook?

The answer is simple. There is no logic in pseudo-logical promises of quick money on which one so wants to rely. And our subconscious mind knows this very well. However, the rational mind receives thoughtful information, and we force ourselves to believe in these promises. Therefore, it is crucial to rely on not only bright ads and internal feelings but statistics and unbiased information.

The safety of the deposited funds depends on the reliability of the broker. It is no secret that today there are enough dubious offices and one-day firms on the Internet. Therefore, it is crucial to trust your finances to only reputable companies with experience and well-known names in the industry. The best forex brokers like Forextime offer clients various investment options that best suit their trading strategy. For example, a good intermediary has a whole line of trading accounts of different types: standard, ECN, NDD, swap-free accounts, etc. It is best to partner with a company that provides multiple trading options. The honesty and quality of the company. Forex quotes from different brokers may differ. The closer the quotes are to the market ones, the easier it is for a trader to make a profit. Dishonest brokers often resort to such a trick: in a period of high volatility, they artificially close part of the clients trades using stop loss, referring to the fact that at some point, the price has reached this level. But upon careful examination, it becomes noticeable that the chart of other brokers did not reach the critical level. It can be either a technical failure or a deliberate deception. Regardless of the reason, it is unlikely to make a profit with such a broker.

Useful Tips for Choosing a Forex Broker

It is not easy to choose a Forex broker since there are many intermediary companies today. But a beginner trader from the United Kingdom or any other country may not have enough experience for a correct assessment. In this regard, it is better to follow these tips:

Evaluate how clear and informative the companys website is. Ideally, the beginner should be provided with all the conditions, including training and exchange of experience with professional traders. Companies should offer market analytics and expert opinions to their clients. Another plus if the site has leverage, advisors, and robots. It is not necessary to use this  the main thing is to check how seriously the intermediary carries out trading. Make sure that there are no serious and fundamental complaints against the broker. Accusations of massive fraud, unreasonable blocking, and poor server performance should alert you. It is advisable to avoid brokers that promise their clients generous profits effortlessly. High income in trading is possible only for those clients who independently analyse the market, study, and verify each transaction. Promises of effortless, risk-free profit have nothing to do with the reality of trading in the Forex market.

Make your choice reasonable because only a reliable broker can become your key to making profits in the future.

By Sumeet Manhas

 2021 Copyright Sumeet Manhas - All Rights Reserved

Disclaimer: The above is a matter of opinion provided for general information purposes only and is not intended as investment advice. Information and analysis above are derived from sources and utilising methods believed to be reliable, but we cannot accept responsibility for any losses you may incur as a result of this analysis. Individuals should consult with their personal financial advisors.

 2005-2019 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication.




Lightning strikes in India killed 27 people on Monday, according to reports.

Three people were also injured in the deadly storms across West Bengal, state authorities told The Times of India.

Thunderstorms with lightning occured in several parts of the northeastern state towards the end of a day in which temperatures reached at least 37.7C, according to forecasters.

Narendra Modi, India's prime minister, offered condolences to the families of victims.

"My thoughts are with all those who lost their near and dear ones due to lightning in parts of West Bengal. May the injured recover at the earliest." the prime minister said on Twitter.

Compensation for affected families was announced by the Prime Minister's Office on Monday and will come from the National Relief Fund.

India's Meteorological Department forecasts thunderstorms in West Bengal will continue until Friday.

Lightning strikes are fairly common during India's monsoon season, which lasts throughout the summer months.

The monsoon season brings rain which is essential for the crop harvest and replenishment of water supplies across India.

But thousands are killed each year in the extreme weather across the country.

Lightning killed 2,876 people in India in 2019, more than one-third of all accidental deaths caused by forces of nature, according to the latest available figures from the National Crime Records Bureau.

Deaths by lightning accounted for more than one-third of all deaths caused by forces of nature in 2019, higher than flooding and sunstroke, the next two highest causes, put together, according to the NCRB.
Many of us have thought about it  what would it be like to be a fly on the wall when some of the most powerful people in the world meet? Just what goes on during those heated discussions?

Perhaps youve even daydreamed one step further and considered what youd say if you had an hour in that room to speak your mind. It might be hard to know where to begin with the world facing so many challenges. But as seven of the worlds most influential powers descend on my home county Cornwall for the G7 summit they have a real chance to get to grips with these crises. If I had time with them I know one thing wouldnt be far from my lips  the climate crisis and its effect on nature.

So where would I begin? Id reserve a big chunk of my time for a quiet word with our prime minister, the host of these talks, Boris Johnson. Wed need to get clear that the G7 alongside Novembers global climate summit in Glasgow are the most important events this country will ever host.

The need to limit global heating only gets stronger by the day yet action remains too slow, too insignificant, or is going in the wrong direction entirely. Across the world, particularly in the global south, its impacts are already being felt. Theres a lot riding on this, so the UK has got to take bold action and lead by example if we want to make these summits work.

I can imagine the response  more warm words about how the government gets the problem, how its committed to climate leadership. The reality is for all the claims to climate leadership and commitment to world-leading targets, many of our governments own policies and actions are taking us in the opposite direction.

We cant stand in front of the world imploring other countries to step up while here in the UK we slash funding for measures to cut carbon emissions from homes or keep the door open to granting new licences for oil and gas. Equally, we cant legitimately lead the way in ending the fossil fuel age while parts of our own financial sector continue to fund activities that emit more carbon annually than Germany, as Greenpeace and WWF recently revealed.

These are hypocrisies that dont go unnoticed when demanding action from others. So before turning my attention to the rest of the leaders, Id send Boris Johnson off with one final message; if the government wants to be a climate leader its time to start acting like it. Push like never before for international climate action but bring that same energy to our efforts at home.

As I talk the clocks ticking, my time in that room is nearly up. So what would I conclude to those other leaders sitting there around the table? There are many problems facing our world, so many of them are interlinked. But as the world faces the heat of these crises, they have the chance to take action that makes a difference.

Be bold, Id say, do whats necessary. Make good on  and exceed  your decade-old $100 bn (70 bn)-a-year global climate finance promise, so the hardest hit by the climate crisis cope with its impacts and plan for a zero carbon future. Id tell them to remember the effects of the climate crisis are unequal and unfair.

The crisis was created by the privileged few, but is hitting marginalised communities the hardest. Id implore them to place these communities at the heart of the conversation and to look at the work that organisations like Union of Justice are doing.

With my last few minutes, Id tell them to back bold measures that support our natural world, like strong protection for at least 30 per cent of the Earths land and sea, respecting the rights of communities whose livelihoods depend on it. They must commit to sparking a green recovery from coronavirus for all nations across the world, one that sees a clear thread between the need for equal access to Covid vaccines and access to green tech like renewables.

Leaders at the G7 have the means to crack these crises, they just need the will. And while the chances of me slipping into the G7 to make the case are close to zero, I add my voice to the many around the world calling on them to seize the moment and act now. Theres a healthier, fairer, greener world on offer, its time these leaders helped us create it.

Thandiwe Newton is a British actor who has starred in Westworld, Crash and Mission: Impossible II. She is an ambassador for Greenpeace
Starbucks coffee shops throughout the US are reportedly experiencing supply issues, with numerous social media users complaining their favourite menu items are out of stock.

The Starbucks shortage hashtag is trending on TikTok, and a number of customers and even staff have commented on shortages on social media, since the end of May.

Were out of all of our paninis, all of our sandwiches, were out of our vanilla sweet cream, said one employee in a video while listing off numerous items.

One user shared a video with a Starbucks sign in San Diego listing 14 shortages, including white mocha, apple juice, dark roast, chai, peach, hazelnut, with Capones Oh No, Oh No, Oh No No No playing in the background.

Another TikTok video appeared to be a Starbucks employee buying Minute Maid-branded lemonade to sell in-store and one Starbucks barista showed his branch using Smuckers Sundae Syrup Caramel Sauce instead of the Starbucks-branded syrup. The clip has clocked up more than 300,000 views.

Numerous comments on the videos confirm the shortages. Starbucks is running short on literally everything, wrote one user.

An employee from a Minnesota Starbucks confirmed that they had a shortage of oat milk recently and that shortages vary from day to day, said the employee, today we are not particularly out of anything, but it depends on the day. The employee was unable to identify why the shortages were happening.

Theres just a national shortage with the Starbucks company with some syrups, the oat milk, the brown sugar syrup and a bunch of other random things, they said.

The best way to keep up with whats in your local coffee shop is via the Starbuck app, explained the employee: We keep that up to date so you can check on there what we have daily.

The Independent has contacted the Starbucks head office for further information on the shortages.
The education secretary Gavin Williamson has waded into the row over Oxford students removing a portrait of the Queen from their common room, calling it absurd.

Members of the Middle Common Room at Magdalen College voted for the change by a majority, saying the monarch represented recent colonial history and could make some feel unwelcome.

Mr Williamson tweeted that the monarch has worked tirelessly to promote British values of tolerance, inclusivity and respect around the world.

She was a symbol of what is best about the UK, he said, as he condemned the decision.

Oxford University students removing a picture of the Queen is simply absurd, he wrote.

She is the head of state and a symbol of what is best about the UK.

The president of Magdalen Dinah Rose also took to twitter to defend the students - and suggest that Mr Williamson was easily provoked.

Ms Rose said that the Middle Common Room was an organisation of graduate students, who did not represent the College.

A few years ago, in about 2013, they bought a print of a photo of the Queen to decorate their common room, she said.

They recently voted to take it down. Both of these decisions are their own to take, not the Colleges. Magdalen strongly supports free speech and political debate, and the MCRS right to autonomy.

But she added: Maybe theyll vote to put it up again, maybe they wont. Meanwhile, the photo will be safely stored.

Being a student is about more than studying. Its about exploring and debating ideas. Its sometimes about provoking the older generation. Looks like that isnt so hard to do these days.

It is not the first time that Mr Williamson has criticised students as part of the so-called war on woke. Earlier this year he railed against what he said was a chilling effect of unacceptable silencing and censoring on university campuses.
Pilot error caused the helicopter crash that killed coal billionaire Chris Cline and six others in the Bahamas in 2019, federal officials said.

The two pilots decision to take off in the AgustaWestland AW139 over water in dark night conditions with no external visual reference resulted in spatial disorientation and the subsequent crash off the coast of Big Grand Cay, according to a report released Thursday by the National Transportation Safety Board.

Killed in the July 2019 crash were Cline, the two pilots, Cline's adult daughter and three of her friends.

Investigators determined that the pilots were likely under external pressure from Cline, the aircrafts owner, to complete the flight. Cline's daughter and one of her friends were ill, and Cline wanted them taken from his private island to a Florida hospital, officials said.

Shortly after taking off, a witness saw the helicopter rotate to the left three to four times, followed by a whooshing noises and the sound of an impact, the report said. It was found upside-down in about 16 feet (5 meters) of water with its rotor blades separated. The wreckage of the helicopter was transported to Jacksonville for the NTSB to examine.

Clines death led to eulogies from coal industry leaders, government officials and academics, who described him as a visionary and generous philanthropist. He accumulated a $1.8 billion fortune from a career that he began years ago as a coal miner in southern West Virginia Cline bought Big Grand Cay in 2014.
Boris Johnson has weighed in on the culture wars battle over the removal of a portrait of the Queen from an Oxford students common room by sending out a message that he supports education secretary Gavin Williamsons criticism of the decision.

The president of the University of Oxfords Magdalen College has defended students right to free speech and political debate and said that college staff have received threatening messages as Mr Williamson branded the portraits removal absurd.

But the prime minister signalled his backing for the comment, with a 10 Downing Street spokesman telling reporters: You have the education secretarys words, which the prime minister supports.

Members of the Middle Common Room at Magdalen College voted for the change by a majority, saying the monarch represented recent colonial history and could make some feel unwelcome.

Mr Williamson tweeted that the monarch has worked tirelessly to promote British values of tolerance, inclusivity and respect around the world.

She was a symbol of what is best about the UK, he said, as he condemned the decision.

Oxford University students removing a picture of the Queen is simply absurd, wrote Mr Williamson.

She is the head of state and a symbol of what is best about the UK.

As the furore over the picture escalated, barrister Dinah Rose, who was appointed president of Magdalen College last year, tweeted an appeal for an end to abuse of staff over the decision.

If you are one of the people currently sending obscene and threatening messages to the college staff, you might consider pausing, and asking yourself whether that is really the best way to show your respect for the Queen, wrote Ms Rose.

Or whether shed be more likely to support the traditions of free debate and democratic decision-making that we are keeping alive at Magdalen.

Ms Rose said she would have voted to keep the picture, but added: I will back to the hilt their right to debate and decide this issue. Protecting free speech in universities has never been more important.

The Middle Common Room bought a print of the Queen in 2013 to decorate their own common room, and voted to take it down a few years later. Are we really so fragile now that were policing student votes about decor?

And she added: Being a student is about more than studying. Its about exploring and debating ideas. Its sometimes about provoking the older generation.

Looks like that isnt so hard to do these days.

Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick called the row student union politics, but he said he is proud to have a portrait of the Queen in his office.

He told BBC Breakfast on Wednesday: Im a huge fan and supporter of Her Majesty the Queen, I think we are incredibly lucky to live in a country with a head of state of her stature.

I wouldnt want anyone to disrespect her out of ignorance in this way, but I dont think that we should waste too much time on student union politics.

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham told Nick Ferrari on LBC: These kind of gestures are getting a bit out of hand.

We should always respect the Queen, but particularly now, given things that have happened in the last few months.

Lets get a sense of proportion and a bit of respect. People can air their views but those kind of gestures are divisive actually  they just divide people, and I dont think they achieve much, to be honest.

On its website, Magdalen College Middle Common Room describes itself as one of the biggest graduate communities of the traditional Oxford Colleges.

It states: Our graduates come from many different countries throughout the world, and have diverse interests, academic and otherwise.

The MCR forms an integral part of the Magdalen graduate experience  not only do we organise social and cultural events for students so that we can make the utmost out of our time in Oxford, but we also provide a network of support for graduate life in representing the concerns of students to the College.
The EU will suspend parts of the Brexit trade agreement unless the UK ends its refusal to implement the Northern Ireland Protocol, Boris Johnson has been warned.

Speaking after talks failed to achieve a breakthrough, Maros Sefcovic, the European Commission vice-president, warned that patience is wearing very, very thin.

Brussels is ready to slap tariffs and quotas on UK exports, he said  and even to suspend cooperation in certain sectors, pointing to deals on trade and services.

Mr Sefcovic laid bare his frustration after the UK failed to shift ground in the morning talks.

David Frost, the Brexit minister, described the result as no breakthroughs and no breakdown.

Crucially, he failed to rule out the UK unilaterally delaying the ban on the export of chilled meats from Great Britain  due to come in at the end of this month  the sausage wars.

Speaking hours after the talks, Mr Johnson insisted that he was not worried that this weeks G7 summit in Cornwall will be overshadowed by the threat of trade war with Brussels, insisting he was very, very optimistic that a solution was easily do-able.

But he gave no indication of any shift in position in response to Wednesdays deadlock, saying only that he wanted a solution that protects the peace process but also guarantees the economic and territorial integrity of the whole United Kingdom.

The commission vice-president warned that, if further unilateral action is taken, the EU would react swiftly, firmly and resolutely to ensure the UK sticks to the protocol it agreed and signed.

The UK has to abide by its legal obligations and perform these controls, Mr Sefcovic told a press conference in London.

Unfortunately, there are still numerous and fundamental gaps in the UK implementation of our agreement. These gaps need to be filled.

The legal action the EU has already started over the UK shelving earlier promised checks would end up in the European Court of Justice, with the case likely in early autumn.

In an interview after the meeting, Lord Frost hit out at Brussels, saying: What the EU is insisting on is we should operate the protocol in an extremely purist way.

The reality is that its a very balanced document thats designed to support the peace process and deal with the very sensitive politics in Northern Ireland.

But Mr Sefcovic insisted the EU was ready to compromise, over the supply of medicines, VAT on second-hand cars, livestock movements and steel tariffs and many other examples.

But we cannot undo the core of the protocol, he warned, threatening cross-retaliation measures that would undo the zero-tariff, zero-quota deal the UK secured at Christmas.

Asked what part of the Brexit deal would be suspended, Mr Sefcovic pointed to trade parts, services part and other measures, but added: I wouldnt specify them right now.

We really do not have the menu. We didnt come here to tell them we are going to do this and that precisely, we just told them there is such a possibility  lets avoid this.

However, the vice-president said it was not true that the EU is discussing an emergency plan to restrict Irelands access to the single market to solve the crisis, as reported.

Asked if he hoped for an intervention from Joe Biden when the US president arrives at the G7 summit, he pointed out that the administration was following this very closely.

Ahead of a face-to-face meeting with Mr Johnson in Cornwall, Mr Bidens national security adviser said his message would be the need to protect the peace process.

Whatever way they find to proceed must, at its core, fundamentally protect the gains of the Good Friday Agreement and not imperil that. And that is the message that President Biden will send when he is in Cornwall, Jake Sullivan said.

The new leader of the Democratic Unionist Party repeated his call for the protocol to be scrapped in the absence of a breakthrough. The protocol has failed and has only delivered instability and higher prices for Northern Ireland, said Edwin Poots, who is due to meet Mr Sefcovic next week.

It is time to remove the internal UK barriers rather than talking about the outworkings of those barriers.

If Brussels is deaf to the problems, then our own government must act unilaterally to protect Northern Ireland.

The former head of the governments Department for Exiting the EU said Mr Johnsons attempt to play tough with Brussels was short-sighted and risky.

Ex-Whitehall mandarin Philip Rycroft told Times Radio the spat over sausages absolutely had the potential to damage the UKs reputation at a time when Brexit means it is dependent on winning trust as a reliable international partner. Other countries will be watching the row very, very carefully, he said.

Mr Rycroft said the UKs position should be taken with a large dose of salt, adding: The UK side knew exactly what rules would apply as it signed up to the Northern Irish protocol. Its now a question of making it work.
Boris Johnson is falsely claiming not to have realised the damage his Brexit deal would inflict on Northern Ireland, a senior Tory says.

Gavin Barwell, Theresa Mays chief of staff, said the prime minister had perfectly well understood the impact of trade checks in the Irish Sea  and the EU would not believe the claim now that it was underestimated.

He and David Frost [the chief negotiator] are intelligent people, Lord Barwell said, ahead of crisis talks with the EU.

I find it inconceivable that they didnt understand what they were signing up to. They would have been advised very clearly by the civil service about that.

The attack came after Lord Frost backtracked on past claims that the Northern Ireland Protocol  which introduced a customs border on imports from Great Britain  had been a great deal.

Instead, he said: We underestimated the effect of the protocol on goods movements to Northern Ireland, with some suppliers in Great Britain simply not sending their products because of the time-consuming paperwork required.

The issue has come to a head with so-called sausage wars over a looming ban on the sale of chilled meats to Northern Ireland from 1 July  which the UK signed up to.

But Lord Barwell warned the government: I dont think the EU is ever going to think that is credible.

They know the quality of the civil servants involved in that work, and they know that British ministers would have been advised in detail on the implications of what they were signing up to.

So I dont I dont think anyone whos involved in the process is going to find it credible that the government signed up to something and didnt understand what the consequences of that were.

The UK is facing the threat of a trade war with it biggest market unless it stops backsliding on implementing the Protocol, as the EU sees it.

Nathalie Loiseau, the former French European affairs minister and now an MEP, warned it has the power to impose tariffs and quotas on British exports, unless there is full compliance.

However, the UK appears to be considering unilaterally extending a six-month grace period on the chilled meats ban, which the environment secretary branded bonkers.

Lord Frost has been meeting Maros Sefcovic, the EU commission vice-president, both about the Protocol controversy and to discuss the Christmas Brexit trade agreement.

Mr Sefcovic warned that the EU would act swiftly, firmly and resolutely to ensure that the UK abides by its international law obligations.

But Lord Frost hit back, saying: Further threats of legal action and trade retaliation from the EU wont make life any easier for the shopper in Strabane who cant buy their favourite product.

Nor will it benefit the small business in Ballymena struggling to source produce from their supplier in Birmingham.
The U.N. humanitarian chief warned Friday that famine is imminent in Ethiopias embattled Tigray region and the country's north and there is a risk that hundreds of thousands of people or more will die.

Mark Lowcock said the economy has been destroyed along with businesses, crops and farms and there are no banking or telecommunications services.

We are hearing of starvation-related deaths already, he said in a statement.

People need to wake up, Lowcock said. The international community needs to really step up, including through the provision of money.

No one knows how many thousands of civilians or combatants have been killed since months of political tensions between Ethiopian President Abiy Ahmeds government and the Tigray leaders who once dominated Ethiopias government exploded into war last November.

Eritrea a longtime Tigray enemy, teamed up with neighboring Ethiopia in the conflict.

In late May, Lowcock painted a grim picture of Tigray since the war began, with an estimated 2 million people displaced, civilians killed and injured, rapes and other forms of abhorrent sexual violence widespread and systematic, and public and private infrastructure essential for civilians destroyed, including hospitals and agricultural land.

There are now hundreds of thousands of people in Northern Ethiopia in famine conditions, Lowcock said. Thats the worse famine problem the world has seen for a decade, since a quarter of a million Somalis lost their lives in the famine there in 2011. This now has horrible echoes of the colossal tragedy in Ethiopia in 1984.

In the disastrous famine of 1984-85, about 2 million Africans died of starvation or famine-related ailments, about half of them in Ethiopia.

There is now a risk of a loss of life running into the hundreds of thousands or worse," Lowcock said.

He said getting food and other humanitarian aid to all those in need is proving very difficult for aid agencies.

The United Nations and the Ethiopian government have helped about 2 million people in recent months in northern Ethiopia, mainly in government-controlled areas, he said.

But Lowcock said there are more than a million people in places controlled by Tigrayan opposition forces and there have been deliberate, repeated, sustained attempts to prevent them getting food.

In addition, there are places controlled by the Eritreans and other places controlled by militia groups where it is extremely difficult to deliver aid, he said.

The access for aid workers is not there because of what men with guns and bombs are doing and what their political masters are telling them to do, the undersecretary-general for humanitarian affairs said.

Lowcock said all the blockages need to be rolled back and the Eritreans, who are responsible for a lot of this need to withdraw, so aid can get through to those facing famine.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed needs to do what he said he was going to do and force the Eritreans to leave Ethiopia, he said.

Lowcock said leaders of the seven major industrialized nations -- the United States United Kingdom, Germany, France, Japan, Italy and Canada -- need to put the humanitarian crisis and threat of widespread famine in northern Ethiopia on the agenda of their summit from June 11-13 in Cornwall, England.

Everyone needs to understand that were there to be a colossal tragedy of the sort that happened in 1984 the consequences would reach far and last long, he said.
The US State Department has eased travel restrictions for dozens of countries including Japan, France, Spain and Mexico.

At least 58 countries and territories have been taken off the highest level 4 Do Not Travel list, and moved down to the level 3 category urging US citizens to Reconsider Travel to those locations.

In a statement to the media, a spokesperson said: The Department of State has no greater responsibility than the safety and security of US citizens overseas. As conditions evolve, we regularly update our advice to US travellers.

Another 27 countries and territories have been moved down from level 3 to the first two levels, which mandate that travellers exercise increased caution or regular safety precautions.

Other countries that are no longer in the Do Not Travel category include Italy, Greece, Switzerland and Canada.

The new travel advisories by the State Department come in the wake of the Centres for Disease Control and Preventions (CDC) changes to its own travel health notices. The CDC said it had updated its criteria to better differentiate countries with severe outbreak situations from countries with sustained, but controlled, Covid-19 spread. Sixty-two places were recategorised as a result from the highest warning to the second-highest.

For countries in the second-highest warning level, the CDC says, any non-essential travel should be avoided by unvaccinated travellers. Anyone visiting these places should be fully vaccinated.

Thirty-four places were moved to the low Covid-19 risk level and another 15 were moved to the moderate level by the CDC.

The State Departments travel advisories in part use the CDCs notices to come up with their own guidelines. But the department said that it also considers other factors including coronavirus-related travel restrictions, crime and terrorism.
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Samuel Olson, the five-year-old boy who was found stuffed in a tote bin in a Texas hotel room, died of blunt force trauma to the head, an autopsy has shown.

His decomposing body was found in a plastic tote bin in his dads girlfriends hotel room in Jasper, east Texas on 1 June after having been missing since 10 May. Samuels death has officially been ruled a homicide.

The fathers girlfriend, Theresa Balboa, 29, is being held on a $600,000 bond and has been charged with tampering with evidence  a human corpse. But prosecutors have said that they expect more charges will be added.

Ms Balboa was arrested on 1 June when she was found at a Best Western hotel in Jasper, with Samuels body in a plastic tote bin in her room. Police believe the boy had been dead since 10 May.

Ms Balboa reported Samuel missing on 27 May while at home in Houston. The authorities said they think she was making her way to Louisiana when she was apprehended more than 100 miles away from her home.

Prosecutors said more charges will be added as Ms Balboa appeared in court on Monday. Her bond was raised to $600.000 because of Samuels death and an alleged assault six months before the child disappeared.

Prosecutor Andrea Beall from the Harris County District Attorneys Office said a murder or capital murder investigation is pending in the case.

Samuels grandmother, Tonya Olson, has said that she last saw him alive on the weekend of 8 May.

He was last seen by someone outside the family on 30 April, when he attended school. Ms Balboa reported him missing almost a month later.

Court documents state that her roommate told authorities that Ms Balboa called him on 10 May and said Samuel was dead.

Benjamin Rivera, the roommate, hurried home from work, finding the boy in bed, unresponsive and with bruises. Mr Rivera and Ms Balboa allegedly moved the body to their bathtub, where it stayed for the next two days.

Mr Rivera told police that he bought duct tape and a plastic bin from Walmart on 13 May, later wrapping the body along with Ms Balboa and putting it in the bin and later moving it to a storage locker.

She called a friend on 31 May, asking him to pick her up in the parking lot of a Walmart in Cleveland, Texas, northeast of Houston. They drove 70 miles to the south where Ms Balboa picked up the bin from the storage locker. After that, they reportedly drove another 160 miles northeast to the Best Western in Jasper, Texas.

They carried the bin to room 106, but the man was so disturbed by the smell emanating from the box that he anonymously called a CrimeStoppers tip line to make a report.

Law enforcement arrived at the scene and found Ms Balboa and the box holding the boys body.

Tiffany Schultz, 25, moved into the apartment next door to Ms Balboa in Webster, southeast of Houston, with her fiance and son on 11 May, a day after Samuel is thought to have died.

The second day we were here, it was probably about 3 or 4 oclock in the morning, we heard loud scratching noises, really, really loud, she told The Sun. It lasted for a good ten or fifteen minutes.

Ive heard loud scratching from animals before and it wasnt that, I dont believe they had animals, Ms Schultz said. We didnt hear any other noises, it was strange.

Samuels parents, Sarah and Dalston Olson, filed for divorce in January 2020 and subsequently fought for the custody of their child.

The mothers lawyer, Marco Gonzalez, told reporters this week that while she had primary custody, she had not seen her son since the summer of 2020. The lawyer accused the father of keeping Samuel away from Sarah Olson and of evading being served legal paperwork that would have had a court order him to return Samuel to his mother.

Ms Balboa accused Mr Gonzalez and a man who presented himself as an officer of taking the boy after she reported him missing. Police were not able to verify this accusation. Samuel had been living with Ms Balboa since 30 April. Mr Dalton lived elsewhere.

Ms Balboa previously lost custody over two of her own young daughters in 2019, following accusations that she had been a bad mother.

Click2Houston obtained court documents that showed that the girls, now eight and six years old, were taken from their mother after she didnt appear at a custody hearing in court.
Emma Coronel Aispuro is expected to plead guilty to charges of running the sprawling drug empire of husband El Chapo, according to reports.

Ms Coronel, 32, will appear in a Federal District Court in Washington on Thursday to enter the plea, The New York Times reported.

The US-born beauty queen is facing international drug trafficking charges for allegedly participating in a conspiracy to distribute drugs like cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin and marijuana in the US.

Shes also accused of helping plot her husbands 2015 escape from a prison in Mexico, as well as helping plan another jailbreak once he was recaptured in 2016.

Quoting a person familiar with the case, the Times reported the plea deal did not require Ms Aispuro to flip on the allies, relatives or business partners of her husband, Joaquin Guzman Loera.

In return for pleading guilty, she will be designated a minimal participant and receive a lighter sentence than the maximum of 10 years to life in prison for the initial conspiracy indictment.

When Ms Aispuro was arrested in February, the Justice Department indictment gave a rare glimpse into how the dual US-Mexico citizen entered the world of Guzman.

Guzman was the leader of the notorious Sinaloa drug cartel before he was convicted and sentenced to life in prison in 2019. After sitting through the 11-week trial in Brooklyn, Ms Aispuro emerged into a life of glamour and excess while her husband remained locked up in a Colorado Supermax prison.

She appeared on VH1s reality show Cartel Crew and had planned on starting a clothing line named after El Chapo.

Despite Guzmans life sentence, the US Drug Enforcement Administration threat assessment said in March that the Sinaloa Cartel maintains the widest national influence in the United States.

The indictment against Ms Aispuro says she grew up with knowledge of the narcotics trafficking industry and understood the scope of the cartels operation, given her father had a historical friendship with Guzman.
A scientist whose words have been widely cited to support the lab leak theory of Covid-19 s origin is now taking some of those words back.

Last month, Nobel laureate David Baltimore told Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists that part of the coronaviruss genome  the furin cleavage site  was smoking gun evidence that it originated in a laboratory. The quote was quickly picked up by countless believers in the theory that human beings engineered the virus.

But on Tuesday, Dr Baltimore hedged, telling the Los Angeles Times he should have softened the phrase smoking gun because I dont believe that it proves the origin of the furin cleavage site but it does sound that way.

I believe that the question of whether the sequence was put in naturally or by molecular manipulation is very hard to determine, but I wouldnt rule out either origin, the biologist told the newspaper.

He also clarified his comments to the magazine Nature .

There are other possibilities and they need careful consideration, which is all I meant to be saying, he told the journal.

However, the lab leak theory has gained traction in recent months. Robert Redfield , the former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told CNN in March that he believed the virus most likely originated at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, where scientists were studying coronaviruses.

I am of the point of view that I still think the most likely ideology of this pathogen in Wuhan was from a laboratory, he said then . Escaped. Other people dont believe that. Thats fine. Science will eventually figure it out.

In May, The Wall Street Journal reported that three staff members at the Wuhan lab were hospitalized with Covid-like symptoms in November 2019, according to a US intelligence report  earlier than Chinas first known cases of the disease.

A few days after the Journal article came out, President Biden ordered intelligence officials to further investigate the origins of Covid-19, including the possibility that it came from a Chinese laboratory.

Meanwhile, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus , head of the World Health Organisation , has demanded a more extensive report on the pandemics beginning, and insists that all hypotheses remain on the table.

Others, most notably Dr Anthony Fauci , have said the man-made origin is only one of several possible explanations, and not the most likely one.
President Joe Biden will reportedly direct his administration to purchase 500 million doses of Pfizers Covid-19 vaccine for the purpose of donating the shots to developing countries around the world.

The Washington Post reported the presidents plan on Wednesday, which Mr Biden will reportedly detail during a meeting of the Group of Seven (G-7) nations in the UK this week.

The Independent has reached out to the White House and State Department for comment.

Mr Bidens pledge, if accurate, would be a major step up in commitment to ending the global Covid-19 pandemic by the US, which previously planned to donate about 80 million Covid-19 vaccine doses to developing nations including 19 million doses that are to be shared with the World Health Organization's COVAX effort.

It wasnt immediately clear what share of the Biden administrations new vaccine donation would go to the COVAX effort. The WHO-led program aims to help countries vaccinate at least 20 percent of their total population against Covid-19, but suffers from insufficient access to vaccines itself.

The reported US plan comes as the world faces a massive disparity between the populations of rich and poor nations in terms of the rate of vaccinations. While the US has seen more than 40 percent of its population become fully inoculated against the virus, most developing countries have struggled to vaccinate even a fraction of that number.

Even more-developed nations such as Japan, which is set to host the Summer Olympic Games in the coming weeks, have struggled to obtain large quantities of vaccines and roll out distribution to significant segments of their populations.

COVAX has facilitated donations of more than 80 million vaccine doses to dozens of countries, and set a goal last year of donating more than 2 billion doses before the end of 2021.
A doctor in Ohio told a panel of state lawmakers that the coronavirus vaccine "magnetised" people and promoted 5G conspiracy theories on the statehouse floor.

Dr Sherri Tenpenny, a doctor based in Cleveland and the author of the book Saying No to Vaccines, appeared before legislators on Tuesday to voice her concerns about the vaccines.

Tyler Buchanan of the Ohio Capitol Journal reported that Dr Tenpenny was testifying in favour of a bill that would prohibit any Ohio business or school from mandating vaccine use when she made the comments.

Im sure youve seen the pictures all over the Internet of people who have had these shots and now theyre magnetised, Dr Tenpenny said. They can put a key on their forehead. It sticks. They can put spoons and forks all over them and they can stick, because now we think that theres a metal piece to that.

The doctor complained that 5,000 people had died from the vaccine  without offering any evidence  and said that if even half that number were true it would be grounds for the government to quit pushing the vaccine.

No deaths have been linked directly to a person receiving a coronavirus vaccine.

She then went on to claim that the vaccines "interface" with 5G cellular towers, but she did not elaborate on what that actually meant.

Despite her testimony being riddled with nonsense and conspiracy theories, few Ohio lawmakers pushed back against her claims. Some Republicans in the state's legislature even praised her testimony and her podcast, which they called "enlightening in terms of thinking."

According to The Washington Post, another Ohio Republican, Jennifer L Gross, told the doctor it was "an honour to have you here." Ms Gross is a nurse and once compared businesses requiring vaccinations to the Holocaust.

A day before Dr Tenpenny shared her views on the vaccines, the Ohio Department of Health held a news event where doctors worked to dispel misinformation about the shots.

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, a Republican, enacted the state's "Vaxamillion" lottery to try to encourage residents to take the shot by offering large cash prize giveaways. Despite his support for the vaccination effort, Republican lawmakers in the state have opposed him.

The states Republican legislature has taken radical positions on the coronavirus since it cropped up in the US last year. They attempted to strip the power from the state's then-Department of Health Director Amy Action, who was praised early on during the pandemic for her frequent and empathetic briefings and decisive action.

Ms Acton was eventually run out of her position by the combined pressure from GOP lawmakers and their constituents, with some of the latter picketing outside her house and sending her death threats for enacting lockdowns during the pandemic.

State Representative Brian Stewart was one of the few Republicans to give Dr Tenpenny anything resembling resistance, asking her: "Of the five-and-a-half million Ohioans who have gotten the covid-19 vaccine shot through today or the last six months, how many do you believe have been killed by that shot?"

"So, I don't know," she replied.

Dr Tenpenny  whose testimony went viral  defended her testimony to The Washington Post.

I do believe greatly that people should have a choice on what gets injected to their bodies because once you have injected it you cant uninject it, she said.
Kamala Harris pledged to visit the US-Mexico border, after the vice president urged the US and neighbouring countries to address the root causes of migration while Joe Bidens administration seeks to repair an asylum system upended by Donald Trump against a tide of recent migration fuelled by the coronavirus pandemic, violence and drained economies.

She called Republican criticism amplified by right-wing media that has pressed her to visit the border shortsighted and said it fails to confront the realities for migrants in their home countries.

I think its shortsighted for any of us who are in the business of problem solving to suggest were only going to respond to the reaction as opposed to addressing the cause, she said from Mexico on Tuesday.

The problem at the border, in large part if not entirely, stems from the problems in these countries, the vice president said. I cannot say it enough. Most people do not want to leave home, and when they do, it is usually for one of two reasons  either fleeing harm, or to stay home means they cannot [receive] the basic needs to sustain and take care of their families.

She argued that to address the impact of migration on the nations southern border, we have to have the ability to address the root causes of why people leave, and we have to understand  if it is a priority to us to be concerned with what is happening at our border, then it must be a priority for us to understand why people leave.

The vice president was criticised on Monday for her message of hope to Guatemalans and a warning to migrants not to come to the US.

I want to emphasise that the goal of our work is to help Guatemalans find hope at home, she said during a press conference in Guatemala with President Alejandro Giammattei in Guatemala City.

At the same time, I want to be clear to folks in this region who are thinking about making that dangerous trek to the United States-Mexico border, she said. Do not come. Do not come.

Her remarks on Tuesday also follow the anticipated release of a progress report from the US Department of Homeland Security on the state of family reunification for the thousands of families still separated after their expulsion under the Trump administration and its zero tolerance policy that sought to criminally prosecute asylum seekers.

A DHS task force discovered that 1,786 children were reunified with their families in the US and in their home countries, most of them prior to the creation of the task force within the first days of the Biden administration.

There are an estimated 2,127 children who may remain separated from their parents, the report found.

Of the more than 1,600 parents and 400 children deported by the administration, they were together in only 2 per cent of those cases, according to the report.

In her primetime remarks on Tuesday, the vice president condemned the Trump-era policy and committed to reunifying children with their parents, as immigrant advocates and civil rights groups press the DHS to accelerate its efforts.

The visit  her first foreign trip as vice president  concluded with a commitment between the US and Mexico president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador to combat poverty, persecution and corruption in Central America.

She also promoted protections for organised labour, entrepreneurship among women, and quality-of-life improvements in a region devastated by hurricanes, corruption, violence and economic fallout.

Her pacts with Central American leaders will also support anti-drug trafficking measures and efforts to combat human smuggling.

The Biden administration also will support loans for affordable housing and infrastructure development, according to a statement from Ms Harriss adviser Symone Sanders.

The administration also has requested additional security along the Mexico-Guatemala border.

The issue of root causes wont be solved in one trip that took two days, she told reporters on Tuesday.

Addressing those issues must be done with a commitment to going deep and making a commitment over a period of time knowing [it] wont be addressed overnight, she said. It would do a disservice  to address the root causes as if its something that can be dealt with overnight.

The vice president said she did not discuss Title 42, a public health policy invoked under the Trump administration and kept in place under Mr Biden during the pandemic, turning asylum seekers away from the US without having a chance to apply. It is legal to seek asylum at ports of entry, and one can only apply for asylum in the US.

As a senator, Ms Harris accused the Trump administration of abusing the policy.
Americas wealthiest billionaires have spoken out following the leak of their tax returns in a bombshell report, which revealed how little they pay to the federal government compared to the average household.

Billionaire investor Carl Icahn declared a total income of $544 million in 2016 and 2017, according to tax returns obtained by ProPublica, but he paid nothing to the federal government for those years.

When contacted by the news organisation, Mr Icahn denied that he did anything wrong those years in filing his taxes because he claimed he had no earned income for the federal government to tax.

In no way were any of my activities even remotely questionable or designed for the purpose of tax avoidance, Mr Icahn told ProPublica.

Mr Icahn, who has an estimated net worth of $15 billion, added that he carefully followed US tax laws and paid federal income tax during the years where his investment income exceeded his investment costs. But some years, such as in 2016 and 2017, his expenses exceeded his income returns  allowing him to not pay taxes.

Theres a reason its called income tax, he said when asked if it was appropriate to not pay taxes during specific years. The reason is if, if youre a poor person, a rich person, if you are Apple  if you have no income, you dont pay taxes.

He added: Do you think a rich person should pay taxes no matter what? I dont think its germane. How can you ask me that question?

This defense has also been echoed by billionaire investor George Soros, who paid no federal income taxes for three years in the tax returns reviewed by ProPublica.

Between 2016 and 2018 George Soros lost money on his investments, therefore he did not owe federal income taxes in those years. Mr Soros has long supported higher taxes for wealthy Americans, a spokesperson to Mr Soros told the news organisation.

Billionaire Warren Buffett has faced scrutiny following ProPublicas report because he has paid the lowest percentage of his wealth to the federal government out of all other wealthy Americans.

The report revealed that Mr Buffett had a reported income of $125 million over the five years despite his wealth growing 24.3 billion in that same timeframe, but he paid a true tax rate of just 0.10 per cent.

The Berkshire Hathaway CEO was able to pay such low federal income taxes because he kept 99 per cent of his wealth in his companys stocks.

In a statement to ProPublica, Mr Buffett defended his tax avoidance by stating he already gave half of his wealth to charitable causes and said the rest of his wealth would similarly be given away.

I continue to believe that the tax code should be changed substantially, he said, adding that he thought huge dynastic wealth is not desirable for our society.

The IRS has announced an internal and external investigation into the leak of thousands of wealthy Americans tax returns to ProPublica following the release of the report on Tuesday.

The news organisation said the source of the leaked information, which included tax returns of thousands of wealthy Americans over the last 15 years, was anonymous but confirmed the information to be accurate IRS data.

Private citizens tax information is confidential and IRS employees could face prosecution for sharing the information.

I can confirm that there is an investigation with respect to the allegations that the source of the information in that article came from the Internal Revenue Service. Upon reviewing the article, the appropriate contacts were made, as you would expect, Internal Revenue Service Commissioner Charles Rettig told US senators during a hearing on Tuesday.

It was not immediately clear if an IRS employee leaked the information or if the tax returns were accessed by an outside group.
The Army Corps of Engineers is rushing to repair levees that were breached to build former President Donald Trumps border wall.

As hurricane season approaches, construction workers are racing against time amid fears that storms could devastate the area around Mission, Texas.

Southern Texas is an area that often suffers from hurricanes and flooding, making the levee system vital for the survival of communities in the region.

The Army Corps of Engineers have said they are likely going to be able to make sure that the region is protected if its struck by a hurricane, NBC News reported.

Construction workers are putting in 12- to 14-hour shifts six days a week to get it done before the first hurricane hits.

Tall levees previously protecting the area around Mission were cut out to make way for Mr Trump's border wall. But now levees are being put back in its place, with construction planned to finish by the end of the month.

Brigadier General Christopher Beck, the commander of the Southwestern Division of the US Army Corps of Engineers, told NBC News: The purpose of the levee is obviously to remediate or mitigate against flood threat[s]. The more complete the levee system is, the more repaired those excavations are, the better flood protection it provides against a threat to the people and infrastructure behind the levee. So we certainly had a sense of urgency.

The border wall was a trademark of the Trump administration, but President Joe Biden signed an executive order to stop spending taxpayer dollars on the construction of the wall on his first day in office on 20 January.

Like every nation, the United States has a right and a duty to secure its borders and protect its people against threats, Mr Bidens proclamation said. But building a massive wall that spans the entire southern border is not a serious policy solution. It is a waste of money that diverts attention from genuine threats to our homeland security.

When construction was halted, giant gaps were left with no flood protection.

Texas Senator Ted Cruz wrote a letter to Mr Biden in April, saying: Your administration should not allow its opposition to a border wall to prevent building a levee wall that is critical to the people of the Rio Grande Valley.

You need to help us, because if you dont, if you don't finish this project, if you dont complete this levee, were going to be in the water here, former Border Patrol agent Armando Mercado told Fox News at the time. And were talking about thousands of homes, thousands of people. It is going to be devastating to this community.

The other Texas Senator, John Cornyn, announced that same month that his office had sent a letter to DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, saying: Leaving these levees in their current state could put more than 200,000 Texans in the path of catastrophic flooding as hurricane season rapidly approaches. It is critical that the Department permit the Army Corps of Engineers and other contractors to continue their work to rebuild and repair these levees.

I have heard from dozens of local leaders who are concerned with the threat this unfinished work represents to their communities, he added.


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She has many times been spotted without a mask in Mumbai. So much so, celebs would criticise her and people would ask Mumbai Police to issue a challan against her.

Then, she made many bizarre statements about the deadly virus and even called it the small-time flu. Days later, Kangana Ranaut tested positive for Covid-19.

Twitter

Now that she has recovered, she was once again spotted sans a mask in Mumbai, and once again, people are furious.

The actress visited her Khar office, which was partly demolished by Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). In the photos, she can be seen having a discussion with her team.



Once again, people criticised her. Some even tagged Mumbai Police and CM Uddhav Thackeray and urged them to take action against her.

"Her rules are for others but not for herself as always seen without a mask in public places not learnt any lesson even after recovering from COVID", wrote a user.

"I had put my mask down for 2 seconds to drink water and I was fined Rs 200 and I willingly gave it, why is she not fined, multiple public appearances without a mask! How irresponsible," wrote another one.

"Where is her mask ? Why does she openly moves around without mask," read another comment.



Take a look!

Instagram

Instagram

Kangana Ranaut is getting slammed on social media.
Data from the Health Department, which oversees vaccinations everywhere except Philadelphia, show that the seven-day average of daily shots was 30,745 on June 4, including both first and second doses. Thats about equal to where it was Jan. 20, and less than a third of its peak in mid-April. Vaccinators have several days to enter their reports into the states information system.
A shift in Centre's policy on vaccine procurement is a timely development while states struggle to vaccinate their residents, due to the unavailability of vaccines.

The Centre has said it has placed fresh orders for 44 crore doses of Covishield and Covaxin after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the Centre would take over the state procurement quota and provide free jabs to state governments for inoculation of all above the age of 18.

These 44 crore doses of COVID-19 vaccines will be available till December 2021, starting now, the Union Health Ministry said.

"In immediate follow-up of the prime minister's announcement of these changes in the Guidelines of National COVID Vaccination programme yesterday, the Centre has placed an order with Serum Institute of India for 25 crore doses of Covishield and with Bharat Biotech for 19 crore doses of Covaxin.

iStock

"Additionally, 30 per cent of the advance for procurement of both the COVID-19 vaccines has been released to Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech," an official said.

Centre to take over vaccine procurement process

In an address to the nation on Monday, the prime minister announced that the central government would take over the 25 per cent state procurement quota and provide free coronavirus vaccines to states and union territories for inoculation of all above 18 years of age from June 21.

Asserting that vaccine supply would be increased significantly in the coming days, Modi said the Centre has now decided to buy 75 per cent of jabs from vaccine makers for free supply to states, while private sector hospitals will continue to procure the remaining 25 per cent.

Vaccine price at private hospitals

The government has also set the maximum price private hospitals can charge for the three COVID-19 vaccines currently available in the country -- Covishield Rs 780 per dose, Covaxin Rs 1,410 and Sputnik V Rs 1,145.

In a letter to all states and union territories on Tuesday, the Health Ministry suggested that appropriate strict action be taken against private vaccination centres for overcharging.

The maximum price of Covishield for private COVID-19 Vaccination Centres (CVCs) has been fixed at Rs 780 per dose, while that of Covaxin is Rs 1,410 per dose and Sputnik V Rs 1,145 per dose, it said.

Factors determining free allocation

States and union territories would aggregate the demand of private hospitals for Covid vaccines based on which the Centre will facilitate supply to these governments for timely and equitable distribution to smaller and remoter private healthcare facilities, according to the revised guidelines issued on Tuesday.

AFP

Also, vaccine doses provided free of cost by the Centre will be allocated to states and union territories based on criteria such as population, disease burden and progress of vaccination.

Within the population group of citizens more than 18 years, states and union territories may decide their own prioritisation factoring in the vaccine supply schedule, stated the Health Ministry's 'Revised Guidelines for implementation of National COVID Vaccination Program' which will come into effect from June 21.

"Wastage of vaccines will affect the allocation negatively," the ministry said.

In order to incentivise production by vaccine manufacturers and encourage new vaccines, domestic vaccine manufacturers are also given the option to provide vaccines directly to private hospitals.

This would be restricted to 25 per cent of their monthly production.
India has set the end of December this year as the deadline for vaccinating the entire population. However, the current rate at which people are being vaccinated, the deadline seems rather ambitious to cover the entire population.

According to a report by The Times of India, taking into account the population of the state as per Census 2021 and the number of doses already delivered, Uttar Pradesh has so far, given the first shot to less than 12 per cent of its adult population.

BCCL

The second dose in the state has been administered to just 2.5 per cent at an average of 1.4 lakh doses a day.

For Uttar Pradesh to meet the target, it must administer 13.2 lakh doses a day, which is a nine-fold jump.

Himachal Pradesh has vaccinated 38.1 per cent of its adult population and fully vaccinated 7.9 per cent.

BCCL

To meet the targets, the state has to raise its average daily vaccination from about 18,000 a day to 41,000 a day, a little more than double.

States such as Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh, which are the country's most populous states in terms of 18-plus population, need to increase daily vaccination targets by five-fold.
In a shocking incident, a jilted love allegedly used social media to take revenge after he was rejected by a woman.

According to reports, the accused created a dozen Instagram profiles to harass a 23-year-old woman after she rejected his advances. The accused was infatuated with the woman and wanted to be in a relationship with her. However, the woman did not want the same.

The woman is a resident of Thaltej in Gujarat and works as a lab technician at a private hospital on SG Road. She said that the accused had been harassing her and asking her to date him.

iMore

The accused first approached the woman through social media on Instagram, reported Times of India. He asked her to break off her engagement with her fiance and date him instead. The woman simply asked the man to stop sending her these messages and blocked him.

After that, the accused created a new profile to text the woman and she kept blocking him. However, that did not stop him from further harassment and kept creating new profiles to message her.

Twitter

Tired of the harassment, the woman approached the cybercrime police on Monday and lodged a complaint. The police is investigating the matter to nab the accused.



Instagram's policies state that "Our Community Guidelines support a safe and open environment for everyone. We take violations very seriously and encourage you to report abusive behaviour."

Shutterstock (Representational Image)

Such fiends should be punished for their actions.
Indian American Samik Bhattacharya of the University of Central Florida was among five early career professionals at the university awarded by the National Science Foundation with a CAREER Award. (ucf.edu photo)




Their homes can only be saved through international mobilization and diplomatic and political pressure to end the Israeli policy of systemic forced displacement once and for all.



End the Israeli Policy of systemic forced displacement.



#SaveSilwan #SaveSheikhJarrah #SaveLifta #FreeGaza



Ways to help Palestinians:

1) Sign the following petitions:

https://actionnetwork.org/letters/congress-protect-east-jerusalem?clear_id=true&source=email-action-alerts-contact-congress-about-gaza-and-east-jerusalem



https://www.codepink.org/israelaustin



https://www.codepink.org/1billionmore



https://ampalestine.salsalabs.org/nomoreweaponsforisrael/index.html



https://ampalestine.salsalabs.org/sanctionisrael/index.html





https://actionnetwork.org/letters/save-lives-in-gaza?source=direct_link&



https://actionnetwork.org/forms/no-apartheid/?source=group-mpower-action-fund&referrer=group-mpower-action-fund



https://secure.everyaction.com/wUAYmd6RzEacXxN3WQuYQQ2



https://secure.everyaction.com/1bUDFJrq_kWz5sjKEeyoPQ2?emci=5d4149d1-36af-eb11-85aa-0050f237abef&emdi=48af3b35-3eb3-eb11-a7ad-0050f271b5d8&ceid=1631053



https://nwttac.dci-palestine.org/contact_your_lawmaker_about_hr_2590?utm_campaign=may_14_gaza_update_nwttac&utm_medium=email&utm_source=dcipalestine&emci=898aaa6a-50ba-eb11-a7ad-501ac57b8fa7&emdi=720e95c4-78ba-eb11-a7ad-501ac57b8fa7&ceid=13259655#/7/



https://www.codepink.org/natgeo



https://www.codepink.org/revokethelicense



https://bdsmovement.net/caf-get-out-of-sheikh-jarrah



2) Call your US House Representative (202-225-3121) to cosponsor HR2590. Congress acts when enough constituents demand it.



3) Call the State Department at 202-647-6575 option 8. Leave a message for the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs to immediately revoke export license number DDTC 20-084, the $735 million arms deal between Boeing and Israel



4) Learn more about Palestine at:

- American Muslims for Palestine (AMP)

- US Campaign for Palestinian Rights (USCPR)

- Rebuilding Alliance

- Adalah Justice Project

- Eyewitness Palestine

- Grassroots Al-Quds

- BDS Movement

- Middle East Children's Alliance (MECA)

- Palestinian American Medical Association (PAMA)

- We Are Not Numbers

- teachpalestine.org

- decolonizepalestine.com

- gazaincontext.com

- palambassador.org

- palestinianyouthmovement.com/sheikh-jarrah



5) Read Determined to Stay: Palestinian Youth Fight for their Village by Jody Sokolower: shoppalestine.org/product-p/book_determined_to_stay.htm



6) Watch the film 1948: Creation & Catastrophe at



7) Boycott HP, PUMA, General Mills/Pillsbury, Sabra and SodaStream

The Israeli Occupation Authorities just ordered 1500 Palestinians in Silwan's Bustan neighborhood to demolish their own homes within 21 days or else pay the demolition fees.Their homes can only be saved through international mobilization and diplomatic and political pressure to end the Israeli policy of systemic forced displacement once and for all.End the Israeli Policy of systemic forced displacement.#SaveSilwan #SaveSheikhJarrah #SaveLifta #FreeGazaWays to help Palestinians:1) Sign the following petitions:2) Call your US House Representative (202-225-3121) to cosponsor HR2590. Congress acts when enough constituents demand it.3) Call the State Department at 202-647-6575 option 8. Leave a message for the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs to immediately revoke export license number DDTC 20-084, the $735 million arms deal between Boeing and Israel4) Learn more about Palestine at:- American Muslims for Palestine (AMP)- US Campaign for Palestinian Rights (USCPR)- Rebuilding Alliance- Adalah Justice Project- Eyewitness Palestine- Grassroots Al-Quds- BDS Movement- Middle East Children's Alliance (MECA)- Palestinian American Medical Association (PAMA)- We Are Not Numbers- teachpalestine.org- decolonizepalestine.com- gazaincontext.com- palambassador.org- palestinianyouthmovement.com/sheikh-jarrah5) Read Determined to Stay: Palestinian Youth Fight for their Village by Jody Sokolower: shoppalestine.org/product-p/book_determined_to_stay.htm6) Watch the film 1948: Creation & Catastrophe at https://www.1948movie.com/ 7) Boycott HP, PUMA, General Mills/Pillsbury, Sabra and SodaStream For more event information: https://www.instagram.com/p/CP4OLc4tO1-/

Added to the calendar on Wednesday Jun 9th, 2021 9:46 AM
Woodbridge, VA (22192)

Today

Cloudy skies early, then off and on rain showers overnight. Low around 65F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%..

Tonight

Cloudy skies early, then off and on rain showers overnight. Low around 65F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%.
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Asked during a later conference call with financial analysts about Albertas advantage over building similar facilities in the U.S. Gulf Coast, Saudi Arabia or elsewhere, Ghasemi, who is also chairperson and president, said: We are doing it because we have a pipeline and customers, and we think the demand is there.
Left: Image of the Greenwood district aflame, with the derogatory designation "Little Africa". Right: Tulsas black population was rounded up and taken to detention centers at the Convention Hall, McNulty Park, and later the fairgrounds which left Greenwood open to be looted and destroyed.
Cyber experts are saying that the Colonial Pipeline attack, in which ransomware took down 5,500 miles of critical infrastructure along one of the nations largest pipelines, should be a wake up call for all companies to prioritize their cyber hygiene.

This is everyday, every company, every nonprofit, every municipality, says Catherine Lyle, head of claims at Coalition, on this weeks episode of the Insuring Cyber Podcast. If youre doing business, or youre using the internet, or you have security and you use a computer, youre one of them.

Megan North, vice president and broker at Amwins, also says in this podcast episode that cyber criminals are looking for the lowest hanging fruit.

Even if the business has the absolute best controls, the reality is that their cybersecurity has to be right 100% of the time for them to be fully protected, she says.

While there is talk that some insurers are pulling back on coverage regarding ransomware or even eliminating it, Lyle says traditional carriers need to understand that this is a further disservice to companies and nonprofits already finding themselves increasingly vulnerable to these types of attacks.

While we know that all security is not foolproof, insurance is very important as a risk transfer for these things, she says, adding that carriers need to underwrite better and push companies to have better security so that they can get insurance in the first place.

She said companies need to do their part too by understanding the importance of prioritizing insurance coverage that protects them against these types of attacks.

Whether or not someone has insurance isnt what makes it that theyre a target, it just makes it that theyre a wiser company because theyve actually made that risk transfer by applying and getting insurance, she says.

North adds that from an insurance perspective, the recent Colonial Pipeline attack has highlighted the physical impacts that a cyber event can have.

When cyber insurance was first designed, it was really a product built to respond to loss or disclosure of data and private information, she says. But recent events really have shown us that theres even more of a metamorphosis, if you will, to the physical realm, the physical side of loss.

In fact, Lyle shares in this episode a story about one of Coalitions manufacturing clients that recently experienced physical damage due to a ransomware attack, a business interruption expense she says some carriers dont cover.

Even though the computer system is back up and running, youre not able to run the entire manufacturing system, and so they incur more business interruption, she says. And thats an area where some carriers arent covering.

Ransomware attacks, not only on the critical infrastructure and energy sector but across all industries, have become more severe and common recently. This means that from an insurance company perspective, its no longer just a cyber or professional lines issue but one that is permeating across all lines, North says.

From a regulatory standpoint, its no longer simply a data privacy issue, she adds. Its now a risk which threatens the very fabric of how our country operates and how people live on a daily basis.

Indeed, ransomware attacks increased by a huge amount  485%  in 2020 globally, accounting for nearly one quarter of all cyber incidents, according to software company Bitdefender. With this in mind, could an attack even bigger than the recent Colonial Pipeline event be on the horizon for the critical infrastructure and energy space?

I definitely wouldnt count it out, North says. Id say its certainly possible. As scary as it is to verbalize and think about, I do think its a real possibility.

A spokesperson from Colonial Pipeline was not available to comment for this episode by press time. Check out the rest of this episode to see what else Catherine and Megan have to say, and be sure to check back for new episodes publishing every other Wednesday along with the Insuring Cyber newsletter. Thanks for listening.
Jerry Falwell Jr. is asking a court in Virginia to dismiss a lawsuit Liberty University filed over his headline-grabbing departure last year as leader of the evangelical school his father founded.

Falwell claims in a court filing that much of Libertys suit serves only to keep shaming him after a provocative photo of him came to light and revelations surfaced of his wifes extramarital affair, The News & Advance in Lynchburg reported Thursday.

Falwell claims the suit focuses on his wifes personal life while not addressing his actions as the leader of Liberty.

The rehashing of these events and protected defamation of Falwell through litigation serves one mission  ruining Falwells reputation through mischaracterization of events and public shaming through out-of-context pictures filed in a public complaint, according to Tuesdays filing in Lynchburg Circuit Court.

Falwells departure in August came after a news outlet published an interview with a man who said he had a years-long sexual relationship with Becki Falwell and that Jerry Falwell participated in some of the liaisons as a voyeur. Falwell denied the report.

The school filed its suit in April, seeking tens of millions in damages. Liberty claims Falwell crafted a well-resourced exit strategy from his role as president and chancellor in the form of a lucrative 2019 employment agreement while withholding damaging information about the personal scandal that exploded into public view the following year.

The agreement included a raise, which Falwell told The Associated Press Friday amounted to $250,000, and a $2.5 million severance package.

Despite his clear duties as an executive and officer at Liberty, Falwell Jr. chose personal protection, the lawsuit says.

The suit also alleges that Falwell failed to disclose and address the issue of his personal impairment by alcohol and has refused to fully return confidential information and other personal property belonging to Liberty.

Falwell said in Tuesdays filing that he had no duty to tell the university about private matters.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Lawsuits Education Universities
Tuesday, Allentown planning staff and commissioners asked St. Lukes to improve the crosswalk at Hamilton and St. Cloud streets, on the north side of the hospital. Planning staff noted the crosswalk sees significant pedestrian traffic because of the parking lot across Hamilton that is used by both hospital staff and patients. It recommended St. Lukes at least add a flashing beacon at the intersection, or even a traffic control device to stop road traffic and allow pedestrians to cross safely.
Amwins, a global distributor of specialty insurance products and services, has acquired CBIZ M.T. Donahoe & Associates LLC (MTDA), a Maryland-based general agent specializing in employee and individual benefits and services.

MTDA President Michael Donahoe Jr. will join the leadership team of Amwins Connect.

MTDA will join the group benefits division, further complementing the services of Amwins Connect Administrators and allowing for continued innovation and service, according to an Amwins press release.

Amwins is an independent wholesale distributor of specialty insurance products in the U.S., dedicated to serving retail insurance agents by providing property/casualty products, specialty group benefit products and administrative services. It is based in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Established in 1982, MTDA is based in Columbia, Maryland, the company supports brokers and their clients with business located in Maryland, the District of Columbia and Virginia.

Source: Amwins Group Inc.

Topics Mergers Maryland
The most popular password in 2020 was exposed almost 24 million times and took less than a second to crack. While a shocking statistic, when you learn that the most popular password of 2020 was 123456, this news becomes somewhat less surprising.

This data perfectly encapsulates the flaws inherent in passwords, and why it is easy to predict that it wont be too long until passwords are phased out altogether. Indeed, cyber insurers might provide an impetus in this direction as they increasingly insist on controlling exposure from lax protocols, systems and passwords, using the latest technological innovations.

Businesses are increasingly being offered less favorable terms or no cover at all if their protocols and systems are seen to be too lax. An over-reliance on basic passwords could be one such flaw that limits businesses options when it comes to coverage, however deployment of biometrics could be the solution.

Passwords are the Achilles heel of many firms cyber security defenses, with 80% of cyber breaches being the direct result of stolen or hacked passwords (according to the 2017 Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report).

Even in instances where passwords are strong and not easily guessed, they still pose a significant vulnerability, all thanks to the heightened phishing attempts now present online. The rise of the dark web has also created a second-hand market for the large tranches of passwords that are successfully hacked or phished, in which theyre sold to the highest bidder along with corresponding emails.

Once previously the reserve of computer geniuses, the crime of phishing has been democratized in recent years, thanks to the proliferation of off the shelf phishing systems which can be purchased by amateur hackers on the dark web. As a result, pretty much anyone with criminal intent can become a phisher, meaning the phishing threat is ubiquitous in day-to-day life. A seemingly harmless request to re-enter a password could therefore in fact result in a breach that enables a bad actor to infiltrate your firms network.

For a while now, there have been various methods to increase the security of passwords. The most common of these is two-factor authentication (2FA). Instead of just proving knowledge (the password), the user has to confirm possession of something such as a security token or a specific cell phone. While 2FA is significantly more secure than using passwords alone, there are still weaknesses that can be exploited with these systems.

The Rise of Biometrics

Thankfully, the rise in phishing has been accompanied by significant innovations in technology and security, with the utilization of biometric data being one of these innovations.

The introduction of biometric technology has been slow and steady, so much so that most people dont recognize the extent to which theyre deploying this data day-to-day. Unlocking our phones, paying for groceries, speaking to our bank or entering the country  these are just a few examples of the day-to-day tasks that are permitted through biometrics. App developers for mobile devices are even incorporating biometrics into their apps to enable users to bypass the password altogether when accessing online accounts.

The phasing away from passwords to biometric data represents a shift away from something you have mode of security to something you are, and this shift is welcome. Thanks to biology, our biometric data is near impossible to phish, guess or hack. While biometrics arent infallible, attempts to hack biometrics are largely only attempted by some of the more sophisticated criminals, meaning the prevalence of this threat is minimal when compared to the threat facing our passwords.

Cyber Security Restored as Key Priority

The pandemic has seen a significant uptick in cyber attacks over the past 12 months. Cyber criminals have been merciless in exploiting the pandemic for their gain. The work from home set-up saw billions switch to remote working overnight and many companies are still playing catch up, looking to implement remote cyber security defenses comparable to those they had in their offices.

On a behavioral level, the pandemic has also seen attention diverted elsewhere, with criminals capitalizing on the fact that many leaders remain in fire-fighting mode, attempting to respond to the immediate aftershocks of the pandemic, leaving their cyber-security defenses untended to and exposed.

As business leaders adapt to the new reality they find themselves in, many are choosing to put cyber security back up on their list of priorities, with biometric data one means of defense theyre willing to explore. Forrester Research predicts that in 2021 60% of global security decision-makers are planning to implement or expand their use of fingerprint, facial or voice biometrics.

Biometric security doesnt need to replicate the plot line of a sci-fi film; it can be simple and easy to implement. Indeed, the more simply and seamlessly employees are able to interact with biometric systems, the more eager they will be to engage with these systems going forward.

Upgrading work cell phones to those that require touch or face ID is perhaps the easiest way to start, and shore up one of the most breachable devices used by corporates. An additional benefit is that it obviates the need to collect biometric data in a centralized location, with the biometric information being stored exclusively on the users phone which then simply provides a yes/no response when asked to verify that users are who they claim to be.

A Catch-22?

Naturally, the integration of biometric data may cause privacy concerns among employees, sparking worries employers are amassing personal data that encroaches on their civil liberties.

Furthermore, while the use of biometric data might help to bolster cyber-security defenses, it can open up other risks that businesses should be mindful of. The collection and usage of data can spark increased interest from cyber criminals, by offering a treasure trove of data that could be exploited, resulting in what is potentially a catch-22 situation. After all, despite their flaws, passwords can be reset, fingerprints cant. Additionally, several states have privacy laws specifically related to the collection and use of biometric data which must be taken into consideration before any are collected.

For businesses looking to integrate biometric data into their security processes, it should be undertaken with these considerations in mind. Data needs to be stored safely and securely, and be managed strictly in line with the appropriate processes to ensure it doesnt contravene data regulations now in place.

To ease employees concerns, its also important that the processes in place to securely store and manage this data are communicated clearly and transparently.

Increased Insurer Scrutiny

With cyber risk heightening and the cyber insurance market hardening, businesses are set to face increased scrutiny from underwriters on the robustness of their cyber security and their exposure to risks. Underwriters are looking at insureds security protocols and measures in increasing detail, even in the space of a year, we have seen the level of consideration applied to firms cyber security increase considerably, with insurers making more and more specific IT security improvements a requirement before coverage can be bound.

Businesses are increasingly being offered less favorable terms or no cover at all if their protocols and systems are seen to be too lax. An over-reliance on basic passwords could be one such flaw that limits businesses options when it comes to coverage, however deployment of biometrics could be the solution.

While underwriters recognize biometrics and their role in shoring up cyber defenses, a number of carriers are now requesting additional underwriting information surrounding insureds biometric data collection. Before implementation of a biometric security initiative, insureds should speak with legal counsel to ensure that the program is implemented in compliance with the relevant laws.

It is therefore likely that these two underwriting concerns will converge. If biometrics are the answer to underwriters need for more robust security defences, insureds may also have to demonstrate such data is being used in a manner that is in compliant with legal privacy requirements.

Topics Carriers
Swedish activist investor Cevian Capital AB has bought almost 5% of Aviva Plc, placing it among the insurers top three holders.

Christer Gardell, managing partner at Cevian, said the Stockholm-based investor now holds 4.95% of Aviva after purchasing almost 195 million shares. Cevian plans to use the stake to target bigger cost cuts and shareholder returns, he said.

The London-based insurers costs are already moving in the right direction, but theres potential to be more ambitious and target at least 500 million pounds ($708 million) in cuts by 2023, Gardell said in an email. And with the right strategy, he says Avivas share price could top 8 pounds, which is almost double its value today and four times the low it reached in March last year when the pandemic hit. The dividend could move to 45 pence, roughly twice its current level, he said.

Cevians purchase of the Aviva stake marks its third major investment in the U.K. insurance sector, following investments in RSA Insurance Group Ltd. and Old Mutual Ltd., which is based in Johannesburg but traded in London.

Weve followed Aviva closely for nearly a decade, both as a peer of our former core holding, RSA, and as an investment candidate in its own right, said Niko Pakalen, a Cevian Capital partner. Weve had a series of constructive discussions with the new leadership over the last quarters, and began building up our position in early 2021.

Cevian, which describes itself as the largest and most experienced dedicated activist in Europe, has more than $16 billion under management. Its largest stakes currently include ABB Ltd, Ericsson AB and Nordea Bank Abp.

Read more: Avivas New Boss Has One of Toughest Jobs in European Finance: Opinion

Aviva has been offloading its non-U.K. businesses in a move welcomed by shareholders. It sold eight units for 7.5 billion pounds, including businesses in France, Italy and Turkey, with proceeds expected by the end of 2021, it said in a trading statement in May. The company has been paying down debt and has said there will be a substantial return of capital to shareholders, without giving further details on how much that will be.

Cevian expects the firm to continue on that path, and then return 5 billion pounds to shareholders next year.

Aviva shares rose as much as 3.6% in London, touching the highest since January 2020. Before today, the stock had gained 26% this year.

Aviva has the potential to become a focused and well-capitalized market leader that produces profitable growth, generates significant cash, and is highly appreciated in the equity markets, Gardell said. Chairman George Culmer and CEO Amanda Blanc are committed to crystallizing this potential and delivering substantial shareholder value, he said.

We regularly engage with investors and welcome any thoughts which move us toward our goal of delivering long-term shareholder value, a spokesperson for Aviva said.

With assistance from Benjamin Robertson and Charles Daly.

Top photograph: A pedestrian passes a sign outside the headquarters of Aviva Plc in London, on Friday, March 7, 2014. Photographer: Matthew Lloyd/Bloomberg.

Copyright 2021 Bloomberg.

Topics Mergers Carriers
This wrap-up of international People Moves details appointments at Liberty Specialty Markets Bermuda and Hiscox UK.

A summary of these new hires follows here.

Liberty Specialty Markets Bermuda (LSM Bermuda), part of Liberty Mutual Insurance, has appointed Nicholas Garside to the newly created role of chief underwriting officer,

He will report to LSM Bermuda President Steve Horton.

Garside  who previously led LSM Bermudas Property unit  will provide strategic direction and leadership for LSM Bermudas underwriting functions, driving portfolio optimization and enhancing broker engagement across all coverage lines. His appointment is subject to immigration approval.

In addition to Garsides appointment, the following promotions were announced:

Joanna Din , LMS Bermuda head of Specialty Risk (subject to immigration approval)

, LMS Bermuda head of Specialty Risk (subject to immigration approval) Andrew Osborne , LSM Bermuda head of Bermuda Healthcare

, LSM Bermuda head of Bermuda Healthcare Daniel Rance, LSM Bermuda head of Financial Lines

***

Specialist insurer Hiscox announced the appointment of Cheralyn Perry as the new head of distribution for its Art and Private Client (APC) division, within Hiscox UK.

Perry brings over 30 years of industry experience to Hiscox and joins from RSA where her most recent position was partnerships director. Prior to this, she held positions as sales director, business transformation manager and operations manager at RSA.

The newly created role covers Hiscox UKs APC division, which encompasses its high net worth home, motor and fine art lines, sold via brokers and direct to customers.

Perry is based in York, England, and reports to Ross Dingwall, Hiscox UKs distribution director.

Topics Excess Surplus Bermuda
Tokio Marine HCC has reaffirmed its commitment to the international contingency market with the appointment of a new lead for its London market and European operations.

Neil Paddon, head of Contingency who has been with Tokio Marine HCC  Specialty Group for more than a decade, assumes responsibility for the London market and Europe, including product distribution for Tokio Marine Group to South Africa, Asia and the Middle East.

As part of the teams restructure, Caspar Prestidge has been promoted to senior contingency underwriter, and Martha Crowhurst to underwriter, both operating in the London market.

Paddon reports to Philip Hall, managing director of Specialty Group, based in London. His remit includes responsibility for Tokio Marine HCCs growing European operations in Paris and Munich. The team will be able to offer access to market-leading capacity, providing an event cancellation line of more than 50 million ($60.9 million).

The London market and European teams will work closely with Anthony Osterrieth who, as head of International Business Development for its Specialty Group, is a key part of Tokio Marine HCCs post-Brexit strategy.

Following a turbulent year for contingency risks, Hall said, the development of the team and the refreshed capacity underline the companys commitment to the market and belief in its long-term viability.

The COVID pandemic has created a huge amount of volatility in this market, but we believe that fundamentally it is a sound, profitable market, and we are investing to grow, added Hall.

We are committed to this sector and believe there is a huge amount of opportunity here despite what has happened over the last 18 months, commented Paddon. This is reflected in the new capacity we are able to provide, and this, combined with the expertise within the team, gives me huge confidence that we will go on to make the most of those opportunities.

Source: Tokio Marine HCC
An attorney is calling on Catholic bishops across Illinois to end the dangerous deceit and release a full list of religious order priests who face credible sexual abuse accusations.

Attorney Jeff Anderson has made public the identities of 175 priests accused of sex abuse, including 117 who previously worked in the Archdiocese of Chicago, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.

Those names came from lawsuits as well as lists compiled by the religious orders themselves, among other sources, he said.

Anderson said the archdiocese has released the names of only two of those problem priests.

Catholic bishops in Illinois have been hiding the names, the identities of religious order priests who have been publicly accused of child sexual abuse, he said during an online news conference.

It raises the question: How many more kids are going to get hurt because of the non-disclosure?

The Chicago archdiocese declined to comment on Andersons demand.

Cardinal Blase Cupich has demanded for more than two years that Catholic religious orders which operate in his territory fully disclose to him any information about their members who now face or have faced accusations of child sexual abuse.

The Archdiocese of Chicago, which grants the orders permission to operate within its jurisdiction, has refused to say what it knows about predatory religious order clergy.

Some religious orders publicly list credibly accused clerics, while others dont.

Religious orders have their own leaders and operate relatively freely within the dioceses, though they need permission from the local bishop, such as Cupich, if they engage in public ministry in a parish, at a school or hospital or in some other charitable endeavor.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Illinois
The union at a Smithfield Foods pork processing plant in South Dakota said it would head to contract negotiations armed with the authorization to call a strike.

A strike authorization at the Sioux Falls chapter of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union was overwhelmingly approved late Monday with 98% of the vote total, the union said. However, union leaders said they hope to avoid a work stoppage as they prepared to meet with company representatives.

Meatpacking workers have become emboldened after a virus outbreak at the plant last year killed four workers and infected nearly 1,300. The union is demanding that Smithfield boost its wage offerings in a four-year contract to match those at a JBS pork plant in the region, as well as make several other concessions on break times and employee health insurance costs.

Were not going to change our stand, said B.J. Motley, the president of the local union.

Smithfield Foods, which is based in Virginia, has said its initial offer, which was rejected by the union last week, is in full alignment with agreements that UFCW has already accepted at other plants.

A strike at the plant, which produces roughly 5% of the nations pork supply every day, could create ripple effects from hog farmers to supermarket shelves. When the plant shuttered in April 2020 alongside others experiencing virus outbreaks, it highlighted the vulnerability of the meat supply chain. Major meatpacking companies convinced former President Donald Trump to declare them essential to national security.

Smithfield, like other large meatpacking companies, spent millions of dollars to incentivize workers and outfit plants with plexiglass safety barriers. It has pointed out that after the plant reopened, large outbreaks were avoided.

But workers at the plant have complained that they are working harder and longer amid a workforce shortage created by both the pandemic and its economic effects. They say workers have left the plant, either to work at other meatpacking plants offering better pay or for service industry jobs that have suddenly boosted wages.

Smithfield Foods did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday.

Motley did not offer a deadline for when a strike could happen, but said the union would wait until Smithfield makes a final contract offer.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Meat Processing
OGrady Joins Safety Nationals Large Casualty Unit

Safety National announced that Tim OGrady joined the company as vice president for underwriting in the companys large casualty division, which is responsible for large deductible workers compensation, commercial auto and commercial general liability coverage distribution.

With nearly 30 years of industry experience, OGrady brings large account underwriting background to Safety National. He is a former regional senior vice president with AIG Risk Management out of Georgia.

In his new capacity with Safety National, OGrady will be responsible for leading large casualty underwriting for the southwest region and Colorado through oversight of Safety Nationals Dallas, Texas office. In addition, he will directly manage Safety Nationals large casualty presence in Florida, Alabama and Mississippi.

OGrady will be based out of Safety Nationals Alpharetta, Georgia office.

McMillan Joins AIG as Head of Investor Relations

Quentin McMillan has joined American International Group as vice president, managing director and head of Investor Relations.

McMillan joins AIG from Marsh McLennan where he served as senior director, Investor Relations. Prior to Marsh McLennan, he worked for Keefe, Bruyette & Woods as managing director Equity Research P&C Insurance. Earlier in his career he worked for Morgan Stanley Equity Research P&C Insurance. M

McMillan was ranked the #1 Investor Relations insurance professional in the Institutional Investor 2021 All-American Executive Team ranking.

Based in New York City, McMillan will report to Mark Lyons, Chief Financial Officer, AIG.

Sabra Purtill remains a deputy chief financial officer and treasurer for AIG, reporting to Lyons, and will continue to oversee Treasury & Banking and Rating Agency Relations. In addition, Purtill continues to serve as Interim chief risk officer for AIG and is also taking a leading role in the separation of the Life and Retirement business from AIG.

Topics AIG Marsh McLennan
The head of Colonial Pipeline told U.S. senators on Tuesday that hackers who launched last months cyber attack against the company and disrupted fuel supplies to the U.S. Southeast were able to get into the system by stealing a single password.

Colonial Pipeline Chief Executive Joseph Blount told a U.S. Senate committee that the attack occurred using a legacy Virtual Private Network (VPN) system that did not have multifactor authentication in place. That means it could be accessed through a password without a second step such as a text message, a common security safeguard in more recent software.

In the case of this particular legacy VPN, it only had single-factor authentication, Blount said. It was a complicated password, I want to be clear on that. It was not a Colonial123-type password.

Lost Password? They May Soon Be Lost Altogether  with Insurers Help Passwords are the Achilles heel of many firms cyber security defenses, with 80% of cyber breaches being the direct result of stolen or hacked passwords. Cyber insurers might provide an impetus to get rid of them as they increasingly insist on controlling exposure from lax protocols, systems and passwords, using the latest technological innovations.

The panel was convened to examine threats to critical U.S. infrastructure and the Colonial attack, which shut key conduits delivering fuel from Gulf Coast refineries to major East Coast markets. Cyberattacks also hit U.S. meatpacking plants owned by JBS, showing the breadth of infrastructure facing cyber threats.

The Colonial Pipeline hack demonstrated that much of the companys infrastructure remains highly vulnerable and the government and companies must work harder to prevent future hacks, senators said during the hearing.

Security experts call the use of a single-factor login system a sign of poor cybersecurity hygiene. They recommend two-factor authentication, which requires a secondary measure like a mobile text or hardware token, and most major companies require this across all internal applications.

Senators questioned Blount about the companys preparations and the timeline for responding to the ransomware attack, which shut the line for days and led to a spike in gasoline prices, panic buying and localized fuel shortages.

Im alarmed this breach ever occurred in the first place, said Senator Gary Peters, the committees chairman. Make no mistake: if we do not step up our cyber security readiness, the consequences will be severe.

Consult with Government

The FBI attributed the hack to a gang called DarkSide. Some senators suggested Colonial had not sufficiently consulted with the U.S. government before paying the ransom against federal guidelines.

Blount said he made the decision to pay ransom and to keep the payment as confidential as possible because of concern for security.

It was our understanding that the decision was solely ours to make about whether to pay the ransom, he said.

Blount said Colonial did not have a plan in place to prevent a ransomware attack, but did have an emergency response plan. The company notified the FBI within hours.

Blount said Colonial has invested over $200 million over the last five years in its IT systems. When pressed to answer how much Colonial has spent to keep its pipeline cyber secure, Blount repeated that amount. A company spokesperson later clarified the $200 million was for IT overall, which includes cyber security.

Experts Call Colonial Pipeline Attack a Wake-Up Call, Say Bigger Attacks Could Be Ahead This is everyday, every company, every nonprofit, every municipality, says Catherine Lyle, head of claims at Coalition, on this weeks episode of the Insuring Cyber Podcast. If youre doing business, or youre using the internet, or you have security and you use a computer, youre one of them. Megan North, vice president at Amwins, says cyber criminals are looking for the lowest hanging fruit. Even if the business has the absolute best controls, the reality is that their cybersecurity has to be right 100% of the time for them to be fully protected, she says.

On Friday, U.S. Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco urged companies to tell federal authorities whether they paid ransom to cyber attackers, information that can help investigators.

Blount said even after getting the key from the hackers, the company is still recovering from the attack and is bringing back seven finance systems that have been offline since May 7.

Ransom Recovery

On Monday, the Justice Department said it had recovered some $2.3 million in cryptocurrency ransom paid by Colonial Pipeline.

Colonial Pipeline previously had said it paid the hackers nearly $5 million to regain access. The value of the cryptocurrency bitcoin has dropped to below $35,000 in recent weeks after hitting a high of $63,000 in April.

As a result, the government recovered about 60 of the 75 bitcoin paid, but the value has dropped, falling short of the total dollar amount Colonial paid.

Bitcoin seizures are rare, but authorities have stepped up their expertise in tracking the flow of digital money as ransomware has become a growing national security threat and put a further strain on relations between the United States and Russia, where many of the gangs are based.

(Reporting By Stephanie Kelly and Jessica Resnick-Ault, additional reporting from Christopher Bank Editing by Marguerita Choy and David Gregorio)

Topics Cyber Tech
Insurance broker and professional services firm Marsh McLennan has launched a global MBA fellowship program in partnership with the National Black MBA Association and Fisk University.

The program, called RISE (racial inclusion and social equity), will provide second-year Black MBA candidates and graduates in the U.S., UK and Canada with a curriculum of practical business knowledge and tools for advocating for social justice within a business environment.

The fellows will participate in a social justice program through the John Lewis Center for Social Justice at Fisk University, one of the nations historically Black colleges, followed by an eight-month paid fellowship incorporating thought-leadership and mentorship from Marsh McLennan executives and NBMBAA leaders. NBMBA has more than 20,000 members.

The first cohort will begin in September 2021, completing the program in May 2022.

Were committed to the principle of responsible capitalism and doing business in ways that generate a more just and compassionate world, said Dan Glaser, president and chief executive officer, Marsh McLennan.

As part of RISE, Marsh McLennans Executive Committee will participate in a social justice module at Fisk University. Our leaders are committed to cultivating a culture in which different experiences and perspectives are valued and celebrated, said Carmen Fernandez, senior vice president and chief People officer, Marsh McLennan. Fernandez said the RISE executive module will immerse the leaders in a social justice agenda, helping them more fully embrace their roles as inclusive leaders.

Nzinga Shaw, chief Inclusion & Diversity officer, Marsh McLennan, said the firm hopes to foster a new generation of executives who will be leaders in business and make industries more equitable. Every successful business leader needs to understand the dynamics of risk, people and strategy issues. Increasingly they need to be fluent in the intersection of business and social justice as well, Shaw said.

Black MBA candidates have a rich set of experiences to bring to the professional services sector, said Vann Newkirk, Sr., president of Fisk University. It will be exciting to see how these cohorts of fellows implement a social justice agenda within their careers and beyond.

Source: RISE
U.S. Senate approves bill to counter China

CGTN) 09:39, June 09, 2021

Photo taken on March 6, 2021 shows the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C., the United States. (Photo by Ting Shen/Xinhua)

The U.S. Senate on Tuesday voted 68-32 to pass a package of legislation intended to boost the country's ability to compete with Chinese technology.

The bipartisan measure, titled the "United States Innovation and Competition Act of 2021 (USICA)," authorizes about $190 billion for provisions to strengthen U.S. technology and research  and would separately approve spending about $50 billion to increase U.S. production and research into semiconductors and telecommunications equipment.

"This legislation will enable the United States to out-innovate, out-produce and out compete the world in the industries of the future," said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.

The bill now heads to the House of Representatives.

U.S. President Joe Biden later said in a White House statement that he applauded the move and looked forward to signing it into law as soon as possible.

"We are in a competition to win the 21st century, and the starting gun has gone off. As other countries continue to invest in their own research and development, we cannot risk falling behind. America must maintain its position as the most innovative and productive nation on Earth," according to the statement.

China's Foreign Ministry has repeatedly voiced opposition against negative U.S. bills that aim to counter China on multiple fronts.

"The legislation disregards facts, hypes up the so-called 'China threat' and 'malign influence,' calls for all-out strategic competition with China, and even lobbies for a decoupling and confrontation between China and the U.S.," a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on May 28 after the U.S. advanced USICA to a Senate vote.

"China's objective is never about overtaking, replacing or outcompeting the U.S., but about constant self-improvement to become a better version of China and enable the Chinese people to lead better lives," spokesperson Zhao Lijian said.

"I'd like to reiterate that China is committed to forging a relationship with the U.S. featuring no conflict, no confrontation, mutual respect and win-win cooperation."

(Web editor: Guo Wenrui, Liang Jun)
The best example, Blaiss said, is to think of a peanut as pollen. There may be nine major proteins in one peanut, but theres really only one causing a life-threatening reaction to someone who is allergic. By the same token, there are only certain proteins in certain types of pollen that are allergenic. But these days, pollen is producing more of that protein, which means its more allergenic (meaning its more likely to trigger an allergic reaction with fewer grains of pollen in the air) and has a higher potency.
Louisiana has for years owed millions of dollars to residents whose homes flooded because of interstate construction work, but lawmakers continue to balk at making the payment, even after a proposed settlement deal appeared within reach.

After the state constructed Interstate 12 across a watershed four decades ago, more than 1,000 residents in south Louisianas Tangipahoa Parish saw their homes and businesses flooded or entirely washed away in a 1983 flood. They sued the state for negligence and won, with courts determining the transportation department failed to conduct a proper analysis and its construction caused 6 to 7 feet of floodwater in the town of Robert.

The Advocate reports that Louisianas Supreme Court in 2006 finally ordered the state to pay the victims $91 million in reparations. But lawmakers have refused to appropriate the money ever since. The interest has ballooned so the flood victims are now owed in excess of $330 million.

Gov. John Bel Edwards, a Tangipahoa Parish native, struck a tentative settlement agreement with the families this year to pay out $130 million over a five-year period, while the state treasury was flush with cash. But senators are suggesting they may not need to pay the families at all.

Flood victims are infuriated, saying theyve been ignored for far too long.

Theyre taking our tax money  that they owe us  and spending it on people more influential than the poor people that lost everything, Todd Morse, whose childhood home was swamped in the 1983 flood, told The Advocate.

The House set aside $30 million in its budget plan for the first installment of the settlement. But Senate leaders slashed that payment down to $15 million  and said they may have found a reason to dodge the obligation altogether. Senate President Page Cortez, a Lafayette Republican, pointed to an obscure 1946 law that he said could nullify all legal judgements against the state that are over 10 years old.

We got legal opinions that said you may not even owe this judgement, Cortez said.

Even without that statute, the Legislature doesnt have to pay the judgment if it doesnt want to, because state courts cant force lawmakers to appropriate money.

Still, Edwards top lawyer Matthew Block told the newspaper that if lawmakers dont want to pay the flood victims, they should just say so and be honest with the people who have waited 38 years for this, instead of digging up an obscure law as justification.

Senate Finance Chairman Bodi White, who handles the budget bills in the Senate, said he was nervous about the precedent set by paying off such a large legal judgment. He pointed to a pending lawsuit filed by Livingston Parish residents who claim a 19-mile concrete barrier on I-12 acted as a dam during 2016s catastrophic floods.

I dont know if the state can make everyone whole every time we have a flood, said White, a Central Republican. He said he believes the victims deserve some compensation but there wasnt a great will in the rest of the Senate.

Rep. Bill Wheat, a Ponchatoula Republican who pushed to get the initial $30 million payment included in the budget, said hed hope that anybody pointing to the 1946 statute to absolve lawmakers from the debt would understand thats not the way we do business.

This was something the state was absolutely, 100% responsible for. Its our responsibility to make these folks whole, Wheat said.

The storm that struck the region in 1983 wasnt particularly unusual for south Louisiana. But I-12, which had been constructed in 1975, acted like a dam, causing several feet of water from the Tangipahoa River to back-up into the nearby town of Robert. Before that, the area rarely flooded and few homeowners had flood insurance.

Still, to this day, I have nightmares about that flood, said Devona Milton, one flood victim. You cant just sweep this under the rug. It took life away from a whole lot of people.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Legislation Louisiana Flood
Despite the economic slowdown resulting from the COVID-19 business closures, the total number of workers compensation claims reported to the Texas Division of Workers Compensation rose in 2020 by 34% compared to the previous year.

In a recent update on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the states workers comp system, the DWC said the rise in claims temporarily interrupted the two-decade downward trend of fewer workers comp claims each year.

In the report, COVID-19 in the Texas Workers Compensation System, May 2021, the DWC revealed that as of May 9, 2021, insurance carriers reported more than 48,000 COVID-19 claims and 249 fatalities, nearly half of which involve first responders and correctional officers.

From Jan. 1, 2020, through May 9, 2021, insurance carriers reported a total of 48,663 COVID-19 claims to DWC.

In a previous update released in late March, DWC said that as of Feb. 14, 2021, insurance carriers had reported more than 44,000 COVID-19 claims and 200 fatalities. An earlier report released by the DWC showed that more than 25,000 virus claims had been filed with workers comp insurers as of June 30, 2020.

The numbers are based on data calls issued to workers comp carriers by the DWC.

The DWCs most recent report shows that 63% of claims involved injured employees who tested positive or were diagnosed with COVID-19. Insurance carriers had accepted 48% of COVID-19 positive test claims. There were more than 14,000 denials of COVID-19 claims with positive tests or diagnoses, however, only 85 disputes filed with DWC as of May 9 were disputed.

Most of the paid COVID-19 claims benefits were indemnity benefits (particularly employer salary continuation), rather than medical benefits.

Nearly half (45%) of the COVID-19 claims involved first responders and correctional officers, and slightly more than half (52%) of claims were processed by the state and political subdivisions acting as insurance carriers.

The public administration industry sector had the most COVID-19 claims at a rate of 47%, followed by health care and social assistance (21%), administrative and support and waste management and remediation (6%), and manufacturing (5%).

The bulk of the COVID-19 claims originated from 10 counties. Of the fatal workers compensation claims reported 41% occurred in the same 10 counties where the most COVID-19 cases and claims were reported. Nearly half (46%) of the COVID-19 fatal claims involved first responders and correctional officers and slightly more than half (52%) of fatal claims were processed by Texas and political subdivisions.

Around three-quarters of the fatal claims were concentrated among males and employees over 50.

DWC administrative data as of April 22, 2021, showed that for the claims reported as of March 31, 2021, insurance carriers and employers paid $24.1 million in indemnity benefits on COVID-19 claims, $10.9 million (45%) in employer salary continuation, $12.9 million (53%) in workers comp income benefits, $244,390 (1%) in death benefits, and $121,202 (1%) in burial benefits

Most of the costs have been paid by political subdivisions (60%), followed by commercial insurance carriers (36%) and the state (4%).

Source: Texas DWC

Topics Texas Trends Claims Workers' Compensation
A Pensacola, Florida insurance agent has bee charged with selling fraudulent insurance policies to his clients in exchange for approximately $4 million in insurance premium payments.

Jason R. Coody, acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charges Tuesday against John Michael Thomas as Thomas made his initial appearance in federal court in Pensacola on wire fraud charges related to his business, Thomas Insurance, LLC..Thomas was arrested on the criminal complaint in Phoenix, Arizona on April 1.

The criminal complaint alleges that between September 2013 and December 2020, Thomas operated an insurance business and defrauded customers through a type of insurance fraud known as premium diversion. Thomas collected insurance premiums from customers and kept the funds for personal use instead of producing insurance policies, according to the charges. Thomas gave the customers fraudulent documents referencing insurance policies that did not exist.

Officials said the arrest resulted from a joint investigation by the FBI and the Florida Division of Investigative and Forensic Services, Bureau of Insurance Fraud, and work is ongoing to ensure all alleged victims are identified.

Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey Tharp is prosecuting this case for the Northern District of Florida.

A criminal complaint is merely an allegation that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to due process.

Topics Agencies Florida Abuse Molestation
Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves says he wants legislators to put a medical marijuana program into state law after the state Supreme Court recently overturned one that voters approved.

I support the will of the voters.  I think we will have a medical marijuana program in Mississippi, the Republican governor said during an interview that aired during the weekend on WLOX-TV.

A majority of justices ruled May 14 that a medical marijuana proposal, Initiative 65, was not properly on the November ballot because Mississippis initiative process is outdated and unworkable. The ruling overturned voters approval of Initiative 65 and took away citizens process to put issues on the statewide ballot.

Mississippi remains in the minority of states without a medical marijuana program. Reeves has not said whether he will call legislators into special session, but he told WLOX about passing a law: It is imperative that we get it done, and get it done quickly.

The Senate Public Health Committee met last week to start discussing what could go into a medical marijuana law.

About 1.3 million people voted in Mississippi in November, and more than 766,000 of them voted in favor of the medical marijuana proposal. Thats about 10,000 more residents than voted in November for then-President Donald Trump, who easily won in Mississippi despite losing his race for a second term.

The crux of the Supreme Court ruling dealt with how signatures are collected for initiatives.

Mississippi requires initiative sponsors to gather one-fifth of their petition signatures from each congressional district. The process was put into the state constitution in 1992, when Mississippi had five districts. The state dropped to four districts after the 2000 census because of stagnant population, but the initiative process was not updated.

The state attorney general issued a legal opinion in 2009 saying initiative sponsors should collect signatures from the five old districts.

Madison Mayor Mary Hawkins Butler sued the state days before the 2020 general election, arguing that the medical marijuana initiative was not properly on the ballot. Her attorneys argued that the constitution creates a mathematical impossibility: With four districts, more than one-fifth of the signatures must come from each. A majority of justices agreed.

Butler opposed the medical marijuana measure because it would have limited cities ability to regulate where such businesses could have been located.

During Reeves time as lieutenant governor from early 2012 to early 2020, attempts to update the initiative process went nowhere. In response to questions about that, Reeves told WLOX that, in hindsight, the problem should have been addressed. He said he wants the initiative process to be restored.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Cannabis Mississippi
Allied American Underwriters, a division of USG Insurance Services Inc., has named Eugene Manioukov as producer/broker specializing in workers compensation in the Irvine, Calif., branch.

Manioukov has four years of experience in the industry, most recently with Reata Holdings.

AAU is a program manager that offers programs for commercial lines to USG retail agents and other distribution channels.

Salt Lake City, Utah-based PCF Insurance Services has named Robert Smith president of agency operations.

Smith has nearly 20 years of experience in the insurance brokerage and risk advisory industry, having most recently served as the Western region executive vice president for Acrisure. Prior to Acrisure, Smith was a national practice advisor and regional business development officer with Wells Fargo Insurance. Smith also led the account management and client advisory practice for the Aon Corp., having joined the firm after working with the Marsh & McLennan Cos. for several years.

PCF is an insurance brokerage firm offering risk management solutions with an array of property/casualty, life and health, commercial, employee benefits, and workers compensation insurance products.

Topics California
Dallas, TX (June 9, 2021)  Halfway through the fiscal year, Questpro announces plans to expand its national footprint through the promotion of several key team members as well as the strategic addition of a new hire:

Johnny Park has been named President to Questpro, the companys direct hire practice which also consists of contingency and retained searches. Park previously served as Chief Operations Officer for the company.

has been named President to Questpro, the companys direct hire practice which also consists of contingency and retained searches. Park previously served as Chief Operations Officer for the company. Kathy Gilman OBrien has been named President to QTemps, the companys temporary and temp-to-hire contract staffing practice. OBrien previously served as Vice President for QTemps.

has been named President to QTemps, the companys temporary and temp-to-hire contract staffing practice. OBrien previously served as Vice President for QTemps. Debbie Hubbell has been named President to QExecs, the companys executive consulting practice. Hubbell previously served as Vice President of Sales.

has been named President to QExecs, the companys executive consulting practice. Hubbell previously served as Vice President of Sales. Taylor Jones has been named Vice President of Sales, overseeing sales, marketing and business development activity across each division and territory. Jones previously served as Business Development Director for the South Region.

has been named Vice President of Sales, overseeing sales, marketing and business development activity across each division and territory. Jones previously served as Business Development Director for the South Region. Tandeka Nomvete has been hired to serve as Director of College Recruiting for QGrads, the companys college and recent graduate recruiting division. Nomvete previously served as the Director of Chapter Engagement for Gamma Iota Sigma (GIS), a student association with a mission of promoting collegiate interest in the insurance industry.

Despite the pandemic, weve continued to see momentum and growth within the industry, says Kevin Burch, CEO. Jobs are up. Revenue is up. With this unprecedented growth comes a need to further develop and strengthen our divisions, ultimately allowing us the opportunity to serve a greater number of clients and candidates within the market.

About Questpro Consultants

Questpro is a sought-after, full-service staffing and recruiting firm exclusive to the insurance and risk management industries. With recruiting experts across all industry sectors including property and casualty, life and health, and managed care/cost containment, Questpro serves leading insurance carriers, TPAs, agencies, brokerages, MGAs, MGUs, independent adjusting firms and managed care companies across the country with Direct Hire, Temp/Contract, Grad Staffing and Executive Consulting services. For nearly twenty-five years, the companys foundation has been built upon its employees industry knowledge and recruiting expertise, exemplary customer service, and state-of-the-art technology. For more information visit, www.questpro.com.

Media Contact:

Caroline Miller, Social Media Strategist

cmiller@questpro.com

(972) 960-1305 Ext. 9984

Facebook: www.facebook.com/questpro

Twitter: www.twitter.com/questpro

Topics Leadership
Today, Monogoto, innovator, and developer of a secure, global cloud-based cellular network platform, announced they have closed a round including venture capital and strategic investment.

The $11M in funding was led by Team8, with participation from Telefonica Tech Ventures and Singtel Innov8, as well as Alter Venture Partners, Triventures, and Planven Entrepreneur Ventures.

The companys comprehensive connectivity solution supports edge implementations including IoT, Industrial IoT (IIoT), Industry 4.0, including manufacturing and cyber-physical infrastructure, and spans vertical industries including precision agriculture, energy, automotive, M2M, telematics, transportation, and healthcare.

Monogoto offers enterprises and developers an advanced platform, including APIs that enable enterprises and developers to design, build, manage, control and scale their IoT applications quickly and securely, according to the companys statement.

Categorizing themselves as Cloud-based Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) with APIs that work for both public and private cellular networks, including 5G and CBRS, Monogoto is tapping into high-growth markets, already enabling their customers to create, monitor, manage and maintain connected systems for transformational 5G and CBRS applications while enabling modern architectures such as Zero Trust Network Architecture (ZTNA) and Secure Access Service Edge (SASE).

Enterprises use the Monogoto platform to connect and control cellular-based sensors and devices, including retail Point of Sale systems, Automatic Teller Machines, wearables, and other connected medical devices, smart lights, automotive fleets, and more, with cybersecurity features built-in, along with productivity tools for efficient back-office activities, including procurement and IT management.

The funding will be used to expand Monogotos presence in the U.S. with a headquarters in San Francisco and to grow its product sales and bolster brand awareness and market penetration. It will also be used to enrich the platform with more APIs, documentation, and developer tools while extending its global points of presence. The company is also contributing to the acceleration of 5G networking digital infrastructure.

The company has already signed more than 100 customers worldwide in various scaling stages, accessing the platform to drive IoT growth and innovation, including Sodaq, Connected You, Origin GPS, and Tvilight.

The cloud revolution and communications (voice calls/ SMS) revolution demonstrated that infrastructure accessible via APIs can be extensively leveraged to innovate products, optimize solutions and offer new business models. A similar revolution is happening in connectivity, said Itamar Kunik, Monogoto co-founder and CEO.

To realize the full benefits of this revolution and drive new product and business model innovation, enterprises need much more than high-quality connectivity - they need to be able to control every aspect of that connectivity to enable new use cases, such as battery-optimized sensors, changing quality-of-services on demand, bridging the gap between public and private cellular networks, embedding cybersecurity from the infrastructure, and much more. Capabilities that our customers are already implementing using our APIs, Kunik added.

Enterprises and developers are hungry for a cloud-native experience that leverages the power of cellular connectivity, using APIs that are centrally managed, self-served, and completely secure, says Liran Grinberg, Team8 co-founder, and managing partner. With full inspection of network traffic and secure computing capability at the edge, all accessible via APIs, Monogoto is able to provide advanced visibility and security controls out-of-the-box while integrating with the enterprises security controls. Team8 is proud to be backing one of the strongest and most secure connectivity platforms in the world, in 5G specifically and cellular generally.

In addition to enabling global, secure, high-quality, and flexible IoT connectivity today, Monogoto is also preparing for the projected 5G network revolution. As the first-ever, cloud-native single cloud for public and private cellular networks, Monogoto is uniquely positioned to help enterprises and developers create, monitor, manage and maintain connected systems for transformative 5G and CBRS applications while enabling modern architectures such as Zero Trust and SASE for cellular IoT and connectivity.

We are proud to welcome Monogoto to the Telefonica Tech Ventures family as they are one of the most promising Israeli and global startups within the IoT ecosystem and the first in the IoT field to join our portfolio of invested companies, says Guenia Gawendo, director of Telefonica Tech Ventures.

With hundreds of ready-to-use APIs, Monogoto offers cellular connectivity with edge to the cloud security for IoT, Private LTE, and 5G use cases. Its services include full audit for all network events with anomaly detection and alerts automation. Monogotos enterprise-driven solution enables customers to consume advanced cellular VAS with zero CAPEX and an as-a-Service business model.

The Monogoto network is distributed globally with public connectivity in 180 countries. Helping companies to comply with regulation, the Monogoto solution supports on-premise local breakout topology for private LTE/5G networks.

Team8 Capital is the investment arm of Team8 Group, focused on early-stage companies seeking seed and Series A and B funding rounds. They have a track record in backing future leaders and pioneering new-generation solutions to meet critical industry challenges Team8 Capital domain expertise and decades of company-building and investing experience.

Team8 is a venture group that builds and backs technology companies at the intersection of artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, data, fintech, enterprise software, and infrastructure whose leadership team includes unicorn founders, bank and fintech CEOs, and former leaders of Unit 8200, Israels elite military technology and intelligence agency.

Alter Venture Partners was founded by experienced operating executives and investment professionals from Telefonica, Comcast Ventures, Singtel Innov8, and Credit Suisse. In addition to capital, Alter provides strategic insights, industry knowledge, operating experience, and an extensive global network of contacts to its portfolio companies. The funds focus areas include networking, mobility, cloud, data, ML/AI, and cybersecurity.

Triventures is an early-stage venture capital fund that focuses on data-driven healthcare solutions and opportunities that land on the intersection of health and other verticals. With offices in Israel and Silicon Valley, the fund has a global network of top-tier strategic partners. Among them is Sheba Medical Center, one of the worlds top 10 hospitals with which the fund has a unique venture capital collaboration, Triventures ARC, enabling its portfolio to leverage Shebas 25 years of patient data as well as vast clinical and research assets. In addition, Triventures strategic investors include some of the worlds leading health systems and companies, finance groups, consumer electronics enterprises, insurance companies, and telecommunication groups, including Medtronic, Philips, Boston Scientific, Abiomed, Intermountain Healthcare, Cardinal Health, Johnson and Johnson, Samsung and Nikon.

Planven Entrepreneur Ventures is a venture capital fund with an innovative focus on combining established industries in Europe with cutting-edge growth stage technology companies. They invest in companies that market B2B software products & services in the field of Artificial Intelligence, Big Data, Cybersecurity, and Health Tech and investing out of their second fund in revenue-generating companies in Europe, Israel, and the US.

Edited by Luke Bellos
Local governments should be doing all they can to keep their residents engaged and informed. People may not be able to go to a meeting because of their duties at home, such as helping children with homework or ferrying them to their evening activities. But they may be able to watch a meeting from home or a ball field on their phone or laptop. Or, they can watch the recording later.
Interview Kayah Rebel Army Backs Civilian Resistance Against Regime

Junta airstrikes in Demoso on May 31. / Free Burma Rangers-Karenni

In Kayah State, military tensions are running high between the junta and the combined Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF) and Peoples Defense Force (PDF).

There is fierce fighting in Demoso, Loikaw and Hpruso townships. The regime has carried out airstrikes on civilian resistance fighters and used artillery on civilian areas. It has also brought hundreds of reinforcements into Kayah State.

The military authorities have informed the general administration departments in Demoso, Loikaw and Hpruso that civilians should leave their homes as further attacks are planned.

Armed groups in the state include the Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP), which is over 60 years old. It is backing the civilian resistance.

KNPP spokesman Khu Daniel recently talked to The Irrawaddy.

How is the KNPP involved in armed conflict in Kayah State?

The KNPP headquarters has not instructed its members to fight. But to stand by the people has long been our stance. We are helping the people when they are attacked. Thats all.

What is the view of the KNPP on the regimes shelling of towns and villages in Kayah State?

We oppose the attacks. They should not attack civilians who have nothing to do with the fighting.

How is the KNPP performing on the battlefield?

We have confronted them twice when they came to search our training ground. Thats all. We stay in our territory and they stay away. They are only attacking towns and villages, not our camps.

Is there no military tension between the regime and KNPP on the ground?

There is no military tension between us. But we stand by the people. Harming the people amounts to harming us.

Are the KNPP troops helping the resistance on the ground?

We stand by the people.

How is the relationship between the PDF and KNPP?

The PDF is formed by the people. It is happening across the country. It is a public movement. We wont object to it. Under the rules of engagement, both sides must make sure innocent civilians are not harmed. The military should not attack schools, hospitals and churches. These are the international rules of engagement. But they dont follow those rules and have opened fire indiscriminately on churches, monasteries, schools and hospitals. We cant accept that.

The regime asked ethnic armed groups to hold peace talks after the coup. How is your relationship with the regime?

We have barely had any communication since the coup. They might contact our political wing. But there have been no official talks with either our political or armed wings.

At a lower level, some military officers have informally asked us to help control Karenni PDF. But they only asked personally and not through official letters.

We heard the regime told civilians in Demoso, Loikaw and Hpruso to flee. We also heard reinforcements are coming to attack the PDF. Does the KNPP have any more information?

There have been increased military deployments. Between 100 and 200 reinforcements came from Shan State during recent fighting. Others have arrived by air. The military also brought in over 100 troops from Taungoo. But we are focusing on the people. They are in real trouble. We are arranging food for them.

How is the military performing against the young resistance fighters?

The military wants to annihilate them. It didnt use aircraft when it was fighting ethnic armed groups in the past. But now it is heavily using aircraft against the people. It shouldnt do that. And it is indiscriminately attacking religious places and health clinics. It is attacking unarmed civilians.

The military response is more intense than its previous attacks on us. The response is unfair. We are trained and experienced. The people have no proper training or weapons. Some are only using swords. The best weapons they have are rudimentary rifles. It is not fair to use modern armaments against them. The military wants to take complete control and remove all armed resistance.

What will happen to Kayah State if the fighting continues?

People will suffer more. They will get desperate and there will be increased tension. Both sides will suffer.

Currently, people rely on food donations from outside Kayah State and we dont know if all the displaced people in the state are receiving food. We hear people are seriously short of food but we have difficulty communicating with the people. Communications are erratic and humanitarian groups cant go to the affected areas because of security concerns.

Houses damaged by junta shelling in Demoso. / Free Burma Rangers-Karenni

What will the KNPP do if clashes intensify?

We oppose the junta. The KNPP will stand by the people.



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Burma Civilians Forced to Flee Again as Myanmar Junta Shells IDP Camps in Chin State

IDPs reach a church at a new location in Mindat in late May after their previous camp, which was in a village where a white flag was flying, was shelled by the junta. / CJ

Around 5,000 internally displaced persons including residents of three villages in Chin States mountain town of Mindat have been forced to flee their homes and camps again after nearby areas came under attack from junta forces firing artillery and explosives.

The juntas attacks are worsening an already critical situation for the IDPs, who are cut off from humanitarian aid supplies, according to a camp official.

Since June 5, military units based in Mindat, Chin State and Kyaukhtu town in Magwe Region have been attacking areas near three villagesPhayar Sakhan, Yatyaw and Shatwith artillery shells and heavy explosives.

The villages are sheltering several thousand people who fled Mindat when the juntas forces raided the town on May 12.

The artillery attacks began after around 50 junta troops from two military columns attempting to raid the villages were killed by Mindat Defense Force fighters during intense shootouts near Phayar Sakhan and Shat villages last Sunday.

The military continued its artillery attacks in northern Mindat on Wednesday, according to residents.

Now, there are only a few areas left for IDPs to flee to. The IDPs are tired of running. They are also facing food shortages as the junta has cut off the transportation of aid, said an official of Mindats IDPs Camp Committee.

The supply of humanitarian aid to IDP camps has been cut off since junta troops seized 10 vehicles loaded with food and other necessities, the official said. Junta troops are inspecting all vehicles traveling in Mindat Township.

The camp official added that the IDP camps will run out of food very soon.

All IDPs are civilians. But the junta treats us like the enemy. The juntas soldiers are attacking both IDPs and the Chinland Defense Force indiscriminately. We have no more land to keep fleeing to, he said.

Civilian resistance fighters of Chinland Defense Force-Mindat and the juntas troops have been clashing continuously in Mindat since May 12, when a ceasefire agreed in late April broke down. About 21 resistance fighters and around 70 junta soldiers have been killed so far.

About 90 percent of Mindats population of 25,000 have fled their homes since junta forces seized the town on May 15.

Currently, about 20,000 residents are taking refuge in about 77 villages in Mindat Township.



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Burma Restaurant Staff Detained After Myanmar Ministers Son Involved in Brawl

Caption: Excellent Restaurant.

A restaurant owner in Naypyitaw and many others were detained after the son of Home Affairs Minister Lieutenant General Soe Htut had a brawl at the restaurant on Monday.

The brawl reportedly started after three young men dining at the Excellent Restaurant in Zabuthiri Township teased two women at another table who were dining with Sithu Htut, the ministers son, and three other men.

Sithu Htut reportedly threw bottles and glasses at the men. Two left and the third ran into the kitchen. Sithu Htut chased and beat him, according to a source.

The staff intervened and asked him to stop. Sithu Htut and his friends started punching the staff, who did not know who he was and defended themselves, said the source.

Around 20 police vehicles surrounded the restaurant after one of Sithu Htuts friends made a phone call. There were already plainclothes police in the restaurant protecting Sithu Htut.

The staff were forced to squat while the police searched the building and seized their phones.

Numerous people, including the wives of the owner and bartender and their two infants, were taken into custody.

Seventeen female detainees were released on Tuesday morning and the man who was beaten in the kitchen was also freed on Tuesday.

The owner and 15 staff, including a woman, remain in detention.

The restaurant owner arrived after the brawl and asked what happened. Staff did not know Sithu Htut is a ministers son, said a source.

A lawyer hired for the detainees has not been allowed to see them.

Things got rough that night. Things have returned to the military era. The rank of your parents counts now, said a Tharyargone ward resident.

Sithu Htut is the youngest of Lt-Gen Soe Htuts three sons and reportedly owns construction and tourism companies.

Lt-Gen Soe Htut is said to be a confidant of coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and is a member of the regimes governing body, the State Administrative Council.



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Burma Factories Shuttered in Myanmars First Special Economic Zone Amid Post-Coup Turmoil

Thilawa Special Economic Zone in Yangons Thanlyin Township. / MJTD

Almost a quarter of all factories in the Japan-backed Thilawa Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Yangon have suspended operations amid post-coup turmoil.

Nearly 30 out of the 122 factories in the SEZ are not currently operating. Most are suppliers to the domestic market, including Japanese firms. A decline in demand, limited availability of raw materials, as well as cash flow problems as a result of the banking crisis, have led the factories to suspend operations.

Japanese automobile maker Suzuki suspended its operations after the COVID-19 outbreak last year, while Japanese instant noodle producer Acecook Myanmar Co plans to take a break at the end of June.

While there are [large volumes of] stock in the market, the demand is declining. Manufacturers have to stop production when their stocks reach a limit. And there havent been new orders from the domestic market. So, they have suspended operations, said an official of Myanmar Thilawa SEZ Holdings.

Thilawa SEZ is located in Yangons Thanlyin Township. It houses automobile assembly and spare parts manufacturing plants, steel, cement, building materials, fertilizer and farming machinery factories as well as beverage, food processing, pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers.

Most of the firms in the SEZ are from Japan and the total investment is around US$2 billion.

While some companies have suspended operations due to the domestic crisis, others have done so due to a change of policy at their headquarters.

However, none of the companies are planning for a permanent shutdown or to withdraw investment from Myanmar, according to a source from the Thilawa SEZ management committee.

As all the industries are having a hard time, it is natural that some will suspend operations. But you dont rent land just for one to two years when you invest in a SEZ. So they wont shut down or leave Myanmar easily, he said.

The SEZ has not received new investment for more than a year, following the COVID-19 pandemic which saw Myanmar ban most international flights since March 2020. Many of the factories that are still operating are engaged in the construction industry.

However, some foreign companies that have opened representative offices in Myanmar have expressed an interest in investing in the SEZ.

Thilawa is the first SEZ in Myanmar. It became operational in 2015 after the idea was initially presented in 2011 as Myanmar began its transition to democracy.



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Guest Column Humanitarian Focus Does Harm and Prolongs Myanmars Crisis

A flash mob anti-regime protest is held in Yangon in May. / The Irrawaddy

The humanitarian crisis in Myanmar caused by Senior General Min Aung Hlaings attempted and so far failed coup is deepening every day. For those outside the country, the humanitarian catastrophe evolving in Myanmar is still a bit like the explosion of a very distant star. The explosion has already happened, but its light and waves have still not fully reached us.

There are still not enough dramatic calls and dramatic pictures drawing enough attention. Anybody familiar with the dynamic and depth of the current crisis is aware that this will change soon. The economy has already come to a standstill. Millions of citizens have been without any income for months and their already meagre reserves are running out. Many are trapped in regions where front lines, old and new, have been reactivated. Tens of thousands of highly vulnerable civilians, including women, children and the elderly, are already on the move, fleeing from the punitive military operations of the Myanmar army. The Indian strain of the coronavirus is spreading rapidly from Chin State on the western border of the country.

An ASEAN delegation met Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing in Naypyitaw on June 4 to discuss humanitarian issues. Because the humanitarian crisis in Myanmar will soon become urgent and dramatic, we will see many more international actors rushing to discuss humanitarian issues. For that reason, it makes a lot of sense to discuss such issues a bit more carefully and thoroughly.

Humanitarian aid is usually a sacred cow that most of us are reluctant to question and criticize. In a messy, multi-dimensional conflict, at a moment when we face the spiraling of the whole country into the situation of a failed state and Hobbesian brutish Warre, and when, faced with the prospect of large-scale suffering among the civilian population, it seems that humanitarianism is the only option that is left.

As someone who has been on the receiving end of the international humanitarian effort during the war in my country, Bosnia, and who has also raised funds and provided humanitarian aid, I dare to share some experiences and raise a few questions.

In a situation like the one we have in Myanmar now, humanitarian aid has several very problematic aspects and it is good, I believe, to be aware of that.

What are these problematic dimensions? Let me address them one by one, because, as stated, there are several.

Let us start with the recent visit of the ASEAN delegation, because it illustrates well when and how humanitarian aid starts to be a problem. There are many critical issues that need to be discussed when one wants to try to facilitate an international process that will bring a solution to a deepening crisis. However, other issues have not been discussed. Priority is given to the need to respond to the humanitarian crisis. So instead of addressing the critical questions of the Tatmadaw waging war against the nation, state violence and a systematic spree of arrests that already counts in the thousands, instead of opening and discussing critical question of political dialog between Myanmars stakeholders, it seems that ASEAN has abandoned all of the other points in its five-point consensus and decided that the only important topic that remains is the humanitarian issue.

This is the first possibly problematic side. When humanitarian issues replace all other issues as the main priority, then humanitarianism starts to become a cover for the absence of action on the issues that really matter to end the violence, conflict and spiraling crisis.

Another problem is that the humanitarian approach always blurs the issue of responsibility. When you need to secure access for humanitarian deliveries in times of war and violent circumstances, then you negotiate with the one who controls the guns and territory, without regard for whether he is right or wrong, whether or not he is legitimate, whether or not he is a war criminal. You, like it or dislike it, start to talk about all sides in the conflict, about a need for restraint, about humanitarian concerns and priorities.

The mass humanitarian crisis in Myanmar was triggered and created by, and is being sustained by, the aggressive, violent, murderous and oppressive behavior of just one sideSnr-Gen Min Aung Hlaings decision to stage the coup and to try to reimpose, against the will of the population, direct, full and illegitimate military rule. That is the only reason for and the only generator of Myanmars current crisis. There have not been two sides in that, and Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing is still, as of today, the sole and only obstacle to starting to de-escalate the current crisis.

Fueling the continuation of the crisis, in spite of all the disastrous consequencesand escalating it into a multi-dimensional war of many against manyis Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaings belief that ultimately he can win and consolidate the coup. He cherishes this belief not only because of his blundering, power-hungry ambition, but much more so because of the hugely disproportionate military strength he wields. This is why he is uncompromising and why he will not restrain his forces from the violence and arrests, and why he will reject any negotiations that can only lead to a political settlement.

No level of humanitarian effort will change anything in this underlying situation. The senior general can allow ASEAN to focus on humanitarian issues while he continues his war against the people until he can exhaust and crush the resistance. At the same time, with behind-the-scenes support from China and Russia, he will most probably not allow UN humanitarian missions to get involved in Myanmar, in order to avoid a situation in which any Western influence will be smuggled in via UN agencies. The EU, US, Canada and Japan will be welcomed to pay for the ASEAN humanitarian effort, but otherwise both Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing and China will do all they can to keep them at a distance from any aid effort. Some international humanitarian NGOs will be allowed to operateunder the very tight scrutiny of the juntas ministries and Special Branchwithin the country, to provide window dressing for the EU and others, creating the impression that they are doing all that is possible in the given circumstances.

This is not the kind of humanitarianism that alleviates the suffering of the civilian population, reduces the humanitarian crisis in Myanmar and contributes to the solution of the crisis. This is humanitarianism that is doing harm by helping the junta win the war against the people and helping Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing consolidate a new military dictatorship.

Anything that gives time and legitimacy to the junta and anything that strengthens the current disproportionality of the capacity to use violence on the side of the junta, and the lack of capacity to defend itself on the side of the people of Myanmar, is prolonging and deepening Myanmars crisis.

ASEANs humanitarian aid effort, which will be ineffectually negotiated for several more months, and non-interfering talks with Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing in the spirit of ASEAN unity will boost the juntas belief that they can win. So, the violence will continue, the war will escalate further, the crisis will deepen and the humanitarian crisis will intensify.

There is a clear alternative for ASEAN, as well as for all other players in the international community, which they should implement without delay:

Start to talk with representatives of the National Unity Government (NUG) without further delay. Make clear to Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing and the Tatmadaw (Myanmars military) that the NUG is legitimate and a full-fledged participant in any ASEAN-facilitated negotiations about a settlement in the Myanmar crisis.

Make clear that the NUG will be invited to any further ASEAN special meetings on Myanmar.

ASEAN must actively support the UN resolution to impose an arms embargo, instead of secretly and shamefully lobbying against it behind the scenes.

Issue a clear statement that the attempted military takeover has no grounds, has no legitimacy, has plunged the country into disaster and has created a serious threat to regional security and stability. Put the condition forward that any future transition period must be civilian-ledagreed by all stakeholders including the Tatmadaw, but civilian-led. Put the condition forward that any future elections can be managed and overseen only by a civilian-led election commission, not one imposed by the military junta.

Demand the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners detained or sentenced after the Feb. 1 coup, and leverage that demand with the threat that Myanmar will be temporarily suspended from ASEAN membership if this condition is not met by a specific date. Strictly demand that no new arrests take place.

Demand an immediate end to the use of state violence and an end to all military operations. Through negotiations it will not be hard to get ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) and peoples defense forces (PDFs) to restrain themselves. Anyway, their actions have been defensive and have been prompted by arrests, indiscriminate killing, raids and punitive operations undertaken by the military and police. Once the juntas state terror stops, all other stakeholders will be happy and ready to restrain their actions.

Immediately, without delay, start to deliver humanitarian aid to internally displaced persons and refugees in EAO-controlled territory. EAOs and the NUG will be glad to issue invitations and agree on a Memorandum of Understanding with both ASEAN and the UN. No need to wait on the good will of the junta to agree on the terms of international humanitarian engagement in Myanmar. The junta is not the legitimate representative of the Myanmar state and its people and should not in any way be allowed to decide under which conditions aid should flow into the country. Once it becomes obvious to the junta that aid is coming to Myanmar through local civil society and is reaching territories not controlled by the Tatmadaw, junta representatives will be quick to open access to humanitarian aid to the territory controlled by the Tatmadaw. They will not allow themselves to fall behind. Assertive, confident action will do much more than pleading for good will and humanitarian concern from Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing. He does not have any humanitarian concerns.

This alternative approach will much more quickly activate much-needed humanitarian aid channels to the population and at the same time move us several steps closer to the possible de-escalation of the currently escalating conflict. It will also help us avoid the consolidation of yet another predatory and highly repressive, prolonged military dictatorship.

Igor Blazevic is senior adviser with the Prague Civil Society Centre. Between 2011 and 2016 he worked in Myanmar as the head lecturer at the Educational Initiatives program.



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Halfway to the weekend is cause for celebration! Mark the occasion by enjoying a delicious meal, and savings, from our participating #tasteofkeybiscayne restaurants.

#meal-deals this Wednesday, June 9, 2021

Sake Room

Make it a Sake-Lunch-Wednesday and try one of the delicious options in our new Lunch Menu, starting at $10.99.

Open for Indoor and Outdoor Dining, Takeout or delivery!

Join us today, open from Noon to 10 p.m.

FREE* Crunchy Crab Salad!!!

New hours! Noon to 10 p.m.

Call (305) 456-0488 to place a takeout or delivery order directly

Following all CDC safety protocols

328 Crandon Blvd Ste 108, Galleria Shopping Center

Grub hub  UberEats also available. Please if you can call us first

*Offer good on any $50+ order

La Scala

Join us tonight - Open for Indoor dining and limited outdoor seating, or if you prefer, make it a La Scala dinner-at-home night with Takeout. Offering curbside delivery

Call Chandra so he may recommend a special Wednesday night dinner pasta-dish from their regular menu!

The popular Italian Bistro now offers their delicious meals to enjoy at home and thank you for the great support during this challenging time!

To place a takeout order call (786) 773-3633 or visit us online here.

Open 5 to 10 p.m.

180 Crandon Blvd  Arcade Shopping Center

D'Lite Bistro & Bakery

Who says eating healthy means sacrificing taste and flavor? Not at DLite!

We are a unique and healthy restaurant that serves salads, wraps, sandwiches, bowls, protein smoothies and cold press juices made fresh every morning  including gluten-free, vegetarian and keto options.

This Wednesday, try our featured dish: our delicious Latin Bowl!

We open at 7 a.m. daily and close at 8 p.m. everyday except Sat and Sun when we close at 6 p.m.

DLite is located in the Arcade Mall, 180 Crandon Blvd. To place an order, call (305) 882-9284 or visit us online by clicking here.

Kazumi

We are open to serve you with indoor & ample outdoor seating, takeout or delivery!

We have the perfect salmon roll for your Wednesday meal!

Modern Japanese fusion restaurant. We offer creative treatments & creativity in our dishes for takeout and delivery by our own employees. Available for lunch and dinner.

NEW HOURS!

Mon to Sat Noon to 9:45 p.m.

Closed Sundays

To place an order call (305) 361-2675 or order online here.

Pops Burger

At Pops, we love burgers! Confident we have your favorite combination!

Our burgers are made with 100% certified Angus beef and we offer from the most basic burger or cheeseburger, to our new Signature Burgers, as well as Hot Dogs, nachos with chili and many other favorites, in addition to shakes and desserts!

Try our Wednesday feature item our delicious BLACK WIDOW sandwich. What is in it? Come in to find out and enjoy!

We serve our food in a safe and family style setting and we are pet friendly!

Pops Burger is located in the Square Mall, at 260 Crandon Blvd, Key Biscayne

We are open from Noon to 9 p.m. seven-days a week. We close at 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

To place an order, please call (786) 401-7474 or order online by clicking here.

We offer dine-in, takeout and delivery via UberEats and Postmates

Brasas KB

Open for covered Indoor & Outdoor Dining, Takeout or delivery!

Mid-Week special.... Our delicious half pound hamburger, with one side and a soda, only $10.99 - loaded it up with a fried egg, bacon, cheese and pickles to make it a "completa" for only $4 more! Can't beat the quality! Unmatched value!

Have you tried our Peruvian Chicken Rotisserie for lunch or dinner that includes 2 sides and sauce of your choice: huancaina, aji amarillo, huacatay and olivas negras peruanas.

Call (786) 615-2399 to place a takeout order. Open Noon to 8 p.m.

328 Crandon Blvd, Galleria Shopping Center

AMICI At Key Biscayne

From San Marino, the oldest & smallest republic in the world located in the center north of Italy, now serving authentic Italian cuisine in Key Biscayne.

In Italian, AMICI means friends and that is what you will find at AMICIs a friendly atmosphere surpassed only by the excellent Authentic Italian cuisine

Today, our mid-week special is our Branzino alla Griglia (only $33), whose exceptional preparation is only surpassed by the incredible flavors.

AMICI at Key Biscayne is located inside The Towers of Key Biscayne at 1111 Crandon Blvd. To make a reservation call (786) 453-0974 or Email info@amiciatkeybiscayne.com

To see the complete menu and the history of the family behind the excellence that is AMICI, click here.

Artisan Kitchen & Bar

Join us. Open for Indoor dining & expanded Outdoor dining, Takeout or FREE Delivery.

This Wednesday we invite you try our featured dish... the incredibly delicious Chicken sliders

We deliver our famous craft beers. Call for your favorite, or take advantage of our Wine sale! All our white & red wine bottles are $12 - and we will deliver

Hours of operations: Mon - Sat 8 AM to CLOSE

Sunday Brunch 9 AM to 4 PM

Call us directly at (305) 365-6003 to place an order.

Place your Order Online here

Open Seas Cafe

Enjoy the day in a true beachside setting at OpenSeas Cafe, try our signature conch fritters or our renowned fish tacos for a treat you wont forget. Our frozen daiquiris or flavorful margaritas are the perfect combination for beach and sun.

We also offer beachside food delivery and chair and umbrella service.

On this Wednesday, we invite you to try our delicious Bahamian Conch fritters for only $9.95 for 6 or $17.95 for a dozen

We are located in Crandon Park / South Beach at 6747 Crandon Blvd. Key Biscayne. We are open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. (weather permitting).

Call or text us at (786) 305 4747 for more information or order. Visit us online by clicking here.

Ayesha Indian Restaurant

Wednesday  the perfect day for that special South Indian meal. How spicy do you want it?

Join us today, indoor & outdoor seating to help with social distancing.

For our full menu or to order online click here.

FREE APPETIZER when you spend $50 and FREE DELIVERY

Tuesday  Sunday 5 to 9:30 p.m.

Call (786) 953-4761 to place a takeout order

328 Crandon Blvd - #115 Key Biscayne

Costa Med Bistro

Open for Indoor and Expanded Outdoor Dining, Takeout!

This Wednesday we are featuring our fresh grilled salmon!

Order online for take out - click here!

Costa Med, a TripAdvisor Traverlers Choice nominated restaurant, is located in the Square Shopping Center. 260 Crandon Blvd. Reservations suggested.

Call Antonio or Harold at (305) 361-7575

Hours.

Lunch Mon to Sat: Noon a.m. to 4 p.m.

Dinner Mon to Sat: 6 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. / Sun 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Boaters Grill & Lighthouse Cafe / Bill Baggs

The restaurants inside Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park  the popular Boaters Grill, located at No Name Harbor and accessible by boat, and the beachside Lighthouse Cafe are ready to serve you.

Start the day with a delicious breakfast under the Lighthouse! Serving traditional breakfast favorites being served at Lighthouse Cafe

Boaters Grill is open Sunday through Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Thursday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Lighthouse Cafe is open 7-days a week, from 9 a.m. to Sunset

The restaurants are located inside Bill Baggs State Park, at 1200 Crandon Blvd., Key Biscayne. You can reach them at (305) 361-0080

Tacopolis

What do they say at Tacopolis? Everyday is Taco-Day!! Only eat tacos on days that end in a Y

Enjoy flavor and stay fit with our Veggie fried rice

Tacopolis was born as an idea in Cancun Mexico years ago. We offer a family concept, serving authentic Mexican flavors in a casual and relaxed atmosphere

Open Seven Days a week, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. for Indoor & Outdoor dining, Takeout or delivery by our own service of find us on UberEats

Located in the Square Shopping Center at 260 Crandon Blvd, Key Biscayne.

To place a phone order, call (786) 703-5523. To order online, please click here.

Randazzos Italian Seafood and Classics

Open for Indoor & Outdoor dining, Takeout or delivery. Reservations recommended

This Wednesday, we are featuring our Salmon Limone on special! Best on the island!

Please call (305) 456-0480 for the daily menu special.

Open Tuesday to Sunday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.

328 Crandon Blvd Ste 112, Galleria Shopping Center

Outside the island delivery via @Postmates or @UberEats

The Golden Hog

Eat Local. Help local. Shop Safely.

Our Grilled Chicken Sandwich is the best on the island, bar none Stop by the grill, order, enjoy and tell us if we are wrong!!

Todays menu.

Soups & Creams: Chicken Rice / Red Beans / Lobster Bisque

Main Course: BBQ Baby Pork Ribs / Chicken Spinach / Coconut Shrimp / Pasta Carbonara

Side Dishes: Yellow Rice / Eggplant Parmigiana / Yuca

The Golden-Hog has a complete line of specialty groceries for delivery.

Golden Hog puts safety first. We have taken steps to ensure the safety of employees and customers. Shop with confidence.

Call (305) 361-1300 to place a delivery or take out order; you can also email your orders to orders@thegoldenhogmarket.com or order online here.

Novecento

Deep in the heart of the island, Novecento is the neighborhood hotspot.

Today, we invite you to try our Fresh grilled salmon! We are told it is the best on the island. Let us know what you think!

Novecento Key Biscayne Bistro Argentino is located at 620 Crandon Blvd in Key Biscayne.

Open daily Noon to 10 p.m.

Place your takeout or delivery order at (305) 362-0900

Novecento Key Biscayne Bistro Argentino is located at 620 Crandon Blvd in Key Biscayne.

Open daily Noon to 10 p.m.

You can order online by clicking here

KEBO

Open for Dine-In with indoor and expansive & shaded outdoor seating and Takeout.

Never too early in the week to indulge in wine. Introducing the islands most complete Wine Cellar. We have a unique wine selection at competitive prices. Check it out, we are confident there is a new favorite waiting for you.

Enjoy our special Mid-Week complete meal, for $19.95/pp eat-in menu, an appetizer and a main dish.

KEBO Restaurant, a 2020 a Travelers Choice Winner, is located in the Key Colony Shopping Center. Call (305) 365-1244 to make a reservation

Check back tomorrow for more specials as we add more restaurants to #tasteofkeybiscayne-To-Go

And please remember to order from the restaurant directly before using one of the apps  this way we support the local restaurants by saving them the commission they are charged, which at times is as much as 30%
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Ethereum, the main cryptocurrency on a stinging warpath against the top dog Bitcoin, seems headed to dominate the battlefield.

Its pace of growth has been the clear proof of this, as Ethereum skyrocketed 1,000 percent in the last 12 months. Meanwhile, Bitcoin had soared by just four times its value since a year ago. This has tightened the race, though Bitcoin's advantage is still quite sizeable in terms of market capitalization.

Ethereum Value Shows Signs of Massive Uptake

Because of this, a respected analyst has made a bold forecast that Ethereum would eventually surpass Bitcoin in terms of value. Senior commodity strategist Mike McGlone emphasized it quite simply in a report on Bloomberg, saying "the trend that appears enduring is Ethereum gaining market share versus Bitcoin."

He stressed that Ethereum's trading volume is "a leading indicator for advancing Ethereum, which has now closed the gap to the 50 percent mark."

According to CoinMarketCap data cited by McGlone, Ethereum's 10-day average trading volume has doubled since the beginning of 2021 in its march towards the 80 percent of Bitcoin.

Ethereum Price Prediction: DeFi Apps Pushing ETH Value

McGlone added that while both Bitcoin and Ethereum would benefit from bullish sentiment moving forward, Ethereum's strong foundation and use case in terms of decentralized finance (DeFi) applications running on the blockchain would become a bigger draw, as against Bitcoin's "store-of-value" attributes.

Ethereum price has soared in the last 12 months due to the DeFi apps that run through it, Forbes emphasized. These apps use cryptocurrency technology in recreating such banking services as loans and insurance on its blockchain. It has also been the platform for the sale of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) or authenticated copies of digital music, videos, artwork or collections, which has risen in popularity over the recent months.

Read Also: Ethereum Price Prediction: ETH Value Faces New Threat in Solana

Meanwhile, analysts from the digital asset investing firm CoinShares asserted Ethereum's appeal to investors. The digital token received investments totaling $33 million over the last week, the analysts said, making Ethereum the "altcoin choice for investors."

More investments have poured into Ethereum investment products, such as the Grayscale Ethereum Trust, as this would allow exposure to the digital asset in the form of security and prevent the drawbacks of purchasing the coin directly.

Ethereum Price to Reach $10,000 by End of 2021?

Crypto analyst CryptoCapo, on the other hand, expects Ethereum to reach $10,000 by the end of 2021, from its current price of around $2,384, Investor Place reported. While it fell 14 percent in a 24-hour period, it is still up 221.9 percent since the start of the year.

On the emergence of cryptocurrencies rivaling Ethereum in building a challenge to Bitcoin, McGlone said they are facing a difficult, uphill climb to eclipse the current number two cryptocurrency. Ehtereum, he said, "won the adoption race as the go-to for digitalization of money and finance."

A strong Ethereum contender, Solana, was reported to have raised up to $450 million in its challenge to Ethereum as the blockchain for DeFi apps and smart contracts. Solana representatives refused to confirm or deny the reports.

Related Article: Ethereum Price Prediction: Expert Analysis Sees ETH on $9000 Track
Google Pixel owners can now awaken their inner astronomer with the latest update in Google camera.

Though it may be available exclusively to Google Pixel, the latest Android 11 update has given finally rolled out one of its anticipated features: a cool capability for time-lapse astrophotography, a feature which Google code-named "Kepler." Yes, you read that right. Capturing images of those beautiful heavenly bodies you could only witness in awe is now possible with your phone.

Google Astrophotography Mode

Google Camera 8.2.400 is now available on Google Play via the June 7 security patch, and once you install it on a Pixel 4 on Android 11, you will see an added astrophotography feature. Going to Google Camera's Settings>Advanced, you will be able to find the new "enable time lapse for astrophotography" option. When you find it, toggle with the description "export photo and time lapse. Uses more storage space."

You will also see a new line in the Night Sight mode settings, but ypu have "wait at least 2.5 minutes to capture a time lapse in addition to a phot" (via XDA-Developers).

It gives credence to the intrinsic features of Pixel phones with the Google Camera that can take a photo with an exposure of up to four minutes, allowing you to take astonishing photos of the stars in the sky with a time lapse at that, Uber Gizmo noted in a post.

This means users will be able to define a time period for the app to automatically capture photos every couple of minutes, 9to5Google highlighted. The camera would then produce a photo that shows the movement of clouds in a starry sky, or maybe capturing those meteor showers when such an event happens. Of course, you might need a tripod or anything stable to have it produce its most awesome effect.

Read Also: Google Pixel 6 vs Pixel 5: What Are the Changes? Design, Specs, and More- An Advanced Review

Google Camera Features Unavailable Prior to Pixel Feature Drop

Other announced features, however, were unavailable even after installing or sideloading the update. Google will make these features fully available on a standalone basis in the next Pixel Feature Drop in the next two weeks, XDA posted.

A feature promised in Google Camera called the "Locked Folder' is apparently not available yet, 9to5Google added. There should be a toggle that appears on the top-right corner of the camera viewfinder, which wuld allow users to select where to save the content that is not yet live--be it the phone's photo gallery or Google Photos. But since the update to the Google Photos app is not available yet, the Locked Photos feature can't be activated on Google Camera.

However, it seems this Locked Photos feature codenamed "Mars" could be enabled soon, as XDA discovered a code added to the latest Google Camera and Google Photos versions.

Google Astrophotography Mode Update Download

Google Camera's latest update might be rolling out on the Play Store, but it's not yet widely available. Google said it might take the next two weeks for it to become fully available, and you may need Google to officially announce its availability or push to your Pixel phone since it is blocking sideloading updates to the app.

Related Article: New Google Pixel 6 Design, Camera Array Leaked: Specs, Release Date and More
If you're getting tired from all these fourth stimulus checks and IRS protocols, then you'd love the new online solution. Check if you have any unclaimed property or money from the government in just a few minutes! You can do it now and immediately start the process for your return payment.

The state government knows it owes you money coming from an unclaimed deposit, uncashed checks, stock bonds, or a forgotten safety deposit box. Your local government holds on to these monetary assets for safekeeping and would immediately return the money after processing your eligibility papers.

Cnet reported that different states publicly announced some of the unclaimed property values they are currently holding. South Carolina uses social media to connect their residents with unclaimed property. Moreover, New York reports $16.5 billion worth of forgotten property, while California has approximately 10.2 billion and Florida has $328 million worth of unclaimed monetary assets.

Furthermore, it's not just a small amount. Apparently, the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators revealed that people claimed an average of $1,780 back in 2019.

Your unclaimed money might also be included in that list!

Unclaimed Property, Funds: Payment Online Tracker

The state could owe you money for a lot of different reasons. Aside from the ones mentioned above, you might have forgotten a credit balance, refund payment, utility deposit, insurance benefits, or other similar circumstances. The stimulus payment and plus-up payment can also be listed as unclaimed property.

To check if the government owes you money, head to unclaimed.org

Select your State or Province. You will now be redirected to the webpage of your local jurisdiction where you can enter your personal information, like your last name. All monetary items listed in your name will reflect on the results bar.

The site is free for public use and lists all the monetary assets most governments are keeping. Using this website, over $3 billion money has been returned by the state annually.

You could also use the FindMyFund website to search for other monetary assets. This one, however, lets your search all properties across 25 states and the District of Columbia at the same time. Note, however, that this website has a lot of traffic. Sometimes, the webpage would not load and requires multiple "page refresh" to finally work.

Read Also: Fourth Stimulus Check Tracker: Possible $2000 Payment, Timeline and More Details

How to Get Unclaimed Property, Funds Payment

Each state handles the claiming process for monetary assets according to their local government policy. However, most of them might require you to at least present

A copy of your photo ID

A copy of your Social Security card or Individual Tax Identification Number

Your current address and verification

Documentation relating to the type of unclaimed property

Some states might have a deadline for you to claim your money or property. If the deadline passes, the government will take ownership of your money and asset. Usually, the government waits up to three years before they claim the assets.

How Long Will It Take To Get My Money?

If you complete the process of applying and submitting your documents for reclaiming monetary assets, then it could take a total of 90 ro 180 days for the Division of Unclaimed Properties to process the claim.



Related Article: Fourth Stimulus Check Tracker: $2000 Payment Still Possible Amid Positive Impact of 2nd, 3rd Stimulus Waves
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:
Ithaca, NY (14850)

Today

Scattered thunderstorms this evening followed by occasional showers overnight. Low 62F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Scattered thunderstorms this evening followed by occasional showers overnight. Low 62F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%.
Juniper Networks and NEC have worked closely together with Herotel to establish a commercial network in South Africa driven by segment routing. The network was designed to deliver fast and affordable user experience.

Juniper Networks and NEC have partnered with Herotel, South Africas fixed wireless service provider, to enable the countrys first commercial network to deploy segment routing as part of its network upgrade initiative. Herotels operational drivers include scalability and reach, agility, cost-effectiveness, and the ability to provide a user experience that can be tailored to regional requirements.

Since it was established in 2014, Herotels mission has been to drive ubiquitous, affordable internet connectivity and access to services and content in South Africa including communities in remote districts. In addition to the growth of its network, the acquisition of numerous local service providers over a short period of time has further broadened Herotels reach. However, this approach has also led to a disparate, cost-inefficient infrastructure in need of simplification and alignment to meet its objectives.

Over the past year, this need has been exacerbated by increased demand for bandwidth during work at home and extended lockdown periods, with thousands of workers accessing corporate resources from unknown home networks. Furthermore, given the large distances between data centres and other points of presence, it has become imperative for Herotel to provide customers the ability to store and stream bandwidth-heavy content closer.

Herotel chose to build its new IP network based on segment routing principles, augmenting traditional MPLS (multi-protocol label switching) techniques, to maximise operational flexibility and agility and to help deliver user experiences at scale.

Segment routing is a control-plane architecture which simplifies traffic engineering, enabling the path that data packets take across the network to be determined in advance. This means fewer network elements are involved, avoiding slow response to sudden network changes. It also supports the application QoS (Quality of Service), mapping specific applications and end users to preferential network service paths.

Herotels stated mission for South Africa is everyone connected. In support of this, we have three clear strategic anchors: excellent customer experience, low-cost deployment and strategic availability of our services. The network is the critical element, so we knew we had to be bold and innovative to succeed and keep this promise to our customers, says Herotel chief technical officer Eldred Ekermans. The solution from Juniper, with Nec Xon as the integration partner, has delivered the simplicity, operational functionality and agility that other vendors simply could not.

Brendan Gibbs, Juniper Networks vice president, automated WAN solutions, recalls working with Herotel and explains their partnership. Streamlining deployment at massive scale and across vast distances yet still focusing on the user experience was the challenge that Herotel brought to us. The segment routing solution now in place delivers optimal bandwidth utilisation, reduced latency and automated traffic engineering capabilities. This enables Herotel to provide connectivity and services to its many thousands of business and residential users, despite the geographic challenges of such a dispersed population. It also has the necessary headroom and agility to keep ahead of Herotels ambitious ongoing growth plans, again without any compromise to the end-user experience.

Mayuko Tatewaki, NEC general manager, service provider solutions division, concludes: As a company that envisions social value creation ourselves, Herotels mission resonates with us and we are thrilled to contribute to making everyone connected a reality in South Africa, one of the key markets for our global business. NEC, providing specialised telecom services with a customer-first approach, is excited to be a strategic partner for Herotel to deliver innovative 5G-ready networking and to pave the way to a brighter, promising future together.

Additional Information

Herotel has now consolidated 19 separate networks and operating frameworks into a single architecture, in support of its simplification and cost-control program, having acquired 40 different service providers between 2018 and 2020.

During South Africas initial national lockdown period starting in March 2020, Herotel experienced a 30% increase in network traffic.

For the remainder of 2021, Herotel aims to bring another 60,000 new customers online, and is currently building new fibre connections for 16 towns, with another 18 planned for towns in the Western Cape district.

Juniper Networks MX Series Universal Routing Platform supports the solution deployed by Herotel. Specifically, Herotel has deployed the MX204 Universal Routing Platform for metro access routing and the MX10008 Universal Routing Platform in the network core.

Herotel also has the Juniper Broadband Network Gateway Solution (BNG) enabled across its distributed architecture to support local peering and as a Content Delivery Network (CDN). This capability is enabled by the MX platforms and Junos OS, the single operating system that powers Junipers portfolio.



NEC led the architectural design and implementation of Herotels new network as the Network Integrator, backed by its transport networking integration and engineering capabilities. It has also been recognised as Junipers Global Alliance Partner of the Year for 2020, underlining its outstanding execution capabilities and exceptional attention to customer experience.

Juniper and Nec Xon, a subsidiary of NEC, worked closely together to deliver Herotels new network and will extend their effort to develop networks to drive Herotel's success in the region.

For more information on segment routing, watch the video below:
Developers and providers can now build-in zero trust, Internet-optimised application delivery as code with Agentless Zero Trust Networking. Zero trust connections can now be spun up in minutes.

Oracle Cloud hosted ISV and SaaS providers can now use the NetFoundry zero trust networking SDKs to embed zero trust networking into their apps. This allows agentless, zero trust, private networking between the providers Oracle Cloud regions and their customer sites. Bolted-on infrastructure such as VPNs, firewalls and MPLS are eliminated as customers of the Oracle Cloud ISV and SaaS providers enjoy built-in networking from any internet connection.

The NetFoundry Networking Zero Trust Platform, available on Oracle Cloud Marketplace, enables zero trust connections to be spun up in minutes.

"The cloud represents a huge opportunity for our partner community," says David Hicks, Oracle vice president, worldwide ISV cloud business development. NetFoundrys commitment to innovation with the Oracle Cloud and quality execution will help our mutual customers receive cloud-enabled networking solutions, ready to meet their critical business needs."

Galeal Zino, NetFoundry founder and CEO, states: Some of the worlds top ISVs and SaaS providers host apps on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure. Their need for strong security, optimised performance and automation is opposed by the complexity of trying to bolt-on infrastructure to what should be a cloud native experience.

He adds: NetFoundry enables those providers to instead build-in zero trust, Internet-optimised application delivery, as code.

Businesses can leverage the Oracle services such as Oracle Autonomous Database and Private Kubernetes API networking without deploying infrastructure. The services are said to provide stronger security and Internet-optimised performance. Pilots are spun up in minutes, and production deployments are managed as code, with the businesses DevOps and cloud orchestration tools using NetFoundrys APIs to automate secure networking as part of their overall management.

The NetFoundry Secure Networking Platform includes both Zero Trust as a Service (ZTaaS) and SDN as a Service (SDNaaS) enabling app developers, ISVs, SaaS providers, enterprise IT, DevOps and NetOps to build networking without building all the underlying functions. ZTaaS provides developers with the software for certificate-based identity, bootstrapped enrolment, bi-directional authentication, least privileged access, micro segmentation and encryption.

The underlying infrastructure is managed by NetFoundrys cloud native network. SDNaaS provides customers with Internet access to the NetFoundry Fabric, a global SDN providing optimised performance and zero trust application delivery. NetFoundry open sourced the underlying Ziti zero trust networking software to provide flexibility, investment protection and open source community innovation and support.

The collaboration with Oracle is aligned with next-gen solution principles including security-by-design, performance-by-design, superior economics, improved automation, scalability and availabilitywhich is said to be the core attributes of Oracle Cloud Infrastructuree (OCI) and the NetFoundry Secure Networking Platform.

Much like how OCI offers software-defined services for compute, storage and application services, NetFoundry makes zero trust networking programmatic with cloud native orchestration and infrastructure managed as-a-service, with pay-as-you-pricing, to instantly spin up and manage zero trust, performant, edge-to-cloud, hybrid cloud and cloud-to-cloud networks.

Oracle Cloud Marketplace is a shop for customers seeking business applications offering solutions, including ones that extend Oracle Cloud Applications.

Oracle Cloud is an enterprise cloud that delivers performance and next generation security across a portfolio of services including SaaS, application development, application hosting, and business analytics. Customers get access to leading compute, storage, data management, security, integration, HPC, artificial intelligence (AI), and Blockchain services to augment and modernise their critical workloads.

Oracle Cloud runs Oracle Autonomous Database, which is said to be the industry's first and only self-driving database.

NetFoundry also recently extended its Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) solutions to OCI. Several more solutions are currently in development. For example, the NetFoundry and Oracle teams are working to enable businesses to deploy Oracle Autonomous Database with one click via the Oracle Cloud Marketplace.
ANALYSIS The Australian Federal Police appears to have provided the best possible argument for not passing federal bills that seek to enhance its powers, following the provision of details about using existing Australian encryption laws to read the encrypted messages of criminal gangs and take them down.

The AFP mentioned on Tuesday how it has used the laws passed in December 2018 to decrypt messages which were circulated within an app that had been used in a sting. Known as AN0M, the app was put out into circulation by a known criminal and then picked up by various others in the loop.

AFP commissioner Reece Kershaw said the AFP had helped to decrypt and read encrypted communication that was sent over AN0M in real time as part of the operation.

The FBI made its side of the operation known on Wednesday Australian time, saying 300 arrests had been made in Europe, Oceania and the US in an operation that was based in San Diego, California.

"For the first time, the FBI operated its own encrypted device company, called AN0M, which was promoted by criminal groups worldwide," an agency release said.

"These criminals sold more than 12,000 AN0M encrypted devices and services to more than 300 criminal syndicates operating in more than 100 countries, including Italian organised crime, Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs, and various international drug trafficking organizations, according to court records.

It looks like the encrypted messages were being decrypted by a bot, sent to an app controlled by the FBI and re-encrypted using a key controlled by the FBI.

The AFP has been pushing since December last year  when one new law seeking expanded powers for itself was introduced into Parliament  to get legislation passed to give effect to the bill.

But the question now arises, if the AFP was able to bust a gang as big as the one mentioned on Tuesday, why it does need any more powers to fight the use of encrypted communications by criminals?

Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who rather surprisingly fronted a news conference on Tuesday to boast about the AFP's achievement  neither Kevin Rudd nor Malcolm Turnbull have fronted similar press conferences in the past when they were in office  ducked a questioner who asked whether the AFP had been involved in the encryption-cracking side of things only because they had laws permitting them to do so, or whether they had done so because of their technical prowess.

Instead, Morrison pointed to the Surveillance Legislation Amendment (Identify and Disrupt) Bill 2020 and the Telecommunications Legislation Amendment (International Production Orders) Bill 2020 (IPO Bill) as pending legislation that would give the AFP " powers to do their job".

Neither bill has full support from either side of politics.
In a tweet issued around 9:30pm last night (AEST) Fastly said, "We identified a service configuration that triggered disruptions across our POPs globally and have disabled that configuration. Our global network is coming back online."

The Fastly status page showed this:

For readers unfamiliar with a Content Distribution Network, this is a service that will take copies of a web site and distribute them to servers scattered around the world.

For instance, you may be reading iTWire.com in London or perhaps Anchorage in Alaska. If we wanted to improve the service you receive, we would engage a CDN to store our content and whenever you access iTWire.com, the content would be delivered to you from a local server.

This has two broad positives. Firstly for us, we don't have to serve every request from our own computing resources, instead we only respond to a small number of requests from the CDN servers. Secondly, you will get a much snappier response to your page requests - the CND servers are very big and fast and also, they're closer to you.

In order to gain some context within the local IT industry, we asked a number of vendors for their thoughts on the outage itself and also how organisations should protect their presence on the internet.

Lotem Finklestein, Head of Threat Intelligence at Check Point offered this, "While we don't yet know the reason for the widespread outage at cloud service company, Fastly, it's important to understand why the impact is so extensive. Fastly is a CDN - a content delivery network. CDNs generate replicas of original websites for the website owners to allow load balancing."

"When a CDN fails, it means that all the replicas are unavailable and no one is able to see the content from the original server. So it seems like Amazon, Reddit, Twitch and all these big sites have been attacked in unison, but they were not attacked. There is no outage for these companies. The only outage was at Fastly, the CDN that serves them.

Leo Lynch, Director, Asia Pacific, StorageCraft, an Arcserve Company reminds us that, "If the last year has taught us anything, it's that we never know what's around the corner. The latest Fastly mass internet outage, which caused many Australians to see the "HTTP Error 503" on Tuesday night when accessing their favourite websites, is only one many severe disruptions that have plagued businesses in the past year.

While Mercer reports that only about half of businesses have a business continuity plan, it's often this type of thorough, proactive planning that helps companies successfully tackle the biggest challenges that come along."

"According to what we've learned, today's outage across several news outlets was a result of a misconfiguration," said Andy Champagne, Akamai Technologies' SVP and chief technology officer of Akamai Labs. "This means that there could have been an error in a file or something as simple as a typo made by someone managing the system.

"It is also our understanding that people were getting [503] errors returned very quickly, which is an indicator of a service being unavailable, versus a cyberattack. In an attack it usually takes some time for the consumer to see an error.

"What people experienced today is just another reminder of how the internet is a lifeline for consumers and for businesses, and we have come to count on it being reliable and available to us when we need it.

Marcus Thompson, AM, PhD, retired Army officer and former Head of Information Warfare for the Australian Defence Force wanted to localise the impact of this outage, noting that, "The Fastly outage demonstrates, yet again, the importance of digital sovereignty in Australia. This was a technical outage, rather than a cyber-attack, yet the effect on Australian businesses and people was the same. It calls into question our dependence on foreign service providers.

"We need to look closer to home for how we connect to the digital world around us. Australia has some of the greatest data and security skills in the world - the cost of not utilising that in terms of security and economic value is staggering.

"The Government's Security of Critical Infrastructure (SOCI) legislation couldn't be more timely and important to drive this - and bring our data - home."

In a similar vein, Adam Cassar, Co-founder of Peakhour.io says, "A global issue shows some shared component failed resulting in Fastly not being able to process requests, likely effecting their ability to connect to client Origin servers. Fastly tweeted that it was a 'configuration issue' (as we noted above). After the issue was resolved Fastly say clients may experience a 'lower CHR'.

"What does this imply? Varnish achieves its performance through in-memory caching. A lower CHR would mean that Varnish was restarted, losing that cache. A configuration error means that a configuration change was enacted that resulted in a global outage. We can surmise from this that, there are shared components in the Fastly caching network and that the configuration change was enacted globally without sufficient testing.

Finally, according to Associate Professor Carsten Rudolph, Department of Software Systems & Cybersecurity, Faculty of Information Technology, Monash University "During last night's outage, which impacted websites like The Age, Sydney Morning Herald, New York Times, Amazon and Gov.uk, Fastly claimed that the 'network has built-in redundancies and automatic failover routing to ensure optimal performance and uptime'. While automatic failover is not easy, if there is a major issue, the remaining nodes might receive a very high load and either become very slow or completely fail.

"Today we learnt that the outage was due to a misconfiguration of Fastly's 'points of presence' (POPs). These are servers distributed all over the world and once the issue was identified, it was relatively easy to fix.

"Moving from centralised solutions to distributed architectures that use a world-wide network of POPs can improve speed of delivery and potentially its reliability. However, the example of the Fastly outage shows that small errors can not only disrupt centralised services, but also these distributed solutions.

"These types of reliability issues can potentially result in financial losses and point to the need for a proper risk analysis. Businesses need to understand exactly what services and infrastructures they rely on. Even if these services promise high stability and redundancy, it is always possible that one or even several could fail and businesses need to plan for these outages and have contingency actions in place, if the risk becomes too high."

As usual, the messages are plain for all to see. For providers, make sure you test all changes before they're rolled out, and for customers, make sure you have multiple ways to deliver your internet content.

Simple, really!
Multi-cloud data stack provider DataStax has opened its new regional headquarters in Singapore and made two senior appointments.

Deb Dutta has joined DataStax as general manager of the APAC region from Quadronics, where he served as executive director.

He most recently worked as vice president for orchestration and SDN at Juniper Networks, and previously held senior regional positions at Contrail, Brocade, and McAfee.

Dutta is also a director of investment and advisory company D&M.

He holds an MSc in economics from the University of Calcutta, and an MBA from the University of South Australia.

DataStax continues to see rapid adoption of Cassandra in a form factor which is easy to operate, developer ready, cloud delivered and presents a dramatic reduction in TCO. We recently launched Astra DB, which is the first serverless deployment based on Apache Cassandra that works on all three major public clouds, said Dutta.

I am thrilled to join DataStax to help connect developers and enterprises in APAC to the power of Apache Cassandra by engaging, enabling and empowering them."

The company's APAC expansion will be supported by New Zealand-based Aaron Morton, will support this expansion in his new role as field CTO.

He moves to this position from that of vice president of engineering for global services, having joined the company in 2020 as vice president of engineering for AI ops.

Morton is an Apache Cassandra veteran, starting his contributions in 2010. He is a committer to the core code base and a member of the project management committee for Cassandra.

He has served as a Cassandra advisor to several organisations, including rEniac, Baffle and Datos IO.

Earlier in his career, Morton worked in various software engineering and development roles, including spells at prominent organisations such as Weta Digital and the BBC.
Global security firm Kaspersky has revealed that targeted attacks against a number of companies, which it noticed in April, initially used a vulnerability in Google's Chrome browser and then linked this to two zero-days in the Microsoft Windows 10 kernel.

Researchers Costin Raiu, Boris Larin and Alexey Kulaev said in a detailed blog post that they had been unable to find the exploit used for remotely exploiting Chrome.

This is not surprising as Google's Project Zero team has rarely revealed full details about zero-days in its own products.

The Kaspersky trio said the two Windows zero-days had been in the operating system since the days of Windows Vista, which means they have been there for more than 14 years.

Patches for both were issued on Tuesday by Microsoft, along with patches for another five zero-days, four of which have been reported as being exploited in the wild.

Additionally, Microsoft issued patches for some 50 other flaws in its various products.

Despite being unable to zero in on the Chrome vulnerability, the Kaspersky researchers said they suspected the flaw used had been demonstrated at the Pwn2Own hacking competition in April.

The bug was used by Bruno Keith and Niklas Baumstark of Dataflow Security to target Chrome and Edge in the Web browser category.

The pair used a Typer Mismatch bug to exploit the Chrome renderer and Microsoft Edge, using the same exploit for both browsers as they both use the same JavaScript engine.

Satnam Narang, staff research engineer at security shop Tenable, said: Microsoft had addressed 49 CVEs, five of which were rated critical. "This is the third time in 2021 that Microsoft has patched less than 60 CVEs and this month's release contains the lowest number of patches in a month so far this year," he added.

He said six zero-day vulnerabilities that have been exploited in the wild were patched, including four elevation of privilege vulnerabilities, one information disclosure vulnerability and one remote code execution vulnerability.

"CVE-2021-33742 is a remote code execution vulnerability in the Microsoft Windows MSHTML Platform. While this vulnerability does not require special privileges, the attack complexity for exploiting this vulnerability is high, which means an attacker would need to perform additional legwork to successfully exploit this flaw. It appears that was the case, though details of in-the-wild exploitation are not yet known," Narang said.

"CVE-2021-31955 is an information disclosure vulnerability in the Windows Kernel, while CVE-2021-31956 is an elevation of privilege vulnerability in Windows NTFS. Details about the in-the-wild exploitation of these vulnerabilities are not yet known. While both vulnerabilities require the attacker to be authenticated to the target system, it is likely that they have been leveraged either post-compromise by the attackers directly or through the use of a malicious file opened by a local user.

"CVE-2021-33739 is an elevation of privilege zero-day vulnerability in the Microsoft Desktop Window Manager (DWM) Core Library. For context, Microsoft patched two elevation of privilege vulnerabilities in February (CVE-2021-1732) and April (CVE-2021-28310) which appear to be linked to a threat actor known as BITTER APT. In the case of CVE-2021-28310, researchers linked the flaw to the dwmcore.dll file. Given that CVE-2021-33739 is credited to the same researchers who found CVE-2021-1732 in February, and was discovered in the same core library as CVE-2021-28310, it is feasible this is another zero-day being leveraged by the same BITTER APT group.

"While these vulnerabilities have already been exploited in the wild as zero-days, it is still vital that organisations apply these patches as soon as possible. Unpatched flaws remain a problem for many organisations months after patches have been released."
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

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MiMi-Sandra of Fort Worth, born 7 September 1945 in Jacksonville to Joe Selman Gore and Jeffie Gwendolyn (Lazenby) Gore. Preceded by her parents and five siblings. Survived by her husband, daughters, four siblings, nieces and nephews.
Johnny Cashs grandson Thomas Gabriel added to list of artists for Lifest Music City



The late country superstars former property will serve as the venue for the festival

June 9, 2021




Donate Now As a public service during this pandemic, the Jewish News is providing free, unlimited access to all articles. Jewish News is a nonprofit publication that is owned by the community and relies on community support.
Woman testifies she was afraid after she was slapped twice in the face.
Mike has reported on the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem's wildlife, wildlands and the agencies that manage them since 2012. A native Minnesotan, he arrived in the West to study environmental journalism at the University of Colorado.
Tom Hallberg covers a little bit of everything, from skiing to long-form feature stories. A Teton Valley, Idaho, transplant by way of Portland and Bend, Oregon, he spends his time outside work writing fiction, splitboarding and climbing.
Paul W. Hansens Common Ground column appears about twice per month. Columns are solely the opinion of their authors. Contact him via columnists@jhnewsandguide.com.
An eight-year resident of the valley, Jonathan Wall lives and works in Jackson. Guest Shots are solely the opinion of their authors.
CLASS OF 2021

Mountain Academy seniors reflect on their time together, look ahead to new adventures

Members of the class of 2021 walked through Coyote Canyon as students one last time.
nDemand Consulting Services Inc awarded a 5-Year Federal Contract to help counter violent extremism in Africa, Middle East, S. America, Asia and Europe
Ellucian guides over 2,700 customers in more than 50 countriesimproving operations and enhancing the user experience for their faculties, staff, and over 20 million students. (PRNewsfoto/Ellucian)
Della A. (Kinkade) McGuire, 85, passed away at 12:15 a.m. on Thursday, June 10th, 2021 at the Presbyterian Manor in Parsons, KS, where she had lived for almost three years. On July 28, 1953, Della married Max E. McGuire. He preceded her in death on January 21, 1999. Della is survived by her 
: zlltt (Do you miss me yet?), : Programming

 : FBI Recovers Most of Bitcoin Ransom Paid by

: BBS  (Tue Jun 8 18:15:11 2021, )



fbiprivate key

approximately 63.7 bitcoins, representing the proceeds of the victims

ransom payment, had been transferred to a specific address, for which the

FBI has the private key,





Department of Justice Seizes $2.3 Million in Cryptocurrency Paid to the

Ransomware Extortionists Darkside

WASHINGTON - The Department of Justice today announced that it has seized 63

.7 bitcoins currently valued at approximately $2.3 million. These funds

allegedly represent the proceeds of a May 8, ransom payment to individuals

in a group known as DarkSide, which had targeted Colonial Pipeline,

resulting in critical infrastructure being taken out of operation. The

seizure warrant was authorized earlier today by the Honorable Laurel Beeler,

U.S. Magistrate Judge for the Northern District of California.



Following the money remains one of the most basic, yet powerful tools we

have, said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco for the U.S. Department

of Justice. Ransom payments are the fuel that propels the digital

extortion engine, and todays announcement demonstrates that the United

States will use all available tools to make these attacks more costly and

less profitable for criminal enterprises. We will continue to target the

entire ransomware ecosystem to disrupt and deter these attacks. Todays

announcements also demonstrate the value of early notification to law

enforcement; we thank Colonial Pipeline for quickly notifying the FBI when

they learned that they were targeted by DarkSide.



There is no place beyond the reach of the FBI to conceal illicit funds

that will prevent us from imposing risk and consequences upon malicious

cyber actors, said FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate. We will continue to

use all of our available resources and leverage our domestic and

international partnerships to disrupt ransomware attacks and protect our

private sector partners and the American public.



Cyber criminals are employing ever more elaborate schemes to convert

technology into tools of digital extortion, said Acting U.S. Attorney for

the Northern District of California Stephanie Hinds. We need to continue

improving the cyber resiliency of our critical infrastructure across the

nation, including in the Northern District of California. We will also

continue developing advanced methods to improve our ability to track and

recover digital ransom payments.



On or about May 7, Colonial Pipeline was the victim of a highly publicized

ransomware attack resulting in the company taking portions of its

infrastructure out of operation. Colonial Pipeline reported to the FBI that

its computer network was accessed by an organization named DarkSide and that

it had received and paid a ransom demand for approximately 75 bitcoins.



As alleged in the supporting affidavit, by reviewing the Bitcoin public

ledger, law enforcement was able to track multiple transfers of bitcoin and

identify that approximately 63.7 bitcoins, representing the proceeds of the

victims ransom payment, had been transferred to a specific address, for

which the FBI has the private key, or the rough equivalent of a password

needed to access assets accessible from the specific Bitcoin address. This

bitcoin represents proceeds traceable to a computer intrusion and property

involved in money laundering and may be seized pursuant to criminal and

civil forfeiture statutes.



The Special Prosecutions Section and Asset Forfeiture Unit of the U.S.

Attorneys Office for the Northern District of California is handling the

seizure, with significant assistance from the Department of Justice Criminal

Divisions Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section and Computer Crime

and Intellectual Property Section, and the National Security Divisions

Counterintelligence and Export Control Section. The Department components

who worked on this seizure coordinated their efforts through the Department

s Ransomware and Digital Extortion Task Force, which was created to combat

the growing number of ransomware and digital extortion attacks.



The Task Force prioritizes the disruption, investigation, and prosecution of

ransomware and digital extortion activity by tracking and dismantling the

development and deployment of malware, identifying the cybercriminals

responsible, and holding those individuals accountable for their crimes. The

Task Force also strategically targets the ransomware criminal ecosystem as

a whole and collaborates with domestic and foreign government agencies as

well as private sector partners to combat this significant criminal threat.



--

 :zlltt  Jun 8 18:15:58 2021 [FROM: 69.]

 :WWW  mitbbs.com [FROM: 69.]


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.
Opinion Columnist

Chris Powell has worked for the Journal Inquirer since 1967, first as a reporter, then as an editor, and now as a columnist. He was managing editor from 1974 until retiring from that position in 2018.
International

US mounts pressure on Pak for access to military bases after Afghan withdrawal

Islamabad, Jun 9 (IANS) | Publish Date: 6/9/2021 1:30:17 PM IST

As the US gears up to end its longest fought war in Afghanistan and withdraw its troops from the country, the Joe Biden administration is in deliberations with Pakistan to provide the US access to its airspace and a drone base, which would be used to keep an eye on the situation in Afghanistan after the troops withdrawal and also to make sure that it does turn into a terrorist base again.

However, Pakistan does not seem to be ready to facilitate the US to station itself in Pakistani bases to operate drones, like it did previously.

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, along with Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, has clearly refused to facilitate the US with any airbase to operate from Pakistani soil.

While Islamabad seems to be sticking to its position of not allowing the US to operate from any of its bases, US demand continues to assert the Pakistani military, intelligence and diplomatic channels to give access to airspace and airbases, insisting that they would be used for surveillance purposes in Afghanistan only.

Pentagon was the first to announce that Pakistan had allowed the US troops to station there and use its airspace to operate surveillance drones, a claim that has been categorically rejected by the Pakistani government.

In a latest development, US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan has confirmed that he had detailed discussions with Pakistan in the military, intelligence and diplomatic channels to make sure that Afghanistan never again becomes a base from which terrorist groups could attack the US.

Weve had constructive discussions in military, intelligence and diplomatic channels with Pakistan about the future of Americas capabilities to ensure that Afghanistan never again becomes a base from which al-Qaeda, ISIS or any other terrorist group can attack the United States. But in terms of the specifics, what that would look like will have to remain in those private channels as we work through them, Sullivan said. What I will say, we are talking to a wide range of countries about how we build effective over the horizon capacity both from intelligence and defense prospective to be able to suppress terrorism threat in Afghanistan, he added.

The US has been working on exploring options to maintain military and intelligence footprint in the region to tackle a possible terrorist resurgence in Afghanistan.

It is for this that the US is seeking bases in neighboring countries of Afghanistan where it can ensure surveillance and can also target terrorists through drones.

But Pakistani government officials have said that since the US does not enjoy the kind of leverage it did in the past, it cannot force Pakistan.

The US has long suspended military and security assistance as well as the Coalition Support Fund (CSP). In the past, the US did use this as a bargaining chip. Now, the US is left with fewer options such as keeping Pakistan in the FATF grey list. Rest it has no option, a Pakistan government official said.
Germany Wednesday rejected calls for reparations from Namibians over colonial-era killings that Berlin has recognised as genocide, saying the 1.1 billion-euro financial aid it was offering was on a voluntary basis.

At parliamentary question time, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas acknowledged that over the years, there had been calls for reparations from countries including Greece and Poland over Nazi-era massacres.

But one must say that that has nothing to do with this case before us. Because this agreement is exclusively on a voluntary basis, there are no legal grounds on which this payment is made or provided for, he said.

And as such, that is also not comparable to the issue of reparations.

Germany in May for the first time recognised that it had committed a genocide against indigenous Herero and Nama people between 1904 and 1908.

As part of a deal with Namibian negotiators after six years of talks, Berlin also offered a financial programme of 1.1 billion euros ($1.3 billion).

The sum will be paid over 30 years, and must primarily benefit the descendants of the Herero and Nama.

However, Germany pointedly did not qualify the financial sum as reparations.

Maas said Germany respects criticism from Namibia about the agreement.

But he added that calls for critics for financial compensation of up to hundreds of billions of euros do not correspond to reality.

The deal, which is currently pending ratification by the Namibian parliament, has been slammed by opposition lawmakers there.

The southern African countrys Vice President Nangolo Mbumba last week said the development budget offered by Germany was not enough but that it would be revisited as funding is rolled out.
The Beijing-backed technology fund, which manages nearly US$900 billion, is struggling to achieve its profit targets. According to executives, their funds are trapped in companies that cannot conduct IPOs and are not attractive to investors.

The traditional exit strategy of private equity funds is not effective for us, an executive of the Henan Province state-backed investment fund Zhongyuan Science and Technology Venture Capital Corporation told the British Financial Times.

Our investment decisions are more related to policy considerations than market principles, the executive added, who asked not to be named.

Since its establishment in 2015, ZSI has invested in more than a dozen start-ups in one of Chinas poorest provinces, but has been unable to sell two-thirds of its portfolio companies.

These range from agricultural machinery manufacturers to social media sites, many of which barely make ends meet. Therefore, ZSI is unlikely to meet its six-year divestiture deadline in December.

Given our flawed business model, I cant think of a quick solution to the problem

ZSI is just one of thousands of Chinese Government Guided Funds (GGF) that may not be able to liquidate their investments on time. GGF operates similarly to private equity funds, and is one of Beijings most important efforts to cultivate local innovation in the Sino-US competition extrusion The number of Western technologies available in the worlds second largest economy.

However, the initiative was under scrutiny because GGFs policy-driven investment strategy conflicted with market-based performance targets.

Andrew Collier, managing director of Hong Kong Oriental Capital Research, said: The government guidance fund will face real liquidation.

Although Chinas GGF appeared in the early 2000s, it was not until 2014 that the State Council announced plans to actively expand the industry to address Funding for tech startups shortage.

The initiative aims to replace direct government subsidies, which Beijing began to cut in the mid-2010s, when this practice was under pressure due to inefficiency and undermining fair competition.

This led to a surge in GGF, whose funding came from central and local budgets. Chinese provinces and cities hope that investment tools can create industry champions.

According to data from Beijing consulting firm Zero2IPO, as of the end of March, there were 1,877 GGFs in China with a total of 5.7 billion yuan (US$892 billion) under management. Ten years ago, 71 funds were under management with RMB 83 billion.

GGF is one of the largest and most active participants in Chinas private equity industry, said Li Lei, a GGF executive in Beijing. No one can compete with the governments resources.

The investment boom has indeed injected vitality into some local companies.The fate of the once troubled electric car manufacturer Weilai has changed since then Obtained 7 billion RMB investment From three GGFs last April. The stock price of the New York-listed car company has soared more than 10 times since then because the company reported that its sales soared.

successful Bet on Wei, However, countless failures followed. Public records show that Chinas GGF has cashed out from less than a quarter of its portfolio companies, which have received funding for more than 6 years. This puts pressure on many funds that are about to end their life cycles because they have difficulty executing their exit strategies on time.

Like PE funds, most GGFs are built on a fixed-term basis, so their capital can be redistributed to new investments.

Given our flawed business model, I cant think of a quick solution to this problem, said Li, who faces a deadline to divest from seven companies in December.

Part of the reason for the delayed exit was poor investment decisions. Most GGFs, especially those funded by local governments, face geographic and industry restrictions in terms of allocating funds. These requirements are driven more by policy priorities than business logic, and have led to many under-performing investments.

Li said that with the support of the Beijing Municipal Government, her fund is authorized to invest at least 70% of the capital in specialty chemicals and advanced manufacturing companies in the capital, which are underdeveloped in these industries.

In order to meet the quota, we have to buy unqualified companies, Li said. This has an impact on the investment results.

Respected

In order to improve performance, many GGFs have changed their start-up-oriented investment strategy, focusing on mature companies seeking IPOs, which is the traditional exit channel for private equity funds.

However, due to Beijings decision Tighten the approval of stock listings Investors must be protected this year. Official data show that in the first four months of this year, nearly half of IPO applications in Shanghai and Shenzhen failed to proceed.

In view of the tightening of regulations, we have given up hope of divesting through IPO, said Wang Zhi, an investment manager of a GGF in Zhejiang Province.

With few other options and the approaching liquidation period, some GGFs decided to sell their investments at lower than expected profitseven at a loss. In April of this year, Wangs fund sold a stake in a local machine tool factory that it bought five years ago with 20% of the proceeds. According to industry standards, this is a very low return.

Our first task is to achieve policy goals and prevent the loss of state-owned assets, Wang said. We are not a market entity that only cares about return on investment.
Daniel Suidani, the governor of Maraita, the largest province of the Solomon Islands, is being treated in Taiwan for a suspected brain tumor. But this influential politician has also been criticized by Pacific governments for medical evacuations, which highlights the profound differences in the 2019 decision to shift diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing.

Since the country ended its 36-year alliance with Taiwan, Shuidani has become one of the most famous Chinese critics in the Solomon Islands. He arrived in Taipei on May 26 and the government condemned it as an unauthorized visit.

That decision Establish diplomatic relations with China -Known locally as switching-is still unpopular, and the influence of deep accusations of corruption from Taiwan and China helped shape this decision.

Solomon Islanders who oppose this change worry that economic relations with China will be difficult to manage.

Others expressed concern about Beijings treatment of religious minorities and its one-party government, which they said conflicted with Solomon Islands democratic principles and widely held Christian views.

The opposition is loudest in Maleta, and anti-China activities take root in the provincial capital Oki.

Shuidani has since promised to reject any Chinese investment in his province, and at the same time establish a close partnership with Taiwan, which brought him into direct conflict with the Solomon Islands formal One China policy and led to an increasingly fierce peace between him and Taiwan. Open quarrel. Manasi Sogavare, Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands.

Handshake with China

Since the beginning of this year, the health of Prime Minister Shudani has been deteriorating.

After being advised Sudani to seek treatment abroad, his senior consultant Celsus Talifilu flew to Brisbane to arrange treatment in Australia at a price of 121,000 Australian dollars (92,700 US dollars).

The foreign ministers of China and Solomon Islands at the signing ceremony in Beijing in October 2019.The Pacific nations decision to switch from Taiwan to diplomatic loyalty to China has not been universally welcomed [File: Thomas Peter/Reuters]

Talifilu told Al Jazeera English that Prime Minister Maledan first sought financial assistance from the Sogavare government. It is said that support for Sudani will depend on a public handshake between Sudani and Sogavare.

The leader of Marletta refused to accept this idea.

Its like shaking hands with China, Talifilou said, referring to Sogavares close relationship with Beijing.

The Sogavare government told the local media that its assistance was rejected for political reasons.

[Premier Suidani] It is possible to express his political views on the government that pays his salary, but his personal health should be his top priority, not spying on his confidants bad advice, it said.

Talifilou, who personally cooperated with Taipei to arrange treatment for the prime minister and traveled with Shui Dani, said that his subsequent request for assistance from Taipei received strong support from Taiwans President Tsai Ing-wen.

But Taipei downplays these claims.

Taiwans Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Ou Jiani said: Prime Minister Shuidani took the initiative to approach Taiwan, hoping to go to my country for medical treatment.

Considering that Prime Minister Shuidani is a long-term friend and staunch supporter of Taiwan, and professional assessment confirmed the need for emergency medical treatment, the Taiwanese government agreed to Prime Minister Shuidanis visit to Taiwan based on humanitarian concerns.

The Chinese Embassy in Honiara stated that it has raised concerns with the Sogavare government over Sudanis visit to Taiwan.

China said in a statement on May 30: China firmly opposes any form of official contact between Taiwan and officials of any country that has diplomatic relations with the Peoples Republic of China.

Change diplomatic strategy

Taipeis aid to Sudani is the latest example of the expansion of public courtship between the two parties. Water Dani is the leader of a rebellious province with an aspiration for independence and one of the most famous Beijing critics in the Solomon Islands.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Prime Minister Suidani has held several public events to celebrate the arrival of Taiwans aid in Marleta-Honiaras unapproved aid.

Taiwan ended its formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan in September 2019, and Kiribati followed suit a few days later [File: David Chang]

After a secret meeting between Talifilu and Taiwanese diplomats in Brisbane, Australia in March last year, the goods began to flow, and the flags of Taiwan and Malaysia were often unveiled at ceremonies.

This The Pacific Ocean has long been a bastion of Taiwans support But the Solomon Islands recognition of Beijing and Kiribati 2019 was a blow to Taipeis regional influence.

The four Pacific island nations, Palau, Marshall Islands, Nauru, and Tuvalu  with a total population of only 100,000  still provide Taipei with full diplomatic recognition. Only 15 countries in the world recognize Taiwan.

Maretta is an important geographical province in the Solomon Islands, with a population of nearly 200,000.

As China poached more allies, Taipei adopted unconventional diplomatic strategies, including establishing relations with the unrecognized detached region of Somaliland.

Chinas motivation has always been to shrink Taiwans international space, said Sana Hashmi, a visiting scholar at the Taiwan-Asia Exchange Foundation.

Amid Chinas escalating aggression, Taiwan can interact with more friends and like-minded countries. [Its] Continued contact with Malaita implies strengthening local cooperation with countries with unofficial relations. 

Hashimi believes that Taiwans assistance to Shuidani is in line with its policy of providing humanitarian assistance without any conditions attached. Its deepening relationship with Maretta shows that President Tsai is willing to engage with friendly people.

Taiwans contact with Maleta coincided with the growth of Maletas split ambitions. In 2020, Prime Minister Sudani announced that Maleta would vote for independence to seek to leave the Solomon Islands, citing the provinces opposition to Honiaras China policy as a reason.

Unity is in danger

At the same time, since the transition, Chinas role in the Solomon Islands has continued to increase. It provided important COVID-19 assistance, including the supply of vaccines for Sinopharm.

Two local reporters familiar with Beijings media assistance told Al Jazeera that China has courted important media companies by providing them with cars and computers.

However, these efforts were undermined by suspicion of Chinas intentions in the country. A Chinese business persons attempt to rent a central island near Honiara failed, and leaks revealed that Sogavares finance minister and a mysterious Of Chinese financiers negotiate a $100 billion loan.

Although Honiaras relationship with Beijing has entered its third year, opposition politicians believe that the recognition of China by the Solomon Islands has not yet been resolved.

If I were the prime minister, I would return to the people, said Matthew Weir, leader of the Solomon Islands opposition party.

He said that any future Welsh government will test whether Honiara is loyal to China in a referendum.

Prime Minister Sogavares office did not respond to Al Jazeeras request for comment.

The Solomon Islands has gone through periods of political instability, sometimes requiring peacekeeping forces to intervene. Some people worry that disputes over diplomatic relations may undermine the peace[File: William West/AFP[File:WilliamWest/AFP][????????/???[File:WilliamWest/AFP

Between 1998 and 2003, the Solomon Islands was plunged into civil war, and tensions between Malays and other ethnic groups led to an estimated 200 deaths.

The conflict was brought under control only after Australia and other countries in the region intervened. The peacekeeping operation is called the Solomon Islands Regional Assistance Mission (RAMSI), which lasted for 13 years, ended in 2017, and cost more than 700 million U.S. dollars.

As tensions between Marletta and the National Government continue to escalate, some people worry that the countrys post-RAMSI peace is being undermined.

I am very concerned about the unity of the country, Wale said. I am very worried that this matter will lead to civil unrest.
Medan, Indonesia  Teacher Istu Prayogi lived in Jakarta, the crowded capital of Indonesia in the 1990s, and has been struggling with a runny nose, headache and shortness of breath.

It turns out that the problems are all around him, and he is not the only one who suffers.

Istu, a teacher at the Nusantara Jaya School of Tourism, told Al Jazeera: I was diagnosed by a lung disease expert and my lungs had spots caused by air pollution.

The government did not notice the poor air quality in Indonesia.

Now Istu, who moved to the satellite city of Depok on the outskirts of Jakarta, is one of the 32 plaintiffs. The landmark citizen litigation Its purpose is to hold the government accountable for failing to realize the right of Indonesian citizens to obtain clean air.

According to the World Air Quality Index, the Central District Court of Jakarta will issue a verdict on the case on June 10. Prior to this, the city has had a legal dispute over the culprit for its dirty air for nearly two years. The city is often listed as the worlds most important culprit. The most polluted city. .

Even during the restrictions imposed last year to curb the spread of COVID-19, Jakartas streets were crowded and air pollution exceeded WHO and national guidelines [File: Ajeng Dinar Ulfiana/Reuters]

In 2019, a study conducted by Vital Strategies and Bandung Institute of Technology (BIT) found that Indonesia had the highest number of premature deaths related to air pollution in Southeast Asia. The report also found that in Jakarta, the level of fine particulate matter (PM 2.5), the most dangerous pollutant to health, is usually four to five times higher than the World Health Organizations air quality guidelines.

As part of a citizens litigationa legal method traditionally used by private citizens to file a lawsuit to enforce regulations and strategies often used in environmental law casesthe plaintiff does not demand financial compensation, but hopes to legally sue the public for air pollution problems in Jakarta Recognition and forced the government to take action.

The lawsuit includes the President of Indonesia, the Minister of Environment and Forestry, the Minister of Interior, the Governor of Jakarta, and the governors of Banten and West Java provinces.

The complaint stated that the plaintiff had requested the presiding collegiate panel to determine that the defendant was negligent in fulfilling the citizens right to a healthy living environment and ordered it to raise the national air quality standards.

We need a stronger legal framework and more advanced laws and sanctions to deal with air pollution, Greenpeace Indonesia Country Director Leonard Simanjuntak (Leonard Simanjuntak) told Al Jazeera that he is also in litigation. Ordinary citizens.

Human rights issues

More than 10 million people live in Jakarta, but if you include the population of Jakartas five satellite cities and surrounding areas (where thousands of industrial zones and manufacturing centers are located), this number will exceed 30 million.

This case is very important because we already know that breathing clean air is our right as human beings, Greenpeace Indonesias climate and energy activist Bondan Andrianu told Al Jazeera.

Air pollution on the scale of today clearly violates the rights to life and health, the rights of children, and the right to live in a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment. This human rights perspective changes everything because the government has clear and legal rights. The obligation to enforce to respect, protect and realize human rights [of the citizens]. 

In September 2017, the Ministry of Health in Jakarta, Indonesia asked the government to take action to reduce air pollution in Jakarta. Greenpeace activists performed in protests [File: Tatan Syuflana/AP Photo]

According to data from the World Health Organization (WHO), in 2016, outdoor air pollution (ambient air pollution) was estimated to cause premature deaths of 4.2 million people worldwide, 91% of which occurred in low- and middle-income countries, with the largest number of deaths. Such deaths occurred in the South-East Asia and Western Pacific regions of the World Health Organization.

WHOs annual ambient air quality standard is 10 micrograms of fine particulate matter per cubic meter of air, while Indonesias national standard is 15 micrograms.

But Bondin said that Greenpeace has received official data on fine particulate matter (known as PM2.5) from the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (MoEF) starting in 2020. There was a drop in the month  showing 28.??6 micrograms per cubic meter of air.

If we compare our national ambient air quality standards with the World Health Organization standards, we are still far behind. Even during the pandemic, Jakartas annual PM 2.5 data is higher than the national ambient air quality standards, he said.

My kids rarely go out to play

Elisa Sutanudjaja, director of the Rujak Urban Research Center in Jakarta, also joined the lawsuit.

She told Al Jazeera that she was aware of the poor air quality in Jakarta when she was pregnant, and that her concerns about the impact of air pollution have increased over time.

As the parents of a 10-year-old girl, we almost always use public transportation or walk in Jakarta, she told Al Jakarta. But we found that due to pollution, especially pollution caused by motor vehicle exhaust, we cant enjoy traveling. Now, my children rarely go out to play.

According to the 2019 report of Vital Strategies and Bandung Institute of Technology (BIT), BIT air quality experts sampled samples from three locations near Jakarta during the rainy and dry seasons. The main source of pollution in the city comes from vehicles and secondary aerosols such as ammonium nitrate. And ammonium sulfate, construction activities, open burning of biomass and other fuels, paving road dust, resuspended soil particles, sea salt and coal burning.

Indonesia has very loose regulation of coal-fired power plants and their emissions, said Leonard of Greenpeace. The suburbs of Jakarta are full of coal-fired power plants. If we use mathematical models, of course emissions will be carried to the city.

Since the lawsuit started two years ago, air quality has not improved.This photo shows the view of Jakarta last month, with its high-rise offices and apartments shrouded in smoke [Ajeng Dinar Ulfiana/Reuters]

In addition to tightening the regulation of coal emissions, the plaintiff in the lawsuit also wants the government to reconsider its entire urban planning strategy in the city.

Although private cars are one of the biggest sources of air pollution, the central government, through the Ministry of Public Works, continues to insist on building toll roads, Elisa said. I hope that through this lawsuit, a strategy can be formulated to change this unsustainable development model and mobility policy.

As long as the development model is still car-centric, there will be no major improvements.

As far as they are concerned, the defendants rejected their suggestion that they are responsible for the harmful air in Jakarta.

The people who filed the lawsuit also contributed to the decline in air quality, Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan, who was listed as Defendant V in the citizenship lawsuit, told the media in 2019.

Unless everyone rides a bicycle, its different. Air quality is not only caused by one or two occupations, but by all of us, including those who file civil lawsuits.
When an exhausted Muslim community mourned the tragic loss of a family as a result of what the police described as an act of hate, it called for more concrete action to combat Islamophobia.

On Sunday, June 6, the Afzaal family went for an evening walk in their neighborhood in London, Ontario. While they were waiting to cross the road, the driver of a black truck ran into them, killing 46-year-old Salman Afzaal, his 44-year-old wife Madiha Salman, 15-year-old daughter Yumna Afzaal and Salmans 74-year-old mother. Salman and Madihas son, Fayez, 9, is the only survivor and is still receiving treatment in the hospital.

Muslims in Ontario and other regions are saddened by anti-Muslim attacks, but in their sadness, they feel exhausted, fearful and uncertain about what members of the Muslim community say are the lack of Islamophobia and other hate-motivated groups targeting marginalized groups. The specific action of the crime is in Canada.

Firaaz Azeez, executive director of Humaniti, a charity based in Markham, said: Now is the time for us to have a national dialogue on how to break down these barriers, not just Islamophobia, but also hatred, racism and anti-Semitism.

The London Police Service has charged the suspect with four counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder. The police stated that this was a planned and premeditated act out of hatred, and the victims were targeted because of their Islamic beliefs.

Ena Chadha, chief commissioner of the Ontario Human Rights Commission, said: Such incidents are a tragic reminder that Islamophobia and xenophobia are real, deadly and persistent in Ontario.

Watch | As the Muslim community in Canada mourns the deadly attack, frustration is growing:

The murder of a Muslim family in London shocked people across the country, but it also rekindled fear and frustration in the Canadian Muslim community. Talia Ricci talked to the people in GTA about their call to action. 2:10

Islamophobia is too familiar

As the third deadly anti-Muslim attack in Canada in four years, this incident has rekindled fear, anger, despair and exhaustion among Canadian Muslims.

Mustafa Farooq, chief executive of the National Council of Muslims in Canada, said: This is a terrorist attack on Canadian soil and deserves the same treatment.

Muslims in Canada are very familiar with Islamophobic violence. Muslim women in Alberta were attacked. [International Muslim Organization of Toronto] The mosque massacre, and the Quebec City mosque massacre. 

In January 2017, a man killed 6 believers and wounded 5 others at the Islamic Cultural Center in Quebec City. In September 2020, 58-year-old volunteer Mohamed-Aslim Zafis was stabbed to death in a mosque in Etobicoke. In March of this year, a woman wearing a headscarf was attacked in Calgary. There were several other attacks in Edmonton in December last year, and the police hate crime department investigated these attacks.

Usman Ali is a volunteer of the International Muslim Organization in Toronto. Mohamed-Aslim Zafis, a 58-year-old volunteer who was stabbed to death in September 2020, said that more concrete actions are needed. (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

Usman Ali, a volunteer of the Toronto Muslim International Organization, is a friend of Zafis. He said that the London attack brought a lot of emotions, but also frustrated and frustrated with what is happening in our community.

Although Ali hopes that the suspect will be prosecuted to the maximum, he said more action is needed.

Hope to develop policies and rules to support the community and combat this type of behavior, he said. Its great when the community comes together and provides support, but we no longer need words, we need action.

Azeezah Kanji, a legal scholar and journalist, said that people were increasingly frustrated after the London attack. She said it was another incident in a series of incidents in which people clearly felt the courage and reason to kill Muslims.

She said these attacks were products of the broader context of structural Islamophobia.

A huge wound that needs to be healed

Kanji said it was an Islamophobia that led to state-supported severe counter-terrorism measures, and cited the surveillance of Muslims, the zero tolerance for barbaric cultural practices and Quebecs hijab ban as examples.

All of this creates an atmosphere in which people think that the demonization and devaluation of Muslim life is normal.

Azeezah Kanji is a legal scholar and journalist working at the Noor Cultural Center in Toronto. (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

Kanji said that she and various other organizations have been asking the government to solve these problems for years, but in order to start a serious dialogue on Islamophobia in this country, it is necessary to publicly kill Muslims.

Kanji also pointed out that it took four years for the federal government to make what she called a symbolic statement after the mosque shooting in Quebec City to commemorate the day and take action against Islamophobia.

This is a band-aid for a wound that needs to heal.

Trudeau condemns the attack

In a speech in the House of Commons, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau condemned Sundays killing, calling it a terrorist attack.

They are all targeted because of their Muslim faith, he said. This is happening here, in Canada, it must stop.

Trudeau said the country must unite to combat the ugly, universal trend of anti-Muslim violence.

Azeez of Humaniti, a non-profit organization, said that people in the community feel very frustrated and this can happen to any of them. How can we stop this? In addition to talking, condolences, and prayers, what can we do?

Tariq Amin-Khan, an associate professor at Ryerson University, said the attacks reflect the inconsistency between Canadas tolerant and diversity and what is happening in marginalized communities.

Tariq Amin-Khan is an associate professor at Ryerson University. (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

Today is a Muslim, yesterday was an aboriginal, usually black. We have also attacked Jews and Sikhs.

He pointed out that there are many white supremacist groups in the country and not taking much action to curb their hateful activities.

He suggested enacting laws to protect target communities.

A gem of our community

Saboor Khan is a close friend of the Afzaal family, not only through their involvement in the London community, but also through their roots in Pakistan.

We cant believe this happened in London and it happened to them, he told CBC.

They are treasures of our community, Khan said, clearly painful. Its heartbreaking to see thisits still happening in Canada.

Khans sister, wife and mother are wearing headscarves, so he said he is really worried about the safety of them and other Muslims after the attack.

This is a very uncomfortable situation, its not the same anymore.

He said he did not see any practical solutions for any level of government, and pointed out that although the Quebec City mosque shooting is considered a terrorist attack, the perpetrators have not been charged with terrorism.

In addition, shortly after the shooting, Quebec introduced a bill banning religious symbols, especially headscarves, which he said did not help.

When people in the leadership contact us in this way, they indirectly provide legitimacy to these hate groups.
The governor of the state praised Australian city residents for complying with the strict regulations imposed by the hotel after the leak was isolated.

Melbourne authorities will relax the lockdown on COVID-19 as planned on Thursday night, saying that compliance with strict regulations has changed the course of the coronavirus outbreak in Australias second largest city.

Melbournes 5 million residents own Except for the most important reason, must stay at home In the past two weeks, a series of Delta variant of coronavirus, Which is considered More communicable.

The relaxation measures will take effect at 11:59 pm local time (13:59 GMT) on Thursday, but some restrictions on travel and gatherings will continue for a week.

This is a good day. Everyone should be absolutely proud of what we have achieved together, Victorian Acting Governor James Melino told reporters in Melbourne on Wednesday.

But we know this is not over, unless we are vaccinated widely in Victoria and across the country, the virus will still be with us.

Officials say that even if the regulations are relaxed, people must stay within 25 kilometers (15 miles) of their homes.

Family gatherings will also be completely banned, masks must be worn indoors, schools, cafes and beauty salons can be reopened, and gyms and nightclubs will have to be closed for at least another week.

Victorias chief health officer Brett Sutton said that because the situation is still quite volatile, it is impossible to recover to no limits.

He said: We must increase our operations safely and gradually, but we know that we will continue to control this minimum restriction.

A new cluster of cases emerged last month, and more than 80 people tested positive for the Kappa or Delta strains of the virus, both of which originated in India.

On Wednesday, Victoria reported only one new local case of COVID-19, the lowest level in more than two weeks.

During most days of the lockdown, the number of daily cases remained in the single digits.

Australia has effectively controlled COVID-19 and is one of the few countries in the world where the spread is not yet widespread.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, Victoria has gone through four lockdowns, the longest being over 100 days at the end of last year. More than 800 people have died in the state, accounting for 90% of the national death toll.

The outbreaks in Taiwan and Japan have highlighted that in the absence of widespread vaccination, initial success in containing the virus may quickly disappear.

Australia has stepped up its plans in the past week, and as of Monday it has carried out about 5.2 million jabs. However, only a small percentage of people are fully vaccinated.
MEGHAN Markle and Prince Harrys decision to name their new daughter Lilibet Diana could backfire, an expert has claimed.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex famously fled the UK citing concerns for their privacy and repeatedly insisted they wanted to raise Archie as a private citizen, not under the relentless royal spotlight as Harry was.

But one royal commentator says that by giving their daughter two incredibly loaded royal names  Lilibet after Queen Elizabeth and Diana after Harrys late mother  they have actually cursed her with attention.

Such a name will merely heighten interest in her as she grows up; and, though it seems unkind to remark on it now, will inevitably attract the kind of media intrusion with which Lilibet Dianas wider family are only too familiar, Sean OGrady wrote in The Independent.

Her name may turn out to be more of a curse than a blessing, if the poignant experience of the past is anything to go by, he added.

He went on to claim that as a result there will be double the interest in who Lilibet Diana resembles as she grows up whether she inherits Dianas sense of style or the Queens sense of duty; and, of course, who shell be dating.

Read our Royal Family live blog below for the latest updates
Australia calls on the G7 countries to support the reform of the World Trade Organization, believing that this is the best way to weaken Beijings economic coercion campaign against Canberra and to counter Chinas competition in the Indo-Pacific region.

Scott Morrison also supported President Joe Bidens intelligence review of the origins of Covid-19 and warned that due to the increasing risk of conflict with China, democracies must be better than at any time since the Cold War. Work closely together.

Accelerating trends are not good for our interests, Morrison said in a speech before the G7 summit in the UK this weekend. The Indo-Pacific region-the region of Australia-is at the center of a new round of strategic competition. The risk of misjudgment and conflict is increasing.

Canberra hopes that the G7 countries will agree to WTO reforms, which will allow the Appellate Body, which is at the core of its decision-making process, to resume work. Since Donald Trump was elected president, Washington has been blocking the appointment of the Appellate Body because of fear of judicial overstepping, which has effectively prevented countries from complying with WTO rulings.

The paralysis of the WTO dispute settlement mechanism is a difficult time for Australia.Canberra has appealed China to the WTO Punitive tariff Barley, and is preparing to take the same measures with regard to tariffs imposed on wine.

The most practical way to solve economic coercion is to restore the binding dispute settlement system of the global trade agency. In the case of coercive behavior without consequences, there is very little motivation for restraint, Morrison said.

He said that like-minded countries should draw inspiration from the years after World War II and work together to maintain an open, rules-based system so that free democracies can flourish without coercion.

Respected

Australia and China are embroiled in a painful diplomacy dispute Following Canberras call last year to investigate the origin of Covid-19. This prompted Beijing to impose tariffs and other restrictions on billions of dollars worth of Australian imports in what analysts call an economic coercion movement.

Morrison was invited by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the leaders of India, South Africa and South Korea to participate in the G7. Analysts said the move showed support for the dispute between Australia and China.

The leaders of the Group of Seven nations know that if they do not jointly respond to Chinas challenges, they will all be coerced by Xis China alone, and they will not be able to curb Beijings increasingly aggressive international behavior in trade, territory, security, technology, and key values. Its like human rights, said Michael Shubridge, an analyst at the Australian Institute of Strategic Policy.

Before the conservative government sent a hardline message to China, the opposition Labor Party last week accused it of using rhetoric that incites nationalism to achieve domestic political goals. The business community also expressed concern about the growing tension with Australias largest trading partner, China.

Australia needs more strategy and less politics when dealing with differences with China, said Labor Party leader Anthony Abnen. But foreign policy is not a game. This is not a photo manipulation. This is a serious business with far-reaching security and economic impact.
11 people were arrested on suspicion of using social media platforms to lure girls and women into gang members in the sex trade in India.

Dhaka police said at least 11 people were arrested for suspecting members of a Bangladesh trafficking gang that used the social media platform TikTok to lure girls and women into the sex trade in neighboring India.

The Bangladesh Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) paramilitary forces said on Tuesday that the leader of the group, Rafizul Islam Ridoy (nicknamed TikTok Ridoy), will seduce young girls from TikTok and other social media groups and promise them to become TikTok models.

However, according to a RAB statement, the victim was smuggled to southern India and forced to engage in sex work.

RAB said the arrest was made after a video clip of alleged sexual assault on a Bangladeshi woman went viral on social media in late May, prompting an investigation into the group.

Last week, all the suspects were detained.

Dhaka Police Deputy Chief Mohamed Shahidullah said that the most recent arrest occurred on Monday when two men were detained in the southwest border area of ??Bangladesh for allegedly trafficking in girls and women between the ages of 17 and 22.

One of them told us that he has sent 1,000 people to India, Shahidullah told AFP.

The police added that a total of nine people were arrested in Bangladesh, and two others were arrested in Bangalore, the Indian technology center, on suspicion of participating in a trafficking gang.

Bangalore City Police Chief Kamal Pant told AFP on Tuesday that four other people were also arrested and charged with rape or abetting the alleged sexual assault shown in the video.

He added that another person arrested later on Tuesday has not yet been questioned.

The police of the two countries stated that all of them are Bangladeshi nationals.

Dhaka police added that Ridoi was one of the people detained by the Bangalore authorities.

Shahidullah said that since TikTok became popular in Bangladesh in 2019, such groups have sprung up to attract young people from low-income families.

He added that they will be invited to pool parties, appear in TikTok videos, and sell the dream of getting high salaries in call centers, sales and service centers.
The Sun has revealed fresh clues in a dramatic, multi-staged eruption that might help scientists answer the long-standing riddle of what causes the Sun's intense and unpredictable outbursts. In addition, uncovering these underlying physics might aid scientists in better predicting the eruptions that produce hazardous space weather on Earth.

Solar Eruptions

This explosion had elements from three different types of solar eruptions that generally occur in isolation, making it the first time such an occurrence has been documented. As a result, scientists will be able to convert what they know about one form of solar eruption into understanding other types and identify an underlying mechanism that could explain all sorts of solar eruptions by having all three forms of eruptions together in one event.

"This event is a missing link," said Emily Mason, lead author of the new research and a solar scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center near Greenbelt, Maryland. "It emphasizes that these eruptions are triggered by the same process, albeit on a smaller scale."

Related Article: Space Watch: Solar and Geomagnetic Storms, What Are They?



CME

A coronal mass ejection, a jet, or a partial eruption are the most common types of eruptions on the Sun. CMEs and jets are explosive eruptions that fling energy and particles into space, yet they have pretty distinct appearances. CMEs produce gigantic bubbles that spread outward, pushed and shaped by the Sun's magnetic fields. Jets erupt as thin columns of solar material. On the other hand, partial eruptions begin erupting from the surface but lack the energy to exit the Sun. Thus, the majority of the material falls back down onto the solar surface.

The ejection of a hot layer of solar material over a magnetically active region on the Sun's surface was witnessed by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory, the European Space Agency, and NASA's Solar and Heliospheric Observatory on March 12 and 13, 2016. The ejection was too wide to be a CME and too wide to be a jet. A second colder layer of material on the surface began to erupt from the exact location within half an hour, but it eventually sank back down as a partial eruption. When scientists see an eruption with both jet and CME features, they know it's likely driven by a single process.

Using the Data Gathered

Scientists may now apply what they know about jets to CMEs, thanks to this new insight. The occurrence also reveals to scientists that partial eruptions occur on the same spectrum as full eruptions but are stopped in their tracks by an unknown limiter that confines their energy and prevents them from leaving the Sun.

Understanding the mechanisms underlying these events, particularly CMEs, is crucial for anticipating when a big eruption may cause Earth impacts. CMEs, in particular, release large clouds of high-energy charged particles and magnetic fields that spread across the solar system, causing space weather - a storm of high-energy particles and activity that can be hazardous to astronauts and technology in space, as well as utility grids on Earth in extreme cases.

Rosetta Eruption

The scientists think that by simulating the latest Rosetta eruption and others like it that have subsequently been identified, they will find out what causes solar eruptions and what determines their properties. Finding a trigger might eventually let scientists forecast several hours ahead of time when a massive eruption may threaten Earth and Mars, giving astronauts and spacecraft operators the time to take preventative steps.

Also Read: Expert Warns 'Situation Worse than Covid' if Government Ignores Solar Flare Defense

For more solar news, don't forget to follow Nature World News!
The White House revoked the Trump-era administrative order that tried to ban TikTok and WeChat, but ordered the Ministry of Commerce to conduct security reviews of applications made, controlled or provided in China.

Officials said on Wednesday that the White House had abandoned the Trump-era administrative order that tried to ban popular apps TikTok and WeChat, and will conduct its own review to determine the national security risks of China-related software applications.

A new executive order instructs the Ministry of Commerce to conduct what officials call evidence-based analysis of transactions involving applications manufactured, supplied or controlled by China. Officials are particularly concerned about applications that collect personal data from users or are linked to Chinas military or intelligence activities.

According to senior government officials, the department will also make recommendations on how to further protect Americans genetics and personal health information, and will address the risks of certain software applications related to China or other rivals.

The actions of the US President Joe Bidens administration reflect continuing concerns that popular apps related to China, the USs main economic and political rival, may expose Americans personal data. Both the White House and Congress have taken action to deal with Beijings technological advancement. On Tuesday, the Senate passed a bill designed to face increasing international competition and promote the development of American semiconductor production and artificial intelligence and other technologies.

Earlier this year, as the government began a more extensive review of the national security threats posed by Chinese technology companies, the U.S. government earlier this year abandoned former President Donald Trumps attempt to ban the popular video app TikTok and demanded The court postponed the legal dispute.

A court document stated that the Department of Commerce is reviewing whether Trumps claim that TikTok poses a threat to national security proves an attempt to prohibit him from entering the smartphone app store and deny him the provision of important technical services. The review will be updated in the court case later this week.

The US proposal to acquire TikTok is also pending. Last year, the Trump administration facilitated a deal that would have allowed American companies Oracle and Wal-Mart to hold large shares of Chinese-owned apps on national security grounds.

This unusual arrangement stems from an executive order from Trump that aims to prohibit the use of TikTok in the United States unless it accepts a greater degree of control by the United States.

Trump targeted a series of orders in the summer of 2020 and expressed concern about the US data TikTok collects from users. The court temporarily blocked the White Houses injunction attempt, and the presidential election soon overshadowed the TikTok struggle.

TikTok has been seeking the U.S. District of Columbia Circuit Court of Appeals to review Trumps divestment order and the governments national security review.
On October 14, 2020, when I saw Twitter CEO Jack Dorseys tweet Help #EndSARS via #Bitcoin donation, I knew he would eventually run into trouble with the Nigerian authorities . No government in the world would appreciate him for inviting donations to support a movement that shakes its power base.

From the perspective of the Nigerian government, the founder of the tech giant used his huge global influence to raise funds for the protesters and helped exacerbate the countrys internal crisis. The protesters not only chanted end SARS on the streets of Lagos. , Also chanted Buhari must leave. The government has a million and one respectable ways of responding, but the current Nigerian government has not found it.

Therefore, when Twitter deleted a tweet by President Muhammadu Buhari on June 2, which mentioned the civil war and threats of violence in southeastern Nigeria in the 1960s, the Nigerian authorities responded quickly. On June 4, the Ministry of Information announced the suspension of the countrys social media platforms.

There is no doubt that the tweets deleted by Buhari are the culmination of the Nigerian governments anger on Twitter, not the fuse. The real problem with the platform is its status as the most important tool for civic attacks on Bukharis mediocre government. This peaked during the #EndSARS protest, which may be the most organic protest in Nigerias recent history.

Of course, without Twitter, that protest would not have happened. On this platform, victims of police brutality share their pain in the hands of the infamous Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in black. After spending a few days in a police cell and a prison undercover, I know that most of these stories are true.

In early October 2020, news about SARS officials harassing young Nigerians and killing a young man became popular on Twitter and caused anger across the country. This triggered a continuous emergence of similar experiences shared by victims, aroused public outrage, and prompted many people to take to the streets to demand the dissolution of SARS.

Nigerias biggest open secret about the protests is that the government hired mobs to attack the protesters and infiltrate and vilify their movement. For the record, state agents put a lot of effort into covering up the casualties that caused the protest movement to quell in the military raid on October 20.

Eight months after the demonstration, Twitter is still the only platform where these events are occasionally revisited, sometimes on the 20th of each month, but often without any specific reason. Twitter is still a thorn in the eye of the Nigerian government. This is the eternal memorial site of bloodshed at the Lekki Toll Plaza in Lagos on October 20, 2020.

Soon after Twitter deleted Buharis tweet, Information Minister Lai Muhammad accused the social media platform of funding #EndSARS protesters. He also criticized Twitter for failing to delete inflammatory tweets by Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Biafra Separatist Indigenous Peoples (IPOB), calling for the establishment of an independent state (Biafra) in southeastern Nigeria.

But Muhammad ignored the fact that Buharis tweets were widely reported by the public. In addition, Kanus tweets inciting secession are nothing compared to the presidents threats to citizens during the civil war in which people in southeastern Nigeria suffered genocide.

The existence of the Buhari government is-said to be-based on the demands of the people; Kanu exists because of the failure of the government. Therefore, the two parties cannot bear the same level of responsibility to the public. This government cannot see Buharis divergence in tweets, which is very disturbing.

As far as IPOB is concerned, this is a self-made problem. Twitter only acts as an amplifier for growing dissatisfaction. Many people who reported on Buharis offensive tweets were not sympathetic to IPOB, but they worried that the governments obsession with Kanu and its people would be at the expense of a more obvious and devastating threat to Nigerias survival.

In 2017, the Buhari government asked the military to declare IPOB a radical terrorist organization, which violated the countrys Terrorism Act, which stipulates that only a judge can make such a statement before acting in accordance with the law. Four years later, even though militants in the herders community were designated by the Global Terrorism Index in 2015 as the fourth deadliest terrorist organization in the world after Boko Haram, ISIS, and Al-Shabaab, it still has not plucked up the courage to do so Declare the militants in the herder community to be a terrorist organization. .

Just a few days ago, militants killed at least 25 people and razed houses, shops and a palace in a small town in southwestern Nigeria. But because Buhari was clearly biased towards herders, they were not terrorists because of him. I am a herdsman. The bandits are intimidating northern Nigeria; they have kidnapped nearly 1,000 people since December, and their unofficial spokesperson, Sheikh Abubakar Gumi, often promotes their image in the media. Nevertheless, for the Nigerian government, neither the killer nor the kidnapper is a terrorist.

Minister Mohammeds claim that Twitter has become a platform for activities that can undermine the survival of Nigerian businesses is incredible. The biggest threat facing Nigeria is the lack of inspiring governance.

Nigerians are hungry. Naira continued to weaken. Peoples purchasing power is declining. Unemployment is biting. Lack of quality medical care. Herdsmen, bandits and militants are killing people unscrupulously.

Solve these problems, and then watch Kanu disappear into obscurity. If there is food on their table, no one will listen to him. No one will participate in the demonstrations on June 12. If they are healthy and paid for their work, some militant groups have called for protests against the Twitter ban. June 12 is an important day in Nigerias history because it was the freest and fairest election held in Nigeria in 1993. The election result was abolished by the then Ibrahim Babangida dictatorship.

Good governance is the ultimate secret to ensure the survival of Nigerian businesses. Buhari used Twitter in 2015 to call on Nigerians to condemn the failure of the Jonathan administration, but it will not suddenly become a problem in 2021. People who currently use it to criticize his failure should not deprive it-unless, of course, he is saying that we can treat his remaining two years in office as a waste of acceleration.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial stance.
Juan Remy Quiniolot was also charged with illegal possession of military weapons, group crimes, endangering national security and conspiracy.

Authorities in the Central African Republic (CAR) charged a French national with espionage and conspiracy nearly a month after he was arrested.

Juan Remy Quignolot was detained on May 10 after police said weapons, military uniforms and foreign banknotes were found in his residence in Bangui, the capital. The authorities accused him of helping and training rebel fighters in this conflict-torn country since 2013.

The Attorney General of the Central African Republic, Eric Didier Tambo, said on Wednesday that Quiniolot was accused of espionage, illegal possession of military and hunting weapons, criminal gangs, and endangering the country. Security and conspiracy.

He did not mention any country or organization that Quignolot allegedly worked for, but stated that any trial would take place within six months.

In the case of compromising family safety, you are talking about lifelong forced labor, he said, referring to potential punishment.

Quiniolot, 55, denied the allegations. The French Embassy in Bangui and the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not immediately comment.

The allegations were announced two days after France suspended aid and military support to the Central African Republic because it said the government had failed to prevent massive false propaganda campaigns against its officials-a statement accusing Russia, which has been consistent with France. Competing for influence in the country.

The French government had previously provided 10 million euros ($12.18 million) in budget support to the Bangui authorities. It also has nearly 300 soldiers in the Central African Republic.

Photos circulated on social media on the day Quiniolot was arrested showed him with his hands tied behind his back, sitting on the steps in front of the weapons, ammunition, and military armory.

Two days later, France condemned the arrest and the photos were obviously manipulated.

It said it was using disinformation networks to promote the clear interests of those accustomed to targeting the presence and actions of France in the Central African Republic.

The Russian Valery Zakharov is a close adviser to the President of the Central African Republic, Faustin-Archange Touadera. He specifically mentioned Quinniolo on Twitter. Special arrest news.

Russia has strengthened its military support for the Central African Republic, sending hundreds of military instructors to arm and train government forces to resist countless rebel movements in the country.

Since 2013, this gold and diamond producing country with a population of 4.7 million has experienced repeated incidents of violence by armed groups, including the civil war that ended in 2016 and election-related battles earlier this year.
Just a few days after President Nayib Bukele put forward a proposal at the Bitcoin conference, the El Salvadoran Legislative Assembly approved legislation to make the countrys cryptocurrency Bitcoin a legal tender. This is the first of its kind. Country of doing.

Digital currency can be used for any transaction, and any company must accept Bitcoin as a payment, except for those lacking relevant technology. According to legislation approved later on Tuesday, the U.S. dollar will also continue to be the currency of El Salvador, and no one will be forced to pay in Bitcoin.

The exchange rate between the two currencies will be determined by the market, and all prices can be expressed in Bitcoin-although for accounting purposes, the U.S. dollar will continue to be the reference currency.

The government will promote training people to be able to use Bitcoin for transactions.

The Ministry of Economy pointed out that 70% of Salvadorans do not have access to traditional financial services, and stated that the country needs to authorize the circulation of digital currency [whose] Whose value fully complies with free market standards to stimulate growth.

Bitcoin law is ambitious, but simple, Booker said on Twitter. In addition, for those who dont want to take risks, the zero-risk structure is good. The government will guarantee that it can be converted into US dollars at the time of the transaction.

The President of El Salvador, Nayib Bukele, speaks at a press conference in San Salvador on January 6. Bukeles party controls the legislature, allowing the Bitcoin proposal to quickly become law. (Jose Cabezas/Reuters)

The President stated that this will increase financial inclusion, investment, tourism, innovation and economic development.

The law will take effect 90 days after it is officially announced. The central bank and financial system regulators will announce implementation rules during this period.

Bookers New Thought Party held an absolute majority in the new Congress on May 1.

Other countries in the region, including Venezuela and the Bahamas, have introduced digital currencies, although no country has adopted the original cryptocurrency Bitcoin itself.

The opposition lacks research on the bill

Bitcoin is designed to replace government-backed currencies and is mainly based on complex mathematics, data scrambling cryptography-hence the name cryptocurrency-a large amount of processing power and a distributed global ledger called a blockchain. It records all transactions. No central bank or other institution has any say in its value. It is entirely determined by the people who trade Bitcoin and fluctuates drastically over time.

The legislation established a government trust fund to guarantee the automatic exchange of U.S. dollars.

Listen | A research team at the University of Ottawa has developed a method to detect cryptocurrency scammers:

Within a day8:58The University of Ottawa research team builds a system to detect cryptocurrency scams We talked to a professor at the University of Ottawa, and his team has created a system that can detect cryptocurrency scammers before anyone falls into a scam. 8:58

Carlos Carcah, a professor at El Salvadors Advanced School of Economics and Business, believes that the adoption of Bitcoin as legal tender is unnecessary and inconvenient, although he added that as long as someone accepts Bitcoin as payment, just like they accept U.S. dollars, there will be no problem. .

He pointed out that Bitcoin is extremely volatile, so investors risk the risk of becoming rich and becoming poor the next day.

Rodrigo Avila, an opposition member of the conservative Arena Party, complained that the Legislative Assembly did not fully discuss the legislation before it was passed. There is no testimony from economic or cybercrime experts.

This action brought back memories of the decision to dollarize the economy of El Salvador on November 30, 2000, which was made in the middle of the night by the Arena-controlled Congress.

El Salvador received approximately US$6 billion in remittances from Salvadorans living abroad last year, accounting for approximately 16% of the countrys GDP. Bukele has stated that Bitcoin can eliminate the cost of sending money home.
Can a sepia-tone photograph capture hues of identity, longing, nostalgia and home?

Consider this. It is the spring of 1982. Twenty-five-year-old Tahzeeb has just landed in Riyadh after taking her maiden flight from Pakistan to reunite with her husband Nasir who works at the US embassy in Saudi Arabia.

Shortly after she arrives, Nasir has a novel idea, to take a portrait shot of the two of them.

As he sets up the tripod, his eyes trace her silhouette sitting on the ground, mind lost in thought. He wonders if she is thinking about her journey, the family she left behind  a distant identity  to join him in the strangeness of this new place. Home, which was in the streets of East Pakistan, had moved across city, country, and continent, just like that, for them. He kneels to ask her to look at the camera  and that was when the devices timer went off and captured the duo looking at each other. Pensive, quiet, powerful.

Nearly three decades later, their daughter Israa, 33, a Pakistani-Canadian, looks at this half-faded photograph and wonders about her Baba and Mamas journey from Pakistan to the Middle East. What did identity, belonging, and home mean for them? She poses this thought to the world  as a postscript to this picture  through the Instagram account Brown History, a veritable ode to artefacts like this photograph.

A lot of people say that the past doesnt matter  and perhaps, it doesnt in many ways, Israa reflects on what inspired her to share this moment and musing.

But learning the small details of the lives of your parents or grandparents humanises them  It forces you to look at them like peers almost, people with hopes and dreams, people who struggled, people who loved. It allows you to see your family in a different way  that creates a closeness and empathy that wasnt there before.

History rewritten by the vanquished

A compilation of this familiarity and human expression finds home on Brown History, a crowdsourced collective that started in March 2019. Founder Ahsun Zafar, a Canadian national, wanted to humanise history  half-remembered anecdotes, fading family albums, treasured tales  whatever shape or form it bore. More than a thousand submissions and almost two years later, the platform now has a community of more than 488,000 people, all tasked with telling and re-telling lesser-known stories and lives.

There is a common saying that history is written by the victors. If that is the case, then Brown History is history rewritten by the vanquished, Ahsun says, echoing the bio of the page.

He is not alone in this mission. Platforms like Daak Vaak and Museum of Material Memory, along with a host of other region and culture-specific social circles, are engaging in a digital tryst with time and memory. They become unwavering lenses into the past, of people and places.

Onaiza Drabu and Prachi Jha, co-founders of Daak Vaak [Courtesy of Daak Vaak]

Together, they capitalise on modern storytelling techniques to transform oral history into crowdsourced archives, straddling the translucent line between personal and shared history. Individual stories inherited across generations take the form of reflective narratives and crystallised visuals. Notably, the immersion happens both ways: readers jump through lands and centuries, tracing intricate epochal shifts.

The idea behind Daak Vaak was to expand our cultural vocabulary to integrate local ideas and references, founders Prachi Jha and Onaiza Drabu told Al Jazeera. Prachi, 34, hails from New Delhi, India and runs a science education NGO in Geneva; Onaiza, 31, is a digital consultant based out of Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir. They formed an alliance in 2017 to create the newsletter-turned-social-media-platform Daak Vaak (Hindi for Post and Talk) in hopes of preserving and reviving literature and art from the South Asian subcontinent.

We felt like our education and upbringing had left a huge gap in our understanding of the ideas, people and movements that have shaped the culture of South Asia. It now has a subscriber list of more than 100,000 people.

Keen to extract impressions from the subcontinent is the Museum of Material Memory, started by school friends Aanchal Malhotra and Navdha Malhotra (they are not related). Both are from New Delhi, and their families are partition survivors who moved to independent India from Pakistan after 1947.

The project is an extension of Aanchals book, Remnants of a Separation: A History of the Partition through Material Memory, which outlines the stories behind intimate objects carried by refugees of the partition. The idea mutated into a digital platform as a response to the overwhelming interest, prompting her to collaborate with Navdha and craft a space dedicated to matter and meaning.

A small brass box Sahibas grandmother Jagdeesh Kaur Bhatia used to keep a gold necklace and pair of earrings in [Sahiba Bhatia for Museum of Material Memory]

People from across the subcontinent  and from the diaspora across the border  could submit stories about the objects that have existed in their families for generations, and we can all celebrate our historical materiality, no matter how mundane it might be, they say. The result is a repository of emotionally and historically charged artefacts dated until the 1970s.

A bridge to the past

When Anviti Suri, based in Nagpur, India, first came across the Museum of Material Memory, she felt a powerful urge to contribute something. Her quest unfolded as follows: she asked around in her family about old objects with interesting historical connections; her grandmother quenched this curiosity by telling her about a beautiful golden necklace she inherited from her mother.

Theres something about the process of talking about an object that brings up details that wouldnt come up otherwise. All the events and stories associated with the object come up, and not just one singular event, she muses reflectively, referring to the history the necklace had borne witness to. Anvitis grandmother received it at the age of 12 when she was getting married. This was a time when India and Pakistan were still one, and both of Anvitis grandparents can trace their families to areas that are now on the Pakistani side of the border. I grew up on stories of the Partition, Anviti says. She went on to contribute another story for the page, one about a pistol manufactured in 1903 that her grandfather bought from a police officer.

Her desire to contribute to the platform was simple: It gave her a sense of pride. We did not have any documentation of what the family had been through, where they came from. So writing this piece gave me an opportunity to start building a family archive of sorts.

A pistol manufactured in 1903, belonging to Anvitis grandfather is now a part of his legacy [Anviti Suri for the Museum of Material Memory]

Other objects that found a home on the platform include a postcard from 1947 with a stamp of a newly-carved Pakistan, frayed books with notes in the margin, brass crockery passed on as heirlooms, souvenirs from World War I trenches in the shape of wooden boxes. All resound with human emotion and social condition.

Material memory in itself works in mysterious ways, Aanchal and Navdha explain. We surround ourselves with things and put parts of ourselves in them. It hides in the folds of clothes, among old records, inside boxes of inherited jewellery, between the yellowing pages of old books, in the cracks of furniture and the stitches of frayed, embroidered handkerchiefs. It merges into our surroundings, it seeps into our years, it remains quiet, accumulating the past like layers of dust, and manifests itself in the most unlikely scenarios, generations later.

The Museum focuses not on capital H histories, but small h histories  oral histories, quiet histories. Those that require interviewing family and loved ones, or introspection of an intimate nature.

How memory trickles through generations is a reminder of what has been lost, but also what remains. When Hiam Amani, an American with Bangladeshi ancestry, found an old photo of her aunt, a freedom fighter during Bangladeshs Liberation War in 1971, she thought it would make a good addition to Brown Historys page. She had heard the stories before: her aunt was a student at Dhaka University, had become a political leader, spent a lifetime advocating for the preservation of Bangladeshi culture, and witnessed the birth of Bangladesh. Some 40 years later, Hiam called her aunt to hear more about the picture before submitting it to Brown History.

This conversation was the first time as an adult that I truly got to hear the details and understand this history that is so significant to the birth of Bangladesh  She spoke on the injustices and inequality and the struggle of feeling like an outsider in your own country at the time. Hearing these stories more than a learning exercise, it was a front-row seat to watching people live their stories and taking note of how legacies shape up. Hiam saw in the picture a reflection of her aunt, her nations history, and herself. Nothing could feel that powerful.

For Hiam, this was a chance to reconnect with her aunt, as well as the culture and heritage she had only heard about. A couple of weeks after her conversation, Hiams aunt passed away. Her death was completely sudden and unexpected and I am forever grateful to Brown History for not only highlighting my familys history, but preserving it.

An exploration of the present

A similar exercise in exploration is arduously materialising at Daak Vaak, where relatively unknown or forgotten pieces of literature, artwork and ideas are shared every Sunday in the form of digital postcards. The imagery is faithful to that of a real postcard: a characteristic ochre palate descending on a crinkled landscape sheet, bearing a stamp on the top right corner ready to land in mailboxes.

While Daak Vaak started as a newsletter and not an archive, Prachi and Onaiza recall, almost four years of weekly posts have transformed it into one carrying obscure literature and art sourced from the subcontinent.

In July 2020, Ravleen, a regular visitor to the page, found storied Indian novelist and poet Amrita Pritams poem, Mera Pata. The poem left her with a curious feeling: how accessible is Punjabi literature (of which Pritam is a stalwart)?

The next Daak (post) brought a portrait linked to Assamese poetry. It made me think about the representation of Indigenous and Indian writers in the mainstream. Daak Vaak for her became a treasure trove of lost literature.

Assam-based Das found Bangla literature, circa 1973, along with short handwritten notes on the title pages, in his parents dresser. The books ranged from Tagores seminal literary treatise, Sahityer Pathe, to Gour Kishore Ghoshs 1969 revolutionary drama, Sagina Mahato [Shubham Das for Museum of Material Memory]

Its surprising and sad that I had never explored them enough, she says. The vacuum sparked something in her, prompting her to translate Punjabi literature to English and submit it to platforms like Daak Vaak itself.

It felt like something that needed to be done. These poems are beautiful and need to be read by more people.

Other fragments of cultural wisdom in Daak Vaaks repository look something like this: intimate portrayals of Indian self-taught cartoonist Mario Miranda, making of literary doyen Rabindranath Tagores oeuvre, capturing the friendship and animosity between literary stalwarts Ismat Chughtai and Manto through lost essays. It is textured life that slipped through the cracks of time and mortality, now revived with rigorous research. Prachi and Onaiza hope that people see this as an archive or repository of South Asian culture and a testament and homage to our shared cultural heritage.

A community-in-making

Images and posts on these platforms often prompt conversations about identity and roots. Last year, Australia-based Jessica Grover was scrolling through Instagram when she came across a picture of an Om tattoo on a gentleman her grandfathers age; the tattoo struck her because she had grown up looking at it on her grandfathers wrist too. Serendipitously, the last name of the person who posted the image was the same as hers: it turns out, the person was her distant cousin, the two shared a great-great-grandparent.

His granddad and mine were from the same part of Punjab which now resides in Pakistan. The family lost touch after the separation of India and Pakistan, she says. Jessica recalls the excitement in her grandfathers voice when she told him about this discovery; this was his cousin he played with as a child, with whom he had had no contact for nearly 65 years.

Its almost like a window into a different time and seeing how things were. Especially if the particular story speaks to you personally or is a part of your own history, the experience of finding something like it is unparalleled.

Founder Ahsun nods in agreement and says this is not a rare occurrence. He recalls a photo shared some time ago about a young mans grandfather surviving Partition. Another woman, recognising the last name of the contributor and the name of the village, realised that he was her grandfathers cousin with whom he had lost contact because of Partition.

Brown History is more of a community. It is a bustling place full of energy and wonder, Ahsun says.

A postcard published this year, revisiting the 1960s when the French government commissioned a Pakistani artist to illustrate Camuss The Stranger [Courtesy of Daak Vaak]

At other times, communities do what is intrinsic to their nature: support and uplift. The founders of Daak Vaak note how users often engage with prompts posted on the platform or send each other poetry. The readers also valiantly take on trolls. Trolls in comments, luckily enough, we dont have to deal with, because our readers get there first, they say jokingly.

Anything viewed from the prism of memory, they all note, will be multidimensional and manifold in representations. When Israa submitted the photograph of her parents, she wasnt seeking a tangible return. But there was an awareness that deep within her story, and that of others, live spaces where man-made borders dissolve.

Every family has a story, and thats the thread that binds us. We all carry similar stories within us, and especially when its traumatic, we think were alone in that, she explains.

Israa knows of the Museum of Material Memory and finds this idea well resonated in their digital archive.

When stories about domestic violence or immigration, or Partition-related traumas, or love, are shared  people see themselves in them. Thats the power of community, of feeling like youre part of a larger narrative.

A modern way of storytelling

Platforms like these are increasingly occupying the internet, symbolising the very purpose of their creation: that history, personal and shared, is multidimensional. It is an unspoken but concerted movement to democratise history and share narratives ageing on the sidelines.

Their appeal was organic: through word of mouth, social media sharing, random bouts of scrolling. Ahsun recalls how Brown History once got a shoutout from actor Riz Ahmed. The culture of remembering then flew wide open; reeling in volleys of identities, formats, substance.

But these platforms are more than their subscribers, comments, likes, or any metrics. Social media, as the powerhouse of this movement, does plenty to revolutionise cultural legacy. The advantages are apparent: it is accessible, inclusive, engaging and immediate in its appeal.

It not only offers uninhibited access to diverse stories, Navdha Malhotra explains, but also tacitly extends ownership to the contributor in telling their personal story, and thereby carving a place for themselves in history.

A postcard detailing the life and identity of M F Husain, whose legacy is as interesting as his art [Courtesy of Daak Vaak]

The immediate shareability also augments our borderless approach, wherein an object in a home in Pakistan can be read about and viewed in homes in India, Bangladesh, Nepal, or even the diaspora. This almost always leads to more stories being unearthed. For our writers, there is also a sense of ownership when the story is published.

Brown Historys Ahsun concurs. Thanks to social media, regular people can tell their history from their perspective and their stories and cultures are no longer bound by gatekeepers. Brick and mortar museums exist as analogue platforms, controlled by a small group of people, giving them a lot of control to decide what is on display and to present the exhibits in their own way. Social media, on the other hand, is free of these constrictions.

With this thought, the moral ambiguity of who gets to tell their stories withers away, leaving behind an unequivocal answer: the people themselves. This also allows platforms to bring about the nuances and complexity of communities, ethnicities, and nationalities instead of compressing them into reductive packages.

The notion that there are people who are voiceless is wrong, Ravleen notes. Everyone has a voice, and I hope this platform can help amplify it, she says of Daak Vaak.

As faithful a friend the internet has been to them, the pitfalls of a booming internet presence are fairly conspicuous.

If history is layered, can anyone fully, faithfully communicate the complexity within each story? History is so complex and layered, especially in South Asia, Ahsun notes. I think my biggest challenge is that my path to knowledge requires me to make mistakes and to be able to grow from them. However, the internet isnt always the most forgiving place and with more eyes on my posts comes a greater fear of making mistakes.

A postcard Saalems grandfather, who hailed from Karachi, gave him. It dates back to the Partition when a newly created civil service in Pakistan used Indian postcards and Pakistan was stamped on top of the image of King George VI [Saalem Humayun for the Museum of Material Memory]

Even a well-rounded story has a defined radius that leaves behind tricky terrain. All of these converge into instances of social media backlash, questioning versions and interpretations of the past, and calling the veracity of memory into question.

Other concerns about privilege and luxury do not go unnoticed  intricately tied with these are metrics of authenticity and representation. We realise that accessing a digital museum definitely comes with its own socioeconomic challenges, the founders say. Having access to objects, the time and luxury to document the personal history and accessing digital platforms itself is very much a privilege in Indian society.

While these considerations have the potential to leave them fazed, each experience shapes a better response.

I often try to evaluate how people of different castes, religions, politics, class and genders would view the topic at hand and how I can relay the information as correctly as possible. Its definitely not always well received, but there will always be controversial topics and I have to learn to be comfortable with that, Ahsun says.

Another way is to be accepting of this fallacy and capitalise on the growing community of readers to help them straddle this grey area. Prachi and Onaiza often resort to this, relying on readers to point out oversights of privilege or simplistic treatment. They often put out calls to readers to suggest literature in languages they may not be familiar with. They do not want to succumb to the bias of finding and curating that which is familiar.

We dont claim to be experts in South Asian history or culture and were as much consumers of this content as were producers. Were learning as we go and make mistakes as well, they submit while pondering the excesses of the very platform that gives them power.

Stories that move and teach

There are obvious questions in this exercise of history collection. What qualifies as an archive? What should be included?

For the founders at Daak Vaak, the formula seems to be to select stories that echo universal human experiences such as nostalgia for childhood or unrequited love, and some that are unique and come bearing fresh perspective. The submissions so far, Prachi and Onaiza say, would make for an interesting read by any cultural analyst.

Brown Historys Ahsun also ventures an answer, and notes: The stories that make it through typically either move people or teach people.

A postcard recounting the journey of Pakistani artist Sughra Rababi who captured the profundity of the ordinary through her paintings [Courtesy of Daak Vaak]

The reliance on memory undergirds the very nature of oral history, Navdha and Aanchal note. We try our best to support our stories with fact and archival research, but there are some things that remain truths only because of the way in which people remember them, and we celebrate that.

Author Manu S Pillai believes memory projects cannot replace the work of a historian or other official ways of record-keeping  these posts cannot be subjected to scholarly analysis as one would like. Research and analysis is still heavy business, he tells Danish Raza of the Hindustan Times, but social media helps generate an appetite for history beyond scholarly circles, and any such mass interest is, in the long run, a positive development.

Pillais argument brings up an interesting distinction between history and memory. Katja Muller, a German researcher, argues that real memory is alive and pliable. Memory is by nature multiple and yet specific; collective, plural, and yet individual. History, on the other hand, belongs to everyone and to no one, she writes in her paper, Between Lived and Archived Memory: How Digital Archives Can Tell History. Memory takes root through objects and images, while history is an organised and constructed past.

Digital archives that shape memory, she says, can change the way we engage with history.

Reframing identity and expression for the future

Combined, the number of followers on all three platforms easily crosses a million people  which is a million people who can attest to the positive impact digital memory initiatives have.

Brown people and their voices are extremely underrepresented, we have very few outlets to have our stories be shown and heard, Hiam says. Platforms like this are key to preserving social and cultural memory in a raw and unfiltered way.

The internet is forever, and these images will live on this page forever.

The question of sustaining these platforms is hard to overlook. The ingenuity and agility at their core force them to constantly adapt, but do they wonder if obsolescence is on the horizon?

We dont worry about it but we definitely plan for it, Prachi and Onaiza say. We dont think its wise to completely rely on any one digital platform. So, while we enjoy the engagement and reach of social media, we are diligent in curating and archiving our weekly newsletters. They refer to the digital postcards that land in mailboxes every Sunday  also hinting at the success the newsletter format has enjoyed during the pandemic.

In the early days, one of their preoccupations was with content saturation, if the knowledge well might drip dry. But time, experience, and social interaction have taught them otherwise. Weve learned in the last three years that there is so much to uncover and weve barely scratched the surface.

A picture of a payal, anklets that Samriddhis grandmother inherited on her wedding day in 1969 [Samriddhi Roy for Museum of Material Memory]

Submissions to the Museum echo this observation: the archive they are building reveals not just a history of objects and the people they belong to but, in parallel, unfolds generational narratives about traditions, culture, customs, habits, language, society, geography and history of the vast Indian subcontinent.

The founders hope to add to archival histories, augment knowledge and add diversity from the very grassroots. They plan to build a team of curators as they expand, holding exhibitions, and even monetarily compensate contributors.

Our true hope in encouraging people  in the subcontinent and across the diaspora  to search for items in their homes and archiving the stories of objects as mundane as utensils and books, to as monetarily valuable as jewellery and wedding costumes, they say. In doing so, they are creating an organic, accessible, digital archive of material culture that showcases the diversity and vibrancy of a vast landscape.

Ahsun also hopes that it proves to be an enlightening experience for anyone who looks at it. Particularly for South Asian people, he hopes that it plays a role in making sense of their identity. If its a person of South Asian descent, then I hope they look at it as a kind of mirror, he says.

Could history single out platforms like his as windows onto human expression and a prism of social and cultural change? Perhaps, as they carry stories that are at once powerful and fragile, simple and intricate, pensive yet uplifting. There are dualities that make up these communities and platforms  and it is in this that thousands find a home.

Such was Israas experience too.

Its amazing to think that I am 33 years old but have no idea how or why my grandparents ended up in East Pakistan (current day Bangladesh). What were the circumstances? Why did they decide that? And that is the impact of these platforms  it reflects the questions of identity, history, and belonging back onto the reader.
All over the world, from Bangladesh to Nepal to Rwanda, fragile hotspots have been struggling to cope with the stagnation of the Covid-19 vaccination program because their doses have been used up. Many shortages can be traced to one company: the Serum Institute of India.

Serum, the worlds largest vaccine manufacturer, was named the top supplier of Covid vaccines last year. Covax is an initiative supported by the World Health Organization to ensure fair global promotion. But the Indian company has been plagued by setbacks, from export bans to factory fires, hindering its ability to fulfill orders.

Covax has promised to send vaccines to approximately 92 countries, but so far, it has only received 30 million doses of at least 200 million doses ordered from Serum, the latter being the bulk of its early supply. Serums tragic experience has now become a key example of how Covid inoculation efforts have failed in developing countries, and a warning story of over-reliance on one manufacturer in a global crisis.

When shortages emerge, WHO and public health experts have warned that low vaccination levels in poorer countries may encourage the emergence of dangerous variants and prolong the duration of a global pandemic. It is also difficult for other manufacturers to achieve their goals or increase the production of Covid lenses, but Serums shortage is particularly serious because Covax and emerging countries rely heavily on it.

The company has been unable to send any vaccines overseas since April, when the Indian government banned Covid vaccine exports during the countrys devastating second wave of outbreaks. But some of Serums problems started long ago.

Last year, Serums CEO Adar Poonawalla promised that by the end of 2020, his vaccine giant will produce 400 million doses of AstraZeneca Plcs coronavirus vaccine for use in low- and middle-income countries. Entering the month of 2021, he said that only 70 million lenses were produced because the company is not sure when it will obtain a license from India and does not have enough warehouse space.

A series of countries have also signed direct contracts with Serum and are now racing to find new suppliers. In Nepal-where the epidemic is so severe that it has even reached the base of Mount Everest-the government says it has received only half of the 2 million vaccines ordered directly from Serum in the neighboring city of Pune, India. The rest should arrive in March.

Tara Nath Pokhrel, Director of the Department of Family Welfare, Ministry of Health of Nepal, said: We are working hard to deal with the shortage of vaccines.

In total, the country with a population of 28 million said it received only 2.38 million doses of vaccine: 1 million doses came directly from Serum, another 1 million doses came from grant assistance from India, and the rest came from Covax. Nepal has been looking forward to receiving 13 million doses of vaccine from Covax. But given that Covax relies heavily on serum supply, and the Indian company no longer exports due to government restrictions, these flows have dried up.

The decision to select Serum as the main supplier of Covax is to a large extent based on the companys large-scale production capabilities, low-cost delivery capabilities, and its vaccine being one of the first vaccines to receive the WHO emergency use list. Si said that Berkeley is the CEO of Gavi, a vaccine alliance that has been promoting Covax and funding its orders.

Berkeley said that Serums manufacturing capacity is expanding, which will help India. Nevertheless, after Serum has stated in recent weeks that, given the needs of its overwhelmed home country, it is unlikely that exports will resume before the end of 2021, Covax and many developing countries are scrambling to find new sources of vaccines.

Chinese vaccine manufacturers may fill this gap. The vaccines of Xinhua Biotechnology Co., Ltd. and Sinopharm Group Co., Ltd. have recently been approved by the World Health Organization for wider use worldwide. After the shortage of serum supply, Bangladesh stopped providing the first dose of vaccine, and then continued to stop the entire campaign. After the limited supply of Chinese vaccines from Sinopharm arrived, the South Asian country resumed vaccination for frontline and emergency personnel, but has not yet launched a large-scale vaccination plan.

Billionaire family

Serum now finds that his situation has improved compared to a year ago. Then, its owners-the billionaire Poonawalla family founded the company in 1966 to diversify their business from racehorse breeding-after agreeing to mass-produce AstraZenecas vaccines, they were pushed to the world Under the spotlight, this vaccine is called Covishield in India.

Adar Poonawalla talked about a third factory in November, which will allow it to increase supply [File: Dhiraj Singh/Bloomberg]

Serum has long been a supplier of measles and polio vaccines in developing countries, and Adar Poonawalla, who became CEO in 2011, revels in its position at the historic center of Covid vaccine launch. In late November, he talked about showing Prime Minister Narendra Modi (Narendra Modi) the companys third plant at its headquarters in Pune, which will allow the company to produce more than 1 billion Covid vaccines each year.

However, as the environment changes, Poonawallas predictions in public forums and the media have also changed.

In an interview in November, he said that Serums goal is to prepare 100 million doses of vaccine by the end of December, which is only a quarter of the number promised by the end of the year. In January of this year, he further reduced this number to 70 million.

Poonawalla told Bloomberg in early January that the shortage was due to a lack of warehouse space to store vials after Indias regulatory approvals were slower than expected. The company applied for an emergency permit there in early December. In recent months, Poonawalla has also cited the U.S. policy on some of its companys problems, and is the first to complain about the de facto export ban imposed by the U.S. on some key vaccine raw materials.

Meanwhile, in January, a fire broke out in a factory in Serum. The manufacturer played down its impact at first, and Poonawalla said on Twitter that the fire would not slow down production. However, a person familiar with the situation, who asked not to be named, said when discussing the companys internal business that this caused equipment losses and increased production line delays, thereby inhibiting expansion.

Now I think they are really, really stuck-this is a major blow to Covax, said Cleo Kontoravdi, a member of the Future Vaccine Manufacturing Research Center and Vaccine Research Network at Imperial College London.

External factor

Serum did not respond to a series of questions from Bloomberg. A spokesperson said that Poonawalla could not be interviewed.

People familiar with Serums business said that within the company, people were frustrated with the impact on production. The person familiar with the matter said that one of the main reasons for the failure to fulfill the promise is that the global landscape of Covid vaccines is constantly changing. After each target is announced, Indias regulations, approvals and other government controls have changed. The person familiar with the matter said that the companys hands are bound by Indias export ban and other government regulations.

With the devastating second wave of epidemic sweeping across India, demand for vaccines soars [File: Dhiraj Singh/Bloomberg]

India is also experiencing shortages. Initially, Serums supply challenges were not obvious there, as immune activities started to slow. The Modi government also doesnt know how much it will eventually order from Serum, which makes the company hardly foreseeing how much capacity it will need.

Indias initial order volume in January was smallafter Poonawalla tried to openly negotiate pricing with the government, there were initially only 11 million copies. But as the second wave of coronavirus swept across the country, demand soared and supply began to decrease.

As its two main suppliers are currently stretched, India is relying on the second round of domestic and imported vaccines to ease this pressure. According to estimates by Investec Plc, injections from Biological E., Cadila Healthcare Ltd., and Novavax Inc. may result in a nearly three-fold increase in launch scale by October, reaching 271 million doses per month. Modi announced this week that all adults will be vaccinated free of charge.

Serum is not the only vaccine manufacturer that has failed to deliver on its promise. Due to production problems, AstraZeneca was unable to achieve the goals promised to the EU. Bharat Biotech International Ltd., another company that supplies Indian products, also only provided about 27 million doses of the 1 billion injections it promised per year. Russia only started shipping batches of Sputnik V to India last month and said it could start delivering orders for 100 million doses before December last year.

Malini Aisola, the New Delhi co-convenor of the All India Drug Action Network, a public health watchdog, said of the countrys vaccine manufacturers: All of them are over-committing. , And this trend continues. The demand is far greater than the quantity the company can manufacture.
Before the G7 summit, Joe Biden choked up while speaking to the army after landing at the Royal Air Force Mildenhall in Suffolk, England.

Looking back on his late son Bos military service, Biden also unabashedly threatened to Vladimir Putin As tensions between the United States and Russia escalated, he pointed out that he would meet with Mr. Putin and let him know what I want him to know.

The President of the United States is about to hold the G7 summit, the meeting with Queen Elizabeth, and of course the intense talks with Putin.

Biden A comprehensive bet has been set for his eight-day trip, and I believe that the West must publicly prove that it can be economically compatible with China When the world goes from Coronavirus pandemic.

Bidens top priority, he left on Wednesday to go to his first stop United KingdomTo make the world believe him Democratic Administration is not just a brief deviation from the trajectory of US foreign policy.

Many allies of the United States worry that under the predecessor, the United States has irreversibly turned to a more transactional prospect. President Donald Trump.

Read the following Biden live blog for the latest news and updates
The Ministry of Finance of Poland and Hungary stated that unless there are exemptions to protect the substantive business activities of their countries, Poland and Hungary will not support the plan to introduce the lowest global corporate tax level agreed by the finance ministers of the Group of Seven this weekend.

The stance taken by these two Central European countries suggests that resistance within the EU to an agreement may go far beyond the destinations favored by Ireland and other multinational companies to minimize their tax burden.

We should not let the G7 determine our countrys tax rate, Polish Finance Minister Tadeusz Koscinski told the Financial Times. He said that setting a lower tax rate is an important way for countries to catch up with more advanced economies by attracting foreign innovation.

But Kosinski also insisted that the overall corporate tax rate in Poland is 19% and he does not want to attract companies to Poland in order to minimize the tax burden.

He said that any global agreement must distinguish between profit sharing and substantial business activities.

We do not support the idea of ??imposing a minimum tax on the profits of Polish companies doing business in Poland, he said.

He added that any global transaction must substantially divest domestic operations. Regardless of whether this will happen, the details determine success or failure. Some G7 countries may oppose this.

Hungarys overall corporate tax is only 9%, the lowest in the EU, and a similar approach has been adopted.

The Ministry of Finance stated in a statement that countries should have the right to make sovereign decisions on the taxation of major economic activities carried out on their territories. .. Taking into account the level of economic development and other relevant factors.

Therefore, for companies with a lot of economic activity, the government does not support tax increases, the ministry said.

The original 2020 OECD Global Tax Agreement blueprint proposed the divestiture of major commercial activities such as factories or buildingsin fact, the minimum tax should be concentrated on the profit sharing of the subsidiaries of multinational companies.

However, the U.S. proposal is Outline transaction The exemption was not included among the G7 finance ministers on Saturday, greatly expanding its scope.

Pascal Saint-Amans, Director of the OECD Tax Policy and Management Center Tell an event Last month, without some form of divestiture of tangible assets, global transactions would be unrealistic.

Respected

As negotiations shift from the G7 to a broader group of countries convened by the OECD in the coming weeks, any exemptions and definitions of substantive business activities may become one of the crux.

The proposed minimum tax rate does not require unanimous approval to take effect, but another pillar of the reformthe right to tax a portion of sales profits in a particular countryis required. This gives individual capital influence in the negotiation.

In addition, Brussels has announced its intention to promulgate the final OECD tax treaty through EU legislation to ensure the unity of the entire group. This also requires unanimous agreement among EU member states.

Cyprus is another EU country favored by global companies. The Cyprus Finance Minister Constantinos Petrids said in a statement that if it ensures a level playing field for all countries and safeguards their interests, while at the same time taking the position of smaller member states seriously, the country will show  Constructive spirit.

The countrys overall tax rate is 12.5%, but the Cyprus government stated that this is actually compensated by imposing additional dividend taxes on corporate profits.

Additional report by Eleni Varvitsioti in Athens
Soon after the authorities of Gloucester County received the warning of the bomb threat on the Rowan University campus, the building was evacuated and the nearby polling station used for the New Jersey primary election was also relocated.

Rowan is in Glasboro and the police are investigating who made the threat, but officials did not say that the relocation of at least four polling stations is directly related to the incident on the university campus. Instead, they stated that due to unspecified threats, the polling station was moved in the middle of the primary election day.

The polling station was moved to the Gloucester County Complex at 1200 N. Delsea Drive in Clayton. express delivery Report.

The Glassboro Emergency Management Office stated that the bomb threat was received at 10:44 am on Tuesday morning. The phone indicated that the explosive was placed at an unknown location on the Rowan campus.

Rowan County officials received notification of the bomb threat, prompting the university to order the immediate evacuation of all facilities at the Glasboro, Camden, and Stratford campuses. Say.

Residents of Glassboro and some neighboring areas in South Jersey received an alert from the borough at around 1 pm on Tuesday, notifying them of the change in the location of the polling station.

Municipal officials said the evacuation of the surrounding areas was also out of great caution.

At about 10:44 in the morning, the Gloucester County Communications Department received a call stating that there were several bombs Publisher Glassboro Emergency Management Office on Tuesday, June 8, 2021

According to the district, all roads and evacuated buildings were reopened late Tuesday afternoon.

The school stated that Rowans three campuses have been approved to reopen and will resume normal operations at around 1:50 pm on Tuesday afternoon. No casualties were reported, and no suspicious equipment was found.

The Glassboro Police Department and the Gloucester County Attorneys Office continue to investigate the food. Anyone with information can contact the Gloucester County Attorneys Office at (856) 881-1500.

Anonymous tips can also be provided by texting GLASSPD and tips to 847411 or via email [email protected].
The prosecutor had asked the Moscow City Court to classify the opposition leaders anti-corruption foundation and network of regional offices as extremist groups.

The Russian court declared the organization created by the opposition leader illegal Alexei Navalny, Label them extremists.

The Moscow City Courts ruling on Wednesday took effect immediately, preventing people associated with the Navalny Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK) and its network of regional offices throughout Russia from seeking public office.

The prosecutors spokesperson, Alexei Zhafyarov, said outside the court: It was discovered that these organizations not only spread information and incite hatred and hostility towards government officials, but also carried out extremist actions.

The label also means that activists who have worked with these organizations, anyone who has donated money to them, and even those who simply share organizational materials may be prosecuted and sentenced to long-term imprisonment.

Al Jazeeras Bernard Smith reported in Moscow that he said the court ruled after a mammoth meeting that lasted nearly 13 hours.

He said that this decision effectively has a final blow to Navalnys political organization, which he spent several years building up to try to fight President Vladimir Putin.

In recent years, FBK has put pressure on the Kremlin by publishing an investigation into the corruption of top political elites.This kind of exploration in turn stimulates Mass street demonstrations.

The extremist label also imposes long-term prison sentences on activists who have worked with these organizations, anyone who has donated money to them, and even those who simply share materials from these organizations. [Alexander Zemlianichenko/AP]

The court ruled that Navarnys organization is classified in Russia with Al-Qaida, far-right groups and Jehovahs Witnesses.

Smith said that before the September elections, Putin himself is still popular, but his United Russia Party is not so popular, and some people worry that it will lose its seat.

This is another attempt to stop any threats against them and cut off verbal opposition, he added, noting that Putins effective opponents are now either in prison, exiled or facing charges.

Therefore, people who were able to speak out against Putin and the ruling party in Russia before have been silenced every time.

Attorney Yevgeny Smirnov (Yevgeny Smirnov) also stated at the hearing that lasted into the evening that the prosecutors motion was aimed at barring Navalnys associates from running for public office.

This case is related to the law prohibiting the election of all persons connected with the Anti-Corruption Foundation, Smirnov said.

The court meeting was held behind closed doors on the grounds that confidential materials will be discussed. The judge rejected the defense appeal that allowed Navalny to participate through the prison video link and rejected other motions of the defense.

Navalny is President Vladimir Putins most ardent political enemy. He was arrested after returning from Germany in January, where he spent five months blaming the nerves of the Kremlin. Recovered from poisoning-Russian officials refused to accept the accusation.

In February of this year, the 44-year-old opposition leader was sentenced to two and a half years in prison for violating the probation clause for the 2014 corruption offence. He was dismissed because of political motives.

Navalny has offices in dozens of regions in Russia Closed in April Before the prosecutor issued an injunction to suspend their activities before the court ruling, the accomplices of the opposition leader vowed to continue their work in a different form. According to the prosecutor, pro-Navarny groups are plotting to disrupt the political situation in Russia and are committed to promoting a popular revolution.

His foundation was established 10 years ago, ruthlessly targeting high-level government officials with colorful and widely watched videos, detailing allegations of corruption against them.??? One of its latest works, which received 117 million views on YouTube, claimed that a luxurious palace on the coast of the Black Sea was built for Putin through an elaborate corruption plan. The Kremlin denied any connection with Putin.

Navalny also relied on his offices across Russia to organize anti-Kremlin protests and implement his smart voting strategy  a support candidate most likely to defeat the Kremlin-dominant unified Russia in various elections. The project of the party candidate.
China's defense ministry slams 3 U.S. senators' visit to Taiwan region

CGTN) 09:42, June 09, 2021

Photo taken on July 21, 2019 from Xiangshan Mountain shows the Taipei 101 skyscraper in Taipei, southeast China's Taiwan. (Xinhua/Zhu Xiang)

On Tuesday, Chinese defense ministry strongly condemned the visit of three U.S. senators to Taiwan region, calling it an abominable political provocation that challenges the one-China principle and aims to achieve the end goal of "containing China."

This extremely "irresponsible" and "dangerous" move is in serious violation of Resolution 2758 of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) and the widely-recognized international consensus on one-China, and a severe breach of the one-China principle and the three joint communiques between China and the United States, said Wu Qian, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense, at a press conference.

It damages the foundation of the China-U.S. relationship and cross-strait stability, and deeply hurts the essential interests of the Chinese people, including compatriots in Taiwan region, Wu said.

We urge the United States to immediately stop any form of official exchanges with Taiwan region and refrain from sending any wrong signals to "Taiwan independence" forces, Wu said.

"Those who play with fire will only burn themselves," Wu said, warning Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authority for its disregard of the cross-strait peace and Chinese national interest.

The People's Liberation Army (PLA) will resolutely defeat any attempt by the secessionists to separate Taiwan region from China, and safeguard national unity and territorial integrity at all costs, Wu said.

(Web editor: Guo Wenrui, Liang Jun)
Early morning skywatchers will be treated to a spectacular display. The first solar eclipse of the year will occur on Thursday, June 10, when the moon passes in front of the Sun. In some areas of the planet, the spectacle will be exceptionally stunning.

This eclipse will be a far cry from the 2017 Great American Eclipse, which transformed the day into night from Oregon to South Carolina, but it will still be a spectacular sight for those on its path.

Solar Eclipse

A solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the Sun and the Earth, producing a shadow on the Earth and covering the Sun's light in some areas entirely or partially. According to NASA, during an annular eclipse, the moon is far enough away from the Earth to look smaller in the sky than the Sun. Because the moon does not entirely obscure the Sun's vision, it appears as a black disk in front of a bright, brilliant circle.

Ring of Fire

The approaching celestial arrangement will produce an annular solar eclipse, sometimes known as a "ring of fire" eclipse, since the moon will be slightly further away from the Earth than usual, preventing it from completely blocking out the Sun.

Visibility

During the eclipse's peak, a halo of sunlight will surround the moon, but this sight will only be seen from distant portions of northern Ontario, far northwestern Greenland, the North Pole, and eastern Russia.

A partial solar eclipse will be seen in other parts of the world.

When the Sun, Moon, and Earth aren't perfectly aligned, the Sun casts a dark shadow just on a portion of its surface. As a result, the partial eclipse will be visible in the Southeast, Northeast, Midwest, and northern Alaska regions in the United States.

The eclipse will occur before, during, and shortly after dawn in many of these areas. To witness the eclipse, you'll need an unobstructed view of the horizon during dawn.

Related Article: Astronomical Events June 2021: Noctilucent Clouds, Ring of Fire Eclipse, 2021's Last Supermoon, and More!



How to See the Eclipse Safely

Even if the Sun's rays are partially or largely veiled, NASA warns that looking directly at them is dangerous.

To observe the eclipse safely, you'll need to use eclipse glasses (not conventional sunglasses) the entire time. If you don't have sun viewing or eclipse glasses, you can use a pinhole projector as an alternative indirect technique. Pinhole projectors should be used to project sunlight onto a surface rather than looking directly at the Sun.

Because looking at the Sun without a solar filter or eclipse glasses can cause irreversible eye damage, safety is the most important consideration when watching the eclipse.

Millions of people bought eclipse glasses for the 2017 total solar eclipse, and they may still be used for the coming eclipse if properly preserved.

Even if you don't have eclipse glasses, you may indirectly enjoy the show by looking at the Sun.

Future Solar Eclipses

Another solar eclipse will occur in early December this year. Still, it will only be visible throughout Antarctica, meaning that only a few people and penguins will be able to witness it.

This week's eclipse will be the last viewable from North America until Oct. 14, 2023, when another ring of fire eclipse will occur, this time across more populous portions of the United States, Central America, and northern South America.

Also Read: More Astrological Events to Look Forward to in the 2nd Quarter of 2021

For more Space news, don't forget to follow Nature World News!
Brussels warned that after the London talks failed to overcome deep-rooted differences over Northern Ireland, the EUs relationship with the UK is at a crossroads as the EU threatens to impose trade sanctions on the UK if it fails to comply with its legal obligations.

After the Brexit Secretary David Frost and European Commissioner Maros Sefcovic met in London on Wednesday, the two sides agreed to continue the talks. However, they confirmed that there are disagreements on how to address the numerous stimulus factors in Northern Irelands trade arrangements, from veterinary inspections to pet travel.

After the talks, Sefcovic told reporters that the EUs patience with the United Kingdom was very, very thin because it was deemed to have failed to implement the basic parts of the Northern Ireland Agreement, which established a regulatory and customs border between the region and the United Kingdom.

Brussels has filed a legal action against the United Kingdom, demanding a unilateral extension of some of the grace periods stipulated in the agreement. Sevkovic proposed that if the United Kingdom fails to fulfill its obligations, the EU may take cross-retaliation measures against the United Kingdom, such as imposing tariffs on certain goods or suspending cooperation in certain areas.

If the UK takes further unilateral actions in the coming weeks, the EU will respond quickly, firmly and resolutely without hesitation to ensure that the UK complies with its obligations under international law, Sevkovic said, while emphasizing the EUs desire to cooperate with Britain is looking for a solution together. Trust needs to be restored, he added.

Frost told the broadcaster after the meeting: There is no breakthrough, and there is no malfunction, adding that the two sides will continue to negotiate.

Boris Johnson and European Commission President Ursula von der Lein will hold further talks during the G7 summit this week.

US President Joe Biden will also raise this issue during his trip to Europe, including talks with Johnson before the summit. Sefcovic added that several representatives of the US Congress have contacted him for the latest situation.

After the meeting, Frost reiterated Britains complaint that the EU insists that we operate the agreement in an extremely pure manner.

The reality is that this is a very balanced document To deal with the very sensitive politics of Northern Ireland.

The lack of a breakthrough means that pressure on both sides will increase before the temporary exemption that allows British sausages and other frozen meats to enter Northern Ireland expires at the end of this month.

Respected

Sefcovic said that, given that for Brussels, the UK has failed to comply with the conditions of the previous grace period, such as clear labeling of products, it is difficult for the EU to commit to further extension of the supply of refrigerated meat at this stage.

Brussels insists that it is working to identify creative solutions that both sides can agree on to resolve obstacles to trade arrangements after Brexit.

Sefcovic emphasized the EUs efforts to find solutions, including removing administrative barriers to the sale of UK-made drugs in Northern Ireland and relaxing guide dog travel. But we cannot withdraw the core content of the agreement, he said, noting that the EU needs to ensure that the goods entering its market meet EU standards.

Johnson defended Britains attitude towards the NI agreement on Wednesday. We are prioritizing the right of the people of Northern Ireland to freely and uninterruptedly obtain goods and services from the entire United Kingdom, he said in response to a question from the prime minister.

We are working hard to ensure that we protect the territorial and economic integrity of our country.

Johnsons support for Frost in the House of Commons reflects Downing Streets determination to show that the Prime Minister firmly supports his brutal Brexit minister.

I think David Frost did a great job, he said. He is the greatest frost since the Great Frost of 1709. A British official said that EU diplomats made a mistake when briefing the minister.

The meeting also involved other bilateral issues such as fisheries and civil rights. After the meeting, the United Kingdom announced its own breakdown of the state of the discussion, saying that in some limited areas (including free areas), some progress has been made in solutions. The movement of guide dogs and VAT arrangements for second-hand vehicles.
After the fourth election in two years and Benjamin Netanyahu (Benjamin Netanyahu) is increasingly likely to leave the countrys prime minister, the situation in Israel has become increasingly unstable-and Netanyahu himself Add fuel to the fire again.

Netanyahu faces nothing more than losing power on Sunday after 12 years in power, but he is not inclined to accept the latest developments Various opponents Team up to deal with him.

On the contrary, he is exerting tremendous pressure on members of parliament, so they will not vote for the new government by mobilizing his supporters, who have been gathering in front of lawmakers houses to demonstrate and intimidate.

The next few days will show whether the Netanyahu era is really over.As the government plans to form an alliance with the prime minister-designate Naftali Bennett Of the 120 seats in the parliament, only a small majority of 61 are held, and they are important every day.

The efforts of Netanyahu and his Likud group to find defectors in the coalition forces are the latest example of King Bibi and its pursuit of power.

Ironically, it was Netanyahu who made the next government possible Pass a new law Donna Robinson Divine, professor of Jewish studies and government at Smith College, said that the tradition of not negotiating with Arab parties has ended.

Netanyahu paved the way for an alternative government that will soon come to power. He proposed a basic law that allows an alternative prime minister; he started Talk to Mansour Abbas Regarding supporting his own alliance, she told Al Jazeera.

Machiavellis Game of Thrones

It has become a recurring theme in Israeli politics. Over the years, Netanyahu has used various political pranks and Machiavellis power game to continue to serve as the countrys prime minister. However, Israel has paid a painful price for this. Politically, Israel has been paralyzed. Divine said that even the most basic government responsibilities have been put on hold.

Netanyahu found a way to conduct four elections to Israel in two years, and the country had to operate without a budget for the past two years, she pointed out.

In society, the country is severely divided, basically divided into the pro-Netanyahu camp and the anti-Netanyahu camp.

Nadav Argaman, head of Israels internal security agency caveat Political violence, and all relevant personnel are required to verbally disarm.

Agamans remarks were not named, and were mainly directed at Netanyahu and Likud. The latter publicly insulted the right-wing Knesset members of the Future Alliance as traitors.

Although Netanyahu himself said that he condemned any appeals for violence, he was fully aware of his words and their impact.

Netanyahu is a very smart, well-read politician, and a master of Israeli political strategy, Devine said.

His words were chosen deliberately. Netanyahu said of The biggest election fraud in the states history, even the biggest scam in the history of democracy. Netanyahu is self-righteous, Bennett decided to form alliances with the left and the Arabs. This is why people feel deceived and react accordingly.

Netanyahus remarks are similar to those of former U.S. President Donald Trump and his post-election, especially on January 6th Causes rare political violence In that country.

Naftali Bennetts Yamina Party denies that it will seek to pass a law banning Netanyahu from holding office [File: Abir Sultan via AP]

Israel in danger campaign

When asked whether Netanyahus remarks about election fraud were similar to Trumps script, Uriel Ablov, a visiting associate professor at Cornell University, told Al Jazeera: In a way: Neta Nyahu did not imply that it was manipulated, but Bennett deceived his voters. However, Bennett did not because he made it clear that he wanted to see Netanyahu be removed.

In fact, Bennett announced that he did not want to Main alliance partner Yair Lapid Or Arab political parties. However, the devil seems to be in the details, Ablov said.

Many people mentioned that Bennett signed a document promising not to sit with Rapide and Arab political parties, but forgot that the title of the document wasTreaty. Bennett invited Netanyahu to sign it. Netanyahu does not, so it is said to be invalid.

However, as Abulov pointed out, Bennett did not resort to this reason. Therefore, he might feel that he did cancel his promise.

The support of an influential ethnic religion and ultra-orthodox rabbi group added additional motivation. They adopted a similar tone and stated that everything needs to be done to prevent the new government from being sworn in.

In addition, reports that the new government will seek to pass a law banning Netanyahus resignation have further exacerbated the situation.

Bennetts Yamina party is Claim that this is just a proposal Maayan Geva, a lecturer in the Department of Social Sciences at Roehampton University, said that if the law is denied as the final version of the agreement between the alliances, the rumors themselves have had an impact and may be beneficial to Netanyahu.

These reports were widely circulated by Netanyahu himself and the media that supported him, so they were used as part of NetanyahusIsrael in danger campaign, Geva told Al Jazeera.

Although Geva admits that such a law can eventually be passed, it is not without obstacles.

Netanyahu is definitely the source of many problems for competing politicians. If they can pass a law to help them solve the Netanyahu problem, then they are likely to pursue it. It is worth noting that even one The law is enacted and approved by the parliament, and it is likely to be challenged in the high court.

Israel is not a monarchy

At the same time, Bennett talked about a violent machine that was deliberately activated. Then he said directly to Netanyahu, Let go and let Israel move forward.

Regarding Likuds claim that the new government will be on the far left, he replied that the coalition is 10 degrees to the right than the current coalition, allowing Israel to elect a government not led by Netanyahu.

For Bennett, this will be about resilience and focus in the coming days.

There will be a lot of calls for government transition, but Naftali Bennett is correct-Israel is not a monarchy, Divine said.

However, the damage has been done. Netanyahu seems to be inclined to jeopardize Israeli democracy because the chances of remaining in power in some way are slim, mainly for personal reasons, Divine said.

He is determined to stay A way to escape from prison If he is convicted on charges against him, it has already damaged the state institutions. 

Nevertheless, according to Geva, the impact of Netanyahus selfish modus operandi is huge and dangerous.

We are witnessing a desperate politician who has been in power for a long time and is worried about what will happen if he ceases to be the prime minister. Netanyahu has a strong support base and may trigger his claims. Some violent incidents. It is possible that some of the violent actions will target the predicted government members, especially the right-wing party members who Netanyahu portrayed as traitors.

Take action on allegations?

Among everyone, Netanyahu should be aware of how fast the fierce situation will escalate. In 1995, the then Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin was murdered Right-wing hardliners.

Similar to today, Netanyahu played a role and did not seem to learn the lesson. As the leader of the opposition, he was the main spokesperson for the two demonstrations, including slogans such as Rabins death, and was generally involved in the anti-Rabin movement.He has Deny allegations.

Guwa said: Netanyahu once again played an important role, fueling the dangerous idea that the country is facing an existential threat to try to unite his supporters.

So, based on the fear that people will act on Netanyahu and his supporters allegations and use violence tosave the country, it is easy to compare now with 1995.

So what is the worst case? If violence breaks out, there will be civil war, Abulov said. However, he admitted that this possibility is currently very small.

If Bennett is sworn in, the state is likely to force Netanyahu to step down-no matter how indecent, he said.

Ablov concluded that, in essence, if Israel is becoming a failed country, the current situation is another test.
Vaccines will be donated to 92 low-income countries and the African Union next year.

The Biden administration has reached an agreement with US vaccine manufacturers to provide 500 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine to 100 countries next year.

In preparation for a round of summits with European leaders, President Joe Biden faced Do more to provide U.S. vaccines To poorer countries.

According to a person interviewed by The Washington Post, Biden will announce the plan at the three-day Group of Seven (G7) summit in Cornwall, UK on June 10.

When Biden boarded the Air Force One flight to Britain, he was asked by reporters whether he had a vaccination strategy against the world. I have one, I will announce it, Biden said.

According to the New York Times, the United States will pay Pfizer and BioNTech a non-profit price for the 200 million doses to be distributed this year and another 300 million doses by the middle of next year.

President Biden told the media on his first trip abroad that he has a COVID vaccine plan for the world and he will announce it -Jordyn Phelps (@JordynPhelps) June 9, 2021

The Associated Press and Reuters cited sources familiar with the matter that the COVID-19 vaccine will be purchased by the US government and then donated to 92 low-income countries and the African Union next year.

How to resolve the gap in vaccine supply between rich industrialized countries and poorer developing countries has always been the top priority G7 agenda.

Although large numbers of American and British populations have been vaccinated and COVID-19 cases have decreased, the epidemic is still raging elsewhere, with large numbers of deaths in Brazil and India.

The World Health Organization estimates that 11 billion doses of vaccine are needed worldwide.

Last week, Biden promised to share 80 million doses of vaccines with other countries, most of which will be distributed by COVAX, a global alliance of multilateral institutions.

Bidens government is Strive to achieve its goal On July 4th, before US Independence Day, 70% of American adults will be vaccinated.

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the US has vaccinated 303 million times to more than 171 million people, who have received at least one dose of the vaccine.

According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 140 million people in the United States have been vaccinated with two doses, accounting for about 42% of the U.S. population.

The Pan American Health Organization warned that the surge of COVID-19 in Latin America in 2021 may be worse than in 2020. Cases of the virus are on the rise in South and Central America.

The Indian government set a grim record of 4,529 deaths a day on May 19, while the Brazilian government set More than 2,500 deaths On June 2, there has been a scramble to purchase more vaccine doses.
The man facing murder charges in a truck attack on a Muslim family in London, Ontario left no trace of his life on social media, but a neighbor interviewed by CBC News said that although the 20-year-old has remained silent , He would hold frequent and noisy parties in his apartment in the city center.

Details about Nathaniel Wiltman are difficult to piece together. Facebook confirmed that it had deleted his personal data on Monday. However, it is known that he lives in an apartment in central London and is connected to Strathroy, a small community in the farm center of southwestern Ontario.

The attack on the monument at the intersection of Londons Hyde Park and South Carriage Road near the scene on Sunday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called this an terrorist act. (Evan Mitsui/CBC) He is currently in a cell in the Elgin Middlesex Detention Center and is charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder, which the police described as an anti-Muslim crime motivated by hate. Salman Afzaal, 46, his 44-year-old wife Madiha Salman, their 15-year-old daughter Yumna Afzaal and 74-year-old Salmans mother Talat Afzaal have died. The nine-year-old Fayez survived and is still receiving treatment in the hospital.

Mike Arntfield, a former London police officer who is now an associate professor of criminology at Western University, said this case is unusual because people involved in such killings often leave a digital legacy and The traces of online hatred clearly point to a certain character, certain motive or ideology.

This guy is a ghost, the criminologist said of the defendant in the truck attack.

Traditional Internet search engines basically have nothing [about him], Except for this story. 

Arrested near the scene of the attack

According to the police, Veltman was arrested in the parking lot of a shopping mall about 10 minutes later. Family was deliberately crushed In the northwest of the city.

Little is known about Wiltmanns childhood. He studied at Strathroy Regional College and then Fanshawe College in London.

When he was arrested, he had been working part-time at Grey Ridge Egg Farms in Strathroy. The Sthrathroy-Caradoc police stated that Veltmans name appeared in 14 incidents in their records between 2016 and 2020. There are also two violations of the Liquor License Law in 2019 and 2020.

The London police stationed outside the low-rise apartment building where Wittman lived all week.

A neighbor of the defendant told CBC that Veltman often played video games late at night.

To protect her privacy, CBC agreed to an anonymous neighbor who said that she recently heard a bang from Veltmans apartment at 3 in the morning, so she knocked on his door, quieted him, and reminded him that it was a bang. Family building.

He cant maintain direct eye contact with you, the neighbor said.

That was the first time I said,Well, there is an unstable person living next to me. Next time, lets not go to the door. Lets call [the police], If anything,because, you know, I dont want to interact with people like that. 

The police are piecing together their knowledge of Nathaniel Veltman, the 20-year-old young man accused of killing a Muslim family in London, Ontario, because of their beliefs. 2:10

Police said Wittman was wearing something similar to a body armor when he arrested him later on Sunday.

The neighbor who spoke to CBC said that she had never heard him say anything anti-Muslim, but still he has something unusual.

She said that there are always people in his apartment and there is constant noise.

Its just banging and banging on the wall in general, so much that my photos are moving. If its not like that, loud music, video games-its just intense.

Neighbor was shocked and arrested

She said she was shocked when she learned of the accusations Veltman is facing now.

A person like this is by my side. Its disturbing to know that a person like this is in a house.

Nathaniel Veltman, 20, was charged on Monday with four counts of murder and one count of attempted murder. This is the 2016-2017 yearbook photo of Strathroy District Collegiate Institute. (Provide photos)

Several Wittmans live in Strathroy.

In a Veltman home in the small town, when a CBC news reporter rang the doorbell, the curtains closed immediately.

At another Veltman address next to a long country road in Strathroy, a No Entry sign was placed near the driveway leading to the property. A neighbor watched reporters stop by her front window throughout the day on Tuesday. Thousands of people, including politicians, were on the same day. Participated in the vigil outside the London mosque.

Locals who spoke to CBC said they were surprised to hear that the suspect who attacked the London family was from Strathroy.

Arnfield said that mass murder is defined as the death of four or more people in a single incident. He added that a suspect who was arrested wearing a body armor may indicate that the person fits into the pseudo commando subtype.

Regardless of motivation, this subtype is fascinated by gadgets, police and military equipment, and they consider themselves a collector with a certain ultimate purpose, Arnfield said. He added that pseudo-commandos tend to be young.

He said that in the first mass murder in London history, one of the core questions in the case was why the family might be targeted because of their beliefs, as the police believed. The defendant is not currently in contact with any extremist organization, and the police are considering whether to make terrorist charges.

Arntfield added: If the suspect is indeed inclined to certain ideologies, are they consistent with existing groups, or do they just let them teach him some of the worldview that he created his customized version of?
It must have been a busy time since Prince Harry and Meghan Markles daughter LilibetLili Mountbatten-Windsor arrived last week.

But we can be pretty sure that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will make full preparations for the arrival of their little daughter-she Born on Friday, June 4 -Prepare her nursery in advance.

7 Prince Harry and Meghan Markle welcomed their daughter Lilibet last week Credit: Agence France-Presse

In fact, the couple is believed to be Spent 50,000 pounds to create a space suitable for babies Archie is now two years old and he spent his first few months at Frogmore Cottage near Windsor Castle in England.

Therefore, we hope that the eighth-ranked heir to the new throne room will pay as much attention to details as possible.

Although the details are still confidential, some clues may have been shared in the process

Photo of Princess Diana

The 36-year-old duke recently revealed that his son had a picture of his late mother in his bedroom.

In the AppleTV+ documentary The Me You Cant See, he said: I have a picture of her in the nursery. This is the first sentence he said-except forMom,Dad,and then Grandma. Grandma Diana.

So we think Lily will probably also put a picture of a relative she missed very much next to her crib.

7 Tyler Perry glanced at the nursery at his home in Beverly Hills before Credit: Instagram

The couples eldest son also lived with his parents in the former home of actor Tyler Perry in Beverly Hills for a while. After that, the family moved to California and moved to their permanent residence in Montecito. residence.

Minimal decoration

Because of a photo shared by Perry while still living there, the Royal fans took a peek at Archies nursery there.

The image of the room was originally created for his now 6-year-old son Aman. The color scheme is mainly white with a hint of blueand many cute toys and other comfortable furniture.

As we all know, the 39-year-old Duchess prefers this aesthetic because she chose a simple and chic background to accompany many video calls during the pandemic.

The mother of two children sits on a beige sofa with cream cushions, surrounded by elegant decorations, surrounded by elegant candles and artworks.

7 The duchess likes simple, chic decorations

The interior of Little Lilys room will almost certainly echo the rest of their home.

Environmental protection coating

It is understood that the Frogmore Cottage nursery is decorated by designer Vicky Charles.

It is believed that she used organic vegan paint made from eucalyptus and rosemary oil, which is priced at 40 per can.

This room-estimated to cost 50,000-is also equipped with a 25,000 wall-mounted screen that can project soothing images and a security camera. Child protection windows, stereo system and mood lighting.

7 The walls may have been painted with vegan paint Image source: ZUMAPRESS.com

If the Sussex couple put a new coat of paint on the walls, our guess is-just like the other walls of the mansion-cream will be the hue of choice.

lots of books

Less than a week old, Little Lily must be too young to readbut her famous mother will most likely make sure she can do it at the first opportunity.

As we all know, the Duchess is an avid book lover, and the past photos she shared at her home in Toronto  when she was still on social media at the time, before her 2018 wedding  showed that she had a lot.

She also took good care of them; a photo taken by her dog Gus on Instagram has rows of color-coded spines in the background.

7 There must be many books Credit: Instagram

7 Maybe even this new version Credit: Sun

A book that may be featured is duck! rabbit! The Duchess read it to Archie on his first birthday.

It is also very likely that she will leave a new publication of hers, bench.

Teddy bear

Without favorite cute toys, any nursery is incomplete-however, Lilys may be more luxurious.

7 Steiff teddy bears cost less than 200

Soon after Archie was born, someone found a van from WJ Daniel & Co, a toy store in Windsor, arrived at Frogmore Cottage.

Although the content of the delivery has not been disclosed, the shop sells a large number of expensive toys, including a Steiff teddy bear, for 199.

One thing we can be sure of is that Lilys nursery will be suitable for princesses!

bad idea Rude Meg uses a very private nickname to belittle the Queen Royal Rift Charles ignored the cruel Meg and Harrys feud, until the couples primitive emotions subsided Fancy Tate! When Jesse Wallace showed off his back tattoo, it was other secret celebrity tattoos Watch double Celebrities who prove Instas best bikini accessories are hot friends Family first Meghan and Harry prove that they will always be close to the queen, the babys name nodded Made in Mark Do Meghan and Harry regret the division of the royal family?They are desperate for the secret signs of ending their feud

In other royal news, we told you Meghan Markle secretly nodded to mother Doria in the name of her daughter.

This The Duchess of Sussex plans to give a Cartier watch worth 4,800 pounds to her baby girl.

with Royal fans praised the congratulatory messages of Prince William and Kate Middleton.
The Biden administration revoked the executive order signed by former President Donald Trump against Chinese-owned TikTok and WeChat apps, and issued a new order to strengthen censorship of Chinese apps and software that may threaten Americans data .

The order signed by President Joe Biden on Wednesday is the latest move to address the growing security risks that Washington believes comes from China. He instructed his government to establish a procedure to determine which applications and software from foreign adversaries, including China, threaten the national security of the United States.

The order establishes a mechanism to conduct rigorous, evidence-based analysis to assess risks posed by software designed, developed, manufactured, or provided by persons owned or controlled by or under the jurisdiction of foreign counterparties, including . .. China.

Mobile coverage three command From Trump prohibits Americans from using short video app TikTok and messaging platform WeChat. As court cases challenged its basis, these injunctions have effectively become meaningless. The Biden administration hopes that the new executive order will establish a stricter framework and lay a firmer legal foundation for any future bans.

The order also expanded the scope of Trump-era measures by ordering the Department of Commerce to determine whether Americans health and genetic data are threatened by software produced by American opponents. The Biden administration stated that China is seeking to use digital technology and American data in ways that bring unacceptable national security risks, while advancing authoritarian control and benefits.

Respected

The Biden administration has recently taken a number of measures to reduce national security threats from China.Last week, Biden signed an order that expanded another Trump measure to ban Americans from Investment in 59 Chinese companies Is seen as undermining the national security of the United States.

On Tuesday, the government announced a Supply chain review The aim is to reduce the United States dependence on China on a range of technologies and materials (such as rare earths) that are essential for the manufacture of everything from electric vehicles and smartphones to fighter jets and precision guided missiles.

Eric Sayers, a security expert at the American Enterprise Institute, said: When you consider this new executive order and last weeks investment actions, the government is clearly shifting from months of review to more Continuous action and implementation period.

The real success of this new data security framework will be the adoption of it by other countries struggling to balance open data streams with a more trusted model to ensure security, Saiers said.
Getaway

Sometimes the best things in life are also the simplest.

We found that out firsthand when we spent a weekend at Getaway Blake Brook, a collection of tiny cabins tucked in the woods of Epsom, New Hampshire where visitors come here for a glamorous, unplugged escape to a tiny home away from it all to decompress from work, disconnect from technology and take in the simplistic beauty of nature.

Located just 90 minutes north of Boston, the year-round, pet-friendly property offers 31 one-bed cabins and 12 two-bed cabins. Each cozy 140 to 200-square-foot cabin comes complete with a comfortable queen bed with down comforter, an equipped private bathroom with shampoo, conditioner and body wash, a fully stocked kitchen with two-burner stove and mini-fridge, a cellphone lockbox (if you dare to part with your phone), fire pit with grill grate, picnic table and even a few books.

All of the cabins have heating and air conditioning, but they do not come with TVs and trust us, you wont miss it. There is limited cell service and no WiFi forcing you to take time to disconnect. Youll be glad you did.

Getaway

When it comes to the outdoors, there is so much exploring to do in the area that you can come here for a weekend getaway or enjoy a weeklong escape. Lake Winnipesaukee is about an hour from the property for swimming, boating, and fishing, but even closer to Getaway Blake Brook, you will find Northwood Lake, Oak Hill hiking trails and Bear Brook State Park just a short drive away. Be sure to stop by the farm-to-kettle Blasty Bough Brewing Company (a quick five-minute walk from the property) for a craft brew of favorites like Blasty Bough Amber or Boonie-Cruiser IPA.

A week before the date of your arrival, you will receive an email notifying you of the Outpost address, whats included in your cabin and suggested items to pack and prepare for your stay. You wont find out which cabin you get until the day of arrival, but you will be alerted of your lockbox code and a link to download the Outpost map of the property. Once you arrive, you can almost feel all of the stress start to melt away.

There is no front desk, which makes the self-check-in and check-out processes flawless. Just park right outside your cabin, enter the code and let the relaxing begin. Inside, the beautiful glamping cabins take advantage of the natural beauty of the area with wood, metal and glass finishes. There is an enormous picture window next to the queen bed allowing you to enjoy an incredible view of the stars at night and wake up to a gorgeous sunrise in the morning.

Getaway

Jon Staff came up with the simple concept of Getaway  providing an escape for city dwellers to enjoy a simpler pace enjoying the natural beauty of the great outdoors  after he burned out from a stressful job at the young age of 25. Staff quit his job and decided to hit the road in an Airstream trailer where he realized the work-life, nature-city balance was critical to his emotional wellbeing, productivity, and happiness (something we all learned during the recent pandemic).

After graduating Harvard Business School, he and college friend Pete Davis launched Getaway with their first cabin in southern New Hampshire. Since then, the Getaway collection has rapidly expanded to now include Outposts just a short drive from Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Pittsburgh, Portland, Raleigh, San Antonio, and Washington DC.

For more information, visit https://getaway.house/.
BATON ROUGE  Gov. John Bel Edwards announced that the Governors Office in coordination with the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, Louisiana Economic Development and the Department of Natural Resources will host Louisiana Wind Week 2021 from June 21-25 through a series of online sessions that will look at how offshore wind energy could become a part of the states energy future.

While Louisianas onshore wind resources are limited, Louisianas coast is ripe for wind energy development, said Gov. Edwards. Thanks to years of oil and gas exploration experience, Louisianas existing infrastructure, workforce and business community give us a strategic advantage in developing offshore wind in the Gulf of Mexico and all coastal waters of the United States.

For example, Louisiana companies have already leveraged their experience to help design, fabricate and install the nations first commercial offshore wind farm at the Block Island project off the coast of Rhode Island.

Louisiana Wind Week 2021 will consist of a series of Zoom webinars to be held from 9 to 11 a.m. (CDT) each day from June 21-25. Each session will focus on a different topic critical to the development of offshore wind and include a mix of presentations, panel discussions and Q&A with the public. Topics will include navigating the regulatory process, minimizing impacts to fish and wildlife, minimizing impacts to existing users in the Gulf of Mexico, connecting offshore wind to end users and leveraging Louisianas existing offshore energy industry.

The series of Louisiana-focused webinars follows the Bureau of Ocean Energy Managements (BOEM) first Gulf of Mexico Intergovernmental Renewable Energy Task Force meeting on June 15. At that meeting, which will also be online, BOEM will explain the offshore wind development process for federal waters and solicit input from federal, state, local and tribal elected officials and government representatives from Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi and Alabama as it identifies potential wind lease areas and engages potentially impacted parties.

According to a 2020 study by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), wind energy has the greatest near-term potential for renewable energy development in the Gulf of Mexico. NREL conducted a follow up study on offshore wind energy development in the Gulf of Mexico and found that the Gulf has enough technical wind energy to produce twice the power currently consumed by Gulf States. The NREL analysis also estimated that a single 600-megawatt offshore wind project could support approximately 4,470 jobs with $445 million in gross domestic product (GDP) during construction and an ongoing 150 jobs with $14 million GDP annually from operation and maintenance labor, materials and services.

More information about Louisiana Wind Week 2021 and how to attend is available here.
BATON ROUGE, LA  Gov. John Bel Edwards announced the State of Louisianas SmartPort initiative is the recipient of a $1.6 million grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration. That federal award will be matched by $1.4 million from the state and port partners for the $3 million project that will enhance Louisianas Mississippi River ports with next-generation maritime technology.

With the SmartPort initiative, Louisiana is taking a major leading role in bringing technological efficiencies to maritime commerce, said Gov. Edwards. Louisianans are keenly aware of the vital role the Mississippi River plays in our history, our economic successes, and our future. This grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration is an affirmation that they, too, understand the role that safe, efficient river-based transportation plays in the broader U.S. economy. With the support of ports along the river, the SmartPort program will help us set a new standard for safety and emergency management.

First announced in July 2020, the SmartPort Initiative is designed to streamline operations and improve safety through real-time data shared by port administrators, tenants, shippers, and warehouse, cargo and ground transportation providers. The program comprehensively evaluates navigation, coastal issues and flood risks along the Mississippi River. Additionally, the program will ultimately support efforts for the proposed river diversion project. The Port of New Orleans, the Port of South Louisiana and the Port of Greater Baton Rouge are lead partners with LED in supporting the project, along with other ports and warehouses along the Lower Mississippi River.

President Biden is committed to unleashing the full power of the federal government to ensure our nation not only recovers from this pandemic but builds back better, said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina M. Raimondo. SmartPort will use data and analytics to improve business continuity and preparedness, which will better enable Louisiana ports to respond to disasters and prepare for future economic challenges.

SmartPort program includes a decision support tool to forecast waves and shoaling at port facilities along the Mississippi River, which will aid port operations and navigation. The Real-Time Shoaling Forecast Tool will be part of a suite of weather, river and road traffic analytics to improve efficiency at ports and supporting the ports from the threats of natural disasters and economic uncertainties. SmartPort builds off of the work being done for the Shoaling Forecast Tool, instituted by the Port of New Orleans.

The Institute is honored to partner with the State of Louisiana, our world-class network of Mississippi River ports, and the Economic Development Administration on SmartPort, said Justin Ehrenwerth, president and CEO of The Water Institute. Together, we will create innovative new tools while leveraging decades of knowledge and investment to manage the Mississippi River for navigation, flood risk reduction, and coastal restoration purposes. We look forward to sharing this knowledge with our state and federal partners as we collectively bring a holistic perspective to the river.

In addition to the major ports of the Port of New Orleans, the Port of South Louisiana and the Port of Greater Baton Rouge, the announced grant will support the launch of the SmartPort program at the Ports of Lake Providence, Madison, Vidalia, St. Bernard and Plaquemines. Development of the initiative will require contract support, and a request for proposal is planned for the near future for back-end platform developers. The completed SmartPort program is expected to go online in early 2022.

The Port of New Orleans appreciates the U.S. Department of Commerces support and $1.6 million grant, said Brandy D. Christian, President and CEO of the Port of New Orleans. Each of the SmartPort initiative partners recognizes the Mississippi River as a critical economic artery that drives economic benefit throughout the state and country. SmartPorts strategic application of analytics technology will help us all more fully and safely harness commercial opportunities while better understanding river behavior. We appreciate Governor Edwards leadership on all maritime related projects, and looks forward to working with our SmartPort partners, Louisiana Economic Development and the Water Institute of the Gulf, as this important initiative grows.

SmartPort is such an innovate idea which will enhance the ease of doing business on and attracting business to the Mississippi River, said Paul Aucoin, executive director of the Port of South Louisiana.
Fat Shack opened in Dec. 2020 and is now the most successful store out of all 25 franchise locations across the country in terms of revenue.
The National Weather Service issued a red flag warning Tuesday, giving a signal that the high-danger fire weather is on its way as gusty winds and disturbingly low humidity levels extend across the eastern Sierra Nevada mountain range to western Colorado.

Red Flag Warning

According to NWS meteorologists based in Reno, the red flag warning will stay in effect until 11 p.m. Tuesday evening and will begin on Wednesday. Red flag warnings are the highest alert of the agency and are used to indicate the possibility of extreme fire behavior.

The critical fire weather is anticipated to sweep across five states. In California, meteorologists forecast southern Mono County and Alpine County to be the location that will be affected the most by wind gusts up to 45 mph and humidity levels less than 15%.

An NWS meteorologist in Reno, Edan Weishahn said: "If a fire were to begin, it would spread rapidly, we want to give the public a forewarning that they need to be very careful." Weishahn said anyone pulling a trailer is urged to stow the trailer chains, which normally spark fires along roadways.

Meteorologists are also asking the public to steer clear of driving in dry grass and postpone target shooting.

Also Read: Over 80 Percent of All Wildfires in the Past 20 Years Were Caused by Humans, Study Shows

Fire Danger

Fire danger is a description of the joining of both variable and constant factors that affect the trigger, spread, and ease of managing a wildfire on an area.

Most systems and schemes make attempt to provide precise and reliable forecasts of fire danger; analyze the fuel, weather, and topography; and combine their effects into a set of numbers that fire managers can use to meet their needs.

Fire managers make use of the National Fire Danger Rating System (NFDRS) to input data and to get information used to detect fire danger in their area. Based on the fire danger, managers may introduce restrictions or shutting down of public lands, plan for or pre-position staff and equipment to combat new fires, and make decisions whether to subdue or let fires burn under prescribed conditions.

Fire Danger Levels

LOW (GREEN) - Fire starts are not likely. Weather and fuel conditions will bring about slow fire expansion, low intensity, and somewhat easy control with light mop up. Managed burns can often be executed with reasonable safety.

MODERATE (BLUE) - Some wildfires may be anticipated. Expect average flame length and rate of extension. Control is usually easy and light to moderate mop up can be anticipated. Although controlled burning can be done without causing a hazard, regular caution should be taken.

HIGH (YELLOW) - Wildfires are probable. Fires in heavy, persistent fuel, like mature grassland, forest litter, and weed fields will be hard to control under windy conditions. Control through direct attack may not be easy but achievable, and mop up will be needed. Outdoor burning should be cramped to early morning and late evening hours.

Related Article: Wildfires Are a Real but Undisclosed Risk for Millions of Areas and Homes

For more news, updates about fire dangers and similar topics don't forget to follow Nature World News!
North Kansas City-based health care IT firm Cerner Corp. says they are currently going through a reduction of their workforce.
After she heard Seo In Guk's confession, Park Bo Young wanted to date Seo In Guk for real in "Doom At Your Service" Episode 10.

But now, it seems the female protagonist wants to put an abrupt end to their romantic relationship.

Tak Dong Kyung Feels Awkward Around Myul Mang

Myul Mang (Seo In Guk) already had the courage to confess his feelings to Tak Dong Kyung (Park Bo Young), and as her response to him, Tak Dong Kyung told him they should start dating for real.

The next day, the male deity waited for Tak Dong Kyung's call as she promised to do after his confession, but ended up visiting him at home instead. He teased to kiss her because she felt awkward to him after learning that their feelings are mutual.

Cha Joo Ik Saves Na Ji Na from the Naughty Writer

Na Ji Na (Shin Do Hyun) was invited by writer Jijo King (Heo Jae Ho) to talk about things unrelated to work. The lady writer got pissed by how Jijo King treated her and almost threw a laptop in his face.

Luckily, Cha Joo Ik (Lee Soo Hyuk) came in to stop the two from fighting. When Na Ji Na was about to punch Jijo King again, Na Joo Ik gently asked her to stop doing anything that might hurt her.

Then, Na Ji Na smiled when Cha Joo Ik took her side against the Jijo King.

Meanwhile, Cha Joo Ik confessed what he did to Lee Hyun Kyu (Kang Tae Oh) and Na Ji Na's relationship 9 years ago. He began to correct all his wrongdoings.

Myul Mang Wants to Marry Tak Dong Kyung

Included in her mission was to celebrate Myul Mang's birthday, but before that, Tak Dong Kyung went to meet Park Young (Nam Da Reum). She asked for his signature to hand it to writer Dalgona (Oh Yeon Ah), who is also terminally ill and a big fan of Park Young.

While doing Tak Dong Kyung's favor, Park Young showed sincerity in his actions because he also knows Tak Dong Kyung is sick. He took her hand to give her a signature, but noticed Myul Mang behind them, looking at them intently.

After a tiring day, Myul Mang went for a walk to take a cigarette, but Tak Dong Kyung was quick to stop her.

Unexpectedly, the male deity asked her to marry him since they already experienced lots of things like what normal couples do.

But Tak Dong Kyung funnily prevented herself from answering Myul Mang's questions. Instead, she bought him a cake to celebrate his birthday. When she asked for his wish, the male deity shared he wanted Tak Dong Kyung to live forever with him.

She got emotional and was stunned to hear his words, but since she didn't want to hurt anyone anymore, Tak Dong Kyung decided to break up with him before things get complicated.

Will Myul Mang and Tak Dong Kyung have their happily ever after? Let's all find out in next week's "Doom at Your Service" episode 11!

Have you watched "Doom at Your Service" episode 10? What can you say about it? 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
The US has purchased and will donate 500 million doses of Pfizer's Covid-19 vaccine worldwide as it seeks to be a key player in getting other nations vaccinated, a person familiar with the move told CNN.

President Joe Biden will announce the news at the G7 summit in Cornwall, England, this week, the person said.

Around 200 million doses will go out in 2021 and 300 million will be distributed in the first half of 2022. Biden's top Covid adviser, Jeff Zients, has been working on the deal for the last month, a person familiar said.

All doses will go through COVAX, the international vaccine initiative, and will go to 92 low- and lower-income countries, in addition to the African Union.

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters aboard Air Force One on Wednesday that in addition to the Pfizer purchase, Biden is also expected to take part in a combined announcement with the G7 on a comprehensive plan to end the pandemic. It will include a segment on vaccines.

Sullivan argued that having the US play a leading role in global Covid-19 vaccine distribution is part of what Americans do in times of need and would be advantageous to prevent the future spread of the disease in the US.

"He does want to show rallying the rest of the world's democracies -- the democracies are the countries that can best deliver solutions for people everywhere. That goes for Covid-19, that goes for climate change, it goes for economic recovery and it goes for the basic human rights and human dignity of all people," Sullivan said.

Biden had previously committed to sharing 80 million vaccine doses with other countries. That share included Pfizer doses as well.

Last week, the Biden administration announced its plan to share the first 25 million Covid-19 vaccine doses with the rest of the world and an overall framework of distributing at least 80 million doses by the end of June.

At least 75% of those donated vaccines will be shared with the global vaccination program called Covid-19 Vaccines Global Access, or COVAX, and 25% will be shared directly with countries in need, the White House said.

Biden said last month the US would share an additional 20 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines by the end of June on top of the 60 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine the President had already committed to sharing by July 4. The additional 20 million doses will consist of Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccines as well as AstraZeneca, which has to be approved by federal regulators before being shipped overseas.

The President has said there will be enough Covid-19 vaccine supply for every American adult by the end of June and has set a goal of having 70% of US adults vaccinated by July 4. The US, however, remains on track to fall short of that goal.

This story has been updated with additional details Wednesday.
MEDFORD, Ore.  Forensic investigation has at last provided a rough description of the last, as-yet unidentified victim of the Almeda Fire. The Jackson County Sheriff's Office shared those results in a Facebook post on Tuesday.

The Almeda Fire began on September 8, and the fire's extraordinarily rapid spread and the extent of evacuations meant that  in the first few days immediately after the fire  investigators had to search through dozens of unconfirmed missing persons reports while also sifting through the wreckage, looking for human remains.

But within two weeks, investigators had narrowed the scope down to three deaths. Two victims were identified as 55-year-old Donald Schmidt and 92-year-old Violet Lobdell. The third, which was actually the first body found, remained unidentified. Sheriff Nathan Sickler said at the time that the body was discovered about a mile away from the fire's point of origin, along the Bear Creek Greenway.

JCSO said that it has been working with the Oregon State Police Medical Examiner Division and Ashland Police in the intervening months to identify the last victim.

According to the information released on Tuesday, the remains of an unidentified black male were found at the 8.9 mile-marker of the Greenway between Ashland and Talent. He is believed to have been an adult, roughly 5-foot 8-inches to 5-foot 11-inches tall, with black hair and brown eyes.

A pair of eyeglass frames and a multi-tool were found near the remains.

The OSP Medical Examiner is still attempting to use DNA for a positive identification, working with a company called Parabon Nanolabs to process potential matches. They were also able to use DNA to produce composite images of the victim [above] to aid with potential identification.

Ashland Police is still heading the criminal homicide investigation that began with the body's discovery  part of the overall criminal investigation into the Almeda Fire.

JCSO said that it is actively running down missing person leads, and helping the state Medical Examiner when needed. The University of North Texas Center for Human Identification will process DNA comparisons of missing persons.

Anyone with more information on the victim can contact the OSP Medical Examiners office at (971) 673-8200. For the criminal homicide investigation call Ashland Police at (541) 488-2211, and for missing persons fitting the description call JCSO at (541) 774-6800.
GRANTS PASS, Ore.  The Grants Pass Department of Public Safety says that a 12-year-old boy is in custody this week after reports of a threat made at North Middle School.

Officers were notified of the threat by Grants Pass School District officials last Thursday, learning that it came from a student who attends North Middle School. Though detectives investigated the threat and followed up with interviews, the student's identity was not uncovered.

GPDPS said that detectives, a school resource officer, and school marshals were at North on Monday to continue the investigation and "ensure the safety of students." Learning more information, police were able to identify the suspect as a 12-year-old student. Officers took him into custody at the school.

The boy was lodged at the Josephine County Juvenile Justuce Center on a charge for Disorderly Conduct in the First Degree. GPDPS said that the case is being sent to the Juvenile Department for filing of charges.

"The Grants Pass Department of Public Safety and the District 7 Administration take all threats of violence and harm seriously" GPDPS said. "These types of cases will be thoroughly investigated and prosecuted if a crime has been committed. The safety and welfare of the students who attend all District 7 Schools are a top priority for the Grants Pass DPS and school officials."

Anyone who may have further information about this case is asked to contact the Grants Pass Police at 541-450-6260.
SALEM, Ore.  Democrats in the Oregon Senate carried a bill on Wednesday that would restrict the availability of law enforcement booking photos  colloquially known as "mug shots"  which supporters say complements another bill intended to fight back against doxing.

Doxing is an increasingly common practice in the internet era that involves the release and spread of an individual's private information (even if that information is publicly available, but not widely so), often resulting in a deluge of harassment or threats. House Bill 3047, which passed earlier this week, provides victims of doxing with the ability to seek civil recourse in court.

House Bill 3273, on the other hand, specifically governs the distribution of booking photos, which are currently easy to obtain through most local law enforcement agencies.

Under the bill, law enforcement can only release booking photos under certain circumstances  directly to the person who was booked, to another law enforcement agency, to the public if it will assist with the arrest of a suspect, or in an attempt to identify other suspected crimes.

Police could also share these photos with the state mental hospital if the defendant is admitted, share them with the victim of the crime, or release them if the suspect is convicted for the crime.

A photo can ruin your life, said Senator James I. Manning Jr., who co-carried HB 3273 and is a former a law enforcement officer. Disproportionately, those who are picked up by law enforcement are BIPOC Oregonians, folks who look like me. One photo should not determine your future. In addition, weve seen booking photos used to harass and intimidate individuals who have been exercising their right to peacefully assemble in the name of racial justice and its impacted their employment and their ability to exist and move freely in their communities.

The bill also targets certain "publish-for-pay" publications that charge people to have their booking photos taken down. HB 3273 requires that these publishers charge no more than $50, and allows the person to file a civil suit for failure to remove the image.

These booking photos end up on predatory websites long before an individual is convicted of a crime and have even been used to extort money from innocent individuals, said Senator Floyd Prozanski who co-carried the bill. Time and again we have seen these photos distributed to cause harm and create bias against individuals. These photos can be important for law enforcement, but they shouldnt harm ones opportunity to succeed and contribute to their community."

Senate Democrats passed the bill over the objection of Republicans, who offered an alternative in their minority report. The Republican counter-proposal would have required law enforcement agencies to wait seven days before releasing a booking photo. In that time, the defendant could file a petition in court to have the photo suppressed.

Having passed both chambers of the legislature, HB 3273 heads to Governor Brown's desk for her signature.
A survey of students, parents, and teachers has found 92% support for a program that attaches RCMP to Kelowna-area schools, trustees will hear Wednesday. In a Twitter post last fall, two school resource officers expressed their enthusiasm for the return to classes.
Less: Just look at London, Ont.

Same: We hear more bad news.

More: Canada is on the right path.

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Ald. Dominic Ruffalo said he has seen firsthand how alcoholism destroys lives, including the life of the alcoholic.

Ruffalo said it was why he sponsored a resolution encouraging the Kenosha City Council to oppose two separate bills that are being considered by the Wisconsin State Senate that would allow customers to order alcohol by phone to be picked up or delivered to them directly.

The council voted unanimously Monday night to urge state legislators to vote down the two bills.

Senate bills

Under Senate Bill 56, most alcoholic beverage retailers would be able take phone or online orders and sell alcoholic beverages to be picked up in parking spaces on their premises. The bill would prohibit municipalities from imposing additional restrictions on the sales.

The second, Senate Bill 57, allows retailers to offer delivery of alcoholic beverages directly to the customer either by the retailer or via a third-party delivery service.

You could either call up, (or) go online, order your alcohol, drive to their parking lot, and it would somehow be delivered to your car, Ruffalo said of Senate Bill 56.

If Senate Bill 56 was in effect, Ruffalo said local regulation would be taken away from cities.
Plans by government to railroad Chilonga villagers in Southern Chiredzi into accepting a multi-million dollar grass growing project, on their ancestral land, seem dead in the water with the push to expropriate their land clearly having lost steam of late.

Indications are that government has decided go back to the drawing board over the lucerne project in a spectacular and humiliating climb-down following a show of people power in fiercely opposing the project.

Government had through a Statutory Instrument gazetted the forced takeover of Chilonga villagers' land for a bit reported US$60million grass project by Kwekwe-based Dendairy Company.

The owner of the company is suspected to have close business links with President Emmerson Mnangagwa who also hails from Kwekwe.

Original plans were to take over a combined over 12 000hectares inhabited by Chilonga villagers comprising mainly members of the Shangaani ethnic community for the grass project.

Thousands of villagers were supposed to be displaced from the land of their forefathers to pave way for the project, a show of force by big business over poor peasants.

A public outcry ensued with civic society organizations led by the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights and and the Chilonga community embarking on a spirited crusade to stop government grand infringement of the rights of ordinary people.

The Chilonga issue hogged limelight in the media and also spilled in the courts where government was interdicted for processing to evict Chilonga families in February this year.

Government reacted by gazetting another SI that ostensibly sought to clear the air on the grass project with change in wording stating that there would be no displacement of humans from their ancestral land save for isolated cases of reorganizing the settlements to accommodate planned development under the project.

An attempt was also done to assuage widespread anger by Chilonga villagers through a promise of "sweeteners" such as building of a weather bridge across Runde River at Chilonga for the project to get acceptance.

In April Vice President Constantino Chiwenga flew to the Lowveld to try and douse the growing fires of anger against Government by the Shangaani people over plans to foist the grass project on them.

In the aftermath of Chiwenga's visit to the Lowveld, where the Vice President came face to face with raw anger of the Chilonga villagers, government seems to be developing cold feet to forge ahead with the project.

Various people canvassed by TellZim News for their thoughts on the future of the project say it appears Government was now reluctant to force its hand in the grass project with one eye on the 2023 polls.

Chilonga which falls under Chiredzi East constituency had always been a Zanu PF stronghold but angry villagers were openly threatening to punish the governing party by dumping it and voting for the opposition in the coming polls.

Prominent human rights lawyer Martin Mureri says Government succumbed to people power in Chilonga after being pushed to uphold the constitution and respect property rights.

"This is what government should do to respect property rights of Chilonga villagers and not force them off their ancestral land," he said.

"Now even if they are going to proceed with the project they will have to engage the people of Chilonga because they know the folly of imposing their will on the people no matter what they will be doing will be blatant violation of human rights, government should respect and uphold human rights,"added Mureri.

He pointed out Government push to embark on the grass project had lost steam after facing resistance from Chilonga people and human rights defenders.

"I think the zeal to continue with the project is no longer there. They will now have to go back to the drawing board and start by consulting people on the ground. Its a lesson to government that rights of citizens must be respected and defended," said Mureri.

While Chiredzi acting district development coordinator (DDC) Gift Machukela refused to comment on the matter Masvingo provincial development coordinator (PDC) Dr Jefter Sakupwanya put on a brave face and was adamant the project is going on.

"We want to eliminate the misconception that government wanted to impose the grass project on the Chilonga community because we have always favored engagement with the locals and that is what we are doing now. There was no proper consultation and we are correcting that anomaly so that everyone embraces the project," said Sakupwanya.

The political leadership led by Masvingo Minister of State for Provincial Affairs Ezra Chadzamira is also singing from the same hymn book insisting the grass project will go ahead in Chilonga.

However inside the walls of government offices in Masvingo there is growing belief that it will take a lot of time and diplomatic maneuvering to convince the Chilonga folk to accept the Dendairy grass project. TellZim News
Seventh District Ald. Shayna Griffin is organizing a community event in Columbus Park on Saturday that calls for an end to violence.

The Stop the Violence celebration, set to run from noon to 5 p.m., is planned to include representatives from community outreach and support groups, musical and poetry performances and games and raffles for families.

Griffin said she got the inspiration for the event after she was elected to the City Council and became aware of the issues in the city. During a conversation with a friend, she decided she wanted to create an event that would provide information for community resources and point people to outreach services.

Griffin said the goal of the event is to be fun for families and kids, but trying to get resources to people who need it.

Guests planned

Planned guests for the event include Kenny Harper, a tax preparer and principal owner of Harper Tax & Financial Literacy Group in Kenosha. He is also an avid proponent for teaching communities about finances, Griffin explained. Harper said hell be at the event to educate the community on the importance of financial literacy.

If you create an environment with opportunity, violence will cease, Harper said.

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TWIN LAKES  K9 Jaxx of the Twin Lakes Police Department is scheduled to make his first public community appearance with handler Jeffrey Comp at a meet-and-greet scheduled for 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at Legion Park, 989 Legion Drive.

Jaxx, a 1-year-old Belgian Malinois trained in narcotics detection, tracking and apprehension, was sworn in during a ceremony in April. Since that time, he has been working second shift with Comp, during which he has performed a drug sniff and a building search.

Twin Lakes K-9 Jaxx K-9 officer Jaxx became a member of the Twin Lakes Police Department in April. Community fundraising helped cover the costs.

Im excited that people in the community are going to be able to get to meet him in person, Comp said. They will get to see how good of a dog he really is and how he is going to be an asset to the police department.

Comp said when Jaxx is not at work, he enjoys playing fetch, getting belly scratches and eating his favorite bacon-flavored duck treats.

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The cost to purchase Jaxx was covered with money raised by the community in July 2020 to keep the departments first K-9, a German Shepherd named Rex, with the programs founding officer, who took a position elsewhere.
News

Keys coral used in breeding project

Emily Williams, a biologist from The Florida Aquarium, cryopreserves the sperm used on rescue colonies of brain coral. Coral larvae began metamorphosing into baby corals in the laboratory. Photos provided Freshly spawned eggs are successfully fertilized in the lab using the frozen sperm collected from the Lower Keys as part of the Florida Coral Rescue Project, led by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and NOAA Fisheries, and held at The Florida Aquarium.

Corals harvested from the Florida Keys have been successfully crossbred with the goal of enhancing genetic diversity and disease resistance, which could better protect and restore corals that have been decimated by a disease in recent years.

For the first time, grooved brain corals rescued more than a year ago from the Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease outbreak and maintained in human care have been bred with wild corals that survived the disease.

The project is a collaborative restoration initiative between scientists at the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science and The Florida Aquarium.

This breakthrough research effort is the first-time cryogenically preserved sperm has been successfully used to crossbreed brain coral parents from different locations, with the goal of enhancing genetic diversity and disease resistance to help protect and restore Floridas depleted coral reefs.

Reefs in Florida have been devastated by Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease, which has affected more than 20 coral species to date. Since first appearing in 2014, the disease has spread throughout most of Floridas Coral Reef, including the Florida Keys, as well as to other reefs in the Caribbean. In many cases, the disease has been fatal.

In 2018, the Florida Coral Rescue Team  led by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and NOAA Fisheries  began removing corals from ahead of the disease boundary before they were affected by the disease outbreak. The corals were then distributed to public aquariums and scientific institutions around the country to safeguard their genetic diversity and help restore reefs in the future.

Earlier this month, Rosenstiel School scientists fertilized eggs from wild Miami colonies of the grooved brain coral, Diploria labyrinthiformis, using frozen sperm collected from rescued corals by The Florida Aquarium, which has maintained these corals in human care since 2018.

At the same time, scientists from The Florida Aquarium fertilized eggs from rescued corals using sperm from wild corals that spawned in the Lower Florida Keys, which was collected and frozen by scientists from the Rosenstiel School, the Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies, and the Coral Restoration Foundation.

This is the first attempt to use rescued corals to breed for increased resistance to Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease, said Rosenstiel School coral biologist Andrew Baker, a professor of marine biology and ecology and director of the universitys Coral Reef Futures Laboratory. By cross-breeding the remaining wild brain corals with the rescued corals that were saved earlier, we hope to re-introduce some of the genetic diversity that would otherwise have been lost from Floridas reefs. This diversity is essential to maintain ecosystem resilience to help Floridas reefs survive into the future.

For the breeding project to happen, scientists had to act quickly when coral spawning began in the wild earlier this month. Scientists from the Rosenstiel School and Florida Aquarium exchanged vials of frozen sperm in a fast-food parking lot in Naples, roughly halfway between the two facilities.

The vials, which were transported in coolers filled with liquid nitrogen, were carefully exchanged and the samples returned to both facilities in time for that evenings spawning event.

We planned this in a short phone call a few days before the exchange, said Keri ONeil, manager and senior scientist of The Florida Aquariums Coral Conservation Program. With the rapid decline of Floridas coral reef, we cannot sit by and let a spawning event happen without trying to sharpen all of the tools in the toolbox.

Both institutions now have offspring from the cross-bred parents.

For all of us, this was our first attempt at using frozen sperm to create offspring with fresh eggs, so we werent sure it would work, said Liv Williamson, a Ph.D. candidate at the Rosenstiel School. We were thrilled when it did. The larvae have now metamorphosed into tiny baby corals and are doing nicely.

The success of this breeding attempt demonstrates why the Florida Coral Rescue Project was initiated back in 2018, said Jennifer Moore, NOAA Fisheries and co-chair of the Florida Coral Rescue Team.

It offers hope for protecting and restoring Floridas Coral Reef despite the disease, said Lisa Gregg, FWC and co-chair of the Coral Rescue Team.

The activity was a collaboration between scientists at the University of Miami Rosenstiel School, The Florida Aquarium, NOAA Southeast Fisheries Science Center, UMs Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies and the Coral Restoration Foundation. The breeding program is funded by NOAAs Coral Reef Conservation Program, and this months success represents one of the first uses of cryopreservation for the conservation and restoration of Floridas corals. The research effort is also part of the Southeast Florida Coral Restoration Hub, funded by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

The announcement comes at a time when good news about Keys coral is needed the most. Earlier this week, coral researchers confirmed that the disease had reached corals in the remote Dry Tortugas, home to some of the Keys most vibrant and healthy coral populations.

The disease is unprecedented in how long the outbreak has occurred, how many corals succumb once afflicted and how many different types of coral are affected. The disease has been found in 22 species of coral, but not in some of the main reef building corals in the Keys such as elkhorn and stag-horn coral.

The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary has a series of recommendations on its website, http://www.floridakeys.noaa.gov/coral-disease, to enlist help from scuba divers and snorkelers to reduce the chance of the disease continuing to spread.

Divers and snorkelers can reduce their likelihood of transferring stony coral tissue loss disease through proper buoyancy, avoiding touching marine organisms and sanitizing equipment between dives and before and after each excursion, especially when traveling between countries or between infected and uninfected locations, according to the sanctuarys website.

The sanctuary is asking divers to remove debris and sediment following each dive. Between dives, sanitize gear that contacts corals with a bleach solution. Other gear should be washed in freshwater with an antibacterial soap. The sanctuary says divers should use quaternary ammonium solutions to decontaminate dive gear after return to shore.

Properly dispose of disinfectant solutions and rinse water in a sink, tub or shower. Never pour tainted water into the ocean or a storm drain.

tohara@keysnews.com
SHURUGWI District Hospital human resources officer Sibusisiwe Mangwiro has been arrested for allegedly engaging a candidate who came second in interviews at the expense of the best performer.

Mangwiro was arrested by the police working with officers from the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc). She appeared before Shurugwi magistrate Mr Percy Mukumba facing charges of criminal abuse of office.

Mangwiro pleaded not guilty and was remanded out of custody to June 29 on $5000 bail.

It is the States case that sometime in May last year, a vacancy for a nurse aide arose at Zviumwe Clinic in Ward 16, Tongogara Rural District Council in Shurugwi.

Pursuant to the announcement of the vacancy, the court heard that invitations for prospective candidates were made with the following requirements: (a) five Ordinary level subjects with grade C or better (b) Valid Red Cross certificate (c) Not more than 40 years (d) Tongogara RDC Ward 16 residents.

The court heard that on May 18, an eight-member interview panel was set up which comprised officers from Tongogara RDC, staff members from Zviumwe Clinic and Ward 16 local leadership members.

Initial screening, the court heard, was done using the above-mentioned criteria and only three candidates were found to have the relevant qualifications. The candidates were Rhoda Samantha Mangoma, Jenifer Mashoko and Isabeth Nhengo.

The court heard that interviews were then conducted and the three candidates got the following marks: Nhengo 63 percent, Mashoko 52 percent, and Mangoma 44 percent.

As a result, the interview panel recommended Nhengo for the post of nurse aide at Zviumwe Clinic having considered that she had the highest score and ranked first in the interview.

However, on May 21, the court heard that Mangwiro allegedly intentionally and unlawfully engaged Mashoko as the nurse aide for Zviumwe Clinic, disregarding results of the interview.

Magwiro, the court heard, subsequently completed assumption of duty forms for Mashoko who is currently the nurse aide for Zviumwe Clinic.

The court heard that the accused allegedly acted contrary to and inconsistent with her duties as a public officer by facilitating the appointment of a candidate who had failed the interview for the purposes of showing favour to Mashoko and disfavour to Nhengo the deserving candidate.

On May 28, 2021, Magwiro was arrested following a tip off. Mr Gusette Makotore appeared for the State. Chronicle
NORTH BEND, Ore. -- A suspect in a deadly California road rage incident has ties to Western Oregon.

Marcus Eriz, 24, attended North Bend High School from 2011 to 2012, according to Principal Darrell Johnston. He said he wasn't able to comment too much about Eriz because he wasn't head of the high school at the time. Eriz transferred in 2013 and finished his high school education in Northern California.

MORE: TWO ARRESTED IN SUSPECTED ROAD RAGE SHOOTING DEATH OF 6-YEAR-OLD IN CALIFORNIA

Eriz and his girlfriend, 23-year-old Wynne Lee, were arrested Sunday in Costa Mesa, California, in connection to a deadly shooting on an Orange County freeway that killed 6-year-old Aiden Leos. He was being taken to kindergarten by his mother, Joanna Cloonan.

Investigators said on May 21, Eriz allegedly made an unsafe lane change in front of Cloonan. She responded with a hand gesture. Eriz allegedly got behind Cloonan's car and fired a gun. One bullet hit and killed Leos. The shooting outraged a county of three million people.

Eriz and Lee were arraigned Tuesday in Orange County Court. Lee is being charged with one felony county of accessory after the fact and a misdemeanor of a concealed firearm in a vehicle. Eriz is being charged with murder. Both are being held in Orange County Jail on $1 million bail.
COTTAGE GROVE, Ore.  Lawyers connected to a shooting case in Lane County are speaking out after a man was found not guilty on all charges this week.

Boudie Lancaster, 45, was arrested after the shooting, which happened on Aug. 3 in the 72900 block of London Road. One victim was flown by helicopter to a hospital and two others were taken from the scene by ambulance.

Lancaster's defense attorney told KEZI 9 News that her client acted in self defense and was rightfully found not guilty. However, the prosecution disagrees and said they knew it would be a tough case to prove.

A jury deliberated for about seven hours before reaching their verdict, which followed a trial that began May 25 in Lane County Circuit Court. Lancaster had been charged with four counts of second-degree attempted murder, two counts of first-degree assault and one count of second-degree assault.

RELATED: THREE TAKEN TO HOSPITAL FOLLOWING SHOOTING OFF LONDON ROAD

Shortly after the shooting, KEZI 9 News talked to a neighbor, who said they were in shock over the incident.

It brings me great sadness for this time we are living in," said Gretchen Spears. "Its such a sad thing to see these things happen.

Others said at the time that they weren't shocked at all.

When I saw that it was that particular neighbor, I was not terribly surprised," said Lani Wright.
EUGENE, Ore.  Opponents of a proposed WinCo for northeast Eugene have lost another round, but theyre not done fighting.

The store, if approved, would be built at the site of the former Shopko on Coburg Road.

A lawyer for Living Strong, a company that owns the McKenzie apartment complex nearby says briefs are due Wednesday at the Oregon Court of Appeals.

The company and a separate group of neighbors object to the City of Eugenes decision to allow the WinCo to open at that location. However, on April 30, the Land Use Board of Appeals sided with the city.

Oral arguments at the Court of Appeals are scheduled for July 6.
By Ritah Kemigisa

The Kampala Lord mayor Erias Lukwago says the appointment of FDCs Joyce Ssebugwawo as minister of State for ICT and National Guidance is an embarrassment to both her personality, the opposition and the FDC party.

President Museveni last evening named his new cabinet appointing former education minister and retired army major Jesica Alupo as Vice President.

Outgoing health state minister for general duties Robinah Nabbanja is the new Prime Minister to lead government business.

The position of Justice minister remains vacant while former NTV reporter Agnes Nandutu has been named state minister for Karamoja in a cabinet with significant presence of women.

According to Lukwago, an elderly person like Ssebugwawo can not take charge of a fast moving world of technology.

Lukwago says the ICT sector needs a young and vibrant person who is able to catch up with all latest innovations and developments.

He is meanwhile doubtful whether she will be approved by the appointment committee since she lacks the competence to handle the docket.

You can not get an elderly person to be in charge of the fast moving world of technology, it can not happen, even middle age Nabakooba failed, I think Museveni wanted to embarrass our dear mummy, and also the FDC and the opposition at large, says Mr Lukwago.
By Prossy Kisakye

A section of MPs has expressed concern over how political prisoners cases arrested during presidential campaigns in 2021 will be handled after the Chief Justice Owinyi-Dollo suspended court case hearings due to Covid-19.

The Chief Justice this week suspended all court hearings and appearances including election petitions for the next 42 days.

According to the circular issued on Monday, the suspension is in line with the presidential directives issued on Sunday for the prevention of the further spread of (COVID-19).

However, Makindye East MP Derrick Nyeko says there is a likelihood of extending the partial lockdown after the 42 days, thus delaying justice.

Mawokota North MP Hillary Kiyaga aka Dr Hilderman also shares similar sentiments.
The Uganda Revenue Authority has released a bulletproof car recently bought for the leader of the National Unity Platform, Robert Kyagulanyi following a tax dispute.

Kyagulanyi says he received a call from his lawyers, Anthony Wameli informing him that URA had asked them to pick the car.

Yesterday, I received a phone call from one of our lawyers Anthony Wameli who informed me that he had received a call from a Commissioner at URA requesting us to pick the bulletproof vehicle which was impounded by URA more than two months ago, he said.

In the letter from URA, it says that President Museveni directed URA to return the car to the NUP President, Mr Kyagulanyi.

However, Kyagulanyi says, together with his legal team, they had started a process of challenging this unfair taxation before the tax tribunal.

It was therefore shocking for me to receive this letter accompanying the vehicle this morning, with a claim that the car was being released on Gen. Musevenis orders, while at the same time stipulating that I am still required to pay the tax, he said.

It should be noted that URA recalled the car on the grounds that the importers had under declared taxes on the vehicle.
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Im sure youve seen the pictures all over the internet of people who have had these shots and now theyre magnetized. They can put a key on their forehead (and) it sticks, Tenpenny claimed. They can put spoons and forks all over them and they can stick, because now we think that theres a metal piece to that.
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IFA will hold a nationwide rally this Friday, June 11, to highlight the importance of commercial farming to the rural economy.It will be the first large scale demonstration by IFA since the pandemic. Farmers will gather in county towns across the country to warn against the dangers in the current CAP proposals and the Climate Action Bill.



The farming and food sector employs 300,000 people across the country and we contributed 13bn in exports in 2020.

IFA president, Tim Cullinan met An Taoiseach Michael Martin earlier this month, where he told him that the current direction of the CAP and the Governments Climate Action Bill could shut down commercial farming in Ireland.



We will be making a strong statement across the country on Friday that policies must support our largest indigenous industry, noted Mr Cullinan.

A cohort of farmers, many of who are the most productive farmers, are being hit with huge cuts under the CAP. In addition, the Climate Bill, the subsequent carbon budgets and sectoral targets could result in huge additional regulation being imposed on the same group of farmers, he said.

The IFA farm leader said farms sequester carbon and this has to be fully factored into the calculation of carbon budgets and sectoral targets.



We will not accept any attempt to remove credits from our sector, he pointed out.

According to the Teagasc National Farm survey, only one-third of farmers in Ireland are viable.

The EU and our own Government policies are targeting these farmers and will make them unviable, he said.

The Programme for Government and the Climate Bill refers to taking account of the distinct characteristics of biogenic methane in setting climate budgets. Yet it appears that the Government now want to walk away from this commitment, he said.

Farmers want to work with the Government on climate action, but there has to be real engagement. Setting targets without any regard for the consequences wont work, he said.
A poster for iconic Kilkenny brand, Sullivan's Ales will go under the hammer tomorrow (Thursday).

Dating from 1910 the vintage piece measuring 39 x 49cm, includes the city's coat of arms and is expected to realise around 600 tomorrow at the auction to be held in Sheppard's of Durrow.

Sullivans Brewery was established in 1702, eight years before Smithwicks was founded in Kilkenny City. In 1832, Richard Sullivan, standing as a Repeal Association candidate, was elected as MP for Kilkenny and held the seat until 1836 when he was succeeded by Daniel OConnell.

Posters for timeless Irish brands like Pierces of Wexford, Gouldings, Guinness and Aer Lingus will form the centre piece of the Vintage Advertising & Printed Ephemera auction which finishes on Friday evening.

Important pieces dating from 1880 onwards which capture the spirit of the age and are a rich repository of information about our past will be auctioned.

As might be expected alcohol and tobacco have a strong presence including: Players (58), Wills (43), Guinness (30), Jameson (25). Many other Irish household names like Jacobs (17) have a notable presence.




The shutters came down on yet another locally-run business on Friday when the local post office at Prologue, Callan closed its doors for the last time.

Postmistress Elaine Bryan is taking her first steps in to a gradual wind down to retirement in August. Elaines husband, Bosco Bryan, recently retired after giving over 30 years in the prison service. Elaine and her mother Nellie have given nearly 63 years serving Callan as postmistress, 29 of those years Elaine has served.

An interesting aspect of the postal service in Callan is that there are still two letter boxes in use since before Irish independence. One is located outside the library on the Clonmel Road, and the other is at the convent.

It was at the Lower Green Street location that the previous postmistress Mrs Nellie Phelan started the present business before moving to Prologue where she constructed a new office beside her family home.

Nellie was a very well-known and liked postmistress who had an ear for everyone. Her daughter Elaine, who took over the position from her mother, is exactly the same, kind, considerate and with a listening ear.

Elaine placed her own postage stamp on the little post office and that resonated right up to Friday with loads of chatter across the counter. There was no need for background music because once you stepped inside the door there was always a terrific atmosphere and when you stepped up to the counter with Elaine - or her able assistants Sinead Brennan and Kathleen Scriven - apart from postal business it was like a confessional sometimes.

Thats what made the little post office different. At Prologue it is like a little republic in Callan town, a tightly knit place where all neighbours watch out for each other. Across the road is the parish hall, where the Phelan family were immersed in parish events for many a year.

Just behind is the Fairgreen and the John Locke Park, (which incidentally opened 38 years ago last Saturday 5 th June) was a place the Phelan and Bryan families gave so much time. At the post office, there are so many stories being told over the

past few weeks, with everyone full of praise for Elaine and her staff, Sinead and Kathleen. Also former staff member Cork woman, Nora O Mahony who worked alongside Nellie Phelan also recalled the great days at the Post Office.

Elaines sister Pauline always stepped into the breach on the busy Fridays to or when Elaine took a deserved holiday, she was

always great back up to Sinead and Kathleen. So many exiles received parcels which were topped up with sweets, Taytos biscuits, bags of tea from Paddy Moores next door just to make the right weight.

Every summer Nellie and Elaine carried a tradition of the few drops of Holy Water on the Student exam papers as they were posted out. No doubt That practice will be carried out this evening (Wednesday) when Elaine sprinkles the papers. The post office has changed so much in recent years and Callans post office has become a much busier place since the closure of many of the smaller surrounding rural Post offices.

While letter post has diminished, parcel post has increased dramatically. The post office today is expected to be a commercial and banking centre.

The trucks moved onto Clonmel Road on Friday evening as the doors closed at 4pm for the last time. A team of An Post workers moved onto site to deconstruct everything and then move the operation to the new Super Valu site. All the staff will move to the new Post Office which is situated inside the store. No doubt people will find it very different, but many supermarkets have post offices within their stores.

Elaine will continue to oversee operations until she retires in August. We wish new postmaster Dermot McCabe the best of look with the new venture which is sure to enhance his business. Best of luck to you Elaine Bryan for the many years, of service, enjoy your retirement with Bosco. Thanks for the memories and certainly massive stamp of approval to you.
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP)  Demand for vaccines in Iowa continues is continuing to decline with the state ordering fewer doses each week and sliding downward in its national ranking of fully vaccinated people.

Public health officials say Iowa ordered 2,450 doses for this week with just 16 out of Iowas 99 counties ordering doses.

Last week the state ordered more than 5,000 doses and the week before more than 7,800 doses. Federal data shows Iowa has slipped to 21st in the nation with 44.9% of the population fully vaccinated. Two weeks ago Iowa was 17th.
The MTA is now in a very evident recovery from COVID-19 and theres absolutely no reason to change horses three-quarters of the way across the river, said Transport Workers Union president John Samuelsen. Having a CEO thats not approved by the Senate is not a gambit that the TWU is willing to take.
FARGO, N.D. (AP)  Nearly 250 people were arrested when protesters attempting to stop the final leg of the reconstruction of an oil pipeline across northwestern Minnesota took over a pump station, law enforcement officials said Wednesday.

Hubbard County Sheriff Cory Aukes said that 43 workers at the Enbridge Energy Line 3 pump station were trapped inside the site for some time Monday morning when demonstrators locked them in behind the front gate. Protesters also put up barricades and dug trenches across roads, presumably in preparation" for a standoff with law enforcement, Aukes said.

The workers were eventually able to leave the site. No injuries were reported.

"This is unacceptable, and we will seek the full prosecution of all involved," Enbridge Energy spokeswoman Juli Kellner said.

Aukes said 179 people were arrested and charged with gross misdemeanor trespassing. An additional 68 people were cited for public nuisance and unlawful assembly. It was the largest show of resistance since protesters set their sights on the project.

The sheriff said demonstrators caused a large amount of damage to equipment and other assets." Kellner said damage included vandalism of contractor equipment, as well as slashed tires, cut hoses, rocks and dirt in engines, forced entry into offices and destroyed electrical wiring in equipment. She did not give a damage estimate.

Demonstrators hauled in a large boat to block the main entrance to the pumping station and about 20 people barricaded themselves to it, Aukes said. The final four protesters were removed from the boat by midday Tuesday, when Kellner said some employees returned to work at the site near Park Rapids, about 85 miles (137 kilometers) east of Fargo.

Monday was billed as the Treaty People Gathering. As protesters made their move on the pump station, a separate group held a prayer service near the headwaters of the Mississippi River, some 25 miles (40 kilometers) away, before an estimated 1,000 people marched to the site where the pipeline crosses under the river. That peaceful meeting including music, prayers and speeches, including one by environmentalist and author Bill McKibben.

The thing about climate change, its a timed test, McKibben told The Associated Press before the march. If we dont get it right soon we will never get it right.

Another protest against the pipeline is scheduled Thursday in Minneapolis outside the office of Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar. The group TakeAction Minnesota says Klobuchar should pressure President Joe Biden to halt construction of Line 3.

Environmental and tribal groups say Enbridge Energys plan to replace Line 3 would worsen climate change and risk spills in sensitive areas where Native Americans harvest wild rice, hunt, fish, gather medicinal plants, and claim treaty rights. The line would cross the Mississippi River while carrying Canadian tar sands oil and regular crude from Alberta and across North Dakota and Minnesota to Wisconsin.

Enbridge says the original pipeline  built in the 1960s  is deteriorating and can run at only about half its original capacity. It says the new line, made from stronger steel, will better protect the environment while restoring its capacity and ensuring reliable deliveries to U.S. refineries.
MASON CITY, Iowa  A Nebraska driver is accused of hitting a pedestrian outside Mills Fleet Farm in Mason City.

Christopher Rathfon, 35 of Omaha, NE, has been booked into the Cerro Gordo County Jail on charges of serious injury by vehicle, reckless driving, and OWI. Hes being held on $5,000 cash bond.

The Mason City Police Department says it got a call around 2:45 pm Tuesday about someone collapsing outside Mills Fleet Farm on 4th Street SW. Officer say after they and emergency responders arrived at the scene, it turned out the person who collapsed had been struck by a 2015 Chevy Colorado Z71 driven by Rathfon.

The injured pedestrian was taken to MercyOne North Iowa Medical Center for treatment.

Mason City police say this incident is still under investigation and anyone with information about what happened is asked to contact Lt. Jeremy Ryal at 641-421-2716.
ROCHESTER, Minn. - Rochester residents can count on two hands the number of downtown bars and dancefloors that closed during the pandemic: Legend's, Dooley's Pub, and the Loop, to name a few.

Some restaurants, including ones with full bars, made it to the other side of the pandemic, but Rochester's downtown nightlife scene does not resemble pre-pandemic times. Options for dancing or drinking cheap drinks in plastic cups are limited.

"Kathy's is great, but it can't be the only bar," says Leah Joy Bee. She owns downtown business Canvas & Chardonnay. She's concerned about the lack of places for people to safely gather, drink, and dance in the downtown area. She wants to see small businesses pop up throughout downtown with new bars, places to dance and sing karaoke, and LGBTQ-friendly spaces.

"People are always going to hang out downtown, even if there is just one bar and having just one bar creates violence and anger and aggression," expresses Bee. "We just saw that unfortunately last weekend and that kind of behavior will continue if we don't have safe spaces for everybody to hang out in." Following the early morning weekend shooting that killed one person in Rochester's downtown, Bee is concerned there are not enough late-night establishments for people to spread out and let out some energy. She's been noticing large groups of people on the security camera in the alleyway behind her business late at night, leaving behind alcohol bottles.

Bee hopes entities like the City of Rochester, the Rochester Downtown Alliance, or Destination Medical Center will offer small business start-up initiatives. She understands the financial challenges of opening a business downtown. She has a liquor license at Canvas & Chardonnay, and tells KIMT she'll be paying more than $7,000 for it this year, on top of also rising downtown rent costs.

"I believe that the City of Rochester does want to deter small business owners from opening bars in downtown Rochester. They want chain-ran businesses and we can't see that happen. When small businesses die, the community dies. Small businesses give money back to the community. They create safe events for the community," says Bee.

One former Rochester bar's future remains in limbo. The building that was once home to Legend's is possibly going to be demolished, but it's still under review for possible landmark status.
ROCHESTER, Minn.  Bond has been set at $2 million each for the suspects in a deadly weekend shooting.

Derrick Timothy Days, 28 of South St. Paul, and Nautica Deishaun Cox, 22 of Minneapolis, had their first appearance Tuesday in Olmsted County District Court. Days was charged with second-degree murder and Cox has charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder. Both men are also accused of possession of a firearm after being convicted of a crime of violence.

Rochester police say Days and Cox were involved in the shooting of two men early Sunday in the area of First Avenue and Third Street SW. One man, 28-year-old Todd Lorne Banks Jr., was killed. Another man was shot in the hip, right arm, chest and back and was taken to the hospital, where he was listed in critical but stable condition.

Investigators say the shooting followed a fight after a dice game.

Court documents state Days was released from federal prison on December 14, 2020, after serving time for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Court documents state Cox was sentenced to probation in Ramsey County on September 8, 2020, after being convicted of possession of a firearm after conviction for a crime of violence.

The next court appearance for both men is set for June 22.
ATLANTA, Georgia  Winnebago Industries Foundation is donating $100,000 to Habitat for Humanity.

The Foundation says the money will support local Habitat groups where Winnebago Industries has operations, as well as Habitats RV Care-A-Vanner program and neighborhood revitalization work.

Habitat for Humanity and Winnebago Industries connect families with places to call home, where they can make memories together. We are thrilled to deepen our partnership, says Stacy Bogart, president of Winnebago Industries Foundation. For years, our team members and RV owners have shared their relentless passion for craft, quality and safety with Habitat organizations in Indiana, Iowa and Florida. Building on that local support, we look forward to supporting Habitats community-based neighborhood revitalization efforts.

The RV Care-A-Vanner program allows volunteers in North America to partner with local Habitat organizations and travel in their recreational vehicles to build homes alongside families, helping to accelerate the building timeline and raise awareness of Habitats work.

Winnebago Industries Foundation has already made an impact on our organization and the communities we serve through the support of our RV Care-A-Vanners program and local home builds, says Julie Laird Davis, vice president of corporate and cause marketing partnerships at Habitat for Humanity International. We are thrilled theyve decided to expand their support, and we look forward to working together as partners to serve more families.
A FedEx delivery driver was critically injured when he was attacked by two American Bulldogs in Calhoun County, Illinois.
Wimbush died at the age of 43 on Feb. 11 at Harlem Hospital of a heart attack. Her grieving next of kin contacted Owens because the funeral home had handled the burial of Wimbushs parents in New Jersey, according to the Bronx Supreme Court suit filed by Tracy Reese and four others who say they are Wimbushs next of kin.
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This is an example of the baskets that are put together by the welcome group. Inside are multiple resources for all over Columbia.
Everything we have now is that we have a gathering on that day, a friendly barbecue and there is a dispute over the shared driveway, Shea said. This is not the first time that there has been words over that driveway. And that is the incident, if you will, that started the dispute that later in the day the individual comes and shoots into the stairway house hitting the two victims.
Here's what you need to know: Wednesday, June 9
Authority Gymnastics converted its gym into learning pods for children in kindergarten through sixth grade when CPS first switched to online learning.
For copyright information, check with the distributor of this item, The Kansas City Star.
Russian President Vladimir Putin gestures as he speaks at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in St. Petersburg, Russia, June 4. AP-Yonhap



Russian President Vladimir Putin called for guaranteeing the security of North Korea to resolve the standoff over its nuclear program, stressing that pressure and sanctions alone were not going to solve the quandary.



Putin made the remarks during a virtual meeting with the heads of global news agencies at an annual economic forum in St. Petersburg, Friday, (local time), as nuclear negotiations between the North and the United States remain deadlocked after the breakdown of the Hanoi summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and then-U.S. President Donald Trump in early 2019.



"The North Korean nuclear problem is not going to be resolved by pressuring the North and toughening the sanctions against it," Putin said through an interpreter when asked by Cho Sung-boo, CEO and president of Yonhap News Agency in Seoul to comment on Moscow's stance on North Korean nuclear issues.



"Only by ensuring the security of its people, and with patience and a careful approach, should we be able to resolve this problem," he said.



Moscow has favored a phased-in approach to denuclearize the North that would come with reciprocal steps, including a partial lifting of U.N. sanctions, as the regime takes measures to roll back its nuclear program.



Putin blamed the U.S. for the deadlock in nuclear negotiations.



"The North Korean leadership showed a constructive attitude, but countries such as the U.S. seems to have abandoned the promise (they made) to the North," he said.



The nuclear negotiations between Pyongyang and Washington broke down after they failed to find common ground over how to match Pyongyang's denuclearization steps with sanctions relief from Washington.



Putin called for efforts toward working out a solution that "will be accepted by all concerned countries," apparently reaffirming Russia's stance advocating for some form of a multilateral dialogue platform similar to the previously held six-party talks.



Putin also expressed hope for Russia to resume trilateral economic cooperation projects with the two Koreas, apparently referring to a railway project linking the North's port city of Rajin and Russia' border town of Khasan.



The project became bogged down after Pyongyang's last nuclear and long-range rocket tests in 2016.



South Korea has invited Putin to visit Seoul; and when Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held talks with Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong in Seoul in March, the two agreed to work together to realize this at an early date.



However, Putin offered no comment to Cho's question on whether he plans to visit South Korea this year.



Attending the virtual session were the chiefs of the news agencies from 16 countries, including Japan's Kyodo News Agency, Xinhua News Agency of China, the Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France Press. (Yonhap)






U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Monday the Biden administration is determined to appoint an envoy responsible for monitoring the human rights situation in North Korea, but that he was not able to offer a timeline for this.







Blinken was asked about the administration's plans for such an appointment at a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing on the U.S. State Department's annual budget request.







"We will be coming forward with that. I can't put a timeline on it. We're determined to do that," Blinken said, while adding the vetting process had become ever more complicated and time consuming. (Reuters)


President Moon Jae-in speaks during a Cabinet meeting at Cheong Wa Dae, Tuesday. Yonhap



By Nam Hyun-woo



President Moon Jae-in will attend the G7 summit this weekend and make consecutive state visits to Austria and Spain, signaling that he will resume regular overseas trips to strengthen Korea's diplomatic presence in the later stages of his tenure.



Cheong Wa Dae spokeswoman Park Kyung-mee said Wednesday that Moon will depart Korea, Friday (KST), to attend the G7 summit slated from Friday to Sunday (local time) in Cornwall, the United Kingdom. After attending the leaders' meeting, Moon will jet off to Vienna, Sunday, for a state visit to Austria and then move on to Madrid, June 15, to meet with Spanish King Felipe VI



The visits come after Moon's meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden in Washington, D.C., last month. The President returned from his U.S. trip with a meaningful outcome on the two allies' partnership in technology and COVID-19 vaccine supplies. With the world making progress in vaccinations, Moon is also expediting efforts to finish up suspended diplomatic tasks before his tenure ends next May.



"President Moon will attend three sessions of the G7 summit and share Korea's experiences of the Korean New Deal Initiative, which has its backbone in the green and digital sectors," Park said. "Also, he will make a state visit to Austria to meet Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen and Prime Minister Sebastian Kurz. Then, he will make a state visit to Spain to meet King Felipe VI."



Korea is not a member of the G7  comprising Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the U.K. and the U.S.  but was invited to the meeting as a guest country. At the G7 summit, Moon will attend three sessions: COVID-19 vaccine supply expansion, open societies and economies, and responses to climate change.



As Korea is participating in the meeting as a guest, however, Moon will not be part of discussions with G7 leaders about an official joint statement to be issued after the summit, another senior official at Cheong Wa Dae said.



The presidential office said Korea's participation in the summit shows that the country's status has risen. During a Cabinet meeting Tuesday, Moon said, "The fact that Korea was invited to the G7 summit for the second consecutive year shows that our international status has been elevated to that of the G7 countries."



Former U.S. President Donald Trump invited Moon to last year's G7 summit, which did not take place due to the pandemic. This year, U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson invited Korea as a guest country, along with, India, Australia and South Africa.



The G7 summit is garnering keen attention from the perspective of Northeast Asia diplomacy as well, because expectations have been growing that the leaders of Korea, the U.S. and Japan may meet during it, as part of Washington's bid to strengthen relations with its Asian allies, and contain China.



For Korea, the summit has also been anticipated to be a test of Moon's balancing act between Washington and Beijing, because the G7 members are expected to agree on launching a development project that rivals China's Belt and Road Initiative.



The senior official, however, denied such expectations. "Sessions participated in by guest countries are for drawing up joint measures and responses to challenges in healthcare and climate change. And it is not about containing a certain nation," he said.



After the G7, Moon will fly to Austria to have a meeting with his Austrian counterpart, on what according to Cheong Wa Dae will be the first visit to Austria by a Korean president since the two countries forged ties in 1892.



"Next year will mark the 130th anniversary of the two countries' ties, and Moon will be the first Korean President to visit Austria," Park said. "Taking this opportunity, bilateral ties will be elevated further."



In Austria, Moon and President Van der Bellen are expected to share their opinions on bolstering cultural exchanges, and their countries' partnership in responding to climate change, and eco-friendly industries.





President Moon Jae-in and Spanish King Felipe VI shake hands before their summit at Cheong Wa Dae, Oct. 23, 2019. Yonhap
Composer Chin Un-suk / Courtesy of Chin Un-suk



By Park Ji-won



Korean composer Chin Un-suk became the first Asian to receive Denmark's prestigious Leonie Sonning Music Prize.



The organizer of the prize, which has recognized international composers and musicians since 1959, announced the award ceremony was held at the DR Concert Hall in Denmark, June 5. The award has been given out since 1959 to honor internationally recognized musicians, including composers and conductors. Past winners include iconic composers Igor Stravinsky (1959), Leonard Bernstein (1965) and Dmitri Shostakovich (1973).



"I am deeply humbled and grateful to win the Leonie Sonning Music Prize 2021. It is an honor as well as a great challenge, all the more given my great admiration for the previous awardees, most of whom have served as personal heroes and role models during my musical life. I am enormously touched by the jury's accolade and feel a great affinity for the high artistic values represented by the Leonie Sonning Foundation. I look greatly forward towards reconnecting with your beautiful and highly artistic city, to working together with Fabio Luisi and the Danish National Symphony Orchestra, other excellent ensembles and musicians, as well as with the Royal Danish Academy of Music," Chin was quoted as saying by the award organizer.



"With a music rich in shimmering light effects and endless color play, Chin Un-suk is a composer who cultivates the boundless. Born in South Korea and living in Berlin, Chin Un-suk today composes a music that has deviated from traditions and is instead based on dreams and a great curiosity to create entirely new sound worlds," Esben Tange, chairman of the Leonie Sonning Music Fund, said on the choice of Chin as the recipient of the award.



She was awarded 1 million Danish kroner (182.67 million won) as prize money in recognition of her visionary work as a composer, added Katrine Ganer Skaug, who is the vice chairman of the board. "With her entirely individual approach to music, she draws drama, humor and clarity from a complex world of sounds. In her works, Chin Un-suk communicates a distinctive power that overwhelms us with curiosity, forces us to discover the unexpected and expands our musical universe."



During the prize concert held at the same venue on June 5, her pieces "subito con forza" (2020), "Piano Concerto" (1996-97) and "Puzzles and Games from Alice in Wonderland" (2017) were performed by Siobhan Stagg (soprano), Francesco Piemontesi (piano) and the Danish National Symphony Orchestra under conductor Fabio Luisi.



Born in Seoul, Chin has lived in in Berlin since 1988. She has been considered one of the leading contemporary classical composers in the world. She is widely known for her opera adaptation of "Alice in Wonderland" first showcased at the Bavarian State Opera in 2007 and the many concertos she has composed for various instruments. She has won multiple international awards in the last two decades including the 2004 Grawemeyer Award for her violin concerto.



She served as composer-in-residence for the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra from 2006 to 2017 and will serve as artistic director for the Tongyeong International Music Foundation from 2022 to 2026. She was also named as an honorary member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters in March.


Former Bosnian Serb military chief Ratko Mladic imitates taking pictures as he sits in the court room in the Hague, where the United Nations court delivers its verdict in the appeal of Mladic against his convictions for genocide and other crimes and his life sentence for masterminding atrocities throughout the Bosnian war, June 8. AP-Yonhap



Ratko Mladic, the military chief known as the ''Butcher of Bosnia'' for orchestrating genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes in the Balkan nation's 1992-95 war, lost his final legal battle Tuesday when U.N. judges rejected his appeals and affirmed his life sentence.



The ruling involving his 2017 convictions and sentence closed a grim chapter in European history that included the continent's first genocide since World War II  the 1995 Srebrenica massacre of more than 8,000 Muslim men and boys.



The now-frail Mladic, often belligerent at his court appearances in The Hague, showed no reaction other than a scowl as Presiding Judge Prisca Matimba Nyambe of Zambia said the panel had dismissed, by a vote of 4-1, his appeals of convictions for crimes including genocide, murder, extermination and terror for atrocities throughout the war that killed more than 100,000 and left millions homeless.



The 79-year-old former general is the last major figure to face justice from the conflict that ended more than a quarter century ago.



His former political chief, ex-Bosnian Serb President Radovan Karadzic, already is serving a life sentence after being convicted for the same crimes. Former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic, who was accused of fomenting the ethnic conflicts that tore apart the Balkans in the 1990s, died in a U.N. cell in 2006 before judges at his trial could reach verdicts.



Serge Brammertz, the prosecutor who finally brought both Karadzic and Mladic to justice, said Mladic ''ranks among the most notorious war criminals in modern history'' who abused his position of power to commit crimes including genocide.



''Mladic should be condemned by all responsible officials in the former Yugoslavia and around the world,'' Brammertz said. ''His name should be consigned to the list of history's most depraved and barbarous figures.''



U.S. President Joe Biden said the ''historic judgment shows that those who commit horrific crimes will be held accountable. It also reinforces our shared resolve to prevent future atrocities from occurring anywhere in the world.''



''My thoughts today are with all the surviving families of the many victims of Mladic's atrocities. We can never erase the tragedy of their deaths, but I hope today's judgment provides some solace to all those who are grieving,'' a statement from Biden said.



The court also rejected an appeal by prosecutors of Mladic's acquittal on one other count of genocide linked to ethnic purges early in the war.



As commander of the Bosnian Serb Army, the once-swaggering Mladic led troops responsible for atrocities ranging from ''ethnic cleansing'' campaigns to the siege of Sarajevo and the war's bloody climax in the 1995 Srebrenica massacre.



In Sarajevo, applause broke out among those watching the proceedings. Mayor Benjamina Karic called it ''a day of justice'' for Sarajevo, Bosnia and innocent victims of the war.



Mladic's toxic legacy continues to divide Bosnia and his dark shadow has spread far beyond the Balkans.



To Serbs in Bosnia, he is a war hero who fought to protect his people. To Bosniaks, mostly Muslims, he will always be a villain responsible for their wartime suffering and losses.





Prosecutor Serge Brammertz speaks to the media next to Munira Subasic, chairwoman of Srebrenica's mothers, after an announcement of the final verdict of former Bosnian Serb military leader Ratko Mladic in his appeal judgement at the U.N. International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals in the Hague, June 8. Reuters-Yonhap
Kendallville, IN (46755)

Today

A few passing clouds. Low around 60F. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

A few passing clouds. Low around 60F. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph.
In the early 2010s, the shelter was plagued by deteriorating safety and health conditions, including damaged walls, poor housekeeping and crib-related problems. In February 2014, a 3-month-old girl died after she was rushed from the shelter in cardiac arrest.
Kendallville, IN (46755)

Today

A few passing clouds. Low around 60F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

A few passing clouds. Low around 60F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph.
I was just thinking about the little boy, she said. Looking at him, it looks like a little boy that does science projects, so innocent, you know? And it just broke my heart. Im a mother, I have a son, and it broke my heart whats going on right now, she said. I just picked flowers out the garden and brought it here. Thats not gonna bring anything back, but its just to let them know that were thinking about them.
PORTLAND, OR (KPTV)  A Beaverton man has been sentenced to serve three years of federal probation for assaulting an officer during a protest last summer in downtown Portland.

Andrew Steven Faulkner, 25, was given his sentence on Wednesday, which includes six months of home detention and 40 hours of community service. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office - District of Oregon, Faulkner was arrested July 5, 2020 after he shined a high-powered green laser at a uniformed Federal Protective Service officer who was providing security at the Mark O. Hatfield U.S. Courthouse.

A riot had been declared in the area of the courthouse by Portland police shortly before Faulkners arrest.

The officer was struck in the eye by the laser and quickly moved to avoid prolonged exposure. The officer was able to identify Faulkner and observed him shining the laser in the direction of other officers. When officers approached Faulkner, he attempted to flee, but was ultimately apprehended. The laser, a SDLaser 303 with a warning label cautioning direct eye exposure, was located in Faulkners possession, the U.S. Attorneys Office stated.

Faulkner was charged with misdemeanor assault on a federal officer. He pleaded guilty to the charge on January 13, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office.
"We are going to be running at just about full capacity again this year after the pandemic last year," said Director of Idaho Falls Parks and Recreation PJ Holm. Read more
New Zealand's experts dismiss coronavirus lab-leak theory: media

Xinhua) 09:48, June 09, 2021

WELLINGTON, June 4 (Xinhua) -- Experts from New Zealand rejected the conspiracy theory that COVID-19 could have originated from a lab, the New Zealand Herald reported Thursday.

"In fact, we don't know where most of the viruses that infect us have come from," Jemma Geoghegan, a virologist from the University of Otago, was quoted by the daily paper as saying.

"This is why we need to sample more viruses in nature and expand our knowledge of the diversity of viruses that exist," she said.

According to Geoghegan, it is possible that the virus crossed from animals to humans, given "a strong precedent" for coronaviruses to have become zoonotic.

Echoing Geoghegan, David Hayman, a professor of infectious disease ecology at Massey University, also believed that a lab-made pandemic is extremely unlikely, as there is no genetic sign of human meddling.

"People really need to understand that viruses do recombine. For example, the novel virus from Malaysia that was recently detected seems to be a recombinant of a cat and dog viruses, which were also previously not known," Hayman was quoted as saying.

"There is a huge amount of data to support this being a natural event," he said.

Also on Thursday, Ananish Chaudhuri, a professor of experimental economics at the University of Auckland, published an article on his own website, in which he said the lab-leak theory is a "campaign to isolate China" from other developing countries "whose markets are much coveted by the Western nations."

"During the pandemic, the Western countries effectively made it clear to developing countries that when it came to vaccines or other help the latter were completely on their own," said Chaudhuri.

"The only feasible option left is to prove to the world that China let lose this pathogen deliberately," he said, adding that such a campaign is full of "baseless canards."

"Scientists should ponder at length before lending their credibility to this smear campaign," he said.

(Web editor: Guo Wenrui, Liang Jun)
Mahmoud Musa, 23, of Staten Island, was busted Tuesday for his role in the May 20 assault on Joseph Borgen  who was beaten and pepper-sprayed near the corner of W. 48th St. and Seventh Ave. on May 20 as dueling pro-Israel and pro-Palestine protests raged at the Crossroads of the World.
In this Oct. 31, 2018, file photo shows signage outside the offices of Google in San Francisco, Calif. with the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge in the background.
The 16-year-old, whose name is being withheld by police, is one of two people detectives were looking for in the May 16 killing of Eric Velasquez a few feet from the victims E. 184th St. building near Marion Ave. in Fordham, cops said.
UPDATE: JUNE 8 AT 12:32 P.M.

HELENA, Mont. - The Lewis and Clark County Sheriff has identified the 17-year-old boy who drowned in Canyon Ferry Lake.

According to Sheriff Leo Dutton, the boy was identified as Elias Bowe.

Elias' family has been notified of his death.

Elias' family has set up a GoFundMe page.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE:

HELENA, Mont. - A Helena teenager died while swimming in Canyon Ferry Lake Saturday.

Lewis and Clark County Sheriff Leo Dutton tells Montana Right Now 911 dispatch received a report of a 17-year-old boy who was missing in the Crittenton day use area.

Authorities with search and rescue, the Lewis and Clark County Water Emergency Team, and Tri-Lakes fire responded.

Dutton said the current became too strong for swimmers in the area and the 17-year-old did not make it to shore, adding the waves were bigger than usual due to powerful winds.

The teen was found in 15-feet of water after crews spent two hours searching.

An autopsy is being performed at the State Crime Lab in Missoula.

The teen has not been identified at this time, but Dutton said he was a junior at Helena High School.

An investigation is ongoing.
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Wyoming Congresswoman Liz Cheney (R-WY) issued the following statement after Wyoming and Montana pushed back against the Biden Administration's support of dismissing a lawsuit brought by Millennium Bulk Terminals that seeks to prevent Washington and Governor Jay Inslee from undermining the energy industry:

This case should not be dismissed and the Biden Administration is wrong to ignore the important constitutional questions that it raises. It's a violation of the Commerce Clause for one state to undermine another state's economic activity, and that's exactly what Governor Inslee is doing by attempting to deny a permit for a terminal to export Powder River Basin coal.

"This is an important project that must be allowed to move forward. Washington's policy objection - which is rooted in their radical environmental beliefs rather than the facts - is not an excuse for ignoring the law and infringing on the rights of Wyoming and our state's energy producers.

Background:

In 2017, the state of Washington's Department of Ecology denied a permit for a coal export terminal to Millennium Bulk Terminals. The terminal would have been used to export coal mined at Powder River Basin in Wyoming to markets in Asia, and estimates conclude that the terminal could allow up to 44 million metric tons of coal to be shipped every year.

In response to the denial of this permit, Wyoming joined Montana in asking the U.S. Supreme Court to review the case and determine if Washington was in violation of the Dormant Commerce Clause and Foreign Commerce Closure of the U.S. Constitution.

Recently, the Biden Administration called on the case to be dismissed because Millennium Bulk Terminals has filed for bankruptcy. In response to this claim, Wyoming and Montana have maintained the issue is bigger than one development, and a lack of ruling in this case will, according to lawyers for the two states, "block port development and dissuade bidders from taking up this otherwise lucrative project."
U.S. SENATE  U.S. Senator Steve Daines and Jon Tester issued the following statements after the company backing the Keystone XL pipeline was forced to officially pull the plug on the project.

Senator Daines released the following statement:

This is devastating news for our economy, jobs, environment and national securityand its entirely President Bidens fault. Its beyond clear that President Biden is beholden to extreme environmentalists, and Montanans and the American people are bearing the burden. While President Biden killed the American Keystone XL pipeline, he continues to support the Russian Nord Stream 2 pipeline. Biden would rather support Russian workers and jobs than Americans. Montanans and the American people are disappointed, Sen. Daines said.

Senator Jon Tester released the following statement:

I am bitterly disappointed to learn that construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline will no longer be moving forward. I supported this project for years because of the good-paying jobs and tax revenue it would have created for the folks who live and work in Montana. Its frustrating that national politics killed a project that would have yielded big benefits for our state, but I am going to keep fighting to create jobs in rural Montana, ensure our energy independence, and get our states economy firing on all cylinders, Sen. Tester said.
The Southwest Montana Building Industry Association is hosting a home expo this weekend.

According to their website, it'll take place at the Gallatin Valley Mall's event center, the former JC Penny, in Bozeman this Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The expo gives you a chance to showcase your business and booths are still available. You can call the association's office at (406) 585-8181.

To learn more about the expo, click here.
KALISPELL, Mont. - Negotiations are on the table between the nurses' union and hospital administration. However, a separate group's formed and is looking to end the nurses' relationship with its current union, SEIU Healthcare 1199NW.

The group, formed on Facebook, is called Nurses and Community Unite. As of now, the Facebook group has 101 members. On June 1, they filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board to get a vote to no longer be represented by the union. Seven days later, on June 8 the petition was withdrawn.

The nurses union at Logan Health is considered a 'closed shop.' While the union negotiates and bargains on behalf of all nurses and all nurses are required to pay some fees, not all nurses are required to be members and pay membership dues. The Nurses and Community Unite group is seeking another vote on whether or not the nurses would like to be represented by this union.

Julie Johnson's a member of the Nurses and Community Unite group. She said she doesn't want to have to pay fees to an organization that doesn't reflect her values.

She's worked at Logan Health for 28 years. She shared she'd rather negotiate directly with management than through a union.

"We have an opportunity to make Logan Health a shining example of being able to do that if nurses take a step back and shake hands with management across the table and look at each other straight in the face and work together as one unit, one family, one team to solve our nursing issues," Johnson said.

While dozens were on the picket lines for last week's strike, Johnson decided to continue to work. She pulled 12-plus hour days but said the hospital environment was positive and upbeat.

Wake Up Montana has reached out to Logan Health administration and the nurses' union for an update on negotiations and next steps. As of June 9, further details have not been provided.
Marrinan was hanging out with the ex-Correction officer  who has not been publicly identified  outside Korner Pizza on Church Ave. at E. Third St. in Kensington around 7:20 p.m. Monday when they saw Soto punch 86-year-old Luis Velasquez in the face, according to court papers filed in Sotos case.
Lucerne Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees Vice President Jessica Risler said moving through the thick sand of the High Desert would be nearly impossible for anyone in a wheelchair. According to the Los Angeles Times, there are no sidewalks in the area, which is likely why the group was traveling on the highway shoulder.
ROME, JUN 9 - Italy's COVID-19 Emergency Commissioner, General Francesco Figliuolo, said Wednesday that the nation's regions have been told to make it possible for tourists or seasonal workers from other regions to be vaccinated away from their area of residence in special cases during the summer holiday season. In a letter to the regions, Figliuolo said it should be possible in "exceptional cases" for people who are spending a substantial period of time outside their region of residence to have the second doses of their COVID-19 vaccination in another region, if they give notice in advance. He said the regions' allocations of doses would be adjusted to account for this and that the health services' IT systems are equipped to handle the necessary data exchanges. Figliuolo added that, via the EU, Italy has already taken up an option for supplies for a third round of doses of coronavirus vaccines if necessary. He also said it may still be necessary for pupils to wear facemasks at the start of the new school year in September. (ANSA).
ROME, JUN 9 - COVID-19 Emergency Commissioner Francesco Paolo Figliuolo said Wednesday that Italy will be ready "within a very few days" after the European Parliament gave final approval to the so-called 'Green Pass', the EU Digital COVID Certificate. The pass will make it possible for people to travel if they have been vaccinated for COVID-19, or if they have recovered from the coronavirus or have tested negative for it. (ANSA).
uestioned in reation to the ca ROME, JUN 9 - A 25-year-old Bangladeshi man was found decapitated in the bedroom of his home in Turin early on Wednesday, investigative sources said. The victim has been named as Mohammad Ibrahim. His body was found by his flat mate, a fellow Bangladeshi, who called the police, the sources said. The flat.mate and a number of other people, including several Bangladeshis, are being questioned by police. (ANSA).
CAMDENTON, Mo.  The suspect in a shooting that took place in Camdenton on Monday night is dead.

Michael Horonzy was found with a reportedly self-inflicted gunshot wound near his residence in Laclede County, authorities say. Law enforcement had searched for Horonzy on Monday night to no avail, after he is alleged to have fired a weapon at a residence on Bear Ridge Road.

This was not the first time Horonzy had allegedly fired a weapon at a residence on Bear Ridge Road. In February he was arrested after a fight over a woman, during which Horonzy reportedly fired multiple rounds at another man's trailer.

**Previous article, published June 8, 2021, 2:11 p.m.**

CAMDENTON, Mo.  Authorities are still looking for a suspect in a shooting that damaged a home but resulted in no injuries late Monday night.

Camden County Deputies were called to a residence on Bear Ridge Road in Camdenton about a male subject on foot from Laclede County who was allegedly on the way to kill someone at the residence.

According to the Camden County Sheriffs press release, deputies met with the homeowner and asked everyone in the home to leave the residence for the night until the suspect was caught, but they refused to leave.

Deputies left the residence to continue the search for the suspect. Shortly after, deputies were told by Camden County Communications that multiple shots had been fired at the same residence at Bear Ridge Road. According to the police, upon arrival back at the residence, deputies noticed several bullet holes in the house and when deputies entered the house, everyone was found to be okay and denied medical treatment.

Deputies along with the Missouri State Highway Patrol and Laclede County, searched the area with the use of aircraft, but were unable to locate the suspect. Camden County is still looking for the suspect in question and will release further information when available.
Aaron Ross of Brooklyn, whose fiancee lives in Toronto, made three drives to Western New York to try to cross the international border to see her.

Last week, he finally got into Canada  but not very far and not very comfortably.

Ross, 33, said his most recent attempt ended with a night spent in a cell at the Lewiston-Queenston Bridge. He said Canadian border inspectors slapped the cuffs on him last Wednesday, after refusing to admit him to the country.

Ross admitted he "became oppositional" with the worker in the inspection booth at the bridge when he was again refused admittance to Canada.

"They put me in handcuffs. They put me in a squad car. They drove me to the immigration services area. They brought me into a jail cell and they kept me there for 12 hours. I was sleeping on the cement floor. They wanted a $1,000 fine," Ross said. "It was very scary. I didn't know if I was going to be charged with a crime. I didn't know how long I was going to be there. It was actually pretty frightening."
Even though Dripps lived across the street from Dodge at the time of her killing, authorities immediately came to suspect Christopher Tapp, who was later found guilty on first-degree murder and rape charges in the case. Tapp, just 20 years old at the time, later said he only confessed to the crime after hours of questioning and coercion from authorities.
LONDON, June 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Bitpanda, the leading European digital investment platform and Austria's first unicorn, welcomes a new chief to its C-suite, appointing Lindsay Ross to the position of Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO). In her role as CHRO, Lindsay will be a key factor in leading Bitpanda's most valuable asset, its team members, and will be responsible for all facets of Bitpanda's global HR, including people functions, internal communications and office spaces, as well as planning and executing the key organisational factors that Bitpanda needs to achieve its short- and long-term business goals.

Lindsay brings over 10 years of experience in creating people strategies for multinational, hyper-growth organisations - from start-ups to multi-billion-dollar enterprises. Her versatile background includes a broad mix of leadership and specialist roles during which she has implemented and nurtured strategies to build high-performing, diverse and purpose-led cultures. Prior to joining Bitpanda, Lindsay held senior roles for tech giants MessageBird and Adyen, as well as Tommy Hilfiger and its holding company PVH Corp, helping them scale by enhancing and transforming their human resources operations.

Appointment Comes As Bitpanda Continues To Grow, Surpassing 500 Full-Time Employees

"We were looking to find the right CHRO who believes in our vision, understands hyper-growth and has the right amount of energy and empathy for a long time. Lindsay combines those attributes and I am happy she is becoming our Chief Human Resources Officer to reinforce our view that it is the strength and depth of our talented team that will drive Bitpanda's continued success", said Eric Demuth, Co-Founder and CEO of Bitpanda and continued: "We have tremendous confidence in Lindsay's ability to help Bitpanda stand out and to provide valuable strategic contributions to build on the success of our high-performing teams."

Lindsay Ross, Bitpanda CHRO, commented: "This is a pivotal and exciting moment to be joining Bitpanda and the wider fintech community. I'm already inspired by the extremely talented, diverse and passionate team members who I've had the privilege to meet and can sense an incredible culture driven by purpose, high performance and innovation. I look forward to growing along with Bitpanda as we enter the next phase of our global expansion and seize the limitless opportunities ahead of us as we democratise the world of investments."

Having successfully established its presence in France, Spain, Turkey, Italy and Poland in the last year, Bitpanda intends to expand into new European markets with plans to open tech hubs and offices in Madrid, Barcelona, London, Paris and Berlin. In December last year, Bitpanda also launched an innovation hub in Krakow, creating 300 new jobs.

www.bitpanda.com | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

NOTES TO EDITORS

ABOUT BITPANDA

Bitpanda makes investing accessible for everyone. Founded in 2014 in Vienna, Austria by Eric Demuth, Paul Klanschek and Christian Trummer, Bitpanda removes the barriers to investing by harnessing the innovative power of digitised assets and blockchain technology. With more than 500 team members and over 2.7 million users, the company is one of Europe's fastest-growing fintechs. The user-friendly, trade-everything platform empowers both first-time investors and seasoned experts to invest in the stocks, cryptocurrencies, and metals they want  with any amount of money.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1528781/Picture1.jpg
Chandigarh, Jun 9 (PTI) Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu on Wednesday said the Centre's decision of capping the price of Covid vaccines at private hospital came late and urged it to abolish the 25 per cent quota kept for private players.

Two days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the central government will provide free coronavirus vaccines to states and union territories for inoculation of all above 18 from June 21, Sidhu in a statement urged the Centre to refund all payments made by state governments for vaccines.

The decision of capping the price was taken at a much later stage when private hospitals have already made huge profits while BJP leaders levelled false allegations that the Punjab government is making profit by supplying vaccines to them, the minister said.

He said the state governments do not enjoy the unique position of the Centre, which has the advantage of being a monopolistic buyer and can negotiate an appropriate price.

The Centre was getting the Covishield vaccine at Rs 150 per dose whereas the state government was getting it at Rs 315, he said.

The minister also said the Centre should administer free vaccines to all sections of society as the BJP had announced in several assembly polls.

Keeping this in view, the Centre should abolish the 25 per cent quota allocated to private players, he said.

Lashing out at the Centre for blaming Punjab government for allegedly making profit by supplying vaccines to private hospitals, the minister said considering the vaccine policy of the Union government, they decided to prioritise the poor and most deserving sections.

He said the private hospitals were expected to cater to those in the 18-44 age group who wanted to avail paid vaccination such as students and those who have to take up jobs in foreign countries and were not being covered in any of the priority groups.

He said the month of May witnessed the peak of the second wave and many youngsters aged between 18-44 appealed to the Punjab government that there was no vaccination available in private hospitals in Punjab unlike other states.

Sidhu stated the vaccines were given to the private hospitals at the rate they would have paid to the manufacturers as giving at a rate less than that would have given them undue profit.

The sale price of vaccines supplied to private hospitals went into the state fund for the purchase of vaccines for the poor and the deserving, he said.

The minister clarified that fixing the rate of any vaccine as well as medicine falls under the purview of the Centre and latest instructions regarding capping of vaccine prices at private hospitals have been issued to all deputy commissioners and civil surgeons to ensure the compliance.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
A bipartisan Senate report reveals that there are intelligence and security failures, leading to the January 6 Capitol riot. This includes a breakdown within several intelligence agencies, as well as a lack of training and preparation for Capitol Police officers.

The Senate report was released on Tuesday and reviews how hundreds of former President Donald Trump's supporters were able to push past the security line and breach the Capitol that day, according to a CBS News report.

The bipartisan review detailed police officers on the front lines suffering from chemical burns, brain injuries, and broken bones. Officers told senators that they were left with no direction when the command system was lost.

Sen. Gary Peters (D., Mich.), the chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, said that the report is not a comprehensive account of everything that took place leading and during the attack.

READ MORE: Capitol Attack Suspect Noah Green: A 'Nation of Islam' Follower Who Spoke About Gov't 'Mind Control'

Senate Report's Recommendations

The more than -100-page Senate report had included 20 recommendations, such as to empower the Capitol Police chief to unilaterally request assistance from the National Guard in energy, according to The Wall Street Journal report.

Congress would have to pass a measure to address the key recommendation. Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Sen. Roy Blunt said they would sponsor the bill to do so.

The report also recommended improving the training for Capitol Police officers, as well as collecting the Capitol Police's intelligence units.

It also includes how intelligence agencies manage social media posts containing threats of violence, and fast-tracking the approval process for deploying the National Guard.

Peters said that the report is important in that it allows them to make some immediate improvements to the security situation in the Capitol.

However, he added that it does not answer some of the biggest questions that they need to face, as a country and as a democracy.

Intelligence and Security Failures

The report had also found that law enforcement officials did not take seriously the threats of violence, adding that the police force at the Capitol lacked the capacity to respond effectively when the threats materialized.

Klobuchar said that the failures are obvious. She detailed one of the officers who was heard on the radio asking a question if anybody does have a plan, according to The New York Times report.

The Capitol Police responded to the report and said in a statement that its top officials have agreed on the need for improvement, including changes in collecting and sharing of intelligence.

Capitol Police said that their leadership knew that the Capitol grounds were to be a destination for a large demonstration.

However, they stated that no one knew thousands of rioters were planning to attack the Capitol, including some of their law enforcement partners.

Capitol Police said that their intelligence simply did not support that conclusion.

The committee staff had collected more than 50 statements from Capitol Police officers, painting a portrayal of the rioters.

Some of the rioters had given Nazi salutes and spoken racist slurs at them. One officer said they were being crushed by the mob.

Around 140 law enforcement officers had reported injuries during the Capitol riot.

READ NEXT: FBI Investigation of Capitol Riot Moves To a New Phase



WATCH: Senate report reveals security, intelligence failures before Capitol riot - from ABC News






Vice President Kamala Harris met with Mexico President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador as she sought cooperation with the country regarding the Central American Migration, COVID-19 vaccine sharing, and border security. The meeting happened on Tuesday, closing Harris' first trip overseas as the U.S. vice president.

It can be remembered that Vice President Kamala Harris also visited Guatemala, and met with President Alejandro Giamattei, who blamed the Biden administration for the migrant surge, arguing that the promise of reuniting families and children prompted "coyote" groups to organize groups of children to take them to the U.S.

READ NEXT: Kamala Harris' Mexico Trip Likely to Focus On Women and Youth Aside From Migration Issues

VP Kamala Harris Says Mexico and U.S. "Embarking on a New Era"

The meeting between the two leaders happened at Mexico's National Palace, according to a USA Today report. Vice President Harris noted that she had "very direct and candid conversations" regarding her goal to address the root causes of migration from the Northern Triangle countries.

Furthermore, Harris also shared that she discussed economic development, curbing drug smuggling and human trafficking, and post-security initiatives, with Mexico President Lopez Obrador.

Moreover, Vice President Kamala Harris also announced that the U.S. will invest $130 million in technical assistance and cooperation over the next three years with Mexico, to implement labor legislation, as well as $250 million for the economic development in Southern Mexico. Meanwhile, Al Jazeera reported that Mexico extended their domestic cash-for-tree-planting and youth unemployment benefit programs to El Salvador and Honduras.

Harris pointed out that the work they did in Guatemala and Mexico implied the importance of looking "not only what is happening at the border but what is causing that to happen."

"We cannot be simplistic and assume that there is only one element or way of approaching the overall problem," said Harris.

Apart from the extension of programs geared towards curbing Central American migration, U.S. and Mexico will also exchange information and take a step, in curbing human trafficking and smuggling organizations. The two countries will also work together in expanding the "forensic capacity," to solve more than 82,000 cases of missing individuals in Mexico.

"I strongly believe that we are embarking on a new era that makes clear interdependence and interconnection between nations," said Harris at the start of her meeting with Mexico's president.

The meeting between Kamla Harris and the Mexican president lasted for two hours.

AOC Slams Kamala Harris Over Guatemala Speech

Before Kamala Harris meeting with Mexico's Lopez Obrador, the vice president met with President Giamattei of Guatemala, where she conveyed a clear message that migrants should not come to the borders, according to The Guardian.

However, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez expressed slammed the vice president and expressed her disappointment in her comments.

This is disappointing to see.



First, seeking asylum at any US border is a 100% legal method of arrival.



Second, the US spent decades contributing to regime change and destabilization in Latin America. We cant help set someones house on fire and then blame them for fleeing. https://t.co/vADyh5H0bw  Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) June 7, 2021

AOC argued that seeking asylum at any U.S. border is legal. The congresswoman also noted that "We can't help set their house on fire and blame them for fleeing," said Ocasio-Cortez, arguing that the U.S. spent years in "contributing regime change and destabilization" in the region.

Apart from AOC, several human rights groups also commented on Kamala Harris discouraging the migrants to come to the U.S.-Mexico borders. "Seeking asylum is a right under the U.S. and international law," said one group called Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project.

READ MORE: Mexico Election Day Marred by Violence, Kidnappings, and Tossing of Severed Head

WATCH: Vice President Harris visits Mexico to meet with country's president - from CBS News
El Chapo's wife, Emma Coronel Aispuro, is expected to plead guilty to federal charges of helping the Mexican drug kingpin of running the notorious Sinaloa cartel.

The New York Times reported that Emma Coronel Aispuro is set to appear in a federal court in Washington, D.C. on Thursday to enter her plea and admit her role in her husband's criminal activities.

El Chapo's wife was charged with international drug trafficking charges for allegedly participating in a conspiracy to distribute drugs like methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, and marijuana in the United States, the Independent reported.

She was also accused of helping Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman escape from a maximum-security Mexican prison in 2015 and plot another escape before the 63-year-old drug kingpin was extradited to the U.S. in 2017.

For pleading guilty, Emma Coronel Aispuro will be placed as a "minimal participant" and receive a lighter sentence compared to the maximum of 10 years to life in prison for the initial conspiracy indictment.

The reported plea deal will not require the 31-year-old former beauty queen to provide information about El Chapo's allies, business partners, or relatives.

RELATED ARTICLE: El Chapo's Wife Emma Coronel Could Dismantle Sinaloa Cartel by Cutting Deal With U.S.: Report

Emma Coronel Aispuro's Arrest

Emma Coronel Aispuro was arrested in February at Dulles International Airport just outside Washington. Prosecutor Anthony Nardozzi said that El Chapo's wife had "worked closely" with members of the Sinaloa cartel, adding that she had the financial means to be flight-risk, according to a BBC News report.

Emma Coronel Aispuro, who had dual U.S.-Mexico citizenship, was a former journalism student and a beauty pageant winner.

During El Chapo's trial, she attended her husband's three-month trial in New York almost every day. She heard not only accounts of murder and rape but had also heard how El Chapo spied on her and other mistresses.

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador commented on her arrest, saying it was a matter that the U.S. will decide. However, he said he hoped the U.S. would share more details regarding the matter.

The Involvement of El Chapo's Wife on Sinaloa Cartel

Prosecutors at her husband's trial presented substantial evidence that she and other mistresses were deeply involved in the criminal activity of the Sinaloa cartel.

Some of their involvements include helping El Chapo send messages to her father, Ines Coronel Barreras, who was one of El Chapo's top lieutenants before he was arrested in Mexico in 2013, according to the New York Times.

El Chapo had written to Coronel Aispuro describing how he had escaped from his oceanfront villa just in time as the raiding party broke through the door of a nearby house.

El Chapo's wife is being held temporarily at a jail in Alexandria, Virginia, the Insider reported. Coronel Aispuro could also be poised to be turned into an informant and be a candidate for the witness protection program.

A federal law enforcement source said she is definitely cooperating, adding that she wants to get far away from the violence and has always wanted to live in the U.S.

A Mexican investigative journalist Anabel Hernandez said that the former beauty queen might have sought fame to make her imprisoned husband jealous. Hernandez got to interview El Chapo's wife.

Hernandez added that Emma Coronel Aispuro had been very mad and very hurt by the details of El Chapo's infidelity.

READ NEXT: U.S.-Mexico Efforts Against Mexican Drug Cartels Have Unraveled: DEA

WATCH: Wife of Mexican Drug Lord 'El Chapo' Arrested on U.S. Drug Charges | U.S. arrest Emma | English News - From WION






Thousands of migrant children, who were separated from their families during the Trump administration, have yet to be rejoined by the task force created by President Joe Biden.

A Department of Homeland Security (DHS) report made public on Tuesday, June 8, said up to 2,100 children may still be separated from their parents.

Reports said at least 5,500 migrant families were separated after crossing the border between 2017 and 2018 under the Trump administration. Because of this, Biden created the Family Reunification Task Force to reunite the migrant families.

The separation of migrant children from their families resulted from a 2018 "zero tolerance" border policy, wherein the government tried to prosecute all adults who crossed the border illegally.

RELATED ARTICLE: Thousands of Families Hope for Reunion as Biden Administration Begins to Reverse Immigration Policies

More Than 2,100 Migrant Children Still Separated From Their Families

The Family Reunification Task Force's first progress report said the Trump administration separated around 3,913 children from their parents between July 1, 2017, and Jan. 20, 2021.

Out of those numbers, 1,779 were already reunited with their parents even before the DHS-led task force establishment.

According to CBS News, officials have a record of 2,127 migrant children, who have yet to reunite with their parents. However, the task force said there's a possibility that some children and parents may have found a way to reunite with their parents and the federal government had no records documenting their reunifications.

DHS said it is working to check how many of the 2,137 migrant children with no records of reunification are still separated from their parents.

So far, the task force has reunified only seven families over the past 30 days, and it expects to reunify 29 more families in the coming days, Al Jazeera reported.

Meanwhile, five migrant children, who have yet to reunite with their parents, remained in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) custody. That is because officials have yet to locate their family members in the U.S. willing to care for them.

DHS said it is analyzing 1,700 more separation cases to determine if they were justified, in addition to the 3,900 separations deemed to fall within the scope of the task force.

"The Task Force continues to review government records to identify any additional parents of children who were separated," the task force said in its 22-page report.

The report further noted that nearly 60 percent of the migrant children separated from their families were Guatemalans. There were also Hondurans, Salvadorans, Mexicans, Brazilians, and Romanians.

Migrant Children Deportations and Other Data Revealed in the DHS Report

Apart from the number of remaining migrant children separated by the Trump administration, the DHS report also revealed that the task force deported at least 1,613 parents and 399 migrant children to their country of origin.

CBS reported that only two percent of the parents and migrant children were deported together.

"We would really like to see more progress by now but intend to make sure that the government up the pace," said American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) lawyer Lee Gelernt, who oversees the federal court case over the Trump-era separations.

READ MORE: Ecuador Children Dropped by Smugglers in the US Mexico Border Reunite With Parents

WATCH: Why Hundreds of Migrant Children Remain Separated From Their Parents - From PBS NewsHour
Police officers started a manhunt for the suspect in a Colorado shooting on Sunday, June 6, in Pueblo that injured an off-duty firefighter after protecting a homeless man.

Detectives of the Pueblo Police Department identified the suspect in the Colorado shooting as Esteban Gallegos, 41 years old.

Because Gallegos is still on the loose, the department sought the public's help locating the suspect. The Colorado shooting that injured a firefighter adds to the recent shooting incidents in the United States.

It can be recalled that a firefighter was killed, and another firefighter was hurt in a shooting incident in Santa Clarita, California after an off-duty firefighter opened fire in the Los Angeles Fire Station 81.

READ NEXT: Ohio Mass Shooting at an Apartment Complex Leaves 5 People Dead

Colorado Shooting: Firefighter Injured After Protecting a Homeless Man

The shooting incident started when several off-duty firefighters in Pueblo, Colorado noticed a group of men harassing an individual.

According to a KRDO report, Pueblo Fire Union President Joey Gutierrez said the firefighters were reported to wait for their pizza to arrive outside the union building on the 100 block of Nort Main Street.

Fox News reported that a group of men went out of a bar and started harassing a homeless individual with mental health problems.

The firefighter went to the aid of the homeless man and asked the individuals to leave the man alone. The individuals who were not identified by the authorities abided by the firefighters' request and immediately left the area.

After the firefighters went back to their original place waiting for their food, a sedan parked outside the nearby establishment fired several rounds towards the direction of the firefighters.

Due to the incident, officers who arrived at the area around 12:55 a.m. on Sunday, June 6, said a firefighter sustained a gunshot wound in the leg.

Although the authorities did not identify the injured firefighter, officers noted that the male victim was transported to a hospital and was treated for non-life-threatening injuries. Additionally, Fox News pointed out that the male firefighter is now recovering and doing well.

Colorado Shooting Suspect still on the Loose

Although police did not yet catch the 41-year-old Colorado shooter, an arrest warrant against Gallegos was already issued.

Detectives with the Pueblo Police Department Crimes Against Persons Section conducted the investigation that led to the discovery of Gallegos being the prime suspect in the Colorado shooting.

Authorities believe that the vehicle utilized by Gallegos was a 90s model Buick product.

Because of what happened, the Colorado shooting suspect is facing one count of first-degree assault and eight counts of attempted first-degree murder.

Details of whether Gallegos was part of the people who harassed the homeless man were not provided by the authorities.

Meanwhile, the Pueblo Fire Department noted that they still cannot give details right now because the criminal investigation is still active.

READ MORE: San Jose Mass Shooting: Rail Yard Death Toll Climbs to 10; Motive Still Unknown

WATCH: Gun Violence: The Hidden War - From WION
Retired Army general James Grazioplene has been demoted in rank and was also charged with rape after his daughter spoke about the years of abuse she experienced at the hands of her father.

Pentagon spokesperson Lisa Lawrence said Monday, June 7, that the Secretary of Defense had changed the retired grade of then-major general to second lieutenant after determining that the said rank was the highest grade in which he served on active duty satisfactorily, according to a Law and Crime report.

Lawrence noted that Second Lieutenant Grazioplene, 71, would have any benefits or privileges authorized for retired officers in the rank of second lieutenant.

James Grazioplene started his military career with a commission at that same rank out of West Point in 1971. He then rose to two-star general before retiring in 2005.

READ NEXT: Slain Soldier Vanessa Guillen Honored With Memorial Gate at Fort Hood

Retired Army General Sexually Assaulted His Daughter

James Grazioplene's daughter, Jennifer Elmore, had claimed that through her entire childhood and at different posts both abroad and the United States, her father had raped and molested her, Army Times reported.

The allegations were raised within the family in the years after she left home in the late 1980s. However, it came to the attention of military officials after she reported the conduct to the Army CID agents at Fort Bragg, North Carolina in 2015.

On Aug. 26, 2017, she confronted her father in a military courtroom during his Article 32 preliminary hearing. She outlined the decades of abuse she experienced.

Jennifer Elmore detailed one experience when she was three years old when her father had led her to the basement of her grandmother's house. She said that her father had placed her on a washing machine and pleasured himself while molesting her.

She further noted that when she was eight, her father had bought her a piano and insisted on taking her to piano lessons. According to Jennifer Elmore, it was just to park and take whatever sick pleasures he wanted to do with her.

Elmore also said her father also regularly insisted on bathing her. She added that it took her until college to be able to use a bar of soap.

According to another Army Times report, military prosecutors alleged that the rapes took place at or near the suspect's duty stations while the family lived at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.

Other places where the abuse had happened were in Bindlach and Amberg, Germany; Woodbridge, Virginia; and Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

Retired Army General Faces Charges

Defense attorneys had claimed that Jennifer Elmore filled in memories with false claims of rape, adding that the inconsistent statements she had made to authorities over the years are evidence of her being influenced by "psychobabble," and more than a decade of abuse therapy.

The Army had charged James Grazioplene with six counts of violating Article 120 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice in 2017 for the rape of a minor between 1983 and 1989.

A Prince William County grand jury had indicted him in late 2018 after the military court had protected the confirmed abuser. The retired Army general was arrested by Virginia authorities in December 2018 and charged with rape, incest, and aggravated sexual battery.

James Grazioplene has pleaded guilty to one charge of sexual battery while in uniform last July in a deal that saw the remaining charges dismissed.

READ MORE: Army Officer Emily Rainey Under Investigation for Role in Capitol Riot

WATCH: Top Military General Pleads Guilty After 30 Years Of Child Sex Abuse - From The Ring of Fire
One of the British twins is currently in a medically induced coma in Mexico after fighting off a crocodile attack three times in a lagoon where a tour guide had taken her and her twin sister.

Residents of Berkshire County in England, Melissa, and Georgia Laurie had been swimming in the lagoon located around 10 miles from Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca, when the attack happened. It is situated on the southeast coast of Mexico.

British Twins Experience of Surviving a Crocodile Attack in Mexico

According to Sky News, Melissa shared that her sister Georgia saved her life after finding her floating face down. She noted that Georgia tried to carry her back to their boat.

The British twins are currently recovering in the hospital. Georgia suffered injuries to her hands while Melissa was still in an induced coma to prevent infection from her injuries.

The British twins' father, Sean Laurie, said that Georgia's experience in diving saved the twins. Georgia used her knowledge as a diver to fight off the crocodile to save her sister from danger.

Sean noted that they were swimming after dark in the bioluminescent waters when Georgia heard Melissa crying out. He said that Georgia dived into the water to look for her sister before checking her on the surface.

However, when Georgia brought Melissa back to the boat, the crocodile attacked again. Sean said that Georgia had to fight off the crocodile, punching it to the head to keep it away.

READ NEXT: Wearing Mexican Flag at Graduation Caused North Carolina Student's Diploma to Be Withheld

British Twin Fought Off Crocodile Three Times

The sister of the British twins, Hana Laurie, said their family was really proud of the braveness shown by Georgia. The 33-year-old sister emphasized that it is something extraordinary because Georgia fought off the crocodile three times.

Also, Hana noted that Georgia is already okay, but she was stressed about what happened. She added that Georgia was really frightened by what happened, but she is awake and has got some wounds on her hands.

The British twins had been on a break from their work as volunteers in taking care of animals in Mexico when they took the trip to the lagoon. But Hana noted that the family was in disbelief when they found out what had happened because of the event's rarity.

Meanwhile, the twins had booked a tour guide through their hostel for some adventure. However, it turned out that the guide was unregistered and had a reputation for taking tourists to dangerous locations for swimming, The Telegraph reported.

Hana, who discovered the information through the hospital where her sisters were confined, said the unregistered tour guide brought the tourists in the past where the crocodiles live instead of the location where all of the legal certified sanctioned tours take place.

She further noted that the unregistered guide had been called out locally in previous instances, but her sisters did not know it, The Guardian reported.

Commonwealth and Development Office's spokesperson said they support the family of two British women in a hospital in Mexico. The office further noted that they are in contact with the local authorities to avoid another incident in the future.

READ MORE: Kayaker's Solo Journey From California to Hawaii Failed, Rescued by Coast Guard After 6 Days

WATCH: British Woman in Coma After Twin Fights Off Crocodile in Mexico - From News Time
It could have happened to any one of us. We all drive the freeways of Southern California,' Spitzer said Monday. Weve all gotten upset at other motorists; other motorists have been upset at us. Ive thrown some gestures about myself. But its never come to a situation of violence, and certainly not in my realm or your realm to the loss of a life.'
Hashtags #RacistHunter and #RacistBiden trended on social media after a report on Hunter Biden's text messages containing racial slurs surfaced.

The text messages of Hunter Biden, the son of President Joe Biden, showed him using the n-word on multiple occasions with his white lawyer, The Daily Mail reported.

But according to a Forbes report, the authenticity of the claims has not yet been verified. The text exchanges between Hunter Biden and a Chicago corporate lawyer were reportedly discovered on the younger Biden's laptop abandoned at a Delaware computer repair shop in 2019.

It has been previously reported that the laptop also contained photos and videos of an orgy involving the president's son and other individuals.

READ NEXT: Hunter Biden Says He Has 'No Recollection' of Meeting Ex-Stripper Who Gave Birth to His Child

#RacistHunter and #RacistBiden Trended

The revelation of Hunter Biden using the racial slurs multiple times led the hashtags #RacistHunter and #RacistBiden to trend on Twitter.

Many people, especially the president's critics, used the hashtags #RacistHunter and #RacistBiden to post and say that racism runs deep with the Biden family.

Contents of Hunter Biden's Text Messages

Reports of the text messages were released just a week after Joe Biden had given a speech about racism on the 100th anniversary of the Tulsa massacre, seeking to make racial justice a top priority for his administration.

The Daily Mail reported that the exchanged text messages between Hunter Biden and his lawyer George Mesires happened in December 2018.

Hunter Biden joked about a "big penis" and told Mesires that he loved him "because you're black" and "true dat n***a."

A month earlier, he asked his lawyer how much money he owes him, adding that "becaause (sic) n***a you better not be charging me Hennessy rates."

Mesires sent a bill to Hunter's business partner Mervyn Yan, involving his infamous deal with Chinese oil giant CEFC in October 2018. The bill had shown Mesires' hourly rate of $845.

In addition, there was also a photo on Hunter Biden's laptop, which is a meme that included the n-word.

The meme showed Joe Biden and former president Barack Obama hugging, with a caption describing a joke conversation between the two. It is still unclear why Hunter had saved the meme.

Both Hunter and Mesires had yet to comment on the matter. There were questions regarding the story's legitimacy, given that this would have been more significant during the election.

Technology analyst Rob Enderle of the Enderle Group said that the likelihood that the leaked conversations were fake is unusually high in this case, Forbes reported.

New York Post columnist Miranda Devine said that the texts were another example of Biden's family history of White privilege, Fox News reported.

Devine noted that if the messages were written by former president Donald Trump or his son Eric Trump, they would not receive such light coverage.

Devine said that one could not get more white privileged than Hunter Biden, noting that he had everything handed to him on a silver platter since he was born.

The columnist added that his father had made sure that Hunter Biden has had jobs, university, and clients, mainly foreign clients giving him millions of dollars.

Joe Biden talked during the Tulsa massacre anniversary, saying that some heinous and horrific things cannot be buried, no matter how hard people try.

Joe Biden had promised to fight racism in policing after George Floyd's death. The president has even supported studies exploring reparation for slavery and other injustices against African Americans.

He added that African Americans had been left in a place where they are so far behind in terms of education and health.

READ MORE: Hunter Biden's Recorded Call Reveals His Admission of Doing Drugs With Late D.C. Mayor Marion Barry

WATCH: Hunter Biden on "Beautiful Things" and His Struggles With Substance Abuse - From CBS Sunday Morning
After officials destroyed 70 to 80 outhouses filled with illegal marijuana plots allegedly set up by Mexican cartels, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department documented the biggest drug bust in its history on Tuesday.

Mexican Greenhouse Operation

The outhouses were tracked down by officials and found in the open desert located north of Los Angeles in Antelope Valley, CA.

It is a collaborative operation of the LA Sheriff's Department and the United States Drug Enforcement Administration to take down multiple illegal marijuana grows.

According to Fox News, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department brought in massive bulldozers to raid the crime scene. They have completely destroyed the illegal grows, but based on the report, they have hundreds more to tackle.

Based on the initial appraisal, one tented location alone covers around $50 million worth of illegal marijuana.

Moreover, Sheriff Alex Villanueva has since launched an operation with up to 400 deputies and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to hunt down and destroy other marijuana plantations, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department reported.

In addition, Villanueva made a revelation that these locations are hot spots for criminal behavior. Prior to the operation, they have received reports of cartel members threatening residents with firearms. The L.A. plantations also affect local crops as they hog water from local alfalfa, carrot, and potato farmers.

ALSO READ: Jalisco Cartel Boss El Mencho's Daughter, La Negra, Asks U.S. Judge to Free Her

Sheriff Villanueva emphasized that their days in the area were over, sending a loud and clear message to all the cartels attempting to operate in the area. He also added that they will hunt down other cartels who were involved in the same operation.

Furthermore, Villanueva mentioned that the origins of the sheriff's department date back to 1850 when the place was still the Wild West and they just introduce law and order back in those days. The sheriff also mentioned that they were doing the same concept to drive the criminals out of business and give back the place to the residents of the community.

Meanwhile, five men were arrested at the scene of the raid who identified themselves as Mexican nationals who just arrived in the U.S. within the last month. They were taken into the custody of the sheriff's department.

Last year, LA Sheriff's Narcotic Bureau Detectives identified 150 illegal marijuana cultivations during a flight reconnaissance. However, only after a year, the number increased to over 500.

Also, the cultivations grew in size as well. The previous average size per grow was eight greenhouses, and now the average is 15. But during the operation, they have discovered a 75 greenhouse grow that covered 10 acres of ground

Violent crime is also directly linked to illegal cultivations by LA Sheriff's Department. They also mentioned that armed cartel members were stealing water in the middle of the night from farmers and residents and it has become a common sight for locals.

So far, the operations from the greenhouses involve 23 arrests, 5 firearms, 2 water trucks were recovered, and marijuana worth millions of dollars was also recovered.

On the other hand, during the operation, seven mixed breed dogs including four puppies were recovered by LASD personnel. The animals are now under the care of Reversed Rescue, which is a non-profit dog rescue organization in California.

RELATED ARTICLE: El Chapo's Wife Emma Coronel Aispuro to Plead Guilty to Helping Him Run Notorious Sinaloa Cartel

WATCH: 74 Tons Of Marijuana Seized, Greenhouses Bulldozed In Largest Illegal Grow Bust In LA County History -from

KHTS News / Features


Daisy Paulsen, who often went by the nickname, Jupiter, died on Tuesday, less than a week after what her father, Robert Paulsen, previously described as a random attack, Valley News reported. He said the family is working to ensure the 14-year-olds organs are donated and that her ashes are scattered across Californias Bay Area, per her request.
Laois IFA have joined the national launch of a new Agri Aware and IFA campaign.

Laois IFA Co Chairman John Fitzpatrick erected the first of three farmer billboards in Co Laois on the farm of Jimmy Walsh, Cullohill, Durrow.

The aim of the campaign is to raise awareness about the importance of Irish agriculture; the variety of sectors producing food in this country; and the critical role it plays in the economy and society.

The campaign is a showcase of our predominantly grass-based, family-farm sectors. It aims to increase the general public's connection with farmers.

Their stories of commitment and pride in their work are often overlooked in the ongoing debate about the sector's future.

Agri Aware Chairman Alan Jagoe said, "Agri Aware was established 25 years ago to create a national awareness of the value of modern agriculture and farming.

In the intervening time, while agriculture has continued to play a critical role in Ireland's economic and social development, the connection between farmers and the public has lessened. We want to strengthen that connection".

Laois IFA Co Chair John Fitzpatrick said, Throughout 2020, during a global pandemic, Irish farmers continued to produce top-quality, nutritious food.

This, in turn, supported Ireland's hard-hit economy. Agriculture is Ireland's largest indigenous sector and has, at various points in recent history, literally 'sustained' Ireland and its people through some of its most challenging periods.

However, a narrative is taking shape that might lead people to think that we don't need the food produced here or the families who work so hard to produce it.

We want our vibrant family-farm model to stay. This campaign will bring these families to the forefront and tell their stories."

Alan Jagoe continued, We are grateful to IFA for their support in getting this campaign off the ground.

We were delighted that the Irish Farmers Journal has joined us as a supporter.

We hope that along with other initiatives underway, such as our own AgCredible social media programme; the National Dairy Council's From the ground up campaign; and the work of Meat and Dairy Facts; we can rebuild the connection between the producers of food, the products they supply and the people who consume them every day.

On-farm signs have been launched in every county.

We have also created a digital campaign that will run throughout the summer months and a billboard campaign that will appear as restrictions continue to ease and people begin to more freely around the country.

The campaign will showcase farmers from around Ireland involved in various sectors such as livestock, dairy, tillage and fruit and vegetables.
The opening quarter of 2021 saw continued strong growth in the Irish agricultural land market. According to the Sherry FitzGerald Agricultural Land Barometer values increased 1% over the three months.

Following similar levels of strong growth in the final quarter of 2020, values have now increased 2% over a six-month period, with values increasing by 175 per acre on average in that time frame. As such, the weighted average price of farmland in Ireland, excluding Dublin, was approximately 8,950 per acre at the end of Q1 2021.

To start the year growth has been robust across all farm types with prime arable land and prime grassland both growing by at least 1%. Marginal grassland also grew by 0.5% in the three-month period.

In terms of location, growth has been strongest in the Mid-West and Midlands in the year to date, however the South-East and South-West have also noted an increase in values.

Philip Guckian, Associate Director of Sherry Country Homes, Farms and Estates, provides an overview of the important developments in the Irish agricultural land market.

Market Activity

At the start of 2021, activity was somewhat slow, although since the end of March, activity has quickened. It is usual for the market to pick up around this time, with better weather conditions drying the land, making it easier to present and so more stock comes to the market. While there has been some uptick in stock, levels remain very low. Despite this, there is good buyer interest out there, and demand remains strong.

Market Supply

Last year saw very low levels of new supply coming to the market predominantly due to COVID-19 and the national lockdowns. However, other developments such as vendors leasing their lands for longer periods due to strong rental returns also factored. The market has yet to recover this supply, with the volume of farms and land currently for sale remaining greatly below demand. Potential vendors are currently adopting a wait and see approach but if strong prices continue to be achieved, we may see more stock brought to the market.

Price Performance

Shortages in land for sale has certainly fuelled recent increases in values, however the type and quality of land will always be the key determinant of prices. At present, demand is strongest for prime grazing land, driven by the robust performance of the dairy sector. That being said, demand is also very good for tillage lands and small residential farms up to 100 acres. Due to the lack of supply, many buyers have been forced to search well outside their local areas to find good-quality land. Looking further into the year, if there is an increase in new supply brought to the market, prices may begin to stabilise, though I do believe some further increases in values in 2021 is likely.

General Farmland

Agricultural land values increased by 1% for the second successive quarter in Q1 2021, marking the first time since Q1 2019 that average values rose for consecutive quarters in the Sherry FitzGerald Agricultural Land Barometer.

The Mid-West recorded the greatest increase in prices of any region in quarter one with values rising 3%. Values in the region have now increased by almost 5% over a twelve-month period.

At 2.8%, the Midlands noted the next largest upturn in the quarter, followed by the South-East and the South-West at 1.1% and 0.8% respectively.

At the end of Q1 2021, values remained the highest in the Mid-East at approximately 10,700 per acre, while values were the lowest in the West at approximately 6,200 per acre.

Arable Land and Grassland

Price growth in the opening three months of 2021 has been brisk for both good quality tillage and grassland.

Prime arable values rose by 1.2% to the end of March. This was the strongest rate of the three farm types measured in the barometer, and the strongest rate of quarterly growth in prime arable land in six years. Of the regions, the Midlands saw the largest increase in quarter one at 3.4%.

Prime grassland saw marginally weaker growth in the quarter at 1%, however growth over a six-month period has been stronger at 2.3%. Poorer quality or marginal grassland also grew in Q1, rising 0.5%. Again, growth was strongest in the Midlands, with the average values of prime grassland increasing 3.7% in the first quarter.

At the end of Q1 2021 the weighted average price of prime arable land in Ireland, excluding Dublin, was approximately 10,800 per acre, while prime and marginal grassland was approximately 10,000 and 6,000 per acre respectively.
The Killeshin Hotel and Leisure Club are delighted to be reopen from the 2nd June for leisure guests.

Located ideally in the heart of Portlaoise and only an hour from Dublin City, The Killeshin is the perfect base for your adventures on Irelands Ancient East.

Its been a long five months and the team have been working hard preparing for the reopening of hospitality. Featuring 88 well-appointed bedrooms, duplex Cedar bar, Cedar rooms restaurant, Zest health club and 15 meeting rooms

The Killeshin offers the Midlands a new vision in hospitality, where the emphasis is on personal interaction and service to our guests.

Our head chef Roland and his team have created a wonderful menu for The Cedar Bar that can be enjoyed by guests in the hotel as well as locals looking to come and enjoy our new outdoor seating areas to the front and rear of The Killeshin.

The menu is filled with locally sourced produce and international flavours that are sure impress guests and locals alike.

The Killeshin Hotel is part of So Hotels, owned by Irish Entrepreneur Pat McDonagh, with the mission to deliver the highest level of service and a true Irish Experience across the six hotels in the group.

Pat McDonagh joined the team in The Killeshin to celebrate the reopening.

He is photographed here with of our pastry chef Geraldine, waitress, Eva and sales manager Rachel.
Laois IFA County Chairman John Fitzpatrick said the Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue has to keep the viability of farms at the centre of CAP talks.

The Minister has correctly identified the danger of making more farmers unviable. The focus between now and the resumption of the talks next month should be on securing the maximum flexibility that will deliver the best deal for Irish farmers, he said.

The negotiations in Brussels adjourned recently without a deal, which was the best outcome for now.

The Minister for Agriculture was right to hold the line. The real problem here is that the EU is trying to achieve increased environmental ambition, but without increased funding, he said.

Under the current proposals, a cohort of family farms in Ireland will suffer a triple whammy due to so-called Eco schemes, convergence and mandatory redistribution proposals, he said.

Many of these are our most productive farmers. Our grass-based system is the most carbon efficient in the world, yet the Commission and the Parliament are going to destroy them, he said.
A man who assaulted another prisoner in Portlaoise Prison told the local court he should not have reacted that way and he was sorry.

Jeffrey Bermingham, 24, of 10 Castlebrook, Castletroy, Limerick was charged with assault at Portlaoise Prison on November 21, 2020.

He appeared in court, via video link.

Sgt JJ Kirby told the court that at 7pm in Portlaoise Prison the injured party had been struck in the eye by Jeffrey Bermingham. The left side of his nose was also swollen. The assault had been unprovoked. The injured party was also serving a sentence.

Sgt JJ Kirby had a short statement from the victim.

Judge Staines read the statement and noted that Mr Bermingham did not like what the other man said and punched him in the eye. She said that people sharing a cell in prison had to feel safe.

Defence solicitor Barry Fitzgerald said that words were said about sensitive issues and Mr Bermingham had taken umbrage over them. He punched the other man in the face.

His release date was November 13 this year. He was serving a sentence for assault.

He had a background of alcohol and violence issues. His father had not been a good parental influence and he had taken refuge in drugs and alcohol.

He had been suffering anguish since his wife and child moved to another country.

He was doing well in custody at the moment, and this had been an impulsive act.

Mr Bermingham said he was going to school every day and doing anger management. He said that from the bottom of his heart he should not have reacted this way and he was sorry.

Judge Staines sentenced him to four months in prison, concurrent to his present sentence.
A drug addict who hijacked a car from a man who had just dropped his child off at creche has been jailed for two and a half years.

Thomas McDonnell was in a drug-induced psychosis when he threw himself over the bonnet of the injured party's car, told the driver to get out or he would kill him before hijacking the vehicle, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard on Tuesday.

Because the driver had the car key in his possession, the car was only able to go a short distance before it stopped and McDonnell fled the scene, Garda Stephen O'Shea told the court.

Gardai were alerted to the incident from a number of people who reported a man was trying to flag down their cars. McDonnell was arrested a short time later.

McDonnell (43) with an address at St Marks Drive, Clondalkin, Dublin, pleaded guilty to one count of hijacking at Belgard Square, Tallaght on January 4, 2019. He has six previous convictions for drug-related offences.

In a victim impact statement handed into court, the victim, who was not present for the sentence hearing, said he had just dropped his daughter off at creche and driven 100 yards up the road when McDonnell flagged him down, causing him to brake suddenly.

McDonnell threw himself across the bonnet, the victim said, before he demanded the driver get out of the car.

The driver said he was extremely glad his daughter was not still in the car with him at the time. He described feeling disorientated during the incident and recalled his pregnant wife arriving at the scene and being physically sick.

The car was returned undamaged but the owner sold it as a result of the incident.

The court heard that McDonnell had attended Tallaght hospital the night before for mental health issues prior to the incident and had just been released. He had had a row with his girlfriend and wanted to return to his native Tipperary, the court heard.

Handing down sentence, Judge Melanie Greally said McDonnell was in a drug induced psychosis at the time. He wanted a car to drive to Tipperary and he terrorised this person who had just dropped their child off at creche and whose wife was pregnant.

The judge noted the incident was short-lived and that the car was returned undamaged to the owner. She also noted McDonnell had been given lenient sentences in the past which had not motivated him to address his drug addiction.

She handed down a sentence of four years, but suspended the final 18 months on a number of conditions.
A man with 161 previous convictions, who stole from a women's changing room while on bail for stealing from a whiskey museum, has had his crushing jail term cut from six years to four.

Jonathan Grimes (33) was on bail for the whiskey museum burglary when he targeted Bewley's cafe in Dublin City centre on two separate occasions.

Grimes of Rutland Street, Dublin, had pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to burglary at the Irish Whiskey Museum, Grafton Street, Dublin, on February 8, 2019.

The father-of-one also pleaded guilty to two burglaries at Bewley's on Grafton Street on February 23, 2019 and March 6, 2019 respectively. He had 161 previous convictions, including convictions for burglary, robbery and theft.

The court heard that Grimes had made his way to a private area of the whiskey museum, where he stole a tablet worth approximately 300.

He was identified from CCTV footage, arrested and charged. He was then on bail for this offence when he committed the two later burglaries.

In his first Bewley's offence, Grimes went into a womens changing room and stole a cash belt. He then returned to the cafe in March, accompanied by another man. The two men stole a bottle of gin and a laptop worth 1,500.

Judge Elma Sheahan sentenced Grimes to four years imprisonment for the museum burglary. She also sentenced him to three years imprisonment and four years imprisonment respectively for the two cafe burglaries, which she ordered to run concurrent to each other, but consecutive to the museum sentence.

She suspended the final two years, resulting in a six year jail term.

Grimes appealed against the severity of this sentence to the Court of Appeal on Tuesday.

Katherine McGillicuddy BL argued that the headline sentence for the museum burglary was too high, considering the lack of aggravating factors often present in burglaries.

She said that insufficient weight was also given for his mitigating circumstances, which included his long history of substance misuse, something he had been making efforts to address.

Counsel said that the offences were committed to feed his drug habit, which was borne out by the fact that the property was not recovered.

Ms McGillicuddy said that her client had a 10-year-old son, who was his motivation.

That net custodial sentence of six years was crushing for him, she said.

Court President Justice George Birmingham, who sat with Justice John Edwards and Justice Isobel Kennedy, delivered an extempore judgement this afternoon.

The court accepted that the headline sentence for the whiskey museum burglary was too high and substituted a two-year sentence for the four-year sentence on that count.

The court left the sentences for the other counts alone, leaving Grimes with a four-year jail term.
A taxi driver who kissed a passenger without her consent as she was collecting her bag from the car has been given a suspended sentence for sexual assault.

Father of four, Kusika Kudia (55) later admitted to gardai in interview that he had kissed the woman without her permission but suggested she was looking for a kiss.

This was rejected by the woman, who said she went into survival mode after Kudia wrapped his arms around her and kissed her without her consent.

Kudia of Whitechurch Lawn, Ballyboden, Dublin 16, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to sexually assaulting the woman outside her Dublin home on February 13, 2020. He is still working as a taxi driver.

Judge Karen O'Connor said Kudia's behaviour was totally and utterly unacceptable and it amounted to sexual assault.

A person who is the holder of a public vehicle licence has a duty to be trustworthy and ensure members of the public can travel safely and be returned home safely, she said.

She took into account a number of mitigating factors, including Kudia's lack of previous convictions and his early guilty plea.

She handed down a sentence of nine months and suspended it on a number of conditions including that Kudia remain under the supervision of the Probation Service for 12 months.

Garda Mark Paul told Elva Duffy BL, prosecuting, that the woman got into Kudias taxi with a friend following a night out in Dublin. Her friend was dropped off before she directed Kudia to take her to her home.

She said during the journey to her home she checked if he accepted card payment and when he confirmed that he did not, she asked to stop at an ATM to withdraw cash.

On her return to the taxi, Kudia asked her to sit in the front seat beside him rather than in the back seat as she had been doing.

She refused but Kudia asked her to move again. The woman later told gardai that Kudia was not aggressive and spoke in a quiet voice but she continued to refuse to move to the front seat.

On reaching her destination, she got out of the car but went to the other side of the vehicle to make sure she had remembered all her belongings. She then noticed that Kudia had got out of the taxi.

The woman later told gardai that he approached her and asked for hug and to come back with me. She refused but he wrapped his arms around her and got a good hold of her.

Once she realised that he had a strong hold of her she said no in a meaningful way and tried to elbow him but he pushed his face towards her and forced his tongue into her mouth.

The woman said she then went into survival mode and managed to get away from Kudia and get into her house.

Kudia was identified after gardai secured CCTV footage of the friends getting into his taxi and he was traced as the registered user of the vehicle.

He was interviewed two weeks later and said he knew what the problem was. He accepted he had kissed the woman without permission but insisted he had not used his tongue.

A victim impact statement was handed into court but not read out.

Keith Spencer BL, defending, submitted to the court that his clients livelihood is now in jeopardy.

He said Kudia came to Ireland in 1997 from the Congo. He obtained Irish citizenship in 2005 and began working as a truck driver until he got a taxi license in 2019.

He asked the court to accept that his client has no criminal history and he has never been accused of any similar behaviour since.

It was a massive error of judgement. He accepts that he had no right to make the advance he did, Mr Spencer said.

Gda Paul agreed with Mr Spencer that his client continues to drive his taxi and has never been accused of any such behaviour since.
The boy was reportedly near a homes front yard when he was struck by the bullet. The shooting occurred around 54th Street and Morgan Street in the Back of the Yards neighborhood of Chicago.
The people of Laois are invited to celebrate the vibrant culture and heritage that is new to Laois communities on Laois Africa Day this month.

Laois African Support Group and Laois County Council will virtually celebrate Africa Day from Monday, June 14 to Saturday, June 19.

Videos showcasing all thats great about African culture which is not part of Laois will be posted on the Laois Africa Support Groups website and social media.

The event founder Bolaji Adeyanju explained that this year we will celebrate the vibrant cultural heritage of Africa and the contribution made to Irish Society by African communities and people of African descent.

Due to Covid-19 we once again cant have live performances and showcases, so everything will be pre-recorded and streamed. There will be arts and crafts, dancing and singing, but also interviews with African leaders in Laois, he said.

This is the fourth Laois Africa Day to be run since Bolaji founded the Laois Africa Support Group and the event itself.

Laois County Council together with Laois African Support Group are among a number of organisations around the country that have been supported by Irish Aid, the Governments overseas aid programme, managed by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to host Africa Day events this year.

Africa Day is designated by the African Union as an annual celebration of the continents unity. Celebrations to mark the day occur across the globe: in some African states, it is a designated national holiday, while in diverse cities  such as New York, London and Washington  academic gatherings and cultural showcases mark the day.

Last year, the theme was Silencing the Guns. There were special guest appearances from Councillor Yemi Adenuga and Midlands 103 presenter Anne Marie Kelly. Virtual performances were given by Joe S music, Tobi A, Itz David and Ritas Traditional Dance to name a few.

You can attend Laois Africa Day 2021 through Laois County Councils website, or Laois Africa Support Groups website and social media.

The Laois Africa Support Group is an Irish non-governmental and voluntary organisation. It aims to involve Africans and other minority groups to become active participants in the local community through various programmes and events.

More at www.laoisafrica.com
Students in a Laois secondary school have raised a huge 4,000 to help a local Autism support group, as well as two deserving Leaving Cert students heading off to university.

Portlaoise College Parents Council had teamed up with Laois Offaly Families for Autism (LOFFA) during the month of May and encouraged students, families and members of the community to participate in a 100K in May fundraiser, where participants either ran or walked 100KM during the month of May.

In doing so, 4000 was raised, with LOFFA receiving 2000 and the remaining funds going to sponsor the Portlaoise College 3rd Level bursary where two 6th Year students from the school will receive financial support with their 3rd Level education.

This years bursary recipients from Portlaoise College were Maya Reynolds and Thomas Maguire.

Maya is hoping to study Psychology in either Trinity College Dublin or University College Dublin and Thomas aims to study Chemical Sciences at Trinity College Dublin next year.

Principal Noel Daly thanked everyone for their efforts.

"It was fantastic to see so many students, parents and families participate in the fundraiser," he said.

With the Parent Council chairperson Sinead Walsh they have presented prizes to 2nd Year students Aoife Collins and Shawn Gregory who raised over 400 between them (main photo).

Parent Emlyn Phipps from Mountmellick even managed to do over 200KM during the month (pictured below).

Roisin Conroy is Fundraising and Events manager with LOFFA and accepted the donation (below).

"We were delighted to receive the funds. It will add to our recent fundraising efforts from our very successful Rainbow Day," she said.

LOFFA held their first annual Rainbow day in Laois and Offaly in May, managing to raise 19,000 to support services to families of people with Autism in both counties.
Well-known Laois poet, Dr Arthur Broomfield will be promoting his new book, 'Ireland Calling' at Portlaoise Farmers Market on Friday morning next from 9am to 1pm.

Its my way of bringing my poetry to the people," explains the Ballyfin poet.

So well he might because his book is proving to be hugely popular among those who like to hear a poem that tells a yarn, can make you laugh or bring a tear to your eye.

Often compared to Patrick Kavanagh, Arthurs latest work is rich with tales of the lost history of cultural Ireland, like Planting the Spuds, The Fairy Bush and the Dancing Board.

His poem The Saddest Story tells of the untimely death of Aine from the Spanish flu. "Not only is the poem well-crafted and tells a dramatic story, but it does so with minimal words, leveraged in tight form, giving the reader much to ponder in today's Covid-19 pandemic world, says US literary critic and poet Ben Douglass.

What led Arthur Broomfield to write this book ? "I want to celebrate all that is beautiful about Ireland, its stories and characters, the genius of its people and the spakes and tales that are unique to the countryside," says Arthur.

If you want to meet the poet drop in to the Portlaoise Farmers Market next Friday. Arthur will be delighted to meet you and will be happy to sign a copy of 'Ireland Calling' for you.
RTE will air the world premiere of US vs Ulysses by Colin Murphy  the compelling dramatization of the 1933 court case that resulted in the "un-banning" of Ulyssess in the USA - this Bloomsday, June 16.

Dubliner Killian Scott stars in the production which will be premiered in partnership with the James Joyce Centre.

RTE will also re-air the almost 30-hour production of James Joyces Ulysses worldwide on RTE Radio 1 Extra.

The full dramatised production  originally broadcast in 1982 to celebrate the centenary of Joyce, and totalling 29 hours and 45 minutes in duration  will begin at the same time as both Stephen Dedalus and Leopold Blooms journey through Dublin begins in the book: 8am on 16 June. Audiences can listen live on RTE Radio 1 Extra, or via podcast at www.rte.ie/ulysses.

Meanwhile, rte.ie will feature a range of additional content including the complete RTE production  all 15 stories - of Dubliners, along with Joyces only play, Exiles.

The website features 20 explainer programmes, Reading Ulysses, hosted by Gerry O Flaherty and Fritz Senn, as well as the Joycesongs series (music from the book performed by the RTE Concert Orchestra), and other audio and visual archive material.

See more at rte.ie/culture/ulysses.
General Operatives

3 to 6 Month Contracts

Lily OBriens are currently looking to recruit a number of General Operatives for a fixed term period to help meet seasonal demand.

Operators are required to be available for work Monday  Friday.

Shifts are available across days, evenings and nights in our chocolate production department and packing department.

These positions are also suitable for college students returning to college in September.

The ideal candidates will possess the following skills and attributes:

A good attitude with a willingness to learn new tasks

Efficient when completing tasks and hardworking

Good hand eye coordination and attention to detail

A can do work ethic with excellent problem-solving skills

Ability to work in a fast-paced busy environment

Good communication skills both oral and written

Proficient in the English language

Flexible to work shifts, if required - days, evenings, nights

Please note these positions require employees to stand for the duration of their shift with the exception of break times.

If you would like to apply please submit your CV to HRmail@lilyobriens.ie. Applicants should state their availability for work when applying.



Candidates will be required to participate in a telephone interview.
By Stephen Bourke

A 55-year-old Co Kildare woman has pleaded guilty to stealing over 23,000 from her former employer and producing faked bank lodgement slips to try and cover her tracks.

Maura Keogh of Willowbrook Lawns, Celbridge, Co Kildare, was charged with 42 counts of theft from CS Construction Spares Ltd in Clondalkin, Dublin 22, totalling some 23,366.55, on dates between January and September 2016.

She was also charged with three counts of producing a misleading document for accounting purposes.

Keogh pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to 18 sample charges of theft and the three counts of false accounting.

Garda Linda Ryan of Clondalkin Garda Station, told Tony McGillicuddy BL, prosecuting, that Keogh was the accounts' manager at the Clondalkin machinery firm until the theft was uncovered.

Keogh had volunteered to lodge cash and cheques from the machinery distributors trade counter for several months, saying she was going to the bank anyway, Garda Ryan said.

Gda Ryan said when Keogh went on holiday, another colleague discovered a discrepancy between the amount on record and the amount actually lodged on August 26, 2016.

Cheques worth 1,365 had been lodged  but 340.50 in cash had not.

The firm then made an arrangement for a sting operation with its bank on September 6, 2016, Gda Ryan told the court.

Bosses found the lodgement number in their record didnt match the slip given in with the cheques, and that the cash had again not been lodged.

When they confronted her at a meeting on September 16, 2016, she admitted what she had done. Four days later she was dismissed, and a garda investigation began.

In his victim impact statement, CS Construction Sparess owner Joseph OReilly, said he preferred a management style which afforded his senior staff almost complete autonomy in the day-to-day running of the firm.

Mr O'Reilly said Keogh had been part of a team to which significant responsibilities had been delegated.

I had no hesitation in rewarding her financially for that, he said. That trust was shattered.

He said there was a ripple effect which hurt morale among staff across his group of businesses.

Who else could be trusted? What did they know?

Mr O'Reilly said in the end he decided he had to close his Dublin premises and move the CS Construction Spares business to his head office in Dunleer, Co Louth.

Several of Keoghs colleagues also lost their jobs as a result of the restructuring, he said.

I completely understand the sense of betrayal that has been communicated through the victim impact statement, thats particularly appalling when an employee has been trusted for such a long time, Judge Melanie Greally said.

Keogh had been able to effectively help herself to the cash component of the lodgements, she said but it doesnt seem she was living the high life.

Judge Greally said she would defer sentencing Keogh until October 12, next, and remanded her on continuing bail. She ordered a report from the Probation Service for that date.

That will enable Ms Keogh to amass some further money to set against the outstanding deficit, she said.

David Fleming BL, defending, said his clients husband Brendan had been seriously ill since the late 1990s, leaving her the sole breadwinner for her family, and his full-time carer.

She was under serious financial pressure when she took the money, he said, desperately trying to keep her head above water.

The position she was in allowed her the opportunity to make this mistake.

This isnt the case where Ms Keogh took the money to fund a lifestyle which she couldnt afford. She hated what she was doing and had always intended to pay it back, he said. But every time she did it the hole was getting deeper.

In character references handed up, Keogh was described as a hardworking and selfless person who others came to rely on, and that the theft was completely out of character.

She is the mother of two adult children, one a professional athlete, the other working in England. She had brought 12,700 in court to try and begin to make recompense.

She got herself here and she wants to get herself out of it, he said.

Mr Fleming asked that her sentence could be structured to allow her to keep working to repay the rest of what she stole.

Her current employer in Clane, Co Kildare, is not aware of the proceedings, he said.
A man allegedly found driving with no insurance cover was prosecuted at Naas District Court today.

Troy Jordan, 51, whose address was given as Blackthorn Cottage, River Road, Allenwood South, allegedly had no insurance at Downings North, Prosperous, on August 26.

Read more County Kildare news

Barrister Aisling Murphy said she had handed over a policy on behalf of the defendant.

Sgt Jim Kelly said the insurance policy comes from the UK.

Judge Desmond Zaidan said that since Covid-19 level 5 restrictions no longer apply, the defendant should have appeared in court.

He adjourned the matter to September 16.
ICSA president, Dermot Kelleher, has said that the Climate Bill will be completely futile if there is not active engagement with the farming community.

Speaking at a meeting with An Taoiseach, Micheal Martin, and other senior government ministers, the ICSA president said farmers are willing to do more but they need more support if this is to be realised.

We cannot expect Irish farmers to save the planet and bankrupt themselves, he stressed.

We need more funding, in addition to CAP funding, to help improve biodiversity, decrease emissions, and improve carbon sinks. Farmers will plant more hedges, and keep more habitats, but it cannot happen if the farm is not viable.

Mr Kelleher strongly argued that we also must be sensible in how we deal with agriculture in Ireland.

ICSA believes the relentless shaming and blaming of Irish farming for everything that is wrong in the world must be challenged at every opportunity. It is high time for Irish farming to be treated fairly in the climate debate, he noted.

He also argued that more consideration needs to be given to Irelands national interests.

Its all very well having five-year targets as proposed in the Climate Bill. There is no point in pretending to care about climate change if we implement a policy of carbon leakage. It makes no sense to outsource our livestock farming systems to Brazil or Australia, he said.

Mr Kelleher, however, emphasised that farmers are willing to their fair share but said we also need all government policies to align with this overall goal.

ICSA wants to see government decisions to enable us to hit 20% renewable gas by 2030, we want to see E10 in fuel instead of E5 and we want it to be economically viable for cattle sheds to have solar panels supplying the grid, he said.

ICSA is asking that we all carefully consider and protect what is in our vital national interest. We must not allow the massively funded anti-livestock narrative to drown out all reasonable debate.
Minister of State for the OPW, Patrick O'Donovan issued stark words to local authorities including Leitrim County Council during his visit to Dromahair last week.



He said it was shocking that there are derelict garda stations left in the centre of towns and villages during a housing crisis and local authorities won't send me back a letter to say they will take them. Deputy O'Donovan said he wrote to all local authorities asking them if they have any interest in taking over the closed garda stations and and I have local authorities that won't even respond to me.



The minister of state inspected Dromahair's old Garda barrack and listened to the Dromahair Development Association who wish to take it over and turn it into a community centre.

He said Dromahair garda station is in the heart of the town and has a great future.



But he was adamant that Leitrim County Council and Leader groups must be partners. I have to be able to say I'm protecting a state asset, to do that Leitrim County Council have to be able to say they are coming in as a partner with the local community.

Watch: Minister of State visits Dromahair to inspect former Garda Barrack

Dromahair, Drumkeerin and Keshcarrigan garda stations remain on the list for public auction this September and will not be removed until a business plan including Leitrim County Council is submitted, the Minister of State, Patrick O'Donovan told this paper when queried on the matter in Dromahair last week.

The Limerick deputy did not hold back when he spoke to the Dromahair community.

He was encouraged by the community's bid and said he saw a great opportunity in the former RIC barracks in the centre of the village.



But he also instructed that Leitrim County Council must be on board for the plan to continue.

The minister's sentiments are to be applied to all those seeking a handover of closed garda stations to the community.

He stated, We were left with these - the rights and wrongs of that is water under the bridge. Our focus is to give them a use, primarily for the state; the likes of the HSE or the council.



Every state agency have been written to, Leitrim County Council will have been asked if they want it. I have been very forceful in the department that I want this dealt with. It is amazing that we are in the middle of a housing crisis and I have all of these buildings, and I have local authorities that won't even respond to me.

And yet I have a Prime Time Investigates critical of the OPW saying that the OPW are sort of hoarding these buildings. So let me be very clear, I dont want them, I want the place to have a use.

I will say one thing, we don't want to burden a community with them, some of these buildings are old. We dont want to land a community group with a liability and a millstone around their neck.



Minister ODonovan commented, now this has gone on in many cases 13-14 years - shocking stuff.

He said the OPW and his department will work with those interested. He noted The last port of call and the most regrettable thing is a for sale sign.



He also explained that some old RIC barracks don't have a proper title and there is a lot of work involved to establish one.

The Observer asked the council if they will partner with local groups to keep the buildings in the community.



Leitrim County Council stated it is committed to the regeneration and revitalisation of all towns and villages throughout County Leitrim. In delivering on this commitment, the Council will work in collaboration with any stakeholders or community groups who wish to achieve similar outcomes for their local town or village.

Also watch: John McGahern Museum, Cootehall is open for visitors
A ROMANIAN national has admitted murdering pensioner Rose Hanrahan at her home in Limerick city more than three years ago.

When arraigned at the Central Criminal Court this Wednesday morning, Alexandru Iordache, 46, who has an address of Dreptatii Street, Bucharest, Romania pleaded guilty to murdering the 78-year-old widow at New Road, Thomondgate sometime between December 14 and December 15, 2017.

Ms Hanrahan's family were present in Court Number 6 at the Criminal Courts of Justice in Dublin for the brief hearing.

Speaking through an interpreter, Mr Iordache spoke only to confirm his name and tell the court that he was "guilty, and I feel sorry for what I did".

Mr Justice Michael White fixed Monday, July 5, 2021 for sentencing and told family members that they can come to court to give evidence of the effect of Ms Hanrahan's death upon them.

The defendant, who was arrested by police in England nearly two years ago, first appeared before Limerick District Court in January 2020 following his extradition from the United Kingdom.

The murder of Rose Hanrahan sparked outrage and anger in the local community and further afield and led to one of the largest and most complex gardai investigations in Limerick in recent years.
The site and AAP recommend that while guns should not be kept in homes with children, if firearms are present, they should be stored in a safe or lock box.
THE latest in a series of contactless water fountains at public locations across Limerick has been installed at the Peoples Park in the city centre.

Located close to the pedestrian entrance near Barrington Street, the new bottle filling station provides clean and safe drinking water without the risk of touching high-use buttons that could increase the spread of infection.

Users can simply place a water bottle into the holder and the sensors will pick up on movement and activate the machine.

To further reduce the potential spread of pathogens the no touch design prevents the bottle rim from coming into contact with the nozzle.

The new fountain is the fifth to be installed in Limerick with support from Healthy Ireland Fund and Limerick European Green Leaf City 2020.

The others are located at Merchants Quay, Limerick city; Adare Library; Kilmallock Library and Courthouse and The Square, Abbeyfeale.

A sixth water fountain has been installed in Athea on behalf of Athea Tidy Towns with funding from the Limerick Local Community Development Committees Community Enhancement Programme.

Welcoming the installation of the new fountain at the People's Park, Cllr Sarah Kiely, cathaoirleach of the Metropolitan District, said: Since my election I have worked to get a water station in the Peoples Park, Im thrilled to see this becoming a reality. The Peoples Park is a part of the tapestry of city life and we all have very fond memories of summer childhoods in the park. This water station is a very welcome addition for the large number of users the park every day. At present it is a hive of activity and over the last 18 months provided a fantastic space during lockdown for our city citizens.

Anne Goggin, head of the Limerick City 2020 European Green Leaf Programme added: Preventing the use of single use plastic bottles was an important element of Limerick Citys European Green Leaf programme for 2020. The team was delighted to fund the installation of this contactless drinking water fountain in the Peoples Park."
THE funeral arrangements for Lyndsey Collopy, who was killed in a road collision in County Limerick on Sunday, have been announced.

A private Requiem Mass for family only will take place at 11am on Friday in St Mary's Church, Athlunkard Street. Funeral afterwards to Mount St Oliver Cemetery.

The mum-of-one from Corbally will be sadly missed by her parents Josh and Carol, daughter Kaya, brothers David and Keith, sister Sarah, nieces, nephews, extended family and friends.

Ms Collopy was involved in a reported head-on collision with another vehicle at Garrienderk, Kilmallock. She was taken to University Hospital Limerick where she later passed away.

The female driver and male passenger of the other vehicle, both aged in their 70s, were airlifted to Cork University Hospital in two helicopters. Gardai described the injuries of the couple as "non-life threatening".

Kilmallock-based councillor, Mike Donegan offered his condolences to the deceased womans family, "As they try to come to terms with this tragic and sad loss".

"Unfortunately, it is another fatality, again on a bank holiday weekend. Our prayers are also with the occupants of the other car, hopefully, they will make a full recovery," said Cllr Donegan.

Many tributes have been paid to Ms Collopy on social media.

One reads: "RIP Angel. I just can't believe youre gone  fly high, baby girl. You had a heart of gold. My heart is broke in two."
Athlone and Belcarra have become the latest towns to host residents who have won the Irish Lottery.

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The former won a prize of about 6 million, while the latter clinched approximately 1 million.

The ticket for the greater amount was purchased on 20 May 2021, at an Applegreen service station.

It's thrilling news and we were absolutely delighted to find out that the lucky ticket was bought here, said Applegreen service station site manager Isaias Garcia.

"Weve been talking about nothing else ever since, and the team is having a lot of fun with it. Nobody knows who the lucky customer is, but we hope they enjoy their new life.

Are we jealous? Maybe a tiny bit but I suppose if youre not going to buy a winning lottery ticket, the next best thing is selling one.

The ticket for the smaller prize was also bought in May, at a Cunninghams store, just outside Castlebar.

Myself and my wife Patricia were delighted when we got the call from the National Lottery as this is the largest prize that our store has ever sold, said shop owner Paul Cunningham.

Before this, our largest prize had been 25,000 so its quite a jump.

The Westmeath and Mayo wins join a growing list of big prizes in Lotto results history. This is not Mayos first victory. In 2016, a family from the third-largest Ireland county won 13.4 million.

We needed to check the ticket online so many times on Sunday evening, once we realised the winning ticket had been sold in Mayo, and then in Belmullet, read a statement from the family, who chose to remain anonymous, at the time.

Its a small place, so we knew we had a sporting chance of being the lucky ones, but you really never, ever think that it will be you.

Were going to bank the jackpot straight away, have a lovely celebratory dinner this weekend, and think about what were going to do. We work full-time, and dont intend giving up our work.

We do intend using this win to make our lives, and those of our families, more secure financially. Its just great to know that theres plenty available for a rainy day for everyone we care about.

Wexford, Carlow, Laois, Dublin, Waterford and Clare are other parts of Ireland that have been the proud host regions of big lottery wins.

Louth, though, have punched above their weight, according to National Lottery chief executive officer Dermot Griffin.

One of the most frequent questions we are asked is what is Irelands luckiest Lotto county," he said.

Our Lotto players in Louth have had considerably more Lotto millionaires per head of population. Congratulations to the county and all its winners.

Louths luck was exemplified in 2016, when someone hit the Irish headlines by walking into a Ranch Shop and Deli in Lisdoo, Dundalk, and buying a winning ticket to the tune of almost 6 million.

This is fantastic news, and its our shops first big win. A lot of shops never sell a Lotto jackpot winning ticket, said shop owner and manager Elaine McArdle.

The Luckiest Irish Towns in Lotto

June 2008 - Carlow - 18.9 million

April 2010 Dungarvan - 16.7 million

October 2010 - Dublin - 16.3 million

July 2007 - Farranree - 16.1 million

January 2016 - Belmullet - 13.7 million

May 2021 - Athlone - 6 million

May 2016 - Dublin - 5.9 million

October 2015 - Ennis - 5.7 million

May 2020 - Lissycasey - 5.5 million
Portakabin has sought High Court orders directing Google to provide it with details about a Gmail account that has been sending allegedly defamatory messages to its customers.

Portakabin Ltd and Portakabin (Ireland) Ltd, which manufacturer and supply modular buildings, sought the orders so they can identify who in March and April of this year sent several messages aimed at damaging their business to their customers.

Google does not oppose the application.

The application came before Mr Justice Senan Allen on Tuesday, who told the court that he had received by registered post an anonymous letter about the application, purportedly by the person behind the account.

While it was not appropriate to write to judges about cases before them, Mr Justice Allen said that he should raise the correspondence in open court.

The Judge said the author also asked the court not to make the orders, as they would not be able to afford a solicitor.

The author, the judge added, partly tried to justify the postings, described themself as being "a whistle-blower" and was concerned about being identified.

The author of the letter also said that the account the subject of the proceedings" had been deleted" and gave "a 100% assurance" they would not send any more communications to Portakabin's customers.

Lawyers for Portakabin asked the court to make the orders, and told the court that it would not characterise the authors activities as whistle-blowing.

If the author had genuine concerns about Portakabin, then they should have raised them with either the companies, or with various regulatory authorities.

Instead, the author had sent emails which contain untrue, personalised, defamatory and negative allegations about matters including the quality of Portakabin's products and services, to important customers aimed at damaging Portakabin's business and reputation.

The plaintiffs want to pursue all remedies possible, including legal proceedings, against the person or persons, behind the emails, the court heard.

Mr Justice Allen said he would consider the application and would give his decision at a later date.

The Portakabin companies seek orders against Google Ireland Ltd directing the internet giant to disclose information and data it holds associated with the particular Gmail account that has been allegedly using a pseudonym 'John Smith'.

In what is known as a 'Norwich Pharmacal' order Portakabin secured an order requiring Google to provide information including the address, telephone number and or any other email address, of the holder of irishpeople2021@gmail.com.

Portakabin will also be given details about the payment instrument, including credit card details, used by the account holder, and the IP address and associated time stamps of the account.

Previously the court heard that Portakabin believes the emails formed part of a wider campaign dating back to October 2020, when anonymous letters were sent to is customers.

The companies believe that the author of the emails and the letters are the same person or persons.

Those letters also made false claims about the company, it is claimed.

Arising out of the contents of the letters Portakabin hired external consultants review its procurement and business practises.

The consultants found that that there was no evidence to sustain the claims made against them in the letters.
THE number of complaints relating to public services in Limerick fell by nearly a third last year it has been revealed.

In his annual report, Ombudsman Peter Tyndall confirmed that 130 complaints were received during 2020 - down from 192 in 2019.

Of the complaints received last year, 49 complaints related to Limerick City and County Council  ten of which were either fully or partially upheld.

Five complaints were made about the University of Limerick (one partially upheld) while three complaints were received about Limerick Institute of Technology  none of which were upheld.

Details of the other organisations the subject of complaints during 2019 has not been disclosed but its understood a significant relate to the provision of healthcare and the social welfare entitlements.

The total number of complaints received from people Living in Limerick represented 3.8% of all complaints (down from 5.2% in 2019).

One case study, which features in the annual report, relates to the care of a patient at University Hospital Limerick.

A woman made a complaint to the Ombudsman about the treatment her father received while at UHL. She complained there was a delay in obtaining a treatment plan, a failure to notify her father of test results within two weeks, and other administrative delays.

UHL subsequently apologised for the lack of communication and explained there had been misunderstanding about the need to carry out what appeared to be a repeat bronchoscopy test.

"UHL explained that the first bronchoscopy test was a non-diagnostic test. A clinical decision was made to carry out a diagnostic bronchoscopy test and that it was not a repeat test. UHL accepted that this could have been explained better," states the Ombudsman's report.

The delay in communicating with the patient was attributed to staffing issues.

The Ombudsman received a commitment from UHL that all relevant staff in the hospital were informed of the complaint to ensure that the issues identified would not reoccur. It was also clarified that treatment plans are not routinely given in writing

to patients.

Commenting on the annual report, Mr Tyndall revealed his office received a total of 3,418 complaints from the public last year, a drop of 6% from the 2019 figures, but the highest number since 2015.

He also noted the impact of Covid-19 over the past 15 months.

Covid has shown us how flexible and capable our public services can be in a crisis. We need to bring that urgency and can do philosophy to tackling issues with congregated settings including those for people with disabilities and applicants for international protection. That would be a heart-warming legacy from a grim year, he said.
The effect has been observed in a dense atomic cloud for the first time.

It turns out that what goes up needn't come back down.

Physicists have achieved a phenomenon known as subradiance, in which atoms linger in an excited state, in a dense cloud of atoms for the first time.

Harnessing subradiance could allow scientists to create reliable, long-lived quantum networks from clouds of atoms, the physicists reported in a new study.

Atoms gain energy by absorbing photons (light particles) that cause their electrons to jump from the lowest-energy "ground" state to higher-energy excited states. Once they're in an excited state, atoms spontaneously emit a photon and fall back to the ground state. But this isn't always the case. If many atoms are packed together and separated by a shorter distance than the wavelength of the emitted photon, the light they emit will cancel itself out, and the atoms will stay in their excited state.

Related: The 18 biggest unsolved mysteries in physics

This process, called subradiance, effectively staves off the decay of a large group, or "ensemble," of excited atoms. Subradiance has been observed before in dilute atomic ensembles and ordered atomic arrays, but never before in dense atomic clouds.

Subradiance works because of a phenomenon called destructive interference. When two waves of light with the same amplitude are made to occupy the same part of space, the peaks and the troughs of the waves can align to add together constructively, making a combined wave that is twice as bright, or destructively, cancelling out both waves entirely.

But how can the canceling out of the light a cloud of atoms emits keep those atoms excited state? The key to understanding this idea, according to the researchers, is to observe subradiance quantum mechanics  the weird, probabilistic rules that govern the subatomic realm.

On the tiny scale of the weird quantum world, particles both have wave-like properties and can simultaneously travel all the infinite paths between one point and another. The path the particle "chooses" to take, and the one we observe, depends on how the wave-like particles interfere with themselves. It's not really the destructive interference between any emitted photons that traps atoms in excited states, but instead  and here's the wacky part  the possibility that it might happen, which stops the photons from being emitted in the first place.

"To understand what the probability of a physical event is, you need to sum all the paths leading to that event," co-author Loic Henriet, a quantum software engineer at the French quantum processor company Pasqal, told Live Science in an email. "In some cases, paths interfere constructively and enhance the phenomenon, while in other cases, there are destructive interference effects that suppress the probability. The destructive interference of the photons that would have been emitted by individual atoms prevents the decay of an excited state collectively shared in the atomic ensemble."

To induce subradiance in a dense gas for the first time, the team confined a disordered cloud of cold rubidium atoms inside an optical tweezer trap. This technique, for which scientists won the Nobel prize in Physics in 2018, uses a highly concentrated beam of laser light to hold tiny particles in place. A second burst of laser light then excited the rubidium atoms.

Many of the excited atoms rapidly decayed through a process called superradiance, which is related to subradiance but instead has atoms combining their emitted light constructively into a super intense flash . But some atoms lingered in a subradiant, or "dark," state, unable to emit light that would destructively interfere. As time passed, some atoms in superradiant states also became subradiant, turning the atom cloud increasingly subradiant.

"We simply waited for the system to decay into dark states by itself," Henriet said. "The decay dynamic is rather complex, but we know that interactions somehow lead the system to populate subradiant states at a longer time."

Once they had found a way of making a subradiant cloud, the researchers jolted the atoms from their dark states by adjusting the optical tweezers, enabling the atoms to emit light without destructive interference. This resulted in a burst of light from the cloud.

The team also made multiple clouds of various shapes and sizes in order to study their properties. Only the number of atoms in an excited cloud affected its lifetime  the more atoms there were, the longer it took them to decay back to their ground states.

"Interference effects are collective effects; for it to happen, you need several emitters," Henriet said. "And it gets more pronounced when you increase the number of emitters. With only two atoms, it would be possible to have some sort of subradiance, but it would be a very small physical effect. By increasing the number of atoms, one can suppress photon emission more effectively."

Now that the researchers can make and control subradiant atom clouds, they plan to study techniques, such as arranging their clouds into regular geometric patterns, that, by enabling them to precisely tune the amount of interference they want, will give them even more control over the lifetimes of the excited atoms.

The researchers think that their discovery will aid in the development of many new technologies, such as new quantum computers and more precise weather prediction sensors.

The researchers published their findings May 10 in the journal Physical Review X.

Originally published on Live Science.
Russia's space chief is threatening to leave the International Space Station (ISS) program in 2025 unless the United States lifts sanctions against the Russian space sector.

"If the sanctions  remain and are not lifted in the near future, the issue of Russia's withdrawal from the ISS will be the responsibility of the American partners," Roscosmos Director General Dmitry Rogozin said during a Russian parliament hearing on Monday (June 7), according to NBC News .

"Either we work together, in which case the sanctions are lifted immediately, or we will not work together and we will deploy our own station," Rogozin added. Russia is about to launch a new docking module to the ISS this summer that could serve as the hub of an independent complex .

Related: The International Space Station: Inside and out (infographic)

Rogozin also claimed that Russia cannot launch some satellites because the U.S. sanctions forbid his country from importing some microchips required for the Russian program, Reuters reported. (There is also a global shortage of microchips associated with manufacturing shutdowns amid the coronavirus pandemic.)

"We have more than enough rockets but nothing to launch them with," Rogozin said, according to Reuters . "We have spacecraft that are nearly assembled, but they lack one specific microchip set that we have no way of purchasing because of the sanctions."

In 2014, Rogozin famously remarked that NASA should use trampolines instead of Russian Soyuz spacecraft to get astronauts to the ISS. The comments came after the United States and other Western countries imposed sanctions on Russian officials  including Rogozin himself  related to Russian military actions in Crimea. (After NASA's space shuttle fleet was grounded in 2011, the Soyuz was the only orbital astronaut taxi available. That situation changed last year, however, when SpaceX began flying crews to and from the ISS.)

Other recent sanctions came in the wake of what U.S. officials described as Russian-led cyberattacks and election interference  a claim Russia has denied, Reuters noted. In December, the administration of President Donald Trump alleged that Russian space entities TsNIIMash (the Central Research Institute of Machine Building) and the Rocket and Space Center Progress have ties to the nation's military, NBC reported. Such a designation means that U.S. companies need to acquire licenses before selling to these organizations.

These entities were among dozens that came under scrutiny from the U.S. Department of Commerce during Trump's tenure, in both Russia and China. Fresh tensions came after new U.S. President Joe Biden called his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin a "killer" earlier this year, according to Reuters, while imposing more sanctions on Russia.

Rogozin had an "introductory phone call" with new NASA Administrator Bill Nelson on Friday (June 4), NASA said that same day in a statement , framing the conversation as a "productive discussion about continued cooperation between NASA and Roscosmos." The statement, quoting Nelson, also said that NASA is "committed to continuing that very effective ISS partnership."

Yet a statement by Roscosmos on Friday said that the sanctions and a lack of official information about the future of the ISS are "substantially hindering the cooperation" between Russia and the U.S. in the space realm, which extends back to 1975's Apollo-Soyuz Test Project mission. The current ISS agreement is set to end in 2024, although numerous partners are negotiating an extension until at least 2028.

Russia indicated that it needs more assurances to move forward after 2024. "This is about the sanctions introduced by the American administration against the enterprises of the Russian space industry, as well as the absence of any official information in Roscosmos from the U.S. partners on the plans to further control and operate the ISS," Roscosmos said in Friday's statement.

Related: Building the International Space Station (photos)

Roscosmos chief Dmitry Rogozin speaks virtually at the 71st International Astronautical Congress on Oct. 12, 2020. (Image credit: International Astronautical Federation/ YouTube

Both NASA and Roscosmos said they do plan to continue discussions, including face-to-face. Nelson is expected to come to Russia soon, and negotiations will be ongoing with the Europeans until "end of June 2021," Roscosmos said.

One opportunity for discussion is the Global Space Exploration Conference, which will be held in St. Petersburg from June 14 to June 18. That meeting is co-hosted by Roscosmos and the International Astronautical Federation.

The Americans and the Russians have been the major partners in the ISS program since the fall of the Soviet Union in the 1990s, when the space station agreement was modified to bring in Russian participation  in part due to international concerns about where Russian space engineers would go amid the collapse of the Soviet Union. Getting ready for ISS long-duration missions was also one of the reasons NASA offered to ferry Americans to the Soviet-Russian Mir space station in the 1990s.

At the time that Russia was invited to join the ISS project, Europe, Japan and Canada had been working on another NASA-led program called Space Station Freedom. Freedom never got off the ground due to complex technical, funding and policy problems during its development.

Follow Elizabeth Howell on Twitter @howellspace. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook.
Only three coins of this type have ever been found before in Poland, which was well beyond the Carolingian realms. Archaeologists suspect they are linked to the Scandinavian trading emporium at Truso.

A hoard of silver coins minted in the Carolingian Empire about 1,200 years ago has been unearthed in northeastern Poland and may have been part of a historic ransom to save Paris from a Viking invasion.

It's the first time anyone has found so many Carolingian coins in Poland. Only three such coins  of a distinctive style with Latin inscriptions and a central crucifix  have been found in the country before now.

The Carolingian Empire was founded by the Frankish king Charlemagne  Charles the Great  and spanned much of modern France, Germany, Switzerland and northern Italy in the eighth and ninth centuries.

Related: 12 bizarre medieval trends

Archaeologists think the newfound coins may have come from the Viking trading town of Truso, which was then located near the Baltic coast about 60 miles (100 kilometers) west of the farmer's field where they were found.

And if the coins did come from Truso, it's possible that they were part of an immense ransom of gold and silver paid by a Carolingian king to prevent invading Vikings from sacking the city of Paris.

"If a larger number of the coins can be attributed to Paris, then yes, it is possible  and some have already been attributed to Paris," said Mateusz Bogucki, an archaeologist and coin expert at the University of Warsaw in Poland. But "it is way too early to give such an interpretation," he told Live Science.

Regardless, the distinctiveness of the coins raises interesting questions about their origins, Bogucki said. At the time the hoard was hidden or lost, the first medieval Polish kingdom had yet to be established, and the Slavic tribes in the region used mainly Arabian silver dirhams paid in exchange for slaves by traders from the Muslim caliphate, based in Baghdad far to the south.

A total of 118 of the Carolingian silver coins, about 1,200 years old, were unearthed in a farmer's field near the town of Biskupiec in north-east Poland. (Image credit: Museum of Ostroda)

Carolingian coins

Metal detectorists discovered the first handful of the coin hoard in November 2020, in a field near the town of Biskupiec.

The finders, who had permission from the provincial government for their activities, stopped any further searching and kept the location secret until experts from the nearby Museum of Ostroda could investigate the find.

Related: 30 of the world's most valuable treasures that are still missing

By March 2021, archaeologist Luke Szczepanski and his team had unearthed a total of 118 coins from the field  117 of them minted during the reign of the Carolingian emperor Louis the Pious, who ruled from A.D. 814 until 840, and one coin minted during the reign of his son Charles the Bald, who ruled until A.D. 877.

Such coins are extremely rare in Poland, which was well beyond the lands ruled by the Carolingian dynasty. The only three Carolingian coins previously unearthed were found at the archaeological site at Truso , which had been established by Norse traders by the eighth century and was famous for its trade in amber, furs and slaves.

It seems likely that the owner of the hoard of coins found near Biskupiec had obtained them in Truso, Bogucki said, but there is a possibility that they had come from somewhere else and were being taken to Truso for trading. The coins have no marks that show exactly where and when they were minted, but researchers can learn more about their origins by studying characteristics like the shapes of the letters in their Latin inscriptions, he said.

Image 1 of 4 Only three coins of this type have ever been found before in Poland, which was well beyond the Carolingian realms. Archaeologists suspect they are linked to the Scandinavian trading emporium at Truso. (Image credit: Museum of Ostroda) Image 2 of 4 The silver coins are in a distinctive style used by successive Carolingian kings, with Latin inscriptions around a central crucifix and emblem of a temple. (Image credit: Museum of Ostroda) Image 3 of 4 A total of 118 of the Carolingian silver coins, about 1,200 years old, were unearthed in a farmer's field near the town of Biskupiec in north-east Poland. (Image credit: Museum of Ostroda) Image 4 of 4 Only three coins of this type have ever been found before in Poland, which was well beyond the Carolingian realms. Archaeologists suspect they are linked to the Scandinavian trading emporium at Truso. (Image credit: Museum of Ostroda)

Viking shakedown

The archaeologists aren't sure how the hoard of silver coins came to be hidden or lost near Biskupiec. The region was probably an uninhabited wilderness at the time, and archaeologists have not found any traces of a nearby settlement, Szczepanski told Science in Poland .

One intriguing possibility, however, is that the coins came from Truso and that they were originally part of a ransom paid by the Carolingian king Charles the Bald to Vikings threatening Paris, his capital city.

Norse raiders frequently attacked the Frankish heartlands of the Carolingian Empire  today's northern France and western Germany  after the late eighth century. Historical records compiled by monks suggest that in A.D. 845 a large fleet of Viking ships sailed up the Seine and laid siege to Paris, then located on an island in the river.

Charles the Bald reportedly paid the invaders 7,000 livres, or more than 5 tons of silver and gold, to prevent them from sacking the city, Bogucki said, and it's possible that some of the coins found near Biskupiec were part of that ransom.

Charlemagne was King of the Franks in the late eighth century when his armies conquered most of western Europe. He was crowned Emperor of the Romans by the pope in Rome in A.D. 800; his rule and those of his dynasty are known as the Carolingian Empire, which later became Europe's Holy Roman Empire . Charlemagne's son Louis the Pious succeeded him as emperor in 814, and the empire was divided among Louis' sons in 840.

Charles the Bald, one of Louis' sons, ruled the western kingdoms and became the Carolingian emperor in 875. Portrayals from the time show him with a full head of hair; historians speculate that he may, in fact, have been very hairy and that the nickname was used ironically, or that his "baldness" referred to his initial lack of lands compared with those of his brothers.

Originally published on Live Science.
WASHINGTON - On Capitol Hill, a neighborhood known for architecture that draws your eye upward to the official and grand, a new art gallery features art so casual and tiny you can hold it in your hand.

From East Capitol Street, between 3rd and 4th St. NE, the white box along the north side of the sidewalk could be mistaken for an oddly placed birdhouse or an overly large mailbox. But look inside at its white walls, its miniature bench, tiny easel and art ranging from Cris Clapp Logan's D.C. street scenes to Brian Miller's floral oil paintings, and you'll have no doubt - this is an art gallery. Albeit, one sized more for mice than for people.

If anything, that tininess has drawn viewers and artists inside its walls. Megan Pena-Ariet, a local artist, says it stirs feelings of "cute aggression," a term that describes the way our minds cope with the onslaught of positive feelings brought on by something adorable - you just want to squish/squeeze/eat it.

Thankfully, no one has tried, but part of the popularity might come from the feeling that you could. Artists and tiny gallerists alike say bite-size art is less intimidating. It lowers the barrier to entry for amateur artists who might not ever show their work in a formal space and reaches people who might not encounter the local art scene.

"It's physically and psychologically accessible," says Stacy Milrany, founder of Seattle's Free Little Art Gallery. "The art world can get elitist, superficial, alienating, otherwise inaccessible to some people. This is the opposite in every way."

The idea has spread to dozens of cities and neighborhoods around the country. Atlanta; Oakland, Calif.; Phoenix and Hyattsville, Md., all boast their own little galleries. The FLAGs, as they call themselves, are close cousins of theLittle Free Library. Some have criticized little libraries as evidence of gentrification and say they are nothing more than stockpiles of bad, unwanted books. But the little art gallery, where anyone from neighborhood children to retired artists to working professionals can swap fun-sized art, is much more personal and, ideally, more intentional. Books come and go from little libraries with relative anonymity. Here, there is an exchange from one artist's fingertips to another's - literally.

While the concept of little galleries has been around for a while (Milrany has seen it on Pinterest boards going back to at least 2017), the Seattle-based artist jump-started the recent wave of little galleries making names for themselves on sidewalks andaesthetically pleasing Instagram accounts. Milrany started making tiny art to mail to her mother while she was going through chemotherapy three hours away, and when the pandemic hit, Milrany began mailing handmade postcards to friends. She opened her Free Little Art Gallery in Seattle in December 2020, and she estimates that since then, more than 600 works have cycled through.

She credits the success in part to the pandemic. Many people took on new hobbies or returned to old ones this past year, and the Free Little Art Gallery is, among other things, a hobbyist's pedestal - the perfect place to display a quick little sketch or watercolor.

But it's more than that. Implicit in tiny art is a certain intimacy. Whereas large-scale art engages your whole body, your whole body must engage tiny art: You have to crouch down, lower your gaze, peer into the teeny space. It demands the kind of world-canceling concentration typically reserved for a smartphone.

"Especially during the pandemic and, frankly, in all times, sharing handmade elements of human expression is really important," says Milrany. "Art is simply a reminder and proof that humans exist."

In D.C., that proof has come in the form of a lively abstraction by Ben Hough, pop art-inspired stickers by Michelle McAuliffe, even a 3-D-printed Eames chair by Carl Anderson. The Eames chair was the first work FLAG D.C. founder Allyson Klinner swiped to start her own personal collection of small art.

An architect, Klinner spends her days thinking in city-sized plans. Now, by night, she curates art that is model-sized. The contrast has shown her how a seemingly small element of a neighborhood can affect the larger streetscape.

"The Free Little Art Gallery has made people kind of pause as they walk," she says. "(It is about) making public space a place to be enjoyed rather than just used as a traffic corridor."

Artist Megan Pena-Ariet recently made a trip to D.C.'s FLAG from her home in Silver Spring, Md. A small-art aficionado, Pena-Ariet sells 4-by-4-inch and 6-by-6-inch canvases and once contributed to a show of tiny work in the One Thousand Museum, a condo designed by Zaha Hadid in Miami. She finds small art more carefree. "When I work miniature, I feel like there's less pressure," she says. "It feels like being a kid making art again."

Clare Wright, a former art teacher who founded a Free Little Art Gallery in Phoenix, says the galleries remind her of small replica homes she has seen at museums. "It's like a dollhouse," she says. "It takes us back to when we were kids. Who didn't love playing with miniature toys?"
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The line between mercy killing and plain old murder is uncomfortably drawn in Argentine La Dosis. Writer-director Martin Krauts debut feature sets up an intriguing cat-and-mouse conflict between one male hospital nurse whose early-terminus interventions are of the compassionate kind, while a new staffers seem motivated by pure malice.

Not quite as suspenseful or twisty as that premise might lead one to expect, this ends up falling somewhere between thriller and character-study terrain. Nonetheless, it occupies that not-entirely-satisfying middle ground capably enough to keep viewers interested, and to suggest its maker has the chops for less-modestly-scaled future projects. Following a run on the genre festival circuit, Goldwyn is releasing directly to U.S. VOD and digital platforms on June 11.

Outwardly, Marcos (Carlos Portaluppi) is something of a sad sack: A portly middle-aged loner without apparent friends or family, working a singularly grim night-shift job. He cant even escape via sleep, since his rather dilapidated apartment is assaulted all day long by nearby-construction noise. But in that unenviable post at a private clinics Intensive Care Unit, he has tranquility and purpose, being able to calm agitated patients who know their time is nearly up. When the prognosis is hopeless and their suffering too great, he sometimes gives them a discreet wee-hours nudge off the mortal plane. As the beneficiaries were expected to die anyway, these morally-defensible (if still illegal) acts go undetected.

But the unit soon comes under closer scrutiny after the arrival of a new nurse who joins Marcos and his longtime colleague Noelia (Lorena Vega) on their shifts. At least in this rather cheerless environ, Gabriel (Ignacio Rogers) seems the spirit of youth, handsome and extroverted. He ingratiates himself with everyone so well that only charm-resistant Marcos suspects something unsettling about the newcomer. Indeed, deaths in the ICU begin to surge, including among patients whose health had been improving. But Gabriel has sussed the older mans secret, too, so Marcos risks exposing his own euthanasias in order to stop this smiling psychopath from killing (as he puts it) for pleasure.

Using relatively few locations that mark the borders of its protagonists withdrawn life, La Dosis is nonetheless visually confident and sometimes alluring, reflecting Krauts background in still photography. Scenes at the clinic are bathed in blue tints both nocturnal and institutional, a device that risks aesthetic mannerism. Is a successful gambit, though, helping us see why for Marcos this typically quiet ward is a safe zone, a warm-bath-like place where hes comforted by comforting others.

The homoerotic aspect in his uneasy relationship with Gabriel may seem underdeveloped to some viewers, as are several other plot elements. But the directorial tone underlines that whether Marcos is attracted to this pushy new-best-friend or not (its unclear), hes as upset by having his privacy invaded as by the evil deeds Gabriel may well have been committing before his arrival here.

There are elements of low-key black comedy in our hapless heros dealing with clinic superiors, who are so clueless that their suspicions fall on entirely the wrong person. As a thriller, however, La Dosis is slow-burning to a fault, never quite arriving at the boil anticipated. Even the climactic confrontation is sotto voce, literally and otherwise. It would not have damaged the films integrity to eke a bit more tension from slightly-more-heightened plot turns, which Kraut resists as both writer and director.

Still, its all more involving than it is frustrating. Thats thanks in large part to the nuanced performances of the leads, whose work ensures that at least the first half of the term psychological thriller feels well-realized here. Cinematographer Gustavo Biazzis formal compositions and cool pastels provide the most prominent factor in an accomplished tech/design assembly.

Reviewed online, San Francisco, June 7, 2021. (In Fantasia Film Festival.) Running time: 93 MIN.

Running Time: Running time: 93 MIN.

Production

(Argentina) A Samuel Goldwyn Films release of an Alina Films production, in association with INCAA, Universidad del Cine, Fonda National de las Artes. Producers: Pablo Chernov, Martin Kraut. Executive producer: Chernov.

Crew

Director, writer: Martin Kraut. Camera: Gustavo Biazzi. Editor: Eliane D. Katz. Music: Juan Tobal.

With

Carlos Portaluppi, Ignacio Rogers, Lorena Vega, German de Silva, Alberto Suarez, Arturo Bonin, Ramiro Vayo, Maitina De Marco.

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They begin to argue and then theyre kind of at the same level, just not normal behavior, Lopez said. Our deputies, you know, also experience mental health crisis, and this could be a good example of something that may have gotten out of hand and went in that direction.
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Chris Harrison is being replaced by a slew of celebrities on Bachelor in Paradise this summer: Lil Jon, David Spade, Tituss Burgess, Lance Bass and more, Variety has learned.

The celebs will serve as rotating hosts through the summer season, which just went into production in Mexico this week.

Deals have closed for Lil Jon, Spade, Burgess and Bass, Variety has confirmed with ABC.

Variety has also learned that Bachelor super-fan couple, Wells Adams and Modern Family star Sarah Hyland, will appear on Bachelor in Paradise this summer, though their deals have not closed and their roles are undisclosed, at this time. ABC declined to comment.

While the group of celebrities are temporary guest hosts just for the summer season (at this point, at least), ABC will soon be on the search for a more permanent host, following Tuesdays news that Harrison is leaving the franchise permanently.

Harrison has been the sole host of The Bachelor franchise since day one, launching the monster hit dating franchise in 2002.

He came under fire for defending a contestant, Rachael Kirkconnell, with racially insensitive comments that blew up into a media firestorm that never settled down  the result was him stepping away with a settlement to stay quiet, but not without dramatic negotiations. Insiders told Variety that Harrisons attorney, power lawyer Bryan Freedman, was outraged at the network and studios handling of the situation, believing his client was essentially a scapegoat for the franchises issues. (Freedman, when contacted by Variety, has declined to comment for all stories on the matter.)

Harrison made a friendly statement, upon his departure on Tuesday, writing, Ive had a truly incredible run as host of The Bachelor franchise, and now Im excited to start a new chapter. Im so grateful to Bachelor Nation for all of the memories weve made together. While my two-decade journey is wrapping up, the friendships Ive made will last a lifetime.

Kirkconnells controversy started to snowball at the beginning of the year. The contestant  who is currently back in a relationship with the first-ever Black Bachelor star, Matt James  attended an antebellum-themed plantation fraternity party back in 2018 when she was in college. When photos resurfaced in early 2021, Harrison defended her during an interview with former Bachelorette Rachel Lindsay, diminishing the severity of the photos, arguing with Lindsay and saying, Well, Rachel, is it a good look in 2018? Or, is it not a good look in 2021? Because theres a big difference.

After the widely-panned interview, Harrison announced hed be stepping aside. He was replaced by Emmanuel Acho on After the Final Rose, with the substitute host receiving rave reviews. And now, Harrison has been replaced by former Bachelorette stars, Tayshia Adams and Kaitlyn Bristowe, on the current season of The Bachelorette, which premiered Monday.

Following Bachelor in Paradise this summer, production will begin on yet another season of The Bachelorette, starring one of James contestants, Michelle Young. While no host has been announced for that season, which will air in fall 2021, Adams and Bristowe received a warm welcome on Twitter for their premiere episode Monday, and having two former Bachelorettes would make sense for a new female-fronted season.

As for Bachelor in Paradise, Season 7 marks the return of the fan-favorite guilty pleasure, which was skipped last year, due to the coronavirus pandemic shutting down production in 2020.

Despite previous reports over the past few days, Variety sources firmly stated that Bachelor in Paradise would be hosted by a rotating group of hosts.

Lil Jon, the Grammy-winning crunk rapper, appeared as a guest on Season 14 of The Bachelorette during a one-on-one date with Becca Kufrin. Spade is a Bachelor super-fan, who has become known for his live commentary of episodes. Burgess is an award-winning actor from The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt; Lance Bass is a former boy bander from NSYNC, and will mark the first out LGBTQ person to be cast on The Bachelor franchise, in any capacity.

Adams is a former Bachelor contestant, who became a fan-favorite and eventually the bartender on Bachelor in Paradise. Along with his beau, Modern Family actor Hyland, the duo is Bachelor super-fans.

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Over the course of two days, Laredo Sector Border Patrol agents, along with the Laredo Police Department and other federal law enforcement partners, located five stash houses and apprehended over 200 undocumented individuals throughout Laredo.

The first incident occurred during the mid-afternoon of June 7, when agents from Laredo South Station received information from a concerned citizen about a possible stash house on Mims Avenue. Agents, along with LPD, conducted a welfare check at the residence and discovered 29 undocumented individuals from the countries of Mexico, Honduras and El Salvador. The temperature inside the residence was close to 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

Later that day, Laredo South Station and LPD investigated a report of a suspected stash house located on Canelo Drive. Law enforcement officers discovered 20 individuals that were in the U.S. illegally and from the country of Mexico.

The third stash house was located later that evening when Laredo South Station agents received a request from LPD of a suspected stash house on San Francisco Avenue. Once agents arrived on scene, 82 undocumented individuals from the countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, Mexico, Honduras and Nicaragua were apprehended.

Agents, along with LPD and federal law enforcement partners, discovered a fourth stash house on Invierno Lane on June 8. A search of the residence resulted in the apprehension of 55 undocumented individuals from the countries of Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Ecuador and Nicaragua.

The final stash house was found by agents from the Laredo North Station and LPD on San Agustin Avenue. Law enforcement officers apprehended 30 undocumented individuals. The individuals were from the countries of Mexico and Guatemala and were in the U.S. illegally.

The individuals from the stash houses were not wearing personal protective equipment when encountered. They were provided PPE and were medically screened and processed accordingly.

Illegal stash houses remain in high use throughout our community, which continues to be highlighted by our city partners. These houses often have no electricity, no running water or any type of air conditioning, and the people being held inside are not free to leave. Summer heat makes these situations extremely dangerous, said Deputy Chief Patrol Agent Carl E. Landrum.

Stash houses continue to be a threat to national security and to the citizens of our nation, not only because of their use by criminal organizations, but also to the people they exploit by concealing them in dilapidated close quarters. Help us and our law enforcement partners take a stand against these criminal organizations and their dangerous acts by reporting suspicious activity in our neighborhoods.

Although the volume of people arrested in the stash houses is high, stash house apprehensions remain only a fraction of the total apprehensions made in Laredo Sector. The majority of apprehensions made by Laredo Sector agents are while performing line watch operations along the border.

To report suspicious activity such as human and/or drug smuggling, download the USBP Laredo Sector App or contact the Laredo Sector Border Patrol toll free at 1-800-343-1994. If you see something, say something.
LUBBOCK, Texas (AP)  Wine grape growers in Texas and surrounding states filed a lawsuit last week against drug-maker Bayer-Monsanto and chemical giant BASF for the damage their cotton herbicide has caused to vineyards.

Attorneys for the grape growers say cotton seed systems created by Bayer-Monsanto and BASF that use the highly volatile herbicide called dicamba to kill weeds is drifting to nearby vineyards and crippling the nonresistant grapes.

The lawsuit, filed in Jefferson County on Friday, claims that some family-owned vineyards have reported losses of more than 90% since Bayer-Monsanto and BASF began selling their dicamba-based genetically modified seed system to cotton growers.

More than 85% of all the wine grapes grown in Texas are grown within one hour of Lubbock, and the grapes are produced, sold or used by the states $13.1 billion wine industry, according to the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal.

The vineyards have seen their production fall dramatically, and what grapes do grow are often rejected for poor quality," the lawsuit says.

According to the suit, the existence of many High Plains vineyards is under threat because of the dicamba herbicide being sprayed on more than two-thirds of the 3 million acres of cotton in the Texas High Plains.

Dicamba has been the subject of many lawsuits, mostly by farmers, who claim their crops are not dicamba-resistant and the herbicide's use is damaging and killing their crops. In February 2020, Bayer and BASF were ordered to pay $265 million to a Missouri peach farmer who said the herbicide drifted from nearby cotton fields and damaged thousands of his trees.

In a statement response to the most recent lawsuit, Bayer said it has great sympathy for growers suffering crop losses but that there could be many reasons for the losses and that it would therefore continue to defend the use of dicamba.

The lawsuit seeks to recover the $114 million in damages, plus $228 million in punitive damages from Bayer-Monsanto and $228 million in punitive damages from BASF based on the companies knowing the damages it could cause.
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Natasha Mikles, Texas State University

(THE CONVERSATION) As the global population continues to grow, space for putting the dead to rest is at a premium. In the U.S., some of the biggest cities are already short on burial land, and so are many other nations around the world.

At the same time, many nations are transforming funerary rituals, changing the way cemeteries operate and even destroying historic cemeteries to reclaim land for the living. In Singapore, for example, the government has forcibly demolished family tombs in favor of columbariums, structures that can hold the urns of the cremated. Grave spaces in the city-state can be used only for a term of 15 years, after which the remains are cremated and the space is used for another burial.

In Hong Kong, gravesites are among the most expensive real estate per square foot and the government has enlisted pop stars and other celebrities to promote cremation over physical burial.

As a scholar who studies Buddhist funerary rituals and narratives about the afterlife, what interests me are the innovative responses in some Buddhist majority nations and the tensions that result as environmental needs clash with religious beliefs.

Practice of tree burial

As early as the 1970s, public officials in Japan were concerned about a lack of adequate burial space in urban areas. They offered a variety of novel solutions, from cemeteries in distant resort towns where families could organize a vacation around a visit for traditional graveside rituals, to chartered bus trips to rural areas to bury loved ones. Beginning in 1990, the Grave-Free Promotion Society, a volunteer social organization, publicly advocated for the scattering of human ashes.

Since 1999, the Shounji temple in northern Japan has attempted to offer a more innovative solution to this crisis through Jumokuso, or tree burials. In these burials, families place cremated remains in the ground and a tree is planted over the ashes to mark the gravesite.

The Shounji parent temple opened a smaller temple site known as Chishoin in an area where there was already a small woodland. Here, in a small park, free from the large, stone markers of traditional Japanese grave sites, Buddhist priests perform annual rituals for the deceased. Families are also still able to visit loved ones and perform their own religious rituals at the site  unlike the scattering of cremated remains promoted by the Grave-Free Promotion Society, which leaves the family without the specific ritual space required for traditional Confucian and Buddhist rituals.

While many families electing for tree burials do not explicitly identify as Buddhist or associate with a Buddhist temple, the practice reflects Japanese Buddhisms larger interest in environmental responsibility. Perhaps influenced by Shinto beliefs about gods living in the natural world, Japanese Buddhism has historically been unique among Buddhist traditions for its focus on the environmental world.

Whereas the earliest Indian Buddhist thought framed plants as nonsentient and, therefore, outside of the cycle of reincarnation, Japanese Buddhism frames flora as a living component of the cycle of reincarnation and, therefore, necessary to protect.

As a result, Japanese Buddhist institutions today often frame the challenge of humanitys impact on the environment as a specifically religious concern. The head of the Shounji temple has described tree burials as part of a uniquely Buddhist commitment to preserving the natural environment.

Social transformations

The idea of tree burials has proven so popular in Japan that other temples and public cemeteries have mimicked the model, some providing burial spaces under individual trees and others spaces in a columbarium that surrounds a single tree.

Scholar Sebastian Penmellen Boret writes in his 2016 book that these tree burials reflect larger transformations in Japanese society. After World War II, Buddhisms influence on Japanese society declined as hundreds of new religious movements flourished. Additionally, an increasing trend toward urbanization undermined the ties that had traditionally existed between families and the local temples, which housed and cared for their ancestral gravesites.

Tree burials also cost significantly less than traditional funerary practices, which is an important consideration for many Japanese people struggling to support multiple generations. The birth rate in Japan is one of the lowest in the world, so children often struggle without siblings to support ailing and deceased parents and grandparents.

Concern over traditional ceremonies

This move has not been without controversy. Religious and cultural communities across East Asia maintain that a physical space is necessary to visit the deceased for various afterlife rituals. Confucian traditions maintain that it is the responsibility of the child to care for their deceased parents, grandparents and other ancestors through ritual offerings of food and other items.

During the festival of Obon, typically held in the middle of August, Japanese Buddhists will visit family graves and make food and drink offerings for their ancestors, as they believe the deceased visit the human world during this period. These offerings for ancestors are repeated biannually at the spring and fall equinoxes, called ohigan.

Additionally, some Buddhist temples have expressed concern that tree burials are irrevocably undermining their social and economic ties to local communities. Since the institution of the Danka system in the 17th-century, Japanese Buddhist temples have traditionally held a monopoly on ancestral burial sites. They performed a variety of gravesite services for families to ensure their loved one has a good rebirth in return for annual donations.

American funeral traditions

Tree burials still remain a minority practice in Japan, but there is evidence they are quickly growing in popularity. Japanese tree burials, however, mirror trends happening in burial practices in the United States.

Whereas in the past, grave slots were thought of as being in perpetuity, now most cemeteries offer burial leases for a maximum period of 100 years, with shorter leases both common and encouraged. As represented by the pioneering work of mortician Caitlin Doughty and others, consumers are turning an increasingly doubtful eye to the accouterments of the traditional American funeral, including the public viewing of an embalmed body, a casket communicative of social status and a large stone marking ones grave.

Part of this undoubtedly reflects sociological data indicating the decline of traditional religious institutions and a rise at the same time in alternative spiritualities. However, above all, such efforts toward new forms of burial represent the fundamental versatility of religious rituals and spiritual practices as they transform to address emerging environmental and social factors.

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During a City Council meeting on Monday, Laredo City Council approved City Manager Robert A. Eads appointment of Orlando Navarro as the new Planning & Zoning Director for the City of Laredo.

Navarro will officially assume his new role on July 1, 2021.

Between the different positions that he has performed, along his various awards for valuable contributions to the local community, Orlando is a great and welcome asset to our team. He is a crucial addition to our team, especially coming to us directly from the private sector in Laredo, Eads said.

Navarro is a native Laredoan with a bachelors degree in business administration with a concentration in marketing from Texas A&M International University, where he graduated in 1994. His experience in leadership has grown over the years by being part of recognizable companies such as Popeyes, St. Augustine High School, Arguindigui Oil Company and UETA.

As part of the B.P. Newman Investments Company, Navarro performed the position of Development Director, where he contributed to the development of over 300 acres of land. He also provided oversight for over 1,500 apartments in Laredo and South Texas and planned numerous residential properties during his time at this company. Additionally, Navarro supervised office staff and field personnel in multiple markets, which allowed him to enhance his leadership skills. He also assumed public relations responsibilities to the business community.

Orlando Navarro served the City of Laredo as a Planning and Zoning Commission Member for eight years. He held various positions including President of the Laredo Builders Association, Chairman of the Laredo Parade of Homes, Chairman of the LBA Cornerstone Award, President of the Texas A&M International Alumni Association, Chairman of the Autumn Music Festival and Chairman of the International Council of Shopping Center Laredo Conference.
During more than a year battling with COVID-19, many locals have worked diligently and courageously to ensure their fellow community members are able to get beyond the pandemic. And some of them were honored on Monday night at Laredos City Council meeting.

After months of work that is still ongoing, the LISD and UISD nursing staffs were recognized for their work in vaccinating 25% of the county population, as well as the strong collaboration between both districts and the city.

We wanted to be on board with this because we understand how important it is to bring our children back into our learning community, LISD Superintendent Sylvia Rios said. I will tell you, Chief (Guillermo) Heard, (Health Director) Richard Chamberlain, as well as all the individuals involved  there was true collaboration, so we are thankful we are part of this initiative, and we look forward to continuing that initiative.

Councilmembers praised the efforts made by both school districts in vaccinating the population and helping the city reach milestones that major cities across Texas could not.

According to the Texas Health and Human Service Department, approximately 62.25% of the 12 and up Webb County population is fully vaccinated.

Both LISD Health Service Coordinator Grace Lopez and UISD Health Services Director Irene Rosales were recognized for their deployment of district nurses and their impact on the numerous clinics hosted throughout the city.

It is wonderful to see your heroic efforts, and in many ways the work of LISD and UISD saved the city of Laredo, District VI Councilmember Dr. Marte Martinez said. Without your efforts, I dont know if we as a community are able to quickly and effectively vaccinate our population.  Laredo owes you a debt of gratitude for your hard work.

Rios added that approximately 2,000 vaccines have been administered to children 12 years old and up. Furthermore, a campaign is being planned to encourage unvaccinated 12-year-old students to get vaccinated.

UISD Assistant Superintendent Mike Garza said that as he echoes Rios sentiments of collaboration, the efforts were all a labor of love. He also said that the district is currently preparing for booster shots in the near future.

It was a commitment to our community, he said. We are very proud of that effort. We are going to continue that effort going forward.

City of Laredo District III Councilmember Mercurio Martinez III said that the efforts are appreciated, especially in a city that wasnt heard by the state in regards to the vaccine needs. In a similar vein, District IV Councilmember Alberto Torres praised and recognized the efforts that were done throughout both school districts.

Both recognized that the overall number of fully vaccinated and first dose vaccinated would not have been as attainable without the efforts of both districts.

It takes a lot of time, patience and also criticism, Torres said. But at the end of the day, we knew that aside from all those challenges and obstacles, it had to get done. And you all never stepped back from the responsibility.

According to the DSHS, as of June 8, approximately 44.13% of the Texas population has been vaccinated, or over 10.6 million people.

Laredos last official update on vaccinations came in last Thursdays weekly report, stating that 60.4% of the citys eligible population was fully vaccinated. Additionally, 76.7% of the eligible population over the age of 12 had received at least one dose, and a total of 89.9% of those over the age of 65 had received at least one dose.

cocampo@lmtonline.com
ISLANDTON, S.C. (AP)  A mother and son from a prominent South Carolina legal family were found shot and killed on their family's land, and authorities said they have made no arrests in the double homicide case.

Deputies in Colleton County found the two dead from gunshots on property near Islandton around 10 p.m. Monday, the sheriff's office said in a statement.

Maggie Murdaugh , 52, and her son Paul Murdaugh, 22, were shot several times and their bodies were found near a dog kennel, Colleton County Coroner Richard Harvey said. How many times they were shot won't be known until autopsies are conducted later this week, Harvey said.

Paul Murdaugh was awaiting trial on a charge of boating under the influence causing death in a February 2019 crash that killed 19-year-old Mallory Beach. The woman's body was found seven days after the crash.

The wreck led to stories questioning whether his familys ties to the legal system in the area affected the investigation

Colleton County deputies turned the investigation over to the State Law Enforcement Division, whose agents released no information beyond confirming they were looking into the deaths as a double homicide. They said no arrests had been made.

Property records show the Murdaugh family owns the land in a rural area along the Salkehatchie River. The home is about 60 miles (95 kilometers) north of Savannah, Georgia.

Paul Murdaugh's grandfather, great-grandfather and great-great grandfather were all longtime elected solicitors in the area, but all were out of office at the time of the boat crash.

Beach's family said they hope anyone with information will come forward so the killer can face justice.

The Beach family extends its deepest and warmest sympathies to the Murdaugh family during this terrible time. Having suffered the devastating loss of their own daughter, the family prays that the Murdaughs can find some level of peace from this tragic loss," said the family's statement, issued through their lawyer, Mark Tinsley.
MOSCOW (AP)  A Moscow court on Wednesday night outlawed the organizations founded by Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny by labeling them extremist, the latest move in a campaign to silence dissent and bar Kremlin critics from running for parliament in September.

The Moscow City Courts ruling, effective immediately, prevents people associated with Navalnys Foundation for Fighting Corruption and his sprawling regional network from seeking public office. Many of Navalnys allies had hoped to run for parliamentary seats in the Sept. 19 election.

The ruling, part of a multipronged Kremlin strategy to steamroll the opposition, sends a tough message one week before President Vladimir Putin holds a summit meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden in Geneva.

The extremism label also carries lengthy prison terms for activists who have worked with the organizations, anyone who donated to them, and even those who simply shared the groups materials.

Navalny, Putin's most ardent political foe, was arrested in January upon returning from Germany, where he spent five months recovering from a nerve agent poisoning that he blames on the Kremlin  an accusation that Russian officials reject. In February, Navalny was given a 2 1/2-year prison term for violating the terms of a suspended sentence from a 2014 embezzlement conviction that he dismissed as politically motivated.

In a statement posted on his Instagram account after the verdict, Navalny denounced the hearing as a travesty of justice and vowed to continue defying the Kremlin.

When corruption is the foundation of the government, fighters against corruption are cast as extremists, the statement said. We will not abandon our goals and ideas. It's our country and we don't have another one.

The U.S. State Department condemned the court's ruling, saying that Russia has effectively criminalized one of the countrys few remaining independent political movements.

The Russian people, like all people, have the right to speak freely, form peaceful associations to common ends, exercise religious freedom, and have their voices heard through free and fair elections, State Department spokesman Ned Price said in a statement.

The court session, lasting more than 12 hours, was held behind closed doors on grounds that classified materials would be discussed. The judge rejected a defense appeal to allow Navalny to take part via a video link from prison and dismissed other motions by the defense.

Lawyer Yevgeny Smirnov said during the hearing that the prosecutors motion was intended to bar Navalnys associates from running for public office. This case has been linked to the law that bans all those who are connected with the Foundation for Fighting Corruption from getting elected, Smirnov said.

Lawyers said they would appeal the ruling.

Navalnys offices in dozens of Russian regions already shut down in April after prosecutors issued an injunction to suspend their activities pending the court ruling, but the opposition leader's associates have vowed to continue their work in different formats.

His foundation, started 10 years ago, has relentlessly targeted senior government officials with colorful and widely watched videos that detail corruption allegations against them. One of its latest productions, which has received 117 million views on YouTube, claimed that a lavish palace on the shores of the Black Sea was built for Putin through an elaborate corruption scheme. The Kremlin has denied any links to Putin.

Navalny also has relied on his offices across Russia to organize anti-Kremlin protests and implement his Smart Voting strategy  a project to support the candidates most likely to defeat those from the Kremlins dominant United Russia party in various elections.

During the hearing, prosecutors accused Navalny's organizations of staging protests to overthrow the government.

As the Moscow court was preparing to consider the case, Russian lawmakers fast-tracked a measure that banned members of organizations declared extremist from running for public office. The law was signed by Putin last week, and combined with the court ruling will dash the hopes of several Navalny associates who have declared their intention to run for parliament.

Ivan Zhdanov, a top Navalny associate who headed his foundation, vowed that the team will continue publishing exposes of corrupt officials and apply the Smart Voting strategy.

Navalny's team will not stop its activities, they shouldn't hope for that, Zhdanov, who lives abroad, told the independent Dozhd TV.

The September vote is widely seen as an important part of Putins efforts to cement his rule ahead of the 2024 presidential election. The 68-year-old leader, who has been in power for more than two decades, pushed through constitutional changes last year that would potentially allow him to hold onto power until 2036.

Ahead of the vote, the government has targeted other opposition figures as well. Last week, authorities arrested Andrei Pivovarov, the head of another anti-Kremlin group that they have labeled undesirable  a designation used by the Kremlin to outlaw more than 30 groups.

Days before his arrest, Pivovarov announced the dissolution of his Open Russia movement to protect members from prosecution, but that didn't stop authorities from pulling him off a Warsaw-bound plane at St. Petersburgs airport last week. A court in southern Russia's Krasnodar region ordered him to be held for two months pending an investigation.

Membership in undesirable organizations is a criminal offense under a 2015 law, and another bill now making its way through the Russian parliament increases the punishment for it, introducing prison terms of up to six years for their members.

Open Russia was financed by Russian tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky, who moved to London after spending 10 years in prison in Russia on charges widely seen as political revenge for challenging Putins rule. Khodorkovsky has described the ongoing crackdown on dissent as a reflection of authorities concern about the waning popularity of the main Kremlin-directed party, United Russia.

Another opposition activist, Dmitry Gudkov, a former Russian lawmaker who has aspired to run again for the parliament, was held for two days last week on financial charges that he and his supporters allege were trumped up. He went abroad after being released, saying that he had received a warning that he would be jailed if he didn't leave the country.


Familiarity breeds contempt for many agricultural folk when it comes to putting on a seatbelt in a farm vehicle  something that is causing too many deaths.

Almost half of vehicle-related deaths on farms could be avoided if only seatbelts were worn. That was the finding of WorkSafe New Zealand after a recent analysis of farming fatalities involving vehicles. The health and safety regulator found that not wearing seatbelts was the largest single factor contributing to fatal, work-related accidents.

Complacency and the age of the farmer or agricultural worker also played a big part. WorkSafe engagement lead for agriculture Al McCone said the older someone was, the more likely they were to injure themselves from not wearing a seatbelt in an on-farm incident.

Farm vehicles are versatile and many fatalities reported to WorkSafe involve older experienced farmers doing tasks on terrain they have worked on many times before, he said.

Mr McCone said more than 75 per cent of all deaths on farms involved a vehicle, and non-seatbelt use was relevant in 40 per cent of vehicle-related fatalities and 27 per cent of all fatalities on farms.

And of every 10 fatalities where seatbelt use may have been relevant, nine people were not wearing them, he said.

Putting on your seatbelt is the simplest task and one we practice easily when driving on the open road.

If we can get people doing this on the farm as well, we will see lives saved.

It would also save taxpayer money  Mr McCone said if all agricultural workers wore seatbelts, claim costs to ACC could be reduced by almost $2 million a year.

WorkSafe NZ has developed a new side-by-side vehicle simulator to demonstrate a series of farm safety tasks while driving on an off-road course through rough farm terrain. The retired and converted side-by-side vehicle is touring the country, visiting major agricultural events including the FMG Young Farmer of the Year competition and it will be at Fieldays in Mystery Creek later this month.

Mr McCone said the first task for anyone trying it out was put on your seatbelt.

The simulator shows people how making decisions about where and what youre driving is an important part of staying safe, he said. This simulator is designed to highlight the challenges of farming in New Zealand and brings really important health and safety messages to the forefront of users minds.

Info: www.worksafe.govt.nz/topic-and-industry/agriculture/farm-vehicles/


Thousands are expected back at Mystery Creek for Fieldays this year.

Fieldays returns to Mystery Creek, near Hamilton, from June 16 to 19, following the switch to an online only event last year due to a Covid-19 lockdown.

More than 1000 exhibitors will showcase their wares in the following categories: agribusiness, motor vehicle, dairy, agri-machinery, rural living, and heavy equipment. It is the largest agricultural event in the southern hemisphere.

Fieldays spokesperson Shannon Barclay says with a huge range of new products in areas such as cattle management, fencing, forklifts, excavators and tractors, getting back to the farm after Fieldays will be the equivalent of a kid playing with their toys on Christmas Day.

Highlights include an enhanced Innovation Hub, where some of the brightest minds in farming showcase their ideas for transforming agriculture and receive feedback from potential customers about further development. Visitors will see innovations in various stages of growth, from prototype, through to early and later refinements.

The dairy precinct features innovative systems for milk cooling, water filtration and effluent management, and a Health and Wellbeing hub brings together a range of health organisations to educate visitors on physical and mental health. Visitors will have the chance to get various health check-ups as they wander through interactive displays.

Gone are the days out where the doctors were on one side of town, and your day out was inconveniently on the other, Ms Barclay says.

Farmers seeking to get away from it all with a spot of hunting or fishing can check out the Rural Living Precinct with a selection of equipment and other durable gear designed to withstand the elements.

New this year is an Amazing Spaces exhibition, which features tiny homes suitable for guest sleepouts or farm rental accommodation. Some of the biggest feature a full-size kitchen, bedroom and lounge.

Those tiring of wandering about the displays can pop along to the Fieldays TV studio and watch a mix of content on the big screen, including guest speakers, primary sector career insights and cooking demonstrations.

Fieldays TV will be complemented by Fieldays online, where visitors to the website can watch agri-business leaders address the major issues in the industry.

There will also be a feast of demonstrations and competitions.

In the tractor pull, the boy racers of the farming world go head-to-head in demonstrations both of tractor speed and pulling power.

In the excavator competition, the countrys top digger operators complete a demanding course testing their skill and precision.

In the fencing demonstration, professional fencers showcase their latest techniques and offer free advice.

Fieldays 2019 saw 128,747 people visit the event, generating $549 million in sales revenue for New Zealand businesses.

Info: https://www.fieldays.co.nz/
Vanuatu receives Chinese vaccines at handover ceremony

11:04, June 09, 2021 By Quanjiao Wang ( People's Daily Online

Sydney, June 7 (Peoples Daily Online) -- On June 7, the first batch of COVID-19 vaccines donated by the Chinese government arrived in Port Vila, the capital of Vanuatu, at a handover ceremony held at the National Convention Center.

Vanuatu Prime Minister Bob Loughman (right) and Chinese Ambassador to Vanuatu Zhou Haicheng sign the handover certificate during the ceremony. (photo provided by Embassy of China in Vanuatu)

Vanuatu Prime Minister Bob Loughman and Chinese Ambassador to Vanuatu Zhou Haicheng signed the handover certificate during the ceremony.

Prime Minister Loughman expressed his sincere appreciation to the Chinese government on behalf of the government and the people of Vanuatu for the on-going support and generous assistance to his country in this difficult time, as many countries around the globe struggle to adapt to the new normal. He said that the arrival of the Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine marked another milestone in Vanuatus fight to keep itself free from the COVID-19 virus, which was the result of the Vanuatu-China comprehensive strategic partnership. He congratulated the government of China on this joint achievement and spoke highly of the Vanuatu-China relationship and Chinas generous assistance to Vanuatu over the years, adding that the Vanuatu government was looking forward to working closely with the Chinese government to maintain this good relationship for more fruitful outcomes in the future.

In his remarks, Ambassador Zhou commended the arrival of the vaccine as a great achievement by China and Vanuatu in their joint anti-pandemic fight, emphasizing that it was proof China had been delivering on the commitment made by President Xi Jinping to make COVID-19 vaccines a global public good. China donated the first batch of Chinese vaccines and had it sent to Port Vila less than a month after WHOs listing of the Sinopharm vaccine, notwithstanding limited production capacity and enormous demand at home. It also reaffirmed Chinas commitment to supporting Vanuatus pandemic response and economic recovery. I believe that these doses will contribute to Vanuatus plan for completing the first vaccination rollout by the end of this year, he continued.

Chinese vaccines handed over to Vanuatu (photo provided by Embassy of China in Vanuatu)

Zhou stressed that since the onset of the pandemic, China and Vanuatu have worked hand in hand and set a model for joint epidemic response. To clinch an early victory against COVID-19 and restore economic growth remains the top priority for the whole world, including China and Vanuatu. China will continue to stand firmly by Vanuatus side through all challenges, work with global partners to help Vanuatu roll out the vaccination program safely and smoothly, and improve Vanuatus public health system in a bid to enhance its preparedness and capability for coping with major public health emergencies, he concluded.

The batch of Sinopharm vaccines was transported via an Air Vanuatu charter flight and arrived at Port Vila in the early morning of June 7, and was witnessed by Ambassador Zhou and Russell Tamata, Director General of the Vanuatu Ministry of Health. It was the second batch of COVID-19 vaccines and first bilateral donation Vanuatu has received.

This was the first-ever direct flight operated by Air Vanuatu between China and Vanuatu. As a major effort to facilitate personnel exchanges between the two countries and resumption of work and production, the flight also brought around 80 Chinese engineers and technicians to Vanuatu who will participate in the construction of key bilateral cooperation projects.

While keeping the country free of any community transmission of the coronavirus, Vanuatu has drawn up a plan to vaccinate its priority group, which accounts for 20 percent of its population, by the end of 2021. Vanuatu has included China-donated vaccine doses in the plan and will start the vaccination rollout soon.

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I am so very grateful for this but I also know that I am not the one who needs this the most, she told the audience. And knowing my mom went to community college, and how much that was helpful, I would be so very grateful if administration ... would consider giving the general excellence scholarship to someone whos going to community college.
Logan, WV (25601)

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While the Church decided not to press charges, the feds investigated anyway because theft is not only a crime against God, but a crime against man. Kreuper pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering, the Justice Department said.
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(Alliance News) - The "failed and damaging" traffic light system for international travel must be abandoned if the UK travel and tourism sector is to be saved from total collapse, an industry body has warned.

The London-based World Travel & Tourism Council said the UK government must scrap the system, which has "wreaked havoc" among consumers and businesses, in order to save hundreds of thousands of jobs.

The risk-based system with red, amber and green ratings for countries around the world determines the quarantine and coronavirus testing requirements people face when returning to the UK.

But Portugal being moved from green to amber caught many holidaymakers by surprise and left thousands of UK tourists scrambling to get home before new quarantine rules came into force on Tuesday morning.

It led to the government facing accusations it had not kept to promises over a "green watchlist" that would have given travellers increased warning about a country potentially coming off the safe list.

The WTTC said that moving to a more transparent and easier to understand system will restore consumer confidence and provide a "much-needed" boost to the travel and tourism sector.

It warned that a further 218,000 jobs are at "serious risk" if international travel continues to be off limits for most of the summer, on top of the 307,000 jobs which were lost in the UK sector last year.

WTTC Acting Chief Executive Virginia Messina said: "It's time the government abandoned the hugely damaging traffic lights system.

"Consumers, airlines and the wider travel sector were promised a watchlist and three weeks' notice of any changes from green to amber, and not just four days.

"It has been incredibly disruptive and costly for both travel and tourism businesses and consumers. It simply hasn't worked.

"What's needed now is a watertight government policy enabling those who've been fully jabbed to travel freely, and not have to self-isolate on their return.

"Those who are not fully vaccinated should be able to travel with proof of a negative test, like what we are seeing in the EU.

"The travel sector needs this now if it is to survive this summer as domestic travel alone will not save the day."

The industry body said it recognises the need to avoid travelling to countries or destinations with a "demonstrably" higher Covid-19 rates.

But the WTTC said that fully vaccinated holidaymakers and travellers with proof of a negative test should be allowed to travel to countries with similar or higher vaccination levels to the UK, or destinations with proven low-infection rates.

Ryanair Chief Executive Officer Michael O'Leary said the "stop, go, stop, go approach to travel is bonkers".

He told Sky News: "It's typical of Boris Johnson's government, just making this stuff up as they go along.

"There is no green list.

"What we keep calling for in the travel industry is, now that we have 80% of the adult population of Britain vaccinated, why can't those people go on holidays to Portugal and Spain without restrictions? They're already vaccinated."

Meanwhile, the UK has not been included in a mass loosening of international travel warnings from the US State Department.

The department on Tuesday upgraded its advice for dozens of nations, including France, Spain and Italy, from "Level 4: Do Not Travel" to "Level 3: Reconsider Travel", according to its website.

The UK has been designated Level 3 since May 10. The Level 3 advice allows travel for fully vaccinated citizens, with a warning they should "avoid travel due to serious risks to safety and security".

However, the UK is still subject to a presidential decree which prohibits non-US citizens who have been in the UK in the last 14 days from entering the country.

By Joe Gammie and Neil Lancefield, PA

source: PA

Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
Manx Financial Group PLC - Isle of Man-based financial services firm - Acquires 10% stake in Rivers Finance Group PLC, holding company of Rivers Leasing PLC. Rivers offers leasing services, hire purchase and business loans and is based in Harrow, London. Deal struck through Manx unit Bradburn Ltd. As part of deal, Bradburn has been offered two warrants to acquire further shares. Each warrant is for a further 5% of Rivers shares. Manx adds: "This increase in shareholding continues the group's strategy of developing the Bank's own network of specialist lenders to resilient market sectors in the UK."

Current stock price: 8.10 pence

Year-to-date change: down 2.4%

By Eric Cunha; ericcunha@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
Parity Group PLC - London-based data and technology-focused professional services company - Says Matthew Bayfield steps down as chief executive officer with immediate effect. Company adds Mark Braund, non-executive chair, takes up role of interim executive chair. Braund says: "On behalf of the board, I wish to thank Matthew for his work and commitment through a period of change and wish him the best in his future endeavours."

Current stock price: 10.12 pence

Year-to-date change: up 13%

By Eric Cunha; ericcunha@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
Vast Resources PLC - mining and mine development in Romania and Zimbabwe - Confirms new new collective bargaining agreement signed with employees of its Vast Baita Plai SA subsidiary, which operates the Baita Plai polymetallic mine in Romania.

"On the morning of June 8, before the commencement of the second day of formal negotiations and prior to negotiations being concluded, the company's mine management team were approached by a small group of underground miners who presented themselves at the Baita Plai Administration Offices in opposition to the formal negotiation process," company says.

It adds: "The negotiations however were already at an advanced stage prior to the gathering and were subsequently concluded without interruption to to either the due process or the company's mining operations."

Due to the expansion of the company's Baita Plai operations, Vast says, it needed a new and standardised agreement with its mine staff. Plans to further increase worker benefits by 15% for the period 2021 to 2023.

"The successful negotiation was concluded by way of reasonable and professional participation from all parties involved without any interruption to the processing plant and minimal disruption of underground mining activities. Mining, concentrate production and sales continue," company adds.

Current stock price: 8.27 pence, down 5.5% on Wednesday

Year-to-date change: down 36%

By Paul McGowan; paulmcgowan@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
In a shocking stipulation before Dursts murder trial began, his lawyers admitted Durst authored both notes. They claimed he arrived at Bermans home after she was killed, panicked when he saw her body, sent the note to Beverly Hills Police so they could find her and then fled to Texas where he went into hiding as a mute woman.
(Alliance News) - Keras Resources PLC on Wednesday said construction of the processing plant at phosphate mine Diamond Creek in the US state of Utah has been completed and commissioning has begun.

Shares in Keras rose 6.7% at 0.11 pence each in London on Wednesday morning.

Keras, which has operations in Togo, West Africa and the US state of Utah, said steady-state operational capacity is expected by the end of June.

The plant is expected to roduce a range of premium organic phosphate products for sale directly into the growing North American organic fertiliser market.

"Diamond Creek is the one of the highest-grade organic phosphate mines in the US and installing this plant will enable us to extract maximum value and sell a range of fully certified, high-quality products into a growing organic fertiliser market," said Chief Executive Rusel Lamming.

Completing the plant build is a "significant step forward" in the optimisation, production ramp up and expansion plans for Diamond Creek, the company said. The plant will ensure efficient beneficiation whilst removing the need for external toll treatment, it added.

The Diamond Creek mine is owned by the London-based mineral resource company's 51% subsidiary Falcon Isle Holdings LLC.

By Greg Roxburgh; gregroxburgh@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
(Alliance News) - Marex Spectron PLC on Wednesday said it has cancelled its London flotation because of challenging conditions in the IPO market, following reports that Elcogen Ltd also postponed its offering.

"Despite broad investor interest from high quality institutions in the Marex business and prospects, the company has decided not to proceed with the IPO at this time due to more challenging IPO market conditions," Marex said in a statement.

The London-based commodities broker had been due to go public on the main market in mid-June, saying it would determine a price after a bookbuilding process. The Times reported in May that Marex was targeting a valuation of GBP500 million to GBP700 million.

On Wednesday, the Evening Standard and Financial Times both reported that Elcogen delayed its planned IPO.

The fuel cell company based in Tallinn, Estonia, had expected to list on AIM in early June. It postponed the float "given current market conditions and sector volatility," the Standard cited the company as saying. It had targeted a valuation of up to GBP200 million but will now consider options including another fundraising round before an IPO.

But appetite among investors for new shares is starting to wane after an flurry of offerings at the start of the year, an unnamed fund manager told the Standard.

In the first quarter of 2021, 20 IPOs in London raised GBP5.6 billion, the strongest start to the year since 2007, according to the report.

https://www.ft.com/content/fc0cee07-c902-4168-90ae-e68f3effa96a

https://www.standard.co.uk/business/ipo-floats-tungsten-west-elcogen-shares-markets-b939611.html

By Ivan Edwards; ivanedwards@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
(Alliance News) - A record million Covid-19 jabs were booked when over-25s became eligible for the vaccine in England, new figures show.

The NHS in England said that a record-breaking number of vaccine appointments were booked on Tuesday as those aged 25 to 29 in England were able to book an appointment for the first time.

There was a "Glastonbury-style" surge of traffic on the NHS website, officials said.

At the height of action on the "blockbuster" day, 100,000 appointments were being booked every hour.

A number of young people initially reported problems booking, either with long queues or being told they were ineligible to book.

The issues were quickly resolved and NHS England said the National Booking Service had 493,000 appointments reserved by midday on Tuesday, just five hours after over-25s were included.

A total of 1,082,596 first and second dose slots were booked throughout the day a four times the number booked on Monday.

The head of the NHS in England said the figures have dispelled the suggestion younger people may shy away from vaccination.

Simon Stevens, chief executive of the NHS in England, said: "Enthusiasm for the biggest and most successful vaccination programme remains strong as bookings for the lifesaving jab reached an all-time high yesterday and the obvious enthusiasm of younger adults to get their jab has blown out of the water the suggestion that people in their 20s might not come forward to protect themselves and their loved ones.

"The Covid-19 vaccine is still the best protection against coronavirus and as further supplies become available to us week by week it's great that we've seen 25 to 29-year-olds sending bookings to blockbuster levels, following hard on the heels of the millions of others.

"Getting the lifesaving Covid-19 jab is the most important thing you can do, so book your appointment and get that vital protection.

"Remember: when you get the text, you're next."

Emily Lawson, lead for the NHS Covid vaccination programme, said: "Hitting one million bookings in a day sends a fantastic signal that getting the Covid-19 vaccine is something that all of us a no matter our age a can value and be excited by and most importantly should get, when our opportunity comes.

"What I hope and expect we will see in the coming weeks is that everyone who is yet to book their jab or be invited will follow the example of the people who seized the moment yesterday, not just by getting their first jab but maximising their protection and making sure they get both doses."

UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock added: "Our vaccines are keeping us and the ones we love safe from this devastating disease, and it's clear young people understand just how vital their contribution is in getting us back on track to normality too.

"The excitement and enthusiasm for the vaccine is remarkable and just goes to show how, as a country, we remain united in our dedication to conquer Covid-19 once and for all.

"Let's keep up this fantastic momentum a if you're over 25, get your jab booked in and join the millions protected from Covid-19."

Ben Davison, from NHS Digital, added: "So far, millions of people have benefited from being able to book their vaccinations quickly, easily and in an accessible way, and this is making a huge difference to the NHS effort to tackle the pandemic a and is saving lives."

The health service in England has delivered more than 58 million vaccine doses so far in the campaign.

The record bookings will be welcome news as the country continues the so-called race of vaccines against variants.

Officials have said previously that opening up appointments to under 30 marked the "home straight" of the vaccination campaign which only launched six months ago.

Grandmother Margaret Keenan, 91, became the first patient in the world to receive a Covid-19 jab outside a clinical trial when she was given the Pfizer Inc/BioNTech SE vaccine in Coventry on December 8.

source: PA

Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
(Alliance News) - The EU on Wednesday threatened the UK with retaliatory action if it refuses to implement post-Brexit trading arrangements in Northern Ireland, after talks to solve the simmering row broke up without agreement.

Visiting European Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic said Brussels' patience with London was "wearing thin" over its failure to enforce checks on goods heading to the province from mainland Britain.

"Today I can say we are at a crossroads in our relationship with the UK. Trust, which should be at the heart of all relationships, needs to be restored," he told a news conference in London.

There were "numerous and fundamental gaps" in Britain's compliance with the agreement, he added.

"If the UK were to take further unilateral action in the coming weeks, we will not be shy in reacting swiftly, firmly and resolutely."

Asked what form that might take, he said it could include legal action, arbitration or other retaliatory measures, including targeted tariffs.

That has prompted talk of a potential "sausage war" on the UK side of the Channel, with a grace period on shipping chilled meat products to Northern Ireland set to end this month a and the UK threatening to extend it.

But Sefcovic insisted: "We don't want this to happen... It's not too late. Let's correct the path."

A senior UK official close to the talks also stressed that "nobody wants to get into a trade war or anything close to it," and denied the UK had breached the agreement, saying it had been "designed to give quite wide margins to respond to events".

London and Brussels signed a last-gasp trade deal in December, nearly four years after the landmark Brexit referendum and just weeks before Britain left the European single market and customs union.

The two sides negotiated a separate deal for Northern Ireland, which has the UK's only land border with the EU, to prevent unchecked goods entering the single market.

But the port checks on deliveries heading into Northern Ireland from mainland Great Britain a England, Scotland and Wales a have caused consternation among Northern Irish unionists, who say this changes their place in the wider UK.

Checks had to be suspended earlier this year because of threats to port staff, and the protocol was blamed for the worst violence in years in the British-run province.

An increase in paperwork for goods heading from mainland Britain to Northern Ireland has caused delays, and in some instances shortages in shops.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson told parliament the issue was about protecting the country's territorial and economic integrity.

"What we are doing is prioritising the right and ability of the people of Northern Ireland to have access, as they should, freely and uninterruptedly, to goods and services from the whole of the UK," he added.

UK Brexit minister David Frost for his part characterised the three-and-a-half hours of discussions as "frank and honest", saying the dialogue had not broken down and more meetings were planned.

But he called for the EU to be more flexible to address the issue in Northern Ireland pragmatically, given the province's fragile peace.

Northern Ireland is still deeply divided between pro-UK mainly Protestant unionists and pro-Ireland largely Catholic nationalists, despite a 1998 peace deal that ended three decades of violence over British rule.

"What we really now need to do is very urgently find some solutions which support the Belfast Good Friday Agreement, support the peace process in Northern Ireland, and allow things to return to normal," Frost told reporters.

The EU has already launched legal proceedings against the UK after it delayed custom controls on some goods arriving in Northern Ireland from mainland Britain, and has indicated it has US support if it chooses to act again.

State Department spokesman Ned Price said the US will encourage both sides "to prioritise economic and political stability in Northern Ireland and to negotiate within existing mechanisms when those differences arise".

Discontent with the protocol has already played a part in the resignation of Northern Ireland's First Minister Arlene Foster, and promises of a tougher approach from her more hardline successor.

source: AFP

Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
Take a few minutes and scroll through some of the local news from the past week:
An Eastpointe High School student was charged with attempted murder on his 16th birthday Wednesday for stabbing a fellow student during a class.

Bryant Haywood Jr. was arraigned in front of Judge Kathleen Galen in 38th District Court and was being held in lieu of a $500,000 bond, cash or surety, for the stabbing of a male classmate June 1 at the school located near Nine Mile Road and Gratiot Avenue.

The incident occurred shortly before 10 a.m. in a classroom occupied by other students and a teacher, Assistant Macomb Prosecutor Jeff Stone told the judge in a hearing held in the courtroom and shown over YouTube.com.

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Haywood's attorney, Wright Blake, asked for a $25,000 bond, but Stone sought the higher bond, citing the violent nature of the attack and a prior assault and battery juvenile conviction.

"It (the classroom) was full of students and a teacher," Stone said. "The victim in this matter was approached by Mr. Haywood from behind with a 5-inch double-sided knife, and was stabbed him in the neck, shoulders and arm multiple, numerous times. He received numerous stitches. Fortunately, he survived."

A motive was not provided.

Galen said if Haywood posts bond, he must wear a GPS tether.

Blake told The Macomb Daily after the hearing he has been retained and has not yet received all of the evidence in the case from the prior attorney.

Though a juvenile, Haywood is being charged as an adult. If he is convicted of attempted murder, he would have to be sentenced as an adult but if he is convicted of a lesser offense, he could be sentenced as a juvenile or adult. If sentenced as an adult, he faces a penalty of any number of years up to life.

"The charge should be a warning to all Macomb County students that violent acts of this nature, be it against a fellow student or staff member, will never be tolerated and will be met with prosecution to the fullest extent of the law," Macomb County Prosecutor Peter Lucido said.

Haywood faces a probable-cause conference June 29.

This is at least the third stabbing in Macomb County schools within the past 17 years.

In September 2018, a 17-year-old fatally stabbed a classmate at Warren Fitzgerald High School. Tanaya Lewis was charged and convicted of using a kitchen knife to attack Danyna Gibson by stabbing her in the chest and back in a classroom. A school resource officer responded and administered CPR until firefighters arrived, but Gibson died later at the hospital.

Lewis last year was sentenced to 27 years in prison for the murder conviction.

In 2004, a female student at Romeo High School was stabbed in the back in a hallway and survived. Her assailant, Eric Schorling, was convicted of attempted murder and sentenced to 10 years in prison.
It was a remarkable moment for the Brooklyn borough president, who leads the polls in the crowded race with less than two weeks until the primary election on June 22. The early morning visit to his home followed a Politico report that questioned his official place of residence, as he owns property in Brooklyn and Fort Lee, N.J., but seemingly sleeps at his office in Borough Hall.
Spain's historic 22% minimum wage hike in 2019 led to a reduction of barely 1% of its employment, far less than some analysts had forecast, a Bank of Spain report published on Tuesday showed.

The finding is the latest to add weight to a growing international consensus among economists that minimum wage policies do not discourage firms from hiring workers, contrary to what was a widely held belief up to the 1990s.

The hike approved by Pedro Sanchez's newly-arrived socialist government two years ago was at the time one of the highest ever recorded in a developed country. With its high unemployment and low-wage labour market, many feared a dramatic impact on hiring.

However, the report concluded that the wage rise led only to a reduction of between 0.6-1.1 percentage points in low-wage jobs that year - or roughly 90,000-145,000 positions.

It did not say whether those jobs were destroyed outright, allocated elsewhere or simply not created due to the reform.

Overall employment grew by 2.3% in Spain in 2019. Jobless comparisons between 2019 and 2020 are less meaningful due to the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, but the headline rate rose slightly from an average 14.1% in 2019 to 16.1% by end-2020.

After the first 2019 rise, Sanchez' government approved another 5.5% increase for 2020, leaving the minimum wage at 1,108 euros a month with the promise - frozen by the pandemic - to continue raising it in the coming years.

"In none of its pages does (the report) talk about job destruction, for the first time we agree," Labour Minister Yolanda Diaz told a news conference.

The authors of the study, which took 18 months to publish after analysing millions of contracts, came up with a formula for use by other policy-makers when making decisions about minimum-wage increases.

They found that for every percentage point increase in the minimum wage, there is a reduction in job growth - which can be either job destruction or lack of job creation - of between 0.03 percentage points and 0.05 percentage points.

"The decision whether or not to raise the minimum wage cannot be circumscribed to the impact of this instrument on a single factor," they concluded, urging policy-makers to assess whether positive impacts outweighed any hit to employment.

The study called notably for looking at changes in other variables such as consumption, investment and savings.

Spanish GDP grew by 2% in 2019 before crashing a record 10.8% in 2020 due to the pandemic. Household spending in 2019 rose by 0.9%.

The report split out data on the impact on the hospitality sector, which employed around 1.7 million workers before the pandemic and where the minimum wage is commonly used.

It estimated that at least 0.4% or 70,000, of those jobs were destroyed outright after the increase.

Spain's minimum wage is now around the mid-point in the European Union, with Bulgaria lowest on 332 euros a month and Luxembourg highest on 2,202 euros, EU data show.
The British ambassador, Hugh Elliott, stated in an interview with Europa Press Television on Wednesday that, "in principle", the situation in both the Balearics and the Canaries will be studied separately when the UK government undertakes its travel review towards the end of June.

The ambassador said that there are "very good communications" with the Spanish government and the governments of the Balearics and the Canaries. Their requests for the islands to be listed separately will be taken into account, but "in practice we will have to see what the scientists say about the situation on the ground".

There is a willingness, he indicated, to study the islands separately "because of their geographical location and because of direct flights to and from the UK". The situation on the mainland is different. There is "very fluid movement" between regions and there are no controls. Therefore, the mainland has to studied "as a whole".

Elliott stressed that he understood efforts made by other regions. Valencia "has very good numbers", and he accepted that it is frustrating that British tourists are not going there. But he added that "unfortunately, due to the fluidity that exists at borders between regions, it is not possible to apply segregation on the mainland".

The ambassador explained that the UK traffic-light system considers four main factors, such as the cumulative incidence and the rate of vaccination. The vaccination "is progressing well in Spain, but it has a long way to go". Genome sequencing capacity and variants of concern are the other factors.

It was possible, he noted, that Spain could go on the green list at the next review. The situation is being reviewed every three weeks so that the list is "as up to date as possible".

With regard to Portugal having been classified as amber, Elliott emphasised that international mobility in times of a pandemic is "difficult". Governments' priorities are those of public health, which means "making decisions that at times are inconvenient". "We are very sorry", he said, stressing that the only factor being taken into account is "the protection of public health". "This is the reality of living with the pandemic."

While airlines and tour operators in the UK have criticised a "lack of transparency" regarding travel decisions, the ambassador insisted that the government is demonstrating "exemplary transparency". It is explaining when decisions will be made and the bases and factors on which these decisions are made, but "it cannot anticipate the facts and reality of the pandemic". "It is a difficult balance," he observed, adding that the UK government seeks to be "as open as possible" so that companies can make decisions in advance, but that it cannot have "a perfect answer".
Manchester Center, VT (05254)

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We have to end COVID-19 not just at home  which were doing  but everywhere, Biden said before hundreds of service members, nearly all of whom wore face masks in a reminder that the rest of the world is not as far along as the U.S. when it comes to vaccinations. Theres no wall high enough to keep us safe from this pandemic.
France's domination in the first half against Bulgaria was overshadowed as Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema was forced off after 39 minutes.

Benzema had a painful collision with Ivan Turitsov as he looked to direct a shot on goal, leaving the Real Madrid striker clutching his right knee. He asked to be substituted, before being replaced by Olivier Giroud.

The injury is a blow with France's Euro 2020 campaign just around the corner. However it did not look serious, on a night where Benzema started well and linked up brilliantly with Kylian Mbappe before having to come off.
The report says the decision to clear the protesters was justified, but that law enforcement agencies on the scene failed to effectively communicate with one another and failed to communicate warnings to the protesters about the impending crackdown.
Viola Caudill, 85, a resident of the Gowen Community passed away Thursday June 10, 2021 at home. A Graveside service will be held a 11:00 AM Monday June 14, 2021 in the Pavilion at Bache-Red Oak Cemetery. There will be a family and friends visitation on Sunday June 13, 2021 from 5:00pm to 7:
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The stepfather was treated at a local hospital for several deep cuts and a concussion while Myhill was later airlifted to a hospital in Canberra where he is still in critical but stable condition. He is in a coma, according to the family.
It may be a simple matter of a healthy lifestyle change or a more complex issue, said Mike Brodka, a U.S. intelligence officer for U.S. Special Operations command in South Korea, to NK News. Right now, we do not know, but it raises enough serious questions that we must pay attention to events over the next couple of months to find out.
The plot was revealed in 2015, demonstrating how Volkswagen designed vehicles to cheat on emissions tests. The cars then made it to market and emitted much more than the U.S. legal limit of the harmful pollutant nitrogen oxide. Winterkorn resigned in disgrace.
While speaking up for animals is one of my greatest passions, I am also a businesswoman. I understand that businesses must adapt to remain profitable. While Ive heard complaints from some pet stores that this bill would be an assault on their industry, the truth is, every pet store in the state that currently sells puppies, kittens and bunnies has an opportunity here. They can choose to convert to a more humane, and in most cases, a more profitable business model. Rather than profiting off cruelty, why not have a new niche in specialty pet foods and products, and services like grooming, daycare or boarding? Why not host adoption events with local shelters and rescue groups to save lives and bring more consumers to stores? Not only would this give customers a more favorable image of the business, but for most stores, it will free up space and display areas for higher sales of pet products.
US-based Bumble will enable its members to share pandemic dating preferences such as views on social distancing, mask-wearing and whether users are comfortable meeting in crowded places. However, there will be no way to verify whether the users displaying the badge have genuinely taken the vaccine or not, the report said.A research by London-based Elate Date showed that more than 60 per cent of people on its platform did not want to date anti-vaxxers.And a recent YouGov poll of nearly 5,000 UK adults found that only 28 per cent of those who responded said they would not date someone unvaccinated, only 2 per cent said they would not date someone who had received the jab.In the US, the syringe emoji has become the new winky face, while a double-dosed selfie on your profile will, it's claimed, bring you double the number of dates.According to OKCupid, users who claimed to have already received the COVID vaccine were being "liked" at twice the rate of users who said they weren't interested, media reports said.Tinder, in January, found a 238 per cent spike in vaccine mentions in user bios, while Bumble reported "a steady increase" in the number of people including "vaccine" or "vaccinated" in their profiles.Source: IANS
Elephant herd on the move after break

China Daily) 11:05, June 09, 2021

Aerial photo taken on June 5, 2021 shows wild Asian elephants in Jinning District of Kunming, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (Xinhua)

A herd of roaming elephants that left its habitat in the south of Yunnan province is continuing its journey after a short break and is moving east toward Yimen county, forestry authorities said on Tuesday.

The herd, which left the Xishuangbanna National Nature Reserve last year and started marching north, arrived at a forest outside a village in Xiyang township, about 90 kilometers southwest of Kunming, Yunnan's provincial capital, on Monday.

A male elephant left the group on Monday for unknown reasons but is only about 4 km from the herd.

The provincial forestry department said the herd stopped and took a rest in a suburban part of Kunming, which has witnessed frequent thunderstorms in the past two days.

Experts said the weather conditions and the male's absence were the reasons the herd took a short break.

As of Tuesday afternoon, the herd was continuing to move toward Yimen county.

"If the herd heads north, to downtown Kunming, we will try to lead them in another direction with food," said Chen Fei, director of the National Forestry and Grassland Administration's Asian Elephant Research Center.

Authorities have marshaled extraordinary resources to monitor the herd and keep it away from residential areas. Local authorities in the places visited by the elephants have all carried out comprehensive response plans to ensure the safety of both humans and the elephants.

Forest fire brigade and public security departments at the provincial and township levels have dispatched teams to track the elephants round the clock.

On Monday more than 410 emergency personnel, 374 vehicles and 14 drones were deployed with more than 2 metric tons of elephant food in continuing efforts to lead the elephants away from inhabited areas and evacuate people in their path.

Asian elephants are under first-class State protection in China and are listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List of Threatened Species. The country's wild Asian elephant population has grown from 175 in the 1970s to about 300.

The migration of the wild elephants has captured international media attention. Outlets including TV Asahi, the BBC and The New York Times have reported on the animals' ongoing journey and sought to analyze the reasons behind the migration.

(Web editor: Guo Wenrui, Liang Jun)
The federal bill, passed as H. R. 1 in the House and pending in the Senate as S. 1, applies some of the best lessons from the states to improve our democracy at the national level. In fact, New York pioneered three of the bills most important provisions. The For the People Act would establish automatic voter registration, bringing 50 million new voters into our democracy. It would reduce the impact of wealthy donors, by creating a national public financing program. And it would implement an independent redistricting process.
Simao said that countries should either buy directly from the manufacturer or "contact the manufacturer to make sure that the intermediate is legal"."There is a lot of substandard and falsified COVID products being commercialized out there, so you need to know the provenance," she added.Simao also said that it was important to vaccinate people with products "certified" by the WHO."The advice of the WHO is that the countries use vaccines that have received emergency listing," she said, referring to the Emergency Use Listing used by the global health body to approve new vaccines.So far, eight COVID-19 vaccines were approved by the WHO for emergency use.Source: IANS
As a 90s kid, I have watched the classic Bollywood film, Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jaenge about a hundred times and know all the dialogues by heart. Its not just me. The movie is still loved by desis for its songs, story and the evergreen jodi of SRK and Kajol.



 Yash Raj Films

The fact that it has been running in the Maratha Mandir for 25 years straight after its initial release is proof enough that people are still hooked to Raj, Simran and that mandoline tune. Yes, that one!



 Yash Raj Films

Yes, it might be G.O.A.T but there have been a lot of other movies that are unparalleled and maybe even better. Case in point, 3 idiots. Hey, I am not trying to wage a war between SRK and Aamir Khan fans here. I am just stating facts.



 Yash Raj Films

Compared to the witty and thought-provoking 3 Idiots, DDLJ seems like a sappy rom com thats best left for when you are having major wanderlust and want to mentally travel to Europe.



 Vinod Chopra Films

Why am I comparing these two iconic films is because someone asked me to pick between the two. Okay, not just me but the entire Twitter clan. Indian filmmaker Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri tweeted, Choose one movie, and why? 3 idiots or DDLJ?

Choose one movie, and why?



3 idiots or DDLJ?  Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri (@vivekagnihotri) June 9, 2021

And, my vote goes to 3 Idiots and I have reasons to back my choice. Here are 5 reasons why I think 3 Idiots is a better movie than DDLJ. And, no, I am not going to talk about acting, music, direction and all those details, because lets face it both are brilliant in that case according to their very different genres.

 Vinod Chopra Films

1. The plot twists

In case you havent watched the film, here is a spoiler alert. Until the very end, you are anticipating where Ranchoddas Shamaldas Chanchad aka Rancho would be while listening to Chatur singing praises of Phunsukh Wangdu, only to find that Rancho is him. It was pretty predictable for Raj to cross oceans for Simran but we definitely didnt see this Gangadhar hi Shaktiman hai moment coming.

 Vinod Chopra Films

2. Real and relatable

From the characters to their story, 3 Idiots is as real and relatable as it gets. Young students struggling to survive in an engineering college while shouldering the responsibilities of their families despite low finances is the story of so many students in India. Interestingly, Abba nahi manenge still stands true for some of us even in adulthood.

 Vinod Chopra Films

3. The friendship

While Raj becomes friends with his girlfriends would-be husband only to thrash him in the end, which almost never happens, the bromance between the three main characters in 3 Idiots is nothing short of exemplary. They are with each other in sickness and in health and dont lose touch even after they part ways. Also, if "Dost fail ho jaye toh dukh hota hai, lekin dost first aa jaye toh zyada dukh hota hai" isnt the true essence of friendship, we dont know what is.

 Vinod Chopra Films

4. The message

The movie has inspired a lot of kids from middle-class families to muster up the courage to stand up to their parents and take up careers they would actually love, instead of being more like Sharma ji ka ladka. Although Raj from DDLJ didnt really have that problem because he had a supportive dad, a lot of kids like Farhan do succumb to the pressure and enroll in courses and college they later hate.

 Vinod Chopra Films

5. Offbeat storyline

We cannot say this about a lot of Bollywood movies, but 3 Idiots taps into a topic that Indians steer clear of even speaking about. Suicides in colleges are often blamed on students but teachers and parents are rarely held accountable for it. This movie is an inspiration for students to follow their passion while also making for a lesson for adults to let the kids do what they want in their career. Basically, there are a dozen films like DDLJ in Hindi cinema but there has been only one 3 Idiots.

 Vinod Chopra Films

To sum it up, I dont want to sound biased at all, but 3 Idiots is hands down the best movie in Bollywood. I rest my case.


The eye-catching promo of the new eight-part fantasy series Sweet Tooth has been released on Netflix and has been creating a buzz around the town. The series introduces its lead character Gus and a child who was born part-animal and part-human.



The show is based on a post-apocalyptic show which is co-produced by Robert Downey Jr and is an adaptation of Jeff Lemires comic book series that showcases the emergence of hybrid children after a virus took over the world.

The concept of the show is out of the ordinary and will keep you hooked to the screen throughout the show.

So, here are 5 reasons to watch the show Sweet Tooth on Netflix-

Unfamiliar Concept

The protagonist is a boy named Gus who is one of the hybrids. He has antlers like a deer, however, the other characters have been born with wings, fur, and even snouts and beaks.

Christian Convery who plays the role of Gus, told BBC, "Gus is a very curious and innocent hybrid boy, who's part-deer and part-human. He's very isolated, because he's been with his father in the woods his whole life, and he's never seen another human. Gus is very hopeful, positive, and always looking for the best in any situation."



The hybrids emerged in the show after a virus created havoc around the world.

Adapted From A Comic Book

The show is an adaptation of a comic book series by Canadian writer and artist Jeff Lemire.

Co-showrunner Beth Schwartz said, "Jeff has so much richness in the comic books in terms of, not just the characters, but visually, And so we tried to bring that to the screen, whether that was with his imaginative dream sequences that Gus has, or even just his iconic wardrobe."

Positive Reviews

The show has been getting extremely positive reviews by the critics and is a must watch.

Filmed In New Zealand

#SweetTooth, which is set after the events of a deadly pandemic, was filmed smack in the middle of Covid last year: https://t.co/YkmlhOK4uQ pic.twitter.com/Q6evo57zDr  Decider (@decider) June 8, 2021

The first episode of the show was filmed a year before the rest of the series. Susan Downey said that they shot the first episode in New Zealand and thought that theyd shoot the rest of the series somewhere else. However, everyone fell in love with the location and they ended up shooting the whole series there only.

Show Has Been Changed To Make It Family Friendly

When the trailers were released, fans of the novel noted that the TV series looked more family-friendly as compared to the very dark tone of the comic book.

It was then told by the producers that the tone was changed so that more and more people could watch the show.
Bollywood Actor Juhi Chawla has finally responded to her loss in the recent 5G court case by posting a video on her Instagram profile.

The actor approached the court against the rollout of 5G technology in India which was later dismissed and fined Rs 20 Lakh.

She has now reiterated in her video that her case with other petitioners was not against 5G itself, but instead wanted to be reassured it was certified safe.

 julian-tilgenkamp-unsplash

She said, "There has been so much noise in the past few days that I couldnt even hear myself. I feel like a very important message got lost in the noise. That is, we are not against 5G. In fact, we are welcoming of it. All we're asking is that the authorities certify it safe. We are just asking them to publish their studies in the public domain so our fears are allayed.



"We just want to know that it is safe for children, pregnant women, unborn children, for people who are old and infirmfor flora and fauna. That is all we're asking," she added.

Juhi Chawla had filed a petition against the new mobile communications technology in the Delhi High Court. The suit was filed through advocate Deepak Khosla and sought clarification whether the new technology is any threat to living organisms.

 Instagram_Juhi Chawla

Instead, the court blasted the actor for filing a lawsuit without giving any representation to the government on her concerns related to the technology.



The court further added, this suit has been filed only for media publicity and nothing more than that.

Last week, the actor was then fined by the Delhi High Court for a sum of Rs 20 Lakh for abusing and misusing the process of law.

After dismissing the case on technical grounds, the court said, the plaintiffs have abused and misused the process of law which has resulted in waste of judicial time. The cost of Rs 20 lakh is imposed on the plaintiffs. The plaintiffs are directed to deposit the cost of Rs 20 lakh with Delhi State Legal Services Authority within one week.

The original petition filed by Juhi Chawla, Veeresh Malik, and Teena Vachani claimed that the 5G rollout in India could cause 'irreversible damage to the environment.
Services for Bonita Deweese will be held on Monday, June 14, 2021, at 15th Avenue Baptist Church, at 10:30 am. Visitation will be Sunday, 4-6 p.m., at Webb Funeral Home. View the obituary at www.jamesfwebb.com.
In March, the Reform the Sex Crimes Unit  a group of survivors, advocates and experts  praised Weinsteins candidacy, naming her one of three green light candidates who centered survivors and would be serious, creative, and kind leaders. The group said, Tali is by far the candidate with the most comprehensive plan that really takes survivors needs and the real issues faced in the criminal justice system into account. We agree. Her detailed approach, coupled with her extensive experience and commitment to fighting gender-based violence and pursuing justice, make Weinstein uniquely qualified for this job. She will be the sheriff of gender violence that the borough has long deserved.
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
KABUL  In an atrocious attack on a Demining Agency in Baghlan-e-Jadid district of Baghlan province, the Taliban martyred 10 of the agencys workers and wounded 14 others.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemns in the strongest terms the Talibans terrorist attack on civilians and workers of International Agencies, particularly the mine-clearing workers, and considers it against the Islamic and Human Values and unequivocal violation of the International Conventions.

This heinous act, vividly showing the Taliban's grim intentions for the security and safety of the lives and property of Afghan civilians, will prevent people in vulnerable areas from accessing humanitarian assistance and will restrict the work environment for humanitarian agencies.

We call on the International Community and Human Rights Organizations to stand with the government and people of Afghanistan in bringing the perpetrators of these crimes to justice and to stop the increasing crimes of the Taliban.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs is grateful to the HALO Trust for operating in Afghanistan over decades and clearing millions of landmines in hazardous areas.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs expresses its condolence, shares the grieves of families of the bereaved and pain of the wounded, and prays for the souls of the martyrs and wishes full and swift recovery for all those wounded.
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belarus M.Barysevich takes part in the Belarusian-Asian Forum

On June 9, 2021 Moscow hosted the Belarusian-Asian Forum. Representatives of the Embassies of 12 Asian countries accredited in Belarus with residence in Moscow attended the event. Among them were such countries as Afghanistan, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Philippines, and Yemen. Leadership of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Industry, Agriculture and Food, the Chamber of Commerce and the Development Bank of the Republic of Belarus participated in the Forum as well.

The Forum was held to promote the intensification of trade, economic and investment cooperation between Belarus and the states of the Asian region.

At the opening of the Forum, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belarus, Mikalai Barysevich, emphasized the complementarity of the economic systems of the Republic of Belarus and Asian states. Deputy Foreign Minister stressed that Asian partners can benefit from cooperation with Belarus, as the Belarusian side has a lot to offer from industrial collaboration and opportunities to enter the larger EEU market to high human potential, conditions for obtaining education and existing infrastructure capabilities. The Chinese-Belarusian Industrial Park Great Stone and the Belarusian Hi-Tech Park are of particular investment attractiveness.

During the Forum, the possibilities of Belarusian industrial and agricultural enterprises, export financing were presented. The participants also negotiated specific projects of bilateral cooperation.

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We have Malala, Mindy Kaling, BTS. There are three women from Ghana, one who talks about how Friends saved her life. Two boys from Kenya. Three kids in India, he told The Times of London. What more diversity do they want in this reunion? The cast is the cast. It was made in 1994.
Deputy Foreign Minister of Belarus M.Barysevich holds bilateral meetings on the margins of Belarusian-Asian Forum

On June 9, 2021 in Moscow (Russia) on the margins of the Belarusian-Asian Forum, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus, Mikalai Barysevich, held a number of bilateral meetings.

During the meeting, with the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Indonesia to the Republic of Belarus non-resident, Jose Antonio Morato Tavares, topical issues on the bilateral agenda, interaction in international organisations were discussed.

Special attention was paid to the issues of enhancing the bilateral cooperation in the political, trade and economic areas, including through the existing institutional mechanisms of interaction.

With the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Cambodia to the Republic of Belarus non-resident, Seyla Eat, the sides exchanged views on the state and prospects for cooperation between Belarus and Cambodia, including in the context of the recovery of the international economy from the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic.

M.Barysevich dwelled on the possibilities of building up trade and economic cooperation between the two countries in the fields of mechanical engineering, agriculture, information and communication technologies.

During a working meeting with the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia, Igor Morgulov, the counterparts discussed the processes taking place in the Asia-Pacific region, as well as prospects for interaction with key partners in the context of the interests of Belarus and Russia.



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It's been a long road since the 1981 Time magazine cover story about Miami titled Paradise Lost? Along the way, some have felt paradise was found and lost again, but the truth is, it's in the bloody gutter. It has been for a long time  one dead Black body at a time.
Houghton Lake Man Sentenced in Child Sex Crime Case

Houghton Lake Man Sentenced in Child Sex Crime Case

Lynsey Mukomel 517-599-2746 Attorney General

June 9, 2021

LANSING - A Houghton Lake man will serve more than two decades in prison for child sex crimes, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced today.

Michael Clune faced charges in Roscommon and Shiawassee Counties stemming from criminal sexual conduct involving multiple pre-teen boys. He pleaded guilty in both cases.

Tuesday afternoon, Clune was sentenced by Roscommon County Circuit Court Judge Robert W. Bennett on the following charges, which will run concurrently:

Aggravated child sexually abusive activity;

145 months to 25 years with credit for 251 days served.

Using a computer to commit a felony;

140 months to 20 years with credit for 251 days served.

The sentences will also run concurrently with the felonies Clune faced in Shiawassee County, which he pleaded guilty to in March. He was sentenced in April to 25-40 years in prison in that case.

"This prison sentence for Mr. Clune is the result of collaborative work between several law enforcement agencies to ensure justice is served," Nessel said. "My office remains committed to protecting children by pursuing accountability against those who commit criminal sexual conduct."

A third related case, being handled by the Clare County Prosecutor's Office, remains ongoing. Inquiries related to the status of the Clare County case should be directed to the county prosecutor.
Green Jobs: Michigan's new Office of Outdoor Recreation Industry plants seeds for continued economic growth

Green Jobs: Michigan's new Office of Outdoor Recreation Industry plants seeds for continued economic growth

As part of Great Lakes and Fresh Water Week, MI Environment is featuring several articles from the recently-released State of the Great Lakes report. Today's article by Brad Garmon, of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, looks at green jobs and Michigan's new Outdoor Recreation Industry Office.

Michigan's Outdoor Recreation Industry Office was created by Governor Whitmer and stems from a growing awareness of outdoor recreation's full contribution to Michigan's economy, pegged by the federal government's Bureau of Economic Analysis at $10.1 billion per year and growing.

From 2012-17, Michigan's outdoor recreation-based GDP grew 18 percent -twice as fast as the overall state GDP. The Office was created with the specific mission of developing, promoting and enhancing Michigan's outdoor recreation lifestyle industry. It is housed within the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and collaborates closely with the staff of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) to grow, retain and attract outdoor recreation companies, jobs and investment.

The first goal of the Office is to expand the conception of the outdoor economy from only tourism or hospitality jobs to embrace and build on opportunities in the design and production of outdoor recreation vehicles, gear and equipment - areas where Michigan has a strong competitive advantage.

The outdoor recreation industry supports more than 120,000 jobs and contributes more than $4.3 billion in direct private sector compensation to the state overall, and a major portion of those are in the retail sector - supporting the purchase of shoes, boats and gear. But nearly 6,000 of those Michigan outdoor recreation jobs are in outdoor recreation-related manufacturing - making those boats and gear. Those jobs provide 10 percent of the industry's total compensation in the state. Michigan's capabilities in product design, advanced and lightweight materials, and advanced manufacturing will be critical pieces in growing this industry, along with targeting some support to the innovators and the makers who are going to be designing and tinkering with the gear and vehicles that will shape the way we play and get outdoors in the years ahead.

In the economic contribution from boating and fishing, for example, Michigan is ranked fifth in the country; in recreational vehicles it's ranked seventh, suggesting opportunities to build on Michigan's strengths while celebrating our outdoor assets. From inventing the modern snowboard, outboard motor and synthetic fly fishing line, to designing the new Ford Bronco and the world's first all-electric adventure vehicle, Michigan has always been the place to design, develop and deliver the tools and gear of the great outdoors. The goal is to make sure the future of outdoor recreation is designed and produced here in the Great Lakes State.

Brad tells us June is also Outdoor Recreation Month. Check out President Biden's proclamation.

Photo caption: Group of kayakers on the water.

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.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 9, 2021 Contact: Press@Michigan.gov Gov. Whitmer Establishes Bipartisan Task Force on Juvenile Justice Reform Lt. Governor Gilchrist Will Serve as the Chair of the Task Force LANSING, Mich. -- Today Governor Gretchen Whitmer along with Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist, formed the bipartisan Task Force on Juvenile Justice Reform, the first of its kind in the State of Michigan. This Task Force will focus on analyzing our juvenile justice system, while recommending proven practices and strategies for reform grounded in data, research, and fundamental constitutional principles. "Michigan is a national leader in criminal justice reform, and today we continue towards implementing real changes that will help young Michiganders when they are exposed to our criminal justice system," said Governor Gretchen Whitmer. "We believe that we must reduce people's contact with the system in the first place, but when they do come into contact, we must especially treat our youngest Michiganders with dignity, humanity, and respect. One mistake early on in a child's life should not destroy their opportunities for a positive future." This task force will exist as a partnership between the county and state leaders, as well as other leaders involved in the juvenile justice system. Additionally, the Task Force's goal will be to develop an ambitious, innovative, and thorough analysis of Michigan's juvenile justice system, complete with recommendations for changes in state law, policy, and appropriations to improve youth outcomes. "When I first took office, I made it clear that I would focus on building and delivering fundamental reforms to make our communities safer and improve people's outcomes who come into contact with our criminal justice system," said Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist. "This Task Force will examine a system that is not working. Michigan still detains youth at one of the highest rates in the nation and is nearly unparalleled in our practice of detaining youth for non-criminal behavior. Today we begin a new process to change this system in a way that will position these young Michiganders for success." "This task force will become an integral part of bettering our state's juvenile justice system and I'm proud to support a proactive approach to necessary reforms," said Attorney General Dana Nessel. "Just last month, I led a coalition of attorneys general in asking the federal government to address how disparities in school discipline negatively impact students from marginalized communities who are more likely to enter the criminal justice system as a result. It is imperative to have an all-hands-on-deck approach to systemic issues - nationally and locally - and I firmly believe this task force is another avenue that provides an opportunity to enact positive change for Michigan's youth." "Our Ingham County Family Center is a shining example of the deliverable we as a state can produce with the direction and vision through this executive order by Governor Whitmer," said Judge Lisa McCormick. The Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center will perform the review, which will examine the system from diversion through reentry. The national, nonpartisan organization, known for developing research-driven public safety strategies, will share its findings with the [commission] and identify approaches to enhance the state's juvenile justice system. Governor Whitmer and Lieutenant Governor Gilchrist have been committed to enacting criminal justice reforms since the day they took office. In October of 2021, Governor Whitmer signed bipartisan House Bills 4980-4985 and 5120 reforming Michigan's criminal expungement laws making it easier for people who have committed certain felonies and misdemeanors to have their record expunged. "Step by step, Michigan has been addressing problems that have plagued our justice system for years. Each step along the way has been bipartisan, built on partnerships, and driven by data," said Supreme Court Justice Elizabeth Clement. "This task force will be successful because the Governor has adopted that same model and because everyone here is committed to reimagining a juvenile justice system that is more collaborative, evidence-based, focused on best practices, and ready to help every youth achieve success." "This is a once in a generation opportunity to bring local and state leaders together to improve Michigan's juvenile justice system. I applaud Governor Whitmer for her leadership on this issue, and I'm thankful for the judicial, legislative, and local partners that have committed themselves to this important work," said Jason Smith, Executive Director of the Michigan Center for Youth Justice. "The most successful juvenile justice systems are those that take every opportunity to keep kids out of the system and in their communities, which requires strong collaboration and service supports at a local level. I'm so appreciative that this bipartisan task force will take a comprehensive look at Michigan's juvenile justice system, including its use of residential placement, alternatives to detention and residential placement, expanding reentry and aftercare, and opportunities to reduce racial, ethnic, and geographic disparities." "While some have never had to experience the stress caused by an early life in the juvenile justice system, far too many Michigan children have been affected by a system that does more to penalize them instead of providing them with the support and rehabilitation they really need," Sen. Sylvia Santana (D-Detroit) said. "It is our responsibility to make improvements to right these wrongs, and so I am proud to support a bipartisan Task Force on Juvenile Justice Reform. I look forward to working with my colleagues on building a better system that provides true, lasting justice and opportunity for our youth." "This task force is going to identify the next steps to build a smarter and better juvenile justice system and gather the data we need to get a clear picture of where we need to make responsible reforms and I am excited to be a part of this movement," said Representative Sarah Lightner. In April of 2019, Governor Whitmer created the bipartisan Michigan Task Force on Jail and Pretrial Incarceration, chaired by Lieutenant Governor Gilchrist and Michigan Supreme Court Chief Justice Bridget McCormack, which reviewed the state's jail and court data to expand alternatives to jail, safely reduce jail admissions and length of stay, and improve the effectiveness of the front end of Michigan's justice system. These recommendations inspired legislation that was signed by the Governor in January of 2021. Interested candidates must apply by June 18th deadline. Link to apply is Michigan.gov/appointments and select "Task Force on Juvenile Justice Reform" from the drop menu of the application. To view Executive Order 2021-6 click the link below:
Five Michigan Main Street communities receiving a total of $100,000 in grants for downtown improvement projects

Five Michigan Main Street communities receiving a total of $100,000 in grants for downtown improvement projects

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 4, 2021

Contact: Kathleen Achtenberg achtenbergk@michigan.org

Five Michigan Main Street communities receiving a total of $100,000 in grants for downtown improvement projects

LANSING, Mich. - Governor Gretchen Whitmer joined the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) to announce that five communities around Michigan have been awarded a total of $100,000 in grants to support downtown enhancement and improvement projects, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation announced today.

Communities receiving grants are Lansing, Owosso, Grayling, Blissfield and Three Rivers.

"Thriving, attractive downtowns are vital to creating unique places where people want to live, work, visit and play," said Governor Gretchen Whitmer. "With today's grants, these communities are taking important steps toward strengthening their core commercial districts and driving economic growth in the community. As we jumpstart our economy and begin a quintessential Michigan summer, I am excited for vibrant downtown areas to be full of life once again."

The Main Street Vibrancy Grant Program is intended to provide grants of $20,000 to Select or Master level Michigan Main Street communities for projects that enhance the vibrancy and economic vitality of Michigan Main Street downtowns. Projects could include pop-up shop programs, implementation of a marketing or advertising campaign, physical improvements such as new seating, seasonal infrastructure, signage, or art, and other transformative projects that help create a sense of place and a more vibrant community.

2021 Main Street Vibrancy Grant winners (see below for quotes from each of the winning organizations):

Applicant Entity Project Description Amount Requested Grayling Downtown Development Authority Downtown clock, outdoor seating, sanitation stations, crosswalk art, wayfinding $20,000 Blissfield Downtown Development Authority Mini-park revitalization and gazebo for food truck park, art events, outdoor space activation $20,000 Owosso Downtown Development Authority Streetscape - flower beds, benches, bike racks $20,000 Downtown Lansing Inc. Business incubator space $20,000 Three Rivers Downtown Development Authority Downtown in bloom - public art upgrades to murals and art inspired banners, lighting, bistro seating, outdoor games (chess and ping pong tables) $20,000

"These communities have all worked diligently to enhance the sense of place and vibrancy in their downtowns, engage residents and businesses, and drive economic growth," said Michelle Parkkonen, Director of Community Development Technical Assistance Programs at the MEDC. "Today's Vibrancy grants will help further strengthen the downtowns and commercial districts in these communities, helping their businesses grow while also building unique places that are attractive to residents and visitors."

The Michigan Main Street Center supports local communities across Michigan as they implement the Main Street Four-Point Approach, a community-driven, comprehensive strategy encouraging economic development through historic preservation in ways appropriate for the modern marketplace. The program aims to create communities distinguished by a "sense of place." The rationale is based on a range of studies that show investing in creating a sense of place is an integral part of developing vibrant city centers and downtowns, thereby making the state economically stronger and culturally diverse.

As part of the Select Level of Michigan Main Street, communities receive five years of intensive technical assistance from MEDC with a focus on revitalization strategies designed to attract new residents, business investments, economic growth and job creation to their central business districts.

After communities have completed the Select Level of the program, they can participate in the Master Level, a two-year commitment that includes additional training and networking and mentoring opportunities.

The 24 communities currently participating in the Michigan Main Street at the select and master levels are Blissfield, Boyne City, Charlevoix, Charlotte, Cheboygan, Downtown Lansing, Eaton Rapids, Evart, Grand Haven, Grayling, Grosse Pointe, Howell, Lapeer, Mexicantown Hubbard Communities (Detroit), Milan, Niles, Historic North End (Detroit), Old Town (Lansing), Otsego, Owosso, Saline, Sault Ste. Marie, Three Rivers, and Wayland.

Over the past year, Michigan Main Street communities generated more than $13 million in private investment, 87 new businesses and 149 facade and building improvements. Since its inception in 2003, the Michigan Main Street has been a catalyst for job growth, private investment and community engagement. From 2003 through 2018, 1,495 new businesses have been launched, with a total public investment of over $115 million and total private investment of $319 million. In addition, more than 773,507 volunteer hours recorded by Michigan Main Street communities in revitalizing downtowns across the state.

LOCAL QUOTES:

Blissfield Main Street

"The Blissfield Main Street is excited to create a vibrant mini park in our downtown. The grant funds we are receiving will have positive impact on our project. The space we are creating will allow people to gather and enjoy art, music, food, and friends," said Blissfield Main Street Executive Director Heather Marks. "This project will also help us build a sense of place in our Main Street district. Our mini park project ties into our transformation strategy and allows our community the opportunity to reach our overarching goals for Blissfield Main Street. We are thankful to have the extra funding to allow us to complete our mini park."

Downtown Lansing Inc.

"We are looking forward to working with the Michigan Main Street and MEDC team through the Vibrancy Grant program. Over this past year, Downtown Lansing Inc. has prioritized programming centered around providing small business support," said Downtown Lansing Inc. Executive Director Cathleen Edgerly. "This grant and Downtown Lansing Incubator will allow us to cultivate small scale development from the inside out, building a stronger sense of community as we empower and offer a soft launching point for start-ups with a centralized and hyper-focused support system for entrepreneurship in the downtown district."

Grayling Main Street

"Each year, Grayling Main Street strives to make a lasting change to our outdoor environment, bike racks, benches, trees, and such. This year, with Vibrancy Grant funds, we will be able to mark off a long-awaited lasting fixture for our downtown, a town clock," said Grayling Main Street Executive Director Rae Gosling. "The installation of the clock on our 100 block, coupled with adding new wayfinding signage and additional outdoor seating is going to add a tremendous amount of positive energy to an area of our downtown that has struggled to reenergize."

Owosso Main Street/DDA

"As our district evolves out of the pandemic, this MMS Vibrancy Grant is catalytic funding that will aid in the reactivation of our downtown streetscape," said Owosso Main Street/DDA Executive Director Josh Adams. "We continue to appreciate our partnership with Michigan Main Street and their support of our community."

Three Rivers Main Street

"We are thrilled to be a recipient of the Main Street Vibrancy Grant. This grant will allow us to accomplish great things in our Downtown as we anticipate a continued surge in foot traffic and new visitors with the announcement of our newly designated Social District called 'Main Street Commons,' said Three Rivers Main Street Executive Director Tricia Meyer. "We are a small community with big dreams and limited resources and this funding will enable us to further transform our charming Downtown into a vibrant place to explore."

About Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC)

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation is the state's marketing arm and lead advocate for business development, job awareness and community development with the focus on growing Michigan's economy. For more information on the MEDC and our initiatives, visit www.MichiganBusiness.org. For Pure Michigan tourism information, your trip begins at www.michigan.org. Join the conversation on: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

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Governor Whitmer Announces Creation of 100 new jobs in Holland

Governor Whitmer Announces Creation of 100 new jobs in Holland

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 3, 2021

Contact: Kathleen Achtenberg achtenbergk@michigan.org

Governor Whitmer Announces Creation of 100 new jobs in Holland

Expansion will generate $5.3 million in private investment in West Michigan

LANSING, Mich. - Governor Gretchen Whitmer joined the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) to announce that Mission Design and Automation, a leading provider of automation solutions, is expanding in Holland Charter Township with support from the Michigan Strategic Fund.

The project is expected to generate a total private investment of $5.3 million and create 109 well-paying new jobs over a two-year period. Michigan was chosen for the expansion over a competing site in South Carolina.

"Mission Design's investment in Holland will create good-paying jobs and help us continue our economic recovery as we emerge from the pandemic," said Governor Whitmer. "This expansion in Holland cements Mission Design's presence in West Michigan and adds momentum to our efforts to ensure Michigan's incredible manufacturers lead the way in Industry 4.0 technologies and workforce needs. Our future is bright, and thanks to companies like Mission Design, I know we can build back our state's economy stronger than ever before."

Mission Design and Automation, LLC, founded in 2004, is a leader in automation technology for a diverse mix of industries. The company designs, builds, and integrates custom intelligent automation solutions for a variety of industries including food and beverage, medical device, transportation and automotive, consumer goods and more.

Mission has experienced significant growth and plans to establish a new facility near its current operations located on Black River Court in Holland Charter Township, where it will house new large-scale automation projects and include space for offices and meeting rooms. As a result of the expansion and job creation, the company has been awarded a $400,000 Jobs Ready Michigan Program performance-based grant.

"Bringing work to West Michigan allows us to continue to support the community through partnerships with local universities and high schools through co-op and apprenticeship programs," said Mission Director of Business Development Ryan Lillibridge. "It also means more high-tech employment opportunities for our community. Our customers are the reason we are successful, and this facility with its dedicated space for R&D and larger machine capacity will allow us to improve manufacturing processes for our customers and provide the collaborative spaces required to develop the solutions they need now and in the future."

Mission invests significantly in training programs and promotes upward mobility within the organization. The company is offering above regional wages with an average pay of more than $30 per hour, and is hiring for various positions, including mechanical engineers, controls engineers, application's engineers, machine builders, and more. Mission also plans to launch an apprenticeship program that will provide its employees opportunities to journeymen certification.

"We are grateful for the partnership with the MEDC, Lakeshore Advantage, West Michigan Works!, and Holland Township who have made this possible, and for what the growth at Mission facilitates for the community, employees, and our customers," said Mission CEO Scot Lindemann.

The project aligns with MEDC's strategic goal of growing advanced manufacturing and technology industries in the state, along with an Industry 4.0 initiative launched at the end of last year to ensure 50% of Michigan's small and mid-sized manufacturers are prepared to adopt Industry 4.0 technologies by 2025.

"Mission Design's continued growth in Michigan reinforces Michigan as the place where manufacturing and technology converge," said MEDC Chief Business Development Officer and Executive Vice President Josh Hundt. "We're pleased to work with Lakeshore Advantage and other local partners to support the growth of Mission Design in Michigan, and look forward to working with them as we continue to work with manufacturers across the state on Industry 4.0 readiness."

Mission is expected to receive approval from Holland Charter Township for a 12-year property tax abatement valued at $575,000. Lakeshore Advantage connected the company with state and local resources, and West Michigan Works! will also be providing $382,220 in jobs training assistance to support the increase in employment Mission will experience due to the expansion. Individuals interested in careers with Mission should visit https://missiondesignauto.com/careers/.

"West Michigan is a hotspot for Industry 4.0. With over 40 percent of our region's GDP coming from manufacturing, the customer base is here and the significant growth local automation solutions providers are experiencing is proof that area manufacturers are adopting smart manufacturing processes," said Lakeshore Advantage President Jennifer Owens. "Jobs of the future, on the cutting edge of manufacturing technology, are available right here at innovative automation companies including Mission Design, and their customers who implement these tech solutions. We congratulate Mission Design on their future focus and growth in our region."

Learn more about Michigan's Industry 4.0 readiness efforts at www.michiganbusiness.org/industry4-0.

About Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC)

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation is the state's marketing arm and lead advocate for business development, job awareness and community development with the focus on growing Michigan's economy. For more information on the MEDC and our initiatives, visit www.MichiganBusiness.org. For Pure Michigan tourism information, your trip begins at www.michigan.org. Join the conversation on: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

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The Bad Axe Public School District ends the 2020-21 school year proud of how it was able to manage a year where students and staff had to go home to quarantine and adapt to a new, virtual, way lessons are taught.

Superintendent Greg Newland felt that everyone in the district went through the gamut of emotions throughout the year. While they were happy to be stay in session for as much as they could, and with staff delivering instructions in ways they were not trained to do, there were other times where things got frustrating and mentally draining.

At some point, everyone from myself down to the students, staff, and parents ran the various emotions over the year, Newland said. Still, it went very well and were thankful for all the people who made it so successful.

The district had a combined 39 COVID-19 cases among students and staff who either tested positive, were presumed positive, or probable positives. Newland said Bad Axe did not have to witch to virtual as many times as other districts, though there were times the elementary building had to shut down due to the number of people in quarantine and the high school had to go virtual due to a state mandate. There were also times a whole classroom or grade level was sent home and some rooms had to do that multiple times.

The focus was to give as much opportunity for in-person learning, Newland said. I feel thats whats best for student achievements.

Some of the measures the district took to prevent the spread of COVID-19 included wearing face masks, bringing on extra custodial staff to clean commonly touched surfaces, having kids sanitize their hands when they got on buses, and using the gymnasiums to socially distance students during lunch. These helped not just eliminating the virus spread, but other common germs too.

The district had different options available for virtual learning, with most students logging in to get the instruction as it was happening in the classroom. They could also look up the lesson recordings on Google classroom.

Newland said the number of students who used the online learning options fluctuated throughout the year, as families for their own reasons decided to move to virtual or do the opposite. He added the staff were prepared for this back when schools started moving to virtual learning when the pandemic arrived in Michigan.

We felt this is not going to just be a short-term thing and we cant waste any learning time, Newland said. We learned as we went along since it was so new to everyone. It helped going into the fall as it presented teachers with information and additional teaching tools like video recording and others that would help them with delivering lessons.

Newland does not feel there was anything the district could have improved upon over the year, describing the situation as like building a plane while they were flying it.

We did the best we could at the time, Newland said. If there was an issue, we addressed it and improved upon it. I cant say there was something we needed to do better on.

For next year, the district is waiting for additional guidance from the state and hopes that the states reopening on July 1 comes to pass. Newland wants to return to some semblance of normalcy from before COVID, as he wants the district to focus on in-person learning and bring back the social aspects of school to students.

Im sure there will be some mitigation strategies the state will have us still do, Newland said. What those will be, Im not sure.

While there will likely still be some form of online learning provided next year, Newland had no desire for the district to get into online learning further, firmly believing that education needs to be done in-person to be the most effective.
Some actions have unforeseen consequences and that is a worry for municipalities in Tuscola County.

In May, county commissioners decided not to renew the agreement for South Central Michigan Construction Code Inspections to provide building codes inspection and enforcement services.

On Sept. 30, the county will sever its contract with SCMCCI, which has handled building codes in the county since 2001.

In conjunction with that action, the county sent notices to villages, cities and townships that the county will no longer be using SCMCCIs services.

It is Commissioner Dan Grimshaws contention that the county should get out of building codes and leave contracting for service to local governments.

Commissioners also sent out a request for proposal for an agency to provide building code services in the county. However, that does not necessarily mean the county will hire a company.

And that is creating a lot of concern for those who have construction projects in the works.

Bill Putman and his family formed Putman Developing, which is in the midst of trying to develop a state-of-the-art $7 million medical center just outside of Caro at 1800 W. Caro Road (M-81).

According to him, they have had nothing but issues with SCMCCI since the project was started.

For about 90 minutes, Putman explained the problems he has in getting building permits, inspections, in meeting the company's various and changing demands on what is needed to get permits, and phone calls that were never returned.

Your codes department is failing, stated Putman. This (project) is too big an event for the county.

This (situation) is despicable.

Although SCMCCI issued stop-work orders in November 2020 on the Putman project, work continued, which caused SCMCCI to ask commissioners for legal support.

The issues between Putman and building codes could jeopardize a 42,000-square-foot medical complex Putman Developers is building with an agreement with McLaren Health Systems.

Putmans original plan was to have most of the medical complex completed and occupied by the end of the year.

According to Putman, the plan to develop the complex could be jeopardized altogether by delays.

Brandon Putman, Bills son, said he doesnt trust SCMCCIs inspectors to be objective.

Putman also suggested getting a third-party building inspector to do the necessary work.

In the meantime, the county is caught in the middle of the dispute but can actually do very little.

About the most we can do is bring the people together, said board Chairman Thom Bardwell, noting if an agreement cant be reached an injunction to stop work may have to be issued.

Commissioners asked their legal counsel, Eric Morris of Braun, Kendrick, Finkbeiner of Saginaw, to meet with SCMCCI to try to work out an agreement.

Im concerned there is no building permit that has been issued, and the breakdown in communication, said Grimshaw.

Grimshaw noted that because the county is still under contract with SCMCCI for another three months, the county should support the company on the permit issue.

Also, Cass City village officials are also worried about the building code situation.

At a county meeting in May, village Manager Debbie Powell, village President Dan Delamarter, and Trustee Tom Herron, who is a licensed contractor that built a large section of Cass City, attended the meeting to express concerns about the countys decision not to continue its relationship with SCMCCI.

In April, Delamarter wrote to the commissioners expressing his dissatisfaction with SCMCCI, but urged finding an alternate provider to do building codes or for the county to go back to operating a building codes department again.

The main thing that we are concerned about are buildings records," Powell said. "Before hiring a company, the county had done building codes in-house. That involves a lot of historical data that they have regarding building permits and variances and zoning historically."

When SCMCCI took over, they developed a lot of historic building data. Our concern is who is going to be keeping that central database and parcelling it out, said Powell.

She explained one of the gas stations in the village was recently for sale, and there were out-of-state entities that were interested but needed building code information.

I was able to refer them to SCMCCI knowing that if they didnt have that data, they had access to the countys records," Powell said, noting the county's decision is very concerning. "There needs to be a continuity of records. That is important information and needs to be able to be excessed.

That kind of information is needed for potential development. You cant have investment, development, and growth without having an established building codes department.

The commissioners decision is especially troubling in Cass City with the proposed development of a multi-million investment in the community.

In April, the Dairy Farmers of America announced it wanted to expand its operation in Cass Citys industrial park, and is looking for a company to partner with to accomplish that. DFA issued a prospectus for a joint-venture milk processing opportunity in the village.

Also, the village recently completed all of the necessary steps to be a certified-level Redevelopment Ready Community, which wasnt easy to accomplish.

The council has steadily worked on the various phases to be a RRC community with the goal of economic development and future business growth.

The RRC program with its best practices is supposed to make it easy for people to invest in development in the community.

Taking away building codes is a major roadblock for that, said Powell.
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RICHMOND, Va. (AP)  Terry McAuliffe, the energetic former Virginia governor and longtime fixture of Democratic politics, won the partys nomination Tuesday in his quest for a second term in office.

McAuliffe will go on to face GOP nominee and political newcomer Glenn Youngkin in the November general election, when Republicans will be looking to break their more than decade-long losing streak in statewide races.

Folks, we launched this campaign about six months ago on the simple idea that Virginia has some very big challenges ahead," McAuliffe said in a speech Tuesday night. And I've said, we've got to go big, we've got to be bold, and we need seasoned leadership to move us forward and to lift up all Virginians."

Virginia is the only state in the nation with an open race for governor this year, and the contest is expected to be closely watched as a barometer of voter sentiment in each party heading into the midterm elections.

The race has also taken on heightened importance as Democrats aim to hold onto power after assuming full control of state government in 2020. Since then they have pushed through sweeping changes, from gun control and police reform to marijuana legalization and a higher minimum wage, transforming what was once a reliably red state into an outlier in the South.

We are a different state than we were eight years ago, and we are not going back," McAuliffe said.

A longtime Democratic Party fundraiser and a close friend of Bill and Hillary Clinton, McAuliffe held office from 2014 to 2018. Like all Virginia governors, he was prohibited from seeking a consecutive term. He jumped into the race in December after deciding in 2019 against a run for president.

McAuliffe, 64, focused his campaign on the need for bold action to address Virginias lagging teacher pay and inequities in education funding. Hes also pledged to work to accelerate Virginias minimum wage increase to $15 by 2024, protect abortion access, and ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.

He earned the endorsement of Gov. Ralph Northam, who said McAuliffe was best suited to lead Virginia out of the economic recovery from the pandemic and cement the transformational changes Democrats have implemented since taking full control of state government in the 2019 elections.

McAuliffe also raised far more money than the other candidates: state Sen. Jennifer McClellan, former Del. Jennifer Carroll Foy, Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax and Del. Lee Carter. From the jump, he had the backing of a substantial number of elected officials across the commonwealth, including many powerful Black lawmakers.

I liked what hes done and believe he can do what hes promised. And I think he can win, said Joe Glaze, a 70-year-old retired clergy member who voted for McAuliffe Tuesday afternoon in Richmond. Thats the main thing: I want someone who will win and beat Youngkin.

McAuliffe drew criticism from some more progressive voters who criticized his record on energy and criminal justice issues and who saw him as standing in the way of Carroll Foy and McClellan, who were each trying to become the nations first Black woman governor.

Either would have also been Virginias first female governor. The commonwealth has elected only one woman in its history to a statewide position and never to its highest office.

Del. Hala Ayala won the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor Tuesday, all but ensuring that Virginia will soon elect its first female lieutenant governor  her Republican opponent is Winsome Sears, the first Black woman to receive a major partys endorsement for statewide office.

Democratic Attorney General Mark Herring meanwhile secured his party's nomination in his bid for a third term, staving off a strong challenge from Del. Jay Jones, who sought to cast Herring as insufficiently progressive. Herring will face Republican state Del. Jason Miyares in November.

Republicans picked their nominees for this years statewide races in a multisite convention process in May. Youngkin, a former executive at an investment fund with no voting record to be scrutinized, has pledged to use his personal wealth to power his campaign.

In a statement, Youngkin described Virginia as a state that over the past two Democratic governorships has gotten less safe, more expensive and has not offered enough economic opportunities.

We need a new kind of leader to bring a new day to Virginia, Youngkin said. Get ready, because Terry McAuliffe will default to the same political games hes played his entire life.

Bobbi Andrews, 85, said she voted for McAuliffe based on his past record as governor and, in part, because of his stance on education. But she said she's voted for Republicans before and considers Youngkin a strong candidate.

Im glad to see a strong Republican running because we need two parties, Andrews said. If we dont have two parties, neither one of them will be honest.

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Associated Press writer Ben Finley contributed to this report from Norfolk and Virginia Beach.
MIDDLETOWN  More than a dozen people  many of them students  provided insight and first-hand perspective to a committee examining the role of student resource officers and whether they are needed in the districts 11 schools.

The Board of Education recently formed the Student Resource Officers Exploratory Committee, which is charged with examining the overall use and practices of the SROs and review how it fits within the districts equity model, according to BOE and committee member Dina Ford.

The committee is comprised of BOE members, a police officer, the youth services coordinator, school administrators, community members and students.

We want to make sure that all students, parents and staff have a voice in deciding whether SROs have a place in our districts school culture, Ford said.

Most current and former Middletown High School students spoke during last weeks meeting against maintaining the officers, while some said they can see both sides of the argument.

It seems like theyre supposed to fill two categories of responsibilities: preventing and responding to crime, and supporting students through community building and education, Sophie Naylor, a recent graduate, said, according to the meeting video.

I really dont think theyre fulfilling either of these things, said Naylor, who has talked with fellow students and teachers about the topic. It seems like everybody is noticing an increase in violence  which I get  thats inspiring people to want more SROs, or at least a continued police presence.

Lily Doan, who graduated in 2019, understands both sides of the argument because officers being there alleviate some of the tensions and concerns in general, especially with the current climate with policing, she said.

Doan would like to see more resources go toward helping students with mental health issues, pointing out how she has benefited from the school-based health center.

While I do think police presence to some degree is needed at the high school with school violence, God forbid, anything happens, some of the funding should be directed toward other necessities, she said.

Common Councilwoman Linda Salafia shared a statement from three-year Woodrow Wilson Middle School SRO Officer Eric Sanford on her Facebook page.

Hes concerned many parents are unaware the idea of SROs is being revisited, and others may have a misconception of what an SRO does on a daily basis, according to Sanford, who has also been a DARE instructor and substitute teacher.

I have made less than 10 total arrests, most of which were the result of thorough investigations of issues taking place on social media, all in cooperation with parents, he said.

I have never handcuffed a student nor have I placed a student in a police car. I make every attempt to stay in touch with the student and their families, and explore all options available to find alternatives to the student entering the judicial system, Sanford said.

Student Evan Davis supports removing SROs from the schools, especially after reading about what he thinks are deficits in training these officers, he said.

Hed like to see trauma-informed practices, racial equity, serving students with disabilities, adolescent brain development, mental illness.

Those who chose to speak at this last meeting were passionate, equipped with data, and had mounds of maturity that is always welcoming to see in our towns youth, Ford said.

Former common council minority leader and ex-mayor Sebastian Giuliano discussed a report compiled about a decade ago by retired chief Lynn Baldoni, which examined population, the citys size, as well as local institutions that serve residents and nonresidents.

Theyre provided to the school district at the request and invitation of the school district, he said of SROs. If the school didnt want them there, its not like theyd get laid off. It wouldnt take time to find other things for [police] to do.

When Giuliano was mayor, he removed SROs from the schools at the request of the district administration. It didnt take them too long for them to ask for them back, he said.

Resident Joanne Thrasher wants police officers to remain in the schools. I think its very good for young kids and also for young teenagers, she said.

Thrashers grandson attends preschool at Wesley Elementary School. It really teaches the kids not to be afraid of them because they have a good rapport with them, something theyll carry with them as they grow older, she said.

Children are our most precious resource, lifelong resident Joseph Carta said, adding that having officers positioned in the schools is part of good community policing, especially at the youngest grades.

He believes policies should be reviewed and updated periodically. Im imploring you all to please think long and hard about the decisions you make, Carta said.

The committee will next meet June 15 at 6:30 p.m. on Zoom. The agenda will be posted on the school districts website before the meeting.
Contributed photo / East Hampton police

EAST HAMPTON  Local police arrested a 27-year-old Middletown man last week who they say had 25 bags of a heroin/fentanyl mix in his vehicle.

East Hampton Police Officers Steven Wawruck, John Wilson and his K-9 partner Ardo were conducting high-visibility traffic enforcement on East High Street June 2, when they spotted a Ford Taurus that was being operated with misused registration plates, according to a press release.
MIDDLETOWN  Visitors are invited to Indian Hill Cemetery this weekend during an event that will show off the newly renovated, 19th-century chapel, as well as a recently installed columbarium.

An open house is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the 383 Washington St., nondenominational cemetery, where many early settlers of Middletown and important Civil War and political figures are among the interred.

With its exceptional views and harmonious plantings, the cemetery became the resting place of choice for Middletowns elite in the late 19th century, according to the cemetery website.

In all, $600,000 worth of renovations were done on the chapel, according to Jeffrey Burgess, the cemeterys association president and treasurer. Part of the project was paid for through a $200,000 grant from the State Historic Preservation Office of the Department of Economic and Community Development.

The area around the 96-niche columbine, which offers different sized niches for cremains, has been extensively landscaped, Burgess said. Its absolutely gorgeous. It came out just as nice as we had hoped, he said.

The cost for that project was an additional $35,000, Burgess said.

The columbarium, which has a patio area and marble doors, is one of few places to house burial ashes in the state. The only one in Middletown is located at the State Veterans Cemetery, Burgess said, but its reserved for service people and their spouses.

In New England, about 50 percent of people these days are cremated, which costs less than a ground burial, Burgess said.

The cemetery, established in 1850, was part of the America Beautiful movement, which promoted rural environments and serene landscaping for public places, particularly cemeteries, according to its website.

Restoration of the cemeterys 1867 Gothic Revival chapel, which is listed on the State Register of Historic Places, began in 2014. It is an intimate space, with a capacity of 49, Burgess said. Middletowns Frances Russell donated the chapel in memory of her late husband, Samuel Russell, an American entrepreneur and trader who founded Russell & Co.

It now can be booked for weddings, lectures, community organization meetings and other events. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, funeral services were prohibited, so some families may now want to hold a service, Burgess added.

The association will be contracting a company to create protective window covers to protect the circa-1800 stained-glass windows at the chapel. These are extremely difficult to match, something that was discovered after the building was vandalized last October, according to the cemeterys newsletter.

Another project, to be conducted by Brown University anthropology PhD candidate Mark Agostini, is the restoration of the Dr. Joseph Barratt monument, which features dinosaur footprints. Emond expects work to begin soon.

Barratt, who died in 1824, was an English-born physician and Middletown resident who was interested in botany, geology, mineralogy, natural history, paleontology and many other things, according to the cemeterys newsletter.

He was associated with Wesleyan University, Emond said.

When ichnology (the branch of paleontology regarding the study of fossilized tracks, trails and more) became a focus among the mid-19th-century scientific community, Barratt developed a strong fascination that would last the rest of his life, the newsletter said.

During the open house, Burgess and Emond will offer tours, and there will be a booth set up by the Friends of Indian Hill. There will also be photos of the chapel, work done by Kronenberger & Sons Restoration, before and after the transformation, Emond said.

Donations are still being accepted for the restoration fund. For information, visit indian-hill.org, call 860-346-0452 or email superindianhill@att.net.

Editors note: This article has been updated to reflect that Indian Hill Cemetery received a $200,000 grant from the State Historic Preservation Office.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP)  An Indianapolis man has been sentenced to 30 years in prison after pleading guilty in a drunken driving crash that killed a young couple in 2019.

Dataniel Gilbert, 28, was sentenced Friday after he pleaded guilty to two felony counts of failure to remain at the scene of an accident resulting in death, Marion County prosecutors said Tuesday.
LITCHFIELD  As state police investigate a rare homicide that occurred this week near the town green, the connection between the victim and a respected local attorney remains unclear.

State police said Monday they believed the two knew one another before the fatal shooting, but have said that is part of what they are still investigating. Police have also not said what motivated the shooting.

On Wednesday, state police said there was no new information to provide on the investigation as it relates to how the two men may have known each other, or if any arrests will be made in the homicide outside the Cramer & Anderson office.

State police identified the victim as 39-year-old Matthew Bromley, of Torrington. State police said the subject of the investigation was Robert Fisher, identified by Cramer & Anderson as a senior partner. The law firm said he was placed on leave until the police investigation is concluded.

On Wednesday, a man answered the door of a Torrington home associated with Bromley, but said he did not want to discuss the incident.

Bromleys sister, reached by phone on Wednesday, declined to discuss the shooting.

A neighbor, Brian Amenta, who lives across the street from the Bromleys, said hes resided on the block for 18 years, but didnt know much about the family.

"Theyre quiet, he said. They keep to themselves.

Court records obtained by Hearst Connecticut Media show Bromley was convicted of carrying a dangerous weapon in Torrington in 2003 and was sentenced to 18 months in prison. He also pleaded guilty to second-degree burglary for an offense in Torrington that same year and received another 18-month sentence, which he served at the same time as the weapon charge, court records show.

In 2002, he was arrested on charges of carrying a weapon and carrying a weapon in a motor vehicle in Harwinton, according to court records. He pleaded guilty and was given a three-year suspended sentence with three years of conditional discharge, records show.

Bromley also pleaded guilty to driving under the influence and traffic violations in 2011, the court records show. Several other court files associated with Bromley have been destroyed, according to judicial system staff. A complete conviction history was not available.

On Tuesday, Cramer & Anderson released a statement, saying there was no record of any link between Bromley and the firm.

We have conducted a review of client records and found no record of Mr. Bromley ever being a client of the firm, or being a listed adversarial party, Cramer & Anderson said.

Reached by phone on Tuesday evening, Fisher declined to comment on the shooting.

Cramer & Andersons Litchfield office, which was closed after the shooting, reopened Wednesday, but employees declined to comment.

Troopers first responded to the law firm after receiving calls about a disturbance with gunfire, state police said. When they arrived, they found Bromley in the parking lot. He later was pronounced dead.

Western District Major Crime Squad detectives took over the homicide investigation. Fisher and Cramer & Anderson are cooperating with the investigation, officials said.

Barbara Morehouse, who is renting the Parsons Home adjacent to the law firm, said she was taking a nap in an upstairs bedroom that faces the lawyers office when the shooting occurred. Along with her husband and daughter, she said they heard at the same time a woman scream and a gunshot.

Her daughter came to her and said someone was shot.

My husband called 911 and there was someone lying on the parking lot with blood coming out all over, and there was a gentleman standing on the phone, and there was a woman pacing.

State police said they could not confirm whether a woman or if any other witnesses were at the scene, citing the ongoing investigation.

Staff writer Peter Yankowski contributed to this story.
NEWPORT, R.I. (AP)  Salve Regina University is the latest college in Rhode Island to announce that it will require students to be vaccinated against COVID-19 before returning to campus next fall.

The Catholic school in Newport announced Tuesday that all students, faculty and staff will be required to submit proof of vaccination to the school no later than Aug. 1.

Salve Regina joins Brown University, the University of Rhode Island, Providence College, and several other schools in the state that will require students to be vaccinated before participating in on-campus classes and activities in the fall.

We did not arrive at this decision lightly," the school posted on its website. "In reviewing the American College Health Association and CDC recommendations for higher education institutions and in discussion with state health officials, it became clear that this additional safeguard was required to more fully protect our Salve Regina community and those with whom our members interact."

People with valid medical or religious reasons for not receiving the vaccine may request an exemption, the school said.

Salve Regina has about 2,700 students.

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HEALTH DEPARTMENT DATA

Rhode Island public health officials reported almost 50 new confirmed cases of the coronavirus and three more virus-related deaths Wednesday.

Of the new cases, 35 were recorded Tuesday, when the daily positivity rate was 0.5%, and the rest were added to previous days' totals, according to the state Department of Health.

The total number of fatalities in the state is now 2,722.

Forty-four people remain hospitalized with COVID-19, but only five of those patients are in intensive care.

The number of people who have now been fully vaccinated in the state has surpassed 580,000, which amounts to about 55% of the state's population.

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Follow APs coverage of the pandemic at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP)  Authorities have identified the victims of a string of Kansas City area shootings and are asking the public for help.

Police in Kansas City, Missouri, said the first of three deadly shootings in the city happened around 1:30 p.m. Tuesday. Investigators said a shooter approached 52-year-old Jose Lugo and opened fire before leaving. Lugo was taken to a hospital but died a short time later.
There had been three floors dedicated to COVID-19 patients at Yale New Haven Healths Smilow Cancer Hospital.

This week, the 12th, 14th and 15th floors, which Dr. Tom Balcezak said had been taken over to treat COVID-19 patients, were converted back for oncology.

It does make everyone here pleased to see these patients back where they belong, Balcezak said.

Balcezak, Yale New Haven Healths chief medical officer, said much of the health systems COVID-specific efforts are winding down.

Thats demonstrative of a larger trend in Connecticut. As vaccination rates rise and infections decrease, the resources committed to fight the pandemic in Connecticut are being reduced.

The manpower and resources that we need to put behind it is less, Balcezak said.

Max Reiss, spokesman for Gov. Ned Lamont, called it a scale back.

Much of state government was 90 percent devoted to addressing COVID-19, Reiss said. As we move on, its learning to live with COVID-19.

The contract with AMN Healthcare, which runs Connecticuts contact tracing efforts, expires at the end of August, and many of the contact tracers employed tracking the progression of the virus have been reassigned, Reiss said.

Weve transitioned a lot of those people to help with the vaccine, Reiss said.

The contract with McDowell Communications Group, which the state hired to manage COVID-related communications, is up at the end of July. The state has also stopped promoting the COVID Alert CT application.

The state numbers released Wednesday afternoon showed infections continued to remain low, even as hospitalizations ticked back up slightly.

The one-day positivity rate stood at 0.81 percent as 108 new infections were reported statewide out of 13,356 new tests. A net four more hospitalizations brought the states hospital census for the illness to 76. Two more fatalities increased the official death toll to 8,257.

As vaccination rates have increased, those efforts are starting to wind down as well. As of May 25, Yale New Haven Health closed all its mass vaccination sites.

We simply dont have the demand to keep those vaccination sites open, Balcezak said. Were shrinking our footprint.

Demand for vaccinations has been slowing. Only 20 people showed up to a pop-up vaccine clinic held recently at Bridgeports Cathedral of the Holy Spirit.

Balcezak said Yales COVID testing efforts have been slowing as well, because the problem is smaller.

That doesnt mean there will be no more resources committed to fight the coronavirus pandemic in Connecticut. Balcezak said there are variants of concern that are circulating and may be others.

The seasonality of the virus remains an unanswered question, as does how long vaccine-acquired immunity lasts and, therefore, whether booster shots will be necessary.

We didnt know what we were doing the first time around, Balcezak said. If there is a resurgence, we will know better how to handle it.

And Reiss said vaccine efforts will continue.

Well into the millions is what were going to commit to pro-vaccine messaging and outreach, he said.
MEXICO CITY (AP)  Vice President Kamala Harris came to Latin America to deliver a message rather than clinch some kind of concrete deal.

She bluntly told migrants not to travel to the United States. She spoke of the evils of government corruption that lead to dislocation. She urged nations to increase enforcement at their borders.

She completed the journey without securing any commitments to increase immigration enforcement or expand pathways to legal migration. But she also did so without a significant mistake.

It was her first international trip aboard Air Force Two, and a first step toward establishing herself on a core foreign policy issue  one that has bedeviled American presidents at least since Ronald Reagan.

But as much as the trip offered her a chance to step onto the international stage speaking for the Biden administration on a key issue, it also highlighted the ambiguous nature of the portfolio President Joe Biden has handed her  to address the root causes of the spike in migration at the U.S. border.

Harris came away from her meetings with the Guatemalan and Mexican presidents able to talk about commitments to work more closely with them on economic development and on combating trafficking, smuggling and corruption. But she also faced persistent questions about her decision not to visit the U.S.-Mexico border. Republicans have seized on the fact that neither Biden nor Harris has visited the border to argue that the administration is absent on the issue.

Harris was called out by the Democratic left, too, for using her platform in Guatemala to tell people thinking of fleeing to the U.S. that they should not. Do not come, she said, invoking the dangers of the trip as well as the Biden administrations commitment to border security. Do not come.

Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York called those comments disappointing and noted that it is legal to seek asylum.

While White House aides have repeatedly tried to clarify that Harris' assignment is narrowly focused on diplomatic solutions to the immigration situation, she was again forced to spend part of a trip meant to showcase her diplomatic chops explaining herself.

It would be very easy to say, Well travel to one place and therefore its solved,'" she said. "I dont think anybody thinks that that would be the solution.

Her foreign debut was a complex one as she attempted to engage in the deepest reasons people leave what they know to take on the perils of trekking to the U.S. border and trying to get across, whether illegally or through their right to ask for asylum.

Harris often speaks about her belief that most people dont want to leave home, as she said during her meeting with Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei. She says her goal is to restore hope to the region so residents no longer feel compelled to flee their homes for better opportunities in the U.S.

The criticism from both Republicans and some Democrats underscored the politically fraught nature of the assignment and the difficulty Harris faces in finding success with an intractable challenge thats only grown in recent months.

Illegal border crossings have increased steadily since April 2020, after President Donald Trump invoked pandemic-related powers to deny migrants the opportunity to seek asylum, but they further accelerated under Biden.

The new president quickly scrapped many of Trumps hard-line border policies  most notably the program that made asylum-seekers wait in Mexico, often in dangerous conditions, for court dates in U.S. immigration court.

U.S. border authorities encountered nearly 19,000 unaccompanied children in March, the highest on record. Overall, more than 170,000 encounters were reported on the border in April, the highest level in more than 20 years. The numbers arent exactly comparable because getting stopped under pandemic-related authorities carries no legal consequences, prompting some people who are caught once to keep trying.

Still, analysts praised Harris' first in-person foray into the region, noting that even as her political opponents attempt to distill the migration issue to the situation at the border, the vice president reflected a clear grasp of the nuances of the challenge.

Youre completely unrealistic if you think there is some magic bullet to stop this stuff, said Eric Olson, director of policy at the Seattle Foundation, a group focused on good governance in Latin America. Theres very little you can do to stop migration quickly. Better to acknowledge it and set the groundwork to address the long-term issues.

Olson praised Harris for pledging during her press conference with the Guatemalan president to fight corruption and for focusing her meetings in the region on civil society groups and small-business owners rather than the private sector.

And he said that getting Mexico to commit publicly to working with the U.S. on economic opportunity in Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador was a significant step forward, because traditionally Mexico has treated Central America as an annoying guest that just walks through your yard.

This is a first, maybe weak step, but it is something because they have not traditionally accepted that as their goal, he said.

As the first female U.S. vice president, Harris spent much of her trip focused on elevating women in the region. She met female entrepreneurs in Guatemala and Mexico and announced a $40 million program in Guatemala focused on creating opportunities for young, primarily Indigenous women.

Harris, who is also the first Black and South Asian vice president, said her place in history was on her mind and informed her approach as she toured the region.

I welcome showing anyone, whatever your race or gender, that you may be the first to do anything, but make sure youre not the last," she said. "And in that way, lets pave a path where we create an opportunity for others to become the first in their family or their community to do those things that perhaps others didnt think they were capable of, but God has given them that capacity to achieve, and with a little help, they will, she said in Guatemala.

The trip was Harris busiest public foray yet. She held lengthy bilateral meetings with the Guatemalan and Mexican presidents, presided over roundtables with entrepreneurs and labor leaders, and took questions from the press multiple times a day.

She began the trip on Air Force Two with a brief visit with her traveling press, bringing cookies baked and decorated to look like her back to reporters to mark the start of her journey. She ended her time in Mexico with an extended press conference, in which she fielded questions on topics including immigration enforcement and voting rights.

She turns from one intractable problem to another back in Washington, where the White House has said shell spend the next week hosting events focused on voting rights as Democrats struggle to find enough support in Congress to write broad voting protections into law.

___

Associated Press writer Calvin Woodward in Washington contributed to this report.
Premiering on TBS in 2010, Conan was created after OBrien moved to the West Coast for a brief and messy tenure as host of The Tonight Show  which saw him both succeed, and then shortly thereafter be replaced by, Jay Leno.
MIDDLETOWN  The teen accused of fatally stabbing his mother last month had his case continued during a brief court appearance on Tuesday.

Alicia Medina, a 53-year-old mother of six and grandmother of seven, was stabbed 10 times on May 20 during a domestic violence incident. She drove herself to a nearby fire station to ask for help.

Medinas son, 18-year-old Eugenio Vela III, a Middletown High School student, was taken into custody for the alleged attack.

He has been in custody on a more than $1 million bond since his arrest. He appeared in state Superior Court in Middletown on Tuesday on charges of murder, first-degree assault and violation of a protective order. The judge next scheduled Vela to appear in court on June 22.

Middlesex Judicial District Public Defender Angela C. Anastasi, who is representing Vela, waived the 90-day limit for a probable cause hearing. A date was not scheduled Tuesday for the hearing.

Police said Vela was taken into custody shortly after the incident, which they said occurred on East Street between Tuttle and Ridgewood roads.

Vela got into a domestic dispute with a woman inside a car, leaving her severely injured as she drove to the Westfield Volunteer Fire Department, according to his arrest warrant. The woman was later identified by family members to Hearst Connecticut Media as Medina.

Medina was rushed to Middlesex Hospital, where she died from her injuries.

Vela, who was taken into custody at the firehouse with a blood-like substance on his hands and clothing, admitted to investigators that he stabbed the victim during an argument in the car, the warrant stated.

He claimed Medina was slapping him while driving and tried to stab him with what he described to police as a kitchen knife, according to the warrant. Thats when, Vela told investigators, he used a 4-inch knife and started to stab her, the warrant said.

Vela told authorities that he tried to pull Medina out of the car to finish the job on East Street, but she got caught up in the seat belt, the warrant said. When detectives asked for clarification, the warrant said Vela told investigators he was trying to kill her.

The teen initially told authorities he did not know the victim, the warrant said. But he is the subject of two protective orders involving Medina, and had an active arrest warrant for allegedly violating one of those orders, police said.

Survivors of domestic violence should call 911 if they are in immediate danger. The Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence can be reached at 888-774-2900. The U.S. National Domestic Violence Hotline can be reached at 1-800-799-7233 (TTY for the deaf and hard-of-hearing: 1-800-787-3224).
Another round of rain and thunderstorms hit parts of Connecticut on Wednesday, and over 1,900 Eversource customers were experiencing outages by nighttime.

Around 11:07 p.m., more than 1,900 customers were affected by power outages statewide, according to Eversource, the states largest electricity supplier. At that point, Branford and Guilford claimed the highest numbers  with 719 and 445 customers affected, respectively.

As of a little after 5:15 p.m., more than 530 power outages had been reported statewide, according to Eversource. Nearly 200 of those outages were reported in East Hartford, where the storm had been spotted. Another 241 outages were reported in Old Lyme, in New London County.

Mitch Gross, a spokesman for Eversource, said the outages in Old Lyme are storm related and were caused by tree limbs down on wires. He said power restoration was expected by 6:45 p.m.

The agency issued a severe thunderstorm warning for east central Hartford County and part of neighboring Tolland County just after 4 p.m.

The agency said a storm was detected over East Hartford. The storm was expected to bring wind gusts up to 60 mph with damage to trees and power lines expected.

A second severe thunderstorm warning was also issued for southeastern New Haven and southern Middlesex Counties in the afternoon.

The National Weather Service said a line of severe storms were located along a line extending from North Madison to North Branford moving south.

The storms were expected to bring wind gusts up to 60 mph along with half-dollar size hail.

Meanwhile, parts of Hartford, Tolland and Windham counties had been under a heat advisory, as heat indexes pushed into the 90s.

The scorching weather pushed dozens of schools to dismiss students early again on Wednesday, with some citing the need to wear masks as a concern.

Thunderstorms already dumped rain across the region Tuesday afternoon and into the evening. In South Windsor and Hartford, the storms knocked down trees, according to unconfirmed reports to the National Weather Service, and in Hartford wind gusts up to 37 mph were recorded.

As the storms passed over the state, power outages briefly spiked over 1,200 Tuesday afternoon.

Temperatures are expected to drop throughout the region on Thursday with highs in the low to mid 80s and sunny skies, the National Weather Service said.

Another chance of showers exists on Friday with temperatures in the 70s expected over the weekend.
In fall, and even in spring, the leaf blowers makes their presence known.

But environmental and public health activists are getting louder in their opposition to the machines. Relying on scientific research, organizations that seek quieter surroundings and cleaner air are working to enact bans and limits on the gasoline-powered models, with some lawn care professionals in their ranks, as well.

They have reasons ranging from public health to social justice. Among them, the activists say are:

- Gas-powered leaf blowers are excessively loud, and the noise they produce is particularly annoying and stress-inducing.

- They emit hydrocarbons and gasoline fumes into the air, as well as fine particulates that can cause lung cancer and other pulmonary diseases.

- The workers who operate them, often lower income people of color, are at the greatest risk of hearing loss and illness.

- And they are not good for insects or birds, either, blowing away topsoil and upsetting the local ecosystem.

Activists have been challenging the use of two-stroke gasoline-powered leaf blowers, with bans imposed in places such as Larchmont, N.Y., and limits on their use enacted in Norwalk and Greenwich. Other groups are working on at least seasonal limits in New Haven and Westport.

When COVID-19 hit, Greenwich restricted them even more. Thats because a 1-microgram increase in fine particulates was associated with an 8 percent increase in COVID-related deaths, according to a Harvard School of Public Health study. Leaf blowers also have been more noticeable as people have been working from home during the last 14 months.

Landscapers who use them claim that the alternatives, such as electric or battery-operated leaf blowers or old-fashioned rakes, are less efficient or more expensive because the job of clearing a lawn of leaves will take longer.

Time to call (nonsense) and thats what Ive been doing at a dozen town ordinance meetings, said Dan Delventhal, who owns MowGreen lawn care in Fairfield. He uses no gasoline-powered equipment at all, just electric leaf blowers and solar-charged battery-operated mowers.

Arnold Gold / Hearst Connecticut Media

They should be illegal, Delventhal said of gas-powered leaf blowers. Theyre like second-hand smoke. The science is profoundly compelling and pervasive. Recently, one was rumbling 60 feet away on another property and I could smell it, he said.

Theres unburnt fuel. Theyre loud as hell. Theyre the worst of the worst, he said.

Noise and pollution

Another Harvard study found that leaf blowers emitted 100 decibels of low-frequency sound at the source and 75 decibels 500 feet away. Noise levels double with every increase of 10 decibels. A jet taking off, a jackhammer, a garbage truck, all are about 100 decibels loud.

Thats eight times higher than 70 decibels, which is often considered the upper limit of non-dangerous noise, the sound of a vacuum cleaner.

Gas-powered two-stroke leaf blowers are inefficient as well, with 30 percent of the gas and oil used going unburned into the atmosphere, according to the group Quiet Communities. A laboratory study by Edmunds found that a two-stroke leaf blower emitted 300 times the hydrocarbons as a Ford Raptor pickup truck over a half-hour.

To equal the hydrocarbon emissions of about a half-hour of yard work with this two-stroke leaf blower, youd have to drive a Raptor for 3,887 miles, or the distance from Northern Texas to Anchorage, Alaska, according to the authors.

Delventhal said his green lawn care business has grown 30 percent a year each of the last eight and that he and his crew take care of 60 acres a week. And its not just gas leaf blowers he has done away with. I dont use any gas mowers, no gas trimmers, hedgers, edgers, pruners, chainsaws, aerators, de-thatchers. All electric tools, all battery, he said.

Besides the pollution, Delventhal said, the common practices are destructive to the bottom of the food chain.  If we continue to kill all the insects and strip the leaves from the beds, were contributing to the decline of the insect population and that leads to the decline of the bird population.

Dan Thornberg, who has owned Total Lawn Care and More in Milford for 12 years, agrees gas leaf blowers are noisy and polluters but disagrees with his friend Delventhal that electric blowers do the job equally well.

Basically, you dont get the same power from an electric blower just yet, and the issue with the battery  they dont have the capacity, he said. You have to be consistently changing batteries. They dont last very long.

He said the time needed to change batteries and the lack of power would require his workers to spend more time on the job.

I would have to triple my prices to do the same quality job. Id rather go electric once the technology gets better, 100 percent, Thornberg said. Its cheaper when it comes to electric. Battery power is, over the long term, more affordable, but the money you save on electric gets destroyed when you talk about how much time it takes to do the job.

He said all his workers wear ear protection and face masks.

Valerie Seiling Jacobs, who is working to get a seasonal ban enacted in Westport, said, One of big things were trying to do is, even when we do permit them in the spring and the fall  is that they change their ways and not chase a leaf all over the yard.

While there are plenty of leaves to blow in the fall, theres far less debris in the spring, much of which is grass clippings after mowing, which environmentalists say should be left alone anyway.

The proposed ordinance, which will go to committee hearings this month, would allow them for a six-week period in the spring and the fall [and] may have restriction on numbers, said Jacobs, a longtime activist with Save Westport Now.

Its grounded in noise and the health problems created by the noise from these machines, she said. Even if an electric blower were as loud as a gas-powered one, it doesnt take into account how far the noise will travel or whether it has the capacity to penetrate walls and windows. Its not consistent, which makes it more irritating.

A white paper by Quiet Communities states: Unlike noise from battery electric blowers, [gas leaf blower] noise has a strong low frequency component, enabling it to travel long distances and penetrate walls and windows. One gas blower could affect 90 to 100 homes in densely populated neighborhoods.

People especially affected by GLB noise include people working from home, children schooling at home, night workers (including first responders and health care workers), those affected with autism and sensory processing disorders, and veterans and others with post-traumatic stress disorder, the white paper states.

Jacobs also is concerned for the workers wearing gas engines on their backs. As a matter of social justice, some of the landscapers have their guys wearing ear protection. None of them are wearing face masks that I have ever seen, she said. These guys are being exposed to toxic chemicals eight hours a day, six days a week. Our lawns are pristine but at what price?

Besides ozone, a greenhouse gas, gas blowers emit hydrocarbons and 30 million micrograms of fine particulates an hour, according to Quiet Cities. All of these are linked to cancer. Fine particulate matter travels right through the lung tissue and gets into the bloodstream, and these guys are breathing it all day long, Jacobs said.

Dr. Naftali Kaminski, chief of pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine at the Yale School of Medicine, said, Theres no lung disease thats not affected by air pollution. A Westville resident, he said, You run outside and you see the leaf blower  its definitely a nuisance. These are the lowest efficiency combustion engines.

He said he is concerned about the landscape workers. I started thinking about it as a physician. You see these workers, many of them are low-income, disadvantaged, walking around with these things . Theyre really exposed to high levels of pollutants. .

Theres no way that this is not excessive, Kaminski said. Weve seen a lot of younger, mostly men, mostly lower-economic (strata) that are sicker with COVID and weve never looked at their professions. Research might find a link, he said. Its not only the lung. Cancer, heart disease, dementia  it actually adds up to a lot of mortality and a lot of health decline.

Leaf blowers are not just a suburban issue, though. A group in New Haven has been meeting to determine how best to submit a proposed ordinance to the Board of Alders. Residents of East Rock, Westville and Wooster Square have complained about the noise.

I moved to New Haven last year. I started a Ph.D. program at Yale, so I was studying at home, said Pavla Rosenstein, who convened the informal group because of the noise and pollution. A native of the Czech Republic who grew up in London, she said, the leaf blower issue was completely new to me when I came to the U.S. This is quite a new phenomenon. When I was in the U.K. it was just never the culture or the norm.

Laura Cahn of New Havens Westville, chairwoman of the Environmental Advisory Council, said, We hope people will get the message and that legislation will catch up to us eventually.  To me theyre completely unnecessary.  They dont do anything we cant do with rakes and brooms and were harming the planet and harming peoples health and creating waste.

Leaf blowers combine with pesticides to create an even greater health hazard, Cahn said. Leaf blowers spread pesticides and the gas ones not only spread pesticides around, they strip topsoil.

Any city ordinance would have to be based on excessive noise, she said, because the Environmental Protection Agency wont allow state and local governments to overrule the standards set by the agency.

If it sets standards on those products, they apply across the United States, said Chuck Elkins, who directed several of the EPAs pollution programs and is a member of Quiet Clean D.C. It is true that states and localities are preempted from setting standards on air pollution from these devices.

The same is not true for noise, however. States and localities can do anything they want to based on their noise, Elkins said. They still pollute.  These devices are among the worst polluters in the United States.

She said the city board intends to ask the Board of Alders to open a public discussion about this issue. If people dont know about this, they dont realize they are harming themselves.  The city has a big climate initiative going on, and they are supposed to do everything to make our climate better.

Natalie Coe of Fair Haven is an adjunct professor of philosophy at Sacred Heart University and another member of the New Haven leaf blower group. Shes been a writer, an editor, a glassblower and a manager of professional boxers. And 15 years ago she started an organic lawn-care business.

Ive got this 9-month-old baby and Im trying to get him to nap, she said of that time, when she lived in the East Rock section. The leaf blowers were keeping her son awake and irritating her.

I just started thinking, this is ridiculous. Theres got to be a better way, she said. Im extremely concerned about climate change, but the first thing that got me into it was the noise. She called Delventhal and opened a New Haven MowGreen business, taking a weeklong intensive course in organic landscaping.

The very first year I did it I used absolutely no power equipment whatsoever. Broke my back. She mostly used rakes, as well as battery-powered weed whackers and leaf blowers. She sold the business to Delventhal three years later. I see them around New Haven, actually, and I feel a little burst of pride.

Coe would like to see a ban on gas-powered leaf blowers. While electric machines have their own environmental issues, she said, she doesnt want to let the perfect be the enemy of the good.

In communities where its been done, its been fairly successful, and in areas where theyve tried it theyve realized the benefit of it, she said. Shed like at least a seasonal ban, with perhaps a limit of one blower used at a time and a limit on decibel levels.

Coe gives Rosenstein credit for moving the issue forward. I tried to really make this an issue. Nobody was interested, including city staff at the time.

New Haven Alder Eli Sabin, D-1, has been talking with the New Haven group about its efforts to get a partial ban on gas leaf blowers. The conversations are still in the early stages, he said. There are a number of reasons were concerned. Its something we should pursue and consider. He said he wants to make sure this doesnt negatively impact small businesses and workers in the city. A phase-in of electric leaf blowers over a few years might be the way to go, he said.

edward.stannard@hearstmediact.com; 203-680-9382
LANSING, Mich. (AP)  A task force will examine Michigan's treatment of juveniles in the state's criminal justice system as well as factors that lead to youth getting caught up in that system, according to an executive order signed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

The creation of the Task Force on Juvenile Justice Reform was announced Wednesday in Lansing.

Youth advocates, government officials and members of the criminal justice system will examine areas where Michigan needs to better serve youth and reduce recidivism in young people, Whitmer said.

We have a lot of work to do to address, juvenile justice in Michigan and starting to take an honest look and an honest assessment of where we are, Whitmer said. The state of Michigan still detains youth at one of the highest rates in the nation and still detains youth for non-criminal behavior. This has to change.

Michigan has seen a year of great bipartisan criminal justice reform in the form of several bill being signed into law to limit pre-trial incarceration, license suspensions and a series of  Clean Slate  criminal record bills, but it still has a long way to go in properly serving youths, Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II said.

Gilchrist referenced one incident that garnered national attention last summer. A 15-year-old suburban Detroit girl was sent to a juvenile facility for failing to complete her schoolwork. ProPublica reported that the girl had ADHD and struggled to transition to online learning and fell behind.

One mistake must not define a childs life," Gilchrist said. We must have systems in place that educate and support our children, especially when they make mistakes when theyre facing traumatic circumstances or come into contact with our legal system.

The task force is going to examine the practices of other states who have successfully implemented support systems for youth to avoid and start over after they've made a mistake, Gilchrist said.

The task force is expected to have a data-driven report with policy recommendations finished by late July in 2022.

___

Anna Liz Nichols 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.
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP)  The man who shot and killed five people at a Maryland newspaper told a state psychiatrist he wanted to destroy a building Timothy McVeigh-style and that there was no defense for the crimes he committed, attorneys said during a court hearing Wednesday.

Attorneys said Jarrod Ramos spoke of thinking about destroying the Capital Gazette office during an interview with a state psychiatrist . He also talked about targeting the building where Maryland's two appellate courts are located.

Ramos also studied books on mass shootings and police response times, according to court testimony.

Lawyers for Ramos tried to persuade a judge to redact statements their client made to a state psychiatrist in a report that will be part of the second phase of his trial to determine whether he is criminally responsible for the June 2018 attack at the Capital Gazette due to his mental health. Ramos already has pleaded guilty but not criminally responsible due to insanity.

Matthew Connell, one of Ramos lawyers, argued that reports by expert witnesses in the case were hearsay and prejudicial and should not be admissible. Judge Michael Wachs ruled the reports were admissible, but he said some material in them would be redacted.

Dr. Sameer Patel, a psychiatrist with the state Health Department, interviewed Ramos after the shooting as part of a mental health evaluation and found him to be legally sane. The report has been under seal. Attorneys for Ramos have said experts on the defense team reached a different conclusion.

In addition to referring to McVeigh, whose fertilizer truck bomb ripped apart the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building on April 19, 1995, killing 168 people, Ramos also mentioned the 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, that left 17 dead, and the 1999 shooting at Columbine High School in suburban Denver that left 12 students and one teacher dead, the psychiatrist wrote in his report.

He wrote that Ramos also told him initially he didnt want a lawyer because there is no defense for the crime I committed.

Ramos' attorney Katy O'Donnell argued that the references should be redacted from the record because they are prejudicial to her client. But Anne Arundel County State's Attorney Anne Leitess contended the references pointed to Ramos' thoughtful planning of the attack and indicated that he understood the criminality of his actions.

Wachs denied the request for redaction on those points.

The court has started preparing to select a jury in the high-profile case in Maryland's small state capital by summoning 300 people to the courthouse to fill out a questionnaire. Jury selection is set to begin June 23. Opening statements are scheduled to begin June 29, a day after the third anniversary of the attack.

Ramos, 41, had a well-documented history of harassing the newspapers journalists. He filed a lawsuit against the paper in 2012, alleging he was defamed in an article about his conviction in a criminal harassment case in 2011. The defamation suit was dismissed as groundless, and Ramos railed against staff at the newspaper in profanity-laced tweets.

Ramos also was angry at the courts for dismissing his case. One of three letters he sent on the day of the shooting went to Maryland's Court of Special Appeals, the state's intermediate appellate court, addressed to retired Judge Charles Moylan Jr., who decided against Ramos in his defamation case.

Ramos pleaded guilty in October 2019 to all 23 counts against him for killing John McNamara, Gerald Fischman, Wendi Winters, Rob Hiaasen and Rebecca Smith.

If Ramos were found not criminally responsible, he would be committed to a maximum-security psychiatric hospital instead of prison.

Under Maryland law, a defendant has the burden to show by a preponderance of the evidence that he is not criminally responsible for his actions. State law says a defendant is not criminally responsible for criminal conduct if, because of a mental disorder or developmental disabilities, he lacked substantial capacity to appreciate the criminality of his conduct.
After six years of sending a small contingent of Marines to Central and South America each year to train with allies and support hurricane relief efforts, the Corps has halted the rotation in an apparent effort to save money.

"The Marine Corps is adjusting its procedures for Marine rotational forces to best position warfighters and their support systems to fight and win," a description in a Navy overview of the White House's fiscal 2022 defense budget request reads.

Ending the rotational deployment, known as Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Southern Command, will save $3 million annually, according to the document. Personnel and resources will be "realigned" from Marine Corps Forces South to Marine Forces Command, based in Norfolk, Virginia, it adds.

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U.S. Southern Command, which includes the Caribbean as well as South and Central America, has historically had minimal U.S. military presence. The U.S. Coast Guard operates heavily in the region to perform drug interdictions, but SOUTHCOM commanders have frequently had to fight for other resources, such as Navy ships.

Yet military leaders have long emphasized the importance of shoring up partnerships with militaries in friendly nations such as Honduras, Belize and Colombia. With SOUTHCOM's headquarters in Miami, Florida, the Marines' rotational deployment provided a key touchpoint with allies.

The task force was launched in 2014 following a 2012 agreement between then-President Barack Obama and Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos on regional security cooperation and cracking down on transnational organized crime.

"This fiscal year, the action plan includes more than 150 planned capacity-building activities with six countries from Central America and the Caribbean," a 2014 SOUTHCOM news release states.

The first task force deployment of about 200 Marines from Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, built three new elementary schools and renovated an airfield in Honduras, allowing it to accommodate C-130 Hercules aircraft for future humanitarian aid missions. The Marines also trained with partner militaries in four host nations.

In the years since, deploying Marines have supported major relief efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew in 2016; formed the core of Joint Task Force-Leeward Islands to provide aid after Hurricane Maria in 2017; and built shelters and support facilities for displaced families after the 2018 eruption of Volcan de Fuego in Guatemala. The task force underscored partnership efforts by making a Colombian lieutenant colonel the unit's deputy commander in 2018.

Though hampered by COVID-19, a final task force deployment did take place in 2020. More than 60 Marines deployed to various parts of SOUTHCOM, some of them joining up with a Navy ship in the region to provide security. Others exchanged information with partner militaries and assisted with COVID-19 and medical relief efforts, delivering 3,000 masks, 60 newborn care kits and five wheelchairs to a Honduran hospital.

"Despite some shifts in our missions, our purpose always remained the same -- to support the efforts of our partner nations," Maj. Don Newberry, executive officer of the final task force rotation, said in a statement last November as the Marines returned home.

A spokesman for Marine Forces South, Maj. Thomas Perna, told Military.com the command will continue to work with partner militaries on training missions and security cooperation plans even though the deployment rotation has ended.

-- Hope Hodge Seck can be reached at hope.seck@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @HopeSeck.

Related: The Marine Corps Has Pinned Wings on One of its Last Hornet Fighter Jet 'Back-Seaters'
Boeing Co. is behind schedule on two new Air Force One aircraft, which could mean the upgraded VC-25B planes will not be delivered until 2025, according to service officials.

Testifying before the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces, Darlene Costello, principal deputy assistant secretary for Air Force acquisition, technology and logistics, revealed that the service is reviewing the aerospace and defense company's request to delay the delivery by at least a year.

The aircraft were originally scheduled for delivery at the end of 2024.

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Boeing has told the service it needs to tack on an additional 12 months "beyond their original schedule," Costello told lawmakers, adding that the service must agree to the new terms.

"As soon as we get the updated schedule, we'll determine if we have to adjust our baseline or schedule," Costello said.

To make up for unforeseen costs related to the COVID-19 pandemic, Boeing said it may ask the service to pay more for the planes. The original $3.9 billion deal for the modified 747-8 airliners was set in 2018. The company has not asked for additional funding yet, Costello said; a dollar amount was not disclosed.

Rep. Joe Courtney, D-Conn., expressed concern that the delivery delay might also create unforeseen costs to keep the current VC-25A aircraft -- introduced in 1990 -- flying longer.

"We may need to put in one more maintenance cycle for that aircraft, depending on the timing," Costello replied.

Lt. Gen. Duke Richardson, the Air Force military deputy for acquisition, earlier this year acknowledged that the new Air Force One aircraft would be late because of a dispute with one of the suppliers remaking the aircraft's interior.

"Boeing is working hard. They've got another supplier identified, [and] we're going to transfer as much of the work on the interiors as possible," Richardson said during the annual McAleese conference in May.

Boeing in April canceled its contract with GDC Technics, a Texas-based company, to redesign the state-of-the-art "flying White House," stating that GDC failed to "meet contractual obligations" regarding work deadlines.

The subcontractor then filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and claimed Boeing was responsible for the program's mismanagement, according to court documents filed in San Antonio and reported by The Wall Street Journal.

Boeing estimates GDC's delays and problems related to the pandemic cost it $318 million in building the VC-25Bs, the company said in an earnings call in April.

Boeing began modifying the aircraft last year. The planes were originally ordered for the Russian airline company Transaero in 2013, DefenseOne reported in 2017. The company never delivered the jets to the now-defunct airline and instead put them in storage.

The aircraft passed its critical design review last spring, according to Defense News.

The Air Force One news comes after the service shelved plans to replace another high-profile executive aircraft: its small fleet of C-32s, or enhanced Boeing 757s, typically used to transport VIPs such as the vice president.

While the C-32 will remain in the fleet, the Air Force will not pursue investment in the airframe beyond already planned modifications, according to the service's fiscal 2022 budget request. DefenseOne was first to note the service put off purchasing another Air Force Two aircraft.

"The C-32 Executive Transport Recapitalization program was intended to replace the aging C-32A aircraft fleet," according to its Research, Development, Test and Evaluation Budget Item Justification.

Instead, remaining funding for the C-32 program was recently "applied to the evaluation and maturation of advanced high speed transport scale aircraft," the budget request states.

The Pentagon last year awarded three companies contracts to begin prototyping a supersonic aircraft that could someday carry the president and other officials around the world in half the time. But until then, the C-32 -- flying since 1998 -- will press on, officials have said.

-- Oriana Pawlyk can be reached at oriana.pawlyk@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @Oriana0214.

Related: Biden Has 'Not Spent a Moment' Considering Air Force One's Paint Job, Press Sec Says
The Department of Veterans Affairs is seeing increased demand for health services from veterans who either deferred care or couldn't get appointments during the pandemic -- a surge that VA Secretary Denis McDonough says will add billions to its budget.

McDonough told the House Veterans Affairs Committee on Tuesday that funding is needed to add more than 19,000 new positions, including 17,000 health care jobs, and to cover the growing cost of care both at department facilities and in the community. The VA's latest budget request is $270 billion.

According to McDonough, the department saw "record high levels" of veterans receiving care at non-VA facilities in April and May through benefits provided under the 2018 Mission Act. At the same time, VA hospitals and clinics are returning to "pre-pandemic levels" of patient care, he said.

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The VA is asking for a 27% boost in its budget for community care for fiscal 2022, from $18.5 billion to $24.4 billion. It also wants another 24% increase from current funding levels for fiscal 2023 -- $24.2 billion for advanced appropriations, a budget item unique to the VA that ensures veteran services are never interrupted by legislative debate or delays.

At the same time, the department is asking for a 4% increase for health services at VA medical centers and clinics, from $56.5 billion to $58.8 billion.

"This is not hypothetical," McDonough told committee members. "We are in the midst of a 'bow wave' of care; we are seeing a demand for that care."

While VA medical centers never closed during the pandemic, schedulers moved most routine appointments to telehealth or telephone visits or canceled them. They also postponed elective procedures, prompting some veterans to delay care or seek treatment in their local communities.

The VA "underwrote a lot of care in the community when private facilities were trying desperately to stay open," McDonough said.

"The community care budget is growing. As a general matter, upward of 30%, 31% of our costs are care in the community, although it got as high as 39% at the height of the pandemic, he said.

The VA Mission Act implemented sweeping changes to the department's community health care program, allowing veterans to see private health care providers at the VA's cost.

The legislation greatly expanded access to that care, and supporters have praised the benefit as a win for veterans who faced long wait times or who live far from a VA health facility. But critics said it would draw funds away from VA facilities and providers, amounting to the "privatization" of VA health care.

Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif., chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, and Rep. Mike Bost of Illinois, the committee's ranking Republican, have expressed concern over the explosive growth of the program and the VA's budget.

Takano questioned whether the expansion of the program was related to aging infrastructure at the VA that may prevent veterans from receiving specialized services.

"Funding requests for care in the community have grown substantially in recent years, due in large part to the expanded access standards and poor actuarial projections in early 2018," Takano said. "The Congressional Budget Office suggested estimated outlays for the program over a five-year period would be just under $23 billion ... but we're seeing this in one year."

Bost agreed.

"I think we are all concerned about the national debt outgrowing our economy. VA has requested a 10% increase next year. If that rate of growth continues, the VA budget will be $574 billion by 2030. The problem is the number of veterans using the VA services is not up by 10%," he said. "I'm not suggesting cutting VA, but the budget growth has to be more in line with demand."

The VA received influxes of funding in fiscal 2021 in addition to its base budget, including $36 billion in pandemic relief and recovery funds. Another $18 billion in the American Jobs Plan is marked for VA health care infrastructure.

The fiscal 2022 budget proposal includes a nearly 100% increase in the department's suicide prevention budget and an additional $1.5 billion for mental health services to meet increased demand.

McDonough said more than 1.6 million veterans sought mental health services through the VA last year and Veterans Crisis Line calls have nearly doubled.

Under the VA budget proposal, the Veterans Crisis Line would receive $142 million, while suicide prevention programs, including a grant program for community organizations that focus on suicide, would receive $598 million.

Lawmakers also pressed McDonough for a reaction to proposed legislation that would require the department to provide pay and benefits for service members with illnesses related to toxic exposures, including burn pits and other airborne hazards such as oil well fires.

Legislative packages now under debate could cost up to $1.5 trillion. By comparison, President Joe Biden's budget proposal for the federal government is $6 trillion.

"Bill costs of this magnitude are unheard of in the VA. They raise serious questions about our ability to pay for this legislation. They also raise questions about VA's ability to implement and to do so without compromising service for veterans in other areas," Bost said.

McDonough said the department is reviewing the current legislative proposals and what they would require in terms of VA personnel and support.

But Takano reaffirmed his commitment to legislation that would support affected veterans.

"Last month, I unveiled the 'Honoring Our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act' ... to recognize toxic exposure as a cost of war and ensure all veterans can utilize the care and benefits," he said. "I look forward to working with VA on this important issue."

Testifying after McDonough as part of a panel of veterans services organization representatives, AMVETS National Executive Director Joe Chenelly criticized the budget proposal, saying it lacks specifics to improve veterans' quality of life.

He said that part of the $1.5 billion for mental health services should fund a task force that would focus on providing a holistic approach to veterans' health, including physical and mental health and job and home security.

"We need to get out of the business of spending billions on ineffective mental health services and pharmaceuticals focused only on treating veterans' symptoms, and instead fund proactive programs that train veterans how to live happy, healthy lives of purpose," Chenelly said.

-- Patricia Kime can be reached at Patricia.Kime@Monster.com. Follow her on Twitter @patriciakime

Related: VA Moves to Expedite Benefits for Post-9/11 Veterans' Asthma, Respiratory Problems
Max Margulies is Director of Research, Assistant Professor of International Affairs, United States Military Academy West Point.

Amy Rutenberg is Associate Professor of History, Iowa State University.

The Supreme Court has declined to hear arguments in the case of National Coalition for Men v. Selective Service System. In doing so, it acceded to the Biden administration's wishes that it not address the question of whether women should join the millions of young men required to register each year with the Selective Service  the federal agency responsible for the draft. It will now be up to Congress to decide what, if anything, to do with the law governing registration and the draft.

As scholars of the draft, we have seen Congress grappling with the question of selective service for years. A bill to include women in the draft was introduced in 2020 after a national commission studied the issue for four years. Congress is also considering two other proposals to dismantle the entire Selective Service System.

The future of the draft, and registration for it, depends on two questions. One is about the role of women, but the bigger one is about the role of the registration itself.

A brief history of registration

Registration and the draft are not the same thing, although they are related. Registration is the process by which people identify themselves to the government as potentially eligible to be drafted to serve in the military.

In the U.S., Congress and the president must pass a law authorizing a draft, at which point the government agency known as the Selective Service System oversees the administrative process of conscription. There has not been a draft in the U.S. since 1973, when Congress allowed the existing draft authorization, conscripting men into service in the Vietnam War, to expire.

Two years later, President Gerald Ford suspended men's responsibility to register for the draft. But in 1980, after the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, President Jimmy Carter reversed Ford's position, reinstating registration  though not the draft itself. Since then, all male permanent residents of the United States, both citizen and noncitizen, between the ages of 18 and 26, have been required to register and update their information with the Selective Service every time they move.

Women, who have served in every U.S. war, and legally in all combat roles since 2016, have remained exempt from this requirement; they may not even voluntarily register.

It's not really about women

Politicians and activists are rehashing the same decades-old arguments about gender stereotypes and traditional gender roles.

But women serve honorably and effectively in every military role and branch of service. The rationale used by the Supreme Court in 1981 to exclude them became moot as soon as all available positions, including combat positions, opened to women in 2016.

If registration continues, and if there ever again is a draft in the U.S., we and many others believe that women clearly deserve to share equally in the responsibility to serve and the opportunity to earn the benefits of military service.

So the real question is about how draft registration serves society, or doesn't.

Mind the civil-military gap

One common belief is that maintaining draft registration bolsters the link between civilians and soldiers, which has weakened significantly since the U.S. military became an all-volunteer force. Through the last two decades of war, only 1% of Americans have served in the military.

Some experts suggest that such a weak civilian-military connection contributes to a number of problems, including a lack of familiarity with the military, a military that is not representative of society and an unfair distribution of the human costs of war.

But the Selective Service System is not designed to address those issues. Most registrants do not give much thought to the ramifications of checking the box when they renew their drivers' licenses or register to vote. In early 2020 a viral misinformation campaign about an imminent draft led a flood of worried information-seekers to crash the Selective Service's website.

And normally, as the 2020 national report noted, the mere act of registration without any real chance of being drafted does not greatly affect people's lives.

A force for social change?

Evidence shows that registration shapes society only when it is accompanied by a draft  though not always in ways that national leaders might hope. During the Cold War draft, men factored military service into their life choices by marrying, having children, going to college or choosing professions that offered them legal deferments from the draft.

That, in turn, introduced inequities into the draft, undermining the legitimacy of the process. Men with means, especially white men, were significantly more likely to obtain a deferment than working-class men, particularly men of color.

The government seems to have learned from that experience. If the draft ever were renewed, these types of deferments would likely not be allowed.

But many more Americans reach draft-eligible age each year than the military could possibly use. Any new draft would still raise new questions about the fairness of who serves and who does not.

A mobilization mechanism?

Without the draft, registration on its own has been likened to an insurance policy against any future threat. Any major conflict with a great power adversary  however unlikely  would require a much larger military than the country has at present.

Registration is supposed to provide Selective Service with a list of everyone eligible to be drafted and their contact information. So registration theoretically speeds up the process of bringing hundreds of thousands of soldiers into the military. And planning is important. Failure to plan adequately for bringing large numbers of recruits into the military has made wartime mobilization complicated in the past, as in the U.K. at the start of World War I.

But it's not clear that registration as currently organized would work this way. Historically, relatively few people keep their addresses up to date, and the agency is more focused on getting men to register  not on what happens after they're on the list.

The mobilization process itself is a massive production. During World War II, more than 183,000 volunteers helped evaluate men at over 11,000 local draft and appeal boards. Every person was examined; classified as available, deferred or exempt; and then processed through the system appropriately, including considering appeals.

In 1967, during the Vietnam War, with a much smaller draft than in World War II, more than 31,000 people staffed thousands of local and appeal boards around the nation. The present system has just 11,000 volunteers identified as ready to help.

With no real way to immediately conduct a draft, it's not clear that registration serves any purpose. For one thing, 97% of registrations are handled electronically, and much of the information duplicates data already stored in other government databases, including driver's license records.

In rejecting National Coalition for Men v. Selective Service, the Supreme Court has made it clear that Congress needs to act. But as it does so, policymakers need to evaluate whether the law is able to meet its objectives. If policymakers have other goals, like improving social equity or better linking civilian life with those who serve in the military, perhaps something less abstract and less bureaucratic  and less expensive  might serve the nation better than simply adding women to the existing legislation.

Max Z. Margulies is an assistant professor at the United States Military Academy at West Point. The views expressed in this article are personal, and do not necessary reflect those of the Department of Defense, the U.S. Army, the U.S. Military Academy, or any other department or agency of the U.S. government.

Amy Rutenberg 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.

-- The opinions expressed in this op-ed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Military.com. If you would like to submit your own commentary, please send your article to opinions@military.com for consideration.
Kirchner, who before he was laid off during the pandemic had always worked in private retail mall stores, said he sees this new job as his way to give back to the community and help in the mission of eradicating HIV/AIDS. When he lived in Los Angeles in the 1980s, he was part of the AIDS Coalition To Unleash Power, or ACT UP, an activist group credited with speeding the government response to testing and treating the virus and drawing public attention to the U.S.s homophobic policies.
[June 09, 2021] Government of Canada invests over $289,000 to bring high-speed Internet to 601 more homes in Crysler and St-Albert Ontarians in rural communities to benefit from increased connectivity OTTAWA, ON, June 9, 2021 /CNW/ - The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted how much we rely on our connections. Now more than ever, Canadians across the country need access to reliable high-speed Internet as many of us are working, learning, and staying in touch with friends and family from home. Right now, too many Canadians living in rural and remote communities lack access to high-speed Internet. Through the Universal Broadband Fund (UBF) Rapid Response Stream, the Government of Canada is taking immediate action to get Canadians connected to the high-speed Internet they need. Today, Francis Drouin, Member of Parliament for GlengarryPrescottRussell, on behalf of the Honourable Maryam Monsef, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Rural Economic Development, announced over $289,000 in federal funding to bring high-speed Internet to 601 underserved households in the communities of Crysler and St-Albert, Ontario. Bell Canada is investing an additional $867,000 in this project. The $2.75 billion Universal Broadband Fund was launched in November 2020. Projects funded under the UBF, as well as through other public and private investments, will help connect 98% of Canadians to high-speed Internet by 2026 and achieve the national target of 100% connectivity by 2030. Today's announcement builds on the progress the Government of Canada has already made to improve critical infrastructure in Ontario. Since 2015, the federal government has invested more than $2.85 billion in over 4,060 infrastructure projects in Ontario communities with a population of fewer than 100,000 people. These investments mean 452 km of new or upgraded roads that are making our communities safer; more than 938 projects to provide residents with cleaner, more sustainable sources of drinking water; and more than 5,427 additional housing unis built in rural communities, helping ensure all Ontarians have a safe place to call home. Quotes

"Having access to a reliable internet connection is important for families in Glengarry-Prescott-Russell. During the pandemic, demand for higher speeds increased with kids and parents learning and working from home. Since 2015, our government invested millions of dollars in rural broadband. Today's investment is further proof that our government is on the right track to not only connect my community, but all Canadians by 2030."

 Francis Drouin, Member of Parliament for GlengarryPrescottRussell "Access to high-speed broadband networks will be a driver of Canada's recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and of future social and economic prosperity. Bell has committed to further accelerating our industry-leading capital investment plan over the next two years to connect even more communities across the country. We're proud to invest $867,000 and to partner with the Government of Canada in providing residents of Crysler and St-Albert with access to the fastest fibre home Internet speeds available."

 Bruce Furlong, Senior Vice-President, Access Engineering and Deployment, Bell Canada Quick facts Canada's Connectivity Strategy aims to provide all Canadians with access to Internet speeds of at least 50 megabits per second (Mbps) download / 10 Mbps upload.

The Universal Broadband Fund (UBF) is a $2.75-billion investment designed to help connect all Canadians to high-speed Internet. Applications to the UBF were accepted until March 15, 2021 , and are now being evaluated.

investment designed to help connect all Canadians to high-speed Internet. Applications to the UBF were accepted until , and are now being evaluated. The UBF is part of a suite of federal investments to improve high-speed Internet. The suite includes the Connect to Innovate program, which is expected to connect nearly 400,000 households by 2023, and the recently announced $2-billion broadband initiative from the Canada Infrastructure Bank. Associated links Backgrounder: Universal Broadband Fund and Telesat low Earth orbit satellite capacity agreement

Universal Broadband Fund

Connect to Innovate Program  Project status updates

Canada Infrastructure Bank announcement

High-Speed Access for All: Canada's Connectivity Strategy Stay connected Follow Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada on Twitter: @ISED_CA SOURCE Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

[ Back To www.mobilitytechzone.com\broadband-stimulus's Homepage ]
Ghanaian celebrity Journalist and Blogger Mustapha Nii Okai Inusah known in real life as Attractive Mustapha has been appointed as a member of the media team for Ghana Music Awards UK.

The awards scheme as part of expanding its college has made some new changes and additions to the awards with regards to the appointment of its Academy members and Board members.

On the media team for the 2020 edition, the Awards scheme added the Journalist to assist with media relations and publicity of the awards.

Over the years, the journalist has proven to be one of the credible and fantastic personalities to deal with in the Media space as well as promoting talents and events both in Ghana and in the diaspora.

Attractive Mustapha has been tasked to work hand in hand with some personalities including Nii Atakora Mensa, Godfred Laryea (Blaque Boy), And Papa Bills pertaining to the awards.
Mr Moses Davor, the Chairman of Volta branch of Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) has urged the public to accept and cooperate with drivers in the wake of the new transportation fares.

He said the organization have had several meeting over the months with the leaders of government on the new transport fares.

He also advised the public especially those who are fond of challenging drivers due to transportation fares to desist from such behaviours.

Mr Davor stated that, any driver who fails to go according to the proposed fares will be dealt with in accordance with the laws.

He said, though other driver associations have threatened to increased the fares by 20%, they insist on going with the approved 13%.

"We have families just like others and we are also feeling the hardship brought by Covid-19," he added.

Mr Davor said this on Keta based Jubilee Radio in a telephone conversation with the morning show host Saviour Selasi Amenyedzi.

Madam Kudzordzi Enyonam, a businesswoman who sells clothes in Keta Market explained to ModernGhana News that the new transportation fares will affect them greatly.

According to her, the cost of transporting goods will be factored into the prices of goods and products on the markets.

He noted that sales have dropped due to the covid-19 pandemic which has kept the country's borders shut.

Mr Kofi Atsah and Edem Agbo, a driver and motor rider at Akatsi told ModernGhana News that high fuel prices has forced them to increased the transportation fares.

The leaders of the GPRTU announced that they will increase transportation fares by 13% which took effect on Saturday June 5.
South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday placed the country's health minister on "special leave" over alleged links to a corruption scandal involving coronavirus communications funding.

Zweli Mkhize, widely acclaimed for his handling of the pandemic, took a hit last month after graft investigators opened a probe into two of his close aides.

The pair -- Mkhize's former spokeswoman and his ex-personal assistant -- are accused of pocketing public funds set aside to fund South Africa's coronavirus response plan.

Around 90 million rand ($6.6 million) were allegedly syphoned off using a front company, Digital Vibes, awarded a 150 million rand tender in March 2020 to handle the health ministry's communications campaign.

Ramaphosa has "placed Minister of Health Dr Zweli Mkhize on special leave," the presidency said in a statement.

It said the leave period "will enable the minister to attend to allegations and investigations concerning contracts" between his department and Digital Vibes.

South Africa's Special Investigating Unit (SIU) is probing the case, one of over 4,000 coronavirus-linked contracts suspiciously awarded since the start of the pandemic.

Revelations about alleged mishandling of coronavirus funds surfaced last year and have since led investigators to believe that billions of rands have fallen into the hands of politically connected companies, sparking public outrage.

The SIU last week said that 63 government officials had so far been handed over for prosecution, while 87 companies will be blacklisted.

Mkhize has previously denied any involvement with Digital Vibes, claiming he had no knowledge of the company or the tender process.

He wrote to the ruling African National Congress party last week to request a meeting of its integrity committee to state his case.

A report on the outcome of the SIU probe, which the minister has vowed to make public, is expected by the end of this month.

Mkhize has been health minister since 2018 and spearheaded South Africa's campaign against Covid-19.

He gained popularity through his handling of the pandemic and is touted as one of the potential successors to Ramaphosa.

But links to the coronavirus corruption scandals could tarnish his reputation.

Tourism Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane will serve as health minister in the interim.
The Founder and leader of the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG), Kofi Akpaloo, has jumped to the defence of President Akufo-Addo regarding the spending of close to GHC70 million on foreign travels.

He said the travels were necessary for the countrys development.

His comments come on the back of demands by the Minority in Parliament asking the Foreign Affairs Ministry to come and explain why such an amount was spent on the presidents travel when it goes beyond what was budgeted for the year.

In reaction, Kofi Akpaloo noted, That the records are there to show is important, accountability; that these expenses are not hidden from the public is important so then, the question is, once they are out there, are they even justified?and I will say, an absolute yes."

Yes, to the extent that the president has a duty to perform, Kofi Akpaloo exclusively told Reynold Agyemang on Pae Mu Ka on Accra-based Kingdom FM 107.7

It all impacts on growth.

he will go with that relevant minister to deal with sectorial issues he is going to attend to, Kofi Akpaloo explained.

Background

Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the Member of Parliament (MP) for North Tongu in the Volta Region is demanding answers from the government on how some GHS39 million was spent in excess of the approved budget for contingency in the COVID-19 fight.

According to him, although parliament approved an allocation of GHS26.4 million, the 2021 budget confirmed that GHS65.7 million was actually spent.

The North Tongu legislator says the government must come clear on the development.
Former Central Regional Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Bernard Allotey Jacobs says President Akufo-Addos One-District-One-Factory (1D1F) has won his support.

Allotey Jacobs indicated that even though the 1D1F policy is an initiative of his rivalry New Patriotic Party (NPP), he now believed that it was in the interest of the Ghanaians and for that matter worth supporting.

We took the 1D1F for a joke but we have realized that it can employ the whole community. The surprising thing is that the fishers are also planting pineapples for the Ekumfi factory, Bernard Allotey Jacobs exclusively told Reynold Agyemang on Pae Mu Ka on Accra-based Kingdom FM 107.7

Allotey Jacobs added that people in the Central Region who have had the opportunity to work in the factory should do everything possible in their little efforts to keep the factory running since it is translating money into many's pockets.

He however appealed to entrepreneurs and investors to support the NPP Government initiative by about 20 more factories in the Central Region for the benefit of the locals.
The Federation of Muslim Councils of Ghana (FMC) has called on all Muslims in the country to make themselves available for this years Population and Housing Census (PHC).

The government of Ghana will this weekend commence the gathering of data on the population and housing in the country.

Ahead of the exercise, the Federation of Muslim Councils of Ghana has released a statement to urge its members to cooperate throughout and be counted.

The FEDERATION OF MUSLIM COUNCILS OF GHANA (FMC), the umbrella body of Muslims in Ghana has called on Muslims in the country to make it an Islamic duty to avail themselves for, and get counted in the 2021 Population and Housing Census scheduled to begin from Sunday, 13th June 2021, part of the release from the FMC read.

It added, The FMC is also urging all Imams, especially those who address Jumuah (Friday Prayer) congregants to use their Khutbah (Sermon) to stress the usefulness of the census exercise to Muslims beginning Friday, June 11, 2021, till the close of the exercise.

Below is the full press release from the Federation of Muslim Councils:

Statement By The Federation Of Muslim Councils Of Ghana On The 2021 Population And Housing Census

The FEDERATION OF MUSLIM COUNCILS OF GHANA (FMC), the umbrella body of Muslims in Ghana has called on Muslims in the country to make it an Islamic duty to avail themselves for, and get counted in the 2021 Population and Housing Census scheduled to begin from Sunday , 13th June, 2021.

In so doing, every Muslim as well as heads of Muslim households should cooperate with Census Officials by providing them with correct and accurate information to make the exercise a smooth one. Census Officials, Muslims should note, will be donning designated census jackets provided by the Ghana Statistical Service.

The call was made in a Communique by the FMC following a two-day workshop in Accra for its National Executive Council with a view to mobilising Muslims support for decision-making for the development of the country.

The Communique reminded Muslims in the country to note that the Population and Housing Census exercise is not a one-off event, but rather one that embraces phases, prominent among which are (a) numbering of buildings with chalk (CHALKING) and asking questions of the house, including number of people in the house (LISTING OF STRUCTURES) on the13th June, 2021, and (b) ENUMERATION of households and institutions (that is, personal information including living conditions) which will run from 28th June - 11th July 2021.

The FMC is also urging all Imams, especially those who address Jumuah (Friday Prayer) congregants to use their Khutbah (Sermon) to stress the usefulness of the census exercise to Muslims beginning Friday, June 11, 2021 till the close of the exercise.

Hajj Muhammad Amir Kpakpo Addo

Secretary-General, Federation of Muslim Councils of Ghana

Cell: +233 277 40 33 57
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This article is not seeking to engage in any petty political equalisation, far from it, but for the sake of fair and balanced annotation, it is proper and just to situate the ongoing presidential aircraft debate in the right perspective.

In fact, I was extremely flabbergasted when I heard the loyalists of the opposition NDC up and arms ventilating their arousing disgust over President Akufo-Addos conscientious decision to charter flight to attend several fora of national interests.

The all-important question every discerning Ghanaian should be asking then is: what would prompt the president to abandon the presidential jet and charter an aircraft to attend important engagements?

Surely, it does not take a professorial in rocket science or transcendental powers to acknowledge the fact that there was something wrong with the presidential jet.

No offence intended, but if we juxtapose the cost of Akufo-Addos chartered flight with the loss incurred from the dubious Brazilian aircraft deal handled by the then vice president John Dramani Mahama, then the cost of the chartered flight is a mere peanut.

Some of us, indeed, were taken aback when the former Attorney General under the Mills administration, Mr Martin Amidu, came out and told the good people of Ghana that the late Mills set up a Committee to investigate the then vice president, John Dramani Mahama over the dubious Brazilian aircrafts deal (see: martinamidu.com).

Well, if the ubiquitous frog comes out of water to announce the untimely demise of mighty crocodile, who are we to refute such a chilling pronouncement?

So, some of us could not have doubted the then Attorney General under Mills/Mahama administration, Mr Martin Amidu, when he audaciously came out and informed the good people of Ghana that the late Mills suspected a foul play in the Brazilian aircrafts deal which was handled by his vice president, John Dramani Mahama, and therefore found it somewhat necessary to set up a committee to probe into the cloudy deal.

We have heard the NDC faithful time and time again contending somewhat vehemently that the late Mills did not constitute any such Committee to look into the questionable deal spearheaded by Mahama.

But contrary to the NDC loyalists persistent denials, Mr Amidu, the then Attorney General, has been maintaining consistently that the Committee members included Mr William Aboah, Mr George Amoah, and Brig. Gen. Allotey (Rtd) former Judge Advocate-General.

If you may remember, during his State of the Nation Address on 19th February 2009, the late President Mills informed the Parliament that his government was looking into the decision to acquire two executive Presidential jets.

However, the late President Mills was indecisive over the acquisition of the aircrafts and thus observed: "Ghana simply cannot afford the expenditure at this time and we certainly do not need two Presidential Jets" (thestatesmanonline.com, 16/06/2016).

Astonishingly, however, whilst the late Mills was joyfully delivering his euphonious state of the nation address, the Vice President John Mahama, who also happened to be the chairman of the Armed Forces Council, was blissfully entertaining delegations from Brazil, and busily negotiating the acquisition of five jets, including the most expensive hangar without the knowledge of the late President Mills.

Unsurprisingly, therefore, the late President Mills became suspicious of the whole deal and decided to put a committee together to review the deal, according to Mr Martin Amidu.

Disappointingly, however, according to Mr Amidu, the late Mills could not put his foot down and woefully allowed the committee to somehow turn a blind eye to his directives.

To be quite honest, there are serious questions here that discerning Ghanaians must probe: is President Mahama indeed a scattergood or corrupt?

And more so, was the late Mills really unhappy about the conduct of his then vice president, John Dramani Mahama?

Furthermore, did the Committee refuse to carry out President Mills directives?

Please NDC loyalists, pay attention while we try to pin the ostensible straddled jigsaw together.

First, let us ruminate over the former Attorney General, Mr Martin Amidus accusations on the Brazilian aircrafts deal.

It would be recalled that a few years ago, Mr Amidu came out and told the whole nation that in July 2011, there was a hue and cry about the prices for the acquisition of five (5) aircrafts for the Ghana Armed Forces.

Mr Amidu asserted: even though on 26th July 2011 the late Prof. Mills attempted to defend the purchase of the five aircrafts, he became convinced of the necessity to set up a committee to investigate those purchases.

The overarching question here is: did the late Mills have a glint of suspicion on his mind and felt Mahama was trying to rip off the nation?

Well, reflective thinkers can conclude that the late Mills was not happy with the deal.

And, if that was not the case, why would he set up a committee to investigate Mahama, the architect of the whole deal?

Mr Amidus chilling revelation continues: a Committee to Investigate the Processes of the Acquisition of Five Aircrafts (5) including Embraer 190 Aircraft and hanger for the Ghana Armed Forces consisting of Mr. William Aboah, Mr. George Amoah, and Brig. Gen. Allotey (Rtd) former Judge Advocate-General was put together.

Based on the preceding revelation, I have no doubts whatsoever in my mind that Mr Amidus story is credible.

First, Mr Amidu went ahead and named the members of the committee set up by the late President Mills.

Secondly, the fact that none of the committee members has come out to repudiate or disassociate themselves from the allegations gives credence to Mr Amidus averment.

The big question then is: why have they kept quiet? Your guess is as good as mine.

Mr Amidu further avouched : the terms of reference of the Committee as I was instructed and drafted them for the late President were: (i) to investigate the processes adopted in selecting, negotiating, and agreeing on the acquisition of the aircrafts; (ii) to investigate the competitive advantage, prices of the aircrafts and the level of economic and financial due diligence conducted by relevant agencies in the process of acquisition of the aircrafts; and (iii) to investigate any other matter that in the opinion of the Committee is reasonably related to the foregoing terms of reference. Pressure groups never allowed the Committee to take off.

But the very fact that the late President Mills even contemplated this committee meant that he was uncomfortable with and suspicious of the alleged inflated prices of the aircrafts.

There we go. Amazing revelations!

Did pressure groups really interfere with the work of a committee set up by President of the nation? Were the pressure groups from the ruling party? If so, did they have vested interests in the purchasing of the aircrafts or what?

Well, whatever their reasons may be, their actions were unlawful, and can best be seen as an attempt to pervert the cause of justice.

Are we really serious as a nation at all? How on earth can pressure groups selfishly interfere in a legitimate committees work?

You see, our problem as a nation is, we have sycophants, corrupt, incompetent and nodding yes men and women who are only interested in amassing wealth at the expense of the masses. So they would go to every extent to achieve such objective.

Unquestionably, the Late President Mills put his trust in Mahama, but if we are to believe Mr. Amidus account of the corruption saga, we can then draw an adverse inference that Mahama betrayed the trust the late Mills reposed in him. It therefore explains why the late President Mills set up a committee to investigate him.

In fact, there are serious issues here that need to be considered by the voting public.

If, indeed, the late President Mills did not trust Mahama prior to his death, why should discerning Ghanaians go ahead and hand over our sovereignty to a supposedly untrustworthy once again?

It is important to note that the President of a nation is a serious job, and as such it requires a serious and committed person.

K. Badu, UK.

[email protected]

References:

www.citifmonline.com

www.worldbank.org

www.martinamidu.com
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Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, is of the view that the Speaker of the 8th Parliament, Alban S.K. Bagbin, has been more accommodating of both sides of the house than the immediate past Speaker, Prof. Aaron Mike Oquaye.

In an interview on Face to Face on Citi TV, Mr. Ablakwa admitted that it is too early to compare the tenure of the two Speakers since Alban Bagbin has not even covered a year in office.

He however says Speaker Bagbin has so far shown very good signs.

Its quite early to judge, but Speaker Bagbin has so far shown very good signs. We do know that he is the most experienced speaker in terms of knowledge of the house. He has been in the house as a founding member of Parliament of the 8th Parliament. He knows the entire rudiments and spectrum. He is well-versed with proceedings and technicalities, the role that Parliament should play. And I will say that he has been more accommodating.

According to him, unlike Alban Bagbin, Professor Mike Oquaye came across as an autocratic and partisan leader.

Professor Mike Ocquaye is my own Sunday school teacher, lecturer at the University of Ghana, and a proud odade3, and he knows that I hold him in high regard. But because of that teacher role that he has played over the years, he tended to be a bit too bossy and quite autocratic sometimes. He did not really allow the debate in the house to flow. He came accross sometimes as too partisan.

And indeed, we had cause to go public on some of his rulings. But that is not to take anything away from him as a fine man and a mentor. But if you juxtapose his tenure, in the 7th Parliament with that of Speaker Bagbin, you will realise that Speaker Bagbin has been more accommodating of both sides of the house. There are times that he has been torn between allowing motions that have been filed to just go as it is, but he has pushed for a more consensual approach. I remember that with Mahama Ayarigas motion on school fees, he encouraged the other side to make inputs and let it be a consensual motion.

The former Member of Parliament for Nadowli Kaleo and member of the opposition National Democratic Congress, Alban Kingsford Sumani Bagbin, was elected as the Speaker of the 8th Parliament on January 7, 2021.

Mr. Bagbin, who was the Second Deputy Speaker in the previous Parliament won the elections with 138 votes, making history as the first Speaker to have been elected by an opposition party.

His only contender, Prof. Aaron Mike Oquaye polled 136 votes.

citinewsroom
The Orlando Sentinel has compiled a list of events  from blood drives to the Pulse Five-Year-Remembrance Ceremony on June 12  happening across Central Florida that will honor the 49 Pulse victims, survivors and first responders as well as unite the local community.
The Parliament's Appointments Committee has finally recommended for approval, the nomination of Andrew Egyapa Mercer as a Deputy Energy Minister.

A Committee member earlier insisted on the suspension of the nomination due to some unfavorable answers to questions posed by members of the Committee in relation to the botched PDS deal in which he acted as a Director and a Secretary for TG solutions, one of the parties to the deal.

Upon further deliberations, the said member has discontinued the pursuit of allegations of conflict of interest and perjury.

In an interview with Citi News, a member of the Appointments Committee and MP for Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga, said there were a lot of technicalities involved in taking the decision.

According to him, the members who had issues with the nominee decided to take the issues up at a different forum.

On the basis of technicalities, some of the people who were holding on with his approval came to a conclusion that the proper forum to raise this issue is the Privileges Committee and not at the Appointments Committee.

Why was the approval put on hold?

The Member of Parliament for Sekondi had among other things denied claims of conflict of interest against him in the botched PDS deal during his vetting.

Mr. Mercer, who was a Director and Secretary of TGN Energy Solution, one of the companies that formed PDS, said his role in the company did not affect his work as a Member of Parliament when the deal was brought to the House for consideration.

He also said he was never found in a conflict of interest position.

My understanding of interest which is really a legal construct is one that is in the nature of a property that is transferable either tangible or intangible, but with respect to duty or relationship with TGN Energy Solution is in the nature of fiduciary which is separate from interest.

So that is why I say I don't have any interest in TGN Energy Solution. I never received benefits from TGN Energy solution even though I was entitled to them.

The answers did not convince some committee members who held contrary views on that particular issue.

citinewsroom
President Akufo-Addo, has reiterated the need for all Ghanaians to get involved in the 2021 National Population and Housing Census.

President Akufo-Addo insists the involvement of all Ghanaians will help the government in decision-making.

He therefore charged opinion leaders in various communities to rally their people to participate in the exercise.

President Akufo-Addo was speaking at an event in Accra.

With the imminent commencement of the 2021 Population and Housing Census by the Ghana Statistical Service on Sunday, June 27, 2021, I urge everyone here to help ensure a successful event. We hope to use the reliable data obtained to plan and develop mother Ghana more effectively.

Already, the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) has assured Ghanaians that there will be an inclusive exercise where every tribe or ethnic group in Ghana will be captured without discrimination, no matter the size of their numbers.

Government Statistician, Prof. Samuel Kobina Annim, who made this comment while interacting with some journalists on Friday, June 4, 2021, said even though some tribes have started expressing concerns for not seeing their tribe as arranged in the main tribe categories, that does not mean that they have been overlooked or discriminated against.

The census will count everyone who will spend the 27th June in Ghana irrespective of ethnic group be it Fulani, or any other ethnic group. So, irrespective of your nationality, ethnic group, once you spend 27th night within the borders of the country you will be counted, he noted.

citinewsroom
The Deputy Majority Leader in Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, and his colleague North Tongu MP, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, are in tango over the status of formers questions on President Akufo-Addo's alleged luxurious foreign travels.

It emerged from some Parliamentary documents on Tuesday, June 8, 2021, that the North Tongu MP had put in two questions; one to the Finance Minister on the cost of the President's recent travels abroad, and the second to the Defence Minister on the airworthiness of the Presidential jet.

According to a publication from Parliament, the questions have been programmed to be answered, but the specific day for the responses has not been scheduled yet.

But the Deputy Majority Leader has accused the North Tongu MP of not being forthright with the public on the status of his question pending before the House.

His question was considered inadmissible. In other words, Mr. Speaker rejected his questions, and he expected him to have demonstrated fairness to the public and the house by saying that his question has been rejected, and he knows that. So why create the impression that you have a pending urgent question. Per our rules, when a question is filed, the Mr. Speaker is the sole authority to determine the admissibility or otherwise. So is he saying that he is unaware that his questions have been rejected?.

What he is trying to do is that, Mr. Speaker is perhaps delaying his question because an urgent question is urgent, and Im saying that he knows that he doesnt have an urgent question.

The North Tongu lawmaker has discounted the claims by the Deputy Majority Leader.

According to him, Mr. Afenyo-Markin is peddling falsehood.

The impression that Afenyo-Markin gave that my questions have been rejected is a figment of his imagination. The questions filed have been duly admitted by the Speaker and same have been advertised in the agenda for the second meeting of Parliament which was distributed to members on Tuesday, June 8, 2021, which confirms that the urgent questions that I filed have been duly admitted.

So to speak as though some other questions were filed which were rejected by the Speaker is to peddle falsehood. I dont expect him to engage on that.

citinewsroom
Former US President, Donald Trump, has congratulated the President Buhari-led APC Government of Nigeria for banning Twitter operations in Nigeria.

Mr Trump whose account was suspended by Twitter a few months ago, took to his official website to praise the Nigerian government.

According to him, Twitter should be banned in more countries as they oppose free and open speech on their platform.

Congratulations to the country of Nigeria, who just banned Twitter because they banned their President. More COUNTRIES should ban Twitter and Facebook for not allowing free and open speechall voices should be heard, he said.

In the meantime, he indicated, competitors will emerge and take hold. Who are they to dictate good and evil if they themselves are evil? Perhaps I should have done it while I was President. But [Facebook founder Mark] Zuckerberg kept calling me and coming to the White House for dinner telling me how great I was. 2024?
The Concerned Youth of Ghana (CYG) has welcomed the decision of the Supreme Court to nullify the High Court decision to ban FixTheCountry demonstration.

The campaigners were stopped from protesting last month by an injunction secured by the Ghana Police Service from an Accra High Court on grounds of Covid-19 restrictions on mass gatherings.

The campaigners subsequently proceeded to the Supreme Court on May 7 to file an application seeking to quash the injunction by the Ghana Police Service.

On Tuesday, June 8, the Supreme Court in a decision set aside the injunction although the substantive case is pending at the High Court and slated for hearing on June 14.

Describing the decision from the Supreme Court as a win for democracy, Concerned Youth of Ghana has released a statement to applaud the apex court of the land.

The Concerned Youth of Ghana (CYG) is thankful to the apex court of the land for holding the inviolability and sanctity of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana.

This unanimous decision by five Justices of the Supreme Court to set aside the High Court order that barred us (FixTheCountry) to hold demonstration indefinitely is a victory for democracy and ordinary people of Ghana, part of the CYG statement reads.

Citing the disregard for Covid-19 protocols by government officials and politicians at Sir Johns funeral, the group insists they will not give in to any COVID-19 excuses any longer.

They stress that they are keen on winning the case before the High Court to proceed with the FixTheCountry demonstration.

Find below the press release from the Concerned Youth of Ghana:

CYG STATEMENT ON SUPREME COURT RULING: THE REPUBLIC VRS HIGH COURT (EX-PARTE)

The Concerned Youth of Ghana (CYG) is thankful to the apex court of the land for holding the inviolability and sanctity of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana.

This unanimous decision by five Justices of the Supreme Court to set aside the High Court order that barred us (FixTheCountry) to hold demonstration indefinitely is a victory for democracy and ordinary people of Ghana.

With no prejudice to the substantive case pending to be heard on Monday 14th June, 2021 at the High Court (Criminal Division 1) Accra, we encourage our members and the general public to get ready for the BIGGEST PROTEST IN AFRICA.

It is worthy to note that, CYG backs the objectives, aims and vision of the FixTheCountry Movement and has since thrown our unflinching support to this spirited national assignment.

The Ghana Police Service can arrest and chain us, they can torture and hurt us, they can go ahead and destroy our bodies and imprison even our souls for embarking on a rightful protest as provided by the constitution but they CAN NOT STOP US THIS TIME AROUND.

Havent witnessed the level of disregard of the Corona virus protocols and broad daylight execution of the Presidents Executive Instrument on funeral service by police (security operatives), goverenment officials, politicians, sympatizers and mourners at the buriel service of Mr. Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie (Sir John), we will NOT give in to any COVID-19 excuses any longer.

It is important to indicate that, as law abiding citizens and responsible youth who love and cherish the human resources God and our Ancestors have blessed us with, WE WILL OBSERVE ALL COVID-19 SAFETY PROTOCOL.

These are times for REAL CHOICES and not false ones. We are at the moment when our lives must be placed on the line if our nation is to survive its own folly.

God Bless Our Homeland Ghana.

-END-

Signed

Kelvin Malor

(Organizer)

024-599-5541

David Albert Quainoo

(International Relations)

+82-10-2117-4780

Betty Boafo

(Secretary)

024-487-0055

Kofi Asante Mensah

(Convener)

Tel: 024-469-0262

Office: 0302-965-325
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President Nana Akufo-Addo has left Accra for Burkina Faso today.

As Chairperson of the Chairman of ECOWAS, the President is expected to hold discussions with President Kabore on the terrorist threat confronting that country and the Region.

About 160 people in a village raid in Burkina Faso by unknown militants.

The situation in West Africa, currently, is extremely volatile, as persistent attacks continue to undermine the peace and security across the Region.

It is against this background that President Akufo-Addo has embarked on this to reiterate the commitment of ECOWAS towards assisting Burkina Faso, and, indeed, countries in West Africa in fighting the scourge of terrorism.

Under the tenure of office of President Akufo-Addo, the Ghana Armed Forces continue to undertake security operations along the northern, northwestern and northeastern borders. Its purpose is to maintain a resolute, robust front that will deter any potential aggressors from having any thoughts of destabilizing Ghana through acts of terrorism.

On 31st March 2021, the President presented the armed forces with 40 Armoured Personnel Carriers to help with its logistical needs. This is in addition to the presentation he made on 5th December 2019 of 33 Armoured Personnel Carriers, 41 assorted Toyota vehicles, amongst others.
For the first time in the history of Ghana she has been bestowed with a national security template, a textual resource for undertaking this critical state assignment.

For a state security department many love to hate and coming at a time when some parts of the West African sub-region especially our next-door neighbor Burkina Faso, are restive, such a blueprint could not have been thought of and launched at a better time.

The instability in Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and Nigeria demand that we do not stand down our guard and risk incursions by unwanted elements; what better way to look sharp as a nation than having an enhanced national security management system whose personnel can tell without sweat the difference between a Burkinabe and a Ghanaian indigenous to our towns bordering the Francophone country.

A few days ago some 130 persons lost their lives after a militant attack thought to have been undertaken by an ISIS inspired grouping in Burkina Faso our northern neighbor.

The establishment of Forward Operating Bases by the Ghana Armed Forces and the recent military exercises in the north could be footnotes in the National Security Strategy document.

With porous borders coupled with cultural similarities including languages between Ghanaians and their Francophone neighbours our national security duties could not be less arduous.

Some of the national security challenges encountered during elections as Togolese, Burkinabes and Ivorians claiming to be Ghanaians and therefore, seeking to vote in our polls elucidate the foregone clearer.

The possession of such a document will not yield the desired dividend of offering protection to the country unless those in charge of the department exude selflessness and remain on top of their assignments.

The terms of reference of the National Security Ministry vary by the day the constantly changing developments on the international and local spaces making these even more challenging.

COVID-19 and its attendant national security challenges including the thriving fake news via social media are emerging terms for national security management.

With such a strategy document now handy it is time of course to overhaul the image of National Security in the local context. It should cease being a state department where lackeys are offered employment to do what they lack knowledge about.

National security management is a serious state assignment whose lackadaisical direction can visit dire consequences on the fortunes of the country.

Over the past years communication-gadget wielding operatives who prefer showing off their identities more than doing what they are paid to do have earned for the department an unimpressive image.

The recent outcome of a probe occasioned by the unprofessional action against some equally erring journalists by some national security operatives among other blemishes have defined the need for a re-think about the operations of this critical department.

We might not be privy to the contents of this textual resource of national security management but do hope that it will contain guidelines about decent and civil conduct of the part of operatives and their mode of engagement. The absence of this entry in the compendium will certainly make it less appealing.

---Daily Guide
The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, has disclosed that Ghana intends to use her membership at the United Nations (UN) Security Council to among other things deal with terrorism in West Africa.

She made this known in an address to an ECOWAS group in New York, US.

According to her, Given that 70% of the Security Council's agenda is centered on Africa, Ghana intends to use her membership of the Council to advocate for and build support for effective responses that enable us to deal with terrorism, protracted conflicts, cyber threats, maritime piracy, food insecurity as well as climate change.

She added that Ghana also intends to pursue a number of priorities including conflict prevention, post-conflict reconstruction and strengthening of governance, leveraging on our previous and current experience as Chair of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) as well as our active membership of the African Union (AU).

The minister observed that addressing security threats in the West African sub-region was one of the key challenges confronting ECOWAS in raising the living standards of all its peoples.

This is why our meeting this afternoon is so important.

A few days from now, member States of our United Nations will be casting a crucial ballot for the election of non-permanent members to the Security Council. As you are aware, Ghana is the official, uncontested candidate of ECOWAS and one of the two endorsed candidates of the African Union for the term 2022-2023.

Ghana is committed to cooperating with all Member States and the entire UN body in Enhancing Global Peace and Security for Sustainable and Inclusive Development, which is the theme for our tenure on the Council when elected. The security concerns of our region will therefore be very much at the centre of our focus. This will include focusing attention on the situation in the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin Area. We need to mobilize the international community, through the leadership of the Council, to reverse the deteriorating security situation in that part of our continent and foster the conditions for economic progress.

The evidence shows that global challenges, including insecurity, can be better managed when placed within their specific regional contexts. In this regard, we will encourage the further deepening of cooperation between the UN and continental and regional organisations to help achieve effective results. We support the ongoing partnerships between the UN and other regional arrangements such as the AU and ECOWAS in tackling security challenges. We will call for more of such complementarity, she said.

The recent upsurge in maritime piracy in the West Africa region as well as the situation in Mali and Chad are of immediate concern and goes to show that more concerted effort is required to stabilise governance systems in our countries.

As co-chair of the Eminent Group of Advocates for UN SDGs, the President of Ghana, H.E Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo intends to use Ghana's tenure on the Security Council to re-emphasize the urgency in accelerating progress towards the attainment of the SDGs. Consequently, the continuous support for initiatives that empower women and youth in particular, and the creation of the right opportunities for their meaningful participation in development will help in the realization of Resolution 1325 on Women Peace and Security (WPS) as well as Resolutionon Youth, Peace and Security.

Furthermore, if elected to the Council, we are committed to highlighting the effects of climate change on the economic, human and security situation in many parts of the continent, including the Sahel and Lake Chad.

---DGN online
Speaker of Ghanas Parliament, Mr. Alban S.K. Bagbin is pushing for improved trade relations between African countries to foster the development of the continent.

According to him, although African countries have a good relationship, not enough has been done in terms of trade.

Hosting a Kenyan parliamentary delegation on Defence and Foreign Relations led by Mr. Charles Kilonzo, MP, Speaker Alban Bagbin said it is time African governments turned focus from foreign aid and rather work amongst themselves.

I think it is true that in spite of our good relations, we have not fared well in many areas, particularly trade. I think we need to do better, we need to start looking more at each other rather than outside.

There is nobody that can make you better than yourself, and I think that African countries should start looking within Africa rather than looking outside for any aid, Speaker noted.

The Kenyan parliamentary delegation is currently in Ghana as part of a week-long working visit to the West African country.

With the introduction of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), there is the hope of improved trade between African countries to inspire the needed development.
Joe Biden is making Europe the first foreign destination of his presidency, attending a series of summits with the G7, European Union and Nato, to try to reassure European partners of his support, before meeting in Geneva with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"This trip is about realising America's renewed commitment to our allies and partners, and demonstrating the capacity of democracies to both meet the challenges and deter the threats of this new age, Biden wrote in The Washington Post ahead of his trip.

Biden is casting his first trip to Europe as president as a return to badly-needed US leadership, reassuring Europeans that the US can be counted on as a partner to face Russian aggression on its physical borders and online.

We are standing united to address Russia's challenges to European security, starting with its aggression in Ukraine, and there will be no doubt about the resolve of the United States to defend our democratic values, which we cannot separate from our interests," he wrote.

The eight-day trip will start Wednesday in the UK, where Biden will visit American troops stationed there and then meet Prime Minister Boris Johnson, ahead of a G7 summit in Carbis Bay, a seaside resort, on Friday and Saturday.

Then Biden will go to Brussels to attend a summit of the Nato military alliance, and a meeting with the heads of the members of the European Union.

The meetings are a build-up to his face-to-face meeting with Putin in Geneva on Wednesday.

Biden will have to work to convince European partners that he is to be depended on.

Last month, the US butted up against French attempts at the United Nations to demand a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.

And the US increasing its donations of Covid vaccines around the world follows what many in Europe considered a long period of hoarding them for Americans.

The European Union is hoping its summit with the US will bring an end to trade disputes.

"As a trust and confidence building measures, we have to de-escalate and solve EU-US trade disputes," EU trade chief Valdis Dombrovskis told the European Parliament on Wednesday.

Both the US and the EU have suspended tariffs in their long-running dispute over subsidies for planemakers Airbus and Boeing, but the US has continued import tariffs on EU steel and aluminium put in place by Trump.

The EU has suspended further retaliatory action, which Dombrovskis says is a clear signal to the US of our willingness to solve this issue in a fair and balanced way. He said it is now for the US to walk the talk."

(with wires)
Officers made contact with Glynn over a landline, who informed them he was unable to walk out of his apartment due to a disability, WKMG reported. Titusville officers went into the apartment and found Glynn on his couch sitting next to his sword and wooden scabbard. Glynn confessed to the stabbing stating he would have stabbed the victim in the gut if he had better aim, WKMG reported.
Chief Inspector Stella Dede Dzakpasu

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The BIG ADA Police in the Greater Accra Region are searching for a Nigerian national suspected to be an online commercial sex worker commonly called 'hookup'.

The missing lady, named only as Gifty, together with her 23-year-old friend, Blessing Innocent, went to visit a man who invited them over through social media, to spend the night at his end in Ada and succeeded in attacking the two girls.

The Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Tema Police, Chief Inspector Stella Dede Dzakpasu, told DAILY GUIDE that Blessing Innocent and Gifty on May 31, 2021, at about 11:00pm, arrived at Dordorkope in Ada from Nungua in Accra to meet their host.

It was the first time they were visiting the guy after chatting him on many occasions on Facebook.

On arrival, the said guy whose name was not known, met them on the street and said he was taking them home, but pulled a knife and ordered them to surrender their bags to him or they would be killed.

Sensing danger, Blessing Innocent reportedly threw her bag into the bush and both girls fled in different directions to Atortorkope township, but later on Gifty could not be found.

Blessing was seen by a Good Samaritan who sent her to the police station.

Police immediately followed up to the scene accompanied by Gifty who showed the police a spot where she claimed the incident occurred.

The police combed the area but could not locate Gifty.

---Daily Guide
The Ranking Member on Parliaments Health Committee and Member of Parliament for Juaboso in the Western Region Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has called for a bipartisan investigation into the alleged purchase of overpriced Sputnik V vaccines by the government.

He was speaking on the heels of a report by Verdens Gang, a Norwegian newspaper which disclosed that Ghana, through the Ministry of Health allegedly purchased Russias Sputnik V vaccines at an overpriced amount of $19 per dose instead of the $10 per dose sold on the international market through middlemen.

Mr Akandoh said well I would want to satisfy myself as a Ranking Member and a minority group, we have to satisfy ourselves to know the truth of the matter. And so we will call for investigations and then if we are not satisfied, we will call for an independent investigation into the matter because the Minister himself is complicit in this matter, so we will call for a bipartisan investigation into this matter.

A move, the World Health Organization(WHO) has described as a catastrophic moral failure with the tendency to increase new COVID-19 virus mutations and will be paid for by loss of lives and livelihoods in the country.

Commenting on the matter for the Verdens Gang newspaper with Emmanuel Samani on Mid Day news on TV3, on how the deal will make some individuals richer at the expense of Ghana, reporter Markus Tobiassen said well we dont know the details, but it certainly would seem so considering the vaccines are sold at such a high mark. The individuals involved in the sale have refused to disclose the specifics on how much they are making from this but we have been able to confirm that its been sold at a higher mark than what the Russians are selling the vaccines following directives.

Asked if it is because of the scarcity of vaccines that have rendered African countries like Ghana and others to be sold the Sputnik V vaccines at such an exorbitant price by the businessmen, Mr Tobiassen said yes, thats the central point of our story and like the Finance Minister of Ghana who said it more precisely that this is an artificial and contrived prices because there are enough vaccines to go around but there isnt enough equity and friendliness in how they are distributed.

Reacting to the question of how Ghana should have done the due diligence to ascertain the true price of the vaccines on the world market and how the two individuals involved are declared wanted by the European Union(EU) for fraud and related crimes, he said there was a good question of whether or not Ghanas government was aware of Omar Farouks background because they have had dealings with him previously, back in 2015 with the energy deal that was made with the company Ameri, which was the same Sheik who signed that deal.

In terms of why it didnt create any attention in Ghana, I think the arrival of this vaccine deal was not publicized much, there wasnt much news on it, whereas the AstraZeneca vaccines were highly publicized. This deal has received little attention but at least I hope now there will be an increased attention to give us some more answers because there are a number of unanswered questions around this deal.

On the question of how the newspaper came about this report, he said we actually started with a published piece on a website in Ghana and we had alerts from my colleague who had been following Umar Farouk for a number of years. We had a lot from this article which was made by an anonymous contributor, so we were not able to use that article as any kind of documentation but that didnt deter us from ascertaining whether Umar Farouk was involved in another big deal in Ghana.

---3news.com
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Police in the Ashanti Region have arrested 30-year-old Emmanuel Asare Bediako suspected to have murdered a taxi driver.

Kofi Peprah, alias OC Driver, was murdered on Tuesday, June 8 in his taxi cab with registration number AS 4680-20.

But upon tip-off, the police arrested Asare Bediako at Amanfrom CPC in Kumasi.

A mobile phone and other items believed to belong to the deceased was retrieved from the suspect who has given the names of his accomplices to the Police, the police said in a statement.

The Police assures informants of the strictest confidentiality and therefore continue to urge the public to support our work of ensuring the safety of communities with credible information. Efforts are underway to arrest his accomplices.

---3news.com
Nigeria's media and activists fear their country is slipping into repression after the government suspended Twitter in Africa's most populous nation, where hyper-connected youth embraced the platform as a means of protest.

The decision on Friday, days after Twitter deleted a remark from President Muhammadu Buhari, has already provoked international outcry over freedom of expression and calls for protests online and on the street.

"It is very important we push back and fast, because they could go further," said a social media executive at a major TV station who asked to remain anonymous.

More than 120 million Nigerians have access to the internet, and nearly 40 million of them have a Twitter account -- 20 percent of the population, according to Lagos-based researcher NOI Polls.

France, by comparison, has only eight million Twitter users.

Nigeria's numbers are explained in part by its large and youthful population, but also the influence of its diaspora, and the online fame of its film and Afropop stars, said Manon Fouriscot, co-founder of the Afrique Connectees consultancy.

Studies also show that more than other social media platforms, Nigerians "use Twitter to give voice to the voiceless and engage government on issues that they feel are going wrong in the country in real time", according to NOI Polls.

Last October, the #EndSARS protest movement against brutality by the country's SARS -- or Special Anti-Robbery Squad -- police unit, which expanded into a call for broader reform, first exploded on Twitter before taking to the streets.

Backed by Afropop icons with millions of subscribers, and then relayed by major international influencers, #EndSARS was the most shared hashtag in the world for two days.

More than any other platform, Nigerians use Twitter to engage government on issues that they feel are going wrong. By Olivier DOULIERY (AFP/File)

The protests that followed were the largest in modern Nigerian history, raising fears of wider instability before security forces cracked down on demonstrators.

Some Nigerian broadcasters are concerned the move against Twitter is part of a more general crackdown against the media.

The industry needs to work together to "adopt a strong and common answer," said the social media TV executive, who has several thousand followers on Twitter.

Independent broadcaster DAAR Communications announced it had filed a complaint for damage to its economic interests. Others, such as Arise TV, were still using Twitter to share news from their offices in England or the United States.

"Twitter is, in Nigeria, and more and more on the continent, a means for civil societies to express themselves, to mobilise, to alert international public opinion," said Fouriscot, an expert in the use of social networks in Africa.

'#KeepitOn'

Nigeria's government said the Twitter suspension was needed because the platform had been used for activities that could destabilise the country.

With its suspension, Nigeria joins countries like China, Turkey and Myanmar that have all moved to restrict access at some time to Twitter and other Western social media.

Nigeria's government has said it is in talks with Twitter over the suspension.

Abuja's decision got a nod of support on Tuesday from former US president Donald Trump, who himself is banned from Twitter and Facebook.

Twitter has become the core platform in Nigeria around which social movements that pressure the government are formed. By PHILIP OJISUA (AFP)

"More COUNTRIES should ban Twitter and Facebook for not allowing free and open speech," his statement said.

"Who are they to dictate good and evil if they themselves are evil? Perhaps I should have done it while I was President."

The US-based social media giant has given no further update since its initial statement last week saying it was deeply concerned about Nigeria's decision.

"We will work to restore access for all those in Nigeria who rely on Twitter to communicate and connect with the world. #KeepitOn," the statement said.

Kian Vesteinsson, a research analyst on Technology and Democracy for the Freedom House think tank, said Nigeria had already been tightening online media controls in recent years.

On Monday, the national audiovisual regulatory body NBC asked all radio and television stations in the country to delete their Twitter accounts, and warned any use of the network would be considered "unpatriotic".

The use of VPNs to sidestep government controls on Twitter will also be considered an offence the ministry of information warned.

'Return to dictatorship'?

But no such law has been passed by parliament and any such move would violate basic freedoms established in the 1999 constitution, the official date marking the end of Nigeria's military dictatorships.

The UN and rights groups like Amnesty International have condemned the ban as a restriction on freedom of expression.

"Nigeria has slipped back to dictatorship," Kola Tubosun, a Nigerian linguist and writer, said in Foreign Policy magazine.

"It appears we are back in 1984 under a military regime."

That was a reference to the first time Buhari, a former general, ruled Nigeria after a coup before the return to democracy.

But Nigeria's 2.0 generation has already begun reorganising itself on social networks under the hashtag #KeepItOn and trying to organise a popular protest on June 12.

On Monday evening, on ClubHouse, a social discussion platform that is becoming increasingly popular in Nigeria, all the topics up for debate were clear: "Resisting the Dictatorship?" or "23 years ago, Abacha Died Today," referring to 1990s military ruler Sani Abacha, and "Has Nigeria learnt anything?"

All debated without VPN.
The Minority in Parliament is asking the Chief Justice to reconsider his petition to haul Bolgatanga East MP, Dr. Dominic Ayine before the Disciplinary Committee of the General Legal Council.

According to the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, the action of the Chief Justice is in bad faith and an assault on free speech.

In a letter written by Judicial Secretary, the Chief Justice took issue with the views expressed by Dr. Ayine on the 2020 Election Petition Judgment on a CDD-Ghana platform.

The letter addressed to the Chairman of the Disciplinary Committee of the General Legal Council, accused Dr. Ayine of stating that the Supreme Court's failure to apply the rules of procedures as well as the consistent and continuous dismissal of the petitioners' applications or reliefs were the basis of his assertion.

Addressing the press on Wednesday, June 9, 2021, Haruna Iddrisu indicated that the Chief Justice will set a bad precedent if the case is allowed to proceed.

The Minority Leader added that Dr. Ayine is duty-bound to speak to the public on matters of public interest and that is what he did.

He, therefore, described the petition from the Chief Justice as an attack on Parliament as an institution, and one that will deepen the growing culture of silence in the country.

The Chairman of the General Legal Council who is also the Chairman of the Judicial Council and Head of the Judicial Service, an organ of state in our view, has already determined that the comments are totally unacceptable and wants the Disciplinary Committee of the General Legal Council to investigate further. It is against this background that we in the Minority find the petition to be in utter bad faith and meant to be an attack of free speech on Parliament as an institution and also an upfront to democratic and academic freedom.

This invitation must also be seen as an attack on freedom of expression, and it is only deepening growing concern about the culture of silence in our country which is gradually rearing its ugly head in our democratic dispensation, and therefore a great threat to the sustenance of democracy in our country. In our view, we think Dr. Ayine was speaking as a Member of Parliament and Chairman of the Subsidiary Legislation Committee of Parliament, and not only as a lawyer, and he has the responsibility to speak to the public on matters of public interest as he did on the said forum.

---citinewsroom
The prime suspect of a gang who murdered a 24-year-old woman in Koforidua in 2019 has committed Suicide.

The suspect, Kofi Tiatia, believed to be 36 years was found hanging on a tree Wednesday, June 9, 2021, at Nsukwao a suburb of New Juaben South.

His body has been retrieved and deposited at the Morgue by Police.

Kofi Tiatia was wanted by Police in connection with the murder of Afia Adusei Opokua, 24, on July 9, 2019.

Two accomplices Francis Torgbuiga, 36, and Iddi Mohammed alias Colombia were arrested by Police on July 14, 2019, and later the third suspect was also arrested but the main Kofi Tiatia sneaked out of the country to hide in Togo.

He returned to Koforidua after years of hideout a few days ago but found hanging in a rope Wednesday morning.

Some of the ghetto boys who sleep with him on the streets of Nsukwao told Kasapa News he was troubled.

Background

24-year-old Rita Afia Adusei Opokua was murdered by unknown assailants in a bush behind the SDA Education Unit Office along the Kasadjan road in the New Juaben North Municipality of the Eastern Region.

The body of the deceased was retrieved the following day by Police and deposited at the St. Joseph Hospital Morgue.

Information gathered by Kasapa News indicates the deceased left the house to the shop to sell on July 9, 2019 at 7:00 am but did not return. Several efforts to trace her whereabouts were not successful.

However, her body was found lying in a nearby bush behind SDA Educational Unit Office near Abrewa- Nkwanta the following morning.

Sister to the deceased Lydia Bosompem reported the incident to the Police and crime scene investigators from the Effiduase District Police Command were dispatched to the scene.

According to Police report, the deceased was found lying dead in supine position wearing black underwear halfway below waist and her long dress pulled on her stomach. Spot investigations show signs of struggle suggesting deceased struggled with her assailants before she was overpowered and dragged into the bush.

The Police Investigators explained further that Inspections on the body revealed bruises on the cheek and blood oozing from the left ear. Other visible marks of assault were seen around the back, right ankle, buttocks and both thighs. The body was photographed and later conveyed to St. Joseph Hospital mortuary for autopsy.

Arrest

On July 14, 2019, Police intelligence unraveled that one of the suspects Francis Torgbuiga was in possession of a Techno Mobile phone owned by the deceased and immediately arrested him, upon which he admitted being part of the gang that murdered her.

Upon further interrogation, he mentioned second suspect, Colombia, and two others whose name he did not know as part of the assailants.

Police proceeded to arrest the second suspect at his hideout which led to the arrest of the others

They are standing trial at the court.

---kasapafm
Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor, has expressed grief concern about the depletion of forest covers in Ghana.

According to him, in the year, there was an estimated 1900 8,200,000 hectares of forest in Ghana.

However, he said, currently, the forest has reduced to 1,600,000 hectares, an 80 percent depletion rate.

As a result, he said the Government was rolling out the Green Ghana Project. He added that the Green Ghana Project is for a period of five years and will strive to restore Ghana's forest cover.

He said under the Project, the Green Ghana Day will take place on Friday, June 11, 2021.

He added that five million trees, mostly economic trees will be planted nationwide.

Basically on that day we are asking Ghanaians to come out in their numbers to support the exercise, he said of the Green Ghana Day.

He said trees seedlings will he made available to malls, markets, and other institutions.

Some 1.2 million Ghanaian students from primary level to senior high will be engaged in tree planting.

We want to build a level of consciousness in our country where tree planting becomes part and parcel of the Ghanaian public life, he said.

The Green Ghana Project will implement initiatives that will help the country restore its forest cover, according to him.

Green Ghana Day aims at awakening the consciousness of every Ghanaians about the need to plant trees.

He expressed confidence that the country will plant more than five million trees on June 11, adding that the Church of Pentecost alone has pledged to plant one million on the day.

The Catholic Church of Ghana, he said, is also going to plant one million trees on that.

The tree planting exercise, he said, is about the survivor of our country.

According to him, one Friday, June 11, President Nana Akufo-Addo will plant a commemorative tree at the Jubilee House.

He added that the Vice President, Dr Bawumia will follow Akufo-Addo in planting tree.

The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin will lead MPs to plant trees. He stated that the Chief Justice, the Asantehene, Okyenhene, among others will plant trees.

---Daily Guide
A Justice of the Supreme Court of Ghana, Clemence Honyenuga, who is sitting as an additional High Court Judge in the matter of the Republic against former COCOBOD CEO, Dr. Stephen Opuni, has dismissed an application by the lawyers of Mr. Opuni asking him to recuse himself from the trial.

The embattled judge threw out Dr. Opunis motion in one sentence, saying, It is my candid opinion that the application was brought in bad faith. Accordingly, the motion is hereby dismissed.

In his application, Dr. Opuni had hinged his request on comments made by the judge, which suggested that he was in a hurry to give a ruling on the case.

Dr. Opuni said Justice Honyenuga's comments implied that he will not be given ample time to put up a strong defence in court.

That I state that the learned judge, having stated in open court that he was in a hurry to hear the case, such that he refused to give me an additional four days to enable me adequately prepare for the case, it has become clear to me that I would not be given adequate time and facilities to prepare my defence as stipulated by Article 19(2) (e) and (g) of the 1992 constitution, portions of Dr. Opuni's application read.

Background

The former COCOBOD CEO and Agricult Ghana Limited CEO, Seidu Agongo, are standing trial together with Agricult Ghana Limited for allegedly causing the state to lose over GHS 217 million in a cocoa fertilizer transaction.

Dr. Opuni and Mr. Agongo are facing 27 charges including defrauding by false pretenses, willfully causing financial loss to the state, money laundering, corruption by public officers, and contravention of the Public Procurement Act.

They have both pleaded not guilty to the charges, and are on a 300,000 self-recognizance bail, each.

Agongo is alleged to have used fraudulent means to sell substandard fertiliser to the COCOBOD for onward distribution to cocoa farmers, while Dr. Opuni is accused of facilitating the act by allowing Agongo's products not to be tested and certified as required by law.

---citinewsroom
Prosecutors in the Central African Republic on Wednesday accused a French national of espionage and conspiracy, in a case that has sparked French charges that its former colony is siding with a Kremlin disinformation campaign.

Juan Remy Quignolot, who was arrested in the capital Bangui on May 10, "has been placed in custody" pending an inquiry by an investigating magistrate, public prosecutor Eric Didier Tambo told AFP.

"The accusations are of espionage, illegal possession of military and hunting weapons, criminal association, harming domestic state security and conspiracy," said Tambo.

He made no reference to any country or organisation for whom Quignolot allegedly worked, but said any trial would take place within six months.

"In cases of harming domestic security, you're talking about lifetime forced labour," he said, referring to the potential punishment.

The announcement came two days after France froze cooperation with its former colony over what it described as an anti-French "disinformation" campaign, pointing the finger at Russia.

Central African Republic. By (AFP)

At the time of his arrest, the CAR accused Quignolot of possessing a "huge quantity of combat weapons" and as passing himself off as a journalist.

Aid workers said Quignolot had worked occasionally as a security guard for several organisations.

"He was briefly in the French army when he was a young man," a diplomat told AFP.

French anger

Photos circulating on social media on the day of Quignolot's arrest showed him with his hands bound behind his back, sitting on some steps before an arsenal of weapons, ammunition and military clothing.

Two days later, France lashed the arrest and the pictures as "clear manipulation."

It said "disinformation networks" were being used, "promoting well-identified interests who are used to targeting France's presence and actions" in the CAR.

Quignolot's arrest was notably conveyed on Twitter by Valery Zakharov, a Russian who is a close advisor to CAR's president. By FLORENT VERGNES (AFP/File)

Quignolot's arrest was notably conveyed on Twitter by Valery Zakharov, a Russian who is a close advisor to CAR President Faustin Archange Touadera.

On Monday, France suspended budgetary aid and military cooperation with the CAR.

"The CAR authorities have several times made commitments which they haven't upheld, both politically with regard to the opposition and in its behaviour towards France, which is being targeted by a massive disinformation campaign," the French foreign ministry said.

"The Russians are involved, but the CAR is an accomplice at best."

France has long played a key role in the CAR since the impoverished landlocked country gained independence in 1960.

It intervened militarily to help still a bloody conflict that erupted along sectarian lines after the then president, Francois Bozize, was toppled by predominantly Muslim rebels in 2013.

The mission, Operation Sangaris, ended in 2016 following elections.

Russian role

But in past months, tensions have grown over the Russian presence in the chronically unstable country.

In 2018, Russia sent weapons and a large contingent of "instructors" to train the CAR's beleaguered armed forces.

Security: An August 2018 picture of a bodyguard to President Touadera, provided by a Russian firm called Sewa Security. By FLORENT VERGNES (AFP)

It has also stepped up investment in the CAR's mining sector. The country's riches include gold, diamonds, copper and uranium.

Last December, Moscow, as well as Rwanda, sent hundreds of military personnel to help shore up Touadera as a coalition of armed groups mounted an attempted coup ahead of presidential elections.

The reinforcements have helped Touadera to regain control over much of the country, which had previously been mostly in the hands of militias.

On May 30, in an interview with France's Journal du Dimanche newspaper, French President Emmanuel Macron said "anti-French talk has provided legitimacy to predatory Russian mercenaries at the apex of the state, with a President Touadera who today is a hostage of the Wagner group."

The Wagner group is the name given to Russian paramilitaries that operate under the orders of the Kremlin.

Last December, Facebook removed two networks of fake accounts based in Russia and one linked to the French military which it said were being used for interference campaigns in Africa, including in CAR.
A Deputy Minister-Designate for Transport, Hassan Tampuli, has suggested that the law banning commercial motorcycle operations popularly known as okada must be maintained.

According to him, okada riders do not obey road traffic regulations leading to many crashes, hence legalising such a business would be counterproductive.

Ghana as a country has been with motorbikes for a long time, but it's the commercialisation of same that I believe is the issue confronting us now. The issue goes beyond okada. I think that generally, motorcycle riders sometimes turn to engage in some amount of rascality on the streets, and most of them don't respect the road traffic regulations, and sometimes you see two or three people riding on the same bike with no helmets so, in the event of a crash, they don't have any safety as far as the accident is concerned.

Currently, the commercialisation of motorbike is outlawed under the road traffic regulations, and I believe we should continue to maintain it for now until we are able to do a lot more public education about the use of it as a means of transport before we can roll it out.

Mr. Tampuli made these comments when he appeared before Parliaments Appointments Committee on Wednesday, June 9, 2021, to be vetted for the Deputy Transport Minister portfolio.

Okada business was outlawed in 2012

In 2012, the use of motorbikes for commercial transport in Ghana was outlawed under Regulation 128 (1  4) of Road Traffic Regulations 2012, which states: The licensing authority shall not register a motorcycle to carry a fare-paying passenger.

The debate on the legalisation of okada came up strongly during the run-up to the December 2020 general elections following a promise by the then Presidential Candidate of the opposition National Democratic Congress, John Mahama to allow it and regularize it.

While some criticized him over the idea, saying that it was populist and would cause more harm than good, others defended it, citing the job creation prospects of the operations.

The Bureau of Public Safety, for instance, demanded details of how the commercial use of motorcycles would be regulated.

The Okada Riders Association of Ghana (ORAG) pledged its support for Mr. Mahama.

The government on the other hand described the operationalisation of okada as a risky business  and said it would not heed to pressure to legalise same.

---citinewsroom
Many first met Patience Carter on June 14, 2016, telling her story through a poem she had written in a hospital bed in Orlando. It was two days after a mass shooting at Pulse nightclub that left 49 people dead, 68 seriously wounded and dozens more deeply traumatized. Patience, then 20 years old, had come to Orlando from Philadelphia with her best friend, Tiara Parker, and Tiaras family, including 18-year-old cousin Akyra Murray. It was the first time Patience had been on an airplane, her first time on a family vacation and her first time at Pulse. The three young women were dancing, laughing, celebrating. Theyd just called an Uber to take them home when the shooting started. It ended three horrifying hours later. Akyra was dead, Tiara was wounded in the side, and Patience had been shot in both legs. Five years since that night, Orlando Sentinel senior reporter Kate Santich talks to survivors of the shooting and the people working to honor those who did not. This is the story of Patience Carter  now Patience Murray. Since the shooting, she has fallen in love with and married Akyras brother. This is Pulse, Five Years Later.
A new report by the United Nations human rights council has alleged that the Somali army fought in Tigray with Eritreans troops, which would constitute illegally participating in a foreign war.

The document, which focused on human rights in Eritrea, cites credible reports that Somali soldiers in training were taken to the frontlines in Tigray, including accounts that Somali troops were in Aksum.

The Federal Government of Somalia said it had not participated in the Tigray conflict, considering it an internal matter between Ethiopia and Eritrea.

Somali law states that any participation in a foreign war must be authorised by parliament.

Ethiopian National Defence Forces (ENDF) mounted an offensive in Tigray last November, attacking the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) after its members allegedly attacked a northern command of the ENDF.

Eritrean foreign Minister Osman Saleh lashed out at the United States in his letter to the UN Security Council, blaming the US for supporting the TPLF and stoking further conflict and destabilisation" through interference and intimidation in the region.

The apparent objective of these acts is to resuscitate the remnants of the TPLF regime, he said.

Addis Ababa indicated that Eritrean troops would be withdrawing from Tigray, after two months of international pressure.

Thousands of people are believed to have been killed in the war, with some two million people estimated to have fled. Human rights groups and aid workers have collected numerous accounts of abuses from survivors, who allege that Eritrean and Ethiopian soldiers carried out rapes, killings and looting.

The UN has called for an independent investigation to these reports of atrocities that happened between November and February.

Eyewitnesses have also corroborated accounts that Eritrean soldiers, some in Ethiopian uniforms, were controlling roads and access far from the shared border.

UN Special Rapporteur Mohamed Abdelsalan Babiker, a Sudanese legal scholar, who authored the report, said Eritrea had not cooperated with his investigation. He based his report on observations and information from diplomats, academics and civil society representatives.

He said the war had created an even bigger rift in ethnic tensions and has prompted a near famine.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, the said on social media on Tuesday that Tigray was on the "brink of famine".

"The situation will only keep getting worse unless need funding is increased and humanitarian access is improved. The actions we take now may mean the difference between life and death for many people," he said on Tuesday.
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The Director of Communications for the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Yaw Buaben Asamoa says Ghanaians have more confidence in the ruling New Patriotic Party than the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).

According to Mr Buaben Asamoa, there is no political party in Ghana better at managing the economy than the governing NPP considering their achievements so far.

Nana Addo always does what is in the interest of Ghanaians. I believe that a lot of people have seen the good works. If you compare the four years to the previous eight years or even in the whole 28 years of the fourth republic, that the NDC has had 15 years, you can tell that the work we have done is commendable. Ghanaians have realized that the NPP has the country at heart, Yaw Buaben Asamoa exclusively told Kwaku Dawuro on Anopa Nkomoon Accra-based Kingdom FM 107.7

The Communications Director has, therefore, advised Ghanaians not to pay attention to the needless politics by the NDC on corruption but rather focus on the collective fight especially the state institutions assigned to supervise and deal with the corruption canker.

He noted that certain policies by the NPP on education, jobs and infrastructure has given hope to Ghanaians.
ECOWAS commission President Jean-Claude Kassi Brou said Wednesday the 15-nation West African bloc was "reassured" that Mali's leaders intend to restore civilian rule in the Sahel state.

Brou travelled to Mali as part of a delegation from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), sent after Colonel Assimi Goita deposed the country's civilian leaders on May 24.

Goita -- who had already led a coup last August -- was sworn in as Mali's transitional president on Tuesday.

As well as appointing a civilian prime minister, the colonel promised to stage elections in February next year.

"On the key points, we were reassured by the transitional president and prime minister," Brou told reporters in the capital Bamako.

May's coup sparked diplomatic uproar, marking Mali's second putsch in nine months.

Last August, Goita led young army officers in deposing elected president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita after weeks of protests over perceived corruption and a bloody jihadist insurgency.

After ECOWAS levied sanctions, the military junta handed power to a civilian-led transitional government, which promised to restore civilian rule in February 2022.

But Goita deposed those leaders last month after the transitional prime minister conducted a sensitive government reshuffle.

In response to the second coup, both the African Union and ECOWAS suspended Mali and urged that the previously agreed timeline to restore civilian rule be respected.

France also suspended joint military operations with Malian forces, and stopped giving military advice.

The former colonial power has thousands of troops stationed in the semi-arid Sahel to help fight jihadist violence that erupted in Mali in 2012 and now threatens the region.
The Deputy Minister-designate for Health, Tina Gifty Mensah, has said the Ministry is discussing incentive packages to attract physicians to practice in rural areas.

She indicated that most of them are still refusing postings to the countryside.

She stated that most doctors had failed to relocate to their postings because they do not want to go out of their comfort zone, thereby depriving certain areas of health care and health equity, and this is worrisome to the Ministry.

Answering questions before the Appointment Committee of Parliament, Mrs Mensah said the Ministry was doing everything possible for the country to change the current narrative, indicating that there is something on the table that is being discussed giving incentives to health professionals who are willing to go to hard-to-reach areas of the country.

This is to motivate them to move out. It is not just the doctors. If you happen to be at the Ministry you can see how frustrating it is to receive people from all walks of life who don't want to go to the various places they have been posted.

But I believe when incentives are given they will be prepared to move out of their comfort zone, she posited.

According to her, the Ministry is also working to improve upon the doctor-population ratio, whilst admitting that Ghana was lagging behind the recommended ratio of the World Health Organisation (WHO) which is 1:1,000.

In Ghana, it is 1:1,600 and the Ministry [of Health] is trying as much as possible to give clearance to doctors out there. The teaching hospitals and training institutions are training more doctors so that they can be posted to the various institutions, the nominee asserted.

However, she stated that Ghana had passed the WHO's recommendation of the nurse-population ratio 1:1,000 and pointed out that our ratio is1:709. we have done more in this area.

---DGN online
Four people, including a two-year-old, have officially been confirmed dead in multiple accidents occurring in the Ashanti Region over the last two days, June 7 to 9.

The incidents resulting in the injuries of several people, who are currently receiving treatment at various hospitals, was described as some of the fatal accidents recorded within a particular week in the Region in recent times.

The deceased include; Kofi Dwumah, 37, and K. Kodua, 34, both drivers, as well as two-year-old Jackey, who perished on Monday in a gory accident at Soko near Boamang in the Afigya-Kwabre District.

Superintendent Emmanuel Adu Boahen, the Regional Commander in-charge of the Police Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD), in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), Kumasi, said the three died on the spot and their bodies had since been deposited at the morgue for autopsy.

He disclosed that the vehicles involved in the accident, including; a sprinter bus (GT 4013-14) and tipper truck (WR 1653-A), collided head-on when the sprinter on reaching a section of the road at Soko ran into the oncoming tipper truck.

The sprinter bus was reportedly travelling from Boamang to Tetrem, while the tipper truck was also travelling from Tetrem to Boamang.

Superintendent Adu Boahen hinted that the second accident occurring in the morning of Tuesday, June 08, at Kodie-Apagya near Offinso, also resulted in the death of one Rukaya Adams, 25.

The trader, who was reportedly standing at the Kodie-Apagya Junction with four other people, died on the spot after a Ssangyong mini-bus (AK 361-20) with passengers on board, veered off the main road and ran into them.

According to the Regional MTTD Commander, the suspect driver, Ebenezer Tabi, 38, had been arrested and currently in police custody.

In a related development, at least five people are feared dead in the latest accident, involving a timber truck and cargo truck (AS 8327-Y) at Kwanwoma-Afrancho on Tuesday evening.

The fully-loaded trucks, according to eyewitnesses, collided head-on, causing severe damages to the vehicles.

Superintendent Adu Boahen said the incident was under investigation and MTTD, had impounded those vehicles involved in the various accidents as investigations got underway.

Five-hundred-and-eighty- one (581) road crashes had been reported in the Region in the first quarter of this year, the MTTD disclosed.

---GNA
Alliance For Footsoldiers Advocacy (AFFA) is crestfallen by disparaging remarks made by Professor Kenneth Agyemang Attafuah, CEO of National Identification Authority (NIA) to the effect that his outfit, desirous to enhance what he calls political neutrality shall not hire the services of members and sympathizers of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the ongoing recruitment exercise.

In an interview on Kumasi-based Angel FM on Monday, June 7, 2021, (which video has since gone viral) Prof. Attafuah asserted unequivocally that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has charged him to make sure that no party [NPP] executives are hired in the ongoing recruitment exercise by the National Identification Authority (NIA), regardless of the qualification or competence of party people.

This brazen impertinence and injudicious exercise of discretion by Prof. Attafuah is a recipe for party disintegration. An erroneous impression is created by the good old professor as though party [NPP] people are illiterates who cannot put pen to paper or man a computer. For Christs sake, NPP foot soldiers are knowledgeable individuals with the requisite academic credentials and technical knowhow in their field of study, who, when given the opportunity, can perform to satisfaction.

That said, it is instructive to remind Prof. Attafuah that the party people he scornfully seeks to sideline in the ongoing recruitment process are the very people who worked tirelessly in opposition for him to enjoy the fruits of office. He should remember that it is NOT his law certificate nor PhD credentials cum curriculum vitae (CV) that secured him the Chief Executive Officer position he is occupying today - he is in office at the instance of the NPP.

It is also worthy to note that Professor Attafuah who today says that he is under strict instruction to ensure political neutrality in the NIA recruitment was dismissed from office by the erstwhile Mills/Mahama administration in 2009 after the John Agyekum Kufuor-led NPP government lost political power in the 2008 general election. In fact, but for the kind courtesy of the NPP and president Akufo-Addo who reappointed him in 2017 to head the NIA, he would have been politically unemployed.

It must be emphasized that AFFA believes and supports the vision of the Akufo-Addo-led NPP government to build robust institutions, suffice to add that this group shall not hesitate to call out appointees whose ac- actions and inactions have the tendency to sign the exit warrant of the NPP in the 2024 general election. Consequently, we demand immediate re- traction and an unqualified apology from Prof. Agyemang Attefuah. We also call on the party leadership to take interest in this matter and guard against a future recurrence.

Long live NPP! Long live Ghana!!

Signed

Sir-Obama Pokuase

(Executive Secretary, AFFA)

PS: for interviews, please call;

B. B. Addo (President)- 0506635611 J. F. Davis (Spokesperson) - 0208400277 F. W.K. Akuffo (Operations) -0243969192
Border residents in Kulungungu and Pulmakom want government to open borders to save them from further hardship they continue to suffer due to the collapse of their businesses.

The residents lamented that the border closure has affected them in many ways.

According to them, their businesses have collapsed and capital lost due to expired product in their shops.

He expressed worry that the situation has affected their livelihood as they are unable to cater for their families who depend on them.

Most shops along the border towns remain closed with most people idling about due to lack of business activities.

Iddrisu Isaaka a trader urge government to open the borders for them to continue with their usual trade activities to sustain their lives.

Yahaya Yusif, a businessman at Kulungungu said almost all the shops within the borders towns are closed.

A welder, Seidu Hamidu says, they have been struggling to survive since the closure of the border.

According to him, they used to procure welding material cheaply in Bawku and other parts of the country.

He lamented that the border closure has made it difficult for them to get access to materials to sustain their businesses.

The residents also lament the deplorable nature of Missiga Kulungungu road which is 7km from Bawku.

They say the Kulungungu border is one of the major borders which generates huge revenue for the country hence the road need to be fixed.
In 1938, French colonial authorities in what is today Mali started on an ambitious infrastructure plan to transform the desert into an area of agricultural production. Water was diverted from the Niger River through a canal system to enable irrigation on over one million hectares of fertile land. Eventually covering over 100,000 hectares, this project is still one of the largest irrigation schemes in Africa.

The Malian project, known as Office Du Niger , has had a profound influence on agricultural water management and planning across Africa since the mid-20th century. By the 1960s African governments saw it as a model for rural development.

With World Bank funding , hundreds of dams and large irrigation schemes were set up across Africa. The intended goals were increasing food security, reducing poverty, and stimulating economic growth. Unfortunately, the reality of many of these irrigation projects has been quite different.

Since 2008, in response to rising food prices, governments across Africa have announced plans for a new era of irrigation scheme development . Yet, it remains unclear why earlier schemes fell so short of expectations. To answer this question, we evaluated the performance of 79 schemes constructed across sub-Saharan Africa between the 1940s and 2010.

Our research reviewed original targets for agricultural production areas, as reported in project planning documents. These were compared with estimates of how much irrigated land projects currently support. The estimates were derived from high-resolution satellite imagery.

Our findings show that these irrigation schemes deliver on average only 18% of the irrigated production area they originally propose. And many schemes are now completely inactive  some only a few years after construction. There appears to be little evidence of scheme performance improving over more than 60 years.

Cycle of failure

Research on individual schemes has blamed a number of factors for irrigation project failures. These include scheme size and climate. Arguing that larger schemes that experience more variable climates fail more often. This was largely not the case in our analysis of 79 projects.

Instead, we found the main causes of failure to be political and management frameworks underpinning irrigation project development.

First the political. For governments, a key motivation for scheme development was to produce more food. This would also reduce dependence on imports while generating exports. But the resulting focus on production of low-value staple crops  such as rice and maize  often led to poor financial performance.

Low-value crops undermine the financial sustainability of capital intensive irrigation projects in the long term. This is because these crops don't always generate reliable and substantial profits from land allocated within schemes. And that makes it harder for farmers to contribute to the maintenance and upkeep of infrastructure.

The result is a cycle of dependence on external investment and subsidies. Once this initial investment runs out, many schemes deteriorate rapidly.

Second, donors have tended to prefer large, centrally-managed infrastructure projects. They seem to be less complex technically and logistically than a multiplicity of smaller scale initiatives. Unfortunately, many centralised government agencies in sub-Saharan Africa are underfunded and poorly resourced . Many lack the technical and institutional capacity needed to manage such large-scale projects.

At the same time, donor preferences for scale stimulate government appetite for optimistic plans to tap financial support. As a result, proposed irrigated areas and scheme returns are often unrealistic. For example, the Office Du Niger only recently achieved 10% of the 1 million hectares planned in 1938 . On the other hand, schemes designed to irrigate 127,000 hectares around Lake Chad are now completely inactive .

Planners, too, understate costs and overstate benefits. Our research argues that without changes to the way projects are envisaged, implemented and managed, African governments risk repeating mistakes of the 20th century development. This could have damaging consequences for poverty, food security and economic development.

Ways forward

Failures of large-scale irrigation in sub-Saharan Africa have been acknowledged for several decades. But our research suggests that this has had little impact on the way planners or governments approach such projects.

Given actual outcomes achieved, it is arguable that many large-scale irrigation projects have not delivered a return on investment. Even those that were initially viable have since gobbled up funds for maintenance and rehabilitation. Greater and more systematic monitoring and accounting of performance is needed to address these issues.

To do this, governments, donors and researchers can use new data sources such as satellite imagery. Just as important are reforms to planning processes to ensure investments are made contingent on successful and sustainable outcomes for farmers and communities.

In parallel, we also suggest a rethink of the historical preference for large projects. Are they the best or only means of increasing either food security or farmer incomes?

There is a growing recognition that farmers across Africa are highly entrepreneurial. This is evidenced , for example, by the recent increase in focus within the World Bank and other agencies on farmer-led irrigation. Small-scale farmers have for many decades and even centuries been developing a wide range of irrigation systems independent of development agencies or governments.

Evidence suggests that these investments may be several orders of magnitude cheaper than large schemes. These may offer better returns in terms of farmer incomes and rural livelihoods.

Continuing investment

Investments in large-scale water infrastructure will continue to an important means of agricultural production. This is more so as water availability becomes increasingly erratic in many regions due to climate change and pressures from population growth.

This calls for investments in storage infrastructure  both built and natural  to ensure reliable access to water. This in turn provides a basis for encouraging farmers to invest in irrigated agriculture, thus reducing risks associated with adoption of new technologies or practices.

This also calls for new approaches to how irrigation development is financed and implemented in Africa. There's a need to combine both large and small scale approaches to irrigation development to meet the twin goals of improving food and water security.

This work was supported by UK Research and Innovation Economic and Social Research Council (ES/P011373/1) as part of the Global Challenges Research Fund

Roshan Adhikari receives funding from UK Research and Innovation (NERC, ESRC).

Timothy Foster receives funding from UK Research and Innovation (NERC, ESRC)

By Tom Higginbottom, Research Associate in Earth Observation and Food Security, University of Manchester And

Roshan Adhikari, Research Associate, Global Development Institute, University of Manchester And

Timothy Foster, Senior Lecturer in Water-Food Security, Department of Mechanical, Aerospace & Civil Engineering, University of Manchester
Speaker of Parliament, Mr Alban Bagbin, has warned the security services from arresting or prosecuting any Member of Parliament without his consent and approval.

He said he is being told some MPs are being prosecuted without his notice.

Speaking in Parliament on Wednesday, 9 June 2021, Hon. Bagbin noted: As I sit here, I gathered information that some members were arrested, were prosecuted and are before court without any notice to the Speaker. This cannot continue."

He continued, Even when a member is alleged to have committed an offence and is been investigated, the Speaker must be given notice because one of the rights that we have are termed immunities and those immunities are absolute."

According to him, it is very necessary that he is informed of any arrest and prosecution of any member of the House whom he said, are protected and immune from any process outside Parliament.

For example, in parliament, during the course of the plenary, whatever you say here is absolutely protected by law and you are immune from any process outside parliament.

That is why the Speakers certificate and intervention are necessary because the Speaker will need to know why the member is being investigated or arrested.

And when its one of the absolute immunities, the intervention of the Speaker will stop albeit or prevent a member from being prosecuted.

But Im aware some of our members are before court now without notice to the Speaker and Im taking action to make sure that these things come to my notice and we will take action to make sure that members are protected to perform their constitutional duties.

The Speaker of Parliament indicates that MPs must be given the space to take part in every business of the House particularly on critical matters that needs the decision of MPs.

We need members of parliament for good reasons. There are critical decisions that need to be taken. In some days where we need not less than two-thirds of members approval before they can pass through.

And, so, if we allow law enforcement bodies to pick members at will and detain them and interrogate them outside plenary sessions, it will affect the business of the house, the business of government and the progress of our nation and so even though members of parliament are not above the law, we passed the law and we must show leadership in the enforcement and application of the law, but we are, at the same time, given special rights that protect us because we are not here as individuals, we are here carrying the mandate of millions of Ghanaians.

That is why the leadership position like the president is given those special rights and these must be respected by all. I dont want in future to hear or receive anything that is complete disobedience to this statement that Ive made. Ill take serious view of it and the house will apply its full force to make sure that our democracy works in accordance to our rules of law.
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Member of Parliament (MP) of Ellembelle constituency, Mr Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah says he has no intention of becoming a flagbearer to lead the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in 2024 general elections.

This follows social media reports describing him as "John Mahama's biggest challenger" in the 2024 NDC race.

Mr Buah in a statement issued on Wednesday, 9 June 2021 described the said report as false, baseless and a figment of the author's own fertile imagination.

According to him, it should, therefore, be disregarded and treated with the contempt that it deserves.

He added, I have no intention of contesting in the 2024 presidential primaries in the first place. Neither am I a part of any such scheme to oppose the candidature of former President John Dramani Mahama.

Read full statement below:
You may ask why are we pursuing these charges if George Girtman is already in prison for life, Chisari said. Well, we believe that the victims should have a voice. Filing these charges gets these victims the opportunity to receive justice, to have their voices heard  where they can say in their own words how these violent crimes impacted them for the rest of their lives.
The General Overseer of Pottersville Church International and President of Covenant Christian Leadership College and School of Prophetic Impartation, Bishop Dr Samuel Owusu has advised Prophets of God to occasionally take time off for vacation to rest and rejuvenate.

The man of God who has trained and performed impartation for about seven thousand five hundred pastors, apostles and prophets from many countries across the world including Ghana, UK and USA observed that the church is losing great men of God at relatively young age. This may be due to the excessive pressure and lack of adequate rest from the demands of the work they do.

In a meeting with about five hundred of his spiritual sons and daughters at Champions Arena, Potterville Church in Accra, the man of God stated that the work of Prophets is both spiritually and physically demanding. In order to stay strong, he tasked his spiritual sons and daughters to factor vacations into their scheduled activities.

Citing his own spiritual father Bishop Benson Idahosa who died young, Bishop Owusu was of the conviction that taking our physical wellbeing into consideration, the church could be blessed more if these men of God had lived longer.

The Christian world received with shock and disbelieve the sudden death of Prophet T.B. Joshua last Sunday 6th June 2021. Although the cause of his demise is yet unknown, Bishop Owusu averred that lack of rest could be a major reason.

He contended that pastoring large churches, attending to the spiritual needs of members, fasting, lack of adequate sleep and many other activities in modern church administration has sent many pastors to their grave prematurely.

Some young pastors stand on their feet for many hours during service, stay up all night to study the word of God, conduct TV and radio interviews and take up other responsibilities including parenting and other social responsibilities leave little or no room for resting.

He therefore urges church leaders to find space in their numerous activities to go on vacation to regain energy needed to continue the gospel of God. He prayed for all departed men of God who died in the work of the vineyard.
The President of the Republic and Chairperson of the Authority of Heads of States and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has assured the Government and people of Burkina Faso of the commitment of the regional body towards winning the fight against terrorism and violent extremism.

Commiserating with President Roch Marc Christian Kabore on Wednesday, 9th June 2021, in Ouagadougou, following the killing of some one hundred and sixty (160) people on Sunday by unknown militants, President Akufo-Addo stated that the scourge of terrorism must be defeated in West Africa, if citizens are to live in conditions of peace, freedom, progress and prosperity.

According to the President, the fight against terrorism must be a collective effort, and, as such, it is incumbent on ECOWAS to pull together and assist countries, such as Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali, that are at the frontline of the battle against terrorism and violent extremism, to win the fight.

With the next ECOWAS Summit scheduled to be held in Accra on 19th June, the ECOWAS Chair indicated that top of the agenda of the meeting of Heads of State will not only include reforms to the Organisation, but also a firm resolution by Member States to implement a comprehensive plan of action to combat effectively the menace of terrorism.

President Akufo-Addo reiterated further the determination and commitment of Ghana to deepen and strengthen the ties of friendship and co-operation with Burkina Faso, in areas such as infrastructural development, railways development, and agriculture, for the mutual benefit of their respective peoples.

On his part, President Kabore thanked President Akufo-Addo, the Ghanaian people, and, indeed, the people of the ECOWAS Community for the solidarity shown to the Burkinabe people in these difficult times.

He noted that, with countries such as Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Nigeria and Cote dIvoire, in recent times, bearing the brunt of terrorism and violent extremism, it is important that countries in West Africa rally behind each other to defeat the menace.

The Burkinabe President stressed that it is only West Africans, working together, that can defeat terrorism, and, thus, lent his support to his Ghanaian counterparts call for ECOWAS to take the lead in the fight against terrorism.

President Akufo-Addo has since returned to Ghana.
President Akufo-Addo has described as misguided, attempts by some separatist groups to get the Volta Region and other areas of Ghana ceded from Ghana.

The President said the move is misplaced and unacceptable.

Speaking at a meeting with some chiefs and elders from the Avenor Traditional Council at the Jubilee House, Nana Akufo-Addo said persons who are against the secessionist plot should speak up.

I am encouraged by your denunciation of the succession by these misguided people in the Volta Region. The Ghana we have is made up of different people. We must all be bound together by our loyalty, recognising our differences as strength. So those who dont understand this do not understand nation-building, he said.

The Homeland Study Group wants the Volta, Oti and parts of the Upper East Region to be made an autonomous country known as Western Togoland.

The group has made a number of attempts to push the demand. The group last year blocked some major roads that connect Volta Region to Ghanas capital city, Accra.

Members of the separatist group even declared independence for the imaginary Western Togoland country on May 9, 2019.

In October 2020, the Government of Ghana arrainged 78 of the alleged separatists suspected to be behind the violent attacks in the Volta Region.

They were charged, variously, with; treason felony, conspiracy to commit crime, namely, treason felony, conspiracy to commit crime, namely, participating in a campaign of prohibited organization namely Western Togoland, conspiracy to commit crime, namely, causing unlawful damage.

Under an amended charge sheet, the State also told the Accra Circuit Court 2 that it had no jurisdiction to grant the suspects bail since the crimes were not committed within the authority area of the court.

The state subsequently withdrew charges against 60 of those arrested.

---citinewsroom
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France has said it will insist that US online retail giant Amazon is included in a minimum global tax scheme endorsed by the world's G7 top economies.

According to the plan, countries would be allowed to tax a share of the profits of the most profitable companies in the world at a rate of at least 15 percent, regardless of where they are based.

This would apply, however, only to companies whose profit margins exceed 10 percent.

Despite Amazon's colossal footprint and a market capitalisation of more than $1 trillion, its profit margin last year amounted to just 6.3 percent, placing it firmly below that threshold.

But French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire told the broadcaster RMC that the potential loophole would not stand.

The tax reform "must apply to Amazon," he said. "France will fight to make sure that it does."

He said the tax reform had been negotiated at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development with the specific aim of making all digital giants pay their fair share.

"The problem with Amazon is that some of its businesses don't generate a profit margin of more than 10 percent," Le Maire said, singling out its deliveries branch.

At Amazon's cloud-based services, meanwhile, margins are "very large," he said.

The answer was to treat Amazon's businesses separately for tax purposes "so that all the very profitable parts are certain to be subject to this digital taxation".

Le Maire acknowledged there were several obstacles still to overcome before the world could apply the digital tax regime.

One was that China's agreement was needed. "Believe me, that's going to be a very different ballgame," Le Maire said.

Another is the hope of some European countries to go beyond the 15 percent tax rate, which Le Maire said constituted only a "minimum rate."

The final challenge is to make sure that "all digital giants are subject to this tax without exception."
France's national ethics committee has raised concerns about the rollout of the Covid-19 vaccine to children on 15 June. It questions putting the responsibility for France's herd immunity on the shoulders of adolescents.

Given that a significant number of adultswill not get vaccinated, is it ethical to put the responsibility on minors?" asked the CCNE Wednesday in a report requested by the Health ministry.

The report comes after the government already moved forward with its announcement that young people, aged 12 to 18 years, will be eligible to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine as of 15 June.

In approving the vaccine for young people, the French health authority highlighted their role in the race towards herd immunity.

But the ethics committee says this raises issues of consent for minors, who are already fragile after months of confinements and curfews.

While there is currently no obligation for anyone, adult or child, to be vaccinated, there will be pressure to do so.

If getting vaccinated is presented to them as their only chance to return to a normal life, this pressure raises the question of the validity of their consent, wrote the committee, adding that there is a risk of stigmatisation for adolescents who do not want to resort to it".

"Is there an absolute urgency in starting vaccinations right away?" asked the committee, which would rather vaccination for adolescents start in the autumn, giving people enough time to be properly informed.

Health officials offering vaccines should provide young people and their parents  who will be the ones giving the consent on behalf of their children  with information about the risks and the benefits, but also alternatives that are available to avoid being contaminated by Covid.
DR Congo's authorities have approved a "progressive return" to the city of Goma after the nearby volcano Nyiragongo quietened down, but many evacuees say their future there is bleak.

Thousands are homeless after Africa's most active volcano kicked back into life on May 22, spewing a river of lava that stopped at the city's fringe.

"Even if I go back to Goma, where am I going to sleep?" asked Beatrice Assumani, a mother of four who had tears in her eyes.

"All my belongings have been reduced to ash."

Assumani's home lies in the northern Goma district of Buhene, which was overwhelmed by the molten rock.

After the one-day eruption, Goma -- just 12 kilometres (nine miles) from Nyiragongo -- was shaken for several days by powerful tremors.

The main evacuation pathways from Goma. By Patricio ARANA (AFP)

As scientists warned of a potentially catastrophic blast underneath Lake Kivu, the authorities on May 27 ordered 400,000 of Goma's 600,000 residents to head to safety.

More than a quarter went to Sake, about 25 kilometres (16 miles) west of Goma.

Aid groups sounded the alarm about cholera and other risks as the town's population of 65,000 nearly tripled, overwhelming access to clean water and sanitation.

No rebuilding

On Monday, Prime Minister Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde announced there would be a "progressive return" to Goma, although thousands of people have already informally made their way back home.

The authorities laid on dozens of buses and trucks to help displaced people return. By GUERCHOM NDEBO (AFP)

"Areas that have been ravaged by the volcano should no longer be occupied by the public," he said.

"We should draw the lessons of the 2002 and 2021 eruptions to ensure that people are never again placed so close to danger."

Around 100 people died in the January 2002 eruption, which smothered swathes of eastern Goma and half of the airport's runway with lava.

'No help'

On Wednesday morning, a convoy of 34 buses and a dozen trucks headed to Sake to bring some of the evacuees back.

"It's good to go back to Goma, but where can we sleep and what do we eat?" asked Esperance Leonard, also from Buhene.

"Even when we were here (in Sake), we didn't get any help. How are we going to survive?"

Joseph Makundi, coordinator for civil protection in North Kivu province, said returnees were being registered for help.

Valentine Kazingufu, second right, moves in with her family into in her brother's home in Goma's Majengo. By GUERCHOM NDEBO (AFP)

But one of them, Emergence Musimwa Muhugule, said she had not received the slightest support while in Sake.

"I am angry. We fled but I got no help, neither a plastic sheet nor rice, not even beans. I've lost everything -- how can I get my old life back?"

On Wednesday, a local administrator was arrested for embezzling food aid supposed to be given to people displaced by the eruption, a spokesman for the North Kivu region's military governor said.

Others were worried that their homes would be looted in their absence.

"What will we be coming back to? I fled leaving the door unlocked," said Bahati Shirungu, a resident of Mabanga district.

Returning to Goma with the convoy, Valentine Kazingufu, a mother of five, headed for the district of Majengo, where the edge of the lava flow stopped just a few metres (yards) away.

"Before the volcano erupted, I lived in a house, but now I have nothing," she said.

"I am going to be living with my older brother -- there's going to 15 people squeezed in there. I don't know how we are going to manage to eat and sleep.

"We urge the government and aid groups to intervene."

Between 900 and 2,500 dwellings have been destroyed, according to various estimates, which if extrapolated could mean around 5,000 people are homeless.

Thirty-two people died from lava burns or asphyxiation, and two more died in accidents during the exodus.

Nyiragongo's deadliest eruption, in 1977, claimed more than 600 lives.
Antoine Griezmann, Sergio Busquets and Ousmane Dembele are among the players whose careers at the Nou Camp could be cut short this summer if Joan Laporta wields the axe.

Barcelona has reportedly placed 18 players on the transfer list in order to reduce their mountainous debt.

The Spanish club is desperate to cut costs with over 862 million owed to them and their wage bill only rising as new players arrive, with more signings on the way.

President Joan Laporta has been conducting an internal audit of the clubs finances and is now looking to offload a number of key players to help them get their books in order.

Philippe Coutinho is a prime candidate to be sold, with Barcelona executives having run out of patience with the Brazilian, while Antoine Griezmann represents their best chance of attracting a large sum of money.

Striking a deal for either player, however, could be difficult in the current market, with Barcelona still valuing Coutinho at around 50 million and Griezmann slightly higher.

Those on large salaries are also being considered, particularly Sergio Busquets, who is one of the highest-paid players at the Nou Camp.

According to Goal, Laporta is planning to meet with players like Busquets about taking a pay cut. The two new City signings, Sergio Aguero and Eric Garcia, have increased the urgency of a quick sale.

Memphis Depay is also expected to join on a free transfer from Lyon with a sizable wage. After appearing to lose out on signing Georginio Wijnaldum due to PSG refusing their offer, Barcelona executives are keen not to be in a similar situation with any of their other targets.

Moving on Samuel Umtiti, Junior Firpo, Martin Braithwaite, and Matheus Fernandes, who are all likely to attract bidders for reasonable fees, can save money. Miralem Pjanic does not appear to be in Ronald Koemans plans, and Barcelona could increase their bank balance by selling him, but finding a buyer might be more difficult given his value of 70million only last summer.

There are a number of other players who may be made available if inquiries are made. Ousmane Dembele has yet to sign a contract extension and will be marketed to potential suitors if he does not sign new terms. Barca is afraid of losing Dembele for nothing in 2022 and is willing to do business for around 50 million (43 million) this summer if he does not want to play ball.

Meanwhile, Sergio Dest, Gerard Pique, Riqui Puig, Francisco Trincao, and Emerson Royal are all at risk. Barcelonas priority remains tying Lionel Messi down to a new contract but he is expected to sign an extension to stay at the Nou Camp.

---www.idogh.com
A Circuit Court in Takoradi presided over by Mrs Abigail Animah Asare has sentenced three illegal small-scale miners to 15-years imprisonment each.

The convicts are also to pay a fine of GHS 240,000 each.

The three, Joseph Donkoh, 40, Joseph Paul, 27, and Charles Ewuse, 27, were arrested on 16th February 2021, carrying out illegal small-scale mining in the Cape-3-Point Forest Reserve of the Western Region according to the Prosecutor of the case, Sergeant Robert Amonoo Yawson.

They were charged with conspiracy to commit crime and undertaking small-scale mining operations without licence contrary to Section 23(1) of the Criminal Offenses Act, and Undertaking Small Scale Mining without licence contrary to Section 99(2) of the Amended Minerals and Mining Act of 2019, ACT 995.

The Presiding Judge, Mrs. Abigail Animah Asare in her ruling on Wednesday, June 9th, 2021, sentenced each of the three accused persons to 15 years imprisonment on the two charges; and also fined each of them GHS 240,000 each.

If they default in paying the fine, they will each serve two additional weeks in jail.

According to the Judge, Mrs. Abigail Animah Asare, she was lenient with the sentence because she took into consideration the fact that the accused persons were first offenders and also did not waste the precious time of the court.

'We're not only burning equipment; 'Operation Halt' has arrested 45 people  Dame

The Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Godred Dame, recently responded to the criticism that the government is not doing enough to prosecute persons engaged in illegal mining.

Speaking on Joy FM's Newsfile, he said the perception that we are interested in the equipment and not the prosecution of the people is wrong.

His comments came amid the debate over the burning of illegal mining equipment like excavators which has been heavily criticised.

But Mr. Dame said, amid the furore over the burning of excavators, arrests are being made by security agencies partaking in the 'Operation Halt' anti-illegal mining task force.

As many as about 45 people are on trial as a result of operations taken in the past two weeks. Most importantly, it involves about 10 Chinese nationals, he stated.

Mr. Dame further defended the President's backing of the burning of excavators by members of 'Operation Halt'.

President Akufo-Addo has asked persons who are dissatisfied with the seizure and burning of their excavators and other mining equipment to seek legal redress.

In his defence of President Akufo-Addo, Mr. Dame referenced the 2018 decision of the Kumasi High Court not to award compensation to Exton Cubic Group, a mining company with links to businessman, Ibrahim Mahama, over the seizure of its mining equipment.

The principles that the President set out in his speech on Wednesday were actually the foundations for the decision of the High Court in Kumasi. The High Court endorsed the principle that no right can accrue from the illegality, the Attorney General argued.

---citinewsroom
Minister of Education has announced plans by the Ministry to begin rehabilitating all old and dilapidated basic schools across the country.

This is to make sure that the schools were safe, attractive and conducive for effective teaching and learning.

Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum said this when he called on the Mayor of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly.

The visit was to introduce himself to the Mayor and also discuss issues relating to the development of education in the Kumasi Metropolis and the rest of the country.

The renovation exercise is targeting old school buildings that had not seen any major renovation or facelift over several decades.

The Education Minister said plans are also advanced towards the commencement on the construction of modern model Junior High Schools (JHS) across the country to strengthen the JHS system which happens to be the weakest link in the nation's education system.

He said a memo was being prepared to be sent to Cabinet for discussion and approval for the merging of some Junior High Schools in the country after, which the needed massive infrastructure and resources would be supplied to strengthen education development at that level.

Dr Adutwum said introducing buses to be transporting students to and from school was also being thought through to prevent the total collapse of some schools with students being able to travel easily to any school of their choice in their districts, suburbs and localities.

Mr Osei Assibey Antwi, the Mayor of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly, was full of praise for the Education Minister for the visit and enumerated some challenges confronting education development in Kumasi.

He said congestion in the central part of Kumasi was compelling residents to relocate to outskirts of the city, leading to overcrowding in schools in such new sites and called for support to address the situation.

---GNA
The Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana has proffered some ways the nation can be fixed, as the Fix the Country conversation rages on.

Rt. Rev. Prof. Joseph Obiri Yeboah Mante believes the call to fix the nation was apt, however feared that making it the responsibility of a few may be misplaced. Instead it is the responsibility of all.

The learned man of Ghana who is noted for being unconventional in his leadership style by members of his church stressed that If our values are bad, there is no nation to fix.

Prof. J.O.Y Mante as he is affectionately called made the observation during a forenoon service at the Riis Congregation of the Church in Ho, the Volta Regional Capital. The service was a climax of a three-day working visit of the Volta Presbytery of the Church. The Volta Presbytery spans from the Asuogyaman District of the Eastern Region through the Volta Region to the newly created Oti Region.

According to him, the country has not developed as much as it should because majority of the citizens have lost the good values and morals that influence the right way of doing things. The values and morals that fix problems have been lost, hence many things have broken down in a country that should have been matured and better-off after 64 years of independence, he lamented.

Further elaborating the theme of the service; Hear the Voice of the Lord, the man of God said, it was not too late to turn things around and Fix the nation. He said, God is still speaking to His people through the Word. Just like He did in the days of old and in the time of Jesus Christ; who is proof that it is possible for human beings to possess the right values to fix their lives, their community and their country.

The Moderator who was unhappy with the situation in the country also asserted that many citizens, including those in high positions have become possessive and greedy to the extent of coveting and holding onto things they do not need.

Most of these resources which could have improved the lives of the less privileged in the society are either abused or left to go waste by the greedy ones who ought to know better. Nonetheless, If we live by the values of Christ, which is of God. It is the only way to make Ghana a better place, he stressed.

He commended government for the Green Ghana Programme and pledged that members of the Church will plant one million trees to support it. Rev. Mante said as the oldest Church in Ghana (about 200 years old), the Church is one of the leading health and education provider in the country with health and educational facilities in all parts of Ghana.

The Church is also doing well in Agric development and known for its continued interest in developing less endowed communities. A proof that the PCG is a holistic Church that looks at the Spiritual, Moral and Social needs of its members and the country.

The Moderator also made a donation of GHC100,000 to the Church in Dambai and GHC50,000 to the Church in Ho for Church Growth Projects. He also donated six motorbikes for evangelism at Borae Number 2, OKajakrom, Dodi Papase, Jekiti, Hohoe and Asukawkaw.

The Chairperson of the Volta Presbytery, Rev. Frank Oguase Adu thanked the Moderator for the gesture and assured that the donations will be used judiciously to further the 1.5 million membership vision of the Church.

Some of the areas visited include, Akwamufie District Akosombo District, Anum District, Ho District and curtesy calls on the Akwamumanhene, Odeneho Kwafo Akoto III and the Moderator of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Ghana.

---DGN online
South Africa: SA upholds human rights of people with HIV

Deputy President David Mabuza has reaffirmed that South Africa remains committed to protecting the human rights of people with HIV and other key and vulnerable populations.

Mabuza said this is key to enabling access to services and fighting stigma and discrimination.

In order for the world to succeed in ending AIDS by 2030, we need to recognise and protect the rights of all key and vulnerable populations by involving people living with HIV and placing communities at the centre of our response, Mabuza said.

Mabuza was speaking at the United Nations High Level Meeting on HIV and AIDS on Tuesday.

The Deputy President, who is the chairperson of the South African National AIDS Council (SANAC) is leading the South African delegation at the high level meeting held virtually from 8 to 11 June 2021.

In his address, Mabuza said women and girls continue to be disproportionately affected by the burden of HIV and AIDS, especially adolescent girls and young women aged between 15 and 24.

This calls on us to address inequalities that hinder progress towards ending AIDS, which in South Africa accounts for 20% of the total global infections, Mabuza said.

He said South Africa continues to advance a multi-sectoral response to AIDS that is grounded in human rights principles and equal access.

This includes the scaling up of economic empowerment of young women and girls, ensuring that they have access to sexual and reproductive health services, as well as comprehensive sexuality education that is free of stigma and discrimination, the Deputy President said.

Despite the prevailing challenges, Mabuza said the country has made significant strides in responding to the epidemic, with five million people on antiretroviral therapy, which is the largest treatment programme in the world.

He, however, noted that the progress towards reducing new HIV infections has been insufficient, as we have not met the 2020 targets.

This has also been compounded by the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Mabuza said.

HIV/TB catch-up plans

Government has since, through the South African National AIDS Council, prioritised fast-tracking the development and implementation of the HIV/TB catch-up plans in each of the countrys provinces.

These efforts are aimed at preventing new HIV infections, with a focus on populations most affected. In this regard, a combination of prevention methods is significant to our national response towards ending AIDS.

We also continue to ensure that the COVID-19 pandemic does not reverse the achievements we have made thus far in responding to the HIV/AIDS and TB epidemics, the Deputy President said.

Sustainable funding for health systems

Mabuza called on the global community to fully fund the AIDS response, in line with the principle of Shared Responsibility and Global Solidarity.

He emphasised that developing countries require sustainable funding for strengthening health systems, pandemic preparedness and response, as well as Recovery Plans necessitated by COVID-19 setbacks.

Resource allocation should prioritise critical areas such as the combination of prevention methods, community-led implementation, multi-sectoral coordination and promotion of human rights.

"We continue to call for TRIPS (Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights) flexibilities to enable local production of medical commodities, and encourage technology-sharing mechanisms to meet public health objectives.

We reaffirm our commitment to greater unity of the African continent, and we support the Common African Position developed under the leadership of the African Union.

"We, therefore, support the 2021 Political Declaration towards ending AIDS, and we embrace the new targets and other commitments in the declaration," Mabuza said. - SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2021-06-09. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Conservation efforts help restore Qinghai Lake ecology

Xinhua) 13:20, June 09, 2021

Photo taken on June 5, 2021 shows a view of a scenic spot of Qinghai Lake in northwest China's Qinghai Province. Located in the northeastern part of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, the Qinghai Lake is key to maintaining the ecological balance in western China. It is also a natural barrier for controlling the eastward spread of desertification and ensuring the safety of agricultural areas in eastern China. In recent years, the Chinese government has implemented various ecological projects in the Qinghai Lake Basin, and achieved remarkable results in restoring the environment, said Gao Jingyu, deputy director of the protection and utilization administration in the Qinghai Lake scenic area. (Xinhua/Wu Gang)

XINING, June 8 (Xinhua) -- Over the past weeks, thousands of naked carp were spotted migrating upstream in the three rivers that flow into Qinghai Lake, China's largest inland saltwater lake.

"From late May to early June, we witnessed the rare scene of naked carp migration in the rivers, all of which are main breeding sites of the species," said Yang Jianxin, deputy director of a center dedicated to protecting the naked carp in the Qinghai Lake, located in northwest China's Qinghai Province.

The carp species, known as "Huangyu" in China, is endemic to the Qinghai Lake. The fish is not only critical to the existence of local bird species, but also significant to the ecological balance of the highland lake.

Owing to overfishing and environmental deterioration, the population of naked carp declined sharply in the 1960s and 1970s. In 2002, Qinghai Lake only had 2,592 tonnes of naked carp.

In order to protect the species and restore the environment, authorities in Qinghai banned naked carp fishing in the Qinghai Lake and in nearby rivers in 2003.

The effort has paid off. Monitoring data showed that the Qinghai Lake had 100,400 tonnes of naked carp in 2020, nearly 39 times the figure in 2002.

Located in the northeastern part of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, the Qinghai Lake is key to maintaining the ecological balance in western China. It is also a natural barrier for controlling the eastward spread of desertification and ensuring the safety of agricultural areas in eastern China.

In recent years, the Chinese government has implemented various ecological projects in the Qinghai Lake Basin, and achieved remarkable results in restoring the environment, said Gao Jingyu, deputy director of the protection and utilization administration in the Qinghai Lake scenic area.

In 2008, Qinghai adopted a plan aimed at ecological environment protection and comprehensive management of the Qinghai Lake Basin with a total investment of 1.57 billion yuan (about 245 million U.S. dollars).

A total of 800 hectares of wetland had been restored by 2018, thanks to measures such as a grazing ban or delay and rotational grazing on more than 31,000 hectares of land.

In 2020, the water level of the Qinghai Lake reached 3,196.62 meters and its water body covered an area of 4,588.81 square km. Both figures have soared for 15 consecutive years. Since 2016, a total of more than 33,333 hectares of desertified land have been treated in the surrounding areas of the lake.

The improving ecosystem of the lake has also benefited migratory birds and Przewalski's gazelles, an endangered antelope species named after Russian explorer Nikolai Przhevalsky who found a specimen and brought it back to St. Petersburg in 1875.

The lake has become a key wintering habitat for more and more migratory birds, with over 300,000 birds making a stop here during migration every year, according to He Yubang, head of the Qinghai Lake national nature reserve administration.

As the only habitat of Przewalski's gazelles, the areas surrounding the Qinghai Lake had seen the total number of the species increase from 257 in 2004 to over 2,700 in 2020.

"In a month, 30 cubs of Przewalski's gazelle are expected to be born, bringing the population of gazelle cubs in our station to 90," said Wu Yonglin, head of an environmental protection station located on the south bank of the Qinghai Lake.

"Seeing the increasing population of Przewalski's gazelle makes all our hard work worth it," Wu added.

At present, Qinghai is accelerating its efforts to construct a national park around the Qinghai Lake. The master plan for the park was approved by experts in May.

"With the building of a national park, more vigorous protection measures will be adopted for the Qinghai Lake," said Liu Qingchun, an official with the protection and utilization administration in the Qinghai Lake scenic area. "We all hope for the lasting beauty of the lake and more benefit for the people on the plateau."

(Web editor: Guo Wenrui, Liang Jun)
Robert Ryan Gore, 40, turned himself in Tuesday night after a warrant was issued for the Saturday night incident at the Pepsi Gulf Coast Jam in Panama City Beach, according to the Bay County Sheriffs Office.
A Nun of the Catholic Church has lamented that Africa has been bedeviled with a number of crises, including high levels of unemployment, poverty, hunger, corruption, political and economic instabilities.

The quest for survival in the midst of these socio-political and economic crises have engendered high migration flow from one African State to another; from one African region to another, and from Africa to other continents, said Sr. Monica Onwunali, OLA at a Human Trafficking Workshop in Accra.

It was organised by the Ghana Network of Talitha Kum known as Consecrated Persons Against Human Trafficking ( ConPAHT- Talitha Kum Ghana), coordinated by Sr. Olivia Umoh, DC, Director of Safe-Child Advocacy in Ghanas Catholic Archdiocese of Kumasi.

Talitha Kum is an International Network of Consecrated Life Against Trafficking in Persons, working as a network to facilitate collaboration and interchange of information between Consecrated Men and Women in 94 countries.

Twenty-five Consecrated Catholic Men and Women and some lay collaborators attended the Workshop that is aimed at exploring effective collaboration and networking methods in stopping human trafficking in the West African sub-region.

Sr. Monica, who is one of the oldest members of Talitha Kum Networks from Nigeria, said, Although human trafficking is common in different continents of the world, it is endemic in Africa, noting, While some migration activities are legal, many others are carried out illegally.

Criminals regularly deceive migrants and traffic them into a world of different dimensions of exploitation. Many African countries are still finding it very challenging to combat human trafficking due to ineffective policies and capacity, even where legislation is in place.

Dilating on the West African situation, Sr. Monica was of the opinion that the drive for survival and for greener pastures has continued to force millions of West African young men and women to gamble with death in attempts to cross over to Europe and other parts of the world.

This quest to escape poverty, hunger, unemployment and insecurity, among other reasons, caused a major segment of the population to seek alternatives for better livelihood prospects for themselves and their families," she said.

According to her, in West Africa, human trafficking is of two dimensions - internal and external trafficking, noting a country could serve as origin (source), transit and destination for trafficking operations.

Trafficking features in West Africa is complex, so are its routes. Countries like Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon and Senegal are source, transit, and destination countries for trafficked women and children, she emphasised.

She averred Trafficking of young girls from rural areas in countries such as Mali, Benin, Burkina Faso, Togo, and Ghana to work in Cocoa plantations in Urban Cote DIvoire., and added, Trafficking from and through eastern Nigeria to Gabon have increased in recent years.

The Nigerian Nun opined that Libya and its neighbours in the North African region are major exit points for West African migrants journeying to Europe, stressing that The illegal migrants prefer to travel via the Mediterranean Sea to avoid being caught by security operatives.

On trafficking of women from West Africa to the European countries for sexual exploitation, Sr. Monica noted that it shows the existence of organized crime groups from West Africa highly networked which embrace exploiters, facilitators, trafficked women handed over to the forced prostitution market, money launderers, and persons involved in the forging of travel documents and Visas.

After being recruited in their home countries, the victims are trafficked to Europe and sent to work in brothels or in the street with forged identity documents, she stated.

According to the OLA Sister, traffickers use voodoo rituals, which are commonly practiced in West Africa, as an effective means of exerting pressure on their victims, to intimidate them, and ensure obedience.

This practice, she pointed out enables the perpetrators to make the exploited women paying off their debts (which can be up to 60,000 Euros) incurred as a result of their trafficking to Europe.

Trafficked Africans transiting through Libya face insecurity, extortion and inhumane treatment meted out by their slave masters, she said, stating: According to International Organization for Migration (IOM), the trade in human beings, mostly of West African descent, has become like every other regular business where people are being traded in public like goods, as was the case during the Trans-Atlantic slave trade (Modern Day Slavery).

Touching on Collaboration and Networking, Sr. Philomena Okwu of the Daughters of Charity (DC), Nigeria, told the participants that networking results in long lasting professional relationships and helps build brand.

Having a brand is what makes you stand out from the competition, attracts clients and get noticed, she indicated, as you start networking, you start discovering different facets of your brand that connect with people.

According to Sr. Okwu, who is the Co-ordinator of the Committee for the Support of the Dignity of Women (COSUDOW) in Nigeria, through networking, the Talitha Kum members can develop a sense of comradeship, worthiness of purpose by connecting with individuals who share in the same passion.

Networking helps you craft your story to use in your daily communication and social channels, she added.

On his part, Ghanaian Spiritan Priest, Fr. Richard Acheampong said Catholic Social Teachings proclaims the dignity of human person, noting, Every person is precious, people are more important than possessions, and the measure of every institution is whether it threatens or enhances the life and dignity of the human person, because every life is a gift from God and it is sacred.

Human life, he stated, therefore deserves to be protected and natured, adding, we each have a responsibility to fight against violation and degradation of our brothers and sisters.

Sr. Prof. Frances Emily Owusu-Ansah, FST, an Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology at the Department of Behavioural Sciences of the School of Medicine and Dentistry at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), said We should always be more interested in promoting peoples growth or creating a climate that helps them change.

Nigerian Jesuit Priest, Cornelius Apili said, Human trafficking is rooted in the reality of poverty and the pervasive desire for poor people to migrate in search for better livelihood within and outside the region.

We must join our voices together in advocating for a change of mindset for our leaders, he said, asking, In as much as governments, religious institutions, NGOs, concerned agencies, and individual are making efforts in combatting TIPs, on the other hand, how genuine are these efforts?"

He averred, Government at all levels must wake up to the reality of human trafficking at the domestic level and across borders.

Addressing the members of the networks from Ghana, Nigeria and Burkina Faso, Sr. Olivia Umoh, who is Coordinator of Talitha Kum Ghana Network, said the Workshop was to raise awareness on the menace of trafficking of persons and how it is destroying human lives.

She expressed optimism that the zeal and commitment exhibited at the Worship would bear fruits, saying that it is believed that for effective collaboration, the networks need to appreciate their diversities and differences.

She said the exploration on management of Diversity and Conflict was necessary to help network members to learn skills to manage personal conflicts positively and to help victims or survival of human trafficking manage their conflicts in ways that would be liberating.

I expect that at the end of the Workshop, the participants from the West African Region of Ghana, Nigeria and Burkina Faso Region will see the need to effectively collaborate through networking and communication, Sr. Olivia added.

At the end of the 5-day Workshop resolved to collectively work hard and together to strengthen their individual country networks as well improve intra- network communications and inter- network communication.

In their seven-point Action Plan, the participants resolved to show commitment in communicating to the Conference of Major Superiors in their various countries as well as hold regular online prayer sessions to pray for an end to human trafficking.

According to them, they were very ready to hold online network meetings of the Talitha Kum African network, mark with common activities International Days related to human trafficking and continue to network in responding to cases of human trafficking across the countries."
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Five persons are reportedly dead while two others are in critical conditions after a fatal accident between a Timber truck and cargo car at Kwanwoma Afrancho in the Atwima Kwannwoma District of the Ashanti region

The accident which occurred on Tuesday June 8, 2021 at about 5:45 pm also claimed the lives of four cows on the spot

Some eyewitness said the logging truck trailer which was carrying eight big logs of Timber collided with a cargo car transporting cattle on Kumasi-Obuasi highway.

They added that three of the timber logs violently surged forward from the moving truck and crushed the cargo car with the registration number AS 8327-Y leading to the death of five people from both vehicles.

One Samuel Yeboah who help to rescue the two survivors said it took more than two hours before the victims were removed from the vehicles with the help of the locals, police and ambulance service personnel who rushed to the scene.

The victims were rushed to Okomfo Anokye Teaching Hospital and are responding to treatment.
That President Akufo-Addo, by the implementation of the Free Senior High School Policy (since 2017), has carved a remarkable niche for himself in the pantheon of world leaders and heroes cannot be gainsaid. Thus, he has acted in consonance with the contemporary dictates and tenets of development and none of us avid watchers and readers is oblivious of the benefits the implementation of such a policy comes with.

Indeed, except for a few members of the opposition-NDC, almost every political figure who plays any active role in the party has been found criticising the policy. It is, also, not without credence to note that members of the NDC have vociferously chastised any initiative by the ruling NPP government, regardless of how beneficial it would be for Ghanaians. But it is equally not untrue for one to consciously observe that some initiatives by the NPP have come with the disastrous denouement, a situation which has provided the opposition party adequate cognitive grist to propagate and cement the fact that not everything by the NPP is good.

And when the NDC running mate for President Mahama in the 2020 elections, Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemeng, chastised the policy on grounds of widespread cheating in the 2020 WAEC examination (See: Ghana topped WAEC from 2012 to 2016  Naana Opoku-Agyemang, ghanaweb.com  Monday 7 June, 2021), emotionally pummelling President Akufo-Addo to pulp as the originator of the Free SHS Policy, a lot of us deemed it malicious lies, engineered to tarnish the ruling party and score some cheap political points. And we expected the ruling NPP to promptly issue a strongly worded condemnatory statement demanding immediate retraction, duly followed by an unqualified apology from Professor Opoku-Agyemang, as a benign move to safeguard the dignity and efficacy of the policy.

Was she honest with herself, Professor Jane rather would have vehemently lauded Nana Addo for formulating and implementing a policy everybody is benefiting from, including the poor in the country. And I am yet to hear any member of the opposition-NDC express concern about such morally and politically impolitic proclamation, a testament to the fact that they are all in support of the Professors downright repugnant swipe at the flagship policy. Surely, the policy is for all Ghanaians, regardless of political inclinations.

Then also, I find it rather quixotic that the NPP which introduced the policy does not defend it as they should. Each time people take a swipe at the policy, all we get is a lamely worded release of denial. What they need to do is to pooh-pooh such claims as abject preposterous and unconscionable falsehood. In other words, the party should cavalierly provide a release admonishing the general public to refrain from giving credence to such claims. Clearly, such a vintage response of a serious political operative is required to safeguard such a beneficial policy.

In no sense mercurial, Ghana, our country, is at a transition, where the implementation of such policies is required. That is, if we are serious about achieving development, we should desist from egregiously and erroneously criticising policies, just because of our ignobly parochial interest. The crux of the matter is that regardless of all the pejorative epithets detractors associate with the policy, the ruling party members have a duty to defend and safeguard it at all times, if they really want Ghanaians to benefit from it and take them seriously.
Ugandan authorities should drop the criminal libel charges against journalists Pidson Kareire and Darious Magara, and reform the countrys laws to decriminalize speech, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

On May 27, the Buganda Road Chief Magistrate Court in Kampala, the capital, charged Kareire and Magara with criminal defamation and ordered them to be detained until a bail hearing on June 17, according to a copy of the charge sheet, which CPJ reviewed, and a statement by the Human Rights Network for Journalists-Uganda (HRNJ-U), a local press rights group.

The charge sheet alleges that, between October and November 2020, Kareire, managing editor of the privately-owned news website The Drone Media, and Magara, managing editor of the privately-owned news website The East African Watch, published articles that included defamatory claims about Dott Services Limited, a Ugandan infrastructure company.

If convicted, they could face up to two years in prison, according to the charge sheet and the Ugandan penal code .

Ugandan authorities should drop the criminal libel charges against journalists Pidson Kareire and Darious Magara, said CPJs sub-Saharan Africa representative, Muthoki Mumo. Democracies around the world have eschewed criminal remedies for defamation, and this case shows the urgent need for Uganda to reform its laws in line with international and regional standards.

The journalists charge sheet cites an October 27 report by The East African Watch which alleged that Dott Services Limited had a poor work record and questioned a government decision to grant the company a road contract. The sheet also cites a second report about the company, which CPJ could not find in The Drone Media or The East African Watch. CPJ did find a November 5 report by The Drone Media quoting a legislator who made similar allegations about the company. An April 1 article published by The Drone Media said that Kareire had been summoned by police in connection to that November 5 report.

In response to requests for comment submitted via email and through Dott Services Limiteds website, CPJ received an emailed statement by Byamugisha Gabriel & Co. Advocates, a law firm, which said it represented the company. The firm said that the company had filed a criminal complaint following the publication of highly libelous statements by both journalists.

The statement also accused Magara and Kareire of blackmail and extortion, alleging that they offered to stop publishing negative stories in exchange for payment. It alleged that the articles were designed with intent to alienate [Dott Services Limited] from fair competition.

Diana Nandudu, the legal aid program officer at HRNJ-U, who is coordinating the journalists representation, told CPJ via messaging app that she was not aware of those extortion allegations, and said they had not been presented in court.

Police initially summoned the journalists to appear for questioning at the Criminal Investigation Department headquarters in Kibuli, a neighborhood of Kampala, on April 6, according to documents seen by CPJ and reports by The Drone Media and The East African Watch .

Kareire responded to that summons on April 20, and police questioned him about the libel allegations and released him later that day; Magara responded to the summons on April 26, and was also questioned and released, according to those sources.

Following their release, police ordered Magara and Kareire to report to the Criminal Investigations Department headquarters on a weekly basis, according to Nandudu. When they reported for one of their scheduled appearances on May 27, police detained them and brought them to court, where they were formally charged, Nandudu said.

The statement from Byamugisha Gabriel & Co. Advocates said that Dott Services Limited had no role in the journalists cases after filing the complaint, other than acting as requested by the office of the DPP [Director of Public Prosecutions].

Irene Nakimbugwe, the deputy spokesperson for the public prosecutors office, told CPJ by phone that charges had been filed against Magara and Kareire after authorities collected credible evidence that they had committed criminal libel. Nakimbugwe declined to discuss the case further, saying that it was up to the courts.

Police spokesperson Fred Enanga asked CPJ to direct queries and concerns to the office of the Inspector General of Police. CPJ tried to reach Inspector General Martins Okoth-Ochola by calling the police headquarters in Kampala; an officer who answered referred CPJ to Ocholas assistant, Fred Mirondo.

When contacted by CPJ, Mirondo asked that questions and concerns be sent over email. In a phone call on June 4, Mirondo acknowledged receipt of that email but referred CPJ to the head of the Criminal Investigations Department, Grace Akullo, for comment.

CPJ repeatedly called Akullo and texted her for comment, but she did not respond.

Separately, Charles Twiine, the spokesperson of the Criminal Investigations Department, told CPJ via messaging application that being a journalist does not give a ticket to immunity but declined to comment on the specifics of Magara and Kareires case.

Kareire was previously charged with criminal defamation in 2019, as CPJ documented at the time. Daniel M Walyemera, Kareires lawyer, told CPJ that the case was pending at Ugandas High Court as of this month.

In 2009, Ugandas constitutional court upheld the countrys criminal libel law, arguing that it was in the public interest; an application challenging that law at the East African Court of Justice, a regional judicial body, was dismissed in November 2020, according to copies of the two judgments reviewed by CPJ.
Our country Ghana shall be a happy place if NPP is able to deliver all 2016 promises which are overdue. We have 2020 promises to contend with. But for now, the priority is to get 2016 promises out of the way.

We are literally in the sixth month of New Patriotic Partys (NPP) second term with three and a half more years to go in the service of our country. One evil has already reared its ugly head as some factions within NPP have already started thinking about the one who shall take over from our President, His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo-Addo who is in his final term, as Ghanas president.

Instead of rolling up their sleeves and getting their hands dirty to do the job for which they won the general elections, a faction has sprung up from within the NPP, known as Movement For Bawumiah (MFB) that has started campaigning for the installation of Dr. Mahamudu Bawumiah as the flagbearer, without contest or unopposed, to take over from Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo-Addo as flagbearer who would represent NPP at 2024 general elections.

For the faction, the implication is that there may be no need to contest the flagbearers position within the NPP. And the cheek of it, they have broken every rule in NPPs own rule book and started to select their flag bearer for 7th December,2024 general elections. They are now flying without wings in absolute defiance of physical limitations.

Other factions within the NPP are highly likely to spring up to challenge the MFB by putting their hats in the ring to contest for the flagbearers position. Briefly, one could easily foresee internal wars within the NPP. Recently, Ms. Theresa Addison, a presidential staffer had to apologise for having declared Dr. Bawumiah as the next President. Others are playing the tribal card by suggesting that a southerner must give way to a northerner to be Ghanas President. But our presidents have never been selected in accordance with their tribes or the regions they emanate from.

Below is a summary of our presidents spread across the regions they come from and is a very fair spread and it would be observed that we have had 2 (two) presidents from the northern regions of Ghana in our fourth republic. In other words, segregation or discrimination must not be invoked to distract us in selection of flagbearers or Presidential candidates:

Northern Region - Dr. Hila Liman; Mr. John Dramani. Mahama (2)

Central Region - Prof. Evans Atta Mills (1)

Ashanti Region - Mr. John Agyekum Kufuor (1)

Volta Region - Mr. John Jerry Rawlings (1)

Eastern Region - Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo-Addo (1)

We have unfinished business with the NPP in that they have not completely delivered all their 2016 manifesto promises and it is the expectation of all reasonable Ghanaians that they deliver them. We are law-abiding citizens and would expect our government also to be equally law abiding. My candid view and indeed advise NPP is to desist from distractions and focus on the job of serving the people of Ghana. Their internal warfare must not come in the way for any reasons. They must therefore not spend time on 2024 general elections when we are in 2021.In other words, who has guaranteed us that we shall all be alive in 2024? Let us therefore think about serving the needs of the people one year after the other and refrain from running before we learn how to walk. Do not let us go into 2024 when we have not even gone through 2021.

We have extremely important issues to tackle head-on, e.g., Covid-19 for which we are expecting vaccines from the World Health Organisation. Then follows environmental health situation that is bizarre. We have not cleaned our open gutters for years and rather fill them with rubbish and other human waste, thus attracting millions of mosquitoes. These are some of the reasons malaria has come to stay with us indefinitely, in addition to the nightmare of Covid-19. The list of our priorities is numerous, and we all know that. Therefore, we need the Takoradi to Paga Railway Lines to be fully completed and up and running then economic activities shall spring up around every train station from Takoradi in the southern part of Ghana to Paga in the northern part of Ghana. Thousands of job opportunities shall be generated when the railways are in full operation, and we look forward to that.

The greatest benefit of the Takoradi to Paga train service is that heavy goods shall be transported from the southern to the northern Ghana quite easily and vice versa. Heavy-laden trucks that ply and damage our roads shall reduce extensively. To conclude this piece, I must advise our NPP folks to refrain from complacency and realise that we have given them 8 (eight) years on the trough to serve our nation with all their strength and with all their hearts and most importantly, to desist from ruling our nation oppressively.

Kit Yawson

London

E: [email protected]
Five policemen, who were arrested for allegedly robbing a student of GH20,000.00 at gun point at East Legon, Accra, have been granted bail by an Accra Circuit Court.

The Court presided over by Mrs Rosemond Torsu admitted the policemen to bail in the sum of GH 80,000.00 with three sureties.

Two of the sureties, the Court said, should be public servants earning not less than GH2,000.00 a month.

The matter has been adjourned to July 13.

The accused persons are: General Lance Corporal Redeemer Agama, General Constables Wishwell Odoo, Evans Amwagsi, Lawat Agyapong and Sena Kuvordo.

They are facing charges of conspiracy to commit crime-robbery and conspiracy to commit crime to wit giving bribe to influence public officer.

The policemen, from the National Deployment Force (RDF) at the National headquarters, are also said to have offered their case investigator GH2,500.00 bribe to cover them up in the matter.

They have denied the charges.

When sitting resume today, Prosecuting Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Evans Kesse, informed the Court that the Police was almost done with the preparation of witness statements and was optimistic that by the next court sitting the police would file and serve same on the accused persons and their lawyers.

The prosecution informed the Court that at the next sitting, it would amend count three of the charges preferred against the accused persons.

Mr Yaw Danquah, who was being led by Mr Andrew Kudzo Vortia, repeated his bail application for the accused persons, saying they were not flight risk because they resided at Police Barracks and that the Police administration knew their respective hometowns.

The defence counsel also assured that the accused persons would not jump bail.

Mr Dankwah prayed the Court to be given enough time so they could scrutinise the various documents filed by the Prosecution for a "good show down in court."

The facts as presented before the Court are that the complainant, Jeffery Mackeon Yeboah, was a student and a businessman, while the accused persons who were with the RDF Unit, usually performed vehicular patrol duties.

Prosecution said on May 24, this year, at about 0200 hours, the complainant was on board an Uber around the University of Professional Studies, Accra, when the accused persons were on Operation Calm Life Police Service vehicle with arms meant for night patrol.

It said the policemen forced the victim (complainant) into a Police patrol vehicle and accused him of scamming.

The Prosecution said the accused persons threatened the complainant with harm and asked the complainant to hand over every penny on him as they drove him from Madina to Awudome cemetery, near Kaneshie.

It said the accused persons demanded over GH20,000.00 from the complainant amid terrorizations.

The prosecution said the accused persons ordered the complainant to transfer the cash from his bank account through online banking system into his mobile money account.

Accused persons continued to hold the victim hostage at Kwame Nkrumah Circle and a civilian joined them in the Police Patrol vehicle.

The victim, acting on instructions of the accused persons amidst threats and harm transferred cash in the sum of GH20,000.00 from his Ecobank Account, it said.

The prosecution said having robbed the victim (complainant) of his money, they deleted the transaction records on his phone and drove him to Kwame Nkrumah Circle and forced him into a taxi.

It said the accused persons instructed the taxi driver to move his car without looking back and they sped off.

The prosecution said a report was made to the Police and investigations led to the arrest of the Policemen and the cash of GH20,000.00 was also retrieved.

It said after the arrest of the policemen, they bribed the case investigator with cash in the sum of GH2,500.00 to cover them up in the case.

The prosecution said an itemised bill had been sent to Abeka District court for disclosures and efforts were underway to arrest the civilian accomplice whose mobile money account was used to facilitate the crime.

---GNA
In order to to make the claim settlement process easier and faster for dependents of its deceased customers, public sector bank (PSB) Central Bank of India on Tuesday announced that it has introduced an online process for the same. Central Bank of India is the first bank to recognise the need for an online claim submission process and enable it at a crucial time when the country is going through the pandemic and state imposed local lock-downs.

Looking into the difficulties being faced by the claimants/legal heirs to visit the branch for settlement of claims, Central Bank of India has introduced a new scheme for easier and hassle free processing of deceased claims, it said in a press release.

The bank said claims up to Rs1 lakh or 50% of claim amount, whichever is lower will be settled in just three days upon receiving simple claim documents.

The banks customers can place requests for the claim on the banks toll-free number 1800221911. One can also place a request on the banks website www.centralbankofindia.co.in under the what's new and other services.

Hopefully more banks will take a cue and follow the Central Bank of India example. Many countries have acted to make life easier for people dealing with an unprecedented global emergency.

Acknowledging the problem, just yesterday, the Indian Banks Association (IBA) had advised banks to pay balance and settle claims of surviving family members of COVID-19 deceased quickly to mitigate delays and hardship.

The IBA in coordination with the department of financial services (DFS) said that proactive measures are going to be put in place soon to expedite handling of claims. The IBA chairman said that the following measures are being sought to be rolled out on urgent basis:

1) Digital processes in place to settle claims of COVID-19 deceased accounts quickly.

2) Banks to designate grievance redressal officers to help in settlement of COVID-19 deceased accounts.

3) Quick help by PSBs to surviving family members of COVID-19 deceased if issuance of death certificates by municipality is delayed

4) Banks can accept death certificates issued by government/ ESI / Army / NABH accredited / registered hospitals / nursing homes or certificates issued by attending doctors / physicians/ panchayat / anganwadi workers.

5) Banks to facilitate insurance claims if deceased had subscribed to pradhan mantri jeevan jyoti bima yojana ( PMJJBY ) or pradhan mantri suraksha bime yojana ( PMSBY ). Bank staff to be sensitised to extend full help.

Read here https://www.moneylife.in/article/zindagi-ke-baad-bhi-covid-and-the-worries-about-transmission-and-succession/63853.html Moneylife had carried an article highlighting the ground reality which reflected how difficult and painful the entire claim process is by giving examples of how there are no standard operating procedures (SOPs) and banks are allowed to frame their own rules.

The government seems to be realising the ground reality and the pain points in the claims process in view of the recent devastating second wave of the pandemic.

Earlier last week, the finance minister Ms Sitharaman met the heads public and private insurance companies to review the progress made under pradhan mantri garib kalyan package (PMGKP) insurance scheme. The insurance scheme includes health workers deployed in COVID-19 duty as beneficiaries.

She had also asked the insurers to expedite disbursement of pending claims under the PMJJBY during the pandemic. On delays arising due to documents being sent from states, said that a new system has been put in place whereby a simple certificate from the district magistrate (DM) and endorsed by the nodal state health authority will be sufficient to process PMGKP claims.

The FM praised the efforts of New India Assurance Co, which has been entrusted to manage the scheme. She cited the example of Ladakh where a claim was settled within 4 hours of receiving the DM certificate and encouraged the insurer to maintain a similar approach in future.

She also directed the states to take up COVID claims of health workers on priority and make maximum use of this simplified mechanism that has been put in place.

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The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has asked banks to continue preserving the CCTV recordings of operations at their branches and currency chests for the period from 8 November 2016, to 30 December 2016, in view of the pending investigations and legal proceedings in matters related to illegal accumulation of new currency notes.

On 13 December 2016, the central bank had first asked the banks to preserve the recordings to facilitate coordinated and effective action by the enforcement agencies.

In a notification on Tuesday, the RBI said: "In continuation to the above, keeping in view the investigations pending with law enforcement agencies, proceedings pending at various courts, you are advised to preserve the CCTV recordings of operations at bank branches and currency chests for the period from 08 November 2016, to 30 December 2016, in a proper way, till further orders."

On 8 November 2016, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had made the surprise announcement of demonetising the then circulating Rs500 and Rs1,000 currency notes, thereby rendering them invalid from midnight.

Citizens were given around 50 days to exchange the notes for the new Rs500 and Rs2,000 notes.

The PM and the government had then said that the move was primarily aimed at wiping out black money.

Commenting on RBI's extension of the directive, KS Legal & Associates managing partner, Sonam Chandwani said: "Post the infamous demonetisation, several cases of new currency notes hoarding by unscrupulous elements at various bank branches across the country have been reported. In light of this, RBI, vide its recent circular, ordered for preservation of CCTV recordings to spot such currency hoarders."

"This move facilitates coordinated and effective action by law enforcement agencies while dealing with cases of illegal accumulation of new currency notes and also help in identifying people abetting circulation of counterfeit notes," she said.

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.
Coronil, the so-called immunity booster kit manufactured by yoga guru Ramdevs Patanjali group in India, has landed in a controversy in Nepal after the Himalayan nations Department of Ayurveda and Alternative Medicine imposed a ban on its distribution.

The Health Ministry of Nepal, however, has remained silent over the ongoing controversy regarding the distribution of Coronil kits, which have also landed in controversy in India and Bhutan.

The controversy erupted in Nepal after the Patanjai Yoghpeeth on last Thursday handed over Coronil kits, sanitisers, masks and other immunity booster medicines worth crores of rupees to outgoing Health Minister, Hrydesh Tripathi.

The day after he received the support from local officials of the Patanjali Yogpeeth Nepal, Tripathi was removed as the Health Minister.

"The Coronil kits provided by the Patanjali Yogpeeth did not receive permission from the Department of Drug Administration, so we have decided not to distribute it," Basudev Upadhyay, the Director General of the Department of Ayurveda and Alternative Medicine, said in a press conference.

"The Coronil kit could be beneficial for the treatment of respiratory disorders, but it has not taken permission from the Department of Drug Administration, so we cannot distribute it," Upadhyay added.

As per the Nepali law, any drug can be imported only after obtaining permission from the DDA.

Meanwhile, the spokesperson at Nepal's Health Ministry, Krishna Poudel, told IANS that he is not aware about the distribution of Coronil kits in Nepal.

"We do not know if the outgoing Health Minister Tripathi accepted the support. We have heard that it is yet to get permission from the DDA," said Poudel.

"Coronil is not registered with the DDA and it cannot be distributed or sold out without registration," DDA spokesperson Santosh K.C. told IANS.

"We have not received any document for its registration as well as seeking permission for selling out in Nepal. We do not know how the former Health Minister accepted the donation. We have not received any letter from the Health Ministry to grant permission for its distribution," he said.

Meanwhile, Patanjai Yogpeeth said that the consignment of 1,500 Coronil kits was provided upon the request from the government of Nepal.

Officials at Nepal's Health Ministry said that officials from Patanjali Yogpeeth in Nepal and India had approached former Health Minister Tripathi directly, handing over some documents that received permission from the government of India for its distribution and provision of selling for the general public as an immunity booster.

The Bhutan government had already rejected the support provided by Patanjali.

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.
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THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE IS TRANSMITTED AT THE REQUEST OF THE MONTANA DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. GALLATIN COUNTY SHERIFF OFFICE HAS REQUESTED A MISSING ENDANGERED PERSON ADVISOR FOR JODI PARSONS, 14 YR OLD FEMALE, 5 FEET 6 INCHES, 100 POUNDS, BROWN HAIR, BROWN EYES. JODI LEFT HER HOME LAST NIGHT AFTER MIDNIGHT WITH NO CELL PHONE AND BAG OF EXTRA CLOTHES. SHE WAS LAST SEEN WEARING BLACK SHORTS, WHITE T-SHIRT WITH DISCO SUCKS WRITTEN ON IT OR RED CHILI PEPPERS CROP TOP WITH BLUE TANK TOP WITH BUTTERFLIES. HER MOTHER FOUND NOTE SAYING SHE WAS HITCHHIKING TO OREGON. JODIE MAY POSSIBLY BE WITH CHRISTOPHER KUNKLE, MALE, AND SHAWNI GOBLE, FEMALE, IN GREEN FORD EXPEDITION HEADING TO TENINO, WASHINGTON. IF YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION ON JODI PARSONS PLEASE CONTACT GALLATIN COUNTY SHERIFF OFFICE AT 406 582 2100 OR 9 1 1.
The Times-Union reported that the Acosta is frequently lit in different color schemes. Last month, it was lit in teal to honor the Jaguars for drafting star quarterback Trevor Lawrence; green for mental health month; blue and green to raise awareness of neurofibromatoses, a neurological disorder that causes tumors; light blue for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, the fatal condition commonly called Lou Gehrigs disease; purple for lupus awareness; and red, white and blue for Memorial Day.
Lansdale, PA (19446)

Today

Cloudy with occasional showers overnight. Low 61F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%..

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Cloudy with occasional showers overnight. Low 61F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%.
OPINION: Wyoming may be too much like America used to be
Netflix's newest show has firm Kiwi roots... with the whole thing being filmed here in New Zealand!

The show, titled Sweet Tooth, is an unusual post-apocalyptic fantasy that is set in the United States, despite it being filmed here in Aotearoa. In the show, a pandemic is sweeping the nation and babies are being born with animal features that society is ill-prepared to deal with, despite their cuteness.

While the show may seem a little off to some people on paper, the first episode has seen millions of people around the world hooked on the show - and binging the whole first season in a matter of days!

Speaking to radiotimes.com, executive producer Susan Downey said, "We looked into New Zealand and after shooting that first episode, its like, there was just no other place that we wanted to be."

"Everything seems a little brighter and bigger than real life. And so it made for the perfect setting for this adventure and the crew. It was amazing. I mean, everybody fell in love with it."

They were originally just going to film the pilot episode here, but fell in love with our country and committed to filming the rest of the series here. It was a smart decision as not too long later, the pandemic hit and NZ had ended up being one of the safest countries in the world in terms of Covid-19.

Sweet Tooth filmed in a variety of locations around New Zealand, mostly around the South Island and Auckland, with the latter including the Animal Army headquarters, filmed at an actual amusement park called Rainbows End.

We shot it in New Zealand, we shot it kind of all around the South Island and Auckland, Downey said. And it was an incredible place to shoot. I mean, you know, look, that place in and of itself feels like a fairy tale.
But there was vandalism. Two arrests were made. There were also threats on social media about burning that persons house down, the sheriff recalled. We had probably, depending on the day and time of night, anywhere from 20 to 40 deputies out there because of the size of the crowd.
Pink's old high school has honoured her in the best way - they've got the choir together to cover her song 'What About Us'!

The cover left Pink in tears, and she shared the amazing tribute on social media.

"Mr. Ohrt was my high school choir teacher. His famous quote to me was Alecia, its NOT a solo, but I this and it brought me to tears!!!!!! You all sound amazing and Im totally overwhelmed with love."

Such a lovely cover! Watch it above.
@MJ_JournalRick on Twitter

Richard Payerchin covers Lorain City Hall, business news and other interesting stories for The Morning Journal. Reach the author at rpayerchin@MorningJournal.com or follow Richard on Twitter: @MJ_JournalRick.
The city of Avon Lake was recently named a 2020 Tree City USA by the Arbor Day Foundation in honor of its commitment to effective urban forest
Mentor: Your Next Move Dance Studio owner to hold dance classes for those with special needs at Great Lakes Market
Nine local schools were awarded a total of over $35,000 in grants May 27 from Fisher-Titus M
Survivor Gail Gardner shows off a bracelet from her children that she says provides emotional support as she answers questions about her request to revisit the cold case of the Malibu Rapist from the late 1980s, during a press conference at Orlando Police headquarters, Tuesday, June 8, 2021. Gardner was raped by a suspect in the case currently serving a life sentence on other sexual battery charges. OPD detectives are filing new charges in 15 remaining cases from the attacks that occurred in Orlando from 1985 to 1991. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel) (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)
Two activists have met with Midland leaders, including representatives from Fasken Oil and Ranch, County Commissioner Randy Prude and U.S. Rep. August Pfluger, to discuss what they see as the solution to Texas nuclear waste problem.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission is currently reviewing an application for a high-level nuclear waste site in Andrews County that critics have argued would open the Permian Basin up for a potential terrorist attack, as well as the risk of a leak when the waste is transported by train through Midland County.

Kevin Kamps of Beyond Nuclear and Lon Burnam of Public Citizen are trying to put pressure on the federal government to invest in what they believe is the safest way to store nuclear waste  hardened onsite storage.

Its much better designed containers with much better designed systems, fabricated well to last for as long as its going to be needed to contain this stuff from the living environment, which is forever, Kamps said.

Kamps and Burnam worked on the defeat of Rep. Brooks Landgrafs House Bill 2692, which aimed to ban the storage of high-level nuclear waste in Texas. However, as noted in a letter from Rep. Tom Craddick to House Committee on Environmental Regulation members, the bill didnt have the power to ban waste because storage sites are decided at the federal level.

Burnam called the bill a Trojan horse.

This bill pretended to do something that it couldnt do, he said, noting the bill would have also given a tax break to Interim Storage Partners, the company seeking to build a waste storage site in Andrews County.

A better solution, according to Kamps and Burnam, is to pass legislation at the federal level relating to hardened onsite storage, a concept first described by Dr. Gordon Thompson of the Institute for Resource and Security Studies in 2003.

They are proposing steel casks filled with dry nuclear waste be placed on individual concrete pads that are surrounded by earth or gravel barriers. The casks would also have airflow vents to prevent overheating.

Nuclear waste is currently stored in different containers depending on the storage site. Interim Storage Partners is proposing storing dry pellets of spent nuclear fuel in above-ground casks at the site in Andrews County.

Kamps and Burnams plan also calls for moving waste from fuel pools and reactor sites where there is a potential for earthquakes or other risks. For waste that needs to be moved, they propose constructing storage sites as close as possible to reactor sites to avoid risks from transportation.

And although ISP has applied for a license to store high-level waste temporarily for 40 years, the activists said any site needs to be built with permanent storage in mind because theres no permanent repository in the U.S. after construction of Yucca Mountain was discontinued.

Kamps and Burnam said they are hoping the U.S. Congress will use legislative power to enforce hardened onsite storage, which they said significantly lowers the risk of a terrorist attack because any release would be so insignificant that it becomes an unattractive target.

Fasken has really moved the Texas congressional delegation, and I think were going to make more headway this year than weve ever been able to make, Burnam said.
TIRANA, Albania (AP)  The Albanian Parliament on Wednesday impeached President Ilir Meta for violating the constitution and discharged him from the post.

In an extraordinary session, the parliament voted 104-7 to discharge the president. Three abstained. The final approval lies with Albanias Constitutional Court within three months.

A report following a parliamentary investigation concluded that Meta had violated the constitution with his biased approach against the ruling Socialists during the April 25 parliamentary electoral campaign. The report said Meta violated 16 articles and also incited violence.

Ilir Meta has betrayed the mission of the president of ... Albania, Prime Minister Edi Rama said in his speech before the vote. Ilir Meta has humiliated the constitution.

Meta has denounced the investigation and impeachment attempt, arguing they are illegal.

His spokesman, Tedi Blushi, described the decision as unconstitutional and ridiculous," by what he referred to as "the parliamentary rubbish dump.

Blushi wrote on his Facebook page that Meta is motivated more than ever to protect Albania's sovereignty and integrity.

Meta's term normally ends in July 2022.

During the parliamentary debate Meta continued his daily agenda, awarding a medal to a folk music ensemble in his office's courtyard.

In late April, 49 governing Socialist lawmakers asked for the investigative committee. They accuse Meta, a former Socialist prime minister who left the party many years ago, of inciting instability and violence in the Balkan nation and siding with the political opposition ahead of the election. They say Meta should be impeached for failing in his constitutional duty to guarantee national unity.

The governing Socialist Party ended up winning a landslide of 74 of parliaments 140 seats in the April 25 election, winning their third four-year term.

(The) President of the Republics acts, behavior and approach ... run counter to his constitutional role and position, said the report. It added that Meta should be removed from the post of the President of the Republic for grave violation (of the constitution).

Albanias presidency is largely ceremonial but carries some authority over the judiciary and the armed forces. The role is also generally understood to be apolitical, but Meta has regularly clashed with Ramas Socialist government.

Since assuming the office of president in 2017 with the support of the ruling Socialists, Meta has opposed their agenda, blocking the nominations of ministers and vetoing legislation.

Meta has accused Rama of running a kleptocratic regime and concentrating all legislative, administrative and judiciary powers in his hands.

Meta argues that the outgoing assembly is in a post-election transition period and therefore is ineligible to conduct such investigation activities. The parliament elected in April is not formally seated until September.

Unprecedented in Albania, the impeachment of a head of state is rare in Europe too.

In 2004 Lithuanias parliament and its highest court impeached President Rolandas Paskas and removed him from the post. In 1993 Russia's then-President Boris Yeltsin was discharged but retained the post after an armed standoff.

In the cases of two other heads of state, the process was launched but did not conclude: Ukraines President Viktor Yanukovych fled the country, while Czech President Vaclav Klauss term had expired when he was impeached.

___

Follow Llazar Semini at https://twitter.com/lsemini
CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP)  In the global race to vaccinate people against COVID-19, Africa is tragically at the back of the pack.

In fact, it has barely gotten out of the starting blocks.

In South Africa, which has the continents most robust economy and its biggest coronavirus caseload, just 0.8% of the population is fully vaccinated, according to a worldwide tracker kept by Johns Hopkins University. And hundreds of thousands of the country's health workers, many of whom come face-to-face with the virus every day, are still waiting for their shots.

In Nigeria, Africa's biggest country with more than 200 million people, only 0.1% are fully protected. Kenya, with 50 million people, is even lower. Uganda has recalled doses from rural areas because it doesn't have nearly enough to fight outbreaks in big cities.

Chad didn't administer its first vaccine shots until this past weekend. And there are at least five other countries in Africa where not one dose has been put into an arm, according to the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The World Health Organization says the continent of 1.3 billion people is facing a severe shortage of vaccine at the same time a new wave of infections is rising across Africa. The shortfall is estimated at 700 million doses. And vaccine shipments to the continent have ground to a near halt, WHO said last week.

It is extremely concerning and at times frustrating, said Africa CDC Director Dr. John Nkengasong, a Cameroonian virologist who is trying to ensure some of the worlds poorest nations get a fair share of vaccines in a marketplace where they cant possibly compete.

The United States and Britain, in contrast, have fully vaccinated more than 40% of their populations, with higher rates for adults and high-risk people. Countries in Europe are near or past 20% coverage, and their citizens are starting to think about where their vaccine certificates might take them on their summer vacations. The U.S., France and Germany are even offering shots to youngsters, who are at very low risk of serious illness from COVID-19.

Poorer countries had warned as far back as last year of this impending vaccine inequality, fearful that rich nations would hoard doses.

In an interview, Nkengasong called on the leaders of wealthy nations meeting this week at the Group of Seven summit to share spare vaccines  something the United States has already agreed to do  and avert a moral catastrophe.

Id like to believe that the G-7 countries, most of them having kept excess doses of vaccines, want to be on the right side of history, Nkengasong said. Distribute those vaccines. We need to actually see these vaccines, not just ... promises and goodwill.

Others are not so patient, nor so diplomatic.

People are dying. Time is against us. This IS INSANE, South African human rights lawyer Fatima Hasan, an activist for equal access to health care, wrote in a series of text messages.

The Biden administration made its first major move to ease the crisis last week, announcing it would share an initial batch of 25 million spare doses with desperate countries in South and Central America, Asia and Africa.

Then, on Wednesday, a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press that the U.S. will buy 500 million more doses of the Pfizer vaccine that will be donated through the U.N.-backed COVAX program to 92 lower-income countries and the African Union over the next year. President Joe Biden was set to make the announcement Thursday before the start of the G-7 summit. The person spoke on condition of anonymity.

Billionaire British philanthropist Mo Ibrahim, who was born in Sudan, added his voice to the issue Tuesday, saying the pandemic-era phrase Nobody is safe until everybody is safe  often repeated by leaders of wealthy nations  will be meaningless until they share their excess vaccine.

They say that while they are hoarding the vaccine," Ibrahim said. "Can you walk the talk? Stop just talking like parrots, you know, and do you really mean what you said?

Uganda just released a batch of 3,000 vaccine doses in the capital, Kampala  a minuscule amount for a city of 2 million  to keep its program barely alive.

There and elsewhere, the fear is that the luck that somehow enabled parts of Africa to escape the worst of previous waves of COVID-19 infections and deaths might not hold this time.

The first COVID was a joke, but this one is for real. It kills, said Danstan Nsamba, a taxi driver in Uganda who has lost numerous people he knew to the virus.

In Zimbabwe, Chipo Dzimba embarked on a quest for a vaccine after witnessing COVID-19 deaths in her community. She walked miles to a church mission hospital, where there were none, and miles again to a district hospital, where nurses also had nothing and told her to go to the region's main government hospital. That was too far away.

I am giving up, Dzimba said. I dont have the bus fare.

South African health workers faced similar disappointment when they crowded into a parking garage last month, hoping for vaccinations and ignoring in their desperation the social distancing protocols. Many came away without a shot.

Femada Shamam, who is in charge of a group of old-age homes in the South African city of Durban, has seen only around half of the 1,600 elderly and frail people she looks after vaccinated. It is six months, almost to the day, since Britain began the global vaccination drive.

They do feel very despondent and they do feel let down, Shamam said of her unvaccinated residents, who are experiencing huge anxiety as they hunker down in their sealed-off homes 18 months into the outbreak. Twenty-two of her residents have died of COVID-19.

It really highlights the biggest problem ... the haves and the have-nots, Shamam said.

___

AP writers around the world contributed to this report.

___

Follow more of APs pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic and https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-vaccine
COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP)  The body of a toddler that washed ashore on Norways southwest coast on Jan. 1 has been identified. It's a missing 15-month-old Iranian boy who died months earlier in the English Channel hundreds of miles away when the smuggling boat carrying him, his parents and siblings capsized, Norwegian police said.

After finding the body, police in Norway carried out DNA tests to establish the toddler's identity. Their conclusion was that it was Artin Irannezhad, who disappeared on Oct. 27, some 500 kilometers (310 miles) south of the Norwegian island of Karmoey where he was found.
MANAGUA, Nicaragua (AP)  The U.S. Treasury Department slapped sanctions on the daughter of Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega and a top army official Wednesday, a day after the arrests of two more potential opposition candidates for the presidency.

The U.S. said the sanctions are intended to force the Ortega regime to return to democratic procedures.

Ortegas daughter, Camila Ortega Murillo, became the 31st official or relative of the Ortega regime to have their U.S. assets blocked since 2017. The sanctions also prohibit U.S. citizens from dealing with them.

Also sanctioned Wednesday were the leader of Ortegas Sandinista party in Congress, the head of the countrys central bank and a high-ranking army general.

Ortega arrested on Tuesday two more potential challengers in the Nov. 7 elections, bringing to four the number of opposition pre-candidates detained in a week. Ortega is seeking his fourth consecutive term.

U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price on Wednesday called on Ortega to release the political prisoners swept up in an increasing wave of repression.

The regimes repessive actions, including a number of arrests even last night have sent independent journalists, activists and student leaders into hiding for fear of reprisals, Price said.

Noting the new sanctions, he said, There are costs for those who are complicit in the regimes repression.

First lady Rosario Murillo, who is Nicaragua's vice president, called the sanctions an attempt by the imperialist and colonialist government of the United States to interfere in Nicaraguas internal affairs. She said the targets of the sanctions had only represented the dignity and heroism of our people.

United Nations spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for the release of the political leaders and the restoration of their political rights.

The secretary-general is very concerned by the recent arrests and detentions, as well as the invalidation of candidacies of opposition leaders in Nicaragua, Dujarric said. These developments can seriously undermine the publics confidence in the democratic process ahead of the November general elections.
HOUSTON (AP)  A woman was sentenced on Tuesday to three years and four months in federal prison for making false 911 calls that ultimately resulted in a 2019 drug raid by Houston police that killed both homeowners.

Patricia Garcia was the first person to be sentenced in connection with the deadly raid in which Dennis Tuttle, 59, and his wife, Rhogena Nicholas, 58, were fatally shot on Jan. 28, 2019.

A dozen current and former officers tied to the narcotics unit that conducted the drug raid have been indicted in state and federal court in the wake of the shooting. Two current and former officers, Gerald Goines and Felipe Gallegos, are facing murder charges in state court.

Prosecutors have alleged Goines, who led the raid, lied to obtain the warrant to search the couples home by claiming a confidential informant had bought heroin there. Goines later said there was no informant and he had bought the drugs himself, they allege. Police found small amounts of marijuana and cocaine in the house, but no heroin.

During a federal court hearing done over video Tuesday, prosecutor Alamdar Hamdani said Garcia made three 911 phone calls on the evening of Jan. 8, 2019, in which she told police her daughter was being held against her will inside the couples home, the couple were drug dealers and had guns inside their house.

Hamdani said Garcia had no daughter and that her other claims were also false, made while she was under the influence of drugs and alcohol. Garcia had a long running dispute with the couple, and the 911 calls were made to get back at them, according to authorities.

Prosecutors dont suggest Garcia was the cause of the couples death 20 days later, but that night, things were set in motion, Hamdani said.

Ms. Garcia dialed 911 and intended to use those three digits as a weapon, he said.

Hamdani said that after Tuttle and Nicholas were killed, Garcia continued to not be remorseful, telling police she was tired of all the people who came to their neighborhood to mourn the couples deaths.

In a brief statement, Garcia said when she made the false 911 calls, she wasnt in my right mind. In March, Garcia pleaded guilty to one count of providing false information.

I never meant for anyone ... to die the way they did. I am so sorry for my 911 telephone calls, Garcia said.

Her attorney, Marjorie Meyers, had asked for a sentence of 10 to 16 months, recommended by the sentencing guidelines, as Garcia has a long history of mental illness and drug abuse. Meyers said what happened to the couple was because of rogue and corrupt police officers."

But U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks Jr. said he didnt believe Garcia was truly remorseful and she had been callous in trying to provoke police to forcefully enter her neighbors home.

Theres no question that you knew what that was going to lead to. You wanted something bad to happen, Hanks said.

Hanks agreed with prosecutors that Garcias prison term should be higher than what had been recommended by the sentencing guidelines.

Last week, Steven Bryant, Goines former partner, pleaded guilty in federal court to one count related to obstructing justice by falsifying records. He is set to be sentenced Aug. 24.

More than 160 drug convictions tied to Goines have since been dismissed by prosecutors.

The families of Tuttle and Nicholas filed federal civil rights lawsuits against the city and 13 officers in January.

___

Follow Juan A. Lozano on Twitter: https://twitter.com/juanlozano70
There have been more than 250 mass shootings within the first half of 2021, and a 23% increase in deaths caused by gun violence, according to data from the Gun Violence Archive, which defines a mass shooting as four or more people wounded or killed, not counting the shooter. Barksdale said when he began his firefighting career more than 30 years ago, he did not expect to deal with an ever-rising toll of mass killings.
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The regions corporate citizens might also recognize that voters are starting to elect politicians to local offices who arent going to roll over for the industry as easily as in the past. Todays Orange County Commission has a much different look and attitude than it did 10 years ago, with commissioners speaking up about the well-being of the regions workers, not just their employers.
(The Center Square)  Missouris congressional delegation is rallying behind a proposed $900 million allocation for Boeing to build 12 F/A-18 Super Hornets at its plant near St. Louis.

The U.S. Navy is not seeking funding for new F/A-18s in its budget request. The last new Super Hornets from a 2017 order begin production in September and roll off the line in 2024.

After that, although Germany and India are considering purchasing F/A-18s, Boeing and St. Louis-area officials are alarmed over a dearth of orders after 2024 that could affect many of the 16,000 employed at the plant near Lambert International Airport.

Boeing issued a June 2 statement arguing the Navy needs new Super Hornets because it faces a fighter shortage without renewed F/A-18 production.

"We look forward to working with our Navy customers and Congress to ensure this critical program is funded and delivered," Boeing spokeswoman Deborah VanNierop said.

St. Louis County Executive Sam Page in a May letter to Missouris congressional delegation said the F/A-18 shutdown will have catastrophic effects on our national defense and directly result in a significant loss of jobs in Missouri.

In April, Missouri U.S. Rep. Ann Wagner, R-Ballwin, requested $900 million for 12 Super Hornets in the Fiscal Year 2022 budget, securing support from 50 bipartisan colleagues, including Missouri GOP Reps. Jason Smith, Billy Long, Blaine Luetkemeyer, Sam Graves and Democrat Rep. Emanuel Cleaver.

"In a world full of uncertainties, now is not the time to risk operating with a shortfall of Super Hornet aircraft in the fleet," they wrote to the House Appropriations Committee.

Wagner said that buying more F/A-18s sustains support for more than 40,000 jobs across 44 states and keeps the assembly line open for foreign orders.

Designed by McDonald Douglas, the Super Hornet has been the Navy's all-purpose fighter since an enhanced version of the original F-18 was selected to serve in that capacity in the early 1990s.

Full-scale production of the jet began after McDonald Douglass merger with Boeing in 1997. Since then, Boeing has secured $50 billion in contracts to build 700 Super Hornets in Missouri.

The plant, which also manufactures F-15s, Air Force training jets and commercial jet wing parts, employs more than 10% of Boeings total workforce.

The Navy has been attempting to divert money from the F/A-18 since Lockheed Martin launched its next-generation fighter, the F-35C, in the late 2000s. In 2010, the Navy announced it would stop buying Super Hornets in 2013.

But lingering issues with the new jet have sustained orders for no drama F/A-18s. The Navy requested no new Super Hornets in 2015 but Congress ordered 12. In 2016, the Obama administration asked for two but, again, Congress ordered 12. When the Navy requested 14 in 2017, Congress ordered 24.

As part of President Donald Trumps defense budget, Congress ordered 78 Super Hornets in 2018. Thats the order keeping Boeings assembly line going through September 2024.

Some defense industry analysts suggest the reason why the Navy did not request F/A-18 funding is because it is relying on supporters to do so. The sea service is not making appropriations requests for items it believes Congress will add back, as it has done with F/A-18s repeatedly since 2014.

In addition to Wagners $900 million budget request, Missouri U.S. Rep. Vicky Hartzler, R-Harrisonville, has challenged the decision in the House Armed Services Committees Seapower & Projection Forces Subcommittee and Missouri senior U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt is lobbying the Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee to restore F/A-18 funding.

The Super Hornet is "an integral part of our national defense" and "the backbone of naval aviation, Blunt said in a statement. "Quite simply, our aircraft carriers cannot project power without Super Hornets on their decks.
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So Brodeur watered down his bill to replace the threat of prison with discipline from the state medical board. But it was still an unconstitutional attempt to restrict free speech. And the state spent more than six years and $1 million defending this blatantly unconstitutional law before courts overturned it.
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In an effort to continue to combat COVID-19, Tidelands Health is partnering with Carolina Country Music Fest to offer free on-site vaccines and testing next week leading up to the festival, the hospital system announced Friday.

CCMF makes its return to town Thursday, June 10, through Sunday, June 13. Members of Tidelands Health, along with representatives from the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) and the South Carolina National Guard, will be on hand to help administer rapid COVID-19 tests as well as COVID-19 vaccines, according to a release.

Tidelands, which is the official health system of Carolina Country Music Fest, will also share video messages throughout the festival encouraging those in attendance to get the vaccine to protect themselves and others.

Tidelands Health is committed to helping people enjoy a safe Carolina Country Music Fest, said Jason Self, director of operations at Tidelands Health. The availability of rapid COVID-19 testing can help attendees make sure theyre healthy before the music starts."

Self added that by having on-site vaccinations, the health system is making it convenient for people to get vaccinated and be ready for a "safe, fun-filled summer."

The free and voluntary vaccination and testing will begin Monday, June 7 and last until Friday, June 11 between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. The testing/vaccination location is at Ground Zero on Chester Street, where Will Call for CCMF is also located. These tests and vaccinations are walk-ins and no appointments are needed, the release said.

According to the release, both the Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccines will be available and those between the ages of 12 and 17 will receive the Pfizer vaccine.

Were proud to partner with a highly respected health system like Tidelands Health to help keep our fans and the Myrtle Beach community safe and protected during CCMF, said Bob Durkin, president of Carolina Country Music Fest, said in the release. Their expertise and expansive resources make getting vaccinated or tested prior to the festival simple, easy and convenient for everyone planning to attend next weekend.

Country music biggest stars such as Luke Combs, Eric Church, Jake Owen and South Carolina native Darius Rucker are set to headline the four-day event.
Building is booming North Myrtle Beach.

For the first time in five years, the city is once again increasing its water and sewer impact fees, and its in the third year of a five-year plan to raise water and sewer tap fees so the city can reclaim its actual cost of installing the hookups.

Pursuant to a city ordinance, water and sewer impact fees on new residential units go up 5% every year in October unless the city council suspends the increase.

We suspended those fee increases, somewhat to try and encourage more development activity, said city engineer Kevin Blayton. So they did that for several years in a row.

Not this year. The infrastructure-heavy budget that passed first reading on Monday raises the water impact fee for a single-family house from $3,322 to $3,520, and the sewer impact fee from $2,816 to $2,955.

Those impact fees alone are projected to bring the city $2.6 million in the next fiscal year. The fees are estimated to bring in an estimated $2.4 million in this fiscal year, which ends this month, and they brought in $1.1 million in FY 2019-20.

Over the next five years, the city plans to invest more than $40 million in utility improvements, according to a budget retreat document.

Look how much growth we have, said Mayor Marilyn Hatley. All this new growth is making a major impact to our water and sewer system. And so its necessary for us to raise our impact fees.

While tap fees cover the cost of installing new sewer and water connections, impact fees pay for the cost of using and maintaining the infrastructure that supports the new developments.

And those pay for water capacity, they pay for capacity at the treatment plant, they pay for capacity at the sewer plant, they pay for new pump stations, bigger pump stations, they pay for elevated water tanks and all those things it takes to serve people, Blayton said.

Both fees are charged at the time the city issues a building permit. The new tap fees become effective with the start of the new fiscal year and the impact fees go up on October 1.

A hot commodity

North Myrtle Beach is a city of more than 16,000 people, and 28,000 housing units. But right now, there are more than 5,000 residential units planned to be built within the city limits, along with 3.5 million square feet of planned commercial space and another 10,000 residential units in county jurisdiction adjacent to the city, according to planning documents.

Hatley said more people are moving to the city than in previous years, in part due to the city's safety and family values.

"Why wouldnt they come here?" the mayor asked. "Its a beautiful area. Our taxes are low, the weather is perfect, there are so many activities for all ages. We have wonderful schools. Its just a great place to live. Its cost-effective for families and retirees."

Those planned developments in the pipeline include almost 1,000 units in Grand Dunes North off Watertower road, an 11-building multifamily development with 270 apartment units along Champions Boulevard near Robert Edge Parkway, a 238-unit single-family and multi-family development along the future extension of Champions Boulevard, and the 253 cottages under construction in Phase 1 of the Sea Glass Cottages project in Barefoot Resort.

And with development, often comes conflict.

The Sea Glass project initially called for an additional 40,000 square feet of commercial space to compliment the cottages and existing 10,8000 square feet of commercial space. The developers have since proposed a change to that plan, drawing the ire of existing residents who live nearby. Instead of more commercial buildings, the developers would like to add 96 more cottages between Premier Resort Boulevard and Village Crossing Boulevard.

On May 18, the planning commission forwarded a recommendation for approval to city council, but to assuage concerned residents, stipulated that a traffic light be added to the intersection of Barefoot Resort Bridge Road and Village Crossing Boulevard as a condition of the recommendation.

The planning commission, however, is only a recommending body and cant enforce any requirements on the developers. Only city council can do that.

On Monday, council met in executive session to negotiate the details of what would be in the developers agreement. Things council will have to decide include the maximum lease period, whether a light goes in the intersection in question, and if it does, how it will be funded. A crowd of people filled the council chambers to make clear their opposition to the new cottages.

Everybody kind of says the same thing; every one of the hundred emails says the very same thing, said Hatley, adding with a chuckle, Some are a little nicer than others.

Although the proposal wasnt on the agenda for a vote, that didnt stop Barefoot residents from speaking during public comment time to ask council not to approve the proposed changes, and to get clarification about what items would be in the final development agreement; for example, the traffic light.

If youre asking my guess, I think it will be signalized, but the devils always in the details, City Manager Mike Mahaney told the crowd. Whos going to pay for that? Thats an item of negotiation.

The residents primary fears are that the additional cottages will cause traffic headaches and be rented on a short-term basis. City council doesnt plant to let the short-term rentals happen, and the cottages that are already built lease on a yearly basis.

It will be increased traffic galore, and right now, when that bridge opens on Barefoot Bridge Road, its stopping traffic on [Highway] 17, just to get in, said Barefoot resident Cindy Powers. Theres very limited parking. I think its going to devalue our homes to have these small cottages. We are already dealing with the Sea Glass expansion right on the waterway. Theres debris everywhere. Its very unsafe to walk your dogs or walk around the community now. We just ask that the council really think about this and respectfully say 'No' to their proposed agreement.

But the 96 new cottages wont make quite as much of an impact as the original plan for the area from decades ago. Without any changes, there could have been 4,000 units in tall multi-family buildings on the property, city officials said.

That land has changed hands three or four times, said Hatley. Where this land is was supposed to be high-rises. So theres been a lot of changes made over the years.

Nancy Bartley, another Barefoot resident, pointed out that many retirees are escaping to North Myrtle Beach in swarms.

And we came from areas that are very dense and populated, Bartley added. I am so in love with South Carolina and North Myrtle Beach. I just hope as you plan  because you are a hot commodity right now  that you remember the quality of life and reason why people want to come here.

The city will have to advertise any potential changes to the planned development district for 15 days before council can vote, said Mahaney, who estimated the final agreement would likely be on the agenda in late July.

Weve got another month or so that were working on that, Hatley added. Hopefully well come up with some good solutions.
Lawmakers could take up a bill later this month that would restore voting rights to convicted offenders serving time in county jails or state or federal prisons, according to the bills House sponsor.

Rep. La Shawn Ford, D-Chicago, said the bill almost came up for a vote during the final days of the regular session but was delayed due to some last-minute confusion.

We were moving right ahead in the regular session, he said during an interview Tuesday. The bill hit the board and then there was some confusion within the (Democratic) caucus about whether or not there was an agreement to move forward or not. And so somehow, the speakers office called audible and said, We gotta hold it for now until we could work things out, but things are worked out.

Lawmakers wrapped up the bulk of their spring session on Tuesday, June 1, but they did not formally adjourn the session because negotiations were continuing on a massive energy bill that would put Illinois on a path to producing 100 percent of its electricity from renewable and carbon-free sources.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker said last week that all the parties in that discussion had agreed on a broad outline of the energy bill and that he expected the bill to be introduced soon. On Tuesday, the Senate announced it will return on Tuesday to vote on the energy bill, and House Speaker Emanuel Chris Welch announced later Tuesday that the House would be in the following day, June 16.

As I indicated before we adjourned on the final day of session, the House is expected to return next week on Wednesday, June 16 to take care of some final-action legislation. Items such as the energy proposal, unemployment insurance, and an elected school board for Chicago will be at the top of our list. We were able to accomplish big things this legislative session, and Im eager to keep that spirit alive in a quick special session next week, Welch said in the statement.

Fords proposal to restore voting rights to convicted inmates, originally contained in House Bill 1872, was the subject of a committee hearing in March, but the committee never voted on it.

During that hearing, Rep. Patrick Windhorst, R-Metropolis, questioned whether it would require a constitutional amendment before it could take effect because the Illinois Constitution states that, A person convicted of a felony, or otherwise under sentence in a correctional institution or jail, shall lose the right to vote, which right shall be restored not later than upon completion of his sentence.

Advocates for the bill, however, noted that the words not later than suggest that the framers of the constitution anticipated that lawmakers might want to restore those voting rights earlier than upon completion of a sentence.

According to a Democratic analysis of the bill, the question of whether prisoners should be allowed to vote was the subject of considerable debate at the 1970 Constitutional Convention. While some delegates argued that allowing them to vote served a rehabilitative purpose, others argued losing the right to vote served the purpose of punishment. In the end, delegates chose to give lawmakers flexibility to decide the issue as public views on the issue evolved.

In hopes of getting the bill through in the final days of the session, Ford introduced what is known as a gut and replace amendment to a Senate bill, SB 828, which passed committee last week before stalling on the floor.

Under current law, anyone who has been convicted of a crime and is serving a sentence of confinement is prohibited from voting. That includes people who are granted a furlough from prison or who are on a work release program.

Fords bill would delete that language and restore the right to vote to anyone who is otherwise eligible to vote and is incarcerated in a state, federal or juvenile detention facility, county jail, serving probation or parole, on work release or furlough, released on electronic monitoring, housed in a halfway house or other transition center, or who owes court fines or fees.

It also provides that inmates could register to vote using their last known address before they were sentenced and that their vote would count in the precinct where they last lived.

Correctional facilities would be responsible for making sure inmates have access to voter registration and mail ballot applications, and local election authorities would be responsible for collaborating with those institutions to facilitate voting by mail.

A subsequent amendment added to the bill calls for creating a task force that would include county clerks, the Illinois State Board of Elections, the Department of Corrections and a representative from a voting rights advocacy group to make recommendations on how to make voting accessible to incarcerated individuals. The bill would also give ISBE authority to adopt administrative rules, including emergency rules, to implement the bill.

Ford said his proposal follows on the heels of earlier legislation that assigns inmates to their last known home address for the purpose of drawing legislative and congressional district maps. That law will take effect following the 2030 census.

And so, its only right that we make sure that theyre voting at that last known legal address, he said. Those individuals, they will return to those communities. They have families that they communicate with. They have children that are probably in schools. They have government that they should be involved in making decisions.
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP)  The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield will mark Juneteenth  the holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States  by displaying a rare signed copy of the Emancipation Proclamation.

The copy of the proclamation that's signed by Lincoln and Secretary of State William Seward will be displayed between June 15 and July 6. The original document is kept in the National Archives in Washington, D.C.
MILDENHALL, England (AP)  President Joe Biden opened the first overseas trip of his term Wednesday with a declaration that the United States is back as he seeks to reassert the nation on the world stage and steady European allies deeply shaken by his predecessor.

Biden has set the stakes for his eight-day trip in sweeping terms, believing the West must publicly demonstrate it can compete economically with China as the world emerges from the coronavirus pandemic. It is an open repudiation of his predecessor, Donald Trump, who scorned alliances and withdrew from a global climate change agreement that Biden has since rejoined.

The president's first stop was a visit with U.S. troops and their families at Royal Air Force Mildenhall, where he laid out his mission for the trip.

Were going to make it clear that the United States is back and democracies are standing together to tackle the toughest challenges and issues that matter the most to our future," he said. "That were committed to leading with strength, defending our values, and delivering for our people.

The challenges awaiting Biden overseas were clear as the president and the audience wore masks  a reminder of the pandemic that is still raging around much of the world even as its threat recedes within the United States.

We have to end COVID-19 not just at home -- which were doing -- but everywhere," Biden said.

Shortly before the president spoke, people briefed on the matter said the Biden administration had brokered an agreement with Pfizer to purchase 500 million COVID-19 vaccine doses to be donated to 92 lower-income countries and the African Union over the next year.

National security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters that Biden was committed to sharing vaccines because it was in the public health and strategic interests of the U.S. He added that Biden is aiming to show that democracies are the countries that can best deliver solutions for people everywhere.

As he said in his joint session (address), we were the arsenal of democracy in World War II, Sullivan said. Were going to be the arsenal of vaccines over this next period to help end the pandemic.

After addressing the troops, Biden and first lady Jill Biden flew to Cornwall Airport Newquay, then traveled by car to Tregenna Castle in St. Ives, where they are staying until Sunday.

Building toward his trip-ending summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Biden will aim to reassure European capitals that the United States can once again be counted on as a dependable partner to thwart Moscows aggression both on their eastern front and their internet battlefields.

The trip will be far more about messaging than specific actions or deals. And the paramount priority for Biden is to convince the world that his Democratic administration is not just a fleeting deviation in the trajectory of an American foreign policy that many allies fear irrevocably drifted toward a more transactional outlook under Trump.

The trip, at its core, will advance the fundamental thrust of Joe Bidens foreign policy, Sullivan said, to rally the worlds democracies to tackle the great challenges of our time.

Bidens to-do list is ambitious.

In their face-to-face sit-down in Geneva, Biden wants to privately pressure Putin to end myriad provocations, including cybersecurity attacks on American businesses by Russian-based hackers, the jailing of opposition leader Alexei Navalny and repeated overt and covert efforts by the Kremlin to interfere in U.S. elections.

Biden is also looking to rally allies on their COVID-19 response and to urge them to coalesce around a strategy to check emerging economic and national security competitor China even as the U.S. expresses concern about Europe's economic links to Moscow. Biden also wants to nudge outlying allies, including Australia, to make more aggressive commitments to the worldwide effort to curb global warming.

The week-plus journey is a big moment for Biden, who traveled the world for decades as vice president and as chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and has now stepped off Air Force One onto international soil as commander in chief. He will face world leaders still grappling with the virus and rattled by four years of Trumps inward-looking foreign policy and moves that strained longtime alliances as the Republican former president made overtures to strongmen.

The president first attends a summit of the Group of Seven leaders in the U.K., and then visits Brussels for a NATO summit and a meeting with the heads of the European Union. The trip comes at a moment when Europeans have diminished expectations for what they can expect of U.S. leadership on the foreign stage.

Central and Eastern Europeans are desperately hoping to bind the U.S. more tightly to their security. Germany is looking to see the U.S. troop presence maintained there so it doesnt need to build up its own. France, meanwhile, has taken the tack that the U.S. cant be trusted as it once was and that the European Union must pursue greater strategic autonomy going forward.

I think the concern is real that the Trumpian tendencies in the U.S. could return full bore in the midterms or in the next presidential election, said Alexander Vershbow, a former U.S. diplomat and once deputy secretary general of NATO.

The sequencing of the trip is deliberate: Biden consulting with Western European allies for much of a week as a show of unity before his summit with Putin.

Biden holds a sitdown Thursday with British Prime Minster Boris Johnson a day ahead of the G-7 summit to be held above the craggy cliffs of Cornwall overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.

The most tactile of politicians, Biden has grown frustrated by the diplomacy-via-Zoom dynamics of the pandemic and has relished the ability to again have face-to-face meetings that allow him to size up and connect with world leaders. While Biden himself is a veteran statesman, many of the world leaders he will see in England, including Johnson and French President Emmanuel Macron, took office after Biden left the vice presidency. Another, Germanys Angela Merkel, will leave office later this year.

There are several potential areas of tension. On climate change, the U.S. is aiming to regain its credibility after Trump pulled the country back from the fight against global warming. Biden could also feel pressure on trade, an issue to which he's yet to give much attention. And with the United States well supplied with COVID-19 vaccines yet struggling to persuade some of its own citizens to use it, leaders whose inoculation campaigns have been slower have been pressuring Biden to share more surplus around the globe.

Another central focus will be China. Biden and the other G-7 leaders will announce an infrastructure financing program for developing countries that is meant to compete directly with Beijings Belt-and-Road Initiative. But not every European power has viewed China in as harsh a light as Biden, who has painted the rivalry with the techno-security state as the defining competition for the 21st century.

The European Union has avoided taking as strong a stance on Beijings crackdown on Hong Kongs democracy movement or treatment of Uyghur Muslims and other ethnic minorities in the western Xinjiang province as the Biden administration may like. But there are signs that Europe is willing to put greater scrutiny on Beijing.

Biden is also scheduled to meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan while in Brussels, a face-to-face meeting between two leaders who have had many fraught moments in their relationship over the years.

The trip finale will be Biden's meeting with Putin.

Biden has taken a very different approach to Russia than Trump's friendly outreach. Their sole summit, held in July 2018 in Helsinki, was marked by Trumps refusal to side with U.S. intelligence agencies over Putins denials of Russian interference in the election two years earlier.
Sydney Rockwell of Jacksonville is among more than 300 students named to the spring semester presidents list at Union University in Jackson, Tennessee.

To earn presidents list honors, a student must have a perfect grade point average.
UNITED NATIONS (AP)  The U.N. Security Council gave its unanimous backing to Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for a second term on Tuesday, assuring his election as the next U.N. chief by the General Assembly, most likely on June 18.

The 15 council members adopted a brief resolution by acclamation and approved a communique at a brief private meeting endorsing Guterres  the only candidate  to be the worlds top diplomat for another five years starting Jan. 1.

He has proven worthy of the post already with the five years he has been in office. said Estonias U.N. Ambassador Sven Jurgenson, the current council president, after reading the communique to the media. He has been an excellent secretary-general. Hes a bridge builder. ... Hes able to speak to everybody, and I think this is something that is expected from the secretary-general.

Guterres called the councils decision a great honor and said in a statement, I would be deeply humbled if the General Assembly were to entrust me with the responsibilities of a second mandate.

He said it has been an immense privilege to serve we the peoples -- the opening words of the U.N. Charter -- during the past 4  years when we have been facing so many complex challenges.

Traditionally, candidates for the U.N.s top job have been nominated by a U.N. member state, but that is not a requirement in the U.N. Charter or in a resolution adopted by the General Assembly in 2015. That measure made the previously largely secretive selection of the secretary-general more open and transparent, allowing member states for the first time to see basic information about all candidates, including their resumes, and to question them at open sessions.

Guterres, a former Portuguese prime minister and U.N. refugee chief, was elected by the assembly to succeed Ban Ki-moon after a hotly contested and transparent race in October 2016 that initially included 13 candidates -- seven women and six men. Guterres took office on Jan. 1, 2017.

This year, seven individuals submitted applications to be secretary-general without backing from any government, including most recently former Ecuadorian President Rosalia Arteaga.

Guterres, whose five-year term ends Dec. 31, was the only applicant nominated by a U.N. member state, his home country Portugal. He followed the 2015 process, holding a lengthy open question and answer session with U.N. diplomats in the General Assembly last month and then meeting privately with Security Council members.

General Assembly President Volkan Bozkir told reporters last month the rule is that an applicant can only become a candidate when a letter signed jointly by the presidents of the assembly and the Security Council is sent to all member states.

He said, It looks like the Security Council has the opinion that, traditionally, only applicants supported by a country can become a candidate, so the only joint letter was sent on behalf of Guterres.

Estonias Jurgenson confirmed the councils position again on Tuesday, saying according to the rules and procedures only states can nominate candidates -- fortunately, unfortunately ... this time no other state presented a candidate

Under the U.N. Charter, the 193-member General Assembly elects the secretary-general and Jurgenson said: The timeline now is that most probably it will happen in the General Assembly in the morning of June 18.

After the vote, Guterres had lunch with the 10 elected members of the council who serve two-year terms.

Irelands U.N. Ambassador Geraldine Byrne Nason said she fully supports Guterres, saying he has managed the U.N. through difficult crises, difficult periods" including the COVID-19 pandemic.

As for a woman becoming secretary-general for the first time, she said, Im sure a woman like me will one day" be chosen.

Human Rights Watch Executive Director Kenneth Roth alluded to the need for a candidate to be U.N. secretary-general to get support from the five veto-wielding members of the Security Council -- the United States, Russia, China, Britain and France.

He reiterated his past criticism of Guterres for remaining silent publicly during his first term about human rights abuses by China, Russia, and the United States and their allies.

Roth singled out Guterres non-confrontational approach toward former U.S. President Donald Trumps efforts to sideline human rights and embrace authoritarian leaders and toward what he called Chinas crimes against humanity against the Uyghurs in Xinjiang as well as toward what he described as Saudi Arabias war crimes in Yemen and Russias vetoes of human rights-related resolutions on its ally Syria.

Guterres should use his next five years to become a strong vocal advocate for rights, Roth said. His recent willingness to denounce abuses in Myanmar and Belarus should expand to include all governments deserving condemnation, including those that are powerful and protected.

U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric responded to the criticism saying the secretary-general has a strong stance on defending human rights, speaking up against abuses."

Whether its NGOs, whether its the United Nations, whether its the secretary-general, the high commissioner for human rights, we all have the same goal and that is seeing an end to human rights abuses," Dujarric said. We all take different roads to get there, but in the end, we all want to get to the same place."

I
I had hoped that someone in the Republican Party would step up and primary him, and Ive yet to see that happen, Jones said in the video. And so, if it takes me going home to Florida to run against Matt Gaetz, then I will do it. If it means getting one child sex trafficker out of office, youre damn right Ill do it.
WASHINGTON (AP)  The Senate overwhelmingly approved a bill Tuesday that aims to boost U.S. semiconductor production and the development of artificial intelligence and other technology in the face of growing international competition, most notably from China.

The 68-32 vote for the bill demonstrates how confronting China economically is an issue that unites both parties in Congress. Thats a rarity in an era of division as pressure grows on Democrats to change Senate rules to push past Republican opposition and gridlock.

The centerpiece of the bill is a $50 billion emergency allotment to the Commerce Department to stand up semiconductor development and manufacturing through research and incentive programs previously authorized by Congress. The bills overall cost would increase spending by about $250 billion with most of the spending occurring in the first five years.

Supporters described it as the biggest investment in scientific research that the country has seen in decades. It comes as the nations share of semiconductor manufacturing globally has steadily eroded from 37% in 1990 to about 12% now, and as a chip shortage has exposed vulnerabilities in the U.S. supply chain.

The premise is simple, if we want American workers and American companies to keep leading the world, the federal government must invest in science, basic research and innovation, just as we did decades after the Second World War, said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. Whoever wins the race to the technologies of the future is going to be the global economic leader with profound consequences for foreign policy and national security as well.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said the bill was incomplete because it did not incorporate more Republican-sponsored amendments. He nonetheless supported it.

Needless to say, final passage of this legislation cannot be the Senate's final word on our competition with China," he said. It certainly won't be mine.

President Joe Biden applauded the bill's passage in a statement Tuesday evening, saying: As other countries continue to invest in their own research and development, we cannot risk falling behind. America must maintain its position as the most innovative and productive nation on Earth.

Senators slogged through days of debates and amendments leading up to Tuesday's final vote. Schumer's office said 18 Republican amendments will have received votes as part of passage of the bill. It also said the Senate this year has already held as many roll call votes on amendments than it did in the last Congress, when the Senate was under Republican control.

While the bill enjoys bipartisan support, a core group of GOP senators has reservations about its costs.

One of the bills provisions would create a new directorate focused on artificial intelligence and quantum science with the National Science Foundation. The bill would authorize up to $29 billion over five years for the new branch within the foundation with an additional $52 billion for its programs.

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., said Congress should be cutting the foundation's budget, not increasing it. He called the agency the king of wasteful spending." The agency finances about a quarter of all federally supported research conducted by Americas colleges and universities.

The bill is nothing more than a big government response that will make our country weaker, not stronger," Paul said.

But Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., noted that a greater federal investment in the physical sciences had been called for during the administration of President George W. Bush to ensure U.S. economic competitiveness.

At the time, Im pretty sure we thought we were in a track meet where our competitor was, oh, I dont know, maybe half a lap behind us. Im pretty sure now as the decade has moved on, were looking over our shoulder and realizing that the competition is gaining, said Cantwell, the chairman of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee.

The lead Republican on the committee also weighed in to support the bill.

This is an opportunity for the United States to strike a blow on behalf of answering the unfair competition that we are seeing from communist China, said Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss.

Senators have tried to strike a balance when calling attention to Chinas growing influence. They want to avoid fanning divisive anti-Asian rhetoric when hate crimes against Asian Americans have spiked during the coronavirus pandemic.

Other measures spell out national security concerns and target money-laundering schemes or cyberattacks by entities on behalf of the Chinese government. There are also buy America provisions for infrastructure projects in the U.S.

Senators added provisions that reflect shifting attitudes toward Chinas handling of the COVID-19 outbreak. One would prevent federal money for the Wuhan Institute of Virology as fresh investigations proceed into the origins of the virus and possible connections to the labs research. The city registered some of the first coronavirus cases.

Its unclear whether the measure will find support in the Democratic-led House, where the Science Committee is expected to soon consider that chamber's version. Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., who has been working with Schumer for two years on legislation thats included in the bill, called it the biggest investment in science and technology since the Apollo spaceflight program a half century ago.

I'm quite certain we will get a really good product on the president's desk," Schumer said.

Biden said he looked forward to working with the House on the legislation, "and I look forward to signing it into law as soon as possible.

___

AP Congressional Correspondent Lisa Mascaro contributed to this report.
Three more Federal Emergency Management Agency teams have arrived in Illinois to join 11 already in the state raising awareness about the availability of COVID-19 vaccines and assistance.

The outreach teams can help people locate vaccine providers, answer questions related to vaccine hesitancy, help organizations or groups host a vaccination clinic, and educate people about the availability of coronavirus-related funeral assistance. Teams are active in all counties, and have already assisted in more than 100,000 requests.
At first glance, Jacksonville's Diamond Grove Cemetery is just a large piece of land that many people have chosen as their final resting place.

Some of the monuments are tall, others are moderately-sized, and others lay flat to the ground. There are those that show off the deceased's wealth, and there are those that have been there so long they're leaning one way or the chiseled names into the stones have faded away.

Every cemetery has a series of stories from those who have taken up eternal residence, and Diamond Grove is no different. But what makes it stand out are those who chose to be laid to rest here. The cemetery is home to three Illinois governors, abolitionists, and land owners who eventually made them leading citizens in Jacksonville's treasured history.

So let's take a journey through history by meeting those who made it.
Across the country, several states have passed or introduced bills that ban teaching critical race theory. Oklahomas governor just signed one. Arizonas governor just vetoed one. Texas and North Carolina are moving ahead with similar bills.

Id like to set aside the fact that the people most upset about critical race theory generally dont understand what it is: a decades-old academic theory of how race and the law have interacted in U.S. history, most often taught in law or graduate schools.

Instead, Id like to show just how absurd these bills can be.

I teach about race at the college level. In many cases, these bills ban what Republicans think we are teaching  e.g. that white people should feel guilty for being white  not what we are actually teaching.

In other cases, they oppose accurately teaching any negative part of U.S. history. North Carolinas bill, for instance, says that schools cannot promote the belief that the United States  was created by members of a particular race or sex to oppress members of another race or sex.

Is that what I teach? Yes and no. Yes, this country was founded by white men (we do refer to them as founding fathers) who gave themselves rights they denied women and people of color. Women couldnt vote. Black people were enslaved. Thats our history.

But was that the reason the founding fathers created this country?

I am certain George Washington and Thomas Jefferson did not want independence from Great Britain purely to oppress women and people of color  they could have accomplished that comfortably as part of the British empire. Slavery was legal in Great Britain until 1833. Years later, the mom in Mary Poppins still was not allowed to vote, so she had to sing about it.

This aversion to teaching U.S. history accurately seems to come from the idea that we can either believe that the U.S. is perfect and has always been perfect or else it is no good at all. But the truth is seldom all good or all bad  it is complex.

Take ancient Greece as an example. The same society invented democracy and practiced infanticide. Modern Americans would unanimously condemn the latter, but does that mean we also cannot appreciate the former? Of course not.

We can let the Greeks be complex, appreciating all of the good they gave the world, while acknowledging we would not like to emulate many parts of their civilization. We can understand that they were behaving in ways that were accepted in their time and we can simultaneously be completely horrified by it. We can do the same for ourselves.

Looking at our own history, we can see that the Europeans who came here developed an improvement over the political systems of their home continent. Great Britain had begun its shift toward parliamentary rule but, as of 1780, fewer than 3 percent of the population could vote.

However, nobody can take in the full scope of U.S. history and find no evidence of racism or sexism. We all know that. In addition to slavery, formal racial segregation was legal until the 1960s. And marital rape was legal in some states until 1994.

Theres more that many Americans dont know. In the 1800s, the U.S. government paid bounties to people who killed Native Americans. Think about that. Murder was not just legal but also encouraged and compensated.

The question opponents of critical race theory dont want us to ask is: How did the past affect the present? What parts of the ugly side of our history have we retained, even unintentionally? Understanding these lessons is the whole point of studying history.

We do a disservice to our own history if we do not study all of it, in all of its complexity, to secure a better future.

OtherWords columnist Jill Richardson is pursuing a doctorate in sociology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. This article was distributed by OtherWords.org.
Watertown, SD (57201)

Today

A few clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 59F. Winds NE at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

A few clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 59F. Winds NE at 10 to 20 mph.
When we talk about the police and the community, we talk about them as if theyre two separate entities, she said. But the police are the community, and the community is the police. ... And when we talk to some of the most crime-ridden areas, they will tell you [they want] public safety, the reduction of crime, and they want to live in a safe community.'
EU warns of retaliation as post-Brexit talks with U.K. stall View Photo

LONDON (AP)  A top European Union official said Wednesday that Britain could face retaliatory tariffs or other sanctions after talks failed to resolve an increasingly heated dispute over implementation of their post-Brexit trade deal in Northern Ireland.

Maros Sefcovic, the EUs chief negotiator, said the relationship between the two sides had reached a crossroads amid the U.K.s continued failure to live up to its obligations under the Brexit agreement.

Trust, which should be at the heart of every partnership, needs to be restored, Sefcovic told reporters after the talks. That is the EU approach and the EU preference. If the U.K. were to take further unilateral action over the coming weeks, the EU will not be shy in reacting swiftly, firmly and resolutely to ensure that the U.K. abides by its international law obligations.

Sefcovic met with his British counterpart, David Frost, amid rising tensions over provisions of the Brexit deal that essentially created a regulatory border between Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom. That angered many pro-British residents of the territory who reject anything that threatens their status as part of the U.K.

The so-called Northern Ireland protocol was designed to protect the peace process there by ensuring that trade with the Republic of Ireland continued to flow freely after Britain left the EU. To do so, the protocol required Britain to conduct regulatory checks on some goods shipped to the region from other parts of the U.K.

Britain earlier this year unilaterally delayed some of those inspections, saying it needed more time to put systems in place to carry out the required checks. The EU threatened legal action over what it saw as a breach of Britains international obligations. Now the U.K. government is considering further delays and the EU is ramping up its response.

Frost called for pragmatic solutions to bridge the divide.

What the EU is insisting on is we should operate the protocol in an extremely purist way, Frost said separately. The reality is that its a very balanced document thats designed to support the peace process and deal with the very sensitive politics in Northern Ireland.

Sefcovic said the bloc was ready to compromise. For example, he said, the EU has offered to amend the rules to ensure they dont slow the delivery of medicines and to make it easier to send guide dogs and used cars to Northern Ireland.

The bloc has also offered a deal that would do away with most checks if Britain agreed to align its rules on animal and plant health with EU regulations. Such an arrangement, similar to the EUs trade deal with Switzerland, could be implemented on a temporary basis to give Britain more time to come up with a permanent solution, Sefcovic said.

But he also said the EU was growing frustrated as Britain delays the implementation of rules it agreed to 18 months ago.

Our patience, really, is growing very, very thin, Sefcovic said.

Behind the dispute is the unique situation of Northern Ireland, where more than 3,000 people were killed during three decades of violence between those who support unification with the Republic of Ireland and those who seek to maintain ties to the U.K.

The 1998 Good Friday Agreement, which brought peace to region, was underpinned by the fact that both the U.K. and Ireland were members of the EU. That made it possible for trade to flow freely between Ireland and Northern Ireland, stimulating economic growth and creating jobs on both sides of the border.

In an effort to keep the border open, the EU and the U.K. agreed that Northern Ireland would remain part of the European single market after Brexit. But that meant EU rules on issues such as food safety would still apply in Northern Ireland and there would have to be checks on some goods shipped into the region from England, Scotland and Wales.

The divorce deal, which took effect Jan. 1, included a number of grace periods that gave Britain time to put in place new systems for checking goods coming into Northern Ireland to ensure they complied with EU rules. Those grace periods are now ending.

Now, the two sides are sparring over the rules governing chilled meats, raising the specter of what British newspapers are calling a sausage war. British officials are considering extending the grace period covering chilled meets to prevent the EU from blocking shipments of products such as sausages and ground beef on July 1.

The issue has attracted the attention of U.S. President Joe Biden, who will meet with EU officials and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson this weekend, when leaders of the Group of Seven richest democracies meet in Cornwall.

Aware of the central role his country played in brokering the Good Friday Agreement, Biden has warned that the U.S. wont sign a trade deal with Britain if Brexit undermines the peace deal.

Johnson said Wednesday that any solution to the dispute must protect the unity of the U.K.

What we want to do is make sure that we can have a solution that guarantees the peace process, protects the peace process, but also guarantees the economic and territorial integrity of the whole United Kingdom, he told reporters in Cornwall.

___

Follow APs Brexit coverage at: https://apnews.com/hub/brexit

By DANICA KIRKA

Associated Press
Biden embraces a Trump policy in backing Arab-Israeli deals View Photo

The Biden administration is laying the groundwork for a renewed push to encourage more Arab countries to sign accords with Israel and working to strengthen existing deals after last months devastating war in the Gaza Strip interrupted those diplomatic efforts.

The embrace of the so-called Abraham Accords is a rare carryover of a signature Trump administration policy by President Joe Biden and other Democrats.

The Trump administration put U.S. clout and incentives into landing the country-by-country pacts by four Arab states last year, easing enmity and isolation for the Jewish state in the Middle East that had dated back to Israels 1948 founding. The Biden administration saw significant prospects of several other Arab governments signing accords soothing and normalizing relations with Israel. U.S. officials have declined to publicly identify the countries they regard as promising prospects.

Sudan, which signed a general declaration of peaceful intent but has not yet signed on to diplomatic relations with Israel, had been a prospect. Oman, which has a policy of non-interference that allows it to be a broker across the Middle Easts fault lines, long has been seen by Westerners as a likely contender.

But the 11-day war between Israel and Gazas Hamas militant rulers last month has complicated U.S.-backed diplomacy for new Abraham accords.

The fighting has strengthened the conviction of opponents of normalization with Israel, activist Doura Gambo said in Sudan. Sudanese were already divided over their governments agreement last year to become one of the four Arab states signing accords. In Sudans case, the Trump administration offered financial relief from U.S. sanctions.

Last months bloodshed, which killed 254 Palestinians  including 66 children and at least 22 members of one family  resonated deeply with the Arab public, including in the other countries that had signed accords with Israel: the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco. Thirteen people died in Israel, including two children and one soldier.

The Biden administration is considering appointing a former U.S. ambassador to Israel, Dan Shapiro, to a Mideast role that would marshal and potentially expand the country-by-country accords between Israel and Mideast governments.

Two people familiar with the matter confirmed Shapiro was being considered for the job, as first reported by The Washington Post. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly.

U.S. officials also are working to encourage more business, education and other ties among the four Arab states and Israel. They hope visible success there will also promote the bilateral accords in the region, at the same time the U.S. works to advance resolution of the Israel-Palestinian conflict.

Last year, the United Arab Emirates became the first Arab country in over two decades to establish ties with Israel, after Egypt and Jordan in 1979 and 1994, respectively. It was a move that bypassed the Palestinians, who saw it as betrayal.

The Abraham Accords include a general declaration of support for peaceful relations in the Middle East among Jews, Muslims and Christians, all followers of religions linked to the patriarch Abraham. The Trump administration saw the accords partly as paving a path toward full ties with Israel, including in security and intelligence cooperation to counter common rivals, such as Iran.

The deals former President Donald Trump struck were an important achievement, one that not only we support, but one wed like to build on, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told the House Foreign Affairs Committee this week.

In addition, were looking at countries that may want to join in and, and take part and begin to normalize their own relations with Israel. That, too, has been very much part of conversations Ive had with, with several of my counterparts, Blinken added.

Opponents of these deals, however, argue that they undermine Arab consensus around only recognizing Israel when it resumes serious peace talks with the Palestinians that lead to tangible concessions.

These agreements were never about the peace process, said Marwan Muasher, a former foreign minister of Jordan, who charges that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saw the accords as an alternative to peace-making with the Palestinians.

Were they helpful to the peace process? No, they were not, Muasher said. They gave Israel the false impression that it can forge peace agreements with Arab states as a substitute for coming to terms with the Palestinians.

Supporters of the country-by-country accords say isolating Israel failed to overcome decades of stalemate on Palestinians demand for their own state with its capital in East Jerusalem.

As many ways as the Biden administration will depart from Trump policy in the region, there will be places where it sees an interest in continuity, said Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut, who spoke to officials in Oman on a trip immediately before last months Gaza war erupted.

Before any new efforts on the accords move forward, big political and pragmatic developments need to fall into place in the region. Eyes are on Israel at the moment to see how a possible new coalition government led by a new prime minister may affect Israeli-Palestinian relations, especially in the aftermath of the Gaza war.

The Knesset is set to vote on Sunday on whether to confirm the new government and end Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus 12-year rule. If it does, Yamina party leader Naftali Bennett will become prime minister. Bennett opposes Palestinian statehood.

The accords signed by the four Arab nations so far seem solidly in place despite the strain of last months war. So too do the big incentives that the Trump administration threw in to help close the deals, such as U.S. recognition of the disputed territory of Western Sahara for Morocco.

In the UAE, a Gulf financial hub that has been the most enthusiastic about establishing ties with Israel, Emirati political analyst Abdulkhaleq Abdulla said the government is gauging public sentiment, but can also control the street and sometimes defy whatever public opposition there is.

The UAE have taken this decision. They knew exactly where they are and knew the risk, and they are not going back on it, he said.

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Knickmeyer reported from Oklahoma City, Kellman from Jerusalem and Batrawy from Dubai. AP diplomatic writer Matthew Lee contributed from Washington. AP writer Josef Federman contributed from Jerusalem, and AP writer Samy Magdy contributed from Cairo.

By ELLEN KNICKMEYER, AYA BATRAWY and LAURIE KELLMAN

Associated Press
US defender Mark McKenzie targeted with online racial abuse View Photo

SALT LAKE CITY (AP)  United States defender Mark McKenzie has been subjected to racial abuse on social media following his teams 3-2 victory over Mexico in the CONCACAF Nations League final. The 22-year-old McKenzie is Black. He says in an Instagram post that the amount of racial abuse and personal attacks on myself and family from supporters and non supporters just aint it. His post included an example of the abuse that followed Sunday nights game in Denver. McKenzie plays for Genk. He joined the Belgian club in January from the Philadelphia Union of MLS.
ASHEVILLE, N.C. (AP)  A North Carolina city has committed $2.1 million toward funding reparations, an initiative it began last summer when it joined a number of U.S. cities which have voted to address their histories of racism and discrimination.

The Asheville City Council approved a budget amendment on Tuesday to pull the money from city land purchased in the 1970s as part of the citys urban renewal programs that took apart Black communities, the Asheville Citizen Times reported. The city council also adopted a proclamation declaring June 19 as Juneteenth, the date which marks the end of slavery in the U.S.

We must collectively strive to close gaps of immeasurable distance between us and affirm the promise of the Declaration of Independence that all people have the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, said Mayor Esther Manheimer, reading the proclamation,

Asheville passed its historic reparations in July 2020, apologizing for the citys role in slavery, discrimination and denial of liberties to Black residents. The city manager was directed to establish a process for gathering recommendations to address the creation of generational wealth and economic mobility and opportunity in the Black community.

The City Council has previously said the reparations do not require direct payments but would mandate investments in areas where Black residents face disparities. City Manager Debra Campbell on Tuesday said officials have not yet determined what those investments will entail.

There was a question about, well, how will this be spent? What are the projects? Campbell said. We dont know yet. What we do know is that we have asked the commission once it is formed, to provide us with short, medium and long-term initiatives.

While the amount is almost double what was allocated in earlier presentations, some community members at the councils meeting expressed opposition. Some argued the $2.1 million isnt enough and that divesting from the city police department would be a form of reparations. Others said the money could be better spent, including that it could be targeted at helping Black people become homeowners and that with a proposed tax hike, theyre being priced out of the city.

Across North Carolina, the Durham City Council passed a resolution last October calling for a federal program of reparations. In April, a panel in the U.S. House of Representatives advanced a decades-long effort to pay reparations to the descendants of slaves by approving legislation that would create a commission to study the issue.

In March, the city council in the Chicago suburb of Evanston became the first U.S. city to make reparations available to its Black residents for past discrimination and the lingering effects of slavery. The City Council voted to begin making good on its pledge to distribute $10 million over the next 10 years with the distribution of $400,000 to eligible Black households.

Other communities and organizations considering providing reparations include Amherst, Massachusetts; Providence, Rhode Island; Iowa City, Iowa; religious denominations like the Episcopal Church; and prominent colleges like Georgetown University in Washington.

In California, a first-in-the-nation task force met for the first time last week to study and recommend reparations for Blacks, part of a two-year process to address the harms of slavery and systemic racism despite a lack of action by the federal government.
TULARE, Calif. (AP)  A registered sex offender who was freed after a judge said his right to a speedy trial was violated by a 17-year delay has been charged with sexually abusing two children in Californias Central Valley.

Jorge Vasquez was charged with eight counts of child molestation for allegedly fondling two boys ages 6 to 10 years old in Tulare and San Luis Obispo counties between June 2018 and this week, according to a criminal complaint made public Tuesday.

Vasquez, 48, also is charged with a count of failing to register as a sex offender.

The charges include special allegations involving multiple victims and his previous sex offenses. Vasquez could face up to life in prison if convicted.

Vasquez was arrested Sunday by police in Porterville. It wasnt immediately clear whether he had an attorney to speak on his behalf.

The alleged abuse began less than six months after Vasquez was released from Coalinga State Hospital, Tulare County District Attorney Tim Ward said.

Vasquez was sentenced to 12 years in prison after pleading no contest to molesting four boys ages 6 to 8 in 1994 after luring them into a South Los Angeles alleyway with the promise of candy, the Los Angeles Times reported, citing court records.

In 2000, Los Angeles County prosecutors sought to have him indefinitely committed to a state hospital as a sexually violent predator.

But Vasquez never received a trial date, as five different public defenders were assigned over 17 years, each asking for a trial delay.

In 2018, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge James Bianco granted a motion to dismiss the case against Vasquez, ruling his constitutional right to a speedy trial had been violated, the Times said.
Man stuck for days inside giant fan at California vineyard View Photo

SANTA ROSA, Calif. (AP)  Authorities rescued a man who said he had been trapped for two days inside a large fan at a Northern California vineyard.

The man was discovered Tuesday by a deputy responding to a call about a suspicious vehicle parked near the winery in Santa Rosa, the Sonoma County Sheriffs Office said in a statement.

The deputy saw a hat on a piece of farming equipment and then found the man stuck inside the shaft of a vineyard fan. Firefighters rescued him.

The man indicated he liked to take pictures of the engines of old farm equipment, the statement said. After a thorough investigation, which revealed the farm equipment wasnt antique and the man had far more methamphetamine than camera equipment, the motivation to climb into the fan shaft remains a total mystery.

The 38-year-old man required medical treatment but is expected to make a full recovery, the office said.

The man will be charged with trespassing and drug possession, as well as violations of a probation case, the statement said.

Vineyard fans are used to circulate air across vines to keep grapes from freezing during colder months.
SEOUL, South Korea (AP)  A five-story building being demolished in southern South Korea collapsed on Wednesday, sending debris falling on a bus and killing nine people on board, officials said.

Concrete from the collapsed building in the southern city of Gwangju fell on the bus carrying 17 people which had stopped on a nearby street, the National Fire Agency said.

Emergency officers dispatched to the site rescued eight people from the bus, all seriously injured, before discovering the nine bodies, the agency said in a statement.

Fire officer Kim Seok-sun said in a televised briefing from the site that all workers at the building site had evacuated before its collapse. He said some of the workers told investigators that they had closed a pedestrian walkway near the building before the collapse.

Fire agency officials said emergency officers were still searching for any other people who might be trapped under the debris. The cause of the collapse wasn't immediately known.

Kim said the bus driver was among the injured. Authorities didnt immediately provide details of the other injured or dead people.

An earlier fire agency statement said the debris also fell on two passenger vehicles. But agency officials later corrected that after watching security videos.

Local media showed the debris falling on the bus and engulfing the street in a huge cloud of dust. A video after the collapse showed dozens of rescue workers equipped with stretchers and crowbars searching for survivors while excavators hacked at a huge mountain of crumbled concrete and bent steel beams spilling over the motorway.

___

Associated Press writer Kim Tong-hyung contributed to this report.
WASHINGTON (AP)  The cicadas were flying. The reporters hoping to join the president in Europe were not.

Reporters traveling to the United Kingdom for President Joe Biden's first overseas trip were delayed seven hours after their chartered plane was overrun by cicadas.

The Washington, D.C., area is among the many parts of the country that have been swarmed by Brood X cicadas, a large emergence of the loud 17-year insects that take to dive-bombing onto moving vehicles and unsuspecting passersby. There are trillions of them in the Washington, Maryland and Virginia region, said University of Maryland entomologist Paula Shrewsbury.

Even Biden wasnt spared. The president brushed a cicada from the back of his neck as he chatted with his Air Force greeter after arriving at Joint Base Andrews for Wednesdays flight.

Watch out for the cicadas, Biden then told reporters. I just got one. It just got me.

The bugs also tried to stow away on Air Force Two on Sunday when Vice President Kamala Harris flew to Guatemala. The cicadas were caught hiding in folds of the shirts of a Secret Service agent and a photographer, and escorted off the plane before takeoff.

The cicadas  which sing to attract mates with science-fiction-sounding hums  seem to be attracted to other noises, entomologists said. That could be what happened with the plane.

The loud machine-made noise fools cicadas who interpret the noise as a cicada chorus that they want to join and they fly towards it, Shrewsbury said. I have noted when airplanes fly over my house, the cicadas increase their chorusing sound level, potentially competing with the aircraft noise.

It was unclear how cicadas disrupted the mechanics of the press plane. Weather and crew rest issues also contributed to the flight delay late Tuesday. Ultimately, the plane was swapped for another one, and the flight took off shortly after 4 a.m. on Wednesday.

We'll, why wouldn't the cicadas want to to go to the U.K. with the president of the United States? asked University of Maryland entomologist Mike Raupp. Periodic cicadas are mostly in the United States with two tiny exceptions in Asia. They are not in Europe. At least not yet.

This is not the first time the cicadas have caused havoc for a presidential event or been political fodder.

In 1902, President Theodore Roosevelt, known for a booming voice, was nearly drowned out in an address at Arlington National Cemetery.

Eighty-five years later  five cicada cycles  President Ronald Reagan in a radio address talked about how Washington was overrun and compared the harmless flying insects to big spenders.

I think most everyone would agree, things will be much more pleasant when the cicadas go back underground, Reagan said.

In a 2004 attack ad, Republicans attacked Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry, now Biden's special climate adviser, by comparing him to noisy cicadas that disappear.

The three previous White House residents  George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Donald Trump  had run-ins with pesky house flies, said University of Illinois entomologist May Berenbaum. And then there's the fly that perched on Vice President Mike Pence's head during a live vice presidential debate last year, she said.

The press plane is arranged with the assistance of the White House and carries journalists at their expense. There was not expected to be any impact on news coverage of Biden's visit.
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP)  New Mexicos largest child care providers are offering free daycare for parents who are getting a COVID-19 vaccine before July 4, state officials announced Wednesday.

The child care offers covers dates of the vaccine appointments and in some cases, recovery time in ensuing days when parents might be feeling symptoms of a second dose.

The offer is part of the latest push to incentivize vaccine rollouts.

Earlier this month, New Mexico officials unveiled a $5 million sweepstakes for vaccinated adults, the largest such prize in the country. On Wednesday, they said there was a slight increase in vaccination registrations following the announcement of the cash prize.

Seven-day rolling average vaccination rates increased from 1,352 prior to the sweepstakes announcement to 1,437 daily registrations starting the first week of June, said Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham spokesman Tripp Stelnicki, citing Department of Health statistics.

He said the slight uptick suggests it may have contributed to a general flattening of, or even slight improvement upon, a recent downward trend in new registrations.

Companies have pitched in incentives as well, from free beer to free rides from app-based ride-hailing apps.

KinderCare in Albuquerque says it is providing free child care days as part of a nationwide effort to encourage vaccinations announced by the White House last week in the run-up to July 4th.

We dont want a lack of child care to stop your family from making an appointment to get vaccinated or from taking a family member in to get their COVID vaccine, KinderCare district manager Aaron Alaniz said.

The companys four locations in Albuquerque are participating in the vaccine promotion, mostly Monday through Friday.

Other child care centers like the La Petite Academy in Santa Fe and Albuquerque are participating also, according to the state's Early Childhood Education and Care Department.

YMCA locations in New Mexico and around the country are offering free child care, too, including for nonmembers.

Weve had people stopping in, said Valerie Culver, aquatics director at the YMCA of El Paso, Texas, which serves neighboring areas in southern New Mexico and Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. They just have to fill out a little bit of paperwork, drop their kid off, and go get the vaccine.

___

Attanasio 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 under-covered issues. Follow Attanasio on Twitter.
Its going to be tough to do, but thats what she needs, Jewett said, saying she has to turn out African American voters in particular. She needs to somehow generate the enthusiasm that Barack Obama was able to generate, or at least something close to it. Its probably unfair because you cant equal that enthusiasm ... but she needs to get something that approaches that.
MANAGUA, Nicaragua (AP)  Nicaraguas National Police arrested two more potential challengers to President Daniel Ortega on Tuesday, the third and fourth opposition pre-candidates for the Nov. 7 elections detained in the past week.

Felix Maradiaga was arrested after being called to the Attorney Generals Office to provide a statement. He is being investigated for alleged crimes against the government. His campaign said in a statement that police stopped him, his driver and his lawyer after they had left the Attorney Generals Office.

Later Tuesday, police announced the arrest of Juan Sebastian Chamorro, another pre-candidate and former director of the opposition coalition Civic Alliance. He had received a notice to appear for an interview Wednesday at the Attorney Generals Office to give a statement about a case against the nongovernmental gropu Nicaraguan Foundation for Social Development that he led until 2018.

A police statement said he was being investigated for similar alleged crimes as Maradiaga.

Just before his arrest, Maradiaga had told journalists he was interrogated for four hours about his activities as the former director of a nongovernmental group focused on economic research, whether he had ties to drug traffickers and if on his trips to the United States he had requested sanctions against Nicaragua. He said he told them he had requested sanctions but not to punish the people, but rather government officials who have committed crimes against humanity.

Last week, authorities detained Cristiana Chamorro, a cousin of Juan Sebastian Chamorro, and Arturo Cruz Sequeira, a former ambassador to the United States who was arrested Saturday under a controversial treason law passed in December. On Monday, a judge ordered Cruz held for three months while an investigation is carried out. Cristiana Chamorro remains under house arrest.

Julie Chung, the U.S. State Departments acting assistant secretary for Western Hemisphere affairs, said via Twitter that Maradiagas arbitrary arrest  and last week's detentions  confirm without a doubt that Ortega is a dictator. The international community has no choice but to treat him as such.

Vice President and first lady Rosario Murrillo mentioned the investigations Tuesday and characterized the subjects of the probes as terrorists and criminals.

They believe theyll be forever unpunished, (but) justice arrives, late but it arrives in this Nicaragua that had been prospering and in reconciliation, she said. How much we would have done with what this mountain of thieves stole, not just thieves but also terrorists, criminals.

Ortega is seeking a fourth consecutive term as president. His government has been moving aggressively to clear the field of challengers. Maradiaga was a pre-candidate for the opposition coalition Blue and White National Unity.

Coalition spokesman Josue Garay said Maradiaga was beaten by police during his arrest, causing his face to swell. He also said police were carrying out a search of Maradiagas home.

A National Police statement said Maradiaga was being investigated for acts that diminish the independence, the sovereignty and the self determination, inciting foreign interference in internal affairs, requesting military interventions, organizing with financing from foreign powers to carry out acts of terrorism and destabilization, proposing and managing economic, commercial and financial operation blockades against the country and its institutions, demanding exalting and applauding the imposition of sanctions against the Nicaraguan state and its citizens, damaging the supreme interests of the nation.

In its own statement, the Attorney Generals Office it was investigating two organizations Maradiaga had led  the Fundacion Libertad (Freedom Foundation) and the Institute for Strategic Studies and Public Policies.

Tiziano Breda, Central America analyst for Crisis Group, a nongovernmental group aimed at avoiding and resolving deadly conflict, said the arrests serve multiple purposes for Ortega.

First, he said, it sends a message to rally the Sandinista base, reinforcing Ortega's narrative that 2018 street protests were an attempted coup with foreign backing. Second, its a show of force aimed at stirring divisions within the opposition and eventually forcing them into a decision of backing a lesser candidate or not participating in the elections, Breda said

Finally, he added, it tests the limits to see what the international community will tolerate, but comes far enough ahead of the November elections to allow for negotiations.

Ortega is trying to eliminate those (candidates) who clearly represent a greater challenge, a greater risk of being able to accumulate sufficient support to challenge him in the elections, Breda said.

Sanctions from United States and Europe imposed on those close to Ortega and key figures in his government have clearly bothered him, but have only led him to dig in more and not produced concessions, Breda said.

He said diplomatic outreach from the United States, which Crisis Group recommended in a report last month, would represent an alternative strategy for the administration of President Joe Biden.

Breda said Ortega could be pursued for alleged crimes against humanity once out of office and so far has not been given an incentive to give up power.

___

Associated Press writer Christopher Sherman in Mexico City contributed to this report.
The Plainview Police Department is warning citizens about a new phone scam that the department has received multiple calls about.

According to the release, complainants have said they are receiving calls from those posing as the police department demanding payment or else a warrant would be issued for their arrest.
So, youre a U.S. Marine inside a steamy jungle in Vietnam, moving silently through marshy terrain on a 5-man Recon mission, when gunfire erupts, killing two and severely wounding another two of your comrades  what to do? Speaking by Zoom to 24 Ys Men of Meriden on May 25, Norman VanCor described this and other experiences revealed in his recently published book Swift Silent Deadly, written after his 70th birthday.

Deployed to Vietnam from 1968-1969 in the 3rd Marine Division, VanCor served with the elite 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion as a radio operator with Company C. He participated in 14 recon missions averaging 5-7 days each, looking for downed American pilots needing rescue or enemy bunkers, and carrying radio equipment, an M-16 with 25 magazines (8 rounds each) and five canteens (to avoid drinking iodized swamp water). The five Marines walked slowly and quietly off trail (man, did we hate walking in water,) speaking only in whispers and not at all during nighttime, while trying not to lose their bearings.

The five men shared one tent and had to quickly learn to move and think as a single entity. They constantly rehearsed numerous what if scenarios. VanCor explained that this training provided him confidence in later civilian life, as a senior executive with Connecticut Light and Power and Yankee Energy System, Inc. in Meriden, with a Plan B always available.

During one mission, VanCors company was ambushed by the enemy; two Marines were killed and two others critically wounded, leaving only VanCor uninjured (with his radio equipment destroyed by gunfire in the encounter). As enemy troops closed in, he killed one causing the rest to scatter back into the jungle. He then carried the wounded men leapfrog style (repeatedly carrying one forward, then returning for the other) about 250 meters through hostile territory to the helicopter landing zone, signaling with a mirror and smoke canisters. VanCor was awarded the Navy Cross, along with other awards, for his heroism.

For further information about the Ys Men of Meriden, go to ysmenofmeriden.com or call 203-238-7784.
This week, former San Antonio mayor Julian Castro made an appearance on the new Showtime series Ziwe.

The 2020 presidential hopeful had an expansive conversation with comedian and host Ziwe Fumudoh. During the interview, the pair bounce from topics like conservative democrat and West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin to Texas' devastating winter storm (which proved difficult to address without a takedown of Senator Ted Cruz).

During their interview, Ziwe asked Castro if it was worse that Cruz abandoned Texas during the storm or that he threw his children under the bus in the process. Castro's response offered a detailed list of Cruz problems.

3 1 of 3 Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Mario Tama/Getty Images Show More Show Less 3 of 3





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Yeah, Ted Cruz has been so bad for the state of Texas. Getting down to Cancun, calling the army weak when he looks like he couldnt even do five push-ups, just pick your poison, replies Castro.

i asked julian castro if joe manchin is a democrat pic.twitter.com/LzQV4nJgNQ  ziwe (@ziwe) June 8, 2021

Ziwes show, for those not in the know, is shot on an enviable millennial-pink set where she puts famous faces on the spot. Once a quarantine-era Instagram live show, the new Showtime series craftily plays to the tension and discomfort surrounding race and politics.

The San Antonio politician continued his critique of Cruz after the host shot him an enthusiastic drag him!

Donald Trump called his wife ugly and suggested his father had something to do with the JFK assassination, and he still went over there and kissed his butt, continues Castro. It just doesnt make sense,.

Castro's remarks have officially been certified as Texas-grade beef.
LIMA, Peru (AP)  Peruvians on Tuesday were still waiting to learn who will become their president next month as votes from Sundays runoff election continued to be counted and the tiny difference between the two polarizing populist candidates narrowed.

With 97% of ballots tallied, leftist Pedro Castillo had 50.2% of the vote, while conservative Keiko Fujimori had 49.7%, according to official results. The difference between the candidates was about 69,600 votes.

Perus elections agency, the National Office of Electoral Processes, continued to count votes cast in remote rural areas and abroad.

The candidates did not issue any statements Tuesday. A day earlier Fujimori, who is in her third run for president, charged that her rivals campaign staff carried out a a series of irregularities during the election, but she did not present conclusive evidence. She predicted her support would increase when votes from Peruvians living abroad were counted.

Meanwhile, Castillo told supporters that the popular will should be respected.

I will be the first to enforce the will of the Peruvian people, here and there, he said.

On Tuesday, former Bolivian President Evo Morales, who supports Castillo, criticized Fujimori and compared her unsubtantiated fraud claims to those of other politicians. Morales tweeted that (Donald) Trump in the US, (Carlos) Mesa in Bolivia and (Keiko) Fujimori in Peru repeat the same lie and ignore the peoples vote. The result should be respected.

Morales added that Fujimori's stance is the same discourse of the racist, fascist and coup right wing: it denounces fraud without evidence and attacks the democracy it claims to defend.

Ruben Ramirez, former foreign minister of Paraguay and head of the Organization of American States electoral mission in Peru, congratulated the country for the organization of the elections in the midst of the pandemic and political polarization. He asked that any disagreements be resolved through legal channels.

The candidates have promised coronavirus vaccines for all. More than 186,000 people have died of COVID-19 in Peru, according to figures from Johns Hopkins University, and only 4.1% of the country's 32.5 million residents have been fully vaccinated.

Fujimori, a former congresswoman and daughter of imprisoned ex-President Alberto Fujimori, has promised various bonuses to people, including a $2,500 one-time payment to each family with at least one COVID-19 victim. She has also proposed distributing 40% of a tax on the extraction of minerals, oil or gas among families who live near those areas.

Castillo until recently was a rural schoolteacher in the countrys third-poorest district, deep in the Andes. The political novice has softened his stance on nationalizing key sectors of the economy, but he remains committed to rewriting the constitution that was approved under the regime of Fujimoris father.

Election results showed Castillo overwhelmingly dominated the impoverished rural areas of the Andes and much of the Amazon. Fujimori was the candidate of the business elite, dominating the capital and other cities on the Pacific coast.

The winner will succeed President Francisco Sagasti on July 28.
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP)  Ratko Mladic, the military chief known as the Butcher of Bosnia for orchestrating genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes in the Balkan nations 1992-95 war, lost his final legal battle Tuesday when U.N. judges rejected his appeals and affirmed his life sentence.

The ruling involving his 2017 convictions and sentence closed a grim chapter in European history that included the continents first genocide since World War II  the 1995 Srebrenica massacre of more than 8,000 Muslim men and boys.

The now-frail Mladic, often belligerent at his court appearances in The Hague, showed no reaction other than a scowl as Presiding Judge Prisca Matimba Nyambe of Zambia said the panel had dismissed, by a vote of 4-1, his appeals of convictions for crimes including genocide, murder, extermination and terror for atrocities throughout the war that killed more than 100,000 and left millions homeless.

The 79-year-old former general is the last major figure to face justice from the conflict that ended more than a quarter century ago.

His former political chief, ex-Bosnian Serb President Radovan Karadzic, already is serving a life sentence after being convicted for the same crimes. Former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic, who was accused of fomenting the ethnic conflicts that tore apart the Balkans in the 1990s, died in a U.N. cell in 2006 before judges at his trial could reach verdicts.

Serge Brammertz, the prosecutor who finally brought both Karadzic and Mladic to justice, said Mladic ranks among the most notorious war criminals in modern history who abused his position of power to commit crimes including genocide.

Mladic should be condemned by all responsible officials in the former Yugoslavia and around the world, Brammertz said. "His name should be consigned to the list of historys most depraved and barbarous figures.

U.S. President Joe Biden said the historic judgment shows that those who commit horrific crimes will be held accountable. It also reinforces our shared resolve to prevent future atrocities from occurring anywhere in the world.

My thoughts today are with all the surviving families of the many victims of Mladics atrocities. We can never erase the tragedy of their deaths, but I hope todays judgment provides some solace to all those who are grieving, a statement from Biden said.

The court also rejected an appeal by prosecutors of Mladics acquittal on one other count of genocide linked to ethnic purges early in the war.

As commander of the Bosnian Serb Army, the once-swaggering Mladic led troops responsible for atrocities ranging from ethnic cleansing campaigns to the siege of Sarajevo and the wars bloody climax in the 1995 Srebrenica massacre.

In Sarajevo, applause broke out among those watching the proceedings. Mayor Benjamina Karic called it a day of justice for Sarajevo, Bosnia and innocent victims of the war.

Mladics toxic legacy continues to divide Bosnia and his dark shadow has spread far beyond the Balkans.

To Serbs in Bosnia, he is a war hero who fought to protect his people. To Bosniaks, mostly Muslims, he will always be a villain responsible for their wartime suffering and losses.

Nedziba Salihovic, who lost her son and husband in the bloodshed, watched the court hearing on a large screen in Srebrenica.

This means a lot to me, my heart is racing," she said. He was punished. It is not important where hell end up (to serve his sentence). Like mothers of Srebrenica, hell spend the rest of his life without his family.

Bosnian Serb separatist leader Milorad Dodik blasted the final verdict as selective justice and satanization of Serbs which will only deepen the existing ethnic divide in Bosnia so many years after the war.

The court did not prove Mladics direct guilt, Dodik said. It is clear that genocide in Srebrenica never happened.

Mladics son, Darko, who was part of his defense team, said in The Hague: This traveling circus (the tribunal) has finished its job like it started. The general had no chance of a fair trial.

Mladic was first indicted in July 1995. After the war in Bosnia ended, he went into hiding and was finally arrested in 2011 and handed over to the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia by the then-ruling pro-Western government of Serbia.

The judgment was welcomed as an important affirmation of the rule of law by Kathryne Bomberger, director-general of the International Commission on Missing Persons that helped locate and identify victims of atrocities in Bosnia.

"Ramifications of the judgment in case of Mladic and in previous cases, such as that of Radovan Karadzic, go beyond the Western Balkans. This gives hope to survivors of atrocity, including families of the missing and disappeared persons around the world, that justice can be delivered, Bomberger said.

Amnesty Internationals Europe Director Nils Muizniek said the ruling sends a powerful message around the world that impunity cannot, and will not, be tolerated.

Nedzad Avdic, who survived a mass execution in Srebrenica, said he was satisfied even though nothing can erase what weve been through nor bring back our dead.

The judgment will make denying the crimes more difficult. This and other verdicts will be the starting point for anyone who cares about truth, he added.

The shadow of Mladic and Karadzic has spread far beyond the Balkans. They have been revered by foreign far-right supporters for their bloody wartime campaigns.

The Australian who shot dead dozens of Muslim worshippers in Christchurch, New Zealand, in 2019 was believed to be inspired by the wartime Bosnian Serb leaders, as was Anders Breivik, the Norwegian white supremacist who killed 77 people in Norway in 2011.

The U.N. tribunal that initially indicted Mladic has since shut its doors. His appeal and other legal issues left over from the tribunal were being dealt with by the U.N.s International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals, which is housed in the same building as the now-defunct court for the former Yugoslavia.

Outside the court, another mother from Srebrenica, Munira Subasic had a message for young people in Serbia and the Serb part of Bosnia.

She urged them to study the court's judgments and indictments, and "stop hating and create a better future for themselves and our children.

___

Associated Press writers Dusan Stojanovic in Belgrade, Serbia, Sabina Niksic in Srebrenica, Bosnia, and videographer Aleksandar Furtula in The Hague contributed.
Three historic shotgun houses on the West Side of San Antonio once looked destined for a bulldozer. But a new pilot program is now giving those homes a new lease on life.

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The three shotgun houses were remodeled for less than what building a new home would cost thanks to the joint efforts of local nonprofit Micro:SA, the University of Texas at San Antonio, and the City of San Antonio.

Shotgun houses, according to UTSA press release announcing the project, are narrow houses, typically 1,000 square feet or smaller, and built in the city prior to 1960. Along with being architecturally important, UTSA professor/executive director of UTSAs Westside Community Partnerships Roger Enriquez explains the homes play an important role in the history of San Antonio.

Jerry Lara /San Antonio Express-News

These small dwelling units are a vivid historical remnant of redlining practices in the urban core, says Enriquez in the release. Often the original owners could not find financing from financial institutions, so they purchased and built them as part of kits from local lumberyards.

The renovation initiative received $250,000 from the citys 2021 budget and identified close to 800 homes throughout the Alamo City that could benefit from renovation, rather than destruction.

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City District 5 Councilwoman Shirley Gonzales has acted as a liaison between residents and the city, and spoke to Vincent T. Davis of the Express-News about a renovation that transformed Humberto and Laura Martinezs home, a structure that's been passed down through generations.

That one-on-one communication with people in their homes has been most impactful for both parties. Its been the highlight of my career," Gonzales says.

Those wishing for a city-funded renovation can apply through Gonzales' district office, the Office of Historic Preservation, or the Housing Department.
A flurry of out-of-state corporate takeovers is changing Cyber City USA.

Denim Group, one of San Antonios largest homegrown cybersecurity firms, announced June 1 it had been acquired by Colorado-based CoalFire. The businesses didnt disclose the details, and its too early to tell what it means for Denims employees and facilities.

It was the third San Antonio cyber buyout since mid-2020.

Last July, Minnesota-based HelpSystems bought Globalscape and took the data exchange solutions company private in a roughly $219 million deal.

Then, in February, HelpSystems gobbled up Digital Defense, another of the citys old guard cyber heavyweights, for an undisclosed amount. At the time, corporate execs said they had no plans to make cuts or move anyone from Texas.

On ExpressNews.com: Minneapolis IT firm acquires Digital Defense, its second San Antonio tech company in 6 months

In an interview that month, the execs were upbeat about the merger. Larry Hurtado, Digital Defenses president and CEO, said hed found a great partner in HelpSystems and the integration discussions were super exciting.

But under cover of COVID-19 and the fog of virus-induced remote working, things werent as theyd appeared.

Just a few weeks later, HelpSystems jettisoned Hurtado and 26 others from Digital Defenses 125-person team. Globalscapes new owners slashed its 106-person staff by 20.

Thats at least 47 jobs lost, in both management and contributor roles, to mergers that industry insiders and community leaders marketed as good steps for the areas cyber business environment.

Downsizing and layoffs are always difficult and unfortunate and are not a new phenomenon through the course of a normal business cycle, much less from one as tumultuous as the one we just experienced, Richard Perez, president and CEO of the San Antonio Chamber of Commerce, said Tuesday. However, the overall outlook for the cybersecurity industry in San Antonio is bright and poised to grow.

On ExpressNews.com: For Cyber City USA, keeping firms as important as landing new prospects

As word of the sackings percolated into the community, rumors ping-ponged among locals in the industry who dubbed the deals less than graceful exits, liquidations or fire sales. They called the layoffs bloodletting.

Monday afternoon, just a few cars dotted the parking lot of the building housing Digital Defense headquarters. In true security business form, no large sign graces the single-story beige building at 9000 Tesoro Drive near San Antonio International Airport. Blinds veiled the windows.

At the front door, a small metal plaque offered the only sign of Digital Defenses existence. Nobody answered the call button. Inside, the receptionists desk was empty and boxes sat on desks.

Framed certificates in the building lobby provide evidence of Digital Defenses past successes and vibrant corporate culture: San Antonios Fittest Company, Top 25 Cyber Security Companies to Watch 2016, Top Cloud Service Providers 2017.

A slip of paper with a phone number for delivery drivers to call had been taped to the front door. It was answered a few rings in by a Digital Defense employee who said he couldnt speak about the status of the company. He acknowledged that Hurtado was gone and only a few people still worked in the building. He added, Cybersecurity people are already paranoid, you know.

On ExpressNews.com: The long, strange trip of FunnelAI, a San Antonio tech startup

Headed back to my car, I noticed big 90s-era surveillance cameras peering down from the buildings corners, on watch for people who werent there.

Hurtado didnt respond to multiple requests for comment, and Mike Devine, HelpSystems vice president of marketing, said the rumor mills off track.

It absolutely couldnt be anything further from the truth, he said, adding that Digital Defense exceeded its first quarter earnings target. Were excited about the business. My goodness, yeah.

Regarding Hurtado, Devine said, He did a fantastic job growing that company and helping customers.

Mark Bell, Digital Defenses former vice president of operations, now oversees the San Antonio outfit, according to Devine.

We value every contribution that Larry made, said Kate Bolseth, HelpSystems chief exec. We had discussions, and it was the right time for him to move on to his next chapter, and we were very excited to have Mark Bell take over leadership for the overall business.

She said the company didnt have any additional plans for layoffs, and we will actually invest in areas of growth for the business as well.

As for the property, Bolseth said the lease was coming due so the company is vacating the building over the next two months. Then, the Digital Defense employees will work at the Globalscape facility at 4500 Lockhill Selma Road.

She said one of the reasons for the change is employees desire to continue remote working and using the offices as meeting places.

70 percent want to continue to work from home as their primary location, she said.

Despite the cuts and consolidation, Bolseth said HelpSystems cyber business is seeing about 20 percent growth.

And, Devine said, To fuel that growth, the company will invest in people for sure.

For the 47 San Antonians who HelpSystems laid off, thats probably a tough thing to hear.

Brandon Lingle writes for the Express-News through Report for America, a national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms. ReportforAmerica.org. brandon.lingle@express-news.net
Mexican airlines have been adding service at San Antonio International Airport at a rapid pace due to unprecedented passenger demand, but a Federal Aviation Administration ruling has slammed the brakes on future expansion.

The May 25 ruling downgrades Mexicos aviation safety rating and bars Mexican airlines from increasing the number of flights or adding service between the two countries.

The FAA said Mexico fails to meet international safety standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization, a United Nations body that oversees global air travel.

The FAA did not look at specific Mexican airlines in its safety review, only examining the role Mexican aviation regulators play in ensuring air safety in the country.

San Antonio Aviation Director Jesus Saenz Jr. said hes optimistic that the FAA downgrade is just a temporary obstacle  that the ban on new flights to new Mexican destinations could be rescinded quickly.

Mexico is a very attractive market for the city of San Antonio, Saenz said. We hope the situation gets resolved as soon as possible.

Saenz said the continued shutdown of the Mexican land border, making flights the only way to get from Mexico to the U.S. for travelers, and falling coronavirus infection rates have helped spur air travel between the two countries.

On ExpressNews.com: Startup airline Breeze Airways will fly out of San Antonio

The ban on new flights comes as the number of passengers traveling to and from Mexico has been booming at San Antonio International. The San Antonio airport saw 74,583 international travelers in April, a 101.5 percent increase from the same month in 2019, nearly a year before the pandemic arrived.

Domestic travel continues to rebound from the COVID-19-induced slump, but its still lagging. The number of U.S. passengers was down 24.3 percent at San Antonio International in April from two years ago.

Rating cut

The FAA said the lowering of Mexicos aviation rating from level 1, meaning it meets international aviation safety standards, to Level 2, meaning it doesnt meet those standards, results from deficiencies in several areas.

An FAA spokesperson wouldnt discuss the specifics of its findings, which started in October 2020 and went through February 2021. A ratings cut usually stems from aviation regulators falling short in inspection procedures, record-keeping, technical expertise, trained personnel and other areas.

In a statement, the FAA said it would help Mexican aviation authorities improve their safety oversight.

Mexicos Communications and Transport Department suggested that low staffing due to the coronavirus pandemic may have played a role in the FAA decision. It said in a statement that the U.S. review was carried out in October, when Mexican aviation regulators were operating with only a quarter of its personnel on the job amid a major surge in COVID-19 cases.

Despite this, the agency acted responsibly to take action on all the observations made by U.S. authorities, the department said.

All three Mexican carriers that fly out of San Antonio International Airport say they maintain a strong safety record.

A spokesperson for Aeromexico said its important to note that the downgrade was aimed at Mexico's civil aviation authority, not Mexican airlines.

Aeromexico continues to maintain the highest international safety standards, the spokesperson said.

The other two airlines, Volaris and VivaAerobus, said in separate statements the ratings cut was unrelated to their air operations.

On ExpressNews.com: Massive remake in the works for San Antonio International Airport, including new Terminal A

Only a handful of other countries do not meet the FAAs top Level 1 safety standards and are prohibited from adding flights to and from the U.S. They include Bangladesh, Curacao, Ghana, Malaysia, the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States, Pakistan, Thailand and Venezuela.

Growth market

Air travel at San Antonio International Airport to Mexico has been growing quickly in the last year, primarily to Mexico City, Monterrey and Guadalajara.

Aeromexico added a third daily flight from San Antonio to Mexico City at the beginning of May, and VivaAerobus began twice-weekly service to Leon.

On Monday, the three airlines offered a combined 11 direct flights. In April 2019, San Antonio International only offered a handful of daily flights to Mexico.

A new airport marketing campaign calls the San Antonio facility Texas Gateway to Mexico.

Southwest Airlines and Sun Country Airlines, who fly to the beach resort of Cancun only from San Antonios airport, are not affected by the FAA order since they are U.S. airlines.

The fallout

Because of strong passenger demand, Aeromexico had planned to replace its 100-seat regional jet this month with a 130-seat Boeing 737 that would fly daily. But the carrier is prohibited by the FAA order from registering new jets in the U.S., so its stuck with the smaller plane.

Aeromexico had sold more than 100 seats for the 1:30 p.m. flight on most days last week, anticipating it would fly the larger aircraft. So the airline inadvertently oversold its flights, forcing dozens of travelers to re-book on other flights, according to San Antonio airport personnel aware of the situation.

The employees asked that their names not be used because they were not authorized to speak for Aeromexico.

Delta Air Lines, which owns 49 percent of Aeromexico, said it has been helping the affected Aeromexico passengers at San Antonio International.

Delta teams in San Antonio are assisting a small number of customers on behalf of our partner Aeromexico with accommodations on other Delta flights to get them to Mexico City or their final destination, a Delta spokesman said.

Aeromexico also has canceled new service to Mexico City that was scheduled to start on July 1 from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport because it is not allowed under the FAA order.

While Delta owns a large share of Aeromexico, it is also prohibited by the FAA order from selling Aeromexico tickets with Deltas name on it, a practice known as code-sharing. The FAA order also ended Frontier Airline code-sharing agreement with Volaris.

randy.diamond@express-news.net
Business

Patanjalis Coronil lands in row in Nepal, faces distribution ban

Kathmandu, Jun 8 (IANS) | Publish Date: 6/9/2021 1:26:06 PM IST

Coronil, the so-called immunity booster kit manufactured by yoga guru Ramdevs Patanjali group in India, has landed in a controversy in Nepal after the Himalayan nations Department of Ayurveda and Alternative Medicine imposed a ban on its distribution.

The Health Ministry of Nepal, however, has remained silent over the ongoing controversy regarding the distribution of Coronil kits, which have also landed in controversy in India and Bhutan.

The controversy erupted in Nepal after the Patanjai Yoghpeeth on last Thursday handed over Coronil kits, sanitisers, masks and other immunity booster medicines worth crores of rupees to outgoing Health Minister, Hrydesh Tripathi.

The day after he received the support from local officials of the Patanjali Yogpeeth Nepal, Tripathi was removed as the Health Minister.

The Coronil kits provided by the Patanjali Yogpeeth did not receive permission from the Department of Drug Administration, so we have decided not to distribute it, Basudev Upadhyay, the Director General of the Department of Ayurveda and Alternative Medicine, said in a press conference.

The Coronil kit could be beneficial for the treatment of respiratory disorders, but it has not taken permission from the Department of Drug Administration, so we cannot distribute it, Upadhyay added.

As per the Nepali law, any drug can be imported only after obtaining permission from the DDA.

Meanwhile, the spokesperson at Nepals Health Ministry, Krishna Poudel, told IANS that he is not aware about the distribution of Coronil kits in Nepal.

We do not know if the outgoing Health Minister Tripathi accepted the support. We have heard that it is yet to get permission from the DDA, said Poudel.

Coronil is not registered with the DDA and it cannot be distributed or sold out without registration, DDA spokesperson Santosh K.C. told IANS.

We have not received any document for its registration as well as seeking permission for selling out in Nepal. We do not know how the former Health Minister accepted the donation. We have not received any letter from the Health Ministry to grant permission for its distribution, he said.

Meanwhile, Patanjai Yogpeeth said that the consignment of 1,500 Coronil kits was provided upon the request from the government of Nepal.

Officials at Nepals Health Ministry said that officials from Patanjali Yogpeeth in Nepal and India had approached former Health Minister Tripathi directly, handing over some documents that received permission from the government of India for its distribution and provision of selling for the general public as an immunity booster.

The Bhutan government had already rejected the support provided by Patanjali.
Chinese tourists opting for short trips over upcoming Dragon Boat Festival

People's Daily Online) 13:26, June 09, 2021

Statistics provided by Chinese online travel agencies showed that Chinese tourists prefer medium- and short-distance trips to long-distance ones for the upcoming Dragon Boat Festival, which falls on June 14.

This year, Chinese people will have a three-day holiday for the festival, starting June 12. Nearly 50 percent of our clients have booked travel routes with a distance of no longer than 300 kilometers, said Fang Zexi, an industry analyst with Ctrip Research Institute, who estimated that about 100 million trips will be made during the holiday.

Photo taken on June 27, 2020 shows tourists experiencing surfing in Tenghai village of Sanya, south China's Hainan Province. (Xinhua/Zhang Liyun)

Data from Ctrip also indicated that over 60 percent of tourists prefer to travel within their own provinces, which means that they will arrive at their destinations in three to six hours.

This change has led to a higher demand for train travel. Statistics showed that train tickets from Beijing to some of the most popular destinations on June 12, including Zhengzhou in central Chinas Henan province, Jinan in east Chinas Shandong province and Wuhan in central Chinas Hubei province, sold out quickly upon release.

Additionally, high-end resort hotels in the surrounding parts of some first-tier and second-tier cities have seen a surge in inquiries and reservations, according to a report by Lvmama.com, a Shanghai-based online travel agency.

These hotels also include boutique and homestay hotels at the periphery of Shanghai, Hangzhou, Suzhou, Wuxi and Huzhou in east China, Chengdu and Chongqing in southwest China and Beijing, with hotels there seeing an influx of orders, despite a rise in price.

Ctrip revealed that some of the more popular tourist attractions included Nanjing Maya Beach Water Park in Nanjing, east Chinas Jiangsu province, Hangzhou Crazy Apple Land in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, Pingxiang Wugong Mountain Scenic Area in Pingxing city, Jiangxi province and Nantong Forest Safari Park in Nantong, Jiangsu province.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun)
One day, Morris and a co-worker went to Disneys studio in Burbank and got in by flashing their employee IDs. They went to the animation building and ended up in conversation with junior animators, who toured them around. One of those artists was Ron Clements, who later became the director of several Disney films, including The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, The Princess and the Frog and Moana.
By Martha J. Bailey, Professor, Department of Economics, University of California-Los Angeles, Shuqiao Sun, Economist, World Bank, and Brenden Timpe, Assistant Professor of Economics, University of Nebraska. Originally published at VoxEU.

Preschool attendance in the US is largely funded by parents, which means that the children of more affluent and educated parents are more likely to attend. This column looks at the impact of Head Start, a large-scale preschool programme that serves roughly 1 million children annually in the US. The results show that children age-eligible for Head Start went on to achieve substantially higher levels of education. Head Start also led to improvements in adult economic self-sufficiency. Overall, the findings suggest that a large-scale preschool programme  even one with less per-child expenditures than model preschools  can deliver long-run benefits to students.

Access to preschool is unequal in the United States. Unlike the near-universal public programmes in many OECD countries, preschool attendance in the US is largely funded by parents. This means that the children of more affluent and educated parents are more likely to attend. The 4-year-old children of mothers with college degrees are 35% more likely to attend preschool than the children of high-school dropouts. This inequality in preschool attendance means that children of less educated and less affluent parents start kindergarten and first grade already behind in terms of social and academic skills.

Whether universal, public preschool will help close these gaps is a matter of debate. Although small-scale, high-quality model preschools have delivered impressive results (Barnett and Massie 2007, Anderson 2008, Heckman et al. 2010, Currie 2001, Duncan and Magnuson 2013), large-scale public programmes spend less per child and may do correspondingly less to close the gap in preschool access than model programs.

Our research adds evidence to this debate drawing on the early years of Head Start (Bailey et al. 2020). Begun in 1965, Head Start is a large-scale preschool programme that serves roughly 1 million children annually in the US. In its early years, Head Start cost about 25% of the amount per child as model Perry Preschool and Abecederian projects but achieved widespread coverage, operating in communities where over 80% of US children lived by 1980. Similar to more recent proposals to expand universal preschool, Head Starts effectiveness has long been contested, fuelled in large part by experiments that found the programme improved test scores in the short run but that they faded out in subsequent years (Puma et al. 2010).

Harnessing large-scale, restricted data on childrens long-run educational and employment outcomes from the 2000 Census and the 2001-2018 American Community Surveys and Social Security records, we examine how access to Head Start shaped childrens lives. To isolate the causal effect of the Head Start programme itself, our analysis compares children who were age-eligible for Head Start (ages 3-5) to children born in the same county who were age 6, and therefore too old to participate before first grade when the program began.

Our results show that children age-eligible for Head Start went on to achieve substantially higher levels of education  even though the programme was underfunded compared to model preschool programmes. Figure 1 shows the effect of Head Start on completed years of schooling for children relative to their age when their local Head Start launched. Compared to children age 6 who were entering first grade when Head Start began, the slightly younger cohorts who were more likely to attend Head Start attained significantly more education in the long run. The effect increases as we move to the left in the figure, which is consistent with new preschool programs taking some time to ramp up to full capacity. In contrast, there is no change in the outcomes of children born in the same county who were ages 7 to 14  too old to be eligible to attend Head Start.

Figure 1 Years of completed schooling by a cohorts age when Head Start launched

Focusing on children who attended Head Start when it was fully implemented, we find that children who attended the programme achieved 0.65 more years of education relative to children who were too old to attend. Head Start also led to a 2.7% increase in high school completion, an 8.5% increase in college attendance, and a 39% increase in the share earning a 4-year college degree. These effects are present both for boys and girls, and for white and non-white students.

We also find that Head Start led to improvements in adult economic self-sufficiency. An index summarising improvements in multiple dimensions shows fully treated children exhibit an improvement that is equivalent to 9% of a standard deviation  effects driven by an increase in employment, hours worked, and weeks worked. Boys participating in Head Start were 42% less likely to receive public assistance, such as disability insurance payments, as adults, while girls were 32% less likely to live in poverty in adulthood.

Unfortunately, less information exists in the historical record about the mechanisms for these effects. Heterogeneity analyses allow some tentative conclusions. One potentially telling finding is that the education effects of Head Start are largest in places where children were more likely to have access to Medicaid, the United States public health insurance programme for the poor. This evidence suggests that Head Starts health screenings were an important contributor to improved outcomes, because Medicaid allowed poor children to get glasses or hearing aids, enabling them to learn. It also helped parents get treatable non-emergent health problems addressed, such as antibiotics to prevent ear infections which could lead to long-term hearing loss. Another notable finding is that the effects are smaller in counties that were early adopters of the Food Stamps programme, suggesting that Head Start may have substituted Food Stamps in providing nutritious meals that helped children succeed in school.

A final analysis quantifies both the private and public, internal rates of return to dollars spent on Head Start in the 1960s and 1970s. This exercise suggests a private internal rate of return to Head Start of 13.7 percent, which is similar for both men and women. Using only savings on public assistance expenditures and increases in tax revenue due to higher wage earnings to calculate the programmes social returns, we find that the public internal rate of return of putting one child through Head Start ranges from 5.4% to 9.1%. While the range of these returns reflects different assumptions about who the marginal beneficiary is, the bottom line is that Americas first scaled-up, public preschool programme generated sizeable returns over the lifetimes of its early participants.

While the population of American pre-schoolers today is undoubtedly quite different from the children of the 1960s and 1970s, these findings suggest that a large-scale preschool programme  even one with less per-child expenditures than model preschools  can deliver long-run benefits to their students. This may be an important piece of the puzzle as policymakers decide whether and how to expand access to preschool today.

References available at the original.
Patient readers: The surgery went well, Yves is in the recovery room, and now the rehabilitation phase begins. More to come, I am sure. Thanks for all your kind thoughts yesterday. lambert

Timeline: Trail of migrating elephants in SW China (video) CGTN. Here they are, sleeping, baby in the center:

Shhhh, the elephants are sleeping. This herd of wild Asian elephants was spotted taking a group nap as they migrated across southwest China. Scientists have been tracking them for hundreds of miles as a recent population boom resulted in the animals expanding their territory  pic.twitter.com/kkQtKUbXmI  NowThis (@nowthisnews) June 9, 2021

A Commodities Crunch Caused by Stingy Capital Spending Has No Quick Fix WSJ. Anecdotal evidence from alert reader P:

I ordered special [pipette] tips for one person this morning and happened upon this note. Polypropylene price has gone up 75% in the past year. And my mother said today she had to order a new cart for her garden tractor (shes 74 and does a lot of outside stuff and has poultry) and she said she could only get the one size as thats the only one they had in stock because the company cant get sheet metal to make new ones and shed have to wait until 2022. I think its John Deere. She is also having a hard time finding canned cat food because they cant get the metal tins to put the cat food into.

Catfood shortage?! That should get peoples attention.

Copper boom: how clean energy is driving a commodities supercycle FT

The Secret IRS Files: Trove of Never-Before-Seen Records Reveal How the Wealthiest Avoid Income Tax and Why We Are Publishing the Tax Secrets of the .001% ProPublica

US investigates leak of records showing billionaires pay little tax FT

Battered And Bruised, Bitcoin Ponders IRS, FBI Scrutiny The Heisenberg Report

Central bank digital currency: the quest for minimally invasive technology (PDF) Bank of International Settlements

Global sting began by creating message service for crooks ABC

#COVID19

China?

Myanmar

Syraqistan

The fadeout of the Pax Americana in the Middle East Responsible Statecraft (Re Silc).

UK/EU

The High Stakes of Brazils 2022 Presidential Election McGill International Review

Indigenous communities in Mexico say no to political parties and demand self-rule Phoenix Media Co-op. From London.

Embarking on new era, Mexico and US sign cooperation agreement Mexico News Daily

Biden Administration

Black Injustice Tipping Point

Realignment and Legitimacy

How America Fractured Into Four Parts George Packer, The Atlantic A New Constitution for The United States Democracy Journal. All humans are social and political beings who can flourish only under conditions of advanced democracy.

Ohio sues Google, seeks to declare the internet company a public utility Columbus Dispatch

New York State to Revolutionize Antitrust Matt Stoller, BIG. Big, if true.

Class Warfare

Antidote du jour (via):

See yesterdays Links and Antidote du Jour here.
By Lambert Strether of Corrente.

Thank goodness Teen Vogue has a labor reporter, because without Kim Kelly, we might not be hearing anything about the United Mine Workers of American (UMWA) strike at Warrior Met Coal in Brockwood, Alabama, where over 1,000 miners have been on strike for over two months. Here is the UMWA strike page (which permits donations by check, but not online, which seems a little old school).

Warrior Met coal isnt used for power; its a premium product, metallurgical coal. Its possible to reverse engineer the high-level economics behind the strike from the Warrior Met company page. I have helpfully underlined the salient points:

Warrior is a U.S.-based, environmentally[1] and socially[2] minded supplier to the global steel industry. It is dedicated entirely to mining non-thermal metallurgical (met) coal used as a critical component of steel production by metal manufacturers in Europe, South America and Asia. Warrior is a large-scale, low-cost producer and exporter of premium met coal, also known as hard coking coal (HCC), operating highly efficient longwall operations in its underground mines based in Alabama. The HCC that Warrior produces from the Blue Creek, AL, coal seam contains very low sulfur and has strong coking properties and is of a similar quality to coal referred to as the premium HCC produced in Australia. The premium nature of Warriors HCC makes it ideally suited as a base feed coal for steel makers and results in price realizations near the Platts Index price .

So, high prices and low costs. And why are the costs so low? Well, theres a history here. Warrior Met has a history. Coal barons gotta coal baron, and its been that way for some time. From the Montgomery Herald, Recovery includes humane priorities:

Warrior Met was once known as Jim Walter Resources, known also as a builder of affordable stick-built homes across the southeast, including West Virginia. In Alabama, the firm had North Americas deepest coal mines at 2,000 feet that produced methane gas and high-quality metallurgical coal. On Sept. 23, 2001, a cave-in caused a release of methane gas that sparked two major explosions, killing 13 UMWA members. Then U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao, spouse of U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., cited Jim Walter for 27 violations and $435,000 in fines. She then approved MSHA reducing the fine to an insulting $3,000, which was appealed by the UMWA. MSHA then increased the fine to $5,000.

In the fulness of time, Jim Walter Resources went bankrupt  whether for-real bankrupt, or Sackler-style bankrupt, I dont know  and emerged in 2016 as Warrior Met. The UMWA offered contract concessions: over five years Warrior Met become profitable. Now its payback time, except not. From WHBM, Alabama Coal Workers Strike For Better Wages, Fair Treatment:

Warrior Met Coal took over and workers agreed to cut their wages and benefits to keep the mines open. Employees said the company promised to restore some benefits after five years. Warriors latest offer is about a 10% pay increase, but that doesnt cover what they lost. Oh its a slap in the face, [miner Courtney Finklea] said. All we wanted was a piece of the pie, and I guess the pie was never given to us.

Sadly, the companys initial offer was insultingly low:

Shortly after the strike was launched and more than three-quarters of the workers walked out, the company came up with a tentative agreement with UMWA negotiators, which only offered a wage hike of [$1.50] per hour increase, over the next five years. This deal was overwhelmingly voted against by union members with over 91 percent voting no. On April 12, union members voted along similarly large numbers to continue their strike.

$1.50? Really? (And what was the UMWA thinking?) But the strike isnt just about Warriors broken promises, or wages. Its also about working conditions. From AL.com, Striking Alabama coal miners endure arrests, see little progress: Were just standing together:

Ramey Foster wanted to illustrate why miners have been on strike for more than two months against Warrior Met Coal, so he pulled out two small booklets. One was thin, yellow, dog-eared and stained, while the other was a pristine, thick white paperback perhaps four times the size of the other. This is the contract weve been working under, Foster said, holding up the smaller one, which he kept in the bib of his overalls while in the mines.

Somehow I dont think the new contract is shorter because Warrior Met found a way to say the same thing with fewer words. Because this is what the new contract allows:

James Traweek has worked at Warrior Met Coal for four years at the No 7 mine in Brookwood. He explained miners accepted a $6-an-hour pay cut and reduction in health insurance and retirement benefits during the bankruptcy process five years ago, while adhering to a strict attendance policy. We were required to work six, sometimes seven days a week, for 12 hours a day. We worked on a four-strike system, which meant missing four days in a year resulted in termination, said Traweek. The only thing that was accepted as an excuse was a death in the immediate family. We had to work sick with the flu and many other illnesses in fear of losing our jobs. He noted the workers were just seeking to be compensated what they were worth in wages and benefits comparable to other unionized mines. Warrior Met Coal have brought in replacement workers as part of their continuity plan, the use of which Traweek characterized as gut-wrenching. Were fighting for our families and every other member of the organized labor community across the world. We cant allow corporate greed to rob us of our dignity and worth, added Traweek. After bringing a company from bankruptcy to record breaking production, we feel we deserve more.

Meanwhile, the coal barons minions are running into striking miners with their cars. From WBRC, Video shows trucks hitting workers picketing outside Warrior Met Coal:

The United Mine Workers of America tells WBRC, some of its members have been hit by cars three times in the past three days while on the picket line. In video, you can see a red truck bumping someone picketing outside Warrior Met Coal. The other video shows a black truck hitting someone else as it made its way into the plant. UMWA feels this is the company or some of its workers way of not allowing its workers to rightfully protest.

And meanwhile, nothing is complete without the usual cast of characters:

Blowhard Republicans. From Labor Notes:

A supposed defense of coal miners, their families, their way of life, and their culture has been front and center of the Republican agenda ever since the push for decarbonization began. It was a key part of the Rights pushback against Obama and his war on coal. Hillary Clinton faced tremendous pushback for her awful statement on the 2016 campaign trail that she was going to put a lot of coal miners out of business. In contrast, Trump said, were going to put these coal miners back to work, even bizarrely donning a hard hat in coal country at one point. As all this has unfolded, I was waiting for someone on the Right to speak out in support of these workers. This, at least in appearance, has all the trappings of a story that conservatives can rally around. Youve got coal miners, in Alabama, many of whom are conservatives (I saw more than one MAGA hat while walking the picket lines with them), fighting for themselves, their families, and their communities. Theyre demanding fair compensation against elites (Republicans hate elites now, right?), and the government is coming in and suppressing their freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, and freedom to protest. Whats missing for a good conservative culture war story? Well, it isnt whats not there. Its what is there. This coal miners strike has something that stories about the Great Cancellation of Dr. Seuss dont: working-class solidarity wielded against bosses. If the same right-wing talking heads who spent hours wailing about Mr. Potato Head a few weeks ago decided to rally around the strikers, many in the conservative rank and file would join them. But those conservative talking heads never will, because it threatens their class interests and the bosses they carry water for. Because if coal miners who are conservative and liberal, Black and white, in a deep-red state like Alabama can walk off the job to demand better pay and working conditions, then maybe the average Fox News watcher could, too. And we cant have them thinking like that.

Wussy Democrats. From the Week:

Under the National Labor Relations Act, unions have a right to strike so long as they follow various rules. Assaulting a union picket [with a vehicle] should be something that triggers an investigation and possible sanctions from the National Labor Relations Board (which oversees union law), but so far there has been no sign of that. This is an area where President Biden could accomplish a lot just by speaking up. To his credit, he did mildly encourage the union drive at Amazon months ago, but that was always going to be an uphill battle. This time the union already exists, and only wants a fair contract. The risk calculation for Warrior Met would change very quickly if the president was looking over their shoulder and directing a lot of media attention in the process.

The Fratricidal Left. From WSWS:

Top UMWA District 20 officials Larry Spencer and James Blankenship physically assaulted two members of the Dixieland of the Proletariat podcast, falsely believing them to be representatives of the World Socialist Web Site. Both Spencer and Blankenship are members of the executive board of the Alabama AFL-CIO. During the assault, Spencer told the podcasters to get the f**k out of here and flipped over their table. Blankenship threatened to kill one of the podcasters, who is black, shouting: Ill beat your mother f**king brains out, boy!

I dunno. Did Spencer and Blankenship negotiate that $1.50 raise?

And finally, an unusual member of the cast of characters:

You might be interested to know that CALPERS, the largest US public employee union pension, and CALSTRS, the California teachers union pension, are owners of Warrior Met Coal per their most recent holdings disclosures. Hmmm.  Stanley Morrical (@StanMorrical) June 8, 2021

Wait, what? A highly principled organ of a deep Blue state working against a union? Doesnt CalPERS have some sort of social justice policy that covers this situation?

* * *

The Warriot Met story has it all, doesnt it? I cant understand why Rachel doesnt cover it every night.

NOTES

[1] From AL.com, State blames coal mine after creeks turned black near Tuscaloosa:

The Alabama Surface Mining Commission has issued a notice of violation to Warrior Met Coal after two local creeks ran black for weeks with dark colored sediment near the companys Mine No. 7 in Brookwood, Tuscaloosa County. The pollution in the creek was first reported by nearby residents, who lodged complaints with ADEM and the Surface Mining Commission on April 26. According to state records, ADEM inspected the site and collected water samples on April 27, and the mining commission inspected the site on May 6 and 7, informing Warrior of the violations on May 7.

[2] Come on, man.
By Diana Kruzman, a freelance journalist who focuses on understanding how climate change is impacting communities around the world. Originally published in Undark. This article was supported by The Water Desk, an independent journalism initiative based at the University of Colorado Boulders Center for Environmental Journalism. It was also made possible, in part, by the Fund for Environmental Journalism of the Society of Environmental Journalists.

Driving into southern Californias Palo Verde Valley from the Arizona border, fields of vibrant green appear out of the desert like a mirage. Near the town of Blythe, water from the Colorado River turns the dry earth into verdant farmland, much of it to grow a single crop  alfalfa, a type of plant used mainly to feed dairy cows.

For decades, a significant portion of alfalfa grown here and elsewhere in the western United States  as much as 17 percent in 2017  has been loaded onto trucks, driven hundreds of miles to ports on the west coast, and shipped around the world, mainly to China, Japan, and Saudi Arabia. A little over five years ago, one company decided it made more sense to own the land, and the water that came with it, outright.

The company, a Saudi Arabian dairy firm called Almarai, purchased 1,790 acres in the Palo Verde Valley to secure a supply of alfalfa for its dairy cows. Soon after, Saudi Arabia began phasing out domestic alfalfa production to preserve its water supplies, which were dwindling after years of overuse for agriculture. The purchase made headlines as critics including local politicians and environmentalists questioned whether it was fair for a foreign entity to use up valuable groundwater resources for products that wouldnt ultimately benefit Americans.

But the company is far from alone. Foreign corporations are increasingly purchasing land in the U.S.; in the Southwest, thanks to longstanding laws on water rights, these purchases often come with unlimited access to the valuable water underneath the soil. Combined with nearly year-round sunshine, this has made the area a magnet for companies looking to grow water-intensive crops and raise livestock. Over the last 20 years, foreign companies have purchased more than 250,000 acres of land in six Southwestern states to raise cattle and pigs, as well as to grow everything from almonds to alfalfa, according to an analysis of purchase data that Undark obtained from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

On its face, foreign ownership of farmland hasnt proved significantly different from American ownership for large-scale production of crops like alfalfa. Domestic farmers have long shipped food overseas, and companies like Almarai, as well as independent researchers, have suggested the outsized focus on foreign companies may be xenophobic. American farmers and companies also control millions of acres overseas, mainly in Africa, Asia, and South America. But with their implications for food and water security  that ultimately, the U.S. is not in control of its own farmland  the purchases are drawing attention to the larger trend of industrial agriculture in the U.S. and the problems that come with it.

Corporate farms, researchers and policymakers warn, drain aquifers and threaten access to water for drinking and future crop production. The export of crops and the water used to grow them, known as virtual water, has been accelerating for decades, despite concerns that in drought-stricken areas such as the Southwest, this system is unsustainable in the long term. Although virtual water itself is not inherently problematic  and can even reduce water usage in some cases  its extraction from water-stressed communities is sounding the alarm as water crises become more urgent. Even as the Colorado River Basin enters its 21st year of sustained drought and climate change threatens to further exacerbate water scarcity, virtual water trading is expected to triple globally by 2100, with a large share moving from the U.S. to other countries.

Its basically exporting water in the form of alfalfa to countries that are water scarce, said Alida Cantor, an assistant professor at Portland State University in Oregon who researches water management and sustainability. But its exporting it from a region that is also water scarce.

While concerns over how to balance agriculture and water availability in the Southwest are nothing new, virtual water is a relatively recent concept. First introduced by British geographer John Anthony Allan in 1993, the term signifies the water that is embedded in the production of commodities, from food to fibers to energy. Allan, who won the Stockholm Water Prize in 2008 for his work, framed it as a solution to global conflicts over natural resources and a helpful tool for water-scarce countries to feed growing populations. He suggested that countries lacking domestic water resources could simply import food and other commodities containing embedded water, and thus avoid having to deal with water crises directly.

Allan also argued that importing water-intensive goods instead of producing them can prevent environmental degradation in water-scarce countries that may otherwise have to damage fragile ecosystems to access water. And in theory, the virtual water trade could actually conserve water in the long run by allowing regional climate and soil conditions to dictate where certain crops are grown. Cooler temperatures lead to less evaporation from plant leaves, for example, and so countries that export virtual water end up using about 22 percent less water overall to produce a good than the importing country would need to produce it at home.

But water-intensive crops arent always grown in areas with an abundance of water. India, one of the worlds biggest virtual water exporters, is also one of the worlds most water-stressed countries, with severely overdrawn groundwater resources and a rapidly growing population.

The type of water thats used matters, too. While the majority of virtual water embedded in internationally-traded food comes from rainfall  called green water, and generally considered renewable  about 20 percent is stored on the land surface in rivers and reservoirs or underground in aquifers  called blue water  and is used to irrigate crops. Blue water is much more susceptible to overuse; in particular, groundwater, according to one study, is effectively nonrenewable, because it can take centuries for aquifers to replenish once they are depleted, particularly in arid areas without significant rainfall.

Researchers like Paolo DOdorico, a professor of ecohydrology at the University of California, Berkeley, say blue water is already being overused. DOdorico argued in a 2019 blog post that the globalization of food systems has disconnected consumers from the places their food is grown, leading to the over-exploitation of rivers partly by distant actors who do not directly suffer the environmental consequences of their decisions. As a result, this unsustainable virtual water trade now makes up 15 percent of the water used in irrigation around the world, a share that increased by 18 percent from 2000 to 2015.

In the U.S., the effects of this unsustainable trade are felt unevenly. Although America also receives goods containing virtual water from other countries, it is currently one of the largest net exporters of virtual water in the world. And while the majority of the countrys exported virtual water is green water that falls as rain on the Missouri River Basin, nonrenewable groundwater exports are concentrated in the southwestern U.S., where the Central Valley aquifer system in California underlies one of the countrys biggest agricultural regions. American crops ranging from alfalfa to almonds  of which up to 70 percent are exported  are major moneymakers for states like California, but also require intensive watering.

With scant rainfall, the southwestern aquifers, as well as the Colorado River, provide the main sources of irrigation water in the region, and both are threatened by drought and overdrafting. Other factors such as climate change contribute to water stress, said Brad Udall, a senior water and climate research scientist at Colorado State University, as do municipal water users  large cities like Phoenix and Las Vegas. Agriculture, though, uses about 80 percent of the water in the Colorado River basin, and Udall said agricultural water usage will have to play a large role in keeping reservoirs along the river, including Lake Powell and Lake Mead, full.

If you continue to have this massive imbalance, where use is greater than inflows, these reservoirs that over the last 20 years have buffered the difference will go empty, Udall said. And thats what everybody, every smart person wants to avoid, because if they go empty, you then end up with a Day Zero South Africa issue where nobody really knows what the rules of the road are. Nobodys certain of their supply.

Western water policy advocates have long criticized the practice of growing water-intensive crops for export in water-scarce areas, focusing mainly on American companies and farmers. Now, though, foreign companies buying land to export those same crops are starting to receive more attention. According to the USDA, as of 2019, 35 million acres of land are held directly by foreign investors, a number that doubled between 2004 and 2014.

Not all of this land ends up being used for farming, and in fact, some of the biggest purchasers over the last couple decades have been timber companies and European energy firms seeking large swathes of empty acreage for wind farms. But for some companies, relatively lax water laws in the Southwest make farmland a good investment with a nearly unlimited supply of low-cost water. Others, like Almarai, have begun purchasing farmland in the U.S. as a direct result of dwindling water supplies at home, a process that is exacerbated by hotter and drier conditions in parts of the world fueled by climate change.

Data obtained by Undark from the USDA  while self-reported and likely undercounted, according to the Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting  show that in California, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming, and Colorado, 152 foreign companies have purchased more than 250,000 acres since 2000 to use for agriculture, from ranching to almond farming to vineyards. More than half of the acreage was dedicated to cattle and pork production, and companies from Mexico, China, and Canada were the top purchasers of agricultural land during this time period.

Some of these purchases have come under scrutiny before. In 2013, a Chinese company called Shuanghui International  later renamed WH Group  bought Americas largest pork producer, Smithfield Foods. The deal came with 146,000 acres of land in nine states. More than 33,000 acres are in Utah, which is currently attempting to increase its access to Colorado River water in anticipation of drier conditions. Two years earlier, two Chinese entrepreneurs purchased a 22,000-acre ranch in Utah for about $10 million, which they used to grow alfalfa for export to China.

Almarai, which has purchased more than 15,000 acres in Arizona and California since 2014, has received a large amount of attention and pushback from local lawmakers and sustainability advocates. The company, which also owns land in Argentina and Romania, announced in 2014 that it would eventually import all of the alfalfa needed to feed its cows in order to protect the natural resources in the Kingdom. A 2015 directive from the Saudi government banned the local production of green forage for animals, for which precious groundwater would be used, on farms over 120 acres.

A major draw for Almarai and many other corporations may be the easy access to water for landowners in states like Arizona and California. Water laws dating back to the 1850s, when White Americans first began pouring into the region, established a doctrine of what is called prior appropriation, which gave first-come-first-serve water rights for unlimited use to anyone who staked a claim, according to Cantor, the Portland State University professor.

In California, farmers access irrigation water from the Colorado River at a much lower cost than municipal users in cities like Los Angeles. In Arizona, rural areas outside of big cities like Phoenix and Tucson are not subject to groundwater pumping restrictions and are not required to report how much water they use.

Companies notice these lax rules. Theres concern that a lot of these large corporate farms are taking advantage of the fact that we have unregulated pumping allowed in rural Arizona, said Kim Mitchell, a senior water policy adviser at the nonprofit Western Resource Advocates. The worry, she added, is that the companies may not have the same level of concern for safeguarding long-term water supplies compared to the historic farming operations that have been here a while.

The direct effects of other countries buying the virtual water on American farmland are difficult to quantify. About 29 percent of unsustainable virtual water in the U.S. was exported as crops in 2015, mainly to China, Mexico, and Canada, according to a 2019 study published in the journal Environmental Research Letters. While American-owned farms likely contribute the majority of these flows, the virtual water shipped by foreign-owned farms is unknown.

But in areas where water-intensive crops such as alfalfa grow, residents have felt the effects of declining water supplies. Since 2010, the groundwater table has fallen by more than 50 feet in some parts of La Paz County, a rural area about 130 miles west of Phoenix where Almarai operates one of its alfalfa farms, according to a 2016 report from CNBC. Meanwhile, reservoirs along the Colorado river have reached historically low levels, prompting cutbacks to water access for Arizona and Nevada.

These issues are not unique to foreign-held companies, but part of the larger problem of corporatization of agriculture as a whole, Mitchell said. Large corporate farms often have the capital to dig deeper wells and access more groundwater, according to a 2019 investigation by The Arizona Republic. Although Almarai says it makes an effort to irrigate sustainably, residents who rely on groundwater pumping for personal use in areas where Almarai operates farms have seen their wells dry up, and have had to drill deeper and deeper to access water. (Almarai did not respond to requests for comment from Undark.)

Its another case of, you suck out all the resources, then ship off the wealth and the value someplace else, and the local people get some kind of pittance, said Jody Emel, a research scientist at Clark University and former water resource planner in Arizona. She said she believes that prior appropriation water laws granting nearly unlimited access for beneficial use, which includes agriculture, will have to be revisited. I think if we dont deal with science, she added, were doomed.

Buying farmland directly also allows these companies to guarantee long-term access to the crops  and water  they desire, said George Frisvold, a professor of agricultural and resource economics at the University of Arizona.

Whats the economic rationale of actually buying up land as opposed to just going, I need alfalfa? Frisvold said. Youre locking in that supply over a longer period of time than if you were just buying something on the spot market.

>In recent years, lawmakers have attempted to impose greater regulations on groundwater use in states like Arizona, but have met resistance out of fears that local farmers would lose access and local economies, which are often dependent on agriculture, would suffer.

Its like, I dont want to be regulated, but I want my neighbors to be regulated, Frisvold said. So you see tensions in areas where youve had water tables drop, but at the same time, theres a fairly strong resistance in a lot of quarters [to] having government control.

But while foreign companies seeking to access water have raised particular concern, the larger issue remains the globalized agricultural system that is a cornerstone of the rural economy in the Southwest, Frisvold said. Foreign demand for alfalfa supplied by American farmers far outstrips the amount grown by foreign companies that own land in the U.S., indicating that the problem will be harder to solve than just restricting foreign land purchases.

Moreover, growing demand for water-intensive products like meat and dairy, as well as water scarcity driven by climate change, are expected to spur even more virtual water exports. In a 2020 study in the journal Nature Communications, researchers estimated that virtual water exports around the world could triple by the end of the century, from 961 billion cubic meters in 2010 to 3,370 billion in 2100. And the trade in nonrenewable groundwater is expected to form a significant share of that increase, growing fivefold by 2050 and doubling its 2010 value by 2100. The U.S. is expected to be the biggest exporter of nonrenewable groundwater, according to the study, with exports going to the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa.

For Cantor, the predictions emphasize the need for the U.S. to reevaluate its support for corporate agriculture on drought-stricken land in the Southwest as a whole.

Theres enough water to meet our basic needs, absolutely, but we need to think about the ways its actually being used, Cantor said. Wheres it actually going? she added. What are some of the ways in which the way we use water just doesnt make sense?
(Natural News) As much as we have attempted to sound the alarm and save the lives of both Democrats and Republicans (and everyone else) across America, recent polls and surveys reveal that about 95% of Democrats have either already taken the covid vaccine or plan to. But nearly half of Republicans plan to avoid taking the vaccine. (See Gallup source here.)

This means about 19 out of 20 Democrats are getting vaccinated, while only about 1 out of 2 Republicans are getting vaccinated. Anyone who can do math can readily calculate the impact of this if the warnings about covid vaccine mass deaths turn out to be true. Far more Democrats would be impacted (injured, hospitalized or even killed) by the vaccine, compared to Republicans or even Independents.

Adding to the analysis, this story from MSN.com reveals that the highest vaccination rates are being recorded in blue cities and blue states such as California and New York. In mostly coastal (blue) states, vaccination rates have already exceeded 70%, while in red states, they are strikingly lower and likely to stay that way.

According to Gallup, about 1 in 4 Americans flat-out refuse to be vaccinated and arent likely to change their minds. Almost all of those are Republicans, with a few Independents.

According to the CDCs vaccine data tracker, right now about 64% of American adults have taken covid vaccines (at least one dose). Although alleged President Joe Biden is pushing hard for a 70% vaccination milestone among US adults, it seems that nearly everyone willing to be vaccinated has already been vaccinated. Small armies of health workers and volunteers often outnumber the people showing up to get shots at clinics around the country, from a drive-through site in Chattanooga, Tenn., to a gymnasium in Provo, Utah, or a park in Raleigh, N.C., laments MSN.com.

Nearly all vaccines were administered before the truth about its bioweapons origins was acknowledged by the complicit media

It shouldnt need to be stated but there is no undo from the covid vaccine. Once youre injected with spike proteins found in the vaccine, you cant simply remove them or reverse their effects.

Most (gullible) people who took covid vaccines believed the media lies that claimed the virus was of natural origin. Thus, if they thought about it at all, they probably figured the spike protein was also a natural particle derived from creatures living in nature. What they did not understand, of course, is that SARS-CoV-2 was developed as a biological weapon, and the spike protein was specifically engineered to attack human tissue via ACE-2 receptors.

Thus, by injecting themselves with spike proteins in the form of a vaccine, they are actually injecting themselves with a biological weapon developed by the communist Chinese military, with the help of illicit funds initiated by Fauci and laundered through the EcoHealth non-profit, ultimately directing the funds to Chinas bat lady research on humanized mice (genetically engineered to have human-like lung tissue in order to maximize the bioweapons attack on humans).

Now that the lab origins of SARS-CoV-2 are being rapidly confirmed with smoking gun evidence  now even admitted by the Wall Street Journal  those who took spike protein injections (i.e. vaccines) must be slowly arriving at the conclusion that theyve been injected with Chinese bioweapons nanoparticles. And those spike protein nanoparticles, it turns out, arent safe at all. In fact, they cause blood clots and attack healthy tissue in the brain, heart, lungs, spleen, adrenal glands, ovaries, testes and other organs.

So then the question becomes obvious: Who was brainwashed enough to take a communist Chinese military-developed biological weapon that was mislabeled a vaccine? Democrats, of course, who are characterized by their gullibility and shocking degree of obedience to false authority. Thats why nearly 19 out of 20 Democrats have either already taken spike protein injections or plan to.

Only about half of Republicans are gullible enough to allow themselves to be injected with experimental communist bioweapons, it turns out.

If these vaccines turn out to kill millions, the impact will be 2 Democrats for every 1 Republican

Even beyond the humanitarian ramifications of all this  and for the record, I have worked tirelessly to save the lives of Democrats and everyone else  there are enormous geopolitical effects that would forever alter the landscape of America if covid vaccines turn out to cause the deaths of millions of people.

Dr. Judy Mikovits, in a recent interview, warned me that covid vaccines could kill 50 million Americans over the next few years. Even more, she said Fauci and the government virologists already know this and have worked to cover it up. The deaths can be reduced by treating vaccine victims with medical interventions that inhibit the expression of the prion-like regions of the SARS-CoV-2 nanoparticles, but this information is being censored by Big Tech and Big Media.

If Mikovits is right, then very few Democrats will ever learn the truth about all this until its too late. And by doing some rough math, we can arrive at the alarming conclusion that if 50 million Americans are killed by these vaccines, almost certainly 30+ million of those people will be Democrats living in blue cities, in blue states.

This means that vaccine compliance and censorship  all pushed by Dems  would result in their own destruction. They wanted the censorship, of course. They support Big Techs silencing of doctors and scientists who spoke out against the rushed, risky vaccines. They obey all false authority figures like Fauci, because democrats love obedience. Yet this very obedience is what got them all injected with a communist Chinese biological weapon system labeled as a vaccine. And there is no undo.

(Perhaps its a waste of breath, but its worth mentioning that we should only have obedience to God, not obedience to science or government or any political party.)

The implications for House seats (which are based on population), local elections, national elections, local tax revenues and real estate prices cannot be overstated. If Mikovits is right and 30+ million Democrats end up dying from the covid vaccine, it would devastate blue cities and blue states in too many ways to count. Yet Democrats would only have themselves to blame, since they voluntarily allowed themselves to be injected with an experimental bioweapon nanoparticle, all while claiming they believe in science.

Why covid vaccine deaths might take several years to play out

Mikovits warns that about 15% of the entire US population could be killed by these vaccines over the next few years. But if thats the case, why arent millions of deaths already being recorded? The answer lies in Antibody Dependent Enhancement or ADE. This phenomenon begins when the human immune system is primed by a pathogen such as the spike protein.

This is called pathogenic priming, and it means that when a person is exposed to other viruses in the wild  such as during the flu season  their immune system overreacts because the anti-inflammation components of the immune system have been nullified or destroyed by the vaccine. This hyperinflammatory reaction can be fatal, and animal studies on SARS-CoV-1 vaccines showed many deaths among animal subjects that were vaccinated.

Sherri Tenpenny explains:

Because the FDA was pushed by President Trump (and Big Pharma) to fast-track vaccine approval, long-term clinical trials were skipped. As Childrens Health Defense also now reports, Pfizer is now known to have skipped critical testing and quality standards in its own vaccine production, and both Big Tech and the media have gone to extraordinary lengths to suppress any reports of vaccine injuries or deaths, all in the name of fighting misinformation (but really to protect Big Pharma profits).

Thus, by the time the vaccine clinical trials are completed and show serious long-term risks of injuries and deaths, 70% of American adults will have already been vaccinated. In essence, they have served as the guinea pigs, and sometimes medical experiments go horribly wrong and the test subjects dont survive.

No one currently pushing the vaccines has had the honesty or ethics to tell people receiving the vaccines, Hey, did you know these are experimental injections that have not been subjected to any long-term testing or clinical trials? Instead, Big Tech, Big Media, Big Science and seemingly everyone else just flat-out lies to the public and claims the vaccines are safe, effective and proven. Brainwashed lemmings repeat the phrase, I believe in science as they are injected with biological weapons nanoparticles, as if uttering a cult-like belief in the very institution thats trying to kill them will somehow suspend the laws of biochemical cause and effect.

Beyond the deaths, infertility may also strike those who took the vaccines

Even for those who survive the spike protein bioweapons injection, it turns out the spike protein also attacks ovaries and testes. According to two biodistribution studies  one published in Nature  the spike protein crosses the blood-brain barrier and is, taken up by the lung, spleen, kidney and liver.

This means the spike protein  which consists of prion-like regions  is likely to unleash at least three huge health problems in those who have been vaccinated:

1) Rapidly accelerating Alzheimers-like neurological deterioration.

2) Infertility.

3) Vascular damage due to blood clots.

Since 19 out of 20 Democrats are taking the vaccine, if these infertility and neurological effects kick in, it means sharply reduced birth rates among Democrats in America. This, of course, has long-term implications for geopolitics and even the financial sustainability of blue cities and states.

I cover all this in more detail in todays Situation Update podcast. The sections about vaccines begins at around the 55 minute mark:

Brighteon.com/d173f948-625c-48f1-a7c6-74d271a11314

Find a new podcast each day at:

https://www.brighteon.com/channels/hrreport
(Natural News) COVID vaccine researchers had previously assumed mRNA COVID vaccines would behave like traditional vaccines. The vaccines spike protein  responsible for infection and its most severe symptoms  would remain mostly in the injection site at the shoulder muscle or local lymph nodes.

(Article by Megan Redshaw republished from ChildrensHealthDefense.org)

But new research obtained by a group of scientists contradicts that theory, a Canadian cancer vaccine researcher said last week.

We made a big mistake. We didnt realize it until now, said Byram Bridle, a viral immunologist and associate professor at University of Guelph, Ontario. We thought the spike protein was a great target antigen, we never knew the spike protein itself was a toxin and was a pathogenic protein. So by vaccinating people we are inadvertently inoculating them with a toxin.

Bridle, who was awarded a $230,000 grant by the Canadian government last year for research on COVID vaccine development, said he and a group of international scientists filed a request for information from the Japanese regulatory agency to get access to Pfizers biodistribution study.

Biodistribution studies are used to determine where an injected compound travels in the body, and which tissues or organs it accumulates in.

Its the first time ever scientists have been privy to seeing where these messenger RNA [mRNA] vaccines go after vaccination, Bridle said in an interview with Alex Pierson where he first disclosed the data. Is it a safe assumption that it stays in the shoulder muscle? The short answer is: absolutely not. Its very disconcerting.

The Sars-CoV-2 has a spike protein on its surface. That spike protein is what allows it to infect our bodies, Bridle explained. That is why we have been using the spike protein in our vaccines, Bridle said. The vaccines were using get the cells in our bodies to manufacture that protein. If we can mount an immune response against that protein, in theory we could prevent this virus from infecting the body. That is the theory behind the vaccine.

However, when studying the severe COVID-19, [] heart problems, lots of problems with the cardiovascular system, bleeding and clotting, are all associated with COVID-19, he added. In doing that research, what has been discovered by the scientific community, the spike protein on its own is almost entirely responsible for the damage to the cardiovascular system, if it gets into circulation.

When the purified spike protein is injected into the blood of research animals, they experience damage to the cardiovascular system and the protein can cross the blood-brain barrier and cause damage to the brain, Bridle explained.

The biodistribution study obtained by Bridle shows the COVID spike protein gets into the blood where it circulates for several days post-vaccination and then accumulates in organs and tissues including the spleen, bone marrow, the liver, adrenal glands and in quite high concentrations in the ovaries.

We have known for a long time that the spike protein is a pathogenic protein, Bridle said. It is a toxin. It can cause damage in our body if it gets into circulation.

A large number of studies have shown the most severe effects of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID, such as blood clotting and bleeding, are due to the effects of the spike protein of the virus itself.

A recent study in Clinical and Infectious Diseases led by researchers at Brigham and Womens Hospital and the Harvard Medical School measured longitudinal plasma samples collected from 13 recipients of the Moderna vaccine 1 and 29 days after the first dose and 1-28 days after the second dose.

Out of these individuals, 11 had detectable levels of SARS-CoV-2 protein in blood plasma as early as one day after the first vaccine dose, including three who had detectable levels of spike protein. A subunit protein called S1, part of the spike protein, was also detected.

Spike protein was detected an average of 15 days after the first injection, and one patient had spike protein detectable on day 29  one day after a second vaccine dose  which disappeared two days later.

The results showed S1 antigen production after the initial vaccination can be detected by day one and is present beyond the injection site and the associated regional lymph nodes.

Assuming an average adult blood volume of approximately 5 liters, this corresponds to peak levels of approximately 0.3 micrograms of circulating free antigen for a vaccine designed only to express membrane-anchored antigen.

In a study published in Nature Neuroscience, lab animals injected with purified spike protein into their bloodstream developed cardiovascular problems. The spike protein also crossed the blood-brain barrier and caused damage to the brain.

It was a grave mistake to believe the spike protein would not escape into the blood circulation, according to Bridle. Now, we have clear-cut evidence that the vaccines that make the cells in our deltoid muscles manufacture this protein  that the vaccine itself, plus the protein  gets into blood circulation, he said.

Bridle said the scientific community has discovered the spike protein, on its own, is almost entirely responsible for the damage to the cardiovascular system, if it gets into circulation.

Once in circulation, the spike protein can attach to specific ACE2 receptors that are on blood platelets and the cells that line blood vessels, Bridle said. When that happens it can do one of two things. It can either cause platelets to clump, and that can lead to clotting  thats exactly why weve been seeing clotting disorders associated with these vaccines. It can also lead to bleeding, he added.

Both clotting and bleeding are associated with vaccine-induced thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT). Bridle also said the spike protein in circulation would explain recently reported heart problems in vaccinated teens.

Stephanie Seneff, senior research scientists at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, said it is now clear vaccine content is being delivered to the spleen and the glands, including the ovaries and the adrenal glands, and is being shed into the medium and then eventually reaches the bloodstream causing systemic damage.

ACE2 receptors are common in the heart and brain, she added. And this is how the spike protein causes cardiovascular and cognitive problems.

Dr. J. Patrick Whelan, a pediatric rheumatologist, warned the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in December mRNA vaccines could cause microvascular injury to the brain, heart, liver and kidneys in ways not assessed in safety trials.

In a public submission, Whelan sought to alert the FDA to the potential for vaccines designed to create immunity to the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein to instead cause injuries.

Whelan was concerned the mRNA vaccine technology utilized by Pfizer and Moderna had the potential to cause microvascular injury (inflammation and small blood clots called microthrombi) to the brain, heart, liver and kidneys in ways that were not assessed in the safety trials.

Read more at: ChildrensHealthDefense.org and DangerousMedicine.com.
(Natural News) Glitter is tiny, sparkly and festive, but these minuscule particles are harmful to the environment. According to experts, glitter should be banned to protect oceans and marine life.

Why is glitter bad for the environment?

Glitter particles are very small, and marine animals often mistake them for food. This is bad because microplastics like glitter can damage their livers and affect their behavior. Each glitter particle also takes thousands of years to break down.

Back in 2017, Dr. Trisia Farrelly from Massey University in New Zealand advised that all glitter should be banned because its microplastic. She added that producers should take responsibility for selling disposable, single-use plastics that cause environmental damage and harm marine life.

Both the U.S. and the U.K. have tried to ban microplastics by prohibiting the manufacture of cosmetics and care products with microbeads. Banning these products will help protect marine environment from a common source of plastic pollution.

Microbeads in cosmetics and other products are washed down the drain and pollute the seas. Fish and crustaceans also often mistake them for food. Studies suggest that microbeads have adverse effects on the health of marine animals.

Glitter is just as bad as toxic microbeads

Glitter is made from tiny pieces of plastic, making it just as bad for the environment as microbeads. It is usually made with a thin colored layer and a reflective layer like aluminum. These layers are then bonded into a thin sheet and cut into tiny shapes.

Commercial glitter used for crafting and decorations can range from 0.05 to 6.35 mm (0.002 to .25 inches) in size. Meanwhile, cosmetic glitter is often made of tiny particles of plastic, aluminum and coloring. Cosmetic glitter is used in products like makeup, nail polish and hair spray.

If your kids have ever used glitter for an arts and crafts project at home, youll know how difficult it is to clean up. Imagine how much harder it is to get rid of glitter thats polluting the oceans. (Related: Eco-friendly glitter just as damaging to the environment as conventional glitter, study finds.)

Experts are calling for the ban on glitter because its made of a polymer called polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or Mylar that ends up in landfills. Glitter can also get washed down drains, where they finally end up in water sources.

Glitter accounts for a shocking 92.4 percent of the total 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic polluting the worlds oceans. Once glitter reaches bodies of water, it can absorb chemicals and pollutants, which makes them toxic to marine animals that accidentally consume them.

Glitter can be eaten by plankton, which is then eaten by fish. You can even get glitter into your system by eating contaminated fish. Experts also warn that theres no way to keep glitter out of the food you eat. Studies have found that microplastics can even be found in tap water.

Greener glitter alternatives

If your kids insist on using glitter for arts and crafts, try making biodegradable glitter using Epsom salts.

Materials:

Epsom salt, the plain and coarse kind

Jars

Craft sticks or spoons for stirring

Water-based paint or food coloring

Steps:

Put enough Epsom salt into a jar, about the same amount as how much glitter you want to make. Add some paint or several drops of food coloring. Stir until the Epsom salt is well coated. Spread out the colored Epsom salt and let it dry for 12 to 24 hours. Break up any clumps before using.

Visit Environ.news to learn how you can protect the environment from the dangers of glitter and other microplastics.

Sources include:

DailyMail.co.uk

CuriousChloride.com

MomsAndCrafters.com
(Natural News) Jennifer Bridges, a nurse at Houston Methodist Hospital, has come forward with more information about her employers criminal attempts at suppressing the truth about the dangers of Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccines.

Bridges told Del Bigtree during a recent episode of The Highwire that she and her coworkers at Houston Methodist are now forbidden from logging any adverse reactions to Chinese Virus injections on the companys official records.

Every time a nurse or another employee comes out with an adverse reaction, they basically tell them in the ER  No, its not an adverse reaction. This is just an intolerance. And they dont report it properly and they dont address it properly, Bridges explained.

And Ive actually been in contact with somebody in the hospital system that deals with, like, the charting and the finalization of peoples charts  They have told me that officially Methodist has told them, Do not list any adverse reactions on anybodys chart related to the vaccine.'

Houston Methodist was also in the news recently for a lawsuit that was filed by at least 112 of its employees who say they are being unlawfully coerced and threatened into getting jabbed as a condition of employment.

People are being told to not talk about this, not address it, and not label it on charts, Bridges says about Houston Methodists fascist behavior. As employees, [we] have to go to the system and document these adverse reactions because Methodist is not doing it.

You can watch a clip of Jennifer Bridges talking to Del Bigtree about Houston Methodists illegal covid vaccine mandate below:

Houston Methodist, Anthony Fauci and Bill Gates are all guilty of crimes against humanity

Meanwhile, the Chinese Virus house of cards is crumbling by the day as more revelations from the Fauci Emails emerge, painting a picture of total corruption, fraud and crimes against humanity hinged on the back of a global pandemic.

If Houston Methodist does not take a step back from its medical fascism crusade, it could soon find itself on the wrong side of history facing the same potential punishments that Anthony Fauci, Bill Gates and the other successors of Josef Mengele who are in clear violation of the Nuremberg Code may soon face.

Does Houston Medicals leadership really want to face possible war crimes charges concerning these fake vaccines? Do they really want to find themselves mired in litigation as they continue to drag their reputation through the mud with each passing day?

This writer would certainly never get an operation there, as who knows what kind of medical accident might occur under that type of leadership. Who in his right mind would ever put his life in the hands of medical personnel who see nothing wrong with discarding the Hippocratic Oath while lying about the damaging effects of experimental gene therapy injections?

Their boss claims 99% compliance on the shot-taking. 99%? Seems high. What did they do to get that, if true? We know there were adverse events, wrote one commenter at National File. They are required to report them but choose not to? How does an employer keep 26K employees in line? Oh yeah, they kick them out.

This covid madness continues to ruin peoples lives, one way or the other, this same person added, emphasizing the ridiculousness of all the Chinese Virus nonsense. All shots (vaccines) are not alike and frankly, neither adults nor kids need most of the ones they want to push on the population, but especially this deadly Covid-19 stuff.

More related news stories about the Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccines and medical fascism can be found at ChemicalViolence.com.

Sources for this article include:

NationalFile.com

NaturalNews.com

NationalFile.com
The OCA Eagles Soccer Team celebrates on the pitch during a 2022 Special Olympics USA Games One-Year-Out celebration and press event at Exploria Stadium on Friday, June 8, 2021. Exploria Stadium is where opening ceremonies will be held in 12 months. The team was informed minutes earlier that they will be competing in the games. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel) (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)
(Natural News) A pair of experts provided key pieces of evidence supporting the possibility that the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic started with a virus escaping from the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV).

Steven Quay, who holds both a masters and a doctorate degree from the University of Michigan, and Richard Muller, emeritus professor of physics at the University of California, Berkeley, wrote in an op-ed published by the Wall Street Journal on Sunday, June 6, that there are two factors strongly suggesting a lab origin of the outbreak that has infected more than 174 million people worldwide.

The presence of the double CGG sequence is strong evidence of gene splicing, and the absence of diversity in the public outbreak suggests gain-of-function acceleration. The scientific evidence points to the conclusion that the virus was developed in a laboratory, the pair wrote.

Gain-of-function researchers sequence of choice appears in SARS-CoV-2

In gain-of-function research, a microbiologist can increase the lethality of a coronavirus enormously by splicing a special sequence into its genome at a prime location. This leaves no trace of manipulation but alters the virus spike protein, rendering it easier for the virus to inject genetic material into the victim cell.

According to the pair, there have been at least 11 separate experiments adding a special sequence to the same location since 1992. The end result has always been supercharged viruses.

A genome is a blueprint for the factory of a cell to make proteins. The language is made up of three-letter words that represent the 20 different amino acids.

Quay and Muller noted that in the entire class of coronaviruses that includes SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, the CGG-CGG combination has never been found naturally.

But in laboratory works, the insertion sequence of choice is the double CGG. It is readily available and convenient, and scientists have a great deal of experience inserting it. The double CGG sequence also creates a useful beacon that permits the scientists to track the insertion in the laboratory.

The double CGG sequence is the exact sequence that appears in SARS-CoV-2 virus.

Proponents of zoonotic origin must explain why the novel coronavirus, when it mutated or recombined, happened to pick its least favorite combination, the double CGG. Why did it replicate the choice the labs gain-of-function researchers would have made? the pair wrote, referring to those who believe that the virus jumped from animal to human.

At the minimum, this fact  that the coronavirus, with all its random possibilities, took the rare and unnatural combination used by human researchers  implies that the leading theory for the origin of the coronavirus must be laboratory escape.

Lack of genetic diversity points to SARS-CoV-2s gain-of-function origin

The difference in the genetic diversity of SARS-CoV-2 compared with the coronaviruses responsible for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) is another scientific evidence that points to SARS-CoV-2s gain-of-function origin.

Both SARS and MERS were confirmed to have a natural origin  the viruses evolved as they spread through the human population until the most contagious forms dominated.

On the other hand, COVID-19 appeared in humans already adapted into an extremely contagious version. No serious viral improvement took place until a minor variation occurred many months later in England.

Quay and Muller said such early optimization is unprecedented, and it suggests a long period of adaptation that predated its public spread.

Science knows of only one way that could be achieved and that is through simulated natural evolution, growing the virus on human cells until the optimum is achieved, they wrote. That is precisely what is done in gain-of-function research.

Scientists now speaking up about possibility of lab-leak theory

The lab-leak theory has attracted fresh attention after President Joe Biden asked the national intelligence community to take a closer look at the possibility. So far, the pieces of evidence are mostly circumstantial.

Days before Biden was sworn in, the Department of State issued a fact sheet saying that several researchers at WIV had fallen ill with COVID-like symptoms before the first publicly known case. It also said that the institute had worked secretly with the Chinese military. (Related: New book details Dr. Faucis involvement in Wuhan and the Chinese militarys dangerous gain-of-function coronavirus research.)

We assumed the fact sheet wasnt going to make immediate headlines. But we wanted to put the information into the record so that people could reckon with these facts when tensions and fevers had dropped, said David Feith, a former state department official.

According to reports, the driving factor behind the resurgence of the lab-leak theory was a shift among scientists.

A group of 18 prominent scientists recently wrote a letter to the Science journal, saying that both the zoonotic origin and lab-leak theories were viable and should be taken seriously until sufficient data were obtained. They said the recent investigation that the World Health Organization conducted with China had not given balanced consideration to both scenarios.

The most important thing that has happened is that prominent virologists have since spoken out, a person familiar with the matter said.

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Dr. Anthony Fauci also appeared to change his stance. Last year, he said the science strongly indicates that the virus emerged naturally, but he recently said he was not convinced and backed an investigation.

Feith noticed the difference, noting that during the previous administration even those working on the issue inside the government were not aware of how much scientific opinion was on their side because scientists were generally not speaking up.

Follow Pandemic.news for more news and information related to the coronavirus pandemic.

Sources include:

TheEpochTimes.com

WSJ.com

FT.com
(Natural News) It has come to our attention that Facebooks independent fact checkers have been relying on a phony letter written by EcoHealth Alliance head Peter Daszak, a Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) lab partner who was developing bat coronavirus bioweapons in partnership with Anthony Fauci, to debunk claims that the Chinese Virus may have originated inside a lab.

The lab origin theory, as it is now called, centers around the idea that American taxpayer dollars that were funneled by Fauci straight into communist China were used to develop the Chinese Virus, which was officially blamed on tainted bats at a Wuhan wet market.

For most of last year, Big Tech, the mainstream media, and government officials outside of the Trump administration claimed that there was no evidence that the Wuhan Flu originated at a lab. They insisted that it occurred naturally out of nowhere, resulting in a global plandemic that conveniently made the rich richer and the poor poorer.

That narrative began to change in recent weeks after Fauci was caught lying under oath to Sen. Rand Paul about his involvement in illegal gain of function research, which the National Institutes of Health (NIH) was funding overseas with American tax dollars after it was banned here on our own soil.

The gain of function ban was lifted, we now know, right before Donald Trump was installed into the White House, though Fauci never informed anyone about it.

Four years later, and bombshells are being dropped almost daily showing the corruption and treason of Fauci and his allies, who appear to have developed the Chinese Virus intentionally. Millions of people have since died and the world has been plunged into economic turmoil thanks to Fauci and his co-minions.

The jig is up: Fauci and Daszak are done

As for Facebook, it helped Fauci do his dirty work by covering up all traces  or so it thought  of evidence substantiating the lab origin theory. And now that even the mainstream media is cracking, Facebook has a lot of egg on its face for participating in the sham.

For almost the entirety of 2020, Facebook labeled all lab origin theory content as false information, even though the proof it had of this all came from Daszak, a co-conspirator with a vested interest in deflecting attention away from the theory.

Facebook partnered up with a group called Science Feedback, which published an article back in February that intentionally spread lies on Daszak and Faucis behalf, framing these lies as scientific proof that the Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) originated in bats rather than at a Wuhan lab.

This article specifically cited a letter written to The Lancet, signed by 27 eminent public health experts, that denies all links between the Chinese Virus and any Wuhan lab. The letter, however, came straight from Daszak.

Though no definitive proof has emerged yet to show whether COVID-19 leaked from a lab or crossed over to humans directly from an animal, mounting evidence in support of the lab leak theory has emerged in recent weeks  after academics dismissed it as impossible for more than a year, reports the DailyMail Online (United Kingdom).

It is now clear that many of the leading experts in emerging coronavirus threats, who rushed to dismiss the lab leak theory early in the pandemic, were potentially conflicted, fearing that confirmation of a leak would shut down virology labs around the world and cut off their precious flow of funding.

What comes next is an unfolding story that we will continue to reveal as it becomes known, so stay tuned.

More of the latest news about Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) deception can be found at Pandemic.news.

Sources for this article include:

DailyMail.co.uk

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) A divorce court judge last month ordered a Texas man and his ex to get a coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine.

The divorce docket dated May 10 gave this order: Both parents are to get vaccinated for COVID by end of this week. District Judge Travis Kitchens made the handwritten vaccine order, according to the Trinity County clerks office.

He pretty much told me and her both that we were to get a COVID vaccination, said Chris Staley. I shook my head, and he said, I see that Mr. Staley doesnt agree with this.'

Vaccine listed as requirement for Staley to have visitation with kids

The vaccine was listed as a requirement by the judge in order for Staley to have visitation with his kids, according to Trinity County court records.

I didnt agree with it myself, and he pretty much told me that I guess I didnt want to see my kids, said Staley.

Staley lives in Cleveland, Texas, but has been going through a divorce via Zoom in Trinity County where his ex lives with their four kids.

I just feel like my civil rights were kind of violated there, whenever a judge is ordering me to take a vaccination, like I said, thats not FDA-approved, and they really have no idea what the side effects could be down the road, you know  what it could do to me in a year or five years, said Staley.

The mRNA vaccines produced by Pfizer and Moderna, as well as the one-dose COVID-19 vaccine from Johnson & Johnson, are all approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under the emergency use authorization (EUA) protocol. (Related: Federal law prohibits mandates of emergency use COVID vaccines, tests, masks  3 resources you can use to inform your school or employer.)

EUAs are granted to medications for which there is a perceived immediate need but which have not yet been through the rigors of a fully FDA-licensed drug. This renders EUA products experimental, with attending legal differences from their licensed counterparts.

The FDA states that as EUA products, each vaccine is an investigational vaccine not licensed for any indication, and the agency requires that all promotional material relating to the COVID-19 vaccine clearly and conspicuously  state that this product has not been approved or licensed by the FDA, but has been authorized for emergency use by FDA.

Staley felt he should have the right to see his four kids, ages 6 to 11, without a vaccine. No underlying anything  they were perfectly fine, said Staley of his childrens health.

He refused to get a COVID-19 vaccine despite the advice of his lawyer, Lana Shadwick.

Shadwick told Staley that Kitchens will be the one whos going to set his visitations and that it would be in his best interest not to upset the judge. She pretty much said you probably should just go get the vaccine, said Staley.

Court records show the attorney withdrew from the case.

Staley is trying to reach Texas Governor Greg Abbott, who signed an executive order earlier this year prohibiting state agencies or political subdivisions in Texas from creating a vaccine passport requirement, or otherwise conditioning receipt of services on an individuals COVID-19 vaccination status.

Pandemic has become a factor in custody and visitation battles

The pandemic has become a factor in custody and visitation battles. Last year in South Florida, an emergency room doctor treating coronavirus patients was stripped of custody of her 4-year-old daughter. An appeals court quickly overturned the decision, and the childs estranged parents eventually resolved their custody disagreement.

The doctors attorney, Steven Nullman, conceded that judges face a challenge when balancing parental rights and health concerns. There are so many unknowns with this disease, he said. Making the right decision is not easy.

Other cases followed across the country, the majority of which involved at least one parent working on the front lines of the health crisis.

Mask wearing has also figured prominently in some cases. For example, Broward Circuit Judge Dale Cohen wont let Melanie Joseph see her 14-year-old son because she wont wear a mask. (Related: Florida steals custody of child after mother observed not wearing mask in photo.)

Cohen called the mother an anti-mask person who had the audacity to brag about it on Facebook.

Joseph drew the judges ire when she posted a picture of herself maskless in the waiting room of her oral surgeons office in June last year.

Shes one of those anti-mask people and shes got the audacity to post that on social media, Cohen said. Shes going to wear a mask. If she doesnt, time-sharing is not going to happen.

Joseph acknowledged in an interview that she posted a selfie taken at her oral surgeons office. No mask for this girl, she wrote in the caption. But Joseph said that it happened in North Carolina where there was no mask mandate at the time, and that she was alone in the waiting room when she took the selfie without mask.

She accused the judge of letting his personal political views cloud his judgment in the case. My case has been in the court system for a number of years and I have experience with court proceedings, she said. What occurred is unconstitutional and should never happen to a parent.

Ultimately, the issue of masks never made it into Cohens written ruling.

Follow Immunization.news for more news and information related to coronavirus vaccines.

Sources include:

LifeSiteNews.com

Sun-Sentinel.com
(Natural News) Plandemic creator Dr. Judy Mikovits recently sat down with the Health Ranger to discuss Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccines, warning that they are the real virus that will kill upwards of 50 million people in America alone.

According to Dr. Mikovits, who has been working in the field of virology for decades, every pandemic that arises is the result of people being injected with viruses that end up harming or killing them. The Chinese Virus is no exception.

We knew the flu vaccine put people at risk of dying from covid,' Dr. Mikovits revealed. Never, ever, ever get another shot and we will never, ever, ever see another pandemic. Weve been creating these in our labs my entire career. This was my job.

Dr. Mikovits has been trying to warn people to stay away from the injections, which only add to the viral pollution that was administered through earlier injections. So-called vaccines are, in fact, the delivery system for viral destruction, not airborne spread.

We told everybody exactly what would happen, and now 100 million Americans, and I dont even know how many worldwide, have been injected with a synthetic virus with the disease  the most dangerous, if you will, spike protein consisting of HIV, XMRV, and SARS, Dr. Mikovits says.

So you just weaponized it  and we predicted this mass murder and it happened anyway.

You can watch the full segment from Brighteon.com below:

Fauci and Gates are deliberately committing mass murder

Going back decades, the medical deep state, with Anthony Fauci as one of its top ringleaders, has been tricking people into getting injected for all sorts of things under the guise of staying protected against those things.

The reality, however, is that all injections contain deadly viruses that cause the very things they are purported to prevent. This is true for HIV and AIDS, which Dr. Mikovits says was given to people deliberately through tainted hepatitis B injections.

Its to kill people to cover up these crimes, she says about the current operation involving mass injections for the Chinese Virus.

For 40 years, if you know a manufacturing defect, if you know how to make a vaccine safer, then you have liability. So, think about it. In HIV / AIDS at the height of the epidemic, it was one million Americans. Now its 25-50 million Americans. Kill them, call it covid, and you dont have to pay life insurance, you dont have to pay to take care of these people for the rest of their lives. Its trillions of dollars.

Dr. Mikovits co-authored a new book, entitled Ending Plague, that talks more about this phenomenon. Dr. Francis W. Ruscetti and Kent Heckenlively, J.D., both contributed to this publication, which was published in conjunction with Childrens Health Defense (CHD).

A disease to affect the economy of nations, is how Dr. Mikovits describes the endgame of the Chinese Virus and its associated injections, which she expects will result in mass death once the operation, dubbed Operation Warp Speed, runs its full course.

Its unbelievable how people have totally lost their brain, wrote one Brighteon commenter about how too many people are lapping right up the plandemic nonsense being dispensed by the authorities. Everyone is so brainwashed and doesnt even see that the vaccine has no official long-term testing!

Another wrote that the injections admittedly do not protect against infection, spread or serious injury or death, so what could possibly be their purpose other than mass depopulation?

This brought me some peace and ease knowing our bodies are capable of healing, wrote another about Dr. Mikovits encouraging words about how there are ways a vaccinated person can heal  be sure to watch the full interview to learn more.

To keep up with the latest news about Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) injections, visit ChemicalViolence.com.

Sources for this article include:

NaturalNews.com

Brighteon.com

PlagueTheBook.com
(Natural News) Just like perverted clowns at a freak circus trying to lure your children away from you with candy and a crooked smile, the CDC and the vaccine industrial complex are getting a $10 billion dollar infusion from the Biden Regime for marketing and advertising all the deadly, blood-clotting Covid vaccines to children as young as 12. This smacks of memories of cigarette manufacturers targeting kids and teenagers to turn them into early-death smokers, except the vaccines are killing people within weeks, instead of decades.

Young Americans are being lured and coerced right now into getting deadly inoculations by getting baited by the US government, with free pot, beer, donuts, lottery tickets and free seats at professional sporting events. Why not just offer all the youngsters free porno, while youre at it? Call it trans-vaxx-education with lots of free perks and pokes from pervs.

Snaxx for Vaxx means get high while you get stuck with needles containing mutated gene therapy that causes mad cow disease

Vaccines are perverted medicine to begin with. Vaccines contain all kinds of corrupt genes, tissues from human abortions, viruses from other animals, mercury and now they carry mRNA gene-instructing toxins that force the human body to uncontrollably create protein prions that clog blood flow to vital organs, including the lungs and brain.

With less than a .04 death rate from Covid, and nearly a zero-point-zero death rate for healthy young adults (plus teens and children), why in the heck does the US government, NIH, CDC and FDA have to lure healthy people into getting inoculated, using free drugs (ie: commercial medical group), alcohol, junk food and show tickets? (And its all approved by the Bidens vaccine industrial complex.)

The answer is simple. Covid-19 vaccines kill, and the Biden Regime is all about population control via vaccine genocide. And the irony of using marijuana and cannabis to shoot these kids up with needles containing known neurotoxins is absolutely sickening. How can us adults forget that back in the 1990s, at least half a million marijuana users and sellers were arrested each year and thrown in jail or prison to serve hard time? Just for smoking pot then, you would serve hard time in prison, as if you were a drug dealer slinging cocaine or heroin.

People served more time in prison for smoking and/or selling pot than if they raped someone. Now its being given away for free if you get blood-clotting inoculations. Hey, potheads, got the munchies? Stick this needle in your arm and youll never be hungry again (cause youll be dead).

Recalling reefer madness and the fake war on drugs  now the script is flipped and you get free drugs and alcohol if you agree to die from toxic vaccines

Fact: No one has ever died from an overdose of marijuana, but 5,000 people have already died from Coronavirus vaccines. Horrible side effects and health-decimating adverse events (as the industry calls them) are happening all over the world to humans that have been conned, coerced and forced (get the jab or lose your job style) to be injected repeatedly with neurotoxins.

And now, a drug that you went to prison for 10 years for doing just a few decades ago, is being offered for FREE to lure in young adults, thats tens of millions humans that definitely do not need vaccines for Covid. What happened to all that reefer madness talk, and dont smoke pot because its the gateway drug that leads to cocaine and heroin? Oh, so now its good for you and highly promoted to use cocaine, heroin and mRNA-gene-altering drugs in America? Pot is the gateway drug, right?

So, is it the  War ON Drugs or War FOR Drugs? Nobody can remember the government slogans anymore cause theyre too high from CDC-pot and suffering from vaccine-induced dementia.

The US government used to say pot makes people violent. Well, they must have never attended a Grateful Dead show, because all those potheads did was stand around dancing, laughing, making out, throwing Frisbees and eating grilled cheese sandwiches. Pot is not a gateway drug and it definitely doesnt stir up violence, in fact, weed makes more tree huggers than any other force on the planet.

The medical industrial complex in America runs the US government now, and theyre not worried about Mexican immigrants with trucks full of weed driving right past border patrol into California, Texas and Arizona anymore. Weve switched from reefer madness to vaccine madness, and this time around you dont do prison time, you do cemetery time.

Dont accept perks and pokes from demented pervs

If none of this makes sense to you, then consider these two questions: First, why are the CDC and the vaccine manufacturers offering you a free joint (to smoke) to help you stay protected from a dangerous respiratory sickness? Secondly, would do they offer you free beer and free donuts to encourage you to be healthy?

The SARS-CoV-2 China Flu virus was created in a laboratory to switch from infecting Chinese bats to maiming and killing humans (gain of function), and the Covid-19 vaccines are made in laboratories to kill humans. Now tune your internet frequency to Pandemic.news for updates on these crimes against humanity being delivered under the guise of inoculation. Plus, learn how to best prepare for the upcoming vaccine-induced wipeout.

Sources for this article include:

Pandemic.news

NaturalNews.com

LifeSiteNews.com

TheRecoveryCenter.org

CovidVaccineReactions.com
(Natural News) Employees within the Department of State were warned by their higher-ups not to investigate the theory that the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) was engineered in a lab in Wuhan and escaped because it would open Pandoras box.

It smelled like a cover-up, said Thomas DiNanno, former acting assistant secretary of the State Departments Bureau of Arms Control, Verification and Compliance (AVC). DiNannos attempt to investigate the lab leak theory was thwarted at every turn by hostile and antagonistic federal government personnel.

DiNanno was one of four State Department officials interviewed by the magazine Vanity Fair. The other three individuals were David Asher, a former contracted senior investigator who ran the State Departments day-to-day COVID-19 origins inquiry, David Feith, former deputy assistant secretary of state in the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs and Miles Yu, the departments principal China strategist.

These four individuals wanted to conduct a full and thorough investigation into the possibility that COVID-19 was engineered by Chinese researchers and it spread after it accidentally escaped from a lab in the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV). But their efforts to get to the truth were muzzled by high-ranking State Department officials, including people within the Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation (ISN).

Matthew Pottinger, a former deputy national security advisor, recalled how there would be an antibody response within the entire federal government whenever people attempted to bring up the discussion of COVID-19s potential lab origin. Miles Yu said this maddening silence extended to the international scientific community.

Anyone who dares speak out would be ostracized, said Yu. (Related: Former CDC director says he got DEATH THREATS from fellow scientists for suggesting coronavirus came from lab-leak.)

The story of why parts of the U.S. government were not as curious as many of us think they should have been is a hugely important one, said Feith. You had Chinese [government] coercion and suppression. We were very concerned that they were covering [the coronavirus] up and whether the information coming to the World Health Organization was reliable.

State Department feared investigation would uncover American grant funding that supported gain-of-function research

The cover-up operation came to a head during a meeting on Dec. 8, 2020. On this day, around a dozen State Department employees from four different bureaus gathered in a conference room to discuss the World Health Organizations supposed fact-finding mission to Wuhan.

The group agreed that there was a need to pressure Beijing to give the investigative team full and unimpeded access to whatever markets, hospitals and government laboratories it wants. But the State Department employees came to an impasse when the discussion turned to what the government should say publicly regarding the WIV.

One group from the AVC had extensive information regarding the WIVs research. This group had even recently acquired classified intelligence suggesting that three WIV researchers conducting gain-of-function experiments on coronaviruses became sick in the fall of 2019. This was months before the world became aware of COVID-19.

Gain-of-function research is a term used in medical research that involves experiments that alter pathogens to make them more infectious or transmissible for a broader range of hosts. Proponents of gain-of-function research argue that it helps scientists understand a pathogens traits, allowing people to better understand what treatments can fight these pathogens. Critics argue the risk of accidentally unleashing threats that are not found in nature is too great.

While the officials in the meeting discussed what information they could share, they were prevented from pursuing the idea any further. Christopher Park, director of the State Departments Biological Policy Staff in the ISN, advised the officials to not say anything that would put a spotlight on the fact that American grant funding supported the WIVs gain-of-function research.

Another State Department official warned that any focus on gain-of-function research would open a can of worms on American involvement in the matter.

One such grant was given to the EcoHealth Alliance, a nonprofit supposedly dedicated to protecting people against emerging diseases. Some of this grant money was funneled to the WIV. The White House of former President Donald Trump revoked EcoHealths grant, but the National Institutes of Health (NIH) reinstated it.

NIH Director Francis Collins claimed that the grant funds that went to the WIV were for categorizing bat-borne viruses. He justified providing these funds to the WIV because the SARS and MERS viruses are believed to have come from bats. But, during a radio interview, Collins did admit that the lab was not fully transparent about how it used the grant money.

We had no control over what else they were doing with those funds, said Collins.

Asher said that, during his time as the lead in the coronavirus origins inquiry, it became clear that there was a huge gain-of-function bureaucracy inside the federal government.

Learn more about the massive cover-up surrounding the true engineered origins of the coronavirus by reading the latest articles at Pandemic.news.

Sources include:

DailyMail.co.uk

VanityFair.com

WashingtonTimes.com
(Natural News) Texas has officially adopted a resolution condemning the Chinese communist regimes systematic killing of prisoners of conscience for their organs.

(Article by Eva Fu republished from TheEpochTimes.com)

Every year, thousands of individuals from around the world who are desperately ill fly to China, where they can get an organ transplant surgery in as little as two weeks.

In doing so, they may be unwittingly becoming involved in murder in the form of forced organ harvesting, reads the resolution, which aims to warn Texans against taking part in transplant tourism.

Known as TX SCR3, the resolution also urges Congress and the president to adopt measures prosecuting those responsible for the abuse, banning them from entering America, and barring U.S. medical and pharmaceutical companies from collaborating with any complicit Chinese counterparts.

The resolution unanimously passed through both chambers of the state legislature. Gov. Greg Abbott signed it on June 7.

Its a significant message on behalf of 29 million Texans, that we condemn in the highest terms the conduct of the Chinese government and their human trafficking, Texas state Rep. Matt Shaheen, the lead sponsor of the resolution, said in a recent interview with NTD, a sister media outlet of The Epoch Times.

In no way do the tax dollars of 29 million Texans go to support such atrocious behavior and terrible human rights violations.

Shaheen, a primary sponsor for the House version of the resolution, said he first became aware of the issue around three years ago, when Falun Gong practitionersa primary target for forced organ harvestingapproached him for help. Some of them hadnt heard from their detained family members in years, he said.

[Those were] some meetings Ill never forget, Shaheen said, adding that he was just horrified upon hearing about what the Chinese government was doing.

The meditation discipline Falun Gong was widely popular in China during the 1990s. By state estimates, 70 million to 100 million people were practicing it as of 1999. In July of that year, the Chinese regime, believing its power was threatened by such popularity, launched a nationwide persecution campaign designed to eradicate the faith. Practitioners of Falun Gong have since faced police harassment, detention, physical torture, and organ harvesting.

Shaheen wrote to the Chinese Embassy in Washington demanding to know the whereabouts of the detained families of Texas Falun Gong practitioners, but never heard back, he said.

Dr. Howard Monsour, a gastroenterologist in Granbury who testified to the state Senate on the resolution, said its a very important beginning in the process of shedding light on the organ harvesting issue and many other abuses.

I dont think that you can meet any of the people whove been tortured, imprisoned in China, and not start to have a feeling of human rights abuses that have occurred and the need to go out and make it public, Monsour told NTD in late April.

Monsour, who has decades of experience in liver transplantation, said the regimes organ harvesting practice was beyond belief.

This is something that goes back to Nazi Germany and things they did with the Jews, and the story needs to be told, he said. We need to get this out there, and we need to stop this practice.

About a decade ago, Monsour was the director of a liver cancer program where he met a patient, a Texas resident, whose condition had become too serious to be treated by a liver transplant.

After getting the same response from a number of hospitals, the man flew to China for a liver, priced at $88,000. The man passed away eight months later after his cancer metastasized.

Yes, we all like to think we are moral individuals. But when were faced with death, you know, well try anything, Monsour said.

We really have to protect our people from going over and doing this.

Monsour over the past year has talked with many medical professionals about the issue. Many couldnt believe it because it sounds like a horror movie, he said.

The look in peoples eyespeople cant believe it, he said. Thats going to be the challenge to get people to believe this, because it sounds so horrific.

At the state Senate hearing, a survivor of the persecution said he saw an ambulance arrive one night at the prison where he was held. The inmates lay on their beds facing the wall, waiting for their names to be called. Three people were taken from his cell that night and never returned.

Monsour was hopeful that the resolution would help get the word out.

I dont think youll see any American whowe believe in freedomwill not support to stop whats going on in China at this time, he said.

Read more at: TheEpochTimes.com and OrganHarvesting.news
(Natural News) On Wednesday, June 2, social media app TikTok quietly changed its privacy policy in the United States to permit itself to collect biometric data from its users.

TikTok, which has over 100 million users in the U.S. alone, introduced a newly added section in its privacy policy titled Image and Audio Information. Under the heading of Information we collect automatically, the app said it will collect biometric identifiers and biometric information such as faceprints and voiceprints. The company claimed that it will seek permission to collect the data where required by law.

On top of this, TikToks privacy policy said it will collect other information in the content its users post. It said:

We may collect information about the images and audio that are a part of your User Content, such as identifying the objects and scenery that appear, the existence and location within an image of face and body features and attributes, the nature of the audio and the text of the words spoken in your User Content. We may collect this information to enable special video effects, for content moderation, for demographic classification, for content and ad recommendations and for other non-personally-identifying operations.

Other social media apps and websites already conduct object recognition on images their users upload. These processes are supposedly done to power accessibility features, such as helping an app recognize what is in a photo somebody uploads. These object recognition processes are also usually done for ad targeting purposes.

Intentionally vague language of privacy policy could allow TikTok to steal a lot of sensitive personal data

Other than stating that it may collect faceprints and voiceprints, TikTok refused to clearly define the exact nature of the biometrics it will collect. It has also refused to answer why this policy change was made nor offer any convincing reason why a social media app like itself has to collect such intimate data from its users.

Furthermore, the vaguely worded language of the updated privacy policy could allow TikTok to amass a treasure trove of sensitive data without its users explicit and informed consent.

TikToks emphasis on only asking for permission to collect user data where required by law is potentially very dangerous. Only a handful of states  Washington, Texas, New York, Illinois and California  have laws that restrict how much biometric data companies are allowed to collect. (Related: Big tech supporting and writing privacy legislation in multiple states to preempt passage of stronger privacy laws.)

This could mean that, for users not from the above-mentioned states, users are already consenting to have their biometric data collected by simply agreeing to TikToks terms of service.

The revisions to TikToks privacy policy come less than four months after the company agreed to settle a class-action lawsuit in Illinois and pay the plaintiffs $92 million. The plaintiffs alleged that the app violated Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act by stealing personal and biometric data from users all over the country for targeted advertising purposes. This information was taken without meeting the informed consent provisions required by state law.

As part of the companys settlement, TikTok agreed to comply with state law by ceasing its collection and storage of biometric information, biometric identifiers, geolocation or GPS data unless this is expressly disclosed in the companys privacy policy.

The changes to the privacy policy might be a way to make sure TikTok can take personal data without violating any more laws.

This latest update has set off a lot of new alarm bells for privacy advocates. But before the release of the new privacy policy, TikTok was already allowed to gather a fairly extensive amount of data from its users.

Learn more about how social media giants like TikTok force users to willingly give it their data by reading the latest articles at PrivacyWatch.news.

Sources include:

DailyMail.co.uk

TechCrunch.com

TheHackerNews.com

WKYC.com
(Natural News) Former President Donald Trump was the best thing for America when it came to confronting our biggest enemy, China, and thats because he not only understood the threat Beijing poses, but also because he wasnt owned by the Chinese Communist Party, unlike the current White House occupant.

But the deep state relieved the country of Trump by stealing his reelection, when  had he been allowed to reap the rewards of a second term  the entire nation would have been better off, primarily because we would have had at least another four years worth of keeping the Beijing threat at bay.

Still, that hasnt stopped the former president from speaking up and speaking out against China, especially when it comes to the Asian nations culpability regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.

Though Dr. Anthony Fauci, the Biden regime, most Democrats in Congress, and a whole bunch of American corporations who are addicted to the Chinese market refuse to accept the fact that the virus was developed in, and escaped from, the Wuhan Institute of Virology, Trump is not encumbered by self-imposed limitations. Whats more, he knows that his political enemies used every bit of the COVID pandemic against him.

And hes looking for some payback  though not on a personal level.

The former president believes that China should be held financially liable for unleashing the latest global pandemic after tampering with extremely dangerous gain-of-function research, which is believed to have led to the creation of COVID-19, and not just for a few billion dollars. No, Trump thinks China owes the world trillions of dollars and he believes countries should force the Chinese to pay up.

Now everyone, even the so-called enemy, is beginning to say that President Trump was right about the China Virus coming from the Wuhan Lab, he said in a statement last week. The correspondence between Dr. Fauci and China speaks too loudly for anyone to ignore. China should pay Ten Trillion Dollars to America, and the World, for the death and destruction they have caused!

NEW Trump statement on Fauci: pic.twitter.com/mYexvw1tPd  Henry Rodgers (@henryrodgersdc) June 3, 2021

He went on, taking aim at Flip Flop Fauci as well:

After seeing the emails, our Country is fortunate I didnt do what Dr. Fauci wanted me to do. For instance, I closed our Borders to China very early despite his not wanting them closed. The Democrats and the Fake News Media even called me a xenophobe. In the end, we saw this was a life-saving decision, and likewise with closing our borders to Europe, specifically to certain heavily infected countries. I was later given credit, even by Tony, for saving hundreds of thousands of lives. Dr. Fauci also didnt put an emphasis on speed of vaccine production because he thought it would take 3, 4, or maybe even 5 years to create. I got it done in less than 9 months with Operation Warp Speed. In retrospect, the vaccine is saving the world.

That last part about the vaccines isnt the greatest news to a lot of Americans simply because we know that there were other existing  some natural  treatments for this virus. For many, the shots have been as bad as, or as deadly as, the virus itself.

But Trump wasnt finished.

Also, Dr. Fauci was totally against masks when even I thought they would at least be helpful. He then changed his mind completely and became a radical masker! he said.

There are a lot of questions that must be answered by Dr. Fauci. The funding of Wuhan by the U.S. was foolishly started by the Obama Administration in 2014 but ended under the Trump Administration, the former president added.

When I heard about it, I said no way. What did Dr. Fauci know about gain of function research, and when did he know it? the 45th president asked.

Lots of Americans want to know the answers to these and other questions about the virus as well. And they also agree with Trump: China needs to pay up.

Sources include:

ZeroHedge.com

Vaccines.news
(Natural News) In case you missed it  and if all you watch or listen to is the mainstream media, chances are you did  the COVID-19 pandemic is waning. Big time.

In fact, cases have fallen so much that political and cultural news site Axios will no longer keep its weekly virus tracker.

Nearly every week for the past 56 weeks, Axios has tracked the change  more often than not, the increase  in new COVID-19 infections. Those case counts are now so low, the virus is so well contained, that this will be our final weekly map, the site reported.

Over the past week, the U.S. averaged roughly 16,500 new cases per day, or 30 percent fewer than last week. Meanwhile, new infections fell in 43 states and held steady in the remaining seven.

The official case counts havent been this low since Americans went into lockdown in March last year  when the pandemic was still new, no one knew how long this would go on, and inadequate testing meant that cases were undercounted, Axios continued, adding that about 10 percent of the population  34 million  have tested positive for the virus and some 611,000 have died from it.

So again, clearly the prevalence of COVID-19 is diminishing and the pandemic is waning. So why are The Vaccinators still pushing the shots  and in ways that, frankly, are ridiculous?

The Epoch Times reports what the governor of West Virginia has authorized to get more citizens in his state to take the risky vaccine:

West Virginians who get a COVID-19 vaccination will be entered into sweepstakes to win custom guns or $1 million, Gov. Jim Justice announced on Tuesday. 

The program will award $1 million to one person each week starting June 20. On the last day, Aug. 4, the state will give $1,588,000 to the winner and $588,000 to the runner-up, Justice said.

Were going to give five custom hunting rifles and five custom hunting shotguns away on Fathers Day. And also on Fathers Day, were going to make one of you a millionaire. Were going to give away a million dollars to somebody on Fathers Day, Justice, who is a Democrat-turned-Republican, told a reporters.

Im sure well have a bunch of happy campers, Justice added.

Well, not really  that is, not if many West Virginians who go and get the vaccine wind up injured by it.

But wait, as they say, theres more.

Along with guns, the state plans on doling out college scholarships and pickup trucks. The state is buying the prizes before handing them out, as opposed to receiving donated items to award to vaccine recipients, The Epoch Times notes further, adding that the state is emphasizing only people who have gotten their vaccines are eligible to enter the contest and must register at a state website under construction.

And while Democrats have been the most vocal about forcing Americans to get the shot, Republicans appear to be more eager to offer up cash, prizes and goodies to get people to agree to be vaccinated. This trend was launched by Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, ostensibly a Republican, on May 12 with an announcement that five state residents would be paid $1 million in a vaccine lottery-style drawing.

After he made the announcement, Ohios vaccination rate surged by 28 percent.

We need to save lives. We need to get Ohio moving forward. The way we do it is through vaccines. This is our ticket out of the pandemic. This is the great tool that we have now, DeWine said in defending his program.

All that did was inspire others to follow suit  including Justice in West Virginia.

I cant stand for Ohio to get ahead of us on anything, Justice told reporters. But just think about this: the faster we get them across the finish line, the more lives we save.

According to the latest figures, only about 10 percent of Americans  roughly 34 million  have even tested positive for the virus. We dont need to be vaccinated.

Sources include:

TheEpochTimes.com

Vaccines.news
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(Natural News) We now know that Peter Daszak of EcoHealth Alliance, who funneled millions of dollars to the Wuhan Institute of Virology that carried out gain-of-function weaponization experiments, bragged about his Chinese colleagues (whom he helped fund) creating killer coronaviruses.

A video unearthed by The National Pulse and widely circulated yesterday shows Daszak boasting about his research:

Then when you get a sequence of a virus, and it looks like a relative of a known nasty pathogen, just like we did with SARS. We found other coronaviruses in bats, a whole host of them, some of them looked very similar to SARS. So we sequenced the spike protein: the protein that attaches to cells. Then we Well I didnt do this work, but my colleagues in China did the work. You create pseudo particles, you insert the spike proteins from those viruses, see if they bind to human cells. At each step of this you move closer and closer to this virus could really become pathogenic in people You end up with a small number of viruses that really do look like killers.

Daszak was essentially describing the weaponization of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein that is now known to cause vascular damage, blood clots, strokes and other tissue damage while attacking the ovaries, testes, adrenal glands and neurological tissue.

Heres the video of Daszak:

Brighteon.com/c9c5c902-636e-475e-b1dc-a6db50146301

Fauci, Daszak, Baric and the international conspiracy to build biological weapons with the communist Chinese military

As more videos and emails continue to emerge, they describe a global money laundering operation and apparent criminal conspiracy to evade U.S. laws that prohibit gain-of-function research by funneling NIH money to communist China where the CCP military oversaw the weaponization experiments.

Whether deliberate or not, this weaponized virus escaped the Wuhan laboratory and proceeded to devastate the world due to the toxicity of its spike protein nanoparticle payload. While the virus replication engine itself appears to be nearly harmless, the spike protein payload is toxic and deadly, and thats the nanoparticle thats being placed into covid vaccines.

Thus, what Peter Daszak is essentially admitting to is an international conspiracy to hand communist China the funding and know-how to create weaponized nanoparticles (the spike protein) that are then placed into so-called vaccines and injected into people across America and around the world, potentially leading to global depopulation and infertility.

Dr. Byram Bridle is one doctor among many who are sounding the alarm about this spike protein as new bio-distribution studies show it circulates through the entire body, attacking the brain, heart, adrenal glands, spleen, large intestine, liver, ovaries and testes, among other organs:

Fauci and Daszak appear to have helped communist China build a biological weapon to decimate the West in a global biowarfare attack that may have already been unleashed

It is no coincidence that communist China has long sought to develop coronavirus bioweapons to attack the West. As reported by LifeSiteNews:

Documents Reveal Chinese Scientists Discussed Weaponising Coronavirus 5 Years Before Pandemic

Titled The Unnatural Origin of SARS and New Species of Man-Made Viruses as Genetic Bioweapons, the paper is said to have suggested that the third world war would be fought with biological weapons, revealing how Chinese scientists were discussing the weaponisation of SARS coronaviruses five years before the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

The executive director of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI), Peter Jennings, said the document is as close to a smoking gun as weve got. I think this is significant because it clearly shows that Chinese scientists were thinking about military application for different strains of the coronavirus and thinking about how it could be deployed, Jennings was quoted as saying by news.com.au.

And then, from the UK Daily Mail:

China was preparing for a Third World War with biological weapons  including coronavirus  SIX years ago, according to dossier produced by the Peoples Liberation Army in 2015 and uncovered by the US State Department

Beijing has considered the military potential of SARS coronaviruses since 2015

The bombshell document was accessed by US State Department investigators

Scientists examined manipulation of diseases in a way never seen before

Foreign affairs committees Tom Tugendhat says evidence is a major concern

It now appears that Fauci and Daszak helped with the funding and virology support of Chinas effort to build a biological weapon that could be deployed against America and the West.

All those who promote covid vaccines are, in essence, working to help communist China carry out its attack against the West by promoting the injection of Americans with spike protein bioweapons developed by communist Chinese military bioweapons researchers.

The vaccine contains the biological weapon that was developed in China, in other words.

Full details in todays Situation Update podcast from Brighteon.com:

Brighteon.com/c49de220-6bf0-4e46-bf10-4511cba95949

Discover a new podcast each weekday at:

https://www.brighteon.com/channels/hrreport
Due to significant rising sea levels in Maldives, an independent island country in the north-central Indian Ocean, Dutch Docklands is working with the Maldives government to build an 'ultra-luxury floating private island'.

The 200-hectare floating city will resemble a coral reef structure and powered by renewable energy to reduce carbon emissions and fight against climate change.

Designed as eco-friendly as possible, Dutch Docklands calls the floating development as a 'scarless development' because of its minimum impact to the environment, meeting 21st century standards for 'floating developments'.

The development is estimated to float less than 1 meter above sea level on the lowest-lying nation of Maldives and a 10-minute boat ride from the populous capital of Male.

From Sustainability to 'Sustainaquality'

The Maldives Floating City's (MFC) was designed to use unique and durable ways to increase sustainability by using water, thus the term 'sustainaquality'. For instance, MFC will be built around larger islands along flexible grid to serve as wave and water breaks.

"MFC offers an approachable, scalable, sellable solution for truly sustainable water-front development," Dutch Docklands stated.

Its hexagonal structure and modular building segments, including artificial coral structures around the neighborhood to attract sea life, is the country's way to invite more tourists and fuel the country's economy. Housing modules will be connected by a series of canals and flexible bridges, with docks to allow people to park and access shops, schools and hospitals as well.

Construction is slated to begin next year, and finished in five. If fully realized, Maldives will be the first buoyant island in the world.

Also read: World's Oldest Water Found in an Ancient Pool Below Canada

A Masterplan Development on water





The MFC project has been planned since 2009 affiliated with Dutch Docklands, global leader in floating developments, along with Christie's International Real Estate, the world's leading luxury real estate network.

Dutch Docklands had proven its expertise when it comes to centuries-old craftsmanship on water residences in 2005 when they constructed thousands of floating homes in the Netherlands. They helped design a floating masterplan to adapt to Maldives's rising sea levels in 2010 and presented the Amillarah Private Islands which focuses on building self-sufficient, eco-friendly floating private residences (islands) in 2015.

"The opportunity to literally develop a private island on a body of water is a testament to Dutch Dockland's skills in this arena," said Dan Conn, CEO of Christie's International Real Estate.

On 14th of March 2021, the MFC Project was launched in presence of Former President and Speaker of Parliament Hon. Mr. Mohamed Nasheed. He said that the project is in light of a research in Copenhagen University in a UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen where he learned that people could live on or with water without disrupting the environment. He believed that the natural characteristics of the environment can be left undisturbed while innovating the floating development plan with the right technology.

The former President noted that their battle against climate change must not destroy nature. "In the Maldives, we cannot stop the waves, but we can rise with them," he said in a speech.

Also read: Magnitude 4.0 Quake at Loihi Seamount Shook Big Island off Hawaii
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NEW YORK (AP)  As a student at Wesleyan, Lin-Manuel Miranda began writing what would become In the Heights, the musical that would launch him as a playwright and performer and that would lead, two decades later, to Jon M. Chus upcoming lavish big-screen adaptation. He was motivated, like any confident young artist, by ambition. But also by something else.

It was a lot of fear, honestly, Miranda said in a recent interview. I had a real wake-up call when I was 18, 19 and starting to study theater. The fear was: Im going into a field that has no space for me, that has no roles for me. It was sort of that thing of: No ones going to write your dream show. The cavalry isnt coming.

When In the Heights opens Friday, it may feel very much like reinforcements are arriving. The movie, a street-level song-and-dance spectacle to rival the MGM musicals of old, is an exuberant celebration of the Latino immigrant experience, of a diverse neighborhood, of a teeming summertime New York, of life.

In the Heights, originally slated to be released last June, arrives already engulfed with the aura of cultural event for one of the movies most blatantly underseen communities. And as a big-screen party, In the Heights is poised to rekindle the euphoric, dancing-the-aisles theatrical experience thats been all but snuffed out over the past year. Just how much can In the Heights lift up? Its a lot, Miranda sighs, to put on a musical.

Yet the timing, despite Mirandas early inclination to get the movie out by streaming last year, seems preordained. In the Heights is one massive reminder of what weve been missing, on screen and off, the past pandemic year. Chu calls it a vaccine of joy.

On the first day of shooting, we all got in a circle and I was like: Let go of all the pressure. Lets just entertain the hell out of these people, recalls Chu, the director of two Step Up movies and Crazy Rich Asians.

We filmed it in the best summer of our lives in 2019, says Miranda. It shows just how wonderful it is when we all get together and sing a song, or to see us embracing our elders without fear. It all hits different now.

In the Heights has already been almost universally praised by critics. With city-wide screenings, it will open the Tribeca Film Festival on Wednesday. But as much as In the Heights feels like a sure-thing blockbuster and a Latino milestone, the movie will be debuting in theaters that have been battered by the pandemic. The films long road to the screen  plans only picked up once Mirandas Hamilton became a Broadway sensation  is leading to a crucial test for moviegoing. Another wrinkle: Warner Bros. is also releasing it simultaneously on HBO Max.

The filmmakers hope In the Heights can be for Latinos what Black Panther was for Black Americans or what Chus own Crazy Rich Asians was for Asian Americans. Hispanics, the largest minority in the United States, make up an even larger slice of moviegoers despite their regular absence from Hollywoods biggest productions. For Chu, the kind of industry-changing, pop culture sensation he experienced with Crazy Rich Asians ultimately hinges on the audience.

Even Crazy Rich Asians you couldnt really tell. It was only the second weekend when people started coming back and the third weekend when people who didnt go to the movies started to come, says the director. Buying tickets to this thing putting your money where your mouth is  was the democratic statement that no studio could make up.

Vacillating between wide-screen seas of dancers and intimate portraits of immigrant life, In the Heights tells a story both specific and of a community. Playing the role originated by Miranda, Anthony Ramos stars as Usnavi, a Dominican-American bodega owner with dreams of returning to the Caribbean. Ramos played Usnavi in a regional production of In the Heights but his breakthrough came in Hamilton, in dual roles as John Laurens and Philip Hamilton.

The lyrics and backdrop of In the Heights are especially meaningful to the Bushwick native Ramos, whose star-making performance brings a streetwise New York swagger and big-smiling charisma to the film.

The story of all these characters feels so familiar to my life and to the people that are in my life who Ive seen in my own community growing up in Bushwick in New York and Brooklyn, says Ramos. There are shots of the food that I grew up eating, the music that I grew up listening to. The piragua guy, I know that guy.

A sense of responsibility weighed on Ramos during the filming in Washington Heights. Before shooting certain scenes that felt particularly powerful, Ramos would shout to the crew: For the culture!  a ritual he learned from Spike Lee while acting in his Shes Gotta Have It.

It meant that we are all here, in this moment, doing this film and telling this story for something that is way bigger than any us," says Ramos. This aint about us, this movie. Its about the people that came before us and the people that came after us. This is for everybody who had to sacrifice, who had to break doors open.

Both Ramos mother and sister make cameos in the movie. In the opening number, his sister is dancing five people down from him. There are many such casting quirks. Miranda, happily a bit player in a world he created, plays the piragua guy. Much of the original Broadway cast appear in the final dance number among bursting hydrants. Some of the extras are kids from a nearby high school that put on their own In the Heights that the filmmakers attended and were inspired by.

It just showed us: This is what were here for, says Chu.

So strong is Chus connection to the movie that he named his second child Jonathan Heights Chu. He wanted, he says, to hear that name every day of his life, and for his son to hear it, too.

Alongside Ramos stars Leslie Grace as Nina Rosario, a college student home for the summer; Corey Hawkins as Benny, a taxi driver; and Melissa Barrera as Vanessa, a salon worker trying to get her own apartment downtown. For Barrera, a 30-year-old Mexico-born actor, the character  a striver seeking opportunity away from home  is basically herself.

To me It Wont Be Long Now is literally the anthem of my life. Ive been waiting for an opportunity like this forever. I feel like Ive worked really hard in my career but theres always something, like, what is it that Im missing? says Barrera. I was that girl. I left Mexico. I knew I wasnt going to be able to become a performer in my hometown.

When the film was early in development with The Weinstein Co., there was interest in casting pop stars in some roles. But Miranda believed strongly that In the Heights should help grow the Latino stars the industry has been lacking. A decision was also made to bring the show, which debuted on Broadway in 2008, up to contemporary times. That meant retailoring the book to encompass developments like the immigration policy of DACA and the challenges faced by a new generation of immigrants.

Once we decided on now, there was a lot of room to grow, says Quiara Alegria Hudes, who wrote the shows book and the films screenplay. I live in Washington Heights. Part of how I write is by just walking around and listening. When Nina says, Shhh. I want to listen to my block, thats my writing process.

For Miranda, the passing of time has been cause for reflection on what Latinos have accomplished since then, and what still needs to change.

In a lot of ways, time has caught up to In the Heights, says Miranda. 'In the Heights' was kind of this unicorn when it came out in 2008, especially when it came to Latino representation in commercial theater. If you look at the theater surveys they take every year of attendance, you will see Latino audience spike in 2008 to really cool level, and then we close and then it goes back down. There was a very direct if-you-build-it-they-will-come scenario.

___

Follow AP Film Writer Jake Coyle on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/jakecoyleAP
The Brood X swarm of cicadas surfaced this spring after 17 years underground, buzzing at top volume, causing car crashes and even delaying a plane full of reporters heading to cover President Bidens trip to the United Kingdom. But for Bun Lai, the cicadas emergence was another opportunity to highlight insects as a healthy protein source.

The Connecticut chef is renowned for his work with sustainable-species recipes at his familys restaurant, Miyas Sushi in New Haven. For years, hes eschewed more common fish and seafood items in favor of sustainable options, responsibly produced seafood and even invasive species, using ingredients like Asian carp, Florida lionfish and Asian shore crab in his sushi creations.

Hes also no stranger to cooking cicadas, as he hosted private dinners to sample the bugs back in 2013 as the Brood II insects appeared in Connecticut. So when the cicadas emerged in the D.C. area eight years later, Lai and friends headed to the region to harvest as many as they could get their hands on.

Lai, whose mother, Yoshiko, is Japanese, says cicadas remind him of his childhood summers in Japan. While there, the insects are venerated as symbols of summertime, he said, theyre often eaten in other parts of the world, including Mexico and parts of Africa and Asia.

Brood X is the biggest cicada emergence since the late 1700s, so there will be an overabundance of cicadas, he said. Its a good opportunity to get into eating bugs.

Lai says there are few better and cleaner sources of protein than bugs, and hes confident Americans will get over the ick factor someday, in order to embrace a healthy food source thats also environmentally friendly.

Food preferences change rapidly, sometimes within a lifetime, he said, noting a shift toward a processed food revolution after World War II. On Miyas website, he pointed out that lobsters are closely related to insects, and its taken about 100 years for diners to value the crustacean.

It wasnt long ago that nobody wanted to eat lobsters, and today its gourmet, he wrote in an email. The same thing is going to happen to bugs.

Cicadas taste like little soft-shelled crabs, but with a nuttiness reminiscent of boiled peanuts, Lai said, adding that he finds them addictively delicious. (In fact, the FDA announced last week that anyone with seafood allergies should avoid eating them, as they share a family relation to shrimp and lobsters.)

The best way to cook cicadas is to boil them in salt water then saute them in a healthy oil, like many indigenous people still do, Lai said. Its a simple preparation that allows the flavors and textures of the insect to shine through.

He plans one more visit to the D.C. area to harvest cicadas and plans a pop-up event there, and then will host a couple of cicada events at Miyas in the Woods, his Woodbridge farm. These events are small and intimate, he said, and they often sell out quickly when he announces them on social media just a few days in advance.

Eating cicadas could help save the world, he said, if the experience becomes a gateway for people to eat in a more restorative and regenerative way.

Our food system must be reinvented because we are now facing the catastrophic consequences of not doing it, he said. Climate Change. Habitat destruction. Overfishing. Mass extinctions. Pollution. Soil erosion. Hunger. Famines. Obesity. Heart disease. Cancers. Dementia. Depression, and the list goes on. Eating more farmed and invasive insects and less livestock is part of the solution to a plethora of ominous manmade problems.

But, you don't have to eat bugs because it's the right thing to do; eat them because they are delicious, he said.
Ned Gerard / Hearst Connecticut Media

Some Connecticut schools will dismiss students early for the third day in a row as temperatures are forecast to hit the high-80s on Wednesday, with a heat index in the mid-90s.

Scorching hot days on Monday and Tuesday prompted dozens of schools across the state to send students home early because of the excessive heat and humidity. School officials cited a need to continue mask wearing as well as a lack of air conditioning as factors in their decisions.
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP)  Martha White, a Black woman whose actions helped launch the 1953 bus boycotts in Louisiana's capital city, has died. She was 99.

White died Saturday, her family and others confirmed.

White, then 31, was working as a housekeeper in the capital city of Baton Rouge in 1953 when she took action. After a long day of walking to and from work while seeking to reach her bus stop, she decided to sit in one of the only bus seats available  one designated for white passengers.

When the driver ordered her to get up, White refused and another Black woman sat beside her in solidarity. The bus driver threatened to have the women arrested. Ultimately police, the bus company manager and a civil rights activist, the Rev. T.J. Jemison, showed up. Jemison informed the driver of a recently passed ordinance to desegregate buses in the city, meaning White wasnt violating any rules.

In response to the ordinance, bus drivers began a strike and the ordinance was later overturned. That prompted a boycott by the Black community in Baton Rouge.

Baton Rouge Mayor Sharon Weston Broome issued a statement Monday recognizing Whites contribution to the citys civil rights movement.

Martha White undoubtedly shaped our community in Baton Rouge, and communities across our nation, Broome said. We honor her legacy today and every day.

That boycott later helped provide the framework for the famous effort sparked by Rosa Parks that led to a bus boycott in Montgomery, Alabama, in 1955.

Ted Jemison, the son of the Rev. T.J. Jemison, remembered White as being outspoken and unafraid to share her opinion. He told The Advocate of a conversation he had with her years ago about that day. He recalled her telling him she just wanted to sit in that bus seat because she was tired from being on her feet constantly that day.

Can you imagine working on your feet all day and just wanting to sit down? Jemison recalled White as saying. She was the same way from when she was young to when she was 90 years old. She knew that what she did was for the good of everyone in Baton Rouge.

We really lost a true pioneer for civil rights, said Jason Roberts, co-owner of the Baton Rouge African American Museum, speaking of Whites death, the newspaper reported.

___

This story has been edited to correct White's age at the time of the boycott. She was 31, not 23.
The New Canaan Nature Center (NCNC) has announced the hiring of new Preschool Director Anna Zielinski.

The Nature Center made the selection after a thorough search process, which included input and feedback from parents, teachers, staff and Board members.

She has 15 years of experience in nature-based education under her belt, with 11 of those years having been at the Nature Center as well.

Zielinski began her career at Pathfinder Beach in Mountain Center, Calif., where she was a year round naturalist and a program director for their summer camp after earning her undergraduate degree in Early Childhood Education.

After joining the Nature Center in 2008 as an environmental educator, she then became its summer camp field director, preschool teacher, assistant preschool director and summer camp director.

She has also designed a nature based curriculum for students at the school, supported parents as engaged members of the schools community, organized and conducted staff orientations, managed the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) accreditation process and presented professional development workshops including the Office of Early Childhood and Warm Attitudes towards Cold Play.

Zielinski has also spearheaded impactful initiatives including the producing of a video tour of the school that included a description of its educational philosophy and the setup and managing of Storypark as a platform for teachers and parents to communicate about the power of learning in the great outdoors.

Furthermore, Zielinski has been the schools interim preschool director, previously accepting the position and filling the important role after the schools longtime director, Marianne Kay, retired in June 2020.

During a year full of many uncertainties, she provided an amazing sense of stability, safety, and predictability for our preschool families, the Nature Center school told Hearst Connecticut Media.

As our new permanent Director she is excited to make her dreams, and visions for the NCNC Preschool become a reality, the Nature Center school said.

The New Canaan Nature Center is such a special place, Zielinski told Hearst Connecticut Media. I know first-hand how unique and beneficial this environment is for children. Over 11 years, in my various roles, Ive come to thoroughly appreciate the community created here and the unique natural environment we enjoy. Im honored and excited to carry on the important work of the Preschool.
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New Castle, PA (16103)

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Introduction

President Joe Biden released the complete details of his fiscal year 2022 budget proposal, requesting $6 trillion in spending and a $1.8 trillion annual deficit. The administration requested increases across most departments and agencies, including a 6.5% boost to nondefense discretionary spending, while proposing a 1.6% increase for defense activities.

Following is an analysis of salient provisions with potential impacts for states.
Hampton - Douglas M. LaPorte, 63, of Hampton, passed away on Sunday, June 6, 2021 at his home. He was born in Albany, NY on October 6, 1957 a son of Earl LaPorte and Rosemary (Pomakoy) Snyder. Doug was a volunteer firefighter in NY in his younger years and went on to work for various Walmart
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In this June 20, 2018, photo, stuffed toy animals wrapped in aluminum foil representing migrant children separated from their families are displayed in protest in front of the United States embassy in Guatemala City. In a report released Tuesday, the Biden administration says it has identified more than 3,900 children separated at the border under former President Donald Trump's "zero-tolerance" policy on illegal crossings. (AP Photo/Luis Soto)
By PTI

NEW DELHI: The TRIPS Council of the World Trade Organization (WTO) will continue its discussion on Wednesday in Geneva on a proposal submitted by India and South Africa seeking patent waivers to manufacture COVID-19-related medical products, an official said.

In October 2020, India and South Africa had submitted the first proposal suggesting a waiver for all WTO members on the implementation of certain provisions of the TRIPS Agreement in relation to the prevention, containment or treatment of COVID-19.

In May this year, a revised proposal was submitted by 62 co-sponsors, including India, South Africa and Indonesia.

The agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights or TRIPS came into effect in January 1995.

It is a multilateral agreement on intellectual property (IP) rights such as copyright, industrial designs, patents and protection of undisclosed information or trade secrets.

"The WTO members will continue tomorrow at the TRIPS Council the discussion on the proposal for a waiver from certain provisions of the TRIPS Agreement for the prevention, containment and treatment of COVID-19," the official said.

A large number of delegations remain to take the floor on this issue when the Council resumes on Wednesday in Geneva.

According to the revised proposal, the waiver should be in force for at least three years from the date of the decision on the matter.

The co-sponsors have stated that the duration has to be practical for manufacturing to be feasible and viable.

The revised text has also proposed waiver for health products and technologies as the prevention, treatment or containment of COVID-19 which involves a range of things and "intellectual property issues may arise with respect to the products and technologies, their materials or components, as well as their methods and means of manufacture."
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Iffath Fathima By

Express News Service

BENGALURU: A 24-year-old youth, who had booked a vaccination slot for Tuesday, was shocked to get a message that he had already been vaccinated even as he was on his way to the hospital in JP Nagar. Whats more, he received the vaccination certificate too!

Aditya Roy, a resident of Jallahalli, had booked a slot through the CoWIN portal and was scheduled to be vaccinated at Aster RV Hospital between 1 pm and 4 pm on June 8. But, on his way there, he got a text message stating that he has been successfully vaccinated with the first dose of Covishield, along with the link to download his vaccination certificate.

I was shocked when I received the message that I was already vaccinated. My vaccination certificate was also available on the portal. After trying for a couple of days, I had finally got a slot. And then this happened. I was confused and furious and also feared losing out on my first dose, Roy said.When he checked with the hospital, they denied any error on their part, and claimed that some other person must have come with Roys Aadhaar card and gotten inoculated.

He added, After an argument, the hospital asked me to register to get the vaccination. But, at the registration counter too, I was told that I had already been vaccinated. However, after talking to the hospital again, they vaccinated me.

Roy has raised the matter with the BBMP South Zone officials. I raised the issue with the KAS officer who asked me to write a mail to the Special Commissioner for Health. I will mail the officer too, he said.

When The New Indian Express contacted the hospital, they said that they have already raised the issue with the BBMP as it could have happened due to a technical glitch.
By Express News Service

CHENNAI: The Technology Panel of Tamil Nadu State Council of FICCI (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry) conducted a one-day virtual conference and exhibition on the theme Digital Technologies Transforming Healthcare Ecosystem and Creating Opportunities, recently. CapitaLand was the Platinum sponsor for the conference. Israel and Estonia were the country partners for this International Conference.

The virtual conference was inaugurated by T Mano Thangaraj, Minister for Information Technology, Government of Tamil Nadu. In his inaugural address, he highlighted the various technology initiatives taken by the Government of Tamil Nadu around healthcare including the command centres, how they are able to map each district and village and provide the latest information. He also highlighted the various initiatives taken by the government to contain the spread of COVID-19 and to mitigate the oxygen, ICU beds and other urgent requirements.

He also released the knowledge paper prepared by FICCI and Itihaasa Research and Digital on Digital health in India and inaugurated the DT5 Virtual Exhibition. Neeraj Mittal, IT secretary, Government of Tamil Nadu, delivered the presidential address. He pointed out that this DT5 conference and exhibition has come at the right time during COVID-19, where we are looking for new ideas around automation of healthcare with new technologies as well as how to position TN as the leading state for medical devices and equipment.

The keynote address was delivered by C Velan, head of Chennai City Operations, CapitaLand. The special address was delivered by Santosh Misra, commissioner for e-Governance. Jonathan Zadka, consul General for Israel, South India, delivered the Guest of Honor address, while Kumar Vembu co-founder of Zoho, delivered the special address. GSK Velu, chairman, FICCI; Rajaram Venkataraman, convenor and head of technology panel, FICCI Tamilnadu , and Sridharan, head, FICCI Tamil and u also addressed the gathering.

The conference saw several hundreds from across the world which included CXOs, board members, hospital administrators, doctors, technicians, start-ups, industry consultants, business leaders from across the industry, senior manager, regulators , gover nment personnel, technologists, engineers, informations ecurity specialists, faculty and research scholar s, at tending via YouTube, Facebook and Zoom. The Atmanirbhar Exhibition platform called Kriya-Digifair was created by Kriyatec IT Systems, the technology partners for the conference. The New Indian Express was the print partner. The exhibition and the stalls are open till July 5.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: The nursing superintendent of GB Pant Hospital here has apologised for issuing a controversial circular that barred nursing staff from speaking in Malayalam on duty, saying he had "no intention to disrespect any Indian language, region, or religion".

The hospital had withdrawn the circular, which asked the nursing staff to converse only in Hindi and English, on Sunday, saying it was issued "without any instruction or knowledge of the hospital administration and the Delhi government".

In a letter to the medical director of the hospital on Monday, the nursing superintendent explained the reasons behind issuing the circular and said it was issued in "a positive sense and there was no bad intention against Malayalam-speaking staff".

"In fact, the circular was misinterpreted and I didn't even get a chance to explain the same," he said.

The official said he had acted on the basis of complaints received on May 31, June 1 and June 2.

"The gist of the complaint was that most of the staff communicates in regional language due to which other staff members as well as attendants of the patients feel helpless. It was requested to sort out the matter Complainant clearly mentioned Malayalam language," the letter by the nursing superintendent read.

Circular was issued in a positive sense & there was no bad intention against Malayali-speaking staff. Circular was misinterpreted about its true sense & I didn't get a chance to explain. If any staff's feeling got hurt, I apologise: Nursing Superintendent, GB Pant Institute Delhi pic.twitter.com/aVJL0fFvbA  ANI (@ANI) June 9, 2021

Earlier, too, patients and attendants had complained verbally to seniors about some staff members using their regional language, he said.

The patients would assume they had some serious health issues and that's why languages are changed to hide their condition.

Hence, the circular was issued to avoid any confusion due to language barrier, the nursing superintendent said.

"Even then, if feelings of any staff were hurt, I regret and offer an apology for the same," he said.

On Monday, the Delhi Health Department had issued a memo to Govind Ballabh Pant Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education & Research (GIPMER) in connection with the controversial circular.

A source said the health department had asked the hospital to "explain why such an order was issued".

An official of the G B Pant nurses' association said there are around 850 nurses working at the hospital and of them, around 400 are Malayali.
By Express News Service

KOCHI: After spending eight days in the custody of the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) in connection with the Kochi salon shooting case, Ravi Pujari was taken back to Bengaluru on a flight on Tuesday. Earlier in the day, the Ernakulam Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Court had remanded him in 14-day custody again. In a report filed in the court, the ATS said Pujari had given the names of some persons in India and abroad who were involved in the shooting case.

Meanwhile, the ATS North Kerala team, which was in Kochi as part of another case in Kasaragod involving Pujari, decided to take him in custody after approaching the court concerned in the northern district. In its report filed there, the team said Pujari was questioned in connection with the case in which his team attacked the residence of a gold businessman at Bavincha in Kasaragod in 2010.

The ATS North Kerala unit, with the permission of the court, will take Pujari in custody from Bengaluru. We decided to send him to Bengaluru as police agencies of different states require his custody. We received his custody first as documents for Pujaris extradition in connection with the salon shooting case had been filed in 2019, said an official.
By Express News Service

Dhanush has revealed that he had to undergo a month of training in Los Angeles for his upcoming Hollywood feature, The Gray Man. The actor added that though the actual shoot was scheduled for 20 days, the training and the COVID-19 situation extended his stay away from home.

He said this during a special Twitter Spaces session to commemorate the release of Jagame Thandhirams music album. Dhanush was responding to director Karthik Subbaraj who asked about the actors return to India.

I miss Chennai and India a lot. More than anything, I miss home food a lot. I am just waiting to get back home as soon as possible and to watch the film along with you all. Being away from home for so long is mentally challenging to me. It is the love from my fans that motivates me and keeps me going. They are the pillars of my strength, he said The Gray Man is a really good opportunity for me, and I am focusing on using this opportunity well, added the actor when asked about the films shoot.

Netflixs action-adventure The Gray Man is directed by Anthony and Joe Russo. It also stars Ryan Gosling and Chris Evans in the lead. Jagame Thandhiram, which also stars Aishwarya Lekshmi, Kalaiyarasan, Joju George, Sanchana Natarajan and James Cosmo will directly premiere on Netflix on June 18.


Shilajit Mitra By

Express News Service

There is a sublime comedy masterclass five episodes into The Family Man season 2. It takes place inside a Chennai police station, where superspy Srikant (Manoj Bajpayee) is locked up with his partner JK (Sharib Hashmi). Its a serious misunderstanding they are being held for murder but the scene is blithely hilarious.

Working with co-star Devadarshini Chetan, who plays the interrogating officer, the actors raise a riot transiting superbly from verbal comedy to a shot of them doing yoga in adjoining cells. The whole thing just builds and builds, in a way we rarely get to witness these days.

Manoj is privy to the comic aspects of his characters fame. But he also insists hes never really trying to work the crowd.

I go by the scene and the state of mind and try to catch Srikant in those circumstances, he elaborates. There is never an effort from my side to make people laugh. Its never about playing to the gallery.

Manoj sounds delighted. The second season, which premiered last week, has become a unanimous hit with fans and critics. Its being touted as one of the best Indian web shows of all time. The experience reminds him of his Satya days, Manoj says.

I feel thankful for the kind of unprecedented response we are getting. There are people who are watching the show all over again. The frenzy, the reactionsthese are not things one experiences too often. I feel really lucky, blessed and grateful.

In all likelihood, the raves will keep coming. But the show has also been a major test of faith for the makers. Its trailer touched off a heated controversy over its depiction of its subject matter.

The antagonist, Raji (Samantha Akkineni), is a former Sri Lankan Tamil rebel in exile. Many felt the series would be insensitive to Eelam Tamils and the historical oppression they have faced. There were calls for a boycott and a former request for a ban.

I AM A BIG FAN OF RAJINIKANTH AND KAMAL HAASAN

Manoj is relieved the series has cleared up many of those doubts. We have been saying that all the apprehensions and questions will be answered once they watch the show. The Family Man as a series believes in the diversity of this country. We respect each and every culture that this amazing country has. I am happy that the reception from Tamil Nadu has been quite overwhelming and I thank all of them.

Shooting in Chennai, Manoj happily adds, was a blast. One of the first things he wanted to do was stand outside Rajinikanths house like a true fan.

My only regret is that I couldnt meet him or Kamal Haasan ji. I am a big fan of both of them  Rajinikanth for the person he is and Kamal Haasan for all the inspiration I have derived from his work.

But he did get to meet the others: Vijay Sethupathi, Vetrimaaran, Thiagarajan Kumararaja, Pushkar-Gayatri. I had gone with a prepared list in my mind, Manoj shares. It was really remarkable the time I got to spend in Chennai.

Though an episode shorter, The Family Man season 2 is a significant scale-up from its predecessor. There are two massive set pieces: a shootout at a police station in Episode 6, and the climax. Both put Manoj at the centre of all the action.

Ill probably have to write a book about how we shot the two sequences, and how demanding it was physically and mentally, he says.

The one-shot gunfight, with the camera roving from inside the building to out and then back again, took hours and hours of planning. Manoj would return to his hotel room each day with sore feet and aches.

Yet, hed be back again for the next take. It all comes down to the fitness and lifestyle youve been maintaining, he explains, suddenly sounding like a true-blue action star. Then there are the emotions
By PTI

MUMBAI: Actor Kangana Ranaut has said that despite being the "highest paid actress" in Bollywood, she is unable to pay her taxes on time as she had "no work".

The 34-year-old actor took to her Instagram story on Tuesday night and said she is yet to pay half of the tax money she owes the government.

"Even though I come under highest tax slab pay almost 45 percent of my income as tax, even though I am the highest tax paying actress but because of no work haven't paid half of my last year's tax yet, first time in my life I am late in paying tax," Ranaut wrote.

Ranaut, who recently recovered from novel coronavirus, said the government is charging her interest on the pending amount but she still welcomes this move.

"I am late in paying tax but the government is charging me interest on that pending tax money, still I welcome this move.

Time could be tough for us individually but together we are tougher than the time," she wrote.

On the work front, Ranaut is awaiting the release of her multilingual biographical film "Thalaivi" which was postponed due to the surge in COVID-19 cases in India.

Directed by Vijay and written by KV Vijayendra Prasad, the movie is about the life of J Jayalalithaa, former Tamil Nadu CM and actor was gearing to release theatrically on April 23.

The National Award-winning actor will also headline movies "Tejas" and actioner "Dhaakad", while "Manikarnika Returns: The Legend Of Didda" and a film on former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi are in the pipeline.
Deepika Kolluru By

Express News Service

VISAKHAPATNAM: Deepika Tadi, a resident of Antarvedi in East Godavari district, had a rare opportunity to represent India on the global platform and share the story of her villages contribution in reducing ocean plastic pollution as part of Antarvedi Zero-Waste Initiative. The programme is hosted by the United Nations Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea, Office of Legal Affairs, in partnership with Oceanic Global.

The 40-year-old woman is a member of the Antarvedi Zero-Waste Initiative. It has been launched by Green Worms, a waste management company headquartered in Kerala, in association with Smart Village Movement, an organisation working towards the betterment of India with a goal to collect plastic waste from coastal areas, temples, and other places.

Green Worms sent a video of Deepikas speech on coastal pollution prevention, biodiversity survival, and fishermens livelihood to the United Nations for World Oceans Day 2021 with the theme The Ocean: Life and Livelihoods. Green Worms has announced that Deepika is one of the 30 members selected by the UN after scrutinising entries.Speaking to TNIE, Deepika said she aspires to continue her work in the same way for mitigation of ocean plastic pollution.

Never thought I would get an opportunity to represent India. I am glad that I could address these issues on a global platform as everyone needs to understand and be aware of these issues, she said. Deepika is an active and confident woman. She has a spark in her and she sets an example for everyone to be environmentally and socially responsible. She has become an icon in spreading awareness regarding pollution and its adverse effects on marine life. She will definitely reach out and inspire many others through this meet, said YS Michael, Director of Smart Village Movement, AP.

He said the whole thing started in collaboration with the University of California in affiliation with Berkeley Haas. As part of cleanliness and sanitation, the team collaborated with the NGO, where they hired Deepika in their team. The team has already seen a positive impact and claims that they are successful in bringing discipline in people regarding cleanliness and sanitation. Our team works on finding problems in several villages and strives to solve them. As part of cleanliness and sanitation, it came to our mind that we can start this initiative in Antarvedi as it attracts tourists and thus sees a problem of plastic accumulation and its impact on marine life, he explained.

Gove r no r Bi swa Bhus a n Harichandan took to Twitter on Tuesday and congratulated Deepika saying, I congratulate Ms Tadi Deepika, a native of Antarvedi in East Godavari dist for unique opportunity received by her to represent India in a virtual meeting being organized by UnitedNationsOrganistion (@UNO) on the occasion of #WorldOceansDay2021.
M A Rajeev Kumar By

Express News Service

KANNUR: She recovered from Covid just recently. While speaking to TNIE over the phone from Delhi, she excused herself regularly to catch her breath. Still, Deepsikha Deb, 19, from Assam, who spent her life in Kannur, sounded happy and excited.

For, life was turning around for this daughter of a migrant labourer. She had joined the BA (Sanskrit) course at Delhi University. But more than that, she was happy that she would soon be taking online classes for children of migrant labourers in Kerala as part of a project of Kairos Kannur, under the supervision of Caritas India.

For Deepsikha, the daughter of Deepu Deb and Sheela Deb, life had been a continuous struggle. She was just six months old when her parents came with her to Kannur from Margharita in Tinsukia district in Assam. Like many others, my father came to Kerala looking for job opportunities, she said. Her childhood memories are mostly of her parents fighting.

Violence in our house was hard to endure: Deepsikha

For a girl my age, the violence in our house was hard to endure. But like my three brothers, I too was helpless. My father was a drunkard and seemingly lived a life of his own, entirely detached from his family, recalled Deepsikha. The continuous violence affected her mothers mental state and her delirious outbursts destabilised the kids lives. Despite the trouble at home, Deepsikha secured good marks in SSLC and joined Plus Two at Chovva HSS itself. Since I couldnt focus during the day or at night, I would wake up at 3am to study, she said.

She recalled that Childline officials would visit her school regularly to interact with students facing issues at home or elsewhere. One day, I told them that I wanted to study and the atmosphere in my house was not good for that, she said. She was then placed under the care of Caritas India through Kairos Kannur.

When I was brought to Santhwana Bhavanam, I came to know that there are many others whose lives are worse than mine. Still, survival was tough there. I couldnt focus much on studies, she said. She was also forced to move from one orphanage to other.

When she was at Holy Mount, Eachur, Deepsikha got a chance to engage in Covid relief work with a group of people in Pathanamthitta. Since I was well versed in Hindi, Assamese and Bengali, I was tasked with conducting a survey among migrant labourers, she said. Father Paul Moonjely, executive director, Caritas India, Delhi, said they have been conducting several programmes for the welfare of migrant labourers, who are facing several issues despite the governments support.
By Express News Service

SRINAGAR: A remote hamlet in Bandipora district of Jammu and Kashmir has become the first village in India to vaccinate all its adult population against COVID-19, officials said on Tuesday.

The credit goes to the healthcare workers whose strenuous efforts shot Weyan hamlet, with an adult population of 362, to national fame, they said.

"The village is located only 28 kilometres away from Bandipora district headquarters, but a distance of 18 kilometres has to be covered by foot as there is no motorable road, an official of the health department said.

He said the task of vaccinating all the residents was even more difficult as the village consists of nomadic families who go to higher reaches for grazing their livestock.

"There is no internet access in the village. So it was not possible for the residents to get appointments for vaccination like the way people in urban areas do," Bashir Ahmed Khan, Chief Medical Officer, Bandipora said while explaining the difficulty faced by the healthcare workers.

The vaccination in the village was covered under 'J&K model', which is a 10-point strategy to vaccinate entire eligible population at accelerated pace.

Despite initial vaccine hesitancy, Jammu and Kashmir has achieved 70 per cent vaccination in the 45+ age group, almost double the national average, the official said.

Commenting on the achievement, Yatish Yadav, media advisor to Jammu and Kashmir government, said the Union territory was raising the bar in the Covid vaccination drive.

"#JammuAndKashmirModel. And we thought up to now that Everest was the highest and toughest peak of Himalayas. But, some journey brings a new light, a new life. Team J&K raising the bar on vaccination drive," he tweeted.
New York, US (PANA) - Although the world has made great strides since the first case of AIDS was reported, four decades ago, the UN General Assembly President said on Tuesday that the tragic reality is that the most vulnerable remain in jeopardy
By PTI

NEW DELHI: All central government employees will be able to get 15 days of special casual leave (SCL) in case their parents or any dependent family members test COVID-19 positive, according to an order issued by the personnel ministry.

"In case of active hospitalisation of any of the family members/parents even after 15 days of the expiry of SCL, the government servants may be granted leave of any kind due and admissible beyond 15 days of SCL till their discharge from hospital," it said.

The ministry has come out with the detailed order on treatment, regularisation of hospitalization or quarantine period during COVID-19 pandemic after it received several queries related to it and keeping in view the "hardships faced by the government servants".

A government servant shall be granted commuted leave up to 20 days when he or she is COVID-19 positive and is in home isolation/quarantine, the order said.

In case of a government servant testing COVID-19 positive and is in home isolation and has also been hospitalised, he or she shall be granted commuted leave/SCL/earned leave (EL) for a period up to 20 days starting from the time having tested positive, it said.

"In case of hospitalization beyond the 20th day from his testing COVID positive, he shall be granted commuted leave, on production of documentary proof of hospitalization," said the order issued to all central government ministries.

A government servant shall be granted special casual leave of 15 days in case a dependent family member or parents (whether dependent or not, living with him) are COVID-19 positive, it said.

In case the government servant comes into direct contact with a COVID-positive person and remains in home quarantine, "he shall be treated as on duty/work from home for a period of seven days", the ministry said in its order dated June 7.

It said that the period of quarantine spent by government servant, as a precautionary measure, residing in the containment zone "shall be treated as on duty/work from home till the containment zone is de-notified".

These orders shall be applicable with effect from March 25, 2020 until further orders.

WATCH | Covid19: Gangrene, Hearing Loss Suggest Delta Strain "More Severe", say doctors
Express News Service

JAIPUR: In an apparent attempt to exploit the divisions in the BJP ranks and to nip any mass protest against the suspension of Mayor of Jaipur Municipal Corporation in the bud, the Ashok Gehlot government on Monday night appointed a loyalist of former chief minister Vasundhara Rajes to the post.

The decision took the wind out of BJPs sails, which had called for a statewide agitation on Tuesday after Mayor Saumya Gurjar and three councilors were suspended on Monday.

The Gehlot government appointed BJP councillor Sheel Dhabhai as the officiating mayor, who took charge on Tuesday. Dhabai was earlier the chairman of the Finance Committee. Gurjar and three councilors had allegedly scuffled with the JMC (Greater) Commissioner Yagya Mitra Singh on Monday. A judicial inquiry has been ordered into the incident.

While the BJP had launched a series of protests on Monday, party leaders including state president Satish Poonia, Vasundhra Raje, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Arjun Ram Meghwal had called the move illegal and unconstitutional. However, Sheel Dhabhai said:

I have nothing to say at this at the moment. I have to focus on the responsibility given to me.

A known Raje loyalist, Dhabhai has served as mayor in the past, too. She was in the race to get the post, but the BJP leadership had favoured Saumya Gurjar.

Suspending the mayor and the three councillors shows the state government is acting out of vengeance. Today, the BJP protested the decision across the state, Poonia had said, alleging Gehlot converted an ordinary altercation between officers and public representatives into a criminal case.
By PTI

KANPUR: The death toll in the head-on collision between a double-decker bus and a loader ferrying factory workers on the Kanpur-Allahabad highway has climbed to 17, officials said on Wednesday.

District Magistrate Alok Tiwari said a probe has been ordered into the accident that took place on Tuesday night.

Sub Divisional Officer (Sadar), Deepak Kumar Pal, and Circle Officer (Sadar), Rishikesh Yadav, have been asked to inquire into the incident and submit the findings within 24 hours, Tiwari said Superintendent of Police, Kanpur Outer, Ashtbhuja P Singh, said eight of the injured are being treated at the Lala Lajpat Rai hospital here.

Those with minor injuries were discharged after first aid.

The Delhi-bound bus collided with the the loader ferrying 16 biscuit factory workers at Kisan Nagar, the SP said.

While 10 people died on the spot, seven succumbed to injuries while being taken to hospital or during treatment, the SP said.

Over 70 bus passengers had sustained minor injuries, he added.

Passengers on the bus told police that the driver had consumed liquor minutes before the accident took place, sources said.

While 12 of the deceased hailed from Lalepur village, four others were residents of Ishwariganj and another was from Sakatpur village.

A senior official said while one family lost three of their sons in the accident, another lost two sons.

Bodies have been handed over to families after postmortem.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had expressed grief at the loss of lives in the accident.

Modi had announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund for the next of kin the deceased.

Chief Minister Adityanath had also announced an ex-gratia amount of Rs 2 lakh each to the next of kin of the deceased and ordered an inquiry into the incident.
By PTI

KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday assured farmer leaders led by Rakesh Tikait and Yudhvir Singh of support to their agitation against the new agriculture laws.

At a meeting with the farmer leaders here during the day, the TMC chief said that there should be a platform where states could converse on policy issues.

"Bulldozing states is not good for the federal structure," she said.

Banerjee's support for the north India-based farmers' unions comes within days of the Trinamool Congress announcing that the party would spread its footprints outside West Bengal's geographical boundaries.

The Bhartiya Kisan Union led by Tikait and Singh had supported the 'No vote for BJP' campaign ahead of the West Bengal assembly elections and have plans to extend that in other upcoming state elections as well.

Banerjee announced after the meeting that her "support for the farmers' movement will be there" and added in an obvious jibe at the Centre that "India is hungrily waiting for policies which help in fighting COVID-19, assist farmers and industry."

The chief minister rhetorically asked, "Why is it so difficult to talk to the farmers?"

ALSO READ: Share objections with logic on agri laws, govt ready to listen, Union Minister Tomar tells farmers

She was referring to the breakdown in communication between the Centre and the farmers who have been camping at Delhi's borders for the past one year against three farm laws passed by the Parliament.

The agitators feel the new laws will commercialise agriculture without adequate protection to small farmers from exploitation by large retail chains and industry.

"The BJP rule has been disastrous for all sectors from healthcare to farmers to industry. India is suffering. We are facing both natural and political disasters," Banerjee said.

ALSO READ: Only way to end farmers' protest is govt withdrawing farm laws, says Congress

The chief minister said that the agriculturist leaders have requested her to talk to other state leaders on the farmers' issue and organise a dialogue with farmers' unions.

"The farmers' movement is not just for Punjab, Haryana or Uttar Pradesh. It is for the whole country," she said.

Banerjee also said that it was necessary for states to come together to discuss policy issues and stand together against injustice.
By PTI

ITANAGAR: Free rice in return for a COVID-19 jab, and as much as 20 kg.

The prospect turned out to be lucrative enough to dispel rumours around vaccination among villagers of an administrative circle in Arunachal Pradesh, as over 80 of them turned up on foot for the inoculation within days of the announcement of the sop.

The brainchild of Circle Officer Tashi Wangchuk Thongdok of Yazali in Lower Subansiri district, the offer of free rice for those getting vaccinated in the 45-plus age group was launched on Monday and is valid till Wednesday.

"We are constantly trying to work out strategies to improve vaccination coverage in the circle and in the district.

"Till today noon, 80 people have come to receive the jabs. Our aim is to achieve 100 per cent inoculation in the circle by June 20," Thongdok, a 2016-batch APCS officer, said.

There are 1,399 people above the age of 45 in the Yazali Circle, officials said.

Many of those who came to get themselves vaccinated came on foot from far-flung villages, braving inclement weather, Thongdok said.

He said the administration is chalking out a roadmap for taking the vaccination drive to every village of the circle.

"We are planning door-to-door visits on Friday and Saturday to administer vaccines to people above 45 years of age. Our offer will continue but the quantity of rice will be 10 kg instead of 20 kg," Thongdok said.

Two former students of Vivekananda Kendra Vidyalaya have donated the rice for distribution among the beneficiaries, he added.

Rumours surrounding the COVID-19 immunisation, including severe ailments post inoculation and the possibility of microscopic tracking devices being injected through the serum, have turned many sceptical in the northeast, the officials said.

State Immunisation Officer Dimong Padung said a total of 3,95,445 people have been vaccinated so far in the state.
By PTI

CHANDIGARH: Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Wednesday called on Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Tomar to hold unconditional talks with farmers, instead of "rubbing salt" into their wounds by rejecting their demand for the repeal of the Centre's contentious farm laws.

The former Punjab deputy CM's remarks have come a day after Tomar told reporters in Gwalior that the Centre is ready to hold talks with farmers on options other than the repeal of the farm laws.

Farmers have been agitating on Delhi borders against the Centre's three new farm laws since November last year.

Asserting that the agitating farmers cannot hold talks on issues other than repeal of the three laws, Badal said, "This has already been made very clear to the Centre. The farmers have rejected all overtures which are aimed at destabilising the Kisan Andolan without accepting the core demand for repeal of the farm laws."

"I appeal to Narendra Tomar to hold unconditional talks with the agitating farmers and accept their demands in the interest of the farming community," he said in a statement here.

The Centre should hold talks with farmers instead of "rubbing salt" into their wounds by outrightly rejecting their demand for the repeal of the laws, he said.

Asking the Centre to be "sensitive to the pain and anguish of farmers", the SAD chief said, "It is shocking that the NDA government is effectively telling farmers that there is no space for discussion in a democracy."

It is equally shocking that besides ruling out any talks on taking back the three black laws, Tomar said that the laws are in the interest of farmers, the former Punjab deputy CM said.

Badal said it is unfortunate that the Centre has still not realised the ills of the agricultural laws despite holding a number of rounds of talks with farmer leaders.

"It seems the NDA government is firm in its desire to toe the line of the corporate sector which wants an end to the minimum support price system and assured government purchase of foodgrains.

There can be no other reason for rejecting the appeal of the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha to hold talks to resolve the crisis", he said.

"This indicates that it is firm on being intransigent and not accepting the genuine demands of the farmers at any cost.

Simultaneously, the government has done everything within its power to suppress the peaceful and democratic movement and continues to attempt to dislodge farmers from the Singhu and Tikri protest sites," he said.
Richa Sharma By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: An indigenously designed and manufactured oxygen concentrator, which ensures high-purity oxygen supply, is now out in the market. An Indian startup has designed and developed this affordable portable oxygen concentrator and is now manufacturing it for supply to various hospitals in the country.

Oxygen saturation levels of patients have been a major challenge in the treatment of Covid, especially in the second wave. Indian medical devices manufacturers and indigenous automation companies took this challenge up and came up with innovative designs of ventilators, portable respiratory aids, and related devices.

Mohali-based Walnut Medical has developed a 5 litre and 10 litre portable medical grade oxygen concentrators based on Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) technology in India with an oxygen purity of above 96 per cent at a pressure of 55-75 kpa.

ALSO READ | You can now borrow oxygen concentrator in Chennai, here's how

Pressure swing adsorption technology separates single gases from a gas mixture. PSA is a non-cryogenic air separation (near ambient temperature separation processes) process that is commonly used in commercial practice. These two parameters are most critical for patients suffering from COVID or other respiratory problems.

The company was supported by the CAWACH 2020 grant of the National Science and Technology Entrepreneurship Development Board (NSTEDB) under the Department of Science and Technology (DST), and they developed the world-class Oxygen Concentrator in a year to reduce dependence on imports.

Walnut medical oxygen concentrator is tested for patient safety, electrical safety, electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) as per the International Safety Standards.

The complete mould design, development of all electronics, moulding, control system, sieve tower, and all related parts and accessories has been done in India. It is currently being supplied to various government, defense, military hospitals in India and is also making them available for the general public through its distribution network across India.

DSTs support helped them push their endeavor forward with 5 litre and 10 litre models and invest in quality moulds to compete against products from Japan, USA, and China. IIT Delhi incubation team worked with them to help the technology see the light of the day.
Richa Sharma By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: Former Union minister Jitin Prasada, another key member of Team Rahul Gandhi during UPA II, joining the BJP, shows that the Congress has failed to put its house in order forcing its disenchanted younger leadership to jump ship for greener pastures.

Prasada, a Brahmin from UP and signatory to letter by G23 party leaders, switched over to the BJP just ahead of UP assembly elections. Prasada's move may not impact the grand old party electoral fortunes in the state which is in shambles. It may help the BJP sending a signal to the Brahmin community that is feeling sidelined under the leadership of Yogi Adityanath, a Rajput. The party called Prasada's move unfortunate and said that he had a future here but it was his decision to join the BJP.

The 47-year-old Prasada joins his former colleague and BJP leader Jyotiraditya Scindia. Rahul Gandhis other two close associates -- Sachin Pilot and Milind Deora -- are also unhappy with the affairs in the party. The feud between Pilot and Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot played out publicly last year when the former rebelled against him and reportedly was in touch with the BJP.

I believe in Congress as a party that can and must reclaim its position as Indias big tent party. We still have a strong bench that if empowered and optimally utilised, can deliver. I only wish that several of my friends, peers and valued colleagues hadnt left us, tweeted Deora.

Some of these young leaders, who did not have much ground connection, were catapulted as Union ministers in UPA II in 2009 but some of them felt left out and dejected following the party's poor performance in several assembly and general elections. A common thread was that all of them came from political families and enjoyed direct access to the Gandhi family.

ALSO READ | If there is any national party today, it is BJP, says ex-Congress leader Jitin Prasada after joining saffron party

Several leaders, especially from the G23, are unhappy with the party leadership for its failure to address their concerns with decisions on organisational elections and reforms in the party lingering on. The party is yet to elect a new chief with Sonia Gandhi taking over as interim chief since 2019. More party leaders may quit the party in coming months, say sources.

Prasada does not have much clout in UP and had lost three elections -- two Lok Sabha (2014 and 2019) and assembly election (2017) -- from UP. Keeping in mind 2022 assembly elections in the state, Prasada floated Brahmin Chetna Parishad last year and projected himself as a Brahmin face of the Congress in the state. UP has 12 per cent Brahmin population which is crucial for any party.

After he joined the Group of 23 letter writers flagging issues related to organisational elections in the party, he was appointed as the AICC incharge for West Bengal, where party could not even win a single seat in the recently-held elections. He reportedly felt that the appointment was to keep him out of the

state and he was not included in any of the committees constituted by the partys UP incharge Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

Just ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Prasada was all set to join the BJP when last minute efforts by Priyanka Gandhi and Scindia, now in BJP, convinced him against it. He was unhappy over the party projecting two Muslim candidates from adjoining constituencies -- Lakhimpur Kheri and Sitapur -- of

Dhaurahra which he won in 2009 and lost in 2014.

Haryana Congress leader Kuldeep Bishnoi said that losing Scindia and Prasada is a huge blow to the party. As we lose leaders who gave and still had much to give to the Party. Agreed, they shouldnt have abandoned INC especially during troubled waters. But Congress needs to identify and empower mass leaders to win back states, he tweeted.
By PTI

MUMBAI: The Maharashtra government will amend its agriculture law to protect farmers and APMCs as the three Central farm laws are not in the interest of agriculturists, state Revenue Minister Balasaheb Thorat said on Wednesday.

He said the draft law will be introduced in the monsoon session of the Maharashtra legislature beginning July 5.

"We want to amend the state agriculture law as we feel that the Union government's agriculture laws are not in the interest of farmers.

The proposed amendments will ensure the protection of Agriculture Produce Marketing Committees (APMCs), redressal of grievances of farmers and protection of the interests of agriculturists during the crop trade among others.

We will also insert a provision mandating license for traders which was not there in the Central laws," Thorat told reporters after meeting NCP chief Sharad Pawar at his residence here.

Thorat, a senior Congress leader, along with state Cooperation Minister Balasaheb Patil, Agriculture Minister Dada Bhuse and MoS Agriculture and Cooperation Vishwajeet Kadam met Pawar to discuss the draft law.

"We also discussed the Centre's new law on cooperative banking which we feel will hurt the cooperative sector," Thorat added.

Thousands of farmers, mostly from Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, have been camping at the Delhi border points --- Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur --- since November 2020, demanding the repeal of the three farm laws and a legal guarantee on the minimum support price (MSP) for their crops.

Multiple rounds of talks between the Centre and farmers' bodies have failed to resolve the deadlock.

Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar had on Tuesday said the government was ready to talk with the agitating farmers on the "options other than the farm bills".
By PTI

BHOPAL: Police have detained a 34-year-old man for allegedly threatening to hijack planes from Madhya Pradesh's Bhopal and Indore airports and take them to Pakistan, an official said on Wednesday.

Officials at the Raja Bhoj Airport here received a phone call around 5.00 pm on Tuesday wherein the caller made the threat, Bhopal's Gandhinagar police station in-charge Arun Sharma said.

Later, the airport management complained to the Gandhinagar police.

"The man, who allegedly threatened to hijack the planes, was caught late Tuesday night from Shujalpur town (about 100 km from Bhopal). He is being extensively questioned as part of the investigation into the matter," the official said.

Security has been tightened at the Bhopal airport following the threat call, another official said.

On Tuesday evening, a Mumbai-bound flight took off from Bhopal after a strict security check, he said.
Khartoum, Sudan (PANA) - Sudan and Egypt on Wednesday again expressed their "deep concern" over the potential impact and damages of the unilateral filling next month of the controversial Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GEDRD) by Ethiopia without a legally binding agreement
By PTI

NEW DELHI: The Dominica High Court has adjourned the bail hearing of fugitive diamond merchant Mehul Choksi till June 11, local media reports stated.

Choksi had approached the high court after the magistrate rejected his bail petition.

The bail hearing took place before high court judge Wynante Adrien-Roberts through video-conferencing on the plea of Choksi's local legal team comprising Julien Prevost, Wayne Norde, Wayne Marsh and Cara Shillingford-Marsh.

The government side represented by Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Sherma Dalrymple "strongly objected" to Choksi's plea calling him a flight risk, Dominica News Online reported.

The judge adjourned the matter till June 11, it said.

The high court is also hearing a separate matter of habeas corpus filed by Choksi's team in which the hearing has also been adjourned.

Choksi had mysteriously gone missing on May 23 from Antigua and Barbuda where he has been staying since 2018 as a citizen.

He was detained in neighbouring island country Dominica for illegal entry after a possible romantic escapade with his rumoured girlfriend.

His lawyers alleged that he was kidnapped from Jolly Harbour in Antigua by policemen looking like Antiguan and Indian and brought to Dominica on a boat.

The businessman was also brought before a Roseau magistrate on the orders of high court judge Bernie Stephenson, hearing the habeas corpus matter, to answer charges of illegal entry where he pleaded not guilty but was denied bail.
By Express News Service

LUCKNOW: A prominent private hospital in Agra was sealed on Tuesday and a case registered against its owners and management following reports of oxygen supply having been deliberately stopped for 96 patients at the hospital for five minutes in April to find out who will survive and die in need of oxygen.

The action was taken against Agra-based Shri Paras Hospital after a clip went viral in which the hospital's owner is heard purportedly saying that a mock drill was conducted one morning at 7 am by cutting off the oxygen supply to 96 critical patients, just to figure out which patients would die and who all will survive in the need of oxygen.

The video which dates back to last week of April 2021 pertains to April 26/27 when there was acute shortage of Oxygen.

In the video, the hospital owner Arinjay Jain is heard purportedly saying that "I was told by Oxygen suppliers, that there is no oxygen supply anywhere, Modi Nagar is dry, even the CM cannot get you Oxygen. Only option is to start discharging patients."

"The patients attendants weren't ready to get their patients discharged despite acute Oxygen shortage. So we decided to do a mock drill for finding out which patients will survive and who'll die in absence of oxygen. At 7 am, the oxygen supply was made zero for five minutes, which led to 22 patients turning blue. This helped us to trace which patients will die due to absence of oxygen," he added.

However, the hospital owner tried to clarify on the matter, after the audio-visual clip went viral. "The video and audio in the clip has been distorted. No one died at the hospital at that time," Jain clarified on Tuesday.

Taking cognizance of the matter, the Uttar Pradesh government ordered a probe in the matter and also directed the Agra district administration to lodge an FIR against the hospital owner-management.

According to the Agra district administration's statement, the video dates back to April 28. Also, preliminary probe has revealed there was no oxygen shortage at the concerned hospital between April 25 and April 27. Only seven deaths of COVID patients were reported there on April 26 and 27, but none of them happened due to oxygen shortage.

A case has been registered against the hospital ownerand the management under provisions of the Epidemic Act and the hospital has been sealed. The 56 patients admitted at the hospital have been safely shifted to other hospitals before sealing the building, the district administration's official statement added.

Agra district magistrate Prabhu N Singh said that as part of the probe, the video clip too will be examined.

Meanwhile Congress leader Rahul Gandhi tweeted on the matter and demanded action against the guilty people. He wrote, "There is a severe shortage of both oxygen and humanity in the BJP regime. Action should be taken immediately against all those responsible for this heinous crime. My condolences to the families of the deceased in this hour of grief."
By PTI

NEW DELHI: Protesting farmer leaders on Wednesday reiterated that a complete repeal of three farm laws and legal guarantee on MSP are their main demands, after the government said it was ready to resume talks and asked them to point out their objections to the provisions of legislation.

"Our main demands have always been the repeal of the three laws and a written guarantee on MSP. These are the main issues, and this why we are protesting, and we will keep protesting. We are prepared to continue till 2024.

"Our stand remains the same. Repeal the three laws, give us a written guarantee on MSP, if the government is ready to talk on this, then we are ready. Now, it is up to the government to decide about the meeting," said farmer leader Shiv Kumar Kakka.

Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Wednesday said the government is ready to resume talks with protesting farmers but asked the unions to point out their objections to the provisions of the three farm laws with sound logic.

Kakka, however pointed out that the problems with laws had already been pointed out in the 11 rounds of talks that had happened between the government and the farmers.

"The government does not want us to tell the problems with the laws. That we have already done. It essentially wants to talk to us only if it is about anything besides the black laws. We have sacrificed more than 555 farmers, and have sat in protest for over six months, so the agriculture minister's statement today is strange and irresponsible," the farmer leader said.

The last round of talks were held on January 22 to break the deadlock and end the farmers' protest.

Talks have not resumed following widespread violence during a tractor rally by protesting farmers on January 26.

Talking about the government's approach towards resolving the deadlock on the farmers' issue, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) in a statement on Wednesday said that the government's attitude towards resolving the issue was "anti-farmer".

"While the prime minister superciliously says that the government is just one call away, the real anti-farmer attitude of the government is very apparent. Protesting farmers repeat and reiterate that the government's attitude is unjustifiable and unreasonable, and is resting on ego and optics' games. Farmers demand a full repeal of the three central laws and a new legislation to guarantee MSP for all farmers," the SKM said in a statement.

Thousands of farmers, mainly from Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, have been camping at Delhi's borders for more than six months in protest against the three laws that they say will end state procurement of crops at MSP.

The Supreme Court has put on hold the implementation of the three laws till further orders and set up a committee to find solutions.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Wednesday said the government is ready to resume talks with protesting farmers but asked the unions to point out their objections to the provisions of the three farm laws with sound logic.

The government and unions have held 11 rounds of talks, the last being on January 22, to break the deadlock and end the farmers' protest.

Talks have not resumed following widespread violence during a tractor rally by protesting farmers on January 26.

Thousands of farmers, mainly from Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, have been camping at Delhi's borders for more than six months in protest against the three laws that they say will end state procurement of crops at MSP.

The Supreme Court has put on hold the implementation of the three laws till further orders and set up a committee to find solutions.

"All political parties of the country wanted to bring the farm laws, but they could not gather courage to bring them. Modi government took this big step in the interest of farmers and brought reforms. Farmers got benefit of that in several parts of the country. But in the meantime farmers agitation started," Tomar said at a Cabinet briefing.

He said the government held 11 rounds of talks with farmers and Unions were asked about their objections in the laws and which provisions they think were against farmers.

"But neither leader of any political party gave its answer in the House (Parliament) nor any farmers' leader, and the talks did not move forward".

ALSO READ: Union Cabinet hikes paddy MSP by Rs 72/quintal to Rs 1,940 for 2021-22 crop year

The minister said that the government is committed towards farmers and it also respects farmers.

"So, whenever farmers want discussions, Government of India will be ready for discussion. But we have repeatedly asked them to tell the objections in the provisions with logic. We will listen and find a solution," Tomar said.

Three union ministers, including Tomar and Food Minister Piyush Goyal, held 11 rounds of talks with the protesting farmer unions.

In the last meeting on January 22, the government's negotiations with 41 farmer groups hit a roadblock as the unions squarely rejected the Centre's proposal of putting the laws on suspension.

During the 10th round of talks held on January 20, the Centre had offered to suspend the laws for 1-1.5 years and form a joint committee to find solutions, in return for protesting farmers going back to their respective homes from Delhi's borders.

ALSO READ: Only way to end farmers' protest is govt withdrawing farm laws, says Congress

Farmer groups have alleged that these laws will end the mandi and MSP procurement systems and leave the farmers at the mercy of big corporates, even as the government has rejected these apprehensions as misplaced.

On January 11, the Supreme Court had stayed the implementation of the three laws till further orders and appointed a four-member panel to resolve the impasse.

Bhartiya Kisan Union President Bhupinder Singh Mann had recused himself from the committee appointed by the apex court.

Shetkari Sanghatana (Maharashtra) President Anil Ghanwat and agriculture economists Pramod Kumar Joshi and Ashok Gulati are the other members on the panel.

They have completed the consultation process with stakeholders.
By Express News Service

KOLKATA: West Bengals Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari landed in New Delhi on Tuesday to hold meetings with BJP national president JP Nadda and Home Minister Amit Shah amid fears of party imploding in the state.

Sources said Adhikari was summoned to Delhi to meet Shah and Nadda and mull ways on keeping the flock together in the wake of the crushing defeat in Bengal election.

Cracks are developing in the BJPs West Bengal unit, with at least five prominent TMC imports to BJP snapping communication lines with the leadership as a precursor to quitting.

On a day Adhikari reached Delhi, more news of widening rift reached the leadership. BJPs national vice president Mukul Roy skipped an organisational meeting convened by partys state unit chief Dilip Ghosh. Former TMC minister Rajib Banerjee was among the notable faces missing in the meeting.

While Roy claimed one had informed him about Tuesdays organisational meeting, Banerjee said he could not attend the meeting as one of his relatives fell sick. Later, in a social media post, Banerjee, without naming Adhikari, said repeated demands of imposing Article 356 in West Bengal would not go down well in Bengal.

Responding to Adhikaris Delhi visit, the state president said he was not aware of his schedule.

The statements given by Ghosh on the issue of Adhikaris Delhi visit and Roys comment on the organisational meeting reflect clear division. Though the rift between Ghosh and Roy emerged before the Assembly election, it was brushed under the carpet. However, after its defeat, it has spilled over to public domain, a senior BJP leader in Kolkata said.

The leader said the BJPs national leadership is not happy with the post-poll developments in Bengal.

Five former TMC MLAs have already quit and five are likely to leave. Also, Adhikari was recently booked in a criminal case. These issues might be discussed, he said.
Chetana Belagere and Nirad Mudur By

Express News Service

BENGALURU: While opinions are building in favour of the Wuhan Laboratory-origin theory of SARS-CoV-2 virus that triggered a pandemic, killing 37.54 lakh people and infecting 17.44 crore worldwide, an eminent Indian virologist has raised the flag on the possibility of China having developed the vaccine in advance to be prepared in case of the virus outbreak or a leak -- an indicator of the deadly virus being engineered in the lab.

This could have helped that country curtail the spread right from the early days. China, with the largest population in the world at 140 crore, recorded just 91,300 Covid-positive cases and 4,636 deaths since December 2019. It is ranked 98 on the list of countries in the order of cases recorded, he said.

The virologist, Dr T Jacob John, former professor & head of department of Clinical Virology, Christian Medical College, Vellore, said, There are some mysteries about the Chinese episode (the suspected leak from the Wuhan Institute of Virology). Chinas Covid-19 pandemic was unique in the world. That means they are hiding something or they are differentor China had prepared for this in advance. Everything is not what meets the eye.

He cited the example of a young Chinese scientist applying for a licence for SARS-CoV-2 vaccine as early as February 24, 2020, just two months after the pandemic broke out. It is far too early to work on a vaccine in just two months. They must have started at least a year earlier, said Dr John.

That young man (the scientist) is dead. There are too many loose ends. China seems to be covering up something, just like any criminal would cover up.

Dr T Jacob John said, "There is smoking gun evidence in molecular biology that point to the possibility that it is a lab-manipulated virus.

Interestingly, as reported by a section of the media, Indian biologists from Kusuma School of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi, had reportedly detected four gene insertions in SARS-CoV-2 virus spike protein which is its weapon to attach to the human cells and gain entry into the body. This was as early as January 2020. However, the study which was not peer reviewed was withdrawn on February 2 last year.

Meanwhile, the focus has turned on a report by US governments Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, California, which conducted a study in May 2020, stating that the hypothesis of a virus leak from the Wuhan laboratory was plausible and needs to be investigated thoroughly.
Rajesh Kumar Thakur By

Express News Service

PATNA: The Mahatma Gandhi National Council of Rural Education of the Union Ministry of Education has announced the "One District - One Green Champion" awards for 2020-21 to 400 higher educational institutions of country, included 12 from Bihar under the Swacchatha Action Plan.

According to official announcement, the 12 higher educational institutions selected for the prestigious "One District-One Green Champion Awards" are St. Xavier's College of Management and Technology from Patna and other institutions from Begusarai, Darbhanga, Gaya, Purnia, Bhagalpur, Nalanda, Sitamarhi, Gopalganj, East Champaran, Khagaria, Gopalganj and Madhubani.

This award is given for the contribution of selected higher educational institutions to the Swachhtha Education and Practices. This time for this prestigious award, 1000 higher educational institutions from across the country had participated, out of which only 400 were screened eligible fro this wards.

According to principal of St Xavier's College of Management and Technology at Patna, Fr.T Nishaant SJ, the college had always mobilised its resources for various pro-environment programmes and encouraged the students to come to the college on bicycles.

"The students of this college in Patna have taken initiatives to keep the sprawling college campus clean and surrounding areas also. The students always went around the localities and carried out sanitisation during the prevailing first and second wave of COVID-19 situation, thermal screening of every persons at the entry gate and ensured disposals of waste on daily basis," Alok Mohit, the assistant professor of college's Mass communication department said. Mohit added that the college had adopted 'Save the Earth, Save the Future' as the annual theme for the current academic year.

Official sources said that the highest number of higher educational institutions for the award have been selected from Uttar Pradesh (75) followed 38 from Tamilnadu, 29 from Telangana, 24 from Maharashtra

and rest from other states.
"Keep your enthusiasm, but let strict verification be its constant companion" This was Louis Pasteur's wise counsel to his young research fellows. It embodies the core philosophical tenets of science: curiosity to seek new knowledge or test old assumptions and dogmas; exploration along that path with a vision unclouded by bias; meticulous investigation to unravel facts with accuracy and precision; objective analysis of assembled data; honest reporting of results; and an insightful discussion of the implications of the findings for the field of study and, where relevant, for policies that impact wider society.

Constructed on these foundations, science also calls for a readiness to change ones prior beliefs and adopt new positions in light of new evidence that is credible and provides new perspectives. While science calls for healthy skepticism when testing a new hypothesis, it also calls for a ready embrace of new knowledge that has emerged from the crucible of rigorous investigation and stood the test of critical appraisal by expert peers.

While science is not infallible, these philosophical tenets of science endow it with the strength of self-correction. That strength has been called for duty recently, in reacting to the controversy surrounding the origins of the Sars-CoV-2 virus. The prior assumption that the virus travelled from bats in the forests of Wuhan to humans, possibly through an intermediate host animal like the pangolin, has been forcefully challenged by a series of revelations in global media about the happenings in the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV). The 'lab leak' hypothesis, hitherto dismissed as a crazy conspiracy theory, suddenly looks plausible.

It now appears that miners who were employed to dig mounds of bat excreta in caves outside Wuhan for research purposes in WIV had developed pneumonia similar to Sars. Then lab workers in WIV fell ill with respiratory illnesses resembling COVID-19. All of these events preceded the public acknowledgement of cases occurring in the general population of Wuhan in late December 2019. Much of this information has been unearthed by a global coalition of amateur internet sleuths, who go by the collective name DRASTIC. Interestingly, a key contributor to this effort is a young science teacher from Bengal.

It has also been revealed that WIV was involved in 'gain of function' research with coronaviruses. This involves modifying wild viruses isolated from bats and other forest animals to see whether their infectivity or virulence can be increased. The ostensible reason for such dangerous research is to explore what might happen because of future mutations in a wild virus. A hidden motive, of developing biological weapons for warfare, cannot be fully ruled out.

A secret that has spilled out, in the massive unearthing of hidden documents, is that WIV in China has been receiving funding from the US governments federal research agencies. Those grants were routed through a global non-government organisation called Eco-Health Alliance. This group's mission is to promote research into the dynamics of zoonotic transmission of microbes from animals to help anticipate and prevent future pandemics. While that is laudable, funding of dangerous gain of function research deserves condemnation.

It is apparent from recently revealed documents, which include emails of Dr Anthony Fauci, that several senior US government officials were aware of the gain of function research at WIV and its funding route. Some officials even made active attempts to stop enquiries related to this research. What were they trying to hide? An accidental 'lab leak' of an engineered virus cannot be ruled out on the basis of recent evidence. A deliberate release into the general population is extremely unlikely.

The zoonotic origin of the infection should be still regarded as real, judging by the initial sickness of the miners exposed to bat excreta. However, what happened to the bat coronavirus after it arrived in the laboratory still needs to be investigated.

Deliberate modification of natural microbes to enhance their dangerous traits is clearly unethical and deviates from the moral moorings of science.

This is not the first time that the strength of science has been misdirected to design dangerous products. Nuclear weapons are a clear example. Several technological products of sound science have led to climate change, environmental pollution, chronic diseases and weapons of mass destruction. Some of them, like chlorofluorocarbons, leaded petrol and ultra-processed foods may not have revealed their potential for harm when first invented, but the danger of engineering viruses for greater harm should have been obvious to anyone, other than wannabe Frankensteins and militaristic minds with ambitions of global domination.

That raises the question of who should be the watchdogs of research, so that misdirected scientific curiosity and blinkered pursuit of projects for bioengineering pathogens does not lead to calamitous consequences. The public must be the judge of whether such research should ever be permitted, not just researchers who do not see beyond their nose. Society must judge what is safe, not just the scientists.

To those who doubt the ability of common people to understand the complexities of science vis a vis public policy, these sage words of Thomas Jefferson should show the light: I know of no safe depository of the ultimate power of society than the people themselves, and if we think them not enlightened enough to exercise that control with a wholesome discretion, the remedy is not to take it from them, but to inform their discretion.

(Views are personal)

(The writer is a cardiologist, epidemiologist and President, Public Health Foundation of India. He can be reached at ksrinath.reddy@phfi.org)
RH Kulkarni By

There is a rich tradition of mural paintings in the southern part of India. In the post-Ajanta visual arts scenario, the Badami Chalukyas, Pallavas of Kanchipuram and Chola kings patronised mural paintings. The 12th century CE encyclopaedia Abhilashitartha Chintamani, also known as Manasollasa, compiled by the Kalyan Chalukya king Someshwara III, dedicated a complete chapter to the techniques and making of mural paintings (bhitti chitra). The Vijayanagara kings continued the patronisation of the mural painting tradition. Foreign travel accounts about Hampi say that many temples and palaces were decorated with paintings.

Hampi was an important religious centre even before the Vijayanagara period. God Virupaksha, a focal point of the Vijayanagara Hampi city, has been mentioned in Kalyan Chalukya inscriptions. The 12th century Kannada literary laureates Harihara and Raghavanka lived in Hampi. Harihara was responsible for composing the work on Girija Kalyana, the marriage of Lord Shiva and Girija, inspired by Kalidasa's Kumara Sambhavam.

Presently, the Virupaksha temple's maharangamantapa is the only Vijayanagara monument in Hampi with paintings that have survived till date. It was built by Vijayanagara Emperor Sri Krishnadevaraya in 1509 CE to commemorate his coronation. The paintings occupy the large ceiling of the maharangamantapa. They are divided according to subjects in a rectangular compositional frame. The Trimurtis along with their spouses and retinue are depicted in an individual composition. The other important themes like Girija Kalyana, Tripura Samhara Shiva and Kama disturbing Shiva's penance are composed in one row in the central space of the ceiling. In the subsequent scene, the wedding of Shiva and Girija is narrated and in the lower strata of this episode, the Dashavatara images of Vishnu are painted in a row. Other important themes are Rama breaking Shiva's bow to marry Sita and Arjuna shooting an arrow at the rotating fish to marry Draupadi. Both the themes are connected to swayamvars and culminate with the illustration of the respective wedding scenes. Besides the above, Kama and Rati are depicted as riding pancha nari turaga (horse composed of five women) and nava nari kunjara (elephant composed of nine women). The whole lintel of the hall has been covered with paintings depicting varied themes.

Thematic and stylistic depictions of these murals have interesting features. Starting from the Trimurti figures, all are composed in an artistically decorated arched design that has a rectangular structure and triple shrine motifs on the upper portion. The composition of these figures gives the feeling of enshrined images in a temple. The use of flora and fauna within these square compositions further enhances the artistic approach of the paintings. The Tripura Samhara, and Kama and Siva narrations are interesting from the point of mode of depiction. The theme of Tripura Samhara had already become a popular subject in Indian sculptures and paintings. The Thanjavur Brihadeeswara temple has a similar theme depicted on the outer walls of the garbagriha. Here at the maharangamantapa, the Tripurari theme is realistically depicted: Shiva standing on a chariot formed out of a serpent, driven by the seven horses of Surya; Surya and Chandra becoming the wheels of the mighty chariot; and Brahma becoming the charioteer. The three demon brothers Tarakaksha, Vidyunmali and Kamalaksha are symbolically represented in a circular form depicting their cities. The Mahabharata's Shalya Parva has a beautiful narration of this theme where Shiva's features are eulogised.

In the episode narrating the penance of Shiva with Kama disturbing it - popularly identified as Manmatha Vijaya - Manmatha and Rati are standing in a chariot driven by a parrot. Manmatha aims a flower arrow to disturb Shiva's penance and make his mind turn towards Girija; their marriage would lead to Kumara's birth. The most beautiful narration is the Girija Kalyana. All the figures are standing in a group. The central space has the narration of Shiva's marriage with Girija. Vishnu and Brahma with their spouses attend the marriage that is performed in front of a tree.

The last strata of the ceiling painting theme is that of the procession of a pontiff seated in a royal open palanquin. The narration of the procession culminates at the Virupaksha temple, giving an impression of it actually taking place in Virupaksha bazaar. The pontiff in the palanquin has been identified by this author in 2000 as Sri Vyasateertha, a Madhwa seer who was also the royal preceptor of Krishnadevaraya. In Vyasayogi Charita, a poetic composition of the same period, Vyasateertha is eulogised as removing an obstacle to Krishnadevaraya (Kuha Yoga). The records speak about Krishnadevaraya performing kanakabhisheka to his guru.

The paintings have been dated differently by scholars. The well-known art historian C Sivaramamurti dated these to the 15th century CE. But back then, the maharangamantapa itself was not yet constructed. Another scholar dated them to the 18th century CE. A thorough art historical study of these paintings, their style, form, mode of narration and contemporary stylistic affiliations confirm that they were executed during Krishnadevaraya's period. Since the emperor was a great patron of art and culture, the narration of the procession theme depicted here confirms the date of murals to the first quarter (before 1525 CE) of the 16th century CE.

(The writer is Professor, Dept of Art History, College of Fine Arts, Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath)
Sistla Dakshina Murthy By

Express News Service

VIJAYAWADA: In the wake of a Covid-19 task force committee projecting that the possible third wave could affect 4.50 lakh children in the state, parents are unwilling to send their wards back to schools even when the next academic year begins. They are in favour of continuation of online classes, and urged the state government to give laptops to students, in lieu of cash deposits under the Amma Vodi scheme, so that more children can attend the virtual classes.

Due to the first Covid wave, the current academic year began last November for classes 8, 9 and 10 and December 1 for the lower classes. Before the rapid surge in cases in the second wave, the schools functioned normally till April, and for half days from April 1 to 30 due to the high mercury levels. In April, the state government ordered completion of academic year 2020-21, and declared summer break for the students and teachers of class 10 from May 1 to 31 with the last working day on April 30. After examining the situation, the government postponed Class 1o and Intermediate board examinations, scheduled in June and May earlier.

With speculations that the next academic year may begin after July 21 if the situation permits, parents and teachers associations said the children would not attend the schools even if the government is firm on resuming them. Andhra Pradesh Patasala Parents Association founder-president P Chandram said: How can the government encourage offline classes even after health experts have said that many children can fall prey to Covid-19 in the third wave? Instead of focusing on conducting offline classes, the government should explore the possibilities of providing laptops to students under Amma Vodi if it is firm on beginning the next academic year.

AP Municipal Teachers Federation president M Ramakrishna suggested that the government begin the next academic year through the virtual classes rather than asking the students to be physically present in the schools. Commenting on the governments firm attitude on holding the Class 10 and Intermediate examinations, Ramakrishna noted that as per the Right to Education Act examinations should be conducted within the academic year itself. Instead of conducting the exams, the government should consider students performances in quarterly and half-yearly exams to promote them. State Council of Educational Research and Training director B Prathap Reddy, however, said the state government is yet to take a call on when to begin the next academic year.
Welcome back pirates! As you make your return to campus The East Carolinian has created a forum that centers around topics within the community where readers can express their experiences and concerns. With the new guidelines set in place by East Carolina University do you feel as these precautions will keep you safe?

Survey
Bala Chauhan By

Express News Service

BENGALURU: For doctors and healthcare workers, a patients recovery is their sole reward in a long and unending battle against a deadly virus. Deep down, they too have anxieties and worries for themself and their families.The uncertainty of the pandemic and little knowledge of the virus has taken a toll on the mental health of doctors and health workers, who have been in the forefront since the outbreak of the pandemic. So, to better understand and address them, the Indian Psychiatric Society (IPS) has formed a task force to create a database on the emotional and psychological issues of doctors.

The IPS task force - Dr for Drs - is headed by Arun Kandasamy, Additional Professor of Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health & Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS). Doctors are facing real-life issues. Uncertainty regarding the virus, its duration and management is at the core of the mental health of most doctors. Huge death loads and certifying deaths, inability to take in genuine patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) due to lack of beds, especially during the second wave, has had a huge effect on their mental health, said Dr Kandasamy.

He added that while India may be exiting the current wave of the pandemic, mental health issues need to be addressed to prevent a long-term impact.Apart from the IPS, there are helplines for doctors and health workers to address their mental and psycho-social issues. The national helpline - 80-46110007 - launched by NIMHANS in March last year to provide psycho-social help to people in the wake of the pandemic, has a dedicated line (5) for doctors and health workers.

Besides, NIMHANS and the Indian Medical Association (IMA), Karnataka Chapter, have created a dedicated programme - Vaidya Manovani -- under the Dr to Drs - exclusively to address the mental health and psycho-social issues of doctors, said Dr K Sekar, head of the Centre for Disaster Management, NIMHANS.
By Express News Service

BENGALURU: With fuel prices touching unprecedented levels, Congress is set to launch a massive five-day 100 Not Out campaign from Friday. Opposition leaders Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar will lead the protests, to be held outside 5,000 petrol bunks across the state, and highlight that petrol price has soared to Rs 100 per litre and diesel is at Rs 92 per litre.

KPCC president D K Shivakumar called on party leaders and workers to protest all across the state. Siddaramaiah said the price of fuel has been hiked by about Rs 30 over the past 12 months. He also pointed out that the government had again hiked power tariff, adding to the woes of the common man, already burdened by job losses and salary cuts.

Former minister Krishna Byre Gowda said that fuel prices have crossed Rs 100, not because of international crude rates but because of draconian taxes on fuel by the Modi sarkar.MLAs Priyank Kharge and Rizwan Arshad also expressed unhappiness about the burden on the ordinary citizen, at a time when international crude oil is at $70 per barrel. They pointed out that when their party was in power, crude was $130 per barrel, but the price of petrol in India was Rs 70 per litre, and by that yardstick, should be Rs 45-50 per litre now.

They also brandished statistics to show how the BJP-led NDA government had hiked tax on petrol by 357 per cent, and tax on diesel by 920 per cent. Prices had been brought down marginally in March and April, when elections to five states were in progress, they added. Comparing the price of petrol in India to that in other countries, Congress leaders said a litre of petrol costs Rs 51 in Pakistan and Rs 59.64 in Sri Lanka. While unemployment is at a peak and crores of Indians have lost jobs, and incomes of Indians have declined by up to 17 per cent, the government is cruelly hiking prices, they added.
By Express News Service

KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Tuesday held that qualified homeopathic physicians can prescribe and dispense preventive and prophylactic medicines for COVID-19.

Justice N Nagaresh issued the order while disposing of the petition filed by Dr Jayaprasad Karunakaran, Thampanoor, Thiruvananthapuram against the action of health officials. The court directed the state government to ensure that the petitioner is not obstructed in any manner from practising homeopathy as per the guidelines issued by the AYUSH Ministry and Supreme Court.

Karunakaran claimed that he treated and saved serious COVID-19 patients in foreign countries. However, when he attempted to treat COVID-19 patients at Thiruvananthapuram recently, he was informed by officials of the State Health Department that action will be taken against him under the Disaster Management Act.

ALSO READ: Down in dumps, Kerala tourism looks for new idea

P Vijayakumar, assistant solicitor general of India, submitted that the AYUSH Ministry has issued recommendations advising utilisation of homeopathy for preventive and prophylactic purposes, symptom management of COVID-19 like illnesses and add-on intervention to conventional care. There was no prohibition imposed by the Centre on homeopathy for the treatment of patients to the extent indicated in the recommendations.

The court observed that homeopathic physicians may provide add-on intervention to conventional care of COVID-19 patients and prescribe drugs. But the suggested medicine should be adjuvant to standard management guidelines in hospital settings with the approval of the authorities and willingness of the patients. However, the court held that advertisement by a homoeopathic physician is prohibited in view of Regulation 6 of the Homoeopathic Practitioners (Professional Conduct, Etiquette and Code of Ethics) Regulations, 1982.

The court cited the AYUSH Ministry guidelines and Supreme Court rulings on symptom management and prevention of COVID-19 by homeopathic physicians.
Cynthia Chandran By

Express News Service

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kannur MP K Sudhakaran has been appointed the new state Congress president. The partys former chief Rahul Gandhi informed him of the high commands decision on Tuesday.The high command appointed Sudhakaran  in tune with the selection of Opposition Leader V D Satheesan  ignoring the sentiments of major groups in the state Congress. MP Kodikkunnil Suresh and MLAs P T Thomas and T Siddique have been appointed working presidents.

Sources said the presence of a stalwart leader like Pinarayi Vijayan in the opposite camp added to the relevance of Sudhakaran who is also from the latters home turf. Both Rahul and party president Sonia Gandhi spoke with Sudhakaran, 73, before the decision was made public. Sonia told Sudhakaran to consider the sentiments of the common party workers before making crucial decisions. Rahul advised him to put an end to the group politics forever.

Im happy to accept the high commands decision to appoint me as the state Congress president. At the same time, Im aware of the huge responsibility. The difference of opinion among the leaders will be put to rest and everybody will work united. It is the organisation which is of paramount importance than the factions, Sudhakaran who has been camping at this residence at Pettah here for the past two weeks told reporters.

The high commands decision was against the wishes of outgoing state chief president Mullappally Ramachandran, former opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala and ex-CM Oommen Chandy. The three were not willing to name any leader as the new state president when national general secretary Tariq Anwar sought their opinion. Several leaders close to the tall trio took a stand that Sudhakarans tough style of functioning will not suit the party.

Speaking to TNIE, Sudhakaran confided that he is aware of his challenges. He said he would take everyone into confidence when the organisational revamping takes place, but merit will be the first criterion.

Chandy, Chennithala and Mullappally extended a hearty welcome to Sudhakaran and promised him all support. Senior leader A K Antony said the appointment of Sudhakaran would help motivate Congress workers in the state who are disappointed with UDFs election performance.Senior leader K V Thomas who was appointed as working president a few months ago was also removed from the post.
B SREEJAN By

Express News Service

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Political life has never been a cakewalk for Kudumbakudi Sudhakaran. Coming from Kannur, the Communist fortress, Sudhakarns political life is marked by tough challenges and even tougher fights. His daredevil approach and the tit-for-tat style, which havent gone down well with other leaders in the Congress, earned him a strong base of supporters in the party.

K Sudhakaran started his political career by organising KSU in Government Brennen College, Thalassery, when Pinarayi Vijayan was leading the Kerala Student Federation in the same college. There had been tussles between both leaders in the college which often got re-enacted in our political theatre. The latest was Sudhakarans casteist slur against Vijayan during the election campaign and the retort with the sportsman spirit by the latter. Both 77-year-old Pinarayi Vijayan and 73-year-old K Sudhakaran, who belong to Ezhava community, have dominated the politics of Kannur for several decades before Pinarayi shifted his base to the capital in the late 1990s.

As a student and youth leader, Sudhakaran was not impressed by the dynastic politics of Congress. When the party split in 1969, he joined the Organisational Congress along with senior leaders who had opposed Indira Gandhi. When the Janata wave swept the country post-Emergency, Sudhakaran who had been the state president of Youth Congress (O) snapped ties with the Organisational Congress and joined the Janata Party and later the splinter group Janata (G). It was K Karunakaran who brought Sudhakaran back to Congress in 1984.

In the Kannur Congress, Sudhakaran filled the vacuum of a leader who was daring enough to take on CPM which had been using muscle power to gain total control over the region. He had slowly built a cadre party and even trained workers in weaponry. There were intelligence reports that Sudhakaran had stocked bombs in the Kannur DCC office. Political fights continued unabated in the district with the leader assuring the cadre that an eye for an eye was not a bad strategy.

When there were organisational elections in 1991, Sudhakaran contested to become the president of Kannur DCC. Resembling the current scenario, both A and I groups tried all their cards to get Sudhakaran defeated. But, local leaders from the grass roots forgot their group affiliations and rooted for Sudhakaran. The killing of CPM leader Nalpadi Vasu allegedly by the gunman of Sudhakaran when he was the DCC chief had triggered a political storm.

While senior Congress leaders in Kerala had nurtured safe constituencies from where they were repeatedly elected, Sudhakaran chose to take on CPM in their bastion. His debut election was from Edakkad, the birth place of A K Gopalan, in 1982. He tasted defeat in Thalassery and Edakkad before registering a hattrick of victories from Kannur from 1996. During the AK Antony government of 2001-04, Sudhakaran served as the forest minister. He won the Lok Sabha polls from Kannur in 2009 and 2019 but lost in 2014.

When party workers of Kasaragod wanted him to contest and win the Udma seat during the 2016 assembly poll, Sudhakaran took up that gamble and tasted defeat. The leader, however, said an emphatic no when outgoing Congress state president Mullappally Ramachandran asked him to take on Pinarayi in Dharmadom this year. By that time, he knew well that the better strategy would be to wait till his time came.
By Express News Service

KOCHI: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday made one more arrest in the Kerala gold smuggling case in which around 167 kg of gold were brought from the UAE using diplomatic baggage on 21 occasions in 2019 and 2020.



The central agency arrested Muhammad Mansoor also known as Manju, aged 36, a native of Kallurutty near Thiruvambady, Kozhikode. He is the 35th accused in the case.

Mansoor arrived at Kochi airport on a flight from Dubai on Wednesday morning and was intercepted by immigration officials after a lookout notice was issued against him. Later NIA officials arrived at the airport and recorded his arrest before taking him to the NIA office in Kochi.

"He assisted in procuring the gold and dispatching it to Kerala. We arraigned him as accused based on the statement of a witness in the case. He was in Dubai for more than a year. He can reveal names of persons who aided him in Dubai," an NIA official said.

There are also reports that Mansoor returned to Kerala to surrender before the NIA. However, the NIA is yet to confirm this.

The NIA will seek his custody after producing him before the NIA court in Kochi soon. This is the 22nd arrest made by NIA in the gold smuggling case. The NIA had filed a charge sheet against 20 accused persons in the case in January this year. As many as six persons who are wanted in the case are still absconding and most of them are believed to be in the UAE.
Anilkumar T By

Express News Service

KOCHI: The police have drawn flak for their failure to arrest the prime accused in a shocking case in which a woman was raped and assaulted for two months in a posh apartment in Kochi despite filing a complaint on April 8. The case suddenly came under spotlight on Tuesday when a petition was filed in the High Court by prime accused Martin Joseph Pulikottil of Thrissur. An FIR was registered, but the culprit has been evading police for the past two months.

As the photographs of the woman, a 27-year-old fashion designer from Kannur, with bruises all over her body surfaced on social media, the police on Tuesday issued a lookout notice for Martin, 34, a stock trader, who is on the run.

The detailed statement of the girl was recorded by Sub-Inspector Vidhya V. Another SI Gopi C K had filed the FIR and forwarded it to the senior officers on the same day. But despite it being a heinous crime, the police sat on the files for over two months. The delay in initiating an investigation into it is attributed to the election and lockdown, following a spike in Covid cases.

ALSO READ | Woman locked up in Kochi flat, raped and assaulted repeatedly

We received a complaint from the victim after a month of the crime. We tried to track his mobile phone tower location with the help of the Cyber wing, but we couldnt do it as it was switched off. The police officers also reached his home in Thrissur to trace him. We have issued a lookout notice and strengthened the search. We are also tracking his friends movements, said Aishwarya Dongre, DCP, law and order. It is learnt that the accused was roaming in Kochi limits itself and he visited his lawyer for submitting the anticipatory bail petition.

On May 18, the Ernakulam Sessions Court dismissed Martins anticipatory bail plea, observing that the victim was brutally manhandled by the accused. Surprisingly, even after that court observation, the police allowed the accused to remain at large.

Delay on part of police cant be justified: Womens Commission

The delay on the part of the police cannot be justified at any cost, said Kerala Womens Commission chairperson M C Josephine, who issued a notice to the police for their unprofessional approach in dealing with the case.Pointing out that it was after two months that the news about such an assault even came to light, Josephine added that despite the act being so heinous in nature, the police even failed to collect proper background information of the accused.

The anticipatory bail applications initiated by the accused before the district court and the high court were also cited as a reason by the police to slow down the manhunt. If a person has filed anticipatory bail, it means the case is under the consideration of the court. In most cases, we will initiate steps based on the courts observation. We have given due importance to the case ever since it was registered at the central station. There was no procedural delay from our side, said a police officer.
By Express News Service

KOZHIKODE: Taken aback by the controversial remarks against the community by some fringe Christian groups on social media, Muslim scholars have expedited the efforts to initiate a dialogue between the two communities. The immediate provocation was a debate titled Christian Youths, This Way organised by some Christian groups in chat rooms on Clubhouse on Monday and Tuesday.

It was alleged that speakers in one of the sessions that debated issues such as Love Jihad made some communal remarks about the Muslim community. Some of the utterances in the session were not merely anti-Muslim, but also anti-human. It was indeed shocking to hear such comments in the public space, said Sunni scholar Basheer Faizy Desamangalam.

Speakers referred to incidents such as chopping the hands of Professor T J Joseph, which was condemned by all Muslim organisations. They were harping on Love Jihad, a charge that has been dismissed by all investigating agencies and the courts, he said.

Faizy said it was heartening to see many from the Christian community coming forward to denounce the comments. One priest apologised for the uncharitable comments on behalf of the community and expressed solidarity with us in a session we organised, he said.

Faizy said the Samastha Kerala Jam-Iyyathul Ulema, the body of Sunni scholars, has expedited the move to initiate a dialogue to sort out the issues. We consider Christians as a fraternal community, historically and theologically, he said. Fr Noble Thomas Parakkal, who participated in the discussions, however, said the issue was Love Jihad which cannot be fully written off as baseless though all interfaith marriages cannot be put under the category.

There is a pattern that is discernible throughout the state that compels us to suspect a design behind it, he said.Fr Noble, who is the public relations officer of Mananthavady diocese, said the present discussions should be seen in the backdrop of historical events such as the genocide of Christians in Armenia and the brutalities unleashed by the Islamic State. Moreover, preachers such as M M Akbar have been insulting our religion for the past two decades, he said.

There is a feeling that the entire Muslim community supported the Popular Front of India (PFI) in the Hadiya (marriage) case. Panakkad Sadiq Ali Thangals newspaper article hailing conversion of Hagia Sofia into a mosque was also provocative, he said. Even while denouncing the communal comments during the debate, Fr Noble said sincere dialogues are possible only if the Muslim organisations stopped making further provocations.

The latest example is the issue of 80:20 ratio (in the merit-cum-means scholarships). Everyone knows that justice is on our side, but all Muslim organisations continue to taunt us by making false claims, he said.

Meanwhile, the Kerala Catholic Youth Movement (KCYM) has come up strongly against the fringe Christian groups that organised the debate. In a statement, the KCYM state committee blasted the groups that are working to implement the communal agenda of some political parties and distanced itself from the debate. The statement said torture of Christian missionaries in north India and communal policies of the Central government are also the concerns of the Catholic Church. But the fringe groups want to concentrate only on issues related to one particular religion, it said.

RESTRAIN MISCREANTS ON SOCIAL MEDIA, MLA URGES CM

Kozhikode: Najeeb Kanthapuram, MLA, has asked Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to take stringent action against those who are trying to create a communal divide through social media. In a letter, Najeeb said the social media have been flooded with posts, video and audio documentaries that are intended to create division between Christian and Muslim communities in the past few months.

Pointing out the possibility of a clear conspiracy behind the posts, the MLA raised the suspicion that the move is aimed to destroy the communal amity and peaceful co-existence in the society. The atmosphere of peace existing in Kerala for centuries should not be disturbed and all efforts should be made to nab the culprits, he said in the letter.
Omjasvin MD By

Express News Service

CHENNAI: While welcoming the Central governments move to provide vaccines to States free of cost, Chief Minister MK Stalin on Monday said that it would also be appropriate to grant each State complete control over registration, validation, and administration of the vaccine, since health is a State subject.

This statement, filled with undertones of protecting regional rights and federalism, comes at a time when all States governed by non-BJP alliances are united in their fight to safeguard domestic interests.

Though the Centre revoked its vaccine decentralisation policy, after the Supreme Court dubbed it arbitrary and irrational, the course of last two months has exposed the growing State-Centre tensions owing to the policy.

Radhey Shyam, professor of political science from New Delhi, who has taught at JNU and Indira Gandhi Open University, says that the Central governments discrimination against States had already come to the fore during several past incidents, including floods.

The Covid situation has only aggravated it. The Union governments ideology and affiliations led to this situation, as there were differences in vaccine distribution among States, he said. The professor also said that the Centre must prioritise the domestic population over the international community. This is the time for it to practice cooperate federalism with the States, and all States too must forget their ideological differences and come together, he added.

Despite facing severe vaccine shortage, the States were unable to procure vaccines through global tenders. U.S-based vaccine manufacturer Moderna turned down Punjabs request, citing that they only deal with the Union government.

Experts opine that this only wasted time during the shortage and created in-fighting among States, with no positive outcome whatsoever. Professor of Economics Venkatesh Athreya says that the international players will not deal with States as they would prefer buyers with better bargaining power. The question is why the Centre did not call global tenders, he added. Apart from allowing the States to call global tenders, the Centres vaccine pricing was discriminatory in nature.

The Centre had to pay only base price, while States had to shell out a higher procurement price. The vaccine pricing was irrational and it was dictated by profit. The Centre should have bargained with the Indian manufacturers for the total supply at lower prices, he said, adding that the Centres vaccination policy revision had a boomerang effect.

In this backdrop it may also be noted that the Centre had in the last few years completely dictated norms for admission to medical courses via the implementation of the NEET. DMK MLA and practising doctor N Ezhilan, who has previously voiced strong opinions on federalism and State rights, says that medical education and health service delivery are synonymous.

In areas where centralisation (such as the NEET) was not required, they intervened excessively, and they pressed breaks in areas where centralisation (vaccine procurement) was required. Concerning the vaccine policy, Centre realised its mistakes only after the Supreme Courts intervention, he adds. Since this is a pandemic, Dr Ezhilan says, our Constitution allows the Centre to deal with vaccine policies for global procurement.

They must use this provision and ensure bulk procurement of vaccines and distribute them to all States. If only the Centre had played the part of a guiding force, ensured global procurement of vaccines and financially empowered the States, this situation would have worked out much better, he said. The MLA also took exception to the Centre not giving significance to public sector units such as the Chengalpet vaccine manufacturing plant. Centre does not want to empower public sector units due to its connections with private sector lobbies of vaccine producers, he alleged.

Ramu Manivannan, professor of political science at the University of Madras, said that if the Centre wanted the States to procure vaccines, they could have taken that decision long ago. The timing of the policy indicates that the Centre did not want the responsibility to rest on their shoulders. It virtually abandoned the States when the stakes were high and this exposes the Central governments nature. Take the case of West Bengal elections. Since the polls were held in multiple phases and the party at the Centre fought it bitterly, the lockdown norms and health guidelines went for a toss, he added.

Mistake rectified after SC intervention

DMK MLA and practising doctor N Ezhilan, who has previously voiced strong opinions on federalism and State rights, says that medical education and health service delivery are synonymous. In areas where centralisation (such as the NEET) was not required, they intervened excessively, and they pressed breaks in areas where centralisation (vaccine procurement) was required. Concerning the vaccine policy, Centre realised its mistakes only after the Supreme Courts intervention, he adds.

The DMK MLA also took exception to the Central government not giving significance to public sector units such as the Chengalpet vaccine manufacturing plant. Centre does not want to empower public sector units due to its connections with private sector lobbies of vaccine producers in the country, he alleged.
T Muruganandham By

Express News Service

CHENNAI: After two audio clips of VK Sasikala, the one time aide of former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, speaking to a her loyalists went viral late last Month, more recordings have emerged on Wednesday.

In the latest clip, released by her supporters, Sasikala is heard speaking to AIADMK functionaries, including former minister Anandan.

"I have started speaking to all (functionaries). I have been getting letters from a lot of people. I could not bear the pain of seeing the party getting ruined. Don't worry, for the sake of the cadre, very soon, I will be back. Good things will happen. We will reconstruct the party as it was during the times of Amma (J Jayalalithaa) after the demise of Thalaivar (MGR)," said Sasikala in the recording.

While the AIADMK's joint coordinator, Edappadi K Palaniswami, has rubbished the conversations with functionaries, party's coordinator, O Panneerselvam, has been keeping mum on the issue. However, party spokesperson and former minister D Jayakumar dismissed these interactions and asserted that the AIADMK remained strong and functioning well without Sasikala, and it would continue to do so.

"Senior leaders of the party, Palaniswami and KP Munusamy, have already clarified this. The AIADMK is functioning well without her. She and her family will not be admitted into the party again as decided already," said Jayakumar.

Questioned whether Sasikala was continuing as the general secretary of the party, the former minister said the Supreme Court had held that the party, led by Palaniswami and Panneerselvam, was AIADMK. On whether a new general secretary would be elected for the party, he said a firm 'no' and asserted that Jayalalithaa would remain the AIADMK's general secretary forever.

However, the delay in the appointment of a deputy leader and whip to the AIADMK legislature party even after a month of election results clearly indicated that there are differences of opinion on the issue among the top leaders. The party is meeting in Chennai on June 14 to chalk out the future course of action as well as to elect its deputy leader and whip.

Regarding the demand for a single leadership for the party, Jayakumar said, "Palaniswami and Panneerselvam are guiding the party and this will continue. The cadre have accepted this set up."
The company said under the deal it will work with software firm CAE Australia to install and integrate its crew training system on three Lead-in Fighter Trainer Full Mission Simulators

Seeing Machines Limited ( ) said it was appointed to integrate its precision eye-tracking technology for a customer in the Australian defence industry by software firm CAE Australia.

The computer vision technology specialist said the deal, valued at A$1mln over five years, follows a successful direct engagement with the Australian defence industry innovation programme delivered over the past two years, which it said exceeded all stakeholder expectations and opened up several additional opportunities.

The contract is its first formal engagement with CAE and will see the firms crew training system (CTS) delivered into the customers flight training devices.

Both Seeing Machines and CAE will install and integrate the CTS on three Lead-in Fighter Trainer Full Mission Simulators to improve aircrew training with a specific focus on understanding where the pilot's attention is through human-machine augmentation and advanced sensors.

"This is another great example of how government and industry can partner to deliver enhanced training and operational capability. We are pleased to collaborate with Seeing Machines to improve the training program that helps prepare the next-generation fighter pilots for this customer", CAEs managing director Asia-Pacific Matthew Sibree said in a statement.

"We are delighted to be able to continue our engagement with CAE to deliver our technology, moving from an innovation program to a fully integrated, fully operational capability. This contract further reinforces the value of precision eye tracking in Aviation in support of pilot training, and we believe that the total market potential across global defence organisations for eye tracking technology is substantial", added Patrick Nolan, general manager of aviation at Seeing Machines.
S Godson Wisely Dass By

Express News Service

THOOTHUKUDI: Over 64.73 tonnes of banned sea cucumber have been seized by Indian and Sri Lankan government authorities in the Gulf of Mannar and Palk strait over the past five years, reveals a recent study on analysis of media reports and government press releases.

Although the efforts of the government agencies on thwarting smuggling of sea cucumbers are appreciable in protected areas, the smuggling of the endangered species could be prevented only with a joint operation committees of the two countries, observed Wildlife Institute of India (WII) Scientist F Dr Sivakumar.

According to sources, among an odd 1700 species of sea cucumbers found in the world, over 200 are found in Indian waters. While the Gulf of Mannar Marine Biosphere and Palk Bay is home to roughly 39 species of sea cucumber, over 24 species of sea cucumbers are found in Sri Lankan waters.

With the measures to curb excessive harvesting of sea cucumbers effected by the union government back in 1982 did not yield results, the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) enforced a blanket ban in 2001 on all species of holothurians and declared as protected animals under Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972.

On the other hand, the Sri Lankan government had permitted fishing of sea cucumbers for the license holders, which was reduced to 25 per cent in 2016 following concerns on sharp decline of its population.

The difference in laws in the neighbouring countries has come in handy for the smugglers as well as the countries in close proximity, which flourished by exporting processed sea cucumbers through Sri Lanka to the overseas markets in Southeast Asian countries.

Several sources said that the sea cucumbers are not consumed in India or in Sri Lanka, but it is largely exported to Hong Kong, Singapore and Chinese markets. The sea cucumber is used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), and also it's a predominantly luxury seafood item.

A researcher Dr Teale Phelps Bondaroff, in his research article published in a journal Beche-de-mer Information Bulletin had compiled the sea cucumber crimes foiled by both India and Sri Lanka government authorities in the Gulf of Mannar and Palk Strait between 2015 and 2020. The author had analysed the prevention of the crimes based on the media reports and press statements issued by both the governments.

The analysis revealed that the two nations sharing the International waters in Gulf of Mannar and Palk Bay had registered 120 cases and arrested 502 smugglers in the past five years, with the seizure of 64,733 kilogramme (64.73 tonnes) of sea cucumber including 40,433 kgs by Indian authorities and the remaining 24,300 kgs by Sri Lankan authorities.

In all, it is estimated that at least 1,04,531 sea cucumber individuals both wet and dry were seized, and are together worth USD 2.84 million.The average size of a seizure was 543.98 kgs per incident as some of the incidents are of big consignments.

Of the 120 cases, India had registered 48 cases against sea cucumber smugglers, while Sri Lanka had registered 72 cases and the arrest of 502 smugglers includes 421 in Sri Lanka and 81 in India, the analysis said.

The study concluded that the sea cucumber crime is organised and transnational in nature, and that the monitoring and enforcements shall be expanded by stepping up inter-governmental and interagency cooperation.

Dr Teale Phelps Bondaroff, also the Director of Research, OceansAsia, a Hong Kong based marine conservation organisation, told The New Indian Express that the illegal smuggling routes are traced to remote island chains while mapping the crime occurring places. Protecting the threatened species of sea cucumbers, the earthworms of the seas, from poaching help to keep our marine ecosystems healthy, he said.

He said that further joint action committee from the two countries would help deter the organised criminal gangs from engaging in wildlife crime that is devastating our oceans in a myriad of ways.

However, Gulf of Mannar forest officials in Thoothukudi range expressed discontentment on even a cooperation between police and the forest officials, to reduce the sea cucumber poaching cases.

The accused are the same in most of the cases, and they could not take severe actions as many are caught by law and order police, even though the Gulf of Mannar forest officials are responsible to take the accused to the courts for prosecution.

"The law and order police arrest the smuggler and seize the species without intimating us and provide a feeble report about the accused, which paves way for the smugglers to escape stringent actions", said the official seeking anonymity.

For instance, when 300 kilogramme of sea cucumber were seized recently, the police gave a written statement to us that only 30 kilogramme were confiscated, said another official.

Speaking to The New Indian Express, senior scientist Sivakumar appreciated the seizure of 64.7 tonnes of sea cucumbers in the past five years, however, the removal of sea cucumbers continues in the unprotected areas.

He thanked the forest officials for being vigilant in the protected areas such as the Gulf of Mannar and Palk strait. Currently the sea cucumbers are only available in protected areas, as several tonnes of sea cucumbers had been smuggled away from other areas, he said.

Sivakumar added that the sea cucumbers are highly important for the sea ecosystem as they scavenge on the dead animals and wastes to keep the sea bed clean which ultimately help improve the health of corals and seagrass meadows that are the prime location for fish breeding. "These species should be protected so that commercially important fishes breed well and support the livelihoods of fishermen communities", he said.

The sea cucumbers are equivalent to elephants and tigers, as they are protected under schedule 1 of the concerned Act, and poaching attracts as much as 7 years imprisonment. However, none of the smugglers have been given severe punishments till now, he observed. A joint cooperation committee can be helpful to curb illegal poaching of sea cucumbers, since the crime beingtransnational, he insisted.
Krithika Srinivasan By

Express News Service

VILLUPURAM: After a few Dalits of Vizhukkam village in Villupuram entered the temple on April 30, caste Hindus washed it, saying it had become "impure". Though no case was filed, police said reconciliation talks were held after which Dalits were allowed to enter the temple.

Dalits of the village have been demanding their Constitutional right to worship, as caste Hindus allegedly prohibit them from entering the local temple, and abuse them with casteist slurs.

The village, located 4 km from Theevanur block in Tindivanam, has about 1,000 families of various communities. They allegedly lived in harmony until construction of a temple began in 2013. The new temple, for goddess Selliamman, was planned on common land in the village, with funds raised by all the villagers in and around Vizhukkam, except the Dalits, sources said.

"In 2016, residents of the Dalit colony gave Rs 1 lakh, but the temple management, run by caste Hindus, refused it. Some of them said that their money is not needed. Even then, we didn't say anything. However, when the temple was inaugurated on April 29, the caste Hindus didn't allow Dalits to enter," said M Chandrakanthan, a resident of the colony and former union president of the village.

The goddess, Selliamman, is considered a Dalit, and the first offering to her during rituals and festivals is to be made by members of the community, sources said, adding that this practice has been followed across the district. But the caste Hindus allegedly prevented them from doing this.

V Annamalai (60), a senior member of the village and a Caste Hindu, told The New Indian Express, "We did not take the money from the Dalits since the temple belongs to us. We did not prevent anyone from entering the temple as alleged. But a few men from the colony are making these allegations against us."

When asked if he was aware that caste discrimination and denying someone the right of worship are legal offences, Annamalai said, "Each community has its own temple in the village. This Selliamman temple belongs to the Vanniyars in Vizhukkam, so Dalits who play the drums and create a ruckus during their worship may not be allowed here. Dalits who come to pray quietly and leave are allowed."

"No case has been registered in connection with this issue, and after a meeting between the communities, it was decided that Dalits will be allowed in the temple," said Tindivanam DSP Ganesan.

Meanwhile, Villupuram MP D Ravikumar sought the intervention of the Hindu Religious Charities and Endowment (HR&CE) minister PK Sekar Babu. He said that the temple should be brought under HR&CE and monitored by the government
By PTI

WASHINGTON: China is the single nation that militarily, economically, diplomatically and politically has the ability to try to "disturb" the rules-based order that America, its friends and allies strongly defend, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said.

Blinken also told lawmakers during a Congressional hearing on Tuesday that China is both the most consequential and most complicated relationship the US has.

"It (China) is the single nation state that militarily, economically, diplomatically, and politically has the ability to try to disturb the rules-based order that we strongly defend because it's advanced our own security and prosperity for so many years," he said.

Testifying before the Senate Appropriations Committee during the hearing on the 2022 Budget Request for the State Department, Blinken said the US-China relationship has increasing adversarial aspects to it.

"It certainly has competitive ones. And it still has some cooperative ones as well. But the common denominator is to approach each of those aspects of the relationship from a position of strength.

I think that strength starts with a few things," he said.

Blinken said that it starts with alliances and partnerships.

"This is a unique strategic asset for us, something that China does not enjoy. That's why we're working to revitalise those alliances and partnerships.

It includes our engagement in international organisations and international life because when we pull back, China fills in and starts to shape the rules and set the norms.

"It absolutely includes our military and our deterrent capability" Some years ago we started to shift resources to the Asia Pacific, including about 60 per cent of our Navy.

Continue to take the steps necessary to make sure we have a strong deterrent," Blinken said.

China claims almost all of the 1.3 million square mile South China Sea as its sovereign territory.

It has been building military bases on artificial islands in the region also claimed by Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam.

Blinken said: "Investments in our technology, our workers, innovation and research and development, all of those elements together or how we approach China from a position of strength".

Responding to a question, the secretary of state said that China is making more investments in its nuclear programme and seeks to build its arsenal.

"This is something that I think we need to engage in because it presents a growing challenge. So, this is something that we're focused on. We're working on it," he said.

Blinken said that the foundational piece of ties with China has to be approaching it from a position of strength.

The elements of that strength are strong alliances and partnerships.

"That is a strategic asset for us that China doesn't have. When we are working and speaking collectively with others who are aggrieved by China's practices in one area or another, we are much stronger.

We're much more effective just in the economic realm, to cite one example.

"Alone, we're about 20 per cent, 25 per cent of the world GDP. When we're working in concert with other democracies, we are 50 per cent or 60 per cent of the world GDP.

It's a lot harder for China to ignore. So, alliances and partnerships, that's a critical piece," Blinken said.

Second is actually leaning in and engaging in these very imperfect international institutions, he said.

"The challenge there is that these institutions tend to set the rules, the standards, the norms.

When we pull back, China fills in, and it has a stronger hand in setting the rules on new technologies, for example leaning.

We are leaning in, making sure with our allies and partners that we're present.

"Third, what you've just done or are on the verge of doing, I think this afternoon, with this very important legislation that is making the right investments in ourselves, and our technology, in research and development, in our workers, that is fundamentally our greatest source of strength when it comes to competing and dealing effectively with China," Blinken said.

He said of course, "our military, our deterrent capacity, all of those things have to be married together."
By PTI

WASHINGTON: India is a strategic ally of the US and it needs America's help in its ongoing fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, top lawmakers here have said, urging the Biden administration to share the extra vaccines with New Delhi.

They also said that at the same time, while assisting friends and allies, US intellectual property and innovations should be protected.

"India, a strategic ally, needs our help in its ongoing fight against COVID-19. Our abundant vaccine supply gives us opportunities to help our partners around the globe, where help is needed the most," Congressman Brad Wenstrup said.

'Operation Warp Speed' delivered safe and effective vaccines in record time, the Republican lawmaker tweeted.

"We must always protect American innovation and IP while, at the same time, assisting our friends in need around the world," Wenstrup said.

President Biden last week announced that the US will allocate 75 per cent, nearly 1.9 crore of the first tranche of 2.5 crore doses, of unused COVID-19 vaccines from its stockpile through the UN-backed COVAX global vaccine sharing programme to several countries.

India will be a "significant recipient" of the US vaccines as India has been included in both the identified categories in the allocation - direct supply to neighbours and partner countries, and under the COVAX initiative, according to India's Ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu.

Congressman Jim Costa said that as India continues to fight its COVID-19 crisis, it is important to continue to share extra vaccines to help friends and important allies.

The Democractic lawmaker said a return to normalcy and eventual end to this brutal pandemic will require global cooperation.

Dozens of US Congressmen and senators have come out in support of India and urged the Biden administration to provide support to overcome the worst medical crisis.

The Indian Embassy here has been reaching out to lawmakers to appraise them about the ground realities in India.

In April and May, India struggled with the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic with more than 3,00,000 daily new cases.

Hospitals were reeling under a shortage of medical oxygen and beds.

In mid-May, new coronavirus cases in India hit a record daily high with 4,12,262 new infections.

On Tuesday, India reported less than one lakh new coronavirus infections after a gap of 63 days, while the daily positivity rate dropped to 4.62 per cent.

A single day rise of 86,498 cases were registered, the lowest in 66 days, taking the total tally of COVID-19 cases to 2,89,96,473.

The COVID-19 death toll climbed to 3,51,309 with 2,123 daily deaths, the lowest in 47 days.
By Associated Press

TOKYO: Japan and Australia on Wednesday shared concern about China's increasingly assertive actions in regional seas and expressed strong objections to coercive or destabilising behaviour.

Foreign and defence ministers from the two countries agreed in the online talks to strengthen their security ties as China presses its claims to contested areas in the Asia-Pacific region.

Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi told reporters after the talks that the officials shared their concerns about China's activity in the East and South China Seas as a challenge to the international community.

Motegi was joined by Japanese Defence Minister Nobuo Kishi and their Australian counterparts, Marise Payne and Peter Dutton.

Japan regularly protests to China over its coast guard presence near the Japanese-controlled Senkaku islands, which China also claims and calls Diaoyu.

ALSO READ | China dismisses Trump's USD 10 trillion compensation demand for COVID-19 spread

Chinese vessels routinely violate Japanese territorial waters around the islands, sometimes threatening fishing boats, Japanese officials say.

Japan and China are also in dispute over the development of undersea resources in the area.

"We reinforce our strong opposition to any destabilising or coercive unilateral actions that could alter the status quo and increase tension in the East China Sea," Japan and Australia said in a joint statement released after the talks.

The behaviour "undermines the rules-based international order," they said.

In the South China Sea, China's sweeping territorial claims have clashed with those of its neighbours, which accuse Beijing of militarising one of the world's busiest sea lanes.

The joint statement expressed serious concerns about the recent negative developments and serious incidents in the South China Sea, including continuing militarisation of disputed features, dangerous use of coast guard vessels and maritime militia,' and efforts to disrupt other countries' resources exploitation activities.

"We reaffirmed our strong opposition to any unilateral attempts to change the status quo" by China, Motegi said.

He also added that the four ministers shared "grave concern" over China's human rights abuses in Hong Kong and the western Xinjiang region, where Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities live.

The statement called on China "to grant urgent, meaningful and unfettered access to Xinjiang for independent international observers including the UN high commissioner for human rights.

The meeting also reaffirmed the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, where China has recently stepped up a campaign of pressure on the self-ruled island.

China responded that it is determined to defend its sovereignty, security and development interests.

"China has indisputable sovereignty over the South China Sea islands and their nearby waters, and over the Diaoyu Island and its affiliated islets," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin told a daily briefing in Beijing.

"Issues related to Xinjiang and Hong Kong are China's internal affairs that no foreign country should intervene. China firmly rejects Japan and Australia's efforts to smear China and interfere in China's internal affairs," Wang said.

Japan and Australia are in the final stages of a defence cooperation deal that will allow the Japanese Self-Defence Force to protect Australian military assets, which will be only the second for Japan outside of its alliance with the United States
By Associated Press

WASHINGTON: Set to embark on the first overseas trip of his term, President Joe Biden is eager to reassert the United States on the world stage, steadying European allies deeply shaken by his predecessor and pushing democracy as the only bulwark to rising forces of authoritarianism.

Biden has set the stakes for his eight-day trip in sweeping terms, believing that the West must publicly demonstrate it can compete economically with China as the world emerges from the coronavirus pandemic.

Building toward his trip-ending summit with Russia's Vladimir Putin, Biden will aim to reassure European capitals that the United States can once again be counted on as a dependable partner to thwart Moscow's aggression both on their eastern front and their internet battlefields.

The trip will be far more about messaging than specific actions or deals.

And the paramount priority for Biden, who leaves Wednesday for his first stop in the United Kingdom, is to convince the world that his administration is not just a fleeting deviation in the trajectory of an American foreign policy that many allies fear irrevocably drifted toward a more transactional outlook under former President Donald Trump.

"The trip, at its core, will advance the fundamental thrust of Joe Biden's foreign policy," said national security adviser Jake Sullivan, "to rally the world's democracies to tackle the great challenges of our time."

Biden's to-do list is ambitious.

In their face-to-face sit-down in Geneva, Biden wants to privately pressure Putin to end myriad provocations, including cybersecurity attacks on American businesses by Russian-based hackers, the jailing of opposition leader Alexei Navalny and repeated overt and covert efforts by the Kremlin to interfere in US elections.

Biden is also looking to rally allies on their COVID-19 response and to urge them to coalesce around a strategy to check emerging economic and national security competitor China even as the US expresses concern about Europe's economic links to Moscow.

Biden also wants to nudge outlying allies, including Australia, to make more aggressive commitments to the worldwide effort to curb global warming.

The week-plus journey is a big moment for Biden, who traveled the world for decades as vice president and as chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and will now step off Air Force One on international soil as commander in chief.

He will face world leaders still grappling with the virus and rattled by four years of Trump's inward-looking foreign policy and moves that strained longtime alliances as the former president made overtures to strongmen.

"In this moment of global uncertainty, as the world still grapples with a once-in-a-century pandemic," Biden wrote in a Washington Post op-ed previewing his diplomatic efforts, "this trip is about realizing America's renewed commitment to our allies and partners, and demonstrating the capacity of democracies to both meet the challenges and deter the threats of this new age."

The president first travels to Britain for a summit of the Group of Seven leaders and then Brussels for a NATO summit and a meeting with the heads of the European Union.

It comes at a moment when Europeans have diminished expectations for what they can expect of US leadership on the foreign stage.

Central and Eastern Europeans are desperately hoping to bind the US more tightly to their security.

Germany is looking to see the US troop presence maintained there so it doesn't need to build up its own.

France, meanwhile, has taken the tack that the US can't be trusted as it once was and that the European Union must pursue greater strategic autonomy going forward.

"I think the concern is real that the Trumpian tendencies in the US could return full bore in the midterms or in the next presidential election," said Alexander Vershbow, a former US diplomat and once deputy secretary general of NATO.

The sequencing of the trip is deliberate: Biden consulting with Western European allies for much of a week as a show of unity before his summit with Putin.

His first stop late Wednesday will be an address to US troops stationed in Britain, and the next day he sits down with British Prime Minster Boris Johnson.

The two men will meet a day ahead of the G-7 summit to be held above the craggy cliffs of Cornwall overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.

The most tactile of politicians, Biden has grown frustrated by the diplomacy-via-Zoom dynamics of the pandemic and has relished the ability to again have face-to-face meetings that allow him to size up and connect with world leaders.

While Biden himself is a veteran statesman, many of the world leaders he will see in England, including Johnson and French President Emmanuel Macron, took office after Biden left the vice presidency.

Another, Germany's Angela Merkel, will leave office later this year.

There are several potential areas of tension.

On climate change, the U.S. is aiming to regain its credibility after Trump pulled the country back from the fight against global warming.

Biden could also feel pressure on trade, an issue to which he's yet to give much attention.

And with the United States well supplied with COVID-19 vaccines yet struggling to persuade some of its own citizens to use it, leaders whose inoculation campaigns have been slower will surely pressure Biden to share more surplus around the globe.

Another central focus will be China.

Biden and the other G-7 leaders will announce an infrastructure financing program for developing countries that is meant to compete directly with Beijing's Belt-and-Road Initiative.

But not every European power has viewed China in as harsh a light as Biden, who has painted the rivalry with the techno-security state as the defining competition for the 21st century.

The European Union has avoided taking as strong a stance on Beijing's crackdown on Hong Kong's democracy movement or treatment of Uyghur Muslims and other ethnic minorities in the western Xinjiang province as the Biden administration may like.

But there are signs that Europe is willing to put greater scrutiny on Beijing.

The EU in March announced sanctions targeting four Chinese officials involved with human rights abuses in Xinjiang.

Beijing, in turn, responded by imposing sanctions on several members of the European Parliament and other Europeans critical of the Chinese Communist Party.

Biden is also scheduled to meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan while in Brussels, a face-to-face meeting between two leaders who have had many fraught moments in their relationship over the years.

Biden waited until April to call Erdogan for the first time as president.

In that call, he informed the Turkish leader that he would formally recognize that the systematic killings and deportations of hundreds of thousands of Armenians by Ottoman Empire forces in the early 20th century were "genocide" -- using a term for the atrocities that his White House predecessors had avoided for decades over concerns of alienating Turkey.

The trip finale will be Biden's meeting with Putin.

Biden has taken a very different approach to Russia than Trump's friendly outreach.

Their sole summit, held in July 2018 in Helsinki, was marked by Trump's refusal to side with U.S. intelligence agencies over Putin's denials of Russian interference in the election two years earlier.

Biden could well be challenged by unrest at home as Russia looks to exploit the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection and the debate over voting rights to undermine the U.S. position as a global role model.

The American president, in turn, is expected to push Russia to quell its global meddling.

"By and large, these are not meetings on outcomes, these are 'get to know you again' meetings for the U.S. and Europe," said Richard Haass, president of the Council on Foreign Relations.

"It's about delivering a message to Putin, to reviving old alliances and to demonstrate again that the U.S. is back on the right course."
By PTI

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has completed administering 10 million (1 crore) anti-coronavirus vaccinations on Wednesday and claimed to have successfully contained the third wave of the pandemic.

Pakistan has been witnessing the third wave of coronavirus which saw a tremendous surge in the number of coronavirus infections across the country, leading to deaths in all age groups.

Minister for Planning Asad Umar, who is also head of the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) which has been tackling the pandemic in the country, announced the achievement of 10 million doses of anti-coronavirus vaccine at a special ceremony and said the target was to further vaccinate 70 million citizens.

"Our target is to vaccinate 70 million people by the end of this year," he said.

Pakistan launched its vaccination drive on February 2 with the frontline health workers and gradually increased to include everyone 18 years and above.

The 10 million doses target was reached as the country recorded as the number of new cases were falling considerably.

The authorities recorded a 2.55 positivity rate with just 1,118 new cases detected in the last 24 hours.

The Ministry of National Health Services reported that the number of confirmed cases on Wednesday reached 936,131 in the country.

At least 77 patients died in the last 24-hours, taking the death toll to 21,453.

As so far 869,691 people have already recovered, the number of active patients was 44,987, the ministry said.

ALSO WATCH:
By AFP

KATHMANDU: Sri Lanka began injecting pregnant women with a Chinese coronavirus vaccine on Wednesday and Nepal resumed inoculations with a China-made jab as India's neighbours turn to Beijing and Moscow for help with supplies.

Nepal halted inoculations at the end of May after its stock of AstraZeneca shots and Chinese Sinopharm jabs ran short. The programme resumed on Tuesday after a million more Sinopharm doses arrived from China, the only country that has so far responded to its appeals for help.

India had previously supplied Nepal with the AstraZeneca vaccine from its manufacturer Serum Institute but in March froze vaccine exports as infections soared domestically. "Nepal has sent requests to many countries including both neighbours, US, Russia and other countries but no additional vaccine has arrived yet," health ministry official Samir Kumar Adhikari told AFP.

Barely two percent of the country's people are fully vaccinated. Around 1.3 million people received one AstraZeneca dose in March but have since been unable to get a second. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka has been aggressively rolling out China's Sinopharm jab after receiving two million doses in the past week.

On Wednesday the programme was opened to pregnant women. The island, in the middle of a ferocious third wave of infections, announced last month it was also buying 13 million Sputnik V vaccines from Russia.

The head of Sri Lanka's COVID-19 response, army chief Shavendra Silva, said on Wednesday that Colombo hopes to vaccinate the entire adult population by early next year. The country has also asked Japan for 600,000 AstraZeneca jabs so it can offer a second dose to people who received a first shot, the president's office said Wednesday.

Elsewhere in the region, Bangladesh has been giving only second doses of the AstraZeneca shot since late April as supplies dwindle. Health minister Zahid Maleque last month said the country wants to buy 50 million doses from Sinopharm.

It also wants to buy five million Sputnik doses, foreign minister AK Abdul Momen said this week after meeting the Russian ambassador. Momen said that his country has sought two million AstraZeneca doses from the United States, which has announced it plans to export 80 million vaccine doses around the world.

A Pfizer consignment also reached Dhaka last week under the Covax initiative, a programme backed by the World Health Organization to distribute vaccines to poorer nations. India has not said when exports might resume. On Tuesday it said it had ordered 440 million doses from Serum and local producer Bharat Biotech for use in India.

It has also made an advance order for 300 million doses of a vaccine -- yet to be approved -- made by Hyderabad-based Biological E.
By Associated Press

UNITED NATIONS: The UN General Assembly overwhelmingly approved a declaration Tuesday calling for urgent action to end AIDS by 2030, noting "with alarm" that the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated inequalities and pushed access to AIDS medicines, treatments and diagnosis further off track.

The declaration commits the assembly's 193 member nations to implement the 18-page document, including reducing annual new HIV infections to under 370,000 and annual AIDS-related deaths to under 250,000 by 2025.

It also calls for progress toward eliminating all forms of HIV-related stigma and discrimination and for urgent work toward an HIV vaccine and a cure for AIDS.

Without a huge increase in resources and coverage for those vulnerable and infected, "we will not end the AIDS epidemic by 2030," the assembly warned.

It said the coronavirus pandemic has created setbacks in combating AIDS, "widening fault lines within a deeply unequal world and exposing the dangers of under-investment in public health, health systems and other essential public services for all and pandemic preparedness."

While the international investment response to the pandemic is inadequate, it is nonetheless unprecedented, the assembly said.

The response to the coronavirus by many nations has demonstrated 'the potential and urgency for greater investment' in responding to pandemics, underscoring "the imperative of increasing investments for public health systems, including responses to HIV and other diseases moving forward," it said.

The assembly adopted the resolution at the opening session of a three-day high-level meeting on AIDS by a vote of 165-4, with Russia, Belarus, Syria and Nicaragua voting "no."

Before the vote, the assembly overwhelmingly rejected three amendments proposed by Russia.

They would have eliminated references to human rights violations that perpetuate the global AIDS epidemic and a "rights-based" collaborative approach by UNAIDS, the U.N. agency leading the global effort to end the AIDS pandemic.

They would also have dropped references to reforming discriminatory laws, including on the age of consent, on interventions to treat HIV among intravenous drug users including "opioid substitution therapy," and on "expanding harm reduction programs."

UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima welcomed the declaration's adoption and told the assembly it "will be the basis of our work to end this pandemic that has ravaged communities for 40 years."

"Calling AIDS one of the deadliest pandemics of modern times," he said 77.5 million people have been infected with HIV since the first case was reported in 1981 and nearly 35 million have died from AIDS.

"HIV rates are not following the trajectory that we together promised," she said.

"Indeed, amidst the fallout from the COVID crisis, we could even see a resurgent pandemic."

"Byanyima said COVID-19 showed that science moves "at the speed of political will"" and urged speeded up spending on innovations for AIDS treatment, prevention, care and vaccines "as global public goods."

On the plus side, the assembly's declaration said that since 2001 there has been a 54% reduction in AIDS-related deaths and a 37% reduction in HIV infections globally, but it warned that "overall progress has slowed dangerously since 2016."

The assembly expressed "deep concern that in 2019 there were 1.7 million new infections compared to the 2020 global target of fewer than 500,000 infections and that new HIV infections have increased in at least 33 countries since 2016."

Africa, especially sub-Saharan Africa, has demonstrated the most progress in tackling the AIDS epidemic but it also remains the worst-affected region, the assembly said.

It called for "urgent and exceptional action" to curb the infection's devastating effects, especially on women, adolescent girls and children.

Assembly members welcomed progress in reducing HIV-infections and AIDS-related deaths in Asia and the Pacific, the Caribbean, Western and Central Europe and North America.

But they noted that despite progress, "the Caribbean continues to have the highest prevalence outside sub-Saharan Africa," while the number of new HIV infections is increasing in eastern Europe, Central Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and North Africa.

Byanyima stressed the importance of ending inequalities in the availability of drugs, and ensuring that medicines that can prevent deaths of people living with HIV are manufactured by multiple producers at affordable prices, especially in the global south, where the disease is concentrated.

"This moment calls for us to work together across sectors, across countries," she said.

"Populism's false promises are proving no match to biology: As COVID reminds us, we're not just interconnected, we're inseparable."

"We cannot end AIDS in one country or one continent. We can only end AIDS everywhere," yanyima said.
By PTI

WASHINGTON: The US Senate has passed a major legislative package aimed at improving the country's economic competition with China and holding its Communist government accountable for predatory tactics.

The important anti-China bill was passed by the Senate with 68-32 votes.

It is considered a major political victory by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer who had made it a top priority.

The US Innovation and Competition Act invests more than USD 100 billion of taxpayer funds to solidify the United States' leadership in scientific and technological innovation critical to national security and economic competitiveness.

It will also strengthen the security of essential supply chains, and US ability to solve supply-chain disruptions during crises.

Additionally, the bill increases funding for National Science Foundation activities.

"Passing this bill -- now called the US Innovation and Competition Act -- is the moment when the Senate lays the foundation for another century of American leadership.

Let me say that again: this bill could be the turning point for American leadership in the 21st Century," Schumer said on the Senate floor.

This legislation will go down as one of the most significant, bipartisan achievements of the US Senate in recent history, the senior Democratic Senator said.

"Around the globe, authoritarian governments believe that squabbling democracies like ours can't unite around national priorities.

They believe that democracy itself is a relic of the past, and that by beating us to emerging technologies, many of them will be able to re-shape the world in their own image," he said.

The ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) has made no bones about its desire for global economic dominance through whatever means necessary.

They've actively worked to buy up, influence, spy on and steal American innovation, Senator Chuck Grassley said.

"They've sought to spread pro-China propaganda at our research and academic institutions.

And while their ill-gotten approach to economic advancement has boosted their status in the world, they claim to be a developing nation to get better deals to finance their activities," he said, adding that this is the behaviour of a responsible nation.

Senator Sherrod Brown said that China spent billions propping up state-owned enterprises and subsidising research and development, and they also take US ideas and use them to compete - and sometimes cheat -- against American workers and businesses.

"This is an important, bipartisan step to ensure the technologies that will drive the next generation of economic growth and manufacturing -- from semiconductors to hydrogen buses to the next generation jet engine -- will be developed in America, and put Ohioans to work at good paying jobs," he said.

This bill will help the US stop foreign governments from stealing our research and innovation, so that American taxpayer-funded research will be used to create jobs for hard-working Americans, Senator Rob Portman said.
Hester Peirce, one of the watchdogs five commissioners, said she was concerned about efforts by several US regulators to more actively monitor the crypto market

A senior member of the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) criticised efforts by her colleagues to clamp down on cryptocurrencies, revealing a split at the top of the regulator over how to handle the rapidly expanding market for digital currencies.

Hester Peirce, one of the watchdogs five commissioners, told the Financial Times she was concerned about efforts by several US regulators to more actively monitor the crypto market, placing her in opposition to SEC chair Gary Gensler, who favours bringing cryptocurrency rules in line with more traditional assets.

I am not sure thats going to be great for innovation, said Peirce, who worked as a researcher at free-market think-tank Mercatus Center before being appointed to the SEC by Donald Trump in 2018.

Instead, Peirce said self-regulation in the market can be pretty effective and that regulation doesnt all have to happen at government level.

The commissioners comments suggest Gensler may encounter internal hurdles in his efforts to rein in the crypto market, which shot to prominence at the start of 2021 as an influx of investor cash saw the price of original crypto Bitcoin boom to record highs, taking most of the market with it.

However, regulators have increasingly eyed the digital asset market as a source of concern given its high level of volatility and its use as an anonymous payment method by criminals.

In early trading in London on Wednesday, Bitcoin was up 3.5% over the last 24 hours at US$34,179, giving it a market cap of US$640bn.
By Associated Press

WASHINGTON: The US will buy 500 million more doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to share through the global COVAX alliance for donation to 92 lower income countries and the African Union over the next year, a person familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.

President Joe Biden was set to make the announcement on Thursday in a speech before the start of the Group of Seven summit. Two hundred million doses - enough to fully protect 100 million people - would be shared this year, with the balance to be donated in the first half of 2022, the person said.

National security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters Wednesday that Biden was committed to sharing vaccines because it was in the public health and strategic interests of the US. As Biden embarks on his first foreign trip, he is aiming to show "that democracies are the countries that can best deliver solutions for people everywhere".

"As he said in his joint session (address), we were the 'arsenal of democracy' in World War II. We're going to be the arsenal of vaccines over this next period to help end the pandemic," Sullivan said.

The news of the Pfizer sharing plan was confirmed to The Associated Press by a person familiar with the matter, who spoke on condition of anonymity ahead of the president's formal announcement. The news was first reported by the Washington Post.

The announcement comes a week after the White House unveiled its plans to donate an initial allotment of 25 million doses of surplus vaccine overseas, mostly through the United Nations-backed COVAX program, promising infusions for South and Central America, Asia, Africa and others at a time of glaring shortages abroad.

Overall, the White House has announced plans to share 80 million doses globally by the end of June, most through COVAX. Officials say a quarter of the nations excess will be kept in reserve for emergencies and for the U.S. to share directly with allies and partners.

The White House has also directed doses to allies including South Korea, Taiwan and Ukraine. Globally, there have been more than 3.7 million confirmed deaths from COVID-19, and more than 174 million people have been confirmed infected.
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Tara ONeill / Hearst Connecticut Media

BRIDGEPORT  Detectives are investigating after a man was shot at the Greene Homes apartment complex on Sunday afternoon, officials said.

Officers were dispatched around 2:40 p.m. to Greene Homes on Highland Avenue for a reported shooting, according to Scott Appleby, the citys director of emergency communications and emergency management.
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Xi congratulates Herzog on election as Israeli president

Xinhua) 14:02, June 09, 2021

File photo taken on May 18, 2016, shows Isaac Herzog addressing a press conference in Jerusalem. (Xinhua/JINI)

BEIJING, June 8 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday sent a congratulatory message to Isaac Herzog over his election as Israeli president.

In the message, Xi pointed out that over recent years, China and Israel have maintained close exchanges at all levels, and their practical cooperation has continued to advance.

Xi said he attaches great importance to the development of China-Israel relations, and is willing to work with Herzog to strengthen the two countries' political mutual trust, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields, and promote the China-Israel innovative comprehensive partnership to a new level, so as to benefit the two countries and their people.

(Web editor: Guo Wenrui, Liang Jun)
A look at the major movers on the London market on Wednesday

Thungela Resources Ltd (LON:TGA) continues its roller-coaster ride in its first - and only - week in the FTSE 100.

Shares in the thermal coal miner slumped on Monday, revived on Tuesday and are now down again on Wednesday.

Down 8.48% to 131.82p to be precise.

The company was spun off from Anglo American PLC (LON:AAL) and is in the leading index by default. Its market capitalisation is in the millions rather than billions for a start.

It will also have its primary listing in Johannesberg which rules it out of joining the FTSE UK indices.

But for this week, until its nationality changes from the UK to South Africa on Friday, it has been placed in the same category as Anglo.

Which means it is in the FTSE 100 for just a week. But an eventful one for shareholders.

3.28pm: HeiQ higher as it signs German partnership deal

HeiQ PLC (LON:HEIQ) has moved higher after signed a partnership deal with a leading European chemicals group.

Its HeiQ Chrisal subsidiary has linked up with Germany's Wollner GmbH to supply an environmentally friendly cleaning solution. Under the terms of the distribution agreement, HeiQ will receive revenues of at least 2mln over a five-year period.The solution will be added to Wollner's Process Enhancement Chemicals product lines for industrial water circuits.

HeiQ chief executive Carlo Centonze said: "This agreement is of strategic importance for HeiQ Chrisal, providing this innovative business access to the previously unentered arena of industrial water circuits...We believe that this is just the start of similar contracts which have the potential to deliver solid growth to HeiQ as we strengthen our presence in the $50bn probiotics market."

HeiQ shares have climbed 6.5p or 3.58% to 188p.

1.33pm: Distribution group hit by COVID-19 uncertainty and cost increases

HC Slingsby PLC (LON:SLNG) is out of favour after a downbeat trading statement.

The company, which distributes industrial and commercial equipment ranging from power generators to workwear, had previously said that profits in the three months to March had come in at 0.1mln.

An improvement in sales had offset the impact of a fall in gross margin.

But updating the figures for its annual meeting, it said there had been a flat April so profits for first four months were stuck at 0.1mln. This compares to 0.2mln for the same period in 2020.

It said: "The market remains competitive and the group remains cautious regarding the outlook. This is particularly the case due to the significant uncertainty caused by coronavirus.

"Whilst the group's sales grew in 2020 due to demand for coronavirus related products, the group has not experienced the same level of orders in April and May 2021 that it did during 2020.

"It is unclear as to the impact that the virus will have on demand going forward. There is also heightened potential for credit related issues should customers become insolvent."

It also warned it was experiencing significant cost increases across its product range, as well as higher shipping costs and delays.

This impacted gross margins, an effect which it expected to persist for the remainder of the year.

Its shares are down 7.41% or 20p at 250p.

12.07pm:

Keras Resources PLC (LON:KRS) is climbing higher after a positive update on a US mine.

The company said that construction of the processing plant at the Diamond Creek organic phosphate mine in Utah had been completed and commissioning had commenced.

It said: "Once at steady-state operational capacity, which is expected to be achieved by the end of June, the plant will produce a range of premium organic phosphate products for sale directly into the growing North American organic fertiliser market."

Diamond Creek is owned by the company's 51% subsidiary, Falcon Isle Holdings.

Keras chief executive Russell Lamming said: "Diamond Creek is the one of the highest-grade organic phosphate mines in the US and installing this plant will enable us to extract maximum value and sell a range of fully certified, high-quality products into a growing organic fertiliser market.."

Keras is up 9.52% at 0.12p.

10.48am: Clinigen crashes by 25% after COVID-19 hits earnings

Shares in Clinigen Group PLC (LON: CLIN) are heading for their worst day on record.

The pharmaceutical firm has lost a quarter of its value after it said the fallout from COVID-19 would hit its profits.

It said demand for kidney and skin cancer treatment Proleukin (where it acquired global rights from Novaritis) had been significantly weaker than expected in recent months.This was due to the global reduction in hospital-based oncology treatments and delays to clinical trials.

It expects this reduced level of demand to remain until "revitalisation efforts into new indications alongside novel cell therapies are successful and normal Hospital and Cancer Centre Services have resumed."

So while revenues for the full year are expected to be in line with previous guidance, adjusted earnings are likely to be within a range of 114mln-117mln, below forecasts.

Chief executive Shaun Chilton said: "COVID-19 has continued to have a significant impact on our business as it has for many other companies operating in the clinical trial and hospital-based products area.

"Due to the strength of our underlying business, the simplification of our operating model and continued high-level of business wins in Services, we are optimistic about the future and anticipate a return to double digit growth in the next financial year."

But that optimism has not prevented a 25.12% or 210p fall in the shares to 626p.

9.28am: Miner files hefty claim over Polish projects

Prairie Mining Ltd (LON:PDZ) has seen its shares surge as it unveiled an 806mln claim against the Republic of Poland.

To put that in context its market capitalisation before the announcement was just 29.69mln.

It is markedly higher now, with the shares up 42.31% or 5.5p at 18.5p having earlier been as high as 22p.

The Australia-headquartered coal company alleges that the Republic of Poland breached its obligations in blocking the development of its Jan Karski and Debiensko mines, thus depriving it of the entire value of its investments in Poland.

The 806mln includes an assessment of the value of lost profits as well as damages and accrued interest.

8.56am: IT group climbs after resilient performance

Shares in CloudCoCo Group PLC (LON:CLCO) have gone sky-high after it unveiled improved results and took steps towards making acquisitions.

The IT and communications specialist said revenues for the six months to the end of March slipped from 4.43mln a year ago to 4.14mln but trading profits up 435%.

Overall pretax losses fell from 1.57mln to 0.67mln.

Chief executive Mark Halpin said: "We have delivered a resilient performance in the period, with notable revenue and total contract value increases on the second half of 2020, despite the continued impact of COVID-19on the trading environment.

"The business is in good health, both operationally and in the pipeline of opportunities ahead of us. There will continue to be challenges to overcome, but we will meet them head on and remain confident of making further progress in the second half and beyond."

It has appointed Darron Giddens as finance director to replace Mike Lacey who has stepped down for personal reasons.

It also has a new strategic consultant in Nigel Redwood, the former chief executive of AIM-listed Nasstar.

Halpin said: "Nigel has a track record of accelerating growth - particularly in the listed IT managed services space - and recognises the importance of fostering a strong company ethos and culture. I have no doubt his counsel will prove invaluable as we deliver our organic growth initiatives and begin to explore the possibility of M&A."

CloudCoCo has climbed 17.24% or 0.25p to 1.7p.

Also heading higher is Blancco Technology Group PLC (LON:BLTG).

The mobile device diagnostics specialist said revenues had grown significantly in the second half of the year despite the effect of a strong pound, and it expected operating profit and cash to be significantly above expectations.

Its shares are 3.7% better at 280p.

Proactive news headlines

Seeing Machines Limited (LON:SEE) said it has been appointed by software firm CAE Australia to integrate its precision eye-tracking technology for a customer in the Australian defence industry.

Walls & Futures REIT PLC (LON:WAFR), an ethical housing investor and developer, said it has joined P1 Investment Management's Net-Zero Carbon target as part of its Ethical Investment Policy rollout.

Ncondezi Energy Ltd (LON:NCCL) said Ncondezi Green Power, its renewable energy subsidiary, and Captive Power Ltd have signed a relationship agreement giving Ncondezi first refusal to fund up to US$5.5mln of commercial and industrial solar and battery storage projects in Mozambique.

Sativa Wellness Group Inc (LON:SWEL) said new research suggests cannabinoids may be able to treat inflammatory lung disease. A Kings College London research paper has been published which includes the results of an investigation on the potential therapeutic use of cannabinoids for the treatment of respiratory diseases.

MGC Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX:MXC, LON:MXC) has appointed David Lim as joint company secretary with immediate effect, bringing over 15 years of experience working for ASX-listed companies.

Avation PLC (LON:AVAP) has updated investors on its current revenue collection and cash situation as it supported its customers through the effects of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Cornish Metals Inc. (LON:CUSN, TSX-V:CUSN) announced an increase in resource estimates at the iconic South Crofty tin mine in Cornwall. An updated mineral resource estimate (MRE) showed a 10% increase in indicated resources in both the lower mine and upper mine areas and an almost 130% gain in inferred resources at the lower mine.

Custodian REIT PLC (LON:CREI) said it acquired five industrial units on Knowsley Business Park in Liverpool for 3.5mln. The units, which cover a total area of 40,419 sq ft, are occupied by Portakabin, Green Thumb, Central Electrical Armature and Med Imaging.

Sirius Real Estate Limited (LON:SRE) said it has appointed Joanne Kenrick to the board as an independent non-executive director with effect from September 1.

SIMEC Atlantis Energy Ltd (LON:SAE) provided an update for investors on Tuesday on the status of its major shareholder.

Remote Monitored Systems PLC's (LON:RMS) executive chairman Antony Legge said he is looking forward to several positive developments in the coming months.

TomCo Energy PLCs (LON:TOM) joint venture Greenfield Energy has entered a deal to acquire a site in Utah.

Empire Metals Limited (LON:EEE) announced that managing director Shaun Bunn, non-executive director Mike Struthers and finance director Greg Kuenzel will provide a live presentation via the Investor Meet Company platform on Thursday 17 June 2021 at 10:00am BST.

Arecor Therapeutics PLC (LON:AREC) notified that three directors had bought shares in the company.

Dr Andrew Richards, non-executive chairman, purchased 12,500 at a price of 242.7p; Christine Soden, non-executive director, also bought 12,500 shares at the same price; and Jeremy Morgan, non-executive director, purchased 20,503 shares at a price of 242.5p apiece.

Condor Gold PLC (LON:CNR, TSX:COG) announced that with immediate effect it has appointed H&P Advisory Limited as joint broker to the company. Mark Child, Chairman and CEO said: "On behalf of the board I am delighted to appoint Hannam & Partners as a joint broker to the company at an exciting time when Condor has purchased a complete new SAG Mill Package, significantly advanced several Feasibility Level engineering designs and studies, commenced site clearance and preparation and is heading towards gold production on Condor's fully permitted La India Project."

Oriole Resources PLC (LON:ORR) said company management will be undertaking a pre-recorded shareholder presentation and Q&A session ahead of the Company's annual general meeting on 23 June 2021. The Company requests that all shareholder questions be submitted to info@orioleresources.co.uk on or before 11 June 2021. The recording will subsequently be made available on the Company's website on or around 16 June.
Pikeville, KY (41501)

Today

Partly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 68F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Partly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 68F. Winds light and variable.
Worst year ever? You might get a convincing counterargument from American historians without them even having to go further back than the 20th century. For some pandemic perspective, we asked them to finish this sentence: If you think 2020 in the U.S. has been rough, let me tell you about ...
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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).
A glance at some of the day's highlights from the Proactive Investors newswire

( ), an ethical housing investor and developer, said it has joined P1 Investment Management's Net-Zero Carbon target as part of its Ethical Investment Policy rollout.

Ltd ( ) said it has been appointed by software firm CAE Australia to integrate its precision eye-tracking technology for a customer in the Australian defence industry.

( ) said Ncondezi Green Power, its renewable energy subsidiary, and Captive Power Ltd have signed a relationship agreement giving Ncondezi first refusal to fund up to US$5.5mln of commercial and industrial solar and battery storage projects in Mozambique.

( ) said new research suggests cannabinoids may be able to treat inflammatory lung disease. A Kings College London research paper has been published which includes the results of an investigation on the potential therapeutic use of cannabinoids for the treatment of respiratory diseases.

(ASX:MXC, ) has appointed David Lim as joint company secretary with immediate effect, bringing over 15 years of experience working for ASX-listed companies.

( ) has updated investors on its current revenue collection and cash situation as it supported its customers through the effects of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

(LON:CUSN, ) announced an increase in resource estimates at the iconic South Crofty tin mine in Cornwall. An updated mineral resource estimate (MRE) showed a 10% increase in indicated resources in both the lower mine and upper mine areas and an almost 130% gain in inferred resources at the lower mine.

( ) said it acquired five industrial units on Knowsley Business Park in Liverpool for 3.5mln. The units, which cover a total area of 40,419 sq ft, are occupied by Portakabin, Green Thumb, Central Electrical Armature and Med Imaging.

Sirius Real Estate Limited ( ) said it is assessing whether to issue senior unsecured bonds to refinance secured debt and to fund potential asset acquisitions. Sirius also said it has appointed Joanne Kenrick to the board as an independent non-executive director with effect from September 1.

( ) provided an update for investors on Tuesday on the status of its major shareholder.

's ( ) executive chairman Antony Legge said he is looking forward to several positive developments in the coming months.

s ( ) joint venture Greenfield Energy has entered a deal to acquire a site in Utah.

Empire Metals Limited ( ) announced that managing director Shaun Bunn, non-executive director Mike Struthers and finance director Greg Kuenzel will provide a live presentation via the Investor Meet Company platform on Thursday 17 June 2021 at 10:00am BST.

( ) notified that three directors had bought shares in the company. Dr Andrew Richards, non-executive chairman, purchased 12,500 at a price of 242.7p; Christine Soden, non-executive director, also bought 12,500 shares at the same price; and Jeremy Morgan, non-executive director, purchased 20,503 shares at a price of 242.5p apiece.

(LON:CNR, ) announced that with immediate effect it has appointed H&P Advisory Limited as joint broker to the company. Mark Child, Chairman and CEO said: "On behalf of the board I am delighted to appoint Hannam & Partners as a joint broker to the company at an exciting time when Condor has purchased a complete new SAG Mill Package, significantly advanced several Feasibility Level engineering designs and studies, commenced site clearance and preparation and is heading towards gold production on Condor's fully permitted La India Project."

( ) said company management will be undertaking a pre-recorded shareholder presentation and Q&A session ahead of the Company's annual general meeting on 23 June 2021. The Company requests that all shareholder questions be submitted to info@orioleresources.co.uk on or before 11 June 2021. The recording will subsequently be made available on the Company's website on or around 16 June.

( ) said it has concluded negotiations on a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA), a written legal contract between the company and the employees of its Vast Baita Plai S.A subsidiary, which operates the Baita Plai Polymetallic Mine in Romania.
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FILE - Food blogger and cookbook author Molly Yeh attends the Chef's Afterparty in Miami Beach, Fla, on May 22, 2021, during the South Beach Wine and Food Festival. Yeh is the author of Molly on the Range and the star of Food Network's Girl Meets Farm."
Euclid's new Clean and Safe Ambassadors program, in partnership with the Downtown Cleveland Alliance, will launch in late June. Ambassadors will help keep areas near downtown Euclid, like the new waterfront trail in Sims Park, monitored and clean.
The mystery of the contents within a 65-year-old time capsule found in the cornerstone of the former Euclid YMCA building will soon be solved.
"The claim is proceeding at pace," said boss Ben Stoikovich

( ) has seen its shares surge as it unveiled an 806mln claim against the Republic of Poland.

To put that in context its market capitalisation before the announcement was just 29.69mln.

It is markedly higher now, with the shares up 42.31% or 5.5p at 18.5p having earlier been as high as 22p.

The Australia-headquartered coal company alleges that the Republic of Poland breached its obligations in blocking the development of its Jan Karski and Debiensko mines, thus depriving it of the entire value of its investments in Poland.

The 806mln includes an assessment of the value of lost profits as well as damages and accrued interest.

The company has a US$12.3mln litigation funding agreement in place which is currently being drawn down to cover legal, tribunal and external expert costs and operating expenses associated with the claim.

Chief executive Ben Stoikovich said: "The claim is proceeding at pace, with the company now having submitted its statement of claim in the Bilateral Investment Treaty arbitration, which included a valuation of damages prepared by external quantum experts."
Ohio

Bill would name Route 86 in honor of soldier

Ohio House bill would name Route 86 in Leroy Township in Army Staff Sgt. Kyle McKees honor
Column

Manchin taking heat for what should be political normalcy
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of vision loss in people over 50. Up to 12 percent of those over 80 have the chronic disease. An estimated 16.4 million adults are affected by retinal vein occlusion (RVO) worldwide, a condition caused by a thrombosis of a retinal vein. It is the second most common cause of blindness from retinal vascular disease after diabetic retinopathy (DR). DR in turn is the leading cause of blindness in developed countries and affects up to 80 percent of people with more than 20 years of diabetes. It can lead to a swelling of the macula (diabetic macular edema, DME), which may cause partial or complete vision loss.

All three conditions are treated by injections of a so-called anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) into the eye at intervals to slow down disease progress and prevent blindness. Because with eyesight a central human sense is in jeopardy, patients are eager to know that they are being treated often enough to avoid rapid worsening. And doctors want to make sure they see each patient frequently enough not to miss important developments.

The challenge

With the ageing population, cases of AMD, RVO or DME are globally on the rise, making it hard for specialized eye clinics to keep up with the growing demand for regular treatments. "As doctors, we want to give each patient the necessary attention and treatment frequency that they need", says Sebastian Wolf, Head of the Ophthalmology Department of the Inselspital that currently sees 6000 patients with AMD, RVO and DR. "But it is also an organizational challenge to meet all patients' needs and be able to study all relevant eye imaging data to assess individual disease progression and take treatment decisions in the short time given."

To monitor progression of the chronic eye conditions, Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT), an imaging tool that generates 3D images of the eye at extremely high resolution, is usually applied. In collaboration with the ARTORG Center for Biomedical Engineering Research, the Inselspital has developed automated OCT analysis tools based on artificial intelligence, which can assist eye doctors in the assessment of a whole patient OCT-set in just a few seconds. Together with RetinAI, a startup specialized in AI-based eye care technologies, they now have conducted a retrospective study of patients to assess how well AI can predict anti-VEGF treatment demand from the start.

The setup

The study looked at OCT-data from 340 patients with AMD and 285 patients with RVO or DME, treated with anti-VEGF at the Inselspital between 2014 and 2018. Based on morphological features automatically extracted from the OCT volumes at baseline and after two consecutive visits, as well as patient demographic information, two machine learning models were trained to predict the probability of the long-term treatment frequency demand of a new patient (one for AMD and one for RVO and DME).

Based on the first three visits, it was possible to predict if a patient had a low or a high treatment demand for both the AMD and the RVO & DME groups with similar high accuracy. More importantly, the study revealed that it is possible to predict reasonably well at the initial visit and even before the first injection if a patient will less often require injections.

Three advantages

"We have shown that machine learning classifiers can predict treatment demand when a patient is first diagnosed with a chronic eye disease," says Mathias Gallardo, postdoctoral researcher the ARTORG AI in Medical Imaging (AIMI) lab and member of the new Center for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine (CAIM). "Hence, artificial intelligence may assist in establishing patient-specific treatment plans for the most common chronic eye conditions in the near future."

Planning the ideal treatment frequency for each patient has multiple benefits. Firstly, patients can be sure their disease is being treated in the best way possible without subjecting them to too frequent visits and unpleasant injections into the eye. Secondly, individualized planning can help clinics cope with ever growing patient numbers allowing for the highest possible capacity utilization of specialized medical skills and infrastructure. Thirdly, objectivized on-demand planning helps avoid overprovision and can lead to improved cost-efficiency and less healthcare expenditures.

High-yield confluence of clinical, data science, and industrial research

This study illustrates once more the proven eye-level collaboration between clinicians and data scientists of the Inselspital and the ARTORG Center, which produces technology solutions suitable for everyday use because they were designed directly as a response to clinical needs. A further important aspect to provide a roadmap for the clinical implementation of such technology was the startup RetinAI.

We are extremely happy to apply the EU funding we received to build patient-focused solutions in ophthalmology, making sure that technology can be transformed into products that can really benefit patients and improve treatment at scale." Carlos Ciller, RetinAI CEO

With its headquarters at sitem-insel the startup also is spatially located exactly at the interface between clinic and science. This unique Bernese environment for clinically driven AI technologies will be further capitalized by the new Center for Artifical Intelligence in Medicine (CAIM), combining the best of the three worlds of healthcare, science, and industry for the benefit of patients.
A team of researchers from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore), Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Singapore (NP), and the National Heart Centre Singapore (NHCS) have invented a tool that could speed up the diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases.

Powered by artificial intelligence (AI), their innovation uses electrocardiograms (ECGs) to diagnose coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction and congestive heart failure to an accuracy of more than 98.5 per cent.

The joint development of the diagnostic tool is timely, as the number of deaths caused by cardiovascular disease in Singapore has increased over the past three years. According to the Singapore Heart Foundation, 29.3 per cent of all deaths in Singapore in 2019, or almost 1 out of 3 deaths in Singapore, was due to heart diseases or stroke.

The scientists hope that their innovation could support the diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases in clinical settings, specifically while physicians carry out preliminary ECGs, ultimately leading to speedier courses of treatment.

The researchers devised the diagnostic tool by using an AI machine learning algorithm called Gabor-Convolutional Neural Network (Gabor-CNN), which mimics the structure and function of the human brain, enabling computers to learn from past experiences like a human. Using the algorithm, they trained their tool to recognize patterns in patients' ECGs by inputting examples of ECG signals that reflect cardiovascular diseases.

Clinical Associate Professor Tan Ru San, Senior Consultant at the Department of Cardiology, NHCS, who co-authored the study, said: "Our study on a preliminary small group of subjects has demonstrated promising results in terms of the accuracy of using routine ECGs to classify some common cardiovascular conditions. Although confirming the specific disease still requires additional testing, our diagnostic tool will allow physicians to triage patients more efficiently and to streamline the number and type of downstream confirmatory tests."

Associate Professor Eddie Ng Yin Kwee from NTU's School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, who co-led the study, said: "Scientists and physicians have been exploring AI techniques to aid in disease diagnosis. Our diagnostic tool is the first to use GaborCNN to allow for ECG signals to be directly entered into the system for analysis, and could lead to advancements in the pursuit of merging AI with medical solutions. Our proposed system is equipped to be validated with bigger database and has the potential to aid the clinicians to screen for cardiovascular diseases using ECGs."

Our AI diagnostic tool, which was developed using a small public database, can detect coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction and congestive heart failure using ECG signals accurately. It has the potential to aid clinicians in the screening of cardiovascular diseases quickly, speed up the delivery of treatment and reduce costs for patients." Dr U Rajendra Acharya, Senior Faculty Member, Ngee Ann Polytechnic's School of Engineering

The study was published in the peer-reviewed scientific journal Computers in Biology and Medicine in May.

Using AI to aid in detecting heart disease

To test their diagnostic tool, the researchers obtained ECG signals from both healthy individuals and patients with prevalent cardiovascular diseases.

In a pilot study, the researchers used the tool to analyze ECG signals from 92 healthy individuals, as well as seven patients with coronary artery disease, 148 patients with myocardial infarction and 15 patients with congestive heart failure.

Clin Assoc Prof Tan added: "Our AI-enhanced tool could automatically identify ECG signals associated with healthy people and patients with the different cardiovascular diseases with an accuracy of more than 98.5 per cent. Heart disease is a leading cause of death worldwide, and affects not only the heart but other major parts of the body. Early detection prevents complications such as heart failure, stroke, kidney disease and artery disease."

Elaborating on the role of AI in disease detection, Assoc Prof Ng added: "AI techniques have the potential to radically improve healthcare solutions, especially in data analysis, offering clinicians novel tools to interpret data and make clinical decisions. AI techniques such as machine learning and deep learning can also improve medical knowledge due to the increase of the volume and complexity of the data, unlocking clinically relevant information."

The team will be working with local hospitals to conduct further trials to validate the clinical use of their new diagnostic AI tool with a larger database of patients. They hope it can be used to complement current techniques of diagnosing cardiovascular diseases such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and coronary angiography.
A study by RCSI indicates that exercise is probably the most effective short-term treatment for depression in people with coronary heart disease, when compared to antidepressants and psychotherapy or more complex care.

The study, led by researchers at RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, is published in the June edition of Psychosomatic Medicine.

This is the first systematic review to compare treatments for depression in those with coronary disease and the findings provides valuable clinical information to help doctors determine the best treatment plan for patients.

The researchers reviewed treatment trials which investigated antidepressants, psychotherapy, exercise, combined psychotherapy and antidepressants, and collaborative care (i.e. treatments devised by a multidisciplinary team of clinicians with input from the patient).

To measure effectiveness, the researchers looked at factors including patient adherence to the treatment (dropout rate) and change in depressive symptoms eight weeks after commencing treatment.

The strongest treatment effects were found to be exercise and combination treatments (antidepressants and psychotherapy). However, as the combination study results have a high risk of bias, the findings of the review suggest that exercise is probably the most effective treatment. Antidepressants had the most research support, while psychotherapy and collaborative care did not perform very well.

Depression is common in patients with coronary artery disease. Having both conditions can have a significant impact on the quality of life for patients so it is vital that they access to the most effective treatment. Our study indicates that exercise is likely to be the best treatment for depression following coronary artery disease. Our findings further highlight the clinical importance of exercise as a treatment as we see that it improves not only depression, but also other important aspects of heart disease, such as lowering blood pressure and cholesterol, in these patients. We continue to see emerging evidence of the importance of lifestyle to treat disease - in comparison to other treatments - but further high-quality research is needed. People with coronary heart disease who have symptoms of depression should talk to their doctor about treatments that are most suitable for their personal needs, and clinicians can be confident of recommending exercise to their patients." Dr Frank Doyle, Senior Lecturer Division of Population Health Sciences, RCSI and Study's First Author

Dr Frank Doyle and the study's senior authors, Prof. Jan Sorensen (Health Outcomes Research Centre, RCSI) and Prof. Martin Dempster (School of Psychology, Queen's University Belfast), conducted the study in collaboration with researchers in the USA, The Netherlands, the UK and Denmark.

This study was also the first of its kind to establish a new method to conduct systematic reviews known as a hybrid review, which is a combination of umbrella reviews and systematic reviews.
Children were relatively spared during the first wave of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). More recently, an increasing number of children are falling ill as a result of the spread of newer variants of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

A new medRxiv* preprint describes the increasing use of primary healthcare among these children even after the acute phase of COVID-19, with pre-schoolers showing the most prolonged rise in primary healthcare visits.



Study: Health care use up to 6 months after COVID-19 in 700.000 children and adolescents: a pre-post study. Image Credit: L Julia / Shutterstock.com

Long-term health care following COVID-19

Adults with COVID-19 are known to present with a wide range of symptoms, the most common of which includes chest tightness, shortness of breath, or cardiac symptoms. These symptoms typically remain evident between 3 and 6 months after the initial infection.

Current research indicates that the persistence in these complaints commonly occurs in adults recovering from severe COVID-19. Still, several other studies have demonstrated that even asymptomatic or mild illness can be followed by long-term complaints.

Together, this points to a significant increase in the utilization of healthcare services by these patients for months after their initial illness. The situation is less clear with children. In rare cases, children can develop multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MISC); however, their long-term prognosis following recovery from SARS-CoV-2 remains unknown.

Earlier studies on COVID-19 in children have been small and mainly include children with moderate-to-severe COVID-19. In order to predict and prepare for the healthcare needs of the pediatric population affected by COVID-19, wider studies based on this specific patient population are necessary. To this end, studies should aim towards understanding the scale and duration of long-term complications, as well as the age at which these complications are most likely to occur.

Study details

The current study used data from an emergency preparedness register established by the Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH). This register includes all polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests for the virus conducted in Norway with the test date and result. The researchers restricted their analysis to the period between August 1, 2020 to February 1, 2021, as testing was widespread by this time.

The test population excluded severely ill children with COVID-19. Notably, children with chronic conditions who would be more frequently tested, such as before attending hospitals for routine or specialist visits, were not included in the study. All other children were classified into those who tested positive or negative for COVID-19, as well as children who were never tested for the virus.

The difference in the rate of healthcare use before and after a positive/negative PCR test, as well as untested children (the latter being assigned a random test date matching the distribution of the other two categories), was used to assess the impact of the illness.

Percentage of the sample being tested for SARS-CoV-2 in PCR test by month (August to December 2020, and January 2021), and percentage of the tested who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 per month, by age group.

About 760,000 of the 1.3 million children in Norway were included in this follow-up. Approximately 300,000 had been tested, of which just over 10,000 were positive, which amounts to about 1.3% of the study population. COVID-19 positive children were categorized into those aged 1-5, 6-15, and 16-19 years.

Testing was lowest for the youngest group of children, whereas positive COVID-19 cases made up a similar percentage among all age groups. Norwegian-born children were found least likely to be positive.

Increased primary care visits in test-positive children

Primary care use by children who tested positive for COVID-19 significantly increased from 3% before testing to 41% during the week of testing. This use of primary healthcare services then reduced to 16% by week 4. Thereafter, the COVID-19 positivity rate remained constant at about 4% for up to three months, and at 3% for up to six months.

The same patterns were noted within specific age groups. Among the children who tested negative, the rise in primary healthcare use was both less steep and less sustained. Notably, there no detectable difference in primary care use was found in the children who were never tested for COVID-19.

The most frequent complaints were respiratory and general symptoms.

Positives vs. negatives

The greatest relative increase in COVID-19 cases was seen over the first four weeks, during which children aged 1-5 years who tested positive had a 325% increase in primary care use as compared to those who tested negative. The increase was 434% for those between 6-15 years, and 360% for the oldest children who were between the age of 16 and 19 years.

At 5-8 weeks after the test, primary healthcare use remained elevated by up to a fifth among children up to 15 years of age who tested positive as compared to those who tested negative for COVID-19. COVID-19 positive children continued to show 26% (among those aged 1-5 years) and 15% (for those aged 6-15 years) higher positivity rates in the third month.

Among the pre-schoolers who tested positive, a 14% increase in primary healthcare use continued to be seen 3-6 months following the initial infection, which was comparable to 8% for the oldest test-negative children. Those aged 6-15 years did not show any excess healthcare use during this period.

Specialist care was not increased among children who tested positive at any time point, compared to those who tested negative for COVID-19.

Positives vs untested

Compared to untested children, the differences were even more striking. Primary care use among COVID-19 positive children increased by approximately 700% over the first four weeks after their test, while the relative increase was almost a thousand times higher among those aged 6-19 years.

The increase continued to be seen by 33-50% over all age groups, up to three months post-test.

Untested children aged 16-19 years showed a 32% increase in the long-term use of primary healthcare, relative to the positives.

What are the implications?

This earliest large-scale study of long COVID in a general pediatric cohort shows that it is probably limited to symptoms that are treated at the primary care level. The most persistent symptoms, up to six months, were in identified pre-schoolers, relative to those who tested negative.

This could be explained by the known predisposition of respiratory symptoms to linger after viral infections affecting the airway occur in very young children.

Overall, younger children appeared to require more visits to general practitioners post-COVID-19, predominantly in the first four weeks but continuing at lower levels for up to six months. Those between the ages of 6-15 and 16-19 years had more frequent visits for only up to three months after recovering from COVID-19. Specialist care was not accessed more frequently by any age group.

The findings suggest that COVID-19 does not lead to severe long-term health problems in children and adolescents, at least not problems that require follow-up by (specialist) health care services.

This type of study may help decide whether children should be vaccinated against the virus and whether viral spread should be contained by social distancing and other measures after all adults are vaccinated.

*Important notice

medRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information.
Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory have published the first detailed atomic-level model of the SARS-CoV-2 "envelope" protein bound to a human protein essential for maintaining the lining of the lungs. The model showing how the two proteins interact, just published in the journal Nature Communications, helps explain how the virus could cause extensive lung damage and escape the lungs to infect other organs in especially vulnerable COVID-19 patients. The findings may speed the search for drugs to block the most severe effects of the disease.

By obtaining atomic-level details of the protein interactions we can explain why the damage occurs, and search for inhibitors that can specifically block these interactions. If we can find inhibitors, then the virus won't cause nearly as much damage. That may give people with compromised health a much better chance for their immune systems to fight the virus successfully." Qun Liu, study lead author, structural biologist at Brookhaven Lab

Scientists discovered the details and developed the molecular model using one of the new cryo-electron microscopes at Brookhaven Lab's Laboratory for BioMolecular Structure (LBMS [https://www.bnl.gov/cryo-EM/]), a new research facility built with funding from New York State adjacent to Brookhaven's National Synchrotron Light Source II (NSLS-II [https://www.bnl.gov/nsls2/about-NSLS-II.php]).

"LBMS opened last summer [https://www.bnl.gov/newsroom/news.php?a=117344] ahead of schedule because of its importance in the battle against COVID-19," said Sean McSweeney, director of LBMS and a coauthor on the paper. "LBMS and NSLS-II offer complementary protein-imaging techniques and both are playing important roles in deciphering the details of proteins involved in COVID-19. This is the first paper published based on results from the new facility."

Liguo Wang, scientific operations director of LBMS and another coauthor on the paper, explained that "cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) is particularly useful for studying membrane proteins and dynamic protein complexes, which can be difficult to crystallize for protein crystallography, another common technique for studying protein structures. With this technique we created a 3-D map from which we could see how the individual protein components fit together."

"Without cryo-EM, we couldn't have gotten a structure to capture the dynamic interactions between these proteins," Liu said.

Triggering lung disruption

The SARS-CoV-2 envelope protein (E), which is found on the virus's outer membrane alongside the now-infamous coronavirus spike protein, helps to assemble new virus particles inside infected cells. Studies published early in the COVID-19 pandemic showed that it also plays a crucial role in hijacking human proteins to facilitate virus release and transmission. Scientists hypothesize that it does this by binding to human cell-junction proteins, pulling them away from their usual job of keeping the junctions between lung cells tightly sealed.

"That interaction can be good for the virus, and very bad for humans--especially elderly COVID-19 patients and those with pre-existing medical conditions," Liu said.

When lung cell junctions are disrupted, immune cells come in to try to fix the damage, releasing small proteins called cytokines. This immune response can make matters worse by triggering massive inflammation, causing a so-called "cytokine storm" and subsequent acute respiratory distress syndrome.

Also, because the damage weakens the cell-cell connections, it might make it easier for the viruses to escape from the lungs and travel through the bloodstream to infect other organs, including the liver, kidneys, and blood vessels.

"In this scenario, most damage would occur in patients with more viruses and more E proteins being produced," Liu said. And this could become a vicious cycle: More viruses making more E proteins and more cell-junction proteins being pulled out, causing more damage, more transmission, and more viruses again. Plus, any existing damage, such as lung-cell scarring, would likely make it harder for COVID patients to recover from the damage.

"That's why we wanted to study this interaction--to understand the atomic-level details of how E interacts with one of these human proteins to learn how to interrupt the interactions and reduce or block these severe effects," Liu said.

From specks to blobs to map to model

The scientists obtained atomic-level details of the interaction between E and a human lung-cell-junction protein called PALS1 by mixing the two proteins together, freezing the sample rapidly, and then studying the frozen sample with the cryo-EM. The electron microscopes use high-energy electrons to interact with the sample in much the same way that regular light microscopes use beams of light. But electrons allow scientists to see things at a much smaller scale due to their extremely short wavelength (100,000 times shorter than that of visible light).

The first images didn't look like much more than specks. But image-processing techniques allowed the team to select specks that were actual complexes of the two proteins.

"We used two-dimensional averaging and started to see some structural features that are shared among these particles. Our images showed the complex from different orientations but at fairly low resolution," Liu said. "Then we use computational tools and computation infrastructure at Brookhaven's Computational Science Initiative [https://www.bnl.gov/compsci/] to perform three-dimensional reconstructions. These give us a 3-D model--an experimental map of the structure."

With an overall resolution of 3.65 Angstroms (the size of just a few atoms), the map had enough information about the unique characteristics of the individual amino acids that make up the two proteins for the scientists to fit the known structures of those amino acids into the map.

"We can see how the chain of amino acids that makes up the PALS1 protein folds to form three structural components, or domains, and how the much smaller chain of amino acids that makes up the E protein fits in a hydrophobic pocket between two of those domains," Liu said.

The model provides both the structural details and an understanding of the intermolecular forces that allow E proteins deep within an infected cell to wrench PALS1 from its place at the cell's outer boundary.

"Now we can explain how the interactions pull PALS1 from the human lung-cell junction and contribute to the damage," Liu said.

Implications for drugs and evolution

"This structure provides the foundation for our computational science colleagues to run docking studies and molecular dynamics simulations to search for drugs or drug-like molecules that might block the interaction," said John Shanklin, chair of Brookhaven Lab's Biology Department [https://www.bnl.gov/biosciences/] and a coauthor on the paper. "And if they identify promising leads, we have the analytical capabilities to rapidly screen through such candidate drugs to identify ones that might be key to preventing severe consequences of COVID-19."

Understanding the dynamics of this protein interaction will also help scientists track how viruses like SARS-CoV-2 evolve.

"When the virus protein pulls PALS1 out of the cell junction, it could help the virus spread more easily. That would provide a selective advantage for the virus. Any traits that increase the survival, spread, or release of the virus are likely to be retained," Liu said.

The longer the virus continues to circulate, the more chances there are for new evolutionary advantages to arise.

"This is one more reason it is so essential for us to identify and implement promising therapeutics," Liu said. "In addition to preventing the most severe infections, drugs that effectively treat COVID-19 will keep us ahead of these mutations."
Major websites were unavailable on Tuesday due to an error with a content delivery network (CDN).

An error in an update on Fastly Incs (NYSE:FSLY) content delivery network (CDN) saw some of the worlds biggest websites stop working for a period on Tuesday.

Whilst techies worked to reset the error blank pages and Error 503 messages were shown to visitors to the likes of Amazon.com, , CNN, Bloomberg, and the UK governments website.

Perhaps bizarrely, Fastly Incs shares are soaring in the wake of what was evidently an all publicity is good publicity moment in the spotlight.

Sure enough, many people may not have heard of the company before their faux pas.

After breaking the internet in a literal, non-meme, fashion the New York listed share closed out Tuesday up US$9.25 or 19.7% at US$56.20 per share, and Wednesdays premarket indication points to a slight further gain.

Elsewhere, Cloudflare (NYSE:NET) and Akamai ( ), companies that didnt wipe out any of the webs institution-grade sites, saw their shares move up notably less dramatically, rising 4.5% and 1.16% to US$89.78 and US$117.30 respectively.

CDNs and digital infrastructure business are claimed to have been growing at around 30% annually and given the huge demand for online resources during the pandemic it is easy to make a case that it may be among the fastest growing tech business areas.

The tech wizards will say that Tuesdays problem at Fastly was a glitch or a blip.

Andy Champagne, the owner of a great name and senior vice president of Akamai, was quoted in a Barrons report on Tuesday commenting that: The internet has been under inspection for the last 18 months like never before.

It was a crucible moment, and it has done awesome.

So what is a CDN?

Put most simply, CDNs make web pages load faster  and that is very important.

Speed is increasingly a critical metric for online businesses, mostly because smartphone carrying humans are quite impatient.

Googles algorithms for example put immense importance on page speeds whilst ranking sites in search results. And, in the real world, users will typically quit whatever theyre doing if they are made to wait longer than a couple of seconds for a page to load.

This is especially true of e-commerce, according to Search Engine Journal, which says that pages loading in less than 2 seconds achieve the highest transaction conversion rates. It adds that conversion rates slip away at around 4.4% for every extra second after that 2-second threshold.

Bounce rates (which measure the percentage of users that quickly exit a page but without interacting with it) average around 7% for pages that load in a single second or less, according to the SEJ, but they jump significantly to 38% if a page takes as long as 5 seconds to load.

CDNS are one of several weapons in the arsenal for website operators as they compete in a page speed arms race. These networks can be extremely complex but the concept behind them is really simple.

We tend not to question the ubiquity of the internet, but, the distance between the user and a websites server matters.

Most websites exist on a specific server or bank of servers in a given location, potentially anywhere in the world. An internet user can similarly be located in almost any geographic location. And the data needs to travel from one place to the other.

A CDN speeds up the loading process by storing a saved, or cached, version of the webpage across a network of servers spread across the globe.

This means that website visitors will, in theory, receive the page from the nearest server so that the data will travel the shortest available distance. There are other layers of optimisation on top of this, but this is jist of how a CDN works.

It is a highly dynamic and competitive industry. For CDN operators and customers every fraction of a second counts, so these networks are being enhanced and optimised constantly (as often as every couple of hours).

One such update at Fastly was determined to be the reason for Tuesdays downtime.

Whilst it may be dismissed by some as a glitch, those more sceptical might wonder whether the Fastly crash exposed that a substantial portion of the internet is heavily reliant on only a small number of service providers. Whether or not this represents a structural risk for online businesses is beyond the scope of this article, and indeed the remit of this digital journalist.
ONK Therapeutics Ltd, an innovative natural killer (NK) cell therapy company, today announced that it has been awarded an Innovation Partnership Programme (IPP) grant by Enterprise Ireland (EI) to fund collaborative research at Trinity College Dublin, Ireland, led by Dr. David Finlay to optimize the metabolism and engineering of NK cells for improved cancer therapies.

Dr. Finlay, Associate Prof. in Immunometabolism in the Schools of Biochemistry and Immunology, and Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, at Trinity College Dublin is a world-leading expert in NK cell metabolism. His group was the first to characterize cellular metabolic pathways in NK cells and to demonstrate the importance of NK cellular metabolism for the cytotoxic anti-tumor functions of these cells.

Active research is ongoing to optimize the efficacy of NK cell therapies against solid tumors by addressing the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME), where NK cell metabolism is impaired due to low glucose levels, oxygen deprivation (hypoxia), presence of inhibitory cytokines, and the higher concentration of tumor-derived metabolic end products, such as lactate.

To date, such improvement strategies to boost the efficacy of NK cells in the tumor microenvironment of solid cancers have centred on adding cytokines and other factors.

We are taking a completely novel approach by addressing NK cell metabolism from the inside out, fundamentally engineering NK cells to better treat cancer by increasing their resistance to the adverse metabolic conditions generated by tumors. In working with Dr. Finlay, we are collaborating with the pioneering expert in the field of NK immunometabolism." Prof. Michael O'Dwyer, Founder and CSO at ONK Therapeutics

Under the terms of the collaboration, Trinity College Dublin retains any intellectual property (IP) arising out of the research collaboration, with ONK Therapeutics having an exclusive option to license the IP.

"In order to understand why cellular cancer immunotherapies are not effective in all cancer patients, scientists are actively trying to identify why certain patients respond and some do not and why some types of cancer can be successfully treated while others cannot. One emerging reason is that tumors can create metabolically unfavorable environments that might impact the effectiveness of immune cell therapies. My laboratory has the foremost expertise in NK cell metabolism placing us in a very strong position to address this challenge," said Dr. Finlay.

"Manipulating NK cell metabolism to enhance anti-cancer function is completely novel and is only possible based on our discoveries over the past five years," he said. "Our goal is to discover new targets within NK cells to be edited through CRISPR deletion or overexpression strategies. Detailed evaluation of the resistance of these cells to the adverse environments generated by tumors should support the development of enhanced NK cell therapies. It is an innovative approach to developing improved cellular therapies to treat cancer, in particular solid tumors."

Lawrence Lee, Manager, Innovation Partnership Programme Enterprise Ireland, said, "We are delighted to support this innovative research that has the potential to generate real and tangible benefits for cancer patients in Ireland and across the globe. The project is aligned with Enterprise Ireland's strategic goal of supporting world-leading research in Ireland and fostering relationships between industry and academic partners. Research initiatives such as this have the capacity to further advance Ireland's international research reputation and lay the foundations for the jobs of the future.

The Enterprise Ireland funding covers 80% of the 373,295 project costs, with the industry partner, ONK Therapeutics providing 75,000 (20%) of the project costs. Trinity College Dublin will be recruiting two additional post-doctoral scientists into Dr. Finlay's group over the two years of the project.

Chris Nowers, CEO of ONK Therapeutics, said, "We are highly ambitious in our goal to become a world-leading engineered NK cell therapy company that not only treats, but ultimately cures cancer. Our academic partnerships will deliver rich research insights and reinforce our own expertise as we aim to deliver new therapeutic options for patients in need."
Having trouble falling or staying asleep may leave you feeling tired and frustrated. It also could subtract years from your life expectancy, according to a new study from Northwestern Medicine and the University of Surrey in the United Kingdom (UK).

The effect was even greater for people with diabetes who experienced sleep disturbances, the study found. Study participants with diabetes who experienced frequent sleep disturbances were 87% more likely to die of any cause (car accident, heart attack, etc.) during the 8.9-year study follow-up period compared to people without diabetes or sleep disturbances. They were 12% more likely to die over this period than those who had diabetes but not frequent sleep disturbances.

"If you don't have diabetes, your sleep disturbances are still associated with an increased risk of dying, but it's higher for those with diabetes," said corresponding study author Kristen Knutson, associate professor of neurology (sleep medicine) and preventive medicine (epidemiology) at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

But by answering one simple question -- "Do you have trouble falling asleep at night or do you wake up in the middle of the night?" -- people can begin to address sleep disturbances earlier in life and hopefully mitigate this increased risk of death, Knutson said.

"This simple question is a pretty easy one for a clinician to ask. You can even ask yourself," Knutson said. "But it's a very broad question and there are a lot of reasons you might not be sleeping well. So it's important to bring it up with your doctor so they can dive deeper.

"Is it just noise or light or something bigger, like insomnia or sleep apnea? Those are the more vulnerable patients in need of support, therapy and investigation into their disease."

The study will be published June 8 in the Journal of Sleep Research.

"Although we already knew that there is a strong link between poor sleep and poor health, this illustrates the problem starkly," said first study author Malcolm von Schantz, professor of chronobiology from the University of Surrey. "The question asked when the participants enrolled does not necessarily distinguish between insomnia and other sleep disorders, such as sleep apnea. Still, from a practical point of view it doesn't matter. Doctors should take sleep problems as seriously as other risk factors and work with their patients on reducing and mitigating their overall risk."

The authors analyzed existing data of nearly half a million middle-aged participants in the UK Biobank Study. To the scientists' knowledge, it is the first study to examine the effect of the combination of insomnia and diabetes on mortality risk.

We wanted to see if you have both diabetes and sleep disturbances, are you worse off than just diabetes alone? It could have gone either way, but it turns out having both diabetes and sleep disturbances was associated increased mortality, even compared to those with diabetes without sleep disturbances." Kristen Knutson, associate professor of neurology (sleep medicine) and preventive medicine (epidemiology) at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine

Participants had predominately Type 2 diabetes, the most prevalent form, though some had Type 1.
The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), continues to spread across the globe, with total reported infections now more than 173 million.

To curtail the spread of COVID-19 worldwide, one of the most critical questions is how long the immune response to COVID-19 will last and how potent it will be. The production of antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 contributes significantly to the immune response. Serologic tests to check circulating levels of antibodies are a readily available tool for tracking immune responses in laboratory settings.

Researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Clinical Center, Department of Transfusion Medicine, Bethesda showed that people who have recovered from COVID-19 might develop naturally acquired immunity that persists for up to 11 months after infection.

The study, published in the Journal of Infectious Diseases, determined how circulating antibody levels change after being infected with SARS-CoV-2.

Anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies

SARS-CoV-2 infection initiates a humoral immune response that creates antibodies against specific viral antigens such as the nucleocapsid (N) protein and spike (S) protein. These include specific anti-S-protein antibodies that target the spikes S1 protein subunit and the receptor-binding domain (RBD).

Since SARS-CoV-2 was discovered so recently, relatively few data are available on the long-term kinetics of antibodies. Observations of people who have recovered from a natural infection may provide information on how long antibodies persist after an immunizing exposure, and whether or not these antibodies act as protection against re-infection. In addition, the persistence of antibody responses may help predict the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines.

In addition, it can also be used to determine the duration of time during which convalescence plasma can be used to treat patients suffering from infections. COVID-19 convalescence plasma (CCP) is an investigational therapy used to prevent disease progression in patients who are battling infection in the hospital. It works by inducing an immune response to boost the bodys protection against the virus.

Importantly, knowing the duration of immunity may provide an opportunity for convalescence plasma donors to return for multiple repeat donations as long as their bodies have anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies.

Persists for up to 11 months

In the current study, the researchers followed 228 convalescence plasma donors between April and February 2021. They were assessed for levels of neutralizing antibodies and the total and immunoglobulin G (IgG)-specific S protein antibodies using a lab-developed fluorescent reduction neutralization assay (FRNA) and the VITROS anti-SARS-CoV-2 Total.

The team analyzed the data to determine the link between antibody levels and clinical characteristics, presenting a comprehensive view of SARS-CoV-2 antibody changes over 11 months after being infected with SARS-CoV-2. The purpose of the study was to better understand COVID-19 responses in individuals who obtained the virus in the community.

Before August 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommended titers of at least 1:160 for investigational convalescent plasma, but a titer of 1:80 was accepted if higher-titer units were not available.

The study findings revealed that 97 percent of COVID-19 convalescent donors had anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies at baseline testing.

In the follow-up visits, 91.4 percent of the 116 donors presenting for repeat timepoints had detectable neutralizing levels up to 11 months after the onset of symptoms. In comparison, 63 percent had detectable neutralizing titers. However, about 25 percent of the donors drop titers of neutralizing levels until these become undetectable over time.

Further, the study showed that most CCP plasma donors, regardless of COVID-19 disease severity, develop antibodies to SARS-CoV-2, and more than 70 percent have neutralizing antibodies.

Our data suggest that immunological memory is acquired in most individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2 and is sustained in a majority of patients for up to 11 months after recovery, the researchers concluded in the study.

This means that the body generates sustained immunological memory for most of the first year following SARS-CoV-2 infection, even in mild COVID-19 cases. However, some people may experience a decline in the immunological response against SARS-CoV-2 over the first months following symptom resolution, especially in those who had an asymptomatic or mild illness.

Efforts are underway to identify the correlates of immunological protection through studying animal models, variable disease outcomes and preexisting immunity to other coronaviruses, the researchers recommend.

To date, the number of COVID-19 cases continues to rise, with over 33.38 million infections in the United States alone. India and Brazil follow with 28.96 million and 16.94 million cases, respectively.
A recent study of teens and young adults found that several factors related to sleep timing and sleep duration are associated with an increased risk of cannabis use and binge drinking of alcohol during the following year.

Results show that a greater late-night preference predicted a greater likelihood of any cannabis use the following year. Greater late-night preference, greater daytime sleepiness, later sleep timing on the weekend, and shorter sleep duration during weekdays and on the weekend, all predicted an increased risk for more severe binge drinking the following year.

For further analysis, the sample was stratified into two groups: middle school/high school students (age 12-18) and high school graduates (age 18-27). Results show that sleep variables predicted marijuana use only in the middle school and high school students, while different patterns of sleep characteristics predicted binge drinking in the two stratified samples.

Overall, the results suggest that teens in middle and high school may be more vulnerable to sleep-related risk for substance use, said lead author Brant P. Hasler, who has a doctorate in clinical psychology and is an associate professor of psychiatry, psychology, and clinical and translational science in the Center for Sleep and Circadian Science at the University of Pittsburgh. The particular pattern of sleep predictors in the middle school and high school sample is consistent with the circadian misalignment caused by early school start times.

Multiple years of data were analyzed from the National Consortium on Alcohol and Neurodevelopment in Adolescence. The sample comprised 831 participants, including 423 females. Participants were between 12 and 21 years of age at baseline. Results were controlled for factors such as age, sex, race, parental education, and previous years substance use.

Sleep is modifiable behavior, and perhaps easier to modify than going after substance use directly. Furthermore, other studies show college-age teens are more willing to hear about changing their sleep than changing their substance use. Thus, focusing on improving teen sleep  including through delaying school start times  may be an underutilized but effective approach to reducing risk for problematic substance use. Brant P. Hasler, Lead Author

CDC data show that only 25% of students in grades 9 through 12 get sufficient sleep on an average school night, and early school start times are one factor associated with insufficient sleep in teens. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends that middle school and high school start times should be 8:30 a.m. or later to support an adequate opportunity for adolescents to obtain sufficient sleep on school nights. Sleep problems such as insufficient sleep duration, irregular sleep timing, and insomnia also are common among college students, and these problems are associated with anxiety and depression symptoms.

The research abstract was published recently in an online supplement of the journal Sleep and will be presented as an oral presentation on Friday, June 11, during Virtual SLEEP 2021. SLEEP is the annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies, a joint venture of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society.
Last year, people who smoked had a variety of responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, with some increasing their smoking to help them cope and others quitting to potentially lessen their vulnerability to COVID-19. That's the finding of new research published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine and conducted by investigators at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), Vanderbilt University Medical Center and the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

Studies have shown that alcohol and opioid use increased during the pandemic, but little is known about how smokers responded. They might have increased their smoking due to stress and boredom. On the other hand, the fear of catching COVID might have led them to cut down or quit smoking. In fact, we found that both happened, and we examined reasons for both outcomes." Nancy A. Rigotti, MD, Lead Author, Director of MGH's Tobacco Research and Treatment Center and Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School

Rigotti and her colleagues analyzed survey responses from 694 current and former daily smokers--the average age was 53 years, 40% were male, and 78% were white--who had been hospitalized before the COVID-19 pandemic and had previously participated in a smoking cessation clinical trial at hospitals in Boston, Nashville and Pittsburgh. The survey was administered from May to July 2020.

Sixty-eight percent of respondents believed that smoking increases the risk of contracting COVID-19 or having a more severe case. This perceived risk was higher in Massachusetts (where COVID-19 had already surged) than in Pennsylvania and Tennessee. Higher perceived COVID-19 risk was associated with a higher interest in quitting smoking.

During the pandemic, 32% of respondents increased their smoking, 37% decreased their smoking, and 31% made no change. Those who increased their smoking tended to perceive more stress.

Also, 11% of respondents who smoked in January 2020 (before the pandemic) had quit smoking by the time the survey was administered (an average of six months later), while 28% of former smokers relapsed. Higher perceived COVID-19 risk was associated with a higher likelihood of quitting and a lower likelihood of relapse.

"Even before the pandemic, tobacco smoking was the leading preventable cause of death in the United States. COVID-19 has given smokers yet another good reason to stop smoking," says Rigotti. "Physicians, health care systems and public health agencies have an opportunity to educate smokers about their special vulnerability to COVID-19 and urge them to use this time to quit smoking for good."

"These messages will be more impactful if they guide smokers to programs like tobacco quitlines, which are available in every U.S. state and provide free counseling and medication to quit smoking," adds study co-leader Hilary Tindle, MD, MPH, founding director of ViTAL, the Vanderbilt Center for Tobacco, Addiction, and Lifestyle at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Smokers can access tobacco quitlines by calling 1-800-QUIT-NOW. Smokers can also visit ICOVIDQuit.org to view short videos of peers who successfully quit smoking during the pandemic.
The Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), an affiliate of City of Hope, today announced a substantial grant from Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd. (TSMC), one of the world's largest manufacturers of computer chips, to help TGen sustain Arizona's fight against COVID-19.

The TSMC grant will boost TGen efforts to track variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes the COVID-19 infection. TGen's program is designed to gain intelligence about the current pandemic, as well as prepare for a next potential regional or global disease outbreak.

The funds will greatly advance TGen's genomic sequencing of this virus, which enables the identification of specific variants. TGen is under contract with the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) and the CDC to sequence positive Arizona samples of the virus, monitoring for the emergence of mutations and variants that could make the virus either more transmissible or evade current vaccine formulations. Currently, approved vaccines are effective against all COVID-19 variants.

So far, TGen's Arizona COVID-19 Sequencing Dashboard includes more than 21,000 sequenced genomes of Arizona COVID-19 positive samples, one of the nation's most robust such efforts. The dashboard lists all the mutations and variants of concern that have circulated in Arizona.

Arizona is the home state for one of our most advanced semiconductor fabs -- as well as the home for many TSMC employees. Our company highly values both service and philanthropy. We want to be a meaningful contributor to the Arizona community. This grant honors not only the important science happening at TGen, but it's also a way to support their efforts to fight the virus and share meaningful research to a global community." Rick Cassidy, CEO of TSMC Arizona

TSMC, which is building what will be the United States' most advanced chip manufacturing plant in north Phoenix, did not disclose the amount of the grant. The company has already hired hundreds of new employees for the Phoenix site who have begun their early training. The plant is expected to begin chip production in 2024.

Tim McDaniel, Ph.D., TGen Senior Vice President of Emerging Opportunities, said the TSMC grant represents a substantial investment in the local community, and is an example of the kind of community involvement that helps local entities like TGen to thrive.

"We are honored and grateful to receive support from TSMC, and we will put this gift to good use immediately, benefiting all Arizonans," Dr. McDaniel said.

David Engelthaler, Ph.D., director of TGen's infectious-disease division, said the TSMC grant represents much-needed support that will enable TGen to improve biomedical technology, and specifically TGen's surveillance of the COVID-19 virus at a critical time in its evolution.

"While the numbers of new infections, hospitalizations and deaths plumet as more Arizonans are vaccinated, we cannot let down our guard as we continue to monitor the changing nature of this coronavirus, but also prepare for whatever the microbial world throws our way in the future," said Dr. Engelthaler.

The TSMC grant will rapidly push TGen toward its goal of providing a genomic sequence for every new COVID-19 infection in Arizona. By providing a detailed molecular fingerprint of the virus, TGen can track the specific virus variants involved in each specific case, identify those infections responsible for multi-person outbreaks, and identify mutations that may be associated with vaccine breakthrough events. New mutations and strains identified in Arizona can also be compared with new strains appearing around the globe.

"Though our focus is largely regional, the virus is clearly not contained by borders or oceans, so we need to share intel on this pathogen as widely as possible," Dr. Engelthaler said. "TGen releases its SARS-CoV-2 variant data on the web in real time so that our information is part of a global network that helps public health officials track when and where new variants arise, and how they move across the world."

TGen will publicly release laboratory procedures developed with the TSCM funds so they can be replicated anywhere in the world, further increasing the global impact of this grant.

"Our long term goal is to 'democratize' sequencing, to decrease the costs and time and make the data accessible and actionable -- in essence to make our society more pandemic-ready by providing rapid 'pathogen intelligence' to clinicians and public health officials," Dr. Engelthaler said. "TSMC's support will help us build a 21st Century genomic infectious disease surveillance system in Arizona and beyond."
The Biden administration is encouraging states to hold on to hundreds of thousands of soon-to-expire Covid vaccine doses from Johnson & Johnson, given the possibility that additional data will show the shots are viable beyond their expiration date at month's end.

Dr. Janet Woodcock, acting commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, told state officials during a White House call Tuesday that they could store expired doses until new data shows whether the vaccines are safe to use, according to multiple state officials.

State health officials have strenuously warned vaccine administrators against using expired doses. Now, though, the FDA appears optimistic that the Johnson & Johnson expiration dates  which begin to kick in later this month  could be extended, according to state officials who were on the call.

"This is really welcome news," said Dr. Joseph Kanter, state health officer for the Louisiana Department of Health. Louisiana has 14,000 J&J doses that will expire this month. "I think at the end of the day there'll be less waste."

The federal government has delivered 21.4 million doses of the company's vaccine to states, but just more than half  11.2 million  have been administered, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The quantity is a fraction of shipments of Pfizer-BioNTech's Covid vaccine, which are approaching 200 million doses, as well as Moderna's shot, which stands at more than 150 million doses.

As demand for vaccination has dwindled across the nation, state officials have stepped up public pleas for holdouts to get a shot. They've held discussions with the Biden administration about how to avert a glut of J&J doses  hundreds of thousands at a minimum  from going to waste. On Monday, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said 200,000 J&J doses would expire June 23 and the state had no legal way to send unused doses to other states or countries.

Through the Trump administration's Operation Warp Speed initiative, the federal government awarded J&J a $1 billion contract to deliver 100 million doses of its Covid vaccine.

The J&J single-dose vaccine lasts three months under refrigeration and two years frozen. Extending the expiration date is seen as a more feasible option for quickly preserving thousands of doses, as opposed to redistributing them to other states or countries, state officials say.

"There aren't that many states right now that are needing more vaccine than what they have in hand," said Dr. Marcus Plescia, chief medical officer of the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials. "There's enough out there."

Federal officials believe data about the expiring June doses from an ongoing stability study will come in in roughly a month, two state officials said.

"We also continue to conduct stability testing with the goal of extending the amount of time our Covid-19 vaccine can be stored before expiry," a J&J spokesperson said. "We will share further information as we are able to."

The White House declined to specify the number of J&J doses nationally that will expire this month. The FDA declined to comment on Woodcock's remarks.

Once viewed as crucial to the U.S. vaccination effort for persuading on-the-fence people to get the single-shot dose, J&J has played a modest role. Officials partly attribute that to federal regulators temporarily halting its use in April after reports of rare but serious blood clots.

"That just appears to have slowed demand," Plescia said. The company previously said it would deliver the 100 million doses by the end of June.

As far as Jim Mangia, chief executive of St. John's Well Child and Family Center, can tell, the demand ground to a halt once the FDA OK'd resuming use of the J&J vaccine. Mangia said his network of 26 clinics in the Los Angeles area has more than 14,000 doses on hand that county officials have been unwilling to take back.

He said patients who liked the one-shot benefit requested it before the safety concerns, but since then there have been no requests. "Whenever we offer it, everyone says no," he said.

Mangia said his clinic network is seeing overall distribution of the vaccines remain steady as sites expand hours and offer Friday night vaccine events for those concerned about missing work because of possible side effects. But given the lack of interest in J&J's vaccine, he said, he doesn't think moving the expiration date will improve matters.

Officials in West Virginia have more than 20,000 doses of J&J's vaccine on hand but little backlog of other Covid vaccines, said state Covid czar Dr. Clay Marsh, who is also vice president of West Virginia University Health Sciences. Officials offered the excess to other states, but there were no takers. Marsh said they approached the federal government about sending the unused doses to countries that need it, but have learned the logistics are challenging.

"If we're not able to use something that can save lives, we're trying to see if there's someone who can," he said.

As of Tuesday, 52% of Americans had received at least one dose of Covid vaccine, according to the CDC.

Officials have also engaged in public finger-pointing about the expiring doses, with some state and local officials calling for more federal help to redistribute the doses already delivered. Meanwhile, Andy Slavitt, White House senior adviser for the Covid-19 response, noted in a Tuesday call with reporters that vaccine doses ordered by state officials "should end up in people's arms" and governors should work directly with the FDA on proper storage.

"There are plenty of people across the country, in every state, that still havent been vaccinated, that are eligible, that are at risk and need to get vaccinated," he said.
After looking for just one-twentieth of a second, experts in camouflage breaking can accurately detect not only that something is hidden in a scene, but precisely identify the camouflaged target, a skill set that can mean the difference between life and death in warfare and the wild, investigators report.

They can actually identify a camouflaged target as fast and as well as individuals identifying far more obvious "pop-out" targets, similar to the concept used at a shooting range, but in this case using easy-to-spot scenarios like a black O-shaped target among a crowd of black C shapes.

In fact, the relatively rapid method for training civilian novices to become expert camouflage breakers developed by Medical College of Georgia neuroscientist Dr. Jay Hegde and his colleagues, also enabled the camouflage breakers to sense that something was amiss even when there was no specific target to identify.

This intuitive sense that something is not quite right has also been found in experienced radiologists finding subtle changes in mammograms, sometimes years before there is a detectable lesion.

The MCG investigators who developed the camouflage breaking technique wanted to know if trainees could detect the actual camouflaged target or just sense that something is different, an issue that is highly significant in real world circumstances, where a sniper might be hiding in the desert sand or a dense forest landscape.

"Merely being able to judge, no matter how accurately, that the given combat scene contains a target is not very useful to a sniper under real-world combat conditions if he/she is unable to tell where the target is," Hegde and his colleagues write in the journal Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications.

They already knew that they could train most nonmilitary individuals off the street to break camouflage in as little as an hour daily for two weeks as long as their vision is good, a finding they want to benefit military personnel.

"We want to hide our own personnel and military material from the enemy and we want to break the enemy's camouflage," says Hegde, goals that summarize his research, which has been funded by the Army Research Office, an element of the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Army Research Laboratory, for nearly a decade. "What are the things we can tweak? What are the things we can do to make our snipers better at recognizing camouflage?"

Because a missed shot by a sniper also tells the enemy his location.

You can't take shots at things that are not the target." Dr Jay Hegde, Neuroscientist, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University

"The potential for rapid training of novices in the camouflage-breaking paradigm is very promising as it highlights the potential for application to a wide variety of detection and localization tasks," says Dr. Frederick Gregory, program manager, U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Army Research Laboratory. "Results in experts highlight an opportunity to extend the training to real world visual search and visualization problems that would be of prime importance for the Army to solve."

For this newly published work, six adult volunteers with normal or corrected-to-normal vision were trained to break camouflage using Hegde's deep-learning method, but received no specific training about how to pinpoint the target. Participants looked at digitally synthesized camouflage scenes like foliage or fruit and each scene had a 50-50 chance of containing no target versus a camouflaged target like a human head or a novel, 3D digital image. Similar to computer scientists training self-driving cars, the idea was and is to get viewers to get to know the lay of the land that is their focus. "If it turns out there is something that doesn't belong there, you can tell," he says.

Trainees could then either look at the image for 50 milliseconds --.05 seconds -- or as long as they wanted, then proceed to the next step where they quickly viewed a random field of pixels, that work like a visual palate cleanser, before acknowledging whether the camouflage image contained a target, then using a mouse to show where the target was. "You have to work from memory to say where it was," he notes.

When the participants could look at the image for as long as they wanted, the reported location of the actual target was essentially indistinguishable from the actual target but the accuracy did not drop much when the viewing time was just 50 milliseconds, which gives little time for even moving your eyes around, Hegde says.

The subjects again had no subsequent training on identifying precisely where the target was. And they found that even without that specific training, they could do both equally well. "This was not a given," Hegde notes.

In a second experiment with seven different individuals they used a much-abbreviated training process, which basically ensured participants knew which buttons to push when, and used instead a clearly more pronounced "pop-out' target without the traditional camouflage background, rather scenarios like that black O-shaped target among a crowd of black C shapes or a blue S shape among a sea of green H shapes. Both the longer and shorter viewing times yielded essentially identical results from the more extensively trained camouflage-breakers, both in accuracy of localization and reaction time.

Camouflage is used extensively by the military, from the deserts of the Middle East to the dense jungles of South America with the visual texture changing to blend with the natural environment. "You often are recognized by your outline, and you use these patterns to break up your outline, so the person trying to break your camouflage doesn't know where you leave off and the background begins," he says.

He notes that context is another important factor for recognition, referencing how you may not recognize a person whose face you have seen multiple times when you see them in a different environ. His current Army funded studies include exploring more about the importance of context, and further exploring ramifications of "camouflage breaking" in identifying medical problems.

He notes that even with his training, some people are better at breaking camouflage than others -- he says he is really bad at it -- and why remains mostly a mystery and another learning point for Hegde and his colleagues.
Medical distribution company Regional Health Care Group (RHCG) will now be bringing KA Imagings innovative X-ray technologies to Australia and New Zealand.

This agreement ensures sole rights to RHCG as KA Imagings distributor.

This is a fantastic opportunity for KA Imaging that moves us towards fulfilling our vision of innovative X-ray everywhere. We are thrilled to be expanding our business to the Australian market with our point-of-care, dual-energy solution, said Amol Karnick, President and CEO.

In the past few months, KA Imaging has expanded its global presence. In addition to Australia, the company recently announced distributors in the United States and Mexico.

RHCG has been servicing the needs of the medical industry in Australia for more than 40 years. They are highly regarded in all clinical settings as a provider of medical consumables, contrast media and quality capital equipment.

We are very excited to join forces with Canadian X-ray innovators KA Imaging. We are confident that the Reveal 35C technology will benefit the Australian healthcare system, especially with the results shown in current trials for detecting lung cancer and COVID-19 pneumonia. Stephen Doorey, General Manager, RHCG

Healthcare is primarily funded through a public Medicare program in Australia and is provided to patients in both public and private sector hospitals and clinics. According to RHCG, the market size for diagnostic imaging services is said to be more than a $4B AUD.

Reveal 35C is the worlds first and only single exposure dual-energy flat panel X-ray detector that can be used in fixed, mobile, and portable applications. Its patented dual-energy technology only requires one shot to produce three images (DR, bone, and tissue) without motion artifacts.
Having a baby can be one of life's most exciting and rewarding experiences, but for a new mum it can also be an emotional rollercoaster - sometimes you're up, and other times you're down.

Recognising the symptoms of maternal anxiety and depression can be difficult, but with the help of a new app - developed by the University of South Australia and parent support group Village Foundation - thousands of women will be empowered to monitor their mental health, both during pregnancy and after birth.

The new YourTime app responds to priorities in perinatal mental health by providing a digitalized tool that enables women to self-monitor and track their mood during pregnancy and early mothering, helping them to recognise early signs of deteriorating mental wellbeing, or conversely acknowledge they're doing well.

It is the first evidence-based app to help women track their own mental wellbeing throughout pregnancy and after birth.

In Australia, up to one in five expectant or new mothers will experience perinatal anxiety or depression, with the illness affecting about 100,000 families each year.

Lead researcher and midwife, UniSA's Associate Professor Lois McKellar, says the new app will provide immediate support for women who may be struggling with low mood, or beginning to experience anxiety, and depression.

It's natural for women to worry about the impending arrival of a new baby - they're bringing a new life into the world, and they're unsure about the changes that this little baby will bring." Lois McKellar, Associate Professor, University of South Australia

"It's also very common for new mothers to experience what is often called the 'baby blues' - being a little teary or anxious in the immediate days and weeks after the baby's birth.

"But if these feelings start to cause concern or stop a new or expectant mum from functioning normally, she may be experiencing perinatal anxiety or depression.

"The YourTime app will help a woman keep track of how she's feeling during pregnancy and motherhood, enabling her quickly recognise any changes in mood, behaviours or feelings.

"Guided by a midwife avatar, women will be able to monitor their wellbeing over time, access education and support materials, as well as connect to other women and mothers via a networking forum.

"Importantly, it puts the woman in control, empowering her to be more aware of her thoughts and feelings."

The app is based on scientific evidence and has been designed with input from mothers to ensure it is appealing and appropriate for today's women. Using a contemporary, easy-to-use design, it offers a de-medicalised approach to wellbeing and encourages women to think more about their mental health.

Prof McKellar says the YourTime app hopes to prevent women and mothers from slipping between the gaps, especially when their focus is on supporting their new baby.

"A generation ago, post-natal depression was often brushed off as the 'baby blues', even when it was actually something more," Prof McKellar says.

"Now, people are more aware of perinatal depression and anxiety, but the supports are not always available at their fingertips.

"This app will ensure women feel connected, supported and informed at any time of the day or night - even at a midnight feeding - which makes it an extremely appealing tool to support mental health and wellbeing."
Seeing Machines 9.55p 373m (AIM:SEE) The advanced computer vision technology company that designs AI-powered operator monitoring systems to improve transport safety has been appointed by CAE Australia to integrate its precision eye-tracking technology, for an Australian defence industry customer.

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Whats cooking in the IPO kitchen?

Baltic Classifieds Group PLC, the leading online classifieds group in the Baltics, announced their intention to IPO and the intended publication of a registration document. Should BCG proceed with the IPO, the Company will apply for admission of its entire issued Ordinary Share Capital to the Premium Listing Segment of the LSE.

The UK Residential REIT, a proposed closed-ended real estate investment trust established to invest in a diversified portfolio of affordable, privately rented residential real estate assets in attractive locations outside of London, announces its intention to IPO onto the Premium Listing Segment of the LSE. URES is targeting Gross Issue Proceeds of 150m before expenses by means of a placing, offer for subscription and intermediaries offer of 150m Ordinary Shares plus an Issue of up to 50m Consideration Shares in connection with the acquisition of Seed Assets at an issue price of 1.00 per Ordinary Share. Expected market capitalisation following the completion of the acquisition of Seed Assets of 200m.

plc, the internationally diversified pure-play gold producer, announces the intended publication of a registration document and its potential intention to undertake an IPO. Should Nord Gold proceed with the Offer, the Group will apply for admission of its Shares to the Premium Listing Segment. The Company has also applied for admission of the Shares to trading on the Moscow Exchange.

Victorian Plumbing Group Limited the UK's leading online retailer of bathroom products and accessories, announces its intention to seek admission of its ordinary shares to trading on AIM. Group has grown rapidly in recent years and is now the UK's leading online specialist bathroom brand by revenue in 2020 and the second largest retailer of bathroom products in the UK with an estimated 14.2% of the bathroom market by revenue in 2020. The Companys growth trajectory was maintained in the current financial year, delivering results of 140.7m revenue, and 20.1m adjusted EBITDA for the six months ended 31 March 2021.

LionTrust ESG Trust PLC announces the publication of the Prospectus in connection with the IPO on the Premium Segment of the Main Market. The Company is targeting an initial issue of 150m by means of an Initial Placing, Offer for Subscription and Intermediaries Offer of Ordinary Shares at an issue price of 100 pence per Ordinary Share. In addition, pursuant to the Prospectus, a placing programme will allow the Company to issue up to an additional 250m Ordinary Shares and/or C shares, in the 12 months from the date of publication of the Prospectus and following Initial Admission.

UK SPAC (formerly Mountfield Group and now an AIM Rule 15 Shell) has applied for admission to the AQSE Growth Market. The Company recently raised 3.1m in a placing, giving the Company flexibility in pursuing a reverse take-over transaction. The Directors of the Company are currently in the process of identifying and assessing reverse takeover opportunities with a particular focus on the European medicinal cannabis sector. The Directors are working closely with specialists in this industry in order to evaluate opportunities. Due 11th June.

MADE, a digitally native lifestyle brand in home has announced its intention to IPO onto the Premium Listing Segment of the LSE. MADE's mission is to make high-end designer furniture and homeware products accessible to everyone. Their gross sales, net revenue and Adjusted EBITDA were 109.5m, 82.4m and 1.8m, respectively, for the three months ended 31 March 2021 and 315m, 247m and (5.1m), respectively, for the year ended 31 December 2020. The Offer would comprise a primary offer to raise proceeds to further develop growth in existing markets, improve service through reduction of lead-times offered to customers, scale its homeware range and give the Group increased working capital flexibility. MADE would seek to raise approximately 100m of primary proceeds. Expected June.

POSTPONED 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.

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. Due 11th June.

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.

Banquet Buffet

Anexo Group 136.5p 158m ( )

AGM trading update from the specialist integrated credit hire and legal services provider. Overall trading continues to perform in line with management expectations within the Group's Legal Services division, Bond Turner, cash collections for the first four months of FY-2021 are in line with management forecasts and are 11.8% ahead of those seen in the corresponding period in FY-2020. This is particularly pleasing since the court system has yet to return to full operational capacity. The Group continues to recruit high quality legal staff in line with its policy of expanding its headcount to drive increased case settlements and cash collection. EDGE, the Group's Credit Hire division, has seen an increase in average vehicle hire numbers following the relaxation of the national lockdown, with the number of vehicles on hire for the first four months of FY-2021 8.5% ahead of the same period in FY-2020. The Group is maintaining its policy of controlling vehicle numbers to maximise cash collections.

270p 211.6m ( )

The industry standard in data erasure and mobile device diagnostics, is pleased to provided the following trading update for the year ending 30 June 2021. Blancco has achieved significant growth in revenue through the second half of the financial year, despite the strengthening value of Sterling, and expects revenues for FY2021 to be in line with the Board's expectations. The Company has continued to benefit from strong structural tailwinds in the Enterprise market and has delivered further growth in this market. Sales to Enterprise customers through the Group's network of channel partners has driven growth in all key geographies, particularly in North America. Travel restrictions during the pandemic period, along with other expense reduction measures taken at the outset of the pandemic, have resulted in higher profit margins in the financial year. As a result, adjusted operating profit and cash are now expected to be significantly above the Board's expectations.

Clinigen 628p 835m ( )

The global pharmaceutical Products and Services company, today announces a COVID-19 related update on trading and an adjustment to the Group's full year 2021 outlook. The negative impact of COVID-19 is primarily due to the global reduction in hospital-based oncology treatments and delays to clinical trials. In particular, demand for Proleukin within its current approved indications was significantly weaker than expected in recent months. Whilst net revenues are expected to be in-line with prior guidance and consensus expectations, it is now expected that adjusted EBITDA will be within the range of 114m-117m for the full year 2021 due to the lower proportion of revenues from the Products division. The Group believes it is prudent to expect this reduced level of demand for Proleukin to remain until revitalisation efforts into new indications, alongside novel cell therapies, are successful and normal Hospital and Cancer Centre Services have resumed. Cash conversion has been in-line with adjusted expectations, with net debt expected to be below 330m (excluding IFRS16) with the Group having ample liquidity and leverage meaningfully below the Group's temporary banking covenant of 3.5x. No further deferred payments are required for previous acquisitions, CSM or Proleukin and cash generation is focused on debt paydown. Clinigen is continuing to support COVID-19 projects across the business, is gaining further share in its Service end-markets, has made faster-than-expected progress on the launch of Erwinase and the Group remains confident that Proleukin demand will return and exceed pre-COVID levels in the future. Given these positive dynamics and the good underlying strength of the Group, Clinigen expects to achieve double digit EBITDA growth in FY22 and is focused on its debt paydown.

Dev Clever Holdings 25.25p 151m ( )

The developer of online and immersive career guidance, development platforms and consumer engagement experiences, updated on its encouraging progress in India. On 21 December 2020, Dev Clever announced the formation of a five-year exclusive partnership agreement between the Company, the National Independent Schools Alliance ( ), India's largest governing body for budget private educational institutions and Veative Labs (Veative). The agreement included the localisation of the Launchyourcareer.com platform across India and its promotion as a complete career guidance and career-led learning platform recommended to NISA affiliated schools. The Company's platform has now gone live and is available to schools and students across the country, including via a complementary B2C subscription model. In order to ensure a successful rollout of the product to both B2B customers (schools) and B2C customers (students and parents), the Company has renamed the platform in India to Launchmycareer.com. Dev Clever has concurrently incorporated Launchmycareer Pvt. Ltd., a wholly-owned local trading entity in the country that has already recruited and on-boarded marketing and support resources. The Company recently secured a material Indian contract valued at US$1.5m, to implement the Company's Immersive Careers guidance and STEM-based virtual reality educational library at schools under central and state governments in India. Moreover, the Company also secured a government funded pilot to deploy its innovative platform and virtual reality learning services into one of India's 1,248 central government KV schools, that are specifically known for innovation and can be rolled out to the rest of the central government school sector subsequently. The comprehensive pilot will assess the impact within the central government school system and if successful, rolled-out further later in the year. This is an exciting trial and first entry into the large Indian public school sector, which in total consists of around 1.1m schools.

Keras Resources 0.11p 7.4m ( )

Construction of the processing plant at Diamond Creek, the high-grade organic phosphate mine in Utah, USA ('Diamond Creek'), has been completed and commissioning has commenced. Once at steady-state operational capacity, which is expected to be achieved by the end of June, the plant will produce a range of premium organic phosphate products for sale directly into the growing North American organic fertiliser market. Completing the plant build is a significant step forward in the optimisation, production ramp up and expansion plans for Diamond Creek which is owned by the Company's 51% subsidiary, Falcon Isle Holdings LLC. The plant will ensure efficient beneficiation whilst removing the need for external toll treatment. To see the time-lapse video of the build taking place, please visit the Gallery section of their website, www.kerasplc.com.

Rural Broadband Solutions* 4p 12.16m (AQSE:RBBS)

FY Dec 20 results from one of the leading providers of broadband services to rural areas of the UK. Cash balances up by 0.66m to 0.79m benefitting from the 2.5m raised on the admission of the enlarged Company (less the cash consideration of the acquisition of 1.239m). Revenue reflects only 2 months as SWS was not acquired until the end of October 2020. However SWS's revenue for the whole of 2020 was 761k (730k for 2019). By acquiring SWS, RBBS has been transformed into an operating company with the strategic objective of becoming a major presence in the provision of broadband services to rural areas in the UK. Monthly fee-paying clients is now 2,571 (up from 2,348 as at the period end). As the revenue is recurring and as customer churn is very low, revenue is continuing to grow from the existing network. Current annual run rate is circa 820k of predominantly subscription revenues. Following the earlier announcement made on 25th May 2021, the Company has now appointed Chris Stone as a Non-Executive Director of the Company. The current growth does not include the growth that will be generated as a result of the Project Gigabit Opportunity and the Fibre to the Premise (FTTP) solution for small towns. In the light of the strengthening demand for better quality broadband in rural areas of the UK, RBBS has increased its ambitions for anticipated penetration of the market through planned expansion into small towns, the Premise using its Fibre to the Premises (FTTP) solution. 190,680 voucher funding ringfenced so far against 69 registered vouchers. In total 1,652 enabling expressions of interest received for voucher funding have been received. Plans to register 25 'gigabit village' projects potentially enable 2,659 additional customers not currently being served. This would take the company to their initial target of 5,000 monthly paying customers within the published timescale of within 3 years from the acquisition of SWS.

Sanderson Design Group 177.5p 126m (AIM:SDG)

The luxury interior design and furnishings group, announces that the innovative online partnership between the Scion brand and Design Online Ltd is now live at www.scionliving.com. The launch of this online shop follows the Company's collaboration agreement announced on 20 November 2020 with Design Online, a business formed by the leading internet retailer Jane Clayton and Company. The Scion online shop sells the brand's products direct to consumers and brings together for the first time core wallpaper and fabric collections with the wide range of Scion's licensing product. This online collaboration develops the Group's digital strategy and also delivers against the goals of targeting brands on key audiences, increasing brand awareness and driving consumer demand. The scionliving.com website features tailor-made branded instructional and inspirational content across all product categories and will also utilise user-generated-content to heighten the brand's appeal to consumers.

9.55p 373m ( )

The advanced computer vision technology company that designs AI-powered operator monitoring systems to improve transport safety has been appointed by CAE Australia to integrate its precision eye-tracking technology, for an Australian defence industry customer. This engagement, valued at A$1m over five years, comes at the end of a successful direct engagement between Seeing Machines and an Australian defence industry innovation program delivered over the past two years. This program exceeded all stakeholder expectations and has opened up several additional opportunities across the defence industry.

218.5p 844m ( )

Total Produce announced that the European Commission The board of Total Produce plc, Dole Food Company, Inc. and affiliates of Castle & Cooke, Inc. which own a 55% interest in DFC Holdings, LLC, the parent company of Dole Food Company, Inc., that they had entered into a binding transaction agreement to combine under a newly created, Irish incorporated, U.S. listed company, Dole plc. has now granted its clearance decision for the Transaction. The waiting period under the U.S. Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended, previously expired on 16 April 2021. The European Commission clearance and the expiration, lapse or termination of the waiting period under the HSR Act constitute the two antitrust conditions under the Transaction Agreement, both of which conditions are now satisfied. The Transaction remains subject to approval by Total Produce shareholders, market conditions and other customary conditions.

Yourgene Health 13.5p 99.4m ( )

The international molecular diagnostics group, announces it has entered into a licence and supply agreement (with a leading US precision medicine company for an initial term of three years commencing 1 April 2022. The Agreement grants the Partner a non-exclusive licence to the Company's FlexTM Analysis Software and commits Yourgene to supplying sample preparation reagents and instrumentation to support the planned launch of a new clinical reproductive health screening service across all US states by the Partner. The Agreement allows for automatic annual renewals after the initial term, subject to typical notice provisions.

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It all started, when Patrice Cani, FNRS researcher at University of Louvain (UCLouvain), and his team repeatedly observed that a bacterium (called Subdoligranulum) is almost absent in obese and diabetic people, while it is systematically present in healthy people. So, they decided to take a closer look at this "family" of bacteria.

There is as yet only one cultivated strain of this family available in the world (the only known member of a large family) and, no luck, it is not the strain that was observed to be decreased in sick people. This is not unusual: nearly 70% of bacteria in the intestine have not yet been identified (this is called the dark matter of the intestine).

In 2015, the team then set out to isolate the bacterium themselves in order to learn about its action on the human body, knowing that it is only present in healthy people. For 2 years, the scientists searched, isolated and cultivated nearly 600 bacteria from the intestine, in an attempt to find a second member of the family. All in vain.

Instead, the UCLouvain team uncovered a bacterium of a new kind, still unknown until then. This achievement is already extraordinary in itself: very few scientists have the opportunity in their careers to discover a new genus of bacteria, and name it. The name they chose?

Dysosmobacter welbionis. Dysosmo ("which smells bad", in Greek), bacter (bacterium) is the bacterium which stinks (!), "Because, when you grow it, it has a slight odor". Welbionis for WELBIO, the organization in the Walloon region which funded this research.

The peculiarity of this bacterium? To begin with, it produces butyrate. Nothing exceptional so far, many other bacteria produce this molecule that is known to decrease the risk of colon cancer, for example by strengthening the intestinal barrier and boost immunity. But the team also observed that Dysosmobacter welbionis was less present in people with type 2 diabetes.

Through the analysis of 12,000 fecal samples (microbiota) from around the world (i.e. a very representative population sample), the UCLouvain scientists observed that the bacteria is present in 70% of the population (which is huge). A surprising discovery. With such a presence, how come it has never been discovered before? Part of the answer probably lies in the improved cultivation techniques developed by the UCLouvain team.

The UCLouvain team including Emilie Moens de Hase (doctoral student) and Tiphaine Le Roy (post-doctoral fellow) then tested the action of Dysosmobacter welbionis in mice. The Results? The bacteria increased the number of mitochondria (a kind of power plants within cells that burns fat), thereby lowering sugar levels and weight, in addition to having strong anti-inflammatory effects.

All these effects are very promising for type 2 diabetic and obese subjects and resemble those of Akkermansia, a beneficial bacterium that is at the heart of the research in Patrice Cani's lab.

Another observation? The bacteria's effects are not limited to the gut: Scientists have found that certain molecules produced by Dysosmobacter migrate around the body and have distant actions as well. This is promising and probably explains the effects of the bacteria on the fat tissues, but also opens the doors for a possible impact on other diseases such as inflammation and cancer. This is currently being investigated by the team.

The next step? To test the action of Dysosmobacter welbionis coupled with that of Akkermansia, in order to see if their association allows to cumulate their effects on health, while always keeping in mind the fight against type 2 diabetes, inflammatory diseases, obesity and cancer.

That's the fun of research: you dig for dinosaur bones and you end up finding a treasure." Patrice Cani, FNRS Researcher, University of Louvain

The originality of these discoveries? Identifying a new bacterium and giving it a name that will then be used around the world: the number of times this was achieved in Belgium can be counted on the fingers of both hands. But that's not all, the same research team also identified the effects of this bacterium on the body and its potential interest in the fight against certain diseases.
Variations in children's speech has traditionally been attributed to developmental delays. Recent work suggests the reasons for variability are not so clear, and an immediate call for treatment may need to be reconsidered.

During the 180th Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America, which will be held virtually June 8-10, Margaret Cychosz, from the University of Maryland, will discuss the need to better understand these variations. Her presentation, "Reconsidering variability in child speech production," will take place Tuesday, June 8, at 11:35 a.m. Eastern U.S.

Cychosz said speech patterns measured by artificial intelligence applications are particularly unreliable, since these often depend on databases of adult speech, which is very different from child speech.

Children have a smaller anatomy -- smaller heads, smaller tongues, smaller vocal tracts -- but they're not just miniatures of adults, so we can't apply a simple function to transform all of the algorithms trained on adult speech." Margaret Cychosz, University of Maryland

Even within populations of children, different developmental rates, dialects, and exposure to languages can cause vast distinctions in speech.

"When we don't factor in the languages and dialects that children are learning at home, and we don't include representative samples for the design of standardized speech-language tests, we sometimes end up pathologizing bilingual children or children who speak additional dialects, which definitely doesn't help them reach their fullest potential," said Cychosz.

Developing a larger database of speech from children can help artificial intelligence overcome this bias, but Cychosz said adult listeners also need to be aware of these factors and note the subtle differences in sounds made by children that may be imperceptible to adults.

"Just because a child says 'tatch' instead of 'catch' doesn't always mean that they don't know or aren't trying to say the word correctly. Instead, children are gradually learning to make this distinction. It's a step along the way to speaking like an adult."

Cychosz emphasized the role of caregivers in this process. Hearing different words used in different ways is important for children's development and can even aid with reading in the longer term.

"One way to do that is to talk about things outside of the here and now. What did you do yesterday? How much time will we spend at the park?" she said. "These types of interactions help children construct larger vocabularies and practice pronouncing tough sounds in new contexts."
Rising temperatures are increasingly affecting the quality of life in many regions, setting new challenges for architects, urban planners and healthcare systems. Researchers at KAUST have analyzed discomfort due to outdoor heat across Saudi Arabia and neighboring regions to help understand and combat the problem.

Living conditions in the Kingdom have been particularly affected by the changing climate." Hari Dasari, Study First Author, King Abdullah University of Science & Technology (KAUST)

He also emphasizes the unique challenges facing the Hajj pilgrimage visits by several million people each year. Between 2014 and 2018, the Hajj occurred in summer months when the average temperature often exceeded 40 degrees Celsius with 80 percent humidity.

The team examined the variability and trends in a measure called the thermal discomfort index (DI), computed from temperature and humidity records collected from 1980 to 2018. The DI evaluates how these two factors combine to cause heat stress and discomfort.

Surprisingly, most cities in Saudi Arabia recorded an improvement in DI levels during the past 20 years, but significant exceptions were Yanbu, Makkah, Medina and Taif. The danger of increasing DI values in the Makkah region was confirmed by examining clinical records, which suggest a correlation with heat-related deaths during the Hajj pilgrimage.

"Many of us expected that the rising temperatures due to global warming and rapid growth in urbanization during recent decades should have reduced human comfort levels over KSA," says Dasari. A valuable insight from the research is the discovery that the situation is more complicated, with many regional variations worthy of further exploration.

Increased heat discomfort levels were concentrated mainly in neighboring regions of the Arabian Gulf, including the United Arab Emirates, Oman and Qatar.

Ibrahim Hoteit, leader of the research group, says the findings will help regional authorities, engineers and architects to plan the most effective developments in infrastructure, building design and healthcare interventions to improve safety and comfort across the region.

"We now plan to develop an atlas of DI values with risk maps indicating the trends through an online interactive visualization and analysis interface that provides real-time access for nonexpert users, and also a forecasting system to support the management of various outdoor activities and minimize health-related chronic symptoms." says Hoteit.
An Australian-led study will investigate whether it's possible to predict who remains susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 variants after having COVID-19 or receiving a COVID-19-specific vaccine.

The study will explore the immune response to COVID-19-specific vaccines in Brazilian healthcare workers to find biomarkers that indicate whether someone will be protected from - or remains at risk of - contracting COVID-19 if exposed to a variant.

The research has received philanthropic funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and is a sub-study of the Murdoch Children's Research Institute's (MCRI) study assessing if the Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine can help protect against COVID-19.

The BRACE trial is now the world's largest study on the off-target effects of the BCG vaccine. Since the trial launched in March 2020, more than 6800 healthcare workers have enrolled across 36 sites in Australia, Brazil, the Netherlands, Spain and the UK.

BCG was originally developed 100 years ago to prevent tuberculosis. Now, the BRACE randomised controlled clinical trial is working to determine if the BCG vaccine reduces the incidence of symptomatic and severe COVID-19 in healthcare workers. It is also investigating whether BCG vaccine reduces the impact of other respiratory illnesses and allergic diseases.

Professor Nigel Curtis, Head of the Infectious Diseases Research Group at MCRI, Professor of Paediatric Infectious Diseases at the University of Melbourne and BRACE Chief Principal Investigator, said the big story of 2021 was the potential impact of SARS-CoV-2 variants.

With the emergence of new variants - for which vaccine-induced and natural immune responses may not be as effective - there is concern that herd immunity may be undermined. If this happens, SARS-CoV-2 will continue to spread and cause disease." Nigel Curtis, Professor and Head, Infectious Diseases Research Group, Murdoch Children's Research Institute

"We have been lucky enough to receive this additional funding for the BRACE COVID-19-Specific vaccine sub-study (BCOS) to investigate biomarkers of protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection and reinfection induced by natural infection and COVID-specific vaccination."

Associate Professor Julio Croda, the BRACE trial's Brazil Principal Investigator, said 2400 healthcare workers across three trial sites in Brazil were being actively followed up and tested for COVID-19 as part of the trial.

"This subset of participants provides a unique opportunity to understand the risks and determinants of susceptibility to reinfection with SARS-CoV-2 variants, particularly the P.1 variant. This research is critical to designing effective approaches to help protect people," he said.

With COVID-19-specific vaccines now available to healthcare workers, BCOS will also look at whether BCG vaccine improves the immune response to Pfizer, AstraZeneca and CoronaVac vaccines.

Dr Nicole Messina, the Biosample and Laboratory Lead on the BRACE trial said: "We are recruiting existing BRACE trial participants in Victoria, South Australia and Brazil to assess whether those who had the BCG vaccine have a better or more prolonged immune response to their COVID-19-specific vaccine."

Professor Kathryn North AM, MCRI Director, said: "It's incredibly exciting work and demonstrates how MCRI responded to the pandemic. A deeper understanding of immune responses to COVID-19-specific vaccines will be important to the global effort to contain this pandemic."

Participant follow-up continues every three months with questionnaires and blood collection, as well as ongoing data collection via phone calls and the trial's custom-built smartphone app, powered by WeGuide.
Over a year on since the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic began, evidence from studies suggests that the deployment of physical preventive measures, including social distancing, lockdowns, face mask usage, and handwashing, are not fully effective in preventing or mitigating the impact of social distancing on health, society, and the economy.

Thus, universal vaccine rollout is the ultimate tool for limiting hospitalization and deaths associated with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections and also for controlling viral transmission and mutation. Currently approved COVID-19 vaccines contain inactivated virus, viral proteins such as the spike protein, viral DNA, or viral mRNA.

Data shows that different vaccines have different efficacies, between 85 and 100%, in preventing severe COVID-19 illness caused by the original strain, while showing relatively lower efficacy of between 50 and 80% in patients infected by SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOC). Studies have shown significant variability in inefficacies of COVID-19 vaccines among individuals, mostly due to the heterogeneous immune response in vaccine recipients. Therefore, it would be helpful to monitor vaccine efficacy in some form so as to predict individual and community immunogenicity and hence the efficacy in potential recipients.

Monitoring anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in vaccine recipients prior to and after receiving COVID-19 vaccination

An opinion paper by researchers from the US and Italy recently discussed various aspects of monitoring anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies before and after receiving COVID-19 vaccination to highlight the pros and cons of this monitoring strategy. This paper is published in the open-access journal Diagnostics.

The discussion highlights the advantages of testing anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in COVID-19 vaccine recipients, including early identification of low or non-responders to COVID-19 vaccination, assessing baseline seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in non-vaccinated individuals and timely detection of faster decay of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody levels.

In contrast, a potential drawback of a widespread serosurveillance strategy includes an unproven relationship between antibody titer against SARS-CoV-2, neutralizing activity, and efficiency of vaccines. Major challenges in universal anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies testing include a lack of cost-effective analyses of various testing strategies, the huge volume of blood drawings needed, and increased lab workload.

Testing costs vary across geographies and, hence, a universal approach may not be feasible. Local simulation studies, where it is easier to calculate the overall costs based on available resources, number of total samples, type of vaccine, type of anti-SARS-CoV-2 immunoassay, cost of staff and sample delivery, may work better.

A possible solution might involve identifying groups that need to be prioritized for testing like those at higher risk of exposure and infection by SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern, vulnerable population such as the elderly, cancer patients, people undergoing immunosuppressive treatments, patients with severe renal impairment, or obese people who are at higher risk of progression to severe disease, and individuals with lower or shorter vaccine immunogenicity.

Discussion highlights economic, biological, and logistical challenges involved in post-vaccination serosurveillance strategy

Although anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody testing in COVID-19 vaccine recipients offers several clinical advantages, many important economic, biological, and logistical challenges are involved in this strategy.

While a definitive conclusion in favor of the strategy cannot be drawn based on evidence gathered so far, the authors believe that this analysis may persuade healthcare administrators, policymakers, clinicians, and lab professionals to deploy multi-disciplinary teams that can work on defining the local cost-effectiveness of post-vaccination serosurveillance campaigns. Identification of priority cohort for testing based on population at risk of infection by variants of concern or older adults with low immunogenicity could help address these challenges to an extent.

The team writes:

Notably, the recent claim made by the WHO stating that international COVID-19 trials shall be restarted with more focus on immune response provides significant support to targeted anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies testing for assessing the effectiveness of existing treatments, thus including vaccinations.
The Centre for Health Protection today said it is investigating four imported COVID-19 cases involving two men and two women who arrived from Lebanon, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Austria.

Since an earlier confirmed case with the N501Y mutant strain had frequently taken residents bus route NR955 between Lynwood Court, Kingswood Villas, Tin Shui Wai and Tin Shui Wai Station, relevant people are required to undergo compulsory testing.

Due to outbreaks of upper respiratory tract infection and/or influenza-like illness in four schools, one school and the specified level of three schools are covered in the compulsory testing notice.

The latest list of mobile specimen collection stations and their operating details were also announced.

A total of 33 cases were reported in Hong Kong in the past 14 days, including three local cases, of which one is from an unknown source.

For information and health advice on COVID-19, visit the Governments dedicated webpage.
Jeffersonville, IN (47130)

Today

Mostly clear. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low around 65F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Mostly clear. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low around 65F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph.
Jeffersonville, IN (47130)

Today

Mostly clear. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 64F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Mostly clear. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 64F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph.
In March, Vertical Aerospace announced it would be working with Rolls-Royce to develop the engines.

Two of the UKs highest-profile entrepreneurs are to list a flying taxi business in the US with an estimated value of US$2bn.

OVO Energy founder Stephen Fitzpatrick is in talks to merge his Vertical Aerospace business with Broadstone, a special acquisitions company or SPAC set up by Hugh Osmond, who is best known for his involvement in Pizza Express, and insurer Phoenix Group.

Sky News reported that the deal might be announced a soon as tomorrow, with Vertical Aerospace targeting its first flight in 2024.

The Bristol-based business's president is Michael Cervenka, a former Rolls-Royce executive and the listing will see it tap into a market seeing huge investor interest currently.

Other US SPAC listings recently have included Joby Aviation, a California-based electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft developer.

Vertical Aerospace has said its eVTOL planes will be capable of carrying four passengers for 120 miles at cruise speeds of up to 200mph.

In March, it announced it would be working with Rolls-Royce to develop the engines.

Fitzpatrick is best known through OVO Energy, which became the UKs second-largest energy supplier following its acquisition of SSEs retail arm last year, but he set up Vertical Aerospace five years ago.
Students listen to a speaker at a previous summers Supervised Agricultural Experience Institute at the University of Mount Olive. This years event is slated for July 13-15. The deadline for applications is June 18.
Goldsboro, NC (27530)

Today

Partly cloudy this evening with more clouds for overnight. Low near 65F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Partly cloudy this evening with more clouds for overnight. Low near 65F. Winds light and variable.
Goldsboro, NC (27530)

Today

Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. Low around 65F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. Low around 65F. Winds light and variable.
(Newser)  One of the many, many women jailed under El Salvador's harsh abortion ban was released Monday after serving nearly a decade of a 30-year sentence. Sara Rogel went to a hospital in 2012 with bleeding injuries from a fall, and was arrested after it was determined she had lost her pregnancy as a result. She was ultimately convicted of killing her unborn daughter and sentenced to 30 years, the Guardian reports. Her sentence was commuted to 10 years in January, and she has been released on parole, the BBC reports.

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"While in mourning for the heartbreaking loss of her pregnancy, Sara should have been with her family. Instead she was unjustly imprisoned for nine years," one activist says. El Salvador's abortion ban is one of the strictest in the world, offering no exceptions, and dozens of women have been jailed under it after suffering miscarriages or stillbirths. In recent years, some of those women are starting to be released early as the law faces scrutiny. Rogel, who was a student in her 20s at the time of her arrest, was eight months pregnant. (Read more El Salvador stories.)
(Newser)  Donald Trump is praising Nigeria for banning Twitter after it blocked a tweet from the country's presidentwhich is apparently how the former president wishes things went down when social networks cracked down on him. China, North Korea, and Iran already ban social networks. But "more COUNTRIES should ban Twitter and Facebook for not allowing free and open speechall voices should be heard," Trump said in a Tuesday statement, per the Guardian. "Perhaps I should have done it while I was President. But [Facebook CEO Mark] Zuckerberg kept calling me and coming to the White House for dinner telling me how great I was." Twitter permanently banned Trump, and Facebook suspended him for at least two years, claiming he'd encouraged violence. But "who are they to dictate good and evil if they themselves are evil?" Trump said.

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Trump said other countries should follow the lead of Nigeria, which "banned Twitter because they banned their President." Nigeria's mobile phone operators were ordered to block access to Twitter after it removed a tweet by President Muhammadu Buhari, which included a veiled threat aimed at backers of a secessionist movement in the country's southeast Biafra region, per the BBC and Guardian. But Nigerian authorities claimed the "temporary" suspension wasn't just in response to the deleted tweet. Information Minister Lai Mohammed said the leader of separatist group IPOB was using Twitter to direct attacks against the government "without consequences." Human rights groups are challenging the ban, with Twitter noting "access to the free and #OpenInternet is an essential human right." (Trump previously referred to African nations like Nigeria as "shithole countries.")
(Newser)  The Taliban is denying responsibility for an attack in Afghanistan this week that left 10 members of a mine-clearing group dead and at least 16 injured, though the Afghan Interior Ministry is saying the hard-line movement was indeed responsible. In a statement, the HALO Trust, the organization made famous after Princess Diana walked through one of its minefields in 1997, announced that at 9:50pm local time on Tuesday, an "unknown armed group" entered one of its demining camps in Baghlan provincewhere about 110 men from local communities were wrapping up the day's workopening fire and killing 10 staff members. At least 16 were also injured, the group adds.

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A Taliban spokesman denied that the militant group was behind the attack, per NBC News and the New York Times. "We condemn attacks on the defenseless & view it as brutality," Zabihullah Mujahid tweeted. "We have normal relations with NGOs, our Mujahidin will never carry out such brutal acts." And HALO Trust CEO James Cowanwho says the attackers went from "bed to bed" killing people "in cold blood"noted that indeed, local Taliban members "came to our aid and scared the assailants off," per the BBC. A ministry spokesman tells the Times that all of the victims were Afghan citizens, and that those who were hurt were taken to hospitals, where they're being treated. (Read more Afghanistan stories.)
The state of Utah has approved the second phase of the companys uranium exploration program, which includes surface drilling of up to 40 holes.

( ) will start drilling for uranium at its Henry Mountains Uranium & Vanadium Project in Utah as soon as late June following approval from the state.

The second phase of uranium exploration at Section 36 of the project, includes surface drilling of up to 40 holes, as well as geophysical logging of an additional 39 existing small diameter drill holes.

Approval follows initial uranium exploration of Section 36 in May, which included geological mapping, the mapping of all existing underground adits and geophysical downhole logging of 56 existing shallow drill holes.

What does the second phase involve?

Targets for drilling identified in the first phase were generated using information gathered from the downhole geophysical logging program and geologic mapping.

Second phase exploration includes surface drilling of the exploration target areas and in proximity to the principal existing underground mines, the East and West mines.

In addition, GTI will conduct a second stage of downhole geophysical logging of an additional 39 existing small diameter drill holes within the exploration target areas.

Section 36 at the Henry Mountains project in Utah.

Next steps

GTI is hoping to develop and release a uranium mineral resource for Section 36 and other areas within the wider Henry Mountains project.

The company owns around 1,500 hectares of land in the Henry Mountains region of Utah, which forms part of the prolific Colorado Plateau uranium province, once the most important uranium resource in the US.

Sandstone-hosted ores have been mined in the region since 1904 and the region has historically produced in excess of 17.5 million tonnes at 2,400 ppm uranium oxide and 12,500 ppm vanadium oxide.

Shares are more than 9% higher in early trade to A$0.024.

- Daniel Paproth
(Newser)  President Biden heads to Europe for eight days on Wednesday, and for Politico, it's "deja vu all over again." Matthew Karnitschnig writes that against the backdrop of the G7 and NATO summits he is slated to attend, Biden will do what every Oval Office occupant (minus former President Trump) has done since WWII: work to strengthen ties "with a grand public display of American commitment to Europe" while working in private to "nudge" Europe to follow our lead. But writing for NBC News, Shannon Pettypiece outlines a slate of pressing issues that are unique to our times, among them a global economy battered by COVID-19 and Russian-based cyberattackers' growing ability to target America.

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And it'll likely feel fresh coming off the Trump presidency, with Pettypiece recalling Trump's G7 history, which included him exiting one summit early in order to meet with Kim Jong Un, "lashing out at Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Twitter on his way out the door," and in 2019 threatening a trade war with France. Indeed, NPR's take is that Biden is heading to Europe "to convince allies the United States has their back," and he'll be among friends as he tries to do so thanks to his decades of foreign policy work while in the Senate and as vice president. As the New York Times puts it, Biden's goal for the trip is to impart "diplomatic serenity." Beyond the summits, Biden plans to meet individually with Boris Johnson, Queen Elizabeth II, and Vladimir Putin, in what his administration has suggested will be a tense daylong session. (Read more President Biden stories.)
(Newser)  The father of a boy found dead near a Las Vegas-area trailhead last month contacted police without knowing his son was deadan encounter that would ultimately lead to the identification of 7-year-old Liam Husted. On June 1, Liam's father informed police in San Jose, Calif., that he'd returned home on May 24 to find an empty house and a note from Liam's mother, Samantha Moreno Rodriguez, saying she was leaving him and would "try to get a house for Liam and I," per CNN. But the father chose not to file a report of parental abduction, as he didn't believe there was any danger and didn't want to get Rodriguez in trouble, Las Vegas Police Lt. Ray Spencer said at a Tuesday press conference. Three days later, a friend of Rodriguez contacted San Jose police, saying a sketch of the dead boy offered by authorities looked a lot like Liam, per KLAS.

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The identification was made using DNA from the boy's pillow before Rodriguez, 35, was arrested Tuesday in Denver on a change of open murder. She was found at a hotel with a male companion, but police say he isn't suspected in Liam's murder, per KPIX. Liam's paternal grandfather tells KVVU that Liam had autism and behavioral issues, which put stress on the parents, but they were managing. "Something went horribly wrong with Sam," he adds. Authorities haven't supplied a motive for the alleged crime, but they say Rodriguez and Liam checked into a Las Vegas hotel on May 27, the day before Liam's body was found near the Mountain Springs trailhead. "We believe he was killed in Mountain Springs," Spencer said, per KPIX. Described as a stay-at-home mom, Rodriguez is to be extradited to Las Vegas, the outlet notes. (Read more child murder stories.)
Icons for the smartphone apps TikTok and WeChat are seen on a smartphone screen in Beijing, in an Aug. 7, 2020, file photo. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File)

Icons for the smartphone apps TikTok and WeChat are seen on a smartphone screen in Beijing, in an Aug. 7, 2020, file photo. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File)
(Newser)  At the time, commentators said it would be considered a defining moment of Donald Trump's presidency: Police forcibly removed racial justice protesters from the Lafayette Square area across from the White House before Trump and his entourage walked to a church for a controversial photo-op. But the church visit was not the reason why the square was cleared, according to a watchdog investigation. The report from the Interior Department's inspector general found that in an operation planned hours before Trump expressed interest in visiting the church, federal police cleared the area so contractors could install security fencing, the ABC reports. The evidence does not support a finding that federal police "cleared the park on June 1, 2020, so that then-President Trump could enter the park," said Inspector General Mark Greenblatt.

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The report did, however, find multiple problems with the operation, including "allegations of individual use-of-force incidents" that are the subject of separate inquiries. The incidents include the firing of pepper balls and tear gas by Bureau of Prisons officers and DC police officers assisting US Park Police with the operation, NBC reports. It also found that then-Attorney General William Barr urged authorities to speed up the clearance after Trump decided to visit the church. The report says that when Barr told the operations commander Trump would walk through the park, the commander said, "Are you freaking kidding me?" After the report's release, Trump issued a statement thanking Greenblatt for "Completely and Totally exonerating me in the clearing of Lafayette Park!" (Read more Donald Trump stories.)
(Newser)  The US will buy 500 million more doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to share through the global COVAX alliance for donation to 92 lower income countries and the African Union over the next year, the AP reports, citing "a person familiar with the matter." President Joe Biden was set to make the announcement Thursday in a speech before the start of the Group of Seven summit. Two hundred million dosesenough to fully protect 100 million peoplewould be shared this year, with the balance to be donated in the first half of 2022, the person said. National security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters Wednesday that Biden was committed to sharing vaccines because it was in the public health and strategic interests of the US.

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As Biden embarks on his first foreign trip, he is aiming to show "that democracies are the countries that can best deliver solutions for people everywhere," Sullivan said. "As he said in his joint session (address), we were the 'arsenal of democracy' in World War II," Sullivan said. "We're going to be the 'arsenal of vaccines' over this next period to help end the pandemic." The US has faced mounting pressure to outline its global vaccine sharing plan. Inequities in supply around the world have become more pronounced, and the demand for shots in the USwhere nearly 64% of adults have received at least one dosehas dropped precipitously. So far, the White House has confirmed plans to share 80 million doses globally by the end of June, most through COVAX.

(Read more coronavirus vaccine stories.)
The BBC's Royal Correspondent Jonny Dymond this week published an article reporting that a palace source said Queen Elizabeth II was not asked by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex about naming their newborn Lilibet, the monarch's pet name.

Dymond reportedly later said on the BBC's Radio 4 Today programme that it was a "good palace source" who was "absolutely adamant" the pair hadn't sought the Queen's approval.

In response to the report, a spokesperson for Harry and Meghan said the Queen had been the first person the Duke had called in advance of the announcement.

"During that conversation, he shared their hope of naming their daughter Lilibet in her honour. Had she not been supportive, they would not have used the name," the spokesperson said.

British media now report that a letter has been sent to some media outlets from law firm Schillings, which acts for Harry and Meghan, claiming the BBC's report was "false and defamatory" and that it shouldn't be repeated.

Despite that, Dymond's article continues to include his source's claim, but has been amended to include Harry and Meghan's statement.

Omid Scobie, who wrote a biography of a couple, tweeted "those close to Prince Harry confirm that he spoke to close family before the announcement".

"Perhaps this report highlights just how far removed aides within the institution (who learned of the baby news alongside the rest of the world) now are from the Sussexes private matters."
As several countries start to get a handle on vaccinating adults against COVID-19, many are now turning their attention to vaccinating children - and that includes New Zealand.

Medsafe is looking at the age group of 12 to 15-year-olds while China has just approved vaccines for children as young as three.

Minister for COVID-19 Response Chris Hipkins says it's in the works.

"Medsafe has been going through the process of 12-to-16 or 12-15-year-olds, which we've signalled before and we'll have more to say about that shortly."

Keeping in line with New Zealand's vaccine rollout to date, it seems we're taking a cautious approach.

"As the research from Pfizer gets to us that indicates efficacy and safety for lower age groups, Medsafe will consider that and then we follow Medsafe's guidance on which age groups should have access to the vaccine."
2.15pm - Andrew Little says it's "disappointing" an agreement over pay has not yet been reached and says the Government will continue to support nurses.

"We've added more nurses to the workforce and we're going to continue to do that - we've increased the pay and will continue to do so... it is disappointing we're not there yet."

Asked about his rough reception at the protest, Little said he wasn't surprised.

"As I get around the hospitals and talk to nurses they are expressing real disappointment and understandably so - underpaying nurses has been going on for a long time."

He says the Government is committed to a payrise.

"We did a significant payrise in 2018 and we're committed to pay equity - better facilities.

"In the end, good nurses, good healthcare and good midwives is good for New Zealand."
Access to dental care in New Zealand can be expensive and difficult to access, but a ship in Tauranga is trying to change that.

The Youth With a Mission (YWAM) Ship was destined for Fiji to provide free dental care in the Pacific, but the island's recent explosion of COVID-19 cases meant the ship had to stay put. Now, it's taken up residence in the Bay of Plenty.

It offers free dental care to those who need it - and in New Zealand, there's plenty of people in need.

Volunteer dental professionals aboard the ship say they've seen a huge gap in the community with people of all ages needing urgent dental care.

Some had abscesses, others were in so much pain they had tried to remove their own teeth.

YWAM Ships Aotearoa's managing director Marty Emmett told The Project the demand has been shocking.

"You can read reports and statistics but when they become faces and names it's a whole different ball game - it's been overwhelming."
White House Indo-Pacific coordinator Kurt Campbell said the United States wanted to work with others to reconvene the forum, after what he termed a "schism," to enable future bilateral and institutional engagement.

"These are islands which we have enormous historical moral and strategic interests in, and then sometimes we forget that," Campbell told an online event hosted by the Center for a New American Security think thank.

"And increasingly, again this is an arena of competition both in terms of values, their role at the United Nations, their health challenges, climate change their potential role militarily, healthy fishing stocks, just down the list.

"So one of the things that we are looking to do over the course of the next little while, working closely with allies like Australia, New Zealand, Japan and others, is to convene with Pacific island nations to talk about arenas of common purpose," he said.

Campbell said the aim would be to make progress in areas such as fisheries and coastguard activity and in delivery of support and assistance, including vaccines.

He said the region faced enormous challenges dealing with poverty, disease, and climate change and helping to meet those was difficult given their small disparate populations.

"But for the United States, again this is another area where we must step up our game."

The sparsely populated South Pacific island countries have in recent years become battlegrounds for influence between China and the United States and its allies.

Most of the island nation governments have been facing severe economic headwinds due to their heavy reliance on international tourism, an industry that abruptly shut last year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Reuters
In addition to the three drilling operations (two new wells and 1 re-entry) completed in March 2021, Calima completed additional workovers and well optimisations in April and May, resulting in May exit production of 3,100 barrels of oil equivalent/day.

( ) has revised operational and financial guidance for the remainder of 2021 to reflect higher realised oil & gas prices, increased sales volumes based on production to-date and production results expected from the start of the companys drilling campaign in Canada.

The companys subsidiary, Blackspur Oil Corp, recently spudded the first of three Sunburst horizontal wells (Gemini #1) at its Brooks core area and on June 7 the rig was released from Gemini #1 and moved to the second well of the Brooks Sunburst program (Gemini #2), with completion operations on Gemini #1 expected to begin shortly.

As such, the company has updated its operational and financial estimates for May, with exit production for the month forecast at 3,100 barrels of oil equivalent/day, which is an 11% increase on April.

The forecast funds flow from operations for May is A$2.6 million  an 18% increase on the previous month - and the December 2021 guidance exit has consequentially been increased to 4,500 barrels of oil equivalent/day (a 32% increase).

The adjusted 2021 (8 months) EBITDA is now A$26.3 million.

Initial oil & gas shows excellent

As no fracture stimulation is required on these conventional open-hole horizontal wells, the completion process is minimal, and Gemini #1 will soon be tied into existing Blackspur infrastructure via an on-lease tie in.

Blackspur chief executive officer Jordan Kevol said: Gemini 1 encountered the Sunburst sand at the target depth in the first of three horizontal wells.

The initial oil and gas shows were excellent, and the chip samples show very high reservoir quality sand.

Based on the initial sand quality encountered, we are pleased with the potential for this horizontal well.

We are excited to move to the Gemini #2 well.

May 2021 operational and financial estimate highlights.

Additional Sunburst wells

At the Brooks area, the company has year-round access and 147 new well locations.

Brooks wells in the Sunburst formation have EURs of 218,000 barrels of oil equivalent with IRR of over 500% at US$60 West Texas Intermediate (WTI).

Well paybacks are six to nine months and the net present value of future cash flows discounted at 10% (NPV10) is estimated at C$3.2 million.

The companys proved plus probable (2P) reserves at Brooks are 11.6 million barrels of oil equivalent and growing.

With the continued strong WTI oil and AECO natural gas pricing, the company is reviewing plans to add 1-2 additional Sunburst wells bringing the Sunburst Well Campaign to 5 wells.

These 1-2 additional wells are expected to be drilled in late June to early July 2021.

Thorsby drilling plans

The company is finalising plans to undertake a three well Thorsby drilling campaign in July/August 2021.

All three wells are classified as development wells, as they are being drilled into existing Sparky oil pools, which have been delineated by both existing Sparky wells and 3D seismic.

Eleven wells have been drilled to date with well recoveries estimated at 358,000 barrels of oil equivalent to 468,000 barrels of oil equivalent and 79% oil.

There are 89 net Sparky and 12 net Nisku wells in inventory identified with multiple pools to be delineated (28 booked Sparky locations) with total 2P reserves at Thorsby at 10.9 million barrels of oil equivalent.

Prior to finalising this program, the company is also evaluating a longer horizontal component and a higher proppant hydraulic fracture stimulation (frac) to increase recoveries and returns.

The new wells will flow into existing Blackspur oil facilities.

The revised guidance for the 8 months to year-end.

Hedging strategy

Following a strong recovery of West Texas Intermediate (WTI) benchmark prices back to pre-COVID levels coupled with Western Canadian Select (WCS) differentials remaining tight, producers are in an environment that provides for robust netbacks.

As a result, Calima has put in place a fairly aggressive hedging mandate to mitigate downside commodity price exposure for the current three well drill program and has entered into WTI and WCS swap contracts for the next 12 months.

This strategy will ensure the cost recovery of the capital program is secure and will allow for net cash flow to be recycled into future drilling programs over the coming 24 months.

As decisions are made to drill more wells, the company will protect the capital on each well by executing hedges on expected cumulative production that is required to achieve payback of the capital invested.

Both Sunburst and Sparky wells have payback periods of six to nine months.

In addition, the company will progressively layer in WTI and WCS swaps to the extent that around 50% of forecast production for the forward 12-month period is protected with fixed-price terms, ensuring robust netbacks at current prices while still maintaining upside exposure to rising energy prices.

On May 26, 2021, Calima executed swaps totalling 163.8 Mbbl WTI (~450 barrels/day) at an average of US$62.23/barrel (C$75.30/barrel) for July 2021 to June 2022 and on June 2, 2021, it executed swaps totalling 163.8 Mbbl WCS basis (~450 barrels/day) at an average of US -$14.66/barrels (C $17.73/barrels) for July 2021 to June 2022.
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The fiscal 2020 National Defense Authorization Act could mean financial gain for Alaska Nati
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TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

Closing arguments will be submitted tomorrow in the money-laundering case involving the Central Bank of Iran, Future Bank in Bahrain and 13 associated Iranian banks abroad.

Among the defendants is a Bahraini man who was with three lawyers denying the accusations levied against him.

Bahrains Attorney General Dr Ali bin Fadhel Al Buainain said that following intensive investigations conducted by the Public Prosecution in relation to money laundering allegations against officials of Future Bank in Bahrain and associated Iranian banks abroad during 2008-2012, other unlawful banking practices have been uncovered.

He added that the Central Bank of Iran issued instructions to Future Bank on the use of an unapproved alternative transfer system to complete banking operations to conceal the source and movement of funds. It benefitted Iranian banks and circumvented international sanctions and restrictions on transactions imposed against Iranian entities.

Future Bank officials, in conjunction with other Iranian bank officials and the Central Bank of Iran, carried out sending and transferring operations.

They received more than $1.3 billion via an alternative system.

Funds were transferred and received, kept as a discount, added to the account of Iranian banks, settled in bank accounts, and had their source concealed to enable those banks to complete unlawful transfers of funds.
Experts are predicting uranium production to increase by more than 3% in 2021, despite the closure of the Ranger mine in Northern Territory in January.

Global production is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 6.2% over the 2021-2025 period.

Global uranium production is tipped to increase by 3.1% in 2021, bolstering the hopes of a handful of Australian uranium hopefuls.

Experts at data analyst consultancy GlobalData have predicted 51,200 tonnes of uranium will be produced this year, largely thanks to the return of production at Cigar Lake in Canada and increased output growth from leading uranium producers Kazakhstan and Russia.

The production increase comes despite a predicted 21.2% drop in Australian uranium production due to the renowned Ranger mine in the Northern Territory closing down after 40 years of service.

Market on road to recovery

Associate project manager at Global Data Vinneth Bajaj said uranium would begin its recovery this year after several years of decline.

Global uranium production has been limited in recent years, mainly due to a sluggish market. This was further impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic from early 2020, he said.

In fact, global production of uranium fell by 9.2% to 49,700 tonnes in 2020, with the most significant declines observed in Canada (43.9%) and Kazakhstan (14.6%)  globally, almost 60% of uranium originates from these two countries.

Uranium production

Global uranium production is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.2% over the forecast period (2021-2025) to reach 65,200 tonnes in 2025.

Kazakhstan, which holds some of the worlds largest uranium deposits, is expected to remain the worlds largest supplier for the next few years.

With potential open pit uranium mines, Namibia is also expected to remain a prominent supplier of uranium to the global markets.

Furthermore, the restart of Cigar Lake, in April 2021 is expected to provide a much-needed boost to Canadas uranium supply.

Renewed interest in uranium

The uranium market has been in decline in recent years due to fears surrounding nuclear energy, though as governments around the world make commitments moving away from fossil fuels, interest has been renewed.

The US is currently evaluating extending the operating life of its nuclear power plants for up to 100 years.

Other countries such as China, Japan and South Korea, as well as the EU, all upgraded their climate change policies during 2020, indicating higher demand for nuclear power going forward, alongside higher electricity generated from sources other than coal.

ASX-listed hopefuls

Though the Ranger mine processed its final ore in January of this year, there are a number of ASX-listed companies hoping to become significant global producers of uranium.

As reported today by Proactive, ( ) will start drilling for uranium at its Henry Mountains Uranium & Vanadium Project in Utah as soon as late June following approval from the state.

The company owns around 1,500 hectares of land in the Henry Mountains region, which forms part of the prolific Colorado Plateau uranium province, once the most important uranium resource in the US.

( ) ( ) (FRA:P1M) recently raised $13.4 million from institutional and high net worth investors, which will settle the purchase of 300,000 pounds of natural uranium concentrates at a price of US$31.35 per pound, which is reflective of the prevailing uranium spot price.

Peninsula managing director and CEO Wayne Heili said: The acquisition of physical uranium underpins our focus on the transition of the Lance Project to a low pH ISR operation.

Ltd ( ) (OTCMKTS:LTSRF) in May started ore sorting test-work on ore from Kayelekera Uranium Project in Malawi with strong initial results revealing the potential to improve project economics.

The test-work is underway on 500 kilograms of run of mine ore and this is taking place at STEINERTs testing facility in Perth, Australia.

Ltd ( ) yesterday revealed shallow uranium-vanadium-strontium mineralisation in RAB drilling results at its tenement ELA31501 in Ngalia Basin of the Northern Territory.

Other hopefuls include Ltd ( ), a South Australian mining exploration company focused on gold, copper and uranium, and ( ), which is focused on precious and base metals along with uranium through acquisitions and exploration activities at projects in Peru and Canada.

- Daniel Paproth
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

A long-time Bahrain resident, Lito Calimlim Doblado, has been awarded the 2021 Bagong Bayani (Modern Hero) Award for Community and Social Service by the Bagong Bayani Foundation under the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) and Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

The virtual award ceremony was held on Monday.

It is a worldwide search for outstanding and exemplary Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs). Doblado, a graduate of Feati University where he earned his bachelors degree and Philippine Normal University for his teaching qualifications, will be bestowed a distinct honour of having his name etched on the awardees Wall of Fame at the grounds of POEA in Mandaluyong City, Philippines.

A native of Iba, Zambales, Doblado has been a constant figure in various initiatives benefitting locals and expatriate communities in Bahrain for 18 years.

His advocacies include people development, cultural awareness, medical missions, blood donations, diabetes campaign, fundraising for calamity relief and food donations, among others.

He is working for the Bahrain Public Transport Company, a joint venture of Ahmed Mansour Alali (AMA) Group and National Express-UK.
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

The National Bank of Bahrain, in conjunction with Standard Chartered Bank, announced executing the first conventional interbank repurchase (Repo) transaction denominated in Bahraini Dinars.

The move follows the launching of the interbank repo product for the Government of Bahrains conventional securities by the Central Bank of Bahrain.

The deal also follows ongoing efforts towards developing the banking sector, promoting liquidity management, and building a liquid and reliable secondary market curve for conventional retail banks.

Repurchase transactions enhance bank liquidity management and contribute to the development of the secondary markets in securities denominated in Bahraini Dinars, aligning us with developed international markets and maintaining the Kingdom of Bahrain pioneering capital market position in the region, said Hisham Al Kurdi, the Group Chief Executive - Corporate & Institutional Investment Banking at the National Bank of Bahrain.

Roomi Siddiqui, Executive Director, Head Treasury Markets MENA Sub Region for Standard Chartered, said: In addition to the development of local markets, the initiation of the Repo market would provide investors in the Government of Bahrain debt securities denominated in Bahraini Dinars with greater access to liquidity and leverage.

The Introduction of the Interbank repo as one of the mainstream products will leverage a further movement of liquidity within banks and increase activity in interbank transactions.
VP Harris tells Latin Americans the United States offer them hope

MEXICO CITY | Vice President Kamala Harris sought to assure poor and threatened populations of Latin America on Tuesday that the United States has the capacity to give people a sense of hope in the region so they can make better lives without fleeing to the U.S. border.

Harris closed her first foreign trip as vice president unapologetic for her decision not to visit the U.S.-Mexico border as part of her mission to address migration to the United States.

If you want to address the needs of a people, you must meet those people, you must spend time with those people, because the only way you can actually fix the problem is to understand the problem, she told a news conference before the flight to Washington.

Earlier she brushed off questions about her decision not to go to the border as part of her work to address the spike in migration, saying that while it was legitimate to be concerned about the situation there, it wouldnt be addressed with a simple visit.

Harris engaged in two days of diplomacy in Guatemala and Mexico as part of the Biden administrations effort to stem the flow of people into the U.S. She met with Guatemalas and Mexicos presidents to discuss economic investments and increased enforcement against trafficking, smuggling and corruption.

The increase in migration at the border has become one of the major challenges confronting Biden in the early months of his first term, with Republicans seizing on an issue they see as politically advantageous. Polls suggest Americans are less favorable toward Bidens approach to immigration than they are toward his policies on the economy and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Theyve tried to make Harris the face of that immigration policy, charging she and Biden are ignoring the issue because both have yet to visit the southern border. Harris told reporters she was focused on tangible results as opposed to grand gestures.

Harris and her aides have sought to make clear that her mission was narrowly focused on finding diplomatic solutions to the problem at the border.

Without being asked to judge the result, she told the news conference: Do I declare this trip a success? Yes I do. It is a success in terms of the pathway that is about progress. We have been successful in making progress.

After her meeting with Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, the administration announced a range of agreements brokered between the two governments, including a $130 million commitment over the next three years from the U.S. to support labor reforms in Mexico and loans to bolster southern Mexicos economy.

The administration said the meeting produced an agreement to have an economic dialogue in September on trade, telecommunications and supply chains. And the two countries will also partner on human trafficking and economic programs addressing why people leave El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras for the U.S.

Harris told Lopez Obrador at the start of their meeting that the two nations are embarking on a new era and emphasized the longstanding interdependence and interconnection of the two nations.

Harris also met female entrepreneurs and held a roundtable with labor leaders in Mexico before heading back to Washington.

Her brief foray brought her first to Guatemala on Monday. While in Guatemala, she met President Alejandro Giammattei. To coincide with their meeting, the Biden administration announced a number of new commitments to combat trafficking, smuggling, and corruption, as well as investments in economic development in the country.

But some Democrats criticized the vice president Monday when she delivered a direct message to those considering leaving their homes and making the often dangerous trek to the U.S. border: Do not come.

Her comments echoed those made by past U.S. officials as theyve tried to dissuade migrants from seeking to cross the border, as the U.S. faces unprecedented numbers of attempted border crossings. Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York called her comments disappointing and noted that it is legal to seek asylum.

Harris declined to respond directly to the criticism when reporters asked, saying only: Im really clear: we have to deal with the root causes and that is my hope. Period.

But the criticism from both Republicans and Democrats underscored the politically fraught nature of the assignment, and the difficulty Harris faces in finding success with an intractable challenge thats only grown in recent months.

Illegal border crossings have increased steadily since April 2020, after Trump introduced pandemic-related powers to deny migrants the opportunity to seek asylum, but further accelerated under Biden. The new president quickly scrapped many of Trumps hardline border policies  most notably the program that made asylum-seekers wait in Mexico, often in dangerous conditions, for court dates in U.S. immigration court.

U.S. border authorities encountered nearly 19,000 unaccompanied children in March, the highest on record. Overall, more than 170,000 encounters were reported on the border in April, the highest level in more than 20 years.

The numbers arent directly comparable because getting stopped under pandemic-related authorities carries no legal consequences, resulting in many repeat crossings.

Bosnian Serb commander Ratko Mladic loses genocide appeal

THE HAGUE, Netherlands | Ratko Mladic, the military chief known as the Butcher of Bosnia for orchestrating genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes in the Balkan nations 1992-95 war, lost his final legal battle Tuesday when U.N. judges rejected his appeals and affirmed his life sentence.

The ruling involving his 2017 convictions and sentence closed a grim chapter in European history that included the continents first genocide since World War II  the 1995 Srebrenica massacre of more than 8,000 Muslim men and boys.

The now-frail Mladic, often belligerent at his court appearances in The Hague, showed no reaction other than a scowl as Presiding Judge Prisca Matimba Nyambe of Zambia said the panel had dismissed, by a vote of 4-1, his appeals of convictions for crimes including genocide, murder, extermination and terror for atrocities throughout the war that killed more than 100,000 and left millions homeless.

Israel claims Hamas

tried to hamper defenses

from tower in Gaza

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip | Israels ambassador to the United States said Tuesday that Hamas militants tried to disrupt Israels Iron Dome rocket defense system from a Gaza building housing The Associated Press and other news outlets, prompting the Israeli air force to destroy the high rise last month. The AP said it has not seen evidence to support the claim.

Ambassador Gilad Erdan issued his statement a day after meeting the APs president and chief executive, Gary Pruitt, and Ian Phillips, vice president for international news, at the APs New York headquarters.

The Israeli air force bombed the 12-story al-Jalaa tower on May 15, roughly an hour after ordering all occupants to evacuate. No one was injured, but the building was destroyed. The building was home to offices belonging to the AP, the Al Jazeera satellite channel as well as dozens of families.

In a statement on Twitter, Erdan said he told AP executives that the building was used by Hamas to disrupt the Iron Dome, which intercepted hundreds of incoming rockets fired by the militant group during the fighting.

French leader Macron slapped in face on

visit to small town

PARIS | French President Emmanuel Macron denounced violence and stupidity after he was slapped in the face Tuesday by a man during a visit to a small town in southeastern France.

The incident prompted a wide show of support for the head of state from politicians across the ideological spectrum.

Macron was greeting the public waiting for him behind barriers in the town of Tain-lHermitage after he visited a high school.

Two videos show a man slapping Macron in the face and his bodyguards pushing the assaulter away as the French leader is quickly rushed from the scene.

 From AP reports
Scot Van Meter, the Buchanan County assessor, has resigned nearly three months before his term was supposed to end in August.

An elected official resigning before their term ends is uncommon, but the unusual timeline for an assessor affects this outcome. In any other position, Van Meter would have been out of office and replaced by Dean Wilson, the assessor who won the local election in November. But the assessor is the only elected position in the county that has a different term  it starts in September rather than January.

Their term runs through August, said Lee Sawyer, the presiding Buchanan County commissioner. Its the only officeholder in the county that has that timeline. Dean Wilson, who was elected by the citizens of Buchanan County, was scheduled to start September 1, and by state statute thats how that works.

In May, Van Meter, who has been the assessor since 2001, told the county commissioners that he received an opportunity in Florida and would be leaving his position early. He resigned on June 4.

We started kind of figuring out what our options would be within the state statutes, Sawyer said. What do you do when an assessor resigns prior to them being finished and those kinds of things? So we did the research.

The commissioners named Tracy Starks, the chief deputy in the assessors office, interim assessor for the next month. Starks has been in the department since 2010.

Tracy is very capable, she knows what goes on in the office, Sawyer said. Shes been in that office since 2010 in various capacities. Shes very familiar with the office and a smart young lady. Were excited to have her there for the next month.

Wilson, the elected assessor, has agreed to begin his term early. He will start on July 6. Sawyer called the governors office to make sure Mike Parson agreed with the change, as he has the right to appoint somebody. He concurred with the decision.

I reached out to the governors office and talked to his chief of staff and just explained to the governors office what were planning on doing, Sawyer said.

During this transition, there are some changes that need to be made. The assessors office has a couple open positions. The county wants to fill those and will give Wilson the final say once he begins in July.

Theres going to be a search process that human resources will be helping the assessors office with, Sawyer said. The plan is that once Dean comes in and gets on board to kind of help make those hiring decisions.
Missouri Republican Sen. Josh Hawley told News-Press NOW on Wednesday that he stands by his decision to call for the resignation of Dr. Anthony Fauci, one of the governments most recognizable COVID-19 experts.

Hawleys statement comes as news organizations obtained thousands of emails sent to or from Fauci through open records requests.

Detractors have pointed to an email sent to Fauci from an executive at a nonprofit that funded some research in Wuhan, China. In that email, from April of 2020, the executive thanked Fauci for his public stance that COVID-19 emerged from a natural origin.

Theres correspondence with groups and scientists who had participated or funded research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology and were actively trying to conceal their involvement in that research, Hawley told News-Press NOW.

In his defense, Fauci told CNN that, you can misconstrue (the email) however you want.

That email was from a person to me saying thank you for whatever it is he thought I said, and I said that I think the most likely origin is a jumping of species. I still do think it is, at the same time as Im keeping an open mind that it might be a lab leak, Fauci told CNN.

U.S. intelligence has coalesced around two theories for the origin of COVID-19: That the virus escaped a lab in China or it jumped from an animal specifies to humans.

The Senate unanimously passed a bill, sponsored by Hawley, that would require the Biden administration to declassify intelligence relating to any potential links between the Wuhan Institute of Virology and the origins of the pandemic.

Hawley also pointed to another email, sent in February of 2020 from Fauci to another high-ranking government official, where Fauci said the official wouldnt need to wear a mask since she was traveling to a low-risk location.

That guidance would later be contradicted by Fauci and other scientists as research on COVID-19 developed.

The difference between what he was assessing about mask-wearing, for instance, other preventative measures, and then how he changed his views without any explanation of the public, thats concerning, Hawley told News-Press NOW.

But Fauci said the U.S. government accumulated more data after his February email, which was sent before COVID-19 had reached pandemic status.

Youre asking a question, Would you do something different if you know what you know now? Of course, people would have done that. Thats so obvious, Fauci told CNN.
A gun with blood on it was discovered Saturday night around the time a person with a serious gunshot wound checked into Mosaic Life Care, according to St. Joseph police.

Officers said the two may be related, but they have no one cooperating in their investigation.

The weapon was found by kids, police said. Police did not say where the gun was found and added it is unknown where or how the shooting occurred.

The person with a gunshot wound, whose name police did not release, has been transported to Research Medical Center in Kansas City and remains in critical condition. Police have not made any arrests in the case.
The popular saying, It takes a village to raise a child, rings true in any community, but its not often that childcare providers are recognized for their role in the upbringing of kids.

However, Wednesday was different with staff and volunteers from the United Way of Greater St. Joseph and the Junior League of St. Joseph visiting childcare centers with a special thank you.

Staff at La Petite Academy and United Cerebral Palsy of Northwest Missouri were among those surprised with cookies, thank you cards and balloons from volunteers like Dana Ferguson and Jane Burton.

Colynn Chesney was one of the recipients at UCP.

Working childcare during COVID was definitely an adjustment, lots of new cleaning routines, Chesney said. The children and families that we provide services for are exceptional and I love working here. I love my job.

Chesney is also a parent of a 5-year-old, so she has seen how important childcare providers are from the other side of the aisle.

United Way President Kylee Strough initially applied for the grant to make the surprise happen, but her organization was denied an initial request for $500. However, the United Way applied again and was awarded $2,500 a couple of months later.

What happens, birth to 6 years old is a tremendous amount of brain development, so anything we can do to keep these early educators in their field providing this good, high-quality care is something we want to be a part of, Strough said.

About 10 volunteers loaded their cars up with cookies and balloons. The children were as excited as their caretakers when the gifts showed up in classrooms, and some kids even believed the balloons indicated it was their teachers birthday.

Its estimated that 1,500 children are in childcare every day in St. Joseph.

The Junior League Centennial Grant funded the child care appreciation day, and assistance also was provided by Child Care Aware of Missouri.
FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP)  A Kentucky prosecutor who twice ran for statewide office was indicted on wire fraud charges stemming from an alleged scheme that funneled more than $365,000 from a delinquent tax fund into personal accounts, federal prosecutors said Tuesday.

Lawrence County Attorney Michael Hogan and his wife, Joy Hogan, used the money to make home mortgage, credit card and auto loan payments as well as on household expenses and utilities, according to a newly unsealed indictment issued by a federal grand jury in Lexington, Kentucky. They also made cash withdrawals, the indictment said.

Michael Hogan also is accused of defrauding the Appalachian county's child support enforcement office by allegedly billing the program for far more hours than he worked.

The indictment charged Michael and Joy Hogan with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Michael Hogan also faces nine counts of wire fraud and five counts of federal program theft. His wife worked as a legal secretary in the county attorney's office.

Hogan, 53, ran for attorney general in 2015 and for lieutenant governor in 2019 on a ticket with gubernatorial candidate Robert Goforth. Hogan lost both times in the state's Republican primary.

Michael Hogan's attorney, David Cole Jr., said he's known Hogan for three decades and described him as a hard-working, honest lawyer. Cole said he's confident the Hogans did not commit any crimes.

"If mistakes were made, I do not think those mistakes involved dishonesty, and Im confident in the integrity of Michael Hogan, Cole said in a phone interview.

Cole said he is not representing Joy Hogan and did not know who is. It wasn't immediately clear who is representing her.

As county attorney, Hogan was responsible for collecting delinquent taxes in Lawrence County, which borders West Virginia. The delinquent tax funds should have been used on operating expenses in the county attorneys office, federal prosecutors said.

But for a seven-year span ending in April 2020, Hogan allegedly paid his wife more than $365,000 from a delinquent tax account, disguising the payments as bonuses, the indictment said.

The money was deposited into Joy Hogan's personal account and the couple's joint accounts and spent on personal expenses, the indictment said. Those bonuses were in addition to the salary and benefits she received as an employee in the county attorney's office, it said.

The alleged scheme was discovered during a review of the county attorney's office by Republican state Auditor Mike Harmon, and the findings were referred to the FBI and the IRS.

"Im proud our office always follows the data, and I want to recognize my team for their hard work in holding public officials accountable to the taxpayers we all serve, Harmon said Tuesday.

When the audit was released, Hogan said his wife's compensation from the delinquent tax fund was a salary supplement that amounted to honest pay for honest work that benefited the public.

The federal indictment also accuses Michael Hogan of defrauding the county's child support enforcement office by billing the program for far more hours than he actually worked. For a nearly five-year period ending in June 2020, Hogan billed, on average, more than 65 hours of child support collection work a month but worked only a small fraction of those hours, the indictment said.

He's also accused of paying employees in his private law firm with funds from the child support enforcement office.

Michael Hogan is scheduled to make an initial court appearance on Wednesday. Joy Hogan, 41, is set to appear in court on Friday.

They face up to 20 years in prison on the wire fraud charges. Michael Hogan faces up to 10 years in prison on the federal program theft charges.
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Columbia Regional Airport saw a 500% increase in travelers last month compared to May of last year, but traveler numbers are still not back up to pre-pandemic levels.

In May, the Columbia Regional Airport saw 13,672 passengers travel through the airport, which was a 506.3% increase in travelers compared to May 2020.

According to the Columbia Regional Airport's passenger load data, April 2021 saw a total of 9,416 passengers compared to just 1,045 passengers in April 2020. This is an increase of 801.1% travelers according to the airport data.

With the recent increase in travelers, American Airlines decided to reinstate a flight to Chicago and also add a third flight to Dallas/Fort Worth departing from COU.

So far, the average number of monthly travelers at the airport sits at just over 8,000 people a month for both 2020 and 2021.

Pre-pandemic flight levels for the airport in 2019 were more than double that, as an average of 22,133 passengers traveled through COU each month. April 2019 saw 13,281 passengers and May 2019 saw 23,149 passengers.

Recent discussion from Columbia City Council and airport advisory board has brought up the possibility of renaming the airport to the Columbia National Airport to reflect changes to the organization.

The airport is currently building a new terminal which is expected to be finished next summer according to the city of Columbia.
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The new State Profile Report shows Missouri is back in the moderate transmission level of COVID-19.

This comes as Missouri saw a 12% drop in cases, and a 25% drop in COVID-19 deaths last week. However, the state positivity rate increased slightly by 0.5%.

As of now, a majority of counties in Missouri are in the yellow zone with moderate transmission including Boone, Cole, and Audrain counties. Nine new counties are now in the blue zone of low transmission, bringing the total to 18.

According to the report, 79.3% of cases in Missouri are the variant first identified in the U.K., 1.2% are the variant first identified in South Africa, 1.0% is the variant first identified in California, and 6.0% are the variant first identified in Brazil.

The Missouri vaccine dashboard shows 42.4% of the population have received at least one dose of the vaccine, and 35.6% have completed vaccination.
The Rhyolite Ridge Lithium-Boron Project in Nevada is the only known lithium-boron deposit in North America and one of only two known such deposits in the world.

Rhyolite Ridges unique mineralogy allows lithium and boron to be extracted in a low- cost and environmentally sustainable manner.

ioneer Ltd ( ) (FRA:4G1) ( ) has welcomed the Biden Adminstrations commitment to domestic mining and strengthening critical supply chains such as those used in EVs, batteries and clean energy technologies.

The report released after the conclusion of a 100-day review of domestic supply chains indicates that the Administration has full support for responsible domestic mining projects like ioneer's Rhyolite Ridge, and is committed to ensuring a secure and resilient domestic supply chain.

ioneers lithium project in Nevada will help meet a number of objectives set out by the Administration, including:

The project will create 400 to 500 construction jobs, 250 to 300 multi-generational family-supporting operating jobs, and several hundred more ancillary jobs to support the project;

It will produce key components for technologies to combat climate change, more than quadrupling current domestic production of lithium materials, needed for batteries powering the electric vehicle revolution;

It is strongly supported by the local communities as evidenced by letters of support submitted to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) by each of the Esmeralda, Nye and Mineral County Commissions;

Once in operation, Rhyolite Ridge is expected to generate between US$13 million and US$31 million in annual fiscal revenue for state and local governments. The Project will provide important and sustained tax revenue to this region of Nevada;

Environmental justice has been a key objective of the project, including participating in formal consultation with and outreach to interested tribal bands; and

US environmental standards are among the most stringent and rigorously enforced in the world, and Rhyolite Ridge has undergone four years of intensive environmental review.

Committed steps towards production in US

Executive chairman James Calaway said: We appreciate the Biden Administration for taking a whole of government approach and aggressively moving forward to address the clear need to bolster critical mineral production in the United States.

The steps outlined today show a commitment and willingness to address this urgent need head-on.

Our project in Nevada is shovel-ready with the approval of this administration.

Rhyolite Ridge is the most advanced lithium development project in the US and will become a major domestic supplier of refined lithium products, with enough supply of lithium materials for 400,000 electric vehicles each year.

Rhyolite Ridge provides a clear example of how the Administration can swiftly work to bring stakeholders together to ensure the project is approved with all the necessary safeguards in place.

We look forward to continuing our work with the US Government to create hundreds of good-paying and rewarding jobs while helping solve the climate crisis.
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Faurot Field will host its last COVID-19 mass vaccination clinic Thursday, as MU Health Care says they will now shift their focus to smaller outreach clinics in primary care clinics.

Brad Myers with MU Health Care said the hope is that in bringing the vaccine closer to residents, they will be able to vaccinate those who were unable to attend the larger mass vaccination events.

Myers also said this adds a level of trust to the vaccine unachievable in mass clinics, with residents able to receive the vaccine from their primary care physician.

"There tends to be a lot of trust between community members and physicians so if we can take the vaccine to the physicians locations, we feel like there is going to be some opportunity." Myers said, "If its 5,000 vaccines at Faurot Field or we give 50 at one of our clinics we still feel like we can provide value to our community."

MU Health Care will offer vaccinations at different locations Tuesdays - Fridays:

Tuesdays 8 a.m. - 12 p.m. South Providence Medical Building, 551 E Southampton Dr., Columbia

Wednesdays 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Mizzou Pharmacy-Smiley Lane, 2325 Smiley Lane, Columbia

Thursdays 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. Mizzou Pharmacy-Battle Avenue, 7115 E St. Charles Rd., Columbia

Fridays 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. Fulton Family Health, 2613 Fairway Dr., Suite C, Fulton



Appointments can be made by calling the COVID-19 vaccine call center at 573-771-CARE (2273). The call center is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Storage is an issue, with transporting vaccines out to primary care clinics.

Myers said the health care system is at an advantage by having a centered distribution process saying, "We store the vaccine in one location then the day of the clinic we can distribute the vaccine from our central location to the individual clinics."

Sara Humm with the Columbia/Boone County Health Department said it will also now focus on smaller outreach clinics and have even held polls asking residents for locations to set up clinics, this summer.
President Joe Biden wants to pay for his infrastructure plan by raising the corporate income tax rate.

It's an idea that's popular with most Americans if polls are accurate. However, Republicans in the Senate reject the idea of raising taxes to pay for the program. Talks between Biden and Senate Republicans broke down Tuesday.

Do you think the corporate tax rate should be raised to fund infrastructure? Vote in the poll below.
One significant result of the COVID-19 pandemic is that U.S. consumers have become more interested in buying American-made products. Recent polling shows that 40% of all consumers will no longer buy anything made in China. This is good news for Americas manufacturers since the poll also found that nearly 80% of consumers would be willing to pay more in order to see production move from China back to the United States.

Clearly, Americans want to buy products stamped Made in America. Unfortunately, Amazon, Walmart and other large online retailers are currently trying to block legislation that would make these shopping choices easier.

Last year, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., introduced legislation known as the COOL Online Act. Baldwins bill would mandate prominent labeling of country-of-origin and seller location for all products sold on the internet. Such product descriptions could help Americans find out exactly what theyre buying online and from whom, particularly if theyre hoping to buy American-made goods.

Requiring country-of-origin labeling should be a no-brainer, since current U.S. law only mandates that a products external packaging display its place of origin. At present, however, e-commerce websites often dont include country-of-origin information  since labeling laws were written before the advent of online shopping.

Baldwins bill easily passed a Senate committee last month with bipartisan support. Now, however, an assortment of large online retailers represented by the National Retail Federation and Amazon are actively trying to block Baldwins COOL Act from being included in wider Senate legislation.

Why would these importers oppose efforts to stamp a clear Made in China or Made in USA label on product listings? Because they continue to rake in record profits by selling a multitude of cheap goods from Chinese factories. Its estimated that 75% of all new goods being sold on Amazon come from China. And so, China provides a massive source of annual profit for importers of consumer goods.

Even though Chinese manufacturers continue to crank out a steady stream of shoddy products, Amazon and other online retailers have shown no interest in redirecting sales toward safer, American-made alternatives. Instead, they simply want to continue the profitable status quo.

A coalition of domestic U.S. manufacturers is fighting back, however. Theyve sent a letter to Congress urging support for country-of-origin labeling. As their letter explained, the group of online retailers trying to prevent the COOL Online Act from becoming law undermines the actions of policymakers on both sides of the aisle. More importantly, it harms millions of American consumers who want to know where the products they buy are made.

Congress must fight to ensure that Americas families know exactly what theyre buying online with their hard-earned money. Both the House and Senate should support country-of-origin labeling for all e-commerce transactions. Anything less could potentially put American lives at risk.
While some students stayed cool in their classrooms this week, others were sent home early to escape the sweltering heat in their schools.

The Connecticut Education Association, the union representing the majority of teachers in the state, is calling on federal coronavirus relief funds to be used to install, maintain and repair heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems in schools.

Too many of our schools lack air conditioning or have ventilation problems that lead to toxic mold, Jeff Leake, president of the union, said in a statement. Poor air quality in classrooms could also lead to a resurgence of COVID-19 and other health problems for our students, especially since elementary and some middle school students are not yet eligible for vaccines.

Danbury area schools vary on whether they have air conditioning. Wealthier districts like Ridgefield have air conditioning in all schools, while Danbury does not have it in most schools.

With temperatures in the 80s and 90s this week, some districts without air conditioning, including Danbury and New Fairfield, dismissed students early.

The reason for the early dismissal is that there is not going to be adequate learning going on if the rooms are so hot and the kids are uncomfortable, said Kathy ODowd, the health and nursing services coordinator for Danbury Public Schools. Its distracting. It distracts from the learning process.

COVID-19 protocols, including mask wearing and the prohibition of fans, made conditions hotter in the classrooms.

In the past, we might have persevered through this by putting in fans, having extra water, but we cant use fans, said Christine Carver, superintendent in Bethel, where the high school was dismissed early this week due to lack of air conditioning. In addition, the mask mandate makes it even more uncomfortable.

Updating systems

Two years ago, teachers in the state recorded temperature and humidity levels in their classrooms, with some temperatures reaching as high as 108 degrees, the union said.

H John Voorhees III / Hearst Connecticut Media

Leake noted that when it gets too hot, students cant learn, and teachers cant teach.

A bill before the legislature this week would use federal funds to improve air quality and air conditioning in schools, said Leake, adding the bill still doesnt go far enough.

Bethel plans to use some of its federal coronavirus relief funds and town money to update its HVAC system at the high school, Carver said. The system wasnt updated when the school was renovated in 2007 to 2009.

Parts of the high school have air conditioning, but a number of classrooms do not, she said. One of the two HVAC units scheduled to be replaced this summer failed this week.

I dont know that it would have changed things drastically, but it just made it worse, Carver said.

We put a Band-Aid on it to fix it, but its not running at capacity, she added. The unit needs to be replaced. Its from 1975.

In Bethel, Berry Elementary School has had air conditioning, while Rockwell and Johnson elementary schools got it in the renovations completed this year.

Bethel Middle School has air conditioning, too, but the school needed to replace its chiller plant last year. After the system failed in the heat in September 2018, Carver had described students slipping in the hallways because the humidity was so severe.

Due to COVID, Bethel had reconfigured its HVAC systems and, in the heat, needed to adjust again, Carver said. Before this was worked out, some classrooms were hotter, so some students had to be moved to cooler spaces, she said.

Region 12 has air conditioning in all the schools and did not need to dismiss students early this week, said Megan Bennett, superintendent for the district that serves Bridgewater, Roxbury and Washington.

Carol Kaliff / Hearst Connecticut Media

The district has been working to add air conditioning for multiple years, with some units added this school year after electrical work was done, she said.

Its a challenge when you have older buildings because its not just putting in an AC unit into a window, Bennett said. There are a lot of factors, and for a lot of districts it may be a multi-year process depending on ages of schools.

AC vs hot conditions

Ridgefield schools replaced a few of its air conditioning units this week, but otherwise maximized, them, Superintendent Susie Da Silva said. All the classroom spaces have AC, so the schools remained open.

There may be a few auxiliary spaces that do not, she said in an email. That said, staff could move to open AC spaces if needed.

Contributed photo / Hearst Connecticut Media

New Milford dismissed early on Monday and Tuesday due to oppressive humidity levels and high temperatures, Superintendent Alisha DiCorpo said in a message to families. The district was on its regular accelerated early dismissal schedule on Wednesday, she said.

Brookfield has air conditioning or unit ventilation in the elementary and middle schools, while the high school has already been dismissing early at 1 p.m. due to lunch protocols during COVID, Superintendent John Barile said in a message to families on Sunday.

Brookfield planned to offer frequent mask and water breaks, he said. Students were urged to wear appropriate clothing for the weather.

Should a family feel it is too hot for their child to attend school, please know that the district encourages families to exercise their parental decision making authority, Barile said Sunday.

A few of Danburys elementary schools and the new addition and media at Danbury High School have air conditioning.

Ellsworth Avenue Elementary School is one of the few buildings with air conditioning, so the soon-to-be constructed addition of that school will, too, ODowd said. The career academy will also have air conditioning because the Summit development where the school will be built has it, she said.

But the majority of the high school and most of the other buildings do not, ODowd said.

At the height of the day, especially for the elementaries in the afternoon, its oppressive, she said. Having to wear a mask on top of that, it makes it more challenging.
CDC / TNS

Connecticuts Department of Public Health is getting roughly $17.4 million for its response to COVID-19-related health disparities, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Wednesday.

Its not just Connecticut that would see funds in furtherance of this effort  the agency said that its part of a $2.25 billion nationwide investment across two years.
The state education department has released its plan for spending $110 million  its portion of the $1.1 billion American Rescue Plan dollars pouring into the state and local school districts.

The Connecticut State Department of Education announced on Wednesday its priorities for the most recent round of federal support, which include summer programs, in-person learning next year, academic help for students, social-emotional and mental health support and workforce development.

The states plan, which was due to the U.S. Department of Education this week, is focused on renewal, reducing gaps and accelerating learning, said Acting Commissioner of Education Charlene Russell-Tucker in a statement.

3 1 of 3 Ned Gerard / Hearst Connecticut Media Show More Show Less 2 of 3 John Moore / Getty Images Show More Show Less 3 of 3





ESSER (Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief) I created the opportunity to survive; ESSER II created the opportunity to thrive; and ARP ESSER is giving us the opportunity to reimagine our schools in a way that transforms students lives and is responsive to the needs of our school communities, Russell-Tucker said.

The state set-aside includes $55 million to address learning loss, $11 million for summer enrichment and $11 million for afterschool programs, all designations required of the federal funds.

To achieve the goals, Connecticut will provide statewide curricula for teachers to craft their own programs to meet their students needs. It will also extend a contract with two vendors providing online curricula and courses to school districts at no cost  digital resources the proposal describes as supplemental.

The department also outlined its use of American Rescue Plan dollars to support summer innovation and expansion grants, the recipients of which were recently announced.

These grants will go a long way toward achieving our administrations goal of ensuring that all students in Connecticut have access to summer enrichment experiences that supplement their school activities, Gov. Ned Lamont said at the time, especially for those over the last year who have lost out on in-person classroom experience during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Connecticut will also reserve funds for five school districts and three endowed academies that werent eligible for formula funding through the federal act.

For the future, state officials said theyre focused on one-time investments or seed money for programs that can become self-sustaining. Theyre also looking at initiatives with measurable impact, so when funds run out theres demonstrable proof of merit for philanthropy and government funding, they said.

Priorities include supporting students with disabilities through stipends to districts for special education and English learners. Possible initiatives include providing bilingual teacher certification pathways, supporting district programs and local organization partnerships, building dual-language programs and promoting culturally relevant teaching.

The state could also allocate funds to devices and connectivity for students involved in the justice system, and supports and training to reduce exclusionary student discipline practices, the plan states.

Also top of list are social-emotional supports, which could include supporting existing providers, working with or creating school-based health centers and hiring additional staff.

Connecticut is also looking into tutoring efforts; local partnerships to boost high-school engagement; and increased credit recovery, FAFSA and adult education support.

The state has plans to support its educator workforce, too. The department is looking to expand its teacher recruitment and retention programs and professional development related to technology, cultural sensitivity and racial bias, and emotional and mental health support for students.

A portion of the funds will go to a grassroots marketing campaign to reach families and promote relief-fund initiatives.

The Connecticut State Department of Education said the priorities came from discussions with educators and organizations to ask for their input and two sessions of public comment last month.

The department will keep some funds on reserve for unforeseen needs before September 2024, officials said.
RICHMOND, Va. (AP)  Challengers from across the ideological spectrum ousted or appeared close to defeating a handful of incumbents in the Virginia House of Delegates, including a Republican and several Democrats, in Tuesdays primary election.

The nomination contests turn the page toward whats expected to be a hotly contested battle for control of the House in the fall.

Republicans will be looking to wrest control from Democrats, who in the past two years have passed transformative legislation thats made Virginia an outlier in the South. Theyve expanded voting access, loosened abortion restrictions, legalized marijuana, passed a clean energy mandate, repealed the death penalty and raised the minimum wage.

In an interview, House Speaker Eileen Filler-Corn called it a strong night for her Democratic caucus, which had faced challengers against 14 incumbents.

Its going to be our focus now to make sure Virginians are reminded exactly what we were able to accomplish and why its important that we maintain the majority, she said.

House Republican Leader Todd Gilbert said Democrats would be saddled with a raft of newcomers who believe Virginia hasnt gone far enough in punishing law enforcement and coddling criminals.

Democrats have nominated a slate of candidates who want to continue the failed policies that have seen Virginias national standing diminish over the last two years. The House Republican Caucus looks forward to working with our statewide ticket and House candidates to defeat Democrats up and down the ballot this November," he said in a statement.

Among the Democratic incumbents who lost their House seat was Del. Mark Levine of Alexandria, who was defeated in the 45th District race by challenger Elizabeth Bennett-Parker. Levine had invested hundreds of thousands of dollars of his own money in a campaign for lieutenant governor, which he lost. Bennett-Parker is an established figure in Alexandria politics; she currently serves as vice mayor.

In the 79th District, which covers parts of Hampton Roads, centrist Democrat Steve Heretick lost a primary challenge on his left to Nadarius Clark, a 26-year-old community activist.

Clark said in an interview last month with The Associated Press that he wanted to bring a more progressive voice to Richmond. During the campaign, he criticized Hereticks votes against bills allowing localities to remove Confederate monuments, ending qualified immunity and banning assault weapons.

In northern Virginia, two of the caucus' most far-left members appeared to concede in tight races that AP had not yet called late Tuesday.

In the 86th District, Del. Ibraheem Samirah, who drew national attention in 2019 for a flamboyant protest during a visit to Jamestown by former President Donald Trump, was trailing challenger Irene Shin.

We didnt get the election result we wanted. I am still immensely proud of the campaign we ran, he tweeted.

In the 50th House District, in the Manassas area, Democratic incumbent Del. Lee Carter was behind challenger Michelle E. Lopes-Maldonado in a three-way race. Carter also ran unsuccessfully in the gubernatorial primary. The two-term incumbent is a socialist who never had close ties with the party establishment.

He tweeted that the job had made him miserable and he was relieved to say that Ive done my part, and now its someone elses turn.

On the Republican side, Wren Williams, an attorney who worked on former President Donald Trumps unsuccessful Wisconsin recount, ousted long-serving incumbent Del. Charles Poindexter.

Poindexter had served in the House since 2008, representing the conservative 9th House District, which covers parts of Franklin, Patrick and Henry counties south of Roanoke.

Williams will face Democrat Bridgette Craighead in November.

The people here, they just mandated change and wanted somebody who was going to be an advocate and a fighter on their behalf, Williams told the Roanoke Times. They wanted somebody who was more passionate and energetic.

During the race, Williams characterized Poindexter as a career politician and criticized him for not speaking out about alleged voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election, even though numerous officials have confirmed that widespread fraud did not occur.

I saw firsthand what happens when election integrity isnt maintained, he said in a campaign ad.

The Wisconsin recount in the key battleground states two largest Democratic counties cost Trump $3 million and confirmed Democrat Joe Bidens victory.

Poindexter, now retired from a career in information systems technology, is a conservative Republican who has been outspoken against Democrats environmental agenda and on bills giving localities the ability to remove Confederate monuments.

In a statement, Gilbert congratulated Williams on his win and thanked Poindexter for his service, calling him a stalwart conservative.

Republicans had only three incumbents facing primary challengers Tuesday. The other two, Del. Kathy Byron and Del. Ronnie Campbell, won handily.
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP)  All 5-year-old children in Louisiana should receive a kindergarten education, lawmakers decided Wednesday.

With one day remaining in the legislative session, lawmakers sent the measure by Sen. Cleo Fields, a Baton Rouge Democrat, to the governor's desk. The Senate voted 38-0 for the final version of the legislation, while the House backed it in a 70-32 vote.

Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards supports the bill and will sign it into law.

The requirement will take effect with the 2022-23 school year. It is estimated to add up to 2,800 students to kindergarten rolls when the mandate starts.

Louisiana children currently must attend school from the ages of 7 to 18, unless they graduate early from high school. Fields bill will require kindergarten attendance for children who turn 5 years old by Sept. 30 of each year. A parent can defer the kindergarten enrollment if the child is 4 years old on the first day of school or if the child is enrolled in a pre-K program.

Supporters said mandatory kindergarten will help children from falling behind, noting studies show 90% of brain development happens between birth and age 5. They said 19 other states require mandatory kindergarten, including Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and Texas, and they said those Southern states with mandatory kindergarten have higher literacy rates than Louisiana. And they noted that barely half of Louisiana's students in grades K-3 are reading on grade level today.

Fields called the legislation one of the most important bills I have this session."

Investing in early childhood education makes a big difference for the state of Louisiana. Theres nothing more important we can do for kids, he said during a House budget review of the bill. When you invest in kids early in life, they tend to do better.

Lawmakers in prior years had refused to require students to attend kindergarten, but an increased focus in Louisiana on early childhood education appears to have swayed some votes.

Opponents  largely a group of conservative lawmakers in the House  said parents should be allowed to make decisions about their childrens education and shouldn't be at risk of fines or jail time for refusing to send a child to kindergarten.

How do we know that being with family is not more important than being in school? Rep. Raymond Crews, a Bossier City Republican, said during committee debate. To me this looks like we're trying to parent our children through schools.

The bill has provisions to allow families to homeschool their children for kindergarten if they report that information to the state Department of Education.

___

The bill is filed as Senate Bill 10.

___

Follow Melinda Deslatte on Twitter at http://twitter.com/melindadeslatte.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP)  The state announced the third pair of Ohio Vax-a-Million winners Wednesday evening even as the initial bump from the incentive program fades and the vaccination numbers continue dropping.

The Ohio Lottery announced the winners at the end of the lotterys Cash Explosion TV show for the third week in a row. The lottery, offering $1 million prizes for vaccinated adults and full-ride college scholarships for children, kicked off a wave of similar incentive lotteries nationally.

This week's winners are Mark Cline, of Richwood in Union County, for the $1 million and Sara Afaneh, of Sheffield Lake in Lorain County, for the college scholarship.

Last week, Jonathan Carlyle, of Toledo, won the $1 million prize and Zoie Vincent, of Mayfield Village in Cuyahoga County, won the college scholarship.

More than 3.3 million Ohioans entered their names for a shot at the $1 million, up a little from the 3.2 million who had registered for last weeks drawing. More than 143,000 children entered their names for the scholarship, up from just over 133,000 last week.

Initially, Gov. Mike DeWines May 12 announcement of the incentive program had the desired effect, leading to a 43% boost in state vaccination numbers over the previous week.

Carlyle said the incentive pushed him to finally get the vaccine after weeks of putting it off.

When yall announced the Vax-a-Million, as soon as I heard that, I was like Yes, I need to go do this now,' the 40-year-old told Cincinnati.com.

But the effect was short-lived, with vaccinations falling again the following week.

Even the news of the first two winners May 26 and a news conference featuring them the next day could not stop the decline. Only about 61,000 people 16 and older received a vaccine from May 27 through June 2, a drop of about 43% from the previous week, according to an Associated Press analysis of state Health Department data.

Ohio figures still are not close to the highs of March and April. And vaccine reluctance appears to be so great that on Monday, DeWine made an urgent appeal to providers to distribute as many shots of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine as possible, with 200,000 doses set to expire June 23.

For Ohioans who have been waiting to get their vaccine, I urge you to take action now, DeWine said.

But for some, the chance of winning $1 million isnt enough to overcome skepticism about the vaccine. Joanna Lawrence of Bethel in southwestern Ohio says the COVID-19 survivability rate is so high, and the experiences of people she knows who took the vaccine are so bad, that she sees no need to risk a shot for herself. She also made it through her own bout of the coronavirus in August.

My life is not worth money, said Lawrence, 51, who farms and works in commercial real estate. I can always get more money if I need to. I cannot get another life.

About 5.4 million people in Ohio have received at least one shot of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines or the Johnson and Johnson vaccine, or about 46% of the population. About 4.8 million people, or 41% of the population, have completed the process.

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Follow APs coverage of the pandemic at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic.
China's Hong Kong-Georgia tax treaty to come into force

Xinhua) 14:06, June 09, 2021

HONG KONG, June 8 (Xinhua) -- China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government announced on Tuesday that the Comprehensive Avoidance of Double Taxation Agreement it signed with Georgia will come into force on July 1.

The agreement, signed in October last year, will be in force after the completion of the relevant ratification procedures. The agreement will have effect in respect of Hong Kong tax for any year of assessment beginning on or after April 1, 2022, a spokesman for the HKSAR government said.

Georgia participates in the Belt and Road Initiative, the spokesman said, adding that the agreement will bring a greater degree of certainty on tax liabilities for those who engage in cross-border business activities, and help promote bilateral trade and investment activities.

(Web editor: Guo Wenrui, Liang Jun)
Securities will remain halted until Friday, June 11, or when an announcement is released to the market.

The company's research program with Minotaur Exploration will evaluate how halloysite nanotubes could be used in fertiliser.

( ) has been granted a trading halt by the ASX with an announcement pending related to a market update for the Great White Kaolin Project.

The halt will remain in place until the beginning of regular trade on Friday, June 11, or when an announcement is released to the market - whichever occurs earliest.

Research agricultural applications

Andromeda and partner ( ) are set to embark on a three-year, $2.4 million research project that evaluates how halloysite nanotubes could be used in fertiliser that better delivers nutrients to crops.

The industrial minerals company and fellow ASX-lister Minotaur will launch the program via their joint research venture, Natural Nanotech.

Soil scientists, agronomists and industry partners will all contribute to the study, which is set to kick off this month and was awarded a research grant from the Cooperative Research Centre for High-Performance Soils (Soil CRC), funded by the Australian Government.

Natural Nanotechs upcoming program will utilise halloysite clay sourced from Andromeda and Minotaurs Great White Kaolin Deposit in South Australia.
JACKSON, Miss. (AP)  Mayors won reelection Tuesday in Mississippi's two largest cities, Jackson and Gulfport, and a Republican was elected in Tupelo to succeed the Democratic mayor who did not seek a third term.

Voter turnout was low in several cities as people elected mayors, council members or aldermen for the four-year term that begins July 1.

In Jackson, Democratic Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba, who's an attorney, won a second term. He defeated Republican Jason Wells and three independent candidates  Shafeqah BigMama Lodree, Charlotte Reeves and Les Tannehill.

We arent satisfied. Its only a start. We want to build a movement that represents all of us," Lumumba said at an election-night party, according to the Clarion Ledger.

Republican Billy Hewes, who is a former state senator, won a third term as Gulfport mayor by defeating Democratic challenger Howard Page. Hewes told the Sun Herald that he plans to focus on attracting tech jobs tied to Gulf of Mexico exploration.

Real estate agent Todd Jordan, a Republican, defeated attorney Victor Fleitas to succeed Jason Shelton as Tupelo mayor, the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal reported.

Its been a long journey," Jordan told the newspaper. "Were to the end of it as far as the campaign, but its just the beginning on what we want to do.

In the Gulf Coast city of Gautier, former City Council member Casey Vaughn, an independent, defeated first-term Republican Mayor Phil Torjusen.

In the open race for Moss Point mayor, Democrat Billy Knight defeated Republican Richard McBride and independent Howard Bailey. Knight is a longtime businessman and former school board president.

Meridian voters elected Democrat Jimmie Smith as the new mayor, the Meridian Star reported. Smith is a former Meridian police officer and former Lauderdale County supervisor. He defeated current Mayor Percy Bland in the Democratic primary in April, then defeated Republican Robert Ray and independent Weston Lindemann on Tuesday.

Vicksburg Mayor George Flaggs Jr., an independent, won a third term by defeating Democrat Troy Kimble and independent Daryl Hollingsworth, the Vicksburg Post reported. Flaggs previously served as a Democrat in the state House.

Oxford Mayor Robyn Tannehill, an independent, won a second term by defeating first-time Democratic candidate Brandon Pettis, the Oxford Eagle reported. Tannehill was elected as a Democrat in 2017 but dropped the party label this year.

Hattiesburg Mayor Toby Barker, an independent, won a second term by defeating Democrat Lakeylah White, the Hattiesburg American reported. Barker previously served as a Republican in the state House.

Starkville Mayor Lynn Spruill, a Democrat, was unopposed for a second term.
TORONTO, June 9, 2021 /CNW/ - The governments of Canada and Ontario are investing more than $115.1 million to protect the health, and well- being of residents in 30 municipalities across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA).

Details were provided by the Honourable Catherine McKenna, Federal Minister of Communities and Infrastructure; and Stephen Crawford, Parliamentary Assistant to Ontario's Minister of Infrastructure and Member of Provincial Parliament for Oakville, on behalf of the Honourable Laurie Scott, Ontario's Minister of Infrastructure.

Communities across Canada are on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic, and need immediate assistance to ensure their public infrastructure is safe and reliable.

That is why both orders of government have been taking decisive action to support families, businesses and communities, and continue to look ahead to see what more can be done in these unprecedented times.

The Government of Canada is investing over $92.1 million in municipalities through the COVID-19 Resilience Infrastructure Stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program. The Government of Ontario is contributing more than $23 million.

The majority of funding will support the rehabilitation of active transit infrastructure, the development of modern and accessible recreational options, and upgrades and replacement of equipment in health and emergency facilities in communities across the GTHA. Additional investments will support increased options for active transportation, and the renovation of municipal buildings, community centres and cultural facilities. These improvements will provide safe and inclusive spaces for residents across the GTHA.

The COVID-19 Resilience Infrastructure Stream, implemented in response to the pandemic, allows the Government of Canada to invest up to 80% of eligible costs for projects in provinces, and up to 100% for projects in territories and Indigenous communities. The Province of Ontario will invest 20% of the eligible costs for projects across the province.

Quotes

"The COVID-19 pandemic has had a major impact on the wellbeing of all Canadians and ensuring that residents have access to safe and inclusive community spaces is essential. Across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area we're investing over $92 million - 80 cents on every dollar - through the COVID-19 Resilience Municipal Stream to support municipalities with better ventilation in building such a as shelters, improved accessibility, sidewalk upgrades and new bike lanes, to improve safety and access for residents now and in the future. Canada's infrastructure plan invests in thousands of projects, creates jobs across the country, and builds stronger, more resilient communities."

The Honourable Catherine McKenna, Federal Minister of Infrastructure and Communities

"In the face of COVID-19, the Ontario government continues to move forward with infrastructure investments to accelerate the building of projects to make communities more inclusive and create jobs. We are supporting vital infrastructure projects in the Greater Toronto Area in places like Oakville, Burlington, Milton, Mississauga, and Durham that protect people's health and well-being while contributing to the province's economic recovery. The province will continue to fund important projects that strengthen Ontario's towns and cities."

Stephen Crawford, Parliamentary Assistant to Ontario's Minister of Infrastructure and Member of Provincial Parliament for Oakville, on behalf of the Honourable Laurie Scott, Ontario's Minister of Infrastructure

Quick facts

Through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Plan, the Government of Canada is investing more than $180 billion over 12 years in public transit projects, green infrastructure, social infrastructure, trade and transportation routes, and Canada's rural and northern communities. Ontario is investing $10.2 billion in this program.

Infrastructure Plan, the Government of is investing more than over 12 years in public transit projects, green infrastructure, social infrastructure, trade and transportation routes, and rural and northern communities. Ontario is investing in this program. To support Canadians and communities during the COVID-19 pandemic, a COVID-19 Resilience Infrastructure Stream has been added to the over $33-billion Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program to help fund pandemic-resilient infrastructure. Existing program streams have also been adapted to include more eligible project categories.

Investing in Infrastructure Program to help fund pandemic-resilient infrastructure. Existing program streams have also been adapted to include more eligible project categories. The COVID-19 Resilience Infrastructure Stream funding stream guarantees a minimum of $100,000 to each of the province's 444 municipalities. Additional funding has been allocated to municipalities based on a variety of factors, including the value of infrastructure and median household income in each municipality.

to each of the province's 444 municipalities. Additional funding has been allocated to municipalities based on a variety of factors, including the value of infrastructure and median household income in each municipality. Through the COVID-19 Resilience Infrastructure Stream, over $3 billion is available to provide provinces and territories with added flexibility to fund quick-start, short term projects.

is available to provide provinces and territories with added flexibility to fund quick-start, short term projects. The Government of Canada has invested over $13.9 billion in more than 3,200 infrastructure projects across Ontario under the Investing in Canada plan.

has invested over in more than 3,200 infrastructure projects across under the Investing in plan. For further information on the projects announced today, please contact your local municipalities.

Backgrounder

Canada and Ontario invest more than $115.1 Million in municipal infrastructure to respond to the impacts of COVID-19 in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area

Joint federal and provincial funding through the Investing in Canada Plan will support 30 municipalities throughout the Greater Toronto, Hamilton Area (GTHA).

The Government of Canada is investing more than $92.1 million towards these projects through the COVID-19 Resilience Stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program. The Government of Ontario is contributing more than $23 million to the projects.

The COVID-19 Resilience Infrastructure Stream, implemented in response to the pandemic, allows the Government of Canada to invest up to 80% of eligible costs for projects in provinces, and up to 100% for projects in territories and Indigenous communities. The Ontario government will invest 20% of the eligible costs for projects across the province.

The majority of funding will support the rehabilitation of active transit infrastructure, the development of modern and accessible recreational options, and upgrades and replacement of equipment in health and emergency facilities in communities across the GTHA. Additional investments will support increased options for active transportation, and the renovation of municipal buildings, community centres and cultural facilities. These improvements will provide safe and inclusive spaces for residents across the GTHA.

Funding recipients:

Municipality Federal Contribution Provincial Contribution Town of Ajax $977,291 $244,323 Town of Aurora $413,845 $103,461 Corporation of the City of Brampton $9,412,148 $2,353,037 Township of Brock $80,000 $20,000 City of Burlington $681,760 $170,440 Town of Caledon $3,433,962 $858,491 Corporation of the Municipality of Clarington $471,726 $117,931 Regional Municipality of Durham $779,620 $194,905 Town of East Gwillimbury $110,400 $27,600 Town of Georgina $405,600 $101,400 Corporation of the Regional Municipality of Halton $3,596,800 $899,200 Town of Halton Hills $322,574 $80,644 City of Hamilton $5,947,200 $1,486,800 Township of King $156,174 $39,043 City of Markham $5,831,327 $1,457,832 Town of Milton $2,164,706 $541,176 City of Mississauga $17,739,200 $4,434,800 Town of Newmarket $420,729 $105,182 Town of Oakville $1,859,925 $464,981 City of Oshawa $600,754 $150,189 Regional Municipality of Peel $960,000 $240,000 City of Pickering $178,007 $44,502 Town of Richmond Hill $557,983 $139, 496 Township of Scugog $80,000 $20,000 City of Toronto $14,452,861 $3,613,215 Township of Uxbridge $2,363,674 $590,918 City of Vaughan $12,110,565 $3,027,641 Town of Whitby $1,158,265 $289,566 Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville $259,376 $64,844 Regional Municipality of York $4,600,000 $1,150,000

Associated links

Investing in COVID-19 Community Resilience

https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/covid-19-resilience-eng.html

Investing in Canada: Canada's Long-Term Infrastructure Plan

http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/icp-publication-pic-eng.html

Federal infrastructure investments in Ontario

https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/prog-proj-on-eng.html#1

Investing in Canada Plan Project Map

http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/map

Ontario Builds Project Map

https://www.ontario.ca/page/building-ontario

Follow us on Twitter , Facebook and Instagram

Web: Infrastructure Canada

SOURCE Infrastructure Canada

For further information: Michelle Johnston, Director of Communications, Office of the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, 613-298-7386, [email protected]; Christine Bujold, Press Secretary, Office of the Honourable Laurie Scott, Ontario's Minister of Infrastructure, 416-454-1782, [email protected]; Sofia Sousa-Dias, Communications Branch, Ontario Ministry of Infrastructure, 437-991-3391, [email protected]; Media Relations, Infrastructure Canada, 613-960-9251, Toll free: 1-877-250-7154, Email: [email protected]

Related Links

www.infrastructure.gc.ca


VANCOUVER, BC, June 8, 2021 /CNW/ - Pacific salmon have social and cultural significance for many Canadians and they are economically vital to many local communities. These iconic species are experiencing drastic population declines due to a combination of climate, habitat and harvesting pressures. Bold, transformative action is needed now to stabilize, protect and rebuild West Coast salmon stocks for the ecosystems and communities that depend on them, before it is too late.

Today, the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, the Honourable Bernadette Jordan, announced the guiding principles of the federal government's $647.1 million Pacific Salmon Strategy Initiative (PSSI) announced in Budget 2021, and a full commitment to work in partnership with local organizations and groups in its development and delivery. The strategy will represent the largest-ever Government investment in efforts to save Pacific salmon, and aims to stop the declines now while helping rebuild populations over the longer term.

The PSSI is a comprehensive initiative that will build on and support the years of work and wisdom that grassroots organizations, Indigenous communities, scientists and others have already put into efforts to protect and recover Pacific salmon. In the coming months, DFO will invite key partners to the table to identify and prioritize actions to support healthy salmon  a necessary, holistic approach that has not been undertaken before.

The plan will guide investments and action in four key areas: conservation and stewardship, enhanced hatchery production, harvest transformation, and integrated management and collaboration.

The four pillars of the PSSI are designed to support a strategic and coordinated long term response, rooted in collaborative action. They represent stronger science and habitat restoration, stabilizing and growing the salmon populations, sustainable and reliable fisheries, and deeper communication and coordination between partners.

New policies, programs, and actions under each pillar of the strategy will move ahead in collaboration with the wide range of Indigenous partners, harvesters, recreational fishers, stakeholders, and communities who depend on Pacific salmon, and who have the knowledge to contribute to Canada's effort to sustain and rebuild Pacific salmon stocks.

Quote



"Many Pacific wild salmon are on the verge of collapse, and we need to take bold, ambitious action now if we are to reverse the trend and give them a fighting chance at survival. The issues they face are challenging, but today's announcement marks the beginning of a new chapter where we will attack the problems together, and from all sides. We will be working closely with Indigenous communities, harvesters, recreational fishers, industry, environmental organizations, and Provincial and Territorial partners, to advance actions under each pillar, to stabilize the species, and to support a more modern, sustainable, and economically resilient sector. Together, we can save wild Pacific salmon, for the people, livelihoods, and lifeforms that depend on it."

The Honourable Bernadette Jordan, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard

"As we make our way through this pandemic, it's clear to me that there is nothing Canadians cannot achieve by working together. The fight to save our West Coast's iconic Pacific salmon is another battle we must not lose. Between Fisheries and Oceans Canada's long-term comprehensive strategy to curb the decline of Pacific salmon, my Department's commitment to address climate change, and the support for this initiative of the countless Canadians whose lives are profoundly affected by this species, future generations will enjoy Pacific salmon."

The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Environment and Climate Change

"The causes of Pacific salmon declines are complex, but we know from experience that cooperation among the scientific and conservation communities at local, national and internationals levels is required in order to halt recent trends. As Parliamentary Secretary and as a proud British Columbian, I am committed to reversing these trends. This announcement aims to do exactly that."

Terry Beech, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard

Quick Facts

In 2019, Fisheries and Oceans Canada's (DFO) State of Pacific Salmon report outlined how salmon are responding to climate and habitat changes. The planet is warming, and the most recent five years have been the warmest on record. Warming oceans have created changes to the marine food web as well as warmer freshwater conditions, and more extreme rain and drought. These factors are contributing to current trends in salmon numbers.

Many Pacific salmon stocks are declining to historic lows; 50 Pacific salmon populations are currently under consideration for potential listing under the Species at Risk Act , or pending assessment by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in (COSEWIC) .

, or pending assessment by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in (COSEWIC) For example, Chinook populations in the Fraser River are in the midst of a steep decline, and are being highly impacted by low returns to their spawning grounds, reduced survival in both freshwater and marine lifecycle phases resulting in reduced reproduction success, habitat pressures and a changing climate. Most Fraser River Chinook have been classified as at risk by COSEWIC

After conservation, DFO has a legal obligation to provide priority access for First Nations food, social and ceremonial (FSC), treaty and rights based fisheries, but in recent years many have not been able to meet their harvest allocations because of low salmon returns.

DFO has several initiatives currently under way to address declining Pacific salmon stocks: the Wild Salmon Policy 2018-2022 Implementation Plan, Coastal Restoration Fund, BC Salmon Restoration and Innovation Fund, Salmon Allocation Policy review, implementation funding for the renewed Pacific Salmon Treaty, and the Renewed Fisheries Act. The PSSI is expected to build upon these initiatives and transform the harvest sector for greater economic certainty, and support the many BC communities whose jobs and way of life rely on them.

Backgrounder

Pacific Salmon Strategy Initiative (PSSI)

The Pacific Salmon Strategy Initiative (PSSI) aims to curb historic declines in key Pacific salmon stocks and rebuild the species to a sustainable level. The Strategy will be a massive undertaking, unlike any before. It will not be a series of initiatives, but a single, guiding force that will steer investments, policies, and actions, with all levels of government and local organizations, for years to come.

This first-of-its-kind, multi-pronged approach, is built on four key pillars:

Conservation and stewardship;

Enhanced hatchery production;

Harvest transformation, and;

Integrated management and collaboration.

Conservation and Stewardship: Targeted science and more integrated data to drive effective decision-making around ecosystem planning and habitat restoration

Work with the Province of BC to double the British Columbia Salmon Restoration and Innovation Fund (BCSRIF) with an additional federal contribution of $100 million to the current $142.85M program. BCSRIF is co-funded by DFO and the Province of BC and was established in 2019 to help rebuild salmon habitats through community-level projects.

to the current program. BCSRIF is co-funded by DFO and the Province of BC and was established in 2019 to help rebuild salmon habitats through community-level projects. Deepen our understanding of salmon ecosystems  the rivers, estuaries, their migrating paths, and interactions  through increased salmon and ecosystem status reporting in order to strengthen decision-making. Investments will support a cross-disciplinary team, that will produce integrated salmon ecosystem data, research, and analysis to support program decisions.

Further integrate salmon, ecosystem and climate data to identify drivers of salmon survival, and assess their vulnerability to climate change and warming waters.

Create a new Restoration Centre of Expertise, as well as an arm's length advisory body, to collaborate on and support the work of our partners, which will help ensure that stewardship, rebuilding and habitat restoration projects are integrated and more effective.

Enhanced Hatchery Production: Increasing salmon populations to help stabilize stocks while creating economic harvesting opportunities

DFO is beginning consultations and planning to build new hatchery facilities where most critical to support Pacific salmon stocks. Salmon hatcheries can support both conservation and harvesting objectives, and play an important role in rebuilding vulnerable populations of Pacific salmon stocks. We will also strategically work with existing hatcheries to enhance their efforts, where needed, and to support economic opportunities for recreational fishers.

For all enhancement projects, DFO applies a broad suite of guidelines and best practices including genetic management guidelines that are updated as new knowledge becomes available. A variety of strategies that consider hatchery objectives, stock biology and status, and habitat condition of the target salmon populations are applied.

Consistent with the Wild Salmon Policy, the Salmon Enhancement Program undertakes decisions using a precautionary approach which includes the assessment of biological risks associated with the enhancement of each specific stock.

Hatcheries are also where fish are 'marked' to support mark selective fisheries. For example, where recreational anglers are permitted to fish marked hatchery fish only, ensuring that wild salmon are not targeted.

Harvest Transformation: Modernize and stabilize salmon fisheries

DFO will announce new modernized commercial salmon management approaches as part of the upcoming IFMP process.

First Nations will be consulted regarding potential new fishery management approaches, including potential innovative Food, Social and Ceremonial (FSC) harvesting opportunities, where the conservation risks can be managed.

DFO will work with recreational harvesters to modernize how recreational salmon fisheries are managed, and work to provide sustainable harvesting opportunities through marked selective fisheries.

Integrated Management and Collaboration: Strong partnerships for better outcomes

DFO recognizes the value and importance of partnerships with Indigenous peoples, provincial/territorial governments, harvesters, stewardship partners, academia, environmentalists, and other stakeholders, to work together towards the common goal of effectively stemming Pacific salmon declines. New ongoing engagement and consultation mechanisms will be explored and implemented so that, working together, we can realize better outcomes for Pacific salmon  including salmon habitat and ecosystems.

Given the complex and lengthy (4-5 year average) reproductive cycle of Pacific salmon, addressing the declines will involve a series of flexible, integrated measures that will be monitored and adjusted over the next five years and beyond. Work under each pillar will be advanced in collaboration with the wide range of Indigenous partners, harvesting groups, stakeholders and communities who depend on Pacific salmon, and who have been calling for dramatic change.

In the coming weeks, the Government of Canada will be engaging with these partners, leaning on the vast knowledge that exists to help determine how best to bring about these changes and make the greatest positive impact on Pacific salmon.

Associated Links

For more information:

Stay Connected

Follow Fisheries and Oceans Canada on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

Follow the Canadian Coast Guard on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

Subscribe to receive our news releases and more via RSS feeds. For more information or to subscribe, visit http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/media/rss-eng.htm

SOURCE Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Pacific Region

For further information: Jane Deeks, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, 343-550-9594, [email protected]; Media Relations, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 613-990-7537, [email protected]

Related Links

www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca


Funding for national official language organizations increased under the Action Plan for Official Languages.

OTTAWA, June 9, 2021 /CNW/ - Our two official languages are an integral part of our national identity. For Canadians living in official language minority communities, ensuring the survival and vitality of their language and culture is a daily act of resilience. The Government of Canada supports these communities by investing in local organizations that help their members learn, retain and celebrate their language.

The Honourable Melanie Joly, Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages, highlighted the Government of Canada's $9.5 million investment in 25 organizations in 202021. All organizations received a minimum 20-percent increase in 2018.Three organizations received funding for the first time.

Under the Action Plan for Official Languages 20182023, l'Alliance des producteurs francophones du Canada, le Front des realisateurs independants du Canada, and le Regroupement des gens d'affaires de la capitale nationale received program funding for the first time, providing financial stability, which helps them plan multi-year activities.

Quotes

"Canada's official language minority communities are part of the social fabric of our country, made up of many small, dedicated organizations that work tirelessly to ensure the sustainability and vitality of our communities. Our funding for 25 national organizations that support official languages minority communities will help strengthen Francophone institutions across the country. More than ever, the Government of Canada has a role to play in protecting linguistic rights from coast to coast to coast."

The Honourable Melanie Joly, Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages

"In every part of Canada, official language minority communities are working to keep their language and culture relevant, strong and thriving. Community organizations play a vital role in Canada's bilingual future by providing leadership and direction, while ensuring access to services, resources as well as cultural and language activities."

Marie-France Lalonde, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages (FedDev Ontario and Official Languages)

"At a time when our industry is undergoing profound changes, the core funding provided by Canadian Heritage will allow the Alliance des producteurs francophones du Canada to pursue its mission with determination: to ensure the growth of the country's audiovisual production by ensuring that the realities, talent and vitality of Francophones in minority communities are reflected."

Carol Ann Pilon, Executive Director, l'Alliance des producteurs francophones du Canada

Quick Facts

The Action Plan for Official Languages 20182023: Investing in Our Future proposes an unprecedented investment of $2.7 billion over five years, including $500 million in new funding, to support official language minority communities and promote bilingualism across the country.

On February 19, Minister Joly unveiled the document English and French: Towards a Substantive Equality of Official Languages in Canada, which outlined the Government of Canada's intentions to modernize and strengthen the Official Languages Act and related instruments. This document proposes a range of changes and new measures to achieve a new linguistic balance in the country.

In Budget 2021, the Government of Canada proposed $392 million for official language minority communities across the country. This funding aims to achieve greater levels of bilingualism, make high-quality post-secondary minority-language education available across Canada, support the construction, renovation and expansion of the educational and community spaces that serve official language minority communities and modernize the Official Languages Act.

Related Products

BACKGROUNDER

CLIENT NAME 20182019 FUNDING (BEFORE ACTION PLAN) TOTAL ALLOCATION IN 20202021 ALLIANCE DES PRODUCTEURS FRANCOPHONES DU CANADA N/A $120,000 ALLIANCE NATIONALE DE L'INDUSTRIE MUSICALE (ANIM) $105,800 $126,960 ASSOCIATION CANADIENNE D'EDUCATION DE LANGUE FRANCAISE $475,000 $570,000 ASSOCIATION CANADIENNE DES PROFESSIONNELS DE L'IMMERSION (ACPI) $275,000 $400,000 ASSOCIATION DE LA PRESSE FRANCOPHONE $340,000 $446,000 ASSOCIATION DES COLLEGES ET UNIVERSITES DE LA FRANCOPHONIE CANADIENNE $250,000 $345,000 ASSOCIATION DES GROUPES EN ARTS VISUELS FRANCOPHONES $75,000 $132,950 CANADIAN PARENTS FOR FRENCH $830,000 $1,116,000 FEDERATION DE LA JEUNESSE CANADIENNE-FRANCAISE INC. $480,000 $576,000 FEDERATION DES AINEES ET AINES FRANCOPHONES DU CANADA $165,000 $248,000 FEDERATION NATIONALE DES CONSEILS SCOLAIRES FRANCOPHONES $250,000 $300,000 FRONT DES REALISATEURS INDEPENDANTS DU CANADA (F.R.I.C.) N/A $142,500 LA COMMISSION NATIONALE DES PARENTS FRANCOPHONES INC. $212,000 $279,400 LA FEDERATION CULTURELLE CANADIENNE-FRANCAISE $645,000 $774,000 LA FEDERATION DES COMMUNAUTES FRANCOPHONES ET ACADIENNE DU CANADA INC. $950,000 $1,186,751 L'ALLIANCE DES FEMMES DE LA FRANCOPHONIE CANADIENNE (AFFC) $275,000 $342,100 L'ALLIANCE DES RADIOS COMMUNAUTAIRES DU CANADA INC. $337,500 $492,150 L'ASSOCIATION CANADIENNE DES PROFESSEURS DE LANGUES SECONDES INC./THE CANADIAN ASSOCIATION OF SECOND LANGUAGE TEACHERS INC. $305,000 $400,000 L'ASSOCIATION DES TREATRES FRANCOPHONES DU CANADA $120,000 $168,000 LE FRANCAIS POUR L'AVENIR / FRENCH FOR THE FUTURE $550,000 $680,000 REGROUPEMENT DES EDITEURS FRANCO-CANADIENS $78,000 $118,600 REGROUPEMENT DES GENS D'AFFAIRES DE LA CAPITALE NATIONALE INC N/A $100,000 RESEAU DES CEGEPS ET DES COLLEGES FRANCOPHONES DU CANADA $250,000 $300,000 RESEAU NATIONAL DES GALAS DE LA CHANSON $130,000 $195,000 SOCIETE POUR LE PERFECTIONNEMENT DE L'ENSEIGNEMENT DE L'ANGLAIS LANGUE SECONDE AU QUEBEC $47,500 $57,000 TOTAL $7,145,800 $9,616,441

Note: Organizations with "N/A" in the 20182019 column did not receive programming funding in that period.

Associated Links

Action Plan for Official Languages 20182023: Investing in Our Future

English and French: Towards a substantive equality of official languages in Canada

SOURCE Canadian Heritage

For further information: (media only), please contact: Catherine Mounier-Desrochers, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages, [email protected]; Media Relations, Canadian Heritage, 819-994-9101, 1-866-569-6155, [email protected]

Related Links

www.pch.gc.ca


OTTAWA, ON, June 8, 2021 /CNW/ - A strong and vibrant venture capital (VC) ecosystem is critical for innovation and scaling up in Canada, which will be crucial to our long-term growth and competitiveness. This ecosystem provides businesses with financial support and advisory services they need to scale up and grow their business, bringing made-in-Canada products and innovations to the world while anchoring their success in Canada.

Today, the Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade, highlighted the Government of Canada's commitment to increase its support to the VC market in Canada. During her remarks at the Canadian Venture Capital and Private Equity Association's annual Invest Canada conference, she noted that the government has committed to renewing the Venture Capital Catalyst Initiative (VCCI) through a $450-million investment announced in Budget 2021.

Canada's VC ecosystem has grown in recent years; 2019 set a new record in total investment, with $6.2 billion invested in Canadian businesses. A renewed VCCI builds on this momentum by investing $350 million in large national funds to support Canadian VC fund managers, $50 million in the life sciences sector and $50 million in inclusive growth. Through this investment, there is dedicated support for under-represented groups in the VC ecosystem such as women, Indigenous and racialized communities.

Increasing support for the VC industry is a win-win for Canada. It helps Canadian businesses get the financial support they need to scale up, access new markets and export their products and services to international customers, while also creating well-paying middle-class jobs. Investing in inclusive growth that harnesses the potential of all Canadians will generate growth, create jobs and boost the economy as it recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic.

A renewed VCCI represents the government's commitment to Canada's VC industry and will support the continued growth of Canada's innovation ecosystem.

Quotes

"A successful economic recovery in Canada will depend on a Team Canada approach. Renewing the Venture Capital Catalyst Initiative and increasing investments in venture capital demonstrates the importance of the innovation ecosystem in helping Canada's economy fully recover from the impacts of the pandemic. These investments will help businesses scale up and grow, owning the podium in Canada and around the world thanks to their made-in-Canada products and innovations."

 The Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade

Quick facts

Announced in Budget 2017 and expanded in the 2018 Fall Economic Statement, VCCI represents an investment of $450 million .

. VCCI has invested in three streams:

Stream 1 invested in large funds-of-funds that will support Canadian VC fund managers.



Stream 2 invested in emerging and diverse managers, underserved regions and sectors, and alternative fund structures.



Stream 3 invested in VC funds that invest primarily in clean technology firms.

To date, VCCI has resulted in the investment of $1.8 billion in the Canadian venture capital ecosystem.

in the Canadian venture capital ecosystem. Budget 2021 proposes to invest $450 million to renew VCCI:

to renew VCCI: $350 million in national funds of funds

in national funds of funds

$50 million in the life sciences sector

in the life sciences sector

$50 in inclusive growth

in inclusive growth Canada is now ranked third for VC investment according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

Associated links

Stay connected

Follow @CanadaBusiness on social media for business-related news: Twitter, Facebook

SOURCE Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

For further information: Alice Hansen, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade, 613-612-0482, [email protected]; Media Relations, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, [email protected]

Related Links

http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/icgc.nsf/eng/home


VANCOUVER, BC, June 9, 2021 /CNW/ - Orca Gold Inc. (TSXV: ORG) ("Orca" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that the nominees set forth in the Company's management information circular dated May 4, 2021, Richard P. Clark, Hugh Stuart, Robert Chase, David Field, Derek White and William B. (Brad) White were elected as directors of the Company at the Annual General and Special Meeting held on June 8, 2021 (the "Meeting"). At the Meeting, the shareholders also approved the reappointment of PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP as the auditors of the Company and the authorization of the Company's board of directors to fix the auditors remunerations. The shareholders also ratified and approved the Company's 10% rolling Stock Option Plan.

After the Meeting, the following officers were appointed by the Board of Directors:

President/Chief Executive Officer Richard P. Clark Chief Financial Officer Glenn Kondo Chief Operating Officer Kevin Ross Country Manager, Sudan Chris Reardon Chief Strategist, African Affairs Karamo NM Sonko Vice President Exploration Emmanuel Abanyin Vice President Corporate Strategy Elina Chow Corporate Secretary Kathy Love

The Company also announces the appointment of two officers: Emmanuel (Ema) Abanyin as Vice President of Exploration and Elina Chow as Vice President of Corporate Strategy.

Emmanuel Abanyin is a professional geologist with 19 years of experience in mineral exploration. He holds an MSc. in Geological Engineering from the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT) in Ghana. Mr. Abanyin has been a long-standing member of the Orca team. Between 2012 and 2018, he served as Orca's Senior Project Geologist before being promoted to Exploration Manager of the Company. Since joining Orca, Mr. Abanyin has played an integral role in taking the Company's Block 14 Gold Project in the Republic of Sudan ("Block 14") from an early exploration discovery, through to Feasibility and now, as Vice President of Exploration, into construction.

Prior to joining the Company Mr. Abanyin worked for Red Back Mining, where he was a senior member of the exploration team that increased the resource at the Tasiast Mine in Mauritania by over 16 Moz between 2007 and 2011. Before working at Tasiast, Mr. Abanyin worked in Ghana where he was involved in the discovery of the Enchi Gold Project, currently being developed by Newcore Gold.

Elina Chow is a marketing and capital markets professional with 20 years of experience. She holds a B.B.A. (Marketing and Finance) from the University of Toronto and specializes in stakeholder communications, capital fund raising, corporate development and corporate strategies. Over the past 15 years, Ms. Chow has primarily focused on working with mineral exploration and development companies with projects in Latin American and Africa. For her first five years in mining, Ms. Chow worked in-house for a number of TSX and TSX-V-listed exploration companies including Continental Gold (now Zijin) and Auryx Gold (now B2Gold).

Between 2010 and 2020, Ms. Chow founded and operated a boutique marketing and investor relations agency in Toronto, Ontario that serviced private and publicly traded companies across multiple sectors. The agency's mining clients included Pershimco Resources (now Orla Mining), Cardinal Resources (now Shandong Gold Mining), Roxgold, Golden Star, and Montage Gold among others. Ms. Chow is a Director of Jot Technology Solutions Inc., a private Canadian tech start-up with a mobile contact management application for business professionals.

"Ema has been working with us for many years going back to Red Back Mining," commented Richard Clark, President & CEO of the Company. "I am excited to see Ema grow into this position and look forward to working with him as he coordinates Orca's upcoming exploration program at Block 14 and other areas in the Republic of Sudan. I also welcome Elina to the team; we are pleased to have secured her on a full-time basis after working with her through her agency for the previous five years. Ms. Chow will be working with Glenn Kondo, Orca's CFO and with the Company's newly appointed advisors, HCF, to secure and finalize project financing to construct the mine at Block 14."

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

"Richard P. Clark"

Richard P. Clark| President & CEO | Orca Gold Inc. | 604.689.7842

About Orca Gold Inc.

Orca Gold Inc. (TSX-V: ORG) is a Canadian resource company focused on exploration and development opportunities in Africa. Led by a board of directors made up of industry experts and a management team with a track record of discovering and building significant mines globally, Orca is developing one of the leading gold projects in Africa. The Company is currently focused on its 70%-owned Block 14 Gold Project in the Republic of the Sudan on which a Feasibility Study was completed in November 2018 and revised in September 2020.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

Certain information contained in this press release constitutes "forward-looking information", within the meaning of applicable Canadian and U.S. securities laws. Generally, these forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur", "be achieved" or "has the potential to". The forward-looking information contained herein is provided for the purpose of assisting readers in understanding management's current expectations and plans relating to the future. Readers are cautioned that such information may not be appropriate for other purposes.

Forward-looking statements contained in this press release may include statements regarding the use of proceeds, the closing of the Private Placement, the future operating or financial performance of the Company and the financial metrics reported in our feasibility study, which involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties which may not prove to be accurate. Actual results and outcomes may differ materially from what is expressed or forecasted in these forward-looking statements. Such statements are qualified in their entirety by the inherent risks and uncertainties surrounding future expectations. Among those factors which could cause actual results to differ materially are the following: the requirement for regulatory approvals; enhanced uncertainty in global financial markets as a result of the current COVID-19 pandemic; unquantifiable risks related to government actions and interventions; stock market volatility; regulatory restrictions; that the Feasibility Study may not represent a viable development option for Block 14 and that the assumptions set out therein (particularly with respect to the economics of Block 14) may prove to be untrue or inaccurate; that actual Mineral Reserves and Resources at Block 14 and the grades thereof may be less or different in nature than those contained in the Feasibility Study; that the Company may not meet the production estimates set out in the Feasibility Study; that the life of mine at Block 14 may be shorter than anticipated; that the Company may not receive the necessary permits on time, or at all; risks related to cost overruns and the changes of the cost of inputs; that the development and mining of Block 14 may experience delays and may not proceed on the expected timeline, or at all; that the Company may develop Block 14 in a different manner than is set forth in the Feasibility Study and other risk factors listed from time to time in our reports filed with Canadian securities regulators on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. The forward-looking statements included in this press release are made as of the date of this press release and the Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable securities legislation.

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 Orca Gold Inc.

For further information: Elina Chow, VP, Corporate Strategy, 416.845.8495, [email protected]

Related Links

http://www.orcagold.com/


TORONTO and CHICAGO, June 9, 2021 /CNW/ - To mark Pride Month, BMO Financial Group is reaffirming its commitment to listening to, learning from and celebrating the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and two-spirited (LGBTQ2+) community through initiatives designed to eliminate barriers to inclusion. As a proud supporter of Pride for more than two decades, BMO is celebrating and sponsoring events in communities across North America  including the 25th annual pride & remembrance run in Canada  in addition to launching BMO Pride's new Road to Allyship Training Program for employees and establishing a five-year workforce representation goal of 3 per cent for LGBTQ2+ employees.

"At BMO, our Purpose to Boldly Grow the Good in business and life is the driving force behind creating a more inclusive and barrier free society that celebrates the everyday moments of the people who stand up and say 'Pride lives in me,'" said Mona Malone, Head of People & Culture and Chief Human Resources Officer, BMO Financial Group. "We are dedicated to fostering an environment of belonging, where all employees and customers are valued, respected and heard. Allies play an invaluable role in driving inclusion though support and advocacy, and by creating open and safe surroundings for all."

BMO Pride in Action

BMO, as part of its Purpose, remains focused on accelerating positive change and eliminating barriers to inclusion. The bank's ongoing support for the LGBTQ2+ community includes community and customer-focused initiatives, such as:

Supporting and sponsoring Pride events across North America including Blackhawks Pride Night, Chicago Bulls Pride Night, CANFAR, Maison du Parc, and The519.

including Blackhawks Pride Night, Chicago Bulls Pride Night, CANFAR, Maison du Parc, and The519. Sponsoring the Pride and Remembrance Association's annual pride and remembrance run in Canada , which BMO has been a proud sponsor of since its inception in 1996. For this year's first-ever virtual run, BMO will partner with three Canadian drag queen content creators to produce Spotify playlists for participants.

in , which BMO has been a proud sponsor of since its inception in 1996. For this year's first-ever virtual run, BMO will partner with three Canadian drag queen content creators to produce Spotify playlists for participants. Throughout the month of June, BMO is running a comprehensive social media and marketing campaign, Pride Lives Here, featured in branches across North America to showcase the everyday moments where Pride lives for customers and employees.

to showcase the everyday moments where Pride lives for customers and employees. In December 2019 , BMO Harris Bank was the first bank to issue the True Name  debit card, which allows customers to use their chosen name on the front of their cards, without the requirement of a legal name change. In June 2020 , BMO expanded the availability of Mastercard's True Name feature to additional payment card types.

BMO Pride in the Workplace

As part of the bank's Zero Barriers to Inclusion 2025 strategy BMO has set a five-year workforce representation goal of 3 per cent for LGBTQ2+ employees. This commitment will ensure equitable opportunity, improving access to development and career advancement.

The launch of BMO Pride's new Road to Allyship Training Program, which provides employees with steps and resources to help them strengthen their ability to be committed and supportive allies of their LGBTQ2+ colleagues and customers .

For the fourth consecutive year, BMO Harris Bank was recognized by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) for being an industry leader in championing diversity and inclusion, earning a perfect score on its 2021 Corporate Equality Index (CEI). BMO was also named a 2021 Best Place to Work for LGBTQ Equality.

As part of its expanded focus on employee education, mentorship, executive sponsorship, and talent acquisition, BMO continues to expand its Gender Pronoun Initiative to branches across Canada and encourages employees to state their pronouns in their email signatures across communication channels internally and externally.

and encourages employees to state their pronouns in their email signatures across communication channels internally and externally. Comprised of more than 1,600 employees in Canada and the U.S, BMO's Pride Enterprise Resource group continues to drive awareness, encourage conversation, foster personal and professional growth opportunities, and promotes an equitable and inclusive environment for all.

For more information on BMO's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion commitments, visit: https://our-impact.bmo.com.

About BMO Financial Group

Serving customers for 200 years and counting, BMO is a highly diversified financial services provider - the 8th largest bank, by assets, in North America. With total assets of $950 billion as of April 30, 2021, and a team of diverse and highly engaged employees, BMO provides a broad range of personal and commercial banking, wealth management and investment banking products and services to more than 12 million customers and conducts business through three operating groups: Personal and Commercial Banking, BMO Wealth Management and BMO Capital Markets.

SOURCE BMO Financial Group

For further information: For News Media Inquiries: Natasha Boeck, BMO Financial Group, Toronto, [email protected], (416) 867-3996
"To date, the This Is Our Shot movement has made a major impact in encouraging Canadians to get informed and feel confident about vaccination in a way that's inclusive and community-based," says Anju Anand, MD FRCPC, Respirology.

"With the support of our new partners, we're hoping we can continue to get the message out to more communities across the country so we can end the pandemic, together," says Guri Pannu, This Is Our Shot, Founder.

To symbolize the joint effort, a new logo featuring a bandage will be used on t-shirts and other creative elements including an inspirational video that anchors the campaign. The 60-second video features frontline workers and Canadians who write their reasons for getting vaccinated on the bandage, with the hopes of inspiring others to dedicate their shot to the people and activities they've missed most. The video can be viewed here: This Is Our Shot to be #TogetherAgain

While Canada has made significant progress with dose one vaccine coverage, there's still a long way to go and vaccine hesitancy remains a concern. Research from Boston Consulting Group and 19 to Zero reveals 21 per cent of Canadians (6.9 million) over the age of 16 are hesitant to get vaccinated, with the top-cited concerns being side-effects, vaccine effectiveness against new variants and the speed with which vaccines were developed. Most of this group includes those who are concerned about the long-term effects of the vaccine, BIPOC communities with a history of health inequity, and Gen Z who are less concerned with catching COVID-19.

"As the COVID-19 vaccine rollout continues, connecting people with credible sources of information from health authorities to build trust and confidence is critical," said Garrick Tiplady, Managing Director of Facebook Canada. "This Is Our Shot to be #TogetherAgain is a key part of this work, and the cross-industry collaboration enabled through this movement is essential.

This Is Our Shot to be #TogetherAgain is backed by grassroots organizations, Canadian businesses, associations, healthcare professionals, community leaders and influencers. The goal is to ensure specific hesitant and hotspot communities have the right facts and information to replace vaccine hesitancy with confidence.

"We need to embrace the Canadian spirit of togetherness and do our part to reach that final goal, so we can be one step closer to economic recovery and getting Canadians safely back together again," says Kyle Norrington, President of Labatt Breweries of Canada.

Canadians are encouraged to participate in the This Is Our Shot to be #TogetherAgain challenge by:

Getting the vaccine when it's your turn. Buying a This Is Our Shot to be #TogetherAgain t-shirt with all proceeds benefitting Kids Help Phone. Dedicating your vaccine to someone (or something) you care about. Sharing your dedication and tagging your friends and family to join the movement using #ThisIsOurShotCA and #TogetherAgain. Following @ThisIsOurShotCA on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok.

Finding vaccination information in one convenient place has been challenging during the pandemic. The campaign website www.ThisIsOurShot.ca addresses this by providing easy-to-understand vaccine FAQs, booking information and resources in more than 30 languages. A series of community townhalls will be held regularly through a variety of platforms to provide Canadians with the ability to get their questions answered by medical professionals, influencers and community leaders.

Since This Is Our Shot launched its campaign in April, more than $100,000 has been raised for Kids Help Phone through t-shirt sales.

ABOUT THIS IS OUR SHOT TO BE TOGETHER AGAIN

Grassroot organizations, healthcare professionals, frontline workers, local communities and some of Canada's largest businesses saw a need to get the word out about the safety of vaccines and replace hesitancy with confidence. Working together as a united group under the single banner of This Is Our Shot to be #TogetherAgain, they are dedicating their time and resources on one concerted effort to overcome vaccine hesitancy across Canada.

SOURCE Labatt Breweries of Canada

For further information: Jeff Blay, 289-241-5114, [email protected]
A revitalised lactoferrin operation will position Beston to meet growing global demand for high-quality lactoferrin products.

Beston's revitalised lactoferrin plant will open its doors to the public next month.

Beston Global Food Company Ltds (ASX:BFC) new lactoferrin plant will open in July after an expansion project reached practical completion.

The consumer stocks expanded lactoferrin operation, located in Jervois, South Australia, can now produce up to 25 tonnes of high-purity lactoferrin every year.

To reach this capacity, the company installed and commissioned two new lactoferrin extraction columns, the operation of which has now been handed over to the Jervois team.

Beston has also investigated its own lactoferrin testing capabilities, a proposed efficiency that could dramatically minimise the current week-long turnaround required for external lactoferrin purity testing.

As the upgraded plant prepares for its debut, Beston has established two lactoferrin products for the market, branded as the Mediferrin and Trueferrin lines.

Another major milestone

Bestons acting CEO, Darren Flaw, said: This is another major milestone for the project successfully completed.

As we advised in April, this second phase of commissioning activities focused on further refinements to the extraction process to optimise the Lactoferrin yield for the actual composition of milk being received.

This has in effect been a calibration of the process to maximise the amount of more than 95% purity Lactoferrin that can be extracted from the skim milk feed to the extraction columns.

Beston has already started processing lactoferrin at the revitalised Jervois plant.

Over the month of May, 100% of the companys milk supply was processed through the extraction columns to produce high-quality concentrate.

The company hopes to receive 155 million litres of milk in FY22, which would allow it to produce around 20 tonnes of lactoferrin over the upcoming financial year.

Pink gold

Lactoferrin is an immune-boosting protein that naturally occurs in dairy sources like human and cows milk.

Colloquially known as pink gold, the protein can typically be used as a medical supplement to support women experiencing low iron levels.

More recently, however, lactoferrins antiviral properties have piqued the interest of scientists who are looking for new ways to combat COVID-19.

In 2020, a paper published in the International Journal of Microbial Agents concluded lactoferrin showcased in vitro antiviral activity against SARS-CoV.

Even more promisingly, scientists found lactoferrin could act in a similar fashion against SARS-CoV-2  the virus behind COVID-19.

Demand to jump

In recent years, the market for lactoferrin has boomed, with demand forecast to jump from the 352 tonnes per annum recorded in 2019 to 500 tonnes per annum by 2023.

However, the immune-boosting protein is expensive, with the average cost for a kilogram of lactoferrin now sitting between $1,500 and $3,000.

A large part of the price hike is the demand for high-quality lactoferrin, which can be used in medical products.

Chief operating officer Frank Baldi said: Delivering production of more than 95% purity Lactoferrin in early April, so soon after commencing the commissioning of the two new Lactoferrin extraction columns, was a significant achievement and testament to the skills and experience of the project team.

Since then, the team continued at pace to reach Practical Completion, despite the additional logistics and people challenges presented by the COVID-19 environment.

The revitalised plant will officially open on Friday, July 30. Shareholders are welcome to attend.
OTTAWA, ON, June 8, 2021 /CNW/ -

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to create stress and anxiety for many Canadians, particularly those who do not have ready access to their regular support networks. Through the Wellness Together Canada online portal, people of all ages across the country can access immediate, free and confidential mental health and substance use supports, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

As COVID-19 activity continues in Canada, we are tracking a range of epidemiological indicators to monitor where the disease is most active, where it is spreading and how it is impacting the health of Canadians and public health, laboratory and healthcare capacity. At the same time, the Public Health Agency of Canada is providing Canadians with regular updates on COVID-19 vaccines administered, vaccination coverage and ongoing monitoring of vaccine safety across the country. The following is the latest summary on national numbers and trends, and the actions we all need to be taking to reduce infection rates, while vaccination programs expand for the protection of all Canadians.

Since the start of the pandemic, there have been 1,394,145 cases of COVID-19 and 25,761 deaths reported in Canada; these cumulative numbers tell us about the overall burden of COVID-19 illness to date. They also tell us, together with results of serological studies, that a large majority of Canadians remain susceptible to COVID-19. However, as vaccination programs expand at an accelerated pace, there is increasing optimism that widespread and lasting immunity can be achieved through COVID-19 vaccination over the coming weeks and months.

As immunity is still building up across the population, public health measures and individual precautions are crucial for COVID-19 control. Thanks to measures in place in heavily affected areas, the strong and steady declines in disease trends continues, with current reported active cases (22,861) down by 75% since the peak of the third wave in Canada. The latest national-level data show a continued downward trend in disease activity with an average of 1,796 cases reported daily during the latest 7 day period (June 1-7), down 32% compared to the week prior. Until vaccine coverage is sufficiently high to impact disease transmission more broadly in the community, we must sustain a high degree of caution to drive infection rates down to a low, manageable level, and not ease restrictions too soon or too quickly where infection rates are high.

With the considerable decline in infection rates nationally, the overall number of people experiencing severe and critical illness is also declining. Provincial and territorial data indicate that an average of 2,024 people with COVID-19 were being treated in Canadian hospitals each day during the most recent 7-day period (June 1-7), which is 22% fewer than last week. This includes, on average 876 people who were being treated in intensive care units (ICU), 20% fewer than last week. Likewise, the latest 7-day average of 31 deaths reported daily (June 1-7) is continuing to decline, showing a 22% decrease compared to the week prior.

Overall, variants of concern (VOCs) represent the majority of recently reported COVID-19 cases across the country. Four VOCs (B.1.1.7 (Alpha), B.1.351 (Beta), P.1 (Gamma), and B.1.617, which includes B.1.617.2 (Delta)) have been detected in most provinces and territories, however, the Alpha variant continues to account for the majority of genetically sequenced variants in Canada. As Canada continues to monitor and assess genetic variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, including impacts in the Canadian context, we know that vaccination, in combination with public health and individual measures, are working to reduce spread of COVID-19.

As vaccine eligibility expands, Canadians are urged to get vaccinated and support others to get vaccinated as vaccines become available to them. However, regardless of our vaccination status, it is important to remain vigilant, continue following local public health advice, and consistently maintain individual practices that keep us and our families safer, even as we're beginning to see the positive impacts of COVID-19 vaccines: stay home/self-isolate if you have any symptoms, think about the risks and reduce non-essential activities and outings to a minimum, avoid all non-essential travel, and maintain individual protective practices of physical distancing, hand, cough and surface hygiene and wearing a well-fitted and properly worn face mask as appropriate (including in shared spaces, indoors or outdoors, with people from outside of your immediate household).

For more information regarding the risks and benefits of vaccination, I encourage Canadians to reach out to your local public health authorities, healthcare provider, or other trusted and credible sources, such as Canada.ca and Immunize.ca. Working together, Health Canada, the Public Health Agency of Canada, the National Advisory Committee on Immunization, Canada's Chief Medical Officers of Health and other health professionals across the country are closely monitoring vaccine safety, effectiveness and optimal use to adapt approaches. As the science and situation evolves, we are committed to providing clear and evidence-informed guidance in order to keep everyone in Canada safe and healthy.

Canadians can also go the extra mile by sharing credible information on COVID-19 risks and prevention practices and measures to reduce COVID-19 in communities. Read my backgrounder to access more COVID-19 Information and Resources on ways to reduce the risks and protect yourself and others, including information on COVID-19 vaccination.

SOURCE Public Health Agency of Canada

For further information: Media Relations, Public Health Agency of Canada, 613-957-2983, [email protected]
China and Pakistan are planning to launch a new media company to achieve "information domination". The forum will be used by the leaders of both countries that would further their objectives and improve their global reputation.

China's President Xi Jinping (R) shakes hands with Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan (L) ahead of their meeting at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on November 2, 2018. (Photo by THOMAS PETER / POOL / AFP) (Photo credit should read THOMAS PETER/AFP/Getty Images)

Two nations are seeking to collaborate, China and Pakistan are likely to launch a new media company with a global reach to achieve information domination. It has been said that China has agreed for giving funding to establish this particular news channel in Pakistan. According to an Indian media report, the forum will be used by the leaders of both countries that would further their objectives and improve their global reputation.

Its worth noting that Pakistan has tried the same thing in the past as well. In 2019, the country planned to establish an English-language television channel in alliance with Turkey and Malaysia to challenge the dominant Islamic narrative. This initiative, however, never got off the ground. As a result of Turkey and Malaysias lack of interest, Pakistan is said to have stopped communicating.

On the other hand, Chinas Air Force recently conducted a huge air drill near Indias borders (Eastern Ladakh), which Indian security authorities monitored closely. During the air exercises, Chinese jets stayed completely within their own area. According to the Defence sources Around 21-22 of Chinese fighter aircraft mainly including the J-11s which are the Chinese copy of the Su-27 fighters and a few J-16 fighters held an exercise opposite the Indian territory in Eastern Ladakh.

Following the China Army and Air Forces summer movements this year, the Indian Air Force has been frequently sending military units of its jets, including MiG-29s, in Ladakh.

The Indian Air Force also routinely operates its most proficient Rafale jets over Ladakh heights, enhancing Indian power across the Line of Actual Control, as 24 of these aircraft are currently in the Indian stock.
The crackdown on Uyghurs hardened significantly. Evidence of detainment centres for Uyghurs with over 2 million people in them has emerged since 2016. Reports of Uyghur disappearances have also emerged, who are believed to be detained in these concentration camps, as termed by many.

Uyghur Tribunal, a London based independent tribunal, is all set to investigate the alleged human rights abuses against Uyghurs by China. The Tribunal will hear first-hand testimony of various heinous crimes, including forced sterilization, rape, and slave labour. The United States termed the crackdown by China in Xinjiang as a genocide. Canada and the Netherlands echoed the thoughts. The eight-member panel will thoroughly investigate this possible genocide. The Tribunal will be convened by Geoffrey Nice, a prominent human rights lawyer. China has vehemently neglected the credibility of the tribunal trial.

Also Read: Turkey ends the largest-ever naval drill exercise Denizkurdu

Xinjiang is the most ethnically diverse region in China. Officially known as Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR), Xinjiang is home to numerous Uyghurs who preserve their distinct language and culture. Unfortunately, the inter-ethnic tensions have made Uyghurs feel alien in their homeland. Policies pertaining to bias, restrictions, and a controlled religious behaviour act as a parasite eating Uyghur culture. The condition worsened after Xi Jinping came into power in 2013. The crackdown on Uyghurs hardened significantly. Evidence of detainment centres for Uyghurs with over 2 million people in them has emerged since 2016. Reports of Uyghur disappearances have also emerged, who are believed to be detained in these concentration camps, as termed by many.

China has been highly atrocious with the Uyghurs. According to reports by CNN and BBC, many detainees for these camps have recounted incidents of torture, sexual abuse, forced labour, and deaths of detainees. To boost up the cultural homogeneity, many Uyghur activists have also alleged that the CCP forces Uyghurs to adhere to birth control and enforce sterilization to curb the Uyghur population. Families have been strategically ripped apart, which has resulted in numerous children growing up as orphans. The condition is horrendous to the point that Uyghur families are terrified to go out of their homes in fear of deportation and torture. With time, the terror and the atrocities have only increased. It has reached a point where people are being deported to China from other Muslim countries like Turkey, Dubai, and Egypt.
SALINA, Kan. (AP)  A Kansas Air National Guard airman was killed and two others were injured Tuesday afternoon when their Humvee overturned during a training accident, authorities said.

The members of the Salina-based 284th Air Support Operations Squadron were training at the Smoky Hill Air National Guard Range near Salina, the Adjutant General's Department said Wednesday in a news release.
WEST HAVEN  An informant used by police allegedly purchased narcotics from Louise Martone, a local bakery owner and former District 10 councilwoman, who is charged with dealing drugs out of the eatery, according to an arrest warrant affidavit.

Louise Martone is charged with four counts of selling narcotics and four counts of the illegal sale of prescription drugs, according to police. She also is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit sale of narcotics and one count of conspiring to illegally sell prescription drugs, police said. Her husband, Ronald Martone, is charged with one count of conspiring to sell narcotics and another count of conspiring to illegally sell prescription drugs, according to police.

In three of four arrest warrant affidavits issued in connection with Martones arrest and obtained from the Superior Court Milford District Court, Street Crime Unit police officers said they were contacted by an informant in December 2020 who claimed Martone was selling prescription Oxycodone from Louises Homemade Food and Baked Goods on Ocean Avenue.

Arnold Gold / Hearst Connecticut Media

Police submitted four affidavits, each detailing one instance of an alleged sale of narcotics during a monthslong investigation. The first three arrest warrant affidavits detail different alleged controlled purchases of Oxycodone  one in December, one in January and one in February. A fourth details police surveillance of an alleged exchange of money and Oxycodone in the parking lot of Louises Homemade Food and Baked Goods and the arrest of two alleged customers in May.

In a brief conversation, Martone denied the charges.

Im so upset about what was done to me, I need to clear it up, she said. I cant believe theyre taking a 53-year resident of West Haven and doing this to me.

Martone said that, during her arrest, officers brought police dogs into her business; she said they found nothing. She said she would provide further comment after meeting with her attorney . A follow-up attempt to reach Martone was unsuccessful.

A court clerk said Martones arraignment is scheduled for July 6.

In the three arrest warrant affidavits describing the alleged controlled purchases, police said they prepared their informant to make three controlled purchases of Oxycodone  one in December, one in January and one in February.

On all occasions, police said their informant was searched for money and contraband prior to meeting with Martone, and that they found nothing, according to the warrant affidavits.

In all three affidavits, police said the informant wore a transmitting device monitored by police. According to the affidavits detailing Decembers and Februarys operations, the informant reportedly entered Martones bakery and a short while later exited with a number of small, round, pink pills marked with K56 the informant claimed to have purchased from Martone. Police reported they searched for the pills on drugs.com and determined they were 10 mg Oxycodone pills.

Arnold Gold / Hearst Connecticut Media

In the affidavit detailing an alleged controlled purchase in January, police reported the informant entered the bakery and exited shortly after, alleging Martone said she did not have the pills and that the informant should return later. The informant was able to make a purchase of Oxycodone pills after returning at the designated time, police allege in the affidavit.

In a fourth arrest warrant affidavit, police said they received information from an informant on May 4 that a man was scheduled to purchase Oxycodone from Martone.

It was not clear from the document whether it was the same informant used in the previous incidents. At 5:15 p.m. on May 4, undercover Street Crime Unit officers began surveillance of the Louises parking lot; at 6:05 p.m., police said they saw Martone lock up her business, meet with a thin white male in the Baybrook Plaza parking lot outside Martones business for a brief conversation, before the man entered the passenger seat of a waiting vehicle and Martone left in her 2019 Lexus.

Officers followed Martone to the Jones Hill Road CVS, which she quickly entered and exited before heading back to her business, according to the May warrant affidavit. In the parking lot, officers said they observed a short exchange near the open passenger door of Martones Lexus.

When the other vehicle left the lot, police followed and stopped the car, according to the warrant affidavit. An older man who was driving the car said he had a registered firearm in a satchel on his body, which he removed for officers, police said in the warrant.

Police said a search of the passenger revealed five of the round, pink pills.

Police allege a further search of the vehicle, which was registered under the drivers name, turned up a bottle that had no label but contained 39 of the pink pills.

Police said both men were placed under arrest and later agreed to discuss the case with officers, according to the warrant affidavit. Officers said the driver of the vehicle said he connected with the passenger in Alcoholics Anonymous where he told the passenger he was looking to purchase some Oxycodone. Officers said the passenger told police that Oxycodone had come up in conversation at the bakery eight months prior to the May incident, during which he expressed an interest in purchasing the pills.

Police said the passenger alleged Martone charges $10 per pill, according to the warrant affidavit.

Police said in the warrant affidavit that Martone is prescribed 90 Oxycodone pills each month and her husband Ronald is prescribed 120 pills each month. Officers said in the warrant affidavit that they confirmed Martone filled a prescription for 90 pills on May 4, the day of the observed transaction.

Ronald Martone also was arrested by officers, who, according to the arrest warrant affidavit detailing the controlled purchase in January allegedly was observed entering the bakery, between when the informant first entered the business to make a purchase of Oxycodone and when the informant returned to successfully make a purchase. He is charged with conspiracy to commit the sale of a narcotic substance, according to police.

brian.zahn@hearstmediact.com
FRANKFURT, Germany (AP)  Former Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn has agreed to pay 11.2 million euros ($13.6 million) in compensation for what the company called his failure to quickly get to the bottom of the 2015 scandal over diesel engines rigged to cheat on emissions tests, the company said Wednesday.

Winterkorns payment is his share of an overall 288 million-euro settlement with Volkswagen by him and three other former managers.

Volkswagen said it would get 270 million euros ($329 million) from liability insurance against loss from the actions of directors and officers.

Rupert Stadler, former head of the Audi luxury car division, would pay 4.1 million euros; former Audi executive Stefan Knirsch 1 million euros; and former Porsche executive Wolfgang Hatz 1.5 million euros. Porsche is a part of the Volkswagen Group.

More than 30 insurers were also involved in the talks, the dpa news agency reported. The settlement must be approved by the company's annual shareholder meeting July 22.

The company said in a statement that Winterkorn breached his duties of care as CEO, based on an extensive investigation by a law firm commissioned by the company.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency caught Volkswagen using software that let the cars pass emissions tests and then turned off air pollution controls during normal driving. Winterkorn, who has denied wrongdoing, resigned a few days after the Sept. 18, 2015 notice of violation from the EPA. Volkswagen has apologized and paid more than 31 billion euros in fines, recall costs and compensation to car owners.

U.S. environmental regulators were alerted to the emissions problems in May 2014 by a study from the West Virginia Universitys Center for Alternative Fuels, Engines & Emissions. Volkswagen, however, continued to assert that the increased emissions came from technical issues, not illegal software.

The investigation found that from July 27, 2015, Winterkorn failed to comprehensively and promptly clarify the circumstance behind the use of unlawful software functions in 2.0-liter diesel engines sold in the U.S. from 2009 to 2015.

The company said Winterkorn also failed to ensure that the company answered questions from U.S. regulators truthfully, completely and without delay.

Separately, prosecutors in Berlin said Wednesday they had charged Winterkorn with making false statements to a parliamentary committee looking into the emissions issue. Their statement said Winterkorn falsely stated that he learned of the illegal software only in September, 2015, instead of in May, 2015.
COLUMBUS, Ga. (AP)  A state trooper fatally shot a man who fired at the officers who chased his speeding car through three counties in west-central Georgia, the state Bureau of Investigation said.

Troup County deputies saw a black BMW going 93 mph (145 kph) in a 70 mph (113 kph) zone on Interstate 185 on Tuesday afternoon, according to a bureau statement. They tried to stop the car, but the driver kept going. He was identified as 33-year-old Kevin Christopher Caldwell of Sharpsburg.
OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP)  Gov. Jay Inslee on Wednesday named Cami Feek as commissioner of the states Employment Security Department, which last year temporarily suspended unemployment benefits payments after discovering that criminals had used stolen Social Security numbers and other personal information to file fraudulent claims.

Feek's appointment comes following her appointment as acting commissioner in February when the agency's former leader, Suzi LeVine, left to work for the Biden administration. LeVine had previously served as U.S. ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein.

Feek served as acting commissioner in 2018, before LeVine was appointed, and as deputy commissioner and chief operating officer for the past three years. She was hired to the agency as the first program director of the Paid Family and Medical Leave program, overseeing the successful launch of the nations first state paid leave program, Inslee's office said.

Inslee said he first worked with Feek related to the paid leave program and was impressed with her knowledge, compassion and ability to work with a variety of divergent stakeholders.

Her leadership through the COVID pandemic and strong advocacy on behalf of ESD employees, claimants, and job-seekers has further demonstrated her ability to move ESD into a new phase, Inslee said.

In 2020, officials disclosed that $650 million had likely been stolen in a fraud scheme that law enforcement officials said was partly based in Nigeria.

Nigerian citizen Abidemi Rufai was arrested in May and has been accused of stealing more than $350,000 in unemployment benefits. Federal officials have called it the first significant arrest in that fraud.

Rufais attorney, Michael C. Barrows, said previously his client denies any involvement in these transactions.

Washington was among the first of dozens of states hit by fraud that siphoned off billions of dollars in federal aid meant for pandemic victims. Washington state officials have said $300 million paid to criminals has been recovered.

Feek said Wednesday she sees the appointment as a unique opportunity to lead a team committed to making real progress for people in communities across Washington  at a time it is most needed.

There is no doubt that it has been a difficult time for all of us, and I go into this role with my eyes wide open," she said. The Employment Security Department is a continuous learning organization, and I am committed to applying all weve learned in this crisis to increasing equitable access to our many services and improving the experience for our customers.

Feek also founded the LGBTQ+ Employee Resource Group at the Department, winning the agency the Outstanding Agency Award from the Rainbow & Inclusion Network.

Feek has worked in state government for over 25 years in entry to executive level positions. She earned her bachelors degree from The Evergreen State College.
The company noted that it felt it was a good time to reach out to US investors following its recent acquisition of the Low Energy Cartridge System -- the world's first cartridge-based non-lethal firing system

EMC will continue to provide investor relations services to KWESST, including electronic media and webcast services, design, development and dissemination services

Micro Systems Inc (CVE:KWE) ( ) is extending its contract with investor relations firm Emerging Markets Consulting LLC to June 2022.

In a statement, KWESST CEO Jeff MacLeod told investors that the company felt it is a good time to reach out to US investors following its recent acquisition of the Low Energy Cartridge System -- the world's first cartridge-based non-lethal firing system.

EMC will continue to provide investor relations services to KWESST, including electronic media and webcast services, design, development and dissemination services.

"We expect the continued engagement of EMC will help us expand our shareholder base and the liquidity of the stock to the benefit of all shareholders, MacLeod said.

James Painter, EMCs president, added that the investor relations firm sees a blue ocean of opportunity for the Low Energy Cartridge System in the less-than lethal market.

The compensation to be paid to EMC will be based on the scope of work of various investor relations projects undertaken by EMC on behalf of KWESST, the companies noted in a release.

Based in Ottawa, KWESST is a leader in advancing the modern networked capability of soldiers and responders with niche applications that make a critical difference for safety and effectiveness.

Contact Angela at angela@proactiveinvestors.com

Follow her on Twitter @AHarmantas
HELENA, Mont. (AP)  A historic drought in the southwestern U.S. means Montana firefighters will likely be asked to help other states handle blazes that could fill Montanas skies with smoke this summer, fire-weather meteorologist Coleen Haskell told Gov. Greg Gianforte on Wednesday.

Areas west of the Continental Divide in Montana face above-normal fire potential in July while weather patterns are expected to extend that potential to the entire state in August, said Haskell, who works for the Northern Rockies Coordination Center in Missoula.

A normal weather pattern, and thus normal fire potential, should return some time in September, she said. Last years main fire activity in Montana occurred in September.

Montana is relatively better off in terms of fire risk than North Dakota and the southwestern U.S., where the drought is historic both in magnitude and over a wider area than has been seen in 125 years, Haskell said.

The big takeaway for me is that we will be sharing resources with our neighboring states, with our neighboring geographic areas, but also with that widespread of a drought and with the expectation of their above average fire seasons, I fully think that we will have another smoke episode this year and so were preparing for that as well, Haskell said.

Gianforte began the annual fire season briefing with a moment of silence in memory of smokejumper Tim Hart of Cody, Wyoming. Hart, who was based with the West Yellowstone Smokejumpers, died on June 2 from injuries suffered in a hard fall while responding to a wildfire in southern New Mexico in late May.

This tragic accident reminds us that firefighting is a dangerous activity and we must be grateful for those who risk their lives to protect our communities, way of life and natural resources in Montana, Gianforte said.

A memorial service for Hart will be held on Saturday in Cody.

Local, state, tribal and federal officials told the governor that they are prepared to work together again during this years fire season. Firefighters are being trained, equipment has been inspected and some supplies have been staged in areas of concern, officials with the state Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and other agencies said.

Gianforte urged residents to reduce the burden on firefighting crews.

We cant control the weather. We can control our actions, he said, noting about 80% of wildland fires in Montana are started by people.

In addition, Gianforte said he plans to increase the number of acres of forested areas that are placed under active management, which includes tree thinning and controlled burns in an effort to prevent catastrophic fires. He urged other agencies to follow suit.

The state of Montana and the DNRC are committed to aggressive initial attack on all fires, Gianforte said.

But he was unable to get a similar commitment from Jay Lusher, the Intermountain Region Fire Management Officer for the National Park Service. Lusher said the park service looks at wildfires as having a natural role in the landscape.

Gianforte said he was concerned for communities around national parks and asked Lusher to provide him with the park services initial attack policy in writing.
NEW HAVEN  Efforts to raise the hourly wage for school system part-timers could be a bigger challenge than originally imagined.

The district has close to 900 part-timers and roughly half earn less than the $17.48 hourly rate that Board of Education member Darnell Goldson recently proposed for part-time paraprofessionals.

There were 152 part-time paraprofessionals  non-unionized workers who assist classroom teachers  employed by the district, according to the last payroll before the district shut down in-person learning in spring 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Part-time paras, as they are called, make up a fraction of the districts part-time positions. There also are part-time clerical workers, bus monitors, skilled workers, student workers, non-certified instructors, certified instructors working part-time and a single board clerk  887 in all.

I knew we had a lot of part-timers, I did not know we had almost 1,000, board member Matt Wilcox, chairman of the boards Finance and Operations Committee, said at a virtual meeting this week.

The district also has about 2,900 full-time employees, according to outgoing Chief Financial Officer Phillip Penn, who leaves his role for a similar one in Hartford at the end of this week.

After Goldsons unsuccessful attempts to raise the hourly wage for part-time paras to $17.48 and then $15, the matter was sent to the finance committee to determine its impact.

Penn gave Wilcoxs committee a breakdown of wages for all part-timers, what they cost the district, and what raising the rate to $17.48 an hour would cost.

It was pointed out that the starting hourly rate for full-time paraprofessionals is $18.81. Some concern was expressed for a ripple effect that could be caused if the minimum wage for part-timers were to rise to the level of full-time employees.

Part-time paras currently make $12 per hour and automatically will get a $1 raise in August when the state minimum wage increases. The $13 hourly minimum will cost the district an additional $149,814 per year.

In two years, when the minimum wage increases to $15 per hour, the district would be spending $449,442 more than it currently is. At $17.48 per hour for those part-timers not already making that (some part-timers are), the increase would be close to $1.1 million over current levels.

Non-certified part-time instructors with a bachelors degree make $22.50 per hour, according to district analysis. Meanwhile, certified part-timers earn $32 per hour.

The district has a Compensation Subcommittee that recently looked at salaries for full-time paraprofessionals but not part-timers.

Brian Zahn / Hearst Connecticut Media

Board member Larry Conaway, chairman of the subcommittee, said he is in the process of setting up another meeting to look at compensation for other workers.

Good things are coming out of the committee, Conaway said. The bottom line was raises and equity. We need to keep the discussion going.

To Conaway, the issue is more than hourly wages.

The best way to help part-timers is to do what needs to be done to make them full-time, said Conaway, where they would be in a bargaining unit making $18.81 per hour.

It was pointed out that not everyone wants to be full-time.

In addition, Superintendent of Schools Iline Tracey said there are pathway programs, such as one through Southern Connecticut State University, to help part-timers get degrees, which helps them earn more.

Brian Zahn / Hearst Connecticut Media

Roughly 80 percent of part-timers are paid through grants and special funds, finance committee members were told. Since grants generally are capped, paying each worker more would mean fewer could be hired.

Part-timers also are at-will employees, meaning their job is not guaranteed from one year to the next.

Brian Zahn / Hearst Connecticut Media

Goldson was not at the finance committee meeting. On Tuesday he said knew there were more than part-time paras working for the district and did not intend to advocate for pay raises for retired teachers who come back to work part-time.

I have proposed in the past for smaller raises for a larger group, Goldson said. It didnt go over well. So I decided this time to try with a smaller group and a larger raise, which could really mean something to those part-time employees, hoping that it would pass.

Had it been successful, Goldson said he then would have tried with another group.
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP)  Inmates at an Oklahoma prison began receiving special computer tablets this week, as part of a Department of Corrections plan to provide secure tablets to everyone incarcerated in state prisons.

The devices, specially designed by prisons communications company Securus Technologies, will include free content such as prison policies, access to a law library, some books and educational and self-help materials. Inmates can also pay to receive music, movies, games and television programs, as well as to send and receive messages, including video messages, to and from their families. The tablets do not have unrestricted access to the internet.

Usually, inmates wanting to receive educational or vocational training must be escorted to a classroom or program location. But inmates can now receive those services directly on the tablet, said Mike Carpenter, chief of technical services and operations at the Corrections Department.

The education and programming, thats huge for us, Carpenter said.

On Tuesday, North Fork Correctional Center inmate Byron Robinson, who has been incarcerated since 2005  the same year YouTube was founded  said the tablet was totally new to him.

I've never even touched one of these things until today," Robinson said. It's mindboggling, really, how much this thing can do."

Similar programs allowing inmates to access secure tablets have been rolled out in other states, including Arizona, Connecticut and Utah, but Oklahoma is one of the first in the nation to combine the company's latest tablet and operating system.

In Pinal County, Arizona, officials started distributing tablets to inmates at the state's third-largest jail in 2019, said Matt Hedrick, deputy chief of the detention center.

It has been phenomenal," Hedrick said.

Besides helping to keep inmates pacified, Hedrick said the jail scans incoming letters and photographs to an inmate's tablet, reducing the chance for contraband to come into the facility and allowing inmates to have access to more personal photographs.

Before you had rules on how many photos they could have in their cell, how many magazines," he said. Now that doesnt happen. They can have as many as they want."

There are some drawbacks to providing inmates with tablets. According to a 2019 report from the Prison Policy Initiative, the free tablets frequently charge users above-market prices for services. Oklahomas contract with the company allows a 25-cent charge for emails and 75 cents for outbound video messages. Music can cost up to $1.99 per song or $14.99 per album, while the cost for one television episode can range from $1.70 to $2.28.

Some 21,000 inmates are currently incarcerated by the state, making the plan potentially very lucrative for Securus.

The Department of Corrections also benefits financially from the arrangement, receiving $3.5 million annually from the communications company for the first five years of the contract, and $3.75 million for the next five years.

Our recent analysis of these contracts suggests that they actually put the interests of incarcerated people last, prioritizing cost savings and the providers bottom line," the report said.

Sierra Kiplinger, who was released from prison in April, said that while inmates are excited about the new technology, she expressed concern about how much inmates have to pay to utilize the services.

 The phone calls for Securus are ridiculously high, and so Im assuming if the phone calls are high, this is going to be even higher," she said.

State Rep. Justin Humphrey, chairman of the House Criminal Justice and Corrections Committee, said that while he supports the program, he believes public perception could be a problem.

I dont think the public is going to like it when they see were giving all these inmates tablets and they say, My kid cant get a tablet at school,' Humphrey said.
CINCINNATI, Ohio (AP)  Authorities in Ohio say two sisters charged with shooting at homeless people with an air rifle from a car in Cincinnati are now in custody, and a third person is being sought.

Brittany Hopper, 29, and Kelsey Hopper, 28, have been charged with three counts of assault, accused of firing a BB gun at two people in the Over-The-Rhine neighborhood early in the morning on June 3, Cincinnati police said. Police said the sisters turned themselves in Tuesday.
PHOENIX (AP)  Retired Maj. Gen. Michael Mick McGuire, who led the Arizona National Guard through the state's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, formally began his campaign for U.S. Senate on Tuesday, becoming the second major Republican looking to unseat Democrat Mark Kelly.

McGuire introduced himself with an online video highlighting his military career and presenting himself as a political outsider tired of weak leaders and politicians who sit on the sidelines.

McGuire calls in the video for securing the border, and says he opposes abortion, will protect 1st and 2nd Amendment rights and will walk shoulder to shoulder with law enforcement.

In an interview, he said he's a strict conservative constitutionalist cut from the same cloth as Antonin Scalia," the former U.S. Supreme Court justice who advocated interpreting the Constitution as the framers intended. He said he wants to use the leadership skilled he honed from a career in military command to unite a Republican Party fractured between supporters and critics of former President Donald Trump.

I intend to lead the Republican Party in this state, McGuire said. It needs to be led. I will lead from the front.

McGuire said he voted for Trump and praised the economy, border security and vaccine production during his presidency.

He also said he has confidence in Arizona's vote count, which gave Democrat Joe Biden a narrow victory, but which Trump claims without evidence was marred by fraud. The former president and many of his supporters are closely watching an audit of the election results, including a full hand recount, in Maricopa County.

I dont think any of us should fear an audit where we hand count all the ballots, McGuire said.

The audit is being conducted on behalf of state Senate Republicans. Election experts warn its using inadequate procedures and chasing far-fetched or discredited conspiracy theories. McGuire said he's not following the auditors' methods.

McGuire, who retired earlier this year from the military and from his post as head of Arizonas emergency management agency, was a visible presence and a booming voice beside Gov. Doug Ducey during televised briefings about the pandemic. The guard helped deliver goods and stock shelves at food banks and grocery stores as supply chains froze up and panicked shoppers snapped up food and paper products last year.

The Guard also built temporary medical facilities and flew supplies to the remote and underserved Navajo Nation as the outbreak hit the reservation hard. Guardsmen also responded to racial justice protests following the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

About 85% of the Guard has been called up in the last year, more than have ever responded to domestic needs, McGuire said in April at a news conference where Ducey introduced his successor at the National Guard.

McGuire also oversaw the deployment of Guardsmen to the southern border.

McGuire, an Air Force Academy graduate, flew F-16 fighters before joining the Arizona National Guard in 2001, where he continued as an F-16 instructor pilot and flew MQ-1B Predator drones. Gov. Jan Brewer appointed him adjutant general, the Guard's top leader, and head of the Arizona Department of Emergency and Military Affairs in 2013. Ducey kept him in the job when he took office in 2015.

Solar energy entrepreneur Jim Lamon was the first major Republican candidate to jump in the race. Other Republicans considering a Senate run include U.S. Rep. Andy Biggs and Attorney General Mark Brnovich.

Kelly, a retired astronaut, won a special election last year to finish the late John McCains last Senate term. He is now running for a full six-year term. The race is one of the most high-profile contests in 2022 and will help determine which party controls the U.S. Senate.

McGuire said he's not worried about catching up to Kelly's significant head start in fundraising for what is likely to be one of the most expensive Senate contests in the country. Kelly's 2020 race was one of the most costly ever.

 I know the voters are going to be with me, McGuire said. The money will come.
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP)  The South Carolina House on Wednesday put its final touches on the state's nearly $11 billion budget, spending more money than anticipated after the economic problems from the COVID-19 pandemic weren't as bad as feared.

The spending plan for the year starting in July includes raises for teachers, law enforcement officers and nearly every state employee. It fixes buildings at colleges and helps art centers and festivals hurt by social distancing.

But it won't include  at least for now  million-dollar drawings for people who are vaccinated against COVID-19. Nor it will have a $1,200 pandemic bonus for state employees making under $50,000.

House members also took time during Tuesday's debate to add a provision to the budget keeping public schools from requiring masks. They also put into the budget a ban on colleges from requiring students to take COVID-19 tests and only allowing students who have been vaccinated to not wear masks.

The Senate decided Tuesday it would not agree with the House changes to the budget, so a conference committee of senators and House members will meet next week to finalize the plan. They are trying to get the budget to Gov. Henry McMaster's desk so he can have time to consider whether to veto any part of the plan before the fiscal year starts July 1.

The biggest potential change in the budget wasn't considered as House Minority Leader Todd Rutherford removed a proposal to offer a $1 million prize for vaccinated state residents. The Columbia Democrat said he will bring it back up later using federal COVID-19 relief money.

The House did agree to a 3% raise for state employees, an increase over the 2% offered in the Senate's budget.

South Carolina Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter, who has fought for better pay for state employees throughout her nearly 30-year Statehouse career, said Wednesday that the state can do more, suggesting a $1,200 bonus for state workers making less than $50,000 a year.

The Orangeburg Democrat said seemingly everyone else was getting what they asked for like it was Christmas, from lighthouses to boat ramps to parks.

At this point, I think state employees are asking at what point do we get a present under the tree? Everyone else got a present under the tree, Cobb-Hunter said.

The proposal was rejected 63-50.

Republicans pushed several COVID-19 vaccine and mask items into the budget, building on a Senate proposal in its spending plan preventing colleges from making COVID-19 vaccination a condition for being on campus in the upcoming school year.

The House added a proposal that would prevent public schools from requiring masks.

Rep. John King said that was micromanaging local governments and dangerous if the COVID-19 pandemic gets back out of control in the fall.

School boards should have an opportunity to take those decisions. What if something serious happens and we have voted to do this? said King, a Democrat from Rock Hill.

South Carolina didn't spend any extra money it got in taxes and fees in the current budget in case they needed the savings to cover pandemic shortfalls. The state has brought in even more money this budget year than predicted, thanks in part to federal stimulus given to people and extra sales tax collections.

This budget is nearly $2 billion more than last year's budget, which lawmakers simply cut-and-pasted from the spending plan the year before.

Conservative Republicans in the House stressed the 2021-22 budget was like writing a two-year plan instead of one.

This is two years of growth we have, especially when we came out of this pandemic better than almost any other state in the union," said House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Murrell Smith, a Republican from Sumter.

Other items in the budget heading to the House floor include:

 $440 million for college and universities to repair buildings and encourage them not to raise tuition

 A $1,000 raise for all teachers and to increase the minimum pay for first-year teachers from $35,000 to $36,000

 A nurse and police officer in every South Carolina public school

 A police officer in every public school and putting those officers under the supervision of the Department of Public Safety

 Pay increases for nearly every law enforcement officer in the state

 $3 million to improve the treatment of mentally ill people in state jails including a pilot program to create a crisis unit to keep mentally ill people out of jail cells in the first place

 $4 million to prosecutors and public defenders to help get through a backlog in cases after the COVID-19 pandemic shut down courts for months

___

Follow Jeffrey Collins on Twitter at https://twitter.com/JSCollinsAP.
Niagara Falls, NY (14301)

Today

Scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Partly cloudy skies after midnight. Low 58F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Partly cloudy skies after midnight. Low 58F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
Niagara Falls, NY (14301)

Today

Partly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 59F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 59F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph.
Based on increasing demand for its smart data and AI solutions, the guidance represents a 40% increase on FY202 0.

Its outlook for FY2022 is even more positive - $8.1 million in unaudited total revenue and $5.5 in unaudited ARR

( ) ( ) has lifted its unaudited revenue guidance for the 2021 financial year to between A$5.3 and A$5.5 million as demand for its smart data and artificial intelligence (AI) solutions continues.

Its outlook for FY2022 is even more positive - it is expecting A$8.1 million in unaudited total revenue and A$5.5 in unaudited annual recurring revenue.

The company is targeting a net retention rate for customers of more than 120% for FY2022, with zero churn - all customers renewing their contracts for FY2022.

The short term

In a new investor presentation, SenSen outlined the A$5.3 million - A$5.5 million unaudited revenue guidance, as well as an expected unaudited annual recurring revenue (ARR) of about A$3 million, a 50% increase on 2020.

Following a capital raise in January, the company has now completed the appointment of key executives covering sales, marketing, account management, project management and other support resources in India, to establish the platform for accelerated revenue growth in FY2022 and beyond.

SenSen will not be cashflow breakeven or profitable in FY2021, as it made a strategic decision to conserve cash to invest for revenue after the capital raise.

We plan to invest into marketing and sales channel development, productisation of our world-leading products, accelerate growth in smart cities and casino markets and target 100+ customers generating ARR, SenSen chief executive officer Dr Subhash Challa said.

Looking ahead to FY2022

The company expects A$8.1 million in total unaudited revenue in FY2022, which excludes an estimated additional A$3 million revenue from its recent Scancam acquisition.

Dr Challa said the company was also looking at its medium to longer-term growth strategy.

We plan on investing into our technology platform to make it robust and scalable to multiple markets, adding adjacent market verticals like retail, intelligent surveillance and others, open our platform to third-party application developers and invest into building the application developer ecosystem to exponentially increase the customer base and associated revenues, he said.

What is working so well

The company in late May acquired Scancam, which provides award-winning AI technology for service stations, to prevent people driving off and stealing fuel.

That acquisition followed the acquisition of SNAP Networks Surveillance with SenSen integrating SNAP technology into its platform  SenDISA - to develop a ground-breaking new product line called SenTRACK, which is the worlds first completely automated person-tracking solution across an entire surveillance network.

SenSen is working with Chicago Parking Meters to provide parking and traffic analytics in Chicago, the third-largest US city.

SenSen also received its first set of orders from Snap Network Surveillance customers since it acquired the company in December 2020.

And in Las Vegas, the city will use SenSen Smart City technology on roads, car parks and garages across the city as well as outfitting a range of council vehicles with smart sensors, including scooters and segways.

The attractiveness of SenSens products comes from three critical components - data fusion, AI algorithms, software - working together to produce results that improve the productivity and safety of our customers operations and deliver business insights that are otherwise impossible to obtain from traditional data sources.

- Daniel Paproth
Residents of Igangan in Ibarapa North Local Government Area of Oyo State have urged security agencies to, without delay, arrest two sons o...

Residents of Igangan in Ibarapa North Local Government Area of Oyo State have urged security agencies to, without delay, arrest two sons of Alhaji Saliu Abdulkadir, the banished Seriki Fulani of Oyo State.

The residents noted that the arrest of two sons of the erstwhile Seriki Fulani of Oyo State, Ibrahim Soliu and Umar Soliu is necessary due to their involvement in the recent attack which resulted in the death of about twenty people in Igangan.

Recall that Abdulkadir was chased out of Igangan after a series of allegations such as taking ransom on behalf of kidnappers and other attacks of innocent citizens were traced to him.

It was gathered that the town has since then, witnessed a series of attacks occasioned by kidnapping and killings.

The residents alleged that Ibrahim Soliu and Umar Soliu had threatened to carry out an attack in the town since their father was chased out of the town.

They alleged that the two sons of the banished Seriki Fulani were responsible for the midnight attack on the town between Saturday and Sunday.

They called on security agencies; Police, Department of State Service and others to arrest the duo without delay.

The Public Relations Officer of Igangan Development Advocate (IDA), Mr. Abideen Oguntowo, who spoke on Wednesday insisted that the duo had earlier threatened to launch an attack on the town.

Oguntowo who spoke on behalf of residents of the town, specifically mentioned that Ibrahim Abdulkadir had on April 24th 2021 during a radio program, threatened to attack the town because his father was chased out of the town.

He then called on security agencies to arrest the duo and others who have links with the elsewhile Seriki Fulani.

He added that arrest of the duo by security agencies will lead to the arrest of other perpetrators of the midnight attack.

Ibrahim Soliu, he is parading himself as the Chairman of Miyetti Allah cattle breeders Association of Nigeria in Oyo State. He said that he is the Chairman.

Since the eviction of his father, he has been threatened to attack the town. We have written to the Governor. We have informed the police. The Akowe Agbe of Igangan, Mr. Adeagbo Taiwo has written on behalf of the people.

One of the sons of the banished Seriki Fulani, Ibarahim Soliu, threatened to attack the town while on Agidigbo 88.7 FM on April 24 2021.

Umar Soliu was S.A. to the Chairman of the local government area during the tenure of the immediate past Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi. Umar has called one of our members and he has been threatening the person on the phone.

What we want is that they should be arrested. We demand that since they had already threatened to attack the town, and an attack was carried out, we want the government to arrest them.

They should be arrested and prosecuted. Both Umar and Ibarahim.
The Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) has suspended the nationwide strike which has lasted for over two months. JUSUN had, on...

The Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) has suspended the nationwide strike which has lasted for over two months.

JUSUN had, on April 6, embarked on a nationwide strike in protest of the non-implementation of financial autonomy for the judiciary.

However, the union resolved to suspend the industrial action during its national executive council (NEC) meeting, which held on Wednesday, in Abuja.

Speaking with TheCable after the meeting, Jimoh Alonge, treasurer of the union, said JUSUN decided to call off the strike following the intervention of the National Judicial Council (NJC).

NJC, which is the highest body of the judiciary, appealed to the union to give them two to three months to weigh into the matter and make sure they actualise what we are asking for. They noted that the public is suffering. We decided to accord them that respect, Alonge said.

President Muhammadu had, in May 2020, signed an executive order granting financial autonomy to both the judiciary and legislative arms of government  but the order was suspended after state governors raised concerns.

In the past two months, several meetings were held with relevant stakeholders in an attempt to bring an end to the strike.





JUSUN had insisted that funds due to the state judiciary must be deducted from source, starting from the May 2021 Federal Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) revenue.

The Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) set up its own committee headed by Aminu Tambuwal, Sokoto governor, which subsequently proposed a template for the implementation of autonomy for the judiciary.

The governors, in their proposal, sought the creation of a State Account Allocation Committee (SAAC) to oversee the distribution of funds to the three arms of government at the state level.

The governors forum also proposed the enactment of funds management laws for state judiciary and legislature.

On June 4, Chris Ngige, minister of labour and employment, had expressed optimism that all issues would be resolved.

Ngige said Kayode Fayemi, Ekiti governor, and Tambuwal, had on behalf of the NGF, appended their signatures to the proposal and agreement which was reached on May 20.
A German nun, Juliana Seelmann, has been charged the sum of 500 (about N250,000) for granting asylum to Nigerian women who were meant to be...





A German nun, Juliana Seelmann, has been charged the sum of 500 (about N250,000) for granting asylum to Nigerian women who were meant to be deported from Germany.

The two Nigerian women housed and assisted by Seelmann had fled from forced prostitution in Italy, according to Info Migrant.

Seelmann, at the Franciscan abbey of Oberzell in Wurzburg, had granted church asylum to one of the Nigerians in 2019 and the other in 2020.

According to the European Unions Dublin Regulation, the Nigerian women ought to have been deported back to Italy, their first country of entrance into Europe.

The Diocese of Wurzburg revealed that one of the women, now 23 years old, was sent to forced prostitution by her mother. She was first sent to Libya by her pimp before going to Italy.

The woman lived in the abbey for two months in 2019 and currently has a right to reside in Germany.

The other woman who stayed in the abbey from February to May 2020 was a 34-year-old woman who was also forced into prostitution but contracted HIV from a client. It is, however, uncertain, if she can remain in Germany.

During trial, the nun confessed her actions, stressing that the Bishop of Wurzburg supported her at that time.

The 38-year-old nun was on June 2, found guilty of assisting illegal stay in the district court of Wurzburg, leading to the fine of 500 as her punishment.

A court spokesperson revealed that the fine was to be paid to charity, stating that the nun will face an additional 600 fine if she commits any violations during a two-year probation period.

Following the ruling, different groups had criticised the court order, as they call for decriminalisation of church asylum.

We live in a democracy, not in a theocracy. Its an open breach of the law that cannot be forgiven, the judge said.
Thermal Dynamics International specializes in managing complex project assets and infrastructure, including support services for the thermal engineering and design of Embassies and Consulates outside the United States

Over the next year Alpine 4 plans to complete several international building projects with the US Department of State, as well as a number of other private companies around the globe

Alpine 4 Holdings Inc ( ) subsidiary Thermal Dynamics International Inc (TDII) has secured several new production orders, growing its backlog of orders to more than $14.6 million.

Leveraging technology and innovation to accentuate business, Phoenix-based Alpine 4 acquires businesses that fit it into its disruptive business model.

The group's subsidiary TDII specializes in managing complex project assets and infrastructure, including support services for the thermal engineering and design of Embassies and Consulates outside the United States. Clients include the US Department of Defense and the Department of State.

Over the next year Alpine 4 plans to complete several international building projects with the US Department of State, as well as a number of other private companies around the globe.

"With the international markets lifting their COVID-19 restrictions, TDII is set to have a busy 2021 and 2022, said Kent Wilson, CEO of Alpine 4. The expertise on hand at TDII makes them abundantly capable of taking on these very technical and critical projects."

TDII, which boasts annual average sales of $9 million to $13 million, was acquired by Alpine 4 in May 2021.

Contact Georgia at georgia@proactiveinvestors.com

Follow her on Twitter @MissInformd
While waiting for the doctor to arrive, 5-year-old Genesis sat closely by her mothers side and watched cartoons on a small electronic device. She was nearly 4,000 miles from her hometown of Santa Cruz, Bolivia, but making the trip to New Orleans was more than necessary. It may have saved her life.

Genesis was born with a hole in the upper chambers of her heart  an atrial septal defect  and her family lacked access to the proper (and costly) care in South America. Thanks to a nonprofit organization known as HeartGift, the young girl was able to find help from Childrens Hospital New Orleans.

She arrived here in April with her mother, Telma, and an interpreter, Angela, who translates English into their native Spanish. (The last names of HeartGift families are not disclosed.)

Telma broke into tears when explaining the situation.

(Telma) is scared; she is worried and she needs to trust in God that everything will go well, Angela said in translation.

Established in Austin, Texas, HeartGift operates in numerous American cities, including New Orleans. It brings children from around the world for free surgeries to correct life-threatening congenital heart defects.

We pay the hospital a flat fee and they absorb some of the costs as well, said Stephanie Berault, the Louisiana executive director of HeartGift Foundation.

HeartGift coordinates the families travel plans and helps them secure the proper documentation. Interpreters are supplied by another organization.

Most of the time, moms travel here by themselves, and we find people for them to stay with once they get here  (people) who can speak their language and offer them support system, said Berault.

All HeartGift patients and their families must present a recent negative COVID-19 test to travel, and quarantine with the host family for 10 days after their arrival.

Genesis, Telma and Angela stayed with a family in Slidell.

Once the family cleared the safety precautions, it met with doctors from Childrens Hospital New Orleans to discuss Genesis surgery plans.

Since 2000, HeartGift has cared for more than 500 children from over 35 countries. Genesis was the second patient to arrive in New Orleans since the pandemic began.

Our contract with Children's is to do 12 patients a year, but we have not yet gotten to that, Berault said, explaining that the contract number was recently raised from six patients. In 2018, we said, Let's try to do a little more. And we're working toward that.

Although HeartGifts Louisiana chapter could not bring sick children to New Orleans for surgery in 2020, it continued to support surgeries in other countries.

Obviously, last year threw a little kink in the system, Berault said.

In February, 12-year-old Juan Carlos, from Honduras, endured a successful surgery to repair a sinus venosus atrial septal defect. He was first child to arrive since the start the pandemic, and is now home and thriving.

Genesis was the second patient, but the 63rd child whom the Louisiana chapter has sponsored since its conception.

Her three-hour, open-heart surgery was performed by Dr. Tim Pettitt, a pediatric cardiothoracic surgeon, on April 14. She turned 6 the following day.

I was praying with her all the time. I was very nervous, Telma said through her interpreter.

Two days later, Genesis was discharged from Childrens Hospital and running around the host family's home, Berault said.

+5 Educators from New Orleans, Chalmette, Metairie and Luling are state top-teacher nominees Like medical workers, many teachers in the COVID-era have risked their health to help the community. Even those who only taught online classes

That was even shocking for me, she added. The host mom said, I can't make her stop. It was amazing.

Genesis also has a better appetite  a sign of a healthy heart  Berault said.

Toward the end of April, Genesis said via Zoom that she was eager to head back to Bolivia so that she could see her sister and brother  and give them souvenirs from her big adventure.

Since that time, HeartGift also has assisted a young boy from Uganda.

In the U.S., heart defects are the most common birth defect, Berault said, noting that 1 in 100 children is born with some sort of heart defect. (In the U.S.), it's an easy repair, requiring surgery. But in the majority of the world, children born with a heart defect won't survive. Were able to provide them lifesaving, simple surgeries. They will go from being a sick child, to a healthy child that can lead a normal, healthy life.

+4 During a COVID year, mothers and adult children working in health care forge new bonds Mothers and their children have an almost indescribable bond. But those who work together in health care  especially during the pandemic of t
At a glance, you can tell the namesake sandwich at Fritai will gush flavor, with rough-hewn chunks of fried pork between discs of fried plantain and an earthy-yellow sauce oozing out. It might also look a little daunting to just pick up and eat, like it might come apart on you.

But lift it up, take a confident bite and youre rewarded with a two-fisted primer on what chef Charly Pierre is building at his new Haitian restaurant.

Taste the spicy-crisp pikliz slaw rippling between the pork and plantain; wipe some of that tangy mango sauce off your chin; take a sip of a jungle bird cocktail and let the rum tangle with the spice; now look up and gaze around a dining room filled with Haitian art and New Orleans faces.

This is a new restaurant bringing something different that also feels like it belongs here and is perhaps long overdue.

Pierre created Fritai in 2016 as a stand in the St. Roch Market food hall. Now hes turned it into a full-fledged restaurant. He opened Fritai in May on a corner of Basin Street in Treme, joining a neighborhood deeply imbued with New Orleans culture.

Here, hes twinning the flavors of his Haitian heritage, learned from his first-generation immigrant parents, with his own vision as a chef coming up through the modern American culinary scene.

This is a restaurant with something to say, and its coming along at an important time to say it.

Thats because Fritai does not just connect the commonalities between New Orleans and Haiti. It also draws a thread of unity through Creole flavor, its roots in the African diaspora, its polyglot evolution and its future trajectory as people in the next generation explore and frame it on their terms.

Pierre grew up in Boston, where his culinary career took him through high-end restaurants. After moving to New Orleans he decided to start his own venture, and he knew it had to be Haitian.

There was such an opportunity here because the connections are everywhere, but they havent been revealed, Pierre said. This food makes sense here. And this food can teach people. You just need to show them.

A Creole lens

The Haitian influence on New Orleans culminated in the early 19th century, when a wave of Haitian immigrants fleeing revolution simultaneously propelled the citys growth and infused it with their own French-Caribbean culture.

Today, you can put traditional dishes from Haiti and New Orleans side by side and see one reflected in the other.

On the Fritai menu, whole fried fish with Creole sauce is a plate full of New Orleans-meets-Haiti harmony. That sauce  thin, red, tomato-based with lots of green pepper and onions  is exactly what you would expect at a restaurant in this city that serves shrimp remoulade and trout amandine.

Between classic Haitian dishes like this though, Pierre weaves in his own ideas.

The seemingly humble mirliton salad is a prime example. It turns out to be a vibrant showcase for one cornerstone Haitian ingredient, epis, a seasoning blend that takes the role of Creole trinity and zings with garlic and herbs. Pierre turns it into a dressing, like a Haitian Green Goddess, and tosses it with ribbons of shaved mirliton, lettuces, charred carrot and broken bits of candied plantain.

Other changes to the standards are subtle. The espageti starts with house-made spaghetti and goes back to a traditional breakfast dish in Haiti. These noodles carry an intense array of umami through their twists and curls, with pieces of smoked herring (very Haitian) interspersed with peppery andouille sausage (quintessential Louisiana).

Pierre, 32, is lean and sharp and moves swiftly in his small, tight kitchen. But he also stops on a dime to explain a new system or different technique in a space where everyone is new.

It turns out what he needed to take Fritai from food hall stand to restaurant was a little time to slow down. The pandemic provided the catalyst.

This is the restaurant business in New Orleans and Im a Black man and there are barriers that have made it more difficult to traverse, but it came down to getting the right people and the right opportunity, Pierre said. The pandemic gave me time to think about what I wanted, how I can get there. It gave me time to be with the people and build the connections I needed to make it happen.

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The restaurant space came together in the old-fashioned way, with a lot of sweat, help from friends and improvisation.

Built into the operation, theres also an intentional approach to culture and representation.

Theres such an uneven balance with hospitality in New Orleans  who gets hired for the front of the house or the back of the house, we all know it, Pierre said. Its about who we hire here. Having local people, having BIPOC people here in this space is important to me.

Potent energy

Fritai is not the only Haitian restaurant in New Orleans, which has nurtured a few on the west bank through the years (see Rendes-Vous in Algiers and Belle Fourchette in Gretna).

But Fritai arrives with its own kind of energy, and a lot of that starts at the bar. Pierre brought in longtime local bartender Ian Julian to run it, and Julian had a chance to design it himself.

Everything we need is in the right place for once, Julian said, standing between an array of island rums and fresh juices.

If the prospect of tropical drinks makes you think of sweet concoctions, Julians list is the counterpoint  a tour of the many different ways spirits, citrus and sugar can find balance. They are also potent.

Even in the early going for Fritai, he has been cultivating a bar scene within the restaurant. People come in as soon as the doors open at 4 p.m., and a small lounge off the bar has already been hosting get-togethers.

The energy we have behind the bar reaches out there, Julian said.

Getting back to that fritai sandwich: Pierre explained that the name fritai comes from a Haitian term for a category of street food, usually fried and eaten out of hand. To make that broad idea his own, he built a sandwich-shaped feast of essential Haitian flavors.

The pork, braised, then fried in crispy chunks, is called griot, and it constitutes its own entree elsewhere on the menu with rice and beans and Creole sauce.

In the sandwich, the pork meets the crunch of the fried plantain around it and melds with both a creamy avocado sauce and the mango sauce, with a color that tells you all on its own it will be flavorful (another commonality of Creole food: earthy color means big flavor). The pikliz, somewhere between a slaw and a relish, lashes it all together.

The sandwich is not a dish you would find in Haiti, yet it brings Haitian flavors through the lens of a modern chef out to make his mark in New Orleans.

Thats a compulsion you can feel all across Fritai, and it may be the only thing stronger than the drinks.

Fritai

1535 Basin St., (504) 264-7899

Wed.-Mon., 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. (lunch and brunch hours to come)

+21 Inside historic Circle Food Market, new food hall has diverse flavor, rising talent From his stand inside the Circle Food Market, Johnnys Jamaican Grill co-owner Adam Haughton packs takeout cartons with tawny jerk chicken dri

+10 Jamaican restaurant 14 Parishes brings the heat, the rum and a fresh spark to Oak Street Jamaican flags are flying high over Oak Street. In the open kitchen, chef Charles Blake is getting down into the roots of his native Jamaican 
The drowning death of a Baldwin County, Alabama, sheriff's deputy has coastal officials looking into additional safeguards for swimmers.

The deputy died Sunday while trying to save a swimmer in distress on the Fort Morgan peninsula, AL.com reported. Another was hospitalized in the incident.

Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall identified the deputy as 57-year-old William "Bill" Smith. Marshall said Smith died while successfully saving the swimmer.

The deputy's death comes three years after the Baldwin County Commission's decision to increase investments to make the unincorporated Fort Morgan peninsula safer for swimmers.

The peninsula stretches about 20 miles from Gulf Shores to the mouth of Mobile Bay.

The commission established an emergency phone alert system to provide rip current alerts to visitors and spent nearly $15,000 on a remote-control life raft.

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Though AL.com reports drownings are on the decline in Baldwin County, Smith's death serves as a reminder of the constant dangers of unregulated beaches.

The deputy's death is resurfacing talks of planting more lifeguard stations along the peninsula or creating a flag warning system like those at Gulf Shores and Orange Beach.

There is currently no local government entity that approves ordinances and restrictions in the area of the peninsula, even as the number of people in the Fort Morgan area increases and call volumes rise.

"I know people want to go out in the water, but you know, we just lost a deputy because of someone not paying attention to the rip currents," Marshall told AL.com.

"They will be told to stay out of the water, but they just wont listen. I dont know what it is. I dont know what else we can do.
With 12 personnel on site, core drilling has started and truck-mounted auger drilling is expected within weeks

The site is one the world's largest lithium salar holdings where no modern exploration has ever been completed

ION Energy Ltd ( ) ( ) (FRA 5YB) reports that exploration has commenced at its 100%-owned Baavhai Uul Lithium Salar Project in southeastern Mongolia.

Highlights of the program include:

Exploration camp built with 12 personnel on site

Drilling rig on site and core drilling has commenced

Truck-mounted auger drilling expected on site within weeks

Company now holds licences on over 110,000 hectares

Fully funded exploration on one of the world's largest lithium salar holdings where no modern exploration has ever been completed

"Mongolia as a nation has shown prudence with respect to managing the pandemic and we are pleased to announce that our staff have all received two shots of the vaccine, built the exploration camp and the drill is now turning at Baavhai Uul, our flagship asset," said CEO Ali Haji in a statement.

Meanwhile, the company has begun the expanded program to fast track the exploration of its Lithium Salar Projects in Mongolia. Drilling has commenced on at least 21 drill holes through the highlighted prospective basins. Sampling of sediments and aquifers will be completed during the drilling phase.

Contact the author: patrick@proactiveinvestors.com

Follow him on Twitter @PatrickMGraham
UNO SOCIOLOGY: DLane Compton, chair of the sociology department at the University of New Orleans, is one of 10 new members selected for the U.S. Census Bureaus National Advisory Committee. The committee advises the Census Bureau on topics such as hard-to-count populations and race and ethnicity, among other issues. The 32 members of the committee are appointed to three-year terms by the director of the Census Bureau. Compton, whose two major research interests are social psychology and the demography of sexual orientation, has worked with census data and LGBT measurement issues for more than 20 years.

UNO ALUMNI AWARDS: David Gallo, CEO of Gallo Mechanical, a New Orleans-based mechanical construction firm, will receive the 2021 University of New Orleans Homer L. Hitt Distinguished Alumni Award. Gallo, who holds a bachelors degree in business management from UNO, is chairman of the boards of the UNO Research and Technology Foundation, Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Louisiana and Brother Martin High School.

Lacey Merrick Conway, president and CEO of Latter & Blum, has been named the 2021 Norma Jane Sabiston Distinguished Young Alumna of the Year. Conway, who holds an MBA from UNO, serves on the board of directors and executive committee of The Realty Alliance, United Way of Southeast Louisiana and GNO Inc.

Both will be celebrated at a gala at the National WWII Museum on Nov. 4. For tickets to the gala, visit www.uno.edu/gala.
NEW ORLEANS  Seven-year-old Russell Bright squeezed his dads hand tightly as tests of Pfizer's COVID vaccine started Monday in Louisiana for children ages 5 through 11.

Children held stuffed animals, played under chairs and a few cried at Ochsner Medical Center, just outside New Orleans. Their temperature and blood pressure were checked, their noses swabbed and their blood drawn for tests. Finally, they got a shot of either the vaccine or a placebo.

Ochsner is among 98 facilities in 26 states, the District of Columbia, Finland, Poland and Spain where the tests are taking place or planned.

Families wont know for six months whether their children actually were vaccinated. At that point, children who didn't get the vaccine will have the chance to do so.

The Pfizer vaccine was approved May 10 for children aged 12-15.

+4 COVID vaccinations for Louisiana kids are off to a slow start. Could summer camps help? When kids as young as 12 were allowed to receive the Pfizer vaccine in mid-May, there was hope they might give Louisiana a much-needed boost i

Adam Bright, whose younger son Tucker, 5, also is participating, said it was worth the chance to be a part of the trial.

I want to do my part and have my kids do their part, he said. Both me and my wife are already vaccinated, and so the sooner I can get them vaccinated and to feel comfortable being outside, not having to wear a mask, I thought the easiest way to get it is to go through the trial.

Russell, wearing a Spiderman mask, said he longs for a summer vacation that can include the water park or a longer trip  and then school without masks and social distancing.

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Im looking forward to seeing my friends more and not wearing masks, he said. You cant see if Im making a frown or a smile. I dont like to wear them.

How Louisiana parents can schedule a COVID vaccine for kids ages 12 to 15 The Louisiana Department of Health on Thursday morning alerted COVID vaccine providers that they can begin administering the Pfizer vaccine to

Five-year-old Kalil Chaudhry-Halperin held a stuffed toy Bruni  the lizard-like fire spirit in the movie Frozen 2  as he waited at Ochsner.

He was shy and a bit nervous, but his dad, Jason Halperin, says Kalil was excited, because he knows his parents and his 12-year-old sister have all been vaccinated.

You know how much weve all been through, our entire community, but now we have safe, effective, life-saving vaccines, and it not only helps him but the entire community and anyone vulnerable around our family, Jason Halperin said. Thats a great lesson to impart to our children.

Adam Bright said hes confident the Pfizer vaccine is safe, especially after seeing how smoothly vaccinations seem to be going for the next age group up.

Russell said he hopes that if and when the vaccine is cleared for emergency use for kids his age, they'll take advantage of the chance.

Be brave and do it, he said.

By STACEY PLAISANCE, Associated Press. Associated Press reporter Janet McConnaughey contributed from New Orleans.
A 14-year-old autistic boy who'd been missing from Old Jefferson since Tuesday afternoon was found safely in New Orleans, according to the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office.

Isreal Pizzaro was last seen in the 200 block of Barry Avenue (map), about three streets over from Ochsner Medical Center's main campus, authorities said.

Isreal's mother, Aura Amaya, described him as being on the high-functioning end of the autism spectrum. The family was also worried because Isreal is a Type 1 diabetic.

"I was out all night looking for him," Amaya said through years on Wednesday morning. "My husband and oldest daughter and a lot of friends have been looking for him, but nothing."

But the Sheriff's Office reported just after 1:30 p.m. Monday that Isreal was found at an undisclosed location in New Orleans. He will be reunited with his family, the department said.
An oak-lined stretch of North Dorgenois Street turned into a disturbing crime scene Tuesday morning when a physical therapist was stabbed to death outside her home, the latest in a string of brutally violent incidents that include the killing of a 12-year-old girl at one party and the shooting of nine people at another.

New Orleans Police Superintendent Shaun Ferguson said detectives, aided by clear surveillance video, hope to soon question a person of interest in the killing of 60-year-old Portia Pollock.

Pollock was stabbed in the chest outside her raised purple cottage about 7:30 a.m. in what police believe may have been a carjacking gone awry. That's because her 2016 Honda HRV was missing after the slaying.

Pollock's killing prompted an outpouring of grief from relatives, neighbors and fellow drummers from Congo Square, and in unusually personal terms, Ferguson asked New Orleanians to keep an eye on each other during one of the citys worst periods of sustained violence since Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

That could've been my mother, Ferguson said. That is the way I look at it.

The unrelenting bloodshed is sure to prompt scrutiny of city leaders' strategy to address a yearlong surge in violence, which Ferguson said is a national trend. In a press conference at department headquarters, the chief asked for help in solving the killing while rattling off arrests and developments in other recent crimes, which he said shows his officers are doing their best to fight back.

On May 30, 12-year-old Todriana Peters was shot and killed by an apparent stray bullet while briefly stopping at a graduation party with an older relative in the Lower 9th Ward. Ferguson said Tuesday that his officers worked with the U.S. Marshals Service to arrest Dantrell Brown, 20, on a count of second-degree murder in connection with her death.

Brown also faces counts of attempted murder in connection with two men who were wounded at the scene of Todrianas killing in the 500 block of Delery Street. Bail was set at $1 million, and he remained jailed late Tuesday.

Meanwhile, police are still searching for suspects in the Saturday night shooting at a block party on the South I-10 service road in New Orleans East that left nine people wounded, including two teenage boys and a woman who remained in critical condition from a bullet wound. The NOPD on Tuesday released video surveillance images of four young men holding guns as the party descended into chaos.

But it was Pollocks death that seemed to command Fergusons attention. He said detectives still dont know whether the physical therapist was targeted or the victim of a crime of opportunity.

Pollock has not been officially identified by the Orleans Parish Coroners Office. However, a niece confirmed her identity, saying her aunt spent her life traveling all over southeastern Louisiana to provide physical therapy to her mostly geriatric patients.

"It's a huge loss for the city," said Fatima Muse. "Anyone who knows her knows she rarely said no  there was no place she wouldn't go to help a patient."

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Neighbors said Pollock's killing has hit them particularly hard. The block was still on edge from a Nov. 3 shooting that left a 20-year-old man wounded. And while Pollock was skilled in various martial arts, some neighbors said they worried because she lived alone and was unable to work remotely like many during the pandemic.

+8 Physical therapist, 60, fatally stabbed outside her 7th Ward home during carjacking: source A physical therapist was stabbed to death during a carjacking outside of her 7th Ward home on Tuesday, according to a law enforcement source a

According to Muse, Pollock grew up in Atlanta but fell in love with New Orleans while getting her degree at Xavier University. She went on to study physical therapy at Georgia State University but immediately returned to the Crescent City to start her career.

Pollock received her physical therapy license in 1988. Records also show that she purchased her home in the 1500 block of North Dorgenois about that time.

Muse said her aunt was an active musician who played drums at Congo Square each Sunday. She also played in the group Proud Mary's or Mary's Ex, and performed during Jazz Fest twice.

Muse said she was treated like a daughter by Pollock, who never married or had children. When she was attending Dillard University, Pollock allowed Muse to move in with her.

"My aunt was an all-around beautiful person," Muse said. "She gave so much more than she took."

+16 In killing of 12-year-old Todriana Peters, NOPD arrests suspect Authorities have arrested a man accused of fatally shooting a 12-year-old girl and wounding two others at a graduation party in the Lower 9th 

Two drummers played outside Pollock's house Tuesday while a friend set up a table with refreshments for the crowd of mourners that gathered on the block. Another man burned sage and waved a feather in the air.

Pollock was killed about 13 hours after the fatal shooting of an unidentified 31-year-old man in the 1900 block of St. Ann Street in Treme.

Homicides, non-fatal shootings and carjackings are up, respectively, more than 20%, 80% and 100% over the same period last year, according to data compiled by the New Orleans City Council.

Ferguson said he believes that in New Orleans, part of the problem stems from slowdowns at Orleans Parish Criminal District Court. Jury trials have been suspended there since last March but are scheduled to resume next month.

He said the department has solved 56% of homicides this year.

Ferguson asked anyone with information on recent crimes to call Crimestoppers at (504) 822-1111. Tipsters may be eligible for a cash reward.
A 30-year-old man was fatally stabbed in the Upper 9th Ward on Wednesday while inside a vehicle on the North Claiborne Avenue bridge over the Industrial Canal, New Orleans police said.

His name has not been released.

The stabbing was reported to police at 10:52 a.m. Police said they found him inside a Nissan Rogue that was stopped but still running near Poland Avenue, at the upriver base of the bridge (map). The rear window on the passenger side of the vehicle was shattered.

He was was taken via ambulance to a hospital, where he died, police said.

As police investigated the scene, a GMC Suburban was parked behind the Rogue. Both were damaged, but police said it is unclear whether the Suburban was involved in the killing.

No other details were immediately available.
Almost a year after the Orleans Parish School Board decided to rename school buildings that honor slave owners, Confederate leaders and White supremacists, board members signed off on 24 new names Tuesday to memorialize African-American luminaries, civil rights activists and beloved educators.

But the long-discussed list, which board members said they will make final Thursday, also includes some lagniappe: Superintendent Henderson Lewis Jr. proposed names for six additional campuses, which will go through a short public feedback period that lasts through July 29.

The recommendations are in: See superintendent's picks for new school building names in New Orleans More than a century after they were established, some of the most well-recognized school buildings in New Orleans could get their new names as

Proposals for these six campuses include established names such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Arthur Ashe. The buildings were chosen not because their current names clash with board policy against honoring Confederate sympathizers but because of a desire to honor other historical figures "based on community feedback," which included "overwhelming support" for honoring certain figures, said Justin McCorkle, the school system's director of community relations.

McCorkle said that by renaming these six campuses, the school system would also prevent duplicate names for schools and buildings. Officials also aim to reinstate "pre-Katrina community legacy names" that graced public school buildings before they were destroyed by floodwaters and before the widespread proliferation of charter schools, which have the autonomy to choose their own institutional names independent of the buildings that they lease from the School Board.

The process for these six building names is different from before. The board has less time to deliberate, and the school system's renaming committee didn't choose finalists for them before Lewis announced his preferences. No board members objected to the different approach.

13,000 kids will be in summer school in New Orleans -- triple the normal amount For a year, Warren Easton Charter High School students spent school days growing restless in front of their computers, as the Mid-City high sc

"A number of names came about because people deserve to be honored and we didnt have enough facilities" in the first round, School Board member Olin Parker said. He said thousands of community members had weighed in on the process so far, yielding more than 300 potential names.

"The part of the method I'm most excited about is we are able to name facilities to honor community members who have been underrepresented so far," he added.

Here is the list of six campuses with the schools they house and proposed new names:

Mary McLeod Bethune

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Where - 4040 Eagle St.

4040 Eagle St. Houses - International School of Louisiana

International School of Louisiana Proposed name - Enrique Alferez, the Mexican-American artist and sculptor whose work is seen in public buildings and parks throughout New Orleans. His name was chosen as a finalist name for another school building.

Stuart Bradley

Where - 2401 Humanity St.

2401 Humanity St. Houses - Mary McLeod Bethune Elementary School of Literature and Technology

Mary McLeod Bethune Elementary School of Literature and Technology Proposed name - Mary McLeod Bethune, the only woman of color at the founding conference of the United Nations in 1945. Proposal would align building and program names.

Lake Area

Where - 6026 Paris Ave.

6026 Paris Ave. Houses - John F. Kennedy High School

John F. Kennedy High School Proposed name - John F. Kennedy, 35th president of the United States. This is another pre-Katrina community legacy name that would align building and school.

Village de L'est

Where - 5100 Cannes St.

5100 Cannes St. Houses - Einstein Charter at Village de L'est Elementary

Einstein Charter at Village de L'est Elementary Proposed name - Dominic Mai Thanh Luong, the first U.S. Roman Catholic bishop of Vietnamese descent and a founder of Vietnamese Catholic community in the Archdiocese of New Orleans.

Arthur Ashe

Where - 401 Nashville Ave.

401 Nashville Ave. Houses - Ben Franklin Elementary annex

Ben Franklin Elementary annex Proposed name - Vorice Jackson Waters Annex, after a Gentilly elementary school that was razed. Waters was principal of Edward H. Phillips Elementary School. The Ashe campus is near another building being named for Waters.

Martin Luther King, Jr.
To explain how Louisiana has come to the brink of decriminalizing marijuana possession, consider the national debate over health care.

Cast by Republicans initially as a vast government takeover, the Affordable Care Act, adopted on a Democratic Party line vote in 2010 under Barack Obama, was spectacularly divisive. And then, after a time, it wasnt. By the time Donald Trump took office with a friendly Republican Congress, calls to repeal the law were falling flat; never able to come up with a better idea that cost less yet didnt eliminate the ACA's immensely popular protections and benefits, critics eventually moved on.

Then, in the run-up to the 2020 Democratic primary, a number of candidates embraced another huge change, Medicare for All, a proposal that would do away with all employer-based coverage. That left room for the partys less disruptive candidates, led by Joe Biden, to instead champion a public option, or the choice of Medicare-type insurance or private coverage. And in the process, an idea that was considered a bridge too far when Obama tackled health care a decade earlier became the moderate position.

OK, now back to Louisiana and marijuana.

A decade ago, eliminating criminal penalties and possible prison time for possessing small amounts of weed was a pipe dream for those fighting to reduce the states world-leading incarceration rate. Now, its one gubernatorial signature away from becoming reality, thanks to the Legislatures adoption of House Bill 652 by state Rep. Cedric Glover, D-Shreveport.

How it got there is a similar story of how political change happens.

It starts with a shift in the public mood  here, with a society-wide rethinking of the tough-on-crime politics that gave Louisiana its incarceration capital title.

The criminal justice reform movement has taken hold, even in conservative places such as Louisiana, because most people have come to understand the true cost of locking up small-time, nonviolent drug offenders. Notably, its been a bipartisan development. The left may be more focused on social and racial justice and on the harm to communities that have been hollowed out by mass prosecutions, and the right may start off by looking at the high cost of incarceration, particularly given that crime persists. But theres also tremendous common ground, including over the importance of giving people a second chance. Prison ministries influenced this debate.

People have also had time to get comfortable with loosened restrictions in other states, some of which have gone so far as to legalize and tax recreational marijuana, and more of which have done what Glover proposes and what the states major cities have already done, remove criminal penalties for possession.

In fact, a bill that failed earlier in the session, a full legalization proposed by a young Republican representative named Richard Nelson, R-Mandeville, helped set the stage for the bipartisan passage of Glovers bill. Following the unexpectedly robust debate over legalization, decriminalization became the moderate, incremental alternative.

Or it will be, if Gov. John Bel Edwards signs it. He hasnt said yet, and those who have followed his administration know that hes a longtime skeptic of loosening laws governing marijuana, even as he's backed other criminal justice reforms.

He too is shifting, though. Asked earlier about whether hed sign Nelsons recreational marijuana bill should it reach him, Edwards tempered his previous words.

In the past, as a legislator and as governor, Ive been opposed to legalizing recreational marijuana, he said. I will tell you, I have come to believe that it is going to happen in Louisiana eventually. ... I think theres a growing number of people who are sort of where I am, not quite comfortable yet but understanding that were likely to get there.

Given where he is on the more far-reaching idea, its hard to imagine he wouldnt sign Glovers bill, especially since it has widespread support from his fellow Democrats and significant backing from Republicans.

Compared to the more ambitious alternative, decriminalization simply doesnt feel like that big a deal. Which should not distract from the fact, given how far Edwards and the rest of the state have come and how many lives would be touched by the change, it truly is.
Norman, OK (73070)

Today

Scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Partly cloudy skies after midnight. Low 69F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Partly cloudy skies after midnight. Low 69F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
A boat sits on the lake May 23, 2020, at Lake Thunderbird during Memorial Day. Norman NEXT is hosting an inaugural Summerfest with activities for kids and families from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Calypso Cove Marina at Lake Thunderbird. The community is welcome to attend.
First Mining Gold (TSE: FF  OTCQX: FFMGF) CEO Dan Wilton joined Steve Darling from Proactive to share details the company has received final approval to proceed with the earn-in transaction between First Mining and Big Ridge with respect to the Hope Brook Gold Project in Newfoundland.

Wilton telling Proactive First Mining will receive $500,000 cash and 11.5 million shares of Big Ridge, which makes them a 19.8% shareholder of the company. With a number of triggers, Big Ridge has the chance to earn-in of up to an 80% interest in Hope Brook.

Wilton also gave an update on their joint venture with Auteco Minerals and the work being done on Pickle Crow.
Williamsport, Pa. -- After a recent visit to the James V. Brown Library in Williamsport, Lycoming County Commissioner Scott Metzger shared a Facebook post that ended up garnering a lot of attention.

In the post, Metzger referenced a display of books in the Childrens wing. The display, in honor of Pride Month, sits on about three quarters of a small round table with eight or so books that address gender identity and equality for a young audience. Titles include Jacobs New Dress and Julian is a Mermaid. Other books on display are titled Love is Love and Love Makes a Family.

Metzger wrote: The Lycoming County Commissioners provide just under 1.3 million dollars for our 6 county libraries. Two of the three commissioners have asked the library director to remove these books from display and place them back on the shelves. These books subject matter discuss it is ok for a brother to wear his sisters clothes but he has to wear his own when he goes outside. Mommy and Daddy say it is ok because you were born this way. These books are geared at children that have no idea of what sexuality or gender identity is at that age.

The post urged members of the community to contact the library about removing the books from the display to let kids be kids.

Metzger later removed the post from public view, but said it remains on his private page.

This is not an attack on anybody, Metzger said in defense of his post. It's not attacking the library, it's not an attack on the LGBT community. They are wonderful people. They truly are business owners or parents, you know, they're part of our society. There's no room for hatred. There's no room for violence.

Metzger said he removed the post because of the hate that people felt that the post generated. He said the type of discussion happening on social media was not driving positive interactions.

I want to have conversations with everybody. I will not tear a person apart, nor do I want them tearing me apart because of a difference of opinion. Let's have a conversation, Metzger said.  I want to hear what you've been through. I want to hear your life experiences. Maybe I can share my view with you and you can share me yours. That's what you need to have, not what was going on social media last night. That was inappropriate. And that's why I took it off, because it wasn't productive at all."

The Commissioners said their request to remove books from the display provoked support.

I've had several private messages, you know," said Commissioner Tony Mussare. "Thank you for being the face of this, and stand up, stand your ground.

On the flipside, there is a fair amount of outrage over the post.

A petition circulating online calls for the resignation of Metzger and Mussare. Their logic is that because they have been elected to delegate where our tax dollars go, they also have the right to force their own archaic beliefs onto the publicly funded library. As soon as your personal opinions start to influence your decision making ability, you are no longer competent to complete the duties of a public servant, the petition says.

Library Bill of Rights violation?

Is the request to remove books from a display and back to their shelves, or further, to relocate children's materials to the adult section an infringement on the First Amendment? The American Library Associations published Library Bill of Rights targets censorship head-on.

According to the ALA, The First Amendment gives everyone residing in the United States the right to hear all sides of every issue and to make their own judgments about those issues without government interference or limitations.

Libraries are obligated to serve the needs of an entire community, and elected officials can not take that right from the public. Hiding content, according to the ALA, is akin to restricting access.

The library routinely organizes displays to celebrate and bring awareness to various months, including Black History Month, Womens History Month, and National Military Appreciation Month. Pride Month, according to the commissioners, puts materials in front of kids that is inappropriate for a young audience, but the commissioners say censorship is not at all their intent.

Related reading: James V. Brown Library gears up to celebrate Pride Month

During their tour of the library, the commissioners asked, how do I respond to a taxpayer that may not be in favor of this?

Barbara McGary, executive director of the James V. Brown Library told them, you would tell them that we're all inclusive.

Metzger said, I'm not in favor of censorship, I don't want books burned. A library is a library, everything should be included. But we asked to put it back on the shelf, that's what this is about, putting the books back on the shelf.

Both Metzger and Commissioner Tony Mussare said as representatives, they have to listen to their constituents. I have my core values still, and I listened to the people that put me in office, and a lot of people who put me in office said that they don't feel [these books] should be in the kids section, or they should be in the parenting section or on the shelf with the pride month books, said Mussare.

Metzger said that after asking around, people were "outraged. Some people didnt want any books on any of it.

Their solution lies in compromise, the commissioners say. Compromise would include relocating the books from the display table back to the shelves, or perhaps more appropriately to the adult section. If children had questions, parents could decide which books to share with children. Metzger said he believes that teaching tolerance is a responsibility that lies with parents.

Is this risky material?

Mussare asked, "why should kids know about a lot of sexual things at that age?"

Books about gender identity and differences are not about sexual preference, however. Seeing books that represent a difference of any kind can be a lifeline, according to Licensed Clinical Psychologist Vanessa Hintz, Psy.D.

"The benefits outweigh any invisible risks," she said. "Kids understand difference and sense of belonging even at a preschool age. They're able to recognize differences in themselves and others."

Additionally, Hintz said, offering books that represent all kinds of differences in people increases a child's emotional intelligence level. "Somewhere along the line, people who display intolerance have learned to devalue people who are 'other,'" she said.

Having resources openly available does not harm non-questioning kids, but provides major benefits to those kids who are, said Dr. Hintz.

The James V. Brown Library did not respond to NorthcentralPa.com's questions about their placement of the books in the display by the time of publication.

"We represent everybody," said Mussare. "And we use their taxpayers money to support it. So when people come up to me and say, 'I don't want my tax dollars going there,' where's the compromise? Because I can't say I'm not going to fund the library, it is too valuable of an asset, but where is the compromise? And that's exactly what I asked for the other day.

At the end of the day, it's up to the library's discretion, Metzger said, as to whether or not the display will come down. "They decide whether they would want to take it down or not."
Williamsport, Pa. - Pennsylvania College of Technology President Davie Jane Gilmour has made a commitment to the college's Legacy Campaign to support several key scholarship initiatives for students.

Gilmour is making a six-figure gift to support the Tomorrow Makers Scholarship and two new endowed funds: the Gilmour Global Experiences Endowment and the Gilmour Student Competition Endowment.

Gilmour recently announced plans to retire as president in June of 2022.

The college president's renewed support of the Tomorrow Makers Scholarship will allow the college to provide 10 additional awards to prospective students over the next five years. The funds will be promoted by Penn College alumni to recruit the next generation of Penn College students.

The Gilmour Global Experiences Endowment will support students who participate in Global Experiences, which include special courses, clinical rotations abroad, semester exchanges, and international internships. Funds will be managed through the Financial Aid Office in partnership with Academic Affairs.

The Gilmour Student Competition Endowment is the first-ever endowed fund to support students who are testing their mettle in hands-on skills competitions. The fund will offset travel expenses for students to participate in prestigious events such as Baja SAE, the National Association of Homebuilders Student Competition, and the Associated Schools of Construction Student Competition, among others.

When announcing her retirement on May 13, Gilmour revealed the launch of the Legacy Campaign, which provides financial support for three distinct areas of the institution: scholarships, equipment and facilities, and academics and affinity.

As our steadfast leader, its no surprise that President Gilmour would be one of the first to make a commitment after the public launch of our Legacy Campaign, said Loni N. Kline, vice president for college relations. Her support is a testament to her desire to provide firsts of all kinds to our students, setting the stage for future generations.

Providing students with opportunities to succeed has always been a primary focus for me as president of this institution, Gilmour said. My hope is that these funds will be life-changing for the students who receive them. The Tomorrow Makers Scholarship already supports opportunities for more students to enroll at Penn College, and the endowed funds enable students to explore new cultures and perspectives and to showcase the skills and problem-solving abilities they have developed here by competing with their peers.

Gilmour has served Penn College for 44 years, the past 23 as its president. She has guided the institution, a special mission affiliate of Penn State, through a period of robust growth and dynamic innovation while overseeing its development into a national leader in applied technology education.

She joined the college in 1977 as an instructor and curriculum developer in the dental hygiene program, subsequently serving in a variety of administrative roles with increasing responsibility  including vice president for academic affairs/provost, the highest-ranking academic officer  before being appointed president on May 4, 1998.
Watsontown, Pa. - The Susquehanna Greenway Partnership invites paddling and film enthusiasts to join the 2021 Float & Films event on Saturday, June 26. The day will be split into two parts: the float in the morning and the films in the afternoon.

Kayak rentals will be available for participants who don't have their own or would rather not lug theirs to the venue.

Tickets to the float only are available for $15 per adult and $12 per child.

The Float begins at 8 a.m. at the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission Watsontown Launch. Floaters will launch into the West Branch Susquehanna River and travel 7.5 miles down the river to Lewisburg, stopping at Bic's Water Sports.

Paddlers are encouraged to enjoy the sights during the leisurely trip, especially the wildlife along the river. Following the paddle, participants are invited to a light lunch.

The Watsontown launch site is located on Park Road near the William (Jack) Marshall Recreation Area.

The Films will be shown at Campus Theatre, one of the last art deco style single-screen movie theaters located at 413 Market St, Lewisburg. The international paddling films will consist of features from the 2020 World Paddling Film Festival.

The Susquehanna Greenway Partnership hopes that these films will inspire everybody to explore rivers, lakes, and oceans and embrace the outdoor and paddling lifestyle!

Films will be shown from 1 to 3 p.m. To join the film portion only, tickets are $15 per person.

Tickets for both the float and films are $28 per adult, $25 per child.
Harrisburg, Pa. - Following Texas's passage of a "heartbeat bill," Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf both condemned the Commonwealth General Assembly's new anti-abortion legislation and reiterated his commitment to vetoing any anti-abortion legislation that crosses his desk.

Today, I am reaffirming my commitment to uphold Pennsylvanians right to make their own health decisions, said Gov. Wolf.

Politics do not belong in a doctors office and there is absolutely no place for politicians to come between an individual and their doctor. It is despicable that members of the legislature are actively working to criminalize health care decisions that individuals and their doctors need the freedom to make on their own.

Attorney General Josh Shapiro joined Gov. Wolf in condemning the legislation.

Were seeing a continued, sustained assault on the fundamental right to reproductive health care across the country, and the latest attack has come right here in Pennsylvania, said AG Shapiro.

Defending Pennsylvanians rights in court is nothing new to my office. Throughout the entire Trump era, we protected reproductive health care and the right to have a safe, legal abortion. And with enough of our voices speaking up and speaking out, these kinds of extreme, reckless bills will never become law.

The two officials were also joined by members of the Women's Health Caucus and other advocates.

I can tell you, from my multiple perspectives as an expert in this topic, that removing reproductive choice will create a slippery slope whereby the government dictates what we can and cannot do with our bodies, said clinician and advocate Dr. Erica Goldblatt Hyatt.

Research consistently demonstrates that when choice in pregnancy is taken awaylong-term psychological health suffers. Not the health of monsters, but of people who are often already parents, often valuable members of our community, doing the very best that they can.

I am thrilled that Governor Tom Wolf is here in my hometown, Narberth, said Womens Health Caucus co-chair Rep. Mary Jo Daley. Governor Wolf is a strong advocate for women and their reproductive rights. In Harrisburg, he has been the backstop on every single bill that would take these rights from women. 

Access to abortion is part of the fundamental rights we, as humans, have to our own bodies, said Sen. Amanda Cappelletti.

Those attacking this right are needlessly shaming people who can become pregnant and echoing the dangerous national trend of attacking a persons right to bodily autonomy. Politicians need to leave these extremely private and personal decisions up to patients and their doctors. I will continue to fight against this rhetoric and any policy that hurts Pennsylvanians who can conceive.

Its unacceptable that its 2021, and women remain under attack regarding their own personal health care and beyond, said state Rep. Morgan Cephas, D-Phila., who is co-chair of the Womens Health Caucus and a member of the Pennsylvania Commission for Women.

The anti-choice legislators in the Republican-controlled Generally Assembly cannot be allowed to run over womens rights while refusing to tackle the issues women need us to address, like supporting mothers and their children after birth and decreasing the increasing rate of maternal mortality due to lack of access to health care and other resources. I will continue to fight for the right of women to make these deeply personal and private decisions with the help of their family and doctors and without government interference.
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Calhoun, GA (30701)

Today

Partly cloudy this evening with more clouds for overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 69F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Partly cloudy this evening with more clouds for overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 69F. Winds light and variable.
Tocvan Ventures (CSE: TOC) Vice President of Exploration Brodie Sutherland joined Stephen Gunnion from Proactive to bring news the company has signed an LOI with Millrock Resources to acquire the El Picacho gold project in Sonora, Mexico.

Sutherland telling Proactive that Project is fully accessible by road and has had extensive surface exploration and the historic work has defined 5 gold targets.

Sutherland said the next steps will be trenching and then drilling.
Local

Inflation in construction materials affects Rome's CHIP housing, repair program

Doug Walker Rome Community Development Committee members Bill Collins (from left), Jim Bojo and Sundai Stevenson learn that the CHIP housing construction program has been put on pause due to an increase in the cost of materials.

The high cost of construction has taken a bite out of the city of Romes Community Home Investment Program.

Two new CHIP homes have been completed on Peachtree Street. But construction of a third, on Grover Street, was canceled after the contractor said the cost went up by $30,000.

The sale of a home at 7 Peachtree closed Monday and one at 10 Peachtree is slated to close next month, Community Development Director Bekki Fox told the citys Community Development Committee on Tuesday.

The homes are being constructed through a partnership with the South Rome Alliance. Funding comes from the sale of previous homes built with CHIP grants from the state.

As homes are built and sold, the income is funneled back into the program to build more housing for qualified low- to moderate-income purchasers. The city has constructed more than 30 of the homes over the last couple of decades.

Unable to build within the cost parameters  typically right at $100,000  the city and South Rome Alliance sold the lot on Grover Street to a private developer, who will build on the site.

The citys minor and moderate home repair program has also been impacted by the increasing construction costs.

Fox said she only has a handful of contractors who participate in the program, and theyre so busy right now that shes having a difficult time getting bids for work.

They usually dont want to fool with us except when they dont have anything else to do, Fox said. We have one house that is under contract and the contractor is replacing all of the windows in the home. Well, the windows have been on order for almost 16 weeks.

In lieu of more extensive, and expensive, repair programs, Fox said her office is considering the addition of a home painting program. She said a budget of $5,000 per home would help the look of some neighborhoods in the city.

Were not going to paint a house that the roof is caving in on. There would be some parameters, Fox said.

Romes Community Development Block Grant allocation for 2021 was increased by about $6,800 and Fox won approval from the committee to put those funds into the East Rome sidewalk rehabilitation budget. She hopes to get some sidewalk work along the Maple Street corridor under contract by the end of July.

Rolling over some leftover funds in the 2019 and 2020 CDBG budget, the city has right at $300,000 for the sidewalk work.
Rome, GA (30161)

Today

Partly cloudy this evening with more clouds for overnight. Low around 70F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Partly cloudy this evening with more clouds for overnight. Low around 70F. Winds light and variable.
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.
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Lancang-Mekong Sweet Spring Project brings Lao villagers safe drinking water

Xinhua) 14:31, June 09, 2021

VIENTIANE, June 9 (Xinhua) -- China is carrying out the Lancang-Mekong Sweet Spring Project to bring local villagers in northern Laos safe drinking water and to promote socio-economic development, the Chinese Consulate-General in Luang Prabang told Xinhua.

Rural water supply safety has been identified as one of the priorities of water resources cooperation by the six Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) member countries.

Chinese engineering companies in Laos have accelerated the Lancang-Mekong Sweet Spring project in spite of the COVID-19 pandemic, Li Zhigong, the Chinese consul general in Luang Prabang, told Xinhua on Tuesday.

Since the beginning of 2021, the project team carried out a pilot demonstration in Hatkeep village in Luang Prabang Province, some 250 km north of Lao capital Vientiane, building water intake sites and water supply pipelines, and installing water purification equipments.

The handover ceremony for the pilot project in Hatkeep village was held on May 27 by Nam Ou River Basin Power Co., Ltd., a branch company of PowerChina which undertook the construction. The project ensures safe drinking water for around 2,000 local residents.

Local officials and villagers expressed their gratitude to China's help at the ceremony, saying the Chinese side has cared about and attached great importance to the drinking water problems in the village.

Formerly, the water source of Hatkeep village was gully water, which was often insufficient to meet the supply demand in the dry season. Without water treatment, microorganisms in the water often exceeded the standard level, and diarrhea, vomiting and other diseases always troubled the local communities.

According to the Chinese Consulate-General in Luang Prabang, the Lancang-Mekong Sweet Spring Project aims to enhance the local rural water supply project construction and management capabilities, and to collect experience and technical support for rural water supply safety in the Lancang-Mekong region through technology training and demonstration in Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar.

(Web editor: Guo Wenrui, Liang Jun)
Investigation opened into deadly fire in Russia's Ryazan hospital

 RAPSI, Vladimir Burnov

10:59 09/06/2021

MOSCOW, June 9 (RAPSI)  A probe was launched on Wednesday after the fire situation in the hospital of N.A. Semashko in Russias town of Ryazan that resulted in the death of three persons, the Investigative Committees press service reports.

A case is opened over negligent homicide.

According to investigators, the blaze occurred in the intensive care unit at the hospital. Three persons died, seven people were admitted to hospital with the signs of combustion gases poisoning and burns.




Alleged leader of notorious Russian gang charged with murders faces trial

 RAPSI, Vladimir Burnov

11:38 09/06/2021

MOSCOW, June 9 (RAPSI)  The Southern District Military Court will hear a criminal case over organization an organized criminal group and multiple murders against alleged leader of the notorious organized-crime syndicate Aslan Gagiyev, the Supreme Courts press service has told RAPSI.

Gagieyevs detention was previously extended until September 13.

Russian investigators claim that Gagiyevs gang has been operating since 2004 and includes over 50 members. Members of the gang committed more than 60 counts of murder in Moscow, Moscow Region and North Ossetia including murders of officials, law enforcement officers and businessmen.

Gagiyev was put on the international wanted list in October 2014. Five months later he was arrested in Austria where he was extradited from in 2018.

The alleged leader of the gang pleaded not guilty to multiple murders and denied involvement in the organization of a criminal group and robberies with violence and withheld evidence, according to investigators.

If convicted he could face life imprisonment.

Over 20 members of the gang have already been convicted and are serving long prison terms.




Roseburg, OR (97470)

Today

Periods of rain. Low 57F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 80%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch..

Tonight

Periods of rain. Low 57F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 80%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.
A Senate investigation of the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol has found a broad intelligence breakdown across multiple agencies, along with widespread law enforcement and military failures that led to the violent attack
Roseburg, OR (97470)

Today

Cloudy with periods of rain. Low 57F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 80%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch..

Tonight

Cloudy with periods of rain. Low 57F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 80%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch.
Russian lawmakers back tougher sanctions for drunk driving

 RAPSI, Vladimir Burnov

13:13 09/06/2021

MOSCOW, June 9 (RAPSI)  The State Duma MPs passed a bill envisaging increase from 2 to 3 years of the maximum prison sentence for repeated driving while intoxicated in the third and final reading on Wednesday, the website of the lower house of parliament informs.

The document seeks to establish a stricter punishment for driving a car or other power-driven vehicle by a person driving in a state of intoxication in cases, where such a person has a criminal record for committing a similar crime. Stricter punishment is to be a longer prison term (up to 3 years instead of current 2 years) and higher fines (ranging from 300,000 to 500,000 rubles ($4,000 to $6,500 at the current exchange rate) instead of 200,000 to 300,000 rubles ($2,600 to $4,000) or in the amount of the wages or other income of the convicted person generated for a period of two to three years instead of one to two years, as well as the abolishment of a punishment in the form of community service, the explanatory note to the bill reads.

In order to create conditions for the variable application of real punishments, it is proposed to supplement the list of the main types thereof with correctional labor for up to two years and restraint of liberty for up to three years.

The bill also provides for a stricter additional punishment in the form of deprivation of the right to hold certain positions or engage in certain activities for up to six years.




Sheldon Police Department and OBrien County Sheriffs Office personnel were on the scene at the bank robbery at Iowa State Bank on Thursday afternoon. The Sioux County Sheriffs Office and Iowa State Patrol also helped the investigation, which was later taken over by the FBI.
GARY  Three Northwest Indiana community organizations have hit the jackpot thanks to the new Hard Rock Casino in Gary.

Casino officials recently presented checks worth $30,000 each to the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana, the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Northwest Indiana and the Urban League of Northwest Indiana.

The surprise donations came from proceeds generated during an employee friends and family event held at the Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana prior to the May 14 grand opening of the $300 million land-based gaming facility adjacent to the Borman Expressway at Burr Street.

"Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana is committed to help local charities in Gary and Northwest Indiana have the financial resources to support their constituents in times of need," said Matt Schuffert, casino president.

Schuffert last week was joined by various Hard Rock Casino executives as he presented oversized guitar-shaped checks to leaders and staff at each of the three organizations.

"We depend on the support of partners like Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana. We truly appreciate their generosity," said Victor Garcia, president and CEO of the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana.
You do not want to draw attention to the cats for their safety, Dusek said. Make sure to clean up any food dishes and mess.

Petalas agrees that its important to provide a safe place to feed cats, and she encourages peoples to establish feeding stations away from busy streets or areas that could have a lot of foot traffic.

She also said feeding should occur in the same place and at the same time.

Cats need and desire routine, Petalas said. Having a regular feeding schedule helps with monitoring cats. You know if a certain cat did not show up to daily mealtime, something may be wrong.

She said there also are steps to take to ensure cats are receiving the right amount of food.

Mealtime should last about 30 minutes, so finishing food in 15 minutes (means) not enough food and finishing food in over 30 minutes (means) too much food, she said.

Besides feeding the animals, people also can create shelters for the felines.

Dusek said there are many types of shelters people can make, with do-it-yourself instructions available online. Humane Indiana has outdoor cat shelter plans and other community cat information available at www.humaneindiana.org/shelter-community-cats.
INDIANAPOLIS  Indianapolis ended its mask mandate for people fully vaccinated against COVID-19 on Tuesday, hours after the City-County Council approved a measure easing numerous pandemic restrictions.

The Democratic-majority council passed the new public health order Monday evening on a 19-5 party line vote, with Republicans opposed because the measure didn't fully lift all pandemic restrictions.

Despite lifting its mask order, Indianapolis businesses may choose to require masks on their property and masks are still required in hospitals and on public transportation in Indiana's capital.

The change means residents who received their final vaccine shot at least two weeks ago are not required to wear masks in public areas.

Indianapolis is aiming for a 50% vaccination rate in order to fully reopen, Virginia Caine, director of the Marion County Public Health Department, told the council. Last week, the county's vaccination rate stood at about 36%.

"Those of our residents who have chosen to receive the COVID-19 vaccine can now safely remove their masks in most public settings. This is truly a milestone for the Indianapolis community," Caine said.
A subprime auto loan company that allegedly violated Indiana consumer protection laws has agreed to waive more than $14.1 million in vehicle debt and pay restitution of $261 each to more than 5,000 Hoosiers.

Attorney General Todd Rokita announced Tuesday the Indiana impact of the multistate settlement reached last year between 33 states and Santander Consumer USA Inc.

Rokita said the $261 checks soon should be arriving in the mailboxes of eligible Hoosiers who did business with the lending company.

"As part of our mission to protect Hoosier consumers, we will continue to hold businesses accountable for following the law," Rokita said. "Hard-working families face enough challenges without having to contend with companies trying to take advantage of them."

According to the attorney general's office, Santander allegedly used sophisticated credit scoring models to predict which borrowers were likely to default on its auto loans, and then saddled those borrowers with hefty loan payments relative to their incomes plus significant fees.
HAMMOND  A long-imprisoned East Chicago street gang leader was sentenced to even more years behind bars Tuesday.

U.S. District Court Judge Philip Simon imposed a 22-year judgment Tuesday on 47-year-old Jesus V. "Chu Chu" Fuentes.

He is the last among 10 men and women first charged in 2013 with federal racketeering and, as leader, has received the lengthiest sentence of them all.

Federal prosecutors initially sought permission from the U.S. Department of Justice to charge him with capital murder, but federal authorities in Washington, D.C., declined in 2014 to pursue the death penalty against him.

Fuentes, who has maintained homes in both Northwest Indiana and Mexico, pleaded guilty in 2015 to be a leader of the Dark Side Two Six, a Chicago-based street gang that sold hundred of thousands of dollars worth of cocaine and marijuana.

Fuentes enforced his gangs monopoly over its East Chicago turf as well as his own control over the gang with deadly violence.

He admitted in his guilty plea he murdered Miguel Fernandez on Jan. 5, 1991, and ordered the murders of Edwardo Miranda on Oct. 30, 1997, and Albert "Greeny" Guzman on Oct. 6, 1999.
Mitchell was sentenced to six months in jail, followed by 18 months on probation. He also was ordered to successfully complete substance abuse treatment.

Because of credit for jail time he'd already served, Mitchell was released from jail Nov. 3, court records show.

He was still on probation Tuesday, when a Dyer police officer attempted to stop him about 3:30 a.m. for not having a license plate on the white Chevrolet he was driving east on U.S. 30, according to court records and police.

Mitchell sped away from the officer and turned south on U.S. 41, leading the pursuit through Schererville and into St. John, police said.

He rear-ended a blue vehicle in the 9800 block of U.S. 41, causing his vehicle to bounce into oncoming traffic and roll up and over a Lake County sheriff's patrol car, police said.

Sheriff's police were in the area to assist with the pursuit but were not yet involved, spokeswoman Pam Jones said.

The officer in the patrol car, a 36-year-old woman and five-year veteran of the force, suffered a broken wrist and hand and shoulder injuries in the crash. The officer since has been released from a hospital and was placed on leave as she recovers, Jones said.
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The 20-year-old Hamlet man is accused of knowingly accompanying Kerner to Kerner's maternal grandparents' home in Boone Township on Feb. 25, 2019, and hiding in the basement while Kerner shot both Grill and Molley Lanham, 19, of St. John, in the garage above.

Kerner then summoned Silva to help clean up while Kerner finished the killing of Grill by beating him with the pipe wrench, police say.

Kerner loaded the bodies of Grill and Lanham in the trunk of a Honda Civic following the slayings, along with various containers of flammable liquids, and set the vehicle on fire, police said. He was not able to follow through on plans to haul away and dispose the charred remains of the vehicle and bodies.

While the defense has argued Silva unknowingly became wrapped up in the double slaying, prosecutors say he was part of the plan all along. Silva is charged with two counts each of murder and robbery resulting in serious bodily injury.

Jurors were shown a surveillance video last week of Silva and Kerner leaving Valparaiso High School together around 10:17 a.m. on Feb. 25, 2019, which was less than two hours before the killings.
CROWN POINT  Charges filed Tuesday allege a Dyer woman was driving drunk in April when she struck and killed a Merrillville man and left the scene.

Lori L. Garrett, 60, is accused of hitting 42-year-old Jason Hudock, who was on foot, about 9 p.m. April 23 near U.S. 30 and Taft Street in Merrillville.

Merrillville police found Hudock laying in the road. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police later were dispatched to the Walgreens at U.S. 30 and Merrillville Road for a report of a vehicle with heavy front-end damage, Lake Criminal Court records state.

Garrett told police she may have hit a deer and was transported to the Police Department. During the ride, the officer noticed she smelled of alcohol, records state.

At the police station, Garrett said she "hit a deer or someone else" and she "only had a few drinks earlier in the day," documents allege.

Garrett refused to take a chemical test, so police obtained a warrant to draw her blood. Results showed her blood alcohol content was 0.155, records state. The legal limit for driving in Indiana is 0.08.
According to a news release from the Hammond Education Foundation, seven of the students were from Morton High School, four were from Clark High School, three were from Gavit High School and the other three from Hammond High. Each student received between $500 and $2,500 for post-secondary education.
It's been nearly a year since Rogers died, and Miller said as the backbone of the family, her death has been "extremely challenging," but "we know in her spirit, we've got to press forward because this is what exactly what she would have wanted us to do."

'A politician of purpose'

IUN Chancellor Ken Iwama, who kicked off the posthumous celebration for Rogers, said the longtime councilwoman, who was born, raised and educated in Gary, worked "tirelessly" to improve Gary.

Iwama noted Rogers also served as Gary Common Council president, as well as a member of various organizations including, the National League of Cities; the Indiana Association of Cities and Towns; the National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials; and "the list goes on."

The chancellor then shared an excerpt that he read during the university's commencement ceremony for the classes of 2020 and 2021 in May.

"I'm so very thankful that today we are in this together, once again, one more time. As you now take what you have learned here, your acquired knowledge and skills, and unleash them to enrich your communities," Iwama said.
LAPORTE  A LaPorte official heavily criticized last year for publicly denouncing the LGBTQ lifestyle joined in the presentation of a pride flag to the city Monday night.

City Councilman Roger Galloway said his personal views have not changed, but he stands by the effort of the LGBTQ community to be accepted.

I believe my opinion, my religious beliefs are the same, but were all in this together, he said.

The pride flag was presented during the LaPorte City Council meeting by Elissa Affeld, a member of the local LGBTQ community and the citys Diversity and Inclusion Committee.

She spoke about acceptance as part of June being Pride month dedicated to celebrating LGBTQ communities worldwide.

Affeld blamed lack of acceptance for LGBTQ members having much higher rates of homelessness, mental health and substance abuse issues.

She also expressed a desire for the city to fly the flag during the remainder of Pride month as a symbol to those in the community that the city of LaPorte is not only diverse but accepting and inclusive.

Whether the flag will be flown by the city was not mentioned.
MEXICO CITY (AP)  Vice President Kamala Harris sought to assure poor and threatened populations of Latin America on Tuesday that the United States has "the capacity to give people a sense of hope in the region so they can make better lives without fleeing to the U.S. border.

Harris closed her first foreign trip as vice president unapologetic for her decision not to visit the U.S.-Mexico border as part of her mission to address migration to the United States.

If you want to address the needs of a people, you must meet those people, you must spend time with those people, because the only way you can actually fix the problem is to understand the problem, she told a news conference before the flight to Washington.

Earlier she brushed off questions about her decision not to go to the border as part of her work to address the spike in migration, saying that while it was legitimate to be concerned about the situation there, it wouldnt be addressed with a simple visit.

It must be priority for us to understand why people leave, she told the news conference. I cannot say it enough. Most people don't want to leave home.
PARIS (AP)  France has suspended military operations with Central African Republic, accusing its government of failing to respect political opposition and failing to stop a massive anti-French disinformation campaign.

The French government is also suspending about 10 million euros ($12.1 million) in budgetary support for CAR, two French officials told The Associated Press on Tuesday.

The move comes amid high tensions and diplomatic wrangling over influence in the mineral-rich former French colony. Russia has business interests in the country and also sent military instructors there last year.

Central African Republic has faced deadly inter-religious and inter-communal fighting since 2013. After a 2019 peace deal, violence erupted anew after the constitutional court rejected former President Francois Bozizes effort to run for president again last year. President Faustin Archange Touadera won reelection in December, but continues to face opposition from forces linked to Bozize.

Rebels aligned with Bozize tried to attack the capital in January, underscoring how CAR's military faces serious security threats that they had looked to the French for help with.
It wasnt John Keatings idea to become a cop.

He was thinking of a career as a carpenter.

His mother, Rosemary, had other ideas. She saw an ad in a newspaper in 1986 that the Village of Orland Park was looking for police officers to serve the growing community. She even filled out an application for him and coaxed him to attend an orientation.

Well, 35 years later, Keating, 56, was sworn in as the Village of Mokenas new police chief in April, replacing the retired Steve Vaccaro and taking the reins from Interim Chiefs Tim McCarthy and Randal Stumpf.

Rosemary Keating died in 1998, and Keating praises her nudging him into law enforcement.

She said you should go to this orientation,  Keating said. I give her credit, God rest her soul. She said it would be a good job for me and a good career path. She was a smart lady.

It was the best decision I ever made. Its been a fulfilling career. I was very fortunate. It sounds cliche but I take joy in this job. When most people call the police, they are going through some type of crisis. Being able to provide that stability and security and empathy and compassion for people you are dealing with on a daily basis, its very rewarding.
Nearly 200 staff members at a Houston-area hospital were suspended for not following a policy that requires employees to be vaccinated against Covid-19. Their suspensions followed a protest by dozens of workers on Monday night against the policy.

The hospital, Houston Methodist, had told employees that they had to be vaccinated by Monday or face suspension. Last month, 117 Houston Methodist employees filed a lawsuit against their employer over the vaccine policy.

While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends health care workers get a flu shot, and some hospital systems require it, few companies have required Covid-19 shots, despite federal government guidance that says employers can mandate vaccines for on-site workers.

Executives, lawyers and consultants who advise companies say that many of them remain hesitant because of a long list of legal considerations the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission says must be followed before mandating vaccinations. Some companies say they are wary of setting mandates until the vaccines have received full approval by the Food and Drug Administration, which so far has granted emergency use authorization.
HOLA PAPI

How to Come Out in a Walmart Parking Lot and Other Life Lessons

By John Paul Brammer

I first became aware of John Paul Brammer because of his Twitter account. Its a feed that shines with subtle and riotously strange queer humor, and because of that, his tweets frequently found their way into my group chats. Brammer is a queer, mixed-race Mexican American journalist who writes about race, gay love and poppers. He also uses Twitter to share his work, which is how I first stumbled on his advice column, Hola Papi.

Each week in Hola Papi, Brammer shares a letter from a reader facing a quandary about modern queer life  not feeling gay enough, falling in love with straight men  and then he doles out his best guidance in response. His answers include both jokes and insights from his own experience. In the years since it launched (it first ran in Grindrs digital magazine, Into, and now publishes on Substack), it has become the rare email that I genuinely look forward to. Brammers journey from reluctant self-parody to a full embodiment of his Papi avatar has been remarkable and enviable. (How I, too, wish to be so fully myself that I can find gems of wisdom in my trauma.)

And thus, my expectations for Brammers debut book, Hola Papi: How to Come Out in a Walmart Parking Lot and Other Life Lessons, have been lofty since its existence first came to my attention  where else  on Twitter.
A Sunday vote on Israels new government

Lawmakers in Israel will hold a vote of confidence on Sunday on a new coalition government, potentially ending the 12-year tenure of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

It would clear the way for his potential replacement, Naftali Bennett, a former entrepreneur and settler leader who opposes a Palestinian state and says he believes Israel should annex much of the occupied West Bank. He would lead an ideologically varied alliance that ranges from the far left to the hard right and includes an independent Arab party.

But the alliances fragility and its wafer-thin majority  if no one drops out, it will command 61 of Parliaments 120 seats  have left many wondering whether the coalition will last until the vote, let alone through its full four-year term. Bennett has agreed to cede the prime ministers office in 2023 to Yair Lapid, a centrist former television host.

Analysis: Although it appears that a peaceful democratic transition will take place in Israel, nothing is certain  especially as Netanyahu accuses his rival of a deep state conspiracy, our reporter writes.
On Monday morning, union employees at The New Yorker unveiled a website that included their demands for higher pay and better job security, as well as the statement that they were on the verge of a strike.

On Tuesday evening, the employees marched from the campus of New York University to the nearby Greenwich Village home of Anna Wintour, the fashion icon, magazine editor, publishing executive and Manhattan power player who has become a symbol of Conde Nast, the corporate home of The New Yorker.

Bosses wear Prada, workers get nada! they chanted.

There were about 100 protesters in all, many of them fact checkers or editorial staff members who belong to The New Yorker Union, a group that started three years ago and is affiliated with the NewsGuild of New York.

The demonstrators included employees from two other Conde Nast publications with union representation  the digital publications Ars Technica and Pitchfork.
[Watch the NYC Mayoral Debate live.]

Turbulence again rocked the New York City mayoral race on Tuesday, as Eric Adams, a leading contender, came under fire from two directions, even as two rivals, Kathryn Garcia and Maya Wiley, displayed signs of growing support.

Mr. Adams, the Brooklyn borough president, first drew criticism for his decision to skip a new debate among the top candidates scheduled for Thursday; he will instead attend a vigil for a 10-year-old killed in gun violence in Queens.

Then questions emerged over where Mr. Adams actually lives, after Politico reported some inconsistencies in public records that suggested that he did not live in the Brooklyn apartment where he had registered to run for mayor.

During the pandemic, Mr. Adams has often slept in Brooklyn Borough Hall, a habit that he has apparently continued in recent weeks. He also co-owns an apartment in Fort Lee, N.J.
A Queens man was charged with murder on Tuesday in the fatal weekend shooting of a 10-year-old boy who was killed as he opened the door to leave his aunts house. The arrest came the day that the boy, Justin Wallace, would have turned 11.

In addition to the murder count, the man, Jovan Young, was charged with attempted murder in the wounding of Justins 29-year-old cousin amid what officials said was a hail of at least eight gunshots around 9:30 p.m. Saturday. Mr. Young, 29, who also faces weapons possession charges, was awaiting arraignment late Tuesday, officials said.

The fatal shooting of a child days shy of celebrating his birthday with a trip to an amusement park was a stark example of the surge in gun violence that has gripped New York in recent months, feeding growing fears of crime and vaulting public safety to the fore in the current mayors race.

Through Saturday, 678 people in the city had been killed or injured in 594 shootings so far this year. Both figures were up about 69 percent compared with the same period in 2020, when 402 people were wounded in 352 shootings. The number of victims was the highest for the period since 2002, according to Police Department data.
What happens really influences the direction of the Republican Party going forward, Dr. Koning said, adding that the election will indicate whether, in New Jersey, Republicans will continue to follow the moderation that the party has been known for or become more nationalized toward Trumpism.

Less than two hours after polls closed, Mr. Ciattarelli was declared the winner by The Associated Press. He had captured 49.6 percent of the vote in the four-man race for the Republican nomination by late Tuesday. His win comes four years after a second-place primary finish behind Kim Guadagno, the then-lieutenant governor.

Tonight New Jerseyans showed they are ready for a change, and we are just getting started, Mr. Ciattarelli, 59, said in a statement. The fact is, after four years of Murphys failed leadership, our state is struggling.

We will make New Jersey more affordable by lowering property taxes, he added. We will create jobs. We will bring Main Street small businesses back to life. We will reduce the size and cost of government.

The Republican primary was seen as a test of the potency of Mr. Trumps combative brand of politics among New Jerseys party faithful, and the public discourse often touched on themes from the former presidents divisive term: the politics of mask wearing and the legitimacy of Mr. Bidens win.

We all know Trump won, Hirsh Singh, an aerospace engineer and self-described Trump Republican who was running his fourth recent campaign for office, said as he faced off against Mr. Ciattarelli in the only public debate of the primary. Only Mr. Singh and Mr. Ciattarelli qualified for public financing, making them eligible for the debate.

But it was Philip Rizzo, a pastor and real estate developer who also aligned himself with Mr. Trump, who was in second place late Tuesday with nearly 26 percent of the Republican vote, four percentage points ahead of Mr. Singh. Brian Levine, a former mayor of Franklin, N.J., finished fourth.
The New York City comptroller serves as the fiscal watchdog, which is serious business in a city with a budget of nearly $99 billion. The office oversees the citys roughly $240 billion in pension funds, approving its contracts and investigating its agencies.

As New York recovers from the Covid-19 pandemic, it will need a steady and experienced hand focused on ensuring that its residents and businesses recover from the trauma caused by the disease. The health and vitality of the citys economy isnt just a local matter; New York is a major economic engine that the entire nation needs firing on all cylinders for recovery to succeed. This is a job for Brad Lander, a veteran councilman from Brooklyn who is among the hardest-working and most effective public servants in the city.

Plenty of legislators in the 51-member City Council simply show up. Mr. Landers work has often changed New York for the better. Early in his career, he was one of two council members behind the Community Safety Act, among the first significant efforts to curb stop-and-frisk policing under Mayor Michael Bloomberg. In the following decade, Mr. Lander sponsored legislation that expanded paid sick leave, strengthened protections for tenants and increased rapid bus service for New Yorkers. He also took on common-sense measures, like getting air-conditioners into city schools, that made life easier.

Mr. Lander has repeatedly risked his political career to take unpopular stances. Perhaps most significant was his skillful, dogged support of a plan in recent years that successfully integrated Brooklyn elementary and middle schools in his district.
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Forty years ago last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported five cases of a rare pneumonia in Los Angeles that it described as unusual: The patients were all young, previously healthy active homosexuals whose immune systems had inexplicably stopped working. Two had died by the time of the reports publication, and the other three died soon after.

It was, unbeknown to the C.D.C., the first official U.S. recognition of the disease now called AIDS: one of the worst pandemics in human history, which has since killed nearly 35 million people, including over 700,000 Americans.

Although H.I.V. and AIDS may feel to some like yesterdays news, as the Canadian journalist Andre Picard wrote, they are anything but: Last year, while the world trained its epidemiological attention on the coronavirus, H.I.V. infected 1.5 million people and killed 690,000. What lessons do the two viruses teach us about pandemics and how to fight them? Heres what people are saying.
A young man spent a significant part of his life in prison for no good reason, Judge Joel E. Tingey of Idahos Seventh District Court said during the sentencing on Tuesday, addressing Mr. Dripps. He was innocent. That falls on you.

On June 13, 1996, Ms. Dodge had been sleeping when Mr. Dripps broke into her apartment in Idaho Falls, raped her and then nearly decapitated her, the authorities said. Her killing went unsolved for about a year, until a friend of Ms. Dodge was arrested in an unrelated rape that also involved a knife.

Mr. Tapp, who was 20 at the time, was friends with the man and had emerged as a suspect himself. Representatives of the Innocence Project, which works to overturn wrongful convictions, said that investigators had threatened to pursue the death penalty against Mr. Tapp and offered him immunity if he confessed to killing Ms. Dodge, which he did and later tried to renounce.

Despite DNA evidence collected from the crime scene that did not match his own, Mr. Tapp was convicted of rape and murder in May 1998.

The case regained momentum more than a decade ago when Carol Dodge, Ms. Dodges mother, sought the involvement of the Idaho Innocence Project. The group is part of a network of legal advocacy nonprofits affiliated with the Innocence Project, a national organization based in New York that also became involved in the case. Not convinced that her daughters killer had been brought to justice because of the lack of a DNA match, she had asked to see the confession tapes.
Biden Cuts Off Stalled Infrastructure Talks With Leading Republicans The president is turning to a bipartisan group of centrist senators to try to salvage an infrastructure bill. The Senate, in a 68-32 vote, passed a landmark industrial policy bill meant to bolster U.S. competitiveness against China. Follow the latest news on President Biden.

Biden pulls the plug on infrastructure talks with Capito, shifting focus to centrist senators for a bipartisan deal. A bipartisan group of senators meet in a Capitol office Tuesday evening to discuss a new infrastructure package. Credit... Stefani Reynolds for The New York Times President Biden on Tuesday ended a weekslong effort to reach a deal with Senate Republicans on an expansive infrastructure plan, cutting off negotiations that had failed to persuade them to embrace his bid to pour $1 trillion into the nations aging public works system and safety-net programs. It was a major setback to Mr. Bidens effort to attract Republican support for his top domestic priority, which had always faced long odds over the size, scope and financing of the package. Most Republicans have made it clear they are willing to spend only a fraction of what Democrats want on a much narrower initiative, and balked at any tax increases to pay for it. In a final telephone call on Tuesday with Senator Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, the leading Republican negotiator, after days of back-and-forth discussions, Mr. Biden made clear that the divide was too large to bridge. The breakdown did not close off the possibility of a bipartisan compromise entirely, and the White House signaled that the president would continue seeking one. He shifted his focus to a bipartisan group of centrist senators who have been working separately on an alternative, calling three of them personally to cheer on their efforts and encourage them to work with top White House officials to hammer out a deal. Ms. Capito said it had been Mr. Biden who had been unwilling to compromise. While I appreciate President Bidens willingness to devote so much time and effort to these negotiations, he ultimately chose not to accept the very robust and targeted infrastructure package, and instead, end our discussions, Ms. Capito said in a statement. While administration officials went to great lengths to emphasize Mr. Bidens respect for Ms. Capito as a negotiator and her efforts to reach a compromise, it was clear he had already moved on, placing his hopes for a deal on the bipartisan Senate group. He spoke on Tuesday with Senator Bill Cassidy, Republican of Louisiana, and Senators Joe Manchin III of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, both Democrats. Any infrastructure package should and must be bipartisan, Mr. Cassidy said on Twitter, adding that he had raised flood resiliency and energy provisions with Mr. Biden during their conversation. .@POTUS just called to discuss infrastructure. I brought up flood resiliency and energy provisions that would benefit Louisiana as well as the rest of our nation. Strongly support @SenCapito's efforts. Any infrastructure package should and must be bipartisan.  U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (@SenBillCassidy) June 8, 2021 Mr. Cassidy and the other members of the bipartisan group were to huddle Tuesday evening on Capitol Hill to discuss their ideas for an infrastructure plan. I dont know that its something weve signed off on, but we do have a tentative figure at this point, said Senator Mitt Romney, Republican of Utah. He would not disclose that figure, but said he had spoken to administration officials about it. Democrats could also move infrastructure legislation on their own through the fast-track budget process known as reconciliation, which would allow them to avoid a filibuster, though that would require all 50 Democrats in the Senate and near unanimity among House Democrats. We all know as a caucus we will not be able to do all the things that the country needs in a totally bipartisan  a bipartisan way, said Senator Chuck Schumer, Democrat of New York and the majority leader.

A landmark industrial policy bill aimed at countering China easily clears the Senate in a bipartisan vote. Video transcript Back bars 0:00 / 1:20 - 0:00 transcript Senate Passes Bipartisan Technology Bill to Compete With China The Senate on Tuesday voted 68-32 to approve legislation that would spend a quarter-trillion dollars over the next five years on scientific research and development aimed at boosting the United States ability to compete with Chinese technology. We rely on foreign nations to supply supply critical technologies that we invented like semiconductors. That sunny American optimism has flickered as well. The world is more competitive now than at any time since the end of the Second World War. If we do nothing our days as the dominant superpower may be ending. Passing this bill, now called the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act, is the moment when the Senate lays the foundation for another century of American leadership. I believe that this legislation will enable the United States to out-innovate, outproduce and outcompete the world in the industries of the future. And I believe that the strongly bipartisan work on this bill has revealed that in this chamber, we all believe that another American century lies on the horizon. I urge my colleagues to vote yes. On this vote, the yeas are 68, the nays are 32. The 60-vote threshold having been achieved, the bill is passed. The Senate on Tuesday voted 68-32 to approve legislation that would spend a quarter-trillion dollars over the next five years on scientific research and development aimed at boosting the United States ability to compete with Chinese technology. Credit Credit... Stefani Reynolds for The New York Times The Senate overwhelmingly passed legislation on Tuesday that would pour nearly a quarter-trillion dollars over the next five years into scientific research and development to bolster competitiveness against China. Republicans and Democrats  overcoming their traditional partisan differences over economic policy  banded together to endorse what would be the most significant government intervention in industrial policy in decades. It includes federal investments in a slew of emerging technologies as well as the semiconductor industry. The 68-32 vote reflected the sense of urgency about the need to counter Beijing and other authoritarian governments that have poured substantial resources into bolstering their industrial and technological strength. The bill is likely to face stiffer headwinds in the House, where top lawmakers have expressed skepticism about its focus on bolstering emerging technologies. That debate played out in the Senate, which ultimately watered down the original concept of the legislation. Still, the Senates lopsided margin of support for the more than 2,400-page bill highlights a series of political shifts. Jolted to action by the coronavirus pandemic, which prompted shortages of crucial goods that highlighted the countrys dependence on its biggest geopolitical adversary, policymakers in Washington have moved to try to increase domestic production capacity. Passage of the legislation came hours after the Biden administration announced new steps to strengthen U.S. supply chains. Whoever harnesses the technologies like A.I. and quantum computing and innovations yet unseen will shape the world in their image, said Senator Chuck Schumer, the Democratic majority leader and a longtime China hawk who helped spearhead the bill. Do we want that image to be a democratic image? Or do we want it to be an authoritarian image like President Xi would like to impose on the world? Either we can concede the mantle of global leadership to our adversaries or we can pave the way for another generation of American leadership. The legislation, the core of which was a collaboration between Mr. Schumer and Senator Todd Young, Republican of Indiana, would prop up semiconductor makers by providing an emergency injection of funding for a $52 billion subsidy program with few restrictions, sending a lifeline to the industry during a global chip shortage that shut auto plants and rippled through the global supply chain. It would sink hundreds of billions more into scientific research and development pipelines in the United States, creating grants and fostering agreements between private companies and research universities across the country to encourage breakthroughs in new technology. When future generations of Americans cast their gaze toward new frontiers, will they see a red flag planted on those new frontiers that is not our own? Mr. Young said during a speech on the Senate floor. Today, we answer unequivocally, No. Today we declare our intention to win this century, and those that follow it as well. While the centerpiece of the legislation is focused on bolstering research and development in emerging technologies, it also includes a major trade measure that would allow the temporary suspension of tariffs on specific U.S. imports and would call on the Biden administration to impose sanctions on those responsible for forced labor practices and human rights abuses in and around Chinas Xinjiang region.

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Kamala Harris concludes meeting with Mexicos president, capping her high-stakes trip to the region. Video transcript Back bars 0:00 / 0:56 - 0:00 transcript Harris Meets With Mexicos President Vice President Kamala Harris met with President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador of Mexico on Tuesday to discuss migration, human trafficking and economic cooperation. Reporter: Will you increase your assistance in immigration enforcement? Translator: We will be speaking to the vice president, and we are very pleased to have her here. Translator: And we will touch on that subject. Translator: But always addressing the fundamental root causes. Vice President Kamala Harris met with President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador of Mexico on Tuesday to discuss migration, human trafficking and economic cooperation. Credit Credit... Erin Schaff/The New York Times MEXICO CITY  Vice President Kamala Harris met with Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Tuesday, capping her first foreign trip with a discussion on economic cooperation, as well as joint efforts to combat human trafficking and manage migration to their shared border. Mr. Lopez Obrador and I spent a significant amount of time together one on one, and had very directed candid conversations as well as a very productive bilateral meeting, Ms. Harris said afterward, noting that they discussed the pandemic, vaccines, migration and border security. According to a statement from Symone Sanders, a top adviser and spokeswoman for Ms. Harris, the Biden administration would issue loans for affordable housing, efforts to grow cacao and coffee and infrastructure project development. The U.S. will also invest $130 million over three years to support labor protections for Mexican workers and will also provide forensic training to Mexican officials seeking to find tens of thousands of missing people. The two leaders also agreed to increase cooperation to further secure our borders and ensure orderly immigration, Ms. Sanders said. Ms. Harris and Mr. Lopez Obrador signed an agreement in Mexicos national palace reiterating their governments commitment to deter migration north by addressing its root causes: poverty, persecution and corruption in Central America. The meeting concludes a high-stakes visit for Ms. Harris to Mexico and Guatemala, where she was on Monday. She has been tapped by President Biden to be the administrations emissary for one of its more complex and politically volatile issues: improving conditions in Central America and deterring migration to the U.S.-Mexico border. For weeks, Ms. Harris has faced criticism from Republicans for not visiting the United States southwest border, where an increasing number of lone migrant children and teenagers are arriving, and she has also tried to manage the expectations of Democrats for Mr. Biden to fulfill his campaign promise of taking a compassionate approach to asylum-seekers at the border. The trip has shown that her approach in the short-term prioritizes a moderate approach to migration and projecting a perception that the border is under control, even if it means turning away the very asylum-seekers she has said the United States is committed to helping in the long term. On Monday, Ms. Harris sparked criticism from immigration advocates and Democrats when she delivered a blunt message to potential migrants. I want to be clear to folks in this region who are thinking about making that dangerous trek to the United States-Mexico border: Do not come. Do not come, Ms. Harris said in Guatemala City, standing feet away from the Guatemalan president, Alejandro Giammattei. This is disappointing to see, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Democrat of New York, said on Twitter. First, seeking asylum at any US border is a 100% legal method of arrival. The Biden administration has continued to embrace an emergency rule put in place under the presidency of Donald J. Trump after the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic. The rule empowered border agents to rapidly turn away migrants without providing them a chance to apply for asylum, justifying the expulsions as necessary to stop the virus from spreading. Under U.S. immigration law, migrants are entitled to ask for protection once they step on American soil. The continued use of the rule, known as Title 42, has prompted criticism from immigration lawyers, former officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the administrations own medical consultants.

Bidens first two judicial nominees are confirmed with modest Republican support. The Senate voted 66-33 to confirm Julien Neals as a U.S. district court judge on Tuesday. Credit... Pool photo by Kevin Lamarque The Senate confirmed President Bidens first two judicial nominees on Tuesday with modest Republican support, the start of what Democrats intend to be a sprint to fill scores of federal vacancies and rebalance the ideological makeup of the courts after the Trump era. In a lopsided 66-to-33 vote, the chamber approved Julien Xavier Neals to serve as a district court judge in New Jersey, where a spate of vacancies have contributed to a significant backlog of cases. A few hours later, Democrats mustered even more Republican support, voting 72 to 28 to confirm Regina M. Rodriguez as the first Asian American judge to serve on the Federal District Court bench in Colorado. Image Regina M. Rodriguez, nominated to be a U.S. District Judge for Colorado, was confirmed by the Senate on Tuesday. Credit... Pool photo by Tom Williams This is the first, certainly not the last  not even close, Senator Chuck Schumer, Democrat of New York and the majority leader, boasted between the votes. Were going to be able to restore a lot of balance to the courts because there are a lot of vacancies we are going to fill. Democrats plan to move as soon as this week to confirm Mr. Bidens first appeals court pick, Ketanji Brown Jackson, to serve on the powerful D.C. Circuit. They have roughly a dozen other nominees winding their way through the approval process, and more than 100 seats on the federal bench are expected to become vacant in the coming months. But they are starting from a deep hole. When they controlled the Senate under the presidency of Donald J. Trump, Republicans, led by Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, used their majority to confirm more than 220 federal judges over four years, including more than 50 to influential appeals court posts and three to the Supreme Court. The Biden White House moved swiftly to begin naming nominees for many of the most important posts this spring, far earlier than the historic norm, and Mr. Bidens liberal allies on Capitol Hill have made the approval of those nominees a top priority.

New York passes a first-of-its-kind bill intended to allow civil lawsuits against gun makers and dealers. A Ruger pistol at a buyback event held by the New York Police Department and the office of the state attorney general in Brooklyn last month. Credit... Ed Jones/Agence France-Presse  Getty Images ALBANY, N.Y.  New York State lawmakers passed legislation on Tuesday intended to allow civil lawsuits to be brought against firearm manufacturers and dealers, an attempt to circumvent the broad immunity gun companies currently enjoy under federal law. The bill, passed by the Democratic-controlled State Legislature, is the first of its kind in the nation to specifically classify the illegal or improper marketing or sale of guns as a nuisance  a technical classification that state lawmakers say would open the gun industry to civil liability suits in New York. The approach, if successful, could prompt other states to follow suit as many cities grapple with rising gun violence. Indeed, Gov. Phil Murphy of New Jersey has already indicated he supports a similar proposal. The move comes a few months after President Biden reiterated his support of repealing a 2005 federal statute that gave gun manufacturers far-reaching immunity from being sued by victims of gun violence and their relatives. The 2005 law, the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, protects gun producers and firearm dealers from being held liable when crimes are carried out with their products. The federal statute, however, did not shield manufacturers in some cases, such as when they break state laws in their sales and marketing practices  an exception that the New York bill seeks to exploit. Supporters of the bill framed the legislation as a way to hold manufacturers accountable for the smuggling of illegal weapons into New York, which already has some of the strictest gun control laws in the country. Between 2010 and 2015, 86 percent of handguns recovered from crimes in New York were originally purchased out of state, most from neighboring states with weak gun laws along Interstate 95, or the so-called Iron Pipeline, according to the state attorney general. This bill stands for a pretty simple proposition, said State Senator Zellnor Myrie, a Democrat from Brooklyn who introduced the legislation. If you are a member of the gun industry and you are conducting business in a reckless or unsafe way, that has consequences for the kids in Brownsville, in Crown Heights, in Rochester. The legislation was forcefully opposed by the gun industry, as well as Republican lawmakers, who said it would not solve the root cause of gun violence.

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Republicans filibustered a pay equity bill introduced to fail. Senator Mitch McConnell, Republican of Kentucky and the minority leader, with other Republican senators at the Capitol on Tuesday. Credit... Stefani Reynolds for The New York Times Senate Republicans on Tuesday blocked debate on a bill to combat pay discrimination against women and L.G.B.T.Q. workers, the first in a series of votes set up by Democratic leaders this month to highlight the power of the filibuster to stop even the consideration of legislation. The Paycheck Fairness Act, which failed, 49 to 50, was never going to get the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster and bring it to the Senate floor under existing rules. The bill, which passed the House in April, has been on the Democratic wish list since 1997. Republicans have long said it was an unnecessary measure that would primarily benefit trial lawyers, while Democrats point to pervasive disparities in pay between women and men that other laws have not remedied. But the bills fast-track introduction by Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the majority leader, had a broader purpose: to build support for changing Senate rules to modify or end the legislative filibuster.

Fallout from a Dec. 21 breach of Oregons Capitol: G.O.P. lawmakers call for a colleagues resignation. Protesters smashing the door to the Oregon State Capitol on Dec. 21. Credit... Mathieu Lewis-Rolland/Reuters A little more than two weeks before a mob of supporters of Donald J. Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol, falsely claiming that he had won the election, a strikingly similar event unfolded at the Oregon State Capitol. On Dec. 21, a crowd breached the exterior doors and battled law enforcement officers. The agitators, waving Trump flags and clad in body armor, wielded pepper spray and smashed windows. Arrest Kate Brown! the crowd chanted, referring to the states Democratic governor. Republicans in Congress have resisted a full, formal investigation into the much larger attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, but in Oregon, lawmakers facing new evidence about the Dec. 21 siege are taking a different approach. On Monday, the states House Republican caucus signed a letter encouraging the resignation of a colleague, Representative Mike Nearman, who in a newly discovered video reported by Oregon Public Broadcasting appeared to be coaching protesters on how they might gain access to the building. That video added to the concerns raised by security footage made public days after the Salem attack, which showed Mr. Nearman opening a door at the State Capitol in a way that allowed protesters inside as he left the building. The House Republican leader, Christine Drazan, said on Tuesday that she believed there was enough support in her caucus to expel Mr. Nearman from the Legislature if he did not resign. State legislators have never before expelled one of their own. I would hope that Representative Nearman would make the decision to not be the first, Ms. Drazan said in an interview. After the first video emerged, Mr. Nearman said he did not condone violence but also said he believed that legislative proceedings should be open to the public. Mr. Nearman did not respond to messages seeking comment about the video that surfaced last week, which shows him coyly giving out his cellphone number and suggesting that anyone who might need to enter the Capitol building could text the number if they needed a way inside. But in an interview with the conservative radio host Lars Larson, Mr. Nearman said he had been clowning around in the video and setting up for what he had assumed would be a peaceful protest. He said he had been speaking in the video to a group that was not known to be violent. Im willing to have some consequences for what I did, or whatever, but this is super extreme, Mr. Nearman said.

Stacey Abrams and her group will try to rally young voters of color behind the For the People Act. Stacey Abrams and the voting organization she leads, Fair Fight Action, are using a vast texting campaign, virtual events and a paid media campaign to rally support for an expansive federal elections bill. Credit... Diwang Valdez for The New York Times Stacey Abrams, the former Georgia Democratic candidate for governor, and the voting organization she leads are beginning a monthlong advocacy campaign to rally young voters of color to support the For the People Act, an expansive federal elections bill. The effort, called Hot Call Summer, will be anchored in a texting campaign, in which the group aims to reach at least 10 million voters in battleground states that have either passed new laws with restrictions on voting or are advancing such bills. Ms. Abramss group, Fair Fight Action, will also host virtual events and fund a paid media campaign to support the push. With voting rights under attack in 48 out of 50 state legislatures across the country, the moment has never been more urgent, and it will take all of us to ensure that Congress passes the voting rights protections our country and democracy desperately need, Ms. Abrams said in an email to supporters that was obtained earlier by CBS News. She called on supporters in every state to make sure that EVERY U.S. Senator is hearing from their constituents about the urgent need to pass the legislation. The campaign kicks off just days after Senator Joe Manchin III, a moderate Democratic senator from West Virginia, announced that he would not support the federal voting legislation, making passage extremely unlikely in the evenly divided Senate. Republican-led states across the country are continuing to introduce and pass laws that would erect new barriers to voting. Republicans in Texas have vowed to pass a voting bill in a special session this summer, and voting bills are progressing through the Republican-controlled legislatures in New Hampshire and Michigan. Ms. Abrams has made voting rights one of her central platforms. In Georgia in 2018, she came within 55,000 votes of being elected the first Black governor in the United States, and within 18,000 votes of forcing a runoff with her Republican rival, Brian Kemp, in an election that drew almost four million ballots. When she ceded to Mr. Kemp, she maintained her allegations that he had used his position as Georgias secretary of state to engage in voter suppression. Ms. Abrams is seen as a likely Democratic candidate for governor in Georgia in 2022. She is scheduled to participate in three virtual town hall events, including one with Katie Hobbs, the Arizona secretary of state and candidate for governor, and Jason Frierson, the Nevada Assembly speaker. Both are Democrats. The Fair Fight campaign joins other national and state organizational efforts in trying to combat the new voting laws being passed by Republican-controlled legislatures. In Texas, the state Democratic Party announced a program aiming to use at least $13 million to register at least one million new voters. And later this month, a coalition of voting rights groups organized by Black Voters Matter will embark on a bus stop tour from New Orleans to Washington, D.C., whose name harks back to its inspiration, the integrated bus trips of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s: the Freedom Ride for Voting Rights.

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White House officials unveil measures to address threats to the countrys supply chains. Video transcript Back bars 0:00 / 1:08 - 0:00 transcript White House Announces New Supply-Chain Task Force The White House on Tuesday unveiled measures aimed at addressing threats to critical supply chains and reducing reliance on foreign countries for goods. Our approach to supply-chain resilience needs to look forward to emerging threats, from cyber- security to climate issues, and so we are future-proofing and building back better. Second, its clear from these reports that we need to take action. And today we made a series of announcements to that effect, including on pharmaceuticals. The Department of Health and Human Services is going to be using its Defense Production Act authority and funding appropriated under the presidents American recovery plan to invest $60 million in advanced pharmaceutical manufacturing technologies and R. & D. We need to be nimble and be able to address emerging supply-chain issues at the same time as were continuing this work on these longer supply-chain resiliency strategies. And that is why today we are launching a new supply-chain disruptions task force to tackle near-term bottlenecks in the semiconductor, home building and construction, transportation, and agriculture and food industries. This task force is going to be led by three cabinet secretaries, Secretaries Buttigieg, Raimando and Vilsack, and will bring in all of government approach to addressing the near-term supply-demand mismatches we are seeing in these sectors as the economy reignites. The White House on Tuesday unveiled measures aimed at addressing threats to critical supply chains and reducing reliance on foreign countries for goods. Credit Credit... Doug Mills/The New York Times The Biden administration on Tuesday announced several actions aimed at addressing supply chain disruptions caused by the pandemic and reducing reliance on foreign countries for crucial goods by increasing domestic production capacity. Strengthening supply chains  the interconnected global manufacturing and transportation systems needed to distribute essential goods  was a growing concern even before the spread of the coronavirus, as policymakers grappled with interruptions caused by economic crises, natural disasters and malevolent international actors. But the pandemic bared major flaws, leading to shortages and price increases that cascaded from factories to ports to retail stores to consumers, and President Biden identified the issue as a major focus shortly after taking office. On Tuesday, White House officials announced the creation of an effort to tackle near-term bottlenecks in construction, transportation, semiconductor production and agriculture. At this time last year we had bare grocery shelves, Sameera Fazili, a National Economic Council official who is working on the plan, said at the White House. We have people finally able to be out there moving again, visiting families this summer, and going out to eat. Ms. Fazili said that cabinet departments had embarked on a governmentwide effort to really diagnose the problems, understand whats going on out there in these markets, and see what actions can be taken to close those vulnerabilities. As part of the initiative, the Department of Agriculture has allocated more than $4 billion to bolster a resilient food supply chain that would prevent or lessen shortages, she added. The initiative was bundled with the creation of trade strike force targeting China and other countries to push back on unfair foreign competition, unfair foreign subsidies and other trade practices that have adversely impacted U.S. manufacturing. In February, Mr. Biden signed an executive order that required a review of critical supply chains in product areas where the United States relies on imports: semiconductors, high-capacity batteries, pharmaceuticals and their active ingredients, and critical minerals and strategic materials, like rare earths. This is about making sure the United States can meet every challenge we face in the new era, Mr. Biden said in February, when he signed the order. The Department of Health and Human Services, for instance, will use $60 million from the $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill to develop technologies to increase domestic production of active ingredients in key pharmaceuticals. The Interior Department will work to identify sites where critical minerals could be produced in the United States. And several agencies will work on creating supply chains for new technologies that will reduce reliance on imports of key materials. Katie Rogers, Brad Plumer and

The first congressional report on the Capitol riot examines the security failures on Jan. 6. A new report by two Senate committees concluded that a dysfunctional police force at the Capitol lacked the capacity to respond effectively during the Jan. 6 riot. Credit... Erin Schaff/The New York Times Top federal intelligence agencies failed to adequately warn law enforcement officials before the Jan. 6 riot that pro-Trump extremists were threatening violence, including plans to storm the Capitol, infiltrate its tunnel system and bring guns, according to a new report by two Senate committees that outlines large-scale failures that contributed to the deadly assault. An F.B.I. memo on Jan. 5 warning of people traveling to Washington for war at the Capitol never made its way to top law enforcement officials. The Capitol Police failed to widely circulate information its own intelligence unit had collected as early as mid-December about the threat of violence on Jan. 6, including a report that said right-wing extremist groups and supporters of President Donald J. Trump had been posting online and in far-right chat groups about gathering at the Capitol, armed with weapons, to pressure lawmakers to overturn his election loss. If they dont show up, we enter the Capitol as the Third Continental Congress and certify the Trump Electors, one post said. Bring guns. Its now or never, said another. The first congressional report on the Capitol riot is the most comprehensive and detailed account to date of the dozens of intelligence failures, miscommunications and security lapses that led to what the bipartisan team of senators that assembled it concluded was an unprecedented attack on American democracy and the most significant assault on the Capitol in more than 200 years. The failure to adequately assess the threat of violence on that day contributed significantly to the breach of the Capitol, said Senator Gary Peters, Democrat of Michigan and the chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. The attack was quite frankly planned in plain sight. The 127-page joint report, a product of more than three months of hearings and interviews and reviews of thousands of pages of documents, presents a damning portrait of the preparations and response at multiple levels. Law enforcement officials did not take seriously threats of violence, it found, and a dysfunctional police force at the Capitol lacked the capacity to respond effectively when those threats materialized. The failures are obvious, said Senator Amy Klobuchar, Democrat of Minnesota and the chairwoman of the Rules and Administration Committee. To me, it was all summed up by one of the officers who was heard on the radio that day asking a tragically simple question: Does anybody have a plan? Sadly, no one did. There was much information the panel was unable to learn. The senators secured only limited cooperation from key agencies, including the F.B.I., the Department of Homeland Security, the Justice Department and the House sergeant-at-arms. Other agencies failed to meet deadlines to hand over documents. The findings  and their limitations  are likely to fuel renewed calls for an independent commission like the one created after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, populated by experts and armed with subpoena power to investigate what happened that day and why. Senate Republicans blocked the creation of such a body late last month, arguing in part that it would duplicate the work already underway by the Senate committees and prosecutors at the Justice Department. Senator Chuck Schumer, Democrat of New York and the majority leader, praised the committees work on Tuesday, but said he reserved the right to bring up the commission for another vote in the future. Luke Broadwater and

Civil rights leaders press Manchin for a path forward on voting rights, but he remains unmoved on a broad bill. Derrick Johnson, the N.A.A.C.P.s president and chief executive, in Detroit in 2019. Credit... Jeff Kowalsky/Agence France-Presse  Getty Images Prominent civil rights leaders implored Senator Joe Manchin III of West Virginia on Tuesday to help find a path forward in Congress for legislation to protect voting rights, making a case to the measures most vocal Democratic opponent that enacting it was an existential imperative. The virtual meeting between Mr. Manchin and the leaders of the N.A.A.C.P., the National Urban League and the National Action Network had been scheduled for weeks, and it yielded no breakthroughs. But it was particularly timely, coming two days after the West Virginian made his most unequivocal statement yet in opposition to the Democrats landmark elections bill, the For the People Act, and to gutting the legislative filibuster. The statements appeared to close off the only viable pathway for broad legislation that would counter a wave of Republican state laws restricting access to the ballot. Attendees said their goal had been to begin building a relationship with Mr. Manchin, a centrist from a deep red state, and appealing to him for action  not to stoke a confrontation. The conversation was scant on policy details, though Mr. Manchin told the leaders that he planned to continue a long-shot attempt to build Republican support for a narrower voting bill that would beef up the Voting Rights Act of 1965. At the N.A.A.C.P., we understand the sausage-making of public policy and because of that, we appreciate Senator Manchin and the pivotal role he plays, said Derrick Johnson, the groups president and chief executive. So this was an opportunity to work toward a solution, not complain about a problem. But Mr. Johnson did suggest that Mr. Manchins stated position that he could not support partisan voting legislation  meaning any bill that lacked the support of at least some Republicans  was untenable. Others were blunter. Let me be clear here. We opened by asking him to reconsider his position, said Marc H. Morial, president and chief executive of the National Urban League. He did not say he is going to reconsider his position. But were not giving up. Speaking with reporters afterward, Mr. Manchin praised the civil rights leaders as the most powerful, informative and respectful group Ive spoken to in a long time. He said he intended to talk with the group again, though the discussion had not prompted him to reconsider his views. I dont think anybody changed positions on that; were just learning where everyones coming from, Mr. Manchin said. Mr. Manchin had previously said he was opposed to changing the filibuster rule, and did not support the For the People Act, also known as Senate Bill 1. But on Sunday, he made those hypothetical positions more concrete, in an op-ed in the Charleston Gazette Mail that stated plainly that he planned to would vote no later this month when Democratic leaders hold a vote on Senate Bill 1. He also said he would never support changing the rules which require proponents of legislation to muster 60 votes to move past a filibuster, dashing the hopes of many of his colleagues that he could eventually be persuaded to do so. Party leaders were unbowed on Tuesday. Senator Chuck Schumer, Democrat of New York and the majority leader, said he would plow ahead with a vote on the bill later this month and was engaged in private talks with Mr. Manchin about changing the bill to win his vote to advance debate. Is it possible we might change a few things here and there? Mr. Schumer said. Were going to do it. The Rev. Al Sharpton, the president and founder of the National Action Network, said that he and other civil rights leaders could not get a clear answer from Mr. Manchin on substantive concerns he had with the voting measure, other than to say he wanted to find Republicans who would support such a bill. I think we made it clear that it was unlikely, Rev. Sharpton said in an interview. Im a minister, but theres a difference between faith and fantasy. Nicholas Fandos, Katie Rogers and

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The Senate approves a bill to compensate victims of mysterious health incidents. The United States Embassy in Havana. Staff at the embassy suffered unexplained health incidents that many officials believe are attacks. Credit... Meridith Kohut for The New York Times The Senate passed a bill Monday evening designed to provide financial support for government employees injured in a series of mysterious health incidents. The bill, drafted by Senator Susan Collins, Republican of Maine, would give the C.I.A. director and Secretary of State additional powers to provide assistance to government officials who have suffered brain injuries as a part of an unexplained series of health incidents that many officials believe are attacks. The bill broadens the requirement to report incidents to Congress and also allows the officials to extend the benefits to people who have been injured in the United States. While the majority of the more than 130 cases being investigated by the government happened abroad, there are at least two in the United States that are being examined as possible examples of domestic incidents. Senator Collins said that many of the victims had undergone brain imaging and had their damage verified. Initially, however, several victims of the incidents were treated with great skepticism, she said. They should be treated the same way we treat a soldier who has suffered a traumatic brain injury on the battlefield, Ms. Collins said in a recent interview. It is unacceptable and appalling that these individuals  in some cases  were denied medical care that they needed. Ms. Collins praised William J. Burns, the director of the C.I.A., for believing the victims and speeding up the process to get agency officers affected by a health incident into the militarys Walter Reed National Medical Facility. But some victims continue to be frustrated with how the State Department has handled the incidents. A group of injured government employees have demanded more support and financial compensation for themselves and injured family members  something the Senate bill would give them. State Department officials have said they have made the health and safety of their diplomats and other workers the top priority. While some former officials believe the attacks could go back several decades, the most recent series of incidents began in 2016, when diplomats and C.I.A. officers working in Havana reported feeling dizzy and nauseous. Many developed chronic headaches. For some the health effects have lasted years and could be permanent disabilities. After the Havana incidents, Americans serving in China reported similar episodes. There have also been Pentagon and C.I.A. officers affected in a variety of places in Europe and Asia. A National Academy of Sciences report concluded a microwave weapon was the most likely cause of the injuries, but the U.S. government has not yet made any final conclusions. Some officials believe that Russia is responsible for at least some of the attacks, a charge the Russian government has dismissed. The intelligence community has not concluded if all or some of the health incidents were the result of a deliberate attack and what country might be responsible. Ms. Collins said she has concluded that the incidents are deliberate attacks but that she does not know what country might be responsible. The bill will now need to go to the House, for that chambers approval. The bill is expected to get a vote in the coming weeks, according to a congressional official. While the House is often divided over intelligence issues, Representative Adam B. Schiff, the California Democrat who leads the House Intelligence Committee, and Representative Devin Nunes, the California Republican who is the ranking member, together introduced a bill similar to Ms. Collinss in the House.
But the bills fast-track introduction by Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the majority leader, had a broader purpose: to build support for changing Senate rules to modify or end the legislative filibuster. Senators Joe Manchin III of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona are the most outspoken Democratic defenders of the filibuster, but other senators who caucus with the party have their misgivings.

Just before the votes were cast, Mr. Schumer declared, There are real limits to bipartisanship here in the Senate, adding: Every Senate Democrat is ready to start debate, but Senate Republicans seem to be mounting another partisan filibuster on this bill. Its ridiculous.

The blocking of the pay equity bill was preceded last month by a filibuster of legislation to create a bipartisan commission to examine the roots, causes and consequences of the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. This month, Mr. Schumer plans to bring up a far-reaching voting rights and presidential ethics bill. He fully expects that one will also fall to a filibuster.

How persuasive those defeats will be with Mr. Manchin and Ms. Sinema is unclear. In some sense, the message was undermined minutes earlier by the wide bipartisan vote to pass a China competition bill, which Mr. Schumer hailed as one of the Senates most significant bipartisan achievements in recent history.

So far, Mr. Manchin and Ms. Sinema have not budged.

The bottom line, theres a lot more work on the dialogue with Joe Manchin, said Marc H. Morial, the president of the National Urban League, one of several civil rights leaders who met with the senator on Tuesday to press him on ending the filibuster.
WASHINGTON  President Biden on Tuesday ended a weekslong effort to reach a deal with Senate Republicans on an expansive infrastructure plan, cutting off negotiations that had failed to persuade them to embrace his bid to pour $1 trillion into the nations aging public works system and safety-net programs.

It was a major setback to Mr. Bidens effort to attract Republican support for his top domestic priority, which had always faced long odds over the size, scope and financing of the package. Most Republicans have made it clear they are willing to spend only a fraction of what Democrats want on a much narrower initiative, and balked at any tax increases to pay for it.

In a final telephone call on Tuesday with Senator Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, the leading Republican negotiator, after days of back-and-forth discussions, Mr. Biden made clear that the divide was too large to bridge.

The breakdown did not close off the possibility of a bipartisan compromise entirely, and the White House signaled that the president would continue seeking one. He shifted his focus to a bipartisan group of centrist senators who have been working separately on an alternative, calling three of them personally to cheer on their efforts and encourage them to work with top White House officials to hammer out a deal. But even if the group can agree on a plan palatable to Mr. Biden, there is no guarantee that enough Republicans would accept it.
A hospital pharmacist who pleaded guilty to trying to spoil more than 500 doses of a Covid-19 vaccine was sentenced on Tuesday to three years in prison, federal prosecutors in Wisconsin announced.

The pharmacist, Steven R. Brandenburg, 46, was also sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to pay nearly $84,000 in restitution to the Aurora Medical Center in Grafton, Wis., where he worked an overnight shift.

Mr. Brandenburg was an admitted conspiracy theorist who believed the vaccine could harm people and change their DNA, according to the police in Grafton, Wis. In January, he pleaded guilty to two counts of attempting to tamper with a consumer product in a way that could injure or kill someone, according to a statement from the U.S. attorneys office in the Eastern District of Wisconsin.

Image At his sentencing, Mr. Brandenburg said he felt great shame for what he had done, The Associated Press reported. Credit... Ozaukee County Sheriff's Office, via Associated Press

During Mr. Brandenburgs shifts on Dec. 24 and Dec. 25, he removed a box of vials of the Moderna vaccine from a refrigerator in the pharmacy for periods of multiple hours, intending to render that same vaccine inert or ineffective, according to the plea agreement, which includes a description of Mr. Brandenburgs activity based on an investigation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Grafton Police Department.
Raised between Toronto and Hong Kong, Wong was as interested in classical Chinese painting as in the modern Western kind. He even mounted some of his drawings on silk. But while the ink in a classical Chinese landscape is always flirting with translucency, Wongs is more like oil paint  dense, reflective, resistant. The drawings are like the later paintings in other ways, too. The same marble-like little sun appears frequently, gleaming over strange landscapes in which solitary figures may be hidden. In many drawings you will also see Wongs need to fill every available space, although working in ink did force him to leave at least a little room around his brush marks.

But sometimes black and white achieve a breathtaking balance. Half a dozen narrow birch trunks lean against a wall of black leaves in one piece. Above them a sun peers down from a narrow strip of sky; below lies a curving path under heavy snow. A few pointed black leaves, scattered across the snow like footprints, are the only evidence of life. (This piece and the show are both called Footprints in the Wind.) Throughout the show, Wong shows you how many tones can be wrung from black ink, but here he pulls off a similar trick with white paper. As the sky, its bleak and wispy; as snow, lustrous and rich.

WILL HEINRICH

Cameron Rowland

Through June 19. Maxwell Graham/Essex Street, 55 Hester Street; 917-553-8139, essexstreet.biz.
If any artist can make sense of this sense-defying period, it would be Hito Steyerl: poet laureate of digital dislocation and social upheaval.

In her video installations, essays and lecture-performances, the German artist has dismantled the boundaries between the internet and something called the real world, probing how digital technologies bleed off the screen into war zones, financial markets, real estate developments and auction houses. With bitter humor and a deft mix of high- and low-res imagery, Steyerl has underscored the violence and absurdity that result from melding human life and data  hence the brutal irony of her designation, in 2017, as No. 1 on a more or less arbitrary list of the 100 most influential people in art.

The exhibition Hito Steyerl: I Will Survive was shown last year at the Dusseldorf museum K21; it is now on view, after a delay, at the Pompidou Center in Paris, running through July 5. I Will Survive is Steyerls most significant European exhibition yet, and along with her most renowned earlier works, it debuts SocialSim, a new installation nodding to the pandemic and police violence. Here, animated police officers infect one another not with a novel coronavirus but with fits of dancing  which really did happen 500 years ago, during the notorious Dancing Plague of Strasbourg.

Though her work is relentlessly topical  other videos in I Will Survive evoke the missing Salvator Mundi, and the commonalities of the fashion label Balenciaga and right-wing populism  Steyerl has always brought a profound ambivalence to bear on new technologies. Her skepticism looks more valid than ever after the many months weve spent in front of our screens, and in a recent conversation, condensed and edited below, Steyerl told me about why we should understand our plague year as less of a disruption than an acceleration. (We spoke via video link, and Steyerl appeared in front of a fabulous Zoom background of pink flowers.)
PARIS  The spoils of war were positively magnificent.

When Napoleon Bonaparte led his army across the Alps, he ordered the Italian states he conquered to hand over artworks that were the pride of the peninsula. The Vatican was emptied of the Laocoon, a masterpiece of ancient Greek sculpture, and Venice was stripped of Veroneses painting The Wedding Feast at Cana (1563).

The aim was to unite the greatest masterpieces of art in Paris and bring together, in a nation freed from despotism, all the products of human genius, a video monitor in the huge new exhibition Napoleon, at the Grande Halle de la Villette through Sept. 19, says of the expropriation.

He brought back enough loot from his conquests to fill what would soon become the Louvre Museum. And his ravenous and methodical art seizures  a cultural legacy now being highlighted in 200th-anniversary commemorations of his death  paved the way for similar French excesses in sub-Saharan Africa a century later. Yet many of those works were returned after Napoleons defeat, setting precedents that still inform debates about restitution.

Napoleon understood that the French kings had used art and architecture to aggrandize themselves and to build the image of political power, and he did exactly the same thing, Cynthia Saltzman, the author of Plunder, a history of Napoleons Italian art thefts, said in an interview.
There is no shortage of ghosts at the Tenement Museum, which for nearly three decades has explored issues of immigration, home and belonging through tours of the meticulously recreated apartments in its five-story building on the Lower East Side. But in recent years, the story of one particularly ghostly presence has lingered in the background.

In 2008, shortly after the opening of an apartment telling the story of Joseph Moore, an 19th-century immigrant Irish waiter, a museum educator noticed something interesting in an 1869 city directory. Right above Moores name was another Joseph Moore, also a waiter, living a few neighborhoods away.

Same name, same profession. But there was an extra designation  Cold, or Colored.

The educator started inviting visitors to think about the two Joseph Moores. How would their lives have been similar, or different? As other educators picked up the story, a conversation grew about how to talk about the other Joseph Moore  and about the museums broader omissions.
One day in the summer of 2011, Lorenzo Fabrizi rode with a friend to an abandoned warehouse far outside of Rome. The custodian of the building, who said he had bought it for around $100, let them inside to look at its contents: 10,000 vinyl LPs, by Fabrizis estimate. They were welcome to take as many they wanted, the owner said; he was brewing beer in the space and had no use for them.

Fabrizi was just starting his career as an aficionado of rare records. This collection, which had previously belonged to Radio Vaticana (the station owned by the Vatican), was unwanted by pretty much everyone in Italy at the time. But Fabrizi found something hed never seen before: library music  obscure vinyl records containing songs written directly for radio, television or ad placement, in this case the lush, string-laden, funk- and jazz-informed arrangements of classically trained Italian composers.

There was no interest in this stuff when I started, Fabrizi said recently on a Zoom call from Rome, where he has run the reissue label Sonor Music Editions since 2013. They had pressed 200, 300, 500, 1,000 copies, but they were not destined for shops or distributors. They were only given to internal circles of music supervisors, journalists and people who worked in television.
Stuart Silver, who as the inventive design director of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in the 1960s and 70s turned the presentation of art into a gasp-inducing genre of theater, giving the staid institution mass appeal and inspiring widespread changes in the style and spirit of museum exhibitions, died on May 6 in Manhattan. He was 84.

The cause was complications of bone marrow cancer, his daughter Leslie Silver said.

Mr. Silvers self-described theatrical techniques and the philosophy they suggested  that a museum was a place of pleasure, that a spectacle could also be enrichment, as he put it  were characteristic of a whole era at the Met.

The driving force and chief evangelist behind the new approach was Thomas Hoving, who in 1967 became the seventh director of the museum in its history.

I brought the blockbuster exhibition to the Met, Mr. Hoving wrote in Making the Mummies Dance, his 1993 book about running the museum, but designer Stuart Silver brought them to life.
Had Covid-19 not intruded, Kevin would have begun shooting in March 2020, with Lynn Shelton directing. Instead production halted. Then something much worse happened. Shelton, a beloved television and indie film director, died suddenly that May. The pandemic, Armstrong said, gave everyone time to grieve and to ensure that the tone Shelton had already set  one of commitment and kindness  would continue. (Sharp-eyed viewers will notice that Kevin and Allison live on Shelton Street, a tribute.)

Production began last fall, on location in Massachusetts. Some days the crew shot multicam scenes, whipping through 20-some pages of dialogue. In an effort to create a pandemic-compliant studio audience, production hired 10 or so people to sit  masked and socially distanced  watching a live feed and laughing along. At least in theory.

Its Boston, Armstrong said. Just because we paid them to laugh does not mean they always laughed.

On single-camera days, when completing five pages was cause for celebration, the professional laughers stayed home. The acting became subtler, more naturalistic. If you were doing the same thing with your face and body in single cam it would look certifiably insane, Murphy said.

The costumes didnt change between formats, and neither, for the most part, did the sets. But the world looks different seen through a single lens, and the people look different, too. At first Murphy and Mary Hollis Inboden, who plays Allisons neighbor Patty, enjoyed the down-market jeans and the utter lack of glam. Then they saw how the single-camera shots found every rip and pore and wrinkle, revealing what the bright lights of the multicam hide.

When you step outside in the harsh sunlight, you can see all of those mistakes, Inboden said.

She used to cheer Murphy up by telling her that they were being very brave. She was like, You know what, bravery gets you? Awards, Murphy recalled.
As a historian, Tiya Miles is well aware of the professional obligation to proceed with caution, to keep her own expectations from getting ahead of the material at hand.

But as someone who studies the history of African Americans, Native Americans and women, she has also been forced to confront what she calls the conundrum of the archives  the way that written records have favored those who had the means (the training, the status, the money) to document their lives.

Such archives tend to skew toward power, which is to say white and male, making them especially fraught guides to the history of the antebellum South. It is a madness, if not an irony, that unlocking the history of unfree people depends on the materials of their legal owners, Miles writes in All That She Carried, a new book about women and chattel slavery as framed by a single object: a cotton sack that dates back to the mid-19th century, given by an enslaved woman named Rose to her daughter Ashley.

Decades later, Ashleys granddaughter Ruth embroidered the sack with an inscription that announces its provenance:

My great grandmother Rose

mother of Ashley gave her this sack when

she was sold at age 9 in South Carolina

it held a tattered dress 3 handfulls of

pecans a braid of Roses hair. Told her

It be filled with my Love always

she never saw her again

Ashley is my grandmother

Ruth Middleton

1921
MERCURY RISING

John Glenn, John Kennedy, and the New Battleground of the Cold War

By Jeff Shesol

Hyperbole shrouds few topics in history so much as the human encounter with outer space. Astronauts are heroic pioneers, their missions testament to humanitys hunger to explore the universe and discover its truths, as Ronald Reagan put it in 1986. At the dawn of the American space program 25 years before that, John F. Kennedy had gone so far as to declare exploration of the heavens no less than the key to our future on Earth. Through the rhetorical haze, it can be hard to see just how contingent and contentious the whole endeavor to send Americans into space really was, especially at its inception in the late 1950s and early 1960s.

Jeff Shesols Mercury Rising highlights this fragility in a refreshing narrative that captures the sometimes dispiriting realities of Americas debut in space. To be sure, Shesols account of Project Mercury, the United States mission to put a man into orbit around the Earth, exudes admiration for the technical achievements that led to success in February 1962. Echoing Tom Wolfes classic The Right Stuff, Shesol acknowledges the sheer courage of the astronauts who risked their lives. But he strikes a distinctly ambivalent tone through his captivating portraits of two fallible men whose intertwined struggles and doubts tell the story that unfolded out of public view.

One is Kennedy, the president who inherited an underfunded and underperforming space program when he entered the Oval Office in January 1961. By June of that year, Kennedy had transformed the effort, urging Congress to spend vast funds and proposing to land a man on the moon by the end of the decade. Space exploration, Kennedy intoned, was a great new American enterprise that would affirm the nations global leadership.

But Kennedys grand words hid private worries. Affirming other studies revealing Kennedys essential cautiousness, Shesol underscores his doubts that the United States could catch up with the Soviet Union, which had surged ahead in the space race by launching the first satellite  Sputnik  into orbit in 1957 and then sending the first human into space four years later. Shesol also details Kennedys persistent misgivings about the cost of space exploration and skepticism about the tangible benefits that it would bring.
A new bill being introduced on Wednesday will try to ensure that money promised to charity gets to the people who need it more quickly.

The bill, from Senators Angus King of Maine and Chuck Grassley of Iowa, would try to prevent money from being marooned indefinitely in donor-advised funds, which are akin to 401(k)s for philanthropy but have few regulations or requirements. More than $140 billion sits in these accounts. Another $1 trillion resides in endowments of private foundations like the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which are required to pay out only 5 percent of their assets each year, Nicholas Kulish reports for The New York Times.

The bill would close a loophole to speed giving to working charities: Foundations would no longer be able to meet the 5 percent annual payout requirement by giving to a donor-advised fund where there currently is no payout requirement. The bill also would prohibit foundations from counting the salaries or travel expenses of a donors family members toward the 5 percent minimum.
Tax and the .001 percent

The fallout from ProPublicas bombshell report about billionaires tax bills is just beginning. The news outlet obtained tax records for the nations 25 richest people, which show that they paid $13.6 billion in federal income taxes between 2014 and 2018, or about 16 percent of their reported income over that period  and a very, very small sliver of their wealth.

Whats revelatory about the scoop is that it provides never-before-seen details of specific billionaires tax bills, or lack thereof. Some of the jaw-droppers in the report:

Jeff Bezos claimed a $4,000 tax credit for his children in 2011.

Warren Buffett , who has called for tougher tax rules for the wealthy, paid under $24 million in taxes between 2014 and 2018.

Mike Bloomberg paid $70.7 million in income tax in 2018, despite reporting $1.9 billion in net income, after claiming deductions, charitable donations and foreign tax offsets.

Carl Icahn and Elon Musk took advantage of rules regarding debt. Icahn deducted interest payments on his companies debt, helping him pay no federal income tax in 2016 and 2017. Musk regularly borrows tens of billions against his stock holdings: those loans arent taxed, and the interest paid can often be deducted. (He paid no federal income tax in 2018.)

George Soros paid no federal income tax between 2016 and 2018, after claiming investment losses.

Something to keep in mind about the numbers, as presented by ProPublica, is that comparing the billionaires tax bills with estimates of their wealth isnt how the U.S. tax system works. (That is, in the absence of a wealth tax, proposed by Senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders.) More pertinent to a public policy debate is to look at all the deductions against the billionaires incomes that reduce their tax liabilities to, in some cases, zero. The push to raise income tax rates, as President Biden has proposed, would not have a big effect on these fortunes, which generate large amounts of wealth but relatively modest amounts of income.

What can be done? There are changes to the tax code that could arguably capture a larger share of taxes from the ultrarich than a wealth tax, as DealBook has argued. These include:

Eliminating the step-up basis of assets in estates when they are transferred after someone dies, which effectively resets the value of assets for capital-gains purposes. This would also reduce the incentive for the wealthy to borrow against their assets  and there should probably be a greater limit on the deductions for interest expenses anyway.

Speaking of capital gains, higher rates for the wealthiest would capture more tax and would somewhat address the carried interest provision of the tax code that investment managers use to treat much of their pay as capital gains rather than income, which is one of the most egregious and persistent loopholes in its own right.

The like-kind exchange of properties allows real estate executives to perpetually defer capital gains by trading one property for another. The Biden administration is looking at closing this loophole, which it says would raise nearly $20 billion over 10 years.

Is it acceptable for the wealthy to take deductions when they move money to their own philanthropic foundations? Perhaps the deduction should only happen when the money is spent.

The publication of personal tax records also poses a conundrum. Biden administration officials said they were investigating whether the disclosure of individuals tax information constituted a crime; Senator Ron Wyden, Democrat of Oregon, worried about the privacy implications even as he called for changes to the tax code. (A spokesman for Mike Bloomberg told ProPublica that he would use all legal means to find and punish those responsible for the leak.)

ProPublica argues that its report serves the public interest in understanding how the wealthy game the U.S. tax system and could influence lawmakers efforts to change it. The publication says that it does not know the identity of its source and did not solicit the information. It says it has vetted the information independently.

What others have to say: For billionaires, the federal income tax has become a voluntary tax, the economist Gabriel Zucman told David Leonhardt of our sister newsletter, The Morning. The Real Tax Scandal Is Whats Legal, reads the headline of a Times editorial. But Megan McArdle, a columnist at The Washington Post, was disappointed: I genuinely thought the tax avoidance strategies would be something more than unrealized capital gains.

Image

HERES WHATS HAPPENING

President Biden breaks off infrastructure talks with Senate Republicans. The end of a weekslong effort to forge a bipartisan compromise came as G.O.P. lawmakers refused to make concessions on spending and taxation plans. The president will try to revive bipartisan talks with a different set of Republicans while Senate Democrats will explore passing portions of Bidens plan along party lines.
Gig companies like Uber and Lyft have long resisted classifying workers as employees, stating in regulatory filings that doing so would force them to alter their business model and risk a financial hit. Industry officials have estimated that making drivers employees could raise labor costs 20 to 30 percent.

As California considered a bill under which gig drivers were likely to be classified as employees in 2019, the companies met repeatedly with a few large unions, including the Service Employees International Union and the Teamsters, to discuss a deal along the lines of what they have proposed in New York. But the talks collapsed because many in the labor movement refused to make significant concessions while holding the legislative upper hand. The bill passed in September of that year.

After the ballot initiative that exempted drivers was approved last fall, however, some in labor became more amenable to a deal. New York, where discussions were already underway, was a natural place to seek one.

Some of the companies had a relationship with labor in the state, chiefly the International Association of Machinists, with which Uber created and funded a driver organization in 2016, known as the Independent Drivers Guild. In some ways the drivers guild foreshadowed the arrangement the companies are seeking today: It provided a way for drivers to address concerns with the company but agreed not to contest drivers contractor status.

At the same time, labor had leverage. A number of rulings in New York granted gig drivers conventional unemployment benefits in the state, potentially leading to hundreds of millions of dollars in liabilities for the companies. And there were New York City regulations  like a minimum pay standard for drivers amounting to over $17 an hour after expenses  that some gig companies have sought to ease.
When you consider buying a waterfront property, no matter where in the world it is, there are generally two ways to go: choosing a residence affiliated with a hotel brand or one that is not.

Hotel-branded properties are a huge and growing part of sales internationally when it comes to the waterfront, said Daniel Hertzberg, a real estate agent with the Jills Zeder Group in Miami Beach, who specializes in sales of waterfront homes. There are new developments opening all the time, and the demand for waterfront properties overall keeps growing.

But there are key differences between owning a hotel-branded residence and owning a non-hotel residence. Which option is better for you? The following are factors to consider before closing a sale.

Property Price

Hotel-Branded Residence Rick Moeser, the senior vice president for Christies International Real Estate, said that home buyers should expect to pay more  sometimes significantly so - to own a waterfront home with a hotel brand behind it. Youre in a hotel setting with access to a host of amenities at your fingertips, such as a maintenance staff, pool and chefs, who can come to your home to cook a private dinner, he said. This access comes at a premium cost.
Environmental activists cheered the move and used the moment to urge Mr. Biden to rescind the Trump-era permits granted to another pipeline, the Enbridge Line 3, which would carry Canadian oil across Minnesota. Hundreds of protesters were arrested earlier this week in protests against that project.

The termination of this zombie pipeline sets precedent for President Biden and polluters to stop Line 3, Dakota Access, and all fossil fuel projects, said Kendall Mackey, a campaign manager with 350.org, a climate advocacy group. This victory puts polluters and their financiers on notice: Terminate your fossil fuel projects now  or a relentless mass movement will stop them for you.

On Capitol Hill, Republicans slammed Mr. Biden. President Biden killed the Keystone XL pipeline and with it, thousands of good-paying American jobs, said Senator John Barrasso of Wyoming, the ranking Republican on the Senate Energy committee. On Inauguration Day, the president signed an executive order that ended pipeline construction and handed one thousand workers pink slips. Now, ten times that number of jobs will never be created. At a time when gasoline prices are spiking, the White House is celebrating the death of a pipeline that would have helped bring Americans relief.

The 1,179-mile pipeline, which would have carried 800,000 barrels a day of petroleum from Canada to the Gulf Coast, had become a lightning rod in broader political battles over energy, the environment and climate change. After environmental activists spent years making the case to President Barack Obama that approval of the pipeline would be a devastating blow to his efforts to fight climate change, Mr. Obama in 2015 announced that his administration would reject its construction permit.

Two days after his inauguration in 2017, President Donald J. Trump, who during the campaign promised to overturn Mr. Obamas environmental legacy, signed an executive order rescinding Mr. Obamas decision and allowing the pipeline to go forward. But in 2018, after some portions of the pipeline had been built, a federal judge blocked further construction of the project on the grounds that the Trump administration did not perform adequate environmental reviews before rescinding the Obama decision. The project had been largely stalled since then.
After 15 years as the executive director of the Committee to Protect Journalists, Joel Simon said on Wednesday that he would step down by the end of the year.

Founded in 1981, the Committee to Protect Journalists is a nonprofit organization that defends the rights of journalists around the world. Mr. Simon, 56, joined in 1997 and has been in charge since 2006.

In an interview, Mr. Simon said that, when he joined the group, he was hopeful about the ability of journalists to do their jobs safely. But after more than three decades of helping to secure the releases of hundreds of imprisoned or detained journalists around the world, he has lost some of that optimism.

Governments are increasingly taking aggressive action toward journalists, and there are very few consequences, Mr. Simon said. During the Trump administration, we saw a connection in governments appropriating fake news and use it to justify imprisoning journalists. Weve also seen governments brazenly use violence.
Because of the anatomy of Ms. Phillipss mouth, dentures are not an option, and as much as she would like to get the implants, the cost is prohibitive  especially since she is providing support to two adult sons whose livelihoods have been hurt by the pandemic. She retired nine years ago as the executive director of a nonprofit community health and home care agency.

Im sitting here not sure what to do next, she said.

Coverage for dental, visual and hearing care has moved to the front burner this year as part of a broader discussion about Medicare expansion in Washington. President Biden proposed adding coverage for all three as part of the federal budget he unveiled last month. But adding coverage has been on the to-do list of Medicare advocates and progressive lawmakers for many years.

A study published in the journal Health Affairs last year noted that poor oral health was associated with higher rates of diabetes, cardiovascular disease and pulmonary infections. Vision loss and hearing loss are associated with a higher risk of falls, depression and cognitive impairment, and hearing loss with higher rates of hospitalization.

These areas of health are really fundamental parts of our everyday living, said Amber Willink, lead author of the study and an associate professor at the University of Sydney in Australia. Good oral health, hearing and vision are things that we often just take for granted, but they are so fundamental to our daily needs, especially when it comes to improving and maintaining our health as we get older.

The unmet need for such care in the Medicare population is high. Federal data shows that 19 percent of older adults have untreated tooth decay and another 19 percent have complete tooth loss. In 2016, 39 percent of Medicare beneficiaries reported having trouble seeing even with their glasses, and only 58 percent of those beneficiaries reported having had an eye exam in the previous 12 months. Two-thirds of Americans 70 and older have hearing loss.
Royal Dutch Shell will respond to a recent defeat in a Dutch court by accelerating its efforts to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions, the companys leader said Wednesday.

Ben van Beurden, the chief executive of Shell, said that he was disappointed by the ruling requiring the oil company, Europes largest, to move faster in slashing greenhouse gases, but added that the company was planning to do just that.

For Shell, this ruling does not mean a change but rather an acceleration of our strategy, Mr. van Beurden said in an article published on LinkedIn. We will seek ways to reduce emissions even further in a way that remains purposeful and profitable, he added.

On May 26, the District Court in The Hague ruled that Shell must reduce its global net carbon emissions by 45 percent, by 2030 compared with 2019. The court said that Shell owed a duty of care to the citizens of the Netherlands, where the company has its headquarters, to protect them from the consequences of global warming like rising sea levels.
When Jaqui Lividini saw the house, she was instantly smitten: A cottage built in 1901, it was one of just three on the peninsula of Haycock Point on Long Island Sound in Connecticut, just east of New Haven. Theres not a window that doesnt see water, and you feel like youre looking into the ocean, she said. Im a double water sign, and it makes me happy  not being in the water, but looking at it.

Ms. Lividini, who works in fashion communications, paid seven figures for the 1,700-square-foot, five-bedroom home to the family who originally built it. She excitedly planned a long program of renovations, which would preserve original details like bead-board paneling, while also adapting the property for today  reducing the bedroom count to three, larger spaces, for example.

She closed on the home in summer 2007, and construction was still underway when Hurricane Irene made landfall nearby almost exactly four years later. The house survived, unlike many others, but it took about a year to settle with insurers.

Construction was about to begin afresh when another hurricane hit  this time Sandy.

The first hurricane tore off the porch and the shed, and the second one flooded the house, Ms. Lividini recalled. The change in zoning enacted by the Federal Emergency Management Agency after the second storm required that she cease renovations and instead first raise the house, adding a lower story with breakaway walls better primed to withstand another storm.
The original measure, known as the Waters of the United States rule, dates to the Obama administration and extended the range of bodies of water that were subject to the 1972 Clean Water Act, an issue that had for decades lacked clarity.

The Obama administration protected about 60 percent of the nations waterways, including large bodies of water such as the Chesapeake Bay, Mississippi River and Puget Sound, and smaller headwaters, wetlands, seasonal streams and streams that run temporarily underground. It limited the discharge of pollutants such as fertilizers, pesticides and industrial chemicals into those waters.

Mr. Trump repealed the policy in 2019, calling it one of the most ridiculous regulations of all, and claimed that his repeal caused farmers to weep in gratitude. One year later his E.P.A. finalized the Navigable Waters Protection Rule, which removed protections for more than half of the nations wetlands and hundreds of thousands of miles of upland streams by narrowing the definition of what constitutes a water of the United States.

In doing so, Mr. Trump framed the change as the rightful return of power from the federal government to landowners and states. In a statement on Wednesday Chuck Fowke, the chairman of the National Association of Homebuilders, expressed concern that changes to the water rule will add unnecessary requirements that will hurt housing affordability.

Tuesdays announcement does not start the process of revising the regulation. That will come when the E.P.A. officially promulgates a proposed new rule, possibly later this year. Wednesdays action was a legal move in which the Department of Justice and Department of the Army formally requested repeal of the Trump-era rule.

Communities deserve to have our nations waters protected, Jaime A. Pinkham, the acting assistant Army secretary for civil work, said in a statement. He said the Trump-era rule resulted in a significant drop in determinations of waters that would otherwise have been afforded protection.

Environmental groups and Democrats in Congress praised the announcement and pressed the administration to work quickly to unravel the Trump policy. Every day the Dirty Water rule remains in effect, it causes irreparable harm to our health, to our environment, and to our economies, Representative Peter DeFazio, Democrat of Oregon and chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, said in a statement.
On Wednesday, White House officials said they had not wavered in their commitment to making climate a core part of any infrastructure package. The administration has encouraged a bipartisan group of senators to continue to try to hammer out an agreement.

The president has underscored that climate change is one of the defining crises we face as a nation, and in the negotiations he has continuously fought for leading on the clean energy economy and on clean energy jobs  which is critical for our economic growth, competitiveness, and middle class, said Andrew J. Bates, a White House spokesman, in a statement.

Several Democratic senators as well as many climate activists say they nonetheless fear that the prospects for climate legislation could evaporate, as they did in the first term of the Obama administration.

After former President Barack Obama vowed to tackle global warming, the White House repeatedly delayed its push for legislation, focusing first on passing health care and Wall Street overhauls.

By the time Senate Democrats took up a major climate bill, well into Mr. Obamas first term, momentum had waned and the measure failed to muster enough support to merit a vote on the Senate floor. Six months later, Republicans swept into the House majority in the midterm elections and prospects for climate legislation died for the next decade.

Ive seen this movie before, said Mr. Heinrich, a veteran of the failed 2009 effort.

The impact of climate change is already being felt around the world in the form of drought, wildfire, floods, economic disruption and environmentalists say action cannot be postponed.
The two cases were remarkably similar: Hurricane Laura sent pine trees crashing through the roofs of two modest houses not far apart in Southwest Louisiana. Neither homeowner had insurance, and each sought help from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

But thats where the similarities end. Despite suffering roughly the same amount of damage, one homeowner, Roy Vaussine, who is white, got $17,000 in initial assistance from FEMA. The other couple, Charlotte and Norman Biagas, who are Black, got $7,000.

A growing body of research shows that FEMA often helps white disaster victims more than people of color, even when the amount of damage is comparable. The problem seems to stem from complex systemic factors, like the difficulty of navigating the federal bureaucracy and a real estate market that often places higher values on properties in communities with white residents.

FEMA faces growing pressure to address those racial disparities. But as I wrote this week, the research suggests that the scale of the problem is immense.
People receiving the Covid vaccine made by Oxford-AstraZeneca had a slightly increased risk of a bleeding disorder, and possibly other rare blood problems, researchers reported on Wednesday.

The findings, from a study of 2.53 million adults in Scotland who received their first doses of either the AstraZeneca vaccine or the one made by Pfizer-BioNTech, were published in the journal Nature Medicine. About 1.7 million of the shots were the AstraZeneca vaccine.

The study found no increased risk of the blood disorders with the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

The AstraZeneca vaccine is not authorized for use in the United States, but it has been authorized by the European Medicines Agency, the European Unions top drug regulator, as well as many countries outside the bloc. But reports of rare clotting and bleeding disorders in younger adults, some fatal, led a number of countries to limit the vaccines use to older people, and a few to drop it altogether.

The new study found that the AstraZeneca vaccine was linked to a slight increase in the risk of a disorder called immune thrombocytopenic purpura, or I.T.P., which can cause just bruising in some cases but also serious bleeding in others. The risk was estimated at 1.13 cases per 100,000 people receiving their first dose, up to 27 days after vaccination. That estimate would be in addition to the typical incidence in the United Kingdom, before the vaccine came into use, which was estimated at six to nine cases per 100,000.
U.S. businesses getting anxious as Trump's China tariffs remain: media

Xinhua) 14:32, June 09, 2021

WASHINGTON, June 9 (Xinhua) -- U.S. businesses that called for new international trade policy are getting anxious as policy under President Joe Biden is closer to his predecessor Donald Trump's approach than expected, the Financial Times has reported.

"We're five months into this new administration, and we don't have a clear sense of what the China trade policy is yet," the Financial Times quoted Jon Gold, vice president at the U.S. National Retail Federation, as saying.

"This is having a big impact on companies, many of whom are struggling to survive through COVID-19 and have the extra burden of the tariffs," Gold said, according to the report published on Thursday.

As the cost of U.S. tariffs for companies buying from China has increased, more than 3,500 U.S. companies, including Coca-Cola, Disney and Ford, have filed lawsuits against the Trump administration's tariffs on China.

"The tariffs are deeply unpopular with American consumers and businesses who bear the cost," said Doug Barry, spokesman for the U.S.-China Business Council, a non-profit trade body. "Many tariffs remain in place with no indication of when or if they will be lifted."

(Web editor: Guo Wenrui, Liang Jun)
Kriti Sanon took to social media on Wednesday to celebrate her 2017 film 'Raabta' completing four years of its release.

The Bollywood actress sounded emotional while talking about her co-star in the film, the late Sushant Singh Rajput.

Kriti shared a beautiful behind the scenes video shot during the film's shoot. The video captures the actress having fun with Sushant and the crew on the sets of the film.

"I believe in connection, I believe that we are meant to meet the people we doa My Raabta with Sushant, Dinoo and MaddockFilms was just meant to be... Films come and go... But every single film has so so many memories behind it... The connections we make and the moments we live with each other stay within us... Some more than others," Kriti wrote alongside the video on Instagram.

"Raabta was one of my best and most memorable experiences and it will ALWAYS remain extremely close to my hearta Little did I know that it would be our first and last... #Raabta," she added.

Kriti was rumoured to be in a relationship with Sushant during the shooting and release of 'Raabta'.

The Dinesh Vijan directorial, which hit theatres on June 9, 2017, also featured Rajkummar Rao, Varun Sharma and Jim Sarbh in key roles.
Through Our Brain Bank, the nonprofit she founded, Ms. Morris encouraged treating more than just the tumor.

When youre suddenly told that you have a condition that is considered terminal, she said on the podcast the Human Guinea Pig Project in 2019, the one thing you desperately need is psychological support, and its not there.

She also wanted to ensure that patients had access to and funding for second opinions, so that those who were told nothing can be done by one doctor might seek out a more aggressive approach if they chose. She herself pursued several novel approaches, her husband said, including an experimental therapy that one of her doctors had suggested, involving an injection of herpes virus into the tumor in the hope of stimulating a defensive response.

Even if I dont know exactly how particular treatments might work  and nobody really does  it kind of makes sense to try and block as many pathways to the cancer as possible, Ms. Morris explained on the podcast.

Another goal was making it easier for glioblastoma patients to enroll in clinical trials of drugs and therapies. The process of getting into such trials can be cumbersome and frustrating to patients with a limited life expectancy. And since glioblastoma is a complex disease in which each tumor has different characteristics, Ms. Morris and her organization developed an app that patients can use to report symptoms and share information with one another and with medical professionals  as an aid to understanding the disease better.

Patient symptom data is a largely untapped pool of information that can inform researchers, so they can better design treatments, Ms. Morris said during a 2019 panel discussion on patient-centric treatments. Involving patients in that process has the added benefit of providing people with the disease to feel they are managing the disease, and not the other way round.

Jessica Jane Morris was born on July 22, 1963, in Greenwich, near London. Her father, Bill, was an architect, and her mother, Elizabeth (Villar) Morris, is an artist.
Mr. Adams has done at least seven web appearances from the Fort Lee apartment between April 2020 and February of this year, according to research by a rival campaign.

We did over 100 forums, Mr. Adams said Wednesday. He acknowledged that at times he may have joined forums while at the apartment he co-owns with Ms. Collins in New Jersey. Theres nothing wrong or unethical about doing them, he said.

At the news conference, Mr. Adams insisted that he was simply private about his home life. He appeared overcome with emotion and unable to speak for more than a minute as he retold a story of being shot at when he was speaking out against racism in the Police Department, just days after his son, now 26, was born.

I realized the life I was living, my advocacy, was going to take his dad away from him, said Mr. Adams, who during the news conference smiled and waved at some neighbors as they passed by. Throughout my entire police career, none of my colleagues knew I had a son. I wanted to shield him from the reality of what I was doing. I became very private.

He led a tour of a wood- and brick-trimmed apartment, while reporters inspected the refrigerator, and feverish speculation swirled on social media about whether it matched pictures of refrigerators he had shared in earlier years, when he said he was at home in Brooklyn.

Neighbors in Brooklyn have offered mixed accounts of whether they know Mr. Adams.

I dont keep up and down track of him 24/7, but I see him quite a lot, said David Goodman, a neighbor who owns the townhouse two doors down from the one Mr. Adams owns.
The two roles have been held by different people in the past, but a 2008 commission led by Mr. Ravitch helped spur legislation that reunited them into a single job as part of an effort to restore the chief executives independence.

Ms. Feinberg, who is currently the interim leader of the agency that operates the citys subway and buses, has told people that she would not take on the dual role because she wanted to reduce her workload, according to a person who spoke with her and asked not to be identified discussing a private matter.

Abbey Collins, an authority spokeswoman, disputed that characterization and called it frankly sexist.

By Thursday, Mr. Cuomo appeared to have reached a resolution with Senate Democrats following hurried negotiations: A deal to still split the leadership role, but require that both positions be confirmed by the Senate. The agreement, however, unraveled late on Thursday just before lawmakers gaveled out of session and left Albany without an immediate solution.

Mr. Cuomos original proposal was introduced in the Legislature earlier this week, the last of this years legislative session. When Senate Democrats met to discuss it on Tuesday, it quickly became clear it lacked the support it needed for approval, according to Michael Gianaris, a Democrat and the Senates deputy majority leader.

The governor is attempting a restructuring of the top echelon of the M.T.A. with very little notice and in such a way that the members of the Senate arent comfortable, Mr. Gianaris said in an interview. The notion that we were going to rubber stamp an effort to have even less oversight and more consolidation of power in the executive is not something were interested in.

Lawmakers raised concerns about the bills structure and timing and even about Ms. Feinberg herself. Mr. Gianaris said she had frequently taken to the podium to echo the governors attacks and that kind of politicization is not something were interested in.
To my grandparents, giving birth to another child was no more than, as the saying goes, adding another spoonful of water into the congee. As with a plant in your backyard: You just watered it once in a while to make sure it stayed alive.

But today, having a child in a first-tier city in China means you have to pay millions of yuan just to afford to live in a district with good schools, and having a son means needing to set up another apartment for when he gets married. My mother has joked: We used to say duo zi duo fu (more children, more fortune); now it is duo zi duo baofu (more children, more burden)!

So, if you ask what effect the newest birth policy will have on most Chinese women, the answer is: probably none. Since the one-child policy was fully lifted in 2016, many young couples still have not had more than one child. Except for the very rich, who can afford however many kids they want, and the very poor, who rely on children to take care of them, the three-child policy wont make much difference.

Yet on the day it was announced, many people werent indifferent: Social media feeds were flooded with mockery and complaints. Yes, even now that we can have three children, even now that we are encouraged to give birth  instead of being forcibly sterilized or made to have an abortion  we are also reminded that giving birth is regulated.

Chinas birth controls do deserve some credit. For one thing, they freed Chinese peoples minds from a certain traditional thinking. One result of the one-child policy was that daughters who were an only child started receiving more attention and more resources than before, and over time peoples opinions about girls changed. In cities, at least, people no longer seem to favor boys over girls.

Those of us who were born as an only child, and into a decent material life, have been able to think about our individual pursuits  and for us women that has meant not needing to rely on bearing children as a measure of our worth.

But theres a catch. Chinese women used to live to carry on our lineage; now we live to raise an expensive child. Everything in China is commodified today, including our children. Education and housing, such personal matters, are prohibitively costly, leaving young people with few choices.
To the Editor:

Re Richest in U.S. Pay All but Nil in Income Tax (front page, June 9) and The Real Tax Scandal Is Whats Legal, by Binyamin Appelbaum (Opinion essay, June 9):

The report from the news organization ProPublica showing that the nations richest executives paid just a tiny fraction of their wealth in federal income taxes is stunning confirmation that the United States system of taxation is rigged for a tiny number of ultrarich individuals. That such an unfair system exists in the United States today erodes trust and is ultimately a threat to democracy.

The I.R.S. data the report revealed should increase the sense of urgency surrounding conversations to impose a wealth tax so those individuals pay their fair share to the country that has enabled them to achieve so much.

Cody Lyon

Brooklyn

To the Editor:

The ProPublica report that you describe is misleading. The authors write that the tax information they somehow obtained from the I.R.S. shows that a group of wealthy people pay little income tax when compared with the increase in the values of their assets. However, of the four people for whom they gave detailed information, three paid income taxes of between 20 and 30 percent of their income  hardly an infinitesimal amount. And the fourth, Michael Bloomberg, paid less largely because of large charitable contributions and a credit for foreign income taxes (needed to avoid double taxation of the same income).

Does ProPublica really want people to pay taxes on increases in their wealth even though the appreciated assets have not been sold? There are sound administrative reasons for not taxing wealth other than income. For example, many wealthy individuals have assets (such as houses in other countries, rare artwork) that would be extremely hard to value every year. The I.R.S. would have an impossible time auditing these returns.
[PHONE RINGING]

mark

Hi, Jane. My name is Mark from New York City. Im arguing with my friends, online with strangers, and just feeling internally conflicted about the New York City pride decision to not let LGBT officers march in the parade. And its drawn some condemnation from places like the New York Times. But Ive also seen a lot of really passionate support for it from community activists. And Im feeling torn, myself, because Stonewall was a riot against police raids and police brutality, which continues today. But I also refuse to believe that every single police officer is a bad person. And I think that there are good, decent LGBT police officers out there.

jane coaston

Today on The Argument, is it wrong to ban gay cops from marching in a Pride parade in uniform? Im Jane Coaston. And at my very first Pride parade in St. Louis, Missouri, I remember being struck by the sight of cops in uniforms, marching and holding hands with their partners, not just because they were cops, but because the idea of being a cop and being out was stunning to me at the time, that you could simultaneously hold two identities in public and everyone could know about both of them, and that could be OK. But I also know that the origin story of Pride is a story of police brutality. The Comptons Cafeteria Riots of 1966, the Stonewall uprising in June 1969, both were reactions to police violence against LGBT people, state violence against LGBT people. Last year, protesters said NYPD officers used pepper spray and shoved demonstrators at a Queer Liberation March in New Yorks Washington Square Park. A year after, the agency apologized for the actions taken by officers at Stonewall 50 years earlier. In response this year, NYC Pride and pride marches across the country have decided to bar uniformed officers from marching. Police officers are still welcome to participate, but not in uniform. The decision drew cheers from some for making it a safer space for more people. But it drew criticism from others, including LGBT cops. And for me, it raised a larger question about what Pride is and who its for. For some people, Pride is a march welcome to everyone and anyone, regardless of politics or employment. But for others, Pride is a movement and a protest against the power structures that have failed and continue to fail LGBT people, particularly trans people and people of color. Today, Im talking with representatives from the two groups who have clashed over New Yorks Pride march. Andre Thomas is co-chair of NYC Pride, the group that decided uniformed officers could not participate. Brian Downey is a New York City police detective and President of GOAL, the Gay Officers Action League, an advocacy group that does sensitivity training for police recruits and community outreach, among other things. [MUSIC PLAYING] For people who are not acquainted with New York City Pride, or who might be new to this particular issue, or who are not locked in to what Pride celebrations look like in New York, Andre, in May, your group announced that uniformed police officers would not be able to March in Pride until 2025. I want to know what went behind that decision. How did that decision happen?

andre thomas

This has been a conversation thats been going on in many pride movements globally. Stonewall riots started as a protest against police brutality. Fast forward to 2019, the NYPD apologized for the events at Stonewall. But then last year, there were some interactions between protesters in Washington Square Park and the NYPD that happened on Pride Sunday. And so we took it upon ourselves to really listen to the community. And so the two main aspects we were looking at is, one, reducing visibility of the police. Safety and security of our events is key. We know that we cant not do in New York City, large-scale in size, without the NYPD presence. But definitely taking the visibility down to a certain degree, using more community affairs officers, using less of a militarized type looking response, that is something I think we are in good faith, and working with the NYPD, and the city towards. The other aspect is the uniformed police officers marching. That uniform, for the communities who are speaking to us, is a symbol. What it represents makes them feel unsafe and unwelcome. And for inclusion, we need to have everyone feel on the same page.

jane coaston

Brian, just to back us up a little bit, what is GOAL?

brian downey

So the Gay Officers Action League was established formally in 1982. A big part of what we do is educating people. What we also do is we train police officers, criminal justice professionals in LGBTQIA-plus sensitivity and awareness. We also serve as policy advisors. Very oftentimes, were approached, hey, do you know anything about a policy for interactions with the trans community? Yes, as a matter of fact, we do. In 2012, the NYPD patrol guide was amended, in God knows how many places, to address things such as proper pronoun use, to address lodging.

andre thomas

This is where I think then, Brian, youve actually come around to what were saying. Were saying, you acknowledge, that trans individuals, people of color, have had fraught relationships with the NYPD in treatment. And they are not just historical issues. Theyre still current issues. The Walking While Trans law was just repealed in February. A trans person could be stopped by the police. And if the officer determined that they were not wearing the gender-appropriate attire, then they could be detained for that.

jane coaston

Brian, I went back and looked at the New York Daily News write up for July 6, 1969, following the raid at the Stonewall Inn. And the headline is, Homo Nest Raided, Queen Bees are Stinging Mad. And its disgusting, almost humorously so, just so virulently homophobic, in a way that indicated that the authors of this piece knew that this was a community that they would never need to treat respectfully. GOAL came up in the early 1980s, at a time where, for people outside of this community, that type of rhetoric was endemic, where homophobia, and transphobia, and bi-phobia were part and parlance and acceptable. Is that part of why its important for you and for other members of GOAL to be able to march in uniform, to show what has changed, even though theres more work to do, that there has been so much change?

brian downey

There has been a great deal of change. There hasnt been enough change. I think that visibility is important because it does send a message to institutions and to people that there are folks that are fighting on the inside. When you put everybody in a t-shirt, that might as well be anybody walking down Fifth Avenue, not to mention the personal struggle of many people in the organization that have overcome a great deal of adversity in their lives to get to where they are right now. Stumbling upon GOAL, for many people, is their coming out process. It was me for mine. I mean, 20 years ago, if you would have told me that I would have been in a Pride march, I would have laughed at you, because I was ashamed of myself. I look at my trajectory, my growth. And really being educated and taken under the wing of people that have gone before me has uplifted me and probably saved my life. You look at somebody like Anna Arboleda who was thrown out of our house as a high-schooler. Not only has she put herself through school, shes come into the police department and shes brought that struggle with her. As a Sergeant now, she is a training person in Equal Employment Opportunity, in equity and inclusion. Shes helping shape department policies. Shes on the lieutenants list. I mean, she might be Chief Arboleda one day. And wouldnt that be a great story?

andre thomas

And I understand the complexity of wearing a uniform. I served in the Marines for eight years, myself, under Dont Ask Dont Tell. So I know what its like to live with that fear, because for me, that fear was I could go to jail and kicked out of the military if someone discovered my identity. But what were equating right now is a community who is struggling and their feelings of safety and being welcome versus the ability of GOAL to wear a uniform in a parade. And so you have to figure out, what is more important to a movement, to Pride? What is the key to really making all of the community feel included? And were not saying GOAL cant march. GOAL could literally wear polos that say, police against brutality. You could literally print a hundred of those, sell those for $25 a pop, and donate the proceeds to a Black trans organization. And everyone would love you for that. Were asking for you to think about the communities who are affected now.

jane coaston

This actually gets to the big question that I have for both of you that I keep thinking about, is that this is not just a conversation about wearing a uniform in Pride or what that means. Because, Brian, I can say that the first Pride I went to was in St. Louis, Missouri in 2009. And you would meet people who had come from hundreds of miles away. This is 2009. And I think, for many people, you think of that as being  or I think of it as being  like 10 minutes ago. But you would meet people who were like, no one knows Im here. No one can ever know that I am at a Pride parade. And I remember seeing gay cops in uniform marching, gay cops with their partners, holding hands. And I felt normalized, in a sense that I had never really experienced. And Im sure that thats something that both of you have understood. But I think that this gets to this big question of what is Pride for right now? Is it a protest? Are we celebrating? Who is it for?

andre thomas

It can be both at the same time. We call it a march, not a parade like everybody does. We call it a march because it is. We still consider it a protest march. It has a celebratory aspect to it. But it is still a protest, in very many ways. One of our big events that we have at Pride is called the Dance on the Pier, Pride Island. And its 6,000 gay men dancing. But it was illegal for men to dance together. Its the 35th anniversary. It was called a Dance in Protest. When you have people who come from other countries who have come to New York City Pride and partake in events like that, being part of that celebration is a part of a protest. It is both things at the same time. The example I use is just a couple of years ago, Amber Hicks, who added the black and brown stripes to the rainbow flag, got death threats, and hate mail, and all sorts of vitriol. And now that flags the standard. You cant not go and see a flag have those stripes and the trans colors represented. Just the amount of anti-trans bells going on a day-to-day basis is just evidence that were not all the way there yet. And its unfortunate that a lot of the backlash, a lot of the really kind of violent messaging that weve received from the organization has come from white gay men. And that brings up issues of privilege that really speak to whats going on in the community.

jane coaston

Brian, I want to put that question to you, of what is Pride for? What is it to you?

brian downey

To me, interestingly enough, Pride has always been about liberation. You reflected on your first Pride. Mine was in 2009, wearing a police uniform. A lot of different emotions that day, there was some fear. Two very, very important parts of that day for me were  Michael Dye was a New York City police detective who, just a few weeks ago, succumbed to 9/11-related cancer. Michael kind of had his hand on my shoulder that whole morning, you know, youre going to get through it. I did think of going home a few times. I wasnt really friends with him at the time, I knew that he was in GOAL, but John Hayes, who now is a Lieutenant in the New Jersey State Police  I dont think that the New Jersey State Police uniform was something that I would consider socially progressive. In the back of my head that day as Im looking over my right shoulder and I see John there with a Pride flag, I said to myself, well, if that guy is here and hes going to be all right, chances are, Im going to be all right. But the greatest feeling of all was the liberation. And I dont think for a minute that, at any time, I was somehow or in any way celebrating police pride. What was going through my head that day is 29 years on this Earth, ashamed. And it kind of felt like this great, big F-U moment to society, to everybody that was there, because I said, look, Ive infiltrated this place. Im here. I got here. I will make it my work to not leave people behind. I will make it my work to make it easier for other people. And Id like other people to have the experience that I have had, to kind of have their eyes opened to a world of advocacy, a world of trying to change systems and structures. So it is a sad moment for me. And again, Andre, Im not discounting the things that youve heard 

andre thomas

But what you have to understand, Brian, is that me, as a Black man, I cant take off my black skin. But you can take off your uniform. A trans person cant take off who they are, that identity. Is it the uniform that makes you a police officer? Or is it the training, the experience, the knowledge, the camaraderie? What is that identity? I know the uniform is a part of that identity. But youre not wearing a uniform right now. Are you still not a cop? Youre talking about an identity. And for me, my gayness and my Blackness are parts of my identity that cannot be changed, and theyre the parts that are the most at conflict with each other, more often than not, because the larger part of the gay community has rejected, in many ways, my Blackness. And so when you talk about the issues that cops face with regard to visibility and being in uniform, I get it. I understand that. Were talking about presenting you as police officers in a way that doesnt trigger someone like myself. Just last week, wearing my New York Pride shirt, going on the subway to an office, being approached by five cops, that fear anxiety that I had, right there and then. Its the amount of experiences Ive had walking through the city with my partner whos white. And hes gone up to a cop to just ask a question. And Ive literally almost frozen in panic and in fear, and not because Ive done anything wrong or anything like that. Its because that is just where we are as a society. [MUSIC PLAYING]

jane coaston

It seems now that were having a conversation, nationally, about a lot of people who all want to go to Pride. But in some ways, is the conversation were having now the price of the success of the Pride movement, that everybody wants to take part in it? Corporations want to take part in it. The United States military, in many cases, wants to take part in it. Is this a sign that were winning, sort of winning? What does this mean?

andre thomas

Its a at-what-cost are we winning? If we have progressed so far but were still leaving others behind, if LGBTQ people are six times more likely than the regular public to be stopped by police, what change have we actually made? Are we just celebrating, celebrating, and having a big party with glitter and sparkles every single year? Or are we actually advocating for change? That is that inner conflict that is going on within moments. There have been reactionary pride marches to our traditional, mainstream march. The Queer Liberation March, for example, too, which is no police presence, no corporate presence, whatsoever, because there are individuals who have felt that the mainstream pride movements have left them behind and have gone away from their true roots.

brian downey

Pride events arent the only part of the Gay Officers Action League. And participating in them, honestly, I know that its a very passionate thing for a lot of people. But I dont think that its the most important work we do. And I think that we do do other work, 365 days a year, including on Pride. Andre, I think theres been a lot of time where you talked about problems. And I just would like an opportunity to talk about some of the solutions, because I feel that a lot of this has been concentrated or questions I always get are about the emotion of being there in uniform. I want an opportunity to talk about what the organization does, which unfortunately, people still dont know. And I dont know how well versed you are in what we do.

andre thomas

Let me say, then, to that, so the police union, last year, endorsed Donald Trump. And the Black Officers Association came out against that. So there you have an organization in the NYPD who is minority-aligned who can make external statements that they feel doesnt align with their mission and values. And thats what were asking GOAL to do. Youre talking about internal work that GOAL is doing. But were asking, were holding GOAL accountable for the external-facing stuff.

brian downey

OK, so lets talk about some of the external-facing stuff. I mean, sure lets take a look at Washington Square Park last year, because what I saw, with my eyes, were a 99 percent peaceful event. And what I saw 1 percent of, people that were there actively looking for a problem. And when they couldnt find one, an individual decided they wanted to vandalize a piece of police equipment. Now, I have criticized the police department, a number of different ways, internally. A lot of my work, Andre, is based upon credibility, OK? But when it comes to surrounding and cornering uniformed police officers, my credibility in going and hanging my hat on that, Ive talked extensively about how I think it was a poor tactical decision. Its not something I would encourage my members or peers in the criminal justice system to do.

jane coaston

Can I jump in here?

andre thomas

Yeah.

jane coaston

I want to zoom out a little bit from the specificity of what happened last year. I used to work with the Human Rights Campaign. I was a speechwriter at the Human Rights Campaign. And I focused mostly on marriage litigation. So I wrote speeches for Jim Obergefell, who was the plaintiff in Obergefell v. Hodges, the ultimate marriage decision. And I remember when we put out a statement after the death of Michael Brown. And we got some of the angriest emails weve ever gotten from HRC members with regard to, basically, stay in your lane. I keep thinking about how there are so many instances in which LGBT people have been brought together, I would say, through the vise of oppression, where no one cared that you wanted to be a banker, you wanted to be a police officer, you wanted to protest against banks or police officers. So I wanted to think through  and there might not really be an answer to this  but Andre, do you still see us as a community or a movement when there are some people for whom oppression looks far more real and far more state violence-based, and there are some people for whom oppression looks very different?

andre thomas

And that I think is, in a way, what this issue has exposed, almost the kind of like dirty little secret of the gay community that were all not the same, that were all going through different experiences. And some experiences of oppression are life-threatening for some and some are casual, somebody didnt like my picture on an app. And those different experiences are why we are here, for the individuals in our community who that oppression is a life and death situation or brings up those feelings of danger, of fear, of this can cause me to shut down, this makes me feel unwelcome. That is who we point the direction to. And that is why the movement started, because we were all under the kind of that same oppression.

jane coaston

Right. There is something like, no matter what your politics are, somebody is trying to beat us up.

andre thomas

Exactly. And its like, no matter what, I mean, the anti-gay, anti-LGBT people all see us as the same, no matter what we are, no matter who we are. Were all deviant to them, no matter what, no matter what we do. But within the community, itself, there are  I dont know if youve ever seen that graphic of an iceberg with some gay white men at the top. And the bottom of the iceberg under the ocean, which is much larger, has a lot more members of the diverse community underneath it. And thats kind of where we are right now as a movement. Some people have moved farther ahead. And we want to move all people ahead.

jane coaston

Brian, are we still, together, a community, a movement? What do you think?

brian downey

I feel that theres always been a movement. Who leads that movement, whos been left behind, I think we have a good understanding of whos been left behind. I know I do. I also run a very, very diverse organization, and again, with many people that have experiences different than mine. And I often use moments where people are exhibiting privilege within the organization or asking me why I said a certain thing. And you kind of have to school them a little bit. And you say, well, do you know what its like to walk into a store and have everybody look at you like youre going to rob the place? Do you know what its like to have people cross the street in front of you to avoid being on the same side of the street as you are? And until you walk in those shoes, maybe you should listen a little bit to those experiences and try and understand where peoples perspectives are and where they come from. The movement still continues. I agree that we need to do more to uplift all voices within the community. And how we go about doing that looks very differently to a lot of people. But hopefully, were all moving towards the same goal.

jane coaston

And I just want to thank both of you because I know that this is a issue that involves real people, and real people who are multiple things  people who are gay, lesbian, queer police officers, and queer trans people of color, and people who have been subjected to police violence. So I just want to a second to appreciate both of you for doing this. I know that that was challenging.

brian downey

Thank you and thank Andre.

andre thomas

Thank you.

jane coaston
The whole American public education system works this way. Students are divided among a patchwork of 16,000 school districts, many of which were created to hoard resources in majority-white areas. The nonprofit group EdBuild found that districts where more than 75 percent of students are white receive $23 billion more per year than districts where more than 75 percent of students are not white  even though there are more students in predominantly nonwhite districts.

Zahava Stadler, a former policy director at EdBuild who currently focuses on education funding at the civil rights organization The Education Trust, said the new funding in the Biden plan wouldnt just add money where its needed; it would also offer an important push for states to change the policies that create inequity in state and local funding.

For the last two decades, federal K-12 education policy has mostly focused on improving the schools built on an uneven financial foundation by establishing consistent academic standards and holding schools accountable for student test scores. Those policies have fallen far short of their goal of closing the gap in test scores between white upper-income students and their peers. The Biden plan could be the first serious effort in more than a generation to repair the foundation itself.

In the past, critics have questioned whether equitable school funding would actually improve educational results. But a strong academic research consensus has emerged in recent years that more school funding really does improve education.

Making the program work wont be easy. It takes a lot of pressure to get state lawmakers to change the status quo. A sum of $20 billion does not, by itself, buy a great deal of leverage to move a system that generates $750 billion in state and local funding every year. States with more equitable funding systems than Virginias limit the ability of rich districts to self-fund with local revenue while providing generous subsidies to districts with fewer local resources. Minnesota, for example, is far less reliant on local property taxes and provides more state funding to districts with large numbers of low-income and minority students.
The New York Times is investigating the costs associated with coronavirus testing, treatment and vaccination. You can read more about the project and submit your medical bills here.

The Biden administration is reminding doctors, hospitals, pharmacies and insurers that it is illegal to bill patients for coronavirus vaccines, a letter obtained by The Times shows.

The new warning responds to concerns among unvaccinated Americans that they could receive a bill with their shot. A recent Kaiser Family Foundation poll found that about a third of unvaccinated adults were unsure whether insurance covered the new vaccine.
As a Catholic nun, Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper had taken a vow of poverty.

But this week, prosecutors said Sister Mary Margaret, 79, had agreed to plead guilty to stealing more than $835,000 from a Catholic elementary school to support a gambling habit and to pay for other personal expenses.

Sister Mary Margaret was charged on Tuesday with wire fraud and money laundering while she was the principal of St. James Catholic School in Torrance, Calif., the office of the U.S. attorney for the Central District of California said in a statement. She is scheduled to appear in the Federal District Court in Los Angeles on July 1.

Sister Mary Margaret admitted to a fraudulent scheme in which she lulled St. James School and the administration into believing that the schools finances were being properly accounted for and its financial assets properly safeguarded, prosecutors said.

She confessed to causing losses to St. James Catholic School totaling $835,339 over the course of the scheme, the statement said. She retired as the schools principal in 2018, after 28 years in the role, it said.
Oregon lawmakers approved new lyrics for their state song this week, removing language that activists called racist and saying the song should reflect how Oregon has changed in the 94 years since it was adopted.

The resolution, which the State Senate passed 23-5 on Monday, preserves the music of the state song, Oregon, My Oregon, but changes the lyrics to reflect the significant cultural, historical, economic and societal evolution in Oregon, according to its text.

The modifications include swapping the first verse of the song, which was written by John A. Buchanan with music by Henry B. Murtagh. Its original lyrics when it was first adopted in 1927 included the lines, land of empire builders, land of the golden West; conquered and held by free men; fairest and the best. Those will be replaced by, land of majestic mountains, land of the great Northwest; forests and rolling rivers, grandest and the best.

Modified lyrics will also replace a section in the second verse, so that blest by the blood of martyrs becomes blessed by the love of freedom.
Former Union Minister and senior Congress leader from Uttar Pradesh Jitin Prasad on Wednesday joined BJP in presence of union railway minister Piyush Goyal and Rajya Sabha member Anil Baluni at party headquarters, giving a big jolt to the Congress party.

Welcoming Jitin Prasada, Piyush Goyal praised his commitment to serve the people and said that he (Prasada) will play an important role in Uttar Pradesh. "He will have a major role in Uttar Pradesh politics in the future. He is someone who is connected to the ground realities and is a popular leader in the state," Goyal said.

Jitin Prasada thanked BJP president J.P. Nadda, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah for accepting him in the saffron fold.

Prasada said, "The question is not why I'm leaving a party but why I'm joining another party. If there is a party in the real sense today, an institutional party, then it is the BJP. Other parties are either regional or person specific."

After joining BJP, Prasad said, "I feel there is no purpose of your doing politics or staying in a political party if a person is not able to serve or protect the interest of its people. I realized being in Congress and not being able to do the same. So, I joined BJP and my work will only speak for itself."

His father Jitendra Prasada was a prominent 'Brahmin' face in Uttar Prasad, who had challenged Sonia Gandhi's leadership in 1999 and had contested against her for the post of party chief. He died in 2002.

The saffron party believes that Jitin Prasada joining BJP will help it pacify Brahmins in Uttar Pradesh, where the Assembly poll will be held early next year. A party insider said that Prasada could be projected as the Brahmin face of the party which is completely missing in Uttar Pradesh.

Prasada, once close to Rahul Gandhi, was part of Group-23 (G-23) signatories who had written to Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi demanding for sweeping reforms in the party. Despite being a dissenter, he was tasked with the Congress campaign in West Bengal, which turned out to be a disappointment. Taking a stand against the party, he opposed Congress's alliance with the Indian Secular Front (ISF) in West Bengal.
That is true, because the Pentagon Papers case set the press free to publish secrets in ways that were unimaginable in 1971. Reporting on drone warfare and secret U.S. bases in Africa, on offensive and defensive cyberoperations, on the status of barely-secret negotiations with Iran or the Taliban, is now common practice.

In the torrent of such national-security reporting  everything from disclosures by WikiLeaks to covert efforts to undermine Irans nuclear program  government officials and the major news organizations have reached an unspoken understanding.

The government reluctantly acknowledges that, under current case law, the final decision about publication belongs to editors and publishers, not government officials. The government may hunt for leakers, but the press is mostly left alone  except when courts try to force them to reveal their sources, or government officials reach for secret court orders to glean that information surreptitiously.

That unspoken bargain, the practical result of the Pentagon Papers case, fundamentally changed the nature of national security journalism. It has confirmed an ability to publish secrets about the workings of the U.S. government that would not be tolerated in other democracies, from Britain to Israel to Australia. And in newsrooms across America, it has given leverage for journalists to force government officials to explain, sometimes in classified detail, their objections to the publication of an article, the revelation of government action or a classified trove of documents.

There is good reason to press for those answers. Government officials know that information is wildly overclassified  a problem that has gotten significantly worse since Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan wrote a book about it two decades ago  and so they have to make the case to reporters and editors why a certain set of facts will truly put lives or operations in jeopardy. They often have a hard time making that case. But those conversations also force us as journalists to scrutinize our own reasoning and standards about what to publish  and to think hard about the human consequences of those decisions.

The result is that the daily details of national security decision-making  a messy mix of the classified, the confidential and the public  are now the daily background noise of news gathering. In an internet connected-world where little stays secret for long, it is all becoming public at a speed and scale that Supreme Court justices, reporters and editors and the U.S. government could not imagine 50 years ago.

By todays standards, no one would blink at publishing the Pentagon Papers. By the time the presses rolled back then, the work of the Vietnam Study Task Force, which produced the papers, was already at least two years old.
This article is part of a special report on the 50th anniversary of the Pentagon Papers.

Brandishing a captured Chinese machine gun, Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara appeared at a televised news conference in the spring of 1965. The United States had just sent its first combat troops to South Vietnam, and the new push, he boasted, was further wearing down the beleaguered Vietcong.

In the past four and one-half years, the Vietcong, the Communists, have lost 89,000 men, he said. You can see the heavy drain.

That was a lie. From confidential reports, McNamara knew the situation was bad and deteriorating in the South. The VC have the initiative, the information said. Defeatism is gaining among the rural population, somewhat in the cities, and even among the soldiers.

Lies like McNamaras were the rule, not the exception, throughout Americas involvement in Vietnam. The lies were repeated to the public, to Congress, in closed-door hearings, in speeches and to the press. The real story might have remained unknown if, in 1967, McNamara had not commissioned a secret history based on classified documents  which came to be known as the Pentagon Papers.
When Mr. Biden defines the current struggle as a battle between the utility of democracies in the 21st century and autocracies, though, he appears to be worrying more about Chinas appeal as a trading partner and source of technology than Russias disruptions. And while Europeans largely do not see China as the kind of rising technological, ideological and military threat that Washington does, it is an argument Mr. Biden is beginning to win.

The British are deploying the largest fleet of its Navy warships to the Pacific since the Falklands War, nearly 40 years ago. The idea is to re-establish at least a visiting presence in a region that once was part of its empire, with stops in Singapore, Malaysia, Australia and New Zealand. But at the same time, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has signed on to the effort by Washington  begun by Mr. Trump and accelerated by Mr. Biden  to assure that Huawei, the Chinese telecommunications company, does not win new contracts to install 5G cellular networks in Britain.

Some in Europe are following suit, but Mr. Bidens aides said they felt blindsided last year when the European Union announced an investment agreement with China days before Mr. Bidens inauguration. It was a reflection of fears that if the continent got sucked into the U.S.-China rivalry, European companies would bear the brunt, starting with the luxury auto industry in Germany.

The future of the agreement is unclear, but Mr. Biden is going the other way: Last week he signed an executive order banning Americans from investing in Chinese companies that are linked to the countrys military or ones that sell surveillance technology used to repress dissent or religious minorities, both inside and outside China. But to be effective, the allies would have to join; so far, few have expressed enthusiasm for the effort.

Mr. Biden may be able to win over skeptics with his embrace of the goal of combating climate change, even though he will run into questions about whether he is doing enough.

Four years ago, at Mr. Trumps first G7 meeting, six world leaders reaffirmed their commitment to the Paris climate accord while the United States declared it was not in a position to join the consensus.
CNN Says Government Issued Gag Order in Fight Over Reporters Email Data The network ultimately turned over a limited set of email logs, it said. President Biden on Wednesday revoked and replaced a Trump-era executive order that sought to ban TikTok.

CNN reveals the government obtained a gag order on its lawyers in a fight over reporter email data. Jeff Zucker, CNNs president, was under a gag order related to a legal fight stemming from a leak investigation, the network said. A judge recently lifted the order. Credit... John Lamparski/WireImage CNN disclosed on Wednesday that the Justice Department had fought a secret legal battle to obtain the email logs of one of its reporters  and that as part of the fight the government imposed a gag order on the networks lawyers and its president, Jeff Zucker. The news networks disclosure came less than a week after a lawyer for The New York Times revealed that he and a handful of lawyers and executives for the newspaper had been gagged as part of a similar fight stemming from a leak investigation. The fight for the CNN reporters email data began in July 2020 under the Trump administration and was resolved on Jan. 26, just after the Biden administration took office, in a deal with prosecutors under which the network turned over a limited set of email logs, it said. A judge recently lifted the gag order over the matter. The disclosure was the latest involving aggressive steps the Justice Department took in leak inquiries late in the Trump administration, and the second inquiry now known to have spilled over into the early Biden administration. The Justice Department had revealed in recent weeks that it had, during the Trump administration, successfully seized phone records for the four Times reporters, the CNN reporter and several reporters at The Washington Post as part of leak investigations. Each involved records from 2017. In the fallout from the revelations, President Biden has directed the department to cease the practice of seizing reporters communications records in an attempt to identify their sources. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland has scheduled a meeting with leaders of the three news organizations for Monday.

Biden revokes and replaces Trumps executive order that sought to ban TikTok. President Biden is set to revoke a Trump-era executive order that sought to ban TikTok from U.S. app stores. Credit... Narinder Nanu/AFP via Getty Images President Biden on Wednesday revoked a Trump-era executive order that sought to ban the popular apps TikTok and WeChat and replaced it with one that calls for a broader review of a number of foreign-controlled applications that could pose a security risk to Americans and their data. The Trump order had not been carried out in the soundest fashion, Biden administration officials said in a call with reporters, adding that the new directive would establish clear intelligible criteria to evaluate national security risks posed by software applications connected to foreign governments, particularly China. Mr. Bidens order reflects a growing urgency among American officials, both Republican and Democrat, to aggressively counter what they see as a growing threat posed by Chinas military and technology sectors. In a rare show of bipartisanship, U.S. lawmakers have also sought to reduce Americas dependence on China for supply chain technology like semiconductors, rare minerals and other equipment. On Tuesday, the Senate approved a $250 billion spending package to bolster American technology research and development. The order is the first significant step Mr. Biden has taken to approach the saga between TikTok and the Trump administration, which tried to ban the app over national security concerns but was immediately challenged in federal court. Analysts said the new executive order is meant to create a process that could withstand such a challenge. The Biden administration has worked to reassess several directives Mr. Trump made to curb Chinas influence, and in several cases has taken a more aggressive approach. Last week, Mr. Biden expanded a Trump-era order by barring Americans from investing in Chinese firms linked to the countrys military or engaged in selling surveillance technology. It is unclear how effective either order will ultimately be at stopping the spread of Chinese espionage technology, and does not fully resolve the future of TikTok, a wildly popular app with 100 million American users. James Lewis, a senior vice president of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said the Biden administration has shown no easing of the governments strong stance against China. But the new executive order lays out much more precise criteria for weighing risks posed by TikTok and other companies owned by foreign adversaries like China. They are taking the same direction as the Trump administration but in some ways tougher, in a more orderly fashion and implemented in a good way, Mr. Lewis said. Mr. Lewis added that Mr. Bidens order was stronger than the Trump-era directive because its coherent, not random. On Wednesday, administration officials would not go into specifics about the future of TikToks availability to American users or say whether the U.S. government would seek to compel ByteDance, which owns the app, to transfer American user data to a company based in the United States. Katie Rogers and

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Garland defends Justice Dept. moves upholding Trump-era positions. Video transcript Back bars 0:00 / 1:13 - 0:00 transcript Garland Defends D.O.J. Moves to Uphold Trump-Era Positions Attorney General Merrick B. Garland on Wednesday said that the Justice Departments moves to uphold Trump-era positions were consistent with the rule of law. Look, the job of the Justice Department in making decisions of law is not to back any administration, previous or present. Our job is to represent the American people, and our job in doing so is to ensure adherence to the rule of law, which is the fundamental requirement of a democracy or a republic or a representative democracy. And the essence of the rule of law is what I said when I accepted the nomination for attorney general. It is that like cases be treated alike, that there not be one rule for Democrats and another for Republicans, that there not be one rule for friends and another for foes. Sometimes it means that we have to make a decision about the law that we would never have made and that we strongly disagree with as a matter of policy. But in every case, the job of the Justice Department is to make the best judgment it can as to what the law requires. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland on Wednesday said that the Justice Departments moves to uphold Trump-era positions were consistent with the rule of law. Credit Credit... Stefani Reynolds/The New York Times Attorney General Merrick B. Garland defended on Wednesday recent Justice Department moves upholding Trump-era positions on controversial cases, vowing to continue to adhere to the rule of law regardless of political pressure. The essence of the rule of law is what I said when I accepted the nomination for attorney general, Mr. Garland said at a budget hearing before the Senate Appropriations Committee, adding that his goal was to ensure that there would not be one rule for Democrats and another for Republicans, that there not be one rule for friends and another for foes. Mr. Garland continued: It is not always easy to apply that rule. Sometimes it means that we have to make a decision about the law that we would never have made and that we strongly disagree with as a matter of policy. The Justice Department defended on Monday a legal position taken under the Trump administration in a case involving E. Jean Carroll, a writer who in 2019 publicly accused former President Donald J. Trump of sexually assaulting her 25 years earlier. Mr. Trump denied the assault in an Oval Office interview and said that he could not have assaulted her because she was not his type. After Ms. Carroll sued him over the remarks, the Justice Department argued that Mr. Trump could not be held liable for defamation because he had made the statements as part of his official duties as president. In the brief filed on Monday with a federal appeals court in New York, Mr. Garlands Justice Department called Mr. Trumps remarks crude and disrespectful, but said that his administration had correctly argued that he could not be sued over them. Should the Justice Department prevail, Ms. Carrolls lawsuit could be dismissed. The appeal dismayed Democrats, as did another argument by the Justice Department in May when it sought to keep hidden a memo related to Mr. Barrs determination that Mr. Trump had not illegally obstructed justice in the Russia investigation. While the department released the first page and a half of the nine-page memo, it argued that the full document must remain out of view because it contained information that was part of the departments decision-making process, and that such information could be lawfully kept secret. Mr. Garland said that he was aware of the criticisms, but defended his actions. The job of the Justice Department in making decisions of law is not to back any administration, previous or present, he said.

Russia outlawed Navalnys opposition group, a signal before Putins meeting with Biden. Lawyers for Aleksei Navalnys Anti-Corruption Foundation leaving court in Moscow, where the group was named as an extremist organization on Wednesday. Credit... Dimitar Dilkoff/Agence France-Presse  Getty Images MOSCOW  A Russian court on Wednesday designated Aleksei A. Navalnys political movement as extremist, a remarkable broadside by President Vladimir V. Putin that also sent a message to President Biden ahead of their meeting in Geneva next week: Russian domestic affairs are not up for discussion. The court decision  almost certainly with the Kremlins blessing  seemed likely to push the resistance to Mr. Putin further underground, after several months in which the Russian governments yearslong effort to suppress dissent has entered a new, more aggressive phase. Under the law, Mr. Navalnys organizers, donors, or even social-media supporters could now be prosecuted and face prison time. The ruling heightened the stakes of the summit in Geneva for Mr. Biden, who has promised to push back against violations of international norms by Mr. Putin. On arriving in Britain on Wednesday, Mr. Biden said, The United States will respond in a robust and meaningful way when the Russian government engages in harmful activity. The Russian president has said that, while he is prepared to discuss cyberspace and geopolitics with Mr. Biden, he will not engage in talks over how he runs his country. Views on our political system can differ, Mr. Putin told the heads of international news agencies last week. Just give us the right, please, to determine how to organize this part of our life. In recent months, Mr. Putin has dismantled much of what remained of Russian political pluralism  and made it clear that he would ignore Western criticism. Mr. Navalny was arrested in January when he returned to Moscow, after being treated for a poisoning last year that Western officials say was carried out by Russian agents. Since then, thousands of Russians have been detained at protests; leading opposition politicians have been jailed or forced into exile; online media outlets have been branded foreign agents. The Kremlin denies playing any role in the campaign against Mr. Navalny and his movement, and insists Russias judiciary is independent. Analysts and lawyers, however, widely see the courts as subordinate to the Kremlin and the security services, especially on politically sensitive cases. Mr. Putin has already signaled that he will reject any criticism of the Kremlins handling of the Navalny case by claiming that the United States has no standing to lecture others. At Russias marquee annual economic conference in St. Petersburg last week, Mr. Putin repeatedly invoked the arrests of the Capitol rioters in Washington in January when challenged about repression in Russia or its ally Belarus. Andrew E. Kramer and

Watchdog says police were already planning to clear Lafayette Square before Trump photo op. Former President Donald J. Trump holding a Bible in front of St. Johns Episcopal Church last year. Credit... Doug Mills/The New York Times A federal watchdog said Wednesday that the United States Park Police had been planning to clear protesters from a park near the White House well before they learned that President Donald J. Trump was going to walk through the area. The report by the Interior Departments inspector general concluded that the evidence did not support a finding that park police cleared the park just for Mr. Trump, who strode through the park on June 1 of last year before posing for photographs in front of St. Johns Episcopal Church holding a Bible. The burst of violence in Lafayette Park, which came at the height of last summers racial justice protests, became one of the defining moments of the Trump presidency. Protesters in the shadow of the White House were pushed back with smoke and flash grenades and chemical spray deployed by shield-bearing riot officers and mounted police. The 30-page report by the Interior Departments inspector general offers new details about the park polices decision-making. And the sequence of events described in the report suggests that the operation to clear the area turned violent soon after the park police were informed of Mr. Trumps arrival. But the reports author was careful to warn it was not to be seen as a definitive account of the day, in part because so many other law enforcement agencies were involved. The inspector general, Mark L. Greenblatt, noted that it was not in his jurisdiction to investigate what the Secret Service and other law enforcement agencies knew and who may have ordered them to use force to clear the park. It was a fulsome review of everything in our jurisdiction, Mr. Greenblatt said in an interview. The unfortunate thing is not everything is in our jurisdiction. The long-awaited report was ordered by congressional lawmakers and former Interior Secretary David Bernhardt to find out the park polices reasons for dispersing the protesters and whether it had been under orders to help stage a presidential photo op. According to the report, the park police were planning to clear the park so contractors could install new fencing around the area. But protesters were allowed to gather there all day, anyway. Mr. Greenblatt said that was because authorities were waiting for contractors to arrive and for enough law enforcement officers to show up so they could clear the park. That happened around 5:30 p.m., less than an hour before William P. Barr, the attorney general at the time, came out to inspect the area himself. Evidence showed the park police did not know about Mr. Trumps plan to walk across the park until mid- to late afternoon on June 1  hours after it had begun developing its operational plan and the fencing contractor had arrived in the park, the report said. The head of operations for the park police learned about Mr. Trumps plan when Mr. Barr came out to inspect the area, the report said. Are these people still going to be here when POTUS [President of the United States] comes out? Mr. Barr asked, according to the report. The operations commander replied to Mr. Barr, Are you freaking kidding me? and then hung his head and walked away, the report said. Shortly after that, the confrontation turned violent. The report said Mr. Greenblatt did not seek to interview Mr. Barr, White House personnel or the Secret Service, among others, regarding decisions that did not involve the Park Police. Other agencies involved that day included the National Guard, Capitol Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Mr. Greenblatt noted that the Secret Service started its efforts to clear the park before the park police had issued its first dispersal warning. In a footnote, the report called that decision one that was contrary to the operational plan. Mr. Trump issued a statement on Wednesday thanking the inspector general for what he called completely and totally exonerating me in the clearing of Lafayette Park! In an interview, Mr. Greenblatt said he did not appreciate the comment. Thats uncomfortable for me, he said. We are independent from any political administration. This is not at all comfortable footing for anyone in my community.

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A bipartisan group of House lawmakers unveils an infrastructure proposal. Representative Josh Gottheimer, Democrat of New Jersey, is one of the leaders of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, which unveiled an infrastructure plan on Wednesday. Credit... Jacquelyn Martin/Associated Press A group of bipartisan House lawmakers unveiled their own framework for an infrastructure package, as Democrats wrestle with how to advance President Bidens ambitions for a sweeping economic agenda and whether to restructure the plan to win Republican votes. Mr. Bidens decision to end talks with Senator Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, the lead Republican negotiating a package on behalf of the Republican conference, has left prospects for a bipartisan deal unclear, even as the administration has encouraged lawmakers to continue working toward that goal. The so-called Problems Solvers Caucus, a group of 29 Democrats and 29 Republicans in the House, put forward a plan for $761.8 billion in new spending, as part of an overall $1.249 trillion plan over eight years. While the plan outlines funding pots for highways, roads, waterways, broadband, airports and veterans housing, it does not address how to pay for the legislation  one of the biggest hurdles that has long prevented agreements on infrastructure in the past. The leaders of that caucus, Representatives Josh Gottheimer, Democrat of New Jersey, and Brian Fitzpatrick, Republican of Pennsylvania, have been in touch with a group of senators who have been quietly discussing their own framework. Those senators, led in part by Rob Portman, Republican of Ohio, and Kyrsten Sinema, Democrat of Arizona, huddled for hours Tuesday evening, but did not emerge with any details of specific funding levels or a timeline for releasing a framework. But the administration also faces pressure from liberal Democrats, who are eager to abandon the search for the 10 Republican votes needed to overcome the filibuster and instead opt to muscle a fiscal package through using the fast-track budget reconciliation process. Every day that is wasted trying to get Republicans on board is another day that people cant go back to work because they dont have child care; another day without investing in millions of good, union jobs, another day that we lose further ground on the climate crisis, said Representative Pramila Jayapal of Washington, the chairwoman of the House Progressive Caucus. Further delays jeopardize momentum and allow Republicans to block progress for the American people with no end in sight. Using that process, however, will be fraught as all 50 Senate Democrats and nearly all House Democrats will need to be united around the plan for it to clear both chambers.

The U.S. will announce plans to send 500 million Pfizer-BioNTech doses to 100 nations over the next year. President Biden and the first lady, Jill Biden, on Wednesday, shortly before the presidents first trip abroad. Credit... Tom Brenner for The New York Times WASHINGTON  President Biden, under pressure to aggressively address the global coronavirus vaccine shortage, will announce as early as Thursday that his administration will buy 500 million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and donate them among about 100 countries over the next year, according to people familiar with the plan. The White House reached the deal just in time for Mr. Bidens eight-day European trip, which is his first opportunity to reassert the United States as a world leader and restore relations that were badly frayed by President Donald J. Trump. We have to end Covid-19, not just at home, which were doing, but everywhere, Mr. Biden told American troops after landing at R.A.F. Mildenhall in Suffolk, England. Theres no wall high enough to keep us safe from this pandemic or the next biological threat we face, and there will be others. It requires coordinated multilateral action. People familiar with the Pfizer deal said the United States would pay for the doses at a not for profit price. The first 200 million doses will be distributed by the end of this year, followed by 300 million by next June, they said. The doses will be distributed through Covax, the international vaccine-sharing initiative. Mr. Biden is in Europe for a week to attend the NATO and Group of 7 summits and to meet with President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia in Geneva. He is likely to use the trip to call on other nations to step up vaccine distribution. In a statement on Wednesday, Jeffrey D. Zients, the White House official in charge of devising a global vaccination strategy, said Mr. Biden would rally the worlds democracies around solving this crisis globally, with America leading the way to create the arsenal of vaccines that will be critical in our global fight against Covid-19. The 500 million doses still fall far short of the 11 billion the World Health Organization estimates are needed to vaccinate the world, but significantly exceed what the United States has committed to share so far. Other nations have been pleading with the United States to give up some of its abundant vaccine supplies. Less than 1 percent of people are fully vaccinated in a number of African countries, compared with 42 percent in the United States and the United Kingdom. Advocates for global health welcomed the news, but reiterated their stance that it is not enough to simply give vaccine away. They say the Biden administration must create the conditions for other countries to manufacture vaccines on their own, including transferring the technology to make the doses. Sharon LaFraniere, Sheryl Gay Stolberg, Noah Weiland and

Biden intends to emphasize value of U.S. leadership in his first presidential trip to Europe. President Biden began his first trip abroad in office on Wednesday. Credit... Doug Mills/The New York Times It should not be that hard to be an American leader visiting Europe for the first time after the presidency of Donald J. Trump. But President Biden will face his own formidable challenges in Europe this week, especially as the United States confronts a disruptive Russia and a rising China while trying to reassemble a Western alliance shaken by the hostility of U.S. foreign policy under the Trump administration. Buoyed by a successful vaccination program and a rebounding economy, Mr. Biden departed Washington on Wednesday for a series of summits where he will make the case that America is back and ready to lead the West anew in what he calls an existential collision between democracies and autocracies. Mr. Biden arrives in England tonight for the annual summit meeting of the Group of 7 large, wealthy democracies, which will be held from Friday through Sunday in Cornwall, on the southwestern tip of England. Beginning on Thursday, Mr. Biden will hold one-on-one meetings with other G7 leaders, and on Sunday he will visit Queen Elizabeth II at Windsor Castle. On Monday, Mr. Biden will attend the NATO summit in Brussels and have bilateral meetings with NATO heads of government. On Tuesday, he will meet there with leaders of the European Union, many of whose member countries are also in NATO. He will hold his first meeting with President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, who has stated that a new Cold War is underway, on Wednesday in Geneva. Mr. Putin appears as determined as ever to undermine Western economies, alliances and political systems. Mr. Biden takes a much tougher rhetorical stand on Russia than his predecessor, Donald J. Trump, but the White House has limited leverage at its disposal. An increasingly authoritarian China is also flexing its muscles commercially, diplomatically and militarily, and Mr. Biden sees it as more of a long-term challenge than Russia. But it is not clear how he might corral U.S. allies into a strategy to modify Chinas behavior. Mr. Bidens overarching task is to deliver the diplomatic serenity that eluded such gatherings during four years in which Mr. Trump scorched longstanding relationships with close allies, threatened to pull out of NATO and embraced Mr. Putin and other autocrats, admiring their strength. But the good will Mr. Biden brings simply by not being Mr. Trump papers over lingering doubts about his durability, American reliability and the cost that Europe will be expected to pay. Mr. Biden will face European leaders who are now wary of the United States in a way they have not been since 1945  and are wondering where the country is headed. They have seen the state of the Republican Party, said Barry Pavel, the director of the Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security at The Atlantic Council. Theyve seen Jan. 6. They know you could have another president in 2024. If the future of the United States is the long-term concern, how to manage a disruptive Russia is the immediate agenda. No part of the trip will be more charged than a daylong meeting with Mr. Putin. Michael D. Shear and

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Val Demings, a Democratic Florida congresswoman, announces a bid to unseat Rubio. Representative Val Demings during a House Judiciary Committee hearing last year. Credit... Pool photo by Greg Nash Representative Val Demings, a Florida Democrat who was floated as a potential vice-presidential pick in 2020, will challenge Senator Marco Rubio, a Republican, in a 2022 race likely to be fought over the legacy of a third Sunshine Stater  former President Donald J. Trump. The announcement on Wednesday by Ms. Demings, the former police chief of Orlando and one of the managers of Mr. Trumps first impeachment, was expected for weeks. But it came as welcome news to embattled Democrats in the state, giving them a high-profile and well-funded opponent against a tough and wily incumbent who once scorned, and now supports, Mr. Trump. Ms. Demings, who is Black, made it clear she would not abide by the middle-of-the-road messaging favored by recent Democratic candidates like former Senator Bill Nelson. In her kickoff announcement, she made a direct appeal to her partys diverse, urban base, speaking bluntly about her race, gender and experiences growing up in segregated Jacksonville in the 1960s. When you grow up in the South poor, Black and female, you have to have faith in progress and opportunity, she said in a video posted on her Twitter page early Wednesday, showing her walking past a church in her hometown. My father was a janitor, and my mother was a maid. She said, Never tire of doing good, never tire. Mr. Rubio, responding with his own Twitter post, previewed his counter messaging, attacking Ms. Demings as a far-left liberal Democrat and do-nothing member of Congress. Two other Democrats from the Orlando area, Representative Stephanie Murphy and former Representative Alan Grayson, are also considering jumping into the race. Ms. Demings faces a daunting task. Florida Democrats have been battered by mounting losses in a perpetual battleground state trending red, capped by Mr. Trumps comfortable win in the state last year. Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican who has emerged as a leader of the Trump wing of the party and is said to be considering a 2024 presidential run, also faces re-election next year. The presence of Mr. DeSantis and Mr. Rubio on the same ballot is almost certain to boost turnout on both sides and elicit massive small-donor contributions in a state with several big, expensive media markets. Ms. Demings seemed to be leaning toward the governor race earlier this year: When Representative Charlie Crist declared his Democratic candidacy against Mr. DeSantis this spring, her team released a polished biographical video on the same day. Nikki Fried, a Democrat who serves as Florida agriculture commissioner, is also running for governor. She is one of the few statewide officials who is a Democrat; Floridas other senator, Rick Scott, is a Republican. In 2016, Mr. Rubio easily defeated his Democratic challenger, Patrick Murphy, then a congressman. But that same year Mr. Trump demolished him in the Republican presidential debates, mocking him as Little Marco and hammering him for supporting a bipartisan immigration bill that would have offered undocumented immigrants a path to citizenship. Over the past four years Mr. Rubio has focused on policy work and avoided high-profile political fights, careful to support Mr. Trump when he could, while politely parting with him over several foreign policy issues, including Mr. Trumps ill-fated overtures to North Korea, China and Russia. The former president reciprocated in April, offering his onetime critic a Complete and Total Endorsement to quell rumors of a primary challenge against Mr. Rubio from the right.

G.M. agrees to tighter federal restrictions aimed at combating climate change. Mary Barra, the chief executive of General Motors, at an assembly plant in Michigan last month. President Biden is seeking to reinstate Obama-era auto pollution restrictions to combat climate change. Credit... Rebecca Cook/Reuters General Motors on Wednesday told the Biden administration that it would agree to tighter federal fuel economy and tailpipe pollution rules, along the lines of what California has already agreed to with five other auto companies. The move is a step by the nations largest automaker away from its position during the Trump administration, when G.M.s chief executive, Mary Barra, asked President Donald J. Trump to relax Obama-era auto pollution rules. President Biden is seeking to reinstate those restrictions as part of his efforts to cut climate-warming pollution, and he hopes to propose new draft auto pollution rules as soon as next month. Ms. Barra stopped short of endorsing Mr. Bidens desire to fully reimpose or strengthen the Obama-era auto pollution standards, which to date stand as the strongest policies ever imposed by the federal government to fight climate change. And she also asked the administration to augment the federal rules with provisions that would give incentives to auto companies that are investing in electric vehicles, although she did not specify what those incentives should be. Just weeks after Mr. Bidens election, Ms. Barra dropped her companys support of the Trump administrations efforts to nullify Californias rules on tailpipe emissions. And days after the new presidents inauguration, she announced that after 2035 her company will sell only vehicles that have zero emissions, a target in line with Mr. Bidens pledge to cut the United States emissions 50 percent from 2005 levels by 2030. This week, in a letter to Michael S. Regan, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency, Ms. Barra wrote, G.M. supports the emissions reduction goals of California through model year 26, adding, the auto industry is embarking upon a profound transition as we do our part to achieve the countrys climate commitments. The Obama-era climate rules, which G.M. sought to loosen, required automakers to build vehicles by 2025 that achieve an average fuel economy of 54.5 miles per gallon. The rules would have eliminated about six billion tons of planet-warming carbon dioxide pollution over the lifetime of the vehicles. Mr. Trump rolled back Mr. Obamas standards from 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025 to 40 miles per gallon and revoked Californias legal authority to set its own state-level standard. California reached a separate deal with Honda, Ford, Volkswagen, BMW and Volvo under which they would be required to increase their average fuel economy to about 51 miles per gallon by 2026. Ms. Barra said her company would now support those standards at the federal level  alongside a program to give some form of credit or incentive to electric-vehicle manufacturers like her own company. Negotiations on the new auto pollution standards are ongoing alongside White House talks to reach a deal on infrastructure legislation, which Mr. Biden hopes will include generous spending on tax credits for electric vehicle manufacturers and consumers, as well as direct government investments in 500,000 new electric vehicle charging stations. Nick Conger, an E.P.A. spokesman, said in an email that Mr. Regan had spoken this week with leaders from auto manufacturers and that the conversations have been constructive as the agency moves forward on actions to address emissions from cars and light-duty trucks.

The Biden administration revives protections for small bodies of water that Trump eliminated. Prairie potholes, a type of ephemeral wetland, dot the landscape in North Dakota. Credit... Charlie Riedel/Associated Press The Biden administration intends to revive federal protections for millions of miles of streams, marshes and other small bodies of water that former President Donald J. Trump eliminated. The original 2015 measure, known as the Waters of the United States rule, extended the range of bodies of water that were considered to be under federal jurisdiction, and was one of former President Barack Obamas signature environmental achievements. Mr. Trump repealed the policy in 2020, calling it one of the most ridiculous regulations of all, and saying it put onerous burdens on farmers and home builders. He claimed that his repeal caused farmers to weep in gratitude. Michael S. Regan, administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, said in a statement on Wednesday that the agency intended to revise the definition of what qualifies as protected waters, though he did not say when it would do so. Mr. Regan said that a Trump administration rule finalized in 2020, the Navigable Waters Protection Rule, which significantly removed federal pollution oversight from tributaries and other waterways, was significantly reducing clean water protections.

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A Senate committee questioned Christine Abizaid, Bidens nominee for a top counterterrorism post. Christine Abizaid appeared before senators on Wednesday for her confirmation hearing to run the National Counterterrorism Center. Credit... Olivier Douliery/Agence France-Presse  Getty Images Lawmakers quizzed the Biden administrations nominee to lead the National Counterterrorism Center on Wednesday about the role of intelligence agencies in investigating domestic terrorism. Christine S. Abizaid, the nominee to lead the center, said that the kind of terrorist groups that the United States faced was changing. Though she repeatedly emphasized that the F.B.I. would continue to take the lead in domestic terrorism investigations, she also said there was a role for the broader intelligence community to look for connections between domestic extremists and foreign groups. The counterterrorism center, she said, was established to connect the dots, integrating intelligence from across an array of sources, whether theyre foreign or domestic. Still, Republican lawmakers suggested growing public unease with the intelligence communitys work on domestic terrorism could complicate Ms. Abizaids efforts. Senator John Cornyn, Republican of Texas, said there was a lack of trust by the American people in what the intelligence community is actually doing, and stressed that intelligence work should not curtail any U.S. citizens right of free speech. Any use of intelligence authorities needs to be consistent with the Constitution, and follow the laws of land; that is a very bright line, Ms. Abizaid said. And its one that has to govern all of our activities across the intelligence community. As the hearing ended, Senator Angus King, the Maine independent who votes with the Democrats, said the question of investigating domestic violent extremism was being made more complicated than it needs to be. The keyword is violent, Mr. King said. We dont want to be in the business of spying on Americans but we also have to protect ourselves. If approved by lawmakers, Ms. Abizaid, who was accompanied by her wife, would be the first woman and first openly gay person to serve as the Senate-confirmed leader of the center. At the hearing Wednesday, Ms. Abizaid talked about her wife and other family members as a key part of her motivation and inspiration. Ms. Abizaid is the daughter of a former top military commander in the Middle East, retired Gen. John P. Abizaid, and her brother and brother-in-law served in the military. Ms. Abizaid said her career, like those of her family members, was rooted in the attacks on 9/11. She worked in the Defense Intelligence Agency before serving on the National Security Council staff and as a senior Pentagon official during the Obama administration. Ms. Abizaid said the threat from Al Qaeda and the Islamic State was now diminished. Those groups today are less able to attack the United States, she said, but have become active across a larger geographic area. Ms. Abizaid said it was important to maintain the hard-won gains against terrorism, even while adapting to its shifting threats. Testifying alongside her was Robin C. Ashton, the nominee to become the C.I.A.s inspector general. She would be the first Senate-confirmed inspector general for the agency in seven years. Ms. Ashton said she would ensure the C.I.A. maintained an effective whistle-blower program. Those who demonstrate the personal ethics, and moral courage to bring concerns forward, must not fear or suffer from reprisal for speaking up, Ms. Ashton said.

The Times asks a judge to unseal court filings from the government seeking reporters email data and a gag order. The New York Times building in Midtown Manhattan. Credit... Zack DeZon for The New York Times The New York Times asked a court on Tuesday to unseal legal filings by the Justice Department that would reveal how prosecutors persuaded a court to cloak secrecy over an order to seize the email records of four New York Times reporters and then to prevent Times executives from speaking about the matter. The filing came as Attorney General Merrick B. Garland scheduled a meeting on Monday with leaders of three news organizations  The Times, The Washington Post and CNN  to discuss concerns over prosecutors practices in leak investigations, according to two people familiar with the matter. In recent weeks, the Biden Justice Department has disclosed Trump-era seizures of phone records for reporters at each of those organizations. After the first two disclosures, involving The Post and CNN, President Biden vowed not to let the Justice Department go after reporters sourcing information during his administration. But last week, it came to light that the department had also secretly seized Times reporters phone records  and fought a separate, and ultimately unsuccessful, battle to obtain their email records from Google, which runs the Timess email system. The Trump Justice Department obtained a court order to Google on Jan. 5. After Google resisted complying, the Justice Department under Mr. Biden kept the effort going until dropping it last Wednesday. In an added twist, the government in March allowed a handful of Times lawyers and executives to know about the order and the legal fight over it. But it imposed a gag order that prevented them from disclosing it to the public or colleagues. Among others, Dean Baquet, the executive editor, was kept in the dark until a judge lifted the gag order on Friday.

State governments, the N.C.A.A. and Congress will shape the immediate future of pay for student athletes. Video transcript Back bars 0:00 / 1:23 - 0:00 transcript Coaches and N.C.A.A. Officials Testify to Congress On Wednesday, officials for the N.C.A.A., as well as coaches and additional sports officials, testified to Congress about establishing rules around payment for college athletes. The 1,200 colleges and universities of the N.C.A.A. are right now in the process of passing historic rules to allow new opportunities for student athletes to be compensated for the use of their name, image and likeness. These opportunities will allow student athletes to take advantage of the evolving landscape in multiple ways. And our schools intend to pass those rules as quickly as possible, preferably before the end of the month. However well-intentioned the multiplicity of state laws are, they confuse rather than clarify the N.F.L. landscape. This is why we are urging Congress to pass legislation creating a single national N.I.L. standard. Importantly, the proposal includes guardrails that would ensure that N.I.L. payments are not a proxy for pay-for-play, that a national recruiting environment for college sports is maintained and that students are not employees of their universities or their colleges. All athletes deserve to use their own name, image and likeness in commercial endorsements and on social media. And I am very much in favor of them profiting as much as they possibly can from this. They should be able to run a camp using their own name, sign autographs for money or profit off their popularity on Instagram or TikTok. That absolutely needs to happen, right now. On Wednesday, officials for the N.C.A.A., as well as coaches and additional sports officials, testified to Congress about establishing rules around payment for college athletes. Credit Credit... Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images A Senate committee is scheduled to hold a hearing about college sports on Wednesday, at a time when college athletes are on the brink of being able to make money off their fame under coming changes to the rules that have governed college sports for more than a century. Up until now, a provision in the N.C.A.A.s Division I manual has barred players from being paid to advertise, recommend or promote directly the sale or use of a commercial product or service of any kind. The restrictions also have the effect of keeping students from selling their autographs and limiting how they may promote camps where they teach their craft. But the rules are almost certainly about to change. The N.C.A.A. says that one of its most influential panels is expected to act to change them during a meeting that begins on June 22, provided it is feasible to do so. The lawyerly caveats are typical of the N.C.A.A., which happens to be awaiting a Supreme Court decision in an antitrust case, and the associations plans could change dramatically for a host of reasons. But the college sports industry is running out of time to rewrite its rules. Some states, including Alabama, Florida and Georgia, have laws poised to take effect on July 1 that are designed to guarantee student-athletes the opportunity to profit off their names, images and likenesses, regardless of what the N.C.A.A. says. Those laws  and there are more like them in the pipeline across the country, including some that have already been signed into law but will go into effect later  have athletics officials anxious about a competitive imbalance. Unless the N.C.A.A. acts, many universities worry that schools in states with the new laws will gain an enormous advantage in recruiting: the ability to dangle the legally protected possibility to make money as a college athlete. Congress has been paying attention, too, and could ultimately push ahead with legislation that would set a federal standard resolving the competitive issues surrounding the disparate state rules. College sports administrators also hope a federal law would offer them a greater shield from litigation. Whether Congress will do anything, or when, is a different matter entirely. Legislators, particularly in the Senate, have long been engaged in negotiations about what a federal law might look like, but they have not yet struck a deal destined to make it through both chambers of Congress. Changing college sports may be centrally important for universities and the N.C.A.A., but it is a lower priority among federal lawmakers. Some athletics administrators and legislators still believe that officials in Washington could reach an accord before the state laws start taking effect on July 1. Others are far more doubtful and, the panicked warnings of college sports executives notwithstanding, say they are unbothered by the possibility of a little chaos and confusion.

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A U.S. solar company will build a new factory in Ohio, giving Biden a boost. A solar farm in Fayetteville, N.C. President Biden wants to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions from the electric grid by 2035. Credit... Jeremy M. Lange for The New York Times One of the nations biggest solar-energy companies said on Wednesday that it would double production in the United States by opening a third plant in Ohio by the middle of 2023. The company, First Solar, said it would invest $680 million to build a new plant in Lake Township, Ohio, which is about an hour south of Cleveland, where it already has a plant. The project is expected to add 500 jobs to the companys roster of 1,600 employees in the United States. We have said that we stand ready to support President Bidens goal to transition America to a clean, energy-secure future, and our decision to more than double our U.S. manufacturing capacity with this new facility is First Solar making good on that commitment, Mark Widmar, the companys chief executive, said in a statement. This facility will represent a significant leap forward in photovoltaics manufacturing, a true factory of the future. Mr. Biden wants to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions from the electric grid by 2035, an ambitious goal that would involve remaking the energy industry. The president has promised that the transition to cleaner energy would create millions of new jobs, a claim that some critics have said is far-fetched. Over the last decade or so, most solar panel manufacturing has moved to China and other Asian countries where labor costs tend to be a lot lower than in the United States. That has been frustrating to Democratic lawmakers who have embraced solar power but also want more domestic manufacturing jobs. But First Solar, which is based in Tempe, Ariz., and a couple of other companies have in recent years expanded production in the United States. In 2019, the Korean company Hanwha Q CELLS opened a plant in Dalton, Ga., and the Chinese firm JinkoSolar opened a factory in Jacksonville, Fla. In addition to the operations in Lake Township, First Solar also has a plant in the Toledo area. The companys panels are different from the more widely used silicon crystalline models. First Solars panels are made from a thin film semiconductor (not a thin film silicon material as was earlier reported here) and are typically used in large solar farms that supply power directly to the electric grid rather than on residential rooftops. First Solar said its new plant should help it further reduce costs and allow American-made panels to compete more effectively with those produced in China. A sharp drop in the cost of solar panels over the last 10 years has made them one of the least expensive ways to generate electricity, far cheaper in some cases than power plants that burn coal and natural gas.
With great wealth comes political power, and the intricacies of the tax code are the place where that power is wielded most efficiently, Mr. Reich said in an interview.

This is the vicious cycle weve gotten ourselves into over the last 25, 30 years, particularly, added Mr. Reich, whose most recent book is The System: Who Rigged It, How We Fix It. Youve got platoons of accountants and tax lawyers who are not only working for wealthy individuals, finding ways to avoid paying taxes, but you also have entire armies of lobbyists working directly and indirectly for the wealthy, making sure that the loopholes stay in place.

Mr. Reich said that the For the People Act, the voting rights bill that has become a major goal of Democrats, would attack this system by imposing new limits on private campaign spending. But that bill now appears destined to die in the Senate, after Mr. Manchin came out against it on Sunday.

Corporate tax

The Biden administration is pursuing a few major avenues to extract taxes from the wealthiest Americans. Its American Jobs Plan, a $2 trillion proposal to address infrastructure and climate change, includes a measure to raise the corporate tax rate to 28 percent.

In a recent ABC News/Washington Post poll, 58 percent of Americans supported that increase to the corporate tax rate  making it more popular than the infrastructure plan overall, which was supported by 52 percent of respondents.

The corporate tax rate had been 35 percent until President Donald J. Trumps tax cuts of 2017 slashed it to 21 percent. But Mr. Manchin  whose voting record is to the right of even some Republicans  has said he favors a more modest bump, to 25 percent.

Republicans, of course, have said that any changes to Mr. Trumps rewriting of the tax code would be unacceptable to them. Mr. Manchin and Senator Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, a fellow Democrat, have joined six Republican senators in seeking a compromise deal on infrastructure, though its anyones guess whether they will be able to reach a deal that satisfies the White House.
CNN said its general counsel, David Vigilante, received a court order in July 2020 seeking data about two months of Ms. Starrs emails from 2017  along with a gag order that prevented him from disclosing the matter. Other lawyers for CNN and Mr. Zucker were eventually also told, but gagged.

The initial order, Mr. Vigilante said in a separate account CNN published online, demanded data that would cover more than 30,000 emails, including about 26,000 that were internal and so could not have had anything to do with a leak investigation. In September, the network asked a court to narrow the scope of the order, he said.

A magistrate judge in the Eastern District of Virginia  Theresa Carroll Buchanan, CNN said  said at an Oct. 7 hearing that the Justice Department should narrow the order, but two days later the department provided her with a secret filing its lawyers could not see.

Two weeks later, Mr. Vigilante said, she ordered CNN to comply with the original, full demand for Ms. Starrs email records. In November, the network appealed that decision, and the following month Judge Anthony Trenga, a district court judge, held a hearing and then directed the department to narrow the scope of its request.

Mr. Vigilante quoted the judge as expressing skepticism about the governments explanation for why Ms. Starrs email logs were relevant, portraying prosecutors theory as based on speculative predictions, assumptions and scenarios unanchored in any facts.

He also said the judge said at the hearing, The requested information by its nature is too attenuated and not sufficiently connected to any evidence relevant, material or useful to the governments ascribed investigation, particularly when considered in light of the First Amendment activities that it relates to.

On Jan. 15, just before the Trump administration left office, the department asked the judge to reconsider, CNN said. Then on Jan. 26, six days after Mr. Bidens inauguration, the networks lawyers sat down with prosecutors and struck a deal to produce what a CNN reporter described as a limited number of email records  essentially records that the government already had from its side of these communications.
A group of bipartisan House lawmakers unveiled their own framework for an infrastructure package, as Democrats wrestle with how to advance President Bidens ambitions for a sweeping economic agenda and whether to restructure the plan to win Republican votes.

Mr. Bidens decision to end talks with Senator Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, the lead Republican negotiating a package on behalf of the Republican conference, has left prospects for a bipartisan deal unclear, even as the administration has encouraged lawmakers to continue working toward that goal.

The so-called Problems Solvers Caucus, a group of 29 Democrats and 29 Republicans in the House, put forward a plan for $761.8 billion in new spending, as part of an overall $1.249 trillion plan over eight years. While the plan outlines funding pots for highways, roads, waterways, broadband, airports and veterans housing, it does not address how to pay for the legislation  one of the biggest hurdles that has long prevented agreements on infrastructure in the past.

The leaders of that caucus, Representatives Josh Gottheimer, Democrat of New Jersey, and Brian Fitzpatrick, Republican of Pennsylvania, have been in touch with a group of senators who have been quietly discussing their own framework. Those senators, led in part by Rob Portman, Republican of Ohio, and Kyrsten Sinema, Democrat of Arizona, huddled for hours Tuesday evening, but did not emerge with any details of specific funding levels or a timeline for releasing a framework.
WASHINGTON  The United States and the European Union are working toward an agreement that would settle long-running disputes over aircraft subsidies and metals tariffs that set off a trade war during the Trump administration as President Biden looks to re-engage with traditional American allies.

The two sides are hoping to reach an agreement by mid-July with a goal of lifting tariffs that both governments have placed on each others goods by Dec. 1, according to a joint statement that is being drafted before the U.S.-E.U. summit that Mr. Biden will attend in Brussels next week.

Resolving trade tensions with Europe and other allies is a key goal of the Biden administration, which is trying to repair relationships that fractured under President Donald J. Trump, whose provocative approach to trade policy included punishing tariffs. Mr. Biden and other administration officials have said they want to rebuild those relationships, in part so that the United States can work with allies to counter China and Russia.

The joint statement suggested an eagerness on both sides of the Atlantic to end a trade fight that has resulted in tariffs on a wide range of goods  including American peanut butter, orange juice and whiskey as well as levies on European wine and cheese.
But they have shown themselves at times to be violent  one was charged with attempted murder after a Molotov cocktail was thrown at the police  destructive of property and highly adaptable, using social media tools and other strategies to divert the police from the targets they select.

Direct actions are promoted on social media with the phrase No gods, no masters, a 19th-century anarchist term that indicates a rejection of all forms of authority. More traditional protesters from Black Lives Matter and other movements who try to curtail violence are now ridiculed as peace police by the anarchists, who mostly consist of young, white men.

Demetria Hester, a member of Moms United for Black Lives, continues to push for defunding the police but disagrees with the current call for dismantling the entire political system. Breaking windows is performative, she said. That satisfies them at night, but they dont have a plan.

Some prominent Black leaders have been formally distancing themselves, with some calling the anarchists rejection of gradual progress just another symbol of privilege that Black people do not have.

Being able to protest every night is a white privilege, being able to yell at a polices face is a white privilege, said Gregory McKelvey, a prominent Black organizer who ran the mayoral campaign last year for Mr. Wheelers opponent, Sarah Iannarone. Most Black people across the country do everything they can to avoid cops.

Still, Mr. McKelvey has empathy for those who feel that taking to the streets is their only outlet. These are people who have felt like theyve had no agency or power in their life or in the political system, he said. They want to feel powerful, and when you can have the mayor talking about you every single day, and hundreds of police officers show up to fight you every day, you feel more powerful than when youre sitting at home.
Over a million students are still learning virtually just in the nations two largest districts, New York City and Los Angeles.

Rising vaccinations and falling cases make it likely that school will look more normal in the fall. Many districts have pledged that they will offer full-time, in-person instruction for all students. And several states and districts, including New York City, have said that they plan to restrict fully virtual options.

But in districts that continue to offer remote school, sizable numbers of parents may still choose that option. Similar to this year, those parents are likely to be disproportionately Black, Latino, Asian American and poor.

In Arlington, Va., roughly 5 percent of families overall  but roughly 10 percent of Black and Asian American families and 9 percent of families of English language learners  have opted for virtual learning in the 2021-22 school year. Three-quarters of them cited as their reason either health and safety concerns or that they were waiting for their children to get vaccinated.

If most students do better in in-person school, as many experts believe, districts and public officials have a lot of work to do to convince these parents that school is safe.
The Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, met Prime Minister Narendra Modi here on Wednesday and discussed the political situation in the state along with other issues.

It is believed that the meeting lasted for around 45 minutes, during which Adhikari had a detailed discussion with the Prime Minister on the political situation in the eastern state, including the latest developments, among other issues, sources said.

As per the sources, Suvendu Adhikari briefed the Prime Minister about the violence unleashed' against the BJP workers and the atmosphere of fear' created for the saffron cadre in West Bengal.

On Tuesday, Adhikari had met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP chief J.P. Nadda in the national capital. Sources said that Adhikari had apprised Shah and Nadda about the sentiments prevailing in the saffron cadre after the unsuccessful attempt to dislodge the Mamata Banerjee-led government in the Assembly polls conducted in March-April this year.

The BJP's central leadership had called Adhikari to Delhi following which he had reached the national capital on Monday night.

After the meeting with Amit Shah, Suvendu Adhikari had tweeted: "Discussed several matters and sought blessings for Bengal. Honourable HM assured, he was and he will be there for Bengal always."

Later on Tuesday evening, Adhikari met Nadda at his residence.

"Glad to meet the Honourable National President of BJP JP Nadda Ji. Discussed critical issues of Bengal and there solutions. Be rest assured that the party is beside each and every karyakarta all the time," he had tweeted after the meeting.
But even if the decision seems to have created near-absolute protection for the press, he went on, it addressed only one piece of the relationship between citizens and their government.

An intermediary  the press  was protected. But neither its sources nor its readers gained rights.

What Pentagon Papers and its successor decisions created, Professor Stone said, was an incoherent state of the law.

The decision did not live up to its promise, Anthony Lewis, a Supreme Court reporter and columnist for The Times and an authority on the First Amendment, wrote in his 1991 book, Make No Law.

The Pentagon Papers case was a famous victory for the press, and for the Madisonian principle that the public must know what its government is doing, wrote Mr. Lewis, who died in 2013. Or so it seemed at the time. Later decisions showed that it was not much of a victory.

Prior restraints against the press may have been effectively barred, Mr. Lewis wrote, but the Supreme Court did not hesitate to block books by former government officials who sought to write about national security secrets they had learned in the course of their employment.

In those later decisions, Professor Stone said, the court took the view that there is no right to leak and no public right to information.

The decision had another, darker side, wrote Alexander Bickel, the Yale law professor who argued the case for The Times in the Supreme Court.
This article is part of a special report on the 50th anniversary of the Pentagon Papers.

The Pentagon Papers may have been all over the front pages of U.S. newspapers 50 years ago, but they were barely noticed in Hanoi. Communist leaders were too busy fighting their war in the present to look at its history.

Besides, the contents of the papers only served to confirm their longstanding notions.

By the time Vietnam Archive: Pentagon Study Traces Three Decades of Growing U.S. Involvement appeared on the front page of The New York Times on June 13, 1971, the North Vietnamese government had been claiming for years that American military involvement was illegitimate.

What shocked Americans at the time was nothing new to the Vietnamese, said Dr. Vu Minh Hoang, a historian at Fulbright University Vietnam in Ho Chi Minh City.

Not until August of 1971  and then buried on page six by the Vietnam News Agency  did the state-run media finally see fit to report the news.
MANAGUA, Nicaragua  Nicaraguan police have detained five prominent opposition figures in two days, accelerating a slide toward one-party rule.

A wave of arrests of politicians and civil society leaders on unsubstantiated charges of subversion has left the long-ruling president, Daniel Ortega, running practically unopposed in Novembers general elections.

Ortega has crossed the line, said Carlos Fernando Chamorro, a prominent Nicaraguan publisher, two of whose close relatives have been detained in the past week. This is the final blow against political competition.

Overall, in the past week, the police jailed or put under house arrest four opposition presidential candidates, along with the spouse of one of the candidates, a prominent social activist and a business leader. The crackdown continued on Wednesday, with police arresting another prominent opposition activist, Jose Pallais.
KABUL, Afghanistan  At least 10 people were killed and 16 others wounded in an armed attack on staff members of a British-American charity in Afghanistan that has been clearing land mines in the country for decades, officials said on Wednesday.

The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack, according to the SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors announcements by the terrorist organization. The assault occurred late Tuesday at a demining camp in the northeastern province of Baghlan and targeted employees of the charity, the HALO Trust.

Tariq Arian, a spokesman for the Interior Ministry, said that the victims were all Afghan citizens and that the wounded had been transferred to hospitals.

The HALO Trust, a British charity with an American affiliate registered in Washington, said in a statement on Wednesday that an unknown armed group entered the demining camp at 9:50 p.m. on Tuesday and opened fire on about 110 men from local communities who had been working in nearby minefields. We strongly condemn the attack on our staff, who were carrying out humanitarian work to save lives, it said.
OTTAWA  Canada will take its first, limited step toward rolling back border restrictions next month, the countrys health minister said on Wednesday.

Fully vaccinated Canadian citizens and permanent residents who fly home will no longer have to quarantine at a government-designated airport hotel until they receive a negative result for a coronavirus test administered upon arrival, the minister, Patty Hajdu, told a news conference. Instead, those air travelers will be allowed to isolate at home.

Then, assuming that they test negative, they will no longer have to complete the balance of the 14-day quarantine period.

While Ms. Hajdu said that the government hoped to make the change during the first week of July, she said the timing would depend on vaccination and infection rates as well as discussions with provincial governments and the border agency.
PARIS  Three young men have won a yearslong legal battle against the French state after a court ruled they had been subject to discriminatory police checks in 2017, when they were high-school students.

The ruling by the Paris appeals court on Tuesday, which overturned a lower court decision, is not the first to find French authorities at fault for discriminatory practices. But the decision came amid a growing and tense debate about brutality and racism in the French police as activists, frustrated with the pace of change, file an increasing number of legal challenges to force policing reforms.

The students  Ilyas Haddaji, Mamadou Camara and Zakaria Hadji Mmadi  were returning from a class trip to Brussels in March 2017 when police officers at the Gare du Nord train station in Paris stopped them to check their identification.

Aged 17 to 18 at the time, with families originally from Morocco, Mali and the Comoros, the three young men said they felt humiliated by being singled out and made to open their bags in front of the 15 other students on the trip, as well as teaching staff and other bystanders in the bustling station. None of the others had their identification checked.
MOSCOW  A Russian court on Wednesday designated Aleksei A. Navalnys political movement as an extremist network, a remarkable move that sent a message to President Biden ahead of his meeting next week with President Vladimir V. Putin: Russian domestic affairs are not up for discussion.

The court decision  taken almost certainly with Mr. Putins blessing  is bound to push the movement further underground after several months in which the Kremlins yearslong effort to suppress dissent had entered a more aggressive phase. Under the law, Mr. Navalnys organizers, donors, or even social-media supporters could now be prosecuted and face prison time.

The ruling heightened the stakes of the summit in Geneva for Mr. Biden, who has promised to push back against violations of international norms by Mr. Putin. But the Russian president has said that, while he is prepared to discuss cyberspace and geopolitics with Mr. Biden, he will not engage in talks over how he runs his country. The question is how much Mr. Biden accepts those demands.

Views on our political system can differ, Mr. Putin told the heads of international news agencies last week. Just give us the right, please, to determine how to organize this part of our life.
Covid Updates: Latin America Is Among Regions Most in Need of Vaccines, W.H.O. Says President Biden could announce a plan to distribute 500 million Pfizer-BioNTech doses as early as Thursday. A man has been charged in the theft of hundreds of blank vaccination cards in Los Angeles. Follow our Covid-19 coverage.

Vaccines cannot come too soon for regions like Latin America, the W.H.O. says. A funeral home employee sanitized coffins in Buenos Aires in early May. Credit... Juan Ignacio Roncoroni/EPA, via Shutterstock RIO DE JANEIRO  Officials at the World Health Organization on Wednesday repeated their calls for the worlds governments to accelerate plans to distribute coronavirus vaccines to hard-hit nations, warning that many countries in Latin America continued to see rising caseloads. Across our region, this year has been worse than last year, said Dr. Carissa F. Etienne, the director of the Pan American Health Organization, which is part of the W.H.O. In many places, infections are higher now than at any point in this pandemic. The comments came as President Biden prepared to announce that his administration would buy 500 million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and donate them among about 100 countries over the next year, according to people familiar with the plan. Mr. Biden could announce the arrangement as early as Thursday, as he begins his first trip abroad as president. It is not yet clear which countries the 500 million vaccine doses would be supplied to, but Latin America is among the regions where the need is urgent. Eight of the 10 countries with the highest rate of Covid deaths per capita are in Latin America and the Caribbean, according to the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. And even as hospitals in Argentina, Chile, Uruguay and other nations where the virus continues to spread aggressively have created overflow facilities, health care systems in several nations in the region are struggling to cope, Dr. Etienne said during the W.H.O.s virtual news conference on Wednesday morning. Despite the doubling or even the tripling of hospital beds throughout the region, I.C.U. beds are full, oxygen is running low and health workers are overwhelmed, she said. Most governments in Latin America are struggling to acquire enough doses to quickly inoculate their people, which will delay their ability to fully reopen economies, officials said. Last week, Mr. Biden said that the United States would distribute 25 million doses this month to countries in the Caribbean and Latin America; South and Southeast Asia; Africa; and the Palestinian territories, Gaza and the West Bank. Those doses are the first of 80 million that Mr. Biden pledged to send abroad by the end of June. Dr. Etienne said that only a more equitable distribution system would put an end to the pandemic in the foreseeable future. Today were seeing the emergence of two worlds, one quickly returning to normal and another where recovery remains a distant future, Dr. Etienne said. Unfortunately, vaccine supply is concentrated in a few nations while most of the world waits for doses to trickle down. She singled out the vaccine shortage in Central America, home to more than 44 million people, where just over two million have been inoculated. Fewer than three million people have been vaccinated in nations in the Caribbean, which has a population of just over 34 million.

The U.S. will announce plans to send 500 million Pfizer-BioNTech doses to 100 nations over the next year. President Biden and the first lady, Jill Biden, on Wednesday, shortly before the presidents first trip abroad. Credit... Tom Brenner for The New York Times WASHINGTON  President Biden, under pressure to aggressively address the global coronavirus vaccine shortage, will announce as early as Thursday that his administration will buy 500 million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and donate them among about 100 countries over the next year, according to people familiar with the plan. The White House reached the deal just in time for Mr. Bidens eight-day European trip, which is his first opportunity to reassert the United States as a world leader and restore relations that were badly frayed by President Donald J. Trump. We have to end Covid-19, not just at home, which were doing, but everywhere, Mr. Biden told American troops after landing at R.A.F. Mildenhall in Suffolk, England. Theres no wall high enough to keep us safe from this pandemic or the next biological threat we face, and there will be others. It requires coordinated multilateral action. People familiar with the Pfizer deal said the United States would pay for the doses at a not for profit price. The first 200 million doses will be distributed by the end of this year, followed by 300 million by next June, they said. The doses will be distributed through Covax, the international vaccine-sharing initiative. Mr. Biden is in Europe for a week to attend the NATO and Group of 7 summits and to meet with President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia in Geneva. He is likely to use the trip to call on other nations to step up vaccine distribution. In a statement on Wednesday, Jeffrey D. Zients, the White House official in charge of devising a global vaccination strategy, said Mr. Biden would rally the worlds democracies around solving this crisis globally, with America leading the way to create the arsenal of vaccines that will be critical in our global fight against Covid-19. The 500 million doses still fall far short of the 11 billion the World Health Organization estimates are needed to vaccinate the world, but significantly exceed what the United States has committed to share so far. Other nations have been pleading with the United States to give up some of its abundant vaccine supplies. Less than 1 percent of people are fully vaccinated in a number of African countries, compared with 42 percent in the United States and the United Kingdom. Advocates for global health welcomed the news, but reiterated their stance that it is not enough to simply give vaccine away. They say the Biden administration must create the conditions for other countries to manufacture vaccines on their own, including transferring the technology to make the doses. Sharon LaFraniere, Sheryl Gay Stolberg, Noah Weiland and

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Southern U.S. states, with low vaccination rates, are vulnerable to a resurgence. The nearly empty parking lot of a drive-through vaccination site in Forest, Miss., on Wednesday. Credit... Elijah Baylis for The New York Times NASHVILLE  Public health departments have held vaccine clinics at churches. They have organized rides to clinics. Gone door to door. Even offered a spin around a NASCAR track for anyone willing to get a shot. Still, the United States vaccination campaign is sputtering, especially in the South, where there are far more doses than people who will take them. As reports of new Covid-19 cases and deaths nationwide plummet and many Americans venture out mask-free, experts fear the virus could eventually surge again in states like Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi, where fewer than half of adults have had a first shot. I dont think people appreciate that if we let up on the vaccine efforts, we could be right back where we started, said Dr. Jeanne Marrazzo, the director of the Division of Infectious Diseases at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. A range of theories exist about why the South, which as of Wednesday was home to eight of the 10 states with the lowest vaccination rates, lags behind: hesitancy from conservative white people, concerns among some Black residents, longstanding challenges when it comes to health care access and transportation. The answer, interviews across the region revealed, was all of the above. Theres no magic bullet. Theres no perfect solution, said Dr. W. Mark Horne, president of the Mississippi State Medical Association. Time is of the essence, both to prevent new infections and to use the doses already distributed to states. Coronavirus variants are spreading, especially the highly transmissible and increasingly prevalent Delta variant, first detected in India. And millions of Johnson & Johnson vaccine doses will expire nationwide this month, prompting some governors to issue urgent pleas that health providers use them soon. From rural Appalachia to cities like Birmingham and Memphis, the slowdown has forced officials to refine their pitches to residents. Among the latest offerings: mobile clinics, Facebook Live forums and free soccer tickets for those who get vaccinated. Rick Rojas and

Californias vaccinated residents can go mostly mask-free as of June 15. The bar at a Los Angeles members-only club, Risky Business, in late May. Members must prove full vaccination with their original vaccination cards and sign a risk release form, with penalties for lying. Credit... Patrick T. Fallon/Agence France-Presse  Getty Images Vaccinated Californians will be able to go mask-free in indoor stores, bars, restaurants, movie theaters and many other places as part of the states grand reopening next Tuesday, officials said. The new rules align with federal guidance, meaning that face coverings will still be required on public transportation and in taxis, hospitals, prisons and homeless shelters. Masks will also be required indoors at K-12 schools, child care facilities and other places where there may be a large number of children who havent been vaccinated, according to the plans announced on Wednesday. Unvaccinated people will remain subject to rules to wear masks indoors, although the state, as throughout the pandemic, is maintaining a light touch with enforcement and is not requiring business operators to verify whether patrons are vaccinated. The shift on masks for the vaccinated will coincide with the much-anticipated lifting of remaining business capacity restrictions in California, where life has been at least partially locked down for some 15 months. In March of 2020, the state embarked on what was then a massive, unprecedented experiment in controlling the spread of the newly emerged virus. All 40 million Californians were ordered to stay at home as much as possible. Since then, Californians have weathered some of the most terrifying Covid surges in the nation  including a winter during which hospitals across huge swaths of the state were overwhelmed  and have endured a roller coaster of lockdowns and reopenings as virus cases have skyrocketed and receded. The impact of the lockdowns on businesses has helped fuel an effort to recall Gov. Gavin Newsom. In November he apologized for visiting a restaurant with guests from outside his household in violation of the health restrictions he had urged others to follow. Now, residents are navigating a return to life unfettered by complex rules, amid persistent fears that the states progress against the virus could reverse once again. As of Wednesday, approximately 54 percent of Californians were fully vaccinated, and 12 percent had received one dose, according to state figures. Dr. Mark Ghaly, Californias secretary of health and human services, said that while state officials were working to vaccinate as many Californians as possible, they were confident that the reopening on Tuesday would be safe. We are tracking well, he said.

A Nevada man is charged in the theft of more than 500 blank vaccine cards in Los Angeles. An underground market has sprung up for vaccination cards. Credit... Lucy Nicholson/Reuters A Nevada man accused of stealing more than 500 blank Covid-19 vaccine cards from the Los Angeles vaccination site where he worked was charged on Wednesday with one felony count of grand theft, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorneys office. The man, Muhammad Rauf Ahmed, 46 of Las Vegas, had been arrested in April, but the charge was delayed as the police and prosecutors sought to determine the value of the cards, which was eventually judged to be at least $15 apiece if illegally sold. Around the country, many bars, restaurants and businesses that operate under limited capacity have loosened restrictions for people who can prove that they have gotten the vaccine, creating an underground market for doctored or fraudulent vaccine cards. In January, fake vaccine cards were being sold on eBay, Etsy, Facebook and Twitter, ranging in price from $20 to $60. In May, a California bar owner was arrested on charges that he sold fake vaccine cards for $20 a piece.



Mr. Ahmed was a nonclinical contract employee hired to work at the vaccination site at the Los Angeles County Fairgrounds, where nearly 4,000 vaccines are administered daily, the La Verne Police Department, in eastern Los Angeles County, said in a statement on Tuesday. La Verne Detectives recover over 500 blank COVID-19 vaccine cards stolen from Fairplex Mega-POD.



Muhammad Raud Ahmed, 45 of Las Vegas NV, a non-clinical contracted employee of the location has been arrested.#arrest #COVID19 #vaccine pic.twitter.com/HlzJpSONEU  La Verne Police Dept (@LaVernePD) June 8, 2021 On April 27, the department was contacted after a security guard at the site spotted Mr. Ahmed leaving with a batch of the distinctive cards in his hand, Detective Sgt. Cory Leeper said in an interview on Wednesday. Eventually, two staff members from the vaccination site confronted Mr. Ahmed at his car, the detective sergeant said. Mr. Ahmed told them that he liked to go to his car on his break and on that day, sought to pre-fill the cards with information that went to every recipient in order to get ahead of his workload, the detective sergeant said. Officials recovered 128 cards from Mr. Ahmeds vehicle, according to the police, and when questioned further, Mr. Ahmed acknowledged that he may have taken additional cards. The police found 400 blank cards in the hotel room where he was staying. Mr. Ahmed was arrested. Efforts to reach him by telephone on Wednesday were not successful. Selling fraudulent and stolen vaccine cards is illegal, immoral and puts the public at risk of exposure to a deadly virus, George Gascon, the district attorney in Los Angeles, said in a statement on Wednesday.

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Just as Hawaii more fully reopens to tourists, a jail is jolted by a surge in cases. An eruption of the Kilauea volcano last December. The volcano is just one of the many tourist draws on Hawaiis Big Island. Credit... Janice Wei/National Park Service, via Associated Press An overcrowded jail in Hawaii that had avoided Covid-19 outbreaks during the first 15 months of the pandemic has been overwhelmed by the virus  with more than one-third of its inmates infected  just as the state is more fully reopening to tourists. The outbreak corresponds with a significant rise in Covid-19 cases in Hawaii County, or the Big Island, where the jail is situated: There has been a 173 percent increase in infections during the past two weeks, according to a New York Times database. The National Guard is helping with testing (though not with security, as an earlier version of this briefing incorrectly reported) to control the outbreak at the Hawaii Community Correctional Center in Hilo, the Big Islands largest city, where inmates started fires last week as part of a protest, advocacy groups for inmates said. Public health officials have warned for months that the nations correctional facilities will continue to suffer from large numbers of coronavirus infections until the vast majority of inmates and staff are vaccinated. And because the average person stays in jail for only about 10 days, the virus has been able to spread rapidly between the community and jails during the course of the pandemic. The reluctance among inmates and staff in the nations prisons and jails to get inoculated has complicated vaccination efforts, including in Hawaii. At the Hilo jail, there are no precise figures available for vaccinations, but as few as 25 percent of inmates and 50 percent of staff have consented to be vaccinated, Lt. Gov. Josh Green, who is also an emergency room physician, said in an interview. The result, he said, is potential community spread through both inmates and staff. If there was a continuous simmering outbreak of Covid in the one place where very few people are getting vaccinated, it can break back into the community, Mr. Green said. The jail outbreak has led to some uncertainty about reopening. For much of the pandemic, travelers have been required to quarantine for at least 10 days upon arrival. But arriving tourists can now skip quarantine by showing proof of a negative coronavirus test taken within 72 hours of their arrival. Beginning next Tuesday, people will no longer have to show negative tests to travel from one of the states islands to another. Demand for hotel rooms has increased more than 800 percent, according to state tourism data from April, the latest available. As of Wednesday morning, 138 inmates and 18 staff have been infected in the Hilo jail, officials said. There are currently about 340 inmates at the jail  about 120 more than its capacity. Inmates routinely must sleep on floors. This is scary because whats happening  I dont think its just going to be contained to that one place, because its going to leak out into the community where the guards live, said Kat Brady, the coordinator of an advocacy group, the Community Alliance on Prisons. Dr. Green said the state is considering prohibiting unvaccinated guards from having contact with prisoners in the future. He said correctional institutions were among the last pockets of risk for coronavirus outbreaks, and that the lack of priority in reducing crowding and increasing vaccination rates was shortsighted. People are more inclined to spend money on good citizens versus those who have lost their way, he said. But outbreaks will affect us all. Ann Hinga Klein and

Those reports of severe Covid and deaths among the vaccinated? Theyre rare, and not unexpected. Breakthrough coronavirus infections  meaning those that occur after full vaccination  remain uncommon. And severe Covid among the vaccinated is even more rare. Credit... Apu Gomes/Agence France-Presse  Getty Images Over the last few months, a drumbeat of headlines has highlighted the astounding effectiveness of the Covid-19 vaccines, especially the mRNA vaccines made by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna. The vaccines, study after study has shown, are more than 90 percent effective at preventing the worst outcomes, including hospitalization and death. But alongside this good news have been rare reports of severe Covid in people who had been fully vaccinated. On June 3, for instance, Napa County, Calif., announced that a fully vaccinated woman, who was more than a month past her second Moderna shot, had died after being hospitalized with Covid. The woman, who was over 65 and had underlying medical conditions, had tested positive for the Alpha variant, which was first identified in Britain. Although these cases are tragic, they are uncommon  and not unexpected. Im very sad that she had a sufficiently severe illness that it actually led to her death, said Dr. William Schaffner, medical director of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases and a vaccine expert at Vanderbilt University. But, he noted, we expected to have the occasional breakthrough infection. Such cases should not dissuade people from getting vaccinated, scientists said. There is not a vaccine in history that has ever been 100 percent effective, said Dr. Paul Offit, the director of the Vaccine Education Center at Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia. This is your best chance of avoiding severe, critical disease. But as is true of everything in medicine, its not perfect. Severe Covid is rare in people who have been fully vaccinated. In a paper published last month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that it had received reports of 10,262 breakthrough infections by April 30. That is just a tiny fraction of the 101 million Americans who had been vaccinated by that date, though the agency noted that it likely represented a substantial undercount of breakthrough infections. Of those breakthrough cases, 10 percent of patients were hospitalized and 2 percent died  and in some of those cases, patients were hospitalized or died from something unrelated to Covid-19. The median age of those who died was 82. Older adults, who are at greater risk for Covid complications, may also be more likely to develop breakthrough infections because they are known to mount weaker immune responses to vaccines. People who are immunocompromised or have other chronic health conditions may also be at increased risk. Some of the variants  particularly Beta, which was first identified in South Africa  may be more likely to evade the protection induced by vaccines. But Beta is not currently common in the United States, Dr. Schaffner noted. The Alpha variant that infected the Napa County woman is highly contagious, but vaccines provide good protection against it  as well as against the original strain of the virus. Vaccines provide exceptional protection against death and illness from the virus and all residents should continue to get vaccinated to protect themselves and others, Dr. Karen Relucio, Napa Countys public health officer, said in a statement. Breakthrough infections are likely to decrease as more people get vaccinated and community transmission rates fall. The virus will find fewer and fewer people to infect  it will be harder for the virus to work its way through the population, Dr. Schaffner said. These are great vaccines. In order for the vaccines to work optimally  on an individual basis and a community basis  as many people as possible have to be vaccinated.

Canada plans a first, and small, step for easing border restrictions. A man in a government approved quarantine hotel near Torontos main international airport in February. Credit... Carlos Osorio/Reuters OTTAWA  Canada will take its first, limited step toward rolling back border restrictions next month, the countrys health minister said on Wednesday. Fully vaccinated Canadian citizens and permanent residents who fly home will no longer have to quarantine at a government-designated airport hotel until they receive a negative result for a coronavirus test administered upon arrival, the minister, Patty Hajdu, told a news conference. Instead, those air travelers will be allowed to isolate at home. Then, assuming that they test negative, they will no longer have to complete the balance of the 14-day quarantine period. While Ms. Hajdu said that the government hoped to make the change during the first week of July, she said the timing would depend on vaccination and infection rates as well as discussions with provincial governments and the border agency. When the government announced the mandatory hotel stay in February, it suggested that the bill would come to about 2,000 Canadian dollars for a stay that would generally extend to three nights. Although most hotels proved to be significantly less expensive than that, and test results generally arrived more quickly than anticipated, the mandatory stay was unpopular with many travelers. Some people have tried to avoid the hotel quarantine program and had to pay a fine of 3,000 Canadian dollars (recently increased to 5,000) as a consequence. The announcement fell well short of a recommendation from a federal advisory panel to simply shut down the hotel program for everyone. Under the new plan, foreign visitors and Canadians who are not vaccinated or partly vaccinated will still be required to use the hotel system and quarantine for 14 days. All travelers, regardless of their vaccination status, will also have to produce a recent negative test result before boarding any flight to Canada. Because Canada has focused on getting at least one shot into every citizens arm, relatively few people will be able to take advantage of the new rules when they come into effect. While 68 percent of all Canadian adults have been given at least one shot, only 7 percent are fully vaccinated. Currently, all nonessential travelers, including tourists who are neither Canadian nor permanent residents, are barred from entry. Canadas tourism and restaurant industries have been calling for a broad reopening of the border between Canada and the United States. But on Wednesday officials downplayed suggestions that might come soon. It is better now to be slow and cautious, to use the best science and evidence, to be careful in our approach, so that we can have a sustained success, Ms. Hajdu said.

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The U.S. government warns doctors and insurers not to bill for Covid vaccines. A Covid vaccine clinic in Bernalillo, N.M. The vaccine is free, but polls show that about a third of unvaccinated adults were unsure whether insurance covered it. Credit... Paul Ratje for The New York Times The Biden administration is reminding doctors, hospitals, pharmacies and insurers that it is illegal to bill patients for coronavirus vaccines, a letter obtained by The Times shows. The new warning responds to concerns among unvaccinated Americans that they could receive a bill with their shot. A recent Kaiser Family Foundation poll found that about a third of unvaccinated adults were unsure whether insurance covered the vaccine. We recognize that there are costs associated with administering vaccines  from staff trainings to vaccine storage, Xavier Becerra, the health and human services secretary, wrote in a letter to vaccinators and insurers. For these expenses, providers may not bill patients but can seek reimbursement through Medicare, Medicaid, private insurance or other applicable coverage. The letter warns that billing patients could lead to state or federal enforcement actions, but does not specify what the penalty would be. The federal government wrote strong consumer protections to ensure that patients do not have to pay for coronavirus vaccines. In stimulus legislation last spring, it barred insurers from charging patients co-payments or deductibles for the vaccines. The same law also created a fund that would cover the costs of vaccinating uninsured Americans. Layered on top of those legislative protections are the contracts that doctors and hospitals signed to receive vaccines. Those documents specify that vaccinators cannot bill patients for the service.

Hospitalizations could rise among the unvaccinated in the U.S., health officials warn. Video transcript Back bars 0:00 / 1:25 - 0:00 transcript Fauci Says Virus Variants Underscore Importance of Vaccinations Despite the receding number of coronavirus cases in much of the United States, hospitalizations continue to rise in communities with low vaccination rates as highly contagious variants spread around the country. What Im going to do right now is spend the next couple of minutes talking to you about a subject that has gained a lot more attention over the last few days, and that has to do with the variants in general, but particularly in the variant which we now refer to as Delta or the B.1.617.2, which in fact, as you know, originally was noticed in India and dominated in certain states in India, but now has spread throughout other elements and other areas of the world. However, fortunately, two doses of the Pfizer vaccine and AstraZeneca appear to be effective against the Delta variant. The Delta variant currently accounts for more than 6 percent of the sequenced cases in the United States. This is a situation, the way it was in England, where they had a B.1.17 dominant and then the 617 took over. We cannot let that happen in the United States, which is such a powerful argument to underscore what Dr. Walensky said: to get vaccinated, particularly if you had your first dose, make sure you get that second dose. And for those who have been not vaccinated yet, please get vaccinated. Despite the receding number of coronavirus cases in much of the United States, hospitalizations continue to rise in communities with low vaccination rates as highly contagious variants spread around the country. Credit Credit... Brett Carlsen for The New York Times The coronavirus might be receding in much of the United States, but health officials worry that the low immunization rates in parts of the country and the spread of highly contagious virus variants may pose a threat to the nations remarkable progress since vaccines were introduced. In Newton County, Mo., for example, where just 15 percent of the population is fully vaccinated, area hospitals reported they were treating 46 people for Covid-19 as of June 3, a 47 percent rise over the previous two weeks, according to data from the Department of Health and Human Services. Comanche County, Okla., saw a 63 percent jump in Covid hospitalizations, with 10 people being treated; just 32 percent of county residents are fully vaccinated. Many of the places with the notable recent jumps in hospitalization rates are smaller communities, where new virus cases and hospitalizations may be in the single digits. Nationally, hospitalizations for Covid-19 continue to decline, though eight states have seen upticks. That includes Louisiana, Utah and Oklahoma, which have lagging vaccination rates. On the other hand, some states with low vaccination rates, including Mississippi and Alabama, have seen fewer people in the hospital in recent weeks, though in Alabama, cases are rising. Hospitalization figures typically lag case counts, because it may take some time for someone who is infected to become severely ill. Still, experts are concerned that upticks in hospitalization and case numbers could bloom into a surge this summer, as people head indoors to escape the heat, especially across the South in communities where vaccination rates are low. The recent increase in some communities is not a coincidence, said Dr. Ted Delbridge, executive director of the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems. People who become ill with Covid-19 now are, in most age groups, twice as likely to end up hospitalized as people who got the virus earlier in the course of the pandemic, Dr. Delbridge said. In Maryland, of those between the ages of 50 and 59 who contracted Covid-19 over the winter, about 8 percent were hospitalized, he said. From the end of April through the beginning of June, the hospitalization rate in that group was 19 percent. Worrisome virus variants could be playing a role, Dr. Delbridge said. The variant first found in Britain, now known as Alpha, is more contagious and may be deadlier than most others and is now dominant in the United States. Last month, Dr. Rochelle P. Walensky, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said the variant, also known as B.1.1.7, made up 72 percent of U.S. cases at the time. But vaccines have proven to be effective against the Alpha variant. A spring surge that scientists had warned of was smaller than had been feared in the United States. I think we got lucky, to be honest, Nathan Grubaugh, an epidemiologist at Yale University, told The New York Times last month. Were being rescued by the vaccine. Through Tuesday, about 172 million Americans had received at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, according to a Times database. But vaccine distribution across the country has slowed in recent weeks. About 1 million shots are being administered nationwide each day, down from an April peak of 3 million. In Michigan, one of the few states that saw a surge in cases this spring, Alpha struck younger people who were returning to schools and playing contact sports. Because its more transmissible, the virus finds cracks in behavior that normally wouldnt have been as much of a problem, said Emily Martin, an epidemiologist at the University of Michigan. At a White House news briefing on Tuesday, Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, President Bidens chief Covid adviser, said the Delta variant, which was originally identified in India, was emerging as the dominant variant in Britain. We cannot let that happen in the United States, Dr. Fauci said, adding that the Delta variant now accounted for 6 percent of sequenced cases in the United States. Dr. Fauci urged young people to get immunized, citing a study that found that the vaccines appeared to be effective against the Delta variant. One way of limiting the spread is for those who are vaccinated to wear masks around those who are not, doctors say. Although the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said that vaccinated people do not need to wear masks in most indoor settings, at least one state is modifying that a rule in some places: When California reopens next week, fully vaccinated colleagues working in a room together will be allowed to work maskless. But if one person is unvaccinated, everyone in the room will need to wear a mask. If Im in close proximity to other people, and I dont know their vaccination status, I put a mask on, Dr. Delbridge said. Its just too easy. Correction: An earlier version of this article overstated the connection between low vaccination rates and hospitalizations. While the number of patients hospitalized for Covid-19 is rising in some counties with low vaccination rates, it is not the case in all such counties. The error was repeated in the headline. The earlier version also misstated the increase in hospitalizations in Smith County, Tenn., and Trousdale County, Tenn., in recent weeks. The 700 percent increase in reported hospitalizations in those two counties is because of an irregularity in how hospitals in the area reported data to the Department of Health and Human Services, not an increase in people actually hospitalized. Albert Sun contributed reporting.

AstraZeneca vaccine carries a slightly increased risk of bleeding problems, new study shows. Receiving the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine in Currie, Scotland, in January. Credit... Photo photo by Russell Cheyne/Agence France-Presse People receiving the Covid vaccine made by Oxford-AstraZeneca had a slightly increased risk of a bleeding disorder, and possibly other rare blood problems, researchers reported on Wednesday. The findings, from a study of 2.53 million adults in Scotland who received their first doses of either the AstraZeneca vaccine or the one made by Pfizer-BioNTech, were published in the journal Nature Medicine. The study found no increased risk of the blood disorders with the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. The AstraZeneca vaccine is not authorized for use in the United States, but has been authorized by the European Medicines Agency, the European Unions top drug regulator, as well as by many countries outside the bloc. But reports of rare clotting and bleeding disorders in younger adults, some fatal, led some countries to limit the vacciness use to older people, and a few to drop it altogether. The new study found that the AstraZeneca vaccine was linked to a slight increase in the risk of a disorder called immune thrombocytopenic purpura, which can cause bruising in some cases but also serious bleeding in others. The risk was estimated at 1.13 cases per 100,000 people receiving their first dose, up to 27 days after vaccination.

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Wuhan animal markets sold dozens of species that can carry pathogens that infect humans, a study found. Workers near a wholesale market in Wuhan, China, in March 2020. Credit... Hector Retamal/Agence France-Presse  Getty Images In the two years before the pandemic began, markets in the Chinese city of Wuhan were selling nearly three dozen animal species that can harbor pathogens that jump to humans, researchers have found, shedding new light on the possible role of the wildlife trade in the coronaviruss origins. The researchers found sales in Wuhan of mink, palm civets and raccoon dogs, but they did not find sales of pangolins or bats, which have been suspected as possible sources of the coronavirus. In all, the researchers documented sales of more than 47,000 animals across 38 species in Wuhan markets between May 2017 and November 2019. Thirty-three of the species have previously been infected with diseases or disease-bearing parasites that can affect humans, the researchers said. China suspended the sale and consumption of wild animals as the coronavirus began spreading rapidly early last year. The countrys wildlife trade played a key role in the SARS outbreak in the early 2000s. A team of experts who led a World Health Organization mission to Wuhan this year examined vendor records and other evidence from the citys animal markets. But the team reached no firm conclusions about the markets role in the outbreak, or about the specific species through which the coronavirus might have spread to humans. More than a year into the pandemic, the question of the viruss origins remains largely unresolved. The Biden administration last month announced a new push to investigate whether it could have accidentally leaked from a laboratory in Wuhan. President Bidens action came as top health officials renewed their appeals this week for a more rigorous inquiry. And it followed mounting criticism of a report from a team of international experts convened by the World Health Organization that largely dismissed the possibility that the virus had accidentally escaped from a Chinese laboratory called the Wuhan Institute of Virology. Many scientists support investigating all possibilities, including the laboratory origin, even though they think the virus was probably transmitted from animals to humans outside of a laboratory. Angela Rasmussen, a virologist at University of Saskatchewans Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization, said of the new study, I think this puts a big point in the column of natural origin through intermediate species. She said that while the paper doesnt prove anything it provides clear evidence that the wildlife markets really havent been investigated enough. The study of the animal markets, published this week in the journal Scientific Reports, was written by authors affiliated with China West Normal University, Oxford University and the University of British Columbia. Between 2017 and 2019, one of the researchers conducted monthly surveys of all 17 shops in Wuhan markets that sold live wild animals for food and pets. Seven of these shops were at the citys Huanan seafood market. Several early Covid cases in Wuhan were discovered in people with connections to that market. The researchers originally carried out the surveys to investigate a tick-borne virus. But their results became serendipitously relevant to the Covid-19 pandemic, the researchers wrote. Among the other species on sale in Wuhan, according to the researchers, were badgers, hedgehogs, weasels, porcupines, marmots, red foxes, flying squirrels, crested myna birds, snakes, vipers, cobras and Siamese crocodiles. Almost all of the animals were sold alive, caged, stacked and in poor condition, the researchers wrote, and were often butchered on site. James Gorman contributed reporting.

Mastercard Foundation pledges $1.3 billion for vaccines in Africa. A mass vaccination program for older people at a clinic outside Johannesburg, South Africa, last month. Credit... Themba Hadebe/Associated Press Mastercards charitable arm has promised to donate $1.3 billion for vaccines in Africa, one of the largest corporate donations of the pandemic, as the continent struggles to contain a surge of infections. The Mastercard Foundation said on Tuesday that its donation would be deployed over three years in partnership with the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It said the goals were to strengthen the agencys capacity, lay the groundwork for local vaccine manufacturing, acquire vaccines for at least 50 million people and help deliver shots to millions more. Ensuring inclusivity in vaccine access, and building Africas capacity to manufacture its own vaccines, is not just good for the continent, its the only sustainable path out of the pandemic and into a health-secure future, John N. Nkengasong, the director of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said in the statement announcing the donation. Africa is battling a sharp, sudden rise in coronavirus infections and deaths that experts believe is linked to the rise of new variants. The latest hot spots include Botswana, Namibia and Tunisia, according to a New York Times database. But as of Wednesday only about 38 million, or slightly more than 2 percent, of the continents 1.3 billion people had received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, according to the Our World in Data project. That was roughly the number of first doses given so far in Italy, which has a population of about 60 million. Mastercards donation is the latest effort to address the glaring vaccination gap between rich and poor countries. Last week a group of wealthy countries, foundations and private companies pledged $2.4 billion for global vaccination efforts and announced plans to share a total of 54 million doses from their domestic supplies with countries in need, for example. The World Health Organization said last week that only 0.4 percent of all Covid-19 vaccine doses had been administered in low-income countries. And pharmaceutical companies have only manufactured a fraction of the 11 billion shots that researchers at Duke University estimate will be needed to vaccinate 70 percent of the worlds population, the rough threshold needed for herd immunity. Mike Ives and

Your employer can legally require you to get vaccinated, in most cases. A mobile vaccination clinic in Foley, Minn. last month. Credit... Liam James Doyle for The New York Times As many Americans prepare to head back to the office, companies are hammering out policies on the extent to which they will require, or strongly encourage, employees there to be vaccinated against the coronavirus. The bottom line is that companies are legally permitted to make employees get vaccinated, according to recent guidance from the federal agency that enforces workplace discrimination laws, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The agency said that employees who will not get vaccinated because of a disability or sincerely held religious belief may be entitled to an accommodation. Many companies are still reluctant to require inoculations for their employees, for a variety of reasons.

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Fear of hate crimes makes Asian Americans wary of joining in the U.S. reopening. Mandy Lin, 43, left, and her 9-year-old son returning to their apartment in Philadelphia last week. Ms. Lin stays close to home because she is fearful of anti-Asian attacks. Credit... Hannah Yoon for The New York Times Millions of Americans may be leaping into a summer of newly unmasked normalcy, but a surge in anti-Asian attacks during the pandemic is now holding back many Asian American families from joining them. As schools phase out remote learning, companies summon employees back to work and masks fly off peoples faces, Asian Americans say that Americas race to reopen is creating a new wave of worries  not about getting sick, but about whether they will be attacked if they venture back onto a bus or accosted if they return to a favorite cafe or bookstore. In more than a dozen interviews across the country, Asian Americans detailed fears about their safety and a litany of precautions that have endured even as the country has reopened. Stop AAPI Hate, a coalition of community and academic organizations, tracked more than 6,600 attacks and other incidents targeting Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders from March 2020 to March 2021. A survey this spring found that one in three Asian Americans worried about becoming victims of hate crimes. Asian Americans said they hoped the threats would ebb as more people got vaccinated and the pandemic faded. But person after person echoed the same worry: There is no vaccine against bigotry.
In the two years before the pandemic began, markets in the Chinese city of Wuhan were selling nearly three dozen animal species that can harbor pathogens that jump to humans, researchers have found, shedding new light on the possible role of the wildlife trade in the coronaviruss origins.

The researchers found sales in Wuhan of mink, palm civets and raccoon dogs, but they did not find sales of pangolins or bats, which have been suspected as possible sources of the coronavirus.

In all, the researchers documented sales of more than 47,000 animals across 38 species in Wuhan markets between May 2017 and November 2019. Thirty-three of the species have previously been infected with diseases or disease-bearing parasites that can affect humans, the researchers said.

China suspended the sale and consumption of wild animals as the coronavirus began spreading rapidly early last year. The countrys wildlife trade played a key role in the SARS outbreak in the early 2000s.
The Rajasthan government has informed the Supreme Court that Asaram Bapu was not cooperating with the doctors at AIIMS Jodhpur with an ulterior motive of shifting of venue of his custody. The state government averred that Asaram has made third attempt to get his sentence suspended, under the garb of medical treatment.

The state government, in an affidavit, challenging the bail plea for Ayurvedic medical treatment of Asaram, said: "In previous round of petitions, the accused had prayed for immediate medical surgery of his ailment, through allopathic method, which failed and now the accused through this present petition raised his concern to get his treatment from Ayurveda."

The affidavit added that Asaram was not cooperative to the doctors at AIIMS Jodhpur, and as per May 21 discharge report, he had refused to take injection and some oral medicine.

"The accused was stable and fit to discharge and there was no other complication. Hence, there is no requirement of any further super specialities' treatment of the accused", said the affidavit.

The government said Arun Kumar Tyagi is the treating Ayurvedic doctor of the accused, who continued to treat him even after retirement from Jodhpur Ayurvedic Hospital, under the order of the top court. The government claimed Asaram was deliberately trying to delay the pending trial at Gandhi Nagar and Jodhpur, under the garb of Ayurvedic treatment.

Asaram had moved the apex court seeking permission to be treated at Prakash Deep Institute of Ayurvedic Sciences, Uttarakhand. The Rajasthan government placed on record on May 23, medical card, which established that Asaram's health was found normal without any complications. "The accused is not cooperating with the doctors for his ulterior motive of shifting the venue of his custody", said the affidavit.

The affidavit further added, "The accused/petitioner with ulterior motive has been attempting to change the venue of his custody, under the guise of medical treatment. Such change, with due respect, an abuse of process of law." The government added that Jodhpur is one of the rare centres, where both the allopathic and Ayurvedic treatment are available.

Last week, the top court agreed to examine the possibility of temporarily shifting convicted godman Asaram Bapu to an Ayurvedic treatment centre. Post-Covid, he had requested not to put on allopathic drugs.

The High Court had dismissed Asaram's application for temporary suspension of sentence and directed the district and jail administration to ensure proper treatment at a suitable medical institution.

Asaram is serving a life term at Jodhpur Central Jail in connection with the rape of a minor girl. On May 6, he had tested positive for COVID-19 and was shifted to AIIMS, Jodhpur. According to May 19, medical report he was stable and fit for discharge.

The top court is likely to take up the matter for further hearing on Friday.
Brought into Colombia as exotic pets by the most notorious drug kingpin in human history, have been breeding at an alarming pace over the last few decades and have become a serious threat to the Colombian flora and fauna.

In the 1980s, Pablo Escobar smuggled four hippos from an American zoo into Colombia, as exotic pets. They were kept at his luxurious Hacienda Napoles, in Puerto Triunfo, Antioquia, but after the collapse of his crime empire, they were set loose into the jungle. With no natural predators, plenty of water sources and suitable climate, the hippopotamuses thrived and multiplied. The initial four water giants have now ballooned to an estimated population of over 100, which scientists say could reach over 1,400 specimens by 2039.

Photo: Edgar Lopez/Unsplash

Sometimes referred to as cocaine giants, because of their former masters reputation as a drug dealer, Colombias wild hippos have nothing to do with the expensive narcotic. They do however pose a threat to the local plant and wildlife, as they compete for territory and resources with local species, and pollute waterways with their toxic poop, which fuel algae blooms and deprive fish of their oxygen.

Despite scientists repeated warnings that the hippos are a threat to native wildlife in Colombia, the exotic beasts have become extremely popular with the local population. There are tours and safaris built around the hippos, and a theme park is also in the works. That makes dealing with them a bit more problematic for the authorities.

Photo: said alamri/Unsplash

Some experts have suggested castration as a way to control the hippo population, but so far progress on that front has been slow, with only about a hippo per year being castrated, probably due to the trickiness of the procedure, since the animals have internal testicles. Others suggest that more drastic measures are needed

It is obvious that we feel sorry for these animals, but as scientists we need to be honest, Colombian biologist Nataly Castelblanco told the BBC. Hippos are an invasive species in Colombia and if we do not kill a part of their population now, the situation could be out of control in just 10 or 20 years.

A number of Colombian ecologists have suggested that culling the hippos before their population becomes to big to control is necessary. Killing about 30 of them each year may be enough to save the local wildlife, but with the hippos generating so much interest from the public, such unpopular measures are unlikely to be adopted anytime soon.

In the meantime, Escobars hippos continue to breed and explore their South American paradise. There have been sightings of hippos up to 370 kilometers away from Hacienda Napoles, which suggests that the animals are spreading across Colombias biggest river basin.



It is the biggest hippo herd outside Africa, which is their native region, veterinarian and conservationist Carlos Valderrama said.
BW Kafe is an unusual-looking cafe with venues in Moscow and Sankt Petersburg which look like the setting of A-has famous Take on Me video.

BW Kafe first made international headlines last year, when photos of the Sankt Petersburg branch went viral online. Designed by Russian artist Anfisa Toshina, the interior of the cafe looks sketched with charcoal on a piece of white paper, creating the illusion that you are the only 3D object in a two-dimensional world. Its a pretty nice trick, but one that might seem oddly familiar if youve been on the internet sometime in the last two years

This whole coloring book concept is actually nothing new. It was first introduced in South Korea, by the designers of Cafe Yeonnam-dong 239-20, but has since been copied by other entrepreneurs looking to capitalize on the popularity of the design. Weve seen similar venues open in Japan a couple of years ago, now Russia, and I bet there are dozens more all over the world, not to mention official Cafe Yeonman branches.

While it may look like a copy of Cafe Yeonnam-dong 239-20, its a pretty well-executed one, and for Europeans who cant visit the South Korean cafe, its a chance to enjoy a cup of coffee in a 2D world, or get some more material for their Instagram.



For more unusual-looking cafes, check out this whimsical unicorn cafe, and Vietnams unique flooded cafe.
The Phoenix Union High School District wants to hire a firm to conduct public outreach to address the safe opening of schools and the impacts of COVID-19 on students academic, social, emotional, mental and health needs.
Perception tops reality. Fox News and its conservative media echo chamber push the bogus line that out-of-work Americans are deadbeats living the high life thanks to the benevolence of Uncle Sam (e.g., federal supplemental unemployment payments.)

That propaganda has spurred half of Americas statesmostly led by Republican governorsto end the $300 federal supplemental this summer.

They claim the federal benefit encourages slackers to stay at home rather than grab a low-wage job, triggering a labor crunch that is putting the squeeze on corporate America.

The US Chamber of Commerce, which is hardly an ally of working-class America, has shot down the argument that workers are more content to stay at home than report to duty.

It released a poll June 3 of workers who became unemployed during the pandemic and have not yet returned to work.

Only 16 percent of those not actively seeking employment are doing so because the unemployment benefits make it not worth looking for work.

The respondents, though, bought into the slacker line.

Nearly three in ten (28 percent) agree there are a lot of people who are not looking for work because they can do almost or just as well collecting unemployment benefits.

The Chamber reports that the real reasons that people are leery about returning to work are lack of available jobs in still hard-hit sectors of the economy (28 percent), COVID-19 health concerns (26 percent) and childcare (24 percent).

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a life-changing event for Americas workforce.

The Chamber estimates of the 9.3M unemployed Americans, 2.8M of them will remain on the sidelines this year and 1.2M of them will never return to work.

Federal supplements for the unemployed end Sept. 6. President Biden has no plans to extend the measure.

The million-dollar question: Will Americans flock to the 45M jobs that paid about $750 a week prior to the pandemic, or will businesses be forced to raise wages to attract talent?

CEOs scored PR points during the dark days of COVID-19 by foregoing their salaries to show solidarity with workforces that suffered rounds of layoffs and furloughs.

It was mostly a show, according to the Economic Policy Institute, which found that any cuts by CEOs were largely symbolic.

EPI, which studied the proxy filings of 281 large companies, found the average compensation of CEOs surged 16 percent in 2020, boosted by stock options and vested stock awards.

That compared to a 1.8 percent hike in average worker pay.

CEOs had a better comp year in 2020 than in 2019, where they registered a 14 percent pay boost.

EPI reports the CEO-to-worker compensation ratio jumped from 276.2 in 2019 to 307.3 in 2020. More CEO riches await as the Great Reopening of the US economy unfolds.

Turning a crisis into PR gold. Fastly, the San Francisco internet infrastructure company that was responsible for the screw-up that took down thousands of websites on June 8, averted a PR disaster by quickly taking ownership of the mess and fixing it.

Fastly provides content delivery technology to major players such as the New York Times, CNN, Spotify, BBC and the Financial Times. Each suffered a web outage.

On June 8, Nick Rockwell, Fastlys senior VP-engineering and infrastructure, not only apologized for a software bug, but said the company should have anticipated it.

Within 45 minutes of discovering the problem, 95 percent of Fastlys customers were back to normal.

We detected the disruption within one minute, then identified and isolated the cause, and disabled the configuration, wrote Rockwell on the companys blog. This outage was broad and severe, and were truly sorry for the impact to our customers and everyone who relies on them.

Wall Street cheered Fastlys handling of its crisis by sending its shares up 12.6 percent to $56.20 on its day of potential disaster.

Hats off to Interpublic for being the first ad/PR company to publish its Sustainability Accounting Standards Report as part of its commitment to address environmental, social and governance issues.

CEO Philippe Krakowsky said sustainable transformation is an imperative for Interpublic.

The company understands that to address climate change it must undergo behavioral change, according to Krakowsky. Those changes include travel policies, energy-efficient buildings and responsible consumption while at work whether thats home-based or in-office.

We also recognize our special responsibility as a marketing communications company to drive positive change not only on climate, but also on human capital, diversity, equity and inclusion, data ethics and privacy, as well as responsible media and content, which is reflected in our SASB report, said Krakowsky.

Interpublic also is committed to 100 percent renewable electricity by 2030 for its entire portfolio.
28/05/2021 - This event provided a platform to kick off the work on the Anti-Corruption Review of the Energy Sector in Ukraine. The in-depth anti-corruption review of the energy sector will become a useful instrument for policy makers, ownership entities, SOEs and law enforcement bodies in identifying trends and good practices, common problems in energy sector, as well as recommendations aimed at ensuring integrity within the selected sector. Therefore, the event aimed at harnessing strong political support and involvement of key governmental and non-governmental stakeholders, including the National Corruption Prevention Agency (NACP), the Ministry of Energy, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Economic Development and Trade, and other public bodies and SOEs within Ukrainian energy sector, as well as of the anti-corruption law enforcement bodies, civil society, international community and business associations. We expect to work hand in hand with relevant stakeholders and to develop strong communication, cooperation, coordination as well as information sharing for the purposes of this Project. The Project is implemented in the context of the OECD-Ukraine Memorandum of Understanding, and is made possible thanks to the financial support of the Government of Norway.
Paediatric nurse Deirdre Morley, who smothered her three young children at their family home and was found not guilty of their murders by reason of insanity, has been committed to the Central Mental Hospital (CMH) today, Tuesday.

A Central Criminal Court judge made the order this morning, nearly three weeks after a jury returned the special verdicts following the trial of the 44-year-old highly trained clinical nurse.

Mr Justice Paul Coffey said on Tuesday that Ms Morley continues to suffer from a mental disorder under the meaning of the legislation and is in need of inpatient care at a designated centre.

Ms Morley, of Parson's Court, Newcastle, Co Dublin, had pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to the murder of her sons Conor McGinley (9) and Darragh McGinley (7) and her daughter Carla McGinley (3). The children's bodies were discovered at the family home just before 8pm on January 24 last year.

On May 20, Ms Morley was found not guilty by reason of insanity after a jury accepted the evidence given by two psychiatrists that the accused, who specialised in renal care at Our Lady's Hospital in Crumlin, was suffering from a mental disorder at the time of the three killings and fulfilled the criteria for the special verdict.

The two consultant forensic psychiatrists called as expert witnesses were both in agreement that the accused was unable to appreciate what she had done was morally wrong and was unable to refrain from her actions.

Following the verdicts, trial judge Mr Justice Coffey made an order committing Ms Morley to the CMH in Dundrum until May 31 so that an approved medical officer could prepare a psychiatric assessment.

The case was adjourned on that date to allow time for lawyers to consider the psychiatric report.

The matter was back before the court on Tuesday, where Mr Justice Coffey made the order committing Ms Morley to the CMH for inpatient care.

Ms Morley appeared via video-link from the CMH.

Ms Morley's three-day trial at the Central Criminal Court was described by the State as "a desperately sad case".

The case, Ms Morley's defence counsel had told the jury, was a "tragedy of enormous proportions", with the "tragic irony" of the accused being someone who had committed her entire professional life to the care of children as a paediatric nurse.

Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margot Bolster found the children had died by asphyxia from compressions of the chest area and airways.

Dr Brenda Wright, called by the defence, gave a detailed description of the accused's mental state deteriorating in the weeks before the killing and said she was suffering with bipolar affective disorder at the time. The witness said the defendant believed it was morally right to smother her three children as she thought she had "irreparably damaged" them and "had to put an end to their suffering".

Dr Mary Davoren, for the prosecution, testified that the accused was suffering at a minimum from recurrent depressive disorder and experienced a severe depressive episode on the day.

In her opening address, prosecution counsel Anne-Marie Lawlor SC said the jury's primary concern would be the accused's mental state on January 24 and there was no issue in the case as to what happened to the children and how they died.
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ALBANY, N.Y. (AP)  New York's attorney general could sue gun manufacturers under certain scenarios under a bill that passed the state Senate on Tuesday as lawmakers continued wrapping up this year's legislative session.

Anyone responsible for the illegal or unreasonable sale, manufacture, distribution, importing or marketing of firearms could be held responsible for causing a public nuisance, according to the bill.

Gun manufacturers could, for instance, face a lawsuit for harming the public by failing to take steps to prevent firearms from being sold unlawfully in New York. A gun manufacturer would not have to purposely harm the public to be held liable, under the bill sponsored by Sen. Brian Benjamin, a Democrat.

Supporters say the bill addresses deadly gun violence that disproportionately affects minority neighborhoods, as well as people who were hurt or killed unintentionally by the firearm industry's failure to implement safety mechanisms.

The gun manufacturers liability bill is one of several pieces of legislation that have passed the Senate in recent days but have yet to land on the Assembly floor for a vote. Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie has not spoken publicly about his priorities for the last days of session.

Here's a look at other bills lawmakers could consider in coming days:

ADULT SURVIVORS ACT: The Assembly has no plan to vote on a bill to give people sexually abused as adults a chance to sue perpetrators despite statutes of limitations. The Senate passed the bill unanimously, but supporters are worried behind-the-scenes politics are stalling Assembly passage.

ANTI-HARASSMENT BILLS: The Assembly has yet to take up several bills that passed in the Senate to extend the statute of limitations for workplace harassment to five years and ensure all state employees are protected from harassment and retaliation. Several former Assembly employees who were sexually harassed, including Elizabeth Crothers, claim the Assembly is protecting its own interests at the expense of New Yorkers.

The Legislatures Judiciary Committee has launched an investigation into whether there are grounds to impeach Gov. Andrew Cuomo over multiple allegations  including that he groped a current female aide and sexually harassed multiple employees. The governor has denied he did anything wrong.

SINGLE-PAYER HEALTH CARE: The Assembly for years has passed a single-payer health care system bill despite lack of Senate support. This years bill has not come up for a vote. Assembly Health Committee Chair Dick Gottfried, whos called for Cuomos resignation, said in a Friday interview on Capitol Pressroom that some lawmakers who back the law publicly have expressed opposition privately to Speaker Heastie.

CARBON TAX: A proposed carbon tax faces steep odds this year, despite pressure from environmental groups who point to a sweeping 2019 law that set sweeping renewable energy goals. Republicans argue the bill  which is in committee and would amount to a $55 surcharge per ton of fossil fuel emissions  would dramatically raise heating and gasoline costs for individuals and small businesses.

INVESTIGATION FUNDING: Senate Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins has introduced a bill to ensure that the Legislature can tap into more funds for an impeachment investigation and trial. The Assembly judiciary committee's own probe has an initial budget of $250,000, which committee chair Charles Lavine said will likely increase. Stewart-Cousins' bill would allow the Legislature to tap into an existing state fund that both the attorney general and Cuomo can already use. A spokesperson for her office said the bill could pass in both chambers Wednesday.
The Delhi Congress has decided to hold protests at the petrol pumps across the national capital on Friday over the unchecked rise in the prices of petrol and diesel.

The decision to hold protests at petrol pumps was taken during a virtual meeting of senior Delhi Congress leaders under the leadership of the party's city unit chief Anil Kumar Chaudhary.

The party workers along with senior party leaders, including the members of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), will participate in the protests across the national capital on Friday.

Chaudhary said that when people were battling with the pandemic, the Modi government, taking advantage of the helplessness of the people, quietly allowed the prices of petrol and diesel to soar.

The meeting also unanimously passed a resolution to thank interim Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi for their relentless demands to get free vaccination for all, which has been finally announced by the Narendra Modi-led Central government.
An Ontario judge has struck down a limit on third-party ad spending introduced by Premier Doug Ford's government, declaring recent changes to the law unconstitutional.
Thousands gathered outside the London Muslim Mosque Tuesday evening to show their support to the Muslim community, call for action against Islamophobia and anti-Muslim hate.
An Alberta man visited the hospital in Quesnel, B.C., three time in less than a day looking for mental health support, according to his widow. She says he never received the help he needed and took his own life in a bathroom at the hospital.
A settlement has been reached in a class-action lawsuit against the federal government involving hundreds of First Nations people left out of residential-school compensation.
Senior Defence officials warned the government that failing to strip military honours from special forces troops would cause further harm to Afghan victims and Australias relationship with Afghanistan.
Victoria recorded one new local case of COVID-19 on Wednesday, from more than 28,000 tests.
Former US president Donald Trump, banned on all key social media platforms, has welcomed the Nigeria ban on Twitter, saying more countries should do the same.

Trump issued a statement late on Tuesday, supporting the Nigerian government's decision to suspend Twitter activities, the media reported.

"Congratulations to the country of Nigeria, who just banned Twitter because they banned their President. More COUNTRIES should ban Twitter and Facebook for not allowing free and open speech - all voices should be heard," Trump said.

Nigerian Minister of Foreign Affairs Geoffrey Onyeama said on Monday the country's decision to suspend Twitter is in the interest of national security and peace.

The Nigerian government on June 4 said it was indefinitely suspending Twitter's operations in the country, two days after the social media network removed a post from President Muhammadu Buhari where made a reference to the country's 30-month civil war in 1967-1970, warning "those who wanted the government to fail" to desist from fomenting trouble.

Trump, who is banned on Twitter, said that in the meantime, "competitors will emerge and take hold. Who are they to dictate good and evil if they themselves are evil? Perhaps I should have done it while I was President. But Zuckerberg kept calling me and coming to the White House for dinner telling me how great I was. 2024?"

Facebook last week suspended Trump from its platforms for two years, the maximum penalty under a newly revealed set of rules for suspending public figures, a move that was hailed by the independent Oversight Board which had upheld the earlier decision by the social network to ban Trump.

When the suspension is eventually lifted, there will be a strict set of rapidly escalating sanctions that will be triggered if Trump commits further violations in future, up to and including permanent removal of his pages and accounts.
NEW YORK (AP)  Former President Donald Trump reached less than a million measurable television viewers over the weekend in his return to the public stage at a North Carolina political event.



Newsmax averaged just under 700,000 viewers between 8 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Saturday when Trump spoke, the Nielsen company said. His speech was also carried live on One America News Network and C-SPAN, but their audience is not measured by Nielsen.



Fox News Channel did not carry the speech by the former president beloved by many of its viewers. The network averaged more than 1.5 million viewers for its typical Saturday night fare of Jesse Watters and Jeanine Pirro.



Although Trump couldn't eclipse Fox's regular lineup, at least for Newsmax, showing the former president live appeared to be a good business decision for the network. So far this year, Newsmax has averaged 202,000 viewers in prime time, including the more heavily trafficked weeknights, Nielsen said.



Later on Saturday, Fox's debut hour with conservative media personality Dan Bongino reached 1.8 million people, making it the most-watched cable news show of the weekend.



The broadcast networks made a swift turn into summer, with NBC's America's Got Talent topping the ratings upon its return. CBS led for the week, averaging 3.3 million viewers in prime time. ABC had 3.17 million, NBC had 3.16 million, Fox had 1.7 million, Univision had 1.5 million, Ion Television had 970,000 and Telemundo had 880,000.



TNT led the cable news networks, averaging 2.36 million viewers in prime time last week. Fox News Channel had 1.94 million, HGTV had 1.25 million, MSNBC had 1.23 million and TBS had 938,000.



ABC's World News Tonight led the evening news ratings race, averaging 7.3 million viewers. NBC's Nightly News had 6.3 million, and...
Cover Video STUDIO 12 Jun 2021

British royals have sent congratulatory messages to Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex following the birth of their..
Despite backlash from some Democratic and Republican lawmakers at home, US Vice President Kamala Harris maintained that Washington needed to tackle the "root causes" of migration.
Lawmakers in Windhoek debated a settlement that will see Germany apologize and pay for past atrocities. But opposition lawmakers are furious about being cut out of talks.
The Afghan interior ministry has said that the Taliban are responsible for attacking dozens of mine clearers. The violence took place in a region north of Kabul that has seen heavy fighting recently.
Former President Donald Trump put out a statement Tuesday commending Nigeria for banning Twitter and said more countries should do..

Mediaite 08 Jun 2021
Scott Morrison says his ancestor from the UK county hosting the G7 was sent to Australia for stealing.
Prosecutors in Berlin have brought charges against former Volkswagen boss Martin Winterkorn, accusing him of giving false testimony to the German parliament about his knowledge of the carmaker's emissions scandal.
The European Commission has said it is investigating whether the German Constitutional Court challenged the EU's legal supremacy by ruling that an EU-backed economic stimulus program was contrary to German law.
Calgary-based TC Energy said it would work with government agencies "to ensure a safe termination of and exit from" the partially built line.


The Central American country is now the first country in the world to make Bitcoin legal tender.

"The #BitcoinLaw has been approved by a supermajority in the Salvadoran Congress. 62 out of 84 votes! History!," tweeted Bukele.

Bukele on June 5 announced the move in a pre-recorded message played at the Bitcoin 2021 conference in Miami, Florida, during a presentation hosted by Jack Mallers, founder digital wallet company Strike.

"In the short term this will generate jobs and help provide financial inclusion to thousands outside the formal economy," the President had said.

Mallers said he has been working with Bukele to determine the logistics of the move.

"Over 70 per cent of the active population of El Salvador doesn't have a bank account. They're not in the financial system," Mallers said during the presentation.

"They asked me to help write a bill and that they viewed bitcoin as a world-class currency and that we needed to put together a bitcoin plan to help these people."

According to Shivam Thakral, CEO of, BuyUcoin. EI Salvador's decision to make Bitcoin a legal tender will boost financial inclusion in their country as the majority of the population does not have access to formal banking channels.

"In India, our approach towards crypto is different. We don't see it as a legal tender but as an asset class. Indian investors have shown their faith in crypto even during the massive price fluctuations because they have an investment horizon of 2-3 years," Thakral said in a statement.

"We are eagerly waiting for CBDC (central bank digital currency) in India which will open up new avenues of growth for the digital asset industry," he added.
President Joe Biden is set to announce the deal at the G7 meeting of the world's wealthiest countries in Britain this week.
Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday said she will visit the U.S.-Mexico border, but did not say when.
During a public appearance, French President Emmanuel Macron was slapped in the face by an unidentified citizen, prompting security personnel to respond. Authorities later arrested two people in connection with the incident as other nationals expressed their support of the French leader.
A charter flight for White House press corps, who will follow President Biden on his first overseas trip to the United Kingdom, has been delayed by cicadas, Fox News has confirmed.
The Then-lawyer of former United States President Donald Trump, Rudy Giuliani, is facing the reveal of an audio recording that shows him talking with foreign nationals from Ukraine about a smear campaign against Joe Biden.
With the theme Never Tire, Orlando Democratic Congresswoman Val Demings formally launched her campaign Wednesday to try to unseat U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio in 2022.
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., ripped President Bidens decision to waive sanctions on the Russia-backed Nord Stream 2 pipeline, arguing the move would hurt the U.S. economy and geopolitical interests.
President Biden warned military servicemembers Wednesday that top Pentagon officials consider climate change to be the greatest threat to Americas national security in the coming years.
The United States on Tuesday eased its warnings against travel to dozens of countries including Olympics host Japan and much of Europe, raising hopes that widespread vaccinations will bring a return to normal travel. Close US allies and neighbors including Canada, Mexico, France and Germany also received upgrades, with the State Department asking Americans to []
The US Senate passed a sweeping industrial policy bill Tuesday aimed at countering a surging economic threat from rival China, overcoming partisan divisions to support pumping more than $170 billion into research and development. With both American political parties increasingly worried about competition from Asias largest power, the measure cleared the chamber on a 68-32 []
Northbrook, IL -- (SBWIRE) -- 06/09/2021 -- According to a research report "Exoskeleton Market with COVID-19 Impact by Type (Powered, Passive), Component (Hardware, Software), Mobility, Body Part (Lower Extremities, Upper Extremities, Full Body), Vertical (Healthcare, Defense, Industrial) and Region - Global Forecast to 2026", published by MarketsandMarkets, the Exoskeleton Market is valued at USD 499 million in 2021 and is projected to reach USD 3,340 million by 2026; it is expected to grow at a CAGR of 46.2% from 2021 to 2026.



Ask for PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=40697797



Factors such as the increasing adoption of human augmentation in industrial and military sectors, the introduction of soft actuators, and growing insurance coverage for exoskeletons are likely to provide opportunities for market growth.



The exoskeleton market includes major Tier I and II players like Ottobock (Germany), DIH Medical (China), CYBERDYNE (Japan), Ekso Bionics. (US), Lockheed Martin Corporation (US) and others. These players have a strong market presence for exoskeleton across various countries in North America, Europe, APAC, and RoW.



Increasing adoption of human augmentation equipment in industrial and military sectors



Many companies are enhancing their facilities using exoskeletons. Also, with the evolution across industrial and military sectors, the need for automation is also increasing; hence, manufacturers are focusing on developing prototypes that can adapt to the real-time need for exoskeletons. Thus, the intensifying need for human augmentation in industrial and military sectors creates opportunities for the growth of the exoskeleton market.



Powered exoskeleton segment is expected to grow at the highest rate during the forecast period



Powered exoskeletons accounted for the larger share of the overall exoskeleton market in 2020. The high cost of powered exoskeletons leads to a higher market share of the technology compared to passive exoskeletons. At present, powered exoskeletons are mainly used in the healthcare vertical to assist people with disabilities, but with the introduction of cost-efficient systems and because of their additional benefits over the passive ones, powered exoskeletons will find their applications in several new verticals, ultimately resulting in the high growth of the segment during the forecast period.



Healthcare vertical to hold the largest market size of exoskeleton market during the forecast period



Exoskeletons are being widely deployed at rehabilitation centers for therapies to assist people with disabilities; owing to this, the healthcare segment accounted for the largest share of the exoskeleton market in 2020. Over the last few years, there have been major developments in this field, giving hope to people with spinal cord injuries, neurological disorders, and strokes. The use of these devices during rehabilitation is growing, and their benefits are becoming more widely recognized. Moreover, the increasing usage approvals for exoskeletons in the medical industry have encouraged companies to invest more in the research and development of exoskeletons.



Browse in-depth TOC on "Exoskeleton Market"



125  Tables

49  Figures

201  Pages



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Exoskeleton market in North America to hold the highest market share during the forecast period



North America is a major regional market for exoskeletons. The growth of the market can be attributed to the presence of major players, their subsidiaries, distributors, and resellers in this region. Growing demand from the healthcare sector for rehabilitation, advancements in robotic technologies, and huge investments made for the development of exoskeleton technology is boosting the demand for exoskeletons in North America.



Ottobock (Germany), DIH Medical (China), CYBERDYNE (Japan), Ekso Bionics. (US), Lockheed Martin Corporation (US), ATOUN. (Japan), BIONIK (Canada), B-Temia (Canada), MediTouch (Israel), ReWalk Robotics (US), Daiya Industry (Japan), Europe Technologies (France), Exhauss (France), Focal Meditech BV (Netherlands), Fourier Intelligence (China), Gogoa Mobility (Spain), Honda Motor Co (Japan), Hyundai Motors (South Korea), Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (Japan), Myomo (US), Parker Hannifin (US), P&S Mechanics (South Korea), Rex Bionics (UK), suitX (US) and Wandercraft (France) are some of the key players in the exoskeleton market.



Related Reports:



Collaborative Robot Market (Cobot) by Payload, Component (End Effectors, Controllers), Application (Handling, Assembling & Disassembling, Dispensing, Processing), Industry (Electronics, Furniture & Equipment), and Geography  Global Forecast to 2026



Industrial Robotics Market by Type (Articulated Robots, Collaborative Robots), Application (Handling, Processing, Dispensing), Industry (Automotive, Electrical & Electronics, Metals & Machinery, Food & Beverages) and Geography - Global Forecast to 2024



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The 68-32 vote for the bill demonstrates how confronting China economically is an issue that unites both parties in Congress
Long popular in western cities, Germanys Greens are bumping up against a wall with voters in the ex-communist east that could cost them the chance to snatch Chancellor Angela Merkels crown when she retires this year. The now 40-year-old centre-left ecologist party will gather from Friday for a congress to plot the course toward Septembers []
The wife of jailed Mexican drug lord Joaquin El Chapo Guzman will this week plead guilty to helping her husband smuggle narcotics, a person familiar with the matter said Tuesday. Emma Coronel Aispuro, 31, was arrested by US authorities at Dulles International Airport outside of Washington in February on suspicion of aiding her husbands drug []
Boris Johnson supports the Education Secretarys criticism of Oxford University students who voted to remove a photo of the Queen from their common room, according to Downing Street.
Joe Biden has flown into the UK ahead of a meeting with Boris Johnson on Thursday on his first overseas trip as US president.
Joe Biden has stressed the need for the worlds democracies to stand together as he arrived in the UK on his first overseas trip as US president.
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Euronews English 10 Jun 2021

UEFA has told Ukraine that it must remove the slogan 'Glory to Our Heroes' from its EURO 2020 football shirt after a complaint from..
Amid her divorce from rapper Kanye West, Kim Kardashian joined her family and took to social media by sharing a special message in honor...
A new study, published this month in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, shows that within the same society, adolescent students who specifically lack mathematical education exhibited reduced levels of a neurotransmitter called gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in a key brain area involved in reasoning and cognitive learning.

Educational decisions have a long-lasting impact on both the individual and wider society.

Mathematical education and attainment has been associated with several quality-of-life indices, including educational progress, socioeconomic status, employment, mental and physical health, and financial stability.

In several countries, such as the United Kingdom and India, 16-year-old adolescents as part of their advanced subjects can choose to stop studying math. The consequences of not choosing math as an A-level subject can be significant.

When controlling for potential confounding factors such as socioeconomic status it emerged that the decision to not study math as an A-level subject can lead to an 11% decrease in financial income compared to those who choose to study math as part of their A-level curriculum. No other A-level subject category is associated with such a wage premium.

Maths skills are associated with a range of benefits, including employment, socioeconomic status, and mental and physical health, said Professor Roi Cohen Kadosh, a researcher at the University of Oxford.

Adolescence is an important period in life that is associated with important brain and cognitive changes.

Sadly, the opportunity to stop studying maths at this age seems to lead to a gap between adolescents who stop their maths education compared to those who continue it.

Our study provides a new level of biological understanding of the impact of education on the developing brain and the mutual effect between biology and education.

The study involved 133 students from the United Kingdom between the ages of 14-18.

The researchers found that the participants who didnt study maths had a lower amount of GABA in the middle frontal gyrus, a key brain region involved in many important cognitive functions.

Based on the amount of this chemical found in each student, the scientists were able to discriminate between adolescents who studied or did not study maths, independent of their cognitive abilities.

Moreover, the amount of GABA successfully predicted changes in mathematical attainment score around 19 months later.

Notably, the authors did not find differences in the brain chemical before the adolescents stopped studying maths.

It is not yet known how this disparity, or its long-term implications, can be prevented, Professor Kadosh said.

Not every adolescent enjoys maths so we need to investigate possible alternatives, such as training in logic and reasoning that engage the same brain area as maths.

_____

George Zacharopoulos et al. 2021. The impact of a lack of mathematical education on brain development and future attainment. PNAS 118 (24): e2013155118; doi: 10.1073/pnas.2013155118
The former US president urges other countries to restrict use of social media platforms.
El Salvador's legislative assembly has approved legislation making the cryptocurrency Bitcoin legal tender in the country, the first country to do so, just days after President Nayib Bukele made the proposal at a Bitcoin conference.
Leesburg Elementary School teacher Byron "Tanner" Cross was placed on leave after he said he would not address students by their...
On the first European trip of his presidency, Joe Biden will announce a major U.S. contribution to the global vaccine effort  part of an effort to end COVID "everywhere."
Biden arrived in the U.K. Wednesday, beginning an eight-day trip that also includes a meeting with Vladimir Putin. Biden says he'll meet with Putin to "let him know what I want him to know."
Laxman Pai, Opalesque Asia:

German asset management company DWS Group closed its third European infrastructure fund at its 3 billion ($3.7 billion) hard cap and ahead of its 2.5 billion target.

The manager said the Pan European Infrastructure (PEIF III) was backed by new investors as well as existing investors in the previous funds in the PEIF series.

"The 70-odd investor base reflects a wide net of global and blue-chip investors from across Europe (Germany, Italy), Asia (South Korea, Japan) as well as the United States. DWS achieved this successful close despite restrictions caused by the pandemic with much of the fundraising effort conducted remotely," said the release.

Investors include the $67.9 billion Los Angeles County Employees Retirement Association, Pasadena, Calif.

"Our investment focus on the key macroeconomic trends of decarbonization and digitalization of the economy has proven its relevance in the current COVID crisis," said Harold d'Hauteville, head of infrastructure equity, Europe, in the news release. "We will continue to progress a robust pipeline with a consistent focus on the sectors that will further contribute to the long-term recovery and the sustainability of our economies."

Hamish Mackenzie, the head of the infrastructure at DWS, said: "We are thrilled to achieve the final close of PEIF III, following on from PEIF and PEIF II which are currently ranked as top quartile funds.

"Our distinctive investment approach for o......................

To view our full article Click here
CINCINNATI, OHIO USA (June 8th, 2021)  Thern Inc. and Helioz Technologies have implemented the Helioz zipCPQ configure, price, quote solution on the THERN website to streamline the digital customer experience. Thern is a global winch and crane manufacturer based in Minnesota with more than seventy years in business providing top-quality pulling, lifting, and positioning equipment. Helioz Technologies, creator of zipCPQ, develops and implements product configuration solutions for manufacturers of mechanical 
By Emma Keeler-Dugas

The Confederation of University Faculty Associations of British Columbia (CUFA BC)s 2021 Ehor Boyanowsky Academic of the Year award recognizes School of Communication associate professor Enda Brophy and his research illuminating the complex dynamics of remote and precarious work.

The Academic of the Year award acknowledges a specific and recent outstanding contribution to the community.

As an associate member of SFUs Labour Studies program, Brophy, along with his class CMNS 440/LBST 431: Labour, Communication and the Media, partnered with workers, labour advocates and trade unions to produce a report on the labour conditions and collective organizing among food delivery workers in Metro Vancouver during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Brophy says the project sought to challenge the assumption in academia that professors do the research and students simply consume it. Rather, in this course students collectively conducted a research project from conception to execution during the course of a semester.

In recent years, Canada, and other countries, have seen an increase in the gig economy, characterized by short-term, freelance or on-demand, contract work, instead of permanent employment. Prominent examples include app-based transportation, accommodation and food-delivery services, like Uber and Airbnb.

Proponents extoll the gig economys lifestyle flexibility, letting people work where and when they want and ability to supplement their income.

The report produced in Brophys course, however, highlights the vulnerability of gig workers in Canada who are often women, people of colour and immigrants. The report calls for action to close loopholes on the regulations of gig workers who are so often excluded from labour protections and regulations.

Brophy says we can all help gig workers by treating them with respect, adding, supporting the workers and unions pushing for that change is something all of us can do, whether its by paying more attention to the issues, supporting campaigns by signing petitions or making financial contributions, or getting involved in advocating for social change.

Brophys nomination for this award was supported by SFUs Institutional Strategic Awards office, which provides expertise, resources and professional services for large-scale, complex and institutional research funding proposals and research award nominations.
President Joe Biden has ended talks with a group of Republican senators on a big infrastructure package and has started to reach out to senators from both parties in a new effort toward bipartisan compromise
Vice President Kamala Harris is telling the poor and threatened populations of Latin America that the United States has the capacity to give people a sense of hope in the region so they can make better lives without fleeing to the U.S. Harris closed her first foreign trip as vice president unapologetic for her decision not to visit the U.S.-Mexico border as part of her mission to address migration to the U.S. She said her meetings with leaders and others in Guatemala and Mexico were vital...
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
South African Final of 20th "Longyuan Mulilo Chinese Bridge" Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign College Students successfully held online

People's Daily Online) 13:56, June 09, 2021

The South African Final of the 20th "Chinese Bridge" Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign College Students, hosted by the Confucius Institute at the University of Cape Town, was successfully held online on June 5 and 6. The event was conducted by Zoom and broadcast live on YouTube. Over 300 people watched the event online. Longyuan Mulilo De Aar Wind Projects sponsored this competition.

The South African Final of the 20th Chinese Bridge Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign College Students is successfully held online.

The theme of the event was "One World, One Family". 14 contestants from the Durban University of Technology, University of Cape Town, Rhodes University, Stellenbosch University, University of Western Cape and University of Johannesburg gathered online to participate in the competition. Representatives from the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the Republic of South Africa and the Consulate-General of the People's Republic of China in Cape Town were also invited to join.

Chen Xiaodong, Chinese ambassador in South Africa, delivered a speech reviewing the history of the vigorous development of China-South Africa relations. He pointed out that language cooperation plays an irreplaceable role in deepening the mutual understanding between the two peoples and consolidating the public opinion foundation for the friendship between the two countries. His remarks also revealed the connection between the theme of this competition "One World, One Family" and the concept of " A Community with a Shared Future for Mankind " put forward by President Xi Jinping. The ambassador encouraged the contestants to master the Chinese language, become friendly messengers for promoting China-South Africa friendship, promote the "One World, One Family" initiative, and become contributors for a community with a shared future for mankind.

Professor Sue Harrison, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research and Internationalisation from the University of Cape Town, praised this competition as a bridge for Chinese language learners in South Africa to get together online at a time of social distancing caused by the pandemic. She reviewed the history of the establishment and development of the Confucius Institute at the University of Cape Town, and its performance in previous Chinese Bridge competitions. She affirmed the good role of the Confucius Institute in promoting cultural diversity on the university campus.

Due to the pandemic, this year's competition continued the online model adopted last year, using the Internet to break through the boundaries of time and space, so that the event attracted more people's attention. The intensity and excitement of the online competition was no less than those in offline competitions. The contestants demonstrated their understanding of the theme of "One World, One Family" through speeches, and demonstrated their understanding and love of Chinese culture through various singing, dancing, martial arts, calligraphy, painting, poetry recitation, and cooking performances. Through this competition, South African students showcased their Chinese language proficiency and artistic talents, winning praise from online guests and audiences.

After two days of fierce competition, Counsellor Li Xudong from the Education Section of the Chinese Embassy in South Africa finally announced that Katleho Kenneth Ntahale from the University of Cape Town and Simnikiwe Sangoni from the University of Johannesburg won first prizes in this competition; Sonia Charity Sajjabi Namukuta from Rhodes University, Jamie Alexandra Hull from the University of Cape Town, and Tiah Julia Julius from the University of Western Cape won second prizes.

Dr. Ma Yue, Chairman of the Chinese Language Teachers Association South Africa and Director of the Chinese Section at the University of Cape Town, shared comments highly praising each contestants performance. Counsellor Li Xudong made a concluding statement on the competition.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun)
Page Content

The Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labor, Omar Ottley extends his deepest condolences to the family and friends of Sint Maartens 30th COVID-19 victim, who has passed away. He wishes the family strength during their time of grief.





As of June 8th, there were eleven (11) persons who tested positive for COVID-19; however twelve (12) persons have recovered; bringing the total active cases to seventy five (75). The total number of confirmed cases is now two thousand four hundred ninety five (2495).





The Collective Prevention Services (CPS) are monitoring seventy one (71) people in home isolation. Four (4) patients are hospitalized at the St. Maarten Medical Center. The total number of deaths due to COVID-19 has increased to thirty (30).





The number of people recovered since the first case surfaced on St. Maarten has increased to two thousand three hundred ninety (2390). One hundred nineteen (119) people are in quarantine based on contact tracing investigations carried out by CPS.





The Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labour (VSA) Airport Health Team in collaboration with Health Care Laboratory Sint Maarten (HCLS) have tested 3, 050 travelers arriving at the Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIA), while CPS tested 30, 424 people throughout the community. As the numbers continue to fluctuate, CPS will continue to actively execute its contact tracing measures.





Minister Ottley urges those who have not registered to be vaccinated, to go out and do so. Persons interested in getting vaccinated are asked to walk with a form of photo ID for registration. Remember walk-ins are accepted. Let us continue to drive to 85%.




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The Billings Township Fire Department is rebuilding and coming out of an overwhelming year stronger than before the flooding  and it just welcomed a new firefighting vehicle.

Billings Township Fire Chief Al Vincent, whose area was hard hit in the flooding, is thrilled with the new vehicle that will aid in many ways.

The new machine, a side by side, arrived on May 30. Vincent said the department paid with it via grants. An anonymous donor also contributed to purchasing a trailer to haul the machine. It will assist in getting to people in the woods.

We get a lot of people lost in the woods, Vincent said.

Its a dual-purpose unit, Vincent said, noting that in addition to search and rescue in the woods, it can assist in fighting grass fires and has a space for rendering medical aid.

The department is currently training on the machine and looks forward to putting it to use.

The department was also recently recognized by U.S. Rep. John Moolenaar for the firefighters efforts during the flooding that followed last year's mid-Michigan dam failures. Moolenaar said the department did a terrific job, and their courageous efforts will not be forgotten.

Vincent said its been a trying year, but the 16-member department has emerged stronger and tighter than ever.

Vincent recalls the first hours that led to a long week for the department, minimal sleep and working day in and out. He remembers how people were so appreciative when they arrived bearing food and water in the floods aftermath.

He said its amazing there werent fatalities in the flooding, though things got dangerously close. Vincent said the flooding washed out a section of Jones Road in the township. An elderly couple didnt see the washout and drove into it. The fire chief said fortunately, there were fire trucks nearby. Firefighters rushed to the couple and made a human chain to get them out of the car. Vincent said just as one of the firefighters grabbed hold of the second victim to pull them out, the car was swept away by the water current.

We almost lost two people, Vincent said. It was lucky that we happened to be down the road.

He said since the flooding, the department has changed its training practices. Vincent said they will be better prepared if such an event should occur again.

Were going to be better prepared, he said.
WASHINGTON (AP)  The Biden administration began legal action Wednesday to repeal a Trump-era rule that ended federal protections for hundreds of thousands of small streams, wetlands and other waterways, leaving them more vulnerable to pollution from development, industry and farms.

The rule  sometimes referred to as waters of the United States or WOTUS  narrowed the types of waterways that qualify for federal protection under the Clean Water Act. It was one of hundreds of rollbacks of environmental and public health regulations under President Donald Trump, who said the rules imposed unnecessary burdens on business.

The Trump-era rule, finalized last year, was long sought by builders, oil and gas developers, farmers and others who complained about federal overreach that they said stretched into gullies, creeks and ravines on farmland and other private property.

Environmental groups and public health advocates said the rollback approved under Trump has allowed businesses to dump pollutants into unprotected waterways and fill in some wetlands, threatening public water supplies downstream and harming wildlife and habitat. The Trump-era rule resulted in a 25% reduction in the number of streams and wetlands that are afforded federal protection, said Jaime Pinkham, acting assistant Army secretary for civil works.

The water rule has been a point of contention for decades. The Environmental Protection Agency administrator, Michael Regan, has pledged to issue a new rule that protects water quality while not overly burdening small farmers.

President Joe Biden ordered a review of the Trump rule as part of a broader executive action on climate change during his first week in office. Wednesday's legal filing by the Justice Department begins that process as the EPA and Department of the Army formally request repeal of the Trump-era rule.

Today's action reflects the agencies intent to initiate a new rulemaking process that restores the protections in place prior to the 2015 WOTUS implementation, and anticipates developing a new rule'' that defines what waters are considered to be under federal jurisdiction, the EPA said in a statement.

We are committed to establishing a durable definition of waters of the United States based on Supreme Court precedent and drawing from current and previous regulations ... so we can better protect our nations waters, foster economic growth and support thriving communities,'' Regan said.

The Army and EPA will develop a rule that is informed by our technical expertise, is straightforward to implement by our agencies ... and is shaped by the lived experience of local communities, Pinkham said.

A review conducted by the Biden administration determined that the Trump rule is significantly reducing clean water protections, particularly in arid states such as New Mexico and Arizona, where a large number of streams now lack federal jurisdiction. At least 333 projects that would have required Clean Water Act permits no longer need federal approval, the agencies said.

The Trump-era rule removed protections from several public lakes, including Lake Keowee in South Carolina, a reservoir that provides drinking water for nearly 400,000 people, according to the Southern Environmental Law Center, an advocacy group. The rule also removed Army Corps of Engineers jurisdiction from about 400 acres of wetlands where a titanium mine is planned near Georgia's Okefenokee Swamp, the group said.

The law center and other environmental groups hailed the EPA action and urged officials to move quickly to restore long-standing protections for critical drinking water sources.

"Every day this harmful (Trump-era) rule is in effect, it endangers the waterways our communities depend on. That is unacceptable and must stop now,'' said Madeleine Foote, deputy legislative director for the League of Conservation Voters.

North Dakota Sen. Kevin Cramer, a Republican who hosted Regan during a visit to his state last week, said it was a shame the Biden administration wants to undo the good work of the Trump administration'' in developing a workable policy that falls within the confines of the law.''

North Dakota is likely to challenge the Biden rule in court in the event of overreach, Cramer said.

Kevin Minoli, a former career lawyer at EPA, said the Biden team faces a similar dilemma to the Obama and Trump administrations. Now, the question becomes, Can they write a definition that will last beyond their time in office?  he said.
The Delta College Board of Trustees has selected and offered the position of Delta College president to Dr. Michael Gavin.

After a rigorous search, the board voted on June 8 to offer Gavin the presidency. The trustees discussed each candidate and reviewed comments from faculty, staff, students and community members before making a decision.

The board also authorized a virtual campus visit to Gavins current college and directed Board Chair Mike Nash, together with counsel, to negotiate the employment contract.

Gavin is currently vice president of Learning at Anne Arundel Community College in Arnold, Md. He has a doctorate in American studies from the University of Maryland in College Park, a masters degree in literature from American University in Washington, D.C., and a bachelors degree in literature from Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.

Delta had announced the three finalists for president in May. They included Gavin; Reva Curry, vice president of Instruction and Learning Services at Delta College; and Ty Stone, president of Jefferson Community College in Watertown, N.Y.

We had a tremendous and well-qualified pool of candidates to consider, and Id like to thank all members of the Presidential Search Advisory Committee for their dedication to this process, Nash said. Id also like to thank all campus and community members for their participation in sharing their thoughts and hopes in a new leader.

"Dr. Gavin impressed us all with his experience and strategic vision of Delta, and I am confident he will be an outstanding leader for years to come.

Several trustees also commented on the depth and breadth of the candidate pool, particularly the extremely qualified and impressive finalists.

Trustee Mary Lou Benecke chaired the search advisory committee for the replacement of Dr. Jean Goodnow, who will retire in August after serving 16 years as Delta president. Delta began the search for its next president in January, shortly after Goodnow announced her retirement.
WASHINGTON (AP)  An internal government investigation has determined that the decision to forcibly clear racial justice protesters from an area in front of the White House last summer was not influenced by then-President Donald Trump's plan to stage a Bible-toting photo opportunity at that spot.

The report released Wednesday by the Interior Department's inspector general concludes that the protesters were cleared by U.S. Park Police last June 1 so that a contractor could get started installing new fencing.

The demonstrators were protesting the death of George Floyd, who died after a then-Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck and pinned him to the ground for about 9 1/2 minutes. A half-hour after the Washington protesters were forced from the area with pepper pellets and flash-bangs, Trump walked across Lafayette Park amid the lingering scent of pepper spray and delivered a short speech while holding a Bible in front of St. John's Church.

Park Police officials had already planned to clear the area and had begun implementing the operational plan several hours before they knew of a potential Presidential visit to the park, Inspector General Mark Lee Greenblatt said in a statement accompanying the report.

The report documents Trump's attorney general, William Barr, encouraging commanders shortly before the push to clear the protesters because of Trump, but being dismissed.

In a remarkable exchange, the report recounts the testimony of an unnamed Park Police operations commander: The Attorney General asked him, Are these people still going to be here when POTUS (President of the United States) comes out? The USPP operations commander told us he had not known until then that the President would be coming out of the White House and into Lafayette Park. He said he replied to the Attorney General, Are you freaking kidding me? and then hung his head and walked away. The Attorney General then left Lafayette Park.

The report determined that the decision to clear the protesters was justified, but that law enforcement agencies on the scene failed to effectively communicate with each other and failed to communicate warnings to the protesters about the impending crackdown. Several different law enforcement agencies moved ahead of schedule and started engaging with protesters before the protesters had been sufficiently warned.

The confrontation and church photo-op capped several days of escalating tension and scattered violence. Nights of protests over Floyd's death had resulted in scattered vandalism through the downtown area. Trump declared that Washington's mayor, Muriel Bowser, was incapable of maintaining the peace and he called in his own security response.

The report details how on June 1, a contingent from the Bureau of Prisons arrived to the scene late, didn't receive a full briefing and used pepper pellets on protesters contrary to the USPP incident commanders instructions.

The conclusions, which deny any political influence on decisions and cite fog-of-war confusion for any missteps, are likely to be dismissed as insufficient by critics of last summers crackdown.

Lafayette Park, the Washington nexus of the last summer's national wave of racial justice protests, is under Park Police jurisdiction; that agency falls under the Interior Department.

The new report focuses on the Park Police decision-making and its complicated interactions with various law enforcement entities, including the Secret Service and the Metropolitan Police Department.

It points out that the USPP and the Secret Service did not use a shared radio channel to communicate and determines that weaknesses in communication and coordination may have contributed to confusion during the operation.

The report tries to explain one of the main points of lingering contention: who used tear gas and when? It concludes that members of the city's police department, who were stationed down the block, used CS gas near the corner of 17th and H Street.

In the aftermath of that day, the Park Police repeatedly insisted that its officers never used tear gas, while the the police insisted that its officers were not involved in clearing protesters away from the church. Just last month, lawyers for the police department stated in federal court that its officers had used CS gas and other chemical irritants, claiming protesters had become violent and that one officer had his arm burned by a firework.

Much of the criticism of the clearing, and the accusations of political influence, stem from the decision to move in before the 7 p.m. curfew that Bowser had set. The push surprised protesters and was criticized as unnecessarily confrontational after two nights of clashes and property damage.

The report concludes that Park Police commanders viewed the curfew as irrelevant. It cites an incident commander as saying, We were not enforcing the Mayors curfew. Were a Federal entity. We dont work directly for the Mayor.

It continues that commanders on the scene did not believe protesters would comply with the Mayors June 1 curfew order or that waiting would necessarily reduce unrest.
As COVID-19 numbers and positivity rates continue to decline in Midland County, health officials are continuing to monitor the area's progress.

Midland County Health Officer Fred Yanoski reported the county has seen positivity percentages and case rates trending downward for 55 days.

"It's nice to see the numbers have sharply declined," Yanoski said.

About 60% of the county's population ages 12 and up and 85% of the county's senior citizen population have received their first COVID-19 vaccination, according to Yanoski. In comparison, he reported that 52.5% of individuals ages 12 and over have received their second dose.

"It's nice to see those vulnerable populations have a little more coverage," Yanoski said.

The Midland County Health Department is continuing to encourage people to get vaccinated. As more outdoor gatherings are taking place, the department is offering smaller vaccination clinics at public venues. An upcoming clinic will take place from 5 to 6 p.m. Friday, June 25, at Dow Diamond, and it will offer the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines; no appointment is necessary.

On Tuesday, the department began hosting a weekly walk-in clinic from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays in the Midland County Services Building, 220 W. Ellsworth St. in Midland. Yanoski estimated a couple dozen vaccines were distributed on Tuesday.

"It's never too late to get the vaccine," he stated.

Wednesday, June 9 COVID-19 numbers

Midland County: two cases and one death were added. Pandemic total is 6,830 cases, 717 probable, 89 deaths and three probable deaths.

Bay County: two cases were added; pandemic total stands at 10,558 cases, 675 probable, 337 deaths and 14 probable deaths.

Gladwin County: one case was subtracted; pandemic total stands at 1,915 cases, 386 probable, 55 deaths and four probable deaths.

Isabella County: two cases were added; pandemic total stands at 5,385 cases, 938 probable, 93 deaths and five probable deaths.

Saginaw County: 15 cases were added; pandemic total stands at 19,971 cases, 1,359 probable, 592 deaths and 19 probable deaths.

The state added 25 cases and seven deaths on Wednesday. Overall, Michigan is at 891,314 cases and 19,439 deaths.

Recovered

According to the Midland County Health Department website, which was updated on June 7, 6,792 Midland County individuals have recovered from COVID-19. Gladwin County reported on Tuesday that it has a total of 1,695 recovered cases. The state reported that as of June 5, a total of 837,864 persons have recovered.

Testing

Midland Countys seven-day rolling positivity rate on June 6 was listed at 3% and Gladwin County was listed at 0.4%. Our 12-county region is listed at 3.9% and Michigan is at 2.7%.

MidMichigan Health statistics

As of Monday, June 7, MidMichigan Medical Center in Midland was listed as having an 70% bed occupancy with eight COVID patients and four in the ICU. MidMichigan Medical Center in Gladwin was listed as having an 14% bed occupancy with one COVID patient, and none in the ICU.

Regarding PPE supplies, the Midland hospital reported 15-30 days for surgical masks; 30-plus days for surgical gowns; 15-30 days for exam gloves and 30-plus days for eye protection as of Monday, June 7. The Gladwin hospital reported 30-plus days for all of the above supplies.
Sarah Opperman, retired executive of The Dow Chemical Company and lifelong mid-Michigan resident, has been named chair of the Isabella Bank Corporation and Isabella Bank Board of Directors.

Former Chair David Maness will remain a member of the board.

Mr. Maness and Ms. Opperman are visionary leaders, stated President and CEO Jae Evans. Both are resolute in upholding Isabella Banks 118-year history and culture as an independent, locally owned and operated community bank. They are strategic in their approach to growth while keeping a steadfast focus on knowing and serving our customers and communities extraordinarily well.

Maness has been a director of Isabella Bank since 2003 and joined the corporate board of directors in 2004. He was named board chair in 2010.

During his tenure as chair, Isabella Bank Corporation and Isabella Bank:

Added six local branches in Midland, Freeland, Saginaw and Big Rapids.

Established its services in the East Region, which includes Midland and Saginaw counties.

Transitioned to the leadership of Evans, who had been the chief operations officer, from Richard Barz, who retired in 2013 after 46 years with the bank.

Launched its mobile banking services and option to open accounts online, which addressed increasingly crucial needs during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Grew its assets to nearly $2 billion, up almost $800,000 million.

Maness is president of Maness Petroleum, a geological and geophysical consulting services company founded in 1985 to explore the Michigan Basin for oil and gas. David and his brother, Tim, are equal owners of the Mt. Pleasant-based company. Maness also has served on the boards of the Michigan Oil and Gas Association and Mount Pleasant Public Schools.

Opperman joined the boards of Isabella Bank Corporation and the bank in 2012. She worked for Dow nearly 30 years, retiring in 2009 as vice president of Global Government Affairs and Public Policy. In 2018, she served as interim president and CEO of the Midland Business Alliance, an integrated business hub that includes economic development, the Chamber of Commerce and four other organizations. She received the Chairmans Award from the Alliance in 2019 for her contributions in strategically realigning and relaunching the organization.

She also spent eight years on the Central Michigan University Board of Trustees, twice serving as chair.

Sarah has received Dows highest recognition for being an effective, committed leader and champion of people, and the ATHENA Award, for her community service and support of other women. She chairs the Mid-Michigan Health Foundation Board and is a member of the Midland 100 Club, a womens organization that supported 47 local nonprofits in its first 10 years with contributions and grants approaching $1 million.

Sarahs vast experience in corporate business strategy and organizational leadership is invaluable as Isabella Bank continues its drive for growth and shareholder value, Evans said.

At the same time, she exudes commitment to our employees, communities and customers. Originally from Frankenmuth, having lived in Mount Pleasant and in Midland, she is very familiar with the communities throughout our seven-county footprint, he said. As so many other banks are sold and merged and sold again, Sarah knows the value of independent community banking.

Opperman began as board chair May 26.
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On June 13th 2021, the people and the Government of Sint Maarten will be commemorating the 36th Anniversary of Flag Day. The annual commemoration of Sint Maarten Flag Day will take place during the early hours of June 13th at 6:00 am, in front of the Government Administration Building in Philipsburg.





This year will mark 36 years since the Sint Maarten flag was designed by Roselle Richardson, presented by Dr. Claude Wathey, approved and established by the then sitting members of Island Council on June 13th 1985. Today, the Sint Maarten Flag remains an intricate part of the fabric of our Historical and Cultural heritage.





In response to the existing social distancing protocols of the COVID  19 Pandemic, only the Council of Ministers along with invited dignitaries and guests will attend this event. Some of the main highlights of this event will be the raising of the Sint Maarten Flag along with key cultural performances.





In the days, leading up to the commemoration ceremony on June 13th, Minister of Education Culture Youth & Sport drs. Rodolphe Samuel is calling on persons and businesses in the community to show their pride and patriotism by flying the Sint Maarten flag on their vehicles and buildings or wherever they deem it appropriate. Persons are also reminded to follow proper protocol and etiquette of how the flag should be displayed.





Photo caption  Commemoration of Flag Day 2020 (L to R)  Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs, Composer Rally around the Flag song-Louie Laveist, Sint Maarten Flag Designer Roselle Richardson and Minister ECYS drs. Rodolphe Samuel.




The following list includes recent reports from the Midland County Sheriffs Office and the Midland Police Department. Compiled by reporter Andrew Mullin.

Friday, June 4:

9:58 p.m.  A deputy was sent to M-20 for a semi-truck with no taillights. The deputy checked the area, but the semi-truck was not located.

9:54 p.m.  Deputies responded to a single vehicle accident that occurred on a Jerome Township roadway. The occupants were transported to Mid-Michigan Medical Center for minor injuries. A citation was issued to the driver.

9:47 p.m.  A deputy contacted a 54-year-old Lee Township female who advised someone scratched the paint on the outside of her trailer house. The damage was reported at $50 and no suspects are known.

7:43 p.m.  A 60-year-old Homer Township woman reported her ex-boyfriend, a 52-year-old male, contacted her and claimed he was suicidal after having been served a Personal Protection Order that protected the woman. The male was not able to be located and an area be on the lookout was broadcast.

7:26 p.m.  A deputy contacted a Saginaw County female who was dealing with a civil/property dispute with an ex-boyfriend. The ex-boyfriend took property that each claim belongs to each other. The female was directed to the courts to assist in resolving the civil matter.

5:11 p.m.  A Larkin Township mother called 911 because her 15-year-old daughter failed to come home after school, and then refused to answer her phone. A deputy interviewed the mother and began an investigation. The deputy eventually located the female and turned her over to her mother.

4:22 p.m.  A deputy was dispatched to a single vehicle traffic crash in Larkin Township. A front tire had come partially off the vehicle causing it to go into the ditch. There were no injuries and the owner contacted the insurance company who had the vehicle towed by Kreager Towing.

3:06 p.m.  Animal Control Deputy received a call from a Larkin Township resident reference her cat being exposed to a bat in her house. Bat was collected and will be submitted to the Michigan Department of Health for a rabies screening. An isolation notice issued to the cat owner.

12:38 p.m.  An Animal Control deputy received a call to assist a health care worker who was trying to catch an indoor cat that had gotten out of the home of her client. The cat returns each night to eat but will not come back into the house. The health care worker and client were supplied a live trap to catch the cat and return it home.

9:48 a.m.  A 62-year-old female reported she lost her .380 pistol. The female believed it was lost in the woods at a friends property. The pistol was entered into the Michigan Law Enforcement Information Network as lost.

4:24 a.m.  A deputy initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle for a moving violation in Greendale Township. The driver, a 28-year-old Saginaw male, had a suspended Michigan driver license. The male was cited for driving with a suspended license and given a warning for the moving violation. A report was completed and forwarded to the Midland Prosecuting Attorneys Office for review.

Thursday, June 3

11:43 p.m.  Deputies assisted EMS and Correction Deputies with transporting an inmate to Mid-Michigan Medical Center. Deputies stood by with the inmate at the hospital while the inmate was being evaluated.

11:07 p.m.  A deputy made contact with a 39-year-old Jerome Township female who is continually calling 911, despite her calls not being emergencies. A report was completed and forwarded to the Midland Prosecuting Attorneys Office for review.

8:23 p.m.  Deputies initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle at a Jerome Township location for an equipment violation. Upon contacting the male driver, a 20-year-old Larkin Township male, the male had a suspended drivers license. The male was cited for the offense and the vehicle was impounded from the scene. A report was forwarded to the prosecutor's office.

7:20 p.m. Officers responded to a vehicle crash in the area of Isabella Street and Rowe Court.

5:29 p.m.  A deputy initiated a traffic stop in Greendale Township for a speeding violation. The 39-year-old Flint female had a suspended Michigan driver's license and the vehicle was impounded. The deputy completed a vehicle inventory search. The female later contacted the Midland County Sheriff's Office and reported that items were missing from the vehicle after getting it out of impound. Body camera footage was reviewed, and the female was shown and heard giving the item to the passenger of the vehicle before the vehicle was towed. The complaint was unfounded.

5:12 p.m.  A deputy contacted a Lee Township family regarding a death notification from Arizona.

4:25 p.m.  A 60-year-old female had a verbal dispute with her 52-year-old boyfriend. The male had personal protection order in the Michigan Law Enforcement Information Network that had not been served. The personal protection order was served verbally. The protected person was the female complainant. Deputies stood by until the male left the property.

9:43 a.m.  A 66-year-old Hope Township female reported she is having ongoing family issues with her daughter and believes her daughters boyfriend might have used her debit card without her permission. The female advised she did not want to press charges but would like it documented in case it continues to happen.

5:49 a.m.  A deputy responded to an Ingersoll Township location for a report of several gun shots heard in the area. The deputy contacted a 27-year-old male at his Ingersoll Township residence who had shot a raccoon that was attacking his chickens.

3:36 a.m.  Officers responded to a vehicle crash in the area of Perrine Road and Cherry Blossom Lane.

3:33 a.m.  Deputies initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle at a Jerome Township location for an equipment violation. Deputies contacted the 33-year-old male driver, discovered the vehicle did not have insurance, and the driver had a misdemeanor warrant out of Saginaw. The male driver was cited for no insurance and taken into custody for the warrant. The vehicle was impounded. A report has been sent to the prosecutor's office.

3:10 a.m.  Deputies were dispatched to a Jerome Township residence reference a verbal argument between a 30-year-old female and her live in 31-year-old boyfriend. No assault occurred and the male left for the evening to let things cool down.

1:32 a.m.  Deputies were dispatched to a Hope Township residence reference a 911 hang up. Central dispatch informed deputies prior to their arrival on scene that the caller accidentally set off their SOS on their iPhone, and didn't need any police assistance.
To build a community where all can thrive, the needs of our youngest learners must be addressed. Several years ago, members of the Midland Area Community Foundation board of trustees and staff heard Dr. Robert Putnam, a retired Harvard professor, speak at a conference. Putnam advanced the view that America is in crisis because of the shortfall of the requisite social capital and the resources of time and money to ensure that children are prepared for school by the time they reach age 4 or 5. Putnam particularly looked at the challenge this may pose for children whose parents are economically disadvantaged.

In response to this, the Midland Area Community Foundation began to look at how to provide a sustainable way to allow families access to high-quality care and education. The Ready for Preschool Scholarship Fund was established and has continued to grow thanks to the generous support of the Rollin M. Gerstacker Foundation, the Charles J. Strosacker Foundation, and many passionate individuals, families, and organizations who have contributed to building these scholarship dollars.

Background

The importance of high-quality care and education cannot be overstated. The power of high-quality early learning experiences has been evidenced in research time and time again. High-quality preschool programs help equip our children with critical and timely brain development while putting them on the path to school readiness before their little feet reach the kindergarten door. Indeed, study after study has indicated that investments in first-rate preschools can help break the cycle of poverty in America. The economic rates of return from early childhood education are stunning (Benefit/Cost Ratio of $16-18 to $1). These outcomes are achieved through social cost avoidance savings (e.g., incarceration, welfare, etc.) and increased participants' earnings.

Children enrolled in quality preschool programs have demonstrably better math, language, and social skills as they enter school; require fewer special education services as they grow older; are less likely to be held back a grade or more in school; are more likely to graduate from high school and attend college, and are more likely to be employed and have higher earnings as adults. In addition to these evidence-based benefits, quality preschool programs are also associated with lower rates of substantiated child maltreatment and out-of-community placements; youth depression and substance use disorders; and arrests for violent and nonviolent offenses, convictions, and incarceration well into adulthood.

Opportunity

There is also considerable evidence that children unable to access quality preschool experiences and supplies significantly lack school readiness skills. For families with limited financial resources, the access to enroll in high-quality care and education is often limited. This "school readiness gap" is noticeably correlated with a variety of poor student outcomes, including learning disabilities, substandard reading and mathematics skills, and low school completion rates.

Unfortunately, children in Midland County are not exempt from this problem. Of the incoming Midland County kindergarteners in 2018-19, approximately one-third had no high-quality preschool experience. Despite this gap, there is sufficient capacity in Midland County, both in staff and physical facilities to accommodate these students. The limited income of families making tuition unaffordable is the principal limitation impeding these students' access to quality preschools.

Ready For School Preschool Scholarship Program

The Midland County Great Start Collaborative (GSC), a program at the Midland County Educational Service Agency, was established more than a decade ago to provide program oversight and the administration of funding to underwrite tuition to the parent's choice of a quality preschool for children from economically-disadvantaged families in Midland County.

A quality preschool is defined as one that has earned a minimum of a "3 Star" rating in Michigan's Great Start To Quality rating and improvement system. The amount of tuition support is prorated according to family income, with families with the fewest financial resources receiving the most significant tuition assistance. However, available funding currently supports only about 30 to 40 students of the nearly 300 eligible 4-year-olds and 550 eligible 3-year-olds. Additional financial support is vital to fuel the existing capacity to serve the balance of eligible but unserved preschoolers. The Midland Area Community Foundation established the Ready For School Preschool Scholarship program to address this funding gap. It is an endowed fund to underwrite tuition to attend a quality preschool for Midland County children whose families would otherwise be unable or find it challenging to afford the experience. The existing Midland County GSC will continue to provide oversight and administration for all Ready For School scholarship funds. The Midland County GSC also works closely with Head Start and the Great Start Readiness Program to maximize local, state, and federal funds.

Impact

In addition to the previously cited economic returns, the benefits of the Ready For School Preschool Scholarship Program for Midland County's 3- and 4-year-old children will be considerable and significant. The most immediate will be an increase in school readiness skills, both cognitive and behavioral, as students enter kindergarten. Measurable literacy improvements are also anticipated. In addition, math ability, school attendance, parental engagement, and social/emotional skills are expected to improve.

Dr. James Heckman of the University of Chicago, a 2000 Nobel Prize laureate in economics who has quantified the incredible economic gains from investments in early childhood development, has described the benefits of closing the school readiness gap as "a hard-nosed investment that pays off...the benefit is broadly shared and is something that actually accrues to the whole country." Quality preschools educate both the child and the whole family. The investment in quality preschools will help us significantly increase the number of children served by the program and profoundly affect participating children's lives. Midland County, too will realize a far-reaching spectrum of essential and meaningful benefits from our "hard-nosed investment" in the future of our most vulnerable daughters and sons.

There's no better time to join donors and support the Ready For School Preschool Scholarship Fund. Currently, an anonymous donor is matching up to $5,000 for donations pledged to support this impactful initiative. More information is available by calling the Midland Area Community Foundation at 989-839-9661 or contacting Sharon Mortensen at smortensen@midlandfoundation.org.

Since 1973, area residents have been turning to the Midland Area Community Foundation to make their philanthropic giving as effective as possible. Dick Dolinski is a former Midland Area Community Foundation trustee and part of the committee that developed the Ready for School Preschool Scholarship concept. Sharon Mortensen serves as president and CEO at Midland Area Community Foundation and also served on the committee developing the preschool scholarship program.
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP)  The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield will mark Juneteenth  the holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States  by displaying a rare signed copy of the Emancipation Proclamation.

The copy of the proclamation that's signed by Lincoln and Secretary of State William Seward will be displayed between June 15 and July 6. The original document is kept in the National Archives in Washington, D.C.

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Juneteenth  also known as Emancipation Day and Freedom Day  falls on June 19. On that day in 1865, more than two years after Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation during the Civil War, enslaved Blacks in Galveston, Texas, were freed with the arrival of federal troops.

Though slavery was not completely abolished until the 13th Amendment, which came six months later, Juneteenth has come to symbolize the end of slavery. In May, Illinois became one of several states to make Juneteenth a state holiday.

Few documents in all of American history carry the weight of the Emancipation Proclamation. We are proud to share it with the public and celebrate its connection to such a joyous holiday, Melissa Coultas, acting executive director of the library and museum, said in a news release.

When the proclamation is displayed in the Treasures Gallery, windows along one side of the museum will feature a display about the history of Black Americans and their fight for full citizenship. The display includes a timeline running from 1787 to 2021, covering slavery in Illinois, a supposedly free state, a riot that targeted Blacks in Springfield and the first Juneteenth celebration in the city.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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The conversation then, is one which centres on whether Sri Lanka possesses the underlying policy frameworks, enabling environments, consistent policy execution and macro-environmental fundamentals, in order to facilitate the transformation of undisputed opportunity and potential, in to real growth.

by Dr. Hans Wijayasuriya

Chairman, Ceylon Chamber of Commerce.

On behalf of the Co-Chairs of the Sri Lanka Investment Forum, Sanjaya Mohottala Chairman of the Board of Investment and Dumith Fernando Chairman of the Colombo Stock Exchange, their respective institutions and the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, it is a distinct honor and privilege to welcome you all to the Sri Lanka Investment Forum 2021.

Invest-Sri Lanka is both a proposition of partnership from an investment destination enriched with innate potential and opportunity, as well as an invitation from the people of a nation known for its deep-rooted culture of hospitality.

Sri Lanka - the Opportunity

The Opportunity that Sri Lanka presents  I believe is beyond debate. A comparison of Potential vs Baseline at sectoral and national level, as well as the breadth and depth of innate and under- capitalised resources, point to the potential for rapid growth.

To cite a few growth levers - an under-exploited tourism proposition, uniquely located Deep Sea ports, knowledge rich human capital, world class ICT eco-systems, excellence in apparel manufacture, and natural products, crops and minerals unique to the pearl of the Indian ocean.

Policy Fundamentals & Converting Opportunity into Growth

The conversation then, is one which centres on whether Sri Lanka possesses the underlying policy frameworks, enabling environments, consistent policy execution and macro-environmental fundamentals, in order to facilitate the transformation of undisputed opportunity and potential, in to real growth.

S-L-I-F 2021 has been designed to engender this conversation and to answer these questions. The forum brings together a wide spectrum of Policy Makers, Economists and Bankers, Development Planners, Facilitation Agencies and Industry Leaders, to provide deep insight in to the fundamentals which underly the invest-Sri Lanka proposition.

Asias Next Growth Haven - Combining Potential with Capital

Growth potential de-risked by a consistent policy framework, and enriched through an Investment Facilitation Eco-System, provides fertile ground for capital formation.

When growth capital combines with innate and under-exploited potential, the result is a new nucleus of growth. This is a formula which has triggered successive growth havens across Asia over the past 5 decades. As the Asian growth wave continues to build momentum.

We are confident, that Sri Lanka uniquely located as the gateway to South Asia, will indeed be Asias next growth haven.

The External Sector and Macro-Economy in Focus

The forum will build the Invest-Sri Lanka Dialogue from the foundation of the countrys policy framework and macro-economic backdrop. Sri Lanka envisions a doubling of its economy over the next decade and has spelled a clear commitment to growth through its Investment and Tax policies.

In focus then, will be the management and expansion of the fiscal space, and the calibration of growth vs debt alongside deficits management, through a confluence of domestic productivity initiatives and external sector policies.

The external sector is pivotal to this calibrated growth formula. The forum will illuminate the primary instruments of Foreign Investment policies, Trade Policies and Export Facilitation Frameworks.

Provision for 100% foreign ownership is nothing new nor an exception in Sri Lanka. The Repatriation experience of foreign investors has been likewise unblemished, as has been the honoring of the 25 over investment protection agreements to which Sri Lanka is a signatory.

The Interplay of Investment, Export and Trade Policies

The forum will evidence the on-ground experience of long-term foreign investors as well as new entrants and detail the investment facilitation framework enabled by the BoI and other agencies.

S-L-I-F will also illuminate the interplay between Foreign Investment policies and equally progressive Trade and Export policies.

Sri Lankas preferential trade agreements have spawned an external market space of over 2.5Bn consumers, and our export development framework facilitates the conversion of preferential access into globally competitive outputs and growth opportunities for investors.

Investor Access and the Colombo Stock Exchange

Also, in focus is Investor Access  Friction free direct investment and repatriation constructs have enabled FDI over the past decades.

Equally, the Colombo Stock Exchange provides a buoyant platform for portfolio investments and has been consistently rated as one of the best performing capital markets in Asia.

Sri Lankas listed corporates exhibit in cumulation, attractive index returns and dividend yields, on the backdrop of modest valuations relative to regional peers.

Ease of Doing Business

The Forum will illuminate not only the positives but also areas where work is in progress at speed. Sri Lanka takes head-on, with commitment from the highest levels of government, the lagging indicators within the Ease of Doing Business Index.

The forum will discuss at Ministerial level the governments commitment to fast track transformation across the spheres of Legal System Capacities and Processes, Alternate Dispute Resolution Constructs, Broad-based De-regulation, Institutional Reform and the accelerated digitization of institutional interfaces

Sri Lankas Legal reforms extend beyond process acceleration. Mature frameworks encompassing Intellectual Property, Electronic Transactions and Cyber laws have been in place for several years while the establishment of Data Protection and Privacy frameworks to support digital eco-systems are imminent.

Human Development, Literacy and ICT Excellence

Sri Lanka is 1st Ranked in the region on the Human Development Index. Child labor has never been a topic on Sri Lankas manufacturing landscape and we stand-out as an equal opportunity and ethical production destination.

We are proud of our uniquely literate citizenry and inclusive education systems, leading to a knowledge driven economy with a tripling of graduate resources and a 2.5x growth in ICT exports by 2025.

Digital Economy

The new world order is one where digital readiness and maturity is inextricably linked to a nations competitiveness.

Founded on innate excellence in ICT competence, Sri Lankas Digital Economy and Digital Transformation programmes are designed to drive domestic efficiencies in parallel with seamless global linkages.

Resilience

The world order is also one which is marred by harsh externalities  both man-made and natural. Investors today seek out resilience and agility  facets well evidenced in Sri Lankas V-Shaped Post-Covid Recovery with respect to exports and domestic production sectors.

Resilience is deep set in Sri Lankas DNA and is evidenced across public and private sector eco- systems.

Sustainability

The Resilience of a nations socio-economy is a subset of the broader topic of Sustainability  an edict which is deep rooted in Sri Lankas development fabric.

A focus on renewable energy, climate change and a commitment to an organic centered Green Socio-Economy are embedded in the strategic evolution of energy, manufacturing and agriculture sectors.

The forum will also triangulate the topics of Food Security, Domestic Production and agriculture modernization, cumulating to the optimization of macro-economic indices in parallel with growth acceleration.

Pivoting the Growth Gradient

A country at the inflexion point of its growth gradient will necessarily feature sharp pivots in terms of transformative initiatives. The forum will dialogue on Sri Lankas Port City Special Economic Zone, Innovation in Off-Shore Financial Services and the Parallel development of multiple deep- sea ports. Mega initiatives which will fuel a sharp uplift in growth gradient.

Sri Lankas broader investment opportunities span a wide spectrum of sectors. The forum will deep dive in to Tourism, ICT, Apparel, Pharma, Agriculture and Infrastructure development.

Vision for the Nation

Sri Lankas commitment to compete and excel on Asias investment landscape is indelibly coupled with the vision and commitment of the country's government and leadership. Today we are singularly honored to have with us His Excellency the President who will frame the Invest-Sri Lanka proposition in the context of his vision for the nation.

Commencing with His Excellency the President, the Invest-Sri Lanka proposition is collectively espoused by stakeholders who will themselves be the partners, enablers and underwriters of Investment and growth going forward.

Collective Passion & Commitment

We are grateful for the momentous support and contribution rendered by the Honorable Prime Minister, our Ministerial Speakers, Ambassadors, High Commissioners and their respective missions in Sri Lanka and Overseas, the 60 over Public and Private Sector project promoters, 90 over speakers and panelists, Policy Makers, Regulators, Multilateral institutions, Listed Corporates, the teams from the Board of Investment, Ceylon Chamber of Commerce and the Colombo Stock Exchange, and finally and importantly our Strategic Partners and Sponsors.

I make mention of these pivotal stakeholders, not only to thank them on behalf of the conveners of S-L-I-F 2021, but also to point to the collective passion behind the exposition of the Invest-Sri Lanka proposition. I am confident that this collective passion represents and embodies, Sri Lanka's commitment to deliver on its holistic growth investment proposition.

Going Forward  A Platform for Growth Partnerships

The forum is only the beginning of what we envisage to be an ongoing platform for the seeding of investment partnerships. A platform which enables the lighting up of multi-faceted growth pathways which are mutually reinforcing and mutually rewarding for all participants in Sri Lankas decade of growth.

I wish you all good health, and a rewarding and fruitful engagement at the Sri Lanka Investment Forum 2021.
COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP)  The skeletons of two related Viking-era men, one who died in central Denmark and the other who was killed in England during a massacre ordered by a king, are set to be reunited for an exhibition opening in Copenhagen this month.

Scientists on both sides of the North Sea have established a genetic link between the Norsemen. DNA tests showed that they are either half brothers or nephew and uncle, University of Copenhagen geneticist Eske Willerslev said.

The man from the central Denmark island of Funen was a farmer in his 50s; his skeleton was excavated in 2005 near the town of Otterup. He stood 182-centimeters-tall (just under 6 feet), had arthritis in most of his bones and signs of inflammation inside some ribs which could indicate tuberculosis, according to Odense City Museums chief curator Jesper Hansen.

The man likely took part in the raids for which Vikings remain notorious because he also has a violent lesion on his left pelvis, which may have originated from a proper stab from a sword. The wound from that blow may have cost him his life because it did not heal, Hansen said in a statement.

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Across the North Sea, the skeleton of a younger man was found in a mass grave near Oxford, England in 2008 with the remains of at least 35 other men. All were killed more than 1,000 years ago when the king ordered the slaying of dozens of Danish settlers.

He died of massive injuries from several types of weapons, Lasse Soerensen, head of research at the National Museum of Denmark, said. His skull shows traces of at least nine lesions caused by a sword or other sharp object, and the skeleton also revealed signs he was speared several times in the back.

The pair of skeletons will be displayed as part of an exhibit titled Togtet - Danish for The Raid - that opens June 26 at the National Museum of Denmark.

From the year 850 A.D, people from Denmark settled in England as farmers. King Aethelred II ordered the Danes - adults and children - to be killed in 1002.

During the Viking Age, considered to be from 793 to 1066, Norsemen known as Vikings undertook large-scale raiding, colonizing, conquest and trading throughout Europe. They also reached North America.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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BLOOMINGTON  Count Illinois among the states opting into a federally approved plan that gives more money for buying fruits and vegetables.

It involves people who get benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children program.

Until Sept. 30, they'll be able to get up to $35 per adult and child each month to buy canned, frozen or fresh fruits and vegetables.

That's up from the normal allotment of $9 per child and $11 per woman in the program for the same products. The $490 million is a byproduct of American Rescue Plan funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to WIC state agencies.

"Some (states) may be participating, some may be not, but Illinois did jump in and the benefit is substantial," McLean County Health Department WIC coordinator Mary Colby said.

Colby said the increased allotment is likely part of a continued push to "ensure that our communities have access to as many healthy fruits and vegetables as possible."

Bloomington man charged with LSD deliveries He is accused of delivering between 15 to 100 grams of LSD on March 16 and April 26, and two other unspecified amounts of LSD on the same dates to Normal police.

"As a result of the pandemic, as many as 30 million adults and 12 million children may not always have enough nutritious food to eat... These additional funds will increase the purchasing power of WIC participants so they can buy and consume more healthy fruits and vegetables," the USDA said in an announcement.

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WIC participants will automatically be enrolled into the program, meaning the benefits will be loaded onto a WIC Electronic Benefit Transaction card for use at pre-approved stores.

The benefits don't roll over from month to month, meaning those interested in getting the most out of their allotment will have to plan ahead.

"We're really encouraging all of our nutritionists to work with participants if they're concerned about using it and teach them how to not let that go to waste, how to spread their visits out to the store to buy fresh, and getting some canned or frozen vegetables for later," Colby said.

In McLean County, WIC enrollment is 113% over the 2,000 caseload allotment the department planned, for Colby said, but they're still encouraging anyone with a low- to middle income who thinks they may be eligible to call the department with questions.

"It's great  honestly we just try to see as many people as we can year to year," Colby said. "We never had a gap in services during COVID, which is pretty successful. The people that need our services are still getting our services."

Colby said she couldn't definitively point to the pandemic and corresponding unemployment issues as a reason for the heightened enrollment, but said she believed "some of it was a factor."

Contact Lyndsay Jones at (309) 820-3275. Follow her on Twitter: @__lyndsayjones

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BLOOMINGTON  The president of Illinois Wesleyan University said Tuesday that changes are coming to higher education and she thinks her institution is positioned to adapt.

Not all the changes are a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, said President Georgia Nugent, but the pandemic showed institutions they can make rapid changes when necessary.

The interesting question now is what do we learn from that, said Nugent. Will it change what happens in the future?

IWU expects to return to a more traditional college experience this fall, with as many in-person classes as possible and double-occupancy rooms rejoining single-occupancy housing. Enrollment is on track to be around 1,600, with an incoming class of 450 to 470, she said.

A lot will depend on what guidelines are in place by fall, said Nugent, but our expectation is that well be up and running and provide a traditional Illinois Wesleyan experience.

However, IWU will be entering the next academic year with changes in program offerings that some faculty members have said lead away from its liberal arts roots  an interpretation with which Nugent disagrees.

Liberal arts and professional career preparation are not in conflict with each other, she said.

Last July, the IWU board of trustees voted to discontinue programs in French, Italian, religious studies and anthropology.

The university is adding a minor in public health, the School of Art has more focus on graphic design and programs in finance and entrepreneurship are joining accounting in an accredited school of business, said Nugent.

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Students are flocking to that, which is a national trend, she said.

As evidence of how things are changing, she picks up a book on her desk, How to Market your University.

Nugent said, Higher education was once seen as a cathedral, now its seen as a consumer good, she said, while expressing hope that the trend modulates.

Its clear that what our students and families expect from higher education has changed dramatically, said Nugent, who came to IWU in 2019.

There is more focus on post-graduation success as measured by moving pretty much immediately into a professional career track, she said.

I think it makes perfect sense that students and families want to ensure  that theres a return on investment, said Nugent. Whats problematic, I think, is if its a very narrowly focused expectation because, in fact, one will typically be better prepared for post-graduate life the broader the exposure to fields theyve been introduced to during their college years.

Nugent thinks the changes being made at Illinois Wesleyan will attract more students to the community.

She said, In our view, the university is in great financial shape.

Unlike some schools, IWU has a good endowment, said Nugent, although she admits, Over the past decade or so we have drawn more on that endowment.

Contact Lenore Sobota at (309) 820-3240. Follow her on Twitter: @Pg_Sobota

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A 24-year-old Illinois man was hit with federal charges Tuesday alleging he posted video of himself on Instagram storming the U.S. Capitol building during the Jan. 6 siege while wearing a designer coat and pro-Trump hat.

Christian Kulas, of Kenilworth, was arrested at home shortly after 6 a.m. on misdemeanor charges of unlawful entry of a restricted building and disorderly conduct on U.S. Capitol grounds. Each charges carries a maximum sentence of a year in prison.

He appeared via a telephone link hours later before U.S. Magistrate Judge Gabriel Fuentes in Chicago, who ordered him released on a recognizance bond to the custody of his mother. A court hearing in the district court in Washington will be set at a later date.

Kulas spoke only briefly during the 45-minute hearing. When the judge asked if he could identify himself, Kulas said slowly, Hello. This is Christian Kulas on the line. Thank you.

Later, Fuentes asked Kulas if he understood the conditions of his release.

Yes, I understand that I must listen to everything my mother says, your honor, Kulas said.

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Kulas parents did not immediately respond to messages left by the Tribune.

Kulas was at least the ninth Illinoisan to be federally charged as part of the ongoing investigation into the Capitol attack, which prosecutors have described as one of the largest criminal investigations in American history.

A 10-page criminal complaint alleged that Kulas was captured by others on social media as well as in surveillance images at the Capitol wearing a pricey Burberry coat and a hat with the Trump campaign slogan, Keep America Great.

Video clips posted on an Instagram account associated with Kulas showed the throngs of people at a rally where President Donald Trump was speaking as well as rioters ascending the Capitol steps after the presidents speech, the complaint alleged.

In one clip, Kulas allegedly turned the camera around and laughing, captured his own face as he filmed. In another, he could be heard uttering the words, Storming the Capitol, the complaint alleged.

The FBI began receiving tips about Kulas participation three days after the attack, according to the complaint. An informant who went to middle school and high school with Kulas later identified him from the videos and said it was his voice talking about storming the Capitol.

Zana Weismantel, 22, who said she went to Lake Forest High School with him, was one of many people to identify and condemn Kulas on their social media accounts soon after the siege took place. She said he became the talk of the town once his name and photo hit the internet.

I do know that a lot of people were fully aware, she said. Its a small town. It traveled really quickly.

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A 38-year-old man was arrested after he hit a CTA bus with gunfire in the West Pullman neighborhood late Tuesday after a bus driver told him he couldnt get on if he wasnt wearing a mask, police said.

The man was arrested after discharging a firearm numerous times around 10:45 p.m. Tuesday in the 300 Block of West 119th Street, police said.

Two rounds hit the doors of a CTA bus that had been headed east on 119 Street.

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The man had tried to get on the bus but was not allowed to because he was not wearing a mask, police said.

No injuries were reported and charges were pending.

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Illinois' move to Phase 5  full reopening  happens Friday. With that comes questions about what's allowed in the stage as the state recovers from COVID-19. Here are answers to questions people have asked regarding the move to normal in Illinois.

What is Phase 5?

 Phase 5 is the final step in what was established last May as the Restore Illinois plan to return the state to normalcy.

 With a vaccine now widely available and people taking advantage of that opportunity, cases have now gone down significantly and the state can now resume normal activities.

What's the catch?

 There's no catch, but the state's guidelines do indicate that certain health restrictions do remain in place even as the state reopens without capacity restrictions.

 For instance, people who are still unvaccinated must continue to wear a mask. Masks are still required for all people, vaccinated or not, in places such as health care facilities, congregate settings, and on mass transit, such as buses and trains.

So what does Phase 5 mean for me and for the state?

 It means that everything can reopen without any capacity restrictions.

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 Restaurants, fitness centers, offices, retail facilities, amusement parks, museums and zoos can return to full capacity. Some stores may still require customers to wear a mask.

 Spectator events can return to full attendance. For instance, the Bank of Springfield Center and Robin Roberts Stadium can now have full capacity at their events.

 Conventions, festivals and other large events can also resume with full attendance.

 Farmers markets and other social events can now resume with full capacity.

 Illinoisans can now resume normal activities, indoor or outdoor, without having to wear a mask.

 For those still reluctant to take off the mask, they can still wear one.

Sounds good. Is there any chance that restrictions could return at some point if things go haywire?

 Yes. The fact that Illinois has done well at vaccinations may preclude this, but the state could return to the bridge phase or Phase 4 if cases, hospitalizations and deaths rise at some point.

 Illinois is not at herd immunity yet, and the state has not had half of its total population  including children  fully vaccinated (two shots for Pfizer and Moderna, one shot of Johnson & Johnson).

How can I do my part to keep the state open?

 Get vaccinated, or if you have done so already, help get reluctant friends and family on board with getting the vaccine. You can visit https://www.dph.illinois.gov/covid19/vaccine-faq for more information about vaccines, including where to get one.
SPRINGFIELD  Illinois lawmakers could take up a bill later this month that would restore voting rights to convicted offenders serving time in county jails or state or federal prisons, according to the bills House sponsor.

Rep. La Shawn Ford, D-Chicago, said the bill almost came up for a vote during the final days of the regular session but was delayed due to some last-minute confusion.

We were moving right ahead in the regular session, he said during an interview Tuesday. The bill hit the board and then there was some confusion within the (Democratic) caucus about whether or not there was an agreement to move forward or not. And so somehow, the speaker's office called audible and said, We gotta hold it for now until we could work things out, but things are worked out.

Lawmakers wrapped up the bulk of their spring session on June 1, but they did not formally adjourn the session because negotiations were continuing on a massive energy bill that would put Illinois on a path to producing 100% of its electricity from renewable and carbon-free sources.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker said last week that all the parties in that discussion had agreed on a broad outline of the energy bill and that he expected the bill to be introduced soon. On Tuesday, the Senate announced it will return on June 15 to vote on the energy bill. House Speaker Emanuel "Chris" Welch announced later Tuesday that the House would be in the following day, Wednesday, June 16.

As I indicated before we adjourned on the final day of session, the House is expected to return next week on Wednesday, June 16 to take care of some final-action legislation, Welch said in the statement. Items such as the energy proposal, unemployment insurance, and an elected school board for Chicago will be at the top of our list. We were able to accomplish big things this legislative session, and I'm eager to keep that spirit alive in a quick special session next week.

Fords proposal to restore voting rights to convicted inmates, originally contained in House Bill 1872, was the subject of a committee hearing in March, but the committee never voted on it.

During that hearing, Rep. Patrick Windhorst, R-Metropolis, questioned whether it would require a constitutional amendment before it could take effect because the Illinois Constitution states that, A person convicted of a felony, or otherwise under sentence in a correctional institution or jail, shall lose the right to vote, which right shall be restored not later than upon completion of his sentence.

Advocates for the bill, however, noted that the words not later than suggest that the framers of the constitution anticipated that lawmakers might want to restore those voting rights earlier than upon completion of a sentence.

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According to a Democratic analysis of the bill, the question of whether prisoners should be allowed to vote was the subject of considerable debate at the 1970 Constitutional Convention. While some delegates argued that allowing them to vote served a rehabilitative purpose, others argued losing the right to vote served the purpose of punishment. In the end, delegates chose to give lawmakers flexibility to decide the issue as public views on the issue evolved.

In hopes of getting the bill through in the final days of the session, Ford introduced what is known as a gut and replace amendment to a Senate bill, SB 828, which passed committee last week before stalling on the floor.

Under current law, anyone who has been convicted of a crime and is serving a sentence of confinement is prohibited from voting. That includes people who are granted a furlough from prison or who are on a work release program.

Fords bill would delete that language and restore the right to vote to anyone who is otherwise eligible to vote and is incarcerated in a state, federal or juvenile detention facility, county jail, serving probation or parole, on work release or furlough, released on electronic monitoring, housed in a halfway house or other transition center, or who owes court fines or fees.

It also provides that inmates could register to vote using their last known address before they were sentenced and that their vote would count in the precinct where they last lived.

While states restrict voting, Illinois would expand access With a nearly 20-year lock on control of both House and Senate, Illinois Democrats have in recent years eased voting access.

Correctional facilities would be responsible for making sure inmates have access to voter registration and mail ballot applications, and local election authorities would be responsible for collaborating with those institutions to facilitate voting by mail.

A subsequent amendment added to the bill calls for creating a task force that would include county clerks, the Illinois State Board of Elections, the Department of Corrections and a representative from a voting rights advocacy group to make recommendations on how to make voting accessible to incarcerated individuals. The bill would also give ISBE authority to adopt administrative rules, including emergency rules, to implement the bill.

Ford said his proposal follows on the heels of earlier legislation that assigns inmates to their last known home address for the purpose of drawing legislative and congressional district maps. That law will take effect following the 2030 census.

And so, it's only right that we make sure that they're voting at that last known legal address, he said. Those individuals, they will return to those communities. They have families that they communicate with. They have children that are probably in schools. They have government that they should be involved in making decisions.

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A Mounds, Illinois, native who was at the forefront of the federal response to the COVID-19 virus said there are lessons to be learned following the nearly 16-month health crisis.

Former Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Eric Hargan oversaw many facets of Operation Warp Speed, the federal governments efforts to battle the novel coronavirus. Speaking virtually to the more than 100 participants in an annual health policy institute organized by SIH and the SIU Schools of Law and Medicine as well as other groups, he said the pandemic showed how a variety of entities ranging from federal and state governments to local health departments and businesses could cooperate for the greater good, but also pointed out some flaws in the nations response to a pandemic.

This wasnt something that was in the ordinary course; we never had really seen anything like it. It was something that required an extraordinary effort and kind of thinking outside of the box, Hargan said.

Hargan, who was the second-ranking official in the department, said the response to the pandemic ranged from working with laboratories trying to develop a vaccine to interacting with the Federal Emergency Management Administration to provide personal protective gear to health care and other frontline workers and even to helping get Americans stranded on cruise ships overseas back to the U.S.

There were a number of things that really needed individual attention. Fortunately for everyone, professionals at HHS, state and local governments, the private sectors and the non-profit sector really stepped up nationwide starting in the early days of the pandemic. It would have been far worse if we would not have had that cooperation, he said during the virtual event.

Hargan pointed to the pharmaceutical corporations as well as delivery companies as examples of businesses that worked with the government to move quickly.

He said one of the biggest challenges during the pandemic was the unexpected shut down of many healthcare providers instead of ramping up their services. He called the situation an oddity, a paradox.

You would not expect a health care crisis to result in the practical shutting down of large elements of the health care system, but that is, in fact, what happened. It wasnt just the lockdowns that were imposed by state and local governments, but it was also that patients themselves were wary of going into a health care setting. That meant that there were no resources coming into the health care sector and it started shutting down.

One of the keys of getting through the pandemic, he said, was the notions that we are all in this together, and everyone just goes and does what they do best. Hargan said those approaches were among the gleanings of 2020.

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There are tons of lessons that have to be learned, the Meridian High School graduate said.

Among them, he explained, was the importance of having a decentralized health care system. Even though there were some issues in the system during the pandemic, he said the structure was beneficial.

It is local, its personalized, its very redundant, but it is able to marshal local resources very quickly. Im glad if we made mistakes in decisions at HHS  and there were some  they didnt rarify into the entire country because people could do what they needed to do, he said.

He said pandemic policies, programs and procedures were best left to states and local units of government because they could be more responsive and innovative in approaches to serving their areas.

Hargan used the example of the delivery of vaccines to clinics in Alaska by whaling vessels and the way Native American tribal leaders communicated the importance of taking precaution and the COVID-19 vaccine, and serving as examples, to their communities.

One painful lesson, he said, is the nation has learned the importance of having a domestic supply of medical products.

We all remember the seemingly endless personal protection equipment shortage in the first months of 2020 that was because many products are not made here  things that we need. We found that we could have very sophisticated testing equipment here, but not the swabs that we needed to use it. We found it was the most low-tech but crucial pieces which we couldnt get. We have to address those sorts of things.

Hargan said there needs to be reform in the way information is shared with the American public, especially contrasting public health with medical science. He said communication by health care professionals to the public is something he believes deserves more attention and a more cautious approach.

In many cases, we were seeing science done in real time and there always are going to be steps forward and steps backward, he said, explaining mixed messages were often a result.

On a positive note, there were advancements and innovations that came about as part of the response to the pandemic, Hargan said, offering the increased use of telemedicine and the rapid development of vaccines as examples.
WASHINGTON  The Biden administration is awaiting further guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention before making any decision as to when the border between the United States and Canada should be fully reopened, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said Friday.

In response to a question from The Buffalo News about whether the United States would open its side of the border to Canadians before Canada reopened to Americans, Psaki said: "As it relates to borders  Canada or Mexico  we really rely on the guidance of the CDC and our health and medical experts. So in terms of how they look at the data and information, I would point you to them and whether they would do that in a preliminary fashion or not."

Canadian politicians join Higgins' call for border reopening Higgins is hoping that pressure will force Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and President Biden to agree to open the U.S. Canada border.

At a White House briefing, Psaki also seemed to indicate that the administration still prefers working with Canada to develop a plan to reopen the border.

"Certainly any discussion about reopening the border would be done in part through diplomatic channels," she said. "But we really are relying and waiting on the guidance of the CDC before we make any next decision there."

The U.S.-Canada land border has been closed to nonessential travel since March 21, 2020, in an attempt to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus. The two countries have been extending that shutdown on a month-by-month basis, with the latest extension scheduled to expire on June 21.

Pressure has been building, though, to reopen the border.

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Business groups such as the Buffalo Niagara Partnership and the Canadian Chamber of Commerce have been pressing the two countries to develop a reopening plan.

Rep. Brian Higgins, a Buffalo Democrat, has been complaining almost daily about the lack of a reopening plan  and this week he got two members of the Canadian parliament to join him. Rep. Chris Jacobs, an Orchard Park Republican, has also complained about the continuing shutdown.

"There is no reason to continue the 16 months of separated families," Jacobs said on Twitter earlier this week. "The U.S.-Canadian border can be reopened safely. Enough stalling, U.S. and Canadian officials need to make a plan."

Top House Republican calls on U.S. to open border unilaterally Rep. Elise Stefanik sent a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas suggesting the move  which, she said, should happen on June 21.

And Rep. Elise Stefanik, a North Country Republican, this week suggested that the U.S. open its side of the border unilaterally if Canada won't agree to a reopening plan.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said 75% of Canadians need to be vaccinated against Covid-19 before the border can be opened, but as of Thursday, only 59.7% of Canadians had received their first shot.

Asked about the growing concern that the shutdown is hurting the economy and keeping people separated from their loved ones, Psaki said: "We're very sensitive to that ... And we certainly know that many people want to not just get back to normal, but be able to travel, be able to see loved ones living on different sides of the border, be able to go to restaurants and shop and even do things along those lines.

"And we're eager to get back to normal, whatever that means, including reopening the border," Psaki added. "But we have responsibilities during a global pandemic, which we're still fighting every day, to rely on the advice and guidance of our medical experts."

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MADISON, Wis.  A Wisconsin state lawmaker compared a nonprofit children's museum's mask policy to the Nazi Party in a social media post that generated outrage and calls for an apology.

Republican state Rep. Shae Sortwell shared a Facebook post on Friday by the Central Wisconsin Children's Museum in Stevens Point detailing its mask policy. The museum said masks would be optional for those who show their vaccination cards and masks would be mandatory for everyone else over age 5.

The Gestapo wants to see your papers, please," Sortwell posted on Facebook, a reference to the feared secret police of Nazi Germany.

The story was first reported Tuesday by Wisconsin Public Radio.

Sortwell did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday.

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Sortwell was first elected to the Legislature in 2019 and has been an outspoken opponent of mask or coronavirus vaccine mandates. His legislative district does not include Stevens Point, where the children's museum is located.

Museum director Cory Rusch told Wisconsin Public Radio that the policy was an attempt to protect the health and safety of the many vulnerable grandparents who visit the museum with their grandkids, and he stressed that no one will be turned away from the museum based on their vaccination status.

Stevens Point resident Nerissa Nelson wrote a letter to Sortwell signed by 30 people, mostly from central Wisconsin, calling on him to apologize.

Our childrens museum in this town is an important part of community life here, Nelson told Wisconsin Public Radio. And for a state representative to say something like that ... is a horrible thing to do. He needs to rectify that, with a public apology.

Democratic state Rep. Lisa Subeck, who is a board member of the National Association of Jewish Legislators, noted that just over a month ago the Legislature voted unanimously to require education about the Holocaust in Wisconsin schools.

At a time when antisemitic incidents continue to rise, hyperbolic rhetoric by Republican elected officials about the Holocaust needs to end now, Subeck said. These types of statements pile onto ever increasing antisemitic incidents in our state, and continue to create divisions in an already ultra-divided country.
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To revitalize U.S. science and technology with more government spending, its time to go big or go home. Tragically, it seems that both Congress and the Biden administration have decided to go home.

Economists have been shouting their heads off about the productivity slowdown for more than a decade. Since around 2005, total factor productivity  the ultimate driver of all long-term growth in standards of living  has increased at a slower rate than in the previous decades.

If this continues, ultimately it will lead to a slowdown in income growth, which could lead to an angry population and political unrest. So the government has a vested interest in keeping productivity growing strongly.

There are many things that go into that total factor productivity measure, including trade, taxes and education. But technology is one of the more important ones. As the Nobel-winning economist Paul Romer reminds us, spending more money on research increases the rate of scientific discovery. Other theoretical and empirical research strongly concurs.

The more research the government pays for, the more innovations American companies are able to crank out, and the more the U.S. dominates high-value knowledge industries like information technology, biotech and advanced manufacturing. Inventions from GPS to hydraulic fracturing to MRIs came directly from government research.

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Unfortunately, the U.S. government is not spending so much money on research these days.

This might have something to do with the productivity slowdown. Its also probably causing an erosion of U.S. industrial competitiveness relative to China, which is an increasingly important player in various high-tech sectors, and now far exceeds the U.S. in terms of high-tech exports.

Democrats were supposed to fix this. President Joe Bidens infrastructure proposal included double-digit increases for science funding. And a congressional effort called the Endless Frontier Act, spearheaded by Senator Chuck Schumer, would have poured $110 billion into research spending, including innovative ideas like a new technology directorate for the National Science Foundation and regional technology hubs. This wouldnt have restored federal research funding to the glory days of the 1980s, but it would have been an important first step toward reestablishing American technological progress and supremacy.

Just a couple of months later, the effort to restore U.S. science funding is a shambles. Biden, in a bid for a bipartisan compromise that is unlikely to ever materialize, has voluntarily stripped the research funding from his infrastructure plan.

Creating the industries of tomorrow should be the governments primary role. Defending existing markets like microchips will generally depend more on corporate strategy and culture than on federal dollars; pumping money directly into companies like Intel is unlikely to make their business models any more viable. Instead, government needs to do the thing private companies wont do  the upstream research that makes discoveries that can be used by any and all companies, including startups that dont even exist yet.

Abandoning promises to spend big on research is a dangerous sign of a complacent and distracted government, more concerned with pork and pet projects than long-term technological progress and industrial vitality. Targeted subsidies for industries like semiconductors will not make up for that epic dropping of the ball. Hopefully the president and Congress will snap out of it and bring forward new research funding initiatives as soon as possible.

Noah Smith is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist.

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100 years ago

June 9, 1921: A Keokuk firm has shipped its road construction equipment to Towanda, where it will begin work on the Bloomington-Lexington leg of Route 4 (later Route 66). When the road is completed from Chicago to St. Louis, Bloomington and Normal are expected to profit.

75 years ago

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June 9, 1946: Father Leon Sullivan will leave his job as chaplain at St. Joseph's Hospital and return to China. He did missionary work in a small village before the war broke out, and was ultimately held prisoner by the Japanese. This time he doesnt know how long hell be in China.

50 years ago

June 9, 1971: Second Lt. Thomas Blake of Normal was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for performance in combat. Hes a foot-slogging GI but one day he was aboard a low-flying helicopter. A nearby chopper was shot down in the Laotian offensive. Blake rescued its crew.

25 years ago

June 9, 1996: Health officials are puzzled by the outbreak of neuroblastoma, a rare cancer, in Taylorville. Neuroblastoma strikes nine people in a million but it has killed four children in Taylorville since 1989. It is unconfirmed in two more deaths and now another child has it.

Compiled by Jack Keefe; jkeefe@coldwellhomes.com.
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Ghanas gold production dropped 12.1 per cent to 4.02 million ounces in 2020 compared with 4.57 million ounces in 2019, representing the biggest fall in 16 years, the Ghana Chamber of Mines said on Friday.



Mr Eric Asubonteng, the President of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, said the decline in production in 2020 was the country's biggest since 2004.



The performance of Ghanas minerals sector was muted in 2020 compared to the preceding year, he said in a speech at the 93rd Annual General Meeting held virtually on the theme: Positioning Ghana as a Mining Support Services Hub.



The country, however, retained its position as Africa's top gold producer despite the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.



Gold production by Ghana's large-scale mines fell 4.8 per cent to 2.8 million ounces in 2020, while the small-scale gold production fell 26 per cent to 1.18 million ounces on supply chain disruptions.



The mining sector's contribution to GDP fell to 7.5 per cent in 2020 from 8.6 per cent in 2019, although the sector remained the biggest contributor to Ghana's tax revenues and export earnings.



The volume of manganese produced by Ghanas sole producer, Ghana Manganese Company, declined from 5.383 million tonnes in 2019 to 2.358 million tonnes in 2020.



The 56.2 per cent drop in production was primarily due to the governments directive to stop the companys operation, resulting in the suspension of manganese production in the first quarter of 2020.



For diamonds, purchases in 2020 reduced by 25.1 per cent to 25,292 carats from 33,789 carats in 2019 due to the suspension of production by the only large-scale producer, Great Consolidated Diamond Company.



The Ghana Bauxite Company recorded a 4.1 per cent improvement in its output, expanding shipment of bauxite from 1.116 million tonnes in 2019 to 1.162 million tonnes in 2020 due to an improvement in its operational activities.



The mining and quarries sector remained the leading source of direct domestic revenue, contributing 4.17 billion Ghanaian cedis due to an increase in mineral royalty receipts, which partially made up for the reduction in the other sources of revenue from the sector.



The significant appreciation in the price of gold during the year under review increased mineral royalty revenue by 38.20 per cent from GH1.007 billion in 2019 to GH1.391 billion in 2020. Corporate income tax however declined from GH2.269 billion in 2019 to GH2.139 billion in 2020.



On outlook, Mr Asubonteng said the gold output of producing member companies for 2021 is forecasted to range between 3.0 million and 3.3 million ounces.





Source: GNA









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The African Development Bank Group and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) have signed a $400,000 grant agreement to develop a risk-based supervisory solution for the Ghana capital market.



The grant, from the African Development Banks Capital Markets Development Trust Fund, will finance the provision of technical assistance and capacity building for the SEC, the markets regulator, and the Ghana Stock Exchange.



The project will enhance the SECs institutional capacity and readiness to transition from a compliance-based to a risk-based supervision approach for the securities market.



It will also enable the development and streamlining of policy and regulatory frameworks for pooled funds, and support the broadening of market instruments through the introduction of products such as asset-backed securities.



Reverend Daniel Ogbarmey Tetteh, Director-General of the SEC, commended the African Development Bank for supporting the development of a risk-based solution to bolster the Commissions capacity to fulfill its mandate.



The objectives of the project align with the priorities of the Banks Country Strategy for Ghana, which envisages measures to stimulate capital market development and unlock financial resources that will advance Ghanas industrialization, the private sector and infrastructure development.



The collaboration with the Securities and Exchange Commission to promote an enabling regulatory and supervisory environment with diversified financial market products and instruments is timely. This support demonstrates the Banks desire for a deepened and broadened financial system  a driver of investment and economic growth in Ghana, said Ahmed Attout, Manager of the Banks Capital Markets Development Division.



The project will benefit capital market participants in Ghana, including securities issuers and investors and also help to broaden available products and structures for savings and investment.



Mr Ekow Afedzie, Managing Director of the Ghana Stock Exchange, expressed his appreciation to the Bank and noted that the project had come at an opportune time when the stock market planned to introduce new products to deepen the market and improve liquidity.



Thus, the introduction of the new products will boost investor confidence and achieve the ultimate goal of making the Ghana Stock Exchange a preferred investment destination in the sub-region, Mr Afedzie said.



The Securities and Exchange Commission will cooperate closely with the Ghana Stock Exchange and other market stakeholders to implement the project.

Source: GNA









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The Government of Ghana has been cautioned on how it is handling the issues involving the proposed unitisation between Enis Sankofa Gye Nyame (SGN) Field and Springfields West Cape Three Points (WCTP) Afina discovery as well as the exit of ExxonMobil from Ghana.



The Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP) said the negative press associated with these issues has the potential to undermine the progress made over the years to encourage investments into Ghanas upstream petroleum sector.



This is further worsened by the current global context of the energy transition, which is engineering a significant shift from fossil fuel investment to low carbon energy sources.



AVCEP said in a statement that the positive response of major oil producers and investors to the transition is promoting alternative energy sources that are significantly suppressing the demand growth for fossil fuels. A scan of the strategy of major oil producers shows a clear transition path to becoming energy companies through extensive Research and Development (R&D).



The shift is shrinking the available capital for investments in new exploration activities in the oil industry and generating extreme competition for limited exploration funds. Attracting investment, therefore, requires a positive, assuring and less risky political environment.



This environment can be achieved through stakeholder collaboration and transparent engagements that reduces negativity and its attendant impacts on investment attraction.



ACEPs statement on these developments is a cautionary call on government and stakeholders to act right and preserve the investment climate of the oil industry.



Proposed unitisation between SGN and Afina



ACEP has followed communication from the Ministry of Energy directing Eni and Springfield to unitise their fields.



This directive was based on GNPCs assessment of the petroleum system on the two fields, informing the corporations conclusion that the Afina discovery straddles the SGN production field. However, ACEP has sighted a subsequent report by Eni, which strongly disagrees with the conclusions made by GNPC.



In the absence of clarity and public communication from the government on its position, the local media space has been hijacked with pressure to accelerate the implementation of the unitisation directives.



Within the international press, the reportage suggests an arbitrary imposition of unitisation on the two parties.







Source: 3news.com









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Managing Editor of the Insight newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr. says the free SHS policy by President Nana Akufo-Addo must be sustained.



According to him, Ghana has no choice but to continue and sustain the free SHS programme stressing it is a constitutional requirement.



"We have to; it's a constitutional provision. We have no choice. We have to find the resources," Kwesi Pratt said this on Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo' when asked by host Kwami Sefa Kayi if free SHS is sustainable.



He, however, pointed out some challenges with the programme which, to him, must be addressed.



To him, government must not solely rely on the country's oil to fund the project because the oil will not help in the future.



"The whole world is moving towards electric cars . . . If you are thinking about free SHS over a long period of time forever and so on, oil and gas is not an alternative. Yes, for now, it will help us but 10 years later, it won't help us. So, oil and gas is also not an alternative," he stated.



He further advised the government to utilize the resources in the country well so that the free SHS will not cease because it is a good initiative.



"So, we should really focus on that second objective of the independence movement. If we don't watch it carefully, we cannot sustain free Senior High School. We cannot sustain. Unless we can take control of our resources, exploit and manage those resources for our own benefits, that's the only way. There is no other way."



Watch video below





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.

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Member of Parliament(MP) for Builsa South Constituency in the Upper East Region, Dr Clement Apaak, has made a passionate appeal to the Akufo-Addo government to call for a national forum to find a more sustainable way of financing the Free Senior High School program.



According to the Deputy Ranking on Education Committee of Parliament, the oil money being used by the government to fund the Free Senior High School program has been proven to be insufficient and inadequate as the government now borrows to finance the program.



Speaking on Okay FMs 'Ade Akye Abia' Morning Show, the Member of Public Accounts Committee of Parliament noted that the Minister of State in charge of Finance at the Office of the President, Charles Adu Boahen in an interview with Bloomberg.com indicated that Ghana will float bond of $1 billion.



He added that the Minister of State emphasized that some of the bonds will be used to defray social intervention program in the area of environment and expanding access in education, specifically, the Free Senior High School policy.



It is very clear that we are no longer able to sufficiently finance the program from our own generated resources. We are taking loans and therefore we ought to start looking at the national forum to see as a nation how we can find a more sustainable way of financing the program, he appealed to the government.



Dr Clement Apaak explained that the number of students in the Senior High Schools increases every year as it is evident that the student population at the beginning of the program was less than 500,000 but 4 years down the line, the government budget quoted slightly above 1.2 million students in the Senior High School system; hence, the need to find a way to finance the program.



He again mentioned that the Free Senior High School is still struggling with the provision of adequate infrastructure; thus, although the Akufo-Addo government has initiated some infrastructure projects, the rate at which infrastructure is being added is much slower than the rate of student population increase.



 . . The government in 2018 came to Parliament to seek approval to use the GETFund as collateral for a loan of 1.5 billion. That money was meant to complete some 766 uncompleted GETFund projects and also to add new projects but those 766 projects have not been completed. The challenges persist; the issue of food is another main challenge as the food is not sufficient for the students, he raised concerns.



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.

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Many Nigerians have been continuing to tweet in defiance of government threats to arrest and prosecute anyone violating the ban it imposed on Twitter.



They are using Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) to bypass the ban after telecommunications companies heeded the government's directive and blocked the micro-blogging site.



Gbenga Sesan of the Paradigm Initiative, which offers digital opportunities to young people across Africa, said the government's ban had backfired.



"Guess what? The only people who have been muted right now appear to be the government themselves. Yes, some businesses are not tweeting because clearly, they do not want to be punished, but the citizens they were trying to proscribe are still tweeting," he told the BBC.



The ban was announced on Friday after the government alleged that the micro-blogging site was being used to undermine "Nigeria's corporate existence" through the spreading of fake news that has "violent consequences".



It drew an angry reaction from many Nigerians and Western powers who saw it as a threat to civil liberties, but the government was unrepentant, leaving Twitter officially blocked in Africa's most populous state.

Source: BBC









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The Second Lady of Ghana, Mrs Samira Bawumia has joined the High-Level Coalition on Health and Energy, convened by the World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General, Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus.



The objective of this coalition is to strengthen high-level cooperation between health and energy sectors, increase political momentum, spur investments, mobilize public support and drive practical solutions for clean cooking and sustainable energy services in health facilities. The coalition is made up of leaders from governments supporting the Health and Energy Platform of Action (HEPA), as well as leaders from selected international organizations and other high level health and energy champions.



Mrs Bawumia has for several years, as a Global Ambassador for the Clean Cooking Alliance, used her influence to raise awareness about household air pollution, caused especially by the burning of wood fuels for cooking.



She has also tirelessly advocated for the adoption of clean energy solutions on the global stage, at many international conferences and forums. In recognition of efforts made to drive action on Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7) which calls for universal access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all by 2030, the Second Lady was honoured in 2019 as one of seven global leaders in the sustainable energy movement by Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) in partnership with Ashden.



Dr Ghebreyesus stated that, with Mrs Bawumia joining the High-Level Coalition, a forceful signal will be sent to the world that all stakeholders stand united and committed to advancing stronger cooperation between health and energy sectors, in support of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement, while ensuring that no one is left behind.



Presently, 3 billion people across the world rely on polluting fuels and technologies for cooking, heating and lighting, while another one billion rely on health facilities that operate without electricity. Out of this number, almost 4 million deaths are recorded each year, with women and children disproportionately affected.



Mrs Samira Bawumia has committed to help realize the objective of SDGs and called on policymakers, investors, civil society organizations and development partners to prioritize access to clean and sustainable energy technologies as a means of improving health and livelihoods. She indicated that the challenge of access and affordability to clean energy, and its related impact on sustainable development is a human-centred issue, and therefore a global issue.



The High  Level Coalition on Health and Energy is convened by WHO, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) and the World Bank in collaboration with the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).



Mrs Bawumia is scheduled to speak at the first virtual meeting of the High-Level Coalition of the Health and Energy Platform Action by the World Health Organization on Wednesday, 9th June 2021.

Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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Featured Video
ARISS contact with school in Bombala, NSW, Australia An ARISS educational school contact is planned for Shane Kimbrough KE5HOD with students at St Josephs Catholic Primary School, Bombala, NSW, Australia.



The contact is scheduled on Thursday June 10, 2021 at approximately 10:45:26 UTC, which is 12:45:26 CEST.



The link to the ISS will be operated by the amateur radio telebridge station IK1SLD, located in northern Italy.



Downlink signals will be audible in Europe on 145.800 narrow band FM.



Moreover, operations at IK1SLD ground station will probably be webcast on https://www.ariotti.com/



School Information:

Bombala is situated in the southern tablelands of New South Wales, between the Snowy Mountains and the Far South Coast. This district is known as Platypus Country for its large population of platypus.



Bombala was established as a town in the 1840s and has a population of around 1300. Bombala farmers are recognised for their produce which includes not only wool, prime lambs and cattle but also lavender. The local economy is supported by forestry and has a softwood mill which processes the plantation timber growing in the region.



St Josephs Primary School is one of 56 schools in the Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn. St Josephs is a Kindergarten to Year 6 School of 62 students. Our school motto Grace and Justice encourages all children to develop positive attitudes towards others and those less fortunate.



At St Josephs we are developing skills that will equip our students for their futures. The school has a focus on developing student interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. We are introducing coding, robotics, Virtual Reality and 3D printing. Currently we are all learning about the universe. We have visited the Canberra Deep Space Communication Centre and now we are looking forward to talking to a real astronaut.



Students First Names & Questions:

1. Oliver: What is the process for getting up and down from the International Space Station?

2. Miller: Does zero gravity up there affect the way you are when you come back down to earth?

3. Zac: How long have you all been on the space station for?

4. Anna: What do the shooting stars look like when they go past your space station?

5. Henry: How does a satellite provide internet?



6. Grace: What made you want to be an astronaut?

7. Isaac: How do you keep warm?

8. Kobi: How long has the space station been around for/ when was it built and who by?

9. Octavia: Does outside in space always look the same?

10. Abbey: Have you seen any space junk?

11. Mrs Shannon: Thank you for answering our questions, to finish up we would like to know what advice you would give to someone who wanted to be an astronaut.





ARISS CALENDAR



The ARISS Operations Team meets weekly by telephone conference and much more frequently via e-mail and telephone. Activities coordinated by the ARISS operations team will be announced in this public Google Calendar. These are the ARISS school contacts, HamTV activities (other than blank transmission) and SSTV activities.



Calendar integration features:



On this page we show the ARISS contacts calendar in a Google Calendar format.

This calendar allows you to share ARISS contacts with other calendars or it allows you to integrate info about ARISS activities into your own calendar.

https://www.amsat-on.be/ariss-calendar-with-scheduled-contacts-by-the-ariss-operation-team/





TO CHANGE YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS



Changing the e-mail address for ARISS-Europe News Bulletins takes two steps:

1. Using the old e-mail address, unsubscribe from the subscribers list with the link available at the bottom of each Bulletin.

2. Subscribe with the new e-mail address using the procedure available at

https://www.amsat-on.be/ariss-europe-news-bulletin-mailing-list/







About ARISS



Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) is a cooperative venture of international amateur radio societies and the space agencies that support the International Space Station (ISS). In the United States, sponsors are the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation(AMSAT), the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), the ISS National National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).



The primary goal of ARISS is to promote exploration of science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics by organizing scheduled contacts via amateur radio between crew members aboard the ISS and students. Before and during these radio contacts, students, educators, parents, and communities learn about space, space technologies, and amateur radio. For further information, please see www.ariss.org.





73,



Gaston Bertels ON4WF
The National Chief Imam, Sheikh Osman Nuhu Sharubutu, has urged Ghanaians, irrespective of their religious beliefs, to come together to support the Green Ghana Project to plant five million trees on June 11.



"I approve and support this project. I, therefore, call on all Ghanaians, irrespective of whether you are a Muslim or Christian, to support the national effort to plant trees," the Chief Imam said through a translator.



He made the call when a delegation from the Forestry Commission, led by its Chief Executive, Mr John Allotey, called on him to formally invite him to join the national tree planting campaign slated for June 11.



Symbolic gesture



As proof of his support for what he described as a laudable project, Sheikh Sharubutu gave the assurance that he would perform a symbolic planting of a tree at the new national mosque at Kawukudi, near Kanda, in Accra.



He said it was important that the environment was protected to fight off climate change that the world was experiencing, and thus encouraged the public to come together to participate in the exercise.



"Muslims and Christians are able to dialogue in Ghana, other nations do not have that, so we must be grateful to Allah and participate in this project in peace and harmony.



This wont be about religion but the proof of peaceful co-existence in our communities, and since the impact of the environment has no religious colour, lets all come together and do this for our communities, environment and nation, the Chief Imam emphasised.



Seedlings available



Mr Allotey said the commission would make the seedlings to be planted available to all Ghanaians at its regional and district offices located across the 16 regions of the country.



"A good proportion of the seedlings have been developed by the Forestry Commission already because that is what we do as part of our core mandate.



However, when we have shortfalls in the regions, we will purchase to augment," Mr Allotey said, and indicated that the commission was in the process of awarding contracts to seedling providers after a regional audit of the seedlings.



Working committees



Mr Allotey indicated also that four committees had been put in place to ensure transparency and effective execution of the project.



The separate committees, he said, would be in charge of monitoring, fundraising, operations and logistics, and publicity.



The membership of the four committees comprised people from various religious, political and socio-cultural groups, and included Alhaji Collins Dauda and the Member of Parliament for Wa Central, Abdul-Rashid Hassan Pelpuo, on the Monitoring Committee and the Member of Parliament for Tamale North, Alhassan Suhuyini, on the Publicity Committee.



Meanwhile, the Monitoring Committee and the Forestry Commission are to ensure that the seedlings planted on June 11 are nurtured and protected from destruction.



"We don't want to throw away five million trees. The idea is to grow the trees and not just to plant them. So we will be monitoring them regularly to ensure they grow," Mr Allotey 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.

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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.
The first prosecution witness in the trial of the 10 people charged with treason for allegedly plotting to overthrow the government yesterday fingered seven persons in his testimony when the trial commenced at the Accra High Court.



The seven persons were Dr Frederick Mac-Palm, Esther Saan Dekuwine, Bright Alan Debrah Ofosu, Donya Kafui aka Ezor, Corporal Seidu Abubakar, Lance Corporal Ali Solomon and Sylvester Akanpewon.



The examination-in-chief, which started just before 1 p.m, lasted more than three hours.



The prosecution witness, Colonel Isaac Amponsah, who gave his evidence under the examination-in-chief conducted by the Attorney-General (A-G), Mr Godfred Yeboah Dame, gave an account on how he was able to gather intelligence about the group.



Col Amponsah, who is also a Director of Operational Intelligence at the Defence Operational Department at the Ghana Armed Forces, said on June 14, 2018, the Director - General of Defence Intelligence briefed him that a soldier at the Military Academy and Training Schools head office had been approached by Dekuwine to recruit some people in an operation to overthrow the government.



Scheduled meeting



He said the Director - General also briefed him that Dr Mac-Palm and Mr Debrah had already met some soldiers, and that the next meeting was scheduled for June 22, 2018.



Col Amponsah then testified that the soldier that was approached was one Corporal Awarf Sule.



Asked by the A-G about what happened after he had received the information, the witness said he obtained a secret recording device to enable the soldier to record all subsequent meetings secretly.



On June 22, 2018, Cpl Sule, according to the Col Amponsah, attended the scheduled meeting after which he brought back a video recording using the secret device, adding that he (Cpl Sule) used his phone to record an audio of the meeting as a backup.



Analysis



Among other soldiers who attended the meeting, according to the witness, were Corporal Seidu Abubakar, Lance Corporal Ali Solomon, and Sylvester Akanpewon.



In his analysis, Col Amponsah noted that Mr Debrah tried to convince the soldiers about the need to overthrow the government, adding that Mr Debrah started by telling them about corruption, and cited the examples of Subah and GEEDA alleged corruption scandals, and indicated that when the New Patriotic Party (NPP) was in opposition, they made so much noise about them but since they took over power, nobody had said anything about those issues again.



He indicated that both the NPP and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) were all the same, Col Amponsah testified.



The witness added that the group planned to jam all radio stations in the country with the exception of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC).



He said one of the soldiers also suggested that the group communicated via Gota phones to avoid being tapped.



The witness again testified that on July 7, 2018, another meeting was held, with Dekuwine, Debrah and Sule attending.



After the meeting, Col Amponsah further told the court, Sule again brought the recorder to him for analysis as part of his surveillance which was conducted with the National Investigations Bureau (NIB).



He said in his analysis of the July 7 meeting, it was observed that Dekuwine suggested that the group had to eliminate the President.



He told the court that Awarf handed over a sketch plan to Mr Debrah which had key targets of areas to block on the day of the alleged planned coup.



The areas, he said, included the Base Ammunition Depot (BAD) in Tema, the Base Ordinance Depot in Accra near El-Wak, the 66 Artillery Regiment in Ho, the Police Headquarters in Accra, the Police Training School in Tesano, the Air force base and the Recce Regiment, both at Burma camp, Accra, roads leading from Tema to Accra, Kumasi to Accra, Tarkoradi to Accra as well as the Jubilee House.









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.

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A member of the communications team of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Akomea thinks that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is not to be blamed for the reported flouting of COVID-19 protocols at the funeral of Sir John.



Consequently, he says the calls for President Akufo-Addo to apologise were misplaced, since some people were portraying it as if President Akufo-Addo was personally responsible for the reported flouting of the protocols.



He insists that the security agencies had the responsibility to ensure that the protocols were not flouted.



The security should have controlled the numbers at the funeral and prevented the crowd from massing up.



Regret



"I think it is enough for anybody to express regret... an apology will mean that directly he [Akufo-Addo] was responsible."



Last week, the former Chief Executive of the Forestry Commission, Mr Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie who passed on in July 2020 was buried at his hometown, Sakora-Wonoo in the Ashanti Region.



Sakora-Wonoo, a farming community near Bonwire in the Kwabre East District in the Ashanti Region, was rendered too small to receive the great number of mourners who thronged the town to mourn the passing of Sir John who was a former General Secretary of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP).



People from all walks of life, particularly NPP members and the political class filed past the remains.



In attendance at the funeral was President Akufo-Addo, Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, the Chief Justice, Justice Kwasi Anin Yeboah and many other leaders in the country including Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketia, the General Secretary of the main opposition political party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC).



A large number of members of the Seventh-Day Adventist (SDA) faith, lawyers, forestry sector value chain actors, ordinary people went there to either mourn or catch a glimpse of the body, as well as media practitioners who set up for a comprehensive coverage of the funeral.



Schools were closed in anticipation of the large crowds that could disrupt classes.



Public concerns



There has been public concerns about a reported incident of how COVID-19 protocols on social distancing and the wearing of face coverings (face mask) were flouted at the funeral last Thursday [June 3, 2021).



OccupyGhana and the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) for instance have called on the police to sanction those who flouted the protocols while the NDC has called on President Akufo-Addo to apologise.



Related:

Hundreds troop to Sakora-Wonoo for Sir John's burial

Sir John's funeral: OccupyGhana unhappy with COVID-19 protocol abuse

Contributing to radio discussions on Peace FM's Kookrokoo programme Tuesday morning, Nana Akomea admitted it was not good that the protocols were flouted by some people.



It was his view that apart from the organisers, the security was to have ensured that there was control.



Nana Akomea who is also the Managing Director of Intercity STC however insisted that President Akufo-Addo should not be blamed for that.



The issue should be placed on the security, "it comes back to the security."



Why did they allow the crowd to mass up? he questioned.



He said situation should serve as a guide to security as to how to prepare and prevent a similar situation in future.

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.

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Reality TV star, and estranged wife of Dr. Kwaku Oteng, Sally Akua Amoakowaa Mensah simply referred to as Akua has given Ghanaian owned news portal, Ghpage.com a 48 hour ultimatum to apologize, retract and delete a publication made about her that indicated that she said former Angel FM presenter, Captain Smart should humble yourself, arrogance wont take you anywhere.



In a letter addressed to Ghpage by the legal team of Ms. Sally Akua Amoakowaa, the lawyers accused the handlers of the website of deliberately and maliciously publishing defamatory statement against her with the headline Humble yourself, arrogance wont take you anywhere  Sally GMB and they find the publication misleading considering the content of the story.



According to the letter, Akua GMBs lawyers accused Ghpage.com of using their publication to bring Akua GMB to the ongoing public discussion about Captain Smart in order to gain traffic to their news portal ignoring the damage it would bring to Akua GMBs personality.



They stated that in their resolve to deal with this matter, Ghpage should issue a statement of retraction and an apology on their site to Akua GMB, pull down the defamatory publication and write an apology to Akua GMB personally.



Furthermore, Akua GMB has threatened to take legal action against any blogger or journalist whose publications will put her image and that of her family in disrepute.



In a press release issued by the management of the former beauty queen, they indicated that they have taken note of recent publications about her on some websites with the aim of causing her public disaffection while those websites gain traction from such negative stories.



On the back of this development, they are warning bloggers and writers complicit in this action to immediately put a stop to it and they made it emphatically clear that this resolve by the management of the distinguished public figure not to gag or intimidate any genuine journalist but rather ensure that her reputation is protected especially on matters that affects her family.

Source: Eugene Osafo-Nkansah/Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Music streaming platform, Audiomack has teamed up with leading radio station, Y 107.9FM Accra to broadcast 'Audiomack Hour: Brought to you by Audiomack' which features the top 10 songs being listened to by Ghanaians, off the Audiomack charts.



The music programme which premiered on June 1st 2021 and running till 31st August 2021, is scheduled to air on Y FM's biggest show Dryve of your Lyfe, hosted by Kojo Manuel, from 3pm GMT to 7pm GMT on weekdays. Audiomack Hour has been specially curated to provide a thrilling musical experience by ensuring listeners are entertained while on the move with the hottest tracks from around the world.



Speaking on the partnership, Charlotte Bwana, Head of Business Development and Media Partnerships of Audiomack Africa highlighted Audiomack's passion for consistently providing Ghanaians with easy access to quality music. She said "At Audiomack, our mission is to democratize music streaming and we have created yet another avenue for the wider Ghanaian audience to explore, experience and enjoy the exciting musical experience offered on the Audiomack app. We are excited for the opportunity to connect further with the Ghanaian market by leveraging a platform like Y 107.9FM who shares in our vision to move music forward."



With Y 107.9FM's core listenership being the youth, this partnership will create an avenue for a huge percentage of this demographic to immerse themselves in the world of Audiomack where both creators and listeners get served the very best in music services and experiences. Also commenting, Eddy Blay, Programs Manager of Y 107.9 FM, Accra said, "We are purely for the 'young and young at heart', and that is why we are excited to join forces and resources with Audiomack who has a common goal to reach more people through the music we serve. From the freshest tracks to top-notch playlists, we want to spread the magic of music from Ghana to the world."



This initiative comes on the heels of Audiomack's partnership with Beat 99.9FM Lagos which was designed to provide clutter-breaking content to Nigerians. With a presence in all 54 African countries, Audiomack aims to democratize music streaming by providing accessibility for all.

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.

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YASME Foundation supporting grants

The Board of Directors of the Yasme Foundation is pleased to announce that it has made the following grants at its May 26, 2021, board meeting:

* Oscar Pancorvo, OA4AMN, and Pablo Valentin Vazquez, OA4AI, in support of their youth training program in Peru.

* Maranyundo School (Rwanda) amateur radio books and training material, to help establish a radio club.

* Seychelles Amateur Radio Club (SARA) ongoing support for license exams and fees. Yasme's 2020 grant helped eight residents pass the RSGB foundation exam. Just last week those eight club members received

their S79 callsigns.

Ward Silver, N0AX

President Of The Yasme Foundation

Board of Directors:

Ward Silver, N0AX, President and Director

Ken Claerbout, K4ZW, Vice-President, Secretary and Director

Rusty Epps, W6OAT, Treasurer and Director

Hans Blondeel Timmerman, PB2T, Director

Martti Laine, OH2BH, Director

Fred Laun, K3ZO, Director

Robert Vallio, W6RGG, Director

Marty Woll, N6VI, Director

James Brooks, 9V1YC, Director
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The Pennsylvania House of Representatives voted to terminate the commonwealths disaster declaration, part of an ongoing GOP effort to peel back pandemic measures put in place by Gov. Tom Wolf.

The Wolf Administration has already lifted many of the limitations Republicans have railed against, for example business occupancy limitations which were lifted on Memorial Day. But the resolution would reinstate work search requirements for unemployment compensation recipients ahead of the Wolf administrations timeline. It would also stop the administration from entering into no-bid contracts during emergencies.

[Pennsylvanians] lives have been upended, their livelihoods destroyed in some cases, and their liberties interrupted by the inconsistent and unilateral uses of power, said House Majority leader Kerry Benninghoff (R-Lebanon), after the resolutions passage. This emergency is over.

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Originally the resolution called for terminating the declaration in its entirety on October 1, but the House voted to amend that date to as soon as it passes the state Senate, which could be as early as Wednesday.

The legislature is able to flex this new power because voters approved a constitutional amendment during the May 18 primary. The amendment curtailed the executive branchs emergency powers and gave the legislature the ability to end a disaster declaration with a simple majority vote. A governor now also has to seek approval for extending such designations beyond three weeks.

The resolution advanced 113-90, along party lines.

The Department of Labor and Industry had previously announced that the work search requirements would be reinstituted on July 18. If the resolution passes the Senate, Pennsylvania would follow a majority of states in the country which have reinstituted the mandate as coronavirus cases dropped and businesses reopened.

Before the pandemic, unemployment recipients had to register their job search on PA CareerLink, a state-run workforce development site, within 30 days of applying. After the third week of their benefit year, recipients had to apply to two jobs and do one work search activity, such as uploading a resume, each week, to continue receiving unemployment benefits. In states where these activities have already resumed, some unemployment recipients said these systems do not account for reasons why someone may still not be able to work that follow from the pandemic, such as a lack of childcare or ongoing health concerns.

It is also not clear how well the commonwealth will be able to implement them.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry launched a new filing system for claims, replacing 40-year-old technology. State officials did not say if they would be able to accommodate the new criteria to the new system ahead of schedule.

At this point, we are so focused on making sure that we serve existing claimants with the current requirements of the system that were going to have to look at that once we cross that bridge, said Jennifer Berrier, acting secretary of Labor and Industry.

A spokesperson for the Wolf administration has not yet responded to a request for comment.
Madrid, 7 June 2021 (SPS) - Marches in support of the Sahrawi people are being held in different regions of Spain during the month of June to denounce the international communitys neglect of the conflict in Western Sahara and the Spanish governments complicity with the Moroccan occupation system.



The March for the Sahrawi peoples freedom started on 19 May in different places in Spain to arrive Sunday in Santander and finally converge on Madrid on 19 June.



Santanders mayor Gema Igual received the participants on Sundat and reiterated the town councils support to this solidarity demonstration. You can rely on the support of our municipal council through all these initiatives which make the issue of Western Sahara visible and to meet the most immediate needs of its citizens, said Gema Igual.



The Regionalist, Popular, Socialist and Citizen parliamentary groups signed a declaration of support to the March for the Sahrawi peoples freedom.



It is also expected that the march heads for other municipalities such as Santona, Guemes, Somo, Bezana, Torrelavega, Los Corrales, Barcena de Pie de Concha, Reinosa and Aguilar de Campoo. (SPS)



062/090/700
Itemizer-Observer

INDEPENDENCE  Independence embraces its historic ties along the downtown corridor. But the challenge of owning historic property is keeping up with the affects of Father Time.

To help offset project costs on these historic properties over the next year, the city of Independence is offering competitive matching grants ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 for certain types of work.

Eligible projects include historic window repair/replacement, restoration of porches or historic building details, and structural repairs. City Planner Fred Evander said $12,000 in total are available in the program.

It gives us a chance revitalize historic architecture, boost the look of downtown, and help folks struggling do projects theyve been interested in. Its a good program, said Evander.

Evander said there are between 100 to 200 total properties that can qualify for a grant. A project proposal must include:

 Be for contributing buildings in the Independence National Historic District.

 Be consistent with the Secretary of Interior Standards for Rehabilitation.

 Include a five-year maintenance/preservation agreement for the property, signed by the property owner.

 Be matched dollar-for-dollar by the property owner and include a bid for the improvement work.

 Be completed by Aug. 31, 2022.

To be considered for the grant requires the following materials be submitted:

 The Certified Local Government (CLG) Development Grant Project Packet Cover Form, including the required submittals:

 A preservation and maintenance agreement.

 A bid for the project from a licensed contractor.

Submittals are required by July 1.

Selected projects will be contacted by July 15. Evander said due to funding requirements, all work proposed must be approved by the state of Oregon and will not be reimbursed until at least September.

The $12,000 for the program is provided to the City of Independence through funds offered by the National Park Service, administered by the Oregon State Historic Preservation Office.

To learn more about the program, contact Evander at (503) 837-1168 or fevander@ci.independence.or.us.
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More than 1 million gallons of radioactive waste have been handled and processed at the Salt Waste Processing Facility at the Savannah River Site, after the workhorse plant was given the green light months ago.

The Department of Energys nuclear cleanup office, Environmental Management, announced the achievement Tuesday.

The first batch of radioactive waste was transferred to the Salt Waste Processing Facility in October 2020, a major milestone after nearly two decades of broader work.

The Salt Waste Processing Facility  designed, built, commissioned and operated in the short term by Virginia-based Parsons  has been billed as the Savannah River Sites cleanup keystone.

With it online, nearly all of the hazardous salt waste stored at the site south of Aiken is expected to be processed by 2031. Salt waste occupies a majority of tank space at the Savannah River Site, where plutonium for nuclear weapons was once produced.

The success of SWPF to date enables the department to begin planning for closing the remaining SRS waste tanks at an unprecedented rate, said Jim Folk, the assistant manager for waste disposition at the the site. The facility, Folk noted, has performed largely as expected. There have been hiccups and hurdles, though.

Promptly and effectively addressing nuclear waste stored in aging tanks  at the Savannah River Site and at the Hanford site in Washington, for example  is among the Energy Departments most significant challenges.

The department is responsible for the largest share of the federal governments environmental liabilities, and Environmental Managements slice, specifically, has grown at a rate that outpaces remediation spending, according to the Government Accountability Office.

In summary, we found that DOEs environmental liability is large and growing, Nathan Anderson, a nuclear cleanup executive with the accountability office, wrote in a recent memo to the chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. In managing cleanup responsibilities related to this liability, DOE faces challenges in contract and project management.

The nuclear waste at the Savannah River Site has been described as South Carolinas single largest environmental risk.
Kat Bouziane, a registered nurse at Stall High School, gives Ashlynn Pinckney, 12, her first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at Laing Middle School in Mount Pleasant on May 25, 2021. Just knowing that I have the vaccine, I know I wont get COVID-19 again, Pinckney said. Lauren Petracca/Staff
South Carolina tax collectors appear to be looking harder under the hood of food-truck operators.

In the past week, the operators of two mobile dining spots in the Charleston area have been arrested for tax evasion, according to the S.C. Department of Revenue.

Theyre charged with a combined seven counts by underreporting their revenue by more than $813,000.

The latest case was announced June 9 when the agency said the owner of a Dorchester County food truck business was placed under arrest.

Christopher Casner, 49, of Summerville, operates Just Eat This LLC, which also offers catering and personal chef services.

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The DOR said, according to warrants, his business records for May 2013 and May 2016 were audited after he failed to file sales tax returns on time. After a follow-up review, investigators analyzed bank records and determined he underreported his sales from October 2017 through September 2020 by $473,217, resulting in $33,125 in unpaid taxes, the agency said.

In a separate but similar case, a Berkeley County businessman was picked up June 2 and later released.

Victor Sebastian Colbert, 56, of Hanahan, owns Chesapeake Blue, which does business as Cast Iron Food Truck & Catering.

DOR said Colbert acknowledged to agents that he underreported his sales by $340,250 from 2018 through last year. The agency estimated it cost the state about $27,220 in tax revenue.

Both business owners face maximum sentences of five years in prison and could be assessed fines totaling $30,000 to $40,000 if convicted.
Three Charleston-area pizza restaurants are in different states of delivery: one is opening, one is closing and one is looking.

On James Island, a former chicken restaurant soon will be serving up a slice of Italian fare.

Rick Agius, co-owner of Black Sheep Hospitality, plans to transform the recently closed Kickin' Chicken location at 1175 Folly Road into a second Zeppelin Pizza shop.

He hopes to be open by August as soon as some specially ordered, U.S.-made pizza ovens are delivered.

The new restaurant will be a couple of doors down from Garage 75, which Black Sheep Hospitality also owns in Queensborough Plaza.

Agius offers another Zeppelin pizzeria at 2817 Maybank Highway. He also owns Smoky Oak Taproom and Tattooed Senorita, both on James Island.

Smoky Oak closed June 6 for a remodel and new concept that will be unveiled after the Fourth of July, Agius said.

Kickin' Chicken owners, Chip Roberts and Bobby Perry, closed the restaurant after 18 years when the lease expired in May.

Agius' partners in Black Sheep include Reeves Tinkler, who is involved in Zeppelin and Garage 75, and Andrew McFalls, who is a partner in the pizza business as well.

Agius announced in May he will open Blu Oyster, a sushi and seafood restaurant, in Live Oak Square on Maybank Highway on Johns Island later this year.

What's cooking?

In downtown Charleston, a new restaurant is planned on upper King Street near the Crosstown overpasses.

Ben D'Allesandro of D'Allesandro's Pizza wants to open a small dining venue at 638 King St., just north of Barsa.

D'Allesandro is requesting a variance from the city to allow a restaurant with 328 square feet of inside patron-use area with one off-street parking space. The city requires three spaces.

D'Allesandro said he is unclear what type of restaurant he plans to put there, saying it will depend on what the city will allow with the variance. He also is considering bringing in a partner.

His brother and business partner, Nick D'Allesandro, said it will not be another pizza restaurant.

D'Allesandro's Pizza operates at 229 St. Philip St., about two blocks away from the proposed new restaurant site.

Lights out

In North Charleston, a pizzeria announced June 8 it is closing permanently, citing a "staffing shortage."

Community Pizza House at 2400 Gap Road near Tanger Outlets thanked customers and workers in a Facebook posting for their support since the restaurant opened in 2016.

The owners say they will continue to operate Steel City Pizza Company locations in Mount Pleasant, North Charleston and Summerville.

A representative of Community Pizza House did not immediately respond June 9 for further comment.

The building housing the business has been listed for sale since at least October 2019 with National Restaurant Properties before recently being transferred to commercial real estate firm CBRE Inc.

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Early marketing materials described the property as a "turn-key, 4,200-square-foot restaurant with additional 1,000 square feet of covered outdoor patio space and 861-square-foot rooftop bar. Plenty of parking and surrounded by hotels and national retailers."

They went on to say, "Floor plan and infrastructure should easily accommodate many other concepts. Currently operating as Community Pizza. Please do not contact employees of the business regarding this sale. Asking $2,399,000 for real property and considering leasing scenarios."

Tim Hagar with National Restaurant Properties said several prospective buyers looked at the site, but the coronavirus disrupted offers.

The newer CBRE listing does not include a price but details many of the same attributes as the previous listing and points out the property is close to Tanger Outlets, Boeing South Carolina, Walmart, Sam's Club, North Charleston Coliseum and the Charleston Area Convention Center.

A representative of CBRE did not immediately respond for further comment.

Changing places

A longtime downtown Charleston gift, linen and lingerie shop soon will relocate.

The Boutique at 141 Broad St. plans to move to 302 King St. in the space recently occupied by skincare shop Tresor Rare before it closed in 2020. It previously was home to Bits of Lace lingerie store, which relocated to Mount Pleasant in 2016.

The Boutique, operating in Charleston for more than 60 years, tentatively plans to move at the end of July after the King Street space is renovated. It has operated at Broad and Logan streets since late 2017 and was at Broad and Church streets the previous 20 years.

The shop dates back to the mid-1950s when Bessie Braid, mother of novelist Alexandra Ripley, launched it. It has changed hands several times since then.

Shop owner Lois Daughtridge said she's looking forward to the move since she will be on a block with several other longtime local retailers, including Croghan's Jewel Box and M. Dumas & Sons clothing store.

Shop hours of 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Saturday will remain the same after the move.

Booming business

A new year-round fireworks shop is opening in Berkeley County.

Robin Dusch and a business partner will launch Red White & Boom June 15 in a temporary shipping container at 421 S. Live Oak Drive in Moncks Corner. They are constructing a 3,200-square-foot building for the permanent store. It's expected to be completed within about a month.

The space once housed a car dealership, and Dusch thought the structure could be retrofitted. In the end, he and his partner decided it wasn't feasible, so they're building a new structure and setting up a temporary shop in the interim.

Business hours will be 10 a.m.-10 p.m. every day.

Gassing up

A new gas station is being proposed for a rapidly developing part of Charleston. Greenville-based Spinx Co. plans to build a service station, convenience store and small office on Maybank Highway between Timberline Drive and Meek's Farm Road.

Getting fit

A fitness site in northern Mount Pleasant recently changed hands and names.

After 11 years as Be Strong Fitness under owner Ingrid Ray, the site at 1371 National Drive in the Charleston National neighborhood is now called A Hidden Gym.

Mel O'Keefe, a personal trainer at the facility for the past seven years, is the new owner.

The 1,600-square-foot gym is open around the clock and includes dumbbells, barbells, treadmills, ellipticals, squat rack, leg-exercise machines and other fitness equipment.

O'Keefe also has affiliate partners for nutrition and physical therapy.
For the second day in a row, the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control confirmed no new reports of death from COVID-19 in South Carolina.

All told, the health agency has confirmed 8,594 deaths from coronavirus disease since the beginning of the pandemic. An additional 1,160 are considered "probable" deaths.

According to DHEC's data, fewer than 200 of those total deaths happened in May or June.

Statewide numbers

New cases reported: 87 confirmed, 48 probable.

Total cases in S.C.: 492,437 confirmed, 101,908 probable.

Percent positive: 1.9 percent.

New deaths reported: 0 confirmed, 0 probable.

Total deaths in S.C.: 8,594 confirmed, 1,160 probable.

Percent of ICU beds filled: 63 percent.

S.C. residents vaccinated

DHEC's vaccine dashboard shows that 45.6 percent of the state's residents have received at least one shot of a COVID-19 vaccine.

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Hardest-hit areas

In the total number of newly confirmed cases, Richland County (14), Charleston County (12) and York County (9) saw the highest totals.

What about tri-county?

Charleston County had 12 new cases on June 8, while Berkeley County had four and Dorchester County had two.

Hospitalizations

Of the 205 COVID-19 patients hospitalized as of June 8, 54 were in the ICU and 28 were using ventilators.

What do experts say?

The Medical University of South Carolina is requiring all of its patient care staff and its leaders to have the COVID-19 vaccine, barring any religious or medical exemptions.

MUSC set the policy in late April, requiring its leaders to get at least a first shot of one of the vaccines by April 30. Ninety-seven percent did, with the other 3 percent requesting an exemption.

The rest of the patient care staff has until June 15 to do the same. By June 7, 90 percent had complied, MUSC said in a news update.
Variants of the coronavirus have been an ongoing concern for months, but public health leaders say they are particularly worried about the mutant strain originally found in India.

Called the "Delta variant," the strain now accounts for roughly 6 percent of the sequenced cases in the United States. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top infectious disease expert in the U.S., said in a briefing June 8 "it's essentially taken over" in the United Kingdom.

"We cannot let that happen in the United States," Fauci said.

Fauci noted the COVID-19 vaccines are less effective against the Delta variant. Just one dose of the available vaccines are much less effective, studies show.

So he encouraged everyone to not only begin their vaccinations, but to be sure to take both doses of either the Pfizer or Moderna shots on time.

In South Carolina, Dr. Linda Bell, the state's chief epidemiologist, said the Delta mutant strain isn't yet considered a "variant of concern." Bell said all of the variants are worrying because they spread more quickly, but the vaccines are still proving to be effective against the disease in all of its forms.

The possibility of strains resistant to the vaccines are more concerning, she said.

"The variants that concern me the most are the ones that have not yet emerged," Bell said.

The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control is developing a new dashboard that will provide more information to the public about variants.

Statewide numbers

New cases reported: 162 confirmed, 76 probable.

Total cases in S.C.: 492,584 confirmed, 101,990 probable.

Percent positive: 3.4 percent.

New deaths reported: 7 confirmed, 0 probable.

Total deaths in S.C.: 8,601 confirmed, 1,160 probable.

Percent of ICU beds filled: 68 percent.

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S.C. residents vaccinated

DHEC's vaccine dashboard shows that 45.7 percent of the state's residents have received at least one shot of a COVID-19 vaccine.

Hardest-hit areas

In the total number of newly confirmed cases, Richland County (22), Horry County (14), Marion County (13) and Greenville County (13) saw the highest totals.

What about the tri-county?

Charleston County had nine new cases on June 9, while Berkeley County had nine and Dorchester County had five.

Deaths

Of the deaths from COVID-19 confirmed June 9, one was a person age 35 to 64, and six were people age 65 or older.

Hospitalizations

Of the 200 COVID-19 patients hospitalized as of June 9, 58 were in the ICU and 29 were using ventilators.

What do experts say?

Bell said an increasing number of women seem to be worried that the coronavirus vaccines could be causing infertility or threaten their pregnancies.

"That is a myth and a rumor that is being perpetuated," she said.

She encouraged women to try to get a vaccine before becoming pregnant because pregnancy puts women at higher risk for having complications with COVID-19.
Hurricane evacuations, if one is called in 2021, may look slightly different to South Carolina residents. Mostly, those differences are lingering effects from 2020.

The main departure from past storms is that operators of emergency shelters for evacuees would expect occupants to wear masks and observe social distancing rules, even though those coronavirus related restrictions have started to fall away from public life.

Ben Williamson, a spokesman for the Palmetto Chapter of the Red Cross, said that shelters will follow the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's guidelines for congregate shelters. Though the CDC has said vaccinated people can ditch face coverings in many settings, its guidance still says that the staff, volunteers and clients of shelters should wear masks and try to stay six feet apart.

In addition, shelters will "still have verbal health screenings, but it wont be as extensive as last year when it comes to taking temperatures and things like that," Williamson said.

Ideally, said Derrec Becker, spokesman for the S.C. Emergency Management Division, people on the coast should get their vaccinations completed as soon as possible so they're protected before a storm threatens.

Last year, emergency officials were grappling with the possibility of handling two disasters at once: an oncoming hurricane and a raging global pandemic. Emergency officials adjusted the way they set up shelters that are placed temporarily in schools, churches and other community buildings. These spaces are a last resort for people leaving to avoid dangerous storm surge, and they are run in South Carolina by the Red Cross and the S.C. Department of Social Services.

The Red Cross said last year that it would try to put more people in hotels, but Williamson said that strategy has been abandoned in 2021. Even with reduced numbers per shelter to ensure distancing, he said, "capacity is not a concern."

At a June 4 hurricane preparedness press conference, DSS chief Michael Leach said officials are preparing shelters to be more pet-friendly as a way to ensure evacuation orders are heeded. Not all shelters in the state have accepted animals in the past.

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"No one should worry about what shelter they go to if they have a pet," he said.

But animals may have be temporarily housed at nearby veterinary clinics or other locations. He suggested owners provide caretakers with photos of themselves with their pets, pack any medical documents or prescriptions and bring their own carriers. Another word of advice is to get animals microchipped ahead of any emergency.

People evacuating from the Charleston region would also see, for the first time, changes that were implemented last year in how the state does lane reversals. The change in traffic pattern on Interstate 26 will start 15 miles farther north instead of at the interchange with Interstate 526 as in the past.

Major highways leading inland from the coast are turned into one-way paths of escape when storms threaten, in part, because a mad dash to evacuate before 1999's Hurricane Floyd left roads across the state gridlocked.

The chaos before Floyd is one reason why governors of South Carolina tend to err on the side of caution when deciding whether or not to call a coastal evacuation. But even though Hurricane Isaias swiped the northernmost reaches of coastal South Carolina last year, Gov. Henry McMaster did not ask residents of the area to leave when earlier forecasts had pinned the storm as a hurricane.

That made 2020 the first time that no evacuation was called anywhere on the state's coast since 2016.

Residents unsure of evacuation procedures or whether they're in an evacuation zone can go to hurricane.sc for more information. Coastal evacuation zones are mostly the same as the past, with the exception of Berkeley County, where a region inside the Francis Marion National Forest was removed from an evacuation zone.
People are advised to be on the lookout for alligators and stay on established trails when walking near freshwater ponds, lakes or streams in the Lowcountry. File/SCDNR
Syndicated and guest columns represent the personal views of the writers, not necessarily those of the editorial staff. The editorial department operates entirely independently of the news department and is not involved in newsroom operations.
Editorials represent the institutional view of the newspaper. They are written and edited by the editorial staff, which operates separately from the news department. Editorial writers are not involved in newsroom operations.
Even in a state where the laws and public sentiment are openly hostile to unionization, no one should have been surprised when two dozen employees of the S.C. Department of Juvenile Justice walked off the job on Friday.

Weve had plenty of warning that working conditions were intolerable  from an April audit that found dangerously inadequate security staffing, a rise in violence and continued struggles with problems that forced out the previous director just four years ago, to a series of legislative hearings that displayed a disturbing lack of urgency from the new director.

On Friday, employees who refused to go to work and off-duty workers who joined them outside the agencys secure facility in Columbia complained that low pay and deteriorating working conditions have increased turnover, forcing guards to work 24- and even 48-hour shifts without breaks. This has fed a vicious cycle that leaves youth and employees unsafe, with a growing number of youth attacking staff and staff having to take time off for injuries, compounding the problem.

Acting Capt. Ricky Dyckes told Columbias State newspaper that its to the point now that when you go to work you dont even know what time youre getting off and said officials had to drive a correctional officer home recently because she was too exhausted to drive after working 24 hours straight. Everybodys at a breaking point, he said.

Regardless of how you feel about the walkout  Gov. Henry McMaster says its never acceptable for anybody to walk off the job, while Sen. Katrina Shealy showed up to applaud the walkout  or whether you believe state auditors or an embattled agency chief who disputed some of the audits findings, we all should agree on this: Nobody should work 48 or even 24 consecutive hours in a prison. Ever.

Even if you dont care about the employees, that is simply not safe. Security officers inside a lockup arent like firefighters, who can sleep until an alarm sounds. This is a job that requires active monitoring at all times.

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Mr. McMaster and DJJ Director Freddie Pough have been working to address problems cited in the latest audit and reflected in employee comments on Friday. The state Department of Administration is reviewing DJJs personnel policies, the executive budget office is reviewing its pay and compensation, and SLED is looking into comments Mr. Pough made that seemed to indicate he was violating state law. On Friday, Mr. McMaster put SLED and the Corrections Department on standby in case they were needed to help keep DJJ safe while employees walked out; five helped out over the weekend.

The reviews are an important part of finding a long-term solution, as is increased legislative attention. We particularly need to determine how much the increased violence and turnover are a result of insufficient funding or inadequate laws and how much theyre caused by bad management decisions.

The Post and Couriers Stephen Fastenau and Seanna Adcox report that the agency left $11 million on the table in the fiscal year that ended in June 2020, even as employees quit over low pay and security officers were forced to work dangerously long hours. The April review by the Legislative Audit Council found that turnover meant security officers are less experienced than they were in 2017 (not coincidentally, security violations have more than doubled) and pay raises have gone primarily to management. Their extra paywould have paid for a 14% raise last year for all 113 entry-level officers, the audit said.

But Fridays walkout didnt create an emergency. It was a response, appropriate or not, to an existing emergency: a staffing emergency that demanded, and continues to demand, immediate action.

Those backups already should have been called in. They should have been called in the first time DJJ found itself in a position where an employee needed to work 24 consecutive hours. They should be pulling shifts now instead of allowing DJJ employees to work so long.

If Mr. McMaster didnt know before Friday that understaffing was that severe, he needs to demand an explanation from Mr. Pough  at the least. If he knew about it, he needs to explain to us why he considers it safe  much less acceptable  to have prisons guarded by people who are working longer hours than they can possibly perform such critical functions.
The passing of Lowcountry artist Jim Booth last week will be felt by many of us in coastal South Carolina.

Jim was a well-known artist and loved to paint what he saw around the Charleston coast. One of his favorite scenes to paint was the Morris Island Lighthouse, which he did many times.

Jim was an activist, too, and when he saw an opportunity to use his talents, he did.

He willingly donated from his collection, selections from his treasure chest for different causes.

One especially memorable example of his desire to help others and their causes involved Morris Island Lighthouse.

When a group of James and Folly Island residents were trying to find a way to acquire the lighthouse in 1999, Jim stepped forward and not only joined the group as a founder of Save the Light Inc., but offered to donate 400 prints of a special painting of the lighthouse.

First Light beautifully captured pelicans flying by the lighthouse at dawn with the surf already above the foundation of the tower.

Jim was so confident the painting would be sold out that he agreed to cosign a signature loan with the bank when Save the Light Inc. borrowed the $75,000 to purchase the tower from the owner.

The group negotiated the purchase of the lighthouse for $75,000, borrowed funds from the bank, released the print (which sold out in record time), paid off the short-term loan and celebrated by burning the paid-off note at the next meeting of the group.

Without the wisdom of Jim and his special talents, the group could have never gotten off the ground.

Farewell to one of the Charleston regions most famous artists, who loved what he painted and welcomed those who visited his gallery with a smile.

AL HITCHCOCK

Sea Eagle Watch

Charleston

No to bridge project

Charleston County Council has made some bad decisions lately, including the Naval Hospital and Joe Dawsons contract.

Building a $30 million pedestrian bridge over the North Bridge would be another.

The North Bridge is a six-lane highway that intersects the Interstate 26.

There is no need for pedestrian or bike access to I-26. This is evidenced by the county project manager remarkably explaining were trying to show there is a need for this. That is because there is not one.

There is a CARTA station at the corner of Cosgrove and Rivers avenues in North Charleston and a stop at the McDonalds just over the bridge in West Ashley.

Anyone desiring access between these two cities has this public transportation available to them if they are not driving.

If the county is looking to spend another $30 million, invest it in infrastructure at the Cosgrove-Azalea Drive intersection in North Charleston and the Cosgrove-Orange Grove Road intersection in Charleston.

Both areas could use some beautification.

We must stop allowing a few bureaucrats to make horrible and expensive mistakes with taxpayer money that would benefit, at best, a small group of people.

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WILLIAM NIXON

One Cool Blow Street

Charleston

That's no defense

If gullibility and ignorance of the truth are legitimate defenses for the egregious acts of treason and insurrection perpetrated on Jan. 6 at our nations Capitol, then the followers of the Charles Manson cult should not have been held responsible for the murders they committed at his bidding in 1969.

They could claim that they were misinformed and misled.

Hogwash. We are all being bombarded with the same misinformation and lies. The difference is the choice one makes.

The people who choose

to believe the misinformation and lies still perpetrated by Donald Trump and his panderers do so because it supports their prejudices, biases and anti-intellectualism.

If those on trial for their heinous acts on Jan. 6 had any honor, they would take full responsibility for what they did and demand that Trump be held responsible for his part in it.

After all, Manson didnt wield the knife, but he was convicted of first-degree murder for directing the deaths in the Tate-LaBianca killings.

TISH LYNN

Ashley Avenue

Charleston

Headline sings

Maura Hogan offered an excellent overview of Spoleto in Sundays Life section of The Post and Courier.

And she had me at A with her headline, Arts critic homes in, sums up and noodles out Spoleto performances.

Not only was homes used properly, as it so seldom is, but the whole headline was such fun to read.

Many newspapers assign the task of creating headlines to a person other than the writer, as it requires a special skill to create short, pithy copy to draw in the reader.

Well done, Ms. Hogan, for displaying your multiple talents.

PEGGY MALASPINA

State Street

Charleston
Goose Creek, SC (29445)

Today

Cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 69F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 69F. Winds light and variable.
I used to eat a lot of chicken and waffles, but I like duck a lot, so I tried to make it with pancakes, and it turned out nice, Koulouris says. I wanted jalapenos, because when I used to live in Dallas, I loved jalapenos, you know? I was trying to put jalapenos everywhere. [Laughs]
COLUMBIA  The S.C. Supreme Court has unanimously ruled the state's lifetime sex offender registration requirement is unconstitutional and people who demonstrate a low risk of reoffending should be able to petition a judge to have their names purged.

The June 9 order demands the General Assembly change the law to bring South Carolina in line with other states that provide offenders a path off of similar Megans Law-type registries.

The law is named for a 7-year-old in New Jersey who was sexually assaulted and murdered by a neighbor, prompting states around the country in the 1990s to tighten their laws around sex offenders.

Decades later, South Carolinas law, one of the nation's strictest, remains largely untouched. It requires lifetime registration in a public database  displaying each subjects name, home address and a photo  no matter the degree of the offense.

Offenders may only be removed if their conviction was reversed, they are acquitted through a retrial or if granted a pardon based on a finding that the subject was not guilty of their crimes.

Otherwise, unlike other states, South Carolina provides prior offenders no recourse to seek relief from a judge.

That now is in line for change based on the high court decision.

The system is the most stringent in the country, and deprives offenders of their rights to due process, Chief Justice Donald Beatty wrote in the 13-page ruling.

Because the state does not track which individuals have a low risk of reoffending, the states registry dilutes its utility by creating an ever-growing list of registrants that is less effective at protecting the public and meeting the needs of law enforcement, Beatty wrote.

The justices did reject an argument that publishing the registry online violates state law, allowing the database to continue to be displayed on the Internet.

The ruling mandates that offenders be offered hearings in circuit court, where they may argue they no longer pose a risk to their communities. Because that change will require an act of the Legislature, the ruling does not take effect until June 2022.

The high court's decision is already sparking reactions from the law enforcement community and nonprofit organizations that work to support sexual assault and human trafficking victims.

Brooke Burris, who founded and co-chairs the Tri-County Human Trafficking Task Force, said she understands the need to reexamine the registry and provide some offenders a pathway off of it.

But she was concerned justices didn't mention victims in their June 9 ruling.

"The effects on a victim are for their lifetime," Burris said.

She hopes the General Assembly takes victims and their needs into consideration as they amend the state's registration rules.

Rebecca Lorick, executive director of Sexual Trauma Services of the Midlands, echoed those concerns.

"It should be totally victim-centered," Lorick said. "It's so important to have their voices heard."

Jarrod Bruder, executive director of the South Carolina Sheriffs' Association, said the state's sheriffs welcome the opportunity to work with lawmakers to improve the law.

But, he said, "We must implement a solution that upholds a careful balance between public safety and an individuals right to due process."

Jonathan Ozmint, director of the S.C. Department of Corrections from 2003 to 2011, said lawmakers should adopt the system crafted by federal officials and used by other states.

Under this more common process, the lowest-level offenders are automatically purged from registries after 10 years, and most or all nonviolent offenders have a path off the lists.

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We continue to be the only state in the country that rejects even the possibility of redemption for every single sex offender no matter how minor his offense, Ozmint said. I just dont think its good public policy to reject hope and not allow for the possibility of redemption.

Rep. Cezar McKnight, D-Kingstree, said he plans to prefile legislation this fall for next years legislative session.

I agree with the courts decision," said McKnight, an attorney who serves on the House Judiciary Committee. "Granting a person due process of law is a hallmark of the United States justice system and I dont care who it is or what theyre accused of doing."

Conversations on how to improve the state's sex offender registry have been ongoing, said Rep. Bruce Bannister, R-Greenville. Officials know there are people on the registry who aren't really "what we'd qualify as a predator," and there needs to be a measured approach toward giving qualified people a path off it.

But the high court's ruling came as a surprise.

"Im surprised the Supreme Court did that, but now that theyve done it I think we can fix it and make it better," Bannister said. "There probably is a way to effectively identify the predators who should never get off and the folks who maybe have gotten treatment who could get off and not be a danger to society in general."

House Minority Leader Todd Rutherford, D-Columbia, a defense attorney, said he's introduced bills in the past to take juveniles off the registry because he thought the requirement was unconstitutional.

"Weve had kids as young as 15 put on the sex offender registry for the rest of their lives," Rutherford said. "This ruling by the Supreme Court is in recognition of reality and what the constitution is saying: We cant brand people with a scarlet letter for the rest of their lives for something some of these people do when they were 14 or 15 years old. Its a huge step to what was created as a safety tool that has now been perverted."

The Legislature will have to address the issue next year "without question," he said. Lawmakers will have to start looking at sex offenders and recidivism under science- and evidence-based criteria.

As the conversation on amending South Carolina's sex offender registry rules takes off, it will be important for all involved, as well as the public to remember that the registry is not a monitoring system and that it's critical to have qualified professionals evaluate an offender's risk of committing another sex crime, said Debbie Herring-Lash, a prosecutor who handles child sex abuse cases for the 9th Circuit Solicitor's Office in Charleston.

Although the Supreme Court's ruling represents a significant change for South Carolina, other states have systems for taking people off such registries.

"The burden is on the person to show they're not a risk," Herring-Lash said. "The victim has a right to be heard in that process. It seems to work in other states."

Rather than mandate certain offenders be taken off the registry after a certain number of years, a decision to purge someone from the list needs to be made with input from a professional qualified to conduct psychosexual evaluation, she said.

In the case before the state Supreme Court, Ozmint represented Columbia resident Dennis J. Powell Jr. Through a 2008 law enforcement sting, authorities caught Powell having sexually graphic online conversations with a police officer posing as a 12-year-old girl. Ozmint said Powell was in his 20s at the time.

Powell was arrested after trying to arrange a meeting with the girl for sex. He pleaded guilty in 2009 to criminal solicitation of a minor.

He petitioned to have his name removed from the registry in 2016 after counselors determined his risk of reoffending was low. Powell argued the required lifetime registry was excessive punishment and violated his rights to equal protection under the law.

Circuit Judge G. Thomas Cooper Jr. agreed and ordered Powells removal from the state registry. The State Law Enforcement Division and the state Attorney Generals Office appealed the case to the state Supreme Court, arguing the states use of its registry did not rise to the level of excessive punishment.

Spokesmen for those offices didnt immediately return messages on June 9 seeking comment.

The high court ordered those agencies to remove Powell's name from the state registry immediately.

Seanna Adcox contributed to this report.
MOUNT PLEASANT  Councilwoman Kathy Landing, who ran for Congress in 2020, is running for mayor.

The first-term Town Council member will challenge Mayor Will Haynie, who announced his reelection plans in March, and compete with whoever else might enter the race in the coming months.

Speaking to a crowd of about 80 supporters at Bricco Bracco restaurant, Landing repeatedly criticized Haynie's handing of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"When the world was hit with a pandemic, the difference between clear leadership and reactionary fear-mongering hit very close to home," she said.

Landing, who voted against the town's mask-wearing requirement, said: "I and my fellow council members were smeared on social media, by our mayor, as siding with conspiracy theorists."

She said it's been great in recent weeks, "just being able to walk around and see peoples smiling faces and breathe fresh air  and may I add, without fear, or guilt, or people pointing at you or anything."

Haynie later offered this response: "My COVID messages and actions were based on close communication with our town's medical community, MUSC, and our two hospitals, which are our largest private employers. I'm sure having that called 'fear mongering' by a member of town council and a mayoral candidate is not a positive thing for Mount Pleasant."

For a time during the pandemic, Mount Pleasant required that masks be worn in grocery stores, pharmacies and certain other businesses. Landing opposed that regulation, saying it should be up to businesses.

Both Landing and Haynie are conservative Republicans in the nonpartisan mayoral race. Landing ran for Congress in the 2020 GOP primary, losing to eventual winner Nancy Mace. She said Wednesday that she ran for Congress only because people asked her to do so.

"I'm far more prepared for this job (mayor) than I would have been for that one," said Landing.

Landing, 58, is a financial planning executive who, as one of her 2020 campaign ads said, was orphaned at age 13 and went on to college at age 16, attending Duke University. She is a certified financial planner and senior vice president of investments at Raymond James and Associates.

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Her website for the congressional race has been repurposed for her mayoral campaign, and now lists traffic congestion, maintaining green space and local taxes as her three key issues, with Landing claiming: "Without my advocacy and votes on council, the town of Mount Pleasant would have likely had both tax and fee increases multiple times."

Landing was absent from a Town Council meeting in September, attending her brother's funeral, when a budget that raised property taxes was approved.

As a council candidate in 2017, Landing staked out a pro-business, anti-regulation platform, saying that she opposed limits on annual building permits, any increases in taxes or fees, and government incentives or spending for affordable housing.

She said she was surprised to find after joining Town Council that "certain pet projects and score-settling" were part of the agenda. Specifically, she criticized a ban on single-use plastic bags and several anti-development town lawsuits that proved costly.

"We need a mayor who understands that limited government is the best government," Landing told her crowd of supporters Wednesday, to loud applause.

On Mount Pleasant Town Council, she has sometimes been on the lonely side of 8-1 votes, including her opposition to the 2018 ban on most single-use plastic bags and foam food containers. She also opposed what she described Wednesday as "arbitrary building height" limits.

Haynie has also been on the short end of some 8-1 votes. In April 2020, he alone voted against reopening all of the town's parks.

Mount Pleasant is South Carolina's fourth-largest city. The mayor is not a full-time "strong mayor" as in Charleston and North Charleston but votes as a member of council and has extra duties, such as appointing committee members.

The election is Nov. 2.
COLUMBIA  The embattled chief of South Carolinas Department of Juvenile Justice received a rare "no confidence" vote June 9 by a Senate panel after he again refused to resign amid four hours of blistering, bipartisan criticism.

Director Freddie Pough tried to defend himself to senators after current and former DJJ employees testified about being forced to work shifts of 24 hours or longer and fearing for their safety  issues that led to last week's walkout.

It's the first time senators have even considered a "no confidence" move since 2014 when former state Department of Social Services chief Lillian Koller resigned on the eve of an expected vote by the full Senate after months of then-Gov. Nikki Haley refusing to fire her.

Sen. Dick Harpootlian, D-Columbia, told Pough he was in over his head in running DJJ.

"You don't need to respond to this, but why don't you just quit?" the Columbia Democrat asked Pough, three weeks after asking him to resign.

"You continue to talk this big game about you're going to make it better in 18 months or whatever. Your staff has lost faith in you. I've lost faith in you. I don't know why the governor hasn't lost faith in you," Harpootlian said in the Senate panel's second hearing on DJJ. "There's no evidence here that you've accomplished anything, except a 57 percent increase in violence."

Pough said he had no plans to quit.

"I take taking care of these children seriously. At the end of the day, I understand that I'm in the chair. I understand all this starts and stops with me," he said. "I'm not out of touch. I'm boots-on-the-ground as well. I will reaffirm that I am committed to fixing this."

Only Pough's boss, Gov. Henry McMaster, can fire him, since he leads an agency in the governor's Cabinet.

The governor is sympathetic to the issues being raised by DJJ staff members today. Changes are being made," said McMaster spokesman Brian Symmes. "In the short term, a private security firm will provide 40 guards to address DJJ staffing shortages."

He did not directly address the "no confidence" vote or mention Pough by name.

More than two dozen workers gathered June 4 in the parking lot outside the gates of DJJs Broad River Road facility, holding hastily written signs protesting long shifts, a lack of breaks and general frustration with Pough, who's led the agency since January 2017.

The point is to find out what happened Friday. Why did they walk out? the panel's chairwoman, Sen. Katrina Shealy, R-Lexington, told The Post and Courier ahead of the meeting.

It was the second hearing of the subcommittee reviewing a scathing report in April by the Legislative Audit Council. Its findings included that DJJ doesn't have enough security officers to keep the juveniles or staff safe, and the ones who are there have less experience, resulting in incidents more than doubling since 2017.

"There's no such thing as morale around there," Ricky Dyckes, an 11-year veteran of the agency, told lawmakers June 9. "Staff is definitely not safe, and the juveniles are not safe."

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Shealy, who spent a decade volunteering at DJJ before taking office, said juveniles need to be learning technical skills and getting an education toward improving their lives once released, which happened during the tenure of the late William Byers from 2003 to 2011. The situation has gone downhill since, but particularly in the last few years, said Shealy, who has pieces of art and furniture made by DJJ students in her legislative office.

He hasn't made it better," she said of Pough, appointed by McMaster as the permanent director in 2018.

"If anything, it's a whole lot worse than it was four years ago. Now all were doing is making a better criminal. Were giving those kids the opportunity to be somebody whos going to visit (Department of Corrections Director) Bryan Stirling in a year or two, if they live, when they get out because theyre going to be better gang members, Shealy said.

"We're not giving them a trade. We're not giving them a skill. We're not giving them a better education," she continued.

Teachers can't teach when they fear for their lives, she said.

"There's no safety. There's no leadership. There's a lack of discipline," said construction teacher Wes Laws.

DJJ employs more than 1,500 people and handles more than 15,000 referrals annually on a $134 million budget.

Pough said DJJ can't hire people because the pay is so little and the agency needs more money. But senators point to the report's findings that money for raises went to management instead of officers, and the agency carried over $11 million unspent last fiscal year.

Pough, whose annual salary is $148,612, is among eight administrative employees at DJJ making more than $100,000.

Both the Senate and House include $4.6 million in their budget proposals to increase officer pay starting July 1, which would be in addition to a 2 percent or 3 percent across-the-board raise being considered for all state employees. Legislators will approve a final budget later this month.

The money will put DJJ officers' salaries in line with their counterparts at the state prisons agency for adult inmates. Officers at DJJ currently receive up to $3,000 less than officers with Corrections. It will also ensure officers will be "paid every penny they have earned working overtime" instead of having them take take off instead. And new hires will get a $7,500 signing bonus, Symmes said.

David Roberts, a captain at DJJ's Broad River Road complex, said increased pay would help, but problems run deeper.

"The biggest issue we have at DJJ is not addressing the aggression," he said. "There's no amount of money you can buy anybody to get busted in the head day after day."
The fast-attack submarine USS Springfield will join other submarines that are homeported on Guam, according to Guam's delegate in Congress.

"We welcome our newest homeported submarine to Naval Base Guam, enhancing our forward deployment and deterrence, and increasing our on-island submarine capability to five vessels," said Del. Michael San Nicolas in a press release. "We continue to strengthen our home and national defenses with these enhanced capabilities, and welcome our sailors and their families who make us the safest paradise in the world."

The USS Springfield's Guam arrival followed the departure of the Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine USS Topeka which changed its homeport from Guam to Hawaii in January. The USS Topeka was homeported on Guam beginning in 2015.
For a mother who held hope that her son would be found alive, today it became real.

Michael Jose Castro, 27, father to a little girl, will never come home.

Castro was last seen on Oct. 29, 2020. A little more than a week later, his mother Melanie Guerrero reported him missing to the Guam Police Department. It was unlikely for Michael Castro to not check on his mom because she is looking after his little girl, according to court documents.

Today, the release of documents filed in both local and federal courts offers details that point to authorities' conclusion that Michael Castro was murdered and dumped into the sea a day after he was last seen.

The suspect in the killing of Michael Castro has been identified as 23-year-old Nicholas Wayne Moore, who is the son of a Guam businessman that manages the Guam operations of Unitek Environmental Group, a company that began its presence on the island in 1988 and has been providing the U.S. Navy with hazardous waste packaging and disposal.

Police have searched the company's compound where the beige Lexus that Castro was last seen driving was found, according to documents.

The victim was shot in his car on Oct. 30, 2020, according to documents filed by authorities.

(Castro's) body is also believed to be disposed of in the ocean utilizing defendant Moores fathers boat. DNA testing further indicated the blood found in the victims vehicle and the blood later found on the pistol matched the DNA of (Castro)," according to the court documents.

Nicholas Moore is also a suspect in another shooting that occurred on Oct. 15, 2020, on Guam. And in that shooting, he faces an attempted murder charge, according to authorities.

It turns out the Guam Police Department had interviewed Nicholas Moore shortly after Michael Castro's blood-splattered car which also showed bullet holes, was found in Unitek's padlocked compound on Oct. 30, 2020.

"On Nov. 14, 2020, just days after his interview with Guam Police Department detectives, Moore left Guam with the reason of attending a drug rehabilitation program at the Betty Ford Clinic in Palm Springs, California," according to authorities in court documents. Court documents allege Moore had been using prescription pills.

Nicholas Moore was supposed to return to Guam within 30 days of his rehab.

Instead, he moved to Florida where, on Feb. 9, 2021, he was arrested in Panama City Beach on a petty criminal misdemeanor case.

Authorities in a press conference led by Guam police Chief Stephen Ignacio and Attorney General Leevin Camacho said Moore now faces a murder charge in Castro's death and an attempted murder charge in the shooting of another person whom they did not name because they said doing so would jeopardize their investigation.

Michael Castro's mother shared a message on Facebook today. "Today I know every mother on our island can feel a sense of my pain, the reality that my son Michael Jose Castro was murdered and he isnt coming back home alive. I had to cope every day the last eight months not knowing for sure information surrounding Michaels disappearance and its accuracy. Today I know. Today our island knows my son Michael is deceased.

I can be filled with anger and emotions of hatred and no mercy, but then Id be just like the people who had no mercy for Michael the night he was taken.

I thank you - ALL the people who brought my son Michaels case to where it is now. I love you all and I pray for each and everyone of you who continue to stand for the JUSTICE that our island expects and entrust in your hands.

I hope that as Michaels case moves forward, I ask and reach out to those who may know where Michaels remains are, please I plead with you, I beg you to give me and my family the peace we need to give Michael a respectable resting place."

The mother still holds hope someone in the community knows and will step forward on the location of her son's remains.

"PLEASE choose to make the right choices NOW is the time to do so. God Bless us all," she added.

The federal case against Moore is related to the defendant's attempt to avoid prosecution.

"Moore is the suspect in an ongoing investigation by the Guam Police Department for murder, attempted murder, and unlawful flight to avoid Prosecution from their agency on two separate cases. Moores apprehension was the culmination of a week-long coordinated effort by the United States Marshals Service (USMS), Guam Police, and the Bay County Sheriffs Office to locate Moore on these charges," a release from the Bay County Sheriff's Office stated.

The Guam Office of the Attorney General and GPD explained in the press conference why they were not able to publicly release information they had months prior.

"I know often times the media is frustrated when we are not able to provide comment, but this case shows exactly why it's sometimes necessary for us not to say things while we try to gather evidence and build the strongest case we possibly can," Attorney General Leevin Camacho stated.

GPD Chief Stephen Ignacio said Castro was last seen on Oct. 29, 2020 driving a beige Lexus before his mother reported him missing in November.

Detectives identified Moore as a person of interest during the course of the investigation, which ultimately evolved into a homicide case.

GPD detectives worked closely with Naval criminal investigative services, the attorney general's office, the U.S. Marshall's Office and others to locate Moore, Ignacio said.

Local officials did not comment on whether Castro's body has been located and whether officials anticipate additional arrests, citing the need to maintain the integrity of the investigation.

Similar to Castro's case, local officials did not detail the attempted murder case at this point. The chief of police only stated that the incident occurred in central Guam.

Moore will have to appear before the District Court of Guam first to answer to the federal warrant before the case proceeds through the Superior Court of Guam.

The suspect has been transported to Tallahassee, where he waits to be transported back to Guam.

The suspect's father, LeRoy Moore gave a brief statement when The Guam Daily Post reached out.

"I don't have any comments beyond  we're saddened with all this and we hope Nicholas is innocent," LeRoy Moore said.
Melanie Guerrero spent the last eight months of her life without truly knowing the circumstances behind the disappearance of her son, Michael Jose Castro, who went missing late last year.

On Wednesday, she received confirmation her son would never come home.

"Today I know," Guerrero wrote to family and supporters Wednesday morning on Facebook. "Today our island knows my son Michael is deceased."

Law enforcement officials in Florida arrested 23-year-old Nicholas Wayne Moore, the son of Unitek Environmental Guam President LeRoy Moore, in connection with the murder investigation involving Castro.

Castro's car, with blood splatter and bullet holes, was found in the storage compound of Unitek in Agat on Oct. 30, 2020, according to court documents filed in support of a request for a warrant to search the compound and Nicholas Moore's phone.

Nicholas Moore is also a suspect in a separate attempted murder case, the full details of which have not been released. That shooting incident, on Oct. 15, 2020, occurred in central Guam, but the victim who survived was not named.

According to the Bay County Sheriff's Office, "Moore is the suspect in an ongoing investigation by the Guam Police Department for murder, attempted murder, and unlawful flight to avoid prosecution from their agency on two separate cases. Moore's apprehension was the culmination of a week-long coordinated effort by the United States Marshals Service (USMS), Guam Police, and the Bay County Sheriff's Office to locate Moore on these charges."

The Guam Office of the Attorney General and GPD held a press conference on the arrest Wednesday morning.

Court documents indicate Guam police had interviewed Nicholas Moore after Castro's car was found in the Unitek storage compound, but they let the suspect leave Guam  with the stated purpose of going to the Betty Ford Center, a drug rehabilitation facility in California  in November.

Up until the press conference on Wednesday, the public had not been informed that Castro's car was found on Oct. 30, and that police had interviewed Nicholas Moore soon after.

"I know often times the media is frustrated when we are not able to provide comment, but this case shows exactly why it's sometimes necessary for us not to say things while we try to gather evidence and build the strongest case we possibly can," Attorney General Leevin Camacho said.

GPD Chief Stephen Ignacio confirmed Castro was last seen Oct. 29, driving a beige Lexus before his mother reported him missing in early November.

Detectives identified Nicholas Moore as a person of interest during the course of the investigation, which ultimately evolved into a homicide case.

GPD detectives worked closely with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the attorney general's office, the U.S. Marshals Office and others to locate Moore, Ignacio said.

Castro's mother speaks

Castro left behind a daughter as well.

"I can be filled with anger and emotions of hatred and no mercy, but then I'd be just like the people who had no mercy for Michael the night he was taken," Guerrero wrote in her statement on social media, before thanking everyone who helped push ahead with her son's case.

"I love you all and I pray for each and everyone of you who continue to stand for the justice that our island expects and entrust in your hands," Guerrero added.

LeRoy Moore, Nicholas' Moore's father, said he was made aware of the situation Tuesday when his son was arrested.

"I don't have any comments beyond we're saddened with all this and we hope Nicholas is innocent," LeRoy Moore said.

Local officials did not specify details of the case, including what may be the connection between Nicholas Moore and Castro, the manner of death or whether officials anticipate additional arrests, citing the need to maintain the integrity of the investigation.

However, documents filed in local and federal courts fill in some of the gaps.

Body believed dumped at sea

Nicholas Moore's arrest warrant, available through the Northern District Court of Florida, was issued May 28. The attached affidavit stated he was believed to be implicated in two shooting investigations, one that occurred Oct. 15, 2020, and the other on Oct. 30. The latter appears to have involved Castro but he is not named in the document.

The affidavit states that it is believed the victim of the second shooting was shot multiple times with a .45-caliber pistol while inside his vehicle. It is also believed that Nicholas Moore disposed of the body in the ocean using his father's boat, according to the affidavit.

GPD and the attorney general did not comment on whether Castro's body has been located but his mother's statement implies it has not been found yet, or at least that she is unaware of where it is.

"I ask and reach out to those who may know where Michael's remains are, please I plead with you, I beg you to give me and my family the peace we need to give Michael a respectable resting place," Guerrero stated Wednesday.

DNA testing indicated the blood located in the victim's vehicle matched blood found on the pistol confiscated at Nicholas Moore's residence, according to the affidavit.

On Nov. 14, 2020, just days after interviewing with GPD detectives, Nicholas Moore left Guam to attend a drug rehabilitation program at the Betty Ford Center in California, according to the affidavit. He was scheduled to return in 30 days.

But GPD later learned that Nicholas Moore had left California and was arrested on Feb. 9 in Panama City Beach, Florida, for a misdemeanor, according to the affidavit.

Local investigation timeline

Warrants were issued by the Superior Court of Guam to search Nicholas Moore's telephone and notebook computer. The accompanying affidavits indicate that a Unitek employee found a beige Lexus RX 350 in the company storage lot in Santa Rita on Oct. 30, a vehicle later found to be registered to Castro.

In trying to remove the vehicle, employees found blood spatter and bullet holes, and GPD was notified. Officers found three bullet holes that appeared to originate from within the vehicle. Outward blood spatter was discovered within the front passenger area, with heavy pooling on the cushion area of the seat.

Officers tried to locate Castro and his relatives but were unsuccessful. Then his mother reported him missing Nov. 8, 2020.

During the concurrent investigation, officials determined that Castro was associated with Nicholas Moore and another male. Castro's mother would confirm that Nicholas Moore and her son were friends.

Call logs indicated that Castro and Nicholas Moore were in communication leading up to Castro's disappearance. Moore was also in contact with the third male.

Meanwhile, Castro's mother informed officials that her son was last seen at the Days Inn in Tamuning. It was learned that Castro left around noon on Oct. 29. He had a female companion who left before him.

The woman would inform law enforcement that she left the Days Inn on Oct. 28 and that Castro, Nicholas Moore and a third male, identified as Moore's friend, knew each other due to their alleged use of prescription pills, according to one affidavit.

She also indicated that Nicholas Moore had made threats in the past, retrieving his gun to resolve situations and possible confrontations, an affidavit stated.

Detectives learned that Castro was last seen leaving a friend's residence in Dededo after midnight on Oct. 30, and said he was meeting with friends in Santa Rita.

Nicholas Moore and Castro engaged in several calls between Oct. 29 and Oct. 30, with the last being around 12:17 a.m. on Oct. 30.

Law enforcement also interviewed Unitek employees. One stated that Nicholas Moore was at the Unitek offices at 6 a.m. on Oct. 30 with a friend, washing out the interior cargo bed area of his company-assigned truck.

According to one affidavit, Nicholas Moore was confirmed to be the son of the company's owner and had full access to Unitek company assets, including the property where Castro's Lexus was found.

One Unitek employee also stated that the company's main office is equipped with a surveillance system but it was password-protected and accessible to Nicholas Moore, according to an affidavit.

Federal appearance first

Nicholas Moore will appear in the District Court of Guam first to answer to the federal warrant before the case proceeds to the Superior Court.

He awaits extradition back to Guam.
A man suspected of murder and other criminal charges in Guam was arrested in Panama City Beach, Florida and is awaiting extradition back to the island.

According to the Bay County Sheriff's Office Facebook page, United States Marshal Service Florida Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force, with the assistance of the Bay County Sheriff's Office, arrested 23-year-old Nicholas Wayne Moore in Panama City Beach at 4300 Bay Point Drive, at the request of the Guam Police Department.

"Moore is the suspect in an ongoing investigation by the Guam Police Department for murder, attempted murder, and unlawful flight to avoid Prosecution from their agency on two separate cases. Moores apprehension was the culmination of a week-long coordinated effort by the United States Marshals Service (USMS), Guam Police, and the Bay County Sheriffs Office to locate Moore on these charges,"

Moore was transported by U.S. marshals to Tallahassee, where he awaits extradition back to Guam, the sheriff's office stated.

The Guam Office of the Attorney General and Guam Police Department are preparing a news conference to discuss the arrest.
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The Anne Frank Foundation, which owns the familys archives, says Franks complete diary is important for understanding the full picture of the girl whose ordeal and murder have come to symbolize the tragedy of the Holocaust. Times change and there is a growing desire to get to know the many aspects of the real Anne Frank and so it was decided to publish after Ottos death the full diary, including for the first times parts that Otto took out, the foundation, known as the Fonds, told Veja.
Photo taken on May 13, 2021 shows Yangtze alligators at a release point of the Anhui Chinese alligator national nature reserve in Jingxian county, East China's Anhui province. [Photo/Xinhua] China has made great progress in conserving and restoring the ecosystem of the Yangtze River in its wide-ranging efforts to protect Asia's longest watercourse, according to Huang Runqiu, Minister of Ecology and Environment. In 2020, the quality of water at all monitored sections along the river's main stream rated at or above Grade II, an unprecedented result, and the second highest level in the country's five-tier assessment system for grading surface water, the Minister said, as he delivered a report on the protection of Yangtze to the ongoing session of the Standing Committee of the 13th National People's Congress on Monday. The achievement was possible thanks to a series of measures taken to curb pollutants discharged into the river last year. Huang said that 558 plants producing hazardous chemical in densely-populated areas in the Yangtze River Economic Belt were either upgraded or relocated. All outdated chemical production sites within a kilometer from the Yangtze's main stream have also been shut down. The Yangtze River Economic Belt covers all but two of the 11 regions the Yangtze flows through, with Qinghai province and the Tibet autonomous region being the exceptions. It also includes Zhejiang and Guizhou provinces, which are home to tributaries of the Yangtze. Aside from enhancing wastewater management in major industrial parks, efforts have been made to prevent pollutants in the mining sector from entering the river. Pollution control work has been completed in 1,618 tailings ponds in the basin, out of a total of 1,641. "Accelerated efforts have been made to address the shortfall in collecting and disposing of domestic wastewater," Huang noted. "All cities along the Yangtze's main artery are now served by concentrated wastewater disposal facilities." Almost 24,000 sewage draining exits that directly discharged urban waste wastewater in the basin have been removed, he continued. Huang said authorities have effectively curbed illegal sand mining along main body of the river thanks to a special campaign jointly launched by several government bodies. Meanwhile, 2,431 projects that illegally encroached on the Yangtze were rectified, which helped restore 158 kilometers of shoreline.


All six police agencies provided their own bite ratios, which reflect the percentage of suspects bitten when dogs are used in an arrest. The Department of Justice uses these ratios to determine the competence of police K-9 programs. However, bite ratios dont tell us the race of individuals bitten, and police departments calculate the ratios differently. For example, five of the six Broward law enforcement agencies measured their dog bites against how many times dogs were involved in an arrest, while the Pembroke Pines police department included all cases in which a dog was deployed even if there was no arrest.
I wrote a lot last month about the protestations of the Associated Press when the IDF destroyed the high-rise Gaza office building in which it was holed up with fellow tenants including Hamas. The first post among several was The AP goes Sgt. Schultz.

AP executives demanded information supporting the IDFs targeted destruction of the building. Yesterday the IDF issued this announcement:

During Operation Guardians of the Walls the IDF struck the al-Jalaa building on May 15th, 2021. The site was used by the Hamas terror organization for intelligence R&D and to carry out SIGINT (signals intelligence), ELINT (electronic signals intelligence), and EW (electronic warfare) operations, targeting both IDF operational activity and civilian systems in Israel. One of the main goals of these efforts was to develop a system that would disrupt the Iron Dome aerial defense system. The purpose of the IDF strike was to curtail these enemy capabilities, including destroying special equipment, and preventing their use during the operation. According to IDF assessments, the equipment was in the building at the time of the strike. The strike was designed to collapse the building in order to ensure the destruction of the special means. The target was of high military value to Hamas and was vetted according to rigorous procedures within the IDF, and in accordance with international law. In light of the nature of the target, prior to the strike, the IDF provided civilians in the building advance warning. Significant efforts were made to enable civilians to evacuate the building. The evacuation process was meticulous, and as a result, no civilians were harmed. This event should be put into context  Hamas intentionally operates within the civilian population of Gaza and does so in order to hamper the IDFs operational activity. The IDF will continue to maintain the security of Israeli citizens, while doing its best to prevent any possible harm to non-combatants.

On Monday Israels ambassador to the United States and the United Nations met with senior leadership of the Associated Press in New York, where he told them what Hamas was up to in the building. The JNS story on the meeting includes no quoted comments from the AP. I will withhold my own comments until I can ascertain what the AP has to say.

Via Elder of Ziyon (which has its own commentary).
I have a new hero. Hes Walter E. Hussman Jr., an Arkansas newspaper publisher. Hussman, a major donor to the University of North Carolina, raised objections to UNC awarding tenure to Nikole Hannah-Jones. Hannah-Jones is the author of the 1619 project, a radical reinterpretation of American history that has been rejected by leading historians, including liberal ones and even socialists.

Hussman says he didnt threaten to stop donating to the University if Hannah-Jones received tenure. Rather, he merely voiced concerns about tying the UNC journalism school to the 1619 project. (The journalism school is named after Hussman.) Based on [Hannah-Jones] own words, he explained, many will conclude she is trying to push an agenda, and they will assume she is manipulating historical facts to support it.

That seems to be Hussmans conclusion. He pointed to Hannah-Jones bogus claim that the American Revolution was waged to preserve slavery. Even the New York Times, which published Hannah-Jones screed, walked away from that one. Hussman also objected to Hannah-Jones absurd claim that Blacks were largely alone in their fight against slavery. What about the abolitionists, Hussman wondered.

Hannah-Jones lefty supporters are attacking Hussman for inserting his views about who deserves tenure. This, they say, jeopardized academic freedom. (Nice to see this sudden concern for academic freedom from the academic left.) One clownish professor went so far as to call this an ethical violation on Hussmans part.

Nonsense. Hussman would have been well within his rights if he had threatened to stop donating to UNC. Donors have no obligation to continue giving money to universities that grant tenure to professors they believe are manipulating facts to push a political agenda.

But Hussman apparently didnt go that far (doing so would have made him more heroic in my eyes). He simply expressed his opinion about whether Hannah-Jones deserved tenure. Any alum or donor has that right.

If only more of them exercised it.
Im not entirely sure whether satire degenerates in the hands of the left, but one could make the case. From Jonathan Swift to Evelyn Waugh, the greatest satirists writing in English have been conservatives of one stripe or another. As for the degeneration, Philip Roths stabs at satire might suffice by themselves.

By the same token, we may wonder if the understanding of satire may degenerate on the left. Take the case of Facebook as reported by the New York Times in For Political Cartoonists, the Irony Was That Facebook Didnt Recognize Irony. Subhead: As Facebook has become more active at moderating political speech, it has had trouble dealing with satire. The political cartoons discussed in the Times story incidentally make the case for the degeneration of satire in the hands of the left.

Referring to Facebooks content moderation, the Times noted:

[S]atire kept popping up as a blind spot. In 2019 and 2020, Facebook often dealt with far-right misinformation sites that used satire claims to protect their presence on the platform, Mr. Brooking said. [Updated March 22, 2021: The Babylon Bee, a right-leaning satirical site, has feuded with Facebook and the fact-checking site Snopes over whether the site published misinformation or satire.]

The Babylon Bee is of course a site devoted to satire with a conservative Christian bent. The Timess reference to the Bee as a far-right misinformation site virtually defies belief.

The Times update followed the Bees demand for a retraction over the misinformation label. One may reasonably find the Times update wanting. The linked Post story explained:

[Babylon Bee CEO Seth] Dillon said the update was was no better than the original. We have not, in fact, feuded with Snopes as to whether we publish satire or misinformation, he wrote on Twitter. Snopes retracted that insinuation with an editors note saying it was never their intent to call our motives into question. Dillon added: Its therefore misleading and malicious to characterize that incident as a feud, as if Snopes ever openly stood by the claim that we are misinformation and not satire. We cannot stand idly by as they act with malice to misrepresent us in ways that jeopardize our business, he said.

The Post quoted from the Seth Dillons Twitter thread here. Were it not for hostility to the Bees point of view, the Timess cluelessness would be difficult to account for. One can rest assured that the Times would exercise greater care if the Bee leaned left rather than right. It takes some kind of willfulness to craft an update as obtuse as the Timess. We wish the Bee well in its effort to call the Times to account.
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With Lagos and Ibadan having been conquered, the train of the Covid-19 inspired documentary feature, UNMASKED: Leadership, Trust and the Covid-19 Pandemic heads to Kano this week.

The event is scheduled to take place Thursday, June 10, at the Theater & Performing Arts Theater, Faculty of Communication Complex, Bayero University, Kano New Campus from 10.30 a.m.

It will feature the premiere of the 105 minutes revealing film, followed by a panel conversation on the theme: Rebuilding Primary Healthcare.

As it happened in the other two locations, the Kano event will have as keynote speaker, the Governor of Central Bank, Godwin Emefiele. The proposed Special Guest of Honour is His Royal Highness, Ibrahim Abubakar ll, Emir of Karaye.

To be moderated by the ace journalist and now media entrepreneur, Kadaria Ahmed, who is also the co-producer and presenter of the film, the proposed discussants in the panel conversation are:

* Isa Sadiq Abubakar  Director, CIDR Kano

* Tijani Hussein  Executive Director, Primary Health Management Board

* Aisha Faruk  Reproductive Health Coordinator, Kano

Directed and produced by the renowned storyteller and content creator, Femi Odugbemi, Unmasked was collaboratively produced by Daria Media and Zuri 24 Media with the support of the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC) and the Macarthur Foundation.

According to Bimbola Amao, Programs Officer at the Daria Media Ltd, We want Unmasked to become a catalyst for conversations around public health in Nigeria based on the issues raised on the documentary and the shortcomings unmasked by Covid-19. It is our hope that we can motivate collaborative work that can help us begin to build a more functional public health care system.
But for police gunshots that dispersed the riled-up mob, Olabiyi Olayemi, 35, was seconds away from being set ablaze over allegations of theft on Brown Street in the Oshodi area of Lagos in 2014.

The father of two went shopping with his elder sisters colleague when they packed their car by a roadside around Oshodi market, leaving their driver to keep watch.

As they finished shopping and made their way into an adjoining street, they saw their car parked  or so they thought.

We met the exact type of our car with the same colour, same brand, same model, same maker, same rim cover, parked and locked, Mr Olayemi, a civil servant in Osogbo, Osun State, said. The only difference was the number plate, which was also registered in the same state and LGA, he would later find out.

The car was locked and the driver could not be found. Several attempts to reach him proved futile. Not this time again, he mumbled as he recalled a similar experience he had about a year earlier with the same driver.

At the time, their Toyota Sequoia parked by the road was left at the spot overnight after the driver went AWOL only to be later found in police custody. But by the time he returned the next day, the car had been burgled and vandalised with the drivers side mirror broken, brain box, jack, car battery and two tyres and another extra one all stolen.

This time around, Mr Olayemi tried a bunch of extra keys on the car. None opened it. So he decided that towing the vehicle immediately was the best thing to do.

The driver of the towing vehicle forcefully opened the door to release the gear and handbrake. It was while lifting the car up with the towing vehicle I saw people surrounding us, Mr Olayemi, who was then a masters student of computer engineering at Lagos State University, recalled.

They started beating us. They didnt even allow me to talk. I kept shouting and insisting the car belongs to my boss.

It turned out the car was not the one he thought. His own was still parked on the next street where they originally parked it.

Mistaken identity

When the original car owner was asked to open the car, it opened. This was the height of trouble as, by his estimate, about 50 people started beating him and the driver of the towing vehicle, who passed out and would spend three months at the hospital before fully recuperating.

They said they have been watching me trying to open the door with different keys. One said I was the one that stole his okada, Mr Olayemi said.

He was beaten and robbed of his wristwatch, wallet, ring, shoes. There were those who were intentionally targeting his eyes and groin with a big plank. He shielded the blows with his hands, and one of his fingers is now slant.

He was necklaced with a tyre doused in petrol.

I was using the last breath in me to shout I am not a thief. I am a student at LASU. I can never be a thief. I saw a man holding a matchbox. The next thing I heard was a gunshot from the police to disperse people. I was rescued to the police station.

Police investigation found that it was a case of mistaken identity.

When the two cars were placed side by side, the only distinguishing factor was the number plate, Mr Olayemi said.

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On that day, Mr Olayemi narrowly escaped death and also escaped joining fatalities from mob action which denies crime suspects their day in court.

Such mob action is a violation of the victims rights under sections 33, 34 and 36 of the Nigerian Constitution which respectively guarantee everyone the rights to life, to the dignity of the human person and to a fair hearing, an Abuja-based lawyer, Adeniyi Aderinboye, said.

Not only are innocent people victims of jungle justice, it has caused their maim or even eventual death, Ayomide Ilori, a security studies lecturer at Bamidele Olumilua University of Education, Science and Technology, Ekiti State, said. It has punished mostly alleged petty thieves whom social inequality has deprived of basic needs.

Mr Aderinboye added that when a group of persons takes laws into their hands by assaulting or summarily executing a suspected criminal, they are guilty of the offence of assault punishable by one-year imprisonment, or murder which is punishable by death under section 319 of the criminal code.

Jungle justice

The lynching of suspected criminals happen often in Nigeria much that they have their own moniker: jungle justice.

A combination of rising crime rate, the inertia found in a dysfunctional and corrupt judiciary system, debased value system, and loss of confidence in law enforcement agencies are some of the reasons mob actions persist in the country.

Alleged offences that draw lynching range from crimes such as murder, armed robbery, rape, kidnapping, petty theft, blasphemy to even witchcraft.

While data are scant, a 2014 survey found that 43 per cent of Nigerians had personally witnessed a mob lynch a person. Nigeria and neighbouring Cameroon are said to have the highest rates of jungle justice in Africa, where at least one person faces mob rule at the hands of irate citizens for perceived crimes daily.

A research carried out by Mr Ilori, who is also a criminologist at the University of Ibadan, found that factors like insecurity, understaffed and ill-equipped police force are the drivers of jungle justice.

An overwhelmed police make neighbourhoods seek the service of vigilante groups for local security. With no proper regulation and training on the handling of civil matters, members of the group sometimes abet mob rule, he said.

I discovered that people are not aware that the law only permits them to arrest people that break the law, but do not have the right to prosecute, Mr Ilori told PREMIUM TIMES, adding that recurrent patterns of uneven access to goods, wealth, opportunities, rewards will always innovate crime.

Lagos State police spokesperson, Bala Elkana, declined calls seeking to know how they handle mob rule. So did the national spokesperson of the police, Frank Mba.

There is a disconnection between citizens and the police, and there is a lack of institutional trust in the police, so jungle justice is always spontaneous in neighbourhoods where grave crimes and petty crimes are high, he noted.

Mr Aderinboye added that due to inconsistent delivery of justice, courts closure as it currently is for over a month, high cost and long duration of prosecuting criminal cases, people prefer cheap and quick justice. That is why jungle justice thrives. But it is everything but justice, he said.

The general populace holds a narrow belief that justice can be bought. This notion is understandable but largely untrue because, before the enactment of the Administration of Justice Act in 2015, the conclusion of an average criminal case takes between four to six years while a commercial dispute can take up to five years, Mr Aderinboye noted.

The crime suspects, sometimes hogtied and stripped, are always beaten, wrapped in petrol-soaked tyres and then set ablaze or summarily extrajudicially killed. If some are lucky, they are turned over to the police but they must have been badly tortured.

Salaudeen Umar, 27, was a witness of such an incident in 2009 along Oke-Ado axis of Ibadan, where a kidnap suspect was stripped and her private part was peppered before she was turned in to the police. Last November, he witnessed another scene where a man was alleged to have stolen a generator and was beaten till he lost consciousness.

While these acts are on, there is usually someone nearby with a camera to record the grisly scene. In April, for instance, horrific photographs circulated on social media showing two men accused of a botched kidnap stripped and beaten in Wuse, Abuja. Those who opposed the beating were vilified.

Mr Olayemi said months after his experience, he saw a video of the macabre episode on social media. He had to write to the publisher before the video was pulled down.

While fighting crime is essential to society (for) social integration and social regulation, jungle justice is anything but just, Mr Ilori said.

The extent of jungle justice

Isaac Adebajo, 20, was planning to write his school certificate examination (WASCE) when he was waylaid, robbed and beaten for a reason he still does not know around the Masaka area of Nasarawa State.

He was home that weekend and was making his way back to school where he boarded when his attackers accosted him.

I could not believe it because it happened like a shock. It nearly had a bad effect on my exams, but thanks to my mum who stood by me. It was not easy to get over the incident, Mr Adebajo, a resident of Abuja, recalled.

Also, 13-year-old Aliah Oluokun, accused of theft by her boss, Suliyat Taofeek, last month, was allegedly subjected to horrific torture that included the use of a heated knife to inflict injuries on her body and spraying of fresh pepper into her private part which was also placed over hot coal. She spent over 10 days at the University Teaching Hospital (UCH), Ibadan for this.

Her father who is now demanding justice told this reporter he was happy that Ms Taofeek and her cohorts have been charged to court. What we want is justice. Whatever is due to anyone who did what they did should be meted out on them, he said.

In Mr Adebajos case, justice was never served. There are hopes that there would be justice in the case of young Aliah.

Likewise, justice may be expected after three suspects were arrested by Ogun State police command for allegedly beating a 23-year-old man to death over allegations that he stole two mobile phones. But the victim will not live to know if justice was served or not.

The mentality behind jungle justice

Far back in secondary school, Shegun Adetubo joined in the beating of an alleged phone thief, one he said he has made up with.

All evidence was against this persons claims of innocence. There seemed to be no way of making him confess, so I got angry and slapped him. He still didnt comply then the beating continued until he confessed, and secretly gave it back to the owner, he recalled.

Although Mr Adetubo would now rather invest in self-development than look for a suspected criminal to beat, he said mob action is the easiest form of confession. He blamed this on the corrupt criminal justice system which he describes as a politically influenced system which punishes the poor but frees the rich.

No matter how much you preach to a community, they still trust the judgement of their hands more than that of the government (police), at worst they go to vigilantes, Mr Adetubo said.

Mr Aderinboye disagrees. He said jungle justice is the quickest way to show callousness, anarchy and injustice.

Olusegun Ogunlade who witnessed a scene where a man was lynched for alleged theft in 2020 believes that while the fraught judicial system may hold water, the singular possibility of an innocent person being tortured for the wrong reason makes the act barbaric.

The irony of the matter is while the same people laud politicians that loot the countrys treasury and impoverish them, they would be happy to kill another for stealing garri or N10. The Nigerian situation is indeed in need of a quick redemption, he said.

Judicial reform is the way to go

Mr Ilori, the criminologist, said the scourge can be stopped if the police are responsive enough to crime alert and they ensure that the opportunity to carry out crimes becomes very difficult for offenders.

There is a need for institutional trust in the police and the judiciary. There should be a free and fair trial of the accused and quick dispensation of justice by the judiciary.

On his part, Mr Aderinboye urged the government to make efforts to regain public trust as the prevalence of corruption, insecurity and unemployment has given the impression that we are in a lawless society and justice cannot be achieved in the present judicial dispensation.

Both men also agreed that it is important to sensitise the public on how to handle alleged offenders.

There is need for more sensitisation of the public on the provisions of the Administration of Justice Act 2015 which was enacted majorly to address the delay in the administration of justice in Nigeria, Mr Aderinboye said.

He added that victims of jungle justice or their family members can seek redress in court by filing for a violation of their fundamental human rights and claim for damages.

Mr Olayemi, himself a disaster and risk management expert, survived the mob action of 2014 and his abusers have apologised. Not many are as lucky, as shown by the case of four college students who were wrongly accused of theft and killed by riled-up neighbours in Port Harcourt in 2012.

Mr Olayemi said he hopes with his story, more people will learn why there is a need to end jungle justice.

(This report was funded by the Civic Media Lab, under its Criminal Justice Reporting Fellowship, with support from MacArthur Foundation).
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The Senate is set to commence screening of presidential aide, Lauretta Onochie, who was appointed as a commissioner for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, on Wednesday, directed the Senate Committee on INEC to commence screening.

Ms Onochie was appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari in October 2020 as an INEC resident electoral commissioner to represent Delta State.

The president, in a letter to the Senate, announced the appointment and sought the lawmakers confirmation.

Although Ms Onochie was appointed alongside three other nominees, her appointment generated outrage, with some Nigerians describing it as unconstitutional.

Both individuals and civic groups have since called on the president to withdraw the nomination on grounds that Ms Onochie is partisan and so it would be undemocratic for her to be appointed into such an office.

Many have also said her appointment could jeopardise the credibility of future elections.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how her appointment violates Section 14(2a) of the Third Schedule of the 1999 Constitution as amended which states that a member of the commission shall be non-partisan and a person of unquestionable integrity.

The Constitution declares that appointees to the electoral body must be non-partisan and also not a card-carrying member of any political party. This is, however, not the case with Ms Onochie, who had openly displayed partisanship and total support for the president and the All Progressives Congress in general.

Before the presidents request for confirmation was referred to the committee, the Minority Leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe, kicked against her nomination and wondered why another nominee had not been sent to the Senate to replace her.

Screening/consideration

The names of five other nominees were also referred to the committee on INEC. They are Muhammad Kallah (Katsina), Kunle Ajayi (Ekiti), Babura Ahmad (Jigawa), Sani Adam (North-central) and Baba Bila (North-east).

The motion to refer the names of the nominees to the panel was moved by the Senate Leader, Abdullahi Yahaya.

Mr Abaribe seconded after he kicked against her nomination and wondered why another nominee had not been sent to the Senate to replace her.

In seconding this motion, we have dealt with the matter of the nomination of Lauretta Onochie. So we feel surprised the same name has resurfaced no longer as a national commissioner but as Delta State commissioner.

Reluctantly, I second the motion that these nominations be referred to the appropriate committee for action. We shall meet in Philippines, he said after which the letter was referred to the committee.

It is surprising that the Senate waited eight months to begin screening of the nominees. This is because the ninth Senate is known for confirming nominees within a few days or weeks.

After the screening, the committee is expected to present its report to the Senate for possible confirmation or rejection of the nominees.
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The National Examinations Council (NECO) has said the June 25 deadline for the registration of the 2021 senior school certificate examination (SSCE) for internal candidates remains sacrosanct.

A statement issued on Wednesday by the examination body and signed by its head of information and public relations division, Azeez Sani, urged relevant stakeholders including states education ministries, school owners and managers, among others, to ensure strict compliance.

The statement reads in part; The National Examinations Council (NECO) will not extend the registration period for the 2021 Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) for school based candidates.

The registration exercise which started on March 31, will close on Friday, June 25, 2021 and will not be subjected to extension, while the examination will commence unfailingly on Monday, July 5, 2021.

NECO said the decision is to enable efficient and effective planning for the examination logistics, which it noted are required for the smooth conduct of the examination.

The statement urged the stakeholders to ensure timely completion of their candidates registration.

The Council assures all stakeholders of its resolve to have a seamless conduct of the 2021 SSCE, Mr Sani wrote.

About NECO

Established in April, 1999 by the administration of the former head of state, Abdulsalami Abubakar, NECO was a product of long years of agitations for the creation of a national examination body to ease the growing burden of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC).

WAEC, as a regional examination body, was said to be carrying heavy burden and that the increasing number of Nigerians seeking to sit the senior secondary school certificate examination, and the alleged poor capacity of WAEC to handle the situation efficiently, led to the birth of NECO.

It is headquartered in Minna, Niger State capital and homestate of Mr Abubakar.

The examination body suffered a lot of teething problems which led to rejection of its results by some institutions until the government issued a strong directive.

The problems may not be over yet as the issue of poor management has continued to rock the examination body.

Barely one year after the former registrar and chief executive officer of the exammination body, Charles Nwakwe, was sacked from office by President Muhammadu Buhari over corruption allegations, his successor, Godswill Obioma, who was also accused of mismanagement and recklessness, recently died after a brief illness.

The examination council has, however, appointed the director of special duties, Ebikibina Ogborodi, as an acting registrar.
Broward sheriff's deputies suspected that Jamarkquiz Walkes, 16, and two companions broke into several cars in Weston in September 2019. Police deployed helicopters and dogs. Deputy Edward Earnest's K-9 Roscoe found Walkes hiding in the bushes and bit him. After the fact, a supervisor argued that the bite was justified because Walkes was "a great threat to citizens of the community and law enforcement." Walkes told officers he didn't immediately surrender to them because he had been bitten by a neighborhood dog when he was younger and was afraid of the K-9. His mother told the Sun Sentinel she was angry police sicced a dog on her child. She said medical bills keep coming in the mail, but she refuses to pay them. K-9 policies discourage police from using dogs against minors, yet one in five people bitten in the period reviewed by the Sun Sentinel were juveniles.
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As part of its controversial move to regulate social media, the Nigerian government said on Wednesday that Twitter, Facebook and other social media giants must register in the country.

Information minister Lai Mohammed also said Twitter, which was recently suspended by the Nigerian government, has called for a high-level discussion.

Mr Mohammmed said these in Abuja while briefing journalists after the weekly Federal Executive Council meeting.

He repeated the governments stance that Twitter was suspended because it provided an avenue for people threatening the corporate existence of Nigeria.

He claimed that the owner of Twitter helped to fund the recent #EndSARS protest and is also allowing the leader of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, to use the platform to call for the killing of Nigerian security operatives.

He said Twitter failed to take down Mr Kanus tweets despite repeated requests to do so.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how Twitter recently deleted some of Mr Kanus controversial tweet. This was after the Nigerian government suspended Twitters operations in the country after the social media giant deleted a controversial tweet by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Mr Mohammed said one of the conditions that must be met before the Nigerian government lifts the suspension on Twitter is that the social media firm must be registered in Nigeria as a business concern.

He said other social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram must also be registered in the country.

The Twitter ban has been condemned by many Nigerians and the international community as an attack on the freedom of expression and an attempt to stifle free speech.

Mr Mohammed, however, said that the Buhari administration was not trying to stifle freedom of expression by its ban of Twitter, saying Nigerian users can migrate to other platforms like Facebook and Instagram.

More details later
The Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (NJC) on Wednesday suspended its nationwide strike which paralysed the Nigerian courts for over two months.

Members of the union had embarked on the strike on April 6 to press home their demand for the financial autonomy of the judiciary.

The 64-day-old strike is the longest industrial action the Nigerian judiciary, as a whole, has ever seen. The closest to it which members of the union embarked on in January 2015 for the same reason only lasted for two weeks.

JUSUN took the decision suspending the strike at a meeting of its National Executive Committee (NEC) in Abuja on Wednesday.

The union announced the suspension of the strike in a communique issued at the end of the NEC meeting on Wednesday.

It cited the intervention of the National Judicial Council (NJC) and other stakeholders in reaching the decision to suspend the strike.

NEC-in-session discussed extensively and after putting so many issues into consideration i.e. the intervention of the NJC and other stakeholders, the NEC has resolved that the strike is hereby suspended, the signed by the unions Deputy President, Emmanuel Abioye, and General Secretary, Isiah Adetola, read in part.

JUSUN had convened the NEC meeting following an appeal by the National Judicial Council (NJC) to the union to call off the nationwide strike in the interest of the nation.

The NJC led by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Tanko Muhammed, had made the appeal to the union at a meeting earlier on Tuesday.

Demands

The union which commended the CJN, state Chief Judges, and other stakeholders for their efforts in ensuring the resolution of the crisis, also sought the protection of its members from persecution and peculiar allowance for its members.

NEC-in-session agreed that there shall be introduction of peculiar allowance throughout the state and federal courts, the union stated in its communique.

NEC-in-session unanimously reiterated that no member of JUSUN should be victimised on strike action, it added.

Matter not yet laid to rest

There are indications that the union took the decision to call off the strike on Wednesday despite that its demand for the implementation of the agreement it signed with the state governors on financial autonomy of the state judiciaries had yet to begin.

In broad sense, the unions demand is for compliance with constitutional provision which places the state judiciaries budgets on the first line charge, a status that enables them to receive their funds directly from the federation account.

President Muhammadu Buhari had last year signed the Executive Order 10 for the enforcement of the constitutional provision. The 36 state governors had kicked against the executive order.

But PREMIUM TIMES reported how the union, in May, signed a Memorandum of Action (MoA) with the governors on how to ensure the full implementation of constitutional provision.

Major highlights of the MoA include a provision that 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.

But the implementation had yet to begin as of Wednesday when the union suspended its strike.

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Therefore, the union in its communique issued at the end of its Wednesdays meeting pleaded with the NJC, the Presidential Implementation Committee, Attorney-General of the Federation, Accountant-General of the Federation, and all stakeholders to see that the issue of judiciary financial autonomy is laid to rest finally as provided in section 81(3), 121(3), and 162(9) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

It condemns the actions of the Governors of Kaduna, Plateau and Benue states for withholding salaries of judiciary in their various states for months and urge all governors involved to do the needful.

NEC-in-session agreed that there shall be introduction of peculiar allowance throughout the State and Federal Courts.

The union also said it kicked against what it described as the deduction of salary of JUSUN members of Bayelsa State. It demanded that the deducted sum be restored forthwith.

NJC advised JUSUN to call off strike

The NJC had said in an earlier statement that it had advised JUSUN to call off its over-two-month-old strike.

This came after the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, on Tuesday, directed the workers to return to work, threatening that the government might be forced to invoke sections of the Trade Disputes Acts if the strike persisted longer.

The NJC said in a statement on Wednesday that it advised JUSUN to call off the strike during an emergency meeting it held with the leadership of the union on Tuesday.

Soji Oye, NJCs Director of Information, said in a statement on Wednesday, that the meeting held under the chairmanship of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (NJC), Tanko Muhammad.

The meeting, according to Mr Oye, was attended by the Chief Judges of states, the JUSUN executive members as well as Senator Ita Enang, who is the Senior Special Adviser to the President and Secretary of the Implementation Committee.

PREMIUM TIMES had reported that the meeting was summoned by the CJN, who doubles as the chairman of the NJC, in a bid to find a lasting solution to the lingering strike.

The workers have been on strike since April 6 in agitation for the financial independence of the judiciary. The strike has now led to the shutdown of Nigerian courts for over two months.

Series of meetings have been held between the leaders of the union and the labour minister, Chris Ngige, who is leads the federal governments negotiation team regarding the financial autonomy status of the state judiciaries and Houses of Assembly.

The JUSUN leaders meeting with the NJC on Tuesday is the latest in the series of such reconciliatory meetings that that have been convened since April to resolve the lingering industrial crisis.

Giving an update on the outcome of the meeting on Wednesday, Mr Oye said the council received briefings from the CJN and executives of JUSUN led by Emmanuel Abioye, who is the unions Deputy President.

At the end of deliberations, Council advised JUSUN to consider suspending the strike in the interest of Administration of Justice and National interest, the statement read in part.

NJC sets up monitoring committee

The statement also said the NJC set up a committee to monitor the implementation of the agreement on the judiciarys financial autonomy which the union signed with the state governors.

The council thereafter set up a five-man committee in order to monitor the implementation of the Memorandum of Action signed between the Nigeria Governors Forum and JUSUN, the statement added.

CJNs briefing

Mr Oye said on Wednesday that the council received briefing from the CJN who was said to have lamented the negative impact of the strike on the nation at large.

The Chief Justice of Nigeria and other stakeholders during the interface, lamented that the strike had affected the judiciary in particular and the nation at large and therefore sought for a way to resolve the lingering issue, the statement read.

JUSUNs grouse

According to the NJCs statement, Mr Abiri, JUSUNs Deputy President of JUSUN, blamed the problem on state governors whom they said have refused to obey constitutional provisional provisions on the financial autonomy of the judiciary.

Mr Abioye explained that despite the constitutional provision of sections 81 (3), 121 (3), 162 (9) and the judgement delivered since 2015 in favour of JUSUN, the Executive Order 10 of 2020 and the agreement reached between the Union, the Nigeria Governors Forum, the governors have refused to yield financial autonomy to the state judiciary.

He added that the unions other grievances include, non-payment of peculiar allowance for judiciary staff; attempt by the Kaduna State governor to place the State Judiciary under its civil service and scheming for a state judicial council.

Referencing the agreement the union recently signed with the governors, Mr Abioye said, the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) was merely playing politics with the constitution and had also failed to remit the one-month payment agreed on at the end of May as a demonstration of their good faith.

Mr Abioye said the NGF could renege in fulfilling its promise at the end of the month of May, adding that there was no guarantee that it would not in June. He therefore requested that the Accountant-General of the Federation be directed to deduct from source the amount meant for the Judiciary before the Union could call off the strike.
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has expressed sadness over the death of the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN) founder, Temitope Joshua.

The death of the 57-year-old controversial televangelist came as a shock to many on Sunday as there was never a report of the deceased battling any underlying illness or sickness that may lead to such a devastating outcome.

Mr Joshua was confirmed dead by his family last Saturday.

CAN, in a letter signed by its president, Samson Ayokunle, extolled Mr Joshuas vibrant Bible teachings and humility of service to God and humanity while alive.

Prophet T.B Joshua was one of the foremost Nigerian charismatic pastors, televangelists, and philanthropists who devoted his entire lifetime to the propagation of the gospel and ministering to the needs of the downtrodden, CAN said.

He was renowned for his philosophical simplicity and humility. His death is not only a loss to the family and the church, but to Nigeria and the world at large.

The letter commiserating with Mr Joshuas family, dated June 6, was shared by the CANs spokesperson, Bright Oladeji, on his Facebook account on June 8.

PREMIUM TIMES could not ascertain the reason for this gap at the time of filing this report nor did Mr Oladeji answer his call in respect to the lacuna.

The Christian body, in the letter, encouraged the family and the church to take solace in the will of God and pray for eternal rest for the deceased.

There are indeed no exact words of comfort at a moment like this, but we humbly enjoin you to take solace in the Will of the Almighty God, who works in us both to do and work according to his good purpose (Philippians 2:13). We know that Our Lord Jesus Christ in whom there is all sufficiency, and whom you have been serving wholeheartedly will make all grace abound unto you at this trying moment (2 Corinthians 9:8).

On behalf of all members of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), we commiserate with you, and the entire family on this loss. It is our prayer that the Almighty God grant Prophet T.B Joshua an eternal rest in his creator, and may Gods perpetual light continue to shine on his path (Amen), Mr Ayokunle said in the letter addressed to the SCOAN.

The CAN and the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) had never acknowledged that Mr Joshuas ministry was a member of either organisation. PFN, had in particular denounced him as an impostor. Many Nigerians have argued this may have accounted for why condolence messages did not come promptly from both Christian groups.

But CAN, in 2019, for instance, had said that nothing forbids Mr Joshuas church from joining the association, if it so wishes.

The Secretary of Lagos State CAN, Israel Akinnadewo, had also disclosed in an interview that it was wrong for anyone to assume that since the PFN had shut out the cleric and his church, he could not as well be a member of CAN.

Prophet T.B Joshua is not under obligation to join the PFN and so, nobody can say that because he is not in the PFN, he is not a member of CAN.

To put the record straight, CAN does not deal with individual churches but with its five blocks, of which PFN is only half of a block.

The CAN is made up of five blocks which are: Christian Council of Nigeria, the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, the Pentecostal Fellowship/Christian Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, the Organisation of African Instituted Churches, and the Evangelical Fellowship of West Africa.

It is not mandatory for T.B Joshuas church to join PFN to become a member of the CAN. In fact, the Synagogue Church of All Nations has any opportunity to join any other block of the CAN, ThisDay had quoted him as saying.

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A former United States President, Donald Trump, on Tuesday applauded the Nigerian government for banning Twitter, calling on other countries to follow suit.

Congratulations to the country of Nigeria, who just banned Twitter because they banned their President. More COUNTRIES should ban Twitter and Facebook for not allowing free and open speech  all voices should be heard, Mr Trump said in a statement on his website.

In the meantime, competitors will emerge and take hold. Who are they to dictate good and evil if they themselves are evil? Perhaps I should have done it while I was President. But Zuckerberg kept calling me and coming to the White House for dinner telling me how great I was. 2024?

Mr Trump, an avid Twitter user who drew huge controversies before he was banned from accessing the social media accounts, made this statement days after he was suspended by Facebook for two years.

Mr Trumps Twitter account was in January suspended over claims that he had used the platform to incite his followers to invade the Capitol, sparking a riot that led to the death of at least four persons.

Other social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram also suspended Mr Trumps accounts indefinitely on similar grounds, before a panel reduced the suspension to two years.

The Nigerian government on June 4 said it had suspended the operations of Twitter indefinitely over allegations that the social networking company was meddling in Nigerias internal affairs.

The suspension has drawn worldwide condemnation, but the government has doubled down on its resolve, saying it will lift the ban only when it is sure that responsible communication can be forged on the platform.

The government is also mulling regulating other social media platforms and there are suspicions that moderating the use of the internet is underway.

Nigerias justice minister, Abubakar Malami, later said defaulters of the governments directive will be charged to court.

The National Broadcasting Commission also ordered television and radio stations to deactivate their Twitter accounts and not to source contents from the platform.

Digital and human rights activists have accused the government of ruling by fiat, a deviation from democratic ethos, but the government has insisted that it was doing so for public good.
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United Nations Human Rights Commission has asked Cape Verde authorities to refrain from extraditing embattled Venezuelan diplomat, Alex Saab, to the United States.

The commission made the declaration in a letter signed by Helene Tigroudja and Arif Bulkan, who are both of the Human Rights Committee Special Rapporteurs on New Communications and Interim Measures.

According to the letter, the request to stop Mr Saabs extradition was made pursuant to rule 94 of the Committees rules of procedure.

The State party has been requested to refrain from extraditing Mr. Alex Naam Saab Moran to the United States of America while his case is under consideration by the Committee or until further notice, the letter read in parts.

The commission also requested Cape Verde authorities to take all necessary measures to ensure access to appropriate health care for the author, preferably by independent and specialised physicians of his choice.

Arrest and detention

The diplomat was arrested and detained in Cape Verde based on the request of the Donald Trump-led United States government during a stopover on his way to Iran.

He was arrested based on allegations of money laundering levelled against him by the U.S. authorities.

The Venezuelan government faulted the arrest of Mr Saab, whom it said was its special envoy on a humanitarian mission.

The Venezuelan government claimed that before his arrest, Mr Saab had been on a mission to get food and medical supplies in Iran. He was having a stopover in Cape Verde when he was arrested by security operatives.

The Cape Verdean authorities had said they would not obey the ruling of the ECOWAS court stopping Mr Saabs extradition to the U.S.

Mr Saab was denied access to any member of his defence team, despite three court rulings granting him the right to do so.

The Swiss government recently withdrew money laundering charges against Mr Saab.

But the fraud and money laundering charges instituted against him by the U.S. government are still pending at a District Court of Southern Florida.

The court has since declared him a fugitive due to his absence since July 2019 when the charges were filed against him.
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The abductors of Dan Ella, a lecturer in the Department of Theatre Art, University of Jos, have demanded a ransom of N10 million to secure his release.

The Chairman of the Academic Staff Union of University (ASUU) of the institution, Lazarus Maigoro, confirmed the development to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Jos.

NAN reports that gunmen abducted Mr Ella in the early hours of Wednesday at his residence, Haske Quarters, Lamingo community of Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau.

This is a sad development; gunmen coming after our members who are just average Nigerians.

As I speak, the kidnappers have put a demand for a ransom of N10 million to secure his release, he said.

The ASUU chairman called on security agencies to intensify efforts to ensure the release of his colleague.

He also urged the personnel to be proactive in addressing the security challenges in the country.(NAN)
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The police in Osun have confirmed the killing of a young man, identified as Olorunda, in the Ilesha area of the state by suspected cultists.

The command spokesperson, Yemisi Opalola, who confirmed the incident in Osogbo on Wednesday, said the victim was hit by a stray bullet.

Ms Opalola, however, said that calm was restored in the area while police investigation was ongoing.

She also said that officers were on the trail of the culprits.

According to reports, armed men suspected to be cultists, at about 9.00 a.m. allegedly shot at a rival gang member at Irojo Area, Ilesa, but missed their target and ended up killing Mr Olorunda.

A witness, who did not want to be identified, told journalists that the victim, who works at a sawmill in the area, went to buy cowpea for his breakfast when he was hit by a stray bullet.

ALSO READ: Police confirm killing of suspected cult member

The witness said some assailants, suspected to be cult members, were after an Eiye cult member, who had renounced membership, in the area, who they shot at and missed, but their bullet ended up killing an innocent person.

It was, however, learnt that the attack was a spillover from the exchange of gun battle between Eiye from Irojo and Aye confraternity from Iwara on Tuesday evening.

The News Agency of Nigeria recalls that similar cult battles had led to the killing of one person at Oke-Ijetu Area in Osogbo on Saturday, and another killing on Monday, around Sasa Area, Ibokun road, Osogbo. (NAN)
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The Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodinma, has challenged Nigerians to give reasons his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), should not win the 2023 general elections in the country.

Mr Uzodinma, who spoke with reporters on Tuesday at the Presidential Villa after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari, said Mr Buharis administration had performed well.

He was responding to a question whether more governors from the South-east would defect to the APC.

Not just from the South-east, many governors in Nigeria will join the APC, Mr Uzodinma said.

Apparently referring to the high rate of insecurity in the country, the governor told reporters, Part of the problem of this government is the deliberate attempt by some group of people to pull (it) down.

Because nobody is telling me that this government is not performing, that salaries are not being paid or that the roads are not being constructed or the railway is not going or the various intervention funds to empower our youths are not being given out.

Nobody has come in concrete terms to accuse this government of one failure or the other. All we hear is that herdsmen and farmers are fighting and for that reason 200 people are kidnapped. People are shot down there, people are killed there.

What do you want the government to do? We must be realistic. I believe in pragmatism. I believe in doing things right. Can anybody come and tell me one, two, three, four reasons why this APC should not win in the next election?

All I hear is that because of insecurity this, insecurity that. But you send people out in the night to go and cause trouble and use it in the day to blame the government, the governor said.

Mr Uzodinmas view is in contrast with the belief held by many Nigerians that the countrys economy has deteriorated under Mr Buharis watch, besides the spate of killings in different parts of the country.

The administrations suspension of Twitter, a social microblogging site, is also likely to render President Buhari unpopular among several Nigerians, especially the youth.
The United Nations (UN), through its Human Rights office, and the administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Samantha Power, have condemned the Nigerian governments ban on the use of Twitter in the country.

Their reactions came as part of growing local and international condemnations that have greeted the Twitter ban since it was announced by the Nigerian government on Friday.

As well as being widely criticised as an attack on free press and citizens right to freedom of expression, the ban has been condemned as an overreaction that poses huge risks to Nigerias e-commerce.

Both the UN office and Ms Power criticised the suspension of the microblogging site by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration in separate tweets.

The human rights of the UN said the suspension of Twitter which it noted followed the social media giants removal of a controversial tweet by President Buhari would severely restrict the right to freedom of expression.

 #Nigeria: We are concerned by Nigerias #TwitterBan which followed a decision by Twitter to remove a Presidential tweet. Sweeping bans that intentionally prevent or disrupt access to, or dissemination of, information online severely restrict the right to freedom of expression, the tweet posted on Tuesday read.

USAID boss speaks

Ms Power, the head of the U.S. donor agency that ranks among Nigerias top development partners, joined the U.S. Mission in Nigeria to condemn the ban on Twitter in a tweet early Wednesday.

Her tweet, quoting an earlier statement by the U.S. Mission in Nigeria in criticising the ban on Twitter, amplified what has come to be seen as the U.S governments displeasure about the development.

#Twitterban undermines Nigerians ability to exercise this fundamental freedom and sends a poor message to its citizens, investors and businesses, the U.S. Nigerian mission had said in its statement.

The U.S embassy, shortly after issuing the statement on June 5, also joined the European Unions delegation to Nigeria, as well as the diplomatic missions of the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, and Canada in issuing a joint statement to condemn the ban.

In her tweet which also included the hashtag #KeepitOn created by Twitter to fight back Nigerian governments ban, described the suspension as a state-sanctioned denial of free speech in a country with nearly 40million Twitter users and known to be Africas largest tech hub.

There are nearly 40 M Twitter users in #Nigeria, and the country is home to Africas largest tech hub. This suspension is nothing more than state-sanctioned denial of free speech and should be reversed immediately. #KeepitOn, her tweet read.

The USAID led by Ms Power partners with Nigerian in helping the country to prevent and mitigate conflict, strengthen government services and institutions, and improve Nigerians livelihoods.

#Twitterban

Nigerias information minister, Lai Mohammed, announced the Twitter ban on Friday, two days after a controversial tweet by President Buhari was taken down by Twitter.

Twitter said the post, seen by many as a threat of violence against Igbo people in the South-east, violated its rules.

But Nigerias information minister said the ban on Twitter was to prevent further use of the social media platform in a manner that threatens Nigerias corporate existence.

The Nigerian government ordered network providers to block access to Twitter from Nigeria.

Since the ban, however, many Nigerians remain active on Twitter using applications that provide alternative platforms to log into the microblogging site.

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In reaction to the development, the government, through the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, threatened to prosecute Nigerians bypassing the ban.

Mr Malami himself on Tuesday fell foul of the directive when his Facebook post announcing his deactivation of his Twitter account exposed him as having logged on to the microblogging site through a backdoor channel.

The ministers violation came on the same day a top civil society group, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, and over 170 others sued the Nigerian government at the ECOWAS Court of Justice over the illegal Twitter ban.
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The Nigerian Navy on Monday launched a new Landing Ship Tank (LST) at Damen Shipyard, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.

The construction of the new warship began about two years ago and when commissioned, will replace the first set of LSTs of the Nigerian Navy, NNS AMBE and NNS OFIOM, which have been decommissioned, naval authorities said.

A statement by the Nigerian Navy said, The introduction of the LST to the Nigerian Navy inventory will bolster the forces sealift capability. Specifically, it would enhance the transportation of troops, military hardware, vehicles in the conduct of maritime security operations launched from sea as well as supply of relief material during periods of national emergency.

Furthermore, the vessel will serve as a critical component of naval power projection for enhanced maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea and beyond. In its secondary role, the LST will play a critical role in the protection of maritime assets and preservation of law and order at sea, thus contributing significantly to promotion of global maritime commerce, peace and safety.

The new LST has a complement of 32 crew and 250 embarked persons and a length of 100.08m. She is powered by 2 Caterpillar/Cat 3516 C-rating engines and 4 Caterpillar C-18 generators. Furthermore, she has an endurance of 15 days @ 15 knots. If she is to be used for humanitarian missions/evacuation, she can accommodate over 450 persons on its upper and lower decks in short trips.

The bid opening process for the procurement of the LST was held on 19 December 2017 and supervised/conducted by a team from the Bureau of Public Procurement as well as a technical committee of the Nigerian Navy.

The Shipbuilding companies that participated were Damen Shipyards of the Netherlands, Anadolu Deniz of Turkey and Indian Shipyards GOA of India. On 13 June 2019, the Nigerian Navy and Damen Shipyards signed the final general arrangement plan and specifications on the LST 100 and this date of 13 June 2019 became the effective date of contract for the LST 100.

The contract duration as agreed by both parties was approximately 36 months from the effective date of contract. The Keel laying ceremony for the LST 100 was held on the 9 December 2019 at The Damen-Albwardy Shipyard in Sharjah, UAE. The immediate past CNS Vice Admiral Ibot Ekwe Ibas placed the Nigerian Navy insignia into the keel and sealed it.

Over the last two years several Factory Acceptance Tests (FATs) with regards to various components of the LST 100 were jointly and successfully completed by the Nigerian Navy and Damen Shipyards. Most notable among these FATs was the main propulsion engines tested in 2019/ 2020 and the Remote Weapon system which was also successfully tested in March 2021.

Damen Shipyards is one of the biggest multinational shipbuilding groups in the world, operating more than 50 shipbuilding and repair yards worldwide. On the African continent, they operate a full shipbuilding yard in South Africa. In Port Harcourt Nigeria, they operate a fully equipped maintenance yard.

The LST contract is being handled by DSNS (Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding) the naval shipbuilding arm of Damen shipyards and the ship is being constructed at the Damen-Albwardi Shipbuilding Yard in Sharjar in the UAE.
Spence then grabbed the woman who answered the door by the hair, and she fell to the ground outside. Spence then started kicking her in the stomach, police said. When the other victim began to yell that the woman being kicked was pregnant, Spence kicked her in the stomach again, police said.
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President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday received the first made in Nigeria cell phone, known as ITF Mobile.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Minister of Industry, trade and Investment, Adeniyi Adebayo, presented the phone to the president, before the commencement of Wednesdays Federal Executive Council meeting in Abuja.

According to Mr Adebayo, the phone is one of the 12 cell phones produced, using locally sourced components, by the Electrical/Electronics Technology Department of the Industrial Training Funds (ITF) Model Skills Training Centre.

He said: Twelve indigenous mobile cell phones produced by the Model Skills Training Centre of the Industrial Training Fund; an agency under Ministry of Industry Trade and Investment was launched.

It gives me great pleasure Mr President, to present you with one of the phones.

NAN reports the president also presided over the swearing-in of one Commissioner each, for the National Population Commission (NPC) and the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCC) ahead of deliberations at the cabinet meeting.

Those sworn in are Wakil Bukar as Commissioner of the FCC and Mohammed Usman as Commissioner of the NPC.

Mr Bukar replaces the FCC Commissioner from Bauchi State while Mr Usman replaces the NPC Commissioner from Niger.

The representatives from the two states died recently.

Meanwhile, President Buhari is presiding over the meeting of the Federal Executive Council at the conference room of the First Ladys office.

Among those physically attending the meeting are Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha and Chief of Staff to the President, Ibrahim Gambari.

Others include the Ministers of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed; Finance, Zainab Ahmed, Justice, Abubakar Malami and Trade and investment; Niyi Adebayo.

The Head of Service of the Federation, Folasade Yemi-Esan and other Ministers are participating in the meeting from their various offices in Abuja online. (NAN)
The expectation that the National Assembly will intervene in the ban of the microblogging site, Twitter, received a huge blow on Tuesday, as the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, bought the government vital 10 days.

Upon resumption of plenary, Mr Gbajabiamila had, in his speech, directed the House committees on Information and Culture, National Security and Intelligence, Commerce and Justice to investigate the circumstances leading to the suspension of the social media platform.

He said, On Friday the 4th of June 2021, the Federal Government of Nigeria, through the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture announced the immediate suspension of the operations of the social media network, Twitter in Nigeria. The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, in his statement announcing the suspension, cited the persistent use of the platform for activities that are capable of undermining Nigerias corporate existence as the reason for the decision to suspend the operations of Twitter in Nigeria.

The suspension on Twitter in Nigeria has generated fierce debate. The House of Representatives has since the announcement been inundated with comments about the decision, requests for intervention and criticism.

The House of Representatives recognises that Twitter, like other social media networks, is an important tool for communication and commerce in Nigeria, particularly amongst the younger generation who have used these networks for enterprise and innovation with great success.

The House also recognises that as social media has been a tool for good, it can also be a tool for bad actors. As such, the government has a legitimate interest in ensuring that these platforms are not used to commit vile actions against individuals and the State.

The proper role of the legislature in circumstances like this is first to peel back the layers of the decision-making process to unravel the issues until we develop an understanding of the why and the how of executive decisions.

Following that, the legislature must make sure that regulatory and enforcement actions by the government are in accordance with the laws of the land, that due process of law has been followed to the latter and that the outcomes of regulatory decisions do not result in adverse consequences for the country and all our people. Fidelity to our responsibilities in situations like this requires the legislature and legislators to as in the words of Rudyard Kipling, keep your head when all about you are losing theirs.

We listen to the agitation of the people, but we also hear from the government so that from the abundance of information, we reach the level of awareness that allows us to discharge our role dispassionately.

It is in service of our obligations under the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and our moral duty to the Nigerian people, that the leadership of the House has decided to mandate the House Committees on Communication, Justice, Information and Culture, and National Security and Intelligence to immediately commence an investigation to determine:

a. The circumstances of the decision by the Federal Government of Nigeria to suspend the operations of Twitter in Nigeria; and

b. The legal authority for the ban on the operations of Twitter in Nigeria.

The speakers speech was an obvious ambush of the opposition, which had planned to move a substantive motion on the controversial ban of the social media platform.

Twitter ban

The federal government had, on June 4, announced the indefinite suspension of Twitter in Nigeria.

It accused the American social media company of allowing its platform for activities that are capable of undermining Nigerias corporate existence.

The ban came two days after Twitter deleted a controversial tweet by President Muhammadu Buhari.

In the tweet on June 1, Mr Buhari said, Many of those misbehaving today are too young to be aware of the destruction and loss of lives that occurred during the Nigerian civil war. Those of us in the fields for 30 months, who went through the war, will treat them in the language they understand.

The following day, the government, through Lai Mohammed, the Information and Culture Minister, accused Twitter of double standards and supporting secessionists in the country.

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We have a country to rule, and we will do so to the best of our ability. Twitters mission in Nigeria is very suspect, they have an agenda. The mission of Twitter in Nigeria is very suspicious, Mr Mohammed said.

Expectedly, many Nigerians, home and abroad, expressed outrage at the governments decision to suspend the microblogging platform. Some described it as an affront on the rights of citizens. Also, groups, including the Nigeria Bar Association condemned the act.

Regardless, the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, announced that the government would prosecute Nigerians bypassing the restriction of the government because Nigerians, in defilement of the ban, have been using VPN to use the platform.

Even so, some Nigerians, including Governors Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State and Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State were reportedly using VPN to bypass the restriction.

Bailout by Gbajabiamila

All eyes were on the two chambers of the National Assembly on their possible intervention in the matter.

However, upon resumption of plenary on Tuesday, the Senate kept mum on the suspension. The issue was not brought up for discussion, either by way of motion or a point of order.

In the lower legislative chamber, the issue came up when Mr Gbajabiamila was making his welcome speech. The Speaker mandated the joint committee to invite the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, to explain the circumstances surrounding the ban by the government.

The joint committee was also asked to investigate the law the government is banking on to initiate and enforce the law.

The move closed all avenues for debate on the matter by members.

A lawmaker from Benue State, Mark Gbillah (PDP, Benue) had told PREMIUM TIMES that he would be willing to ground the proceedings of the House if the Minority Caucus was not allowed to move a motion.

Notwithstanding the move by Mr Gbajabiamila, the PDP leader, Kingsley Chinda, later raised a point of order that the Twitter ban should be suspended in the interim, until the investigation by the committees concluded.

In his ruling on the point of order by Mr Chinda, the Speaker said, It will be out of order to attempt to reconsider any specific matter which the House has concluded upon, unless there is a substantive motion.

The matter has been sent to relevant committees of the House to investigate, and they will report to us in 10days. Even though you have gotten a motion here, we would have referred it to the same committee, the motion would have been killed, you dont know.

You have not complied with Order 9 rule 6, you are ruled out of order.

Mr Chinda and some PDP lawmakers protested the ruling of the speaker. There was a mild altercation between Mr Chindas group and some APC members.

Consequently, the lawmakers staged a walkout from the floor of the House.

While the lawmakers were walking on, a member of the House, Yusuf Gagdi (APC, Plateau), raised another point of order.

Citing order 6 rule 1 and 2, the lawmaker called for the sanction of some lawmakers for speaking to the press over the Twitter Ban.

Mr Gagdi made reference to some reports published by PREMIUM TIMES. This platform had published a statement by the Minority Caucus on the plan to sue the federal government and had spoken exclusively to Mr Gbillah.

My matter is on news that I stumbled on, on the pages of the newspaper, particularly the Prime time of Nigeria.

It shows that it is designed if the Primetimes had published that members of the National Assembly, elected by the people of Nigeria, ought to be fighting on the killings going on around the country.

To come together and say they will frustrate our efforts toward ensuring that Nigerians live well, towards ensuring that we have come up with the latest framework that will ensure the safety, the freedom, the peace of the country, Mr Speaker, very unfortunate. Mr Speaker, a certain group of parliamentarians cannot suffocate an entire arm of the government.

It is high time we will become disciplinarians, it is high time this parliament becomes a parliament of law and order. This parliament has shown a good example, as a parliament of the people.

This plan by some section of lawmakers, perhaps they do not understand while they are voted, must be investigated.

He added that very few of his constituents are on Twitter. Hence, he accused the PDP caucus of causing trouble because the decision did not favour them.

I know my constituents, how many of them are on Twitter? I am not appreciating or approving the action of the government since it is under investigation. But again, we must not agree to the conspiracysimply because something does not favour you.

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The Speaker ruled that the matter over Twitter should be dropped, and the point of order was overruled. He applauded some PDP members who stayed behind.

Opposition Lawmakers brief journalists

The PDP members, led by Mr Chinda, said though they were in support of the resolution, they would like to add one more prayer.

Mr Chinda, who spoke on behalf of the group, said he will be bringing a motion to that effect, adding that he was sure the motion will not be allowed to be passed.

Reacting to the decision of some members not to join the walkout, Mr Chinda said the PDP is united.
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A gang of suspected kidnappers were repelled by the police in Kogi State in Ajaokuta area of the state on Tuesday.

The suspects numbering five had blocked a road, stopping vehicles until members of the Anti-Crime Patrol team of the police engaged them in a gun battle, PREMIUM TIMES learnt.

While two of the criminals were killed, three others escaped into the bush with gunshot injuries, the states commissioner of police, Ayuba Ede, said to our reporter.

He said the police team was on the trail of the fleeing suspected kidnappers, combing bush in areas around the location of the incident.

The police said they recovered some items from the criminals, including two wooden AK-47 rifles, 25 assorted GSM handsets, one First Bank ATM card bearing the name of Mohammed Jamiu and an undisclosed sum of money.

ALSO READ: Police confirm killing of suspected cult member

Meanwhile, the state government has lauded the response of the security forces.

Governor Yahaya Bello through his Chief Press Secretary, Muhammed Onogwu, called on citizens to go about their normal businesses as the state is ready to confront criminal elements.

Kogi State has no abode for criminal elements, the state exists only for law abiding persons. Whoever thinks he can engage in crime will be decisively dealt with. Our gallant security forces are on ground to ensure lives and property are secured, and the state will continue to provide the needed leadership.
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The Senate has said it acheived 100 per cent budget implementation level in 2020 despite the challenges it faced.

The ninth Senate also says it passed 58 out of the 742 bills introduced at the two sessions of the assembly.

President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, said this when he spoke at a special session on the second anniversary of the ninth Senate at plenary on Wednesday.

Mr Lawan said that 355 out of the remaining 742 bills have also gone through first reading, while 175 have gone through second reading and have been referred to relevant committees for further legislative business.

Eleven bills referred by the House of Representatives for concurrence have also been passed. The bills cut across all sectors and touch most areas of needs in the lives of our citizens, he said.

Distinguished colleagues, this will be the last plenary session that we will hold in the first half of the life of the 9th Assembly of the Senate.

On Friday, June 11, we will be marking the second anniversary of our inauguration in this hallowed chamber.

At the outset of our journey, we developed a comprehensive Legislative Agenda to guide us in the pursuit of our constitutional mandates of lawmaking, representation and oversight.

According to him, the Senate had made some interventions in the course of the year to include restoration of the annual national budget to the January-December cycle.

He said the measure had made the nations fiscal plans more predictable and had boosted the confidence of local and foreign investors on the economy.

100% budget implementation

It is noteworthy that for the first time under the Fourth Republic, the budget achieved 100 per cent implementation level in 2020.

We also promised to break the jinx on the Petroleum Industry Bill and we are on the verge of doing this by finally passing the bill this month after about 20 years of failed attempts, he said.

Mr Lawan added: Insurgency, banditry, kidnapping and attacks on public facilities are occurring daily in many parts of the country with our security forces stretched almost to their elastic limit.

To address the emergency, we passed several resolutions as part of our legislative interventions and kept engaging with the executive in order to achieve the desired outcome.

The official said that the upper legislative chamber would consider the report of its Committee on the amendment of the 1999 Constitution before embarking on 2021 summer break in July.

He also said that the Senate would commit itself to passing the Electoral Reform bill before the annual summer recess.

(NAN)
On Tuesday, it clocked exactly 16 years after five young traders at the Apo auto-parts market in Abuja and a fiancee of one of the traders were extrajudicially murdered by armed police officers in the federal capital territory, FCT.

The victims, who were said to be between 21 and 25 years of age, were Ifeanyi Ozor, Chinedu Meniru, Anthony Nwokike, Paulinus Ogbonna, Ekene Isaac Mgbe and, Augustina Arebu. They were later popularly referred to as Apo Six.

For the umpteenth time, members of the victims families, their friends and business partners, once again, gathered at the scene of the dastardly act on Tuesday to honour the memory of the deceased and reiterate their fresh demands for justice and compensation.

Candles were lit, prayers were said and placards with various inscriptions, which emphasise the quests for justice, were carried.

Relative speak

Speaking at the event, Edwin Meniru, the elder brother to one of the victims- late Mr Meniru, said the families would not rest until justice was served and the families were duly compensated.

He said they were moved by the agony that befell the families as a result of the incident and the eventual pronouncement of the innocence of the victims after a protracted court case.

Due to shock, our father developed a cardiac issue, which eventually led to stroke and he died, the elder Meniru lamented.

Similarly, Elvis Ozor, younger brother to another victim  late Ifeanyi Ozor, said monetary compensations could not fill the holes left in our hearts but it would go a long way to soothe the pains we have been going through.

He noted that the five deceased young traders were in their prime when their lives were cut short.

He said the N200 million demand as compensation for each of the families of the deceased as raised by their lawyer, Amobi Nzelu, cannot replace the lost souls. He said the victims were all breadwinners of their families.

The Apo Six

The five young men and a female were murdered in Apo, a satellite town in Abuja, by police officers on the night of June 7, and the morning of June 8, 2005.

They were reportedly at a lounge at Grand Mirage Hotel on Port Harcourt street when the then Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Danjuma Ibrahim, allegedly made romantic advances to Ms Arebu, who was a fiancee to one of the victims.

The police had reportedly claimed that the victims were members of an armed robbery gang that allegedly opened fire on the officers when accosted at the Gimbiya checkpoint.

But a judicial panel of inquiry set up by former President Olusegun Obasanjo found the police account to be false and recommended the trial of the five officers involved in the killings.

The indicted six officers were, Danjuma Ibrahim, Othman Abdulsalami, Nicholas Zakaria, Ezekiel Acheneje, Baba Emmanuel, and Sadiq Salami.

In March, Mr Nzelu demanded fresh compensation for the families of the deceased before an 11-man judicial panel of inquiry and restitution for victims of SARS related abuses at the FCT.

The lawyer told the panel, which is led by Suleiman Galadima, a retired Justice of the Supreme Court, that the government was yet to comply with the N500 000 burial expenses recommended to be paid to each of the families by the panel set up by President Obasanjos administration.

Mr Nzelu also pleaded with the panel to make an order compelling the federal government to upgrade the N3 million compensation already paid and received by the affected families to N200 million per family.

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The lawyer said the N3 million was grossly inadequate to assuage the pains suffered by families of these young men because none of the victims was above 25 years of age when their lives were cut short by the police.

But the lead counsel for the Nigerian Police, James Idachaba argued that the matter had been comprehensively laid to rest by both the then judicial panel of inquiry and the FCT High Court presided over by the immediate past Chief Judge of FCT High Court, Ishaq Bello.

He said the only option left for the complainants was to appeal the judgement of the FCT High Court.

After listening to both sides, the panel had fixed April 15 to make a decision based on the documents submitted by the complainants but the case has once again been stalled due to the ongoing strike by judiciary workers.
Nigerian senators gave themselves a pat on the back on Wednesday as they marked two years in the ninth assembly.

The lawmakers, in a special session, took turns to review activities of the past two years, the challenges they have faced and achievements attained.

The ninth assembly was inaugurated on June 11, 2019 and lawmakers in both chambers in an election, voted for Ahmad Lawan and Femi Gbajabiamila as Senate President and Speaker of the House respectively.

The Senates self-exaltation comes amidst criticisms towards the ninth assembly with many describing it as a rubber stamp.

Both individuals and civic groups have accused the Senate of failing to check the excesses of the president and the entire executive.

Contributions

Over 20 lawmakers who made their contributions said the lawmakers have in the past two years showed great leadership and have led in integrity.

They also praised themselves for great feats like restoring the annual budget cycle to January-December, considering over 350 bills and their attempt to alter the constitution.

Some of them, however, noted key areas where more legislative work is needed. They include swift passage of the Electoral Amendment bill, insecurity, power supply across the country, healthcare, among others.

In his contribution, Gabriel Suswam (PDP, Benue North-east) blamed the executive for failing to implement most of the resolutions passed by the Senate.

You have read the objectives we set for ourselves. We have taken many steps to achieve those objectives and since we came here, we have treated serious issues of insecurity. What have we done?

We addressed the issue. We passed resolutions. We set up committees and far reaching resolutions passed and sent to the executive. The fact that actions were not taken by the executive is not our fault. We find ourselves in a situation where we are doing what is right for Nigerians and the executive is failing to implement it. That is not to say that we have not performed, Mr Suswam said.

While he commended the Senate for restoring the budget cycle, the lawmaker asked that the Electoral Act be passed quickly and the proposal for electronic transmission be approved.

We as a Senate have tried to address issues but unfortunately, the executive has been reluctant towards implementing it. We have tried.

Let the Electoral Act be passed with the draft that deals with electronic transmission. If we pass that Electoral Act with the electronic transmission and card reader, Nigerians will clap for us, he said.

On his part, the Senate Leader, Abdullahi Yahaya, said the Senate deserves to celebrate the anniversary in view of its tremendous progress on all fronts.

Let me put it on record that the 9th Senate has made a lot of progress on all fronts and therefore deserves to mark this very great day.

When we started, I knew that the 9th Senate was going to be significantly different and effective because it started with a position that we need to work for Nigerians by collaborating and engaging with other arms of government.

Our motions on security alone are 67, on economy we have about 106, on health issues we have about 62, on education we have 10.

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Other senators who spoke include Istifanus Gyang, Sabi Abdullahi, Ajayi Boroffice, Adeola Olamilekan, Sadiq Suleiman, Adamu Aliero, Ibrahim Oloriegbe, Rochas Okorocha, among others.

Abaribe, others decline comment

In a twist, the Minority Leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe, refused to contribute when he was called upon.

The Minority Leader declines to make any comment, he said bluntly. The lawmaker gave no reason for his decision.

Besides Mr Abaribe, the Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege and the Chief Whip, Orji Kalu, also refused to make comments.

In his remarks, Mr Lawan praised his colleagues for passing hundreds of bills and legislation, including confirmation of appointments for the Executive Arm of Government as well as budget cycle restoration.

Also noteworthy is the passage of the Deep Off-Shore and Inland Basin Production Sharing Contracts Act CAP D3 LFN 2004 (Amendment Bill, 2009). We passed this very important law to increase Nigerias share of revenue from its crude oil.

We had also promised to create a legal environment conducive for ease of doing business. We kept this promise by passing the Companies and Allied Matters Act, Cap C20 LFN 2004 (Repeal and Re-enactment) Bill 2019 (SB.270).

We also promised to break the jinx on the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) and we are on the verge of doing this by finally passing the Bill this month after about 20 years of failed attempts, he said.

He also praised the senators for passing resolutions to help curb insecurity, dedication towards the constitution review and the electoral reform bill and anti-corruption bills.

Our electoral process has shown remarkable improvement in the Fourth Republic with the cycle now virtually stable. In 2023, we shall have the seventh regular cycle of general elections, the longest in the history of our nation.

Despite the progress, gaps and inadequacies have been identified in the process. The electoral reform bill seeks to address these gaps and we have committed ourselves to passing the Bill before the annual summer recess.

The ninth Senate, he said, has been one of the most peaceful, stable and focused Senate.

The lawmakers, thereafter, adjourned plenary to resume on June 22.
Nigerians who feel Lauretta Onochie is not qualified to be an INEC commissioner should write a petition to the Senate panel, Aibola Basiru, the Senate spokesperson has said.

He told journalists this at a press briefing on Wednesday.

His comment was in reaction to the Senates resolution to commence the screening exercise of Ms Onochie and other nominees.

Ms Onochie, a controversial presidential aide, was appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari in October 2020 as an INEC resident electoral commissioner to represent Delta State.

Ms Onochie was one of the Nigerian politicians identified in a PREMIUM TIMES analysis who use fake news as campaign strategies online.

The president, in a letter to the Senate, announced the appointment and sought the lawmakers confirmation.

The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, had directed the Senate Committee on INEC to screen Ms Onochie and five other nominees.

This directive has also triggered outrage among Nigerians on social media.

Her appointment generated outrage as many described it as unconstitutional. Nigerians have since called on the president to withdraw the nomination on grounds that Ms Onochie is partisan and so it would be undemocratic for her to be appointed into such an office.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how her appointment violates Section 14(2a) of the Third Schedule of the 1999 Constitution as amended which states that a member of the commission shall be non-partisan and a person of unquestionable integrity.

Petition us

When asked to comment on reactions that have trailed the latest move to screen her, Mr Basiru challenged Nigerians who feel her appointment is inappropriate to petition the Senate panel.

As Nigerians, if you feel she is not qualified, you are entitled to file a petition before the committee. I challenge Nigerians who strongly believe that the nomination is inappropriate to approach the committee and challenge it in the exercise to see that the country is governed according to the law.

Until the committee comes up with its recommendation, there is nothing I can say, he said.

He also said the committee is not obligated to confirm Ms Onochie or any nominee alike.

The fact that a matter is referred to a committee does not mean that the committee will affirm to such confirmation and I agree in the past, there have been instances where references have been made to committees, and they were returned unconfirmed or stepped down by the committee.

Id rather say that we keep the gunpowder till the committee comes up with recommendations.

#TwitterBan

The lawmaker was also asked the Senates stand on the governments decision to indefinitely ban the operations of Twitter in Nigeria.

On the twitter ban, I will say that the Senate has not considered the issue so if I give an opinion, it will be my personal opinion and of course, there is always the tendency that my opinion will be judged to be that of the Senate.

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So I dont have the mandate of the Nigerian Senate to talk on the Twitter Ban and I will exercise restraint so that I will not be misquoted.

And just like he said on Ms Onochie, the senator asked journalists and Nigerians who disagree to challenge the Attorney General, Abubakar Malami, who had ordered the prosecution of violators of the #TwitterBan.

I also believe that journalists have access to the AGF to challenge him and come up with a better basis for whatever action he has done.

As a lawyer, I am just of the opinion that whatever the basics of the Rule of Lawis that there will be a legal basis for legislative and executive actions so, Im not here to talk about that but if the Senate considers it, well be able to have a front. We will address it at the appropriate time.
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The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved a draft supplementary budget of N895 billion for 2021.

Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed, revealed this when she briefed State House correspondents on the outcome of the Council meeting chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari, in Abuja on Wednesday.

Mrs Ahmed said the next step would be to present a bill to that effect to the National Assembly for approval, in line with constitutional provisions.

She said: Today the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning presented to council a proposal to seek approval for the draft Federal Government of Nigeria 2021 supplementary budget.

Mrs Ahmed added that the approval was based on the need for funding to ensure that Nigeria is able to meet its commitment under the Nigerian Comprehensive AIDS programme.

Details

It was also based on the urgent need to specifically enhance the capacity of the military and para-military agencies to tackle the various security challenges in the country.

The council on that note approved the 2021 supplementary appropriation bill, in an aggregate expenditure of N895,842,462,917.

The total of this expenditure is made up of N83.56 billion for COVID-19 vaccine programme, covering 30 billion vaccines from Johnson and Johnson vaccines and the logistics cost related to the deployment of that vaccine.

It also contains the sum of N1.69 billion for the Nigerian Comprehensive AIDS programme currently operating in the States and an additional contingency provision of N40 billion under the public service-wide wage adjustments to take care of the needs for allowances to the health and education sectors and other wage-related issues.

This is an incremental provision to the N100 billion already provided for in the 2021 budget.

The council also approved an aggregate sum of N770.60 billion to further enhance the capacity of the defence and security agencies to address current and emerging security challenges in our country.

Approvals

The minister said the council also gave approval to draw down on some existing World Bank loans totalling about N39.58 billion as part of the financing source for the supplementary budget.

We will be working with the World Bank to restructure some of the existing facilities to realise this N39.58 billion.

We have also been given approval to withdraw N135 billion from some special reserve lobby accounts to part-fund this supplementary budget but specifically related to COVID-19 vaccine, salaries and other health-related expenditure as well as the recurrent component of the defence and security expenditures, she said.

Mrs Ahmed said that the approval also contained the permission to borrow N722.53 billion for security expenditures, which will be from the domestic international capital market.

The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Adeniyi Adebayo, told the correspondents that he presented the first made in Nigeria cell phone to the president, before the commencement of Wednesdays FEC meeting.

According to Mr Adebayo, the phone is one of the 12 cell phones produced, using locally sourced components, by the Electrical/Electronics Technology Department of the Industrial Training Funds (ITF) Model Skills Training Centre.(NAN)
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Wednesday said although Nigerians would fare better staying together than breaking up, the nations unity should not be at any cost.

I am a strong believer of one Nigeria, but not one Nigeria at any cost, but one Nigeria where every Nigerian can feel proud that he or she has a stake in this country, the retired general, who fought during the nations civil war, said

Mr Obasanjo, who said he believed in one, indivisible Nigeria, stated this in Abeokuta at his investiture as a Fellow of the Nigerian Institution of Surveyor (NIS) organised by the Ogun chapter of the Body of Fellows of the NIS.

Call to agitators

The former president called on agitators for the disintegration of the country to shelve the idea and work for the oneness of the country.

According to him, it is better for Nigeria to remain as one indivisible nation than for each tribe to go its separate way.

Mr Obasanjo, who acknowledged that Nigeria is passing through challenges, insisted that disintegration is not the solution.

According to him, any Nigerian who does not feel concerned about the challenges of the country is a human being without being human.

It is better that Nigeria stays together and find solutions to its challenges than for each tribe to go its separate way, said Mr Obasanjo said.

I am a strong believer of one Nigeria, but not one Nigeria at any cost, but one Nigeria where every Nigerian can feel proud that he or she has a stake in this country.

Those of us who have shed part of our blood and sweat for this country, we did so because we wanted a country where every Nigerian can claim as his or her own.

I believe that if we talk among ourselves the way we should and if we change the narrative, I believe this is a great country.

The fact that we are not making Nigeria what God wants it to be is not the fault of God, but our fault, particularly the leaders.

In the midst of the precarious multi-dimensional security and economic challenges facing Nigeria today, regional groups have been calling for the breakup of the nation as presently constituted.

Not the solution

But Mr Obasanjo, who noted that Nigerias diversity remained a major source of its strength, explained that disintegration would result in weak republics.

One thing that gives us strength is our diversity. If all that we have is Republic of Oduduwa for those who say so, members of that country will be diminished compared to being a citizen of Nigeria.

Citizens of Oduduwa Republic or any other republic borne out of Nigeria will be diminished compared to being citizens of Nigeria.

In this age and time that we are talking about the reintegration of Africa for economic development, disintegration of any country will be almost idiotic, he said.

The former president wondered what would become of the over 300 minorities in Nigeria if the three major tribes went their separate ways.

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If we have Igboland as an independent country, Yorubaland, an independent country, and Fulani/Hausaland an independent country, where will the Jukuns or the Gbasama belong?

The only reason they can raise up their heads is because they belong to Nigeria.

Are we thinking of them or are we are just being selfish? We should note that. It doesnt matter what we do, we will still be neighbours.

We had seen it before, India was broken into India and Pakistan, they are still at war till today.

Yugoslavia was broken into different countries, they havent sorted it till today.

Sudan was broken into Sudan and South Sudan, I dont believe South Sudan is better for it and that is the truth, he said.

The former president, who described Nigerias challenges as correctable and surmountable, counselled that it would cost less for Nigerians to work together for the unity of the country than to break up and be perpetually in war against each other.

When that happens, we will be spending our money on building armies.

I know what is involved in building and maintaining an army which may not necessarily be productive, let us think about it, he said.

Mr Obasanjo, who stressed the importance of surveyors, said the entire country should be surveyed in order to achieve economic development and transformation.

He, therefore, charged the body of surveyors to draft a proposal for the national survey of the country and present to the Federal Government.

When I was the president of the country, the project of surveying the entire country began, but it got stuck and I dont know where the project is now, he said.

Meanwhile, in his address, Ademola Adewale, the chairman of the Ogun chapter of NIS disclosed that his members had concluded plans to produce a unique digital map of the state.

This will make us to become self-sufficient in geospatial information and will affect all sectors positively and thereby increase the state internally generated revenue (IGR) geometrically, he said. (NAN)
She is a writer, a feminist activist, and a social entrepreneur. All these engagements demonstrate her versatility and quest for social transformation, so that distributive development can be ensured for people. The roles allow her to work toward voicing the struggles and needs of a marginalised community of women who have long been repressed.

Mrs Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi is defined by her versatility, in addition to her compassionate dispositions in favour of altruistic humanitarian services. A woman always brimming with energy, Adeleye-Fayemi exemplifies a capability that is generally rare among her contemporaries  the ability to multitask with efficiency, committing herself to goal-driven objectives with fixated attention to success, and the tendency to show the effervescence of brilliance. For anyone unfamiliar with her life story, a brief expedition into her childhood trajectory and transition into adulthood would more exclusively reveal the underlying dedication and perseverance that she has demonstrated and the circumstances that fostered these qualities.

Born in Liverpool, England, on June 11, 1963, Mrs Adeleye-Fayemi had been exposed to a cultural and political tradition that places an important premium on every individual contribution to the advancement of their immediate society. To be raised in England within the temporality of her development engrained an ambition to build a worthwhile legacy because of the understanding that every human being has the potential to contribute to their community. In translating this understanding to personal contribution, Mrs Adeleye-Fayemi asserts that the prospect of contributing to human society can only be secured when one is armed with knowledge, so that the issues of life can be solved by reflective thinking, rather than relying on other people.

In 1984 and 1988, respectively, Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi acquired her B.A. and M.A. in History from the then University of Ile-Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University). Studying History granted her a competitive edge by allowing her to gain an understanding of the complex relationships between past conflicts and present states. Armed with her background in History, Mrs Adeleye-Fayemi gained the tools to become an effective historian, a sort of social scientist who could utilise her knowledge about the interrelations of the past to produce solutions and projections of modern conflicts. Using her degree as a foundation, Adeleye-Fayemi diversified her knowledge by procuring additional academic merits, further leading to her contribution as a social science researcher and advocate.

Mrs Adeleye-Fayemi went on to pursue studies in Gender and Society, and received an M.A. degree from Middlesex University, UK. Bisi Adeleye-Fayemis interest in gender studies influenced her decision to work toward the interrelationship and the interdependency of the disciplines she studied. Following her education, Adeleye-Fayemi has worked tirelessly to fulfill many roles. She is a writer, a feminist activist, and a social entrepreneur. All these engagements demonstrate her versatility and quest for social transformation, so that distributive development can be ensured for people. The roles allow her to work toward voicing the struggles and needs of a marginalised community of women who have long been repressed.

Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi has impressive and undeniable records of her contributions to better society through her various acts of humanitarian service, leading to her being widely respected and revered in contemporary times. In an irredeemably patriarchal system, the suppression of female voices and the subjugation of their identity have affected their confidence and victimised them, sometimes beyond what they are capable of bearing. As a feminist, she has represented women by lending her voice to issues and matters affecting womens relationship with men, especially in terms of power. She has deployed her intellectual resources and used her social relevance to project the agitations of diverse groups of women. It should be noted that advocacy for equal treatment is more than just raising ones voice against injustices, it implies actively employing ones beliefs in their cause in their daily lives. When ones life is a living example of the course one believes in, it erects a formidable knowledge in peoples minds and creates a sense of purpose. Mrs Adeleye-Fayemi, to this effect, does not only offer her voice to project the anomaly that is entrenched in human society for critical examination, but she also exemplifies to women the beauty of being intellectually independent.

As an entrepreneur, Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi was exposed to the material challenges of the society, and because she was well-groomed in her academic career, she was able to offer great advice to the government on how to build a fair society where the dreams of the marginalised can be achieved. Her actions have allowed to integrate aspects of intellectual, financial, and political equality for all members of her society. She demonstrates that having financial freedom gives people the power to negotiate their space in society, sending a message to women that they must be ready to make some hard concessions in their quest to have an impartial society that allows them to maximise their potentials. This shift in human thinking would make women understand the significance of work, as it forms the basis for the respect that they yearn for.

Her emotional and cultural association with Africa and its people, has inspired her work as a dedicated human rights advocate whose engagement of the political system does not have a physical boundary. She has played front-line roles in pushing for the enhancement and sustenance of African rights in Africa and the United Kingdom. She has often lent herself to movements advocating for racial equality and justice in the UK.

Mrs Adeleye-Fayemi is a philanthropist who offers financial assistance to individuals undergoing certain life challenges so they can achieve their life goals and objectives. This cannot be true of everyone because giving requires making the well-being of others a priority, though she has managed to inscribe her name into the hearts of many because of her generosity and kindness. Her compassion for people who are pushed to the margin wins her respect and admiration. Socially, Adeleye-Fayemi has rendered herself important in spearheading social movements that would benefit the oppressed. She has become and developed support systems for many people through both her public and private endeavours through her indescribable determination.

Her emotional and cultural association with Africa and its people, has inspired her work as a dedicated human rights advocate whose engagement of the political system does not have a physical boundary. She has played front-line roles in pushing for the enhancement and sustenance of African rights in Africa and the United Kingdom. She has often lent herself to movements advocating for racial equality and justice in the UK. As a result, the international respect she commands continues to grow through her never-ending contributions to the general concerns of the people. Before she made herself relevant in the political negotiations and power dynamic of the United Kingdom, she constructed for herself an identity of a purposeful and goal-driven life whose ideals are admirable, even adaptable in many cases, because she was always willing to render her services to others. Working as an Administrative Officer in the Department of Health of the United Kingdom, for example, she was able to represent the interests of many people through policy formulation so that all their expectations of public health would be reasonably achieved and the institution respected.

For a decade, Mrs Adeleye-Fayemi represented African women in areas where issues concerning them have been condemned to silence for ages. Serving as the Director of Akina Mama wa Afrika (AMwA), whose headquarters is domiciled in Kampala, Uganda, between 1991 and 2001, she promoted the African womens agenda in the United Kingdom. Her contributions to their immediate involvement in key areas speaks volumes of her dedication to Africa, Africans particularly, and the human cause in general. Within this period, the number of projects executed under her leadership cannot be underestimated. For example, she was able to reaffirm their mission by educating them on their responsibility to the advancement of society and the governments duty to them. Since she served as the connection between the masses and those in power, she was able to fight for those who were underserved. With this, she restored their reputation and shaped them a great future, creating a monument of social and political importance for herself. She achieved an unprecedented economic recovery and psychological well-being for the women in the society within a decade of uninterrupted service. Making herself available for the people and increasing peoples access to her provided an opportunity for bonding and personal relationships.

It is to her testament that while she was still officially committed as the Director of AMwA, she was able to simultaneously create another group with a similar mandate to ensure that the goals of transforming the lives of the people and making them more valuable in the society were rapidly achieved. The group, which she co-founded, is called African Womens Leadership Institute (AWLI). Their impressive records of success within a short time indicate their sequential and captivating strategies designed to achieve their predetermined objectives. Nothing better captures the significance of AWLI to the collective course of womens emancipation than their record of training approximately 6,000 African women across the continent. Many of these trained women are vibrant frontliners in their respective fields of interest today, as Ministers, Members of Parliament, academics, civil society leaders, and more.

By implementing these training programmes, the exposure of women to knowledge and skills would emancipate them from the shackles of financial and economic challenges. In the same spirit, Adeleye-Fayemi, in the year 2000, co-founded the African Womens Development Fund (AWDF), a fundraising and granting firm with a continent-wide influence. Since the women trained in these programmes and organisations understand the complex nature of their experience, AWDF was created to answer the questions of funds that would liberate the women accordingly. In fact, over 2000 women have been awarded funds in 42 African countries to help grow small businesses around them.

Beyond the empowerment of women, in providing both intellectual and financial assistance to them, is the demonstration of leadership gaiety in the course of their emancipation struggles. The contemporary political structure of the world dictates that the challenges facing a people must not be limited to their temporal and political space. Therefore, what is usually needed is to get the worlds necessary political and economic powers to accord the necessary attention and concentration to tackle the challenges. This inspired Mrs Adeleye-Fayemi to get involved in women-related agitations, as womens rights are in effect human rights, advocating for an all-encompassing approach.

Despite demonstrating a high level of selflessness in this endeavour, Adeleye-Fayemi did not relent in her efforts to restore womens dignity through negotiations of power and the education of the concerned. She founded the Ekiti Development Foundation (EDF), which is dedicated to promoting womens affairs and youth emancipation.

As the Vice-Chair of the National Association of Womens Organisations, England and Wales (1992-1994), she dedicated herself to lead a delegation of African women in Europe to the 1993 United Nations Human Rights Conference in Vienna, Austria, to push further the agitations of women across the global community. She would not be complacent with the achievement recorded there and became more instrumental to the course of womens freedom and coordinated a 20-woman delegation from Africa and Europe to the UN World Conference on Women in Beijing, China. In all her manifestations of purposeful leadership, her selflessness makes her outstanding among her contemporaries.

Having someone with pioneering influence in rewriting womens history should not be without the befitting recognition of her efforts. Bisi Adeleye-Fayemis efforts have significantly impacted society, and important groups observe her consistency in the process. Due to her uncompromising commitment, waves of recognition greeted her performances as an advocate of gender equality and an ambassador of collective development. In 2005, she was recognised by Sigrid Rausing Trust (UK) with an award of outstanding leadership in the promotion of womens rights, an encouragement for others to strive for the enormous contributions that Mrs Adeleye-Fayemi has made and continues to dedicate herself to. Interestingly, the award prize that is pegged around 100,000 is devoted to combating HIV/AIDs for African women, further demonstrating her dedication.

Despite demonstrating a high level of selflessness in this endeavour, Adeleye-Fayemi did not relent in her efforts to restore womens dignity through negotiations of power and the education of the concerned. She founded the Ekiti Development Foundation (EDF), which is dedicated to promoting womens affairs and youth emancipation. Although her contributions seem numerous and intimidating, there is no limit to the level of investment that can be dedicated to the course of women, because the prospect of the marginalised people in a society is determined by the amount of motivation and interest they attract from the power base of their environment. As a result of the programme organised by Mrs Adeleye-Fayemi, the annual Gender Summit was introduced, and it has gained much prominence in the society. Within Ekiti, for example, countless women receive medical attention, welfare packages, and empowerment funds meant to improve their lives and transform their poor economic conditions.

Adeleye-Fayemi has been recognised with awards and tributes by recipients of her hands of goodwill. In addition, as a general recognition of the impact she has made in human history, she has been bestowed chieftaincy titles such as Ochiorah of Imezi Owa, Ezeagwu Local Government, Enugu State; Erelu of Isan kingdom in Oye Local Government Area of Ekiti State; Ajiseye of Ado-Ekiti; and Iyalode of Ilafon-Ekiti. This is in addition to the different awards she has received on other occasions. All of these are indications that this two-time First Lady of Ekiti State has persistently worked to improve the conditions of the people generally and the women, especially, with a zeal that has not been equaled in recent time. She continues to fight for the causes she believes in  emancipation, freedom, and equality for everyone, regardless of gender or social class.

In the next Toyin Falola Interviews, Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi would be engaged on topics related to advancement of African women. The interview will be an opportunity to garner knowledge from her. Do please join us on:

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Sunday, June 27.

5:00 PM Nigeria

4:00 PM GMT

11:00 AM Austin CST

Register and Watch HERE.

Toyin Falola, a professor of History and University Distinguished Teaching Professor, is Jacob and Frances Sanger Mossiker Chair in the Humanities at The University of Texas at Austin.
I know youve heard from a lot of folks today, but I wanted to add my congratulations to the graduates, he said in the video. Three years ago, your lives and the lives of this community changed in an instant. This class lost a piece of its soul. Youve been tested in ways no young person should ever have to face  from freshman year, a year of unspeakable loss, to a junior and senior year upended by a pandemic.
In Dares 43 short years, he served his Creator diligently. That must have informed his confidence in making it to Heaven, as he told his wife, Temiloluwa. He said if he died, he was fulfilled because he had done what the Lord asked him to do. From a humble man, that must have come from the strength of his relationship with his Maker.

Today, the 43rd birthday of Pastor Dare Adeboye, may have slipped by quietly without the attention of many people. But his death, on May 4, has changed all of that. For many  including thousands of new admirers of his silent endearing qualities  June 9 has assumed a larger profile.

As in death, Dares birth was remarkable. He broke a chain of births through caesarean operation and was born naturally after his parents gave their lives to Christ.

A source close to the family described Dare as Olu omo (Special child or King of Children); not an everyday child.

He recalled that Dares birth was a miracle, which was celebrated by his parents with a praise song they composed and waxed as a record.

He was clearly a miracle baby and if after 42 years, God wanted Him back, who could have stopped Him? Not even his father, Pastor E.A. Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, a man famous for wonders and miracles, by whom God has saved many lives.

In one such case, a missionary was involved in a ghastly accident and had to be flown urgently to South Africa for treatment. But shortly after that, they told Pastor Adeboye in a phone call that the doctors had said the woman had no chance of living.

He told the caller, I dont care. She is going to live.

Later, they called to say, She is breathing now, but she is in a coma.

But Adeboye replied, Who cares? She is not going to die.

The accident occurred in 1998, and the lady missionary is still alive today.

A more recent example is the 2019 helicopter crash Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and his team survived.

In his testimony later, he said, I came late for the Holy Ghost Service. Afterwards I went to see Daddy (Pastor Adeboye) in his office, and he said he wanted to pray for me. My wife, Dolly, and I knelt down as he prayed, Father, I want you to give special protection to your son. He prayed that three times and stopped. Then he prayed it again. I was getting worried about why he had to pray that way. But anyway, later that day the helicopter I was travelling in crashed in Kabba. All 12 of us in the helicopter survived without a scratch. I want to bless the name of the Lord for that.

In Dares case, he died in his sleep, confirming the belief of some, that when the Creator wants to test a man, like He did Job, He leaves no room for long prayers, so they dont stop the test. Job lost all his children in a flash!

In Dares 43 short years, he served his Creator diligently. That must have informed his confidence in making it to Heaven, as he told his wife, Temiloluwa. He said if he died, he was fulfilled because he had done what the Lord asked him to do. From a humble man, that must have come from the strength of his relationship with his Maker.

Service to God for the man described by his father as a champion started very early in life and continued consistently until death.

At the tender age of two, he was involved in a difficult missionary journey when his parents took him on a memorable trip to Oturkpo in Benue State. According to the testimony of the General Overseer, the trip was for the dual purpose of starting a branch of the Church and holding a Congress.

He recalled that: On a good day, it was just a days journey if one set off very early in the morning. But it was during a period of heavy rains, which swept away a major bridge between Ore and Benin. So, the first night, we slept in the bush  I, my wife, and Dare, my son who was about two years and four months old. The place was so dangerous that they advised us not to get out of the car. This meant that if the poor child needed to use the toilet, he had to do it in the car.

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The next day, we found out that the flood had blocked the road. But from undergraduate student experience at Nsukka, I remembered an alternative road. So, we turned round to go by that road, which had been abandoned, only to discover that bridges there too had been swept away. This did not discourage us. I was driving a Toyota car then. After a couple of miles along the abandoned road, the silencer broke off, but we put it in the boot and continued. There was no turning back! That persistence must have registered in the mind of the little boy, who later in life never gave up in his service to God. Whenever we encountered a stream, my wife or l would go into it to find out, inch by inch, the areas where the car could drive. That was how we moved along in the pouring rain. When we got stuck we would come out, push the car forward and backward, drenched to the skin, but got back into the car to move on

In all, we spent three days on that road, but we arrived there safely, and the people were waiting because we had promised them that we were coming. Today, the seed that was sown then has produced so many parishes.

All over that region, there are churches because of the seed that was sown by some people who refused to turn back.

Today, Pastor Paul Enenche, Governor Samuel Ortom, among others, are notably products of that trip to Benue State.

Dare grew up to exhibit the no-turning-back attitude in ministry, serving in Eket, where he died and not in Lagos or some major city in the world, even though he was the son of the General Overseer.

Serving in Eket never bothered the focused Dare, who had served in many distant places from Lagos. On his return to Nigeria from England in 2009, he was posted to Kaduna State, where he pastored the Next Level Parish, now the provincial headquarters for RCCG Youth Province 6.

His success there attracted more work with greater responsibilities, especially in the youth ministry of the RCCG. He was promoted along with six others to the new role of Youth Evangelist in the mission. They later became twelve, and he demonstrated his leadership qualities, serving as the Coordinator of the Youth Evangelists.

He was appointed Youth Evangelist, North Central, covering all RCCG youths in Niger, Benue, Kwara, Kogi, Plateau, Nasarawa, and Abuja, where he had other responsibilities.

These responsibilities enabled him to understand the significance of young people across the globe and how to increase the churchs impact in the world, as he travelled to over 50 countries preaching the gospel with passion.

The Darling of Youths

Fondly called PD by young adults globally, he was in tune with the next generation of believers. When in its restructuring, the church created Youth Provinces, Dare was appointed to oversee Youth Province 5, then under Region 14, with headquarters at City of David, Eket, Akwa Ibom State; and parishes spread across the South-South and South-East states of Nigeria.

As pastor in charge of Youth Province 5, he organised numerous revival and evangelistic programmes that catalysed the growth and expansion of the province. Pastor Dare, a seed himself, was the International Ambassador for the Pastors Seed Family (PSF).

He helped set up, encourage and empower PSF in many nations while also playing the role of an advisor, counsellor and big brother. His work as youth pastor was so impactful that he exacted a promise from his father to pay more attention to the youth church.

The Enoch in Dare

Beyond service, Dare was loved by the young and elderly, particularly because of the Enoch Adeboye in him.

In spite of his prominent background, he had a quiet and unassuming disposition. Despite his remarkable achievements, it took death to introduce him to the larger world.

According to some members of the church, Dare was approachable and modest. They said he was just focused on his work, and it was difficult for many people to even assume that he was the son of the General Overseer.

One source close to the family said, Dare was clearly anointed. He resembled his father physically, spiritually and in character. If you put video tapes of Dare Adeboye and Enoch Adeboye side by side, you will hardly know the difference.

He was as humble as his father. And a pleasant man, loved by many people, he could easily start his own ministry if he wanted to.

Nigerias vice president, Professor Yemi Osinbajo who knows the Adeboyes well, said that despite Dares position of privilege, he was deeply and unpretentiously respectful, not just of elders and those in authority, but of everyone, even his subordinates.

Another source close to the family recalls that, Dare was a doting father to Oluwatishe, Ireoluwa and Araoluwa and naturally a doting husband to his wife, Temiloluwa.

The welfare of his family was very important to him. He believed so much in spending quality time with his wife and kids and he relished at pampering them at every opportunity.

Like his father, Dare was extraordinarily gentle. Never boastful, he did his work earnestly without noise. VP Osinbajo said, He understood the dynamics and urgency of reaching young people with the gospel, especially because of their fundamental role in the sustainable growth of the church of God.

He knew what was important to do and to emphasise, and he worked very hard, everywhere, with the zeal and speed of one who knew that we dont have all day.

Dare left a legacy of service, contributing so much to the youth church that, his father said for the records, Like never before, I am going to show even greater interest in the Youth and Young Adult Ministry.

Biography

Oluwadamilare Temitayo Adeboye was born on June 9, 1978. His earliest years were spent in Surulere, where his parents lived, before they relocated to Mushin and then Ebute Metta, when his father became the General Overseer.

He was a natural leader and loyal friend to many people. His best friend then, and till his passing, was Emmanuel Adewale, one of the grandsons of the founder of the mission, Pa Josiah Akindayomi.

After secondary school, Dare relocated to England to continue his education. With his leadership qualities manifesting there, he was appointed Head Boy of Mayfield College, becoming the first person of colour ever to be appointed to that position.

He obtained a bachelors degree in Business Information Technology from the University of Central England and a Masters Degree in Theology from the Redeemed Christian Bible College.

Dare met Jesus Christ at a tender age and worked fervently for the Kingdom. He became a parish pastor in RCCG in the UK at the young age of 23, pastoring at RCCG House of Praise, Birmingham, UK.

While executing Gods work in England, he met and fell in love with his wife Temiloluwa.

Due to the tremendous growth recorded by his parish, he rose swiftly up the ranks to become a Zonal Pastor before relocating to Nigeria.

Dare was a beloved man, endeared to family and many others.

His father said of the impact of his death, It has been a tough one, but by the grace of God, we have passed.

Bisi Daniels writes from Lagos.
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Any form of political instability in Mali will aggravate the volatility of the Sahel. While Paris has stationed 5,100-strong forces in the Sahel, there is a need for the African Union and African states to rethink the militarisation of the region by non-African forces. What is wrong with Africa? When will Africa resolve its own problems?

On May 24, Malian interim Vice-President Assimi Goita  leader of the August 18, 2020 coup detat that removed President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita from power  sacked President Bah NDaw, Prime Minister Moctar Ouane, and Minister of Defence Souleymane Doucoure from office. They were subsequently arrested and detained, then released on May 27 after resigning their positions. This paved the way for Goita to become the President of the transitional government and to appoint others to fill the vacant posts. Mali had experienced military take-overs in 2012 and 2020.

Despite the militarisation of the government since August 2020, armed attacks continued unabated across the country. For instance, in April, heavily armed terrorists attacked the base of the United Nations (UN) Mission in Mali at the northern town of Aguelhok, killing four peacekeepers and wounding others. In March, 33 soldiers died, and 12 were wounded during an attack on a military post at Tessit town, bordering Burkina Faso and Niger. On June 6, about 160 people were killed by armed men at Solhan village in northern Burkina Faso. No militant group has claimed responsibility for the attacks. In 2020, more than 4,000 people were killed in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger. The conflict in Mali has claimed the lives of 190 peacekeepers, including 120 who were killed in hostile situations, which makes Mali the UNs most dangerous peacekeeping operation in the world.

Goita accused the ousted leaders of breaching the transitional charter  a document drawn up largely by the military  by mismanaging social tensions in Mali, including a strike by the main union, and by dropping two of his allies from the government after a cabinet reshuffle. This incident had echoes of the removal of the head of the Nigerian transitional government, Ernest Shonekan  through a palace coup on November 17, 1993  by a military member of the transitional government, General Sanni Abacha. Shonekan had assumed power on August 27, 1993. Abacha stayed in power until his death in June 1998. Many of the senior officials of the interim government, including NDaw, are affiliated to the Malian army.

In 2017, African leaders adopted the AU Master Roadmap (AUMR) of Practical Steps to Silencing the Guns in Africa by 2020. However, the guns keep blasting. Burkina Faso and Niger are under attack by jihadists affiliated to the Islamic State of Libya (ISIL) and al-Qaeda. On May 30, about 60 people were killed during an attack

In my earlier article on Securing the Sahel, published on October 21, 2020, I had drawn attention to the danger of populating the Malian transitional government with serving and retired military personnel. While Goita promised to continue the transition programme and hold elections as scheduled in 2022, his credibility has been weakened. As expected, the African Union (AU) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) suspended Mali, while Paris, London, and the European Union (EU) strongly condemned the coup, threatening sanctions. The 15-member UN Security Council met on May 26 and declared the coup unacceptable. Can mere suspension and a threat of sanctions force the military out of power? No, because this is a military rule and not a transitional government. Thus, more decisive action is required by the international community.

In 2017, African leaders adopted the AU Master Roadmap (AUMR) of Practical Steps to Silencing the Guns in Africa by 2020. However, the guns keep blasting. Burkina Faso and Niger are under attack by jihadists affiliated to the Islamic State of Libya (ISIL) and al-Qaeda. On May 30, about 60 people were killed during an attack  carried out by suspected Allied Democratic Forces (ADF)  in Ituri Province in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Ethiopian premier, Abiy Ahmed Ali, embarked on a military offensive in November 2020 to restore the rule of law in Tigray by removing the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front (TPLF), which had attacked a federal military base. Ahmed Ali, the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize 2019, continues with this crackdown on Tigray, and African leaders have desisted from reacting effectively. This led to the loss of lives and a looming famine. Between November 2020 and March 2021, more than 2,000 people have been killed in about 150 massacres by Ethiopian and Eritrean soldiers, paramilitaries, and local insurgents in Tigray and over 2.2 million people have been displaced.

Nigeria has been confronted with conflict between herders and crop farmers. While herders attacks on farms and local communities might not have fitted into conventional security narratives, their reign of terror has recently claimed more lives than Boko Harams atrocities. In January, Statista claimed that Boko Harams attack led to the death of 32,800 Nigerians in eight northern states between 2011 and 2021. While Boko Haram seemed to be the main instrument of death in Nigeria, the dreaded herders have taken over. In March, about 70 houses were burnt, 10 Christian farmers were killed, and three people suffered injuries from gun shots at Kizachi in Kaduna State. Based on a April 28 report by The Observers, about 10,000 Nigerians have been killed and 300,000 displaced in the last decade, due to conflict involving herders and farmers.

The hitherto domestic Islamist insurgent group operating in Mozambiques north-eastern Cabo Delgado province, drew global attention in March, when they attacked Palma in the northern part of the country. The BBC reported that the attack killed many foreigners working on a $20 billion gas plant  the biggest single foreign investment in Africa.

Mozambique is also becoming a harbour for terrorism, which is too close for Pretorias comfort. The regional body  the Southern African Development Community (SADC)  is still consulting on the best approach to curtail the threat that terrorism poses to regional security. The hitherto domestic Islamist insurgent group operating in Mozambiques north-eastern Cabo Delgado province, drew global attention in March, when they attacked Palma in the northern part of the country. The BBC reported that the attack killed many foreigners working on a $20 billion gas plant  the biggest single foreign investment in Africa. More than 700,000 Mozambicans have been displaced internally due to the ensuing terrorism.

Any form of political instability in Mali will aggravate the volatility of the Sahel. While Paris has stationed 5,100-strong forces in the Sahel, there is a need for the African Union and African states to rethink the militarisation of the region by non-African forces. What is wrong with Africa? When will Africa resolve its own problems? It is hoped that both state and non-state actors, including the UN and ECOWAS will realise why it is important to be more committed to the peace and security of the Sahel.

Adeoye O. Akinola is a Head of Research and Teaching at the University of Johannesburgs Institute for Pan-African Thought and Conversation, South Africa.
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The Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, has sacked all his commissioners.

According to a Wednesday statement by his spokesperson, Mukhtar Gidado, Mr Mohammed approved the immediate dissolution of the State Executive Council and other political appointees that include the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), the Chief of Staff (COS) Government House and all Special Advisers, except four named ones.

No reason was given for the sack with the governor asking the sacked commissioners to hand over to the permanent secretaries in their ministries.

Mr Mohammed, a member of Nigerias main opposition party, PDP, thanked the dismissed officials for their meritorious service to the state.

Mr Mohammed was being prosecuted by the anti-graft agency, EFCC, for allegedly stealing public funds while in office as Abuja minister. His prosecution was stopped after he assumed office as governor in 2019 because all state governors enjoy immunity from prosecution while in office.
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A group of youth in the South-east have expressed worry over alleged secret arrests and killing of youths in the region by the military.

It said the military resorted to labelling every youth as a member of IPOB, a pro-Biafra group that has been proscribed by the Nigerian government.

The youths, under the ageis of South East Igbo Youth Leaders called for the immediate withdrawal of the military from the zone, just as it advised the police and other security agencies to discharge their duties professionally and with dignity.

Addressing reporters in Awka, Anambra State, the groups spokesperson, Chukwuma Okpalaezeukwu, said the use of force or military action in the South-east could lead to more provocation, anarchy and disintegration.

He described the current situation as a challenging moment for the Ndigbo.

The people of the zone, he said, needed unseen strength and leadership which he said were only found in unity and sacrifice.

We are calling on the federal government to immediately stop the random arrest and unjust killing of Igbo youths under the guise of IPOB and/or ESN members.

It is unfortunate that a revered organisation like the Nigerian Army, no longer apply the tenets of professionalism and respect for human rights while discharging their duties.

Most worrisome is the alleged secret arrest and killing of Igbo youths by the military. We call on the federal government to expeditiously withdraw the military from the South-east.

This is one of the obvious reasons the security agencies have lost the confidence and support of the masses.

Mr Okpalaezeukwu, however, commended the South-east governors and Ohanaeze Ndigbo for declaring May 30 as a public holiday. He urged the federal government to embrace the initiative as a national day of healing.

While passing a vote of confidence and support to Ohanaeze Ndigbo leadership, the group called on the South-east governors, traditional rulers and political leaders to foster unity and engage the youths to restore stability in the region.

We align, utterly with the positions of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, ably led by Prof George Obiozor that Ndigbo will not lead the breakup of Nigeria, but will not be victims of Nigeria Unity.

Indeed, the unity of Nigeria is paramount but not at all cost. We are committed to peace, justice, equity and fairness. Throughout history, people denied justice have no interest in peace. It is either restructuring or referendum, he added.

Security officials, including the military, have remained the targets of deadly attacks in the South-east and the South-south regions.

Facilities belonging to the Independent National Electoral Commission have also been attacked and set ablaze in the regions.

IPOB has denied accusations that it is responsible for the attacks.
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Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, in collaboration with the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), on Wednesday, donated some welding machines to welders and blacksmiths at Coal Camp Enugu, to assist them boost their business.

The welding machines were handed over to Governor Ugwuanyi by NIMASA, and the governor then directed that the equipment be donated to artisans to assist them advance their business.

Presenting the machines, Governor Ugwuanyi, represented by his deputy, Cecilia Ezeilo, disclosed that the choice of the beneficiaries was informed by the governors spirit of compassion, magnanimity and commitment to the wellbeing of his people.

Mrs. Ezeilo said Mr Ugwuanyi did not only direct that the machines be given out; he also ensured that the equipment got to the actual people that need them in their day-to-day activities.

She therefore enjoined the beneficiaries to make proper use of the machines, urging those who did not benefit from the process of the selection (balloting) to exercise patience and accept it in good faith since the exercise was transparent.

Also speaking, the Chairman of Tricycle Riders Association in Enugu State, Benjamin Ikah, commended Mr Ugwuanyi for empowering the artisans, saying the gesture demonstrated the governors interest in the welfare of the less privileged in society.

Mr Ikah maintained that the beneficiaries emerged transparently and charged them to put the machines to good use and always remember the governor in their prayers.

Responding, the elated beneficiaries thanked Governor Ugwuanyi for his benevolence and commitment to their welfare, pointing out that they never expected such gift from the governor or any establishment.

They promised to utilize the equipment to serve the public effectively and enhance their fortune.

The Executive Secretary of Enugu State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Nkechi Eneh, accompanied the deputy governor to the event.
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The Commissioner of Police in Imo, Abutu Yaro, on Wednesday warned criminals in possession of rifles belonging to the police in the state to return them on or before June 12 or face the law.

Mr Yaro gave the warning while interacting with newsmen in Owerri.

He warned that anyone caught with the weapons would face the full weight of the law.

Mr Yaro said that many police rifles were stolen during the October 2020 EndSARS protest, as police formations were attacked.

He attributed recent shootings and killings in the state to illegal possession of rifles, saying that bandits, in possession of rifles, had been attacking police formations.

He called on parents and all peace-loving citizens to report any child in possession of a rifle.

Many police stations were recently burnt and rifles moved away are being used to carry out shootings and killings in the state.

I hereby call on parents and well-meaning people of the state to report any child in their domain who is found in possession of police rifles.

Police rifles are for police and not for any other persons, he said.

He said that the command had resolved to deal ruthlessly with any persons caught with such arms and ammunition.

Mr Yaro promised that the police would leave no stone unturned in bringing criminals to book.

(NAN)
Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State on Tuesday evening visited Igangan community in Ibarapa area to check the level of destruction carried out by the gunmen who attacked the town on Sunday morning.

Mr Makinde, who visited the community alongside the speaker of the state assembly, Debo Ogundoyin, pleaded with residents not to retaliate but rather hold him responsible for what happened.

I beg of you; give us the opportunity to come back and rebuild things and put a more solid architecture such that you will be able to go to farms and do whatever you want to do without fear.

But I should be held accountable. I am responsible for this and will do everything within my power to make sure that it will not happen again.

The governor promised to further empower local security guards and vigilantes in order to secure the area.

I have told your chairman that all the vigilantes and security guards, the government will be responsible for them. This is your government, please give me the opportunity to do the needful so that a meeting like this would not come up again.

I urge you to give me that chance to make the issue of insecurity here become a thing of the past. Dont take laws into your hands. We have identified where there are hitches. We are supposed to be going to our farms by now because of the favourable weather. But hold me accountable, I have nowhere to go.

I believe there are some certain things we put in place, which we think would work but unfortunately, they did not work. Please, give me some time, everything will be resolved, he said.

PREMIUM TIMES on Sunday morning reported how the community came under attack by gunmen suspected to be herdsmen.

They set houses, a filling station and the kings palace ablaze. Our correspondent obtained pictures and videos of hacked and bloodied human bodies.

While police confirmed the death of 11 people, residents said over 20 people were killed. Many Yoruba groups have condemned the attack.

Also, the six governors in Nigerias south-west states have begun to move to prevent a recurrence.

The attack on Igangan comes months after Mr Igboho led a crowd to Igangan to eject the head of the Fulani community there, Salihu Abdulkadir.

He accused Mr Abdulkadir of backing criminal herdsmen whom he alleged were responsible for the kidnapping and killing of farmers and residents of the community. Mr Abdulkadir denied the allegation but he was nonetheless forcefully ejected from a community he had lived in for decades.

The Federal and Oyo State governments frowned at the development, saying no citizen has the right to eject other citizens from wherever they wish to reside in the country.

Igangan residents said on Sunday that they believe the latest attack was a retaliation for the eviction of Mr Abdulkadir.

Parents withdraw children from schools

PREMIUM TIMES also gathered that many parents on Monday and Tuesday withdrew their children from some schools in Igangan and some other nearby communities over a fear of possible attacks on schools in the communities.

Confirming the withdrawal of students from schools, a monarch in Tapa community, Oyekanmi Titiloye, said people have been running helter-skelter to ensure they take their children from schools.

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We have been living in fear since Sunday and there are unconfirmed reports that the Fulani people are strategizing to attack us again but they didnt tell us the precise time.

Parents want their children to be with them while others are already leaving the communities in Ibarapa.

The state police spokesperson, Adewale Osifeso, did not respond to calls and text messages when our correspondent tried to ask him if the security operatives are aware of the palpable fears in Ibarapa axis of Oyo State.
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A Fulani settlement at Iraye village in Sagamu, Ogun State, was razed on Monday by residents who protested incessant kidnappings in the area.

PREMIUM TIMES gathered that the residents action was a result of the abduction of a woman by suspected herdsmen on Sunday.

Locals told our correspondent that before the latest abduction, residents had been accusing some Fulani settlers of being the brains behind the abduction of their people in the area.

A police source, who preferred not to be named because he was not authorised to speak, said one person was severely injured in the attack and many other Fulanis in the area scampered for safety.

Kunle Ajayi, a resident who witnessed the attack, said the abducted woman is yet to regain her freedom.

We are yet to see the woman and the Fulani guys have been fingered in various kidnappings in Ogun. We dont want them again.

The leader of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) in Ogun State, Abdulmumin Ibrahim, confirmed the attack to our correspondent, saying five houses were burnt in the settlement.

It was true that they attacked our peoples settlement but nobody died. About five houses were burnt in the settlement and we have asked those affected to make a formal report at Sagamu Police station.

Ogun police spokesperson, Abimbola Oyeyemi, also confirmed the incident. He, however, said normalcy had been restored in the area.

The residents heard that some Fulani herdsmen kidnapped someone in her farm in Iraye and they went there to set ablaze Fulani settlement.

A Fulani man was injured and he is currently in the hospital but normalcy has been restored.

He also confirmed that the abducted woman is yet to be rescued.

It would be recalled that a self-styled Yoruba activist, Sunday Igboho, on February 1, rebuffed authorities and proceeded to Ogun State to purportedly evict herdsmen resident there. During that visit, he also vowed to dislodge herdsmen from the entire Yoruba land.

The Nigerian law, however, says no citizen has the right to eject others from wherever they wished to reside in the country.
The Ekiti Government says it will recover N1 billion debt owed by some of the beneficiaries of the state housing estates.

Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State made this known while receiving the report of the Judicial Panel of inquiry on land and related matters in the state.

The governor said the money will be recovered before the end of his second term in October 2022.

We will reverse the impunity that has characterised land administration in the State.

We are disturbed by the level of corruption, poor record keeping and lack of transparency that characterised the allocation of lands in the state, he said.

Mr Fayemi directed the immediate constitution of a ministerial committee to advise government on how to reform government apparatus in charge of land administration.

We are committed to eradicating unlawful land transactions to enhance governments efforts in achieving poverty reduction and promote economic growth, he said.

Mr Fayemi disclosed that government had been informed of the existence of vast undeveloped plots of land and lack of record of ownership or evidence of payment for some properties in the state housing estates.

He ordered the committee on recovery of money owed the state government to present a formal report, to enable government take necessary action.

As a first step, I accept the recommendation of the Commission of Inquiry for a holistic reform of all the agencies responsible for land administration in this state.

I have directed the Secretary to the State Government to immediately constitute a ministerial committee with a mandate to advise government on practical steps towards achieving this goal.

Let me also use this opportunity to formally acknowledge the work of the Committee on the recovery of monies owed the state government on the sale of landed properties in government housing estates.

It is simply unacceptable that a sum of over N1 billion will be owed government by beneficiaries of these properties, majority of them simply refused to pay up.

The committee has been directed to ensure full recovery of all monies owed government, he said.

NAN reports that the Chairman of the commission, Adekunle Adeleye, in his remark revealed that a total of 43 petitions were received in the course of the commissions assignment.

Mr Adeleye said that the commission, through the adoption of alternative dispute resolution mechanism, was able to determine the final right of the parties in 20 cases.

He said that members of the commission also made on the spot assessment visits to various locations to ascertain the veracity of the oral evidence led at the public sitting of the commission.

(NAN)

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A member of the House of Representatives, Rotimi Agunsoye, on Tuesday, lamented the inability of the government to protect Nigerians.

Mr Agunsoye, who is a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), declared that we have failed woefully in all these while reacting to a motion on the attack against Igangan, a town in Oyo State.

PREMIUM TIMES had reported how the town was attacked in the early hours of Sunday as gunmen suspected to be herdsmen set houses ablaze, with about 11 persons killed.

The lawmaker, who represents Kosofe Federal Constituency of Lagos State, lamented that people were being killed across the country.

Dear colleagues, the most hated person in the world is the person that speaks the truth and people would not want to listen to the truth because they do not want their illusion destroyed.

Mr Speaker, dear colleagues, I think enough is enough. We need to address the main issue now. Where are we? The role of government in governance is to protect the lives and property of the people and to provide welfare for the people.

Mr speaker, we have failed woefully in all this. My colleague Sununu said over 70 people were killed. My dear colleague from Oyo State said over 50 people were killed. Somebody from Imo said their people are being killed. Go to the north-east, north-central, south-east, south-west, north-west, south-south  our people are being killed. What are we doing in government?

It is important we address this, Mr Speaker. Is it the time when we have fighter jets moving here and there then we would address this issue? Something has to be done Mr speaker, Mr Agunsoye said.

Meanwhile, the Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, had earlier in his speech to the House, raised concerns on the growing insecurity across the country.

He said the House will soon commence debates on some bills on security.

According to him, the bills were products of the security summit the special committee on security organised some weeks ago.

He said, Two weeks ago, the House of Representatives hosted a Special Summit on National Security to harness the views of citizens and stakeholders, experts from within and outside, to define a new strategy for combating the different manifestations of insecurity in our country. The contributions we received from across the country and the recommendations made therein have already begun to inform legislative action in the House of Representatives.

Tomorrow, the House will begin consideration of a slate of bills intended to reform our national security statutory framework. We are seeking through legislation to address the issues of overlapping mandates resulting in inter-agency rivalry and lack of cooperation amongst the security agencies. We are seeking to make community policing operational so that communities and the police can work together to protect our people across the country.

He said the bill intends to change the way the Armed Forces conduct operations so that the three arms of our military can work more effectively together to overcome shared challenges.

Mr Gbajabiamila also said the final report of the summit and legislative recommendations would be sent to President Muhammadu Buhari.

We intend to change the way the Armed Forces conduct operations so that the three arms of our military can work more effectively together to overcome shared challenges. And we want to change the nature of interactions between the civilian population and the military so that the conflicts that breed resentment and undermine national security can be eliminated once and forevermore.

These Bills are only the first of the legislative interventions relating to national security that we will be considering. Also, the final report of the Summit, including the recommendations for legislative action will shortly be presented to the President

The APC came to power with the promise of fighting insecurity. Over the past six years, the security situation across the country has deteriorated.

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We do know that this is very harmful in our environment and as a city, I want to show that we are mindful of this and want to try to do something to reduce the amount of harmful pollutants, Mayotte said before the meeting. She says its a small step, but one that is within the power of city leaders.
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The Lagos State government on Wednesday inaugurated the 6.05-kilometre Ijede dual carriageway, phase one, (Itamaga-Ewu-Elepe project) in Ikorodu Local Government Area of the state.

Aramide Adeoye, Special Adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Works and Infrastructure, said the road, which links 40 Ikorodu communities, was completed one month ahead of schedule.

She said the project was a demonstration of the commitment of the governor to grow the economy of the state through a robust infrastructure portfolio.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Ijede Road cuts across four LGAs/LCDAs, and it is the only major road that leads to Ijede, Gberigbe, and Agura towns, as well as 37 other communities in Ikorodu.

Before its rehabilitation, the road was a single carriageway.

Mr Sanwo-Olu said the project was delivered in 17 months instead of the 18 months planned completion date, in line with his administrations campaign promise of quick infrastructure delivery.

The governor assured that the road would link the Gberigbe Jetty to further enhance interconnectivity and intermodal transportation within the axis, and that the government would pay compensation of N500 million for Right of Way.

He said cheques would be presented to affected religious organisations and others.

The governor also promised to replace the transformers in the area within two weeks to resolve the power problem there.

He assured that Gberigbe and Imota roads would be constructed soon, while Igbogbo Bayeku and Ahmed Tinubu roads would also be upgraded and reconstructed.

Also, Mrs Adeyoye said the overall target of the government was to use investments in infrastructure to enhance the ease of doing business.

She added that it was also to address gridlock, tackle perennial flooding, and attract development to the area.

The Rehabilitated and Upgraded 6.05km Ijede Road (phase one) (Itamaga-Ewu-Elepe) project in Ikorodu LGA was to show Mr Sanwo-Olus commitment to extend development across the state.

It was also in an effort to grow the economy of Lagos through a robust infrastructure portfolio, she said.

Similarly, Majority Leader of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Sanai Agunbiade, who represented the Speaker of the Assembly, expressed delight over the speedy completion of the project.

Also, a lawmaker representing Ikorodu Constituency 2, Saka Solaja, said the road would serve four LGAs and four LCDAs. (NAN)
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The Police, Ogun Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE), and other sister agencies have partnered to arrest owners of unregistered motorcycles as a means of addressing insecurity in the Sango-Ota axis of the state.

The Sango-Ota Police Area Commander, Muyideen Obe, told journalists in Ota, Ogun State, that the exercise was aimed at checking incessant cases of insecurity in the area.

Mr Obe said the special task force, jointly formed by the police, TRACE, and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), was set up to address the influx of motorcycles into Sango-Ota, following their ban by the Lagos government.

There is the need for such collaboration among security agencies in the state to combat insecurity, as some people hide under the guise of operating commercial motorcycles to commit crimes, he said.

He reiterated the commitment of the police to partner with other security agencies to ensure the safety of lives and property of the citizenry.

Mr Obe also stressed the need for all motorcycle riders to register with the state government to check the rising crime rate in the state.

He said the directive was from the state government and that it was meant to create a database for all registered commercial motorcyclists.

Meanwhile, the Sango-Ota Area Commander of TRACE, Adekunle Ajibade, said the exercise, which commenced at 8.00 a.m. on Wednesday, led to the arrest of an unspecified number of commercial motorcyclists.

Mr Ajibade said the exercise was to serve as a deterrent to other motorcyclists who refused to register with the state government.

He promised that his agency would continue to collaborate with other sister agencies to stem the tide of insecurity in the state. (NAN)
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The Osun government says it has shut more than 600 nursery and primary schools operating without minimum standard requirements in the state.

The Commissioner for Education, Folorunsho Bamisayemi, said this during an inter-ministerial news conference organised by the Ministry of Information and Civic Orientation on Wednesday in Osogbo.

Mr Bamisayemi said the closure of the schools was part of the state governments effort to sanitise the sector.

We have declared a war on mushroom schools, he said. We have zero tolerance for quacks in the system and schools that do not meet the required standard.

We know the danger of mushroom schools, because once the education foundation of a child is destroyed, it becomes difficult to build a solid structure on it.

Mr Bamisayemi said that it was now compulsory for anyone that wanted to establish a school to have a Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) Certificate, among other requirements.

Also speaking, Olalekan Badmus, the Commissioner for Regional Integration and Special Duties, said the government was feeding more than 30,000 vulnerable persons on a monthly basis under its food support scheme.

Mr Badmus said the state government was spending more than N100 million on the food support scheme every month.

The vulnerable in the society are also a major concern for the governor, and that was how the issue of Osun Food Support Scheme came to be, with 30,000 people benefitting from the scheme monthly.

We have successfully implemented the scheme over three months, and we have done rice component and semovita.

We are also looking at the possibility of having a combo package that will break the monotony of one food component.

We have ensured the credibility of the scheme through reliance on the World Bank verified social register to identify the vulnerable.

We have also ensured feedback mechanism to monitor the effectiveness of this scheme, Mr Badmus said. (NAN)
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The Police Command in Osun says it has arrested five suspects with human parts in Osogbo, the state capital.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Olawale Olokode, while parading the suspects in Osogbo on Wednesday, explained that they were arrested based on intelligence policing.

He said that the suspects were arrested with two decaying human legs and hands.

Mr Olokode further said that the principal suspect had confessed to the crime and stated that the head of their victim was given to another suspect, who claimed to be a pastor with Cherubim and Seraphim Church, for ritual purposes.

According to the police commissioner, all the suspects will be prosecuted after the completion of investigations.

Similarly, the police commissioner said that four other suspects were arrested in connection with armed robbery attacks within the state.

He said that two of them had on May 20, on Ilesa-Ife expressway, allegedly attacked motorists at gunpoint and dispossessed them of their property.

Mr Olokode said the police, however, caught the suspected armed robbers the following day, when one of them wore the jacket belonging to the driver of the vehicle robbed the previous day to a commercial bank around Lagere, Ile-Ife.

He said the robbed driver, upon sighting one of the suspected armed robbers wearing his jacket at the bank, raised the alarm, which led to the arrest of the two suspects.

The police commissioner said the other two persons were allegedly involved in robbery, as they used a knife to steal one motorcycle, some amount of money and a mobile phone from a motorcyclist.

He said that the case was reported on April 17 and that the police arrested a suspect, who carried out the armed robbery attack, adding that the other person was arrested for receiving the stolen items from the first suspect.

Mr Olokode said that the suspects would be charged to court after completion of investigations.

(NAN)
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The Osun government says it will embark on data capturing and profiling of herders residing in the state.

Mudasiru Toogun, chairman, Committee on Peaceful Co-existence between Fulani/ Bororo and Farmers in Osun, said this at a meeting held with heads of Fulani and Bororo on Wednesday in Osogbo.

Mr Toogun said the data capturing exercise was part of the governments efforts to strengthen the cordial relationship and peaceful co-existence between Fulani/Bororo herders and Yoruba farmers in the state.

He said that government would also embark on enumeration and headcount of immigrants in the state.

According to Mr Toogun, the exercise is part of efforts to update the statistics and data of immigrants living in the state.

He said the initiative would help to determine the population of the immigrants so as to prevent any form of security threat that might arise arose from the influx of migrants.

Mr Toogun said the state had worked out modalities to begin the issuance of identity cards to Fulani and Bororo living in the state as a means of identification.

He said the initiative would further help to stem the tide of incessant security challenges in the state.

The essence of this meeting is to meet our people, the Fulani/Bororo community, to sensitise them on the need to continue to strengthen the existing bond of unity, peaceful coexistence, and togetherness.

As we all know and as reported in the media, some states in the country are facing serious security threats, resulting from Fulani-Bororo and farmers crises.

As such, we felt it was necessary to convene this meeting to further strengthen the bond that binds us together as brothers and sisters.

The government has resolved to commence the enumeration and headcount for immigrants, particularly Fulani-Bororo herders living in the state, as part of efforts to fight insecurity, Mr Toogun said.

In his response, the Seriki Fulani in the state, Ibrahim Babatunde, assured the government of total compliance with relevant rules capable of sustaining the bond of unity existing between them and Yoruba farmers.

Mr Babatunde, while seeking further support from the government, assured that his people would continue to live and relate peacefully with their host communities. (NAN)
The Dearborn Board of Education has once again given school Supt. Glenn Maleyko a positive evaluation.

It's the sixth consecutive year hes been rated as highly effective.

Due to the rating, Maleykos contract was automatically extended by a year to maintain his three-year agreement. Contractually that happens every year that he is rated either effective or highly effective.

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Board President Jim Thorpe said the evaluation is an extensive process and the results reflect the boards and the communitys support for Maleyko.

The past year has been very difficult with the constantly changing COVID situation," he said. "Dr. Maleyko did a great job keeping the board informed and providing us information to make decisions for our students and staff."

Trustee Adel Mozip chaired the evaluation committee, which received input from all seven board members.

The board commends Dr. Maleyko on his work in such a difficult year and with so many changing variables, he said. Dr. Maleyko, along with his team, were proactive and responsive to the districts needs during a pandemic year.

The Board of Education praised Maleykos leadership during the pandemic, as well as his work prior to the pandemic.

Over the last year, Dearborn Public Schools adjusted continuously to educating students during a pandemic including complying with constantly changing health and safety requirements, implementing robust online learning, creating a hybrid learning system for bringing students back into schools, launching a Virtual Learning Program for this year and the new Dearborn Public Schools Virtual K-12 School for next year, providing vaccine access for staff and students, and distributing more than 4 million free student meals via weekly pickups.

While leading one of Michigans largest school districts, Maleyko also continued to serve on the Executive Board of the Michigan Association of Superintendents and Administrators.

This has been a very trying year for the district with a constantly changing landscape and the need to repeatedly and dramatically reinvent how we are educating students, Maleyko said. My evaluation is a reflection of the hard work of our team, and I am fortunate to be able to work with so many talented professionals who truly care about educating children.

"The board is a big part of that success, and I appreciate the trust that the board has in me and our team and how we work so well together. We were put to the test over the last year, and we stepped up. Hopefully next years challenges will be small by comparison.

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The superintendent is the only district staff member directly hired and supervised by the Board of Education.

For the evaluation, the board used a tool developed by the Michigan Association of School Boards. Each trustee ranked Maleykos effectiveness in five areas: governance and board relations, community relations, staff relationships, business and finance, and instructional leadership. The superintendent provided information and supporting documents about his accomplishments. Board members also reviewed the results of a staff survey about Maleykos performance. This section makes up 50% of the overall evaluation score.

Student growth makes up 40% of the superintendents evaluation, with the last 10% based on work being done toward the districts strategic plan goals.

Im very passionate about the important work we as educators must accomplish, excited about the future of our schools and students, and proud to be part of such a great community, Maleyko said.

+2 Businesses donate to Dearborn Goodfellows Every service organization had to make changes in 2020 as the coronavirus pandemic raged on. Perhaps none had to change as much as the Goodfel

+4 Photographer Lance Rosol found Henry Ford College a great launching point For Henry Ford College alumnus Lance Rosol, photography runs in the family. His late uncle, Stan Rosol, was a photographer in Hollywood after 

Dodge Charger impounded after police catch driver squealing tires While on patrol in the area of Warren Avenue and Jonathon Street at about 3:30 p.m. May 27, officers observed a Dodge Charger moving erratical
Now that COVID-19 cases are declining and the majority of Minnesotans have received vaccinations, what activities are you most looking forward to resuming this summer?

You voted:
Plattsburgh, NY (12901)

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You can see straight down to the water, and hopefully manatees will hang out and you can observe them, said Michael Halupke, construction project manager for the Broward County Parks and Recreation Division. Its a really neat project, and when its done its going to be a really nice part of the nature center.
Southbury, CT (06488)

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Cloudy with occasional showers overnight. Low 61F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%..

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2020 was a year marked by hardships and challenges, but the Prince William community has proven resilient. The Prince William Times is honored to serve as your community companion. To say thank you for your continued support, wed like to offer all our subscribers -- new or returning --

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The Las Vegas Convention Center Loop, the underground tunnel developed by Elon Musk's The Boring Company designed to shuttle convention attendees throughout the 200-acre campus in all-electric Tesla vehicles, also became fully operational.

The arrival of World of Concrete signals the return of meetings and conventions to Las Vegas, named the number one trade show destination in North America for 26 consecutive years by the Trade Show News Network (TSNN). The addition of the West Hall brings the total square feet of meeting space in the destination to 14 million and makes the LVCC the 2nd largest facility in the country. During a normal year, the meeting and convention industry represents $11.4 billion in economic impact to the area.

World of Concrete's arrival comes on the heels of Las Vegas' full reopening to 100 percent capacity on June 1.

"This convention reinvigorates our commitment to be bold in how we envision the future of infrastructure and recovery of our state and this is only the beginning," Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak said during the ribbon cutting ceremony. "We are back in Las Vegas and there is no better or safer place to come to have a convention than Las Vegas."

"We are excited to welcome our convention customers back to Las Vegas and to our new West Hall, reigniting the meetings and convention industry," said Steve Hill, LVCVA president and CEO. "Today is not only a great day for our city, it's a great day for the meetings and conventions industry across Las Vegas and across the United States."

The West Hall features a contemporary design, an abundance of natural light and 600,000 square feet of exhibition space, including 328,000 square feet of column-free space, the largest column-free exhibition space in North America. An open-air atrium features a 10,000-square-foot digital screen developed by Samsung, the largest digital experience in a convention center in the U.S. A 14,000-square-foot terrace can hold receptions of up to 2,000 attendees, offering spectacular views of the Las Vegas Strip. Construction on the facility began in September 2018 and continued throughout the pandemic.

Trade shows facilitate $325 billion in business sales and 1.3 million jobs globally each year. While Informa Markets offers digital solutions that extend its reach and allow communities to connect year-round, now more than ever customers recognize the value of in-person relationship-building. Informa Markets remains committed to Las Vegas, with plans to host ten additional events in the destination before the end of the year. World of Concrete will return to the LVCC next January.

"We are thrilled to be returning to the live event format, especially in the home of the exhibitions industry in the U.S., Las Vegas," said Nan Walsh, President, North America at Informa Markets. "There is an unparalleled magic about in-person connectionfrom sharing laughs with old friends, creating new ones, learning from industry experts, and seeing and feeling the latest products and innovations. We are so happy to be the first large-scale trade show to return to the show floor in the U.S., and the first to use the Las Vegas Convention Center's incredible new West Hall, and through that partnership I believe we are signaling a return to business and connection that is needed now more than ever."

Las Vegas Convention Center Loop

The $52.5 million Las Vegas Convention Center Loop connects the West Hall to the LVCC's North and South Halls via two one-way vehicular tunnels, including three passenger stations. The system serves as a fun and quick transportation solution to move convention attendees throughout the sprawling campus approximately 40 feet below ground in less than two minutes, while a walk could take 20 minutes or more. The Las Vegas Convention Center Loop is first commercial project of its kind by The Boring Company.

Plans have been announced to expand the system throughout the resort corridor. Known as the Vegas Loop, the expanded system will ease traffic congestion and offer a new transportation option for visitors from as far north as Downtown Las Vegas, throughout the Strip and as far south as Allegiant Stadium.

The LVCC was awarded the Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC) STAR facility accreditation by ISSA, the world's leading trade association for the cleaning industry and considered the gold standard for safe facilities. Health and safety also remain a trop priority throughout the destination with a variety of stringent Vegas Smart health and wellness guidelines in place to keep visitors safe, from arrival to departure.

For additional information on the LVCC and meetings and conventions in Las Vegas, visit www.vegasmeansbusiness.com.

ABOUT THE LVCVA

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) is charged with marketing Southern Nevada as a tourism and convention destination worldwide and with operating the 4.6 million square-foot Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC). With nearly 150,000 hotel rooms and 14 million square feet of meeting and exhibit space in Las Vegas alone, the LVCVA's mission centers on attracting leisure and business visitors to the area. The LVCVA also owns the Las Vegas Convention Center Loop designed by The Boring Company and also owns the Las Vegas Monorail, an elevated 3.9-mile system with seven stops throughout the resort corridor.

ABOUT INFORMA MARKETS

Informa Markets creates platforms for industries and specialist markets to trade, innovate and grow. We provide marketplace participants around the globe with opportunities to engage, experience and do business through face-to-face exhibitions, targeted digital services and actionable data solutions. We connect buyers and sellers across more than a dozen global verticals, including Pharmaceuticals, Food, Medical Technology and Infrastructure. As the world's leading market-making company, we bring a diverse range of specialist markets to life, unlocking opportunities and helping them to thrive 365 days of the year. For more information, please visit www.informamarkets.com.

SOURCE Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority

Related Links

https://www.vegasmeansbusiness.com/


The Empowerment Experiment (EE) earned massive press coverage and resulted in a landmark study conducted by the renowned Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University. The study, championed by The Empowerment Experiment Foundation, proved that close to 1 million new American jobs could result if middle class Black families were to increase spending with Black businesses from a paltry 3% to a practicable 10%. The entire study is featured in Maggie's acclaimed book, Our Black Year - One Family's Quest to Buy Black in America's Racially Divided Economy .

Beyond a detailed account of their stand and study, Our Black Year is also a treatise on the awe-inspiring history of Black businesses, the source of their demise, the economic injustice that results, and a call to action to cure it. The book earned praise from Publishers Weekly, Book Today, Library Journal, and several iconic business and community leaders like Cathy Hughes, chairwoman and owner of the Urban One empire; Ron Busby, president and CEO of the U.S. Black Chamber; and Marc Morial, president and CEO of the National Urban League. "The Anderson's economic odyssey is nothing short of heroic!" raved Alfred Edmond, editor of Black Enterprise, in his review of the book.

As a former aide to Congressman John Lewis and former law student of President Obama, Maggie was proud of the book, the press, and the study, yet disappointed EE failed to inspire Black economic solidarity, or a serious dialogue on and investment in Black businesses. Instead, she found that many Blacks were reluctant to or unable to support their own; and others condemned EE, calling her a racist and sending death threats.

So, Maggie made another pledge. She would not use her University of Chicago JD/MBA to go back to Corporate America or practice law. The daughter of working-class Cuban immigrants became a full-time activist, a thought leader in the Buy Black and economic justice movement, a forceful advocate for business diversity and inclusion, and a sought-after speaker and lecturer. "She inspires both with her words and her actions," recounts Morton Schapiro, distinguished economist and president of Northwestern University, after hosting her as the university's MLK keynote speaker. Doyle Mitchell, Jr., president and CEO of Industrial Bank, also praised Maggie's sustained commitment saying, "Our racial equity and economic parity depend on our dedication to the principles and dedication Maggie has written about in Our Black Year, spoken of in her speeches, and demonstrated in her everyday life."

The activist says her commitment to Black businesses is a tribute to Dr. King, the Civil Rights movement, and the Black entrepreneurs that funded it. "We can't just fight like they fought. We have to buy like they bought," says Anderson. Now, Maggie views this new era of Black pride and sudden interest in 'buying Black', ushered in by the protests following George Floyd's murder, with cautious optimism, saying, "I'm happy we are fighting systemic racism with our protests and politics, but we are still enabling it with our purchases and business practices."

During EE and still today, Black wealth is about 10 percent of white wealth. Maggie has identified three sources of Black business failure and Black buying power's ineffectiveness explaining, "One problem is that Black consumers  unlike consumers of other minority or marginalized groups - do not proactively support their own businesses. At the same time, most of the businesses in our (Black) communities and those representing Black culture, like hair care and beauty supply stores, are owned by outsiders when they used to be owned by us. And, there is inadequate representation of our businesses in Corporate America's supply chains and on the shelves." Maggie counters these problems with her speaking and her spending. From her coffee to her mortgage, all are Black owned. "It's not that hard. And it's not too late."

Maggie's Top 5 Tips to Empower Black Businesses and Communities:

Open an account, get a mortgage or refi with a Black bank or credit union. Buy hair, skin, and beauty products from Black companies and beauty supply stores. Engage Black professionals, press, and contractors for your personal and business needs. Seek Black franchisees, agents of mainstream brands and Black-made products and Black designers at mainstream retailers. Buy a membership, make a recurring donation to, or sponsor a Black business, empowerment, professional, civic or trade organization.

For more on Maggie's book, speeches, foundation, and her tips and resources, visit www.AuthorMaggieAnderson.com

SOURCE EE

Related Links

https://authormaggieanderson.com


CHICAGO, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- West Monroe, a national business and technology consulting firm, today announced three of its offices have been awarded LEED certifications from the U.S. Green Building Council for its efforts in sustainability.

In 2020, West Monroe expanded its office space in three citiesChicago, Minneapolis, and New York Cityto accommodate above-average industry growth. While the firm is still developing its hybrid work model, it committed early on in the pandemic to keeping office space that is used to foster a culture of collaboration, a culture of togetherness, and world-class career development.

The Chicago office , located at 311 W. Monroe St. and finished in September 2020, received LEED Gold. The Minneapolis office , located at 729 N. Washington Ave. and finished in June 2020, received LEED Silver. And the New York office , located at 825 8th Ave. and finished in October 2020, received LEED Silver. Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council, LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is the most widely used green building rating system in the world and an international symbol of excellence. Through design, construction and operations practices that improve environmental and human health, LEED-certified buildings are helping to make the world more sustainable.

"Although the future of work will look different, we believe coming together in person still matters," said Kevin Rooney, chief administration officer for West Monroe. "Our offices at West Monroe are much more than just a place to work, it's where our people enjoy gathering and collaborating with each other and clients to build the next generation of leaders, and that means ensuring a sustainable future."

To accommodate the firm's extraordinary growth, West Monroe built out the three new offices in 2020, increasing its square footage by 140%. The Chicago office and headquarters, now located at the West Monroe HQ, includes a rapidly growing team of industry experts, technologists, and business advisers. The firm's corporate headquarters is also home to a vast majority of the firm's Shared Services teams that span finance, marketing, operations, legal, HR, and more.

The firm is also planning to grow its local New York workforce five-fold by 2025 to 750 employees to address mounting demand for consulting services. To accommodate the growth, West Monroe signed a 10-year lease deal effectively quadrupling the firm's local real estate. The Minneapolis office relocated in 2020 to a new space in the North Loop neighborhood to accommodate its expanded local team and future growth projections. The firm leased more than 42,000 square feet at The Nordic, a unique mixed-use development.

"Social responsibility and sustainability aren't just buzzwords to us, they are a part of our core values and our responsibility as corporate citizens, especially as we continue to grow and expand our footprint," said Caryn Alavi, senior manager of real estate at West Monroe. "Being awarded LEED certifications at three of our offices shows we are acting on our commitment and listening to what's important to our people."

West Monroe achieved the LEED certifications for implementing practical and measurable strategies and solutions in areas including sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality. Green buildings allow companies to operate more sustainably and give our people inside them a healthier, more comfortable space to work.

Specific sustainability highlights include:

Water saving fixtures reducing water by over 34% and saving 414,512 gallons per year in the Chicago office.

office. 91% of construction materials were recycled or diverted from landfills in the New York office.

office. 100% of insulation, ceiling and flooring materials certified as low VOC (volatile organic compounds) in the Minneapolis office.

office. All three offices are centrally located to multiple public transit lines, bicycle networks and walking paths, significantly reducing carbon emissions from driving.

"LEED is a transformative tool that ensures a building is designed and operated to achieve high performance, improve human health and protect the environment," said Mahesh Ramanujam, president and CEO, USGBC. "By prioritizing sustainability, West Monroe's projects are leading the way in their industry and helping USGBC continue towards our goal of green buildings for everyone within this generation."

The firm is committed to helping clients, communities, and West Monroe build a sustainable future.

About West Monroe

West Monroe is a national consulting firm that was born in technology but built for businesspartnering with companies in transformative industries to deliver real, measurable results. Technology is who we are, it is not something we bolted on overnight, and we believe it is one of the greatest enablers of business value. That's why we work in diverse, multidisciplinary teams that blend industry expertise with deep operational and technology capabilities to create quantifiable, financial value for our clients. Our 1,500 employees based in eight offices across the United States also own 100% of our business, so when you partner with us you know we are committedbecause your success is our success. Our undeniably different approach breeds undeniable results.

About the U.S. Green Building Council

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is committed to a healthy, resilient and equitable future for all through the development of green buildings, cities and communities. For more than 20 years, USGBC has been advancing green building practices through the development of LEED, the world's most widely used green building program. With the support of thousands of members, volunteers and partners, USGBC provides robust green building education courses, a rigorous professional credentialing program, and advocates for effective public policies. It convenes an international network of green building and sustainability leaders through the annual Greenbuild International Conference & Expo, and forward thinking programs, including the Center for Green Schools. For more information, visit usgbc.org and connect on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

For all inquiries, please contact:

Christina Galoozis

Senior Manager, External Communications

[email protected]

847.302.1762

SOURCE West Monroe
360 Cookware is designed with technology that allows for healthy vapor cooking, heating food faster and at lower temps. It locks in flavor and nutrients, eliminating the need for added oils or fats. 360 Cookware aims to provide customers with a unique cooking experience by manufacturing heirloom quality cookware and bakeware made in one of the country's leading sustainable cookware factories. What we eat is only half the story. It's important to search for the right tools when preparing food for our families, that do not contain harmful toxins. 360 Cookware offers products that are free of toxic coatings such as PTFE.

"We are beyond excited to work with a company we believe has the same high standards, values and quality expectations as we do. We believe kathy ireland Worldwide, Kathy personally, with the awesome support of culinary leader, Chef Andre Carthen, will bring excitement, innovation and extraordinary talent to our products and customers. kiWW is the best partner we could have for the heirloom quality products we so proudly make in the USA," said Bryan and Beth Hurley in a joint statement. "This new partnership will allow 360 Cookware to continue its growth momentum by allowing us to focus on ultra-modern marketing and branding, as well as the opportunity to break into new markets and industries."

"We are delighted to partner with Chef Andre Carthen, who is America's favorite Fit Chef, as we bring 360 Cookware to a larger number of customers than ever before " says Kathy Ireland, Chair, CEO and Chief Designer of kiWW, named the 26th most powerful brand in the world by License Global magazine. "Our company was founded on the mission of finding solutions, especially for busy moms and families. 360 Cookware is not only energy-efficient  it enables for healthier and more nutritious cooking. We look forward to introducing our customers to this top of the line, revolutionary cookware."

360 Cookware has been making waves since its launch, making appearances on The Doctors, Martha Stewart's American Made Awards, and even twice on Oprah's Favorite Things list.

360 Cookware is available at 360cookware.com.

About 360 Cookware

360 Cookware uses superior clad surgical stainless steel for clean cooking. 360 Cookware is manufactured in a Green E-Certified factory in West Bend, Wisconsin which is recognized by the EPA. 360 Cookware is unlike any cookware you've ever experienced. This energy efficient cooking system moves beyond traditional cooking and captures the magic of Vapor Technology to heat your food quicker, at lower temperatures and without added fat or excess water, ensuring recipes stay nutritious, flavorful and appetizing. Vapor Technology creates fast, even heat that gently surrounds your healthy recipes, from vegetables and meats to grains and baked goods.

For more information, visit www.360cookware.com

About Kathy Ireland Worldwide

Founded in 1993, the Kathy Ireland Worldwide brand, celebrates a lifestyle. Kathy has graced the cover of Forbes Magazine three times internationally (2012, 2016), is listed as the 26th most powerful brand globally by License Global Magazine and according to Fairchild Publications, Kathy Ireland is one of the 50 most influential people in fashion. The success of Kathy Ireland Worldwide is the result of teamwork and dedication. Furthermore, with an emphasis in the home and design sectors, Furniture Today also named Kathy one of the most influential leaders in the furniture industry. The brand supports many non-profits including: women and children's health, HIV/AIDS, Education, human freedom, life, wars against religious persecution and violence. Kathy is a Board Member of the NFLPA, WNBPA Board of Advocates, an Ambassador and donor for the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation and International Youth Chair for the National Pediatric Cancer Foundation.

For more information, visit www.kathyireland.com

SOURCE 360 Cookware

Related Links

http://www.360cookware.com


Frieds spokesman said Tuesday that, The contract was evaluated the same as all others, our department met with Feeding South Florida and listened to their concerns about the results, and the scoring was reviewed and validated numerous times by multiple department divisions. We are confident that our transparent, impartial evaluation has led to the best-qualified vendor to feed South Floridas families in need, a decision with which a judge last week agreed our department can move forward.
"After Bite is the top-selling insect bite treatment in North America and for the third year in a row, we are proud to be recommended by pharmacists across the US as the go-to product to relieve itches associated with bites from mosquitoes, black flies, bees and other insects," says Katie Jones, After Bite brand manager. "Consumers trust pharmacists, and pharmacists trust After Bite."

U.S. News & World Report, a global authority in rankings and consumer advice, has published its pharmacist-recommended drug and device brands report for nearly 25 years. Nearly 800 pharmacists are surveyed for the annual report and categories reviewed include topical antibiotics, cough suppressants, antihistamines and more.

The complete After Bite (MSRP $3.99) collection includes After Bite Advanced Formula, After Bite Kids, After Bite Outdoor and After Bite Xtra, available at Amazon, Walmart, Target, REI and additional retailers nationwide.

To read the full insect bite and sting management rankings report, please visit: https://health.usnews.com/drugs/rankings/top-rec-insect-sting-and-bite-management.

Please direct all media inquiries to Senior Account Manager Ethan Peck at [email protected].

About After Bite: Trusted for over 45 years, After Bite is the pharmacist-preferred insect bite treatment that provides instant relief from the itching, pain, and discomfort of insect bites and stings. The long-lasting advanced liquid formula works fast to stop the itch caused by biting insects like mosquitoes, black flies, bees, and more. www.afterbite.com

About Adventure Ready Brands: Founded in 1973 in the heart of New Hampshire's iconic White Mountains, Adventure Ready Brands has always operated with a simple, unified goal: To inspire outdoor adventure, no matter the condition. With innovative products from the organized-by-injury Adventure Medical Kits to the category-leading After Bite insect sting treatment, Adventure Ready Brands hasand continuesto make good on that promise. www.adventurereadybrands.com

Contact: Ethan Peck

[email protected]

(970) 924-0704 ext. 107

SOURCE After Bite

Related Links

http://www.afterbite.com


Leading healthcare companies announce the formation of Avaneer Health and its incoming CEO, Stuart Hanson. Tweet this

"Avaneer Health is uniquely positioned to change how we manage the modern healthcare ecosystem," said Marvin Richardson, co-chair of Avaneer Health's Board of Directors, and senior vice president and CIO, HCSC, which operates health plans in Illinois, Montana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. "The organization is executing on the vision of an inclusive infrastructure  a utility network  for the healthcare industry."

"This utility network will provide the answers needed to deliver outstanding care and service to people, which today are opaque and in latent silos," said Tim Skeen, senior vice president and CIO, Sentara Healthcare. "Avaneer Health has the potential to change every aspect of the healthcare experience. We are also thrilled to launch this business with Stuart Hanson as the CEO. He has a long track record of strategic innovation in healthcare and carries a deep personal commitment that aligns perfectly with our vision for Avaneer Health."

Hanson will take the reins of Avaneer Health as CEO, effective August 2021. With a strong track record of building innovative businesses, teams and new models in healthcare transaction processing, Hanson brings a wealth of industry expertise and connectivity to drive the strategy of this exciting venture. A proven strategic thinker and business builder in the healthcare industry, Hanson will join from his current role as managing director and senior healthcare industry executive at JPMorgan Chase. At JPMorgan, his activities included driving a vision for the healthcare payments business and leading a strategic acquisition in 2019. Prior to this, Hanson held leadership positions at Change Healthcare, Citi and Fifth Third Bank.

Hanson is committed to the vision of improving healthcare experience for people. Much of his work within HIMSS, where he served as chair of the HIMSS Health Business Solutions Committee and the Revenue Cycle Improvement Task Force, was focused on reducing transactional friction in healthcare, specifically on the emergence of a consumer-centric view of healthcare revenue and payment cycle solutions.

"I'm excited for this opportunity to help solve healthcare's biggest challenges," said Hanson. "I'm looking forward to working with both the Avaneer Health team and our industry partners, driving the strategy and building positive momentum for Avaneer Health."

Avaneer Health will reveal its full vision and demonstrate solutions at the 2021 HIMSS Global Health Conference & Exhibition (HIMSS21), Booth #3427, August 9  13 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

About Avaneer Health

Avaneer Health is a member-based, secure and open network supporting utilities developed for and by the healthcare industry. Avaneer Health's mission is to unlock the potential of healthcare to do more for people. Built on blockchain technology to ensure privacy and reduce the costs of data exchange, it serves providers of services across the healthcare industry. Avaneer Health improves the care experience by removing administrative barriers and resolving inefficiencies in cross-party transactions that slow down or disrupt delivery of care. Avaneer Health was founded by a consortium of top industry heavyweights to improve transparency and interoperability in healthcare. The consortium included Aetna, Anthem, Cigna, Cleveland Clinic, HCSC, IBM, The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. and Sentara Healthcare. Avaneer Health incorporated in 2020 as the Health Utility Network, Inc. and is now known as Avaneer Health. With continuing support from the biggest players in healthcare, Avaneer Health will play a key role in transforming how the industry operates to address consumers' needs more efficiently and effectively.

For more information visit www.AvaneerHealth.com

Contact:

Patrick Pecorelli,

Carlton PR & Marketing

On behalf of Avaneer Health

617-669-5009

[email protected]



SOURCE Avaneer Health
LAKE MARY, Fla., June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The award-winning, breakout brand Another Broken Egg Cafe is changing the way its guests enjoy brunch. Emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic with remarkably strong beverage growth has led the brand to elevate the overall bar experience by bringing cocktails front and center. The brand is launching several new beverage initiatives including the addition of new and innovative cocktails, at-home DIY alcohol kits and individually packaged cocktails to go, a new full-bar menu with premium liquor options, the addition of experienced and dedicated bartenders and a redesigned bar-forward cafe layout with both indoor and patio access - an integral part of its New South reimaging initiative.

Chef Jason Knoll and cocktails to go! Raising Brunch and The Bar

To showcase this new bar-forward focus, Another Broken Egg Cafe is hosting a media-only event, Meet the Mixologist; an after-hours, invitation-only event on Thursday, June 17, at its newly renovated cafe located in Lake Mary, FL. Invited guests will have the opportunity to experience firsthand a few of the brand's new cocktails paired perfectly with top-selling entrees. Invitees will enjoy a Champagne Mule paired with Shrimp 'N Grits, the Brunch Blueberry Margarita paired with Brunch Short Ribs and the Bourbon Milk Punch paired with Bourbon Street Pancakes. This event will provide an opportunity to learn more about the brand's bar-forward direction, inquire about the brand's evolving approach to its full-bar positioning and cocktail innovation, and partake in other cocktail-related activities.

Meet the Mixologist will take place from 5:30PM  7PM at the Another Broken Egg Cafe located in Lake Mary at 920 International Parkway Lake Mary, FL 32746. Space is very limited for this media-only event and reservations are required. To reserve your spot at the bar please email [email protected].

Another Broken Egg Cafe is the only national, franchised, daytime cafe with a full bar and serving hand-crafted cocktails to enjoy both in the cafe and to go. In addition to an array of new cocktails, the bar menu also includes a variety of mimosas, bloody marys and spiked cold brews to satisfy every tastebud. For the perfect pairing, the brand's Southern-inspired menu features indulgent brunch entrees including its Lemon Blueberry Goat Cheese Pancakes, Crab Cake Benedict, and Lobster & Brie Omelette. A seasonally rotating menu currently features a Piccata Benedict, Rum Cake French Toast, California Walnut Power Bowl and a Cookie Dough Waffle.

About Another Broken Egg Cafe

Another Broken Egg of America Franchising, LLC an upscale breakfast, brunch and lunch restaurant specializes in award-winning, Southern-inspired menu options with innovative twists and signature cocktails. Another Broken Egg Cafe one of the fastest-growing daytime-only franchised concepts in the country, with more than 70 locations in 14 states and dozens more in development. With over 24-years' experience in the daytime cafe category, honored by FSR magazine as its Breakout Franchise Brand of the Year for 2020, one of the most challenging years ever for the restaurant industry. In 2019 FSR magazine ranked Another Broken Egg Cafe among its 10 Best Full-Serve Restaurant Franchise Deals. The brand is well-positioned for expanded growth in 2021 with a new prototype, re-engineered menu and bar of the future initiatives designed to drive incremental sales and profits for the individual cafes. For more information about franchising opportunities, please visit https://anotherbrokeneggfranchise.com

Media Contact:

Taylor Voelker, Another Broken Egg of America Franchising, LLC.

[email protected]  404.386.4856

SOURCE Another Broken Egg of America Franchising, LLC
ATLANTA, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Antonline, America's premier online reseller of cutting-edge gaming and computer technology, announced today plans to expand with a new warehouse and office space located 30 minutes outside of Atlanta, at 601 Cherokee Parkway in Acworth, Georgia. The new space represents Antonline's hypergrowth in the e-commerce market and the need to meet consumer demands for the latest tech, while attracting and retaining the best talent in the Atlanta area.

Antonline Main Office Antonline Speed Factory

With an initial $12 million investment, Antonline has acquired a high-end manufacturing facility that will double as both a warehouse and office space. The company plans to put an additional $8 million into the expansion which will be leveraged for building out the new space and put towards focused hiring within the surrounding Atlanta area.

"The new property in Acworth represents an exciting milestone for Antonline and is a reflection of the company's continued growth as a leader in e-commerce," said Charles Comerford, CEO & President of Antonline. "We look forward to building out this world-class facility for our passionate team and innovative partners to ensure a seamless (and speedy) customer experience. We're proud to have the opportunity to facilitate this new project and hire professionals in the Atlanta area given the constraints of the past year and a half."

From warehouse specialists to assistant buyers and more, Antonline is currently hiring for more than 50 positions across a range of departments at both the new facility in Acworth and main headquarters in Atlanta. A full list of positions can be found at www.antonline.com/careers and interested candidates can apply by emailing [email protected]. For additional company updates or to learn more about opportunities with Antonline, visit the career page.

About Antonline

Founded in 1994 and based in Atlanta, Georgia, Antonline is America's premier online reseller of cutting-edge gaming and computer technology. Antonline is proud to partner with and offer exclusive offers from Microsoft, Sony, HP, Lenovo, MSI, Dell, and other industry leading manufacturers. To learn more, visit www.antonline.com.

Media Contact:

Laura Waldron

Vice President of Public Relations

O (949) 777-2485

[email protected]

SOURCE Antonline
BURLINGTON, Mass., June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Aura, a leading provider of comprehensive digital security for consumers, today announced a $150 million Series E funding round led by Warburg Pincus, a leading global growth equity firm. Chandler Reedy, Managing Director and Head of Strategic Investments, Warburg Pincus and Brian Chang, Managing Director, Warburg Pincus, will join the Aura board of directors. Aura has raised a total of approximately $450 million to date from investors including Accel, General Catalyst and WndrCo, in addition to Warburg Pincus.

Aura has demonstrated consistent growth over the past year, following the successful acquisitions of digital privacy and personal digital security companies Intersections, Pango, FigLeaf and Privacy Mate. The company's award-winning offerings are trusted by more than 1.7 million customers today, generating more than $220 million in annual revenue. And today, the company introduced its flagship product, Aura, which combines its best-in-class assets to deliver comprehensive digital security to consumers, featuring identity theft, financial fraud and device protection in a single, easy-to-use platform, backed by white-glove customer service.

"The rise of digitization and with it, digital crime, is fueling a rapidly expanding market opportunity for personal digital security with a total available market of more than $100 billion. In the first quarter of 2021 alone, identity theft grew more than 130 percent, driven by a dramatic increase in government benefits fraud -- up nearly 4,000 percent," said Hari Ravichandran, Founder and CEO, Aura. "At Aura, we're working to bring peace of mind to consumers that their families are protected from financial crime."

"We are seeing cybercrime rise at an unprecedented rate. Criminals are becoming increasingly sophisticated and criminal schemes are becoming increasingly complex across multiple vectors. The personal digital security marketplace has many point products. However, there is a clear need for a comprehensive solution to protect consumers against this growing threat," said Chandler Reedy. "Aura is targeting that gap with an all-in-one solution that makes digital security simple for consumers."

Brian Chang added, "We look forward to partnering with Hari and his talented team whose innovative technology enables customers to seamlessly navigate their cybersecurity needs. Our investment in Aura complements and underscores our thesis-driven approach to investing in highly sophisticated cybersecurity platforms."

With this new investment, the company will focus on enhancing its customer experience, growing the user base of the new Aura product, accelerating development of new features and implementing programs to increase consumer awareness through a national advertising campaign.

About Aura

Aura is a mission-driven technology company dedicated to creating a safer internet for everyone. We believe that people should be able to live with the peace of mind that their identity, online accounts and devices will remain safe, private and protected, no matter where they go. With an easy to use, integrated suite of services trusted by millions, Aura makes comprehensive digital security accessible to all. Visit www.aura.com.

About Warburg Pincus

Warburg Pincus LLC is a leading global private equity firm focused on growth investing. The firm has more than $60 billion in private equity assets under management. Warburg Pincus has invested more than $22 billion in technology companies since inception and is one of the most active growth investors in enterprise technology and cloud-based platforms. Notable technology investments include Avalara, Infoblox, NEOGOV and Salsify among others. One of the firm's core areas of focus is in backing growing cybersecurity companies, including investments in Bitsight, Contrast Security, Crowdstrike, Cyren, eSentire, Zimperium. Founded in 1966, Warburg Pincus has raised 19 private equity funds, which have invested more than $90 billion in over 930 companies in more than 40 countries. The firm is headquartered in New York with offices in Amsterdam, Beijing, Berlin, Hong Kong, Houston, London, Luxembourg, Mumbai, Mauritius, San Francisco, Sao Paulo, Shanghai, and Singapore. For more information please visit www.warburgpincus.com.

SOURCE Aura

Related Links

http://www.aura.com


Now supported by a full-time workforce of 135, Avail had fewer than 10 employees in July 2018 when it closed a series A financing led by Lux Capital, which included an investment from Playground Global. Shortly after closing, Avail moved into Playground's 70,000-square-foot Palo Alto incubator facility, a former apricot cannery outfitted with five world-class labs. Having outgrown that space, the maker of the portable livestreaming technology is relocating to Santa Clara.

"The Playground was the perfect place for us to begin building an advanced, yet simple technology designed to overcome collaborative barriers, accelerating the way surgeons and members of the medical device industry share their expertise during procedures and ultimately improving patient care," Avail CEO Daniel Hawkins said. "From its state-of-the-art labs and top-notch support teams to the engaging environment of its employee brainstorming areas, The Playground had an enormous role in promoting our ability to innovate and develop."

Avail's more than 200% growth over the past year involved not only additions to its staff, but also a significant Series B $100 million funding round, the expansion of contracts with medical device industry partners, and a continued commitment to innovation that led to the release of five software updates in six months. Its new, larger office space will centralize its developing operations while creating opportunities for enhanced customer support, such as remote sampling of its livestreaming technology through a state-of-the art demo room that will resemble a hospital surgical suite.

To further ensure that it is serving customer needs, the company is embarking on this new chapter with the help of James Domine, previously a senior vice president of TiVo, who joined the Avail team last week as chief technology officer with a mission of accelerating innovation. Mr. Domine will be responsible for leading all of Avail's new technology development, driving discoveries designed to support surgery by facilitating additional connections between customers. A technology executive with over 25 years of experience building enterprise and consumer software, hardware, and SaaS products, he has led high-performing teams that created award-winning solutions which are in use today in millions of homes and offices.

Mr. Domine was previously the senior vice president for worldwide engineering at TiVo, which recently merged with Xperi. Over his four years at TiVo, Mr. Domine focused on driving value and innovation for both enterprise customers and TiVo's retail customers. Prior to working with TiVo, Mr. Domine held leading positions with Mediaroom, owned first by Microsoft and then by Ericsson. There, his most recent role was as vice president, product development, TV platforms. Earlier in his career, he co-founded Pipal Systems, which was acquired by Lucent. Mr. Domine holds a Bachelor of Science degree in aerospace engineering with honors from the University of Toronto.

"I'm excited to join Avail at this moment of growth and amid so much promise for the company's end-to-end hardware and software platform. We bring streaming and real-time collaboration to the iPads and computers of physicians, surgeons, students and medical-device representatives across the globe, enabling them to observe and virtually interact with broadcasting practitioners," Mr. Domine said. "The Avail System was built to allow the simple and cost-effective sharing of knowledge despite barriers to in-person procedure support and training, such as constraints on time, travel, and hospital foot traffic, and I'm looking forward to forging additional solutions that will make this groundbreaking system an even more accessible and comprehensive tool for collaboration."

The Avail System includes a lightweight, wheeled Console that can easily be moved through a facility and quickly set up for use, with high-definition pan-tilt-zoom cameras with 30x zoom, a large display monitor to share views with the remote user, and plug-ins for procedural imaging sources and other media modalities. Remote physicians or medical device experts can engage in two-way communication with the treating medical team via the Avail Remote App, accessible on an iPad or laptop, control cameras and imaging views with annotation and other on-screen features and share broadcasts with larger audiences. Members of the Avail network log in through the advanced Member Hub to manage their schedules and availability. Avail's unique membership model requires no capital equipment purchase and includes around-the-clock service and support.

About Avail Medsystems

Avail Medsystems is a pioneering technology company that removes barriers associated with live observation and collaboration during medical procedures, including travel and costs. With a customer-centric business model, Avail's purpose-built technology digitizes physical presence in the procedure room and enables instant HIPAA-HITECH protected collaboration and communication among a network of healthcare professionals and industry experts. For more information about Avail Medsystems, visit Avail.io and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

Avail Media Contacts Shannon Severino [email protected] 412-608-2393 Michelle Stevens

[email protected]

435-503-1278

SOURCE Avail Medsystems

Related Links

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The Base Oil market is poised to grow by USD 8.48 Billion, progressing at a CAGR of almost 5.47% during the forecast period.

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 Base Oil suppliers listed in this report:

This Base Oil procurement intelligence report has enlisted the top suppliers and their cost structures, SLA terms, best selection criteria, and negotiation strategies.

Royal Dutch Shell Plc

Chevron Corp.

Total SA

Saudi Arabian Oil Co.

Neste Oyj

Ergon Inc.

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 Base Oil procurement.

Related Reports on Food and Beverage Include:

Cardamom Oil- Forecast and Analysis: The cardamom oil will grow at a CAGR of 4.18% during 2021-2025. Prices will increase by 4%-6% during the forecast period and suppliers will have a moderate bargaining power in this market. Rapeseed Oil Sourcing and Procurement Report: This report offers key advisory and intelligence to help buyers identify and shortlist the most suitable suppliers for their rapeseed oil requirements. Some of the leading rapeseed oil suppliers are profiled extensively in this report. High-Fructose Corn Syrup - Sourcing and Procurement Intelligence Report: This report evaluates suppliers based on effective management system, certification, compliance with necessary regulations, and good manufacturing practices and good laboratory practices.

To access the definite purchasing guide on the Base Oil that answers all your key questions on price trends and analysis:

Am I paying/getting the right prices? Is my Base Oil 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

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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.

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SOURCE SpendEdge

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WASHINGTON, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Southern Environmental Law Center today released the following statement regarding the EPA's announcement that it plans to repeal and replace a harmful, destructive rule by the prior administration that removed federal Clean Water Act protections against pollution and destruction from streams, wetlands, and lakes by the previous administration. The so-called "Navigable Waters Protection Rule" removed protections from several public lakes including Lake Keowee, a drinking water reservoir for almost 400,000 people in South Carolina, and from wetlands that protect many Southern communities facing increased, more intense rain events and flooding with climate change. Today's action recognizes the significant problems with the current rule, but does not immediately reverse it.

"No administration can allow the interests of industrial polluters to trump the sole objective of the Clean Water Act: to restore and maintain the integrity of our nation's waters, so that they are safe for fishing, swimming, and as sources of drinking water for our families and communities," said Kelly Moser, senior attorney and leader of the Southern Environmental Law Center's Clean Water Defense Initiative. "The Biden administration must act quickly to restore clean water protections because the current rule lets developers, industry, or anyone else pollute, fill, or pave over these waters without federal permit. Every day the rule remains in place means that more streams, wetlands, lakes, and drinking water sourcesprotected under every other administrationcan be destroyed. The administration must make this a priority, and we will hold their feet to the fire."

The prior administration stripped protections under the Clean Water Act from countless streams, lakes and wetlands, leaving thousands of stream miles, many public recreational lakes, and millions of acres of wetlands without protections that have been in place for decades and putting our communities and water supplies at risk.

Since the Trump administration's rule took effect in June 2020, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has allowed thousands of wetlands and other waterways to be destroyed by industry. Among those projects are two recently revised jurisdictional determinations that removed protections from about 400 acres of wetlands by the Army Corps of Engineers for a massive mine on the doorstep of the Okefenokee Swamp and from about 200 acres of wetlands that absorb floodwaters in a flood prone area for a large development near the Savannah National Wildlife Refuge in South Carolina.

The Southern Environmental Law Center's challenge to the unlawful roll back of federal clean water protections filed on behalf of several conservation groups is pending before the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina.

For more than 30 years, the Southern Environmental Law Center has used the power of the law to champion the environment of the Southeast. With over 80 attorneys and nine offices across the region, SELC is widely recognized as the Southeast's foremost environmental organization and regional leader. SELC works on a full range of environmental issues to protect our natural resources and the health and well-being of all the people in our region. www.SouthernEnvironment.org

SOURCE Southern Environmental Law Center

Related Links

www.southernenvironment.org


PORTLAND, Ore., June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Allied Market Research published a report, titled, "Big Data Security Market By Solution Type (Data Discovery & Classification, Data Authorization & Access, Data Encryption, Tokenization & Masking, Data Auditing & Monitoring, Data Governance & Compliance, Data Security Analytics, & Data Backup & Recovery), Deployment Mode (On-Premise and Cloud), Organization Size (Small & Medium Enterprise and Large Enterprise), and Industry Vertical (IT & ITES, Telecommunications, Healthcare & Social Assistance, Financial & Insurance, Retail Trade, Utilities and Others): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20202027." According to the report, the global big data security industry was projected at $13.72 billion in 2019, and is anticipated to hit $54.23 billion by 2027, registering a CAGR of 18.8% from 2020 to 2027.

Download Sample Report: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/11455

Drivers, restraints, and opportunities-

Rise in digitization trends and production of digital data, and increasing data privacy & security concerns drive the growth of the global big data security market. On the other hand, huge amount of data that call for minute analyzation impedes the growth to some extent. However, advancements in big data techniques are projected to create lucrative opportunities in the industry.

Impact of Covid-19 Pandemic on Big Data Security Market:

The outbreak of the pandemic made business organizations take recourse to remote working culture. This resulted in tons of additional raw data generation. Which augmented online activities along with increase in the number of cyber-attacks; thus, driving the big data security frameworks and solutions.

This drift is likely to continue post pandemic as well, as the demand for improved security of confidential corporate assets would always subsist.

Get detailed COVID-19 impact analysis on the Big Data Security Market: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-for-customization/11455?reqfor=covid

The data security analytics segment to retain its dominance by 2027-

Based on solution, the data security analytics segment contributed to around one-fifth of the global data security market share in 2019, and is expected to lead the trail by the end of 2027, owing to introduction of actionable intelligence to reduce data loss, and the prioritization of network-based paradigms. The data governance and compliance segment, on the other hand, would register the fastest CAGR of 24.9% throughout the forecast period, due to increasing risk factors on enterprise data.

The on premise segment to lead the trail-

Based on deployment, the on premise segment accounted for nearly two-thirds of the global data security market revenue in 2019, and is anticipated to rule the roost by the end of 2027. Surge in number of cloud cyber-attacks and competition among SME's are some of the major factors that drive the growth of the segment. At the same time, the cloud segment would cite the fastest CAGR of 20.5% throughout the forecast period, due to its cost-efficient feature.

For Purchase Inquiry: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/purchase-enquiry/11455

North America to dominate in terms of revenue-

Based on region, North America held the major share in 2019, garnering nearly two-fifths of the global data security market, owing to growing adoption of big data solutions by several industry verticals. Simultaneously, the market across Asia-Pacific would exhibit the fastest CAGR of 20.9% during the forecast period. Growing virtualization across industries and adoption of cloud computing are promoting the demand for cloud-based big data security solutions in various countries like China, Japan, India & Singapore in the Asia Pacific region.

Key players in the industry-

IBM Corporation

Microsoft Corporation

Oracle Corporation

Micro Focus Plc

Google LLC

Amazon Web Services Inc.,

HPE

Checkpoint Software Technologies Inc.

Fireeye Inc.

Talend Inc.

Official Press Release: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/press-release/big-data-security-market.html

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Online/Virtual Fitness Market Expected to Reach $59.23 Billion by 2027

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SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Blueacorn, a leading Lender Service Provider, today announced that it has successfully processed approximately $14 billion in small business loans throughout the duration of the Small Business Administration (SBA) Payment Protection Program (PPP), in partnership with Prestamos, a leading Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) and subsidiary of Chicanos Por La Causa (CPLC), and Capital Plus Financial, an innovative CDFI and B-Corp subsidiary of Crossroads Systems, Inc. (OTCQX: CRSS). Together with its partners, Blueacorn has provided support to communities that were otherwise overlooked by larger financial institutions throughout the duration of the program.

Since the beginning of the program, Blueacorn and its partners helped more than 860,000 small businesses, approximately 80% of which are minority owned, leveraging proprietary technologies and best-in-class fraud detection software to ensure PPP funds reached those who need them most.

"Blueacorn's mission is to help the backbone of the American economy -- small businesses, independent contractors and the self-employed -- gain access to the PPP funding they are eligible for and need during these challenging times," Blueacorn CEO Barry Calhoun said. "Previous rounds of the program saw the majority of funds distributed to larger businesses via traditional banks, overlooking gig workers and mom-and-pop shops who need this support the most. Every one of these files is a family, and we are immensely proud of how many families we were able to support over these last few months."

"In order to help meet the need and provide equitable emergency relief to small businesses and independent contractors, we understood early on that we needed to advocate, facilitate access and align our efforts with other partners to reach those that wouldn't have received funding otherwise. Our PPP loans serve as a great example of CPLC's heart-meets-business philosophy," said David Adame, Chicanos Por La Causa President & CEO. "The vital and strategic deployment of PPP funding helped traditionally unbanked and underserved communities, including racially and ethnically diverse small business owners that were initially left out. I am most proud that we made a positive impact on so many entrepreneurs helping them to keep their doors open and take care of their families."

"As a minority led and focused CDFI, Capital Plus Financial has seen first-hand how the pandemic has disproportionately impacted minority-owned businesses," Capital Plus Financial CEO Eric Donnelly said. "We are immensely proud of what we have accomplished with Blueacorn, providing these communities with the capital they need and deserve to build back stronger than before."

Working with both Prestamos and Capital Plus Financial, Blueacorn will introduce a portal in the coming weeks to facilitate the PPP loan forgiveness process for its borrowers.

ABOUT BLUEACORN

Blueacorn is a Lender Service Provider that helps simplify the application processes for grant and lending programs for small businesses, independent contractors, and the self-employed through the use of high-quality, proprietary lending software and fraud detection tools.

ABOUT CPLC PRESTAMOS

CPLC Prestamos is an award-winning Community Development Financial Institution and Community Development Entity that has provided small business loans and high-quality technical support services to business owners in underserved communities since 1980. CPLC Prestamos now offers loan products and investment opportunities nationwide with experienced culturally and linguistically competent bilingual advisors in Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico and Texas.

ABOUT CROSSROADS SYSTEMS AND CAPITAL PLUS FINANCIAL

Crossroads Systems, Inc. (OTCQB: CRSS) is a holding company focused on investing in businesses that promote economic vitality and community development. Crossroads' subsidiary, Capital Plus Financial (CPF), is a certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) and certified B- Corp, which supports Hispanic homeownership in Texas.

SOURCE Blueacorn
But it is wrong for local leaders to engage in fearmongering with unfounded claims that people will starve because of a change in vendors. We implore political leaders to reassure the public that regardless of which vendor wins, fresh food and dairy products will still be there for them. Theres enough food insecurity out there without politicians adding to it.
LOS ANGELES, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Pepperdine University's Caruso School of Law recognized alumnus Bobby Saadian, Esq., Founding President of Wilshire Law Firm, for his outstanding professional achievement and social advocacy. Saadian received the Young Distinguished Alumnus Award on May 20, 2021 at a celebration for the law school's graduating class, where he imparted words of wisdom on the law students.

"If you want to be successful and you stay at it and stay committed, you will. You will achieve levels of success far greater than you ever imagined, and when you do, don't forget to give back because there are many people out there who are not as privileged, educated, or fortunate as we are," Saadian said, referencing Pepperdine's motto of "Freely ye received, freely give."

In 2005, Saadian received his J.D. from Pepperdine Caruso School of Law and his M.B.A. from Pepperdine Graziadio Business School. Saadian's combined knowledge of the law and business helped him build a nationally recognized law firm that has recovered over $900 million in compensation for clients since 2007.

Wilshire Law Firm was named a "Best Law Firm" by U.S. News and World Report in 2020 and 2021, and the firm's case results made up 20 of TopVerdict.com's list of the "Top 50 Personal Injury Settlements in California in 2020." Saadian was a Finalist for the 2020 Consumer Attorney of the Year by the Consumer Attorneys of California (CAOC), and he has received many other prestigious awards throughout his career.

Determined to support the next generation of lawyers, Saadian is a member of the Pepperdine Law Dean's Council, a Founding Partner and donor of Caruso School of Law's 50for50 Campaign, and an employer to graduates of the law school. Saadian is a well-respected leader within the legal community, serving on the boards of CAOC, the Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles (CAALA), and the Los Angeles Trial Lawyers' Charities (LATLC).

About Wilshire Law Firm, PLC

Wilshire Law Firm, PLC is an award-winning personal injury, employment, aviation, and class action law firm that has a reputation for achieving top-dollar results in even the most complex cases. The firm has recovered nearly $1 billion in compensation for clients. To learn more, call (844) 790-8018 or visit https://www.wilshirelawfirm.com.

Instagram: @WilshireLawFirmPLC

Twitter: @WilshireLawFirm

Facebook: @WilshireLawFirm

SOURCE Wilshire Law Firm

Related Links

https://www.wilshirelawfirm.com


BOSTON, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Bain & Company announced today the launch of FurtherSM, its integrated suite of ESG capabilities to deliver the firm's collective ambition of creating a more sustainable, equitable and inclusive world. This announcement builds on Bain's decades of industry leadership, working to create transformative impact against the world's most pressing challenges, including the sweeping effects of climate change, structural inequities and environmental degradation.

"Bain has been on this journey for many years and made meaningful progress, from becoming carbon neutral certified 10 years ago to committing $1.1 billion in investments toward social impact work," said Manny Maceda, Worldwide Managing Partner of Bain & Company. "The challenges of this past year made it all the more evident that a new model of leadership and collaboration is needed, one that inspires bold action and allows organizations to move out in front of the systemic issues facing businesses and communities. Steady progress is no longer enough."

In 2020, Covid-19 increased the urgency of this mission. Bain teams worked to increase supply of critical equipment and expand treatment options for Covid-19. The firm worked alongside a global biopharmaceutical leader to redesign its operational processes and facilitate partnerships with industry peers to support clinical trials for the development of a Covid-19 hyperimmune therapy. Additionally, in support of Stop the Spreada consortium of more than 1,300 business leaders who have pledged to help Americans weather the pandemicBain has helped bring more PPE, ventilators and testing equipment to the market, building more than 30,000 critical care ventilators through a Bain-organized partnership.

As tragic injustice reminded the nation of the critical need for racial equity and social justice reforms, Bain worked to help form OneTena coalition of more than forty CEOs and executives across industries committed to hiring, training and promoting one million Black Americans over the next 10 years into family-sustaining jobs with opportunities for advancement.

As evidenced in these recent examples, Further works to apply Bain's talent, energy and expertise to create transformative impact across three levelsas a partner to its clients, as a champion for global communities and as a firm. Today, 2,500 Bain team members are actively involved in this work.

Bain's clients are facing increasing and often existential demands around sustainability, social impact, and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). Through new models of leadership and collaboration, organizations can create growth engines for the business and energize employees while having a transformative impact on communities. Going Further means taking a step beyond the incremental to deliver positive impact for all stakeholders.

A decade ago, Bain formalized its Sustainability & Corporate Responsibility practice to support the firm's corporate clients on their journeys. The practice has grown significantly since. In the past two years alone, it has served more than 500 client projects that tackled sustainability and corporate responsibility, carbon emissions and the energy transition.

In 2020, Bain launched a global DEI practice to directly support its clients' goals of increasing diverse representation, achieving more equitable outcomes and creating a more inclusive environment. For example, Bain recently helped a global private equity fund define its DEI ambition and chart a course for progress across its portfolio of companies in North America.

Bain is on track to achieve its commitment to invest $1.1 billion in pro bono consulting over ten years to help leading social pioneers scale and amplify their impact. Since setting this commitment in 2015, the firm has invested nearly $500 million in pro bono support of more than 260 nonprofit organizations. In recent years, Bain has used this investment as a springboard to mobilize the kind of innovative, multistakeholder partnerships needed to deliver systemic change. In addition to the OneTen coalition, Bain's teams have also recently invested in catalyzing partnerships to build more inclusive, sustainable and nutritious food systems, including:

Scaling profitable, farmer-allied African food companies. African food systems are under stress from growing urbanization, youth unemployment and the climate crisis. Farmer-allied intermediaries are linchpin firms in unlocking Africa's food production and economic potential. Along with the Global Dairy Platform and Land O'Lakes Venture37, Bain has designed and launched Dairy Nourishes Africaa public-private partnership to create a more resilient, inclusive and environmentally sustainable dairy industry in East Africa through supporting the growth of farmer-allied dairy processors.

The business case for sustainable tuna. Bain partnered with The Nature Conservancy to set up a canned tuna company focused on fair labor practices and environmentally sound operations, in collaboration with stakeholders from both the private and public sectors. This work will prove the business case for a more sustainable and commercially viable tuna supply chain that retailers and consumers can trustand other companies can emulate.

Bain's dedication to social and environmental standards starts at home. The firm embeds these values into its business strategy, taking steps every day to reduce its environmental footprint, create a more diverse and welcoming workplace for employees, procure supplies and services sustainably, and practice high levels of ethics. This year, Bain celebrates 10 consecutive years of carbon neutrality across its global operations, and it is ranked as Glassdoor's #1 Best Place to Work.

Editor's Note: Please find a full copy of Bain's 2021 Impact Report here. To arrange an interview, contact Katie Ware at [email protected] or +1 646 562 8102.

About Bain & Company

Bain & Company is a global consultancy that helps the world's most ambitious change makers define the future.

Across 61 offices in 38 countries, we work alongside our clients as one team with a shared ambition to achieve extraordinary results, outperform the competition, and redefine industries. We complement our tailored, integrated expertise with a vibrant ecosystem of digital innovators to deliver better, faster, and more enduring outcomes. Our 10-year commitment to invest $1.1 billion in pro bono services brings our talent, expertise, and insight to organizations tackling today's urgent challenges in education, racial equity, social justice, economic development, and the environment. We earned a gold rating from EcoVadis, the leading platform for environmental, social, and ethical performance ratings for global supply chains, putting us in the top 2% among other consulting firms. Since our founding in 1973, we have measured our success by the success of our clients, and we proudly maintain the highest level of client advocacy in the industry.

Media Contact:

Katie Ware

Bain & Company

T: +1 646 562 8107

[email protected]

SOURCE Bain & Company

Related Links

http://www.bain.com


WASHINGTON, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2021/CamelBak-Recalls-Caps-Sold-with-Podium-and-Peak-Fitness-Water-Bottles-Due-to-Choking-Hazard

Recall Summary

Name of Product: CamelBak Podium and Peak Fitness water bottles

Hazard: A small silicone valve in caps sold with the Podium and Peak Fitness water bottle can come loose and detach, posing a choking hazard.

Remedy: Replace

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled caps sold with the water bottles and contact CamelBak for a free replacement cap.

Consumer Contact: CamelBak at 800-767-8725 from 8:30 a.m. to 5p.m. PT Monday through Friday or online at www.camelbak.com/recall or www.camelbak.com and click on "Recall Information" for more information.

Recall Details

Units: About 46,000 (In addition, about 13,000 were sold in Canada)



Description: This recall involves certain caps sold with CamelBak's Podium and Peak Fitness water bottles with three date codes. The date codes are H19039, H19063 and H19175 and are located on the underside of the cap. The water bottles were sold in a variety of colors in 17, 21- and 24-ounce sizes. CamelBak and Podium or Peak Fitness are written on the bottles.

Incidents/Injuries: CamelBak has received 14 reports of the silicone valve coming loose in the cap and detaching. No injuries have been reported.

Sold at: Sporting goods stores nationwide and online at camelbak.com from February 2019 through January 2021 for between $10 and $25 depending on the bottle.

Importer: CamelBak Products LLC, of Petaluma, Calif.

Manufactured in: China

Note: Health Canada's press release is available at: https://healthycanadians.gc.ca/recall-alert-rappel-avis/hc-sc/2021/75757r-eng.php

This recall was conducted voluntarily by the company under CPSC's Fast Track Recall process. Fast Track recalls are initiated by firms who commit to work with CPSC to quickly announce the recall and remedy to protect consumers.

About the U.S. CPSC

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of injury or death associated with the use of thousands of types of consumer products. Deaths, injuries, and property damage from consumer product incidents cost the nation more than $1 trillion annually. CPSC's work to ensure the safety of consumer products has contributed to a decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 40 years.

Federal law bars any person from selling products subject to a publicly announced voluntary recall by a manufacturer or a mandatory recall ordered by the Commission.

For lifesaving information:

Visit CPSC.gov.

Sign up to receive our e-mail alerts.

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram @USCPSC and Twitter @USCPSC.

Report a dangerous product or a product-related injury on www.SaferProducts.gov.

Call CPSC's Hotline at 800-638-2772 (TTY 301-595-7054).

Contact a media specialist.

Release Number: 21-149

SOURCE U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

Related Links

http://www.cpsc.gov


"Innovation is the soul driving a nation's progress and an inexhaustible source of a country's prosperity. It is also an essential part of the Chinese national character," Chinese President Xi Jinping said during a discussion with a group of outstanding young people from all walks of life on May 4, 2013.

He added that this is what an ancient saying meant: "If you can in one day renew yourself, do so day after day. Then there will be daily renewal."

Innovation boom

Over the past few years, China has made significant moves to bolster its innovative capacity, with its strengths in science and technology steadily improving in terms of major indicators.

China ranked 14th among more than 100 economies worldwide in a benchmark innovation ranking in 2020, and is the only middle-income economy included in the top 30 for seven years, according to the index released by the World Intellectual Property Organization last September.

"China has established itself as an innovation leader, with high ranks in important metrics including patents, utility models, trademarks, industrial designs, and creative goods exports," a press release from the index said.

The central government's funding for basic research has doubled over the past five years, and the funding is estimated at 6.16 percent of its total research and development (R&D) expenditure in 2020, according to Wang Zhigang, minister of science and technology.

The contribution rate of scientific and technological progress to economic growth is expected to reach 60 percent in 2020, according to an official projection by the Ministry of Science and Technology.

Several notable high-tech achievements have been made in recent years. The Chang'e-5 probe brought back the country's first samples collected from the moon, while China's first Mars rover started exploring the red planet.

The country is moving fast to develop its large passenger aircraft and magnetic-levitation train, while industries related to digital economy, 5G, artificial intelligence, and electric vehicles are thriving.

To be a leading innovator with self-reliance

According to China's 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) for National Economic and Social Development and the Long-Range Objectives Through the Year 2035, innovation should be taken as the core of China's modernization drive, and self-reliance and self-improvement in science and technology should be given top priority as a strategic support role.

In the face of intense international competition, and against the backdrop of growing unilateralism and protectionism, President Xi stressed self-reliance and self-strengthening in the country's science and technology development at a meeting on May 28.

Xi urged China's sci-tech professionals to assume the responsibilities of the times and strive for sci-tech self-reliance and self-strengthening at higher levels.

Sci-tech breakthroughs should tackle the most pressing issues with a focus on meeting the country's needs, both urgent and long-term ones, Xi said.

As China transforms from the world factory to a globe innovator, the 14th Five-Year Plan states that the following areas will be the country's focus for the next five to 15 years, including artificial intelligence, quantum information, integrated circuit, life and health, brain science, bio-breeding, aerospace, and deep-earth and deep-sea explorations.

China will invest more in basic research during the 14th Five-Year Plan Period, with funding expected to reach over 8 percent of all R&D expenditure, according to the Ministry of Science and Technology.

https://news.cgtn.com/news/2021-06-08/China-aims-to-become-an-innovation-powerhouse--10QnCEg98Oc/index.html

SOURCE CGTN

Related Links

www.cgtn.com


WASHINGTON, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Construction Industry Round Table (CIRT), a national business trade association comprised exclusively of approximately 120 chief executives from the leading design and construction companies doing business in the United States and globally, has elected Greg Cosko, President & CEO of Hathaway Dinwiddie Construction Company, 2021-2022 Chair of the organization. He succeeds Wassim Selman, President of Infrastructure at Arcadis. Cosko was elected during CIRT's Annual Spring Conference in Washington, D.C., which also welcomed new directors.

Greg Cosko, President & CEO of Hathaway Dinwiddie has been elected to Chairman of the Construction Industry Round Table.

"I am grateful to our CIRT Membership for this opportunity to serve as Chairman in the year ahead. Our organization is one of the few in the industry with a national footprint in design and construction," said Greg Cosko, Chairman.

In welcoming the new Chairman, CIRT President Mark A. Casso, Esq., NAC noted, "Again this year CIRT is fortunate to be able to tap into the knowledge, skills, and passions of another outstanding leader from the design and construction industry, such as Greg Cosko. Greg brings a unique perspective to the issues facing our community that make CIRT such a special organization."

BOARD ELECTIONS



The following members were also elected as Officers during the Round Table's membership meeting:





Peter Emmons , CEO, Structural Group, Columbia, MD as Vice Chairman;

, CEO, Structural Group, as Vice Chairman; Henry Massman , President & CEO, Massman Construction, Overland Park, KS as Treasurer; and

, President & CEO, Massman Construction, as Treasurer; and Wassim Selman , President of Infrastructure, Arcardis, Atlanta, GA will continue to serve on the Executive Committee as Immediate Past Chairman.

In addition to the executive committee elections, CIRT also welcomed the following four industry leaders as new directors who will serve on the board through 2024:





Al Barkouli, Chairman, David Evans and Associates, Inc., Portland, OR

and Associates, Inc., Anthony Consigli , CEO, Consigli Construction Company, Milford, MI

, CEO, Consigli Construction Company, Tom Donnelly , President, Brightview Landscape Development, Calabasas, CA

, President, Brightview Landscape Development, Ray Oneglia , Vice Chairman, O&G Industries, Torrington, CT .

"CIRT is fortunate to have a dedicated board of such highly regarded industry professionals. We offer congratulations to our new officers and directors; and thank all of our current and outgoing directors for their service to CIRT and its members as well as the design / construction industry," said Casso.

About Greg Cosko

Greg Cosko began his career with Dinwiddie Construction Company while attending San Francisco State University. Greg has had leadership positions with numerous building projects throughout California and was promoted to Senior Vice President and Manager of the company's Los Angeles Office in 1990. He was later appointed Executive in Charge of the Getty Center Project, a position he held until its completion in 1997.

Promoted to President and CEO in 1996, he led a management purchase of the Company and its simultaneous merger forming Hathaway Dinwiddie while retaining the Company's headquarters in San Francisco.

Greg is on the Board of Directors of San Francisco State University Foundation; he is also past chair and an emeritus director of the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce. Greg is a past board member of the Shih Yu-Lang Central YMCA and Junipero Serra High School, as well as past President of the Construction Employers Association. He currently serves on the board of the Construction Industry Roundtable (CIRT).

Greg lives in Burlingame with his wife Deborah; they have three sons.

About Hathaway Dinwiddie Construction

Hathaway Dinwiddie is privately held and senior management continues a tradition of hands-on involvement on every project. Company leadership is built upon a belief that the professionalism and dedication of our employees, combined with the integrity of our client relationships, will continue to be the cornerstone of our success. This belief has engendered a project management style that integrates client focus, innovative thinking, teamwork and leadership to deliver better projects. This attitude is rewarded in that the majority of our work is for repeat clients. From preconstruction planning through project completion, Hathaway Dinwiddie makes the client's goals our own. https://www.hathawaydinwiddie.com/

SOURCE Construction Industry Round Table

Related Links

http://www.cirt.org


CHARLOTTE, N.C., June 7, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Duke Energy Sustainable Solutions*, a nonregulated commercial brand of Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), today announced the start of construction of the 250-megawatt (MW) Pisgah Ridge Solar project in Navarro County, Texas.

Once in operation, it will be the largest utility-scale solar facility in Duke Energy Sustainable Solutions' fleet.

Charles River Laboratories International Inc. (NYSE: CRL), a leading provider of critical research tools and integrated support services that enable innovative and efficient drug discovery and development, has signed a virtual power purchase agreement (VPPA) for 102 MW of the project over 15 years. This commitment will address the entirety of the company's North American electric power load with clean, renewable energy by 2023.

"We're excited to continue to grow our Texas solar portfolio, which will provide additional energy resources for the citizens of Texas to help meet their growing demand and need for a more diverse energy infrastructure," said Chris Fallon, president of Duke Energy Sustainable Solutions. "This project demonstrates how we can address the community's need for clean energy resources, while providing unique sustainability solutions for customers like Charles River."

"This VPPA is the first step toward our commitment to source 100% renewable electricity globally by 2030. The benefits of the Pisgah Ridge Solar project move us substantially closer to achieving that goal," said Gregg Belardo, senior director of EHS & sustainability at Charles River.

Charles River was advised on the VPPA by Schneider Electric, who assisted the company in its project selection and negotiations.

Two other corporations have signed separate 15-year VPPA agreements for the remaining 148 MW of solar energy generated by the Pisgah Ridge Solar project. All three VPPAs associated with the site will settle on an as-generated basis tied to the project's real-time energy output.

The engineering and construction for the project are being performed by Moss, while Duke Energy Sustainable Solutions will own and operate the project. The team expects to achieve commercial operation of Pisgah Ridge Solar by the end of 2022.

The project is expected to employ 200 to 300 workers at peak construction. Along with indirect economic benefits that accompany solar project development, such as increased local spending in the service and construction industries, the Pisgah Ridge Solar facility will also have a positive economic impact on the local community by providing significant tax revenues for the Corsicana Independent School District.

Duke Energy Sustainable Solutions currently operates nearly 1,500 MW of wind, 500 MW of solar and a 36 MW battery storage facility in Texas. The addition of the 250 MW Pisgah Ridge Solar facility, which will be located outside of Dallas, will generate enough energy to power approximately 63,000 additional residences in the state.

As one of the nation's top renewable energy providers, Duke Energy plans to double its enterprise wide renewable portfolio from 8 GW to 16 GW by the end of 2025.

Duke Energy Sustainable Solutions

Duke Energy Sustainable Solutions is a nonregulated commercial brand of Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK)  a Fortune 150 company and one of the largest energy holding companies in the U.S.  headquartered in Charlotte, N.C.

Duke Energy Sustainable Solutions is a leader in sustainable energy, helping large enterprises reduce power costs, lower emissions and increase resiliency. The team provides wind, solar, resilient backup power and managed energy services to over 1,000 projects across the U.S., with a total electric capacity of more than 5,100 megawatts of nonregulated renewable energy. Visit Duke Energy Sustainable Solutions and follow on LinkedIn and YouTube for more information.

Duke Energy is executing an aggressive clean energy strategy to create a smarter energy future for its customers and communities  with goals of at least a 50 percent carbon reduction by 2030 and net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. The company is a top U.S. renewable energy provider, on track to operate or purchase 16,000 megawatts of renewable energy capacity by 2025. More information about the company is available at duke-energy.com. The Duke Energy News Center contains news releases, fact sheets, photos, videos and other materials. Duke Energy's illumination features stories about people, innovations, community topics and environmental issues. Follow Duke Energy on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

Charles River

Charles River provides essential products and services to help pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, government agencies and leading academic institutions around the globe accelerate their research and drug development efforts. Our dedicated employees are focused on providing clients with exactly what they need to improve and expedite the discovery, early-stage development and safe manufacture of new therapies for the patients who need them. To learn more about our unique portfolio and breadth of services, visit www.criver.com.

Cautionary language concerning forward-looking statements

This document includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements are based on management's beliefs and assumptions. These forward-looking statements are identified by terms and phrases such as "anticipate," "believe," "intend," "estimate," "expect," "continue," "should," "could," "may," "plan," "project," "predict," "will," "potential," "forecast," "target," "outlook," "guidance," and similar expressions. Various factors may cause actual results to be materially different than the suggested outcomes within forward-looking statements; accordingly, there is no assurance that such results will be realized. These risks and uncertainties are identified and discussed in Duke Energy's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") and available at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. In light of these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, the events described in the forward-looking statements might not occur or might occur to a different extent or at a different time than Duke Energy has described. Duke Energy expressly disclaims an obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

* Duke Energy Sustainable Solutions is a non-regulated commercial brand of Duke Energy Corporation, which includes the following subsidiaries of Duke Energy Corporation that are registered to transact business in various states and may be branded as Duke Energy Sustainable Solutions for marketing purposes: Duke Energy One, Inc.; Duke Energy Commercial Enterprises, Inc.; Duke Energy Renewables, Inc.; Duke Energy Renewables Commercial, LLC; Duke Energy Renewable Services, LLC.; Duke Energy Renewables Storage, LLC; Duke Energy Renewables Wind, LLC.; Duke Energy Renewables Solar, LLC.; and REC Solar Commercial Corporation.

Media contact: Jennifer Garber

Media line: 800.559.3853

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Duke Energy

Related Links

http://www.duke-energy.com


LONDON, June 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Irish headquartered global education technology company, Prodigy Learning, is proud to announce it has been named this afternoon as the winner of the e-Assessment Awards 2021 Best Formative Assessment category.

The international e-Assessment Awards seek to showcase globally the very best practice, research and innovation in testing and assessment, where the use of technology has enabled transformation, improved outcomes and enhanced learning and teaching.

Prodigy Learning wins e-Assessment Award 2021 in Best Formative Assessment category

Prodigy Learning secured this award with its revolutionary "Coding in Minecraft" computer science credential product. This innovative SaaS product leverages the power of Minecraft and Prodigy Learning's skillify online assessment platform to engage young and diverse learners (ages 7 to 16) to develop and prove their coding skills.

Minecraft is one of the most popular video games in history and promotes creativity, collaboration and problem-solving in an immersive environment. It transcends all platforms and appeals to players regardless of age, demographics, or geography.

Presenting the award at a virtual ceremony this afternoon, Dr. Desmond Bermingham (Chief Executive, ACER UK) commented that the judges found that Prodigy Learning's 'Coding in Minecraft' product "engages students in game-based learning in a very exciting way".

Launched in 2019 in the United States, Coding in Minecraft is transforming computer science assessment in US schools with many large States and Districts adopting the product to provide a standards-aligned computer science curriculum leading to industry-recognised credentials.

Commenting, Andrew Flood, CEO of Prodigy Learning, said:

"We are delighted to get this recognition from the e-Assessment Association for Coding in Minecraft which is realising our vision to democratise computer science instruction in schools across the world. Our team has done incredible work to provide an innovative assessment product that breaks down barriers for students and teachers. It is a privilege for us all to work with educators who are passionate about applying technology in education to assess and improve the learning outcomes of their students."

About Prodigy Learning

Prodigy Learning is an award-winning global EdTech business, providing innovative online platforms that enable learners to develop and prove their skills. The Company was established in 2000 and now has offices in Dublin, Ireland, London, UK, Sydney, Australia and New York, United States.

To learn more, visit www.prodigylearning.com

Press Contacts:

Aisling Ni Cheallaigh

[email protected]

+353 1 293 2924

Related Images

e-assessment-award-winner-2021.jpg

E-Assessment Award Winner 2021 Prodigy Learning

Prodigy Learning wins e-Assessment Award 2021 in Best Formative Assessment category

SOURCE Prodigy Learning
CHEYENNE, Wyo., June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Encore Green Environmental Technologies & Licensing (EGETL) announces the purchase of water treatment technology equipment formerly known as NOMAD from XRI/Fountain Quail.

"The NOMAD desalination technology is the most capable, reliable, and energy efficient technology available to treat industrial by-product water. It's held that title for almost 20 years now and remains the only proven and cost-effective thermal evaporator available at commercial scale," said Darren Smith, Encore Green Environmental's Chief Technology Officer. "Combined with our Conservation By-Design methodology, this is the energy industry's way forward for ESG."

The agreement to purchase has been signed and set to close by June 21st. NOMAD has generated in excess of 30 million barrels of freshwater from Texas oil and gas fields alone and EGETL will be incorporating design improvements and offering the next generation NOMAD to the agricultural community.

"With our sister company, Carbon Asset Network and the nonprofit, Synergy for Ecological Solutions, this new purchase accelerates our ability to serve our agricultural partners," says John Robitaille, CEO of Encore Green Environmental and Director of Carbon Asset Network. "By cleaning by-product industrial water for surface application, we create a new source of water for the arid West. This exponentially improves soil health, which traps more carbon in the soil and roots and less carbon in our air. This is a new day for agriculture and environmentalism, with a turn-key path to meet ESG goals."

"Encore Green has developed a relationship with Brent Halldorson and we are delighted to carry on the NOMAD legacy that he and his family started in Calgary years ago. Brent and his father's vision is now coupled with agriculture where there will always be a need for freshwater," says Marvin Nash, Encore Green Environmental's Co-Founder.

Encore Green Environmental Technologies & Licensing is a sister company of Encore Green Environmental in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

To learn more, visit

*LOGO link for media: https://www.Send2Press.com/300dpi/21-0208s2p-encore-green-300dpi.jpg

This release was issued through Send2Press, a unit of Neotrope. For more information, visit Send2Press Newswire at https://www.Send2Press.com

SOURCE Encore Green Environmental Technologies & Licensing
PARIS, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Evernex has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Huawei to provide server maintenance through Huawei's Cloud and Artificial Intelligence (AI) services to Nordic European customers.

The move into intelligent computing services builds on an existing partnership between the two companies, and expands on the original MOU signed in September 2019.

The agreement states that the two parties will work together to build a pan-European delivery and service network based on Huawei's industry-leading service capabilities and Evernex's extensive reach across Europe.

"We are delighted to have the opportunity to build on our existing agreement with Huawei and its partners - which includes IT Maintenance, Single Point of Contact Support and Spare as a Service (SPaaS) - by offering server maintenance for Nordic-European customers through Huawei's intelligent Cloud and AI services," noted Klaus Stoeckert, Evernex Managing Director - Central, Northern & Eastern Europe.

"Europe is our most important area of activity with Huawei, and we hope that our successful partnership will provide a solid foundation for ongoing mutual co-operation," continued Stoeckert.

Li Peng, President of Huawei CEE & Nordic European Cloud and AI Business Department, says that Cloud and AI services are at the core of Huawei's customer-centric approach and will build on the company's commitment to building an 'open industry ecosystem' that will help usher in the new era of intelligent computing.

ABOUT EVERNEX

Headquartered in Paris, France, Evernex maintains over 360,000 IT systems in more than 165 countries, and has a global network of 45 offices. It is the preferred maintenance partner for multinational companies and has developed a multi-channel and multi-vendor flexible offering.

SOURCE Evernex
NEW YORK, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Ambra Health, maker of the leading cloud-based, medical image management suite, today announced that Ernst & Young LLP (EY US) has named Morris Panner, CEO of Ambra Health , an Entrepreneur Of The Year 2021 New York Award finalist . Now in its 35th year, the Entrepreneur Of The Year program honors unstoppable business leaders whose ambition, ingenuity and courage in the face of adversity help catapult us from the now to next and beyond.

Panner was selected by a panel of independent judges. Award winners will be announced during a special virtual celebration on August 3rd and will become lifetime members of an esteemed community of Entrepreneur Of The Year alumni from around the world. Entrepreneur Of The Year is one of the preeminent competitive award programs for entrepreneurs and leaders of high-growth companies. The nominees are evaluated based on six criteria: entrepreneurial leadership; talent management; degree of difficulty; financial performance; societal impact and building a values-based company; and originality, innovation and future plans. Since its launch, the program has expanded to recognize business leaders in more than 145 cities in over 60 countries around the world.

"I am incredibly honored and humbled to be named a New York finalist for this year's EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Award," said Morris Panner, CEO of Ambra Health. "The past year has seen a revolution in digital health. Our innovative customers working with our passionate team at Ambra Health have made life-changing medical imaging data available more easily, improving care and transforming research."

Panner joined Ambra Health as CEO in 2012. Fueled by his passion to improve medical imaging coupled with extensive cloud knowledge and leadership skills, Ambra Health quickly scaled to become the leading medical image management suite. With over 10 billion images under management , the Ambra suite consolidates multiple imaging systems with one flexible, customizable, and interoperable cloud platform that lets providers access imaging data securely anytime, anywhere. Today, the Ambra cloud suite powers image exchange and more at eight of the top 10 hospitals and seven of the top 10 children's hospitals, as well as leading radiology practices, subspecialty groups, and life sciences companies.

Before Ambra, Morris built and sold an industry-leading business-process software company, OpenAir, to NetSuite. Prior to that, he was an attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. and spent a year fighting narco-terrorism at the U.S. Embassy in Bogota, Colombia.

Regional award winners are eligible for consideration for the Entrepreneur Of The Year National Awards, to be announced in November at the Strategic Growth Forum, one of the nation's most prestigious gatherings of high-growth, market-leading companies. The Entrepreneur Of The Year National Overall Award winner will then move on to compete for the EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year Award in June 2022.

About Entrepreneur Of The Year

Entrepreneur Of The Year is the world's most prestigious business awards program for unstoppable entrepreneurs. These visionary leaders deliver innovation, growth and prosperity that transform our world. The program engages entrepreneurs with insights and experiences that foster growth. It connects them with their peers to strengthen entrepreneurship around the world. Entrepreneur Of The Year is the first and only truly global awards program of its kind. It celebrates entrepreneurs through regional and national awards programs in more than 145 cities in over 60 countries. National Overall winners go on to compete for the EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year ey.com/us/eoy

About Ambra Health

Ambra Health is a medical data and image management SaaS company. Intuitive, flexible, scalable and highly interoperable, the Ambra cloud platform is designed to serve as the backbone of imaging innovation and progress for healthcare providers. It empowers some of the largest health systems such as Memorial Hermann, Johns Hopkins Medicine, UC San Diego and New York Presbyterian, as well as radiology practices, subspecialty practices, and life sciences organizations to dramatically improve imaging and collaborative care workflows. As expert partners, we listen to our customers, understand their needs, and apply our extensive knowledge to deliver innovative medical image management solutions for the future of healthcare, now. Discover what the Ambra medical imaging cloud can do for you at www.ambrahealth.com.

SOURCE Ambra Health

Related Links

https://ambrahealth.com/


On a national level, houses listed on a Thursday are more likely to sell faster and get more than the listing price. A house listed on a Saturday or Monday usually takes about seven days longer to sell than a house put on the market on Thursday, according to Zillow, which analyzed listings from September 2020 to May 2021.
DENVER, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Father's Day is coming, but are you stressed about what to get Dad? Of course not! Nobody stresses about Father's Day gifts, because it's so easy: Get stuff for his grill. Dads love grilling!

There is one tiny little challenge: You want to get him something he doesn't already have. But that problem is easily solved this year because the grill company BBQ Dragon has just released 3 brand-spanking-new products that nobody has yet  including dear old Dad.

The Bristle-free Chainmail Grill Brush The Chimney of Insanity Charcoal Chimney and the BBQ Dragon Fan

The "Chainmail" Grill Brush: If you're worried about the danger of swallowing a wire bristle from a grill brush, this patent-pending brush uses links of "chainmail," similar to the chainmail in medieval armor, to clean the grill more safely.

The "Double-Extreme" Grill Light: The world's only double-headed LED grill light, the two super-bright LEDs are mounted on separate goosenecks, so you can light two areas  the grill and your prep surface, for example. Clips anywhere you need bright light.

The Chimney of Insanity "XL" version: BBQ Dragon's popular charcoal chimney works with their BBQ Dragon grill fan to start charcoal in just 2 minutes  and they have just released this "XL" version, which they claim is the largest charcoal chimney in the world.

"We actually design products with Father's Day in mind," says George Prior, head of product development at BBQ Dragon. "We consider this our main holiday, even more than Fourth of July or Christmas. Because no other holiday so specifically focuses on our exact perfect customer."

The new "Chainmail Grill Brush" solves a serious health danger of grilling: the accidental ingestion of steel bristles from grill cleaning brushes. BBQ Dragon's patent-pending brush cleans the grill with a woven net of chain links that are both less likely to break free, and less dangerous if accidentally swallowed.

"The reason we think about Father's Day during product development," says Prior, "is that we want to create grill tools that a customer sees and thinks, 'That's awesome, I want to buy that for my Dad.'"

As a result of the company's emphasis on innovation, their products look very different from other brands of grill accessories. The new "Double-Extreme Grill Light" shows this visual difference: With two separate LED lamps on two long stainless-steel goose necks, the light immediately looks completely different from other grill lights.

All three of the newly added products are available on Amazon.com and online at major retailers like Target, Home Depot, and Lowes, as well as the company's website at bbqdragon.com.

BBQ Dragon makes innovative grill tools. The creators of the BBQ Dragon Fan and the 2-minute charcoal Chimney of Insanity, their mission is to create innovative products that inspire customers to excel at BBQ and at life. They believe that good tools inspire good BBQ, and good BBQ inspires good living.

Contact: George Prior

Archipelago Group

855.524.8068

[email protected]

SOURCE BBQ Dragon

Related Links

http://www.bbqdragon.com


JACKSONVILLE, Fla., June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Global Disability Inclusion, in partnership with Mercer, the world's largest human resources consulting firm, is excited to announce the launch of Amplify, a groundbreaking, first-ever climate and culture survey focused on employees with disabilities and their work experience.

First-Of-Its-Kind Disability Climate and Culture Survey, Amplify, Now Available

The Amplify survey is designed to provide companies with valuable insights into the work experience of both people with disabilities and those without, allowing them to improve policies, programs, and procedures to create greater equity in the workplace and ultimately improve climate and culture.

According to the Return on Disability Group, 90% of companies state they have diversity initiatives, but only 4% include disability in their diversity programs. "Companies are unaware of the employment experiences of people with disabilities because disability is too often left out of the broader diversity conversation.," said Meg O'Connell, CEO and Founder, Global Disability Inclusion. "Disability doesn't discriminate. It affects people of any gender, age, race, ethnicity, sexual identity, economic condition and educational level - which is why it is so important for companies to obtain feedback from their employees with disabilities."

Amplify was born from a ten-year collaboration between Global Disability Inclusion and Mercer. Since the early 2000s, the two organizations have been studying disability employee engagement by capturing data and gaining insights about the employment experiences of people with disabilities as it compares to all other diversity groups. Their landmark ten-year study, The State of Disability Employee Engagement, includes responses from 12 million people across the globe. This study highlights the need for companies to better understand the work experiences of disabled employees. For example, the engagement gap of employees with disabilities shows a difference in some areas of up to 12% to 13%. A gap of this size demonstrates employees with disabilities perceive a very different work environment than those without disabilities.

"Amplify will allow companies for the first time to actively participate in surveying employees with and without disabilities and to benchmark results to the 10-year data set," said Dr. Peter J. Rutigliano, Senior Principal, Mercer. "The data generated will provide deep, actionable insights that can help companies address the needs of employees with disabilities."

The survey will run over three weeks from September 2 to September 16, 2021. Companies must be registered by August 25, 2021, to participate. Once the survey period closes, companies will receive the following:

Results across six key employee engagement categories - Diversity and Equity, Enablers and Resources, Climate and Culture, Leadership, Achievement and Identity

Results from new questions specifically about disability practices (disclosure, self-id, accommodations, employee resource groups, and more)

Benchmark results against Mercer's 12-million-person global database

Analysis and recommendations on findings provided by Global Disability Inclusion

To register for the survey, email [email protected].

About Global Disability Inclusion

Global Disability Inclusion, LLC is changing the way the world perceives disability. We are a boutique consulting firm providing disability inclusion strategies and solutions for global companies, foundations, non-profits, and universities. Our team of experts help organizations expand opportunities to reach new talent, create inclusive environments, and acquire new customers. To learn more about how Global Disability Inclusion, visit www.globaldisabilityinclusion.com.

About Mercer

Mercer believes in building brighter futures by redefining the world of work, reshaping retirement and investment outcomes, and unlocking real health and well-being. Mercer's more than 25,000 employees are based in 44 countries and the firm operates in over 130 countries. Mercer is a business of Marsh & McLennan (NYSE: MMC), the world's leading professional services firm in the areas of risk, strategy and people, with 76,000 colleagues and annual revenue of $17 billion. Through its market-leading businesses including Marsh, Guy Carpenter and Oliver Wyman, Marsh & McLennan helps clients navigate an increasingly dynamic and complex environment. For more information, visit www.mercer.com. Follow Mercer on Twitter @Mercer.

Media Contact: Kelly Douglas, 910-824-4624, [email protected]

SOURCE Global Disability Inclusion

Related Links

http://www.globaldisabilityinclusion.com


TORONTO, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- FitTrack - the modern health management ecosystem - today partners with human imaging company Advanced Human Imaging (AHI) to announce FitScan.

Available early next year across iOS and Android platforms, FitScan will enable its users to privately check, track, accurately assess overall wellness and predict potential health risks -- all from their smartphone. FitTrack users will be able to combine their FitScan results with FitTrack's easy to use Health Scores, marking FitTrack's continued evolution to a complete holistic health solution for consumers across both software and hardware.

"It has always been my vision to ensure better health outcomes for our customers by making health management simple and sustainable. We want to give our users the tools to take control of their personal health journeys," says Jeffrey Lee, CEO and Founder of FitTrack. "With AHI as our software partner, we are enabling FitTrack users to use their personal devices to perform simple but cutting-edge health assessments in the safety and comfort of their home. FitScans are self-reported with instant results, at a fraction of the cost of a doctor visit or dexa scan."

FitScan's technology will encompass two core elements integral to understanding their health. The Face Assessment is a non-intrusive and easy-to-use scan for measuring key health metrics, including heart rate, blood pressure, respiratory rate, and risks associated with cardiovascular disease, heart attacks and strokes. FitScan's Body Assessment scan will combine innovative technology and state of the art image processing techniques that returns over ten unique insights such as body circumference, body composition, and risk indicators for obesity and type-2 diabetes.

By delivering a comprehensive and complete overview of personal health and wellbeing, FitScan provides an innovative approach to remote health monitoring and preventative care. Results from scans can be securely exported to a physician or doctor instantly through a personal device, empowering FitTrack's customers to take control of their personal health journey starting at home.

Vlado Bosanac CEO and Co Founder of Advanced Human Imaging comments: "I am looking forward to working with Jeff and the team at FitTrack, as we believe the FitScan will be a valuable addition to FitTrack's existing product suite. Adding physical dimensions along with body composition to the FitTrack application will drive deeper engagement with existing users, whilst opening up the use case to a broader audience that have not yet purchased a FitTrack device."

He continues: "FitTrack has a genuine interest in helping people live healthier, longer lives and self awareness is the first, most critical step in this journey. Using FitScan in conjunction with the FitTrack training and wellness plans will help deliver this outcome for users. At the same time it is providing real-time actionable data for the FitTrack team to engage, monitor, and assist their users in reaching their health goals".

The new software will seamlessly integrate into FitTrack's existing ecosystem, which includes an app and multiple hardware devices, to deliver a complete and holistic perspective of health, wellness and progress.

The FitTrack suite of products include the Dara Scale, Atria 2.0 Watch, and Beebo Family Scale. Their smartscale products track seventeen unique metrics, deliver personalized and accurate health data, and support goal setting in order to supplement and tailor existing fitness and nutrition programs.

Since the debut of its signature product, the Dara scale in 2018, FitTrack has cultivated a global audience of more than 1 million, and collaborates with ambassadors such as Khloe Kardashian, Catherine McBroom, Catherine Giudici (Lowe). FitScan will launch in late 2021/early 2022, making FitTrack the most robust personal health management system on the market.

About FitTrack

Our mission is to ensure better health outcomes, improving the lives of everyone by making health management simple and sustainable. We believe in giving FitTrack users the resources to make the connections between their daily choices and have an overall picture of their health. For the first time, anyone can gain meaningful insight to their bodies in seconds using our tools and solutions. Within our modern health management ecosystem, we support over 1 million FitTrackers globally, and we're committed to constantly evolving and innovating our products based on creating the best customer experience possible. FitTrack is dedicated to improving each health and wellness journey globally.

For more information on FitTrack, visit www.getfittrack.com

About Advanced Human Imaging:

The Company has developed and patented a proprietary technology that enables its users to privately check, track, and accurately assess over 700 health markers via a mobile phone.

Advanced Human Imaging's MultiScan platform simplifies the collection of biometric measurements through the extraction of known markers of chronic diseases and health-related conditions. Through the accurate capture of dimension, body composition, and vital signs, Advanced Human Imaging empowers its global partners to deliver a seamless, private, and accurate monitoring method that leads to better health outcomes through actionable data.

For more information on AHI, visit www.advancedhumanimaging.com

SOURCE FitTrack
DUBLIN, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Building Inspection Services Global Market Report 2021: COVID-19 Impact and Recovery to 2030" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

Where is the largest and fastest growing market for the building inspection services? How does the market relate to the overall economy, demography and other similar markets? What forces will shape the market going forward? The Building Inspection Service market global report answers all these questions and many more.



Major players in the building inspection services market are AmeriSpec Inspection Services, HouseMaster Home Inspections, National Property Inspections, Pillar to Post Home Inspectors, and WIN Home Inspections.



The global building inspection services market is expected to grow from $9.3 billion in 2020 to $10.7 billion in 2021 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15.1%.

The growth is mainly due to the companies rearranging their operations and recovering from the COVID-19 impact, which had earlier led to restrictive containment measures involving social distancing, remote working, and the closure of commercial activities that resulted in operational challenges.

The market is expected to reach $14.33 billion in 2025 at a CAGR of 7.6%.



The building inspection services market consists of the sales of building inspection services by entities (organizations, sole traders and partnerships) that evaluate all aspects of the building structure and component systems and prepare a report on the physical condition of the property, generally for buyers or others involved in real estate transactions.



Companies and governments are developing and employing drones for building inspections. Drones, also known as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or unmanned aircraft systems (UASs) are a flying robot that can be controlled remotely or independently operated through software-controlled flight plans in its embedded systems, working in conjunction with onboard sensors and GPS systems.

Drones enable building inspections safer, faster as well as more cost-effective. In October 2020, Singapore analytics and acoustic technologies company H3 Zoom. AI started using drones for building inspection and facility management after realizing that the city's highly urban environment delayed digital technology disruption.

Moreover, in September 2020, New York City Council has passed a bill to explore the use of drones for building facade inspections. In 2018, Abu Dhabi Municipality had launched drone trials for monitoring and inspection of construction sites.



Rising urbanization around the world is expected to drive the building inspection services market. Increase in number of individuals moving to urban areas for employment, better lifestyles, and opportunities led to an expansion in urban areas. According to the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, about 4.4 billion people live in urban areas in 2020 and is projected to rise to 6.7 billion by 2050.

Urbanization has increased the availability of affordable housing, infrastructure, and essential services. As infrastructure grows, it requires laws and legislation to determine the safety of buildings to prevent hazards and to provide the public with safe buildings that building inspection services can help with. Thus, increasing urbanization is a major factor that contributes to the growth of the demand for building inspection services.



Labor shortage is expected to hinder the building inspection services market. Finding labor for conducting building inspections is difficult particularly with specific skills.



Key Topics Covered:



1. Executive Summary



2. Building Inspection Services Market Characteristics



3. Building Inspection Services Market Trends and Strategies



4. Impact of COVID-19 on Building Inspection Services



5. Building Inspection Services Market Size and Growth

5.1. Global Building Inspection Services Historic Market, 2015-2020, $ Billion

5.1.1. Drivers of the Market

5.1.2. Restraints on the Market

5.2. Global Building Inspection Services Forecast Market, 2020-2025F, 2030F, $ Billion

5.2.1. Drivers of the Market

5.2.2. Restraints on the Market



6. Building Inspection Services Market Segmentation

6.1. Global Building Inspection Services Market, Segmentation by Service, Historic and Forecast, 2015-2020, 2020-2025F, 2030F, $ Billion

Home Inspection Services

Specific Element Inspection Services

Commercial Building Inspection Services

Others

6.2. Global Building Inspection Services Market, Segmentation by Application, Historic and Forecast, 2015-2020, 2020-2025F, 2030F, $ Billion

Residential

Commercial

Others

6.3. Global Building Inspection Services Market, Segmentation by Sourcing Type, Historic and Forecast, 2015-2020, 2020-2025F, 2030F, $ Billion

In-house services

Outsourced services

7. Building Inspection Services Market Regional and Country Analysis

7.1. Global Building Inspection Services Market, Split by Region, Historic and Forecast, 2015-2020, 2020-2025F, 2030F, $ Billion

7.2. Global Building Inspection Services Market, Split by Country, Historic and Forecast, 2015-2020, 2020-2025F, 2030F, $ Billion



Companies Mentioned

AmeriSpec Inspection Services

HouseMaster Home Inspections

National Property Inspections

Pillar to Post Home Inspectors

WIN Home Inspections

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/lbuuu

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

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DUBLIN, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "The Corporate Reputation of Pharma in 2020 during the Covid Pandemic - Global Edition" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

Patient groups responding to 2020's 'Corporate Reputation of Pharma' survey are uniquely positioned to comment on the pharma industry's performance during the pandemic, as these patient organisations not only understand the perceptions of patients but are also the only stakeholder to network with ALL other stakeholders in the healthcare system.

For this reason, the opinions of 1,920 patient groups on the performance of the pharmaceutical industry in 2020 during the Covid pandemic were collected, November 2020-February 2021. The 1,920 patient groups reached out to over 1 million patients in 2020.

Profile of 2020's Respondent Patient Groups

1,920 Respondent Patient Groups.

From 84 Countries.

Covering 133 Main Medical Specialties.

59% National Patient Groups.

10% International Patient Groups.

Patient perspectives of pharma during the Covid pandemic: top-line findings

1. The pharma industry's effectiveness at tackling the Covid pandemic: 62% of 2020's 1,920 respondent patient groups believed that the pharma industry as a whole was "Very effective" or "Effective" at tackling the Covid pandemic for the patients known to them. Though patient groups from different countries and specialising in different therapy areas held wide-ranging views on the subject.

2. The pharma industry's corporate reputation in 2020: 50% of 2020's respondent patient groups stated that the pharmaceutical industry as a whole had an "Excellent" or "Good" corporate reputation (the highest in the ten years that the analyst has been conducting its corporate-reputation surveys). However, the majority of patient groups still believed the industry to be "Fair" or "Poor" in most areas except R&D.

3. The top-three pharma companies voted "Best" for their response to Covid in 2020 (among patient groups familiar with the company): ViiV Healthcare, 1st, Pfizer, 2nd and Roche/Genentech, 3rd.

4. The top-three pharma companies voted "Best" for their overall corporate reputation in 2020 (among patient groups familiar with the company): ViiV Healthcare, 1st, Roche/Genentech, 2nd and Pfizer, 3rd.

Covid has thrown into stark relief virtually all aspects of pharmaceutical-company business, and has had a direct impact on the corporate reputation of the industry and individual companies. The comments supplied to this latest 'Corporate Reputation' survey by respondent patient groups make clear that both the effectiveness of pharma's Covid response, and its corporate reputation, were directly tied to one another in 2020.

The 2020 'Corporate Reputation' survey asked respondent patient groups to assess pharmaceutical companies, not just on ability to produce vaccines (which respondent patient groups considered impressive), but also on the contributions that the companies made to alleviating problems imposed by the pandemic on non-Covid patients - who were isolated from their customary routine healthcare during much of 2020.

The survey provided pharma companies with an opportunity to tell their own story on how they tried to help patients cope during Covid. Seven companies participated, offering insights into what the pharma industry saw as its remit during the pandemic - both in 2020, and moving forward into 2021: Boehringer Ingelheim, Gilead Sciences, Horizon Therapeutics, Ipsen, Lundbeck (US division), Pfizer, and ViiV Healthcare.

Methodology

I. Survey of 1,920 patient groups



When? The survey was conducted in November 2020-February 2021, when key events of the pandemic will have influenced the opinions of respondent patient groups.



Where? To ensure a global reach, the survey was conducted in 21 languages.



The questionnaire? Pharma was assessed across a wide range of its activities important to patients and patient groups [see list of indicators of corporate reputation, below], including a new indicator for 2020 - pharma's effectiveness at tackling Covid.



Companies assessed

AbbVie

Acorda

Almirall

Amgen

Astellas Pharma

AstraZeneca

Bayer

Biogen

Boehringer Ingelheim

Bristol Myers Squibb

Chiesi Farmaceutici

CSL Behring

Daiichi Sankyo

Dr Reddy's Laboratories

Eisai

Eli

Ferring

Gedeon Richter

Gilead Sciences/Kite Pharma

Grifols

Grunenthal

GSK

Horizon Therapeutics

Ipsen

Janssen (Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson)

LEO Pharma

Lilly

Lundbeck

Menarini

Merck & Co/MSD

Merck KGaA/EMD Serono

Mylan

Novartis

Novo Nordisk

Octapharma

Otsuka

Pfizer

Pierre Fabre Laboratories

Roche/Chugai/Genentech

Sandoz

Sanofi

Servier

Sun Pharma

Takeda/Shire

Teva

Therapeutics

UCB

Vertex Pharmaceuticals

Vifor

ViiV Healthcare

How were the companies assessed?

The indicators used to measure a company's corporate reputation:

1. Covid response [new for 2020].

2. Patient centricity.

3. Patient information.

4. Patient safety.

5. High-quality products.

6.i. Transparency: pricing.

6.ii. Transparency: clinical-trial data.

6.iii. Transparency: funding of external stakeholders.

7. Integrity.

8. Quality of relationships with patient groups.

9. Providing services 'beyond the pill'.

10.i. Engaging patients in research.

10.ii. Engaging patients in development.

II. Best-practice case studies from pharma

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/ldzrgl

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

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The growing e-commerce market is one of the major factors propelling the market growth. However, factors such as lack of supply chain visibility affecting vendor-customer relationship will hamper the market growth.

More details: https://www.technavio.com/report/courier-express-and-parcel-market-size-industry-analysis

Courier, Express, And Parcel Market: Geographic Landscape

APAC had the largest market share in the courier, express, and parcel market in 2021, and the region will offer several growth opportunities to market vendors during the forecast period. The growing integration of last-mile delivery models with courier, express, and parcel companies will significantly influence courier, express, and parcel market growth in this region. 42% of the market's growth will originate from APAC during the forecast period. China, India, and Japan are the key markets for courier, express, and parcels in the region.

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Companies Covered:

A1 Express Delivery Service Inc.

Allied Express Transport Pty Ltd.

Aramex International LLC

BDP International Inc.

CEVA Logistics AG

Deutsche Post DHL Group

FedEx Corp.

One World Express Inc. Ltd.

S.F. Holding Co. Ltd.

United Parcel Service Inc.

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Strategic recommendations for the new entrants

Covers market data for 2020, 2021, until 2025

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Competitive landscaping mapping the key common trends

Company profiling with detailed strategies, financials, and recent developments

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Key Topics Covered:

Executive Summary

Market Landscape

Market ecosystem

Value chain analysis

Market Sizing

Market definition

Market segment analysis

Market size 2020

Market outlook: Forecast for 2020-2025

Five Forces Analysis

Five forces summary

Bargaining power of buyers

Bargaining power of suppliers

Threat of new entrants

Threat of substitutes

Threat of rivalry

Market condition

Market Segmentation by Consumer

Market segments

Comparison by Consumer

B2B - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

B2C - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

C2C - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Impact of COVID-19 on consumer segment

Market opportunity by Consumer

Customer landscape

Overview

Geographic Landscape

Geographic segmentation

Geographic comparison

APAC - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

North America - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

- Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Europe - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

- Market size and forecast 2020-2025 MEA - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

South America - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

- Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Key leading countries

Market opportunity by geography

Market drivers

Market challenges

Market trends

Vendor Landscape

Vendor landscape

Landscape disruption

Vendor Analysis

Vendors covered

Market positioning of vendors

A1 Express Delivery Service Inc.

Allied Express Transport Pty Ltd.

Aramex International LLC

BDP International Inc.

CEVA Logistics AG

Deutsche Post DHL Group

FedEx Corp.

One World Express Inc. Ltd.

SF Holding Co. Ltd.

United Parcel Service Inc.

Appendix

Scope of the report

Currency conversion rates for US$

Research methodology

List of abbreviations

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Report: https://www.technavio.com/report/courier-express-and-parcel-market-size-industry-analysis

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FACTS AT A GLANCE Edition: 8; Released: March 2021 Executive Engagements: 1003 Companies: 248 - Players covered include 3M Company; Arkema Group; Avery Dennison Corporation; Bischof + Klein SE & Co. KG; Bp Plastics Holding Bhd; Chargeurs SA; Compagnie De Saint-Gobain SA; Covertec Srl; DowDuPont, Inc.; Dunmore Corporation; DUTE Industries Group; Echoplast Ltd.; Echotape USA; Hitachi Chemical Co., Ltd.; Kao-Chia Plastic Co., Ltd.; Lamin-X Protective Films; Mactac Europe SA; MT Tapes s.r.o.; Nitto Denko Corporation; Panduit Corporation; Polifilm Group; Pregis LLC; Presto Tape; Surface Armor; Toray Industries, Inc. and Others. Coverage: All major geographies and key segments Segments: Class (Adhesive-Coated, Self-Adhesive); Type (Polyethylene, Polyethylene Terephthalate, Polyvinyl Chloride, Other Types); End-Use (Building & Construction, Electronics, Transportation, Other End-Uses) Geographies: World; United States; Canada; Japan; China; Europe (France; Germany; Italy; United Kingdom; Spain; Russia; and Rest of Europe); Asia-Pacific (Australia; India; South Korea; and Rest of Asia-Pacific); Latin America (Argentina; Brazil; Mexico; and Rest of Latin America); Middle East (Iran; Israel; Saudi Arabia; United Arab Emirates; and Rest of Middle East); and Africa.

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ABSTRACT-



Global Protective Films Market to Reach $18.3 Billion by 2026

Protective films, used for protecting surfaces against damage, are witnessing increased demand from a variety of end-user industries including electronics, automotive, aerospace, and building & construction among others. Demand is on the rise, owing to growing focus on product protection. Another major market growth driver has been the continuous technology advancement. Manufacturers are striving to create sustainable products with least environmental impact. Steady growth opportunities in the building and construction industry is attributed to extensive use of protective films for protecting window glasses from UV rays and scratches. Increasing prominence of eCommerce is creating strong demand for the films in protective and secondary packaging for goods. Electronics consumption is also increasing at a steady rate all across the world, which is also a key growth promoting factor for the market. Vehicle demand is increasingly worldwide due to industrialization. The films are used for paint protection and for protecting leathers, carpets and dashboards from damage. Another area of immense opportunity, increasing solar energy production creates growth prospects for films in PV modules. Films protect the modules exposed to stress factors such as UV radiations. Solar cells are covered with polymeric films where they offer protection against mechanical stress and environmental corrosion.

Amid the COVID-19 crisis, the global market for Protective Films estimated at US$13.1 Billion in the year 2020, is projected to reach a revised size of US$18.3 Billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 5.9% over the analysis period. Adhesive-Coated, one of the segments analyzed in the report, is projected to grow at a 6.4% CAGR to reach US$11.1 Billion by the end of the analysis period. After a thorough analysis of the business implications of the pandemic and its induced economic crisis, growth in the Self-Adhesive segment is readjusted to a revised 5.2% CAGR for the next 7-year period. This segment currently accounts for a 45% share of the global Protective Films market. The adhesive coated protective films are the most common protective films used in a variety of applications. The films are compatible with a variety of substrates including metals, plastics and glass. They are also easy to manufacture. Growth of the self-adhesive protective film market is attributed to several applications such in building and construction, steel, automotive, glass, electronics, and plastics. Ever expanding construction industry is expected to augment the production of self-adhesive protective films as they are used for carpet and floor protection, laminate protection, window security films, and building site protection. Self-adhesive protective films are also used in several other end-use industries to safeguard their products from damage due to abrasion, weathering, and UV rays.

The U.S. Market is Estimated at $3 Billion in 2021, While China is Forecast to Reach $4.5 Billion by 2026

The Protective Films market in the U.S. is estimated at US$3 Billion in the year 2021. The country currently accounts for a 22.51% share in the global market. China, the world's second largest economy, is forecast to reach an estimated market size of US$4.5 Billion in the year 2026 trailing a CAGR of 7.5% through the analysis period. Among the other noteworthy geographic markets are Japan and Canada, each forecast to grow at 3.7% and 4.9% respectively over the analysis period. Within Europe, Germany is forecast to grow at approximately 4.2% CAGR while Rest of European market (as defined in the study) will reach US$4.9 Billion by the end of the analysis period. Asia-Pacific and China represent the leading regional markets for protective films, globally. In China, demand for protective films is growing especially from the country's building and construction industry. In Southeast Asian countries such as Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia, recovering automotive sector is anticipated to create demand opportunities for protective films over the coming years. More

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SAN FRANCISCO, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Hawthorne Effect , a solution for decentralizing clinical trials, today announced the successful closing of a $20 million Series A round of funding to alleviate key issues related to patient recruitment and retention via its tech-driven platform and expansive network of medical professionals. The funding will be used to accelerate growth and help scale the company's operations. The new investment brings the company's total funding to $24 million and was led by Northpond Ventures , a leading science and technology-driven venture capital firm, with participation from SignalFire and P5 Health Ventures .

Hawthorne Effect's solution decentralizes the entire lifecycle of a clinical trial by leveraging a robust tech-driven platform, the Hawthorne CloudSM, and highly-trained medical professionals, Hawthorne Heroes SM. The end-to-end solution enables Hawthorne Effect to conduct complete assessments whenever, wherever and however the trial and patient require to deliver trusted and timely data to the investigators. Hawthorne Effect benefits patients by creating convenient access to participation and improves the quality and efficiencies to trial sponsors by broadening patient pools, speeding up recruitment, conducting consistent assessments and improving data quality. See details on the components that make up Hawthorne Effect below:

 Hawthorne CloudSM: The 21CFR, GDPR-compliant platform has been used to complete more than 25,000 assessments in more than 15,000 in-person or virtual visits for over 50 clinical trials across a wide variety of therapeutic areas and phases. Its novel architecture manages all aspects of the clinical trial journey for patients and investigators from recruitment through study exit, including clinical assessment development; visit choreography; data acquisition via patient-reported outcomes; devices; interoperability with health system databases and directly from all forms of clinical visit modalities (in-person, via telepresence and in remote geographies).

 Hawthorne HeroesSM: Hawthorne Effect's robust specialty network of multi-disciplinary medical professionals is made up of more than 2,200 highly-vetted and highly-trained Hawthorne HeroesSM. Heroes are geographically distributed in North America, Europe and Africa to deliver compassionate care to patients. They are equipped to facilitate complex assessments and support the patient experience throughout the study lifecycle. Capabilities include complex clinical and physical treatments and assessments such as medical histories; consenting; ultrasound imaging; neurological, cognitive and functional assessments; complex blood draw and sample management; adverse event reporting and more. These medical professionals shape the future of medicine by playing a role in clinical trial research that enables them to have an impact on individual patients while improving health care for humanity.

While clinical trial continuity has always been a challenge, the COVID-19 pandemic accentuated this problem with a temporary 70% decline in enrollment and an increased rate of missed or incomplete study visits. Critical trials can require more than 10,000 visits and 100,000 assessments to collect the necessary safety and effectiveness endpoints required for FDA approval. At least 90% of these visits require professional conduct and all of them are needed for meaningful analyses and regulatory review. While studies have increasingly gone virtual as a result of the pandemic, trials that require complex visits such as cardiac ultrasound and blood draws are seriously at risk for continuity and completion. Hawthorne Effect uniquely offers end-to-end visits and study management for both virtual and complex visits as well.

Hawthorne Effect addresses key risk factors that will extend well beyond the pandemic including patient churn, missed assessments and lack of diversity in patient pools. Hawthorne Effect mitigates these factors by conducting trial assessments anywhere, whether it be virtual or at a home, church, shelter or clinic, and can maintain the highest levels of protocol integrity and improve data quality compared to site-reliant trials.

"We figured out that clinical trial continuity has the same root cause as equity gaps in health care delivery  accessibility and convenience for patients," said Jodi Akin, CEO and founder of Hawthorne Effect. "While there is great momentum in the adoption of decentralized clinical trials, apps just don't draw blood, nor do they reach the equity divide. Hawthorne Effect uniquely offers the only technology-enabled distributed professionals model that addresses these common barriers in clinical research. As a result, we help sponsors deliver complete and accurate trial assessments to benefit the entire clinical trial ecosystem. Our solution also addresses the historical disparities in representation when it comes to patient populations, and the future of public health hinges on closing this gap."

"Hawthorne Effect is bringing the future of clinical trials to life with a solution rooted in scientific precision and clinical compassion," said Sharon Kedar, CFA, co-founder and partner of Northpond Ventures. "The team is reimagining accessibility to clinical trials and driving better data integrity  all while putting the patient first."

Since launching in 2015, the Hawthorne Effect solution has been used across more than 50 clinical trials, of which 99% of visits and assessments were completed within the trial window, even for the most complex of visit requirements. Hawthorne Effect is actively engaged with more than 260 clinical sites and also runs trials as a single virtual site. Hawthorne Effect is collaborating with NIH Operation Warp Speed COVID-19 clinical trials and works with some of the largest names in health care and pharmaceuticals.

About Hawthorne Effect

Hawthorne Effect is the only company that offers a solution to decentralize the entire clinical trial lifecycle. The company's robust tech-driven platform, the Hawthorne CloudSM, works with highly trained medical professionals, Hawthorne HeroesSM, to deliver complete assessments whenever, wherever and however the trial and patient require. Learn more about Hawthorne Effect by visiting: www.hawthorne-effect.com

About Northpond Ventures Northpond Ventures is a global science, medical, and technology focused venture capital firm, with offices in Bethesda, Maryland; Cambridge, Massachusetts; and San Francisco. Northpond Ventures has in excess of $1 billion of committed capital. Our mission is to build a better tomorrow. Learn more at www.northpondventures.com

SOURCE Hawthorne Effect

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GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Colo., June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Heart & Vascular Center at Valley View is pleased to introduce new services to continue to provide patients with world-class, convenient and compassionate care on the Western Slope. Stephen Jones, MD has begun an open heart surgical program at Valley View with 10 open heart procedures performed to date.

Dr. Jones is an established, program-building cardiothoracic surgeon. With his addition to the well-established Heart & Vascular Center, Valley View now offers the following cardiothoracic procedures:

Stephen Jones, MD, cardiothoracic surgeon with The Heart & Vascular Center at Valley View

Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery: Also known as open heart surgery or CABG, for patients who need new blood flow supplied to the heart muscle that cannot be addressed in the cardiac catheterization lab.

Also known as open heart surgery or CABG, for patients who need new blood flow supplied to the heart muscle that cannot be addressed in the cardiac catheterization lab. Heart Valve Surgery: Both minimally invasive and open procedures are offered.

Both minimally invasive and open procedures are offered. Surgical Treatment for Atrial Fibrillation (AFib): This is a minimally invasive surgical hybrid approach for the treatment of AFib.

This is a minimally invasive surgical hybrid approach for the treatment of AFib. Thoracic Surgery: New surgical procedures for patients needing lung biopsy, surgery for lung cancer, or tube placement to drain excess fluid from the chest.

Valley View now offers a wide range of treatments and the most experienced cardiothoracic surgeon on Colorado's Western Slope. Referrals for these new services are not required by the Heart & Vascular Center, and the cardiovascular team is available for patients 24/7/365 for emergency care.

Dr. Jones joins the Heart & Vascular Center from St. Alphonsus Regional Medical Center in Boise, Idaho, where he was the chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery for 10 years. Dr. Jones developed the first minimally invasive cardiac surgery valve program in Idaho. He led a team that employed advanced surgical techniques involving small incisions resulting in faster recovery times. These methods are an evolution in heart surgery techniques.

Dr. Jones began his medical career in the U.S. Army, serving in Texas, Germany, North Carolina Colorado, and Washington, DC. As a civilian surgeon Dr. Jones developed practices in the Napa Valley, Anchorage and Boise before joining the cardiologists at Valley View to develop the open heart surgical program in Glenwood Springs.

"At Valley View's Heart & Vascular Center, we offer a greater depth and breadth of experience than anyone else in western Colorado," said Dr. Jones. "Now providing open heart surgery, the most comprehensive approach to AFib, and new surgical procedures involving the lungs, we at Valley View offer top cardiac care to the Roaring Fork Valley and beyond."

"We are very pleased to welcome Dr. Jones to Valley View," said Brian Murphy, MD, CEO of Valley View. "Now, members of our community can enjoy the convenience of staying close to home when undergoing open heart surgery and many other cardiothoracic procedures."

The Heart & Vascular Center is home to a distinguished team of cardiologists, including Frank Laws, MD, who is both an electrophysiologist and interventional cardiologist, and Medical Director of the Heart & Vascular Center; Marcus Howell, MD, interventional cardiologist; Michael Rubinstein, MD, clinical cardiologist; and Qaisar Khan, MD, interventional cardiologist.

The Heart & Vascular Center team strives to implement the latest approaches to treat patients with cardiovascular disease. Dr. Jones' addition to the team at Valley View provides the capability to deliver world-class care right in the heart of the Rockies.

The Heart & Vascular Center has locations at 1906 Blake Ave., Glenwood Springs and 607 25 Road, Suite 100, Grand Junction. It also hosts outreach clinics in Battlement Mesa, Eagle, Fruita, Meeker, Rangley and Rifle. For more information or to book an appointment visit vvh.org/heart-vascular-center or call 970.384.7290.

About Valley View

Valley View is an independent, not-for-profit health system based in Glenwood Springs, Colorado. Founded in 1955 with funds raised by the community, Valley View Hospital has evolved to serve the healthcare needs of the region. In addition to its 78-bed hospital in Glenwood Springs, Valley View now includes an integrated system of specialty centers and physicians' practices providing care in multiple locations across Garfield, Pitkin, Eagle and Mesa counties. Cardiovascular care, including open heart surgery, comprehensive cancer care, neurosurgical and orthopedic care provide a level of specialty care that enable patients to stay close to home for key healthcare needs. A network of primary care practices support optimal health and the management of patients' total health. As part of Valley View's commitment to the community, it hosts health fairs, blood drives, a Kids & Teen Safety Fair and a physician-led education series. Valley View has been recognized for performance excellence from Healthgrades, J.D. Power & Associates, Truven Health "Top 100 Hospitals," Planetree, Survey Vitals and Consumer Reports. PeopleCare. That's Valley View. www.vvh.org.

Contact:

Duree & Company, Inc.

954-723-9350 / [email protected]

SOURCE Valley View Hospital
"On behalf of the entire Hudson Pacific team, we are thrilled to be recognized by NAIOP as the 2021 Developer of the Year," said Victor Coleman, Chairman and CEO of Hudson Pacific Properties. "Hudson Pacific has always been committed to exceeding expectations, to being nimble and forging our own path, and to reimagining now to create what's next to the benefit of our stakeholders. This past year tested our resilience, and I am proud that Hudson Pacific has emerged at the forefront of our industry. We deliver groundbreaking real estate for the world's most innovative companies, and we do so in ways that foster sustainable, healthy and equitable cities  today and in the future."

Hudson Pacific acquires and develops premier creative office and studio properties in tech and media epicenters, including Los Angeles, Silicon Valley, San Francisco, Seattle and Vancouver. It is the largest publicly traded owner of office space in Silicon Valley and one of the largest independent owner/operators of studios in the U.S. The company's portfolio totals nearly 20 million square feet, including land for development. Throughout its history, Hudson Pacific has invested $1.5 billion in visionary development and adaptive reuse projects across its core markets, like its One Westside mall-to-creative-office conversion in West Los Angeles.

Hudson Pacific has an exemplary track record of innovation, both in terms of building design and technology integration, and environmental, social and governance (ESG) leadership through its Better Blueprint program. During the pandemic, health and safety-related operational changes, including increased ventilation and air filtration, affected energy needs. By September 2020, the company managed to achieve its 2025 100% net-zero carbon operations goal five years early through a strategic combination of energy efficiency, on-site and off-site renewables and verified emissions reduction credits.

Throughout 2020, Hudson Pacific adapted swiftly in a multitude of ways to deal with the unique environment created by the pandemic. From ongoing development and construction, to employee recruitment and engagement, Hudson Pacific teams met business objectives while reinforcing the company's commitment to health and safety, sustainability, and diversity, equity and inclusion. Hudson Pacific also worked closely with tenants large and small on rent relief and abatements to help keep them afloat during an uncertain time.

"It is NAIOP's honor to recognize the tremendous work of Hudson Pacific as the 2021 Developer of the Year. Their ongoing commitment to advancing the commercial real estate industry through cutting-edge innovation and exemplary ESG leadership is impressive," said Thomas J. Bisacquino, NAIOP president and CEO. "Hudson Pacific has demonstrated significant adaptability to the unique environment the pandemic created, putting its tenants first to sustain their businesses and strategically repositioning projects to meet evolving requirements that allowed tenants and employees to safely return to their properties."

Hudson Pacific employees are active NAIOP members across several association chapters, including NAIOP SoCal, NAIOP San Francisco Bay Area, NAIOP Silicon Valley, NAIOP Washington State and NAIOP Vancouver.

Since 1979, the NAIOP Developer of the Year award has been presented to a development company that best exemplifies leadership and innovation. Hudson Pacific was selected from an impressive slate of nominees and was evaluated by a team of seasoned developers on the following criteria: outstanding quality of projects and services; active support of the industry through NAIOP; financial consistency and stability; ability to adapt to market conditions; and support of the local community.

About NAIOP

NAIOP, the Commercial Real Estate Development Association is the leading organization for developers, owners, investors and related professionals in office, industrial, retail and mixed-use real estate. NAIOP provides unparalleled industry networking and education and advocates for effective legislation on behalf of our members. NAIOP advances responsible, sustainable development that creates jobs and benefits the communities in which our members work and live. For more information, visit naiop.org.

About Hudson Pacific Properties

Hudson Pacific is a real estate investment trust with a portfolio of office and studio properties totaling nearly 20 million square feet, including land for development. Focused on premier West Coast epicenters of innovation, media and technology, its anchor tenants include Fortune 500 and leading growth companies such as Google, Netflix, Riot Games, Square, Uber and more. Hudson Pacific is publicly traded on the NYSE under the symbol HPP and listed as a component of the S&P MidCap 400 Index. For more information visit HudsonPacificProperties.com.

NAIOP Contact:

Kathryn Hamilton, NAIOP vice president for marketing and communications

703-674-1429

[email protected]

Hudson Pacific Properties Contact:

Investor Contact: Laura Campbell

(310) 622-1702

[email protected]

Media Contact: Laura Murray

(310) 622-1781

[email protected]

SOURCE NAIOP

Related Links

http://www.naiop.org/


The Spanish Mercadona supermarket chain has bought more than 7,000 tonnes of avocados from suppliers in Malaga province during the 2021 season. The company said it is committed to selling fresh products and, specifically, local fruit and vegetables.

The local avocado harvest started last December, when the fruit reached optimum levels of maturity and flavour, and ended last April.

The company has also worked with different suppliers across the Andalusian provinces of Malaga, Granada, Cadiz and also in the Valencian region.

The local suppliers were, specifically, Jose Luis Montosa de Valle-Niza (Malaga), SAT 2803 Trops from Velez-Malaga (Malaga), Provelpack from Velez-Malaga (Malaga), Exceltrop from Velez-Malaga (Malaga), Tropical Millenium de Velez-Malaga (Malaga) and with Cultivar de Barcelona, a ripening company that has its own production plant in Malaga province.

Mercadona says it supports the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Foods initiative for seasonal fruits and vegetables, and has, for years, adhered to the voluntary code of good commercial practices in food contracting.
ALBANY, N.Y., June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Antithrombotic drugs are widely utilized in the healthcare sector as they assist in the inhibition or prevention of thrombus. To achieve this result, these drugs imitate the role of antithrombin, which is a protein molecule that plays key role in the clotting process of body. Antithrombin refers to a tiny protein that assists in the inactivation of many enzymes throughout the coagulation system. Thus, the product is employed in the treatment of many health issues including ECMO, hereditary antithrombin deficiency, sepsis, and DIC.

On the back of increased product use in treatment of abovementioned health issues, the global antithrombin market will expand at a decent CAGR of 5.3% throughout the assessment period of 2019 to 2027, note the analysts at Transparency Market Research (TMR). The market was accounted for about US$ 0.50 Bn in 2018.

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Antithrombin Market: Key Findings

Market Enterprises Focus on Research and Development Activities

Major players in the global antithrombin market are growing investments toward the research and development activities. This strategy is helping enterprises to develop innovative therapeutics that will help in fulfilling the growing market demand. This scenario depicts promising growth of the market in the years to come.

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Increased Use of Antithrombin in Different Health Conditions Boosts Market Sales

FDA has approved the use of antithrombin as anticoagulant. This product is widely utilized in the treatment of various health issues including venous thromboembolic issues found in patients with hereditary antithrombin deficiency. Moving forward, antithrombin is extensively incorporated in treatment of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and disseminated intravascular coagulation syndrome (DIC). Thus, increased occurrence of all these health conditions is working in favor of the growth of the global antithrombin market.

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Increased Incorporation of Technological Advancements Helps in Cost Savings

Over the period of past many years, the companies engaged in the global antithrombin market are growing focus on the incorporation of various technological advancements. This tactic is resulting into decreased costs on the therapeutic proteins production. As a result, the manufacturers and suppliers in this market are focused on newer opportunities of therapeutic protein production. Apart from this, they are also focused on the complex and longer chains of peptides. This scenario depicts that the technological advancements in antithrombin will help in generating promising growth opportunities for the market in the upcoming years.

Explore 175 pages of superlative research, current market scenario, and extensive geographical projections. Gain insights into Antithrombin Market (Application - Therapeutics, Research, and Diagnostics; Source - Human, and Goat Milk; Dosage Form - Lyophilized and Liquid) - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, & Forecast 2019 - 2027 at https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/report-toc/4500

Antithrombin Market: Growth Boosters

The global antithrombin treatment market is estimated to grow at prodigious pace in the years to come. One of the key factors pushing the market expansion includes rising cases of hereditary antithrombin deficiency in all worldwide locations. Moving forward, the players are expected to gather sizable revenues owing to growing acceptance of latest therapeutics all across the globe.

Over the period of past few years, there is considerable growth in the adoption of antithrombin in different health issues instead of conventional options. This scenario is working in favor of the global market for antithrombin.

Request for Custom Research - https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/custom-research.php

Antithrombin Market: Well-Established Participants

The report profiles key participants working in the antithrombin market. Thus, it sheds light on various important aspects including the company overview, product portfolio, financial overview, recent developments, and business strategies of the players in this market.

The list of key players in the antithrombin market includes following names:

Grifols

rEVO Biologics, Inc.

CSL Limited

Shire plc.

Octapharma AG

Kedrion S.p.A

Lee Bisolutions

Dem ilac Inc

Scripps Laboratories, Inc.

Diapharma

Explore Transparency Market Research's award-winning coverage of the global Healthcare Industry:

Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Machine Market: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/extracorporeal-membrane-oxygenation-machine-market.html

Anticoagulants Market: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/anticoagulants-marke.html

About Us

Transparency Market Research is a next-generation market intelligence provider, offering fact-based solutions to business leaders, consultants, and strategy professionals.

Our reports are single-point solutions for businesses to grow, evolve, and mature. Our real-time data collection methods along with ability to track more than one million high growth niche products are aligned with your aims. The detailed and proprietary statistical models used by our analysts offer insights for making right decision in the shortest span of time. For organizations that require specific but comprehensive information we offer customized solutions through adhoc reports. These requests are delivered with the perfect combination of right sense of fact-oriented problem solving methodologies and leveraging existing data repositories.

TMR believes that unison of solutions for clients-specific problems with right methodology of research is the key to help enterprises reach right decision."

Browse More Upcoming Reports by Transparency Market Research: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/upcoming.html

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Transparency Market Research

State Tower,

90 State Street,

Suite 700,

Albany NY - 12207

United States

USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453

Email: [email protected]

Press Release Source: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/pressrelease/antithrombin-market.html

Website: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/

SOURCE Transparency Market Research
NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J., June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) will host a conference call for investors at 8:30 a.m. (Eastern Time) on Wednesday, July 21st to review second-quarter results. Joseph J. Wolk, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer and Christopher DelOrefice, Vice President, Investor Relations will host the call. The question and answer portion of the call will also include Alex Gorsky, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.

Investors and other interested parties can access the webcast/conference call in the following ways:

The webcast and presentation material are accessible at Johnson & Johnson's website www.investor.jnj.com. A replay of the webcast will be available approximately three hours after the conference call concludes.

By telephone: for both "listen-only" participants and those financial analysts who wish to take part in the question-and-answer portion of the call, the telephone dial-in number in the U.S. is 877-869-3847. For participants outside the U.S., the dial-in number is 201-689-8261.

A replay of the conference call will be available until approximately 12:00 a.m. on August 4, 2021 . The replay dial-in number for U.S. participants is 877-660-6853. For participants outside the U.S., the replay dial-in number is 201-612-7415. The replay conference ID number for all callers is 13719862.

on . The replay dial-in number for U.S. participants is 877-660-6853. For participants outside the U.S., the replay dial-in number is 201-612-7415. The replay conference ID number for all callers is 13719862. The press release will be available at approximately 6:45 a.m. (Eastern Time) the morning of the conference call.

the morning of the conference call. Please refer to www.investor.jnj.com for a complete list of currently planned 2021 earnings webcast/conference calls. Please note the third-quarter date of Tuesday, October 19 th, 2021.

About Johnson & Johnson

At Johnson & Johnson, we believe good health is the foundation of vibrant lives, thriving communities and forward progress. That's why for more than 130 years, we have aimed to keep people well at every age and every stage of life. Today, as the world's largest and most broadly-based health care company, we are committed to using our reach and size for good. We strive to improve access and affordability, create healthier communities, and put a healthy mind, body and environment within reach of everyone, everywhere. We are blending our heart, science and ingenuity to profoundly change the trajectory of health for humanity.

SOURCE Johnson & Johnson
Rebuild SoCal Partnership is a non-profit organization dedicated to working with elected officials and educating the public in Southern California on the continued need for infrastructure funding and enhance the regions' workforce development while creating career construction jobs.

"I am excited about where I see the Partnership headed," said incoming Executive Director Jon Switalski. "To join such an outstanding organization and be able to take it to the next level is a once in a lifetime opportunity."

Prior to joining RSCP, Switalski has achieved over 20 years of public policy experience beginning in 2005 as a County Commissioner in Macomb County, Michigan and then was elected to the Michigan House of Representatives serving until being term-limited at the end of 2014.

Living and working in Southern California since 2015, he most recently was the Principal at Spring Street Consulting, which specializes in public policy and government affairs. Notably, Switalski also previously served as the Director, External Affairs at River LA.

Switalski attended Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids, MI where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Political Science.

ABOUT REBUILD SOCAL PARTNERSHIP  Founded in 2016, The Rebuild SoCal Partnership, (RSCP) is an organization that represents 2,750 construction firms and more than 90,000 union workers in all 12 Southern California counties. Based in Anaheim, California  RSCP is dedicated to working with elected officials and educating the public on the continued need for essential infrastructure funding including airports, bridges, ports, rail, roads, and water.

Rebuild SoCal Partnership has recently launched the Rebuild SoCal Zone Podcast which is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and other platforms where podcasts are available.

To learn more about the RebuildSoCal Partnership please visit www.RebuildSoCal.org.

SOURCE Rebuild SoCal Partnership

Related Links

https://www.socalworks.org


LONDON, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Kin Fund Services (www.kinfundservices.com) has acquired Company Secretarial business Derringtons for an undisclosed sum. The deal adds to Kin's existing service lines of 3rd party fund management, fund administration and compliance consultancy.

Established in 2006, Derringtons provides a broad range Company Secretarial services, ranging from corporate governance advice through to day to day Companies House filings. Clients range from listed investment funds to start-up businesses. The business was founded by Jane Muir, a fellow of the Chartered Governance Institute UK and Ireland (previously known as the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators).

"This acquisition is a natural fit for us and our clients. Kin's overall aim is to make life easier for Venture Capitalists; allowing them to focus on doing deals and allowing them to improve the experience they provide to investors. Particularly with fast growth businesses, founders have rarely got the time, skills or inclination for Company Secretarial work. Being in control of the Company Secretarial work allows us to make sure it is done to a high standard and better support our Asset Manager clients," said Christian Elmes, Kin Co-Principal.

"This transaction is a great step for us. It brings a number of benefits to our existing client base; not least easy access to the broad range of services that Kin provides," said Jane Muir, Derringtons founder.

About Kin Fund Services

Part of Kin Group, the core of the business dates back over ten years. Originally starting out as a placement agent, the business has grown a broad range of fund services. These include Fund Management, Fund Administration, Compliance Consultancy, now Company Secretarial services and other services to be announced later this year.

Unusually for a fund administrator, Kin has invested substantially in building its own proprietary digital infrastructure, rather than outsourcing this to third parties. This allows it to customise and tailor its infrastructure around its clients and give best in class investor experience.

Kin is responsible for providing Custodian, Nominee and Administrator services to many thousands of investors. These range from the British Business Bank, well known global businesses and University endowments, through to private individuals investing a few thousand pounds.

SOURCE Kin Fund Services
SELBYVILLE, Del., June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the latest report, "Laboratory Temperature Control Units Market by Product (Laboratory Temperature Controllers, Laboratory Thermostats, Laboratory Chillers, Laboratory Circulators), Modality (Standalone/Benchtop, Portable/Handheld), End-Use (Hospitals, Pharma & Biotech Industry, Chemical Industry, Food & Beverage Industry), Regional Outlook, Price Trends, Competitive Market Share & Forecast 2027", by Global Market Insights Inc., the market valuation of laboratory temperature-control units will cross $763 million by 2027. Technological upgrades in laboratory temperature-control units will foster the market growth.

Major laboratory temperature-control units market players include Peter Huber K?ltemaschinenbau, Delta T Systems, Bio-Rad Laboratories, Eurodifroid, LAUDA, FRYKA-K?ltetechnik, IKA, Thermo Fisher Scientific, JULABO and PolyScience.

Growing emphasis of biotechnology as well as pharmaceutical establishments on innovative drug development for the diagnosis and management of several ailments are among the foremost aspects augmenting the market progression. The pharmaceutical industry accounts for the largest expenditure for research and development amongst all other industries. Therefore, the R&D sector remains at the core of the industry. There has been increasing involvement of market players as well as research institutions for the development of novel products. The increasing research and development activities and the increasing importance of temperature control in the research process is likely to boost the industry growth.

Request a sample of this research report @ https://www.gminsights.com/request-sample/detail/4681.

Laboratory temperature controllers is estimated to showcase around a 10.5% growth rate through 2027. Laboratory temperature controllers are now being used in the healthcare sector to maintain temperature stability and accuracy. These controllers are available in single loop and multi-loop that foster the segment demand.

The portable/handheld segment in the laboratory temperature-control units market will exhibit over 7.5% CAGR during 2021 to 2027, as these devices can provide flexibility in different processes. Accessibility towards a variety of portable/handheld temperature-control units and their growing usage and demand will fuel the market expansion. Similarly, portable devices are easy for handling as well as transportation as compared to standalone, thus surging their adoption rate.

The laboratory temperature-control units market in the chemical industry end-use segment accounted for around USD 60 million in 2020 led by the rising need for temperature regulation during various chemical processes. Different types of temperature-control equipment are used to provide the optimum temperature conditions that ultimately yield the desired reaction output.

Asia Pacific laboratory temperature-control units market captured over 19% of the revenue share in 2020 owing to the technological advancements in laboratory temperature-control products along with rising R&D expenditure and the presence of several industry participants. Moreover, growing investments for developing superior quality temperature-control products will further favor regional expansion.

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Some of the eminent companies operational in the market include Peter Huber Kaltemaschinenbau, Delta T Systems, Bio-Rad Laboratories, Eurodifroid, LAUDA, FRYKA-Kaltetechnik, IKA, Thermo Fisher Scientific, JULABO and PolyScience. The industry players are focusing on developing superior-quality products that help the company increase its market share internationally.

Table of Contents (ToC) of the report:

Chapter 3 Laboratory Temperature Control Units Market Insights

3.1 Industry segmentation

3.2 Industry landscape, 2016 - 2027

3.3 Industry impact forces

3.3.1 Growth drivers

3.3.2 Industry pitfalls and challenges

3.4 Growth potential analysis

3.4.1 By product

3.4.2 By modality

3.4.3 By end-use

3.5 COVID-19 impact analysis

3.6 Porter's analysis

3.7 Competitive landscape, 2020

3.7.1 Competitive matrix analysis, 2020

3.8 PESTEL analysis

Browse the complete Table of Contents (ToC) @ https://www.gminsights.com/toc/detail/laboratory-temperature-control-units-market

About Global Market Insights Inc.

Global Market Insights Inc., headquartered in Delaware, U.S., is a global market research and consulting service provider, offering syndicated and custom research reports along with growth consulting services. Our business intelligence and industry research reports offer clients penetrative insights and actionable market data specially designed and presented to aid strategic decision-making. These exhaustive reports are designed via a proprietary research methodology and are available for key industries, such as chemicals, advanced materials, technology, renewable energy, and biotechnology.

Contact Us:

Arun Hegde

Corporate Sales, USA

Global Market Insights Inc.

Phone: 1-302-846-7766

Toll Free: 1-888-689-0688

Email: [email protected]

Related Images

laboratory-temperature-control.png

Laboratory Temperature-Control Units Market Growth Predicted at 6% Through 2027: GMI

Major laboratory temperature-control units market players include Peter Huber Kaltemaschinenbau, Delta T Systems, Bio-Rad Laboratories, Eurodifroid, LAUDA, FRYKA-Kaltetechnik, IKA, Thermo Fisher Scientific, JULABO and PolyScience.

SOURCE Global Market Insights Inc.
SAN FRANCISCO, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Lilt, the modern language service and technology provider, today announced its inaugural State of the Localization industry survey and report . Gathering perspectives from over 900 experts involved in localization across a range of enterprise departments, this new industry survey provides insight into localization team organizational structures, strategies, goals, and expectations for the future.

"We're excited to launch the inaugural edition of our annual industry survey and report, as we felt that there were valuable insights that weren't widely available." said Peter McCall, Head of Marketing at Lilt. "With this new annual survey and report, we are excited to provide localization leaders and their organizations a source of information and best practices as they look to build and improve their programs."

COVID-19 has dramatically accelerated digital transformation across the world, and the demands and dynamics of localization teams are adapting accordingly. The following trends present key dynamics that teams face as they adapt in a digital-first world:

Trend 1: Volume and demand for localized content are growing.

The events of the past year have led to a corresponding increase in demand for digital enterprise content. 72% of companies report an increase in the volume of localized content they have had to produce over the past year.



"In a year of pandemic and a rapid shift to digital-first, many companies took a long hard look at the state of their global customer experience, and realized that supporting a variety of native languages was a core part of that experience," said McCall.

Trend 2: Enterprises underestimate the complexity that localization involves.

While demand for localization is growing, internal support within enterprises is not. 78% of respondents are routinely challenged by internal issues and lack of support. Those responsible for localization spend a large portion of their time teaching others in their organization about how localization works and why it is important. Many also note limited bandwidth as a key pain point, indicating that time dedicated to internal evangelization could more aptly be spent on other more valuable localization responsibilities.

Trend 3: "Status quo" is no longer good enough.

68% of companies report being satisfied with their language service providers, but 53% are also actively considering or evaluating new language vendors. Many noted that their current vendors were struggling to scale as new business needs arose, and content volumes and timelines increased. Others attributed their vendor search to a need for a more flexible, responsive vendor with fewer legacy processes given the pace of today's digital world.

Lilt's 2021 State of the Localization Industry survey was conducted by surveying over 900 respondents with quantitative questions, and supplemented with qualitative interviews across a range of those same respondents. Following this report, Lilt will release supplemental reports that delve into additional details by industry, company size, and more.

Lilt's State of the Localization Industry report is available today free of charge and can be accessed here . For more information about this study, please reach out to [email protected] .

About Lilt

Headquartered in San Francisco, Lilt is the modern language service and technology provider enabling localized customer experiences. Lilt's mission is to make the world's information accessible to everyone regardless of where they were born or which language they speak. Lilt brings human-powered, technology-assisted translations to global enterprises, empowering product, marketing, support, e-commerce, and localization teams to deliver exceptional customer experiences to global audiences. Lilt gives industry-leading organizations like Intel, ASICS, WalkMe, DigitalOcean, and Canva everything they need to scale their localization programs and go-to-market faster. Lilt has additional global offices in Dublin, Berlin, Washington, D.C. and Indianapolis. Visit us online at www.lilt.com or contact us at [email protected] .

SOURCE Lilt

Related Links

http://www.lilt.com


CHICAGO, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Mekky Media Relations Inc. is celebrating the milestone of five years in business this month with the announcement of another round of national public relations honors, including prestigious Gold and Silver Stevie's in the American Business Awards -- in categories of PR Agency of the Year and PR Campaign of the Year (for the Edie's All Day Cafe & Bar campaign). In addition, founder/president Michelle Mekky has received a Ragan and PR Daily Communicator of the Year Award, which recognizes the industry's best practitioners from the past year.

Mekky Media Relations

The recognition is the latest in a series of high-profile honors that Mekky Media has achieved over the past five years, a period of consistent growth and success for the agency. Even throughout the pandemic, Mekky Media has expanded its client list and internal team, recently hiring several new account executives and managers and moving into a new office through WorkBox Coworking Co. in Chicago's Gold Coast.

"I can hardly believe how far we've come since I launched the company at my dining room table -- with zero clients -- in June 2016," Mekky says. "I feel this anniversary is important in that it proves we are a sustainable business that is here for the long term."

Mekky adds that she's proud of the team she's built, the creative work the agency has done and the powerful results achieved for clients. "I think we've solidified our reputation as a PR leader, and that's why so many organizations are constantly reaching out and looking for our assistance. This is only the beginning for Mekky Media."

The long and growing client list includes businesses and nonprofits in Chicago and coast to coast. Mekky Media -- a member of the International Public Relations Network (IPRN), Forbes Agency Council and Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) -- provides PR strategy, media relations, media training, event promotion, social media strategy and influencer outreach. Since March 2020, the agency has pivoted to meet needs created by the challenging business climate. This meant expanding services to include integrated digital and PR campaigns, personal branding and internal communications.

This approach resulted in many new clients taking note and seeking to partner with Mekky Media. Recent client additions include cannabis company PharmaCann, hot new Chicago restaurant concept Adalina and international women's tech conference GirlCon, to name a few. Mekky Media also continues to work with organizations that have long been on its roster, such as Abt Electronics and Wealth Management Group, and the agency is a leader in representing many top nonprofits, such as Chicago Lights and the Center for Enriched Living. In addition, the agency and Mekky, who is a cancer survivor, support the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition and Triage Cancer.

On June 4, Mekky Media celebrated its five-year anniversary at Vu Rooftop Bar in Chicago, with members of the media, several day-one supporters and clients and others who have been part of the agency's successful journey. "We're thankful we could come together and celebrate our success with some of the people who helped make it possible," Mekky says. "I feel extremely fortunate that our agency has not only survived and thrived in our first five years but that over the past year, which has been such a challenging time for small businesses, we have been able to have some major wins for the agency."

To learn more, visit www.MekkyMedia.com.

CONTACT: RACHEL SHAYKIN, MEKKY MEDIA RELATIONS

[email protected], 847-331-5861

WWW.MEKKYMEDIA.COM

SOURCE Mekky Media Relations

Related Links

http://www.MekkyMedia.com


As school districts across the country work hard to reopen and stay open, and vaccination rates increase among young adults and adults, regular testing remains critical for supporting students, teachers and staff working to maintain in-person learning environments. Pooled classroom testing, which combines anterior nasal swab samples from all consenting individuals in a classroom and runs them as a single test, is a simple and scalable way to easily test many people at once while minimizing resource strain.

We believe Concentric by Ginkgo's pooled testing program, which is used by schools in hundreds of communities across the country, including in statewide programs in Massachusetts, Arizona, and Maine, will be straightforward for schools across the state of New Hampshire to implement. Ginkgo will provide all the training and testing materials necessary, as well as staffing, lab, and data processing services. Students, teachers, nurses and school administrators alike have described the testing process as simple and painless. This comprehensive program will include PCR pooled testing, as well as individual molecular or rapid testing for follow-up.

Pooled testing is a strategy that builds on many measures undertaken by school and public health systems, including vaccination, symptom screening, physical distancing and facilities improvements, masks/face coverings, hand hygiene, use of personal protective equipment, and monitoring of return to school after illness.

The goal of Concentric by Ginkgo, the public health and biosecurity effort at Ginkgo, is to provide easy, affordable pooled testing to every school in America. Ginkgo has previously been selected to provide testing within other districts including Massachusetts K-12 schools through a program with the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and the Executive Office of Health and Human Services, and Maine public PK-12 schools and private K-12 schools through a program with the Maine Departments of Health and Human Services and Education. Concentric by Ginkgo also provides or will provide testing to programs in Arizona, Baltimore City, Montgomery County in Maryland, Milwaukee, and other cities and districts across the country. Learn more about Concentric by Ginkgo and its ongoing COVID-19 response efforts here .

"Pooled testing is a powerful tool that New Hampshire communities can leverage to give students, teachers and families confidence and data as they operate in-person learning," said Matthew McKnight, Ginkgo Bioworks' Chief Commercial Officer. "We built Concentric because everyone's health is connected, and we're proud to work with districts across New Hampshire to support comprehensive testing within their school communities. Concentric's team is committed to bringing low-cost, widespread testing to states like New Hampshire so that we can advance our goal of quickly and easily testing every student in America, every week."

About Ginkgo Bioworks

Ginkgo is building a platform to enable customers to program cells as easily as we can program computers. The company's platform is enabling biotechnology applications across diverse markets, from food and agriculture to industrial chemicals to pharmaceuticals. Ginkgo is also actively supporting a number of COVID-19 response efforts, including K-12 pooled testing, vaccine manufacturing optimization and therapeutics discovery. For more information, visit www.ginkgobioworks.com .

Media Contacts:

[email protected]

SOURCE Ginkgo Bioworks
NEW YORK, June 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Luis Almagro, Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), told the worldwide American Jewish Committee (AJC) 2021 Virtual Global Forum today that he is issuing an executive order to create the position of OAS Commissioner for Monitoring and Combating Antisemitism.

"The Commissioner's main responsibilities will be to promote adoption and implementation by all countries in the region of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism, and to vigorously engage states and civil society organizations to raise awareness of the need to remain alert to all forms of antisemitism," said Almagro.

The groundbreaking announcement came during Almagro's remarks about OAS efforts to combat terrorism and antisemitism, and to show support for Israel.

Two years ago, at the AJC Global Forum, Almagro received AJC's Champion of Democracy Award. At the time, he announced that the OAS was adopting the IHRA working definition and would urge its 35 member states to do the same. Today, Almagro said the OAS has applied for IHRA membership as an institutional partner. In addition, the OAS and AJC are working on the publication of a Latin American version of the Handbook for the Practical Use of the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism published by the European Commission in January.

Almagro's decision to create the antisemitism commissioner position follows on the establishment in recent years of similar posts in Europe, Canada, and the United States. "We are confident that our hemisphere needs to be adequately prepared to face the growing threats of antisemitism in the same way that many other nations and democratic international bodies have done so," said Almagro.

"Antisemitism has had traumatic and violent dimensions in our region," said Almagro, citing the 1994 terrorist bombing of AMIA in Buenos Aires, the 1992 terrorist attack against the Israeli Embassy in Argentina, violent attacks against the Chilean Jewish community, and the use of antisemitism as an ideological political tool. "All are clear examples of threats not just against Jewish communities, but against the society to which they belong," he emphasized.

Almagro also expressed profound concern about relentless attacks on Israel. "We are witnessing antisemitic campaigns in many places trying to delegitimize Israel and calling for its disappearance," added Almagro. "I want to say it loud and clear  calling for the disappearance of the State of Israel is an act of terrorism and is plain, simple antisemitism."

Last month, the OAS Secretary General declared Hamas a terrorist organization. He told the AJC Global Forum today that the OAS "is pressing individual countries in the region to do the same." At the 2019 AJC Global Forum, he declared that the OAS was designating Hezbollah a terrorist organization.

AJC CEO David Harris enthusiastically praised Almagro. "Let the world know that moral courage and moral clarity have a home in the office of the Secretary General of the Organization of American States, who has just made history," said Harris.

"Secretary General Almagro has just said to the world for the first time that the OAS will establish a commissioner, whose job it will be to monitor and combat antisemitism, and to encourage individual member nations to follow suit," said Harris. "We have also heard a clarion call to support the State of Israel, its right to defend itself, and very clear words regarding Hamas and Hezbollah."

The OAS is the oldest and most prominent multilateral organization in the Western Hemisphere. It comprises 35 member countries. AJC was granted NGO status at the OAS in 2005.

SOURCE American Jewish Committee

Related Links

http://www.ajc.org


DALLAS, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC ("Oncor") CEO Allen Nye will participate in Sempra Energy's (NYSE: SRE) virtual Investor Day event on June 29 at 12 p.m. ET. Nye will provide an update on Oncor's business strategy, operations and financial outlook.

Investors, analysts, media and the public may listen to a live webcast of the conference call on Sempra Energy's website, sempra.com, by clicking on the appropriate audio link.

Prior to Sempra Energy's conference call, the presentation slides (including Oncor's slides) will be posted by 7 a.m. ET, Tuesday, June 29, to the investor section of Sempra Energy's website. A replay of the webcast will also be available at sempra.com, within 24 hours after its conclusion.

Headquartered in Dallas, Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC is a regulated electricity distribution and transmission business that uses superior asset management skills to provide reliable electricity delivery to consumers. Oncor (together with its subsidiaries) operates the largest distribution and transmission system in Texas, delivering power to more than 3.7 million homes and businesses and operating more than 139,000 miles of transmission and distribution lines in Texas. While Oncor is owned by two investors (indirect majority owner, Sempra Energy, and minority owner, Texas Transmission Investment LLC), Oncor is managed by its Board of Directors, which is comprised of a majority of disinterested directors.

SOURCE Oncor Electric Delivery Company, LLC
Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, talks to local Tibetan residents while visiting a village of Shaliuhe Township in Gangcha County of Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Qinghai Province, June 8, 2021. Xi on Tuesday visited Gangcha County during his inspection tour of Qinghai Province. (Xinhua/Li Xueren) Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, on Tuesday visited Gangcha County in Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture during his inspection tour of northwest China's Qinghai Province. Xi was briefed about the environmental protection efforts in the Qilian Mountains and Qinghai Lake. At the lake, he inspected achievements made in comprehensively addressing environmental problems and protecting biodiversity. Xi also visited a village of Shaliuhe Township to learn about the lives of local Tibetan residents. Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, learns about the lives of local Tibetan residents while visiting a village of Shaliuhe Township in Gangcha County of Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Qinghai Province, June 8, 2021. Xi on Tuesday visited Gangcha County during his inspection tour of Qinghai Province. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, learns about the lives of local Tibetan residents while visiting a village of Shaliuhe Township in Gangcha County of Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Qinghai Province, June 8, 2021. Xi on Tuesday visited Gangcha County during his inspection tour of Qinghai Province. (Xinhua/Li Xueren) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, learns about the lives of local Tibetan residents while visiting a village of Shaliuhe Township in Gangcha County of Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Qinghai Province, June 8, 2021. Xi on Tuesday visited Gangcha County during his inspection tour of Qinghai Province. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, talks to local Tibetan residents while visiting a village of Shaliuhe Township in Gangcha County of Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Qinghai Province, June 8, 2021. Xi on Tuesday visited Gangcha County during his inspection tour of Qinghai Province. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, waves to local Tibetan residents after visiting a village of Shaliuhe Township in Gangcha County of Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Qinghai Province, June 8, 2021. Xi on Tuesday visited Gangcha County during his inspection tour of Qinghai Province. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, inspects achievements made in comprehensively addressing environmental problems and protecting biodiversity at the Qinghai Lake, in Gangcha County of Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Qinghai Province, June 8, 2021. Xi on Tuesday visited Gangcha County during his inspection tour of Qinghai Province. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, is briefed about the environmental protection efforts in the Qilian Mountains and Qinghai Lake, and inspects achievements made in comprehensively addressing environmental problems and protecting biodiversity at the lake, in Gangcha County of Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Qinghai Province, June 8, 2021. Xi on Tuesday visited Gangcha County during his inspection tour of Qinghai Province. (Xinhua/Li Xueren) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, is briefed about the environmental protection efforts in the Qilian Mountains and Qinghai Lake, and inspects achievements made in comprehensively addressing environmental problems and protecting biodiversity at the lake, in Gangcha County of Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Qinghai Province, June 8, 2021. Xi on Tuesday visited Gangcha County during his inspection tour of Qinghai Province. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi) Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, is briefed about the environmental protection efforts in the Qilian Mountains and Qinghai Lake, and inspects achievements made in comprehensively addressing environmental problems and protecting biodiversity at the lake, in Gangcha County of Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Qinghai Province, June 8, 2021. Xi on Tuesday visited Gangcha County during his inspection tour of Qinghai Province. (Xinhua/Li Xueren)
The presence of dog poop on the streets of Spain is one of the aspects that bothers many people, whether pedestrians who have to try to dodge it or municipal officials who have to spend thousands of euros a year to get rid of it from pavements and parks.

It has been shown that "one of the most effective measures" to prevent the proliferation of poop in the streets is fines. However, most councils consider it a minor offence with an average penalty of 259 euros, according to a study carried out by the OCU consumers group in Spain.

The report reveals that the number of fines imposed last year for this offence was very low (in Pamplona, Gijon, Lerida and Valencia it was zero) and the average amount collected is "almost anecdotal" at 1,794 euros on average - except in the case of Malaga, with a total of 166 penalties and more than 40,000 euros collected for the public coffers.

One of the difficulties is tracing the owners of the dogs to collect the fine, a problem that could be overcome by having a mandatory canine genetic database that allows the owner to be identified through a sample of blood or saliva from their pet.

Luis Medina-Montoya at Malaga city council acknowledges that the canine DNA analysis has been "very effective" in punishing offenders. We believe it will be the pet identification system of the future. No matter how many awareness campaigns we do, in the end people only understand when you hit their pocket," he says.

Malaga and Zaragoza are the first provincial capitals that have used this DNA database system to improve the cleanliness of their streets, in addition to a score of small towns, mostly in Catalonia and Valencia. It would also allow authorities to locate the owners of lost, abandoned or abused dogs.

The procedure is very simple. Dog owners have to take their pets to a vet, where a blood or saliva sample is taken, which is then associated with its microchip identification number.

"The sample is sent to a laboratory and the genotype is registered in the municipal database," says Noelia Diaz, vice secretary of the Official College of Veterinarians of Malaga, pioneers in this canine identification system.

The analysis costs between 35 and 45 euros on average. Some towns subsidise it, for a period of time, to encourage people to comply with the obligation to register their dogs. After the deadline, the owner must pay the full cost of the analysis," explains Pablo Muniz Gabilondo, author of an exhaustive study on how the issue of dog poop is managed in the different Spanish towns.

He says, "The genetic profile of each animal is unique. If the sample collected on the street contains more than one DNA string (for example, because another dog has peed on someone else's poop), it is rejected.

The majority of towns recover the cost of running the schemes through fines. Of the 87 samples collected in Malaga during the months of January and February of this year, at a cost to the town hall coffers of 3,045 euros, the 16 positive results translated into 3,472 euros of income in the form of fines.
Through the partnership, OnSolve and Base Operations create a first-of-its-kind AI-driven risk assessment Tweet this

Through the partnership, OnSolve and Base Operations create a first-of-its-kind AI-driven risk assessment that takes into account past, current and future critical events and provides a full view of risk in a designated area relative to an organization's people, places or property. The capability is rooted in contextual, relative micro-intelligence from Base Operations, such as neighborhood threat/crime ratings based on seasonality or time of day, and then fueled by real-time monitoring of a critical event as it unfolds with OnSolve Risk Intelligence.

OnSolve Risk Intelligence uses machine learning to ingest thousands of verified data sources, identify the most relevant critical events facing an organization and deliver these alerts to the right people at the right time  far faster than third party analysts. Together, these solutions will allow customers to focus on taking the right action where and when it is needed with improved response times.

"Innovations in risk intelligence technology are changing the way threats are detected and acted on, and partnerships like this are further advancing the industry to protect organizations' people and property," said Cory Siskind, Base Operations CEO. "As companies increasingly integrate technology into their risk intelligence for business continuity and security, it's imperative to continue enhancing our offerings to meet our customers' evolving needs, and we're thrilled to do so in partnership with OnSolve."

To learn more about OnSolve Risk Intelligence, please visit onsolve.com. To learn more about Base Operations, please visit baseoperations.com.

About OnSolve

With billions of alerts sent annually and over 60 combined years of proven support to both the public and private sectors, OnSolve delivers critical event management capabilities backed by unmatched industry expertise, which keeps our customers safe, informed, assured and productive when it matters most. We do that through a SaaS-based global portfolio that delivers scalable, easy-to-deploy-and-use solutions for the rapid and secure exchange of vital information and coordination among organizations, people, devices and partners, regardless of the situation or level of need. For more information, please visit www.onsolve.com.

About Base Operations

Base Operations helps companies protect their people and assets with its predictive threat analytics platform for enterprise security departments. Base Operations combines field expertise and AI to aggregate billions of incident data points into the industry's only, street-level, threat intelligence platform. It provides actionable information to facilitate risk assessments, operations, travel security, executive protection, site selection, and supply chain security. Customers include Fortune 1000s with award-winning security teams who cite that Base Operations allows them to write reports and briefs 80% faster and rate it 10 out of 10.

SOURCE OnSolve

Related Links

https://www.onsolve.com


"Learning about people of color, learning about marginalized people, learning the whole of American history is as important as learning quantum physics or English literature," said Malveaux, who is president emerita of Bennett College in North Carolina.

As a feminist and labor economist, Malveaux has focused on issues such as women in the workforce, the impact of racial wealth inequities on economic productivity and the implications of government policies on workers' health on the job.

Cal State LA President William A. Covino said Malveaux's long and accomplished record in academia and her history of advocacy will serve her well in her new role as dean of the college.

"I look forward to the work that the college will do and the collaborations that will emerge under Dr. Malveaux's leadership," Covino said. "This is a significant appointment for the college, but also for the city and the nation."

The College of Ethnic Studies is home to the Department of Asian and Asian American Studies, the Department of Chicana(o) and Latina(o) Studies and the Department of Pan-African Studies. The college's inaugural year coincided with a global pandemic that shone a light on racial disparities; the murder of George Floyd, which pushed the nation's history of racial injustices to the forefront; police shootings of Black people; violence against members of the Asian American and Pacific Islander community; and the humanitarian crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border.

The college aims to develop leaders "who will engage in rigorous, self-reflexive study that motivates critical engagement, self-determination and decolonial understandings of the world."



"Like my ethnic studies colleagues, I feel that we are really fortunate to have recruited such a distinguished leader as our inaugural dean," said Professor Jun Xing, who serves as chair of the Department of Asian and Asian American Studies. "Dr. Malveaux's rich experience, national stature and leadership vision will for sure help raise the new college's profile and make it into a local, national and international center of excellence in the field of ethnic studies."

Malveaux brings a wealth of knowledge and skills honed during decades in academia and as a columnist, author and activist.

She has taught at several colleges and universities, including Meharry Medical College, Michigan State, UC Davis, UC Berkeley and San Francisco State. From 2007 to 2012, Malveaux served as president of Bennett College, which is a historically Black liberal arts college for women.

For many years, Malveaux wrote a nationally syndicated column that explored economics, policy and race. She also served as a television and radio commentator and was a contributing columnist for the publication that is now known as Diverse: Issues in Higher Education, and is a contributing writer for Essence magazine.

Malveaux is president of PUSH Excel, the independent education policy and scholarship arm of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition.

She holds a Ph.D. in economics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and master's and bachelor's degrees in economics from Boston College. She holds four honorary degrees.

Malveaux will begin as dean on July 1, 2021.

Contact: Cal State LA Communications and Public Affairs, 323-343-3050, [email protected]

SOURCE Cal State LA
Company Sales Leaders Attend European Vitamins, Minerals, Supplements Program Connecting with International Retailers

VANCOUVER, BC, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Rritual Superfoods Inc. ("Rritual" or the "Company") (CSE: RSF) (FSE: 0RW) (OTC: RRSFF) is pleased to announce that the Company has scheduled several meetings with international retailers at the ECRM European Vitamins, Minerals, Herbals, Supplements Program. In attendance at the conference will be names such as Superdrug, Holland & Barret, Boots, Clicks, Stephenson's, BIPA Parfumerien, Ocean Healthcare, and Laboratories URGO among others.

"We're placing a strong emphasis on international expansion and have set aggressive growth targets for the rest of this year and beyond. I am extremely encouraged by the interest we've received from international retailers in advance of this ECRM event." said Rritual CEO, Mr. David Kerbel.

"Rritual's performance at the ECRM Buyer's Choice Awards in the United States was not only a vote of confidence for the long-term potential of our product line but also a clear indication that there is strong demand for high-quality and accessible products among mainstream consumers and retailers alike. Our team looks forward to continuing to build relationships in the retail space and is thrilled to showcase the benefits of plant-based therapies to European audiences."

Rritual product offerings are all USDA-certified organic and are a caffeine-free option that can be mixed with other beverages or enjoyed by itself. Rritual's proprietary Immune-Synergy Six Mushroom Blend is the only functional health product on the market that contains a daily prebiotic blend which nourishes a healthy gut microbiome and facilitates balanced digestive function.

About Rritual

Rritual is a functional superfood company that creates plant-based elixirs, which support immunity, focus and relaxation. The company is poised to dominate a segment where demand and sales are growing exponentially. Under the executive leadership with over 100 years of CPG pedigree, Rritual is launching in North America in Q2 2021 as the company positions itself as a leader in the functional health and wellness industry. Rritual's superfood elixirs can be found online at www.rritual.com.

Follow Rritual on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram.

Functional Foods Market

According to Grandview Research*, it is estimated that the global functional food market is projected to reach $275 billion by 2025, growing at 7.9% each year with consumers putting more emphasis on health and wellness.



*https://www.grandviewresearch.com/press-release/global-functional-foods-market



Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation (collectively, "forward-looking statements") that relate to Rritual's current expectations and views of future events. Any statements that express, or involve discussions as to, expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, through the use of words or phrases such as "will likely result", "are expected to", "expects", "will continue", "is anticipated", "anticipates", "believes", "estimated", "intends", "plans", "forecast", "projection", "strategy", "objective" and "outlook") are not historical facts and may be forward-looking statements and may involve estimates, assumptions and uncertainties which could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those expressed in such forward-looking statements. No assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and such forward-looking statements included in this news release should not be unduly relied upon. These statements speak only as of the date of this news release. In particular and without limitation, this news release contains forward-looking statements relating to the Company's plans to leverage third party manufacturing and logistics, the Company's broader retail distribution plans and the Company's other plans, focus and objectives.

Forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond Rritual's control, which could cause actual results and events to differ materially from those that are disclosed in or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the impact and progression of the COVID-19 pandemic and other factors set forth under "Forward-Looking Statements" and "Risk Factors" in the final long form prospectus of the Company dated February 26, 2021 and available under the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Rritual undertakes no obligation 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 law. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for Rritual to predict all of them or assess the impact of each such factor or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. Any forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement.

SOURCE Rritual Superfoods Inc.
LAGUNA BEACH, Calif., June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- One of the dark shadows to emerge from the pandemic was PPP fraud, particularly false claims made by wealthy individuals and/or businesses that were thriving during the shutdown. Sentinel has retained renowned Orange County attorney Edward Susolik, who has handled many high-profile cases over the years and whose law firm has the largest jury verdict in Orange County history, to lead their fight in this case.

"Perhaps the most egregious example occurred right here in Orange County, and it is impacting local restaurant businesses, chefs and restaurant workers who cannot escape the legal ramifications of this fraud," explained Susolik, who has been named one of the Top 100 Attorneys in Southern California by Super Lawyer every year from 2009 to 2021. Susolik continued, "Many of the restaurant's investors have been damaged, yet the perpetrators and defendants in the lawsuit have refused to cooperate with their victims, including refusing to turn over any relevant documents after almost a year has elapsed." Susolik added "We are looking to expose this issue while helping local restaurants get back on their feet."

The lawsuit alleges Amy Hsiao and Lihue (Kitty) Lo of Newport, California were investors in the Sentinel Restaurant Group-Hendrix Restaurant Group. They falsified a loan application with the SBA amongst other things using Sentinel's good name and reputation to obtain more $150,000 in PPP loans to keep for themselves. They've refused any cooperation, so Sentinel was forced to hire a prominent New York City White Collar Criminal Attorney in order to sort things out. The matter is causing the restaurant group to accrue damages with an investigation after an already challenging year.

*Case number 30-2020-01176078-CU-FR-CJC was filed in the Orange County Superior Court.



Contact: [email protected]

SOURCE Sentinel Hospitality
NEW YORK, June 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Juan Monteverde, founder and managing partner at Monteverde & Associates PC, a national securities firm rated Top 50 in the 2018-2020 ISS Securities Class Action Services Report and headquartered at the Empire State Building in New York City, is investigating Southwestern Energy Company ("SWN" or the "Company") (SWN) relating to its proposed merger with Indigo Natural Resources, LLC. The cash and stock transaction has an estimated value of $2.7 billon.

The investigation focuses on whether Southwestern Energy Company and its Board of Directors violated securities laws and/or breached their fiduciary duties to the Company by 1) failing to conduct a fair process, and 2) whether the transaction is properly valued.

Click here for more information: https://www.monteverdelaw.com/case/southwestern-energy-company. It is free and there is no cost or obligation to you.





About Monteverde & Associates PC

We are a national class action securities litigation law firm that has recovered millions of dollars and is committed to protecting shareholders from corporate wrongdoing. We were listed in the Top 50 in the 2018-2020 ISS Securities Class Action Services Report. Our lawyers have significant experience litigating Mergers & Acquisitions and Securities Class Actions. Mr. Monteverde is recognized by Super Lawyers as a Rising Star in Securities Litigation in 2013, 2017-2019, an award given to less than 2.5% of attorneys in a particular field. He has also been selected by Martindale-Hubbell as a 2017-2020 Top Rated Lawyer. Our firm's recent successes include changing the law in a significant victory that lowered the standard of liability under Section 14(e) of the Exchange Act in the Ninth Circuit. Thereafter, our firm successfully preserved this victory by obtaining dismissal of a writ of certiorari as improvidently granted at the United States Supreme Court. Emulex Corp. v. Varjabedian, 139 S. Ct. 1407 (2019). Also, over the years the firm has recovered or secured over a dozen cash common funds for shareholders in mergers & acquisitions class action cases.

If you owned common stock in the Company and wish to obtain additional information and protect your investments free of charge, please visit our website or contact Juan E. Monteverde, Esq. either via e-mail at [email protected] or by telephone at (212) 971-1341.

Contact:

Juan E. Monteverde, Esq.

MONTEVERDE & ASSOCIATES PC

The Empire State Building

350 Fifth Ave. Suite 4405

New York, NY 10118

United States of America

[email protected]

Tel: (212) 971-1341

Attorney Advertising. (C) 2021 Monteverde & Associates PC. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Monteverde & Associates PC (www.monteverdelaw.com). Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome with respect to any future matter.

SOURCE Monteverde & Associates PC

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SNU and Del City host event celebrating military and veterans at Patriot Park on Saturday, June 12, from noon to 4 p.m. Tweet this

"SNU is committed to serving veterans as they work towards their educational and career goals," said VETS Center Director Mark Nadig. "All veteran and military family and friends are invited to Patriot Park this Saturday to help us celebrate and thank our greater Oklahoma City veteran and military community for their sacrifices and service to our nation, and to build camaraderie with fellow veterans."

The Del City event will provide grilled hot dogs, chips, popsicles and water to veterans and their families, along with complimentary SNU logo sunglasses, bubble blowers and sidewalk chalk packages for children. Any additional guests are welcome to purchase food, drinks and snacks from two food vendor trucks that will be in attendance.

Del City's Eagle Harbor Aquatic Center at Patriot Park will also be available for families to use during the event.

A wide range of community partners will be in attendance with information on services that they provide to veterans. These partners include:

Del City Chamber of Commerce

Chamber of Commerce Oklahoma Gas & Electric Energy Corporation

American Legion Post 73

VFW Post 9969

Former Oklahoma State Representative, SNU alumnus, and Army veteran Gary Banz

Volunteers of America for Veterans Services

Red Rock Veterans Mental Health Clinic

Oklahoma Army National Guard

University of Central Oklahoma and SNU Army ROTC

and SNU Army ROTC Redlands Community College Veterans Upward Bound Outreach Team

Veterans Upward Bound Outreach Team Valley Hope Treatment Center

Oklahoma Goodwill Veterans Programs

"We want to connect veterans with other community partners who are dedicated to supporting and assisting veterans and their families to ensure their success and well-being," said Nadig. "This event offers a perfect opportunity for that, while having fun at the same time."

Click here to learn more about the services offered to SNU's military and veteran students.

ABOUT SNU

Founded in 1899, Southern Nazarene University (SNU) seeks to make Christlike disciples through higher education in Christ-centered community. Its College of Professional and Graduate Studies is designed for working adults, offering degree-completion and graduate programs to prepare them to succeed in their individual career paths. All classes take place completely online or one evening a week, so students can accomplish their goals while working full-time and caring for a family. With campuses in Bethany and Tulsa, as well as classrooms in Del City, various satellite classrooms and online options, there are opportunities to learn from any location.

For more information, visit https://pgs.snu.edu/ .

SOURCE Southern Nazarene University (SNU)

Related Links

https://pgs.snu.edu


BENTON, Ark., June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- As keynote speaker of The Republican Party of Arkansas' (RPA) Reagan-Rockefeller Dinner, South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem (R) was presented with a custom engraved Henry Big Boy lever-action rifle on June 4, 2021. The presentation makes Noem the most recent recipient of the rifle built by American firearms manufacturer Henry Repeating Arms specifically for the RPA with their logo engraved in the right side of the walnut buttstock.

South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem (left) receiving a custom engraved Henry Big Boy lever-action rifle from Arkansas Lieutenant Governor Tim Griffin (right) at the 2021 Republican Party of Arkansas Reagan-Rockefeller Dinner on June 4, 2021. (Courtesy of Marvin Winston Photography)

Speculation is rising that Noem could run for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, and she would not be the first RPA Henry rifle recipient with sights set on the presidency.

For over a decade, the RPA has honored their headline speakers with the Henry .44 Magnum rifle. Past recipients include former president Donald Trump, a candidate at the time in 2015, Senator Rand Paul, former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, former New York State Judge Jeanine Pirro, and 44th Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee. These gifts of modern-day Henry rifles draw inspiration from a gold-mounted Henry rifle presented to Abraham Lincoln in 1862.

Arkansas Lieutenant Governor Tim Griffin unveiled the rifle from under a red velvet curtain, and the crowd of over 500 attendees cheered on their feet as Noem eyed the firearm for the first time and picked it up.

"Governor Kristi Noem is an avid outdoorswoman and a hunter through and through," says Patrick Rhodes, RPA event volunteer and liaison to Henry Repeating Arms. "Once she saw that rifle, there was no holding her back from getting her hands on it as quickly as possible. The excitement was real."

Henry firearms are purchasable only through a licensed firearms dealer. For more information about Henry Repeating Arms and its products, visit henryusa.com or call 866-200-2354.

About Henry Repeating Arms:

Henry Repeating Arms is one of the leading rifle and shotgun manufacturers in the United States and a world leader in the lever action category. The company motto is "Made in America, or not made at all" and its firearms come with a lifetime guarantee backed by award-winning customer service. The company is also known for its charitable endeavors under its Guns For Great Causes program, which focuses on sick children, both individual cases and children's hospitals, veteran and wounded veteran organizations, Second Amendment and wildlife conservation organizations. The company currently employs 535 people and has 250,000 square-feet of manufacturing space in its Rice Lake, Wisconsin and Bayonne, New Jersey facilities. The company is named in honor of Benjamin Tyler Henry who invented and patented the Henry rifle in 1860  the first repeating rifle, the lever action rifle, which is America's unique contribution to international firearms design and is one of the most legendary, respected and sought-after rifles in the history of firearms. Visit Henry Repeating Arms online at www.HenryUSA.com, on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/HenryRepeating, and on Instagram @Henry_Rifles.

SOURCE Henry Repeating Arms

Related Links

www.henryusa.com


MIAMI, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Technisys is recognized as a large, established player in the report, "Now Tech: Digital Banking Engagement Platforms, Q1 2021," released by leading global research and advisory firm, Forrester. The report highlights the functionality of digital banking engagement platforms, with recommendations on how to choose the right vendor for organizations looking to adopt a digital transformation.

A Digital Banking Engagement Platform (DBEP) is defined by Forrester as "an advanced cross-channel / omnichannel banking solution that enables an integrated, seamless, and comprehensive customer and employee experience across touchpoints, thus delivering true digital banking." DBEP vendors help technology teams with support across multiple channels, improved automation, operational benefits, off-the-shelf retail and more.

Forrester notes that "when banks select new business applications, banks typically need to determine their transformation approach and mode of delivery (ranging from on-premise to SaaS), deciding their future DBEP's role, determining whether strong integration needs exist, checking how well vendors are positioned to help a bank innovate and identifying how a DBEP supports a bank's architectural preferences."

"Now Tech" organizes DBEP providers into three categories: small, mid-sized, or large market presence. Technisys is cited as a large, established player - with more than $50M in revenue. Technisys also has presence across 16 countries. Customers include Scotiabank, HSBC, TAB Bank, Brightside by ATB, Itau, and Banco Original - to name a few.

As a 25-year pioneer in the digital banking space, Technisys offers an API-centric, cloud-based digital and core banking platform designed to help banks redefine the customer experience. Whether a bank is looking to update its digital banking system or simply wants to expand its capabilities, Technisys empowers banks to embrace a true digital transformation with agility and speed.

About Technisys

Technisys is the next-gen digital and core banking platform that redefines the customer experience. As a best-in-class technology platform, Technisys uniquely delivers differentiation in two key ways. By empowering financial institutions to dynamically create tailored financial products at the speed of commerce. And, by offering meaningful recommendations to customers at point of need. How are we different? We use data-driven insights and integrate them with our unique technology that enables structural flexibility. A flexibility that allows financial institutions to create and tailor any financial product - in seconds - to deliver a seamless digital experience at every customer touchpoint whether online, on the phone, or at a branch. Giving banks and fintechs the agility to tailor offerings that become integral to a customer's lifestyle in new and profound ways, down to the segment of one.

https://www.technisys.com/

Media Contact:

Louise Finlay

[email protected]

SOURCE Technisys

Related Links

technisys.com


VANCOUVER, BC, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - TechX Technologies Inc. ("TechX'' or "the Company'') (CSE: TECX) (OTC: TECXF) (FRA: C0B1), a company focused on emerging technologies across growth sectors including: crypto, blockchain, AI and cloud technologies, is pleased to announce that its investment in CatalX CTS Ltd. ("Catalyx") is proving to be an early success as it officially listed its Canadian stablecoin, CADX on the Bittrex Global Exchange. Bittrex is one of the world's top 15 cryptocurrency exchanges in terms of liquidity.

Catalyx.io, Canada's premier cryptocurrency exchange with over 40+ altcoins, launched its Canadian dollar fiat-backed stablecoin CADX in 2020 through a partnership with Seattle-based fintech company Stably. CADX is powered by Stably's ERC20 smart contract technology, which has been audited by a leading US-based blockchain security firm, QuantStamp.

CADX is a multi-chain Canadian Dollar pegged stablecoin merging the flexibility, security and speed of cryptocurrency with the stability of fiat. Every CADX token is fully backed and redeemable for $1 Canadian dollar and is held in an audited account managed by Prime Trust, a Nevada-chartered trust company that is the official regulated trustee and CVC administrator for CADX.

Potential roles for the new CADX token are in cross-border payments and remittance, peer-to-peer lending, merchant payment solutions, smart money (programmable money), interest bearing digital wallets, partnerships for international remittances and settlements and forex conversions.

Monthly reserve attestations shall be conducted by Cohen Co. a leading US stable coin auditor, to ensure transparency and credibility for the project.

CADX offers the following features:

Redeemable for CAD on a 1 to 1 basis with instant redemption 24/7

Earn interest on CADX from crypto lending

Send or receive CADX to or from anyone, anywhere and at any time

Bank-grade off-chain security for asset custody and sensitive data storage

Easy to integrate with any mobile applications

Regulated trustee organized under US laws

Zero token issuance/ redemption fees (excluding wire fees and network/gas fees)

Cheap on chain transfer for only a few pennies for network/gas fees

Fast on chain transfer speed

Multichain support for Ethereum, Tezos, Algorand and many other protocols

"We are ecstatic to be the first Canadian dollar-backed stablecoin to be listed on Bittrex, one of the world's top crypto exchanges," said Catalyx CEO Jae Park. "The listing on Bittrex provides the CADX coin international market exposure and offers crypto traders a flexible and secure alternative to existing stablecoins."

About TechX Technologies Inc.

TechX Technologies Inc. (CSE: TECX) (OTC: TECXF) (FRA: C0B1) is a company focused on emerging technologies across growth sectors including: crypto, blockchain, AI and cloud technologies. Led by senior leaders and industry experts, our investors have access to strategically selected portfolio companies that offer technologies across the entire cryptocurrency funnel, unlocking massive market potential. TechX's portfolio of businesses include Mobilum, Catalyx Exchange, Altsignals, Xport Digital and Shiftinsights.

About Catalyx Exchange

Catalyx is a Canadian-based is a digital asset exchange platform that specializes in cryptocurrency trading, blockchain and cybersecurity technology. As a fully regulated Cryptocurrency exchange with FINTRAC, Catalyx has the highest standards in security and compliance and is partnered with world-trusted names in Blockchain technologies, risk management and financial solutions to provide their users with a trusted, secure platform. Catalyx is the first Canadian exchange with its own stablecoin called CADX and supports 40+ cryptocurrencies. In February 2021, TechX signed a definitive agreement to acquire 19% of Catalyx.

This news release may contain certain "Forward-Looking Statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and applicable Canadian securities laws. When or if used in this news release, the words "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "target, "plan", "forecast", "may", "schedule" and similar words or expressions identify forward-looking statements or information. Such statements represent the Company's current views with respect to future events and are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by the Company, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social risks, contingencies and uncertainties. Many factors, both known and unknown, could cause results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements or information to reflect changes in assumptions or changes in circumstances or any other events affecting such statements and information other than as required by applicable laws, rules and regulations.

SOURCE TechX Technologies Inc.

Related Links

https://tech-x.io/


WASHINGTON and RONKONKOMA, N.Y., June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The power of learning is limitless, and The Bountiful Company is devoted to helping shape our future leaders through education opportunities. As part of a commitment to inclusion and diversity and giving back, the company is pleased to share that Howard University rising junior Caleb Caine has been named the first recipient of The Bountiful Company Fund  a scholarship program in partnership with Howard University that includes a $25,000 donation from The Bountiful Company Foundation, the company's charitable arm.

The Fund, which is awarded based on academics and financial need, provides one $5,000 scholarship every year for five years and supports freshmen and sophomores pursuing a bachelor's degree from the Howard University School of Business. Caine, entering his junior year at the historically Black university, is originally from Maryland and is an international business major.

"I am so thankful and blessed for this opportunity from The Bountiful Company  without this grant, I don't know how I would've made my tuition payments," said Caine. "I want to explore a career in international business and this aid will allow me to focus on furthering my education."

The scholarship, which was established late last year, also supports the work of The Bountiful Company's Black Affinity Group  a colleague-run group whose mission is to create a greater understanding and appreciation for the issues Black and African Americans face.

For more information about Caine and The Bountiful Company Fund, check out the company's latest blog post, available here.

About The Bountiful Company

The Bountiful Company is a pure play branded leader in global nutrition, living at the intersection of science and nature. As a manufacturer, marketer and seller of vitamins, minerals, herbal and other specialty supplements, and active nutrition products, we are focused on enhancing the health and wellness of people's lives. The Bountiful Company's portfolio of trusted brands includes Nature's Bounty, Solgar, Pure Protein, Osteo Bi-Flex, Puritan's Pride, Sundown, Body Fortress, MET-Rx, Ester-C and Dr.Organic. For more information, visit Bountifulcompany.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

About Howard University

Founded in 1867, Howard University is a private, research university that is comprised of 13 schools and colleges. Students pursue more than 140 programs of study leading to undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. The University operates with a commitment to Excellence in Truth and Service and has produced one Schwarzman Scholar, three Marshall Scholars, four Rhodes Scholars, 12 Truman Scholars, 25 Pickering Fellows and more than 165 Fulbright recipients. Howard also produces more on-campus African-American Ph.D. recipients than any other university in the United States. For more information on Howard University, visit www.howard.edu.

Media Contact: Misha Cornelius, [email protected]

SOURCE The Bountiful Company
Andalucia's Vaccination Plan is advancing so fast that, from the end of next week, the Junta plans to start calling under-40s for their coronavirus jabs.

This was announced this Tuesday, 8 June, by the regional governments spokesman, Elias Bendodo, during a press conference after the weekly meeting of the Junta cabinet.

"At the end of this week we will begin to call those born in 1980 for vaccination," he said. "At the end of next week we will begin to call people under 40 years old, something that was initially scheduled for the first week of July."

The spokesman said that Andalucia is "at the forefront of the vaccination rate of all the regions in Spain" and the Vaccination Plan has been advanced three weeks as "we are going at a very good pace".

Bendodo said that, currently, "half of population of Andalucia over 16 years of age have already had a dose" of the Covid-19 vaccine. In addition, almost two million people are fully vaccinated.

The vaccines work and we intend to reach the end of June or the beginning of July with 70 per cent of the target population vaccinated, which was the objective set by the Junta.
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Dominican Republic (the " Republic ") announced today the aggregate principal amount of each series of outstanding DOP-denominated, Dominican law-governed notes listed in the table below (collectively, the " Existing Local Notes " and each, a " series " of Existing Local Notes), including Existing Local Notes in the form of Global Depositary Notes (the " Existing GDNs " and, together with the Existing Local Notes, the " Existing Notes " and each, a " series " of Existing GDNs or Existing Notes, as applicable), issued by Citibank, N.A., as GDN Depositary (the " GDN Depositary ") that has been validly tendered and accepted for purchase pursuant to its previously announced offer to purchase for cash (the " Offer ") the Existing Notes from each holder or beneficial owner (each, a " Holder " and, collectively, the " Holders "), subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the offer document dated May 26, 2021 (the " Offer Document "). The Offer expired as scheduled at 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) on June 7, 2021. Capitalized terms used but not defined in this announcement have the meanings specified in the Offer Document.

Holders of Existing Notes validly tendered and accepted for purchase by the Republic will received the total of the fixed price per DOP1,000 principal amount indicated in the rightmost column in the table below (the " Purchase Price ") plus accrued and unpaid interest on such Existing Notes up to, but excluding, the Existing Local Notes Settlement Date or Existing GDNs Settlement Date (in each case, as defined below), as applicable (" Accrued Interest ").

The Maximum Purchase Price for all Existing Notes accepted for purchase is DOP105,376,806,905. The Tendered Aggregate Purchase Price of the Existing Notes validly tendered is DOP105,376,806,905. Since the Tendered Aggregate Purchase Price does not exceed the Maximum Purchase Price, all Existing Notes validly tendered pursuant to the Offer have been accepted for purchase, and, accordingly, there will be no proration.

Title of Existing Notes ISIN CUSIP Aggregate Principal

Amount Tendered(1) Aggregate Principal

Amount of Tenders

Accepted Aggregate Principal

Amount Remaining

Outstanding Purchase Price(2) 16.950% DOP-Denominated

Notes due February 2022 DO1005241125 / N/A DOP6,927,300,000 DOP6,927,300,000 DOP5,072,700,000 DOP1,082.44 GDNs representing 16.950% DOP-Denominated Notes due February 2022(3) 144A: US25714PBN78 /

25714PBN7 Reg S: US25714PBP27 /

25714PBP2 10.375% DOP-Denominated Notes due March 2022 DO1005204719 / N/A DOP7,294,500,000 DOP7,294,500,000 DOP6,205,500,000 DOP1,042.08 GDNs representing 10.375% DOP-Denominated Notes due March 2022(3) 144A: US25714WAE30 /

25714WAE3 Reg S: XS1203837528 / N/A 14.500% DOP-Denominated Notes due February 2023 DO1005250928 / N/A DOP6,558,600,000 DOP6,558,600,000 DOP3,089,400,000 DOP1,127.94 GDNs representing14.500% DOP-Denominated Notes due February 2023(3) 144A: US25714PBW77 /

25714PBW7 Reg S: XS0900687681 / N/A 10.500% DOP-Denominated Notes due April 2023 DO1005205914 / N/A DOP8,666,300,000 DOP8,666,300,000 DOP23,205,000,000 DOP1,079.48 GDNs representing 10.500% DOP-Denominated Notes due April 2023(3) 144A: US25714WBB81 / 144A:

25714WBB8 Reg S: XS1597325098 / N/A 10.250% DOP-Denominated Notes due January 2024 DO1005206623 / N/A DOP2,975,700,000 DOP2,975,700,000 DOP7,924,300,000 DOP1,088.64 GDNs representing 10.250% DOP-Denominated Notes due January 2024(3) 144A: US25714WBF95 /

25714WBF9 Reg S: XS1936097911 / N/A 11.500% DOP-Denominated Notes due May 2024 DO1005204214 / N/A DOP5,729,000,000 DOP5,729,000,000 DOP14,885,000,000 DOP1,133.86 GDNs representing 11.500% DOP-Denominated Notes due May 2024(3) 144A: US25714PCM86 /

25714PCM8 Reg S: XS1084826483 / N/A 10.875% DOP-Denominated Notes due January 2026 DO1005205112 / N/A DOP10,761,900,000 DOP10,761,900,000 DOP9,238,100,000 DOP1,169.87 GDNs representing 10.875% DOP-Denominated Notes due January 2026(3) 144A: US25714PDK12 /

25714PDK1 Reg S: XS1355504181 / N/A 10.375% DOP-Denominated Notes due March 2026 DO1005205013 / N/A DOP4,763,600,000 DOP4,763,600,000 DOP7,236,400,000 DOP1,132.45 GDNs representing 10.375% DOP-Denominated Notes due March 2026(3) 144A: US25714WAF05 /

25714WAF0 Reg S: XS1243876551 / N/A 11.000% DOP-Denominated Notes due November 2026 DO1005205310 / N/A DOP12,242,400,000 DOP12,242,400,000 DOP7,757,600,000 DOP1,182.63 GDNs representing 11.000% DOP-Denominated Notes due November 2026(3) 144A: US25714WAG87 /

25714WAG8 Reg S: XS1410454406 / N/A 11.000% DOP-Denominated Notes due December 2026 DO1005205419 / N/A DOP8,837,800,000 DOP8,837,800,000 DOP7,162,200,000 DOP1,176.84 GDNs representing 11.000% DOP-Denominated Notes due December 2026(3) 144A: US25714WAL72 /

25714WAL7 Reg S: XS1433115893 / N/A 11.250% DOP-Denominated Notes due February 2027 DO1005205617 / N/A DOP17,670,000,000 DOP17,670,000,000 DOP10,035,000,000 DOP1,184.23 GDNs representing 11.250% DOP-Denominated Notes due February 2027(3) 144A: US25714PDR64 /

25714PDR6 Reg S: XS1514991048 / N/A

________________

(1) Information regarding the aggregate principle amount of Existing Local Notes and Existing GDNs tendered is based on information received from CEVALDOM, Deposito

Centralizado de Valores, S.A. and the Tender and Information Agent, as applicable. (2) Per DOP1,000 principal amount of the Existing Local Notes and Existing GDNs, in each case, validly tendered and accepted for purchase. Holders whose Existing Notes

were validly tendered and accepted for purchase pursuant to the Offer will also receive Accrued Interest. Holders whose Existing Local Notes were validly tendered and

accepted for purchase pursuant to the Offer will be paid in Dominican pesos and Holders whose Existing GDNs were validly tendered and accepted for purchase pursuant to

the Offer will be paid in U.S. dollars as described in the Offer Document. (3) Issued by the GDN Depositary and payable in U.S. dollars as described in the Offer Document. Each Existing GDN represents DOP100,000 nominal amount of the

corresponding Existing Local Notes.

The Republic also announced the pricing of DOP35,314,500,000 new 8.000% DOP-denominated notes due 2028 and DOP81,441,800,000 new 8.625% DOP-denominated notes due 2031 (together the " New Notes Offering "). The Offer is conditioned, among other things, on the concurrent (or earlier) closing of the New Notes Offering. The Republic intends to use the net proceeds from the New Notes Offering to purchase the Existing Notes accepted for purchase. The New Notes Offering was made solely by means of an offering memorandum relating to the New Notes Offering, and neither this announcement nor the Offer Document constitutes an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy such new notes.

The Purchase Price applicable for each series of Existing GDNs will be payable in U.S. dollars by converting the applicable DOP amounts to U.S. dollars based on an exchange rate of Ps.56.996 per US$1.00, which corresponds to the Representative Market Rate (as described in the Offer Document) at 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) on Monday, June 7, 2021.

The settlement of validly tendered and accepted Existing Local Notes is expected to occur on Friday, June 11, 2021, subject to change without notice (the " Existing Local Notes Settlement Date "). The settlement of validly tendered and accepted Existing GDNs is expected to occur on Monday, June 14, 2021, subject to change without notice (the " Existing GDNs Settlement Date "). Holders of validly tendered and accepted Existing Notes will be entitled to receive for such Existing Notes the applicable Purchase Price and Accrued Interest, which will be paid on the Existing Local Notes Settlement Date or Existing GDNs Settlement Date, as applicable, if the conditions of the Offer are met.

The Offer Document may be downloaded from the website of Global Bondholder Services Corporation (the " Tender and Information Agent ") at https://www.gbsc-usa.com/dominican/ or obtained from the Tender and Information Agent or from any of the Dealer Managers at the contact information below. Questions regarding the Offer may be directed to the Dealer Managers at the below contact information.

The Dealer Managers for the Offer are:

Citigroup Global Markets Inc. 388 Greenwich Street, Floor 7 New York, New York 10013 United States of America Attn: Liability Management Group Collect: +1 (212) 723-6106 Toll-Free: +1 (800) 558-3745 In the Dominican Republic: +1-809-473-2428 Email: [email protected] J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

383 Madison Avenue New York, New York 10179

United States of America

Attn: Latin America Debt Capital Markets Collect: +1 (212) 834-7279

Toll-Free: +1 (866) 846-2874



The Tender and Information Agent for the Existing GDNs is:

Global Bondholder Services Corporation

65 Broadway  Suite 404

New York, New York 10006

United States of America

Attn: Corporate Actions

Banks and Brokers call: +1 (212) 430-3774

Toll free +1 (866) 470-3900

Email: [email protected]

Offer Website: https://www.gbsc-usa.com/dominican/

By facsimile:

(For Eligible Institutions only):

+1 (212) 430-3775/3779

Confirmation:

+1 (212) 430-3774

By Mail: By Overnight Courier: By Hand: 65 Broadway  Suite 404 New York, New York 10006 United States of America 65 Broadway  Suite 404 New York, New York 10006 United States of America 65 Broadway  Suite 404 New York, New York 10006 United States of America

Important Notice

This announcement is for informational purposes only. It is not complete and may not contain all the information that you should consider before tendering Existing Notes. You should read the entire Offer Document.

This announcement is not an offer to purchase for cash or a solicitation of invitations for offers to purchase for cash any Existing Notes. The distribution of materials relating to the Offer and the transactions contemplated thereby may be restricted by law in certain jurisdictions. The Offer is being made only by the Offer Document and in those jurisdictions where it is legal to do so. The Offer is void in all jurisdictions where it is prohibited. If materials relating to the Offer come into your possession, you are required to inform yourself of and to observe all of these restrictions. Each person accepting the Offer shall be deemed to have represented, warranted and agreed (in respect of itself and any person for whom it is acting) that it is not a person to whom it is unlawful to make the Offer pursuant to the Offer Document, it has not distributed or forwarded the Offer Document or any other documents or materials relating to the Offer to any such person, and that it has complied with all laws and regulations applicable to it for purposes of participating in the Offer. Neither the Republic nor the Dealer Managers accepts any responsibility for any violation by any person of the restrictions applicable in any jurisdiction.

The materials relating to the Offer, including this announcement, do not constitute, and may not be used in connection with, an offer or solicitation in any place where offers or solicitations are not permitted by law. This announcement and the Offer Document do not constitute an offer to buy or a solicitation of an offer to sell any securities in any jurisdiction to any person to whom it is unlawful to make such offer or solicitation in such jurisdiction. In any jurisdiction in which the Offer is required to be made by a licensed broker or dealer and in which any Dealer Manager or any of its affiliates is so licensed, it shall be deemed to be made by the Dealer Managers or such affiliates on behalf of the Republic.

SOURCE The Dominican Republic
NEW YORK, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Undertone, the leader in data-driven, intelligent high impact campaigns, today announced the launch of its newest initiative, the Uplift Collective. The trailblazing network is designed to connect Undertone's collection of minority, women and LGBTQIA+ owned publishers - in addition to publishers that are committed to advancing social justice, environmental sustainability, and equal representation - with advertisers. In turn, the Uplift Collective makes it simple for advertisers and brands to make a real impact through mindful media buys. Publishers in the Uplift Collective, which include Her Agenda, SheMedia, Black Southern Belle and more, reach more than 50 million people worldwide.

"As an African American woman and founder of a lifestyle brand, it's always been my focus to support other women through my platform. Particularly, women from small, rural communities are near and dear to my heart, as rural South Carolina is my home base. I'm thrilled to be a part of Uplift Collective, an initiative engaging, supporting, and promoting women business owners," said Michiel Perry of Black Southern Belle.

The Uplift Collective consists of both a media network, and a marketing support program - with the goal of a 25% increase in revenue directed towards its members. To further enhance this initiative, publishers in the collective will be provided additional tech, tools, and education, and advertisers will have access to an array of custom, audience-aligned creative services. Undertone will also be donating a portion of the proceeds to charities and organizations selected by the company's publisher and brand partners.

"Designed to help bring demand opportunities to well-deserving publishers, while also providing brands with a straightforward and impactful way to support underrepresented communities and global causes, the Uplift Collective is truly a win-win situation," said Daniel Aks, President of Undertone. "I am immensely proud of the Undertone team for developing this much-needed, highly functional innovation that will truly make a difference for publishers nationwide."

Undertone has long been dedicated to putting its resources towards the people and causes that matter most. Undertone employees are encouraged to log 40 hours of paid time off for community service throughout the year and are given the opportunity to participate in donation drives. Through the #undertonecares program, the company identifies an important cause each month, uses social media platforms to inform, educate and engage audiences, and ultimately donates to a related charity.

In addition, Undertone has partnered with Givsly, a social impact corporation that helps companies turn their existing resources into tools for social good to give back to local communities through in-person and virtual events. Undertone was the premier sponsor of Givsly's "Season without Swag" initiative, which raised over $350k for local charities over the 2020 holiday season.

"When we began to engage with publishers about the Uplift Collective, we were overwhelmed with the positive response and feedback from the community, as they confirmed the important need that the network fills," said Karla White, Head of the Uplift Collective. "Not only is it a great opportunity to celebrate worthy publishers, but it also serves as a tangible way to support their long-term business goals through increased revenue opportunities."

For more information on the Uplift Collective, visit https://upliftcollective.splashthat.com or email us directly at [email protected].

About Undertone

Undertone creates memorable ad experiences by thoughtfully orchestrating solutions across video, advanced TV, rich media, and social, to drive unmatched brand lift and audience engagement on virtually every screen, and every device. Their award-winning creative team uses the company's 20 years of experience, and billions of impressions worth of data to intelligently craft campaigns that can drive full-funnel KPIs while making meaningful connections with the 200MM+ unique users they can reach every month. Undertone brings the art and science of advertising together to intelligently craft campaigns that uplift consumers, brands, and publishers alike. Visit undertone.com to learn more.

SOURCE Undertone
PLANO, Texas, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- U.S. Renal Care (USRC), a leading provider of dialysis services, announced it has completed administering the second round of mRNA vaccines to patients, ensuring better protection against the deadly coronavirus for thousands of vulnerable patients on dialysis.

The recently published "SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine Acceptability in Patients on Hemodialysis: A Nationwide Survey" from the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, demonstrated that patients are more likely to consent to the COVID-19 vaccine if it was provided by their dialysis center. The study was authored, in part, by USRC physician leaders, Mary Dittrich, MD, FASN, Chief Medical Officer of USRC and Geoff Block, MD, Associate Chief Medical Officer & SVP, Clinical Research & Medical Affairs for USRC.

Prior to the White House announcement that it would be partnering with dialysis facilities to distribute the vaccine, USRC internal data showed centers that were dispensing the vaccine had an average patient vaccination rate of 45%, while the overall population of vaccinated patients was only 16%. As a result of this recent organization-wide vaccination effort, the percentage of vaccinated USRC patients has increased from 34% to 67%.

"The administration of vaccine to our patients and their caregivers is a triumph made possible thanks to our dedicated staff, the leadership of the Biden administration and collaboration with our partners," said Dr. Dittrich. "It's clear that vaccination is the way out of this global crisis, and USRC is proud to have participated in this effort. Our data clearly show that patients are much more likely to accept vaccination from their dialysis center and familiar team of caregivers."

After receiving access to the vaccine, USRC turned to longstanding distribution partner, Cardinal Health's Metro Medical team. Metro expertly orchestrated a distribution process that separated large shipments of vaccine into smaller parcels and shipped to USRC clinics around the country at a controlled temperature. Coordinating with Pfizer, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and DaVita Kidney Care, Cardinal Health developed a coldchain solution and shipped the first vaccines to USRC clinics just 19 days after the idea was proposed. USRC would also like to thank the team at DaVita Kidney Care, who acted as the network administrator to USRC and other dialysis centers, who were instrumental in managing the training, distribution, and tracking of vaccine across the country from start to finish.

In addition, and prior to distributing vaccines, USRC was among the first national kidney care organizations to obtain and distribute monoclonal antibodies for its dialysis patients. The therapy was initially rolled out in select locations across the country based on the prevalence of COVID-19 infection rates in those communities, and soon after, USRC reviewed the efficacy and tolerability of the therapy and worked with nephrologists to expand distribution to additional centers over time. It was vitally important to lead with innovation and to ensure its patients received uninterrupted care.

"This has certainly proven to be a trying time for all healthcare providers, but I am deeply humbled by the work of the USRC staff, our remarkable network of physicians, and our partners who joined forces to ensure the continuity of care for our patients during one of the most challenging years in recent history. We have hope that this next phase of vaccination represents a true turning point and indicates the beginning of the end to this pandemic," Dr. Dittrich concluded.

SOURCE U.S. Renal Care Inc.

Related Links

https://www.usrenalcare.com


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Mobile Coupons Market in India: Key Price Trends

According to the Mobile Coupons price trends, higher anti-dumping duties imposed by the governments in countries such as China , the US, France , Germany , and India will increase the price of exported Mobile Coupons.

The steady increase in crude oil prices will drive the prices of raw materials such as optical fiber, PE, PVC, steel, and aluminum. This will propel Mobile Coupons suppliers' manufacturing costs.

Insights Offered in this Mobile Coupons Market Report

Top Mobile Coupons suppliers and their cost structures

Top Mobile Coupons suppliers in the US and their cost structures

Mobile Coupons market spend analysis in the US

Mobile Coupons price trends, and forecasts

Cost drivers influencing the Mobile Coupons prices

Explore more about market opportunities: Enquire about the report before purchasing

Some of the top Mobile Coupons suppliers listed in this report:

This Mobile Coupons procurement intelligence report has enlisted the top suppliers and their cost structures, SLA terms, best selection criteria, and negotiation strategies.

Vericast

Eagle Eye Solutions Group Plc

Quotient Technology Inc.

INMAR Inc.

Catalina Marketing Corp.

Koupon

Regional Analysis

Further breakdown of the market segmentation at requested regions.

Market Player Information

Detailed analysis and profiling of additional market players, vendor segmentation, and vendor offerings.

Know the strategies adopted by vendors during the COVID-19 Recovery Phase.

Speak to our Analyst for a Customized Report

Related Reports on Information Technology Market:

Creative Agency - Sourcing and Procurement Market Intelligence Report: The creative agency will grow at a CAGR of 8.82% during 2021-2025. Prices will increase by 8%-10% during the forecast period and suppliers will have a low bargaining power in this market.

IT Consulting - Sourcing and Procurement Market Intelligence Report: This report offers key advisory and intelligence to help buyers identify and shortlist the most suitable suppliers for their it consulting requirements. Some of the leading IT consulting suppliers are profiled extensively in this report

Marketing Services - Sourcing and Procurement Intelligence Report: The marketing services will grow at a CAGR of 5.68% during 2021-2025. Prices will increase by 2.15%-2.85% during the forecast period and suppliers will have a moderate bargaining power in this market.

To access the definite purchasing guide on the Mobile Coupons that answers all your key questions on price trends and analysis:

Am I paying/getting the right prices? Is my Mobile Coupons 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

Contact

SpendEdge

Anirban Choudhury

Marketing Manager

Ph No: +1 (872) 206-9340

https://www.spendedge.com/contact-us

Report: www.spendedge.com/report/fiber-optic-cables-procurement-market-intelligence-report

SOURCE SpendEdge
BROOMFIELD, Colo., June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Vita Inclinata Technologies, which stabilizes swing and spin at the touch of a button, today released video of recent exercises in which two HH-60 Black Hawk helicopters -- one with its Vita Rescue System and one with a traditional legacy system -- face off for simulated patient rescues. The exercise also tested a dynamic hoist at a speed of 80 knots, and race from a hover.

Dual Black Hawk Race: Vita Rescue System Outperforms Legacy System

The footage, from the Montana Army National Guard base in Helena, Montana, was collected as part of Vita's Soldier Touchpoint program as the company tests, receives feedback from warfighters and MEDEVAC, and incorporates that feedback into its production-model systems.

"We have been listening to and operationalizing the feedback from Soldiers and flight crews on the system," said Derek Sikora, CTO and Co-Founder of Vita Inclinata Technologies. "That feedback has been invaluable -- and it shows in the system performance."



Bryce Anderson, former PD MEDEVAC and now Vice President of Army Programs for Vita added, "The video shows better than any words that the Vita Rescue System will allow faster, safer, more precise rescues, with reduced hover and exposure time. We thank the Montana Guard for their awesome flight crews and willingness to test our system."

Check out the video below:

Link: https://youtu.be/hLi1y0b447M

About Vita Inclinata

A friend's death during a rescue operationwith a helicopter close but unable to stabilize due to weather and terrainwas the genesis of Vita Inclinata. Founded in 2015 as a way to solve a real problem, Vita today controls chaotic swinging and spin, and adds precision for rotor wing and fixed wing aircraft and cranes. With the mission of "Bring them home, every time," Vita's technology changes the narrative while saving lives, time and money across industries, including search and rescue, military, firefighting, public safety, construction, wind energy, and oil and gas. The company is headquartered in Broomfield, Colorado, with offices in Washington, DC, and new offices opening in 2021 in Huntsville, Alabama. For more information, please visit www.vitatech.co .

MEDIA CONTACT:

Merredith Branscombe

833-600-8482 x707

[email protected]

SOURCE Vita Inclinata Technologies, LLC
DOWNERS GROVE, Ill., June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- VntCap Technologies, the parent company of Allant Group, a nationally recognized, data-driven marketing firm, is pleased to announce its acquisition of Bubblebox Holdings. Bubblebox is one of the leaders in delivering Salesforce multi-cloud services. The company provides services that empower marketers to efficiently and effectively leverage data from Salesforce's core clouds of marketing, sales, service and community. With the addition of Bubblebox, Allant is now positioned to deliver high-value, tailored solutions and services to marketers across the Salesforce ecosystem.

VntCap Tech logo

Bubblebox, founded in 2008, is based out of Vancouver, Canada with an office in Toronto. Bubblebox is one of the Salesforce "Go-to-Market" Marketing Cloud partners in North America with a strong brand presence in the Canadian ecosystem. The company has a high customer satisfaction rating and offers strategic consulting services in addition to their technical capabilities, helping customers realize the maximum benefit of their investment in the core Salesforce clouds.

"We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Bubblebox to the VntCap Technologies family, which includes Allant Group. We look forward to quickly integrating Allant and Bubblebox services for the benefit of all our current and prospective customers," said Gaurav Issar, Allant's CEO and President. "Their strong reputation as a strategic, consultative Salesforce partner with deep Salesforce expertise and demonstrable client successes are a perfect fit with Allant's data, identity, marketing technology (MarTech) and analytical service offerings. With this acquisition, Allant can bring together strategic, technical and operational capabilities to provide immediate value to our client marketing efforts. I look forward to working closely with Paul and Tracey as senior members of the Allant executive team."

"Joining the Allant team allows us to continue to exceed customers' expectations as we have done for so many years and remain focused on customer success. This also allows us to further expand and grow our services in both the US and Canadian markets," said Paul Gordon, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Bubblebox. "There is a natural symbiotic benefit to the combined technical competence. Customers wish to leverage the power of Salesforce, and it is only possible with great data and insights. Bubblebox and Allant now deliver both."

Tracey Gordon, Co-Founder and Chief Operations Officer added "Customers are excited when our team brings ideas to life through technology. The synergies of our combined team will empower customers to exceed promises made to their businesses by personalizing the customer experience through leveraging data, technology and marketing strategy."

About VntCap Technologies, LLC

VntCap Technologies, LLC provides its subsidiary companies with a unique blend of viewpoints and experiences that deliver comprehensive guidance and oversight to its leadership teams. Unlike other investment firms that seek quicker financial returns from their investments, VntCap actively operates the companies within its investment portfolio for longer periods of time to achieve maximum valuation. Founded by a group of entrepreneurs from a cross-section of industries, the varied background of its members is what continues to create value in subsidiary companies such as Allant Group. For more information about VntCap Technologies, LLC http://www.vntcaptech.com/ .

About Allant Group

Allant Group is a marketing services provider focused on supporting mid-market and emerging brands through a holistic set of offerings in support of marketers' customer engagement needs, including data integration and management, martech system integration, analytics and other application-layer integrations. Allant's expertise and market knowledge enables delivery through faster customer and 3rd party data integration, improved analytical insights, easy to understand data visualizations, and effective campaign management execution to enable targeted and personalized communication by marketers to acquire, retain and win back customers. Allant is a privately held company headquartered in the Chicago area. For more information, call 800.367.7311 or visit allantgroup.com.

For more information about Bubblebox Holdings, please visit http://bubblebox.cloud.

CONTACT: Jill Madison

630-778-2758

[email protected]

SOURCE Allant Group
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Western Spirit: Scottsdale's Museum of the West (SMoW) is proud to announce a stunning upcoming exhibition:

Light and Legacy: The Art and Techniques of Edward S. Curtis.

Light and Legacy: The Art & Techniques of Edward S. Curtis, is one of the largest Curtis exhibitions to date. Tweet this Edward S. Curtis, Medicine Crow. Orotone. The Peterson Family Collection. Edward S. Curtis, Piegan, c. 1910. Cyanotype. 6 x 8 in. The Peterson Family Collection.

At the close of the 19th century, many Indigenous Peoples in the United States continued to adhere to traditional ways of life despite the tremendous pressures of modernity. Visionary Seattle photographer Edward Curtis saw the importance of honoring Native Americans on film. Over three decades, Curtis created thousands of images, audio recordings, and the earliest motion pictures of Native Peoples, all while making tremendous contributions to the art and science of photography.

The exhibition opens to the public on October 19, 2021, and will run through late spring 2023. It is co-curated by Dr. Tricia Loscher, Assistant Director for Collections, Exhibitions and Research at SMoW and Tim Peterson, Scottsdale's Museum of the West's Trustee and Western art collector. "Based upon years of collecting Curtis's artwork, Peterson has used his discerning eye in helping to curate this exhibition. On display will be photogravures; original copper plates; orotones; platinum prints; silver bromides; silver gelatins; cyanotypes; glass plate negatives; and recordings of Native music," states Loscher. Peterson adds, "The exhibition lays out in two parts. The first will feature at least four portraits, one dwelling, and four to six cultural images from each of the first 20 volumes of The North American Indian. Curtis was a wizard in the darkroom; the second part showcases his skill. On display will be bottles of minerals used to develop his prints and a replica of his camera."

Pulitzer Prize-winning Kiowa author N. Scott Momaday observed: "Taken as a whole, the work of Edward Curtis is a singular achievement. Never before have we seen the Indians of North America so close to the origins of their humanity, their sense of themselves in the world, their innate dignity and self-possession."

Light and Legacy: The Art & Techniques of Edward S. Curtis is one of the largest Curtis exhibitions to date. Curtis's endeavor consumed him; his life's work nearly vanished into history. In the 1970s, in a Boston bookstore warehouse, his art came to light once more. "Today, Edward Curtis's vision lives on. We are proud to have created this magnificent exhibition," said Mike Fox, Director and CEO of SMoW. "We thank our curatorial team for their dedication, and our generous sponsors who made it possible."

Click HERE for the Curtis exhibition preview video to share with your audience.

Exhibition Sponsors

The Curtis exhibition is sponsored by The Peterson Family; Charles F., Jennifer E., and John U. Sands; Scottsdale Art Auction; and the City of Scottsdale and its Tourism Development Commission.

Social Media: Twitter @SMoWest, Instagram @smowest, Facebook @scottsdalemuseumwest.

SOURCE Western Spirit: Scottsdales Museum of the West

Related Links

https://scottsdalemuseumwest.org/


Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, on Monday started an inspection tour to northwest China's Qinghai Province.



In Xining, the provincial capital, Xi visited a company producing carpets and made inquiry about how it leveraged the advantages of local resources and used new design concepts to boost its products' competitiveness, create jobs and increase the income of locals.



Xi also visited a residential community in Xining to learn about its efforts to strengthen Party building, improve community-level governance and advance ethnic unity and progress.
The market is concentrated, and the degree of concentration will accelerate during the forecast period. AbbVie Inc., AstraZeneca Plc, Bristol-Myers Squibb Co., F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., GlaxoSmithKline Plc, Johnson & Johnson, Merck & Co. Inc., Novartis AG, Pfizer Inc., and Sanofi SA are some of the major market participants. The targeted therapeutic mechanism of action will offer immense growth opportunities. To leverage the current opportunities, market vendors must strengthen their foothold in the fast-growing segments while maintaining their positions in the slow-growing segments.

Monoclonal Antibodies Market 2021-2025: Segmentation

Monoclonal Antibodies Market is segmented as below:

Application

Oncology



Autoimmune Disorders



Infectious Diseases



Other Applications

Geography

North America



Europe



Asia



ROW

To learn more about the global trends impacting the future of market research, download a free sample: https://www.technavio.com/talk-to-us?report=IRTNTR44342

Monoclonal Antibodies Market 2021-2025: Vendor Analysis and Scope

To help businesses improve their market position, the monoclonal antibodies market provides a detailed analysis of around 25 vendors operating in the market. Some of these vendors include AbbVie Inc., AstraZeneca Plc, Bristol-Myers Squibb Co., F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., GlaxoSmithKline Plc, Johnson & Johnson, Merck & Co. Inc., Novartis AG, Pfizer Inc., and Sanofi SA.

The report also covers the following areas:

Monoclonal Antibodies Market size

Monoclonal Antibodies Market trends

Monoclonal Antibodies Market industry analysis

The introduction of low-priced biosimilar monoclonal antibodies is likely to emerge as one of the primary drivers of the market. However, the high cost of monoclonal antibodies may threaten the growth of the market.

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Related Reports on Health Care Include:

Global Anti-nuclear Antibody (ANA) Testing Market - Global anti-nuclear antibody (ANA) market is segmented by end-user (hospitals and clinical diagnostic laboratories) and geography (North America, Europe, Asia, and ROW). Request a Free Sample Report

Global Biologic Therapeutics Market - Global biologic therapeutics market is segmented by product (antibody therapeutics, vaccines, cell therapy, gene therapy, and other therapies), application (oncology, autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, hematology, and other applications), and geography (Asia, Europe, North America, and ROW).

Request a Free Sample Report

Monoclonal Antibodies Market 2021-2025: Key Highlights

CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2021-2025

Detailed information on factors that will assist monoclonal antibodies market growth during the next five years

Estimation of the monoclonal antibodies market size and its contribution to the parent market

Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior

The growth of the monoclonal antibodies market

Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors

Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of monoclonal antibodies market vendors

Table of Contents:

Executive Summary

Market Landscape

Market ecosystem

Market characteristics

Value chain analysis

Market Sizing

Market definition

Market segment analysis

Market size 2019

Market outlook: Forecast for 2020-2025

Five Forces Analysis

Five forces summary

Bargaining power of buyers

Bargaining power of suppliers

Threat of new entrants

Threat of substitutes

Threat of rivalry

Market condition

Market Segmentation by Application

Market segments

Comparison by Application

Oncology - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Autoimmune disorders - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Infectious diseases - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Other applications - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Market opportunity by Application

Market Segmentation by Type

Segmentation by type of monoclonal antibodies

Customer Landscape

Geographic Landscape

Geographic segmentation

Geographic comparison

North America - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

- Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Europe - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

- Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Asia - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

- Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ROW - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Key leading countries

Market opportunity by geography

Market drivers

Market challenges

Market trends

Vendor Landscape

Competitive Scenario

Vendor Landscape

Landscape disruption

Vendor Analysis

Vendors covered

Market positioning of vendors

AbbVie Inc.

AstraZeneca Plc

Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.

F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd.

GlaxoSmithKline Plc

Johnson & Johnson

Merck & Co. Inc.

Novartis AG

Pfizer Inc.

Sanofi

Appendix

Scope of the report

Currency conversion rates for US$

Research methodology

List of abbreviations

About Us

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

Contact

Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media & Marketing Executive

US: +1 844 364 1100

UK: +44 203 893 3200

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.technavio.com/

Report: www.technavio.com/report/monoclonal-antibodies-market-industry-analysis

SOURCE Technavio
PHILADELPHIA, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The following Aberdeen Standard Investments U.S. Closed-End Funds announced today that the closed end funds in the chart directly below will pay the distributions indicated on a per share basis on June 30, 2021 to all shareholders of record as of June 23, 2021 (ex-dividend date June 22, 2021).

Ticker Exchange Fund Amount AEF NYSE American Aberdeen Emerging Markets Equity Income Fund, Inc. $ 0.16 AGD NYSE Aberdeen Global Dynamic Dividend Fund $ 0.065 AOD NYSE Aberdeen Total Dynamic Dividend Fund $ 0.0575 ASGI NYSE Aberdeen Standard Global Infrastructure Income Fund $ 0.1083 AWP NYSE Aberdeen Global Premier Properties Fund $ 0.04 FAX NYSE American Aberdeen Asia-Pacific Income Fund, Inc. $ 0.0275 FCO NYSE American Aberdeen Global Income Fund, Inc. $ 0.07 IFN NYSE The India Fund, Inc. $ 0.58

At the end of each calendar year, a Form 1099-DIV will be sent to shareholders, which will state the amount and composition of each fund's distributions and provide information with respect to their appropriate tax treatment for the prior calendar year. You should not draw any conclusions about any of these fund's investment performance from the amount of the distributions.

MANAGED DISTRIBUTION POLICY FUNDS

ANNOUNCE DISTRIBUTION PAYMENT DETAILS

Aberdeen Standard Global Infrastructure Income Fund ("ASGI")

Aberdeen Asia-Pacific Income Fund, Inc. ("FAX")

The India Fund, Inc. ( "IFN")

The above-noted Aberdeen Standard Investments U.S. Closed-End Funds (the "Funds" or individually the "Fund"), today announced that the Funds will pay the distributions noted in the chart above on June 30, 2021, on a per share basis to all shareholders of record as of June 23, 2021 (ex-dividend date June 22, 2021).

Each Fund has adopted a distribution policy to provide investors with a stable distribution out of current income, supplemented by realized capital gains and, to the extent necessary, paid-in capital in reliance on an exemptive order granted by the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Under applicable U.S. tax rules, the amount and character of distributable income for each Fund's fiscal year can be finally determined only as of the end of the Fund's fiscal year. However, under Section 19 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act") and related rules, the Funds may be required to indicate to shareholders the estimated source of certain distributions to shareholders.

The following tables set forth the estimated amounts of the sources of the distributions for purposes of Section 19 of the 1940 Act and the rules adopted thereunder. The tables have been computed based on generally accepted accounting principles. The tables include estimated amounts and percentages for the current distributions to be paid as well as for the cumulative distributions paid relating to fiscal year to date, from the following sources: net investment income; net realized short-term capital gains; net realized long-term capital gains; and return of capital. The estimated compositions of the distributions may vary because the estimated composition may be impacted by future income, expenses and realized gains and losses on securities and currencies.

Each Fund's estimated sources of the current distributions to be paid and for its current fiscal year to date are as follows:

Estimated Amounts of Current Distribution per Share Fund Distribution

Amount Net Investment

Income Net Realized

Short-Term

Gains** Net Realized

Long-Term

Gains Return of

Capital ASGI

















FAX $0.0275 $0.0138 50% - - - - $0.0137 50% IFN $0.5800 - - $0.0696 12% $0.5104 88% - -

Estimated Amounts of Fiscal Year to Date Cumulative Distributions per Share Fund Fiscal Year*

to Date

Distribution

Amount Net Investment

Income Net Realized

Short-Term

Gains** Net Realized

Long-Term

Gains Return of

Capital ASGI

















FAX $0.2200 $0.1100 50% - - - - $0.1100 50% IFN $1.1600 - - $0.1392 12% $1.0208 88% - -

*ASGI has a 9/30 fiscal year end; FAX has a 10/31 fiscal year end; IFN has a 12/31 fiscal year end. **includes currency gains

Where the estimated amounts above show a portion of the distribution to be a "Return of Capital," it means that Fund estimates that it has distributed more than its income and capital gains; therefore, a portion of your distribution may be a return of capital. A return of capital may occur for example, when some or all of the money that you invested in a Fund is paid back to you. A return of capital distribution does not necessarily reflect the Fund's investment performance and should not be confused with "yield" or "income."

The amounts and sources of distributions reported in this notice are only estimates and are not being provided for tax reporting purposes. The final determination of the source of all distributions for the current year will only be made after year-end. The actual amounts and sources of the amounts for tax reporting purposes will depend upon the Fund's investment experience during the remainder of the fiscal year and may be subject to change based on tax regulations. After the end of each calendar year, a Form 1099-DIV will be sent to shareholders for the prior calendar year that will tell you how to report these distributions for federal income tax purposes.

The following table provides the Funds' total return performance based on net asset value (NAV) over various time periods compared to the Funds' annualized and cumulative distribution rates.

Fund Performance and Distribution Rate Information Fund Average Annual

Total Return on

NAV for the 5

Year Period

Ending

05/31/2021  Current Fiscal

Period's

Annualized

Distribution Rate

on NAV  Cumulative

Total Return on

NAV  Cumulative

Distribution Rate

on NAV  ASGI 3





FAX

6.98%

4.07% IFN









1 Return data is net of all Fund expenses and fees and assumes the reinvestment of all distributions reinvested at prices obtained under the Fund's dividend reinvestment plan. 2 Based on the Fund's NAV as of May 31, 2021. 3 The Fund launched within the past 5 years; the performance and distribution rate information presented reflects data from inception (July 29, 2020) through May 31, 2021.

Shareholders should not draw any conclusions about a Fund's investment performance from the amount of the Fund's current distributions or from the terms of the distribution policy (the "Distribution Policy").

While NAV performance may be indicative of the Fund's investment performance, it does not measure the value of a shareholder's investment in the Fund. The value of a shareholder's investment in the Fund is determined by the Fund's market price, which is based on the supply and demand for the Fund's shares in the open market.

Pursuant to an exemptive order granted by the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Funds may distribute any long-term capital gains more frequently than the limits provided in Section 19(b) under the 1940 Act and Rule 19b-1 thereunder. Therefore, distributions paid by the Funds during the year may include net income, short-term capital gains, long-term capital gains and/or a return of capital. Net income dividends and short-term capital gain dividends, while generally taxable at ordinary income rates, may be eligible, to the extent of qualified dividend income earned by the Funds, to be taxed at a lower rate not to exceed the maximum rate applicable to your long-term capital gains. Distributions made in any calendar year in excess of investment company taxable income and net capital gain are treated as taxable ordinary dividends to the extent of undistributed earnings and profits, and then as a return of capital that reduces the adjusted basis in the shares held. To the extent return of capital distributions exceed the adjusted basis in the shares held, capital gain is recognized with a holding period based on the period the shares have been held at the date such amount is received.

The payment of distributions in accordance with the Distribution Policy may result in a decrease in the Fund's net assets. A decrease in the Fund's net assets may cause an increase in the Fund's annual operating expense ratio and a decrease in the Fund's market price per share to the extent the market price correlates closely to the Fund's net asset value per share. The Distribution Policy may also negatively affect the Fund's investment activities to the extent that the Fund is required to hold larger cash positions than it typically would hold or to the extent that the Fund must liquidate securities that it would not have sold, for the purpose of paying the distribution. Each Fund's Board has the right to amend, suspend or terminate the Distribution Policy at any time. The amendment, suspension or termination of the Distribution Policy may affect the Fund's market price per share. Investors should consult their tax advisor regarding federal, state and local tax considerations that may be applicable in their particular circumstances.

Circular 230 disclosure : To ensure compliance with requirements imposed by the U.S. Treasury, we inform you that any U.S. tax advice contained in this communication (including any attachments) is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, for the purpose of (i) avoiding penalties under the Internal Revenue Code or (ii) promoting, marketing or recommending to another party any transaction or matter addressed herein.

In the United States, Aberdeen Standard Investments is the marketing name for the following affiliated, registered investment advisers: Aberdeen Standard Investments Inc., Aberdeen Asset Managers Ltd., Aberdeen Standard Investments Australia Ltd., Aberdeen Standard Investments (Asia) Ltd., Aberdeen Capital Management, LLC, Aberdeen Standard Investments ETFs Advisors LLC and Aberdeen Standard Alternative Funds Limited.

Closed-end funds are traded on the secondary market through one of the stock exchanges. A Fund's investment return and principal value will fluctuate so that an investor's shares may be worth more or less than the original cost. Shares of closed-end funds may trade above (a premium) or below (a discount) the net asset value (NAV) of the fund's portfolio. There is no assurance that a Fund will achieve its investment objective. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

If you wish to receive this information electronically, please contact [email protected]

https://www.aberdeenstandard.com/en-us/cefinvestorcenter/fund-centre/closed-end-funds

SOURCE Aberdeen Standard Investments U.S. Closed-End Funds

Related Links

https://www.aberdeenstandard.com


Blackshear, GA (31516)

Today

Mostly cloudy skies. Scattered thunderstorms this evening. Low around 70F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%..

Tonight

Mostly cloudy skies. Scattered thunderstorms this evening. Low around 70F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%.
International Expert Opinion and Implementation Guidance outlines Ketamine and Esketamine treatment parameters setting the standard for the clinical implementation of these rapid-acting treatments in treatment resistant depression

Guidance published in the official Journal of the American Psychiatric Association establishes Braxia Scientific as an international leader in the rapidly evolving industry of Ketamine, Esketamine and rapid acting antidepressants

TORONTO, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Braxia Scientific Corp. ("Braxia", or the "Company"), (CSE: BRAX) (OTC: BRAXF) (FWB: 496), a medical research company with clinics providing novel ketamine treatments for persons with depression and related disorders, is pleased to announce the American Journal of Psychiatry, the most widely read psychiatric journal in the world, has published the International Expert Opinion and Implementation Guidance (the "Guidelines") for the clinical use of rapid-acting Ketamine and Esketamine for treatment-resistant depression (TRD).

The Guidelines were developed and led by Braxia's CEO Dr. Roger S. McIntyre, M.D., and Braxia Health Medical Director, Joshua Rosenblat, M.D., M. Sc., along with an international group of 26 medical experts across five continents.

In 2019, Esketamine therapy received FDA approval with "breakthrough status" by the FDA. Both Esketamine and intravenous (IV) Ketamine are the first glutamate-based treatments demonstrated to be rapidly effective in adults suffering from TRD.

"We have been encouraged to see increased availability and access to esketamine and ketamine for adults experiencing TRD. We have been equally interested to assure that implementation of these rapid-acting treatments is conducted according to the best of science and clinical practice parameters," said Dr. Roger S. McIntyre, CEO, Braxia Scientific. "With the increasing number of practitioners and community-based clinics in the United States that have expanded their scope of practice to include ketamine and esketamine for treatment resistant depression, our goal is to support their ability to immediately implement our guidance and recommendations to provide their patients the best chance for a safe and effective treatment outcome."

Dr. Roger S. McIntyre continued, "Our experience administering ketamine, and more recently esketamine, in a large number of people affected by treatment resistant depression since our first clinic opened in 2018, has provided us with the opportunity to inform practitioners, internationally, on the safe, evidence-based implementation of these treatments. We believe the integration of science with best practices in clinics, as described in our Expert Opinion and Implementation Guidance, provides a framework for the field, and improves the probability of success for patients receiving these treatments."

Dr. Joshua Rosenblat added, "With the Guidelines published in the American Journal of Psychiatry, led by psychiatrists at Braxia, we will work together with practitioners and health professionals around the world to provide education, share our expertise and best practices so that patients with treatment resistant depression will receive the highest-quality care."

The Guidelines were published in May 2021 in the American Journal of Psychiatry under the headline "Synthesizing the Evidence for Ketamine and Esketamine for Treatment-Resistant Depression."

The Guidelines aim to synthesize for practitioners delivering treatment the available literature with respect to the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of esketamine and IV ketamine in adults with treatment resistant depression. An additional aim was to provide guidance for the safe and appropriate implementation of these agents in clinical practice with emphasis on practice parameters to be adopted by clinics providing esketamine and IV ketamine.

The full journal citation is: Synthesizing the Evidence for Ketamine and Esketamine in Treatment-Resistant Depression: An International Expert Opinion on the Available Evidence and Implementation. McIntyre RS, et al. Am J Psychiatry. 2021 May 1;178(5):383-399. doi: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2020.20081251

According to the American Journal of Psychiatry (https://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/about) , it is the most widely read psychiatric journal in the world, an indispensable journal for all psychiatrists and other mental health professionals who need to stay on the cutting edge of virtually every aspect of psychiatry.

About Braxia Scientific Corp.

Braxia Scientific (CSE: BRAX) (OTC: BRAXF) (FWB: 496), is a medical research company with clinics that provide innovative ketamine treatments for persons with depression and related disorders. Through its medical solutions the Company aims to reduce the illness burden of brain-based mental disorders such as major depressive disorder among others. Braxia Scientific is primarily focused on (i) owning and operating multidisciplinary clinics providing ketamine treatment for mental health disorders and (ii) research activities related to discovering and commercializing novel drugs and delivery methods. The Company develops ketamine and psilocybin derivatives and other psychedelic products from its IP development platform. Braxia Scientific, through its wholly owned subsidiary, the Canadian Rapid Treatment Center of Excellence Inc., currently operates multidisciplinary community-based clinics offering rapid-onset treatments for depression located in Mississauga, Toronto, Ottawa, and Montreal.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

"Dr. Roger S. McIntyre"

Dr. Roger S. McIntyre

Chairman & CEO

The CSE has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the accuracy or adequacy of this release.

Forward-looking Information Cautionary Statement



This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements that are not historical facts, future estimates, plans, programs, forecasts, projections, objectives, assumptions, expectations, or beliefs of future performance are "forward-looking statements."

Forward-looking statements include statements about the intended promise of ketamine and esketamine-based treatments for depression, and the potential for ketamine to treat other emerging psychiatric disorders, for the Company to be a leader in this space, for the Company's ability to grow its clinical network, and for the Company to develop and commercialize novel drugs and delivery methods.

Such forward- looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, events, or developments to be materially different from any future results, events or developments expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, among others, the failure of ketamine to provide the expected health benefits and unanticipated side effects, dependence on obtaining and maintaining regulatory approvals, including acquiring and renewing federal, provincial, municipal, local or other licenses and engaging in activities that could be later determined to be illegal under domestic or international laws. These factors should be considered carefully, and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. Although the Company has attempted to identify important risk factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other risk factors that cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended.

Additional information identifying risks and uncertainties that could affect financial results is contained in the Company's filings with Canadian securities regulators, including the Amended and Restated Listing Statement dated April 15, 2021, which are available at www.sedar.com .

There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in forward-looking statements.

SOURCE Braxia Scientific Corp.

Related Links

www.braxiascientific.com


CHARLOTTE, N.C., June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Amwins, a global distributor of specialty insurance products and services, today announced the acquisition of CBIZ M.T. Donahoe & Associates, LLC, ("MTDA"), a Maryland-based General Agent specializing in employee and individual benefits and services.

"We're excited to welcome Mike and the entire MTDA team to the Amwins family," said Becky Patel, CEO of Amwins Connect. "This partnership further enables our mission to seamlessly connect every point of the benefits journey for brokers, carriers and their clients."

Michael Donahoe, Jr., President of MTDA, will join the leadership team of Amwins Connect.

"Mike has a deep knowledge of the industry and a drive for results," said Adam Mathis, President of Amwins Connect. "As an integral part of the team, he will be critical in our commitment to supply the right support and technology for the best possible broker experience."

MTDA will join the Group Benefits division, further complementing the services of Amwins Connect Administrators and allowing for continued innovation and extraordinary service from passionate people.

"Our organizations complement each other from a cultural and business perspective," says Donahoe. "Together, we can leverage our expertise, myriad resources and long-standing relationships to meet the challenge of a complex and ever-changing employee and individual benefits market."

Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. To learn more about Amwins, visit www.amwins.com.

About Amwins

Amwins is the largest independent wholesale distributor of specialty insurance products in the United States, dedicated to serving retail insurance agents by providing property and casualty products, specialty group benefit products, and administrative services. Based in Charlotte, N.C., the company operates through more than 155 offices globally and handles premium placements in excess of $23 billion annually. To learn more, visit www.amwins.com .

About M.T. Donahoe & Associates, LLC

Established in 1982, M.T. Donahoe & Associates, LLC consistently strives to support, serve and solve problems for brokers while fostering long lasting and collaborative relationships built upon a foundation of dependability and trust. Based in Columbia, MD, the company supports brokers and their clients with business located in Maryland, the District of Columbia and Virginia. To learn more, visit www.mtda.com.

SOURCE Amwins Group, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.amwins.com


SAN FRANCISCO, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- AntlerA has applied its next generation programmable ANT platform to develop therapeutics for treating retinopathies.

Blood vessels that supply oxygen and nutrients to the retina are tightly sealed to ensure that they do not leak their contents into the retina. Retinopathy are a group of diseases where blood vessels in the eye become leaky causing damage to the retina, eventually leading to loss of vision. In a study published in EMBO Molecular Medicine , scientists from AntlerA, in collaboration with Drs. Sachdev Sidhu and Stephane Angers from the University of Toronto, and Dr. Harald Junge from the University of Minnesota Medical School, report the development of an antibody drug that mimics Norrin, a secreted protein, required for the maintenance of the blood vessel integrity in the eye.

"In 2019 in eLife we reported the development of an advanced protein-engineering technology platform that can be used to activate the Wnt/b-catenin signaling pathway precisely and on demand. Norrin signals through the Wnt cascade and making recombinant Norrin is not straightforward. It is exciting to see that the AntlerA team, building on our earlier studies, have developed a Norrin-mimetic antibody that has enormous clinical potential," said Dr. Sachdev Sidhu, Professor, University of Toronto and co-lead author on the study.

"The biology of the vascular barrier function is well worked out. Human and mouse genetic studies over the last two decades have established Norrin signaling to be important for maintaining the blood retinal barrier. Norrin binds to FZD4/LRP5 and activates signaling required for maintenance of the tight junctions between endothelial cells that line the retinal blood vessels. Loss of blood retinal barrier function is well recognized in diabetic retinopathy and other eye diseases. A Norrin-mimetic would be an excellent drug that can restore proper blood vessel function and improve vision. We were excited to find that the drug candidate worked very well in preventing pathological vascularization in a mouse model of human retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), a condition that affects over 14,000 premature infants in the US alone annually. In the blood vessels in the brain the same FZD4/LRP5 signaling, though mainly turned on by Wnt7a/b protein, is responsible for preventing the blood vessels from leaking. The AntlerA Norrin-mimetic has applications beyond the eye as a Wnt7-mimetic in areas such as stroke, age-related hearing loss and traumatic brain injury," added Dr. Stephane Angers, lead study author and Professor at the University of Toronto.

"The Norrin/Wnt7-mimetic actively promotes those blood vessel functions which prevent leakiness. We tested the AntlerA Norrin/Wnt7-mimetic in a genetic mouse model of retinopathy and found that the agonist rescued the vascular defects and also blocked the blood vessel leakage in this disease model," said Dr. Harald Junge, from the University of Minnesota Medical School and a co-lead author on the study.

"There is a significant unmet medical need in several rare pediatric retinopathies including FEVR/Norrie, Coats, and ROP, as there are no approved drugs for their treatment. Our Norrin/Wnt7-mimetic is an important drug candidate for these pediatric patients. Also, it will provide a new treatment modality for macular telangiectasia and diabetic retinopathy, which afflicts over 4 million people in the US alone. The mechanism of action of the drug is supported by strong human and mouse genetics and it acts by restoring signaling fundamental to junctional integrity of vascular blood vessels. We plan to bring this exciting drug to clinical trials rapidly," said Dr. Sekar Seshagiri, CEO of AntlerA Therapeutics .

The full text of the paper can be accessed online at EMBO Molecular Medicine (DOI: 10.15252/emmm.202113977)

About AntlerA Therapeutics, Inc.

AntlerA Therapeutics is a regenerative medicines company focused on developing novel protein therapeutics that function by modulating Wnt signaling to harness the regenerative potential of tissue resident stem cells.

For more information, please visit www.antlera.com

Contact:

Dr Sekar Seshagiri

CEO, AntlerA Therapeutics

[email protected]

SOURCE AntlerA Therapeutics
ORANGE COUNTY, Calif., June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- AtYourGate Inc., the leader in the on-demand airport food and retail delivery space, today announced that it has expanded its leadership team with the appointment of seasoned executives Mike Medeiros as Chief Operating Officer and Susan Lintonsmith as Chief Brand Officer. Both executives will leverage their extensive experience working with airline and consumer brands to rapidly expand AtYourGate's disruptive food and retail delivery service to new airports in the United States and around the globe.

"The growth of AtYourGate to date is a testament to the potential for the brand and the vision of creating a new kind of food and retail experience for travelers, airport employees and airline crews," said David Henninger, co-founder and president, AtYourGate. "With these two inspired, experienced executives on our team we are poised to grow exponentially as we deliver on our vision for bringing on-demand food and retail delivery into airports around the globe."

Mike Medeiros joins AtYourGate as the company's Chief Operating Officer after a long and distinguished career as a vice president of operations at Delta Air Lines, where he spent 33 years leading global teams, driving operational performance and managing a global fleet of ground support equipment. Most recently, he was responsible for directing sterilization and disinfection guidelines in aircrafts and facilities as part of the company's industry leading response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Medeiros will apply his experience in driving exceptional operational performance to help guide AtYourGate's growth as the company expands its service into new airports.

"The AtYourGate team has built a tremendous business that solves a critical market need by seamlessly bringing the on-demand experience to airport food and retail," said Medeiros. "I'm inspired by the passion the founders have for this business and excited to contribute to the company's success as we strategically extend our service to more travelers."

Susan Lintonsmith brings more than 30 years of success in generating sales and profit growth for leading consumer food and beverage brands to her role as Chief Brand Officer for AtYourGate. Throughout her career she has led corporate and marketing strategy for such leading brands as Quiznos, where she served as president and CEO, and Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, where she served as Chief Marketing Officer. She has also held key strategic marketing positions with WhiteWave Foods, the Coca-Cola Company and Pizza Hut. As CBO for AtYourGate, she will lead strategy, branding and marketing while cultivating substantial marketing partnerships with airlines, concession operators, airports and travel industry partners to drive awareness and trials for the brand with benefits for all stakeholders.

"AtYourGate has the opportunity to become a dominant brand and delivery service for airport food and retail," said Lintonsmith. "I look forward to leveraging my expertise in building brands and businesses to make the airport food and retail experience more convenient and stress-free for travelers, airport employees and airline crews."

AtYourGate currently operates at 15 airports in the U.S. with 10 additional airports in the pipeline for 2021. The AtYourGate mobile ordering and delivery service is now available on iOS and Android devices or by visiting participating airports' ordering sites. To learn more about AtYourGate and find participating airports, visit atyourgate.com.

About AtYourGate

AtYourGate is the leading airport food and retail delivery service for travelers, airport employees and airline crews. Launched in 2018, AtYourGate makes airport dining and shopping stress-free, convenient, and easy. Simply order what you want from participating retailers and then sit back and relax. AtYourGate will deliver your order with punctual and friendly service to wherever you are in the airport. We've got this. We're AtYourGate. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram or learn more at atyourgate.com.

Contact:

Mark Van Hook

Largemouth Communications on behalf of AtYourGate Inc.

(919) 459-6481

[email protected]

SOURCE AtYourGate

Related Links

https://atyourgate.com/


NEW YORK, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Bloomberg today announced the launch of the Portfolio Trading Basket Builder (Basket Builder), an enhancement to its existing portfolio trading workflow, which incorporates reference to Bloomberg's Evaluated Pricing Service (BVAL). The newly introduced functionality will enable market participants to more efficiently and effectively integrate data, analytics, and communication tools to find the optimal basket of bonds prior to electronic execution.

Using the Basket Builder, clients can create a portfolio basket by dragging and dropping securities from portfolios or monitors within Bloomberg, or from external files or their order management system (OMS). This builds on the 'RFQ to Many' functionality for portfolio trading introduced by Bloomberg in December 2020. Once the optimal basket is created through Basket Builder, it can easily be traded on an all-or-none basis, via BOLT, Bloomberg's list trading tool. Traders can put up to six dealers in competition, and BVAL can be used as a reference, in addition to other market standard quote types and references. BVAL supplies independent and transparent evaluated pricing for over 2.7 million securities across GSAC, Securitized Products, Municipals and Curves daily.

"Portfolio trading is an important part of today's credit trading landscape. It enables firms to trade a basket of bonds quickly and efficiently, which is more important than ever in the current market environment," said Robert Simnick, Credit Portfolio Specialist at Invesco. "We are happy to see greater innovation in this space at a time when portfolio trading continues to gain traction."

"While Portfolio Trading is not new, its use and utility has grown steadily over the past few years," said Kevin McPartland, Head of Market Structure & Technology Research at Coalition Greenwich. "As the tools used for portfolio trading continue to improve and expand, market participants will more easily unearth the liquidity and price improvement that portfolio trading can provide."

"As the use of portfolio trading grows, Bloomberg is focused on providing market participants with access to robust data and analytics alongside communication and trading tools to find the other side of their trades quickly and at the best possible price," said Paul Kaplan, Global Head of Credit, Equities, TRS and Price Transparency at Bloomberg. "These enhancements help optimize the entire portfolio trading workflow, and represent our continued investment in our electronic trading offerings."

The Basket Builder provides clients the ability to communicate internally across teams or trading desks, and supports communication between buy- and sell-side traders. Traders can analyze multiple portfolio trading data points, including net proceeds, average duration and liquidity scores. They have the ability to compare basket and individual levels to multiple pricing sources including BVAL and the Composite Bloomberg Bond Trader (CBBT), a weighted average of dealer-contributed near real-time prices on Bloomberg's Fixed Income Trading solution (FIT) during trading hours.

Bloomberg subscribers can access more information via PTBB on the Bloomberg Terminal.

About Bloomberg

Bloomberg, the global business and financial information and news leader, gives influential decision makers a critical edge by connecting them to a dynamic network of information, people and ideas. The company's strength  delivering data, news and analytics through innovative technology, quickly and accurately  is at the core of the Bloomberg Terminal. Bloomberg's enterprise solutions build on the company's core strength: utilizing technology to allow customers to access, integrate, distribute and manage data and information across organizations more efficiently and effectively. For more information, visit Bloomberg.com/company or request a demo .

SOURCE Bloomberg

Related Links

http://www.bloomberg.com


JERSEY CITY, N.J., June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- BNY Mellon's Pershing ("Pershing") today announced that it has launched its next generation integration portal, NetXServices. The new portal makes it easier and faster for clients to access the full spectrum of technology capabilities on the Pershing platform, empowering firmsfrom fintechs to large enterprisesto rapidly deploy next generation applications for their clients.

"We are building the industry's most digital-forward platform," said Ram Nagappan, Chief Information Officer, BNY Mellon's Pershing. "Firms know that when they choose us as their partner, they get access to unparalleled scale and breadth of solutions via a simple and easy-to-integrate solution. Our new portal is scaled to become an innovators' dream for building one-of-a-kind experienceswhether that's digital-first, hybrid, or advisor-led."

The NetXServices portal, part of the BNY Mellon Marketplace, provides clients and third-party providers with greater levels of transparency and ease when it comes to consuming and integrating with the solutions available on the Pershing platform.

The portal offers a convenient way to tap into Pershing's full suite of capabilities, including one of the fastest account opening capabilities in the market (on more than 100 available registration types), real-time trading and order management, real-time portfolio holdings and balances, and execution across a variety of asset classes.

"Pershing's flexible, open-architecture platform is the backbone of our user interface," said Kyle Ryan, Executive Vice President of Advisory Services at Personal Capital. "From digital account opening to asset movements, Pershing's technology capabilities are critical to helping us deliver our unique client experience, which has become a gold standard for many in the industry."

Pershing integrates with over 200 third-party providers, using a variety of channels including Application Programming Interfaces (API), Single Sign-On (SSO), Financial Information Exchange (FIX), and Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Communication (SWIFT) connections. Through its Integration Advisory Council, Pershing collaborates closely with 15 strategic third-party providers, who represent some of the most important parts of the advisor value chain, to identify new integration opportunities and enhance the experience on its platform.

"Demand for integrations with our platform has increased three-fold over the past year," said Kit Lee, Director of Technology and Head of Integration at BNY Mellon's Pershing. "The NetXServices portal is part of our multi-year investment in integration and will become a critical hub for firms looking for easy access to our capabilities and data."

Pershing's NetXServices portal provides information on the use case for integrations available on the platform so clients can easily identify their preferred solutions based on their unique needs. It also features in-depth guidelines to alleviate the need for technical support and significantly streamline product development all the way from business concept to development and full implementation.

Firms using Pershing's NetXServices are also be able to scale their digital experiences by tapping into the full breadth of services and data offered via the BNY Mellon Marketplace, which includes the recently launched real-time electronic payment solution, as well as BNY Mellon ESG Data Analytics, Cash Management, and Card and Account Management solutions, among many others.

ABOUT BNY MELLON'S PERSHING

BNY Mellon's Pershing is a leading provider of clearing and custody services. We are uniquely positioned to help complex financial services firms transform their businesses, drive growth, maximize efficiency, and manage risk and regulation.

Wealth management and institutional firms outsource to us for trading and settlement services, investment solutions, bank and brokerage custody, middle and back office support, data insights, and business consulting.

Pershing brings together high-touch service, an open digital platform and the BNY Mellon enterprise to deliver a differentiated experience for every client.

Pershing LLC (member FINRA, NYSE, SIPC) is a BNY Mellon company. With offices around the world, Pershing has over $2 trillion in assets and millions of investor accounts. Pershing affiliates include Albridge Solutions, Inc. and Lockwood Advisors, Inc., an investment adviser registered in the United States under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. Additional information is available on pershing.com, or follow us on LinkedIn or Twitter @Pershing.

ABOUT BNY MELLON

BNY Mellon is a global investments company dedicated to helping its clients manage and service their financial assets throughout the investment lifecycle. Whether providing financial services for institutions, corporations or individual investors, BNY Mellon delivers informed investment and wealth management and investment services in 35 countries. As of March 31, 2021, BNY Mellon had $41.7 trillion in assets under custody and/or administration, and $2.2 trillion in assets under management. BNY Mellon can act as a single point of contact for clients looking to create, trade, hold, manage, service, distribute or restructure investments. BNY Mellon is the corporate brand of The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation (NYSE: BK). Additional information is available on www.bnymellon.com. Follow us on Twitter @BNYMellon or visit our newsroom at www.bnymellon.com/newsroom for the latest company news.

Contact:

Sanuber Grohe

917-691-3185

[email protected]

SOURCE Pershing LLC
Wireless carriers voluntarily broadcast the Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) over their networks in cooperation with state and federal authorities under the Commercial Mobile Alert System (CMAS) program, but only after extensive testing and certification by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

"With WEA, warnings are automatically sent to your phone when you're in harm's way ... " - Carla Lewis, CTO, C Spire

C Spire received final FEMA approval in 2014 to begin broadcasting the text-like, 90-character messages designed to warn consumers about severe weather threats, missing persons or Presidential alerts during national emergencies. Customers can opt out of weather and missing person alerts by adjusting their device notification settings, but Presidential alerts are mandatory.

C Spire CTO Carla Lewis says the alerts play an important role in keeping Mississippi residents updated about flooding threats. Without the alerts, C Spire and emergency response officials say injuries and deaths could result and damage totals could be much higher.

"Alerts received at the right time can help keep you safe during an emergency like a flood," Lewis said. "With WEA, warnings are sent to your phone when you're in harm's way without the need to download an app or subscribe to a service. We know that these messages delivered over our network help save lives."

The alerts helped keep Mississippi residents updated about weather threats when a rash of severe weather earlier this year caused record rainfall, 15 tornadoes, six deaths, damages to homes and businesses and widespread flash flooding. With multiple pending federal disaster declarations, first responders are bracing for the worst during the 2021 hurricane season.

The company currently offers more than 90 WEA-capable devices, including smartwatches and other connected devices, which are identified with a special logo both in stores and online. All smartphones manufactured and introduced after 2012 are WEA-capable.

Lewis said the WEA messages feature a special tone and vibration that is repeated twice so users can easily identify these types of emergency alerts. In many smartphone models, there is an audible warning.

Alerts are targeted to impacted geographic areas, some smaller than counties, where threats occur and Lewis said customers will receive the message if they travel into an area where an alert has been issued or if they are already within the area using a WEA-capable device.

The alerts are required under the Warning, Alert and Response Network (WARN) Act, a 2006 law that established a voluntary, national emergency alert system called for by President Bush in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001 al-Qaeda terrorist attacks on the U.S. that killed 2,996 people, damaged the Pentagon and destroyed the World Trade Center in New York City.

For more information about Wireless Emergency Alerts and CMAS on the C Spire network, go to www.cspire.com/cmas.

About C Spire

C Spire is a diversified telecommunications and technology services company that provides world-class, customer-inspired wireless communications, 1 Gigabit consumer Internet access as well as a full suite of dedicated Internet, wireless, IP Voice, data, cloud and managed services for businesses. This news release and other announcements are available at www.cspire.com/news. For more information about C Spire, visit www.cspire.com or follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/cspire or Twitter at www.twitter.com/cspire.

SOURCE C Spire

Related Links

http://www.cspire.com


WILMINGTON, Del., June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Chemours Company (NYSE: CC), a global chemistry company with leading market positions in Titanium Technologies, Thermal & Specialized Solutions, Advanced Performance Materials and Chemical Solutions, was honored today by the American Chemistry Council (ACC) with the 2021 Sustainability Leadership Award in the Product Safety, Innovation, and Transparency category.

Chemours received the award for its sustainable offering methodology, better known as EVOLVE 2030. EVOLVE 2030 is a Chemours-developed, third-party validated method designed to scientifically quantify the company's contributions to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs).

"Our EVOLVE 2030 methodology is a leading-edge, science-based, data-driven approach to measuring our contributions to the UN SDGs, making it groundbreaking not only for our industry, but for the world," said Sheryl Telford Chemours Chief Sustainability Officer and Vice President of Environment, Health and Safety. "By seamlessly integrating key sustainability information into decision-making, we are able to drive more strategic portfolio management, meaningful improvements in product imprints, and ultimately drive value for our customers while minimizing the impact on our shared planet. We are proud to have released a public version of our methodology and shared our experience with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBSCD), ACC, The Conference Board (TCB), customers, agencies, and other interested stakeholders."

The EVOLVE 2030 initiative is a part of Chemours' Corporate Responsibility Commitment (CRC) Goals, which were launched in 2018 and include 10 bold goals to achieve by 2030, each aligned with the UN SDGs. The company's sustainable offerings goal is for 50% or more of Chemours revenue by 2030 to come from offerings that make a specific contribution to the UN SDGs.

This is Chemours' second Sustainability Leadership Award in the program's short history, previously being honored in 2019 for the development of Opteon low global warming potential refrigerants, part of an industry-leading family of more sustainable products the company offers. The ACC developed the Sustainability Leadership Awards in 2019 to recognize ACC member company achievements and contributions to sustainability in priority areas highlighted in the Council's sustainability strategy.

About The Chemours Company

The Chemours Company (Chemours or the Company) (NYSE: CC) is a global leader in Titanium Technologies, Thermal & Specialized Solutions, Advanced Performance Materials, and Chemical Solutions providing its customers with solutions in a wide range of industries with market-defining products, application expertise and chemistry-based innovations. We deliver customized solutions with a wide range of industrial and specialty chemicals products for markets, including coatings, plastics, refrigeration, and air conditioning, transportation, semiconductor and consumer electronics, general industrial, mining and oil and gas. Our flagship products include prominent brands such as Ti-Pure, Opteon, Freon, Nafion, Krytox, Teflon, and Viton. In 2019, Chemours was named to Newsweek's list of America's Most Responsible Companies. The company has approximately 6,500 employees and 30 manufacturing sites serving approximately 3,300 customers in approximately 120 countries. Chemours is headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware and is listed on the NYSE under the symbol CC.

For more information, we invite you to visit chemours.com or follow us on Twitter @Chemours or LinkedIn.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements, within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, which involve risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements provide current expectations of future events based on certain assumptions and include any statement that does not directly relate to a historical or current fact. The words "believe," "expect," "will," "anticipate," "plan," "estimate," "target," "project" and similar expressions, among others, generally identify "forward-looking statements," which speak only as of the date such statements were made. These forward-looking statements may address, among other things, the outcome or resolution of any pending or future environmental liabilities, the commencement, outcome or resolution of any regulatory inquiry, investigation or proceeding, the initiation, outcome or settlement of any litigation, changes in environmental regulations in the U.S. or other jurisdictions that affect demand for or adoption of our products, anticipated future operating and financial performance for our segments individually and our company as a whole, business plans, prospects, targets, goals and commitments, capital investments and projects and target capital expenditures, plans for dividends or share repurchases, sufficiency or longevity of intellectual property protection, cost reductions or savings targets, plans to increase profitability and growth, our ability to make acquisitions, integrate acquired businesses or assets into our operations, and achieve anticipated synergies or cost savings, all of which are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. Forward-looking statements are based on certain assumptions and expectations of future events that may not be accurate or realized. These statements are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements also involve risks and uncertainties that are beyond Chemours' control. In addition, the current COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the national and global economy and commodity and financial markets, which has had and we expect will continue to have a negative impact on our financial results. The full extent and impact of the pandemic is unknown and to date has included extreme volatility in financial and commodity markets, a significant slowdown in economic activity, and increased predictions of a global recession. The public and private sector response has led to significant restrictions on travel, temporary business closures, quarantines, stock market volatility, and a general reduction in consumer and commercial activity globally. Matters outside our control have affected our business and operations and may or may continue to limit travel of employees to our business units domestically and internationally, adversely affect the health and welfare of our personnel, significantly reduce the demand for our products, hinder our ability to provide goods and services to customers, cause disruptions in our supply chains, adversely affect our business partners or cause other unpredictable events. Additionally, there may be other risks and uncertainties that Chemours is unable to identify at this time or that Chemours does not currently expect to have a material impact on its business. Factors that could cause or contribute to these differences include the risks, uncertainties and other factors discussed in our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2021 and in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020. Chemours assumes no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statement for any reason, except as required by law.

CONTACT:

INVESTORS

Jonathan Lock

VP, Corporate Development and Investor Relations

+1.302.773.2263

[email protected]

NEWS MEDIA

Cassie Olszewski

Media Relations and Financial Communications Manager

+1.302.219.7140

[email protected]

SOURCE The Chemours Company

Related Links

http://www.chemours.com


TORONTO, June 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Co-founders Dani Kagan and Victoria Marshman lead by example in a challenging time for businesses, shifting their focus from the renowned MOGUL Awards fashion show to supporting a network of thousands of entrepreneurs through programming, mentorship and education for the next generation of business leaders. Introducing the E-Commerce Speed Mentorship Event, City MOGULS provides an opportunity for entrepreneurs to seek advice on their businesses from a panel of expert mentors, virtually, on June 17th, 2021.

Promising entrepreneurs can apply for a chance to present on the live virtual stage. 20 finalists will be selected to share their businesses on June 17th, 2021 at 12 PM EDT with a panel of expert mentors including Rajen Ruparell, founder of Endy and board member at Clearco (formerly Clearbanc), Monica Abramov and Anastassia Boguslavskaya, co-founders at Lunata Inc., and Cassandra Ratcliffe, Community Manager for Canada at Shopify.

"We launched our Speed Mentorship series because we wanted to ensure that entrepreneurs, now more than ever, know that there are communities built to support and guide them on their mission to make an impact. With the E-Commerce event, we are thrilled to be able to provide our community with top notch insight and advice to scale their e-commerce business," says Kagan.

"Our mission has always been to create a community that helps guide and build the next generation of mission-driven entrepreneurs who support one another, and give back to the world. This event marries North America's top e-commerce MOGULS with budding entrepreneurs, providing invaluable, real-time feedback and insight on their businesses. Our event helps build a community of motivated leaders that can collaborate on future endeavors long after participating in the event," shared Marshman.

Applications for the City MOGULS E-Commerce Speed Mentorship Event are live now and close Thursday June 10th at 11:59 pm EDT. For more information on how to enter, including event guidelines please visit:https://www.citymoguls.com/go/ecommercespeedmentorship/

Throwing this event is the City MOGULS team. Their story: Kindred spirits of over 10 years, Victoria and Dani met on the University of Toronto dance team. Both passionate about bringing people together for a cause, they began organizing fundraising events while finishing up their undergraduate degrees at U of T. Quickly establishing themselves as a powerful duo, Dani and Victoria had a vision to celebrate entrepreneurship in a unique way and give back to local charities. Their hope was to bring the entrepreneurial community together to connect and celebrate one another. Fast forward to 2016, they put on the first-ever MOGUL Awards (formerly the City MOGULS Runway Show), celebrating Canada's top entrepreneurs in a runway show for Canadian charities. In 2019, the renown event earned acclaim as a National Award Finalist for Best Fundraising Events by the Canadian Special Awards and to date has raised over $250,000 in support of Canadian Charities. When 2020 brought the world new challenges, the duo shifted their focus and used their passion to create a year-round community, providing programming, mentorship, resources and events to aspiring business leaders online. Today, with a network of thousands of entrepreneurs and growing, what started as one event has now blossomed into a thriving, supportive, and empowered community of entrepreneurs and leaders. City MOGULS continues to fulfill their mission of celebrating, connecting, and educating entrepreneurs into the next generation of powerhouse leaders.

Released by Craftly.AI

About City Moguls

City MOGULS is a growing network that celebrates, educates, and connects innovative entrepreneurs to inspire great leaders. Through unique programming and resources such as Webinars, Workshops, #MOGULCrews, and MOGUL Mentorship, MOGUL Grant, and MOGUL Membership, City MOGULS connects entrepreneurs to grow their minds and networks to build empowered communities.

Press Contact:

Victoria Marshman

416-627-1435

SOURCE City Moguls
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Growing at a CAGR of almost 3%, the incremental growth of the market is anticipated to be 3.78 million units. Who are the top players in the market?

BorgWarner Inc., Continental AG, DENSO Corp., Marelli Holdings Co. Ltd., Mitsubishi Electric Corp., Nippon Seiki Co. Ltd., Robert Bosch GmbH, Stoneridge Inc., Visteon Corp., and Yazaki Corp. are some of the major market participants.

BorgWarner Inc., Continental AG, DENSO Corp., Marelli Holdings Co. Ltd., Mitsubishi Electric Corp., Nippon Seiki Co. Ltd., Robert Bosch GmbH, Stoneridge Inc., Visteon Corp., and Yazaki Corp. are some of the major market participants. What are the key market drivers and challenges?

Head-up display in commercial vehicles is one of the major factors driving the market. However, the software integration challenges for digital instrument cluster restraints the market growth.

Head-up display in commercial vehicles is one of the major factors driving the market. However, the software integration challenges for digital instrument cluster restraints the market growth. How big is the North America market?

The North America region will contribute to 48% of market growth.

Related Reports on Consumer Discretionary Include:

Automotive Reconfigurable Instrument Cluster Market by Product and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2021-2025: The automotive reconfigurable instrument cluster market size has the potential to grow by USD 122.11 million during 2021-2025, and the market's growth momentum will accelerate at a CAGR of 16.19%. To get extensive research insights: Download Our Exclusive Sample Report

Motorcycle Instrument Cluster Market by Type and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2020-2024: The motorcycle instrument cluster market has the potential to grow by 3.14 million units during 2020-2024, and the market's growth momentum will accelerate at a CAGR of 1.75%. To get extensive research insights: Download Our Exclusive Sample Report

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View market snapshot before purchasing

The market is fragmented, and the degree of fragmentation will accelerate during the forecast period. BorgWarner Inc., Continental AG, DENSO Corp., Marelli Holdings Co. Ltd., Mitsubishi Electric Corp., Nippon Seiki Co. Ltd., Robert Bosch GmbH, Stoneridge Inc., Visteon Corp., and Yazaki Corp. are some of the major market participants. The head-up display in commercial vehicles will offer immense growth opportunities.

In a bid to help players strengthen their market foothold, this commercial vehicle instrument cluster market forecast report provides a detailed analysis of the leading market vendors. The report also empowers industry honchos with information on the competitive landscape and insights into the different product offerings offered by various companies.

Technavio's custom research reports offer detailed insights on the impact of COVID-19 at an industry level, a regional level, and subsequent supply chain operations. This customized report will also help clients keep up with new product launches in direct & indirect COVID-19 related markets, upcoming vaccines and pipeline analysis, and significant developments in vendor operations and government regulations.

Commercial Vehicle Instrument Cluster Market 2021-2025: Segmentation

Commercial Vehicle Instrument Cluster Market is segmented as below:

Type

Hybrid



Digital



Analog

Geography

North America



APAC



Europe



South America



MEA

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Commercial Vehicle Instrument Cluster Market 2021-2025: Scope

Technavio presents a detailed picture of the market by the way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources. The commercial vehicle instrument cluster market report covers the following areas:

Commercial Vehicle Instrument Cluster Market Size

Commercial Vehicle Instrument Cluster Market Trends

Commercial Vehicle Instrument Cluster Market Analysis

This study identifies technological development of digital instrument clusters as one of the prime reasons driving the commercial vehicle instrument cluster market growth during the next few years.

Technavio suggests three forecast scenarios (optimistic, probable, and pessimistic) considering the impact of COVID-19. Technavio's in-depth research has direct and indirect COVID-19 impacted market research reports.

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Commercial Vehicle Instrument Cluster Market 2021-2025: Key Highlights

CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2021-2025

Detailed information on factors that will assist commercial vehicle instrument cluster market growth during the next five years

Estimation of the commercial vehicle instrument cluster market size and its contribution to the parent market

Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior

The growth of the commercial vehicle instrument cluster market across North America , APAC, Europe , South America , and MEA

, APAC, , , and MEA Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors

Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of commercial vehicle instrument cluster market vendors

Table of Contents:

Executive Summary

Market Landscape

Market ecosystem

Value chain analysis

Market Sizing

Market definition

Market segment analysis

Market size 2020

Market outlook: Forecast for 2020 - 2025

Five Forces Analysis

Five forces summary

Bargaining power of buyers

Bargaining power of suppliers

Threat of new entrants

Threat of substitutes

Threat of rivalry

Market condition

Market Segmentation by Type

Market segments

Comparison by Type

Hybrid - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Digital - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Analog - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Market opportunity by Type

Customer landscape

Customer Landscape

Geographic Landscape

Geographic segmentation

Geographic comparison

North America - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

- Market size and forecast 2020-2025 APAC - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Europe - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

- Market size and forecast 2020-2025 South America - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

- Market size and forecast 2020-2025 MEA - Market size and forecast 2020-2025

Key leading countries

Market opportunity by geography

Market drivers

Market challenges

Market trends

Vendor Landscape

Vendor Landscape

Landscape disruption

Vendor Analysis

Vendors covered

Market positioning of vendors

BorgWarner Inc.

Continental AG

DENSO Corp.

Marelli Holdings Co. Ltd.

Mitsubishi Electric Corp.

Nippon Seiki Co. Ltd.

Robert Bosch GmbH

Stoneridge Inc.

Visteon Corp.

Yazaki Corp.

Appendix

Scope of the report

Currency conversion rates for US$

Research methodology

List of abbreviations



About Us

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

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Report: https://www.technavio.com/report/commercial-vehicle-instrument-cluster-market-industry-analysis

SOURCE Technavio
News

breaking

Sandy Twp. Supervisors cite survey in consolidation decision

Sandy Twp. supervisors say no to moving forward with consolidation process

File Shown is a January 2020 file photo of the Sandy Township Supervisors. From left are Sam Mollica, Kevin Salandra, Jim Jeffers, Mark Sullivan and Bill Beers.

DuBOIS  Citing the results of a recent survey conducted to evaluate public interest in a proposed consolidation with the City of DuBois, the Sandy Township Supervisors, at their Monday meeting, decided to stop the process that could possibly lead to joining together the two municipalities.

The motion to end consolidation efforts was made by Supervisor Jim Jeffers and was seconded by Mark Sullivan. They, along with Supervisor Chairman Kevin Salandra and Bill Beers, voted in favor of halting the process, while Sam Mollica opposed.

The results of the survey showed that 65 percent of city residents and 49 percent of township residents would vote in favor of consolidation. According to the survey, 33 percent of township residents would vote against consolidation with the remaining percent undecided.

During a discussion between the supervisors prior to the vote, Jeffers said the supervisors weighed pretty heavy on the survey.

We (supervisors) said if it was for consolidation, we would pursue it further, said Jeffers. If it wasnt, then wed put the brakes on it.

Mollica questioned Jeffers as to why he doesnt think consolidation looks favorable.

Its not over 50 percent, Sam, said Jeffers. I look at 50 percent as a good breaking point.

I look at 49 (percent in favor) to 33 (percent against) and you take out the undecided votes, and its overwhelmingly ... now if it was the other way around..., said Mollica.

You dont know which way, thats why theyre undecided, said Jeffers. We have to go with the raw numbers now.

Mollica noted that it is a survey, not a vote.

Thats why you have a vote on it ... let the voters decide one way or the other, said Mollica. At least give the voters a chance, not just base it on the survey, like you said, it might not be that accurate.

Mollica was the only supervisor who voted against doing the survey when it was approved on April 7. He said it just seems like an added step that is not needed.

This is something we discussed before that we said wed weigh pretty heavy on it, said Jeffers, adding that he isnt willing to continue to waste taxpayers money at this point.

Personally, I think consolidation is the best thing for the community, but I cant say that I see that its overwhelming that the publics behind it, said Salandra. The reason we decided to do the survey is because its going to be a huge time commitment for the two managers and one local representative on each side, plus extra time from the board, plus whoever we put on the committee, its going to be a huge time commitment. And I think, (manager) Shawn (Arbaugh), you said were going to have to hire a consultant for the Home Rule Charter because we dont have anybody locally with the expertise to do a Home Rule Charter. Its going to be a considerable time commitment and a considerable monetary commitment to move forward. As much as I think its the right thing, consolidation, I think I agree with Jim that I cant really justify spending the money.

At this time, said Jeffers. Things could change in the future.

You say at this time, well whens ever a good time? asked Mollica.

I dont know, Sam, we dont know what the future has in store, the economy or anything else, said Jeffers.

Sullivan said he was concerned that less than half of township residents would favor consolidation after the township spent more than $30,000 on a consolidation study done by the Pennsylvania Economy League earlier this year.

After the meeting, Mollica told the Courier Express that there was no justification for the other supervisors not voting to move forward on the consolidation process based on the telephone poll.

The phone poll summary states it appears overwhelmingly likely that consolidation will pass in both municipalities, said Mollica. The conclusions reached by the phone poll clearly state that it would be worth going forward with the forming of a Home Rule Charter committee. Since the other supervisors stopped the process by their vote Monday evening, I would still like to see it placed on the ballot by using the Citizen Petition for Consolidation.
MOVING FORWARD, CONCORD PACIFIC AND HB MANAGEMENT WILL MAINTAIN A CLOSE STRATEGIC RELATIONSHIP WITH GLOBAL INVESTMENT ADVISORY FIRM, HQ CAPITAL

NEW YORK, VANCOUVER, BC, SEATTLE, HONG KONG, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Concord Pacific and HB Management today announced it has entered into strategic agreements to become a majority shareholder of HQ Capital Real Estate. HQ will continue to own a minority interest in the ongoing business and maintain a close partnership going forward.

Concord Pacific has always been active in multiple industries, including real estate development, hospitality, information technology, green energy, and telecommunication globally. Concord Pacific and HB Management have been looking for the right opportunity and the right partner to enter the real estate fund management business.

David Ju, Concord Pacific "HQ Capital Real Estate's stellar coast-to-coast track record and impeccable support from both Germany and New York management teams attracted us to this strategic alliance. HB Management has also been a great partner of ours in the United States since 2018. We are excited about another wonderful endeavor with HB with their expertise in the residential multifamily business. Our vision is to collaborate with HQ's well-established team and to explore new horizons in multiple markets."

Jon Breiner, HB Management, "HB Management is very pleased with the opportunity to strategically invest with our close partner, Concord Pacific, by bringing new strategic resources to HQ's multifamily investment platform. HQ brings a tremendous track record and new opportunities for HB and Concord to diversify their investment initiative, and to expand HQ's capital horizons. This is a true win-win."

Dr Joachim Faber, Chair of the supervisory board of HQ Holding. "With the transfer of the majority of its real estate business, HQ Capital continues to shape its profile as private equity specialist of HQ."

Dr Bernd Turk, CEO of HQ Capital. "We deliberately took time to evaluate all options for the business in the interest of our existing investors. We are delighted to partner with Concord Pacific and HB Management and are convinced that they are best positioned to take our real estate business to the next level, creating added value for existing and new investors."

The completion of this transaction is expected to occur in the next months of 2021 and is subject to customary approvals. The parties agreed not to disclose further details of the transaction. HQ Capital Real Estate will continue to build on its proven investment strategy focused on partnering with high-quality apartment developers and selectively acquiring existing multifamily properties with significant value creation potential in key growth markets across the United States.

About Concord Pacific Group

Concord Pacific Group is a private enterprise with investments and operations in real estate development, green energy, telecommunications, information technology, hospitality. It is widely recognized and most well-known for developing Canada's largest mixed-use high-rise urban communities including defining the downtown skylines of Vancouver and Toronto. The company has also made its mark on the London skyline and W1 and has expanded its business to the US. For over 30 years, Concord Pacific has been known as one of North America's most innovative and preeminent real estate developers with a focus on world-class master-planned urban high-rise communities. Concord Pacific has successfully delivered more than 150 high-rise residential towers representing approximately 26 million square feet of livable space. Concord Pacific has built a practice around sustainable investments and multi-disciplined diversification. The visionary concept of integrating technology and environmentally sustainable solutions into a full spectrum of its businesses has carried the group successfully beyond real estate development.

Visit concordpacific.com for more information.

About HB Management

Headquartered in Seattle, Washington, HB is a business and investment management entity of the Hewson and Breiner family offices. The managing principals of HB are Edward Hewson and Jonathan Breiner, second- and third-generation managers of their family businesses. HB's legacy as a U.S. multifamily investor began in apartment buildings in the suburbs of New York City in the 1950s, and expanded to the Western U.S. in the 1990s. Today, a good portion of the firm's investment has been focused on the Seattle area of the Pacific Northwest. HB manages over $3 billion worth of multifamily real estate and controls entities specializing in development, management, large-scale acquisitions, and brokerage. HB has been an instrument for large institutional investors and family offices throughout North America in the apartment building sector. In addition, HB has diversified interests in other asset classes such as hospitality, retail, transportation, and communications. HB's subsidiaries in the multifamily space include: HB Management, Indigo Real Estate Services, and Paragon Real Estate Advisors. HB Management, established in 2006, has developed large-scale apartment projects in the Pacific Northwest of the United States with a focus on Seattle, Washington. The company has successfully developed high-rise apartments in the downtown environment and mid-rise and suburban style apartments outside of the city core business districts. HB also has master planned neighborhoods near transit centers in Seattle. Indigo, founded in 1995, manages approximately 10,000 apartment units in four states on behalf HB partnerships, institutions, and other high net worth investors. The company has managed and reported for some of largest financial institutions in the United States. Paragon Real Estate Advisors, founded by Ed Hewson and other partners in 1995 and later acquired 100% by HB in 2010, is the Seattle area's largest privately owned apartment building brokerage, with a history of nearly 2,000 multifamily investment transactions.

Visit hbnorthwest.com for more information.

About HQ Capital Real Estate

Founded in 1989 as Real Estate Capital Partners, HQ Capital Real Estate is a dedicated U.S. real estate investment advisor specializing in multifamily investments. Since its inception, the firm has invested in approximately $15 billion of U.S. real estate through sponsored funds and separate accounts on behalf of global institutions, family offices and ultra-high net worth individuals. Through its consistent participation in the market over the past three decades, HQ Capital Real Estate has developed deep relationships with some of the country's top real estate owners, operators, developers, brokers and lenders, providing the firm with access to a pipeline of exclusive investment opportunities. Overseeing these transactions is a committed senior management team who has worked together since 2005 and has an average tenure at the firm of 20 years. In-house capabilities of the company go beyond its investment management expertise and include asset and construction management, capital markets, legal, and tax structuring expertise. These attributes combined have resulted in a successful historical multifamily track record of 221 realized opportunistic and value add fund investments with an overall gross IRR of 21.1%.

About HQ Capital

Founded in 1989, HQ Capital has invested around $8billion in private equity in the U.S., Europe and Asia through funds and individual mandates on behalf of its investors as to date. More than 90 specialists identify the best private equity managers from New York, Bad Homburg and Hong Kong and invest in them through primary, secondary and co-investments. HQ Capital relies on more than 30 years of local expertise and networks in the respective markets. Since its foundation, the firm has made around 685 private equity investments in North America, Europe and Asia with over 275 managers and launched 26 fund programs. A sustainable increase in value is just as important as broad diversification and precise risk management.

Visit www.hqcapital.com for more information.

SOURCE Concord Pacific

Related Links

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SANTA BARBARA, Calif, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Connelly & Company Management Ltd., a Calgary, Canada-based manager of multifamily properties, will perform multiple business operations with Yardi Voyager, a single connected technology platform for property management.

Accessing customer account information, collecting fees and generating reports are among the operations that Connelly & Company will perform more easily with Yardi Voyager. Other new capabilities that Connelly & Company will gain include electronic fund payments and cloud data hosting.

"Yardi Voyager supports our initiative to eliminate as much paper from our operations as possible. Knowing that everything we need is easily accessible makes all of our jobs a lot simpler," said Marty Connelly, general manager for Connelly & Company.

He added, "The stature of Yardi within the industry is such that our use of its property management and accounting systems for more than 25 years has helped us attract customers."

"Yardi is pleased to help Connelly & Company expand both its portfolio and the property management services that it delivers. Voyager can easily support any real estate company's operations framework, fostering opportunities for growth as new business needs emerge," said Peter Altobelli, vice president of sales and general manager for Yardi Canada.

Read how Yardi Voyager serves as an end-to-end platform for residential property management.

About Connelly & Company Management Ltd.

Connelly & Company Management Ltd. provides property management services in Calgary, Alberta. The company launched in 1980 with one property and has grown its portfolio to encompass more than 7,000 units at 120 properties. For more information, visit connellymanagement.com.

About Yardi

Yardi develops and supports industry-leading investment and property management software for all types and sizes of real estate companies. Established in 1984, Yardi is based in Santa Barbara, Calif., and serves clients worldwide. For more information on how Yardi is Energized for Tomorrow, visit yardi.com.

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/737275/Yardi_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Yardi
The Contact Center Infrastructure market is poised to grow by USD 137.25 Billion, progressing at a CAGR of almost 9.10% during the forecast period.

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Key Highlights Offered in the Report:

Information on how to identify strategic and tactical negotiation levels that will help achieve the best prices.

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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 Contact Center Infrastructure suppliers listed in this report:

This Contact Center Infrastructure procurement intelligence report has enlisted the top suppliers and their cost structures, SLA terms, best selection criteria, and negotiation strategies.

Mitel Networks Corp.

Enghouse Systems Ltd.

Ribbon Communications Inc.

8x8 Inc.

Extreme Networks inc.

ADTRAN Inc.

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 Contact Center Infrastructure procurement.

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Solar Panels Sourcing and Procurement Report- Forecast and Analysis: The solar panels market will register an incremental spend of about 80.3 $ billion during the forecast period. Only a few regions will drive the majority of this growth. On the supply side, North America , South America , Europe , Middle East and Africa , and APAC will have the maximum influence owing to the supplier base. Electric Vehicle Software Sourcing and Procurement Report: This report evaluates suppliers based on ownership, payment, freight, and insurance terms, tco, compliance with regulatory standards, use of quality control systems, and adherence to safety procedures, and geographic location. Fiber Optic Cables - Sourcing and Procurement Intelligence Report: The fiber optic cables will grow at a CAGR of 13.27% during 2021-2025. Prices will increase by 2.5%-4.5% during the forecast period and suppliers will have a moderate bargaining power in this market.

To access the definite purchasing guide on the Contact Center Infrastructure that answers all your key questions on price trends and analysis:

Am I paying/getting the right prices? Is my Contact Center Infrastructure 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

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PRESCOTT, Ariz., June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- CP Technologies, a designer and manufacturer of standard and custom rugged computer hardware, announced it opened the newly constructed CP North American headquarters at 2620 Deep Well Ranch Road in Prescott, Arizona in a ribbon cutting ceremony held today. The 50,000 square-foot facility is home to the CP North America family of brands including CP Technologies, CP Aeronautics and CP Systems.

The event schedule includes in-person remarks from Arizona Governor Doug Ducey; Prescott Mayor Greg Mengarelli; Chairman of Rafael, Dr. Uzi Landau; Co-Owner Aeronautics Group Avichay Stolero; Aeronautics Group President and CEO, Moshe Elazar, and CP Technologies President and CEO Mike McCormack. Interviews available on request.

"CP Technologies represents another exciting high-tech company that's chosen to relocate its headquarters from California to Arizona," said Governor Ducey. "This move puts CP Technologies front and center with Arizona's growing technology and manufacturing sectors. We're grateful for their investment in Prescott and look forward to their continued expansion."

To further enhance CP Technologies' commitment to best-in-class customer service and innovation, as well as to support the company's continued growth, construction began on the new two-story site in June 2020. The completed tech-rich facility provides the company with the space needed to meet its goal of bringing 200 additional employees to the area over the next three years.

"We are proud to be a part of the outstanding technology and business community here in Arizona and are grateful for all the support we've received," said McCormack. "The opening of this facility marks a major milestone for the CP brand and provides the needed expansion of our capabilities as a manufacturer to serve our customers worldwide."

Since its acquisition by Israeli-based Aeronautics Ltd. in 2018, CP Technologies has expanded its offerings of rugged high-performance computer platforms, data links and LCD displays for the military, industrial and commercial markets. This now includes solutions from CP Aeronautics, an industry group focused on Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) solutions and CP Systems, specializing in systems for commercial and industrial markets to include contract manufacturing support. CP North America customers benefit from the intellectual property and system integration capabilities of all three family brands.

"CP Technologies is a company where manufacturing excellence, technology, and innovation are thriving," said Mayor Mengarelli. "Prescott stands out as the best choice for their new headquarters for a number of factors including lower costs of living and access to talent."

About CP Technologies

CP Technologies designs, fabricates and integrates standard and customized high-performance computing platforms and LCD monitors for military, industrial, and commercial applications. Using COTS components, CP Technologies provides solutions for customers who need reliable systems that will operate in a variety of harsh conditions and who require revision control and hardware consistency for multi-year programs. CP Technologies is an ITAR Registered and ISO 9001:2015 Certified business that has been operating in Southern California for over twenty years. For more information, please visit https://cp-techusa.com.

SOURCE CP Technologies
The Cyber Insurance market is poised to grow by USD 13.97 Billion, progressing at a CAGR of almost 26.70% during the forecast period.

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 Cyber Insurance suppliers listed in this report:

This Cyber Insurance procurement intelligence report has enlisted the top suppliers and their cost structures, SLA terms, best selection criteria, and negotiation strategies.

AXA Group

Berkshire Hathaway Inc.

Allianz Group

Munich Re Group

Arthur J Gallagher & Co.

Lockton Companies

AON Plc

Aviva Plc

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 Cyber Insurance procurement.

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Payments Processing - Forecast and Analysis: The payments processing will grow at a CAGR of 9.28% during 2021-2025. Prices will increase by 8-10% during the forecast period and suppliers will have a moderate bargaining power in this market. Banking Services Sourcing and Procurement Report: This report evaluates suppliers based on industry-experience, global reach, value-added services, and adoption of security measures. Credit Collection and Collection Agency Services - Sourcing and Procurement Intelligence Report: The credit collection and collection agency services will grow at a CAGR of 11.52% during 2021-2025. Prices will increase by 10%-12% during the forecast period and suppliers will have a high bargaining power in this market.

To access the definite purchasing guide on the Cyber Insurance that answers all your key questions on price trends and analysis:

Am I paying/getting the right prices? Is my Cyber Insurance 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
ALEXANDRIA, Va., June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- DCS Corporation's Vice President of Human Resources, Jack Jackson, has been selected for the 2021 WashingtonExec Chief Officer Award in the Private Company Chief Human Resources category. The Chief Officer Awards were held virtually on May 27th, 2021.

Jack Jackson, DCS VP of Human Resources

Jack joined DCS in mid-2018 to lead all HR functions including talent acquisition, compensation, benefits and employee relations, all while overseeing an ongoing Human Resources Management System (HRMS) improvement initiative. Jack's initial focus was directed toward Talent Acquisition and the system and process impediments limiting the human capital side of the corporate growth equation. In the past three years, the number of DCS employee-owners has increased by 60%.

Most recently, with the unprecedented challenges of COVID-19, Jack has played a key leadership role managing the company's response, policy rollouts, COVID-19 information updates, employee engagement, and contact tracing activities. DCS has implemented sweeping changes to workplace policies and protocols to ensure a safe working environment while continuing to meet the needs of its customers.

"As a professional services organization, effective management of the human capital aspects of our business is absolutely vital, and in the best of times a complex and dynamic challenge. Never has this been more true than during the past 15 months with the unprecedented disruptions and complexities inflicted by the COVID-19 pandemic," stated Jim Benbow, DCS CEO. "DCS has been very fortunate to have Jack's steady hand leading efforts to grow and enhance our technical workforce in their roles in support of our customers' critical missions to ensure our national security."

The nearly 1,900 employee-owners of DCS are proud to congratulate Jack for this well-deserved industry recognition.

About DCS Corporation

DCS, a 100% employee-owned, mid-sized company, offers advanced technology, engineering, and management solutions to Government agencies in the Department of Defense and national security sector. The transformative ideas, commitment to quality, and entrepreneurial spirit that characterize our employee-owners allow us to ensure the success of each customer's mission and actively contribute to the well-being of our Nation. For more information, please visit: https://www.dcscorp.com.

MEDIA CONTACT: [email protected], 571-227-6000

SOURCE DCS Corporation

Related Links

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AMSTERDAM, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- DEARhealth, a health tech company focused on AI-powered chronic disease management, today announced that it has obtained certification for ISO 13485 (quality management systems for medical devices) and the certificate of conformity according to the European Union Medical Device Regulation (MDR) as a class IIa medical device for the first release of the DEARhealth patient and care software. With this certification, DEARhealth has demonstrated the ability to build, maintain, and manage the complete lifecycle of a software as a medical device. The CE-mark allows DEARhealth to market its medical software commercially in the European Union.

CE-marking according to MDR assures health systems and pharmaceutical companies that a software as a medical device complies to European Union regulation and meets a high standard of quality and safety requirements.

"Worldwide, MDR is the most rigorous regulation for medical software," said Daniel Hommes, DEARhealth Founder and Chief Medical and Product Officer. "Our partners in both the US and Europe can be confident that we design and manufacture our medical device software under high standards of quality and safety. DEARhealth validated remarkable health outcomes and efficiencies as clinical evidence to demonstrate conformity to the regulatory requirements."



Following a successful conformity assessment, including an audit of the quality management system, DEARhealth is among the first 250 manufacturers to obtain CE-marking according to MDR for their medical device software.

"We're very proud to obtain CE-marking in such a short time, which is an incredible achievement," said Katinka de Korte, DEARhealth's Person Responsible for Regulatory Compliance. "Obtaining the CE-mark and certification for ISO 13485 enables DEARhealth to accelerate collaboration with health systems across Europe."

About DEARhealth

DEARhealth is a health tech company founded in 2013, by University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) medical experts to transform healthcare by using AI-powered care pathways for chronic disease management. DEARhealth is a validated, AI-driven medical device software that has been successfully implemented in large health systems, in disease areas such as inflammatory bowel diseases, epilepsy, rheumatology and ovarian cancer. DEARhealth's partners include health systems, providers, payers, and pharmaceutical companies globally. Investors in DEARhealth include Philips Health Technology Ventures, Vesalius Biocapital III, the European Investment Fund, and Health Innovations. To learn more about DEARhealth visit www.dearhealth.com or contact [email protected].

SOURCE DEARhealth Inc.

Related Links

https://dearhealth.com/


LONDON, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Commonwealth of Dominica's tourism board has launched its Staycation 2021 to provide increased business to the sector during the summer months. Staycation was first launched in 2012 to give locals and visitors a chance to rediscover the lush island through various activities. It witnessed its highest number of participants in 2020. Dominica has continued to find innovative means to keep tourism alive despite the challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Staycation 2021 will feature tours from Extreme Dominica Waitukubuli Adventure Tours, Decide on Dominica, and Sheppee Fun Tours. These groups will enable visitors to engage in an authentic tourism experience beyond the typical Caribbean holiday, including hikes, diving and snorkelling, canyoning, whale watching, waterfalls, rivers and beaches. Dominica is also home to the world's second largest boiling lake, tropical rainforests, national parks and also played host to the filming of Pirates of the Caribbean.

"Discover Dominica continues to promote Staycation as a way to get increased business for the sector in the summer months. Promotions for Staycation started in 2012, and for 2020 we saw the greatest participation. At the end of 2020, there were over 700 bookings for accommodations and over 900 persons participating in tours. This was a great source of revenue for our local tourism service providers during a time when the traditional tourist [was] unable to travel," said Colin Piper, the Director of Tourism at Discover Dominica.

This year, nine properties will contribute to activities, including the popular Citizenship by Investment (CBI) hotels: Secret Bay, Jungle Bay and the Cabrits Kempinski. The three hotels have been vital to establishing Dominica as an eco-luxury destination in recent years. Furthermore, the properties also operate under Dominica's CBI branch, enabling visitors to make the island their permanent home once investing in its real estate arm.

The Caribbean has always been a top destination amongst American travellers. Those who aspire to escape their current situation can rest assured that Dominica has been classified as a low-risk country by the Centre for Disease Control. Better yet, for vaccinated Americans, Dominica has recently relaxed restrictions meaning that travellers no longer are required to take a test on arrival.

Over the last year, high net-worth Americans have increasingly flocked to Dominica as enquiries for second citizenship have soared. The real estate route under Dominica's CBI Programme has particularly witnessed growth in interest. For example, the popular Secret Bay resort recorded a 66 percent increase in enquiries from American seeking second citizenship.

Those who apply to become citizens of Dominica through investment gain access to a wealth of opportunities, such as visa-free travel to over 140 countries and territories and alternative business prospects. Furthermore, new citizens obtain a lifelong second home in a stable democracy that has efficiently managed the virus, recording zero deaths, despite having fewer resources than other highly developed nations.

+447867942505, [email protected], www.csglobalpartners.com

SOURCE CS Global Partners
As DoorDash continues to invest in international growth in its commitment to empower local economies, Japan, one of the most restaurant-dense countries in the world, offers a unique market opportunity for the company to support local businesses with tools and services to reach new customers online.

"We are thrilled to bring DoorDash to Japan. Our strategy has always been to empower local economies, especially in the suburban markets that are historically underserved yet the appetite for connectivity between merchants and customers is high," said DoorDash CEO and Co-founder Tony Xu. "We look forward to helping power the Sendai economy by helping merchants to grow, connecting consumers to those merchants, and creating jobs and flexible earnings opportunities for Dashers."

"Kizuna means 'bonding' in Japanese, and we've embraced the Kizuna Economy as our motto to achieve our mission in Japan," said DoorDash Japan Country Manager Ryoma Yamamoto. "The enthusiasm for DoorDash has been overwhelming, with Dashers and merchants signing up for our launch. We are looking forward to supporting the growing Sendai economy."

Using the DoorDash app, consumers in Sendai can order from hundreds of local restaurants as well as national favorites, including osteria humming bird, Bistro Bonten, Ducca Sendai, Steak Miya, Gyu-Kaku, Kappa Sushi, Yoshinoya, KFC, Pizza Hut, Gusto, Musashi, and Marugame Seimen.

"We are thrilled to join the DoorDash community as one of the first merchants in Japan. Our business is based in Sendai, and we have enjoyed working with the DoorDash team who truly got to know our business and set us up for success with its services like Storefront, delivery and pick-up," said Mutsuhiko Nagasawa, CEO of CARINA Food Service, which operates DUCCA Sendai. "We will continue to strive to bring delicious meals to as many people as possible with DoorDash."

In addition to the marketplace app, DoorDash is also offering Sendai merchants access to its Storefront product, an affordable online ordering system that allows customers to place takeout and delivery orders directly with the restaurant. Merchants who are looking for ways to reach their existing customer bases can add Storefront to their websites to implement online ordering seamlessly.

For the Japan launch, Storefront will be commission-free through the end of the year, with the only cost to the merchants being payment processing fees. Launched in the US in 2020, Storefront enables any merchant to easily start accepting online orders regardless of the size of the store or whether the store has a website, making it possible to establish a new sales channel. Digitalization of order history management not only enables the execution of appropriate marketing activities based on insights on website visitors, but also enables customization by store brand, resulting in enhancement of store facilities without risk to existing branding.

Both Storefront and the DoorDash app power delivery and takeout. Customers can either place an order and Dashers deliver to the specified location or they can order products in advance and pick them up when ready.

A vital component of DoorDash's mission to empower local economies and create earnings opportunities for Dashers is a commitment to the safety of both Dashers and the surrounding public. As DoorDash launches and grows its operations in Japan, it is dedicated to implementing best safety practices. As a first step, DoorDash will make subsidized safety gear available to Dashers via its online store, provide Dashers with occupational hazard insurance for covered incidents, and work with the Miyagi Prefectural Police Department to hold safety trainings for Dashers.

About DoorDash

DoorDash is a technology company that connects consumers with their favorite local and national businesses in more than 4,000 cities and all 50 states across the United States, Canada, Australia and Japan. Founded in 2013, DoorDash enables local businesses to address consumers' expectations of ease and immediacy and thrive in today's convenience economy. By building the last-mile logistics infrastructure for local commerce, DoorDash is bringing communities closer, one doorstep at a time.

SOURCE DoorDash

Related Links

http://www.doordash.com


LONDON, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Drift, the world's leading Revenue Acceleration Platform , has arrived in Europe. With its new office in London's East End, Drift is expanding its footprint to help businesses drive more revenue, faster.

The Spitalfields location will be the new hub for Drift's European operations, complete with local sales, service and marketing teams. This new regional presence positions Drift to help area customers bring sales and marketing together to deliver real-time engagement, and drive revenue in today's online world.

Business buying has completely changed since 2020. More people than ever are working from home. Purchases are made online 24/7. Buyers now hold all the power, and expect better experiences from the companies they purchase from.

"The pandemic had a huge impact on SaaS purchasing," said David Cancel, CEO and co-founder of Drift. "Today's buyers expect speed and personalisation at every step of their journey. They get this from consumer brands, and it's time for B2B to catch up. By expanding into London, Drift can better support our customers across all of Europe, the Middle East and Africa. No matter where you're located, you can tap Drift to supercharge your pipeline and generate more revenue, faster."

Through Drift's highly-effective Conversational Marketing and Conversational Sales solutions, regional companies can provide instant, human experiences to buyers anywhere, anytime  online.

"Europe is leading today's digital transformation, and we're thrilled to help the region's B2B organisations thrive in this new revenue era," said Richard Wright, vice president of sales, Europe, Drift. "Our mission is to provide a new way for businesses to buy from businesses. Successful digital transformation requires a deep understanding of the local European market. And we're excited to partner with outstanding organisations like Adobe , 6sense , Outreach , SalesLoft and Demandbase to grow revenue by making business buying frictionless, more enjoyable, and more human."

With more than 50,000 North American customers, Drift's easy-to-use solutions have helped a wide range of companies generate billions of dollars in new pipeline. Now, they're bringing this proven track record of success to multi-national and regional customers like ServiceNow.

"Drift has helped ServiceNow quickly reach more customers globally and further expand in markets such as Germany with our first non-English speaking bot, increasing our overall sales pipeline by 10% in 2020," said Kevin Haverty, Chief Revenue Officer at ServiceNow . "Drift's platform made it quick and easy to get started, without added headcount, enabling our European team to ramp fast in using chat as a new revenue driving channel. With Drift, we are able to engage customers globally, 24/7, in a more personalised, real-time and efficient way."

Drift's London office will be its second international location and its fifth global office. The company has U.S. offices in Boston, San Francisco and Tampa, and recently expanded to Sydney, Australia to support APAC customers. To date, Drift has earned the Leader EUROPE Spring 2021 badge, along with six others and 4.3 star rating from 500+ reviewers on G2 Crowd .

To learn more about Drift's Revenue Acceleration Platform, visit www.drift.com .

About Drift

Drift is the Revenue Acceleration Platform that uses Conversational Marketing and Conversational Sales to help companies grow revenue and increase customer lifetime value faster. More than 50,000 businesses use Drift to align sales and marketing on a single platform to deliver a unified customer experience where people are free to have a conversation with a business at any time, on their terms.

Contact: [email protected]

SOURCE Drift

Related Links

https://www.drift.com/


SAN FRANCISCO, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Ease , a leading HR and benefits software solution for small businesses, insurance brokers and insurance carriers, today announced Mari Kemp as the company's Senior Vice President of Human Resources. With more than 20 years of experience in HR in the tech industry, Kemp will bring innovative, holistic, and data-driven strategies to Ease's growing workforce.

As SVP of HR, she will be responsible for implementing a strategic HR framework, backed by market data as well as internal employee insights, to help create a more diverse and equitable company, especially as we navigate through post-COVID return to work strategies. One of Kemp's first initiatives is creating a Diversity with Intention Program. This will ensure company processes factor in ongoing diversity initiatives and tracking metrics into all parts of the organization. Mari has guided executives on DE&I initiatives throughout her career, and plans to drive deliberate and actionable policies to make sure every Ease employee can be their best and most authentic self in the workplace.

"Mari's deep understanding of employee benefits and the challenges HR professionals face will not only help us internally, but will also help inform Ease's product as a leading benefits software solution," said Ease's CEO and co-founder, David Reid. "Her data driven and empathetic approach to human resources is the perfect fit for the evolution of our company as we continue to strive for our employees to feel fulfilled both at work and in their personal lives."

Previously, Mari worked for major tech companies like Google and Nokia and most recently, served as the Head of People at Bugcrowd. She credits her career success to a focus on her own personal growth, a priority she will bring to Ease's dynamic team. Mari is not only an experienced HR leader but she is also an entrepreneur, real estate investor, and an active member in her community.

"While HR can largely be emotion-based, data also needs to be used to help eliminate bias to create a diverse team," said Kemp. "No matter the industry, the days of the straight-and-narrow career paths are over and business leaders need to nurture employees as individuals, addressing their needs as a whole person, which will lead to better business outcomes."

Mari is presenting at Ease Innovation Conference (EIC21), Ease's annual conference running June 14 - 15 that attracts thousands from the national insurance brokerage community. Her session will be: Creating a Better Work Environment for Women. You can find more information about EIC21 here .

About Ease

Ease is an online benefits enrollment system built for insurance brokers and employers. Ease makes it simple to set up and manage benefits, onboard new hires, stay compliant, and offer employees one destination for all their human resources information. Started in 2012 in San Francisco by employee benefits veteran David Reid and web and engineering architect Courtney Guertin, Ease works with insurance brokers and small businesses to create seamless HR and benefits processes on an easy-to-use system. Ease has offices in Las Vegas, New York, Omaha and San Diego. In 2015, Ease was launched on the West Coast and is among the most widely adopted, fastest growing solutions for brokers and employers in the area, with more than 75,000 employers and over 2.5 million employees. For more information, head to www.ease.com .

Media contact:

Inkhouse for Ease

[email protected]

SOURCE Ease

Related Links

http://www.ease.com


VANCOUVER, BC, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Eat Beyond Global Holdings Inc. (CSE: EATS) (OTCPK: EATBF) (FSE: 988) ("Eat Beyond" or the "Company"), an investment issuer focused on the global plant-based and alternative food sector, is announcing that its portfolio company good natured (TSXV: GDNP) has developed Canada's first compostable, Microwavable To Go Containers.

good natured boasts 400 different products and services, and this new environmentally friendly packaging will be vital for consumers and businesses acclimating to Canada's impending single-use plastic regulations.

"Eat Beyond is firmly committed to supporting innovation throughout the food industry. This means not only considering how our food is made, but how we store and transport it as well," Eat Beyond CEO Patrick Morris said. "good natured is making it easy and affordable to make eco-friendly choices that benefit the planet and reduce the massive waste and pollution that traditional, petroleum-based plastics cause."

The compostable Microwavable To Go Containers are made from 97% plant-based materials and are manufactured without "chemicals of concern" that are potentially dangerous to public health and the planet. The durable, leak resistant containers are compostable, consistent with a "zero waste" focus. good natured is one of the largest North American suppliers of eco-conscious products made without petroleum and made free from BPAs, phthalates and other chemicals of concern.

"These durable, secure containers are likely to be immensely popular for both commercial and consumer use," Morris said. "The rise in takeout and food delivery services throughout the pandemic has only heightened the opportunity and the importance of unlocking a climate-friendly sustainable solution to packaging waste and disposal."

The eco-conscious containers will be available in 16, 24, or 32-ounce sizes in a variety of colours.

Subscribe to updates about Eat Beyond Global here: https://eatbeyondglobal.com/contact/

Learn more about good natured here: https://goodnaturedproducts.com/pages/about-us

About Eat Beyond Global Holdings

Eat Beyond Global Holdings Inc. ("Eat Beyond") ( CSE: EATS ) ( OTCPK: EATBF ) ( FSE: 988 ) is an investment issuer that makes it easy to invest in the future of food. Eat Beyond identifies and makes equity investments in global companies that are developing and commercializing innovative food tech as well as plant-based and alternative food products. Led by a team of food industry experts, Eat Beyond is the first issuer of its kind in Canada, providing retail investors with the unique opportunity to participate in the growth of a broad cross-section of opportunities in the alternative food sector, and access companies that are leading the charge toward a smarter, more secure food supply. Learn more: https://eatbeyondglobal.com/

Find Eat Beyond on Social Media on LinkedIn , Instagram , Twitter and Facebook

SOURCE Eat Beyond Global Holdings Inc.

Related Links

https://eatbeyondglobal.com/


WASHINGTON, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Gallup's latest State of the Global Workplace report finds that U.S. and Canadian workers experienced the highest daily stress levels in the world, increasing their daily stress levels by eight percentage points during the pandemic to 57%, compared with 43% globally. Despite these high stress levels, U.S. and Canadian employee engagement levels rose by two percentage points to 34% regionally compared with 20% globally during the pandemic.

Globally, employee engagement decreased by two percentage points from 2019 to 2020, and the workforce reported higher worry, stress, anger and sadness in 2020 than in the previous year. Western Europe has the lowest employee engagement levels globally compared with the United States and Canada.

Gallup estimates that low employee engagement costs the global economy $8.1 trillion.

"The trends among U.S. and Canadian workers are similar with slight increases in employee engagement but also increases in daily stress. Though they found themselves even more involved in their work, increased daily stress may put them at high risk of burnout," said Jim Harter, Gallup's Chief Workplace Scientist.

In the U.S. and Canada, stress and worry were experienced differently across gender lines, with 62% of working women reporting daily feelings of stress compared with 52% of their male counterparts. Working women worry more than men, with 53% of women reporting daily worry compared with 43% of men. Regionally, North America's daily levels of worry among workers increased by ten percentage points during the pandemic to 48% -- compared with the rest of the world that remained at 41%.

Though U.S. and Canadian workers reported lower levels of thriving during the pandemic at 56%, their thriving levels were still higher than the those in the rest of the working world at 32%.

Employed American and Canadian men reported higher thriving levels (58%) than women (53%), though those findings are not surprising considering the high levels of stress, worry and sadness women experienced during the pandemic as many juggled work with becoming full-time caretakers for children or the elderly at home.

As employers rethink their workplaces in 2021, they have lessons to learn from 2020. Most importantly, leaders need to recognize the influence of employee wellbeing and employee engagement on workforce resilience.

Contact:

[email protected]

SOURCE Gallup
One Young World announces 50 new Peace Ambassadors for their efforts in countering and preventing violent extremism in communities around the world, in a joint scheme with the European Commission

announces 50 new Peace Ambassadors for their efforts in countering and preventing violent extremism in communities around the world, in a joint scheme with the European Commission July 2021 , Peace Ambassadors will attend the world's largest summit for young leaders hosted by One Young World in Munich

LONDON, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The European Commission and One Young World today announce the latest winners of their peace scholarship programme. The initiative supports young leaders globally in efforts to prevent and counter violent extremism; build peace, and promote conflict resolution.

Every year, Peace Ambassadors are recognised for their contribution to peacebuilding in countries such as El Salvador, Honduras and North Korea. The One Young World Peace Ambassador programme gives young leaders an unrivalled platform to showcase their work and build connections to help sustain their initiatives.

Peace Ambassadors will participate in the annual One Young World Summit, this year being hosted in Munich. Owing to the global Coronavirus pandemic, Peace Ambassadors are also invited to participate digitally in the Summit.

A selection of the winners includes:

Htet Lynn Oo, Myanmar . The director and founder of Myanmar Youth for Peace Development.





The director and founder of Myanmar Youth for Peace Development. Aida Maria Betancourt Siman , El Salvador . Aida is a political activist and has led civil society movements in El Salvador .





. Aida is a political activist and has led civil society movements in . Jhanisse Vaca Daza, Bolivia . The co-founder of Rios de Pie, a non-violent citizen movement focused on human and environmental rights in Bolivia .

Kate Robertson & David Jones, co-founders of One Young World, said: "These young leaders are working around the world to promote peace at a time when local and international tensions are increasingly high. This group exemplifies the power of young people to act against violence, economic, social and humanitarian strife.

We are thrilled to be working again with the European Commission to support Peace Ambassadors and for this cohort to be coming to the One Young World Summit where they will engage with the largest gathering of young leaders globally."

About One Young World:

One Young World is the global forum for young leaders. The annual One Young World Summit convenes the brightest young talent from 196 countries, working to accelerate social impact. One Young World's mission is to create a better world, with more responsible and more effective leadership. To date, One Young World Ambassadors have impacted the lives of 30.4 million people.

SOURCE One Young World
BRUSSELS, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- "Our fight against antisemitism is more urgent than ever," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told thousands participating in the 2021 American Jewish Committee (AJC) Virtual Global Forum. The commission, she announced today, will adopt later this year "the first-ever EU strategy on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life."

Surging, violent attacks on Jews in Europe and the United States "are a stark reminder of how dangerous antisemitism is for our societies. It is a poison for our democratic values and an attack on our way of life," she said. "We must fight it together, and we have to eradicate it."

The new plan is aimed at strengthening Europe's fight against antisemitism, preserving Holocaust memory, and fostering Jewish life in Europe.

"All European students should learn about the Holocaust, no matter their background, family history, country of origin," she added. "For many of our young people, the events of the Holocaust seem to belong to a distant past. Some have never even heard of Auschwitz."

She said the Commission is committed to protecting and fostering Jewish life in all its diversity. "We are immensely glad that, 76 years after the Holocaust, Jewish life is thriving again in schools, kindergartens, synagogues, and fashionable kosher restaurants," said von der Leyen. "We want to make sure that Jews are free to follow their religious and cultural traditionsThey are the heart of our communities, and we will never allow them to be threatened again."

Ending "hatred and antisemitism on the Internet" is a key component of the plan. "The COVID-19 pandemic in particular has shown how quickly antisemitic conspiracy myths can spread," von der Leyen emphasized.

"Online platforms have a crucial role in disseminating and promoting antisemitism material, and, therefore, they must take greater responsibilityEvery business, especially powerful tech giants, has to combat hatred and to stand for historical truth."

Developing and implementing effective means to combat hatred of Jews has been a priority for von der Leyen, a former German defense minister, since she became president of the EC in 2019. "I stepped up Europe's fight against antisemitism," she declared.

The new EC plan announced today at the AJC Virtual Global Forum follows on other significant initiatives, including EU-sponsored events at the UN, on antisemitism. "We are strongly committed to building a future free of antisemitism in Europe and beyond," the European leader noted.

In January, the Commission, together with the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), published a handbook for the practical use of the IHRA working definition of antisemitism. With the handbook, "we aim to support policymakers, judges, prosecutors, teachers, in recognizing antisemitic bias in their daily work," she said. "To eradicate antisemitism, you must be able to identify every manifestation of it, including where it is subtle and insidious."

The EC President also cautioned that the commission "will take action if any European money is used to call into question Israel's right to exist."

"Israel is a vitally important country for the European Union, not only because of our common past, but also because of our common future," she said.

On April 25, the EU and Israel celebrated 25 years of cooperation in science and innovation. "Europe can learn from Israel's successes. Israel is known to quickly turning science successes into business opportunities," von der Leyen affirmed. In addition, Israeli scientists and organizations have participated in 2100 projects to date in Horizon 2020, the EU research program.

Von der Leyen saluted AJC for its longstanding relationship with Germany, engagement with the European Union, and promotion of transatlantic relations. "AJC has been at the forefront of reestablishing the Jewish community's relationship with Germany. Only three years after the end of the war, AJC was the first global Jewish organization to engage," she said. "AJC has been a strong supporter of the European Union and NATO alliance," she said. And the Brussels-based AJC Transatlantic Institute "plays an important role in our conversations with Israel and across the Atlantic."

In closing, the EC President praised AJC CEO David Harris, with whom she has met on several occasions, she recalled. "AJC has been so successful for such a long time because you care about what you fight for, you never give up on your mission, and you have that unique ability to foster friendships around the world. Many of those friends are here today at AJC's Virtual Global Forum, and I am happy to be one of them."

SOURCE American Jewish Committee

Related Links

http://www.ajc.org


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Contact

BizVibe

Jesse Maida

Email: [email protected]

+1 855-897-5880

Website: https://www.bizvibe.com/

SOURCE BizVibe

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E-commerce revenue is expected to reach up to $930 billion in 2021, and analysts predict 2022 will be the first trillion-dollar year for online shopping. Yet, the new Fast data found consumers report multiple obstacles that lead to abandoned shopping carts, including:

18% have abandoned a shopping cart because the checkout process took too long or was too complicated

18% didn't want to create another online account

15% couldn't remember their login information

14% say their credit card information wasn't easily accessible

The lengthy checkout process that shoppers often face on e-commerce sites is part of what draws shoppers to Amazon repeatedly. In fact, when Amazon's famous expedited shipping isn't available, more than three quarters (77%) of Americans say they are more inclined to buy something on Amazon because of the easy checkout process.

Most shoppers (55%) say they would be more likely to make an online purchase if there was a quicker, easier way to buy directly from the channel where they learned about that product, like a social media post, digital ad or online review. Fast is addressing this opportunity with headless checkout , allowing buyers to complete one-click purchases wherever they are on the internet  such as directly from a product review or recipe to eliminate extra clicks that redirect them to a separate checkout page.

Additional findings from Fast's survey include:

72% of consumers say they have been influenced to purchase products based on media, advertising and social media consumption

Millennials (ages 25-40) are 71% more likely to purchase a product if there is an easier way to buy directly from these channels (the highest of all age groups)

Gen Z (ages 18-24) is three times more likely than the Baby Boomer generation (ages 57-75) to be loyal to a company when they purchase online versus in-person

"Even in an e-commerce boom, many retailers are still struggling to deliver amazing checkout experiences. Sellers devote a lot of resources to reach shoppers on social media or through digital advertising, only to lose them because of cumbersome checkout options," said Fast Vice President of Partnerships Calanthia Mei. "Buyers are clearly demanding better checkout experiences. Smart sellers are not just embracing one-click checkout, they're making it lightning fast everywhere their customers are with headless checkout."

Fast's survey was conducted among 1,004 U.S. adults ages 18 and older, between June 2-4, 2021.

About Fast

Fast's mission is to make buying online faster, safer and easier for everyone. Its Fast Login and Fast Checkout product enable a one-click sign-in and purchasing experience that makes it easier for people to buy and merchants to sell. The company's products work on any browser, device or platform for consistent, stress-free purchasing, either on a merchants own domain or through headless checkout on any other website. Fast invests heavily in its user privacy and security, with a Zero Fraud Guarantee on chargebacks for sellers. Headquartered in San Francisco, Fast is a privately held company founded by Domm Holland and Allison Barr Allen and funded by Stripe, Addition, Index Ventures, Susa Ventures and Sugar Capital. To learn more, visit fast.co.

Contact

Mission North for Fast

[email protected]

425.516.9023

SOURCE Fast

Related Links

https://www.fast.co


Auteco Minerals issues 100,000,000 Auteco shares to First Mining

VANCOUVER, BC, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - First Mining Gold Corp. ("First Mining" or the "Company") (TSX: FF) (OTCQX: FFMGF) (FRANKFURT: FMG) is pleased to report that Auteco Minerals Ltd ("Auteco") (ASX: AUT) has completed the first stage of its earn-in with respect to the Pickle Crow Gold Project located in northwestern Ontario, Canada ("Pickle Crow"). In connection with the completion of Stage 1 of the earn-in, Auteco has issued 100,000,000 shares of Auteco to First Mining. As a result of completing Stage 1 of the earn-in, Auteco (through one of its subsidiaries) now owns a 51% interest in PC Gold Inc. ("PC Gold"), First Mining's wholly-owned subsidiary that owns Pickle Crow. In addition, the parties have executed a joint venture shareholders agreement (the "JV Agreement") in respect of PC Gold. Auteco has a two-year follow-on period, commencing as of June 4, 2021, within which to acquire an additional 19% interest in PC Gold (the "Stage 2 Earn-In").

"First Mining is delighted by the excellent progress Auteco has made on Pickle Crow in such a short period of time." stated Dan Wilton, CEO of First Mining. "With this latest issuance of shares, First Mining now owns 125 million shares of Auteco with an approximate fair value of $10.5 million. The Auteco team's timely completion of Stage 1 of the earn-in and their equally aggressive target for completing Stage 2 demonstrates the calibre of partner we have engaged to help unlock the value of one of the exceptional projects in our portfolio."

"We have completed the Stage 1 earn-in requirements for a 51% stake in the Pickle Crow Project, and it is a testament to the dedication of our team that we have achieved this within the first year of taking management responsibility for the project" commented Ray Shorrocks, Auteco's Executive Chairman. "We are continuing to drill flat out, with several rigs targeting areas of known, high-grade mineralization to bring them into the resource, with mineralization open in all directions. We look forward to working with First Mining to continue advancing the Pickle Crow Gold Project."

Under the terms of the earn-in agreement that First Mining signed with Auteco with respect to Pickle Crow, in order to complete the Stage 2 Earn-In, Auteco must fulfil the following requirements within the next two years: (i) incur a further $5 million in exploration expenditures (the "Additional Expenditures"); and (ii) pay $1,000,000 in cash to First Mining within 90 days of completing the Additional Expenditures. In addition, upon completing the Stage 2 Earn-In, Auteco will grant First Mining a 2% net smelter returns ("NSR") royalty on Pickle Crow, 1% of which can be bought back by Auteco paying US$2,500,000 to First Mining. Once the Stage 2 Earn-In has been completed, Auteco will have the right to acquire a further 10% of PC Gold by paying $3,000,000 in cash (the "Buy-In") to First Mining. During the term of Auteco's earn-in to Pickle Crow, First Mining will be free carried until a decision to mine has been made, and will not be required to make any financial expenditures relating to Pickle Crow until such time.

The current 45,000-metre drill program remains on track for completion by mid-year, with up to five rigs active on site at Pickle Crow during the last quarter. To date, Auteco has completed 120 diamond drill holes for 31,160 metres, focusing exclusively on near mine extensions and discovery of mineralized structures outside of the resource area. In the short term, drilling has transitioned toward infill drilling aiming to provide sufficient data density on newly identified or extended structures to enable the calculation of an updated mineral resource estimate for Pickle Crow.

Auteco is well funded with cash reserves of A$26.8M as at March 31, 2021, and is on track to execute the remaining earn-in requirements to earn up to an 80% interest in PC Gold (and thereby, Pickle Crow) by the end of this calendar year. Once Auteco has fulfilled all requirements of the earn-in agreement, First Mining will hold a 20% interest in PC Gold (and thereby, Pickle Crow) which will be free carried until the earlier of the termination of the earn-in agreement or a decision to mine by Auteco.

Drilling completed in the first quarter of 2021 has identified several new, high-grade gold veins and the extensions of previously known structures proximal to Shafts 1 & 3. Mineralization remains open in all directions on targeted structures, and Auteco's work will now focus on defining high-grade gold shoots within the mineralized envelopes. Drill highlights and assay results will be reported in a future news release.

About Pickle Crow

The Pickle Crow Gold Deposit is a high-grade, shear-hosted, mesothermal Archean lode gold deposit. The deposit occurs primarily within mafic volcanics and banded iron formation (BIF) units in the Pickle Crow assemblage of the Pickle Lake Greenstone belt located in the Uchi Lake Sub-province of the Superior Craton of the Canadian Shield.

Mineralization is focused around steeply north-west dipping, regional scale shear zones. Multiple mineralization styles have been identified on the property, including Quartz-Gold-Tungsten (+/-Tourmaline) Shear Veins which are the focus of the current exploration, and banded iron formation mineralization (BIF-style), which comprises structurally controlled, sheeted vein arrays hosted within the BIF.

Pickle Crow was one of Canada's highest-grade historical gold mines. It operated from 1935 until 1966, during which time it reportedly produced almost 1.5 million ounces of gold at an average grade of 16.14 g/t. The property consists of ~190 km2 (19,000 hectares) of tenure covering a major gold province. Auteco recently increased its landholding near the Project by acquiring an additional 176 km2 (176,000 ha) of land contiguous to Pickle Crow, which, together with the 130 km2 acquired by Auteco in 2020 (see news release dated February 17, 2021) increases the combined property's land package to over 496 km2 (496,000 ha) (see news release dated January 28, 2021). First Mining acquired Pickle Crow in November 2015 through its acquisition of PC Gold Inc.

Auteco's development focus is on returning to first principles, completing a new geological review, and applying modern exploration technologies in their advancement of Pickle Crow. Auteco has a strong focus on discovering and developing new project scale, high-grade, near surface gold resources.

About Auteco

Auteco Minerals Limited is a mineral exploration company currently focused on advancing high-grade gold resources at the Pickle Crow Gold Project in the world class Uchi Sub-province of Ontario, Canada. The Auteco Board of Directors and Technical Management team has a proven track record of discovering gold and creating wealth for shareholders and all stakeholders in recent years.

Qualified Person

Hazel Mullin, P.Geo., Director, Data Management and Technical Services of First Mining, is a "Qualified Person" for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101"), and she has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical disclosure contained in this news release.

About First Mining Gold Corp.

First Mining is a Canadian gold developer focused on the development and permitting of the Springpole Gold Project in northwestern Ontario. Springpole is one of the largest undeveloped gold projects in Canada. The results of a positive Pre-Feasibility Study for the Springpole Gold Project were announced by First Mining in January 2021, and permitting activities are on-going with submission of an Environmental Impact Statement for the project targeted for 2021. The Company also has a number of active partnerships including the Goliath Gold Complex (Treasury Metals); Pickle Crow (Auteco Minerals); and Hope Brook ( Big Ridge Gold), in addition to wholly owned properties, Cameron, Duparquet, Duquesne and Pitt.

First Mining was established in 2015 by Mr. Keith Neumeyer, founding President and CEO of First Majestic Silver Corp.

ON BEHALF OF FIRST MINING GOLD CORP.

Daniel W. Wilton

Chief Executive Officer and Director

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release includes certain "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities legislation including the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release. Forward-looking statements are frequently, but not always, identified by words such as "expects", "anticipates", "believes", "plans", "projects", "intends", "estimates", "envisages", "potential", "possible", "strategy", "goals", "objectives", or variations thereof or stating that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved, or the negative of any of these terms and similar expressions.

Forward-looking statements in this news release relate to future events or future performance and reflect current estimates, predictions, expectations or beliefs regarding future events and include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to: (i) timing for Auteco to incur the Additional Expenditures on the Pickle Crow Project; (ii) timing for Auteco to pay $1 million to First Mining in respect of the Stage 2 Earn-In; (iii) the grant by Auteco of a 2% NSR to First Mining over the Pickle Crow Gold Project and the timing for such grant; (iv) timing for the exercise by Auteco of the Buy-In; (v) timing of the release of assay results from the current 45,000 m drill program at the Pickle Crow Gold Project; (vi) Auteco's plans to transition its drill program to infill drilling and resource definition once the current 45,000 m drill program has been completed; (vii) timing for updates to the current mineral resource estimate for the Pickle Crow Gold Project; and (viii) Auteco focusing on defining high-grade gold shoots within the mineralized envelopes at the Pickle Crow Gold Project and any potential increase in the number of Inferred Mineral Resources for the project as a result. All forward-looking statements are based on First Mining's or its consultants' current beliefs as well as various assumptions made by them and information currently available to them. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Forward-looking statements reflect the beliefs, opinions and projections on the date the statements are made and are based upon a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by the respective parties, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties and contingencies. Many factors, both known and unknown, could cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and the parties have made assumptions and estimates based on or related to many of these factors. Such factors include, without limitation: regulatory approvals; shareholder approval from Auteco shareholders; receipt of necessary financing by Auteco; the presence of and continuity of metals at the Pickle Crow Gold Project at estimated grades; success in realizing proposed drilling programs; fluctuations in the spot and forward price of gold, silver, base metals or certain other commodities; fluctuations in the currency markets (such as the Canadian dollar versus the U.S. dollar or Australian dollar); changes in national and local government, legislation, taxation, controls, regulations and political or economic developments; risks and hazards associated with the business of mineral exploration and exploration drilling programs, development and mining (including environmental hazards, industrial accidents, unusual or unexpected formations, pressures, cave-ins and flooding); the presence of laws and regulations that may impose restrictions on mining; employee relations; relationships with and claims by local communities, indigenous populations and other stakeholders; availability and increasing costs associated with mining inputs and labour; the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development; title to properties.; and the additional risks described in the Company's Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2019 filed with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities under the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com, and in the Company's Annual Report on Form 40-F filed with the SEC on EDGAR.

First Mining cautions that the foregoing list of factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive. When relying on our forward-looking statements to make decisions with respect to First Mining, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. First Mining does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time by the Company or on our behalf, except as required by law.

Cautionary Note to United States Investors

This news release has been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the securities laws in effect in Canada, which differ from the requirements of U.S. securities laws. Unless otherwise indicated, all resource and reserve estimates included in this news release have been prepared in accordance with NI 43-101 and the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy, and Petroleum 2014 Definition Standards on Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves. NI 43-101 is a rule developed by the Canadian Securities Administrators which establishes standards for all public disclosure an issuer makes of scientific and technical information concerning mineral projects. Canadian standards, including NI 43-101, differ significantly from the requirements of the SEC, and mineral resource and reserve information contained herein may not be comparable to similar information disclosed by U.S. companies. In particular, and without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the term "resource" does not equate to the term "reserves". Under U.S. standards, mineralization may not be classified as a "reserve" unless the determination has been made that the mineralization could be economically and legally produced or extracted at the time the reserve determination is made. The SEC's disclosure standards normally do not permit the inclusion of information concerning "measured mineral resources", "indicated mineral resources" or "inferred mineral resources" or other descriptions of the amount of mineralization in mineral deposits that do not constitute "reserves" by U.S. standards in documents filed with the SEC. Investors are cautioned not to assume that any part or all of mineral deposits in these categories will ever be converted into reserves. U.S. investors should also understand that "inferred mineral resources" have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence and great uncertainty as to their economic and legal feasibility. It cannot be assumed that all or any part of an "inferred mineral resource" will ever be upgraded to a higher category. Under Canadian rules, estimated "inferred mineral resources" may not form the basis of feasibility or pre-feasibility studies except in rare cases. Investors are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of an "inferred mineral resource" exists or is economically or legally mineable. Disclosure of "contained ounces" in a resource is permitted disclosure under Canadian regulations; however, the SEC normally only permits issuers to report mineralization that does not constitute "reserves" by SEC standards as in-place tonnage and grade without reference to unit measures. The requirements of NI 43-101 for identification of "reserves" are also not the same as those of the SEC, and reserves reported by the Company in compliance with NI 43-101 may not qualify as "reserves" under SEC standards. Accordingly, information concerning mineral deposits set forth herein may not be comparable with information made public by companies that report in accordance with U.S. standards.

SOURCE First Mining Gold Corp.

Related Links

https://firstmininggold.com/


ST. LOUIS, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The FleishmanHillard 2021 Authenticity Gap study released today examines the actions brands need to take to catch up to consumers' expectations.

The study shows that nearly two thirds of consumers (64%) believe that for a company to be more credible than its competitors it must talk about its behavior and impact on society and the environment, not just the customer benefits it offers. It also found that:

Three-quarters (75%) of industries studied are failing to meet customer expectations on caring for the environment. This is particularly prominent in Germany (75% of companies fall short) and the UK (68% of companies fall short)

(75% of companies fall short) and the UK (68% of companies fall short) Ninety-five percent of the industries studied aren't meeting expectations when it comes to providing customers better value

Across all industries, consumers expect companies to demonstrate a commitment to improve, but almost half (45%) are failing to deliver innovative solutions

Data security and privacy are top of the list of things consumers care about and expect companies to act on, and less than half (45%) are willing to let companies collect their personal information to provide them with greater convenience and personalization

"With beliefs, views and facts increasingly polarized, organizations around the world need genuine insight into how to authentically communicate, based on who they are, and what the world expects of them," said John Saunders, president and CEO, FleishmanHillard. "They need to be able to hear from people who are engaged in their sector, understand how they fare against the competition and know what really matters to their audiences."

FleishmanHillard launched the Authenticity Gap study in 2012 to analyze the alignment between consumer expectations and experiences, interviewing informed consumers in five countries about their views on more than 200 companies in 20 industries. The data helps companies judge how authentic they are, where they're falling short and how they're stacking up against their industry competitors in terms of customer benefits, societal outcomes and management behaviors.

Key findings include:

Consumers are looking to leaders to take an authentic stand on key policies and issues like the environment and public health

Two-thirds (65%) of informed consumers expect CEOs to speak up on issues that have a significant impact on society, even if it may not impact the business

Three-in-four consumers (73%) believe CEOs must have an active voice on supporting and influencing environmental issues and policy change

Sixty-five percent of consumers say CEOs should play a role influencing health policy

Companies are expected to be a part of the solution, not just discussion, when it comes to societal impact

Though diversity and inclusion practices are becoming paramount for employees, nearly half of consumers (48%) in most markets feel companies can do more to make the workplace better

More than a third (38%) of consumers expect companies to take a public stance on the income gap

Over half (55%) of consumers think companies aren't committed to doing the right thing, especially in Brazil (75%), China (56%) and the U.S. (54%)

Consumers don't expect brands to act on everything they care about in all cases

The top issues informed consumers care about include data security, data privacy, access to affordable, quality healthcare, access to affordable, quality education and violence against women

The issues informed consumers expect companies to act on also include data security and data privacy, but then diverge to protecting the environment/climate change, minimum wage and income and wage gaps

FleishmanHillard has developed new strategies to help brands put authenticity into action. To learn more, download the Authenticity Gap Global Report, The Power of Authenticity.

The 2021 authenticity research was conducted by FleishmanHillard's TRUE Global Intelligence, the agency's in-house research practice. The survey included a total of 10,285 informed consumers in Brazil, China, Germany, UK and the U.S., 18 years of age and older. The 'informed consumer' is defined as individuals who are interested or involved with one of the 20 industries that were studied in the 2021 Authenticity Gap research. The survey was fielded online between March 2 and April 16, 2021.

About FleishmanHillard

FleishmanHillard specializes in public relations, reputation management, public affairs, brand marketing, digital strategy, social engagement and content strategy. FleishmanHillard was named 2019 PRWeek U.S. Outstanding Large Agency; 2019 Holmes Report North America Large Agency of the Year; ICCO Network of the Year  Americas 2017-2020; PRovoke Media Greater China Consultancy of the Year 2020; PRWeek UK Best Places to Work 2020; Human Rights Campaign Best Places to Work for LGBTQ Equality 2018-2020; and NAFE's "Top Companies for Executive Women" 2010-2020. The firm's award-winning work is widely heralded, including at the Cannes International Festival of Creativity. FleishmanHillard is part of Omnicom Public Relations Group, and has 80 offices in more than 30 countries, plus affiliates in 50 countries.

About Omnicom Public Relations Group

Omnicom Public Relations Group is a global collective of three of the top global public relations agencies worldwide and specialist agencies in areas including public affairs, marketing to women, global health strategy and corporate social responsibility. It encompasses more than 6,300 public relations professionals in more than 370 offices worldwide who provide their expertise to companies, government agencies, NGOs and nonprofits across a wide range of industries. Omnicom Public Relations Group delivers for clients through a relentless focus on talent, continuous pursuit of innovation and a culture steeped in collaboration. Omnicom Public Relations Group is part of the DAS Group of Companies, a division of Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE: OMC) that includes more than 200 companies in a wide range of marketing disciplines including advertising, public relations, healthcare, customer relationship management, events, promotional marketing, branding and research.

SOURCE FleishmanHillard Inc.

Related Links

http://www.fleishman.com


"Freestyle Partners has received rapid allowance of five patents from the U.S. and foreign patent offices." Tweet this

Patents typically take three to five years to secure, according to attorney Greg DeGrazia, a principal at Miller Canfield and member of Freestyle's leadership team who focuses on the protection of U.S. and foreign intellectual property. The speed with which the initial patents have been allowed, which was only months from filing, indicates that the government recognizes the technology's significant potential.

Freestyle's growing patent portfolio includes dozens of pending patents spanning 50+ countries.

While conventional UV-C light has been used for more than 100 years to disinfect operating rooms in hospitals, it requires clearing a room and/or utilizing protective gear to guard those applying it from harmful side effects like skin cancer and cataracts.

Filtered Far UV-C is a breakthrough, disruptive technology developed by a team of researchers led by David Brenner, PhD, director of the Center for Radiological Research at Columbia University. It has been extensively tested and endorsed by leading institutions across the world in peer-reviewed, scientific journals. Studies have shown the technology has the same efficacy as conventional UV-C and is scientifically tested technology shown to be safe to use when used within the current American Conference of Governmental Hygienists (ACGIH) dose limits when humans are present because it does not penetrate the layer of dead cells on skin or the tear layer of the eye.

Dr. Brenner, a pioneering champion of filtered Far UV-C light, originally focused on testing the technology as an overhead solution to safely inactivate airborne and surface pathogens. Columbia University subsequently secured its first issued patent for filtered Far UV-C in 2018. Tokyo-based lighting giant Ushio Inc., with revenue nearing $1.5 billion USD in fiscal year 2019, secured an exclusive license to Columbia's patent in 2015 and subsequently began manufacturing high-efficacy, filtered Far UV-C lamps.

Freestyle, which had been in discussions with Dr. Brenner for three years prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, also established a development and commercialization agreement with Ushio America, Inc. This paved the way for Freestyle to develop working models of a handheld, battery-operated, filtered Far UV-C device that successfully applies Ushio's existing Care222 technology. Studies have shown that Care222 can inactivate pathogens such as coronavirus, Influenza, E. coli, Salmonella and more from commonly touched surfaces in seconds; and when used within ACGIH dose limits, this can be achieved in a way that is safe on human skin and eyes in occupied settings.

Freestyle is currently in discussions with launch partners to help bring its innovative portable, handheld device to market.

*All references to "disinfection" are referring generally to the reduction of pathogenic bioburden and are not intended to refer to any specific definition of the term as may be used for other purposes by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Columbia University has received research funding from Freestyle Partners, LLC to continue studying the safety and efficacy of Far UV-C technology.

About Freestyle Partners, LLC

Based in Detroit, Freestyle Partners, LLC is an IP accelerator, focused on bringing leading-edge concepts to acquisition or commercialization. Founded in 2012 by marketing and branding experts Jennifer Rosen and Ben Feeney, Freestyle Partners has a focus of identifying and delivering new revenue opportunities and conceiving new ventures in both corporate and start-up environments that have driven profitable growth, created culture change, and impassioned people.

SOURCE Freestyle Partners, LLC

CONTACT: Wally Petersen, [email protected], 312-804-3475

Related Links

freestylepartnersllc.com


PARIS, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- French President Emmanuel Macron, in an historic address to the American Jewish Committee (AJC) Virtual Global Forum, reaffirmed his commitments to combat antisemitism, strengthen France's relations with Israel and the United States, and ensure that Iran's ballistic missile and regional activities are addressed in any agreement. It was Macron's first address to an American Jewish organization since his election as president four years ago.

"Antisemitism is, as it always has been, an unacceptable, unjustifiable menace, in the face of which we must relentlessly mobilize all our energies," said Macron. "I want to remind you of my unwavering commitment, and that of the French government, to protect all of the population and fight against all forms of violence and discrimination."

Combating antisemitism "begins with the ability to name this evil that eats away at our society," said Macron, noting that France adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism in December 2019.

But he emphasized that a definition "is not enough," and outlined several actions his administration has taken to implement a national plan to combat antisemitism.

"Education is at the heart of the fight against antisemitism," Macron said. "Holocaust education, as well as education about the manifestations of contemporary antisemitism, aims to remove prejudices and break down stereotypes."

To combat hate on the Internet France has created, under CSA, the country's broadcasting authority, an online hate watchdog which brings together platforms, organizations, researchers, and institutions.

To better support victims of hate crimes and increase the effectiveness of investigations, the president said France has created a network of investigators and specialist magistrates.

Regarding the recent French court decision to not try the man charged with murdering Sarah Halimi, Macron said, "I would like to clarify that this decision did not, in any way, deny the antisemitic nature of this act." Noting that the court had applied existing law that a person who is not of "sound mind cannot be found criminally liable," he said the Minister of Justice is seeking to modify the "current legal framework, where the perpetrator deliberately takes toxic substances."

"It is indeed shocking that someone who takes drugs in order to change their mental state is not held accountable," said Macron. "Above all I want victims to be heard. We owe it to them."

Turning to the Middle East, Macron noted, "France's profound attachment to Israel's security since its creation and to its right to defend itself in accordance with international law has never wavered."

Recent events, referring to the conflict between Israel and Hamas, "demonstrate the necessity for a decisive boost to the negotiations" to achieve lasting Israeli-Palestinian peace. "We know the parameters to reach a two-state solution, and France stands willing to contribute, while respecting the legitimate aspirations of each party."

He praised the "normalization of relations between Israel and France's other essential partners," especially Morocco and the UAE, adding that Sudan "must be supported in its transition process."

On the Iranian nuclear issue, Macron said, "there is no alternative to a negotiated solution," and that France, since President Biden's election, has been working with the U.S. and other partners "to find a solution that maintains security and stability in the region in the long term."

"Iran must show evidence of their responsibility in the region," said Macron. France, he added, has been proposing since 2018 "to supplement the JCPOA by taking into account Iran's ballistics activities and regional destabilizations."

The French president voiced delight that the United States has re-engaged globally, "which contributes to the strength and effectiveness of our collective action."

"The strength of the relationship between France and the USA is well illustrated with our longstanding cooperation with the American Jewish Committee," said Macron. "France, will remain, as she always has, at the United States' side when it comes to reaffirming the strength of the democratic model."

The president praised the AJC Paris office, initially set up after World War II, and today directed by Anne-Sophie Sebban-Becache. "During a time marked by a resurgence in hate speech, and attempts to question the democratic model, your involvement is essential in combating antisemitism and hate, encouraging dialogue, and promoting democratic values."

SOURCE American Jewish Committee

Related Links

http://www.ajc.org


MONROVIA, Calif., June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- It is with profound sadness that Brewer Direct (BDI) shares the news that our founder and dear friend, Randy Brewer, went to be with the Lord on May 28, 2021. He died after a heroic and extended battle with a disease that threatened to take his voice, but in fact helped him to amplify it.

BDI and the nonprofit community have lost a passionate advocate for the homeless and hurting. The world has lost an amazing human being and committed Christian.

Randy was not only responsible for raising millions of dollars for faith-first causes and homeless missions across the country, but he also infused his work with a contagious, joy-filled energy. Beyond being a savvy marketer, Randy led with his heart and became a trusted ally.

An ordained minister with degrees in Education and Ministry, and graduate studies in both Theology and Business Management, he worked for Focus on the Family and World Vision. Randy also served on the board as Vice Chairman of African Enterprise USA, a 50-year-old evangelistic and relief ministry in Africa and was an active member of International Full Gospel Fellowship.

His guiding life principle: "It is not about what you get, but what you give, that matters. Be generous. Always maintain a posture of open-handedness. Don't be a hoarder, even with your smiles, compliments, laughter and love. Give it away."

Randy leaves behind a vibrant company, and his spirit  to release generosity to help a hurting world  will forever be the foundation of BDI.

Michael (MT) Tomlinson, current CEO and President of BDI, who assumed this leadership position in May of 2019, said, "While we naturally grieve together for our loss, Randy pressed for me in this moment to emphasize his gain  the achievement of his faith, the conclusion of his service and the final chapter of his story. We'll forever honor his friendship, forever respect his influence and forever be the beneficiaries of his generosity."

The BDI family knows that no words can adequately express our sadness at Randy's death or our enduring appreciation for the opportunity to work with him. We will honor his memory by dedicating ourselves to continuing the work he loved so much and the faith-fueled example he set for all.

A private memorial service for close friends and family will be held in the near future. In lieu of flowers or gifts to Randy's family, well-wishers can connect through Contact Us at the Randy W. Brewer Foundation website, rwbhelps.com.

BDI is an omni-channel, integrated marketing, communication and fundraising agency that works exclusively with faith-first Christian ministries.

Contact: Name: Phil Stolberg

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 626 866 9852

brewerdirect.com

SOURCE Brewer Direct
BELTSVILLE, Md., June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Future Seating, the parent company of X-Chair Office and Mavix Gaming, proudly announces the launch of Elemax, their newest comfort seating technology, offering cooling, heating and massage therapy. Available for pre-order today on the companies' respective websites, Elemax begins shipping out mid-July, with pricing starting at $129 when purchased with a chair, while a standalone unit costs $159.

Elemax provides full-body temperature control and fits into the proprietary Dynamic Variable Lumbar (DVL) TM Support section of Future Seating's X-Chair and Mavix Gaming chairs, and can be used separately. Boasting dual fans and fast-warming technology targeted at the body's core, cooling or heating can be coupled with the novel massage functionality  exerting a constant or variable massage cycle with two levels of intensity, and four total massage combinations. Elemax users enjoy several health benefits including regulated body temperature, increased blood flow, boosted energy, increased productivity and more.

"The Future Seating team couldn't be more excited about the Elemax launch, we're proud to be the first in the office and gaming chair space to provide a unit featuring heating, cooling and massage functions," said Tony Mazlish CEO and Founder of Future Seating. "Research shows 90.6% of Americans sit for 4-8+ hours per day, and at Future Seating we're constantly working to redefine what it means for consumers to sit comfortably. Our latest innovation, Elemax, is designed to work with the end user in any given situation, whether working at home or at the office, gaming late nights or even watching TV."

In addition to the heat, cooling and massage functionalities, Elemax, when used with an X-Chair Office  one of the leading providers of ergonomic office chairs with products featuring 21st century technology and design  combines with 10 ergonomic adjustments. Users can fine-tune the arms, seat, back, headrest and lumbar, SciFloat Infinite Recline and Tilt Lock, all making X-Chair the most technologically ergonomic chair on the market.

When paired with a Mavix  the highly technical and beautifully crafted gaming chair, designed specifically for gamers of all levels  Elemax compliments the Future-9 Functions of critical ergonomics. A massive leap forward in the gaming chair evolution, Mavix' three models each tout proprietary features unlike any other gaming chair on the market. Features include a wide seat, adjustable seat depth, locking wheels, infinite locking position deep recline and more, all providing optimal comfort for gamers everywhere.

Future Seating focuses on providing consumers with ergonomic, high quality, thoughtfully designed seating products, each aiming to enable high performance and productivity. For more information on Future Seating visit Future-Seating.com and for more information on Future Seating's brands, visit xchair.com and mavix.com.

Future Seating

Parent company of X-Chair Office and Mavix Gaming, Future Seating was founded in 2016 with the launch of X-Chair. Future Seating focuses on providing consumers with ergonomic, high quality, thoughtfully designed seating products. Incorporating innovative ergonomic features like X-HMT heat and massage technology, Dynamic Variable Lumbar (DVL) support, Sci-Float infinite recline and REVOLVE Extended Recline. Future Seating seeks to constantly challenge and redefine what it means for consumers to sit comfortably. All Future Seating products aim to enable high performance and productivity. For more information visit Future-Seating.com

X-Chair Office

X-Chair, one of the leading providers of ergonomic office chairs featuring 21st century technology and design, enable users to both look good and be more productive. This is not your grandfather's chair; 10 ergonomic adjustments allow users to fine-tune the arms, seat, back, headrest and lumbar, providing unparalleled comfort. While the SciFloat Infinite Recline, Dynamic Variable Lumbar (DVL) Support and Tilt Lock technologies make X-Chair the most technologically ergonomic chair on the market. Made with quality craftsmanship and high-performance materials, X-Chair's products feature a 15-year limited warranty and 30-day risk free trial. For more information, visit xchair.com.

Mavix Gaming

The all-new gaming chair company, providing an ergonomic solution for gamers at any level. Launched in November 2020 by a team of seasoned office chair developers and endemic marketing agency, Zoned Gaming, Mavix has quickly drawn a considerable following in an industry accustomed to race car seat gaming chairs. Mavix' debut collection features nine critical ergonomic functions to support gamers everywhere including Dynamic Variable Lumbar (DVL) Support, fine mesh and cooling gel seating surfaces, infinite-position deep reclining mechanisms and many more thoughtful touches. For more information, visit Mavix.com.

For More Media Information:

Anna Peterson / Casey Fox

The Zimmerman Agency  850.668.2222

[email protected]

SOURCE Future Seating

Related Links

https://future-seating.com


DUBLIN, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Coworking Space Global Market Report 2021: COVID-19 Growth and Change to 2030" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

This report focuses on the coworking spaces market which is experiencing strong growth. The report gives a guide to the coworking spaces market which will be shaping and changing our lives over the next ten years and beyond, including the market's response to the challenge of the global pandemic.



Major players in the coworking spaces market are Wework, Regus Corporation (IWG Plc), Mix Pace, Knotel, Inc., SimplyWork, District Cowork, Premier Workspaces, Krspace, Convene and Servcorp Limited.



The global coworking space market is expected to grow from $7.97 billion in 2020 to $8.14 billion in 2021 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2.1%.

The growth is mainly due to the companies resuming their operations and adapting to the new normal while recovering from the COVID-19 impact, which had earlier led to restrictive containment measures involving social distancing, remote working, and the closure of commercial activities that resulted in operational challenges.

The market is expected to reach $13.03 billion in 2025 at a CAGR of 12%.



The coworking spaces market consists of coworking space rental revenues earned by entities (organizations, sole traders and partnerships) that provide coworking workspaces on rent or lease. Unlike traditional office rental, the cost of renting coworking workspaces usually covers the use of related services/equipment such as office chairs and desks Internet/Wi-Fi connection, hardware, software, and others. The industry includes businesses that offer non-residential structures with amenities and facilities on a flexible rental basis.



The coworking spaces market is majorly determined by the increase in the number of start-ups globally. According to thegeniuswork.com publication in October 2019, the global start-up economy was worth $ 3 trillion in 2019, with a rise of 20% from 2017 and 2018.

The growth is backed by the expansion of internet space, exposure to the knowledge of entrepreneurship outside the boundaries of the country, and improved literacy rates. Besides, advanced manufacturing and robotics, agriculture technology and new food, blockchain, and artificial intelligence, big data, and analytics were the fastest growing start-up sub-sectors globally. Therefore, the rise in the number of startups across various industries globally increased the demand for coworking spaces, driving the market during the forecast period.



The coworking spaces market covered in this report is segmented by business type into open/ conventional coworking spaces, corporate/ professional coworking spaces, others and by end use into finance, legal services, marketing, technology, real estate, consulting services, others.



The increase in the number of people working from home or remotely owing to COVID-19 lockdown limits the growth of the market. For instance, in March 2020, many companies working from home owing to COVID-19 pandemic, operators of coworking spaces have seen an almost 50% decline in footfalls.

Furthermore, according to Business 2 Community publication in April 2020, the number of people working remotely has grown by 44% in the last five years, with 7 million people (3.4% of the population) were working remotely in the USA before the arrival of COVID-19. Nevertheless, the number of people working remotely is tremendously increased owing to the coronavirus outbreak over the last few months. Consequently, declining the revenues generated by the coworking spaces market during 2020.



The development of sustainable coworking spaces is a major trend shaping the coworking spaces market. Coworking spaces are implementing eco-friendly measures in the workplace to attract entrepreneurs concerned with environmental issues such as global warming. Sustainable practices adopted by the coworking space providers offer substantial benefits and are economically feasible. For instance, CoCoon in Hong Kong has a floor made of natural bamboo and uses non-toxic paints and LED lights.

In addition to this, drought-resistant plants are part of the interior and exterior. Another such example is Green Spaces in Denver uses about 160 solar panels on the roofs of its offices. These allow significant cost savings at Green Spaces. Thus, sustainable coworking space is a key trend in the coworking spaces market.



In January 2019, a Los Angeles based workspace provider Cross Campus, announced the acquisition of San Diego's coworking space provider DeskHub, for an undisclosed amount. This acquisition helps the company to increase its footprints in San Diego and Scottsdale, AZ, providing an opportunity to broaden its services in the region. DeskHub is committed to creating a premier network for coworking workspaces across the USA.



Key Topics Covered:



1. Executive Summary



2. Coworking Spaces Market Characteristics



3. Coworking Spaces Market Trends and Strategies



4. Impact of COVID-19 on Coworking Spaces



5. Coworking Spaces Market Size and Growth

5.1. Global Coworking Spaces Historic Market, 2015-2020, $ Billion

5.2. Global Coworking Spaces Forecast Market, 2020-2025F, 2030F, $ Billion



6. Coworking Spaces Market Segmentation

6.1. Global Coworking Spaces Market, Segmentation By Business Type, Historic and Forecast, 2015-2020, 2020-2025F, 2030F, $ Billion

Open/Conventional Coworking Spaces

Corporate/Professional Coworking Spaces

Others

6.2. Global Coworking Spaces Market, Segmentation By End Use, Historic and Forecast, 2015-2020, 2020-2025F, 2030F, $ Billion

Finance

Legal Services

Marketing

Technology

Real Estate

Consulting Services

Others

6.3. Global Coworking Spaces Market, Segmentation By User, Historic and Forecast, 2015-2020, 2020-2025F, 2030F, $ Billion

Enterprises

Freelancer

Others

7. Coworking Spaces Market Regional and Country Analysis

7.1. Global Coworking Spaces Market, Split By Region, Historic and Forecast, 2015-2020, 2020-2025F, 2030F, $ Billion

7.2. Global Coworking Spaces Market, Split By Country, Historic and Forecast, 2015-2020, 2020-2025F, 2030F, $ Billion



Companies Mentioned

Wework

Regus Corporation (IWG Plc)

Mix Pace

Knotel Inc.

SimplyWork

District Cowork

Premier Workspaces

Krspace

Convene

Servcorp Limited

Novel Coworking

TechSpace Inc.

SOMAcentral

HackerLab

Industrious

UCOMMUNE

Your Alley

Impact Hub

Serendipity Labs

Make Office

Green Desk

Venture X

Office Evolution

CommonGrounds Workplace

Intelligent Office

Studio

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/a5e680

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, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Electric Commercial Vehicles Global Market Report 2021: COVID-19 Growth and Change to 2030" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global electric commercial vehicles market is expected to grow from $60.11 billion in 2020 to $63.71 billion in 2021 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6%.

Electric Commercial Vehicles Global Market Report 2021: COVID-19 Growth and Change to 2030 provides the strategists, marketers and senior management with the critical information they need to assess the global electric commercial vehicles market.



This report focuses on the electric commercial vehicles market which is experiencing strong growth. The report gives a guide to the electric commercial vehicles market which will be shaping and changing our lives over the next ten years and beyond.



Major players in the electric commercial vehicles market are BYD, Proterra, AB Volvo, Daimler AG, Nissan, ABB, Scania AB, Tesla, Nikola Motor Company and Tata Motors.

The growth is mainly due to the companies resuming their operations and adapting to the new normal while recovering from the COVID-19 impact, which had earlier led to restrictive containment measures involving social distancing, remote working, and the closure of commercial activities that resulted in operational challenges.

The market is expected to reach $121.01 billion in 2025 at a CAGR of 17%.



During the historic period, government subsidies on electric commercial vehicles contributed to the electric commercial vehicles market's growth. For instance, in July 2019, in India, the government of India provided subsidies for promoting electric commercial vehicles.

The Minister of State for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises at the 'India UK Electric Mobility Forum 2019' stated that the government of India, under the INR 10,000 crore FAME scheme, is promoting electric commercial vehicles through commercial fleet owners. The subsidies were given to three and four wheeler electric vehicles for commercial and fleet applications. The support from the government to promote use of commercial electrical vehicles is driving the market.



The growth of the electric commercial vehicle market is restrained by limited battery power and longer charging duration. For electric commercial vehicles, the range and performance of the battery is typically less powerful and has a limited range (60-100 miles per charge) and is considered suitable only for short-distance travel.

The limited travel range of batteries of electric vehicles raises concerns among the consumers that their vehicles may run out of charge/power before reaching the destination. Longer charging duration is another major challenge for the market. Lack of availability of supercharging stations adds to the woes associated with the use of batteries in an electric vehicle.



The electric commercial vehicles market covered in this report is segmented by propulsion type into BEV; PHEV; FCEV. It is also segmented by vehicle type into electric bus; electric truck; electric pick-up truck; electric van, by battery type into lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP); lithium-nickel-manganese-cobalt oxide (NMC); others and by technology into battery electric commercial vehicles; plug-in hybrids; hybrids; fuel cell electric commercial vehicles.



Electric commercial vehicle companies are implementing strategic partnerships for the production of electric commercial vehicles. Strategic partnerships in electric commercial vehicles involve sharing of resources and expertise that enhances the product and multiplies the result.

It attracts popularity from consumers and other stakeholders, helping to increase the investment while reducing costs. For instance, in 2020, in South Korea, Hyundai Motor Company and Kia Motors Corporation strategically partnered and is investing 100 million (US $110 million) in a UK-based electric vehicle startup company 'Arrival' for developing electric commercial vehicles such as eco-friendly vans and commercial vehicles for logistics.



In August 2019, Dana Inc., a USA-based company specialized in manufacturing components and systems for hybrid and electric vehicles such as commercial vehicles, acquired Nordrsea Motors Inc. for an undisclosed amount.



Key Topics Covered:



1. Executive Summary



2. Electric Commercial Vehicles Market Characteristics



3. Electric Commercial Vehicles Market Trends and Strategies



4. Impact of COVID-19 on Electric Commercial Vehicles



5. Electric Commercial Vehicles Market Size and Growth

5.1. Global Electric Commercial Vehicles Historic Market, 2015-2020, $ Billion

5.2. Global Electric Commercial Vehicles Forecast Market, 2020-2025F, 2030F, $ Billion



6. Electric Commercial Vehicles Market Segmentation

6.1. Global Electric Commercial Vehicles Market, Segmentation By Propulsion Type, Historic and Forecast, 2015-2020, 2020-2025F, 2030F, $ Billion

BEV

PHEV

FCEV

6.2. Global Electric Commercial Vehicles Market, Segmentation By Vehicle Type, Historic and Forecast, 2015-2020, 2020-2025F, 2030F, $ Billion

Electric Bus

Electric Truck

Electric Pick-up Truck

Electric Van

6.3. Global Electric Commercial Vehicles Market, Segmentation By Battery Type, Historic and Forecast, 2015-2020, 2020-2025F, 2030F, $ Billion

Lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP)

Lithium-nickel-manganese-cobalt oxide (NMC)

Others

6.4. Global Electric Commercial Vehicles Market, Segmentation By Technology, Historic and Forecast, 2015-2020, 2020-2025F, 2030F, $ Billion

Battery Electric Commercial Vehicles

Plug-in Hybrids

Hybrids

Fuel Cell Electric Commercial Vehicles

7. Electric Commercial Vehicles Market Regional and Country Analysis

7.1. Global Electric Commercial Vehicles Market, Split By Region, Historic and Forecast, 2015-2020, 2020-2025F, 2030F, $ Billion

7.2. Global Electric Commercial Vehicles Market, Split By Country, Historic and Forecast, 2015-2020, 2020-2025F, 2030F, $ Billion



Companies Mentioned

BYD

Proterra

AB Volvo

Daimler AG

Nissan

ABB

Scania AB

Tesla

Nikola Motor Company

Tata Motors

EBUSCO

Emoss Mobile Systems

ZHONGTONGBUS Bus Holding Co.

Ltd

Ashok Leyland Ltd.

Dongfeng Motor Corp.

Hino Motors Ltd.

Isuzu Motors Ltd.

Iveco S.p.A.

Workhorse Group Inc.

LG Chem

Panasonic

Delphi

Continental

Siemens

Mitsubishi Electric

Toshiba

Ballard Power Systems

Yutong

VDL Groep

CAF

Olectra Greentech

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/girpss

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


After seeing the amount and types of sulphide minerals present in the first drill holes through the El Orito deposit, the company initiated an Induced Polarization ("IP") survey to map out the sulphide rich zone along strike and down dip. The IP survey is mapping a strong chargeability anomaly over the mineralization, and it is thought to be related to the pyrite and chalcopyrite content in the zone. The survey is continuing eastwards into the El Favor deposit (see Figure 2).

"These new drilling results are continuing to expand the size of the El Orito deposit," said Brad Langille, President and CEO. "The mineralization at both the El Orito and El Favor deposits can be identified and followed with the IP survey and I believe will help to locate and define the next series of deposits on our Los Ricos North properties. We expect more results over the coming weeks to develop out of this additional tool we are using in our exploration efforts. We believe the Los Ricos district is becoming very significant in the silver space."

Table 1: Drill Hole Intersections

Hole ID Area From To Length1 Ag Au Cu Pb Zn AgEq2



(m) (m) (m) (g/t) (g/t) (%) (%) (%) (g/t) LRGO-21-028 El Orito 126.0 135.5 9.5 20.2 0.03 0.10 0.35 0.73 63.8

and 187.5 189.3 1.8 17.9 0.04 0.25 0.48 2.53 139.7 LRGO-21-029 El Orito 219.8 232.1 12.4 38.2 0.08 0.23 2.11 3.79 221.2

including 227.8 230.3 2.6 92.6 0.09 0.61 5.32 9.90 536.5

and 246.9 249.6 2.8 22.5 0.02 0.05 0.73 1.72 102.5 LRGO-21-030 El Orito 62.9 66.5 3.7 49.2 0.12 0.07 1.01 1.22 129.3

including 63.7 65.1 1.3 121.0 0.32 0.13 2.36 1.51 263.1

and 74.5 75.8 1.3 28.0 0.02 0.20 1.26 0.97 110.9

and 83.8 97.2 13.4 64.0 0.44 0.12 0.86 0.20 135.3

including 92.9 95.8 3.0 222.2 1.93 0.29 2.72 0.14 464.4

and 109.0 153.2 44.3 23.3 0.04 0.08 0.66 1.23 90.5

including 144.7 149.6 4.9 43.9 0.16 0.16 2.48 3.50 246.4 LRGO-21-031 El Orito 95.0 121.6 26.6 13.7 0.04 0.07 1.13 1.29 93.6

including 101.0 106.1 5.1 38.2 0.17 0.20 4.55 1.95 242.7

including 101.0 102.4 1.4 87.4 0.55 0.23 10.67 0.10 407.4 LRGO-21-032 El Orito 196.8 206.8 10.0 56.2 0.11 0.06 1.21 0.61 119.8

including 198.4 199.9 1.4 273.1 0.49 0.02 1.56 0.09 351.9

and 215.7 245.0 29.4 35.7 0.06 0.23 2.16 4.15 250.8

including 228.3 245.0 16.8 51.3 0.07 0.36 3.33 6.45 383.8

including 237.1 243.3 6.3 90.3 0.09 0.65 5.16 9.55 598.6

and 291.8 294.6 2.8 32.1 0.08 0.22 1.89 3.12 208.1 LRGO-21-033 El Orito 141.1 142.7 1.6 76.8 0.20 0.02 0.14 0.21 103.4

and 217.5 221.2 3.8 32.9 0.09 0.13 0.31 2.43 140.0 LRGO-21-034 El Orito 133.0 137.0 4.0 28.2 0.03 0.08 0.52 0.51 66.9

and 198.5 203.0 4.5 14.7 0.02 0.04 0.33 1.21 67.9

and 223.1 224.8 1.7 15.9 0.03 0.04 0.93 1.60 97.2 LRGO-21-035 El Orito 68.2 70.9 2.8 100.6 0.30 0.01 0.07 0.02 126.0

and 142.0 143.5 1.6 32.4 0.27 0.05 0.20 0.51 79.0 LRGO-21-036 El Orito 206.4 207.9 1.5 528.3 0.03 0.12 0.00 0.01 542.1

and 232.4 350.3 117.9 6.3 0.02 0.02 0.19 1.33 58.2

including 245.2 248.4 3.3 37.2 0.20 0.05 0.63 3.81 198.8

including 259.0 262.7 3.7 22.2 0.02 0.10 1.69 3.09 175.9

including 268.5 270.8 2.3 7.0 0.01 0.06 0.27 8.40 298.1 LRGO-21-037 El Orito 240.5 243.5 3.0 28.5 0.03 0.16 1.15 1.52 124.2 LRGO-21-040 El Orito 200.2 206.0 5.8 9.2 0.01 0.08 0.32 1.53 75.4

including 201.0 203.0 2.0 16.7 0.01 0.13 0.66 3.12 149.0 LRGO-21-041 El Orito 182.1 240.1 58.0 30.8 0.04 0.19 1.25 2.59 168.0

including 206.0 229.0 23.0 60.7 0.08 0.40 2.43 4.88 325.0

including 217.8 229.0 11.3 95.6 0.13 0.69 3.33 7.52 500.3

including 217.8 221.9 4.2 185.7 0.22 1.46 6.87 15.12 1,007.2

1. Not true width. 2. AqEq converted using a silver to gold ratio of 75:1. Copper, Lead and Zinc converted using $3.66/lb, $0.90/lb and $1.26/lb at 100% recoveries based on a silver price of $26.00/oz. 3. Hole LRGO-21-039 did not intercept significant mineralization. Hole LRGO-21-038 assays are pending.

The holes that the Company has drilled to date at El Orito have shown mineralization averaging approximately 30m in width for more than 700m in strike length and up to approximately 300m in vertical depth from surface and is open in all directions. The El Orito deposit is located about 1,000 meters to the west along strike from the El Favor deposit. The Company's exploration team is mapping, sampling, and surveying with IP geophysics to potentially connect the two deposits. The El Orito deposit may be unique in the Los Ricos district as it is the deeper part of the system where silver and base metals are present, while the other targets in the system to date have shown primarily silver and gold mineralization.

The known strike length of the El Orito  El Favor structure is now approaching 2,500 meters and is still open in both directions. The surface topography at El Orito is 400 to 500m lower compared to El Favor and is allowing the exploration team to see this large, mineralized structure over a vertical height of 750 meters when measured from the surface outcrops at El Favor to the intersections in the El Orito drill holes.

Table 2: Drill Hole Locations

Hole ID Easting Northing Elevation Azimuth Dip Length LRGO-21-028 583511 2336727 822 210 -55 284.0 LRGO-21-029 583578 2336995 851 210 -65 330.9 LRGO-21-030 583867 2336663 868 30 -45 221.0 LRGO-21-031 583522 2336720 824 210 -45 238.0 LRGO-21-032 583685 2336968 895 210 -50 322.0 LRGO-21-033 583867 2336663 868 30 -60 284.9 LRGO-21-034 583563 2336713 825 210 -50 401.0 LRGO-21-035 583601 2336933 891 210 -50 385.0 LRGO-21-036 583920 2336839 974 210 -70 419.4 LRGO-21-037 583602 2337020 843 210 -65 334.5 LRGO-21-038 583571 2336749 841 210 -55 309.0 LRGO-21-039 583960 2336886 999 210 -75 525.3 LRGO-21-040 583502 2336786 811 210 -55 275.0 LRGO-21-041 583607 2336982 865 210 -55 277.0

VRIFY Slide Deck and 3D Presentation

VRIFY is a platform being used by companies to communicate with investors using 360 virtual tours of remote mining assets, 3D models and interactive presentations. VRIFY can be accessed by website and with the VRIFY iOS and Android apps.

Access the GoGold Company Profile on VRIFY at: https://vrify.com

The VRIFY Slide Deck and 3D Presentation for GoGold can be viewed at: https://vrify.com/explore/decks/9404 and on the Company's website at: www.gogoldresources.com.

Los Ricos District Exploration Projects

The Company's two exploration projects at its Los Ricos property are in Jalisco state, Mexico. The Los Ricos South Project began in March 2019 and an initial resource was announced on July 29, 2020 which indicated a Measured & Indicated Mineral Resource of 63.7 million ounces AgEq grading 199 g/t AgEq contained in 10.0 million tonnes, and an Inferred Resource of 19.9 million ounces AgEq grading 190 g/t AgEq contained in 3.3 million tonnes. An initial PEA on the project was announced on January 20, 2021 indicating an NPV 5% of US$295M.

The Los Ricos North Project was launched in March 2020 and includes drilling at the El Favor, La Trini, Casados and El Orito targets. During 2020, GoGold's exploration team identified over 100 targets on the Los Ricos North properties, demonstrating the significant exploration potential. The Company plans to drill 10 of these targets as part of its 2021 drilling program which is planned to exceed 100,000 metres of drilling and will be one of the largest in Mexico.

Procedure, Quality Assurance / Quality Control and Data Verification

The diamond drill core (HQ size) is geologically logged, photographed and marked for sampling. When the sample lengths are determined, the full core is sawn with a diamond blade core saw with one half of the core being bagged and tagged for assay. The remaining half portion is returned to the core trays for storage and/or for metallurgical test work.

The sealed and tagged sample bags are transported to the ActLabs facility in Zacatecas, Mexico. ActLabs crushes the samples and prepares 200-300 gram pulp samples with ninety percent passing Tyler 150 mesh (106m). The pulps are assayed for gold using a 50-gram charge by fire assay (Code 1A2-50) and over limits greater than 10 grams per tonne are re-assayed using a gravimetric finish (Code 1A3-50). Silver and multi-element analysis is completed using total digestion (Code 1F2 Total Digestion ICP). Over limits greater than 100 grams per tonne silver are re-assayed using a gravimetric finish (Code 8-Ag FA-GRAV Ag).

Quality assurance and quality control ("QA/QC") procedures monitor the chain-of-custody of the samples and includes the systematic insertion and monitoring of appropriate reference materials (certified standards, blanks and duplicates) into the sample strings. The results of the assaying of the QA/QC material included in each batch are tracked to ensure the integrity of the assay data. All results stated in this announcement have passed GoGold's QA/QC protocols.

Mr. David Duncan, P. Geo. is the qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and is responsible for the technical information of this release.

About GoGold Resources

GoGold Resources (TSX: GGD) is a Canadian-based silver and gold producer focused on operating, developing, exploring and acquiring high quality projects in Mexico. The Company operates the Parral Tailings mine in the state of Chihuahua and has the Los Ricos South and Los Ricos North exploration projects in the state of Jalisco. Headquartered in Halifax, NS, GoGold is building a portfolio of low cost, high margin projects. For more information visit gogoldresources.com.

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT:

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, or for the benefit of, U.S. persons (as defined in Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act) except in compliance with the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or pursuant to exemptions therefrom. This release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy of any of GoGold's securities in the United States.

This news release may contain "forward-looking information" as defined in applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements other than statements of historical fact, included in this release, including, without limitation, statements regarding the Los Ricos South and North projects, and future plans and objectives of GoGold, including the intention to undertake further exploration at Los Ricos North, and the prospect of further discoveries there, constitute forward looking information that involve various risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking information is based on a number of factors and assumptions which have been used to develop such information but which may prove to be incorrect, including, but not limited to, assumptions in connection with the continuance of GoGold and its subsidiaries as a going concern, general economic and market conditions, mineral prices, the accuracy of mineral resource estimates, and the performance of the Parral project. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking information.

Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from GoGold's expectations include exploration and development risks associated with GoGold's projects, the failure to establish estimated mineral resources or mineral reserves, volatility of commodity prices, variations of recovery rates, and global economic conditions. For additional information with respect to risk factors applicable to GoGold, reference should be made to GoGold's continuous disclosure materials filed from time to time with securities regulators, including, but not limited to, GoGold's Annual Information Form. The forward-looking information contained in this release is made as of the date of this release.

SOURCE GoGold Resources Inc.

Related Links

http://www.gogoldresources.com/


DELAWARE, Ohio, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Greif, Inc. (NYSE: GEF, GEF.B), a global leader in industrial packaging products and services, today announced second quarter 2021 results.

Second Quarter Financial Highlights include (all results compared to the second quarter of 2020 unless otherwise noted)(1):

Net income of $149.8 million or $2.51 per diluted Class A share increased compared to net income of $11.4 million or $0.19 per diluted Class A share. Net income, excluding the impact of adjustments (2) , of $67.3 million or $1.13 per diluted Class A share increased compared to net income, excluding the impact of adjustments, of $56.5 million or $0.95 per diluted Class A share. Adjusted EBITDA (3) decreased by $4.7 million to $176.6 million .

or per diluted Class A share increased compared to net income of or per diluted Class A share. Net income, excluding the impact of adjustments , of or per diluted Class A share increased compared to net income, excluding the impact of adjustments, of or per diluted Class A share. Adjusted EBITDA decreased by to . Net cash provided by operating activities increased by $52.5 million to a source of $152.3 million . Adjusted free cash flow (4) increased by $47.7 million to a source of $126.7 million .

to a source of . Adjusted free cash flow increased by to a source of . Total debt decreased by $368.9 million to $2,313.4 million . Net debt(5) decreased by $406.9 million to $2,203.0 million and decreased by $235.0 million sequentially from the first quarter of 2021. The Company's leverage ratio(6) decreased to 3.2x compared to 3.6x.

Strategic Actions and Announcements

Completed the sale of approximately 69,200 acres of timberlands in southwest Alabama to Weyerhaeuser Company (NYSE: WY) for approximately $149.0 million in cash.

to Weyerhaeuser Company (NYSE: WY) for approximately in cash. Achieved record Intermediate Bulk Container (IBC) volume, reflecting strong market demand.

Reintroduced annual guidance given better visibility into the remainder of the fiscal year and continued confidence in the improving fundamentals of our business.

Published Greif's 12th consecutive sustainability report highlighting the Company's commitments to environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles and key metrics. Also announced a new science-aligned goal to reduce the Company's Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 28% by 2030, versus a 2019 baseline.

"Greif delivered a strong second quarter, with solid results across the company and meaningful progress against our strategy," said Pete Watson, Greif's President and Chief Executive Officer. "In addition to strong underlying business performance that drove improved earnings and free cash flow, we enhanced colleague engagement and customer service levels, advanced our commitment to sustainability and achieved a notable reduction in our leverage. With improved visibility into customer demand patterns, we are reintroducing annual guidance for fiscal 2021 and are well positioned to benefit from a growing global economy."







































(1) As previously reported, during the first quarter of 2021, the former Rigid Industrial Packaging & Services and Flexible Products & Services segments were combined into a single reportable segment now known as the Global Industrial Packaging segment. On February 24, 2021 the Company filed a Current Report on Form 8-K with the SEC to furnish certain historical GAAP and non-GAAP financial information in a revised presentation aligned with the Company's new reportable segment structure. (2) Adjustments that are excluded from net income before adjustments and from earnings per diluted Class A share before adjustments are restructuring charges, acquisition and integration related costs, non-cash asset impairment charges, non-cash pension settlement charges (income), incremental COVID-19 costs, net, loss (gain) on disposal of properties, plants, equipment and businesses, net and timberland gains, net. (3) Adjusted EBITDA is defined as net income, plus interest expense, net, plus income tax expense, plus depreciation, depletion and amortization expense, plus restructuring charges, plus acquisition and integration related costs, plus non-cash asset impairment charges, plus non-cash pension settlement charges (income), plus incremental COVID-19 costs, net, plus loss (gain) on disposal of properties, plants, equipment and businesses, net, plus timberland gains, net. (4) Adjusted free cash flow is defined as net cash provided by operating activities, less cash paid for purchases of properties, plants and equipment, plus cash paid for acquisition and integration related costs, plus cash paid for incremental COVID-19 costs, net, plus cash paid for acquisition and integration related Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems. (5) Net debt is defined as total debt less cash and cash equivalents. (6) Leverage ratio is defined as trailing twelve month EBITDA divided by net debt, each as calculated under the terms of the Company's Amended and Restated Credit Agreement dated as of February 11, 2019, filed as Exhibit 10.29 to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for its fiscal year ended October 31, 2020 (the "2019 Credit Agreement").

Note: A reconciliation of the differences between all non-GAAP financial measures used in this release with the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures is included in the financial schedules that are a part of this release. These non-GAAP financial measures are intended to supplement and should be read together with our financial results. They should not be considered an alternative or substitute for, and should not be considered superior to, our reported financial results. Accordingly, users of this financial information should not place undue reliance on these non-GAAP financial measures.

Customer Service, Sustainability and Colleague Engagement

The Company's consolidated CSI(7) score was 93.4 during the fiscal second quarter and 92.8 on a trailing four quarter basis. Our long term objective is for each business segment to achieve a CSI score of 95.0 or greater.

CSI for the Global Industrial Packaging segment was 94.8, which was 2.5% higher than the prior year quarter. CSI for the Paper Packaging & Services segment was 91.5, which was roughly flat to the prior year quarter.

During the quarter, the Company completed its 12th annual sustainability report. The report is prepared in full accordance with the GRI Standards: Core option and the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) Application Guidance and fulfills the United Nations Global Compact annual Communication on Progress. This is also our first report that begins aligning our climate-related disclosures with recommendations from the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD). The sustainability report is available for review at https://sustainability.greif.com . Report highlights include:

Discussion of the drivers to Greif's sustainability strategy: delivering superior customer service; reducing our footprint; addressing risk; valuing our people; advancing the circular economy; financial performance; and profitable growth

An overview of Greif's value chain, key findings from the Company's second materiality assessment and actions being taken in response to the assessment

In depth review of Greif's current sustainability goals, performance and highlight stories

Finally, the Company believes that a team of highly engaged colleagues is critical to providing industry leading customer service that helps generate enhanced financial results. In order to improve and track the Company's engagement levels, an annual survey is administered to colleagues by Gallup. Based on feedback received in Greif's most recent survey just completed, the Company's engagement rating was in the 90th percentile of all Gallup manufacturing clients.

Segment Results (all results compared to the second quarter of 2020 unless otherwise noted)

Net sales are impacted mainly by the volume of primary products(8) sold, selling prices, product mix and the impact of changes in foreign currencies against the U.S. Dollar. The table below shows the percentage impact of each of these items on net sales for our primary products for the second quarter of 2021 as compared to the prior year quarter for the business segments with manufacturing operations.

Net Sales Impact - Primary Products Global Industrial Packaging

Paper Packaging & Services

%

% Currency Translation 4.5 %

0.2 % Volume 3.3 %

14.0 % Selling Prices and Product Mix 13.1 %

7.2 % Total Impact of Primary Products 20.9 %

21.4 %

Global Industrial Packaging

Net sales increased by $128.0 million to $798.0 million. Net sales excluding foreign currency translation increased by $97.4 million primarily due to higher volumes and higher average sale prices.

Gross profit increased by $26.9 million to $170.1 million. The increase in gross profit was primarily due to the same factors that impacted net sales.

Operating profit increased by $1.3 million to $76.4 million. Adjusted EBITDA increased by $7.1 million to $106.2 million primarily due to the same factors that impacted gross profit, partially offset by higher SG&A expense that was mainly attributable to higher incentive accruals.

Paper Packaging & Services

Net sales increased by $55.4 million to $537.0 million. Net sales excluding foreign currency translation increased by $54.6 million primarily due to higher published containerboard and boxboard prices and higher volumes. Net sales for the second quarter 2020 included $35.4 million of net sales attributable to the divested Consumer Packaging Group business, which was sold on April 1, 2020.

Gross profit decreased by $1.0 million to $93.9 million. The decrease in gross profit was primarily due to higher old corrugated container and other raw material input costs and higher transportation expenses, mostly offset by higher net sales.

Operating profit increased by $32.8 million to $27.3 million due to the prior year quarter loss of $38.6 million on divestment of the Consumer Packaging Business, which was primarily related to the allocation of goodwill to the transaction. Adjusted EBITDA decreased by $10.8 million to $68.3 million primarily due to the same factors that impacted gross profit combined with the impact of higher SG&A costs as a result of higher corporate allocations resulting from higher incentive accruals at the corporate level.

Land Management

Net sales decreased by $1.1 million to $5.6 million.

Operating profit increased by $94.5 million to $96.9 million primarily due to the $95.7 million gain on sale of 69,200 acres of timberlands in the quarter. Adjusted EBITDA decreased by $1.0 million. Given the completion of the timberland sale, the Company owns approximately 175,000 acres of timber properties in the southeastern United States as of April 30, 2021.

Tax Summary

During the second quarter, the Company recorded an income tax rate of 10.1 percent. The Company's tax rate excluding the impact of adjustments was 20.0 percent. Both tax rates reflect second quarter benefits of $4.0 million from return to provision adjustments and reserve releases due to audit settlements and statute of limitations expirations. In addition, the application of FIN 18 frequently causes fluctuations in our quarterly effective tax rates. For fiscal 2021, the Company expects its tax rate to range between 17.0 and 21.0 percent and its tax rate excluding adjustments to range between 22.0 and 26.0 percent.

Dividend Summary

On June 8, 2021, the Board of Directors declared quarterly cash dividends of $0.44 per share of Class A Common Stock and $0.66 per share of Class B Common Stock. Dividends are payable on July 1, 2021, to stockholders of record at the close of business on June 21, 2021.

Company Outlook

(in millions, except per share amounts) Fiscal 2021 Outlook

Reported at Q2 Class A earnings per share before adjustments $4.55 - $4.85 Adjusted free cash flow $285 - $325

Note: Fiscal 2021 Class A earnings per share guidance on a GAAP basis is not provided in this release due to the potential for one or more of the following, the timing and magnitude of which we are unable to reliably forecast: gains or losses on the disposal of businesses, timberland or properties, plants and equipment, net; non-cash asset impairment charges due to unanticipated changes in the business; restructuring-related activities; non-cash incremental COVID-19 costs, net; non-cash pension settlement (income) charges; or acquisition and integration costs, and the income tax effects of these items and other income tax-related events. No reconciliation of the fiscal 2021 Class A earnings per share before adjustments guidance, a non-GAAP financial measure which excludes restructuring charges, acquisition and integration costs, non-cash asset impairment charges, non-cash pension settlement (income) charges, incremental COVID-19 costs, net, loss (gain) on the disposal of properties, plants, equipment and businesses, net and timberland gains, net, is included in this release because, due to the high variability and difficulty in making accurate forecasts and projections of some of the excluded information, together with some of the excluded information not being ascertainable or accessible, we are unable to quantify certain amounts that would be required to be included in the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure without unreasonable efforts. A reconciliation of 2021 adjusted free cash flow guidance to forecasted net cash provided by operating activities, the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure, is included in this release.

(7) Customer satisfaction index (CSI) tracks a variety of internal metrics designed to enhance the customer experience in dealing with Greif. (8) Primary products are manufactured steel, plastic and fibre drums; new and reconditioned intermediate bulk containers; 1&2 loop and 4 loop flexible intermediate bulk containers; linerboard, containerboard, corrugated sheets and corrugated containers, and boxboard and tube and core products.

Conference Call

The Company will host a conference call to discuss the second quarter of 2021 results on June 10, 2021, at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time (ET). Participants may access the call using the following online registration link: http://www.directeventreg.com/registration/event/8874456 . Registrants will receive a confirmation email containing dial in details and a unique conference call code for entry. Phone lines will open at 8:00 a.m. ET on June 10, 2021. A digital replay of the conference call will be available two hours following the call on the company's web site at http://investor.greif.com . To access the recording, guests can call (800) 585-8367 or (416) 621-4642 and use the conference ID 8874456.

About Greif

Greif is a global leader in industrial packaging products and services and is pursuing its vision: in industrial packaging, be the best performing customer service company in the world. The Company produces steel, plastic and fibre drums, intermediate bulk containers, reconditioned containers, flexible products, containerboard, uncoated recycled paperboard, coated recycled paperboard, tubes and cores and a diverse mix of specialty products. The Company also manufactures packaging accessories and provides filling, packaging and other services for a wide range of industries. In addition, Greif manages timber properties in the southeastern United States. The Company is strategically positioned in over 40 countries to serve global as well as regional customers. Additional information is on the Company's website at www.greif.com .

Forward-Looking Statements

This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The words "may," "will," "expect," "intend," "estimate," "anticipate," "aspiration," "objective," "project," "believe," "continue," "on track" or "target" or the negative thereof and similar expressions, among others, identify forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are based on assumptions, expectations and other information currently available to management. Such forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those forecasted, projected or anticipated, whether expressed or implied. The most significant of these risks and uncertainties are described in Part I of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2020. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements.

Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in forward-looking statements have a reasonable basis, the Company can give no assurance that these expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those forecasted, projected or anticipated, whether expressed in or implied by the statements. Such risks and uncertainties that might cause a difference include, but are not limited to, the following: (i) historically, our business has been sensitive to changes in general economic or business conditions, (ii) our global operations subject us to currency exchange and political risks that could adversely affect our results of operations, (iii) the COVID-19 pandemic could continue to impact any combination of our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows, (iv) the current and future challenging global economy and disruption and volatility of the financial and credit markets may adversely affect our business, (v) the continuing consolidation of our customer base and suppliers may intensify pricing pressure, (vi) we operate in highly competitive industries, (vii) our business is sensitive to changes in industry demands and customer preferences, (viii) raw material, energy and transportation price fluctuations and shortages may adversely impact our manufacturing operations and costs, (ix) the frequency and volume of our timber and timberland sales will impact our financial performance, (x) we may not successfully implement our business strategies, including achieving our growth objectives, (xi) we may encounter difficulties or liabilities arising from acquisitions or divestitures, (xii) the acquisition of Caraustar Industries, Inc. and its subsidiaries subjects us to various risks and uncertainties, (xiii) we may incur additional restructuring costs and there is no guarantee that our efforts to reduce costs will be successful, (xiv) several operations are conducted by joint ventures that we cannot operate solely for our benefit, (xv) certain of the agreements that govern our joint ventures provide our partners with put or call options, (xvi) our ability to attract, develop and retain talented and qualified employees, managers and executives is critical to our success, (xvii) our business may be adversely impacted by work stoppages and other labor relations matters, (xviii) we may be subject to losses that might not be covered in whole or in part by existing insurance reserves or insurance coverage and general insurance premium and deductible increases, (xix) our business depends on the uninterrupted operations of our facilities, systems and business functions, including our information technology and other business systems, (xx) a security breach of customer, employee, supplier or company information may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows, (xxi) changes in U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) and SEC rules and regulations concerning the maintenance of effective internal controls could materially impact our reported financial results, (xxii) we could be subject to changes in our tax rates, the adoption of new U.S. or foreign tax legislation or exposure to additional tax liabilities, (xxiii) full realization of our deferred tax assets may be affected by a number of factors, (xxiv) our level of indebtedness could adversely affect our liquidity, limit our flexibility in responding to business opportunities, and increase our vulnerability to adverse changes in economic and industry conditions, (xxv) we have a significant amount of goodwill and long-lived assets which, if impaired in the future, would adversely impact our results of operations, (xxvi) our pension and postretirement plans are underfunded and will require future cash contributions and our required future cash contributions could be higher than we expect, each of which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and liquidity, (xxvii) legislation/regulation related to environmental and health and safety matters and corporate social responsibility could negatively impact our operations and financial performance, (xxviii) product liability claims and other legal proceedings could adversely affect our operations and financial performance, (xxix) we may incur fines or penalties, damage to our reputation or other adverse consequences if our employees, agents or business partners violate, or are alleged to have violated, anti-bribery, competition or other laws, (xxx) changing climate, climate change regulations and greenhouse gas effects may adversely affect our operations and financial performance. The risks described above are not all-inclusive, and given these and other possible risks and uncertainties, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as a prediction of actual results. For a detailed discussion of the most significant risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those forecasted, projected or anticipated, see "Risk Factors" in Part I, Item 1A of our most recently filed Form 10-K and our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements made in this news release are expressly qualified in their entirety by reference to such risk factors. Except to the limited extent required by applicable law, we undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Contact:

Matt Eichmann

740-549-6067

[email protected]

GREIF, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME UNAUDITED



Three months ended April 30,

Six months ended April 30, (in millions, except per share amounts) 2021

2020

2021

2020 Net sales $ 1,340.6



$ 1,158.3



$ 2,487.1



$ 2,270.7

Cost of products sold 1,074.7



917.6



2,009.0



1,807.4

Gross profit 265.9



240.7



478.1



463.3

Selling, general and administrative expenses 146.8



121.1



281.1



256.5

Restructuring charges 12.0



4.4



15.1



7.7

Acquisition and integration related costs 1.8



4.8



3.8



9.9

Non-cash asset impairment charges 0.2



1.3



1.5



1.4

Loss (gain) on disposal of properties, plants and equipment, net 0.1



(1.3)



1.7



(1.8)

Loss on disposal of businesses, net 0.1



38.4







38.4

Timberland gains, net (95.7)







(95.7)





Operating profit 200.6



72.0



270.6



151.2

Interest expense, net 26.7



29.3



51.9



60.0

Non-cash pension settlement charges (income) 0.1







8.6



(0.1)

Other expense, net 2.8



1.1



2.8



2.4

Income before income tax expense and equity earnings of unconsolidated affiliates, net 171.0



41.6



207.3



88.9

Income tax expense 17.3



26.5



23.4



37.9

Equity earnings of unconsolidated affiliates, net of tax (0.3)



(0.7)



(1.0)



(0.9)

Net income 154.0



15.8



184.9



51.9

Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests (4.2)



(4.4)



(11.7)



(8.2)

Net income attributable to Greif, Inc. $ 149.8



$ 11.4



$ 173.2



$ 43.7

Basic earnings per share attributable to Greif, Inc. common shareholders:













Class A common stock $ 2.51



$ 0.19



$ 2.91



$ 0.74

Class B common stock $ 3.77



$ 0.29



$ 4.36



$ 1.10

Diluted earnings per share attributable to Greif, Inc. common shareholders:













Class A common stock $ 2.51



$ 0.19



$ 2.91



$ 0.74

Class B common stock $ 3.77



$ 0.29



$ 4.36



$ 1.10

Shares used to calculate basic earnings per share attributable to Greif, Inc. common shareholders:













Class A common stock 26.5



26.4



26.5



26.3

Class B common stock 22.0



22.0



22.0



22.0

Shares used to calculate diluted earnings per share attributable to Greif, Inc. common shareholders:













Class A common stock 26.7



26.4



26.6



26.3

Class B common stock 22.0



22.0



22.0



22.0



GREIF, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS UNAUDITED

(in millions) April 30, 2021

October 31, 2020 ASSETS





CURRENT ASSETS





Cash and cash equivalents $ 110.4



$ 105.9

Trade accounts receivable 751.1



636.6

Inventories 371.9



293.6

Assets held by special purpose entities 



50.9

Other current assets 149.3



215.8



1,382.7



1,302.8

LONG-TERM ASSETS





Goodwill 1,531.2



1,518.4

Intangible assets 683.2



715.3

Operating lease assets 299.7



307.5

Other long-term assets 192.0



140.0



2,706.1



2,681.2

PROPERTIES, PLANTS AND EQUIPMENT 1,499.1



1,526.9



$ 5,587.9



$ 5,510.9

LIABILITIES AND EQUITY





CURRENT LIABILITIES





Accounts payable $ 579.6



$ 450.7

Short-term borrowings 44.7



28.4

Current portion of long-term debt 114.1



123.1

Current portion of operating lease liabilities 52.7



52.3

Current portion of liabilities held by special purpose entities 



43.3

Other current liabilities 318.8



302.3



1,109.9



1,000.1

LONG-TERM LIABILITIES





Long-term debt 2,154.6



2,335.5

Operating lease liabilities 249.6



257.7

Other long-term liabilities 624.8



696.9



3,029.0



3,290.1

REDEEMABLE NONCONTROLLING INTERESTS 19.3



20.0

EQUITY





Total Greif, Inc. equity 1,374.2



1,152.2

Noncontrolling interests 55.5



48.5



1,429.7



1,200.7



$ 5,587.9



$ 5,510.9



GREIF, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS UNAUDITED



Three months ended April 30,

Six months ended April 30, (in millions) 2021

2020

2021

2020 CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:













Net income $ 154.0



$ 15.8



$ 184.9



$ 51.9

Depreciation, depletion and amortization 58.8



61.2



118.1



122.5

Asset impairments 0.2



1.3



1.5



1.4

Pension settlement charges (income) 0.1







8.6



(0.1)

Timberland gains, net (95.7)







(95.7)





Other non-cash adjustments to net income (29.2)



55.4



(13.3)



63.0

Operating working capital changes 8.6



(3.8)



(44.0)



(31.5)

Increase (decrease) in cash from changes in other assets and liabilities 55.5



(30.1)



3.7



(87.9)

Net cash provided by operating activities 152.3



99.8



163.8



119.3

CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:













Purchases of properties, plants and equipment (30.3)



(27.9)



(57.7)



(65.4)

Purchases of and investments in timber properties (1.5)



(1.2)



(2.5)



(2.8)

Proceeds on the sale of timberlands, net 145.1







145.1





Collections of receivables held in special purpose entities 







50.9





Payments for issuance of loans receivable 







(15.0)





Proceeds from the sale of properties, plant and equipment and businesses, net 



83.1







84.6

Other 0.8



(3.6)



(2.5)



(3.6)

Net cash provided by investing activities 114.1



50.4



118.3



12.8

CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:













Payments on long-term debt, net (227.7)



(120.4)



(187.0)



(61.9)

Dividends paid to Greif, Inc. shareholders (26.3)



(26.1)



(52.2)



(52.0)

Payments for liabilities held in special purpose entities 







(43.3)





Other (3.4)



(7.7)



(4.9)



(8.5)

Net cash used in financing activities (257.4)



(154.2)



(287.4)



(122.4)

Effects of exchange rates on cash 



(14.4)



9.8



(14.6)

Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents 9.0



(18.4)



4.5



(4.9)

Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period 101.4



90.8



105.9



77.3

Cash and cash equivalents, end of period $ 110.4



$ 72.4



$ 110.4



$ 72.4



GREIF, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS BY SEGMENT UNAUDITED



Three months ended April 30,

Six months ended April 30, (in millions) 2021

2020

2021

2020 Net sales:













Global Industrial Packaging $ 798.0



$ 670.0



$ 1,457.3



$ 1,301.7

Paper Packaging & Services 537.0



481.6



1,017.9



955.3

Land Management 5.6



6.7



11.9



13.7

Total net sales $ 1,340.6



$ 1,158.3



$ 2,487.1



$ 2,270.7

Gross profit:













Global Industrial Packaging $ 170.1



$ 143.2



$ 300.4



$ 263.3

Paper Packaging & Services 93.9



94.9



173.5



195.0

Land Management 1.9



2.6



4.2



5.0

Total gross profit $ 265.9



$ 240.7



$ 478.1



$ 463.3

Operating profit (loss):













Global Industrial Packaging $ 76.4



$ 75.1



$ 130.4



$ 119.9

Paper Packaging & Services 27.3



(5.5)



41.6



27.0

Land Management 96.9



2.4



98.6



4.3

Total operating profit $ 200.6



$ 72.0



$ 270.6



$ 151.2

EBITDA(9):













Global Industrial Packaging $ 95.1



$ 96.0



$ 170.9



$ 159.6

Paper Packaging & Services 64.1



33.5



107.0



106.5

Land Management 97.6



3.3



100.4



6.2

Total EBITDA $ 256.8



$ 132.8



$ 378.3



$ 272.3

Adjusted EBITDA(10):













Global Industrial Packaging $ 106.2



$ 99.1



$ 185.7



$ 165.7

Paper Packaging & Services 68.3



79.1



124.4



157.0

Land Management 2.1



3.1



5.0



6.0

Total Adjusted EBITDA $ 176.6



$ 181.3



$ 315.1



$ 328.7





(9) EBITDA is defined as net income, plus interest expense, net, plus income tax expense, plus depreciation, depletion and amortization. However, because the Company does not calculate net income by segment, this table calculates EBITDA by segment with reference to operating profit by segment, which, as demonstrated in the table of Consolidated EBITDA, is another method to achieve the same result. See the reconciliations in the table of Segment EBITDA. (10) Adjusted EBITDA is defined as net income, plus interest expense, net, plus income tax expense, plus depreciation, depletion and amortization expense, plus restructuring charges, plus acquisition and integration related costs, plus non-cash asset impairment charges, plus non-cash pension settlement charges (income), plus incremental COVID-19 costs, net, plus loss (gain) on disposal of properties, plants, equipment and businesses, plus timberland gains, net.

GREIF, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES GAAP TO NON-GAAP RECONCILIATION CONSOLIDATED ADJUSTED EBITDA UNAUDITED



Three months ended April 30,

Six months ended April 30, (in millions) 2021

2020

2021

2020 Net income $ 154.0



$ 15.8



$ 184.9



$ 51.9

Plus: Interest expense, net 26.7



29.3



51.9



60.0

Plus: Income tax expense 17.3



26.5



23.4



37.9

Plus: Depreciation, depletion and amortization expense 58.8



61.2



118.1



122.5

EBITDA $ 256.8



$ 132.8



$ 378.3



$ 272.3

Net income $ 154.0



$ 15.8



$ 184.9



$ 51.9

Plus: Interest expense, net 26.7



29.3



51.9



60.0

Plus: Income tax expense 17.3



26.5



23.4



37.9

Plus: Non-cash pension settlement charges (income) 0.1







8.6



(0.1)

Plus: Other expense, net 2.8



1.1



2.8



2.4

Plus: Equity earnings of unconsolidated affiliates, net of tax (0.3)



(0.7)



(1.0)



(0.9)

Operating profit $ 200.6



$ 72.0



$ 270.6



$ 151.2

Less: Non-cash pension settlement charges (income) 0.1







8.6



(0.1)

Less: Other expense, net 2.8



1.1



2.8



2.4

Less: Equity earnings of unconsolidated affiliates, net of tax (0.3)



(0.7)



(1.0)



(0.9)

Plus: Depreciation, depletion and amortization expense 58.8



61.2



118.1



122.5

EBITDA $ 256.8



$ 132.8



$ 378.3



$ 272.3

Plus: Restructuring charges 12.0



4.4



15.1



7.7

Plus: Acquisition and integration related costs 1.8



4.8



3.8



9.9

Plus: Non-cash asset impairment charges 0.2



1.3



1.5



1.4

Plus: Non-cash pension settlement charges (income) 0.1







8.6



(0.1)

Plus: Incremental COVID-19 costs, net (11) 1.2



0.9



1.8



0.9

Plus: Loss on disposal of properties, plants, equipment, and businesses, net 0.2



37.1



1.7



36.6

Plus: Timberland gains, net (95.7)







(95.7)





Adjusted EBITDA $ 176.6



$ 181.3



$ 315.1



$ 328.7





(11) Incremental COVID-19 costs, net includes costs directly attributable to COVID-19 such as costs incurred for incremental cleaning and sanitation efforts and employee safety measures, offset by economic relief received from foreign governments.

GREIF, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES GAAP TO NON-GAAP RECONCILIATION SEGMENT ADJUSTED EBITDA(12) UNAUDITED



Three months ended April 30,

Six months ended April 30, (in millions) 2021

2020

2021

2020 Global Industrial Packaging













Operating profit 76.4



75.1



130.4



119.9

Less: Other expense, net 2.8



1.3



2.7



3.8

Less: Equity earnings of unconsolidated affiliates, net of tax (0.3)



(0.7)



(1.0)



(0.9)

Plus: Depreciation and amortization expense 21.2



21.5



42.2



42.6

EBITDA $ 95.1



$ 96.0



$ 170.9



$ 159.6

Plus: Restructuring charges 10.2



2.7



13.0



5.0

Plus: Non-cash asset impairment charges 0.2



1.3



1.5



1.4

Plus: Incremental COVID-19 costs, net 0.5



0.4



0.8



0.4

Plus: Loss (gain) on disposal of properties, plants, equipment and businesses, net 0.2



(1.3)



(0.5)



(0.7)

Adjusted EBITDA $ 106.2



$ 99.1



$ 185.7



$ 165.7

Paper Packaging & Services













Operating profit (loss) 27.3



(5.5)



41.6



27.0

Less: Non-cash pension settlement charges (income) 0.1







8.6



(0.1)

Less: Other (income) expense, net 



(0.2)



0.1



(1.4)

Plus: Depreciation and amortization expense 36.9



38.8



74.1



78.0

EBITDA $ 64.1



$ 33.5



$ 107.0



$ 106.5

Plus: Restructuring charges 1.7



1.7



2.0



2.7

Plus: Acquisition and integration related costs 1.8



4.8



3.8



9.9

Plus: Non-cash pension settlement charges (income) 0.1







8.6



(0.1)

Plus: Incremental COVID-19 costs, net 0.7



0.5



1.0



0.5

Plus: (Gain) loss on disposal of properties, plants, equipment and businesses, net (0.1)



38.6



2.0



37.5

Adjusted EBITDA $ 68.3



$ 79.1



$ 124.4



$ 157.0

Land Management













Operating profit 96.9



2.4



98.6



4.3

Plus: Depreciation, depletion and amortization expense 0.7



0.9



1.8



1.9

EBITDA $ 97.6



$ 3.3



$ 100.4



$ 6.2

Plus: Restructuring charges 0.1







0.1





Plus: Loss (gain) on disposal of properties, plants, equipment and businesses, net 0.1



(0.2)



0.2



(0.2)

Plus: Timberland gains, net $ (95.7)



$ 



$ (95.7)



$ 

Adjusted EBITDA $ 2.1



$ 3.1



$ 5.0



$ 6.0

Consolidated EBITDA $ 256.8



$ 132.8



$ 378.3



$ 272.3

Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA $ 176.6



$ 181.3



$ 315.1



$ 328.7





(12) Adjusted EBITDA is defined as net income, plus interest expense, net, plus income tax expense, plus depreciation, depletion and amortization expense, plus restructuring charges, plus acquisition and integration related costs, plus non-cash asset impairment charges, plus non-cash pension settlement charges (income), plus incremental COVID-19 costs, net, plus loss (gain) on disposal of properties, plants, equipment and businesses, plus timberland gains, net. However, because the Company does not calculate net income by segment, this table calculates adjusted EBITDA by segment with reference to operating profit by segment, which, as demonstrated in the table of consolidated adjusted EBITDA, is another method to achieve the same result.

GREIF, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES GAAP TO NON-GAAP RECONCILIATION ADJUSTED FREE CASH FLOW(13) UNAUDITED



Three months ended April 30, Six months ended April 30, (in millions) 2021

2020 2021

2020 Net cash provided by operating activities $ 152.3



$ 99.8

$ 163.8



$ 119.3

Cash paid for purchases of properties, plants and equipment (30.3)



(27.9)

(57.7)



(65.4)

Free cash flow $ 122.0



$ 71.9

$ 106.1



$ 53.9

Cash paid for acquisition and integration related costs 1.8



5.8

3.8



9.9

Cash paid for incremental COVID-19 costs, net 1.3



0.9

1.9



0.9

Cash paid for acquisition and integration related ERP systems 1.6



0.4

3.4



1.0

Adjusted free cash flow $ 126.7



$ 79.0

$ 115.2



$ 65.7





(13)Adjusted free cash flow is defined as net cash provided by operating activities, less cash paid for purchases of properties, plants and equipment, plus cash paid for acquisition and integration related costs, plus cash paid for incremental COVID-19 costs, net, plus cash paid for acquisition and integration related ERP systems.

GREIF, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES GAAP TO NON-GAAP RECONCILIATION NET INCOME, CLASS A EARNINGS PER SHARE AND TAX RATE BEFORE ADJUSTMENTS UNAUDITED

(in millions, except for per share amounts) Income before

Income Tax

(Benefit) Expense

and Equity

Earnings of

Unconsolidated

Affiliates, net

Income

Tax

(Benefit)

Expense

Equity

Earnings

Non-

Controlling

Interest

Net

Income (Loss)

Attributable

to Greif,

Inc.

Diluted

Class A

Earnings

Per

Share

Tax Rate Three months ended April 30, 2021 $ 171.0



$ 17.3



$ (0.3)



$ 4.2



$ 149.8



$ 2.51



10.1 % Restructuring charges 12.0



2.8







1.3



7.9



0.13





Acquisition and integration related costs 1.8



0.4











1.4



0.02





Non-cash asset impairment charges 0.2



0.1







0.1













Non-cash pension settlement charges 0.1















0.1









Incremental COVID-19 costs, net 1.2



0.4











0.8



0.01





Loss on disposal of properties, plants, equipment and businesses, net 0.2



0.2





















Timberland gains, net (95.7)



(3.0)











(92.7)



$ (1.54)





Excluding Adjustments $ 90.8



$ 18.2



$ (0.3)



$ 5.6



$ 67.3



$ 1.13



20.0 %



























Three months ended April 30, 2020 $ 41.6



$ 26.5



$ (0.7)



$ 4.4



$ 11.4



$ 0.19



63.7 % Restructuring charges 4.4



1.0











3.4



0.05





Acquisition and integration related costs 4.8



1.2











3.6



0.07





Non-cash asset impairment charges 1.3















1.3



0.02





Incremental COVID-19 costs, net 0.9



0.2











0.7



0.01





Loss on disposal of properties, plants, equipment and businesses, net 37.1



0.5







0.5



36.1



0.61





Excluding Adjustments $ 90.1



$ 29.4



$ (0.7)



$ 4.9



$ 56.5



$ 0.95



32.6 %



























Six months ended April 30, 2021 $ 207.3



$ 23.4



$ (1.0)



$ 11.7



$ 173.2



$ 2.91



11.3 % Restructuring charges 15.1



3.6







1.3



10.2



0.17





Acquisition and integration related costs 3.8



0.9











2.9



0.05





Non-cash asset impairment charges 1.5



0.5







0.1



0.9



0.02





Non-cash pension settlement charges 8.6



2.1











6.5



0.09





Incremental COVID-19 costs, net 1.8



0.5







0.1



1.2



0.02





Loss on disposal of properties, plants, equipment and businesses, net 1.7



0.7











1.0



0.02





Timberland gains, net (95.7)



(3.0)











(92.7)



(1.54)





Excluding Adjustments $ 144.1



$ 28.7



$ (1.0)



$ 13.2



$ 103.2



$ 1.74



19.9 %



























Six months ended April 30, 2020 $ 88.9



$ 37.9



$ (0.9)



$ 8.2



$ 43.7



$ 0.74



42.6 % Restructuring charges 7.7



1.9







0.3



5.5



0.09





Acquisition and integration related costs 9.9



2.4











7.5



0.13





Non-cash asset impairment charges 1.4















1.4



0.02





Non-cash pension settlement income (0.1)















(0.1)









Incremental COVID-19 costs, net 0.9



0.2











0.7



0.01





Loss on disposal of properties, plants, equipment and businesses, net 36.6



0.4







0.5



35.7



0.60





Excluding Adjustments $ 145.3



$ 42.8



$ (0.9)



$ 9.0



$ 94.4



$ 1.59



29.5 %

The impact of income tax expense and non-controlling interest on each adjustment is calculated based on tax rates and ownership percentages specific to each applicable entity.

GREIF, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES GAAP TO NON-GAAP RECONCILIATION NET SALES TO NET SALES EXCLUDING THE IMPACT OF CURRENCY TRANSLATION UNAUDITED



Three months ended April 30,







(in millions) 2021

2020

Increase

(Decrease) in Net Sales ($)

Increase

(Decrease) in Net Sales (%) Consolidated













Net Sales $ 1,340.6



$ 1,158.3



$ 182.3



15.7 % Currency Translation (31.4)



N/A









Net Sales Excluding the Impact of Currency Translation $ 1,309.2



$ 1,158.3



$ 150.9



13.0 % Global Industrial Packaging













Net Sales $ 798.0



$ 670.0



$ 128.0



19.1 % Currency Translation (30.6)



N/A









Net Sales Excluding the Impact of Currency Translation $ 767.4



$ 670.0



$ 97.4



14.5 % Paper Packaging & Services













Net Sales $ 537.0



$ 481.6



$ 55.4



11.5 % Currency Translation (0.8)



N/A









Net Sales Excluding the Impact of Currency Translation $ 536.2



$ 481.6



$ 54.6



11.3 %





Six months ended April 30,







(in millions) 2021

2020

Increase

(Decrease) in Net Sales ($)

Increase

(Decrease) in Net Sales (%) Consolidated













Net Sales $ 2,487.1



$ 2,270.7



$ 216.4



9.5 % Currency Translation (40.2)



N/A









Net Sales Excluding the Impact of Currency Translation $ 2,446.9



$ 2,270.7



$ 176.2



7.8 % Global Industrial Packaging













Net Sales $ 1,457.3



$ 1,301.7



$ 155.6



12.0 % Currency Translation (39.3)



N/A









Net Sales Excluding the Impact of Currency Translation $ 1,418.0



$ 1,301.7



$ 116.3



8.9 % Paper Packaging & Services













Net Sales 1,017.9



955.3



$ 62.6



6.6 % Currency Translation (0.9)



N/A









Net Sales Excluding the Impact of Currency Translation $ 1,017.0



$ 955.3



$ 61.7



6.5 %

GREIF, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES GAAP TO NON-GAAP RECONCILIATION NET DEBT UNAUDITED

(in millions) April 30, 2021

January 31, 2021

April 30, 2020 Total Debt $ 2,313.4



$ 2,539.4



$ 2,682.3

Cash and cash equivalents (110.4)



(101.4)



(72.4)

Net Debt $ 2,203.0



$ 2,438.0



$ 2,609.9



GREIF, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES GAAP TO NON-GAAP RECONCILIATION LEVERAGE RATIO UNAUDITED

Trailing Twelve Month Credit Agreement EBITDA (in millions) Trailing Twelve Months

Ended 4/30/2021 Trailing Twelve Months

Ended 4/30/2020 Net income $ 257.3

$ 189.2

Plus: Interest expense, net 107.7

126.9

Plus: Debt extinguishment charges 

0.1

Plus: Income tax expense 48.8

77.1

Plus: Depreciation, depletion and amortization expense 238.1

241.8

EBITDA $ 651.9

$ 635.1

Plus: Restructuring charges 46.1

22.6

Plus: Acquisition and integration related costs 10.9

23.2

Plus: Non-cash asset impairment charges 18.6

7.1

Plus: Non-cash pension settlement charges (income) 9.0

(0.1)

Plus: Incremental COVID-19 costs, net 3.5

0.9

Plus: (Gain) loss on disposal of properties, plants, equipment, and businesses, net (15.3)

30.5

Plus: Timberland gains, net (95.7)



Adjusted EBITDA $ 629.0

$ 719.3

Credit Agreement adjustments to EBITDA(14) 34.0

4.4

Credit Agreement EBITDA $ 663.0

$ 723.7







Adjusted Net Debt (in millions) For the Period Ended

4/30/2021 For the Period Ended

4/30/2020 Total debt $ 2,313.4

$ 2,682.3

Cash and cash equivalents (110.4)

(72.4)

Net debt $ 2,203.0

$ 2,609.9

Credit Agreement adjustments to debt(15) (90.9)

2.3

Adjusted net debt $ 2,112.1

$ 2,612.2







Leverage Ratio 3.2x

3.6x





(14)Adjustments to EBITDA are specified by the 2019 Credit Agreement and include certain timberland gains, equity earnings of unconsolidated affiliates, net of tax, certain acquisition savings, deferred financing costs, capitalized interest, and other items. (15)Adjustments to net debt are specified by the 2019 Credit Agreement and include the European accounts receivable program, letters of credit, deferred financing costs, and derivative balances.

GREIF, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES PROJECTED 2021 GUIDANCE RECONCILIATION ADJUSTED FREE CASH FLOW UNAUDITED



Fiscal 2021 Guidance Range (in millions) Scenario 1

Scenario 2 Net cash provided by operating activities $ 405.0



$ 462.0

Cash paid for purchases of properties, plants and equipment (137.0)



(158.0)

Free cash flow $ 268.0



$ 304.0

Cash paid for acquisition and integration related costs 7.0



9.0

Cash paid for incremental COVID-19 costs, net 3.0



4.0

Cash paid for acquisition and integration related ERP systems 7.0



8.0

Adjusted free cash flow $ 285.0



$ 325.0



GREIF, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES PROJECTED 2021 MODELING ASSUMPTIONS UNAUDITED

(in millions) Fiscal 2021 Modeling Assumptions

Reported at Q2 Depreciation and amortization expense $237 - $242 Interest expense, net $97 - $101 Tax rate excluding the impact of special items 22% - 26% Adjusted capital expenditures $130 - $150

SOURCE Greif, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.greif.com


GURUGRAM, India, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --

Demand for health tech is expected to increase as the population of Indonesia gets more tech savvy and shifts from traditional methods to modern health tech services.

gets more tech savvy and shifts from traditional methods to modern health tech services. Entry of international health tech players into the Indonesian market is expected to drive the demand further, as the government begins to promote health tech services and thus, the market becomes more organized.

Increasing Demand for Doctors: The demand for General Practitioners, Specialized Doctors and other healthcare practitioners has increased over the years on these platforms. Supporting this trend, domestic platforms are partnering with more no. of doctors to provide availability of doctors across their platforms for the end users. As the spending budget of hospitals and clinics increases, it is expected that more healthcare IT solutions providers will enter the market, driving the demand. This will also ensure high increase in revenues in the industry.

Increased focus on Innovation: As market awareness increases, the health tech service providers are focusing more on product innovation. Digital health is helping address challenges in Indonesia's healthcare system. Digital health solutions, such as e-pharmacies and online consultations increase access to quality health services in rural and remote areas of Indonesia. Tele-CTG is a new and upcoming service that would be provided by major health tech platforms in Indonesia over coming years.

Continuous Growing Demand of Digital Solutions: Increased urbanization & standard of living there has been a shift in consumer preferences with a rising need for digital services across various sectors. Digital health is growing quickly in Indonesia, as it is globally. In the last 4-5 years, a range of digital health companies and digital health solutions have emerged in Indonesia. Indonesia's large and geographically dispersed population provides a strong user base for Indonesia's emerging digital health applications. Indonesia's technologically engaged youth population provides a large customer base for digital businesses.

The report titled "Indonesia Health Tech Market Outlook to 2025-Lack of Medical Staff and Protective Gear to Lean on Healthcare Startups in Indonesia" by Ken Research suggested that the health tech market is expected to grow at a double digit positive CAGR. Technological advancements and availability of various services on these platforms is driving the health tech market in Indonesia. The health tech sales revenue in Indonesia is expected to grow over the next few years owing to introduction of new international players in the country and increase in product awareness amongst the rising population.

Key Segments Covered:-

By Product

E-Pharmacy Market

Online Consultation Market

Healthcare IT Solutions Market

Appointment Booking Market

Product Type

E-Pharmacy Market

Order Split (Prescribed, OTC and Others)



Order Platform (Mobile and Web)



Cities ( Jakarta , Bandung, Surabaya and others)

, Bandung, and others) Online Consultation Market

Mode of Consultation (Chat, Audio, Video)



Type of Doctor (General and Specialized)



Cities ( Jakarta , Bandung, Surabaya and Others)

, Bandung, and Others) Healthcare IT Solutions Market

End Users (Hospitals, Clinics and Pharmacies)



Products (HMS, CMS, PMS, EMR)



Type of Payment (Subscription, per-invoice)



Cities ( Jakarta , Surabaya , Medan , others)

, , , others) Appointment Booking Market

Destination (Hospitals, Clinics)



Type of Doctor (General, specialized, dentist)



Cities ( Jakarta , Tangerang , Surabaya and others)

, , and others)

Booking Platform (Mobile, web)

Key Target Audience:-

Healthcare Professionals

Hospitals

Clinics

Health Tech Industry

Investors

Venture Capitalists

Doctors

Online Consultation Startups

E-Health Platforms

Appointment Booking Platforms

Healthcare startups

Time Period Captured in the Report:

Historical Period: 2017-2020P

2017-2020P Forecast Period: 2020P2025F

Companies Covered:-

1. Online Consultation

Halodoc

Alodokter

TanyaDok (Atoma Medical)

GrabHealth(Good Doctor Technology)

Konsula

SehatQ

YesDok

2. E-Pharmacy

K24Klik (Apotek K24)

Halodoc

GoApotik (PT GUE)

Prosehat (Atoma Medical)

SehatQ

GrabHealth (Good Doctor Technology)

3. Healthcare IT Solutions

Medico

Medigo

Konsula

OmniCare

Assit.ID

Periksa.ID

Bridge Tech Solutions

Elitser IT Solutions

4. Appointment Booking

Alodokter

Halodoc

Konsula

BookDoc

OkaDoc

SehatQ

GrabHealth (Good Doctor Technology)

Practor

Key Topics Covered in the Report:-

Indonesia Health Tech Market Introduction

Indonesia Health Teh Market Size, 2017-2020P

Indoneisa Health Tech Market Segmentation, 2017-2020P (GMValue on the basis of type of product  E-Pharmacy, Online Consultation, Healthcare IT Solutions and Appointment booking)

Detailed Analysis on Indonesia E-Pharmacy Market ( BY GMV - By Order Split on the basis of Prescribed drugs, OTC drugs, Medical devices and other products, By city  Jakarta , Bandung, Surabaya and Others, By Order platform  Mobile application and web browser, By No. of Orders - By Order Split on the basis of Prescribed drugs, OTC drugs, Medical devices and other products, By city  Jakarta , Bandung, Surabaya and Others, By Order platform  Mobile application and web browser)

, Bandung, and Others, By Order platform  Mobile application and web browser, By No. of Orders - By Order Split on the basis of Prescribed drugs, OTC drugs, Medical devices and other products, By city  , Bandung, and Others, By Order platform  Mobile application and web browser) Detailed Analysis on Indonesia Online Consultation Market (By No. of Consultations: By Mode of Consultation  Chat, Video and Audio, By Type of Doctor  General practitioner and Specialized Doctor, By City  Jakarta , Bandung, Surabaya and Others, By GMV - By Mode of Consultation  Chat, Video and Audio, By Type of Doctor  General practitioner and Specialized Doctor, By City  Jakarta , Bandung, Surabaya and Others)

, Bandung, and Others, By GMV - By Mode of Consultation  Chat, Video and Audio, By Type of Doctor  General practitioner and Specialized Doctor, By City  , Bandung, and Others) Detailed Analysis on Indonesia Healthcare IT Solutions Market (By GMV  By end users  Hospitals, Clinics and Drug Stores, By Payment Methods  Subscription and Per-Invoice, By Product Type  Software and IT Services)

Detailed Analysis on Indonesia Appointment Booking Market (By GMV  By Destination  Hospitals and clinics, By city  Jakarta , Tangerang , Surabaya and others, by platform  Mobile app and web browser, By type of Doctor  General Practitioner, Dentist and Specialized Doctor, By no. of Appointments -By Destination  Hospitals and clinics, By city  Jakarta , Tangerang , Surabaya and others, by platform  Mobile app and web browser, By type of Doctor  General Practitioner, Dentist and Specialized Doctor)

, , and others, by platform  Mobile app and web browser, By type of Doctor  General Practitioner, Dentist and Specialized Doctor, By no. of Appointments -By Destination  Hospitals and clinics, By city  , , and others, by platform  Mobile app and web browser, By type of Doctor  General Practitioner, Dentist and Specialized Doctor) Trends and Developments in Indonesia Health Tech Market (Future Projections on

Health Tech Market (Future Projections on Regulatory Landscape in Indonesia Health Tech Market

Health Tech Market Target End Users (target End users for the E-Pharmacy segment, online consultation segment, healthcare IT solutions segment and the appointment booking segment)

Comparative Landscape in Indonesia Health Tech Market

Health Tech Market Indonesia Health Tech Market Future Outlook and Projections, 2020P-2025F (GMValue on the basis of type of product  E-Pharmacy, Online Consultation, Healthcare IT Solutions and Appointment booking)

International Success Case Study for Indonesia Health Tech Market

Indonesia Health Tech Market

Health Tech Market

Indonesia Health Tech

Indonesia Digital Health

Indonesia M-Health Market

Indonesia E-Health Market

Indonesia E-Health Market

Indonesia E-Health Industry

Indonesia Digital Health Industry

Indonesia E-Pharmacy Market

Online Pharmacy Market In Indonesia

Indonesia E-Pharmacy Industry

Indonesia Online Pharmacy Market

Indonesia Online Delivery Of Drugs

Indonesia Online Drug Stores

Indonesia Online Consultation Market

Indonesia Online Consultation Industry

Indonesia Telemedicine Market

Telemedicine Market In Indonesia

Online Consultation Market

Indonesia Online Doctor Consultation Market

Indonesia Chat Doctor Market

Indonesia Video Consultation Market

Indonesia Mobile Health Market

Indonesia Mobile Consultation Market

Indonesia Hospital IT Market

Indonesia Clinic IT Market

Indonesia Drug Store IT Market

Indonesia Healthcare IT Industry

Indonesia Doctor Appointment Market

Doctor Appointment Market Indonesia Online Appointment Market

Indonesia Digital Health Market

For More Information on the research report, refer to below link:-

Indonesia Health Tech Market

Related Reports:-

Philippines Health Tech Market Outlook to 2025- By Service Type (E-Pharmacy, Online Consultation and Healthcare IT Solutions) and By Region (Manila, Central Luzon, Mindanao/Davao, and Others

Philippines Health Tech Market had a slow growth initially. The slow growth corresponded to poor internet penetration and lack of technology awareness. Unorganized health tech infrastructure and a less tech-savvy population led to the accumulation of unharmonized healthcare data. The government faced a major difficulty when the healthcare challenges kept on increasing with the growing population. Increasing need and high government interest positively drove the Philippines health tech industry.

France Telemedicine Outlook to 2022- By Services and Technology, By Service Platform (Telehealth & M-Health, Telehospitals & Clinics), By Clinical Applications (Telemonitoring, Teleconsultation, Teleassistance, Teleexpertise and Others)

France telemedicine market can be attributed to be at a mature stage. Domestic and International players in the market have catered to the demand for telemedicine and associated services that have led to an increase in market revenue. Increasing incidence of chronic diseases, rise in cost of healthcare services, growing need for remote patient monitoring services, technological innovation and inadequate number of physicians in rural areas are some of the driving factors supporting the telemedicine market in France. The increase in geriatric population and the grants and funds released by the French government for telemedicine and healthcare services have further supported the growth of the telemedicine market.

UK Telemedicine Market Outlook to 2022 - by Services (Tele Home & M-Health and Tele Hospital), by Technology Platform (Software, Hardware and Telecom), by Clinical Applications (Tele Cancer Services, Tele Radiology, Tele Pathology, Tele Neurology, Tele Psychology and Others)

Telemedicine market in UK is at its growing stage. A number of Telemedicine devices are emerging such as blood pressure monitoring, weight management machines, interactive stethoscope, ENT otoscope and general examination camera. Increasing government funding and grants for telemedicine, consistent need for improved healthcare quality services and increasing number of smart phone users has boosted the telemedicine market. Telemedicine technology has been expanding with integrated home-healthcare connected at telemedicine platforms. In 2017, the UK's NHS launched a new service where patients can speak to a physician through their mobile devices via video call or text. The service called GP At Hand is available countrywide and as is the case with most NHS services, is free at the point of delivery.

Sweden Telemedicine Market Outlook to 2022 - By Technology (Software and Hardware) and By Services (Service Platform-Tele Hospitals & Clinics, Tele Home and M-Health and By Clinical Application -Tele Consultation, Tele Radiology, Tele Assistance, Tele Pathology, Tele Psychology and Others)

In terms of revenue, the Telemedicine market within Sweden has registered a steady growth trajectory witnessing a positive CAGR in last five years (2012-2017). Growth was majorly due to entry of new players, increase in the elderly population and acute shortage of nursing and hospital beds in Swedish hospitals. In terms of value, Sweden Telemedicine market size has increased by more than 80% in terms of revenue from 2012 to 2017. The report is useful for telemedicine service centers, telemedicine hardware manufacturers, telemedicine software developers, hardware distributors, potential entrants and other stakeholders to align their market centric strategies according to ongoing and expected trends in the future.

Contact Us:-

Ken Research

Ankur Gupta, Head Marketing & Communications

[email protected]

+91-9015378249

SOURCE Ken Research
In his former role, Pescatore led compliance for Guardian Life's Individual Markets business where he oversaw adherence to business-critical regulatory requirements. Prior to joining the company, he served as Chief Risk Officer and Head of Supervision for AXA Advisors, with increasing responsibility for risk management and regulatory supervision. He also held several risk management and leadership roles during his 13-year career at Prudential.

"Guardian puts great emphasis on ethics and compliance, and I'm proud to have an opportunity to lead a talented organization," said Pescatore. "Our regulatory environment is complex and ever-changing, and we're committed to bringing contemporary and insightful counsel to our partners."

Pescatore holds a Master of Business Administration degree from Fordham University, a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Economics from Providence College, and FINRA series 6, 26, 7, 24, and 99 registrations.

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GUARDIAN and the Guardian Logo are registered trademarks of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America. Copyright 2021 The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, New York, N.Y.

SOURCE Guardian

Related Links

www.guardianlife.com


NEW YORK, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- After a year that pushed healthcare workers and clinicians to the brink, groundbreaking healthwear company, Care+Wear, and venerated luxury fashion designer, Josie Natori, today announce a new partnership to debut medically superior scrubs that support frontline workers. These innovative scrubs were designed with input from nearly 100 clinicians, medical professionals, and commercial launderers to create a premium line of scrubs at an everyday price. Created through the lens of a fashion designer with over 40 years of experience designing ready-to-wear and loungewear, these scrubs are built for comfort and movement and prove that fashion and function can thrive in unison.

The Care+Wear x N Natori collaboration features both a men's and a women's line of scrubs. Both lines include an entry top, a scrubs top or tops, and an under-scrubs top, as well as a tapered pant or jogger pant. Both the men's and women's line range from sizes XS to XXL and come in Navy, Royal, Ceil, Pewter Grey, and Black, depending on the item. The collaboration also entails a women's scrub hat  offered in two floral patterns and two leopard print patterns  and a unisex scrub hat  offered in solid colors and a Black, Ceil, and Teal Brush Stroke Pattern.

Some of the innovative elements that bridge fashion and function in the Care+Wear x N Natori scrubs include:

Plentiful, zippered, and double-layered pockets that accommodate clinical

tablets, like iPads;

Reinforced necklines to prevent the shirt from gaping at the chest;

Badge loops;

Tops designed to be tucked in and stay in place;

Moisture-wicking fabrics.

For photos of the scrubs, please click here .

"Our mission has always been to reimagine how the world looks at and feels about healthcare and to improve the lives of those with chronic or long-term illnesses by creating innovative products allowing individuals to feel less like patients and more like people. Since the introduction of our first product, we have established strong relationships with clinicians, incorporating them into our proprietary design process. In the face of the pandemic, we were honored to strengthen those existing relationships, and step up to provide critical PPE to frontline workers. We are in awe of these nurses and doctors who work around the clock, risking their lives to ensure the health and safety of others, without a second thought for their own comfort," said Chaitenya Razdan, CEO and Founder of Care+Wear. "Now it is time for us to give back to them. Through our incredible partnership with Josie Natori, we are excited to announce the debut of our functional and fashionable scrubs line that will allow those providing care to feel more human, more comfortable, and more themselves. We look forward to supporting them through the launch of this line, as they continue to support us."

"When I saw how the COVID-19 pandemic was taking a disproportionate toll on healthcare workers, many of Filipino descent like myself, I was determined to find a creative way to give back to my community and my culture while creating a project that helped support those who are committed to helping all of us each and every day," said Josie Natori, CEO and Founder of The Natori Company. "I had heard amazing things about Care+Wear and the company's ability to make an impact on the community. That's why I teamed up with Care+Wear to enter the medical apparel space for the very first time, to expand our mission to change how the world looks at and feels about fashion, and to create a product that allows those on the frontlines to both look good and feel good. Scrubs is the latest addition to The Natori Company's portfolio to highlight the harmony between fashion and function. It is our way to say thank you to the frontline healthcare heroes working around the clock for the health of our communities."

In the U.S. alone, medical scrubs are currently a $10 billion market, and by 2028, the global market is set to surpass $140 billion. Nonetheless, for the nation's largest employment sector, little has been done to innovate the typically uncomfortable and impractical uniforms  scrubs  healthcare workers spend every day wearing.

About Care+Wear

Care+Wear is a healthwear company that is reimagining how the world looks at and feels about healthcare. By bridging fashion and function, Care+Wear is creating a more human healthcare experience for both patients and clinicians. Founded in 2014, Care+Wear works to promote dignity, style, and comfort through the creation of thoughtful products, designed in collaboration with clinicians, patients, designers, and manufacturers. Their suite of products includes post-surgical recovery bras, PICC line covers for chronic care patients, Oscar de la Renta port-access hoodies, patient gowns, PPE, a clinical line, and more. Care+Wear products are used in more than 80 hospital systems and governments globally, including the Mayo Clinic, Department of Veterans Affairs, University of Virginia Health, Massachusetts General Brigham's, Kaiser Permanente, and more. For more information, visit www.careandwear.com .

About The Natori Company

The House of Natori was founded in 1977 and today is one of the fashion industry's most recognizable designer brands. Each of the Natori brand collections  Josie Natori, Natori, N Natori and Josie by Natori  is a reflection of the namesake designer's distinctive East/West aesthetic, with products ranging from loungewear, sleepwear, lingerie, and ready-to-wear, to home textiles, accessories, fine jewelry, legwear, men's loungewear, and shoes. Natori products are available at natori.com, and in the world's leading retailers and specialty stores, including Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom, Bloomingdales, and Dillard's. For more information, visit www.natori.com

SOURCE Care+Wear

Related Links

https://www.careandwear.com


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GENESEE COUNTY, N.Y., June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Hecate Energy today announced that it has filed an application with the New York State Office of Renewable Energy Siting (ORES) to construct a 500-megawatt solar farm in the Western New York towns of Elba and Oakfield, representing the first new application to be submitted under the state's new permitting process for large-scale renewable projects. If approved and constructed, the Cider Solar Farm would be the largest solar project ever built in New York State.

The $500-plus million-dollar private infrastructure investment is expected to create over 500 construction jobs and will be capable of supplying 920,000 megawatts-hours of renewable electricity per year  enough to power over 120,000 average New York households.

"This project provides a concrete example of the scale and speed with which we must move if we are to meet critical renewable energy goals," said Harrison Luna, Hecate project lead. "We are very appreciative of the leadership demonstrated by Elba and Oakfield town governments for this important 'model' project," continued Luna. "Our discussions have helped us understand how to plan the project considering the unique priorities of the communities where we want to become neighbors. Those officials have helped us balance the needs of the communities with the needs of the project."

"Cider Solar will do more than create clean renewable energy to drive the new economy; it will also deliver significant new revenue to the local governments for decades to come and help fund essential services such as the volunteer fire departments, first responders, and Haxton Memorial Library in Oakfield," Luna noted.

Initially, the project sought leases and options for approximately 4,000 acres of land in the towns of Elba and Oakfield in Genesee County. As the understanding of local priorities grew clearer, detailed siting and study efforts allowed Hecate to refine the project's footprint to approximately 2,800 acres of land across the two towns. Energy from the solar project is projected to offset over 420,000 tons of C02 per year, the equivalent of taking over 92,000 average cars off the road annually.

"Hecate Energy has been an excellent partner with our community since day one," said Donna Hynes, Elba Town Supervisor. "They've kept us informed and part of the process every step of the way. This project will bring welcomed jobs and needed revenues to the area for decades to come, while serving as an example for how to make renewable energy development part of a long-range economic plan."

"This project will provide significant green energy into the grid," said Matt Martin, Oakfield Town Supervisor. "The commitments and financial resources Hecate brings to our community are welcomed additions. With the benefits to the town, the school district, and the local landowners involved, we are thrilled to be partnering with a leader in clean energy, and one that has a reputation of following through on its promises. We've been glad to have a cooperative relationship with the project thus far."

New York State's Accelerated Renewable Energy Growth and Community Benefit Act, which includes Section 94-c of the Executive Law, enacted in 2021, created the new ORES and rules for the permitting of large-scale renewable energy projects. It is intended to enhance the siting and construction of projects that are environmentally responsible, cost-effective, and delivered in a timely manner with input from local communities. Hecate's Cider Solar 94-c Application, prepared by Buffalo-based Stantec Consulting Services in coordination with the law firm Foley Hoag LLP, is the first new application submitted to ORES under 94-c regulations, representing an important milestone in the State's project permitting progress.

About Hecate Energy

Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, Hecate Energy is a developer of solar farms, wind farms, 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.

About ORES

The Office of Renewable Energy Siting (ORES or Office) is the first-of-its-kind state agency dedicated solely to environmentally responsible and cost-effective siting of renewable energy facilities and was established by the Accelerated Renewable Energy Growth and Community Benefit Act (the Act) in April 2020. ORES consolidates the environmental review and permitting of major renewable energy facilities to ensure that siting decisions are predictable, responsible, and done in a timely manner with input from local governments and host communities. On March 3, 2021, the Office adopted comprehensive regulations including a set of uniform standards and conditions to implement the Act. The Office is designed to enable New York to obtain 70 percent of the state's electricity from renewable sources by 2030, as required under Governor Andrew Cuomo's nation-leading climate plan, enshrined into law through the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act. For more information on ORES, please visit https://ores.ny.gov/.

Contact: Steven C. Sullivan, 518-441-7272 / [email protected]

SOURCE Hecate Energy
Since its inception, Helios Education Foundation has been focused on creating opportunities for students to succeed in postsecondary education. That mission is rooted in the belief that education changes lives and strengthens communities. Over the past few years, the Foundation's work has reflected an increased focus on issues of equity in education and ensuring that all students  regardless of background or zip code  have access to a high quality education. Throughout Arizona and Florida, the work is focused on closing achievement gaps and increasing postsecondary degree attainment. This will not only increase opportunities for individuals to live a more fulfilling life, but it will also help ensure communities are strong and economically stable.

The Foundation's Board of Directors and Senior Leadership team has recently refined a five-year vision that elevates six critical areas. The focus will be on moving the needle forward in these areas:

Championing postsecondary attainment and eliminating achievement gaps

Championing the support of first-generation, low-income, and underrepresented students and working toward a more equitable education system

Creating innovative education solutions through data-driven decision-making

Convening, collaborating, and partnering together in support of an education system that puts students first

Increasing internal talent and expertise in areas that will help support this work

Remaining flexible in order to be responsive to emerging needs and priorities that may arise.

The promotions of Janice Palmer and Dr. Paul Perrault are critical to the ability for Helios to deliver on this vision. Palmer will lead Helios' policy work in both Arizona and Florida, driving the implementation of a policy agenda that supports the Foundation's fundamental beliefs and its five-year vision. In order to see the kind of systemic change that is necessary to realize a more equitable education system, the Foundation will engage in policy in a more significant and proactive way. Palmer has led the policy work in Arizona for the past five years and she will continue to focus on implementing a policy agenda in Arizona and Florida that is equitable and serves all students.

Perrault will help inform the Foundation's strategy and goals by providing strategic leadership to the Foundation's research and evaluation work and the grants management and administration team. As the Foundation continues to base our decisions in data and research, Perrault's work has become even more critical and is directly informing our organizational strategy.

In addition, the Foundation has elevated Julie Norwood to Vice President, Grants and Project Management. In this role, Norwood will take on increased leadership in providing expertise and support in grants and project management to internal and external partners.

The Foundation's Community Engagement teams will continue to be led by Charles Hokanson in Florida and Vince Yanez in Arizona and their roles have been expanded to include both Community Engagement and Strategic Partnership activities.

These changes represent our increased focus and commitment to being an impactful organization that is dedicated to ensuring all students in Arizona and Florida have the opportunity to achieve a postsecondary degree.

About Helios Education Foundation

Helios Education Foundation invests resources all along the education continuum to ensure more students in Arizona and Florida have the opportunity to complete a postsecondary degree. Committed to the principles of Community, Equity, Investment, and Partnership, Helios improves educational outcomes for first-generation, low-income, and underrepresented students, throughout Arizona, and in Florida's metropolitan regions of Tampa Bay, Central Florida and South Florida. Focused on the opportunities provided by an equitable education system, Helios seeks to change lives and strengthen communities by eliminating achievement gaps and increasing student attainment. Since 2004 Helios has invested more than $260 million in partnerships and initiatives focused on improving education outcomes in the two states we serve. Learn more about Helios Education Foundation at www.helios.org.

CONTACT: Rebecca Lindgren

602.381.2294 | [email protected]

SOURCE Helios Education Foundation
SAN FRANCISCO, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Inkling, a global leader in digital learning solutions, will host a free webinar  CHRISTUS Health Transforms Learning Across its Hospital System  on Tuesday, June 22 at 2 p.m. EDT/11 a.m. PDT. Tobias J. Washington, head of Talent Technologies and Creative Solutions for CHRISTUS Health, will share how the health system that operates 60 hospitals in the Southwestern U.S. and Central America modernized its learning content authoring and digital knowledge management with Inkling.

Moderated by Chris Tratar, Inkling's director of Product Marketing and Strategy, the webinar will cover the following topics:

The learning and knowledge challenges CHRISTUS Health sought to alleviate with Inkling

How Inkling helped CHRISTUS Health implement a modern, decentralized digital learning strategy that enables more than 40 staff and 100 subject matter experts to develop and collaborate on learning content that now includes slideshows, pop-up tips, knowledge checks and timelines.

Integration with EdCast's Learning Experience Platform (LXP) for creating content that can be accessed on any mobile device

Results being achieved by CHRISTUS Health with the new learning strategy

CHRISTUS Health's future roadmap for continuous improvement of their learning and knowledge processes

"The most effective learning comes when content gets into the hands of the right people at the right time," said Tratar. "CHRISTUS Health is a great example of how a digital learning strategy, complemented by the right tools to simplify content creation, distribution and access, will help employees be more productive and effective in performing their jobs."

To attend this webinar, please register here .

About CHRISTUS Health

At CHRISTUS Health, we deliver a complete healing experience that respects the individual. We serve our communities with dignity. And with a good deal of admiration. CHRISTUS Health is a Catholic, not-for-profit system made up of more than 600 centers, including long-term care facilities, community hospitals, walk-in clinics and health ministries. We are a community 45,000 strong, with over 15,000 physicians providing individualized care.

Sponsored by the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word in Houston and San Antonio and the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth, our mission is to extend the healing ministry of Jesus Christ to every individual we serve.

About Inkling

Inkling is a leading, global, modern learning platform designed for today's learners and today's work. The company delivers your most critical knowledge to your people in the flow of work, anytime, anywhere, and on any device. With easy content authoring, simplified learning paths, a modern learning experience, and meaningful insights, Inkling's modern operational learning platform delivers learning flawlessly and with simplicity. Named a Hot Vendor and Leader in Strategy for Learning by Aragon Research and a Training Industry Top 20 Training Delivery Company, Inkling also has earned several Excellence in Technology and Human Capital Management and Innovation awards from Brandon Hall Group. Leading brands trust Inkling to help them efficiently onboard employees, ensure continued performance enablement, and successfully execute corporate initiatives while providing new levels of visibility into critical operating metrics. Founded in 2009, Inkling is based in San Francisco.

For more information about Inkling, visit www.inkling.com .

SOURCE Inkling

Related Links

http://www.inkling.com


The marked increase in investments in Israeli tech companies (most of which originate from foreign investors) is even more pronounced when compared with investment performance worldwide. While Israel recorded an increase of 137% for the first five months of 2021 compared to the first five months of 2020 (according to Start-Up Nation Finder), the increase globally was only 89%. Europe recorded an increase of 123% over the same period, while the US saw an increase of 91% and Asia saw an increase of 69%, according to PitchBook data*.

Uri Gabai, the incoming CEO of Start-Up Nation Central's new Research and Policy Institute commented: "The record funding in 2021 indicates that the growth in 2020 was not a short-term Covid-related boost but reflects top investors' increasing trust in the Israeli innovation ecosystem. The significant increase in median deal size reflects a maturing ecosystem that is able to maintain its competitive edge as a global hub of technological innovation and offering problem-solving solutions. We hope a new budget by the expected incoming government will focus on growth-oriented policies such as enhancing the innovation ecosystem's economic impact and tackling the chronic shortage in tech-oriented human capital."

The median funding round amount more than doubled year-over-year from $6.8 million in 2020 to $14 million by June 8 in 2021. In terms of growth rounds (round B or higher), the median round size rose from $26 million in 2020 to $46 million in 2021. Early-stage companies experienced a similar boost in median funding from $4 million to $8 million.

The significant rise in investments in Israeli high-tech and innovation since the beginning of the year focused on the more advanced stages, with most of the capital (64%) invested in rounds C or later.

2021 has already set a record for the number of mega-rounds (investments of over $100 million) raised, with 30 having been completed so far compared to 21 mega-rounds throughout all of 2020. These rounds represent 53% of all capital raised, and for the first time they account for more than half of the total funds invested.

Bulk of funding goes to Cybersecurity, FinTech, and Enterprise Solutions companies

The top three sectors pulled an accumulated $6.2 billion or 60% of all investments. These sectors are all software, strongly B2B oriented and saw huge increases in demand for their solutions over the last year as work practices changed.

Start-Up Nation Central is the one-stop-gateway to the Israeli innovation ecosystem. Established in 2013, it is a non-profit organization that leverages its knowledge, resources, and network of key industry and government ties to connect innovative Israeli technological solutions with multinational corporations, governments, investors, and NGOs from around the world.

Start-Up Nation Finder is a free online platform for identifying and engaging Israeli tech organizations based on customers' specific interests. This Innovation Business Platform is a comprehensive knowledge hub on Israeli startups, investors, acceleration hubs, multinational corporations, and technology-based innovation associated with academic research. The open-source platform provides up-to-date information and insights on thousands of active Israeli tech companies.

*Start-Up Nation Central query submitted June 8, full access requires subscription.

Infographic - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1529469/SNC_Infographic.jpg

SOURCE Start-Up Nation Central (SNC)
MIAMI, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- AYAM Beautycare , the first company to transform Dead Sea minerals into affordable, high quality beauty products, is excited to announce the launch of three product lines designed to make consumers feel beautiful, nourished, and revitalized -- all at a fraction of the cost normally associated with Dead Sea-sourced beauty care products.

AYAM's new products include Shampoos & Conditioners , Body Lotions and Makeup Remover Wipes . All three product lines, developed by AYAM humanely without any testing on animals, include Dead Sea minerals.

The waters of the Dead Sea contain the highest concentrations of essential minerals on Earth. Of the more than 26 minerals found in its waters, an astounding 12 are not found in any other ocean or sea. AYAM Beautycare has set out to use this natural resource to help all women achieve cleaner, brighter, and healthier skin and hair.

All of AYAM's products, from their shampoos to their cult-favorite makeup remover wipes, were created by combining the Dead Sea mineral base with clinically proven, natural ingredients such as: Argan oil, charcoal, and collagen. This powerful fusion of ingredients elevates the effectiveness of these everyday beauty staples. Women have reported benefits including shinier hair, moisturized skin, and clearer pores.

Co-founder of AYAM Beautycare, Gil Benzaquen, says, "We believe that great, natural skincare should be available and accessible to all - so making a product within reach was a priority for us." He adds, "By continuing to keep that price point accessible, we hope to have the highest impact and reach the greatest amount of people around the world."

The launch is already having an impact. An initial collaboration with BoxyCharm, a beauty box subscription service that surprises consumers each month with the best beauty products from popular & chic brands, resulted in more than 11,500 5-star reviews with commitments by both companies for more collaborations later this year. AYAM products were also recently featured in The Box by Fashionista garnering rave reviews . Unsurprisingly, beauty influencers from around the globe have also taken note.

"I'm Israeli so I love using beauty products developed from the Dead Sea," says Amanda Hirsch, host of the "Not Skinny But Not Fat" podcast. "AYAM is just a really great company with amazing products at affordable prices with ingredients that I love and trust. I love it!"

About AYAM Beautycare

AYAM Beautycare is the first company to transform the Dead Sea Minerals into affordable high quality products that make consumers feel beautiful, nourished and revitalized. AYAM products include Dead Sea minerals and are developed humanely and without any testing on animals. AYAM Beautycare is based in Miami, Florida and manufactured in Israel. You can shop AYAM Beautycare directly from their new online store: www.ayambeautycare.com or where other beauty products are sold. Connect with AYAM Beautycare on Facebook or Instagram: @ayam.beautycare.

Media Contact

Katie Campisano

Kamp Media Relations

[email protected]

1.908.247.8678

SOURCE AYAM Beautycare

Related Links

http://www.ayambeautycare.com


"The Kroger Delivery network combines the efficiency of technology with the experience of our associates to deliver fresh, affordable food, and a consistent and rewarding customer experience," said Gabriel Arreaga, Kroger's chief supply chain officer. "We're proud to launch Kroger Delivery in Florida, a new geography for Kroger and a milestone moment in our history to further build on our success as one of America's leading retailers and e-commerce companies."

"Groveland is excited to welcome Kroger to our family!" said Evelyn Wilson, mayor of Groveland. "The combination of their contributions to the community, coupled with their corporate culture and values, make them an ideal partner with our charming city. I look forward to a long and prosperous relationship."

"Kroger is uniquely positioned to transform grocery e-commerce in Florida because of our differentiated offering that brings high-quality fresh groceries directly to our customers' doorstep. The service features fresh food, adult beverage, and personal care products, affordable prices and promotions, and a best-in-class fuel rewards loyalty program," said Bill Bennett, Kroger's vice president of e-commerce. "This innovative, customer-centric offering is delivered by our professionally trained and friendly Kroger Delivery associates, providing our customers with anything, anytime, anywhere and broadening our reach and products to new geographies."

"We are pleased Kroger selected the Tampa Bay and Hillsborough County regions to expand the company's e-commerce reach in the State of Florida," said Pat Kemp, chair of the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners. "Kroger will be an integral part of our community as they expand and grow here. We look forward to providing them the partnership and supportive environment needed to develop a talented workforce and successful business operations."

"Every citizen in Jacksonville should have access to affordable, healthy, and fresh foods," said Lenny Curry, mayor of Jacksonville. "We welcome Kroger into our community and are very encouraged that this delivery service will fill an important gap for people who don't have easy access to groceries."

Kroger Delivery Customer Experience

After placing an order via Kroger.com or the Kroger app, customers in regions where a CFC is located have groceries delivered by a knowledgeable Kroger Delivery associate in a temperature-controlled van. The associate delivers industry-leading customer service, including ensuring order freshness and satisfaction, managing order changes, and informing customers of loyalty membership benefits like earned fuel points through a partnership with Shell and digital coupon savings.

As part of Kroger's commitment to provide a differentiated and affordable grocery delivery experience for customers, Kroger Delivery will offer variable delivery fees that do not require customers to provide a tip and are influenced by a number of factors like a customer's loyalty, delivery window popularity, route optimization, and order lead time. Variable delivery fees will allow Kroger Delivery to provide additional discounted options where it has the flexibility, creating a personalized offering and delivering value to customers in ways that matter.

Kroger Delivery Operations

In May 2018, Kroger and Ocado formed an exclusive partnership to introduce to the U.S. for the first-time proprietary technology solutions focused on artificial intelligence, advanced robotics and automation, and creative solutions to create efficient fulfillment and delivery capabilities.

The Groveland CFC measures 375,000 square feet, carries thousands of popular grocery products, and represents one of the models engineered for the flexible Kroger Delivery network, which will also include smaller automated facilities and spoke locations. The CFC can fulfill thousands of orders per day. The Groveland CFC and spoke in Tampa are now open, with the Jacksonville spoke scheduled to open this month. The Groveland CFC joins the Monroe, OH CFC which opened earlier this spring.

Kroger Delivery is a vertically integrated network, enabling coverage of up to 90 miles from the hub location in Groveland and significantly more territory when spoke locations, such as Tampa and Jacksonville, are integrated. In these highly automated Customer Fulfillment Centers, more than 1,000 bots whizz around giant 3D grids, orchestrated by proprietary air-traffic control systems in the unlicensed spectrum. The grid, known as The Hive, contains totes with products and ready-to-deliver customer orders.

As customers' orders near their delivery times, the bots retrieve products from The Hive which are presented at stations for items to be sorted for delivery, a process governed by algorithms that ensures items are intelligently sorted. For example, fragile items are placed on top, bags are evenly weighted, and each order is optimized to fit into the fewest number of bags, reducing plastic use.

Once completed, orders are loaded into a temperature-controlled Kroger Delivery van, which can store up to 20 orders. Powerful machine learning algorithms dynamically optimize delivery routes, considering factors like road conditions and optimal fuel efficiency.

"We're proud to help bring Kroger to Florida with Ocado's state-of-the-art technology," said Luke Jensen, CEO of Ocado Solutions. "Kroger and Ocado's unique partnership is opening up new possibilities online for U.S. grocery customers and we can't wait for households across Florida to experience amazing levels of service and freshness online with Kroger Delivery."

"We are excited to bring Kroger's exclusive brands, including Simple Truth, the country's largest natural and organic private label, and Private Selection to Florida," said Brandon McBurney, Kroger's general manager of the Groveland Customer Fulfillment Center. "Kroger Delivery provides reliably fresh food in a convenient, innovative way. Kroger Delivery will introduce Kroger to new audiences, accelerate our e-commerce capabilities, focus on outstanding customer experiences, and create hundreds of new career opportunities."

Kroger Delivery Associate Experience

Talent on Kroger's supply chain, technology and digital, data and analytics, human resources, operations, and merchandising teams are partnering to design the Kroger Delivery network. At every CFC, on-site associates support delivery operations and help process, package, and load orders. The Groveland CFC employs nearly 400 associates, with roles focusing on customer service and engagement, engineering, operations, inventory and quality management, and transportation. The spoke locations will each employ nearly 180 associates. Earlier this week, The Kroger Family of Companies announced it is hiring for 10,000 open roles. To view available careers, visit Jobs.Kroger.com.

Media Assets

To download Kroger Delivery video and photography, please visit here.

About Kroger

At The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), we are dedicated to our Purpose: to Feed the Human Spirit. We are, across our family of companies, nearly half a million associates who serve over nine million customers daily through a seamless digital shopping experience and 2,800 retail food stores under a variety of banner names, serving America through food inspiration and uplift, and creating #ZeroHungerZeroWaste communities by 2025. To learn more about us, visit our newsroom and investor relations site.

About Ocado Group

Ocado Group is a UK based technology company admitted to trading on the London Stock Exchange (Ticker OCDO). It provides end-to-end online grocery fulfillment solutions to some of the world's largest grocery retailers and holds a 50% share of Ocado Retail Ltd in the UK in a Joint Venture with Marks & Spencer. Ocado has spent two decades innovating for grocery online, investing in a wide technology estate that includes robotics, AI & machine learning, simulation, forecasting, and edge intelligence.

Safe Harbor Language

This press release contains certain statements that constitute "forward-looking statements" about the company's operations. These statements are based on management's assumptions and beliefs in light of the information currently available to it. Such statements are indicated by words or phrases such as "achieve," "believe," "contemplates," "continue," "deliver," "expect," "future," "guidance," "strategy," "target," "trends," and "will." Various uncertainties and other factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. These include the specific risk factors identified in "Risk Factors" in our annual report on Form 10-K for our last fiscal year and any subsequent filings, as well as our performance, including our ability to successfully execute our e-commerce strategy. Kroger assumes no obligation to update the information contained herein. Please refer to Kroger's reports and filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission for a further discussion of these risks and uncertainties.

SOURCE The Kroger Co.

Related Links

http://www.kroger.com


SACRAMENTO, Calif., June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- A lawsuit was filed by Garner & Associates LLP today in the Sacramento County Superior Court on behalf of cannabis related businesses to challenge the City of Sacramento's Neighborhood Responsibility Plan. The plaintiff, who is representative of an array of cannabis related businesses across Sacramento, has alleged the City exceeded its regulatory authority by imposing an illegal fee equal to 1% of Gross Revenue fee on cannabis businesses and masqueraded this fee as a Neighborhood Responsibility Plan purportedly needed to mitigate alleged negative impacts from "novel business activities." Plaintiff alleges the fee has little or no relationship to "neighborhood responsibility," and no relationship to environmental, public health or land use goals.

Plaintiff, through its representatives, alleges cannabis businesses already pay a Business Operations Tax equal to 4% of gross receipts with no cap. This tax generates millions of dollars a year in annual revenue for the City of Sacramento. The Cannabis Business Operations Tax is 100 times higher than that of every other business in the City. Non-cannabis businesses are taxed at .0004% and have taxes capped at $5,000. Plaintiff and the cannabis industry across Sacramento have demonstrated they contribute positively the community by creating jobs, tax revenue and increasing public safety through their robust security efforts. The City of Sacramento's own study failed to identify a single negative impact from cannabis businesses operating in the City.

Cannabis retailers, cultivators, distributors and manufacturers in Sacramento are required to obtain a Conditional Use Permit ("CUP") or modify an existing CUP. The Neighborhood Responsibility Plan is a requirement of cannabis businesses but lacks the legally required relationship and/or nexus with the actual impact of the project and, therefore, oversteps the City's authority to regulate and extract fees under the Mitigation Fee Act.

The plaintiff in this matter is represented by Garner & Associates LLP, a business and litigation firm in Sacramento, CA.

Cannabis businesses interested in a refund or seeking relief from the 1% Neighborhood Responsibility Fee should contact Garner & Associates LLP by email at [email protected] and [email protected] or by phone at 916-573-3926.

SOURCE Garner & Associates LLP

Related Links

https://www.garnerlegal.com/


WASECA, Minn., June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Lead for Minnesota, a nonprofit that supports young people in reinvesting in hometown communities across the state, is currently recruiting for its next class of leaders. These young professionals commit to a two-year paid fellowship as AmeriCorps members, serving closely with local government leaders and nonprofits to bring added capacity, as well as their skills and diverse perspectives back to their small towns. Applications for Fall 2021 fellowships are being accepted now through June 15, 2021, at www.leadforminnesota.org.

The following Minnesota towns/locations are looking to host Fellows this fall, in the corresponding project scopes:

Appleton : Housing, Broadband & Community Development

: Housing, Broadband & Community Development Duluth /East Iron Range: Digital Inclusion & Welcoming Communities

/East Iron Range: Digital Inclusion & Welcoming Communities Fergus Falls /West Central Region: Broadband Development

/West Central Region: Broadband Development Le Sueur County : Digital Inclusion

: Digital Inclusion Little Earth: Environmental Education

Mankato /Region 9 Development Commission: Climate & Sustainable Development

/Region 9 Development Commission: Climate & Sustainable Development New York Mills : Main Street Redevelopment

: Main Street Redevelopment Otter Tail County : Digital Workforce Development

: Digital Workforce Development Park Rapids : Arts-Based Economic Development

: Arts-Based Economic Development Red Lake : Solar Energy

: Solar Energy Redwood County : Broadband Development

: Broadband Development Stephen: Childcare

Wadena : Arts-Based Economic Development

: Arts-Based Economic Development Warren: Childcare

Warroad : Broadband Development

: Broadband Development Worthington : Immigration

Fellows are trained by national experts in their field upon entering the program and throughout their two years, so they are ready to hit the ground running and channel a national network of expertise to their small towns. To date, there have been 20 Fellows placed in towns and regions across Minnesota, including Red Wing, Winona, the Iron Range, White Earth Nation, Little Falls, Owatonna and more.

Funding partners of Lead for Minnesota include ServeMN, Minnesota's AmeriCorps state service commission, the Bush Foundation, the McKnight Foundation and the Initiative Foundations. Supporting our Fellows focused on broadband development and digital inclusion include Land O'Lakes, Mayo Clinic, and the 18 other partners in the national American Connection Corps initiative.

For more information visit www.leadforminnesota.org.

CONTACT: Megan Anderson

Bellmont Partners Public Relations

(612) 423-0335, [email protected]

SOURCE Lead for Minnesota

Related Links

https://www.leadforminnesota.org


FISHKILL, N.Y., June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- When the COVID-19 pandemic was at its height, public transit never stopped. While services in some cities may have been curtailed to reflect a nation in lockdown, public transit and, notably, the people who make it run, kept going. Across the country, public transit shuttled medical and essential workers where they were most needed, and people commuting to the grocery store, medical appointments, or to take care of family members and friends, relying on public transit.

"A lot of people focus on public transportation coming back; well, actually, we never left," points out Jack Gonzalez, Senior Director of Marketing and Sales at APTA, the American Public Transportation Association.

As APTA continued to champion the needs of its public sector employees during this challenging time, it struggled to find new ways to connect and educate its members when live events were no longer possible. Like many associations, APTA's live events had provided a way for members to network, learn, and connect with vendors.

To solve this problem, APTA turned to Lead Marvels, who built a Knowledge Hub for the association. APTA's Knowledge Hub is a content syndication and lead generation platform. Business members and vendors can use the platform to promote insight-driven thought leadership content to APTA's members.

The platform functions in a capacity similar to a trade show exhibit hall, except that, unlike an event that lasts only a few days, the Knowledge Hub is always live and always available to members.

The Knowledge Hub platform provides a way for associations to enable meaningful connections among their members while earning incremental non-dues revenue in the process.

"We've optimized our platform specifically to accommodate the needs of our association partners," explains Jeff Schottland, CEO of Lead Marvels. "We understand the challenges they're facing. We know they need new and innovative ways to serve their members and retain their stature as leaders in the industries they serve. And we've built solutions to help them do that - now and well into the future."

While many businesses have already recovered from the economic crisis engendered by the pandemic, it's important to note that trade associations are still reeling from the estimated 10-billion-dollar decline in tradeshow revenue over the past year. And many are still endeavoring to rebuild their membership rolls.

"The unfortunate fact of the matter is that our partners have fewer resources available to rebuild their organizations," states Michael Palacios, President of Lead Marvels. "That's why one of the main benefits of our platform is that it's totally turnkey and fully managed by Lead Marvels. It requires very little time or resource investment on the part of our association partners."

About Lead Marvels: Lead Marvels is a lead generation and content syndication company serving associations, publishers, and B2B marketers. Offering customized, scalable solutions for our customers to help them build a pipeline of new, qualified leads to increase their customer base and grow revenue.

We partner with associations and publishers to provide incremental, non-dues revenue streams. And, for B2B marketers, our solutions amplify their voices among targeted audiences by syndicating thought leadership content to generate and nurture high-quality, intent-based leads.

For more information or to request a free demo, visit www.LeadMarvels.com and follow #LeadGenMadeEasy .

Media Contact:

Michael Palacios

President, Lead Marvels

(845) 445-7210

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Lead Marvels, Inc.
CHESHAM, England and CAMBRIDGE, Mass., June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Lightpoint Medical, a medical device company developing cancer detection tools for minimally-invasive and robot-assisted surgery, announced today that it has expanded its executive leadership team as part of its ambitious growth plans.

Lightpoint has appointed Graeme Smith to the position of CEO to focus on the commercialization of the company's recently approved miniaturized surgical probe, SENSEI.

As Executive Chair, Dr. David Tuch, CEO since founding the company, will work closely with Graeme through the transition and have a renewed focus on scientific and technical leadership; corporate partnerships; and future growth opportunities.

Graeme is a seasoned medtech industry executive with nearly three decades of experience successfully driving profitable business growth at global medical device companies. He has an exceptional track record in medical device sales and marketing; distributor management; and corporate financing.

Most recently Graeme successfully led OstomyCure, an innovative medical device company developing technology to treat inflammatory bowel diseases. He will continue to serve OstomyCure as non-executive Chair.

Lightpoint's executive leadership team includes Claire Woodthorpe, who remains as Chief Operations Officer, and new hires including Heads of Commercial Operations, Clinical, and Manufacturing.

Dr. David Tuch, Executive Chair of Lightpoint Medical commented, "The expansion of the executive leadership team at Lightpoint is central to our growth plans. As CEO, Graeme brings the ideal skills and experience needed to take our company forward as we begin to commercialize our first approved surgical probe, SENSEI.

Graeme's appointment will enable me to focus on future growth opportunities for Lightpoint. The field of nuclear medicine is at an extremely exciting stage of evolution with the emergence of highly specific cancer-targeted radiopharmaceuticals. I want to ensure that Lightpoint's technologies are at the forefront of this revolution. I am extremely excited about our potential to transform surgical outcomes for patients across a range of major cancer types."

Graeme Smith, CEO of Lightpoint Medical said, "I am delighted join Lightpoint as CEO and look forward to working closely with David and the entire team. The company's new miniaturized probe, SENSEI, is an incredibly exciting technology, promising accurate real-time cancer detection for minimally invasive and robot-assisted cancer surgery. I will focus initially on early commercialization of SENSEI in the fields of prostate and gynaecological cancers with an outlook to expand across a range of major cancer indications. We are aiming through our clinical program to demonstrate a significant increase in the efficacy of cancer surgery using SENSEI in combination with truly ground-breaking new cancer-targeted radiopharmaceuticals."

About Lightpoint Medical

Lightpoint Medical is developing miniaturized imaging and sensing tools for intra-operative cancer detection. The company is addressing the urgent medical challenge that despite technological advances in robotic platforms, surgeons lack the tools to accurately detect cancer intra-operatively. As a result, cancer is often left behind or more healthy tissue than needed is removed, increasing the need for adjuvant therapies, causing post-surgical complications, and escalating healthcare costs.

By exploiting advances in miniaturized sensor technologies and the development of cancer-targeted radiopharmaceuticals, such as 99mTc-PSMA (Prostate Specific Membrane Antigen) for prostate cancer, Lightpoint is developing miniature tools appropriate in scale for minimally invasive and robot-assisted surgery to accurately detect cancer in real-time intra-operatively. The aims of the tools are to aid surgical decision making, improve patient outcomes, and decrease costs for healthcare systems.

Lightpoint has a pipeline of miniaturized surgical tools in development with the first, SENSEI, recently approved for sale by regulators in the US, UK, EU, and Australia. The first commercial focus is prostate and gynaecological cancer surgery with a planned expansion into other solid tumor types.

For more information about the company visit: www.lightpointmedical.com; www.senseisurgical.com and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Media Contacts:

Jo O'Shea

Lightpoint Medical

[email protected]

Helen Shik

Shik Communications LLC

[email protected]

SOURCE Lightpoint Medical
PHILADELPHIA, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Livent Corporation (NYSE: LTHM) ("Livent" or the "Company"), today announced that it has commenced an underwritten public offering of 12,500,000 shares of its common stock, $0.001 par value ("Common Stock"). In addition, Livent expects to grant the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 1,875,000 shares of Common Stock.

Livent intends to use the net proceeds from the offering, including any net proceeds from the underwriters' exercise of their option to purchase additional shares of Common Stock, primarily for growth capital expenditures, including lithium capacity expansion, and for general corporate purposes and to repay amounts outstanding under its revolving credit facility.

Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC will act as joint book-running managers and representatives of the underwriters in connection with the offering. The shares of Common Stock are being offered and sold pursuant to an effective shelf registration statement on Form S-3 previously filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). The offering will be made only by means of a preliminary prospectus supplement and the accompanying base prospectus, which may be obtained free of charge on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov or by sending a request to Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, Prospectus Department, 200 West Street, New York, NY 10282, telephone: 1-866-471-2526, facsimile: 212-902-9316 or by emailing [email protected]; or J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, c/o Broadridge Financial Solutions, 1155 Long Island Avenue, Edgewood, New York 11717, telephone: 1-866-803-9204, or by emailing [email protected]. Affiliates of Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC are joint book-running managers and lenders under the Company's revolving credit facility and therefore will receive a portion of the net proceeds of the offering.

This press release does not constitute an offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to buy, any shares of Common Stock or any other security and shall not constitute any offer, solicitation or sale in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation, purchase or sale is unlawful.

About Livent

For nearly eight decades, Livent has partnered with its customers to safely and sustainably use lithium to power the world. Livent is one of only a small number of companies with the capability, reputation, and know-how to produce high-quality finished lithium compounds that are helping meet the growing demand for lithium. The Company has one of the broadest product portfolios in the industry, powering demand for green energy, modern mobility, the mobile economy, and specialized innovations, including light alloys and lubricants. Livent employs more than 900 people throughout the world and operates manufacturing sites in the United States, England, India, China and Argentina.

Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995

Certain statements in this news release are forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify these statements by forward-looking words such as "may," "might," "will," "will continue to," "will likely result," "should," "expect," "expects," "intends," "plans," "anticipates," "believe," "believes," "estimates," "predicts," "potential," "continue," "could," "forecast," "future," "is confident that," "plans," or "projects," the negative of these terms and other comparable terminology. These forward-looking statements, which are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions about Livent, may include projections of Livent's future financial performance, Livent's anticipated growth strategies and anticipated trends in Livent's business, including without limitation, our capital expansion plans and development of the Nemaska project and statements about whether Livent will be able to consummate the offering, the terms of the offering and the satisfaction of customary closing conditions with respect to the offering. These statements are only predictions based on Livent's current expectations and projections about future events. There are important factors that could cause Livent's actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to differ materially from the results, level of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Currently, one of the most significant factors is the adverse effect of the current coronavirus ("COVID-19") pandemic on our business. The ultimate extent to which COVID-19 impacts us will depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted with confidence, including the scope, severity and duration of the pandemic, the actions taken to contain the pandemic or mitigate its impact, and the direct and indirect economic effects of the pandemic and containment measures, among others. Additional factors that could cause Livent's actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to differ materially from the results, level of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements include a decline in the growth in demand for electric vehicles; volatility in the price for performance lithium compounds; adverse global economic conditions; competition; quarterly and annual fluctuations of our operating results; risks relating to Livent's planned production expansion and related capital expenditures, including any further suspension of our expansion efforts; the potential development and adoption of battery technologies that do not rely on performance lithium compounds as an input; liquidity and access to credit; reduced customer demand, or delays in growth of customer demand, for higher performance lithium compounds; the success of Livent's research and development efforts; risks inherent in international operations and sales, including political, financial and operational risks specific to Argentina, China and other countries where Livent has active operations; customer concentration and the delay or loss of, or significant reduction in orders from, large customers; failure to satisfy customer quality standards; fluctuations in the price of energy and certain raw materials; employee attraction and retention; union relations; cybersecurity breaches; our ability to protect our intellectual property rights; the lack of proven reserves; legal and regulatory proceedings; including any shareholder lawsuits; compliance with environmental, health and safety laws; changes in tax laws; risks related to our separation from FMC Corporation; risks related to ownership of our common stock, including price fluctuations and lack of dividends; events outside our control that could prevent us from achieving our sustainability goals; as well as the other factors described under the caption entitled "Risk Factors" in Livent's 2020 Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 26, 2021 and our subsequent Forms 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Although Livent believes the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, Livent cannot guarantee future results, level of activity, performance or achievements. Moreover, neither Livent nor any other person assumes responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of any of these forward-looking statements. Livent is under no duty to update any of these forward-looking statements after the date of this news release to conform its prior statements to actual results or revised expectations.

Media Contact: Juan Carlos Cruz +1.215.299.6170

[email protected]

Investor Contact: Daniel Rosen +1.215.299.6208

[email protected]

SOURCE Livent Corporation

Related Links

https://livent.com/


GREENBRAE, Calif., June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Marin Fertility Center announced today the official launch of DuoIVF, the boutique center's latest offering of highly advanced reproductive services. DuoIVF leverages INVOcell, an innovative, patented Intravaginal Culture (IVC) System (the only available IVC system cleared by the Food and Drug Administration).

Marin Fertility's Innovative Reciprocal IVF Method Allows Lesbian Couples To Experience Shared Motherhood

"For over a decade, one of MFC's key missions has been the early adoption of new technology to better personalize the fertility journey," says Peter Uzelac, MD, HCLD, founder and medical director of Marin Fertility Center. "We match the treatment with the patient, not the other way around. DuoIVF builds upon this mission by offering lesbian couples a unique, augmented experience as they truly share in the treatment process. For the first time ever, two women can concomitantly participate in the earliest stages of gestation."

Reciprocal IVF Treatment Allows Two Lesbian Mothers To Carry The Same Pregnancy And Experience Shared Motherhood

In addition to DuoIVF representing a breakthrough in fertility treatment for lesbian couples, it also provides several social, emotional and psychological benefits to both partners. It allows both women to experience motherhood, and allows both women to feel 'equally related' and build a bond with the child, something that, while a common experience of heterosexual couples, hasn't previously been possible for lesbian couples.

"We are extremely appreciative of the entire MFC team for the experience we had throughout our path to motherhood!" offered Emily and Mackenzie Brady, MFC reciprocal IVF patients, in a recent joint-testimonial. "Dr. Uzelac's comprehensive knowledge enabled a flexible treatment plan curated towards our evolving needs up to the day of transfer. As members of the LGBTQ+ community, we are grateful for the unique opportunity that allowed us both to actively participate in starting our family."

Understanding How Partner Assisted Reproduction Works For Same Sex Female Couples

The DuoIVF process involves one female partner going through the IVF process to produce eggs, which are then fertilized with a donor's sperm, before the embryo is implanted into the womb of the other female partner who carries the child. Once the baby is born, one woman becomes the biological parent of the child while the other is the gestational parent. Both proud parents can be officially recognized as the mother on the child's birth certificate.

We're All In This Together

MFC is guided by the belief that every woman who wants to conceive, should have the opportunity. A member of SF Pride, MFC is committed to raising awareness within the Bay Area LGBTQ+ community (and beyond) about these leading edge fertility treatments specifically designed to improve all pathways to family building.

About Marin Fertility Center

Marin Fertility Center is Northern California's premiere fertility program, offering personalized care using a number of novel treatment approaches, including DuoIVF. Marin Fertility Center uses new technology to reimagine the patient experience, reducing the amount of medication and office visits required and resulting in less prohibitive costs. The clinic is led by Dr. Peter Uzelac, a Board-Certified expert in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility.

For more information about the treatment of DuoIVF visit: www.marinfertility.com/duo-ivf or phone/text 415-925-9404, [email protected]

Press Contact:

Greg Pedersen: [email protected]

Instagram: @marinfertilitycenter

Twitter: @marin_fertility

Facebook: Marin Fertility Center (@DrPeterUzelac)

About INVOCELL

INVOCELL Intravaginal Culture System contains the INVOCELL Culture Device and INVOCELL Retention Device. The Culture Device is indicated for use in preparing, holding, and transferring human gametes or embryos during In Vitro Fertilization/Intravaginal Culture (IVF/IVC) and Intra-cytoplasmic Sperm Injection Fertilization/Intravaginal Culture (ICSI/IVC). The Retention Device is used during the incubation period to aid in holding the Culture Device in the vagina. The Culture and Retention Devices are not indicated for periods of use exceeding 72 hours.

www.INVOCELL.com

Important Safety Information:

Do not use the Culture or Retention devices if you are unable to tolerate having a device placed within your vagina.

Do not use the Culture Device if you are sensitive to medical grade silicone or polystyrene or if you have a severe case of vaginitis or a history of toxic shock syndrome. Tell your doctor if you have had any recent pelvic surgery.

Avoid any activity such as sexual intercourse, strenuous physical activity, swimming, bathing in a tub (a shower is permissible), use of a douche, sauna, or any other activity that may alter the temperature of the vaginal cavity and avoid handling or removing the Culture and Retention Devices while in place.

Your doctor should explain to you what to do if the Culture and Retention Device should shift in the vagina or fall out. Call your doctor right away should this occur.

Your doctor will determine if this product is right for you and will provide you with more detailed information about the risks and benefits associated with using this device. Always follow your doctor's instructions. Contact your doctor immediately if you have any questions or concerns before, during, or after treatment.

Please see the INVOCELL Patient Information and Instructions for Use at www.INVOCELL.com.

References:

Instructions for Use: The INVOCELL Intravaginal Culture System Fertility Dynamics, an independent data analytics, research and strategic advisory firm based in Washington, DC

INVO/634/2019/US

INVOCELL is a registered trademark of INVO Bioscience.

SOURCE Marin Fertility Center

Related Links

http://www.marinfertility.com


The HISD Foundation is invested in every child's success and demonstrates this dedication by advocating for and funding critical initiatives in public education. The main priorities for the Foundation include ensuring the health and safety of the whole child so that they can be engaged and successful learners; supporting college and career readiness for these students; creating a passion for innovation to encourage students to come up with new ideas and turn them into reality; and ensuring that all of our students have access to the information, programs and resources necessary for lifelong success.

"We are thrilled to have Matthew as our Chairman. He has been an integral part of the HISD Foundation's board of directors for two years and we look forward to his leadership and support in realizing our mission," said Katherine W. Smith, HISD Foundation Executive Director. "His work professionally  and personally - to support innovation and growth in our communities will continue to create a strong basis for all that we want to accomplish."

Matthew Noll has been with alliantgroup for eight years and is a crucial part of the executive management team. alliantgroup is known for its strong support of the communities it serves, especially through those groups, such as the HISD Foundation, that align with alliantgroup's core values. In addition to supporting the HISD Foundation, alliantgroup also supports HISD through STEM initiatives and scholarships, as well as celebrating its educators through the HISD Elementary Science Teacher of the Year Award.

"Matt continues to drive positive growth for our firm and I know he will do the same as HISD Foundation's Chairman. His devotion to his team, community and clients is unwavering and he inspires those around him to be their best. He will be a great asset to the Foundation in this new role," said Dhaval Jadav, CEO of alliantgroup.

"I am extremely excited and honored to be the next Chairman of the Board for the HISD Foundation. Our team of talented professionals are all dedicated to ensuring that the students of HISD are given every opportunity to achieve success both inside and outside of the classroom. I am looking forward to connecting with the individuals and business leaders in the City of Houston to help provide a best-in-class education that will prepare our students to be the next generation of leaders that our community is counting on."

The Houston Independent School District (HISD) Foundation was founded in 2007 and is dedicated to mobilizing the local community in support of innovative priorities to improve outcomes for all students in the district. HISD is the largest school district in Texas, serving nearly 200,000 students, nearly 80% of whom are considered economically disadvantaged. The Houston ISD Foundation is invested in each child's success and demonstrates this dedication by supporting projects at both the school and system levels in the following priority areas: Innovation, College & Career Readiness, Equity and supporting the Whole Child.

alliantgroup is a management and tax consulting company with a mission to strengthen American businesses through reinvestment in innovation and job growth. We educate businesses, the industry groups that serve them and the accounting firms that advise them on federal and state credits and incentives that are legislated by our government to keep the U.S. competitive in the global landscape. We are proud to have helped over 18,000 businesses claim more than $10 billion in credits and incentives. alliantgroup is headquartered in Houston, Texas with additional offices located in Austin, Boston, Chicago, Indianapolis, New York, Irvine, Sacramento, Washington, D.C.; and Bristol and London in the U.K.

SOURCE alliantgroup

Related Links

http://www.alliantgroup.com


HOUSTON, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- McDermott International, Ltd today announced Samik Mukherjee has been appointed Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. In this position, Mukherjee will continue to advance the company's long-term strategy through solid alignment of its service offerings to meet evolving customer needs. Mukherjee previously led the company's global operations and project delivery functions as Group Senior Vice President, Projects.

"Samik has repeatedly delivered some of the world's most challenging infrastructure projects with a relentless focus on quality, safety and efficiency," said Lee McIntire, Interim Chief Executive Officer of McDermott. "Iand the Boardhave the upmost confidence that his leadership and experience will continue to deliver strategic value to our customers."

Mukherjee brings nearly three decades of experience in operations, commercial and strategy across the global upstream and downstream oil and gas industry. Prior to joining McDermott in 2018, he was Executive Vice President of Corporate Development, Strategy, Mergers and Acquisitions, Digital and IT for another engineering, consulting and construction company. His career includes leadership positions in Europe, the Middle East, the Netherlands, Africa, India and France across the energy value chain, both onshore and offshore.

Mukherjee holds a master's degree in business administration from the Rotterdam School of Management at Erasmus University in the Netherlands and a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur and has completed the Harvard Business School Executive Program on Aligning and Executing Strategy.

About McDermott

McDermott is a premier, fully-integrated provider of engineering and construction solutions to the energy industry. Our customers trust our technology-driven approach engineered to responsibly harness and transform global energy resources into the products the world needs. From concept to commissioning, McDermott's innovative expertise and capabilities advance the next generation of global energy infrastructureempowering a brighter, more sustainable future for us all. Operating in over 54 countries, McDermott's locally-focused and globally-integrated resources include more than 30,000 employees, a diversified fleet of specialty marine construction vessels and fabrication facilities around the world. To learn more, visit www.mcdermott.com.

Contacts:

Investor Relations

Kevin Hargrove

Vice President and Treasurer

+1 281 870 5569

[email protected]

Global Media Relations

Reba Reid

Senior Director, Global Communications and Marketing

+1 281 588 5636

[email protected]

SOURCE McDermott International, Ltd

Related Links

www.mcdermott.com


Brian Price, President and Chief Operating Officer of Mesirow Investment Banking, said, "Lance is a highly accomplished investment banker who serves as an important addition to our team. His extensive knowledge of the healthcare market amplifies our sector coverage and reinforces our presence as deeply dedicated middle-market advisors in the industry."

"I look forward to contributing to the growth of Mesirow Investment Banking. The group is known throughout the industry for its commitment to client service, sector expertise and ability to execute deals," said Lance Bell.

Lance earned his Bachelor of Arts in accounting from Transylvania University, his Doctor of Jurisprudence from Vanderbilt University Law School and his Master of Business Administration with concentrations in finance, entrepreneurship and accounting from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. He holds FINRA Series 7, Series 79 and 63 licenses.

About Mesirow Investment Banking

Mesirow Investment Banking focuses exclusively on middle-market transactions and serves both public and private companies in merger & acquisition advisory, debt advisory, restructuring and special situations, fairness and solvency opinions, board of directors advisory and special committee representation. Our practice combines rich industry knowledge and long-standing relationships with an entrepreneurial desire to develop tailored solutions designed to deliver measurable results. For more information, please visit mesirow.com/investmentbanking.

About Mesirow

Mesirow is an independent, employee-owned financial services firm founded in 1937. Headquartered in Chicago with offices around the world, we serve clients through a personal, custom approach to reaching financial goals and acting as a force for social good. With capabilities spanning Global Investment Management, Capital Markets & Investment Banking, and Advisory Services, we invest in what matters: our clients, our communities and our culture. To learn more, visit mesirow.com and follow us on LinkedIn.

Mesirow was recently named one of the Best Places to Work in Chicago by Crain's Chicago Business and one of the Top Workplaces by the Chicago Tribune.

Media

[email protected]

Michael Herley | 203.308.1409

The Mesirow name and logo are registered service marks of Mesirow Financial Holdings, Inc.  2021. All rights reserved. Securities offered through Mesirow Financial, Inc. member FINRA, SIPC.

SOURCE Mesirow
SUNNYVALE, Calif., June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Mike R. Galli is being recognized by Continental Who's Who as a Pinnacle Leader of the Year for his outstanding contributions in the field of Law in acknowledgment of his commitment as Prosecutor, currently working as a Deputy District Attorney with the Office of the Santa Clara County District Attorney in San Jose California.

Mike R. Galli (PRNewsfoto/Continental Who's Who)

Having accrued over 39 years of vast knowledge and professional experience in the field of criminal law, Attorney Galli has garnered a well-deserving reputation for his contributions. He obtained his Doctor of Juris Prudence degree from Santa Clara University. He is devoted to educating attorneys and police officers on the practice of criminal law, especially search and seizure issues.

Since 1984, Mr. Galli has excelled as a deputy district attorney for the Santa Clara County Office of the District Attorney, where he currently reviews police reports from eight police agencies, files felony and misdemeanor criminal charges, reviews non-narcotic misdemeanor citations to determine eligibility for a pre-filing diversion program, and answers legal questions regarding search and seizure issues from police officers, elected district attorneys, and deputy district attorneys throughout the State of California. Since 2017, he has responded to over 500 inquiries from law enforcement professionals related to his area of expertise from outside of Santa Clara County. He has served as an instructor at the Peace Officer's Standards and Training (POST) Robert Presley Institute of Criminal Investigation since 2007, and as a unit member of the Criminal Complaint Unit at the District Attorney's Office.

Mr. Galli has worked within numerous units as a unit member and supervisor; assigned to the misdemeanor DUI unit, juvenile unit, felony narcotics, asset forfeiture, economic crimes, preliminary examinations and motions, writs and appeals units. He was the assistant supervisor of the narcotics unit twice, was the first supervisor of the narcotics asset forfeiture unit, and supervised the welfare fraud and restitution services units.

He is the creator and author of the California District Attorneys Association (CDAA) Search Warrant Law and Practice Manual (5th Edition). He has authored many written works on search and seizure law, including California Electronic Communication Privacy Act, and California Law on Pen Registers, a 2014 book entitled Warrantless Searches, a 2012 article for CDAA'S Firewall (High-Technology Crimes Newsletter) entitled People v. Diaz: Right Result, but Wrong Rationale; Cell Phone Searches for CDAA'S Firewall; Chapter II, Search and Seizure; Tracking Devices and the Fourth Amendment, for CDAA'S Firewall 2008; Search Warrant sections of the Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge's Duty Manual in 1994 and updated in 2007; Chapter IV, Search Warrants, CDAA's Hate Crime Monograph (1999, 2006 editions); and Drafting Narcotics Search Warrants, for CDAA'S 1988 Prosecutor's Brief. He edited the book High-Technology Crime, by Kenneth S. Rosenblatt.

Recognizing his professional excellence, Mr. Galli was presented with a Commendation Letter from the San Jose Police Department (SJPD) Burglary Prevention Unit, a Commendation Letter from the SJPD Narcotics Unit (1989), Santa Clara County Employee of the Month Award (1990), SJPD Excellence Award (1992), CDAA Author of the Year Award (2009), and California Narcotics Officers Association (CNOA) Region One Prosecutor of the Year Award (2016).

Contact: Katherine Green, 516-825-5634, [email protected]

SOURCE Continental Who's Who

Related Links

http://www.continentalwhoswho.com


CAMBRIDGE, Mass., June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The MIT Leaders for Global Operations (LGO) program announced today that NextEra Energy. Inc. (NYSE: NEE) the world's largest electric utility holding company with a more than $100 billion market capitalizationhas become the newest member of its industry partnerships. This addition brings the partner company total to 2319 of which are in the Fortune 500 or Global Fortune 500.

MIT LGO collaborates with the MIT Sloan School of Management and the MIT School of Engineering to deliver an interdisciplinary Engineering-MBA dual degree program. The two-year curriculum features internships at elite partner companies. MIT LGO students develop leadership skills for the pharmaceutical, manufacturing, geosciences, energy, high-tech, and global supply chain industries, among others.

Founded in 1925, NextEra Energy is the world's largest producer of wind and solar power. In 2020, the company invested more than $14 billion in clean energy infrastructure and more than $90 billion over the last decade, making it one of the largest capital investors across any industry in the U.S. over this period. NextEra Energy has two principal businesses: Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) and NextEra Energy Resources, LLC. Headquartered in Juno Beach, Florida, NextEra Energy employs approximately 14,000 people across the United States and Canada.

"I am particularly excited to have NextEra Energy join the LGO partnership because of the huge interest among our students and faculty in sustainability and the energy transition," said Thomas Roemer, executive director of LGO and senior lecturer in Operations Management at MIT Sloan School of Management. "Our relationship with NextEra will allow students to apply the LGO toolkit to the complexity of the climate-energy challenge at scale. I am sure NextEra will attract top LGO talent for internships and full-time hiringand that this is the start of a long, active collaboration."

NextEra Energy will launch its MIT LGO internship program this month with a focus on students researching, evaluating and discovering sustainable solutions in the energy industry. The first NextEra-LGO project will be conducted by Gustavo Castillo (LGO '22), who is pursuing his Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering as well as his MBA. Gustavo will be challenged with analysing and creating models for the complex problem of EV vehicle adoption and infrastructure build out. The goal will be to both support demand and fuel accelerated growth with the potential of creating a virtuous cycle of innovation and adoption.

"NextEra Energy is excited about building a terrific partnership with LGO because the program specifically seeks to train students who consider problems in an interdisciplinary manner and do so with intellectual rigor," said Deb Caplan, executive vice president, human resources and corporate services, NextEra Energy. "NextEra Energy believes, too, that LGO students and faculty offer the opportunity to access thought leadership from one of the world's leading institutions in energy research."

About the MIT Sloan School of Management

The MIT Sloan School of Management is where smart, independent leaders come together to solve problems, create new organizations, and improve the world. Learn more at mitsloan.mit.edu.

Paul Denning or Patricia Favreau

Director of Media Relations Associate Director of Media 617-253-0576 617-253-3492

[email protected] [email protected]

SOURCE MIT Sloan School of Management

Related Links

http://www.mitsloan.mit.edu


HOUSTON, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Mitsubishi Logisnext Americas group, a leading North American provider and manufacturer of material handling and innovative automation and fleet solutions, announced today that it has appointed Equipment Depot as its non-exclusive dealer for the Cat lift trucks, Mitsubishi forklift trucks and Jungheinrich brands across Wisconsin and Northern Michigan, effective July 1, 2021.

Bringing more than 80 years of experience within the material handling industry, Equipment Depot will now represent the Cat lift trucks, Mitsubishi forklift trucks and Jungheinrich brands across 23 states and 50+ locations.

"The appointment of Equipment Depot in Wisconsin and Northern Michigan will further extend Equipment Depot's coverage and strengthen their ability to support customers across the region," said John Sneddon, executive vice president, Sales and Marketing at Mitsubishi Logisnext Americas.

"We're excited to further serve the Wisconsin and Northern Michigan markets," said David Turner, president and CEO of Equipment Depot. "As a long-time provider in the material handling industry, our core focus is to help our customers succeed by offering an unmatched range of services and solutions. We look forward to this next chapter ahead."

Wisconsin Lift Truck Corp. will also continue serving as a dedicated Cat lift trucks, Mitsubishi forklift trucks and Jungheinrich dealer across Wisconsin and Northern Michigan. For more than forty years, Wisconsin Lift Truck has served as a dealer for the Mitsubishi Logisnext Americas group and have consistently been recognized as a top performing "Dealer of Excellence" throughout their history.

"We're proud to continue our existing partnership with the Wisconsin Lift Truck team, who is known for their dedication to providing first-class customer service," said Sneddon. "We value their continued support and high level of commitment to the industry."

Founded in 1962, Wisconsin Lift Truck is the flagship company for the Wolter Group of Companies.

For further information regarding Mitsubishi Logisnext Americas dealer network and its full suite of material handling, automation and fleet solutions, visit www.LogisnextAmericas.com.

About Mitsubishi Logisnext Americas

Mitsubishi Logisnext Americas Inc. and its group companies have helped customers Move The World Forward for more than 100 years. A technology-driven manufacturer, Mitsubishi Logisnext Americas offers scalable solutions from material handling to automation and extensive fleet support. Headquartered in Houston, Texas, its complete portfolio of advanced solutions spans across five leading brands  Mitsubishi forklift trucks, Cat lift trucks, Rocla AGV Solutions, UniCarriers Forklifts and Jungheinrich warehouse and automation products. All products are backed by an extensive dealer network offering industry-leading customer service and product support. For more information, visit www.LogisnextAmericas.com.

About Equipment Depot

Serving local communities since 1939, Equipment Depot is America's largest independently operated material handling and equipment rental company. Through its coast-to-coast network of over 50 locations, Equipment Depot provides new and used forklifts, aerial lifts, service, parts, equipment rentals, automation and strategic warehouse solutions for customers in a wide array of industries. The company's commitment to service is backed by its one-of-a-kind promise: Performance. Guaranteed. For more information, visit www.eqdepot.com.

About Wisconsin Lift Truck Corp.

Founded in 1962 by Otto J. Wolter, Wisconsin Lift Truck, member of Wolter Group LLC, supplies a wide range of forklifts & material handling equipment, service, parts & accessories, rentals, training, as well as industrial storage & handling solutions and fleet management services. Over the decades Wisconsin Lift Truck has become the trusted source for these solutions and much more under the Wolter Group LLC umbrella. For more information, visit www.wisconsinlift.com.

About Wolter Group LLC

A family-owned and operated group of companies, Wolter Group provides service, parts, rentals, and training, as well as material handling equipment, industrial storage & handling, automation & robotics, engineered systems, cranes & hoists, standby power & generators, workplace storage, railcar movers, and fleet management services. Wolter Group has a highly trained staff of over 450 employees who take pride in delivering superior service to over 20,000 customers throughout WI, IL, IN, OH, KY, MO, and Upper MI.

SOURCE Mitsubishi Logisnext Americas

Related Links

https://www.logisnextamericas.com/en/logisnext


MAKKAH, Saudi Arabia, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Muslim World League (MWL) is brokering an agreement between Afghan and Pakistani leaders and a diverse group of scholars to promote stability and security in Afghanistan based on the Islamic principles of peace and reconciliation. A signing ceremony will be held on Thursday, June 10 in the Holy City of Makkah, near the Sacred Mosque and the Kaaba, the holiest site in Islam.

His Excellency Sheikh Dr. Mohammad bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa, Secretary General of the MWL, is leading the initiative, which includes His Excellency Noor-ul-Haq Qadri, Federal Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony of Pakistan; His Excellency Mohammad Qasim Halimi, Minister of Hajj and Religious Affairs of Afghanistan; and His Excellency Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi, Special Representative to the Prime Minister of Pakistan on Religious Harmony. Each will be attending the event. Prominent scholars will also be participating virtually from Afghanistan and Pakistan. The Declaration of Peace in Afghanistan agreement is supported by the government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

"This agreement represents a new chapter in the growing relationship between Afghanistan and Pakistan," Dr. Al-Issa said. "Muslim leaders and scholars have an important role to play in promoting the true, moderate principles of Islam, and leveraging them to secure a sustainable peace in Afghanistan. This means prioritizing all pathways to reconciliation, building bridges of constructive dialogue and cooperation, and alleviating the suffering of innocent men, women and children. This agreement does just that by establishing a foundation to help accelerate peace efforts in Afghanistan."

The agreement supports peace and reconciliation efforts in Afghanistan by uniting government and civil society leaders on key issues of national cohesiveness. Elements of the agreement include a call for an immediate and comprehensive cessation of hostilities, broadened support for development efforts, counterterrorism and counterextremism commitments, closer relations between the two neighboring countries, and assistance for the many Afghan refugees residing in Pakistan and other countries. The agreement also seeks to reiterate and strengthen the bonds of Islamic unity and togetherness, regardless of sect.

The agreement is taking place under the auspices of the MWL as a sign of the trust and productive cooperation between Afghanistan and Pakistan, and their shared view of the MWL as a uniting force for good in the Islamic world. The MWL is an umbrella organization that promotes the true, moderate principles of Islam. Earlier this year, Dr. Al-Issa met with Afghan Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammad Haneef Atmar, where the two discussed the importance of the role of Muslim scholars helping to end the violence in Afghanistan. And more recently, Dr. Al-Issa held a meeting in Makkah with Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, who praised the MWL for presenting the true image of Islam.

The agreement also reinforces Saudi Arabia's commitment to a secure, prosperous and stable Afghanistan.

SOURCE Muslim World League
WASHINGTON, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Cambridge International, the world's largest provider of international education programs, has released new data from the soon-to-be published study, "College Outcomes and Subsequent Course Performance at Florida State University (FSU)," that shows students who enrolled in the Cambridge programs are more likely to succeed than their peers who didn't study with Cambridge.

The study evaluated student performance to determine if students receiving credit succeed in their subsequent courses and their overall college careers. The data shows that the 4-year graduation rate for Cambridge students is much higher than students who enrolled at FSU with no credit via advanced high school programs. Only 78 percent of students enrolled at FSU with no credit via advanced high school programs graduate within four years, whereas 90 percent of Cambridge students who are enrolled graduate within four years.

In addition, a higher percentage of Cambridge students completed their bachelor's degrees in four years compared to peers who earned college credit via other advanced coursework programs. Eighty-four percent of Advanced Placement students enrolled at FSU graduate within four years and 83 percent of International Baccalaureate students enrolled at FSU graduate within four years.

"This research indicates that the Cambridge curriculum does an excellent job of preparing high school students for postsecondary success," said John Barnhill, Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs at Florida State University. "The interdisciplinary nature of the Cambridge curriculum provides students with the critical thinking and problem-solving skills needed to succeed in college and in the work force."

Moreover, 98 percent of Cambridge students achieved passes in their subsequent FSU courses (grades above a C or 2.0 GPA) compared to 91 percent for the total cohort of FSU students. Cambridge students tended to achieve higher grades, specifically 73 percent of Cambridge students receiving college credit achieved an A grade in their subsequent course while 49 percent of all students earned an A. While the majority of students succeed in FSU subsequent courses regardless of their preparation, the data suggest that Cambridge students may be better prepared for high-level college achievement.

Additional key findings from the "College Outcomes and Subsequent Course Performance at Florida State University" study include:

93 percent of Hispanic Cambridge students completed their degrees in four years compared to 82 percent of Hispanic students who had earned credit via other advanced programs.

On average, Hispanic Cambridge students completed their FSU bachelor's degrees in 3.6 years.

In six subject areas (Biology, Business, English, History, Math, and Psychology), Cambridge students performed well and followed a pattern of high achievement, with a higher proportion of Cambridge students achieving A grades in all six subject areas compared to the control group (all students). For example, Cambridge students achieved an A grade in 65 percent of the subsequent Biology courses compared to 45 percent for the control.

Cambridge International introduced its education programs in the US in 1995, and since then more than 70,000 Florida high school students have participated in the Cambridge International program and progressed to a postsecondary institution.

Most Florida high school graduates choose to study at public universities with the support of the state's Bright Futures Scholarship and robust policies that ensure students receive college credit for passing the Cambridge Advanced (A and AS Level) exams. Florida high school students who earn the Cambridge AICE Diploma  a certificate that recognizes strong performance across key subject areas (Math, Science, Languages, Arts and Humanities), plus 100 community service hours, regardless of ACT / SAT score  are automatically eligible to receive the Bright Futures (BF) Academic Scholars Award. This award provides tuition for four years at any public FL college or university.

Student performance must be periodically evaluated to determine if students receiving credit succeed in their subsequent courses and their overall college careers. These findings on student performance and outcomes for Cambridge students enrolled at Florida State University (FSU) came from a study designed by Cambridge International and Florida State University, expected to be published in Fall 2021/ Spring 2022.

About Cambridge International

Cambridge International prepares school students for life, helping them develop an informed curiosity and a lasting passion for learning. We are part of Cambridge Assessment, a department of the University of Cambridge. Our international qualifications are recognized by the world's best universities and employers, giving students a wide range of options in their education and career. As a not-for-profit organization, we devote our resources to delivering high-quality educational programs that can unlock learners' potential.

About Florida State University

One of the nation's elite research universities, Florida State University preserves, expands, and disseminates knowledge in the sciences, technology, arts, humanities, and professions, while embracing a philosophy of learning strongly rooted in the traditions of the liberal arts and critical thinking. FSU's welcoming campus is located on the oldest continuous site of higher education in Florida, in a community that fosters free inquiry and embraces diversity, along with championship athletics, and a prime location in the heart of the state capital.

SOURCE Cambridge International
Clearfield, PA (16830)

Today

Scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Partly cloudy skies after midnight. Potential for severe thunderstorms. Low near 60F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%..

Tonight

Scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Partly cloudy skies after midnight. Potential for severe thunderstorms. Low near 60F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%.
NEW YORK, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- One Rock Capital Partners, LLC ("One Rock") today announced that one of its affiliates has entered into an agreement to acquire the tire additives business of Eastman Chemical Company ("Eastman";NYSE: EMN).

Eastman's tire additives business is a global leader in critical specialty chemicals for the tire industry with an unmatched asset footprint and superior technical services. The business develops, manufactures and sells insoluble sulfur, antidegradants and post-vulcanization stabilizers that enable superior processing and performance results for tire manufacturers. The business employs over 500 people globally at seven production sites and two technology centers.

Tony W. Lee, Managing Partner of One Rock, said, "Eastman's tire additives business is the global leader, known for high-performance, mission-critical products and technical leadership. We are excited to partner with the business' highly experienced management team to further strengthen its unparalleled product portfolio and drive its growth as an independent company."

"As we prepare for this new chapter, we are excited to work with One Rock, which has a proven track record of establishing former corporate subsidiaries as strong standalone businesses, and providing the support and resources needed to build on their success," said Gunes Celik, Vice President and General Manager of the tire additives business. "One Rock's reputation for innovation and quality across its portfolio aligns well with our strategic focus, capabilities and industry leadership position."

R. Scott Spielvogel, Managing Partner of One Rock, added, "The business serves an impressive group of global blue-chip customers as a result of its unique technical and commercial service expertise. During the next stage of growth, we look forward to working closely with management to enhance the portfolio of product and service offerings."

Completion of the transaction, which is expected in the second half of 2021, is subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions.

Latham & Watkins LLP is acting as legal counsel and RBC Capital Markets, LLC is acting as financial advisor to One Rock.

About One Rock Capital Partners, LLC

One Rock makes controlling investments in companies with potential for growth and operational improvement using a rigorous approach that utilizes highly experienced Operating Partners to identify, acquire and enhance businesses in select industries. The involvement of these Operating Partners affords One Rock the ability to conduct due diligence and consummate acquisitions and investments in all types of situations, regardless of complexity. One Rock works collaboratively with company management and its Operating Partners to develop a comprehensive business plan focused on growing the enterprise and its profitability to enhance long-term value. For more information, visit www.onerockcapital.com.

About Eastman

Founded in 1920, Eastman is a global specialty materials company that produces a broad range of products found in items people use every day. With the purpose of enhancing the quality of life in a material way, Eastman works with customers to deliver innovative products and solutions while maintaining a commitment to safety and sustainability. The company's innovation-driven growth model takes advantage of world-class technology platforms, deep customer engagement, and differentiated application development to grow its leading positions in attractive end markets such as transportation, building and construction, and consumables. As a globally inclusive and diverse company, Eastman employs approximately 14,500 people around the world and serves customers in more than 100 countries. The company had 2020 revenues of approximately $8.5 billion and is headquartered in Kingsport, Tennessee, USA. For more information, visit www.eastman.com.

Media Contacts

Alex Jeffrey/Sam Fisher

Gasthalter & Co.

(212) 257-4170

SOURCE One Rock Capital Partners, LLC

Related Links

http://www.onerockcapital.com


EFFINGHAM, Ill., June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Open Prairie Rural Opportunities Fund, a growth-stage private equity fund dedicated to providing capital for agribusiness companies throughout rural America, proudly announces its first exit with the sale of Legacy Seed Companies. Open Prairie's initial investment in July 2018 facilitated the Legacy Seed Companies strategy for integration of regional seed companies with an emphasis on non-GMO and organic product lines.

"The growth of Legacy Seed Companies is a compelling testament to the potential of rural American companies," stated Lee Strom, partner at Open Prairie. Strom went on to say, "Over the last three years, Open Prairie has worked with Legacy Seed Companies to successfully achieve operational efficiencies through implementation of new technology infrastructure, expansion of its geographic footprint within the upper Midwest and enhancement of its team with the addition of talent at all levels of the organization including Colin Steen as Chief Executive Officer. Leveraging its research and development capabilities, Legacy Seed Companies has also partnered with global leaders in the branded food and animal nutrition sectors to capitalize on demand trends for better quality, sustainability and transparency throughout the agricultural supply chain. These activities have resulted in market share gains and top-line revenue growth, positioning the company on a solid foundation for the future."

In these challenging times, the exit of Legacy Seed Companies generated a positive return for the partners in the Open Prairie Rural Opportunities Fund and achieved the goal of enabling sustainability, productivity, profitability and prosperity for today's agriculture and rural America. Open Prairie founder and managing partner Jim Schultz stated, "with eleven companies in the Open Prairie Rural Opportunities Fund, we continue to build a strong portfolio of investments like Legacy Seed Companies that are developing innovative products and technologies that will have a lasting impact on agricultural and rural American economies."

About Open Prairie

Open Prairie, based in the heartland of America with headquarters in Effingham, Illinois, is a multi-faceted private equity fund management firm with deep roots in rural America. For more than twenty years, Open Prairie has consistently focused on facilitating capital accessibility in underserved markets. The Open Prairie team has managed funds ranging from technology-based venture capital to farmland portfolios. Through its expertise across all functional business disciplines and an extensive network of professionals, Open Prairie works in partnership with its portfolio companies to accelerate growth while providing top tier returns to its investors. For more information about Open Prairie, please visit www.openprairie.com.

About the Open Prairie Rural Opportunities Fund

The Open Prairie Rural Opportunities Fund is an $81 million private equity fund licensed by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) as a Rural Business Investment Company (RBIC). With a collaborative partnership comprised of investors from Farm Credit institutions, commercial and community banks, strategics, family offices and high net worth individuals committed to advancing rural America, the Open Prairie Rural Opportunities Fund is focused on providing debt and equity capital of $2 - $10 million to growth companies in food and agriculture. For more information on the Open Prairie Rural Opportunities Fund, please visit www.openprairie.com .

About Legacy Seed Companies

Legacy Seed Companies is a holding company that currently includes two brands  DF Seeds and Legacy Seeds. With a stated commitment to regenerative agriculture, and a mission to search out seed opportunities, Legacy Seed Companies focuses on a Food and Feed strategy that begins at the table with consumer demand and delivers results for producers while supporting rural communities. The company plans to operate acquired organizations as standalone entities with collaborative services and shared research and development. The company, number three in U.S. Alfalfa sales and a leader in the specialty soybean market, also offers unique product lines in corn and wheat including non-GMO and organic options. For more information about the mission, products, and services, visit www.legacyseeds.com or www.dfseeds.com.

SOURCE Open Prairie

Related Links

https://www.openprairie.com


Major countries such as the U.S., U.K. and Germany expressed their determination to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in their countries and the world, and support sustainable growth in developing countries. During the Leader's Dialogue on May 31, U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry noted that to get to net-zero emissions by 2050, three things need to be accomplished -- an end to carbon-intensive fossil fuel use, the dissemination of clean energy technologies, and major investments in such technologies. He said the U.S. will double its public climate financing to developing countries by 2024.

During the Leader's Session on May 30, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that no government can achieve a green industrial revolution alone and that international cooperation is imperative to create massive funds for climate response. He added that the U.K. will support the transition to a green economy through R&D investment and technology development. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that Germany is making efforts to achieve carbon neutrality by 2045 and promised to faithfully fulfill its commitment to the international climate fund.

Leaders and top-level officials from Bangladesh, Vietnam and other countries said they will accelerate green growth and actively participate in global efforts for carbon neutrality. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh said the country adopted a 100-year sustainable development plan called Delta Plan 2100. She added that Bangladesh focuses on upholding the interests of countries vulnerable to climate change and promoting regional adaptation solutions. Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized the need to strengthen capacity and improve conditions to respond to climate problems. He also expressed Vietnam's willingness to cooperate for an inclusive green recovery, calling for a more harmonious approach in which developed countries continue to take the lead in mitigating emissions and all stakeholders participate in such efforts.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang commented that for sustainable green development, international cooperation is essential, especially support to resolve difficulties faced by developing nations. China will contribute to a low-carbon, green recovery through its pledge to go carbon neutral by 2060 and organizing the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP15) of the U.N. Conference of Biological Diversity, he added.

The Seoul Declaration, adopted as the result of the P4G Seoul Summit, manifested the solidarity and resolve of the participant countries. The Declaration pronounces their commitment to overcome the COVID-19 crisis through a green recovery, limit the increase of the Earth's temperature to 1.5 degrees Celsius, accelerate an energy transition away from fossil fuels, address marine plastics issues, and achieve Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement.

The Declaration was endorsed by 38 participant countries, including Korea, the U.S., Japan and China, and by nine international organizations including the World Economic Forum (WEF), the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), and the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI). Angel Gurria, Secretary-General of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Fatih Birol, Executive Director of the International Energy Agency (IEA), and Bruno Oberle, Director-General of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), also expressed their support for the Declaration in their private capacities.

President Moon Jae-in expressed his appreciation for the leaders in Twitter posts on June 3, after the close of the summit. In his tweet to U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry, Moon said, "We welcome the return of American leadership in responding to climate change. 'Getting to net zero by 2050 is an incredible economic opportunity.' I agree with your remark and look forward to strengthened collaboration between Korea and the U.S. in our fight against climate change." In a tweet to Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), he said, "The three points you highlighted have enriched our discussion session," referring to her remarks that a successful green transformation requires the world to embrace carbon pricing, green public investments and a just transition for the most affected.

The P4G Seoul Summit enhanced public-private collaboration with the participation of leaders and representatives of scores of nations, international organizations, companies and civil society groups. In Korea, the P4G Seoul Summit Preparatory Office organized various events for climate change response and sustainable growth, in collaboration with 23 companies, public institutions and non-governmental organizations including IKEA Korea, Jeju Province Development Co., SK Telecom, Samsung Electronics, Hyosung T&C, Coupang, Pulmuone, Pleatsmama, Tree Planet, World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and Daelim Museum.

Yoo Yeon-cheol, the Executive Director of the P4G Seoul Summit Preparatory Office said, "The summit is very meaningful for climate change response in that developing and developed nations got together to discuss their plans for green cooperation and express their commitment." "Through the summit, which is the first-ever multilateral climate summit to be hosted by Korea, Korea greatly contributed to climate change response and the dissemination of the new green paradigm. Also, this event will become an opportunity to go beyond climate change discussions centered around developed nations and drive an inclusive green growth that engages everyone," he added.

2021 P4G Summit Seoul (https://2021p4g-seoulsummit.kr)

P4G (Partnering for Green Growth and the Global Goals 2030) was launched in September 2017, led by Denmark, as a global initiative to accelerate the response to climate change and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through public-private partnerships. Of the 17 SDGs set out by the United Nations in 2015 with the aim of achieving them by 2030, P4G specifically targets five objectives related to climate change (food and agriculture, clean water, clean energy, sustainable cities and circular economy). Twelve countries  the Republic of Korea, Denmark, the Netherlands, Vietnam, Mexico, Chile, Colombia, Kenya, Ethiopia, Bangladesh, Indonesia and South Africa  as well as international organizations (including the World Economic Forum and the Global Green Growth Institute) and private companies participate in the summit. P4G - is a consultation group consisting of governments, companies and civil society organizations, -puts an emphasis on action-oriented public-private cooperation, - is composed of middle-power countries (playing the role of a bridge between developing countries and developed countries) - seeks to build a sustainable business model (a bridge between development and investment).



SOURCE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Korea
LONDON and NEW YORK, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Panaseer, the first Continuous Controls Monitoring (CCM) platform for enterprise security, today announces guidance on best practice cybersecurity measurements to help avoid incidents. Currently, there is limited industry guidance around the most important metrics to evaluate, and how to standardise calculations and policies as part of a high-quality security metrics programme. With the right metrics organisations improve visibility into and raise their security posture, helping to limit exposure to successful attacks, such as ransomware, or vulnerabilities including FireEye or SolarWinds.

Among highly regulated, global organisations, Panaseer has determined that the top ten most frequently used security metrics are (in order of popularity):

Vulnerability remediation SLA compliance Endpoint detection SLA compliance Vulnerability scan coverage CMDB inventory completeness coverage Endpoint detection coverage Vulnerability outlier analysis Active Directory enrolment coverage Application security scan coverage Application security SLA compliance Active employee leavers

Panaseer's CCM platform includes these and hundreds of other best practice security metrics via its new in-platform Security Metrics Catalogue. In addition to Panaseer's expertise, the Security Metrics Catalogue has been curated from a wide community of customers, industry experts, framework organisations such as NIST and in collaboration with the Center for Internet Security (CIS). The proposition also provides recommendations to enable security teams to instantly improve their security metrics programme overall via metric groupings that include a 'getting started' collection, a peer-based recommendation collection, a customer favourites collection, and access to newly emerging metric suggestions.

The company is also sharing best practices with the broader industry, through a new free resource, in a 'Security Metrics Hub.' It includes advice and educational security measurement material aimed to help enterprises overcome the challenge of determining the most impactful metrics for their programme.

CCM is fast becoming a required capability for regulated enterprises. The technology is solving one of the biggest challenges in cybersecurity today  enterprises do not know if their security controls are providing full protection at any given moment. Last year CCM was included as a new category in Gartner's Risk Management Hype Cycle.

Andrew Jaquith, industry veteran, CISO of QOMPLX Inc, and author of Security Metrics: Replacing Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt, comments: "As W. Edwards Deming put it, 'In God we trust. All others bring data.' Organizations need trustworthy data to show that their cybersecurity programs are keeping them safe and reducing risk effectively. Panaseer's Metrics Catalogue gives customers new options for using and sharing common cyber metrics, enabling better collaboration and elevating the state of practice."

Mike MacIntyre, VP Product, Panaseer, adds: "The only way to prevent a cyber-attack from succeeding is to have the proper cyber controls in place. However, cybersecurity control failures have topped the list of executive concerns, according to a recent report from Gartner, Inc. on emerging risks. This problem is fuelled by a lack of industry standards in the metrics that organisations should measure and monitor to best protect themselves. We are solving this industry issue by providing a blueprint of best-practice metrics, which are available in-platform for our customers, supported with valuable information on our website that's free for all."

Last year Panaseer commissioned a study of 400 security leaders* working in large financial services companies. The vast majority (96.77%) of respondents claimed they use metrics to measure their cyber posture. However, less than half of respondents (47.75%) could claim to be 'very confident' that they are using the right security metrics.

Panaseer is bringing together industry knowledge and best practices to increase overall confidence in enterprise security measurement programmes. For more information on the 10 most popular security metrics, please see: https://panaseer.com/security-metrics-hub/resources/10-most-popular-security-metrics/

About Panaseer

Panaseer is the first Continuous Controls Monitoring (CCM) platform for enterprise security. CCM solves one of the biggest challenges in cybersecurity today. Enterprises do not know if their security controls are providing full protection at any given moment in time. Panaseer's CCM platform uniquely correlates data from all security tools to identify and measure missing assets, control gaps, and advise on underperforming controls.

CCM has become a required capability for regulated enterprises. Last year CCM was included in Gartner's Hype Cycle under its Risk Management category. Recently, Momentum Cyber included CCM in its Cybersecurity Almanac, as a next generation technology that will shape the future of cybersecurity.

Panaseer's CCM platform was named as the 'Best Regulatory Compliance Tool and Solution' at the 2020 SC Awards Europe, and it also received the Editor's Choice award from Cyber

Defense Magazine for its 'Continuous Controls Monitoring platform' for the last two years in a row.

Panaseer clients include the world's largest institutions and enterprises. Its total funding to date is $43 million and its investors include: AllegisCyber Capital, National Grid Partners, Evolution Equity Partners, Notion, AlbionVC, Cisco Investments and Paladin Capital Group.

For more information: www.panaseer.com

Survey information

*400+ security decision makers, manager level and above (including CISO/ senior security/ risk officers), working in companies within the financial services industry with 5,000  25,000 employees in the UK and US, were surveyed by Censuswide in 2020.

SOURCE Panaseer

Related Links

http://www.panaseer.com


SAN FRANCISCO, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The global pediatric home healthcare market size is expected to reach USD 68.6 billion by 2028, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The market is expected to expand at a CAGR of 7.8% from 2021 to 2028. The growing population of Children with Medical Complexities (CMC) requiring in-home care is expected to drive the market during the forecast period.

Key suggestions from the report:

Premature infants may suffer from numerous disorders that require rehabilitation therapy to improve motor functions

High probability of premature infants living with neurological and muscular deficits is expected to boost demand for rehabilitation therapy services during the forecast period

Children with physical and neurological development deficits require care in a comfortable and convenient environment

Personal care services offered by in-home care providers are a relief for working parents of such kids. The personal care assistance segment is expected to grow due to an increase in demand for long-term healthcare services for infants with complex cardiac, neurological, and respiratory disorders

North America held the largest revenue share in 2020. Favorable reimbursement policies in the U.S., wherein the majority of pediatric care services are covered under Medicaid is positively driving the market

Major players in the market have undertaken numerous initiatives to enhance pediatric services offered for in-home care. For instance, in September 2017 , doForms-a workflow automation software provider-collaborated with BAYADA Home Health Care to launch BAYADA Pediatrics Care Connect-an electronic documentation system that keeps a record of clinical information

Read 104 page research report with ToC on "Pediatric Home Healthcare Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Service (Skilled Nursing Services, Personal Care Assistance, Rehabilitation Therapy Services), By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2021 - 2028" at: https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/pediatric-home-healthcare-market

According to a study conducted in October 2016, around 1.0% of the pediatric population constitutes CMC in the U.S. This population accounts for almost 30.0% of the pediatric healthcare cost. In-home pediatric services significantly reduce medical expenditure by shortening hospital stays for children requiring complex medical assistance.

The pediatric care service is a thriving sector in the home healthcare industry and offers immense potential for players to expand their services. One of the major players in the market, BAYADA Home Health Care, mentioned pediatric nursing services as its largest revenue-generating specialty, accounting for about one-third of its revenue.

Furthermore, the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic is significantly increasing the demand for home healthcare services to children with multiple chronic conditions. However, as physician visits were restricted during the pandemic, home care agency's introduced virtual visits for patient care. For instance, in December 2020, St. Mary's Home Care  a home care agency in New York launched a virtual service platform for patient engagement.

Grand View Research has segmented the global pediatric home healthcare market on the basis of service and region:

Pediatric Home Healthcare Service Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2028)

Skilled Nursing Services



Personal Care Assistance



Rehabilitation Therapy Services

Pediatric Home Healthcare Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2028)

North America



U.S.





Canada



Europe



U.K.





Germany





France





Italy





Spain



Asia Pacific



China





Japan





India



Latin America



Brazil





Mexico



Middle East & Africa (MEA)

& (MEA)

South Africa





Saudi Arabia





Kuwait

List of Key Players of Pediatric Home Healthcare Market

Aveanna Healthcare, Inc.

DJK Home Healthcare LLC

BAYADA Home Health Care

Tendercare Home Health

BrightStar Care

Angels of Care Pediatric Home Health

New England Home Care, Inc.

Pediatric Home Healthcare

Enviva Paediatric Care

Interim Healthcare Inc.

eKidzCare

MGA Homecare

At Home Healthcare

ParaMed

Find more research reports on Medical Devices Industry, by Grand View Research:

Home Healthcare Market  The global home healthcare market size was valued at USD 281.8 billion in 2019 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.9% from 2020 to 2027.

The global home healthcare market size was valued at in 2019 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.9% from 2020 to 2027. North America Home Healthcare Market  The North America home healthcare market size was valued at USD 756.8 million in 2014 and is expected to grow at a rate of 10.9 % over the forecast period. Growing base of geriatric population, triggering the incidence rate of target diseases, and the increasing need to curb healthcare expenditure as an economically viable initiative are some high impact rendering drivers of this market.

The home healthcare market size was valued at in 2014 and is expected to grow at a rate of 10.9 % over the forecast period. Growing base of geriatric population, triggering the incidence rate of target diseases, and the increasing need to curb healthcare expenditure as an economically viable initiative are some high impact rendering drivers of this market. India Home Healthcare MarketThe India home healthcare market size was valued at USD 5.2 billion in 2019 and is projected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 19.2% from 2020 to 2027.

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RIO DE JANEIRO, June 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.  Petrobras (" Petrobras ") (NYSE: PBR) today announced the expiration and expiration date results of the previously announced cash tender offers by its wholly-owned subsidiary, Petrobras Global Finance B.V. (" PGF "), with respect to any and all of PGF's outstanding notes of the series set forth in the table below (the " Notes " and such offers, the " Offers ").

The following table sets forth certain information about the Offers, including the aggregate principal amount of Notes validly tendered and accepted in the Offers, and the aggregate principal amount of Notes reflected in notices of guaranteed delivery delivered at or prior to the Expiration Date:

Title of Security CUSIP/ISIN Acceptance

Priority

Level Principal Amount

Outstanding(1) Consideration(2) Principal Amount

Tendered Principal Amount

Accepted Principal Amount

Reflected in

Notices of

Guaranteed

Delivery 6.750% Global Notes

Due June 2050(3) 71647NBG3 /

US71647NBG34 1 US$1,467,091,000 US$1,157.51 US$325,768,000 US$325,768,000 - 5.093% Global Notes

Due January 2030 71647NBE8,

71647NBF5,

N6945AAL1 /

US71647NBE85,

US71647NBF50,

USN6945AAL19 2 US$3,065,085,000 US$1,089.04 US$857,766,000 US$857,766,000 US$6,094,000 6.250% Global Notes

Due March 2024 71647NAM1 / US71647NAM11 3 US$774,384,000 US$1,135.06 US$62,246,000 US$62,246,000 US$610,000 5.299% Global Notes

Due January 2025 71647NAT6, 71647NAV1, N6945AAJ6 / US71647NAT63, US71647NAV10, USN6945AAJ62 4 US$1,061,324,000 US$1,131.96 US$59,207,000 US$59,207,000 US$111,000 6.900% Global Notes

Due March 2049 71647NBD0 /

US71647NBD03 5 US$1,743,620,000 US$1,195.91 US$205,040,000 US$205,040,000 US$5,399,000 6.875% Global Notes

Due January 2040 71645WAQ4 /

US71645WAQ42 6 US$983,216,000 US$1,208.90 US$93,057,000 US$93,057,000 - 8.750% Global Notes

Due May 2026 71647N AQ2 /

US71647NAQ25 7 US$1,071,541,000 US$1,293.93 US$286,390,000 US$286,390,000 US$9,049,000 7.375% Global Notes

Due January 2027 71647NAS8 /

US71647NAS80 8 US$1,775,174,000 US$1,234.75 US$71,520,000 US$71,520,000 - 5.999% Global Notes

Due January 2028 71647NAW9,

N6945AAK3,

71647NAY5 /

US71647NAW92,

USN6945AAK36,

US71647NAY58 9 US$1,748,126,000 US$1,159.13 US$76,097,000 US$76,097,000 - 5.750% Global Notes

Due February 2029 71647NAZ2 /

US71647NAZ24 10 US$878,965,000 US$1,141.35 US$42,310,000 US$42,310,000 US$102,000 6.750% Global Notes

Due January 2041 71645WAS0 /

US71645WAS08 11 US$1,013,134,000 US$1,185.05 US$76,681,000 - US$15,000 5.625% Global Notes

Due May 2043 71647NAA7 /

US71647NAA72 12 US$473,770,000 US$1,108.24 US$18,693,000 US$18,693,000 - 7.250% Global Notes

Due March 2044 71647NAK5 /

US71647NAK54 13 US$1,286,710,000 US$1,227.04 US$17,478,000 US$17,478,000 -

(1) Including Notes held by Petrobras or its affiliates. (2) Per US$1,000 principal amount of Notes validly tendered and accepted for purchase. The applicable consideration does not include accrued and unpaid interest

on the Notes accepted for purchase through the Settlement Date (as defined below), which will be payable in cash. (3) The par call date for this series of Notes is December 3, 2049, or six months prior to the scheduled maturity date.

The Offers expired at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on June 8, 2021 (the " Expiration Date "). The settlement date with respect to the Offers is expected to occur on June 11, 2021 (the " Settlement Date ").

The Offers were made pursuant to the terms and conditions set forth in the offer to purchase dated June 2, 2021 (the " Offer to Purchase " and, together with the accompanying notice of guaranteed delivery, the " Offer Documents ").

In order to be eligible to participate in the Offers, holders of Notes reflected in notices of guaranteed delivery received by PGF prior to the Expiration Date must deliver such Notes to PGF by 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on June 10, 2021 (the " Guaranteed Delivery Date ").

On the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Offer to Purchase, because the purchase of all Notes validly tendered in the Offers would cause PGF to purchase an aggregate principal amount of Notes that would result in an aggregate amount to be paid by PGF in excess of the Maximum Consideration described in the Offer to Purchase, PGF has accepted for purchase all of the Notes validly tendered, and expects to accept all of the Notes for which PGF received notices of guaranteed delivery and that are delivered on or prior to the Guaranteed Delivery Date, in Acceptance Priority Levels 1 through 10, 12 and 13 (the " Covered Notes "). PGF has rejected all of the Notes, including Notes for which PGF received notices of guaranteed delivery, in Acceptance Priority Level 11 (the " Non-Covered Notes "). Non-Covered Notes will be returned or credited without expense to the holders' accounts promptly after the Expiration Date. The principal amount of Covered Notes that will be purchased by PGF on the Settlement Date is subject to change based on deliveries of Covered Notes pursuant to the guaranteed delivery procedures described in the Offer to Purchase. A press release announcing the final results of the Offers is expected to be issued on or promptly after the Settlement Date.

The total cash payment to purchase on the Settlement Date the Covered Notes, excluding accrued and unpaid interest, will be approximately US$2,469.9 million

All conditions described in the Offer to Purchase that were to be satisfied or waived on or prior to the Expiration Date have been satisfied.

PGF engaged BofA Securities, Inc., Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, Itau BBA USA Securities, Inc., J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, MUFG Securities Americas Inc., Santander Investment Securities Inc., and UBS Securities LLC to act as dealer managers with respect to the Offers (the " Dealer Managers "). Global Bondholder Services Corporation acted as the depositary and information agent for the Offers.

This announcement is for informational purposes only, and does not constitute an offer to purchase or sell or a solicitation of an offer to sell or purchase any securities.

Any questions or requests for assistance regarding the Offers may be directed to BofA Securities, Inc. collect at +1 (646) 855-8988 or toll free at +1 (888) 292-0070, Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC collect at +1 (212) 357-1452 or toll-free (U.S. only) at +1 (800) 828-3182, Itau BBA USA Securities, Inc. collect at +1 (212) 7106749 or toll-free (U.S. only) at +1 (888) 770-4828, J.P. Morgan Securities LLC collect at +1 (212) 834-3424 or toll-free (U.S. only) at +1 (866) 846-2874, MUFG Securities Americas Inc. collect at +1 (212) 405-7481 or toll-free (U.S. only) at +1 (877) 744-4532, Santander Investment Securities Inc. collect at +1 (855) 403-3636 and UBS Securities LLC collect at +1 (203) 719-4210 or toll-free (U.S. only) at +1 (888) 719-4210. Requests for additional copies of the Offer Documents may be directed to Global Bondholder Services Corporation at +1 (866) 470-3800 (toll-free) or +1 (212) 430-3774. The Offer Documents can be accessed at the following link: http://www.gbsc-usa.com/Petrobras/.

The Offers were made solely pursuant to the Offer Documents. The Offer Documents have not been filed with, and have not been approved or reviewed by any federal or state securities commission or regulatory authority of any country. No authority has passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of the Offer Documents or any other documents related to the Offers, and it is unlawful and may be a criminal offense to make any representation to the contrary.

The communication of this announcement and any other documents or materials relating to the Offers is not being made and such documents and/or materials have not been approved by an authorized person for the purposes of Section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000. This announcement and any other documents related to the Offers are for distribution only to persons who (i) have professional experience in matters relating to investments falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (the " Order "), (ii) are persons falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) ("high net worth companies, unincorporated associations, etc.") of the Order, (iii) are outside the United Kingdom, (iv) are members or creditors of certain bodies corporate as defined by or within Article 43(2) of the Order, or (v) are persons to whom an invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity (within the meaning of section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000) in connection with the issue or sale of any securities may otherwise lawfully be communicated or caused to be communicated (all such persons together being referred to as "relevant persons"). This announcement and any other documents related to the Offers are directed only at relevant persons and must not be acted on or relied on by persons who are not relevant persons. Any investment or investment activity to which this announcement and any other documents related to the Offers are available only to relevant persons and will be engaged in only with relevant persons.

Forward-Looking Statements

This announcement contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are information of a non-historical nature or which relate to future events and are subject to risks and uncertainties. No assurance can be given that the transactions described herein will be consummated or as to the ultimate terms of any such transactions. Petrobras undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information or future events or for any other reason.

SOURCE Petroleo Brasileiro S.A. - Petrobras
SUNNYVALE, Calif. and PITTSBURGH, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Petuum today announced that Russula, a global engineering firm that delivers solutions to the steel industry has entered a strategic partnership with Petuum to develop advanced process control solutions powered by Petuum's Deep Learning Optimization software.

Petuum's award-winning Industrial AI product, Petuum Optimum delivers precise real-time forecasts for key process variables, prescriptive optimal targets for critical variables, and AI-led automation control. Petuum Optimum uses groundbreaking adaptive machine and deep learning AI software that can continuously re-learn and improve production output and quality control in supervised or fully autonomous steer modes.

"We are excited to work with Russula to implement our advanced AI led manufacturing capabilities for the steel industry. As the world recoveries from the Covid pandemic and industrial manufacturing gains greater momentum, Petuum' Industrial AI software is perfectly placed to revolutionize the next generation manufacturing by cutting emissions for a better planet while simultaneously increasing savings and yield optimization for our steel customers. We look towards a cleaner and better future with this strategic partnership with Russula."

- Rob Christenson, GM for Petuum Industrial AI

Petuum and Russula will be working with large global steel manufacturers to leverage Petuum's Optimum SaaS offering to provide prescient predictions across multiple use cases, starting with hot rolling mills. Optimum is cloud-native and built to seamlessly handle data management, advanced AI/ML model training, human machine interface (HMI), and rapid deployment across multiple sites. Through this partnership, Petuum and Russula are advancing Deep Learning Optimization to increase throughput, improve quality control, and lower energy consumption for steel manufactures at scale.

"This partnership between Russula and Petuum brings together top-notch engineering implementation with state-of-the-art AI software for steel manufacturing. As the steel industry moves towards an emissions free future and fully autonomous plants, we believe the codeveloped solutions with Petuum is the path forward to develop the next generation of rolling mills. We look forward to collaborating with Petuum to unlock the potential of Artificial Intelligence in steel mills."

- Daniel Sanchez, Director of Operations Russula

See below for additional resources:

Petuum Industrial AI Page

Petuum Industrial AI Video

Petuum Optimum Brochure

Russula Corporate Brochure

About Petuum

Petuum, a leading provider of enterprise artificial intelligence (AI) software, brings the most advanced AI methodologies and software offering to solve challenges that can't be addressed by traditional techniques. Petuum enables enterprises to design, build, experiment, customize, and operate multiple applied AI solutions in a wide range of industries. Our world class machine learning experts and deep subject matter specialists work in unison to operationalize our award-winning AI software to ensure continual success for our customers and partners. Visit us, https://petuum.com/

About Russula

Russula is a global engineering firm that provides rolling mill solutions, roll pass and operational guidance, water treatment solutions and automation to the largest steel producers in more than 30 countries. With its headquarters and workshop located in A Coruna, Spain, the company has major offices in Brazil, India, Italy, Mexico, Russia and USA. Combining unparalleled experience and comprehensive capabilities in steel manufacturing, Russula collaborates with steel producers to help them become high-performance businesses. Visit us: www.russula.com Follow us: https://www.linkedin.com/company/russula/

Petuum Media Contact:

Henry Guo

[email protected]

412-288-9447

SOURCE Petuum

Related Links

www.petuum.com


PLYMOUTH, Mich., June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Plastipak Holdings, Inc. (the "Company") announced today that it will file its Form 10-Q Equivalent Report for its fiscal quarter ended April 30, 2021 electronically with Wells Fargo National Bank, as Trustee for the holders of its 6.250% Senior Notes due 2025 (the "Senior Notes"), by the close of business on Monday, June 14, 2021. The Company is not required by the Indenture for the Senior Notes to file annual, quarterly or periodic reports with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), and therefore does not plan to file these reports with the SEC.

Holders, authorized prospective holders and securities analysts may obtain a copy of the Company's Form 10-Q Equivalent Report by contacting Investor Relations at (734) 455-3600 or by emailing [email protected]

The Company will host an investor teleconference call for holders, authorized prospective holders and securities analysts on June 15, 2021 at 4:00 p.m. ET. Details for the call are available to holders, authorized prospective holders and securities analysts by contacting Investor Relations.

Qualified bondholders and lenders may obtain copies of the Form 10-Q Equivalent Report and details of the investor teleconference call by logging on to the secure bondholder section of the Company's website (www.plastipak.com)

SOURCE Plastipak Holdings, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.plastipak.com


DALLAS, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Poolwerx, in coordination with their local franchise community, announced today that one lucky client within a Poolwerx service territory will receive free pool service for an entire year.

Win free pool service from Poolwerx In-store scratch-offs with free water tests at Poolwerx retail locations.

Pool homeowners that reside near a Poolwerx retail location or are within a service area can register to win at POOLWERX.COM by submitting their email address and verifying their zip code. In addition to free pool service, participants are also eligible to win weekly prizes like pool party packs that contain essential chemicals like a non-chlorine oxidizer, shock, phosphate remover, and an enzyme clarifier. No purchase is necessary to enter.

"Between the pandemic last year and the tightening supply chain industry-wide, we wanted to remind pool owners that we're always here for all their pool needs in spite of these challenges," said Ruben Avendano, the VP of Marketing at Poolwerx. "That's why we are thrilled to offer this opportunity to a lucky client to have a completely worry-free summer and enjoy their pool all year long."

Poolwerx retail locations are also handing out scratch-offs to clients that bring their pool water samples for a free in-store digital water test. Every scratch-off presents another opportunity for pool owners to win more prizes toward their next Poolwerx visit. Shoppers can win up to $15 off their next purchase or a mystery gift.

"Owning a pool should be fun and affordable. We pride ourselves on providing our clients great, knowledgeable service at the best value. These scratch-offs are a great way to give our shoppers a little something extra," said Avendano. "In conjunction with our first sweepstakes, we're looking forward to a fun-filled summer and we can't wait to find out who the lucky grand-prize winner is."

The grand prize winner will be announced in July. For full terms and conditions or to enter visit https://www.poolwerx.com/summersweepstakes.

ABOUT POOLWERX

Founded in 1992 by CEO and entrepreneur John O'Brien, Poolwerx has grown to become the world's only global pool brand and the largest in the pool service industry, with nearly 600 service vehicles and 160 plus stores.

Poolwerx leaves competitors to tread water thanks to a professional development strategy to convert employees to franchisees, a technology-driven and scalable model and recurring revenue streams.

The brand is now driving explosive franchise growth across the United States, with a five-year development plan to have over 250 stores and over 700 service vans operating in the U.S. by 2025.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Ruben Avendano

Poolwerx

[email protected]

352-400-6589

SOURCE Poolwerx
PORT WASHINGTON, N.Y., June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- After more than a year of closures and limited operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the staff at I Love Hearing is proud to announce that its Port Washington, N.Y. office is now fully open for new and existing patients.

Dr. Sophia Behrmann holds her license as both a Doctor of Audiology and a Hearing Aid Dispenser. She is looking forward to bringing her unique approach to audiology to the Port Washington community.

"We are so glad to be back in our Port Washington location serving the needs of this great community," said Dr. Sophia Behrmann, audiologist at I Love Hearing. "We had been welcoming patients by appointment only, which was tricky due to the pandemic, so when we saw a real need in the community, we knew we had to get back to our full operating hours as soon as it was safe to do so."

According to Behrmann, I Love Hearing's Port Washington office is a "real staple" in the tight-knit Long Island community going back about 20 years.

"One of the mottos of this town is 'Port Washington Strong,' and people who live here really embody that," Behrmann said, noting that the Port Washington office was one of the practice's most visited before the COVID-19 pandemic. "After so many months of office closures followed by limited operation, our patients are thankful and happy that they can easily book an appointment and walk out with cleaned, well-adjusted hearing aids."

Behrmann said that the office is continuing to practice safety protocols as recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), including mask wearing inside the office, thorough sanitation between appointments, and social distancing observed in the waiting room. One rule that has changed, though, is that I Love Hearing now allows patients to bring one person to accompany them to appointments.

"We have two waiting rooms in Port Washington, so there is plenty of space to social distance," Behrmann said.

As a practice anchored in ongoing hearing health, Behrmann said that the practice has a "Family and Friends" hearing screening initiative, in which the person accompanying a patient to their appointment can get their hearing screened at the same time, free of charge.

"A lot of people don't realize that starting at around age 50, you should have annual hearing tests, so we are now offering that as a service to everyone," Behrmann said. "Hearing loss affects everybody, so if you're already in our office waiting for someone, let's give you a baseline so you know where your hearing is at."

Behrmann added that the Family and Friends initiative is in line with the practice's ethos that hearing should be just as important a part of health and wellness as yearly checkups with the doctor.

"We like to treat not just hearing loss, but how hearing loss affects someone's whole life," Behrmann said.

I Love Hearing's Port Washington office is located at 191 Main Street, near the Port Washington Public Library. Hours are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Sunday and evening hours are available by appointment. For more information and to make an appointment at any I Love Hearing location, visit www.ILoveHearing.com.

ABOUT I LOVE HEARING

I Love Hearing offers hearing aid fittings, hearing aid service, hearing aid testing, hearing protection products, hearing aid accessories, hearing aid classes and workshops, tinnitus therapy, and ear wax management under the care of experienced hearing professionals. I Love Hearing sells nearly every brand on the market, and services all brands of hearing aids and hearing protection. Locations include offices in Long Island in Port Washington, New Hyde Park, and East Meadow, and a fourth location on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, New York City. For more information, visit www.ILoveHearing.com.

SOURCE I Love Hearing

Related Links

http://www.ILoveHearing.com


TORONTO and CHICAGO, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - To mark Pride Month, BMO Financial Group is reaffirming its commitment to listening to, learning from and celebrating the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and two-spirited (LGBTQ2+) community through initiatives designed to eliminate barriers to inclusion. As a proud supporter of Pride for more than two decades, BMO is celebrating and sponsoring events in communities across North America  including the 25th annual pride & remembrance run in Canada  in addition to launching BMO Pride's new Road to Allyship Training Program for employees and establishing a five-year workforce representation goal of 3 per cent for LGBTQ2+ employees.

"At BMO, our Purpose to Boldly Grow the Good in business and life is the driving force behind creating a more inclusive and barrier free society that celebrates the everyday moments of the people who stand up and say 'Pride lives in me,'" said Mona Malone, Head of People & Culture and Chief Human Resources Officer, BMO Financial Group. "We are dedicated to fostering an environment of belonging, where all employees and customers are valued, respected and heard. Allies play an invaluable role in driving inclusion though support and advocacy, and by creating open and safe surroundings for all."

BMO Pride in Action

BMO, as part of its Purpose, remains focused on accelerating positive change and eliminating barriers to inclusion. The bank's ongoing support for the LGBTQ2+ community includes community and customer-focused initiatives, such as:

Supporting and sponsoring Pride events across North America including Blackhawks Pride Night, Chicago Bulls Pride Night, CANFAR, Maison du Parc, and The519.

including Blackhawks Pride Night, Chicago Bulls Pride Night, CANFAR, Maison du Parc, and The519. Sponsoring the Pride and Remembrance Association's annual pride and remembrance run in Canada , which BMO has been a proud sponsor of since its inception in 1996. For this year's first-ever virtual run, BMO will partner with three Canadian drag queen content creators to produce Spotify playlists for participants.

in , which BMO has been a proud sponsor of since its inception in 1996. For this year's first-ever virtual run, BMO will partner with three Canadian drag queen content creators to produce Spotify playlists for participants. Throughout the month of June, BMO is running a comprehensive social media and marketing campaign, Pride Lives Here, featured in branches across North America to showcase the everyday moments where Pride lives for customers and employees.

to showcase the everyday moments where Pride lives for customers and employees. In December 2019 , BMO Harris Bank was the first bank to issue the True Name  debit card, which allows customers to use their chosen name on the front of their cards, without the requirement of a legal name change. In June 2020 , BMO expanded the availability of Mastercard's True Name feature to additional payment card types.

BMO Pride in the Workplace

As part of the bank's Zero Barriers to Inclusion 2025 strategy BMO has set a five-year workforce representation goal of 3 per cent for LGBTQ2+ employees. This commitment will ensure equitable opportunity, improving access to development and career advancement.

The launch of BMO Pride's new Road to Allyship Training Program, which provides employees with steps and resources to help them strengthen their ability to be committed and supportive allies of their LGBTQ2+ colleagues and customers .

For the fourth consecutive year, BMO Harris Bank was recognized by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) for being an industry leader in championing diversity and inclusion, earning a perfect score on its 2021 Corporate Equality Index (CEI). BMO was also named a 2021 Best Place to Work for LGBTQ Equality.

As part of its expanded focus on employee education, mentorship, executive sponsorship, and talent acquisition, BMO continues to expand its Gender Pronoun Initiative to branches across Canada and encourages employees to state their pronouns in their email signatures across communication channels internally and externally.

and encourages employees to state their pronouns in their email signatures across communication channels internally and externally. Comprised of more than 1,600 employees in Canada and the U.S, BMO's Pride Enterprise Resource group continues to drive awareness, encourage conversation, foster personal and professional growth opportunities, and promotes an equitable and inclusive environment for all.

For more information on BMO's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion commitments, visit: https://our-impact.bmo.com.

About BMO Financial Group

Serving customers for 200 years and counting, BMO is a highly diversified financial services provider - the 8th largest bank, by assets, in North America. With total assets of $950 billion as of April 30, 2021, and a team of diverse and highly engaged employees, BMO provides a broad range of personal and commercial banking, wealth management and investment banking products and services to more than 12 million customers and conducts business through three operating groups: Personal and Commercial Banking, BMO Wealth Management and BMO Capital Markets.

SOURCE BMO Financial Group
KUWAIT CITY, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Kalaam Telecom, Bahrain's leading technology solutions provider, announced the 100% acquisition of Zajil International Telecom Company, a prominent Kuwait-based Information and Communications Technology (ICT) service provider. Protiviti Member Firm for the Middle East Region (www.protiviti.com/KW-en) was the exclusive M&A advisor to Zajil on this transaction, which is estimated to be the largest ICT deal in the MENA region in the last three years.

"ICT is one of the most competitive spaces globally  and Protiviti enjoys a leadership position in this space. Our experience helped us tremendously in creating the right transaction strategy for Zajil to materialize this deal," asserted Sanjeev Agarwal, CEO, Protiviti Member Firm for the Middle East Region. "Over the last couple of years, most of the M&A deals  globally in general and MENA in particular, have been fueled not just out of a desire to expand the top line, but also to bring in digital transformation in a big way. This trend is going to accelerate. Telecom and ICT companies in GCC have to walk the tightrope between expanding into digital space, mitigating associated risks and unearthing new business value. Protiviti, as the trusted advisors to most of the leading telecom operators in the region, is uniquely positioned to help clients by bringing in deep sector knowledge, experience and firsthand insights" Sanjeev added.

Commenting on the transaction, Mr. Mohammed Abdulaziz Al Tuwaijri, Chairman at Zajil, said "Over the past 30 years Zajil has emerged as a trusted and reliable partner to leading corporates and financial institutions in the GCC region, as well as globally. We are glad that Kalaam will be the new owners of Zajil, as I am confident that they share the same vision that we have had for Zajil to continue being a leading ICT service provider in the MENA region. I take this opportunity to thank Protiviti for being with us throughout this journey, and we are appreciative of their support and advice given to us during this process."

George Thomas, Managing Director, Transaction Services, Protiviti, said "The deal presented some unique challenges, considering the extensive reach of Zajil and multiple regulatory environments. Protiviti's deal advisory team worked closely with the Zajil team as well as Kalaam, and their advisers to ensure an optimal deal structure, which was aligned to meet the aspirations of all parties involved."

Protiviti's transaction services helps organisations evaluate transactions to ensure they are entered into with a full understanding of the opportunities and risks. We provide a range of highly tailored advisory services that span the transaction lifecycle to maximise value.

About Protiviti

Protiviti (www.protiviti.com) is a global consulting firm that delivers deep expertise, objective insights, a tailored approach and unparalleled collaboration to help leaders confidently face the future. Protiviti and our independent and locally owned Member Firms provide clients with consulting and managed solutions in finance, technology, operations, data, analytics, governance, risk and internal audit through our network of more than 85 offices in over 25 countries.

Named to the 2021 Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For list, Protiviti has served more than 60 percent of Fortune 1000 and 35 percent of Fortune Global 500 companies. The firm also works with smaller, growing companies, including those looking to go public, as well as with government agencies. Protiviti is a wholly owned subsidiary of Robert Half (NYSE: RHI). Founded in 1948, Robert Half is a member of the S&P 500 index.

SOURCE Protiviti Middle East
"After the last year of quarantines and travel restrictions, the ability to reunite with family has taken on even greater meaning for our service members," said Bill French, CEO of Armed Services YMCA. "We are profoundly grateful to Jack Daniel's, Indian Motorcycle, and Ritchie Bros. for making this auction possible. Our military families need and deserve a chance to go home and the funds raised from this event will make that possible."

The Gentleman Jack will be sold unreserved in Ritchie Bros.' Southeast Regional online auction on June 29. Its whiskey pearl paint scheme and oakwood accents are inspired by Jack Daniel's crafting process. The bike also includes Pathfinder Adaptive LED headlight with Pathfinder S LED driving light; ClimaCommand Rogue heated and cooled seat; and a one-of-a-kind Montana Silversmith badge, engraved with the bike's number 001 of 107.

"We are so proud to help auction off this one-of-a-kind Indian/Gentleman Jack Roadmaster for ASYMCA," said Kieran Holm, President, RB Services, Ritchie Bros. "Since Jack Daniel's Operation Ride Home program began in 2011, the partnership has generated a total of more than $1.8 million in donations and sent a total of 8,583 individual junior-enlisted service members and their families home when it mattered most. Servicemen and women from the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard have been assisted with travel to all 50 states."

For more information about the Gentleman Jack motorcycle and/or Ritchie Bros. Southeastern Regional auction, 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.
JOHANNESBURG, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Sasol has made significant progress in deleveraging its balance sheet following a strong operating performance in a more supportive macroeconomic environment, continuing cash conservation measures and ongoing asset divestments. One of the Company's main objectives remains to reduce absolute debt levels, which will trigger the consideration to resume dividend payments. Debt metrics are currently following a positive trajectory but may still be negatively impacted by oil price volatility.

The current hedging program consists mainly of put options and provides protection against oil prices decreasing to below approximately US$43,11 per barrel. Following the recent material rise in the oil price, Sasol has been able to restructure and enhance its financial year 2022 hedging programme, ensuring cash flow robustness and protection against future oil price volatility.

The existing oil put hedges of 24 million barrels for financial year 2022, as reported in the Production and Sales Metrics ending 31 March 2021, have been restructured and replaced by a zero cost collar hedging structure. This has allowed the Company to increase the gross average floor oil price on the existing 24 million barrels from US$43,11 per barrel to approximately US$60,09 per barrel, albeit with a cap of approximately US$71,97 per barrel. The premium paid on the original put options for financial year 2022 will be realised as an expense of approximately US$30 million to US$34 million, reflecting the cancelled options and new hedges which were executed in terms of the updated hedging strategy.

The oil hedge cover ratio for financial year 2022 has also been increased by hedging an additional 18 million barrels or an incremental 4,5 million barrels per quarter. This was achieved by increasing the hedge cover ratio from 80% to 90% of total Synfuels synthetic crude oil production, and including 90% of Sasol's share of Oryx production and equivalent commodity chemicals volumes where there is a strong correlation to oil price.

The incremental 4,5 million barrels for quarter one to three of financial year 2022 have been executed using swaps at an average strike level of US$67,52; US$67,03 and US$67,21 per barrel respectively. Completion of the last 4,5 million barrels for quarter four is still in progress. The actual realised chemical margins for the base chemical sales volumes for financial year 2022 will be unaffected by this hedging program.

The updated hedging levels underpin the strengthening of the balance sheet and the reduction of the Company's absolute debt levels. The restructuring was focused on financial year 2022 only. The Company will however continue to update the market on any changes to our financial risk management positions in our quarterly market disclosures.

For further information, please contact:

Sasol Investor Relations,

Tiffany Sydow, Investor Relations Officer

Telephone: +27-(0)-71-673-1929

[email protected]

Disclaimer - Forward-looking statements

Sasol may, in this document, make certain statements that are not historical facts and relate to analyses and other information which are based on forecasts of future results and estimates of amounts not yet determinable. These statements may also relate to our future prospects, expectations, developments and business strategies. Examples of such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the impact of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on Sasol's business, results of operations, financial condition and liquidity and statements regarding the effectiveness of any actions taken by Sasol to address or limit any impact of COVID-19 on its business; statements regarding exchange rate fluctuations, changing crude oil prices, volume growth, changes in demand for Sasol's products, increases in market share, total shareholder return, executing our growth projects, oil and gas reserves, cost reductions, legislative, regulatory and fiscal development, our climate change strategy and business performance outlook. Words such as "believe", "anticipate", "expect", "intend", "seek", "will", "plan", "could", "may", "endeavour", "target", "forecast" and "project" and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements, but are not the exclusive means of identifying such statements. By their very nature, forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, and there are risks that the predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved. If one or more of these risks materialise, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, our actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. You should understand that a number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from the plans, objectives, expectations, estimates and intentions expressed in such forward-looking statements. These factors and others are discussed more fully in our most recent annual report on Form 20-F filed on 24 August 2020 and in other filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. The list of factors discussed therein is not exhaustive; when relying on forward-looking statements to make investment decisions, you should carefully consider both these factors and other uncertainties and events. Forward-looking statements apply only as of the date on which they are made, and we do not undertake any obligation to update or revise any of them, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

SOURCE Sasol Limited
WATERLOO, ON, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- SkyWatch Space Applications Inc. ("SkyWatch"), a Waterloo-based space technology startup, announced today it has signed an agreement to deliver data management capabilities to SatRevolution, a commercial satellite company headquartered in Wroclaw, Poland.

Based on the state-of-the-art UniBus 3U CubeSat platform developed by SatRevolution, STORK-4 and STORK-5 are the first optical satellites to be launched as part of the company's 14-satellite STORK constellation. Once deployed, STORK-4 and STORK-5 will collect multispectral medium-resolution imagery and data for agricultural and energy customers in the US, Poland, and globally.

SkyWatch's TerraStream platform will provide data management, ordering, processing, and delivery services for the upcoming mission. The turnkey data management platform allows satellite operators to focus on developing core intellectual property while scaling a business with analysis-ready data and reduced time to market. Integration with SkyWatch's EarthCache platform, which provides application developers and GIS specialists with satellite imagery at scale, allows TerraStream customers to expand their market reach and add a new revenue stream to their business from day one.

"At SatRevolution, we believe that remote sensing can help solve problems around the world, from recovering from natural disasters, to helping farmers improve crop yield," says Grzegorz Zwolinski, CEO at SatRevolution. "However, the barriers to entering the satellite market are really high. Working with SkyWatch has allowed us to enter this new market faster and more profitably."

"We're honored to have been selected by our friends at SatRevolution to support their STORK mission," says James Slifierz, CEO at SkyWatch. "Enabling new and exciting commercial satellite operators is the key to further democratizing Earth observation data, and we're thrilled to partner with SatRevolution to bring this high-quality and affordable data down to Earth and into the hands of people who need it most, via the TerraStream and EarthCache platforms."

ABOUT SKYWATCH

SkyWatch (www.skywatch.com) is on a mission to make Earth Observation data accessible to the world. Hundreds of trillions of pixels of our planet are captured from space every day. Utilizing our past experience in space data aggregation software, our team is building the infrastructure to connect satellite data operators and application developers. EarthCache is the simplest way to get satellite data for an application. TerraStream is an integrated data management solution for satellite data operators that handles all data-related operations from ground station to customers. For more information, visit www.skywatch.com.

ABOUT SATREVOLUTION

SatRevolution is a Polish company established in 2016 to develop a real-time Earth Observation constellation and become the largest worldwide operator of EO satellites. The Company aims to deliver 1,024 nanosatellites to the Low Earth Orbit by 2026 to provide round-the-clock Earth Observation, complete manufacturing and management of the satellites, as well as compliance monitoring, and on-site engineering consulting. For more, please visit www.satrevolution.com.

MEDIA INQUIRIES:

SkyWatch: [email protected]

SOURCE SkyWatch
GURUGRAM, India, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --

Key Findings

During Covid pandemic, cargo was backlogged at KSA's major container ports; travel restrictions led to a shortage of truck drivers to pick up containers and ocean carriers canceled sailings.

Saudi customs authority has restricted freight forwarders to only 2 brokers from each company at all ports of entry, which is causing delays in freight clearances.

Strong demand is anticipated for full fledged integrated distribution centers including logistics facilities, dry storage; cold storage and supporting retail facilities.

Technological advancements would ensure improved supply chain transparency, enhance supply chain security and lead to improved cost efficiency within logistics framework in Saudi Arabia. Rise of automation and VASs to give a competitive edge is changing the way warehouses operate. In addition, warehousing companies are seeking business support, such as IT solutions and financing from both government as well as non-government sources.

Development of Logistics Infrastructure: Government of KSA is taking initiatives for development of economic zones and logistics centers to accommodate the increasing demand of freight forwarding owning to economic diversification & Vision 2030. KSA government aims to aggressively drive and position 50 islands and 100 miles of Red Sea as a global tourist destination. Expansion of Red Sea corridor in Jeddah, the minerals hub in Yanbu, King Abdullah port and NEOM project are also expected to drive the freight forwarding industry. Saudi Arabian government is investing to improve its port infrastructure that envisages using innovative technological solutions to also automate processes & activities. With the new plans of improvement, the rail network is expected to have connectivity with ports, major transport hubs, warehouses, freight terminals, and distribution centres, which will decrease the transportation time from coast to coast (which currently takes about 10 days, and is expected to decrease to 10-15 hours by rail).

KSA Government opened the retail and wholesale sectors to 100% foreign ownership and has launched a large privatization programme. Competition will intensify due to entrance of global players due to flexible rules and regulations thus, leading to surge in M&A's and further intensifying the competition in the freight forwarding market. The government is also developing Free Zones near KSA airports which are aimed to attract foreign businesses by relaxed licenses & taxation policies, thus increasing more foreign investments in the country.

Increasing adaptation of E-Commerce as a result of restrictions posed by the COVID-19 pandemic will bring change in terms of consumer buying behaviour. Big retailers for instance, Carrefour and Abu Dawood reported surge in online sales of up to 200-300% in 2020 and further expect an escalating growth trajectory in the long-term.

The report titled "Saudi Arabia Dry Logistics and Warehousing Market Outlook to 2025  Warehousing Automation and Investment within Transport Infrastructure to Drive Market Revenue)" by Ken Research suggested that the dry logistics market is further expected to grow in the near future as companies are willing to expand in terms of fleet size and warehousing space; potential regional opportunities; shifting to asset light model for warehousing / storage availability. The government can establish a logistics manpower framework, establish a skills council for logistics; pricing at sea ports to attract FDI, revise regulations around customs licensing, promoting bonded logistics & strengthen-ing trade relations with other countries. The market is expected to register a positive six year CAGR of 1.3% in terms of revenue during the forecast period 2019-2025F.

Key Segments Covered in KSA Dry Logistics Market:-

Service Mix

Freight Forwarding



Warehousing



Value Added Services

Regions

Jeddah



Riyadh



Dammam



Rabigh



Others (Al- Khobar, Medina, Tabuk and several other cities)

KSA Dry Freight Forwarding Market

Mode of Freight



Road Freight





Air Freight





Sea Freight





Rail Freight



International and Domestic Freight



Road Freight





Air Freight





Sea Freight



International and Domestic Companies



Flow Corridors (International Freight)



Asian Countries





European Countries





Middle East





NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement)





Other Regions ( Africa and South America )

and ) KSA Dry Warehousing Market

Business Model



Industrial / Retail





Container Freight / Inland Container Depots



End Users



Construction Material / Industrial





Consumer Retail





Food and Beverage





Healthcare





Automotive





Others (Agriculture, Chemicals and Rest)



Entities



Real Estate Companies





Captive Companies





Logistics Companies



Cities



Jeddah





Riyadh





Dammam





Others (Al-Khobar, Medina, Tabuk and other cities)

KSA Customs Clearance Market

Overall Value Added Services



Customs Clearance Revenue by Sea





Customs Clearance Revenue by Air



Transhipment Cargo Volume



Discharged Transhipment Containers





Loaded Transhipment Containers

Key Target Audience:-

International Domestic Freight Forwarders

Warehousing Companies

Logistics Companies

Logistics Consultants

Customer Clearance and Container Yards

Integrated Logistic Companies

Time Period Captured in the Report:-

Historical Period: 2014-2019

2014-2019 Forecast Period: 20192025

Companies Covered:-

Karsf

LSC

JAS

Arabco

Mubarrad

Bahri

Defaf logistics

Wolf Logistics

Namma Cargo

Almajdieou

Al Ayed

Agility logistics

Four winds logistics

Globus Logistics

Space logistics

Atlas world

Uniworld Freight Services

Hellman

BAFCO International Logistics and Shipping Co.

Hala Supply Chain

RAZ

Gulf system

Platinum shipping and logistics

MSC

OCSCL (Oriental Commercial & Shipping)

NTF Group

Abdui Global

Al rashed

GAC

Kanoo terminal Services

Online Retail Companies Covered:-

Carrefour

Panda Retailing

Abdullah Othaim Market

Danube

Tamimi Market

Lulu Hypermarkets

Key Topics Covered in the Report:-

Saudi Arabia Overview and Major Economic Zones

Saudi Arabia Dry Logistics and Warehousing Market

Trade Scenario

Saudi Arabia Dry Freight Forwarding Market

Saudi Arabia Dry Warehousing Market

Snapshot on Saudi Arabia Customs Clearance and Transhipment Market

Industry Analysis (Decision Making Process, SWOT Analysis, VAT Impact and Law of Public Transport on Roads of KSA)

Cost of Setting up a Logistics Business in Saudi Arabia

Comparative Landscape  KSA Dry Logistics Market

Comparative Landscape in Saudi Arabia Online Retail Market

Online Retail Market Recommendations / Success Factors

Research Methodology

Appendix

Warehousing Automation in Saudi Arabia

Transport Infrastructure Saudi Arabia

Seaport Operations Saudi Arabia

Jubail Port Saudi Arabia

Jeddah Islamic Port Saudi Arabia

King Abdul Aziz Port Saudi Arabia

Maritime Network Saudi Arabia

Yanbu Commercial Port Saudi Arabia

King Fahad Industrial Port Yanbu Saudi Arabia

Jubail Commercial Port Saudi Arabia

Ras Al-Khair Port Saudi Arabia

Dhiba Port Saudi Arabia

Jizan Port Saudi Arabia

Major Trade Routes Saudi Arabia

Port Handling Capacity Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia Port Berths

Saudi Arabia Port Terminal Operators

Saudi Arabia Cargo Logistics

Saudi Arabia Warehousing Operations

Trucks on Road Saudi Arabia

King Abdullah Economic City KSA

Dry Logistics Revenue Saudi Arabia

Value Added Services Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia Online Freight Platforms

Saudi Arabia Bonded Warehouses & Zones

Saudi Arabia Customs Clearance Procedures

Saudi Arabia Overall Logistics Revenue

Leading Export Categories Saudi Arabia

Leading Import Categories Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia Dry Freight Forwarding Market

International Freight Saudi Arabia

Dry Freight Saudi Arabia

Road Freight Saudi Arabia

Sea Freight Saudi Arabia

Air Freight Saudi Arabia

Rail Freight Saudi Arabia

Competition in Saudi Arabia Freight Forwarding

Freight Forwarding Saudi Arabia Trucking Industry

Autonomous Vehicles in Saudi Arabia

COVID Impact KSA Dry Freight Forwarding Market

Dry Warehousing Revenue Saudi Arabia

Industrial Warehousing Saudi Arabia

Retail Warehousing Saudi Arabia

Container Freight Saudi Arabia

Inland Container Depots Saudi Arabia

Real Estate Companies in KSA Warehousing

Logistics Companies in KSA Warehousing

Jeddah Warehousing Space

Riyadh Warehousing Space

Dammam Warehousing Space

Total Warehousing Space Saudi Arabia

Warehousing Price Saudi Arabia

Logistics and Distribution Centers Saudi Arabia

Warehousing Cost Component Model Saudi Arabia

Major Players Operating in KSA Warehousing Market

Warehousing Management System Saudi Arabia

Robotic Automation KSA Warehousing

Big Data Analytics KSA Warehousing

Drone Technology KSA Warehousing

COVID Impact on Saudi Warehousing Market

Supply Chain Interruptions Saudi Arabia

Supply Chain Disruptions Saudi Arabia

Number of Containers Imported in Saudi Arabia

Air Shipments Saudi Arabia

Container Yard Model in Dammam

Container Yard Model in Riyadh

Transhipment Cargo Volume Saudi Arabia

Loaded Transhipment Containers Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia Transhipment Hub

Saudi Arabia Port Terminal Charges

Transhipment Restrictions in Saudi Arabia

VAT Impact on KSA Logistics & Transportation

Cost of Setting up a Logistics Business in Saudi Arabia

Logistics Business Registration Saudi Arabia

Construction Cost for Warehouses Units Saudi Arabia

Logistics Companies in Saudi Arabia

Logistics Companies Fleet Size Saudi Arabia

Logistics Companies Fleet Type Saudi Arabia

Logistics Companies Average Occupancy Saudi Arabia

For More Information on the research report, refer to below link:-

Saudi Arabia Dry Logistics and Warehousing Market

Related Reports:-

Saudi Arabia Logistics and Warehousing Market Outlook to 2023 (Second Edition) - Expected Recovery in Demand Growth with Rising Infrastructure Spending, Government Reforms and Surge in Trade

The Saudi Arabia logistics and warehousing market was witnessed to remain buoyant over the past five years despite the temporary stagnation of the economy and decrease in oil prices owing to the global oil price shock. The market increased at a positive CAGR during the period 2012 to 2018. The improving road infrastructure, rise in government support in the form of incentives and subsidies, improving corporate working environment due to large availability of expatriate workforce and rise in the industrial activities are expected to support the growth of the market in future. Freight forwarding segment has dominated the logistics and warehousing industry in Saudi Arabia over the past few years.

Competition Benchmarking of Top Logistics Players in KSA in Transportation, Warehousing, 3PL, International Express, Domestic Express, Automotive, Pharma, Oil and Gas and Retail Logistics

The industry is dominated by Sea and land freight Movements considering the strong position in Oil Exports and import Dependency for all the Essential Products too. The country has strong trade relations with Asian countries, European countries, and the US. Land freight is usually common with UAE, Bahrain, Jordan, and Egypt. Air freight is quite expensive than any other Mode and is usually used for Express Shipments. The KSA also has a strong warehousing market segment where the real estate players are leasing out their space to logistics companies and Captive players for longer durations. Warehouses are concentrated in areas of Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, Al Khobar due to the high population and presence of Seaports. The Courier, Express, and Parcel market is driven by growth in Last-Mile deliveries and the E-Commerce segment in the country.

UAE Logistics and Warehousing Market Outlook to 2025  By Road , Sea and Air Freight Forwarding; Domestic and International Freight, Major Flow Corridors, Integrated and Contract Freight Forwarding; By Warehousing (Industrial / Retail, CFS / Inland Container Depot & Cold Storage, Agriculture), End Users (Manufacturing, Retail, Food and Beverage, Automotive, Oil and Gas, Healthcare), Type of Warehouses; By Courier Express & Parcel Market , and, E-commerce Logistics

UAE logistics and warehousing market is on strong and sustainable growth trajectory. The economy has faced volatility in 2013-2019 owning to increasing foreign direct investments, increase investments in infrastructures, negative repercussions of global economic slowdown, 100% ownership in certain sectors and fall in oil prices. Foreign Direct investments in 2016-2018 is estimated to be USD 139 Billion leading to total foreign direct investments of USD 139 Billion in UAE. Government of UAE has consistently taken initiatives to reduce dependence on oil exports due to falling prices. Various government initiatives such as EXPO 2020, Dubai Vision 2020 , Abu Dhabi Vision 2030 and flexible rules and regulations have been taken up to promote economic diversification of the economy.

Competition Benchmarking of Top Logistics Players in UAE in Transportation, Warehousing, 3PL, International Express, Domestic Express, Automotive, Pharma, Oil and Gas and Retail Logistics

The industry is home to an extremely strong Freight Forwarding segment, driven by the UAE's position as a key facilitator for global re-exports. Moreover, given its high dependence on Imports for Consumer Products and Technology, the UAE has strong trade relations with far-Eastern countries, European countries and the US. Given its oil-producing capabilities, the country relies heavily on Sea Freight as a mode of cargo transport, with the service being almost a common feature amongst freight forwarding companies in the country. The UAE also has a strong warehousing market segment, driven by players that lease warehousing space for long durations of time. Warehousing operations near to the Jebel Ali Port and Dubai Airport are considered most favourable to reduce the transportation cost from port to mother-hub. The Courier, Express and Parcel market is driven by growth in Last-Mile deliveries and the E-Commerce segment in the country.

Philippines Logistics Market Outlook to 2024 (Sixth Edition) By Sea, Land, and Air Freight Forwarding; By Warehousing (Industrial/ Retail, ICD/CFS, Cold Storage, Agriculture), By End Users; By Cold chain market (Cold transportation and Cold storages)

Philippines Logistics Market has witnessed an average CAGR during 2014-19 due to favorable laws from CTAP, Investments in Bridges to promote Inter-island transportation through RORO, and development of ports both by the government and with Public-Private Partnerships. The Current logistics cost comprise 27.16 % of sales in the Philippines which is very high in comparison to other SEA countries. The influx of foreign players, increasing consolidation, Green freight policies by the Government, and investing in innovative technologies has stimulated the growth in the market.

Contact Us:-

Ken Research

Ankur Gupta, Head Marketing & Communications

[email protected]

+91-9015378249

SOURCE Ken Research
LAVAL, QC, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. ("Couche-Tard" or the "Company") (TSX: ATD.A) (TSX: ATD.B) announced today that it will host a virtual investor day on Wednesday, July 14, 2021 from 9:00 a.m. to approximately 1:00 p.m. EDT. The event will feature presentations from President and Chief Executive Officer, Brian Hannasch, and other members of Couche-Tard's executive leadership team. A question period will follow the presentations.

The full program and participation details will be provided closer to the date on the Investors section of the Company's website. A replay of the event as well as the accompanying presentations will be archived on the website following the conclusion of the event.

About Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc.

Couche-Tard is a global leader in convenience and fuel retail, operating in 26 countries and territories, with more than 14,200 stores, of which approximately 10,800 offer road transportation fuel. With its well-known Couche-Tard and Circle K banners, it is the largest independent convenience store operator in terms of the number of company-operated stores in the United States and it is a leader in the convenience store industry and road transportation fuel retail in Canada, Scandinavia, the Baltics, as well as in Ireland. It also has an important presence in Poland and Hong Kong. Approximately 135,000 people are employed throughout its network.

Forward-Looking Statements

The statements set forth in this press release, which describes Couche-Tard's objectives, projections, estimates, expectations or forecasts, may constitute forward looking statements within the meaning of securities legislation. Positive or negative verbs such as "believe", "can", "shall", "intend", "expect", "estimate", "assume" and other related expressions are used to identify such statements. Couche-Tard would like to point out that, by their very nature, forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties such that its results, or the measures it adopts, could differ materially from those indicated in or underlying these statements, or could have an impact on the degree of realization of a particular projection. Major factors that may lead to a material difference between Couche Tard's actual results and the projections or expectations set forth in the forward-looking statements include the effects of the integration of acquired businesses and the ability to achieve projected synergies, uncertainty related to the duration and severity of the current COVID-19 pandemic, fluctuations in margins on motor fuel sales, competition in the convenience store and retail motor fuel industries, exchange rate variations, and such other risks as described in detail from time to time in the reports filed by Couche-Tard with securities regulatory authorities in Canada. Unless otherwise required by applicable securities laws, Couche-Tard disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. The forward-looking information in this release is based on information available as of the date of the release.

SOURCE Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc.

Related Links

http://corpo.couche-tard.com


HOUSTON, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- SBSB Law is pleased to announce the elevation of Terry Bonner in its Boca Raton office, Houston attorney Karin F. Lieber, and Hanna Verlander from the firm's New Orleans office, to partner.

"These new partners have demonstrated a high level of thought and legal prowess in their practices, and that dedication is reflected in the positive results they continue to deliver to clients," said managing partner John L. Schouest. "We take great pride in fostering the growth of our attorneys and will continue providing opportunities for team members to develop, advance and reach new career milestones. Congratulations to Terry, Karin, and Hanna on your new position."

Mr. Bonner focuses his practice on defense of federal worker's compensation claims covered under the Longshore and Harbor Worker's Compensation Act, the Defense Base Act, and the Jones Act, as well as insurance defense, premise liability, and general civil litigation. He holds more than 15 years of experience and earned his J.D. from St. Thomas University School of Law.

Ms. Lieber's practice also focuses on matters involving defense of labor and employment arising under the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act and the Defense Base Act, as well as general maritime law. Early in her career, she clerked for the Honorable Judge Ken Wise at the 14th Court of Appeals of Texas, held internships at both the Texas Attorney General's Office as well as for Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson. She earned her J.D. from Boston University School of Law.

Ms. Verlander's practice focuses on civil defense litigation, concentrating on maritime/admiralty law, construction, transportation, personal injury, and claims arising the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act and the Defense Base Act. She obtained her law degree and Bachelor of Civil Law from the Paul M. Hebert Law Center at Louisiana State University.

Schouest, Bamdas, Soshea & BenMaier PLLC or SBSB Law is a group of experienced attorneys who have come together to form a law firm focused on client needs. The firm's goal is to be the go-to resource at every stage of the legal process, bringing deeper experience, deeper commitment and deeper insights to help solve the most complex issues. In consultation or in the courtroom, the firm will aggressively pursue a client's best interests. SBSB Law attorneys also are just great people who also happen to be great lawyers.

For more information about the firm and its team of attorneys, visit www.sbsblaw.com.

Media Contact:

Jennie Bui-McCoy

800-559-4534

[email protected]

SOURCE Schouest, Bamdas, Soshea & BenMaier PLLC

Related Links

https://www.sbsblaw.com


LONDON, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- For entrepreneurs, whether self-funded or backed by venture capital or private equity, the goal from the time they start the business is often to eventually sell and exit the business for the right price. But reaching that goal is often a road filled with many different challenges, hurdles, and roadblocks, all of which can lead to the founder never achieving their goal.

Scale At Speed by Felix Velarde, founder of 2Y3X is a program for growth, scaling and selling your business for what it is really worth. Felix Velarde, author of Scale At Speed and founder of 2Y3X.

Serial agency founder and MBA Adjunct Professor Felix Velarde has not only scaled the agency mountain numerous times, but repeatedly exited profitably. It is through both Velarde's successes and defeats that he has developed a framework for how companies can scale at speed.

"Felix always wished there was someone to help him grow his first companies but he had to learn the hard way. Now what's been learned is available to everyone," said Frank Kelcz, co-founder with Velarde at 2Y3X. "With Scale at Speed, our team of successful executives and entrepreneurs are making it easier for founders and leaders of companies to realize their vision, and reach their goals and dreams, by using 2Y3X's Scale at Speed program, which when deciphered means two years to achieve three times revenue."

The London-based entrepreneur has even written a book, " Scale at Speed ," published by Robinson, an imprint of Little, Brown and Company. "Scale at Speed" provides a programmatic methodology that tackles many of the issues that entrepreneurs face every day. Following the methodology will help make businesses so successful that the suitors will come knocking on their doors.

"If you're an entrepreneur and owner of a business but have never run a successful business before, 2Y3X's Scale at Speed program is for you," said Felix Velarde, founder of 2Y3X and author of 'Scale at Speed.' "As you hit a business plateau, to get to the next level, you need to have a transformation, which is what 2Y3X helps you do."

The book describes the Scale at Speed methodology that 2Y3X clients have used to achieve success.The two-year program is designed for a team of 5-6 people making strategic changes while the business continues to operate. Clients receive guidance from 2Y3X consultants, who share how to identify a problem and break it down into solvable pieces while moving forward.

Scale at Speed is considered by many to be a must-read book of its type. "It's a manual for how you change the world that is not specific to any single industry. As a result, it can be applied to every and any industry," added Velarde. "The book works best if you have at least 25 people in your company. through a 2-year program where with each step, the company can improve and grow."

This methodology can be applied to any situation, whether it's business, personal or financial. "The ultimate goal is to help readers think about where they want to be and then show them how to get there by teaching problem solving, not solving the problems for them," said Velarde.

2Y3X also guarantees results. They accomplish this by helping businesses, private and public, but primarily private, identify everything they need to do to scale-up once their business has hit $2M+ in annual revenue. Often, this is when the company has hit a plateau in growth and wants to grow to the next level.

"There are many business books that talk about what other companies have done in the past, but it's not often you get a step-by-step guide on how to grow your business from someone who has done it many times already. Scale at Speed is relevant, practical, and essential for all entrepreneurs looking to grow their business," said Ronan Gruenbaum, Dean and Professor of Practice, Hult International Business School, where Velarde has served in the past as an Adjunct Professor.

For executives looking to grow their business, "Scale at Speed" offers an essential road map that enables their business to be on the path to success. The book will be available in the UK in paperback, and internationally as an eBook from Amazon, Barnes and Noble and other leading booksellers on June 10th as well as via Audible and other top audiobook services worldwide.

About 2Y3X

2Y3X was started by Felix Velarde, who founded one of the world's first web design companies in 1994 and went on to lead six pioneering agencies and a marketing services group, and Frank Kelcz who spearheaded Ziff-Davis's international expansion before joining the venture capital world.

Note to editors: Review copies in PDF format of "Scale at Speed" are available by request. Interview request should be directed to: [email protected]

For 2Y3X:

Samantha Katzeff

NRPR

[email protected]

424-421-9610

SOURCE 2Y3X
WASHINGTON, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Three U.S. Senators jointly announced today, at the 2021 American Jewish Committee (AJC) Global Forum, the launch of the bipartisan Senate Caucus on Black-Jewish Relations. Formation of the caucus comes amidst a rise in hate crimes directed toward minority communities across the United States, and a renewed commitment to bringing Blacks and Jews together, not just in the halls of the Capitol but on the streets of America.

"We are going to show real leadership on this issue," said Senator Jacky Rosen of Nevada, who was joined by Senators Tim Scott of South Carolina and Cory Booker of New Jersey at the AJC Global Forum as the co-founders of the new caucus. Manya Brachear Pashman, co-host of AJC's People of the Pod podcast, moderated the conversation.

"Black Americans are targeted for their race. Jewish Americans are most targeted for their religion. We have to stop this," Rosen declared. "When we stand shoulder to shoulder and say enough is enough, that's when the healing process of change begins."

The mission of the Senate Caucus on Black-Jewish Relations is to raise awareness of each community's challenges and needs around the country, to confront antisemitism, racism, and bigotry and to bring Black and Jewish communities together.

Creation of the Senate caucus comes two years after the bipartisan House Caucus on Black-Jewish Relations was launched at the 2019 AJC Global Forum in Washington, D.C.

Senators Booker, Rosen, and Scott are very active in their faiths and, in front of the Global Forum's worldwide audience they often referred to their houses of worship, citing Jewish and Christian biblical passages when speaking about their own lifelong involvement with Black-Jewish relations.

"In many ways, Blacks and Jews have been a very strong conscience of this entire country, helping this nation to live up to its democratic ideals," said Booker. "Our communities have a history of working to make this country see its truth, its beauty, its wonder, and I'm just excited to be in partnership with this coalition."

"The Black community should be as outspoken against hate in the Jewish community as anybody else," said Scott. "Having felt the sting and the dehumanization of that hatred, we should speak out when we see hatred and attacks on our Jewish brothers and sisters." Whether the attacks are in New York, or in the Middle East against Israel, we should be "loud and clear about our stand."

Booker noted that he and Scott were the first Black senators to visit the Jewish state, "to show a Black commitment to the State of Israel."

"During the civil rights movement, Black and Jewish Americans came together to fight racism, antisemitism, hate, and bigotry," said Rosen. Now, the new Caucus will "show leadership by getting together with our communities, allies, and partners around the country, our faith-based leaders and other community leaders to talk about education, to have common conversations," to band together "for social action and social justice."

Scott also spoke about the longstanding strong relationships between the African American and Jewish communities in South Carolina, where a program called Operation Understanding has been bringing together high school students. "It's those seeds that have been sown in South Carolina that makes us such a strong place to see positive, healthy, encouraging relationships."

SOURCE American Jewish Committee

Related Links

http://www.ajc.org


On the last day of Gaokao 2021, a student walk out of the venue after all tests ended.

China's national college entrance examination (Gaokao) officially ends on the afternoon of June 8. 431,000 young examinees in Anhui handed in their answer sheets in their first and probably hitherto the most important test in their life. Outside the venues, they were welcomed by smiles, flowers and hugs from their families and friends to celebrate this big day, which filled the air with love and vibrancy. (Photo by Liu Yucai, Xu Mengyu, Xu Huidong)

A girl ran out of No.9 High School of Hefei as the English test - the last test of the examination - ended onthe afternoon of June 8.

An examinee walked out of the venue with confidence.

Students walked out of the venue with joy.

An examinee was welcomed by her parents with a bouquet as she walked out of the examination site.

A mother took a picture with her son as he finished his exam.

A candidate who hurt her leg went out of the venue on a wheelchair and was welcomed by her parents.

A smile of relaxation appeared on the faces of a student and his mother as the English test ended.

Delighted parents who had been waiting outside the venue took their children home.

A father took photo with his children after the exam.

A student waved at his parents after stepping out of the examination site.

Students walked out the exam venue with smiles on their faces.

Students walked out the exam venue with smiles on their faces.

A student ran out of the gate of the venue with joy.

A student ran out of the venue with a confident look.

A candidate who just finished her exam was surrounded by bouquets from her family.

A candidate stepped out of the gate of the exam site.

Candidates stepped out of the gate of the exam site.

Parents sent flowers to their children who just finished this special examination.

Parents sent flowers to their children who just finished this special examination.

Examinees talked to their parents about how they felt about the tests.

(Translated by Li Yuxin, Feng Fanxi)
Note: Special one-year subscription at a reduced price for first-time subscribers or for subscriptions that have been expired for at least one year  those living in Jackson County and the Cherokee Indian Reservation (28719) addresses qualify. Offer good through Friday, Aug. 2, 2019.

We accept Visa, Mastercard and Discover; we do not accept AMEX.
NEW YORK, June 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Juan Monteverde, founder and managing partner at Monteverde & Associates PC, a national securities firm rated Top 50 in the 2018-2020 ISS Securities Class Action Services Report and headquartered at the Empire State Building in New York City, is investigating Community Bankers Trust Corp. ("ESXB" or the "Company") (ESXB) relating to its proposed acquisition by United Bankshares, Inc. Under the terms of the agreement, ESXB shareholders will receive 0.3173 shares of United per share they own.

The investigation focuses on whether Community Bankers Trust Corp. and its Board of Directors violated securities laws and/or breached their fiduciary duties to the Company by 1) failing to conduct a fair process, and 2) whether the transaction is properly valued.

Click here for more information: https://www.monteverdelaw.com/case/community-bankers-trust-corp. It is free and there is no cost or obligation to you.





About Monteverde & Associates PC

We are a national class action securities litigation law firm that has recovered millions of dollars and is committed to protecting shareholders from corporate wrongdoing. We were listed in the Top 50 in the 2018-2020 ISS Securities Class Action Services Report. Our lawyers have significant experience litigating Mergers & Acquisitions and Securities Class Actions. Mr. Monteverde is recognized by Super Lawyers as a Rising Star in Securities Litigation in 2013, 2017-2019, an award given to less than 2.5% of attorneys in a particular field. He has also been selected by Martindale-Hubbell as a 2017-2020 Top Rated Lawyer. Our firm's recent successes include changing the law in a significant victory that lowered the standard of liability under Section 14(e) of the Exchange Act in the Ninth Circuit. Thereafter, our firm successfully preserved this victory by obtaining dismissal of a writ of certiorari as improvidently granted at the United States Supreme Court. Emulex Corp. v. Varjabedian, 139 S. Ct. 1407 (2019). Also, over the years the firm has recovered or secured over a dozen cash common funds for shareholders in mergers & acquisitions class action cases.

If you owned common stock in the Company and wish to obtain additional information and protect your investments free of charge, please visit our website or contact Juan E. Monteverde, Esq. either via e-mail at [email protected] or by telephone at (212) 971-1341.

Contact:

Juan E. Monteverde, Esq.

MONTEVERDE & ASSOCIATES PC

The Empire State Building

350 Fifth Ave. Suite 4405

New York, NY 10118

United States of America

[email protected]

Tel: (212) 971-1341

Attorney Advertising. (C) 2021 Monteverde & Associates PC. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Monteverde & Associates PC (www.monteverdelaw.com). Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome with respect to any future matter.

SOURCE Monteverde & Associates PC

Related Links

http://www.monteverdelaw.com


NEW YORK, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Purcell Julie & Lefkowitz LLP, a class action law firm dedicated to representing shareholders nationwide, is investigating a potential breach of fiduciary duty claim involving the board of directors of Carlisle Companies Incorporated (NYSE: CSL).

If you are a shareholder of Carlisle Companies Incorporated and are interested in obtaining additional information regarding this investigation, free of charge, please visit us at:

http://pjlfirm.com/carlisle-companies-incorporated/

You may also contact Robert H. Lefkowitz, Esq. either via email at [email protected] or by telephone at 212-725-1000. One of our attorneys will personally speak with you about the case at no cost or obligation.

Purcell Julie & Lefkowitz LLP is a law firm exclusively committed to representing shareholders nationwide who are victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty and other types of corporate misconduct. For more information about the firm and its attorneys, please visit http://pjlfirm.com. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

SOURCE Purcell Julie & Lefkowitz LLP

Related Links

http://www.pjlfirm.com


Wallbox designs, manufactures and distributes EV charging solutions for residential, semi-public and public use, and its products are sold in 67 countries. Its smart charging product lineup includes Level 2 AC chargers ("Pulsar Plus", "Commander 2" and "Copper SB") for home and business applications, and DC fast chargers ("Supernova") for public applications. The company also offers the world's first bidirectional DC charger for the home ("Quasar"), which allows users to both charge their electric vehicle and use the energy from the car's battery to power their home, business or send it back to the grid. Powering all these devices is the company's proprietary residential and business software ("myWallbox") that can be used for real-time charger management, fleet and energy management.

Wallbox's largest institutional investor, Iberdrola, recently announced the acquisition of the first 1,000 Wallbox Supernova fast chargers as part of its five-year sustainable mobility plan to deploy more than 150,000 chargers in homes, businesses and public road networks.

Wallbox has nine offices across three continents and has sold over 100,000 units since its founding in 2015. Through its vertically integrated model, the company keeps development cycles short, enabling an accelerated time to market. Its products are currently manufactured in Spain and China, with plans to add a U.S. manufacturing facility in 2022.

Enric Asuncion, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Wallbox, commented, "Today marks a big step in the evolution of our global company. Mass market adoption of electric vehicles is here, and with this comes a need for significant expansion of charging infrastructure, starting at the home. At Wallbox, we believe that ubiquitous access to affordable, efficient, and optimized EV charging is a critical part of the transition to electric vehicles. This transaction with Kensington will allow us to significantly increase our product development and manufacturing capacity as we expand sales globally to enhance the global transition to EVs."

Justin Mirro, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Kensington, added, "We are incredibly excited to announce our business combination with Wallbox and to provide the company with significant capital and automotive industry experience to accelerate its global business plan. Our commitment to sustainable technologies and partnering with industry leaders is steadfast, and we are impressed with Enric's vision of creating world-class products that make EV charging and energy management easier and more cost-efficient."

Transaction Overview

The business combination values Wallbox at an implied $1.5 billion pro forma enterprise value. The boards of directors of both Kensington and Wallbox have approved the proposed transaction, which is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2021, subject to, among other things, the approval by Kensington's stockholders and satisfaction or waiver of other conditions stated in the definitive documentation.

The transaction will result in proceeds of approximately $330 million to Wallbox, including a $100 million fully committed PIPE, anchored by Janus Henderson Investors, Luxor Capital, Cathay Innovation and Kensington Capital Partners.

Additional information about the proposed transaction, including a copy of the merger agreement and investor presentation, will be provided in a Current Report on Form 8-K to be filed by Kensington with the Securities and Exchange Commission and available at www.sec.gov.

Advisors

Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP, Cuatrecasas, Goncalves Pereira, S.L.P. and Houthoff are serving as legal advisors and UBS Investment Bank is serving as financial advisor to Kensington. UBS and Barclays are serving as joint placement agents on the PIPE offering. Barclays and Drake Star Partners are serving as M&A advisors to Wallbox. Latham & Watkins LLP and Loyens & Loeff are serving as legal advisors and KPMG and BDO are serving as auditors to Wallbox.

Investor Conference Call Information

Wallbox and Kensington will host a joint investor conference call at 8:30 AM ET today, June 9, 2021, to discuss the proposed transaction. To listen to the prepared remarks via telephone dial 1-877-407-9716 (U.S.) or 1-201-493-6779 (International) and an operator will assist you. A telephone replay will be available at 1-844-512-2921 (U.S.) or 1-412-317-6671 (International), passcode: 13720335 through Wednesday, June 23, 2021 at 11:59 PM ET.

A transcript of this conference call can also be found on Wallbox's Investor page and will be filed by Kensington with the SEC.

About Wallbox

Wallbox is a global company, dedicated to changing the way the world uses energy in the electric vehicle industry. Wallbox creates smart charging systems that combine innovative technology with outstanding design and manage the communication between vehicle, grid, building and charger. Wallbox offers a complete portfolio of charging and energy management solutions for residential, semi-public and public use in more than 60 countries.

Founded in 2015, with headquarters in Barcelona, Wallbox's mission is to facilitate the adoption of electric vehicles today to make more sustainable use of energy tomorrow. The company employs over 500 people in Europe, Asia, and the Americas.

For additional information, please visit www.wallbox.com .

About Kensington

Kensington Capital Acquisition Corp. II (NYSE: KCAC) is a special purpose acquisition company formed for the purpose of effecting a merger, stock purchase or similar business combination with a business in the automotive and automotive-related sector. The company is sponsored by Kensington Capital Partners ("KCP") and the management team of Justin Mirro, Bob Remenar, Simon Boag and Dan Huber. The company is also supported by a board of independent directors including Tom LaSorda, Nicole Nason, Anders Pettersson, Mitch Quain, Don Runkle and Matt Simoncini. The Kensington team has completed over 70 automotive transactions and has over 300 years of combined experience leading some of the largest automotive companies in the world.

For additional information, please visit www.autospac.com .

Additional Information

This communication is being made in respect of the proposed transaction involving Wallbox Chargers, S.L. ("Wallbox"), Wallbox B.V. and Kensington Capital Acquisition Corp. II ("Kensington"). This communication does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities or a solicitation of any vote or approval, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of such jurisdiction. In connection with the proposed transaction, Wallbox B.V. will file with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") a registration statement on Form F-4 that will include a proxy statement of Kensington in connection with Kensington's solicitation of proxies for the vote by Kensington's shareholders with respect to the proposed transaction and other matters as may be described in the registration statement. Wallbox and Kensington also plan to file other documents with the SEC regarding the proposed transaction and a proxy statement/prospectus will be mailed to holders of shares of Kensington's Class A ordinary shares. BEFORE MAKING ANY VOTING OR INVESTMENT DECISION, INVESTORS ARE URGED TO READ THE FORM F-4 AND THE PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS REGARDING THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS CAREFULLY IN THEIR ENTIRETY WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION. The proxy statement/prospectus, as well as other filings containing information about Wallbox and Kensington will be available without charge at the SEC's Internet site ( www.sec.gov ). Copies of the proxy statement/prospectus can also be obtained, when available, without charge, from Wallbox's website at www.wallbox.com . Copies of the proxy statement/prospectus can be obtained, when available, without charge, from Kensington's website at www.autospac.com .

Participants in the Solicitations

Wallbox, Wallbox B.V., Kensington and certain of their respective directors, executive officers and other members of management and employees may, under SEC rules, be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from Kensington's shareholders in connection with the proposed transaction. You can find more information about Kensington's directors and executive officers in Kensington's final prospectus dated February 25, 2021 and filed with the SEC on February 26, 2021. Additional information regarding the participants in the proxy solicitation and a description of their direct and indirect interests will be included in the proxy statement/prospectus when it becomes available. Shareholders, potential investors and other interested persons should read the proxy statement/prospectus carefully when it becomes available before making any voting or investment decisions. You may obtain free copies of these documents from the sources indicated above.

No Offer or Solicitation

This communication does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, or a solicitation of any vote or approval, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. No offering of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of section 10 of the Securities Act, or an exemption therefrom.

Caution About Forward-Looking Statements

The information in this press release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements, other than statements of present or historical fact included in this presentation, regarding Kensington's proposed business combination with Wallbox, Kensington's ability to consummate the transaction, the development and performance of Wallbox's products (including the timeframe for development of such products), the benefits of the transaction and the combined company's future financial performance, as well as the combined company's strategy, future operations, estimated financial position, estimated revenues and losses, projected costs, prospects, plans and objectives of management are forward-looking statements. When used in this press release, the words "are designed to," "could," "should," "will," "may," "believe," "anticipate," "intend," "estimate," "expect," "project," the negative of such terms and other similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain such identifying words. These forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations and assumptions about future events and are based on currently available information as to the outcome and timing of future events. Except as otherwise required by applicable law, Wallbox disclaims any duty to update any forward-looking statements, all of which are expressly qualified by the statements in this section, to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof. Wallbox cautions you that these forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, most of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond the control of either Kensington or Wallbox. In addition, Wallbox cautions you that the forward-looking statements contained herein are subject to the following uncertainties and risk factors that could affect Wallbox's and Kensington's future performance and cause results to differ from the forward-looking statements herein: Wallbox's ability to realize the anticipated benefits of the business combination, which may be affected by, among other things, competition and the ability of Wallbox to grow and manage growth profitably following the business combination; risks relating to the outcome and timing of the Company's development of its charging and energy management technology and related manufacturing processes; intense competition in the electric vehicle charging space; risks related to health pandemics, including the COVID-19 pandemic; the possibility that Wallbox may be adversely affected by other economic, business, and/or competitive factors; the possibility that the expected timeframe for, and other expectations regarding the development and performance of, Wallbox products will differ from current assumptions; the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the termination of the business combination; the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against Kensington or Wallbox, the combined company or others following the announcement of the business combination; the inability to complete the business combination due to the failure to obtain approval of the shareholders of Kensington or to satisfy other conditions to closing; changes to the proposed structure of the business combination that may be required or appropriate as a result of applicable laws or regulations; the ability to meet stock exchange listing standards following the consummation of the business combination; the risk that the business combination disrupts current plans and operations of Kensington or Wallbox as a result of the announcement and consummation of the business combination; costs related to the business combination; changes in applicable laws or regulations; underlying assumptions with respect to shareholder redemptions. Should one or more of the risks or uncertainties described in this press release, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results and plans could different materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements. Additional information concerning these and other factors that may impact the operations and projections discussed herein can be found in Kensington's periodic filings with the SEC, and, when available, proxy statement/prospectus of Wallbox B.V. in the registration statement on Form F-4 filed with the SEC. Kensington's and Wallbox B.V.'s SEC filings are available publicly on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov.

Contacts:

For Wallbox

Investors

ICR, Inc.

[email protected]

Media

Colleen Robar

[email protected]

313-207-5960

ICR, Inc.

[email protected]

For Kensington

Dan Huber

[email protected]

703-674-6514

Related Links:

www.wallbox.com

www.autospac.com

SOURCE Kensington Capital Acquisition Corp. II

Related Links

http://www.autospac.com


Why CREATE ACTION? 88% of non-profits, over 1 million organizations in the U.S., have annual budgets of less than $500,000. Marketing and fundraising are the two most cited challenges for these smaller organizations*. Many times, they lack the necessary budget, creative resources or accessibility to larger platforms to help spread their message.

Grant Program Details

Sony will select a total of 10 organizations to receive the CREATE ACTION grants, with one new grant being announced each month from June 2021 through March 2022.

Grant winners will receive:

$50,000 cash grant (by check)

cash grant (by check) $50,000 in Sony Electronics products

Additionally, Sony will provide grant winners:

A custom short film promoting the organization's mission and efforts, created in collaboration with a team of Sony-affiliated creators

Support of the Sony brand and platform to help spread their message and raise awareness

Additional opportunities for collaboration with Sony Electronics and extended network of corporate partners

Eligible non-profit organizations need to be 501(c)(3) with less than $500k annual operating revenue for 2019 and 2020, with a key focus on programs including, but not limited to:

STEAM Education (Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics)

Academic Enrichment

Workforce Development

Community and Civic Engagement

"Sony's main purpose is to 'Fill the world with emotion, through the power of creativity and technology,'" said Neal Manowitz, President and COO of Sony Electronics Inc. "CREATE ACTION is designed to support this purpose. It is a program that summons the power of Sony  including funding, product, creative resources and accessibility  to expand the impact and influence of local organizations that are creating a tremendous positive impact in their community."

The program launches with a national call-to-action for applications, open from today through March 29th, 2022. After initial submission, each application will be within consideration throughout the entirety of the program.

To learn more, see Sony Electronics' Create Action Grant Program Official Rules, including awards, entry instructions, etc. and to apply for a CREATE ACTION grant, please visit: www.alphauniverse.com/createaction

About Sony Electronics Inc.

Sony Electronics is a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America and an affiliate of Sony Group Corporation, one of the most comprehensive entertainment companies in the world, with a portfolio that encompasses electronics, music, motion pictures, mobile, gaming, robotics and financial services. Headquartered in San Diego, California, Sony Electronics is a leader in electronics for the consumer and professional markets. Operations include research and development, engineering, sales, marketing, distribution and customer service. Sony Electronics creates products that innovate and inspire generations, such as the award-winning Alpha Interchangeable Lens Cameras and revolutionary high-resolution audio products. Sony is also a leading manufacturer of end-to-end solutions from 4K professional broadcast and A/V equipment to industry leading 4K and 8K Ultra HD TVs. Visit http://www.sony.com/news for more information.

SOURCE Sony Electronics, Inc.
SEOUL, South Korea, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- 2021 has been a breakthrough year for the Korean startup ecosystem despite the Covid-19 pandemic. Korean Chat API startup Sendbird raised $100 million in Series C funding with a valuation of $1.05 billion. Sendbird is now one of the 12 unicorn startups based out of South Korea. South Korea's largest e-commerce company, Coupang, raised around $4.6 billion in the biggest U.S. initial public offering (IPO) this year. In the first quarter of 2021, at least 34 companies (many of which were tech startups), have applied to the Korea Exchange (KRX) for IPOs. South Korea wants to grow its tech ecosystem and digital economy by making it easier for startups from abroad to expand in the country. The South Korean government aims to attract global startups to set up operations in South Korea.

KSGC 2021

Startups from around the world can apply to K-Startup Grand Challenge 2021 till June 15, 2021. The program represents an unparalleled opportunity for startups to expand into the South Korean and wider Asian markets. KSGC 2021 will offer 60 teams and entrepreneurs an all-expenses-paid, 3.5-month residency program in South Korea that includes access to expert guidance, co-working spaces, state-of-art R&D labs, corporate partnerships, entry to Asian markets, and more.

The acceleration program is hosted at the startup campus in Pangyo Techno Valley, a tech hub near Seoul. The top 10 chosen startups will also win grants worth $320,000, with the first-placed team receiving $120,000. To apply, startups must be less than seven years old, and their representative must be of foreign nationality. They must also demonstrate a clear interest in expanding into the Korean and East Asian markets.

The program, first launched in 2016, aims to promote the expansion of an open entrepreneurship ecosystem in Asia and assist in South Korea's evolution into a prominent startup and business hub in the region. In the year 2020, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the program saw a 58% surge in applications, with 2,648 teams applying from 118 countries.

Several startups from around the world have expanded to South Korea and East Asia through the program. Texas-based health-tech startup Ommo technologies spread its reach to the Asian markets with participation in the K-Startup Grand Challenge 2020 program. Since joining the KSGC program in the summer of 2020, Ommo technologies has raised US $3M led by Korean investors. Kyul Ko, co-founder & COO, Ommo technologies shared, "KSGC helped pave the way for us to reach out to potential investors and partners. Not only does the Korean government support domestic startups, but it also helps international startups find their home in Korea to take advantage of the support it provides, KSGC being the epitome. Once you are able to run your business successfully in Korea, then all of Asia is within reach."

For further information and to apply for the K-Startup Grand Challenge, visit the website - https://www.k-startupgc.org/.

Press contact: [email protected]

Related Images

ksgc-2021.jpeg

KSGC 2021

KSGC 2021

SOURCE K-Startup Grand Challenge 2021
CHICAGO, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Shopflix, a video streaming network where brands can tell their stories, launched today and is available on their app and website. For shoppers, the network offers entertaining, shoppable video content 24 hours a day, demonstrated by expert hosts and category influencers. For brands, Shopflix is a retail partner and content creator, providing a new D2C sales channel with a lower acquisition cost, stronger margins, and influential hosts with a strong social following that post on behalf of each show.

"With more people shopping online now than ever before  and every brand using the digital ecosystem as a primary way to sell  there's a lot of distraction and noise, and consumers' attention spans are diminishing as a result," said Matt Matros, co-founder of Shopflix. "Many retailers and brands are turning to new channels like livestreaming to sell and showcase products, yet most are happening in-store or on-site and are highly sales focused, which continues to feel transactional versus. experiential or engaging in a differentiated way."

Matros continues: "Shopflix is content first, commerce second, which helps the brand/consumer relationship go deeper than the transaction by providing an engaging story that resonates with their target shopper to pique interest beyond the product."

"More consumers today are looking to brands that share their values and understand their unique style and interests so brands need to give shoppers a reason to stay interested, recommend their products and keep coming back," said Lindsey Kilbride, co-founder of Shopflix. "At Shopflix, we care about telling engaging stories of brands and brand founders above all else, which differentiates us from other shopping networks and livestreaming events. We're thrilled to launch our platform today and begin telling these incredible brand and product category stories."

All Shopflix created content will fall within one of three distinct content types: long form (20-25 minutes), short form (5-15 minutes), and "Pops" (less than two minutes). Among some of the shows:

Wall Traveled : Hosted by Rosie Clayton , she travels to some of the most Instagrammed walls across America to learn about local culture and uncover stories from the best local brands.

: Hosted by , she travels to some of the most Instagrammed walls across America to learn about local culture and uncover stories from the best local brands. Breaking Through : Melissa Chataigne interviews founders who have faced adversity and worked their way all the way up, zooming in on the funny, humanizing, yet relatable 'rejections' that nearly all entrepreneurs face.

: interviews founders who have faced adversity and worked their way all the way up, zooming in on the funny, humanizing, yet relatable 'rejections' that nearly all entrepreneurs face. Mom: What Happens Live!: Urban chic moms Ceta Walters and Andrea Levoff tell the funny and often embarrassing stories of living with kids in the digital age.

Urban chic moms and tell the funny and often embarrassing stories of living with kids in the digital age. Generation Next : Low key gadget and tech geek Reagan Bregman takes viewers on an in-depth, yet inviting and relatable look at emerging trends and innovative products that are taking everyday products to the next level.

: Low key gadget and tech geek takes viewers on an in-depth, yet inviting and relatable look at emerging trends and innovative products that are taking everyday products to the next level. Trailblazers : Have you ever walked down an aisle in a store and thought to yourself, "Who thought of this stuff?". Well, our host Brandon Layne has! He's tracking down the pioneers, inventors, and stories of the ideas that spawned billion-dollar industries.

: Have you ever walked down an aisle in a store and thought to yourself, "Who thought of this stuff?". Well, our host has! He's tracking down the pioneers, inventors, and stories of the ideas that spawned billion-dollar industries. Eco-Friendlier : Professional surfer, yogi, and lover of all things eco-friendly, Tia Blanco is here to educate you on shopping behaviors that do their part for the planet. She discusses simple ways to incorporate this top-of-mind thinking into your everyday lifestyle.

: Professional surfer, yogi, and lover of all things eco-friendly, is here to educate you on shopping behaviors that do their part for the planet. She discusses simple ways to incorporate this top-of-mind thinking into your everyday lifestyle. Taking The Leap : World renowned BASE jumper Jeb Corliss goes one-on-one with brand founders and gets them to open up about the leaps they took when starting their business.

: World renowned BASE jumper goes one-on-one with brand founders and gets them to open up about the leaps they took when starting their business. Shop Virtual Support Local: This is a Pop that encourages viewers to support local brands. These will be very specific 12-minute pieces that introduce the audience to a location-specific brand as they highlight some of their products and what makes them special.

Co-founder Matt Matros previously founded caffeinated sparkling water brand Limitless, which was sold to Keurig Dr Pepper in 2020. Prior to that, Matt founded Protein Bar & Kitchen, a high-growth fast-casual restaurant chain that he sold to L Catterton. Lindsey Kilbride was one of the first 10 employees of Trunk Club where she led sales, training, and recruiting. She opened the Dallas office and assisted in expansion efforts in Washington, DC, New York City, Los Angeles, Boston, and Charleston and helped with the transition post Nordstrom acquisition. She was also a sales director at Mary Kay where she earned the coveted Pink Cadillac in her first five months. Most recently, Lindsey was leading sales strategy for successful brands 11Honore and Matilda Jane.

To download the Shopflix app for iOS, please go to: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/shopflix-studios/id1566319885. You can also visit their website at www.shopflixstudios.com.

About Shopflix

Shopflix is a video streaming network where brands can tell their stories. For shoppers, the network offers entertaining, shoppable video content 24 hours a day, demonstrated by expert hosts and category influencers. For brands, Shopflix is a retail partner and content creator, providing a new D2C sales channel with a lower acquisitions cost, stronger margins, and influential hosts and spokesmodels  with a strong social following  that post on behalf of each show. For more information, please visit www.shopflixstudios.com.

Media Contact:

Scott Cianciulli

The Plunkett Group

(212) 739-6753

[email protected]

SOURCE Shopflix

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SAN FRANCISCO, June 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Tan Phan, MSFP, CFP, an independent Certified Financial Planner practitioner serving clients in the San Francisco Bay Area, has been honored as a member of the 2021 Class of 40 Under 40 by InvestmentNews, the leading source for news, analysis, and information essential to the financial advisory community.

Tan Phan, MSFP, CFP, named to InvestmentNews' 2021 40 Under 40 List

This prestigious national award celebrates professionals under age 40 in the financial advice field who have shown themselves to be exceptional, stellar talent, impassioned by their industry and demonstrating true leadership qualities that are moving the advice industry forward.

With over 10 years of experience in the financial planning industry, Tan is the founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of TAN Wealth Management. His passion is providing comprehensive financial planning to individuals and families, helping clients to accumulate and protect their wealth. His specialties include estate, tax, and retirement planning, investment management, and executive compensation (incentive stock options, restricted stock, restricted stock units, nonqualified stock options, employee stock purchase plan).

"I am deeply honored to be chosen by InvestmentNews as a member of the 2021 Class of 40 Under 40," said Tan, who was selected from a highly competitive pool of nearly 1,000 nominees by a panel of reporters, editors, and other InvestmentNews representatives.

Tan is also an educator at Golden Gate University, where he teaches a graduate-level retirement and employee benefits planning course. Tan's dedication to his field, along with his exceptional teaching skills, informs how he educates and guides his clients with their financial plans.

Tan shares his expertise through high-quality educational videos on YouTube and his blog.

Tan was born in Vietnam and immigrated to the United States when he was 5 years old. Growing up, he knew the value of education and believed it was one of the true keys to success. While he serves a very diverse client base, he is especially proud to represent Vietnamese Americans in his profession.

Added Tan, "This 40 Under 40 award is not just a win for me; it is a win for the people around me, too. My family, clients, and community. Any win for one person is a win for us all."

"Financial literacy and financial resources should be openly available to people from all walks of life  not just the wealthy," Tan said. "Not only do I have to be well-educated in my field to show others that I have experience, but I also want to do my part for the greater good by passing my knowledge on to others."

About TAN Wealth Management: TAN Wealth Management was founded by Tan Phan in 2018 as a boutique independent Registered Investment Advisor. Tan focuses on providing comprehensive retirement planning and wealth management for families and professionals.

CONTACT:

415-779-2778

[email protected]

www.tanphan.com

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Tan Phan, MSFP, CFP

Tan Phan, MSFP, CFP, named to InvestmentNews' 2021 40 Under 40 List

SOURCE Tan Phan
LAKE FOREST, Ill., June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Tenneco Inc. (NYSE: TEN) will participate in the 2021 Deutsche Bank Global Auto Industry Conference to be held virtually on Thursday, June 17, 2021. The webcasted presentation is scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m. Eastern. Brian Kesseler, chief executive officer, and Matti Masanovich, chief financial officer, will give a strategic overview and provide information regarding matters impacting Tenneco's outlook.

The live webcast can be accessed by going to the "Investors" portion of its web site at www.investors.tenneco.com . A copy of the slides also will be available under the "Events & Presentations" tab in this section of the website. A replay of the webcast will be available through July 17, 2021.

About Tenneco

Tenneco is one of the world's leading designers, manufacturers and marketers of automotive products for original equipment and aftermarket customers, with full year 2020 revenues of $15.4 billion and approximately 73,000 team members working at more than 270 sites worldwide. Through our four business groups, Motorparts, Performance Solutions, Clean Air and Powertrain, Tenneco is driving advancements in global mobility by delivering technology solutions for diversified global markets, including light vehicle, commercial truck, off-highway, industrial, motorsport and the aftermarket.

Investors and others should note that Tenneco routinely posts important information on its website and considers the Investor section, www.investors.tenneco.com, a channel of distribution.

Visit www.tenneco.com to learn more.

SOURCE Tenneco Inc.
CHENGDU, China, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- On May 24, 2021, the 11th China International Energy Storage Conference (CIES 2021), sponsored by the Energy Storage Application Branch of the China Industrial Association of Power Sources (CIAPS) and co-hosted by COFCO Meishan California Smart City (MCSC), kicked off in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province. The nearly 2,000 representatives from more than 700 energy enterprises included industry authorities, scientific research institutions, the energy storage industry chain, and financial and investment institutions, who gathered together for in-depth discussions on promoting and improving the market-oriented green technology innovation system. A total of 8 projects, including MCSC, won the "2021 Best Demonstration Project Award in China Energy Storage Industry." During the conference, Gan Feng Lithium, the world's largest lithium producer, and SolarTale, leader in photovoltaics, signed strategic cooperation agreements with COFCO Meishan California Smart City.

Visitors to COFCO Meishan California Smart City exhibition booth expressed high interest in collaboration with this leading clean energy project in Sichuan Tianfu New Zone. COFCO Meishan California Smart City signed a cooperation agreement with Gan Feng Lithium, the world's largest lithium producer.

Mr. Jeffrey Chang, Chairman of COFCO Meishan California Smart City, commented, "COFCO Meishan California Smart City is committed to building a new landmark of the global clean energy industry. We would like to promote, guide and play an advocacy role in achieving carbon neutrality and enabling other sectors to accelerate low-carbon development."

With COFCO Meishan California Smart City successfully landed in Meishan Tianfu New Zone as a prominent example, the whole region is accelerating investment and development in clean energy industry. Significant projects have settled in this region, including those focused on new energy vehicles, lithium battery innovation, cathode and anode material research centers, and other areas.

Mr. Liu Yanlong, Secretary-General of China Industrial Association of Power Sources, Mr. Zhang Jianguo, the member of the Party Committee and Chief Accountant of GRANDJOY Holdings Group Co., Ltd., Mr. Adam Wong, Acting Director of US Department of Energy China Office, and Mr. Liu Xiaosong, New Energy Principal of ABB (China) Limited, were among the leaders in attendance at CIES 2021. They discussed pressing issues encountered by the energy storage sector against the growing challenges of tackling climate change, peaking carbon emissions and achieving carbon neutrality. The ideology of supporting new energy transformation, forging a new energy development path, and enhancing international cooperation opportunities were also major topics.

Media Contact:

Susan Xiao

86-13207172800

[email protected]

SOURCE COFCO Meishan California Smart City
NEW YORK, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Lupus Research Alliance (LRA) announced today that Martin Kriegel, MD PhD, of the University of Munster and Yale University is the 2021 Lupus Insight Prize Awardee for his cutting edge research in the understanding of how lupus may be triggered by the gut microbiome -- the community of microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses and fungi, that normally live in our guts.

The prestigious Lupus Insight Prize recognizes outstanding researchers who have made a major discovery that promises to advance the understanding of lupus with a high likelihood of improving its diagnosis or treatment. The Lupus Insight Prize was presented to Dr. Kriegel at the FOCIS (Federation of Clinical Immunology Societies) annual meeting by Gary Koretzky, MD, PhD, LRA Scientific Advisory Board Chair and Professor at Weill Cornell Medicine.

In his prior role as Associate Professor at Yale School of Medicine (now at the University of Munster), Dr. Kriegel has found that bacteria that normally live in the gut can 'leak out' of the intestine and move into other tissues where they can trigger autoimmune responses.

"Dr. Kriegel's scientific work uncovering how the microbiome can contribute to lupus and other immune diseases is truly innovative and will provide a direction for further research and new treatments in the years to come," noted Dr. Koretzky.

Research is First to Pinpoint a Gut Organism Linked to Lupus

Although existing research links alterations in the microbiome to autoimmunity, Dr. Kriegel is the first to identify a particular organism that breaks through the gut lining in lupus. His lab found that in mouse models of lupus, a particular species of bacteria escaped from the gut and entered the liver and lymph nodes where it promoted autoantibody production and overactivation of immune cells called T cells that can cause inflammation. Antibiotics and a vaccine against these bacteria eliminated these autoimmune effects in the mice. Dr. Kriegel then showed that this same species of bacteria is found in the livers of lupus patients.

He also discovered that when another type of bacteria moves from the gut to the liver in mouse models of lupus, it worsens autoimmunity through immune molecules called Toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7) and type I interferon (IFN). These molecules promote inflammation and have long been known to be important in lupus development. Dr. Kriegel found that the same type of bacteria he saw in mice was also found in a subset of lupus patients, and its numbers could be reduced by feeding the mice a resistant starch, a type of fiber that is resistant to digestion in the small intestine.

"Identifying specific species of the microbiome as possible causes of disease pathways in lupus and other autoimmune disorders may help us better understand the development of these conditions. It will also provide a personalized approach to future therapies aimed at the microbiome in humans," noted Dr. Kriegel.

Although the presence of autoantibodies is prominent in lupus and other autoimmune disorders, what triggers their formation is still not known. Dr. Kriegel's work has shown that some bacteria living on our skin, in our mouths, and in our guts can cause these autoantibodies to form in people genetically predisposed to autoimmunity. He intends to use the funds from the Lupus Insight Prize to further explore exactly how gut bacteria promote autoimmunity, if they migrate to internal organs, and whether one or more of the bacterial species he identified work through the inflammatory Type I interferon pathway.

"Dr. Kriegel's work is impacting not only research efforts in lupus but is paving the way for targeted approaches to deplete disease-associated gut microbes in subsets of lupus patients," said Dr. Teodora Staeva, Chief Scientific Officer of LRA.

About Lupus

Lupus is a chronic, complex autoimmune disease that affects millions of people worldwide. More than 90% of people with lupus are women; lupus most often strikes during the childbearing years of 15-45. African Americans, Latin Americans, Asians and Native Americans are at two to three times greater risk than Caucasians. In lupus, the immune system, which is designed to protect against infection, creates antibodies that can attack any part of the body including the kidneys, brain, heart, lungs, blood, skin, and joints.

About the Lupus Research Alliance

The Lupus Research Alliance is the largest non-governmental, non-profit funder of lupus research worldwide. The organization aims to transform treatment by funding the most innovative lupus research, fostering diverse scientific talent, and driving discovery toward better diagnostics, improved treatments and ultimately a cure for lupus. Because the Lupus Research Alliance's Board of Directors fund all administrative and fundraising costs, 100% of all donations goes to support lupus research programs.

SOURCE Lupus Research Alliance

Related Links

https://www.lupusresearch.org


CLEVELAND, Ohio, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- GenomOncology announced today that the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN) has chosen to upgrade to GenomOncology's Precision Decision to further enhance the free clinical trial matching services it offers to pancreatic cancer patients.



Through its comprehensive Patient Services program, PanCAN is committed to matching patients to the best treatment opportunities to create a world in which all patients with pancreatic cancer will thrive. PanCAN strongly recommends pancreatic cancer patients consider clinical trials at diagnosis as well as during every treatment decision, and according to research from the organization, patients who receive treatment based on their tumor's biological characteristics have better outcomes.



In 2020, PanCAN implemented GenomOncology's Clinical Trial Matching solution in order to streamline the organization's biomarker-driven clinical trial matching process. PanCAN chose GenomOncology due to their overall industry knowledge and expertise, as well as the breadth of clinical trial curation available within the solution. Since the implementation of GenomOncology's Clinical Trial Matching Solution, PanCAN has increased the number of biomarker-driven searches by 300% and has reduced the time spent on biomarker clinical trial searches by 50%. Due to this success, PanCAN has decided to upgrade to GenomOncology's Precision Decision solution.

With Precision Decision, PanCAN will have access to enhanced clinical trial and therapy matching due to the combination of automation and quality assurance, which results in the aggregation of available variant, disease, and patient data. Precision Decision will also enable the PanCAN team to advance their treatment searching capabilities through the addition of the patient's prior intervention history, such as chemotherapy, surgery, radiation, targeted therapy administration, or if they have participated in other clinical trials.



"It's important for PanCAN's Patient Services team to be able to provide fast, reliable and personalized information to support patients in their treatment journey," said Lynn Matrisian, PanCAN's Chief Science Officer. "By implementing GenomOncology's Clinical Trial Matching Solution, we have been able to serve our patients faster and more accurately in finding biomarker-driven clinical trials specifically relevant to them."



"Precision Decision will further advance the patient treatment matching capabilities of the PanCAN team. The ability to dive deeper into a patient population, including their prior interventions, will narrow down the best treatment option for a patient significantly, and will ultimately help improve potential outcomes," said GenomOncology's Joe McCrone, Vice President of Client Services.

Read more about the positive impact that resulted from PanCAN's implementation of GenomOncology's precision oncology solutions.

About the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network

The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN) leads the way in accelerating critical progress for pancreatic cancer patients. PanCAN takes bold action by funding life-saving research, providing personalized patient services and creating a community of supporters and volunteers who will stop at nothing to create a world in which all pancreatic cancer patients will thrive.

About GenomOncology

GenomOncology provides the healthcare community with data-driven insights to improve cancer care. GenomOncology strengthens your precision oncology program by transforming valuable, but unusable data, into actionable oncology treatment options and strategic insights.

GenomOncology's Precision Oncology Platform (POP) powers its comprehensive set of end-to-end software solutions that enhance decision support. POP combines both proprietary content and public and licensed data sets with your internal patient data to provide you the information necessary to improve patient outcomes. Learn more at www.genomoncology.com.

Media Contacts:

Jillian Scholten

Senior Manager, Public Relations

Pancreatic Cancer Action Network

Direct: +1-949-244-2561 | E-mail: [email protected]

Alysia Kaplan

Director of Marketing

GenomOncology, LLC

Direct: (440) 617-6087| E-mail: [email protected]

SOURCE GenomOncology

Related Links

http://www.genomoncology.com


CHICAGO, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals and Mentice (STO: MNTC) have formed a strategic collaboration to establish a Simulation Center of Excellence uniting Jefferson's world-class interventional radiology team with Mentice's virtual patient technology aiming to elevate clinical training and to introduce advanced Virtual Reality simulation solutions for physicians in clinical practice.

"We are excited to combine the unique abilities of our two organizations to support Jefferson's mission of reimagining health, education and discovery to create unparalleled value," said Dr. Vijay M. Rao, MD, FACR, David C Levin Professor and Chair Department of Radiology at Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals. "Our collaboration agreement will define Jefferson's key performance indicators for interventional radiology training and leverage state-of-the-art endovascular simulation technologies by Mentice to help us measure proficiency outcomes," continued Dr. Rao.

"Ultimately, our goal is to utilize Mentice endovascular simulation as a resource for interventional radiology training and to explore the potential impact of endovascular simulation on improving daily clinical practice," said Dr. Ronald Winokur, Associate Professor at Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals. "We will achieve that by utilizing simulation in our residency and fellowship programs and extending the use of simulation to optimize operational, clinical, and safety processes." The collaboration between Jefferson and Mentice is a multi-year agreement where both organizations contribute their respective knowledge and expertise to help promote improved patient outcomes and clinical performance.

"We are excited to be partnering with a world-class organization like Jefferson taking interventional radiology training to the next level of clinical performance and ultimately finding ways to drive operational efficiency and help improve patient outcomes," said Goran Malmberg, CEO at Mentice. "By using Mentice technology, clinicians at Jefferson will now have the ability to explore new interventional techniques and learn new procedures in a radiation-free environment away from actual patients," continued Mr. Malmberg.



Recently, Mentice launched its seventh-generation endovascular simulation platform aligning its mission to improve endovascular operational efficiency and patient outcomes by introducing innovative solutions that eliminate proficiency barriers. In addition, this latest technology is designed to become the launchpad for future software advancements in strategic areas of precision medicine and robotics.

About Jefferson Health

Jefferson Health, home of Sidney Kimmel Medical College, is reimagining health care in the greater Philadelphia region and southern New Jersey. Jefferson's dedicated team of doctors, nurses, health professionals and staff provides a range of primary to highly-specialized care through 14 hospitals (seven are Magnet-designated by the ANCC for nursing excellence), more than 40 outpatient and urgent care locations, the NCI-designated Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Magee Rehabilitation and the JeffConnect telemedicine program. For 2020-2021, Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals is ranked among the nation's best hospitals in nine specialities by U.S. News & World Report. Jefferson Health's mission is to improve the lives of patients in the communities it is privileged to serve through safe, effective, equitable, compassionate care.

CONTACT:

For more information, please contact:

Goran Malmberg, CEO, Mentice

E-post: [email protected]

US Mobile. +1 (312) 860 5610

Sweden Mobile +46 (0) 703 09 22 22

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

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SOURCE Mentice AB
NEW YORK, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The remarkable achievements of Dr. Ahmed Shaheed, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, were recognized today at the American Jewish Committee (AJC) 2021 Virtual Global Forum in a conversation between him and Felice Gaer, Director of AJC's Jacob Blaustein Institute for the Advancement of Human Rights (JBI).

"Dr. Shaheed, we deeply appreciate your personal courage and conviction, and, especially, we recognize your role as an effective and courageous advocate for human rights," said Gaer. "You said antisemitism threatens not only Jews but the foundations of democratic societies. You recognized the danger of antisemitism in a way that none of your UN predecessors did, and you called on governments, companies, and even the UN to do more to fight antisemitism."

Two years ago, Shaheed published and presented to the UN General Assembly the world body's first stand-alone report on global antisemitism as a human rights concern. AJC called the report "historic." Since then Dr. Shaheed has continued to raise the alarm about the persistent threat of antisemitism, including during the COVID pandemic.

Dr. Shaheed told the worldwide AJC Virtual Global Forum audience that he will follow up on his historic report by presenting to the UN an action plan on how to combat antisemitism before his Special Rapporteur mandate ends on October 31, 2022.

Explaining what moved him to sound the alarm on antisemitism, Shaheed, a former foreign minister of Maldives, said: "I found a serious lack of attention to human rights violations faced by Jewish communities. It is very strange given the fact that one of the key factors of the rise in religious hatred globally was violence against Jews. The number of attacks targeting Jews is not only heartbreaking, but is disproportionally high."

"Antisemitism is often propagated by influential political leaders. It is the oldest form of religious hatred. It is global. It occurs across the entire political spectrum, and it is growing," he continued. "Although it takes many forms, at its core is a conspiracy theory, a scapegoating, a dehumanization that is egregious and highly destructive of democracy."

Shaheed said that "parts of the UN fan the flames of this intolerance" and that reforms are needed "to ensure Israel is not treated any differently than other member states."

He has called on "the UN Secretariat to take the lead in combating antisemitism through education, awareness-raising, promoting peer-to-peer learning, to use the IHRA working definition to combat antisemitism as a global human rights challenge, and to not regard antisemitism as a threat to Jews alone."

As Maldives foreign minister, Shaheed led the Maldives to embrace universal human rights standards, including announcing a moratorium on the death penalty. He established contacts between the Maldives and Israel. But after hardline Islamists came to power he went into exile in the United Kingdom.

Prior to his current position, Shaheed served as UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Iran from 2011-2016. He still monitors violations of the right to freedom of religion or belief in Iran in his current UN position. "Iran is possibly the clearest example of how a country with great promise can be ruined by religious intolerance and disregard for human rights," said Shaheed. Even Shia clerics who criticize the Islamist regime are punished, but his main concern is "the Bahai community who are facing systematic persecution designed to destroy the existence of that community in Iran," said Shaheed, adding that "this persecution has now extended to other countries where Iran has some influence."

In closing, JBI's Gaer observed that "Dr. Shaheed has strived to ensure that whenever human rights are under threat, there is an effective international response."

"JBI has made exemplary contributions to advancing human rights through the United Nations, especially in strengthening the effectiveness of the UN's human rights mechanisms," said Shaheed, who noted that this year marks JBI's 50th anniversary.

JBI works to combat religious intolerance, opposes all forms of discrimination, and protects human rights around the world. It engages with governments, diplomats, the United Nations and other international organizations, and civil society partners. AJC's Virtual Global Forum featured a video tribute to JBI's 50 Years of Achievements.

SOURCE American Jewish Committee

Related Links

http://www.ajc.org


BOCA RATON, Fla., June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- When Vice President Kamala Harris warns immigrants "do not come," she should read the story of Filipino Lani Samson in the new book Lani co-authored with Dr. Eli Fischer.

TransMedia said it will alert media to what a truly timely, compelling and meaningful book is "From the RICE FIELDS to the HOLY LAND."

"Our publicity will emphasize the timeliness of this masterpiece whose uplifting message is so meaningful and current," said TransMedia Group CEO Tom Madden.

"Lani, a poor woman from the Philippines endured pain, suffering and anguish until finally overcoming poverty and surviving the ordeals of immigration to a new Holy Land, Israel," he said.

"This is a profound story of how Lani persevered onto new frontiers where kindness and love finally rescued her and hopefully many immigrants like her thanks to those like Eli Fischer with big hearts and generous natures."

Our PR will also show it's a book about having the wisdom to see how valuable immigrants are to the nations where they wind up and become such an integral part.

"Yes, this book available at Amazon should be on everyone's reading list; we will get the media to sing its praises as before you can read a book, you must first know it exists. And this one will vibrate from our messages," said TransMedia Group President Adrienne Mazzone.

TransMedia said it will arrange Zoom interviews for Lani and Dr. Fischer with congregations at churches, synagogues and groups across the country concerned about immigrants.

"As part of our media program, we want journalists to know Dr. Fischer owns one of the largest pharmaceutical manufacturing companies in Israel, providing medicine to over 30 countries across Europe and United States.

"You go into a drugstore in Israel and you'll see his name everywhere on products. The Dr. Fischer brand there is like a Johnson & Johnson or Pfizer here," said Madden. Dr Fischer is a household name in Israel and his products are in every home in Israel."

"And now we'll work hard to make this remarkably insightful new book a bestseller, especially now as immigration is getting such a bad rap on our Southern border," said Madden.

Madden's latest book, "Wordshine Man," is due out next month.

Media contact: Karla Hernandez 561-750-9800; [email protected] .



SOURCE TransMedia Group

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SAN FRANCISCO and PARIS, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- TrustInSoft, a cybersecurity software company, today announced a new Zero Bug Application Security Test (AST) for the automotive and autonomous driving market that proves the absence of bugs in car manufacturers' systems. The new Zero Bug AST leverages the TrustInSoft Analyzer to automate the power of Formal Methods testing, bringing the benefits to static and dynamic C/C++ source code analysis. TrustInSoft Analyzer democratizes Formal Methods by making its advanced testing processes available to any developer at an affordable cost.

"Formal Methods arguably provide the strongest form of verification of design and code," said Bruce Powel Douglass, PhD, Senior Principal Agile Systems Engineer at MITRE. "In today's rapid rush to market for automotive and autonomous driving applications, manufacturers can benefit from product verification technologies such as Formal Methods to get safe and secure products to market faster."

Today's average car contains more than 100 million lines of code. In software development, it is accepted that there is an average of 1 to 50 defects per 1000 lines of code. Car manufacturers risk having thousands of potential defects that could impact the reliability, safety or security of their vehicles. TrustInSoft Analyzer's new Zero Bug AST automates Formal Methods testing using mathematics to guarantee the absence of bugs by running an enormous number of tests with the click of a button. Tests accelerate compliance with safety and cybersecurity standards such as ISO26262 and ISO21434.

"One corrupt line of code can cost automotive and autonomous driving manufacturers everything," said Fabrice Derepas, Founder and CEO of TrustInSoft. "Our new Zero Bug Application Security Test automates the power of Formal Methods for customers to save bug detection time by 40X, decrease code verification time by 4X, and avoid disastrous real world problems."

For more information visit: https://trust-in-soft.com/zero-bug-application-security-test/

About TrustInSoft

TrustInSoft participates in the Application Security Testing market alongside vendors such as Mathworks, Parasoft and Synopsis. The TrustInSoft Analyzer is a hybrid static and dynamic code analyzer that automates Formal Methods to mathematically guarantee C/C++ code quality, security and safety. TrustInSoft Automotive and Autonomous Driving customers include EasyMile and Mitsubishi with additional IoT, telecom, semiconductor, aeronautics and defense industry customers. The company received recognition from NIST, RSA and Linux Foundation. https://trust-in-soft.com/

SOURCE TrustInSoft

Related Links

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In the United States, a baby is diagnosed with NAS every 19 minutes. Newborns with NAS often experience tremors, breathing problems, and hyperirritability as they withdraw from opioids they were exposed to during pregnancy. There is no standard treatment for NAS. Hospitals and long-term care organizations are seeking drug-free solutions for initial treatment and soothing babies at home after discharge.

"Studies have demonstrated that an inability to self-regulate plays a key role in the major symptoms of NAS," said Rachana Singh, MD, MS, Associate Chief of Newborn Medicine at Tufts Children's Hospital. "While non-pharmacologic care methods - rooming-in, skin to skin care, gentle rocking and soothing techniques - can make a big difference in short term outcomes for babies with NAS, it is not always feasible to accomplish consistent delivery of these therapies, due to either lack of parental presence or additional demands on the health care team. We are excited about the potential of the Prapela SVS mattress to help mitigate NAS symptoms in neonates and provide relief to caregivers."

Prapela is integrating stochastic vibrotactile stimulation, or SVS, into a hospital bassinet pad. The affordable device fits inside a standard hospital bassinet basket and generates a gentle, random vibration. In a published clinical trial , the SVS pad improved breathing, heart rate, and relaxation in opioid-exposed newborns treated in hospitals with morphine.

The grant funds will be directed towards the launch of a randomized clinical trial, aimed at assessing the benefit of the SVS technology in ameliorating NAS symptoms and decreasing the number of babies requiring pharmacotherapy for NAS. Babies participating in the multi-site trial will be enrolled at Tufts Children's Hospital and its community Level 2 NICU partner hospitals, as well as at UMass Memorial Medical Center.

"Investment in pediatric innovation is so crucial for our children. We are incredibly grateful for this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) of the NIH," said John Konsin, Co-founder and CEO of Prapela, Inc. "In addition to providing clinical results, this grant helps us further improve the safety of our bassinet pad. Finally, the research will also be useful to potentially expand claims for the device through the appropriate regulatory processes."

About Prapela, Inc.

Prapela, Inc. is an award-winning start-upfocused on the application of SVS technology to improve infant health. Since 2017 the company has been awarded over $4.7M in grants and awards supporting the development of its affordable medical device, the Prapela SVS hospital bassinet. The initial application of the device is to improve treatment of opioid-exposed infants. Additionally, the same technology has generated positive clinical results in infants suffering from apnea of prematurity. Headquartered in Biddeford, Maine the company is preparing its first application to the FDA for regulatory clearance.

www.prapela.com

About Tufts Medical Center and Tufts Children's Hospital

Tufts Medical Center is an exceptional, not-for-profit, 415-bed academic medical center that is home to both a full-service hospital for adults and Tufts Children's Hospital. Conveniently located in downtown Boston, the Medical Center is the principal teaching hospital for Tufts University School of Medicine. The Medical Center features a level one trauma center with rooftop helipad, the largest heart transplant center in New England and a renowned research program, ranking among the top 10 percent of independent hospitals to receive federal research funding. A physician network of 1,800 New England Quality Care Alliance doctors represents our strong commitment to health in the community. Tufts Medical Center is a founding member of Wellforce. For more information, visit www.tuftsmedicalcenter.org .

Research reported in this announcement was supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse through the NIH HEAL Initiative under Award Number 2R44DA049300-02. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

Contact: Amanda Shea Jeremy Lechan

Director of Marketing Prapela, Inc. Media Relations Manager

(833) 772-7352 Tufts Medical Center

[email protected] [email protected]

SOURCE Prapela, Inc

Related Links

www.prapela.com


SAN FRANCISCO, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Twitter, Inc. (NYSE: TWTR) today announced the appointment of Mimi Alemayehou to the Company's Board of Directors as a new independent director, effective immediately.

"Mimi's extensive experience overseeing growth in emerging markets in both the public and private sectors will be invaluable as we advance Twitter's mission to serve the public conversation across the world," said Patrick Pichette, independent chair of the Twitter Board. "Mimi shares our commitment to social responsibility and strengthening global communities, and we're eager to benefit from her perspective and regional expertise as we expand Twitter's presence to Ghana and invest in improving our service across Africa and other regions."

Ms. Alemayehou, who brings to Twitter's Board more than 20 years of investment and finance experience across emerging markets, with a strong focus on Africa, said, "I have long respected Twitter's focus on supporting the diverse global communities that drive public conversation, and am proud to join the team as they work to expand Twitter's reach around the world. I look forward to working closely with Twitter's management team and the rest of the Board to help oversee and execute the Company's long-term growth objectives." In her current role as Senior Vice President for Public-Private Partnerships at Mastercard, Ms. Alemayehou leads Mastercard's partnerships with private foundations, international development organizations and non-governmental organizations with the objective of building commercially sustainable digital ecosystems that benefit everyone by advancing financial inclusion, transparency, support to humanitarian response and economic development.

In connection with Ms. Alemayehou's appointment, Jesse Cohn will be stepping down after an important year on the Board. As one of Twitter's largest shareholders, Elliott Investment Management will continue to engage with members of the Company's senior management team and Board, facilitated by the Information Sharing and Engagement Agreement the Company entered into with Elliott.

Mr. Pichette continued, "On behalf of the Board, I want to thank Jesse for his support and contributions as a director. Over the past year, years of foundational work combined with a clear focus on growth and monetization paid off. The pace of innovation at Twitter has increased dramatically, the company is executing at a high level, and the vision of Twitter's ecosystem value is being realized. We are grateful for Jesse's insights and commitment to help strengthen Twitter over the course of this important year."

Jack Dorsey, CEO of Twitter, said, "As we shared at our Analyst Day, we continue to build upon our strengths and are proud of our progress. We are appreciative of Jesse's input and support during an important year for us."

Jesse Cohn, Managing Partner at Elliott, said, "It's been a pleasure to serve on Twitter's Board during this remarkable period of progress for the company. Over the past year, thanks to the hard work of Twitter's management team and Board, Twitter has improved operational execution, strengthened the Board's governance, initiated a share repurchase program, established bold, multi-year performance goals, meaningfully accelerated its release of new products and monetization strategies, and intensified its focus on operational performance and shareholder value creation. Elliott remains one of the company's largest shareholders, and I look forward to continuing to collaborate with Twitter's management and Board as it executes on its vision."

About Mimi Alemayehou

Mimi Alemayehou's career spans both the public and private sectors across emerging markets. She currently serves as Senior Vice President for Public-Private Partnerships at Mastercard. Prior to joining Mastercard, Ms. Alemayehou was the Managing Director and a Board member for investment platform Black Rhino Group, a portfolio company of Blackstone, where she focused on the development and acquisition of energy and infrastructure assets across Africa. Ms. Alemayehou was previously appointed by President Barack Obama to serve as Executive Vice President of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC). During Ms. Alemayehou's tenure from 2010 to 2014, OPIC's portfolio grew by more than 24% to $18 billion and the corporation's Africa portfolio tripled to nearly $4 billion. Prior to OPIC, Ms. Alemayehou was appointed by President George W. Bush to serve as the United States Executive Director on the Board of Directors of the African Development Bank (AfDB). She received a Distinguished Honor Award for her outstanding service in this role. Ms. Alemayehou has also launched entrepreneurial ventures in consulting.

About Twitter, Inc.

Twitter (NYSE: TWTR) is what's happening and what people are talking about right now. To learn more, visit about.twitter.com and follow @Twitter. Let's Talk.

Contacts

Investors:

[email protected]

Press:

[email protected]

SOURCE Twitter, Inc.
WASHINGTON, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- This week Voto Latino Foundation, the nation's largest Latinx voter registration organization, announced that it will be hosting a National Week of Action, from June 6 to June 12, to promote COVID-19 vaccine education and encourage communities of color, particularly hard-to-reach and vaccine-hesitant Latinx populations, to get vaccinated.

"Communities of color have been hit hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic and Latinx populations have been disproportionately targeted by disinformation about the vaccination process," says Maria Teresa Kumar, CEO and co-founding president of Voto Latino Foundation. "Voto Latino Foundation and our partners want to ensure that our families and loved ones have the proper access and the right information they need to get safely vaccinated."

Events and activations occurring throughout the week include:

Digital content and graphics that will be amplified across media and various platforms to help inform communities of color about the COVID-19 vaccination process

Social media live sessions with leading health experts and journalists to discuss community organizing around vaccine equity and access, including Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith , Chair of the White House COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force; Vice News Host, Paola Ramos ; Father Manuel Dorantes , Strategic Advisor to Vatican News; Austin, Texas Councilman, Gregorio Casar ; and Dr. Ilan Shapiro , Medical Correspondent for Univision

, Chair of the White House COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force; Vice News Host, ; Father , Strategic Advisor to Vatican News; Councilman, ; and Dr. , Medical Correspondent for Univision A national bilingual (English/Spanish) hotline for individuals to book a free ride to their vaccination appointment

Univision is a partner for the National Week of Action and will leverage its media platforms and air-time to raise awareness about the importance of being informed about the COVID-19 vaccination process, and will also host a town hall discussion during the week with Voto Latino's Kumar.

"Univision is proud to join this collective effort to increase vaccine equity, education and access to viable health information at a time when our community needs it the most," says Ron Estrada, Senior Vice President, Head of Government Relations and Corporate Social Responsibility at Univision Communications Inc.

For the national hotline, Voto Latino Foundation is partnering with Uber and GoGoGrandparent to provide free rides to vaccine appointments in Latinx populations and communities of color across the country. To book a ride, interested individuals can call the free bilingual (English/Spanish) hotline at: (855) 497-2117. Voto Latino Foundation has also teamed up with the Ad Council to encourage outreach amongst Latinx communities.

Voto Latino Foundation (VLF) is the largest Latinx voter registration organization in the country. VLF is a non-profit, non-partisan 501(c)(3) organization centered around Latinx youth predicated on their influence in their households and their sheer numbers. 66% of Latinos in the US are under the age of 33 and will propel the Latinx electorate to be the second largest voting block for the first time in 2020. VLF is among the top 10 voter registration outfits in the nation and the only Latinx organization on the list.

CONTACT:

Brianna Carmen, [email protected]

SOURCE Voto Latino Foundation
CRANBERRY TOWNSHIP, Pa., June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Westinghouse Electric Company is joining the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)'s "Nuclear Saves Partnerships", a new initiative designed to mitigate the impacts of climate change via investment in nuclear power technology, renewable integrated energy systems and climate smart agriculture, among others.

"I am grateful to Westinghouse Electric Company for becoming the first partner of Nuclear Saves. Funding from Westinghouse will bolster our efforts in the area of climate change mitigation and clean energy. I am keen to ensure that the IAEA, with the support of Westinghouse and others, will remain at the forefront of deploying nuclear science and technology to address global challenges," said IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi.

"This partnership is another demonstration of our commitment to the fight against climate change, and an important step in deepening the relationship between Westinghouse and the IAEA," said Westinghouse President and Chief Executive Officer Patrick Fragman. "We are proud to serve as a model for future public-private partnerships as the world joins together in seeking to combat the effects of climate change."

Nuclear power is the world's largest source of carbon-free energy and is critical to help reverse climate change trends and meet decarbonization deadlines established by the world's leading climate scientists. Operating at full power nearly 93% of the time, nuclear power plants reliably fill the renewable energy void that intermittent sources such as wind and solar alone cannot fill.

The Nuclear Saves Partnerships is an opportunity for companies to support the IAEA in transferring nuclear science and technology to countries to improve the health and prosperity of millions of people around the world. The IAEA unites the best of global science, technology and human ingenuity to help its 173 Member States in addressing some of the world's most pressing challenges. Funds from Nuclear Saves Partnerships will enable the IAEA to accelerate the peaceful uses of nuclear energy for cancer diagnosis and treatment, the prevention and control of zoonotic diseases, as well as climate change adaptation, mitigation and transition to clean energy. For more information please write to: [email protected].

Westinghouse Electric Company is the world's pioneering nuclear energy company and is a leading supplier of nuclear plant products and technologies to utilities throughout the world. Westinghouse supplied the world's first commercial pressurized water reactor in 1957 in Shippingport, Pa., U.S. Today, Westinghouse technology is the basis for approximately one-half of the world's operating nuclear plants. For more information, please visit www.westinghousenuclear.com.

Contact: Sheriece Dick

Director, Strategic Communications

Westinghouse Electric Company

Telephone: +1 571-489-1351

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Westinghouse Electric Company

Related Links

www.westinghousenuclear.com


WASHINGTON, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- With two major human rights organizations now claiming Israel is an apartheid state , IRmep makes available to news media and event planners distinguished historian and author Walter L. Hixson. Hixson's latest book is "Architects of Repression: How Israel and Its Lobby Put Racism, Violence and Injustice at the Center of US Middle East Policy."

Hixson can comment on:

Why is U.S. aid to Israel unconditional and more than aid to other small countries? How does the U.S. help Israel avoid accountability for ongoing human rights violations and illegal settlements? When did Israel's U.S. lobby first form? What are some of its programs? Which presidents attempted to hold Israel accountable? What happened? Should Americans expect politicians to ever represent the movement to cut or condition aid to Israel ? What hopeful signs are emerging?

Experts laud "Architects of Repression."

"The power of the Israel lobbies in American political life, widely acknowledged, has most often been discussed in a theoretical manner. The acclaimed Walter Hixson brings to the subject the clarity and careful documentation of the archival historian, and in so doing he sheds loads of illumination on lobbying that AIPAC officials themselves have admitted flourishes best in darkness."

--Juan Cole, Richard P. Mitchell Collegiate Professor of History, University of Michigan.

"A devastating, learned, brilliantly narrated study of how the extremities of US pro-Israeli policy came about and were maintained despite decades of severe Israeli crimes victimizing the Palestinian people as a whole in what had been their native country.

--Richard Falk, professor emeritus of international law at Princeton University, is the former United Nations Human Rights Rapporteur in the Occupied Territories.

"If you ever wondered what the USA role in the ongoing Nakba of the Palestinian people is, you need to read this book. If you ever wondered how the Israeli lobby in the USA corrupted the American foreign policy towards Palestine and beyond, you need to read this book.

--Ilan Pappe is professor of history and director of the European Centre for Palestine Studies at the University of Exeter.

Architects of Repression is now available in print , Kindle and audio book formats.

For review copies and author media interviews and events, email [email protected] or call 202-342-7325.

IRmep is a Washington, DC-based nonprofit corporation researching U.S. Middle East policy formulation since 2002.

SOURCE Institute for Research: Middle Eastern Policy

Related Links

www.irmep.org


WILTON MANORS, Fla., June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Florida League of Cities, the united voice for Florida's municipal governments, recently recognized Commissioner Gary Resnick with a 2021 Home Rule Hero Award for his hard work and advocacy efforts during the 2021 Legislative Session.



"This year there were more than 60 pieces of proposed legislation that threatened preemptions," said Commissioner Resnick. "Home Rule is so important to our residents and the work we do at the local level. Since every city is unique, topics such as short-term rentals, home-based businesses, and broadband services, should be governed by local leaders elected to serve each respective municipality."

Home Rule is the ability for a city to address local problems with local solutions with minimal state interference. The 2021Home Rule Hero Award recipients are local government officials, both elected and nonelected, who consistently responded to the League's request to reach out to members of the legislature and help give a local perspective on an issue.

"This year's award recipients went above and beyond during the 2021 Legislative Session," said FLC Director of Legislative Affairs Casey Cook. "They made an extraordinary effort, actively engaged and highly effective in their advocacy efforts. Even with all the various challenges presented this year due to the pandemic, they stepped up. They engaged with legislators, shared their stories and made their voices heard, and it made a difference. On behalf of the League and its legislative team, it's my sincere honor to recognize this year's award recipients and thank them for their service."

Commissioner Resnick also received the Home Rule Hero Award in from 2016-2020 and in 2012 while serving as the Mayor of Wilton Manors. Appointed as an executive committee member of Florida League of Cities in 2020, Commissioner Resnick helps guide the League to continued success in all activities and programs. He has served on the Wilton Manors City Commission since 1998, including 10 years as Mayor (2008-2018), and has served on the Board of Directors and Legislative Advocacy Committee of the Florida League of Cities since 2003. While Mayor, Resnick served as chair of the National League of Cities (NLC) Information Technology and Communications (ITC) Federal Advocacy Committee, and now serves on NLC's Board of Directors, Legislative Advocacy Committee, and Legal Advisory Committee. Resnick was President and currently serves as Treasurer of the Broward League of Cities (BLOC) and chairs the BLOC Legislative Advocacy Committee. He is a shareholder and practicing attorney with GrayRobinson Attorneys at Law and chair of the Firm's communications broadband practice.

ABOUT THE CITY OF WILTON MANORS

Wilton Manors was laid out in 1925 by Edward John "Ned" Willingham, a land developer from Georgia, as an upscale residential community. It was recognized as a Village in 1947 and incorporated as a City in 1953. Today, the City of Wilton Manors offers all the benefits of a big city from shopping, to hip restaurants and bars, a burgeoning arts community, yet still maintains a cozy, community-feeling offering miles of natural waterways perfect for kayaking, paddle boarding and other outdoor activities. In 2018, Wilton Manors was named the "Second Gayest City" in the United States, celebrating a diverse population of approximately 12,000 residents. To learn more about the live, work and play opportunities in Wilton Manors call (954) 390-2100 or visit www.wiltonmanors.com.

ABOUT FLORIDA LEAGUE OF CITIES

Founded in 1922, the Florida League of Cities is the united voice for Florida's municipal governments. Its goals are to promote local self-government and serve the needs of Florida's cities, which are formed and governed by their citizens. The League believes in "Local Voices Making Local Choices," which focuses on the impact citizens and city leaders have in improving Florida's communities. For more information, visit flcities.com.

Conceptual Communications, (954) 732-0754, [email protected]

SOURCE Wilton Manors

Related Links

http://www.wiltonmanors.com


"The latest updates to the Smart Chart come at a critical time as vaccination rates continue to climb, companies develop official back to office policies, and state and local jurisdictions set different mandates around COVID-19 precautions," said Ken Crutchfield, Vice President and General Manager of Legal Markets for Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory U.S. "As the legal landscape around this topic continues to shift, the expansion of the Smart Chart provides legal professionals with the necessary tools to drive value for their organizations by helping advise on how to open businesses back up safely while ensuring compliance with law."

Launched shortly after the onset of the pandemic, the Smart Chart is freely accessible on the open web and features content curated by topic and jurisdiction in a single resource to streamline legal professionals' research process. The new back to office content includes subtopics such as vaccination requirements, face mask and shield requirements, social distancing and capacity limitations, specific restrictions by type of business, and CDC and State Department of Health policies and recommendations. The Smart Chart also includes a corporate policies subtopic, which outlines the policies various Fortune 500 companies are implementing to bring their workforces back into offices safely.

In light of the more than 20,000 lawsuits that have been filed since the start of the pandemic, Wolters Kluwer's labor and employment law experts have also expanded the Smart Chart to include information on noteworthy caselaw. The Smart Chart coverage will focus primarily on labor and employment law as it relates to back to office policies, including:

Personal injury and wrongful death;

Employment, worker's compensation, and/or wrongful termination;

Business interruption insurance;

Privacy protections;

Reimbursement disputes;

Shareholder disputes; and

The travel industry.

For more information about COVID-19 State & Federal Compare Smart Chart and to schedule a demo, visit: https://www.wolterskluwer.com/en/solutions/cheetah/cheetah-covid-19-state-federal-compare-smart-chart

About Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory U.S.

Wolters Kluwer (WKL) is a global leader in professional information, software solutions, and services for the healthcare; tax and accounting; governance, risk and compliance; and legal and regulatory sectors. We help our customers make critical decisions every day by providing expert solutions that combine deep domain knowledge with technology and services.

Wolters Kluwer reported 2020 annual revenues of 4.6 billion. The group serves customers in over 180 countries, maintains operations in over 40 countries, and employs approximately 19,200 people worldwide. The company is headquartered in Alphen aan den Rijn, the Netherlands.

Wolters Kluwer shares are listed on Euronext Amsterdam (WKL) and are included in the AEX and Euronext 100 indices. Wolters Kluwer has a sponsored Level 1 American Depositary Receipt (ADR) program. The ADRs are traded on the over-the-counter market in the U.S. (WTKWY).

For more information about Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory U.S., visit www.WoltersKluwerLR.com, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Linda Gharib

Director, Brand & Communications

Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory U.S.

Tel: +1 (646) 887-7962

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory U.S.
"We're elated to welcome Zooey and her valued perspective, creativity and insights to the Merryfield team," said David Mayer, Founder and CEO of Merryfield. "Zooey has been shining a light on the disparities in the food system for some time now and helping to empower people without access to local produce or a backyard to be able to grow their own. She cares about the same things we care about  she's the real deal."

With the Merryfield app, any time consumers shop at their favorite retailers and buy products from the growing list of participating member brands including Applegate, Califia Farms, Beyond Meat, Hello Bello, EO Products, Quinn, Country Archer or Bob's Red Mill, they simply take a picture of their receipt via the app and earn points to be redeemed for gift cards from a wide variety of their favorite retailers like Target, Amazon, Sephora or Starbucks. Users can also connect their Merryfield account with some of the stores they shop at regularly to get rewards automatically for digital purchases.

Merryfield is the only rewards app with rigorous quality standards that all brands and products must meet to be on the platform. Created by the company's Clean Council, Merryfield's Standards filter out unwanted ingredients such as artificial colorings, high fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated oils.

"The idea behind Merryfield made so much sense to me," said Deschanel. "I'd been thinking for a while about ways to incentivize people to really think about their choices and the impact of those choices. Making more informed, positive decisions for myself and my family makes me feel good, and I know a lot of people out there feel the same way I do. When I met David and the team and they told me about this idea to help make it easier for people to know which brands they can trust, then reward them for regularly supporting them with their purchasing power, I wanted to help make that happen."

Deschanel has demonstrated a true commitment to helping people to help themselves. She created a video series with media production company Attn: called Your Food's Roots and founded Lettuce Grow, a hydroponic vertical growing system  both endeavors exemplifying her deliberate mission to help democratize access to better food, part of which are the kinds of food "products" and other everyday products people buy each week like shampoo, baby wipes, cleaning products.

Yes, people buy fruits and vegetables  but they also buy crackers and frozen waffles and microwave popcorn, particularly families and busy moms. Merryfield helps consumers know which products don't include harmful ingredients or unnecessary chemicals. With so many better-for-you, high integrity brands now available at stores like Target, Costco and Walmart, the democratization of these types of products is clearly underway, but deciding which brands to trust and what to buy and why can be difficult.

Mayer said, "Without storewide standards most everywhere people shop, the onus is on all of us to research and read every label. It means work. Merryfield makes it easier for people to discover new products and brands they can trust without having to do a ton of their own research and feel overwhelmed by all of the information and options before them. We love informing and then rewarding people for consistently supporting brands that subscribe to a higher everyday quality standard."

Through Merryfield, consumers can also feel good about supporting No Kid Hungry's mission to end childhood hunger since the company donates one percent of its revenue to the non-profit. This comes at a time when new data estimates suggest that one in four children in America could face hunger this year.

To learn more, go to http://www.merryfield.com , and follow Merryfield @merryfieldxo.

Download the iOS app for free at the Apple App Store. Android available Sept/ Oct 2021.

About Merryfield:

Merryfield, a privately-held Public Benefit Corporation (PBC) based in Boston, is a new app, loyalty program and trusted authority on better-for-you, purpose-led brands like Stonyfield Organic, ECOS, Califia Farms, Suja, Rao's Homemade, Orgain, NadaMoo!, Alaffia, Uncle Matt's and more. Merryfield helps take the guesswork out of knowing which brands to trust and rewards consumers for supporting products and brands that don't use any artificial junk or unnecessary chemicals  and are better for your family and the planet. With Merryfield Everyday Rewards, any time you buy products from our growing list of participating member brands you get rewarded. It doesn't matter where you shop, just take a picture of your receipt and you'll get points you can redeem for great gift cards from a wide variety of retailers you love like Target, Amazon, Sephora or Starbucks. It's that easy. Users can also connect their Merryfield account with some of the stores they shop at regularly for digital purchases and get rewards automatically.

Contact:

Sandrine Mangia Park/ Merryfield

[email protected]

Lauren Auslander/ LUNA

[email protected]

SOURCE Merryfield

Related Links

https://www.merryfield.com/


Proactive research analyst Ryan Long joined Stephen Gunnion to discuss Corp's ( ) (OTCMKTS:VOXCF) planned US$1.98 million acquisition of a royalty on part of 's (TSE:GSV) (NYSEAMERICAN:GSV) Railroad-Pinion gold project, which sits on the prolific Carlin Trend in Nevada.

The project is advancing towards the completion of a feasibility study and a subsequent construction decision.

Long telling Proactive that during the development phase, Vox will generate cash flow from the asset, with payments increasing substantially once the mine is gets into production.

Click here to read Proactive analyst Ryan Long's latest research note on 'Vox Royalty lines up accretive royalty deal in Nevada'
As well as an inhaled respiratory treatment with blockbuster potential, the group has a commercial product that looks set to generate significant near-term revenues

The respiratory product is believed to be effective across a broad range of infections from pneumonia and flu to the common cold, which opens up a huge potential marketplace.

is developing an inhaled respiratory treatment with blockbuster potential and has a commercial product that looks set to generate significant near-term revenues.

It plans is to raise 6mln in pre-IPO and IPO funding and is expected to list on the London Stock Exchange in the third quarter at what it believes is a conservative valuation of 50mln.

Cash raised will kick-start the commercial roll-out of Spectricept, the active ingredient of the firm's non-alcohol-based hand sanitiser which is 300-times stronger than bleach.

It will also be put to use developing SPC-069, shortly to be trialled on COVID-19 patients, but which could also be used to treat a range of viral, bacterial, and fungal infections. In this era of antibiotic resistance, this broad-based potential is bound to attract a lot of industry interest.

Both innovations harness the antimicrobial qualities of a chemical known as hypochlorous acid (HOCl), which is produced as a vital component of our bodies immune system to destroy unwanted bacteria and viruses.

The formulation mimics how humans make HOCl, which in turn provides resilience to contaminants.

The use of HOCl as both a hand sanitiser and combatant for infection emanates from the work of Hoji Alimi, the chairman and chief executive of Collidion Inc. SpectrumX holds licences over the technology granted to the company by Alimis Spectrum Antimicrobials, a subsidiary of Collidion.

The imminent UK roll-out of the hand sanitiser could quickly transform the business, generating 9.4mln in revenues this year rising to 43mln next year, then 75mln and 99mln, before hitting 130mln by 2025. These are the companys own internal projections and may change as the group develops.

However, market testing has revealed there could be strong demand for this next-generation cleanser, which is kinder to the skin than but more effective as alcohol-based solutions.

Gary Davies, medical director of Chelsea & Westminster NHS Trust, said the feedback from his staff using SpectrumXs HOCl product had been overwhelmingly positive.

Once up and running, a manufacturing facility in the north-west of England means Spectrum can stop importing product from California, resulting in a sharp fall in costs. It also allows the company to rapidly increase and broaden its base of prospective customers.

The figures quoted earlier are "immediately projected revenues" from the hand sanitiser and ignore the significant potential of SPC-069, the respiratory candidate that will undergo phase II clinical trials in Austria shortly.

The 240 participants in the trial will be put on a 10-day course of the treatment, which means the top-line results from the study should be available reasonably quickly  perhaps six weeks from the start of the evaluation, says Damien Hancox, the chief executive of SpectrumX.

Anecdotally, we have seen excellent improvements in 72 hours, he adds.

With this last fact in mind, Hancox and his team are making a submission to the newly formed UK Antiviral Taskforce, which has been set up to find treatments that can be used at home to combat the more extreme effects of COVID-19.

They [the taskforce] are actively looking; at the moment they're looking for experimental ingestible treatments because our form of therapy is relatively unknown  and the chemistry completely novel  but we are in touch with the right people, the SpectrumX CEO adds.

The product has undergone delineation assessment by the HPRA in Europe and been assessed as a medical/pharmaceutical product. This was done via Spectrums Irish subsidiary.

Our ultimate aim is to have our product used as a preventative sold over the counter in a pharmacy, so if your son or your daughter starts getting a cold at school you go to Boots or Superdrug and you buy a nebuliser preloaded with capsules of our solution, explains Hancox.

As mentioned above, the respiratory product is believed to be effective across a broad range of infections from pneumonia and flu to the common cold, which opens up a huge potential marketplace.

Its any sort of viral or bacterial infection; anywhere in the airways (upper or lower, respiratory system) we have the same effective mode of action, Hancox explains. By being positively non-selective, it makes our respiratory treatment so unique.

There will be significant early milestones for SpectrumX, including the initial trial data from its phase II study of SPC-069 by the Innsbruck team assessing its potential to treat COVID-19 patients.

Assuming a positive read-out from the trial, it will submit the data in support of a European Medicines Agency emergency use authorisation for its respiratory technology.

At a practical level, we will also see the fit-out of the Spectricept manufacturing facilities that will quickly lead to the expansion of NHS contracts (and help SpectrumX achieve the sales numbers quoted above).

We have a rare opportunity to create a significant business very quickly from a standing start, says CEO Hancox. We couldnt be more excited.
Combined, the company has an exploration potential range of 72 to 172 million tonnes at a grade of 8-15% TGC, excluding the current JORC mineral resource at the Gilbert Arc deposit of 41.8 million tonnes at 10.8% TGC.

Walkabout's country-wide focus seeks to extend its graphite footprint in Tanzania through reconnaissance and exploration campaigns.

Walkabout Resources ( ) (FRA:N6D) continues to assess in-country growth potential in Tanzania and potentially extend its graphite footprint through reconnaissance and exploration campaigns.

At Kimoingan Project in northern Tanzania, the company has hit high grades of up to 27% total graphitic carbon (TGC) following detailed mapping on PL1114/2017 while multiple parallel mineralised graphitic units of up to 12 kilometres in length have been mapped out with further extensions possible undercover.

Walkabout has also generated new and more refined exploration targets at the flagship Lindi Jumbo Project, where further interpretation and reprocessing of historical VTEM data and exploration campaigns at the Gilbert Arc deposit area has extended the exploration potential range (EPR).

The EPR over its two flagship graphite tenements in Tanzania is now between 72 and 172 million tonnes at a grade ranging from 8% to 15% TGC.

Prominent force within graphite industry

Chief executive officer Andrew Cunningham said: The conservative estimation of the exploration potential range within a small portion of the companys graphite holdings in Tanzania is based on areas where the company has hard evidence of high-grade graphite occurrences that fit our exploration and development strategy.

With the majority of funding for the Lindi Jumbo Project now secured and with a relatively conservative production scale entry into the graphite market, the growth potential within our current tenement holdings firmly enables the company to become a prominent force within the graphite industry, not only in East Africa, but globally.

The Kimoingan Project is near the Merelani graphite deposits that are being exploited on a small scale by private companies.

Detailed mapping and sampling within the licence area have delineated multiple graphitic zones up to 2 kilometres in length with most of the tenement covered by soils and or calcrete and with grab sample results up to 27.0% TGC.

The exploration potential range for the licence area is estimated to be between 22 and 72 million tonnes of in situ graphite bearing material at 10-15% TGC.

Lindi Jumbo Graphite Project

Within the Lindi Jumbo Graphite Project area in south-eastern Tanzania and in proximity of the high-grade, large flake JORC-compliant Gilbert Arc Deposit (the existing mineral resource), the EPR of unexplored and under-explored ground covered by the previously reported VTEM survey area has also been updated.

Utilising the vast technical dataset generated through historical exploration campaigns at the Gilbert Arc Deposit area and drawing on Walkabouts experience with high-grade graphite deposits, the existing VTEM dataset has been re-processed and re-interpreted with many of the VTEM targets evidencing high-grade surface sampling assays as previously reported.

This exploration potential range was confined to the portions of ML579/2018, PL13376/2018 and PL9993/2014 that were covered by the VTEM survey completed in 2015.

It is important to note that only 22% of the current contiguous tenement package covering 169 square kilometres of prospective ground for graphite mineralisation is covered by the VTEM survey.

The targeting within the tenement package was restricted to the areas covered by the VTEM survey and was only focussed on where the company has hard evidence of high-grade graphite occurrences (> 15% TGC) through surface mapping and sampling.

Approach to drive growth

The conservative production case for the Lindi Jumbo mine of 40,000 tonnes per annum over 24 years, currently under construction, only uses a small proportion of reported mineral resource.

Walkabout will now proceed to further explore and define selected areas in anticipation of a need to expand production from its graphite mineral assets.

Next steps include:

Accelerate conversion of in or near pit Inferred and indicated mineral resources to reserves in the Gilbert Arc zone;

Undertake further exploration and drilling on the mining lease;

Undertake further exploration and drilling of the target areas within Prospecting Licences PL11409/2020, PL9993/2014;

Consider the extraneous processing of estimated 8 million tonnes of low-grade stockpiles at around 6% TGC; and

Undertake further exploration and drilling of the high-grade target zones within the Kimoigan prospecting licence PL11119/2017.

The potential quantity and quality of the quoted EPR outside the Gilbert Arc resource area is conceptual in nature as there has been insufficient exploration to define a mineral resource and it is uncertain if further exploration will result in the determination of a mineral resource over any of the additional target areas.
New York, June 9 : US Vice President Kamala Harris much hyped tie-breaking vote in a 50-50 Senate is running into a stonewall called Joe (from her own party) whos just not letting the math get to the magic number where Harris can close the deal on President Joe Bidens most ambitious legislative priorities.

Four months out from the time Joe Biden and Kamala Harris took office, panic is creeping into the Democratic Party. Campaign promises remain on the to-do list - blocked by both Republicans and Democrats.

"We will lose voters for a generation," Democratic lawmakers are warning as Biden's top legislative priorities are on cliff-edge.

Early in the vice presidency, Harris made Joe Manchin furious after a media hit in his home state of West Virginia. Biden had to speak to the other Joe to get him to toe the line on legislative gridlock. But the same pressure isn't working anymore.

Harris has now been publicly handed two tasks - getting a Democrats' sponsored voting rights bill passed and handling the border crisis. Swiftly, the other Joe delivered two blows.

Manchin declared he will be voting against the party's flagship voting rights bill which was floated in response to new voting laws being passed in Republican-led states, pumped up by former president Donald Trump. Manchin has also repeatedly refused to vote to simplify the long standing status quo of 60 Senate votes needed to pass most major legislation. Both are priorities for Democrats. As things stand in a 50-50 Senate, at least 10 Republicans would need to cross party lines to help Democrats pass any of their major bills.

The stakes are high and Biden has begun explaining why his agenda is stalling. At a Tulsa rally, he said, "I hear all the folks on TV saying, 'Why didn't Biden get this done?' Well, because Biden only has a majority of, effectively, four votes in the House and a tie in the Senate with two members of the Senate who vote more with my Republican friends." If the other Joe stands firm, Vice President Harris won't get a chance to bung in the tie breaking vote in the Senate - from where she ascended to the White House. Also, Harris is already polling well below Biden's strong numbers after the first 100 days.

On Tuesday, Biden ended talks with Republican senators on a $1.7 trillion infrastructure proposal for rebuilding the country's roads, bridges, highways, Veterans Affairs hospitals and care centers. Biden is now reaching out to the Senators who have leverage, including Manchin, whose vote will be crucial in the evenly split Senate.

Right now, the Washington spotlight is firmly on the two most powerful Joes in American politics - Joe Biden and Joe Manchin.

Not the tie-breaking vote.

(Nikhila Natarajan can be contacted on Twitter @byniknat)
Motihari : June 9 (IANS/ 101Reporters) "Happiness is no longer part of my life," said Kumari Neha. The 30-year-old was tragically widowed when her husband Deepak Anand, a government school teacher succumbed to Covid-19 while being treated at Government Medical College and Hospital at Bettiah, the headquarters of Bihar's West Champaran district.

It hasn't even been two years since they got married and he leaves behind a one-year-old child.

He is among the 54 government teachers claimed by the virus in East and West Champaran districts since the start of the second wave in April.

The state education department has initiated an exercise to determine the state-wide toll. "The compilation of data from other districts is being done. It is still at an introductory level," said a senior government functionary, refusing to be identified.

"In April and May 2021 alone, 29 of our teachers died," informed Awdesh Kumar Singh, District Education Officer (DEO) of East Champaran. West Champaran has witnessed 25 deaths, according to DEO Binod Kumar Vimal.

The districts are now staring at a huge loss to their basic education workforce when schools eventually reopen.

While online classes were happening in an erratic manner, teachers had been struggling with finances either due to delayed salaries or increasing expenditures. As a result, they were often unable to pay for the treatments.

Bihar Panchayat Nagar Prarambhik Shikshak Sangh (BPNPSS), a teacher's association in East Champaran, believes that timely salaries could have prevented some deaths.

The delay in salaries is typical and a delay of two months is quite common for both regular and contractual teachers.

The association's president, Amardeep Kumar, told 101Reporters, "Most of them are contractual teachers who died owing to a financial crunch. They were deprived of their salaries for four months, and hence they did not opt for the best medical services.

"As per the allotment received, the salary was paid for November, December (2020) and January (2021) -- about 80 per cent of salary was received for the latter. Teachers were without payments between February and May 2021." Stranded in the middle of a crisis

Praful Kumar Mishra, District Programme Officer (Establishment) of the education department in East Champaran, confirmed the delay in salaries. "We process the payment as soon as the allotment arrives. The pending salaries have been paid towards the end of May," he said.

Teachers have confirmed that they have now received their salaries but for many families, it is too late. "Due to lack of money, my husband ignored going to the doctor and preferred to take medicines prescribed by the chemist," said Savita Kumari, 42, about Ramesh Sah, a government teacher in West Champaran.

"But his health deteriorated suddenly and he had to be admitted to GMCH on May 1. He passed away the following day before he could even be tested," she says.

The mounting death toll has expedited the demand for relief. Premchand (he goes by one name only), State Spokesperson and Media In-Charge of Bihar Rajya Prathamik Shikshak Sangh, said, "The number of deaths due to Covid-19 is high. We are compiling a list from all the districts. A demand for immediate compensation and jobs for dependents of each of the deceased has been made." Sanjay Kumar, Additional Chief Secretary of the State Education Department, had announced in May that dependents of all the teachers who died due to Covid-19 are entitled to claim an ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh. However, when asked how many people have received the amount so far, the district officials chose to remain tight-lipped.

BNPSS president Kumar, said families from East Champaran are still knocking at the doors of government offices to claim the promised ex-gratia relief and compassionate appointment. "Paperwork is progressing at a snail's pace," he added.

Death and confusion The grieving families have to jump through bureaucratic hoops for the ex-gratia and it has been especially hard to get proper death certificates. "An RT-PCR or antigen report is mandatory for declaration of a COVID-related death," according to Dr Srikant Dubey, Deputy Superintendent of GMCH in Bettiah. But in many cases, these tests were not conducted.

The family of Ajay Gupta, a contract teacher posted at Englishiya in West Champaran, is yet to come to terms with his death on May 13. His wife, Vibha Gupta -- a mother to two -- is too deep in mourning to deal with paperwork. The responsibility has fallen on Gupta's father, Rameshwar Prasad, who said that they are yet to receive his son's death certificate.

The family have not been able to procure one since the RT-PCR or antigen test, required for the document, was not done. This death too occurred at the GMCH at Bettiah. At that time, the family was in a panic over his deteriorating health and didn't have the time to get an RT-PCR test done.

"We left everything for the doctors to decide. For now, we have submitted all the documents to the government, but cannot guess what the investigation report will say." Rajesh* (name changed) was a teacher who was being treated at GMCH before his death. A family member, who wished to remain anonymous, told 101Reporters that the CT scan results are available and Remdesivir was administered to the patient. "Why is the death certificate being denied when all the treatments were provided to the patient as per Covid-19 protocol?" they ask.

(The author is a Bettiah-based freelance journalist and a member of 101Reporters.com, a pan-India network of grassroots reporters.)

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Amsterdam, June 9 : Almost 26 years after the Srebrenica genocide, the UN War Crimes Tribunal has confirmed the sentence of life imprisonment handed down to former Bosnian Serb general Ratko Mladic for the Srebrenica genocide, among other crimes.

The confirmation was in the last instance and upheld an earlier verdict, meaning Mladic has lost his final appeal against his conviction for genocide.

In the first instance, the now 78-year-old accused was sentenced to life imprisonment. Mladic, who became known as the "Butcher of the Balkans" during the 1992-95 Bosnian War, wanted to be acquitted.

Mladic, who was captured and handed over to the tribunal in 2011, remained motionless during the reading of the verdict and only shook his head from time to time. He remained silent afterwards, DPA reported.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres thanked the judges and those involved in the trial for their commitment and hard work over decades.

Chief prosecutor Serge Brammertz welcomed the verdict and told Mladic's supporters that "it's time to accept the truth." Mladic, he said, was one of the "most notorious war criminals in modern history." However, while the verdict marks the end of the last major international Srebrenica trials, the perpetrators are still glorified, said Brammertz, calling for international condemnation.

In 2017, Mladic had been sentenced to life imprisonment for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide, including the years-long siege of Sarajevo with over 10,000 deaths, the persecution and expulsion of Bosnian Muslims and Croats and the Srebrenica genocide.

Under Mladic's leadership, Serbian troops had overrun the UN protected zone of Srebrenica in 1995 and subsequently murdered more than 8,000 Bosnian Muslim men and boys.

The Srebrenica massacre, determined to have been genocide by the UN International Court of Justice in 2007, is regarded as the worst atrocity in Europe since the Holocaust.

Demonstrators had gathered in the square in front of the court hours before the verdict was announced. "Justice for Bosnia" was written on some placards.

In Bosnia-Herzegovina, the verdict was met with divided reactions.

At the Srebrenica Genocide Memorial, mainly relatives of people killed by Mladic's troops gathered for a live broadcast.

Those present listened quietly as the verdict was delivered, many with tears in their eyes, the news portal klix.ba reported.

Leading Bosnian Serb politician Milorad Dodik, on the other hand, claimed that the verdict had "nothing to do with law and justice." He described the genocide in Srebrencia established by The Hague tribunal as a "myth" that "did not happen." Mladic had "not been proven" to have committed the crimes he was charged with, he said.

In March 2019, the ex-general's political companion, Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic, 75, had already been sentenced to life imprisonment on appeal - also for the Srebrenica genocide.
Saharanpur : , June 9 (IANS) The last time a handpump made news was when actor Sunny Deol uprooted it in a fit of anger in his 2001 blockbuster film 'Gadar- Ek Prem Katha'.

Now a handpump in Saharanpur district has become an object of communal discord.

The handpump in Maniharan market was recently uprooted by the officials on the request of a shopkeeper, Pandit Murari Jha, who wanted to re-open his shop that had been shut for the last four years. The pump was installed in front of the shop.

According to Jha, "They have created a mountain out of molehill. The hand pump was blocking the entrance to our shop which we were planning to open now. So, the removal of the pump was necessary." Soon after the handpump was uprooted, shopkeepers -- most of them from another community -- wanted it back.

Nadeem Khan, who has given the application to reinstall the water source, said, "The hand pump was the source of water for so many shop owners, including Hindus. They just made it a prestige issue. We had even changed the direction of the water outlet so that Jha did not find it inconvenient to manage his shop. Yet he got it removed.

"Hundreds of policemen reached the spot and we were not even allowed to protest when it was being removed." Local Samajwadi party and Congress MLAs staged a protest after which the administration agreed to the demand and decided to re-install the handpump.

However, the administration backtracked after right wing organizations reached at the spot and staged a protest against the administration. They also recited Hanuman Chalisa.

The administration has now decided to maintain the status quo, which means the hand pump will not be re-installed.

Additional district magistrate (Behat), Dipti Dev, said, "We conducted an inquiry into the issue through Behat police station in charge. It was found that the hand pump was really creating problem for the shop and hence it was ordered to be removed."
Managua, June 9 : Nicaragua authorities have arrested two more potential presidential challengers to veteran leader Daniel Ortega in polls later this year.

Felix Maradiaga and Juan Sebastian Chamorro have been accused of terrorism and plotting against Nicaragua's sovereignty and independence, the BBC reported.

They were held under a controversial new security law passed in December by Ortega's government.

Two other opposition leaders have been arrested in recent days.

The US branded Ortega "a dictator" following Tuesday's arrests.

Last week, opposition leader Cristiana Chamorro was placed under house arrest for alleged money laundering, which she denies.

And on Saturday another opposition figure, Arturo Cruz, was detained at Managua airport as he arrived from the US.

President Ortega, 75, is seeking a fourth consecutive term in November's election.

On Tuesday, Maradiaga, 44, was summoned to the public prosecutor's office in Managua and after being questioned he left the building, saying: "I am going to stay in the running for the presidential candidacy." According to reports, police then stopped him and his lawyer in their car. An opposition spokesman said Mr Maradiaga had been beaten by police during the arrest and that his whereabouts were unknown.

Shortly afterwards, Juan Sebastian Chamorro - a cousin of Cristiana Chamorro - was detained at his home outside Managua.

Separate police statements said the arrests were carried out for the same reasons - for "carrying out acts that undermine independence, sovereignty, and self-determination, inciting foreign interference in internal affairs, and calling for military interventions".
Suva, June 9 : Fijians living in rural areas can now build better and stronger homes according to an upgraded housing plan newly issued by the Ministry of Housing of the Pacific Island country.

Minister Premila Kumar said that as the frequent and increasing occurrence of natural disasters have impacted on the housing infrastructure in Fiji, the plan is introduced in a bid to provide safer and cost-effective housing options to Fijians living in rural areas.

The cost of building the two-bedroom house in the plan stands at about 21,000 Fijian dollars (10,300 US dollars), reported the FijiVillage news website on Wednesday, Xinhua reported.

Kumar said more Fijians will benefit from more resilient houses built through this plan and feel safe knowing their homes will be strong enough to withstand extreme weather conditions.

Fiji was hit by severe cyclones in recent years, including Pam, Yasa and Harold in 2020, which caused widespread devastations.

The plan can be accessed and downloaded free from the ministry's website, with a complete set of engineering drawings and list of materials, said media reports.

Kumar said this core house has a block wall structure and includes a living area, kitchen and sanitation facilities.

She noted that in case of unforeseen emergency such as a cyclone, this can act as a "safe house".

Kumar said the living room can easily be converted into a smaller bedroom or serve as a storage space in preparing for evacuation or as transitional shelter for a household given other parts of the house are damaged in a strong cyclone.
Johannesburg, June 9 : In Mozambique's troubled province of Cabo Delgado, there have been 51 documented cases of minors being abducted - most of them young girls - over the past year, the charity group Save the Children reported on Wednesday.

The aid organization said the number was likely on the conservative side and that the true case count was probably "significantly higher" in the province, where Islamist terrorists have carried out a growing number of attacks since late March, DPA reported.

The abduction of children in Cabo Delgado is a "new and alarming tactic" by the militants and the hostages must be immediately released, Save the Children said.

Many of the children witness cruel attacks and are then abducted in whole groups, it said.

The population of oil-rich Cabo Delago has been suffering from brutal attacks for the past three years, but Islamist rebel groups have significantly expanded their attacks since late March.

Most recently, they attacked the northern Mozambican town of Palma on March 24. The Islamic State group took control of the city for several days, according to its own statements.
June 09 : Kangana Ranaut visited her Mumbai office on Tuesday to inspect the damage done to it by Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) last year when they had partially demolished it.

While paparazzi clicked her outside the office while she was with a team going around the office, inspecting the repairs need to be done, many of her fans and netizens shared the pictures on social media. In one video, the actress can be seen wearing a white outfit and white framed shades, getting down from her car inside her office complex.

While the actress came out of the office gate to inspect the outside damages, paparazzi requested her to pose for the lens. In the video, the actress can be heard telling the paparazzi, "Aap mujhe bhi toh mera kaam karne dijiye (Let me do my work also)." In one of the pictures, the Queen actress was seen standing in the office balcony, posing for the paparazzi.

Today's Pic, Kangana Ranaut in her Office Manikarnika Films  #KanganaRanaut pic.twitter.com/NwpFXOC9jq    -  (@Kangana_FC) June 8, 2021

When BMC demolished the Panga actress office in September last year, they had cited the reason to be structural violations. Immediately, the Bombay High Court had stayed the demolition in an interim order. Then in November 2020, the Bombay High Court held that the partial demolition of her office by the BMC was actuated by malafide, and said that it was in disregard of her rights.

Kangana spotted at her office Manikarnika films In Pali Hill 

This picture will burn a lot for those who break Kangana's office

#KanganaRanaut pic.twitter.com/Qzyi175uWd  Harshal (@Ajinkya84850202) June 8, 2021

After the demolition, the actress had said on social media that she doesnt have the money to renovate the damaged office, and will work from the ruins as a symbol of a womans will that dared to rise. The actress tweeted, I had my office opening on 15th Jan, shortly after corona hit us, like most of us I havent worked ever since, dont have money to renovate it, I will work from those ruins keep that office ravaged as a symbol of a womans will that dared to rise in this world #KanganaVsUddhav.

In March this year, Kangana had said she wants to claim compensation from BMC for the damage. For this, the actress claimed, that she needs to go through an architect, but she is facing challenges as no architect is willing to take up the work. The actress claimed that architects have been threatened by the BMC that their licenses will be cancelled.

"I have won the case against @mybmc now I need to submit a file for compensation through an architect, no architect is ready to take my case they say they getting threats from @mybmc their license will get cancelled, Its been six months since the illegal demolition," Kangana had tweeted earlier.
New Delhi, June 9 : After easing of curbs, the principal opposition party, the Congress, has decided to take on the government on the issue of petrol price hike, after cornering the government on the shortage of vaccine, medical equipment and drugs. The regular petrol is already selling at more than Rs 100 per litre in Mumbai and some other parts of the country.

The Congress has decided to hold massive protests on June 11 across the country on all petrol pumps and will demand roll back of the prices. The Congress has alleged that the prices were static till the West Bengal polls, but after that it again started shooting up.

Fuel price rise in the country continued on Monday with oil marketing companies (OMCs) increasing the pump rate of both petrol and diesel, though it spared a hike on Tuesday.

Petrol is selling at Rs 95.31 per litre and diesel at Rs 86.22 per litre in the national capital.

In the city of Mumbai, where petrol prices crossed Rs 100 mark for the first time ever on May 29, the fuel price reached new high of Rs 101.53 per litre on Monday. Diesel price also increased in the city to reach Rs 93.57 a litre, the highest among metros.
San Francisco, June 9 : Former US president Donald Trump, banned on all key social media platforms, has welcomes the Nigeria ban on Twitter, saying more countries should do the same.

Trump issued a statement late on Tuesday, supporting the Nigerian government's decision to suspend Twitter activities, the media reported.

"Congratulations to the country of Nigeria, who just banned Twitter because they banned their President. More COUNTRIES should ban Twitter and Facebook for not allowing free and open speech - all voices should be heard," Trump said.

Nigerian Minister of Foreign Affairs Geoffrey Onyeama said on Monday the country's decision to suspend Twitter is in the interest of national security and peace.

The Nigerian government on June 4 said it was indefinitely suspending Twitter's operations in the country, two days after the social media network removed a post from President Muhammadu Buhari where made a reference to the country's 30-month civil war in 1967-1970, warning "those who wanted the government to fail" to desist from fomenting trouble.

Trump, who is banned on Twitter, said that in the meantime, "competitors will emerge and take hold. Who are they to dictate good and evil if they themselves are evil? Perhaps I should have done it while I was President. But Zuckerberg kept calling me and coming to the White House for dinner telling me how great I was. 2024?" Facebook last week suspended Trump from its platforms for two years, the maximum penalty under a newly revealed set of rules for suspending public figures, a move that was hailed by the independent Oversight Board which had upheld the earlier decision by the social network to ban Trump.

When the suspension is eventually lifted, there will be a strict set of rapidly escalating sanctions that will be triggered if Trump commits further violations in future, up to and including permanent removal of his pages and accounts.
Thiruvananthapuram, June 9 : Finally, it was a much awaited and perhaps a walk to freedom by Beks Krishna, when he landed at the Cochin Airport from UAE and this was made possible by none other than billionaire businessman M.A. Yusuf Ali.

"I never expected that this day would ever dawn," was his first statement after seeing his wife Veena and son Adwaith, who were present at the airport to receive him, when he arrived in the wee hours of Wednesday.

Krishna was in jail for the past six years in Abu Dhabi after his vehicle which he was driving, hit a Sudanese boy, who died soon after the accident happened.

Krishna was taken into custody and was sentenced to death.

"While being in jail there, I heard about six or seven instances, when similar people accused in cases like mine, where the sentence was executed. Hence I was very tensed," said Krishna.

"But when I heard that Ali Sir had taken up my case, I regained the hope that I lost and it has now become a reality. Will always be grateful to him," added Krishna.

Hailing from Thrissur, his relative despite several attempts to make truce with the bereaved Sudanese family, failed to make any headway.

But things started to change after they got in touch with Ali, who also hails from Thrissur and then things started to shine brightly and in January this year Ali deposited a sum of Rs one crore in the court, there.

Then it was left to the court which gave the green signal of his release and two days back he got the out pass to leave the country and on Tuesday night Krishna boarded the flight for India.

Ali has already made his intent clear after first depositing the money in the court, which will go to the Sudanese family and said Krishna can now go and be with his family for some months.

"I have offered him a job and he can return when he wants to take up the job. His life also has to move on and hence I offered him the job," said Ali, who is the founder of the Lulu Supermarket chain.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Thiruvananthapuram, June 9 : Starting midnight Wednesday fishing trawlers will have to keep off 12 nautical miles away from the Kerala coast as the 52-day-long trawling ban will come into effect.

This has been the case since 1988, when trawling ban was first enforced.

The ban is, however, not applicable to the traditional fishermen who engage in fishing in the sea on the traditional boats.

The reason for the banned is that it is the breeding season for fish and any disturbance to that process depletes fish wealth.

Any trawler which breaks the rules is fined.

Fish is considered one of the most important dish in a huge majority of the Kerala households. The ban is expected to hike the fish prices by 25 per cent.

Kerala has over 200 marine fishing villages and the total fishermen is in excess of seven lakhs.

The state government during the ban period provides relief to the fisherfolks by way of ration.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
June 09 : Pearl V Puri has been getting support from many celebrities of the television industry after his arrest in the alleged rape case of a child. A heated argument took place on Twitter between Nia Sharma and Devoleena Bhattacharjee yesterday over his case. However, the two have now made peace when Nia apologised to Devoleena on her social media account.

Nia wrote,"My mom, brother and Ravi very lovingly told me I wasn't right and considering 3 close ones can't be wrong...So here I go... Hey Devoleena I may have crossed a line in being personal. I'm sorry. It was impulsive. Hope you' ll forget it.

Devoleena too replied back to Nia saying,"Hey Nia, that is ok. Forgive me too if I have hurt you anyway though that wasn't my intention at all. Convey my regards to your mom, brother and Ravi. Stay safe and Take Care.

The spat of words started when Nia took notice of Devoleena's tweets with regards to Pearl's case and she attacked her personally saying," Didi ko koi bata do dharna and candle march nahi kar sakte pandemic hai abhi bhi. Also Didi needs to practice her dance before she makes those pathetic dance reels thinking shes nailing them.

To which Devoleena replied,""Please Choti ko koi bato do sirf fashion skills dikhane se koi insaan nahi banta hai.Acchi soch aur acche dil ki zarurat hoti hai jiski kami dikh rahi hai.And whether i nailed my reels or no let my fans decide.Yahan pe bhi judge ban gayee.Rather focus on your photoshoots.

However, Nia's family made her realise her mistake and she was sweet enough to apologise to her on social media. Well now since both the actresses have buried the hatchet , we hope all is well between them!
Kabul, June 9 : At least ten people were killed in an attack on deminers in the northern province of Baghlan, the Interior Ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.

At least 14 more were injured when a camp of deminers was attacked on Tuesday night in the province's Baghlan-e Markazi district, the statement added.

So far, no one has claimed the incident, though the Interior Ministry blamed the militant Taliban, DPA reported.

A Taliban spokesperson said he had to look into the incident.

Local media reported that the attacked demining camp was run by the international mine clearance organization Halo Trust.

According to the website of the non-governmental organization, Halo Trust has 2,600 employees in Afghanistan. The demining program in the country is completely Afghan-led.

In the past, aid projects and NGOs in Afghanistan have been repeatedly attacked.

According to non-governmental organization Inso, 180 incidents involving NGOs in Afghanistan were registered in 2020. Fourteen employees were killed, 27 injured and 42 kidnapped.
Hyderabad, June 9 : Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown are affecting children with autism as fear of contracting the virus is making parents skip therapy.

Experts say delaying therapy due to Covid fear and restrictions is adding to the problems of children.

Parents with autistic children are refusing the therapy because they are afraid their kid might get infected through every conceivable way if they take them down to the center.

According Sreeja Reddy Saripalli, founder and chief strategist, Pinnacle Blooms Network, the problem is persisting since the first phase of Covid hit the country in March last year.

"Adults themselves have cut down on their interaction with outside world over the past 14 months which means, even children, who are in desperate need of help, are held back from reaching out to social workers," she said.

Since much of the brain development happens when the baby is between 12 and 60 months, she said delaying therapy will add to the problems.

"Babies are born with 25 per cent of their brain. As baby reaches their one year mark, it increases by 50 percent. By the time the child is 48 to 60 months, which is, four to five years old, the brain is fully developed. The development of the brain, which collects signals from the five senses and delivers them to the baby, must take place before the baby is 12 to 60 months old. Otherwise the motor and executive functions that the child should be capable of doing on their own will most certainly be impaired," said Sreeja Reddy She believes that missing crucial months (12 to 60 months) will render kid dependent and unable to navigate through life without parent's aid. It is of utmost importance that parents get them the therapy they require to build their motor and executive functions.

She said since controlling Covid symptoms in the second phase has become much easier due to growing awareness about the virus and an array of instructions on how to avoid getting infected, parents must ensure that their child does not miss even a single day of therapy.

As with food, children with autism tend to be picky with their environment. Choosing to be in their room instead of socializing with others, they get little to no interaction. To compensate for that, parents usually bring their kids to park so they can observe and have contact with the world outside on their terms so they're not totally cut off from it. This form of interaction too has been disrupted by Covid.

"It's a total myth that autistic kids of all kids are at high risk of catching the virus because of their immunity. Take them out, let them still meet people, make them wear masks, double it up if necessary, make them wear gloves, but bring them to the park and let them enjoy watching cats and people go by," she said.

Pinnacle Blooms has floated a free national helpline 9100181181 to help parents.

According to Charan Teja Koganti, Consultant Neuropsychiatrist, KIMS Hospitals, Hyderabad, with pandemic there is an increase in the behavioural symptoms of autistic kids that include irritability, worry, tantrums and fear.

"Attending speech therapy, occupational therapy and child guidance clinics might be delayed due to disrupted medical services and lockdown which can interfere with the ongoing treatment for autism," said the doctor.

He also believes that financial burden of parents can halt foregoing therapies entirely due to cost, which can lead to worse long-term behavioral outcomes.

There may be a failure to develop skills especially social and communication which they lack due to limited or no contact with other children with suspension of in-person education, extracurriculars and social activities. Picky eating and oral aversion can be a challenge due to unavailability of their favorite food at a restaurant or in the grocery store, Charan Teja added.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Mumbai, June 9 : Actress Raashii Khanna is trying to help the poor, who are the worst affected by the pandemic and its ensuing lockdown, and she requests all to donate towards helping the needy.

"It's really bad out there for a lot of families, and some of them are literally on the brink of starvation. I would really want people to open their hearts and donate because literally, every bit counts. It doesn't have to be an exorbitant amount. We have to realise that we are all in this together and only together can we overcome these difficult times. And together we can be a miracle in someone's life," says Raashii, who runs an initiative called #BeTheMiracle that aims at helping the needy.

"The ground reality of people suffering through the pandemic is heartbreaking. #BeTheMiracle is my way of doing as much as I can for them," she says.

Raashii is associating with organisations like Roti Bank and other volunteers who are also helping oldage homes, besides animals that have been left out with no food or water during lockdown.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Chennai, June 9 : A physical education teacher, Annadurai, 52, working with a government-aided school in Myladuthurai, Tamil Nadu was arrested after three of the school's alumni complained of sexual harassment against him.

The accused was working at Diwan Bahadur T Rangachariar (DBTR) National Higher Secondary School in Myladuthurai, Tamil Nadu for the past 20 years.

A 21-year-old woman complained to the police that the teacher had molested her when she was a student at the school. She complained that he had used inappropriate words at her and had touched her while she was a student at the school and also molested her at his home where she was called up to fill a form.

The woman said that she did not have the courage to speak earlier about the molestation and gained confidence after similar incidents were reported across the state with several women complaining against her former teacher for having molested them during their school days.

Annadurai was questioned by the police at Myalduthurai police station on June 5 but several students and teachers of the school reached the All Women Police station and deposed that he was innocent and that the woman has lodged a false complaint. However, on Monday, June 7, two more women complained that they were abused during their school days.

The PE teacher was arrested on Monday under the POCSO Act and remanded to judicial custody. The Tamil Nadu Education department has also commenced proceedings against the teacher and an investigation is underway.
Chennai, June 9 : Vaccination in Tamil Nadu has come to a grinding halt as several districts have fallen short of the required doses in the state. 39 out of the 45 health units of the state reported a shortage of vaccines.

The state is expecting 63,370 doses of Covaxin on Wednesday and another 40,000 doses on Thursday. A quantity of 3.6 lakh doses of Covishield vaccine is to be received by the state on Friday and health experts feel only after these arrivals would things get back on track.

On Tuesday, Virudhanagar MP and Congress leader B. Manickam Tagore refused to take his second scheduled Covishield vaccine as there was a shortage of vaccines in the district for the common people.

He had taken his first vaccine on April 8 and was scheduled to get his second dose on June 8 but as Government hospitals were running short of vaccines, and common man was not able to get the doses, the MP refused to accept his second dose.

Manickam Tagore told IANS: "I took my first dose of vaccine on April 8 and was scheduled to get my second jab on Tuesday, June 8 but unfortunately I came to know that there was an acute shortage of vaccines at the government hospitals and common people were not able to get the jab. When I contacted the Deputy Director of Health Services, he said that I could get vaccinated through a special arrangement and informed me that vaccination camp could not be held at the Government Medical College Hospital as stocks have run out." Health experts are of the opinion that if vaccines do not arrive in large quantity and the state receives vaccines in small batches it will affect the distribution of vaccines.

Joint Director Immunisation, Tamil Nadu, K. Vinaykumar told IANS: "We are expecting some of the above-said combinations of vaccine to arrive in the state ahead of schedule. If we receive vaccines in small batches it would hamper the distribution and delay vaccines." The immunization wing of the State Public health department has already informed the concerned district administrations that they may not be able to resume vaccination drive unless the state receives an adequate volume of stocks.

Tamil Nadu has so far received 1.01 crore doses under the state and central quota and 97.5 lakh doses have been administered.

Three lakh doses of vaccines were wasted since January 2021, according to the health department.

The state had gone for global bidding but there were no takers and with Prime Minister Narendra Modi announcing that the Centre would procure and provide vaccines to all adults, the call for fresh bids of vaccines was scrapped.

While active cases and fresh new cases are coming down in the state, public health experts said that vaccinating a maximum number of people is important to prevent further outbreaks.

Rejina VP, an epidemiologist with the Government Medical College, Chennai told IANS: "Health experts have already warned of the possibility of a third wave and more and more people have to be vaccinated as early as possible."
New Delhi, June 9 : Former Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday took a potshot at the government saying the farmers have been protesting against the three farm laws despite several deaths at the protest site.

"To safeguard their farms and the country, farmers are dying slowly. But they are not afraid and they are true to their stance," he said in a tweet in Hindi with the hashtag of #500DeathsAtFarmersProtest.

Hundreds of farmers from Punjab, Harryana and western Uttar Pradesh have been protesting against the three farm laws since November 26 last year at several borders of the national capital.

In last six months over 500 farmers have lost their lives at the protest sites. The farmers have been demanding the withdrawal of three farm laws and ensuring minimum support price for their produce.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
New Delhi, June 9 : Infosys Chairman Nandan Nilekani responding to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharamans public comments on glitches on the new Income Tax filing portal said Infosys regrets the glitches.

"The new e-filing portal will ease the filing process and enhance end user experience @nsitharamanji, we have observed some technical issues on day one, and are working to resolve them.@Infosys regrets these initial glitches and expects the system to stabilise during the week," Nilekani tweeted after Sitharaman had made public comments on twitter calling out Infosys for the problems with the new Income Tax portal.

The Finance Minister had pointed out these snags with the system and asked Infosys to fix it on Tuesday.

"The much awaited e-filing portal 2.0 was launched last night 20:45hrs. I see in my TL grievances and glitches. Hope @Infosys & @NandanNilekani will not let down our taxpayers in the quality of service being provided. Ease in compliance for the taxpayer should be our priority", Finance Minister said in the tweet.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Mumbai, June 9 : With shoots mostly on hold amid the ongoing second wave of Covid, actor Amol Parashar is currently utilising his time trying to work on a script.

"I was supposed to be shooting for a film in April that has been postponed because of the current scenario. I guess that will happen when it is safe to shoot again. Since there are no shoots, I am concentrating on finishing a script that I have been wanting to write. There are a couple of interesting conversations but timelines are uncertain given the fact that nobody's sure when it will be completely safe to shoot again," says Amol.

The actor got his first dose of the Covid vaccine last month. Sharing the experience, he says: "There was a sense of relief after managing to get a slot and a jab, but I am also aware this is only the first dose for now. I am hoping to get the second dose on time, so I can feel more assured. It is advised to still wear a mask and take precautions post vaccination, so I will continue to do that." A lot of people have complained of post-vaccine side effects. Did he experience anything? "There was some zoning out for two to three days and an overall feeling of laziness. Some of my friends who got a jab reported body ache, nausea and fever. I got away with some mild fever on day two and three, but it took seven to 10 days to feel the normal level of energy and strength," the actor informed.

On the work front, Amol was recently seen in the web series "Aapkey Kamrey Mein Koi Rehta Hai", where he features alongside Swara Bhasker, Sumeet Vyas, Naveen Kasturia and Ashish Verma.

He is all set to essay the role of freedom fighter Bhagat Singh in Shoojit Sircar's upcoming period drama "Sardar Udham Singh" starring Vicky Kaushal in the lead.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Agra, June 9 : A two-man inquiry committee has been set up by the district administration to investigate allegations against the controversy shrouding 22 deaths due to oxygen supply suspension as part of a "mock drill" by a private hospital in Agra.

A video gonewent viral two days ago bringing to light the alleged heinous crime by the management of the Paras Hospital.

The committee will give its report in two days.

Following the furore raised in political circles, the Agra district administration has sealed off the hospital and registered a case against the owners under the Epidemics Act. The licence of the hospital has also been suspended.

The 50 odd patients in the Paras hospital, have been transferred to other hospitals.

Agra District Magistrate P.N. Singh has denied any shortage of oxygen which could have led to the fatalities. Talking to media persons Singh said, if relatives of the deceased complain, a thorough investigation could be ordered.

The official figure of death on April 26, the night oxygen supply was alleged to have been cut off resulting in 22 deaths, was only seven, sources said.

This mismatch in figures would be hard to explain, for the district administration.

This is the second time Paras Hospital has been in news. The same hospital was sealed last year, in the first lockdown for anomalies and patients had to be shifted to the Sefai hospital.

In Lucknow the state government has already ordered a magisterial inquiry into the allegations.

Leaders of various opposition parties, including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra have demanded firm action against the hospital. Congress workers raised slogans at the hospital gate demanding arrest of the owners Tuesday evening.

The hospital management has been at pains to explain the content of the viral video, but the public ire and the backlog of pent up emotions of victims against the medical fraternity in general has raised the pitch so high that the so-called "friendly" sources in the ruling party and administration of the hospital owners, have backed out this time.

On the social media a lot of questions are being asked of the IMA which has not shown the courage to come to the aid of the doctor-owner of the Paras Hospital.

The second wave of Covid-19, which saw an alarming rise in the number of fatalities, also exposed the working of the private medical infrastructure which in many cases was accused of taking advantage of human sufferings by raising exorbitant bills.
New Delhi, June 9 : Reflecting on this time of great change brought about by new discoveries and breakthroughs happening continuously in nearly every field of human endeavour, economics enthusiast and acclaimed author of 'The Economic Reactor' Rajiv Bahl has come up with a new book on work in an ever-changing world.

Titled 'Re-imaging Jobs in a Fast-Changing World', the 2021 book is published by Rupa Publications. It proposes a Universal Supplementary Income Scheme to create over a hundred million jobs in India. A seasoned entrepreneur, Rajiv is also known in the startup ecosystem as the Founder of Fun Foods, an internationally popular brand later acquired by a multinational food major.

No matter where we look, we see rapid change either already upon us, or being imminent.

Says the author: "Never before in the history of our species have we encountered such rapid change. It is important that we understand the magnitude of the coming changes and where we are headed as a civilization and also how we may cope with the changed circumstances that the rapid changes will usher in upon us." The book's first part looks closely at the changes that are being wrought in eight distinct spheres of human activity that the author thinks will have the largest impact upon the way we live our lives. The eight areas are: Artificial intelligence, energy, manufacturing, the sharing economy, transport and connectivity, water purification and desalination, agriculture and meat production, and health and well-being.

In addition, the author has summed up the changes coming to the construction industry, automated clothes manufacturing and automated home cooking solutions.

At the end of each chapter, which studies one of these areas, the book analyzes the likely consequences of the developments in that field. It examines both the desirable and worrisome consequences. The consequences are similar across all fields. The desirable consequences are that all goods, including energy, manufactured goods of all sorts, clean water, agricultural produce, meat production and health delivery will become cheaper, of better quality and less damaging to the environment. The one worrisome consequence that runs through all fields is that jobs will become scarcer.

"We are already beginning to see the loss of jobs. The virus from Wuhan has speeded up the process. Many jobs that were until recently being done by humans, are now being done by machines and Artificial Intelligence. Businesses are discovering that they can make do with fewer employees. This process will speed up further until the loss of jobs will become the central issue before all countries and governments. If not handled properly the dearth of jobs could lead to a breakdown of law and order or even anarchy.

"We are not entirely helpless against the advancing tide of automated human-less jobs. There are many jobs that intelligent machines will not be able to do for at least one of three reasons. The first reason is that some jobs that require human interactions will be difficult to automate. It is difficult to imagine a robotic nurse imparting the same level of comfort and confidence that an experienced human nurse can. The list of jobs that machines cannot do for technological reasons will grow progressively shorter as technology improves but will never vanish. The second reason is that while it may be possible to automate some tasks, it will not be financially viable to try and automate them. Street foods and gourmet foods are examples. The third reason is that while it may be possible to automate a certain task, there would be no takers for it. For example computer programs are already the best chess players in the world, but no one is interested to watch two computer programs slug it out in a match that will last all of a few nano-seconds," says Bahl.

While the logic of the book applies to every country, the second part of the book, which addresses job creation, is India specific. Like every country India has some attributes that will make the process of meaningful job creation easier and some that will make it harder.

The book proposes a modest Universal Supplementary Income (USI) scheme, which will not only alleviate immediate hardship but also kick start the process of job creation. There are some steps that India can take to hasten the process which have been identified.

(Siddhi Jain can be contacted at siddhi.j@ians.in)
Dubai, June 9 : The Consulate General of India here has spearheaded a new drive aimed at upgrading skills and roles of blue-collar workers to the new normal.

The consulate, in collaboration with Skyline University College (SUC) in Sharjah and Indian Association Sharjah, is organising a two-day training for blue-collar workers, being held from Tuesday to Wednesday at Sharjah Indian School, Gulfnews reported.

The plan is to collaborate with educational establishments and Indian associations in the UAE in providing upskilling and reskilling for the workers, such as English language and communication skills, basic computer literacy and soft skills, as well as to boost their confidence level, officials said during the launch ceremony at SUC on Tuesday.

In his address at the ceremony, Aman Puri, Consul General of India in Dubai, said Indian blue-collar workers are highly sought by employers in the UAE owing to their "hard working and law-abiding nature".

More than 3.3 million Indians live and work in the UAE, with some 65 per cent of them estimated to be from the blue-collar category, he added.

"Therefore, it is imperative that we complement the expectations of our gracious workforce in terms of their skill sets.

Having the largest working diaspora in the UAE, it is natural that the Indian Consulate is always interested in understanding about the skill sets that can enhance the employability and productivity of the Indian human resources in the UAE," Puri said.

"With the rapidly evolving global technological landscape, regional economic conditions, and Covid-19, it is critical for us to keep updated with the requisite future skill sets ...

The Covid-19 pandemic has brought great challenges for Indians working in the UAE and several sectors were adversely impacted, including construction, aviation, tourism, and hospitality.

"Several workers have lost their livelihood and had to return to India. Meanwhile, the Covid-19 pandemic has also altered the conventional workspace and has ushered in innovative work environments, and have devised mechanisms to allow employees to work from home. Several of these aspects are likely to stay. It is therefore important that we accept and adjust to the new realities." Against the backdrop of these developments, the consul general added, the consulate had launched an upskilling programme in January using a Public-Private-Partnership model, by "utilising existing educational infrastructure and generating a win-win situation for all stakeholders involved, through the concept of 'Uberisation' of educational infrastructure".

Since the upskilling programme was launched earlier this year, the consulate has received interest from several educational institutions and Indian associations who will "gladly volunteer to provide the support for the training of blue collar workers".

Puri said: "We are extremely grateful to universities, schools, Indian associations, and organisations who have collaborated and partnered with the Indian consulate to work on this upscaling model".

As part of the collaboration, SUC is providing the training for 245 blue-collar workers, including non-teaching staff of Sharjah Indian School as well as staff of Indian Association Sharjah.

Speaking at the ceremony, SUC vice-chairman Nitin Anand said upskilling and reskilling is the need of the hour for all categories of employees and even business persons.

Even the SUC community, for example, had to learn about and adjust to the new virtual working environment brought on by the pandemic, Anand added.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
MBABANE  We want to invest in grid energy and we are talking to a number of investors in this space.

This was disclosed by Minister of Commerce, Industry and Trade Manqoba Khumalo. Speaking during the virtual Horasis Global Meeting on Tuesday afternoon, the minister said they would be having a lot of conversations about energy for the Southern Africa power pool. Eswatini right now is not energy independent following continued importation of a lot of energy from other countries. The theme of the global meeting was , Africa: The Worlds Engine of Growth.

Horasis is said to be one of the foremost annual meetings of the worlds leading decision makers from business, government and civil society. It provides a platform for cooperation and knowledge-sharing, particularly between developed countries and emerging markets. Grid energy storage can be defined as a collection of methods used for energy storage on a large scale within an electrical power grid. Electrical energy is stored during times when electricity is plentiful and inexpensive (especially from intermittent power plants such as renewable electricity from wind power, tidal power and solar power) or when demand is low, and later returned to the grid when demand is high, and electricity prices tend to be higher. In his address, Minister Khumalo described Eswatini as a land of investment opportunities. We are looking at enhancing our pharmaceutical and manufacturing sectors. We believe very strongly that we possess a set of advantages in the region. that manufacturing in Eswatini with the aim of supplying the region makes sense, said the minister.

Opportunities

Minister Khumalo further said there were so many opportunities in agriculture, mining, energy and the services industry. African youth need be properly capacitated which speaks to how we need to invest in our human capital and how we can prepare for the future, he stressed. Minister Khumalo highlighted that they were encouraging a lot of Foreign Direct Investments and what they were trying to do was to equate the level of opportunity that these jobs were bringing to capacity building for local young people in particular. The minister, on the other hand, said the country was very happy with the advent of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in January this year because it opened up the African market to a very small economy that is looking at leveraging an export-driven economy.
Lucknow, June 9 : The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), has now taken up cudgels for Bikru widow, Khushi, who is languishing in jail since the past ten months.

AAP MP Sanjay Singh has demanded immediate release of Khushi, who is a minor and is presently admitted to the Lohia hospital after she vomited blood.

Khushi had been married for just three days when the Bikru massacre in which eight police personnel were killed, took place in Bikru village on July 3. Khushi's husband, Amar Dubey, was one of the accused and he was killed days later in a police encounter.

In a memorandum given to UP Governor Anandiben Patel, Sanjay Singh has said that the police implicated four women, including Khushi, and has kept them in custody since the past 10 months.

Singh has named the four women, three related to Dubey and one who worked at the house of the main accused, Vikas Dubey. He alleged that all four have been implicated in fake cases.

"In Kanpur's Bikru incident, four women have been kept in jail for the past 10 months, with no consideration of law. This includes four women, three related to Dubey, including a minor and a woman who worked at his place, along with her two minor children one of whom is seven years and the other 2.5 years," Singh has said in his letter.

Singh has also claimed that the then SSP of Kanpur had publicly announced that Khushi had not been found guilty and would be released soon, but she continues to languish in jail.

"I request you to immediately intervene in the matter and get the government to follow rules. The innocent women must be released at the earliest," Singh has appealed to the governor.
Washington, June 9 : While many countries are yet to receive even one dose of Covid vaccines, many US states are seeing unused Johnson & Johnson vaccine doses piling up on shelves -- all set to expire this month, media reports say.

State officials have warned the doses could go to waste if they go unused in the coming weeks or are not sent elsewhere.

About 200,000 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine are set to expire on June 23, New York Times quoted Ohio state Governor Mike DeWine as saying.

The state's health department directed providers to adopt a "first-in, first-out" process for the shot to ensure doses with earlier expiration dates were used first.

As many as 60,000 doses of Johnson & Johnson vaccine may be wasted in Arkansas, and in West Virginia 20,000 to 25,000 doses are nearing their expiration date.

The expiration risk for Johnson & Johnson is a problem in every state, which received more than 10 million doses of the vaccine but were not administered, according to data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

According to state officials, uptake for the one-dose shot was dampened after the 11-day pause of the vaccine in early April by the US Food and Drug Administration over safety concerns.

There is a growing fear among state officials that Johnson & Johnson vaccine doses, which are coveted in the developing world, could go to waste without a national plan, Marcus Plescia, medical director of the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, the NBC news reported.

"I think people feel ethically that you've got other countries with no vaccines and in dire shape," Plescia said.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's vaccine data tracker indicates that 21.4 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine have been distributed and that a little more than half have been administered, or 11.1 million, the report noted.

The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) also voiced concern over wastage of vaccines yesterday. It urged the G7 leaders -- the UK, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the US -- to commit to sharing a minimum of 20 per cent of Covid-19 vaccine dose supply between June and August, which would provide more than 150 million doses to COVAX.

Only 0.4 per cent of all Covid-19 vaccine doses have been administered in low-income countries. And in many countries, even the most vulnerable adults and health care workers have not received vaccinations, said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, recently.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
New Delhi, June 9 : In a gesture of mutual cooperation and emphasis on well-being of border population of both the countries, the Border Security Force (BSF) has returned a Bangladeshi teenager who strayed into Indian territory.

The BSF, which is responsible to guard 4,096 km India-Bangladesh border, handed over the 12-year-old boy to Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) on Tuesday, said the paramilitary force.

The Bangladeshi youth, identified as Hasanur Jamal Abhik, was handed over to BGB during a flag meeting between the two border guarding forces of India and Bangladesh at BSF Border Outpost Dawki and BGB Border Outpost Tamabil.

Resident of Savar area of Dhaka district, the Bangladeshi teenager was found roaming in area of village Dawki on June 6 this year by locals who handed him over to Dawki police station who further handed over the 12-year-old to BSF on June 7.
New Delhi, June 9 : Congress General secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday slammed the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh over the oxygen crisis in the Agra hospital and asked if the government would get to the bottom of the truth in the hospital for the mock drill and punish the people behind it.

"At the time of the oxygen crisis, the Uttar Pradesh government repeatedly claimed that there was no shortage of oxygen. Across the state number of people died. In Agra also administration is claiming that there was no shortage of oxygen. Will Uttar Pradesh government bring the reality of Agra medical mock drill and punishment them?" Priyanka Gandhi said in a tweet in Hindi attaching several news reports.

Her remarks came after a video went viral two days ago bringing to light the alleged heinous crime by the management of the Paras Hospital of Agra.

Following the furore raised in political circles, the Agra district administration has sealed the hospital and registered a case against the owners under the Epidemics Act. The licence of the hospital has also been suspended.

The official figure of death on April 26, the night oxygen supply was alleged to have been cut off resulting in 22 deaths, was only seven.

A two-man inquiry committee has been set up by the Agra district administration to investigate allegations against the controversy shrouding 22 deaths due to oxygen supply suspension as part of a "mock drill" by a private hospital in Agra.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Beirut, June 9 : At least eight members of the Syrian government forces and their allied militiamen are dead after Israeli airstrikes on central and southern Syria, a monitoring group said on Wednesday.

The Britain-Based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the killed included members of the "National Defence" forces, DPA reported.

It added that the Israeli strikes, which took place shortly before midnight (2100 GMT), hit posts east of the village of Khirbet al-Tin in the countryside of Homs.

The monitoring group said that an ammunition depot thought to belong to the Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah was also hit in the same area.

It further said that explosions occurred near the Dabaa Military Airport.

The official Syrian news agency Sana had first reported that Israeli fighter jets hit targets in Syria late on Tuesday night.

The agency cited military sources as saying that the rocket attacks hit central and southern areas of the country, without providing specifics.

According to a Lebanese security source, the Israeli planes used Lebanese airspace to also hit targets south of Damascus.

The Observatory confirmed that loud explosions were heard on the outskirts of Damascus International airport as well as as near the air force battalion in the Dmeir region.

It added that explosions were heard in the provinces of Hama and Latakia.

So far, there has been no official comment from Israel.

Israeli strikes in Syria have been seen as an attempt to prevent Iran, one of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's main allies, from building up its military influence in the region.
Hyderabad/Visakhapatnam, June 9 : Former Andhra Pradesh chief minister and principal opposition leader Nara Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday condemned the alleged demolition of a school for specially-abled children in the port city of Visakhapatnam recently.

"The latest in the demolition acts of this government in Visakhapatnam is appalling and disgusting. It is sad that the Government has targeted Hidden Sprouts, a no-profit school for children with different intellectual and physical abilities," wrote Naidu in a letter to chief secretary Aditya Nath Das.

According to the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) supremo, the school was leased by the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) in 2013 with two rooms and was serving 190 students, most of them from financially unstable families.

Naidu alleged that government authorities demolished the temporary sheds and seized the school premises on Sunday.

"The demolition has been carried out against the principles of natural justice without giving any written notice. It is a shame that such an atrocious act was allowed to (be) committed in a civilised society," he alleged.

In his letter to Das, the opposition leader said that the 'government had lost the moral right to remain in power after the demolition of the school for children with different intellectual and physical abilities'.

Likewise, in the light of this incident, Naidu appealed to the chief secretary to support non-profit organisations serving the society.

"Justice needs to be done to the school children currently enrolled at Hidden Sprouts. Strong action needs to be initiated against the officials responsible for such a ghastly act in collaboration with the land mafia and land grabbers," Naidu claimed.

Meanwhile, official information about this incident is awaited from GVMC commissioner G. Srijana.
Islamabad, June 9 : Pakistan's health ministry has proposed a 30 per cent hike in the tax rates for the cigarette industry in the upcoming Budget 2021-22.

The federal government is reviewing three different tax proposals, geotv reported.

Tobacco companies, however, proposed no change to the tax rates and say they will bring the tax amount from Rs134 billion to Rs155 billion, The News reported.

The FBR has collected a tax amount of Rs134 billion during the current fiscal year.

Multinational giants have proposed no change in the tax rates of the two tier system and committed to add Rs21 billion to FBR's tax collection amount.

If the much-awaited track and trace system is implemented, the FBR collection may go up to Rs175 billion in the next fiscal year.

Local cigarette manufacturers from Mardan and AJK have suggested the government reduce excise duty on local brands, but they did not make any commitment to increase revenue.

The following are the three different tax proposals being reviewed by the government: The Ministry of National Health Services Regulations and Coordination, has recommended a 30% increase in excise duty and projected a Rs18 billion increase in revenue.

This would increase excise duty rates in the second tier from the existing rate of Rs 1,650 per thousand cigarettes to Rs 2,145 per thousand cigarettes, resulting in a Rs 30 to Rs 50 increase in the prices of duty-paid brands.

To the common man, this could be an ideal proposition, which seems to be aimed at increasing the government's revenues and may also reduce the addiction to smoking, said one analyst.

The second proposal being pushed by Mardan and AJK-based tobacco conglomerates primarily seeks reduction in excise duty through a differentiated excise structure, but without any increase of revenue commitments.

The introduction of a separate third tier has been suggested as well, solely for local companies to operate in.
Banda : , June 9 (IANS) In a bizarre incident, a priest who went to a government procurement centre to sell wheat grown in land belonging to the temple, was asked to produce the Aadhaar card of the deity.

The incident took place two days ago in Kurhara village in Attara tehsil in Banda.

Mahant Ramkumar Das, the priest and chief caretaker of the Ram Janki temple, said he wanted to sell 100 quintals of wheat in a government mandi (market). He had done the online registration with the help of others.

The caretaker priest of the temple arrived at the government mandi to sell the crops grown on the temple land. It was then that he was asked to produce the Aadhaar card of the deity in whose name the land was registered.

The seven-hectare land is registered in the name of the deity, in this case, Lord Ram and Janki.

"The registration was cancelled as I could not produce the Aadhaar card, where do I get Aadhaar of the Lord?" he asked.

The priest said that he spoke to the sub divisional magistrate (SDM) Saurabh Shukla.

"He told me the registration cannot be done without Aadhaar and that is why it has been cancelled by his office," he said.

The priest said that last year, he sold 150 quintals of produce at the government mandi. He said he has been selling the produce for the last several years, but never faced a situation like this.

Meanwhile, district supply officer, Govind Upadhyaya said the rules were clear that produce from mutts and temple could not be purchased.

The purchase policy did not have any such provision either, he said, adding earlier "khatauni" (land records) were admissible but now registration has become compulsory.

And for registration, one must have the Aadhaar card of the person on whose name the land was registered.

The SDM said that the priest was not asked to produce the Aadhaar card of the deity, but he was explained the process.

"The policy has been decided at the government level and purchase was being done on the basis of that policy," he said.

The priest is worried. He said, "How are we to meet the expenses and get our food if we cannot sell the crops in the mandi?" He said that left with no option, he would now sell the produce to the commission agents at a throwaway price.
New Delhi, June 9 : If the Counter Intelligence Kashmir (CIK) wing of Jammu and Kashmirs Polices Criminal Investigation Department (CID) is to be believed, the Peoples Democratic Partys youth president and the former Chief Minister Mehbooba Muftis confidante Waheed-ur-Rehman Para had developed and maintained an intimate liaison with the Kashmiri separatist leaders as well as the top commanders of the outlawed terror organisations Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT) and Hizbul Mujahideen) all through the PDP-BJP government in Jammu and Kashmir.

In the CIK's chargesheet, Para is alleged to have acted as a mole of the Pakistani establishment, two particular terror outfits and the pro-Pakistan faction of the Hurriyat Conference while being in the PDP government. According to the fresh chargesheet, he had not only provided huge amounts of money to the two terror groups for buying arms and ammunition but also pushed Hurriyat's secessionist agenda and facilitated the LeT's Kashmir operational chief Abu Dujana's forced marriage with a Kashmiri girl in his home district of Pulwama.

Abu Dujana of Pakistan, who was killed in an encounter with security forces on 1 August 2017, had reportedly married a girl of Hakripora, Pulwama, with Para's "blessings".

"During investigation it surfaced that WRP (Waheed-ur-Rehman Para) had close links with two dreaded foreign LeT terrorists namely @ Abu Qasim and @ Abu Dujana and (he) had been meeting them through OWG Mohammad Yousuf Lone @ Yousuf Gadoora during the period of 2014-15 (Mufti's government) and 2016-17 (Mehbooba's government). As regards connection between WRP and Abu Qasim and Abu Dujana, there is an eyewitness to this (A1). Another witness (A-3 protected witness) has stated that there was a forced marriage of a girl with Abu Dujana by Yousuf Gadoora. Since it has been separately proved that Yousuf Gadoora was in close touch with WRP, by inference this forced marriage had the blessings of WRP", says para-18 of the 19-page CIK chargesheet.

Dujana's predecessor and LeT's dreaded Pakistani commander Abu Qasim operated in the valley for a long time. He revived the LeT with fresh recruitments and scores of fatal attacks on the security forces and the civilian targets. J&K Police's top most counterinsurgent Altaf 'Laptop' was trapped and killed by Qasim in Bandipora on 6 October 2015. On 28 October 2015, security forces and Police eliminated Qasim in a successful operation in Kulgam district of southern Kashmir.

The revelation of Para having passed an amount of Rs 5 lakh to Geelani through his son-in-law Altaf Fantosh, has been already made in a separate chargesheet by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and has now been repeated by the CIK.

The CIK chargesheet, on the basis of a report from the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) claims to have accessed Signal exchanges between Para and some LeT commanders based in Pakistan. Quoting the data received on Para's Apple phone, with BSNL SIM 9419000210, through the social networking app Signal, the CIK chargesheet says that the PDP youth leader continued to receive messages from the LeT terrorists in Pakistan even after his release from detention in the middle of 2020.

"The data retrieved from the cell phone of accused reveals that WRP has received messages from PAKISTAN numbers +92-2132270816, +92-3224408835 and +92-3369863038 on 26.10.2020 at 14:56:50 and 14:57:01 respectively on his cell phone No. 9419000210", says para-25 of the CIK chargesheet with reference to the NIA chargesheet filed in March 2021.

The CIK chargesheet contains references to Para's email exchanges with the senior Hurriyat leader G.M. Safi. A senior Jamaat-e-Islami leader from Baramulla, Safi has been operating from Pakistan since long. He had reportedly shifted his base from Kashmir to Pakistan in early 1990s. For his strong clout in Hurriyat and JeI, he headed both the organisations in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

In 2019-20, however, Hurriyat (G) chief Syed Ali Shah Geelani removed Safi and declared one Abdullah Gilani, also a resident of Baramulla, as his 'representative' in the PoK and Pakistan. But enjoying the Pakistani establishment's support, Safi is calling the shots in the separatist camp. In 2020, Ashraf Sehrai, who died in detention in Jammu last month, was known to be enjoying Safi's support from Pakistan.

"The above-mentioned ultra-sensitive intelligence further reveals that WRP has exchanged emails with secessionist elements namely G.M. Safi Chairman of Tehreek-i-Hurriyat and Altaf Ahmad Shah @ Fantosh, son-in-law of Syed Ali Shah Geelani, as is evident by the content of an email that came to be known to the agencies. While G.M. Safi stays in Pakistan, Fantosh is in India. These emails exchanged between WRP and PAK based operatives received by WRP on e-mail id parawahid@gmail.com , are not only suspicious but (also) seditious in nature", says para-31 of the CIK chargesheet.

"In the first mail exchanged on December 26, 2015, G.M. Safi writes that in reply to the letter sent (possibly by Geelani to Nawaz Sharif), there was no mention of decrease or increase (unclear what was been referred to?) but Pakistan has asked for a fresh proposal. Hence, Safi requests that Geelani consider this as an important matter and take out time for the proposal", says the chargesheet.

For the first time, it reveals that Para was in touch with the Pakistani establishment through Safi. Nonetheless, it remains shrouded in the mystery whether this intimacy was limited to only Para and Safi or the then Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and the PDP President Mehbooba Mufti were also in the loop.

On 23 December 2015-three days before this email-Mufti had fallen ill during his Srinagar tour. Subsequently on 7 January 2016, he passed away at AIIMS in New Delhi.

In another email, Para speaks about the arrest of one Kashmiri, Bashir Ahmad Baba of Rainawari Srinagar, who had been arrested by the Anti-Terrorist Squad of Gujarat in Ahmadabad on 13 March 2010. In the mail, Para, who seemed to be eager for Baba's release in response to a request from Pakistan, speaks of the urgent need of the engagement of a 'very good lawyer'.

While Para is currently in judicial custody, his lawyer, former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and the PDP have refuted all the charges leveled against him by the NIA and the CIK.

(This content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com) --indianarrative/
New Delhi, June 9 : Former Union Minister and senior Congress leader from Uttar Pradesh Jitin Prasad on Wednesday joined BJP in presence of union railway minister Piyush Goyal and Rajya Sabha member Anil Baluni at party headquarters, giving a big jolt to the Congress party.

Welcoming Prasada, Goyal praised his commitment to serve the people and said that he (Prasada) will play an important role in Uttar Pradesh. "He will have a major role in Uttar Pradesh politics in the future. He is someone who is connected to the ground realities and is a popular leader in the state," Goyal said.

Prasada thanked BJP president J.P. Nadda, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah for accepting him in the saffron fold.

Prasada said, "The question is not why I'm leaving a party but why I'm joining another party. If there is a party in the real sense today, an institutional party, then it is the BJP. Other parties are either regional or person specific." After joining BJP, Prasad said, "I feel there is no purpose of your doing politics or staying in a political party if a person is not able to serve or protect the interest of its people. I realized being in Congress and not being able to do the same. So, I joined BJP and my work will only speak for itself." His father Jitendra Prasada was a prominent 'Brahmin' face in Uttar Prasad, who had challenged Sonia Gandhi's leadership in 1999 and had contested against her for the post of party chief. He died in 2002.

The saffron party believes that Prasada joining BJP will help it pacify Brahmins in Uttar Pradesh, where the Assembly poll will be held early next year. A party insider said that Prasada could be projected as the Brahmin face of the party which is completely missing in Uttar Pradesh.

Prasada, once close to Rahul Gandhi, was part of Group-23 (G-23) signatories who had written to Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi demanding for sweeping reforms in the party. Despite being a dissenter, he was tasked with the Congress campaign in West Bengal, which turned out to be a disappointment. Taking a stand against the party, he opposed Congress's alliance with the Indian Secular Front (ISF) in West Bengal.

-- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed
MBABANE- Award winning musician Sandziso Sands Matsebula is vigorously opposing the application filed against him by his former manager.

Through his lawyers from Magagula and Hlophe Attorneys, Matsebula has since filed a notice of intention to oppose. Detailed papers outlining why he is against the granting of the order being sort by his former manager against him are still to be filed by his lawyers at the High Court. Be pleased to take notice that the respondents ( Sandziso and Kingdom Tales) in the above mentioned matter intent to oppose the application and has appointed Magagula and Hlophe Attorneys as their Attorneys of record where they will accept service of process at the address set out below reads part of the notice to oppose dated June 7, 2021. Meanwhile, in South Africa where the former manager, Phila Koshini Dlamini, Matsebula instructed lawyers from Mabote and Gqwede Attorneys to write a letter informing Dlamini that the relationship between them was being terminated.

Parties

We have informed a number of third parties that agreements entered into by Icon PB on behalf of our client are null and void and where we saw the need of refraining third parties, we have ratified and/or entered into new contracts with them reads part of the letter. In the letter Dlamini was informed that Matsebula had acquired services of Lindsey Arends of AMG WORLDMEDIA to be responsible for the management division of Kingdom Tales, a company owned by Matsebula. No payments are to be made to IconPB, and if already made, please furnish us with more information to enable us to pursue those monies with the legal options available to our client. If there are any payments due from our client, i.e. membership fees, kindly inform us immediately in order for our client to settle his account as soon as possible part of the letter reads.

The genesis of the matter is that through his company, Icon PB (PTY) Limited, Dlamini has since taken Matsebula and Kingdom Tales to court. Dlamini, who is the director of Icon PB (PTY) Limited, wants the High Court to declare that the masters to the studio album Sands of Times are owned by his company (Icon PB (PTY) Limited). A master recording is the official original recording of a musical piece. It is the source from which all later copies are made of and the holder of the master has the right to use that recorded piece in any way. The masters, unless specifically agreed, are owned by the party that financed the record.

The applicant (Icon PB (PTY) Limited) is further praying for an order interdicting and restraining Matsebula and Kingdom Tales from using and/or deriving any benefits from the masters of the album and/or any material extracted therefrom. Dlamini has instituted the legal proceedings against Matsebula through lawyers from Mtshali Ngcamphalala Thwala.
New Delhi, June 9 : India has won the 10th edition of the 'Challenging and Rewarding Student Case Competition' organised by the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) between colleges across India and the Middle East region. Two teams from the Shaheed Sukhdev College of Business Studies, Delhi University, won the first and second position in the final. A team from the University of Jordan has secured the third place.

The finalist teams were shortlisted from 75+ entries received from more than 50 universities in the Middle East and India. The winning team has won an all-expenses paid trip to Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The announcement of this competition was made in November last year. The last date for sending entries for this competition was January 31, 2021. The winners were announced on June 8 after the competition was completed.

Congratulating the winners, Hanadi Khalife, Senior Director, Ministry of External Affairs and India Operations at IMA, said, "I would like to congratulate the students for their hard work in this year's competition. We have seen the competition getting tougher with each passing year as students from all over the world seek to apply their technical and theoretical skills in real-world and practical business settings. This year, the focus was on topical accounting and finance problems and the winning teams provided excellent solutions to solve all the problems given to them." The winners were selected through a rigorous selection process by a jury which included Khalife, Maan Karadsheh, Hiba Daaboul - Regional Business Controlled, Nestle, Switzerland, and Jay (Jaywardhan) Semwal -- Vice President, Finance, Hewlett Packard India.

The competition announced last year provided an opportunity to the winning students to showcase their skills in the grand finals. The winning teams from around the world came face-to-face in this competition online to fight for the first place.

As part of the competition, university students were challenged to showcase their analytical skills, strategic foresight and creativity in teams of three to five members formulating their cases and their work presented before a panel of management accounting experts.

Khalife said, "During these unprecedented times, we are really impressed by the dedication and determination to work by these young students under such tremendous pressure. I firmly believe that such competitions provide essential skills and a functional understanding of the approach that helps students to survive and be successful in a dynamic and changing business environment. Working so diligently in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic is a learning in itself."
New Delhi, June 9: Indias blue economy-essentially the ocean economy-is making a healthy 4 per cent contribution to India's gross domestic product.

Yet, this a proverbial drop in the ocean. Unfortunately, India's marine policy has remained fragmented, notwithstanding the ambitious Sagarmala project.

But as India prepares for a post Covid phase with a focus on economic revival, reliance on the blue economy, which has not been leveraged fully, will inevitably be amplified.

India, with a 7517 km long coastline and1382 islands, has a unique maritime position but it is yet to carve out a well thought-out holistic marine strategy encompassing issues pertaining to economic opportunities and security while maintaining ecological balance.

The draft policy on the framework of the blue economy, taking a 360-degree view was submitted in September last year, but work on it is yet to begin.

At a time, when a belligerent China is increasing its activities on the South China Sea and elsewhere, India's marine policy that looks at all angles would be key, experts said.

"With such expanded coastlines, we need to think of the economy along with security. But unlike many other countries with coastlines, India has not leveraged its maritime position as much as it should have," Nirupama Soundararajan, Senior Fellow and Head of Research, Pahle India Foundation told India Narrative.

The draft framework noted that about 1400 million tonnes of cargo is handled by 12 major and 187 non-major ports every year.

The Sagarmala project Though the Sagarmala project, touted as the "port-led development," aims at increasing connectivity through waterways and reduce logistics costs, the draft policy has underlined the need to develop similar "port led maritime clusters" with government support on the West and East coasts.

Marine tourism is another important sector. The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) in its research -- Blue economy: An ocean of livelihood opportunities in India-pointed out that India's marine tourism is one of the fastest growing in the world though it has been brutally hit by the Covid 19 pandemic.

In states like Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu, marine tourism contributed largely to both the state economies and livelihood creation before the pandemic hit, it said. "In Kerala, the total number of jobs created directly and indirectly by the sector between 2009 and 2012 turned out to be around 23 per cent of the total employment. In 2016, the total share of tourism in Tamil Nadu's employment was more than 22 per cent and 23 per cent in Karnataka's," TERI said.

Maldives-how the country used its oceans for economic growth Many countries in the world have relied on marine tourism to boost their economy. The Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS) in March highlighted that Maldives, an archipelago state "embarked on the blue economy paradigm to shape its development strategies in order to put the economy on the high growth path." "As a Small Island Developing State (SIDS), Maldives advanced its development journey from a poor state of less than $100 per capita income in the early 1970s to an Upper-Middle income country of $12,500 per capita income in 2020 on account its strong adherence to blue economy sectors," the study said.

Importance of protecting marine life Analysts underlined the need to ensure that the ecological balance is maintained while economic activities are increased.

"The ocean framework is not very well regulated and therefore it can easily lead to imbalance. Ocean life is critical and the need to balance the benefits of the blue economy without damaging the ecological balance is crucial," Soundararajan said.

The government's draft policy noted that marine pollution is the greatest threat to the health of the oceans. About 80 percent of marine pollution emanates from land based sources specially from coastal cities and communities. Therefore, it is the need of the hour to expand the approach and implementation of Swachh Bharat to the concept of 'Swachh Prithvi, Swachh Sagar' it said.

(This content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com) --indianarrative/

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Kabul, June 9 : A group of 42 rejected asylum seekers arrived in Kabul early on Wednesday after being deported from Germany, an airport official said.

The chartered flight landed at 7:48 am (0318 GMT). It is the 39th deportation flight from Germany to Afghanistan since December 2016, DPA reported.

Berlin has now returned a total of 1,077 failed asylum seekers to Afghanistan.

Deportation flights usually occur monthly, but there was none in May.

The German Interior Ministry said it was postponed because the Afghan authorities saw the need for increased security measures around May 1 - the date that the USA and other NATO countries officially began withdrawing their troops from Afghanistan.

The deportations have been deeply controversial, with critics saying the war-torn country is too dangerous to return asylum seekers to.

Almost daily attacks by Taliban militants are taking a toll on Afghan civilians. The Islamic State militia is also active in the country.

Despite on-and-off peace talks, the conflict between the Taliban and the Afghan government continues and the security situation is deteriorating.

The US-led withdrawal has left the country in a state of uncertainty.

Since the start of May, at least 11 districts have been captured by Taliban insurgents. Soldiers surrender or retreat, leaving equipment and ammunition behind.

Afghanistan is experiencing regular clashes and targeted killings across much of the country, with attacks now occurring almost daily in the capital Kabul.

The coronavirus pandemic has further worsened Afghans' living conditions. Recently the country registered a significant increase in new Covid-19 infections and record daily death figures.
Chennai, June 9 : With the merger of the three public sector non-life insurers shelved and with large scale retirements to happen, it is time for fresh hiring by them, said senior industry officials.

If recruitment is not possible, then the other option is to merge the offices --divisional/branches -- and save on rental outgo and rebalance staff deployment, they added.

The central government a couple of years ago announced the merger of three general insurers viz., National Insurance Company Ltd, Oriental Insurance Company Ltd and United India Insurance Company Ltd and put a freeze on fresh recruitment.

Shelving the merger plan the government is planning to sell off about 50 per cent stake in one of the above insurers.

"The operating offices are short staffed, impacting customer service. Retirements of about 150-200 employees are happening in each company and this number is set to increase soon. There is a dire need to beef up the staff strength at the lower level," K. Govindan, General Secretary, General Insurance Employees All India Association (GIEAIA), told IANS.

Bulk of the staff in service now in the public sector general insurers were recruited in the 1980s and in 1990 and they are set to retire soon, a senior industry official told IANS.

At an average the PSU insurers have about 12,000 employees and about 1,600 offices.

Further the ratio of class I officers to other cadres is nearly 1:1 which shows the companies are top heavy and the span of control is low, said the senior industry official.

Simply put, span of control denotes the number of subordinates a manager/class I have. The higher the number of subordinates, the broader the manager's span of control.

According to him, there are two options for the companies -- go in for fresh recruitment or merge the offices and redeploy the staff and in the process save on rent.

While Govindan said merger of offices are happening at the ground level it is not happening at an accelerated speed even though the companies are in cost rationalisation mode and getting additional capital from the central government to beef up their solvency.

Opposing the government's move to privatise one of the three general insurers, the Unions do not want to comment on the aspect of transfer of employees from the to be privatised company to other PSU insurers.

(Venkatachari Jagannathan can be contacted at v.jagannathan@ians.in)
New Delhi, June 9 : Having witnessed shortage of oxygen for Covid patients in and outside hospitals, during (mid-April to mid-May) the period when Delhi was registering over 20,000 new Coronavirus cases per day, the Delhi Government has planned to install 57 oxygen plants in the city.

As per the Delhi government, out of the total oxygen plants to be installed in the city, eight would be pressure swing absorption (PSA) plants which have been approved by the Centre. It is part of the preparation of a possible third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has recently set up two separate committees of senior bureaucrats and doctors from different government hospitals, to ensure available stock of medical oxygen and other medical facilities, including Covid drugs if the city faces a third possible wave of Covid pandemic.

The Delhi government informed that orders for five buffer tanks have already been placed and will be installed by June 10.

"Also, PSA oxygen plants have been installed in 11 Delhi government hospitals over the past one month. Additionally, 46 more plants will be installed within the next two months. So, in total, Delhi government will have 57 plants with a combined capacity of 64MT at 35,000 LPM," said a Delhi government's spokesperson.

Observing the need of these oxygen plants, city's land owning agency -- Delhi Development Authority (DDA) had on Tuesday decided to modify its building bye laws to give go ahead signal to both government and private hospitals with their plan to install oxygen plants on the ground floor of the buildings.

Delhi Lt Governor Anil Baijal, who is also the chairman of DDA, while chairing a meeting with the officials on Tuesday had observed that oxygen plants have become essential, especially after the city faced an acute oxygen shortage during the second wave of the pandemic.

"No notice and building permit will be required from the sanctioning authority for installation of PSA plant or liquid medical oxygen plant (LMO) or similar related infrastructure in hospitals," DDA's notification issued on Tuesday said.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Lucknow, June 9 : Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has welcomed former union minister Jitin Prasada into the BJP.

The chief minister said that Prasada joining the BJP would further strengthen the party in Uttar Pradesh.

UPCC president Ajay Kumar Lallu, on the other hand, has termed Jitin Prasada as a 'betrayer'.

"In the Congress, he became a member of parliament and then a minister. He was recently made in-charge of West Bengal during elections. The Congress has given him so much but what has he done in return?" he asked.

Lallu said that Jitin Prasada's departure would not make any difference to the party which runs on ideology. "People come and go but the party goes on," he said.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Lucknow, June 9 : Dissent, anger and now anguish. The Congress in Uttar Pradesh sank into the realms of despair on Wednesday as soon as the news of former union minister Jitin Prasada joining the BJP came.

UPCC president Ajay Kumar Lallu was busy staging a dharna inside the party office in protest against the Aligarh hooch tragedy, completely oblivious of the crisis in the party.

While Lallu did not comment on Jitin's departure from the Congress, his supporters claimed that it was no loss for the party.

"Did he win any recent election? If he has gone, it is no loss for the Congress," said a Lallu supporter.

The young party workers, however, vented their ire against the party high command, particularly Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, for demolishing the Congress.

In a WhatsApp group run by these leaders, party workers 'congratulated' Priyanka for finishing the party.

One leader wrote, "Priyanka is directly responsible for the state of affairs. She has leased the party to left wing leaders who do not understand the ideology and culture of the Congress." Sources close to Jitin Prasada said that his main grouse was that Priyanka did not give him time to discuss political issues and Rahul Gandhi did not wish to speak on UP affairs.

"Jitin's father, Jitendra Prasada, was a leader of stature in the Congress and if he has been forced by circumstances to leave the party, there has to be something very, very wrong," said one of his supporters.

"He has been spearheading a campaign against atrocities on Brahmins and the BJP will now use him to assuage the feelings of Brahmins. The Congress chose to ignore him and his campaign and the advantage now lies with the BJP," said a former UPCC president.

Another UPCC president admitted that the state of affairs within the party was going from bad to worse.

"The problem is that no one is willing to listen. The entire Gandhi family turns its face away from reality and the result is that today, a party like Apna Dal has nine MLAs while the effective strength of the Congress is five because two Rae Bareli MLAs have turned rebels," said another former MLA.

Senior leaders said that the party would remain in single digit in the next assembly elections if the party high command did not change its style of functioning.

Congress sources said that several leaders were preparing to resign from the party after Jitin - some of those who supported the G-23 group.
Mumbai, June 9 : Equity-linked mutual fund schemes saw a net inflows of over Rs 10,000 crore in May.

As per the data furnished by the Association of Mutual Funds in India (AMFI) on Wednesday, the net inflows stood at Rs 10,082.98 crore.

In April, the equity-linked mutual fund schemes' net inflows stood at Rs 3,437.37 crore.

Similarly in March, the inflows stood at Rs 9,115.12 crore Whereas, in February, the equity-linked mutual fund schemes' net outflow stood at Rs 4,534.36 crore.

Besides, the data showed that Mutual Fund Industry's AUMs rose to a record high of Rs 33.05 lakh crore.
London, June 9 : People more concerned about catching Covid-19 were more disapproving of the wrong-doings of others, whatever they were doing wrong, according to a study on how we make moral judgements.

The findings are evidence that our morality is shaped by various emotions and intuitions, of which concerns about health and safety are prominent. This means that our judgements of wrongdoing are not completely rational, said researchers from the University of Cambridge in the UK.

The study, published in the journal Evolutionary Psychology, did not focus on behaviours relating to the pandemic itself -- such as social distancing -- but considered a wide range of moral transgressions.

Between March and May 2020, over 900 study participants in the US were presented with a series of scenarios -- on harm, fairness, in-group loyalty, deference to authority, and purity -- and asked to rate them on a scale from 'not at all wrong' to 'extremely wrong'.

Example scenarios include one of loyalty: 'You see a man leaving his family business to go work for their main competitor'; and one of fairness: 'You see a tenant bribing a landlord to be the first to get their apartment repainted.' People who were more worried about catching Covid-19 judged the behaviours in these scenarios to be more wrong than those who were less worried.

"There is no rational reason to be more judgemental of others because you are worrying about getting sick during the pandemic," said Professor Simone Schnall in the University of Cambridge's Department of Psychology, senior author of the report.

"These influences on judgements happen outside of our conscious awareness. If we feel that our wellbeing is threatened by the coronavirus, we are also likely to feel more threatened by other people's wrong-doing -- it's an emotional link," she added.

The findings contribute to a growing body of evidence of a link between physical disgust -- an emotion designed to keep us from harm -- and moral condemnation.

"The link between being concerned about Covid-19 and moral condemnation is about risks to wellbeing. If you're more conscious of health risks, you're also more conscious of social risks of people whose behaviour could inflict harm upon you," said Robert Henderson, doctoral student in the University of Cambridge's Department of Psychology.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Chennai, June 9 : The CEO of Sterlite Copper (copper smelter unit) Pankaj Kumar has quit Vedanta Ltd for personal reasons, said an official.

The controversial 4 lakh ton per annum (tpa) copper smelter plant is located in Thoothukudi and was shut down in 2018 by the Tamil Nadu government.

The unit was allowed by the Supreme Court to produce oxygen to supply to the hospitals as the Covid-19 pandemic is raging.

According to a senior official of Sterlite Copper, Kumar has put in his papers.

However, Kumar was not available for comments.

Whether Kumar's quitting has to do anything with Vedanta's decision to set up a 5 lakh tpa copper smelter plant in a coastal region in India is not known.

Vedanta had in March 2021 sought expression of interest from coastal states wishing to partner in the project that would have an investment potential of about Rs 10,000 crore through a newspaper advertisement on Wednesday.

According to Vedanta, the proposed project would need about 1,000 acre in proximity to port along with logistics connectivity with conveyor/corridor of rail and road to handle five million tpa material movement on both in-bound and out-bound sides.

The company said the project has a potential to provide direct and indirect employment to 10,000 people and will contribute about Rs 3,000 crore to the government treasury as taxes and others.

The company is silent on the query whether it is planning to shift its 400,000 tpa copper smelter plant in Thoothukudi -- that has been shut down by Tamil Nadu government.

The Sterlite Copper smelter plant has been operating in Thoothukudi for over 25 years with a cumulative investment of about Rs 3,000 crore.

However, from the start, the Sterlite Copper smelter plant has been facing protests by the local people alleging that it pollutes the environment.

Originally the plant was planned in Goa but it faced severe opposition from the state's people. However, the AIADMK regime under J. Jayalalithaa gave a warm welcome to the project and allotted land at Thoothukudi.

Ever since then the plant was in the eye of a storm with MDMK leader Vaiko leading a protest against the project and later filing a case.

The major political parties in Tamil Nadu -- AIADMK and DMK -- are against Vedanta's copper smelter plant.

The ruling DMK had announced that it would not allow the Sterlite Copper to function and would be shut down permanently.
MBABANE - Cross border bookings for local comedians Slwane and Gogo.

Merchants of bottomless laughter members Mduduzi Gogo Nkambule and Ncamiso Slwane Ntjingila are booked to perform in South Africa, Emgodzini Pub June 16, 2021. It is worth noting that Merchants of bottoless Laughter is made up of three comedians namely Gogo, Slwane and Smallz. The duo through, Nhlanhla Ngwenya, who is part of the trios management team, said Emagodzini Pub specifically asked for the presence and stage honour of Gogo and Slwane. Our connections from Mpumalanga said they were impressed with Gogo and Slwanes online videos and they saw how much of a following they have in the district hence the decision of booking them, said Ngwenya.

Interested

He said that through social media and YouTube they had been able to attract a number of people outside Eswatini who were interested in booking them to perform at their events. If you can watch the skits from Gogo and Slwane you can see how much people are interested in their craft as they normally get positive reviews from comedy lovers, we are excited to be invited to perform at Emgodzini Pub as it is known for hosting big reputable entertainers in the industry, added Ngwenya. The Merchants of Bottomless Laughter has grown and recruited some of the best local comedians these including Bongiswa and Darren both from Eswatini. Ngwenya said the two aforementioned will be joining Gogo and Slwane at Emgodzini Pub as supporting acts and this will be an opportunity for them to give their brands the necessary exposure needed for growth. President of Eswatini Arts and Music Association (SWAMA) Lutfo Dlamini expressed his concern and urged local companies, events companies not to stop supporting artists as some made We appeal with locals to continue boking these talented young people as much as they can as it helps put food on their table, he said.

Artists

He went on to say that artists should not find themselves on the wrong side of the law and that they should carry themselves as role models in society. Because of their statuses in communities, they automatically become role models for the youth and this is very important as they have to embrace this and do good at all times, said Dlamini.
San Salvador, June 9 : El Salvador President Nayib Bukele on Wednesday announced that the country has approved the bill to make Bitcoin cryptocurrency a legal tender in the Central American country.

The Central American country is now the first country in the world to make Bitcoin legal tender.

"The #BitcoinLaw has been approved by a supermajority in the Salvadoran Congress. 62 out of 84 votes! History!," tweeted Bukele.

Bukele on June 5 announced the move in a pre-recorded message played at the Bitcoin 2021 conference in Miami, Florida, during a presentation hosted by Jack Mallers, founder digital wallet company Strike.

"In the short term this will generate jobs and help provide financial inclusion to thousands outside the formal economy," the President had said.

Mallers said he has been working with Bukele to determine the logistics of the move.

"Over 70 per cent of the active population of El Salvador doesn't have a bank account. They're not in the financial system," Mallers said during the presentation.

"They asked me to help write a bill and that they viewed bitcoin as a world-class currency and that we needed to put together a bitcoin plan to help these people." According to Shivam Thakral, CEO of, BuyUcoin. EI Salvador's decision to make Bitcoin a legal tender will boost financial inclusion in their country as the majority of the population does not have access to formal banking channels.

"In India, our approach towards crypto is different. We don't see it as a legal tender but as an asset class. Indian investors have shown their faith in crypto even during the massive price fluctuations because they have an investment horizon of 2-3 years," Thakral said in a statement.

"We are eagerly waiting for CBDC (central bank digital currency) in India which will open up new avenues of growth for the digital asset industry," he added.
Brussels, June 9 : The European Commission is taking legal action against Germany for a ruling that challenged EU law supremacy relating to a European Central Bank stimulus programme, it said on Wednesday.

In May 2020, the German Constitutional Court ruled that an ECB stimulus programme was partly contrary to Germany's national constitution.

This judgement risked jeopardizing the European Union's legal order, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) - the bloc's top court - had said at the time, DPA reported.

Based on the same reasoning, the commission sent a letter of formal notice to Berlin, arguing that "the judgment of the German Constitutional Court constitutes a serious precedent, both for the future practice of the German Constitutional court itself, and for the supreme and constitutional courts and tribunals of other member states," according to a press statement.

The ruling was the first time the German top court had gone against findings by the ECJ, which had previously declared the multibillion-euro bond-buying programme compliant with EU law.

Germany has two months to respond to the concerns. The commission could ultimately take Germany to the bloc's top court.
New Delhi, June 9 : The board members of Punjab National Bank (PNB) including its independent directors may seek more clarity on the PNB Housing Finance fund raising deal.

The Rs 4,000 crore transfer of control deal in PNB Housing Finance to a private equity led consortium led by Carlyle Group has faced opposition from proxy advisory firms and a section of PNB's minority shareholders feel that the entire deal was concluded in a non-transparent manner.

A senior executive of the public sector bank (PSB) confirmed that though there was no regulatory issues with the transaction, more clarity could be sought on the contours of the deal. PNB is expected to address some of the concerns raised on the deal at the shareholders meet scheduled next month.

"We don't see any serious issue involving the deal that followed the due process and proceeded after getting nod from both the market regulator SEBI and financial sector regular RBI. But more clarity could help to understand that the deal did not compromise the interests of PNB," said an official source.

PNB had earlier decided not to participate in the capital raising plan of PNBHFL after the Reserve Bank of India did not give a green signal to the lender's application to infuse capital in the housing finance arm.

However, with questions now being raised over the manner and pricing at which PNBHFL is completing its fund raising plan, the public sector lender is seeking clarity over the deal. Governance watchdog Stakeholders Empowerment Services (SeS) has reportedly said in one of it reports that PNBHFL's decision to preferentially allot Rs 3,200 crore worth of shares and Rs 800 crore worth of warrants to Carlyle, Pluto Investment, former HDFC Bank CEO Aditya Puri's family investment vehicle Salisbury Investments, General Atlantic and Alpha Investments at Rs 390 a piece, much lower than the book value and prevailing share price of PNBHFL, is unfair to public shareholders of the housing finance entity as well as shareholders of PNB.

The investment in preferential shares and warrants will be followed by a a mandatory open offer for 7.98 crore equity shares at a price of Rs 403.22 a piece. PNBHFL shares are currently trading at Rs 810 a piece on BSE, a decline of close to 5 per cent over the previous close.

PNB managing director and CEO Mallikarjuna Rao had earlier said that the bank was not looking to exit PNBHFL after the latest fund raising exercise and would continue to hold its stake and be responsible towards the housing finance arm.

With the preferential issue and PNB not participating in it, the promoters' holding will fall below the 30 per cent level. With PNB seeking clarification on the contours of the deal, the voting on the fate of the transaction at the EGM slated for June 22 becomes interesting.
New Delhi, June 9 : The Rajasthan government has informed the Supreme Court that Asaram Bapu was not cooperating with the doctors at AIIMS Jodhpur with an ulterior motive of shifting of venue of his custody. The state government averred that Asaram has made third attempt to get his sentence suspended, under the garb of medical treatment.

The state government, in an affidavit, challenging the bail plea for Ayurvedic medical treatment of Asaram, said: "In previous round of petitions, the accused had prayed for immediate medical surgery of his ailment, through allopathic method, which failed and now the accused through this present petition raised his concern to get his treatment from Ayurveda." The affidavit added that Asaram was not cooperative to the doctors at AIIMS Jodhpur, and as per May 21 discharge report, he had refused to take injection and some oral medicine.

"The accused was stable and fit to discharge and there was no other complication. Hence, there is no requirement of any further super specialities' treatment of the accused", said the affidavit.

The government said Arun Kumar Tyagi is the treating Ayurvedic doctor of the accused, who continued to treat him even after retirement from Jodhpur Ayurvedic Hospital, under the order of the top court. The government claimed Asaram was deliberately trying to delay the pending trial at Gandhi Nagar and Jodhpur, under the garb of Ayurvedic treatment.

Asaram had moved the apex court seeking permission to be treated at Prakash Deep Institute of Ayurvedic Sciences, Uttarakhand. The Rajasthan government placed on record on May 23, medical card, which established that Asaram's health was found normal without any complications. "The accused is not cooperating with the doctors for his ulterior motive of shifting the venue of his custody", said the affidavit.

The affidavit further added, "The accused/petitioner with ulterior motive has been attempting to change the venue of his custody, under the guise of medical treatment. Such change, with due respect, an abuse of process of law." The government added that Jodhpur is one of the rare centres, where both the allopathic and Ayurvedic treatment are available.

Last week, the top court agreed to examine the possibility of temporarily shifting convicted godman Asaram Bapu to an Ayurvedic treatment centre. Post-Covid, he had requested not to put on allopathic drugs.

The High Court had dismissed Asaram's application for temporary suspension of sentence and directed the district and jail administration to ensure proper treatment at a suitable medical institution.

Asaram is serving a life term at Jodhpur Central Jail in connection with the rape of a minor girl. On May 6, he had tested positive for COVID-19 and was shifted to AIIMS, Jodhpur. According to May 19, medical report he was stable and fit for discharge.

The top court is likely to take up the matter for further hearing on Friday.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Muzaffarnagar : , June 9 (IANS) The Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) held protests in UP's Muzaffarnagar on Wednesday after a farmer's son was electrocuted in a village there.

The incident took place in Mahabalipur village under Charthawal police station when Ankit, who went to fetch cucumbers from his fields, came in contact with a broken electric wire and died on the spot.

Bhartiya Kisan Union activists (BKU) led by Vikas Sharma, started a dharna, demanding the replacement of faulty old power supply line in the village and compensation for the victim's family.

Station House Officer M.P. Singh said senior officials rushed to the spot to pacify the protesting villagers, who refused to hand over the body to police.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
New Delhi, June 9 : The Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, met Prime Minister Narendra Modi here on Wednesday and discussed the political situation in the state along with other issues.

It is believed that the meeting lasted for around 45 minutes, during which Adhikari had a detailed discussion with the Prime Minister on the political situation in the eastern state, including the latest developments, among other issues, sources said.

As per the sources, Adhikari briefed the Prime Minister about the violence 'unleashed' against the BJP workers and the 'atmosphere of fear' created for the saffron cadre in West Bengal.

On Tuesday, Adhikari had met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP chief J.P. Nadda in the national capital. Sources said that Adhikari had apprised Shah and Nadda about the sentiments prevailing in the saffron cadre after the unsuccessful attempt to dislodge the Mamata Banerjee-led government in the Assembly polls conducted in March-April this year.

The BJP's central leadership had called Adhikari to Delhi following which he had reached the national capital on Monday night.

After the meeting with Shah, Adhikari had tweeted: "Discussed several matters and sought blessings for Bengal. Honourable HM assured, he was and he will be there for Bengal always." Later on Tuesday evening, Adhikari met Nadda at his residence.

"Glad to meet the Honourable National President of BJP JP Nadda Ji. Discussed critical issues of Bengal and there solutions. Be rest assured that the party is beside each and every karyakarta all the time," he had tweeted after the meeting.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Kolkata, June 9 : For the first time, 4,000 kg kilogram mangoes, spanning 16 varieties from West Bengal and Bihar, will be exported to Bahrain and will be displayed in different stalls there for eight days.

The process is a part of the effort to promote the local and lesser-known mangoes internationally.

To promote the lesser-known mangoes of the state and Bihar, the Agricultural & Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) has organised the event for the promotion of these kinds of mangoes so that these can develop an international acceptance which eventually will enhance production. The exported mangoes will be showcased at 13 stores in Bahrain from June 11.

Other than a few commercial kinds, most of these varieties are indigenous, lesserknown and confined to the local areas only.

"One of the APEDA registered exporters from Kolkata is hosting the programme at Bahrain along with their importer client," a senior state Horticulture Department official, who did not want to be identified, told IANS.

All these varieties have been chosen based on their characteristics of being extremely delicious and unique in their own way. The first consignment was shipped on Tuesday. The second consignment would be shipped on June 10, depending upon the flight availability.

The Horticulture Department official said that the mangoes would be sent by the exporter from the Centre for Perishable Cargo (CPC) Kolkata Airport on a commercial basis. Considering the fruit's perishability, the export consignment has been divided into two parts.

According to senior government officials, the entire programme was conceptualised and organised by the exporters and importers themselves.

"We are only working as facilitators. The importer and the exporter have jointly have done all the necessary arrangements to organise the show at their stores which includes live streaming through WEBEX at 5 of its stores, attractive display of the mangoes, preparation and putting up of banners/posters, inviting the local government officials and customers from other Gulf countries for the launch of the show," an official said.

"Such export promotion activity may open new horizons for the farmers and exporters to start sending overseas the indigenous and unique varieties of mangoes and thus help in the mandate of the state government to raise the farmers' income," the official said.
Patna, June 9 : A day after the explosion in a madarsa in Banka district, BJP MLA Hari Bhushan Thakur demanded that such educational institutions should be banned across the state.

"Madarsas are meant to provide the education of terrorism in Bihar. Hence, we have demanded a ban on such institutions in Bihar," Thakur said.

The statement of the BJP legislator came at a time when educational institutions are shut due to the pandemic in the state. On Tuesday, an explosion occurred in the madarsa. The intensity of the explosion was such that the entire building collapsed to the ground. As the madarsa was shut due to the coronavirus no casualty has been reported.

"I want a thorough investigation into the incident to ascertain under what circumstance the explosion took place in it," Thakur said.

Thakur is known for making controversial statements in the past. Earlier, he had alleged that the minority community is responsible for harassing Dalits in Kishanganj, Darbhanga, Purnea, Katihar, Jamui, Gopalganj.
Berlin, June 9 : A row between the parties that make up Germanys governing coalition about the use of substandard face masks will be discussed in Parliament on Wednesday.

Lawmakers will look at accusations made against Health Minister Jens Spahn, who is from Angela Merkel's party, the Christian Democrats (CDU).

It has claimed that the Health Ministry earmarked masks, which were ordered in China and which were not tested according to high standards, for people with disabilities or for the homeless, dpa reported.

The plan was abandoned after Labour Ministry - which is headed by the Social Democrats (SPD), also in the coalition - intervened.

The SPD and opposition parties criticized Spahn after news magazine Der Spiegel reported that the government had been looking for a use for uncertified face masks left over from orders placed during the first wave of infections in 2020.

Spahn was forced to stand his ground on the issue on Monday, but also pointed the finger at the Labour Ministry, led by Hubertus Heil.

Spahn said earlier this week that the masks had been checked for their ability to protect from infection - but he conceded that they had not received EU approval.
Thiruvananthapuram, June 9 : Lakshadweep Pradesh Congress Committee president Muhammed Hamdulla Sayeed has slammed the Union Territory administrator Praful G. Patel for his acts in the island, accusing him of implementing the agenda of the Sangh Parivar. He said, this will be opposed tooth and nail.

Sayeed said this while taking part in a webinar organised by a pro Congress social organisation in north Kerala.

Sayeed pointed out that this is being purposefully done by the administrator to spoil the long standing excellent relations between the island and the state of Kerala.

"Among the things that the administrator is now trying to undo is all along the port of call for all goods and services to the island, was Kochi and Kozhikode. Now things are being worked out to stop that and connect the island to the Mangalore port," said Sayeed.

"Also, it was the Kerala High Court which was looking after the legal issue of the island. Now an attempt is being made to delink the Kerala High Court and link the island with the Bengaluru High Court. Moreover, the Goonda Act is now being floated at a place where the crime rate is very low and is being done to terrorise the peace loving islanders and suppress any sort of democratic protests," said Sayeed.

Sayeed said, he is deeply thankful to Kerala which is supporting the people there against the present acts of the administrator, who is out to crush the culture and traditions of the island.

Aryadan Shoukat, the president of the Cultural Organisation which took part in the webinar, said once the lockdown norms are eased, they will hold a cultural protest against the administrator both in the island and in Kerala.

Shoukat added that on Monday they will get 10,000 signatures and send it as a memorandum to the President of India to remove Patel.

Uneasy calm has been prevailing ever since Patel took over as administrator and there have been protests in Kerala and it included a unanimous resolution passed in the 140 member Kerala Assembly last week to remove Patel, whose arrival has destroyed peace in the island.
New Delhi, June 9 : Retired IAS officer Anup Chandra Pandey on Wednesday took office as Election Commissioner, returning the three member body, comprising Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra and Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, to full strength.

President Ram Nath Kovind had appointed Pandey as Election Commissioner on Tuesday. He fills the vacancy arising after Sushil Chandra succeeded CEC Sunil Arora, who retired on April 12.

The poll panel has to oversee the next set of crucial Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Goa, Manipur, and Uttarakhand next year.

The 62-year-old will demit office in February 2024 on attaining the age of 65 years, according to the age criteria for Election Commissioners, just ahead of the likely announcement of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

Born on February 15, 1959, Pandey was a 1984 batch, UP cadre Indian Administrative Service officer. During his 37 year service, he has held key posts at both the Centre and the state level.

Prior to joining the Election Commission, Pandey was serving as a member of the National Green Tribunal Oversight Committee, Uttar Pradesh.

Pandey was handpicked by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to head the state bureaucracy as Chief Secretary on June 28, 2018, and retired in August 2019. Under his watch, the state organised the Kumbh Mela at Prayagraj, and the Pravasi Bhartiya Diwas at Varanasi in 2019.

Earlier, Pandey served as Industrial Development Commissioner and successfully organised a mega Investors Summit at Lucknow in 2018. He also introduced various policy reforms in the industries and business sector, including single window Nivesh Mitra Portal.

As the state's Additional Chief Secretary, Finance, he oversaw the successful designing, planning and implementation of the state's Farm Loan Waiver Scheme.

Pandey has held diverse portfolios during his deputation at the Centre, serving as Additional Secretary, Defence, and Joint Secretary, Labour and Employment.

He also represented the country at various international forums like G20 and International Labour Organisation. He was also Director in Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the Department of Consumer Affairs.

Holding a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Punjab Engineering College and a master's degree in Materials Management from the Panjab University, Pandey, who has had a keen interest in study of history, also holds a Ph.D in Ancient Indian History from the Magadh University.

Pandey has a keen interest in writing and has authored a book titled "Governance in Ancient India", exploring the evolution, nature, scope, functions and related aspects of Indian civil service from the Rig Vedic period to 650 AD.
Mumbai, June 9 : Kriti Sanon took to social media on Wednesday to celebrate her 2017 film 'Raabta completing four years of its release.

The Bollywood actress sounded emotional while talking about her co-star in the film, the late Sushant Singh Rajput.

Kriti shared a beautiful behind the scenes video shot during the film's shoot. The video captures the actress having fun with Sushant and the crew on the sets of the film.

"I believe in connection, I believe that we are meant to meet the people we do... My Raabta with Sushant, Dinoo and MaddockFilms was just meant to be... Films come and go... But every single film has so so many memories behind it... The connections we make and the moments we live with each other stay within us... Some more than others," Kriti wrote alongside the video on Instagram.

"Raabta was one of my best and most memorable experiences and it will ALWAYS remain extremely close to my heart... Little did I know that it would be our first and last... #Raabta," she added.

Kriti was rumoured to be in a relationship with Sushant during the shooting and release of 'Raabta'.

The Dinesh Vijan directorial, which hit theatres on June 9, 2017, also featured Rajkummar Rao, Varun Sharma and Jim Sarbh in key roles.
Chennai, June 9 : With the possibility of a third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic looming large, the unhindered dumping of bio-medical waste across the suburbs of Chennai on highways and water bodies have become a major issue in Tamil Nadu. Political parties like the VCK and the BJP have raised the issue separately with Non-Governmental Organisations like Thanal and Swadeshi Jagaran Manch also coming out in protest against the dumping.

Dr Sindhu Vinod, Director of Thanal, an NGO working among school children to create environmental awareness, told IANS, "There is huge dumping of bio-medical waste in the outskirts of Chennai and this is a matter of grave concern. Bio-medical wastes like syringes, gloves, blood bags, etc are being dumped in large quantities in areas that are not much inhabited like Kelambakkam and others. We have already taken the photograph of this waste and passed it on to the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board." In the outskirts of Tambaram also, bio-medical waste is being dumped in large quantities with syringes, needles, blood bags and empty glucose bags lying scattered.

BJP state president L. Murugan, while speaking to IANS, said, "We will raise this issue of doing away with the bio-medical waste in and around Chennai and the government must immediately take action to remove this waste so that this does not turn into a place wherein the virus multiply." Tamil Nadu, according to VCK MLA, S. Balaji has only seven companies that process bio-medical waste. Balaji said that the amount of medical waste generated during the pandemic has increased manifold. While speaking to IANS, Balaji said, "There are only seven biomedical waste processing companies in Tamil Nadu and with the high output of medical waste due to the pandemic and many hospitals don't have any agreement with the biomedical waste processing companies, these hospitals use small trucks to dump the waste along highways, sometimes this reaches to water bodies resulting in an increase in pollution. This has to be strongly condemned and I have already taken up this issue with the state health minister Ma Subramanian." Balaji said, "In the third wave of the pandemic, experts say that the spread might be more in the rural areas and this biomedical waste being dumped in rural areas along the highways is a matter of concern and hence I have taken up this matter with the State health minister Ma Subramanian." Swadeshi Jagaran Manch, the intellectual arm of the RSS is also trying to push the case of dumping of biomedical waste in the outskirts of Chennai. State Joint secretary of Swadeshi Jagaran Manch, Mahesh Krishnamoorthy told IANS, "Dumping of biomedical waste is a major issue Chennai and its outskirts are facing and there is an indiscriminate volume of biomedical waste being dumped. We have taken several photographs and videos of biomedical waste including syringes, empty glucose bottles, blood bags, etc being dumped in the highways and rural areas of Chennai. We will be sending these materials to the TN Pollution Control Board and if action is not taken, we will be meeting with the minister and other officials."
Vizianagaram : , June 9 (IANS) Andhra Pradesh Endowments Minister Vellampalli Srinivas on Wednesday assured that the Ramatheertham Temple, being reconstructed at a cost of Rs 3 crore, will be inaugurated in January 2022.

"We are procuring the material required for the construction of the hill temple and are making arrangements to complete it by the appointed time," he said.

According to the minister, the reconstruction will comply with 'Agamasastra', following consultations with priests and seers, without hurting the sentiments of devotees.

He said stonecutters from Chilakaluripeta will be roped in for the reconstruction as Ramatheertham is being planned to be a fully stone structure.

Srinivas also released a model of the forthcoming temple.

The minister was accompanied by MP Bellana Chandrasekhar and MLA Badukonda Appalanaidu during his visit to the temple, where he also worshipped the deity.

In December 2020, Lord Ram's idol in the temple was decapitated and dumped in a water body beside the temple by some unknown miscreants, leading to a major controversy as similar such incidents occurred earlier as well.

Following these incidents, police increased security and installed surveillance cameras at several temples in the state.

"We strengthened security at all the temples in the state and placed them under CCTV camera surveillance. We are deploying modern technology for temples' security," Srinivas added.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Bangkok, June 9 : At least 100,000 people in eastern Myanmar are on the run because of violent "attacks" by the army, the United Nations estimates.

Kayah state, on the border with Thailand, is particularly badly affected, according to a statement by the UN mission in Myanmar, dpa reported.

The people fled after "indiscriminate attacks by security forces against civilian areas," read the statement, which was dated from Tuesday.

"This crisis could push people across international borders seeking safety, as already seen in other parts of the country," it said.

The effort to deliver aid to these people had been hampered by "ongoing insecurity, travel restrictions imposed by security forces, and poor road conditions." Since the military coup in early February, Myanmar has been mired in chaos and violence.

The generals ousted the democratically elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been under house arrest ever since.

According to estimates by the prisoners' aid organisation AAPP, more than 850 people have been killed in ongoing protests against the junta.
Srinagar, June 9 : With rumours becoming rife over New Delhi planning 'something big' in J&K, top sources told IANS on Wednesday that the focus of the central government is on two important issues: whether the suspended Amarnath Yatra can be resumed and whether assembly elections can be held before the year end.

"Much depends upon the COVID situation which has shown a steady improvement during the last one week.

"If the situation permits, you can have assembly elections before the year end", a top source in New Delhi told IANS.

Asked whether these elections can be held till the delimitation commission completes its work, the source said, "Why do you think the delimitation commission cannot complete its work during this year?" "The commission has started its ground level process of collecting data and population break-up etc from various district development commissioners.

"Once the statistical back-up is ready, the commission will start its final duty of delimitation of new assembly segments depending upon the guiding principle that both the regions and various races, tribes and communities get an equitable deal", the source asserted.

The developments on the ground also indicate that various political parties have started coming out of hibernation.

Leaders of the National Conference (NC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Peoples Conference (PC), Apni Party and others have started activating their ground level cadre.

NC patron and former chief minister Farooq Abdullah is scheduled to meet PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti later on Wednesday.

Sources in these two parties suggest the meeting is likely to decide on the participation of these parties in the meetings of the delimitation commission to put forth their viewpoint on the new delimitation and increased representation to some tribes, races and communities.

The sources added that the NC patron is underlining the importance for the regional parties to take part in delimitation deliberations.

The extended term of the delimitation commission ends in March 2022, but those connected with the working of the commission suggest it would give its final report before the end of its extended term.

Tribals like Gujjars, Bakarwals, races like the Paharis, Dogras etc and communities like the Kashmiri Pandits expect that the delimitation commission would end their under-representation in the J&K assembly.

Given the present political scenario in J&K it is logical to assume that no political party would choose to remain out of the electoral process.

"Out of hustings would mean out of politics", said a senior NC leader requesting not to be named.

On the other priority, the resumption of the suspended Amarnath Yatra, authorities are of the opinion that while the normal Yatra with thousands of pilgrims might not be possible, yet the Amarnath Yatra must be held with all religious formalities and with minimum participation this year.

While Kashmiris are besieged with rumours of statehood for Jammu, declaration of safe areas for Kashmir migrant Pandits and the further truncating of the districts of Kashmir division, the real 'big development' could be restoration of democracy with equitable representation to every community, tribe and race and the holding of a subdued Amarnath Yatra this year.

-- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed
Kolkata, June 9 : In a surprise development, Trinamool Congress MP and actress Nushrat Jahan claimed on Wednesday that her marriage to Nikhil Jain was not valid in India and it was only a live-in relationship, adding that their separation happened long back.

Nusrat had reportedly got married to businessman Nikhil Jain in Turkey in 2019. A reception was also held in Kolkata that was attended by celebrities and leading politicians.

In a detailed statement, the Trinamool MP from Basirhat said, "Being on foreign land, as per Turkish Marriage Regulation, the ceremony is invalid. Moreover, since it was an interfaith marriage, it required validation under the Special Marriage Act in India, which did not happen. As per the court of law, it is not a marriage, but a relationship or a live-in relationship. Thus, the question of divorce does not arise.

"Our separation happened long back, but I did not speak about it as I intended to keep my private life to myself. Thus, my actions must not be questioned based on "separation", by the media or anybody I am not related to. The alleged marriage is not legal, valid and tenable; and thus, was not a marriage at all in the eye of law." The statement, however, has raised eyebrows because Nusrat had declared in her affidavit submitted to the Election Commission before the 2019 Lok Sabha polls that she was married.

"She has now announced that she was not married and was only in a live-in relationship. If I am not wrong, then she had announced that she was married in the affidavit filed before the elections. How can she do that? She is a people's representative and she cannot make this kind of a wrong statement. This will raise questions and she will have to answer them," said a senior lawyer of Calcutta High Court.

In the statement, Nushrat also said, "My visit to any place for business or for the purpose of leisure, should not concern anyone with whom I have separated. All my expenses have always been borne by me contrary to claims by 'someone'.

"I would also state that I have solely borne the expenses for my sister's education and my family's well-being, from day one, as they have been my responsibility. I need not use or keep anyone's Credit Card, which I am not related to anymore. This too can be backed up by evidence." Alleging that Jain had taken money from her bank account by accessing it illegally, besides holding back all the family jewellery, including her own hard-earned assets, the actress said, "Being 'rich' does not always give a man the right to act as a victim & belittle the woman alone, in this society. I have made my own identity by my sheer hard work; thus I would not allow anyone not related to me to share the limelight or a title or followers, based on my identity." Though Jain has denied commenting on the matter, sources in the Calcutta High Court said that he has already filed for an annulment of his 'marriage' with Nusrat in the high court and the case is likely to come up for hearing on June 20.

-- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed
New Delhi, June 9 : The Congress panel on Punjab to resolve factionalism in the state, met at a party war room at GRG road on Wednesday, and deliberated on the report.

Mallikarjun Kharge, who is heading the committee said that, "we will submit its report in three or four days." However, sources say that the panel may not recommend removal of Chief Minister in the state and captain Amarinder Singh is likely to lead the party in the next elections.

While the panel members are tightlipped about the change of guard in the organization, but sources say that non Sikh is likely to be recommended by the panel to lead the state party if Sunil Jhakhar, the current state President is to be replaced.

While fate of Sidhu is still not clear but he may be recommended for the Deputy Chief Ministership in the Punjab cabinet while Amarimder Singh is averse of him being elevated to the post but is ready to accommodate him in the cabinet, sources said.

Last week, the panel headed by the leader of opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress' Punjab in-charge Harish Rawat and former MP J.P. Aggarwal met all the stakeholders in the party. Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh also appeared before the three-member Congress panel.

After the meeting Captain Amarinder Singh had said, "The meeting was to discuss the preparations for the Assembly elections scheduled early next year. These are our inner party discussions and I don't propose to share them with you." The rift in Punjab Congress had surfaced after former state Cabinet minister Navjot Singh Sidhu along with Pargat Singh opened a front against the Chief Minister.

The All India Congress Committee (AICC) was forced to constitute a committee to listen to the grievances of its Punjab leaders, after a group led by Sidhu suggested change in the state leadership. However, sources said that there has been no discussion on replacing Amarinder Singh.

The Congress wants to pacify Sidhu and retain him in the party by making some minor adjustments, without going for a major shake-up, sources said.
Thiruvananthapuram, June 9 : Ten-year-old Kerala schoolgirl Lidwina Joseph is not only hugely surprised but also "extremely delighted" that her letter to the Chief Justice of India N.V. Ramana not only got his attention, but he responded through a letter and a telephone call and also sent her a gift.

"I am extremely happy and delighted that I got a call from him (which was a one minute long call), a letter and a signed copy of the Constitution of India as a present. I will treasure this letter and frame and keep it," Lidwina said.

Lidwina, a Class 5 student at the Kendriya Vidyalaya at Thrissur, had written to the CJI end of last month saying how "happy and proud" she felt to see the Supreme Court make vital interventions to alleviate the sufferings of her fellow citizens in the coronavirus pandemic.

Along with her handwritten letter there was also a sketch of a judge using his gavel to give coronavirus a knock on its head.

The CJI, after receipt of the letter wrote to her, saying: "I have received your beautiful letter along with a heart-warming illustration of the judge at work. I am sure you will grow up into an alert, informed and responsible citizen who will contribute immensely towards nation-building." Along with the letter, he sent her a copy of the Constitution with his signature. He also called her up and that made her more happy.

Lidwina was supported to write the letter to the CJI by her two elder sisters and her mother who is a teacher.

She said her ambition is to join the Indian Armed Forces like her father.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Srinagar, June 9 : Amid speculations about any possible changes to the status of Jammu and Kashmir, the People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD), a conglomerate of Kashmir based political parties, is currently holding a meeting at PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti's residence at the Gupkar road in Srinagar on Wednesday.

Among others, the meeting is being attended by PDP Chief Mehbooba Mufti, National Conference President Farooq Abdullah, Awami National Conference leader Muzaffar Shah and CPI-M leader Yusuf Taragami.

The PAGD was floated for the reversal of constitutional changes made to Jammu and Kashmir on August 5, 2019.

National Conference President Farooq Abdullah was appointed as the President of the alliance, PDP Chief Mehbooba Mufti is its vice president.
SIPHOFANENI - A move to sabotage calls for a political change meeting at Siphofaneni has failed.

The Siphofaneni Constituency Council had a meeting at the inkhundla yesterday, where the first item on the agenda was to discuss the call by community members to have a meeting where their Member of Parliament (MP) Mduduzi Gawuzela Simelane would be expected to unpack the call for political reforms. Usually, the constituency council comprises of the MP, constituency headman (Indvuna yeNkhundla), secretary and the seven chiefdom councillors (bucopho). However, in yesterdays meeting, only one chiefdom councillor (from Othandweni/Maphilongo) could not make it. A source close to the matter said as this publication had highlighted yesterday, during the meeting, Siphofaneni Constituency Headman Mzimela Simelane, who chairs the council, introduced the issue of the call for political reforms in the country.

Receiving

The source said the chairman of the meeting stated that he was receiving calls from community members, who were asking him to convene a meeting where they would discuss the call for political change, among other issues. The insider alleged that some of the chiefdom councillors made it clear that they were not for the idea of hosting the political change meeting. According to the source, their argument was that community members from their chiefdoms had not approached them about the matter, thus they were allegedly not aware that they wanted to have the said meeting. Therefore, they said they were sceptical in approving the meeting as they were not approached about the matter, the source added. Again, he alleged that as the discussions, which lasted for about an hour, continued, the councillors, who were against the idea of having the political change meeting, said following what was being discussed on social media platforms, they feared that the gathering would be attended by people from other constituencies.

Their concern about this assumption was that this could mean they would breach the COVID-19 guidelines, which limits the number of an outdoor event to 500 attendees. They even said what if the people burnt down the inkhundla structure. They based this on what they were getting from some of the discussions which were being carried out on social media platforms, the insider alleged. Once more, during the meeting, this publication overheard one of the constituency council members saying; If someone wants to establish ema-party (political parties), he should do so, but allow development to take place in the communities. Their argument, according to an insider, was that the people voted for them (bucopho) into the positions because they wanted development.
Mumbai, June 9 : Actress Rashmi Agdekar, who plays a homosexual character in the series 'Dev DD, feels that while the discussion around the LGBTQ+ community has started in the society, we still have a long way to go.

She also feels that it is important not to stop the movement.

"Our cultural and societal values are deep-rooted. A change in such a society can't happen overnight, but we are having an open conversation about the existence and rights of the LGBTQA community, which is a step in the right direction. There are definitely a lot of problems and we are far away from making a safe place for them. This will take time, but we shouldn't give up and learn to be better allies to the community," Rashmi told IANS.

The actress, who plays the character of Chandni in both parts of the series, also asserted that playing a homosexual character in the series made her more aware and responsible as a citizen.

"My character was welcomed very well, it gave me a sense of responsibility for representing the LGBTQA community through my work. I am happy that I could support them in my little way," she said.

The actress added: "It is a very important and correct step towards the inclusion of the community. The introduction and conditioning of these concepts from an early age will make it a safe space for children to not only come out, but also be accepting of those with different sexual orientations. After all, they are the future of this world."
Mumbai, June 9 : Actors Asha Negi, Mrinal Dutt, Manasi Moghe and Tushar Sharma are all set to feature in an upcoming web-series titled 'Khwabon Ke Parindey, which celebrates friendship.

A trailer of the drama series was released on Wednesday.

Directed by Tapasvi Mehta, 'Khwabon Ke Parindey' revolves around the lives of Bindiya, Dixit and Megha, who go on a road trip from Melbourne to Perth. On their journey, they meet the quirky, witty and rugged hitchhiker Aakash. The youngsters rediscover themselves through this journey.

Talking about the show, Asha Negi shared: "The kind of roles that I have played in my stint with television have been completely different from the role of Bindiya, hence when I read the script, I knew it would be a challenge for me. But thanks to me director, Tapasvi, the journey has been extremely smooth. He helped me in the transition into the character of Bindiya quite seamlessly." Mrinal Dutt, who plays the character of Dixit, expressed: "Shooting for this show was the most beautiful experience the actor and the traveler in me could have asked for. It was constant shooting on the go, driving through the spectacular terrains of Australia with a very enthusiastic young crew, which very soon became a unit of friends. It's a beautiful coming of age drama and I am pretty sure the youth will connect with it." Tushar Sharma added: "My character, Aakash, is versatile, quirky and carefree. His unpredictable nature is what sets him apart. I am happy that I got to essay a role wherein I could portray a range of emotions. Working in 'Khwabon Ke Parindey' was an enriching experience as it brought together two very important aspects of my life -- acting and travelling." The six-part web-series is slated to release on June 14 on Voot.
Seoul, June 9 : At least nine people were killed and eight others injured after a building collapsed in southwest South Korea, officials said.

The five-storery building under demolition unexpectedly collapsed on Wednesday afternoon at the southwestern city of Gwangju, and it was reported to the firefighting authorities at about 4:22 pm (local time).

A bus, which stopped at a station near the construction site, was buried with debris, killing nine people and leaving eight others wounded who were taken to a nearly hospital, Xinhua reported.

Rescuers saved 17 people, mostly those from the buried bus, and were searching for any trapped pedestrian or construction worker.

The police and the firefighting authorities were investigating the exact cause of the mishap.
New Delhi, June 9 : As part of its latest offering triggered by the ongoing Covid pandemic, pre-owned vehicles e-commerce platform CARS24 is offering home delivery, six-month warranty and a 'no questions asked' seven-day return policy to the car buyers, making the experience of buying a vehicle much like buying any other product online.

The company has built an assortment of over 10,000 cars, all of which will be available for online purchase. Additionally, transparent pricing and a technology enabled catalogue will allow the buyers to quickly browse through thousands of cars and choose the right one that suits them the best.

CARS24 is also investing in technology based refurbishment centres in order to provide customers with good quality cars. In 2021, the brand will set up seven refurbishment facilities across 50 acres of land in top Indian metro cities, the company said, adding that around 20,000 cars per month will be refurbished at these facilities.

Vikram Chopra, Co-founder and CEO, CARS24, said, "The future of car buying is entirely online as it allows the buyers to buy what they like. To close the trust gap, we now equip our consumers with a no questions asked seven-day return on the car.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Paris, June 9 : France has launched a judicial investigation into German car giant Volkswagen for allegations of fraud relating to the emissions by its diesel cars, the latest legal action to be taken in the global Dieselgate scandal.

The proceedings were initiated on May 6, judicial sources said on Wednesday.

Late on Tuesday, it was announced that France's judiciary was investigating Renault on similar charges, dpa reported.

French authorities accuse Volkswagen of fraud concerning essential characteristics of a product, leading to a health risk for humans and animals.

Among other things, the company has been ordered to post a bail of 10 million euros (12.2 million dollars). In addition, a bank guarantee of 60 million euros is due.

The VW group denied the accusations, saying "VW AG is of the opinion that French consumers have not suffered any damage entitled to compensation in connection with the purchase of a VW vehicle." It said the group was now considering all available courses of action to challenge the decision.

The Dieselgate scandal was triggered by revelations in 2015 that Europe's largest car manufacturer had falsified emissions levels from millions of its diesel vehicles.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Sofia, June 9 : A Bulgarian MiG-29 fighter jet has disappeared from radars during a Bulgarian-US drill over the Black Sea, while a search and rescue operation is underway, the government said on Wednesday.

The MiG-29 aircraft lost radio communication and disappeared from radars at 00:45 (local time) on Wednesday when performing a training task during the tactical live fire exercise "Shabla 21," a statement said.

"A search and rescue operation was launched immediately and is ongoing," it said, adding that the exercise has been suspended.

According to the website of the country's Defense Ministry, "Shabla 21" began Monday and was planned to end Friday, involving more than 2,000 members of the military staff from the Armed Forces of Bulgaria and the United States, Xinhua reported.
New Delhi, June 9 : The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has given its approval for the extension of applicability of New Investment Policy (NIP)-2012, read with its amendment dated October 7, 2014, for the Ramagundam Fertilisers and Chemicals Ltd (RFCL).

The RFCL is a joint venture company consisting of National Fertilisers Ltd (NFL), Engineers India Ltd (EIL) and Fertilisers Corporation of India Ltd (FCIL) which was incorporated on Febuary 17, 2015. RFCL is reviving the erstwhile Ramagundam (Telangana) unit of FCIL by setting up a new gas-based green field neem coated urea plant with the installed capacity of 12.7 lakh metric ton per annum (LMTPA).

The cost of the RFCL urea project is Rs 6,165.06 crore, and gas to the plant is supplied by GAIL through the MBBVPL (Mallavaram-Bhopal-Bhilwara-Vijaipur Gas Pipeline) of GSPL India Transco Ltd(GITL).

The state of the art gas-based RFCL plant is part of the initiative taken by the government to revive the closed urea units of FCIL/HFCL in order to achieve self-sufficiency in the urea sector.

The start of the Ramagundam plant will add 12.7 LMTPA indigenous urea production in the country and help to realise the vision of the Prime Minister to make India 'Aatmanirbhar' in urea production. It will be one of the largest fertiliser manufacturing units of south India, said an official statement.

The project shall not only improve the availability of fertiliser to farmers but also give a boost to the economy in the region including development of infrastructure like roads, railways, ancillary industry etc. besides ensuring food security to the nation.

The statement said that the facility integrates the world's best technologies aiming to meet the demand for urea in Telangana as well as in the other southern and central states of India, namely Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra among others. The urea produced at RFCL shall be marketed by the NFL.

The Centre is reviving five closed units of FCIL/HFCL by setting up new ammonia urea plants of 12.7 LMTPA capacity each at Ramagundam, Talcher (Odisha), Gorakhpur (Uttar Pradesh), Sindri (Jharkhand) and Barauni (Bihar) through formation of joint ventures of leading PSUs with an investment of about Rs 40,000 crore.

On operationalisation of these plants, indigenous urea production will be increased by 63.5 LMTPA which will reduce the import of urea to that extent and will save huge amount of foreign exchange and will lead towards self-reliance in urea sector, the statement said.
New Delhi : Doctors wearing PPE to attend Covid-19 Patients at Guru Tegh Bahadur Medical Isolation & Treatment Centre, Gurudwara Rakabganj, the centre 400 Oxygen beds facility total number of discharge patients 02 on today in New Delhi on Thursday Image Source: IANS News

Hyderabad, June 9 : About 20-30 per cent of Covid patients in intensive care unit have some form of brain involvement, say leading neurologists.

Apart from four broad categories of brain involvement in Covid, the secondary infections coming with Covid are also causing direct brain involvement.

Continental Hospitals' senior consultant neurologist M. K. Singh told IANS that they are also seeing cases of neuropathies.

"Apart from four broad groups of brain involvement, we also get neuropathies something like Guillain-Barre Syndrome when a person becomes paralysed. This is also being increasingly seen in patients with Covid," he said.

According to him, brain manifestations of Covid can be broadly categorised into four groups. There is vascular category where there is clotting in arterial system or the venous system thereby leading to infarct in the brain or venous haemorrhage in the brain.

The second category is direct infection of Covid virus to brain which usually manifest in "brain fog" or encephalopathy in which patient becomes too sleepy and is not arousable. "This persists even after Covid is gone and persist from few weeks to sometime months," he said.

The third aspect of brain involvement in Covid is because of hyper-inflammatory response. "In these cases, we get lot of acute demyelinating encephalomyelitis. The brain white matter and gray matter swells and it causes very severe damage to the brain. It can affect one part of the brain or can affect all over the brain," said Dr Singh.

Secondary infections which are coming with Covid are also causing direct brain involvement. The mucus spreads from nose to the brain or from the ear to the brain and sometimes through the blood vessels, to reach the brain and cause a lot of brain damage.

Other secondary infections of brain are also increasingly in view of Covid caused immuno suppression as well as medication induced immuno suppression.

Aware Gleneagles Global Hospital's consultant neurologist, Dr Praveen Changala, believes that neurologic manifestations occur in approximately half of hospitalised Covid patients.

Myalgias, headache, and encephalopathy may be most common while other neurologic symptoms such as dizziness, dysgeusia (altered taste), or anosmia (loss of smell) may be less common. Stroke, movement disorders, motor and sensory deficits, ataxia, and seizures can also occur.

Stroke has been associated with Covid-19 in approximately 1 to 3 percent of hospitalised patients, with higher rates in those with more severe Covid. "Several stroke subtypes may occur, including ischemic stroke, intracranial haemorrhage, and cerebral venous sinus thrombosis. The risk of stroke may vary according to the severity of Covid-19. In patients with mild illness, the risk is less than 1 percent, while for patients in intensive care, the risk may be as high as 6 percent," said Changala.

Stroke associated with Covid-19 may be more severe than stroke without Covid-19. Most often, stroke occurs one to three weeks after onset of Covid-19 symptoms.

Both viral and apparent autoimmune meningoencephalitis can be seen in patients with Covid-19. Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) and acute haemorrhagic necrotising encephalopathy case reports have been seen.

The symptoms include altered consciousness, seizures, weakness of one side of body with difficult in speech or weakness of all four limbs depending upon the region of brain involved, abnormal movement of limbs, imbalance while walking, swallowing difficulties etc., According to SLG Hospitals consultant neurologist Dr Suma Kandukuri, severe Covid-19 has a variety of neurological manifestations including altered mental status and other acute cerebrovascular diseases. "Most common cause of altered mental status is due to deranged metabolic profile in severe Covid-19 infection. This non-specific confusional state has increasingly been described in hospitalized patients with Covid, usually seen in older patients," she said.

These patients share common risk factors for hospital acquired delirium and there are likely unrecognised in the setting of critical illness.

"In rare cases, patients have been diagnosed having encephalitis, that is direct invasion of grey matter of the brain by the virus but extent and frequency of direct viral involvement of the nervous system will have wide-ranging implications on treatment approaches as well as prediction of long-lasting effects of illness. The proportion of patients with neurological manifestations is small compared with other respiratory diseases," she added.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Kolkata, June 9 : Personnel of Kolkata Police's Special Task Force ( STF) on Wednesday gunned down two Punjab gangsters believed to be involved in gun running and responsible for killing two policemen. The deceased duo has been identified as Jaspreet Jassi and Jaipal Bhullar.

The STF encircled a residential block in New Town's Shapoorji complex after a tip-off that the two gangsters were hiding there.

Kolkata Police said the gangsters fired on the STF personnel and tried to escape, but both were killed in the encounter that lasted for around 35 minutes.

The STF raided the residential block after receiving intelligence inputs that the two criminals involved in bringing weapons into West Bengal from Bihar via Birbhum had taken refuge at the New Town complex.

These weapons also find their way into Bangladesh and the northeastern states of India.

According to Kolkata Police, Jaspreet Jassi and Jaipal Bhullar -- who were wanted in connection with the killing of two assistant sub-inspectors in Jagraon in Punjab's Ludhiana district -- were killed in the encounter.

Both were wanted in Punjab, Rajasthan, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh for over 40 cases related to robbery, murder, extortion and kidnapping, among others.

However, details regarding a third gangster are not available yet. Senior STF officials are present on the spot.

Sources in the STF said that the cops came to know about the duo a week back when a truck carrying 20 kg explosives was seized and two persons were arrested in this connection.

"Interrogating the duo, we came to know about these two gangsters who were hiding in Kolkata for some days. Further investigation revealed that the duo was hiding in a rented apartment in the Shapoorji complex in New Town," an STF officer said.

At around at 3.30 pm on Wednesday, an STF team raided flat number B 153, an LIG apartment where they were hiding since May 22.

Suddenly, they started firing from inside and as a result the cops had to open fire in retaliation.

"We wanted them to surrender but they started firing, so we had to fire back. As a result, both of them died. One of our personnel, Kartick Ghosh, was injured in the firing. He has suffered a bullet injury on his left shoulder and has been admitted to a private hospital," one of the officers said.

According to STF sources, in May this year, Bhullar, who was a resident of Ferozepur district in Punjab, along with three others had snatched firearms from two cops in Jagraon and shot them dead.
Amaravati, June 9 : The southwest monsoon on Wednesday advanced into some more parts of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana and most parts of the Bay of Bengal.

"Southwest monsoon has further advanced into some more parts of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, most parts of central Bay of Bengal and some more parts of north Bay of Bengal today (Wednesday)," said a Met official.

According to the Met department, it is likely to advance into the remaining parts of both the Telugu states and others in the next two to three days.

Meanwhile, a cyclonic circulation is lying over east central and adjoining northeast Bay of Bengal between 4.5 km to 5.8 km above the mean sea level.

"Under its influence, a low pressure area is likely to form over north Bay of Bengal and neighbourhood around Friday. It is likely to be more marked during the subsequent 24 hours," the Met official said.

In the light of these developments, thunderstorms accompanied by lightning are very likely to lash parts of north coastal and south coastal Andhra and Yanam on Thursday.

These rains are forecast to intensify into heavy rainfall in parts of the aoastal Andhra on Friday, Saturday and Sunday while thunderstorms with lightning are very likely in parts of south coastal Andhra during these three days, including in parts of Rayalaseema on Sunday.

Despite the rain forecast, parts of West Godavari district scorched on Tuesday and Wednesday, especially Bhimavaram and vicinity, encompassing villages such as Chinamiram, Pedamiram, Jakkaram, Kopella, Seesali, Kalla and others.
Hong Kong: CE mourns Philip Wong

Chief Executive Carrie Lam today expressed deep sorrow over the passing of Philip Wong, a former Legislative Council member.

Mrs Lam said: In his various public service roles, he served as an effective communication link between the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce, Hong Kong and the Government with distinguished performance.

Mr Wong was a member of the former LegCo, the Provisional LegCo and LegCo of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, witnessing the return of Hong Kong to the motherland.

She noted that he also served as a Hong Kong deputy to the National People's Congress to participate in national affairs, contributing to the country's development. He was awarded the Gold Bauhinia Star in 2003.

On behalf of the Hong Kong SAR Government, I would like to extend my deepest condolences to his family, Mrs Lam said.

This story has been published on: 2021-06-09. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
14 companies from East Chinas Anhui province are attending the second China-CEEC Expo and International Consumer Goods Fair, which is being held in Ningbo, East Chinas Zhejiang province.

The companies are displaying nearly 60 exhibits including AI products and high-end equipment. iFlytek Co. is exhibiting a variety of AI innovative products such as acoustic imagers, smart office books and dual-screen translators. Sun Create Electronics Co.and HRG International Institute (Hefei) Research and Innovation are presenting high-end equipment like drone surveillance radars and intelligent cleaning robots.

Made-in-Anhui dynamic curling flexible screens, three-fold terminal flexible screens and foldable laptops are also on display.

Serbia and the Czech Republic are the guest countries of honor and Anhui is the guest province of honor at the expo.

The provinces trade with countries and regions involved in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) reached $8.07 billion in the first four months this year, up 55.2 percent from the same period a year ago.

With the theme of Fostering a New Development Paradigm, Sharing a Win-Win Opportunity, the expo kicked off on Tuesday and will end on Friday.




MBABANE  The man who was arrested for allegedly burning his wifes E1 million house reportedly committed the offence after being frustrated by the royal kraal postponing its ruling on their marriage issues.

Siboniso Dlamini (30) of Macambeni, under Chief Mnikwa, is alleged to have burnt down the house and cash amounting to E18 000. He is alleged to have also burnt a car belonging to his wifes neighbour, Lombuso Dlamini, which was parked in the yard. The car is a grey Toyota Vitz registered PSD 147 AS and it was value at E55 000. The incident happened last Saturday at Gilinyathi area in the Hhohho Region. Siboniso, who earns a living by driving a for-hire vehicle, was arrested on the same day and he appeared in court on Monday. Senior Piggs Peak Magistrate Siphosini Dlamini granted him bail fixed at E30 000. Siboniso approached the High Court for a variation of his bail.

In his bail variation application, Siboniso said he was married to the complainant, Gcinile Gama, in terms of Eswatini Law and Custom and, since 2018, their marriage had been going through a rough patch. He told the court that, as a result, since 2019, they lived at their matrimonial homestead but in separate rooms. Siboniso submitted that their differences had been discussed at family level with the intention to restore the marriage. He stated that they went to the royal kraal where their matter had been pending indefinitely. The veracity of these allegations is still to be tested in court. He said last Saturday, together with his wife, they were summoned to the royal kraal, where he was anticipating that a ruling over their matter would be delivered.

I state that again we were informed that the matter would be postponed and out of frustration, I left with my brother to have a few alcoholic beverages in Piggs Peak. I state that I was later called to Piggs Peak Police Station whereat I was informed that I will answer a few questions as to why I burnt my homestead, he said.

Malicious

Siboniso informed the court that at the police station he was questioned and later charged with two counts. He allegedly contravened Section 17(1) of the Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Act, 2018 and was also charged with malicious injury to property. He said when he appeared in court on Monday, he was granted bail fixed at E30 000, hence his application to vary and reduce the amount of bail to E2 000.
New Delhi, June 9: As much as 60,000 hectares of Basmati agricultural land will be converted into a more productive one as the Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) administration has decided to provide good quality seeds at cheaper rates to around 7.5 lakh farmers in the Union Territory.

In a campaign to increase the productivity of Basmati agricultural land, the farmers of the region would be provided high quality seeds at a cost of Rs 16 crore and encouraged to switch over to organic farming.

Basmati, a long grain aromatic rice known for its superior aroma and distinct flavour, has for many years generally been grown in the sub-tropical plains of Jammu, Samba and Kathua districts.

As per the Agriculture Department of the UT, J&K accounts for nearly two per cent share in the all India area and 1.60 per cent share in production of Basmati rice. Approximately around 90,000 farming families are involved in Basmati cultivation in J&K, out of which more than 90 per cent are small and marginal farmers having low investment and risk bearing capacities.

India is the largest exporter of Basmati rice, sending it over to 80-90 countries all over the world including USA, European Union, Middle East, Russia, Ukraine, Turkey, Commonwealth of Independent States, etc.

Basmati rice grown in the Ranbir Singh (RS) Pura area of Jammu, including the famous Mushk Budji variety grown in higher reaches of Kashmir valley like Anantnag and Budgam, is now in a huge demand. The Geographical Indication (GI) tag - a sign on products that have a specific geographical origin and the product may have special quality or reputation - has also led to the overall economic prosperity of the producers, including those engaged in the farming of R.S. Pura rice and the world famous Pampore Saffron.

"From carpets to saffron, from apples to Basmati, what is not there in Jammu and Kashmir? Even during the lockdown caused by corona, the government took care that the apple growers here have least of the problems," PM Modi had said while launching the Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY SEHAT scheme for all residents of Jammu and Kashmir last December.

A new dawn in Kashmir That the development of the people of region remains one of the top priorities of the Narendra Modi government has once again been proved as the J&K administration led by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha

is going all out to provide all facilities like harvesting, management and processing to the farmers and providing linkages for their products to national and international markets.

Highlighting the various initiatives undertaken by the government to bring reforms in the horticulture sector, Sinha revealed on Tuesday that the UT administration has signed an MoU with NAFED through which 5500 hectares of high density apple, walnut, mango and litchi would be cultivated in the next five years.

For this, an investment of about Rs 1700 crore will be made in the Union Territory. Three cold storage clusters will also be set up at Kathua, north Kashmir and south Kashmir with an investment of Rs 500 crore which will provide more convenience to the farmers.

"GI tagging of regional products is being done to further empower the farmers through effective marketing of their products. The quality of many of our products like saffron, walnut, cherry, strawberry, plum, almond and apricot is no less than those produced in other countries. Kashmir's saffron was launched in Dubai in December after the GI tagging. The world market was dominated by the Iranian saffron but now Kashmir's Saffron is making its mark in the global market," remarked the Lt Governor.

The government is also focused on increasing the income of farmers and providing employment to more and more youth in collaboration with the administration and scientists, researchers related to agriculture. To promote agriculture and horticulture in Jammu and Kashmir, the current year's budget has been increased to Rs 2008 crore, which is Rs 695 crore more than the previous year.

Agricultural universities of Jammu and Kashmir are also being roped in for promoting food processing units and agriculture related start-ups. Despite the corona pandemic, scores of agricultural programmes have been organized in the past 10 months. With the help of Krishi Vigyan Kendras, effort is being made to reach out to every farmer to ensure the use of innovation and technology in agriculture and allied sectors.

Sinha said that, in order to take technology to the fields of farmers, it has been decided to provide machinery worth Rs 65 crore to the identified 30,000 farmers, besides providing modern irrigation facilities to 25,000 farmers at a cost of Rs 91 crore.

Further, the state-of-the-art training will also be imparted to around 35,000 farmers to implement new experiments in agriculture with the changing environment for which provision of Rs 26 crore has been kept.

Special provision has been kept in this year's budget for skill development and employment generation opportunities of rural youth, one of the focus areas of the J&K government.

"We have made a provision of Rs 74 crore to increase the capacity of cold storage as well as provide employment opportunities to our youth," Sinha said while stressing on building a strong framework for farmer-industry connect, besides giving a determined push to agricultural entrepreneurship.

(This content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com) --indianarrative/
Amritsar: Farmers busy transplanting paddy saplings in a field on the outskirts of Amritsar on June 23, 2018. The total area sown under kharif crop as on June 22 stood at 115.9 lakh hectares as against 128.35 lakh hectares at this time last year. Acc Image Source: IANS News

New Delhi, June 9 : Amid the farmers protest, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved increase in the minimum support price (MSPs) for all mandated Kharif crops for marketing season 2021-22 to ensure remunerative prices to the growers.

The MSP of paddy of both grades have been increased by Rs 72 per quintal, jowar by Rs 118, bajra by Rs 100, ragi by Rs 82, and arhar and urad by Rs 300 per quintal.

The increase in MSP for kharif crops for marketing season 2021-22 is in line with the Union Budget 2018-19 announcement of fixing the MSPs at a level of at least 1.5 times of the all-India weighted average Cost of Production (CoP), aiming at reasonably fair remuneration for the farmers.

The expected returns to farmers over their cost of production are estimated to be highest in case of bajra (85 per cent) followed by urad (65 per cent) and tur (62 per cent). For rest of the crops, return to farmers over their cost of production is estimated to be at least 50 per cent.

The government said concerted efforts were made over the last few years to realign the MSPs in favour of oilseeds, pulses and coarse cereals to encourage farmers shift to larger area under these crops and adopt best technologies and farm practices to correct the demand-supply imbalance.

The added focus on nutri-rich nutri-cereals is to incentivise its production in the areas where rice-wheat cannot be grown without long term adverse implications for the groundwater table.

The highest absolute increase in MSP over the previous year has been recommended for sesamum (Rs 452 per quintal) followed by tur and urad (Rs 300 per quintal each). In case of groundnut and nigerseed, there has been an increase of Rs 275 per quintal and Rs 235 per quintal, respectively, in comparison to last year.

With an aim to attain self-sufficiency in the production of pulses, a special strategy has been prepared for implementation in the ensuing kharif 2021 season. A detailed plan for both area expansion and productivity enhancement for tur, moong, and urad has been formulated.

Under the strategy, all the available high-yielding varieties (HYVs) of seeds will be distributed free of cost to increase area through intercropping and sole crop. Similarly, for oilseeds, the government has approved an ambitious plan for the free distribution of high-yielding varieties of seeds to the farmers for the kharif season 2021 in the form of mini-kits. The special kharif programme will bring an additional 6.37 lakh hectare area under oilseeds and is likely to produce 120.26 lakh quintals of oilseeds and edible oil amounting to 24.36 lakh quintals.
New Delhi, June 9: Rinku Das : , who lives with her family in a village in West Bengals Nadia district, has no idea when the Covid 19 vaccination drive will finally kick off in her village. She told India Narrative that none in her village has been vaccinated so far. "We do know when the vaccination exercise will start though many people this time have been infected by Covid," Das said.

Availability of vaccines, lack of awareness and limited digital access have made things difficult for policymakers to press the pedal on the vaccination drive in the villages.

As India aims to vaccinate all its adults by the end of the year, it needs to look at an alternative inoculation strategy for people in the smaller towns and villages.

Since many people have no access to mobile phones, computers or laptops, a fully "a walk-in" exercise at inoculation centres may be allowed unlike in the cities, where prior registration on the government's CoWin app is mandatory. Local authorities at many places are also looking to rope in village and religious heads along with Asha (Accredited Social Health Activists) and Anganwadi workers to raise the level of awareness.

"There are some challenges (related to the vaccination drive) in the rural areas. We are aware of them and necessary steps will be taken to address these. Vaccine hesitancy is also a big problem which has to be overcome so that once the supply situation eases, the inoculation drive in the villages can pick up momentum," Gopal Krishna Agarwal, BJP's national spokesperson told India Narrative.

Over 65 per cent of India's population lives in the rural areas with fractured medical facilities.

"The focus must be to vaccinate people in the villages and even the smaller towns at the earliest for real economic recovery, especially as now with second wave, we know that the Covid 19 pandemic is no more just an urban phenomenon," a person working with a non governmental organisation (NGO) in Uttar Pradesh's hinterland said.

Rural demand is critical for India's economic growth. For several sectors such as fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) and automobiles - as tractor sale is a big indicator -- among others, a large chunk of demand is driven by the rural sector.

A healthy agriculture growth in 2020-21 pushed rural consumption amid an otherwise battered economy owing to the first Covid 19 wave hit. Chief Economic Advisor Krishnamurthy Subramanian recently said that a resilient rural demand helped the Indian economy.

Though 23 crore vaccines have been administered until now, only 4.5 crore have been fully inoculated in the country.

However, India is hoping to vaccinate 1 crore people per day by mid-July-August.

(This content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com) --indianarrative/

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Kolkata, June 9 : Bengali film actress and Trinamool Congress MP Nusrat Jahan took to social media on Wednesday to write a cryptic post, saying she does not want to be remembered as someone who can keep her mouth shut.

Nusrat shared a throwback photograph of herself on Instagram and captioned it: "I won't be remembered as a woman who can keep her mouth shut... and I'm ok with that.... #throwbackpic #deserted #retrospective." Nusrat's cryptic social media post came on the same day when she issued a statement claiming that her marriage to businessman Nikhil Jain was not valid in India and it was only a live-in relationship. The actress further claimed that their separation happened long back.

"Our separation happened long back, but I did not speak about it as I intended to keep my private life to myself. Thus, my actions must not be questioned based on 'separation', by the media or anybody I am not related to. The alleged marriage is not legal, valid and tenable; and thus, was not a marriage at all in the eye of law," Nusrat mentioned in her statement.

Nusrat had reportedly tied the knot with businessman Nikhil Jain in Turkey in 2019. This was followed by a star-studded reception hosted in Kolkata.
Thiruvananthapuram, June 9 : A delegation of top Kerala BJP leaders, led by former Union Minister and former party legislator O. Rajagopal, on Wednesday met Governor Arif Mohammed Khan to complain that the present LDF government is out to "tarnish" the party's image and "harass" its leaders out of "political vendetta".

"There is a gross abuse of police machinery by the LDF government to tarnish the Bharatiya Janata Party and to harass its leaders out of political vendetta," they said, citing how the state government appointed an SIT for conducting investigation in the hawala money case of Thrissur under the supervision of an IPS officer.

"The state Secretary in charge of CPI-M was continuously raising politically motivated and unfounded allegations against BJP and it appears that the government therefore decided to interfere with the investigation, misdirect it and to use it as a weapon against the BJP," the delegation claimed in their complaint, alleging that the new SIT comprised "handpicked officials" of tainted backgrounds and well-known to have allegiance to CPI-M.

"The SIT, instead of conducting investigation into the offences alleged in the FIR in the crime, has been interrogating and harassing numerous activists and leaders of BJP from various parts of the state and giving an impression to the media that they are investigating about the financial transactions associated with the robbery incident. The attempt is obviously to tarnish the image of BJP and to harass the leaders and activists," they said in their complaint.

The BJP also accused the SIT of "continuously giving motivated inputs to the media to give an impression that the money, allegedly robbed was unaccounted funds of BJP which is totally incorrect".

"The SIT has been specifically targeting the state President (K. Surendran) and making efforts to tarnish him and his family too. The state President of the party has been spearheading the campaign against the ruling front and was instrumental in leading the party in all agitations conducted against them. The Chief Minister had on one occasion, while talking to the media, had hinted that the state President will be facing retaliation. Now the Badiadka Police station of Kasaragod has registered a case for the offences under S.171 B and 171E of IPC alleging that a person who had submitted nomination to contest from the Manjeswaram constituency had made some statements against BJP regarding withdrawal of his nomination," the BJP complaint said, citing the BSP candidate's claims of being offered money and other rewards for withdrawing.

The BJP alleged that the "said person has been obviously induced to give some statements at the instance of police as he had revealed to media before withdrawing his nomination clearly that he had been acting out of his free will". This was ascertained by the Returning Officer also while accepting his withdrawal form, it said, adding that police, after registering the case for bailable offences, are now making efforts to incorporate non-bailable offences and to arrest Surendran, who had contested from Manjeswaram.

"The abuse of police machinery to harass political opponents is a matter to be deprecated by constitutional authorities like your Excellency," the BJP complaint said, citing the way Surendran was targeted during the Sabarimala agitation.

The BJP also alleged that the attempt of the government is to deny democratic rights to the party, citing the instance of preventing it from conducting its core committee meeting in a hotel at Ernakulam on June 6, though all permissions were taken.

Former Mizoram Governor and former state BJP chief Kummanam Rajasekheran said that they requested the Governor to take note of the "oppressive, anti-democratic and illegal actions" of the state government and take appropriate remedial measures.
Mumbai, June 9 : The first monsoon rains hit Maharashtra and Mumbai with full fury on Wednesday, disrupting local trains and road traffic, and flooding low-lying areas in the country's commercial capital, officials said here.

According to IMD Mumbai, the city notched record rain for a day in June -- 280.2 mm in the suburbs and 123 mm in the city -- in the past 24 hours, with the maximum downpour during the day since 8 a.m.

In the early hours, Mumbai, Thane, Palghar and Raigad were clobbered with heavy rain, inundating several low-lying areas, barely a fortnight after the city survived the Cyclone Tauktae devastation.

The IMD has forecast heavy to very heavy rain accompanied by thunderstorms till June 13 in these four coastal districts, besides rain in several other regions of the state.

Rattled by the maiden downpour that virtually left the city immobilized, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and others visited the BMC Disaster Management Centre and discussed the unfolding scenario with Mayor Kishori Pednekar and Municipal Commissioner I. S. Chahal, and other top officials.

Thackeray instructed the concerned departments to ensure that all agencies are kept on high alert in view of the forecast for the next 2-3 days, and also directed that medical care especially for Covid-19 patients should not be affected.

Several roads in Mumbai and its suburbs were flooded, the Central Railway and Western Railway suburban services were hit on the mainline and Harbour lines, causing concern among officialdom as the city will have the crucial BMC elections in early 2022.

Central Railway (CR) Spokesperson Shivaji Sutar said that due to water-logging near Chunabhatti station all services on the Harbour Line between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus and Vashi (Navi Mumbai) were suspended in the morning.

Similarly, due to flooded tracks near Kurla, the mainline services between Thane-CSMT were suspended, though the CR operated shuttles between the Thane-Karjat, Thane-Kasara and Vashi-Panvel sectors.

Western Railway (WR) Spokesperson Sumit Thakur said that due to water-logging at Wadala station, all Harbour Line trains on the Andheri-CSMT routes were suspended till further notice, and water pumps were deployed to drain out the excess water from the railway tracks.

Flight operations at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport remained normal but witnessed go-around for 4 flights owing to the inclement weather conditions, said a spokesperson.

As in the past, heavy inundation was witnessed in Dadar, Matunga, Sion, Kings Circle, Wadala, Kalachowky, Kurla, Mankhurd; subways at Andheri, Khar, Malad and Santacruz were flooded and remained shut for traffic.

Stretches of the Eastern Express Highway, Western Express Highway, major roads like S. V. Road in the west and LBS Marg in the east besides other roads and lanes were flooded, hampering vehicular movement and resulting in traffic snarls.

Traffic was also hit on the Mumbai-Pune, Mumbai-Goa, Mumbai- Nashik and other major routes lashed by heavy rain.

In some parts of Malad, Khar, Sion, Wadala and Kurla, rainwater seeped into building compounds or ground floor flats as rain accompanied by thunder, lightning and strong winds lashed the city.

The Mithi River ran above the danger mark in the Kurla area with the authorities shifting people to safer locations.

BMC officials said that owing to a major high-tide of 4.16 metre in the Arabian Sea this morning the accumulated rainwater could not flow out, hampering traffic and pedestrian movement. The city will experience a higher 4.26 metre high-tide on Thursday at 12.17 p.m, they added.
Thiruvananthapuram, June 9 : Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday said that 16,204 people tested Covid positive out of 1,15,022 samples sent for testing in the past 24 hours, showing the state's test positivity rate (TPR) was still at a high 14.09 per cent.

A statement issued here by Vijayan said there were 1,39,064 active cases on Wednesday, while 20,237 people turned negative, taking the total number of cured people in the state to 25,24,248.

Another 156 deaths were recorded, taking the total death tally to 10,437.

Across the state, 5,92,079 people were under observation at various places, including 32,396 people at hospitals.

There are 889 hotspots in the state.

Vijayan, who regularly used to brief the media, has not appeared for his customary Covid related press meets for a while now, which, at one point, turned out to be one of the most viewed programmes. New Health Minister Veena George is also remaining behind the scenes as the government does not appear keen to expose her to the media.

A look into the statistics on the same day last year in the state show that 91 new cases were reported and the total active cases stood at a mere 383.

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Mumbai, June 9 : Actor Owen Wilson explains the timeline of the new series "Loki", saying it started from where "Avengers: Endgame" ends.

The Kate Herron directorial based on Marvel Comics stars Tom Hiddleston, Owen Wilson, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Sophia Di Martino among others.

Explaining the timeline, Wilson said: "We're right where it ends off in 'Avengers: Endgame'. That is where we're taking Loki out. And now, he's going to be sort of a fish out of water, but much more than that. It would almost be like waking from a dream or a nightmare. All of a sudden you find yourself in this reality that you have no context for. And so, part of Mobius' job is explaining to him what exactly is happening and what this new reality is." "Loki" streams in English on Disney+ Hotstar Premium and in Hindi on Disney+ Hotstar VIP where it will also release in Tamil and Telugu.
Panaji, June 9 : A 41-year-old Russian national has been arrested for possession of LSD and marijuana, valued at over Rs 8.5 lakh, from the beach village of Morjim in North Goa, police said on Wednesday.

The accused has been identified as Dmitry Boldov, inspector in-charge of Pernem police station Jivba Dalvi said.

"The seized LSD is worth Rs 8,50,000 in the international market. The accused has been booked under relevant sections of the Narcotics, Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act," Dalvi said.
Mumbai, June 9 : Actor Sonu Sood, who has been relentlessly trying to help people who have been affected by Covid-19, has announced that he will set up oxygen plants across the country in almost 16-18 states.

The actor has revealed that the process has already started with two places being locked in Andhra Pradhesh's Nellore and Kurnool cities. The process will be in full swing by June end and will be completed by September in all the states.

Talking to IANS over phone, Sonu said: "I have tried to cover all the states. The oxygen plants will be set up near the needy hospitals which will have almost 150-200 beds. All these hospitals will never have shortage. The patients have to sometimes travel far to reach the hospitals and in some cases, they lose their lives as well. With this, I hope, such situation will never arise." Is this his precautionary method to tackle the predicted third wave of Covid-19?

"This will solve the problem forever. Right now there are almost 700 concentrators which we are servicing pan India, but it's a temporary arrangement. With an oxygen plant, no one will ever face a problem. Why wait for a third or fourth wave to happen? Even when the pandemic will be over, the villages and districts nearby will have oxygen supply forever," says the actor.

The actor's work has reached the masses and he often has visitors coming outside his house to meet and discuss their problems with him. He says that helping people only makes him feel more responsible.

"It doesn't make me nervous, but gives me more sense of responsibility. It's raining right now but people are still standing outside and I have requested them to go. I worry for them and there is so much pain across the country. So, the privileged people should come forward and help and do whatever best they can do," says the actor, who will soon be seen in the Telugu film "Acharya" and Bollywood flick "Prithviraj".

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MBABANE- My husband once bought and sharpened a bush knife with intent to kill his sons.

These were submissions made by the wife of the late Vusi Ndzimandze, who was allegedly killed by his two sons at Gobholo. The sons are Sandile Lerry and Innocent Sanele. However, Lerry passed away after the incident.

Nonhlanhla Zulu was testifying in Innocents defence during the continuation of trial at the Mbabane Magistrates Court yesterday. As a result of her husbands act, Zulu told the court that she left her matrimonial homestead and purchased a piece of land where she constructed a shack to live with her children including the sons. She stated that she was sharing a two-room shack with her children when the incident happened. She told the court that on the day in question; she called her husband concerning maintenance and school fees in the morning.

She stated that she called Vusi as a reminder after her husband was ordered to contribute towards maintenance and school fees. According to Zulu, the order was issued by the areas traditional council, which met at a place called Emntulwini. I called Vusi to ascertain if I can send a child to fetch the money. He called back and my children overheard our conversation. They overheard their father telling me that he will not pay their school fees, she submitted. She told the court that her sons left the shack immediately after they overheard the conversation between her and their father. She mentioned that Innocent was the first one to leave the shack. She stated that after about 30 minutes, she asked Lerry to follow Innocent. Zulu told the court that she then followed the duo after 30 minutes.

Shack

However, Zulu told the court that she was not aware that her sons proceeded to their father when they left the shack. She stated that upon arrival at Vusis homestead, she called her sons and he (Vusi) responded saying, I am here my wife. She mentioned that she tried to rescue her husband whom she assisted to move from the spot where he sustained injuries. She never mentioned what had actually happened before she assisted her husband. However, pictures that were presented in court as part of evidence showed some injuries on Vusis body.

During cross-examination, Sandile Mdluli, who is representing the Crown in the matter, put it to Zulu that she was not being truthful to the court. Mdluli put it to Zulu that she knew that her sons proceeded to their father after they overheard the conversation. The Crown referred Zulu to the statement she recorded with the police where she stated that she was at her homestead in a shack when her children left in a very angry mood.
New Delhi, June 9 : Uttar Pradesh will fully support measures to further reduce taxes on Covid relief items such as ventilators, oxygen concentrators, PPE kits etc to improve their cheaper access to the masses and help the nation to be better prepared for any possible fresh wave of Covid-19 pandemic, a state minister said on Wednesday.

State Finance Minister Suresh Kumar Khanna said that the state is favour of reducing taxes on Covid relief items meant for those contracting the virus and Group of Ministers set up by the GST Council is looking into the issue and will come back with its suggestions soon.

Khanna is also a member of the GoM and support of the state for the duty cuts is expected to carry weight on the decisions that the GoM takes on the matter.

He said on its part, the state has offered relief to people in the worst of times during the build up of the pandemic last year by keeping its own VAT rates unchanged on key fuel items such as petrol and diesel. He indicated that the current rate of VAT of Rs 26.80 per litre on petrol and 17.48 per litre on diesel may not increase during the second wave of the pandemic as well and resources needed for meeting growing expenditure would be met from other sources like promotion of industrialisation of the state, development of infrastructure and generation of non-tax revenue.

"We want to maintain complete fiscal discipline even in these difficult times. This would not mean that state would cut expenditure and reduce funding for welfare schemes. Resources would be mobilised through other measures that also promotes industrialisation and generated growth," the minister told select journalists.

Khanna also said that things on fiscal front for the state were much better compared to last year when lockdowns and Covid pandemic impacted economic activities badly. In terms of tax collections, the states revenue fell to just about 77.47 per cent of target in FY21 against 87-97 per cent collections in previous three financial years.

He said that in this year(2021-22), despite the new wave of Covid, tax collections in the first two months have been in excess of Rs 9,800 crore and Rs 2,452 crore over previous years. "We are confident that tax collections would touch 87-97 per cent levels this year as the state's lockdowns don't involve shutting economic activities as industries and businesses continue to operate." The minister also said that the state government has also worked to provide money directly into the accounts of workers that helps in keeping the wheel of economic activity moving without much disruptions. Besides, funds to MSME segment had also been facilities through a three fold increase loans to the sector at around Rs 63,000 crore that has also helped in generation of jobs and livelihood support to over 34 lakh people.

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Mumbai, June 9 : In a major initiative, the Maharashtra government has made the cumbersome process of vehicle registration process totally online - faceless and paperless - in view of the Covid-19 second wave's compulsions and as part of the Ease of Doing Business policy, officials said on Wednesday.

Transport Commissioner Dr Avinash Dhakane late on Tuesday issued the orders for this end, as per the rules notified by the Union Ministry of Road Transport & Highways.

Now, the applicant can submit all documents for vehicle registration online, no physical verification for the first registration of the new two or four wheelers is required, all documents can be e-signed by the dealers using digital signature, and the vehicle numbers shall be auto-generated at the dealerships.

Welcoming the development, Federation of Automobile Dealers' Association (FADA) President Vinkesh Gulati said it will save time of the customers as it eliminates the need for making physical trips to the RTOs.

"FADA aims to make all states implement this online system of vehicle registration. We thank Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and Transport Minister Anil Parab, besides Dr Dhakane for their bold decision which will help the 'East of Doing Business' in the big way," said Gulati.

FADA Maharashtra Chairperson Amar Jatin Sheth said that the organisation has been advocating this system since long and finally the time has come when a customer "can walk into a showroom and drive out with a vehicle and a registration number", doing away with many of the hassles linked with vehicle registration and documentation.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Chennai, June 9 : The administration of Tamil Nadu's Nilgiris is on an ambitious plan to make it the first totally Covid inoculated district of the country.

The district administration said that of the 5.28 lakh adult population above the age of 18 in the district, 2 lakh adults have been administered the first dose of the vaccine, amounting to 34 per cent of the population.

In a press statement, the administration said that its plan is to procure enough vaccines and to inoculate the entire adult population of the district to become the first district in the country to vaccinate its entire adult resident population.

The administration is aiming at this milestone as the district has comparatively a smaller population and hence, the target is achievable.

State Health and Family Welfare Minister Ma Subramanian was on a visit to the district and it was decided that steps to be taken to vaccinate the entire tribal population of the district before June end.

The district administration is planning to vaccinate the entire tribal community once enough vaccines arrive.

Tea workers of Nilgiris are an another priority group which the administration is aiming to inoculate and according to the district health officials, almost 80 percent of them were given at least a single dose of the vaccine.

Talking to IANS, Nilgiris Collector Innocent Divya said: "Our first priority is to vaccinate the total tribal population and we expect to achieve it by June end. Health Minister Thiru Ma Subramanian was in the district and he has promised to provide us the total vaccines required to inoculate the entire adult population of the district." "Nilgris is a small district and if we could achieve 100 percent vaccination of the adult population in this district, then it will be a major achievement and the state government will be considering this as a model for the state to be replicated. If a third wave comes up, we could monitor whether the virus is eradicated after 100 percent vaccination of the adult populace in the district," she added.

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Mumbai/Delhi, June 9 : In a strange turn of events, the State Bank of India (SBI) on Wednesday chose to withdraw the fraud tag against RComs tower and fibre company Reliance Infratel Ltd by filing an affidavit in NCLT Mumbai, stating that it wanted to remove the fraud tag on the company.

Reliance Projects and Property Management Services, a part of Reliance Industries Group, was the successful resolution partner in the CIRP (Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process) of Rel Infratel Ltd. It won the right to acquire 100 per cent shareholding of Rel Infratel Ltd.

In its resolution order dated December 3, 2020, the NCLT had awarded the company to RIL Group. However, SBI had classified the Rel Infratel Ltd account as fraud on November 10, 2020, but curiously withheld this vital piece of information before the NCLT when it gave its order.

Further, the material event of information being withheld from the NCLT process was a grave error and the same SBI fraud classification wasn't uploaded on the CRILIC website for 45 days till December21, 2020.

SBI thus violated the disclosure norms by updating CRILIC much later. On January 5, 2021, SBI chose to file a complaint with CBI Delhi against Rel Infratel Ltd's erstwhile directors.

Rel Infratel Ltd then moved the Delhi High Court on January 6, 2021 and got a stay against SBI actions. The court also ordered a status quo to be maintained on the CBI complaint.

Subsequently, SBI has chosen to withdraw the fraud tag against Rel Infratel Ltd by filing an affidavit to declassify it before NCLT Mumbai on June 10.
Srinagar, June 9 : Amid speculation about any possible changes to the status of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, former J&K Chief Minister and National Conference President Farooq Abdullah said on Wednesday that he won't resign as a member of the Parliament and will continue to fight for peoples rights.

He was talking to reporters after a meeting convened by the People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) at the residence of former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti here.

"I won't resign from the Parliament. We will continue to fight for the rights of the people in the Parliament till we are alive," Abdullah said.

To a question on the rumours about a further bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir and the creation of a separate Jammu state with parts of Kashmir Valley in it, he said such rumours keep floating in Kashmir and they have also been hearing the same.

"Rumours always keep floating in Kashmir. Let them do what they want to do, we are holding the rope of Allah and we hope that he will keep our future secure," he said.

The meeting convened by the PAGD, a conglomerate of Kashmir-based political parties, on Wednesday was attended by PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, Farooq Abdullah, Awami National Conference leader Muzaffar Shah and CPI-M leader Yusuf Taragami, among others.

The PAGD was floated for the reversal of the constitutional changes made to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir on August 5, 2019.

Taragami has been appointed as the new spokesperson of PAGD.
Kathmandu, June 9 : Nepal's new Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister, Raghubir Mahaseth on Wednesday sought India's support for Covid vaccines.

He made the request to Indian Ambassador Vinay Mohan Kwatra, who paid a courtesy call on him and handed over the congratulatory message of Indian Foreign Minister, S. Jaishankar, Nepal's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

Mahaseth, who was appointed on Friday by Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli in a rejig, and the Indian envoy discussed various matters of mutual interests, including the supply of vaccines, the ministry said in short read out.

Besides other regular issues, the meeting was focused on importing vaccines against Covid from India, said officials.

Nepal had earlier received two million doses of Covishield from India, of which one million was under a grant and the rest procured by it from the Serum Institute of India under the discounted rate. It was due to receive another one million doses, for which it had already paid, from the Serum Institute.

After India put a ban on vaccine export, Nepal could not get the remaining amount, a senior Nepal government official told IANS.

"In order to get the vaccines, we have also written a diplomatic note to the government of India and a separate letter to the Serum Institute for early resumption of the vaccine. The urgency is there as half a million people who had received the first dose of Covisheld are waiting for the second dose but there is no vaccine," the official said.

"Thar is why we are putting pressure on the Indian government to resume that one million vaccine to us on humanitarian grounds." Earlier, Nepal's President Bidhya Devi Bhandari also wrote a letter to her Indian counterpart, Ram Nath Kovind, seeking the one million vaccine that Nepal has paid for so that those who are waiting their second dose can be covered. Additionally, she also sought the support from the Indian government to facilitate its procurement of vaccines from Indian manufacturers.

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New Delhi, June 9 : Delhiites in the 18-44 age group waiting to get an anti-Covid jab can now book their slot through 'CoWIN' app as the free vaccination for youth will start again after suspension for the last two weeks.

After the two week-long break with no vaccination, Delhi has received 1.25 lakh doses of Covishield and 20,000 doses of Covaxin, said Kalkaji MLA Atishi on Wednesday while presenting the daily vaccine bulletin of the Delhi government.

"Free-of-cost vaccination for youth will kick start again after two weeks. We have also received 30,000 doses of Covaxin for 45 and above age groups which are being distributed to different centres." "Covaxin's stock for 18-44 age groups is available for the second dose. For 45+, we have two days of Covaxin and 27 days of Covishield available," Atishi added.

A total of 48,411 doses of the vaccine were administered on Tuesday. Out of these 25,847 were first doses and 22,564 were second doses. Along with this, the total tally of vaccines administered in Delhi has reached 57,81,988 and 13,40,000 people have been administered both the doses.

"From tomorrow onwards, doses of Covaxin will be available for those above the age of 45 years. Whichever government centres where Covaxin was being administered to the 45+, there the second dose will be made available. Right now, we are administering Covaxin only to those who are to be given the second dose, amongst the 45+," she concluded.
New Delhi, June 9 : In a breakthrough in the Kerala gold smuggling case, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday said that it has arrested fugitive accused Muhammad Mansoor P.H. after his return from the UAE.

An NIA spokesperson said that the agency arrested Mansoor, a resident of Kerala's Kozhikode district, following his arrival at Calicut International Airport from Dubai.

The case pertains to the seizure of 30 kg gold worth Rs 14.82 crore on July 5 last year at Air Cargo complex of the Trivandrum International Airport by the Customs department from the baggage addressed to the Charge D' Affairs of the UAE Consulate, Thiruvananthapuram.

The NIA had registered a case on July 10 last year and had also filed charge sheet against 20 accused persons on January 1 this year.

The official said that during probe, it was revealed that Mansoor, while being in UAE, had conspired with the charge sheeted accused Mohammed Shafi P. and others to facilitate smuggling of gold to India, through import cargo addressed to diplomats at the UAE Consulate .

The NIA Special Court at Ernakulam had issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against Mansoor.

The official said that Mansoor was produced before NIA Special Court at Kochi and sent to five days NIA custody.
Panaji, June 9 : The BJP's all India general secretary (organisation) BL Santosh arrived in Goa on Wednesday as part of a two-day visit to oversee organisational affairs in the state, Goa Bharatiya Janata Party president Sadanand Shet Tanavade said on Wednesday.

"We undertake many programmes as a party organisation, he will speak to us about that. He will hold meetings with the booth workers, mandal and state office bearers. BL Santosh is all India general secretary organisation," Tanavade said.

Santosh arrived in Goa from Maharashtra where he was on a three-day visit.

Asked if Santosh will be taking up issues related to the state assembly elections, which are scheduled for early 2022, Tanavade said: "The elections may be held around January, February, many feel that is why he is coming here, but that is not the case".

When asked if Santosh would be addressing the ongoing tussle between Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and Health Minister Vishwajit Rane, which has earned the party negative publicity against the backdrop of the pandemic crisis, Tanavade replied in the negative.
Mumbai, June 9 : Actor Arun Mandola feels it is very important for all Indian citizens to not delay getting vaccinated, as he emphasised on following the correct process to ensure that everything falls in place and the country becomes Covid-free soon.

The actor said this pandemic has made us think about life and death in a new way, besides making us understand the importance of taking care of our loved ones and our health.

"You can probably buy everything with money, but not life and time. If you want to survive right now, you should be very careful about your physical and mental health. Eat right, drink water, do yoga and meditation for better health," he told IANS.

Supporting the government's move on vaccination, he said: "The government has taken the right decision by initiating the process with frontline workers, then the older generation and then opening the slot for 45 years and above and now it's 18 years and above. Next would be children. We need to follow a process to make things work." Arun is yet to take his first dose though.

"The main reason I did not take the vaccination yet is because I feel there are lots of people who need to step out daily, so they should get it first. I can take it later. I want to act responsibly. So, I will urge people not to step out unless it is necessary and take the vaccine as soon as possible. We know there is a shortage of vaccines, but the government is working on it," he added.
Mumbai, June 9 : Impressed by the Covid-19 pandemic work of the BrihanMumbai Mumbai Corporation (BMC), a Delhi government team said they plan to implement the 'Mumbai Model' in the national capital, a top official said on Wednesday.

The study team included Delhi Health Department's Dr Sanjay Agarwal, Dr Dharmendra Kumar and others who were taken around the major Covid-19 facilities across Mumbai and explained the entire setup of the BMC which has earned global laurels, said BMC Commissioner I.S. Chahal.

"They learned about the decentralisation achieved through ward war rooms, successful management of oxygen supply, jumbo hospitals set up in a short span of time. They visited the jumbo hospital at NSE Grounds in Goregaon, the Seven Hills Covid hospital and other locations," he said.

The Delhi team lauded the work of the BMC as "exemplary" and said they would soon implement it in the national capital. They also held special meetings with Additional Municipal Commissioner Suresh Kakani and also attended a computer presentation.

They learned details about the ward war rooms in two different wards to understand Covid-19 patients management and how they were allotted beds, how Covid-positive patients were counselled, and BMC team visited them for necessary medical examination, or hospitalisation.

The visitors learned how, with proper use, the 1,800-bed Seven Hills Hospital managed with 18 tonnes oxygen daily, while a similar hospital in Delhi with 1,800 beds used 32 tonnes medical oxygen per day.

The BMC explained how it had set up six temporary jumbo Covid field hospitals in a shot span with a total 8,915 beds and over 4,000 people working round the clock there managing Covid-19 patients, said Chahal.

The BMC's various models to grapple with the Covid-19 pandemic in the past one year, including the 'Dharavi Model', have earned accolades globally and are being replicated in other Indian cities and countries.

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Mumbai, June 9 : Bollywood actor Boman Irani took to social media on Wednesday evening to mourn the demise of his 94-year-old mother. The actor informed that his mother passed away peacefully in her sleep early on Wednesday.

Irani shared a black and white photograph of his mother on Instagram and said she played the role of "both mother and father" to him.

The actor wrote: "Mother Irani passed away peacefully in her sleep early this morning. Jer was 94. She played the role of both mother and father to me, since she was 32." Talking about his mother, Irani added: "What a spirit she was. Filled with funny stories that only she could tell. The longest arm that always dug deep into her pockets, even when there wasnaAt much there. When she sent me to the movies, she made sure all the compound kids came with me. aDon't forget the popcorn' she would say. She loved her food and her songs and she could fact-check Wikipedia and IMDb in a flash. Sharp, sharp, sharp, till the very end." "She always said 'You are not an actor for people to praise you. You are an actor only so you can make people smile. Make people happy' She said. Last night she asked for Malai Kulfi and some mango. She could have asked for the moon and the stars if she wished. She was, and always will be.......A Star," he concluded.

Commenting on the actor's post, fans, followers, industry colleagues and friends expressed condolence and shared their prayers for the departed.
New Delhi, June 9 : The Broadband India Forum (BIF) has suggested global innovations should be utilised to attain self-sufficiency in domestic telecom equipment manufacturing.

In remarks at the release of an industry white Paper on "Atmanirbharta in Telecom Manufacturing", BIF President T.V. Ramachandran said: "The idea of Atmanirbharta is to leverage the global ecosystem and innovations to build on our competence and grow in sync with the global economy to achieve world class manufacturing and supply chain leadership for India." "For that, we need enabling laws and policies alongside voluntary, incentive-led schemes to propel investments in infrastructure and boost technology driven systems, so as to provide a fillip to local businesses through organic demand and investments - both domestic and global," he said.

According to him, this approach is the sustainable way to make India the preferred destination for investment, and a long-term pivotal player in the global supply chain.

NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant, in his address, said: "The government is determined to make India 'Atmanirbhar' with a world-class manufacturing infrastructure and transform it into a competitive global manufacturing destination, an important part of the global supply chain." Aggressive duty reforms, and various incentive schemes have been introduced to encourage domestic manufacturing and thereby, help reduce the import bills in the high value sectors, he added.
Chennai, June 9 : AIADMK leader and former Tamil Nadu minister C.Ve. Shanmugham on Wednesday lodged a police complaint, alleging that he was subjected to abusive calls and death threats ever since he declared that former party interim General Secretary V.K. Sasikala will never be welcomed back.

In his complaint to Roshanai police, Shanmugham, who is the party's Villupuram North District Secretary, said that ever since he made the statement against Sasikala, he has received 500 threat calls on his mobile phone.

The AIADMK leader said that the callers were using abusive language, and threatening to kill him and his family if he utters a word against Sasikala.

The former Minister said that the callers were also using social media platforms to make abusive threats. Shanmugham alleged that these calls were coming at the behest of Sasikala and that the police should take necessary action against her on his complaint.

Shanmugham had on Monday said that there is no place for Sasikala in the AIADMK and that she was not even a primary member of the party. He was responding to social media reports on the leaked phone calls of Sasikala speaking to AIADMK cadres that she would be back to the helm of affairs of the party in the near future.

The AIADMK leadership had stated that the calls were to her nephew T.T.V. Dhinakaran's AMMK and that it was to confuse the AIADMK cadre and middle-level leaders.

Talking to IANS, Shanmugham said: "Yes, I have lodged a complaint with the Roshanai police on Wednesday. They are making life miserable for me with around 500 calls coming to my mobile phone threatening me and my family with death ever since I openly declared the party's political stand clear on Sasikala's arrival to the AIADMK." "These calls are made at the behest of Sasikala and action should be taken against her."
New Delhi, June 9 : Telecom and digital communications major Reliance Jio is the strongest brand in India, according to the latest report on Indian brands by Brand Finance.

Jio is also the world's strongest telecom brand, as per Brand Finance.

The report noted that despite being founded only in 2016, Jio has quickly become the largest mobile network operator in India and the third largest mobile network operator in the world, with almost 400 million subscribers.

Known for its affordable plans, Jio took India by storm, offering 4G to millions of users for free and simultaneously transforming how Indians consume the internet -- known as the 'Jio effect', it said.

As brand strength is one of the key drivers of brand value, this year Jio also counts among the top 10 most valuable brands in India for the first time.

Savio D'Souza, Valuation Director, Brand Finance, said: "The dominance of the Jio brand across the nation is evident from the results of Brand Finance's original market research. Jio scores highest in all metrics -- consideration, conversion, reputation, recommendation, word of mouth, innovation, customer service, and value for money -- compared to its telecom competitors in India." D'Souza also noted that the brand has no major weaknesses within the sector, and unlike many telecom brands globally, Jio has shown that it has broken the mould, and enjoys genuine affection from the consumers.

The five strongest brands include Taj, Maruti Suzuki, HDFC Bank and Britannia.

Further, Tata Group has retained the title of India's most valuable brand by a considerable lead with a brand value of $21.3 billion. Operating in more than 100 countries across six continents and employing over three-quarters of a million people, Tata Group is a force to be reckoned with on the global stage, the report said.

With 30 companies under the Tata Group umbrella, ranging from Tata Steel and Tata Motors to TCS and Tata Consumer Products, the brand has managed to protect itself from Covid-19 damage -- recording 6 per cent uplift in brand value this year.

The report noted that the total value of India's top 100 brands has increased by 2 per cent, from $162.1 billion in 2020 to $164.9 billion in 2021.

This uplift in brand value over the course of the first year of the pandemic is an impressive feat given the global economic crisis following the implementation of national lockdowns in March 2020, when business activity was brought to a halt, affecting both production and consumption, it said.
Amaravati, June 9 : Following negotiations and assurances from Andhra Pradesh Health Minister Alla Kali Krishna Srinivas, hundreds of junior doctors called off their strike on Wednesday.

"Our demands were positively heard and in response proposals were made by the government for the same. We have been given a few assurances regarding the demands," said a statement issued by the Andhra Pradesh Junior Doctors' Association (APJUDA).

The assurances included an ex-gratia of Rs 25 lakh in the event of a junior doctor succumbing to Coronavirus while discharging Covid duties.

"Any doctor who succumbs while serving during the Covid pandemic will be given an ex-gratia amount of Rs 25 lakh by the state government irrespective of the amount given by the Central government," said the statement.

According to Rahul Roy, president of APJUDA, the first beneficiary of this ex-gratia would be Kandikatla Rosy, a house surgeon from the 2016 batch at Eluru's ASRAM Medical College.

While caring for several Covid patients at the medical college, Rosy unfortunately contracted the virus and succumbed to it later.

The junior doctors are expecting that the government would pay the ex-gratia to Rosy's kin within 2-3 days.

The other assurances include the state government paying the medical bills of any doctor getting infected while discharging Covid duties, increased protection for duty doctors at hospitals and resolving the stipend issues.

"A request was made regarding the provision of an incentive/hike in stipend as a gesture of appreciation and encouragement for junior doctors, which was received positively by the minister," said the note.

The junior doctors said that they are calling off the protest keeping the pandemic in view, even before a government order was released on these assurances.

"Considering the personal assurances of the minister himself, all post-graduates and house surgeons have decided to call off the strike and resume duties from today (Wednesday)," the statement added.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
New Delhi, June 9 : With Chief Justice of India N.V. Ramana giving his final approval, the sanctioned bench strength of the Telangana High Court will soon go up from 24 to 42.

According to a Supreme Court senior official, the increase in sanctioned bench strength of the Telangana High Court is with immediate effect. "The proposal that was pending for over two years was revived and acted upon at the behest of CJI, Justice Ramana." Chief Justice Ramana reviewed all the proposals that were pending at various levels across the country. He took up the issues concerning the judiciary with the Prime Minister and Ministry of Law and Justice, which included the request of the High Court of Telangana.

"Both the Prime Minister and the Law Minister agreed to get the matters examined expeditiously. Thereafter, the CJI took up the matter of High Court of Telangana specifically with the Union Minister of Law and Justice in writing on May 27," added the top court official.

Out of the 42 judges, 32 will be permanent judges and 10 will be additional judges and the elevation from the bar is to be fixed at 28, while that of the judicial services will be 14. The Telangana High Court will witness a massive 75 percent hike in the sanctioned bench strength, as the proposal, which was pending for two years was revived at the behest of the Chief Justice.

On a reference received from the PMO based on a letter from the Chief Minister of Telangana to the PM, the matter was revisited by the Ministry of Law and Justice once again. "After re-examination, the ministry vide letter dated November 15, 2019, conveyed to the then Chief Justice of the Telangana High Court that the preference be given to filling-up vacancies first. Thereafter the matter remained dormant till CJI Justice Ramana assumed charge as CJI," added a top court official.

The Chief Justice cited that increase in sanctioned bench of the High Court was pending since February 2019, and the pendency has gone up "alarmingly" to 2,37,000 cases (over 2,30,000 civil cases and 34,000 criminal cases).

Quoting from earlier communications, the CJI affirmed that the necessary infrastructure is in place to accommodate 42 judges in the High Court of Telangana.

"Justice Ramana asked the Government to accede to the reasonable request made by the High Court of Telangana and duly endorsed by the CM of Telangana," added a senior official.
New Delhi, June 9 : The Delhi Congress has decided to hold protests at the petrol pumps across the national capital on Friday over the 'unchecked rise in the prices of petrol and diesel.

The decision to hold protests at petrol pumps was taken during a virtual meeting of senior Delhi Congress leaders under the leadership of the party's city unit chief Anil Kumar Chaudhary.

The party workers along with senior party leaders, including the members of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), will participate in the protests across the national capital on Friday.

Chaudhary said that when people were battling with the pandemic, the Modi government, taking advantage of the helplessness of the people, quietly allowed the prices of petrol and diesel to soar.

The meeting also unanimously passed a resolution to thank interim Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi for their relentless demands to get free vaccination for all, which has been finally announced by the Narendra Modi-led Central government.

The Delhi Congress chief asserted that Rahul Gandhi had maintained all through that universal vaccination was the only remedy to save lives and stop the spread of the deadly Covid-19 virus in the country.
Srinagar, June 9 : The J&K government on Wednesday signed historic MoUs with the Policy Advocacy Research Centre (PARC) at the Civil Secretariat here.

In presence of Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, the MoUs were signed between Navin Kumar Choudhary, Principal Secretary to the Government in the Department of Agriculture Production & Farmers' Welfare, Ankita Kar, Managing Director, J&K Trade Promotion Organisation, and Kiran Shelar, Director, PARC.

The Lt Governor, in his address, observed that the J&K government, through dynamic economic reforms, is creating a conducive ecosystem for investment, building collaborations and partnerships to explore new markets and align potential investors for the UT, besides supporting socio-economic development, local opportunities for employment and bringing stakeholders to a common goal of sustainable growth in J&K.

"Action-oriented policies and strategic investments by potential investors will bring ground-breaking transformation in the agriculture and industrial sectors of J&K while triggering productivity growth and quality upgrading," Sinha said.

Speaking on the future outcomes and the impact the agreements will have on the present economic ecosystem of the UT, the Lt Governor said, "With the UT government's partnership with the PARC, we are aiming at catalysing investments and effective policy implementation in sectors contributing to economic growth, job creation, increasing farmers' income, business opportunities, growth in GDP, and providing sector-wise opportunities to potential investors, besides strategically reaching out to private stakeholders." The MoU signed by the agriculture department with the PARC will strengthen the end-to-end value chain of agricultural products that would ultimately benefit the farmers and bring structural transformation in the agriculture and horticulture sector.

The first phase of the agreement focuses on millet and pulses in Rajouri, Poonch and Banihal sub-divisions, said the Lt Governor.

In the coming days, other districts will be included for value addition of agricultural and horticulture products, creating national and international farm-to-market linkages, he added.

Underscoring the positives of the MoU signed between J&K Trade Promotion Organisation and PARC, the Lt Governor said that the new venture will expand the reach of the UT at the national level to promote business, investment and employment in J&K.

The best practices of other investment-friendly states/UTs will be implemented in J&K, thus making it a more preferred destination for the investors.

"It will also be our endeavour to identify and invite the firms listed in the Bombay Stock Exchange to invest in J&K. It will not only limit to the investment aspect only, we will also partner with firms for the capacity building of local entrepreneurs," added the Lt Governor.

Speaking on the occasion, Arun Kumar Mehta, Chief Secretary, termed the J&K administration as one of the most transparent ones across the country that has brought a fundamental change in the socio-economic ecosystem of the UT.

J&K offers immense opportunities for the investors in various growth potential sectors which can contribute towards economic growth, employment creation, trade opportunities in the UT, he added.

"We are working on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of doubling the farmer's income through immediate implementation of major policy decisions and interventions, besides linking local products to the wider markets," said Navin Kumar Choudhary, Principal Secretary to the government, Department of Agriculture Production & Farmers' Welfare.

In his address, Ranjan Prakash Thakur, Principal Secretary to the government, Industries & Commerce Department, said that J&K is witnessing the dawn of a new era of socio-economic development.

"Transparency, faster decision-making and commitment to the development of J&K are the mottos of our administration. We are offering best incentives and economic packages to facilitate the stakeholders of the industrial sector," he added.

Ashish Kumar Chauhan, Managing Director, Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), informed the chair that around 200 youth from J&K have been imparted training in the banking, financial services and insurance (BFSI) sector through the Livelihood Generation Training Programme under the ambit of BSE and Mission Youth, J&K.

Vikram Sankaranarayanan, Executive Director, PARC, delivered the directorial address, while Kiran Shelar, Director, PARC, presented the vote of thanks.

Nitishwar Kumar, Principal Secretary to the Lt Governor; Ambarish Datta, Managing Director and CEO, BSE Institute Limited, and other senior government officials and members of PARC were present on the occasion.

Entrepreneurs from companies like Acme Process Systems Pvt Ltd, Okie Ventures Pvt Ltd , SK SPL group and Quest Global, who were on their visit to J&K to assess the investment prospect in their relevant sectors, were also present.
Dhaka, June 9 : The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) of Bangladesh will question 50 leaders of radical outfit Hefazat-e-Islam, including its top leaders Junaid Babunagari and Mamunul Haque on charges of embezzlement of funds and corruption.

The Hefazat leaders will be questioned after receiving the relevant information, ACC Secretary Md Anwar Hossain Howlader told IANS on Wednesday evening.

Howlader said the fourth meeting of the ACC was held on Wednesday, wherein seven issues were discussed.

The decision to investigate the embezzlement and corruption charges was taken by the ACC after detectives of the Commission and the officials of Bangladesh Bank, the central bank of the country, found truth in the allegations.

An eight-member team, led by ACC official Akhtar Hossain Azad, has been formed to investigate the charges against more than 50 militant Hefazat leaders.

The leaders, including Babunagari and Haque, had allegedly embezzled huge sums of money from the organisation's funds, various madrasas, orphanages, Islamic institutions and foreign aid received for religious purposes.

Howlader said a letter has been sent to the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) of the central bank, seeking specific financial details of 50 Hefazat leaders.

The ACC has also sent letters to the passport office and immigration department. After collecting all the information, the investigation team will decide what to do next regarding their interrogation.

A letter has also been sent to the land office to obtain records regarding the assets of the top Hefazat leaders.

Earlier, the Detective Branch (DB) of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) had said that it has identified a total of 313 people as donors of Hefazat-e-Islam, the radical outfit which had unleashed widespread violence in different parts of the country in March this year.

It found transactions of 6 crore takas in the bank accounts of arrested militant leader Mamunul Haque.

Hefazat had, in the name of aid to Rohingya refugees, development of madrasas and welfare of their students, and for its own fund, collected a huge amount of donations, mostly from expatriates, but most of this money had been spent on militancy and on Haque's personal works, police officials had told IANS.
Omans Port of Salalah has been ranked sixth transshipment port globally in the field of handling container vessels, according to the Container Port Performance Index (CPPI) for 2020 and a report released by World Bank and IHS Markit.



The World Bank report indicated that the coronavirus pandemic highlighted the role of ports and related logistics chains in the global economy, reported Oman News Agency (ONA).



This is besides a port's impact on the durability of businesses and the improvement of maritime route flexibility, said the report. In addition to streamlining logistics and maintaining import chains, ports have a significant impact on the performance of economies, the smooth flow of medical supplies, foodstuff, agricultural products, energy supplies and basic services that facilitate economic life in different countries, the report added.



The same view was reiterated by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).



UNCTAD rated the Sultanates ports as No. 1 in the world in terms of speed of container handling, as per the UNCTAD annual index 2020.



According to UNCTADs Port Liner Shipping Connectivity Index (PLSCI), the Port of Salalah provides the highest liner shipping connectivity in Oman (PLSCI value 55 in Q3 of 2020) and has continued to do so since the PLSCI statistics was first published back in Q1 of 2006.



The Port of Salalah affirmed that the duration of vessels stay in a port or the speed of dealing with the vessel is determined by a number of factors, the most prominent of which is the speed at which services are rendered by the departments concerned, including maritime service departments at the port, the Directorate General of Customs at the Royal Oman Police and the Ministry of Health.



Mark Hardiman, CEOPort of Salalah, said: We are proud, through our efficient port operations, to have contributed to raising the profile of Omani ports on the global stage. This would not have been possible without the strong commitment and dedication displayed by the staff at every level across the organization and the strong commitment of our customers, stakeholders and business partners which have helped us retain one of the top spots globally.



Scott Selman, CEO of the container terminal of Port of Salalah said: Im happy to see the strong efforts of the Port of Salalah team being recognised. The team has done a fantastic job deploying lean tools through our Way of Working to drive safety and efficiency for our customers. We will continue to collaborate closely with our global customers to deliver world-class service.
Bengaluru, June 9 : With the pandemic's second wave waning, Karnataka is likely to unlock from June 14 in a staggered manner to prevent any further surge in Covid cases, state Health Minister K. Sudhakar on Wednesday.

"As lifting the extended lockdown in one go will result in Covid cases surging, unlocking will be done in a staggered manner from June 14," Sudhakar told reporters after a review meeting here.

The state has been under extended lockdown since April 27 to contain the virus spread.

"Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa will decide on modalities of unlocking, which will be based on the advice of the state technical advisory committee, comprising health experts," Sudhakar said.

The prolonged lockdown, which was extended thrice over the month, however, allowed people to buy essential needs, including vegetables, fruits, milk and groceries from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. daily. Medical shops were exempted from the lockdown.

Though travel by air and trains was allowed, public and private vehicles were not permitted to operate after 10 a.m.

In its report to the state government, the experts committee said lockdown could be lifted in a calibrated manner if the positivity rate declined below 5 per cent and the caseload less than 5,000 across the state.

According to the state health bulletin, positive cases, however, declined below 11,000 and deaths below 200 on Tuesday.

"Compared to other states, the second wave subdued earlier in Karnataka. States like Maharashtra opened up in a staggered way only after cases reduced substantially," Sudhakar said.

State Revenue Minister R. Ashoka also said unlocking would be in 4-5 phases with dos and don'ts to ensure the virus remains contained.

"Lockdown will not be relaxed at one go. It will be eased in 4-5 phases, keeping in view the number of new cases and deaths," Ashoka told reporters on the margins of an event here.

In the first phase, the 4-hour relaxation for shops selling essential goods will be extended so that people can buy their daily needs at ease.

"People will also be allowed to go for walks in parks and public grounds in residential areas, wearing mask and maintaining physical distance," said Ashoka.

The state government is hoping daily cases in Bengaluru, which has been the epicentre of the pandemic in the state, to decline below 500 soon from about 2,000 on Tuesday to facilitate phased unlocking.

"The Chief Minister is likely to call a meeting of ministers, experts and officials in a day or two to review the Covid situation across the state and decide from when and how to unlock in a phased manner," added Ashoka, who is also the Vice Chairman of the state Disaster Management Authority.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Gandhinagar June 10 : Anandpar, a small village in Gujarats Rajkot district, on Wednesday became the first village in the country to have an Aadhaar-based Amul Micro ATM payment centre for the dairy farmers.

The Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation Limited (GCMMF), popularly known as Amul, will be replicating this pilot project all across the state as well as in other parts of the country in the coming days.

A small village with a population of around 4,000 people, Anandpar procures around 2,000 litres of milk per day.

The first of its kind service was launched after the secretary of the Anandpar Village Dairy Cooperative Society, which is affiliated to the Gopal Dairy under the Rajkot District Cooperative Milk Producers Union Limited, withdrew cash from an electronic data capture (EDC) machine having finger scanner option.

Through this new facility, the dairy farmers in the remote areas which lack proper ATM facilities will be able to withdraw money from the milk collection centres or from the village milk societies using the micro ATMs.

"Now any member can visit the milk society and withdrew money through Amul micro ATM. It is a big relief for the dairy farmers as they need not to visit the faraway banks anymore. The transactions are also safe amid the pandemic situation. Moreover, the entire transaction is based on thumb impression, so one need to worry about having debit or credit cards," Gordhanbhi Dhamaliya, Chairman, Rajkot Dairy, said while inaugurating the facility at Anandpar.

"The nearest banking facility is 10 km away. With this new set up, the villagers will no longer have to travel far to withdraw cash. Together with Anandpar, 13 other villages have also started such facility in Rajkot district. By the next month and a half, 37 more such village societies will be equipped with this facility," Vinod Vyas, Managing Director, Rajkot Dairy, told IANS.

"Lack of digital banking technology in remote villages gave the idea to launch this project. Under the project, around 4,000 village milk cooperative societies across Rajkot, Surat, Bharuch and Surendranagar districts are being surveyed to get an idea about the actual difficulties being faced by the dairy farmers," R.S. Sodhi, Managing Director, GCMMF, told IANS.
Washington, June 10 : Joe Biden arrived in Britain on Wednesday in his first foreign trip as US President, during which he is scheduled to visit several European countries.

The president arrived at an air base of the Royal Air Force in eastern England, DPA reported citing a leading British media outlet.

The president and First Lady Jill Biden are scheduled to meet US soldiers in the English county of Suffolk to kick off their first foreign trip since taking office in January.

On Thursday, Biden is due to meet British Prime Minister Boris Johnson near Cornwall, where the G7 summit takes place from Friday to Sunday, on the fringes of which Biden is expected to meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel, among other G7 leaders.

At the end of their visit to Britain, the US president and the first lady are to be received by Queen Elizabeth II at Windsor Castle near London on Sunday.

On Monday, Biden plans to attend the NATO summit in Brussels, where a top-level meeting with EU representatives is scheduled for the following day.

On Wednesday of next week, Biden is expected to hold an eagerly awaited summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Geneva before the US president returns to Washington.

The White House said: "This trip will highlight America's commitment to rallying the world's democracies, coming together to shape the rules of the road for the 21st century, defend our values, and tackle the world's biggest challenges."
AdjuCor's revolutionary technology provides mechanical circulatory support without blood contact. It is achieved by gently squeezing the outer surface of the heart, in sync with its natural rhythm. Securing the  29 million of this round and getting MitrAssist Holdings Limited on board are exactly what AdjuCor has been looking for to reach its goals.

AdjuCor is developing an implantable heart assist device that, contrary to all existing heart assist devices, has the capability to assist the heart while completely avoiding the complication-laden aspect of blood contact. Durability and long-term pre-clinical survival studies have proven functionality and safety of this unique technology.

This capital increase will be used to fund the finalization of its product development, completing series production facilities, as well as execution of its premarket clinical trials in Europe.

We are very glad to have closed this new round of investment, thereby adding them to the portfolio of world-class companies and being a strategic partner, outlined Ms. Peggy Wang, Chairman of MitrAssist Holdings Limited. Despite the constraints associated with investing during times of a worldwide pandemic, AdjuCors team has gone the extra mile to clearly demonstrate their value proposition, and clearly possesses the expertise and experience to bring their plans to fruition. As such, they fit perfectly into our profile of founders and management teams in which we exclusively partner with  and their vision for becoming world-wide market leaders in the field of mechanical circulatory support becomes evidently clear.

The main existing investor, Maurizio Group, have significantly increased its stake in the company, thereby expressing their continued confidence in AdjuCors technology and its team for executing the said goals. We are very proud to have supported Professor Wildhirt and his team to reach critical R&D goals and the required and investment to enable them to enter the clinical arena. Therefore, we gladly also further support their efforts with the follow-up investment. Their continued commitment and hard work to want to better serve this large community of patients with such a dim outlook and unattractive treatment options, is truly admirable. says Dr. Rudiger Wilbert, Managing Director at Maurizio Group.

The CEO of AdjuCor, Professor Wildhirt commented: We are beyond pleased with the confidence that has been expressed towards our technology and our team. Securing the  29 million of this round and getting MitrAssist Holdings Limited on board are exactly what AdjuCor has been looking for to reach its goals. To this, Professor Stephan Schueler, Clinical Advisor to AdjuCor and Head of Mechanical Circulation Support at the Freeman Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK, added: Considering the many end-stage heart failure patients we treat daily that will surely profit tremendously from this technology, we are delighted to hear of this news of AdjuCors new investment. It provides us with the clear perspective of participating in their planned first-in-human feasibility trial to be conducted together with Prof. Ulrich Stock at Harefield Hospital in London, UK.

AdjuCors Innovative Extravascular, Biventricular Cardiac Support Technology

What sets AdjuCor patented technology apart from the other LVADs currently available on the market, is its unique non-blood-contacting solution, its ability to support both ventricles, and its innovative patient-specific design. It is implanted by a heart team (cardiologist and surgeon) within a few minutes on the beating heart without sutures. It completely avoids blood contact and thereby any blood-related complications including strokes and bleeding  an invaluable advantage that cannot be over-stated. The energy transferred to the heart may be adjusted to each patients need. It thereby dramatically enhances the care of patients with heart failure and improves their quality of life.

About MitrAssist Holdings Limited

MitrAssist Holdings Limited, founded in 2009, is a global interventional cardiovascular device platform company with an established track record of global premium partnership, R&D and commerce in ground-breaking cardiovascular innovative technologies from China, Israel and Europe. It has a rich pipelines layout in the cardiovascular field including Structural Heart, Heart Failure, and PCI, and is committed to becoming an international leading innovative comprehensive platform company for cardiovascular diseases.

About AdjuCor

AdjuCor is a Munich-based, German company that was founded as GmbH in 2012 by the cardiothoracic surgeon, Stephen Wildhirt. It has been funded by private investors, the European Union, as well as German and Bavarian entities. The company employs over thirty experts in all fields required and, with this new financing round, has now raised  40 million in total of financing.

To find out more visit: http://www.adjucor.com or follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/adjucor/

Contact AdjuCor:

Dr. Hamman de Vaal, pr@adjucor.com

Contact MitrAssist Holdings Limited:

Mengqi Zhang, mengqi.zhang@mitrassist.com.cn; Xin Ning, lynn.ning@mitrassist.com.cn
Altus Marketing, a Moore company, announces they have been selected by Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries (DRMM) and Union Rescue Mission in Wichita, Kansas as their agency of record. Altus Marketing will provide direct marketing solutions that will increase brand awareness and maximize fundraising revenue to advance the missions of DRMM and Union Rescue Mission to provide food, shelter and services for people who are abused, disadvantaged and homeless in their community.

Founded in 1909, DRMM provides services ranging from emergency shelter to job training, touching the lives of more than 1,800 men, women and children in the Detroit community annually. Altus Marketing will work in partnership with DRMM to implement digital and direct mail strategies driven by next-generation data analytics to grow their ministry and increase brand awareness.

Our need to grow our ministry is extremely important, and the need for our services has never been greater. And now, we have found the right partner to take us where we need to go. DRMM is extremely excited about our new partnership with Altus Marketing. Were confident in our choice of a new agency because of the deep experience and the strong leadership this team brings to the table. We believe that they will allow us to better serve the men, women and families who desperately need us now. We are looking forward to a very successful partnership, said Dr. Chad Audi, president of Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries.

With over 70 years of serving the homeless and hurting, Union Rescue Mission offers help to individuals and families in Wichita who struggle to make ends meet, thanks to generous funding provided solely from individuals, churches, businesses and civic groups. Altus Marketing will leverage their years of ministry fundraising expertise and direct marketing capabilities to deepen Union Rescue Missions donor relationships to help meet the needs of their local community.

We wanted a partner in our efforts that we could build a relationship with, said Doug Nolte, chief executive officer of Union Rescue Mission in Wichita. They built that relationship by encouraging us, helping us evaluate our processes and getting to know us. We rely on this direct marketing for much of our budget and we are confident that the Altus Marketing team can deliver.

Altus Marketings unique storytelling ability for nonprofit, ministry and social service organizations, paired with data and analytics backed by the power of SimioCloud, will grow and further the impact of DRMM and Union Rescue Mission for the men, women and children they serve.

Altus Marketing is inspired and moved by these two missions who provide services and programs to meet the needs of the members in their community struggling with homelessness and addiction, said Andrew Olsen, CFRE, president of Altus Marketing. We are proud to serve as their new agency to develop unique strategies to maximize net revenue, acquire high-value donors and develop impactful creative for the exponential growth of their missions.

Altus Marketings seamless integration across all channels and ministry and mission experience provide clients with unique solutions to their marketing challenges. Learn more about Altus Marketings direct marketing solutions at altusmktg.com.

About Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries

Founded in 1909, Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries has spent over 100 years of continued service providing food, shelter and services to intervene where homelessness and substance addiction occur. DRMM is a faith-based, nonprofit organization, recognized by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) and has devoted a wealth of resources to meet the basic needs of humanity while motivating individuals to rebuild their lives, one life at a time. The Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries is one of the largest providers in the fight against homelessness and substance abuse in the country.

About Union Rescue Mission Wichita

Started in the 1950s, the Union Rescue Mission Wichita has served the local community over the last 70 years as a homeless shelter to restore the homeless and hurting. Today the Union Rescue Missions ministry provides nearly 300 meals every day (95,329 annually), fills more than 42,338 beds (an average of 116 nightly) and distributes upwards of $42,000 in free food and infant care items each year. Union Rescue Mission is a faith-based nonprofit organization that supports men who want to change their lives, helping them gain victory over their circumstances and addictions through this Christ-centered program. The Mission is governed by a 13-member board of directors and derives its funding solely from individuals, churches, businesses and civic groups.

About Altus Marketing

Altus Marketing is an industry leader in integrated direct marketing solutions to national and chapter-based nonprofits, ministries and membership organizations. The organization delivers transformational growth for clients by combining strategic insight and creative innovation, backed by superior data and technology. Altus Marketing clients are sector leaders in domestic hunger and poverty relief, human services, healthcare, environmental protection, evangelism and veterans' services.

About Moore

Moore is a global leader in performance-driven marketing solutions focused on all facets of the consumer experience. With over 3,000 employees in 36 locations across the country, Moore is dedicated to helping clients fulfill their missions. The organization provides services including strategic consulting, creative development, media planning and buying, as well as research and analytics, production management and product fulfillment, database services and public relations to nonprofit, association, commercial and government clients and is a key contributor to strengthening these sectors.


ASEA, a global leader in cellular health, announced today the appointment of Meredith Tieszen as Senior Vice President of ASEA Americas and Howard Chow as Regional Vice President of ASEA Asia. Tieszen will lead the ASEA sales team across the Americas (including North and Latin America) and Chow will manage and grow sales in Asia.

We are thrilled Meredith and Howard will be leading sales across North America and Asia, said Jarom Webb, President of ASEA. During the global pandemic, we learned that we must change the way we do business in order to remain successful as we drive toward the future. Meredith and Howard have what it takes to bring ASEA to the next level.

As Senior Vice President, Tieszen will lead ASEAs sales teams across the United States, Canada, and Latin America, giving priority to driving sales and field initiatives. Tieszen has been a senior sales executive for over 18 years with high-level business experience working with organizations ranging from start-ups to large organizations, and all with a focus on helping others build and realize their dreams. She brings senior leadership experience in sales systems and programs from within the network marketing industry to her role at ASEA.

As Regional Vice President, Howard Chow will continue building ASEAs presence in Asia, where the company currently operates in Hong Kong, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, and Thailand. Chow joined the company in 2019 as sales director for ASEA Hong Kong, bringing more than 20 years of experience from top-10 worldwide network marketing companies, manufacturing, and local and overseas property development. He has worked in Hong Kong, Macau, and the United States, and has led sales management and promotion incentives in eight countries across Asia.

We look forward to building on the strong foundation ASEA has established over the past decade, emphasized Webb. Our Corporate Leadership team and I are excited about the impact Meredith, Howard, and our entire Sales team will make on our global growth plans.

Press contact:

Kelly Kass

KellyKassPR@gmail.com

ASEA, a global leader in redox technology, is dedicated to delivering high-quality cellular health products through a principles-based, direct-selling business model. Harnessing science, ASEA offers first-to-market products that utilize molecules natural to the human body that support cellular functions. ASEAs cornerstone, patented redox signaling technology supports the bodys natural cellular renewal and communication as well as signals the regulation of genetic pathways, supporting body health and functions. Currently, redox signaling technology is available in three first-to-market products: ASEA Redox Cell Signaling Supplement, the companys flagship liquid supplement; RENU28 Revitalizing Redox Gel, an age-fighting, cellular-rejuvenating gel for the entire body; and RENUAdvanced Intensive Redox Serum, an ultra-concentrated, anti-aging skin care. ASEA offers other cellular health products that round out the RENU Advanced skincare system as well as nutritional supplements. Founded in 2010, ASEA currently operates in 33 international markets. For more information about ASEA products or the accompanying business opportunity, visit ASEA Cellular Health.
Michael Kempf, a freelance writer, and ordained minister, has completed his new book No Gray Area: a gripping and potent book about the United States, and how its long history of violence has affected both the stability of the nation, as well as the physical and mental well-being of the American people.

Michael writes, The book itself has come together as I contemplated constitutional rights and how so many times in so many ways they are violated or abused, even by the courts and law enforcement of our nation.

Published by Page Publishing, Michael Kempf's historical tale looks at the violence that has occurred all throughout American history, going as far back as the Revolutionary and Civil wars, all the way to the present day with police brutality. America has never been a stranger to violent behavior, but the way in which it has been perpetrated, as well as the parties involved, is largely dependent on the socioeconomic state of the nation, as well as the popular culture in which the people of the nation are given historical context. In a time such as this, the only conclusion one can draw about violence is that it should hold no place in the contemporary world.

Readers who wish to experience this gripping work can purchase No Gray Area 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.
The People of the First Light: a vivid exploration of life in the 1700s. The People of the First Light is the creation of published author Betty Raymond Gubler, a loving wife who enjoys respectfully researching Native American culture. She is a retired educator who previously taught in several universities around the world.

Gubler shares, Two families, the Michauds and the Gauvins, along with their Abenaki guides, leave Canada and settle in the English village of Compton, Maine. The Gauvins, eager to become more socially accepted, convert from Catholicism to Protestantism and begin to look down on the Michauds as well as the Abenakis who have been converted to Catholicism by Jesuit priests. When some of the rowdy settlers burn down the Gauvins home, the Gauvins go to live with the Abenakis. (Abenaki means the people of the first light or the people first to see the sun rise.) The parents return to Canada, whereas their son Francois and his young wife, Maria-Claire Gauvin, continue to live with the Indians. Francois, a coureur de bois, becomes involved in a reckless life of drinking and carousing, causing Maria and the Abenakis to lose their respect for him. Agawam, a widow and spiritual leader of the tribe, teaches Maria the healing uses of herbs. He also saves the life of Francois when Francois is ill with pneumonia. Maria takes her young daughter Jennie to visit her relatives in Compton (a fictional name). Just before Maria dies in childbirth, she gives Jennie to her friend Wiyanna. When Jennie becomes a lovely young woman, her English relatives, with whom she spends the winters, want her to stay with them and plan for her to marry the widowed minister, Gideon Hughes, whom Jennie detests. Jennie is in love with Cognawescu, the chiefs son, and wants to return to her Indian family. Nevertheless, making her feel unaccepted by her own people and fearing she will end up marrying an Indian, the Gauvins tell Jennie that she needs to accept the offer of the arrogant Gideon Hughes, who insists that she marry him in order for her to become a respectable White woman and that she must no longer visit her heathen Abenaki friends. Read the story to find out what happens to Jennie and to learn a lot about the relations between the Abenakis, the French, and the English during the 1700s.

Published by Christian Faith Publishing, Betty Raymond Gublers new book is an engaging historical romance.

Pairing a love for research with a love of historical fiction, Gubler welcomes readers to a world of unknown risks and unpredictable adventures.

View a synopsis of The People of the First Light on YouTube.

Consumers can purchase The People of the First Light at traditional brick & mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or inquiries about The People of the First Light, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919.
Boulder Sterilization Services Two additional sterilizers, and associated staff, will allow us to substantially increase the quick-turn sterilization we provide to medical-device product development companies in Colorado and throughout the country.

Boulder Sterilization Services is the recipient of a $250,000 grant from the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trades Advanced Industries Accelerator Grant Program.

Boulder Sterilization Services offers quick-turn contract sterilization for medical devices. The type of sterilization it offers, ethylene oxide, is a safe, low-temperature, environmentally friendly process that is used to sterilize 50% of all medical devices in the United States. Boulder Sterilization Services is part of Boulder iQ, a contract consulting firm that provides all the services medical device companies need to get products to market.

The company will use the grant money to address the current backlog of sterilization needs in the medical device industry. Two additional sterilizers, and associated staff, will double capacity. The grant gives us the opportunity to substantially increase the quick-turn sterilization we provide to product development companies in Colorado and throughout the country, says Jim Kasic, Boulder iQ founder and chairman. We will be able to get needed, innovative medical devices get to market as quickly as possible  and at lower cost.

Boulder Sterilization Services is among 36 Colorado organizations approved for funding from the program. A total of $8,567,756 was approved this grant cycle for Proof-of-Concept, and Early-Stage Capital and Retention, grants to support Colorados advanced industries.

As Colorado begins its recovery from the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, support of the economic engines that are the advanced industries is more important than ever, says Katie Woslager, senior manager at Advanced Industries. These projects expand the Colorado innovation ecosystem, creating jobs, expanding industries and driving investment into the state.

The Advanced Industries grants are part of the Advanced Industry Accelerator Programs, created in 2013 to promote growth and sustainability in Colorados advanced industries by driving innovation, accelerating commercialization, encouraging public-private partnerships, increasing access to early-stage capital and creating a strong infrastructure that increases the states capacity to be globally competitive.

About Boulder iQ (http://www.boulderiq.com)

Boulder iQ is an expert contract firm that provides life sciences companies all the services they need to bring products to market. With specialties in regulatory affairs, quality assurance, design engineering, manufacturing and ethylene oxide sterilization, the companys single-source program speeds the product development and regulatory submissions process. Since 2009, Boulder iQs experts have helped companies navigate through the process of getting medical device, diagnostic and combination products to the market quickly.

Based in Boulder, Colorado, Boulder iQ is ISO 13485:2016 certified through Boulder BioMed. The companys Boulder Medical Device Accelerator provides equity investment in start-up companies seeking product development services, expert mentoring and infrastructure support.
Screenshot from the story of Revisiting the Legacy of 19th Century Chinese Railroad Workers When we dont know someones life we dont know how to empathize with them, says Christopher W. Merritt, Utah State Historic Preservation officers.

CGTN America releases Revisiting the Legacy of 19th Century Chinese Railroad Workers.

With anti-Chinese and anti-Asian attacks on the rise across the U.S., CGTN America reporters have been travelling across the country speaking to victims, law enforcement and community leaders.

As part of that special coverage, correspondent Liu Xu takes an extraordinary look at the origins of anti-Asian hate in a place you might not associate with anything Chinese, Northern Utah.

Its a remote often barren land thats rich in history of the Chinese experience in America. So rich that archaeologists are now sifting it for stories.

Its where many Chinese helped build the transcontinental railroad  a huge news story at the time and so CGTN Americas story features many compelling historical images and film.

Experts are piecing together how the Chinese workers lived, where they built their Chinatowns, how they traded and perhaps most significantly for the present day, how they were treated.

While the landscapes in our report may be beautiful, life on the railroad was not. It was nasty, brutish and often cut short.

In fact, as one legend has it, there could be a skeleton of a Chinese worker under every railroad tie.

After the railway was running, many Chinese were sent packing.

Liu Xu also looks at discrimination from the streets of Utah all the way to the halls of the U.S. Congress, which passed the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act  the first U.S. law to prohibit immigration to this country based on nationality.

The story concludes with a look at 19th century anti-Chinese discrimination and why anti-Asian distrust and resentment continues to this day.

When we dont know someones life we dont know how to empathize with them, says Christopher W. Merritt, Utah State Historic Preservation officers.

Reported by Liu Xu

Click here for more about all Revisiting the Legacy of 19th Century Chinese Railroad Workers and to view the report: https://newsus.cgtn.com/news/2021-06-02/Revisiting-the-legacy-of-19th-Century-Chinese-railroad-workers-10KLAIUXdSg/index.html https://newsus.cgtn.com/news/2021-06-03/See-how-19th-century-Chinese-faced-and-dealt-with-widespread-racism-10MnRWuA32U/index.html

(This material is distributed by MediaLinks TV, LLC on behalf of CCTV. Additional information is available at the Department of Justice, Washington, D.C.)
Zain Bahrain, the leading Mobile Broadband network operator in the kingdom, announced its network expansion by deploying mobile and broadband connectivity to the Al Ramli housing area in Bahrain.

With the 5G network expansion, residents in the newly developed housing area will benefit from superior data speeds, and lower latency. The 5G deployment will also provide residents with an unparalleled opportunity to experience faster home broadband services.

This network expansion is part of Zain Bahrains robust network enhancement plans, utilising state-of-the-art infrastructure to offer customers faster, more reliable, and enhanced connectivity solutions.

Commenting on the network expansion, Ali Al-Yaham, Director of Technology at Zain Bahrain said: Connectivity in the newly developed housing areas of Bahrain is essential and cannot be overlooked.

Zain Bahrain has accelerated its expansion plans to provide 5G connectivity in newly developed areas.

With this portion of our network expansion, we have set up a robust infrastructure to ensure consistent coverage and optimal network speeds for residents in the Al Ramli housing area. Zain Bahrains 5G network delivers ultra-fast speed, seamless connectivity and high-volume data transmission from which the residents can now benefit.

Zain Bahrains network has played a crucial role in keeping the people of Bahrain connected during the pandemic and with our latest investment in network expansion, we hope to connect more and more people with their loved ones.

Zain Bahrain believes that with such expansions, we are continuously contributing to a sustainable growth towards the local communities in the academic, societal, and commercial aspects. The company takes pride in being an enabler by providing and enabling access to the local community. Zain Bahrain maintains its commitment to enhancing and introducing more innovative service offerings to provide an unprecedented and best-in-class experience to its customers.-- TradeArabia News Service
Comeback Capital Raises $10M Fund, Collaboration with One America Works, Adds New General Partners

Comeback Capital, the venture capital firm that focuses on providing early stage funding to startups in the Heartland, today announced the appointment of two new general partners, Patrick McKenna, co-founder/executive chairman of Facet Wealth and Phil Hagerman, CEO of Forum Health, who will help the firm capitalize on the bounty of talent and entrepreneurship in emerging tech hubs beyond the Midwest. To fund this expansion, Comeback is launching a new $10M rolling fund via AngelList, to invest in seed and early stage funding for startups across America.

With outstanding entrepreneurs and tech talent, emerging technology hubs have shown their value and penchant towards innovation in 2020 and beyond, said Comeback Capital Managing Partner Scott Shane. Patrick and Phil have dedicated decades to founding, funding and growing technology companies outside of major tech hubs, overseeing significant financial transactions including IPOs, acquisitions and capital raises. With two of Americas sharpest operators and investors as general partners, Comeback will capitalize on the opportunity to invest in underfunded and underrepresented talent as we expand our footprint across the country.

Since its founding in 2018, Comeback has provided 25 companies with seed and early stage funding, including Path Robotics, FloatMe, Paxafe and Civic Eagle. Nearly half of its portfolio has raised additional capital at a higher valuation. In addition to Shane, McKenna and Hagerman, Tony Olivito also serves as a general partner with Comeback.

Serial entrepreneur and investor Patrick McKenna previously founded HighRidge Ventures and One America Works. By bringing on McKenna as a general partner, Comeback will deepen its collaboration with One America Works, the non-profit that bridges the divide between Silicon Valley and emerging tech hub cities across the U.S. The two organizations will host events together, connecting talent, startups, investors and cities, stemming from One America Works successful virtual recruitment events in Pittsburgh, Columbus, Indianapolis and Nashville over the past year, where thousands of tech workers interviewed with local startups. The two organizations will also work with the accelerator gener8tor on a virtual educational series and pitch competition and an accelerator studio to further build the startup ecosystem in the heartland.

The expansion of the technology industry across the U.S. in this critical moment is the largest untapped resource for the future of the American economy, said One America Works founder and Comeback Capital general partner Patrick McKenna. The combination of Comeback Capital and One America Works will bring together capital, companies, entrepreneurs and tech talent to foster the innovation economy in emerging regions.

Forum Health CEO Phil Hagerman joins Comeback as another milestone of his decades-long career as a Michigan-based founder, investor and operator. Hagerman co-founded Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy with his father in 1975, growing the specialty pharmacy into a multi-billion dollar revenue publicly-traded company. He founded real estate and early stage venture investment firm SkyPoint Ventures in 2013 and remains its CEO. Hagerman also currently serves as CEO of Flint, MIs Forum Health Enterprises.

Scott Shane founded Comeback in 2018, after he met McKenna, Bloomberg Beta head Roy Bahat, and Long Journey Ventures investor Cyan Bannister, at a Comeback Cities bus tour event earlier that year. That tour brought together a dozen coastal venture capitalists to connect with the tech community in emerging cities like Youngstown, Ohio, Flint, Michigan and South Bend, Indiana. The VCs on the tour, including McKenna, Bahat and Bannister, stayed connected and found ways to invest in companies, talent and emerging cities through their respective organizations and as LPs of and advisors to Comeback Capital. With this news today, One America Works and Comeback Capital are officially coming together to bring jobs and investment, respectively, to emerging cities across the Heartland.

The AngelList fund opens on July 1st. Accredited investors can learn more here.
The new CORE ELMS integration with Formstack is going to be a huge help to our OT program!

CORE Higher Education Group has announced the launch of a new integration feature with Formstack, a form automation tool. This new integration was specifically developed to support COREs growing client list of Occupational Therapy programs as they adjust to new Fieldwork Performance Evaluation (FWPE) guidelines mandated by the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA).

When a new FWPE process was announced in 2020 by AOTA, all Occupational Therapy program administrators were required to learn a new procedure of how mid-point and final evaluations would need to be completed using Formstack moving forward.

As a leading provider of Fieldwork Management Software, the CORE ELMS team wanted to do everything possible to ensure the OT programs they worked with would experience as little process disruption as possible.

At CORE, were always finding additional ways to make sure our fieldwork management tools are tailored to the evolving needs of our client schools. We knew it would be critical to integrate with Formstack to eliminate extra steps and enable our OT programs to distribute evaluations automatically each rotation for fieldwork educators and students to complete in CORE ELMS, explained CORE Vice President, Dustin Maines.

COREs fieldwork management software, CORE ELMS, is now the only tool that allows all fieldwork related data to live and be reported on in one central place, keeping the process as simple and streamlined as possible for OT program administrators, academic fieldwork coordinators, fieldwork educators, and OT students.

Academic Fieldwork Coordinator and longtime CORE user, Mechelle Collins-Faria OTD, OTR/L said, The new CORE ELMS integration with Formstack is going to be a huge help to our OT program, as we are now able to have fieldwork educators fill out the new evaluation forms directly within our CORE ELMS fieldwork management system. This also now gives our students access to their evaluation without my assistance. The team at CORE has been incredibly helpful. I am excited for other OT programs to try it!

About CORE Higher Education Group:

Headquartered in Providence, Rhode Island, CORE Higher Education Group is a pharmacist owned and operated education technology company providing software applications that help manage the experiential education process for over 200 colleges and university programs across the US and Canada. Since 2006, CORE has grown to accommodate the experiential education, student competency assessment, co-curricular eLearning, recruiting, and digital portfolio needs for numerous programs across health science education.

http://www.corehighered.com
Dental Care Alliance opens de novo pediatric practice in Lakewood Ranch, FL "Im excited to partner with Dental Care Alliance to open this bright and beautiful new office in the heart of the Lakewood Ranch community, states Dr. Theogene."

Dental Care Alliance announces the opening of its newest affiliated location  Advanced Dental Care for Kids. This brand new, state-of-the-art dental practice led by Dr. Dorothy Theogene opened to patients on May 4, 2021.

Advanced Dental Care for Kids offers a full range of pediatric dental services, including exams, teeth cleanings for children, composite fillings, fluoride treatments, and emergency dental services for children between the ages of 1 and 18. The practice offers easy online scheduling for the convenience of their patients.

Dr. Theogene is a Board-Certified Pediatric Dental Specialist that has provided comprehensive dental care to children since 2010. Dr. Theogene graduated cum laude from the University of Florida in Gainesville, FL before attending Howard University College of Dentistry in Washington, DC where she received her Doctor of Dental Surgery degree. She continued her training at Howard University, earning her Pediatric Dentistry Certificate.

About Dental Care Alliance

Dental Care Alliances mission is to advance the practice of dentistry. DCA currently supports 330 allied practices and more than 750 dentists across 20 states. DCAs allied practices represent all dental specialties and treat patients under more than 85 brand names.

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Connie excelled as a controls engineer for Patti Engineering and we look forward to seeing her excel in her new role with our partner, Rivergate Marketing.

Rivergate Marketing, strategic marketing and communications partner to business-to-business companies in engineering and technology, today announced the company has expanded its staff with the hire of Controls Engineer Connie Sadro as Digital Marketing Specialist.

Working under Rivergate Marketings Founder Georgia Whalen, Sadros background in controls engineering complements the staffs diverse skillset. We are thrilled to add Connie to the Rivergate Marketing team, said Georgia Whalen. Her excellent communication skills and controls engineering expertise in programing and integrating industrial hardware and software technologies will have an immediate impact on our ability to create high-value technical content for our clients, most of whom work in the industrial automation sector.

Sadro brings more than five years of experience in control systems automation to her position at Rivergate Marketing. Sadro previously held both controls engineer and lead engineer positions at Patti Engineering in Auburn Hills, Michigan, where she achieved the Engineering Leader Under 40 recognition in 2019 from Plant Engineering Magazine. Sadro earned her Bachelor of Arts magna cum laude in mathematics and physics from Oakland University, where she also completed courses in robotics technology and PLC programming.

Sadros former employer, Patti Engineering, has been a Rivergate Marketing client for more than a decade. Rivergate Marketings team is a valuable extension of our team and we have successfully relied on their expertise to tell our story and build our brand for the past eleven years. Connie excelled as a controls engineer for Patti Engineering and we look forward to seeing her excel in her new role with our partner, Rivergate Marketing, said Sam Hoff, Patti Engineering CEO.

Having a second engineer on staff will help us efficiently service our existing clients and attract new clients because of our unique understanding of the manufacturing automation systems integration industry, said Senior Account Manager Meghan Pavasaris. Thanks to her background as a controls engineer, Connie has a deep understanding of our clients industry and she will be a great asset for our team.

Along with Whalen and Pavasaris, Sadro joins Digital Marketing Manager Christine McQuilkin, also a degreed engineer, and Digital Marketing Specialist Lauren Maranda, an experienced graphic designer.

About Rivergate Marketing

Founded by Georgia Whalen in 2009, Rivergate Marketing provides a wide variety of marketing, public relations and social media services to clients to strategically position and build their brand, create demand, generate leads and cultivate relationships. As a partner to its clients, Rivergate Marketing works to lift any marketing burden, allowing clients to concentrate on other responsibilities. Rivergate is poised to serve business-to-business clients in a variety of high-tech industries, including industrial automation and civil engineering. For more information, visit Rivergate Marketings website, LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.


Throughout the 2020 pandemic, Endeavor Schools served as a lifeline for frontline workers who needed childcare so that they can help their communities during that difficult time.

Ernst & Young LLP has announced that Ricardo Campo, the CEO of Endeavor Schools, was named an Entrepreneur Of The Year 2021 Florida Award finalist. Now in its 35th year, the Entrepreneur of the Year program honors unstoppable business leaders whose ambition, ingenuity and courage in the face of adversity help catapult us from the now to next and beyond.

Campo was selected by a panel of independent judges. Award winners will be announced during a special virtual celebration on August 5, 2021 and will become lifetime members of an esteemed community of Entrepreneur Of The Year alumni from around the world.

During a time when schools were shuttered across the country, Endeavor Schools remained open by enforcing the highest safety standards recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as state and local health departments. Throughout the 2020 pandemic, Endeavor Schools served as a lifeline for frontline workers who needed childcare so that they can help their communities during that difficult time.

Its an incredible honor to be selected as a finalist for this award and a reflection of the incredible hard work of our employees, Campo said. The past year has brought obvious challenges, yet our team has not only persevered, but excelled to provide high-quality education for children across the country. Im so proud of our students, teachers, and support team, for the grit they have all demonstrated. Id also like to congratulate my fellow nominees on all of their hard work and success.

Entrepreneur Of The Year is one of the preeminent competitive award programs for entrepreneurs and leaders of high-growth companies. The nominees are evaluated based on six criteria: entrepreneurial leadership; talent management; degree of difficulty; financial performance; societal impact and building a values-based company; and originality, innovation and future plans. Since its launch, the program has expanded to recognize business leaders in more than 145 cities in over 60 countries around the world.

Regional award winners are eligible for consideration for the Entrepreneur Of The Year National Awards, to be announced in November 2021 at the Strategic Growth Forum, one of the nations most prestigious gatherings of high-growth, market-leading companies. The Entrepreneur Of The Year National Overall Award winner will then move on to compete for the EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year Award in June 2022.

Sponsors

Founded and produced by Ernst & Young LLP, the Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards are nationally sponsored by SAP America. In Florida, sponsors also include Premium sponsor PNC Bank and Supporting sponsors DLA Piper LLP and Donnelly Financial Solutions.

About Entrepreneur Of The Year

Entrepreneur of the Year is the worlds most prestigious business awards program for unstoppable entrepreneurs. These visionary leaders deliver innovation, growth and prosperity that transform our world. The program engages entrepreneurs with insights and experiences that foster growth. It connects them with their peers to strengthen entrepreneurship around the world. Entrepreneur of the Year is the first and only truly global awards program of its kind. It celebrates entrepreneurs through regional and national awards programs in more than 145 cities in over 60 countries. National Overall winners go on to compete for the EY World Entrepreneur of the Year title. ey.com/us/eoy

About Endeavor Schools

Endeavor Schools is a leading education management company with a family of unique, well-established private schools that serve as pillars to their respective communities in a growing number of markets across the US. Each of the companys schools subscribe to proven, research-based curricula that is delivered by seasoned educators and are encouraged to embrace their own uniqueness and tradition. Endeavor Schools supports academic excellence by providing robust tools and resources to help each school thrive.

About EY

EY exists to build a better working world, helping create long-term value for clients, people and society and build trust in the capital markets. Enabled by data and technology, diverse EY teams in over 150 countries provide trust through assurance and help clients grow, transform and operate.

Working across assurance, consulting, law, strategy, tax and transactions, EY teams ask better questions to find new answers for the complex issues facing our world today.

EY refers to the global organization, and may refer to one or more, of the member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients. Information about how EY collects and uses personal data and a description of the rights individuals have under data protection legislation are available via ey.com/privacy. EY member firms do not practice law where prohibited by local laws. For more information about our organization, please visit ey.com.
FedTech will partner with Northeastern University to collaborate in helping high-impact innovations succeed in the marketplace. Pic credit: Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University. "We are thrilled to have the opportunity to bring that drive in our partnership with Northeastern University and the Center for Research Innovation to help their inventors and innovators commercialize their IP into real-world solutions." - Robyn Brazzil, Program Lead at FedTech.

FedTech, a venture builder that thrives at the intersection of entrepreneurship, breakthrough technologies, and mission-driven organizations, today announced a strategic partnership with Northeastern Universitys Center for Research Innovation (CRI). This partnership will pair industry professionals, entrepreneurs, inventors, and academic researchers with Northeasterns patented technologies to establish and commercialize new ventures.

The partnership will launch through FedTechs existing Startup Studio program, which matches proven and aspiring entrepreneurs to next-gen deep science and tech solutions from laboratories. The programs track record of creating 20 companies in 2020 alone, along with established partnerships that span 40+ Federal labs and universities, make it uniquely suited to help bring to market Northeasterns innovations that are ripe for commercialization.

Its an exciting time to be in the deep tech ecosystem, said Robyn Brazzil, Program Lead at FedTech. FedTech is built on the foundation of creating significant impact by bringing ideas from whiteboard to reality, from labs to the market, and catalyzing collaborations between innovation labs and entrepreneurs. We are thrilled to have the opportunity to bring that drive in our partnership with Northeastern University and the Center for Research Innovation to help their inventors and innovators commercialize their IP into real-world solutions.

Northeasterns CRI will also help FedTech source IP and inventors from its esteemed roster of R&D, innovators, and inventions. The collaboration with FedTech will grant new ventures formed through the program flexible terms and IP policy, access to faculty expertise, and access to world-leading research and development. Inventors affiliated with the CRI can expect strategic Intellectual Property protection, venture creation resources, and access to corporate relationships resulting from the partnership with FedTech.

Were thrilled to partner with FedTech, said Jennifer Boyle-Lynch, Interim Director, Center for Research Innovation. The Startup Studio program will help amplify the universitys efforts to introduce transformational technologies to the world. This new relationship will bolster Northeasterns already robust network of innovators and entrepreneurs.

The next Startup Studio program will kick off on August 21 and run through two phases, the second of which will conclude in December. Thirty-six entrepreneurs will form into 12 teams and go through a comprehensive curriculum that will include guidance with customer discovery, education in business models, resources to navigate the complex technology market, and insight into attracting investment - all to launch and accelerate successful ventures. Northeastern University will contribute one technology that will have a dedicated team assigned to it as part of the larger cohort. Applications for the program are open and will close on June 21, 2021.

About FedTech:

FedTech is a venture builder that thrives at the intersection of entrepreneurship, breakthrough technologies, and mission-driven organizations. Since 2015, FedTech has pioneered deep tech ventures across the Department of Defense, NASA, Department of Energy, universities, and federal labs. Through startup studios, accelerators, internal innovation curriculum, and corporate venture programs, FedTech helps startups, Fortune 500 companies, and government agencies stay ahead of the curve of innovation.

For more, visit: http://www.fedtech.io

Follow FedTech on Linkedin

About Northeastern University

Founded in 1898, Northeastern is a global research university and the recognized leader in experience-driven lifelong learning. Our world-renowned experiential approach empowers our students, faculty, alumni, and partners to create impact far beyond the confines of discipline, degree, and campus.

Our locationsin Boston; Charlotte, North Carolina; the San Francisco Bay Area; Seattle; Toronto; Vancouver; London; Portland, Maine and the Massachusetts communities of Burlington and Nahantare nodes in our growing global university system. Through this network, we expand opportunities for flexible, student-centered learning and collaborative, solutions-focused research.

Northeasterns comprehensive array of undergraduate and graduate programson-campus, online, and in hybrid formatslead to degrees through the doctorate in nine colleges and schools. Among these, we offer more than 140 multi-discipline majors and degrees designed to prepare students for purposeful lives and careers.

Media Contact:

Vic Vaswani

Head of Growth, FedTech

vic.vaswani@fedtech.io

Shannon Nargi

Media Relations Manager, Northeastern University

s.nargi@northeastern.edu
Words Of Encouragement: a poetry book that heartens the spirit with a collective message of cheer. Words Of Encouragement is the creation of published author Florence Peterson, a lifelong poet from Chester, Pennsylvania. She is a sister to nine other siblings, all girls, a mother of one daughter, whose name is Danielle and the grandmother of two, whose names are Seoni and Taraji.

Peterson shares, Words of Encouragement are those words that can make you laugh, bring peace to your heart, and bring warmth into your souls.

Published by Christian Faith Publishing, Florence Petersons new book invites its readers to surrender their weariness in exchange for great encouragement. Life is tough, which is why hearts grow tired and spirits get exhausted. Everyone needs a boost every now and then, and that is why this book is a welcome reprieve.

With heartfelt poems that expound on the truth of Scripture, this book offers those who are burning out an opportunity to slow down, reorient their souls toward God, and be refreshed.

View a synopsis of Words Of Encouragement on YouTube.

Consumers can purchase Words Of Encouragement at traditional brick & mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or inquiries about Words Of Encouragement, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919.
For three years we have brought women executives in cybersecurity, risk and privacy to the Hill to meet in person, and this year we will be gathering 1,000 women leaders in these fields to virtually attend our Symposium.

On Thursday, June 17th, cybersecurity executive leaders will meet virtually through Zoom for the Executive Women's Forums Fourth Annual Cybersecurity Women on Capitol Hill Public/Private Virtual Symposium. The Symposium brings our members and congressional leaders and their staff together to better engage in our shared mission to improve the cybersecurity ecosystem and strengthen public-private relationships. For three years we have brought women executives in cybersecurity, risk, and privacy to the Hill to meet in person, and this year we will be gathering 1,000 women leaders in these fields to virtually attend our Symposium.

Engaging over 15,000 women, the EWF is the largest member organization for women in Cybersecurity, IT Risk, and Privacy professionals.

Cybersecurity is a non-partisan issue that concerns all of us, government, industry, national defense and private citizens alike, says Joyce Brocaglia, Founder and CEO. Cybersecurity is more important now than ever before. The EWF is proud to connect and engage our members who are cybersecurity, risk and privacy leaders, with our government to provide them with both expert resources and diversity of thought.

During this years symposium, attendees will hear from the U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen, U.S. Representative Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, U.S. Representative Abigail Spanberger of Virginia, U.S. Representative Michael McCaul of Texas, and various experts in the field of cybersecurity. Participants will have the opportunity to connect through Airmeet for a post-event networking session.

This years Executive Womens Forum Cybersecurity Women on Capitol Hill Public/Private Virtual Symposiums agenda is as follows:



A welcome address by Joyce Brocaglia, Founder of the Executive Womens Forum and CEO of Alta Associates.

Reimagining IT Asset Inventory for Security Teams, Sumedh Thakar, CEO, Qualys.

U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen, representative of the U.S. State of Nevada and former computer programmer addressing the Executive Women's Forum on breaking down barriers for women in STEM.

U.S. Congressman Michael McCaul, American attorney and politician serving as the U.S. Representative for Texas's 10th congressional district.

New Executive Order on Cybersecurity: What to Know, How to Prepare, Sam King, Chief Executive Officer, Veracode and Chris Wysopal, Founder and Chief Technology Officer, Veracode.

U.S. Representative Abigail Spanberger, representative of Virginia's 7th congressional district in Congress, discussing her journey from being a former security professional to a Congresswoman.

SolarWinds and MS Exchange Attacks: What You Need to Know, Diana Kelley, Co-Founder and CTO of SecurityCurve.

U.S. Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick, representative for Pennsylvania's 1st congressional district addressing the Executive Women's Forum on how important the issue of cybersecurity is and recognizing the work that we do.

Fireside chat: Technology and the Senate: Innovation vs. Historical Precedent, Silke Mounts, Chair of the Senate Systems Administrators Association Board (SSAA) and Jenna Razeghi, Director for Information Technology for Senators Kevin Cramer and John Thune from North and South Dakota and Board Member of the Senate Systems Administrators Association Board (SSAA). Moderated by Galina Datskovsky, Ph.d; CRM; FAI, CEO of Vaporstream.

Closing Remarks: Joyce Brocaglia, Founder of the Executive Womens Forum and CEO of Alta Associates.

Post-Event Networking Lounge.

To learn more about this event and to register click here.

About the Executive Womens Forum on Information Security, Risk Management & Privacy:

Founded in 2002, the Executive Women's Forum on Information Security, Risk Management & Privacy (EWF) is the premier member organization dedicated to engaging, advancing, and developing women leaders in Cybersecurity, IT Risk Management, Governance, Risk, Compliance, and Privacy. The EWF provides education, access, and opportunities to women at every stage of their career. Most importantly, it is a sisterhood where women are encouraged and supported to be their authentic selves, visualize their highest selves, and believe in themselves. The EWF serves emerging leaders and the most prominent influential women in our field by facilitating virtual and live programs and events throughout the year. Programs include an Annual Conference, Rising Leaders Forum for Millennial and Gen. Z members, Lift mentorship program, regional meetings, leadership development initiatives, and opportunities to network and engage with women globally. For more information, visit http://www.ewf-usa.com.
The combined power of Sophion Analyzer and Genedata Screener will enable advanced electrophysiological analysis and data analysis in a screening context.

Genedata, the leading provider of enterprise software solutions for biopharmaceutical R&D, today announced Sophion Bioscience, a global leader in automated patch clamp (APC) technology, as a new Genedata Ready-to-Run partner. Sophion joins a continually expanding group of leading technology providers who collaborate with Genedata to offer standardized integrations with the Genedata Biopharma Platform. The deep integration of Sophion QPatch II and Qube 384 APC instruments with Genedata Screener enables direct capture, remote analysis, and enterprise access to APC datas highly informative mechanistic and safety aspects of tested molecules.

Ready-to-Run Partners Create Added Value for Their Customers

The Sophion team is passionate about improving lab efficiency by making patch clamping easy, fast, and accurate. As a Genedata Ready-to-Run partner we will help our joint customers further improve their efficiency and implement innovative screening technologies without investing the time and resources typically required for technology integrations of this nature, said Thais Johansen, CEO of Sophion Bioscience.

The combined power of Sophion Analyzer and Genedata Screener will enable advanced electrophysiological analysis and data analysis in a screening context  all on a single platform, continued Johansen. This capability will make ion channel testing a routine R&D activity while strengthening our digitalization of drug discovery.

Ready-to-Run partnerships streamline lab automation to reduce overhead and accelerate drug discovery. Integrating Sophion APC instrumentation with Genedata Screener improves lab efficiency by automating end-to-end data processing; furthers standardization and de-duplication in global research for increased cost benefits; and yields transparent information for high-quality decisions in research and development projects, allowing researchers to focus on the best molecules to progress. Sophion and Genedata enable a new level of ion channel research in which:



QPatch II and Qube current and voltage traces are imported directly into Genedata Screener for functional analysis, and are visible on its web clients;

standardized assay protocols can be shared across different instruments, labs, and sites;

APC data are analyzed in a screening context, i.e., integrated with molecule and assay property information, scaling from one to hundreds of plates per batch;

ion channel analysis results are reported directly to the data warehouse, accessible to the corporate research community; and

toxicity results can be compared with results from other assays for a complete overview of compound properties.

Genedata is continually strengthening our technology portfolio with innovative companies that accelerate novel drug discovery worldwide, said Dr. Othmar Pfannes, CEO of Genedata. Therefore, were excited to welcome Sophion as a Ready-to-Run partner who will fortify our APC market position and more importantly maximize technology ROI for both Genedata and Sophion customers.

About Genedata Ready-to-Run

The vendor-agnostic Genedata Biopharma Platform maintains flexible data import APIs, enabling integration with virtually any instrument. Many devices, however, produce highly complex data with massive amounts of data per plate. The Genedata Ready-to-Run program addresses these data acquisition challenges. With the oversight and support of respective instrument companies, Ready-to-Run integrations are instrument-specific, versioned, tested, and maintained by Genedata as part of its standard licensing agreements. The Ready-to-Run program is open to all qualified vendors. Instrument providers interested in joining the program may submit their requests to ready-to-run(at)genedata.com.

About Genedata

Genedata transforms data into intelligence with innovative software solutions that incorporate extensive biopharma R&D domain knowledge. Multinational biopharmaceutical organizations and cutting-edge biotechs around the globe rely on Genedata to digitalize and automate data-rich and complex R&D processes. From early discovery all the way to the clinic, Genedata solutions help maximize the ROI in R&D expenditure. Founded in 1997, Genedata is headquartered in Basel, Switzerland with additional offices in Boston, London, Munich, San Francisco, Singapore, and Tokyo.

http://www.genedata.com

LinkedIn | Twitter | YouTube

About Sophion

Sophion was founded almost twenty years ago by a group of passionate electrophysiologists, all having the shared purpose of making patch clamping objective and independent of user skills to provide faster, more accurate, and objective patch clamping results. To take the voodoo out of patch clamping, the Sophion product range offers the most flexible automated patch clamp systems on the market today with QPatch and Qube 384.

http://www.sophion.com

LinkedIn | Twitter

Contact

Helena Bonin

Genedata

Public Relations

pr@genedata.com

Disclaimer

The statements in this press release that relate to future plans, events or performance are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, including risks associated with uncertainties related to contract cancellations, developing risks, competitive factors, uncertainties pertaining to customer orders, demand for products and services, development of markets for the Company's products and services. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. The Company undertakes no obligation to release publicly the result 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.

All product and service names mentioned are the trademarks of their respective companies.
Gunderson Direct We are incredibly proud of Gunderson Directs recent growth are honored to be named on the Financial Times Fastest Growing US Companies / Agencies lists. Without our amazing staff and strong client relationships, none of this would have been possible. Gunderson Direct President, Mike Gunderson

Direct marketing agency Gunderson Direct is pleased to announce its placement on the Financial Timess list of fastest-growing companies of 2021 as well as its list of fastest-growing agencies. This is Financial Times second annual ranking and highlights American businesses strides during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Financial Times list was compiled with the help of research company Statista, which ranked the US businesses by the compound annual growth rate in revenue between 2016 and 2019.

To be included on the Financial Times Fastest Growing US Companies list, companies had to be independent entities and have generated at least $100,000 in revenue in 2016, $1.5 million in revenue in 2019, and grown revenue through primarily organic means. Out of the 500 companies listed on the Financial Times Fastest Growing Companies of 2021 list, Gunderson Direct was listed at #351, with an absolute growth rate of 156.9% and a compound annual growth rate of 37%.

We are incredibly proud of Gunderson Directs growth over the past few years and are honored to be named on the Financial Times Fastest Growing US Companies / Agencies lists. We are sincerely grateful to be named among some of the top companies in the nation. Without our amazing staff and strong client relationships, none of this would have been possible.

 Gunderson Direct President and Founder, Mike Gunderson

About Gunderson Direct:

Founded in 2003, Gunderson Direct is an award-winning direct marketing agency known for its B2B and B2C direct mail campaigns. Based in Hayward, California, the Gunderson Direct team services clients that rely on top-of-funnel leads to power pipelines and want a more reliable, measurable and scalable approach to driving sales. Some of the many clients Gunderson Direct services today include ZipRecruiter, PayPal, Personal Capital, Wells Fargo, and Adobe. Since their foundation 18 years ago, Gunderson Direct has been recognized by Clutch as one of the top direct marketing companies in America and by the San Francisco Business Times as one of the fastest-growing businesses in 2019.


Jazeera Airways has announced that it will launch a new service to London Heathrow airport on June 18, making the airline the first low-cost carrier in the Middle East to operate direct flights to the airport.

The airline has scheduled direct flights between Kuwait and London Heathrow every Friday and plans to increase its frequency as travel restrictions ease.

Commenting on the new service, Jazeera Chief Executive Officer, Rohit Ramachandran, said: The new service to Heathrow Airport enables Jazeera to cater to popular demand for flights to London, including demand from business travellers, Kuwaiti students and the large segment of accustomed tourists who we believe are more than eager to return to London this summer, while many of whom own homes in the area."

As the vaccinations against the Covid-19 virus roll out in Kuwait and across the world, countries are opening their borders for a gradual return of summer traffic. Jazeera pilots and cabin crew have already been fully vaccinated, and we continue to mandate strict safety measures in all our facilities. Our customers can rest assured that they will be travelling safely to London with us.

Passengers should review Covid-19 regulations before booking to ensure compliance with local regulations on vaccination and PCR test certificates.

Travel Advisory for Passengers from and to Kuwait

Kuwaiti citizens travelling out of Kuwait should ensure they carry their vaccination certificate.

At the time of this announcement Kuwait is on the UK amber list and all travellers require a PCR test within 72 hours of their departure, as well as to book and pay in advance for two PCR tests on Day 2 and Day 8 from their arrival to London, in addition to completing a passenger locator form. Quarantine is for 10 days upon arrival, however an extra PCR test with a negative result that is performed on Day 5 can release the traveller from quarantine, with the Day 8 test still mandatory. Currently only fully vaccinated Kuwaitis can travel out and into Kuwait. However, an extension to all residents, who have been vaccinated, is under consideration. - TradeArabia News Service
"Younger employees deserve a chance to build their resumes early in their career, and it looks as if the market is picking them back up swiftly." - Bill Stoller, Express CEO

Sometimes overlooked in a tight labor market, U.S. hiring decision-makers say their companies are optimistic about hiring a variety of groups this year, including recent college graduates, college students and vocational/career tech graduates.

This is according to a new survey from The Harris Poll commissioned by Express Employment Professionals.

By segment, U.S. hiring decision-makers say their company plans to hire recent college graduates (48%), vocational/career tech graduates (37%), college students (36%), immigrant workers (18%), high school students (16%), retirees (15%) and/or disabled adults (14%).

We expect the hiring market to be robust in the summer of 2021, said John Calabrese, Express franchise owner in Utica, New York. This is due to the emergence of new businesses in our region, as well as a ramp-up of hiring from existing businesses across multiple sectors. This should lead to increased employment opportunities in engineering, manufacturing, wholesale/distribution, financial services, information technology and healthcare.

In Glendale, California, Express franchise owner Kim Guard believes that college graduates may still be overlooked for jobs this summer, but its dependent on their degree.

If someone is graduating with a marketing or HR degree, there are probably not a lot of positions out there, she said. But if they are graduating with an engineering degree or from a trade school, there will be more work for them.

Both Express franchisees agree there should be plenty of opportunities for vocational/career tech graduates in the near future because they have the hands-on skills for jobs that are available now.

Guard says her office works with local entities that teach a few 6-week certification courses in welding, machinery and manufacturing.

We are all fighting over them when they complete it, she said.

Another untapped labor source, Guard says, is high school graduates who do not plan to go to college.

If individuals are graduating and not going to college, we could use hundreds of them, she said. High school graduates are a great fit for warehouse and distribution positions. In all my years of staffing, I always wondered why we dont see more applicants who are right out of high school.

Calabrese adds there are excellent opportunities for high school students in part-time positions, internships and full-time jobs as businesses look to ramp up again and are more flexible with shift hours.

And for those recent high school graduates who are trying to decide between attending a four-year institution in the fall or pursuing a vocational/career tech education path, Calabrese said both tracks offer excellent opportunities in 2021.

However, vocational/career tech positions should see unprecedented growth in the last half of 2021 because of the large number of construction projects in the region, the emergence of new businesses that are looking for these skill sets and the expanded hiring for existing businesses in these areas, he said. An aging workforce will also lead to long-term opportunities in skilled trades and other pathways from a vocational/career tech education standpoint.

These survey results from The Harris Poll are a good sign for those new to the workforce who need the experience of a first job, Express CEO Bill Stoller said.

Younger employees deserve a chance to build their resumes early in their career, and it looks as if the market is picking them back up swiftly, he said. With the desperate need for skilled labor, these initial jobs allow them to explore different career paths and discover which industries are going to be most lucrative with in-demand positions while gaining experience.

Survey Methodology

The survey was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of Express Employment Professionals between March 23 and April 12, 2021, among 1,001 U.S. hiring decision-makers (defined as adults ages 18+ in the U.S. who are employed full-time or self-employed, work at companies with more than one employee, and have full/significant involvement in hiring decisions at their company). Data was weighted where necessary by company size to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population.

***

If you would like to arrange for an interview with Bill Stoller to discuss this topic, please contact Sheena (Karami) Hollander, Director of Corporate Communications and PR, at (405) 717-5966.

About Bill Stoller

William H. "Bill" Stoller is chairman and chief executive officer of Express Employment Professionals. Headquartered in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, the international staffing company has more than 830 franchises in the U.S., Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. Since inception, Express has put more than 9 million people to work worldwide.

About Express Employment Professionals

At Express Employment Professionals, were in the business of people. From job seekers to client companies, Express helps people thrive and businesses grow. Our international network of franchises offers localized staffing solutions to the communities they serve across the U.S., Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, employing 526,000 people globally in 2020. For more information, visit http://www.ExpressPros.com.
Criminal Background Records Its important to understand when a criminal history can be used and a best practice remains to work with a well-qualified third-party pre-employment background screening agency.

The importance of reviewing criminal history as part of pre-employment background screening may be significantly reduced as the country moves into a post-pandemic return to work hiring cadence. Adam Almeida, President and CEO of CriminalBackgroundRecords.com opines: The importance of criminal history records has become less significant over the years and the trend continues as companies are challenged with finding qualified employees post-pandemic.

Prior to the Covid 19 pandemic employees were placing less importance on criminal background records and as the country moves into a return-to-work cadence, the importance of criminal history continues to lose its grip as a perceived key indicator of employability.

Adam Almeida, President and CEO of CriminalBackgroundRecords.com states: The perception of a criminal historys importance may suggest these reports are somehow less important. While they may not be a key indicator of employers as they once were, their value continues. When a criminal record can be used has changed in some areas and that is a significant change, but as employers struggle to fill their staffs those individuals with criminal records are being considered for positions, in greater numbers.

Ban-the-box laws across the country have greatly changed when and if a criminal record can be included within the hiring decision, but as the country moves past the Covid 19 pandemic employment patterns have changed. Employees in certain industries have become more difficult to attract.

From KSBY.com on May 27, 2021:

With both the need for workers right now and emphasis on diversity, equity and inclusion, there's new attention on hiring people with criminal records.

As many as one in three or around 70 million Americans have some type of criminal record.

Human Resource professionals and business leaders are more on board with hiring them now.

According to new research from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), the majority say they do their jobs just as well or better than others. This also includes promotion potential, dependability and retention. (1)

Almeida adds: Another factor employers are facing are wages. Many individuals that left certain industries, such as hospitality, are seeking higher pay.

From MyNews13.com on May 31, 2021:

While the changing job market is putting pressure on employers to pay more and offer additional incentives and benefits, some companies say they simply cant afford to pay more.

The changing dynamics  with both employers and employees finding their own challenges in the new market (2)

Ultimately, the post-pandemic job market is poised to remain a challenge. Hiring more individuals with a criminal history has the potential of reducing the pressure in staffing for many employers.

Almeida adds: Its important to understand when a criminal history can be used and a best practice remains to work with a well-qualified third-party pre-employment background screening agency in order to remain compliant with law.

From WestfairOnLine.com from June 4, 2021, discussing a recent survey verifying the challenges companies face as they return to full staff services post-pandemic.

A new survey published by The Conference Board found 80% of companies primarily seeking industry and manual services workers have found it challenging to hire qualified workers, with 25% reporting it has been very difficult. In comparison, during the pre-pandemic period 74% of companies had the same problem, with only 4% claiming it was very difficult.

While finding workers has been rough, retaining them is another problem: 49% of companies with mostly industry and manual services workers reported it is also somewhat or very difficult to retain workers, up from 30% before the pandemic. Among those employing professional and office workers, 28% acknowledged employee retention problems, up from 23% before the pandemic. (3)

Almeida concludes: Post-pandemic, employers will have to face a new reality in hiring and equalize their hiring policy by including those with criminal histories. Considering everyone on an equal footing may prove to reduce some of the challenges in staffing. However, going forward, the use of criminal records will remain complicated and a best practice remains to work with a third-party background screening agency, such as CriminalBackgroundRecords.com to remain complaint with law.

CriminalBackgroundRecords.com is a third-party employment screening company, an advocate of SHRM, a member in good standing with the PBSA (Professional Background Screening Association) and for over 18 years has maintained an A+ Rating with the BBB (Better Business Bureau). The company has highly trained operators well versed in the needs and requirements of companies and organizations large and small utilizing public records, such as criminal background records, as part of a hiring process. Assisting companies in maintaining full compliance under the law is a central tenet of all client relationships with CriminalBackgroundRecords.com.

Notes:

(1) ksby.com/news/national/theres-new-attention-on-hiring-people-with-criminal-records

(2) mynews13.com/fl/orlando/news/2021/05/31/job-seekers-and-hiring-managers-face-challenges-in-new-job-market-reality

(3) westfaironline.com/137016/survey-companies-report-difficulties-in-hiring-and-retaining-qualified-workers/
Hyundai of Mankato wants to purchase vehicles from local shoppers and is offering top dollar for vehicle trade-ins and sales.

Summer is here and many Mankato drivers are looking for any reason to hop behind the wheel of a new vehicle. Hyundai of Mankato is making the decision simple by offering top dollar for vehicle trade-ins.

Locals who are looking to make the switch to a new Hyundai can get an instant quote for their current vehicle on the Hyundai of Mankato website. To get started users can visit the Hyundai of Mankato Sell Us Your Vehicle webpage and enter their basic contact information and current vehicle details.

Individuals can trade in their vehicle for a new one at Hyundai of Mankato or they can sell their vehicle for a check with no future purchase necessary. Customers who trade in their vehicles can receive an additional $250 off any new vehicle or $500 off any used vehicle from the dealership.

Hyundai of Mankato has nearly 50 new Hyundai vehicles in stock at the time of publication and 100 pre-owned models from a variety of automakers. The dealership is now offering a 20-year/200,000-mile powertrain warranty on pre-owned models as an added incentive for prospective buyers.

Anyone can view the entire Hyundai of Mankato inventory by visiting the dealership online, hyundaiofmankato.com. Individuals looking for assistance with their vehicle trade in can contact a member of the dealership team by phone, 507-550-1175, or visit the dealership in person. Hyundai of Mankato is located at 1281 Raintree Rd in Mankato, MN, and is open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Fridays and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays.
LeadGen OnDemand provides agents with emails, printed postcards and brochures that can be easily co-branded and tailored to meet an agents prospecting needs. "We surveyed our agents and 77 percent indicated that having this type of marketing tool would move the needle for them and its paying off, says Kristin Guthrie, SVP Enterprise Customer Experience. Agents have shared LeadGen OnDemand is already helping them."

ICW Group Insurance Companies, a leading group of property and casualty carriers, announced the launch of LeadGen OnDemand, a lead-generating direct marketing system designed to help its appointed agents grow their workers compensation business.

LeadGen OnDemand provides agents with a marketing campaign system, complete with emails, printed postcards and brochures that can be easily co-branded and tailored to meet an agents prospecting needs. Taking it a step further, ICW Group is absorbing the cost and paying for all printing, postage, mailing, and campaign tracking expenses for its appointed agents.

The need for our agent partners to connect with new business prospects has been compounded during COVID-19 when traditional marketing channels such as trade shows and networking events have been curtailed, said Kristin Guthrie, SVP Enterprise Customer Experience. A key tenet of ICW Groups agent partnership is to help grow their business and we believe this new marketing system does just that, not only during COVID-19 but also well into the future.

Guthrie adds that LeadGen OnDemand is already gaining traction in the short time the tool has been available, particularly with the opportunity to utilize direct mail to reach new prospects.

Year to date ICW Group agents have distributed more than 100,000 direct mail pieces through the tool. According to the Data and Marketing Association, 90 percent of direct mail gets opened compared to 20-30 percent of emails, and 42 percent of direct mail gets read or scanned. An important target for ICW Group agents is Millennials, the fastest-growing segment of small business owners. Research suggests 30 percent of Millennials say direct mail is more effective in getting them to take action, further supporting the need to combine online and offline marketing strategies to connect with new prospects.

We surveyed our agents and 77 percent indicated that having this type of marketing tool would move the needle for them and its paying off, says Guthrie. Agents have shared LeadGen OnDemand is already helping them. The tool allows ICW Group to build meaningful relationships with our agents by providing a value-add service, and it helps them to target their prospects in effective ways while saving time and money. Its a win-win.

Work comp agents can learn more about LeadGen OnDemand at the companys Agent Resource Center. Agents looking to get appointed with ICW Group can learn about the process at ICW Groups Join Us website.

About ICW Group

Based in San Diego, ICW Group Insurance Companies is the largest privately-held insurance company domiciled in California. Quoting more than $3 billion annually, ICW Group represents a group of Workers Compensation, Assumed Reinsurance and Catastrophe insurance carriers, including Insurance Company of the West and Explorer Insurance Company. ICW Group is recognized nationally as an industry leader in helping policyholders achieve fewer and less costly claims while elevating the trusted agents who advise them. More information is available at http://www.icwgroup.com, http://www.twitter.com/ICWGroup, http://www.linkedin.com/companies/icw-group and http://www.facebook.com/ICWGroup.


Istations computer-adaptive blended learning empowers students to take an active role in their learning with more student choice and fun activities for school and home - Ossa Fisher, President and chief operating officer of Istation

EdTech Breakthrough announced educational technology leader Istation as the winner of its Student Engagement Solution of the Year award, recognizing the new Istation Power Path pre-K  8 educational technology solution in the third annual EdTech Breakthrough Awards program. EdTech Breakthrough is a leading market intelligence organization that recognizes the top companies and solutions in the global educational technology market.

Istations Power Path is comprised of a series of content releases designed to simplify, streamline and prioritize content for pre-K  8 students. The Power Path features and options minimize distractions, offer more intuitive dashboards and promote student agency. The releases are designed to empower students to be self-starters and partners in their own learning process.

Istations Power Path includes a fresh look and expanded instructional activities for reading, math and Spanish literacy. Delivering more choices and personalization, this new experience further motivates and engages students.

Istations computer-adaptive blended learning empowers students to take an active role in their learning with more student choice and fun activities for school and home, said Ossa Fisher, President and chief operating officer of Istation. Each new power-up release includes a number of updates to provide students with more agency and choice. The Power Path is built on the principle of managed choice. We want to give students a right for me learning experience designed for each unique user. We cannot thank EdTech Breakthrough enough for recognizing the importance of the Power Path, and we look forward to continued success and momentum in improving student engagement.

The mission of the EdTech Breakthrough Awards is to honor excellence and recognize innovation, hard work and success in a range of educational technology categories, including Student Engagement, School Administration, Adaptive Learning, STEM Education, e-Learning, Career Preparation and many more. This years program attracted more than 2,000 nominations from over 17 different countries throughout the world.

Whether learning in-person, remotely or a hybrid of both, the reality is that school is not the same as it was a year ago and unfortunately, student engagement has significantly dropped, said James Johnson, managing director, EdTech Breakthrough. In a recent survey of K-12 educators, 92% of schools reported an increase in student disengagement. Istation is delivering a breakthrough solution to address this issue head-on, providing a creative and empowering way to lift student motivation to drive greater engagement and ultimately  greater academic success. This made them an easy choice for the Student Engagement Solution of the Year award. Congratulations to everyone at Istation for this well-deserved 2021 EdTech Breakthrough Award.

With Power Path, students have access to the content thats most important to them first, while having opportunities to explore additional Power Path features when appropriate. Future power-up releases will provide more opportunities for customization, including new character elements and theme options. Istations Indicators of Progress (ISIP) is also integrated within Power Path, allowing educators to measure student growth with engaging, computer-adaptive diagnostic and screening programs for pre-K  8.

Additionally, the Power Path ISIP Data Dashboard provides students with critical insights into their own performance, trends and challenges. Students can use this data to set goals, track growth, and identify learning deficiencies and opportunities. The ISIP Data Dashboard provides students with recent results, assessment history, goals, subtest scores and more.

About EdTech Breakthrough

Part of Tech Breakthrough, a leading market intelligence and recognition platform for global technology innovation and leadership, the EdTech Breakthrough Awards program is devoted to honoring excellence in educational technology products, companies and people. The EdTech Breakthrough Awards provide a platform for public recognition around the achievements of breakthrough educational technology in categories including e-learning, student engagement, school administration, career preparation, language learning, STEM and more. For more information, visit EdTechBreakthrough.com.

About Istation

Founded in 1998 and based in Dallas, Texas, Istation (Imagination Station) has become one of the nation's leading providers of richly animated, game-like educational technology. Winner of several national educational technology awards, the Istation program puts more instructional time in the classroom through small-group and collaborative instruction. Istation's innovative reading, math and Spanish programs immerse students in an engaging and interactive environment and inspire them to learn. Additionally, administrators and educators can use Istation to easily track the progress of their students, schools and classrooms. Istation now serves over 4 million students throughout the United States and in several other countries.
An Epic Journey through the Holy Bible with Jesus: Volume 2: Patriarchs, Prophets, Kings and Jesuss Genealogy: a comprehensive discussion of the Old Testament. An Epic Journey through the Holy Bible with Jesus: Volume 2: Patriarchs, Prophets, Kings and Jesuss Genealogy is the creation of published author Karen Marie Parker, who lives in Montana with her husband, Patrick, and their beloved children, grandchildren, and pets.

Parker shares, Have you ever wondered how Christianity began? Why do we have churches and how do priests know what to do in mass? In this hectic world, it is easy to take this for granted and value Christianity too lightly, in some ways without thanksgiving or recognition for the thousands of years of fighting for it.

The Old Testament is an accurate record of Israels history. An Epic Journey through the Holy Bible with Jesus: Volume Two explores the holy lands with the patriarchs, prophets, and kings. Meet some heroes and villains while uncovering incredible stories about amazing leaders whose sole faith in God alone saved thousands, brave prophets who were victorious in battle, visionaries who could see the rise and fall of a kingdom, in vivid color, all by the hand of God, kings with a heart of gold and kings with a heart of stone. The Old Testament leads us to Jesus Christ, who ministers through his miracles and parables. He teaches us that through humility, kindness, and submission, we become survivors of affliction.

These events are written with a perspective of topology and include evidence that archeologists, professors, and scholars have uncovered, backing up and supporting the existence of these amazing stories in Sacred Scripture that shaped Christianity today.

This book will fill your curiosity with just enough facts about Israels history that you will recognize the power and struggles it took for Gods heroic believers. May you be more thankful for Gods never-ending pursuit for justice, peace, and the love that He has for everyone. May your faith be more enlightened as you journey with Jesus, uncovering your roots, finding your true identity as a child of God, and may your soul be as courageous as the patriarchs, prophets, and kings.

Published by Christian Faith Publishing, Karen Marie Parkers new book is a solid follow-up to Volume One of the series.

With a straight-forward writing style and relevant scripture, this re-telling is an engaging opportunity to immerse oneself in biblical study and find a newly enlightened relationship with Jesus.

View a synopsis of An Epic Journey through the Holy Bible with Jesus: Volume 2: Patriarchs, Prophets, Kings and Jesuss Genealogy on YouTube.

Consumers can purchase An Epic Journey through the Holy Bible with Jesus: Volume 2: Patriarchs, Prophets, Kings and Jesuss Genealogy at traditional brick & mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or inquiries about An Epic Journey through the Holy Bible with Jesus: Volume 2: Patriarchs, Prophets, Kings and Jesuss Genealogy, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919.
Labster democratizes science by giving any student with a laptop access to a million dollar lab regardless of their background or geographic location."

EdTech Breakthrough, a leading market intelligence organization that recognizes the top companies and solutions in the global educational technology market, today announced that Labster, the award-winning producer of virtual laboratory simulations, has been selected as winner of the Overall STEM Education Solution Provider of the Year award in the third annual EdTech Breakthrough Awards program.

Labsters gamified virtual labs provide hands-on engaging experiences that foster engaged learning and facilitate critical thinking, problem solving, analysis and synthesis - all without the risks inherent in a physical lab. These virtual lab experiences are driven by storylines that help students apply their skills in a real-world context.

Labster has helped millions of students and thousands of high schools, colleges, and universities rapidly transition to online learning. By scaling their backend servers, Labster has been able to support more students and safeguard everyones data.

Additionally, Labster saves instructors valuable time by automatically grading embedded quiz questions and giving students the background knowledge and practice they need to avoid common, time-consuming mistakes that extend the duration of lab periods. Students are not just sitting in front of the computer watching a video of someone lecturing to them; they're engaged and playing which results in motivation.

When the pandemic closed schools in 2020, Labster responded by offering all high schools free or heavily discounted access to our virtual lab simulations. This enabled schools to continue to offer a high-quality science education to students who would otherwise have had no access to a laboratory, said Michael Bodekaer Jensen, Founder & CEO of Labster. As a result of this offer, we provided virtual labs to 20 times more students in 2020 than in the year before. Labster is guided by our mission to empower the next generation of scientists to change the world, and in that same vein, we are thankful to EdTech Breakthrough for this incredible award.

The mission of the EdTech Breakthrough Awards is to honor excellence and recognize the innovation, hard work and success in a range of educational technology categories, including Student Engagement, School Administration, Adaptive Learning, STEM Education, e-Learning, Career Preparation and many more. This years program attracted more than 2,000 nominations from over 17 different countries throughout the world.

Educational opportunities in STEM are unequally distributed. Some students attend high schools, colleges, and universities with advanced laboratories and enough instructors, time, and space to give them hands-on experience in a wet lab. Others are not so lucky, said James Johnson, managing director, EdTech Breakthrough. Labster democratizes science by giving any student with a laptop access to a million dollar lab regardless of their background or geographic location. Congratulations to the whole Labster team on winning our Overall STEM Education Solution Provider of the Year award.

During the global COVID-19 pandemic, Labster dramatically expanded its customer support team, extended their hours and provided a series of weekly implementation webinars. Additionally, Labsters pricing is competitive and typically lower than the cost of providing physical lab kit supplies for each student.

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About EdTech Breakthrough

Part of Tech Breakthrough, a leading market intelligence and recognition platform for global technology innovation and leadership, the EdTech Breakthrough Awards program is devoted to honoring excellence in educational technology products, companies and people. The EdTech Breakthrough Awards provide a platform for public recognition around the achievements of breakthrough educational technology in categories including e-learning, student engagement, school administration, career preparation, language learning, STEM and more. For more information, visit EdTechBreakthrough.com.

About Labster

Labster is dedicated to developing fully interactive virtual laboratory simulations that are designed to stimulate students' natural curiosity and highlight the connection between science and the real world. The simulations can be used in a variety of different ways, from a full lab replacement to a supplemental learning activity. Labster works in collaboration with over 2,000 colleges, universities and high schools around the world, including MIT, Yale, ETH Zurich, the University of Cambridge, and Imperial College. To join the team or learn more, visit careers.labster.com or labster.com.
Discovering Your True Self: a spiritual reflection of the authors life and how her relationship with the Savior freed her from sadness, loneliness, and emptiness. Discovering Your True Self is the creation of published author Marcia Israel, a born-again Christian, a graduate of Early Childhood Education, a stay-at-home mother of three, and a devoted wife to a pastor.

Israel shares, Discovering your true self is an encouragement to other Christian women to find their purpose in life through Jesus Christ.

The lord has led me to write this book to inspire and motivate other Christian women to identify themselves in Christ, to help them understand Gods plan for their lives.

To give them hope for the future.



When we fall, we will stand up and fight with strength and dignity.

We are a fighter and will survive.

We are strong confident women in Christ.

She is clothed with strength and dignity, she can laugh at the days to come. (Proverbs 31:25)

Published by Christian Faith Publishing, Marcia Israels new book is an honest and profound resource on spiritual introspection. Here, she aspires that her readers will take this heartfelt story of hers as an inspiration that will urge them to create a deeper bond with Jesus Christ.

View a synopsis of Discovering Your True Self on YouTube.

Consumers can purchase Discovering Your True Self at traditional brick & mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or inquiries about Discovering Your True Self, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919.
MedScout, a revenue intelligence platform focused on enabling the sales teams at medical device, pharmaceutical, and home health companies, announces that it has closed an $800k pre-seed round led by LiveOak Venture Partners. Chuck Gordon and Mario Feghali (co-founders of Storable) and Austin-based growth leader/angel investor Luke Fernandez also participated in the round. The company will use the funds to expand product development and build early go-to-market momentum.

Co-founded by Skylar Talley and Casey Shattuck, MedScout offers an innovative approach to empowering sales teams at companies that sell into physician offices and medical centers. Using MedScouts initial product, these sales professionals now have a single platform to find prospects, organize pipeline activities, and then track and measure execution across reps and teams. Today, customers can use MedScout to locate and qualify physicians and medical centers using procedural volume, an analysis of their referral patterns, data on payments subject to the reporting requirements of the Sunshine Act, and other information. Users can then organize these sales targets into Prospect Lists for prioritization and follow-up. With this round of funding, MedScout will roll out new features, enabling reps to plan their day and run their sales cycle directly from the MedScout mobile app. Sales management will also have capabilities that simplify forecasting, territory management, and compensation calculations, amongst other features. An intuitive user experience, accessible entry price point, and a product suite tailor-built to make sales reps lives easier are features that provide MedScout a competitive advantage in the market.

Given the early success of MedScouts prototype, it became evident that there exists a significant opportunity to help life sciences companies of all sizes execute more efficiently and grow faster. CEO Skylar Talley said, Life sciences teams have a different go-to-market motion than software companies, where today, reps are behind the keyboard for most of the sale. Medical reps are in the field, trying to find qualified physician prospects using Google, but in between sales meetings, attending cases, and organizing trainings. They need tools explicitly built to solve their unique problems. Were so excited to work with our early customers to take our v1 and create something special that helps get innovative medical technology into physicians hands faster. As a SaaS company, we believe bringing in LiveOak as an investor will best position us to establish the early team and build momentum in this first market. I had a pre-existing, great relationship with LiveOak, and the entire team there believes in our vision."

Weve known Skylar since his days at Sparefoot, and were excited to support him and the MedScout team as they empower sales teams with a product that improves the sales process and drives customer growth. The early feedback from market has been tremendous, which is a testament to the quality of the product theyve built and the value it delivers, said Mike Marcantonio, Principal at LiveOak Venture Partners.

As Shattuck explains, "A governing philosophy of the Marine Corps is that intelligence drives operations. I built the prototype for MedScout after seeing an opportunity to use my background in reconnaissance and cybersecurity operations to create better patient outcomes by empowering innovative life sciences companies with the data, analytics, and tools they need to effectively scale. We firmly believe our platform can create a step-change in a companys ability to place bleeding-edge technology at more health care providers."

About MedScout

MedScout launched in early 2021 and is hyper-focused on helping small to medium-sized life sciences companies. Using our platform, sales and marketing personnel can easily access the latest medical procedural data, better understand territories, uncover deep insights about a physician's practice or facility's operations, and build + manage Prospect Lists. Were headquartered in Austin, Texas, but open to working with great people around the world.

About LiveOak Venture Partners

LiveOak Venture Partners is a venture capital fund based in Austin, Texas. With 20 years of successful venture investing in Texas, the founders of LiveOak have helped create nearly $2 billion of enterprise value. While almost all of LiveOak's investments begin at the Seed and Series A stages, LiveOak is a full life cycle investor focused on helping create category leading technology and technology-enabled service companies headquartered in Texas. LiveOak Venture Partners has been the lead investor in over 30 exciting high-growth Texas-based companies in the last seven years including ones such as CS Disco, Digital Pharmacist, OJO Labs, Opcity and TrustRadius.

Media Contact

Name: Skylar Talley

Email: skylar@medscout.io

Phone: 903-521-3237
Monogoto

\Monogoto, the secure, global cloud-based cellular network, closed $11M in funding led by Team8, with participation from Telefonica Tech Ventures and Singtel Innov8, as well as Alter Venture Partners, Triventures and Planven Entrepreneur Ventures.

Monogoto provides global, internet of things (IoT) and machine-to-machine (M2M) connectivity using powerful APIs that enable enterprises and developers to design, build, manage, control and scale their IoT applications quickly and securely. Enterprises use the Monogoto platform to connect and control cellular-based sensors and devices, such as point of sales, ATMs, wearables, smart lights, fleets of cars and packages, and leverage its APIs to provide enhanced flexibility and capabilities like cybersecurity, procurement and IT management.

The funding will be used to expand Monogotos presence in the U.S. with a San Francisco-based office, grow its product sales and bolster brand awareness and market penetration. It will also be used to enrich B2D assets with more APIs, documentation and developer tools; extend its global points of presence (POP); and expedite and strengthen the networks 5G infrastructure.

The company has already seen tremendous success with more than 100 customers worldwide in various scaling stages, accessing the platform to drive IoT growth and innovation, including Sodaq, Connected You, Origin GPS and Tvilight. Monogotos complete cellular connectivity solution serves a broad range of IoT use cases, including industry 4.0, smart cities, wearables, agriculture, energy, automotive, telematics, transportation and healthcare.

The cloud revolution and communications (voice calls/ SMS) revolution demonstrated that infrastructure accessible via APIs can be extensively leveraged to innovate products, optimize solutions and offer new business models. A similar revolution is happening in connectivity, said Itamar Kunik, Monogoto co-founder and CEO.

To realize the full benefits of this revolution and drive new product and business model innovation, enterprises need much more than high-quality connectivity - they need to be able to control every aspect of that connectivity in order to enable new use cases, such as battery-optimized sensors, changing quality-of-services on demand, bridging the gap between public and private cellular networks, embedding cybersecurity from the infrastructure, and much more. Capabilities that our customers are already implementing using our APIs, Kunik added.

Enterprises and developers are hungry for a cloud-native experience that leverages the power of cellular connectivity, using APIs that are centrally managed, self-served and completely secure, says Liran Grinberg, Team8 co-founder and managing partner. With full inspection of network traffic and secure computing capability at the edge, all accessible via APIs, Monogoto is able to provide advanced visibility and security controls out-of-the-box, while integrating with the enterprises security controls. Team8 is proud to be backing one of the strongest and most secure connectivity platforms in the world, in 5G specifically and cellular generally.

In addition to enabling global, secure, high-quality and flexible IoT connectivity today, Monogoto is also preparing for the projected 5G network revolution. As the first-ever, cloud-native single cloud for public and private cellular networks, Monogoto is uniquely positioned to help enterprises and developers create, monitor, manage and maintain connected systems for transformative 5G and CBRS applications, while enabling modern architectures such as Zero Trust and SASE for cellular IoT and connectivity.

We are proud to welcome Monogoto to the Telefonica Tech Ventures family as they are one of the most promising Israeli and global startups within the IoT ecosystem and the first in the IoT field to join our portfolio of invested companies, says Guenia Gawendo, director of Telefonica Tech Ventures.

About Monogoto

Monogoto is a cloud-based cellular network. Its API-driven Infrastructure-as-a-Service was designed from the ground up with simplicity in mind to enable cellular connectivity with existing enterprise IT infrastructure. With hundreds of ready-to-use APIs, Monogoto offers cellular connectivity with edge to the cloud security for IoT, Private LTE, and 5G use cases. Its services include full audit for all network events with anomaly detection and alerts automation. Monogotos enterprise-friendly solution enables customers to consume advanced cellular VAS with zero CAPEX and an as-a-Service business model.

The Monogoto network is distributed globally with public connectivity in 180 countries. Helping companies to comply with regulation, the Monogoto solution supports on-premise local breakout topology for private LTE/5G networks.

About Team8 Capital

Team8 Capital is the investment arm of Team8 Group, focused on early-stage companies seeking seed and Series A and B funding rounds. We have a track record in backing future leaders and pioneering new-generation solutions to meet critical industry challenges. Team8 Capital offers a unique combination of deep domain expertise and decades of company-building and investing experience and is ready to provide our portfolio companies with a springboard to success.

About Team8

Team8 is a venture group that builds and backs technology companies at the intersection of artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, data, fintech, enterprise software, and infrastructure. We rethink venture to provide entrepreneurs with an unfair advantage, accelerating success in an increasingly competitive landscape. Our deep understanding of the challenges faced by our industry and extensive network of global leaders uniquely positions us as the venture partner of choice. Team8s leadership team includes unicorn founders, bank and fintech CEOs, and former leaders of Unit 8200, Israels elite military technology and intelligence agency. For further information, please visit http://www.team8.vc

About Alter Venture Partners

Alter Venture Partners is an early-stage venture capital fund that partners with dynamic entrepreneurs who are passionate about solving challenging problems with innovative technology. Alter was founded by experienced operating executives and investment professionals from Telefonica, Comcast Ventures, Singtel Innov8, and Credit Suisse. In addition to capital, Alter provides strategic insights, industry knowledge, operating experience, and an extensive global network of contacts to its portfolio companies. The funds focus areas include networking, mobility, cloud, data, ML/AI, and cyber security. Alter has offices in San Francisco and Lisbon. Additional information on the fund can be found at http://www.altervp.com.

About Triventures

Triventures (http://www.triventures.vc) is an early-stage venture capital fund that focuses on data-driven healthcare solutions and opportunities that land on the intersection of health and other verticals. With offices in Israel and the Silicon Valley, the fund has a global network of top-tier strategic partners. Among them is Sheba Medical Center, one of the worlds top 10 hospitals with which the fund has a unique venture capital collaboration, Triventures ARC, enabling its portfolio to leverage Shebas 25 years of patient data as well as vast clinical and research assets. Triventures strategic investors include some of the worlds leading health systems and companies, finance groups, consumer electronics enterprises, insurance companies, and telecommunication groups, including Medtronic, Philips, Boston Scientific, Abiomed, Intermountain Healthcare, Cardinal Health, Johnson and Johnson, Samsung and Nikon.

About Planven Entrepreneur Ventures

Planven Entrepreneur Ventures is a venture capital fund with an innovative focus on combining established industries in Europe with cutting edge growth stage technology companies. We invest in companies that market B2B software products & services in the field of Artificial Intelligence, Big Data, Cybersecurity and Health Tech. Were investing out of our second fund in revenue generating companies in Europe, Israel and the US.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) welcomed the relaxation of Covid-19 border measures for vaccinated passengers, and the broader use of affordable antigen testing adopted by Spain and France this week.

This is tempered by ongoing disappointment at the failure to implement harmonized measures across Europe and deep frustration at the lack of coordination among governments worldwide for a data-driven risk-managed approach to re-establishing the freedom to travel.

As of June 7, Spain opened its borders to most vaccinated travellers from around the world and allowed EU travellers to enter the country with a negative antigen test. Furthermore, passengers coming from low-risk countries (including the UK) can enter without any restrictions.

From June 9, France opened to vaccinated travellers from all but those countries assessed as high risk. Vaccinated travellers from medium-risk countries will need to provide proof of a negative Covid-19 antigen or PCR test, and unvaccinated people must still self-isolate for seven days.

Its encouraging to see more European countries taking steps to reopen borders. They recognise the opportunity created by vaccination and are making travel more affordable with the use of antigen testing. But this approach is not universal across the continent. Many European states have yet to significantly relax borders at all. This fragmentation should be replaced with a unified approach that is consistent with the recommendations of the EU to which they belong. People, businesses and economies would all benefit from greater alignment across Europe in relaxing measures and restoring the freedom to travel, said Willie Walsh, IATAs Director General.

A consistent approach across Europe is required if the EU Digital Covid Certificate is to be implemented effectively by 1 July. And around the world, governments need to allow digital certificates to be integrated in passenger applications such as IATA Travel Pass, in order to relieve pressure on airports and at borders from more complex passenger processing as the number of travelers ramps up.

IATA Urges a More Global Approach

These moves by Spain, France and other European states are a step in the right direction, but restoring global connectivity requires far more than regional or individual state initiatives. The G20 endorsed a data-driven approach to managing the risks of Covid-19 while re-opening borders. The upcoming G7 Leaders Summit on June 11-13 provides an important opportunity for these governments to use their leadership to kick-start a data-driven coordinated approach to re-establishing global air connectivity.

Connectivity needs countries at both ends of the journey to be open. Many of the worlds largest air travel markets, such Australia, China, the UK, Japan, and Canada remain essentially closed with no clear plans to guide a reopening. Data should help these and other countries to introduce targeted policies that keep populations safe while moving towards a normality in world with Covid-19 for some time to come. The G7 has an opportunity later this month to set a risk-managed framework for re-establishing the freedom to travel in a way that is both affordable and practical. Its critical that they take up the challenge, said Walsh. - TradeArabia News Service
The major global changes between 2019 to 2020 has taught the world that their crisis management plans did not factor in a world pandemic. So what do we do now?

nDemand Consulting Services Inc., a management consulting firm focused on eliminating adversary propaganda & disinformation via large-scale crisis management & prevention training, accepted a 5-year federal contract award to continue the agency's mission requirement aligned with their charter to effectuate the International Broadcasting Act of 1994.

nDemand was vetted and selected by a federal review committee based on the depth and diversity of experience. Criteria for acceptance include a track record of successfully impacting federal agency metrics, as well as specific past performance.

"We are thrilled to continue our work with this agency," said Oscar Frazier, Co-Owner and Chief Technologist of nDemand. "Our team works directly with agencies and firms with a global emphasis specific to countering violent extremism (CVE), counter-terrorism, and superimposing best practices around media communications, journalism, and remediating potential chaotic scenarios. We have conducted large-scale crisis management and prevention training across the continent of Africa, including Luanda (Angola), Huambo (Angola), Djibouti City (Djibouti), Nairobi (Kenya), Mogadishu (Somalia), Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), and Goma North Kivu (The Democratic Republic of the Congo)."

Finally, nDemand will work closely with this agency to share training resources and best practices that will help them meet their goals of training media and organizing affiliate conferences to help support freedom of expression and independent media worldwide. These events build media capacity among local organizations and support affiliate networks who deliver to a majority of their audience.

ABOUT nDEMAND CONSULTING SERVICES INC.

The nDemand team are providers of safe & comprehensive global crisis management training and logistics management. We minimize chaos by implementing research backed methods to prevent and de-escalate crises across global communication channels in both non-hostile and hostile locations. We train effectively by helping organizations establish and maintain trust by sharing industry best practices and useful resources applicable across various crises. We scale globally because crises can arise anywhere, for a myriad of reasons. We provide scaled and customized training built to address and mitigate different types of crises.

To learn more about nDemand Consulting Services, visit https://globalsolutions.ndemandconsulting.com/

To learn more about Oscar, visit https://profiles.forbes.com/members/business/profile/Oscar-Frazier-Chief-Technologist-Co-Owner-nDemand-Consulting-Services/d7e8e0a5-2e8d-4ac3-b9de-90813f67d759

For press and media inquiries, please contact info@ndemandconsulting.com

Connect with nDemand on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oscar-frazier-mba-pmp-lssbb-cert-safe%C2%AE-5-agilist-7554861b/
ODU AMC Easy-Clean with Screw-Lock

ODU, a worldwide leader in designing and manufacturing high-performance connector solutions and cable assemblies, is showcasing to the market the new ODU AMC Easy-Clean with Screw-Locking.

The ODU AMC Easy-Clean is a circular high-density connector with fast, one-handed mating and unmating. These connector contacts can be easily and quickly cleaned in the field even under harsh conditions. A connector design based on real-world situations and the use of the spring-probe contact system ensures it. In the unmated state, the connector contacts lie flat and can therefore be very easily cleaned.

Beside the standard Break-Away version of this connector, the expansion of the portfolio will now include Screw-Locking, which offers additional security whenever high vibrations occur. The new locking capability protects the data and signal transmissions from being interrupted in harsh environments.

The new ODU AMC Easy-Clean with Screw-Locking is MIL-STD-810G compliant and has submersible, watertight protection classes of IP68/IP69/IP6K8/IP6K9K. With high shock and vibration resistance, 360 EMI shielding, and high corrosion and salt spray resistance, we can now offer our customers a complete system solution.

The new ODU AMC Easy-Clean with Screw Locking is ideal for various applications including, but not limited to, power management devices, headsets, and tactical radios.

For more info go to: https://www.odu-usa.com/connector-solutions/push-pull-circular-connectors/odu-amc/odu-amc-easy-clean/

ODU Group: Global Representation with Perfect Connections

The ODU Group is one of the worlds leading suppliers of connector systems, employing 2,300 people around the world. In addition to its company headquarters in Muhldorf am Inn (Germany), ODU also has an international distribution network and production sites in Sibiu/Romania, Shanghai/China and Tijuana/Mexico. ODU combines all relevant areas of expertise and key technologies including design and development, machine tooling and special machine construction, injection, stamping, turning, surface technology, assembly and cable assembly. The ODU Group sells its products globally through its sales offices in China, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Korea, Romania, Sweden and the US, as well as through numerous international sales partners. ODU connectors ensure a reliable transmission of power, signals, data and media for a variety of demanding applications including medical technology, military, communications and security, automotive, industrial electronics, and testing & measurement.
Peanut Butter & Co. Launches One Million Spoonfuls Program "We hope One Million Spoonfuls inspires other brands and companies to take action and provide assistance wherever theyre able." -Lee Zalben

Peanut Butter & Co., the family-owned peanut butter brand available at more than 15,000 stores nationwide, announces a new effort to support food-insecure LGBTQ communities across the country by donating One Million Spoonfuls of peanut butter to food banks. As an NGLCC certified LGBTQ-owned company, Peanut Butter & Co. will distribute the 36 thousand pounds of peanut butter to food banks in more than 12 cities nationwide to support food-insecure communities across the country.

Peanut Butter & Co. Founder & CEO Lee Zalben was inspired to create the One Million Spoonfuls campaign after reading a 2020 study by UCLAs Williams Institute, which found that food insecurity among LGBTQ people is twice as high as the national average. A conversation with Bianca Wilson, the author of the Williams Institute study, helped guide the strategy and ensure Peanut Butter & Cos resources are being used effectively.

LGBTQ people seeking access to food are largely using the existing network of public food banks, so we are donating to a combination of larger food banks serving the general public as well as smaller pantries that focus on the LGBTQ communities, said Zalben. The peanut butter were donating is for all people, regardless of how they identify, and were prioritizing larger food banks that have a proven track record of working with the LGBTQ community. We hope One Million Spoonfuls inspires other brands and companies to take action and provide assistance wherever theyre able.

Starting in New York City, where the company is based, Peanut Butter & Co. will donate peanut butter to the Food Bank For New York City and Sylvia Rivera Food Pantry. To further support these food banks, Peanut Butter & Co. will partner with Orwashers Bakery, allowing customers to support food banks by purchasing a delicious, limited-run Peanut Butter Dream Bar. Orwashers makes the unique treat with Peanut Butter & Co.s product and will donate one dollar from each bar sold to the Food Bank For New York City.

Peanut Butter & Co. will continue its journey across the United States, sending peanut butter to several food banks over the next year. To follow along on the trip, and see the delicious, local creations, follow Peanut Butter & Co. on Instagram.

About Peanut Butter & Co.

Peanut Butter & Co. is made by peanut butter lovers, for peanut butter lovers. Founded in 1998, Peanut Butter & Co. began as a sandwich shop in New York City and has since expanded to add delicious and unique varieties of peanut butter, peanut powder, and other nut butters to its lineup, available at more than 15,000 retailers nationwide. The company sources peanuts exclusively from U.S. farmers and also grows peanuts at the Peanut Butter & Co. Farm in Northeast Arkansas. Led by founder Lee Zalben, Peanut Butter & Co. is committed to social responsibility, and in 2021 became the first national peanut butter brand to earn plastic neutral certification.

For more information about Peanut Butter & Co., please visit ilovepeanutbutter.com, or follow on Facebook @PeanutButterCo, Twitter @PeanutButterCo, and Instagram @PeanutButterCo.
We are developing the phoenixNAP data center campus in Phoenix to help modern enterprises keep pace with the ever-evolving digital landscape by providing them with future-proof infrastructure and networking solutions, said Ian McClarty, President of phoenixNAP.

phoenixNAP, a global IT services provider offering security-focused cloud infrastructure, dedicated servers, colocation, and specialized Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) technology solutions, today announced plans to expand its North American footprint with a data center campus in Phoenix, Arizona. The company acquired land adjacent to its flagship data center in Phoenix, Arizona, where the future high-density facility will be built to serve their growing portfolio of enterprise partners and customers, including hosting, data center and realty anchors.

Once completed, the new facility will provide capacity totaling half a million square feet and will be part of phoenixNAPs state-of-the-art data center campus. This strategic expansion is a response to a surge in demand for enterprise-grade data center services in Arizona, further strengthening phoenixNAPs position as the interconnectivity hub of the US Southwest region.

As one of the fastest-growing U.S. commerce hubs for global business, the Phoenix metro area continues to be in-demand for numerous enterprise and mid-market operations as well as an impressive and expanding list of investment-backed startups. Low energy and IT infrastructure costs along with the availability of highly skilled labor continues to make Phoenix an ideal location for aerospace, defense, technology, financial services, healthcare, and Bioscience industries.

Located at the intersection of the two largest independent fiber rings, phoenixNAP delivers unmatched network redundancy with global connectivity of up to 2.35 Tbps and multiple 100 Gbps transit connections to its 16 other data center locations worldwide. As part of the data center campus in Phoenix, the new high-density facility will be an extension of the companys current capacity to offer a strategic network point of presence for enterprises that need to scale out rapidly. The facility will also serve as a cloud on-ramp, providing high-speed dedicated network access to hyperscale cloud services via AWS Direct Connect and Google Cloud Interconnect.

We are developing the phoenixNAP data center campus in Phoenix to help modern enterprises keep pace with the ever-evolving digital landscape by providing them with future-proof infrastructure and networking solutions, said Ian McClarty, President of phoenixNAP.

Poised to become the Silicon Desert, Phoenix offers businesses from all verticals tremendous opportunities for sustainable growth. With the addition of a new facility, our world-class data center campus will provide a robust infrastructure environment to facilitate growth and offer superior connectivity through our backbone of 17 data centers across the globe.

phoenixNAPs flagship data center in Phoenix houses more than 40 network carriers in two Meet-Me-Rooms. It is the citys best connected carrier hotel, providing access to major domestic and global transit services, including AWS Direct Connect and Google Cloud Interconnect. These connectivity options enable companies such as web hosting, storage, or telecommunications providers to establish secure and reliable, dedicated connections to seamlessly deliver services in their target markets.

Remaining committed to being a carrier-neutral data center operator, phoenixNAPs new facility will also provide redundant low-latency access to numerous Tier 1 telecom and transport providers. This diverse blend of network options gives businesses access to lower connectivity pricing, reduces downtime due to carrier outages, and facilitates on-demand scaling. The no monthly cross-connect model phoenixNAP is known for provides added value to businesses looking for uninterrupted global connectivity at an affordable price.

To learn more about phoenixNAPs data centers and connectivity options, schedule a virtual tour or visit the Phoenix colocation page.

Key facts about the current data center:



Owned and operated by phoenixNAP

Security-first design with 200,000 square feet of floor space

SOC type 2 audited, PCI-compliant and HIPAA-ready facility

Built in an area free from natural disasters

100% network uptime  DDoS-protected network

Carrier-neutral with two Meet-Me-Rooms housing over 40 carriers

Arizona's only AWS Direct Connect and Google Cloud Interconnect location

Full Infrastructure-as-a-Service product portfolio

High-performance hardware and powerful networking technologies

About phoenixNAP

phoenixNAP is a global IT services provider with a focus on cyber security and compliance-readiness, whose progressive Infrastructure-as-a-Service solutions are delivered from strategic edge locations worldwide. Its cloud, dedicated servers, hardware leasing, and colocation options are built to meet always evolving IT business requirements. Providing comprehensive disaster recovery solutions, a DDoS-protected global network, and hybrid IT deployments with software and hardware-based security, phoenixNAP fully supports its clients business continuity planning. Offering scalable and resilient opex solutions with expert staff to assist, phoenixNAP supports growth and innovation in businesses of any size enabling their digital transformation.

phoenixNAP is a Premier Service Provider in the VMware Cloud Provider Program and a Platinum Veeam Cloud & Service Provider partner. phoenixNAP is also a PCI DSS Validated Service Provider and its flagship facility is SOC Type 1 and SOC Type 2 audited.
Our goal with this upgraded website is to offer our visitors a simple and hassle-free way to learn about custom and standard Piezo Direct products and solutions and to enable them to easily understand the piezo information.

Piezo Direct, a custom piezo manufacturer in California, has updated their website to provide more information to visitors and make it easier to navigate. The Piezo Direct team has been streamlining the categorization of their piezo products to improve the presentation of the complexities of piezoelectric products such as transducers, sensors, and actuators. The updated design, categorization, and additional information are now available on the website to help users looking for custom or standard piezo elements to find more details, benefits, and application use for each product.

Combining enhanced user-friendliness with the accessibility of information, the new and upgraded website contains clarified and refreshed contentnotably about Piezo Directs growing range of offerings.

According to a spokesperson from the company, Our goal with this upgraded website is to offer our visitors a simple and hassle-free way to learn about custom and standard Piezo Direct products and solutions and to enable them to easily understand the piezo information. The new website is highly interactive and delivers improved access to Custom Products, Standard Products, and relevant applications he also added.

The Piezo Direct team has decided to upgrade the website to be as accessible and user-friendly as possible for all of their previous, present, and future visitors and users. Moreover, they have created new images and refreshed the concept of the home page and product pages. The website also features a clean design and a simple to use streamlined navigation system.

The company is one of the leading piezo ceramic manufacturers in America. They have recently designed piezoelectric components that range from simple discs and atomizers to very complicated, custom-made bimorph actuators. Piezo Direct is able to provide engineering support in designing a custom shape or finding the best standard product to meet the necessary requirements.

Piezo Direct has also simplified the whole NDA quoting process, allowing their clients to easily determine how much the company can lessen their clients costs and enhance their overall profitability. Businesses planning to start a project needing high quality engineering, dependable communications, and the best pricing can trust Piezo Direct to deliver.

They take pride in their qualified and experienced team who can become a design and supply partner that their clients can trust to get the job done. Their specialties include highly bespoke piezoelectric components, including piezo actuators, sensors, transducers, and atomizers, available in many standard and custom shapes and sizes.

From now on, the company will continue to communicate regularly through their blog posts (https://piezodirect.com/blog) and offer their audience insights and news regarding their market and product offerings.

About Piezo Direct

Piezo Direct is a global piezo ceramic manufacture and has a rich history established on lowering all aspects of a companys overhead. The organization was built to focus on over-delivering, creating a base of trusted partners, and offering the highest quality of products, support, and services at the best reasonable prices.

For more details about Piezo Direct, contact Piezo Direct Spokesperson at 650-375-7003 or send him an email at info@ piezodirect.com. Visit their website at https://piezodirect.com to check out the products and services they offer.

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Dr. Tomasz Biernacki DPM Discusses custom orthotics biomechanical analysis in Berkley Michigan Dr. Tom Biernacki states If there are financial issues covering the prosthetics or custom orthotics, we do have 1,000s of prefabricated modified orthotics available at the first visit!

Prime Foot & Ankle Specialists including Dr. Tomasz Biernacki DPM are now offering a custom orthotics biomechanical analysis program at the Berkley Michigan Podiatrist Office. There are many different causes of foot pain caused by many different biomechanical injuries. Podiatrists and Foot Doctors are unique in that they are trained to perform a detailed running analysis and walking analysis.

Dr. Tom Biernacki states, Through the use of advanced diagnostic modalities like X-ray, Ultrasound and MRI we can quickly see what is injured. This type of diagnosis combined with a biomechanical running analysis or walking analysis allows us to construct extremely specific custom orthotics and prosthetics for patients. If there are financial issues covering the prosthetics or custom orthotics, we do have 1,000s of prefabricated modified orthotics available at the first visit!

The benefits of modern diagnostic techniques, a biomechanical exam and an advanced foot pain treatment options program can help athletes and people who stand on their feet potentially walk and stand with less pain and for longer periods of time. Prime Foot & Ankle Specialists offers advanced treatment options such as minimally invasive foot surgery, shockwave therapy and advanced injection options as well as biomechanical analysis in the office.

Dr. Tom Biernacki states, We believe advanced foot pain diagnosis and advanced foot pain treatment options can significantly improve a patients mobility and decrease pain while standing. We know that once people stop walking, then this is one of the single biggest risk factors for a shorter and less healthy life span. We believe that getting people moving again is one of the single most important things we can do as podiatrists and foot doctors!

Prime Foot & Ankle Specialists of Michigan strive to provide modern podiatrist and foot doctor care to their patients through offering biomechanical gait analysis, minimally invasive surgery office visits, telehealth, and home care options. Prime Foot & Ankle Specialists include Dr. Tomasz Biernacki DPM, Dr. Jeffrey Klein DPM, Dr. Robert Strasberger DPM, Dr. Andrew Thompson DPM, Dr. Herbert Bircoll DPM, Dr. Gerald Gold DPM & Dr. Leslie Joseph DPM. The team offers over 100+ years of foot and ankle care experience!

A unique feature of Prime Foot & Ankle Specialists of Michigan is that they are one of the leaders in southeast Michigan in both podiatrist telemedicine and home care visits. The foot doctors and podiatrists at this clinic have been providing podiatrist home care visits, podiatrist house call visits and telehealth options for numerous years.

Prime Foot & Ankle Specialists have been providing care to the Metro Detroit Area for over 30 years. The headquarters are in Berkley Michigan.
The Pritzker Military Museum & Library is proud to present a panel discussion, "Exploring the Intersection of the U.S. Military and the LGBTQ Community," on Wednesday, June 23rd at Noon CDT in celebration of Pride Month. The virtual event will feature military service people in the LGBTQ community who will share their experiences, and explain how policy changes have affected their service. Moderated by Mara Keisling, Founder and Executive Director of the National Center for Transgender Equality, the panel will feature U.S. Army Capt. El Cook; Nic Talbott, a plaintiff in four original legal cases challenging the transgender ban in court; and Melissa Margain, CDVS-II Army Combat Veteran.

"We are very pleased to bring together this panel of individuals, each with their own unique story, to speak at the Pritzker Military Museum & Library," stated Susan Rifkin, Chief Operating Officer of Philanthropic Activities. "The Museum & Library stands for sharing and preserving the stories of all who have served in the Armed Forces, and we are proud to share their perspectives."

The U.S. Military has had a complex history with the LGBTQ community. Since the 1940s, same-sex relationships were classified as a mental illness, meaning gay men and lesbians were disqualified for service. In 1982, a military policy officially banned gay men and lesbians from their ranks; previously, same-sex relations were criminal and a cause for discharge.

In 1993 the "don't ask, don't tell" policy was enacted, which allowed only closeted LGBTQ people to serve in the military. It wasn't until 18 years later that Congress repealed this policy, finally allowing LGB people to serve openly in the military. In 2013, spousal and family benefits were extended to same-sex married partners, and in 2021, after a temporary ban, transgender individuals were again allowed to enlist and serve.

According to several recent studies and noted by the Human Rights Campaign, the U.S. Military is one of the largest employers of transgender people. These inclusive policies help create a strong and ready military, hiring the best people for the job based on readiness, fitness and qualifications, rather than age, gender, or sexual orientation as a qualifying basis.

Who: The Pritzker Military Museum & Library

What: "Exploring the Intersection of the U.S. Military and the LGBTQ Community,"

When: Wednesday, June 23, 2021 at 12:00pm CDT

Where: Virtual Presentation via Zoom

Cost: FREE

Panelists: Mara Keisling - the Founder and Executive Director of the National Center for Transgender Equality. Since 2003, Mara has led organizational and coalition efforts that have won significant advances in transgender equality.

U.S. Army Capt. El Cook - completed one combat tour in Kuwait in 2015 and two additional tours in Iraq. His combat tour in 2015 occurred before his gender confirmation surgery. His story is featured in "TransMilitary," a documentary that premiered at South by Southwest (SXSW) 2018 and won the Best Feature Documentary Audience Award.

Nic Talbott - an advocate for the rights of transgender people to serve in the military. Nic's story and advocacy for LGBTQ rights have been featured across the media, including USA Today, NBC, and Men's Health.

Melissa Margain, CDVS-II Army Combat Veteran - entered the Army in 2005 as a dental specialist. She later deployed to Iraq as part of the 502nd Dental Company, 1st Medical Brigade, during Operation Iraqi Freedom and served two tours in Iraq. Today, she is the Seattle Program Director of the Minority Veterans of America branch in Seattle.

Info: For more information and registration, visit the website http://bit.ly/PMMLPrideMonthPanel

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About the Pritzker Military Museum & Library

The Pritzker Military Museum & Library aims to increase the public's understanding of military history, military affairs, and national security by providing a forum for the study and exploration of our military - past, present, and future - with a specific focus on their stories, sacrifices, and values. With national and global reach, these spaces and events aim to share the stories of those who served and their contributions as citizen soldiers, helping citizens everywhere appreciate the relationship between the armed forces and the civilians whose freedoms they protect. A non-governmental, non-partisan organization, the Museum & Library features diverse collections, scholarly initiatives, and public programs from its flagship center in downtown Chicago to its world-class research center and park currently under construction in Somers, Wisconsin.
Elisha Abney After reviewing Elisha's application, it became clear she embodied a powerful entrepreneurial spirit and was deserving of our 2021 scholarship award.

Reputation Resolutions, a Denver-based reputation management firm, has named Elisha Abney as the recipient of the company's 2021 scholarship for entrepreneurs. The $2,500 award was created to help ease the financial burden of entrepreneurs currently enrolled in an accredited college, university, design, or trade school, as well as help with the initial costs associated with launching a business.

"A quality education creates empowered, confident young professionals who are capable of creating significant changes in the world, and we support that endeavor. After reviewing Elisha's application, it became clear she embodied a powerful entrepreneurial spirit and was deserving of our 2021 scholarship award," said Anthony Will, Reputation Resolutions' co-founder, and CEO.

Selected from a competitive applicant pool, Elisha Abney is pursuing Paralegal Studies at Delaware Law School with plans to continue her formal education in law and become a future district attorney. Outside of her undergraduate pursuits, Elisha is the CEO of ElitebyLish, a cosmetic brand that provides high-quality and handcrafted cosmetic products while emphasizing the importance of Inner Beauty.

"In high school, I was severely bullied about my appearance, and that was the biggest attack on my self-esteem. For a while, I began to believe those bullies when they said I was ugly. When I first started wearing makeup, it was in an effort to cover up my insecurities because of my lack of self-worth. Eventually, I began to love myself and the skin I'm in. However, it wasn't just about now being able to admire myself in the mirror, but about being able to retell this story in hopes of encouraging somebody else." -Excerpt from Elisha Abney's scholarship essay

Elisha also helped launch Black Youth 4 Justice. This program aims to serve as a safe, educational space for young Black people and their allies to ignite a conversation about racial injustice in America. As President of the organization, she oversaw a collaboration with the Young Entrepreneurs Club to empower young people on their entrepreneurial journeys and build lasting legacies for future generations.

For more information on Elisha's endeavors, please visit https://elitebylish.com/ and https://www.herophillyunlimited.org/the-collective.

The Reputation Resolutions Scholarship for entrepreneurs is awarded on an annual basis and encourages potential applicants to foster their entrepreneurial spirit, especially within their local communities.

About Reputation Resolutions

Founded in 2013, Reputation Resolutions is one of the premier online reputation management firms in the United States. The company specializes in helping companies and individuals repair, protect, enhance, and manage their online reputations.

Reputation Resolutions is proud to be rated as one of the top reputation management firms in the U.S. by four independent agencies. Furthermore, Reputation Resolutions is one of the few companies in the online reputation management industry with an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau. Over the last 7+ years, the Reputation Resolutions team has successfully helped thousands of clients with their online reputation needs.
All of us at Retinal Consultants of San Antonio are excited to be joining forces with the internationally recognized surgeons and researchers at RCTX and RCA as it will enhance patient care and research for those, we serve in the Texas community, said Calvin Mein, MD.

Today, Retina Consultants of America (RCA), a comprehensive physician management services organization, welcomes its 11th practice, Retinal Consultants of San Antonio to its esteemed group of retina practices. The addition of Retinal Consultants of San Antonio bolsters RCAs presence in Texas, as they join forces with RCAs existing partner practice Retina Consultants of Texas (RCTX). Over the last year and a half, RCA has grown to include more than 700,000 annual patient visits, 82 locations and 100 physicians across eight states.

All of us at Retinal Consultants of San Antonio are excited to be joining forces with the internationally recognized surgeons and researchers at RCTX and RCA as it will enhance patient care and research for those, we serve in the Texas community, said Calvin Mein, MD, Retinal Consultants of San Antonio.

Currently the following practices are part of the RCA family; Retina Associates, P.A. of Kansas City, VitreoRetinal Surgery, PA, California Retina Consultants, Retina Consultants of Texas (formerly known as Retina Consultants of Houston), Retina Group of Florida, Retina Associates of Sarasota, Long Island Vitreoretinal Consultants, Retinal Consultants Serving Northern California, Palmetto Retina Center and Carolina Retina Center. All these practices provide unparalleled patient care and research and are distinguished leaders within the specialty.

Retinal Consultants of San Antonio has been the premier retina surgical practice in South Central Texas for over two decades. We have shared mutual patients with Retina Consultants of San Antonio for years and have always respected their clinical and surgical skills, said Dr. David Brown, MD, Retina Consultants of Texas. We are thrilled that they are now part of our family of retina specialists which will only strengthen our approach to clinical trials and patient outcomes.

Formed by Webster Equity Partners and headquartered in Southlake, Texas, RCA is partnering with leading retina specialists who seek a strategic partner with the capital resources and expertise to invest in their practice infrastructure and position them for continued growth in their markets. RCA is unique in offering the first horizontal alliance in the eye-care field focused solely on retinal care.

If interested in learning more about a partnership with Retina Consultants of America, contact Robert Grabow, (972) 779-0794.

About Retina Consultants of America

Retina Consultants of America is a network of leading retina specialists with the mission of saving sight and improving patient lives through innovation and the highest quality care. Through RCAs physician-centered practice management model, physicians continue to drive clinical care and practice culture, while benefitting from the business expertise, resources, and shared best practices available through RCA. For additional information on Retina Consultants of America please visit

http://www.retinaconsultantsofamerica.com

About Webster Equity Partners

Webster Equity Partners has invested in RCA along-side its physician partners. Founded in 2003, Webster Equity invests in healthcare services companies with high impact growth strategies that deliver the highest quality care and extraordinary service. Webster is currently investing out of its fourth fund with $875 million of committed capital. For additional information on Webster Equity Partners, please visit http://www.websterequitypartners.com.

About Retina Consultants of Texas

Retina Consultants of Texas is one of the largest and most respected retina-only ophthalmology practices in the United States. RCTX has three certified research centers and is home to the Greater Houston Retina Research Center, one of the countrys leading sites for retinal research. All Retina Consultants of Texas physicians are board certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology and specializes exclusively in disease and surgery of the retina vitreous, and macula. In addition, RCTX has an ocular oncology division, which focuses on cancer treatments for the eye. RCTX surgeons have studied at some of the most renowned institution in the nation and all have graduated at the very top of their classes. For additional information please visit https://www.retinaconsultantstexas.com.

For General Press Inquiries:

Andrea Morgan

amorgan@retinaconsultantsofamerica.com

(917) 213-5506
The Second Killing of Christ: a gripping Christian fiction and creation of published author Rod Morris, a retired executive for the US government that has worked in key roles to improve relations and investment environments in difficult emerging markets in the broader Middle East.

Morris shares, The Second Killing of Christ is a chillingly conceivable tale of a small group of retired US Special Forces so frustrated over the general indifference to the persecution and purging of Christians in Syria and Iraq that they take matters into their own hands.

If POTUS, Congress, the media, and even the pope will do nothing while Christians are brutalized and driven from their homes, they will form their own rogue, unaffiliated military unit to hunt down and deal with ISIS culprits at a level of unbridled brutality meant to send an unmistakable message that Christians will no longer be passive. describes a suspenseful effort to protect the Western world from those who seek to clone Christ and destroy the very foundation of Christianity.

They are unaware that one of the groups they are hunting has discovered and stolen relics containing the blood DNA of Christ that had been hidden in an ancient Syrian monastery for the last 1,500 years. They and their royal Qatari sponsor are resolved to use this genetic material to destroy Christianity by cloning Christ. If Christ can be cloned, he cannot possibly be God. The logic is irrefutable. If God is the Creator of all things, he himself could not be created or duplicated, and conversely, his duplication would be undeniable proof that he was just another man. That would mean that Christianity is fundamentally a hoax and will collapse from its own deceit.

At roughly the same time that POTUS is informed of the plot to clone Christ, he is also made aware of these rogue operators killing ISIS in Syria. He realizes that the potential success of the destruction of Christianity would have a devastating impact on almost every conceivable aspect of international affairsworld, national, and Middle East peaceand the social fabric of Western societies: religious, moral, economic, and educational. Christian charitable and social organizations and primary and secondary schools and universities would disappear. The stock exchange would tank, prices would rise, unemployment would skyrocket, etc. The dominoes would fall for decades. He knows that he must act but realizes that it would be political suicide to do anything appearing to support Christianity. He sees an opportunity to blackmail this rogue Christian group in Syria as his front to foil the ISIS plot and seize the relics.

Iranian intelligence, however, has also discovered the Sunni ISIS plot and its potential for wreaking havoc in the Christian world. The mullahs will do everything in their power to assure that the Shia of Iran and not the Sunni dogs of ISIS are the instrument of Christianitys destruction.

Published by Christian Faith Publishing, Rod Morriss new book is a thrilling adventure to save religious relics from falling into the wrong hands.

View a synopsis of The Second Killing of Christ on YouTube.

Consumers can purchase The Second Killing of Christ at traditional brick & mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or inquiries about The Second Killing of Christ, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919.
Dhaka, Jun 9 (UNI) Bangladesh and Japan agreed to work together to tackle the bilateral challenges after Japanese Ambassador Ito Naoki called on the State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam MP at his office on Wednesday.

They comprehensively discussed the bilateral relations and issues of commonality, according to the MOFA Press release.

Both sides recalled Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahmans groundbreaking visit to Japan in 1973 which laid the rock-solid foundation of the bilateral relations.
SIA has long supported U.S. and allied leadership in innovation and applauds Sens. Schumer and Young for their bipartisan leadership on this beneficial legislation.  SIA CEO Don Erickson

The Security Industry Association (SIA) commends the U.S. Senate for its passage of the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act (S. 1260), which significantly increases investment in research and development, education and training, supply chain security and the broader U.S. innovation ecosystem.

SIA previously expressed its strong support for the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act  formerly the Endless Frontier Act  when it was introduced by Senate Majority Leader Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.). Notably, the bill aims to strengthen U.S. leadership in critical technologies through research in key focus areas including artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, high-performance computing, advanced computer hardware and software and robotics. Additionally, prior to passing in the Senate, the bill was amended to include data storage, data management, distributed ledger technologies and cybersecurity, including biometrics as key focus areas, an addition supported by SIA and proposed by Sens. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) and Deb Fischer (R-Neb.).

The U.S. Innovation and Competition Act promotes valuable investment in federal R&D in areas like biometrics, AI and machine learning  emerging technologies that have a robust array of applications in security and life safety, said SIA CEO Don Erickson. SIA has long supported U.S. and allied leadership in innovation and applauds Sens. Schumer and Young for their bipartisan leadership on this beneficial legislation.

SIA is committed to promoting policies that support innovation in security and life safety technologies, and supports U.S. leadership in key technology areas, including biometrics. SIAs recently sent a letter to President Biden and Vice President Harris urging the administration and Congress to consider policies that enable American leadership in developing biometric technologies; issued policy principles that guide the commercial sector, government agencies and law enforcement on how to use facial recognition in a responsible and ethical manner; released comprehensive public polling on support of facial recognition use across specific applications; and published a list of successful uses of the technology.

About SIA

SIA is the leading trade association for global security solution providers, with over 1,100 innovative member companies representing thousands of security leaders and experts who shape the future of the security industry. SIA protects and advances its members interests by advocating pro-industry policies and legislation at the federal and state levels, creating open industry standards that enable integration, advancing industry professionalism through learning and development, opening global market opportunities and collaborating with other like-minded organizations. As the premier sponsor of ISC Events expos and conferences, SIA ensures its members have access to top-level buyers and influencers, as well as unparalleled learning and network opportunities. SIA also enhances the position of its members in the security marketplace through SIA GovSummit, which brings together private industry with government decision makers, and Securing New Ground, the security industrys top executive conference for peer-to-peer networking.
BurnAlong Online Health & Wellness Platform "Our partnership with BurnAlong will extend Shepherds expertise to support the independence and wellness of people with injuries and disabilities across the globe." Dr. Deborah Backus, PT, PhD, FACRM at Shepherd Center

Today, June 9, 2021, BurnAlong, the worlds leading health and wellness and social motivation platform, announced a partnership with Atlanta-based Shepherd Center, the world-renowned private hospital specializing in medical treatment, research and rehabilitation for people with spinal cord injury, brain injury, multiple sclerosis, spine and chronic pain, and other neuromuscular conditions. The organizations are collaborating to create and distribute world-class, specialty programming available to anyone globally, for the first time, via the BurnAlong platform.

Through this partnership, Shepherd Center will connect BurnAlong to Shepherd clinicians, therapists and wellness professionals who will provide video classes for people with the neurological conditions that Shepherd treats. This content will be uploaded and hosted on BurnAlongs platform, available to Shepherd patients along with BurnAlong users and their families. In addition, BurnAlong and Shepherd will work together on clinical studies evaluating the outcomes of the programming and partnership to help improve care.

There are nearly 18,000 cases of spinal cord injury in the United States every year with a global estimated range of between 250,000 and 500,000 people who sustain a spinal cord injury. Across the world, every year, there are 69 million reported cases of traumatic brain injuries, which frequently require rehabilitation. Another 14 million people across the world are affected by neuromuscular disease. Further, NCBI reports an increase of 8% YOY in the number of cases of neuromuscular diseases with the most notable increase in adults 18-39 years old.

Access to rehabilitation and specialty classes varies, however, across the globe. Thus, with this announcement, BurnAlong and Shepherd Center will extend support for patients and their families with groundbreaking programming available through the BurnAlong platform.

At Shepherd Center, part of our mission is to conduct research and develop innovative solutions and treatments to help people with a temporary or permanent disability caused by injury or disease, says Dr. Deborah Backus, PT, PhD, FACRM, at Shepherd Center. One way we provide support to patients is through specialty classes that will aid in rehabilitation once a patient, and their family, have returned home. Our partnership with BurnAlong will extend Shepherds expertise to support the independence and wellness of people with injuries and disabilities across the globe.

BurnAlong is committed to offering programming that is diverse and accessible regardless of ability, race, chronic condition, locality, age, family status and gender, says Daniel Freedman, co-CEO of BurnAlong. Moreover, we are committed to supporting whole families so that wellness journeys can be experienced by everyone in the home, together on one platform. Our partnership with Shepherd Center will open up a whole new category of specialized classes to BurnAlong customers and people globally so that we can support the wellness of people with spinal cord injuries and neuromuscular disorders.

ABOUT BURNALONG

BurnAlong (http://www.BurnAlong.com) is an online health, wellness and fitness platform that works with leading employers, insurers, municipalities, non-profits, and health systems who provide BurnAlong for their employees, members, and patients. BurnAlong helps people achieve their health and wellness goals by giving them unparalleled access to more than 1,000+ instructors, teaching live and on-demand wellness classes across more than 45 categories - from traditional fitness to nutrition, financial wellness, adaptive workouts, chronic conditions, and more - for the entire family. People can take classes alone or live with others where they can see and hear each other for added social motivation.

ABOUT SHEPHERD CENTER

Shepherd Center (https://www.shepherd.org), located in Atlanta, Georgia, is a private, not-for-profit hospital specializing in medical treatment, research and rehabilitation for people with spinal cord injury, brain injury, multiple sclerosis, spine and chronic pain, and other neuromuscular conditions. Founded in 1975, Shepherd Center is ranked by U.S. News & World Report among the top 10 rehabilitation hospitals in the nation. In its more than four decades, Shepherd Center has grown from a six-bed rehabilitation unit to a world-renowned, 152-bed hospital that treats more than 935 inpatients, 541 day program patients and more than 7,300 outpatients each year.

For press inquiries contact:

Annika Mitic

press@burnalong.com

(443) 920-4357
Cahoot E-Commerce Fulfillment Network Our novel business model enables Cahoot to offer the highest fulfillment standards in the industry at drastically lower pricing. Partnering with Shipsurance to reduce the cost of insuring packages helps make our service even better and more affordable, said Cahoot Founder and CEO Manish Chowdhary

The Cahoot eCommerce fulfillment network has announced a partnership with the Shipsurance by Assurant (NYSE:AIZ) to offer discounted all-risk shipping insurance to merchants who use the Cahoot platform. With Shipsurance, Cahoot merchant partners have full, integrated access to insure their parcels for loss and damage while in transit.

Cahoot is the worlds first peer-to-peer eCommerce order fulfillment network. It enables online retailers and brands to affordably provide one- and two-day delivery nationwide by storing and shipping merchandise for each other. With its rapidly growing network of over one hundred eCommerce merchants coast-to-coast, Cahoot is quickly becoming the fulfillment choice of high-volume sellers on ecommerce platforms such as Shopify, Magento, and BigCommerce and marketplaces such as Amazon, Walmart, and eBay.

Shipsurance provides small to medium-sized businesses and enterprise eCommerce shippers alike with low-cost shipping insurance for packages shipped with major US and International carriers such as FedEx, USPS, DHL, and UPS. Shipsurance provides all-risk insurance with fast and easy claims processing, making it an affordable and convenient alternative to the declared value coverage offered by carriers.

Merchants who work with Cahoot now have access to worldwide shipping insurance powered by Shipsurance. Offering package protection to all Cahoot merchants adds another layer of protection to the fulfillment process. It can also save shippers thousands of dollars in shipping fees when compared to the carriers offerings. The shipping carriers offer declared value protection that is often costly, and the coverage is contingent on proving they are at fault if a package is lost or damaged. The insurance product offered through Cahoot provides coverage for packages in transit, often at a fraction of what the carriers charge. Shipping claims are typically paid within a week with multiple payment options, in sharp contrast to declared value claims with carriers that can take months.

Some of the benefits of using Cahoots insurance offering are:



Low-Cost Coverage  Save up to 90% over the carrier declared value costs

Broader Coverage  Coverage is all-risk with easy-to-read and understand coverage rules with clear and concise coverage terms

Actual Insurance  This is not declared value coverage and does not require proof of negligence

Paperless Claims - The claims process usually takes less than one week. A personal claims agent is available to you that is courteous and helpful throughout the process

Our novel business model and patented software enable Cahoot to offer the highest fulfillment standards in the industry at drastically lower pricing. Partnering with Shipsurance to reduce the cost of insuring packages during transit helps make our service even better and more affordable, said Cahoot Founder and CEO Manish Chowdhary.

Shipsurances all-risk coverage is broader and more robust than declared value coverage. For example, Shipsurance covers a lost package even if the carrier generated a delivery scan if it was mis-delivered. The declared value coverage provided by carriers does not. Shipsurance covers a situation where a package was delivered to the incorrect address.

Fast and free shipping is essential to delivering a great customer experience. However, most importantly, the buyer must receive their items in good order. Shipsurances coverage, rapid-claims processing, and dedicated claims agent bridge this gap - making it a great addition to Cahoots fulfillment services, states Ariel Shmorak, Vice President of Operations for Shipsurance.

Shipsurance is available for all merchants using the Cahoot platform. Its an excellent combination for merchants looking to expand their reach for one- and two-day delivery services and lower shipping insurance costs. Merchants that signup for Shipsurance via Cahoot by September 15th, 2021, can enjoy an additional 10% discount over the already low rates. Merchants can reach a Cahoot fulfillment expert at http://www.cahoot.ai.

ABOUT CAHOOT

Cahoot is the worlds first peer-to-peer eCommerce fulfillment network that helps online businesses offer nationwide 1-day and 2-day deliveries. Cahoot offers drastically lower fulfillment fees because it enables merchants to store and ship the merchandise for each other. This novel business model also allows merchants to make extra money using their existing warehouse space and personnel. Learn more about Cahoot at LetsCahoot

ABOUT SHIPSURANCE BY ASSURANT

Shipsurance Insurance Services, Inc., an Assurant, Inc. company (NYSE: AIZ), is a shipping insurance provider that offers all-risk shipping coverage for shipments sent via the major shipping carriers at rates often more than 90% less than the carrier rates. Shipsurance provides rapid, online claims processing, with most claims paid within a week. Shipsurance has been insuring eCommerce businesses for over eighteen years, and coverage is underwritten by an 'A'-rated insurance company.

About Assurant

Assurant, Inc. (NYSE: AIZ) is a leading global provider of lifestyle and housing solutions that support, protect and connect major consumer purchases. Anticipating the evolving needs of consumers, Assurant partners with the worlds leading brands to develop innovative products and services and to deliver an enhanced customer experience. A Fortune 500 company with a presence in 21 countries, Assurant offers mobile device solutions; extended service contracts; vehicle protection services; pre-funded funeral insurance; renters insurance; lender-placed insurance products; and other specialty products. The Assurant Foundation strengthens communities by supporting charitable partners that help protect where people live and can thrive, connect with local resources, inspire inclusion and prepare leaders of the future.

Learn more at assurant.com or on Twitter @AssurantNews.
John Clark at Eurammon It is crucial we strive for net zero as soon as possible to prevent a climate catastrophe. The aim of the symposium is to have an open and honest discussion about what needs to happen, and the challenges and barriers we need to overcome

The Eurammon Symposium, taking place 14-18 June 2021 has announced Star Refrigeration as one of its sponsors. This years event is titled The natural path to net-zero and following on from last year will take place as an online event.

As a global meeting platform for the refrigeration and heat pump industry, Eurammon addresses the cumulative demand for knowledge-sharing in the field of natural refrigerants to support refrigeration dependent business transition to net-zero emissions.

A look into the political and environmental agenda affecting the decarbonisation of the industry will set off the conference programme. During the course of the four consecutive days, the event will provide information on low carbon refrigeration technology and natural refrigerants across different areas, including supermarkets, cold storage, food and drinks manufacturing and district heating/cooling. In addition, industry challenges such as the lack of specialised skills needed for the systematic progressive adoption of natural refrigerants will be discussed during a training session on 16th June.

Spotlighting cold chain refrigeration equipment, including innovative technologies, life-cycle analysis of cool chain systems, energy efficiency and more, the conference will host an international audience of manufacturers, researchers, end-users and environmentalists. On the morning of Thursday June 17, Lamb will chair a two hour programme looking at initiatives within the temperature controlled warehousing sector that are reducing energy consumption and working towards net zero..

In addition to being a sponsor, Star will also host a presentation on its innovative data management software, Ethos. John Clark, Director of Star Data Analytics will be sharing case studies of the Ethos software on 17 June 2021 at 9:40am (CET) / 8,00 am UK time.

Ahead of the online lecture he said, Minimising energy usage from refrigeration systems is a key action towards net zero. The presentation draws upon the experience of delivering a data driven performance optimisation service to both new and old refrigeration systems. It covers the journey: capturing the data, building the digital model, interpreting the results with support from a team of refrigeration analysts, conveying and managing the required corrective actions, and quantifying the benefit. Real life examples given on ammonia and carbon dioxide systems demonstrate the success but also the challenges and barriers.

With energy consumption levels in the refrigeration and air conditioning industry expecting to double by 2030, the Eurammon Symposium aims to support the sectors transition to net zero emissions. Eurammon has a central focus on natural refrigerants, so attendees can find out more about the natural refrigerants available on the market to limit the environmental impact of the cooling sector. From key note speeches to question and answer sessions, the digital symposium has a packed four day agenda, all of which is available free to registered users.

Last year the event attracted 500 participants including engineers, students, politicians and organisations. This years event is set to be in demand, with a multitude of high-profile speakers on the agenda from business, science and political backgrounds.

Dr Rob Lamb, Stars Group Sales and Marketing Director said, The RACHP industry is responsible for around 7% of total global emissions. With this in mind, it is crucial we strive for net zero as soon as possible to prevent a climate catastrophe. The aim of the symposium is to have an open and honest discussion about what needs to happen, and the challenges and barriers we need to overcome.

Founded in 1996, Eurammons mission is to help spread awareness and acceptance of natural refrigerants. An association of companies, institutions and individuals, Eurammon advocates for the use of low carbon natural refrigerants by providing extensive information materials for the exchange of knowledge and maintaining a globally connected network.

The event will run for five consecutive days from 9:00 am to 11;30 am (CET) / 8:00 am to 10:30 am UK time. Those interested in attending can download the programme at https://www.eurammon.com/images/eurammon/attachments/eurammon_Symposium_2021_Programme.pdf and register at https://www.eurammon.com/images/eurammon/attachments/eurammon_Symposium_2021_Registration_Form.pdf

Participation is free of charge via MS Teams. Registered participants will receive a dial-in link shortly before the lectures.

To find out more about the Eurammon Symposium 2021 visit https://www.eurammon.com/news/symposium-2021
Torigen Pharmaceuticals Inc., a commercial-stage animal health biologics company, today announced that it has signed a distribution agreement with Victor Medical Company to expand U.S. channel partnerships of its patented experimental autologous cancer vaccine for companion animals. Victor Medical is the largest privately-owned veterinary distributor in California, Arizona, Nevada, and Oregon, providing veterinary clinics with access to quality products and exceptional service.

This is the first distribution agreement for Torigen, whose experimental autologous cancer vaccine uses an animals own tumor to stimulate a pets immune system to fight cancer.

"We are thrilled to partner with Victor Medical as our first U.S. distributor," said Sean Fitzgerald, Vice President of Market Development, Torigen. "Victor Medical sales representatives are well-trained and dedicated to supporting their veterinary accounts. Their reputation for customer service is exceptional, and I have no doubt they will help Torigen achieve our goal of delivering affordable cancer treatments to pets with cancer."

Torigens primary mission is to bring affordable and accessible cancer treatments to veterinarians and the clients they serve. The company has already treated more than 1,300 companion animals with cancer and is rapidly expanding its ability to deliver innovative cancer therapeutics to animals stricken with cancer throughout all parts of the U.S.

"Torigen is the most innovative pet oncology company out there and were excited to be entering this partnership, said Rick Bills, Director of Sales, Victor Medical Company. Torigens new cancer treatment is unique in that its available to both veterinary specialists and general practitioners at an affordable price point. We look forward to helping raise awareness and increase sales of Torigens products throughout the veterinary community."

About Torigens Autologous Cancer Vaccine:

Torigen produces a personalized autologous prescription product for dogs, cats, and horses that uses the animals own tumor cells to create an immunotherapy from a surgically resected portion of tumor that can be used alone or in combination with chemotherapy and radiation. Torigens autologous prescription product is an experimental product regulated by the USDA Center of Veterinary Biologics under 9 CFR 103.3.

Torigens autologous prescription product is an active immunotherapy consisting of cells harvested from the patients own tumor. This whole cell tumor vaccine is generated by a patented method to preserve cellular material and tumor associated antigens, and then mixed them with immune stimulating adjuvants. The objective is to increase activation of tumor-specific T-cells resulting in an enhanced ability of the pets immune system to destroy cancer cells, stop or slow the growth of cancer cells, or delay cancer metastasis.

About Torigen Pharmaceuticals Inc.:

Torigen is a spin-out from the University of Notre Dame and backed by Emerald Development Partners, The University of Connecticut, SoGal Ventures, The Fund, Gaingels, Connecticut Innovations, Aimers Venture Partners, and other prominent investors.

With over 50% of all dogs over the age of 10 dying from cancer, Torigen is dedicated to providing affordable and effective cancer care solutions for all companion animals. Torigen recognizes the instrumental role pets play in our families, and is determined to extend the lives of companion animals despite a cancer diagnosis.

For more information, please visit http://www.torigen.com.

About Victor Medical:

Victor Medical Company, the largest privately-owned veterinary distributor in California, Arizona, Nevada, and Oregon. Victor Medical is a family company founded over 40 years ago by people who believe in excellence and who provide their customers with exceptional service. For more information, please visit http://www.victormedical.com.


Together with Tripkicks, TravelStores clients will be empowered with the tools to enhance traveler confidence when traveling, -Sonja Fee, Director of Client Services

TravelStore, Californias largest travel management company, announced its partnership with Tripkicks to provide TravelStores users with important health and safety insights and alerts about everything from COVID-19 requirements to trip interruptions. By adding Tripkicks, TravelStore clients using the SAP Concur booking tool will be able to provide insights and alerts to travelers about health and safety, trip disruption, destination information, COVID-19, supplier intelligence, and custom messages via the booking tool.

Last year, Tripkicks released Tripkicks Insights, an award-winning product that is growing in popularity, given its unique ability to provide a variety of critical information directly to the traveler when they are looking to book a trip.

TravelStore strives to excel in travel solutions. Through its cost savings, Duty of Care traveler security, detailed reporting, travel data, and customer service, TravelStore works to meet the needs and desires of its clients. This partnership with Tripkicks is the latest way that TravelStore has sought to provide exemplary service.

Together with Tripkicks, TravelStores clients will be empowered with the tools to enhance traveler confidence when traveling, TravelStores Director of Client Services Sonja Fee said. Our team at TravelStore takes pride in the service that we give our corporate clients.

Colleen Back, who oversees the Tripkicks Partner Program, stated, We are thrilled to have TravelStore join our Partner Program, allowing them to easily provide our solutions to their clients. Especially as we approach the summer in the U.S., companies are looking for more tools to safely and confidently restart their business travel programs.

TravelStore will make more information about Tripkicks available to its clients over the next several weeks, and any clients interested in adding this to their program immediately should contact their account manager.

About TravelStore

Since 1975, TravelStore, an employee-owned company, has been committed to bringing its clients the best in value and quality travel arrangements. Headquartered in Los Angeles with other offices in California, TravelStore provides corporate travelers high-touch services to facilitate business travel needs, utilizing exclusive negotiated rate programs, custom reporting, dedicated account management, and advanced technology solutions. It is a BCD Travel Affiliate and multiple-time recipient of The Best Places to Work by Los Angeles Business Journal and Sacramento Business Journal. Additionally, TravelStore, a member of Signature Travel Network, is passionate about sharing the worlds wonders on the leisure travel side through luxury cruises, tours, and custom vacation packages.

About Tripkicks

Tripkicks is a simple add-on for business travel programs that provides actionable insights for trips, guidance on appropriate spend and behavior, and an enhanced traveler experience. Known for its innovative solutions for business travel programs, Tripkicks is on a mission to make business travel better. Enterprise organizations rely upon Tripkicks to take their travel program to the next level by improving policy compliance, reducing travel spend, and enhancing traveler satisfaction. Tripkicks is based out of New York City and serves a client base across the globe.
Trident University International (Trident) has introduced Challenge Exams for undergraduate students in select courses, including Psychology, Sociology, and Biology. Trident is planning to add more challenge exams in the future.

Successful completion of an exam will provide a student with proficiency credit that they can apply towards an undergraduate degree. These examinations test students on similar outcomes and objectives taught in the respective Trident courses.

To be eligible, a student must currently be enrolled in an undergraduate degree program, they cannot have previously attempted the course, cannot have transfer credit for the course, and must have a Challenge Exam class in their degree plan or as an available general elective course.

To earn credit on a Challenge Exam, a student must earn at least 60% or better. Students who pass an exam will have proficiency credit added to their respective degree plan, and the course will be removed from their schedule.

Exams are available at no additional cost, and there is no penalty if a student does not pass. Students can attempt a Challenge Exam only once.

Learn more about Tridents new Challenge Exams.

About Trident University International

Founded in 1998, Trident University International is a member of the American InterContinental University System, which is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org). Trident uses the EdActive learning approach, which employs case-based learning in an online setting to teach real-world relevant critical thinking skills designed to enhance the lives and education of students. Trident offers quality associate, bachelors, masters, and doctoral degree programs and certificates, led by a qualified faculty team, over 80% of whom have doctoral degrees. Trident has nearly 27,000 alumni, of which more than 22,000 have a military affiliation and has received acknowledgements from Washington Monthly, Military Times, and Military Advanced Education & Transition for their dedication to student success. Visit http://www.trident.edu or call at (855) 290-0290 to learn more about Trident's wide range of educational options.
Crafting our flavor profile goes hand-in-hand with maximizing our antioxidant phenolic content and therefore the health benefits of our oil. Our polyphenol index of 700mg/kg is amongst the highest on the market, compared to 200-300mg/kg in most premium extra virgin olive oils.

By any industry standard, The NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition is the largest olive oil contest in the world and the most prestigious. An annual spring event in New York, the NYIOOC brings together virgin olive oils from around the globe, with judging based on the complexity, harmony and persistence of flavors and aromas. A top position here indicates a superlative product and this marks the third consecutive year that Piro. has won.

For Team Piro., headed by Romain Piro and Daniele Lepori at the oil mill Anteata Frantoio of Montegiovi, in the municipality of Castel del Piano in Tuscany, the latest award solidifies Piro.s firm hold in the premium olive oil market.

Since its creation in 2018, Piro. has won multiple international awards and was named Best in the World of its category in the newest edition of the prestigious Extra Virgin Olive Oil guide, Flos Olei. The 2021 edition of Flos Olei, which covers 500 best extra-virgin olive oils from 54 countries on the five continents, listed the high antioxidant extra virgin olive oil Piro. as "Best of" the category blended, medium-fruity, extra virgin olive oil.

The 2020 harvest that swept the NYIOOC and impressed the Flos Olei judges features a fresh herb aroma with notes of grass, green almonds, hints of tomato leaf and medium pepper with a lingering finish. This is the second year in a row that Piro. has won the Gold award in New York, and the win is even sweeter for the team, given the difficult 2020 growing season. It was a very dry and warm year, said Lepori. The olives came earlier and ripened faster, so our window for production was smaller  only four weeks. The first mill in its area in Tuscany to harvest each year, Piro added, conditions are perfectly pristine, and post milling, our oil is filtered immediately and stored in stainless steel containers under nitrogen gas, which creates an air-vacuumed environment that inhibits oxidation, all but guaranteeing that a bottle of Piro. olive oil presents exactly the same quality and flavor once opened at home as it does when bottled at the source in Tuscany.

Crafting our flavor profile goes hand-in-hand with maximizing our antioxidant phenolic content and therefore the health benefits of our oil, so the two components are truly related in our process, said Piro. Our polyphenol index of 700mg/kg is amongst the highest on the market, compared to 200-300mg/kg in most premium extra virgin olive oils.

Unlike other premium oil olives that are usually reserved for finishing, and because of its exceptional phenolic content, Piro. is perfectly adapted for cooking at medium and medium/high temperatures, and for poaching and roasting, as recently noted by The Wall Street Journal which included it in its the best cooking olive oil feature.

Since its inception, Piro. has won 17 international awards, including gold medals here in New York, as well in Tokyo, London and Dubai competitions. Piro. is a premium 100% Italian blend coming from the 2,000 Olivastra Seggianese trees of Podere Anteata and from other local tree varieties including Leccino, Moraiolo and Frantoiano.

https://olio-piro.com/ for more information. Tasting samples available upon request at mcpiro@olio-piro.com
Zhanneta Nekrich Appointed Principal Broker, United Real Estate | Washington, D.C. Office We are confident Zhanneta will be a great fit in our United family. Our search has been extensive and she was selected because of her industry knowledge, expertise in the local market and genuine enthusiasm for agent recruitment and development.

United Real Estate, the nations eighth-largest and fastest-growing residential real estate brokerage announced new leadership at its Washington, D.C. Metro Region operations with the addition of Zhanneta Nekrich, Principal Broker.

In her position, Nekrich will lead the expansion of operations in the D.C., Maryland and Virginia markets and be responsible for the ongoing development of the firms agents and employees. United has experienced exponential growth across the nation. Nekrichs record of success in agent growth and team development along with Uniteds cloud-based Agent Productivity Platform  Bullseye and flat-fee agent compensation model will play a large role in the coming months.

We are confident that Zhanneta will be a great fit in our United family. Our search has been extensive and she was selected because of her industry knowledge, expertise in the local market and genuine enthusiasm for agent recruitment and development, said Rick Haase, President of United Real Estate. Her success reflects her sincere dedication to her industry and agents, and we are thrilled to welcome her to our United family.

Nekrich brings over 17 years of experience in the real estate industry to United. She began as a residential sales agent producing $14MM in volume in her first year of sales and quickly became a national top producer, ranking in the top 1% of residential real estate professionals in North America. In 2008, she started her own sales team and led them to great success, closing more than 300 residential sales in D.C., Maryland and Virginia.

I am confident that this is an amazing opportunity for growth. United Real Estate is known for attracting high-caliber sales associates and clientele by providing the best and latest tools, technology and training, and I look forward to helping our agents build their careers in real estate and to further grow Uniteds presence in our region, stated Nekrich.

In 2013, Nekrich obtained her Associate Brokers license and has spent the past eight years in executive leadership roles with Long & Foster in North Virginia. Most recently, she served as Managing Broker of Long & Fosters Gainesville office. She excels at agent development and teaches Real Estate Ethics at the North Virginia Association of Realtors where she was honored with the organizations 2018 Code of Ethics Award.

Nekrichs strong skillsets will be a great asset to Uniteds growth strategy in the vibrant local market and to the companys mission of changing the financial trajectories of its agents careers and lives.

To learn more about United Real Estate, brokerage succession planning, brokerage valuation and sale or franchising opportunities, visit GrowWithUnited.com or call 888-960-0606. Agents interested in learning about career opportunities with United Real Estate can visit JoinUnitedRealEstate.com or call 888-960-0606.

About United Real Estate

United Real Estate (United)  a division of United Real Estate Group  was founded with the purpose of offering solutions to real estate brokers and agents in the rapidly changing real estate brokerage industry. United provides the latest training, marketing and technology tools to agents and brokers under a flat-fee, transaction based agent commission model. By leveraging the companys proprietary cloud-based Bullseye Agent & Broker Productivity Platform, United delivers a more profitable outcome for agents and brokers. United Real Estate operates in 27 states with more than 100 offices and over 11,000 agents.

About United Real Estate Group

United Real Estate Group (UREG) operates United Real Estate and United Country Real Estate, addressing the unique market needs of suburban, major metropolitan urban and rural markets. Utilizing the cloud-based Bullseye Agent & Broker Productivity Platform, UREG offers the latest training, marketing and technology tools producing a significant competitive advantage. The platform realizes a decade-long investment in virtual agent and brokerage technology services and is powered by a 1.8+ million listings data warehouse generating over 3 million monthly visitors and 30,000 leads per year. Together, the United Real Estate Group supports more than 600 offices and 14,500 real estate and auction professionals across four continents. Through its in-house advertising agency, UREG offers differentiating marketing support and collateral for specialized lifestyle property websites as well as access to a 650,000+ opt-in buyer database. For more information about United Real Estate or United Country Real Estate, please visit UnitedRealEstate.com or UnitedCountry.com.
The need for well-trained pilots to fill the looming shortage is crucial and working with an aviation leader like JetBlue to prepare candidates for successful careers is an incredible opportunity for Vaughn students.

Vaughn College announced it has partnered with JetBlue as part of the companys University Gateway Program. Launched in 2007, the JetBlue University Gateway Program is currently the airlines longest-running pathway program for aviation college students that attend Aviation Accreditation Board International (AABI)-accredited institutions.

As a benefit of the program, Vaughns aircraft operations students can apply and interview for positions at JetBlue while completing their collegiate courses. Once accepted, students will follow a defined path to gain experience and build their flight time before joining JetBlue for as a first officer at the company upon program completion.

Vaughn has a long and accomplished history in educating students in all aspects of aviation including flight training, said Domenic Proscia, vice president of training at Vaughn College. The need for well-trained pilots to fill the looming shortage is crucial and working with an aviation leader like JetBlue to prepare candidates for successful careers is an incredible opportunity for Vaughn students.

Students who graduate from an AABI-accredited aeronautical university such as Vaughn College, have a minimum 3.0 grade point average in their major and serve as a certified flight instructor at the College for at least 500 hours, can apply to the University Gateway Program.

Upon graduation and completion of their commitment as flight instructors, program participants will fly at an approved partner airline as well as complete other specific Federal Aviation Administration and JetBlue requirements to become a JetBlue first officer.

We are excited to welcome Vaughn to the JetBlue University Gateway Program. Our great college and university partnerships have been a key ingredient in making our program a success, and we know that Vaughn graduates will bring their excellent education background, strong flying skills and enthusiasm to the program as they build their flight time and experience. In turn, we look forward to engaging with them throughout their journey, and eventually welcoming them as JetBlue first officers," expressed Nancy Hocking, Director Gateway College and Programs, JetBlue.

For more information visit: University Gateway - JetBlue Pilot Gateway Programs.

VAUGHN COLLEGE: Founded in 1932, Vaughn College is a private, nonprofit four-year college that enrolls more than 1,500 students in masters, bachelors and associate degree programs in engineering, technology, management and aviation on its main campus in New York City and online. The student-faculty ratio of 14 to 1 ensures a highly personalized learning environment. Ninety-nine percent of Vaughn College graduates, 89 percent in their field of study, are placed in professional positions or choose to continue their education within one year of graduation. The institution serves many first-generation college students and is recognized by the US Department of Education as a Hispanic-Serving Institution. Vaughn was ranked no. 1 in upward mobility nationwide in a study conducted by The Equality of Opportunity Project.
The Greatest Rescue: a gripping and potent story of salvation. The Greatest Rescue is the creation of published author Vickie L. Keener, a retired elementary school teacher who enjoys spending time with husband, Clair, and their eight grandchildren.

Keener shares, In Sunday school, Bible clubs, and at home, we teach children that Jesus died on the cross for the sins of the world. However, sometimes it can take years down their spiritual journey to realize the significance of the cross and where humanity would be without our Lords compassion and sacrifice.

The Greatest Rescue is an allegorical story that presents the Gospel message to children in a way that gives them the big picture of what Christ has done in redeeming each one of us individually and also eventually the whole natural world.

In this story, the people of Beulah Land live in a beautiful and perfect world and live their lives in the love of their King Judah. Then evil enters the world through the pride and jealousy of Beelzebub, and trouble comes to this once joyful place. How Beulah Land is saved from ruin draws a picture of the real-life meaning of God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son The story ends with a short summary to help children connect the allegory and its characters to the Bible and themselves.

If you are looking for a childrens book that presents Gods plan of salvation in a way that is appealing, memorable, and brings comprehension to young boys and girls, The Greatest Rescue is for you.

In addition, this story is a wonderful way to help a child see why we as believers love the Lord and to take that first step of fulfilling the command to love the Lord your God with all your heart. For our heart is the greatest gift we have to give in return for all He has done for us.

Published by Christian Faith Publishing, Vickie L. Keeners new book is a creative way to explain the story of Jesuss sacrifice to children.

With a compelling narrative and eye-catching illustrations, Keeners tale will be certain to engage young readers embarking on their search for faith.

View a synopsis of The Greatest Rescue on YouTube.

Consumers can purchase The Greatest Rescue at traditional brick & mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or inquiries about The Greatest Rescue, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919.
Through his election as MBAs 126th Chairman, bankers across Maryland acknowledge the deep respect they have for him as a banking leader.

William J. Pasenelli, Vice Chairman & CEO of Community Bank of the Chesapeake, was elected 2021-2022 Chairman of the Maryland Bankers Association (MBA) at MBAs 126th Annual Meeting on June 8. In this new role, he will lead the Associations Board of Directors and Executive Committee and work directly with the MBAs President and CEO on all matters relating to the banking industry.

For his 12-month term of office, Pasenelli will lead the MBA in achieving its mission of promoting the strength and success of Maryland banks and bankers. He will continue the Associations positive momentum through engagement of banks across Maryland; being the best advocate for the industry at all levels of government, and preparing members for success in a rapidly changing world through timely and relevant education programs and services.

According to Pasenelli, With 125 years of MBA history, it is an honor to be in the Chairman position. Following in the footsteps of previous great leaders of this organization and being a part of the strong foundation and legacy those leaders created is both humbling and inspirational. Most of all, I salute our membership as the banks at the forefront of assisting Maryland. It is an honor to see all 28,000 bank employees serving as the States Economic First Responders, going above and beyond, every day, to provide critical financial stability for their customers, business clients, and communities. Your work has made and continues to make a difference.

Bill Pasenelli is leading one of Marylands most respected and successful banks. His depth and breadth of experience in the Association and as a banker have enabled him to make a lasting impact in the communities he serves, said the Associations President and CEO, Ramon Looby. Through his election as MBAs 126th Chairman, bankers across Maryland acknowledge the deep respect they have for him as a banking leader. I am very excited to work side-by-side with Bill during the upcoming year as we address the unique role of banks in helping their communities through todays challenges and embark on the next 100 years.

Mr. Pasenelli is the Chief Executive Officer of Community Bank of the Chesapeake, responsible for the strategic direction of the Bank. Prior to joining Community Bank in 2000, Mr. Pasenelli served as Chief Financial Officer of Acacia Federal Savings Bank, Annandale, Virginia, since 1987. Mr. Pasenelli graduated magna cum laude from Duke University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Management Science. He is a Certified Public Accountant and graduated from the National School of Banking. Mr. Pasenelli serves on the Board of Directors for the Maryland Bankers Association and the Germanna Community College Foundation. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Greater Washington Society of Certified Public Accountants and other civic groups.

Also elected to the Boards Executive Committee as Chairman-Elect is Kevin Cashen, President & CEO of Queenstown Bank, Vice Chairman Ronda McDowell, Executive Vice President and Chief Credit Officer, Sandy Spring Bank, and Immediate Past Chairman Robert E. BJ Goetz, Jr., President and CEO of Middletown Valley Bank.

For a complete listing of the MBA Board of Directors, please click here.

Founded in 1896, the Maryland Bankers Association (MBA) is the voice of the Maryland banking industry. MBAs FDIC-insured community, regional and nationwide banks employ about 28,000 banking professionals in more than 1,400 branch offices across the state.
Minnesota senator Amy Klobuchar continued to make the case for stepping up antitrust actions yesterday, appearing in a webinar sponsored by the American Booksellers Association and Small Business Rising, a coalition of independent businesses advocating against monopolies.

Saying that we cant use duct tape and band aids anymore in dealing with monopolies, Klobuchar noted that she and Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) had cosponsored a bill, the Merger Filing Fee Modernization Act, that will, among other things, provide $100 million to the Federal Trade Commission and the antitrust division of the Department of Justice to hire more lawyers to ensure enforcement of antitrust laws to get the job done.

Klobuchar said she hopes the bill will be approved by the full senate soon, since the government needs more tools in its arsenal to take on Amazon and other conglomerates. This is all about cracking down on unfettered growth and abuse of market power, she argued, advocating for a reboot of the antitrust movement in the U.S. by updating laws so as break the stranglehold of conglomerates upon the economy.

Klobuchar spoke of the negative impact of Amazon on the economy, describing it as both a monopoly and a monopsony, because the people who sell things to Amazon dont sell to anyone else and that is the definition of a monopsony. She noted that too much consolidation in concentrated markets has a disproportionate negative impact upon "the minority community and small businesses within the minority community.

Its not just Amazon either, she pointed out, its also Facebook and Google and other Big Tech companies. Citing an email written by Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg, in which hed written, Wed rather buy than compete, Klobuchar noted, You buy all your competitors up, you lose that competitive force in the marketplace.

We know the stakes are high, the facts are stark, and if we dont act now, the curse of bigness that Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis once warned about will continue to threaten American innovation," she said. As Justice Thurgood Marshall once said of our antitrust laws, they are as important to the preservation of our free enterprise system as the Bill of Rights is to the protection of our personal freedom.

The Times Are Changing

During the Q&A following Klobuchars presentation, the first question was posed by one of Klobuchars constituents, Angela Schwesnedl, the co-owner of Moon Palace Books in Minneapolis. Schwesnedl described the challenges and difficult decisions she was forced to make during the pandemic, yet Amazon posted record financial results.

In this year when weve all lost so much, how can we justify Amazon coming out so far ahead?, she asked. "My business tried to make decisions to keep people safe, but Amazon had the power to dominate the digital marketplace without having to care or take responsibility if people got sick or not.

In her response, Klobuchar reiterated that antitrust laws need to be updated and that resources must be provided to agencies like the FTC and the Justice Department rather than appealing to the conservative courts, including the current Supreme Court. The FTC literally can stop bad things from happening by being more aggressive, she said, mentioning legal scholar Lina Khan, President Joe Biden's latest nominee to the FTC. Shes going to be on the FTC and thats going to be a game changer, Klobuchar assured her audience.

Its important to put strong people into these agencies, give them the resources they need, and then make the laws better," Klobuchar added, citing pending legislation that would compel a conglomerate to provide the burden of proof that its practices are not harming competitors. Klobuchar called that another game changer, noting that currently the government bears that burden of proof.

There has been a sea change here, Klobuchar said about anti-monopoly sentiment. Something is going on. Its not just academic talk anymore. We need to seize this moment and move ahead.

Last week, Klobuchar accepted AAPs 2021 Award for Distinguished Public Service and during her remarks said her goal in fighting for more antitrust action is not to destroy the big companies, but to give other companies a fair chance to compete.

An earlier version of this story misrepresented Iowa senator Chuck Grassley's home state and has been corrected.
Nonfiction

Fox News host Shannon Bream continues to have soaring sales of her book for the Fox media empire, heavily-promoted The Women of the Bible Speak: the Wisdom of 16 Women and Their Lessons for Today (Broadside). It locks in at #1 for the Mothers Day month of May, the same place it held in April.

At #2, is Jennie Allens wake-you-up splash hit, Get Out of Your Head: Stopping the Spiral of Toxic Thoughts (WaterBrook) followed by a mince-no-words alarm call to evangelicals by theology school dean Voddie T. Baucham, Fault Lines: The Social Justice Movement and Evangelicalisms Looming Catastrophe (Salem) at #3.

Most of Mays top 10 titles divide between ones trumpeting calls to action, jolting readers toward Godly self-improvement and self-acceptance, or ones that promise balm and soothing times with the Almighty. The five titles n the list from Thomas Nelson show the divide. Two have take-charge tones, including Louie Giglios newest title, Dont Give the Enemy a Seat at Your Table: Its Time to Win the Battle of Your Mind, which debuts on the list at #8, and Sarah Jakes Roberts Women Evolve: Break Up with Your Fears and Revolutionize Your Life at #5.

The other three Nelson titles carry on the always-popular suggestion to turn toward peace and beauty: Lysa Terkeursts uplifting Seeing Beautiful Again: 50 Devotions to Find Redemption in Every Part of Your Life, at #4, and Forgiving What You Cant Forget: Discover How to Move on, Make Peace with Painful Memories, and Create a Life thats Beautiful Again, at #9, and Sarah Youngs evidently unstoppable reign on the list with Jesus Calling: Enjoying Peace in His Presence at #6.

A smart marketing move catapulted a 2015 title into the #10 slot on the list. Prolific inspirational author Dutch Sheets posted the text of his six-year-old work, The Pleasure of His Company: A Journey to Intimate Friendship with God (Bethany House) one chapter a day during May at his website, GiveHim15, which promotes prayer.

Fiction

The two new additions to a very familiar list are Aftermath, the newest Christian contemporary crime novel by Terri Blackstock (Thomas Nelson) at #5, and The Passenger, by Ulrich Alexander Boschwitz (Metropolitan Books, translation by Philip Boehm) at #6.

Written in 1938, The Passenger details a mans frantic attempt to flee the Nazis as terror against Jews ramps up. The 23-year-old author had revised the work, but the new manuscript was thought lost when Boschwitz was killed in1942 after the ship carrying him toward safety in England was torpedoed by Germans. The updated manuscript, found in a German archive decades later, drew attention from the New York Times and The Guardian this spring. A Publishers Weekly review said The Passenger is a chilling time capsule (that) offers a startling image of fascism taken hold.

Otherwise, the May list keeps the spotlight on the same authors as in April: Karen Kingsbury #1 with A Distant Shore (Atria); Malka Adler #2 with The Brothers of Auschwitz (One More Chapter); Jonathan Cahn holding two spots with The Harbinger II: The Return at #3 (Frontline) and the original The Harbinger (Charisma House) at #9, and Francine Rivers long-loved Redeeming Love (Multnomah) at #4.

William P. Youngs The Shack (Windblown Media) is at #7, Wanda E Brustetters volume 3 in her Amish Greenhouse Mysteries series, The Robins Greeting (Shiloh Run) at #8 and C.S. Lewis The Great Divorce (HarperOne) at #10.
Germany has begun to open to travelers and the Frankfurt Book Fair is planning on hosting a live, in-person fair this October 20-24. It will be smaller in scale and more focused, Juergen Boos, the fair director, told PW. A number of virtual events are also being planned and the city of Frankfurt will again host author events for the general public. The fair will feature exhibits in Halls 3, where the German stands are, as well as Halls 4 and 6 for the international guests. Canada, the guest of honor, will offer stands from Quebec, for French literature in Hall 4, and Lives Canada Books, covering English literature, in Hall 6.

Right now we have commitments from all the major German publishers and 95% of the European national stands, as well as Scandinavia, Boos said. He added that several countries from south Asia, including Indonesia and the Philippines, are committed and China will be present through publishing representatives already in Europe. North American and U.K. bookings remain slow, he confirmed.The Literary Agents Center will also return and has already 100 tables booked. The International Publishers Association and WIPO are planning events. The fair will also host its esteemed fellowship program once again.

Frankfurts digital rights platform, Frankfurt Rights, continues to be operational. The overall number of virtual events, though, will be trimmed from last year and signature events, such online B2B conferences, are likely to be staggered around the dates of the fair to enable fairgoers to participate as much as possible. It is likely some online events will also be ticketed and require paid admission.

Everyone is quite positive about the fair taking place in the autumn and we expect a lot of last-minute bookings, said Boos, who added that the fair will refund the fees for anyone who is unable to attend for whatever reason. So there is no financial risk at all, he said.

Of course, whether or not hotels in the city will do the same remains to be seen, though Boos said that they appear to be offering more flexible cancellations policies than in the past.

Other changes fairgoers will see include fewer stages as well as fewer members of the general public, such as students. We are going to be much more restrictive about who we let in as a trade visitor this year, said Boos. Public facing activities will be relegated to the Festhalle on the fairgrounds, which will also hosts a television and streaming broadcast studio, like last year. The Arts + cross media program will go ahead, but others, such as the Gourmet Gallery and Weltempfang, the fairs political program, will no longer take place.

Last year was not a good financial year for the book fair, said Boos, and saw the closing of the German Book Office in New York and numerous senior staff leave the organization. We had to downsize, and we had stopped a lot of side activities, said Boos. Nevertheless, he is determined to see a revival of the fairs fortunes this year.

Our theme this year is Re:connect, and we believe after a year of not traveling, not getting together, everyone will be eager to see each other, Boos said. So far, we have only gotten positive responses from our news that we plan to go ahead with the live trade show. We are very optimistic.

Lukewarm U.S. Interest

A quick survey by PW of various publishers found lukewarm interest in attending the fair. Health concerns remain an issue as does the uncertainty about who will actually be at the fair to meet. One American who is making the trip is Jon Malinowski, president of the American Collective Stand. Malinowski said he is taking about 25 publishers to Frankfurt as part of the USA Pavilion.

This story has been updated with information about plans by American publishers to attend the fair.
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(The Center Square)  The U.S. House will consider a wide-ranging bill aimed at accelerating American technological innovation in an effort to keep pace with China, but critics have raised concerns about how to pay for it.

The U.S. Innovation and Competition Act, formerly known as the Endless Frontier Act, was primarily crafted by Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Republican Sen. Todd Young, R-Ind., in an effort to combat the threat of increased innovation in technology and science by China. The bill passed through the Senate Tuesday evening with a 68-32 vote, and the House now faces if or how to pay for the spending plan. A similar bill has already been introduced in the House.

The Senate bill authorizes approximately $250 billion of spending with $190 billion to fund various science and technology programs and $54 billion to fund U.S. industries that produce microchips, semiconductors and telecommunications equipment, which has experienced supply issues amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The new spending would be added to the deficit and would be spread out over a ten year period from 2021-2031, according to the Congressional Budget Office, raising concerns about how to pay for it.

Critics argue the funds would be better put toward cutting taxes and regulations for companies that innovate so they can outpace China.

"Government handcuffs private sector inventors through regulation and taxation in favor of big government bureaucrats that direct federal taxpayer dollars through massive federal grants that go to thousands of higher education institutions," Scott Parkinson of Club for Growth said in a statement. "It is the same approach where government thinks theyre smarter and more capable that the inventor in the basement. And it is the approach that tramples on economic freedom and liberty in favor of government-funded technologies, research, and development."

In a statement shortly after the bill passed, Schumer promoted the bill as a strong response to ongoing economic competition with the Chinese government.

In the midst of one of the most consequential battles in our nations history, the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act, which includes my Endless Frontier Act as its centerpiece, lays the foundation for the next century of American economic leadership and preserves our competitive edge for generations to come, Schumer said.

Young also touted the bill as an important step to combating the Chinese government shortly after the bill passed.

Let the record show that, at this moment, we stood united in our fight against the Chinese Communist Party, Young said.

President Joe Biden also sent a message of approval in a statement Tuesday evening.

As other countries continue to invest in their own research and development, we cannot risk falling behind, Biden said. America must maintain its position as the most innovative and productive nation on Earth.

Critics of the bill worry about the bloated spending will only add to the increasing deficit. They also oppose the amount of government intervention in fields they believe are better left to private entities.

Sen. Mike Lee, who voted against the bill, expressed disappointment in the amount of spending in the legislation.

[The bill] would put this massive amount of money towards more government bureaucracy, producing a system where the government picks winners and losers of industry, creating artificial demand for inefficient technologies, crowding out the good research and development that the private sector already does, and increasing our manufacturing costs, Lee said. Instead of chilling innovation and competition, we ought to decentralize power and champion trust in the private sector.

Of the 32 senators who voted against the bill, 31 were Republicans and the other was Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders, who typically caucuses with Democrats.

The bill now has to pass through the House before it can reach President Bidens desk.

"I look forward to working with the House of Representatives on this important bipartisan legislation, and I look forward to signing it into law as soon as possible," Biden said.
Swedish telco Sappa has deployed technology from Appear to deliver live TV services to its subscribers across Sweden. Sappa is using Appears X and XC Platforms to support the delivery of live video for its television and OTT service, Sappa Play.

It is using Appears X Platform for encoding, transcoding and scrambling to ensure the reliable, secure delivery of live video with ultra-low latency; and the XC Platform for analogue and QAM modulators to guarantee the most efficient use of Sappas network bandwidth. Along with the X and XC Platform, Appear is also providing Sappa with technology support services.

Hasse Svensson, CEO of Sappaat Sappa, commented: Viewers expect nothing less than the best viewing experience, and live television is no exception content needs to be delivered in real time and in high quality. We selected Appear not only because it has the best-in-class technology, but because it is a partner that can support our needs today, and in the future.

With so many headend locations, we needed solutions that we could plug in and would just work  it becomes time consuming and costly to send engineers out when technology doesnt work the way it should. Whats more, Appears solutions are compact, energy efficient, and can handle huge amounts of bandwidth, which makes it an efficient, sustainable and cost-effective option for us.

Added Thomas Bostrm Jrgensen, CEO at Appear: Today, operators need to be able to deliver the best possible television experiences to retain their subscribers, which means they need technology they can rely on. Our heritage in delivering live TV, combined with our unrivalled technology, makes us the perfect partner for Sappa. It is important our customers have technology that will work to their individual requirements, but will meet all future demands, as market needs, standards, and consumer expectations continually change. Were pleased to be working with Sappa and are committed to being an integral technology partner for many years to come.
Rapp News and Foothills Forum are continuously covering the impact of COVID-19 on our community. Sign up to have the C-19 Daily Update delivered to your inbox every morning.

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AP

New on DVD

Issa Rae and Kumail Nanjiani are 'Lovebirds' on the run
The Schuylkill Valley Community Library received a $3,000 national grant aimed at small and rural libraries. The library in Bern Township is seen here celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2014.
Vice President Kamala Harris had strong words for migrants making their way to America's border on her first trip as vice president, to Guatemala. "Do not come," Harris saidtwicewhile speaking to reporters. "The United States will continue to enforce our laws and secure our border. There are legal methods by which migration can and should occur, but we, as one of our priorities, will discourage illegal migration."
Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, talks to local Tibetan residents while visiting a village of Shaliuhe Township in Gangcha County of Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Qinghai Province, June 8, 2021. Xi on Tuesday visited Gangcha County during his inspection tour of Qinghai Province. (Xinhua/Li Xueren)

XINING, June 8 (Xinhua) -- Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, on Tuesday visited Gangcha County in Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture during his inspection tour of northwest China's Qinghai Province.

Xi was briefed about the environmental protection efforts in the Qilian Mountains and Qinghai Lake. At the lake, he inspected achievements made in comprehensively addressing environmental problems and protecting biodiversity.

Xi also visited a village of Shaliuhe Township to learn about the lives of local Tibetan residents.
New Delhi, Jun 9 (UNI) BJP MLA and Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari on Wednesday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi here.

Mr Adhikari had met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and party chief JP Nadda in the National Capital on Tuesday and discussed several matters pertaining to West Bengal besides post-poll violence in the state.

After meeting the Home Minister, Mr Adhikari tweeted, Met the Honourable Union Home Minister @AmitShah Ji. Discussed on several matters and seeked blessings for Bengal. Honourable HM assured, he was and he will be there for Bengal always.

A former minister in the last Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government, Mr Adhikari had joined the BJP in December last year, months ahead of the state Assembly polls.

UNI SB ASN 1350
Traverse City, MI (49684)

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Rain. Low around 55F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch..

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Rain. Low around 55F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch.
New Delhi/Washington, Jun 9 (UNI) The United States is planning to host the first in-person summit with Australia, India and Japan in Washington in the fall.

"Our goal is to hold an in-person Quad meeting" to take place "here in Washington in the fall with all leaders in attendance, Kurt Campbell, White House coordinator for the Indo-Pacific, said at a think-tank event on Tuesday.

In March, President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had met virtually.
Traverse City, MI (49684)

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A steady rain this evening. Showers continuing overnight. Low 56F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch..

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A steady rain this evening. Showers continuing overnight. Low 56F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch.
Weather Alert

...The Flood Warning continues for the following rivers in North Carolina... Contentnea Creek Near Hookerton affecting Greene, Pitt and Lenoir Counties. For the Contentnea Creek...including Hookerton...Minor flooding is forecast. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles. Additional information is available at water.weather.gov/ahps. ...The Flood Warning is now in effect until early Thursday afternoon... The Flood Warning continues for the Contentnea Creek Near Hookerton. * Until early Thursday afternoon. * At 10:00 AM EDT Sunday the stage was 13.2 feet. * Flood stage is 13.0 feet. * Minor flooding is occurring and minor flooding is forecast. * Recent Activity...The maximum river stage in the 24 hours ending at 10:00 AM EDT Sunday was 13.2 feet. * Forecast...The river is expected to rise to a crest of 13.3 feet this evening. It will then fall below flood stage Thursday morning. * Impact...At 13.0 feet, Minor flooding of low lying areas adjacent to creek can be expected. Several homes threatened by water in northwest Greene County near HWY 58. &&
Brattleboro, VT (05301)

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Partly cloudy skies early then becoming cloudy with periods of rain late. Low 58F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 80%..

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Partly cloudy skies early then becoming cloudy with periods of rain late. Low 58F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 80%.
NEWFANE  Three Select Board members said they would take free bias and diversity training offered by Vermont League of Cities and Towns then report back whether they would recommend it for town employees and volunteers.

At a sometimes contentious meeting held Monday in person with remote options, the board discussed a proposal previously put forward by West River Mutual Aid for the town to offer training to all town employees and interested community members. Before any agenda items were addressed, board member Shelly Huber made a motion to pass over the project she described as not being a town matter.

Her motion failed in a 3-2 vote. Another motion she proposed, seeking to put the proposal up to a community-wide vote at the annual Town Meeting, was not seconded.

A short outburst among attendees occurred after new resident Keats Dieffenbach said, When you speak about people who dont believe in anti-bias training, the dog whistle underneath that is racism.

That is bull [expletive], Tom Abbotts of Newfane responded.

He said the proposal should be voted on by the community, not just the board.

This is a subject that is very political, he said. This anti-bias training, Ive seen it in other places. It tends to divide people. It doesnt bring people together.

Board Vice Chairwoman Ann Golob said she sees the training as a way to add to peoples knowledge and information about what goes on in this country and what people do, and as a way to increase peoples awareness so they can be more compassionate, more thoughtful and more caring.

Vermont state law, as it was explained to us by VLCT, does not give the town authority to mandate such training for their employees but we can strongly suggest and encourage it, she said.

VLCT is offering three two-hour sessions this month and next. Golob said she signed up to take the training and encouraged town employees, board members and commissioners to look into the offering.

Her plan is to schedule a discussion about the training afterwards to see if it meets needs within the municipality.

Apple Gifford of WRMA recommended the board also explore training offered by Mary Gannon and Dottie Morris, who facilitate such sessions. She said Gannon and Morris can customize trainings to meet the municipalitys needs, have experience working with small towns, and were recommended by town managers in Brattleboro and Putney.

Of the VLCT training, Gifford said, We believe this will be a great complement to what is offered by Dr. Gannon and Dr. Morris.

At the time of the meeting, WRMA secured 196 signatures on a letter of support for the proposal. Gifford said 134 of the people live in Newfane.

Ken Estey, chairman of the Newfane Planning Commission, said the commission approved a motion in May supporting anti-bias and diversity training. When Huber asked what is so wrong with the town, Estey said, Its what we can be.

Who are we thats so terrible that we need to change who we are? Huber said. We have to think about everyone in this community, not just those who believe in anti-bias training, diversity, but those who believe in themselves and who believe in taking care of their family and neighbors.

Huber said the letter contained only about 10 percent of Newfanes residents.

And you speak on behalf of all of us? she said. No.

She later said she would not be participating in the training.

WRMA has the resources to organize training if it wanted, states a letter from residents in the Newfane Republican Party opposing the proposal.

This is clearly an attempt by a small group of people to do what it wants, the letter states, calling it political action just like the statement WRMA and other community members urged the board to adopt after graffiti saying BLM [Black Lives Matter] is racist was found last summer on Route 30.

Estey applauded the board for approving the statement against hate in September and for keeping it so prominently on the town website. However, he said, the training would signal a commitment to the statement.

Fiona Chevalier of Williamsville, one of the people who cleaned the graffiti off the roadway last summer, said the training is not saying people are bad but that we have things to learn. Governments and organizations are always training staff to improve their service, she said.

We are responsible individuals who need to take care of our own selves, Huber said. I was raised by a single mother, OK, without any welfare. We didnt have a whole lot but what Im trying to say to you is its the family thats responsible. Its not this community thats responsible to teach others. Its your family responsibility, the way you are raised.

Board member Katy Johnson-Aplin and Board Chairwoman Angela Sanborn spoke about growing up in Newfane and experiencing culture shock when moving to other parts of the country later in life. They both said they would participate in training with Golob.

Alice Flanders, who ran for a Hartford seat in the Vermont House of Representatives last year, said she has seen things go from voluntary to law of the land.

Again, is there a problem in Newfane? she said. I havent seen a problem in Vermont in general. There will be people with predispositions. You cant convince everyone.

Flanders said she doesnt believe Vermont has a problem with systemic racism.

I can already see the writing on the wall, she said. Instead of seeing me as Alice, youre going to have to see me as a Black female. Thats a step back.

With the town covered with training available via VLCT, board member Mike Fitzpatrick wondered how community members could access training.

I was thinking maybe if some of them have a problem with these things, where can they go to talk about this? he said.

Kate Gehring of WRMA said she would submit a longer list of options her group found while researching.
BRATTLEBORO  The Covered Bridge Inn closed after all the guests checked out of their rooms on Memorial Day due to a shortage of staff.

We need a minimum of 10 people to run the property and we were down to three, said Dustin Bulley, co-owner of the inn. So we just couldnt keep the doors open anymore.

Bulley said businesses nationwide are experiencing challenges in staffing.

I think its hurting the hospitality sector really hard because everyone was laid off for so long in the hospitality sector, he said. We were trying to get people back but a lot of people have found other opportunities.

Bulley said he believes the staffing issue is especially difficult in southern Vermont, where housing affordability is a big challenge.

The intent is to reopen the Putney Road inn. Although, there have been efforts aimed at converting the inn into housing units.

Covered Bridge Inn could cross over to housing BRATTLEBORO  Plans to transform 62 rooms at The Covered Bridge Inn on Putney Road into 34 a

An application to the Brattleboro Development Review Board was withdrawn.

We basically got to a point where we know the project could get approved but a substantial amount of money needs to be spent before the DRB would approve, Bulley said, citing costs for site and floor plans. I wouldnt say its off the table. Weve had other entities who want to do it and wed definitely be willing to do it.

Bulley said funding was being sought by a couple of groups for the project, which was named in the governors proposal for federal American Rescue Plan Act funds, but the property was never put under contract or purchased. M&S Development of Brattleboro is one group trying to help figure it out.

I think we all had high hopes when the budget got passed and all the additional money was put into housing, Bulley said, but thats going to be more difficult to achieve then I thought it was going to be.

The inn is in need of employees to handle the front desk and housekeeping. Those who are interested can leave a message at the inn at 802-254-8889.

For now, Bulley is only committed to being closed for June. He said the inn could reopen as soon as July 1.

And in the meantime, if something happens with M&S trying to work on something, maybe we remain closed, he said.
Brattleboro, VT (05301)

Today

Partly cloudy skies early then becoming cloudy with periods of rain late. Low 58F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%..

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Partly cloudy skies early then becoming cloudy with periods of rain late. Low 58F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
Beckley, WV (25801)

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Thunderstorms, some strong early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Potential for severe thunderstorms. Low 61F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%..

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Thunderstorms, some strong early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Potential for severe thunderstorms. Low 61F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%.
Beckley, WV (25801)

Today

Thunderstorms during the evening will give way to mostly cloudy skies after midnight. Potential for severe thunderstorms. Low 59F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%..

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Thunderstorms during the evening will give way to mostly cloudy skies after midnight. Potential for severe thunderstorms. Low 59F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%.
NEW MILFORD  The year was 1921 and the use of epidural anesthesia and the hormone insulin were just being discovered. Warren G. Harding had just been inaugurated as the 29th president of the United States and Americans were about to hear the first ever radio broadcast of a baseball game.

It was also the year New Milford Hospital would welcome its first patients through their doors.

On June 9, 1921, a small community hospital was established in a building on Whittlesey Avenue after the Spanish Flu pandemic had swept through the country. Three years later, theyd move operations to the hospitals current location on Elm Street.

They felt they needed a health care resource here, close by, said Dr. Thomas Koobatian, the hospitals executive director. Here we are, 100 years later, unfortunately following another pandemic. What are the chances of that?

For a century now, the hospital has served the people of Litchfield County on their best and worst days. Through stitches and scrapes, babies and burns, tumors and therapy, the hospital has remained a staple in the community. Most recently, they doled out COVID-19 vaccinations to local health care workers, and then helped staff local vaccine clinics on top of their regular duties.

Were caring for our neighbors, our friends, our relatives, thats what community hospitals are all about, Koobatian said. It really is about community medicine.

Reflections on 100 years

On Wednesday, the hospital celebrated its 100th birthday with a day of festivities and sweet treats. Mayor Pete Bass arrived in the morning for a cake cutting ceremony and an ice cream social allowed staff to mix and mingle at 2 p.m.

In the hot afternoon sun, medical workers wandered outside the staff entrance at the hospital to indulge in the celebrations. A Bridgewater Chocolate stand offered neatly boxed chocolates while a big red ice cream truck handed out bowls laden with heaping scoops and whipped cream. Staff had donned special centennial T-shirts, which they wore as they ate their ice cream.

A few veteran nurses briefly left their busy patient schedule to talk about what kept them coming back to the hospital year after year. The answer was nearly always the same: the family feel of the place.

Were all like family. Its a big family here, said Jan Roberts, a nurse who has worked at the hospital for 29 years.

To this day, Roberts can remember the moment the head nurse walked her to the elevator and told her she had the job if she wanted it. She can remember her coworkers children one now getting marriedwhen they were just tots.

The nurses also said some of their favorite memories have been caring for patientsand especially those in the Diebold Family Cancer Center.

Caring for the cancer patients has taught me how to live, said Barbara Davies, director of patient care services. Davies has worked at the hospital for 28 years.

Barbara Thompson has spent her entire 40 year nursing career at New Milford Hospital, having arrived straight out of nursing school. In that time, shes seen it go through many changes. Theres only one other nurse who has been there as long as she has, Thompson said.

Through it all, its generally remained the same, and theyve been able to keep their personal touch, she said.

Roughly 11 years ago, the hospital became part of the Western Connecticut Health Network alongside Danbury Hospital. In 2019, they merged with another network to form what is now Nuvance Health, and are part of a seven-hospital network.

There have been other structural changes too: the closure of the family birthing center and intensive care unit, the addition of primary care practice, and the expansion of their emergency and cardiac rehabilitation services.

When the hospital closed its family birthing center in 2013 due to a decline in demand, residents and staff mourned the loss. The center had delivered thousands of New Milford babies during its many years in service.

Continued celebrations

The hospital celebrations have expanded beyond June 9, as well.

Health care workers marched in the New Milford Memorial Day parade in May, and the hospital is planning to sponsor some Fourth of July fireworks for the town, according to Andrea Rynn, spokeswoman for Nuvance Health.

During the pandemic, the hospital began sending their COVID-19 patients to their sister hospital in Danbury, where an intensive COVID unit had been created and where resources were concentrated, Koobatian said. Meanwhile, they took on extra patients to ease the strain on Danbury and continued caring for their community.

When vaccinations moved from the hospital over to clinics run by the local health department, the hospital continued sending staff to help.

Even in a pandemic, the hospital stayed busy. With a 24-hour emergency department, the hospital continued to provide important community services.

I think that that provided a high level of assurance to this community during the throes of the pandemic, Koobatian said.

The mayor echoed this sentiment in expressing his gratitude for the proximity of the local facility. Two of his daughters were born there back when the hospital was still delivering babies, and he said those were special moments he will never forget.

They are a tremendous asset here in New Milford, said Bass. To have a hospital within your community, that helps in so many ways.

Despite the many technological, medical, and staffing changes the hospital has gone through in the past century, Koobatian said the general goalsof caring for the health and wellness of their communityhas remained the same. And he doesnt expect that to change any time soon.

I think thats going to be around for the next 100 years, he said.
AP

HUDSON, Ohio (AP)  A retired U.S. Army officer whose speech about freed Black slaves honoring fallen Civil War soldiers was censored by organizers of a Memorial Day ceremony will get another chance to deliver it.

The American Legion Department of Ohio said it has invited retired Army Lt. Col. Barnard Kemter to speak next week at the organization's Buckeye Boys State, an annual gathering that teaches young men about government.
Getty Images / Contributed

NEW HAVEN  A city man faces a federal drug charge after undercover officers allegedly made multiple controlled purchases from him earlier this year while he was on parole for a state drug conviction, prosecutors said.

Vincent Pudge Clark, 26, was arrested on a federal criminal complaint; he is charged with with possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, heroin and fentanyl, federal authorities said in a statement.
CLINTON, Iowa (AP)  A Dubuque man has again been convicted of second-degree murder in the 2017 knife death of his girlfriend.

A Clinton County jury on Tuesday found Fontae Buelow, 29, guilty in the death of 21-year-old Samantha Link, of Peosta, the Telegraph Herald reported. Buelow has long maintained that Link stabbed herself at his home on on March 31, 2017. Prosecutors have said Buelow stabbed her three times in the chest.
KENT - Joseph Lanoce, 64, of 433 Kent Cornwall Road, in Kent, was arrested by state police from Troop L Wednesday. Lanoce was charged with breach of peace after he allegedly grabbed a woman's arm on the public beach during an argument at Mount Tom State Park. He was released on $1,000 bail and scheduled to appear in Bantam Superior Court July 23.

Woman in DWI arrest

THOMASTON - Bonnie L. Bossi, 51, of 525 Crown St., Meriden, was arrested by state police on Wednesday in Thomaston and charged with driving while intoxicated. Police reported an arrest warrant had been issued pertaining to a motor vehicle accident in Thomaston in April. Bossi was released on a promise to appear in Bantam Superior Court on July 30.

Teens arrested

TORRINGTON- Three local teens were arrested by Torrington police Friday after they were involved in a fight at the Patco on Church Street.

Lee Brewer, 17, of 2120 Norfolk Road, Torrington, was charged with possession of liquor by a minor, breach of peace, and possession of liquor in a motor vehicle by an underage person.

Aimie Aponte, 16, of 1042 Bantam Road, Bantam, was charged with possession of liquor by a minor and delivery of alcohol for a minor.

Matthew Bromley, 19, of 111 Oxbow Drive, Torrington, was charged with possession of liquor by a minor, breach of peace, failure to change address onan operator's license, and possession of alcohol in a motor vehicle by an underage person.

The three were released on written promises to appear in Bantam Superior Court June 30.

DWI charge leveled

TORRINGTON - Lawrence Medico, 48, of 55 Pythian Ave., Torrington, was arrested by Torrington police Thursday and was charged with driving while intoxicated. Medico was held on $500 bail for appearance in Bantam Superior Court July 30.

Fight leads to bust

TORRINGTON - Andrew Peyre, 16, of 287 East Main St., Torrington, was arrested by Torrington police Thursday and was charged with risk of injury to a minor, breach of peace, and interfering with a police officer. Police reports say Peyre was involved in a fight at Coe Park where he punched a juvenile in the face. Peyre also was uncooperative with police after they arrived on scene. Peyre was held on $10,000 bail for appearance in Bantam Superior Court.

Trespass arrest made

TORRINGTON - A Torrington juvenile was arrested by Torrington police Wednesday and was charged with first-degree criminal trespass and interfering with a police officer. The juvenile was released on a promise to appear in juvenile court.

Kent man arrested

WARREN - Thomas J. Zaccara, 38, of 333 Kent Road, Kent, was arrested by state police from Troop L on Thursday in Warren and charged with violating a restraining order after he allegedly entered the home against a court order.
TORRINGTON  An approved Planned Labor Agreement for the Torrington schools building project includes a number of conditions, such as annual job fairs and an ongoing apprenticeship program for high school students.

City Council members voted 3-2 on the motion to enter into an agreement with the Greater Hartford-New Britain Building Trades Council for labor for the project

The $159 million building project includes razing the existing Torrington High School, and building a new facility with separate areas for high school and middle school students, as well as shared spaces for meal times and events. The new building also will have an are for a new administrative central office.

Council members Sharon Waagner, Frank Rubino and Paul Cavagnero voted for the PLA on Monday, while David Oliver and Ann Ruwet voted no.

Many residents who are members of local unions said having a PLA for the project will guarantee the project gets done on time and on budget, and that it will benefit the community, using local skilled workers. They expressed those views in March during a meeting with the school building committee, and again when they addressed the council Monday.

Waagner said the apprenticeship program would provide students who dont want to attend college with other opportunities.

The job fairs will be run by the trades group, according to Board of Education Chairman Fiona Cappabianca. Other elements of the agreement will require the group to hold four career fairs a year for the 10-year life of the school construction project. As far as labor goes, 25 percent of those hired must be Torrington workers, and 30 percent from Litchfield County.

There are 200 building tradespeople in Torrington, Cappabianca said. But all of the work is still open to any contractor who wants to bid, as long as they follow the memorandum of understanding. This is a very expensive project, and the building committee is committed to do this. We might as well get something for our students and our town, and using local workers will help.

Much of the building committees efforts have focused on a career pathways program, Cappabianca said, to encourage students to find jobs when they graduate if they choose not to go to college or enter the armed forces. Up to 60 of our students ... can enter apprenticeship programs every year, she said. Weve never been able to provide that. After the apprenticeship, theyll enter the trades. Theyll put down roots and stay in our town.

For some, the project is more personal. Harris McShane, a member of Local 48 for electricians, said he drives an hour each way to a job in Bridgeport. I drive a long way every day, he said. I would love to work on this project.

Samantha Whittaker and her husband, Trevon, agreed. If this PLA came to town, hed be closer to home, Samantha Whittaker said. It would be great for my family and the community.

Chris Frixel, president of the Connecticut Chapter of Associated Builders and Contractors, said PLAs dont work well in many cases. Im representing the other side, he said. Its not union versus non-union, its opportunity for some versus opportunity for all.

If a PLA is not used, all qualified workers get the chance to work, he said. PLA would use all union-only workers. Theres job site fairness. ... This would be a prevailing wage job. As far as a project being on time and on budget, theres no magic contract that guarantees a project will be done on time. PLAs repress competition, and youll get more bids without one.

The only thing a PLA will ensure is that 100 percent of the workforce on the project is union labor, he said. It will not provide a more cost-effective job, a safer job, a better product, or any value whatsoever.

Council member Paul Cavagnero wanted to know who would be in charge of the career to pathways program. I want a guarantee of accountability, he said.

The council set a meeting with the building committee before its next meeting June 24 to see the designs and ask questions.

Editors note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly listed the council votes on the PLA.
We would love for you to join us to share your memories of Daryl with family and friends. Daryls full obituary can be view at http://www.myersmortuary.com/ A celebration of life will be held from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM on 2021-06-27 at Fraternal Order of Eagles , 2140 N Lebanon St, Lebanon, IN 4
MINERSVILLE  An investigation in Ohio appears to have solved the case of a bomb threat made to the Minersville Area School District last month.

Minersville Police Chief Michael Combs said Tuesday that Nicholas John Francis Hall, 18, who once lived with his family at 588 Sunbury St., faces felony charges of terroristic threats and threats of weapons of mass destruction. Combs said Hall moved to Georgia in March to live with his grandmother.

The threat was made to the district May 7.

Three days later, the Washington County Sheriffs Department in Ohio contacted Combs because their investigation of about 10 bomb threats led them to identify an IP address, a designation identifying a location on the internet, linked to the Sunbury Street address.

Combs obtained a search warrant for the home and seized computers, cellphones and other electronic devices. He said Halls stepfather identified him as the person they may be looking for, and told police he threw him out of the house when he turned 18.

Ohio investigators tracked Halls phone to his grandmothers home in Georgia.

They called the federal agents and they went and scooped him up, Combs said.

He said Hall was sitting on the front porch using his cellphone when he was arrested and taken to Ohio, where he confessed to making all of the threatening telephone calls, including the one to Minersville, Combs said.

Combs said investigators learned Halls first threat was to a school in Ohio because Hall allegedly wanted to get a reported girlfriend, whom he met online, out of class.

That was the first call, and from that one he just thought it was fun and continued making other calls for no other reason, the chief said.

He said authorities believe the call to Minersville was made because Hall had been a student there.

Minersville police Patrolman Harry Brown worked with Ohio investigators to review information on a Minersville Area laptop used by Hall on which they found searches related to school shootings.

Although Hall probably didnt intend to carry out the threats, Combs said, his actions are disturbing and he will likely receive a lengthy jail sentence if convicted.

Here is a young man starting off his adult life in the worst way possible, he said.

Combs said the Minersville charges will be incorporated with those in Ohio, eliminating the need to have Hall and Ohio investigators travel to Schuylkill County for hearings.

Combs noted investigators can find criminals using the same technology they hide behind.

We will hunt you down and we will find you, he said. You cant hide behind electronics.
POTTSVILLE  As members of the Pottsville Area High School Class of 2021 prepared to receive their diplomas, they heard words of encouragement from D.G. Yuengling & Sons vice president of operations.

The schools 220 seniors, all wearing face masks, received their diplomas Tuesday evening at Martz Hall, processing in to the concert bands rendition of Pomp and Circumstance.

Jennifer Yuengling was the guest speaker and received the distinguished alumna award.

A 1989 graduate of the school, she holds a bachelors degree from Bucknell University in Lewisburg, a masters in education from Lehigh University in Bethlehem and a diploma certificate from the Siebel Institute of Brewing Technology in Chicago. She has been with the family business since 1996.

In her current role as vice president of operations, she focuses on order services, logistics and production, and scheduling.

After accepting the alumna award, she noted how her family has persevered through tough times and how the Class of 2021 has been forced to face adversity early in life, adding it has prepared them to recognize and handle challenging events in the future.

Her father, brewery President Dick Yuengling, also attended the graduation.

In her speech, salutatorian Isabella Varano said the diplomas she and her classmates would receive were more than just a note on a sheet of paper.

They are a symbolic representation of an accomplishment, a memory, hard work, or a stepping stone of things to come, she said. Today it is time to celebrate this momentous note in time.

I hope that all of you find what you are passionate about. I encourage you to follow your dreams and know your truth.

Valedictorian Christian Honicker said in his speech he and his classmates have a first half and a second half to their lives, urging them to reflect on their four years of high school.

Remarks were also given by district Superintendent Sarah Yoder and Board President Noble C. Bud Quandel.

High school English teacher Maria Malek, the schools longtime musical director, was the faculty speaker.

Her daughter, Julia Malek, was among the graduates. In her address, she said the graduates were ready to commence on their journey, adding each one of you deserves the spotlight tonight, urging them to seize the day.

The ceremony was originally scheduled to take place at Veterans Memorial Stadium but was moved to Martz Hall due to rain.

Class officers are Justin Lescavage, president; Luke Knarr, vice president; Zaidian Vanorden, secretary; and Allison Campion, treasurer.
Pennsylvania is gearing up for a big fight over congressional redistricting, amid census delays, the loss of a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives and a tense climate after the last map was overturned by the state Supreme Court.

At 1 p.m. June 18, the public is invited to join Spotlight PA in a live conversation with state Sen. David Argall, R-29, Rush Township, who, as chairman of the Senate State Government Committee, will play a powerful role in the process of redrawing Pennsylvanias congressional map for the next decade.

RSVP for free now to claim a spot. https://inquirer.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_KzuV-l1cTWmj-p3XvOK8wA

A recording will be made available after the event.
POTTSVILLE  Democratic District Attorney Michael A. OPake won enough Republican write-in votes in the May 18 primary election to also appear on the GOP ballot in the fall, according to the final county returns certified Monday.

OPake said Tuesday he will happily run on both tickets.

I certainly do intend to accept the Republican nomination, OPake said.

Election Bureau Director Albert L. Gricoski said Tuesday he will send OPake the standard notification of the results and the district attorney must return it to be placed on the GOP ballot.

OPake, of Norwegian Township, received 450 GOP write-in votes, 371 on Election Day and 79 on mail-in ballots, according to the certified tally. Gricoski said he needed 250 to be on the Republican ballot in the Nov. 2 general election.

OPake received 8,955 votes from Democrats.

Acting Controller Sharyn Yackenchick fell short of the 250 mark, tallying only 149 Democratic write-in votes. The Wayne Township Republican still will be unopposed on Nov. 2.

Gricoski said he will send a similar notification to any write-in candidate who receives enough votes to appear on the Nov. 2 ballot for one or both parties. Any such candidate must return the completed notification in order to appear on the ballot in the fall, he said.

For local candidates, the required number of votes is 10, not 250, Gricoski said.

Other than enabling OPake to be on both ballots in November, the certification count did not change results, Gricoski said.

What it did do was provide candidates for the general election by filling empty ballot positions, he said.

The final tallies showed 30,084 county voters cast ballots on May 18. Of those, 18,758 were Republicans, 10,162 were Democrats and 1,164 were nonpartisan. The latter could vote only on the four ballot questions.

Gricoski credited his staff with completing the count, which enabled the county Board of Elections to certify the results quickly.

We had the initial unofficial count right after the election. Then, we had to do all the write-ins, he said. Were fortunate to have very good, dedicated employees.

Commissioner Gary J. Hess, who along with fellow commissioners Chairman Barron L. Hetherington and George F. Halcovage Jr. comprise the Board of Elections, agreed that the certification process went well.

As far as I know, there were no issues, Hess said.

He also said the timetable of the count fit with past ones.
Frackville, we are all pro-choice. We choose life or death. Joe Biden signed an executive order, a couple days after he became president, to give money for abortions in America and overseas. That makes him for abortion. We use to live in a Christian nation but that went out the window with the Democrats. God help America.

Middleport



When Donald Trump was in office, my gas tank was full. My oil tank was full and I had money in my pocket. Now, with Joe Biden, my gas tank is half-full. My oil tank is empty and I have no money in my pocket.

Orwigsburg



It doesnt bother me that people are out on unemployment, which they paid into while they were working. It bothers me that the businesses are suffering because they cant get workers because the government is giving people on unemployment the extra $300 plus free health care. They should be giving something back to the people that are out there working.

Pottsville



Regarding William Wagners letter, in September 2020, Fox Network lawyers argued that Tucker Carlson could not be taken seriously. That no one should believe what he says. A federal judge then dismissed the case.

Mahanoy City



Thank you, Christina. That woman, and I use that term loosely, that you doubled her bail, great. Let her rot in prison or better yet, let us treat her the way she treated those poor children.

Frackville



Fifty-four yeses, 35 nos. The Nos have it. The Jan. 6 commission is blocked. Mitch McConnell said it would be a personal favor for the Republican to vote against a comprehensive investigation. A personal favor? What is he afraid of? Ask good questions. What has happened to my Republican Party?

Pine Grove



Maybe a lot of people feel the election was stolen because of what happened before the election. Facebook, Twitter and major news outlets banned anything negative about Biden and allowed false stories about Trump. That is called election rigging and that should be thoroughly investigated.

Shenandoah



Girardville, you dont have to worry about your beloved Trump being thrown under the bus by Congress. The Republican Senate made sure the commission would not happen. Your view that the commission to investigate the insurrection of our Capitol on Jan. 6 could prove Trumps innocence is laughable. That is why Trump and most Republican politicians were against it. Trump and the Republicans know there is clear evidence of his guilt and the guilt of his supporters and some Republican politicians. That is why they dont want it investigated. Your loyalty to Trump has blinded you totally.

Mahanoy City



Thank you for letting Mahanoy City know about the food truck. Not everyone has computers and Facebook.

Mahanoy City



The head of Homeland Security said our southern border is closed. Our southern border is secure. Do you believe him or your lying eyes?

Port Carbon



I agree with the caller from Shenandoah about Service Electric putting up their service fees $6.17 a month. We do get the same movies over and over again. Why cant you give us something for our money? Put on more up-to-date movies. You are so unfair to the people who pay you faithfully. Put on good shows, not the same nonsense over and over.

Ringtown
After prominent Hollywood stars like Cardi B, Madonna, and more, actress and phenomenal dancer Nora Fatehi turned muse for photographer Hassan Hajjaj. The actress dwelled into some amazing eye catchy bespoke streetwear style of Morocco that is sure to leave the fashion icons mesmerized. Nora took to Instagram and gave an inside view of the joyful colourful portraits. The photoshoot was titled Marrakech 2020.

Nora Fatehi looks ravishing in Moroccon street style wear

The portraits were a part of Noras new photoshoot by International photographer Hassan Hajjaj where she is seen flaunting Moroccan street heritage with a mix of pop culture which is just soaring the temperature. In one of the pictures, the Street Dancer 3D actress is seen donning a full sleeves body-hugging top that came with a high-neck, black-base, and contrasting red floral prints all over. The diva teamed it with a pair of green trousers sporting orange handprints and text in blue. Exuberating oomph with her look, the actress in another portrait can be seen wearing a black-base high-neck tee that came with full sleeves and sported green leafy prints all over. She teamed it with a pair of monochromic checked trousers.

She shared her privilege of turning muse for the photographer in a heartfelt note on Instagram that read, Had an amazing time shooting with the renowned international photographer/artist @hassanhajjaj_larache. Love his Moroccan street heritage touch with a mix of pop culture vibes in all his work. The photographer also shared the stills on his Instagram and wrote, Nora Fatehi "Marrakech 2020 &"Maroussia Diaz"Marrakesh 2018, I'm so honored to have become one of the Canon ambassadors.

Hassan Hajjaj, who was born Born in Morocco and raised in London, uses products and patterns from North Africa along with the graphic zing of the Moroccan flag, for his outdoor shoots. Meanwhile, on the work front, Nora Fatehi debuted in Bollywood with the film Roar: Tigers Of The Sundarbans in 2014. She later gained popularity with some dance numbers including Dilbar in 2018. Nora Fatehi's movies that remain widely popular include Bharat, Batla House, Street Dancer, and My Birthday Song. She will also be featured in the upcoming film Bhuj: The Pride Of India.

IMAGE: NORAFATEHI/Instagram

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Ever since the production of Indiana Jones 5 has officially been kicked off by the makers, multiple photos have begun to emerge from the sets of the highly-anticipated film on social media. While a couple of glimpses from the upcoming sequel has been already doing rounds on the internet, a new photo has now taken over Twitter. The photograph shows lead actor Harrison Ford sporting his iconic brown jacket and fedora from the cult film series, along with a face mask on due to COVID-19 precautions.

Harrison Ford spotted shooting for 'Indiana Jones 5' in the UK

A recent photograph from the sets of Harrison Ford's movie, Indiana Jones 5, was leaked online, which not only went viral but also went on to make headlines. The photo was first shared on Twitter by an Indiana Jones fan page, named IJ Adventure Outpost. As the filming of the action-adventure film continues across the UK, the last being Grosmont village, new photos that reveal multiple hints at the storyline of Indiana Jones 5 have been garnering a lot of eyeballs online.

Take a look at the newly leaked Harrison Ford's photographs below:

Exclusive Photo that we got right now!

Harrison Ford sighted on Set of Indiana Jones 5 pic.twitter.com/jVzTB25XIw  IJ Adventure Outpost (@IndianaJones_ch) June 7, 2021

Another photo of Harrison Ford on Set received right now pic.twitter.com/IDmNdbRczF  IJ Adventure Outpost (@IndianaJones_ch) June 7, 2021

Previously, The Daily Mail had shared a bunch of photos from the Indiana Jones 5's set which featured a stunt double of Harrison Ford wearing a face mask and resembled a younger version of the 78-year-old actor. The look-alike of Harrison and the World War II-like setup seen in the photographs possibly hint at a flashback scene of a younger Indiana Jones in its much-talked-about fifth instalment. However, details about Indiana Jones 5 have been kept under wraps by the makers.

Meanwhile, along with the prolific actor reprising his role in the upcoming James Mangold directorial, the film also stars a slew of new additions. Actors including Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Thomas Kretschmann, Mads Mikkelsen, Boyd Holbrook and Shaunette Renee Wilson have been roped in to play key roles in Indiana Jones 5. While the filming of the action adventurer begun this month in the UK, it has been scheduled to hit the silver screen in July next year.

Look who walked right past us in Grosmont today our son asked him if he was Indiana Jones and he tipped his hat and said no, he was just the stunt double  pic.twitter.com/u7XH1RA1bT  EYFS Enthusiast (@enthusiast_eyfs) June 7, 2021

IMAGE: A STILL FROM INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL TRAILER

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Celebrity Chef Gordon Ramsay will now be seen in the third season of National Geographics cooking expedition series GORDON RAMSAY: UNCHARTERED. The show will premiere on June 10 at 9 pm on National Geographic India. In the new season, the Michelin-star chef will explore different cuisines of the world. Ramsay will hit the road and feasts his way through Portugal, Croatia, Mexico, Texas, Maine, Puerto Rico, Iceland and America's Smoky Mountains, going off the grid and off the recipe to explore global cuisines and unique culinary customs. Read further to know more about Gordon Ramsay: Unchartered season 3.

A look at Gordon Ramsay: Unchartered season 3

The chef will take help from the local experts and food legends. At the end of every episode, he will challenge himself during a final big cookout with a local food legend by his side, as they prepare a meal together for the locals he will meet during his journey. Have a look at the episode breakdown.

Texas

In this episode, the chef will explore the wilds of south-central Texas. He will try to understand how it feels to belong from the Lone Star. Throughout the episode, he will hunt for venomous rattlesnake in the backcountry and goes on a night hunt for invasive and ferocious feral hogs and also herd cattle.

Portugal

In this episode, Gordon Ramsay will explore the rugged landscape of Portugal, where the simple way of life is evident in the countrys incredible cuisine. Throughout the episode, he will chase black pigs, hunt for barnacles and also fishes. He will compete against the local chef, Kiko Martins, in an epic feast for the Mayor of Nazare.

Maine

Gordan Ramsay will explore to learn the reason behind Maine being the lobster capital of the world. Throughout the episode, he struggles to keep up with a team of lobster fisherwomen, dives for clams, harvests oysters, forages in freezing waters and tests his lumberjack skills. At the end of the episode, he will compete against local legend chef Melissa Kelly.

Croatia

In this episode, he travels to the untouched peninsula of Istria, Croatia. He will dive for local molluscs, risks his pride fishing for rare cuttlefish and chases after goats for cheese and donkeys for milk. At the end of the episode, he will compete with local chef David Skoko.

In other episodes, the chef will visit Puerto Rico, Iceland, Smoky Mountains and Mexico. The show is produced by Studio Ramsay for National Geographic. The executive producers for the show are Gordon Ramsay, Lisa Edwards, Jon Kroll and Tom Willis.

Get the latest entertainment news from India & around the world. Now follow your favourite television celebs and telly updates. Republic World is your one-stop destination for trending Bollywood news. Tune in today to stay updated with all the latest news and headlines from the world of entertainment.
New Delhi, Jun 8 (PTI) External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will pay a three-day visit to Kenya beginning Saturday with an aim to explore ways to further broaden ties between the countries.

Announcing Jaishankar's visit from June 12 to 14, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Tuesday that the minister and his Kenyan counterpart will co-chair the third meeting of the India-Kenya joint commission that will review all aspects of bilateral ties.

The external affairs minister is visiting Kuwait from June 9 to 11.

Kenya is a key partner country for India in the African continent.

The MEA said the last meeting of the India-Kenya joint commission was held in Delhi in March 2019.

"In Nairobi, Jaishankar will also meet with other ministers of the Kenyan government to take forward the India-Kenya relationship. The development partnership is an important aspect of the relationship between the two countries which the visit will seek to deepen," the MEA said in a statement.

It said the minister will also interact with the thriving Indian-origin community, an important bridge between the two countries.

"India and Kenya are currently serving in the United Nations Security Council. They are also members of the Commonwealth. Kenya is an active member of the African Union, with which India has longstanding ties," the MEA said. PTI MPB RT RT

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the increase in the Minimum Support Prices (MSPs) for all mandated Kharif crops for marketing season 2021-22. To ensure remunerative prices to the growers for their produce, the government has increased the MSP of Kharif crops for marketing season 2021-22.

Minimum Support Price increase of various Kharif crops

The highest absolute increase in MSP over the previous year has been recommended for sesame (Rs. 452 per quintal) followed by tur and urad (Rs. 300 per quintal each). In the case of groundnut and niger seed, there has been an increase of Rs 275 per quintal and Rs 235 per quintal respectively in comparison to last year. The differential remuneration is aimed at encouraging crop diversification.

The expected returns to farmers over their cost of production are estimated to be highest in the case of Bajra (85%) followed by urad (65%), and tur (62%). While for the rest of the crops, return to farmers over their cost of production is estimated to be at least 50%.

Modi government follows Swaminathan Committee

The Modi government has increased the MSPs of mandated Kharif crops to help farmers profit 50% more than the production costs. The decision was made in accordance with the Swaminathan Committee's C2 formula of calculating the cost of cultivation includes the imputed cost of capital and the rent on the land to give farmers 50% returns. This formula was adopted by PM Modi in his first term of governance too. In the following years, PM Modi has aimed to facilitate farmers to achieve 100% production returns.

Farmers' protest and MSP

The farmers of the Nation have protested a long time to legalise MSP for all crops and scrap the three farm laws. But, the government has stated that making Minimum Support Price (MSP) legal for all crops will put a burden of Rs 17 lakh crore on the government exchequer annually. The figure was calculated on the basis of the total production and MSP declared by the Centre for 23 crops that covered over 80 per cent of Indias total agricultural production.

(Image Credit: PTI/ANI)
Congress Leader Jitin Prasada Joins BJP Months Ahead Of UP Polls

In a massive development on Wednesday, senior Congress leader Jitin Prasada joined BJP at the party headquarters in the presence of Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal. This assumes significance ahead of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls scheduled to take place early next year. The leader who is perceived as Rahul Gandhi's close aide met Goyal and Union Home Minister Amit Shah in the national capital ahead of the switch. His induction into BJP will serve as a huge embarrassment to Congress as he was the AICC in charge for the West Bengal Assembly polls in which his party was wiped out. This brings to an end the speculation regarding Prasada's place in Congress.

Read more here

TMC Turncoat Rajib Banerjee Skips Key BJP Meet

In more trouble for BJP in West Bengal, TMC turncoat Rajib Banerjee on Tuesday openly opposed the saffron party's stance vis-a-vis the Mamata Banerjee-led government. Resigning from TMC on January 29 after quitting as a Minister and MLA, he joined BJP two days later in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah. However, he lost to TMC's Kalyan Ghosh from Domjur in the recently concluded Assembly polls with a margin of over 42,000 votes.

Read more here

Trump Laments Leniency During Presidency

The former US President Donald Trump, whose Facebook account is suspended for two years over the January 6 insurrection of Capitol Hill, on June 8 said perhaps I shouldve banned the social media giant during his four-year tenure. Lamenting his leniency towards social media during his presidency, Trump issued an official statement through his website said that he should have taken action against Facebook but its founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg kept calling the former US President. Trump also said that Zuckerberg kept telling the ex-US President how great he was before hinting at a possible ban in 2014 when he is planning to contest for the presidency again.

Read more here

India Sees Slight Rise In COVID-19 Cases

According to the health ministry, India recorded 92,596 new cases of Coronavirus disease on Wednesday, June 9, bringing the total number of cases to 2,90,89,069. According to figures updated at 8 a.m., the country had 2,219 deaths in the previous 24 hours. Since the outbreak of the pandemic, 353,528 persons have died in the country as a result of the virus. According to data from the health ministry, India had 1,231,415 active infections as of Wednesday, accounting for 4.5% of all illnesses registered so far.

Read more here

Mehul Choksi's Wife Counters Deportation Claims

As Mehul Choksi's bail hearing approaches in Dominica, his wife Priti Choksi spoke to Republic TV on Wednesday, maintaining that her husband will soon be sent to Antigua and not India. Refuting Choksi's 'friend' Barbara Jabarica's claims that Choksi was headed to Cuba and stopped in Dominica, Priti Choksi said that 'he had no reason to leave Antigua'. Countering Queen's Counsel and senior advocate Harish Salve's claims of early deportation, she said that the Caribbean nation had a thorough rule of law and would follow due process in the fugitive diamantaire's case too.

Read more here

Centre Targets 1 Crore Daily Vaccinations From July-August

In order to vaccinate all its eligible citizens by December 2021, the Centre is targetting 1 crore vaccinations on a daily basis from July-August, revealed Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) director-general Dr. Balaram Bhargava. Addressing a regular press brief on Tuesday, the ICMR chief stated that there was no shortage of vaccines and that by July-August, the Centre will have enough COVID-19 vaccines to innoculate 1 crore people per day. The vaccination currently stands at about 30 lakh doses per day.

Read more here

Sushil Modi Asks Lalu To Follow Mulayam's Example

On Tuesday, BJP MP Sushil Modi urged ex-Bihar CM Lalu Prasad Yadav to follow in the footsteps of SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav who got vaccinated recently. According to him, the Mainpuri MP had struck a huge blow to the people who were spreading misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines by giving nonsensical statements. Modi suggested that the RJD supremo should take the first dose of the vaccine on June 11, which is his birthday, along with his wife Rabri Devi.

Read more here

Sachin Pilot Downplays 'rebellion' Buzz

Even as rumours swirl around his dissatisfaction with Congress, ex-Rajasthan Deputy CM Sachin Pilot on Tuesday accused BJP of making useless statements. He was reacting to Deputy Leader of Opposition Rajendra Rathore who predicted the possibility of this resentment causing a big upheaval in the Rajasthan unit of Congress. However, the Tonk MLA advised Rathore to focus on his own party's dire condition in the state.

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JP Nadda Summons Kerala BJP Chief K Surendran

BJP national president JP Nadda called in Kerala BJP state president K Surendran on Wednesday after an FIR was filed against the latter for allegedly bribing a rival candidate. K Surendran is expected to meet JP Nadda in Delhi at 10 AM on Wednesday. On Monday, the Kasargod police registered a case against K Surendran for allegedly bribing a rival candidate to withdraw his nomination from the Manjeshwaram constituency in the recently-held Kerala Assembly Elections.

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BJP Denies Any Change Of Leadership In MP

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state leader Faggan Singh Kulaste's Tuesday statement put a rest on speculations suggesting leadership change in Madhya Pradesh. Kulaste dismissed rumors suggesting Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's replacement and added that he will continue on his post. The speculations had started spreading after a series of meetings between various party leaders held recently in Bhopal.

Read more here
In a key development, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday made their 35th arrest by nabbing key conspirator Muhammed Mansoor, in the Kerala gold scam case that had come to light in 2019 after a consignment camouflaged as diplomatic baggage was busted by the Customs in Thiruvananthapuram. NIA has now arrested Muhammed Mansoor, who had landed at Kochi airport from Dubai on Wednesday morning.

Kerala Gold Scam: NIA makes 35th arrests

As per NIA sources, Muhammed Mansoor was intercepted by immigration officials after a lookout notice was issued against him. Mansoor was arraigned as an accused in the gold smuggling case in November last year. "The charge against him is that he was one of the persons who assisted the main conspirators while being in India and UAE," the source added. Besides NIA, ED and the Customs Department are also investigating the case.

Earlier on Monday, sources had informed Republic TV that the Kerala government is likely to reinstate M Sivasankar, who served as the Principal Secretary to CM Pinarayi Vijayan. This assumed significance amid the LDF's historic win in the recently concluded state Assembly elections after facing flak from the Opposition in connection with the gold smuggling scam.

As the suspension period of the gold scam accused has expired, the Public Administration Department sought the advice of the Chief Minister's Office for further action, sources revealed. At present, this file is under the consideration of the Kerala CMO.

Kerala gold smuggling scam probe

The Vijayan-led government in Kerala has also been facing heat in the gold smuggling scam ahead with the opposition seeking the CM's ouster. On July 5, 2020, Customs officials seized 30 kg of gold worth Rs.15 crore at the Thiruvananthapuram Airport from a diplomatic cargo addressed to a person in the UAE Consulate. Sarith PS who worked at the UAE Consulate was apprehended in this regard. Subsequently, Swapna Suresh, an ex-Consulate employee working as the manager of the Kerala State Information Technology Infrastructure Limited and M Sivasankar, the ex-Principal Secretary to Kerala CM were also arrested in this case.

In January 2020, the NIA had filed a chargesheet before the Special Court. Claiming that the conspiracy started in June 2019, the agency alleged that the aforesaid persons raised funds and smuggled 167 kg of gold between November 2019 and June 2020 through the import cargo addressed to diplomats at the Consulate General of UAE in Thiruvananthapuram. Moreover, it added that the main accused had planned to smuggle more gold from countries such as Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Malaysia. Holding them responsible for threatening the "economic security of India", the agency revealed that the probe against absconding persons and others who facilitated the crime is underway.

(Image: PTI, Unsplash)
In a breakthrough never-before-seen observation, a team at NASA has discovered a rare, dramatic, and multi-staged eruption that the space agency is calling a Solar Rosetta Stone that could help the scientific fraternity to finally unveil mysteries about the suns explosive outbursts. The discovery of this fundamental physics could solve the puzzle about what causes the solar flares and eruptions at the center of the solar systems hottest body, which causes the dangerous space weather conditions with respect to the Earth.

A solar Rosetta Stone eruption has revealed clues that can help researchers solve mysteries behind powerful solar eruptions. Decoding this eruption helps scientists better predict eruptions that can cause dangerous space weather conditions. Learn more: https://t.co/rK8qb0zZmA pic.twitter.com/bDdJBBNyxV  NASA (@NASA) June 7, 2021

For the first time ever, scientists at NASA were able to classify component of the solar explosions that consists of three different types of eruptions that wrap into one single event. The eruption phenomenon, now being called solar Rosetta Stone, is helping the scientists at NASA to translate what they already know about each type of solar eruption, and is also assisting in understanding the other types. The space agency has technically uncovered a storage underlying mechanism that could explain all types of solar eruptions that occur.

This event is a missing link, where we can see all of these aspects of different types of eruptions in one neat little package, Emily Mason, lead author on the new study and solar scientist at NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland said in a news release. It drives home the point that these eruptions are caused by the same mechanism, just at different scales, she continued.

The multi-staged eruptions of the sun were captured by NASAs new Sun-watching spacecraft known as the SoloHI instrument  short for Solar Orbiter Heliospheric Imager. The European Space Agency and NASAs Solar Orbiter had caught sight of the first solar eruption that caused coronal mass ejection, or CME. SoloHI had recorded NASAs first-ever solar eruption using one of its four detectors at less than 15 percent of its normal cadence, accidentally. The eruption, in actuality, was first observed with NASAs Solar Dynamics Observatory and the European Space Agency, and NASAs Solar and Heliospheric Observatory on March 12 and 13, 2016.

Scientists saw the ejection of a hot layer of solar material above a magnetically active region on the Suns surface. Within half an hour, a second cooler layer of material also ejected from the same spot, confusing scientists as it was too huge to be a jet, and too small to be a CME which is the release of large clouds consisting of high-energy charged particles and magnetic fields.

Finding important to understand 'space weather'

"Eruptions on the Sun usually come in one of three forms: a coronal mass ejection, a jet, or a partial eruption. Coronal mass ejections  CMEs and jets are both explosive eruptions that cast energy and particles into space, but they look very different, explains NASA. Jets are narrow eruptions of columns of solar material, while the CMEs are the huge bubbles that expand out influenced by the suns powerful magnetic fields.

[The first coronal mass ejection, or CME, observed by the Solar Orbiter Heliospheric Imager (SoloHI) Credit: NASA]

According to NASA, the finding is integral in the understanding of the solar explosions including the CMEs and the jets as the large eruption might cause disruptions at Earth. These explosions from the sun can result in space weather  a storm of high-energy particles that can be dangerous for the astronauts and technology installed in space and, in extreme cases, utility grids on Earth.
The leader of Nigerian extremist group Boko Haram, Abubakar Shekau, has killed himself, according to a jihadi organization linked to the Islamic State group.

An audio recording purportedly from Abu Musab al-Barnawi, the leader of the Islamic State West Africa Province, or ISWAP, said Shekau detonated explosives killing himself after a battle between the two groups.

The audio message follows media reports last month that Shekau, one of Africas most wanted men, blew himself up to evade capture by ISWAP fighters.

Neither Nigerian authorities nor Boko Haram have confirmed Shekau's death.

There had been several false reports about Shekaus death in the past, with Shekau later appearing in videos to refute them.

Al-Barnawi, a son to the founding leader of Boko Haram, the late Mohammed Yusuf, made the statement in an audio message heard this week by The Associated Press in the native Kanuri language.

The audio message, which last about 28 minutes, had what is reportedly al-Barnawi's voice, lacing his speech with quotes from the verses of the Quran.

The audio was obtained from a former jihadist who provides intelligence to the government and is familiar with al-Barnawis voice.

He never thought this would happen to him even in his dream, but by the power of God we destabilized him; he became confused and fled to forest where he spent five days, wandering and stranded, he said. We followed him again where we faced him with heavy fire. He ran away, then our troops called on him to surrender so that he would be punished.

Shekau was asked to surrender in order to be pardoned or reinstalled as a leader.

We kept assuring him that we were not out to kill him, but he refused. To him its better to die than to surrender, he said.

He went out to describe Shekau as a defiant and corrupt leader whose fighters were celebrating instead of mourning his death.

This was someone who committed unimaginable terrorism. How many has he wasted? How many has he killed? How many has he terrorized? he said.

ISWAP broke off from Boko Haram in 2016 following a dispute between Shekau and al-Barnawi. Both jihadi groups have also been fighting each other over territory since they fell out.

The Nigeria-based Boko Haram has been waging a bitter war against Nigeria, Cameroon, Niger and Chad since 2009.

Boko Haram under Shekaus leadership has carried out numerous suicide bombings targeting markets, crowded bus stations, churches, mosques and media houses. A Boko Haram bombing in 2011 at the U.N. building in Nigeria's capital, Abuja, killed 21 people and wounded 60 others.

Boko Haram attacks on towns and villages mainly in northeast Nigeria have left tens of thousands of people dead and displaced more than 2.3 million others.

In February 2014, Boko Haram killed 59 male students in an attack at the Federal Government College Buni Yadi.

Two months later, the group shocked the world when it abducted 276 teenage schoolgirls from the Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State.

Shekau appeared in a video saying that the girls would be forced into marriage because girls as young as 9 are suitable for marriage.

While many of the girls have either escaped or been released, 112 of them are still missing.

The Boko Haram leader was notorious for using underage boys as child soldiers, while underage girls and young women have been used as suicide bombers in recent years.

Some gruesome Boko Haram videos have shown captives, including security personnel, aid workers and others, executed - sometimes by beheading.

Shekau had bounties on his head, with a reward of up to $7 million offered by the United States in 2012.

If indeed Shekau, the driving force behind Boko Haram, has died, that will likely weaken Boko Haram and make it possible for ISWAP to take over vast territories under Boko Haram control in Nigerias northeastern states of Yobe, Borno and Adamawa.

A stronger ISWAP will be bad news for the Nigerian military, as the group appears to constitute a greater threat against the Nigerian army, carrying out attacks on highly fortified military bases.

Many attribute ISWAPs recent successes to new tactics of buying over the local population with food and money.

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
French President Emmanuel Macron is not the only one who was on the receiving end of assault from the public after he was slapped during a walkabout on June 8. Several world leaders have been a victim of public rage including former US President George W Bush and Italys Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. From citizens throwing shoes to attacking with a metal replica, there are many heads of states who witnessed political outrage escalate to physical attacks. As two men have been arrested in the incident involving Macron, the French President later termed it an isolated event.

Macron told the French newspaper Le Dauphine, We must not let ultra-violent people take over the public debate: they do not deserve it. The man who attacked the French President reportedly shouted Down with Macron-ism and Montjoie, Saint-Denis before slapping Macron. The slogans are the battle cry of the old Kingdom of France referring to the banner of King Charlemagne. Following the incident, Macron had returned to the barrier and interacted with the crowd. He later said, I continued and I will continue...Nothing will stop me.

Heres list of world leaders getting attacked by the public

George W Bush

On December 14, 2008, Iraqi journalist Muntadhar al-Zaidi grabbed eyeballs for throwing his shoes at then US President George W Bush during an Iraqi press conference. Notably, Bush was recorded swiftly ducking and escaping without any harm. As per reports, the Iraqi journalist had shouted, This is a farewell kiss from the Iraqi people, you dog. Al-Zaidi reportedly suffered injuries and he was taken into custody. Reports also stated that he was tortured during his initial detention.

George Bush got a shoe thrown at him at a press conferences overseas. If that happened now, social media would be going nuts. pic.twitter.com/Mava70Gg4U  3 Guys From Da Southside (@DaSouthsideGuys) June 8, 2021

Silvia Berlusconi

Unlike Bush, who was left unharmed after the civilian attack, former Italian Prime Minister Silvia Berlusconi was not that lucky as he was hospitalised after being hit in the face with a metal replica of Milan's cathedral at a campaign rally in Milan. The man who attacked Berlusconi reportedly had a history of mental illness, but it left the ex-Italy PM bleeding profusely. At the time, Berlusconi was the centre of allegations related to corruption. He lost two teeth and his nose was also broken following the incident.

Italys prime minister Silvio Berlusconi was also attacked in 2009, if it were to be Nigeria  such a person would be killed on the spot for assassination pic.twitter.com/vb6i8DzR9R  Omo Iya Onisu Toti Retire (@Oyelobentus) June 8, 2021

Jair Bolsonaro

In September 2018, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro was stabbed while campaigning suffering severe injuries and being hospitalised. The man later identified as Adelio Bispo de Oliveira stabbed Bolsonaro after rushing up to the Brazilian leader while the latter was being carried through a crowd on the shoulders of a supporter. He suffered serious injuries in his abdomen and later suggested that the attack against him was politically motivated.

*record scratch* *freeze frame*



"Yep, that's me, the knife that stabbed Jair Bolsonaro" pic.twitter.com/wbA8pD6sOI  Reject modernity, embrace MWBC. (@team_waingro) November 30, 2019

Helmut Kohl

On May 10, 1991, former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl lost patience with a group of egg-throwing protesters and even tried to punch them. As per reports, Kohl was ducking out the back of the Halle city Hall when about 30 young people began throwing eggs. Notably, instead of running for cover, he began pulling away from his security guards and lunged over the gate that separated him from the crowd. The youths shouted, Liar, liar. eventually, Kohl was escorted inside.

An angry crowd throwing eggs at Helmut Kohl pic.twitter.com/GScFz3Xlei  C (@ChristophCFC) October 3, 2020

John Prescott

UKs former Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott grabbed eyeballs when he swiftly responded with punches when he was pelted with an egg during a visit to Rhyl in north Wales to speak at a Labour rally on the general election campaign trail on May 16, 2001. As per reports, protesters Craig Evans chucked an egg at Prescott who reacted by punching the egg thrower in the jaw. They both even briefly wrestled each other. At the time, Evans girlfriend reportedly said, He's a placid lad who has never been in trouble. Prescott later reportedly said, I was attacked by an individual. In the melee that followed I clearly defended myself.

Fraser Anning

Following making racist remarks on March 15, 2019, and blaming Muslims for the Christchurch mosque terror attacks, Australian Senator Fraser Anning was smashed with an egg on the head by 17-year-old Will Connolly. The latter was hailed as heroic and was also dubbed as Eggboy even though Anning struck him back.

Australia's Will "Egg Boy" Connolly, who gained international attention for egging politician Fraser Anning, announced he has donated nearly $100K to the Christchurch Foundation and Victim Support. https://t.co/KTc16CcA4v  Twitter Moments (@TwitterMoments) May 28, 2019

King of Sweden

In a protest against the monarchy, four teenagers between the age of 16 and 17 threw strawberry cream cake in the King Carl Gustaf of Swedens face shouting For King and Fatherland when he visited the Swedish park in September 2001. The court later fined the boys and also convicted them of minor assault. The king was not hurt and the 16-year-old cake thrower was wrestled to the ground by the monarchs bodyguards.

(Image credits: AP)

Jean Chretien

Former Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien was attacked by a protester who pelted cream pie on the leaders face on August 16, 2000. The incident occurred when Chretien entered an agricultural exhibition in Charlottetown and began shaking hands with less than 20 people. A man landed the pie along one side of the ex-Canadian PMs face.

OTD in 2000, Prime Minister Jean Chretien took a pie to the face at a meet-and-greet in PEI #neverforget pic.twitter.com/ZOWrUxskmR  Mike Commito (@mikecommito) August 16, 2016

Julia Gillard

Former Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard was thrown sandwiches at a school she visited in Queensland in 2013. Later, the school officials identified the attacker as 16-year-old Kyle Thomson.

IMAGE: Twitter
Lagan Valley Assembly member Paul Givan on June 8 was announced as Northern Ireland's new first minister. According to the Guardian, Edwin Poots, the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader, named Givan as the next first minister amid tensions within the party. Now, the 39-year-old on Monday will take over from Arlene Foster, who was ousted as DUP leader in April after an internal revolt, and will become the youngest person to lead Northern Ireland.

On Tuesday, Poots made the widely unexpected announcement in the Great Hall at Stormont amid turmoil within the DUP that threatens to destabilise the power-sharing executive and assembly at Stormont. A number of DUP members have quit over concerns about the partys direction since Poots election last month. Therefore, he also made other ministerial announcements, including Foyle MLA Gary Middleton as the junior minister in the Executive Office, Strangford MLA Michelle McIlveen as education minister, replacing Peter Weir and North Antrim MLA Paul Frew as the economy minister, replacing Diane Dodds.

All the new ministers will now take their posts from Monday. The time will allow Arlene Foster, ousted as party leader in a putsch in April, to effectively bow out as first minister on Friday at a British-Irish Council meeting held in her home county, Fermanagh. The seven-day period is also allowed for the approval of a first minister and deputy first minister by power-sharing partners Sinn Fein and the DUP.

Following the announcement, Givan said that there was a huge responsibility that comes with the position. He said that he has a huge task when it comes to tackling waiting lists and we need to get to work. Givan added that now there should be an effective transition that needs to take place next week so that he has a smooth delivery of governance. Givan said it was a huge task to follow DUP founder Ian Paisley, and his successors Peter Robinson and Arlene Foster, whom he referred to as "giants".

About Paul Givan

Givan was one of the early names to be tipped for the post of first minister in the eventuality of Edwin Poots winning the DUP leadership contest. He has previously served as a special adviser to Poots, both when he was minister for the former Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure and when he was environment minister. Givans own assembly career began in 2010 when he was co-opted in the Lagan Valley constituency to replace Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, who became an MP.

The 39-year-old was the chairman of the Stormont Justice Committee. He became a communities minister in 2016. Givan found himself at the centre of a political row in 2016 over his decision to cut funding for an Irish language scheme. He had endorsed Poots' bid for leadership of the DUP.

(Image: Twitter)


UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is all set to be re-elected as chief of the world body as the UN Security Council on June 8 voted to recommend that the General Assembly give the 72-year-old another term. Guterres is the former prime minister of Portugal and he has held his position as Secretary-General since 2017 and faced no competition for the next term in the job. Around 10 other people had sought the position, but they were not formal candidates because none of the 193 UN member states endorsed them.

Now, approval from the General Assembly is seen as a formality. After Tuesdays closed-door meeting, Estonias Ambassador to the UN Sven Jurgenson, President of the Council for the month of June, told reporters that the Council has recommended to the General Assembly that Guterres be appointed as the Secretary-General for the second term of office from January 1, 2022, to December 31, 2026. He even said that the vote in the General Assembly to re-elect Guterres could take place on June 18.

"Even though we had only one official candidate, the process of the selection has not changed since last time. Now we pass on the torch to the UN General Assembly," Sven said.

He added, "We have all seen actually the Secretary-General in action. I think he has been an excellent Secretary-General. Hes a bridge-builder, his views on the conflict zones in the world and hes able to speak to everybody. And I think this is something that is expected from the Secretary-General and he has proven worthy of the post already with the five years that he has been in office.

India expresses support for Guterres' re-election

India had expressed its support for the re-election of Guterres as UN Chief and welcomed the adoption of the resolution recommending his name. While taking to Twitter, UN Ambassador T S Tirumurti said that the nation welcomes the adoption of UN resolution recommending Guterres a second term.

Guterres, nominated by the Government of Portugal, has been the only official candidate for the position of Secretary-General and his re-election was a given. During his first term, the 72-year-old was forced to concentrate on limiting potential damage from the unilateral, nationalist and alliance-wary foreign policy of Donald Trump. Now, as he is all set to re-elected for a new term, Guterres will need a battle plan for all the crisis across the globe.

Guterres's vision

Back in March, Guterres had circulated his vision statement and earlier in May, laid out his case for a second term to the UN Member States during an informal interactive dialogue convened in the General Assembly Hall. In a statement, Guterres said that restoring trust and inspiring hope is imperative for the next five years. He said that mounting a massive and enduring response to the COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences in the short-term, leaving no stone unturned in the search for peace and security, making peace with nature and climate action, turbocharging the Decade of Action to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and advocating for a more equitable world among other issues are his top agendas.

Guterres said, "As we emerge from the pandemic, the UN is more relevant than everWe must act as a catalyst and a platform for more inclusive, networked and effective forms of multilateralism. Our direction of travel is clear on peace and security, climate action, sustainable development, human rights and the humanitarian imperative.

He added, "Our power to transform the current situation into a better world and future for all depends on everyone everywhere and can only be done successfully if we are resolute and resolved to combine our efforts towards our common agenda for the benefit of humanity and the planet.

(With inputs from PTI)


An Iraqi militia commander whose arrest last month sparked a standoff between the government and paramilitary groups was freed Wednesday after a judge ordered his release.

The release of Qassim Mahmoud Musleh came as Iranian General Esmail Ghaani, head of the expeditionary Quds Force, arrived in Baghdad to meet with militia and political leaders, two Shiite political officials said.

The officials said the meeting was to address ongoing tensions between the government and some militia groups linked to Iran following Musleh's arrest.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to media.

Supporters of Musleh greeted him with hugs and kisses on Baghdad's central Jadriya Bridge after his release, taking photos and videos with him to celebrate.

Two Iraqi officials said Musleh was released at 8 a.m. and he returned to the southern city of Karbala, his hometown, where supporters also greeted him.

Musleh is head of the Popular Mobilization Forces in Anbar province.

He was arrested May 27 on terrorism charges following a judicial investigation. His release was ordered by an investigative judge within the PMF, to whom his case file had been sent, two Iraqi officials said.

They said the release was based on insufficient evidence. They spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations.

The PMF is a state-sanctioned group comprised of an array of militias formed to battle the Islamic State group in 2014. Among the most powerful members of the group are Iran-backed Shiite militia groups.

Their growing clout within Iraq has troubled Western, especially US officials and presented an ongoing challenge for Iraq's government.

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
Reports of Israeli missile attack have been surfaced from Syrian media that said military sites were targeted by fresh Israeli missiles strike on Tuesday night. Syria's state news agency SANA reported that the Syrian army shot down missiles fired by Israel. Citizens of the capital of Damascus also witnessed Syrian air defence missiles being fired into the sky as the region's defence department was charged up from Israel's attack.

The media reports suggest that Israel fired from Lebanese airspace, as they usually attack Syria from Lebanon. A fresh controversy has sparked between the two regions as Chinese News Agency Xinhua also reported citizens from the northwestern province of Latakia and the central province of Homs saying they witnessed an Israeli attack.

The reports of the fresh attack came merely a week after Syrian media had reported one casualty on June 2 as Israel had fired missiles toward northwest Syria. Prior to that, a missile was fired from Damascus that had struck deep inside Israel.

Israel-Syria conflict

Over the years, Israel has launched hundreds of strikes against Iran-linked military targets in Syria however never accounted for or discussed any such operations. The current reports of the attack from Israel have been reported as the country's response to airstrikes on the missile launcher and other targets in Syria. The missile that landed in Israel was identified as a Russian-made SA-5 missile that according to Israel officials had missed its target and exploded in the southern part of the country.

Israel-Gaza conflict

The reports of clashes between Israel and Iran-linked Syria come few weeks after Israel and Gaza announced a ceasefire resulting from the huge destructions that both regions witnessed. The communal tensions were said to be the biggest violence that killed over 200 people in Palestinian while Israel also suffered a significant loss. Shortly after midnight of May 21, Israeli media had broken the news that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Security Cabinet has approved a unilateral ceasefire to halt an 11-day military operation in the Gaza Strip. Shortly after this, Hamas also confirmed via a spokesperson that it too would enter into a ceasefire and truce.

(With agency inputs)
Syria on Tuesday activated its air defense system against the "Israeli aggression within Damascus, state news agency Sana reported late Tuesday. The Israeli fighter jet flew from the Lebanese airspace and targeted the Syrian military bases in the early hours on June 8, after suspension of the attacks for nearly one month. Several explosions were heard as bombs dropped in the perimeter of Damascus international airport, the Air-Defense Battalion in the Al-Dumayr district, and other positions in the southwest of Homs governorate, Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said in a press release. The airstrikes left many civilian casualties in Homs, it said.

Loud explosions were heard in Hamah and Latakia governorates due to air-defense systems which launched several surface-to-air missiles, attempting to intercept the Israeli rockets, the Britain-based war monitor SOHR reported.

[Credit: AP]

The blasts rocked Damascus and several areas around the Syrian city as the Israeli armed forces targeted the key military posts of the Syrian Army. As a result, the arsenals in the al-Dumayr district had also exploded. Ambulances were seen rushing to the targeted sites to take the casualties to the nearby hospitals, activists for SOHR told the observatory. Since early June, the regime rebel forces and Iranian-backed militias were on high alert in the perimeter of Damascus international airport.

[Damascus sky lights up missile fire during an attack on Syria. Credit: AP]

The Israeli airstrikes targeted areas around Damascus's international airport and the Syrian air force battalion in the Dumayr region at about 50 kilometers (30 miles) from Damascus. The explosions mainly took place at arms depots, as well as in the south of Homs province.

"The strikes have led to human losses in Homs, where rescue teams have been despatched to the targeted sites," the Observatory noted.

Earlier last week, the Syrian Observatory documented the death of a rebel target working in collaboration with the 4th Division and the Lebanese Hezbollah from an IED explosion in al-Mualaqah village in al-Quneitra, near the border with the occupied Syrian Golan. The explosion resulted in several casualties.

Israeli helicopter attack Jbata al-Khashab military post

On May 5, sources in the south Syria region told SOHR that the Israeli helicopter flying over the Syrian Golan struck the regime military base with two missiles in the early hours. The targeted military post was located near Jbata al-Khashab town in the north of al-Quneitra, in the occupied Syrian Golan. It hosted members of the reconnaissance and monitoring brigades of the Lebanese Hezbollah. At least 3 of the forces stationed at the base were critically injured. Another military post nearby Tel al-Shaar was also attacked by the Israeli forces.

Syria has routinely activated its air defense systems against what its military describes as the hostile Israeli target that penetrated the Syrian airspace. In 2018, the Syrian military had shot down an Israeli F-16 fighter jet during a bombing raid against an Iranian-linked airfield in central Syria after an Iranian drone entered Israeli airspace. The F-16s pilot and navigator were critically injured.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme will likely be suspended because the Imran Khan-led federal government might be unable to implement major conditions of the sponsored programme in its upcoming budget. While speaking to The News International, the former finance minister of Pakistan's Punjab province, Aisha Ghous Pasha said that the government wants to get IMF support so that it can get loans. Pasha added that the Fund programme is, however, moving towards suspension if the government does not implement conditions in the upcoming budget.

Pasha, who is a Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Member of National Assembly (MNA), said: "The government wants to get the support of the IMF so that it can get loans from other multilateral creditors through comfort letter. The Fund programme is moving towards suspension if the government does not implement conditions in the upcoming budget.

She further highlighted that if the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government went ahead with the IMF conditions, including a hike in electricity tariff by 30 per cent, fetching additions revenues by Pakistani Rs 1 trillion and ensuring autonomy to the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) and the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA), the political revolt could occur in Pakistan. Pasha also compared the development spending in Punjab during the previous and current administration and said that the utilisation of development spending in Punjab stood at 470 billion in 2017-18 and then it decreased to Pakistani Rs 242 billion next year in 2018-18 under the PTI regime.

PTI govt went to IMF without proper homework

Pasha said that there were major flaws in policymaking and executions as it seemed that kids were running the economy of the country. She added that the devaluation was done in haste and the discount rate hiked it, resulting in doubling of the debt servicing. Pasha also lambasted that the incumbent government did not allow anyone to work in a calm atmosphere as several finance ministers and secretary finance got changed, with the sword of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) hanging over their heads.

She said that the government went to IMF without having proper homework and that per capita income had declined under the PTI-led regime. She also noted that unemployment had risen as life standards deteriorated.

Meanwhile, according to ANI, Pakistan's opposition parties had earlier slammed the federal government's announcement of the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth, estimating that it would hit 3.94 per cent for the fiscal year 2020-21. The government had earlier estimated a GDP growth of 2.1 per cent for the outgoing fiscal year. The IMF and the World Bank, on the other hand, had predicted the GDP growth in the range of 1.5 per cent for the current fiscal year.

(With inputs from ANI)


Breaking her silence on Barbara Jarabica's revelations regarding her association with Mehul Choksi, the latter's wife Priti spoke exclusively to Republic TV on Tuesday. Rejecting the claim that her husband had offered to visit Cuba along with Jarabica, Priti Choksi added that it was incorrect to rule out the 'abduction' angle. While the fugitive's lawyer Vijay Aggarwal that he was abducted from Antigua and Barbuda, tortured by some persons, and forcefully brought to Dominica on May 23, this has not been substantiated so far.

"I am very confused with some of her statements. I am just wondering whether is it that they mistook the Dominican Republic and Dominica and began with the story of Cuba. Because there is no connection. They are not near to each other. They are in opposite direction," Priti Choksi remarked.

Refuting Jarabica's charge that Mehul Choksi had introduced himself as 'Raj', she added, "My husband is a very well-known figure in Antigua. If you ask anyone, they will tell you who he is. So, to mistake him for someone else when you have purposely tried to make friends with him by walking with him and everything, why would we believe anything that she says about him being someone else?" Previously, Priti Choksi had made it clear that she did not know her personally and that her husband had first met her in August 2020.

She also questioned Jarabica's motive of speaking openly at this juncture. Mehul Choksi's wife Priti Choksi opined, "The very fact that she has surfaced suddenly on the day of the bail application in Dominica is one very strong indication of what she is up to. Secondly, a case has been filed with Scotland Yard today. So, that also may have been bothering her."

What is Barbara Jarabica's claim?

Speaking to Republic TV a day earlier, Barbara Jarabica rejected the Mehul Choksi team's 'honeytrap' theory and instead alleged that it is the PNB scam accused who tried to flirt with her. Detailing on her association with Choksi, Barbara Jarabica said that they spoke about COVID-19, business and other topics after they met in August 2020 but confessed that they started becoming closer in April 2021. Clarifying that she was not his girlfriend, Jarabica claimed that the fugitive even told her that she was his 'soulmate' and that the age difference between them would not act as a barrier in their friendship.

While conceding that she indeed met Mehul Choksi for breakfast on May 23- the day he was reported missing, she stressed that it was nearly impossible for him to be kidnapped at the busiest time and area in Antigua. According to her, Mehul Choksi intended to use her as a backup plan to make his abduction look authentic. Jarabica also categorically maintained that she had not met Priti Choksi. Meanwhile, Republic TV accessed purported WhatsApp chats between Mehul Choksi and her, which indicates the alleged close association between them.

Mehul Choksi's legal woes

Along with Nirav Modi, he has been accused of allegedly siphoning off Rs 13,500 crore of public money from the Punjab National Bank (PNB), using letters of undertaking. Owner of the Gitanjali group, a retail jewellery company, Choksi secured the citizenship of Antigua and Barbuda in November 2017 under the aegis of the Citizenship by Investment Programme and fled to the island nation in the first week of January 2018. While India formally sought Choksi's extradition in August 2018, Browne commenced the process of revoking his citizenship on October 14, 2019,

The Mehul Choksi citizenship issue gained traction again after he was reported "missing" on May 23 after going out for dinner. 4 days later, the Dominican government issued an official statement confirming that the fugitive had been detained for illegal entry into the country. Thereafter, the Antigua and Barbuda PM refused to accept him back and held that the PNB scam accused can be repatriated to India on being declared persona non grata by Dominica.

While the hearing on the habeas corpus petition has been put off till the beginning of July, Magistrate Candia Carrette-George of the Rouseau Magistrate court denied Mehul Choksi bail. Though he is technically in police custody, he is presently admitted to the Dominica China Friendship Hospital. In a latest development, the Dominican High Court judge Wynante Adrien-Roberts has adjourned Mehul Choksi's bail plea till June 11.
A blanket of thick, snow-like foam covered the surface of a canal in Indonesias capital, Jakarta. The froth exuded from the waters of the east flood canal in Marunda repeatedly over recent years, according to a report by The Guardian. While the specific cause is yet to be determined by the authorities, experts have blamed liquid waste including detergents for the mysterious foam.

While pollution in Jakartas water bodies has been concerning the citys authorities for quite some time now, it is only with the advent of pandemic and its byproducts that it has exacerbated. One recent study found that the debris in two rivers- Cilincing and Marunda- has risen by 5 per cent since 2016. As per the study, the river waste has been driven by pandemic products including face masks, gloves, hazmat suits amongst others.

The government has previously used netting to trap waste so that it wont flow out to sea, and deployed teams to pick items from the surface. However, the condition is worsening with each passing day. Jakarta, a coastal town famous amongst tourists for its culture and cuisines, is not only threatened by water pollution, but also by air pollution and congested, clusters roads.

Similiar calamity

Meanwhile, a similar slimy foam has blanketed the Marmara Sea, located entirely within the borders of Turkey, raising concerns amongst environmentalists and biologists. While the naturally occurring sea snot was first documented in Turkey in 2007, it has grown at alarming levels this year. Photographs and video clips that surfaced on the internet show ships and boats jammed by the sea snot while underground footages depict corals, fish suffocated by it.

Sea Snot, also known as marine mucilage, is a collection of thick, slimy, mucus-like substance found in the sea. It is composed of compounds secreted by marine organisms. At present, it has not only bloomed in the Marmara but also in adjoining the area of the black and the Aegean Sea. Experts have blamed the bloom on Chemical and Industrial waste as well as devastating climate change.

Representative Image: AP
Malaysia's king summoned political leaders of opposing sides for an audience on Wednesday, as public anger mounted over COVID-19 pandemic.

A convoy carrying embattled Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyidin Yassin arrived at the National Palace in Kuala Lumpur to meet the monarch, Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah.

The country began its second nationwide lockdown on June 1 to tackle a worsening surge of the coronavirus that put its health care system on the verge of collapse.

Malaysia's economy has contracted for four straight quarters through March.

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
Former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan met the president of the new Malian transitional goverment Col. Assimi Goita in Bamako on Tuesday to mediate a transition towards elections in the country. Jonathan is leading a delegation of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which is mediating the talks together with the MINUSMA, the United Nations mission in Mali, and other international delegates.

ECOWAS has called for a new civilian prime minister in Mali to be nominated immediately, and demanded the formation of a new "inclusive" government. "It is important that the government be inclusive," ECOWAS commission president Jean- Claude Brou Kassi said on Tuesday evening. Goita was sworn in Monday as president of the transitional government, solidifying his grip on power after carrying out his second coup in nine months.

The inauguration ceremony in the capital, Bamako, came as Mali faces increasing isolation from the international community over the junta's power grab. The African Union has suspended Mali's membership and France has temporarily suspended its joint military operations with the Malian military to exert pressure on Goita to step aside.

Goita, who first seized power in August 2020 by overthrowing Mali's democratically elected president, eventually agreed to a transitional government led by a civilian president and prime minister. But two weeks ago he ousted those civilian leaders after they announced a cabinet reshuffle that sidelined two junta supporters without consulting him. Continued political instability in Mali, many fear, could further embolden Islamic extremists, who have been carrying out attacks for nearly a decade in the countrys volatile north.

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
As Mehul Choksi's bail hearing approaches in Dominica, his wife Priti Choksi spoke to Republic TV on Wednesday, maintaining that her husband will soon be sent to Antigua and not India. Refuting Choksi's 'friend' Barbara Jabarica's claims that Choksi was headed to Cuba and stopped in Dominica, Priti Choksi said that 'he had no reason to leave Antigua'. Countering Queen's Counsel and senior advocate Harish Salve's claims of early deportation, she said that the Caribbean nation had a thorough rule of law and would follow due process in the fugitive diamantaire's case too.

Choksi's wife: 'My husband will be back in Antigua soon'

"You do not go to Dominica to go to Cuba, you do pass through the Dominican Republican. My husband was well-settled here in Antigua and was fighting cases against him. He had no reason to leave Antigua. Why this Jabarica has suddenly surfaced with Hindi-movie dialogues? I don't know. The investigation is ongoing and the truth will come out," said Priti Choksi.

When asked about Choksi's possible deportation to India directly, she said, "The rule of law in these Caribbean nations are very strong and they believe in due process. As per the law, my husband should be back in Antigua & Barbuda. He is being held on a charge of illegal entry into Dominica".

On Monday, Salve weighed in on the strategy to ensure the deportation of Mehul Choksi to India. He will await the PNB scam accused's bail hearing in the Dominica High Court and appear in the case virtually if he is granted permission. Hinting that the fugitive can be deported soon, he said, "I don't have that kind of experience of Dominican courts but I think hopefully we should be talking weeks rather than months".

Mehul Choksi arrested

Mehul Choksi purportedly went "missing" after going out for dinner in Antigua island on May 23 and could not be traced even though his vehicle was traced in the Jolly Harbour later. Following a yellow notice alert, Dominican authorities arrested Choksi for allegedly illegally entering the country via Toucari Beach. While Choksi is seeking to be repatriated to Antigua where he enjoys citizenship, Antigua PM Gaston Browne has now refused to grant him entry in Antigua and asked the Dominican government to directly deport him to India. An eight-member team of the CBI, the ED, and the Ministry of External Affairs had flown to Dominica to pursue the case for Choksi's deportation, but have now returned to India.

Choksi and his nephew Nirav Modi, have been accused of allegedly siphoning off Rs 13,500 crore of public money from the Punjab National Bank (PNB), using letters of undertaking. Owner of the Gitanjali group, a retail jewellery company, Choksi secured the citizenship of Antigua and Barbuda in November 2017 under the aegis of the Citizenship by Investment Programme and fled to the island nation in the first week of January 2018 and India formally sought Choksi's extradition in August 2018. While the UK has ordered Modi's deportation, Choksi is currently housed in Dominica-China Friendship Hospital under police guard after being denied bail.


On Wednesday, Nepal's Supreme Court issued a show cause notice to the Office of the President, Office of the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers on the dissolution of the House of Representatives and sought a reply within 15 days. At the recommendation of Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli, President Bidya Devi Bhandari had dissolved the House on May 22 for the second time in five months and announced snap elections on November 12 and November 19.

The proceedings of the case

The five-member constitutional bench, headed by Chief Justice Cholendra Shumsher Rana, has sought clarification from the defendants. The proceedings of the politically significant case were disrupted since Sunday, June 6. A regular hearing of the case is expected to resume from June 23 after the completion of the 15-day deadline provided by the court to the defendants to submit their clarification.

Petitions filed by opposition

Including the Opposition alliance, nearly 30 writ petitions have been filed in the Supreme Court against the dissolution of the House, which quoted them as 'unconstitutional'.

Due to petitioners' and government lawyers' cycle of objections over the composition of justices in the Constitutional Bench claiming conflict of interest, the case hearing has been obstructed multiple times.

The reshuffling Cabinet

On May 29, Nepal President Bidya Devi Bhandari had dissolved the House of Representatives and announced that mid-term polls to be held on November 12 and 19. This came after Bhandari rejected the claims of both Nepal PM KP Sharma Oli and opposition leader Sher Bahadur Deuba for government formation. Oli had the support of 153 lawmakers including members of the Janata Samajbadi Party, Nepali Congress president Deuba submitted signatures of 149 parliamentarians which did not sum up as there are 275 members in Nepal's House of Representatives. Therefore, Bhandari took recourse to Article 76(5) which paves way for the dissolution of the Parliament and fresh polls if no one is able to garner the support of a majority of the lawmakers.

In early June, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli reshuffled his Cabinet retaining only four old Cabinet members including Lilanath Shrestha, Basanta Kumar Nembang, Bishnu Paudel, and Krishna Gopal Shrestha. The Thakur-Mahato faction decided to back Oli, the Yadav-Bhattarai faction of the JSP-N was in favour of forming a government led by Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba.

(With PTI Input)

(Image Credit: PTI)
UNITED NATIONS (AP)  The U.N. Security Council gave its unanimous backing to Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for a second term on Tuesday, assuring his election as the next U.N. chief by the General Assembly, most likely on June 18.

The 15 council members adopted a brief resolution by acclamation and approved a communique at a brief private meeting endorsing Guterres  the only candidate  to be the worlds top diplomat for another five years starting Jan. 1.

He has proven worthy of the post already with the five years he has been in office. said Estonias U.N. Ambassador Sven Jurgenson, the current council president, after reading the communique to the media. He has been an excellent secretary-general. Hes a bridge builder. ... Hes able to speak to everybody, and I think this is something that is expected from the secretary-general.

Guterres called the councils decision a great honor and said in a statement, I would be deeply humbled if the General Assembly were to entrust me with the responsibilities of a second mandate.

He said it has been an immense privilege to serve we the peoples -- the opening words of the U.N. Charter -- during the past 4  years when we have been facing so many complex challenges.

Traditionally, candidates for the U.N.s top job have been nominated by a U.N. member state, but that is not a requirement in the U.N. Charter or in a resolution adopted by the General Assembly in 2015. That measure made the previously largely secretive selection of the secretary-general more open and transparent, allowing member states for the first time to see basic information about all candidates, including their resumes, and to question them at open sessions.

Guterres, a former Portuguese prime minister and U.N. refugee chief, was elected by the assembly to succeed Ban Ki-moon after a hotly contested and transparent race in October 2016 that initially included 13 candidates -- seven women and six men. Guterres took office on Jan. 1, 2017.

This year, seven individuals submitted applications to be secretary-general without backing from any government, including most recently former Ecuadorian President Rosalia Arteaga.

Guterres, whose five-year term ends Dec. 31, was the only applicant nominated by a U.N. member state, his home country Portugal. He followed the 2015 process, holding a lengthy open question and answer session with U.N. diplomats in the General Assembly last month and then meeting privately with Security Council members.

General Assembly President Volkan Bozkir told reporters last month the rule is that an applicant can only become a candidate when a letter signed jointly by the presidents of the assembly and the Security Council is sent to all member states.

He said, It looks like the Security Council has the opinion that, traditionally, only applicants supported by a country can become a candidate, so the only joint letter was sent on behalf of Guterres.

Estonias Jurgenson confirmed the councils position again on Tuesday, saying according to the rules and procedures only states can nominate candidates -- fortunately, unfortunately ... this time no other state presented a candidate

Under the U.N. Charter, the 193-member General Assembly elects the secretary-general and Jurgenson said: The timeline now is that most probably it will happen in the General Assembly in the morning of June 18.

Human Rights Watch Executive Director Kenneth Roth alluded to the need ofy candidate to be U.N. secretary-general to get support from the five veto-wielding members of the Security Council -- the United States, Russia, China, Britain and France.

He reiterated his past criticism of Guterres for remaining silent publicly during his first term about human rights abuses by China, Russia, and the United States and their allies.

Roth singled out Guterres non-confrontational approach toward former U.S. President Donald Trumps efforts to sideline human rights and embrace authoritarian leaders and toward what he called Chinas crimes against humanity against the Uyghurs in Xinjiang as well as toward what he described as Saudi Arabias war crimes in Yemen and Russias vetoes of human rights-related resolutions on its ally Syria.

Guterres should use his next five years to become a strong vocal advocate for rights, Roth said. His recent willingness to denounce abuses in Myanmar and Belarus should expand to include all governments deserving condemnation, including those that are powerful and protected.

U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric responded to the criticism saying the secretary-general has a strong stance on defending human rights, speaking up against abuses."

Whether its NGOs, whether its the United Nations, whether its the secretary-general, the high commissioner for human rights, we all have the same goal and that is seeing an end to human rights abuses," Dujarric said. We all take different roads to get there, but in the end, we all want to get to the same place."

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
A 35-year old senior executive at a software company in Singapore, who made racially offensive tweets, including slurs to Indians, was jailed for three weeks on June 8. According to PTI, Zainal Abidin Shaiful Bahari, a Malay, had condemned Indian immigrants about COVID-19 last year. He had pleaded guilty to two charges each of committing acts he knew were prejudicial to the maintenance of harmony between different racial groups in Singapore.

Zainals lawyers claimed that he was not a racist and that he was taking over a parody account and overstepped the mark while trying to be funny. However, District Judge S Jennifer Marie said that race and religion are sensitive issues and would-be offenders must realise that careless remarks have the potential to cause social disorder. She added that racial tensions have been heightened by the continued pandemic and a strong deterrent signal must be sent.

Judge Marie said, When such remarks are published with the medium of the Internet, they have the ubiquitous reach and therefore amplify the potential and irreversible harm that could be caused topeace and racial harmony.

Back in 2020, a member of the public called the police after seeing a tweet by the user sharonliew86 condemning Indian immigrants about COVID-19. Zainal used the pseudonym Sharon Liew (Chinese name) and he had sole control of the account. He had even posted that smart Chinese women have done social distancing inside the Mass Rapid Transit subway by not wanting to sit next to Indians.

Zainal was identified and police investigations revealed that he had set up the Twitter account in July 2018 with two other friends. The account was meant to be a parody account and had more than 5,000 followers, but the posts by Zainals two friends stopped from early 2019. Zainal took sole control of the account and posted the offensive tweets in March and April 2020.

'Really not acceptable'

Following the incident, the prosecutor called for four weeks jail, however, Zainals lawyer Sunil Sudheesan asked instead for three weeks jail, saying that every action by his client must be viewed in the proper context. Sudheesan even said that his client is not a racist and he is married to a Chinese woman and has racially diverse friends. Further, the lawyer added that everyone who followed the account knew it was a parody, and things could have become inflamed when people who did not know the intention of certain tweets forwarded them.

Our client is very sorry for this. He should have anticipated this, Sudheesan said.

The prosecutor then responded saying, This was not parody, this was not satirical behaviour, this was simply the actions of an online troll who was provoking othersThis is really not acceptable.

The Judge told Zainal that the language used in his tweets were in bad taste. Judge Marie jailed him for three weeks. She said, If you had really valued racial and cultural diversity, you should have appreciated all the more the need to preserve  sensitivities given the multi-cultural fabric of Singapore.

(With inputs from PTI)




Belarusian opposition politician Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya on Wednesday called for a special mission to check on the condition of dissident journalist Raman Pratasevich, who is being detained in Belarus. Tsikhanouskaya made the call during a visit to the Senate in Prague, where she said Pratasevich's lawyer had been denied from seeing him for 11 days.

"We are more than certain that he is being beaten and tortured, but there is no access to him and there is nothing that can be done," she said.

Raman Pratasevich was taken into custody after the forced downing of a flight he was on was passing over Belarus en route to Lithuania last month. He was taken into custody when the flight landed in Minsk. Belarus has faced sanctions over the incident, with western countries saying the move amounted to air piracy by Belarus. Pratasevich was a founder of a messaging app channel that was a key information conduit for opponents of Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko.

Tsikhanouskaya is the wife of the jailed blogger Sergei Tikhanovsky, and ran for president after her husband was jailed. While Lukashenko won the election, the result was widely contested, and caused weeks of protests by hundreds of thousands of people, leading to a brutal crackdown by authorities. Tikhanovskaya now lives in exile in Lithuania.

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
GEORGETOWN, Guyana (AP)  Weeks of heavy rains have flooded large parts of the South American nation of Guyana, turning communities into lakes, destroying farms and ranches and putting pressure on authorities to bring relief to beleaguered residents.

Officials said some areas were still under 2 feet of water nearly two weeks after the heaviest single day of rainfall, May 27, when about 5 inches fell in less than 24 hours, and many highways remained cut, hampering relief efforts.

The country was braced for additional bouts of rains this week this week.

Many of our brothers and sisters across Guyana are faced with the worst disaster we have ever had, or they have ever had, in the history of our country, President Irfaan Ali said late Monday after returning from communities in the west, near the Venezuelan border. I spoke to the people where their entire lives have been destroyed."

The government of the country of 800,000 called a special session of Parliament on Thursday to approve emergency aid ranging from food and water to farm materials.

Owners of thousands of gold and diamond mining camps also have had to abandon production as rivers overflowed their banks and rushed into mining pits.

I have never seen so much rain in my 66 years on the face of this earth, said former miner Cosmos DeSantos, now director at the National Planning Agency.

National Weather Service director Garvin Cummings said Tuesday that this year's May was the second wettest since 1981.

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UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab arrived in Irbil, capital of Iraq's semiautonomous Kurdish region, on Wednesday and met with Iraqi Kurdistan President Nechirvan Barzani.

Raab and Barzani discussed regional security including the threat of the Islamic State group, officials said.

The visit comes after a one day trip to Baghdad where he met with Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al Kadhimi, Iraqi President Barham Salih, as well as coalition and NATO commanders.

Kurdish fighters, also known as the Peshmerga, have been instrumental in the region's fight against IS.

Raab, who announced new funding for further Peshmerga training, also emphasized the importance of press freedom amidst arrests of Kurdish journalists by Kurdish authorities.

He is later scheduled to meet Iraqi Kurdistan Prime Minister Masrour Barzani.

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
The former US President Donald Trump, whose Facebook account is suspended for two years over the January 6 insurrection of Capitol Hill, on June 8 said perhaps I shouldve banned the social media giant during his four-year tenure. Lamenting his leniency towards social media during his presidency, Trump issued an official statement through his website said that he should have taken action against Facebook but its founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg kept calling the former US President. Trump also said that Zuckerberg kept telling the ex-US President how great he was before hinting at a possible ban in 2014 when he is planning to contest for the presidency again.

While criticising social media giants including Facebook and Twitter, Trump said on Tuesday, Who are they to dictate good and evil if they themselves are evil? Perhaps I should have done it while I was President. But Zuckerberg kept calling me and coming to the White House for dinner telling me how great I was. 2024?

Trumps remarks followed Nigerias ban on Twitter because the microblogging platform deleted a tweet from Nigerian President Muhammadu Buharis account for violating its rules and threatening genocide. However, the deleting of the post was met with Nigerian telecoms operators complying with a government directive Friday to suspend access to Twitter indefinitely. The former US President who has also been permanently suspended from Twitter after close review of recent Tweets from the @realDonaldTrump account and the context around them  specifically how they are being received and interpreted on and off Twitter and citing the risk of further violence after January 6 attack on Capitol Hill.

Trump said, Congratulations to the country of Nigeria, who just banned Twitter because they banned their President. More COUNTRIES should ban Twitter and Facebook for not allowing free and open speechall voices should be heard. In the meantime, competitors will emerge and take hold.

Why is Trump banned from Facebook for two years?

Confirming a time-bound penalty on an exceptional case involving Donald Trump, Facebook said in a statement on June 4 that Given the gravity of the circumstances that led to Mr. Trumps suspension, we believe his actions constituted a severe violation of our rules which merit the highest penalty available under the new enforcement protocols. We are suspending his accounts for two years, effective from the date of the initial suspension on January 7 this year.

At the end of this period, we will look to experts to assess whether the risk to public safety has receded...If we determine that there is still a serious risk to public safety, we will extend the restriction for a set period of time and continue to re-evaluate until that risk has receded, it added.

IMAGE: AP
FALLS CHURCH, Va. (AP)  A judge on Tuesday ordered a northern Virginia school system to reinstate a suspended gym teacher who spoke out at a school board meeting against a proposal requiring that transgender students be addressed by their preferred pronouns.

Loudoun County Circuit Court Judge James Plowman ruled that teacher Tanner Cross was exercising his right to free speech when he told the board he could not abide by the proposal based on his religious beliefs. His order requires Cross' immediate reinstatement until a full trial can be held.

Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative Christian legal group, sued the county school board last week and filed for an emergency injunction on behalf of Cross, a teacher at Leesburg Elementary.

Cross was suspended after he said at a May 25 school board meeting that he could not abide by proposed rules that would require teachers to address transgender students by their chosen gender.

During the hearing, Cross said I'm a teacher, but I serve God first. And I will not affirm that a biological boy can be a girl and vice versa because it is against my religion. It's lying to a child. It's abuse to a child.

The school board is considering the new regulations in conjunction with a state mandate requiring all school systems to update their policies on transgender students. The model regulations circulated by the state include a requirement that students be addressed by their preferred pronouns.

Stacy Haney, a lawyer representing the school system, said the state law gives the school board no leeway on implementing the policy and existing school board regulations already prohibit discrimination based on gender identity, which Haney said includes referring to transgender children by their preferred pronoun.

As a result, Haney said, Cross was articulating a defiance to follow existing school policies.

In addition, the school system argued Cross was not suspended for expressing his beliefs, but because his remarks caused a disruption at the school. Five parents contacted the principal after the school board meeting requesting their children have no interaction with Cross.

Cross' lawyer, Tyson Langhofer, said at a hearing Friday that complaints from a small number of parents are insufficient to show the level of disruption that would justify punishing a teacher for exercising his free speech rights.

Allowing teachers to be punished for speaking out on an issue of public debate "would cast a pall of orthodoxy over teachers, not just in the classroom, but everywhere, Langhofer said. The school is essentially asking for compelled silence.

Plowman, a Republican who served as the county's top prosecutor before he became a judge, agreed that the parents' complaints fell far short of the disruption that would justify his suspension.

The school system declined comment Tuesday on the ruling.

The controversy has crept into Virginia politics. Glenn Youngkin, the Republican nominee for governor in this year's election, said he supports Cross. In a June 1 tweet, Youngkin called on the school board to reinstate Cross because they have absolutely ignored his constitutional rights.

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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP)  A University of Tennessee professor charged with hiding his relationship with a Chinese university while receiving research grants from the federal government is innocent of the federal charges, his attorney said during a trial in Knoxville.

Anming Hu's defense attorney, Philip Lomonaco, said Monday that the professor was targeted in an effort to satisfy the U.S. Justice Department's crackdown against university researchers accused of concealing their ties to Chinese institutions and to scare off American universities from employing foreign-born researchers and professors, the Knoxville News Sentinel reported.

But federal prosecutor Matthew J. McKenzie said the case was about Hu's concealment and lies about working for a Beijing university while he also was employed at the University of Tennessee's flagship campus in Knoxville, the newspaper reported.

Both attorneys made opening statements in Hu's jury trial, which began Monday. An associate professor in the department of mechanical, aerospace and biomedical engineering at UT, Hu was charged in February 2020 with wire fraud and making false statements.

After the indictment was announced, the university said Hu had been suspended and school officials had cooperated with authorities.

The charges are part of a broader Justice Department crackdown against university researchers who conceal their ties to Chinese institutions. The so-called China Initiative was launched in 2018 by President Donald Trump's administration to identify priority trade secret cases and focus resources on them.

A Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor was charged in January with hiding work he did for the Chinese government while he was also collecting U.S. dollars for his nanotechnology research.

Federal officials have asserted that Beijing is intent on stealing intellectual property from Americas colleges and universities, and have actively been warning schools to be on alert against espionage attempts. Hu is not charged with espionage.

Prosecutors say Hu defrauded the National Aeronautics and Space Administration by failing to disclose the fact that he was also a professor at the Beijing University of Technology in China. Under federal law, NASA cannot fund or give grant money to Chinese-owned companies or universities.

According to the indictment, as the University of Tennessee was preparing a proposal on Hus behalf for a NASA-funded project, Hu provided false assurances to the school that he was not part of any business collaboration involving China.

In addition, prosecutors say, a curriculum vitae that Hu submitted when he applied for a tenured faculty position with the university omitted any affiliation with the Beijing university.

The indictment said Hu sent emails stating he was a professor at the Beijing school and taught special seminars for graduate students in laser engineering.

NASA wired UT nearly $60,000 in 2016 and 2017 for a project involving the Jet Propulsion Laboratory at the California Institute of Technology, the indictment said. NASA would pay another $50,000 in 2019 for a project involving the Marshall Space Flight Center, the indictment said.

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While the United States and the European Union voiced concerns over Nigerias decision to indefinitely ban Twitter, former US President Donald Trump congratulated the West African country for the move. In a statement on June 8, Trump lauded the Nigerian government for banning Twitter after the microblogging platform deleted a tweet by Nigerian President Muhammadu Buharis account that violated its rules and threatened genocide. According to former US President, more nations should follow Nigerias suit and ban Twitter and Facebook, both platforms have suspended Trumps account. Following the January 6 attack on Capitol Hill, Twitter permanently suspended Trumps account while Facebook said that it would keep his account deactivated for two more years before re-evaluation.

Trump said, Congratulations to the country of Nigeria, who just banned Twitter because they banned their President. More COUNTRIES should ban Twitter and Facebook for not allowing free and open speechall voices should be heard. In the meantime, competitors will emerge and take hold.

Further, Trump also said perhaps I shouldve banned the social media giant during his four-year tenure. Lamenting his leniency towards social media during his presidency, Trump issued an official statement through his website said that he should have taken action against Facebook but its founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg kept calling the former US President. Trump also said that Zuckerberg kept telling the ex-US President how great he was before hinting at a possible ban in 2014 when he is planning to contest for the presidency again.

While criticising social media giants including Facebook and Twitter, Trump said on Tuesday, Who are they to dictate good and evil if they themselves are evil? Perhaps I should have done it while I was President. But Zuckerberg kept calling me and coming to the White House for dinner telling me how great I was. 2024?

The former US President who has also been permanently suspended from Twitter after close review of recent Tweets from the @realDonaldTrump account and the context around them  specifically how they are being received and interpreted on and off Twitter and citing the risk of further violence after January 6 attack on Capitol Hill. Nigeria went on to ban the platform after the Nigerian Presidents post saying, Those of us in the fields for 30 months, who went through the war, will treat them in the language they understand, was deleted. However, the Nigerian presidency has reportedly denied on Saturday that the Twitter suspension was a reciprocation of the deletion of the tweet.

"There has been a litany of problems with the social media platform in Nigeria, where misinformation and fake news spread through it have had real world violent consequences," a presidency spokesman Garba Shehu said in a statement before adding that the removal of Buharis tweet was disappointing and that major tech companies must be alive to their responsibilities."

Twitter deeply concerned with Nigeria ban

We are deeply concerned by the blocking of Twitter in Nigeria. Access to the free and #OpenInternet is an essential human right in modern society.



We will work to restore access for all those in Nigeria who rely on Twitter to communicate and connect with the world. #KeepitOn  Twitter Public Policy (@Policy) June 5, 2021

IMAGE: AP/Unsplash




Washington, Jun 9 (PTI) US President Joe Biden on Wednesday left on his maiden official overseas trip to Europe where he is scheduled to hold bilateral and multilateral meetings with over a dozen world leaders and discuss issues like the COVID-19, the Afghan pullout and the security challenges posed by Russia and China.

First Lady Jill Biden accompanied her husband on his more than a week-long overseas trip as the US president.

Several of Bidens top national security officials joined him on Air Force One as it lifted off from Joint Andrews Air Force Base on Wednesday morning.

In addition to attending three multilateral summits G-7 in the United Kingdom, NATO and US-European Union in Brussels, Biden would fly to Geneva for a bilateral summit with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.

Strengthening the alliance and make it clear to Putin and to China that Europe and the United States are tight, and the G7 is going to move, he told reporters at Andrews Air force base before boarding the presidential aircraft.

Responding to a question, Biden indicated that he had a plan for vaccinating the world.

I have one and Ill be announcing it, he said.

On the Russian summit, Biden confirmed that cyberattacks would be a subject of the discussion.

Travelling with the president are Jen OMalley Dillon, Deputy Chief of Staff; Bruce Reed, Deputy Chief of Staff; Mike Donilon, Senior Advisor to the President; Jake Sullivan, National Security Advisor; Anthony Bernal, Advisor to the First Lady; Stephen Goepfert Personal Aide to the President and Jordan Montoya, Director of Advance and Trip Director.

The visits, at its core, will advance the fundamental thrust of Biden's foreign policy to rally the world's democracies, to tackle the great challenges of the time, National Security Advisor (NSA) Sullivan told reporters at the White House on Monday.

At the G-7, Sullivan said Biden will join with his fellow leaders to lay out a plan to end the COVID-19 pandemic with further specific commitments towards that end.

He will also join his fellow leaders to announce a new initiative to provide financing for physical, digital and health infrastructure in developing a high standard, climate-friendly, transparent and rules-based alternative to what China is offering, he said.

The G-7 leaders will make a number of significant commitments on climate, on labour standards, on anti-corruption and on ransomware, he said.

On NATO, President Biden will address enduring security challenges that have been at the core of the alliance for a long-time including Russia and coordinating the remaining period of the drawdown of the forces from Afghanistan. But they will also focus on emerging security challenges to the alliance critically including cyber and the challenge posed by China, Sullivan said.

At the US-EU Summit the president and European Union leaders will focus on aligning their approaches to trade and technology so that democracies and not anyone else, not China or other autocracies, are writing the rules for trade and technology for the 21st Century, he said.

Sullivan said when Biden returns to Washington next week, the United States will be in a materially stronger position to manage the major threats and challenges America faces- the COVID pandemic, climate change, China, cybersecurity, Russia and shaping the rules of trade and technology for the future. PTI LKJ MRJ AKJ MRJ

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
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Three more deaths confirmed in Vietnam as government collects funds for vaccination scheme.

A Cambodian army member vaccinates a person inside a red zone with strict lockdown measures, amidst the latest outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, May 1, 2021.

Cambodia Tuesday announced the countrys highest daily coronavirus death toll to date, while an international human rights group called on Phnom Penh to protect the countrys vulnerable poor from the harsh economic fallout from the pandemic.

The Ministry of Health reported that the virus claimed 12 lives Tuesday bringing the total to 278.

Among the 12 dead were two prisoners, adding fuel to the concern that Cambodias prison population are particularly at risk due to overcrowding. Prisons in the capital Phnom Penh, and in the provinces of Kandal, Kampong Speu, Banteay Meanchy, Svay Rieng and Sihanoukville have reported outbreaks of the deadly virus.

RFA attempted to contact Prison General Department Spokesman Nuth Savana to comment on the situation, but he could not be reached.

Vey Samnang, the governor of Kampong Speu province in the southwest, told RFA that the prison there is managing the outbreak. He said about 100 prisoners out of 1,802 in Kampong Speu have been infected since the beginning of the pandemic but there are no recent infections.

As soon as we learned about the outbreak, we separated the prisoners and treated them, he said.

Local rights group LICADHO urged authorities to resolve the overcrowding issue to prevent further outbreaks, and called for transparency in their reporting about the disease.

If they are careless, there will be a serious outbreak. They need to come to the NGOs for help, so we need information, said Nuth Bopinaroth, a provincial coordinator for LICADHO.

If the prisons suspect they have an outbreak, they can inform the NGOs and we can assist them and pass information along to prisoners family members, he said.

Strict lockdowns are causing hunger and homelessness among the low income population, said Human Rights Watch (HRW) in a statements Tuesday that called on the government to boost the social safety net.

Millions of Cambodians are going hungry and fear losing their homes during the pandemic because there is no government social protection system, said Brad Adams, Asia director at the New York-based HRW.

Sporadic one-off cash transfers wont address basic needs, he said, referring to a government program that sent out cash to low-income households and others affected by lockdowns, as well as families who lost a member to the disease.

The Cambodian government should provide timely social protection to everyone in need under a social protection system that protects rights and contributes to an equitable recovery, added Adams. He said that the program should be overseen by the U.N. team in-country and other partners.

HRW cited recent UN studies showing Cambodias poverty rate nearly doubled during the pandemic to 17.6 percent of the nation of 16.5 million. Another 27 percent of the population were near poor and at risk of falling into poverty due to economic shocks caused by the pandemic.

Through Tuesday, Cambodia had confirmed 35,511 COVID-19 cases.

COVID kills three in Vietnam

In neighboring Vietnam, authorities confirmed three COVID-19-related deaths Tuesday, bringing the death toll to 55 since the beginning of the pandemic in January 2020, and 20 since the most recent outbreak that started in late April.

Vietnam had been among the most successful countries in tackling COVID-19, reporting no deaths among its 95 million people through late July 2020a record that was attributed to effective contact tracing, strict quarantines, and early testing.

But since then, the country has sustained several major outbreaks, leading to more than 9,000 confirmed cases.

Among the three dead were a 53-year-old who died on June 4, a 51-year-old with a history of toxic hepatitis and cirrhosis, and an 88-year-old with had high blood pressure, diabetes and heart failure, both of whom died on Monday.

Ho Chi Minh City, in the countrys south, announced an additional death on Tuesday, a 57-year-old who died in transit from one of the citys hospitals to another, but the death has yet to be confirmed by the Ministry of Health.

The city said the woman had been sick for a week but came into the hospital on Monday only after suffering respiratory failure, pneumonia and multi-organ failure.

Her husband who accompanied her also tested positive for COVID-19.

If confirmed, the womans passing would be the citys second COVID-19 related death since the beginning of the pandemic.

Vietnam has a goal of inoculating 70 percent of its population of 96 million by the end of 2021 and the government announced Monday that it had raised 6 trillion dong (U.S. $261 million) for the countrys vaccine fund.

According to the Ministry of Finance, the Fund needs about 25 trillion dong ($1.08 billion) to pay for the 150 million doses it needs.

Of Vietnams confirmed 9,158 COVID-19 cases, 6,003 have occurred since the April 27 outbreak.

Reported by RFAs Khmer and Vietnamese Services. Translated by Samean Yun and Anny Vu. Written in English by Eugene Whong.
China, meanwhile, assures Burmese junta that domestic situation in Myanmar will not affect bilateral friendship.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi speaks during a promotional event at the Chinese foreign ministry in Beijing, April 12, 2021.

Beijing and Southeast Asian nations have agreed not to escalate tensions in the South China Sea, a joint statement said, following recent Chinese incursions in maritime zones claimed by the Philippines and Malaysia.

Chinese state media, meanwhile, reported that Foreign Minister Wang Yi told the Burmese junta that the domestic situation in Myanmar would not affect Beijings friendship with Naypyidaw  a comment that seemed to contrast with Chinas stated support for efforts by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to solve post-coup turmoil in Myanmar.

A joint statement issued by ASEAN and China after a foreign minister-level meeting in Chongqing said the two sides had agreed to enhance and promote maritime security as well as exercise self-restraint in the conduct of activities that would complicate or escalate disputes and affect peace and stability, and pursue the peaceful resolution of disputes.

However, Philippine diplomats described as tense the discussions between the top diplomats of China and ASEAN that took place in Chongqing on Monday before the two sides issued the joint statement later that day. Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam were ranged on one side against China, while other ASEAN member-states kept mum, the diplomats indicated.

The joint statement also said that any quarrels with China would be resolved in accordance with universally recognized principles of international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, or UNCLOS.

Not mentioned in the statement was the fact that UNCLOS does not recognize historical claims, such as Chinas, in the disputed waterway. Beijing does not accept an international tribunals 2016 ruling against its expansive claims in the South China Sea.

A separate statement from China on the outcome of the meeting said the two sides had agreed to handle and manage differences through consultation.

It is natural for neighbors to run into problems, Wang Yi said, according to a statement from the Chinese foreign ministry.

Troubled waters

But these problems have worsened lately.

Last week, Malaysia said that 16 Chinese military planes had intruded into its maritime airspace above South China Sea waters near Borneo Island.

Putrajaya said it would summon the Chinese envoy and lodge a diplomatic protest with Beijing over its threat to [Malaysias] national sovereignty.

China said the planes were carrying out routine flight activity and did not violate Malaysias airspace.

In Chongqing on Monday, Malaysia told China that it objects to the presence of foreign military assets contrary to freedom of navigation and overflight/air crossing under international law, as well as without the prior approval of the Malaysian Government.

In April, Vietnam had denounced Chinas unilateral imposition of an annual fishing ban in the South China Sea, RFA reported at the time.

Vietnam said the ban violated its sovereignty over the Paracel Islands, UNCLOS and the Declaration of Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea agreed to in 2003.

Elsewhere in the maritime region, Beijing and Manila have been involved in a standoff since March when the Philippines said it had detected more than 200 ships manned by Chinese maritime militia at Whitsun Reef, in the Philippines exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

Beijing claims that the reef is part of its Nansha Islands  Chinas name for the Spratly Islands.

Since then, China has maintained a presence in Philippine waters, prompting Manila to file diplomatic protests with Beijing daily since April and until, at least, last week.

Chinas stance on Myanmar

The ASEAN-China talks in Chongqing, in southwestern China, included Wunna Maung Lwin, the foreign minister appointed by the Burmese junta after the military overthrew an elected government on Feb. 1.

Chinas Wang met with Wunna Maung Lwin on Tuesday and told him that China will always support Myanmar in choosing a development path best suited to its national conditions, according to a report by CGTN, a Chinese state-owned website.

Wang also told Wunna Maung Lwin that Beijing's friendly policy toward Myanmar is not affected by changes to Myanmars domestic and external situation, CGTN reported.

During Mondays meeting, Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia said they were frustrated at the lack of progress in ASEANs implementation of a five-point consensus on Myanmar.

The consensus  agreed to by Myanmar junta chief Min Aung Hlaing during a special summit of ASEAN leaders in Jakarta in late April  includes an immediate end to violence, dialogue among all parties in the country and the appointment of a special envoy from the bloc to Myanmar. The military has since all but ignored the consensus.

The Burmese representative hit back at ASEAN members comments via Myanmar state media, saying the junta was committed to a five-point plan  except that plan was not ASEANs, but the militarys five-point future program declared in February after the coup.

That program, Wunna Maung Lwin said, was the only way to ensure the democratic system that is disciplined and genuine and would scrutinize election fraud, reported The Global New Light of Myanmar, a state-run publication.

Myanmars military claims that the November 2020 general election, which the party of civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi resoundingly won resoundingly, was rigged.

Wangs comments came a day after Indonesia said that Chinas help was crucial in implementing ASEANs five-point consensus on Myanmar.

The Chinese foreign minister said on Tuesday that Beijing supported ASEAN in playing a constructive role in properly handling Myanmar's domestic issues.

He also said China backed the gradual implementation of the five-point consensus, and urged all countries to avoid unilateral sanctions and undue interference in Myanmar.

Criticism from NUG

During a visit to Naypyidaw last weekend, ASEAN officials met with Myanmar junta chief Min Aung Hlaing, but not with members of the shadow civilian government of former elected lawmakers.

Myanmars parallel civilian National Unity Government (NUG) criticized China and ASEAN for ignoring its representatives at the meeting in Chongqing as well.

Both China and ASEAN had failed to invite the NUG on China-ASEAN Foreign Ministerial Meeting and 30th Anniversary Meeting, NUG Foreign Minister Zin Mar Aung said Monday in an open letter posted on Facebook.

The NUGs Foreign Ministry and other ministries were hoping to participate in positive discussions bilaterally or multilaterally.

Political analysts said that China could play a role in restoring peace and democracy in Myanmar.

Thein Tun Oo, from the Thayningha Strategic Studies Institute, said there had not been enough post-coup international pressure on the junta.

We are now seeing the desire to work together for a political solution. So I believe we will see positive constructive results for Myanmar from this China-ASEAN conference in Chongqing, Thein Tun Oo told RFA's Myanmar Service.

Another analyst, Than Soe Naing, said China seemed unwilling to deal with the Myanmar crisis.

China has avoided taking on the problem but has shifted the burden onto ASEAN, Than Soe Naing told RFA.

Instead of finding a solution to the problem, what we are seeing now is that both sides seem to be encouraging the coup and willing to give official recognition to the military council and move forward.

Reported by BenarNews, an RFA-affiliated online news service.
Authorities in the southwestern province of Sichuan have detained a businessman with links to the family of jailed former head of Chinese law enforcement, Zhou Yongkang.



Liu Canglong was detained as part of ongoing investigations into the collapse of a Sichuan trust company, which was taken over by regulators last year with an estimated 25 billion yuan in debt.



Liu's companies hold a cumulative 54.2 percent stake in Sichuan Trust Co., and he is currently being held by police in the provincial capital Chengdu on suspicion of misappropriating trust funds, his Sichuan Hongda Co. said in a report to the Shanghai Stock Exchange on .



Sources from the Sichuan Trust Investor Rights Protection Group said Kong Weiwen, who chaired Sichuan Trusts supervisory board, vice president in charge of risk control Chen Hongliang and chief financial officer Hu Yingfu were detained at the same time.



But an industry insider told RFA that Liu's detention had deeper political motivations behind it, as his cousin Liu Han had been accused of involvement in the Zhou Yongkang bribery and abuse of power case in 2013.



"Everyone knows this only too well, but no one in China will say it openly," the industry insider said.



Liu, 66, controls mining-to-finance conglomerate Sichuan Hongda, which was named and shamed by banking regulators in May as having committed "significant violations of laws and regulations" as a shareholder. Similar accusations were leveled at a linked company, also controlled by Liu.



His cousins Liu Han and Liu Weiyin were sentenced to death in 2014 for multiple homicides in connection with the fall of jailed security czar Zhou Yongkang.



A Sichuan-based journalist who gave only a surname Wang said his detention comes after appeals, petitions and complaints from around 1,000 investors.



"The scale of the funding crisis has yet to be disclosed," Wang said. "I only know that it was the Tahoe Group ... that was the last straw for him."



Easy scapegoats

The Tahoe Group had borrowed around four billion yuan and had defaulted on a court order to repay the debt with interest in full, with as much as 200 billion yuan of its own debt.



Repeated calls to several different departments of the Sichuan Hongda Group rang unanswered during office hours on .



Sources said Liu had been repeatedly hauled in for questioning by the authorities since Liu Han's detention in 2013, and has been incommunicado at times, once for more than a year.



He started to be seen more frequently in public in 2019, but soon ran into further problems with the seizure of Yunnan Jinding Zinc Industries by the Yunnan authorities, as well as being forcibly divested of assets in hydropower and liquor manufacturing.



Private billionnaires in China are generally tolerated by the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) until they run into trouble, when they make easy scapegoats for Beijing's anti-corruption campaign, enabling the state to seize control of their assets and nip their power and influence in the bud.



Chengdu-based lawyer Ran Tong said Liu had kept a low profile for many years, before being detained.



"With the current economic situation ... private entrepreneurs who make a lot of money look like fat pigs," Ran said. "In hard times, they are turned into victims."



"The government will always pick on them first, as long as there is something [to charge them with]," he said.



Reported by Xiaoshan Huang and Chingman for RFA's Cantonese Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
Hongkongers on marked the second anniversary of a million-strong march that launched a mass protest movement in 2019 that started with widespread opposition to plans to allow extradition to mainland China, and broadened into calls for full democracy and official accountability.



More than a million people marched from Victoria Park to government headquarters in Admiralty that day, in a bid to put an end to a legal amendment that would have allowed the rendition of alleged criminal suspects to mainland China.



A Hong Kong resident who gave only a surname, Ho, told RFA that it has been saddening to watch the events of the past two years.



"Hong Kong no longer exists," Ho said. "We have lost the freedoms that we should have had."



"The next generation will be treated far more like people in mainland China."



While chief executive Carrie Lam eventually withdrew the disputed amendment, her response came after the movement had added several more demands -- including for fully democratic elections -- to its list.



Since then, more than 1,000 people have been prosecuted and many more arrested, mostly for charges linked to "rioting" and "illegal assembly" under the Public Order Ordinance.



The ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in Beijing has since imposed a draconian national security law on Hong Kong, launching an ever-widening crackdown on public dissent and political opposition that has seen dozens of former opposition lawmakers and democracy activists detained for "subversion" for taking part in a democratic primary in 2020.



The mass public protests -- which Beijing claims were incited by hostile foreign powers fomenting a "color revolution" in Hong Kong -- and the increasingly violent responses by protesters to widespread and excessive police violence, were cited as the main reason for the new regime.

Hong Kong's electoral system has also been tweaked to ensure that only candidates who passed a multi-tiered vetting process that includes the newly established national security police will appear on the ballot paper.



Dozens of frontline protesters, pro-democracy politicians and rights activists have fled overseas, while school enrolment figures indicate that thousands of families are leaving the city, possibly encouraged by fast-track visa and citizenship programs offered by the U.K., Australia and Canada since the national security law took effect on , 2020.



Ho said she expects the authorities to make Hong Kong unrecognizable to those who grew up there.



"I think they will be teaching the children the total opposite of the truth," Ho said. "They won't find it easy to tell the difference between right and wrong ... it will have a huge impact on the next generation."



While public protest and opposition has largely been silenced, many say they won't forget what actually took place in Hong Kong.



"Change doesn't come all at once, but requires time and effort," a resident surnamed Cheung told RFA. "The government has yet to give us the answers we are demanding."



Exiled lawmaker Nathan Law called on Hongkongers everywhere to hold in their memories, defying Beijing's attempts to erase the events of 2019 from collective memory.



"If there are Hongkongers overseas, in Taiwan, in the U.K., we still need to remember this day, because these are the memories that [Beijing] wants to obliterate," Law said.



"We need to use our overseas profile ... to make sure that the international community can see that we are still working hard to restore Hong Kong to its former glory," he said.



"It will also remind them to be wary of the CCP's use of authoritarian power."



Taiwan support

In Taiwan, ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmaker Lin Chang-tsuo called on the island's government to take practical steps to help Hong Kong.



"We must ... aid the Hong Kong democracy movement and support those who are being persecuted in more ambitious and flexible ways," Wang said. "We also need to look at tightening checks on the flow of Chinese money and human resources through Hong Kong with a view to political infiltration of other countries."



Fellow DPP lawmaker Wang Ting-yu said there are parallels between Beijing's suppression of the Hong Kong democracy movement, and the bloody crackdown by the People's Liberation Army (PLA) that ended weeks of a student-led protest movement on Tianamen Square and elsewhere in China.



"The human rights abuses we saw during the anti-extradition movement were the same as those we saw [after] , 1989," Wang said. "There is a different [leader] in charge, but the methods are the same."



"The whole world needs to confront dictatorship and stand up to human rights abuses, something that Taiwan has also experienced."



A group of NGOs in Taiwan called on the government on to amend laws to provide more help to people from Hong Kong who wish to seek asylum in Taiwan.



The appeal was made as the groups marked the second anniversary of the protest online.



Taiwan opened a special office on that provided one-stop services to Hong Kongers who wanted to study, do business, invest, or seek asylum in the country, but stopped short of revising laws to offer clearer pathways for people from Hong Kong hoping to settle in Taiwan.



Taiwan Association for Human Rights legal department director Wang Si told the Central News Agency (CNA) that Taiwan needs to publish guidelines for Hongkongers hoping to seek asylum in Taiwan.



Reported by Matt Chan, Cheng Yut Yiu, Lau Siu Fung and Chung Kuang-cheng for RFA's Cantonese and Mandarin Services. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
Authorities in the eastern province of Shandong are detaining Maoist activists ahead of the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) centenary celebrations on , Taiwanese media reported.



Police in Shandong's Jining city are running a nationwide operation targeting leftwingers in a bid to "maintain stability" ahead of the politically sensitive anniversary, Taiwan's Central News Agency (CNA) quoted sources as saying.



The operation, which began on , has largely been carried out in secret, with no information given to detainees' families after going incommunicado.



Among them is Maoist dissident Ma Houzhi, 77, who was released from a 10-year jail term in 2019.



A retired Qufu Normal University professor, Ma was jailed for setting up a Chinese Maoist Communist Party, defying a ban on the registration of new political parties under the CCP.



Other prominent leftists including Liu Qingfeng, Fu Mingxiang, Hu Jiahong, Nie Jubao and Wu Ronghua have been detained. Most of them are under 30, CNA said.



Several others are believed to have been summoned for questioning and then released, it said, quoting Jining police as saying that the arrests were "nothing to do with their promotion of Chairman Mao."



Independent scholar Wu Zuolai agreed that the detention of leftist activists is likely linked to the forthcoming centenary celebrations.



CCP fears all movements

He said people who still support late supreme leader Mao Zedong offer a potential challenge to CCP rule.



"Some of those who still revere Mao approve of the rebellious tactics used during the Cultural Revolution," Wu said in reference to a decade of political turmoil that saw denunciatory "struggle sessions," kangaroo courts, beatings and summary executions, factional armed conflict and the replacement of doctors and teachers with unqualified "revolutionaries."



"They are likely to create instability for the CCP regime, so the CCP is cracking down on Maoists as well as rights activists and democracy activists," he said. "The stability of the regime trumps everything."



"They regard any kind of social movement as a disturbance once it gains a bit of momentum."



Wu said the CCP fears that smaller social movements and non-government groups will eventually network and organize against it.



"They are worried that could trigger something like the 1989 pro-democracy movement," he said. "They are very aware of growing discontent and a widening gap between rich and poor, as well as a large number of young people who have no real future."



"They actually have a huge amount of data on the wealth gap, and they know that there could be a tipping point for social unrest, so they go in hard and fast," Wu said.



The reported detentions come after the CCP canceled a conference of prominent Maoist ideologists slated for , the anniversary of the start of the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976), suggesting that CCP leader Xi Jinping is unwilling to allow the faction to increase its power base in a possible challenge to his "core" leadership.



While many commentators have noted an apparent shift towards political practises and ideological tropes that echo the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) under late supreme leader Mao Zedong in recent years, it appears that Xi is unwilling to allow actual Maoists free rein under his rule.



Toning down criticism of Mao misdeeds

Maoist, leftist websites and groups like Hongzhan, Practical Communism, Utopia, the Mao Zedong Thought Banner, Mao Zedong Research Institute, the Protagonist, The Red Song Society had all said they would take part in the canceled conference.



Political theorists have said there are signs that the CCP under general secretary Xi Jinping is moving away from a positive evaluation of late supreme leader Deng Xiaoping, whose economic reforms in 1979 are usually credited in the official narrative with ushering in three decades of rapid economic growth.



CCP officials have recently become somewhat less critical of Cultural Revolution in public comments, according to Song Yongyi, a professor at California State University in Los Angeles.



"Will Xi Jinping reverse the official narrative around the Cultural Revolution? Of course he wants to do that, but he has to achieve it in a covert manner," Song told RFA.



He said the Maoist leftists are potentially more attractive to the general public than the mainstream CCP, because they are very open about what they stand for.



"Xi Jinping is highly likely to sacrifice them [to stay in power]," Song said.



China's Maoist left straddles the established party and unofficial activism alike, and, as such, isn't an entirely controllable quantity.



Leftists, including dozens of young labor activists who tried to set up an independent labor union at the Jasic Technology factory in Shenzhen in 2018, have been detained, placed under house arrest, and silenced as part of the CCP's "stability maintenance" regime.



Ma Houzhi was arrested in 2009 after he tried to set up a new political party, the Maoist Communist Party, something that the CCP has never tolerated.



He was sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment on charges that haven't been made public.



Ma Houzhi and around 200 of his supporters nationwide held a meeting of the new poltical party in Chongqing, seeking the protection of then CCP party secretary Bo Xilai.



Bo Xilai was handed a life sentence in prison on bribery charges, a 15-year jail term for embezzlement, and seven years for abuse of power in .



Reported by Gao Feng for RFA's Mandarin and Cantonese Services. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
State funds are so low that the supplier of meat to Kim Jong Un is hawking unhatched eggs as health supplements.

A young North Korean dressed as egg falls during a performance for the annual massive propaganda spectacle known as a "mass game" held in Pyongyang, North Korea in a file photo.

The meat and poultry farm that has served Kim Jong Un and the earlier two generations of North Koreas ruling family is hawking chicken embryos as nutritional supplements and selling beef on the black market to fill holes in a budget hit hard by the coronavirus, sources in the country told RFA.

The Ungok Ranch, outside the capital Pyongyang in South Pyongan province, has been raising high-quality meat for the countrys leadership since the era of Kim Jong Uns grandfather, national founder Kim Il Sung, who ruled from 1948 until 1994.

Even that high-priority ruling party expenditure, however, is under pressure after nearly 18 months without trade with China after the two neighbors closed their border in January 2020 to halt the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

Ungok Ranch is directly run by the central party and tasked with producing meat for Kim Jong Un and the highest-ranking officials, using cutting edge technology to raise cows, pigs, and chickens to produce germ-free meat for the Highest Dignity, said a resident knowledgeable about the situation at the farm from the provinces Unsan county, using an honorific term for Kim.

Right now at Ungok, though, the central party is providing operating costs only for the chairmans farm, the one that produces meat for Kim Jong Un. The other farms that raise animals for high-ranking officials have to cover their own costs, the source told RFAs Korean Service.

Authorities have warned the people to prepare for a situation worse than the 1994-1998 North Korean famine, during which millions died of starvation. But the ranch is expected to provide meat to the elites, the only North Koreans who regularly eat meat, so it has had to find creative ways to stay afloat without government support.

Recently eggs that have failed to hatch are being sold at local markets. The eggs are advertised as nutritional supplements that come from a chicken processing factory of Ungok Ranch, and are sold at a high price, another source, a resident of the city of Anju in South Pyongan told RFA last week.

Sellers who get the dud eggs boil and sell them individually, saying that they are good for tuberculosis or hepatitis patients, said the Anju source, who requested anonymity for security reasons.

Eggs that fail to hatch can be rotten or contain chicken embryos or fetuses in varying stages of development, depending on when in the 21-day incubation period the egg deteriorated.

Fertilized developing embryos, often duck, boiled and eaten from the shell is a popular street food in parts of southern China and Southeast Asian countries.

I am a TB patient, so I bought one and cracked it open only to find an unhatched chick, with developed feet even, wrapped in a white membrane, the Anju source said.

The duds go for about 3,000 won (U.S. $0.38), while unfertilized eggs go for 1,000 won ($0.13), according to the Anju source.

Eggs that fail to hatch are three times the price of a normal egg and the ill and weak will eat them because they are believed to be beneficial for general health, the Anju resident said.

The dud eggs come from all but the chairman's farm at Ungok Ranch, and most people who buy and sell them know this, according to the Unsan source.

They label all the unhatched eggs as male and classify them as health supplements before handing them over to the market. This helps with their operating expenses, the Unsan source said.

Ungok Ranch isnt only selling these failed eggs to make operating expenses, they are also selling precious beef on the open market at a time when most people wouldnt be able to buy it with all the money they have, added the Unsan resident.

The beef intended for government elites can never be sold on the open market, but the Unsan source said that Ungok can forge documents saying the cow was diseased, which would be a crime if the farm was not associated with the central party.

They can then butcher the cow and sell it to the rich at a high price in U.S. dollars, the Unsan source said.

Beef from the Ungok Ranch is not available at local markets because it is so expensive due to its tenderness and good taste Instead, it is traded on the black market and only the wealthy can afford it, said the Unsan source.

The beef goes for $10 per kilogram (2.2 lbs.), according to the Unsan source.

Thats five times the price of one kilogram of pork and more than one months food budget for a low-income person. How many people do you think could afford such extravagance?

Reported by Hyemin Son for RFAs Korean Service. Translated by Jinha Shin. Written in English by Eugene Whong.
n this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi speaks during a special ASEAN-China Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Celebration of the 30th Anniversary of Dialogue Relations attended by foreign ministers from ASEAN countries, in Chongqing, southwestern China, Monday, June 7, 2021.

Myanmars shadow government rejected Chinese support for ASEAN on resolving political turmoil in the wake of the Feb. 1 coup, saying the neighbors' plan would cement military control of the country.

Chinas Foreign Minister Wang Yi voiced support for the stance on Myanmar of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations during a special meeting with the regional blocs foreign ministers in Chongqing Monday.

We support joint efforts to explore effective means to ease the situation and resolve issues within the ASEAN framework, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Wang Wenbin told a press conference after Mondays meeting.

China will maintain close communication with ASEAN and support its mediation efforts, while reaching out to all parties in Myanmar in its own way, so as to secure an early soft landing for the situation in Myanmar.

ASEAN member-states, which include Myanmar, reached a five-point consensus at a special summit in Jakarta in late April. Coup leader Maj. Gen. Min Aung Hlaing attended the meeting and endorsed the consensus, which included the appointment of a special envoy from the regional bloc to Myanmar, and a call for an immediate end to the violence.

But Myanmars National Unity Government (NUG), made of lawmakers ousted by the military in February, told RFAs Myanmar Service Wednesday that merely restores the pre-coup status quo.

There is a big difference between what ASEAN and China say about political context and what we want to bring about, said the NUGs Foreign Minister Zin Mar Aung.

What ASEAN and China want is to go back under the 2008 constitution, and they seem to be calling for a return to the situation before Feb. 1. But the 2008 Constitution is gone, she told RFA.

If we go back to 2008, the military will have supremacy and that would not bring about real democracy. There can be no real federal democracy under those terms, added the minister.

The 2008 constitution reserves one fourth of the seats in both houses of Myanmars national assembly for the military, which has the right to take control in times of national emergency if declared by the president. The military used the latter clause to carry out the coup, citing unsupported election fraud claims.

Wang, at the special meeting spoke of cooperating with all concerned parties, but Chinas ambassador to Myanmar last week visited Naypyidaw and met only with the junta leaders and referred to Min Aung Hlaing as the leader of Myanmar.

The NUG took the ambassadors words as an endorsement of the coup and a slight.

China often says they are doing things in the interest of our people, but that is not the case, Zin Mar Aung said.

Though the entire world can hear the voices of our people, neighboring countries pretend not to hear them. Referring to Min Aung Hlaing as the leader of Myanmar showed a total ignorance of the peoples desires, she said.

The actions of the Chinese ambassador, as well as two ASEAN foreign ministers who met only the military government during recent visits to Myanmar prompted the shadow foreign minister to send an open letter to Wang, expressing concern that China and ASEAN were ignoring the NUG.

Hla Kyaw Zaw, a China-based Myanmar military expert, said the onus was on the people of Myanmar to deal with the military dictatorship because every country will act in its own interest.

Whether its China or ASEAN, they will do things in their own diplomatic way. We dont need to think about how important their efforts are for the sake of Burma, he said.

It is encouraging that the people do not believe everything the military council said, but they need to put pressure on the military in some way. It is up to our people to help themselves, Hla Kyaw Zaw said.

Naing Swe Oo, a former military officer and executive director of the Yangon-based Thayninga Institute of Strategic Studies, said Beijing would continue to cooperate with the new government.

The pro-junta analyst told RFA China has supported Myanmar in several instances in the past. We can see that they wish for stability.

Sino-Myanmar relations expert Min The told RFA, however, that he did not believe that China actually supports a return to democracy in Myanmar

There is no goodwill nor love in politicsonly self-interest. Just look at the history of China. What kind of cooperation that promotes or supports democracy have you seen in Chinese cooperation with so-called third world countries? Min The said.

I dont think China has that kind of history of showing support for democracy. Since it is a communist country, in its past it only supported communism. It is unbelievable that a country like China would support democracy, he said.

Reported by RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Khin Maung Nyane. Written in English by Eugene Whong.
Refugees from fighting between Myanmar's military and Chinland Defense Force gather in a remote area of the western state which borders India and Bangladesh.

More than 10,000 people have fled their homes in Myanmars Chin state amid renewed fighting between junta troops and anti-coup militias in the region, according to sources, who reported casualties from clashes on Tuesday.

A refugee told RFA that thousands had fled Mindat township to the surrounding mountains and jungle to escape the fighting, which resumed on June 3, but said the military had continued to target civilians, and was even firing artillery at camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs).

They are trying to attack our camps in three columns, he said, speaking on condition of anonymity out of fear of reprisal.

We have no more rice supplies. The rainy season is here now, and we need tarpaulins. We fled our homes to get away from the fighting, but now we will have to run again. It is more difficult to travel through the jungle during this time of year.

Reports of the scale of the exodus on the western flank of Myanmar came as the United Nations called for urgent help to assist an estimated 100,000 people who have fled fighting in eastern Kayah state, saying insecurity and lack of access to remote parts of the region have hampered its efforts to provide aid.

As a result of decades of military conflict between the government military and ethnic armies that control most of the borderlands of the country of 54 million people, Myanmar had more than 500,000 IDPs at the end of 2020, two months before the military takeover, according to the Internal Displacement Monitoring Center, a Norwegian NGO.

The members of the Chinland Defense Force (CDF) militia, a network of volunteers that formed in April, are taking on Myanmars armythe second largest in Southeast Asiawith slingshots and the same crude flintlock Tumee rifles their forefathers used to fight off British colonizers in the 1880s. The CDF said it had killed some 100 junta troops between March and May.

On Feb. 1, Myanmars military staged a coup, seizing power from Aung San Suu Kyis National League for Democracy (NLD), which it says won a landslide victory in November 2020 general elections because of voter fraud. The junta has provided no evidence to back up its claims, prompting widespread demonstrations by citizens from all walks of life.

Following the Feb. 1 coup, most Chins joined compatriots across Myanmar in daily street protests, only to be met by deadly military violence that has killed hundreds of civilians nationwide. In the three months to May 1 alone, 28 civilians in Chin state were killed and more than 200 were arrested, according to the Chin Human Rights Organization (CHRO).

The CHRO estimates that some 40,000 civilians have fled their homes throughout Chin state since May.

Fighters of the CDF were engaged in daily battles from May 12 until May 15, when the junta occupied Mindat with 1,000 fully armed troops who used civilians as human shields and sprayed gunfire indiscriminately, the CHRO said recently.

The CDF pulled out May 16 to protect civilians from further artillery attacks and fire from helicopter gunships, Chin fighters have said, but fighting resumed on June 3 and both sides have suffered casualties.

Renewed clashes

A CDF spokesman, who also declined to be named, told RFA Tuesday that clashes have been on the uptick in Mindat since last week, with residents fighting back against the military with all available weapons.

The fighting is continuingan artillery shell landed on a location in [nearby] Chuangzon township this morning, killing one of our men and wounding four others, he said, adding that 22 CDF fighters have been killed by the military in the Mindat area since hostilities initially broke out in April.

The spokesman said that some 20 militiamen detained at a police station in Mindat since the fighting resumed have been denied food since Sunday.

Minders at the police station had only been providing those in custody with sporadic meals before stopping entirely over the weekend, the spokesman said.

More than 20 people detained at the police station have no food. They havent had meals and have only been drinking water for [the last] two days, he said, calling for donations to provide the detainees because the police do not care about us.

The detainees were given only boiled rice once a day but havent even had that since Sunday. They only drank water. I heard some guys have been trying to contact their families to ask for food.

It was not immediately clear whether food was being intentionally withheld from the detainees or if supplies were running low amid the fighting that has made the area too dangerous for aid groups to enter.

Meanwhile, a clash between the military and members of the Peoples Defense Force (PDF) militia in neighboring Sagaing region also erupted Tuesday near Yin village in Shwebo districts Tabayin township, leaving three soldiers injured, according to initial reports.

I think [the military] came here because of a mine explosion three days ago, a PDF source told RFA, adding that around 50 troops arrived Tuesday in three vehicles.

They were shooting at us with automatic weapons but none of us were hit. Our men wounded three of them.

According to the PDF member, the military proceeded on to Mukan Gyi village, where fighting broke out again with another branch of the militia.

A clash between the military and members of the PDF in Sagaing also took place on Sunday near Yinmabin townships Si Hlaung village, according to residents, forcing more than 1,000 people to flee.

The militarys Deputy Information Minister Zaw Min Tun was not available for comment Tuesday and RFA was unable to independently confirm the number of casualties in the fighting in either Chin state or Sagaing region.

Villagers flee from fighting in Mindat, Chin State, May 19, 2021. Social media

Full-blown refugee crisis

Myanmars internal refugee crisis is dire and getting worse. IDPs in the countrys remote regions are crowded in makeshift camps that lack basic necessities, including food and water and medical supplies.

In addition to the reports from Chin state and Sagaing region, which border India, aid workers in eastern Kayah state along Myanmars frontier with Thailand estimate that clashes between the military and local militias there prompted some 100,000 people to flee their homes in May alone.

On Tuesday, the United Nations in Myanmar voiced concern about what it called the rapidly deteriorating security and humanitarian situation in Kayah state and other areas in southeastern Myanmar.

The U.N. specifically referred to the estimated 100,000 men, women, and children in Kayah that it said are mostly seeking safety in host communities and forests across the state and southern parts of Myanmars Shan state, noting that the crisis could lead refugees to spill across international borders, as seen in other parts of the country. Some 15,000 civilians are believed to have fled across the border into Indias state of Mizoram to escape fighting in Chin state in recent weeks.

The United Nations reiterates its earlier calls for all parties to urgently take the necessary measures and precautions to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, particularly protected objects such as medical units and personnel, and to adhere to the fundamental principles of distinction, necessity, proportionality and protection, the U.N. said in a statement.

The U.N. stressed the urgent need for food, water, shelter, fuel, and access to healthcare for people fleeing the fighting, saying that the aid it has distributed is insufficientparticularly for those in remote locations, where insecurity, travel restrictions, and poor road conditions are delaying the delivery of supplies.

The United Nations calls on the security forces to allow safe passage of humanitarian supplies and personnel and to facilitate the direct provision of relief assistance by the U.N. and its partners to all those in need in Kayah, as well as other states and regions across the country where there are urgent humanitarian needs, the statement said.

According to the Thailand-based rights group Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), 857 civilians have been killed and more than 4,700 people have been arrested in Myanmar since the military coup.

Reported by RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Khin Maung Nyane. Written in English by Joshua Lipes.
Raman Pratasevich's life has been turned upside down fast.

On May 23, months after he left Belarus to avoid prosecution on incitement charges he said were trumped-up by Alyaksandr Lukashenka's government, the journalist and blogger was arrested, along with his girlfriend, after their Ryanair flight from Athens to Vilnius was diverted to Minsk following what is widely believed to have been a fake bomb threat.

Rights groups, Western governments, and Belarusians who oppose Lukashenka watched in horror as the next development unfolded: Appearances on state TV in which Pratasevich, with marks on his face and wrists, delivered what are widely considered to be coerced confessions and words of praise for Lukashenka.

Formally, authorities say Pratasevich faces charges of being behind civil disturbances, an offense punishable by up to 15 years in prison.

Informally, by Belarusian state media and others, he has been accused of fighting in the war in eastern Ukraine with the Azov Battalion, a nationalist force with neo-Nazi roots that has played a prominent role in the conflict that erupted as Kremlin-backed separatists seized parts of the Donbas in 2014.

Did he?

The answer may not matter to Lukashenka, who has used the claims to step up pressure on Pratasevich, or to the Kremlin, which has supported the crackdown next door and could only benefit from information that might discredit the jailed journalist and advance Moscow's narratives about events in Belarus and Ukraine.

At this point, there is no definitive evidence that Pratasevich fought in eastern Ukraine, where a conflict that has killed more than 13,000 people still simmers.

Pratasevich denies it. In 2020, he said that he had spent a year in the Donbas early in the war and was wounded there but he stressed that it was in a role as a journalist, not a fighter.

An Azov commander has denied Pratasevich fought in their ranks and another member of the battalion has said he was there as a photojournalist. His parents also say their son was not a combatant.

However, photos and video footage circulating on social media that appeared to show someone similar to Pratasevich in military garb and gear have fueled speculation about his role.

Russia reacted to the Euromaidan protests that pushed Moscow-friendly Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych from power in February 2014 by seizing control of Ukraine's Crimea region and fomenting separatism across parts of the country. War broke out between Ukrainian forces and separatists in the Donbas in April 2014, and Pratasevich traveled there sometime later in the year.

In September 2020, Pratasevich told the popular Russian YouTuber Yury Dud that he had spent a year in the Donbas covering the conflict as freelance cameraman. He said he was wounded at the front, but not as a combatant. "I didn't take part in any battles. I didn't throw Molotov [cocktails], or rocks, or whatever. I always hung back," he said.

Photos And Fatigues

The case linking Pratasevich to the Azov Battalion hinges mainly, if not entirely, on photos or videos of an individual or individuals resembling Pratasevich clothed in military fatigues, posing with weapons, standing with fighters, or being treated for a wound.

Some of the earliest claims that Pratasevich fought with Azov came from Anatoliy Shariy, a pro-Kremlin blogger in Ukraine, according to the Latvian-based media outlet Meduza.

In February 2021, Ukrainian authorities charged Shariy with treason and hate speech, and the Security Service (SBU) put him on a wanted list after he failed to show up for questioning. The SBU claims Shariy helped organize pro-Russian media campaigns, which he denies.

Shariy was among the first to point out the cover of the July 2015 edition of an online publication, Black Sun, which depicts a young man in military fatigues who resembles Pratasevich.

Some observers have said the cover photo is too grainy to determine whether it shows Pratasevich. But Oleksiy Kuzmenko, an investigative journalist and contributor to the cyber-sleuth organization Bellingcat, has written on Twitter that a facial-recognition scan determined a "high probability" the two are the same.

Others, however, have argued that it could have been Andriy Snitko, an Azov Battalion fighter who died in battle, who also seems to resemble the person on the Black Sun cover.

There are other photos as well, including one of a person who looks like Pratasevich wearing fatigues and standing with others under Azov flags at what is said to be a gathering in Mariupol, a strategically important port city on the Azov Sea, in June 2015.

Another shows someone resembling Pratasevich, standing on a dusty patch of ground in combat attire and with an automatic weapon slung over his shoulder, although it is unclear when and where this photo was taken.

The image seems to be identical to the one accompanying an interview of a man presenting himself as a Belarusian fighter in eastern Ukraine that was published by RFE/RL's Belarus Service on September 18, 2015, except that the face is blocked out in the latter.

The subject of the interview, identified only as "Kim," speaks of being wounded during fighting on March 22 of that year near the village of Shyrokyne, about 10 kilometers east of Mariupol. He said he was one of many Belarusian fighters in the so-called Pagonya detachment. He said that Pagonya, whose name is Belarusian for "pursuit," was not a separate unit and that its members served in various Ukrainian battalions.

"Kim" said he had many reasons for fighting, including having "Ukrainian blood." He said that the war in the Donbas "isn't just for Ukraine but also for Belarus," because "our country could be next if the Russian Putinist horde isn't stopped now."

Russia's seizure of Crimea and its role in the Donbas conflict raised concerns that Moscow could have designs on other former Soviet republics. In August 2015, Lukashenka voiced confidence that Russia would never go to war with Belarus but said that if anyone invaded "we would fight for every piece of land."

Ukraine's Hromadske TV posted a video on March 23, 2015, about fighting in and around Shyrokyne. The report speaks of "Azovites" in battle "against the enemy" that ended "with one volunteer wounded," and shows one person apparently being treated for wounds.

As with the grainy Black Sun cover photo, Kuzmenko has said that according to facial-recognition software there is a "high" probability the individual in the video is Pratasevich.

Others note that if the individual in the video is in fact Pratasevich, he appears to be wearing civilian clothing, potentially supporting his claim that he was not a fighter but a photojournalist.

Denials

The ranks of those who say that Pratasevich did not fight in eastern Ukraine include his parents and senior Azov Battalion members.

Former Azov commander Andriy Biletskiy, now a leader of the far-right political party National Corps, has stated on his Telegram channel that Pratasevich was at Shyrokyne as a reporter. "Raman was indeed together with Azov and other military units that fought against the occupation of Ukraine. He was with us near Shyrokyne, where we was wounded. But his weapon as a journalist was not an automatic rifle but the written word," Biletskiy wrote in a post in late May.

In a report on May 27, the Belarusian news outlet Nasha Niva quoted an unidentified fighter described as an Azov member as saying that Pratasevich did some basic training with the battalion but no actual fighting.

Crisis In Belarus Read our coverage as Belarusians continue to demand the resignation of Alyaksandr Lukashenka amid a brutal crackdown on protesters. The West refuses to recognize him as the country's legitimate leader after an August 9 election considered fraudulent.

"I remember him in Urzuf," the fighter said, referring to a town near Mariupol where Azov operated a training base. "He was this young guy. Biletskiy didn't trust him because he showed up and started with, 'So where are the other Belarusians? Let me at 'em.' People figured he was collecting information, so there was never much trust and they didn't involve him in any operations. He did a bit of basic training, took some selfies with a weapon at the shooting range, and probably realized that he wouldn't be joining the team, so he left. Did he fight? If so, I don't think it was with Azov."

In an interview with Meduza, Pratasevich's mother also said that her son did not fight in eastern Ukraine. "He was there as a journalist," Natallya Pratasevich said. "All this [about him fighting] is a bunch of nonsense.... He went there as a photographer and a freelance journalist."

In remarks on May 25 to Current Time, the Russian-language network led by RFE/RL in cooperation with VOA, Pratasevich's father, Dzmitry, said that he "personally [does] not know about him fighting in the Donbas."

He also said he wanted to clarify comments he made in an earlier interview with Current Time in which he said his son had "fought on Ukraine's side."

"When there's a battle happening and a war is going on, and they're shooting all around you, do people just stand around? They're participating in war, right? He was there as a journalist, as part of a camera crew," Dzmitry Pratasevich said.

'Kim'

The identity of "Kim" remains unclear.

Asked about the 2015 interview, RFE/RL's Belarus Service Director Aleksandr Lukashuk said that the service did not know the subject's real name and received the photograph with the face already blocked out. "That's how we received that photo; anonymity for security reasons was a condition of the interviews we did with several Belarusian citizens on both sides of the conflict," he said.

The RFE/RL interview was not the only one "Kim" gave to the media. In a June 2015 interview with the Ukrainian website Focus, he said that "hundreds of Belarusians" were fighting in eastern Ukraine on both sides.

Official figures are not available. Belsat, a Polish-based satellite TV station focused on Belarus, reported in 2018 that the number of Belarusians who had fought in the Donbas may have been up to 1,000. The war continues despite cease-fires, but the fighting is much less fierce than it was in the early years of the conflict.

Pratasevich, who is now 26, was a 2017-18 Vaclav Havel Journalism fellow in Prague. The Vaclav Havel Journalism Fellowship -- a joint initiative of RFE/RL and the Czech Foreign Ministry -- is available to aspiring independent journalists in the European Union's Eastern Partnership countries and Russia.

"The first time I came across his name was in 2017 when he applied for a fellowship," Lukashuk said. He said that Pratasevich "was never associated with or worked for RFE/RL prior to or after the fellowship."

"Pratasevich and those who wrote letters supporting his nomination noted his journalistic work in eastern Ukraine. RFE/RL was not aware at the time of any accusations regarding other activities in Ukraine," said Martins Zvaners, deputy director of communications and public affairs at RFE/RL.

The Azov Battalion

The Azov Battalion was formed in the spring of 2014 by the leadership of a far-right group called Patriots of Ukraine. The Azov group's insignia features the Wolfsangel and the Black Sun, two Nazi symbols. In the early days of the conflict in eastern Ukraine, Kyiv was largely outgunned and outnumbered, with about 6,000 combat-ready troops. The government asked few questions to those ready to pick up a gun and defend the country's territorial integrity, and by early 2015 an estimated 30 volunteer militias were active in combat in eastern Ukraine.

Besides far-right ties, the militias -- along with the Moscow-backed separatists -- were implicated in possible war crimes, as Amnesty International reported.

But despite the controversy, for many Ukrainians the paramilitaries were crucial in defending the country when its formal forces were incapable. The Azov Battalion is credited with retaking control of Mariupol in June 2014.

By September 2014 the battalion was incorporated into Ukraine's National Guard, its name formally changed to Azov Regiments.

It is now a "heterogeneous radical-right social movement," according to Michael Colborne, a journalist who focuses on the far right and is writing a book about the Azov movement. "At its core, the movement encompasses the regiment itself, the National Corps political party, the Centuria (formerly the National Militia) paramilitary organization as well as a number of affiliated subgroups and initiatives including a book club, youth camps, a 'leadership school' and a (temporarily closed) three-story social center just off Kyiv's central Independence Square," Colborne wrote in an article published on June 2.

In the United States, there have been calls to have Azov designated a foreign terrorist organization (FTO), as Representative Elissa Slotkin, (Democrat-Michigan) requested in April in a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

If Pratasevich did fight with the Azov Battalion, that doesn't make him a neo-Nazi, argues Hanna Hrystenko, a Kyiv-based researcher of the far right. "Though it is true that its leaders are known for far-right beliefs and the broader Azov movement is in touch with the foreign far-right, there is no evidence that every single person [involved] shares neo-Nazi beliefs," she wrote.

Pressure On Pratasevich

Whatever the facts, Lukashenka is using claims that Pratasevich fought with the Azov Battalion in the Donbas as an added lever of pressure on him.

Several days after his arrest, the separatists who hold parts of Ukraine's Luhansk region said they wanted Pratasevich "extradited" to face charges for what they claimed without evidence were crimes committed in connection with the fighting in the Donbas.

Lukashenka seized on this, suggesting on June 1 that "investigators" from the Donbas were welcome to question Pratasevich in Minsk and hinting that punishments the people in control there might mete out could be harsher than those he faces in Belarus.

While the Belarusian authorities have not linked Pratasevich's arrest to his time in eastern Ukraine, officials and media outlets that are owned or controlled by the state have highlighted the claims, in what his supporters say is an effort to paint him as a dangerous neo-Nazi.

On May 26, Ivan Tertel, the head of the main Belarusian security agency, the KGB, asserted without providing evidence or detail that Pratasevich had "actively used" what he claimed was his fighting experience after returning to Belarus from Ukraine.

The allegations have stirred passionate debate online. Supporters of Pratasevich question their timing, saying most have appeared only after he was detained on May 23 and not last year, when Lukashenka's government put him on a "terrorist" wanted list.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has backed Lukashenka on both the broader crackdown in Belarus and the arrest of Pratasevich, telling the authoritarian leader at a meeting in Russia last week that Western criticism of the diversion of the Ryanair jet to Minsk on May 23 was an "outburst of emotions."

Russian officials, state media, and other Kremlin allies have contributed to what Anton Shekhovtsov, a Vienna-based political scientist who analyzes the actions of authoritarian governments, contended was an effort to justify the plane diversion and undermine international support for Pratasevich, in part by pushing the narrative that he is a neo-Nazi.

"While at the moment it is unclear whether Russian services participated in the Ryanair affair, it is revealing that it is Kremlin agents who are activated to justify/normalize the operation," Shekhovtsov wrote on Facebook on May 24, a day after the passenger jet was diverted to Minsk and Pratasevich was arrested at the airport.
On 9 June 2021, the Secretary General of the World Customs Organization (WCO), Dr. Kunio Mikuriya, participated in a joint Press Conference with the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of Belgium, Mr. Vincent Van Peteghem, the Mayor of Antwerp, Mr. Bart de Wever, and the Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Ms. Ghada Fathi Waly, to share the results of cooperation in the fight against drug trafficking.

Secretary General Mikuriya highlighted the success achieved by the Port of Antwerp, the second largest port in Europe, in facilitating trade while at the same time addressing the challenges inherent to megaports. Dr. Mikuriya stressed the need to step up the fight against drug trafficking and other illicit trade in view of the globalization of criminal activities. He recalled the close collaboration between the WCO and Belgian Customs in facilitating the sharing of information and intelligence with source and transit countries and emphasized the WCOs backing for Antwerps innovative initiative involving large-scale scanning of containers.

Dr. Mikuriya reiterated the WCOs commitment to utilizing Technology to improve risk management, namely by using non-intrusive inspection (NII) equipment; to Training source countries to foster legitimate trade and detect illicit trade through the WCO/UNODC Container Control Programme (CCP); to organizing global enforcement operations; and, finally, to building and enhancing Trust among partners and stakeholders, including Customs, Police, ports and the private sector, in order to combat corruption more effectively and ensure gender equality.

Belgiums Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Mr. Vincent Van Peteghem, announced the half-year figures on drug seizures in the Port of Antwerp and described various detection techniques used to combat illicit trafficking. Mr. Van Peteghem indicated that the number of seizures had increased significantly from 4.7 tonnes in 2013 to over 65 tonnes in 2020. He congratulated the WCO and UNODC on their contribution to this fight and called for renewed vigilance during this time of crisis.

The Executive Director of the UNODC, Ms. Ghada Fathi Waly, thanked the WCO for its continuous support, especially regarding the CCP, and talked about the need for further capacity building to enhance containerized trade security, facilitation standards and border controls.

Belgian Customs also organized the following demonstrations: a patrol boat operating with a diving team from Netherlands Customs; verification of a container by a drug detector dog; Customs controls using backscatter equipment; and side loader handling operations.

The WCO Secretary General also took part in interviews with local and international media to promote the work of the global Customs community in the fight against illegal trafficking as well as to advocate cooperation with international partners.
Belarusians have been protesting for several days at a border crossing between Lithuania and Belarus to highlight the ongoing crackdown on dissenting voices inside Belarus. Braving rainy weather, the demonstrators raised Belarusian opposition flags and hung banners with slogans such as "Genocide In Belarus," "Concentration Camp Belarus," and "Gulag -- 2 kms" at a checkpoint near the Lithuanian village of Medininkai. Similar protests have been staged on the Polish-Belarusian border as well. Since August 2020, Belarus has seen mass protests against a presidential election widely seen as rigged. The protesters are urging the European Union to impose tougher sanctions on authoritarian leader Alyaksandr Lukashenka.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has criticized a proposed global minimum corporate tax, calling it "absurd" and warning that his government would need to consider contingency plans if the concept was adopted.

Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven (G7) on June 5 pledged to commit to a global minimum corporate tax of at least 15 percent, rallying behind a U.S.-backed plan.

The landmark move is aimed at getting multinationals -- especially tech giants such as Google, Facebook, and Amazon -- to pay more into pandemic-hit government budgets.

The G7 countries -- Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the United States -- hope to reach a final agreement at a gathering next month of the expanded G20 finance ministers group.

Orban said his government opposed the move, which he said went against efforts to attract foreign investment with low taxes.

Hungary's 9 percent corporate tax rate is the lowest in the 27-member European Union.

Budapest has benefited from it, managing to attract large investments in its car and manufacturing sectors that have boosted economic growth and employment, which in turn helped Orban and his right-wing government stay in power for more than a decade.

"I consider it absurd that any world organization should assert the right to say what taxes Hungary can levy and what taxes it cannot," said Orban, who faces his first competitive election next year.



Orban, who was speaking at a business conference in Budapest, warned that his government would need to draw up contingency plans if the tax plan does get final approval.

Hungary needs "lines of defense" that can protect jobs, he said.

Hungarian Finance Minister Mihaly Varga said the global tax could affect 2,000 to 3,000 major companies in Hungary.

Ireland, another EU member with a low corporate tax rate -- 12.5 percent -- also opposes the global minimum levy move.

With reporting by Reuters
The Swiss government says a Kremlin-linked Russian businessman is fighting extradition to the United States following his arrest on a U.S. warrant issued over alleged insider trading.

The Swiss Justice Ministry said in a statement on June 9 that Vladislav Klyushin, the owner of M13, a Russian company that offers media monitoring as well as cybersecurity services, was arrested in Valais canton on March 21.

The case was first reported by a Swiss-based news portal specialized in covering economic crime.

"Klyushin is accused, with accomplices, of insider trading in the tens of millions of dollars," the statement said.

His lawyer in Geneva did not comment on the case.

The website of M13 says its services are used by the Russian presidential administration and government.

According to Russian opposition media, Klyushin was very close to First Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Administration Aleksei Gromov.

The Swiss Justice Ministry decides extradition requests but they can be appealed to the Federal Criminal Court and Switzerland's highest court, the Federal Court.

The Federal Court on May 20 rejected Klyushin's request to be released from custody in the Swiss town of Sion while he fights extradition.

Based on reporting by Reuters, AFP, and TASS
Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov has arrived in the Turkish capital, Ankara, on an official visit aimed at strengthening bilateral ties.

Japarov's press service said the official visit started on June 9 as the Kyrgyz president was met at the Esenboga airport in Ankara by Turkish Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy and will meet President Recep Tayyip Erdogan later during the three-day trip.

Japarov is also expected to hold talks with the Turkish parliament's chairman, Mustafa Sentop, and other officials. He is also scheduled to take part in the work of the Kyrgyz-Turkish Business Forum.

Before the end of his official visit to Turkey on June 11, Japarov will also meet with Kyrgyz citizens residing in Turkey.

It is not clear if the issue of Orhan Inandy, a missing dual Turkish-Kyrgyz citizen who many believe has been abducted by Turkish secret services, will be raised during Japarov's visit.

Human Rights Watch and many activists in Kyrgyzstan have demanded that the Kyrgyz government investigate the disappearance of the 53-year-old founder of an education network in the Central Asian country amid concern that he may be forcibly deported to Turkey, where he could be at risk of mistreatment or torture and would face arbitrary detention and an unfair trial.
BISHKEK -- A local lawmaker in Kyrgyzstans southern district of Kadamjai has been detained on suspicion of being involved in a large illegal trafficking business.



Kyrgyzstan's State Committee for National Security (UKMK) said on June 9 that two other residents of the district were detained along with a member of the Kadamjai district council. The identities of the three were not disclosed.



According to the UKMK, the suspects were caught while sending 50 kilograms of an unnamed illegal drug to neighboring Uzbekistan and had $250,000 in cash at the moment of their arrest.



The UKMK's statement also says that investigators later found 37 kilograms of marijuana, 9 kilograms of raw opium, four kilograms of hashish, an illegal firearm, and cash at the premises and in vehicles belonging to the lawmaker and his relative.



Investigators suspect that the lawmaker and his group have been involved in trafficking illegal drugs from Tajikistan to Uzbekistan via Kyrgyzstan.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) is urging Kyrgyz authorities to investigate the disappearance of the founder of an education network in the Central Asian country amid concern that he may be forcibly deported to Turkey, where he could be at risk of mistreatment or torture and would face arbitrary detention and an unfair trial.



Orhan Inandy, a dual Turkish-Kyrgyz citizen identified as Inan in his Turkish documents, is likely to be persecuted for his alleged ties to the movement connected with U.S.-based Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen, the New York-based human rights group said in statement on June 9.



Over the past five years, Turkey has requested that Kyrgyzstan shut down the activities of Inandys Sapat Educational Institutions, a network of schools and an international university in Kyrgyzstan, saying that it is linked to Gulen. Ankara blames the cleric for a failed coup in 2016, which he denies.



The Kyrgyz government has a responsibility to investigate his disappearance, determine where he is being held, and ensure his safety and that he is not unlawfully removed to Turkey, said Syinat Sultanalieva, Central Asia researcher at HRW.



Inandy, the 53-year-old founder and chairman of the board of Sapat, has lived in Kyrgyzstan since 1995. He was granted Kyrgyz citizenship in 2012.



Inandy went missing late in the night on May 31. His car was found in downtown Bishkek early the next day with the doors wide open and valuable items still inside seemingly untouched, suggesting this was not a case of robbery.



His wife, Reyhan Inandy, said last week she had evidence that he was being held in the Turkish Embassy in Bishkek, a claim denied by the diplomatic mission.



Daily protests demanding an effective investigation into Inandys disappearance have taken place in the Kyrgyz capital, with many of the demonstrators saying they believed the missing educator was abducted by Turkish secret services.

Once in Turkey, Inandy would face arbitrary detention and an unfair trial on terrorism charges, as well as possible ill-treatment and torture, according to HRW.



The watchdog insisted that allowing Inandys rendition to Turkey would violate Kyrgyzstans obligations under the UN Convention Against Torture, which prohibits extraditing or returning anyone to a place where they risk being tortured.



Over the past five years, scores of men accused by the Turkish authorities of having links with the Gulen movement have been arbitrarily detained in countries around the world and forcibly returned to Turkey, HRW says.



There they are incarcerated on bogus terrorism charges in violation of due process rights and protections.



Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov has instructed the State Committee on National Security and the Interior Ministry to intensify the searches to find Inandy, and the Bishkek police created a special investigative group to locate him.



Reyhan Inandy said in a June 6 statement that an undisclosed source told her that her husband was being held against his will at the Turkish Embassy and tortured to renounce his Kyrgyz citizenship, which she said would simplify his forcible transfer to Turkey.



Kyrgyz Deputy Foreign Minister Aibek Artykbaev has said that ministry officials held a meeting with the Turkish ambassador to Kyrgyzstan, who rejected the statement by Orhan Inandy's wife as not true.
Elmira is the only woman who stays overnight in her neighborhood in the southern part of Nagorno-Karabakh.

When a Russian-brokered cease-fire brought an end to fighting between Azerbaijan and Armenian forces over the territory in November 2020, advancing Azerbaijani troops had gotten as far as her apple orchard. Now her backyard is cut in half by the new "line of contact" established under the truce.

Soldiers from each side have dug trenches across her orchard within 40 meters of each other. An Azerbaijani flag flies on the hilltop overlooking her home.

At night, with her house in the village of Taghavard surrounded by the opposing forces, she can hear both sides talking as they dig their trenches deeper and reinforce their defensive fortifications.

"Sometimes I go to bed in my clothes -- just in case something happens and I need to run away," Elmira recently told the International Crisis Group (ICG), an independent NGO that seeks to prevent and resolve deadly conflicts.

In a June 9 report on Nagorno-Karabakh's postwar prospects, the ICG tells Elmira's story to help illustrate the current situation on the breakaway Azerbaijani region's front lines seven months after the November 9 cease-fire came into effect.

ICG researchers say Elmira fled Taghavard last autumn along with all the other ethnic Armenian civilians who lived in the village to escape the advancing Azerbaijani forces. Only about half of Taghavard's residents have returned since then due to fears for their safety and the destruction of half the houses in the village.

Baku has not yet allowed the return of any Azerbaijani civilians displaced from the area by the war in the early 1990s.

Other ethnic Armenian women come to Elmira's neighborhood in the daytime because a school is still operating there. But there are only half as many students as before.

"Residents feel least safe along the new front's southernmost sections," the ICG says. "This area saw fierce fighting, and while in many places missiles and drones did most of the damage, here, soldiers and volunteers squared off, guns in hand, within firing range of civilians."

Elmira has no running water. The water pipes that supplied her neighborhood were severed by missile strikes during Azerbaijan's six-week military offensive. Repairing them would require ethnic Armenian workers to cross through the defensive lines into Azerbaijani-controlled territory -- something the Azerbaijani side won't allow.

Meanwhile, with the exception of the International Committee of the Red Cross, international aid groups are unable to deliver assistance in Nagorno-Karabakh until politicians in Yerevan and Baku resolve the issue at the heart of their conflict since the early 1990s -- the final political status of the breakaway region.

"Along parts of the front line that extend into mountain villages, Armenians have different worries" than those of Elmira, the ICG says. "They are unlikely to be in the line of fire, but some have been briefly detained by Azerbaijanis when they have accidentally wandered over the line of contact, which is not yet clearly demarcated in these areas."

The report says "a handful" of ethnic Armenian civilians have been detained by Azerbaijani soldiers while they were on their way to tend orchards or cattle in pastures, having "no reason to think they had left Armenian-controlled territory."

"The soldiers released them all within hours after family members or neighbors raised the alarm with de facto authorities and Russian peacekeepers," the report says. One senior Azerbaijani official told the ICG that "the detentions were errors" and the "door should remain open to any unarmed Armenian."

Citing reports by RFE/RL, the ICG says the "fragility" of the cease-fire has already been highlighted by tensions that "flared in mid-May as Armenia and Azerbaijan disputed new positions established by Azerbaijani forces" close to their shared border.

With Russia as the main foreign mediator between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the ICG says Moscow's influence and the Russian peacekeeping mission "helps settle many problems, but not all of them."

"Skirmishing in May 2021 at the Armenia-Azerbaijan state border was a stark illustration of the need for diplomatic engagement on immediate postconflict issues" the group says. "The escalation came despite Russian-proposed talks to demarcate the border and following shuttle diplomacy by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov between the two capitals," it says.

Meanwhile, "despite plans to complete technical discussions" by March 1 on resuming joint use of regional transport routes, the ICG notes that "talks have deadlocked -- leading to heated statements threatening renewed fighting in southern Armenia, where a road important to Azerbaijan is located."

The ICG concludes that mass displacements from Nagorno-Karabakh, the scramble by military forces to build up new frontline positions, and a looming humanitarian crisis all add up to a "fragile situation" in and around the region.

"Already frictions along the new front line, which lies close to civilian settlements, threaten renewed violence," it says. "The longer it takes for Nagorno-Karabakh residents to return home and resume some semblance of normal life, the harder it will be to jump-start future peace efforts."

Key Recommendations

The ICG makes three key recommendations about what needs to be done to improve the postwar prospects for Nagorno-Karabakh.

Perhaps most crucially, it says Russian peacekeepers that were deployed hastily under the terms of the cease-fire must be given "a clear mandate for their long-term deployment."

It says both sides should build on the kind of "ad hoc contacts" that have already been used to resolve urgent problems -- such as the arrests of unarmed civilians.

Finally, it says, parties "must stop holding international humanitarian aid hostage" to the issue of Nagorno-Karabakh's political status -- a debate that leaves international aid groups "hamstrung."

The need for getting more aid into conflict-affected areas is critical, the ICG says. "Talks on Nagorno-Karabakh's political status are nowhere in sight."

ICG researchers say neither the de facto ethnic Armenian authorities nor the government in Yerevan have the necessary resources to deal with Nagorno-Karabakh's postwar chaos alone -- "risking a protracted humanitarian crisis and long-term displacement of people."

They note that Russia has offered to help with the disbursement of assistance "when outside agencies gain access."

Until then, the ICG says international organizations "should find creative solutions to allow minimal support at least to their local counterparts on the ground."

Vague Russian Mandate

Deployed with vague orders under the cease-fire deal, Russian peacekeepers have taken positions where Azerbaijani and Armenian troops now face off against each other.

They also are positioned along the so-called Lachin corridor that cuts through Azerbaijan's Lachin district and serves as the main artery between Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh.

The ICG notes that 11 of the 27 outposts for Russian peacekeepers across the conflict zone are along the 8-kilometer Lachin corridor. "At these posts, Russian personnel check identity documents and inspect all passing vehicles," the ICG says. "No soldiers and no weapons except those belonging to the peacekeepers themselves are permitted on this route."

Russian troops also are posted about 20 kilometers from Nagorno-Karabakh's new front lines at a joint Russian-Turkish monitoring center set up in February near the village of Qiyamedinli in Azerbaijani- controlled territory.

"The center is currently staffed by 47 Russian and 45 Turkish military personnel, though, according to an Azerbaijani official, those numbers could increase by up to 60 people per country," the ICG report says.

"Drones deployed daily by the center observe the situation along the front line," it says. When there is a violation of the cease-fire, "Russian staff are responsible for immediately notifying the Armenian and Azerbaijani defense ministries while Turkish staff inform only the Azerbaijani side."

The ICG quotes one Russian official there as saying the Armenians trust the information "because there are Russian drones and the Azerbaijanis trust the data because there are Turkish drones."

None of the reports from the Russian-Turkish monitoring center has been made public.

The ICG concludes that the new front lines in Nagorno-Karabakh are "more volatile than before" fighting broke out last autumn -- leaving Russian peacekeepers with "their hands full" since they arrived.

The June 9 report documents how Russian peacekeepers have "done everything from escorting villagers to visit graves or tend crops to fixing water pipes." It says they've also helped mediate "disputes over mundane matters from access to water to stray cows, without a clear mandate for how to handle tensions along the front."

"How long they can keep acting as troubleshooters of everyday problems is unclear," the ICG says. "How they would react to a front-line escalation is murkier still, given that the cease-fire agreement did not spell out their mission precisely."

It advises Russia to consult with the warring parties and then provide its troops with "clear rules of engagement." "The parties themselves should devise, potentially with Russian mediation, a formal mechanism for resolving urgent issues -- be it residents' detention or access to water," the report says.

Digging In

ICG experts say nobody doubts that the Azerbaijani military has a "clear advantage along the new front," with an overwhelming number of troops positioned on high ground. But the researchers note that "Armenian forces have not yet created outposts on all the heights available to them," adding that "they could yet gain strength by doing so."

"To date, they have worked instead to reinforce the immediate front line to prevent Azerbaijan from taking more territory."

WATCH: Azerbaijani forces build defenses on Nagorno-Karabakh's new front lines (in Armenian).

ICG experts say the topography of the new front lines also presents some logistical problems for Azerbaijan. They note that despite their strategic positions, Azerbaijani soldiers in the Kalbacar district and in the town of Susa -- known in Armenian as Shushi -- are "disconnected from the rest of the country."

"Several times a week, they have to use roads that run through Armenian settlements," the ICG says. "Russian peacekeepers serve as escorts on the condition that the trucks transport only construction materials and food, no weapons."

"Azerbaijan is now building a new road to [Susa/Shushi] and considering another route via the [Mrav/Murovdag] mountains to Kalbacar," it says. "But road works in the steep, windy mountain terrain will take time, and some in Baku worry the finished route might be suitable for light vehicles only or be frequently blocked by snow."

The ICG concludes that both local and international actors must address Nagorno-Karabakh's postwar issues of "security, basic needs, and displacement" soon.

It says failure to do so means the breakaway region is likely to remain an area of tension for decades to come.

"Such strain will weigh not only on relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, but also on the South Caucasus as a whole, including plans as part of the cease-fire to rebuild interrupted trade and infrastructure links in the region," the researchers warn.
Jailed Russian opposition politician Aleksei Navalny has dedicated a human rights award to all political prisoners in Russia and Belarus, his daughter told a summit of rights groups.



"My dad asked me today to give this award to every single political prisoner in Russia and Belarus," Daria Navalnaya said in a video statement to the Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy on June 8.



"He wrote that most of them are in a much worse situation compared to me, because they're not as well known or famous," she said, citing a letter from her father.



"They should know that they are not alone or forgotten about, the 20-year-old said in her first public comments since her father's jailing in February.



Navalny, one of Russian President Vladimir Putins most vocal critics, was arrested in January upon his return from Germany where he was treated for a nerve agent poisoning suffered in Siberia in August. He has accused Putin of ordering the poisoning, which the Kremlin has denied.



The anti-corruption campaigner is now serving a 2 1/2 year prison sentence on a charge that he broke the terms of probation by leaving Russia for Germany for the life-saving treatment he received.

You really should be looking at my father instead, but hes in a Russian prison right now simply because of what he says, does and believes in -- and because he didnt die when the Russian government wanted him to, said Navalnaya, who is currently a student at Stanford University in the United States.



"For all these years, he has been showing the people in power, who are shamelessly abusing that power, that this is not going to work, that we are the majority," she said. "We, the citizens, will decide who is going to rule our country and for how long."



But she also expressed concern about "the fast downfall of democracy in my country."



Navalny was given the award for his "extraordinary courage and heroic efforts to sound the alarm about the Putin regime's grave violations of the human rights of the Russian people," said Hillel Neuer, executive director of UN Watch, which co-organizes the event sponsored by a coalition of 25 human rights organizations.

Based on reporting by AFP, AP, and Reuters
A Russian court has declared organizations linked to imprisoned opposition politician Aleksei Navalny "extremist," the latest move in a campaign to bar the Kremlin critic's allies from running in parliamentary elections in September.



The Moscow City Court ruling late on June 9 came into force immediately, preventing people associated with Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK) and his network of regional political offices across Russia from seeking public office.



The ruling also carries lengthy prison terms for activists who have worked with the organizations.

Russian authorities have ramped up pressure on dissent ahead of the elections in September, with opinion polls showing support for the ruling United Russia party waning.



Navalny, the most vocal political foe of President Vladimir Putin, was arrested in January upon returning from Germany, where he spent five months recovering from a nerve-agent poisoning that he blames on the Kremlin -- an accusation that Russian officials reject.



Navalny was sentenced in February to 2 1/2 years in prison for violating the terms of a suspended sentence from a 2014 embezzlement conviction widely considered politically motivated. In April, tens of thousands of people protested for his release, following similar mass protests in January against his arrest.

The prosecution in Moscow claimed that "under the guise of liberal slogans," Navalny-linked organizations were "engaged in creating conditions for destabilizing the social and sociopolitical situation."



Defense lawyer Yevgeny Smirnov said during the hearing that the prosecutors' motion was intended to bar Navalny's associates from running for public office.



"This case has been linked to the law that bans all those who are connected with the FBK from getting elected," Smirnov said. He said they would appeal the ruling, which was made in a closed-door court session on the grounds that classified materials would be discussed.



Ahead of the parliamentary elections, Russian lawmakers pushed a new law that banned members of organizations declared extremist from running for public office.



The law, endorsed by Putin on June 4, bars leaders and founders of organizations declared extremist or terrorist by Russian courts from running for elective posts for a period of five years. Other members or employees of such organizations will face a three-year ban.

Navalny's foundation has relentlessly targeted senior government officials over the past decade with widely watched videos that expose alleged corruption. His political network has been instrumental in implementing a "smart voting" strategy -- a project designed to promote candidates most likely to defeat Kremlin-linked figures.



Dozens of the network's offices in Russian regions already shut down in April after the prosecutors issued an injunction to suspend their activities pending the court's ruling.



On Instagram, a message posted after the court ruling on Navalny's behalf urged Russians to participate in the "smart voting" initiative while acknowledging his organizations will need to "adapt."



"We will not retreat from our goals and ideas. This is our country and we have no other," the message said.

The United States and Britain condemned the ruling, the latest development likely to fuel greater tensions between the West and Moscow.



"It is another Kafkaesque attack on those standing up against corruption and for open societies, and is a deliberate attempt to effectively outlaw genuine political opposition in Russia," British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said in a statement.



The U.S. State Department said the court ruling "puts staff members, volunteers, and thousands of supporters across Russia at risk of criminal prosecution and imprisonment for exercising fundamental human rights guaranteed by the Russian Constitution."



"With this action, Russia has effectively criminalized one of the country's few remaining independent political movements," State Department spokesperson Ned Price said, again calling for Navalny's release from prison.

With reporting by AFP, AP, dpa, Reuters, RFE/RL's Russian Service, and Current Time
WASHINGTON -- RFE/RL President Jamie Fly told a U.S. Senate committee on June 9 that Belarusian authoritarian ruler Alyaksandr Lukashenka has discussed copying Russias foreign agents law to further restrict media freedom in Belarus.

Fly, who testified remotely before the Foreign Relations Committee, outlined how the Russian law has affected RFE/RLs operations in Moscow, saying the tactic of imposing such laws to restrict the free flow of information is spreading as authoritarian leaders are learning from each other and adapting such approaches in different forms and at different speeds.

My concern is that we see this trend in Russia, we see it in Belarus at differing rates, of criminalization of journalism, Fly said.

These are attempts by authoritarians to control the information space, limit the options for their citizens to state propaganda outlets or outlets that the regime is comfortable allowing because they are noncontroversial.

Russias foreign agents law requires nongovernmental organizations that receive foreign assistance and that the Russian government deems to be engaged in political activity to be registered, to identify themselves as foreign agents, to submit to audits, and to label their content.

Among the foreign-funded media that Moscow has targeted is RFE/RL, imposing on it millions of dollars in fines for noncompliance. The company has challenged the law in the European Court of Human Rights, arguing that Moscow is violating its international obligations.

Crisis In Belarus Read our coverage as Belarusians continue to demand the resignation of Alyaksandr Lukashenka amid a brutal crackdown on protesters. The West refuses to recognize him as the country's legitimate leader after an August 9 election considered fraudulent.

Fly told the committee that Russias most recent moves against RFE/RL include freezing of its bank accounts in Russia.

In Belarus, he said, RFE/RL journalists are performing "incredibly dangerous work" as they attempt to cover demonstrations and the political situation in general. He noted that one RFE/RL journalist was arrested just outside his apartment after leaving to take care of personal business, while others have faced risks on a regular basis just for doing their jobs.

Its almost impossible to do on-the-street journalism because of the laws the regime has put in place, Fly said.

Fly said statements of support from Congress are helpful to push back against these efforts and ensure there are repercussions when journalists are targeted.

He told the committee that even if RFE/RL loses its bureau in Moscow and if its journalists are not able to operate inside Belarus, RFE/RL will adapt its programming and redouble our efforts to reach audiences in those countries.

But he added that changing tactics often requires technology, saying new funding will go a long way to reach audiences that need RFE/RL now more than ever in these increasingly difficult environments in both Russia and Belarus.
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 Sri Lankan Major Sudarsha Herath

The COVID-19 pandemic swept across the world when I was studying at the Army Logistics University of the PLA. China was at one point the most seriously hit by the virus, but it was also the first to have successfully controlled it. As we see, China took a wide range of decisive and effective measures, with which it brought the pandemic under control and emerged as the only major economy that registered positive economic growth in 2020.

During China's fight against the pandemic, I was deeply impressed by the words: people and their lives are paramount. My teachers and friends all told me that the Communist Party of China (CPC), as the ruling Party, has always taken serving the people whole-heartedly as its purpose. As I live longer in China and learn more about this country, I've come to understand this sentence even deeper.

Maj. Gen. Zhou Yanming, president of the Army Logistics University of the PLA, told me that Chinas political system mainly includes the system of peoples congress, the system of CPC-led multi-party cooperation and political consultation, and the system of regional ethnic autonomy, of which the National Peoples Congress (NPC) is the highest organ of state power. Such an institutional design has ensured Chinas political stability and prosperity. Under the leadership of the CPC, both the army and the government are dedicated to serving the people. Chinas institutional design and development achievements are closely related to the CPCs people-oriented governance philosophy.

Always putting the people first, the CPC has launched an enduring campaign to crack down upon gang crimes and uproot evils and made China one of the safest countries in the world. While gun violence or racial conflicts seem to be common in some countries, I never heard of things like that when I was living in China. I noticed that the young females working in my academy usually take the public transport home even late at night, because they feel assured about public security in the city. That speaks volumes about the CPCs successful governance  governance for the people.

Keeping the people firmly in mind, the CPC advocates equality for all. Womens high position in modern China is praiseworthy. When I was studying in China, I saw men and women being treated equally either in public service, in business or industry, in politics or in other social sectors. At the gate of a school, I saw girls wearing school uniforms walking into the campus; behind them were their parents with eyes full of love and expectation.

Having the peoples interests deep at heart, the CPC pledges to leave no one behind on the way to poverty elimination, and has made strenuous anti-poverty efforts as it presses ahead toward building a moderately prosperous society in all respects. During my study in China, I had a chance to visit Zhongling, a village in the Wulong district of Chongqing. It started to receive paired-up assistance of the Army Logistics University in 2017. Zhongling is a village located deep in the mountain far away from cities and towns , but it has smooth and flat roads, well-developed infrastructure and 4G coverage. I think the 4G signals in the mountain well illustrate the CPCs feat of leading the people out of poverty.

The people living in China are lucky! It is a safe country, a country that can eliminate poverty, and a country where everyone enjoys equal rights. Most importantly, it is a country led by the CPC, a Party that exercises state power for the people whole-heartedly. Under the CPCs leadership, the Chinese people live and work in peace and contentment, and the nation is prosperous and strong. I believe China will embrace a brighter future!

(This article is based on an interview by the PLA Daily with Major Sudarsha Herath assigned to Sri Lankan Armed Forces, who had once studied at China's PLA Army Logistics University.)
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia -- Police have detained a popular blogger in Russia's second-largest city, St. Petersburg, over his song mocking government's efforts to solve the deadly 2002 hostage-taking incident at Moscow's Dubrovka Theater.



The investigative Committee said on June 9 that Yury Khovansky, whose YouTube channel has more than 4.4 million subscribers, was detained overnight on suspicion of "justifying terrorism."



The committee also placed a video on YouTube showing Khovansky lying facedown on the floor with his hands behind his head as he is being detained.



The shaky video also shows him making an admission of guilt, though it was not immediately clear whether he made the statement without threat or coercion by authorities.



"At some time, I performed a song with justification of, let us say, terrorism. I fully regret it and admit my guilt," the 31-year-old blogger says on the video.



Media reports said earlier that police also detained another blogger, Andrei Nifyodov, as a witness in the case that stems from Khovansky's song placed on YouTube last year.



In February, Khovansky publicly expressed regrets over the song, saying he was "ashamed" of it.



Khovansky used very offensive words in the song when describing young victims of the hostage-taking crisis that claimed dozens of lives.



On October 22, 2002, a group of Chechen militants interrupted the performance of the Nord-Ost musical at the Dubrovka Theater and took the audience hostage.

All of the hostage-takers inside the theater were killed when Russian special forces used an undisclosed chemical agent to storm the building on October 26.



The Russian government was criticized for its handling of the crisis as some 130 hostages also died, many due to insufficient medical care they received after breathing the unknown gas and being evacuated from the theater.

With reporting by North.Realities, Mash, Komsomolskaya Pravda, Fontanka, Baza, and TASS
A man in Russia's Black Sea resort city of Sochi has shot dead two bailiffs as they attempted to evict him and his family from their home.



Officials at the Sochi city interior directorate told the Interfax news agency on June 9 that the incident took place in the city's Adler district.



"Two bailiffs came to evict a family from a house, in accordance with a court decision. The man took a hunting gun and shot the bailiffs to death," the officials said.



Reports by other media outlets quoted sources in Sochi law enforcement as saying that the shooter was detained and investigators are working at the site.

Based on reporting by Interfax, TASS, and Komsomolskaya Pravda
MOSCOW -- The Russian parliaments lower chamber, the State Duma, has approved the third and final reading of a bill that widens the scope of a controversial existing law on undesirable organizations.

Under the bill approved on June 9, Russian citizens and organizations located in any country of the world will be barred from taking part in the activities of foreign nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) that are labeled "undesirable" in Russia.

According to the bill, "any foreign or international NGOs that provide services or transfer money to NGOs that have the status of an undesirable organization in Russia" will be by extension defined as "undesirable" as well.

The bill also says that as of October 1, Russia's financial watchdog, Rosfinmonitoring, will monitor all financial transfers from certain countries, the list of which will be made public at a later date.

The bill still has to be approved by parliament's upper chamber, the Federation Council, and signed into law by President Vladimir Putin.

The "undesirable organization" law, adopted in May 2015, was part of a series of regulations pushed by the Kremlin that squeezed many nonprofit and nongovernmental organizations that received funding from foreign sources -- mainly from Europe and the United States. The European Union has called on Russian authorities to repeal the legislation.

The State Duma approval comes a day after the jailed former executive director of the pro-democracy Open Russia movement, Andrei Pivovarov, was officially charged with "participating in the activities of an undesirable group."

Pivovarov was arrested and placed in pretrial detention for two months last week after he was removed from a Warsaw-bound plane in St. Petersburg just before takeoff.

On June 7, the former chairman of Open Russia, Aleksandr Solovyov, left Russia for Ukraine saying he feared for his safety.

Last week, police searched Solovyov's home in Moscow in a probe launched into what investigators described "as damage imposed on a building belonging to the Moscow city administration."

The search was conducted after another Kremlin critic, opposition politician and former State Duma deputy Dmitry Gudkov, was placed in custody on June 1 for allegedly failing to pay a debt under a lease agreement for a nonresidential premise in 2015-2017.

Gudkov was released on June 3 and left Russia for Ukraine as well.

Open Russia was financed by Russian tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky, who moved to London after spending 10 years in prison in Russia on charges widely seen as political revenge for challenging Putins rule.

The organization associated with Pivovarov was based in Russia and not legally connected with the London-based group with the same name that ended its operations in 2017.

Leaders of the Russia-based Open Russia dissolved the group in late May after authorities designated it as an undesirable organization saying the move was made to protect its supporters from further "harassment" by the Russian authorities.
Relatives of Tajik blogger Ehson Odinaev havent heard from him since May 2015, when Odinaev left his apartment in St. Petersburg to buy medicine from a nearby pharmacy. He never returned home.

His family suspects Odinaev might have been detained by Russian police and sent back to Dushanbe at the request of the Tajik government, which targets its critics at home and abroad.

Odinaev was a supporter of Group 24, a political opposition movement that Tajikistan banned in 2014 and whose supporters it has relentlessly hunted ever since.

The blogger, who was 24 years old at the time of his disappearance, was critical of the Tajik government.

Odinaev had lived in Russia since 2007. But Russia hasnt been a safe place for Tajik activists and opposition supporters, even after they have received Russian citizenship or legal residency.

At least 15 Tajik activists have disappeared in Russia since 2015, human rights activists say. Some of them have reappeared in Tajikistan -- often in jails, facing dubious charges ranging from fraud to extremism. The whereabouts of others, like Odinaev, remain unknown.

Prominent cases include the abduction of Group 24 activist Sharofiddin Gadoev, who disappeared in Moscow during a trip from the Netherlands in 2019. He later resurfaced in Tajikistan.

Gadoevs case prompted an international outcry by leading rights groups. He was subsequently freed and allowed to return to the Netherlands.

They didnt even present any documents. The following day, on March 25, they put me on a Dushanbe-bound plane.

Russia has also deported two outspoken leaders of Tajik migrant groups --

Karomat Sharifov and Izzat Amon -- in 2017 and 2021, respectively.

Both men, known for their criticism of Tajik authorities, were also stripped of their Russian citizenship on disputed charges of violating Russian immigration laws.

But there are many other less prominent cases involving Tajik government critics who have disappeared in Russia.

There are also allegations by Tajik activists in Russia who say their relatives in Tajikistan are being targeted by the government in an effort to silence and threaten its critics abroad.

Rahmatjon Muhammadjon, a member of Group 24, vanished in Moscow under unknown circumstances on May 18. The opposition group told RFE/RL's Tajik Service that Muhammadjon acquired Russian citizenship in 2018.

Another Group 24 member, Shobuddin Badalov, was abducted by unknown men in the Russian city of Nizhniy Novgorod in August before being forcibly sent to Dushanbe.

Russian police denied involvement. Tajik authorities said Badalov returned to Tajikistan of his own free will.

The fate of both men is unknown.

Saidnuriddin Roziqov, a Tajik cleric who lived in Russia for 23 years, says he was detained in the town of Rezh by unknown people on March 24.

They didnt even present any documents, Roziqov said. The following day, on March 25, they put me on a Dushanbe-bound plane.

After his arrival in Dushanbe, the 60-year-old cleric was accused of having links to the banned Salafiya movement, his relatives said.

On April 3, Roziqov appeared in a video in which he said the state security committee has probed the allegation and confirmed [his] innocence.

Roziqov previously wore a bushy beard, which is informally banned in Tajikistan for men below the age of 40 as an outward sign of religious extremism. In the video, he sported a much shorter and trimmed beard.

In May, a court in the Russian province of Sverdlovsk reportedly overturned a 2018 ruling to strip Roziqov of his Russian citizenship. The opposition news website Payom reported that Roziqov was planning to return to Sverdlovsk to be reunited with his family.

Many others, however, have faced different outcomes.

Dual Tajik and Russian citizen Maqsud Ibrohimov, 44, disappeared in Moscow in 2015. Several weeks later, Ibrohimovs relatives found out he was in a Dushanbe prison, accused of plotting to overthrow the government.

Prior to his disappearance, Ibrohimov had set up a political group, The Youth For Tajikistans Revival, which called for protests to demand President Emomali Rahmons resignation.

Ibrohimov has since been sentenced to 17 years in prison.

Relatives Under Pressure

After his forced return to Dushanbe from Moscow in March, Izzat Amon, the head of the Center for Tajiks in Moscow, was charged with fraud. Amon faces up to 12 years in prison if found guilty. His supporters dismiss the charges as politically motivated.

Amons nonprofit organization in Moscow has helped Tajik migrant workers find jobs, obtain work and residency permits, and get legal advice.

Tajiks in Russia should focus on their own work or studies instead of sharing all kinds of statements on social media.

Several of Amons colleagues in Moscow complain that their relatives in Tajikistan have come under pressure from authorities since Amon was deported. They claim Tajik officials are using their family members to pass their messages to Amons associates and warn them that they must end their political activism.

Among them is Bakhtovar Jumaev, a Moscow-based Tajik lawyer who says his father and wife were summoned to the Tajik Interior Ministrys Department of the Fight Against Organized Crime.

According to Jumaev, officials have told his family to demand that he return to Tajikistan.

Jumaev has since left Russia for a third country. Without disclosing details, Jumaev says he has received information that officials were planning to detain and deport him to Tajikistan by May 1.

Moscow-based Tajik student activist Suhrob Jahon claims Tajik authorities summoned his family members to discuss his activities in Russia. Jahon said they demanded he delete several photos from social media that depict him with Amon and a former member of the banned Islamic Renaissance Party of Tajikistan (IRPT).

One Tajik official at the Interior Ministry confirmed that family members had been summoned for talks, but he said the meetings werent related to Amons case.

The official stopped short of saying the government doesnt want Tajik citizens in Russia to get involved in political activism. But he said Tajiks in Russia should focus on their own work or studies instead of sharing all kinds of statements on social media. The official spoke on condition of anonymity as he wasnt authorized to speak to the media.

There are several hundred thousand Tajik migrant workers in Russia, along with thousands of Tajik students. An impoverished country of some 9.5 million, Tajikistan relies heavily on remittances from the workers.

Opposition parties such as the IRPT and Group 24 are thought to enjoy support among the migrants, who have greater access to social media and the Internet in Russia. Government critics say Dushanbe is wary of its political opponents influence on its citizens in Russia.

Farhod Odinaev, a European-based Tajik opposition politician, says the disappearances of Tajik activists in Russia are all masterminded by the government in Dushanbe.

Tajikistan doesnt want people like Maqsud Ibrohimov to call for protests against the government, Odinaev said. The government wants to silence its critics in Russia and elsewhere. Since its impossible to do so lawfully, authorities turn to criminal methods, such as abducting people.
Belarusian opposition leader Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya told U.S. lawmakers on June 9 that authoritarian ruler Alyaksandr Lukashenka is turning Belarus into a North Korea of Europe and urged the United States to expand sanctions against the people and enterprises who finance his regime.

Tsikhanouskaya testified remotely from Prague to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, telling its members that Lukashenkas decision to divert a Ryanair flight on May 23 in order to arrest dissident journalist Raman Pratasevich crossed a line and made him a threat to international peace and security.

Hence the international reaction has finally been swift and effective, imposing practical measures and starting an ICAO international investigation, she said, referring to the UNs International Civil Aviation Organization.

But she said the international reaction must not be limited to the Ryanair flight incident. The situation in Belarus deserves a comprehensive and unwavering response from the United States and its partners.

WATCH: Exiled Belarus Opposition Leader: 'I Want The West To Feel Our Pain'

Otherwise, we all will face such situations in the future as Lukashenka is turning my country into a North Korea of Europe -- nontransparent, unpredictable, and dangerous.

The United States, its partners in Europe, and other like-minded countries have the power to stop this trajectory, she said, urging the United States to expand the sanctions against cronies of Lukashenka who finance the regime.

She also called on Western countries to discuss the crisis in Belarus during high-profile events such as the upcoming Group of Seven summit in Britain and invite Belaruss pro-democratic leaders to participate, and she called for the European Union to launch a high-profile conference on the crisis in Belarus.

Earlier on June 9, Tsikhanouskaya addressed the Czech Senate, calling for the creation of an international tribunal to investigate and prosecute crimes reportedly committed by the Lukashenka regime. We cannot allow dictators to write history, Tsikhanouskaya told Czech lawmakers.

The U.S. envoy to Minsk meanwhile told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that Lukashenka has increased his dependence on Russia to a point where he barely has a say within his own country, even over its military.

Ambassador Julie Fisher, who has been unable to take up her post in Minsk because the Belarusian government has denied her a visa, told the committee on June 9 that Lukashenka has shown a willingness to increase dependency on Russia in every possible sphere.

Fisher said it was not new that Russian troops are in Belarus, but the question of how many is new, adding that the United States will be monitoring upcoming military exercises between Belarus and Russia.

Crisis In Belarus Read our coverage as Belarusians continue to demand the resignation of Alyaksandr Lukashenka amid a brutal crackdown on protesters. The West refuses to recognize him as the country's legitimate leader after an August 9 election considered fraudulent.

Asked whether she could confirm that Russia has asked to put another military base in Belarus, Fisher said she could not.

Fisher also said the arrest of journalist and blogger Raman Pratasevich was further evidence of the regimes "utter disregard for international norms and human rights and reflects the new lows to which Lukashenka is willing to sink in order to eliminate any trace of dissent."

She noted Lukashenkas meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Russian Black Sea resort city of Sochi just days after the diversion of the Ryanair flight and arrest of Pratasevich, who is now jailed in Belarus.

Fisher also said that the United States is not done by a long shot on imposing sanctions on Belarus, saying several business sectors are under consideration.

She said that since the economy of Belarus is still largely state-run it is important to acknowledge just how effective sectoral sanctions could be.

The State Department is working with the White House to determine which sectors should be targeted.

Fisher said the U.S. government is strengthening its assistance to the Belarusian people, including more than $20 million in additional regional and global assistance from USAID that has been identified to provide emergency support for people forced to flee Belarus and others supporting the opposition.

The testimonies of Tsikhanouskaya and Fisher before the Senate committee came ahead of a vote on June 10 in the European Parliament on a nonbinding resolution condemning Lukashenka's regime and its actions.
Some 100,000 doses of a locally produced COVID-19 vaccine called QazVac have already been distributed in Kazakhstan -- before the publication of late-stage clinical trial data. Independent health experts say more data should have been released proving the vaccine works and have raised questions about the trial methodology and manufacturing process. The developer, Kazakhstan's Research Institute for Biological Safety Problems, says its shots are safe and 96 percent effective.
EDITOR'S NOTE: This story was originally published on Feb. 21, 2011 by the Ohio History Connection. Richland Source has entered into a collaborative agreement with the Ohio History Connection to share content across our sites.

This image depicting George Washington and Abraham Lincoln is titled "Apotheosis."

Definition: 1. the elevation or exaltation of a person to the rank of a god. 2. the ideal example; epitome; quintessence.

Based on the title, the image could be interpreted as a god-like George Washington welcoming Abraham Lincoln to heaven. The photo was copyrighted in 1865 and the image was widely reproduced after Lincoln's death.

This copy from the Ohio Historical Society's collection of Lincoln memorabilia was mounted on a carte de visite. Cartes des visite originated in France

They are photographs mounted on cards usually measuring about 2  x 4  inches, the same size as calling cards that were commonly used in the 19th century. The name is the French phrase for calling card.

Cartes des visite were introduced in the United States in 1859. With the advent of the Civil War, they became a popular format for soldiers and family portraits because they were light weight and portable.

Cartes des visite also became a popular format for photographers to sell photographs of well-known people, such as military officers, politicians and entertainers. Albums were produced with pockets sized to slide in cartes des visite.

It was fairly common to find images like this one of Washington and Lincoln tucked in family albums.
CAMBRIDGE  A Quaker City man has been arrested for a 1986 homicide that occurred in Texas, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and Guernsey County Sheriff Jeffrey D. Paden announced Wednesday.

Mark Gatten, 57, became a suspect in a cold case investigation initiated by the Texas Rangers, a division within that states Department of Public Safety. In March, the Rangers reviewed the 1986 death of 56-year-old Charles Robert Hardin, which occurred near Canyon Lake, Texas.

Evidence in the case led investigators to Gatten and a second suspect, Tracey Loy, 56, of St. George, Utah.

The combination of modern forensic technology and old-fashioned detective work can solve cold cases, even when there are many years and miles separating the culprits and their crimes, Yost said. BCI is proud to partner with law enforcement within Ohio and beyond.

The Texas Rangers requested the assistance of the Bureau of Criminal Investigations Cold Case Unit and the Guernsey County Sheriffs Office in eastern Ohio. Gatten was taken into custody on May 26 and awaits extradition to Texas.

Our office is pleased to have participated in this collaborative effort and grateful for its successful conclusion, Sheriff Paden said.

BCIs Cold Case Unit assists local law enforcement in finding answers for unsolved homicides and sexual assault cases. The unit utilizes a multidisciplinary approach that encompasses proven investigative resources and techniques from across BCIs investigation division, criminal laboratory and Criminal Intelligence Unit.
MANSFIELD -- Jason Knasinski was nearly dead when strangers found him lying unconscious in an alley covered in snow.

I dont know if I passed out drunk or if I tripped and fell to be honest, Knasinski said.

That was nearly four years ago. Knasinski, a retired Army veteran, was homeless and dependent on alcohol to get through the day.

Today, hes sober and running his own transitional home to help those facing similar struggles.

Knasinski was honored Wednesday with the Ohio Patriot Award, an award presented to a military member or veteran who has contributed substantially to their community.

Knasinski was nominated for the award by Jon Sanders, worshipful master of the Mansfield Masonic Lodge #35, and selected from a pool of 17 candidates put forth by lodges in the 20th Masonic District. Grand Master Rich Dickerscheid presented the award.

We are looking for those type of people who are giving back to their community, striving to perfect ourselves as we are to perfect ourselves as Masons," Sanders said.

The lodge is located right across the street from the parking lot where Knasinski once lived.

I just hope that (this award) can show others that it's not over. It's never really over, Knasinski said. You can always change your focus and you don't have to wind up in a parking lot across the street forever.

Knasinski grew up in Mansfield and did two tours in Afghanistan before being honorably discharged due to an injury. Upon his return, he began working as a computer programmer.

I'm a United States Army Infantry veteran. I don't talk about that a lot because it kind of led me down a dark road, he said. It led me to depression and drinking a lot, losing jobs and trouble with the family led me to homelessness here in Mansfield.

Knasinski couldnt get into any of the local, government-funded shelters because he didnt have a proper ID. So, he lived outdoors and slept in parking garages. It wasnt until Knasinski woke up in the hospital that things began to change.

Hospital employees treated him for hypothermia, then told him how to get to the The Kenneth Wright Home (formerly the Harker Street Warming House), a community shelter run by Angie Henke. Unlike other shelters, there was no ID requirement.

Angie is the one who helped me, who gave me a spot to get out of the cold and to eat. She helped me get sober, Knasinski said.

The road to sobriety wasnt easy. At one point, he got drunk and Henke kicked him out of the shelter. When he did get sober, he suffered intense withdrawal symptoms.

Apparently, I had drank myself to the point where if I stopped drinking, Id have seizures, he said. I nearly bit my tongue in half. I fell and got staples in my head.

Nevertheless, Knasinski continued the fight with help from Henke.

Part of the soldiers creed is never give up, never quit. So I decided not to quit, he said.

Knasinski eventually became a house manager at the The Kenneth Wright Home.

"I'm proud of him," Henke said. "He's come a long way."

Now he runs his own facility, Jasons House of Hope.

"Jason gives his life, he gives everything to help," she added. "If a guy calls in the middle of the night, he'd go or just talk to them. He can put himself where they are because he's been there."

The home was donated to Henke's non-profit, Reaching Out, and is located on Vennum Avenue. When Knasinski started working on the house, it was down to the frame. The floors were missing, there was no electricity, even the copper pipes had been ransacked from the walls.

Community members came through by donating funds, materials and labor.

Jason's House of Hope is a transitional home for men leaving shelters who have obtained employment. The men rent a bed in the fully-furnished, barracks-style home for an affordable fee in order to build rental history.

The intent is not to provide long-term housing, but to help residents transition to finding a place of their own. The average resident stays for about six months.

Shelters are meant for short-term basic needs -- get out of the cold, shower, shave -- but if youre really trying to get back on your feet, you need time to get your ID, to find services, get a job, to save money -- first month's rent, deposit, Knasinski explained.

The shelter is community-funded, so Knasinski can accept residents without ID. But there are other requirements for staying at the house. Fighting, drinking and drug use arent tolerated. Neither is partying. Each month, the residents elect a house manager who helps ensure that everyone is pitching in with chores and following the rules.

The home is currently at full capacity with a waiting list. Knasinski continues to help at Reaching Out and is rehabbing a second facility on Newman Street that he purchased for $325.

The home will operate under Knasinskis non-profit, Stronger By Choice. He hopes to open even more transitional homes in the future.

I chose to be stronger. And there are people in Mansfield, Ohio that choose to do the same. But they need help, he said. I looked around and I couldn't find anybody to give them that help, so I decided to do it myself.
West Hartford (06107)

Today

Partly cloudy skies this evening will give way to occasional showers overnight. Low near 60F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies this evening will give way to occasional showers overnight. Low near 60F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%.
Rocky Mount, NC (27804)

Today

Partly to mostly cloudy. Low around 65F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Partly to mostly cloudy. Low around 65F. Winds light and variable.
Rutland, VT (05701)

Today

Partly cloudy skies early then becoming cloudy with periods of rain late. Low around 60F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies early then becoming cloudy with periods of rain late. Low around 60F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%.
Bitcoin Mining Company to Open Paducah Facility

By West Kentucky Star Staff

PADUCAH - A cryptocurrency mining company has announced plans to open a new location in Paducah.Blockware Mining, Inc. announced Wednesday it will be investing $50 million and hiring 20 new employees over the next two to three years to staff its new technology center on five acres in Industrial Park West.Upon completion of the facility, Blockware says it will have a $5.7 million recurring annual impact on the community.Greater Paducah Economic Development President Bruce Wilcox said the announcement comes after working with Blockware for about a year on the expansion project."The culmination of today's announcement represents teamwork and the ability to get a deal done between numerous organizations," Wilcox said. "We have diligently worked with Navier (a leading expert in mining digital currency), Big Rivers Electric, Jackson Purchase Energy, Paducah Power, the Paducah McCracken County Industrial Development Authority, the City of Paducah, McCracken County, the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development, and numerous other community partners to pull this deal together."Big Rivers Electric is also investing an additional $12.7 million in additional utility infrastructure upgrades to accommodate 100 megawatts of power to the site."With the support and guidance of Greater Paducah Economic Development facilitating introductions to key people and organizations throughout the process, Blockware qualified for the Kentucky Business Investment Program, enabling us to secure a robust incentive package allowing us to effectively grow the Bitcoin network community and keep our costs low." said Blockware CEO Michael Stoltzner.
Danvers, MA (01923)

Today

Some clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 59F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Some clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 59F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph.
Danvers, MA (01923)

Today

A few clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 59F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

A few clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 59F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph.
Kentucky Offers Shot At A Million Vaccine Drawing

By West Kentucky Star Staff

WESTERN KENTUCKY - Like several other states, Kentucky is now offering its own vaccine incentive drawing. The program, called Shot At A Million, will provide $1 million to three vaccinated Kentuckians 18-years-old and older and a full college scholarship to 15 Kentuckians between the ages of 12 and 17.Kentucky Lt. Governor Jacqueline Coleman told Greg Dunker on the Greg Dunker Show Wednesday that the vaccination rate has slowed in Kentucky. The program hopes to incentivize those who may be hesitant about getting the vaccine."There was an initial rush once the vaccine became available, and we had a lot of people who wanted to be first, which was a good problem to have," said Coleman. "Now we are dealing with a situation where we still have several folks who are hesitant. They aren't adamantly against it, but hesitant, and so we want to make sure that group of folks that are considering it and asking about it and have questions about it, this might inspire them to get out and ask more questions of their healthcare providers and do more research of their own and incentivize them to get out and get this vaccination."Coleman added several other states had seen a jump in their vaccination rate after rolling out similar incentive programs."Other states have done similar things, and as an example, in Ohio, their vaccination rate jumped up 30 percent as soon as they announced their prize, so we know it works," said Lt. Governor Coleman.Permanent residents of Kentucky who have received at least the first dose of the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines or the one dose of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine are eligible. Those residents are also eligible even if they received the vaccine in a different state.To get registered in the drawing, visit shotatamillion.ky.gov. Once registered, you are registered for all three drawings but will only be allowed to win once.Each drawing will be held on three different dates. The first drawing will be July 1, the second drawing on July 29, and the third and final drawing will be August 26.
Central Carolina Hospital CEO Spencer Thomas is leaving Sanford for a job in his former home state of Virginia, he announced Monday.

Thomas will be returning to Sovah Health, an organization that oversees two hospitals in Virginia, one in Danville and one in Martinsville. Before becoming CEO of Central Carolina Hospital in 2017, Thomas worked as the chief operating officer for the Danville hospital and was instrumental in the successful formation of Sovah Health, a news release stated.

Thomas will now become the CEO of Sovah Health  Martinsville, a 220-bed acute care hospital.

Thomas said he wasnt necessarily looking for a different opportunity, but when one came up to return to Virginia, he was interested.

Ive spent the majority of my life in Virginia, Thomas said. Its an opportunity to go back to a part of the country that we love. I got to see it (the Sovah Health system) from the Danville side and its exciting to go back and work with the Martinsville team.

Thomas will stay on at Central Carolina Hospital until a replacement CEO is found, he said. The date of Thomas departure isnt firm, but he expects the handover to occur sometime in August.

We dont want to have interim leadership here, he said. We want to make sure we have a nice smooth transition.

Central Carolina Hospital, like healthcare facilities across the country, has been dealing with the coronavirus pandemic for the past 18 months. In the past few years, however, the hospital has also faced staffing shortages, including in its Labor and Delivery Unit.

In addition to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, we were also dealing with the fact that we werent doing any outpatient surgeries, we werent doing any outpatient procedures, out ER volume was down significantly, Thomas said. So that creates its own challenges.

We do have some areas where we have been working hard to recruit new staff and weve been successful, Thomas said. I feel like with the worst of the pandemic behind us, we can start to focus on the future and what that looks like.

Hospital spokeswoman Anna Manning said the recruitment process for a new CEO is underway and, We will keep our community informed when a new leader has been identified.
With summer sun shining and most of the states COVID-19 restrictions lifted, many feel that the worst of the coronavirus pandemic is over. Vaccination rates in North Carolina, however, are still hovering around 20-40%, nowhere near the number necessary to create herd immunity.

Herd immunity occurs when a large portion of a community becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely, according to the Mayo Clinic. The number of vaccinations necessary to achieve herd immunity from COVID-19 is uncertain, but is likely somewhere between 70-90%, according to Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, chief medical advisor to the president.

Creating herd immunity has been a goal of health officials since the coronavirus pandemic started and when vaccines became widely available at the beginning of this year, that goal finally seemed within reach. While vaccinations peaked in early winter and spring, however, they soon started dropping off.

Statewide, the number of people getting vaccinations has been falling since the first full week of April, according to the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services. In two months, the number of vaccines administered went from more than 600,000 to a mere 130,000.

Lee Countys vaccination rates

In Lee County, 40% of people have received at least one dose of the vaccine and 36% are fully vaccinated. Thats better than in some other areas of the state, but worse than neighboring counties. Wake, Chatham and Moore counties have each vaccinated more than 39% of their populations fully vaccinated.

Lee County is one of about 30 counties that have vaccinated 34-38% of its population, according to NCDHHS data. The Lee County Health Department is currently vaccinating about 200 people each week, said Director Heath Cain. That number has remained steady for the past month, he added.

To help increase that number, we have expanded our clinics to include Thursday and Friday afternoon walk-in clinics from 2-4 p.m., Cain said.

Thats in addition to the departments drive-thru clinics, which will run from 8:30-10:30 a.m. every Tuesday at the Dennis A. Wicker Civic Center through July 20.

The department is also reaching out to area businesses to see if they want to set up vaccination clinics on-site, Cain said. The department is continually scheduling new opportunities for vaccination, including two upcoming clinics that will be held with the help of United Way of Lee County and Campbell University, Cain said.

So theres no doubt there are plenty of opportunities for people to get vaccinated  but are people taking them?

Lee County Schools Nurse Supervisor Mary Hawley Oates said shes seen a fair amount of hesitancy among people to get vaccinated.

Unfortunately, I think there are still people who do not believe that COVID is a real thing, Oates said. We do have some local healthcare providers who are suggesting to their patients they do not need to or should not get the vaccine. That is very disconcerting. I have seen the damage COVID does.

Some people are also waiting to see if the vaccine has any serious side effects, Oates said. Oates is concerned the U.S. Centers for Disease Control lifted restrictions to soon, she added.

Folks who are not vaccinated now think it is okay to not wear masks, or just keep their distance and (see) no need for getting the vaccine, Oates said. So many folks today didnt live in a time when polio was prevalent and people were crippled for life or living in iron lungs. Without a vaccine that could be commonplace again today.

What will motivate people to get vaccinated?

Statewide, financial incentives are making a difference, according to NCDHHS spokeswoman Catie Armstrong. As part of the Bringing Summer Back Campaign, the state offered $25 cash cards at select vaccination sites to offset the time and transportation costs of getting vaccinated, Armstrong said.

In a survey, more than 40% of participants said having someone to drive them to a vaccination event was what made the difference. About 25% of people said the summer cash card was an important motivation for getting the vaccination.

Vaccine providers offering the summer cash cards shared that demand for vaccinations increased after they started the program, Armstrong said. They also report that some individuals who received a summer cash card for vaccination then decided to help drive others to their COVID-19 vaccine appointments.
Plans are in the works to make the Sanford Farmers Market a cultural epicenter for Lee County and the Sandhills region.

Those were the words of Bill Stone, Lee County Extension director, who updated the board of commissioners on plans for the market which moved to Sanford just over a year ago.

The first step is a change in the name of the market, a joint projects between the Extension Service and Downtown Sanford Inc.

The official name is now Pilgrims of Sanford Agricultural Marketplace, according to Kelli Laudate, executive director of Downtown Sanford.

The change was made to recognize the chicken processing company which awarded a $505,000 grant toward the effort earlier this year.

The money will go toward renovations to the former King Roofing, Heating and Air Building at 157 Charlotte Ave. The building, owned by the city, is believed to be about 100 years old.

At Mondays meeting, Laudate and Stone laid out their vision for making the market into a destination that will draw people from throughout the region and across the state.

Our vision is to be recognized as a signature agricultural market place in the Sandhills, Stone said.

Laudate agreed.

We are making a mark in our community with this market, she said. It will be a regional hot spot.

Three main goals of the market have been established, Stone said.

One is to increase profits for growers and small businesses. A second is to promote healthy food access and provide food for people in need. The third is educating consumers about local foods and agriculture, he said.

We want to become a destination venue for regional consumers and expand economic development opportunities for downtown, Stone said.

Theres already a market for the market, so to speak, according to Laudate.

A recent event featuring strawberry dishes at downtown restaurants drew 11 businesses and more than 700 visitors, she said.

They came from all over North Carolina, Laudate said. We know because we took a survey.

Other activities such as Downtown Alive, held the second Saturday each month, will help draw more people to Sanford and the market, she said.

The developers want to increase farmer participation by more than 40% in the coming year and drive consumer traffic up by the same amount, according to Stone.

Once the renovations are done, the market will have a commercial kitchen that can be used for education and business, Stone said.

We want to have year-round access to local healthy foods for all residents, he said.

Joni Martin, who works with Progressive Development Co. LLC, said money is being secured for building renovations.

To date we have received pledges of $732,500, Martin said.

The Sanford Area Growth Alliance has helped and additional grant funding is being sought, she said.

Laudate thanked collaborators who have helped including SAGA and the city of Sanford.

The first phase of development, including building renovations, is scheduled to be completed by the spring of 2022, she added.

This is something thats going to benefit everyone in this community and the surrounding area, Laudate said.
SANFORD POLICE DEPARTMENT

The passing of a counterfeit $20 bill was reported at 6:58 p.m. Monday at McDonalds, 2502 S. Horner Blvd.

Damage to a vehicle caused by a hit and run driver reported at 1:37 p.m. Monday in the 3100 block of South Horner Boulevard.

Theft of a remote control car, book bag and eyeglasses from a vehicle reported at 7:12 a.m. Monday in the 200 block of High Ridge Drive.

LEE COUNTY SHERIFFS OFFICE

Daniel Ray OQuinn, 22, of the 1100 block of Walker Road, Sanford, was arrested Tuesday on a charge of failing to pay monies.

Brian Burton Bridges, 43, of the 3900 block of Woodside Drive, Sanford, was arrested Tuesday on a charge of violating a domestic violence protective order.

Juan Manuel Moreno, 33, of the 3400 block of Northridge Drive, Sanford, was arrested Tuesday on a charge of violating a domestic violence protective order.

Eddie Michale Bird, 40, of the 6800 block of Jefferson Davis Highway, Sanford, was arrested Monday on a charge of failing to appear in court in Cumberland County.

Erik Christian Turner, 36, of Wilmington, was arrested Saturday on a charge of assault on a government official.

Michael Anthony Leoczko, 28, and of the 300 block of Radford Road, Sanford, was arrested Monday on a charge of failing to appear in court.

Sean Michael Schultz, 41, of the 300 block of Radford Road, Sanford, was arrested Monday on a charge of failing to appear in court.

Randal Gray Morris, 50, of Duck Crossing Lane, Sanford, was arrested Friday on charges of assault by pointing a gun and misdemeanor assault with a deadly weapon.
One Dead, One Hurt in McCracken Apartment Shooting

By West Kentucky Star Staff

PADUCAH - A man faces murder and assault charges, after a shooting Tuesday night at a McCracken County apartment.The McCracken County Sheriff's Office says deputies responded at 11:30 p.m. to a shooting at an apartment in the 200 block of Colony Drive. When deputies arrived they found two gunshot victims. One of the victims, 20-year-old Darrius White, died from his injuries.The second victim, Jeffery Concentine Jr., was taken to a local hospital for treatment of non life-threatening injuries.Detectives identified the shooter as Rodrrick Davon "Lucky" Moore. A warrant for Moore's arrest was obtained for murder and first-degree assault.As the investigation continued throughout the night, detectives determined Moore had fled to Arkansas. Contact was made with the Blytheville, AR Police Department, who arrested Moore Wednesday morning without incident.Moore is being held in the McCracken County Jail on a $1 million cash bond.
Close

NASA's Ingenuity chopper has defied the odds on Mars for the seventh time. It successfully flew 350 feet south to land in entirely new territory.

The helicopter, the size of a tissue box, flew to a new landing place twice. First, it hovered over ground its navigation cameras had never seen before. And then it gently lowered itself to land. NASA only discovered the new area thanks to its Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter which takes pictures of the red planet from space. The images taken by the orbiter showed that the site was flat and suitable for landing.

The risky Martian maneuver was well worth it. With seven flights under its belt, Ingenuity is now based at a completely new landing site.

"Another successful flight," NASA announced on Tuesday. The flight's date was not specified by the agency, although it was no earlier than Sunday.

Another successful flight #MarsHelicopter completed its 7th flight and second within its operations demo phase. It flew for 62.8 seconds and traveled ~106 meters south to a new landing spot. Ingenuity also took this black-and-white navigation photo during flight. pic.twitter.com/amluVq9wbb  NASA JPL (@NASAJPL) June 8, 2021

Ingenuity Exceeds Flying Lifespan

NASA didn't intend to maneuver the helicopter around as much as they did. They only intended to fly Ingenuity five times. According to engineers, they expected it to crash before the conclusion of the last run. However, Ingenuity did so well in its early, more cautious flights that it has been assigned to new missions. The helicopter is likely to continue flying to new landing sites as long as it survives.

Thanks to its new missions, Ingenuity will test operations that NASA may want to conduct with future space helicopters. Scouting and mapping and studying fascinating aspects of Mars from the air, and investigating tricky terrain that rovers can't reach, are all part of the plan.

"The ability to fly the helicopter out into terrain that the rover cannot possibly traverse and bring back scientific data -- this is extremely important for future missions that could combine a rover with a reconnaissance helicopter," Ken Farley, a project scientist with NASA's Perseverance rover, said in a briefing, Business Insider reported.

The helicopter made the first of these bonus flights on May 22. It flew a record 700 feet to a new location. Unfortunately, Science Times said the helicopter's navigation system failed in mid-flight, causing it to pitch side to side as it flew. Yet, Ingenuity was able to stabilize itself and land safely. It came within roughly 16 feet of its target, landing for the first time in completely unexplored territory.

ALSO READ: NASA Explains How Mars Ingenuity Rover Got Its Glitch During 6th Flight





NASA Says They'll See How Ingenuity Goes

NASA has not stated how many more times Ingenuity will be able to fly.

"We're in a kind of see-how-goes phase," said Lori Glaze, director of NASA's Planetary Science Division, Space.com reported.

Meanwhile, the Perseverance rover, which delivered Ingenuity to Mars, has begun moving south to the location where it will attempt to collect the first sample of Martian soil. Ingenuity's partner has also reached 100 days on the Red Planet, Business Insider said. Its primary goal is to investigate Martian rocks and soil and collect dozens of samples for return to Earth by a future NASA mission. Scientists discovered the first evidence of ancient alien germs in those samples -- fossils trapped in the bottom of an ancient lake bed.

RELATED ARTICLE: NASA Commands Martian Muck-Covered InSight Lander to Tidy Up; A Trick Developed for Sedentary Probe

Check out more news and information on Space on Science Times.
Police Seek Help with Shooting Investigation

By West Kentucky Star Staff

PADUCAH - Police are requesting the public's help with an investigation into shots fired near Jetton Schoolhouse Apartments Tuesday night.Officers spoke with multiple witnesses at the scene, who told police a white SUV pulled behind the apartment building when the occupants fired several shots toward people on Bronson Avenue.Authorities say a bullet struck a vehicle, but no one was injured. The vehicle that was struck drove away and crashed into a parked vehicle on Bronson Avenue and Walter Jetton Boulevard. The two occupants were taken to Baptist Health Paducah for treatment of minor injuries.According to detectives, there is no link between this incident and a shooting in McCracken County Tuesday night.Anyone with information is asked to contact the Paducah Police Department at 270-444-8550. Information can also be provided anonymously through West Kentucky Crime Stoppers by texting WKY and your tip to 847411 or by downloading the WKY Crime Stoppers app.
Pugh Found Guilty, Faces Life in Prison

By West Kentucky Star Staff

MCCRACKEN COUNTY - A man charged with the rape and assault of an elderly woman was found guilty Tuesday.After a two-day jury trial, 39-year-old Gary Pugh was found guilty of rape first-degree, sexual abuse first-degree, assault first-degree, and persistent felony offender first-degree. The jury recommended life in prison.He is scheduled to be sentenced on September 13 at 9 a.m.Pugh was arrested on July 20 after an 80-year-old woman told police he arrived at her home and asked to pray with her. Authorities say he then forced the woman into a bathroom where he physically and sexually assaulted her.
I-24 Reopens In Marshall County Following Crash

By West Kentucky Star Staff

MARSHALL COUNTY - Interstate 24 has reopened to traffic at the site of a multi-vehicle crash near the 27 mile marker.Both westbound lanes are open at the crash site.Eastbound traffic is restricted to one lane by a work zone on the U.S. 62 Exit 27 overpass. Eastbound traffic is backed up to near Exit 16. It may take several hours for eastbound traffic to clear due to the work zone restriction.Eastbound motorists should consider using the suggested detour routes for the next hour or two until traffic clears.Marshall County 911 Dispatch reports a multi-vehicle crash is blocking all lanes of Interstate 24 near the 27 mile marker.Multiple agencies are responding and Marshall County has asked for mutual aid backup at the crash site.Initial reports indicate a vehicle may have entered I-24 from the U.S. 62 Calvert City Exit 27 going the wrong way.Motorists are asked to avoid the area to allow emergency responders to access the crash site.Estimated duration is four hours.Through traffic on I-24 eastbound should consider a detour from the I-24/L-69 Exit 25 Interchange by heading south on I-69 to Exit 47, then take U.S. 68 East to reconnect to I-24 at Cadiz Exit 65.Through traffic on I-24 westbound should consider a detour via Grand Rivers Exit 31 North on KY 453 to KY 983, then follow U.S. 60 West to return to I-24 at Exit 16 or Exit 11. As a reminder, this detour is along rural secondary routes which require extra caution due to heavy detour traffic.
GREAT FALLS, Mont. (AP)  DNA evidence preserved after a 1956 double homicide and the use of forensic genealogy has helped a Montana sheriffs office close the books on the 65-year-old cold case, officials said.

Investigators with the Cascade County Sheriffs Office concluded Kenneth Gould  who died in Oregon County, Missouri, in 2007  more than likely killed Patricia Kalitzke, 16, and Duane Bogle, 18, the Great Falls Tribune reports. Both were shot in the head.

Detective Sgt. Jon Kadner, who took over the case in 2012, said Tuesday it was the oldest case he could find nationwide that has been solved using forensic genealogy, which searches commercial DNA databases to find familial matches to the DNA of a crime suspect.

On Jan. 3, 1956, three boys hiking along the Sun River near Wadsworth Park northwest of Great Falls found Bogle dead near his car. A day later, a county road worker found Kalitzkes body north of Great Falls.

Kalitzke was a junior at Great Falls High School, and Bogle was an airman at Malmstrom Air Force Base from Waco, Texas.

Officers investigated for years, but they were unable to make an arrest.

The case went cold for decades until 2001, when then-Detective Phil Matteson sent the slide of a vaginal swab gathered from Kalitzkes body to the Montana State Crime Lab for analysis. The lab found a sperm cell that did not belong to Bogle, officers said.

In the following years, law enforcement compared the DNA sample to about 35 other men, including gangster James Joseph Whitey Bulger Jr. They were all ruled out as suspects.

When Matteson retired, he said he didnt believe the case would be solved. A lot of different people had a turn at this, and we just werent able to take it to conclusion, he said.

In 2018, however, forensic genealogy, which was used to help adoptees find biological family members, was used to identify Joseph James DeAngelo Jr. as the Golden State Killer. The new method has led to the identification of dozens of suspects in cold cases.

In 2019, Cascade County detectives had Bode Technology perform additional DNA testing on the evidence found on Kalitzkes body. It was uploaded to voluntary genealogical databases, where they discovered a possible family connection  leading investigators to Gould.

Kadner had to reach out to Goulds children and ask for DNA samples to verify the match.

I wasnt sure how they were going to react when I come to them saying, Hey your dads a suspect in this case, but they were great to work with, Kadner said.

Goulds family home at the time of the homicides was a little over a mile (1.6 kilometers) from where Kalitzke lived. He was known to ride horses through the area, officials said.

After the murders, Gould sold his property near the town of Tracy. His family lived in the Montana communities of Geraldine and Hamilton before moving to Missouri in 1967. They did not return to Montana.

Gould did not have a known criminal history and was not interviewed during the murder investigation. Investigators did not find any connections between Gould and the victims.

Officers kept working the case because of the circumstances, Kadner said.

You had two young, vibrant individuals that were well-liked among their peer group, he said. Investigators poured their heart and soul into this case. They leave a little bit of themselves, from what Ive seen.
RICHMOND, Va. (AP)  Terry McAuliffe outperformed his own campaigns expectations, winning every city and county as he coasted to victory in the Democratic primary for Virginia governor, an election his party said showed persistent enthusiasm among its voters even in a post-Trump era.

Some Democrats had fretted that voters wouldnt turn out with McAuliffe, an establishment quasi-incumbent, as the frontrunner in the race and with Donald Trump out of office following a term that was disastrous for Virginia Republicans. But an unofficial accounting suggested that wasnt the case.

While the counting of absentee ballots was still underway, preliminary numbers showed turnout was roughly 90% of 2017s figures, in a contest seen as less competitive than the matchup four years ago between now-Gov. Ralph Northam and former U.S. Rep. Tom Perriello.

I think a very good roadmap and route has been laid for November, said Democratic Party of Virginia Chair Susan Swecker, who called Tuesdays turnout robust.

McAuliffe, who was previously in office from 2014 to 2018, won about 62% of the vote and will go on to face political newcomer Glenn Youngkin in what's expected to be a competitive and expensive general election.

McAuliffe spokesperson Jake Rubenstein said Tuesdays results, which he characterized as stronger than the campaign had expected, should be a big wake-up call for Youngkin.

Virginians are fired up and unified behind Terry to stop Glenn from doing to Virginia what Donald Trump did to America, Rubenstein said.

In a statement Tuesday night that called McAuliffe a a recycled, 40-year political insider and career politician, Youngkin, a wealthy former executive of global investment firm The Carlyle Group, said Virginians from across the political spectrum want new leadership.

His campaign released two new ads after McAuliffes win, including one titled, Time for Change. The 30-second spot, a highlight reel of primary opponent Jennifer Carroll Foys sharpest criticism of McAuliffe, cuts to Youngkin, who says: A new kind of leader to bring a new day to Virginia.

Carroll Foy has since vowed to get in the trenches to help McAuliffe get elected.

Preliminary returns showed about 487,000 votes were cast for governor in Tuesdays primary, compared with about 543,000 in 2017. Despite facing four opponents, McAuliffe took in over 300,000 votes, right in line with Northam in 2017. More votes were also cast this year than in the previous contested Democratic gubernatorial primary, in 2009, according to records maintained by the nonpartisan Virginia Public Access Project.

No one else in the field that also included state Sen. Jennifer McClellan, Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax or Del. Lee Carter was the top vote-getter in a single locality. And in just a handful of localities did McAuliffe receive less than 50% of votes cast.

In a statement, Republican Party of Virginia Chairman Rich Anderson said the GOP was pleased to see McAuliffe, a career politician with a record of broken promises, win the primary.

Anderson also contrasted the Democrats' all-Northern Virginia ticket and the GOP's racially and geographically diverse slate, which was settled at a multisite convention in May.

Incumbent Mark Herring won the Democratic nomination in the race for attorney general Tuesday, fending off a strong challenge from a younger state lawmaker, Del. Jay Jones. Herring, who is seeking a third term, will face Republican state Del. Jason Miyares of Virginia Beach in the November general election. His win means two-thirds of the Democrats ticket will be a repeat from 2013.

Del. Hala Ayala, who launched her political career in 2017 in response to Trumps election, won the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor, boosted by an endorsement from Northam and House Speaker Eileen Filler-Corn. Ayala will compete against GOP nominee Winsome Sears, who resides in the Winchester area, virtually guaranteeing Virginia will see history made with its first woman elected to that role.

Virginia, the only state in the nation that doesnt allow its chief executive to serve consecutive terms, is also the only state with an open race for governor this year. The commonwealths rare off-year elections routinely draw outsized national attention as a possible test of both parties strengths ahead of the midterms.

Tuesdays primary election followed a congressional race last week in New Mexico in which Democrats also claimed momentum was on their side.

Democrat Melanie Stansbury won a four-way race to fill a vacant seat previously held by Interior Secretary Deb Haaland. Uncertified results showed a margin of victory far greater than Haalands win in 2020 and even greater than Bidens 23-point win in New Mexico last year.

New Jersey, the only other state with a regularly scheduled gubernatorial election this year, also held its primary Tuesday. Preliminary, unofficial numbers showed Democratic turnout was down compared with four years ago from about 25% to roughly 13%, but this years contest was uncontested. In 2017, Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy won a six-way contest that boosted turnout.

Republicans in New Jersey saw turnout climb slightly this year, according to preliminary, unofficial results, from 20% to 25%. The GOP contest four years ago was a five-way contest, compared with four candidates this year.

____

Associated Press writer Mike Catalini contributed from Trenton, New Jersey.
MANASSAS, Va. (AP)  Two of the most left-leaning Democrats in the Virginia General Assembly lost their reelection bids after being defeated in the Democratic primary.

Lee Carter, a two-term socialist Democrat who represents the Manassas area, lost to challenger Michelle Lopes-Maldonado in a three-way race Tuesday.

And Ibraheem Samirah, who represents parts of Fairfax and Loudoun counties, lost to challenger Irene Shin.

They were among four Democrats and one Republican knocked off in Tuesday's legislative primaries.

Both Carter and Samirah were to varying extents shunned by their own party and saw numerous mainstream Democrats endorse their opponents.

The Associated Press declared Lopes-Maldonado and Shin victors Wednesday, though both Carter and Samirah conceded Tuesday night. Carter seemed far from distraught at his loss; in a tweet, he said the job had made him miserable and he was relieved to say that Ive done my part, and now its someone elses turn.

He said he plans to become a farmer.

Samirah, a dentist, drew national attention in 2019 for interrupting then-President Donald Trump while he spoke at an event in Jamestown.

On the other end of the Democratic ideological spectrum, centrist Del. Steve Heretick lost his seat in Hampton Roads to Nadarius Clark, a 26-year-old community activist.

The fourth losing Democratic incumbent was Mark Levine in Alexandria, who spent hundreds of thousands of dollars of his own money in a simultaneous bid for lieutenant governor, which he also lost. He was defeated by Alexandria Vice Mayor Elizabeth Bennett-Parker.

On the Republican side, the only Republican incumbent to lose was Del. Charles Poindexter, who was defeated in his southside Virginia district by challenger Wren Williams, an attorney who worked on former President Donald Trumps unsuccessful Wisconsin recount. Poindexter has served in the legislature since 2008.

Democrats currently control the legislature and have passed a wave of progressive legislation; Republicans are hoping to regain control of the House in November's election, when all 100 seats are on the ballot.
Seattle's intensely competitive housing market continued to see record-breaking growth in May, and the summer season is looking to be just as hot as low inventory in the region persists.

A new report from the Northwest Multiple Listing Service found median sale prices for homes in the region soared 30% compared to a year ago, a new record high. In King County, the median home sale price hit $775,000 in May, up 23% from the same time last year. In Snohomish County, median prices hit $655,000, increasing nearly 35% year over year.

"Everything is about breaking records this past year with record-breaking housing prices, record-breaking low inventory, and record-breaking consumer savings rates during the pandemic," remarked Meredith Hansen, owner/designated broker at Keller Williams Greater Seattle. "All this equals a very strong, chaotic market that may not slow down for the next year."

Despite hopes in April that homebuyers could be getting some relief with more homes added to the market and moderating prices, listings remain lower than expected in May. The report found that active listings from April to May declined for the first time in 20 years, down 4,824 listings  or 46%  compared to last year.

"Last month's listings came in lower than we would normally see due to the month starting on a Saturday and ending with a holiday weekend," noted J. Lennox Scott, chairman and CEO at John L. Scott Real Estate. "New resale listings typically go on the market on Wednesday, Thursday or Friday. In today's instant-response market, new listings often go pending over the weekend or early the next week."

And the day of the week a home is listed does have significance for buyers and sellers: last week, a market-report from Zillow found that homes in Seattle sell the fastest when listed on a Thursday, moving from for sale to pending sale in just six days.

Homes are also selling for well over asking price, reflecting possible bidding wars driven by competition. NWMLS found residential homes in the Puget Sound region  comprising of King, Snohomish, Kitsap and Pierce counties  sold for 108.6% over the asking price. And that high demand is expected to continue into the summer.

"Frenzy-level buyer demand has not waned," Scott said. "The local market is still virtually sold out in the more affordable and mid-price ranges, as well as into the luxury ranges in some areas."

However, there are some bright spots as the region recovers from the pandemic: Seattle's market for condominiums is finally stabilizing. The NWMLS report found condo inventory in May was down nearly 36% from a year ago while pending sales shot up 83.7%.

Windermere Chief Economist Matthew Gardner noted that many condo owners decided to sell amid the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and more out of the urban downtown core, leading to high inventory and lower demand. Some downtown properties even began offering price reductions to attract new buyers, giving them the upper hand.

"The good news is the Seattle condo market has settled back down with inventory dropping and sales rising. Because of the shift in this market there was a price reset, but this appears to be luring buyers who previously thought they could not afford to buy downtown, leading to more balance between supply and demand," Gardner said.
JaHun Kim, PhD, RN, received the 2021 Scholarly Writing Award from the Journal of School Nursing for her article, Cyberbullying and Victimization and Youth Suicide Risk: The Buffering Effects of School Connectedness.

Dr. Kim is an assistant professor of nursing who joined Seattle U in 2013. Her paper examined whether cyberbullying and/or cyberbullying-victimization would increase risk of suicide among middle school youth. Announcement of the award will appear on the cover of the Journal of School Nursing and in the editorial of the June issue. Her article can be accessed here.

This work exemplifies the high quality of Dr. Kims research and addresses a key challenge to the health and well-being of youth, said Dean Kristen M. Swanson.

Dr. Kim was born and raised in Seoul, South Korea. After completing her masters program in nursing at Seoul National University, she accepted a position as a nurse at Saint Marys Medical Center in San Francisco, California, where she worked for several years. She moved to Seattle to pursue her doctoral degree in nursing at University of Washington.

Dr. Kim said she chose to advance her career as a nurse researcher and educator at Seattle U, because she had a desire to contribute to social justice by educating marginalized and underrepresented college students, especially around mental health topics.

In addition to teaching and research, Dr. Kim is completing a post-doctoral certificate in the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner program at Seattle U. When she has free time, she enjoys trail walking, practicing yoga and mindfulness, and cooking for her family.

Dr. Kim recently took some time to share more with us about herself and her work at Seattle U.

What drew you to your current position at SU?

I believe that educating nursing students about mental health, and what its like to manage symptoms in everyday life, will give them the tools they need as a nurse to work toward reducing the stigma of mental illness. Mental illness is the most stigmatized among any other health issues.

Whats your favorite part of teaching and mentoring SU nursing students?

The most rewarding aspect of teaching at Seattle U is when I observe students growing as future health care providers and mature individuals. When they are motivated to learn and try harder, when they share their 'A-ha moments of deep understanding of core concepts and start performing at a higher level of nursing care--these are moments of joy for me as a teacher.

You recently won an award for your article, Cyberbullying and Victimization and Youth Suicide Risk: The Buffering Effects of School Connectedness. Would you share more about the focus of your research?

This study, published in 2020 by the Journal of School Nursing, examined the associations among cyberbullying, bully-victimization, and risk of suicide among students in middle school, and, most importantly, investigated the protective role of school connectedness. We examined whether students perspective on school bonding would play a protective role when students did cyberbullying and/or were bully-victimized.

Findings indicated that being a victim of cyberbullying, but not a perpetrator, was associated with increased risk of suicide and that connections to school moderated this relationship. Among youth who were victims of cyberbullying, those more connected to school were less likely to report suicidal behavior.

Is there any advice you would like to share with your students as they prepare for their careers in nursing?

Nursing is a great profession that provides opportunities to help others and our communities in many meaningful ways. However, it can be challenging and demanding to always be there for patients. I think its important for nursing students to learn about self-care prior to starting their career as a nurse. Self-care helps reduce stress, prevents compassion fatigue, and replenishes a nurses capacity for empathyultimately, improving the overall quality of care.
Kayla Christine Salle de Leon, a junior in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program at Seattle U and a strong advocate for the health care needs of Black and Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC), was among the 2021 awardees of the Rosemary Ford Future of Oncology Nursing Scholarship awarded by the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance (SCCA).

De Leon learned about the scholarship through her experiences as part of her Population Health Internship where she said she and five other Seattle U nursing students were placed at SCCA working under the leadership of the nursing team and Dr. Kathleen Shannon Dorcyon a qualitative research study focusing on BIPOC experiences with health care.

An active participant in numerous campus activities, de Leon said she is involved in College of Nursings Equity and Justice Committee, Pinky Swear, SU Womens Lacrosse, intramural volleyball, and United Filipino Club where she loves participating in cultural clubs annual showcases. She is also active in the community, volunteering to help young folks, particularly BIPOC students in Seattle and Kent, she said. I have also been involved in the Filipino Community Health Board. I love to learn and grow in any area that I canwhether it be nursing related, picking up hobbies in art, exploring nature, learning about different cultures and listening to other peoples stories passing by, or working different jobs that are not health care related.

In addition to her many campus and volunteer interests, de Leon said she keeps busy working several Nurse Tech positions, cleaning at The Center for Birth, on-campus positions with Seattle U Housing and Residence Life as well as cashiering at IKEA. So far in this pandemic, I have worked in three different COVID vaccine clinics with different organizations, including Virginia Mason, Pierce County Department of Emergency Management, and Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, she added.

De Leon took some time away from her very active life to tell us more about how she became interested in nursing as a career and why she chose to pursue her Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Seattle U.

I was drawn to the nursing field by my mother, who studied nursing in the Philippines, but immigrated to Hawaii before she could complete her education. My interest in nursing increased after I had the opportunity to attend MultiCare Nurse Camp in high school at Tacoma General Hospital, and through that join the Medical Explorers in Tacoma. There I learned about holistic care and began to cultivate my beliefs about nursing that aligned with Seattle Us vision. What drew me most to Seattle U was that focus on caring for and fostering the whole person, enriching students lives through leaning into their values, visions, and passions. Seattle U believes that the more a person explores and is filled by the world, the more they can bring to each aspect of their life. Nurses are people, and it is our humanity that enables us to create connections and truly care for others. I wanted a program and a space that would encourage me to not only be a nurse, but to be a person first.

After she graduates in 2022, de Leon hopes to begin a residency at SCCA and work as an oncology nurse before continuing her education. She credits Dr. Hyun Jung Kim, one of her clinical instructors, for encouraging her to pursue an MSN in nursing education in the future. When I was a high schooler, I never thought I would be able to go to college, she said. When Dr. Kim encouraged me to pursue this, I was hesitant, but her belief in me makes me feel that I can achieve thisultimately, I hope to become a preceptor and have an opportunity to work with the wonderful nurses that educated me and with future generations of nurses!

De Leon when on to say that through a career focused on nursing education she hopes to help implement more change in how we can provide culturally sensitive care and challenge the medical racism that is deeply rooted in health care culture, so that we can meet the needs and wants, and amplify the voice and strengths of BIPOC folks in our community. I also hope to work with organizations who do outreach to high school students and children, so that I can help foster interest in the health care field and help develop folks skills in personal/familial health advocacy.

A partnership formed in 2016 between the Seattle Cancer Care alliance (SCCA) and GlassyBaby led to the creation of the Rosemary Ford Future of Oncology Nursing Scholarship. The scholarship supports oncology nursing students at local colleges and universities, as well as SCCA nurses enrolled in advanced nursing programs.
Veteran Spotlight

In Khowst, Afghanistan the day before Chadwick and his unit began Operation: Mountain Sweep, the largest mission in Afghanistan to that point.

SEELEY LAKE  Seeley Lake resident Jesse Chadwick was a card-carrying, flag-waving, all-in American when he joined the United States Army in 2000. By the time his military stint was over in 2003, he had combat PTSD and was completely disillusioned with the avowed American values of "liberty" and "justice for all."

Chadwick began with positive feelings about the military. His high school education had taken a side turn to the Montana National Guard Youth Challenge Program (now Montana Youth Challenge Academy). He described it as "a military school to put a kid who wasn't on his path back on the path."

He considered it a wonderful experience. "It helped change a lot of the things I needed to change in life. Great program. I really believe in it."

That pre-exposure to military life, plus the fact that his biological father had served in the 82nd Airborne Division of the U.S. Army-a group that specializes in parachute assault operations into hostile areas-influenced Chadwick's decision to join the Army immediately after the Challenge Program.

As he tells it, "I was 17 years old, and I was invincible. So, I was like, sign me up. I want to go airborne infantry." He laughingly added, "Seventeen-year-old children should not be able to make decisions like that!"

For Army infantry, basic training was a solid 19-week course at Ft. Benning, Georgia. It was a new and stimulating experience for Chadwick, as was airborne school which came next. Deployment to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, followed that. There he continued training, including repeated drills on such things as taking apart and reassembling various weapons in darkness or under other adverse circumstances.

Chadwick said he enjoyed the training. He also enjoyed down time and took full advantage of nearby vacation spots like Myrtle Beach.

After the attacks on Sept. 11, everything immediately changed. Chadwick said his unit's cell phones were confiscated, cable access was cut, they were issued new equipment and body armor and told to stand in readiness to go to Iraq.

As it turned out, his unit would not deploy until the spring of 2002, and would go not to Iraq but to Afghanistan. According to Chadwick, before Sept. 11 the program had so little money available, they did not even fire blanks during training. Suddenly money was being shoveled into the program and training became intense.

Chadwick's entry into the war began with a tactical landing into Kandahar in the middle of the night, necessitated because of regular attacks on the base and the risk of surface-to-air missiles.

The first week was spent setting up gear and getting acclimatized. The weather was extremely hot and dry. Chadwick recalled seeing a thermometer on July 6 that read 144 degrees.

Early operations, Chadwick said, consisted of aiding in skirmishes where troops needed extra help or assisting with downed aircraft missions.

"We didn't interact with the public very much on good terms," Chadwick said. "They were terrified of us, and we were always told that every one of them had a suicide vest."

But when they started doing foot patrols, that was when Chadwick said he began to feel a dichotomy between what he had been told and what he saw for himself. Nothing he saw suggested these people were capable of orchestrating a mass attack using multiple commercial airlines. What he saw were just human beings, women and children and men who often got into disputes that reminded Chadwick of the forkloric bitter recurring feud between the Hatfields and McCoys.

"In many ways," Chadwick said, "they were just like Montanan's  everybody's got guns. Everybody doesn't want you [trespassing] on their property."

He also saw a lot of cultural differences between Americans and Afghans. They cultivated opium fields. They cared deeply about some things that Americans didn't care about at all.

Chadwick recalled an incident when he was in the small town of Khowst. Afghans came running into the outpost. The military assumed the base was under attack and started shooting them.

"I didn't take a shot," Chadwick said, "because they didn't look or act like enemy combatants."

It turned out to be a Hatfields-and-McCoy type dispute. The group of Afghans were actually running to the soldiers for help. There was a CIA base at Khowst. Chadwick said they covered up the incident, reporting the tragedy as enemy combatants killed.

Chadwick said he received articles his mother-in-law clipped from the newspaper that praised the eighty-second airborne for doing a great job in this or that instance and he would think, "this is all crap, this whole thing is garbage."

Another disturbing incident occurred when he was guarding a prisoner in Khowst. An American soldier asked Chadwick to take a picture of him putting a pistol in the prisoner's mouth.

Chadwick said, "I was just like blown away!"

In retrospect, Chadwick wishes he had reported the incident, but he said, "The nail that stands up in the military always gets hammered. But from that point, my attitude about the United States as a whole started to change. I started to question things that I normally wasn't questioning."

His whole focus became to stay alive and make it home. That didn't mean he had to believe the misinformation which was being spread around.

"All the time I was in Afghanistan," Chadwick said, "I personally did not encounter anybody who was Taliban or Al Qaeda. In the end, I kind of thought that was just the name we gave people that we shot."

Betty Vanderwielen, Pathfinder Chadwick bears a number of tatoos. The one across his chest reads "Damaged Goods." Down his right arm is a seahorse drawn by his son Connor. Like the male seahorse who raises his young, Jesse has raised his son since he was four months old. Below that is a rifle drawn by his biological father who also served in the 82nd Airborne Division. On his left arm is a Hemingway quote: "For a hill, men would kill / Why, they do not know." His hands and feet bear Led Zepplin sigils. On his fingers are the alchemy symbols for carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus and sulfur-which are all essential for life to occur-plus the four elements: fire, earth, air and water.

Another troubling incident remains his worst memory of his experience in the service. A fellow from South America was a member of their unit. Though he had trouble speaking English, he and Chadwick had become close friends. He had joined the Army because he wanted to fast track his path to American citizenship. Though the unit had been told they would be home for Christmas and had their gear and equipment packed for departure, at the last minute that order was rescinded. They were assigned another mission instead. As they unpacked and set up their gear and were reissued ammunition, someone in the unit accidentally shot and killed Chadwick's friend.

Immediately following that incident, they had to go on the mission, which Chadwick described as harassing more Afghan people, confiscating items like copper wire, maps and radios.

Chadwick said, "Most oppressive thing I had ever seen. I kept thinking what about 'liberty and justice for all.' Is that not even real? Is that just what we say?"

Chadwick ended his military service Mar. 21, 2003, the day before the U.S. invaded Iraq.

Concerning his experience in the military, Chadwick said, "It bent me in a whole different direction. I'm not into firearms now. I want to melt every one of them."

He has been officially diagnosed with PTSD and continues to participate in both group therapy and individual therapy. He said, "I'm at a pretty good place now with it, but I just don't think those kind of things ever go way."

Chadwick said he is aware some of the things he reported in this article could be disturbing to some people, He said, "I regularly get harassed for my political beliefs. The truth is worth a little bit of that."
BEIJING, June 9 -- Recently, around 1,000 service members assigned to an artillery detachment of a combined arms brigade under the 71st Group Army, together with hundreds of vehicles and various types of weaponry, maneuvered over two thousand kilometers from the plain area in east China's Jiangsu Province to the Gobi Desert in northwest China, by means of railway transportation and motorized march in different batches, for a cross-regional live-fire drill.
House Arrest for Pardoned Man Facing New Charge

By The Associated Press

LONDON - A Kentucky man charged with murder in federal court after his state homicide conviction was pardoned by a former governor will be released on bond pending trial.News outlets report that Patrick Baker will be placed in home incarceration with electronic monitoring of his whereabouts. Prosecutors objected, arguing that Baker would pose a potential threat to the community.But U.S. Magistrate Judge Hanly A. Ingram's order on Wednesday says strict conditions including 24-hour-a-day lockdown at his fiancees Frankfort home will sufficiently mitigate the evident danger risks.Baker was charged last week in the fatal shooting of Donald Mills.Former Governor Matt Bevin issued hundreds of pardons between his electoral defeat in November 2019 and his final day in office a month later.Bakers pardon was controversial because his relatives had held a fundraiser for the Republican governor in 2018.
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John Wesley Sweeney, age 83, of Franklin, passed away June 11, 2021 in Nashville, Tennessee John was born in Williamson County to the late Joe Thomas Sweeney and Mary Rebecca White Sweeney. He was a retired truck driver with Durango Boot Company, served in the US Army, and was of the Baptist Faith.
Keene, NH (03431)

Today

Partly cloudy skies this evening. Increasing clouds with periods of showers late. Low 57F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies this evening. Increasing clouds with periods of showers late. Low 57F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%.
Butte County Sheriff

Oakland police are offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to an arrest in the homicide of Tatiana Dugger.

Dugger, 19, went missing from Oakland on Jan. 9. In March, a hiker discovered a body in Siskiyou County near U.S. Route 97, and an April 1 autopsy identified the remains as Dugger.
San Francisco police arrested five men and seized 16 pounds of fentanyl  enough to kill the citys population four times over  in a narcotics operation in Oakland meant to block deadly drugs from entering the citys Tenderloin neighborhood, authorities said Tuesday.

The arrests and seizures last Thursday involved two semi-automatic guns that were not registered, more than $45,000 in cash and nearly 30 pounds of drugs, including the fentanyl.

San Francisco police Chief Bill Scott said the amount of fentanyl that was seized is enough lethal overdoses to wipe out San Francisco's population four times over. About 875,000 people reside in the city. Fentanyl, an extremely lethal synthetic opioid, is between 25 to 50 times more powerful than heroin.

Fentanyl remains the primary chemical culprit in the record-shattering number of fatal overdoses plaguing our City, and the recovery of semi-automatic ghost guns along with this haul of deadly drugs most likely intended for the Tenderloin is ominous, Scott said.

So far this year, San Francisco police said they have arrested 248 people on suspicion of sales or possession for sale of dangerous drugs, seized more than $100,000 in cash, and seized more than 17 pounds fentanyl, and several other pounds of cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine.

The five men, whose names were not released, are between 23 and 45 years old, police said. They were arrested on suspicion of various narcotics-related charges and booked at Santa Rita Jail in Dublin.

.

Police executed warrants on the 1700 block of 28th Avenue, the 2900 block of 35th Avenue, and the 9800 block of MacArthur Boulevard.

Officers found a large quantity of un-packaged fentanyl at the MacArthur Boulevard site, prompting police to call Oakland firefighters. Fire personnel declared the site a HazMat site, or hazardous materials site, and cleared the scene as safe, police said.

A photograph shared by police shows a rectangular table filled with clear plastic baggies of narcotics, stacks of cash and two guns.

Police said anyone who has information about these arrests should call the Police Departments 24-hour tip line at 415-575-4444 or text a tip to TIP411 and begin the text message with SFPD. Callers can remain anonymous.

Lauren Hernandez is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: lauren.hernandez@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ByLHernandez
The Bay Area will be wide open along with the rest of California when the state lifts almost all pandemic restrictions next week. Even San Francisco, which has had among the strictest public health responses in the country, plans to align with the state, city officials said Tuesday night.

Health officials in all nine Bay Area counties have said that with very few exceptions, they plan to go along with the rest of the state in lifting mask mandates, capacity rules and pretty much every other order meant to force social distancing and prevent spread of the coronavirus in public settings.

San Francisco public health officials had hinted that they might keep in place some local mandates, but in a meeting with local business leaders Tuesday night, they said those exceptions would apply only to certain indoor settings such as homeless shelters and nursing homes, or so-called mega events with more than 5,000 people gathered indoors or 10,000 outside.

Its simple: We are aligning with the state. We are opening San Francisco, said Dr. Susan Philip, the San Francisco health officer.

We have an environment that is so much more safe than it was in the winter, and in other parts of the country that have not stepped up to the vaccine, Philip said, sharing charts showing how far the citys local case counts have dropped over the past several months, alongside rapidly climbing vaccination rates.

Because of that, theres very little risk to fully resuming in-person activities if youre vaccinated, and this even extends to people who have not yet gotten vaccinated, Philip said. When the case rates are this low it benefits everyone.

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced plans to widely reopen California more than two months ago, but its been unclear until recently whether the Bay Area counties would fully go along. Since the start of the pandemic, the region typically has had a more aggressive public health response, starting with issuing the first shelter-in-place order last March.

When the rest of the state began emerging from that first lockdown, much of the Bay Area stayed under tighter restrictions, and the same thing happened again in the fall after a summer surge in cases. Under the states color-coded blueprint, San Francisco tended to linger in a more restrictive tier for a while after the state allowed it to advance.

Business leaders and some public health experts have said that the patchwork response bred confusion and frustration among residents, and led some people to refuse to cooperate. A group of California business and economic organizations sent a letter to state health officers this week pleading with them to align with the state on reopening.

Minority small business owners and workers were hit extremely hard with the shutdowns and many are still struggling to get back on their feet, Edwin Lombard, president and chief executive of the California African American Chamber of Commerce, said in a statement. We need to get families back to work, but businesses cannot easily reopen and rehire employees if local governments are not aligning with the states June 15 reopening plan.

The state confirmed its reopening date in mid-May, revealing at the time that it would lift all capacity limits and other social distancing restrictions. Most Bay Area county officials said they would align with the state, although several admitted that they still had some reservations.

Over the past three weeks, all Bay Area counties have confirmed they will go along with the state plan.

Were not anticipating any physical distancing rules being in place after the 15th in Santa Clara County, James Williams, county counsel, said at a Board of Supervisors meeting Tuesday. He said the county has only one local order in place at the moment, requiring businesses to collect the vaccination status of employees. The county does not plan to issue any new orders, health officials have said.

With less than a week before reopening, there remain some areas of uncertainty about how that will look.

County health officials said they are waiting for clarity from Californias Division of Occupational Safety and Health, or Cal/OSHA, about the circumstances under which employees will have to wear masks in the workplace. Cal/OSHA ruled last week that employees could go maskless if everyone in a room was vaccinated, but had to wear face coverings if a single unvaccinated person was around.

Businesses and some public health officials have said that policy would be onerous for businesses to enforce. Cal/OSHA is expected to meet again this week to revisit the topic.

San Francisco leaders said they are eager to reopen along with the rest of the state and bring people back to their pre-pandemic lifestyle  packing bars in the Castro, cheering maskless at a Giants game, and even sharing condiments at a Mexican restaurant.

We have sometimes moved a little slower, and that is OK because weve been focused on saving lives, Mayor London Breed said at Tuesdays meeting with business leaders. We are ready to align with the state and reopen on June 15. Yes, some rules will remain. But for the most part we are finally moving back to some level of normal.

Even I went to a bar. I usually dont go to bars, but I just went to a bar and ordered a drink. Just because I could do it, I did it, she added. Your mayor is excited about whats coming.

Editors note: This story has been updated to remove outdated information about San Mateo County's reopening plans. The county will fully align with the state.

San Francisco Chronicle staff writer Catherine Ho contributed to this report.

Erin Allday is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: eallday@sfchronicle.com
San Francisco will eliminate more fees and fines that disproportionately affect low-income people of color in an effort toward racial and financial justice, Mayor London Breed and the city treasurer announced Wednesday.

The city will stop charging artists who sell their goods in designated street spaces and who are often low-income, immigrants or older people trying to support themselves. Families dealing with the deaths of loved ones, who can be homeless or low-income crime victims, will no longer have to pay for some documents and services from the medical examiner. It will now be free to get a city ID card, which many undocumented residents use. And people surrendering their animals or late to apply for a dog license wont have to pay.

For some people a single fee can have a dramatic impact that can make it hard to put food on the table or pay their rent, Breed said in a statement Wednesday. We know that now is the time to be investing in people who are struggling to get back on their feet as we all do the work to lift this City out of this pandemic.

Treasurer Jose Cisneros said in a statement that San Francisco should not balance our budget on the backs of people who can least afford it.

Lynn Vandenberg, who has been paying the city for a license to sell her handmade jewelry in Embarcadero Plaza for 40 years, celebrated at the news that the fees would be gone.

It couldnt come at a better time. Its really quite wonderful with everybody struggling so much, she said. Vandenberg said that more than 100 people used to sell handmade goods in the plaza, but there are now only about six during the pandemic. She goes only on Saturdays and said she has been lucky to receive unemployment benefits.

Over the next year, even more departments will develop or enhance fine and fee discounts. People who qualify as low-income could get cheaper permit fees for mobile food facilities or massage and tattoo parlors through the health department. The Fire Department will expand how many people can get a discount on ambulance fees because of financial hardship. And the Recreation and Parks Department will expand its outreach for scholarships to get kids in summer camps, after-school programs and sports.

The work is part of the treasurers Financial Justice Project, which was set up to take a hard look at city fees and fines and change any that disproportionately affect low-income people or communities of color, director Anne Stuhldreher said.

Over the past four years, that has meant waiving $32 million in debt, making jail calls free and eliminating commissary markups, ending overdue library fines and discounting towing.

Eliminated fees Street Artist License Fee ($849) Medical Examiner proof of death letter ($10), statement of non-contagion ($10), disaster bag ($67), removal of remains ($632), cremation ($1,196) City ID cards ($6 for youth and $18 for adults) Animal Care owner surrender of animal ($33) and dog license late fees ($32) See More Collapse

Mallory Moench is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mallory.moench@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @mallorymoench
Christine Horley placed a Pride flag outside Walnut Creek home last April to honor her 19-year-old daughter who took her own life in early 2020.

Every time I pulled out of my garage, I would see this flag and remember her, Horley said in a phone interview.

Horleys daughter, Aisha, who identified as bi-sexual, loved attending the Pride parade in San Francisco and felt strongly about people being able to be who they are, she added.

When the flag was stolen last month, Horley shared the news with her neighbors on the Nextdoor neighborhood app, hoping it might have appeared on someones yard. A few days later, her neighbors dropped off three Pride flags at her house.

That really to me was the heartwarming part of this, said Horley. Ive had people message me just to say Im going out and buying a flag. Im gonna fly it in honor of you and daughter. So I love that its really encouraged other people to show support, not just to me, but to the entire LGBTQ community.

She added, Even though I lost my original flag, it really had brought the community together.

But just the day before Pride month began this year, Horley realized that one of the three flags hanging outside of her home had been stolen  again.

I could tell my mom was obviously very upset about her flags getting taken down, said Briana Horley, who was visiting her mother from Pleasant Hill.

So she decided to do something about it. Briana called her friends and together they painted Horleys fence the colors of the rainbow Pride flag.

Its definitely something my sister would have done, said Briana, 29.

Briana and Horley said theres a larger meaning behind the fence and flags: they hope it makes the LGBTQ community feel safe and supported.

Its what Aisha wouldve wanted, they said.

Jessica Flores is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jessica.flores@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jesssmflores
Good morning, Bay Area. Its Wednesday, June 9 and a special election is heating up in the East Bay. Heres what you need to know to start your day.

Normally, Humberto Castaneda Produce grows heirloom tomatoes, cucumbers, corn, watermelons and other crops on its 180-acre farm outside of Santa Rosa. But this year, Humberto Castaneda and his son, Gabriel, are planting only 17 acres after receiving a fraction of their normal water allotment from the city of Santa Rosa.

I could plant the whole farm and have water that might last me for a month, said Gabriel, 27, who is managing the farm his father founded in the 1980s for the first time this season.

The Castanedas are among a slew of farmers already taking drastic steps to respond to the lack of water, Tara Duggan reports.

East Bay special election

Carlos Avila Gonzalez / The Chronicle

Eight candidates are running in the June 29 special election to fill a state Assembly Seat in the East Bay vacated by Rob Bonta when he became Attorney General. On the surface, the top candidates vying for an open Assembly seat in the East Bay have plenty in common: They are progressives, women of color and have spent their careers focused on advocacy work.

But in lieu of stark ideological differences, the candidates have clashed over the role of money and outside influence in the race. Dustin Gardiner reports on the pitch each candidate is making to voters.

Coronavirus Updates

Californias anticipated reopening is almost here  the states plan, dubbed Beyond the Blueprint, lifts capacity and social distancing restrictions for most businesses and activities on June 15. But as has been the case with most pandemic guidelines, there are some exceptions, and some counties may maintain stricter rules.

Heres what to know about what the states reopening date means practically in the Bay Area.

 Two more Bay Area counties advance to yellow in California's final tier assignments.

 S.F. residents among most eager in U.S. to travel as pandemic eases, survey finds.

 Apple and Google want to force remote workers back into the office. That friction could lead to a job exodus.

Around the Bay

Courtesy Brian Overfelt

 Setting sail: Half Moon Bay surfer begins a 2-month journey to Hawaii  on a hydrofoil.

 Fastly: The company that broke the internet (briefly) is based in S.F. How did it cause so much trouble?

 Alleged loan from developer: S.F. building inspector put on leave in widening City Hall corruption probe.

 Fire danger across five states: These parts of California are going under a red flag warning, signaling high fire danger.

 Altercation outside roasters warehouse: Ritual Coffee owner fires husband after he uses a racial slur at work.

 Restoring a Chinatown opera: Reopening Great Star Theater is a gamble for this couple. It could pay off for them and community.

Chronicle Data team

Jessica Christian/The Chronicle 2020

Student enrollment in higher education took a hit during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the difference in enrollment between Californias universities and the states community colleges is stark.

While the Cal State and UC systems had slight increases in undergraduate enrollment over the past year, the community college systems enrollment decreased dramatically.

Californias community colleges are the largest higher education system in the U.S, Nami Sumida reports, and the implications are huge.

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.
84% of all eligible adults in North Wales have received at least one coronavirus vaccine

Eighty four per cent of all eligible adults in North Wales have now received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine according to the now regular health board update.

779,846 vaccinations (486,924 first doses and 292,922 second) have been carried out since the rollout began in December 2020.

This means that 84% of all eligible adults in the region, including sixty-four per-cent of 18-29 year-olds, have now had a first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, while half of the eligible population have had the full protection of both doses.

The vaccine has now been offered to everyone who is eligible to have one currently, with Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board urging 87,500 people who have yet to come forward to book an appointment using the new online booking service.

Those aged 30-39 are described as being a key target group, with take up is currently lowest among this age group.

In Wrexham the numbers of people vaccinated in each cohort, include:

Residents in Older Persons Care Homes (1st / 2nd dose vaccinated or declined)  106% and 96%

Staff working in Older Persons Care Homes (1st / 2nd dose vaccinated or declined  90% and 79%

People aged 80 years and over (1st / 2nd dose vaccinated or declined)  99% and 95%

Frontline Healthcare workers (1st / 2nd dose vaccinated or declined)  97% and 88%

Frontline social care workers (1st / 2nd dose vaccinated or declined)  97% and 87%

People aged 75 to 79 years (1st / 2nd dose vaccinated or declined)  98% and 95%

People aged 70 to 74 years (1st / 2nd dose vaccinated or declined)  97% and 94%

All those aged under 16-69 yrs who are clinically extremely vulnerable (1st / 2nd dose vaccinated or declined)  95% and 88%

All those aged 65 years and over (1st / 2nd dose vaccinated or declined)  95% and 89%

Moderate risk adults under 70 years of age (1st / 2nd dose vaccinated or declined)  88% and 59%

All those aged 60  64 years (1st / 2nd dose vaccinated or declined)  89% and 44%

All those aged 55  59 years (1st / 2nd dose vaccinated or declined)  86% and 34%

All those aged 50  54 years (1st / 2nd dose vaccinated or declined)  86% and 23%

All those aged 40  49 years (1st / 2nd dose vaccinated or declined)  78% and 3%

All those aged 30  39 years (1st / 2nd dose vaccinated or declined)  58% and 2%

All those aged 18  29 years (1st / 2nd dose vaccinated or declined)  47% and 1%

Gill Harris, executive director of nursing and midwifery, said: Thanks to the incredible efforts of our staff and volunteers, we are continuing to play a key role in Wales world leading vaccination rollout.

We are continuing to store the vaccine in peoples arms, administering our supply as quickly as it is received.

In the coming weeks, well be stepping up our efforts to ensure that nobody is left behind.

Getting the remaining 15 per cent of our eligible population vaccinated before the Delta variant, or other variants of concern take hold, could have a significant impact on our ability to return to life as normal and continue to enjoy some of the freedoms that have recently been restored.

This is especially important as we welcome tourists from across the UK during the summer months.

Those aged 30-39 are a key target group, as take up is currently lowest among this age group.

In the coming weeks we will send text messages and letters to the 87,500 people who have yet to book a first dose. We will also undertake radio advertising, a social media campaign, publish information in the local press, and carry out engagement with hard to reach groups in our communities.

Our vaccination teams will continue to hold information sessions in local supermarkets, shopping centres and other areas of high footfall, in order to answer and address any questions or concerns people have about the COVID-19 vaccine. We will also be targeting communities where take up of the vaccine is lower than average.

Please dont worry if youve not been able to book your appointment just yet, or you turned down the vaccine when it was first offered and have since changed your mind. The door is always open and its not too late to change your mind.

If you have any concerns about receiving the vaccine, please book and attend your appointment, so we can take the time to discuss any concerns you have, before you decide whether to go ahead.

We are again appealing for people who are hesitant about receiving the vaccine to make an informed decision about whether to be vaccinated, based on the latest information from trusted sources. The Public Health Wales website is a great place to start.

Ms Harris also urged anyone due for their second dose of the vaccine to come forward when invited.

She added: Real world data shows that the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines are highly effective against the strain of the Delta variant after two doses, so its vital that people continue to attend their second dose appointments, in order to obtain the most effective protection.

We are continuing to carefully monitor cases of the Delta variant in our communities, and have the ability to bring forward second dose appointments using our first dose supply, if necessary.

This is being regularly reviewed, based on the latest available evidence and data.

You can now book appointments online for your coronavirus vaccine here.
Californias anticipated reopening is almost here, allowing residents to start returning to a sense of normalcy after more than a year of pandemic restrictions.

The states plan, dubbed Beyond the Blueprint, lifts capacity and social distancing restrictions for most businesses and activities on Tuesday, June 15. But as has been the case with most pandemic guidelines, there are some exceptions, and some counties may maintain stricter rules.

Here are questions and answers based on what we know so far:

Will my Bay Area county align with the states guidelines?

It appears most counties will follow the states guidelines, though San Francisco officials say they will have a few stricter requirements.

San Francisco will mostly align its masking and other coronavirus safety requirements with state guidance, officials said Friday. However proof of a COVID-19 vaccination will be required for employees at hospitals, some nursing homes and care facilities as well as shelters and jails. Events with more than 5,000 people in attendance will see stricter rules in the city than those planned to take effect statewide.

Owners and operators of businesses and events can require masking and proof of vaccination if they choose, according to Health Officer Dr. Susan Philip  which will be the case for all counties under Californias new guidelines. No extra sanitation steps will be necessary.

Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, Santa Clara, San Mateo, Solano and Sonoma counties have confirmed that they plan to be aligned with the Beyond the Blueprint framework starting June 15.

When will I still need to wear a mask?

On June 15, California will generally align with the CDCs mask recommendations, which means that if youre fully vaccinated you dont have to wear a mask in almost all settings, including shopping, going to a bar, working out at the gym or attending church services. There are a few exceptions, such as health care settings and public transportation, including airports and transit stations.

If you are unvaccinated or partially vaccinated, masks are still required indoors, and outdoors when 6 feet social distancing cannot be maintained. California will mostly rely on the honor system to enforce masking rules.

It appears that workplace masking rules for employees, which are issued separately by Californias Division of Occupational Safety and Health, are likely to come in line with Beyond the Blueprint rules but not right away. For now, all workers, regardless of vaccination status, must continue to wear masks. (See below.)

Keep in mind that counties can impose additional restrictions. Also, businesses may choose to require masks in some situations  so be on the lookout for signs or other guidance before you enter, and be aware of your employers policies.

Youre fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, or two weeks after the second dose of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine.

What COVID restrictions will I have to follow in the workplace?

Starting June 15, masks will still be required for all workers regardless of vaccination status. However, after changing course several times in the past week, the standards board of Californias Division of Occupational Safety and Health on Friday proposed a set of rules allowing vaccinated employees to go maskless in almost all job settings, while unvaccinated Californians working indoors would wear masks. The proposal faces a vote Thursday, and if approved, the earliest the new rules could take effect is June 28.

The rules would largely align Californias public and private workplaces with masking requirements set by state health department.

As for customers, if theyre vaccinated, they can shop indoors without a mask unless the business has a stricter policy. If unvaccinated, customers should wear masks indoors and also outdoors if they cant maintain 6 feet social distance.

Will there be any capacity limits at Bay Area businesses?

Under the states plan, businesses will no longer have any capacity limitations, so they can go back to pre-pandemic operations without social distancing requirements. That likely will be the case in most of the Bay Area, unless a county changes course before June 15 and decides to require some restrictions.

What about public transit and traveling?

Fully vaccinated people will still need to wear masks where required by federal, state and local laws. That means everyone must wear masks on planes, buses, trains and other forms of public transportation, and in transportation hubs such as airports and stations. The federal requirement is currently set to expire Sept. 13.

The CDC on June 10 updated its guidance with a new exception: Fully vaccinated people may go maskless in outdoor areas of conveyances such as trains and buses (where those exist) and outdoor transportation hubs. Those unvaccinated should continue to wear masks in those outdoor areas.

Vaccinated individuals dont need to get tested before or after traveling within the U.S., or quarantine after travel. Californias travel advisory, which currently recommends unvaccinated individuals get tested before and after travel, and self-quarantine after traveling, is expected to be loosened after June 15.

What about my children when they return to school?

More guidance is expected from the state for children under 12 who are not yet approved to receive a coronavirus vaccine, although children 5-11 are expected to be eligible for shots by the end of 2021. While the risk of contracting severe COVID-19 is lower in children, the CDC still advises that children under 12 wear masks at certain times even if their parents are vaccinated.

San Francisco Unified School District promised a full return to in-person learning in the fall but doesnt expect things to fully return to normal yet, and anticipates masks will still be required until there is further guidance.

What about big events?

Crowds of all sizes both indoors and outdoors will be allowed, but the state has provided guidance for mega events, defined as having more than 5,000 attendees indoors and 10,000 outdoors. They are still considered higher risk because they draw many people from different households and places into close proximity for extended periods of time.

For indoor mega events, organizers should require attendees to show vaccination status or a negative pre-entry coronavirus test, and these measures are strongly recommended for outdoor events. This guidance is in effect from June 15 through Oct. 1, 2021.

Both types of events should follow state face covering guidelines, which currently say that fully vaccinated individuals are not required to wear masks outdoors unless it is a crowded event, or indoors. Unvaccinated people should be required to wear masks outdoors if social distancing cannot be maintained, and indoors.

Will vigorous sanitizing still be necessary?

In early April, the CDC updated its COVID-19 cleaning and disinfecting guidelines to note that theres a less than 1 in 10,000 chance of becoming infected with the coronavirus after touching a contaminated surface. The agency still advises individuals to regularly wash their hands or use hand sanitizer.

Businesses that do not require minimum standards for disinfection, such as health care facilities, can clean once a day if no one with suspected or confirmed coronavirus has been in the space. If a business is in an area with high transmission or has a low number of people wearing masks, then more frequent cleaning or disinfection is encouraged. Cleaning and disinfecting is strongly suggested for businesses where someone who has tested positive for coronavirus has been present.

Kellie Hwang is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kellie.hwang@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @KellieHwang
Student enrollment in higher education took a hit during the COVID-19 pandemic, with an annual decrease in undergraduate enrollment by 3.6% nationwide.

In California, changes in enrollment at the three state-financed university systems  California State University, University of California and California Community Colleges  varied greatly. While the CSU and UC systems had slight increases in undergraduate enrollment, the community college systems enrollment decreased dramatically, according to a recently released study by economists at UC Santa Cruz.

The California Community Colleges system is the largest higher education system in the United States, educating 2.1 million students per year at 116 colleges across the state. In contrast, the CSU and UC systems combined educate about 650,000 undergraduate students across 32 campuses.

The study found that in the spring of 2020, community college enrollment fell by over 60,000 students, or 4%, from the spring of 2019. The decline was even larger in the fall. More than 230,000 fewer students enrolled than the previous fall  a 15% decrease.

Because of possible data issues found after the study was published, the researchers believe the reduction may be closer to 12%. Regardless, this is a sizable decrease, especially considering enrollment did not fall at the CSU and UC systems. The CSU systems enrollment increased by more than 2,000 undergraduates, or about 1%, and the UC undergraduate enrollment increased by 300 students, or 0.1%.

Ordinarily, community college enrollment increases during an economic recession, with students opting to go to school rather than compete for scarce job opportunities. The researchers believe the impact of the COVID-19 recession was different because of students struggling with online learning during the pandemic.

To understand the demographics of those who were less likely to enroll, the researchers looked at changes by race and ethnicity. They found that, while enrollment decreased for students in every major race group, the decline was most pronounced among Black and Hispanic students. Compared with 2019, 17% fewer Black and 16% fewer Hispanic students enrolled in the fall, compared with 13% and 12% fewer white non-Hispanic and Asian students, respectively.

The study also compared enrollment by field of study and found that most fields had large losses. According to the paper, the evidence suggests that the fields with the greatest losses were fields in which online learning might be inferior (e.g. industrial technologies, teaching aides, art, and police training).

For the upcoming fall semester, the California Community Colleges system plans to offer a mix of in-person and remote classes. Future changes to this plan will depend on vaccination rates among its students, faculty, and staff. In late April, Chancellor Eloy Ortiz Oakley urged everyone to receive their vaccinations as a step toward resuming in-person classes.

Nami Sumida is a San Francisco Chronicle data visualization developer. Email: nami.sumida@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @namisumida
Sophia Germer/The Chronicle

Sludge dust caught fire during a demolition at San Franciscos oldest and largest sewage treatment plant Tuesday afternoon, authorities said.

The minor fire broke out during construction at the Southeast Treatment Plant on Phelps Street around 2:40 p.m., said Will Reisman, a spokesman for the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission. No injuries were reported.
Jessica Christian / The Chronicle

A record number of Republicans nationwide say that they support same-sex marriage, according to a new Gallup poll. Overall support in the U.S. for same-sex marriage also reached a record high at 70%.

This marks the first time a small majority of Republicans are in favor of marriage equality.
Starcity, the San Francisco startup that helped pioneer a model of tech-centric, urban co-living but struggled to execute its ambitious development plans during the pandemic, is being acquired by Common, a rival New York-based firm.

While the combined company will take over Starcitys portfolio of open properties, the deal does not include its development pipeline, which includes two major approved but unbuilt towers  a 270-unit co-living high-rise at 457 Minna in San Francisco and a 790-unit project in downtown San Jose.

Those projects will be sold off to other developers. Common designs and manages co-living and traditional apartment communities but does not develop or own property.

Since founding Common in 2015, the co-living landscape certainly looks different, but the need to create a better kind of housing for the modern renter has not, said Common CEO Brad Hargreaves. While the sector consolidates, were committed to acquiring the management agreements of these formerly Starcity properties, keeping the resident experience positive and growing our brand by becoming the most innovative operator in residential.

Billed as communities of warm, inviting homes filled with friendly faces youll love getting to know, Starcity operated about a dozen properties in the Bay Area, seven in Los Angeles, three in Barcelona and one in New York. Their tech-heavy co-living suites, which range from 130 to 220 square feet, come furnished with a bed and mattress, nightstand, lamp and a rug. Residents gather for meals in a communal kitchen and can get together for cultural events and go on outings. Rents in the Bay Area portfolio range from $1,325 to $2,500.

Starcity CEO Jon Dishotsky said that he and his partners set out to make it super easy and more affordable for people to move to cities, and we did that.

Santiago Mejia/The Chronicle

But while its existing portfolio had a high occupancy rate, Starcity faced mounting financial issues as capital markets for ground-up development projects dried up during the pandemic, according to court records. In May 2020 the company was sued by KT Urban, the Cupertino developer that sold Starcity a downtown San Jose project site, over allegations of fraud and breach of contract. Last month Starcity was sued by its architect C2K Architecture, which alleged it was owed $1.5 million, according to the San Jose Business Journal.

Court records show that property owner BNN LLC sued Starcity in December alleging that the co-living developer owed five months in back rent  about $181,000. After a workout agreement fell through, Starcity now owes BNN $277,990, according to an April 7 court filing.

Completion of transaction with Common is subject to customary consents by Starcitys creditors and shareholders as well as approval of Starcitys real estate partners, according to the news release.

Common said the deal solidifies its position as the recognized co-living leader after a year of sector consolidation. Common has about 6,400 units under management and a total of more than 26,000 units signed and under development. Last summer Common raised a $50 million Series D funding round.

Hargreaves said that co-living was hit hard in the early days of the pandemic, with occupancy rate plummeting from above 95% to less than 80%. Especially hard-hit were New York and San Francisco. Occupancy portfolio-wide is now back to 95%, although San Francisco continues to be weak.

The middle of last year was very tough, he said. Its impacted different cities in different ways. Our New York portfolio recovered more quickly, as did Chicago, and D.C. San Francisco has been a laggard. Its been particularly slow to recover.

Dishotsky said the acquisition by Common would provide a soft landing for the residents, investors and Starcity employees. He said the San Jose development site is being marketed for sale and that other sites would likely also be put on the block. He will be joining the Common management team.

Santiago Mejia/The Chronicle

We have a handful of buyers looking at the entire portfolio, he said.

Dishotsky said trying to manage co-living communities while also pursuing ground-up development was extraordinary complicated.

Building two businesses at once was not tenable, he said. We took some very big swings  those are the risks you take in starting a business. Some of those bets paid off and some of them didnt.

J.K. Dineen is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jdineen@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @sfjkdineen
San Franciscos COVID-19 vaccination campaign is nearing the key benchmark of 70% of eligible residents fully vaccinated  which some experts say puts the city on track to be the first in the U.S. to reach herd immunity.

The citys vaccine tracker showed that as of Wednesday, 79% of residents 12 and older had received at least one vaccine dose, and 69% were fully vaccinated.

The definition of herd immunity varies, but experts generally say at least 70% of the population needs to be immune, either by vaccination or natural infection, for the virus to stop spreading. Some put the percentage as high as 80% to 90%.

If San Francisco were to reach herd immunity, it would mean that coronavirus cases, hospitalizations and deaths could be pushed down to almost insignificant levels. If an unvaccinated person brought the virus to the city from elsewhere, it wouldnt lead to an uncontrollable outbreak.

Bob Wachter, chair of UCSF's Department of Medicine, tweeted on Tuesday that with San Francisco reporting about 12 new cases per day and achieving such high vaccination rates, it may well be the first US city to reach herd immunity, citing a Guardian story about that possibility.

In an email to The Chronicle on Wednesday, Wachter said that unless the entire world reaches herd immunity, coronavirus cases can still enter any community, so eradicating the virus wont be possible.

But I do think the possibility of such a case leading to significant spread and a community-wide surge is getting close to zero in San Francisco and the Bay Area, he said.

San Francisco is at a very high level of immunity (mostly from vaccination, with a small additional amount of immunity stemming from prior infection), which produces significant downward pressure on both new cases and on the propagation of cases that enter our community, he wrote.

Whether we label this as herd immunity or recognize that the term is really shorthand for the much more complex idea that we are highly protected from COVID surges isnt all that relevant, clinically or scientifically.

Dr. Monica Gandhi, an infectious disease expert with UCSF, said Wednesday that San Franciscos high vaccination rate and persistently low case rates indicate the city could reach that coveted herd immunity status.

I do believe we are on track to be the first city to achieve herd immunity, she said. This happened in Israel, which has now fully reopened after an 81% first vaccination rate and is still not seeing increased cases despite free mingling of vaccinated and unvaccinated. Our high rates of immunity means we are not susceptible to new infections even with travel here.

In a webinar Tuesday on San Franciscos approach to the states June 15 reopening, health officer Dr. Susan Philip indicated that vaccination rates in the city are so high that unvaccinated people are also fairly well protected in resuming daily in-person activities  which is a key element of herd immunity.

Still, San Francisco and the Bay Area are not a bubble, and some experts say that herd immunity may never be truly reached. Philip said last month that San Francisco is not thinking about herd immunity in the sense of reaching a certain percentage that causes the virus to go away. Instead, she said, the focus is finding a different way to live with the virus.

John Swartzberg, an infectious disease expert at UC Berkeley, said he would prefer less focus on the idea of herd immunity because its a moving target, especially with the Delta variant that appears to be very contagious and is becoming more of a concern around the world.

He said the herd immunity percentage can go up or down: If a community is locked down and human interaction is minimal, it decreases. When Californias economy reopens June 15, the target percentage could possibly increase.

The way we should use this concept is to inform us of how were doing and how the virus is behaving, he said.

Swartzberg said using the R-effective, which represents the average number of people an infected person is likely to pass the virus on to, is a helpful measure to indicate if a community is nearing herd immunity. The goal is for the R-effective to drop well below 1.

Californias coronavirus dashboard showed an R-effective of 0.81 for San Francisco as of Wednesday.

Swartzberg said hes not interested in the herd immunity number, but rather how many people are vaccinated, how well the vaccines are working, how careful people are being, and most importantly, what are the number of new cases per 100,000 that were seeing, or what are the number of hospitalizations were seeing. If those numbers are going down, those are the numbers I care about.

When asked Wednesday about reaching vaccination milestones, the San Francisco Department of Public Health sent the following statement:

Although we are encouraged that San Francisco has very high vaccination rates, reaching a certain percentage of people immunized does not signify an end to COVID. There are some populations that continue to be susceptible to the virus, including communities that have lower vaccination rates as well as those people who are ineligible for vaccines, such as children below 12 years of age. Thus there is a need for ongoing vaccination efforts and closely tracking COVID cases.

The department said that rising vaccination rates will likely help the virus become a manageable threat that might continue to circulate in the United States for years to come, and still lead to hospitalizations and deaths but in decreased numbers.

Kellie Hwang is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kellie.hwang@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @KellieHwang
The state Supreme Court allowed prosecutors Wednesday to go to trial on assault and mayhem charges against four inmates who are accused of taking part in a riot at Pelican Bay State Prison but not of physically attacking anyone.

Eight guards were injured and five inmates were shot and wounded in the melee at the maximum-security North Coast prison in May 2017. The court denied review Wednesday of an appellate ruling in March that said alleged participants in the riot could be charged with assaults committed by others that were a natural and probable consequence of the violence. A defense lawyer described it as collective guilt.

The violence started with a fight between two prisoners in a high-security yard. Guards responded with clubs and gas grenades, and one shot and wounded one of the inmates.

Angry inmates then charged the officers in large numbers, beating and kicking them, the First District Court of Appeal said in its March ruling. One guard was knocked unconscious and others suffered serious injuries, none of them life-threatening.

After prosecutors filed their first charges against four inmates, a Del Norte County magistrate found no evidence that the four men had struck anyone and said it was unclear they had even taken part in the riot. Superior Court Judge Leonard LaCasse then dismissed the charges, saying prosecutors had presented evidence of a tumultuous riot situation but no proof the defendants had done anything.

But the appeals court said there was evidence that could show the four men had participated in the riot  one had a gunshot wound, two had blood on their clothing, and an officer said the fourth man had tried to lunge at him. So the only issue was whether rioters would reasonably have known that officers were likely to be assaulted and seriously injured, the court said.

The riot involved the use of force or violence by numerous inmates against correctional officers who were significantly outnumbered, and assaults were reasonably foreseeable, Justice Tracie Brown said in the 3-0 ruling.

The defendants appealed to the states high court, which unanimously denied review Wednesday, clearing the way for a trial and making the appellate ruling a binding precedent for trial courts statewide.

Eric Weaver, one of the defense lawyers, said Wednesday there was little evidence the four men had taken part in the riot, much less that they had assaulted anyone.

You have a scrum involving 130 men, and the client ends up with some scrapes and some blood on himself, Weaver said. They dont bother to test whether its his or somebody elses blood. He said another defendant had simply stood up, some distance away from the violence, when a guard told him to sit down.

To me, thats collective guilt, its not individual responsibility, Weaver said. At the trial, he said, prosecutors will have to prove that the four men took part in the riot and must have known that guards were likely to be assaulted.

The case is People vs. Abelino, S268637.

Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @BobEgelko
Regarding Assault weapons ban ruled unlawful (Front Page, June 5): I read with horror your article on the decision by U.S. District Judge Roger Benitez of San Diego on assault rifle ownership. I cant imagine the pain it causes to all those who have had loved ones injured or killed by these terrible weapons.

It is obvious the judge no longer possesses the high degree of common sense and judicial wisdom to hold his office.

If he really thinks that the writers of the Second Amendment meant to protect assault rifle ownership by the general public, he should be required to review all the reports of past mass killings.

That should keep him occupied for several lifetimes and away from being a menace to society. He has failed to listen to the majority who supports common sense gun legislation. Hopefully, retirement or recall is in his future. The general public needs protection from such malignant and dangerous misjudgments by the judiciary.

Sandra Seeger, Mill Valley

Benitez doesnt get it

Im wondering what part of the Second Amendment U.S. District Judge Roger Benitez does not understand. Surely not the first 13 words: A well-regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state.

Since the U.S. has a standing army of over a million individuals, it certainly cant be those first words to which he is referring.

Robert Skutch, Mill Valley

Heartbreaking story

Regarding Pushing for safety after school death of son, 7, at recess (Front Page, June 5): I was moved to tears by Dayna and Eric Quanbecks story on the tragic death of their son Alex while playing at school. I can only tell them there will always be a place in their hearts for Alex where no one else may enter.

Edward Bellber, San Francisco

In need of backup

I read with interest Abolish deputies from S.F. General (Open Forum, June 7) by Erinma Ukoha. I worked at San Francisco General Hospital 40 years as a registered nurse. For most of those years, I was the charge nurse on a surgical trauma unit. Our patients were high-acuity, many victims of gunshots, assaults, vehicle accidents and other traumatic injuries. Many were innocent victims. Many others were members of gangs and had underlying severe drug and alcohol problems, which complicated their care. Our duty as caregivers at SFGH was to provide the best medical care to all. As importantly, we had the responsibility to keep patients and staff safe. When situations were out of control, i.e. visitors or patients becoming threatening, harassing other patients or patients attempting self-harm because of drug/alcohol withdrawal, we needed backup to keep all safe. I can relate examples and they happened to people of all ethnicities. I agree that medical staff and deputies need training in how to approach these situations with sensitivity and expertise. However, when there was an immediate physical threat to staff or patients, I remember too well how we needed backup.

Judy Karlsen, Belmont

Vote for strict standards

As noted in Bay air quality panel postpones refinery vote (June 4), refineries could install more health-protective wet gas scrubbers and still make a profit. The cost could be made up by increasing gas prices 2 cents a gallon. For comparison, TV news reported that in advance of Memorial Day weekend, oil companies raised gas prices 15%, or roughly three times that amount.

Relying on the weaker methodology of electrostatic precipitators carries the risk of a large-scale explosion, such as what happened at the Torrance ExxonMobil refinery in 2015. Richmond vividly remembers how Chevron blew up in 2012, and we dont want to live through that again. Refineries are threatening their skilled workers and communities with job cuts and shutdowns.

However, its not environmental regulations that cause job cuts, but market conditions: Between late 2014 and early 2016, more than 210,000 oil worker jobs were eliminated as a result of a crash in oil prices caused by overproduction. The air district needs to go beyond economics, policy and politics and consider ethics and its obligation to our most vulnerable residents. Bay Area Air Quality Management District directors: Vote for the strictest emission standards!
WASHINGTON  A disruption at a town hall held by North Bay Rep. Jared Huffman is raising questions about safety and security as the country reopens after the coronavirus pandemic, especially in the aftermath of the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol.

The San Rafael Democrat held the constituent event Tuesday afternoon in Marin County, one of the first in-person town halls held by a politician since COVID-19 closed down much of daily life a year ago. The event was intended to be capped at 100 attendees, socially distanced in an auditorium, with masks required. It was advertised as requiring proof of vaccination, but Huffman said that admission was later based on an honor system.

Shortly after the town hall began, according to the live-streamed video of the gathering, anti-vaccination activists stormed the door, disrupting the event. For several minutes, Huffman pleaded with the group to respect the other attendees as the protesters displayed crude signs decrying vaccinations and public health mandates and chanted medical freedom now. Jeers went back and forth between the masked, orderly crowd and the door-crashers, including a counter-chant of go away. At one point, a female protester attempted to pull the mask off one of the attendees. Another woman holding a sign about dead ferrets jumped onstage and sat in front of Huffman for some time.

Huffman addressed the group directly, saying he took issue with their language.

My view is that in the middle of a deadly pandemic that has taken over about 600,000 lives that it is not unreasonable to ask people before they gather into crowds to have a vaccination or to go to school or to go to a workplace, he said. We have always had capacity rules for gatherings, weve always had common-sense limits on gatherings. And Im sorry that some of it rubs you the wrong way, but it is not a civil right, it is not apartheid, it is not the Holocaust or any other kind of ridiculous hyperbole that you want to attach to it.

He then carried on with the scheduled event, taking questions from the audience and speaking for roughly an hour as the protesters lingered. He referenced a dangerous undercurrent in political rhetoric that harks back to the insurrection on Jan. 6, during which a violent, pro-Trump mob forced its way into the U.S. Capitol seeking to override the results of the presidential election to install Donald Trump over President Biden, who was duly elected.

The violent vitriol that animates a lot of this that led up to Jan. 6 is still with us, you sort of feel shades of it here with us today, Huffman told the room.

The event is not the first stunt by anti-vaccination demonstrators. In 2019, a woman poured apparent blood onto California lawmakers. The Sonoma County Republican Partys Facebook page posted a message in advance of Huffmans event encouraging a demonstration, but advising anyone going to appear as concerned citizens, not affiliated with any group.

In an interview Wednesday, Huffman said he was not overly concerned for his safety, though the San Rafael Community Center told him his town halls would not be able to take place there in the future without private security. Lawmakers are seeking to pass additional money to secure the Capitol and members of Congress personally as many feel greater threats to their safety since Jan. 6.

I dont want my town halls and public events to turn into police state experiences, Huffman said. Well take the security precautions that we need to and well do it more than we would have before yesterday, but we dont want to alter the accessibility or the basic character of our town halls. You really lose a lot when that happens.

Still, he said, he has heard from colleagues who are thinking about resuming their own in-person town halls, asking about what happened.

My advice to them is, lets get past these COVID restrictions and just make sure that town halls are attended by as many good-faith citizens that will behave themselves as possible, Huffman said. I think that alone kind of takes away the opportunity for these bullies to take over an event.

Tal Kopan is The San Francisco Chronicles Washington correspondent. Email: tal.kopan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @talkopan
SACRAMENTO  On paper, the top candidates vying for an open Assembly seat in the East Bay have plenty in common: They are progressives, women of color and have spent their careers focused on advocacy work.

But in lieu of stark ideological differences, the candidates have clashed over the role of money and outside influence in the race. The election has prompted an unusually competitive fight for a statehouse seat that is solidly blue, with establishment Democrats, progressive activists and labor unions all clamoring to shape the outcome.

The contest will determine who fills the Assembly post vacated by California Attorney General Rob Bonta, who resigned from the Legislature after he was appointed to the states top law enforcement job this spring.

Eight candidates are running in the June 29 special election for District 18, which encompasses Alameda, San Leandro and much of Oakland. Voters have started receiving ballots in the mail.

Mia Bonta, president of the Alameda school board, a nonprofit leader and the wife of Rob Bonta, has far outraised her opponents, raking in more than $366,900 between her two campaign committees. Independent expenditure groups have raised at least $330,000 to boost her chances.

Bontas fundraising edge has become a dividing wedge in the race, which is otherwise largely a contest between avowed progressives.

The other two candidates whove run highly visible campaigns, Alameda Vice Mayor Malia Vella and social justice attorney Janani Ramachandran, have lamented what they see as the undue influence of outside special-interest groups.

Vella said she expects voters in the district are going to be suspicious of nepotism, suggesting that Bonta has benefited from her husbands clout. Meanwhile, Ramachandran said she finds the influence of corporate mega-donors abhorrent and hopes voters can see past the bombardment of mailers and television ads for Bonta.

The three candidates have raised their money from starkly different sources. Vella, the most financially competitive with Bonta, has collected more than $253,000, boosted most by labor groups representing the building trades. Ramachandran has pulled in about $177,000 from a large pool of smaller donors.

Bontas biggest backers include the California Teachers Association, the California School Employees Association and the California Dental Association.

Bonta dismissed complaints that Sacramento special-interest groups or her husbands influence are driving her campaign. Rather, she said that strong support for her campaign suggests her message is resonating.

Im a strong woman with my own kind of record and set of experiences that shape my approach to problem solving, she said.

Bonta said shes running because after spending her career working in education, shes prepared to help fix inequities on a state level. She said her policy-making would also be guided by her struggles growing up as the daughter of a single Black-Latina woman who struggled to make ends meet.

I am somebody who has a lived experience that is very common to many of the people in our district, she said. I grew up knowing what it was like to experience poverty.

In addition to her fundraising edge, Bonta has snagged a host of prominent endorsements, including Washington heavyweights like Rep. Barbara Lee, one of Oaklands best-known figures, and U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla.

Vella said Bontas support from the Sacramento political establishment wont resonate well with Bay Area activists and voters who want the community, not the state Capitol, to dictate their representative.

I was born and raised in this district, Vella said. I am a product of this district. I have roots here.

Vella said shes running because she has the most experience making policy at the local level. She also pointed to her life experience, as a Filipina American working mother of two with six figures of student loan debt.

Rival Ramachandran has drawn a slew of endorsements from progressive forces, including Rep. Ro Khanna and Our Revolution California, a group birthed out of Bernie Sanders presidential campaign.

Voters are tired of status quo politics and Democrats whose policies nibble around the edges of social inequities, Ramachandran said, and are seeking someone with bold ideas to confront the housing crisis and climate change.

Im hoping that voters can see past the glitz and glam that money can buy, and see other candidates like me that are running a campaign that is driven by integrity, transparency and a genuine commitment to social justice, Ramachandran said.

San Leandro Vice Mayor Victor Aguilar is also running for the seat, though he has mounted a less visible campaign. He shares concerns about the level of outside influence in the race. If elected, he said he would be aggressive in pursuing big ideas like a single-payer health care system and a $22 minimum wage.

Most registered voters in the district will receive a mail-in ballot. If no candidate receives more than 50% of the vote, a runoff between the top two finishers will be held Aug. 31.

Heres more about the candidates:

Mia Bonta

Bonta, 49, is president of the Alameda Unified School District board, and has helped guide the districts response to the coronavirus pandemic. She was elected to the board in 2018. Bonta is also chief executive officer of Oakland Promise, a nonprofit that helps Oakland public school students access a college education.

Key supporters: Rep. Barbara Lee; Sen. Alex Padilla; Secretary of State Shirley Weber; State Treasurer Fiona Ma; California Teachers Association; California Latino Legislative Caucus; California Legislative Black Caucus.

Malia Vella

Vella, 36, is the vice mayor of Alameda. She was first elected to the City Council in 2016 and has pushed the city to halt rent hikes and evictions for tenants and businesses during the pandemic. She has also worked to expand services for homeless people. Vella is the staff attorney for Teamsters Local Union 856, which represents workers across Northern California.

Key supporters: State Controller Betty Yee; California Federation of Teachers; Building and Construction Trade Council of California; California Asian & Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus.

Janani Ramachandran

Ramachandran, 28, is a social justice attorney and recently worked at a nonprofit where she advocated for abuse survivors. While attending law school at UC Berkeley, she represented tenants facing eviction. Ramachandran is a member of the state Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs.

Key supporters: Rep. Ro Khanna; Our Revolution California; Harvey Milk LGBTQ Democratic Club; Sunrise Movement Bay Area.

Victor Aguilar

Aguilar, 42, is the vice mayor of San Leandro. He was first elected to the City Council in 2018, and has advocated for policies to cap rent increases for mobile home renters and a moratorium on evictions during the pandemic. Aguilar works in sales for a legal software company.

Key supporters: Former San Leandro Mayor Stephen Cassidy; San Leandro City Council Members Bryan Azevedo and Fred Simon.

James Aguilar

Aguilar, 21, is a member of the San Leandro Unified School District board, an election he won when he was 18 years old. Aguilar is a student at at San Francisco State University.

Key supporters: Local school board members and education officials.

Eugene Canson

Canson is a public health policy analyst for the California Black Health Network, an advocacy group that combats racial health disparities.

Joel Britton

Britton, 80, is a labor organizer and activist with the Socialist Workers Party. Hes a retail worker at Walmart.

Stephen Slauson

Slauson, 81, has run for the District 18 seat twice before as a Republican, losing by landslides in the 2020 and 2018 elections.

Dustin Gardiner is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: dustin.gardiner@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @dustingardiner
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-08 23:30:54|Editor: huaxia

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White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki speaks during a press briefing at the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, on June 8, 2021. As the United States continues to push forward its domestic vaccination program, overseas Americans who are required to pay U.S. taxes are feeling left behind by their own government, The Washington Post reported Monday. "We have not historically provided private health care for Americans living overseas, so that remains our policy," White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki was quoted as saying in the report. (Photo by Ting Shen/Xinhua)

WASHINGTON, June 8 (Xinhua) -- As the United States continues to push forward its domestic vaccination program, overseas Americans who are required to pay U.S. taxes are feeling left behind by their own government, The Washington Post reported Monday.

Citing official figures, the report said that an estimated 9 million Americans now live outside the United States, and in recent weeks, "a growing chorus has argued that they should therefore be entitled to receive U.S.-approved coronavirus vaccines."

According to the report, unlike expatriates from most other countries, American expats are required to pay U.S. taxes, but their request to "have a vaccine" has been denied by the White House.

"We have not historically provided private health care for Americans living overseas, so that remains our policy," White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki was quoted as saying in the report. Enditem
WASHINGTON  The Senate on Tuesday passed a landmark tech investment bill co-authored by South Bay Rep. Ro Khanna, a significant feat that puts pressure on the House to follow suit.

Khannas Endless Frontier Act, which will invest massively in innovative research and development, passed as part of the broader U.S. Innovation and Competition Act, a collection of bills designed to boost the American tech sector and keep the nation competitive on the world stage amid rising Chinese influence. Khanna helped write the bipartisan bill and sponsors its counterpart in the House.

The 68-32 vote brought together 19 Republicans and 49 Democrats in favor of the bill, a rare show of support across the aisle for anything in Washington these days.

The legislations passage has been expected for weeks, after it received significant support as it was advancing last month. But shortly before the Memorial Day weekend, the bill hit a procedural snag. Senate rules require several days worth of time to elapse between various steps in a bills passage, but those requirements are often waived unanimously to speed up legislative work. As the holiday weekend approached, a handful of Republicans refused to agree to speed up the process due to unrelated border security demands, so final consideration of the bill was punted until Tuesday, as senators were on recess last week.

Khanna teamed up to write the Endless Frontier Act with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., who guided it to passage in the upper chamber. They worked with Republicans Sen. Todd Young of Indiana and Rep. Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin.

The legislation invests more than $100 billion over five years in cutting-edge research and development, distributing the money through tech hubs around the country. Silicon Valley companies and research centers could be among major beneficiaries of the largesse.

It also creates a new tech-focused division within the National Science Foundation to fund projects in innovative fields such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing and biotechnology. The bills name is an homage to a 1945 presidential report by inventor and policy-maker Vannevar Bush, called Science, The Endless Frontier, which is credited with spurring the post-war investment in science that led to todays engineering and tech industries.

Other legislation in the package includes efforts to support semiconductors and 5G wireless networks, to bolster the U.S. against China economically and to preserve American manufacturing and supply chains. The total cost of the package is roughly $250 billion.

The House will still have to pass either the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act or a substantially similar bill that can be negotiated in conference before the law is sent to President Biden for signature. Khanna said he expects the House to approve the Endless Frontier Act as part of a broader National Science Foundation authorization bill, which is working its way through committee. Usually, the Senate is the more difficult chamber to pass legislation through.

Were the bills authors to succeed at getting it signed into law, it would be the biggest increase in federal science funding since the 1960s, something Khanna is particularly proud of.

This has been my highest priority and would dwarf anything else Ive achieved in Congress to get this through, Khanna said in an interview last month. Its transformative.

Tal Kopan is The San Francisco Chronicles Washington correspondent. Email: tal.kopan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @talkopan
The Weather Channel recently announced that most of the U.S. will be a a tick time-bomb in 2021, and displayed a map showing that in California, the threat ticks pose this year is slightly above average. And despite the drought  which would normally be a deterrent for ticks  scientists are noticing more of those bloodsuckers on the coast than ever.

To better understand how weather patterns this year might affect tick season in California, SFGATE spoke with Colorado State University tick researcher Daniel Salkeld, who sits on the board of the Bay Area Lyme Foundation and authored a recent and terrifying study concerning suitable tick habitats in California.

The study found that disease-carrying ticks once thought to mostly inhabit woodlands are also abundant near Northern Californias coastline, lying in wait within the grassy areas on sand dunes that people walk through to get to the beach. And heres the kicker: in these coastal environments around the Bay Area, the study found that as many as 31% of the ticks carried harmful bacteria.

The high rate of disease-carrying ticks in the coastal chaparral was really surprising to us, Salkeld says. When looking at all the tick-borne pathogens simultaneously, it makes you rethink the local disease risk.

picture alliance/dpa/picture alliance via Getty I

Salkeld has been studying ticks for the better part of 15 years. On a research trip to Northern California in late May, he found numerous western black-legged ticks  the ones that carry the bacteria that causes Lyme disease  at collection points in Marin, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties, he says, and they were particularly abundant in the Marin Headlands.

In the vegetation near Stinson Beach, he collected ticks in all stages of development  larvae, nymphs, and adults. I had never found that before, he says.

Its not possible to say why all were present, he emphasizes, and you can place that on a long list of other mysteries involving ticks, particularly in regards to how the climate impacts their populations. There are a couple of things we do know for sure, though.

In general, ticks prefer warm weather and high humidity. So while the drought might be keeping their numbers in check in California this year, the shorter winter may extend the period in which they are active. In looking at the spread of tick-borne illnesses, though, there are other factors in play, Salkeld says. For instance, due to warmer weather and pent-up demand for recreation due to the pandemic, people are spending more time outdoors. Warmer weather also promotes more activity among other tick hosts like squirrels, lizards and deer.

Another thing we do know, thanks to a study by the Environmental Protection Agency, is that warming temperatures associated with climate change are projected to expand the range of habitat favorable to ticks, which in turn will contribute to the spread of Lyme disease.

Of the 48 species of ticks in California, only six have demonstrated serious interest in sucking human blood. Just one of those, the aforementioned western black-legged, is known to carry the bacteria that causes Lyme disease, an infection characterized by fever, headache, fatigue and sometimes a skin rash. Left untreated, it can spread to joints, the heart and the nervous system. In rare cases it can be fatal.

Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images

In response to a public records request from SFGATE, California Department of Public Health Information Officer Ronald Owens relayed that in 2020, there were just under 50 confirmed and probable Lyme disease cases in the state. In contrast, typically about 100 confirmed cases and 40 probable cases are reported each year, Owens wrote.

Pacific Coast ticks and American dog ticks are also rampant on the California coast, and known to carry spotted fever pathogens and occasionally transmit tularemia, a rare infectious disease that attacks the skin, eyes, lymph nodes and lungs.

To amuse Salkeld, I showed him a photograph involving dog ticks that recently went viral on Facebook. The guy who posted it, Hunter Cornick, lives in rural Nova Scotia where dog tick populations have been exploding in recent years. An outdoorsman with a diploma in forest and wildlife technology, Cornick invented a pretty effective tick prevention method.

Courtesy of Bay Area Lyme Foundation

If you tuck your pants into your socks, and tuck your shirt into your pants, a tick will climb the entire length of your body to get to your hairline almost every time, and usually the back of the neck, Cornick says. So I figured If I wrapped duct tape sticky side out around my legs, so long as my pants were tucked in it would force them to climb over the tape.

The method trapped 99% of the insects, Cornick says, which in many cases added up to dozens of ticks. The photo he posted on Facebook shows an all-time record: 27 ticks stuck to the tape.

Salkeld deemed the method cool, and added that that kind of infestation can occur in California if you walk through the wrong section of brush. He knows of a San Mateo vector control biologist who would get ticks trapped in his shirt collar in large numbers, he says.

So what is a Californian without a shirt collar or the desire to duct tape his pants to do?

A substance called permethrin tends to work pretty well, according to experts. You spray it on your clothes and let them dry for a day. Ticks will die when they come in contact with the sprayed clothing, and you can also buy clothes pre-treated with the chemical.

If you or your dog is bitten by a tick, grab the ticks head with a pair of tweezers. Pull it straight out and dont twist the ticks body, which might cause the head to detach while still embedded in the skin.

Ticks may be scary, but Salkeld hopes they wont deter people from spending time outside.

This is a manageable problem if you try to prevent tick bites, he says. Wear repellent. Do tick checks. Shower when you get home. And watch your health. If you do have fevers or headaches, advocate to a physician that theres potential for tick-borne disease.
If youre as sick as I am of hearing about the chicken sandwich wars  aka fast-food giants all trying to cash in on the success of Popeyes wildly popular chicken sandwich released back in 2019  you may roll your eyes at the news that Burger King has entered the fray with a sandwich called ChKing.

But rather than take aim at Popeyes, Burger King has declared war on another chicken sandwich purveyor.

the #ChKing says LGBTQ+ rights! read a recent tweet from Burger King.

The chain announced that for every chicken sandwich sold in the month of June, it would donate 40 cents to the Human Rights Campaign (America's largest LGBTQ civil rights organization).

Even on Sundays, Burger King added, followed by an eyes emoji.

What the company is alluding to here is not exactly subtle: Chick-fil-A, a prime chicken sandwich competitor, is known for closing its restaurants on Sundays due to founder Truett Cathy's Christian faith. Youre also probably aware by now that Chick-fil-A has a history of donating to anti-LGBTQ organizations.

Some on Twitter applauded the company for its progressive-seeming stance.

Thank you @BurgerKing for being an LGBTQ+ ally & celebrating pride with us this month! gushed one Twitter user. It's wonderful seeing huge companies like Burger King standing up for equality!

I think this is a good time to remind everyone that corporations dont care about you, and theyre not necessarily allies, either. Its easy to fall into the trap of praising brands for being on the right side of history, but always keep in mind that when they do, they often have something to gain from it as well.

As one Twitter user wisely put it, Reminder: Burger King is doing this because they get write offs for charity donations to avoid paying taxes, not because they give a st about what happens to those of us in the queer community.

(To clarify, HRC is an umbrella group made up a political action committee and two separate nonprofits: the HRC Foundation, a research and advocacy organization for which donations are tax deductible, and the Human Rights Campaign, a lobbying group for which donations are not tax deductible. It is unclear which arm of HRC Burger King is donating to.)

While they are donating money to an LGBTQ organization, at the end of the day, 40 cents per $4-5 sandwich (price varies by region) is a mere 8 to 10% of proceeds for Burger King. They also noted that donations will max out at $250,000  pretty meager for a company whose CEO has an estimated net worth of at least $37.3 million (meanwhile, most Burger King employees make an average hourly wage of about $9).

As Vox writer Alex Abad-Santos put it in a fantastic article about brands supporting Pride in 2018, So money going to LGBTQ charities is a good thing, right? In the abstract, yes, but taken in aggregate, this consumerist donation structure creates a context of so-called slacktivism, giving brands and consumers alike a low-effort way to support social and political causes.

More than do[ing] good, its also obvious that the real goal here is to sell more sandwiches than a competitor. Its a pretty slick marketing technique, because it has the added benefit of positioning Burger King as the fast-food chain with the moral high ground. But actions speak louder than words.

While the company espouses messages of support for #Pride on Twitter, last July, a transgender employee at a Santa Monica Burger King died from COVID-19, with a manager allegedly blaming her death on injecting hormones. There is no evidence to support that hormone replacement therapy (HRT), a common treatment for gender dysphoria, has any link to worsening coronavirus symptoms.

After her death, employees of the Burger King went on strike and filed a complaint with Los Angeles health officials for dangerous conditions and allegedly allowing the sick employee to keep working for a week after showing "severe" symptoms.

Basically, if you think any fast-food conglomerate is progressive or on your side, take a quick gander at their legal history (in Burger Kings case, some highlights include spreading misinformation about farmworkers efforts for a pay increase and a recent lawsuit alleging LGBTQ discrimination).

This also isnt Burger Kings first attempt to use social issues as a marketing technique: In March, an ill-advised, now-deleted tweet from Burger King UK on International Womens Day read Women belong in the kitchen. It turned out to be a jumping off point to talk about gender disparity in the restaurant industry via a subsequent thread, but of course, it only succeeded in enraging people.

"Please don't use sexism as clickbait," wrote Twitter user @BeccaBeckery.

All in all, I dont care whether you get your fried chicken sandwich fix at Chick-fil-A or Burger King. Just dont trick yourself into thinking that corporations have morals, no matter how much  or how little  they donate for Pride.

Editor's note: This story was update at 11:15 a.m., June 9, 2021, to clarify information around the Human Rights Campaign.
The federal government is putting up $1.6 million to help Louisiana develop smart ports that will gather data about Mississippi River conditions and traffic from tugs, barges and other vessels, officials said Wednesday.

The SmartPort project is a national first, officials said.

The state is adding $1.4 million to the grant from Commerce Departments Economic Development Agency, according to Gov. John Bel Edwards and The Water Institute of the Gulf.

The Water Institute will tap into instruments already on the vessels but now used mostly by individual crews, President and CEO Justin Ehrenwerth said in a phone interview from Baton Rouge.

It's like the Waze app for drivers, he said  you dont need a new smartphone or equipment but the data allows you to decide the best routes.

A pilot project was run at the Port of New Orleans, using about a dozen tugs from one company.

The Water Institute will use data about the river bottom to forecast where silt will pile up before it gets in the way.

Ehrenwerth said his understanding is that ports often call in dredges once there's a problem. The problem with being reactive is you're losing time, you're losing money and burning more fuel, he said.

Once the forecasts are developed, all eight Louisiana ports on the Mississippi will get them, he said. After the two years covered by the grants, Ehrenwerth said, they'll be asked to pay.

The Water Institute will also develop a resilience plan for each port, customized from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Port Resilience Index.

A contractor will create a dashboard combining the river depth and traffic information with weather, river, and traffic data from roads around the ports to improve efficiency at ports, he said.

A Lower Mississippi River SmartPort & Resilience Center will be based at the Water Institute in Baton Rouge.

Ehrenwerth said the data from tugs and barges isn't as precise as that from specially designed survey vessels like those owned by the Army Corps of Engineers, but there's so much of it that it can be fine-tuned for accuracy.

The idea is that tug and barge companies will let the Water Institute install a cable or two and a computer app to gather their data in exchange for the much wider view they can get through the project, Ehrenwerth said.

"Our plan is, on the shoaling forecast, to sign up as many tugs and barges as we can. The greater the coverage in a section of the river, the better we will do," he said.
SPARTA, Wis. (AP)  A man in western Wisconsin attacked three people with an ax, killing one of them, authorities said.

The Wisconsin State Journal reported Wednesday that the incident took place Sunday morning at a home in the town of Sparta. Police arrived to find the suspected attacker outside with a rifle and a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was taken to a hospital. Inside the home officers discovered the body of 87-year-old Bernard Waite. The Monroe County Sheriffs Office says Waite was related to the attacker.
DENVER (AP)  Colorado has its first litter of gray wolf pups since the 1940s, state wildlife officials said Wednesday.

A state biologist and district wildlife manager each spotted the litter of at least three wolf pups over the weekend with their parents, two adult wolves known to live in the state, Gov. Jared Polis announced in a news release. Most wolf litters have four to six pups, so there could be more.

The discovery comes after Colorado voters narrowly approved a ballot measure last year that requires the state to reintroduce the animal on public lands in the western part of the state by the end of 2023.

Gray wolves lost their federal protected status as an endangered species earlier this year. But they remain protected at the state level, and hunting the animals in Colorado is illegal. Penalties for violations include fines, jail time and a loss of hunting license privileges.

"These pups will have plenty of potential mates when they grow up to start their own families, Polis said in a statement.

Gray wolves were hunted, trapped and poisoned into extermination in Colorado in the 1940s.

Officials last year confirmed the presence of a small pack of wolves in northwestern Colorado after a number of sightings since 2019. The animals were believed to have come down from Wyomings Yellowstone National Park.

Opponents of the reintroduction initiative said the presence of wolves in Colorado showed reintroducing the animals was unnecessary because they could eventually repopulate the state naturally. Cattle ranchers, elk hunters, farmers and others in rural areas argue wolf reintroduction is bad policy driven by urban majorities along Colorados Front Range  and a threat to livestock and to a $1 billion hunting industry.

Wildlife advocates see reintroduction in Colorado as a vital step in restoring the wolf more quickly to habitat stretching from the Canada to the Mexico border. Wolves were reintroduced in the Northern Rockies in the 1990s, and some 3,000 of the animals now roam portions of Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, Oregon, Washington and Northern California.

A remnant population in the western Great Lakes region has expanded to about 4,400 wolves in Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin.

A small population of Mexican gray wolves remains protected in the Southwest, where federal wildlife managers this week announced they had placed a record 22 captive born wolf pups into dens in the wild to be raised by surrogate packs.
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP)  An Alaska lawmaker said he plans to use his legislative office account to pay for a trip to Arizona to visit a partisan audit of the 2020 election.

Rep. David Eastman, a Wasilla Republican, told the Anchorage Daily News the trip was on behalf of his constituents and said he wasn't aware of any other Alaska legislators attending. Some legislators from other states, including Pennsylvania, have recently attended.

The Alaska Legislature is in a special session, though floor and committee action has been limited as negotiators try to reach a budget deal.

Arizona Republican Senate President Karen Fann used legislative subpoena powers to take control of 2.1 million ballots, counting machines and hard drives of data from Maricopa County after former President Donald Trump complained without evidence that his loss in Arizona was marred by fraud. The GOP-controlled county Board of Supervisors has called the audit a sham and said Fanns auditors are incompetent.

Experts in election administration have been critical of the auditors, saying they are not using reliable or consistent procedures.

Eastman, via text message, said regardless of the audit's outcome, Arizonans will have confidence in their process. Alaskans deserve to have that same level of confidence.

Alaska Lt. Gov. Kevin Meyer, who oversees elections in Alaska, said he was disappointed by Eastman's trip. Meyer, a former state legislator, said legislators should be in Juneau.

After the 2020 election in Alaska, Meyer said he would seek an audit of a hotly contested ballot measure to help put to rest questions some had raised about the validity of election results tied to the vote tabulation equipment the state uses.

The audit affirmed the measure's passage, and the director of the Alaska Division of Elections said the audit showed what the division knew it would, that our equipment worked properly, and the 2020 general election was administered accurately and fairly in the state of Alaska."

Trump carried Alaska.

Alaska House members receive up to $12,000 a year for an office account. Alaska lawmakers have not been eligible for a separate, daily allowance since the special session started May 20 because a budget has not yet passed.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP)  Anti-abortion groups are challenging a new Louisville law that creates a buffer zone to keep protesters from an area in front of a downtown abortion clinic.

The new law passed by the Louisville Metro Council last month creates a 10-foot-wide (3-meter-wide) zone outside health care facilities, including the EMW Women's clinic. The downtown facility routinely draws sidewalk protests from anti-abortion advocates.

The Sisters for Life, its founder Angela Minter and the Kentucky Right to Life filed a lawsuit Monday in U.S. District Court in Louisville, arguing the buffer zone violates the groups' free speech rights. The groups said they intended to violate the new law.

The founder of the EMW clinic has said women entering the facility have been subjected to harassment, taunts and stalking for years by anti-abortion activists gathering on the sidewalk.

The lawsuit argues that the buffer law effectively forces protesters to gather across the street, placing limits on the groups' sidewalk ministry.

The city of Louisville should know better than to pass this flagrantly unconstitutional ordinance and we look forward to having it struck down," Chris Wiest, who filed the lawsuit, said in a statement.

On Tuesday the two sides agreed to an order barring enforcement of the new law until July 16.

City officials and the Jefferson County Attorney's office have declined to comment on the pending litigation.

Violators of the buffer law would first be issued a warning, then a citation and a fine of up to $500.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-08 23:46:31|Editor: huaxia

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NAIROBI, June 8 (Xinhua) -- Transsion Holdings, a China-based smartphone manufacturer, has outpaced Samsung in the African market as it leads with a combined unit share of 44.3 percent, according to the latest study by a global research firm released in Nairobi Tuesday.

The International Data Corporation (IDC) said Transsion, which manufactures Tecno, Infinix, and Itel brands, was followed by Samsung and Oppo with respective shares of 22.9 percent and 8.3 percent. Transsion brands also dominated the feature phone market, with a combined unit share of 78.7 percent, followed by Nokia and Stylo with respective shares of 8.1 percent and 1.7 percent.

IDC said Africa's overall mobile phone market enjoyed year-on-year growth of 14 percent in the first quarter (Q1) of the year to total 53.3 million units. And the continent's smartphone market grew 16.8 percent over the same period to 23.4 million units, while the feature phone market was up 11.9 percent to 29.9 million units.

"The increased specs and attributes in smartphones are driving prices upwards, as evidenced by the growth of the low-end price band," said Taher Abdel-Hameed, a senior research analyst at IDC. The main vendors, like Transsion, Samsung, Oppo, and Xiaomi, all launched new feature-rich models, ultra-low-end price bands of below 10,790 shillings (about 100 U.S. dollars).

"These models were well received by channels and customers alike, feeding the growth of the low-end price band," he said. The ultra-low-end price band -- less than 100 dollars -- accounted for 42 percent of the market's shipments in Q1 2021, down from 49.6 percent in Q1 2020.

The study says the low-end price band -- 100 to 200 -- dollars saw its share increase from 35.2 percent to 43.3 percent over the same period.

The smartphone market's growth was spurred by the release of several new models by Android vendors, according to the study.

Ramazan Yavuz, a senior research manager at IDC, said despite supply shortages impacting mobile phone vendors, the major brands succeeded in broadening their model portfolios and driving growth in their shipments into Africa during Q1 2021.

"With vaccination programs expected to accelerate and economies slowly regaining health in the second half of the year, consumer demand is expected to pick up, helping the region's smartphone markets to build on the growth seen in Q1 2021 throughout the remainder of the year," Yavuz added.

The report says the major smartphone markets performed well during Q1 with the exception of South Africa, where the main vendors faced supply shortages and an economic environment that negatively impacted demand. Enditem
DALLAS (AP)  The Texas bar association is investigating whether state Attorney General Ken Paxton's failed efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election based on bogus claims of fraud amounted to professional misconduct.

The State Bar of Texas initially declined to take up a Democratic Party activist's complaint that Paxton's petitioning of the U.S. Supreme Court to block Joe Bidens victory was frivolous and unethical. But a tribunal that oversees grievances against lawyers overturned that decision late last month and ordered the bar to look into the accusations against the Republican official.

The investigation is yet another liability for the embattled attorney general, who is facing a years-old criminal case, a separate, newer FBI investigation, and a Republican primary opponent who is seeking to make electoral hay of the various controversies. It also makes Paxton one of the highest profile lawyers to face professional blowback over their roles in Donald Trump's effort to delegitimize his defeat.

A spokesman for the attorney general's office did not respond to requests for comment. Paxton's defense lawyer, Philip Hilder, declined to comment.

Kevin Moran, the 71-year-old president of the Galveston Island Democrats, shared his complaint with The Associated Press along with letters from the State Bar of Texas and the Board of Disciplinary Appeals that confirm the investigation. He said Paxton's efforts to dismiss other states' election results was a wasteful embarrassment for which the attorney general should lose his law license.

He wanted to disenfranchise the voters in four other states, said Moran. It's just crazy.

Texas' top appeals lawyer, who would usually argue the state's cases before the U.S. Supreme Court, notably did not join Paxton in bringing the election suit. The high court threw it out.

Paxton has less than a month to reply to Moran's claim that the lawsuit to overturn the results in Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin was misleading and brought in bad faith, according to a June 3 letter from the bar. All four of the battleground states voted for Biden in November.

From there, bar staff will take up the case in a proceeding that resembles the grand jury stage of a criminal investigation. Bar investigators are empowered to question witnesses, hold hearings and issue subpoenas to determine whether a lawyer likely committed misconduct. That finding then launches a disciplinary process that could ultimately result in disbarment, suspension or a lesser punishments. A lawyer also could be found to have done nothing wrong.

The bar dismisses thousands of grievances each year and the Board of Disciplinary Appeals, 12 independent lawyers appointed by the Texas Supreme Court, overwhelmingly uphold those decisions. Reversals like that of Moran's complaint happened less than 7% of the time last year, according to the bar's annual report.

Claire Reynolds, a spokeswoman and lawyer for the bar, said state law prohibits the agency from commenting on complaints unless they result is public sanctions or a court action.

The bar's investigation is confidential and likely to take months. But it draws renewed attention to Paxton's divisive defense of Trump as he and Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush vie for the former presidents endorsement in the Republican primary to run for attorney general in 2022.

On the Democratic side, Joe Jaworski, the former mayor of Galveston, has said he'll run. Moran said Jaworski is a friend but that he played no role in the complaint against Paxton.

Paxton's election challenge was filled with claims that failed to withstand basic scrutiny. A succession of other judges and state elections officials have refuted claims of widespread voter fraud, and Trump's own Justice Department found no evidence of fraud that could have changed the election's outcome.

Nonetheless, Paxton's lawsuit won him political and financial support from Trump loyalists at a time when fresh allegations of criminal wrongdoing led many in the state GOP to keep their distance from the attorney general.

Last fall, eight of Paxton's top deputies mounted an extraordinary revolt in which they accused him of abusing his office in the service of a wealthy donor. The FBI is investigating their claims.

Paxton has denied wrongdoing and separately pleaded not guilty in a state securities fraud case that's languished since 2015. He has also used his office in ways that have benefited allies and other donors.

The new criminal allegations prompted an exodus of the top lawyers from Paxton's office. But Solicitor General Kyle Hawkins was still serving as Texas' top appellate lawyer at the time of the election lawsuit.

Although the solicitor general usually handles cases before the U.S. Supreme Court, it was a private Washington, D.C.-based lawyer who brought the election challenge with Paxton. Hawkins has since moved to private practice. A spokesman for his firm said we cant help you" with questions about why he didn't handle the suit.
CANBERRA, Australia (AP)  The World Trade Organization should penalize bad behavior when it occurs, Australia's prime minister said Wednesday ahead of a Group of Seven leaders meeting in Britain where he hopes to garner support in a trade dispute with China.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Australia would be working with others to buttress the role of the World Trade Organization and to modernize its rulebook where necessary.

In my discussions with many leaders, Ive taken great encouragement from the support shown for Australias preparedness to withstand economic coercion in recent times, Morrison said in a speech in the Australian west coast city of Perth before leaving for the G-7 meeting in Cornwall.

The Australian government announced in December it would ask the WTO to intervene in its dispute with China over barley and expects other nations to become involved in the case.

China effectively ended imports of Australian barley in May 2020 by putting tariffs of more than 80% on the grain, accusing Australia of breaching WTO rules by subsidizing barley production and selling it in China at below production cost.

Trade in Australian seafood, wood, beef, wine and coal has also been disrupted since Australia angered China by requesting an independent inquiry into the origins of the coronavirus pandemic.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said in Beijing that Australia and the G-7 nations should do more to promote international cooperation in fighting the epidemic, advance world economic recovery and help developing countries accelerate their development, instead of creating conflicts and differences in the international community.

The Geneva-based WTO, which makes rules governing international trade, is facing calls for restructuring and reform as it struggles to forge a long-awaited world trade pact.

A well-functioning WTO that sets clear rules, arbitrates disputes objectively and efficiently penalizes bad behavior when it occurs. This can be one of the most powerful tools the international community has to counter economic coercion, Morrison said.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said last month the United States will not leave Australia alone to face coercion from China and that such behavior toward U.S. allies will hamper improvement in relations between Washington and Beijing.

Morrison said in his speech that the most practical way to address economic coercion would be to restore the WTOs binding dispute settlement system.

Where there are no consequences for coercive behavior, there is little incentive for restraint, he said.

The G-7 meeting provides an opportunity to point a way forward at a WTO ministerial conference on trade reforms in November, he said.
JERSEY CITY, N.J. (AP)  A man stabbed and injured a woman and two young children inside their northern New Jersey apartment before killing himself with the knife, authorities said.

Jersey City police responded to the apartment shortly after 7 a.m. Monday and found the 54-year-old man with a knife wound to his throat. He was pronounced dead a short time later.
PRAGUE (AP)  A Belarusian opposition leader called Wednesday for the creation of an international tribunal to investigate and prosecute crimes reportedly committed by her country's government and its longtime authoritarian leader, President Alexander Lukashenko.

Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, the main opposition candidate in Belarus' disputed presidential election last year, spoke to the Czech Republic's Senate in Prague. She asked the Czech Republic to organize an international conference to deal with the current situation in her country.

We cannot allow dictators to write history, Tsikhanouskaya said.

Lukashenko has faced months of protests fueled by his reelection to a sixth term in the August election, which was widely seen as rigged. Belarusian authorities have responded to demonstrations with a fierce crackdown. Police have arrested more than 35,000 people, and thousands of protesters were beaten by officers.

Tsikhanouskaya called the crackdown a terror that our country has not experienced since the time of Stalinism.

"The only solution to the crisis in Belarus can be free elections, she said.

In audio testimony to the US Senate's Foreign Relations Committee later Wednesday, Tsikhanouskaya said that although there were defections by law enforcement officers amid the protests in Belarus, the opposition thinks discontented officials will be useful by staying in their jobs.

We changed the strategy a little bit, and we ask the people in the regime to stay in their places but to give us inside information, she said.

In the Czech Parliament, Tsikhanouskaya also called on European countries to impose more sanctions on the Belarusian government, to halt trade in Berarusian oil products and fertilizers, and to not cooperate with the countrys state institutions and banks.

International condemnation and isolation of Belarus has deepened since Belarusian flight controllers on May 23 told the crew of a Ryanair airliner of an alleged bomb threat. They instructed the pilots to land in the capital, Minsk, where journalist Raman Pratasevich was pulled off the plane by authorities and arrested.

"The terrorist nature of Lukashenkos dictatorship now becomes evident to the whole world, said Tsikhanouskaya, who received a standing ovation in the Czech Senate.

Tsikhanouskaya was in Prague at the invitation of Senate Speaker Milos Vystrcil. She also met with Czech President Milos Zeman and Prime Minister Andrej Babis.

___

Follow all AP stories on Belarus at https://apnews.com/hub/Belarus.
The Biden administration is buying 500 million doses of Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine to donate to the world as the United States dramatically increases its efforts to help vaccinate more of the global population, three people familiar with the plans said Wednesday.

The first 200 million doses will be distributed this year, with the subsequent 300 million shared in the first half of next year. The doses will be distributed by Covax, the World Health Organization-backed initiative to share doses around the globe, and they will be targeted at low- and middle-income countries. Pfizer is selling the doses to the United States at a "not-for-profit" price, according to the people familiar with the deal, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to share details that were not yet public.

President Joe Biden is slated to announce the plan this week at the Group of Seven meeting in Britain, where he is expected to be joined by Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla. The deal comes amid growing calls for the United States and other rich countries to play a more substantial role in boosting the global supply of coronavirus vaccines.

The White House and Pfizer declined to comment, but the president hinted he would be announcing his global plan as he boarded Air Force One to Britain on Wednesday.

"I have one, and I'll be announcing it," he told reporters.

Many public health experts and advocacy groups cheered the news of the White House's deal with Pfizer, saying U.S. leadership on the issue will be critical to vaccinating the world - even if much remains to be done.

"It's an extraordinary development," said Jennifer Nuzzo, an epidemiologist and senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, adding that the announcement "sends a profound signal in terms of U.S. commitment to global health security and willingness to help end this pandemic for the world and the United States."

The question of how to close the vaccine gap and end the pandemic is expected to be front and center at the G-7 summit this week. In the lead-up to the meeting of wealthy democracies, Biden's vaccine-sharing strategy has been under intense scrutiny - both at home and abroad.

"The president is focused on helping to vaccinate the world because he believes it is the right thing to do; it's what Americans do in times of need," Jake Sullivan, Biden's national security adviser, told reporters aboard Air Force One, while declining to discuss specifics of the president's announcement. "When we have the capacity, then we have the will, and we step up and we deliver. And he said in his joint session that we were the arsenal of democracy in World War II, and we're going to be the arsenal of vaccines over the course of the next period to end this pandemic."

The Biden administration previously announced it would share at least 80 million vaccine doses with the world by the end of June. Last week, the White House detailed plans for how it would allocate 25 million doses, with about 19 million of them being shared with Covax. Roughly 6 million shots would be shared directly with countries experiencing severe coronavirus outbreaks, including India.

But congressional Democrats and some health advocates have been calling for the administration to do more. At the same time, Biden's surprise decision to support a proposal to waive patent protections for coronavirus vaccines has faced strong pushback from the European Union. Experts have said the patent waiver, which would probably not even be approved for months, will do little to boost vaccine supply in the near term, as it could take years before countries build factories and amass the materials and expertise to produce the vaccines.

Questions about how to proceed have intensified in recent weeks as cases in the United States have receded and infections have surged in some developing countries without adequate vaccine supply, leading to fresh charges of "vaccine apartheid."

The gap between vaccines haves and have-nots is vast. More than half the populations in the United States and Britain have had at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, compared with fewer than 2% of people in Africa.

So far, the global effort to close that gap has been piecemeal. Some wealthy nations have announced plans to donate surplus doses and have expressed support for the idea of boosting global supply - but specifics on when and how to proceed are scarce.

Covax aims to deliver 2 billion doses by the end of the year, with an eye toward vaccinating 20% of the populations of countries in need, but it may not meet that relatively modest target. The initiative has been plagued by funding shortfalls and a severe supply crunch exacerbated by the crisis in India, leading to potentially deadly delays. To date, Covax has delivered just under 82 million doses to 129 countries.

After a successful vaccination effort in the United States, Biden tapped Jeff Zients, the coronavirus coordinator, to oversee the country's global vaccination strategy. Zients has been working on the deal with Pfizer for more than a month, an official familiar with the deal said, and the White House wanted the announcement to be a signature part of Biden's trip to the G-7.

"It is meaningful," said Thomas Bollyky, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and director of its global health program, "but not sufficient on its own."

To assess the scale, he said, consider that 500 million doses is about six times the doses Covax has distributed so far. At the same time, it amounts to just a quarter of the 2 billion doses the initiative aimed to distribute this year.

"These Pfizer doses will go to many countries," Bollyky said. "The big question is, in what order and in what amount? That will have significant bearing on what the public health impact of the commitment will be."

With the United States' forthcoming announcement, international health organizations are now calling on other wealthy countries to increase their global commitments as well, warning about the need to curtail the virus around the world to prevent more dangerous variants from spreading.

"We won't end this global pandemic anywhere unless we beat it everywhere," Tom Hart, acting CEO of the One Campaign, an organization focused on fighting global poverty and preventable disease, said in a statement. "Donating doses to COVAX will save lives, reduce the spread of variants, and help reopen the global economy. We urge other G-7 countries to follow the US' example and donate more doses to COVAX. If there was ever a time for global ambition and action to end the pandemic, it's now."

As the president travels overseas to tout the Pfizer deal, his administration still faces hurdles in the domestic vaccination effort. Biden, who has grown accustomed to touting victories over the virus, now faces two disquieting trends. The slowdown of the vaccination campaign in the United States - only about 50% of the population having received at least one dose - has coincided with the growing prevalence in the country of a highly transmissible variant already imperiling Britain's path back to normal and forcing Prime Minister Boris Johnson to decide whether to fully reopen his country as planned.

"It's highly likely we will see a very similar trend as in Britain," said William Lee, vice president of science at Helix, a population genomics company.

The variant, first identified in India and known as delta, accounts for 6% of new infections in the United States, Anthony Fauci, the nation's leading infectious-disease expert, said Tuesday. And while preliminary evidence suggests the two-dose vaccines are effective against the variant, there is significantly less protection after just one dose, Fauci said.

Meanwhile, the seven-day average of daily vaccinations is hovering around 1 million, well short of the rate necessary to meet Biden's goal of delivering at least one dose to 70% of adults by July 4.

The two dynamics are intertwined. And because of the stark regional variations in immunization levels, they threaten to drive summer outbreaks of the virus in areas where vast swaths of the population have yet to get the shots, especially in the Southeast, experts said.

But public health officials said the global vaccination effort needs to remain a top priority given how cases are still surging in low-income countries around the world. Biden had promised the United States would lead the effort, and the Pfizer announcement will be a centerpiece of it.

The news of the deal even received bipartisan praise.

"This is exactly what the federal government should be doing: working with the companies who developed lifesaving covid-19 vaccines to make them available to the rest of the world," Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., said in a statement. "This news is a reminder of what's possible when we partner private sector innovation with the public sector's resources and reach."

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The Washington Post's Dan Diamond and Isaac Stanley-Becker contributed to this report.
WASHINGTON - President Joe Biden on Wednesday revoked Trump administration executive orders that sought to ban TikTok, WeChat and other Chinese-owned apps and replaced them with a new security review that could prompt fresh steps to restrict those or other apps.

Biden's new executive order would create a process to scrutinize whether apps controlled by a foreign adversary present risks to U.S. national security and the security of Americans' sensitive personal data, the White House said.

After the government reviews each particular app, it can "take action, as appropriate," the administration said in a fact sheet.

Senior administration officials said they remain concerned about the risks posed by apps owned by Chinese companies but wanted to establish a more "robust" process for reviewing them. They noted that the Trump administration's ban orders had faced several court challenges that led judges to temporarily block the bans while the cases proceeded.

Asked whether the Biden administration still intends to ban TikTok or WeChat, one senior administration official said: "All the mobile apps named in the revoked executive orders are eligible for evaluation under the process we've outlined."

"The administration is extremely committed to ensure protection of Americans' data from foreign at-risk apps across the board . . . including large and popular apps. I think there are a wide range of actions that can be negotiated or imposed to ensure Americans' data can be comprehensively protected," another senior administration official told reporters Wednesday. Both officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to preview the new executive order.

"The Biden administration is committed to promoting an open, interoperable, reliable and secure Internet; protecting human rights online and offline; and supporting a vibrant, global digital economy," the administration said in a fact sheet. "Certain countries, including the People's Republic of China (PRC), do not share these values and seek to leverage digital technologies and Americans' data in ways that present unacceptable national security risks while advancing authoritarian controls and interests."

TikTok's corporate owner, ByteDance, declined to comment Wednesday. Tencent, which owns WeChat, didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

In a statement, the American Civil Liberties Union warned the Biden administration against actions that would infringe on the First Amendment rights of TikTok and WeChat users. "President Biden is right to revoke these Trump administration executive orders, which blatantly violated the First Amendment rights of TikTok and WeChat users in the United States," the statement quoted a senior ACLU attorney, Ashley Gorski, as saying. "The Commerce Department's review of these and other apps must not take us down the same misguided path, by serving as a smokescreen for future bans or other unlawful actions."

U.S. WeChat users who sued the Trump administration also applauded Biden's move. A ban "would have led to the unprecedented shutdown of a major platform for communications relied on by millions of people in the United States," said Michael Bien, lead counsel for the plaintiffs.

Administration officials said Biden's order doesn't affect a separate Trump directive from last August instructing ByteDance to divest its U.S. TikTok operations. The interagency Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, or CFIUS, has been overseeing ByteDance's proposals to comply with that order, which at one point included an offer to spin off part of its operations to Oracle.

"The CFIUS action remains under active discussion by the U.S. government. I'm not in a place to share any details of that," one of the administration officials said.

The new Biden order directs the Commerce secretary to prepare two reports: one recommending "additional executive and legislative actions to address the risk associated with" apps subject to the jurisdiction of a foreign adversary, and another offering recommendations to prevent a foreign adversary from harming Americans by gaining access to their health or genetic information.

The Trump administration last year sought to ban TikTok, WeChat and other apps owned by Chinese companies, including the mobile-payment app Alipay, on the grounds that they collected "vast swaths" of data on Americans and offered the Chinese Communist Party avenues for censoring or distorting information. The Army and the Navy banned service members from using TikTok on government-issued devices in 2019 and the Defense Department issued a warning to its employees about the app.

ByteDance and users of TikTok and WeChat quickly challenged Trump's executive orders in court, prompting judges to issue preliminary injunctions halting the bans.

In the WeChat case, the court said the plaintiffs had raised "serious questions" about the ban hurting their First Amendment rights. In one of the TikTok cases, users of the app argued that the ban would eliminate the "professional opportunities" they derived from the app.

The Trump administration appealed those preliminary injunctions, but the Biden administration in February asked federal appeals courts to halt those proceedings while it reviewed the proposed bans.

One of the Biden officials said some of Trump's executive orders "weren't implemented in the soundest fashion" and that the White House is now trying to establish "a robust comprehensive process against a set of clear and intelligible criteria" to determine any risks posed by apps.

The administration gave similar reasons for changing a different Trump order last week. While Biden preserved the heart of Trump's prohibitions on U.S. investment in companies that support China's military, he moved oversight of the ban from the Defense Department to the Treasury Department, to give it stronger legal grounding.

"Like the administration's order last week to ban investment in Chinese surveillance companies, this framework looks to improve on the Trump approach, but it should be judged on how they actually utilize the tool going forward," said Eric Sayers, a visiting fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and former Pentagon official.

"Will it be used aggressively against TikTok, Alipay or other tech platforms that capture vast amounts of Americans' data, or will it be employed rarely and with caution? If it's the latter, this will be an improved framework but hold little value," he said.

Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., called revoking the Trump bans a "major mistake," saying in a tweet that it "shows alarming complacency" toward China's access to Americans' personal information and toward China's "growing corporate influence."

One former U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the matter's sensitivity, said the new order "suggests that the export of data to China is a pressing problem for the Biden administration, but it offers no clarity as to how they will address it."

"The administration clearly wants to extricate itself from the legal morass created by its predecessor," the former official said, "but it's not yet clear they are committed to taking meaningful action in a timely way."

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The Washington Post's Rachel Lerman contributed to this report.
BEIJING (AP)  Beijing has denounced a U.S. bill aimed at boosting U.S. technology to improve American competitiveness, calling it a thinly veiled attack on Chinas political system and an attempt to hinder its development.

The Foreign Affairs Committee of Chinas ceremonial legislature, the National Peoples Congress, issued a scathing statement on Wednesday expressing its strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition to the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act. The bill passed with overwhelming bipartisan support in the Senate on Tuesday.

This bill seeks to exaggerate and spread the so-called China threat' to maintain global American hegemony, using human rights and religion as excuses to interfere in China's domestic politics, and deprive China of its legitimate development rights," the statement said.

No force should expect that China will swallow any bitter fruit that harms China's sovereignty, security or development interests," it said. It echoed language used by President Xi Jinping, who has adopted an aggressive foreign policy that responds harshly to any perceived attacks on China's reputation.

The statement also attacked provisions of the bill expressing support for Taiwan, the self-governing island democracy that China claims as its own territory; references to Hong Kong, where Beijing is accused of rolling back democracy; and criticism of Chinese policy in the northwestern territory of Xinjiang, the site of mass detentions of minority Muslim groups.

Those and related issues are purely China's internal affairs and absolutely no foreign interference will be tolerated," the statement said.

At a daily briefing, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said China-related content in the bill was full of Cold War zero-sum thinking  which distorts the facts (and) smears Chinas development path and domestic and foreign policies."

It is a matter for the U.S. itself as to how to develop and enhance its competitiveness. But we firmly oppose the U.S. making an issue of China and treating China as an imaginary enemy," Wang said.

China has enacted various policy blueprints intended to enhance its own competitiveness and build its prowess in advanced technologies. Such plans tend to be focused entirely on the economy and business, areas where the ruling Communist Party and government play a huge role.

The 68-32 Senate vote demonstrated how confronting China is a rate issue that can unite both parties in Congress at a time of intense partisan division.

But Senators have sought to call attention to Chinas growing influence without stoking anti-Asian rhetoric at a time of rising hate crimes against Asian Americans.

The centerpiece of the bill is a $50 billion emergency allotment to the Commerce Department to support semiconductor development and manufacturing through research and incentive programs previously authorized by Congress. The bills overall cost would increase spending by about $250 billion, with most of the outlays in the first five years.

Other parts of the bill spell out national security concerns and target money-laundering schemes or cyberattacks by entities on behalf of the Chinese government. There are also buy America provisions for infrastructure projects in the U.S.

Some provisions reflect concerns over China's handling of the pandemic. One would prevent providing federal money to the Wuhan Institute of Virology as investigations proceed into the origins of the virus and suspected connections to the labs research. Cases of the virus were first recorded in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, but China has rejected any links between the outbreak and the institute.

Its unclear whether the measure will find support in the Democratic-led House, where the Science Committee is expected to soon consider that chambers version.

The bill's passage comes days after President Joe Biden expanded a list of Chinese companies whose shares are off-limits to American investors because of their purported links to the Chinese military and surveillance.

That updated an order signed last year by Bidens predecessor, Donald Trump, that added to antagonisms over trade and technology.

China demanded Washington withdraw the order and said it was prepared to take necessary measures to resolutely safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises.

The executive order, which takes effect Aug. 2, is the latest indication that Biden has not softened the U.S. stance on alleged security risks from companies American officials say are linked to the Chinese military and industrial complex.

Tariffs on Chinese products that were imposed under Trump, triggering similar actions from Beijing, mostly remain in place.
AP

BEIJING (AP)  A professor killed the Communist Party secretary at the school of mathematics at China's prestigious Fudan University, police and school authorities said.

Police identified the suspect in custody as a 39-year-old professor whose surname is Jiang, saying he used a knife in committing the crime on the school campus in Shanghai.
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP)  Missouri Department of Natural Resources Director Carol Comer has died, state officials said Wednesday.

The cause of death was not released. Comer announced in July 2019 that she had undergone two unsuccessful surgeries and was beginning chemotherapy to fight cancer.

Comer, an environmental lawyer, was named director of the department in January 2017 by former Gov. Eric Greitens. Before her appointment, she was commissioner of the Indiana Department of Environmental Management.

The DNR said in a news release that officials plan to carry out her vision for the agency moving forward.

Missouri Gov. Mike Parson praised Comer as an accomplished leader who will be deeply missed by his cabinet.

She was a dedicated public servant who loved this state, its people, and the great outdoors, Parson said in a statement. We could not have asked for a better advocate for Missouris natural resources. Teresa and I will keep Carols loved ones in our prayers as we mourn the loss of this extraordinary individual.

Details of where Comer died and funeral arrangements were not immediately available.
WEEPING WATER, Neb. (AP)  Sheriffs deputies serving arrest warrants at a house in rural Cass County were faced with a different emergency when a woman inside the house was fatally shot, authorities said.

Cass County deputies went to the house several miles southeast of Weeping Water around 9:30 p.m. Monday to serve the warrants and were trying to make contact with a person when they heard a gunshot from inside the house, the Nebraska State Patrol said in a news release. Deputies then reported hearing someone call for help.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-09 01:17:13|Editor: huaxia

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CHONGQING, June 8 (Xinhua) -- Following is the full text of the initiative on deepening cooperation among local governments of Lancang-Mekong countries issued at the Sixth Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) Foreign Ministers' Meeting held in Chongqing on Tuesday. Enditem
DETROIT (AP)  The city of Detroit is taking COVID-19 vaccinations to the homes of residents who are unable to travel to vaccination sites.

People considered homebound or sick and shut in will be contacted to set up appointments that could start as early as Monday, the city said Wednesday.
WASHINGTON (AP)  The wife of Mexican drug kingpin Joaquin El Chapo Guzman is expected to plead guilty to federal criminal charges after she had been charged in the U.S. with helping her husband run his multibillion-dollar criminal empire.

Emma Coronel Aispuro is due in court Thursday in Washington for a plea agreement hearing, according to court records. She had previously pleaded not guilty after being charged in a single-count criminal complaint with conspiracy to distribute cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin and marijuana in the U.S.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP)  A former teacher at a Winston-Salem charter school pleaded guilty Tuesday in Forsyth Superior Court to two counts of taking indecent liberties with a minor.

The Winston-Salem Journal reports that Tyrus Cromartie, 27, was sentenced to 10 to 12 months in prison with an additional 10 to 12 months suspended. He must register as a sex offender for the next 30 years and cannot be alone with a minor child without supervision.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP)  The Minnesota Supreme Court is deciding how to interpret the state's third-degree murder statute in a police killing case that is expected to have repercussions for the four former Minneapolis police officers charged in the death of George Floyd.

The state's highest court heard oral arguments Wednesday in the case of Mohamed Noor, a former Minneapolis police officer who fatally shot Justine Ruszczyk Damond. Damond, a dual U.S.-Australian citizen engaged to a Minneapolis man, had called 911 to report a possible sexual assault behind her home. Noor was convicted in 2019 of third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.

The main issue before the justices, who did not say when they would rule, is how to properly interpret Minnesota's third-degree murder statute, which has been hotly debated in the prosecutions over both the Damond and Floyd killings. Here's a look at some of the issues involved:

THE STATUTE:

Minnesota law defines third-degree murder as an act eminently dangerous to others and evincing a depraved mind, without regard for human life. A central dispute is whether dangerous to others must be read as plural, or if the fatal act can be directed at a single, specific person.

Defense attorney Caitlinrose Fisher argued that the statutory language, backed by case law, requires that a defendants actions be directed at more than one person, and that the law is meant for cases such as indiscriminate killings.

But Hennepin County prosecutor Jean Burdorf cited other cases, including a February decision from the Minnesota Court of Appeals that affirmed Noor's conviction. Those cases held that others could mean just one person. She asked the justices to make the law clear because the proper interpretation has become unclear amid conflicting rulings over the years.

HOW THE RULING COULD AFFECT THE EX-OFFICERS CHARGED IN FLOYD'S DEATH:

Derek Chauvin was convicted in April of second- and third-degree murder, plus second-degree manslaughter. The white former Minneapolis police officer pinned Floyd to the pavement for close to 9 1/2 minutes in May 2020 as the Black man said he couldnt breathe and went motionless. Floyds death, captured on widely seen bystander video, sparked worldwide protests and a national reckoning on racial justice.

Hennepin County District Judge Peter Cahill will sentence Chauvin on June 25 on just the most serious charge. Prosecutors have asked for 30 years in prison; the defense has asked for probation and time already served. Cahill last fall threw out the third-degree murder charge, but reinstated it in light of the Court of Appeals' ruling on Noor.

If the Supreme Court voids Noor's conviction for the reasons debated Wednesday, Chauvin would have grounds for contesting his conviction on the third-degree murder count. But it wouldn't affect Chauvin's sentence unless he also succeeds in his own appeal of his second-degree murder conviction. A decision in favor of Noor would have had a bigger impact on Chauvin's case if Chauvin had been acquitted on the most serious charge, but it stuck.

Prosecutors have asked the Court of Appeals to allow them to add charges against the three other ex-officers of aiding and abetting third-degree murder, who are due to stand trial in March. They're already charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and manslaughter.

Adding the lesser count could increase the odds of prosecutors getting convictions, but the count also carries lower sentences. Under Minnesota law, aiding and abetting carries the same sentence as the underlying crime itself.

WHAT COULD HAPPEN TO NOOR IF HE WINS:

Noor isnt contesting his conviction on the lesser charge of second-degree manslaughter. Fisher urged the justices to send the case back to the trial court for resentencing on that count alone.

While Noor was sentenced to 12 1/2 years on the murder count, which matched the prison term recommended by the states sentencing guidelines, those guidelines recommend just four years for the manslaughter count.

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Find APs full coverage of the death of George Floyd: https://apnews.com/hub/death-of-george-floyd
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP)  The FBI is now working with the Des Moines Area Community College on a data security breach that has led to days of the school being shut down.

The security incident closed the college on Friday and forced it to partially shut down its computer network, the Des Moines Register reported. The college remained closed Tuesday, and the shutdown has affected the schools courses.
A federal appeals court panel on Wednesday blocked Missouri from enforcing a sweeping state abortion law that bans the procedures at or after eight weeks of pregnancy.

A three-judge panel of the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis heard arguments in September in the legal battle over the 2019 law. The measure also would prohibit a woman from having an abortion because the fetus has Down syndrome.

Yamelsie Rodriguez, president and CEO of Reproductive Health Services of Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region, called the ruling a critical victory for Missourians.

For now, we celebrate our continued ability to provide safe, legal abortion at the last remaining clinic in Missouri, Rodriguez said in a statement.

Republican Attorney General Eric Schmitt said in a statement that his son, Stephen, who has a rare genetic condition, autism and epilepsy, has shown me the inherent beauty and dignity in all life, especially those with special needs. While were disappointed in the 8th Circuits decision, their decision does provide an avenue for this case to be heard by the Supreme Court, and we plan to seek review in the Supreme Court.

The lawsuit was filed by Reproductive Health Services, which operates the St. Louis abortion clinic, and the American Civil Liberties Union. A federal judge had blocked the law while the legal challenge plays out, prompting the states appeal to the 8th Circuit.

U.S. District Judge Howard Sachs said at the time of his ruling last year that Planned Parenthood and the ACLU would likely succeed in their lawsuit alleging that the law is unconstitutional. Similar laws have been struck down in North Dakota and Iowa.

Most of the discussion at the hearing in September centered around the provision banning abortions because the fetus is diagnosed with Down syndrome. Missouri Solicitor General John Sauer cited an epidemic of abortions targeting children with Down syndrome for elimination solely because of their disability.

Planned Parenthood attorney Claudia Hammerman argued at the time that four decades of Supreme Court precedent make it clear that this is unconstitutional. She said doctors wont take the risk of losing their medical license for aborting a fetus with Down syndrome, regardless of whether the condition was the reason the woman sought the procedure.

Several states in 2021 have approved legislation seeking to prohibit abortions based solely on a prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome. Governors in Arizona and South Dakota recently signed such bills into law, and similar measures are pending in North Carolina and Texas. Meanwhile, a federal appellate court said Ohio could begin to implement a 2017 law that has been on hold.

Missouri also is among several conservative states in recent years that have passed abortion restrictions in hopes that the increasingly conservative Supreme Court will eventually overturn Roe v. Wade, the 1973 decision that established a nationwide right to abortion.

Last month, the Supreme Court voted 6-3 to take on a case about whether states can ban abortions before a fetus can survive outside the womb. Experts say the case could dramatically alter nearly 50 years of rulings on abortion rights. Three justices appointed by former President Donald Trump were part of a conservative majority in agreeing to hear the case.
LAS VEGAS (AP)  The Las Vegas Fire Department responded to a train rail car on fire in downtown Las Vegas Monday.

The department received reports around 9:40 p.m. of an explosion in a rail car parked on the railroad tracks behind the Main Street Station, spokesman Tim Szymanski said. No injuries were reported.

Crews arrived to find the rail car had 10 vehicles inside that either caught fire or were damaged by the fire, Szymanski said. No other rail cars were damaged, authorities said.

The cars each held one gallon (3.79 litres) of fuel, the Las Vegas Citizens Fire Academy said in a tweet Monday. It took about an hour to extinguish the flames.

Traffic in the area was not affected, authorities said. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP)  A Florida county is considering limits on demonstrating in neighborhoods after crowds gathered for days last year outside the vacation home of Derek Chauvin, the Minneapolis police officer who was later convicted of killing George Floyd.

The Orlando Sentinel reported that Orange County Sheriff John Mina brought the proposal to the county commission after being surprised to learn that he couldn't force the protesters to move elsewhere.

Being the former chief of police in Orlando where we had an ordinance, (I thought), They cant be there. This is surely an ordinance violation,  Mina said.

With support from Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings, the county's lawyers introduced an ordinance Tuesday designed to keep protestors away from homes.

All it takes is the next flashpoint, the next controversy here, the next police shooting or whatever, Mina said.

But several commissioners seemed blindsided by the proposal and asked for more time to consider it. They put off any decision until June 22 to also give the public time to consider the proposed change. Some expressed concerns about violating First Amendment rights.

Its even more important that the people have the opportunity to comment on it. ... And by rushing this, were taking that away from people, said Commissioner Emily Bonilla.

Commissioner Mayra Uribe said she was troubled that Orange County's citizens weren't involved in the discussion.

We know historically that different communities are treated differently, she said.

The sheriff said the protests outside the townhouse that was owned by Chauvin and his now ex-wife were generally peaceful, but there was some vandalism, two people were arrested and there were threats on social media about burning the house down.

We had probably, depending on the day and time of night, anywhere from 20 to 40 deputies out there because of the size of the crowd, Mina said.

Mina said many of the neighbors totally agreed" why the protestors were there, but you can tell there was a little uneasiness in them, and their concerns grew as the protests continued.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-09 03:10:35|Editor: huaxia

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U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken testifies before the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations on Review of the FY 2022 State Department Budget Request in Washington, D.C., the United States, on June 8, 2021. (Photo by Ting Shen/Xinhua)

WASHINGTON, June 8 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Tuesday that "hundreds of sanctions" against Iran will remain in place even if Washington and Tehran return to compliance with the nuclear deal.

"I would anticipate that even in the events of a return to compliance with the JCPOA, hundreds of sanctions will remain in place, including sanctions imposed by the Trump administration," Blinken told the Senate Appropriations Committee in a hearing.

He noted that the United States would lift sanctions inconsistent with the nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), if Iran returns to compliance.

"If they are not inconsistent with the JCPOA, they will remain, unless and until Iran's behavior changes," he added.

Blinken again raised doubt about whether Tehran is willing to take steps to come back into compliance.

His similar comments on Monday were met with an immediate response from Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.

"It remains unclear whether @POTUS (President Joe Biden) and @SecBlinken are ready to bury the failed 'maximum pressure' policy of Trump ... and cease using #EconomicTerrorism as bargaining 'leverage,'" he tweeted.

The United States and Iran have held five rounds of indirect negotiations in Austria's capital Vienna since April aimed at reviving the nuclear deal.

Abbas Araqchi, the head of Iran's negotiating team, said last week that the next round of talks in Vienna could be conclusive and lead to an agreement.

The United States, however, has been more cautious on the prospect. "There are some hurdles that remain that we haven't been able to overcome in those five rounds," State Department spokesperson Ned Price last week said in a briefing.

The U.S. government under former President Donald Trump withdrew from the JCPOA in May 2018 and unilaterally re-imposed sanctions on Iran. In response, Iran gradually stopped implementing parts of its JCPOA commitments from May 2019. Enditem
ATLANTA (AP)  A Georgia State Patrol trooper shot a murder suspect in an exchange of gunfire off a highway near the Atlanta airport Wednesday afternoon, authorities said. It was the second trooper-involved shooting in two days.

WSB-TV reports that the trooper was tracking a murder suspect, who wasnt immediately identified, and got into a chase. The trooper performed a PIT maneuver  a tactic used to force a fleeing car to abruptly turn sideways  and the suspect pulled out a gun, the report said.
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP)  Republicans, who vastly outnumber Democrats in the Legislature, will lead a committee to redraw North Dakotas legislative districts this year, a task that will influence the political balance of power for the next decade.

A redistricting committee of 14 Republicans and two Democrats was picked Wednesday during a meeting of Legislative Management, a 17-member GOP-led panel of lawmakers that handles the Legislatures business between sessions.

A seat on the redistricting committee is always competitive because it decides potentially new areas that lawmakers will represent, and 95 of the Legislatures 141 members applied. Members were chosen based on recommendations from party leaders.

Legislative redistricting happens every 10 years after a federal census. It aims to ensure each lawmaker represents about the same number of people.

North Dakota currently has 47 legislative districts, and each is represented by two House members and a senator. The Legislature has 47 senators and 94 House members. Republicans have 80 House seats to Democrats 14, and a 40-7 edge in the Senate.

Democrats hold about 14% of legislative seats, so proportionately, the redistricting committee is in-line with the Legislatures makeup.

One looming question is whether to increase the number of districts because of bigger urban population gains, to keep sprawling rural districts from covering even more ground to absorb more constituents.

North Dakotas Constitution allows for as few as 40 legislative districts and as many as 54.

Legislative Management on Wednesday also named the members of 27 interim committees. The bipartisan committees will study an assortment of subjects in the run-up to the 2023 legislative session, from school funding to gambling addiction.

North Dakota is one of four states where the Legislature meets every other year.

Bismarck Sen. Erin Oban and Fargo Rep. Josh Boschee represent the Democrats on the redistricting panel. GOP Rep. Bill Devlin, of Finley, will head the panel. Other GOP representatives on the panel are Austen Schauer of West Fargo; David Monson of Osnabrock; Larry Bellew of Minot; Craig Headland of Montpelier; Mike Nathe of Bismarck; and Mike Lefor of Dickinson.

GOP Senators on the panel are Ray Holmberg of Grand Forks; Brad Bekkedahl of Williston; Nicole Poolman of Bismarck; Robert Eberle of Lehr; Jerry Klein of Fessenden; Ron Sorvaag of Fargo; and Randy Burckhard of Minot.

Republicans have controlled both chambers and the crafting of legislative maps since 1994. Democrats have pushed for equal numbers on the redistricting committee, or to have an independent panel craft the legislative maps. Republicans have repeatedly rebuffed those attempts.

Democrats on Wednesday did not protest the new panels makeup.

Legislative leaders said the panel would host several meetings statewide and hopes to finish its work by Nov. 1.

The Legislature would finish the redistricting job during a special or reconvened session this fall. The full Legislature has to approve the plan, and the governor must sign off on it.

Any new districts would be reflected in the June 2022 primary.
GLASGOW VILLAGE, Mo. (AP)  A St. Louis County man is dead after a shooting that his fiancee blames on a dispute over grass clippings.

Allen Waller of Glasgow Village was killed Sunday in the driveway of his home. His fiancee, who did not want to be identified, told KTVI-TV that Waller was killed over a long-standing dispute with the people who mow the neighbor's yard.
MORRISONVILLE, Ill. (AP)  A woman and her husband in their 90s were killed when their vehicle was struck by a semi-truck, police said.

Carl Adden, 95, was driving north in Christian County when he failed to stop at a stop sign Tuesday, Illinois State Police said.
To all the struggles of life in Lebanon  the pandemic, the power outages, the inflation, the punishing financial and political crises  add one more: shortages of crucial medications.

But as residents struggle to find the medicines they need, some are finding that their fellow Lebanese are doing what they can to help.

Christiane Massoud, a 41-year-old nurse, scoured pharmacies for an elusive drug to manage her Crohn's disease, had friends around the country search on her behalf and asked her doctor if there was a substitute. She also appealed to strangers online for pointers to track it down.

Nada Waked responded to one of those online pleas: She had a small amount that her mom no longer needed. Massoud offered to pay; Waked and her mom declined the money. Instead, Waked asked for a prayer.

In this bleak landscape, Massoud found in Wakeds gesture a bright spot.

It showed that we are a people who stand by one another and feel for one another, she said. There are still people who help each other out.

As the country's crises deepened, pharmacist Chadi Geha said he noticed more were eager to help strangers. Some of his customers started refusing to take back change, asking him instead to use the cash to pay for the medications of others in need.

That didnt happen before, he said. You feel like theres still good in the world. ... They dont even want to know who theyre helping; they just care about helping.

But money or no money, Geha has had to turn away many customers as more medications became unavailable, shortages that had been exacerbated by panic buying and by some suppliers holding on to the drugs. The difference between the official and black-market dollar rates has also fueled smuggling of subsidized drugs out of the country.

In late May, Lebanons central bank said it could not continue with its subsidies of medical items without dipping into the mandatory reserves, hard currency deposits parked by local lenders at the bank, and asked authorities to find a solution.

Geha started closing the pharmacy early. Im tired of telling people were out of this and out of that.

Frantic pleas for tracking down medications abound on LibanTroc, the Facebook group where Massoud and Waked connected. Members point some to organizations who may have the drugs or to pharmacies they know carry them.

Weve seen amazing interaction and a lot of good deeds that keep us from working on migrating elsewhere, as were still trying to fix whatever remains of our wounded roots, said Hala Dahrouge, founder of LibanTroc, which has evolved into a nongovernmental organization facilitating different kinds of assistance and requests.

Massoud thinks of others who may not know how to navigate social media like she did to find medications. Shes thinking of moving her family out of the country, but amid the despair of life in Lebanon, she takes heart from the ways, small and big, in which many are helping strangers.

Waked said that even though she has no extra means to help others financially, she still wanted to offer a little relief.

I know very well that if you give from the heart, God will provide for you whenever you are in need, she said. I gave from the heart.

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Associated Press writer Bassem Mroue in Beirut contributed.

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One Good Thing is a series that highlights individuals or groups whose actions provide glimmers of joy in hard times  stories of those who find a way to make a difference, no matter how small. Read the stories at https://apnews.com/hub/one-good-thing

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Associated Press religion coverage receives support from the Lilly Endowment through The Conversation U.S. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
TOKYO (AP)  Japan and Australia on Wednesday shared concern about Chinas increasingly assertive actions in regional seas and expressed strong objections to coercive or destabilizing behavior.

Foreign and defense ministers from the two countries agreed in the online talks to strengthen their security ties as China presses its claims to contested areas in the Asia-Pacific region.

Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi told reporters after the talks that the officials shared their concerns about China's activity in the East and South China Seas as a challenge to the international community. Motegi was joined by Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi and their Australian counterparts, Marise Payne and Peter Dutton.

Japan regularly protests to China over its coast guard presence near the Japanese-controlled Senkaku islands, which China also claims and calls Diaoyu. Chinese vessels routinely violate Japanese territorial waters around the islands, sometimes threatening fishing boats, Japanese officials say.

Japan and China are also in dispute over the development of undersea resources in the area.

We reinforce our strong opposition to any destabilizing or coercive unilateral actions that could alter the status quo and increase tension in the East China Sea," Japan and Australia said in a joint statement released after the talks. The behavior undermines the rules-based international order," they said.

In the South China Sea, China's sweeping territorial claims have clashed with those of its neighbors, which accuse Beijing of militarizing one of the world's busiest sea lanes.

The joint statement expressed serious concerns about the recent negative developments and serious incidents in the South China Sea, including continuing militarization of disputed features, dangerous use of coast guard vessels and maritime militia,' and efforts to disrupt other countries' resources exploitation activities.

We reaffirmed our strong opposition to any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by China, Motegi said. He also added that the four ministers shared grave concern over Chinas human rights abuses in Hong Kong and the western Xinjiang region, where Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities live.

The statement called on China "to grant urgent, meaningful and unfettered access to Xinjiang for independent international observers including the U.N. high commissioner for human rights.

The meeting also reaffirmed the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, where China has recently stepped up a campaign of pressure on the self-ruled island.

China responded that it is determined to defend its sovereignty, security and development interests.

China has indisputable sovereignty over the South China Sea islands and their nearby waters, and over the Diaoyu Island and its affiliated islets, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin told a daily briefing in Beijing.

Issues related to Xinjiang and Hong Kong are Chinas internal affairs that no foreign country should intervene. China firmly rejects Japan and Australias efforts to smear China and interfere in Chinas internal affairs, Wang said.

Japan and Australia are in the final stages of a defense cooperation deal that will allow the Japanese Self-Defense Force to protect Australian military assets, which will be only the second for Japan outside of its alliance with the United States.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-09 04:15:29|Editor: huaxia

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Chinese Ambassador to Cyprus Liu Yantao (L) attends an online forum titled "Governance Experience Sharing for a Common Future: Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of China-Cyprus Diplomatic Relations" in Nicosia, Cyprus, June 8, 2021. The online forum was co-organized by the Chinese Embassy in Cyprus and the European University Cyprus, bringing together scholars, politicians, business people as well as key policy and decision makers from Cyprus, China, Greece and Britain. (Chinese Embassy to Cyprus/Handout via Xinhua)

NICOSIA, June 8 (Xinhua) -- Adamos Adamou, president of Cyprus' House of Representatives, hailed on Tuesday the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), saying it signals a new era in multilateral cooperation.

Addressing an online forum held here commemorating the 50th anniversary of China-Cyprus diplomatic ties, Adamou said the BRI is by definition a global project, turning China into a "protagonist of economic cooperation, trade and globalization."

The initiative aims to promote international connectivity, global growth and development and increase mutual understanding, respect, trust and friendly relations between peoples and countries, "thus signaling a new era in multilateral cooperation."

It reflects the vision of enhanced multilateralism, through building bridges between continents, nations and citizens, he added.

"Not only political, economic and financial bridges, but also synergies, which further promote our diverse and rich history, heritage, knowledge and culture," said the House president.

China proposed the BRI in 2013, aiming to build a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along ancient Silk Road trade routes.

Adamou said the current health crisis underlines the interdependence and interrelatedness of the world, "stipulating for effective multilateralism, not only to recover from this emergency, but also to change for the better."

"The need to uphold multilateralism is therefore all the more relevant and urgent."

He said Cyprus believes that a comprehensive strategic partnership between Europe and Asia, based on common adherence to market rules and international norms and standards, will be mutually beneficial and will further reinforce economic, trade and investment relations between the two continents.

Titled "Governance Experience Sharing for a Common Future: Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of China-Cyprus Diplomatic Relations," the online forum was co-organized by the Chinese Embassy in Cyprus and the European University Cyprus, bringing together scholars, politicians, business people as well as key policy and decision makers from Cyprus, China, Greece and Britain.

Addressing the forum, Chinese Ambassador to Cyprus Liu Yantao said this year marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China and the 50th anniversary of China-Cyprus diplomatic ties.

"It is very important for us to discuss governance at this right moment," he said, noting China always believes that there is no one-size-fits-all governance model.

"Whether a model is good or not should be based on specific national conditions, whether the fundamental interests of most people in the country are effectively protected, whether the common wishes are met to the greatest extent, and whether the country contributes to world peace, development, cooperation, win-win result, harmony, and progress," said the ambassador. Enditem
DENVER (AP)  The second-largest producer of beef, pork and chicken in the U.S. will pay up to $5.5 million to settle a lawsuit that claimed the company discriminated against Muslim employees at a meat processing plant in northern Colorado.

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed the lawsuit in federal court in Denver in 2010, saying JBS Swift & Company discriminated against employees at its beef processing plant in Greeley by denying them bathroom breaks and disciplining them more harshly than other workers because they were Muslim, immigrants from Somalia, and Black.

JBS USA LLC, doing business as JBS Swift & Company, must pay the $5.5 million to about 300 employees who were included in the settlement, which was announced by the commission on Wednesday.

Nikki Richardson, a spokeswoman for JBS USA, said the company does not admit any liability in the settlement, prohibits all discrimination and harassment at its facilities and is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

According to the lawsuit, JBS prevented Muslim employees from praying and harassed them when they tried to pray during scheduled breaks and bathroom breaks.

JBS also was accused of shutting off water fountains during the holy month of Ramadan in 2008, keeping Muslim Somali workers from getting a drink at sundown after a day of fasting, and from washing before prayers. According to the lawsuit, JBS managers and other employees threw meat or bones at Black and Somali employees, called them offensive names and tolerated offensive graffiti in restrooms at the Greeley plant, including the use of the N-word, Somalis are disgusting, F- Somalians and F- Muslims.

This case serves as a reminder that systemic discrimination and harassment remain significant problems that we as a society must tackle," EEOC Chair Charlotte Burrows said in a statement.

JBS must take several steps to prevent further discrimination, including allowing former employees covered under the settlement to be eligible for rehire; reviewing, updating and posting its anti-discrimination policies; and maintaining a 24-hour hotline for reporting discrimination. The company also will be required to provide quiet locations other than bathrooms for employees to pray.

Many Somalis started working at the Greeley plant following a 2006 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raid in which 270 Hispanic employees were detained.

The treatment of the Somali workers came to a head two years later when they asked company officials to move the plant's scheduled meal break so they could stop fasting at sunset during Ramadan.

Officials agreed to an earlier meal break but changed course three days later and, according to the lawsuit, Muslim workers who were told to go outside to pray weren't allowed back into the plant.

Days later, several workers were fired for what the company said was an unauthorized work stoppage, according to the lawsuit.
NEW YORK (AP)  The Associated Press' recent firing of a young reporter for what she said on Twitter has somewhat unexpectedly turned company and industry attention to the flip side of social media engagement  the online abuse that many journalists face routinely.

During internal meetings after the Arizona-based reporter, Emily Wilder, was let go, several journalists expressed concern over whether the AP would have the backs of employees under attack from the outside.

The Emily Wilder situation triggered this for many people on the staff, Jenna Fryer, an AP sportswriter who spoke at one of the meetings, said in a subsequent interview.

Wilder was fired last month because of what the company said were tweets on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that violated AP's social media policy against offering opinions on contentious issues. Before her firing, a conservative group had sparked an online campaign against her over her pro-Palestinian views, and while the AP has said it wasn't responding to pressure, her dismissal ignited debate over whether the news organization acted too rashly.

Journalists are often subjected to racist or sexist slurs, vile insults and threats of rape, dismemberment or other violence from online readers.

Online harassment is hardly unique to journalists. But the visibility of reporters makes them particularly vulnerable to attack, said Viktorya Vilk, program director for digital safety and free expression at the literary and human rights organization PEN America.

Fryer, who covers auto racing, said she was in tears daily over online abuse she received for coverage of a noose found last year in an Alabama garage stall used by NASCAR's only full-time Black driver. She said the only time she heard from the company about harassment was when a manager remarked that Fryer had gotten a lot of it.

Sometimes you feel like you're on a total island, she said.

The news agency says it has worked with law enforcement in many cases when its journalists were attacked online. Still, following the meetings, the AP ordered a study on whether more can be done.

I can speak from personal experience that we have not been ignoring this, said Julie Pace, the AP's Washington bureau chief. What we have to do is put this on a par with the way we handle what we have traditionally viewed as security threats for our journalists  if you are going to Syria, or if you're covering protests that could potentially become chaotic.

News organizations were often quick over the past decade to press their journalists to build social media profiles, recognizing it as important to their brands, but slow to see its dangers, said Vilk, who has worked with more than a dozen media outlets on this issue.

Women and minorities usually have it worse. Vilk believes the preponderance of white men in management has contributed to the industry's delay in reacting.

Some members of the AP's race and ethnicity reporting team approached their editor, Andale Gross, following Wilder's firing with concerns over whether the company would support them if their stories or tweets proved controversial, he said. Racist slurs and threats happen frequently to the reporters he supervises, who include Blacks, Latinos and Asian-Americans, and AP security has responded to a number of them, he said.

The team's story two weeks ago about racism in the military provoked many hateful messages from people who said they were in the military  essentially proving the article's point, he said.

I don't want people to think it should be accepted or tolerated, Gross said. But it comes with the territory of the things we write about. We know that every story we produce, we can be dealing with an onslaught of racism.

The National Association of Black Journalists has offered members help on the problem through in-person information sessions and webinars, said Dorothy Tucker, NABJ president.

Nearly three-quarters of 714 female journalists surveyed said they had experienced online attacks, according to a study released in April by UNESCO and the International Center for Journalists. Twelve percent sought medical or psychological help. The survey said 4% left their jobs and 2% quit the business altogether.

Washington Post columnist Margaret Sullivan wrote in March about receiving viciously misogynistic name-calling and sexualized fantasies about dismembering me.

Unless you've been there, it's hard to comprehend how deeply destabilizing it is, how it can make you think twice about your next story, or even whether being a journalist is worth it, she wrote.

Taylor Lorenz, a reporter at The New York Times, wrote on Twitter this spring about the unimaginable attacks she had received online. It's not an exaggeration to say that the harassment and smear campaign I've had to endure over the past year has destroyed my life," she wrote. "No one should have to go through this."

Both journalist Glenn Greenwald and Fox News Channel host Tucker Carlson belittled her concerns.

Destroyed her life? Really? Carlson said on the air. By most people's standards Taylor Lorenz would seem to have a pretty good life, one of the best lives in the country, in fact.

A suck it up attitude or feeling that nothing can really be done about online harassment leads many journalists to stay silent. Anne M. Peterson, a veteran sportswriter for the AP, said she has received lewd pictures online and a threat from someone who chillingly attached a Google image of her house. She has never reported an incident to management.

The AP's Pace, who also writes stories and appears on television, said she has been a target of abuse and has had to address it for employees she manages.

There have been moments when I sort of chalked it up to, Yeah, this is part of the job, she said in an interview. I know I'm in a high-profile job. ... Then there are moments where they really cross a line, or if it affects your personal safety or your family where you think, No, this is not something I should have to put up with. This is unacceptable and scary.

So we don't want to normalize it, she said. We don't want people to feel like they have to sit there and take it.

Online attacks in general have worsened. The Pew Research Center said in January that 41% of U.S. adults say they have been harassed online, up from 35% in 2014. The percentages of people who say they have been threatened or sexually harassed online have both doubled since 2014, Pew said.

There are signs that the problem is being taken more seriously in newsrooms.

One indication is a greater willingness to publicly back journalists under attack. That happened this past winter, when Washington Post reporter Seung Min Kim was criticized for asking Sen Lisa Murkowski her reaction to something President Joe Biden's failed nominee for budget director, Neera Tanden, had tweeted about Murkowski.

Kim's boss, Post national editor Steven Ginsberg, said the attacks were wildly misguided and a bad-faith effort at intimidation. What she did was basic journalism.

Vilk advises news organizations to conduct an anonymous internal survey to determine the extent of their problems, and to examine social media policies. Most policies concentrate on what journalists should or shouldn't do, as opposed to what happens when the audience goes on attack, she said.

Organizations should provide cybersecurity training and support, legal and mental health counseling and access to services that can scrub an employee's personal information from the web, she said. Companies must also be aware that harassment is often more organized than it appears, and be prepared to investigate the source of campaigns, she said.

The AP set a Sept. 1 deadline for a committee of staff members to bring forward ideas to improve how harassment is dealt with.

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This story has been corrected to show that the percentage of people who told the Pew Research Center that they had been harassed online has gone up to 41% from 35% in 2014, instead of 2017.
NEW YORK (AP)  A former federal judge was formally appointed Wednesday to ensure attorney-client privilege is protected in the examination of multiple electronic devices seized from Rudy Giuliani.

U.S. District Judge J. Paul Oetken in Manhattan appointed Barbara Jones as special master after the late-April raids on ex-President Donald Trumps former personal attorney.

Shes already familiar with the job, having done the same thing three years ago after FBI raids on Michael Cohen, another one of Trumps former personal attorneys.

Cohen eventually pleaded guilty to breaking campaign finance laws and other charges. He spent about a year of a three-year prison sentence behind bars before the spread of the coronavirus in the nation's prisons led to his release to home detention.

Investigators are probing Giulianis interactions with Ukrainian figures to see if he violated a law governing lobbying on behalf of foreign countries or entities.

The Republican and former mayor of New York City has not been charged with a crime. He has said all of 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 Joe Biden and his son, Hunter, before Biden was elected president.

Trumps efforts to press Ukraine for an investigation of the Bidens led the House to impeach Trump, though he was acquitted by the Senate.

Prosecutors say they have successfully downloaded 11 electronic devices belonging to Giuliani and returned them to him. They say seven more devices belonging to Giuliani and others at his firm, Giuliani Partners LLC, will require more time to unlock because they lack a passcode.

A cell phone has also been seized from Washington lawyer Victoria Toensing, a former federal prosecutor and ally of Giuliani and Trump. Her law firm has said she was told she was not a target of the investigation.

As part of a written order appointing Jones, Oetken directed the government to provide Jones with copies of materials seized from Giuliani and the search warrants that preceded the searches.

He also gave lawyers for Giuliani and the government a week to consult with Jones and create a schedule and timeline for concluding the privilege review, along with a process to resolve any disputes.

The appointment of Jones  who served as a Manhattan federal judge from 1995 to 2013  comes after prosecutors and lawyers for Giuliani agreed that she was the right person to carry out the review.

Prosecutors say a similar review of materials in the Cohen raids took about four months.
EVANSVILLE, Ind. (AP)  A judge has ruled in favor of a utility in a lawsuit filed over a 2017 natural gas explosion in southwestern Indiana that killed two women and injured three other people.

A Vanderburgh County judge granted CenterPoints motion for summary judgment on Tuesday in the civil lawsuit.

The judge found that the plaintiffs failed to produce evidence the utility was negligent and that their negligence directly resulted in the two victims' deaths and injuries to three others, the Evansville Courier & Press reported.

The June 2017 explosion leveled a house in Evansville, killed Sharon Mand and Kathleen Woolems and wounded a man, a woman and her 10-year-old son.

The three surviving victims and representatives of Mand and Woolems estates alleged in their 2019 complaint that the utility, then known as Vectren, was negligent by failing to properly inspect gas lines and warn occupants of a leak. Two of the plaintiffs later withdrew their claims.

CenterPoint filed a motion for summary judgment, alleging there was no basis for the lawsuit.

A senior claims investigator for the utility said in an affidavit that an investigation showed that no Vectren employees had performed work at the residence for at least a year or more before the explosion, and that in the blast's aftermath, pressure tests on the gas lines did not reveal any leaks.
HOUSTON (AP)  The longest serving death row inmate in the U.S. was resentenced to life in prison on Wednesday after prosecutors in Texas concluded the 71-year-old man is ineligible for execution and incompetent for retrial due to his long history of mental illness.

Raymond Riles has spent more than 45 years on death row for fatally shooting John Thomas Henry in 1974 at a Houston car lot following a disagreement over a vehicle. He is the country's longest serving death row prisoner, according to the Death Penalty Information Center.

Riles was resentenced after the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals ruled in April that his death sentence can no longer stand because jurors did not properly consider his history of mental illness.

Riles attended his resentencing by Zoom from the Polunsky Unit in Livingston, which houses the states death row inmates. He said very little during the court hearing.

Riles attorneys asked that he appear via Zoom because they were concerned his various health issues, including severe mental illness, heart disease and ongoing recovery from prostate cancer, make him susceptible to contracting COVID-19.

Several members of Henrys family took part in the virtual court hearing but did not make any statement before state District Judge Ana Martinez resentenced Riles to life in prison.

We express our condolences to the family of Mr. Henry (who) we know have suffered an unimaginable loss. We are profoundly sorry for that, said Jim Marcus, a professor at the University of Texas at Austin School of Law and one of Riles attorneys.

In a statement, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg said Riles is incompetent and therefore cant be executed.

We will never forget John Henry, who was murdered so many years ago by Riles, and we believe justice would best be served by Riles spending the remainder of his life in custody of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Ogg said.

During his time on death row, Riles has been treated with heavy antipsychotic medications but was never deemed mentally competent to be executed, according to prosecutors and his attorneys. He had been scheduled for execution in 1986 but got a stay due to competency issues. While Riles spent more than 45 years on death row in Texas, prisoners in the U.S. typically spend more than a decade awaiting execution, according to the Death Penalty Information Center.

Martinez was not able to resentence Riles to life in prison without parole because it was not an option under state law at the time of his conviction.

Riles new sentence means he is immediately eligible for parole. The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles will automatically conduct a parole review in his case, Marcus said.

The district attorneys office as well as Henrys family have indicated they will fight any efforts to have Riles released on parole.

Mr. Riles is in very poor health but, if the Board of Pardons and Paroles sees fit to grant parole, he has family with the capacity to care for him, Marcus said.

A co-defendant in the case, Herbert Washington, was also sentenced to death, but his sentence was overturned, and he later pleaded guilty to two related charges. He was paroled in 1983.

When Riles was tried, state law did not expect jurors to consider mitigating evidence such as mental illness when deciding whether to choose the death sentence. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 1989 that Texas jury instructions were unconstitutional because they didnt allow appropriate consideration of intellectual disability, mental illness or other issues as mitigating evidence in the punishment phase of a capital murder trial.

But Riles case remained in limbo because lower courts failed to enforce the Supreme Courts decision until at least 2007, according to his attorneys.

That then gave Riles a realistic chance to prevail on this legal issue, but it wasnt until recently that he had contact with attorneys who were willing to assist him, his lawyers said.

While prosecutors argued at Riles trial that he was not mentally ill, several psychiatrists and psychologists testified for the defense that he was psychotic and suffered from schizophrenia. Riles brother testified that his mind is not normal like other people. He is not thinking like other people.

While the Supreme Court has prohibited the death penalty for individuals who are intellectually disabled, it has not barred such punishment for those with serious mental illness, according to the Death Penalty Information Center.

In 2019, the Texas Legislature considered a bill that would have prohibited the death penalty for someone with severe mental illness. The legislation did not pass.

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Follow Juan A. Lozano on Twitter: https://twitter.com/juanlozano70
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP)  Louisiana's gambling regulatory chief Mike Noel told the governor Wednesday that he's resigning, preempting a Senate confirmation hearing where Noel could have been questioned about his State Police work during the fatal arrest of a Black man whose death remains under investigation.

Gov. John Bel Edwards' office said Noel's departure as chairman of the Gaming Control Board will take effect Thursday.

The Democratic governor's spokesperson Christina Stephens didn't respond to questions about why Noel was leaving the post, if it had to do with his State Police tenure and Ronald Greene's death or whether Edwards thought Noel might have trouble winning confirmation from the Senate.

The governor is appreciative of his service at the Gaming Control Board and will work to find a suitable replacement for Mr. Noel, Stephens said in a text.

A longtime State Police veteran, Noel served as the agency chief of staff  running its day to day operations  at the time of Greenes death in May 2019. Noel retired in June 2020 when Edwards named him as the leader of Louisiana's gambling regulatory board.

Noel didn't return messages from The Associated Press.

No senators have publicly raised concerns about confirming Noel to continue working as chairman of the gambling board, but he didn't appear for either of his scheduled confirmation hearings. And the head of the Louisiana Legislative Black Caucus, Rep. Ted James, wasn't supportive of Noel's leadership job at the gambling agency.

I had concern with giving somebody who was deeply involved in what I perceive was a coverup any type of promotion, James, a Baton Rouge Democrat, said Wednesday.

James doesn't vote on confirmations as a member of the House. Senators debate the confirmation decisions behind closed doors in an executive session, offering no explanation for their decisions. They're scheduled to vote on confirmations Thursday  without Noel on the list.

Greene died in May 2019 after he was stunned, punched and dragged by state troopers. His death is the subject of an ongoing federal civil rights investigation.

Troopers initially told Greene's relatives he died in a crash following a chase on a rural road near Monroe. Later, State Police issued a short statement saying that troopers struggled with Greene during his arrest and that he died on the way to the hospital.

The Edwards administration only released the body-camera video of Greene's arrest more than two years later after The AP publicly released footage that it obtained. No troopers have been charged in Greene's arrest.

A secret State Police panel set up in response to Greene's death and three other violent stops of Black men is investigating whether troopers in the northeastern part of the state have systematically targeted Black motorists for abuse.

Edwards named Noel to the Gaming Control Board last year after the Senate surprised the governor by blocking confirmation of his previous pick, Ronnie Jones, who had held the job for seven years.

The nine-member gambling board regulates Louisianas riverboat casinos, the New Orleans land-based casino, more than 2,000 video poker sites and the slot machine facilities at four racetracks. Board members serve staggered, six-year terms. The chairman's job is traditionally filled from State Police leadership ranks, because troopers are involved in gambling industry oversight.

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Associated Press reporter Jim Mustian contributed to this story from New York.

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Follow Melinda Deslatte on Twitter at http://twitter.com/melindadeslatte.
PORTLAND, Maine (AP)  The administration of Democratic Gov. Janet Mills told Maine's school districts Wednesday that the state expects all schools to resume full-time, in-person learning in the fall.

The Maine Department of Education also told the school districts that physical distancing requirements will be relaxed next year. It also encouraged schools to participate in in a free testing program designed to protect students who are not yet old enough to receive a coronavirus vaccine.

The state's policy of requiring masks in schools has not changed, Maine Department of Health and Human Services Commissioner Jeanne Lambrew said Wednesday.

School administrators and teachers have worked hard all year to protect their students from the virus, provide them with a good education, and meet many of their other needs," Mills said. "With the progress we've made in vaccinating Maine people, we want to make sure that there are no barriers to getting our kids back into the classroom full-time.

The Mills administration said it has also updated its guidance for summer school to eliminate distancing requirements for schools and programs that participate in the testing program.

The vast majority of Maine schools have been providing in-person instruction since the fall, the Maine Department of Education said in a statement. Transmission of coronavirus has been lower in schools than the statewide average, the department said.

In other pandemic news in Maine:

THE NUMBERS

Health officials reported that health care providers in the state have now administered more doses of coronavirus vaccines than there are residents of Maine. That's possible because two of the available vaccines require two doses.

More than 1.4 million doses have been administered, state officials reported. The population of Maine is about 1.3 million. About 54% of the state's population is now fully vaccinated.

These vaccines are spectacularly effective, and have exceeded the expectations that almost any person could have, Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Nirav Shah said.

New cases of the virus are also continuing to fall.

The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Maine did not increase over the past two weeks, going from 146.43 new cases a day on May 24 to 73.43 new cases a day on Monday. The seven-day rolling average of daily deaths in Maine did not increase over the past two weeks, going from 2.71 deaths a day on May 24 to 2.14 deaths a day Monday.

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.

Maine CDC reported Wednesday that the state has been the site of 843 deaths from the virus since the start of the pandemic.

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COVID COMMISSION

Maine might create a special commission to review the governments response to the coronavirus pandemic in the state.

The COVID-19 Review Commission would be tasked with studying the way Maine has handled the pandemic. The Maine State Senate has unanimously granted initial approval to the creation of the commission.

Republican Sen. Lisa Keim, who touted the creation of the commission months ago, said the commission would be able to assess the outcomes of the actions Maines government took during the pandemic. She said it is very important that we have a full, thorough review of state governments actions and their effectiveness.

If the commission is created, it would have to submit an interim report about its findings to the Maine Legislature by Dec. 6. A final report would be due about a year later. The Maine Legislature must first approve the creation of the commission.

Maine has been the site of more than 68,000 cases of the virus since the start of the pandemic. That is less of a burden than most states that have similar population sizes.

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EMERGENCY ORDER

The state remains under a state of civil emergency order and there are no immediate plans to change it, Lambrew said. Mills declared the emergency and her office has said it allows the state to deploy all available tools to respond to and contain COVID-19.

Lambrew said the state is reevaluating the need for the emergency order every month.

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Follow APs coverage of the pandemic at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP)  A man accused of trying to break into the cockpit of a Delta flight from Los Angeles to Nashville, causing its diversion last Friday to Albuquerque, New Mexico, has been ordered to remain in custody pending further hearings.

Asiel Christian Norton, 43, of Venice, California, made an initial appearance Tuesday in federal court in Albuquerque on a charge of interference with flight crew and attendants, according to court records and the U.S. Attorney's Office.
MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP)  A man was arrested outside of a community mental health center in Manchester after he said he had a bomb, police said Wednesday.

Police said the man had a box and was yelling. Officers calmed him down and got him to move away from the box. He was taken into custody.
FALMOUTH, Mass. (AP)  A Boston man has been charged with sexually assaulting an 18-year-old woman on a ferry traveling from Martha's Vineyard to mainland Massachusetts, according to state police.

Bruno Sanches Dejesus, 20, appeared in Falmouth District Court on Tuesday to face two counts of rape. A not guilty plea was entered on his behalf and bail was set at $25,000.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-09 04:45:22|Editor: huaxia

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Aerial photo taken on Feb. 22, 2021 shows a container terminal of Tianjin Port in north China's Tianjin Municipality. (Xinhua/Zhao Zishuo)

China proposed the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in 2013, aiming to build a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along ancient Silk Road trade routes.

NICOSIA, June 8 (Xinhua) -- Adamos Adamou, president of Cyprus' House of Representatives, hailed on Tuesday the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), saying it signals a new era in multilateral cooperation.

Addressing an online forum held here commemorating the 50th anniversary of China-Cyprus diplomatic ties, Adamou said the BRI is by definition a global project, turning China into a "protagonist of economic cooperation, trade and globalization."

The initiative aims to promote international connectivity, global growth and development and increase mutual understanding, respect, trust and friendly relations between peoples and countries, "thus signaling a new era in multilateral cooperation."

It reflects the vision of enhanced multilateralism, through building bridges between continents, nations and citizens, he added.

"Not only political, economic and financial bridges, but also synergies, which further promote our diverse and rich history, heritage, knowledge and culture," said the House president.

China proposed the BRI in 2013, aiming to build a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along ancient Silk Road trade routes.

A crane loads containers at the Manzhouli Railway Station in Manzhouli, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, April 13, 2020. (Xinhua/Yu Jia)

Adamou said the current health crisis underlines the interdependence and interrelatedness of the world, "stipulating for effective multilateralism, not only to recover from this emergency, but also to change for the better."

"The need to uphold multilateralism is therefore all the more relevant and urgent."

He said Cyprus believes that a comprehensive strategic partnership between Europe and Asia, based on common adherence to market rules and international norms and standards, will be mutually beneficial and will further reinforce economic, trade and investment relations between the two continents.

Titled "Governance Experience Sharing for a Common Future: Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of China-Cyprus Diplomatic Relations," the online forum was co-organized by the Chinese Embassy in Cyprus and the European University Cyprus, bringing together scholars, politicians, business people as well as key policy and decision-makers from Cyprus, China, Greece and Britain.

Addressing the forum, Chinese Ambassador to Cyprus Liu Yantao said this year marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China and the 50th anniversary of China-Cyprus diplomatic ties.

"It is very important for us to discuss governance at this right moment," he said, noting China always believes that there is no one-size-fits-all governance model.

"Whether a model is good or not should be based on specific national conditions, whether the fundamental interests of most people in the country are effectively protected, whether the common wishes are met to the greatest extent, and whether the country contributes to world peace, development, cooperation, win-win result, harmony, and progress," said the ambassador. 
DULUTH, Minn. (AP)  A 31-year-old man who along with a group of bystanders came to the rescue of two young children struggling to stay afloat in a northeastern Minnesota river has died, authorities said Wednesday.

The incident happened shortly before 2 p.m. Wednesday on the St. Louis River near Boy Scout Landing in Duluth. Police say Kevin Ingles, of Superior, Wisconsin, attempted to save the children from the water and did not resurface.
SAN DIEGO (AP)  Eighty years after he died in the attack on Pearl Harbor and just months after his remains were finally identified, a California Marine has been laid to rest with full military honors.

About 50 people attended the ceremony Tuesday for Pfc. John Franklin Middleswart at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in his hometown of San Diego, the Union-Tribune reported.

Marines in dress blues fired a three-volley rifle salute. Another Marine sounded Taps on a bugle.

What an amazing miracle it is to have John with us today, Navy Chaplain Robert LeCompte said.

Middleswart was 19 when he was killed along with more than 400 other Marines and Navy sailors aboard the battleship Oklahoma in a surprise attack by the Japanese that led the U.S. into World War II.

He was identified through mitochondrial DNA, extracted from Middleswarts bones and compared to DNA from his sister and two of his nephews, the newspaper reported. The family was notified of the match in February.

Its the end of a journey, said James Brown, 80, one of the nephews. We couldnt be happier.

After the Pearl Harbor attack, Middleswart was officially listed as missing and presumed dead, his remains non-recoverable. His parents were sent an American flag and a Purple Heart to honor him. But not having a grave with his name on it, not having a place to mourn him, weighed on them the rest of their lives, according to family members.

His sister, Lauretta Brown, named one of her sons after him. Two of her other children, James Brown and Edward Brown, joined the Marines because of their uncle.

We were always hoping one day they would identify him and bring him home, James Brown said.

Middleswart's name is etched on a wall at the Honolulu cemetery where many of those killed on the Oklahoma are buried. Soon his name will have a rosette added to it, signaling that he is no longer missing, the newspaper reported.
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP)  Authorities are investigating the death of a 19-year-old Marine Corps recruit during a strenuous exercise that caps a 13-week training course at South Carolina's Parris Island.

According to a Facebook post from officials with the installation  one of two Marine training depots in the country  Pfc. Dalton Beals died Friday during an exercise known as The Crucible," the final test of recruit training.

Further details about Beals death, which remains under investigation, have not been released.

Beals graduated in 2020 from Pennsville Memorial High School in Pennsville, New Jersey, the school noted in a Facebook post.

Several days before Beals began The Crucible, his mother posted on Facebook about the details of the grueling exercise, which she called the final leg of my babys journey to becoming a Marine!" The 54-hour effort, during which recruits are allowed limited food and sleep, includes 48 miles of hiking, loaded with heavy gear.

A GoFundMe set up to help Beals' family with funeral expenses noted that he had been set to graduate from training on June 18.

There have been a number of recruit deaths through the years at Parris Island, which has been training Marines since 1915 on the island off South Carolinas coast.

In 2018, a judge dismissed a lawsuit from the family of Raheel Siddiqui, a 20-year-old recruit from Michigan who killed himself in 2016 after a confrontation with a Parris Island drill instructor.

Siddiqui's family disputed his suicide, saying he was targeted because of his Islamic faith. Several Marines were ultimately convicted for abuse, following evidence that drill instructors beat, choked and kicked recruits.

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Meg Kinnard can be reached at http://twitter.com/MegKinnardAP.
BOSTON (AP)  Roman Catholics across Massachusetts are being called back to Sunday Mass.

Cardinal Sean O'Malley of the Archdiocese of Boston as well as the bishops of Springfield and Fall River in similar statements Wednesday announced that the faithful are once again required to attend Mass starting the weekend of June 19-20.

Houses of worship have either been closed or open under capacity limits for the past year because of the coronavirus pandemic, and services have either been broadcast or held remotely.

O'Malley said Father's Day was an appropriate time to lift the dispensation of the Sunday Mass obligation.

In this year of Saint Joseph, who was always a faithful observer of the sabbath, we chose Fathers Day as an appropriate day to encourage all of our people, and especially our families, to return to the Sunday celebration of the Eucharist," he said in his letter to parishioners.

Mass is a central part of being Catholic, Springfield Bishop William Byrne said.

The benefit of that is every time we go to Mass, we encounter Jesus Christ, we get to be together, we get to celebrate the obligation and the goodness of keeping the sabbath holy, he said.

The obligation to attend Mass does not apply to those who are ill or homebound, the bishops said.

To all of those who have not been able to be with us during this last year, we look forward to welcoming you back to the celebration of the Mass," Fall River Bishop Edgar da Cunha said.

Worcester Bishop Robert McManus restored the Mass obligation for his parishioners last month.

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VIRUS BY THE NUMBERS

The number of new daily cases of COVID-19 increased by more than 100 Wednesday while the number of newly confirmed coronavirus deaths in Massachusetts rose by five.

The new numbers pushed the states confirmed COVID-19 death toll to 17,559 since the start of the pandemic, while its confirmed caseload rose to about 662,400.

The true number of cases is likely higher because studies suggest some people can be infected and not feel sick.

There were about 170 people reported hospitalized Wednesday because of confirmed cases of COVID-19, with about 60 in intensive care units.

The average age of those hospitalized was 60. There were an estimated 3,500 people with current active cases of COVID-19 in the state.

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IMMUNIZATIONS

More than 8.1 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in Massachusetts as of Wednesday.

That includes nearly 4.3 million first doses and more than 3.6 million second doses of the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines.

There have been more than 260,000 doses of the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine administered.

Nearly 3.9 million people have been fully immunized.

Gov. Charlie Baker has set a goal of 4.1 million people in the state fully vaccinated.

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AMUSEMENT PARK VACCINES

Six Flags New England is hosting a COVID-19 vaccination clinic at the park later this month, and each person who gets a no-cost shot will receive two free tickets to the Agawam theme park.

This effort is through a partnership with Baystate Medical Center. The clinic will run from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. in the park's general parking lot and will offer the single dose, Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

Preregistration is required.

The park fully reopened last month.

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Follow APs coverage of the pandemic at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic.
SEATTLE (AP)  Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan said Wednesday that 70% of city residents ages 12 and up have been fully vaccinated, which she said makes Seattle the first major U.S. city to hit the COVID-19 milestone.

Durkans office also said 78% of the Seattle population 12 and older has started the vaccination process.

Seattle is Americas most vaccinated major city, and it would not have been possible without our residents commitment to protecting themselves, their loved ones, and our entire community, Durkan said in a statement. Now that we have reached community protection, we can lead the nation in safely reopening and recovering in earnest.

She urged Seattleites to support local small businesses, help revive its arts and cultural scene, and enjoy the Seattle summer safely.

Now that Seattle has reached the 70% fully vaccinated goal, the city and its partners will start launching efforts to support Seattles reopening, Durkan said.

The efforts will include supporting local small retailers and restaurants, arts and culture programming, and transit use, the mayor's office said.

The first confirmed case of COVID-19 in the United States was north of Seattle in Snohomish County in January 2020. The state also saw the nations first deadly outbreak at a nursing home.

There have been more than 440,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Washington state and more than 5,700 deaths.
WASHINGTON (AP)  Former White House counsel Don McGahn told lawmakers in a closed-door interview last week that he regarded President Donald Trump's effort to have special counsel Robert Mueller fired as a point of no return" for the administration if carried out.

McGahn, who resisted Trump's directive that he contact then-Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein to press for Mueller's removal from the Russia investigation, said the demand seemed an inflection point that would have prompted Rosenstein either to fire Mueller or resign himself, according to a transcript released Wednesday by the House Judiciary Committee.

We are still talking about the Saturday Night Massacre decades and decades later, McGahn said, referring to when two senior Justice Department officials resigned in 1973 rather than follow President Richard Nixons orders to fire the special prosecutor leading the Watergate probe.

And, looking back, you always, as a student of history, wonder, could things have gone differently if different people made different decisions? And here my thought was, fast-forwarding, you know, what this is going to look like down the road, he said.

McGahns hours-long appearance before the committee last Friday, two years in the making and the product of a prolonged court fight, covered many of the episodes at the center of Muellers investigation into whether Trump had obstructed justice, the 241-page transcript shows. In the interview, he detailed the president's agitation at the special counsel's investigation and various pleas to have McGahn intervene in an effort to control the course of it.

Even if McGahn's recollections were already well-documented in the Mueller report, and even if he was unlikely to break new ground before the House, Democrats had continued pushing for the lawyer's testimony to set a clear precedent that executive branch officials must comply with congressional subpoenas. McGahn was one of many Trump administration officials who ignored Congress through the Russia investigations and two impeachments.

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler said in a statement after the interview that it was a great victory for congressional oversight, although two years had been too long to wait. After Democrats first subpoenaed McGahn, Trump was impeached twice by the House and acquitted twice by the Senate.

McGahn made sure to stick to the ground rules, frequently asking the committee lawyers to refer to pages of Muellers report. He also indicated his memory was hazy on some of the details. Youre putting me back four years and trying to remember what was going through my mind, he told the questioners at one point.

As White House counsel, McGahn had an insider's views of the president's anger toward the investigation and efforts to control it. After learning that then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions planned to recuse himself from the Russia investigation, a decision that made Trump irate, McGahn reached out to people close to Sessions, including his personal lawyer and chief of staff.

I certainly was attempting to avert the attorney generals recusal if recusal was not warranted. Okay?" McGahn said under questioning.

Much of the questioning centered on Trump's bid to have McGahn get Rosenstein to fire Mueller because of perceived conflicts of interests, and McGahn's refusal to call Rosenstein. He said he saw the demand as creating a point of no return" and one that left him feeling trapped and contemplating a resignation.

My fear is, if I called Rod, given the atmospherics, given -- you know, I didnt know Rod well at that point, but what I knew of him, my concern was he could potentially react in a way that would cause him to potentially resign, and that would cause a chain reaction that would be not in anyones interest, McGahn said.

After that episode was reported in The New York Times, McGahn refused to demand a correction even though the president wanted one.

He said he was not overly worried about being fired despite being told that might be a possibility.

I would say not surprised I wasnt fired, because when the president and I were in sync, we did a lot of great things and he trusts me to do a lot of important work and a lot of his legacies and judicial selection and that kind of thing, McGahn said,

So I was adding value in a lot of ways, and I thought hes not going to blow up and fire me over this when I was as certain as he was as to what we said in the conversation, he added.
SAN DIEGO (AP)  The Marine Corps is relieving a general of his duties for failing to properly train Marines and sailors and evaluate the platoon before an exercise last summer when their seafaring tank sank off the Southern California coast, killing nine troops, the military announced Wednesday.

The July 30 training accident was one of the deadliest for the Marines in recent years. Leaders said it could have been prevented.

The crew of the amphibious assault vehicle was left in the dark, using their cellphone lights to desperately try to find an unmarked escape hatch as they took on water, according to the investigation. There also were no safety boats nearby to save them.

The investigation found Maj. Gen. Robert F. Castellvi bears some responsibility;" it said the accident off San Clemente Island, 70 miles (113 kilometers) from San Diego, was caused by inadequate training, shabby maintenance of the amphibious assault vehicles and poor judgment by commanders.

At the time, Castellvi served as commanding general of the 1st Marine Division of Camp Pendleton, north of San Diego, and oversaw the preparation of the troops.

A second probe launched in May to examine preparedness before the exercise found the troops had not received appropriate instruction on escaping the amphibious assault vehicle, and the unit had not completed a required evaluation.

The unit was training during restrictions from the coronavirus pandemic, but investigators found that should not have played a factor in meeting the requirements.

The Marine Corps said its commandant, Gen. David Berger, personally and formally counseled (Castellvi) for his failure to properly train the Marines and Sailors for whom he was entrusted and for the inadequate evaluation of the AAV Platoon.

There are no excuses for not getting the whole unit the required training. None, Berger said in an earlier interview with reporters.

Castellvi was suspended in April from his new position as Marine Corps inspector general, which he moved into after the accident. The Marine Corps said Wednesday he will not be returning to that position.

The action will go on his permanent record and will be taken into consideration in future decisions regarding his military career. Typically such a measure prevents an officer from being promoted or serving in a role charged with the responsibility of caring for troops, the Marine Corps said.

Castellvi could not be immediately reached for comment.

Wednesday's announcement comes after some of the families of the eight Marines and one sailor who were killed questioned why more was not being done to hold leadership accountable.

Castellvi is the only general involved who has been relieved of his duties. Three commanders have been dismissed as a result, including the leader of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit. Administrative or disciplinary actions were taken against seven other military personnel.

The Marines use the vehicles to transport troops and their equipment from Navy ships to land. The armored vehicles outfitted with machine guns and grenade launchers look like tanks as they roll ashore for beach attacks, with Marines pouring out of them to take up positions.

The investigation is ongoing.
TUNICA, Miss. (AP)  The state of Mississippi has approved its first wind turbine facility to generate electricity in the Mississippi Delta, the Mississippi Public Service Commission announced Wednesday.

The electricity generation facility will be built on 13,000 acres (5,260 hectares) in Tunica County and will consist of up to 100 turbines, according to a press release. The facility will generate enough power to provide energy to approximately 70,000 homes. Construction on the project is expected to begin this summer.
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP)  Republican Missouri Gov. Mike Parson says addressing the clemency petition for a man whos been behind bars for a triple murder for more than four decades is not a priority, even though prosecutors say he didn't commit the crime.

Parson noted that Kevin Strickland, 62, was tried by a jury of his peers and found guilty. But he added that he knew there was a lot more information out there.

Parson has a backlog of about 3,000 clemency requests, the Kansas City Star reported. He issued almost no pardons before his reelection in 2020 but has since begun issuing a group of pardons monthly.

When something like that comes up, we look at those cases, but I dont know that that necessarily makes it a priority to jump in front of the line, Parson said during a Monday news conference. We understand some cases are going to draw more attention through the media than others, but were just going to look at those things.

Several state lawmakers from both sides of the aisle signed a letter seeking a pardon for Strickland, who has maintained his innocence since he was convicted in the April 1978 deaths of three people in Kansas City.

Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker has called for his release. Federal prosecutors in the Western District of Missouri, Jackson Countys presiding judge, Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas and members of the team that convicted Strickland also have said he should be exonerated.

A bill approved this year that is awaiting Parsons signature would give local prosecutors more power in such cases by allowing innocence claims to be brought before trial courts when a prosecutor believes a prisoner is innocent. Baker has said that if the governor signs the bill, shell file a motion on the first day it is legally allowed to get Strickland released.

The Star reported in September that two men who pleaded guilty in the killings for decades swore Strickland was not with them and two other accomplices during the shooting. The only eyewitness also recanted and wanted Strickland released.

In a petition filed with the Missouri Supreme Court in May, defense attorneys also noted that prosecutors removed the only four Black potential jurors from the trial for Strickland, who is Black.

Because of the prosecutions racially motivated strikes, Stricklands fate was decided by an all-white jury during a trial overseen by a white judge with white lawyers, the Star reported.

The state Supreme Court declined to hear Strickland's case, without giving a reason.

Strickland applied for clemency Tuesday, saying he does not want his sentence commuted. Anything less than a full pardon would leave an unjust and undeserved stain on my criminal record," he wrote.

Through a full pardon, you have the power not only to correct my wrongful conviction, but also to ensure that my innocence is finally recognized, Strickland wrote.

If Strickland is released, he will not be eligible for compensation from the state. Missouri compensates only inmates who are exonerated through DNA evidence, according to the Midwest Innocence Project.
LAS VEGAS (AP)  A divide among Nevada Democrats has deepened as top Democratic officials opted to bypass the state party and set up an alternate party organization in Washoe County ahead of next year's election.

Tuesday's decision to shift the coordinated Democratic campaign to reach voters, organize and fundraise for 2022 comes after progressive leaders took over the state party earlier this year.

The decision has the backing of U.S. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto and Gov. Steve Sisolak, Democrats seen as moderates who are seeking reelection next year.

They will need to win independent and unaffiliated voters in the political swing state, but that outreach became more complicated when the state party was taken over by a group backed by Democratic Socialists of America.

Shifting the 2022 Democratic effort to the Reno-based party gives Cortez Masto, Sisolak and other incumbents a way to put distance between themselves and the new Nevada Democratic State Party leadership.

But it could further inflame tensions with the Democratic Partys left flank, splitting the base and opening the door to competing messages reaching voters or more primary challenges of incumbents.

The new state party chair, Judith Whitmer, decried the move as profoundly dangerous and said it puts Democratic incumbents at risk.

Once again, we find ourselves disappointed but not surprised, but this time its regarding an insurgency within our own party instead of in the Republican Party, Whitmer said in a statement. Despite this ill-advised and undemocratic shift to a one-county strategy by some members of the party, we remain confident in our ability to do what we were tasked to do: elect Democrats to office in the State of Nevada and provide thoughtful leadership on progressive issues.

Similar party infighting has popped up with state parties around the country before, with incumbents and national political groups showing little confidence in state parties and instead channeling their efforts through county parties.

It happened in Nevada in 2012, when national Republicans began working through the Washoe County GOP to support then-Sen. Dean Hellers releection, rather than working through the state GOP and its leadership aligned with former GOP presidential candidate Ron Paul.

Things have been rocky for Nevada Democrats since Whitmer and her allies took over the party in March, a move that prompted the resignations of the partys staff and consultants. Many were veterans of the vaunted Reid Machine built up by former U.S. Sen. Harry Reid of Nevada.

With the help of progressives aligned with Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Whitmers party worked to raise money to replace $450,000 transferred from the partys campaign accounts shortly before her win.

The money had been raised by elected officials to jump-start the 2022 Democratic campaign in the state and it was transferred to the political arm of the U.S. Senate Democrats.

Last month, Whitmer released a statement as party chair accusing Israel of committing injustice, and atrocities and human rights violations against Palestinians. Nevada Democratic officials, including U.S. Sen. Jacky Rosen, criticized the statement and another state party official resigned in protest.

The new state party leadership also immediately attracted political attacks from across-the-aisle, with Republicans labeling the Democratic Party as racial left and the state GOP declaring: Socialism is not the answer voters are looking for.

A Republican candidate challenging Sisolak has already seized on the takeover. John Lee, the mayor of North Las Vegas, announced he was leaving the Democratic Party because of the leftward shift. Shortly thereafter, he announced his plan to run as a Republican for governor.

Sisolak had remained quiet about the new leadership of the state party but released a statement Tuesday night applauding the move to run the coordinated campaign through Washoe County.

This election cycle couldnt be more important for Nevada and for the country, he said. We will work together with the state party and county parties in every corner of the state to achieve our shared goal of protecting and expanding on our Democratic success.

Cortez Masto, who so far is not facing a primary challenge or an announced Republican challenger, also released a statement backing the change.

This will be an incredibly challenging election cycle in Nevada, and organizing statewide, including in our states largest swing county, will be key to Democratic victories, she said.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-09 08:17:38|Editor: huaxia

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UNITED NATIONS -- The UN Security Council on Tuesday endorsed Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for a second five-year term.

Estonia's UN Ambassador Sven Jurgenson, as Security Council president for the month of June, announced the endorsement after a private meeting of the council. (UN-Chief-Endorsement)

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WASHINGTON -- U.S. President Joe Biden on Tuesday ended infrastructure talks with Senate Republicans, after weeks of intense negotiations between the two sides, according to top Republican negotiator Senator Shelley Moore Capito.

"Despite the progress we made in our negotiations, the president continued to respond with offers that included tax increases as his pay for, instead of several practical options that would have not been harmful to individuals, families, and small businesses," Capito, Republican senator from West Virginia, said in a statement. (US-Biden-Republicans-Infrastructure)

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BAGHDAD -- Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein on Tuesday signed a strategic cooperation agreement with visiting British counterpart Dominic Raab.

During a joint press conference after the signing ceremony, Hussein told reporters that he discussed with Raab "various issues related to the relations between Iraq and Britain and signed an agreement for strategic cooperation." (Iraq-Britain-Cooperation Deal)

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UNITED NATIONS -- A Chinese envoy on Tuesday asked the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals to complete its work within the projected timelines.

Under relevant Security Council resolutions, the mechanism is a small, temporary and efficient structure, the function and size of which will diminish over time, said Geng Shuang, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations. "China hopes that the mechanism will carry out its activities in accordance with the council resolutions. In particular, we hope the judicial proceedings of the cases will be carried out and completed according to the projected timelines." (UN-Tribunal-China) Enditem
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP)  A North Carolina woman has been charged in the death of her 5-year-old son, and an additional charge was filed after another child was found with signs of trauma, police said.

Winston-Salem police said Kimberly Monique Smith, 37, of Rural Hall was arrested at her home without incident and charged with first-degree murder in the death of Kendall Marquise Smith, the Winston-Salem Journal reported. The boy was pronounced dead at a local childrens hospital. Also, Kimberly Smith was charged with intentional child abuse inflicting serious injury in connection with injuries to another child.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP)  Setting a national drinking water standard for what have been referred to as forever chemicals will be important in addressing contamination at military bases and communities throughout the U.S., witnesses said Wednesday during a congressional hearing.

New Mexico Environment Secretary Jim Kenney was among those who testified about the contamination, which is linked to a a group of chemicals known as PFAS, an abbreviation for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances.

New Mexico is locked in a court battle with the federal government over the cleanup of toxic plumes from past firefighting activities at two U.S. Air Force bases.

While the case runs its course, the state is trying to determine the size and scope of the contamination so it can begin to formulate plans for cleaning up the chemicals, which have leached into nearby water sources. The work will take another year to complete, but officials have said samples already show levels that exceed the health advisory set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency by significant amounts.

Kenney said he can't protect New Mexicans without a federal regulatory framework for the chemicals.

The EPA drinking water health advisory from 2016 was a great start, but it's now 2021 and there's no regulatory certainty for states and our communities, he said. No person should suffer the negative health effects of PFAS  not in New Mexico or elsewhere.

Similar contamination has been found at numerous sites around the U.S., prompting lawsuits by other states and water utilities.

While the EPA is considering setting a maximum level for PFAS in drinking water nationwide, in Congress, there are several pieces of legislation pending that would address the problem in different ways, from allocating more money for the federal government for cleanup to mandating regulation of PFAS compounds.

Kenney also advocated for classifying discarded PFAS as a hazardous waste so that states can better regulate the chemicals.

U.S. Sen. Tom Carper of Delaware, chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, said the contamination is not just a public health concern but has put farmers out of business and has resulted in falling property values near contaminated sites.

A patchwork of regulatory schemes across various states isn't enough, he said.

Bottom line is this: PFAS is a sinister and pervasive threat to our families' health, a drag on local, state and national economies, and a problem that will not go away on its own, he said. We need strategic national policies.

An environmental official from West Virginia and a mother from Pennsylvania also testified about the effects of the contamination in their states.

Joanne Stanton, co-founder of the Buxmont Coalition for Safer Water, told the senators about her son being diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumor at the age 6. But it was only within the last several years that she learned drinking water in her community just north of Philadelphia had been contaminated for decades with PFAS.

That contamination has yet to be cleaned up, she said.

Its the EPAs job to regulate chemicals, to set safe drinking water standards, and to hold polluters accountable  even when that polluter is the Department of Defense, she said. And its your job to hold EPA accountable when the agency fails to act. You all have the power to change the current course of history. You have the power to protect people like me, communities like mine.
CINCINNATI (AP)  A third person accused of taking part in incidents where people shot at homeless people with an air rifle from a car in Cincinnati is now in custody.

David White, 30, was booked into the Hamilton County Jail on Tuesday and has been charged with three counts of assault, authorities said Wednesday. It's not known if he's retained an attorney.
PHILADELPHIA (AP)  A man arrested in a violent robbery in Delaware earlier this week will face charges in the robbery and slaying of a north Philadelphia donut shop manager over the weekend, authorities said.

Christine Lugo, 40, was accosted as she was opening up her west Kensington shop before 6 a.m. Saturday. The man pushed her inside at gunpoint, took about $300, shot her in the head and fled, police said. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
ROANOKE, Va. (AP)  A student was injured in a shooting outside a Roanoke arena before a high school graduation practice Wednesday afternoon, officials said.

News outlets report that the teenage boy was shot outside Berglund Center before practice began for William Fleming High Schools graduation.

Officers responding to a report of shots fired near the arena around 2 p.m. Wednesday found the injured teen. Police said they believe the shooting happened in the parking lot and the teen ran inside. No one has been arrested.

The shooting stemmed from an altercation between the teen and another juvenile earlier in the day, Chief Sam Roman said at a news conference. He said the teens injuries are not thought to be life-threatening.

The safety and security of our students and staff is always our top priority, communications and public relations coordinator Claire Mitzel said in a news release. Please feel confident that the school system is taking every possible precaution to ensure student safety.

Roanoke police are investigating and the teens family has been contacted, the school division said.
APEX, N.C. (AP)  An 18-year-old woman was killed when she was hit by an Amtrak train while walking along the tracks, authorities said.

Officers responding to an emergency call around 10 p.m. Tuesday found the woman from the Garner area dead, Apex police said in a news release.
ELLENDALE, Del. (AP)  An 18-year-old Delaware man is charged with assault after police said he shot an 11-year-old girl with a BB gun during an argument over a bicycle.

Troopers were called to a home in Ellendale on Tuesday night for a reported shooting, Delaware State Police said in a news release. Troopers learned that during an argument about the girl riding James Adkins' bicycle, he retrieved a rifle-style BB gun from his home and shot her in the lower torso, police said. The girl's injury was minor and she wasn't taken for medical attention.
TULARE, Calif. (AP)  A registered sex offender who was freed after a judge said his right to a speedy trial was violated by a 17-year delay has been charged with sexually abusing two children in California's Central Valley.

Jorge Vasquez was charged with eight counts of child molestation for allegedly fondling two boys ages 6 to 10 years old in Tulare and San Luis Obispo counties between June 2018 and this week, according to a criminal complaint made public Tuesday.

Vasquez, 48, also is charged with a count of failing to register as a sex offender.

The charges include special allegations involving multiple victims and his previous sex offenses. Vasquez could face up to life in prison if convicted.

Vasquez was arrested Sunday by police in Porterville. It wasn't immediately clear whether he had an attorney to speak on his behalf.

The alleged abuse began less than six months after Vasquez was released from Coalinga State Hospital, Tulare County District Attorney Tim Ward said.

Vasquez was sentenced to 12 years in prison after pleading no contest to molesting four boys ages 6 to 8 in 1994 after luring them into a South Los Angeles alleyway with the promise of candy, the Los Angeles Times reported, citing court records.

In 2000, Los Angeles County prosecutors sought to have him indefinitely committed to a state hospital as a sexually violent predator.

But Vasquez never received a trial date, as five different public defenders were assigned over 17 years, each asking for a trial delay.

In 2018, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge James Bianco granted a motion to dismiss the case against Vasquez, ruling his constitutional right to a speedy trial had been violated, the Times said.
The Special ASEAN-China Foreign Ministers Meeting took place in Chongqing on Monday and Tuesday. This first face-to-face meeting of foreign ministers of both sides after the COVID-19 pandemic spread across the world spoke for the special and close relations between China and ASEAN.

As a close neighbor of China, ASEAN was on America's radar when the Obama administration rolled out the Asian-Pacific rebalance strategy, and it has become a focal point in recent years given America's strategic containment of China. But the US has gained little so far and hasn't roped in ASEAN members against China for its financial and diplomatic buck.

Americas influence in Southeast Asia focuses on security, which is backed by its military presence. While the Philippines and Thailand are its military allies, Uncle Sam also has military bases in Singapore and its warships are frequently in and out of the South China Sea. Taking advantage of some ASEAN members wish for Washington to counter Chinas rise in the region, the US attempts to elevate itself to a dominant position in Southeast Asia, but that has proved a fallacy.

ASEAN as a whole doesnt want to take side with either China or the US  even Singapore that has the most stable relation with it firmly refuses such a scenario for the region. They want to strike a balance between the two sides and see that as their way of survival. Its worth noting that ASEAN members have generally maintained diplomatic independence. They are more capable of making their own diplomatic policies than Americas stronger Asian Pacific allies such as Japan and Australia.

An important external reason why ASEAN doesnt jump on the US wagon is that China doesnt pose to it the threats hyped by the US. Although China has territorial disputes with certain ASEAN countries, all parties have a sincere wish to manage and control their divergences and all agree that territorial issues should not dominate state-to-state relations in the region. At the same time, the rapidly expanding economic and trade cooperation between China and ASEAN is reshaping bilateral relations and the general geopolitical and geoeconomics outlook in the region.

China is the largest trading partner of all ASEAN members, and China-ASEAN trade volume is about twice as large as that between the US and ASEAN. The US may have a vast investment stock in ASEAN, but Chinese investment in the region has increased quickly over recent years.

For ASEAN, security cooperation, which is an exclusive zero-sum game, will only override everything else when there is a tangible and pressing external threat, which, however, is not the current regional situation  peace and development is far more important for most regional countries at the moment. Economic and trade cooperation with China has reached every aspect of Southeast Asian society. In 2019, before the pandemic broke out, there were nearly 4,500 flights flying between China and ASEAN countries every week, with more than 65 million passengers that year.

As long as military friction between China and the US doesnt happen in the South China Sea, China will be able to keep disputes from escalating into war. China has developed its relationship with ASEAN countries fair and square, whereas the US is playing below the belt by instigating regional countries to be its chess pieces.

Instead of investing a lot of resources in Southeast Asia to show its sincerity and goodwill, the US dreams of easily winning ASEANs loyalty with nothing. In contrast, China advocates equal and mutually beneficial cooperation and promotes its relations with ASEAN countries with common benefits. The US is playing a losing game in the region.

If America cannot secure Southeast Asias support, its besiegement and containment of China will have an opening, and its failure here will repeat itself elsewhere. No country with diplomatic independence will be at its beck and call. They will try to achieve a kind of diplomatic balance between the worlds two largest economies. Washingtons strategic fantasy of containing China is doomed to failure.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-09 09:09:00|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, June 9 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese mainland on Tuesday reported eight new locally transmitted COVID-19 cases, all in Guangdong Province, the National Health Commission said in its daily report on Wednesday.

The same day also saw eight new imported cases on the mainland. Of them, two each were reported in Beijing, Shanghai and Sichuan, and one each in Fujian and Guangdong.

Eleven new suspected cases arriving from outside the mainland were reported in Shanghai. No new deaths related to the disease were reported, said the commission. Enditem
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP)  The way Ohio pays for K-12 education now and in the future is at the heart of debate over the final version of the states $75 billion two-year budget.

The budget approved by the GOP-controlled House in April included elements of the bipartisan Fair School Funding Plan developed over more than three years. The goal of that plan was a sustainable funding process lasting several years.

The GOP-majority Ohio Senate ditched that approach and introduced its own plan as part of the budget, which it passed along partisan lines Wednesday.

House and Senate lawmakers must reconcile differences between the two versions by months end.

The Senate education plan assumes a $6,110 annual base cost per student. The House plan provides slightly more over the two-year funding cycle, but increases to $7,203 when fully phased in over six years.

The Senate plan builds on the work done to create the Fair School Funding Plan, but avoids uncontrolled spending in future years, Senate Finance Chairman Matt Dolan said Wednesday during debate over the budget. The Senate version provides $232 million more than the House version.

The priorities laid out by the Fair School Funding Plan were to create a reliable, predictable and rational plan, Dolan said. The plan were putting forward today does that.

That predictability will be the basis of any agreement the Senate reaches with the House, said Senate President Matt Huffman, a Lima Republican.

Another benefit of the Senate education plan was to restore $650 million in funding to specifically address non-academic needs of children, especially poor students, through social services, said Sen. Louis Blessing III, a Cincinnati Republican.

Senate Democrats unsuccessfully urged their Republican colleagues to return to the House funding plan.

The GOP Senate education plan really fails to address a historic opportunity that we have now to try to deal with, in a fair and equitable and adequate way, the funding over education, said Sen. Vernon Sykes of Akron, the top-ranking Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee.

Advocates for the Fair School Funding Plan say it does not make sense to ignore the work of both Democrats and Republicans and a broad swath of educators who developed it.

This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for Ohio schoolchildren, former Democratic state representative John Patterson of Ashtabula, a retired teacher who helped develop the plan, said Tuesday.

He said the plan allows for predictability for school districts so they can provide the programming to the best of our abilities that allows for the utmost opportunities for all of our children.

The House plan also has the backing of both major Ohio teachers unions, the Ohio Education Association and the Ohio Federation of Teacher, who on Wednesday called on Senate lawmakers to adopt the plan's elements.

The Senate's school-funding proposal would also require that the state, not individual districts, pay charter schools directly for the first time. In addition, the legislation allows public school districts to operate an online school for students, including providing free access to the internet and a computer.

That measure was an outcome of districts developing online systems during the coronavirus pandemic and wanting to continue that option, said Senate Finance Chairman Matt Dolan.

The Senate version of the budget also:

Provides an across-the-board personal income tax cut of 5%.

Raises the eligibility level for poor families accessing publicly funded day care from those making 130% of the federal poverty level to 142%, and provides $50 million to discount co-payments for such day care. The Senate plan also eliminates the requirement that day cares achieve a quality of care rating to be listed in the state system. Child care advocates say that change will hurt the quality of care available for Ohioans who need the publicly funded option.

Shields names collected through the state's Vax-a-Million lottery incentive program from the state's open records law.

Mandates that physicians who provide back-up coverage at local hospitals as part of required patient-transfer agreements with abortion clinics must practice within 25 miles (40 kilometers) of the clinics.

 Requires that candidates for chief justice or justice of the Ohio Supreme Court and for appeals court judicial seats must appear on the general election ballot with a political party designation. Partisan designations are not permitted under current law.
AP

MONTEZUMA, Iowa (AP)  A sheriff announced Wednesday that roughly $15,000 and counting has been pledged as a reward for information that helps investigators find out what happened to a missing Iowa boy.

The Poweshiek County Sheriff's Office said the pledges have come from local businesses and citizens who are concerned about the disappearance of Xavior Harrelson.
TUCSON, Ariz. (AP)  A vandal painted a red swastika and an anti-Jewish slur on the front door of a Tucson synagogue, prompting a police investigation and revulsion from congregants as well as Gov. Doug Ducey.

The vandalism was reported to police after a congregant at the Chabad on River synagogue spotted it when they arrived early Monday to teach a religion class. Rabbi Ram Bigelman told the Arizona Daily Star that the incident was deeply disturbing."

He said the synagogue has been vandalized in the past but has never before been the target of antisemitic graffiti.

Tucson police are asking for help identifying anyone suspicious in the area between Friday and Monday mornings. Its the second vandalism incident in three weeks at a Tucson synagogue.

Police are also investigating a May 19 case in which a rock was thrown through a glass window in the front door of Congregation Chaverim. Police spokesman Sgt. Richard Gradillas said there's no evidence the rock incident was motivated by bias.

Graham Hoffman, president and CEO of the Jewish Community Foundation of Southern Arizona, said the swastika incident has left many Jewish residents on edge at a time when similar incidents are on the rise nationwide.

There is sadness, and a certain disbelief that this could be happening here, Hoffman said, and called on Tucson residents of all beliefs to show solidarity with the Jewish community. The rights to assemble and worship in peace and safety are cornerstones of American democracy."

Ducey tweeted Tuesday evening that he had spoken with the congregation's Rabbi Yehuda Ceitlin to express his shock and assure him that the state is doing all it can to make sure the Jewish community and all Arizonans are safe and treated with respect & dignity.
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP)  A union representing Missouri state workers is urging Gov. Mike Parson to make accommodations for state workers ordered last month to return to their offices, calling the directive dangerous.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that Natashia Pickens, president of the Missouri State Workers Union Communications Workers of America Local 6355, wrote to Parson on Wednesday. The letter says COVID-19 is still raging across the state and that Parson's office failed to take into account health or child care concerns.
HOUSTON (AP)  A student suffered a minor hand injury Wednesday when a stray bullet hit him during a Houston high school parking lot shooting, police said.

North Forest High School seniors were leaving campus around 10:25 a.m. after a graduation rehearsal when persons in two vehicles in the schools parking lot exchanged gunfire, said Houston school district Police Chief Pedro Lopez.

A stray bullet grazed the hand of an unidentified student in the parking lot as the shooters continued exchanging gunfire off-campus. His wound was treated at the scene and was not the target of the shooting, Lopez said.

An 18-year-old who was in one of the fleeing vehicles was later detained. No charges have yet been filed, Lopez said.

Investigators were still trying to determine if those involved in the shooting were students or visitors to the campus.
EVANSTON, Ill. (AP)  An explosive device was thrown through the window of a suburban Chicago house, causing an explosion that blew out the homes windows, police said Wednesday.

Police and firefighters in Evanston who responded to a house explosion reported about 11:30 p.m. Tuesday found that the home's windows were blown out, but that no one was injured in the blast.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-09 09:48:32|Editor: huaxia

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Players of China celebrate during the Preliminary Round match between China and Brazil at the 2021 FIVB Volleyball Nations League in Rimini, Italy, June 8, 2021. (Xinhua)

RIMINI, Italy, June 8 (Xinhua) -- The United States beat Italy 3-1 here on Tuesday to remain as the only unbeaten team in the 2021 women's Volleyball Nations League.

Andrea Drews had 20 points and Michelle Bartsch-Hackley added 19 to help the American women take their ninth straight win in the 16-team round-robin preliminaries 25-18, 25-21, 20-25 and 25-16.

"I think Italy put up a good fight. They have some very talented young players, so we spent this match trying to navigate that and figure out how to stop them. And I'm just proud of my team for getting another win," said American Kelsey Robinson.

Earlier on Tuesday, China outlasted Brazil 3-2 to snap its four-match losing streak.

Zhang Changning scored game-high 36 points from 32 kills, two blocks and two aces to lift the Chinese women over Brazil 18-25, 25-22, 25-20, 14-25 and 15-12. Yang Hanyu, Wang Yuanyuan and Liu Xiaotong contributed 14, 11 and 9 points respectively to China's fourth win in nine tries.

"I'm very excited about this victory over Brazil. Despite some difficulties, we managed to do something that we wanted," said Zhang, who spearheaded the Chinese team in the absence of star spiker Zhu Ting. "The entire team worked for this victory, it's a team victory. In every skill - block, defense, spike, serve - we did our best to gain this victory."

Having missed the first nine rounds of preliminaries of the VNL, Zhu, Yuan Xinyue and four other regular starters are expected to play for China as the competitions resume on Saturday.

Also on Tuesday, Turkey beat Russia 3-2 in another five-set thriller to improve to an 8-1 win-loss record. The Turkish women now stood second behind the United States on the standings.

In Tuesday's other matches, Thailand lost to Dominican Republic 3-0, the Netherlands swept Canada 3-0, Japan rallied past Poland 3-2, Germany outgunned South Korea 3-0 and Belgium overcame Serbia 3-2.

The top four finishers from the preliminaries will qualify for the semifinals. Enditem
CAIRO (AP)  Sudan and Egypt renewed calls Wednesday for the international community to help in resolving their decade-long dispute with Ethiopia over a giant dam that Addis Ababa is building on the Blue Nile, the main tributary of the Nile River.

Egyptian foreign and irrigation ministers flew to Sudans capital, Khartoum, for talks with Sudanese counterparts focusing on Ethiopias dam project.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP)  An Indianapolis police officer was speeding and made an illegal lane change just before his patrol car struck and killed a pregnant woman last year near a highway ramp, the woman's boyfriend alleges in a federal lawsuit.

Attorneys for Marcus Lewis Jr. allege that Officer Jonathan Henderson was driving 33 mph over the speed limit moments before he hit 23-year-old Ashlynn Lisby on May 6, 2020, killing her, The Indianapolis Star reported.

If a civilian drove this recklessly and killed two people, that person would likely face criminal charges, attorney Stephen Wagner said in a news release. That person would also lose his or her job if driving a vehicle for an employer at the time of the accident.

The lawsuit, filed last month U.S. District Court in Indianapolis, alleges Henderson was never disciplined by the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department for the incident that killed Lisby.

Lisby was more than eight months pregnant with Lewis' child, according to the complaint, which said the child was born alive through an emergency cesarean section but died moments later. The suit seeks compensatory damages for Lewis for the death of his child, and punitive damages against Henderson.

The citys Office of Corporation Counsel said it does not comment on pending litigation.

Lisby was struck as she and Lewis were walking on the shoulder of a street just south of an Interstate 465 ramp on Indianapolis' southwest side, headed to their motel room, the suit states.

Her death and the fatal police shooting of two Black men in three separate incidents hours apart prompted protests against Indianapolis police.

Henderson, a 22-year veteran of the force at the time, was in uniform and driving in a police vehicle and on his way to roll call when he struck Lisby.

Lewis' lawyers say black box data obtained from the crash shows Henderson accelerated to 78 mph  33 mph above the posted speed limit  and made an illegal lane shift over a solid white line as he positioned his vehicle into the right turn lane.

The suit alleges that Henderson checked his rearview mirror as he prepared to turn onto I-465 and his car drifted over the right fog line when he struck Lisby, whose body left an elliptical dent in the hood of his car and cracked his windshield.

Lewis lawyers allege that IMPD attempted to cover up the incident by preparing a crash report that lists the primary cause of the accident as the pedestrians action. That crash report states that none of Hendersons actions played a contributing role in the accident, they allege.

The accident report does not mention that Henderson was speeding, made an illegal lane shift, and was driving partially on the shoulder ... when he struck Ashlynn, according to the complaint.

IMPD said after the accident that Henderson called for backup, rendered first aid to Lisby, and collaborated with investigators, submitting to a blood draw to rule out impaired driving as a factor.
BANGKOK (AP)  At least one-quarter of the people in Myanmar's smallest state have been forced to flee their homes because of combat with the military junta that seized power in February, raising fears of a possible humanitarian tragedy including thousands of civilian deaths, a U.N. expert said Wednesday.

The U.N. special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, Tom Andrews, called for international pressure on the junta to deprive it of the resources needed to continue these brutal attacks on the people of Myanmar.

Mass deaths from starvation, disease and exposure could occur in Kayah state after many of the 100,000 forced to flee into forests from junta bombs are now cut off from food, water and medicine by the junta, he said in remarks posted on Twitter.

Kayah state, also known as Karenni state, is in eastern Myanmar along the border with Thailand and has an estimated population of 350,000-400,000.

The U.N.s office in Myanmar said in a statement Tuesday that people in Kayah are in urgent need of food, water, shelter, fuel and healthcare, and that this crisis could push people across international borders seeking safety, as already seen in other parts of the country. Villagers from the Karen minority south of Kayah fled to Thailand in March and April when they came under attack by Myanmars military.

The military, which ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi, has faced widespread opposition to its rule, initially by massive nonviolent protests. After soldiers and police used deadly force to crush the peaceful demonstrations, a low-level armed insurrection has emerged in both the cities and countryside.

According to Myanmars Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, more than 850 protesters and bystanders have been killed in the juntas crackdown, though the government puts the death toll at about a third of that.

There has been fierce fighting in Kayah since May 21, when government forces moved into areas controlled by the state's dominant political organization, the Karenni National Progressive Party, and its armed wing, the Karenni Army. The KNPP is one of about a dozen armed ethnic organizations that have been battling for decades for greater autonomy from the central government.

Andrews said he has received credible reports of a major shortage of safe drinking water, severe diarrhea outbreaks, and a lack of adequate shelter among Kayahs displaced people. He said there were reports that the military had set up blockades that are keeping aid from reaching them.

An official for the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force, a recently formed group fighting against the government, confirmed that there was an urgent need among the displaced people for protection during the current rainy season and for medicine.

The spokesman, who was contacted by phone from Thailand and declined to give his name for safety reasons, said there was not much fighting Wednesday, though occasional sounds of government heavy weapons could be heard.

The defense force is an outgrowth of the protest movement that began against military rule after the February takeover. The units were formed locally and now sometimes operate at the state level. They are loosely affiliated with an alternative National Unity Government established by elected lawmakers who were denied their seats in Parliament by the army coup.

The National Unity Government seeks recognition as Myanmar's legitimate government, and has announced plans to unite the local defense forces into a federal army in alliance with the long-established ethnic rebel groups, who have provided the new groups with military training. The fighting in Kayah is believed to be the first in which a local defense force conducted joint operations with an ethnic guerrilla group.

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A previous version of this story corrected the name of the antigovernment group in Kayah to Karenni Nationalities Defense Force.
SALT LAKE CITY (AP)  Utah Gov. Spencer Cox urged residents and businesses to cut down on their water usage Tuesday to combat the worst drought the state has experienced in decades.

Cox, a Republican, said he will issue an executive order directing state agencies in northern Utah to only water outdoors twice a week and state agencies in southern Utah to water three times a week. The state's Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands has also issued a fireworks bans for all state lands and unincorporated private lands to reduce the risk of wildfires, he said.

The governor said the entire state is experiencing a drought, and about 90% of Utah is now in an extreme drought category.

Were slowing down on our press conferences about the pandemic, and were headed right into another disaster, Cox told reporters on the steps of the Utah Capitol.  Its been that kind of year for the state of Utah.

Cox said outdoor watering accounts for 60% of residential water use in Utah and called on residents to allow lawns to go brown. He noted that some local water districts are enforcing their own restrictions.

In Syracuse, Utah, residents aren't allowed to water their lawns during the hours of 10 a.m. and 6 p.m, Fox 13 reported. Violators will get an initial warning. A second violation will lead to a $100 fine, a third will result in a $250 fine and a fourth violation will shut off the home's secondary water for the year.

Cox also renewed his calls for residents of faith to pray for rain. He released a statement last week calling on Utah residents to pray for divine intervention" to combat the drought.

The governor has issued two drought-related emergency orders in the last three months. He declared a state of emergency on March 17 due to the ongoing drought and issued another executive order on May 3 requiring water conservation practices at state facilities.

___

Eppolito 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.
OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP)  State Supreme Court justices are considering whether Washington state Gov. Jay Inslee violated the state constitution when he vetoed single sentences in the transportation budget in 2019.

Lawmakers sued the Democratic governor, claiming he exceeded his authority and trespassed onto their legislating responsibilities by removing a sentence pertaining to grant funding for transit services, The Daily Herald reported Tuesday.

A Thurston County judge invalidated the vetoes last year, concluding Inslee exceeded his veto powers. Alicia Young, a deputy solicitor general representing Inslee, argued against that decision on Tuesday.

Young said that the move was unusual, but was a legal and necessary response to lawmakers' improper manipulation of the budgeting process. She argued the vetoed sentence would not have otherwise passed as stand-alone legislation.

However, Jeffrey Even, a deputy solicitor general representing the Legislature, argued that the targeted sentence was not a change in law or policy but was a direction on how to distribute certain grant funds. Even also said Inslee would have had to remove the subsections the line appeared in.

The targeted sentence said, Fuel type may not be a factor in the grant selection process.

Lawmakers said the sentence ensures that transit agencies that are unable to make an immediate transition to zero-emission vehicles are not disqualified from getting $200 million in grants offered through the state.

Young argued the sentence would amend existing law by changing the rules for the grant selection process.

Justice Debra Stephens questioned Young on whether this wasnt simply a policy fight, asking what would have happened had the Legislature written that fuel type must be considered as a factor. She also questioned Young on what appeared to be an argument to expand the governors power to legislate.

Young said vetoing every proviso is a theoretical possibility but not likely and that lawmakers have the final say as they retain the power to override any veto.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP)  West Virginias coal mine cleanup fund has no known backup plan if it goes insolvent, according to a new state audit.

The legislative audit report released Monday said that mine reclamation program within the state's Department of Environmental Protection is at risk of insolvency due to the risk of bond revenues not raising enough to guarantee the fund's future.

Among several recommendations, the auditor calls on the department to not approve applications for permit renewals for companies that have not paid taxes for the special reclamation fund. Its review found that 70 mining companies that filed coal reclamation tax returns were delinquent on $5.3 million in total funds.

Reclamation of shuttered coal mine sites is crucial to preventing environmental pollution and returning the land to its habitat. Contaminants can seep into waterways and harm wildlife if not properly handled after a mine closes.

West Virginia's coal mining reclamation program will continue to require hundreds of millions of dollars to reclaim permit sites in accordance with federal regulations, the audit said. The program has no known contingency plans if the reclamation funds were to become insolvent.

Insolvency could also pose a dramatic hit to the state budget, and mismanagement of the funds could lead to federal control over the program, according to the audit.

The report calls for a legislative commission to study the state's reclamation program and ensure its long-term viability.

Republican Senate President Craig Blair told the Charleston Gazette-Mail that lawmakers should aim to attract federal funding for the program. Otherwise, we're looking at a billion-dollar program of our own to begin with, he said.

He added the miners who lost jobs in the industry can be employed to go back in and work on reclamation. It's a win-win scenario from that standpoint if we've got mines that are closing down, he told the newspaper.
WASHINGTON (AP)  The White House dropped Trump-era executive orders intended to ban the popular apps TikTok and WeChat and will conduct its own review aimed at identifying national security risks with software applications tied to China, officials said Wednesday.

A new executive order directs the Commerce Department to undertake what officials describe as an evidence-based analysis of transactions involving apps that are manufactured or supplied or controlled by China. Officials are particularly concerned about apps that collect users' personal data or have connections to Chinese military or intelligence activities.

In revoking some of President Donald Trump's blanket-style orders against Chinese tech companies and replacing them with a narrower approach, the Biden administration has not actually weighed in yet on whether TikTok and other apps pose a danger to Americans.

But a senior administration official said Wednesday that the Trump actions werent always implemented in the soundest fashion and the aim of the review is to set up clear criteria to evaluate specific data security and privacy risks for each app. He said that could lead to a range of potential future actions on an app-by-app basis.

We want to take a tailored, tough approach here, he said.

The department will also make recommendations on how to further protect Americans' genetic and personal health information, and will address the risks of certain software apps connected to China or other adversaries, according to senior administration officials.

TikTok on Wednesday declined to comment. WeChat did not respond to a request for comment.

The Trump administration's attempted bans didn't hold up legally as courts blocked them, and also ran up against this critique that they were mimicking Chinas Great Firewall," said Samm Sacks, a fellow at Yale Law Schools Paul Tsai China Center. What the Biden administration wants to do is maintain an open, secure internet that doesnt take a page from Beijings playbook, while addressing legitimate risk.

The Biden administration's move reflects ongoing concern that Americans personal data could be exposed by popular apps tied to China, a chief U.S. economic and political rival. The White House and Congress have both taken action to address Beijings technological advancement.

The Biden administration last week expanded a Trump-era list of Chinese companies that Americans cant invest in because of purported links to the Chinese military and surveillance. Companies on the list include Chinas state-owned telecommunications companies, telecom equipment maker Huawei and Chinese oil company China National Offshore Oil Corp.

On Tuesday, the Senate passed a bill that aims to boost U.S. semiconductor production and the development of artificial intelligence and other technology in the face of growing international competition. The bill would also ban the federal government's use of Chinese-made drones.

The new executive order should lead to a framework for protecting Americans' data from China, rather than targeting specific companies, and could pressure Congress to enact a data-security law in the years ahead, said Paul Triolo, a tech policy expert at the Eurasia Group consultancy.

Biden also on Wednesday revoked a Trump order from January that had banned transactions with digital wallets Alipay and WeChat Pay and six lesser-known Chinese apps over unspecified data security concerns.

Courts had blocked the Trump administration's efforts last year to ban TikTok, a video app widely popular with young people, and the main WeChat messaging service. But a national-security review of TikTok by a government group called the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, or CFIUS, is ongoing. CFIUS had set deadlines for TikTok to divest its U.S. operations, but such a sale never happened.

Last year, the Trump administration brokered a deal that would have had U.S. corporations Oracle and Walmart take a large stake in the app on national security grounds. Oracle didn't returned requests for comment on Wednesday. Walmart declined to comment.

The Biden administration earlier this year sought to delay its legal defense of Trumps attempts to ban TikTok and WeChat as it reviewed national security threats posed by Chinese technology companies. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit has put on hold a case challenging Trumps TikTok divestment order.

A cybersecurity and privacy analysis of TikTok published in March by the internet watchdog group Citizen Lab found no evidence of malicious behavior and said TikToks practices of collecting personal data and tracking users' behavior were no worse than other major social platforms such as Facebook.

Our research shows that there is no overt data transmission to the Chinese government by TikTok, the report said. It added that TikTok's service did not contact any servers within China, but it was still theoretically possible that servers outside China could later transfer user data to China-based servers.

Citizen Lab, based at the University of Toronto, also described a plausible though speculative scenario in which the Chinese government could use one of its national security laws to force TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, to turn over user data, but said there's no evidence China has yet exerted such pressure on the company.

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O'Brien reported from Providence, Rhode Island, and Arbel from New York.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-09 10:05:03|Editor: huaxia

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XINING, June 9 (Xinhua) -- Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said that not a single ethnic group should be left behind in the country's efforts to fully build a modern socialist China.

Xi made the remarks on Tuesday afternoon while visiting a village and talking with villagers in Shaliuhe Township in Gangcha County, Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, during his inspection tour of northwest China's Qinghai Province.

"We are a family, and we are all brothers and sisters," Xi told the villagers, calling on them to have confidence in a brighter future. Enditem
MADISON, Wis. (AP)  The Wisconsin Senate approved Republican-backed bills Wednesday that would create new hurdles for the elderly and disabled to cast absentee ballots, limit the number and location of ballot drop boxes and impose new penalties for violating election law.

All of the measures are almost certain to be vetoed by Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, who has said he opposes anything that makes it more difficult to vote.

The proposals are among more than a dozen election-related changes that Republicans are pushing this year after former President Donald Trump's narrow defeat in the battleground state. They are part of a national push by Republicans to change election laws after President Joe Biden's win. Evers is expected to present his opposition to the Republican push to make it more difficult to vote as a central part of his 2022 election campaign, since his veto stands in the way of them getting enacted.

These bills are in seek of a problem that does not exist in the state of Wisconsin, said Democratic Rep. Melissa Agard, of Madison. Theyre making it harder for our friends and neighbors across the state to vote, especially our seniors, especially our people with disabilities, especially people of color. ... Plain and simple, this is voter suppression and that to me is not OK.

Republican backers said the bills were meant to address problems and irregularities that arose from the 2020 presidential election.

Were not trying to overturn the election. My colleagues are not trying to overturn the last election, said Republican Sen. Alberta Darling, of Whitefish Bay. Were not trying to say theres a big lie.

The bills now head to the Assembly, where Republican Speaker Robin Vos voiced support and said they were just the beginning of elections changes the Legislature would consider.

One bill would require most elderly and disabled people who are indefinitely confined to show photo ID in order to vote absentee; require all absentee voters to fill out more paperwork and show their ID every time they vote absentee, rather than just the first time as is current law; and require voters who are confined to apply to get an absentee ballot every year, rather than have them sent automatically as they are now.

It passed on an 18-14 vote, with all Democrats against along with Republican Sens. Kathy Bernier, chairwoman of the Elections Committee, and Sen. Ron Cowles.

Another bill, passed on a party line vote, would make it a felony for an employee of a nursing home or other care facility to coerce an occupant to apply for, or not apply for, an absentee ballot. The bill is so broadly written that any comment or action related to absentee ballots could be prosecuted as a potential violation, according to Law Forward, an advocacy group formed in part to fight measures that restrict access to the polls.

The Senate also passed a bill on a voice vote that would limit the number of ballot drop boxes in any community and restrict where they can be located. Municipalities with populations under 70,000 can only have a drop box at the election clerk's office. Larger cities can have three additional drop boxes on municipal property, including police and fire stations, but not public parks.

Many communities across Wisconsin had multiple drop boxes to make it easier for voters to return ballots during the presidential election last year amid a record surge in absentee voting due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Republicans in Wisconsin have already approved a review of the 2020 election by the nonpartisan Legislative Audit Bureau and hired retired police officers to investigate unfounded reports of widespread voter fraud. Trump's narrow loss to Biden by about 20,600 votes in Wisconsin has already withstood recounts in Milwaukee and Dane counties and numerous state and federal lawsuits.

The Senate on Wednesday also gave final approval to a bill it previously supported that would generally prohibit counties and municipalities from accepting grants or donations from private entities to help run elections.

That bill comes after the nonprofit Center for Tech and Civic Life awarded more than $6 million to five Wisconsin cities to help with the November election. The nonprofits $250 million in grants awarded nationwide were funded by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and his wife. Conservatives sued to stop the funding in Wisconsin, but they lost in federal court.

It also passed 18-14, with Bernier and Cowles joining Democrats against it.

Senate passage sends the bill to Evers, who is likely to veto it.

The Senate did not vote as originally planned on a bill that would have required anyone under age 65 who claims to be indefinitely confined to get a signed statement from a doctor, with violators guilty of a felony.
MADISON, Wis. (AP)  The Republican-controlled Wisconsin Legislature voted Wednesday to eliminate a $300-a-week federal bonus for unemployed people, a measure that Democratic Gov. Tony Evers has made clear he's likely to veto.

The federal payment, approved to help the unemployed during the coronavirus pandemic, is scheduled to end on Sept. 6. Twenty-five other states have already approved ending it early, saying it has exacerbated worker shortage problems.

That's the argument that Republicans, state and local chambers of commerce, trade groups and others made for for passing the bill in Wisconsin.

Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos insisted Wednesday that the $300 payment is keeping people at home.

Do you believe we should help the small business community? Vos said. Work should be what pays, not waiting for a government paycheck.

Democratic Assembly Minority Leader Gordon Hintz countered that unemployment is lower now than a year ago during as the pandemic was raging. Wisconsins unemployment rate this past April was 3.9%. In April 2020 it was 14.1%

The problem is Republican policies have driven workers out of the state over the last decade, Hintz said.

Youve made our state worse. People dont want to live here, he said. This vote doesnt address your problems.

Labor experts say the labor shortage is not just about the $300 payment. Some unemployed people have been reluctant to return to work because they fear catching the virus. Others have found new occupations. And many women, especially working mothers, have left the workforce to care for their children.

The bill passed both the Senate and Assembly on party line votes, with all Republicans in support and Democrats against.

Evers last week voiced support for the $300 payment, saying those who advocate abolishing it dont have any evidence that its behind the worker shortages.

The payment comes on top of Wisconsin's weekly $370 unemployment benefit.

The bill passed would end Wisconsin's involvement in four federal unemployment enhancement programs: Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation, Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation and Mixed Earner Unemployment Compensation.
MADISON, Wis. (AP)  Future federal laws that would ban or restrict the use of guns could not be enforced in Wisconsin under a Republican-backed bill the state Assembly approved Wednesday.

The measure is part of a national wave of similar proposals intended to resist new gun control measures. The bills are a reaction from Republicans to a push by President Joe Biden and congressional Democrats to tighten gun control laws.

However, because the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution dictates that federal law trumps conflicting state law, many previous GOP-backed state efforts to thwart gun laws have been found unconstitutional. Several states passed similar laws under then-President Barack Obama, but judges ruled against them.

Even if the Wisconsin Senate passed the new bill, it would likely be vetoed by Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, who supports tighter gun control limits.

The proposal generally would prohibit police in Wisconsin from enforcing a federal law that bans or restricts gun or ammunition sales. It would also exempt any gun or ammunition made in Wisconsin from federal regulation and prohibit any state or local government agency from spending taxpayer money to confiscate guns or ammunition.

Assembly Democrats warned that the state can't trump federal law and the bill would leave police powerless to seize guns from domestic abusers. Rep. Tip McGuire of Kenosha said the measure would handcuff police.

Republicans countered that they're protecting Wisconsin residents' 2nd Amendment right to bear arms and ensuring people can defend themselves as local governments defund police departments.

This is a great bill, Rep. Tyler August said. This is a bill we should pass. The governor should sign this bill to continue to protect the 2nd Amendment rights of the people we work for when its clear the people running Washington have no interest in doing so.

The Assembly passed the bill 61-36. Rep. Nick Milroy was the only Democrat who voted in favor of the measure.
BRUSSELS (AP)  Almost 9 months after a fire gutted a refugee camp on the Greek island of Lesbos, work on a new reception center has still not begun despite pledges to have the facility built before next winter, Greeces migration minister confirmed Wednesday.

Greek authorities said the fires were started deliberately last September by residents who were protesting their confinement at the overcrowded Moria camp. The camp, which was built for less than 3,000 people, was jammed with 12,500 people and was locked down due to a COVID-19 outbreak. Some people were later moved to the mainland or to a temporary camp.

Greek Migration Minister Notis Mitarachi said the tender process for choosing companies to build the new facility, foreseen to hold up to 5,000 people, is underway. He said it has taken time to get the necessary licenses and environmental permits, as well as finalize a grant for European Union funds.

He was asked whether he could guarantee that migrants would not have to spend a second winter in tents.

In case were still not in the new camps in Lesbos, we have contingency planning to ensure that we will never again see these pictures weve seen in the temporary camp in Mavrovouni, he responded.

The Mavrovouni camp was set up after the fire at Moria as a temporary emergency measure, and images of people trying to live in flooded, muddy tents made headlines for months.

Mitarachi said a separate refugee camp on the Greek island of Chios is also under tender, but that three other camps in Samos, Kos and Leros are expected to be up and running by this winter.

The Moria camp mainly accommodated people fleeing conflict and poverty in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia who arrived clandestinely on Lesbos from the nearby Turkish coast. Aid agencies had long warned of dire conditions at the facility, which was built to house just over 2,750 people.

Around 10,000 migrants remain in the Greek islands. After a meeting with Mirarachi in Brussels, EU Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson said a priority must be to make sure that we will be able to have good winter conditions for migrants.

___

Follow all AP stories on global migration at https://apnews.com/hub/migration.
Eric Risberg/AP

California Gov. Gavin Newsom can raise an unlimited amount of money as he attempts to survive a recall election later this year, and he is pulling in massive sums of money from technology executives.

At the end of May, he pulled in $3 million  by far the largest sum of money spent on the recall on either side  from Netflix founder Reed Hastings. On Tuesday, a new filing from the California Secretary of State's office showed that he received an additional $300,000 from tech titans.
Every morning, it seemed, another man would turn up dead on the dusty streets of Bodie. The bad men from Bodie, as newspapers in the 1800s called them, were notorious for their profanity, deception, whiskey-fueled rage and most of all, for their cold-blooded shot. Word spread that the gold-mining boomtown ate men for breakfast. Or so the story goes.

The oath of the Bad Man from Bodie is like the cheerful warning of the rattlesnake, and like that warning the blow follows close upon its heels, wrote E.H. Clough in an 1880 edition of the Sacramento Bee.

In its heyday during the late 1800s, Bodie was a lawless town on the edge of the western frontier. The promise of gold once lured as many as 8,000 people to a barren valley surrounded by cold, sagebrush hills, according to California State Parks.

Today, Bodie is dead quiet, save for the wind.

Julie Brown / SFGATE

Bodie is a state historic park thats kept in a state of arrested decay, which means the town is left as it is. It is a time portal to the Wild West, or a place to muse about what the aftermath of an apocalypse might look like.

California State Parks didnt restore Bodies buildings or streets. Instead, they've only preserved what remains, keeping the town just barely alive  windblown and weathered, rusted, overgrown with sage, buried beneath dust. It is a bona fide ghost town. The only people who live here are the state park rangers.

Bodie State Historic Park teeters on the eastern edge of California, on the brink of the Nevada state line. It is a couple hours drive southeast of Lake Tahoe. On my travels to and from Tahoe, Ive driven past the turnoff to Bodie on Highway 395 countless times, always wondering whats up that winding road but never stopping. But on a particularly gloomy and dark day a couple weeks ago, I decided to make a day trip of it.

I got in my car and headed south on Highway 395. Black clouds swept across green and gold valleys on the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada. I drove through Bridgeport, a sleepy town on a vast plain that feels like a slice of Montana in California. A few miles south of the town, I made a left turn onto a two-lane road that cut through a notch in a rock wall. It was the road to Bodie.

Julie Brown / SFGATE

Julie Brown / SFGATE

How do towns die? This isnt a question relegated to the past. Just watch "Nomadland"  which begins at the end of another dusty town on the edge of the desert. Opportunity dries up and people leave.

The case of Bodie is classic boom and bust. A man named W.S. Bodey discovered gold in these hills in 1859, but he didnt survive the following winter and so he never saw the riches that followed his discovery. But the town took his name, later changing its spelling to Bodie.

The higher I drove, the fewer bars of service appeared on my cellphone, until communication dropped off entirely. I was surrounded by an endless landscape of brown hills. The paved road ended and a gravel road began, with no destination in sight, and I wondered how a man could have found gold in all of these hills so long ago. The clouds drew closer until the road was shrouded in a dense, white fog.

I couldnt see much of anything except snowflakes that were falling on our windshield. It was the end of May. At 8,400 feet of elevation, Bodie can see snow almost any month of the year.

Julie Brown / SFGATE

Then, amid low-hanging clouds, the ghost town appeared on the far edge of my line of sight. At the entrance gate, the state parks ranger was especially cheerful for such a gloomy day and told my partner and me about the only new feature in the entire park: There are bathrooms near the parking lot with heated seats. Otherwise, it's pit toilets and outhouses. He also recommended we layer up. Its cold out there.

A few minutes later, I was walking down the main street of Bodie, staring at the empty pews inside a Methodist church that had been collecting decades' worth of dust. Though several churches were built in Bodie, this is the only that still stands. I said my prayers and walked on, venturing farther into the ghost town.

Walking through Bodie, I felt as if I were witnessing a tragedy, hopes come and gone, lives abandoned. I turned up a street and walked past a row of houses that were fading away as time passed. Each had stairs leading up to a front door. Each had windows and a roof, and kitchens and bedrooms. In many of the homes, furniture remains alongside empty bottles and cans, old newspapers, mattresses, and clothes left on hangers. I stared at some torn and frayed white curtains that hung across a window, half expecting to see something otherworldly just beyond.

Julie Brown / SFGATE

Ghosts reportedly reside in Bodie. An 1882 clip in the Reno Gazette Journal describes, a spectral woman with a large basket in her hand, a white hood on her head, and clothed in white and black. She appears at midnight and moves rapidly in a circle before she vanishes. The next year, in 1883, another newspaper report documented a tall figure in white, bearing a light deep in Bodies mines. As the ghost moved along the mine shafts, the light swung alongside him.

In broad daylight, I kept walking down Bodies streets, peering into windows to see the things that people left behind.

At its peak, there were some 30 mines in Bodie, along with more than 60 saloons, rampant sex work and opium dens. But after the gold was dug up, the town began its long, slow and final decline. The bad men of Bodie were looking to get rich quick, and many of them skipped town, following the ever-evasive promise of riches across the West.

In 1910, Bodies population dropped to 698. In 1920, the population was recorded at 120. The post office in Bodie finally shut down in 1942.

Bodie is a true time capsule: I spotted faded floral wallpaper, a green-checkered tablecloth with pink rosebuds, homework assignments still written on the schoolhouse chalkboard.

Julie Brown / SFGATE

The curse of Bodie has nothing to do with its ghosts. Instead, the curse hinges on these bygone relics. Those who might be tempted to pocket a souvenir from Bodies streets should know that bad luck will follow. As KQED reported, tourists were tempted to take items from Bodie home. To prevent ongoing theft, state parks rangers started spreading word that anything removed from this sacred place would bring a curse upon the thief.

The curse might hold some truth. Bodie State Historic Park has a collection of curse letters, usually sent with a rusty item and an anonymous note, apologizing profusely and begging to be set free of the curse. One letter reads: Im sorry I took this piece of metal from the town. I thought it was all a joke, but it wasnt at all. Things are happening that are very hard to explain.

Julie Brown / SFGATE

Julie Brown / SFGATE

I only took pictures. But as I was snapping photos of an old barn, I nearly jumped out of my skin when I heard a door creak open behind me.

A woman with gray hair and a blue parka stepped outside. She saw me gaping at her: Im a real person, she said.
Sharon, PA (16146)

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Some passing clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low near 55F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph..

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Some passing clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low near 55F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph.
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP)  The same Louisiana State Police unit whose troopers stunned, punched and dragged Ronald Greene on video during a deadly 2019 arrest is now under internal investigation by a secret panel over whether its officers are systematically targeting Black motorists for abuse.

The panel, whose existence was confirmed to The Associated Press by four people familiar with it, was set up in response to Greenes death as well as three other violent stops of Black men: one who was punched, stunned and hoisted to his feet by his hair braids in a body-camera video obtained by the AP, another who was beaten after he was handcuffed, and yet another who was slammed 18 times with a flashlight.

Every time I told him to stop hed hit me again, said Aaron Bowman, whose flashlight pummeling left him with three broken ribs, a broken jaw, a broken wrist and a gash to his head that required six staples to close. I dont want to see this happen to nobody  not to my worst enemy.

The panel began working a few weeks ago to review thousands of body-camera videos over the past two years involving as many as a dozen white troopers, at least four of whom were involved in Greenes arrest.

The review is focused on Louisiana State Police Troop F, a 66-officer unit that patrols a sprawling territory in the northeastern part of the state and has become notorious in recent years for alleged acts of brutality that have resulted in felony charges against some of its troopers.

Youd be naive to think its limited to two or three instances. Thats why youre seeing this audit, which is a substantial undertaking by any agency, said Rafael Goyeneche, a former prosecutor who is president of the Metropolitan Crime Commission, a New Orleans-based watchdog group. Theyve got to identify these people and remove them from the organization.

Other than the federal civil rights investigation into Greene's death, the state police panel is the only known inquiry into possible systemic abuse and racism by its troopers.

Its seven members, drawn from officials from across the State Police, are not only scouring the videos for signs of excessive force, the people told the AP, but also examining whether troopers showed racist tendencies in their traffic stops and pursuits, and whether they mislabeled body-camera videos, turned off their cameras or used other means to hide evidence from internal investigators.

Its not clear if the panel has a deadline or if it plans to expand the inquiry to the eight other troops in the 1,200-officer state police.

State Police spokesman Capt. Nick Manale didn't comment on the review but in a statement said the agency conducted a thorough and detailed investigation into the beatings, resulting in the resignation of two troopers and the firing of two others last week.

Secrecy has permeated the Greene case from the beginning.

Soon after Greenes May 10, 2019, death, troopers told his relatives he died in a crash following a chase on a rural road near Monroe. Later, State Police issued a one-page statement saying that troopers struggled with Greene during his arrest and that he died on the way to the hospital.

For more than two years, Louisiana officials from Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards down rebuffed repeated requests to release the body-camera video of Greenes arrest.

But that changed last month after the AP released footage it obtained showing troopers converging on Greenes car, repeatedly jolting the 49-year-old unarmed man with stun guns, putting him in a chokehold, striking him in the head and dragging him by his ankle shackles. Greene can be heard apologizing to the officers, telling them he is scared and moaning and gasping for air.

One 30-minute clip, which a supervisor denied having for two years, shows troopers ordering the heavyset Greene to remain facedown with his hands and feet restrained for more than nine minutes  a tactic use-of-force experts criticized as dangerous and likely to have restricted his breathing.

An autopsy report obtained by AP lists Greene's cause of death as cocaine induced agitated delirium complicated by motor vehicle collision, physical struggle, inflicted head injury and restraint.

No troopers have been charged in Greene's arrest. Trooper Kory York, who was seen dragging Greene, was suspended without pay for 50 hours. Master Trooper Chris Hollingsworth, who was recorded on his body camera bragging that he beat the ever-living f--- out of Greene, was told he would be fired last year just hours before he died in single-vehicle car crash.

While none of the other beatings that prompted the broader review of Troop F resulted in deaths, all led to felony charges against some of the troopers involved. And like Greene, all the suspects were driving alone, were unarmed and didnt appear to resist after troopers closed in.

State police have not released body-camera video of any those cases, but AP obtained footage from the May 2020 arrest of Antonio Harris, who sped away from a traffic stop and led troopers through rural Richland Parish at speeds topping 150 mph before his car was finally stopped with a spike strip.

He can clearly be seen on the video surrendering next to a cornfield by lying on the ground with his arms and legs outstretched before at least seven officers converged.

Dakota DeMoss, a trooper involved in the Greene arrest, can be seen striking Harris in the face and later, after he was handcuffed, yanking him onto his feet by his dreadlocks. Another trooper, George Harper, uses a fist reinforced by his flashlight to punch Harris in the head and threatens to punish him while Trooper Jacob Brown pulls the mans hair.

An unidentified officer also can be seen in the footage shocking Harris with a stun gun.

I hope you act up when we get to the f jail, Harper can be heard saying. What the f is wrong with you, stupid motherf-.

Internal investigators found that troopers produced wholly untrue reports saying Harris resisted and that they sought to conceal the existence of body-camera video. Troopers also exchanged 14 text messages peppered with lol and haha in which they boasted about the beating.

He gonna be sore tomorrow for sure, Brown texted. Warms my heart knowing we could educate that young man.

State police arrested Brown, Harper and DeMoss on charges of simple battery and malfeasance in Harris case.

Another beating happened in late May 2019  20 days after Greenes death  when a Ouachita Parish deputy sheriff tried to pull over Bowman for a traffic violation a block from his Monroe home. The deputy reported that Bowman failed to pull over and continued into his driveway, where he was ordered out of his vehicle.

Brown, the trooper charged in the Harris incident, quickly responded to the arrest and, according to court documents, can be seen on his own body-camera video pummeling Bowman with a flashlight designed for shattering car glass, striking him 18 times as he was being handcuffed and not resisting.

I thought I was going to die that night  I bled so much, Bowman told the AP. Its hard to deal with. I cant function half of the time. Its just hard for me to think now.

For months, state police were not aware footage of Bowmans arrest existed because Brown misclassified it and failed to document any use of force, according to court records. Brown was charged with aggravated battery and malfeasance.

Brown also faces charges in yet another beating of a Black motorist  the July 2019 arrest of Morgan Blake, who was pulled over for a traffic violation on Interstate 20 in Ouachita Parish.

Troopers said Blake had 13 pounds of marijuana concealed in a locked compartment of the vehicle and was taken into custody. At some point, he complained that his handcuffs were too tight, and Brown took him to the ground.

Body-worn camera captured Trooper Randall Dickerson punching Blake five times and kneeing him. State Police determined that Blake was not resisting, attempting to escape or being aggressive, and that the troopers failed to document their use of force in any reports.

Brown and Dickerson were charged with simple battery and malfeasance.

In its statement, State Police said Brown and Dickerson have resigned, and Harper and DeMoss were fired last week.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana on Wednesday called for a top-to-bottom federal investigation of the State Police.

This is not a matter of a few bad apples, the group said, "this is a systemic issue that demands a systemic and transparent response.
SHELTON  Those iPhone 4s and Android 7s have plenty of life in them after all.

Yale University student and 2020 Shelton High graduate Siddharth Jain  one of the members of the grassroots nonprofit TeleHealth Access for Seniors  is teaming with Envision Shelton for an iPhone and tablet drive throughout June. The devices will be given to elderly and low income patients in the community who currently arent able to connect with their healthcare providers.

It is important to recognize that while the pandemic seems to be coming to an end, TeleHealth is here to stay, Jain said. Both physicians and patients are now more comfortable using the technology. Telehealth is actually a better alternative than in-person appointments in many situations.

Telehealth makes it easier to fit an appointment during a lunch break or at home without getting babysitters, Jain said.

I have spoken with many, many providers who all agree with this, and it is also supported by extensive research, Jain added. For patients that tried virtual care, 88 percent said theyll be willing to try it again. TeleHealth will always disproportionately impact elderly and low-income patients, and we are trying to fix this growing issue.

Telehealth Access for Seniors, the nonprofit he is a part of with Yale University undergraduates Hannah Verma and Aakshi Agarwal and Orlando, Fla., high schooler Arjun Verma, was created in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. With many medical practices now shifting to a telehealth appointment model where patients virtually attend appointments with their doctors from their own homes, linking patients and doctors became a priority.

"As everything suddenly shut down (in March 2020), doctors offices began to conduct virtual appointments, something new to most patients, Jain said. Elderly and low-income patients are disproportionately impacted as many either dont have access to a camera-enabled device to attend these appointments or dont know how to use them.

For some, a missed checkup probably wont have any significant effects, Jain added, however, for elderly patients or patients with chronic conditions, a missed checkup can be fatal.

Hannah and Arjun Verma's parents are both physicians in Florida. Jain said the pair realized that many of their parents' patients dont have access to devices, so they began to give old phones and tablets they had laying around their house to the patients.

Realizing that everyone has old devices laying around their house collecting dust, they reached out to Aakshi Agarwal and I here in Connecticut to see if we wanted to do something similar with the devices we have at home, Jain added. The two were among more than 30 high school and college students from throughout the country involved in the outreach.

This spawned the creation of Telehealth Access for Seniors last year. To date, the organization has worked with more than 550 volunteers in 26 states, donated 3,550 devices to 128 partner clinics and has raised $250,000 in combined monetary and in-kind donations.

In each of the communities that the organization serves, volunteers use their networks, social media and other creative fundraising tactics to collect money and used devices.

Volunteers ensure that all devices are completely reset, and all the data is wiped from them. From there, they partner with local health outlets such as veterans' hospitals and community clinics to donate the devices to patients in need.

These devices are for the patients to keep forever now, Jain said. They can use it not only to connect with their providers but connect with loved ones and order essentials during this difficult time. We recognize that this is the first time that many of our patients have ever received a camera-enabled device, so we have a set of comprehensive resource guides that we provide.

This includes everything from setting up the device, downloading TeleHealth apps, connecting with their providers, ordering groceries and downloading Zoom. The guides are available in many languages including English, Spanish and Mandarin, among others.

If patients are still having difficultly setting up their devices, we have a tech support line staffed all day with volunteers who speak various languages to assist the patient either over the phone or video chat, Jain added.

If anyone would like to learn more about the organization, is interested in volunteering, or would like a donation receipt, they can check out our website at www.telehealthforseniors.org or email me at siddharth.jain@telehealthforseniors.org.

Jain asks those with old iPhones (4 and newer), Androids (7.0 and newer) and tablets to drop off the devices at either Modernos Barbershop, 194 Leavenworth Road, or Splash Car Wash, 376 Bridgeport Ave., anytime through June 20.

brian.gioiele@hearstmediact.com
Shippensburg, PA (17257)

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Mostly cloudy with some showers after midnight. Low around 65F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%..

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Mostly cloudy with some showers after midnight. Low around 65F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-09 10:14:47|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, June 9 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese mainland on Tuesday reported eight new locally transmitted COVID-19 cases, all in Guangdong Province, the National Health Commission said in its daily report on Wednesday.

The same day also saw eight new imported cases on the mainland. Of them, two each were reported in Beijing, Shanghai and Sichuan, and one each in Fujian and Guangdong.

Eleven new suspected cases arriving from outside the mainland were reported in Shanghai. No new deaths related to the disease were reported, said the commission.

A total of 6,173 imported cases had been reported on the mainland by the end of Tuesday. Among them, 5,885 had been discharged from hospitals following recovery, and 288 remained hospitalized. No deaths had been reported among the imported cases.

The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases on the mainland reached 91,316 by Tuesday, including 413 patients still receiving treatment, 10 of whom were in severe conditions.

A total of 86,267 patients had been discharged from hospitals following recovery on the mainland, and 4,636 had died as a result of the virus.

There were 11 suspected COVID-19 cases on the mainland on Tuesday.

A total of nine asymptomatic cases were newly reported, all of whom arrived from abroad. There were a total of 361 asymptomatic cases, of whom 338 were imported, under medical observation by Tuesday.

By the end of Tuesday, 11,868 confirmed COVID-19 cases, including 210 deaths, had been reported in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), while 51 cases had been reported in the Macao SAR, and 11,694 cases, including 308 deaths, had been reported in Taiwan.

A total of 11,584 COVID-19 patients in the Hong Kong SAR had been discharged from hospitals following recovery, while 51 had been discharged in the Macao SAR, and 1,133 had been discharged in Taiwan. Enditem
Ludington, MI (49431)

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Mostly cloudy skies early then periods of showers late. Low near 55F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

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Mostly cloudy skies early then periods of showers late. Low near 55F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
New Delhi: The government on Tuesday set the maximum price private hospitals can charge for the three COVID-19 vaccines currently available in the country -- Covishield Rs 780 per dose, Covaxin Rs 1,410 and Sputnik V Rs 1,145.

In a letter to all states and union territories, the health ministry suggested that appropriate strict action be taken against private vaccination centres for overcharging.



The maximum price of Covishield for private COVID-19 Vaccination Centres (CVCs) has been fixed at Rs 780 per dose, while that of Covaxin is Rs 1,410 per dose and Sputnik V Rs 1,145 per dose, it said.

The health ministry asked states to ensure that the prices declared by various private CVCs do not exceed the ceiling.

The Serum Institute of India sells its Covishield to private hospitals at Rs 600 per dose (excluding GST). Bharat Biotech has set the cost of its Covaxin at Rs 1,200 a dose for private establishments. Both vaccines are supplied to the central government at a cost of Rs 150 a dose.

Sputnik-V is supplied to private hospitals at Rs 948 per dose.

'The private hospitals may charge up to a maximum of Rupees 150 per dose as service charges. State governments may monitor the price being so charged,' the ministry said.

The ministry also requested states and union territories to regularly monitor the prices being charged by the private CVCs from the citizens.

'It is also requested that wherever instances of overcharging as compared to the price declared by the CVC come to notice, appropriate strict action is taken against any such private CVCs,' it said.

In an address to the nation on Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the central government will provide free COVID-19 vaccine to states for inoculation of all above the age of 18 from June 21.

The prime minister said the Centre has now decided to buy 75 per cent of jabs from vaccine makers for free supply to states, while private sector hospitals will continue to procure the remaining 25 per cent but they cannot charge more than Rs 150 per dose over the pre-fixed price.
Digital adoption solutions (DAS) provider Whatfix on Tuesday said it has raised $90 million in Series D funding led by SoftBank Vision Fund 2.

The company said it plans to use the funds to continue growing its stronghold in the US market while accelerating global expansion into new markets such as Asia Pacific and Europe.

Whatfix has now raised $139.8 million to date, increasing its valuation three times in the past 15 months.

The latest funding round also saw participation from Eight Roads Ventures, Sequoia Capital India, Dragoneer Investment Group, F-Prime Capital and Cisco Investments, the company said in a statement.

"This latest round of funding strengthens our position as market leaders as we plan to expand our offerings globally and continue to provide excellent customer service to businesses who look to us to guide them through their digital transformation initiatives," said Khadim Batti, CEO and co-founder, Whatfix.

Whatfix said it will invest the funds in product innovation focusing on artificial intelligence (AI), enterprise solutions, and providing personalised experiences.

The company currently has 500 employees across six global offices.

"Whatfix makes it easier for companies to use SaaS products, which increases productivity. Whatfix, with its roster of global clients, is well placed to become a DAS leader, and we are excited to be part of their journey," said Munish Varma, Managing Partner, SoftBank Investment Advisers.

"Enterprises spend billions on applications across multiple functions and yet employee adoption is low. Quick adoption ensures payback on software investments. Whatfix's solutions will be a key driver for enterprises to achieve this goal, which is reflected in their growth," added Sumer Juneja, Partner, SoftBank Investment Advisers.
Education is always renowned as the most empowering potential in the world. The human race has made significant development in the past millions of years by educating themselves in multiple ways. Today, we gear up to establish an entirely new world with a diversity of advancement. Moreover, education has always played an essential role in evolution as it provides knowledge, builds confidence, and breaks down barriers to opportunity. So, in this dynamic world, emerging opportunities allow learners/seekers to break the conventional ceilings of straight-jacketed careers.

The millennium era has already come up with many multidisciplinary courses that empower learners to be graduates for multipurpose. A business school and its curriculum are a university-level institution that bestows degrees in business administration or management. It may be addressed as a school of management, management school, school of business administration, or colloquially b-school or biz school. This multidisciplinary curriculum acquaints with topics such as accounting, administration, business analytics, strategy, economics, entrepreneurship, finance, human resource management, management science, management information systems, international business, logistics, marketing, organizational psychology, organizational behaviour, public relations, research methods and real estate among others.

The Indian government had liberalized management education in the 1990s, and it made the program immensely popular. Many universities and colleges were incepted with management programs as their specialty. The institutes offer profitable franchise opportunities to expand their presence all over India, including tier 2, tier 3 and rural areas of the country. During the last couple of years, more than thousands of B-Schools were added in India. The schools offer degrees/diplomas like BBA, MBA, PGDM and EPGM. MBA has termed as one of the most valued and inherently adopted degrees across the country.

According to a recent report on world GDP ranking 2021, India is the fastest-growing economy with 12.55% PPP terms. (Source- International Monetary Fund World Economic Outlook (April - 2021), releasing date- 03 Jun 2021). As businesses worldwide become increasingly connected, an understanding of business operations is vital for graduates willing to engage in the sector. A business school helps learners to develop the skills required in the corporate world. A business graduated candidate can get higher levels of management, can be a manager and senior manager, which certainly does mean a higher position in the company and means higher responsibilities. And the B-school provides a person with the credibility to hold leadership roles and risk-loving entrepreneur in an organization. An MBA graduate can start his career from the mid-management or senior management level and has far better chances of escalating upwards to become a CEO, CFO, CIO, CTO etc. The business curriculum imparts knowledge and good business insight to become more receptive to changes in the world and better equipped with problem-solving tactics. It makes business knowledge a familiar territory, consequently making the student a valuable asset to the company.

As Indian companies, entrepreneurs and not-for-profits are increasing significantly, and they require innovative ideas to compete in the market and provide a solution for upcoming challenges. So, the B-school academics are expected to focus on studying India's challenges and how business is tackling them. At the same time, Indian B-Schools could practice research on the context-specific problems faced by local and multinational companies in India. The observation and innovative ideas need to be used for the benefit of India and the world. In globalization, a collaboration of the Indian institutes with international scholar is obvious to expect; that would assist the learners to enhance their competence. Moreover, the institutions are expected to build future managers, and technologies, like Artificial intelligence (AI) and Robotics, have already begun to challenge the conventional methods of businesses. Hence, the curriculum needs to be modified and include the impact of technologies on the business world.

Considering the disruption brought about by the pandemic reinforces the discussion on the future of B-Schools and pushes it to the forefront. Despite all the problems, Indian B-Schools have maintained their shine, and students are approaching the courses and colleges to get admission. The glow would continue with modification on two fronts  skill-sets in demand and content delivery. The essential skill-sets demanded by the industry comprise negotiation skills, integrative approach, digital transformation, AI, automation and analytics, to name a few. The challenge on the content delivery side is generally from MOOCs such as Coursera, Swayam, and Udemy. B-Schools should adopt MOOCs and make it flexible into their curriculum. The pandemic has brought the most significant change that is the digital transition. As per a report by NASSCOM, digital adoption in the last six months is higher than digital adoption in the previous five years. Companies are adopting digital technologies to increase efficiency, and the graduates are expected to be trained to handle the transition. Therefore, B-Schools are a requirement for the upcoming days. The environment and infrastructure are assisting the learners in accomplishing their dream and being future managers.




By Mariam Mokhtar



When responsible Malaysians report a wrongdoing or highlight something that is criminal, one does not expect the person who was courageous enough to expose the illegal act to be attacked.

That is precisely what happened to housewife Nini Seron, who lodged a police report against Kedah Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor and his aides for allegedly violating the strict rules on the SOP during the coronavirus total lockdown.

Nini had taken her cue from the National Security Council's (NSC) Senior Minister (Security) Ismail Sabri, who urged the public to alert the authorities if they observe someone breaking the SOPs.

Malaysia has seen a dramatic rise in coronavirus infections because people have been careless, ignored the SOPs and neglected social distancing.

The rakyat are afraid for themselves and their families. They are alarmed by the double standards of politicians and celebrities who have broken the law with impunity.

When Nini saw the Kedah MB at a car showroom in Penang, allegedly inspecting a Ford Raptor and then taking it for a spin in an alleged test drive, she did what she felt was her civic duty.

She took photographs and a video recording of the MB, then reported the incident to the police. She saw what she felt was a clear infringement of the lockdown rules. A few hours after reporting the incident, she lodged a report.

Nini only lives a few miles from where the incident had taken place and she is confident that the person who broke the SOPs was the Kedah MB.

She said that during the total lockdown, she had observed salesmen and customers breaking the SOPs despite the NSC order.

One would have thought that after she had performed her civic duty, the police would then follow up on the report; however, what subsequently happened was totally unexpected.

Strangers targeted Nini and her family making vile threats and accusing her of slander.

They didn't just attack her but also pounced on her husband, her children and her relatives.

Nini does not understand why her family should be bullied and admits that they felt pressure from being harassed. She asked, "What did we do wrong?"

Not content with intimidating and ridiculing her and her family, the cyberbullies shared personal details of her family on social media, and circulated photos of her husband, her son and her sister.

It is alleged that the cyberbullies are supporters of the Kedah MB. They represent all that is wrong with Malaysia. They sent Nini hate messages and issued threats on her Facebook personal account and her husband's business page.

Such was the vitriol that her husband was forced to deactivate his business page after his mobile telephone number and pictures of his customers were circulated.

Nini has received the support of Sisters in Islam, who have told the cyberbullies to stop their vile threats.

One wonders if the Kedah MB will issue an appeal to the cyberbullies to desist from their insults. Or will his ego prevent him from doing this because he feels slighted by the police report lodged by an ordinary member of the rakyat?

Will the NSC take action against the cyberbullies?

Nini's courage and sense of responsibility is something she shares with Cassandra Chung, a former student of the University of Nottingham.

In 2016, Cassandra initiated a petition and debate, to have a two meter high portrait of the convicted felon, Najib Abdul Razak, removed from the Kings Meadow Campus at Nottingham.

Overseas Malaysian students had been increasingly alarmed by various news reports that Najib had been involved in high level corruption in the 1MDB scandal. They were incensed that the government of Malaysia was covering-up for him. Many students supported Cassandra's action.

However, when the students got wind that a delegation from the Malaysian High Commission would travel from London to Nottingham for the debate, support for Cassandra fizzled out.

Many overseas Malaysian students are aware that during talks by Opposition politicians, a visiting Bersih delegation, or when they attend protests against Najib's administration, members of the Special Branch plant themselves among the audience and secretly record video footage of everyone, especially of the more vocal students.

It is alleged that letters are then sent to the students who are funded by the government, containing threats to revoke their scholarships.

Sadly, Cassandra's attempt to have the debate failed to have its desired impact because Malaysians were too scared to attend the meeting or to sign the petition.

These scare tactics are commonly used in Malaysia, as has happened to Nini and also in overseas locations, as was experienced by Cassandra.

It was also alleged that whilst Cassandra was organizing the debate, her family members in Malaysia were targeted by Najib's supporters. Their personal details and home addresses were released and threats were allegedly made against them.

The extent of Malaysia's moral decay can be summed up by the retaliation against those who criticize a leader's wrongdoing.

Source:

1. Malaysiakini: Kedah MB to give police statement over alleged SOP breach

2. Malay Mail: Flooded with hate mail and threats, woman who reported Kedah MB's Ford Raptor 'test drive' to police steps forward to explain why



3. Malaysiakini: Petitioner for removal of Najib's portrait receives threats



(Mariam Mokhtar is a Freelance Writer.)
The Malaysian Health Coalition is concerned with the increasing number of COVID-19 patients who are brought in dead to hospitals (BID).



As of 31 May 2021, Malaysia has recorded 2,796 COVID-19 deaths. 293 out of the total (approximately 10%) are patients who were BID.

These deaths reflect possible systemic failures and must be taken seriously.

We urge the following:

1. Research the possible issues leading to BID

The government must conduct relevant research to determine the exact reasons and causes for the high number of COVID-19 patients BID.

Genomic testing will help us understand if there are more virulent variants in Malaysia.

Granular data from this research should be made public for awareness and analysis. Systemic barriers like lack of physical access to healthcare facilities or lack of education on COVID-19 symptoms should be identified and addressed, especially in Sabah which makes up 29% of all BID cases.

If issues of distrust in science, health professionals or the government are identified, then long-term solutions should be implemented.

The media must provide easy-to-understand information for the rakyat to take COVID-19 seriously, especially those undergoing home quarantine.

2. Strict assessment and better monitoring of home quarantine patients

In theory, all patients diagnosed with COVID-19 are directed to COVID-19 Assessment Centers (CACs), where doctors decide if they can undergo home quarantine or must be admitted to a hospital or low-risk quarantine center.

The delay between diagnosis and quarantine decisions should be reduced. Decisions on home quarantines must strictly adhere to MOH guidelines on COVID-19 management without exceptions or double standards.

Home quarantine patients and their caretakers should be properly educated on the self-monitoring of symptoms, and to report red flag symptoms immediately.

There must be a robust system for district health offices to promptly check on patients who report red flag symptoms, to evaluate whether hospital admissions are necessary.

Private sector GPs should be included in monitoring of home quarantine patients, providing home visits if necessary.

3. Increase testing capacity

As many COVID-19 patients do not have symptoms and can rapidly deteriorate, it is possible that many COVID-19 patients BID did not realize they were positive for COVID-19 until it is too late.

Increasing testing capacity (whether targeted or mass) will accurately identify more of those who are positive with COVID-19.

Rapid antigen tests can be used for rapid assessments, while the PCR test can be used for those requiring admission. This will allow us to correctly triage and optimally manage all COVID-19 cases.

The share of positive rates for COVID-19 tests in Malaysia have consistently been above 5%, which means that the country is under-testing. Therefore, increasing testing will increase the chances of detecting all COVID-19 patients, not just symptomatic patients.

The increasing numbers of COVID-19 patients BID may reflect underlying systemic failures.

We urge the government to implement short-term recommendations to reduce the number of COVID-19 patients BID, while delivering long-term strategies to increase access, trust and health literacy among all Malaysians.

Malaysian Health Coalition
KUALA LUMPUR, June 9 (Sin Chew Daily)  Senior defense minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said anyone violating the standard operating procedures (SOPs) will not be spared from legal actions.



He stressed that no one is above the law, not even his own son.

Ismail Sabri's son Gaddafi Ismail Sabri (Dafi) was found not wearing face mask and keeping safe social distance during singing reality show "All Together Now Malaysia".

He told Sin Chew Daily through his press secretary that no one is above the law, including his son.

He said the national security council (MKN) would investigate this matter and that he would not interfere in the investigation and would make sure everyone is equal before the law.

Meanwhile, MKN director-general Mohd Rabin Basir confirmed that a report had been lodged and that the MKN is investigating the allegation that Dafi did not adhere to the SOPs during the show produced by Astro.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-09 10:18:22|Editor: huaxia

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XINING, June 9 (Xinhua) -- Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, said the Party has won the people's wholehearted support because it has always served the people heart and soul and strived for the wellbeing of all ethnic groups.

Xi made the remarks on Tuesday afternoon when visiting local Tibetan residents in Shaliuhe Township, Gangcha County in Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, during an inspection tour of northwest China's Qinghai Province. Enditem
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The excitement on Jeff Bezoss face was obvious. I want to go on this flight because its a thing Ive wanted to do all my life, he said in a video posted on Instagram. Its a big deal for me.

The worlds richest man, who has amassed a fortune worth $US186 billion ($240 billion), this week revealed he would travel into space next month using a reusable rocket developed by his company, Blue Origin.

His enthusiasm comes as little surprise; Bezos says he has dreamed of going into space since the age of five. But sweeter still than achieving a childhood dream? Beating his billionaire peers in their race to space.

Jeff Bezos is planning a trip to space with his brother. Credit:Bloomberg

The main challenger to Bezoss potential crown is Elon Musk, whose company SpaceX is hoping to put astronauts on the Moon by 2024, and Mars soon after. Sir Richard Branson, meanwhile, has been targeting a personal space flight as soon as this summer, with rumours circulating on social media yesterday that he was seeking to take a Virgin Galactic trip on the weekend of July 4 - 16 days earlier than the Amazon founders intended launch date.
Australian energy billionaire Trevor St Baker has argued banks increasing reluctance to finance fossil fuel projects threatens to damage essential industries such as coal-fired power plants, hike energy bills and destroy the economy.

Mr St Baker, whose interests straddle both sides of the clean energy transition including the Vales Point coal power generator in NSW and electric-vehicle charging firm Tritium, on Wednesday hit out at the suggestion that banks and insurers had an obligation to take into account long-term financial risks posed by global warming when assessing their future involvement with fossil fuels.

Railing against investors fossil fuel avoidance crap: Delta Energy owner Trevor St Baker. Credit:Christopher Pearce

As for this crap that the banks have to look at their climate risk, the risk of banks not investing in essential industries for Australian wealth if they go out of business... it will destroy economies, he told the Credit Suisse 8th Australian Energy Conference.

Virtue signalling by bank managers saying they will not lend to an essential industry in Australia is going to bugger this countrys businesses; they are not going to have cheap power. Jobs are not going to be there.
Rachel Griffiths grew up with art. She trailed her mother, Melbourne artist, Anna Griffiths, around galleries. As a teenager, she fell in love with Joy Hester, the Sylvia Plath of Australian art, marvelling at her sketches during a school visit to the National Gallery of Victoria. Her year 12 portfolio is full of portraits of her friends. She married an artist, Melbourne printmaker, Andrew Taylor. Griffiths might, at a great cost to the big and small screens, have pursued a career as an artist, if something hadnt held her back.

Finding the Archibald begins Tuesday night. Credit:

I knew I couldnt compete with my mother! she says. Shes an extraordinary maker and beautiful drawer. So I think I went into the performing arts because I thought, Ill never be as good as my mother!

The Oscar-nominated actress brings this lifelong passion to her role as host of the ABCs Finding the Archibald, a three-part series celebrating and dissecting the national portraiture prize in its centennial year. Alongside Art Gallery of NSW curator, Natalie Wilson, who is compiling an exhibition of 100 (not necessarily winning) portraits from more than 6000 finalists, Griffiths sets herself an even more formidable task  choosing just one Archibald finalist that might represent the face of Australia 100 years from now.

Its much less about the changing face of Australia, although the centenary exhibition will certainly do that, its how [the prize] has changed how we see ourselves and how we project that image to the world. Ultimately, I think my journey is to pinpoint the portrait that speaks to shifts in our national identity.
The company set goals in three key areas: healthy and sustainable living for everyone; becoming a circular and climate positive business, and positive social impact across the entire IKEA value chain and communities the company operates in.

From giving IKEA furniture a second life, to serving food thats better for the planet, creating a global, clean energy community to promoting gender balance and equal pay, the retailers initiatives all seek to build sustainability into the customer experience.

As part of the Leap Year of Sustainability in 2021, IKEA introduced over 30 sustainable-focused initiatives across the entire business, including introducing the signature plant ball, launching a global refugee program and installing electric vehicle charging stations at IKEA stores.

Smart, circular design

From the materials to how products are designed, made, transported, sold and even what happens at the end of their life cycle, the IKEA production line follows sustainability and circular design principles.

Affordable, functional and beautiful sustainable products include energy-efficient LED light bulbs, waste-reducing systems such as the HALLBAR bins and food storage systems, and water-conserving showerheads.

Following a re-use, repair, recycle and repurpose mantra, IKEA design innovations include sofas with interchangeable covers for an easy style refresh, and modular items designed to adapt to a households changing needs.

Following through

Money talks, and retailers are signalling their commitment to sustainability with some substantial spending.

In its aim is to be a circular and climate positive organisation by 2030, IKEA parent company Ingka Group recently announced a four billion euro boost to its existing investment commitment of 2.5 billion euro into renewable energy infrastructure: offsite wind and solar power enabling the company to generate more renewable energy globally than it consumes.

Energy-efficient buildings and streamlined supply chains to cut carbon footprints are already contributing to this mission of 100 per cent renewable energy across the IKEA value chain.

In October 2020, IKEA Australia launched an Australia-first clean energy storage initiative, which will support the South Australian power grid while powering the IKEA Adelaide store.

The project aims to transition IKEA Adelaide to operating with 100 per cent renewable energy and a 100 per cent zero-emission delivery fleet by 2025.

Better for everyone

With supply chains spanning the globe, major retailers have a unique opportunity to create widespread positive social impact through fairness, inclusivity and ethical practices.

For IKEA, this means initiatives to provide meaningful work, equality and inclusivity throughout the supply chain.

The IWAY, code of conduct sets clear expectations for working conditions for all suppliers and service providers the company works with, and refugee inclusion programs are integral to the brands mission to support and empower vulnerable groups. Worldwide, IKEA has several ongoing partnerships with social entrepreneurs, employing local artisans in vulnerable communities around the world.

In a world thats more connected than ever, no company can afford to overlook its responsibilities to every individual and community it touches. And with todays conscious consumers willing to back up their values with purchasing power, sustainability isnt just a commendable quality  its a retailers key to survival.

To learn more visit IKEA.com.au/sustainability

*https://www.ibm.com/downloads/cas/EXK4XKX8 - A 2020 study by IBMs Institute for Business Value with the National Retail Federation (NRF).

**A 2020 survey of an independent, nationally representative panel of 1002 Australians, commissioned by parcel delivery service CouriersPlease
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-09 14:43:30|Editor: huaxia

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GUANGZHOU, June 9 (Xinhua) -- A new international air cargo route linking Milan in Italy and Haikou, south China's Hainan Province, was launched on Monday, its operator China Southern Airlines announced Tuesday.

The airline will operate regular cargo flights on this route every Monday and Thursday, shipping goods such as cosmetics, clothing and handbags from Europe.

The route is expected to significantly shorten the transportation cycle of fashion goods from European countries to Haikou, according to airline officials.

The Chinese coastal city, known for its booming duty-free business, attracts swarms of tourists every year.

The airline said that it plans to open more international routes to Southeast Asia and expand its footprint in aviation logistics, aircraft leasing, aviation food processing, and e-commerce trade. Enditem
South Australian police say a prominent ABC logo placed on their shooting range wall is there to replicate a realistic training environment and is not a reflection of police views of the national broadcaster.

A video posted by SA Police to YouTube on Wednesday shows an officer shooting a machine gun uncovered as part of the recent large-scale Operation Ironside targeting organised crime.

A still from an SA Police video of an officer shooting a seized weapon. The ABC logo is in the background in blue and white.

But hidden in plain sight to the officers left is an unusual target: the ABCs iconic logo, which resembles a sideways figure eight but is actually a Lissajous pattern historically used to tune broadcasting equipment. Its blue and white surface appears pock marked.

This is a mock firing range which is on private property and only accessed and used by police or other limited and authorised personnel, an SA Police spokesman said. Anything on display is for the purposes of replicating a realistic training environment as we have with other training facilities.
I dont have a exact timeline for when this will occur because clearly that will require the company to reach out to the TGA, but I expect this to occur in the coming months, he said. So far, clinical trials involving young people overseas have demonstrated the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is effective and well-tolerated in adolescents, while research into younger children is ongoing. However, debate about when children should be immunised against coronavirus has drawn the ire of the World Health Organisation, which said wealthy countries should postpone their plans to immunise children and instead donate millions of doses to countries being ravaged by the disease. WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus voiced outrage that a number of rich countries were now vaccinating children while poorer countries had barely begun vaccinating health workers and their most vulnerable.

Professor Andrew Pollard, who ran clinical trials of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, also deemed it morally wrong to prioritise children when COVID-stricken countries did not have enough vaccine. University of Sydney vaccine and infectious diseases pediatrician Professor Robert Booy, who supports vaccinating Australian adolescents, said a national rollout must be balanced with being a good global citizen. We should take a step back and say maybe Australian teenagers can be vaccinated to help with herd immunity, but for goodness sake dont forget that all the COVID mutations happen in countries where there is not great vaccine uptake, Professor Booy said. We need to be good global citizens and help vaccinate our neighbours as well. Thats enlightened self-interest. We help them because they deserve to be helped, but it just happens to give us an advantage as well. University of Melbourne paediatrics professor Fiona Russell said there was no need to expedite the vaccine rollout in children when countries such as Fiji had hospitals overrun by seriously ill unvaccinated COVID patients, leaving women to give birth in tents.

They are in a desperate state and it is absolutely critical Australia does its bit to help them, she said. They are ... more a priority before vaccinating our children. Loading Pfizer announced on Tuesday that it was moving ahead with testing its vaccine in children aged between five and 12 in the US and would begin testing small doses in infants as young as six months. The development means the coronavirus vaccine could be approved for use in young children in the US later this year. Professor Russell said Australia was a long way off rolling out the vaccine to children under 12. When the time did come, a rigorous risk and benefit analysis must be undertaken, she said. We really dont want to be in a situation where children arent benefiting from the vaccine directly and they are getting vaccinated to prevent old people from dying, she said.

The US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention are looking into reports a small number of young adults vaccinated against the coronavirus may have experienced heart problems. The condition, called myocarditis, is an inflammation of the heart muscle. Most cases appear to be mild and seem to occur in adolescents about four days after their second dose of mRNA vaccine. Professor Booy, who predicts Pfizer will be approved for use in children between 12 and 15 in Australia before the end of the year, said one dose of the vaccine might offer enough protection. They may actually respond to just one dose of the vaccine as their immune system is so strong, he said. So, while youre giving other Australians their second dose, you could start giving one dose to every teenager. Experts agree transmission of coronavirus in adolescents is much lower than in adults, but it is more frequently spread by teenagers because they often congregate together and are more likely to be physically affectionate.

Loading Compared with adults, children are much less likely to develop severe illness following infection with the coronavirus. A minority of children globally, including a small number in Australia, have suffered a debilitating condition as a result of COVID-19 infection called multi-system inflammatory syndrome. Most make a full recovery, although there is an indication of some lingering longer-term effects. Few children have died worldwide from the condition. Under the national coronavirus vaccine program, Australians aged under 16 are not prioritised for a vaccine until a third and final phase of the rollout, which is not likely to begin until at least next year. If the TGA approves Pfizer for children, then the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation will make a recommendation to the federal government on when it should be given.
Chan, represented by Arnold Bloch Leiblers Susanna Ford and Leon Zwier, has brought a claim in the Victorian Supreme Court against Mariano, represented by Richard Mereine at HWL Ebsworth, to amend the VCPL constitution or wind up the company. BANK WITHDRAWAL A race to fill the position of NABs government and public relations boss has been a constant topic of chatter since former diplomat Philippa King departed the high profile banking post in March. A waiting game for her replacement is set to continue. Chief executive Ross McEwans selection panel had narrowed the field and things were looking good for Ryan Bloxsom, the chief of staff to Communications Minister Paul Fletcher. He is believed to have faced strong competition for the position from Claudia Crawford, who served as Labors treasury spokesman Jim Chalmers chief of staff until departing for Melbourne last month.

A one-time UBS banker and Harvard Kennedy School grad, Crawford was pursued aggressively by NAB recruiters. Problem is, she accepted a role in the energy group of the Victorian Governments environment department and cant wait to start. And despite being tipped as the frontrunner, Bloxham is understood to have bowed out of the race in favour of staying with his current parliamentary boss, in an eleventh-hour U-turn. And now, the process hangs in the balance. Bloxsom trained as a lawyer and headed government affairs at BT Financial and held a senior government role at Westpac before entering politics. It now looks like he is staying in Canberra. Presumably, NAB headhunters were attracted to his Liberal stripes during a period of Coalition governance. Then again, NAB has form making out-of-the-box decisions when it comes to its government affairs arm.

Recall former chief executive Andrew Thorburns decision to appoint Paula Benson, the wife of then Labor Senator Stephen Conroy, to the position in 2014 under Tony Abbotts Liberal government. That folly lasted less than two years. But we digress. The bank declined to comment. Sources familiar with the hunt - which has been run by corporate headhunter Anna Whitlam and has had more leaks than the Titanic - told CBD an announcement would be coming soon. We wait with bated breath. KING OF WARRINGAH But its far from the only race sucking up oxygen in political circles. On Monday, this column noted barrister Jane Buncle enjoyed a boon in her quest for pre-selection in Warringah by appearing as a guest at a fundraiser for Manly MP James Griffin attended by former foreign minister Julie Bishop and Gladys Berejiklian.

Now, another lawyers name has been linked to the seat. Liberal cabinet members are understood to be quietly supportive of high profile former Crown prosecutor - and inspiration behind ABCs Janet King series - Margaret Cunneen as a celebrity candidate. Readers are likely to recall Cunneens star-turn in Liberal circles during the 2019 federal election when she provided an enthusiastic endorsement for the then-Warringah MP Tony Abbott in a professionally produced video designed to counter political attacks from rival candidate Zali Steggall and activist groups including GetUp. It didnt surprise me when I got to know the things that he does in his electorate, Cunneen gushed before recounting a shopping list of Abbotts local contributions. Because hes so physically and mentally disciplined, 24 hours of his day is really given to others. He is really a person for others and he takes that commitment so seriously. It was an unusual step from a prominent legal eagle - and it didnt save the former Prime Minister from Steggall.
Two nephews of Australias most wanted man have been swept up in the global police sting that has exposed the family ties at the top of a powerful network allegedly involved in drug importations and distribution of An0m encrypted devices.

Ayhan Dogan, a nephew of suspected drug kingpin Hakan Ayik, was arrested in Sydneys south on drug supply and importation charges on Monday and is alleged to be a key NSW distributor of the An0m platform, unaware it was secretly controlled by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation and monitored in real-time by the Australian Federal Police after its development in 2018.

Ayhan Dogan, nephew of suspected drug kingpin Hakan Ayik, was arrested this week. Credit:AFP

Ayhan Dogans brother Erkan Dogan, a Turkey-based Comanchero bikie and another nephew of Hakan Ayik, is named in a US racketeering indictment as a distributor of An0m and prominent underworld influencer, like his uncle, who helped the platform grow in popularity among criminal networks.

Yusuf Ayik  Hakan Ayiks 20-year-old cousin, an active member of the Labor Party and a student at Macquarie University  was also arrested in Sydney on Monday as part of the alleged drug syndicate with Ayhan Dogan. He allegedly said lets go sell some f---ing meth to his relative in a message on An0m.
A man accused of enslaving his partner and coercing her into sexual servitude has been the subject of sensational journalism and there are major concerns that his right to a fair trial would be compromised if further allegations about him are ventilated in court, a judge has been told.

James-Robert Davis, 40, was arrested in March by Australian Federal Police officers and charged with reducing a person to slavery, intentionally possessing a slave, and causing a person to enter or remain in servitude. He has indicated the charges will be strenuously defended.

Supporters of James-Robert Davis leave the NSW Supreme Court on Wednesday. Credit:Rhett Wyman

Police allege Mr Davis manipulated a woman between 2012 and 2015, during which she was subjected to physical, sexual and psychological abuse and degradation. This allegedly included being coerced to engage in sex work for which she received no payment.

In a statement previously tendered to Armidale Local Court, where Mr Davis was refused bail in March, police alleged he isolated the woman, controlled her finances, made her wear a metal collar, and got her to sign a slave contract which he allegedly claimed was legally binding.
Pharmacies across NSW are working with the state government to determine which locations will be the first to start using chemists to administer the COVID-19 vaccine, with more than 1200 earmarked by the federal government as suitable for the job.

Some of the states rural and remote pharmacies could be the first to start administering the AstraZeneca vaccine, says David Heffernan, the NSW branch president of the Pharmacy Guild.

In February, thousands of pharmacies applied to be part of the vaccine rollout. More than 3900 community pharmacies across the country were deemed suitable, and since then staff have undergone training to prepare for the rollout. Credit:AP

In February, thousands of pharmacies volunteered to be part of the vaccine rollout, with more than 3900 community pharmacies across the country deemed suitable. Staff have since undergone training to prepare.

Of those pharmacies in NSW considered suitable, 371 are in regional, remote and rural locations, according to data supplied by the NSW Pharmacy Guild. A spokesperson for the federal health department said national cabinet had agreed that states and territories could choose to incorporate community pharmacies into their rollout plans in rural and remote areas where there are no or limited other points of presence.
If the behaviour of our PM and many of his government is symptomatic of Christian love and compassion, thank God Im an atheist. Heather Johnson, West Pennant Hills No, PM! That is not what Jesus meant when he said, Suffer little children. Ryszard Linkiewicz, Caringbah South We need another change to our national anthem to reflect our decreased contributions to global aid, our lack of acceptance of the Uluru Statement and our poor treatment of asylum seekers: For those whove come across the seas/These boundless plains are ours. Margie Christowsk, Roseville Net zero belief in Cormann as bastion of climate policy Perhaps Mathias Cormanns views on subjects such as foreign aid and the environment have not changed, as Ross Gittins suggests in his current role as Secretary-General of the OECD (My new climate hero, Mathias, June 9). Maybe he always believed in development co-operation to help low-income countries and committing to net zero emissions but could not speak out as a senior member of the Coalition government. All hail The Real Cormann! Clay OBrien, Mosman

Cormann would have us believe hes had a road to Damascus conversion to woke-mindedness on everything from climate to foreign aid to government subsidisation of higher education. Call me a doubting Thomas, but it seems more likely that either the man has always secretly held the views he now espouses and therefore hypocritically defended and helped bring into effect the polar opposite in Coalition policies, or alternatively he remains a refractory luddite with respect to climate change and a true believer in all things right wing, in which case he is now bearing false witness from behind the lofty rostrum of the OECD. Once a politician, always a politician. Peter Craig, Dulwich Hill Ah Ross Gittins, I do so admire the generosity of spirit in your assessment of the views of our new Secretary-General of the OECD. Where you entertain the remote possibility of Cormann having had a road-to-Damascus conversion, I see nothing but an ambitious schmoozer whose sole philosophy is whatever it takes. The problem with chameleons like Cormann is that they can never be trusted to stick to their guns when the going gets tough. Bill Pfeifer, Avalon Beach Gittins rightly applauds Cormanns Damascene conversion but will we have to fly Scott Morrison and the rest of his cabinet around the OECD capitals before they also see the light. Peter Nash, Fairlight Of course its a good thing that Cormann has now changed his tune on so many vital issues, regardless of his motives. However, it is unforgivable that he knowingly damaged the country that adopted him. As a senator he would have known the importance of collective action, foreign aid and the urgency to address climate change, but willingly sold his soul to support a morally deficient government. Graham Lum, North Rocks Gittins nails it again. Is there any way we could get the new Mathias Cormann back to replace our current unreformed Prime Minister? Don Squires, Lake Cathie

In the light of Gittinss description of the newly OECDd Mathias Cormann, can the Mad As Hell satirists make the necessary adjustments? Penelope Layton-Caisley, Marrickville PMs China barb a climate red herring The PM uses the China bogeyman at the G7 summit to distract us when he is about to face censuring over his weak climate goals (Scott Morrison asks global allies to defend freedom over autocracy, warning of competition with China, June 9). This somewhat racist prelude to his G7 grilling could be seen as just his usual performance  Look out - monsters over there!. The fact that his statement was released before the G7 speech has even been delivered exposes it as pure marketing, not statesmanship. It sets Australia up for more punitive trade wars with China and it sets the Liberals up for more donations from the fossil fuel industry, happy to have him turning heads away from the need to stop global warming. Barry Laing, Castle Cove The PM is looking for cooperation in support of liberal democratic government. He is seeking to contrast Western freedom and democracy with the Chinese communist regime. But how much longer does he think the USA will represent his democratic model? It seems that many in the US are amenable to the creation of a form of dictatorship which has little that is liberal, or democratic, about it. A Trumpian autocracy. Derrick Mason, Boorowa Our Prime Minister is quoted as saying in relation to the pending G7 meeting that our challenge is nothing less than to reinforce, renovate and buttress a world order that favours freedom. Is that like the freedom to choose whether to take a vaccine, and the freedom to choose which type of vaccine, and the freedom to travel overseas? If so I couldnt agree more. David Vale, Cremorne Point

Premier performance Brava Premier (Berejiklian endorses Uluru Statement, June 9). Wonderful to hear that Gladys Berejiklian recommends a First Nations Voice in the Constitution and the introduction of a Makarrata process to investigate a treaty as the centrepiece of reconciliation. Now please Premier, have a serious talk to Scott Morrison. Jill Chambers, Port Macquarie Undue credit He may not hold a hose or a syringe, but the Prime Minister is an expert in pouncing on a press opportunity to take credit when none is personally due (App sting puts heat on most wanted man, June 9). With his breathless media conference to announce the success of Operation Ironside, one could be forgiven for thinking that Morrison himself created the ANOM app which underpinned the international sting. Kate Lumley, Hurlstone Park When was the last time you saw a politician at a police press conference announcing arrests? The PM may not hold a hose but apparently, he carries a badge. Michael Berg, Randwick

Preventable plague The main causes of the mice plague in NSW are not being reported (Farmers welcome $100 million support as first step to battle mouse plague, June 9). The vast fields of monoculture crops with few, if any, trees or shrubs in sight to provide habitat for birds and other wildlife that eat mice; the killing or fencing out of predators, including dingos and foxes, which eat mice; the pervasive use of synthetic toxic pesticides and fertilisers which kill soil life and insects which are important food sources for wildlife. The last surviving wildlife, including fish, is likely to be killed off with the use of zinc phospate baits sponsored by the NSW government. The industrial farming practices that have created this massive imbalance must be replaced by regenerative and syntropic farming practices, which promote soil health and biodiversity. These farming practices require more labour and create jobs as well as a beautiful environment for all species. A win-win for all except the manufacturers of poisons, pesticides and fertilisers Louise Taylor, South Arm Just build the wall There is no question the state government should raise the level of the dam wall at Warragamba by 17 metres and not waste time (Questions remain over plan to raise Warragamba Dam, June 9). The dam is the main source of Sydneys water supply and in less than 30 years, 8 million people will be living in Sydney and relying on the dam for their water needs. People who built or bought property on the floodplain below the dam knew what they were doing at the time and the simple solution to stop any future developments being affected is not to approve any of them. Existing owners on the floodplain took the risk when they bought their property, probably because the purchase price they paid took that risk into account. Frank Adshead, Mona Vale

Weapons of mass deception Interesting to note that despite the 17 international virology experts concluding that the COVID-19 virus originated from animals, the Australian and American intelligence are less certain that it did not leak from the Wuhan laboratory (Our man in Wuhan shuns lab theory, June 9). Whatever conclusion the Australian and American intelligence come to eventually, I will always question their reliability. While the intelligence services may have forgotten about the false weapons of mass destruction that led to the Iraq invasion and the ensuing destruction of the country and loss of countless lives, I have not. I still have in my mind the image of Colin Powell, the US Secretary of State, presenting the so-called photographic evidence in the Security Council. Thiam Ang, Beecroft State-sponsored abuse If parents conducted naked strip searches on children, the state would intervene, to protect the child from sexual abuse. The Ombudsman is right (Strip searches of youth detainees wrong, June 9). State-sponsored child sexual abuse must cease, in correction centres and elsewhere by the state. It is barbaric. Lingering commitment by the minister is antipathetic to child protection. Anne Eagar, Epping

The best of care If ever I am unfortunate enough to need his services it would be a privilege to be treated by haematologist Professor Ian Kerridge (Letters, June 9). Just as the professor wished he had known his patient David outside their medical relationship, we patients too often wrongly see our doctors and carers as skilled, but detached. To our minds, if our practitioners allow themselves to be personally involved they risk losing objectivity and we would sacrifice a good bedside manner for competence. But as Professor Kerridge ably points out it is possible for them to show sincerity and compassion while delivering optimal personal treatment. Lin Sinton, Killarney Heights Already immune Its disgraceful that librarians should have received jabs while others wait (Audacious jabs plan in citys east, June 9). After all, its part of our training to be inoculated: against nonsense, rumour and censorship. John Flint, St Leonards

Willing guinea pig Australias dementia rate is more than three times higher than the rest of the planet (Alzheimers drug decision splits experts, June 9). Great news; that should put us just about first in line for the new Biogen Alzheimers treatment. Can I please be one of the first  I reckon its urgent. Peter Bower, Naremburn Dinosaurs galore Your correspondent speculates that the discovery of dinosaurs in Queensland must mean they havent taken much interest in politics (Letters, June 9). Actually, theyre spread right across the nation and inhabit the gloomy dens we call parliaments. Today we know them as conservatives and theyre prolific in all our major parties. Eric Hunter, Cook, ACT

All in the book Im only 82 years old. Last entry in my yellow International Certificates of Vaccination was in March 2021 when I had my first AstraZeneca shot. The young GP was delighted to fill it in for me. She had only heard about these yellow booklets. They were as necessary as a passport in 1967 when mine was issued. Couldnt set foot outside Australia without smallpox and cholera vaccinations. Lesley Taylor, Coogee The digital view Online comment from one of the stories that attracted the most reader feedback yesterday on smh.com.au

War on open space: Council opposes major cycling link at foreshore park

From Torchbearer: In the 1920s, we built the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Today we cant build a cycle ramp.
Sydney has fallen outside the top 10 cities in the world liveability index in the first global rankings since the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

The Economists 2021 global liveability survey saw Sydneys ranking drop from third to 11th despite Australian cities dominating the top 10.

Sydney has slipped down the global liveability rankings. Credit:James Brickwood

Six of the top 10 highest-ranked cities are in New Zealand or Australia where tight border controls have allowed residents to live relatively normal lives, according to the survey.

Melbourne, previously ranked second, has dropped to the eighth while Adelaide shot up to third, Perth to sixth and Brisbane to 10th.
Victorias tourism sector is preparing for a winter holiday rush that is regarded as crucial to the survival of many operators, amid optimism that Melburnians will regain the freedom to travel from next week.

But the industry has lamented the restrictions that will remain in place for Melbourne during the Queens Birthday weekend.

Acting Premier James Merlino announcing restrictions will be eased on Friday. Credit:Joe Armao

Melbournes extended lockdown in 2020 laid waste to the winter holidays for many tourism operators. The ski season was severely curtailed at alpine resorts.

The ski resorts will open to residents of regional Victoria this weekend but travel restrictions remain in place for Melbourne.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-09 14:59:12|Editor: huaxia

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KUNMING, June 9 (Xinhua) -- The wandering wild Asian elephant herd that has caught global attention has headed a little further west after taking a good rest in the outskirts of the southwestern Chinese city of Kunming.

The herd of 14 elephants entered Shijie Township in the city of Yuxi at about 11:15 p.m. Tuesday. They were seen taking a rest in Yuxi at about 11 a.m. Wednesday, according to the headquarters in charge of monitoring their migration.

A male elephant, which has broken free from the herd, is now about 12 km away in a forest in Anning, a county-level city under Kunming administration. All the elephants are safe and sound.

The herd traveled approximately 500 km from their forest home in Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture before reaching Kunming, the provincial capital of Yunnan, late last Wednesday.

For over a month, authorities have sent police to escort the herd, evacuated roads to facilitate their passage and used food to distract them from entering densely populated areas.

Asian elephants are under A-level state protection in China, where they are mostly found in Yunnan. Thanks to enhanced protection efforts, the wild elephant population in the province has grown to about 300, up from 193 in the 1980s. Enditem
Police have arrested a man and seized drugs, cash and a weapon after a raid in Melbournes north-west in connection with Operation Ironside.

Firearms unit officers and Australian Federal Police allegedly found 6.5 kilograms of cannabis, more than 100 grams of drugs in tablet and powder form, a stun gun and more than $250,000 in cash following a raid on a home on Contursi Drive in Sydenham at 10am on Tuesday.

A 24-year-old Sydenham man was taken into police custody and is currently assisting police with their inquiries.

The arrest flows from a joint three-year operation, dubbed Operation Ironside, which police called the sting of the century, and which culminated in the arrest of dozens of alleged bikie and mafia figures in raids this week.
Morale at Perths strained hospitals has reached another low with doctors and nurses feeling so overwhelmed and burned out they are turning down shifts.

As workers refuse to work double shifts and overtime, hospitals already operating with minimal resources are running out of options to staff the wards.

Nurses and doctors protest ourside Perth Childrens Hospital on May 25. Credit:Hamish Hastie

Australian Medical Association WA president Andrew Miller said front-line workers were concerned they would be thrown under the bus after junior nurses were reported to the national watchdog following the death of seven-year-old Aishwarya Aswath at Perth Childrens Hospital in April.

The ongoing poor treatment of senior staff, in particular, has led to a situation where the morale is low, the culture is poor, and finding the staff to run these hospitals is becoming more and more difficult, Dr Miller said.
Australian negotiators are seeking to overcome British fears of a flood of beef and lamb imports under a $36.7 billion trade deal that could be signed in London within days.

Concerns about a surge of Australian beef and lamb shipments are among the top issues to be settled in daily talks between the two sides, along with wrangling over investment rules and government procurement.

Australia is telling the UK that fears of a flood of Aussie beef into the market are unfounded. Credit:Janie Barrett

The Australian message is that British farmers should not believe the beyond absurd scenario of cheap meat flooding their market when Australian producers already enjoy strong demand from Asia and have limited capacity to ship more produce to the United Kingdom.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison will try to settle the deal in talks with British counterpart Boris Johnson on Monday after the two leaders attend the G7 summit in Cornwall this weekend.
Queensland health authorities are investigating after a COVID-19 positive case entered the state from Victoria.

Health Minister Yvette DAth said a 44-year-old woman had left Victoria and travelled through NSW to Caloundra on the Sunshine Coast.

Ms DAth said the woman was tested on Tuesday and was confirmed positive on Wednesday. The woman visited several places, including Toowoomba and Goondiwindi, before arriving in Caloundra to stay with family members.

This lady travelled with her partner, leaving Melbourne on the first of June, arriving in Queensland on the fifth of June, and she travelled up through NSW and crossed the border at Goondiwindi, Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young said.
After the gradual easing of Melbournes two-week lockdown was flagged, Queensland health authorities revealed on Wednesday afternoon that a 44-year-old woman who left Victoria on June 1 had driven through NSW and into Queensland before testing positive. Queensland Health Minister Yvette DAth said it was too early to say whether the state would require a second lockdown of the year. Three Melburnians were also caught trying to enter New Zealand. They reportedly flew to Auckland via Sydney for a funeral and have been placed in 14-day quarantine. Mr Merlino said that restaurants and cafes can reopen for seated service with up to 100 people per venue, and a maximum of 50 inside. The problem for many venues though is that, in the middle of a cold, wet winter, not many customers will choose to dine al fresco. John Haward is the president of Box Hill RSL, one of the largest in Melbourne, and said the venue will not open because it would lose money under a 50-person indoor cap.

He said plenty of RSLs with restaurants and pubs would make the same decision, with many also suffering from the restrictions on the operation of pokies. The Box Hill RSL can hold comfortably more than 200 patrons. What this government has said is weve opened it all up and its all beautiful, the Vietnam veteran said. But we wont open until next week and lets see what even happens then. The money we make at the RSL goes to veteran welfare. If it cost us money to open, then we wont open. These rules are fine for little restaurants and cafes but not for us  Its ludicrous.

Loading David Canny, a publican and the Victorian president of the Australian Hotels Association, said the rules announced on Wednesday were just not viable. Mr Canny said he knew of many pubs and bars in Melbourne that would not open on Friday. This is just a slow death for venues and, as a result, the jobs of their staff, he said. As the owner of the 500-capacity Red Lion Hotel in Ballarat, Mr Canny opened with the 50-person limit last weekend once restrictions were partially lifted in regional Victoria.

About half his 65 staff are casuals  none of whom he was able to give a shift last weekend because of the restricted demand. We still lost money. We just didnt lose as much as being closed, he said, questioning why venues could not return to a density limit based on their size, meaning a large space could host more than 50 people. Credit:Matt Golding Opposition Leader Michael OBrien said the government didnt understand the pain they were putting Victorians through with oppressive visitor limits. You may as well say you can open a restaurant but you cant serve food, he said.

Danni Hunter, Victorian director of the Property Council of Australia, said she could not detect an appetite from the Victorian government to revitalise the ailing CBD. Theres an utter dearth of confidence in Melbourne as a place to invest. People are leaving Melbourne and Victoria, said Ms Hunter, whose group represents property owners and developers. The wet and cold winter is not likely to entice diners to east al fresco Credit:Justin McManus Other capital cities are going past us and were losing our confidence and buzz. Ms Hunter cited data showing about 45 per cent of Melbournes office workers had returned to the city before the lockdown, about 25 percentage points fewer than Sydney and Brisbane.

Loading [The slow easing of restrictions] will just put us back further, she warned. Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief executive Paul Guerra said he was pleased restrictions had loosened but lamented the fact business such as gyms and nightclubs could not open. The larger restaurants around the CBD and the larger pubs around the state  It will be difficult for them until we get the limits up to a reasonable level. We need to quickly move to a position where every business in the state can operate and, importantly, operate viably.

Mr Guerra said the continuation of mask-wearing indoors and office attendance caps would slow the return of CBD office workers. The impact on workers will be compounded when, as Mr Merlino said, the federal governments disaster payment of $325 or $500 per week would likely stop at 11.59pm on Thursday. Metropolitan employees will have been able to access the payment for just one week. Wednesdays news was a blow for Snap Fitness Footscray owner Matt Bender who had organised a deep clean of his gym, refilled hand sanitiser dispensers and briefed personal trainers in anticipation of reopening later this week. This a kick in the guts, he said. Its just devastating. The father-of-two said Melbournes four lockdowns had already cost his business more than $500,000 and being closed for an additional week would cost him about $20,000.

Loading But Mr Bender said his main concern was the livelihood of staff, none of whom qualify for government subsidies and will not be paid, and the mental and physical health of members. While business owners were critical, La Trobe University epidemiologist Hassan Vally said one week of extra conservatism on restrictions was valid to be really confident youre not missing anything bubbling away. There was a part of me as a citizen, rather than an epidemiologist, that hoped thered be enough confidence to open up that little bit quicker. I think were all anxious of repeating last winter, but I do wonder if the next week continues the way the last few days have been, whether the government can be a little bolder in terms of relaxing more rules, Associate Professor Vally said.

James McCaw, an epidemiologist with the University of Melbourne, agreed that a careful loosening of public health rules was wise in order to try and replicate Victorias run of 86 zero-local-case days before the current outbreak. He said there was still a possibility of undetected chains of transmission, particularly linked to the Delta cluster where health authorities suspect a missing link between the initial case who arrived in Melbourne on May 8 and the families infected in late May. By limiting the range of high-risk activities for another week, Professor McCaw said any unknown cases who may not be in quarantine would be less likely to spread the virus than they would if restrictions were wound back dramatically. The consequences would be dramatic and this is a way to manage that risk, he said.

Victorian authorities are still investigating how the index case in the Delta outbreak passed on the virus. They are working through CCTV from his stay at the Novotel Ibis in Little Lonsdale Street and from when he arrived at the airport for clues of how he might have transmitted COVID-19. Mr Merlino said he was hopeful restrictions could ease further next week. The expectation is that from Thursday night next week, well be in a position where we can bring Melbourne and regional Victoria much closer together, he said. That would mean the travel restrictions in terms of the 25 kilometre [limit], that would go  easing of restrictions for venues, community sport competition will resume.
The virus, however, hasnt stopped a slew of cabinet level and above figures from other countries passing through the archipelago in that time.

Tom Lembong, a former Indonesian trade minister and investment chief, warns that Australia, the United States and like-minded countries will have to mount a co-ordinated and sustained effort if they want to stop Jakarta going all in with the superpower.

Singapore: Australia risks Indonesia sliding further into the orbit of China amid an absence of face-to-face diplomacy with its nearest and biggest neighbours in south-east Asia during the pandemic.

They include Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who has made three visits; Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga; Malaysias Muhyiddin Yassin; British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab; then US secretary of state Mike Pompeo, and ministers or deputy ministers from France, Singapore, Turkey, South Korea, Iran, UAE and Hungary. The latest to fly in during the past fortnight were US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and the European Unions foreign policy chief Josep Borrell.

Lembong, who was a key figure in the formation of a trade deal with Australia in 2019, believes the global health crisis has played into Chinas hands with Indonesia heavily reliant on it for vaccines as well as investment. He said it was up to Australia and its partners in the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) - US, Japan and India - to try and counter Beijings growing influence.

Indonesia will continue to gravitate towards China under the Jokowi administration and possibly beyond, Lembong told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.

If geopolitical rivals like the Quad really want to keep Indonesia from going all-in on China, they would have to mount a highly imaginative and concerted effort over several years.

Chinese state media reported this week that China had agreed to help Indonesia build a regional vaccine production facility, with Jakarta furthering its involvement in the superpowers Belt and Road Initiative and deepening maritime cooperation. It follows the Indonesian navys decision last month to take up an offer from China to lead the recovery mission for a lost submarine near Bali.
London: Buckingham Palace has refused to back the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in a row with the BBC over whether the couple sought the Queens permission to name their daughter Lilibet.

Lawyers instructed by the couple said it was false and defamatory for the BBC to suggest the couple did not ask the Queen if they could use her highly personal pet name for their second child.

Prince Harry and Meghan claimed they would not have used the name if the Queen had not been supportive of their choice. The palace, rather than confirming their version of events, refused to deny suggestions that the Queen was never asked.

The London Telegraph understands the Queen was told about the name after the baby was born last Friday, rather than her permission being sought in advance, according to royal sources unable to speak on the record.
Mexico City: US Vice-President Kamala Harris has wrapped up her first official foreign trip but she got more attention back home for something else: her tougher-than-expected words on immigration.

Harris first angered some on the left with her strong statement in Guatemala telling desperate would-be migrants do not come to the US border, and warning that theyd be turned back. She then created a political dust-up  fanned on the right  with her defensive replies to questions about her failure so far to go to the US-Mexico border.

The blowback swirled amid the Vice-Presidents diplomatic debut in Mexico City on Tuesday, a day after her visit to Guatemalas capital. She met for more than two hours with Mexicos populist President, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, and declared we are embarking on a new era in US-Mexico relations, and with the world more broadly.

US Vice-President Kamala Harris boards Air Force Two in Benito Juarez International Airport , Mexico City. Credit:Getty Images

At a later news conference before returning to the United States, she said, Do I declare this trip a success? Yes, I do.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-09 15:42:28|Editor: huaxia

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Presidential candidate Ukhnaa Khurelsukh, chairman of the ruling Mongolian People's Party, casts his ballot at a voting station in Ulan Bator, Mongolia, June 9, 2021. Presidential election kicked off across Mongolia on Wednesday amid the COVID-19 pandemic, with over 2.1 million people eligible to vote. (Ukhnaa Khurelsukh's Office/Handout via Xinhua)

ULAN BATOR, June 9 (Xinhua) -- Mongolian presidential candidates casted their ballots in the presidential election on Wednesday, according to the country's General Election Commission.

Three 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 that is the candidate from the political alliance, the Right Person Electorate Coalition, are running for the presidency.

Khurelsukh and Erdene casted their votes here on Wednesday, while Enkhbat, who have tested positive for COVID-19 and is now under isolation at a hospital, casted his ballot through a mobile ballot box on Tuesday, according to the commission.

The election began at 7 a.m. local time (2300 GMT on Tuesday) at 2,087 polling stations across the country and will end at 10:00 p.m. (1400 GMT on Wednesday).

Around 20 percent of 2.1 million eligible voters have casted their ballots as of 1:00 p.m. local time (0500 GMT Wednesday), according to the election commission. Enditem
Ottawa/London: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has promised to redouble efforts to fight far-right groups two days after a hate-motivated attack that killed four members of a Muslim family in the city of London, Ontario.

This was a terrorist attack, motivated by hatred, in the heart of one of our communities, Trudeau said on Tuesday in the House of Commons after observing a moment of silence.

Canadas Prime Minister Justin Trudeau places flowers at a vigil for the victims of the deadly vehicle attack in London, Ontario. Credit:AP

The family, killed on Sunday when a pickup truck jumped the curb and ran them over, were targeted because of their religion, Canadian police said. The victims spanned three generations of a family and ranged in age from 15 to 74. A 9-year-old boy who survived remains hospitalised with non-life-threatening injuries.

London, a city of about 400,000 people located halfway between Detroit and Toronto, has a large Muslim community and at least three mosques.
~ Says Naf 39 million only when Knops gets what he wants ~

PHILIPSBURG:--- Independent Member of Parliament Christophe Emmanuel on Tuesday called on Minister of Finance Ardwell Irion to let civil servants know if they will get the 50% vacation pay owed to them from 2020 and the full 100% due for 2021 since there is no legal basis for a reduction or to not pay it. A harsh reality is starting to set in for many, the MP said, adding that the government remains quiet on the issue while it continues to hire more personnel and increase spending.

The MP noted that the government can find the money for anything it wants, including unsuccessful and embarrassing trips to Holland and an extra 2 million for garbage collection, but cannot find the decency to tell its workers if they can expect what is due to them.

Emmanuel said he is asked daily by civil servants if he has any information on whether or not the owed money will be paid. Because for many of them reality is starting to set in when they look at uniforms and school fees, hurricane preparedness, insurance, and price of food. Many have depleted their savings and any kind of supplemental income is not there. So if they got by on 50% last year by dipping into savings, they do not have a buffer this year and that reality is worrying, Emmanuel said.

In the meantime, he continued, government is seemingly suffering from Mingo Syndrome, with its spending habits and incurring new costs, contrary to what the Finance Minister has said publicly and what CFT has urged the government not to do.

We are seeing vacancy ads for new civil servants at a rate of three a week in the media. We were told there is a hiring hold. Why is government taking on new salaries while they struggle to pay current salaries and benefits? The Finance Minister has not said what this amounts to in numbers, but the hiring of people can run you into the millions. We see recruitment for new police officers and we cant figure out how to fix the issues of the current batch. We accept new vehicles for government and thereby commit funds for gas bonds and maintenance. We find the money for pet projects and increase garbage contracts by 2 million for no reason. We are not serious, the MP said.

He chided the government for sitting back and doing nothing about the serial personal spending of the peoples money by the airport CEO and for not addressing the fact that the same PJIA spent well over US $ 10 million on Schiphol workers and consultants. I actually should not be shocked with how they treat civil servants considering how they let the airport CEO treat airport workers. It is the same trend by the same COM. They simply do not care about people, Emmanuel said.

As for the Naf 39 in liquidity support from the Netherlands, Emmanuel re-iterated that liquidity support will not come until State Secretary Knops gets what he wants from the charade being perpetrated on the people of St. Maarten under the guise of good corporate governance at PJIA. If it comes, it will be after Knops gets what he, the Dutch government, and Schiphol wants. What exactly this is we still do not know even after the empty media tour put on by the Prime Minister of St. Maarten, the MP said.

What is Knops asking you to do with people at PJIA or on PJIA boards? What is Knops asking you to do with people on the holding board? Is he asking you to do something with the corporate structure at PJIA? Is it the intention to make the operations board of PJIA untouchable by transferring certain authorities to it? You are having a meeting this week with the Holding Board of the airport, will you inform them of corporate structure changes? What precedent will you then be setting? Based on Knops version of good corporate governance, is he saying that the CEO has to be suspended for his spending? What is happening with the agreement with Schiphol? Be truthful for once and come clean with the country, the MP said.
MARIGOT:--- The Prefecture of St. Martin announced on Tuesday that based on the latest figures of positive COVID-19 cases, the curfew has been extended until Friday, June 11th.

The latest health bulletin from Public Health France reports 105 new cases for the period from May 24 to 30. Since May 20, 7 people have died (including 4 last week) and 11 medical evacuations to the CH in Guadeloupe have been carried out. Today, 10 people are hospitalized at Louis Constant Fleming Hospital.

Because of these elements, the Prefet of Saint-Barthelemy and Saint-Martin has decided to extend the curfew until Friday, June 11 inclusive. This will be effective from 8 p.m. to 3 a.m. Only people with a certificate1 and additional supporting documents will be allowed to travel during this period. Gendarmerie checks will be carried out.

The latest data from Public Health France for the week of May 31 to June 6 already show a slight drop in cases of covid contamination. However, the risk of saturation of our hospital system and the high occupancy of the hospital's covid unit, require that the measures in force since Sunday, May 30 be extended.

Consequently, all establishments open to the public will have to close at 8 p.m., and gatherings of people are prohibited until Friday, June 11 inclusive.

The Prefet recalls that everyone's mobilization is necessary to fight the epidemic, by respecting barrier gestures, social distancing, wearing a mask, and limiting gatherings of people.
PHILIPSBURG:--- The third online edition of the Growing Up Safe Sint Maarten magazine has been launched. This edition puts special focus on childrens rights and features interviews with The Public Prosecutors Office, Youth Parliament, Sister Basilia Center, and SECDA, amongst other updates, tips, and insights. The content of the magazine is geared towards informing and connecting professionals that work with children on Sint Maarten.

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) was drafted and ratified in 1989 and took effect a year later in 1990. Sint Maarten also has an obligation to live up to the CRC as a constituent of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which has signed up to the treaty. This issue of the Growing Up Safe Sint Maarten magazine provides an easily accessible way to learn more about the developments surrounding childrens rights on Sint Maarten.

Advocacy and strengthening capacity in the area of childrens rights and youth development is and remains the top priority. Hopefully, this magazine will contribute to this aim and inspire all our professionals working with children, explains Soraya Agard-Lake, Member of the Child Protection Working Group (CPWG).

The CPWG is an inter-ministerial group, with representatives from the Ministries of Justice, Education, Culture, Youth and Sport (ECYS) and Public Health, Social Development and Labour (VSA). The magazine series is one of the initiatives of the CPWG with the support from UNICEF the Netherlands and Augeo Foundation, and is financed by the Government of The Netherlands, through the Sint Maarten Trust Fund managed by the World Bank, as part of the Child Resilience and Protection Project (CRPP)

Read the Growing Up Safe Sint Maarten Magazine series on www.growingupsafe-sxm.com. To follow updates on UNICEF The Netherlands work on Sint Maarten follow Unicefsxm on Facebook or @unicefsxm on Instagram.
KORE updates anticipated closing date for bought deal financing

Posted by Publisher Internet

KORE Mining Ltd. (TSXV: KORE | OTCQX: KOREF) (?KORE? or the ?Company?  https://www.commodity-tv.com/ondemand/companies/profil/kore-mining-ltd/ ) announces that further to the announcement of the C$8 million bought deal financing through a syndicate of underwriters led by Canaccord Genuity Corp. and including PI Financial Corp. and Cormark Securities Inc. on May 11, 2021 (the ?Financing?), the anticipated closing date of the Financing has been extended. The Company is working with the British Columbia Securities Commission (?BCSC?) in connection with its prospectus review process and will be required to file amended technical reports for its Imperial and Long Valley Projects to address certain form related and other required revisions. The Company intends to file the amended technical reports and final prospectus in connection with the Financing as soon as possible following receipt of clearance to file from the BCSC. A further update will be disseminated once the final prospectus has been cleared by the BCSC and filed.

The TSX Venture Exchange has conditionally approved the Financing and the listing of the common shares to be issued and issuable in connection with the Financing, subject to customary conditions.

This press release is not an offer or a solicitation of an offer of securities for sale in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from registration.

About KORE Mining

KORE is 100% owner of the Imperial and Long Valley gold projects in California. Both projects have positive preliminary economic assessments. ?KORE is supported by strategic investor Eric Sprott who owns 26% of KORE\-\-s basic shares. KORE management and Board are aligned with shareholders, owning an additional 38% of the basic shares outstanding. KORE is actively advancing its Imperial Gold project and is aggressively exploring across its portfolio of assets.

Further information on Imperial and KORE can be found on the Company?s website at www.koremining.com or by contacting us at info@koremining.com or by telephone at (888) 407-5450.

On behalf of KORE Mining Ltd

?Scott Trebilcock?

Chief Executive Officer

?

?

Technical information with respect to the District and Imperial and Long Valley gold projects contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by?Marc Leduc, P.Eng, who is KORE\-\-s COO and is the qualified person under National Instrument 43-101 responsible for the technical matters of this news release.

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.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains forward-looking statements relating to the future operations of the Company and other statements that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements are often identified by terms such as \will\, \may\, \should\, \anticipate\, \expects\, ?intends?, ?indicates? and similar expressions. All statements other than statements of historical fact, included in this release, including, without limitation, statements regarding the future plans and objectives of the Company are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to: the successful closing and anticipated timing of closing of the Financing, the anticipated timing of filing the amended technical reports and the final prospectus, and the receipt of final approval of the TSX Venture Exchange for the Financing. Such forward-looking statements, and any assumptions upon which they are based, are made in good faith and reflect our current judgment regarding the direction of our business. Management believes that these assumptions are reasonable. Forward looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information.?

Such factors include, among others: risks related to exploration and development activities at the Company?s projects, and factors relating to whether or not mineralization extraction will be commercially viable; risks related to mining operations and the hazards and risks normally encountered in the exploration, development and production of minerals, such as unusual and unexpected geological formations, rock falls, seismic activity, flooding and other conditions involved in the extraction and removal of materials; uncertainties regarding regulatory matters, including obtaining permits and complying with laws and regulations governing exploration, development, production, taxes, labour standards, occupational health, waste disposal, toxic substances, land use, environmental protection, site safety and other matters, and the potential for existing laws and regulations to be amended or more stringently implemented by the relevant authorities; uncertainties regarding estimating mineral resources, which estimates may require revision (either up or down) based on actual production experience; risks relating to fluctuating metals prices and the ability to operate the Company?s projects at a profit in the event of declining metals prices and the need to reassess feasibility of a particular project; that estimated resources will be recovered or that they will be recovered at the rates estimated; risks related to title to the Company?s properties, including the risk that the Company?s title may be challenged or impugned by third parties; the ability of the Company to access necessary resources, including mining equipment and crews, on a timely basis and at reasonable cost; competition within the mining industry for the discovery and acquisition of properties from other mining companies, many of which have greater financial, technical and other resources than the Company, for, among other things, the acquisition of mineral claims, leases and other mineral interests as well as for the recruitment and retention of qualified employees and other personnel; access to suitable infrastructure, such as roads, energy and water supplies in the vicinity of the Company?s properties; and risks related to the stage of the Company?s development, including risks relating to limited financial resources, limited availability of additional financing and potential dilution to existing shareholders; reliance on its management and key personnel; inability to obtain adequate or any insurance; exposure to litigation or similar claims; currently unprofitable operations; risks regarding the ability of the Company and its management to manage growth; and potential conflicts of interest.?

In addition to the above summary, additional risks and uncertainties are described in the ?Risk Factors? section of the Company?s annual information form for the year ended December 31, 2020 available under the Company?s issuer profile on www.sedar.com.

Forward-looking statements contained herein are made as of the date of this news release and the Company disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results, except as may be required by applicable securities laws. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information.?

The preliminary economic assessment in each of the technical reports is preliminary in nature, it includes inferred mineral resources that are considered too speculative geologically to have the economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be categorized as mineral reserves, and there is no certainty that such preliminary economic assessment will be realized.? Mineral resources are not mineral reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-09 16:25:04|Editor: huaxia

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SOFIA, June 9 (Xinhua) -- A Bulgarian MiG-29 fighter jet has disappeared from radars during a Bulgarian-U.S. drill over the Black Sea, and a search and rescue operation is underway, the government said Wednesday morning.

The MiG-29 aircraft lost radio communication and disappeared from radars at 00:45 local time on Wednesday when performing a training task during the tactical live fire exercise "Shabla 21," a statement said.

"A search and rescue operation was launched immediately and is ongoing," it said, adding that the exercise has been suspended.

According to the website of the country's Defense Ministry, "Shabla 21" began Monday and was planned to end Friday, involving more than 2,000 members of the military staff from the Armed Forces of Bulgaria and the United States. Enditem
FILE - In this July 17, 2017 file photo, escort volunteers line up outside the EMW Women's Surgical Center in Louisville, Ky., the state's only abortion clinic. Anti-abortion groups are challenging a new Louisville law that creates a buffer zone around medical centers. It bars protesters from an area in front of a downtown abortion clinic. The new law passed by the Louisville Metro Council last May 2021 creates a 10-foot-wide zone outside healthcare facilities, including the EMW Womens clinic. (AP Photo/Dylan Lovan, File)
Tommy Ashley, 36, of Eubank, passed away Friday, June 11, 2021 at the University of Kentucky Medical Center in Lexington. Arrangements are pending and will be announced later by Morris & Hislope Funeral Home. Condolences may be expressed to the family at: www.morrisandhislope.com.
Secure access control is helping to shape the post-pandemic world

With the continued rolling back of COVID restrictions in the UK, there is a palpable sense of relief. A mixture of mass vaccinations, widespread testing, and track and tracing of the infection is helping to enable a healthy bounce back for businesses  with secure access control taking an important role in facilitating this. However, rather than just being a reaction to the wake of the pandemic, there is every sign that the economy, and consequently the security sector as well, are both rebuilding and reshaping for the long-term new normal. Prioritising Safety Already deemed an essential service even during the first wave of the pandemic, the security industry has of course taken a vital role in protecting people and property throughout the crisis. Now that venues in the UK are starting to reopen again, our services are key to occupancy management and ensuring that disease transmission is limited as far as possible. Access control is also key in reassuring people that their safety is a priority. Making the upgrade Its all been about choosing the most suitable components and technology that already existed with a few tweaks Businesses and organisations have a duty of care to their employees and the safety of visitors  so controlling access, employing lateral flow testing, and deploying suitable Track & Trace mechanisms are all key components. I think those outside our industry are surprised to learn that most of the technology being deployed and used hasnt just magically developed since COVID appeared  its all been about choosing the most suitable components and technology that already existed albeit with a few development tweaks or adjustments for the situation at hand. This includes using or installing facial recognition readers rather than using fingerprint or contact tokens, it is swapping to automatic request to exit sensors instead of buttons; it is using powered secure doors rather than having people all grab the same handle. Using mobile credentials is also a key technology choice  why not use the highly secure, easy to manage, cost-effective, and of course contact-free benefits of this approach? Touchless solutions We have seen a clear shift in organisations looking to protect their staff and visitors. For instance, we have a big utility customer in Southeast Asia that has just replaced close to 200 sites using fingerprint readers with an additional facial recognition capability. We have also seen a big rise in demand for touchless request to exit sensors and Bluetooth Low Energy Readers for use with smartphone authentication. Working together Integration of security systems is of course nothing new, but in the post-pandemic or endemic age, it has perhaps never been more important. Installations need to be simple, straightforward, and rapid to help maintain safe distancing but also to ensure systems can be deployed as soon as they are needed. The world is changing and developing rapidly and there is simply no place for systems that dont work with others or cause the end-user considerable cost and inconvenience to upgrade. This flexible delivery of security solutions perfectly matches the evolving and increasing demands of the market. Its clear that end-users want systems that work well and can easily integrate with their existing systems  not only security but all the other business components which work in unison with each other over a shared network. Great opportunities ahead The recent work-from-home trend is also clearly changing the way organisations and businesses interact with the built environment. Lots of companies are downsizing, offices are being split up, there is lots of revitalisation and reuse of existing office space  all of which creates considerable opportunities for security providers. UK inflation more than doubled in April 2021 with unemployment figures dropping and the Pound rising in value There are also, in the UK at least, clear signs that the construction industry is rapidly growing again -with a forecast of 8% rebound and growth this year. UK inflation more than doubled in April 2021 with unemployment figures dropping and the Pound rising in value  all positive signs for UK-based security providers. Undoubtedly the highly successful UK vaccination rollout has helped considerably, but there are signs that the Eurozone looks set to improve considerably over the next few months as well. Using integrated access control Undoubtedly the pandemic has made security markets around the world more aware of the benefits of integrated access control in managing the needs of the new normal COVID endemic environment. For example, as a business, we have always had keen interest from the UK healthcare sector, but over the last 12 months, we have seen a big growth in previously modest international markets including Morocco, Kuwait, Bahrain, Thailand, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Thailand  all of which are very keen to adopt improved access control solutions. Learning the lessons Nobody would deny the last year or so has been unprecedentedly tough on everyone, as a society we have had to make huge changes and sacrifices. Governments, organisations, and businesses all need to be better prepared in the future, to understand the things that went wrong and those that were successful. However, there is a world beyond the immediate pandemic and its effects. Flexible working practices and the changes these will have to the way we live and work will undoubtedly present great opportunities for the security sector in helping the world evolve. The pandemic has been a wake-up call for many organisations with regards to their duty of care to employees  particularly when it comes to mental health and providing a sensible work/life balance. Where we work and the safety of these facilities has received far more scrutiny than before. Flexible security systems Integrated security solutions have a vital role to play in not only protecting the safety of people during the post-lockdown return to work but also in the evolution of the built environment and move towards smart cities - which inevitably will now need to consider greater flexibility in securing home working spaces rather than just traditional places of work. Importantly, powerful access control and integrated security systems need to be flexible to the uncertainties ahead. The COVID pandemic has shown that nothing can be considered certain, except the need for greater flexibility and resilience in the way we operate our professional and personal interactions.
Enterprise, AL (36331)

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Thunderstorms this evening, then skies turning partly cloudy after midnight. Low around 70F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%..

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Enterprise, AL (36331)

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Scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Partly cloudy skies after midnight. Low near 70F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%..

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Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-09 18:07:11|Editor: huaxia

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KABUL, June 9 (Xinhua) -- Afghanistan's Public Health Ministry reported 1,843 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, taking the number of patients infected with the disease to 85,893 in the country.

The pandemic has so far claimed 3,356 lives in Afghanistan, including 51 deaths in the past 24 hours, the ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.

A total of 257 patients recovered over the period, according to the statement.

The ministry has warned of rapid spread of the disease, calling upon citizens to respect the anti-pandemic measures and guidelines and wear masks in public transportation and crowded areas. Enditem
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Waseca weighs restrictions on political signs

After a particularly heated election year, the Waseca City Council discussed whether the city needs restrictions on political signs after campaigns and the election are over.

In addition to discussing political signs June 1, the council also approved a pay increase for City Manager Lee Mattson thats retroactive to the beginning of 2021 and discussed the construction of a third water tower in Waseca. The City Councils June 1 work session and meeting marked the first time the council has sat together at the dais without masks since the pandemic began.

Since the 2020 presidential election, the city has received numerous calls from neighbors about political signs  not necessarily during the election, but months afterward. In particular, the city councilors discussion was sparked by a house on the east side of town that was seen plastered with upwards of 20 political signs as recently as last month. Neighbors didnt take issue with the content of the signs, Mattson said, but with their overwhelming presence months after the contentious election was over. The signs and flags express support for former President Donald Trump, according to Mike Anderson, assistant to the city manager.

Councilor John Mansfield rejected the premise of the complaint.

Its what the signs say. They disagree with it, he said.

Currently, state law stipulates that yard signs cannot be restricted 46 days before to 10 days after an election. Outside of that protected period, though, local governments have jurisdiction over the size and number of signs allowed on private property.

Regarding political signs, Wasecas current ordinance states that non-commercial signs of any size may be posted from Aug. 1 in a state general election year until 10 days following the state general election.

The vagueness of this wording, Anderson explained, makes the ordinance almost impossible to enforce when residents post signs more than 10 days following an election. Additionally, Mattson told the Waseca County News that current law regarding political signs hasnt been updated yet with case law, with recent court cases in Minnesota determining that political sign ordinances are not content-neutral  limiting only signs that are political in nature ostensibly discriminates based on content  which presents additional obstacles to enforcement.

Mattson opened the City Councils discussion by saying that Waseca should probably consider updating its sign ordinance. The problem with not regulating signs is, Do you want billboards? Mattson said.

Its freedom of speech as far as Im concerned. We have no right as a community to take them down or to tell him to take them down, Mayor Roy Srp said.

Mattson responded that the city has a right to do so. He clarified that while the city code does not currently allow for this, the city has a right to create that city code if the council wants to.

Srp pointed out that no one who has complained about the property has attempted to talk with the homeowner about the signs and flags.

Councilor Jeremy Conrath was uneasy with the idea of codifying restrictions on political signs.

Im not a big fan of the signs, but one of the first thoughts going through my head was, Who is going to be the poor city staff to end up going to all of these different homeowners, because every single one of these is going to be a disaster, Jeremy Conrath said.

Rather than attempting to legally restrict signs, he said he would rather just appeal to the public to be good neighbors. He added that he worried enforcing an ordinance of this kind, given the politically charged climate, could spark defiance that could turn violent.

I seriously worry about safety, he said.

Councilor Allan Rose agreed that it could cause a backlash they might not be able to handle.

If were going to clean up Waseca, weve got bigger things to do than worry about some signs. If this is only one person, this isnt a big deal, Rose said.

Srp added that the volume of signs seems to have diminished in the last few months. Mansfield agreed.

The thing about free speech is its a pain in the butt because you have to tolerate somebody elses opinion, Mansfield said. If we tolerate it, it will go away in time.

City manager pay increase discussion

The Waseca City Council approved an increase in pay retroactive to Jan. 1 for Mattson, who turned down a step increase and a cost of living adjustment (COLA) in December although he had a satisfactory performance review and was scheduled to receive them.

We all were very concerned about large cuts to state aid. I told the council, I dont want to end up laying off people on a year where Ive taken my COLA and step, Mattson said June 1.

At the June 1 meeting, the City Council had the options of granting Mattson the COLA but not the step increase, granting the step increase but not the COLA or granting both. The Council also had to decide whether it would make the compensation retroactive to when he was originally scheduled to receive the increase, but chose not to.

I think it was respectable and honorable for him to have foregone his raise, but the state funds have come through, Mattson said.

The council unanimously approved to grant the city managers step increase and COLA, and to pay him retroactively for the months he chose not to receive it. The pay increase raises Mattsons salary from $123,311 to $131,542.41, a 6.7% increase.

Water tower discussion

The City Council discussed the possibility of constructing a third water tower in Waseca, but no decisions have been made.

The Council is still in the educational phase of a discussion regarding the construction of a third water tower in Waseca, according to Carl Sonnenberg, the utilities and public works director for the city.

During the Council work session, Mattson presented to the council what he called the readers digest version of the history of Wasecas water system master plan, as well as some work that he and Sonnenberg had done regarding the water tower, the construction of which Sonnenberg said presents three main questions: the timing, the location and how to pay for it.

In terms of timing, while another water tower is not urgently needed, recent developments  most notably ConAgra building out its vegetable plant near County Road 2 and its interest in expanding it  have put increased pressure on Wasecas water system, and shortened the time Waseca has before needing another water tower to meet flow needs.

The location presents other challenges, including the need for landowners to sell private property to the city for development, which has not been occurring. And in terms of the financing, the water tower is estimated to cost between $3.5 and $4 million, about which Mattson said, If we have to pay for it, I dont know that we can.

The council will have to decide if it wants to pursue purchasing land for the tower, pursue state and federal funding, or defer those decisions for the time being. The Council has not established a date by which it intends to make those decisions.
By Xing Guangcheng

July 16 of 2021 marks the 20th anniversary of the signing of the China-Russia Treaty of Good-neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation. On June 1, the 2021 China-Russia High-end Think Tank Forum was kicked off in Beijing. China-Russia relations shaped through development in the past two decades have been analyzed and summarized in an all-round manner in the forum, which has contributed wisdom to deepening the cooperation potential and widening the space for cooperation between the two countries in various fields. At the same time, it also released the Collected Works Celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the Signing of the China-Russia Treaty of Good-neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation, jointly composed by senior diplomats and well-known scholars from the two countries. This article is an excerpt from the thesis about current strategic consensuses reached between China and Russia on safeguarding strategic stability at the global level, as summarized by Xing Guangcheng, Director of the Institute of Chinese Borderland Studies, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

Both sides are alarmed at risks to global security situation

In 2016, the two heads of state made a judgement about the global strategic situation in the China-Russia Joint Statement on Strengthening Global Strategic Stability, and voiced concern over increasing "negative factors" affecting the global strategic stability. In a statement on strengthening contemporary global strategic stability between China and Russia released on June 5, 2019, China and Russia criticized certain countries for undermining or altering the current arms control, non-proliferation and the elimination of weapons of mass destruction system in the light of their own needs, or aiming to realize absolute security to seek a military strategic advantage. These actions are hazardous, to which China and Russia have expressed much concern.

First, the risk of this trend lies first and foremost in the fact that these countries and their military-political alliances' pursuit of decisive advantages in military capabilities and related technology in order to achieve their interests through the threat or use of force in international affairs without hindrance. That is, they may blatantly ignore the basic security principle of undiminished security for all countries, attempting to sacrifice the security of other countries in exchange for their own.

Second, the anti-ballistic missile issue is of special concern. Extraterritorial forces have deployed the Aegis Ashore land-based missile defense system in Europe and the THAAD system in the Asia-Pacific region and Northeast Asia.

Third, the long-range precision strike weapons developed by some countries like the Prompt Global Strike (PGS), may severely disrupt strategic balance and stability, and even worse, trigger a new round of arms race.

Fourth, the threat of space weaponization and turning outer space into an arena of military confrontation is on the rise. The trend under development is sure to undermine strategic stability and threaten international security as a result.

Fifth, the threat of non-state actors acquiring chemical and biological weapons for terrorist and extremist activities has soared, which is a matter of great concern.

The statement mentioned above shows that China and Russia have forewarned the US and its allies of political and diplomatic dangers that may undermine global strategic stability, sent early warning signals to the world, and warned the countries concerned not to continue to carry out these risky actions, which may otherwise bring substantial damage and threats to global strategic stability.

The root cause of the breakdown of global strategic balance and instability

In 2016, the heads of state of China and Russia pointed out in the China-Russia Joint Statement on Strengthening Global Strategic Stability that some countries and alliances seeking to gain military superiority stubbornly refused to discuss reduction and restriction on weapons that can guarantee their decisive military superiority. This is exactly the root cause of the breakdown of global strategic balance and instability.

The US measures taken for anti-ballistic missiles cannot directly solve the actual problems facing missile proliferation. In fact, this not only jeopardizes the strategic security interests of relevant countries in the region but also threatens the national strategic security interests of both China and Russia.

Repercussions from the disruption of global strategic stability

The US policy has led to the military growth out of control, shaking the global strategic stability system, which is running counter to the concept of achieving general and complete disarmament under effective international control. China and Russia believed that individual countries attempt to gain unrestricted ability to exert military and political pressure on their opponents, is but wantonly undermining the stability maintenance mechanism, the purpose of which is to guarantee their own geopolitical and even commercial interests. Therefore, China and Russias call for maintaining good relations between major powers is of great importance to solving global strategic issues.

China and Russia believed that the unilateral development and deployment of strategic anti-ballistic missile system around the world would have a negative impact on the international and regional strategic balance, security, and stability, and also undermine the foundation of formulating and using multilateral political and diplomatic means to deal with the proliferation of missiles and related technology.

Major measures taken to maintain global strategic stability

First, China and Russia emphasized the importance of maintaining good relations between major powers in resolving global strategic issues and clearly stated that all nuclear-weapon states bear the accountability and responsibility for their share of international security and global strategic stability.

Second, all nuclear-weapon states are supposed to abandon the Cold War and zero-sum game mentality, stop the unrestricted development of the global missile defense system, and reduce the role of nuclear weapons in their national security strategies, to effectively reduce the risk of nuclear wars. Instead, these great powers should try to resolve the concern through dialogue and consultation, increase mutual trust, consolidate common security, and in particular, avoid strategic misunderstandings and misjudgments.

Third, the China-Russia draft Treaty on the Prevention of the Placement of Weapons in Outer Space, the Threat or Use of Force against Outer Space Objects (PPWT), submitted to the Conference on Disarmament (CD) in Geneva on June 10, 2014, has served to kick off the negotiation procedure, with legally binding international agreements to guarantee non-weaponization of outer space reached, and promoting international initiatives and political obligations on no first placement of weapons in outer space. China and Russia expressed serious concern about the realistic prospects of an arms race in outer space and the evolution of outer space into an arena for military confrontation threatening strategic stability, and called for the prohibition of placing weapons of any type in outer space to help prevent severe threats to international peace and security, for which the international community is supposed to work together to improve relevant legal systems.

Fourth, the basic principles and arms control rules established in the final document signed in the first special session of the General Assembly devoted to disarmament in 1978 should be followed, which serve as important means to strengthen international security and stability. Disarmament and arms control should be carried out in a fair and balanced manner, facilitating to consolidate the security of every country.

Fifth, strategic stability cannot be regarded as a purely military concept in the field of nuclear weapons, which cannot embody the contemporary multi-faceted strategic issues of great breadth. Instead, strategic stability should be viewed as a state of international relations from a broader perspective.

Sixth, China and Russia advocated upholding the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), which is one of the foundations of todays international security system. As a unique international treaty, the NPT realizes the harmony and unity of equal cooperation in terms of nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament and peaceful uses of nuclear energy (that is, the three pillars of the NPT). Both sides also stressed strengthening the nuclear non-proliferation system and proactively promoting the three pillars of NPT. Relevant countries should abandon the nuclear sharing policy and withdraw all nuclear weapons deployed outside nuclear-weapon states.

In addition, China and Russia also expressed their support for the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on their Destruction (BTWC) and the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction, etc.

Editor's note: This article is originally published on ThePaper.cn, and is translated from Chinese into English and edited by the China Military Online. The information, ideas or opinions appearing in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of eng.chinamil.com.cn.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-09 19:27:17|Editor: huaxia

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Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, is briefed about the environmental protection efforts in the Qilian Mountains and Qinghai Lake, and inspects achievements made in comprehensively addressing environmental problems and protecting biodiversity at the lake, in Gangcha County of Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Qinghai Province, June 8, 2021. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi)

XINING, June 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping stressed the need to always put the people first and advance reform and opening-up in efforts to promote ecological conservation and high-quality development on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks during his inspection tour of northwest China's Qinghai Province from Monday to Wednesday.

The trip took Xi to the provincial capital Xining and the Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. On Monday afternoon, Xi visited a carpet production company in Xining, where he learned about efforts in preserving and carrying forward local craft of hand-knitting carpets.

Xi stressed encouraging industries that have the most distinctive local features and the most vigorous enterprises in promoting high-quality development.

He also called for fostering a policy environment that encourages, supports and guides the development of private enterprises, as well as coordinating the development of industries and enterprises with efforts in boosting employment and promoting rural vitalization and ethnic unity.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, visits a residential community to learn about its efforts to strengthen Party building, improve community-level governance and advance ethnic unity and progress in Xining, northwest China's Qinghai Province, June 7, 2021. (Xinhua/Yan Yan)

Xi then went to a residential community in Xining. He stressed the roles of primary-level Party organizations and Party members in community governance, urging efforts to build residential communities into important platforms for promoting ethnic unity and progress.

Inspecting the county of Gangcha in Haibei on Tuesday, Xi said the achievements in conserving the ecological environment of Qinghai Lake are hard-won, and must be cherished, consolidated and expanded.

He called for accelerated efforts in building a nature reserves system "centering on national parks, based on natural reserves and supplemented by various kinds of natural parks" to better protect the eco-environment and biodiversity.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, talks with villagers in Shaliuhe Township, Gangcha County in Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Qinghai Province, June 8, 2021. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi)

Xi then went to a village in Shaliuhe Township where herdsmen have resettled. Visiting the home of a Tibetan herdsman, Xi said the Party has won the people's wholehearted support because it has always served the people with heart and soul and strived for the wellbeing of all ethnic groups.

Speaking with villagers, Xi said he felt delighted to learn that they are leading happy lives. "We shall continue to work hard, and by the time New China celebrates its centenary, the Chinese nation will, without a doubt, stand firmer and stronger among the world's nations," he said.

Not a single ethnic group should be left behind in the efforts to fully build a modern socialist China, Xi said, adding that the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation can be only achieved when all ethnic groups remain closely united like the seeds of a pomegranate that stick together.

On Wednesday morning, Xi listened to the provincial Party committee and government of Qinghai report their work, and acknowledged the achievements the province has made in various fields. 
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Medford, NJ (08055)

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Cloudy this evening with showers after midnight. Low 63F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Cloudy this evening with showers after midnight. Low 63F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%.




With the finale tomorrow night let us do a quick rundown of the last three episodes, PLUS a small preview of whats in store for the shows curtain call.



5.07  El Zorro En La Gallinera





As Teresa thinks she has finally established her legitimacy, she is on the lookout to properly replace Boaz (if you ask me stupidly vetting one of Boazs guys in Sinaloa, Osvaldo). However Castel avoiding her at every turn does put her a bit on edge. She also tries once again to extent an olive branch to a now free Marcel, who (justifiably) not at all graciously declines her offer once again, much to the charging of his own crew. Realising he doesnt want to get lost in the world any further he decides he wants out.Meanwhile Boaz makes his moves to take over the business, starting from hitting the operation at Phoenix (RIP Taza. You deserved better than an off screen death mention) and even taking a shot at the Queen herself. When James and Teresa do get out of the altercation without a scratch, Teresa tries to gather her own to safety, and refuses to flee without her family even as the girl from Culiacan, in a reverse Queen Ghost mirage reminds her that survival is the most important thing. As she fails to get hold of George she calls Boaz. The aspiring jefe always happy to rub salt in a wound is all too gleeful about Georges fate, and declares the Jimenez will be turning their attention to Pote and Kelly Anne. They successfully kidnapping the later while the happy parents-to-be are at the OBGYN for an ultrasound.The opening of the episode paints a rather bleak picture of a dead body being covered at Teresas mansion before the shows timeline rewinds 18 hours earlier and we find James and Pote trying to catch up with the kidnapers. When they cant seem to be able to track them down cornering Osvaldo seems like the smart move and Teresa and Co. catch up with him before he flies off to Mexico. As they try to confirm if Boaz has Kelly Anne Osvaldo warns him, and even though Teresa is willing to trade the business for Kelly Anne, that doesnt seem to be of interest to Boaz. Teresa deduces that the way to stop him is to cut off his supply. Reaching out to Castel is fruitless though and Teresa is not only once again given the roundabout but also gets confirmation that the Colombians less than interested in cutting Boaz off. In fact theyll gladly ship directly to him. This is when James finally discloses Castels connection to Devon, which forces team Reina to have to reach out to Finch directly. But even that option doesnt seem to lead anywhere. Meanwhile Boaz sates his terms: Kelly Anne for Teresa, and as much as Pote protests Teresa agrees to the meet... but not without a plan. Alas things go a bit sideways and in the end Boaz flees with Kelly Anne now fully intent on trafficking her, and thankfully Pote hot on their trail. He does a pretty good job of tracking her down, and gets rid of Angel in the process, but its Kelly Anne who saves herself in the end.When Teresa and James show up at the bar Devon is waiting on them and clears things up. Teresas dealing with Kostya are the reason her being pushed out is being accommodated. However if shes willing to get rid of Kostya for the CIA, by enlisting Oksanas help they Devon and Co. might reconsider. Teresa seeing this as an out to the business reaches out to Oksana who reluctantly agrees to help with the promise of getting Teresas operations at the end of it all. Kostya however gets to her first and we finally catch up with the episodes opening moments where a poisoned Oksana lies dead in the mansion. After seeing how shook up the ordeal made Kelly Anne, Teresa sends her and Pote away, just as Kostya makes his first in person appearance and his final threat.As Kelly Anne and Pote try to adjust to life in the suburbs, Teresa and James try to find the best way to get to Kostya with starting with taking Oksanas secret daughter Samara to safety and try to extract as much information about Kostya they can with the promise of protection. This is where they learn that the reason Kostya is untouchable is because he is a Russian diplomat. Teresa and James relay the information to Devon who seems unphased by the situation and still expects them to do the dirty work. Teresa and James weigh their options from sniper attacks, to James sneaking in the embacy but every option feels worse than the last one.In the end Teresa decides to hit him directly at his operations to weed him out and reaches out to the Dominicans for help. Alas Boaz for his part reaches out to Kostya offering his services and his product, and intercepts the Dominican attack. Chicho seeing things getting more dire on their end calls Pote for help, who refuses to come as he seems to be starting to settle into retirement.In the end Teresa realises that killing Kostya herself is her only choice, and calls to set the meet. James unhappy by the fact that Teresa is putting herself in harms way attempts to talk her out of it and the two finally after 5 long seasons confess their love.At the meet with Kostya, Teresa manages to trick and poison him just as he did with Oksana. As Kostyas goons are set for revenge James and Pote show up to help their Queen escape and all 3 flee the scene safe. As Devon declares Teresa the last woman standing, she announces to her crew that Devon is not to be trusted and as such they are getting out of the business anyway and going to Belize. Chicho is handed the keys to bar and the distillery, Samara and Pote escort Teresa to Belize and James is left behind to finish closing up their lose ends in NOLA. This is where Devon finds him and orders him to kill Teresa. James torn realises he has no option and the episode end with the shows opening scene: Teresa arriving in her mansion and getting shot with the reveal of James being on the other end of the scope.Which leads us to...Pote gets into far too much trouble as he makes it his mission to avenge Teresa, sacrificing time with his family in the process and Kelly Anne finds herself alone in the suburbs as her past life begins to catch up with her. Meanwhile James tries to break free from Devon for good, and also picks up an odd hobby along the way. Chicho proves his loyalty. Marcel is back and much to his disappointment - and Devons frustration - Boaz, who frankly is enjoying himself a little too much, is now the official Jefe, with the appropriate Kingpin attire to match.For the show setting Teresa up to establishing her legitimacy I feel they rushed through the resolution of that plot point quite fast. However there certainly was value refocusing Teresas priorities to her people in this the last stretch of the show. Personally Kostyas demise felt a little underwhelming, especially for an antagonist that had been build up so much throughout the last two seasons. But considering Devon was involved I shouldnt have been surprised. Finch has always been a character that (re)acts the way thats narrativelly convenient, than consistent. Boaz on the other hand has been a revelation this season and I'm very impressed this off shoot character we met at the tail end of S1 was the one to look out for.Regardless of any misgivings of the shows last two seasons at large, I think long term fans of the show will be satisfied by the finale as it feels every character got what they deserved.Thats it for the show! Tune in for the last episode of, on tomorrow on the USA Network and a proper review of the series finale sometime next week!
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-09 19:31:54|Editor: huaxia

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KUALA LUMPUR, June 9 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia reported another 6,239 new COVID-19 infections, bringing the national total to 633,891, the Health Ministry said on Wednesday.

Health Ministry Director-General Noor Hisham Abdullah said in a press statement that 11 of the new cases are imported and 6,228 are local transmissions.

Another 75 more deaths were reported, bringing the death toll to 3,611.

Some 7,386 patients have been released after recovery, bringing the total number of cured and discharged to 548,705 or 86.6 percent of all cases.

Of the remaining 81,575 active cases, 905 are being held in intensive care and 453 of those are in need of assisted breathing.

Separately, Malaysia's Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said the country had surpassed 150,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines administered daily and now aimed to hit the 200,000 mark.

Khairy, who is also the coordinating minister for Malaysia's national COVID-19 immunization, told a press briefing that 151,309 jabs were given on Tuesday, and of which 105,722 jabs were first doses and 45,587 were second doses. Enditem
Madrid, 7 June 2021 (SPS) - The Spanish coordinator of farmers and livestock breeders (COAG) and the human rights NGO Mundubat have denounced the building of a large center for tomato production in the occupied territories of Western Sahara at the expense of Sahrawi farmers, reports the Spanish newspaper El Economista.



The two organizations accused, according to an investigation report published last Thursday, the King of Morocco of illegally building a tomato production center in Dakhla according to an investigation report they revealed last Thursday.



Both the King of Morocco and Minister of Agriculture were accused of illegal practices.



The report explains how five large groups, some of which are owned by Mohamed VI and the Moroccan Minister of Agriculture, are exploiting fertile land in the occupied Sahrawi territories to create one of the largest centers for tomato production. (SPS)



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Dili (Timor-Leste), 9 June 2021 (SPS) - The New Saharawi (S.A.D.R.) Ambassador designate to the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, Mr. Abba Malainin, has presented Wednesday a copy of his credentials letter to Mr. Jose Antonio Amorim Dias, Director- General of the Protocol in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Timor-Leste, whom he welcomed the new Saharawi ambassador and wished him all the success in his duties.



Both officials reviewed the excellent historical bilateral relations and advocated its further development.



The talks also tackled the recent developments in Western Sahara especially after Morocco last November military violation of the cease-fire agreement between POLISARIO and Morocco and the new wave of human rights violations in occupied parts of Western Sahara.



It is worth mentioning that upon the restoration of Timor-Lestes independence in 2002 diplomatic relations were immediately established between the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste and the Saharawi Republic (S.A.D.R.). (SPS)



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Madrid (Spain), June 9, 2021 (SPS) - During the control session of the Government of Spain in the Congress of Deputies, Arancha Gonzalez Laya, Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, has warned that the position of her country in relation to Western Sahara and the unfinished decolonization process is a State policy that has been constant and has not changed for a simple reason, because it is anchored in inalienable principles such as the defense of multilateralism and respect for international legality .

In response to the Popular Group, the Foreign Minister recalled the position of all political parties and the unanimous support for an active policy on the part of Spain to assume historical and legal responsibilities in Western Sahara. Laya has cited the motion approved unanimously, on March 10, 2021, and in which the different political forces request the government to actively support and facilitate at the UN, the European Union, and the rest of international organizations a political solution in accordance with international law and UN resolutions, in which must constitute a remote State policy devoid of controversies and partisan confrontations. SPS

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RIDGEFIELD  Gods spirit at work in ways seen and unseen was just one of the nearly 200 prayers posted on and in a prayer wall at Jesse Lee Church in Ridgefield during the last two weeks of May. From May 16-30, residents were invited to publicly and privately share what was on their minds, hearts and souls through the wall, which stood at the corner of King Lane and Main Street in town.

The wall was created to be a place where people could post prayers (while) others could lift those prayers up, Jesse Lees Communications Manager Heidi Yeranossian said. It absolutely served that purpose well and was beautiful in its simplicity. It also showcased the love and care that people in our community, no matter what their faith background, shared generously with one another.

The public posts, which were written on a chalkboard, included prayers for healing and provisions for friends and family pertaining to health and new babies. There were prayers for those fighting drug and alcohol addiction, for those wrestling with mental illness and for those whose loved ones suffer from dementia.

There were prayers from people who need jobs, and for countries like Brazil and India that are working hard to contain COVID. There were prayers for those who are in mourning, especially from having lost loved ones to COVID, and prayers for the LGBTQ community and all people to be loved, seen, protected and supported.

There were many prayers asking for Gods help: for direction and guidance; physical healing; a sense of purpose; friends; salvation; His presence; and repentance of sins. People asked God to bless them with health and wellness in mind, body and spirit. There were also a lot of prayers for peace, love, kindness and safety in the world and for all people.

And there were prayers of gratitude for sunshine, community, graduates, confirmands, the freedom we enjoy, the return home of loved ones, free choice, all the things we have and the love that is felt for God.

These messages spilled over onto social media, with many posts praising the significance of having a community that prays for one another. Prayer requests were posted online by folks who live far away as well as by local friends who posted writings on the wall.

Each prayer was recorded and prayed over. On the final day of the two-week period, the prayers were included in Sunday service. Publicly-posted prayers were read aloud and lifted up to God along with the private prayers by Senior Pastor Bill Pfohl, the Prayer Wall Ministry and the congregation.

It was a wonderful outreach project that seemed to touch a lot of hearts around Ridgefield, Yeranossian said.
Eight or nine Democrats in the state Senate had a word with their leader on Friday about the states failure to join a regional climate change initiative that would have nudged Connecticut in the right direction.

It was a polite conversation they had with Martin Looney, D-New Haven, the Senate president pro-tempore  not a pitchfork march by insurgents. Word had it that Looney, in budget negotiations, had blocked the move for Connecticut to join the Transportation and Climate Initiative  a high priority for Gov. Ned Lamont.

What happened? How did a forward-thinking idea that most Democrats figured was on its way to reality, with the full backing of a popular governor and with two heavily Democratic chambers seemingly poised to clear the way to the TCI, fall by the wayside? The Democrats wanted to know.

Joining the small group of states would have eventually raised the price of gasoline by a few cents a gallon, maybe a dime. And it would have raised an average of $100 million a year for Connecticut to spend on measures to make it easier for folks to burn less gasoline, and easier to breathe in cities polluted by vehicle emissions.

The Democrats dont want to talk about that meeting with Looney. Why tick off a person with the sole power to make or break their political careers?

Still, they and a lot of other people who care about climate change are bewildered and angry, not necessarily at Looney. They have a tiny, long-shot chance of making the TCI happen this year, if they rise up strongly.

As environmental advocates look at what happened, they can see a list of people and forces that conspired to nix Connecticuts plan to join the regional consortium  a list that includes their own complacency. No one seems willing to play hardball, and thats part of the problem in this politically genteel state, at least within the Democratic Party.

Republicans, for their part, have wildly overstated the likely cost of the TCI and understated the benefits. The consortium of states would agree to impose a limit, or cap, on greenhouse gases associated with motor fuels in their region  and raise money selling rights under that cap, similar to the 11-state Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative for electric power generation, which started in 2009 with Connecticut as a charter member.

Likewise, Republicans have used illogic to comically overstate the cost of the much-needed heavy truck tax, which might add a fraction of a penny to a few consumer goods, if that, and would raise $90 million a year for transportation.

They and the conservative Yankee Institute for Public Policy gleefully claimed credit for killing or at least postponing the TCI, and theyre not wrong about that.

Its unfortunate that this has become a partisan issue because when were talking about the environment, climate change, it knows no side of the aisle, said Sen. Christine Cohen, D-Guilford, co-chair of the legislatures environment committee. This is a crisis and we truly need to come together to get it done ... I know that there are legislators who are like-minded and want to move forward.

The support is there but not die-on-the-hill support. Its inexcusable and very hard to imagine, but somehow this program seems to have fallen by the wayside, said Sen. Will Haskell, D-Westport, co-chair of the transportation committee. A lot of legislators that Ive been talking to in the last 72 hours simply had the impression that it was going to pass.

Its the nature of politics: With elections every two years, no one wants to vote for a tax increase, even one, like the TCI, that would lower costs in the long run by building a healthier and better functioning state.

With $2.8 billion of free money coming in from the federal stimulus and a state rainy day fund approaching $4 billion, no one can argue Connecticut needs the added tax money. Thats why the liberal Democrats scheme to raise taxes on the richest residents  a bad idea in 2021, as Gov. Ned Lamont said  died the same death as the TCI.

Unlike the tax on the rich, TCI should have happened, could have happened, with a governor who made it a priority. House Speaker Matt Ritter, D-Hartford, has repeatedly said he favors the state joining the TCI. But negotiations are negotiations, and we all must give and take, you know.

Heres an idea: If rank-and-file Democrats want the TCI, how about they band together and force a vote down the throats of their own Democratic leaders by tacking an amendment onto another bill? No TCI, no budget. They have one day left.

The idea of a TCI amendment has come up, Cohen told me, but its not going to happen. Looney and Ritter know that. They have too much power over their caucuses for that.

Do I think well see an amendment? No, Ritter said Tuesday. But I do support it. I think that regional cooperation makes a lot of sense from state to state.

Another issue: Some urban, liberal Democrats pushing hard for economic and criminal justice, see a trade-off in environmental justice because higher energy prices hurt the poor. Several I spoke with were lukewarm on TCI.

Lamont held at least 10 events around the state, often alongside Katie Dykes, his Department of Energy and Environmental Protection commissioner, building support for the measure. Dykes was chair of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative and views the TCI as a market-based plan, not a punitive tax.

Both of them spoke at a rally for the TCI Friday at the state Capitol just minutes before Lamont slipped into budget talks with the TCI still on the table.

My colleague Ken Dixon asked the governor Tuesday whether he had done enough  as the House debated the small tax on heavy trucks in Connecticut.

Both the TCI initiative and the truck tax are important moves not only to help correctly price the real cost of trucking and driving, but, more to the point, to pay for transportation improvements in this state. We have a fund to pay for these things and its headed toward insolvency in three or four years.

In 2019 and 2020, Lamont failed to win approval for tolls, which would have delivered as much as $350 million a year from out-of-state drivers. Were the last state on the whole east coast without tolls, an idiotic distinction that leaves Connecticut taxpayers ponying up for costs that motorists should bear.

Lamont thought about Dixons question. Maybe. We worked hard on that. I mean, the environmentalists felt really strongly. Everybody here pays lip service to the environment. They know how important it is. Well, when push comes to shove, sometimes its hard to get them to stand up and cast a vote that matters. I know there are still some discussions going on.

Lamont is going to run for reelection next year in large part on his record of reaching deals. He rattled off a few last week: the Millstone nuclear plant threatening to close, hospitals in a tax standoff the threatened nursing home strike and the placid, on-time budgets he has overseen. He does it by friendly give and take  in this case, leaving TCI on the trash heap as he emerged late Friday afternoon, a budget deal with Looney and Ritter in hand.

What would former Gov. Dannel P. Malloy have done? Having covered his two terms closely, Id imagine he would haul Looney and Ritter into his office, separately, and say this: Bring a vote on TCI by next week or you can forget about that extra $20 million in aid for your city. Now get out.

I cleaned up the language for a family audience. On Tuesday, I spoke with a transportation activist who said she misses that angry edge in the governor. The porcupine was the moniker for Malloy, though the activist named the wrong animal.

Thats not Lamont, for better and for worse. And its not the culture of a lot of Democrats in Connecticut.

Were watching a pro-environment state like Connecticut not be able to step up, and hopefully were going to be able to revisit that soon, Lamont told Dixon Tuesday. Its really important.

dhaar@hearstmediact.com
WASHINGTON (AP)  The U.S. will buy 500 million more doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to share through the global COVAX alliance for donation to 92 lower income countries and the African Union over the next year, a person familiar with the matter said Wednesday.

President Joe Biden was set to make the announcement Thursday in a speech before the start of the Group of Seven summit. Two hundred million doses  enough to fully protect 100 million people  would be shared this year, with the balance to be donated in the first half of 2022, the person said.

We have to end COVID-19 not just at home  which were doing  but everywhere, Biden said Wednesday in a speech to the U.S. military at Royal Air Force Mildenhall, the first stop of an eight-day, three-country foreign trip.

National security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters Wednesday that Biden was committed to sharing vaccines because it was in the public health and strategic interests of the U.S. As Biden embarks on his first foreign trip, he is aiming to show that democracies are the countries that can best deliver solutions for people everywhere," Sullivan said.

The news of the Pfizer sharing plan was confirmed to The Associated Press by a person familiar with the matter, who spoke on condition of anonymity ahead of the president's formal announcement. The news was first reported by The Washington Post.

The U.S. has faced mounting pressure to outline its global vaccine sharing plan. Inequities in supply around the world have become more pronounced, and the demand for shots in the U.S.  where nearly 64% of adults have received at least one dose  has dropped precipitously.

Last week, the White House unveiled its plans to donate an initial allotment of 25 million doses of surplus vaccine overseas, mostly through the United Nations-backed COVAX program, promising infusions for South and Central America, Asia, Africa and others at a time of glaring shortages abroad.

Overall, the White House has announced plans to share 80 million doses globally by the end of June, most through COVAX. Officials say a quarter of the nations excess will be kept in reserve for emergencies and for the U.S. to share directly with allies and partners.

The White House has also directed doses to allies including South Korea, Taiwan and Ukraine.

Global public health groups had been aiming to use the upcoming G-7 meetings in Cornwall, England, to press the nation's wealthiest democracies to do more to share vaccines with the world, and Biden's plans drew immediate praise toward that end.

The Biden administrations decision to purchase and donate additional COVID-19 vaccine doses is the kind of bold leadership that is needed to end this global pandemic," said Tom Hart, acting CEO at The ONE Campaign, a nonprofit that seeks to end poverty. This action sends an incredibly powerful message about Americas commitment to helping the world fight this pandemic and the immense power of US global leadership.

But others have called on the U.S. to do even more.

Charity is not going to win the war against the coronavirus," said Niko Lusiani, Oxfam Americas vaccine lead. Its time to let the world help itself. Rather than more lucrative transactions with very profitable pharmaceutical corporations, we need a transformation toward more distributed vaccine manufacturing so that qualified producers worldwide can produce billions more low-cost doses on their own terms, without intellectual property constraints."

Biden last month broke with European allies to endorse waiving intellectual property rules at the World Trade Organization to promote vaccine production and equity. But many in his own administration acknowledge that the restrictions were not the driving cause of the global vaccine shortage, which has more to do with limited manufacturing capacity and shortages of delicate raw materials.

Sullivan said Wednesday that he does not expect the U.S. push to waive the patents on vaccines to cause tension with European counterparts.

Were all converging around the idea that we need to boost vaccine supply in a number of ways, sharing more of our own doses, Sullivan told reporters aboard Air Force One. Well have more to say on that, helping get more manufacturing capacity around the world.

Globally, there have been more than 3.7 million confirmed deaths from COVID-19, and more than 174 million people have been confirmed infected.
ATLANTA (AP)  Already years behind schedule, Georgia Power Co.'s nuclear expansion of Plant Vogtle is even further behind than the company recently acknowledged, independent state monitors and state regulators said.

The first of two new reactors likely won't be in operation until at least the summer of 2022, and the projects total costs are likely to rise at least another $2 billion, according to one key monitors report Monday, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.

The unit of Atlanta-based Southern Co. had in recent years been aiming to complete the first unit in November, but officials told investors last month that it would probably be finished in December. The project, located south of Augusta, is now projected to cost more than $26 billion for all its owners, including Georgia Power, electric cooperatives and municipal utilities.

Ultimately, most electric customers in Georgia  except those in the northwest corner of the state served by affiliates of the Tennessee Valley Authority  will have to pay for the plant. Floridas Jacksonville Electric Authority is also obligated to buy power from Vogtle.

The further delay was disclosed in testimony from independent monitors and state regulators.

Many of the problems encountered by SNC should have been resolved long before the current testing, PSC staffer Steven Roetger and monitor William Jacobs wrote. Monitor Donald Grace added that the reactor is in a worse condition than past U.S. new construction nuclear plants were at this same stage of construction/testing.

SNC, or Southern Nuclear, is also part of Southern Company.

The second new reactor is slated to be fully running no later than November 2022. But in the latest testimony, Grace said the second reactor is unlikely to be up and running until at least June 2023.

Georgia Power spokesman John Kraft said Tuesday the company still aims to finish the second reactor by that deadline, the newspaper reported.

Additional construction remediation work was needed prior to the current testing, Kraft said. And as anyone would expect during significant testing activity, the site has worked through numerous start-up and operational-type issues including refinements to control system logic and plant chemistry. The types of issues we are addressing during testing are not unexpected and are more related to operating systems together with temperature for the first time.

As for the chance of costs rising another $2 billion, Kraft said the company has presented cost estimates using its best judgment while continually emphasizing that risks remain on the project and it is possible that the cost estimate could increase in the future.

The most expensive construction project in Georgia history keeps getting more absurdly costly, and the only people benefiting from that sorry state of affairs are Company shareholders, said Kurt Ebersbach, a senior attorney at the Southern Environmental Law Center. The center represents some groups opposed to customers paying for Vogtles overruns.

Though the new Vogtle units have yet to produce any electricity, Georgia Power customers bills have included financing costs and profits on the project for the states largest electric monopoly, an allowance approved by the state legislature and then-Gov. Sonny Perdue.

By the time the construction work is completed, the average Georgia Power residential customer will have paid $854 toward Vogtles expansion, according to a PSC staff and monitor report filed this week.

In the recent testimony, independent monitors and PSC staff cited project issues, including work that didnt meet design plans; construction that wasnt completed before testing began; known problems that werent timely addressed, such as failure to upgrade software; and concrete that contained voids among other issues.

While Georgia Power and Southern Nuclear have continued to blame many of the projects problems on contractors, independent monitors said the company is ultimately responsible for its own project.
New Canaan Schools Superintendent Bryan Luizzi promised a positive outreach to help the community adjust to changes in school times after a referendum initiated to disable the new school hours failed last week.

The Board of Education reaffirmed the start time Scenario A, on Monday, June 7, which was the basis for the $463,337 targeted for more buses to change start times in the $92.3 million 2021-22 budget,

The motion, which passed by a 7-2 vote, said the administration will continue to tweak the start times planned to change in April 2022. The goal is to bring the first start for grade school students to 8:00 a.m. instead of 7:45 a.m. as presently planned.

Board members Bob Naughton and Dionna Carlson voted no.

The first school budget referendum in nearly 30 years failed without enough votes, and would have sent the Board of Education budget back to the Board of Finance for reconsideration.

The referendum had been disputed by the Board of Education attorney and given the green light by the town attorney.

The referendum was spearheaded by those who objected to the new start times scenario, saying though New Canaan High School students would benefit from a start time of 8:30 a.m., while families with grade school children would be burdened.

Even if it had passed, there was no guarantee the schedule would change, since the school board holds the sole authority to change line items.

Implementation

Luizzi plans to set up a large implementation committee, while not directly run by the Board of Education, its meetings will be announced to the public and press, allowing them to observe.

The committee is needed because there is an ecosystem that surrounds the school days and the schools dont exist in a vacuum, Luizzi told the school board.

By the end of the week, he plans to decide who will be invited to join the implementation committee that he expects to look at a variety of work streams.

The committee would address the needs of childcare in the early morning for tier three students who would start at 9:15 a.m. and after school childcare for tier one students who would arrive home a 2:15 p.m.

The group would work with private preschools in town to discuss their start times, he said.

It will look at the impact on afterschool programs such as New Canaan Dance Academy, youth sports, out-of-town youth programs and St. Aloysius religious education.

He hopes for a positive outreach to the community, including exploring the impact that the schedule change will have on local businesses.

We are looking for a good size group, with a variety of people to give different perspectives.

Referendum advocate James Yao told Hearst Connecticut Media on Tuesday that he would like to be on the committee, but he doubts he will be picked. He expects New Canaan High School parents will be chosen for the team.

However, he thinks the majority of group should be elementary school parents, who will be desperately scrambling for childcare alternatives.

Luizzi has not responded to a request for information on who is being chosen for the committee.

Scenario A

Prior to the vote on Monday, the school board had been discussing a few different scenarios while the referendum loomed, and members had reduced it to scenarios A and B.

The new schedule, referred to as Scenario A will consist of the first tier of buses taking elementary school children for a 7:45 a.m. start and the day would end at 2:15 p.m. In the second tier, high school students would attend from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Also, as part of tier two, the Saxe Middle School seventh and eighth graders would be in school at 8:35 a.m. to 3:05 p.m. For tier three, the middle schools fifth and sixth graders would start at 9:15 a.m. and get out at 3:45 p.m.

Scenario B would have reversed tier one and tier three so that the Saxe Middle School fifth and sixth graders would have started at 7:45 a.m., and the elementary schools at 9:15 a.m.

Reading the numbers

The referendum did move forward after a total of 1,914 ballots were cast instead of the 2,045 votes needed, to meet the 15 percent called for by the town charter.

Even if the total number of votes had been met, 1,106 no votes were cast, versus 808 yes votes, and town charter calls for the yes votes to total 15 percent of the electorate as well.

Carlson noted that 42 percent of those who voted were not happy with what we suggested, and argued that they should be listened to.

Since a school referendum had not happened in decades, she said, I think we need to be respectful of those who expressed concerns.

Rita Bettino, who objected to the referendum, told the school board that since less than 6 percent of the 13,636 of the electorate voted in favor of the referendum, while 94 percent did not.

Correction: This story has been updated to reflect that Carlson and Naughton voted no to the vote on start times.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-09 20:00:32|Editor: huaxia

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XINING, June 9 (Xinhua) -- Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, said that not a single ethnic group should be left behind in China's efforts to fully build a modern socialist country.

Xi, also Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks on Tuesday afternoon while visiting a village and talking with Tibetan villagers in Shaliuhe Township in Gangcha County, Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, during his inspection tour of northwest China's Qinghai Province.

"We are a family, and we are all brothers and sisters," Xi told the villagers, calling on them to have confidence in a brighter future.

"Great changes have taken place in the village," Xi said when talking with the villagers. "We are very glad to see that every one of you is leading a happy life, and we can feel the profound bonding you have with the Party and the government."

"By the time New China celebrates its centenary, the Chinese nation will, without a doubt, stand firmer and stronger among the world's nations," Xi said, adding that by that time China will surely be a happy and modern country.

POMEGRANATE SEEDS

During Tuesday's visit, Xi stressed that the Chinese nation is closely united like the seeds of a pomegranate. "We are all members of the community of the Chinese nation."

This is not the first time he has used the expression to talk about ethnic unity in China, a country with 56 ethnic groups.

In May 2016, Xi called upon a Hezhe ethnic village in northeastern Heilongjiang Province. He said all ethnic groups shall remain closely united like the pomegranate seeds on the way toward national rejuvenation.

In January 2017, when writing a letter to a Uygur family, Xi again called on all ethnic groups to unite like the pomegranate seeds under the CPC leadership to build a bright future for Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

Xi also used this expression in his discussion with lawmakers from Xinjiang during the annual national legislative session in 2017 and his inspection of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in 2019.

NO ETHNIC GROUP LEFT BEHIND

"No ethnic group should be left behind" is another phrase Xi has often used.

According to Xi, not a single ethnic group should be left behind, be it in China's drive to eliminate absolute poverty, build a moderately prosperous society in all respects or to build a modern socialist country.

The Chinese nation is a big family and all of the family members shall live a good life, said Xi at a gathering to honor national role models for ethnic unity and progress in 2019.

Xi paid very close attention to helping ethnic minorities fight poverty.

In February, when Xi announced China's victory of eliminating absolute poverty, he particularly mentioned that the country's 28 ethnic minority groups with relatively small populations had shaken off poverty collectively.

Xi reiterated in April that on the country's new journey toward the second centenary goal of fully building a modern socialist China, not a single ethnic group should be left behind. Enditem
The Biden administration is laying the groundwork for a renewed push to encourage more Arab countries to sign accords with Israel and working to strengthen existing deals after last month's devastating war in the Gaza Strip interrupted those diplomatic efforts.

The embrace of the so-called Abraham Accords is a rare carryover of a signature Trump administration policy by President Joe Biden and other Democrats.

The Trump administration put U.S. clout and incentives into landing the country-by-country pacts by four Arab states last year, easing enmity and isolation for the Jewish state in the Middle East that had dated back to Israel's 1948 founding. The Biden administration saw significant prospects of several other Arab governments signing accords soothing and normalizing relations with Israel. U.S. officials have declined to publicly identify the countries they regard as promising prospects.

Sudan, which signed a general declaration of peaceful intent but has not yet signed on to diplomatic relations with Israel, had been a prospect. Oman, which has a policy of non-interference that allows it to be a broker across the Middle Easts fault lines, long has been seen by Westerners as a likely contender.

But the 11-day war between Israel and Gaza's Hamas militant rulers last month has complicated U.S.-backed diplomacy for new Abraham accords.

The fighting has strengthened the conviction of opponents of normalization with Israel, activist Doura Gambo said in Sudan. Sudanese were already divided over their governments agreement last year to become one of the four Arab states signing accords. In Sudans case, the Trump administration offered financial relief from U.S. sanctions.

Last month's bloodshed, which killed 254 Palestinians  including 66 children and at least 22 members of one family  resonated deeply with the Arab public, including in the other countries that had signed accords with Israel: the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco. Thirteen people died in Israel, including two children and one soldier.

The Biden administration is considering appointing a former U.S. ambassador to Israel, Dan Shapiro, to a Mideast role that would marshal and potentially expand the country-by-country accords between Israel and Mideast governments.

Two people familiar with the matter confirmed Shapiro was being considered for the job, as first reported by The Washington Post. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly.

U.S. officials also are working to encourage more business, education and other ties among the four Arab states and Israel. They hope visible success there will also promote the bilateral accords in the region, at the same time the U.S. works to advance resolution of the Israel-Palestinian conflict.

Last year, the United Arab Emirates became the first Arab country in over two decades to establish ties with Israel, after Egypt and Jordan in 1979 and 1994, respectively. It was a move that bypassed the Palestinians, who saw it as betrayal.

The Abraham Accords include a general declaration of support for peaceful relations in the Middle East among Jews, Muslims and Christians, all followers of religions linked to the patriarch Abraham. The Trump administration saw the accords partly as paving a path toward full ties with Israel, including in security and intelligence cooperation to counter common rivals, such as Iran.

The deals former President Donald Trump struck were an important achievement, one that not only we support, but one wed like to build on, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told the House Foreign Affairs Committee this week.

In addition, were looking at countries that may want to join in and, and take part and begin to normalize their own relations with Israel. That, too, has been very much part of conversations Ive had with, with several of my counterparts, Blinken added.

Opponents of these deals, however, argue that they undermine Arab consensus around only recognizing Israel when it resumes serious peace talks with the Palestinians that lead to tangible concessions.

These agreements were never about the peace process, said Marwan Muasher, a former foreign minister of Jordan, who charges that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saw the accords as an alternative to peace-making with the Palestinians.

Were they helpful to the peace process? No, they were not, Muasher said. They gave Israel the false impression that it can forge peace agreements with Arab states as a substitute for coming to terms with the Palestinians.

Supporters of the country-by-country accords say isolating Israel failed to overcome decades of stalemate on Palestinians demand for their own state with its capital in East Jerusalem.

As many ways as the Biden administration will depart from Trump policy in the region, there will be places where it sees an interest in continuity, said Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut, who spoke to officials in Oman on a trip immediately before last months Gaza war erupted.

Before any new efforts on the accords move forward, big political and pragmatic developments need to fall into place in the region. Eyes are on Israel at the moment to see how a possible new coalition government led by a new prime minister may affect Israeli-Palestinian relations, especially in the aftermath of the Gaza war.

The Knesset is set to vote on Sunday on whether to confirm the new government and end Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus 12-year rule. If it does, Yamina party leader Naftali Bennett will become prime minister. Bennett opposes Palestinian statehood.

The accords signed by the four Arab nations so far seem solidly in place despite the strain of last month's war. So too do the big incentives that the Trump administration threw in to help close the deals, such as U.S. recognition of the disputed territory of Western Sahara for Morocco.

In the UAE, a Gulf financial hub that has been the most enthusiastic about establishing ties with Israel, Emirati political analyst Abdulkhaleq Abdulla said the government is gauging public sentiment, but can also control the street and sometimes defy whatever public opposition there is.

The UAE have taken this decision. They knew exactly where they are and knew the risk, and they are not going back on it, he said.

-

Knickmeyer reported from Oklahoma City, Kellman from Jerusalem and Batrawy from Dubai. AP diplomatic writer Matthew Lee contributed from Washington. AP writer Josef Federman contributed from Jerusalem, and AP writer Samy Magdy contributed from Cairo.
Milton, PA (17847)

Today

Cloudy skies this evening followed by scattered showers and thunderstorms overnight. Low 63F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Cloudy skies this evening followed by scattered showers and thunderstorms overnight. Low 63F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
Ogden jazz icon Joe McQueen may be gone, but his memory and legacy live on. One physical reminder of his life, McQueen's lifelong home at 3158 Grant Ave., has now become available for sale. The house received extensive remodeling, but as investor Richard Casperson has said, "Joe's energy is 
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-09 20:00:33|Editor: huaxia

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A worker arranges medical equipment inside the COVID-19 Field Hospital at Rizal Park in Manila, the Philippines on June 8, 2021. (Xinhua/Rouelle Umali)

-- India's total tally tops 29 mln;

-- Indonesia reports 7,725 new cases, highest daily spike since late February;

-- Philippines logs 5,462 new cases, total at 1,286,217;

-- Thailand adds 2,680 more cases, 185,228 in total.

HONG KONG, June 9 (Xinhua) -- The following are the latest developments of the COVID-19 pandemic in Asia-Pacific countries:

NEW DELHI -- India's total tally surpassed the 29 million mark, reaching 29,089,069 on Wednesday, confirmed the country's health ministry.

As many as 92,596 new cases were registered during the past 24 hours. This is the second consecutive day when less than 100,000 cases were registered in a day, after over two months.

Besides, 2,219 deaths were registered since Tuesday morning, taking the total tally to 353,528.

There are still 1,231,415 active cases in the country, with a decrease of 72,287 in the past 24 hours.

A total of 27,504,126 people has been cured and discharged from hospitals so far across the country, showed the latest data from the federal health ministry.

A weaver works at a silk factory after the government eased COVID-19 restrictions in Agartala, India, June 8, 2021. (Str/Xinhua)

JAKARTA -- Indonesia recorded 7,725 confirmed cases within one day, the highest daily number of infections since Feb. 26, the health ministry said.

The total number of cases in the Southeast Asian country is now 1,877,050.

The death toll added by 170 to 52,162, the ministry reported.

As many as 5,883 people were discharged from hospitals, bringing the total number of recovered patients to 1,723,253.

A cyclist rides bicycle on the Sudirman street to celebrate World Bicycle Day in Jakarta, Indonesia, June 3, 2021. (Photo by Veri Sanovri/Xinhua)

MANILA -- The Philippines' Department of Health (DOH) reported 5,462 new infections, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the Southeast Asian country to 1,286,217.

The death toll climbed to 22,190 after 126 more patients died from the viral disease, the DOH said.

The Philippines, with a population of more than 110 million, has tested nearly 13 million people since the outbreak of the virus in January 2020.

Students wearing personal protective equipment are seen in a classroom during a limited face-to-face class at National University in Manila, the Philippines on June 8, 2021. (Xinhua/Rouelle Umali)

BANGKOK -- Thailand recorded 2,680 new cases and 35 more deaths, as the country accelerated its nationwide vaccination campaign to combat the recent outbreak of the pandemic.

Of the new infections, 11 were imported cases and 2,669 were local transmissions, the Center for the COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) said.

The Southeast Asian nation's tally now stands at 185,228, with the death toll at 1,332, health ministry data showed.

The CCSA on Tuesday approved and permitted local and private organizations to procure COVID-19 vaccines, with the purpose to speed up the vaccination program.

People get vaccinated at a vaccination site in Bangkok, Thailand, June 7, 2021. (Xinhua/Rachen Sageamsak)

KUALA LUMPUR -- Malaysia reported another 6,239 new infections, bringing the national total to 633,891, the health ministry said.

Health Ministry Director-General Noor Hisham Abdullah said in a press statement that 11 of the new cases are imported and 6,228 are local transmissions.

Another 75 more deaths were reported, bringing the death toll to 3,611.

Vehicles pass by an electronic screen with ads against COVID-19 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, June 1, 2021. (Xinhua/Zhu Wei)

KABUL -- Afghanistan's Public Health Ministry reported 1,843 new cases, taking the number of patients infected with the disease to 85,893 in the country.

The pandemic has so far claimed 3,356 lives in Afghanistan, including 51 deaths in the past 24 hours, the ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.

A total of 257 patients recovered over the period, according to the statement.

The ministry has warned of the rapid spread of the disease, calling upon citizens to respect the anti-pandemic measures and guidelines and wear masks in public transportation and crowded areas.

Photo taken on June 3, 2021 shows a newly-opened COVID-19 hospital in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan. (Photo by Sayed Mominzadah/Xinhua)

PHNOM PENH -- Cambodia confirmed 729 new cases, raising the national case tally to 36,240 so far, the Ministry of Health (MoH) said in a statement.

The new infections included 671 local cases and 58 imported cases, the MoH said.

Eleven more fatalities have been recorded, taking the overall death toll to 289, the statement said, adding that 398 more patients have recovered, bringing the total number of recoveries to 29,047.

Recovered COVID-19 patients walk out of a COVID-19 treatment center in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on May 9, 2021. (Photo by phearum/Xinhua) 
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-09 20:03:48|Editor: huaxia

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JAKARTA, June 9 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia is planning to inoculate 1 million people per day by July, President Joko Widodo said on Wednesday.

Widodo made the remarks after observing a mass COVID-19 vaccination held at a university's hospital in West Java province.

Widodo urged authorities to accelerate the mass vaccinations across the country in order to hit the government's current target of 700,000 injections per day.

"We hope that in June the target for vaccinations per day of 700,000 can really be achieved so that in July we will have entered the target of vaccinations per day of 1 million," he said at the event which the country's Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin and West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil also attended.

The government aims to vaccinate 181.5 million people by next year and so far more than 11 million people in the country have received two shots of vaccine. Indonesia currently has approximately 76.2 million doses of ready-to-use vaccines.

The world's fourth most populous country has so far recorded 1.87 million coronavirus infections and 52,162 deaths.

Recently, the administration of the national capital Jakarta, home to over 10 million people, has started to open up vaccinations to anyone aged over 18 years old after receiving a permit from the Health Ministry, a move to speed up vaccinations. Enditem
Wednesday, 09 June 2021 11:45:25 (GMT+3) | Istanbul

The EU antitrust authority will decide by July 9 whether to approve the acquisition of the majority shares of Liberty Steel Groups two French steel plants at Ascoval and Hayange by Luxembourg-headquartered steel giant ArcelorMittal, according to Reuters.

On June 4, ArcelorMittal applied for approval from the EU for the acquisition. The EU may approve the acquisition or launch a four-month long investigation in the event of serious concerns, as SteelOrbis understands.

The Hayange plant has an annual capacity of 300,000 mt of rails, while Ascoval has an annual production capacity of 600,000 mt of steel blooms, billets and other forged products from recycled scrap.
Wednesday, 09 June 2021 12:17:15 (GMT+3) | Istanbul

The Wallonia regional government in Belgium will provide a loan to Liberty Steel to enable the company to continue its activities in Liege-Dudelange for a while until a buyer for the plant is found, according to a statement by the vice president of the government of Wallonia, Willy Borsus.

The Walloon region will grant the loan, which is subject to strict conditions which aim in particular to guarantee the full repayment and the organization of a sales procedure, through investment company Sogepa. By respecting the conditions set by the region, the bankruptcy of the company may be avoided, as SteelOrbis understands.

The plant is in a bad financial condition following the bankruptcy of Greensill Capital, Libertys main financial backer, and, according to local unions, there is only one way out of this situation and that is the sale of the plant, as SteelOrbis previously reported.

Meanwhile, the Walloon government is also in talks with Luxembourg regarding the Dudelange plant.
Wednesday, 09 June 2021 16:54:03 (GMT+3) | Istanbul

Taiwans total imports of ferrous scrap decreased by 12.9 percent year on year to 1,385,034 mt in the January-May period of this year, according to the official customs statistics.

In the first five months of the year, the US was the main supplier of scrap to Taiwan, exporting 552,269 mt to this destination in the given period, falling by 19.0 percent year on year.

Meanwhile, scrap exports from Japan to Taiwan totaled 343,875 mt in the given period, down 35.0 percent year on year.

In May alone, Taiwans scrap imports totaled 309,990 mt, decreasing by 10.4 percent year on year and up 6.2 percent from April.
Wednesday, 09 June 2021 12:32:16 (GMT+3) | Istanbul

According to the data provided by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TUIK), in April this year Turkey's hot rolled coil (HRC) imports increased by 159.1 percent year on year to 416,319 metric tons, down 5.1 percent compared to March. The revenue from these imports amounted to $306.62 million, up 3.8 month on month and increasing by 290.6 percent compared to the same month of the previous year.

Meanwhile, in the first four months of this year, Turkey's HRC imports amounted to 1.53 million metric tons, up 48.6 percent year on year, while the revenue generated by these imports totaled $980.40 million, increasing by 109.9 percent compared to the same period of 2020.

In the given period, Russia ranked first among Turkey's HRC import sources, with its HRC exports to Turkey amounting to 740,676 mt, up 126.95 percent year on year, followed by Ukraine which shipped 447,468 mt of HRC to Turkey in the given period.

Turkey's top HRC import sources in January-April are as follows:

Country Amount (mt) January-April 2021 January-April 2020 Change (%) April 2021 April 2020 Change (%) Russia 740,676 326,368 126.95 209,694 41,259 408.24 Ukraine 447,468 172,466 159.45 92,325 23,492 293.01 Japan 121,531 59,967 102.66 18,801 - - France 100,312 125,415 -20.02 27,323 33,599 -18.68 Belgium 19,655 32,276 -39.10 3,295 5,611 -41.28 India 19,638 - - 19,638 - - China 15,069 612 2362.25 15,069 - - Romania 10,888 34,339 -68.29 6,168 5,685 8.50 UK 10,781 - - 10,782 - - Netherlands 8,223 80,397 -89.77 2,599 2,144 21.22

Turkey's main HRC import sources in January-April are as follows:
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The National Anti-corruption Directorate (DNA) says that it has made and is making special efforts to continue the fight against high-level corruption, but points out that the European Commission's latest report on Romania's progress under the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism, which was released on Tuesday, also highlights certain issues that could affect the clampdown on corruption, specifically the justice package, the special Section for the Investigation of Judicial Crimes (SIIJ) and the failure to enforce the institution's technical capabilities.

"Following the release, on June 8, 2021, of the European Commission's Report on Romania's progress under the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism (CVM), DNA makes the following clarifications. DNA's management, together with the institution's personnel have made and are making special efforts to continue the fight against high-level corruption, as the European Commission also remarks in the report: more cases sent to court, more convictions, fewer acquittals and more complaints registered - a sign of regaining citizens' trust," DNA said in a release today.

According to DNA, despite these positive aspects which are related exclusively to DNA's anti-corruption efforts, the CVM report also highlights certain issues that may affect the fight against corruption, specifically:

* the failure to fix the amendments brought to the justice package over 2017 - 2019 (including the creation of the SIIJ), which resulted in an acute staff crisis at DNA;

* the failure to render the legislation in force compliant with the decisions of the Constitutional Court;

* the failure to strengthen DNA's technical capabilities.

"DNA assures the citizens of Romania that it will continue its activity in a sustained and efficient manner so that benchmark No. 3 in the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism - Fight against high-level corruption - is achieved," the cited source states.
The Romania-Israel Business Forum is the perfect opportunity to explore and capitalize on the trade opportunities offered by the two states, Economy Minister Claudiu Nasui said today during the event in Bucharest, mentioning that this is the perfect place to strengthen economic cooperation between the two states and to develop new projects.

Romania's Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCIR) and the Embassy of the State of Israel in Romania organized on June 9, the Romania -Israel Business Forum on the occasion of the official visit to Romania of Israeli President Reuven Rivlin.

"It is a great honor for me to address this business forum today in the presence of Israeli and Romanian high-ranking officials. The Romania-Israel Business Forum is the perfect occasion to explore and capitalize on the business opportunities the two states have to offer. I would like to warmly welcome Romanian and Israeli companies to this forum. I am convinced that it is the perfect place to strengthen economic cooperation between the two states and to develop new projects. We are very grateful to His Excellency, the President of the State of Israel, Mr. Reuven Rivlin, for his important support for the organization of this event," said Minister of Economy, Entrepreneurship and Tourism Claudiu Nasui.

The official delegation of the State of Israel included important government officials and representatives of Israeli companies from the sectors of defense, smart cities, cyber security and national security; health and health digitisation (software and equipment manufacturers); agriculture and water management (irrigation systems, greenhouses and animal husbandry technologies).

Israeli President Reuven Rivlin said that while discussions between governments provide the basis for official relations, B2B and, ultimately, people-to-people ties are the true basis for a vibrant partnership between nations. The Israel - Romania economic cooperation has tremendous potential to bring great mutual benefits to both countries. There are currently 137 joint projects, involving 251 Israeli and Romanian companies, he went on to say, adding that Israel greatly appreciates Romania's continued support to ensure that Israel is a full partner in all relevant EU programs.

In his turn, Romanian Prime Minister Florin Citu said that he encourages the Romanian and Israeli business communities to identify, in cooperation with their governments, a joint emblematic project that should capitalize on the two countries' rich experience in research, education and business.

"Predictability is the best strategy for a sustainable business environment. For my government, improving and ensuring predictability is one of the main coordinates of efficient governance. It's simple: we don't raise taxes, we don't change the rules mid-game," Florin Citu said.

According to the president of Romania's Chamber of Commerce and Industry Mihai Daraban, CCIR is the strongest and most representative organization of the Romanian business community, representing more than 15,000 companies through a strong national and regional infrastructure.

"Also, our organization is a full member of the most prestigious international entities, such as: Eurochambres, the Association of Balkan Chambers (ABC), the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization's Business Council (BSEC BC), and is also a member of the World Chambers Network. CCIR has acted and will continue to act for the benefit of our business community and looks forward to developing sustainable projects designed to encourage a friendly business climate for investors interested in the Romanian market," said Mihai Daraban.

The thematic sessions and business-to-business meetings organized at the CCIR Business Center aroused the interest of companies both for strengthening the promotion of goods and services in the State of Israel, and for identifying new business opportunities.

According to data provided by the National Trade Register Office, the total volume of Romania-Israel trade amounted to 570.15 million euros at the end of 2020. As of March 2021, there were 8,298 companies established by Israeli investors in Romania, with a total subscribed share capital of 64.04 million euros.
At a meeting on Tuesday with visiting Israeli President Reuven Rivlin, Romania's Prime Minister Florin Citu highlighted the special nature of the bilateral relationship between the two countries, as well as excellent co-operation in sectoral areas of shared interest such as defence, economy and tourism.

"Today, I had a meeting with the President of the State of Israel, Reuven Rivlin. During our talks, we highlighted the special nature of the Romanian-Israeli bilateral relationship, as well as excellent co-operation in sectoral areas of shared interest, such as defence, economy and tourism. Likewise, I underlined that the government I lead is one focused on reforms, and the Romania-Israel Business Forum, which takes place on June 9, is a good opportunity for new investment," Citu wrote on Tuesday evening on Facebook.

According to the prime minister, Rivlin commended Romania for its role in the fight against anti-Semitism, conveying thanks for all the efforts of the Romanian officials in that regard."The Israeli president also welcomed the decisive role that contacts between the Romanian and Israeli people and the community of Romania-born Israeli citizens have played in the development of a close partnership between Romania and Israel," Citu added.He also mentioned that he agreed with the President of Israel that "a joint Romania-Israel government meeting needs to take place by the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, for even closer co-operation between the two counties."
The pension cannot be cumulated with the wage, and the employees in the public sector who are also retired have the obligation to opt, within 30 days of the entry into force of the law, either to continue their activity until the age of 70, with the suspension of the pension, or to have their service contract suspended and they retire, Minister of Labor Raluca Turcan announced on Wednesday, after the Government meeting.

"The government adopted today in the government meeting the draft law that regulates the conditions under which employees can extend, upon request, their active life until the age of 70. I emphasize, it is the choice of the employees approaching retirement and not an obligation for them to continue their activity. This bill is assumed by the governing coalition and it is a first step in the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, in order to create a legal framework that will grant people who meet the retirement requirements to remain active even after the age of 65, thus stimulating the capitalization of the experience of elderly workers. In Romania today there are over 100,000 people over 65 who have an employment contract or employment relationship according to statements submitted by employers," stated Raluca Turcan.

Raluca Turcan pointed out that the bill determines the institutions to react to their human resources policy and comes to the aid of all employees who are of retirement age and can prolong their active life upon request. They do not need the consent of the employer and can retire at any time until the age of 70.

The bill adopted on Wednesday in the Government meeting will go to Parliament for debate in a fast-track procedure.
Romanian film director Alexander Nanau, addressing today the 2021 LUX Audience Award ceremony in Strasbourg after winning the prize for his documentary Collective that depicts the aftermath of the October 2015 Colectiv nightclub fire that ultimately killed 64 people, said that "the award is, most of all, for the victims and the families for whom justice has still not been served in Romania five years later. There was no compensation, nobody has yet been found guilty. It's not happening in Belarus, it's happening in Romania."

"This is also an award for the resilience and the courage of normal citizens that came out, told the truth and changed Romania's society in 2016. Because they had the courage to go to the press and tell the truth, and because we had independent journalists who stood up for their values and informed the public, we learned about the real state of the Romanian healthcare system that pretends to be functioning when instead it was not able to treat these burnt patients, but lied it can do so. We need citizens that are courageous and we need journalists who are let to do their work. Even in democracies like Romania we again have the feeling that rightfully elected leaders and authorities do not like to hear the truth about what they are doing."

Nanau also remarked that Romania was basically rescued by the European Union's mechanisms of protecting the rule of law, but noted that societies do not evolve in absence of culture, education and a free press.

"It's not an accident that, in many countries, culture and education [are] not only underfunded but systematically prevented from flavouring. Only culture can bring us together," the film director said.

Sisse Graum Jorgensen, the Danish film producer behind Another Round - a Lux Audience Award finalist alongside Corpus Christi and Collective - said that making a film in Europe is very difficult today but that fortunately most countries have strong support systems and international co-productions to rely on.

This is the only reason why we can make films like those we produced - Another Round, Corpus Christi and, of course, Collective. Because without these systems, the stories would be subject to commercialism, they would depend on having a large audience instead of having the right audience. It is important to have the right audience and it is important to find the audience for the movie and not the movie for the audience. Because today's winner movie must be seen by a lot of people, said Sisse Graum Jorgensen.

Collective follows the efforts of investigative journalists to expose the painful truths about the country's corruption, maladministration and public fraud.

The LUX Audience Award is a joint initiative by the European Parliament and the European Film Academy (EFA) in partnership with the European Commission and Europa Cinemas. For the first time, this year the winner was chosen by combining the votes from the public and MEPs.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-09 20:10:18|Editor: huaxia

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People purchase fish at a market in Secundrabad of Telangana, India, on June 8, 2021. India's COVID-19 tally surpassed the 29 million-mark, reaching 29,089,069, on Wednesday, confirmed the country's health ministry. As many as 92,596 new pandemic cases were registered during the past 24 hours. This is the second consecutive day when less than 100,000 cases were registered in the country, after over two months. (Str/Xinhua)

HONG KONG, June 9 (Xinhua) -- Asia-Pacific countries were still witnessing rocketing COVID-19 infections on Wednesday as India's tally surpassed 29 million, while Indonesia reported the highest daily spike since late February.

India's total tally reached 29,089,069 on Wednesday with 92,596 new cases, confirmed the country's health ministry.

This is the second consecutive day when less than 100,000 cases were registered in a day, after over two months.

Besides, 2,219 deaths were registered since Tuesday morning, taking the total tally to 353,528.

There are still 1,231,415 active cases in the country, with a decrease of 72,287 in the past 24 hours.

A total of 27,504,126 people has been cured and discharged from hospitals, showed the latest data from the federal health ministry.

Indonesia recorded 7,725 confirmed cases within one day, the highest daily number of infections since Feb. 26, the health ministry said.

The total number of cases in the Southeast Asian country is now 1,877,050.

The death toll added by 170 to 52,162, the ministry reported.

As many as 5,883 people were discharged from hospitals, bringing the total number of recovered patients to 1,723,253.

Malaysia reported another 6,239 new infections, bringing the national total to 633,891, the health ministry said.

Health Ministry Director-General Noor Hisham Abdullah said in a press statement that 11 of the new cases are imported and 6,228 are local transmissions.

Another 75 more deaths were reported, bringing the death toll to 3,611.

The Philippine Department of Health (DOH) reported 5,462 new infections, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 1,286,217.

The death toll climbed to 22,190 after 126 more patients died from the viral disease, the DOH said.

The Philippines, with a population of more than 110 million, has tested nearly 13 million people since the outbreak of the virus in January 2020.

Thailand recorded 2,680 new cases and 35 more deaths, as the kingdom accelerated its nationwide vaccination campaign to combat the recent outbreak of the pandemic.

Of the new infections, 11 were imported cases and 2,669 were local transmissions, the Center for the COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) said.

The Southeast Asian nation's tally now stands at 185,228, with the death toll at 1,332, the health ministry data showed.

The CCSA on Tuesday approved and permitted local and private organizations to procure COVID-19 vaccines, with the purpose to speed up the vaccination program.

Afghanistan's Public Health Ministry reported 1,843 new cases, taking the number of patients infected with the disease to 85,893 in the country.

The pandemic has so far claimed 3,356 lives in Afghanistan, including 51 deaths in the past 24 hours, the ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.

A total of 257 patients recovered over the period, according to the statement.

The ministry has warned of the rapid spread of the disease, calling upon people to respect the anti-pandemic measures and guidelines, and wear masks in public transportation and crowded areas.

Cambodia confirmed 729 new cases, raising the national case tally to 36,240 so far, the Ministry of Health (MoH) said in a statement.

The new infections included 671 local cases and 58 imported cases, the MoH said.

Eleven more fatalities have been recorded, taking the overall death toll to 289, the statement said, adding that 398 more patients have recovered, bringing the total number of recoveries to 29,047. Enditem
The roadside and the riverbed are not "landfills," President Klaus Iohannis, who participates in a campaign "Let's Do It, Romania!," said on Wednesday, on the banks of the Arges river, near Darasti locality in Ilfov County.

"We came here today to collect the garbage, to collect the garbage thrown by our fellow citizens who have not yet understood, unfortunately, that nature is not a landfill. On the way here, you have probably noticed garbage everywhere, rubble at the side of the road and I think it's time to say it very clearly and firmly - we must all accept that the side of the road is not a landfill, the riverbed is not a landfill. It is up to us to take care of the environment," said Iohannis.

He underscored that "there is no healthy life without a healthy environment." "Therefore, it is not enough to get angry if we see a pile of garbage left by someone who didn't know better. We have to do something. This "to do something" can take the form of today's action," the head of state added.
Israel is Romania's closest ally and strategic partner in the Middle East, and the Romanian-Israeli relationship is based on trust and sustainability, Chair of the Romanian Senate Anca Dragu told a joint sitting of the Romanian Parliament on Wednesday where visiting President of Israel Reuven Rivlin gave a speech.

Dragu said that "the visit to Romania of the highest representative of the State of Israel a few days before the celebration of 73 years of uninterrupted diplomatic ties is an important moment for the bilateral relationship between our countries."

"We, the elected representatives of the Romanian people, senators and MPs, wanted to mark, honour and greet this important moment by inviting President Rivlin to the joint plenary sitting of Parliament," said Dragu.She added that the two countries have common visions on many issues on the international agenda, especially in the fight against terrorism and the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic."Israel is Romania's closest ally and strategic partner in the Middle East, and the Romanian-Israeli relationship is based on trust and sustainability. We also confidently look to the future of our relationship, based on the fact that we share common values, especially in terms of democracy. Our countries have common visions on many issues on the international agenda, especially in the fight against terrorism, and the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, in which Israel has managed to carry out an impressive vaccination process, worldwide admired and recognised," added Dragu.According to her, the relationship between Romania and Israel will continue to develop both politically and economically, in areas such as science, technology, health, agriculture, defence and security."I would like to assure you, dear President Rivlin, of all the support of the Romanian Parliament for all those legislative projects and initiatives that will contribute positively to our bilateral relationship. Welcome to the Romanian Parliament!" added the chairperson of the Romanian Senate.
Senate Chair Anca Dragu, and Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies Ludovic Orban had a meeting on Wednesday with the President of the State of Israel, Reuven Rivlin, during which they approached topics that regard the bilateral cooperation on the political, economic-sectorial levels, mainly in the domain of research and technology, as well as on aspects relating to security and defence.

The chair of the Senate emphasized the powerful bonds of friendship between Romania and Israel, the closest ally and strategic partner Romania has in the Middle East, the 73 years of uninterrupted bilateral relations representing proof of a solid friendship between the two states and peoples, shows a press release sent to AGERPRES on Wednesday.

Dragu showed the importance, for Romania, to increase and diversify relations with Israel, in domains such as research and technology, agriculture, healthcare, digitization, and defence.

In this context, the Senate Chair voiced the interest for the continuation and diversification of the interparliamentary dialogue, both at leadership level and at the level of the expert committees, through which the premises of an extensive political and economic-sectoral collaboration can be created.

Anca Dragu emphasized the importance of increasing awareness on phenomena spawned by anti-Semitism, xenophobia and racism in order to fight these phenomena with a common voice. "Romania is a powerful supporter of the finalization, as soon as possible, of the first strategy against anti-Semitism at the level of the European Union," she said.

On the part of the Senate, the meeting was also attended by deputy chair Alina Gorghiu, the chair of the Committee for Foreign Policy, Titus Corlatean, the leader of the Save Romania Union - Party of Liberty, Unity, and Solidarity (USR PLUS) senators' group, Radu Mihail, and the leader of the Hungarian Democratic Union of Romania (UDMR), Lorand Turos.
USR PLUS (Save Romania Union - Freedom, Unity, Solidarity Party) condemns the aggression that took place on Wednesday morning against the mayor of district 1 of the Capital City, Clotilde Armand, opining that she disturbed the interest groups "subscribed to public money."

"USR PLUS condemns the unacceptable violence against Clotilde Armand this morning, violence fueled by the media lynching to which the mayor of Sector 1 was subjected since taking office. Clotilde Armand disturbed the interest groups subscribed to public money and, therefore, in recent weeks, she has been harassed more and more aggressively: stalking in front of her house, garbage bags thrown on City Hall steps, fake news on home television, threats of dismissal referendums, and now physical assault. This morning, at a traffic light, a man punched her car and even tried to open the car door," USR representatives wrote on Facebook on Wednesday.

According to the same source, Clotilde Armand "continues the fight, having honest people on her side.""It's a long road, but we will not be intimidated in any way! We have assumed this fight and we will continue it, without any exception! Clotilde, we are with you!," added the same source.
Co-chair of USR PLUS (Save Romania Union, Freedom, Unity, Solidarity Party) Dan Barna announces that the congress for the appointment of the new leaders of this alliance will take place on the first Saturday of October, and he reiterated that he will run for the presidency.

"On October 2 or 3, on the first Saturday of October (...) a week after the Liberals', yes," he told TVR 1 (national television broadcaster).

The USR PLUS leader confirmed that he had a discussion with the other co-chair of the alliance, during which Dacian Ciolos proposed him that none of them run for the presidency of the party."We had a conversation, indeed, and we analyzed the scenarios, this was one of them. (...) I told him that for me USR PLUS is a project in which I invested the past five years of my life, with all the resources and all the energy. It is a project that I think can go on and I think that our party colleagues, from both USR and PLUS, should have all the options on the table," he said.
The bill is unlikely to pass the Republican-led U.S. Senate, but even if it did, several years of regulatory and court wrangling would ensue, a time during which gig workers rights would remain unchanged, said Wilma Liebman, former chair of the National Labor Relations Board.

Skeptics on both sides

Some union figures have therefore taken a more pragmatic approach. Andy Stern, former president of the SEIU and at the time one of the most politically influential labor leaders, for the past six years has been trying to strike deals between the gig companies and unions, including failed attempts in California to ward off the ballot measure.

The California referendum, a costly victory for the gig companies, was also a cautionary tale for unions, as well as for drivers, who are now left without any avenues to organize or object to the terms stipulated by the companies.

Stern said internal union surveys in New York had repeatedly shown that a majority of drivers did not want to be employees and said debates focused solely on reclassification were based on unrealistic and purist sentiments.

Stern instead advocates for drivers rights to organize in unions and negotiate their own contracts.
I made the decision to pay, and I made the decision to keep the information about the payment as confidential as possible, Blount said. It was the hardest decision Ive made in my 39 years in the energy industry."

The company, he said, was deeply sorry for the effect of the shutdown but had to act fast as it worked feverishly to determine whether the criminal gang had compromised the operational systems or physical security of the 5,500-mile pipeline  and to try to avoid a more sustained shutdown.

Asked how much worse it would have been if the company hadnt paid to get its data back, Blount said, Thats an unknown we probably dont want to know. And it may be an unknown we probably dont want to play out in a public forum.

His appearance before the Senate comes as lawmakers consider possible measures to address the ransomware attacks that have been launched against thousands of businesses as well as state and local government agencies.

Weve got to recognize these ransomware attacks for what they are. Its a serious national security threat, said Sen. Rob Portman, a Republican from Ohio. Attacks against critical infrastructure are not just attacks on companies. They are attacks on our country itself.
Dear Abby  My college senior daughter, Lisa, insists on inviting her significant other to every holiday and to our home when shes on break. This is Lisas first girl/girl romance, and she thinks shes in love.

This girlfriend has zero personality. How can I nicely explain to my daughter that although she feels one way, we feel another? She honestly thinks shes going to marry this girl and is VERY pushy when it comes to inviting her. Also, this girlfriend is only going into her junior year. She has two more years of school left. Once Lisa graduates this year, she will be five hours from the girlfriend.

Im praying this relationship will end after she graduates. Its horrible. If the girl isnt with her, Lisa calls her 10 times a day. Help!  Mom Knows Better in New Jersey

Dear Mom  Be patient. Because of the circumstances you mentioned in your letter, there is a good chance your daughters fixation on her first love will lessen. I assume that when she returns from college she will be socializing with other people. Cross your fingers and gently encourage it, because it may give her a different perspective. Absence does not always make the heart grow fonder.
As COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations continue to spike in southwestern Missouri, residents there are being urged to get vaccinated before gathering for Fourth of July activities.

Springfield-Greene County Acting Health Director Katie Towns said 142 new cases of the coronavirus were reported Tuesday, and the seven-day average has reached 62, the highest level since Feb. 10. Meanwhile, 76 COVID-19 patients were hospitalized in Greene County.

Towns, speaking at a news conference, said Memorial Day gatherings were a source of some of the recent spread, in part because new faster-spreading variants are in the region. She said there was concern about the pending Independence Day get-togethers.

Gatherings are continuing to be a place where COVID is spread, just as it has throughout this pandemic, Towns said.

Coronavirus-related cases and hospitalizations across the U.S. have dropped off sharply since the winter, due in large part to vaccinations. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 42.1% of Americans are fully vaccinated. Missouri lags behind with 35.6% of all residents fully vaccinated, and rates of full vaccination in the southwestern part of the state are far lower than that.
JEFFERSON CITY  St. Louis University has joined the growing list of higher education institutions requiring COVID-19 vaccinations for students, faculty and staff returning to campus this fall.

In a Tuesday letter, SLU President Fred Pestello told the university community the shots will be required for students, faculty and staff physically present on the St. Louis campus, as well as students studying abroad. The university is allowing exemptions to the rule on religious or medical grounds.

As other universities grapple with whether to require the COVID-19 vaccinations, SLUs policy amounts to a new push for near-universal immunizations on campus in an effort to return to pre-pandemic norms.

Pestello, in his letter, pointed to guidance the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released Friday, which states that institutes of higher education where all faculty, staff and students are fully vaccinated can return to a normal, full-capacity operation.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-09 21:15:20|Editor: huaxia

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ADDIS ABABA, June 9 (Xinhua) -- The possible election of an African candidate for the upcoming Director General position of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) can boost industrialization in the continent, an Ethiopian expert has said.

Speaking to Xinhua, Costantinos Bt. Costantinos, Professor of public policy at the Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia, said Arkebe Equbay who is Africa's candidate for the DG position of UNIDO can help boost industrialization in the continent if he wins the top position at the UN agency.

Equbay, who is from Ethiopia, is competing with two other candidates, Gerd Muller from Germany and Bernardo Calzadilla Sarmiento from Bolivia to replace outgoing UNIDO chief Li Yong of China.

The members of the Industrial Development Board of UNIDO will convene at its forty-ninth session, taking place from July12 to 15, 2021, to elect and recommend a candidate for appointment as Director General for a term of four years to the General Conference, which will hold its nineteenth session from November 29 to December 3, 2021.

The candidate to be appointed at the General Conference will succeed the current Director General of UNIDO.

"Much of the western countries and eastern countries like China have developed their industrial potential, so the focus will be now developing the industrial potential in Africa," said Costantinos.

"Arkebe Equbay will have a lot of roles in terms of contributing to the development of industrial parks and industry in general in Africa if he's elected," Costantinos further said.

Costantinos also said Equbay's successful role in the development of Ethiopia's Chinese-built industrial parks is a good reference to the previous activities of the potential future UNIDO chief.

"Arkebe Equbay has a seminal career in terms of developing industrial parks in Ethiopia and managing cities. He transformed Addis Ababa to what it is today," said Costantinos, who is also an economic advisor to the African Union (AU) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA).

"If Arkebe Equbay makes it to be DG of UNIDO, he has the energy and has developed himself intellectually," he further said.

Noting that UNIDO's role is to primarily provide intellectual capacity for countries to develop their industries, Costantinos said Equbay's possible role to be head of the UN agency can be a boost in this regard too. Enditem
Mangia said his clinic network is seeing overall distribution of the vaccines remain steady as sites expand hours and offer Friday night vaccine events for those concerned about missing work because of possible side effects. But given the lack of interest in Johnson & Johnsons vaccine, he said, he doesnt think moving the expiration date will improve matters.

Officials in West Virginia have more than 20,000 doses of Johnson & Johnsons vaccine on hand but little backlog of other COVID vaccines, said state COVID czar Dr. Clay Marsh, who is also vice president of West Virginia University Health Sciences. Officials offered the excess to other states, but there were no takers. Marsh said they approached the federal government about sending the unused doses to countries that need it, but have learned the logistics are challenging.

If were not able to use something that can save lives, were trying to see if theres someone who can, he said.

As of Tuesday, 52% of Americans had received at least one dose of COVID vaccine, according to the CDC.
At sentencing, Furlongs cousin said she spent her entire life taking care of people, including both her parents. She worked at the nursing home that cared for her mother, the cousin said. Furlongs sister-in-law submitted a letter to the court noting Furlongs lifelong volunteer service with the Girl Scouts and American Red Cross.

Colic will serve at least 85% of his 22-year sentence and will be credited for time served dating to October 2017. Following his release, he will be deported to Bosnia, as Colic came to the United States as a child and never applied for U.S. citizenship.

Our prayers are with the Furlong family, and we pray this outcome provides some closure for them, St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell said. Hopefully it provides some solace that this murderer will be deported when he is finished serving his sentence so that he can do no more harm in St. Louis County.

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ST. CLAIR COUNTY  A man from Nebraska involved in a robbery spree in Illinois and Missouri was sentenced Wednesday to 26 years and two months in prison.

Allen McCray, 23, of Omaha, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in February via videoconference to seven federal gun and robbery charges, admitting that the spree began on April 12, 2017, when he and two other men stole a 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe that had been left in a driveway unlocked and with its engine running.

The men decided to commit a series of robberies and began with the armed robbery of a gas station in Raytown, Missouri, southeast of Kansas City, on April 13, according to McCrays plea agreement. They used the cash from the robbery at Dollar General, Rally House, Foot Locker and TJ Maxx stores in the Kansas City area.

The next day, they arrived in southern Illinois and made a two-minute video in which they flashed cash inside the stolen Hyundai before one of McCrays companions posted it to his public Facebook page.

On April 15, the trio robbed an OFallon, Illinois, Moto Mart at gunpoint, a Circle K in Troy 30 minutes later and a Maryville Caseys General Store 20 minutes after that, the plea said.
JEFFERSON CITY  Republican Missouri Gov. Mike Parson says addressing the clemency petition for a man whos been behind bars for a triple murder for more than four decades is not a priority, even though prosecutors say he didnt commit the crime.

Parson noted that Kevin Strickland, 62, was tried by a jury of his peers and found guilty. But he added that he knew there was a lot more information out there.

Parson has a backlog of about 3,000 clemency requests, the Kansas City Star reported. He issued almost no pardons before his reelection in 2020 but has since begun issuing a group of pardons monthly.

When something like that comes up, we look at those cases, but I dont know that that necessarily makes it a priority to jump in front of the line, Parson said during a Monday news conference. We understand some cases are going to draw more attention through the media than others, but were just going to look at those things.

Several state lawmakers from both sides of the aisle signed a letter seeking a pardon for Strickland, who has maintained his innocence since he was convicted in the April 1978 deaths of three people in Kansas City.
Several misconduct complaints

Brown is one of several current and former St. Ann police officers with a history of misconduct complaints.

He was hired in St. Ann in February 2017, a month after leaving St. Louis police amid an investigation into his handling of a crash in the Central West End.

Brown and his partner were accused in state disciplinary records of failing to report the September 2016 crash or render aid when a driver they were tailing lost control of her car and hit a light pole, causing a fire that engulfed the vehicle.

The woman in the crash was not seriously injured, according to St. Louis police. Brown and his partner were also accused of later lying on reports to account for their time that night, according to disciplinary records from the Missouri Department of Public Safety.

Brown denied the misconduct in court filings, but state officials placed his police license on probation.
Costantin also said Myers face was captured on Halls cellphone video before Myers used a collapsible baton to shatter the screen of Halls phone, and he later admitted damaging the phone to another officer.

Boones lawyer, Patrick Kilgore, told jurors that Boone believed there was probable cause to arrest Hall, and that he only briefly assisted others and did not use any physical force. Kilgore said Boones texts and apology were only about unwittingly arresting another officer, not an admission of an assault.

Myers lawyer, Scott Rosenblum, said Myers only picked up Halls cellphone, saw that it was bloody and tossed it aside. Rosenblum said that to destroy evidence, Myers would have to believe that a criminal investigation was likely and no one at the arrest believed something untoward had happened.

Myers was not present during the assault, Rosenblum said.

Both lawyers focused on violence and vandalism that occurred after the organized protests, including assaults on police officers, with Rosenblum calling them unprecedented riots. He also said officers were frustrated when told to stand down and watch the city burn.
U.S. District Judge Howard Sachs said at the time of his ruling last year that Planned Parenthood and the ACLU would likely succeed in their lawsuit alleging that the law is unconstitutional. Similar laws have been struck down in North Dakota and Iowa.

Most of the discussion at the hearing in September centered around the provision banning abortions because the fetus is diagnosed with Down syndrome. Missouri Solicitor General John Sauer cited an epidemic of abortions targeting children with Down syndrome for elimination solely because of their disability.

Planned Parenthood attorney Claudia Hammerman argued at the time that four decades of Supreme Court precedent make it clear that this is unconstitutional. She said doctors wont take the risk of losing their medical license for aborting a fetus with Down syndrome, regardless of whether the condition was the reason the woman sought the procedure.

Several states in 2021 have approved legislation seeking to prohibit abortions based solely on a prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome. Governors in Arizona and South Dakota recently signed such bills into law, and similar measures are pending in North Carolina and Texas. Meanwhile, a federal appellate court said Ohio could begin to implement a 2017 law that has been on hold.
WEBSTER GROVES  A highly publicized case that accused Great Circle of overbilling Medicaid for a lot of behavioral health services that may not have happened has taken an abrupt turn in the nonprofits favor. Instead of being on the hook for nearly $2 million, Great Circle must pay just $9,253.18, according to a recent settlement agreement that admits no wrongdoing.

Great Circles policy is one of transparency  and that includes full cooperation with all reviews, audits and investigations, Paula Fleming, Great Circles chief executive, said Tuesday in a news release. We took this issue very seriously and, through collaboration, we were able to reach a conclusion both favorable to Great Circle and acceptable to the state.

A January letter from the Missouri Medicaid Audit and Compliance Unit to Great Circle said $1,992,157 in improper billing had been identified. Great Circle, which has state contracts to provide an array of services for troubled youths across Missouri, many of whom have autism or are in foster care, appealed the audit findings to the Administrative Hearing Commission on Feb. 18, two weeks after a federal raid of its headquarters here.

According to records on file in the appeal, the audit was prompted by data analysis that suggests possible over-utilization of therapy services.
Parker was one of roughly 79,000 Americans who remained unaccounted for after World War II. Some were buried as unknowns in cemeteries around the world, while others were lost at sea or deemed missing in action, according to the defense departments POW/MIA Accounting Agency.

Recent technological advancements, including DNA analysis, have helped speed up the process of identifying remains, but there are still roughly 72,000 servicemen unaccounted for.

On the ship where Parker worked, the Oklahoma, more than 400 people were killed. Parker was one of 2,008 sailors and 2,403 total people who died that day at Pearl Harbor. Its unclear how Parker was able to enlist at just 17  a year before he was technically eligible  but Curtis speculated a family member may have signed for him.

And his commitment to service went on to inspire other generations of his family. Parkers great-nephew, Air Force Brig. Gen. Brandon Parker, attended the ceremony via videoconference from deployment overseas.

Glenn Curtis, a military officer and relative of Isaac Parker by marriage, said it was important to the family for him to finally be honored and laid to rest.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-09 21:20:38|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, June 9 (Xinhua) -- China on Wednesday urged the United States to stop promoting a bill that exaggerates "China threat" rhetoric and advocates strategic competition against China.

Foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin made the remarks at a press briefing, saying China has firmly opposed U.S. Senate approving "The United States Innovation and Competition Act of 2021."

The bill slandered China's domestic and foreign policies and seriously interfered in China's internal affairs on issues such as Taiwan, Hong Kong, Xinjiang and Tibet, Wang said.

The bill is full of zero-sum cold war mentality and runs counter to the common desire of all sectors of China and the United States to strengthen exchanges and cooperation, the spokesperson added.

Urging the United States not to treat China as an "imaginary enemy," Wang said China is committed to developing a relationship of non-conflict, non-confrontation, mutual respect and win-win cooperation with the United States but will continue to firmly safeguard China's sovereignty, security and development interests at the same time.

"The goal of China's development is to continuously make improvements and enable the Chinese people to live better and happier lives," Wang said, urging the U.S. side to take a rational view of China's development and China-U.S. relations. Enditem
The case went cold for decades until 2001, when then-Detective Phil Matteson sent the slide of a vaginal swab gathered from Kalitzkes body to the Montana State Crime Lab for analysis. The lab found a sperm cell that did not belong to Bogle, officers said.

In the following years, law enforcement compared the DNA sample to about 35 other men, including gangster James Joseph Whitey Bulger Jr. They were all ruled out as suspects.

When Matteson retired, he said he didnt believe the case would be solved. A lot of different people had a turn at this, and we just werent able to take it to conclusion, he said.

In 2018, however, forensic genealogy, which was used to help adoptees find biological family members, was used to identify Joseph James DeAngelo Jr. as the Golden State Killer. The new method has led to the identification of dozens of suspects in cold cases.

In 2019, Cascade County detectives had Bode Technology perform additional DNA testing on the evidence found on Kalitzkes body. It was uploaded to voluntary genealogical databases, where they discovered a possible family connection  leading investigators to Gould.

Kadner had to reach out to Goulds children and ask for DNA samples to verify the match.
NEW YORK (AP)  Former President Donald Trump reached less than a million measurable television viewers over the weekend in his return to the public stage at a North Carolina political event.

Newsmax averaged just under 700,000 viewers between 8 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Saturday when Trump spoke, the Nielsen company said. His speech was also carried live on One America News Network and C-SPAN, but their audience is not measured by Nielsen.

Fox News Channel did not carry the speech by the former president beloved by many of its viewers. The network averaged more than 1.5 million viewers for its typical Saturday night fare of Jesse Watters and Jeanine Pirro.

Although Trump couldn't eclipse Fox's regular lineup, at least for Newsmax, showing the former president live appeared to be a good business decision for the network. So far this year, Newsmax has averaged 202,000 viewers in prime time, including the more heavily trafficked weeknights, Nielsen said.

Later on Saturday, Fox's debut hour with conservative media personality Dan Bongino reached 1.8 million people, making it the most-watched cable news show of the weekend.
The Republican and former mayor of New York City has not been charged with a crime. He has said all of 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 Joe Biden and his son, Hunter, before Biden was elected president.

Trumps efforts to press Ukraine for an investigation of the Bidens led the House to impeach Trump, though he was acquitted by the Senate.

Prosecutors say they have successfully downloaded 11 electronic devices belonging to Giuliani and returned them to him. They say seven more devices belonging to Giuliani and others at his firm, Giuliani Partners LLC, will require more time to unlock because they lack a passcode.

A cell phone has also been seized from Washington lawyer Victoria Toensing, a former federal prosecutor and ally of Giuliani and Trump. Her law firm has said she was told she was not a target of the investigation.

As part of a written order appointing Jones, Oetken directed the government to provide Jones with copies of materials seized from Giuliani and the search warrants that preceded the searches.
The sheriff said demonstrators caused a large amount of damage to equipment and other assets." Kellner said damage included vandalism of contractor equipment, as well as slashed tires, cut hoses, rocks and dirt in engines, forced entry into offices and destroyed electrical wiring in equipment. She did not give a damage estimate.

Demonstrators hauled in a large boat to block the main entrance to the pumping station and about 20 people barricaded themselves to it, Aukes said. The final four protesters were removed from the boat by midday Tuesday, when Kellner said some employees returned to work at the site near Park Rapids, about 85 miles (137 kilometers) east of Fargo.

Monday was billed as the Treaty People Gathering. As protesters made their move on the pump station, a separate group held a prayer service near the headwaters of the Mississippi River, some 25 miles (40 kilometers) away, before an estimated 1,000 people marched to the site where the pipeline crosses under the river. That peaceful meeting including music, prayers and speeches, including one by environmentalist and author Bill McKibben.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-09 21:45:08|Editor: huaxia

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XINING, June 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping stressed the need to always put the people first and advance reform and opening-up in efforts to promote ecological conservation and high-quality development on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks during his inspection tour of northwest China's Qinghai Province from Monday to Wednesday.

The trip took Xi to the provincial capital Xining and the Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. On Monday afternoon, Xi visited a carpet production company in Xining, where he learned about efforts in preserving and carrying forward local craft of hand-knitting carpets.

Xi stressed encouraging industries that have the most distinctive local features and the most vigorous enterprises in promoting high-quality development.

He also called for fostering a policy environment that encourages, supports and guides the development of private enterprises, as well as coordinating the development of industries and enterprises with efforts in boosting employment and promoting rural vitalization and ethnic unity.

Xi then went to a residential community in Xining. He stressed the roles of primary-level Party organizations and Party members in community governance, urging efforts to build residential communities into important platforms for promoting ethnic unity and progress.

Inspecting the county of Gangcha in Haibei on Tuesday, Xi said the achievements in conserving the ecological environment of Qinghai Lake are hard-won, and must be cherished, consolidated and expanded.

He called for accelerated efforts in building a nature reserves system "centering on national parks, based on natural reserves and supplemented by various kinds of natural parks" to better protect the eco-environment and biodiversity.

Xi then went to a village in Shaliuhe Township where herdsmen have resettled. Visiting the home of a Tibetan herdsman, Xi said the Party has won the people's wholehearted support because it has always served the people with heart and soul and strived for the wellbeing of all ethnic groups.

Speaking with villagers, Xi said he felt delighted to learn that they are leading happy lives. "We shall continue to work hard, and by the time New China celebrates its centenary, the Chinese nation will, without a doubt, stand firmer and stronger among the world's nations," he said.

Not a single ethnic group should be left behind in the efforts to fully build a modern socialist China, Xi said, adding that the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation can be only achieved when all ethnic groups remain closely united like the seeds of a pomegranate that stick together.

On Wednesday morning, Xi listened to the work reports of the provincial Party committee and government of Qinghai, and acknowledged the achievements the province has made in various fields.

Xi stressed Qinghai's significant role in the country's security in ecological, homeland, and resources and energy spheres, and urged the province to foster new industries, accelerate the development of a world-class salt lake industrial base, as well as make itself a clean energy industry leader, an international eco-tourism destination and a supplier of green farm and animal products.

Qinghai should stimulate technological innovation and actively align itself with major regional development strategies such as the Yangtze River Economic Belt to boost the internal drive of economic growth, he said.

On Qinghai's environmental protection, Xi said that the conservation of the source of three major rivers should be the utmost priority.

The province should improve the management of national parks, restore the ecology of its various landscapes, protect biological diversity on the plateau, and promote ecological conservation and high-quality development along the Yellow River, he added.

Highlighting people's wellbeing and the goal of prosperity for all, Xi urged the province to coordinate ecological conservation with people's livelihood.

He also emphasized the need to consolidate the progress in poverty alleviation and further revitalize the countryside.

Xi expressed sympathy and concern to those affected by a 7.4-magnitude earthquake, which jolted Maduo County of Qinghai on May 22, and called for solid reconstruction efforts.

Noting the strategic role of Qinghai in safeguarding stability in Xinjiang and Tibet, Xi urged full implementation of the Party's general plan for governing Tibet in the new era and stressed efforts to shoulder due responsibilities. He also called for more efforts to build the province into a paragon in ethnic unity and progress.

Efforts should go toward fully implementing the Party's basic policy on religious work and providing guidance to religions so that they can adapt to a socialist society, Xi said.

Xi also highlighted the value of the Party's revolutionary spirit, which has motivated the Party to forge ahead.

By studying the Party history, all Party members and cadres must remind themselves of the oath of loyalty to the Party, deliver benefits to the people, and exercise strict self-discipline, said Xi.

Xi also stressed further improving Party conduct, promoting integrity, and training a contingent of competent and professional officials loyal to the Party, with moral integrity and a keen sense of responsibility. Enditem
This commentary would be remiss if I did not discuss economics. Gov. Mike Parsons budget included $1.9 billion for Medicaid expansion, including $1.65 billion paid for with federal funds. Another $100 million would be paid using current Medicaid dollars  money saved because of federal Medicaid expansion incentives.

This leaves $150 million to be paid from general revenue, money the Parson budget identified without cuts to other programs and without the $24 per person annual tax increase that could pay the entire sum. But the Legislature rejected the budget and denied health insurance for 275,000 needy citizens. It rejected federal financial support even though it would save Missouri hospitals large sums of money currently used to care for uninsured patients.

Between 2010 and 2020, 130 rural hospitals in the U.S. stopped providing inpatient care for financial reasons. They are overwhelmingly concentrated in states that did not expand Medicaid, and Missouri is fourth on the list with at least seven such hospitals. But the status quo appears satisfactory to Republican legislators.

I wish I could avoid the disparaging tone that infuses so much commentary on this issue. I wish I could write in accordance with my instincts, with respectful disagreement with policies I see as inappropriate. But there are no policies to disagree with.
Donald Trump is now banned for two years from posting on Facebook, a fitting sentence for a dishonest politician who repeatedly abused the platforms policies. Equally important is the decision by an independent standards commission to overrule Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg and declare that politicians must follow the same rules as everyone else regarding adherence to facts when posting and not engage in deliberately inflammatory behavior.

Trumps two-year suspension is reasonable in the sense that it punishes him for past behavior but is not so severe as to block him from returning to Facebook well ahead of the 2024 presidential race. At the same time, Facebook regulators issued an unprecedented, stern warning that if Trump resumes his past behavior, far more severe punishment would follow, including a possible lifetime ban.
Hes hardly alone. El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua have, for years, ranked alongside Guatemala among the worlds worst performers in Transparency.orgs list of governments that fail to hold their politicians and businesses accountable for corrupt activities. A failure to stem corruption is precisely why the United States is handcuffed in its ability to curtail mass migration by funding Central American projects to create jobs, encourage entrepreneurship and reform the police and judiciaries.

The solution to this problem is not at the U.S. border; its in the migrants home countries. Unless they feel safe, knowing that drug gangs wont shoot up their houses or kidnap their children, and unless they can find work that pays a survivable wage, these surges of mass migration will only continue.

The leaders of those countries and Mexico need to hear the most blunt and stern messaging the Biden administration can dish out: America is losing patience with nations whose leaders abuse American goodwill and who pocket the aid thats supposed to help their people.

As for the tough words Harris delivered to the migrants themselves, the Biden administration is simply stating the obvious: The trek across Mexico is far too dangerous to attempt, given the high probability of encountering murderous criminal gangs, corrupt police and human-trafficking organizations along the way. And the chances of a successful U.S. border crossing are minimal. So the message is precisely on target: Do not come.
The Washington Post and Buzzfeed recently released thousands of Faucis official emails from early in the pandemic, obtained through Freedom of Information Act requests. The trove illuminates just how mysterious the new virus was to Fauci and other scientists. The conversations show these experts diligently debating the available evidence about the pandemics origins and the best responses to recommend.

But right-wing provocateurs in Congress and conservative media are now trying to suggest the emails implicate Fauci in a vast cover-up of the yet-unproven theory that the virus was engineered in a Chinese lab and then escaped. That theory remains unlikely, though the Biden administration and others are now probing the possibility in light of new information. Still, as multiple fact-checkers have concluded, Faucis emails do nothing but confirm his responsible, fact-based approach to the unfolding crisis based on data available at the time.
Dr. Bryon Gorton, medical director of St. Elizabeths Center for Wound Care added, There are many patients living with non-healing wounds who are unaware of treatments available in their local communities. Adjunctive therapies for appropriate patients can help heal wounds faster than traditional methods. We want to make advanced wound care available to all patients who would benefit but we must educate the communities we serve about the services we offer.

To support this underserved and growing population of people living with chronic wounds, St. Elizabeths and Healogics offer an evidence-based, systematic approach to advanced wound care. A patients individualized treatment plan may include specialized wound dressings, debridement, compression therapy, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, advanced cellular products and topical growth factors, edema management and/or non-invasive vascular assessment. These treatments are the result of a team approach between the Centers physicians, nurses and the referring physician. A treatment plan is developed and scheduled based on the patients needs. Once treatment is complete, the patient will return to their primary physician to continue routine care.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-09 21:45:49|Editor: huaxia

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DHAKA, June 9 (Xinhua) -- Bangladesh has indicated its keenness to sign a free trade agreement (FTA) with China, its largest trading partner, to help Bangladesh graduate from the least developed country (LDC) status.

The indication was given by Bangladeshi Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi while speaking as the chief guest at a virtual discussion on "Bangladesh China Economic and Trade Relations During and Beyond the Pandemic - Opportunities and Challenges" on Wednesday.

At the webinar jointly organized by the Bangladesh-China Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Economic Reporters Forum, the minister said a memorandum of understanding was signed between the ministries of commerce of the two countries on Launching a Joint Feasibility Study of China-Bangladesh Free Trade Agreement in October 2016.

He said FTAs help to enhance competitive advantage, increase markets assesses for goods and services, strengthen investors' confidence and to a large extent, build Bangladesh's economic sustainability.

"Although some progress had been made, still we need to put lots of effort to conclude the negotiation and materialize the prospect of the FTA," said the minister.

"I believe, this will also help Bangladesh to face the LDC graduation challenge."

The minister said the most inspiring feature of Sino-Bangladesh relationship is its relative stability and continuity. "We, therefore, attach high importance on our relationship with China. We have a long enduring trade relations with China."

China announced huge investments in various sectors of Bangladesh, said the minister, adding that implementation of those investment projects are now in full swing.

He thanked the Chinese government for offering Bangladesh exports to China Duty-Free Quota Free (DFQF) access for 97 percent of Chinese tariff lines from July 1, 2020.

"As a result 8,256 products originating from Bangladesh will enjoy duty free quota free access to China. I strongly believe that by utilizing this DFQF facility the trade imbalance can be reduced to a greater extent," he told the webinar.

Sirazul Islam, executive chairman of Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA), Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Li Jiming and Bangladesh Ambassador to China Mahbub Uz Zaman also spoke at the webinar.

In keynote speech, Abdur Razzaque, research director of leading local think-tank Policy Research Institute of Bangladesh, said establishing a full-fledged FTA is an option to retain the available market access in China.

Ambassador Li said both Bangladesh and China have witnessed intensive economic cooperation and friendly mutual assistance between the two countries in recent years.

Islam said China is currently not merely a big economy but also a driving force of the world economy.

Bangladesh can reap optimum benefits of its friendship with China, he said, adding that "we're stand ready to support Chinese investors in our country." Enditem
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In central Yemen (Marib province) the Shia rebel offensive is stalled and the rebels are now trying to hold their positions while directing ballistic and cruise missile attacks at military and civilian targets in the province. There are two main objectives for the rebel operations in Marib. The most obvious one is the Marib provincial capital, which is 120 kilometers east of the rebel held national capital Sanaa. The other one is the Marib oil fields. Yemen has some oil resources and, even though those are tiny compared to what Iran and the other Arab states in the region have, were enough to supply internal needs as well as provide some for exports. Production and exports halted several years ago but possession of Yemenis oil resources is a prestige thing. The Yemeni government and the Arab coalition also want to use Marib as a base area for a possible ground advance in the rebel held national capital Sanaa.

Since February most of the combat in Yemen has been in Marib. The rebels have suffered heavy casualties without much to show for it. The government forces, mainly tribal militias with access to Saudi air and artillery support have been able to regain lost ground. The rebels ignore this and insist they will prevail. Captured rebels and monitoring rebel communications reveals that many of the replacement fighters are there mainly for the pay or because of rebel threats to block food aid. Over three months of offensive operations it became common for daily casualties to exceed one or two hundred dead and wounded. When the Marib offensive began in February it was assumed it would follow the usual pattern of being intense for a few days or weeks and then fading. The fade didnt come until May when the rebels reduced the ground attacks to deal with the morale problems all their casualties had caused.

Initially the Marib combat kept escalating despite lack of progress. Calling the fighting a rebel offensive was misleading, as most of the time the fighting involved only artillery and mortar fire as well as dozens of cruise and ballistic missile strikes. The government forces respond with even more artillery fire and air strikes, all provided by the Arab Coalition. During the first six weeks of this intense fighting the dead and wounded amounted to nearly 500 fighters from both sides as well as a few civilians. During the next six weeks those totals have doubled and that proved too much for the rebels.

The rebel offensive was all about pushing government forces out of key areas of the province and it failed. Some of these attacks temporarily weakened the rebels in Marib sufficiently for the government counterattacks to force the depleted rebel forces back. The February offensive began because the rebels believed the governments military capabilities had been seriously diminished when UAE forces left Marib in early 2020 because of disagreements with Saudi Arabia over strategy and to concentrate all their military forces back home where they were needed to discourage Iranian aggression. For that reason, the UAE took their missile defense systems with them, which made Yemeni government military bases more vulnerable to rebel (Iranian) ballistic and cruise missiles attacks. The withdrawal of Arab coalition forces from Marib enabled the rebels to successfully regain control of some territory in the province. But the early gains did not continue as the offensive encouraged more Yemenis tribes to provide fighters to defend Marib and not just keep the peace in their home provinces.

The Iranian Veto

The Iranian IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps) openly controls the Shia rebels. Saudi Arabia blames Iran for the failure of the Yemen rebels to seriously negotiate a peace deal. Its not for want of trying. Since mid-April secret (unannounced and officially denied) negotiations between Saudis and Iran sought to end the Yemen fighting. The best offer Iran made was for a halt to rebel attacks on Saudi Arabia in return for Saudi assistance getting around key elements of the economic sanctions. Iran proposed that the Saudis work with Iran to smuggle Iranian oil to customers either as Iranian oil or by pretending it is Saudi oil. The Saudis were willing to back the lifting of sanctions if Iran withdrew from Yemen, thus forcing the rebels to negotiate a peace deal. The Saudi have also been talking to some of the rebel factions, and discovered that a growing number of rebels want peace but are overruled by the Iranians, who supply weapons, advisors, media support and some cash to keep the civil war going.

Such secret talks do not stay secret for long and when pressed the Saudis confirm, often unofficially, that such discussions have taken place. This is typical for the Middle East, where Israel has, for decades, conducted unofficial and discreet talks with most Arab states. That explains the nice things Iran and Saudis will occasionally say about each other when such talks are underway. Iran wants the economic sanctions lifted or at least modified and the Saudis want Iranian forces gone from their southern border. Making that happen is how deals are made in the Middle East. So far, the Iranians are unwilling to give up their ability to launch missile attacks on Saudi Arabia from northern Yemen. The Iranian government believes that getting economic sanctions lifted can be accomplished without leaving Yemen. This has led to a disagreement between the IRGC and the Iranian government, which has had growing problems with the independent minded IRGC. This has come up in negotiations Iran is conducting the Americans and Europeans to lift the sanctions. With a new government in the United States since January the Iranians believed they could get the sanctions lifted. This has proved difficult because it is no longer secret that IRGC-run operations in Syria, Iraq and Yemen were seriously weakened after the sanctions were reinstated by the Americans in 2017. At the time it was also becoming clear that widespread anti-government protests inside Iran were largely about IRGC grabbing most of the money provided by the 2015 treaty that lifted sanctions. Iranians were told that this additional cash and export sales would be used to raise the standard of living in Iran. That did not happen and Iranians were calling for the end of the religious dictatorship and the IRGC that exists mainly to keep that government in power. The IRGC cracked down against the protests, killing over a thousand Iranians and wounding and arresting tens of thousands. The IRGC veto became an issue in Europe as the Iranian negotiations have not been able to assure the Americans and Europeans that the IRGC can be made to support any sanctions deal that involves a reduction in IRGC activity in Syria, Iraq and Yemen.

All this leads the Saudis to believe that there will be another revolution inside Iran and the misbehavior of the IRGC will be a major reason. For both sides, its a gamble but because both sides are run by Islamic governments that believe God is on their side and the risk factor is somewhat diminished. To an outsider, Iran seems to be in a weaker position. Yet the Iranians have been more successful at gaining and holding onto power for thousands of years and even the wealthy Gulf Arab states recognize that.

The word from rebel held territory in Yemen is that Iran has been visibly in charge since late 2020, after Iran sent a Quds Force (the IRGC branch that handles foreign wars) general to be the Iranian ambassador to Yemen. Since 2015 the rebels have controlled the traditional Yemeni capital, where all the foreign embassies were, and a few still are, as well as headquarters for the government ministries. Most of the embassies and government ministries have left for the temporary capital of the last elected government in the southern port of Aden. Despite that, the rebels insist that because they occupy the capital and control over a third of the population, they are the real government and their opponents are southern separatists or foreigners. This ignores the fact that many of the people in rebel territory are kept in line via threats to cut off access to food, medical supplies and imported items. Tribes that try to break away risk starvation and a blockade of roadblocks and attacks on smugglers trying to get in. More and more tribes have been able to break away but the rebels have maintained a presence around many towns and cities.

The new Iranian ambassador came to Yemen mainly to supervise Iranian support for combat operations and take a more direct role in running the war. That meant keeping the rebels under Iranian control no matter what. Quds felt so confident that they bluntly rejected UN and American offers for ceasefire talks and instead increased the number of offensive operations. For more than a month after the Quds general took over in Yemen, Quds force officers outside Yemen boasted to foreign journalists about what the Quds Force was up to in Yemen. The Iranian senior clerics, who have the final say in what Iranian policy is, realized that openly discussing the direct Iranian control of rebel operations was a mistake. Quds was ordered to leave media interviews and Internet announcements to the government. What the Iranian leaders could not do was order the IRGC to shut down their operation in Yemen, or Syria or Iraq.

Iran is taking more direct control over the Shia rebels in order to use this control as part of the negotiations to end economic sanctions on Iran. If Iran pulled out of Yemen the Shia tribal forces would be defeated, as they have many times before. Quds force commanders are reluctant to give up gains made in Yemen and may have been told that they could revive support for the Yemeni Shia after the economic sanctions on Iran are lifted. Because of these sanctions Quds force saw its budget cut by half since 2017, forcing major reductions in Quds activities in Iraq, Syria and Lebanon. Yemen was always the least expensive Quds operation and did not suffer noticeable aid cuts. Yemen was the only IRGC operation that was able to attack arch-enemy Saudi Arabia directly and that counted for something.

June 8, 2021: In the north (Jawf province) government forces killed a rebel brigade commander and dozens of his subordinates while the rebels were trying to capture key terrain defended by government forces supported by Saudi air power. The airstrikes continue to be decisive, especially for defeating rebel advances. This battle was part of a larger operation connected to rebel efforts to block government access to Marib province.

June 7, 2021: In the south (Aden) two rival STC (South Transitional Council) factions have paralyzed the use of foreign aid in the port city of Aden. The factions cannot agree on who should control what in Aden and because of that essential maintenance on power plants and other infrastructure is stalled. This is unpopular with most Aden residents and is making the city unlivable. The UAE has been in charge of security (and aid delivery) in the south since 2015 and supported the formation of the STC in early 2017. The STC is composed of southern tribes that want autonomy but claim they are willing to fight and defeat the Islamic terrorists as well as the Shia rebels first. Aidarous al Zubaidi, the STC leader is seen as more popular in the south than Abdrabu Mansur Hadi the last and current elected president of united Yemen. Hadi has only briefly visited Yemen a few times since 2015 and spends most of his time in the Saudi capital. This is for Hadis safety, given the number of assassinations going on in Aden, where the Hadi government was moved to in 2015. The Saudis and the UAE do not agree on dividing Yemen once more but for the moment it is more convenient to support the STC and efforts to defeat the Iran backed Shia rebels. The Saudi-backed Yemen government went along with a peace treaty with the STC that the UAE proposed and signed in 2019. This arrangement has not yet been implemented because some STC factions do not agree on the terms. This includes disputes over which STC factions control the port of Aden. Since 2015 southern tribes that comprise the STC have been demanding autonomy, if not partition of Yemen and the creation of the STC is seen as a temporary fix. For most of its history Yemen has not been united and the current problems with the Shia rebels and the STC are the norm, not an exceptional event. The problem in the south continues to be that many tribes cannot agree on how to share power within the STC.

June 6, 2021: In the north (Sanaa) the leaders of Hamas and the Yemen rebels met in a very public event. Hamas, a Sunni Arab Islamic terror group in Gaza, is one of the few Sunni groups openly supported by Iran. This meeting was all about Iran showing off how well it controls and coordinates the overseas Islamic terror groups it often denies having any influence over. The Hamas visit was unpopular with Yemeni Sunnis because most Yemenis are hostile to Israel and inclined to support the Palestinian goal of destroying Israel. Yemenis saw Hamas praise of the Yemeni rebels as an insult to Yemenis Sunnis, who are at war with Shia rebels that are increasingly using Iranian guided missiles against Sunni civilians.

June 5, 2021: In central Yemen (Marib province) the Shia rebels fired a ballistic missile at Marib city, the provincial capital. The missile landed near a residential area, killing 14 civilians. That attack was followed by a cruise missile (explosive armed UAV) strike nearby that killed three more civilians and destroyed two ambulances sent to deal with the ballistic missile attack. The rebels claim both attacks were aimed at a military base in the city and demanded that an independent investigation be conducted. In the past the rebels blocked efforts for an independent investigation of claims that Arab Coalition airstrikes on military targets in urban areas had only killed civilians. The rebels use civilians as involuntary human shields and automatically claim any airstrike on military targets near civilians only hit civilians. This deception, a standard procedure in the Middle East, tends to fall apart as cell phone videos by local civilians eventually get out. By then the damage has been done because a correction of an earlier media story always has less impact on public opinion than the original lie.

June 4, 2021: Saudi Arabia agreed to lift the air blockade of Sanaa airport so that a group of Omani officials and rebel leaders from pro-peace factions could meet with senior rebel officials and discuss ways in which peace negotiations could proceed. Getting the Omanis involved was a clever move by the Saudis because Oman has always been on good terms with Iran. This was the reason why Iran continued to get weapons, ammo and missile and UAV components into the Shia rebel stronghold in northwest Yemen. Oman shares a 293-kilometer border with Yemen and the Saudis knew the Omanis were tolerating Iranian weapons smuggling. It took several years of negotiations and other efforts before the Saudis managed to make the Oman smuggling route much less effective than the water route through the Gulf of Aden to the Red Sea. That route is guarded by the naval blockade and Iran has to spend a lot of money to hire experienced smugglers that can get past that.

In southeast Yemen (Mahra province) the Oman smuggling route is controlled by the local Mahra tribe, which lies astride the Yemen/Oman border. Marah province borders Saudi Arabia in the north and Oman in the east. The Saudis and Omanis have locked down their mutual border. The Yemen/Oman border has received help from Saudi troops who have been in Mahra province since 2017. The Saudis were only concerned about the Iranian arms smuggled to the Shia rebels via nearby ports in Mahra and Oman. Most of the Mahra smugglers cooperated, if only because long-term it is better to do business with the Saudi government than be at war with them. The Iranians paid well for moving arms across the border but the Saudi troops operated checkpoints and patrols that made it difficult to get the smuggled weapons to rebel-controlled territory 300 kilometers to the west. The Oman government helped by arranging talks between the Saudis and Mahra tribal leaders from Oman and Yemen. Eventually a deal was worked out and Iran lost regular use of the Oman land route to the Yemen rebels.

While Oman maintains good relations with Iran, it also maintains even better relations with the United States and Britain. The Saudis are an ally, so Oman does not take orders from the Saudis but does get along with them. Such is not the case with Qatar, which sides with Iran, in part because of family feuds with the other Arab monarchies. Arabia is ruled by monarchies and the royal families have numerous links via past marriages, with the other Gulf dynasties and the resulting family feuds as well.

Qatar is a smaller Gulf state that actually borders the Gulf. Oman controls one side of the Strait of Hormuz (the entry to the Persian Gulf) but is, like Yemen, outside the Gulf. Oman is sometimes accused of siding with Iran and Qatar but that support is not strong and often changes. Ultimately Oman sides with the ethnic (fellow Arab) and distant Western allies against Iran. Only Qatar has been accused of being too cooperative with Iran. The fact is that most of the smaller (than Saudi Arabia) states bordering the Gulf have long-standing business and personal relationships with Iraq that have survived many changes in the Iranian government over the last century.

These relationships between Iran and the Arabian states became clear in 1981 when the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) was formed. Its members (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates) appeared to have the wealth and military power to deal with threatening local (Iran) or foreign (China, Russia, India, the West and so on) threats. At the moment the religious dictatorships in Iran are seen as the major threat. Not the Iranian people, but the Iranian religious fanatics who are now openly disliked by most Iranians.

Within the GCC smaller members are willing to work with the Saudis when the cause is critical enough. Such was the case with the original Arab Coalition being formed and entering Yemen in 2015. The UAE and Saudi leaders of the coalition still had disagreements and these grew until the UAE withdrew most of its forces in late 2019. Iran takes advantage of these feuds as much as possible and the Arab monarchies are aware of this weakness but find themselves unable to completely suppress the grudges and all the problems this personal animosity creates.

June 2, 2021: The Shia rebels released a video online showing the rebels firing an ATGM (anti-tank guided missile) at a Saudi (American made) M1A2 tank in Yemen. The video shows the missile hitting the tank but apparently not inflicting much damage. The Saudis have lost some M1A2s in Yemen, usually due to anti-vehicle mines and the inability (because of continued enemy fire) to haul the immobilized tank out of the area for repair. In such cases it is standard procedure to use thermal and explosive devices to destroy the tank from the inside, so that all that is left is a burned-out hulk.

June 1, 2021: The government revealed that the Shia rebels had been hiring some of the illegal African migrants in Yemen to replace heavy losses. In Marib province government forces have been reporting Africans among the dead rebels. This has never been seen before as the Yemeni and Somali people smugglers pay various factions to allow their customers (the illegal migrants) to head north for countries that will hire illegals because of local labor shortages. Further investigation found the rebels were offering the illegals with combat experience, and some knowledge of Arabic, up to $100 a month to fight for the rebels. This seemed like easy money for the migrants that qualified and they could resume their trip north after earning a few hundred dollars. What the African recruits did not realize was that the fighting in Marib Province had cost the rebels thousands of fighters (dead, wounded, captured or deserters) and replacements were needed. One reason for the halt in the ground offensive was the unwillingness of the Africans to be cannon fodder, although most were still willing to carry a gun for a few months if it was for providing security or defending against government attacks.

The rebels have also had problems getting teenage Yemeni boys to take up arms. To deal with that the rebels have set up Summer Camp programs for the teenagers that include the usual Summer Camp activities, but with mandatory indoctrination sessions stressing the need to join the rebels and fight for a better Yemen. Parents are largely hostile towards efforts to recruit their sons for the rebel forces and the rebels have been having more difficulty recruiting these kids. This was especially true with the heavy casualties in the Marib fighting this year.

May 26, 2021: Saudi Arabia claimed responsibility for the construction of an air base on an uninhabited island at the southern entrance to the Red Sea. In April commercial satellite photos showed the base construction and initially no one would take credit for it. The UAE was mentioned as a suspect but denied any involvement, even though until 2019 UAE troops were responsible for security in the area. Forgotten was the fact that in mid-2019 Saudi troops replaced UAE forces along the Red Sea coast, especially the Bab al Mandeb Strait, which is the narrow southern entrance to the Red Sea that Shia rebels have frequently tried to block with various types of attacks, as in small boats loaded with explosives, naval mines and rocket fire from the shore. Saudi troops also took over the two smaller Red Sea ports; Midi (north of Hodeida) and Mocha (south of Hodeida). A primary reason for the Arab Coalition ground forces taking control of the Red Sea coast as far north as Hodeida was to reduce the risk of rebel attacks on warships and commercial shipping in the Red Sea. The UAE had also occupied some of the small islands in the Bab al Mandeb Strait and those UAE troops were believed to have left in 2019 as well but it was never reported that Saudi forces had replaced them.
Streaming the North Texas Irish Festival: A Cloud Production Case Study

In interviews with two fellow producers on the all-virtual 2021 North Texas Irish Festival, a multichannel event combining six concurrent live feeds, produced in the cloud using vMix and AWS, Anthony Burokas provides a look inside a complex cloud production, including challenges and lessons learned.

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In this interview-based article we'll discuss how to transform a music and cultural festival into a live virtual event. The event we'll be looking at is the North Texas Irish Festival, which, due to social distancing requirements and restrictions on live events during the pandemic, was delivered online this year. The live virtual event featured six channels streaming six virtual soundstages.

I'll be talking with the festival's executive producer Tim Kennedy, and also with Michelle MacGregor, who, like me, was one of the producers on this event. With these discussions, we hope to enlighten you on what things worked for us and what things didn't work as well.

Anthony Burokas: I'm here with Tim Kennedy, who is the mastermind behind the North Texas Irish Festival's multichannel livestream event. And I have to say, Tim, it was an audacious undertaking. The North Texas Irish Festival is an in-person event that didn't happen this year because of COVID. How did you conceptualize it as a virtual event?

Tim Kennedy: This was going to be a major anniversary for the festival the 40th anniversary, and the intention was to do something pretty bold to celebrate. And then, of course COVID got in the way of that. They still wanted to make a splash out of it, and the festival's organizers asked me to come up with some ideas. I'd been noodling around on the idea of multi-stage, multistream events for a while, and it really seemed well suited to the Irish Festival because they typically have around 10 or 12 stages and people hop all around to go to a variety of different shows. It became clear to me that we could replicate that experience right with the right web front end, having multiple live-stream channels going at the same time and an easy ability to jump around and see the programs on all of the various stages.

I pitched it to them and they were crazy enough to go for it. So that was the foundation of it--trying to replicate the event itself and do something special. I'm also a pretty big advocate of the idea that streaming can not only be a good substitute, but in many ways can help create events that are superior to events done in person. And so I really wanted to help show that that could really be the case.

Anthony: I appreciate that you wrote down some of the things that you put together. And just the amount of different services and little pieces that needed to come together seems almost daunting--we had capture and mixing and hosting and chat. Can you just go through some of these services?

So, the whole concept was to create a web front-end that hosted six streaming platforms in it. We used Boxcast as our CDN. They were the ones willing to provide us six at one time for a reasonable price. And we built a mobile-friendly front end in a website builder called Bandzoogle, which is probably not well-known to your viewers, but it's very well known in the music community as being really well-suited to selling music and supporting music live streams (Figure 1, below). That was the foundation of it. We decided we wanted to have chat capabilities on each of the stages, so people could interact with each other.

Figure 1. One of the North Texas Irish Festival's live channels/virtual stages

We ended up bringing in Arena.im for that, mainly because we could have six of them and we could have chat moderators. They did AI-based profanity-filtering, which oddly got kicked in more often than I would have hoped. People like their Irish music and sharing on their bands. So that was the technical side.

We assembled a team of six people running the streams and we used Unity for comms to keep everybody connected. We used Discord as a way of handling check communications and chat rooms. So, just just a lot of different technology. One of the most important decisions was choosing vMix as our switching platform (Figure 2, below).

Figure 2. Using vMix for switching the live show

We had five instances of vMix loaded and running in AWS. We decided to put as much of this in the cloud as we could. That was a new thing for us. For those of you who weren't in Texas and didn't experience the five-day power outage, an ice storm, and zero degree temperatures, we were just a little bit nervous since the festival was just two weeks after the power came back on. So we made a fairly late decision to move to AWS to run the various vMix machines as well.

Anthony: Thank you, Michelle, for also joining us. You had a very unusual role in this, in that you weren't just a producer, you were also tasked with diving headfirst into AWS. How did that work?

Michelle MacGregor: Yes, I was. And I had never seen it or touched it before, other than what I've seen on the forums. So I really didn't know what I was getting into, but luckily there are some good videos out there on YouTube that you can follow. And that's what I did. I managed to set up four of them, but I had to do that twice, so eight of them in all. It was a great learning experience. It's definitely very doable, and I'm really glad that I did that, but if you have to do this know that there's learning curve going into it. Now that I've done it, I'm going to use it from here on out.

Anthony: Specifically, what learning points did you have? You get in there, and--in case anyone doesn't know, I also only learned by doing this with our show--with AWS, you set up an account and you get a free instance. It's a very lightweight little thing, but you're able to get in there and play and try it. If you're a producer and you want to use external control surfaces, they don't naturally come with your Amazon wireless connection. You could use Parsec, or a Microsoft remote desktop, or AnyDesk--you can use any control app to get in there and be your remote fingers. But the only thing those apps give you is your keyboard and mouse. So if you want something else you, what do you need?

Michelle: You can use Companion with the the emulator that they have in Companion with Stream Deck. I never did get my Stream Deck going, but I had to switch back and forth between my studio setup and that cloud instance. There are ways, though. You can use your external Stream Decks or whatever controller you have.

Anthony: Right. I was delving into USB Anywhere or something like that, and I came across a piece of software that basically acts like a USB tunnel to take everything connected to your USB locally and channel it into the remote instance. So if you have a Stream Deck or a MIDI control surface or something like that, those are supposed to connect and talk to each other. So I was working on that, but I never fully got it running before I actually started to get into the show. And, as Tim has said, the ice storm threw the whole timeline off. All this extra time we were supposed to have to get in there and do a trial run of the show, really didn't come about because we're all busy worrying about like water pipes and stuff like that.

Michelle: I think that was probably the biggest problem because we didn't have time to test it properly and we didn't have the content to test it because everything got delayed in getting it together. So, it was a problem. We learned a whole bunch from that. My biggest take-away from that in regards to instances is, "Go big." I built the first one based on my home setup. I figured, "Well, if I have 16 gigabytes of RAM and I have this and I have that, it should be just fine." The same in the server. Wrong! For whatever reason, it did not work that way. So my recommendation is to go with the 4 large.

Anthony: So for, for those who haven't yet delved into it, Amazon has their own nomenclature for the resources they give you. So, what were we, what were we using? On most instances, I should say, the way Michelle built it, mine actually worked, because I didn't have multiple remote people connecting into me. I was supposed to have Ireland coming to me over SRT, but their SRT sand--we could get it, but it would have a glitch every couple seconds or every half-second. So we tried vMix Call from their computer and it looked beautiful and we said, "OK, let's go with this." But at the same time, we were using OBS and we said, "Send it to YouTube." I gave them a RTMP codes for YouTube. And at the same time, they were sending vMix Call into my AWS. They were also sending to a YouTube account, which I had on my laptop dialed in, ready to go. So should anything happen, I could just start sending from my laptop. We all had backups. So I think your backup became a primary, right?

Michelle: My backup became the primary. Definitely. So in my show, for every hour, I had five callers call in (Figure 3, below). In between those times were prerecorded media that I would play back. And the instance that I was running--which was the same build as you had--it got overloaded. The stream was choppy and it was awful. So I bailed back to my home studio. When I tested it, it tested fine. So I don't know why on the day of the show, it didn't do so well.

Figure 3. Mapping the multichannel production by time, stage, livestream op, and call-ins
TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Yesterday, the Ontario Superior Court judge ruled that the Ford Conservatives expansion of the Election Finances Act to limit political advertising by unions, advocacy organizations, and concerned citizens was unconstitutional.

Today, the Ford Conservatives announced they would invoke the notwithstanding clause to overturn the decision.

WHO: Fred Hahn, President of CUPE Ontario. WHAT: Response to the decision to invoke the notwithstanding clause. WHERE: Available via telephone, Zoom, or Skype. Contact Daniel Tseghay at 647-220-9739 to be connected.

kw/cope491

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210609005905/en/

Daniel Tseghay

Communications Representative, CUPE

dtseghay@cupe.ca | 647-220-9739

Source: Canadian Union of Public Employees
SEPI, Airbus, Indra and Tikehau Capital will invest in a newly-launched private equity aerospace and defence Spanish fund managed by Ace: Ace Aerofondo IV F.C.R., as Strategic Partners

The initiative is sponsored by SEPI, the investment arm of the Spanish government, Airbus, the leading global player in aerospace and defence and Indra, key technological partner in defence

Ace will draw on the expertise and knowledge of Airbus, Indra and SEPI through the creation of a Strategic Committee - to provide Ace with intelligence on sector trends, opportunities and risks

PARIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Regulatory News:

Ace Capital Partners, a private equity firm specialised in strategic industries and technologies and subsidiary of Tikehau Capital (Paris: TKO), announces today the launch of Ace Aerofondo IV F.C.R., with SEPI, Airbus, Indra and Tikehau Capital as investors. This new private equity fund will invest in lower and upper midmarket companies active in the Spanish aerospace and defence sector.

Ace Capital Partners will act as manager of the fund, which will invest in both Support Capital (niche players with the ability to grow organically) and Platform Capital (consolidation platforms to become leaders in their markets through external growth) strategies. Ace is currently investing its 4th vintage of aerospace and defence funds, with a focus on Western Europe and with France and Spain as its core markets. Ace invests in strategic industries and technologies, applying a sector-focused approach and providing strategic and operational support to its portfolio companies. Ace seeks to grow intrinsic value of its investments through engagement over the long term. Ace Aerofondo IV will replicate this approach as it benefits from the recovery of the aerospace and defence sector in the wake of the Covid-19 crisis.

A first closing for 100 million of initial commitments will take place in June 2021. Tikehau Capital and SEPI have both invested 33.3 million along with the two other Strategic Partners, Airbus and Indra, which have invested 28.3 million and 5.0 million respectively. The target size is 150-200 million. The fund follows the longstanding model of Tikehau Capital, whereby the group invests its own capital in the funds managed by its group entities, to ensure a full alignment of interests between the firm and its investors.

Marwan Lahoud, Executive Chairman of Ace Capital Partners, declared: The aerospace sector will recover from this crisis. We remain unwavering in our commitment to the sector as it navigates the post-Covid era and we are pleased to manage this fund which is perfectly in line with our objective to protect, strengthen and secure this key industry for Spain, with SEPI, Airbus and Indra as sponsors as well as Tikehau Capital.

Carmen Alonso, head of Iberia and UK for Tikehau Capital added: Tikehau Capital is committed to helping the aerospace sector in Spain. We are delighted to partner with SEPI, Airbus and Indra to contribute to the recovery of the sector and ensure the technological competitiveness and strategic importance of the Spanish aerospace and defence sector.

***

About Ace Capital Partners

Ace Capital Partners, a subsidiary of Tikehau Capital, is a private equity firm specialised in strategic industries and technologies, with more than 1 billion in assets under management. Founded in 2000, Ace invests with a vertical approach in strategic industries (e.g. Aerospace, Defense and technologies (e.g. Cybersecurity). Ace has built its model on strategic partnerships with large corporates (including Airbus, Safran, Dassault Aviation, Thales, EDF, Naval Group, and Sopra Steria), which invest in its funds and maintain an ongoing dialogue with the firm, enabling Ace to take a differentiated approach to investing.

Ace is present in Paris, Toulouse and Montreal and benefits from the worldwide presence of Tikehau Capital. www.ace-cp.com

About Tikehau Capital

Tikehau Capital is a global alternative asset management group with 29.4 billion of assets under management (at 31 March 2021). Tikehau Capital has developed a wide range of expertise across four asset classes (private debt, real assets, private equity and capital markets strategies) as well as multi-asset and special opportunities strategies. Tikehau Capital is a founder-led team with a differentiated business model, a strong balance sheet, proprietary global deal flow and a track record of backing high quality companies and executives. Deeply rooted in the real economy, Tikehau Capital provides bespoke and innovative alternative financing solutions to companies it invests in and seeks to create long-term value for its investors. Leveraging its strong equity base (2.8 billion of shareholders equity at 31 December 2020), the firm invests its own capital alongside its investor-clients within each of its strategies. Controlled by its managers alongside leading institutional partners, Tikehau Capital is guided by a strong entrepreneurial spirit and DNA, shared by its 607 employees (at 31 March 2021) across its 12 offices in Europe, Asia and North America.

Tikehau Capital is listed in compartment A of the regulated Euronext Paris market (ISIN code: FR0013230612; Ticker: TKO.FP).

For more information, please visit: www.tikehaucapital.com

Disclaimer:

This document does not constitute an offer of securities for sale or investment advisory services. It contains general information only and is not intended to provide general or specific investment advice. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future earnings and profit, and targets are not guaranteed.

Certain statements and forecasted data are based on current forecasts, prevailing market and economic conditions, estimates, projections and opinions of Tikehau Capital and/or its affiliates. Due to various risks and uncertainties. actual results may differ materially from those reflected or expected in such forward-looking statements or in any of the case studies or forecasts. All references to Tikehau Capitals advisory activities in the US or with respect to US persons relate to Tikehau Capital North America.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210609005411/en/

Press Contacts

Ace Capital Partners: Audrey Hood - +33 1 73 31 30 10 - ahood@ace-cp.com

Tikehau Capital: Valerie Sueur  +33 1 40 06 39 30  press@tikehaucapital.com

UK  Prosek Partners: Henrietta Dehn  +44 7717 281 665 - hdehn@prosek.com

Shareholder and Investor contacts  Tikehau Capital:

Louis Igonet  +33 1 40 06 11 11

shareholders@tikehaucapital.com

Source: Tikehau Capital
NASHVILLE, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- FB Financial Corporation (the Company) (NYSE: FBK) announced today the pricing of the previously announced underwritten public offering of a total of 2,500,000 shares of its common stock (the Secondary Offering), all of which will be sold by Mr. James W. Ayers (the Selling Shareholder). Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc., A Stifel Company, is acting as the sole book-running manager for the Secondary Offering. The Company is not selling any stock in this transaction and will not receive any proceeds from the Secondary Offering.

The Secondary Offering is expected to close on June 10, 2021, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions.

Mr. Ayers is currently the Vice Chairman of the Company. Upon completion of the Secondary Offering, Mr. Ayers is expected to continue to own approximately 23.5% of the Companys outstanding common stock, including shares owned by Mr. Ayers indirectly through Ayers Asset Management, Inc.

The shares are being offered pursuant to a Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-256861) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, which was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC) and became automatically effective on June 7, 2021. The Secondary Offering is being made only by means of the prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus. A preliminary prospectus supplement has been filed with the SEC to which this communication relates. For more complete information about the Company, the Selling Shareholder and the Secondary Offering, potential purchasers of our common stock should consider carefully the information contained in the prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus and other documents that the Company has filed with the SEC. Copies of the prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus related to the Secondary Offering may be obtained by contacting: Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc., A Stifel Company, Equity Capital Markets, 787 Seventh Avenue, NY, NY 10019, or by telephone at (800) 966-1559. Investors may also obtain copies of these documents free of charge by visiting the SECs website at www.sec.gov.

NO OFFER OR SOLICITATION

This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy shares of common stock nor shall there be any sale of the shares of common stock in the Secondary Offering in any state or jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction.

ABOUT FB FINANCIAL CORPORATION

FB Financial Corporation (NYSE: FBK) is a bank holding company headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee. FB Financial operates through its wholly owned banking subsidiary, FirstBank, the third largest Tennessee-headquartered community bank, with 81 full-service bank branches across Tennessee, North Alabama, Southern Kentucky and North Georgia, and a national mortgage business with offices across the Southeast. FirstBank serves five of the largest metropolitan markets in Tennessee and has approximately $11.9 billion in total assets.

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Certain statements contained in this press release are 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, which are intended to be covered by the safe harbor for forward-looking statements provided by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements include statements relating to the timing and anticipated closing of the Secondary Offering. These forward-looking statements can generally be identified by the use of the words and phrases may, will, should, could, would, goal, plan, potential, estimate, project, believe, intend, anticipate, expect, target, aim, predict, continue, seek, projection and other variations of such words and phrases and similar expressions.

These forward-looking statements are not historical facts. The inclusion of these forward-looking statements should not be regarded as a representation by the Company or any other person that the forward-looking statements will occur. Accordingly, the Company cautions readers of this press release that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance or outcomes and are subject to various risks, assumptions and uncertainties. Because of these risks and other uncertainties, the outcome of matters that are the subject of forward-looking statements may be materially different from the anticipated or estimated results discussed in the forward-looking statements in this press release. Readers of this press release should not unduly rely on any forward-looking statements, which represent the Companys beliefs, assumptions and estimates only as of the dates on which they were made, as predictions of future events. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as required by law. New risks and uncertainties may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for the Company to predict their occurrence or how they will affect the Company.

The Company qualifies all of its forward-looking statements by these cautionary statements.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210608005408/en/

MEDIA CONTACT:

Jeanie M. Rittenberry

615-313-8328

jrittenberry@firstbankonline.com

www.firstbankonline.com

FINANCIAL CONTACT:

Robert Hoehn

615-564-1212

rhoehn@firstbankonline.com

investorrelations@firstbankonline.com

Source: FB Financial Corporation
TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- News Media Canada, representing hundreds of print and digital titles in every province and territory, issued a historic open letter to the Prime Minister of Canada calling on the Trudeau government to act now on their commitment to support local journalists.

In an unprecedented effort, publishers called the Trudeau government to task. For months, you and your Minister of Canadian Heritage, Steven Guilbeault, have promised action to rein in the predatory monopoly practices of Google and Facebook against Canadian news media. But so far, all weve gotten is talk. And with every passing week, that talk grows hollower and hollower.

Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault repeated the governments commitment to introduce legislation in the spring of 2021 on various media outlets, including CBC Radio, The National Post, The Globe and Mail, and CTV.

News Media Canada Chair Jamie Irving said, Reporting real news costs real money. There are only two ways to cover those costs: advertising and subscriptions. But Google and Facebook use their control of the Internet and their highly sophisticated algorithms to divert 80% of all online advertising revenue in Canada. And they distribute the work of hardworking journalists across the country without compensation.

Other countries, such as Australia, have tackled this challenge and reined in the web giants. In March of 2021, the Australian Parliament adopted the Treasury Laws Amendment (News Media and Digital Platforms Mandatory Bargaining Code) with support from all parties. The legislation requires Facebook and Google to negotiate collectively with that countrys media. Facebook and Google have negotiated compensation agreements with media companies to pay for content from publishers serving local and national audiences. Its a huge success, said Rod Sims, Chairman of the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission, in an interview with The Financial Times. The bargaining and arbitration model (in the Australian legislation) is actually a very light regulation in the sense that we want equal bargaining power, he said. Dozens of small publishers have also signed or negotiated terms following the passage of a February law aimed at getting Big Tech to pay for news.

Until all news media in Canada can negotiate collectively with Google and Facebook, the two multinationals will continue to use their market dominance to drive terms that are in their interests. Government inaction has created a vacuum and puts some publishers at a negotiating disadvantage without the backstop of legislation, concluded Jamie Irving.

News Media Canada is calling on Parliament and the federal government to exercise their responsibilities to stand up to these two web giants and to restore fairness to the Canadian media marketplace.

About News Media Canada

News Media Canada is the voice of the print and digital news media industry in Canada and represents hundreds of trusted titles in every province and territory. News Media Canada is an advocate in public policy for daily and community media outlets and contributes to the ongoing evolution of the news media industry by raising awareness and promoting the benefits of news media across all platforms. For more information, visit our website at www.newsmediacanada.ca or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210609005284/en/

For further comment:

Jamie Irving, Chair

News Media Canada

Interview Requests:

media@newsmediacanada.ca

Source: News Media Canada
Korea and Japan start easing travel restrictions for businesspeople from each other's country on Thursday so they are exempt from 14 days' mandatory quarantine if they have a clean bill of health.

According to the Foreign Ministry here, the exemptions apply to "business track" and "long-term track" travelers, i.e. businesspeople and students. Travelers must present to the Japanese Embassy written pledges by their companies or universities inviting them and a clean bill of health obtained within 72 hours prior to departure.

They must also sign up for private health insurance for the duration of their trip. The rules are being relaxed seven months after Japan restricted visits from Korea and the Korean government followed suit.

The ministry said the eased travel restrictions "will enable human exchanges to resume." It added that it will work to further ease restrictions.

The business lobby Federation of Korean Industries in a statement welcomed the measure as a "big help." Last year, 310,000 Koreans visited Japan for business.


Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-09 21:50:17|Editor: huaxia

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Aerial photo taken on June 8, 2021 shows the main venue of the 2nd China-Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC) Expo in Ningbo, east China's Zhejiang Province. (Xinhua/Jiang Han)

Chinese President Xi Jinping has, on various bilateral and multilateral occasions, called for more China-Central and Eastern European Countries cooperation. The following are some highlights of his remarks in this regard.

BEIJING, June 9 (Xinhua) -- In a congratulatory letter to the 2nd China-Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC) Expo, Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed hope that all parties can take this opportunity to tap the potential for collaboration and open up broader space for cooperation.

The second China-CEEC Expo & International Consumer Goods Fair opened Tuesday in Ningbo in east China's Zhejiang Province, attracting more than 7,000 purchasers.

Xi has, on various bilateral and multilateral occasions, called for more China-CEEC cooperation. The following are some highlights of his remarks in this regard.

A child takes part in a painting activity at the 2nd China-Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC) Expo in Ningbo, east China's Zhejiang Province, June 8, 2021. (Xinhua/Jiang Han)

June 8, 2021

In his congratulatory letter to the 2nd China-CEEC Expo, themed "Fostering a New Development Paradigm, Sharing a Win-Win Opportunity," Xi pointed out that the China-CEEC cooperation mechanism is an important platform for China and the CEEC to enhance their friendship, expand cooperation and seek common development.

The 2nd China-CEEC Expo will help the Chinese market learn more about the commodities from the CEEC, expand CEEC exports to China, and help all parties respond to the challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic and promote the economic recovery, Xi said.

May 26, 2021

During a phone conversation with Montenegrin President Milo Djukanovic, Xi recalled that during the China-CEEC Summit in February, he reached broad consensuses with Djukanovic and other participating leaders, and they made important plans for the development of the cooperation mechanism.

Noting that this year is the China-CEEC Year of Green Development and Environmental Protection, Xi said that China supports Montenegro in playing a positive role as the lead country of the China-CEEC environmental protection cooperation mechanism.

A violinist plays at the 2nd China-Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC) Expo in Ningbo, east China's Zhejiang Province, June 8, 2021. (Xinhua/Jiang Han)

April 29, 2021

In a phone conversation with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Xi said China is ready to work with Hungary and other parties to forge ahead in an innovative spirit, and push for the continuous advancement of the China-CEEC cooperation.

March 1, 2021

In a phone conversation with Polish President Andrzej Duda, Xi said that at the China-CEEC Summit successfully convened via video link, he, along with CEEC leaders, reviewed the journey of China-CEEC cooperation, thoroughly summarized development experience, jointly looked ahead to development prospects, reached broad consensus, and made important planning and guidance for cooperation mechanism.

He added that China is willing to work together with the Polish side, and takes the summit as a new starting point to push for greater outcomes for the China-CEEC cooperation and China-EU relations.

An exhibitor (2nd L) promotes Serbian wine products at the 2nd China-Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC) Expo in Ningbo, east China's Zhejiang Province, June 8, 2021. (Xinhua/Jiang Han)

Feb. 9, 2021

"China-CEEC cooperation is part and parcel of China-EU relations, whose good progress means new opportunities for China-CEEC cooperation," said Xi while delivering a keynote speech at the China-CEEC Summit.

"Impressive progress has been made in several cooperation projects, including the Port of Piraeus in Greece, the Smederevo Steel Plant in Serbia, and the Peljesac Bridge in Croatia," said Xi.

China-CEEC cooperation is based on mutual respect and has no political strings attached, Xi stressed. He added that all countries involved, regardless of their size, are equal partners in a cooperation mechanism featuring extensive consultation, joint contributions, and shared benefits.

Nov. 10, 2019

"We need to step up Belt and Road cooperation with down-to-earth efforts, make the most of the location and shipping capacity of Greece, seize the opportunities brought by Greece's joining the China-CEEC cooperation, actively advance practical projects under the China-Europe Land-Sea Express Line, and contribute to the China-EU Connectivity Platform," Xi said in a signed article titled "Let Wisdom of Ancient Civilizations Shine Through the Future" published in Greek newspaper Kathimerini (The Daily) ahead of his state visit to the European country. 
EXETER, N.H,--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Vapotherm, Inc. (NYSE: VAPO), (Vapotherm or the Company), a global medical technology company focused on the development and commercialization of its proprietary Vapotherm high velocity therapy products, which are used to treat patients of all ages suffering from respiratory distress, today announced that its management team will be hosting their first investor day on Wednesday, June 23, 2021 beginning at 10:00AM ET.

The event will be held in person at the companys facilities in Exeter, New Hampshire, and a portion of the days events will be accessible via a live webcast at https://event.on24.com/wcc/r/3199260/7822CB7A1D158353735CC9ACE696A86E.

A webcast replay will be available for 90 days following the presentation in the Event Archive section of Vapotherms Investor website at http://investors.vapotherm.com/.

About Vapotherm

Vapotherm, Inc. (NYSE: VAPO) is a publicly traded developer and manufacturer of advanced respiratory technology based in Exeter, New Hampshire, USA. The company develops innovative, comfortable, non-invasive technologies for respiratory support of patients with chronic or acute breathing disorders. Over 2.8 million patients have been treated with the use of Vapotherm high velocity therapy systems. For more information, visit www.vapotherm.com.

Vapotherm high velocity therapy is mask-free noninvasive ventilatory support and is a front-line tool for relieving respiratory distressincluding hypercapnia, hypoxemia, and dyspnea. It allows for the fast, safe treatment of undifferentiated respiratory distress with one tool. The Precision Flow systems mask-free interface delivers optimally conditioned breathing gases, making it comfortable for patients and reducing the risks and care complexities associated with mask therapies. While being treated, patients can talk, eat, drink and take oral medication.

Website Information

Vapotherm routinely posts important information for investors on the Investor Relations section of its website, http://investors.vapotherm.com/. Vapotherm intends to use this website as a means of disclosing material, non-public information and for complying with Vapotherms disclosure obligations under Regulation FD. Accordingly, investors should monitor the Investor Relations section of Vapotherms website, in addition to following Vapotherms press releases, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings, public conference calls, presentations and webcasts. The information contained on, or that may be accessed through, Vapotherms website is not incorporated by reference into, and is not a part of, this document.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210609005467/en/

Investor Relations:

Mark Klausner or Mike Vallie, Westwicke, an ICR Company, ir@vtherm.com, +1 (603) 658-0011

Source: Vapotherm, Inc.
FILE PHOTO: The moon rises behind the storage tanks of a local oil refinery in Omsk, Russia June 5, 2020. REUTERS/Alexey Malgavko

By Stephanie Kelly

NEW YORK (Reuters) -Oil prices rose on Tuesday, settling at the highest in more than two years after the top U.S. diplomat said that even if the United States were to reach a nuclear deal with Iran, hundreds of U.S. sanctions on Tehran would remain in place.

That could mean additional Iranian oil supply would not be re-introduced into the market soon.

"I would anticipate that even in the event of a return to compliance with the JCPOA (2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action), hundreds of sanctions will remain in place, including sanctions imposed by the Trump administration," U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said.

Brent crude rose 73 cents, or 1%, to close at $72.22 a barrel, the highest it has settled since May 2019. U.S. West Texas Intermediate oil rose 82 cents, or 1.2%, to settle at $70.05 a barrel, highest since October 2018.

"Blinken is looking at the reality of the situation and saying even if we do get a deal, theres a long way to go," said Phil Flynn, senior analyst at Price Futures Group in Chicago. "All those people expecting a flood of oil are going to be disappointed."

The United States told Iran on Tuesday that it must let the U.N. atomic agency continue to monitor its activities, as laid out in an agreement that has been extended until June 24, or put wider talks on reviving the Iran nuclear deal at risk.

Barriers to the revival of Iran's nuclear deal remain ahead of talks due to resume this week between Tehran and world powers, four diplomats, two Iranian officials and two analysts told Reuters.

Futures were pressured by data showing China's crude imports were down 14.6% in May from a year earlier.

Crude prices have risen in recent weeks, with Brent up by nearly 40% this year and WTI even more on expectations of demand returning as some countries vaccinate populations against COVID-19.

Restraint on supply by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies has also buttressed prices.

U.S. crude oil production is expected to fall by 230,000 barrels per day (bpd) in 2021 to 11.08 million bpd, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) said, a smaller decline than it forecast last month.

U.S. crude inventories fell by 2.1 million barrels last week, two market sources said after settlement, citing American Petroleum Institute figures. Gasoline inventories rose by 2 million barrels and distillate stocks climbed by 3.8 million barrels.

"The fundamental environment on the oil market remains favourable: fuel demand is recovering strongly not only in the United States, but also in Europe following the (partial) lifting of restrictions," Commerzbank said.

Some still question the demand recovery's trajectory. For instance, some doubt Britain, one of the most vaccinated countries in the world, will lift all restrictions as previously planned on June 21.

(Reporting by Stephanie Kelly in New York; additional reporting by Ahmad Ghaddar and Aaron Sheldrick; Editing by Jason Neely, Mark Heinrich and David Gregorio)
Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, today announced it has entered into a procurement agreement with the United States government for molnupiravir (MK-4482). Molnupiravir is currently being evaluated in a Phase 3 clinical trial, the MOVe-OUT study, for the treatment of non-hospitalized patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 and at least one risk factor associated with poor disease outcomes. Merck is developing molnupiravir in collaboration with Ridgeback Biotherapeutics.

Merck is pleased to collaborate with the U.S. government on this new agreement that will provide Americans with COVID-19 access to molnupiravir  an investigational oral therapy being studied for outpatient use early in the course of disease  if it is authorized or approved, said Rob Davis, president, Merck. In addition to this agreement with the U.S. government, we are actively engaged in numerous efforts to make molnupiravir available globally to fulfill Mercks commitment to widespread access.

Through the agreement, if molnupiravir receives Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) or approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Merck will receive approximately $1.2 billion to supply approximately 1.7 million courses of molnupiravir to the United States government. Merck has been investing at risk to support development and scale-up production of molnupiravir and expects to have more than 10 million courses of therapy available by the end of 2021.

Merck also plans to submit applications for emergency use or approval to regulatory bodies outside of the U.S. and is currently in discussions with other countries interested in advance purchase agreements for molnupiravir. Merck is committed to providing timely access to molnupiravir globally and intends to implement a tiered pricing approach based on World Bank data that recognizes countries relative ability to finance their public health response to the pandemic.

As part of its access strategy, Merck has also entered into non-exclusive voluntary licensing agreements for molnupiravir with established generic manufacturers to accelerate availability of molnupiravir in 104 low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) following approvals or emergency authorization by local regulatory agencies.

In addition to developing molnupiravir, Merck is contributing to the pandemic response by collaborating with Johnson & Johnson to support the manufacture of its COVID-19 vaccine.

This procurement of molnupiravir will be supported in whole or in part with federal funds from the Department of Health and Human Services; Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response; Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, in collaboration with the DOD Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense (JPEO-CBRND) under contract number W911QY21C0031.

About Molnupiravir

Molnupiravir (EIDD-2801/MK-4482) is an investigational, orally bioavailable form of a potent ribonucleoside analog that inhibits the replication of multiple RNA viruses including SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of COVID-19. Molnupiravir has been shown to be active in several models of SARS-CoV-2, including for prophylaxis, treatment and prevention of transmission, as well as SARS-CoV-1 and MERS. EIDD-2801 was invented at Drug Innovations at Emory (DRIVE), LLC, a not-for-profit biotechnology company wholly owned by Emory University, and with partial funding support from the U.S. government. Since licensed by Ridgeback, all funds used for the development of EIDD-2801 by Ridgeback have been provided by Wayne and Wendy Holman and Merck.

The Phase 3 portion (Part 2) of the MOVe-OUT study, evaluating the potential of molnupiravir to reduce the risk of hospitalization or death, is ongoing. Merck currently anticipates that, pending favorable results from MOVe-OUT, the earliest possible submission for an Emergency Use Authorization for molnupiravir will be in the second half of 2021. Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics plan to share further findings from the ongoing molnupiravir development program with regulatory agencies as they become available. For more information on the molnupiravir clinical trial please visit https://merckcovidresearch.com/.

In addition, Merck plans to initiate a clinical program to evaluate molnupiravir for post- exposure prophylaxis in the second half of 2021.
Wilmington, DE, June 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Apache Software Foundation (ASF), the all-volunteer developers, stewards, and incubators of more than 350 Open Source projects and initiatives, announced keynotes, sponsors, and program for ApacheConTM Asia, taking place online 6-8 August 2021. Registration is open and free for all attendees.

"Were excited to hold ApacheCon Asia online following last years highly successful ApacheCon@Home," said Sheng Wu, ApacheCon Asia co-Chair and member of the ASF Board of Directors. "The pandemic mobilized the global Apache community to collectively produce a first-rate online event, supported by an outstanding group of sponsors. We are proud to build on ApacheCons new virtual format and bring the ApacheCon Asia program to participants joining us from any location."

ApacheCon is the ASF's official global conference series, first held in 1998. ApacheCon draws attendees from more than 130 countries to experience "Tomorrow's Technology Today" independent of business interests, corporate biases, or sales pitches.

ApacheCon showcases the latest breakthroughs from dozens of Apache projects, with content selected entirely by Apache projects and their communities. ApacheCon Asia joins ApacheCon@Home, taking place online 21-23 September, to meet the educational demands of the growing Apache community of developers, users, and enthusiasts worldwide.

"Tune in to ApacheCon Asia's 140+ sessions to learn the latest developments, best practices, and lessons learned with Apache projects, incubating podlings, and community-led development 'The Apache Way', said Willem Jiang, ApacheCon Asia co-Chair and initiator of Apache Local Community Beijing. "Participants can also connect and network virtually with attendees, speakers, and sponsors in real-time, as well as revisit presentations and explore additional tracks after the event."

Participants at all levels will learn about Apache project innovations in categories that include: APIs and Microservices; Big Data; Community; Culture; Data Visualization; Incubator; Integration; IoT and IIoT; Messaging; Middleware; Observability; Streaming; Servers; Workflow and Data Governance.

Featured Apache projects include Airflow, APISIX, Arrow, Atlas, Bigtop, BookKeeper, brpc (incubating), Camel, CarbonData, Cassandra, Commons, DolphinScheduler, Doris (incubating), Druid, Dubbo, ECharts, Flink, Hadoop, HBase, Hive, HUDI, Ignite, Impala, InLong (incubating), IoTDB, Kafka, Kudu, Kylin, Liminal (incubating), MXNet (incubating), Nemo (incubating), Ozone, Pegasus (incubating), Pinot (incubating), PLC4X, Pulsar, RocketMQ, ServiceComb, ShardingSphere, SkyWalking, Sling, Spark, StreamPipes (incubating), Superset, Teaclave (incubating), Tomcat, YuniKorn (Incubating), and more.

Keynote presentations will be delivered by Dongxu Huang, CTO of PingCAP; Jianmin Wang, Dean, School of Software at Tsinghua University; Sharan Foga, ASF Board Member; and Sheng Wu, ASF Board Member. Plenary sessions will be presented by AliCloud, API7, DiDi Chuxing, Huawei, Kyligence, and Tencent Cloud.

The full program is available at https://apachecon.com/acasia2021/tracks.html

ApacheCon Asia sponsors include Strategic Sponsor Huawei; Platinum Sponsors AliCloud, API7, DiDi Chuxing, Kyligence, and Tencent Cloud; and Gold Sponsor Baidu. Huawei, Tencent, DiDi and Baidu are also Sponsors of ApacheCon@Home at the above levels.

To sponsor ApacheCon Asia and/or ApacheCon@Home, visit https://www.apachecon.com/acah2021/2021_ApacheCon_prospectus.pdf

Register today at https://apachecon.com/acasia2021/register.html .

About ApacheConApacheCon is the official global conference series of The Apache Software Foundation. Since 1998 ApacheCon has been drawing participants at all levels to explore "Tomorrow's Technology Today" across 350+ Apache projects and their diverse communities. In 2020 and 2021 ApacheCon events showcase ubiquitous Apache projects and emerging innovations virtually through sessions, keynotes, real-world case studies, community events, and more, all online and free of charge. For more information, visit http://apachecon.com/ and https://twitter.com/ApacheCon .

About The Apache Software Foundation (ASF)Established in 1999, The Apache Software Foundation is the worlds largest Open Source foundation, stewarding 227M+ lines of code and providing more than $20B+ worth of software to the public at 100% no cost. The ASFs all-volunteer community grew from 21 original founders overseeing the Apache HTTP Server to 850+ individual Members and 200 Project Management Committees who successfully lead 350+ Apache projects and initiatives in collaboration with 8,200+ Committers through the ASFs meritocratic process known as "The Apache Way". Apache software is integral to nearly every end user computing device, from laptops to tablets to mobile devices across enterprises and mission-critical applications. Apache projects power most of the Internet, manage exabytes of data, execute teraflops of operations, and store billions of objects in virtually every industry. The commercially-friendly and permissive Apache License v2 is an Open Source industry standard, helping launch billion dollar corporations and benefiting countless users worldwide. The ASF is a US 501(c)(3) not-for-profit charitable organization funded by individual donations and corporate sponsors including Aetna, Alibaba Cloud Computing, Amazon Web Services, Anonymous, Baidu, Bloomberg, Budget Direct, Capital One, Cloudera, Comcast, Confluent, Didi Chuxing, Facebook, Google, Handshake, Huawei, IBM, Microsoft, Namebase, Pineapple Fund, Red Hat, Reprise Software, Target, Tencent, Union Investment, Verizon Media, and Workday. For more information, visit http://apache.org/ and https://twitter.com/TheASF .

 The Apache Software Foundation. "Apache", "Airflow", "Apache Airflow", "APISIX", "Apache APISIX", "Arrow", "Apache Arrow", "Atlas", "Apache Atlas", "Bigtop", "Apache Bigtop", "BookKeeper", "Apache BookKeeper", "Camel", "Apache Camel", "CarbonData", "Apache CarbonData", "Cassandra", "Apache Cassandra", "Commons", "Apache Commons", "DolphinScheduler", "Apache DolphinScheduler", "Druid", "Apache Druid", "Dubbo", "Apache Dubbo", "ECharts", "Apache ECharts", "Flink", "Apache Flink", "Hadoop", "Apache Hadoop", "HBase", "Apache HBase", "Hive", "Apache Hive", "HUDI", "Apache HUDI", "Ignite", "Apache Ignite", "Impala", "Apache Impala", "IoTDB", "Apache IoTDB", "Kafka", "Apache Kafka", "Kudu", "Apache Kudu", "Kylin", "Apache Kylin", "Ozone", "Apache Ozone", "PLC4X", "Apache PLC4X", "Pulsar", "Apache Pulsar", "RocketMQ", "Apache RocketMQ", "ServiceComb", "Apache ServiceComb", "ShardingSphere", "Apache ShardingSphere", "SkyWalking", "Apache SkyWalking", "Sling", "Apache Sling", "Spark", "Apache Spark", "Superset", "Apache Superset", "Tomcat", "Apache Tomcat", and "ApacheCon" are registered trademarks or trademarks of the Apache Software Foundation in the United States and/or other countries. All other brands and trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

# # #

Attachment

Sally Khudairi, Vice President The Apache Software Foundation press(at)apache(dot)org

ApacheCon-Asia-main logo for ApacheCon Asia 2021

Source: The Apache Software Foundation
MAPLE GROVE, Minn., June 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TopLine Federal Credit Unions annual Personal Care Drive held during the month of May benefited three local non-profits, Avenues for Youth, Keystone Community Services and Union Gospel Mission Twin Cities. TopLine members and employees generously donated a variety of personal care items including body wash and soap, tooth paste and brushes, diapers, hair care products and so much more to help our neighbors in need.

Employees were able to participate by donating personal care items and money in exchange for a Foundation Friday/Saturday sticker, allowing them to wear jeans to work on specific days during the four-week program. TopLine members could also purchase items from our Amazon Wishlist or Target Registry and have them delivered directly to TopLine, and in return we delivered to our charitable partners. When the program ended TopLine employees and members had donated over 1,128 personal care items and nearly $600 in cash to assist local individuals and families in need.

At TopLine we are committed to making life better for others, and aim to support the needs in our communities, says Tom Smith, TopLine President and CEO. Working together we can make a positive impact to ensure youth, individual and family basic needs are met. Thank you to all our generous donors in helping to improve the lives of others.

Since 2002, TopLine Federal Credit Union employees and members have been involved in several programs each year to benefit Avenues for Youth, Keystone Community Services and Union Gospel Mission Twin Cities. In addition to the annual personal care drive these efforts have included drives for food, clothing, books, bikes, back-to-school supplies and holiday gifts. Avenues for Youth provides emergency shelter, short-term housing and supportive services for homeless youth in a safe and nurturing environment. There are over 6,000 homeless youth in Minnesota each night. Avenues shelters in Brooklyn Park and Minneapolis help over 300 youth. Visit www.avenuesforyouth.org to learn more.

Keystone Community Services is a community-based volunteer organization in St. Paul that helps thousands of low-income individuals and families in the East Metro Area. Keystones mission is to strengthen the capacity of individual and families to improve their quality of life. Visit www.keystoneservices.org to learn more.

Union Gospel Mission Twin Cities is a Christian ministry dedicated to serving people facing homelessness, poverty, or addiction in our community. By meeting physical, spiritual, emotional, and educational needs, our Mission is changing lives! Visit www.ugmtc.org to learn more.

TopLine Federal Credit Union, a Twin Cities-based credit union, is Minnesotas 13th largest, with assets of more than $615 million and serves nearly 46,000 members. Established in 1935, the not-for-profit cooperative offers a complete line of financial services, as well as auto and home insurance, from its five branch locations  in Bloomington, Brooklyn Park, Maple Grove, Plymouth and in St. Pauls Como Park  as well as by phone, mobile app and online at www.TopLinecu.com. Membership is available to anyone who lives, works, worships, attends school or volunteers in Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott or Washington Counties and their immediate family members. Visit us on our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/TopLineFederalCreditUnion. To learn more about the credit unions foundation, visit https://www.toplinecu.com/foundation.

CONTACT: Vicki Roscoe Erickson Senior Vice President, Marketing & Communications, TopLine Federal Credit Union President, TopLine Credit Union Foundation verickson@toplinecu.com 763.391.0872

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ddf22947-83d3-43bc-9869-abd84b05433b

TopLines Personal Care Drive Benefits Local Communities TopLines Personal Care Drive Benefits Local Communities

Source: TopLine Federal Credit Union
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - June 9, 2021) - Ocim Precious Metals SA ("OCIM") is pleased to announce it has signed a US$5-million alternative financing agreement in connection with Pilar Gold's acquisition of the Pilar de Gois gold mining complex in Brazil from Equinox Gold (TSX: EQX) (NYSE: EQX).

Privately held Canadian company Pilar Gold Inc. ("Pilar Gold") has acquired the Pilar de Goias mine from Equinox Gold for a total of US$38 million. Located in the state of Goias in Brazil and operating since 2014, the Pilar de Goias mining complex comprises two underground mines and a processing unit, producing nearly 40,000 ounces of gold per year, with the potential for 100,000 ounces. Equinox Gold has acquired a 9.9% stake in Pilar Gold and will receive 1% of revenues from future production at Pilar de Goias.

To finance this landmark acquisition, Pilar Gold is relying on a combination of equity, vendor finance and alternative financing. As part of this package, OCIM is providing Pilar Gold with US$5 million of non-dilutive financing, repayable in gold bullion. In return, Pilar Gold will, for the next 12 months, deliver a pre-agreed quantity of gold from the Pilar mine to OCIM each month at a discount to the market's spot price.

This financing allows Pilar Gold to acquire a high potential site already in production along with a world-class processing unit. This benchmark infrastructure is an engine for driving the company's expansion and positions it as a future major player for gold production in Brazil.

"This transaction underscores the relevance of OCIM's offering as a partner supporting transformational transactions while providing a complementary alternative to traditional debt and equity financings. It also demonstrates OCIM's ability to access major off-market opportunities by placing itself at the heart of the mining ecosystem and of a company's development," explained Laurent Mathiot, CEO of OCIM.

ABOUT PILAR GOLD

Pilar Gold is a fast-growing Canadian gold company operating in Brazil. The business, which has acquired the benchmark Pilar de Goias mining complex in the state of Goias, currently operates two mines and a 4.000 tpd processing units. With this acquisition and others to come, the company aims to produce close to 200,000 ounces of gold per year by 2024 and to become a major player in the Brazilian gold sector within a few years. Pilar Gold, which employs an experienced team of approximately 1,000 people, is preparing for an IPO on the Toronto Stock Exchange in the course of 2021.

ABOUT OCIM

The OCIM group of privately held companies has a long and successful history as a Trader and Financier of Strategic Assets. Established in Paris in 1961, OCIM is headed by a third-generation member of the founding family. Besides its core historical business in Real Estate, OCIM has diversified into other strategic tangible assets such as coinage Precious Metals via its Geneva-based subsidiary. As a Merchant, OCIM trades physical metals across the full value chain, from producers to end users. As a Financier, OCIM invests in a wide variety of instruments and provides financing to the value chain with equity, debt, and alternative investments.

To learn more about OCIM visit www.ocim.eu

CONTACT

Miranda J. Werstiuk

+1 647 299 1778

miranda.werstiuk@ocim.eu

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/87077
ARLINGTON, Va., June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The AES Corporation (NYSE: AES) today announced that the Edison Electric Institute (EEI) awarded its Alamitos Battery Energy Storage System with the US Edison Award, the highest honor given in the electric power industry.

AES' Alamitos BESS is a first-of-its-kind project that ushered in wide domestic and global adoption of energy storage.

Completed in 2020 and located in Long Beach, California, AES' Alamitos Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) project made history as the first stand-alone energy storage project in the US built specifically in lieu of a new natural gas peaking plant. The 100-megawatt, 400 megawatt-hour Alamitos BESS uses Fluence Advancion 5 technology and is one of the largest battery storage systems in operation in the world today. When fully charged, it supplies power to tens of thousands of homes in milliseconds.

Not only does the Alamitos BESS help provide Southern California with reliable power during times of peak demand, but the technology is designed to enable the widespread adoption of renewables, also helping the State of California meet its goal of 100% carbon-free energy by 2045.

"We are honored to be recognized with the 2021 US Edison Award. Together with Fluence, we are proud to develop the solutions that are enabling the transition of our entire sector," said Andres Gluski, AES President and CEO. "Our thanks go out to Southern California Edison for their foresight and leadership in enabling this innovative project."

"As EEI member companies continue to advance their clean energy commitments, new technologies such as AES' energy storage system are positively transforming the electric power industry," said EEI President Tom Kuhn. "AES' investment enhances the resilience, reliability and security of the energy grid while also benefiting the customers and the communities they serve every day. I applaud their innovative work and congratulate them for winning this prestigious award."

This award is AES' seventh Edison Award, the most awarded to any electric energy company in recent history.

About AES The AES Corporation (NYSE: AES) is a Fortune 500 global energy company accelerating the future of energy. Together with our many stakeholders, we're improving lives by delivering the greener, smarter energy solutions the world needs. Our diverse workforce is committed to continuous innovation and operational excellence, while partnering with our customers on their strategic energy transitions and continuing to meet their energy needs today. For more information, visit www.aes.com.

View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/aes-wins-annual-edison-award-for-alamitos-battery-energy-storage-project-in-california-301309482.html

SOURCE The AES Corporation
DENVER, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- ClubWise, an all-in-one billing and club management solution for health and fitness organizations, is hosting "Setting You Up for Success," a three-part education series to support fitness club owners as they rebuild business post-pandemic. Started in 2001, ClubWise supports more than 1,000 fitness clubs globally.

ClubWise hosts a three-part education series to support fitness club owners as they rebuild business post-pandemic.

The three-part education series is led by noted fitness business expert the Retention Guru Paul Bedford, PhD, who specializes in the areas of retention, attrition and customer experience. The ClubWise series provides small club owners with proven tools and strategies to succeed, with a focus on membership onboarding, retention and re-engagement. The series is being launched during the Future of Fitness virtual tradeshow on June 16-17, 2021. Those interested in registering for the series should go to https://futureoffitness.clubindustry.com, register for the free tradeshow, and then visit the ClubWise virtual booth.

ClubWise is an all-in-one billing and club management solution that lets operators focus on what matters most  members. ClubWise offers an integrated suite of services to support member retention, customer engagement, membership collection, new business generation, club management and access control.

"For the past 20 years, ClubWise has proven delivery on our mission to help customers focus on what matters most: their members," says Julian Matthews, president, ClubWise. "As a club owner myself, I know firsthand the challenges small business owners in this industry face. This series aims to provide club owners with the tools they need for business success."

ClubWise is a part of EverCommerce's EverWell portfolio that delivers tailored, integrated solutions for fitness, wellness and salon and spa professionals. Through EverCommerce, a leading service commerce platform, EverWell drives streamlined day-to-day business operations, improved marketing effectiveness, and modernized engagement with customers.

For more information about ClubWise, visit http://www.clubwise.com.

About ClubWiseClubWise is an all-in-one billing and club management solution that lets operators focus on what matters most  members. ClubWise offers an integrated suite of services to support member engagement, membership collection, new business generation, club management and access control. First launched in 2001, ClubWise supports more than 1,000 fitness clubs globally. Learn more at www.clubwise.com.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this press release may be forward-looking statements. Statements regarding our future development plans, expansions, acquisitions and new store openings are forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terms such as ''may,'' ''will,'' ''should,'' ''expects,'' ''plans,'' ''anticipates,'' ''could,'' ''intends,'' ''targets,'' ''projects,'' ''contemplates,'' ''believes,'' ''estimates,'' ''predicts,'' ''potential'' or ''continue'' or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions. The forward-looking statements in this press release are only predictions. We have based these forward-looking statements largely on our current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that we believe may affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this communication. Except as required by applicable law, we do not plan to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of any new information, future events or otherwise.

View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/clubwise-hosts-education-series-to-help-health-and-fitness-club-owners-boost-retention-and-membership-301309324.html

SOURCE ClubWise
FILE PHOTO: A 2021 Lordstown Motors Endurance truck is pictured at the White House in Washington D.C. behind former U.S. President Donald Trump and two Lordstown employees. Washington, U.S., September 28, 2020. REUTERS/Carlos Barria/File Photo

By Ben Klayman and Chris Prentice

DETROIT/WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Lordstown Motors Corp shares rallied to positive territory on Wednesday afternoon after the electric truck maker said it was in talks with multiple parties to raise funds.

The disclosure came a day after Lordstown warned in a U.S. regulatory filing that there was "substantial doubt" about its ability to continue as a going concern in the next year due to problems in funding production of its vehicle.

Shares of Lordstown were up 2% on Wednesday afternoon. Earlier in the day they plunged as much as 20% as investors awoke to a vastly different financial picture than Lordstown faced last August when it announced it would go public through a reverse merger with a blank-check company.

Lordstown in a Wednesday statement reaffirmed it has "adequate capital to continue operations, meet supplier obligations and begin limited production," but will need to raise additional funds and was in talks to do that.

"We are debt free, have significant tangible assets and multiple viable avenues to raise capital including asset-backed financing, equity, equity-related or debt financing, loans, as well as potential strategic investments over the longer term," the company said. "We are already in active conversations with multiple parties to do so."

Last month, Chief Executive Steve Burns on an earnings conference call said the Ohio company needed more capital to launch its Endurance pickup truck and production this year would be half of prior expectations.

Lordstown's situation has raised doubts about forecasts the company made on Aug. 3, 2020, when it announced its deal to go public through a reverse merger with special-purpose acquisition company (SPAC) DiamondPeak Holdings. The deal closed in October.

In March, Lordstown's shares slumped after Hindenburg Research disclosed it had taken a short position on the stock, saying the company had misled consumers and investors on demand for its vehicle.

Short sellers bet the price of a stock will fall by borrowing and selling shares in the hope of buying them back at a cheaper price and pocketing the difference.

Lordstown subsequently said the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) had asked for information related to its SPAC merger and preorders of its vehicles. Burns said Lordstown was cooperating with the investigation.

SEC officials did not respond to a request for comment on Wednesday.

The company is also facing class actions stemming from the Hindenburg report.

On Wednesday, Hindenburg founder Nathan Anderson said in an email: "After months of denials and obfuscation, Lordstown is finally beginning to acknowledge its precarious financial state and its unrealistic production projections."

RBC Capital Markets analyst Joseph Spak initiated coverage on Tuesday of Lordstown with an "underperform" rating and $5 price target. He believes Lordstown will need an additional $2.25 billion in capital through 2025 to remain solvent and will not break even until 2025, three years after company projections.

WORKING ON ENERGY DEPT LOAN

In alerting investors last month it would need more money, Lordstown blamed COVID-19 and industry-wide related issues for higher spending on parts, shipping and third-party engineering resources.

Lordstown said options to raise money could include asset-backed financing and investments from strategic partners like other automakers. However, Burns, the company's largest shareholder, said Lordstown was not for sale.

Lordstown also is hoping to close a deal with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for a $200 million loan to help pay for the costs of retooling its factory. Winning the approval of Energy officials could be key to assuaging some investors' concerns.

Lordstown has been touting the prospect of the loan since last August and Burns said last month he hopes to complete that process in the next few months. DOE officials declined to comment.

When Lordstown announced the SPAC deal, it boasted its electric truck would be first to market to serve commercial fleet customers. It has affirmed its September launch timeline, but the lower production forecast undercuts the head start Lordstown has on Ford Motor Co, which will launch an electric version of its top-selling full-sized pickup, the F-150 Lightning, next spring.

At the time of the SPAC announcement, Lordstown said it had 27,000 preorders for the Endurance worth $1.4 billion, and it subsequently raised that total to more than 100,000. After Hindenburg's report, Lordstown said the orders were nonbinding and on Tuesday it said it had no binding purchase orders.

Ford, which is aiming for the same commercial customers, has said it has 70,000 reservations that require a $100 deposit for its truck.

Lordstown said the Endurance will have a starting price of $52,500 before federal EV tax incentives. The price for Ford's F-150 Lightning will start at just under $40,000.

Investors in the initial SPAC deal included Fidelity Management & Research Co, Wellington Management Co, Federated Hermes Kaufmann Small Cap Fund and BlackRock Inc. BlackRock declined to comment on Wednesday, and officials with the other companies could not be reached to comment.

(Reporting by Ben Klayman in Detroit and Chris Prentice in WashingtonAdditional reporting by David Shepardson in WashingtonEditing by Matthew Lewis)
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-09 22:03:20|Editor: huaxia

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-- Joint efforts to boost trade and strengthen cooperation in emerging industries between China and Central and Eastern European Countries (CEECs) are high on the agenda of the second China-CEEC Expo & International Consumer Goods Fair.

-- Trade between China and CEECs grew at an average pace of 8 percent between 2012 and 2020, more than twice the growth of China-EU trade during the same period.

-- The expo functions as a platform for China and CEECs to carry out in-depth exchanges and achieve win-win outcomes so as to inject new impetus to practical cooperation between the two sides.

Aerial photo taken on June 8, 2021 shows the main venue of the 2nd China-Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC) Expo in Ningbo, east China's Zhejiang Province. (Xinhua/Jiang Han)

HANGZHOU, June 9 (Xinhua) -- Leon Meredyk, a Polish national, spoke in fluent Mandarin as he introduced dairy products from Poland at the second China-CEEC Expo & International Consumer Goods Fair in Ningbo, east China's Zhejiang Province.

"We attach great importance to the Chinese market as it has great potential," said Meredyk, business development manager of Vici Group, a Polish company that started exports to China in 2013.

Themed "Fostering a New Development Paradigm, Sharing a Win-Win Opportunity," the expo opened Tuesday, attracting some 300 enterprises from Central and Eastern European Countries (CEECs) and more than 7,000 buyers.

Joint efforts to boost trade and strengthen cooperation in emerging industries between China and the CEECs are high on the agenda of the expo, which is expected to provide a variety of choices for specialty products from CEECs for Chinese customers, and offer various platforms for exchanging views.

Live-streamers promote products online at the 2nd China-Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC) Expo in Ningbo, east China's Zhejiang Province, June 9, 2021. (Xinhua/Jiang Han)

SUSTAINED VIBRANCY OF TRADE

Bucking a global downturn, trade between China and CEECs jumped 50.2 percent year on year to 30.13 billion U.S. dollars in the first quarter of 2021, data from the Ministry of Commerce (MOC) showed.

In 2020, trade in goods between China and the CEECs exceeded 100 billion U.S. dollars for the first time. In the first quarter of this year, China imported 8.17 billion U.S. dollars worth of goods from these countries, a year-on-year jump of 44.7 percent.

The expo will help the Chinese market learn more about commodities from CEECs, expand CEECs' exports to China, and help all parties respond to the challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic and promote economic recovery.

Over the past few years, China has also seen accelerated trade cooperation with the CEECs. Trade between the two sides grew at an average pace of 8 percent between 2012 and 2020, more than twice the growth of China-EU trade during the same period.

The supply and industrial chains of the two sides are complementary, which leads to positive prospects, said Ren Hongbin, assistant minister of commerce.

China has become Hungary's most important trade partner outside the European Union (EU), said Laszlo Balogh, deputy state secretary of the Ministry of Finance of the country. In 2020, bilateral trade between the two countries rose 22 percent year on year to 11 billion U.S. dollars.

The expo, which is scheduled to close on June 11, will become another trade propeller between China and the CEECs. Featuring products such as helicopters, light aircraft, yachts, as well as agricultural products, high-end kitchen appliances and skincare brands from CEECs, it will provide a platform to promote more balanced trade.

China will take multiple measures including facilitating custom clearance, as part of efforts to realize the promise of importing goods worth 170 billion U.S. dollars from the CEECs in the next five years, said Wang Bingnan, Chinese vice minister of commerce.

Workers unload a container of China's Sinopharm inactivated coronavirus vaccines at the Belgrade Airport, Serbia, Jan. 16, 2021. (Photo by Predrag Milosavljevic/Xinhua)

GREATER SYNERGY IN NEW AREAS

Besides optimizing trade cooperation with the CEECs, China is proactively expanding the cooperation to new areas, including digital, health and green sectors, which will also contribute to the global economic recovery, according to MOC officials.

During the expo, a mechanism for China-CEEC e-commerce cooperation and dialogue was launched as a gesture that the two sides will share joint achievements in talent cultivation and construction of logistics infrastructure, and introduce more commodities from CEECs to China's market through e-commerce platforms.

A China-CEEC alliance in the public health industry has also been established in the meantime.

"Most of the people here in this country are vaccinated, with Sinopharm vaccine from China ... the Chinese vaccines. I think there is not such a country in Europe in which you can find that level of trust (to the Chinese vaccines) that you can see here in Belgrade and Serbia," Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said in an interview with Xinhua earlier this year.

Hungary, the first EU member state to buy and authorize the use of Chinese vaccines, expects further technical cooperation with China. Peter Szijjarto, minister of foreign affairs and trade, said he is thankful for the timely and advanced delivery of the vaccines, which helped protect the lives of Hungarian people.

On June 2, China and 15 CEECs jointly made an announcement to strengthen cooperation in forestry to further boost forest bioeconomic growth. Guan Zhi'ou, head of China's National Forestry and Grassland Administration, deemed it an inevitable choice to achieve sustainable development.

"We should make full use of the expo to carry out in-depth exchanges and achieve more win-win outcomes so as to inject new impetus to practical cooperation between China and the CEECs," said Chinese vice commerce minister Wang Bingnan.

(Video reporters: Mei Yuanlong, Zheng Mengyu, Li Tao, Wang Yiwen, Jiang Han; Video editor: Liu Yuting, Zhang Yuhong, Zhang Xinyi) 
TICKERS: MAG

Source: Streetwise Reports (6/9/21)

H.C. Wainwright & Co. raises its target price on MAG Silver.



In a May 19 research note, H.C. Wainwright & Co. analyst Heiko Ihle discussed MAG Silver Corp.'s (MAG:TSX; MAG:NYSE A) 2021 drilling plans as well as other company news.

Regarding exploration work at Juanicipio, assays are expected sometime during this quarter from the 2020 drill program, comprised of 33 holes over 27,900 meters, Ihle noted.

For this year, 2021, MAG Silver and joint venture (JV) partner Fresnillo budgeted $6 million for exploration at their Mexico project. The campaign calls for stepout and infill drilling of the Valdecanas vein system and drill testing of three main target areas on the property.

As for MAG's Deer Trail project in Utah, Ihle relayed, the company is currently working its phase one drill program there, having completed about 70% of it so far. It also plans to conduct a phase two program, based on incoming core and draft lab results.

"We remain optimistic towards the initial phase one exploration results from MAG's Deer Trail 100% earn-in project, as we expect assays to be received shortly after the program's conclusion," Ihle wrote.

The analyst also reported that H.C. Wainwright raised its target price on MAG Silver to CA$22.50 per share from CA$21.50 after updating the financial component of its model on the mining firm. Ihle discussed MAG's Q1/21 financial results in his report but noted they are "largely irrelevant as the site is not producing at commercial levels yet."

During the quarter, he relayed, MAG garnered US$85,000 in revenue from interest earned on cash, cash equivalents and term deposits and incurred a net loss of US$3.7 million versus US$0.03 million and US$14.9 million, respectively, a year earlier. "The narrower net loss was mostly driven by MAG recognizing a $0.6M equity pick-up in 1Q21, compared with an equity loss of $4.7M in 1Q20," Ihle noted.

At the end of Q1/21, the Canadian explorer-developer had US$92.8 million in cash and cash equivalents, and owes US$73.9 million in initial Juanicipio capex, its portion of the remaining US$168 million. Ihle pointed out that "present expected cashflow generated from material processed at Fresnillo's (FRES.L; not rated) plant should continue to help offset the remaining construction costs for the operation."

Regarding Q1/21 Juanicipio operations and revenue, Ihle relayed, the JV batch processed 36,385 tons of ore at the Fresnillo plant at an average silver head grade of 458 grams per ton. This amount takes the total ore processed since August 2020 to 108,254 tons. Also, the JV sold 431,188 ounces of silver, 631 ounces of gold, 199 tons of zinc and 137 tons of lead, for a gross total of US$10.1 million.

These efforts garnered the JV a Q1/21 gross profit of US$8.2M. Also beneficial to the bottom line, during the quarter deferred income tax expenses were US$1.6 million, compared to US$8.7 million a year earlier.

Commissioning of the Juanicipio processing plant is slated for Q4/21, a major catalyst for MAG Silver, the analyst noted.

H.C. Wainwright has a Buy recommendation on the company.

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Disclosure:

1) Doresa Banning compiled this article for Streetwise Reports LLC and provides services to Streetwise Reports as an independent contractor. She or members of her household own securities of the following companies mentioned in the article: None. She or members of her household are paid by the following companies mentioned in this article: None.

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5) From time to time, Streetwise Reports LLC and its directors, officers, employees or members of their families, as well as persons interviewed for articles and interviews on the site, may have a long or short position in securities mentioned. Directors, officers, employees or members of their immediate families are prohibited from making purchases and/or sales of those securities in the open market or otherwise from the time of the decision to publish an article until three business days after the publication of the article. The foregoing prohibition does not apply to articles that in substance only restate previously published company releases.

Disclosures from H.C. Wainwright & Co., MAG Silver Corp., May 19, 2021

I, Heiko F. Ihle, CFA, Tyler Bisset and Marcus Giannini, certify that 1) all of the views expressed in this report accurately reflect my personal views about any and all subject securities or issuers discussed; and 2) no part of my compensation was, is, or will be directly or indirectly related to the specific recommendation or views expressed in this research report; and 3) neither myself nor any members of my household is an officer, director or advisory board member of these companies.

None of the research analysts or the research analyst's household has a financial interest in the securities of MAG Silver Corp. (including, without limitation, any option, right, warrant, future, long or short position).

As of April 30, 2021, neither the Firm nor its affiliates beneficially own 1% or more of any class of common equity securities of MAG Silver Corp.

Neither the research analyst nor the Firm has any material conflict of interest in of which the research analyst knows or has reason to know at the time of publication of this research report.

The research analyst principally responsible for preparation of the report does not receive compensation that is based upon any specific investment banking services or transaction but is compensated based on factors including total revenue and profitability of the Firm, a substantial portion of which is derived from investment banking services.

The Firm or its affiliates did receive compensation from MAG Silver Corp for investment banking services within twelve months before, and will seek compensation from the companies mentioned in this report for investment banking services within three months following publication of the research report.

H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC managed or co-managed a public offering of securities for MAG Silver Corp. during the past 12 months.

The Firm does not make a market in MAG Silver Corp. as of the date of this research report.

H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC and its affiliates, officers, directors, and employees, excluding its analysts, will from time to time have long or short positions in, act as principal in, and buy or sell, the securities or derivatives (including options and warrants) thereof of covered companies referred to in this research report.
Air Force Sgt. Steven Carrillo, shown here in an undated photo posted to social media, has been charged with the killings of Federal Protective Service Officer Dave Patrick Underwood in May 2020 and Santa Cruz Sheriffs Sgt. Damon Gutzwiller the following month. (Facebook)

MODESTO, Calif. (Tribune News Service) A Califronia man organized and led an armed anti-government militia that included one member, a U.S. Air Force airman, who allegedly killed two law enforcement officers last year, according to federal court filings.

Jessie Alexander Rush, 29, who organized the group known as the Grizzly Scouts, gave himself the title of major and held trainings near his residence in Turlock preceding the killings of Federal Protective Service Officer Dave Patrick Underwood in May 2020 and Santa Cruz Sheriffs Sgt. Damon Gutzwiller the following month, according to the filings.

Air Force Sgt. Steven Carrillo has been charged with the murders, while Rush and three others were indicted in April on federal charges of conspiracy to obstruct justice by destroying evidence related to the murder investigations.

Recent court filings, first reported by The Santa Cruz Sentinel, detail conversations and activities among Rush and other Grizzly Scouts members, who federal prosecutors allege continued to plot more deadly attacks on law enforcement.

Most members of the Grizzly Scouts are still at large, federal prosecutors said. The group identifies with a loosely-affiliated, nationwide militia movement that uses the name Boogaloo and favors Hawaiian shirts and violent rhetoric, but the Scouts activities appear to be more carefully plotted, the Sentinel reported.

Rush, along with Robert Jesus Blancas, 33, of Castro Valley; Simon Sage Ybarra, 23, of Los Gatos; and Kenny Matthew Miksch, 21, of San Lorenzo, are charged with conspiracy to obstruct justice.

The court filings were submitted in the case against Rush and his co-defendants as part of a failed attempt to keep all four defendants in jail pending trial, the Sentinel reported. A federal magistrate ultimately decided three of them, including Rush, were not a danger to the community and did not pose flight risks.

Rush was released to his residence in Turlock on a $50,000 bond co-signed by his wife, according to the filing. Attempts by The Bee to reach him by phone and email were not successful.

The Sentinel reported the filings not only confirm Carrillo as one of the militias roughly 25 members, but detail the groups alleged activities in mid-2020: trainings near Rushs home in Turlock, the creation of a Quick Reaction Force or QRF, and plans to send a member to scout disguised as a member of Antifa to a protest in Sacramento.

The filings allege that, in a document titled Operations Order, the militia described law enforcement officers as enemy forces and spoke of the possibility of taking prisoners at the protest.

The operations order named Rush and Miksch as part of a Quick Reaction Force that would be sent in if the man they sent into the protest ran into trouble. The QRF members were required to carry a rifle and pistol and extra magazines.

The orders said, POWs will be searched for intel and gear, interrogated, stripped naked, blindfolded, driven away and released into the wilderness blindfolded with hands bound, according to court documents.

Rush previously served in the U.S. military, making him the second known member of the militia, along with Carrillo, with military experience, according to the Sentinel. Rushs Linkedin page says he served in the Army. The most recent job listed was a security position at a bar in Turlock that closed two years ago.

Rush allegedly messaged another group member, the gov spent 100s of thousands of dollars on training me, im gonna use that sh.

Towards the end of May and beginning June, the Grizzlies discussions of attacks on law enforcement matured, according to the court filings.

In late May Carrillo allegedly messaged Ybarra that he wanted to commit a cartel style attack and the two met to discuss the plan. Ybarra admitted to FBI agents that he met with Carrillo in his van and they assembled an assault rifle together.

Two days later, Carrillo allegedly opened fire at a guard booth at a federal building in Oakland, killing Underwood and wounding his partner as they stood guard during a protest over the police killing of George Floyd.

Prosecutors said Carrillo used the protest as cover for the crime and for his escape.

The search for Carrillo ended eight days later when he allegedly ambushed and killed Gutzwiller and injured four other officers in Santa Cruz County as they surrounded his home.

Between the two killings, members of the Grizzly Scouts continued to discuss posing as members of Antifa and killing police officers as a way to kick off an all-out confrontation between the police and those groups, according to court documents.

On the day of the shooting in Santa Cruz County, Carrillo allegedly messaged Grizzly Scout members asking them to come to his aid.

Some replied that they were too far away. Rush advised him to delete the data on his phone and evade capture.

Prosecutors said the Grizzly Scouts erased group discussions on their phones about planned attacks on police and moved to a different platform to communicate.

According to the court documents, it was clear the group was mad at Carrillo for making it more difficult for them to operate.

 He removed our platform and robbed our message Rush moaned. Unfortunately we would almost have to wait for the next one, he said, meaning the next opportunity to spark civil war, the document says.

During a search of Rushs Turlock residence in August, investigators seized three pistols, one with an extended magazine, a disassembled assault style rifle, numerous high-capacity magazines and ammunition, a bullet-proof vest, helmet, knife and a radio.

Rush and his co-defendants were scheduled to make their first court appearance in May but the hearing was continued to July 13 to give their attorneys time to review a substantial amount of discovery and discuss with their clients plea offers from federal prosecutors, according to a court filing.

___

(c)2021 The Modesto Bee (Modesto, Calif.)

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EL PASO, Texas (Tribune News Service)  El Paso border groups called for an end to migrant children being housed at emergency intake shelters at Fort Bliss during a protest Tuesday night.

The demonstration was at a city of El Paso Park outside the Army post, where more than 4,000 children who arrived at the Southwest border without a parent or legal guardian are being held in shelters as they wait to receive a sponsor in the U.S.

Children ages 13 to 17 are being temporarily housed, but shelter conditions have been inadequate, with reported COVID-19 infections, lice and other disease outbreaks.

Were here today to denounce the conditions of the children inside the U.S. military base, said Fernando Garcia, executive director for the Border Network for Human Rights.

More than 40 protesters held signs and chanted, Free the children.

In May, when the El Paso Times asked U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra about conditions at the shelters, he said the operation was showing real progress.

Health and Human Services is going to do what we are legally and morally obligated to do, and that is provide that safe and healthy environment for these kids, Becerra said.

On Tuesday, after speakers from the Border Network for Human Rights, the Coalition to End Child Detention in El Paso and Reform Immigration for Texas Alliance addressed the crowd, protesters held a banner in front of southbound U.S. 54. In block letters, the banner read: Free our children.

Diana Martinez, the co-founder of the Coalition to End Child Detention, said she hopes to see more people protesting the conditions at the shelters.

Bring yourself back to a situation where you feel like you dont know where the end is, Martinez said. Connect to that feeling. Thats where those children are.

(c)2021 the El Paso Times (El Paso, Texas)

Visit the El Paso Times (El Paso, Texas) at www.elpasotimes.com

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The "312 Room" on an Expeditionary Fast Transport built by Austal USA has accommodations for 312 passengers. (Lawrence Specker, al.com/TNS)

(Tribune News Service)  Austal USA announced Wednesday that it has received a $44 million contract to develop one of its Expeditionary Fast Transports as an autonomous prototype.

The U.S. Navy contract applies to EPF-13, the future USNS Apalachicola, a ship that is already under construction. It follows a years-long effort by Austal executives to pitch the transport ships it builds in Mobile as a flexible platform that could be adapted to a variety of specialized missions.

As weve seen over the last decade, the expeditionary fast transport continues to provide new capability after new capability, Austal USA Interim President Rusty Murdaugh said in a company announcement. The evolution of this platform and its deployed performance from humanitarian assistance to operational support brings unmatched value to the warfighter. The potential of the EPF to operate unmanned opens the door to a range of new missions for the EPF ranging from logistics support to mine warfare and strike operations using vertical launch systems (VLS).

The EPFs are aluminum catamarans with the capacity to carry several hundred troops and dozens of vehicles, including tanks. Its shallow draft and articulated ramp give it the ability to operate in shallow, unimproved ports. Its landing pad can handle Blackhawk helicopters as well as heavier Sea Stallions, and may eventually be improved to handle the Osprey tiltrotor aircraft used by the U.S. Marine Corps.

The bridge of EPF 12, the future USNS Newport, is seen from the bow of the ship as it is docked alongside Austal USA's shipyard in Mobile, Ala. (Lawrence Specker, al.com/TNS)

The Navy initially ordered 12 of the ships, but the program has been extended, ship by ship. This years budget included money for a 15th. Austal has argued that the platform lends itself to specialized uses, such as small hospital ships, drone motherships or even as fully autonomous platforms. If equipped with the Vertical Launch System, as Murdaugh suggested, it could be a remote missile platform hurling a variety of weaponry at targets over the horizon.

The newly announced contract isnt the first to show that the Navy is intrigued by the possibilities. The Navy has provided funding for EPF-14 to have expanded medical facilities, and when it assigned funding for EPF-15 earlier this year it also called for that vessel to have enhanced medical capability.

Those changes wont transform EPF-14 and -15 into miniature hospital ships; they wont be the Expeditionary Medical Ships that Sen. Richard Shelby proposed in a 2020 COVID relief package that never passed. But they will explore concepts that might conceivably be developed in future ships.

Austal delivered EPF-12, the Newport, last September. For now it has three left to build, and each of those will feature improvements that hint at future possibilities.

In other news from the shipyard, Austal USA announced Wednesday that it expects the Littoral Combat Ship USS Mobile to depart for San Diego at about 8 a.m. Thursday. Later that day, at about 10:30 a.m. another LCS will be moved from final assembly to the nearby Vessel Completion Yard. Both ships should be visible from downtown Mobile; the planned schedule may change due to weather or other factors.

2021 Advance Local Media LLC.

Visit al.com.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Buy Photo A customer walks toward the Navy Lodge at Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan, Wednesday, June 9, 2021. (Daniel Betancourt/Stars and Stripes)

Some Navy Lodges around the world are reopening for leisure travel guests after a nearly yearlong hiatus spurred by the coronavirus pandemic.

Many military-run hotels stopped accepting leisure travel reservations so the rooms could be used for service members and other U.S. personnel placed in quarantine.

Buy Photo A customer checks into the Navy Lodge at Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan, Wednesday, June 9, 2021. (Daniel Betancourt/Stars and Stripes)

We are excited to welcome back our leisure travel guests, Chris Settelen, vice president of Navy Exchange Service Commands Navy Lodge Program, said in a news release Tuesday. While our primary mission is to support military members on permanent change of station orders or temporary duty, we are also here for our families who are enjoying time away from work and on vacation. It will be nice to see them back in our Navy Lodges.

Locations reopening for leisure travel on a space-available basis include Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan; Naval Base San Diego and Moffett Federal Airfield in California; Jacksonville Naval Air Station, Fla.; and Fort Wadsworth in New York City.

Some lodges require guests to make reservations no later than one week in advance.

In alignment with Defense Department and Centers for Disease Control policies, fully vaccinated guests will not have to wear a mask inside some lodges, according to the release. Guests will need to check the policy at each installation.

The New Sanno Hotel, a U.S. Naval Joint Services Activity facility in central Tokyo, reopened to guests in May.

The challenges of 2020 and 2021 during the Pandemic have taken a great toll on most of us, Michael Chung, who is in charge of marketing for the hotel, told Stars and Stripes in an email Wednesday. Our versions of normal and how we spend our free time was altered, priorities were changed. As we move forward in recovery, we are ready to be treated, to come together socially, to share positive moments with those that they care about.

earl.erica@stripes.com

Twitter: @ThisEarlGirl
Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael Garcia, aboard the Military Sealift Command fleet replenishment oiler USNS Patuxent, relays information on a radio during rescue operations for the crew members of the commercial vessel Falcon Line, which sank in the Gulf of Aden, June 8, 2021. (Joshua Mazon/U.S. Navy)

A U.S. Navy ship's crew rescued 15 people from a sinking commercial vessel off the coast of Somalia, the Bahrain-based 5th Fleet said Wednesday.

The replenishment oiler USNS Patuxent was operating in the Gulf of Aden when it was notified that the Falcon Line, a general cargo ship registered in the African nation of Gabon, was taking on water.

Patuxent proceeded at maximum speed to rescue the Falcon Line crew before the ship sank, 5th Fleet said in a statement.

Petty Officer 1st Class Magezi Johnson and Petty Officer 3rd Class Gurney White, aboard the Military Sealift Command fleet replenishment oiler USNS Patuxent, serve hot meals to rescued crew members from the commercial ship Falcon Line, while underway in the Gulf of Aden, June 8, 2021. (Michael Garcia/U.S. Navy)

The Patuxent team shielded the Falcon Line crew from heavy winds and high seas so they could board lifeboats, the Navy said.

They provided the rescued crew with food, water and a medical screening, the Navy said.

As professional mariners, our forces have a duty to help those in need at sea, said Navy Capt. Michael ODriscoll, commander of Task Force 53. The sailors and civilian mariners aboard ships like Patuxent have answered this call before, and they will continue to do so whenever possible.

U.S. 5th Fleet is coordinating with the owner of Falcon Line and other authorities to determine where to disembark the crew members, the Navy said.

The 3,200-ton Falcon Line, built in 1991, was sailing from the Yemeni port of al Mukalla to Bosaso in Somalia when it went adrift and began taking on water, according to commercial ship tracking monitors.

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Buy Photo (Ed Killpack/Stars and Stripes)

Frankfurt, West Germany, May 1953: World War II veterans of the Luftwaffes Werner Moelders wing inspect an F-84 Thunderjet during a visit to Rhein-Main Air Base, where some of them were stationed in 1939. Of the 37 German veterans visiting the base, 25 were combat pilots during the war. They were led by Heinz Lange, a 35-year-old Cologne lawyer who had flown 628 combat missions and was credited with 70 victories.
An aerial view of the USS Arizona and Battleship Missouri Memorials at Ford Island, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. Diamond Head, Honolulu and Waikiki are in the distance. (Johans Chavarro/U.S. Navy)

FORT SHAFTER, Hawaii  A bomb threat led to the closure of all gates leading in and out of Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, for about five hours Tuesday, according to base officials.

Residents and workers at the base were directed to shelter in place at about 9:30 a.m. An all-clear was issued about 2 p.m.

No bomb was found, said base spokesman Chuck Anthony.

The alert also temporarily shut down tours to the USS Arizona Memorial, Battleship Missouri Memorial and the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum on Ford Island.

Units from Honolulu Police Department and Federal Fire Department responded to assist in the investigation with [base security force] and other emergency personnel, the base said in a news release.

Anthony declined to provide further details about the bomb threat.

The Honolulu Star Advertiser reported that workers at a dry dock at the Pearl Harbor Shipyard were evacuated and that bomb-sniffing dogs were working along the waterfront.

Drivers snarled in long lines of traffic in front of the closed gates expressed frustration on social media over the hours-long delay.

Adding to the confusion, the base had kicked off its annual Citadel Protect exercise Monday, a two-week series of anti-terrorism and force protection scenarios, which the base had warned in a news release would include the firing of blank rounds.

Some social media users believed that the shelter-in-place order was part of the exercise.

olson.wyatt@stripes.com

Twitter: @WyattWOlson
Auckland has been named the worlds most livable city off the strength of New Zealands pandemic response.

The metropolitan area that is home to around 1.6 million people topped a global livability index released by the Economist Intelligence Unit on Wednesday.

Cities in other island nations  Australia and Japan  also ranked high on the list, in part due to their COVID-19 experiences. Vienna, which had led since 2018, fell below the top 10, joining other cities in Europe that spent much of the past year under forms of lockdown alongside a slow start to vaccination programs.

The cities that have risen to the top of the rankings this year are largely the ones that have taken stringent measures to contain the pandemic, the consultancy said in a statement. New Zealands tough lockdown allowed their society to reopen and enabled citizens of cities like Auckland . . . to enjoy a lifestyle that looked similar to pre-pandemic life.

Even as other coronavirus containment successes such as Singapore and Taiwan slipped in recent months, New Zealand has remained effectively free of infections. (Its vaccination program however, is only just starting to take off.)

The other cities in the top five  Japans Osaka and Tokyo, Australias Adelaide and the New Zealand capital of Wellington  also have relatively low coronavirus case counts by global standards.

Meanwhile, poor pandemic outcomes caused slippage among some European and Canadian cities that often receive high rankings. Vienna, which had topped the EIUs index in 2019, fell to 12th place. The Syrian capital of Damascus remained rooted to the bottom of the league table, followed by Lagos, Nigeria.

Cities across the world are now much less livable than they were before the pandemic began, and weve seen that regions such as Europe have been hit particularly hard, the EIU said.

Aucklands success, however, has come at some cost. The city, like others in New Zealand, has faced a severe housing shortage for years, and prices rose sharply even during the pandemic. Thousands of nurses across the country went on strike Wednesday to protest wages that they say have not kept up with housing costs.

Though some cities celebrate their placement on livability lists, critics say the methodology can be hard to untangle.

Theyre a source of pride for citizens and marketing opportunities for cities in high-ranking positions, Jennifer Temmer of the International Institute for Sustainable Development wrote in a 2019 piece for the World Economic Forum. The true benefits from such an index cannot be realized, however, because the proprietary methodology and steep cost for the data used to calculate the rankings limits how useful it is to the communities on the list.

Due to the pandemic, the EIU canceled its ranking for 2020.
Buy Photo People wear masks earlier this spring while strolling around Yamashita Pier in Yokohama, Japan. (Akifumi Ishikawa/Stars and Stripes)

CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa  The U.S. State Department has relaxed an advisory that warned Americans not to travel to Japan as coronavirus numbers continue to decline ahead of the Tokyo Olympics next month.

Meanwhile, U.S. military bases in the country reported four new COVID-19 infections, two with the Air Force on Okinawa and two with U.S. Army Japan.

The State Departments move on Tuesday changes the advisory from level four, or do not travel, to level three, which urges people to reconsider going to Japan.

The update comes on the heels of one by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that lowered Japans COVID-19 risk level from very high, meaning people should avoid all travel to the country, to high, which urges travelers to ensure they are fully vaccinated before heading there.

Unvaccinated individuals are asked to avoid nonessential travel under the high advisory.

Japan has lagged other developed nations in vaccinating its population but is ramping up those efforts ahead of the start of the Tokyo Olympics on July 23.

The country reported 2,242 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, 175 fewer than the same day last week, according to public broadcaster NHK and the World Health Organization. The government has counted 760,000 cases during the pandemic and more than 13,500 deaths, the WHO said.

Tokyo on Wednesday reported another 440 coronavirus infections and seven deaths, according to NHK. Thats 47 fewer infections than the same day last week.

Osaka prefecture, the nations second-largest metro area, reported 153 new cases and 27 deaths Wednesday, NHK said.

Okinawa prefecture, now experiencing its worst phase of the pandemic, reported another 174 new infections Wednesday and two deaths, according to NHK. However, thats 123 fewer cases than the same day last week.

Kadena Air Base had two people test positive for the coronavirus respiratory disease on Tuesday, according to a base Facebook post that evening. Both became ill with COVID-19 symptoms and self-isolated. Contact tracing is ongoing.

Two people with U.S. Army Japan tested positive between June 2 and Wednesday, according to an Army news release Wednesday. One of the individuals was in quarantine after recently arriving in Japan and the other tested positive after developing symptoms.

Stars and Stripes reporter Hana Kusumoto contributed to this report.

burke.matt@stripes.com

Twitter: @MatthewMBurke1
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-09 22:14:47|Editor: huaxia

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MANILA, June 9 (Xinhua) -- Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said on Wednesday that a "win-win cooperation" with China would ensure a partnership that will foster peace and prosperity.

In a pre-recorded message aired during the 46th anniversary of Philippines-China diplomatic relations and 20th Filipino-Chinese Friendship Day, Duterte said the online celebration "reminds us of the deep and abiding friendship between the Filipino-Chinese peoples."

"It is a bond that predates by centuries the formal establishment of diplomatic relations 46 years ago," Duterte said.

Duterte thanked the Filipino-Chinese community for being a partner in promoting economic, cultural, and people-to-people exchanges between the Philippines and China.

Former Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo stressed the significance of China's role in the region and in the global scene.

"China is involved not only in bilateral dealings but also collectively, such as through the Association of Southeast Asian Nations," she said.

"The continuing friendship between our two peoples enhances the mutually beneficial relations between our two countries, and contributes to the peace and harmony in the Asia-Pacific region," Arroyo said, adding that bilateral ties between the Philippines and China "have reached new heights."

Tan Qingsheng, charge d'affaires of China's embassy in the Philippines, said the China-Philippines friendship is best exemplified during the common fight against COVID-19.

China was the first country to donate test kits, the first and the only country to dispatch an anti-pandemic medical expert team to the Philippines, and also the first country to issue a special permit for the Philippine military aircraft and vessels to land and dock in China for the transportation of medical supplies.

China's Sinovac was the first COVID-19 vaccine to arrive in the Philippines both through government-to-government donation and commercial procurement, and it now tops the list of the most welcomed and trusted vaccines among Filipinos, Tan said.

"The two countries will forge an even closer China-Philippines comprehensive strategic cooperative relationship in the new era, and our friendship would shine even brighter in the tempering of time," he said. Enditem
President Joe Biden speaks to American service members at RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk, England, Wednesday, June 9, 2021. (Patrick Semansky/AP)

During President Joe Bidens first overseas tour as commander in chief, he sent a clear message Wednesday that U.S. service members and their families are key to strengthening relationships at home and abroad.

You are the solid steel spine of America around which alliances are built and strengthened, Biden told U.S. troops and their families, speaking in a hangar on RAF Mildenhall, England.

Bidens speech reflected the overall theme for his trip: America is here to lead with strength.

The UK visit  the first stop on his eight-day trip  comes ahead of a meeting next week with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Geneva and with leaders at NATO headquarters in Brussels.

Im meeting with Putin to let him know what I want him to know, Biden said to roaring applause. The United States will respond in a robust and meaningful way when the Russian government engages in harmful activities. That there are consequences for violating the sanctity of democracy.

Among the matters Biden is expected to address with Putin are recent cybersecurity attacks directed at U.S. businesses and government agencies. Officials believe Russia was behind those attacks.

Biden will convene with NATO allies Monday to discuss security issues in Europe and the progress of the alliances withdrawal from Afghanistan. Since he took office, Biden has talked up the value of NATO, which faced frequent criticism from former President Donald Trump on issues like defense spending. During Bidens first visit as president to NATO headquarters, the allies are likely to project a unified front.

This summit will be a strong demonstration of trans-Atlantic unity, of Europe and North America standing together in NATO, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Tuesday after meeting with Biden at the White House. Because we are stronger, we are safer together in a more unpredictable world.

alvarez.kyle@stripes.com

Twitter: @Kal2931
A medical worker administers a Covid-19 swab test to an attendee at a St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) testing point close to the airport in St. Petersburg, Russia, on June 2, 2021. (Andrey Rudakov/Bloomberg)

New cases of COVID-19 in Moscow surged to their highest since mid-January and the Russian capital announced it will add hospital beds to deal with the pandemic and crack down on businesses that flout mask requirements.

Moscow reported 4,124 new cases on Wednesday while infections throughout Russia topped 10,000, the highest in more than three months, according to the governments virus response center.

The city will open up new hospital beds in response to the spike in cases, but a new lockdown isnt necessary, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said Wednesday, according to Interfax.

The growing number of cases in Russia is unusual among countries that offer adults universal access to a vaccine and raise questions about official statements the epidemic is on the retreat. Authorities face widespread skepticism toward domestically developed inoculations, undermining attempts to corral the pandemic.

Our situation is better than in many other countries, President Vladimir Putin told 5,000 in-person attendees at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum last week. The current situation in Russia and St Petersburg allows us to hold such events without any particular risk of spreading the infection.

Hospitals in St. Petersburg and Murmansk were also adding beds to deal with the increased number of cases, according to local media reports this week.

Russias seven-day average of new infections is at the highest since March 22. There were 10,407 cases announced Wednesday, still well below the peak of nearly 30,000 a day in late December.

After a lockdown at the start of the pandemic last year, Kremlin has resisted strict measures to prevent COVID-19s spread in favor of policies aimed at keeping the economy open. The approach helped Russian growth outperform forecasts at a cost of one of the highest death tolls globally.

Moscow plans to crack down on restaurants, bars and shopping centers that ignore sanitary rules, handing out fines of as much as 1 million rubles ($14,000) for violations, RIA Novosti reported, citing city official Yevgeny Danchikov.

Russia has had over 270,000 deaths linked to COVID-19 through April, according to the Federal Statistics Service.

While Putin announced universal, free access to Russias inoculations in January, and later declared that hed been vaccinated, the campaign is proceeding slowly amid public suspicion of the shots.

A total of 15 million people have been vaccinated in Russia and another 3 million have had only the first shot since the effort began early this year, Health Minister Mikhail Murashko said Friday. About 12% of the population have received at least one dose, or less than the percentage of inoculated people in India, which has faced widespread shortages of the vaccine.

Putin ordered the government to develop a plan to offer vaccine tourism by the end of the month saying Russia had enough doses to share. The country earlier faced supply issues as it struggled to ramp up production of the vaccine.
U.S. President Joe Biden is seen on a screen as European Council President Charles Michel attends a virtual Global Climate Summit via video link from the European Council building in Brussels on April 22, 2021. On Bidens first foreign trip as president, he will find many of his hosts in Europe welcoming but wary after a tense four years between Europe and the U.S. under former President Donald Trump. (Johanna Geron/AP)

WASHINGTON  Set to embark on the first overseas trip of his term, President Joe Biden is eager to reassert the United States on the world stage, steadying European allies deeply shaken by his predecessor and pushing democracy as the only bulwark to rising forces of authoritarianism.

Biden has set the stakes for his eight-day trip in sweeping terms, believing that the West must publicly demonstrate it can compete economically with China as the world emerges from the coronavirus pandemic.

Building toward his trip-ending summit with Russia's Vladimir Putin, Biden will aim to reassure European capitals that the United States can once again be counted on as a dependable partner to thwart Moscow's aggression both on their eastern front and their internet battlefields.

The trip will be far more about messaging than specific actions or deals. And the paramount priority for Biden, who leaves Wednesday for his first stop in the United Kingdom, is to convince the world that his administration is not just a fleeting deviation in the trajectory of an American foreign policy that many allies fear irrevocably drifted toward a more transactional outlook under former President Donald Trump.

"The trip, at its core, will advance the fundamental thrust of Joe Biden's foreign policy," said national security adviser Jake Sullivan, "to rally the world's democracies to tackle the great challenges of our time."

Biden's to-do list is ambitious.

In their face-to-face sit-down in Geneva, Biden wants to privately pressure Putin to end myriad provocations, including cybersecurity attacks on American businesses by Russian-based hackers, the jailing of opposition leader Alexei Navalny and repeated overt and covert efforts by the Kremlin to interfere in U.S. elections.

Biden is also looking to rally allies on their COVID-19 response and to urge them to coalesce around a strategy to check emerging economic and national security competitor China even as the U.S. expresses concern about Europe's economic links to Moscow. Biden also wants to nudge outlying allies, including Australia, to make more aggressive commitments to the worldwide effort to curb global warming.

The week-plus journey is a big moment for Biden, who traveled the world for decades as vice president and as chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and will now step off Air Force One on international soil as commander in chief. He will face world leaders still grappling with the virus and rattled by four years of Trump's inward-looking foreign policy and moves that strained longtime alliances as the former president made overtures to strongmen.

"In this moment of global uncertainty, as the world still grapples with a once-in-a-century pandemic," Biden wrote in a Washington Post op-ed previewing his diplomatic efforts, "this trip is about realizing America's renewed commitment to our allies and partners, and demonstrating the capacity of democracies to both meet the challenges and deter the threats of this new age."

The president first travels to Britain for a summit of the Group of Seven leaders and then Brussels for a NATO summit and a meeting with the heads of the European Union. It comes at a moment when Europeans have diminished expectations for what they can expect of U.S. leadership on the foreign stage.

Central and Eastern Europeans are desperately hoping to bind the U.S. more tightly to their security. Germany is looking to see the U.S. troop presence maintained there so it doesn't need to build up its own. France, meanwhile, has taken the tack that the U.S. can't be trusted as it once was and that the European Union must pursue greater strategic autonomy going forward.

"I think the concern is real that the Trumpian tendencies in the U.S. could return full bore in the midterms or in the next presidential election," said Alexander Vershbow, a former U.S. diplomat and once deputy secretary general of NATO.

The sequencing of the trip is deliberate: Biden consulting with Western European allies for much of a week as a show of unity before his summit with Putin.

His first stop late Wednesday will be an address to U.S. troops stationed in Britain, and the next day he sits down with British Prime Minster Boris Johnson. The two men will meet a day ahead of the G-7 summit to be held above the craggy cliffs of Cornwall overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.

The most tactile of politicians, Biden has grown frustrated by the diplomacy-via-Zoom dynamics of the pandemic and has relished the ability to again have face-to-face meetings that allow him to size up and connect with world leaders. While Biden himself is a veteran statesman, many of the world leaders he will see in England, including Johnson and French President Emmanuel Macron, took office after Biden left the vice presidency. Another, Germany's Angela Merkel, will leave office later this year.

There are several potential areas of tension. On climate change, the U.S. is aiming to regain its credibility after Trump pulled the country back from the fight against global warming. Biden could also feel pressure on trade, an issue to which he's yet to give much attention. And with the United States well supplied with COVID-19 vaccines yet struggling to persuade some of its own citizens to use it, leaders whose inoculation campaigns have been slower will surely pressure Biden to share more surplus around the globe.

Another central focus will be China. Biden and the other G-7 leaders will announce an infrastructure financing program for developing countries that is meant to compete directly with Beijing's Belt-and-Road Initiative. But not every European power has viewed China in as harsh a light as Biden, who has painted the rivalry with the techno-security state as the defining competition for the 21st century.

The European Union has avoided taking as strong a stance on Beijing's crackdown on Hong Kong's democracy movement or treatment of Uyghur Muslims and other ethnic minorities in the western Xinjiang province as the Biden administration may like. But there are signs that Europe is willing to put greater scrutiny on Beijing.

The EU in March announced sanctions targeting four Chinese officials involved with human rights abuses in Xinjiang. Beijing, in turn, responded by imposing sanctions on several members of the European Parliament and other Europeans critical of the Chinese Communist Party.

Biden is also scheduled to meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan while in Brussels, a face-to-face meeting between two leaders who have had many fraught moments in their relationship over the years.

Biden waited until April to call Erdogan for the first time as president. In that call, he informed the Turkish leader that he would formally recognize that the systematic killings and deportations of hundreds of thousands of Armenians by Ottoman Empire forces in the early 20th century were "genocide"  using a term for the atrocities that his White House predecessors had avoided for decades over concerns of alienating Turkey.

The trip finale will be Biden's meeting with Putin.

Biden has taken a very different approach to Russia than Trump's friendly outreach. Their sole summit, held in July 2018 in Helsinki, was marked by Trump's refusal to side with U.S. intelligence agencies over Putin's denials of Russian interference in the election two years earlier.

Biden could well be challenged by unrest at home as Russia looks to exploit the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection and the debate over voting rights to undermine the U.S. position as a global role model. The American president, in turn, is expected to push Russia to quell its global meddling.

"By and large, these are not meetings on outcomes, these are 'get to know you again' meetings for the U.S. and Europe," said Richard Haass, president of the Council on Foreign Relations. "It's about delivering a message to Putin, to reviving old alliances and to demonstrate again that the U.S. is back on the right course."
The Role 2 hospital at al Asad Air Base in western Iraq where a walking blood bank was initiated for an injured Iraqi soldier on May 27, 2021. (Christie R. Smith/U.S. Army National Guard )

Dozens of U.S. troops, allied forces and civilian contractors donated blood to help an Iraqi soldier who was severely wounded in a roadside bomb blast near the Syrian border recently.

The 135th Medical Company (Area Support) of the Wisconsin National Guard prepared for the patients arrival at al Asad Air Base in Iraq on May 27, the U.S.-led Operation Inherent Resolve coalition said in a statement Wednesday.

When he arrived, Norwegian medics with Task Force Viking brought him to a base medical facility, where he was stabilized for surgery before a medical evacuation helicopter took him to a hospital in Baghdad.

Within an hour, the limited supply of stored blood at al Asad was exhausted and a basewide call went out for donors with Type O blood who had been pre-screened, the military said. Volunteers were lining up within five minutes to be part of the walking blood bank, which takes fresh blood drawn from pre-tested walking donors for immediate use in casualties.

Without that blood, we would not have been able to stabilize him enough to get him out of here, said Maj. Steven Schoeny, the 135th MCAS commander.

Others called to ask what they could do to assist.

The volunteers didnt know who he was or what was wrong, but they wanted to help, Schoeny said.

While medics were busy drawing blood, a veterinarian stepped in to assist, the military said. The base established a walking blood bank for military working dogs last fall.

More than 60 people donated blood for the wounded soldier.

Everyone did their piece to get him to the next echelon of care, said 2nd Lt. Jennifer Vanden Bosch, a nurse from Appleton, Wis.

Unfortunately, the Iraqi soldier died after being transferred to Iraqi medical care, U.S. Army Col. Wayne Marotto, a coalition spokesman, said in an email to Stars and Stripes.

Over 2,500 U.S. troops and 3,000 international forces remain in Iraq as part of the international coalition supporting efforts to defeat the Islamic State, which continues to fight an insurgent campaign. About 900 Americans are also supporting partner forces in neighboring Syria.

Iraqi security forces have moved into the lead in the #defeatdaesh mission & now are doing the fighting themselves, Marotto said on Twitter last week. The coalition continues to support ISF in training, advising, assisting, at a very high level, & far away from combat on the ground.

garland.chad@stripes.com

Twitter: @chadgarland
Popular Mobilization Forces patrol outside the heavily fortified Green Zone, where the Prime Ministers headquarters is in Baghdad, Iraq, on May 26, 2021. Qassim Mahmoud Musleh, an Iraqi militia commander whose arrest last month sparked a standoff between the government and paramilitary groups, was freed Wednesday June 9, after a judge ordered his release. (Hadi Mizban/AP)

BAGHDAD  An Iraqi militia commander whose arrest last month sparked a standoff between the government and paramilitary groups was freed Wednesday after a judge ordered his release.

The release of Qassim Mahmoud Musleh came as Iranian Gen. Esmail Ghaani, head of the expeditionary Quds Force, arrived in Baghdad to meet with militia and political leaders, two Shiite political officials said.

The officials said the meeting was to address ongoing tensions between the government and some militia groups linked to Iran following Musleh's arrest. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to media.

Supporters of Musleh greeted him with hugs and kisses on Baghdad's central Jadriya Bridge after his release, taking photos and videos with him to celebrate. Two Iraqi officials said Musleh was released at 8 a.m. and he returned to the southern city of Karbala, his hometown, where supporters also greeted him.

Musleh is head of the Popular Mobilization Forces in Anbar province. He was arrested May 27 on terrorism charges following a judicial investigation. His release was ordered by an investigative judge within the PMF, to whom his case file had been sent, two Iraqi officials said.

Iraq's Supreme Judicial Council said Musleh was released because of insufficient evidence and that proper legal procedures had been followed  an apparent effort to dispel criticism over his release.

The PMF is a state-sanctioned group comprised of an array of militias formed to battle the Islamic State group in 2014. Among the most powerful members of the group are Iran-backed Shiite militia groups. Their growing clout within Iraq has troubled Western, especially U.S., officials and presented an ongoing challenge for Iraq's government.

Musleh's arrest sparked tensions and fears of violence when, shortly after, forces affiliated with the PMF surrounded Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi's headquarters inside the heavily fortified Green Zone, the seat of the Iraqi government.

Iraqi security forces and the elite Counter-Terrorism Service were deployed to protect the government and diplomatic missions. PMF factions had also gathered around the Green Zone's entrance gates.

It was the latest incident highlighting al-Kadhimi's ongoing challenge to impose the rule of law on militia groups. The groups are suspected of targeting anti-government protesters and outspoken activists as well as the American presence in Iraq.

Musleh's release was considered by many to be a win for the PMF in its standoff with the government.

In comments to local media in Karbala after his release, Musleh said: "The leadership of the PMF expect that they will be accused of terrorism. ... It has happened before and it is happening now. Enemies outside of Iraq are pointing fingers toward the leadership of the PMF ... the PMF is the one defending this country."

The charges had accused Musleh of corruption and complicity in the assassinations of Iraqi activists in Karbala, in particular the targeted killing of Ehab al-Wazni. Al-Wazni was an outspoken activist in Karbala whose death sparked outrage and protests across Iraq's south and Baghdad.

The Supreme Judicial Council said Wednesday investigative authorities were unable to produce evidence implicating Musleh in the death of al-Wazni, according to a statement.

"It was proven according to the passport information that (Musleh) was outside of Iraq when al-Wazni was assassinated and he denied committing or participating in this crime, and the investigative court did not find any evidence to prove his involvement in that crime, directly or indirectly," the statement said.

Following Musleh's detention, Al-Kadhimi held a meeting with key Shiite leaders to quell tensions. Based on the meeting's outcome, Musleh was taken into PMF custody.

Of particular concern during his detention was which Iraqi security body should have physical custody of Musleh. Al-Kadhimi's government was aware that a transfer to PMF security would be widely seen as a concession.

An investigative committee comprised of officials from the defense and interior ministries, National Security and the PMF was formed to look into his case. Musleh was in the custody of the Joint Operations Command during that time. The JOC oversees an array of Iraqi security forces.

On Monday, his file was sent to a PMF investigative judge, who ordered his release.

Ghaani's arrival in Baghdad coincided with Musleh's release. Officials said ongoing tensions were the subject of his meetings but did not elaborate further.

Attempts to arrest militia-affiliated individuals in the past have unfolded in a similar pattern, with pressure coming from militia groups and concessions on the part of the government.

A raid carried out by the Counter-Terrorism Service last summer against Iran-backed Kataib Hezbollah led to over a dozen arrests. All were eventually released after pressure and threats of violence against the government.
President Joe Biden in the East Room of the White House on May 10, 2021, in Washington, D.C. (Drew Angerer, Getty Images/TNS)

WASHINGTON (Tribune News Service)  President Joe Biden has proposed cutting by nearly half the Pentagons budget for the leading U.S. government program for preventing, detecting and responding to global disease outbreaks, a move that even the White Houses staunchest allies on Capitol Hill oppose as the nation continues to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic.

The so-called Biological Threat Reduction Program finds and fights emerging global diseases that can threaten U.S. troops and, ultimately, the worlds population. In fact, the Pentagon program funded a lab in Thailand that detected in January 2020 the first case of novel coronavirus outside China.

The Defense Department wants the programs fiscal 2022 budget to be set at $124 million  or 45 percent lower than the current level, according to the Pentagons budget justification documents, which were released earlier this month.

Administration officials have not yet responded to several requests for an explanation of the proposed cutback, which has not previously been reported.

The proposed funding reduction comes as U.S. intelligence agencies and scientists predict that pandemics will become increasingly common and as COVID-19 still rages in many countries and hangs on in America.

Some of Bidens top allies in Congress said they are baffled and concerned about the move, as are some Republicans and many experts on pandemics.

Senior members of the House Armed Services Committee told CQ Roll Call in statements that the funding must not be cut.

Arizona Democrat Ruben Gallego, chairman of the Intelligence and Special Operations Subcommittee, which oversees the biological threats program, called the budget proposal deeply troubling.

Rather than cut funding, we need to double down, learn from the global pandemic, and support programs that work to increase our capacity to anticipate and respond when another dangerous pathogen arises, Gallego said.

Another senior member of the committee, Rhode Island Democrat Jim Langevin, who chairs the cybersecurity panel, also said the biological protection program deserves more funding.

At a time when the pandemic is still threatening our allies and partners, we should be investing in, not cutting, a program whose primary purpose is to detect and minimize the spread of dangerous pathogens, Langevin said. If 2020 taught us anything, it is that we absolutely must confront these challenges before they become crises.

GOP Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik of New York, another senior member of the House Armed Services Committee, criticized the proposed reduction in spending on the biological program as an example of what she called a shortchanging of the defense budget more broadly.

The presidents budget is a gift to China and our adversaries around the world and unfortunately lacks adequate support for our military and critical programs like bio defense, Stefanik said.

The U.S. military has been a leader in research and development of coronavirus vaccines and in disseminating them. And despite the proposed cut in the biological early-warning program, the Pentagon is still planning to spend $500 million in fiscal 2022 to continue to respond to COVID-19 and prepare for future pandemics, officials have said.

COVID-19 is the greatest proximate threat to our nations security, said a Pentagon budget briefing slide presented to reporters May 28.

The biological threats program is unique among these many efforts in that it is focused on fighting emerging pandemics overseas  just as the U.S. military has for two decades preferred to fight terrorism in other countries before it comes to the United States.

The biological initiative is part of the Cooperative Threat Reduction Program, which is administered by the Defense Threat Reduction Agency.

The program is aimed at enhancing the safety and security of facilities located in allied and partner nations in Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Africa that handle biological material. Through this initiative, the Pentagon pays for medical surveillance networks so that pandemics can be detected early. The focus is not just diseases but also biological weapons.

These capabilities counter the threat of theft or diversion of dangerous materials, counter the threat of accidental or intentional pathogen release, and establish an early detection capability for biological threats to contain outbreaks at their source before they can become destabilizing regional events or pose a threat to forces, the U.S. homeland, or partners abroad, the Pentagon said in a fiscal 2022 budget document summarizing the program.

The Trump administration, like Bidens, had sought to cut the programs budget.

President Donald Trumps fiscal 2020 request, drafted well before the pandemic, would have cut spending on the initiative by about 10 percent, but Congress increased its funding to $203 million.

Trumps fiscal 2021 request, delivered to Capitol Hill as the virus began spreading domestically, would have cut the programs funding by about one-third, down to $127 million. But again Congress rebuffed the move and instead provided $225 million in fiscal 2021.

Last year, Defense Secretary Mark Espers plan was to move money from the pandemic prevention effort to nuclear weapons and hypersonic missiles. But the reasoning behind the current Pentagon leaderships decision remains unclear.

Kingston Reif, a defense expert with the Arms Control Association, said the proposed cut is clearly inconsistent with the current presidents goals, including global health security.

Congress on a bipartisan basis rightly excoriated the wrecking ball taken to the program last year and increased the budget, Reif said. It should do the same this year.

Hayley Severance, senior program officer for global biological policy and programs at the Nuclear Threat Initiative, an organization that focuses on enhancing biological security and combating the danger of mass casualty weapons, said the program should receive no less than $250 million per year.

The proposed cut in fiscal 2022 seems ill-timed, Severance said, especially as questions around the origin of COVID-19 point to the need to prepare against all manner of biological threats.

(c)2021 CQ Roll Call

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC
AUGUSTA, Ga. (Tribune News Service)  A commission authorized by Congress to remove the name of Confederates from military installations will be visiting Georgia this summer.

The Naming Commission was created by the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act to rename any military assets that commemorate the Confederacy or those who served in the Confederacy, including two of Georgias army bases  Fort Benning and Fort Gordon.

The commission is lead by Retired Navy Adm. Michelle Howard, who announced in May that the commission has already made significant progress. Through the summer and fall the commission will be focusing on the nine U.S. Army installations with names associated with the Confederacy.

Fort Benning looks forward to working with the Naming Commission during their visit this July to discuss the process which will include input from local community leaders, said Maj. Gen. Patrick J. Donahoe, Commanding General of the US Army Maneuver Center of Excellence and Fort Benning, in a statement from the Fort.

Appointed in February, the independent naming commission is still early in the process and many of the specifics have not been worked out yet. An Army spokesperson confirmed the commission will be visiting the two bases, and while the full list of assets to be renamed has not been completed yet, Forts Benning and Gordon are the only ones in the state under consideration at the moment.

Public affairs at Fort Gordon confirmed final plans are still in the works.

Details have not been finalized, regarding when and if a representative will visit Fort Gordon, but we look forward to working with the Naming Commission, said Geralyn Smith Noah, director of public affairs at Fort Gordon.

A congressional staffer who was only authorized to speak on background said that local feedback on the renaming process will likely go through installation commanders. Either commanders will reach out to members of the community or members of the community should get in touch with the commanders.

The Army spokesperson confirmed that many installation leaders have already considered the question.

How community members might be involved at Fort Benning and Fort Gordon is not yet clear. Dr. Tom Clark, executive director of CSRA Alliance for Fort Gordon, said his organization is not currently involved in the renaming discussion.

The naming commission will present an update to the Senate and House Armed Services Committee before Oct. 1 and present the committees with a complete list of assets to be renamed, the new names and the cost of renaming by Oct. 1, 2022.

The naming commission is authorized to go beyond bases to examine the names of ships, streets, weapons and anything else  except graves  under Department of Defense control. The bill also authorizes the removal or renaming of displays, monuments, or paraphernalia.

According to Amy Tuschen, executive director of the now closed Fort Gordon Historical Museum, the museum included a painting of the forts namesake, John Brown Gordon, and an area with information on the naming and on Gordons life.

Whether such exhibits would be taken down at other installations named for Confederates is unclear. According to the congressional staffer the focus is on public facing objects, such as statues or monuments.

Besides Forts Benning and Gordon, there are seven other U.S. Army installations with Confederate names or associations  Fort A.P. Hill, Fort Bragg, Fort Lee, Fort Rucker, Fort Hood, Fort Polk and Fort Pickett.

According to John Hayes, associate professor at Augusta University, these Confederate base names came around the time of World War I and World War II.

Those are both moments when the Democratic party is the majority party in the federal government, Hayes said. A major constituency and wing of the national Democratic party were white southerners, and were mainly talking about elite and middle class white southerners.

For this wing of the party, Hayes said, honoring Confederates made perfect sense.

What to us seems like a remarkable irony  here are these U.S. military installations named for people who led armies against the USA in the 1860s ... to the white elite at the time, it was just, well, of course these people are deserving of such public honor,  Hayes said.

Both John B. Gordon and Henry L. Benning served in the Confederate military and went on to held politically powerful positions after the war.

Gordon served as the first president of the United Confederate Veterans, the precursor of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, is widely believed to have led the Ku Klux Klan in Georgia, and then served as a governor and senator for Georgia. Benning served as the leader of the state Democratic party, and was known as an ardent defender of secession.

Despite the prominence of Gordon and Benning at the time, Hayes said people today are less familiar with them, which, along with general inertia, may be why it is only recently that steps have been taken to remove their names from U.S. military bases along with other Confederate leaders. But he also thinks there are other factors at play.

For many white Americans, their reckoning with the legacy of white supremacy didnt happen much in the Civil Rights era, and time will tell whether last summers reckoning for many white Americans of substance.

___

(c)2021 The Augusta Chronicle (Augusta, Ga.)

Visit The Augusta Chronicle (Augusta, Ga.) at chronicle.augusta.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
WASHINGTON  President Joe Biden ended negotiations with a group of Republicans led by Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., over his infrastructure package Tuesday as the two sides failed to strike a deal after weeks of talks.

A key part of Biden's domestic agenda now enters a new, uncertain phase, as the president shifts his focus to a separate group of Democrats and Republicans in hopes of reaching a deal. But the failure to reach a deal with Capito, something liberals had warned was inevitable, could increase pressure on Biden to ultimately try to forge ahead with only Democrats as he did during the push for a stimulus law earlier this year.

The White House and Capito proved unable to bridge their differences, and they remained far apart on the scope of the package and whether to make changes to tax law to pay for it. Now, Biden will attempt to negotiate with a group of Democrats and Republicans at once, a challenge that could prove more difficult but ultimately lead to more votes.

One option Senate Democrats explored Tuesday is the possibility of breaking the infrastructure package in two. They could try to assemble one bill with Republicans and then try to pass a separate measure with only Democratic support in an effort to meet all of their objectives. Both strategies, though, could prove difficult to execute.

Buy Photo The Peace Monument is seen in Washington on Feb. 13, 2019, with the dome of the U.S. Capitol in the background. (Carlos Bongioanni/Stars and Stripes)

Biden shifted gears quickly. He spoke Tuesday afternoon with Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), who has been part of a bipartisan effort that met Tuesday evening, as well as Sens. Joe Manchin III, D-W.Va., and Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz.

Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, said the bipartisan group of Senators made "good progress" during Tuesday's meeting, which lasted nearly three hours. He declined to cite specific figures on spending agreements, but he said the group focused on new spending over a five-year period.

"We went through line by line and we've got pretty good agreement on most of those and went to the pay fors as well and they're a little less solid," he said.

Romney said he expected the group to put forward a public proposal in the coming weeks.

The new bipartisan talks are expected to focus on a package that would be narrower than what Biden originally proposed, but one of the biggest hurdles will be how to finance it, which is what Romney was referring to when he said "pay fors." Biden has proposed raising corporate taxes, but Republicans have tried to explore other mechanisms.

An administration official, who, like others, spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations, said the talks with Capito, the GOP's top negotiator, fell apart after the president could not get her group to increase their overall spending on the plan, among other things.

"He informed Sen. Capito today that the latest offer from her group did not, in his view, meet the essential needs of our country to restore our roads and bridges, prepare us for our clean energy future, and create jobs," White House press secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement. "He offered his gratitude to her for her efforts and good faith conversations, but expressed his disappointment that, while he was willing to reduce his plan by more than $1 trillion, the Republican group had increased their proposed new investments by only $150 billion."

But Capito pinned the blame on the president, saying she was "disappointed by his decision" to end the talks after refusing her latest offer on a revised package.

"Despite the progress we made in our negotiations, the president continued to respond with offers that included tax increases as his pay for, instead of several practical options that would have not been harmful to individuals, families, and small businesses," she said in a statement. "While I appreciate President Biden's willingness to devote so much time and effort to these negotiations, he ultimately chose not to accept the very robust and targeted infrastructure package, and instead, end our discussions."

There were numerous areas of disagreement. Biden had originally proposed raising the corporate tax rate from 21%to 28% as part of the plan, but many Republicans remained adamant that they wouldn't support a change in the corporate tax rate. Biden later showed an openness to only raising the rate to 25%, and last week began pushing Republicans to see if they would accept any tax changes whatsoever.

Many Republicans had agreed that there needed to be large investments in U.S. infrastructure, but they had alleged that Biden's original definition of "infrastructure" was too broad. For example, many Republicans objected to Biden's original proposal, which would include large levels of spending on things like eldercare and other services.

"He has never really moved toward us in terms of core infrastructure," Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., said Tuesday. "He had lots of broad requests for things that the American people don't see as infrastructure, and he has never backed away from his desire to continue to want to raise taxes."

Biden had proposed a massive infrastructure package as a key part of his 2020 presidential campaign, saying he wanted to rebuild roads, bridges, highways and ports, expand access to housing and broadband, and effectively modernize the United States for the 21st century. President Donald Trump had also proposed a big infrastructure package when he ran for president, but talks never went anywhere with Capitol Hill during his four years in office, in part because Trump himself never settled on a specific plan.

Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., now faces a crucial decision over how to proceed. He could try to advance a measure with only Democratic votes through a process called "reconciliation," but there would be little room for error because the Senate is split 50-50. Biden's outreach to Republicans on Tuesday suggests he still wants to find a way to assemble a bipartisan coalition, only now it appears possible that Capito might not be part of it.

Speaking to reporters Tuesday before talks collapsed, Schumer said Democrats are proceeding on two paths.

On one track are newly emerging conversations between Biden and the bipartisan group of lawmakers, including Sinema and Portman, who are "trying to put something together that might be close to what the president needs." It's unclear what size that package might be. At the same time, however, Schumer said Democrats are getting to work on a reconciliation package that might only need support from Democrats, acknowledging that their party is unlikely to accomplish everything they hope in a bill crafted alongside the GOP.

"It may well be part of the bill that'll pass will be bipartisan, and part of it will be through reconciliation," Schumer said. "But we're not going to sacrifice the bigness and boldness in this bill."

Reps. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., and Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., the co-chairs of the Problem Solvers Caucus, spoke Monday night with the White House about bipartisan efforts to reach an infrastructure deal, and Gottheimer has been working closely with Cassidy and Sinema in the Senate, an aide familiar with the conversations said.

The president's efforts at negotiations, however, could be slowed as he leaves Wednesday for his first international trip. Psaki said Biden has designated members of his cabinet and senior White House staff to continue conversations as he heads overseas.

The White House has also not ruled out pushing the legislation through budget reconciliation if they cannot strike a deal with Republicans.

"The President is committed to moving his economic legislation through Congress this summer, and is pursuing multiple paths to get this done," Psaki said in her statement.

The Washington Post's Tony Romm contributed to this report.
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. (Tribune News Service)  A Granite City, Ill. man faces charges after allegedly stealing more than $10,000 in property from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Louis P. Campbell, 43, of Granite City, was charged June 7 with theft over $10,000, a Class 2 felony, and criminal damage to government supported property, a Class 2 felony.

The case was presented by the Granite City Police Department.

According to court documents, on June 4 Campbell allegedly took risers, pipes and hydraulic oil valued at between $10,000 and $100,000 from the Corps of Engineers. He also allegedly damaged a fence in the 400 block of Old Rock Road, Granite City.

Bail was set at $70,000.

___

(c)2021 The Telegraph (Alton, Ill.)

Visit The Telegraph (Alton, Ill.) at www.thetelegraph.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Buy Photo A wooden gavel and block is seen inside the Senate Hart Building in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, March 3, 2015. (Carlos Bongioanni/Stars and Stripes)
(Twitter)

Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland Air Force Base spent nearly three hours on lockdown Wednesday after installation security forces received a call that gunshots were possibly fired near an entrance to the Texas base.

Were trying to investigate a couple of leads right now to confirm if gunshots actually did take place on the installation, Lt. Col. Brian Loveless, commander of the bases 802nd Security Forces Squadron, said Wednesday afternoon.

No injuries were reported, he said.

Security forces received a call at about 11:50 a.m. from people in a building on base stating they heard two gunshots fired from outside the Valley Hi Gate, which is located off Interstate 410 in southwest San Antonio.

Officials decided then to lock down the base as they investigated the incident, Loveless said.

An initial release from the base described two shooters firing toward the base near an area with trainees. However, Loveless said they do not have an eyewitness who saw someone shooting a firearm.

I dont think there was an overreaction, he said. Theres a lot of facilities on this installation that are very important to the Air Force, and we have to take every report seriously. Now I would rather overreact to something than under-react and get it right. We can triage whether or not we responded appropriately later on, but as of right now, I am 100% confident we made the appropriate response and made all the right calls along the way.

Because the potential gunshots came from outside the base, the San Antonio Police Department, Bexar County Sheriffs Office and Texas Department of Public Safety responded to help clear the area and search for the potential shooters.

By 3:15 p.m., all gates, including the Valley Hi Gate, were returned to normal operations, base officials said.

Lackland Air Force Base is a training hub for the service. It hosts all enlisted basic training as well as training for special warfare airmen and military working dogs and handlers.

It is one of three large bases spread across San Antonio that make up the joint base. In total, Joint Base San Antonio supports about 47,000 active-duty service members.

#ActiveShooter update:



There are no suspected injuries at this time.

The shooting is suspected to have happened outside Valley Hi Gate on JBSA-Lackland.

JBSA emergency responders are working with the SAPD to clear the area and search for the shooters.  JointBaseSanAntonio (@JBSA_Official) June 9, 2021

thayer.rose@stripes.com

Twitter: @Rose_Lori
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-09 22:16:10|Editor: huaxia

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Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said that not a single ethnic group should be left behind in the country's efforts to fully build a modern socialist China.

Produced by Xinhua Global Service
Navy Mess Attendant 3rd Class Isaac Parker, 17, of Woodson, Arkansas, was killed aboard the USS Oklahoma during the Dec. 7, 1941 surprise attack by Japan on Pearl Harbor which officially began the United States involvement in WWII. (Parker family)

ST. LOUIS (Tribune News Service)  The name on the gravestone was "Unknown."

The body beneath it was a Navy mess attendant from Woodson, Arkansas, who enlisted at 17 to get out of his small town and find opportunity.

The teenager died on the U.S.S. Oklahoma on Dec. 7, 1941, when Japanese fighters bombed Pearl Harbor.

His parents, sister and two brothers were buried at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis, but his body remained, unidentified, in Hawaii for nearly 80 years.

But recently, U.S. defense department officials tasked with identifying those killed in war ran tests on the teen's remains. They analyzed DNA, dental records and anthropological indicators, and in September they found a match.

Isaac Parker was ready to come home.

On Tuesday, 97 years to the day Parker was born, a procession of family members, some from the St. Louis area, rolled into Jefferson Barracks, welcomed by sailors dressed in white and a rifle salute.

They watched as servicemen folded an American flag draped across Parker's casket and handed it to his niece. A bugler played taps. Onlookers saluted.

"I didn't think it was possible," his great-niece Keli Curtis said after the ceremony. "I think it's beautiful."

Angela Curtis, center, is presented with an American flag by Rear Adm. Eric Peterson of the U.S. Navy on Tuesday, June 8, 2021, during the funeral with full military honors for her uncle, Mess Attendant 3rd Class Isaac Parker, 17, nearly 80 years after his death on board the USS Oklahoma during the surprise attack at the Pearl Harbor naval base in 1941. Parkers unidentified remains had been buried as an unknown at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu since the 1940s. They were recently identified by DNA, dental and anthropological means and returned to his family, now in St. Louis and buried at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery. (Christian Gooden, St. Louis Post-Dispatch/TNS)

Parker was one of roughly 79,000 Americans who remained unaccounted for after World War II. Some were buried as unknowns in cemeteries around the world, while others were lost at sea or deemed missing in action, according to the defense department's POW/MIA Accounting Agency.

Recent technological advancements, including DNA analysis, have helped speed up the process of identifying remains, but there are still roughly 72,000 servicemen unaccounted for.

On the ship where Parker worked, the Oklahoma, more than 400 people were killed. Parker was one of 2,008 sailors and 2,403 total people who died that day at Pearl Harbor. It's unclear how Parker was able to enlist at just 17  a year before he was technically eligible  but Curtis speculated a family member may have signed for him.

And his commitment to service went on to inspire other generations of his family. Parker's great-nephew, Air Force Brig. Gen. Brandon Parker, attended the ceremony via videoconference from deployment overseas.

Glenn Curtis, a military officer and relative of Isaac Parker by marriage, said it was important to the family for him to finally be honored and laid to rest.

"To have this finally happen, it's a very good thing," he said.

People outside of the family came to honor Parker, too.

Corky Newgent and Sue Stutz both had fathers who fought in World War II and said they came to the cemetery to honor Parker, even though they had no connection to him.

"All these veterans need to be honored," Newgent said.

Parker's family said they were thankful to everyone who went to honor their loved one, and they also thanked the U.S. military for bringing him home.

"I do feel good that he is in his final resting place with his family," said his niece, Angela Curtis.

(c)2021 the St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Visit the St. Louis Post-Dispatch at www.stltoday.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Mathew Z. Rosiere, 37, of Fond du Lac, unexpectedly passed away on Friday, June 4, 2021. He was born on May 18, 1984, in Pawnee, OK, the son of Michael Z. Rosiere and Sandra K. Kennedy. While he was in high school, he was active in football and wrestling. Mathew loved hard rock music, played
Port Richey, FL (34668)

Today

Thunderstorms likely this evening. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms overnight. Low 76F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms likely this evening. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms overnight. Low 76F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%.
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.
The FBI-led operation that saw the arrests of top gang members in New Zealand is forecast to put almost no dent in the high use of methamphetamine.

The New Zealand police laid 900 charges and arrested 35 people, including senior members of the Comancheros, the Waikato Mongrel Mob and the Head Hunters.

Assets worth $3.7 million, including two boats and more than $1 million in cash, were seized.

Criminals have also been netted across the globe in what's been called Operation Trojan Shield, after police tricked them into communicating on an app run by the FBI.

The University of Canterbury's director of criminal justice, Jarrod Gilbert, praises the cooperation between agencies in New Zealand and abroad.

But he doesn't think the sting will cut the supply of methamphetamine here.

"While there's demand for methamphetamine - as there is in New Zealand - and the price is high, we're always going to have this trade. Someone will always slip back into this void."

He says corruption in New Zealand is low and criminal takedowns like this could help it stay this way.

"What it means is [criminals] can't gain a really strong financial base, which will in turn mean that they don't have the money to start corrupting or buying off government officials or people in the ports and airlines that would make their operations efficient."

Photo: RNZ / Andrew McRae.

Louise Hutchinson, the Waikato Mongrel Mob's public relations spokesperson, calls the way the police announced the bust a smear campaign against gangs.

"The police ... have that huge platform and then the mainstream media on top of that. We're up against it."

She says the organisation has a zero tolerance policy on drug dealing and tries to steer members away from a life based on criminal activity.

She says not all of the 35 people that were arrested are gang members and some are white collar criminals.

"Our politicians want to focus on the gangs, but this is widespread... But it's really easy for politicians and the police just to target us."

Photo: supplied

Gang expert Jarrod Gilbert doesn't think it's a smear campaign, but he says it's important to separate gangs from organised crime groups.

"Organised crime will come in a whole variety of forms, particularly when we're looking internationally. We have to be very careful in [being clear] it's not a gang issue, but an organised crime issue."

Waikato Mongrel Mob leader Sonny Fatupaito confirmed in a statement that police searched three member's homes on Monday afternoon as part of the operation and the three members have been arrested and remanded in custody.

He says his own home and the gang's headquarters have not been searched, and he was not detained for questioning.

Fatupaito says his zero tolerance stance against pedalling drugs is well known.

"My continued focus as a leader is to influence, educate and empower our members to choose to live positive, constructive, and productive lives free from alcohol and drugs, and steer them in a direction away from criminal offending."

Photo: RNZ / Dan Cook.

Community organisation chief executive and former gang member, Martin Kaipo, thinks the crack down is a good thing in the midst of the social harm caused by gang activity and related drugs, such as meth.

"As soon as they put those colours on their backs the whole lifestyle and environment changes."

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says the sting will have a big impact on the supply of meth and pointed to the number of people arrested and the plans that would be halted as a result.

-RNZ/Jean Bell.
Hundreds of women are coming together to hear stories from success business women in a two day series business series.

The Business Womens Network, hosted by the Tauranga Chamber of Commerce, attracted more the 250 women to the first day of the event in May. Day 2 on July 8 is already sold out.

Some were business owners, some were senior leaders within large corporates, some were at the start of their career  but the one thing they all had in common was a desire to be inspired, uplifted and empowered, says the Tauranga Chamber of Commerce marketing and communications manager Laura Boucher.

Clare Swallow from Mulberry St opened day one of the series, having the room in fits of laughter with her real take on being a woman in business.

Laura says Clares presentation centred on people and, in a technological age, how leaders can be utilising the core skills of our humanity, including compassion and courage.

Looking around the audience, notes were furiously being taken on Clares presentation and it was great to see so many absorbing her great ideas.

Fellow local businesswoman Jennifer Boggiss was next, sharing the story of Heilala Vanilla. Social responsibility has always been at the heart of the business, with her father seeing an opportunity to support the Tongan community from day one.

Laura says they have carried on his mantra to this day, and their business decisions are not only built around what is best for their business, but what is best for their people.

As a marketing manager, one story in particular stood out, where Jennifer and her marketing and sales manager Ruby took the plunge while on a trip to America to reach out to Mark Welker, Executive Pastry chef of Eleven Madison Park and the NoMad, to see if they could meet with him (with a view to showcase their product).

He was so impressed he did more than just meet with them  he introduced them to the whole team and couldnt stop raving about Heilala. It was the start of a beautiful boom into the US media and the market.

Speaker Jennifer Boggiss, centre, with the Heilala Vanilla team.

Kiwi fashion designer Karen Walker closed out the event.

Laura says she is a figure of unmatched style and effortless cool.

While she was polished and poised, she was also incredibly insightful and real, sharing with us the two key pillars of her business: Change and Culture.

The biggest takeaways from Karen were around the importance of collaboration and staying true to the values of your brand.

Having collaborated with some of the biggest brands in the world, Karens message was that collaboration works most effectively when you work within your areas of expertise. From her perspective, she and her team are hired on a project for bringing creative ideas and design insights, and they take their expertise and apply it to someone elses business.

The next Speaker Series event will be held on Jul 8.

While it is already sold out, Laura says people can email Tauranga Chamber of Commerce event manager Anne Pankhurst on anne@tauranga.org.nz to be put on a waiting list.

The Chamber also has number of other BWN events coming up. You can view these here.

Laura Boucher, Roz Irwin (Tauranga Chamber of Commerce), Karen Walker, Anne Pankhurst (Tauranga Chamber of Commerce), Jennifer Del Bel (Downlights), and Kirstin Mead (Tauranga Chamber of Commerce).
Norske Skog has announced the closure of the Tasman mill in Kawerau and a sales process for the mills assets with 160 staff set for redundancy.

Production will cease by June 30, permanently reducing Norske Skogs newsprint capacity by approximately 150,000 tonnes.

In a statement on their website the Norwegian-based pulp and paper company states they initiated a strategic review of their role in New Zealand in October 2020,  made necessary by the secular decline of the publication paper industry and the impact of Covid-19.

They state that despite exploring a range of alternatives the process has resulted in a decision to close the Tasman mill and proceed with a sale of the mills assets.

Production will cease by the end of the month.

Norske Skog say that the Tasman mill has only produced very limited volumes during 2021.

They state a commitment to honouring all redundancy and contractual obligations to the mills approximately 160 employees as the workforce is progressively reduced.

The decision to close the Tasman mill follows a detailed review over the past eight months, says Norske Skog CEO Sven Ombudstvedt.

It will address the substantial imbalance between newsprint production capacity and customer demand in the Australasian region.

The Tasman mill has been an important contributor to the regional economy in New Zealand for the past 66 years, producing more than 15 million tonnes of publication paper over its lifetime.

I would like to thank everyone who has worked at the mill for their outstanding contribution throughout the years, and their significant efforts to ensure a long and good life for the mill.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-09 22:22:41|Editor: huaxia

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NEW DELHI -- India's federal government Wednesday approved allotment of 5 MHz Spectrum in 700 MHz frequency band to Indian railways for public safety and security services at stations and in trains across the country.

"With this spectrum, Indian railways has envisaged to provide LTE (Long Term Evolution) based Mobile Train Radio Communication on its route. The project will be completed in the next five years," reads a statement issued by the federal ministry of railways. "In addition to this, Indian railways has approved TCAS (Train Collision Avoidance System), an indigenously developed ATP (Automatic Train Protection) System, which will help in avoiding train collisions thereby reducing accidents and ensuring passenger safety."

- - - -

LISBON -- Drug trafficking in Europe managed to adjust to the restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic and migrate its sales to the digitally-enabled market, revealed a report released on Wednesday by the Lisbon-headquartered European Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA).

"Drug sellers and buyers seem to have adapted, increasing their use of encrypted messaging services, social networking apps, and courier and home delivery services. This raises concerns about a possible long-term impact," noted the study titled "European Drug Report 2021: Trends and Developments."

- - - -

JAKARTA -- Indonesia is planning to inoculate 1 million people per day by July, President Joko Widodo said on Wednesday.

"We hope that in June the target for vaccinations per day of 700,000 can really be achieved so that in July we will have entered the target of vaccinations per day of 1 million," he said at the event which the country's Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin and West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil also attended.

- - - -

LONDON -- Around 8 percent of adults reported coronavirus vaccine hesitancy in London -- a higher percentage than most other regions in England, a survey by the British Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed Wednesday.

About 72 percent of care staff in London had been vaccinated, compared to an average of 81 percent across England, said the ONS.

"This reflects trends seen in the wider population, with higher vaccine hesitancy and slightly lower vaccination rates among all age groups in London than in other English regions," said the ONS.

- - - -

NAIROBI -- The Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI), a business lobby, plans to promote imports of advanced Chinese machinery in order to boost the country's industrial sector, an official said Wednesday.

Kariuki Theuri, chairman of economic diplomacy committee with KNCCI, told journalists in Nairobi that Kenya heavily depends on foreign manufactured goods due to a lack of competitiveness of domestic industries.

"We will encourage imports of modern machinery from China in order to improve local capacity to produce world class products," Theuri said when Jubilee Allianz and KNCCI launched insurance products aimed at the small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Enditem
Even after two brutal and unforgiving, back-to-back days of racing, there was just one second to separate the top two finishers at round three of the 2021 New Zealand Enduro Championships at the weekend.

The third round of five in the Yamaha-sponsored series was held in forestry in the Moonshine Valley, halfway between Porirua and Upper Hutt, over the Queen's Birthday Weekend, the tricky terrain certainly putting riders to the test and ensuring the margins between success and failure were ever so small.

It was a gruelling double-header event, with riders racing two consecutive days in the Akatarawa Forest, albeit with Sunday's racing in a few different sectors of the forest than had been raced on the previous day, and it was the cream of New Zealand's dirt bike racing talent that rose to the top.

Best of the bunch were close friends and fierce rivals Dylan Yearbury and Tommy Buxton, with Oparau's young enduro racing rookie James Scott, Whanganui's 2019 national enduro champion Seth Reardon and Taupo's national junior cross-country champion Wil Yeoman the most impressive.

Thames' multi-time former New Zealand and international championship winner Chris Birch, Palmerston North's two-time former United States cross-country champion Paul Whibley, Wainuiomata's eight-time former New Zealand trials champion Jake Whitaker and Wairoa's 2021 national cross-country champion Tommy Watts also shone out at the weekend.

Helensville's Buxton won Saturday's phase of the action by 13 seconds from Cambridge rider Yearbury.

Yearbury responded by going on the attack on Sunday, the Waikato man wiping out the time deficit and reasserting himself at the top of the standings.

Yearbury won day two by 14 seconds from Buxton and he therefore took the weekend's overall honours by a solitary second.

The 19-year-old Scott finished the weekend third overall, 53 seconds behind Buxton, the recently-crowned national motocross championships No.2 (in the 250cc class) showing great versatility to take a 450cc enduro bike and seamlessly transfer his skills from one bike code to the other.

Motorcycling New Zealand enduro commissioner Justin Stevenson says the course at Moonshine was certainly tough, but he was also pleased to report that there were no injuries all weekend.

"That's a credit to the host club. The course featured a few very steep down-hills, but the club did a wonderful job of marking it well to ensure the safety of riders."

It could be a winner-takes-all final two days of racing, at separate venues in the Wairarapa Region, next weekend. Round four is set for farmland near Masterton on Saturday, June 12, with the fifth and final round due to be fought near Martinborough the following day.

The 2021 Yamaha NZ Enduro Championships are supported by Mitas tyres Macaulay Metals, Best Build Construction, Silver-bullet and Kiwi Rider magazine.

2021 NZ Enduro Champs calendar:

Round 1  Saturday, April 11  Tokoroa;

Round 2  Saturday and Sunday, April 24-25  Marlborough;

Round 3  Saturday and Sunday June 5-6  Moonshine, Kapi-Mana;

Round 4  Saturday, June 12  Masterton;

Round 5  Sunday, June 13  Martinborough.

-By Andy McGechan, www.BikesportNZ.com
A house fire in Tauranga is prompting a safety warning from Fire and Emergency New Zealand.

Fire razed a two-storey dwelling in Gate Pa on Friday.

Three fire crews from Tauranga and Greerton attended at 9pm and the fire was extinguished at 10.20pm, but with significant damage to the structure.

The cause of the fire cannot yet be determined due to the damage in the area surrounding the balcony, the likely ignition point.

However, Fire and Emergency New Zealand area manager Kevin Cowper has some advice on how to avoid a house fire.

There is quite a lot people can do to reduce the risk of an unwanted fire at home, he says.

One of the most common causes of an unwanted fire during winter is when a heater sets nearby flammables alight. It is important to keep heaters a metre away from flammable items.

Always keep an eye on cooking and never overload multi-boards.

Store ashes from your fireplace in a metal bucket, and put a lid on it. Ashes can remain hot for several days.

Kevin warns that a house fire can become deadly within three minutes.

It is important to have working smoke alarms and an escape plan the whole household is familiar with.
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

Thunderstorms early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Low near 70F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Low near 70F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%.
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.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-09 22:32:47|Editor: huaxia

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Li Zhanshu, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), presides over a meeting of the Council of Chairpersons of the NPC Standing Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, June 9, 2021. (Xinhua/Li Tao)

BEIJING, June 9 (Xinhua) -- The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) held a meeting of its Council of Chairpersons Wednesday to hear reports on the deliberations of draft laws, law revisions, and decisions.

Li Zhanshu, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, presided over the meeting.

The meeting heard reports of deliberations on draft laws on data security, the Hainan free trade port, the protection of status, rights and interests of military personnel, stamp tax, and opposing foreign sanctions, a draft revision to the Law on Military Facilities Protection, and a draft decision to amend the Law on Workplace Safety, among others.

The meeting decided to submit the revised drafts to the ongoing session of the NPC Standing Committee for review. Enditem
The timber rattlesnake is one of three venomous snakes that people in Cherokee County are most likely to encounter. The other two are copperheads and cottonmouths.
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.
Hong Kong Enhances Tax Rules For Amalgamations

by Mary Swire, Tax-News.com, Hong Kong

09 June 2021

Hong Kong's Legislative Council has passed a bill to implement a series of amendments to the Inland Revenue Ordinance.

The legislation amends:

the tax treatment for the amalgamation of companies under the court-free procedures as provided for under the Companies Ordinance;

the tax treatment for transfer or succession of specified assets under certain circumstances;

the statutory framework for the furnishing of tax returns; and

the foreign deduction regime.

Christopher Hui, the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury explained that the amendments codify the tax treatment "with regard to qualifying amalgamations and the transfer or succession of specified assets, offering better clarity and certainty of the relevant matters."

Hui added that the legislation will "provide the legal basis to enable more businesses to voluntarily file tax returns, including business statements electronically." The ultimate goal is to implement the electronic filing of profits tax returns through the Business Tax Portal.

Hui said that the changes to the foreign tax deduction regime "will reduce the tax liability of Hong Kong branches of foreign corporations, in particular foreign banks and holders of intellectual property." According to Hui, this will "help foster a more favorable business environment, particularly reinforcing Hong Kong's attractiveness as a banking location, and promoting Hong Kong as a research and development hub."

The Ordinance will come into operation on June 11, 2021, when it will be published in the Official Gazette. Amendments to the foreign tax deduction regime will take effect from the year of assessment 2021-22.
Malta Releases Corporate Income Tax Returns

by Ulrika Lomas, Tax-News.com, Brussels

09 June 2021

Malta's Commissioner for Revenue has released year of assessment 2021 electronic income tax returns for companies.

The Commissioner has also released the supplemental document required of fiscal units.

Announcing the forms' release, the Commissioner listed the following changes to the tax return this year:
Putin Signs Law To Withdraw From Dutch DTA

by Ulrika Lomas, Tax-News.com, Brussels

09 June 2021

Russia's President Vladimir Putin has signed a law to terminate the country's double tax agreement with the Netherlands.

Previously, the Russian Government had threatened to terminate its agreement with Cyprus after the two territories failed to agree changes. Eventually Cyprus agreed to a new Protocol that increases the rate of withholding tax that may be levied at source by Russia on outbound dividends and interest income to 15 percent. Russia wanted to introduce these provisions into its agreement with the Netherlands but the Dutch Government rejected the change.

Under Bill No. 1147902-7, which was approved by the lower house of parliament earlier this month, Russia would notify the Netherlands of its intention to withdraw from the double tax agreement by July 1, 2021, enabling it to terminate the deal with effect from January 1, 2022.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-09 22:36:23|Editor: huaxia

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Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, inspects the achievements made in comprehensively harnessing environmental problems and protecting biodiversity at the Qinghai Lake, in Gangcha County of Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Qinghai Province, June 8, 2021. (Xinhua/Shen Hong)

XINING, June 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping stressed the need to always put the people first and advance reform and opening-up in efforts to promote ecological conservation and high-quality development on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks during his inspection tour of northwest China's Qinghai Province from Monday to Wednesday.

The trip took Xi to the provincial capital Xining and the Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. On Monday afternoon, Xi visited a carpet production company in Xining, where he learned about efforts in preserving and carrying forward local craft of hand-knitting carpets.

Xi stressed encouraging industries that have the most distinctive local features and the most vigorous enterprises in promoting high-quality development.

He also called for fostering a policy environment that encourages, supports and guides the development of private enterprises, as well as coordinating the development of industries and enterprises with efforts in boosting employment and promoting rural vitalization and ethnic unity.

Xi then went to a residential community in Xining. He stressed the roles of primary-level Party organizations and Party members in community governance, urging efforts to build residential communities into important platforms for promoting ethnic unity and progress.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, visits the home of a herdsman in a village in Shaliuhe Township, Gangcha County in Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Qinghai Province, June 8, 2021. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi)

Inspecting the county of Gangcha in Haibei on Tuesday, Xi said the achievements in conserving the ecological environment of Qinghai Lake are hard-won, and must be cherished, consolidated and expanded.

He called for accelerated efforts in building a nature reserves system "centering on national parks, based on natural reserves and supplemented by various kinds of natural parks" to better protect the eco-environment and biodiversity.

Xi then went to a village in Shaliuhe Township where herdsmen have resettled. Visiting the home of a Tibetan herdsman, Xi said the Party has won the people's wholehearted support because it has always served the people with heart and soul and strived for the wellbeing of all ethnic groups.

Speaking with villagers, Xi said he felt delighted to learn that they are leading happy lives. "We shall continue to work hard, and by the time New China celebrates its centenary, the Chinese nation will, without a doubt, stand firmer and stronger among the world's nations," he said.

Not a single ethnic group should be left behind in the efforts to fully build a modern socialist China, Xi said, adding that the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation can be only achieved when all ethnic groups remain closely united like the seeds of a pomegranate that stick together.

On Wednesday morning, Xi listened to the work reports of the provincial Party committee and government of Qinghai, and acknowledged the achievements the province has made in various fields.

Xi stressed Qinghai's significant role in the country's security in ecological, homeland, and resources and energy spheres, and urged the province to foster new industries, accelerate the development of a world-class salt lake industrial base, as well as make itself a clean energy industry leader, an international eco-tourism destination and a supplier of green farm and animal products.

Qinghai should stimulate technological innovation and actively align itself with major regional development strategies such as the Yangtze River Economic Belt to boost the internal drive of economic growth, he said.

On Qinghai's environmental protection, Xi said that the conservation of the source of three major rivers should be the utmost priority.

The province should improve the management of national parks, restore the ecology of its various landscapes, protect biological diversity on the plateau, and promote ecological conservation and high-quality development along the Yellow River, he added.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, learns about the lives of local Tibetan residents while visiting a village of Shaliuhe Township in Gangcha County of Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Qinghai Province, June 8, 2021. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi)

Highlighting people's wellbeing and the goal of prosperity for all, Xi urged the province to coordinate ecological conservation with people's livelihood.

He also emphasized the need to consolidate the progress in poverty alleviation and further revitalize the countryside.

Xi expressed sympathy and concern to those affected by a 7.4-magnitude earthquake, which jolted Maduo County of Qinghai on May 22, and called for solid reconstruction efforts.

Noting the strategic role of Qinghai in safeguarding stability in Xinjiang and Tibet, Xi urged full implementation of the Party's general plan for governing Tibet in the new era and stressed efforts to shoulder due responsibilities. He also called for more efforts to build the province into a paragon in ethnic unity and progress.

Efforts should go toward fully implementing the Party's basic policy on religious work and providing guidance to religions so that they can adapt to a socialist society, Xi said.

Xi also highlighted the value of the Party's revolutionary spirit, which has motivated the Party to forge ahead.

By studying the Party history, all Party members and cadres must remind themselves of the oath of loyalty to the Party, deliver benefits to the people, and exercise strict self-discipline, said Xi.

Xi also stressed further improving Party conduct, promoting integrity, and training a contingent of competent and professional officials loyal to the Party, with moral integrity and a keen sense of responsibility. 
Singapore Issues Corporate Tax Return Filing Guidance

by Mary Swire, Tax-News.com, Hong Kong

09 June 2021

The Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore has released guidance for companies on filing a corporate income tax return this year.

The deadline for filing the form is November 30, 2021, for the 2021 year of assessment.

Companies should file one of three forms depending on the size of their operations.

The simplified Form C-S is for companies that fulfil all of the below conditions - they:

are incorporated in Singapore; and

have an annual revenue of SGD5m or less; and

derive income taxable at the prevailing corporate tax rate of 17 percent; and

are not claiming the following:

Carry-back of current year capital allowances/ losses;



Group relief;



Investment allowance; or



Foreign tax credit and tax deducted at source.

Form C-S (Lite) can be filed by those companies that qualify to file Form C-S and have an annual revenue of SGD200,000 or less.

The guidance, released on May 11 on an IRAS webpage titled "Corporate Income Tax Filing Season 2021", covers which companies are obligated to file; what income is liable to corporate tax; allowable deductions and reliefs; common filing mistakes; rules for investment holding companies; refunds, payments, and appeals; and other available guidance.

It lists new changes to the corporate tax forms owing to tax regime changes, as follows:
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Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 73 Thanked: 175 Times

If I were a buffalo, I would chew my travels

Photo by chandra sekhar on Unsplash



This is a river in Mahbubnagar district of Telangana state in India. It is not a breathtaking picture by any means but here is the thing. There is a story I was told as a child that stayed with me. I must have been about ten years old. This was the summertime - school holidays with frequent power cuts in the evenings. All the women would start cooking early to stay ahead of power-cuts, always keeping a few candles at arms reach in the kitchen. Our house was small with two rooms and a kitchen  each of the rooms had a wooden stool or something similar with a large candle on it, its stump furrowed with molten wax along the length. My mother put one matchbox near the gas stove in the kitchen and the other one on the TV. She was into knitting those days as was everyone else in the neighbourhood, all the women sitting together on ledges outside the houses, arguing over the varieties of knitting methods and so forth A power-cut usually started with stuttered wails as the children shot out of their homes, the adults still coming to terms, sighing with their heads cast down, fumbling for the matchboxes.



No one knew where it started but the women were chewing the tails of their saris, their heads keeling closer as they gave wings to the supernatural tale. It was said a woman of unknown origins roamed the nights, her white sari made of gauze fabric that perhaps choked moonlight because when she came out the moon, it was said, went behind the clouds where he lay until she caught her prey. She only came at night, surveyed the surroundings in one quick sweep for she pivoted like no other, for her feet were like none you had seen, turned inward, levitating above the ground, toes pale and webbed, nails curving inwards. She had a frigid temper, kept to herself, dissolving into the night and burrowing into the earth or climbing a banyan tree where she let her hair down alongside the new roots, for she was reticent, timid but always observant. But if she was spotted by anyone things took on a very different turn  she did not like it, being seen. And this ensued a patrol of sorts, with the woman going from house to house, her hand balled into a fist as she knocked on the doors. Some doors had chains that fitted over a loop of metal through which the doors lock was secured. It was said the woman stroke those chains with her cold hands. She knocked on each of the doors three times before moving on to the next one. What happened to those who opened the door was difficult to say, for they packed up and left as far from the town as possible. Some said she had bulbous eyes with fervent energy, those pupils butting into the sides of eyeballs like mad prisoners, but the lips were a contrast, thin and elongated.



And this is when the scrawling on the doors began. O Stree repu ra, as if placating a baby, a false promise to give her the following day whatever it was she was after. Almost all the houses volunteered with the note on their doors, falsely, that if only the woman could turnaround and come back the next day





At school my friend Rohit told me he was immune from the woman who patrolled at nights. His argument was that he had taken three dips in the river. He had a protective coat that lingered on him, unseen but potent enough to dissuade devils with a penchant for knocking on doors. Rohit was a neighbour as well as my classmate. We had studied in the same school from kindergarten till class tenth. Our parents were close too, the neighbourhood itself so small with families who knew each other quite well.

When I had put my finger in the hand-pump and injured myself, Rohit was there. He had rummaged through my school bag and found the tattered, old school tie, the spare one I had kept with me under the books as a token, and wrapped it unevenly around my index finger. I still have the scar on my finger which I am presently looking at as I type these words. When I fell from the auto rickshaw from where I was sitting next to the driver with one hand holding the horn, Rohit was there sitting in the back on the railing. The rickshaw driver was admonishing me for letting my hand loose, but Rohit argued on my behalf, that the seat in the front was not sufficient for driver and two boys on each side.

When Rohit threw himself into a ditch to avoid cycling into the wall, I was there. I helped him back to his feet. He could not walk very well for almost a week after that, his right knee chipped, and skin reddened like enraged eye of a storm.



--------------------------------------------





By (WT-en) Eh.yeoh at English Wikivoyage - Own work, Public Domain,





This was in the ferry near Penang, Malaysia. It was around ten in the morning when we boarded. Satish was fiddling with his camera, changing the batteries, his face resolute in taking as many pictures as possible. I stood with my hand resting on the thick ropes they had dangled on one side. The men and women who had driven with their cars stayed inside not seeming too interested in the voyage, only in the utility of it. The ferry picked up speed, slicing the still surface of water like a manic surgeon with a blunt knife, spilling whitened blood in its wake. The sky was clear, and the sun was harsh, prompting us to take regular sips of water. Satish was ready with the camera now, taking pictures of water, the bridge, the ferry, and everything else that tickled his fancy It had been about thirty minutes and the steady speed of the ferry now produced a rumble like an old fridge, the beginnings of a morning doze invading me in response to the ambience. Some of the men stepped out of their cars, stretching, yawning, and surveying the surroundings.



Satish was telling me our plan was to get off the ferry on the other side, catch a bus to Kuala Kedah or Kuala Perlis and take another ferry to reach Langkawi. We did not have any bookings, neither for the bus nor the accommodation. But Satish had been to Langkawi before, and he believed we could just walk in, and it wont be an issue. We were at different stages in our lives- he was recently married, and I was on the way to get married. We had met in Singapore where he was living with his wife in a Condo which he had sublet to four other guys. His wife was currently visiting her parents in India while he had to stay back for work. And there was a three-day weekend. So, we combined our mutual interests  his photography and my travel  to set off on this trip. When we started from Singapore it was around ten in the night. We had our dinner just outside Johore Strait and took the bus to Penang.



The ferry came to a stop, men in uniform taking their positions to fling the rope over the row of tires encrusted with moss and weeds, pillars on the platform haggard and slippery, wearing the ropes from countless other ferries like garlands, messiahs of some forgotten religion



Before getting on the bus for our next leg of the journey to Kuala Kedah we stopped to get some food. We ate chicken with some roti, Satish taking a few pics while we ate. We were both working for IT companies near NOL building on Alexandra Road in Singapore. We rarely ever spoke of work, mostly just casting the net of chatter over a sea of life, sometimes catching a capsule of scientific discussions, sometimes a bottle of family drama, and other times another net itself  oh! What a fantastic recursive loop life is, an onion layered with mystifying tales



This was back in 2013, social media was not all-consuming like it is today. We had our smart phones but were keen to pass time talking  after all, we were on a trip to explore Malaysia He told me about his childhood, the farm he grew up in. This was near Salem in Tamil Nadu. His father had passed away when he was a child, and he grew up being worried for his mother who had episodes of frantic energy as he called them. It started when he was about eighteen, getting up one morning he found her missing. With the help of neighbours, he found her near the local temple where she was sitting outside with some silver cutlery and gold ornaments, calling priests and devotees, to pick up anything they fancied for free. His mother did not respond to his calls, insisting she was married to a man wearing checked shirt who was sitting across her just a moment ago. That man turned out to be a milkman who knew everyone in the area, had been overcome with concern for the woman when he spotted her dishing out gold and silver to strangers



In the weeks that followed she rested for days together at times skipping meals even. But she sailed through, finding herself on the other side. The doctor thought it was stress related and nothing to be concerned over with. His mother was not the worrying type anyway, so she picked up from where she left as though nothing had happened that needed explaining. Satish was the only child and they lived in a small house with one room in the front with a few chairs and a TV. This room led to two other rooms one of which was the kitchen and the other bedroom where his mother slept. Satish slept in the front room where he had managed to cobble up a rickety table, its broken leg secured with tape. He did most of his reading on this table littering it with academic books and notebooks, two folded chairs leaned against its side. On the wall he had the calendar stapled with few dates crossed out, pencilled with relevant information. For instance, the seventh of every month was for withdrawing pension money from bank, and the last Saturday of the month for depositing money in the fixed deposit fund based on what was left. He always came straight back home, minded his own business at college, kept his friendships to a minimum, and stayed frugal of course





The ferry ride to Langkawi was delightful  we got to sit next to the window in the lower deck, water lolling and eddying outside, an occasional grunt from the turbines under us as the engine revved. There were some families with children, some college students, and some guys like us, visitors from elsewhere. I looked about me noticing most of them looked as if they did not care they were surrounded by water, encased in a box of metal, chrome and plastic. They were either playing video games on their phones, or reading newspapers, or just eating chips. Even the ones sitting near the windows did not seem like they cared, very businesslike, and it struck me that this last leg was exactly that  these were people hopping on the ferry from nearby towns for a two hours ride to the famous island. Visitors usually flew straight to the island, not stretching it out into multiple legs like we did. But of course, we felt compelled to explore more for less  frugal, you remember.



After we alighted, I went straight to the tea stall to nurse an impending headache, while Satish sauntered off to the information centre. It was around five in the evening when we reached  we had spent almost a full day getting here from Singapore. On the way, my mind laboured with a brilliant duality - the excitement of exploring a new country alongside the casual manner in which the local communities went about their daily chores. Having finished the tea, I pressed the still-hot cup to my temple, abating the throbs of pain. Satish pulled a chair to my side and spread the map on the table, pointing to the hotels where we were going to go- budget ones where he had gone last year with friends from his office.





By This is Alif Laila opening montage -





We hired a bike for two days, took our bags, and set off on what turned out to be a humid ride, the road much like any other road once you left the shore. The hot wind was really the only reminder that we were on an island, not very far from the sea wherever we went. It reminded me of Alif Laila, a TV series based on One Thousand and One Nights. Growing up, I was fascinated with these stories, always recounting them with friends and family members. In it, Sinbad the Sailor, exhausted from his voyages, reaches a nondescript island one evening just before sunset. He drags his boat ashore, anchors it firmly with a tight knot of the rope around a scabby tree trunk. He then proceeds to survey the beach for any stragglers, the sun sinking behind him, a hue of orange now spreading across the sky. He washes himself clean near a stream of running water where he eventually lays his mat and rests his back. The moon climbs up into the sky, stars serenading like backstage dancers around it. In his dreams he is visited by a prisoner, feral mannered with festering wounds, grimy nails and chipped teeth. The prisoner claims the world is nothing but an illusion and he, Sindbad, must see through it, face the demon hiding behind the veneer of a lascivious woman who had taken hostage in his heart. Sindbad protests, unwilling, his fists clenched, like a child.





By Ramanand Sagar -



But the prisoner is no ordinary man  he is dishevelled but he was a wealthy man once, in the city of Ararat where the land was fecund and the purest of water poured out from a spring in the forest. One day while he was hunting, his fingers poised around the arrow, the bow bent on precipice of a release, he heard a cry, shrill and helpless. He found the source of the cry, a woman, sobbing with her knees clutched to her chest, her hair falling around her like vines encircling a tree. She was not wounded but had lost something, a medallion perhaps, for she held her palms open as she wailed, tears rolling down her cheeks. She spoke in a tongue foreign to his, but he saw in her eyes sorrow that needed no expression, only a beating heart. He took her with him, gave her clothes and fed her sumptuous food. At first, she did not trust him but as days went by she grew closer to him, enamoured by his humour and heart. But as she grew healthier, and as she learnt his tongue his health gave away  he lost his hair in clumps, his teeth decayed, and his skin turned pale, blood pooling on its way to his heart, giving his veins the sheen of blue and purple you see, she was poisoning him every night in his sleep, as she turned into a snake, her legs twitching together as she lay on the floor, her body convalescing, the length of her neck rising, eyelids withdrawing, a raft of scales rippling out of her. By the morning she shed her skin, turning once again into the woman with longing eyes, delicate hands, her touch a mist of fine feathers, her voice a low-lying fruit of rhapsody





By Author: AnonymousIllustrator: Milo Winter -





Sindbad wakes up sometime in the early hours of the morning, cracks a few twigs and starts a fire. He brings a pale of water from the stream to make a soup with spices he had brought from home, and potatoes he peeled just the morning. As the water comes to boil the birds rise up into the sky, a net of tattered wings, swinging sideways into the sea, as if cast by a great hand. Sindbad crouches, alert at once, his hand resting on the hilt of the sword the blade of which was sharpened by volcanic embers. He kicks some sand into the fire as the ground beneath him heaves, a welter of angry grunts escaping into the dome of air above. The rocks on the beach roll over into the sea, plunging as the land rises, sand and pebbles rustling, the crest of the hill hitching itself over as it rose, the twin banks of trees behind him lodging deeper into the sea, as the whole island heaved up, a harrowing cry emanating from the lumbering giant that the island had now become















As we drove around Langkawi on a moped this transmogrification of Sindbads Island came to my mind which I found interesting. Langkawi was a modern island of course, peopled with entrepreneurs who had set up everything from restaurants to hotels for visitors who flocked from every corner of the world. The wind was humid and even the slanted rays of the evening sun quite hot. We spent the next two days visiting the beaches, mangrove forests, and caves on the island, all the while wondering, petulantly I must add, why the island was not turning into a giant



--------------------------------------------



The next time we met was in Sydney, almost three years after our last trip. I was thirty-four years old by then, married with a child on the way. We were still working for IT companies, travelled on work-visas for projects that took anywhere between six months to a year to complete. The year was 2015  social media had become more invasive than before, also more useful as it turned out. He found out I was in Parramatta, Sydney through my Facebook updates and reached out. We spoke on phone and set aside a weekend to reminisce.











We met in Circular quay. He had grown a little bit pudgy, complained about his knee which sent sharp, tingling pain sometimes depending on which leg he was hoisting himself on, or which leg he was doing most of the climbing with. He looked older than his age, thirty-six, with some hair greying on the sides just behind the ears. We took our coffee and lounged on a park bench near the opera house, the magnificent sails shielding the sun, sending elongated shadows toward us. In the evening, the place was bustling. We stepped into the underground parlour where slices of pizzas and bottles of wine sat imperially on tables of all kinds  round, square, long, short, and even make-do ones such as the rim of the fountain, lip of the balcony, cradle of a sofa. Physically-fit men and women looking like gods and goddesses from the Greek mythologies wandered about, talking and laughing, each table seated to the brim, their voices all enmeshed, a steady stream of syllables, indistinct and uproarious The cold, evening breeze almost knocked us back as we climbed over the escalator.





I looked over to the west and the sun had sunk under water, its face reddening as if smothered from above, resisting the push. The sails of Opera House were lit by the time we finished our beers and pizza which we had consumed sitting alongside the Greek gods earlier.



On the train back to Parramatta Satish told me his mother had passed away recently. It was a tumour in the head that ruptured. He looked out the window, as if to assuage the pain in recalling her final days. He sat wordless for a while, looking at his hands. I said I was sorry for his loss, knowing his past struggles.



Next day we did the Spit Bridge to Manly Walk.



--------------------------------------------









This was in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia. My roommate Kiran and I travelled here by train. On the way the train passes over some of the most beautiful lakes and rivers, boats and kayaks caught up in their serenity. It was over two hours journey and we had sat in one of the quiet carriages  I was reading a novel and Kiran was sitting near the window with his camera, taking a few shots once in a while. The novel was Angela Carters Passion of the New Eve with colourful imagery on the book cover, of diaphanous simulacrums of women looking to the heavens. It had invited some eyeballs to pivot, some eyes to squint, and some pupils to dilate, as the passengers of the quiet carriage noticed the books cover. It had that effect on people. The book itself was nothing short of acid to the brain  I can see myself now, sitting on that train reading the book, the rhythmic sound of train a backdrop to the post-apocalyptic world where the women set up ghettos and roamed the desert plains, sand in their eyes and machine guns strapped on their backs, like hyenas drawn to the smell of decay





By Source, Fair use,



Her novel, Nights at the circus, comes to my mind now, in which a trapeze artist with wings, is hatched out of an egg. The artist travels around the world, is loved and laughed at, imprisoned and subjected to ludicrous experiments, is chased by hounds But all of this comes later, what happens at the very beginning is most endearing. They sit and talk, the artist, and the journalist who comes to interview her  this is the first chapter. It opens with the artist being bawdy, loudmouthed, and chivalrous, as she documents her life in disorienting detail, jumping the timeline at her will, leaving the poor journalist to piece together what best he could of her life, wondering all the time if this was fact or fiction, for how can a woman be born of an egg? And are those wings real? The artist talks about her childhood, the menagerie where she spent time close to animals, how the travelling circus came to be, how one fine morning she felt the pink bruises on her back swelling, letting out baby fluff initially which she tried to wash, only later noticing them grow into fine wings Initially she tries to hide her wings in tight clothing which does not go as well as she plans. Eventually she learns to hoist herself up, falling many times from the trapeze, pirouetting in the air, her clothes in a disarray, as she lands on the net below.



Occasionally I would pause the reading, and look out the window, the brilliant, hallucinating imagery of the novel still simmering in my head and find a lonely boat sailing in a massive lake surrounded by thick forest, encroaching from all sides while the clouds soared away, letting in a few shafts of the most exquisite rays of sun. It was such as contrast, a disarming one





When we reached New Castle, it was after noon, the station empty with just a few people near the Opal machines. It was a contrast to Sydney where most of the stations were crowded all the time, people hastily flitting past you like sparrows from branch to branch.





--------------------------------------------





By C.Chandra Kanth Rao - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0,





In the ninth standard, when I was about fifteen years old, the school had arranged a seven-day trip. This was to start from Mahbubnagar, a district in Andhra Pradesh, to explore the states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, all the way to the southernmost tip of India, Kanyakumari. The price was 1200 rupees per student  it included everything of course, the food, accommodation, travel, tickets, etc. A bus was hired, few coconuts broken, and prayers offered, before setting off from our school, a modest double-storeyed building with flaky, dull-green walls. I was sitting in the middle with my social teacher, Pavan, who had instructed us all to get diaries and pens to jot things down. Way in the back someone flicked a laser torch on, a small device that you could close in your fist, with a beam so sharp that its tip bounced off the walls of the bus like an insect caught. The bus had come equipped with two speakers  unseen beneath the piled bags and satchels, they blared like couped chicken, the music tinny like thin strings beating on cracked metal. Some cassettes were offered to the driver for playing the latest songs, Dil se, being the biggest musical hit in those days. Some danced without prompting and others needed persuading  it was a demanding task to move about between the bars of the bus, framed by the seats on both the sides, a narrow stage that rose and fell with speed-breakers on the road. The move of the hip or curl of the foot was sure to land your feet in a twist, the bus occasionally rolling to the side of the road to let the oncoming traffic pass through. A medley of horns signalled welcome to every town, district, or city as the bus picked its way along the itinerary, stopping briefly for food.



On the way to Ooty, hill station in Tamil Nadu, the bus broke down. We were made to sit on the side of the road in a single file while the social teacher and the principal took turns in serving food. The serving plates, Vistarakus, made out of broad leaves stitched together, were light in weight and kept fluttering in the wind, requiring us to put a slab of rice or a small stone on the windy side, temporarily arresting the flutter. And it was cold, being a hill station, gauzy clouds sailed overhead like nets cast in the open sky, fishing for something underneath... The whole experience was surreal  we ate our food and went into the woods picking wild fruits and tossing them over the cliffs, watching aghast as they disappeared into the misty forest, soundless, as if in a dream, as if all of this was happening in someones head, perhaps mine, but again who knows



Pavan Sir, as we addressed him, married next year and left the school, his wife finding a teaching position herself in a school nearby. He was a short man, a thin moustache slumped on his upper lip like a worm, eyes looking through the rimmed glasses, sometimes agitated but mostly patient with students. When I was down with typhoid and been absent from the school for over two weeks he came to our home, to reassure me I had not missed any important classes and could easily keep up with notes borrowed from others in the class. On my birthday he had gifted an alarm clock, a small square block that could be closed shut into a case, a cocoon of sorts, ticking inside, forever keeping time even when I was not looking, a faithful friend I kept it in the shelf near my study table, at the level of my eyes, hands of the clock keeping watch over me as they swept in circles in their perfect, flat disc of roman numbers.



I was obsessed with the clock, so I tried to time everything with it, and in the process dropped it one fine morning, cracking its shell open so now it lay like a fish with its mouth open, a bizarre contraption of metal and plastic with tiny knobs and a slot for batteries laid bare. Here is the thing  it was summer holidays, and I was alone at home. We lived in the outskirts of the town, just on the rim where the town ended and the amorphous villages began, like gelatinous blobs stuck to a solid, central mass. The first few days I was racked with guilt for breaking something precious, a gift from a teacher who cared. But I got over it, and in a dizzying spell of brilliance I figured out it could be put to use as a calling bell. Our house had a decently sized compound enclosed by brick walls and a black metal gate in one corner. The gate closed with a half-moon shaped disc of metal that sat like a cherry on the top of the two sides of the gate. And to open, one had to lift that half-moon disc and put it away. So, I managed to secure several meters of white wire which my father bought home on my request one evening without much argument. He was good that way I connected this wire to the half-moon disc and the gate, bringing it all the way back to the front room, plastering it just inside the lip of the compound wall along the length. In the front room I connected the wire to the alarm clock so that the circuit essentially closed when someone opened the gate. This was my idea of a calling bell, a schoolboys experiment in physics It worked quite well, the person who most benefitted from it was my mother who absolutely loved it, vouching for the scientific bent of my mind with everyone she met in social gatherings one day a neighbour brought her alarm clock to our home  she wanted it fixed, she had apparently heard I fix clocks



--------------------------------------------







I showed this picture to my three-year-old son and told him I was the boy in this, with my father, mother and sister. He could not fathom it, that I and that boy were the same person. I invoked mathematics to explain this, and it seemed that I had just made matters worse. You were wearing a nappy and your dad cleaned your poop? he inquired, squinting his eyes at the photo. In his world it seemed this was the relationship between a child and its father.



Later in the day when I was alone by myself, I brought that memory back, and chewed on it, like those buffalos did under the banyan tree of my childhood. They must have been going through the same phase of life as I am at present. I rang my fathers number and my mother picked up which was usually the case. My father would stand in the background and talk but very rarely picked up the call himself  if it was an important conversation, sure, he was always available. For instance, I would ask for a copy of my car insurance, or a copy of my service certificate with my last company, or I needed to talk about investing my savings in land. My father was always ready for these  he would put on his spectacles, a pen and diary handy, and more than happy to talk He was all about utility of things growing up he always said to me you lose this time now; you cant get it back. When I was unsure of switching my job, he rang me up every day to talk to me. When I had applied for citizenship in Australia he and I had long, uninterrupted calls to play out scenarios from our future  how do we handle a misfortune such as debilitating health of one or both of my parents? He would inquire, reinforcing that I need not worry for the time-being, and focus on my career, my children, my life, my health



When I was six or seven years old my father owned a cycle with a child seat on the horizontal rod in the front  most of the families owned cycles in those days. I remember one day in particular when we were riding home and my school progress report wasnt as inspiring as he would have liked. I remember lying to him that I had scored better grades, but the teacher had run out of ink in his pen or something along those lines. It had just started drizzling a bit, and he was getting upset, so much so that he took his handkerchief out, snapped it open only to spread on the progress report leaving me drenching in the rain. He wanted to get his children over a line, a line behind which he had found himself.



In all the pictures of my childhood my father has never once smiled, perhaps considering a trip to the photo booth itself a necessary mayhem. After I graduated and landed a job, he was the first person I told. I remember going to his office near Tank Bund in Hyderabad  it was on the eight floor of an old building right across the new flyover. All the floors in that building were leased for Government offices including the one my father was working in as an Assistant Hydrologist. Outside, the building was covered with hoardings of political parties, men and women in pink and yellow shawls, some torsos with hands waving and others with hands clasped. Inside, the long corridors were flanked with wooden stools and benches, paperweights sitting atop a sheath of files here, a slip of papers there Narrow stairs to one end of the corridor rose like the trunk of an elephant  no one had thought it was important to put a light there. I looked around me and found the lift, men and women exiting and entering without dawdling. Once on the eight floor it did not take me much longer to find where my father was seated. In his office room which he shared with three others, I met him casually before sitting down to tell him I had landed my first job. His face lit up and I think he was overcome with emotion. He was still standing when I told him the news - we shook hands, my dad as happy as a salesman who had finally sold that cycle, he had been trying to sell for last twenty years Behind him, the wall was plastered with a calendar, its dates crossed out in red and blue.



I had gone with him on his last day at the office, on the day of his retirement. Ten years on, that wall behind him had accumulated more calendars over time, taped one over the other, like a charmed palimpsest with many hidden layers of manuscripts





Photo by chandra sekhar on UnsplashThis is a river in Mahbubnagar district of Telangana state in India. It is not a breathtaking picture by any means but here is the thing. There is a story I was told as a child that stayed with me. I must have been about ten years old. This was the summertime - school holidays with frequent power cuts in the evenings. All the women would start cooking early to stay ahead of power-cuts, always keeping a few candles at arms reach in the kitchen. Our house was small with two rooms and a kitchen  each of the rooms had a wooden stool or something similar with a large candle on it, its stump furrowed with molten wax along the length. My mother put one matchbox near the gas stove in the kitchen and the other one on the TV. She was into knitting those days as was everyone else in the neighbourhood, all the women sitting together on ledges outside the houses, arguing over the varieties of knitting methods and so forth A power-cut usually started with stuttered wails as the children shot out of their homes, the adults still coming to terms, sighing with their heads cast down, fumbling for the matchboxes.No one knew where it started but the women were chewing the tails of their saris, their heads keeling closer as they gave wings to the supernatural tale. It was said a woman of unknown origins roamed the nights, her white sari made of gauze fabric that perhaps choked moonlight because when she came out the moon, it was said, went behind the clouds where he lay until she caught her prey. She only came at night, surveyed the surroundings in one quick sweep for she pivoted like no other, for her feet were like none you had seen, turned inward, levitating above the ground, toes pale and webbed, nails curving inwards. She had a frigid temper, kept to herself, dissolving into the night and burrowing into the earth or climbing a banyan tree where she let her hair down alongside the new roots, for she was reticent, timid but always observant. But if she was spotted by anyone things took on a very different turn  she did not like it, being seen. And this ensued a patrol of sorts, with the woman going from house to house, her hand balled into a fist as she knocked on the doors. Some doors had chains that fitted over a loop of metal through which the doors lock was secured. It was said the woman stroke those chains with her cold hands. She knocked on each of the doors three times before moving on to the next one. What happened to those who opened the door was difficult to say, for they packed up and left as far from the town as possible. Some said she had bulbous eyes with fervent energy, those pupils butting into the sides of eyeballs like mad prisoners, but the lips were a contrast, thin and elongated.And this is when the scrawling on the doors began. O Stree repu ra, as if placating a baby, a false promise to give her the following day whatever it was she was after. Almost all the houses volunteered with the note on their doors, falsely, that if only the woman could turnaround and come back the next dayAt school my friend Rohit told me he was immune from the woman who patrolled at nights. His argument was that he had taken three dips in the river. He had a protective coat that lingered on him, unseen but potent enough to dissuade devils with a penchant for knocking on doors. Rohit was a neighbour as well as my classmate. We had studied in the same school from kindergarten till class tenth. Our parents were close too, the neighbourhood itself so small with families who knew each other quite well.When I had put my finger in the hand-pump and injured myself, Rohit was there. He had rummaged through my school bag and found the tattered, old school tie, the spare one I had kept with me under the books as a token, and wrapped it unevenly around my index finger. I still have the scar on my finger which I am presently looking at as I type these words. When I fell from the auto rickshaw from where I was sitting next to the driver with one hand holding the horn, Rohit was there sitting in the back on the railing. The rickshaw driver was admonishing me for letting my hand loose, but Rohit argued on my behalf, that the seat in the front was not sufficient for driver and two boys on each side.When Rohit threw himself into a ditch to avoid cycling into the wall, I was there. I helped him back to his feet. He could not walk very well for almost a week after that, his right knee chipped, and skin reddened like enraged eye of a storm.--------------------------------------------By (WT-en) Eh.yeoh at English Wikivoyage - Own work, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/inde...curid=23844285 This was in the ferry near Penang, Malaysia. It was around ten in the morning when we boarded. Satish was fiddling with his camera, changing the batteries, his face resolute in taking as many pictures as possible. I stood with my hand resting on the thick ropes they had dangled on one side. The men and women who had driven with their cars stayed inside not seeming too interested in the voyage, only in the utility of it. The ferry picked up speed, slicing the still surface of water like a manic surgeon with a blunt knife, spilling whitened blood in its wake. The sky was clear, and the sun was harsh, prompting us to take regular sips of water. Satish was ready with the camera now, taking pictures of water, the bridge, the ferry, and everything else that tickled his fancy It had been about thirty minutes and the steady speed of the ferry now produced a rumble like an old fridge, the beginnings of a morning doze invading me in response to the ambience. Some of the men stepped out of their cars, stretching, yawning, and surveying the surroundings.Satish was telling me our plan was to get off the ferry on the other side, catch a bus to Kuala Kedah or Kuala Perlis and take another ferry to reach Langkawi. We did not have any bookings, neither for the bus nor the accommodation. But Satish had been to Langkawi before, and he believed we could just walk in, and it wont be an issue. We were at different stages in our lives- he was recently married, and I was on the way to get married. We had met in Singapore where he was living with his wife in a Condo which he had sublet to four other guys. His wife was currently visiting her parents in India while he had to stay back for work. And there was a three-day weekend. So, we combined our mutual interests  his photography and my travel  to set off on this trip. When we started from Singapore it was around ten in the night. We had our dinner just outside Johore Strait and took the bus to Penang.The ferry came to a stop, men in uniform taking their positions to fling the rope over the row of tires encrusted with moss and weeds, pillars on the platform haggard and slippery, wearing the ropes from countless other ferries like garlands, messiahs of some forgotten religionBefore getting on the bus for our next leg of the journey to Kuala Kedah we stopped to get some food. We ate chicken with some roti, Satish taking a few pics while we ate. We were both working for IT companies near NOL building on Alexandra Road in Singapore. We rarely ever spoke of work, mostly just casting the net of chatter over a sea of life, sometimes catching a capsule of scientific discussions, sometimes a bottle of family drama, and other times another net itself  oh! What a fantastic recursive loop life is, an onion layered with mystifying talesThis was back in 2013, social media was not all-consuming like it is today. We had our smart phones but were keen to pass time talking  after all, we were on a trip to explore Malaysia He told me about his childhood, the farm he grew up in. This was near Salem in Tamil Nadu. His father had passed away when he was a child, and he grew up being worried for his mother who had episodes of frantic energy as he called them. It started when he was about eighteen, getting up one morning he found her missing. With the help of neighbours, he found her near the local temple where she was sitting outside with some silver cutlery and gold ornaments, calling priests and devotees, to pick up anything they fancied for free. His mother did not respond to his calls, insisting she was married to a man wearing checked shirt who was sitting across her just a moment ago. That man turned out to be a milkman who knew everyone in the area, had been overcome with concern for the woman when he spotted her dishing out gold and silver to strangersIn the weeks that followed she rested for days together at times skipping meals even. But she sailed through, finding herself on the other side. The doctor thought it was stress related and nothing to be concerned over with. His mother was not the worrying type anyway, so she picked up from where she left as though nothing had happened that needed explaining. Satish was the only child and they lived in a small house with one room in the front with a few chairs and a TV. This room led to two other rooms one of which was the kitchen and the other bedroom where his mother slept. Satish slept in the front room where he had managed to cobble up a rickety table, its broken leg secured with tape. He did most of his reading on this table littering it with academic books and notebooks, two folded chairs leaned against its side. On the wall he had the calendar stapled with few dates crossed out, pencilled with relevant information. For instance, the seventh of every month was for withdrawing pension money from bank, and the last Saturday of the month for depositing money in the fixed deposit fund based on what was left. He always came straight back home, minded his own business at college, kept his friendships to a minimum, and stayed frugal of courseThe ferry ride to Langkawi was delightful  we got to sit next to the window in the lower deck, water lolling and eddying outside, an occasional grunt from the turbines under us as the engine revved. There were some families with children, some college students, and some guys like us, visitors from elsewhere. I looked about me noticing most of them looked as if they did not care they were surrounded by water, encased in a box of metal, chrome and plastic. They were either playing video games on their phones, or reading newspapers, or just eating chips. Even the ones sitting near the windows did not seem like they cared, very businesslike, and it struck me that this last leg was exactly that  these were people hopping on the ferry from nearby towns for a two hours ride to the famous island. Visitors usually flew straight to the island, not stretching it out into multiple legs like we did. But of course, we felt compelled to explore more for less  frugal, you remember.After we alighted, I went straight to the tea stall to nurse an impending headache, while Satish sauntered off to the information centre. It was around five in the evening when we reached  we had spent almost a full day getting here from Singapore. On the way, my mind laboured with a brilliant duality - the excitement of exploring a new country alongside the casual manner in which the local communities went about their daily chores. Having finished the tea, I pressed the still-hot cup to my temple, abating the throbs of pain. Satish pulled a chair to my side and spread the map on the table, pointing to the hotels where we were going to go- budget ones where he had gone last year with friends from his office.By This is Alif Laila opening montage - https://i.ytimg.com/vi/SrFJlxU9nhU/hqdefault.jpg , CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/inde...curid=93195512 We hired a bike for two days, took our bags, and set off on what turned out to be a humid ride, the road much like any other road once you left the shore. The hot wind was really the only reminder that we were on an island, not very far from the sea wherever we went. It reminded me of Alif Laila, a TV series based on One Thousand and One Nights. Growing up, I was fascinated with these stories, always recounting them with friends and family members. In it, Sinbad the Sailor, exhausted from his voyages, reaches a nondescript island one evening just before sunset. He drags his boat ashore, anchors it firmly with a tight knot of the rope around a scabby tree trunk. He then proceeds to survey the beach for any stragglers, the sun sinking behind him, a hue of orange now spreading across the sky. He washes himself clean near a stream of running water where he eventually lays his mat and rests his back. The moon climbs up into the sky, stars serenading like backstage dancers around it. In his dreams he is visited by a prisoner, feral mannered with festering wounds, grimy nails and chipped teeth. The prisoner claims the world is nothing but an illusion and he, Sindbad, must see through it, face the demon hiding behind the veneer of a lascivious woman who had taken hostage in his heart. Sindbad protests, unwilling, his fists clenched, like a child.By Ramanand Sagar - http://www.salaambollywood.com.au/st...anandsagar.jpg , Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=37943532 But the prisoner is no ordinary man  he is dishevelled but he was a wealthy man once, in the city of Ararat where the land was fecund and the purest of water poured out from a spring in the forest. One day while he was hunting, his fingers poised around the arrow, the bow bent on precipice of a release, he heard a cry, shrill and helpless. He found the source of the cry, a woman, sobbing with her knees clutched to her chest, her hair falling around her like vines encircling a tree. She was not wounded but had lost something, a medallion perhaps, for she held her palms open as she wailed, tears rolling down her cheeks. She spoke in a tongue foreign to his, but he saw in her eyes sorrow that needed no expression, only a beating heart. He took her with him, gave her clothes and fed her sumptuous food. At first, she did not trust him but as days went by she grew closer to him, enamoured by his humour and heart. But as she grew healthier, and as she learnt his tongue his health gave away  he lost his hair in clumps, his teeth decayed, and his skin turned pale, blood pooling on its way to his heart, giving his veins the sheen of blue and purple you see, she was poisoning him every night in his sleep, as she turned into a snake, her legs twitching together as she lay on the floor, her body convalescing, the length of her neck rising, eyelids withdrawing, a raft of scales rippling out of her. By the morning she shed her skin, turning once again into the woman with longing eyes, delicate hands, her touch a mist of fine feathers, her voice a low-lying fruit of rhapsodyBy Author: AnonymousIllustrator: Milo Winter - http://www.gutenberg.org/files/19860...0-h.htm#anch_2 , Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/inde...curid=19150087 Sindbad wakes up sometime in the early hours of the morning, cracks a few twigs and starts a fire. He brings a pale of water from the stream to make a soup with spices he had brought from home, and potatoes he peeled just the morning. As the water comes to boil the birds rise up into the sky, a net of tattered wings, swinging sideways into the sea, as if cast by a great hand. Sindbad crouches, alert at once, his hand resting on the hilt of the sword the blade of which was sharpened by volcanic embers. He kicks some sand into the fire as the ground beneath him heaves, a welter of angry grunts escaping into the dome of air above. The rocks on the beach roll over into the sea, plunging as the land rises, sand and pebbles rustling, the crest of the hill hitching itself over as it rose, the twin banks of trees behind him lodging deeper into the sea, as the whole island heaved up, a harrowing cry emanating from the lumbering giant that the island had now becomeAs we drove around Langkawi on a moped this transmogrification of Sindbads Island came to my mind which I found interesting. Langkawi was a modern island of course, peopled with entrepreneurs who had set up everything from restaurants to hotels for visitors who flocked from every corner of the world. The wind was humid and even the slanted rays of the evening sun quite hot. We spent the next two days visiting the beaches, mangrove forests, and caves on the island, all the while wondering, petulantly I must add, why the island was not turning into a giant--------------------------------------------The next time we met was in Sydney, almost three years after our last trip. I was thirty-four years old by then, married with a child on the way. We were still working for IT companies, travelled on work-visas for projects that took anywhere between six months to a year to complete. The year was 2015  social media had become more invasive than before, also more useful as it turned out. He found out I was in Parramatta, Sydney through my Facebook updates and reached out. We spoke on phone and set aside a weekend to reminisce.We met in Circular quay. He had grown a little bit pudgy, complained about his knee which sent sharp, tingling pain sometimes depending on which leg he was hoisting himself on, or which leg he was doing most of the climbing with. He looked older than his age, thirty-six, with some hair greying on the sides just behind the ears. We took our coffee and lounged on a park bench near the opera house, the magnificent sails shielding the sun, sending elongated shadows toward us. In the evening, the place was bustling. We stepped into the underground parlour where slices of pizzas and bottles of wine sat imperially on tables of all kinds  round, square, long, short, and even make-do ones such as the rim of the fountain, lip of the balcony, cradle of a sofa. Physically-fit men and women looking like gods and goddesses from the Greek mythologies wandered about, talking and laughing, each table seated to the brim, their voices all enmeshed, a steady stream of syllables, indistinct and uproarious The cold, evening breeze almost knocked us back as we climbed over the escalator.I looked over to the west and the sun had sunk under water, its face reddening as if smothered from above, resisting the push. The sails of Opera House were lit by the time we finished our beers and pizza which we had consumed sitting alongside the Greek gods earlier.On the train back to Parramatta Satish told me his mother had passed away recently. It was a tumour in the head that ruptured. He looked out the window, as if to assuage the pain in recalling her final days. He sat wordless for a while, looking at his hands. I said I was sorry for his loss, knowing his past struggles.Next day we did the Spit Bridge to Manly Walk.--------------------------------------------This was in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia. My roommate Kiran and I travelled here by train. On the way the train passes over some of the most beautiful lakes and rivers, boats and kayaks caught up in their serenity. It was over two hours journey and we had sat in one of the quiet carriages  I was reading a novel and Kiran was sitting near the window with his camera, taking a few shots once in a while. The novel was Angela Carters Passion of the New Eve with colourful imagery on the book cover, of diaphanous simulacrums of women looking to the heavens. It had invited some eyeballs to pivot, some eyes to squint, and some pupils to dilate, as the passengers of the quiet carriage noticed the books cover. It had that effect on people. The book itself was nothing short of acid to the brain  I can see myself now, sitting on that train reading the book, the rhythmic sound of train a backdrop to the post-apocalyptic world where the women set up ghettos and roamed the desert plains, sand in their eyes and machine guns strapped on their backs, like hyenas drawn to the smell of decayBy Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=20450919 Her novel, Nights at the circus, comes to my mind now, in which a trapeze artist with wings, is hatched out of an egg. The artist travels around the world, is loved and laughed at, imprisoned and subjected to ludicrous experiments, is chased by hounds But all of this comes later, what happens at the very beginning is most endearing. They sit and talk, the artist, and the journalist who comes to interview her  this is the first chapter. It opens with the artist being bawdy, loudmouthed, and chivalrous, as she documents her life in disorienting detail, jumping the timeline at her will, leaving the poor journalist to piece together what best he could of her life, wondering all the time if this was fact or fiction, for how can a woman be born of an egg? And are those wings real? The artist talks about her childhood, the menagerie where she spent time close to animals, how the travelling circus came to be, how one fine morning she felt the pink bruises on her back swelling, letting out baby fluff initially which she tried to wash, only later noticing them grow into fine wings Initially she tries to hide her wings in tight clothing which does not go as well as she plans. Eventually she learns to hoist herself up, falling many times from the trapeze, pirouetting in the air, her clothes in a disarray, as she lands on the net below.Occasionally I would pause the reading, and look out the window, the brilliant, hallucinating imagery of the novel still simmering in my head and find a lonely boat sailing in a massive lake surrounded by thick forest, encroaching from all sides while the clouds soared away, letting in a few shafts of the most exquisite rays of sun. It was such as contrast, a disarming oneWhen we reached New Castle, it was after noon, the station empty with just a few people near the Opal machines. It was a contrast to Sydney where most of the stations were crowded all the time, people hastily flitting past you like sparrows from branch to branch.--------------------------------------------By C.Chandra Kanth Rao - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/inde...curid=18165323 In the ninth standard, when I was about fifteen years old, the school had arranged a seven-day trip. This was to start from Mahbubnagar, a district in Andhra Pradesh, to explore the states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, all the way to the southernmost tip of India, Kanyakumari. The price was 1200 rupees per student  it included everything of course, the food, accommodation, travel, tickets, etc. A bus was hired, few coconuts broken, and prayers offered, before setting off from our school, a modest double-storeyed building with flaky, dull-green walls. I was sitting in the middle with my social teacher, Pavan, who had instructed us all to get diaries and pens to jot things down. Way in the back someone flicked a laser torch on, a small device that you could close in your fist, with a beam so sharp that its tip bounced off the walls of the bus like an insect caught. The bus had come equipped with two speakers  unseen beneath the piled bags and satchels, they blared like couped chicken, the music tinny like thin strings beating on cracked metal. Some cassettes were offered to the driver for playing the latest songs, Dil se, being the biggest musical hit in those days. Some danced without prompting and others needed persuading  it was a demanding task to move about between the bars of the bus, framed by the seats on both the sides, a narrow stage that rose and fell with speed-breakers on the road. The move of the hip or curl of the foot was sure to land your feet in a twist, the bus occasionally rolling to the side of the road to let the oncoming traffic pass through. A medley of horns signalled welcome to every town, district, or city as the bus picked its way along the itinerary, stopping briefly for food.On the way to Ooty, hill station in Tamil Nadu, the bus broke down. We were made to sit on the side of the road in a single file while the social teacher and the principal took turns in serving food. The serving plates, Vistarakus, made out of broad leaves stitched together, were light in weight and kept fluttering in the wind, requiring us to put a slab of rice or a small stone on the windy side, temporarily arresting the flutter. And it was cold, being a hill station, gauzy clouds sailed overhead like nets cast in the open sky, fishing for something underneath... The whole experience was surreal  we ate our food and went into the woods picking wild fruits and tossing them over the cliffs, watching aghast as they disappeared into the misty forest, soundless, as if in a dream, as if all of this was happening in someones head, perhaps mine, but again who knowsPavan Sir, as we addressed him, married next year and left the school, his wife finding a teaching position herself in a school nearby. He was a short man, a thin moustache slumped on his upper lip like a worm, eyes looking through the rimmed glasses, sometimes agitated but mostly patient with students. When I was down with typhoid and been absent from the school for over two weeks he came to our home, to reassure me I had not missed any important classes and could easily keep up with notes borrowed from others in the class. On my birthday he had gifted an alarm clock, a small square block that could be closed shut into a case, a cocoon of sorts, ticking inside, forever keeping time even when I was not looking, a faithful friend I kept it in the shelf near my study table, at the level of my eyes, hands of the clock keeping watch over me as they swept in circles in their perfect, flat disc of roman numbers.I was obsessed with the clock, so I tried to time everything with it, and in the process dropped it one fine morning, cracking its shell open so now it lay like a fish with its mouth open, a bizarre contraption of metal and plastic with tiny knobs and a slot for batteries laid bare. Here is the thing  it was summer holidays, and I was alone at home. We lived in the outskirts of the town, just on the rim where the town ended and the amorphous villages began, like gelatinous blobs stuck to a solid, central mass. The first few days I was racked with guilt for breaking something precious, a gift from a teacher who cared. But I got over it, and in a dizzying spell of brilliance I figured out it could be put to use as a calling bell. Our house had a decently sized compound enclosed by brick walls and a black metal gate in one corner. The gate closed with a half-moon shaped disc of metal that sat like a cherry on the top of the two sides of the gate. And to open, one had to lift that half-moon disc and put it away. So, I managed to secure several meters of white wire which my father bought home on my request one evening without much argument. He was good that way I connected this wire to the half-moon disc and the gate, bringing it all the way back to the front room, plastering it just inside the lip of the compound wall along the length. In the front room I connected the wire to the alarm clock so that the circuit essentially closed when someone opened the gate. This was my idea of a calling bell, a schoolboys experiment in physics It worked quite well, the person who most benefitted from it was my mother who absolutely loved it, vouching for the scientific bent of my mind with everyone she met in social gatherings one day a neighbour brought her alarm clock to our home  she wanted it fixed, she had apparently heard I fix clocks--------------------------------------------I showed this picture to my three-year-old son and told him I was the boy in this, with my father, mother and sister. He could not fathom it, that I and that boy were the same person. I invoked mathematics to explain this, and it seemed that I had just made matters worse. You were wearing a nappy and your dad cleaned your poop? he inquired, squinting his eyes at the photo. In his world it seemed this was the relationship between a child and its father.Later in the day when I was alone by myself, I brought that memory back, and chewed on it, like those buffalos did under the banyan tree of my childhood. They must have been going through the same phase of life as I am at present. I rang my fathers number and my mother picked up which was usually the case. My father would stand in the background and talk but very rarely picked up the call himself  if it was an important conversation, sure, he was always available. For instance, I would ask for a copy of my car insurance, or a copy of my service certificate with my last company, or I needed to talk about investing my savings in land. My father was always ready for these  he would put on his spectacles, a pen and diary handy, and more than happy to talk He was all about utility of things growing up he always said to me you lose this time now; you cant get it back. When I was unsure of switching my job, he rang me up every day to talk to me. When I had applied for citizenship in Australia he and I had long, uninterrupted calls to play out scenarios from our future  how do we handle a misfortune such as debilitating health of one or both of my parents? He would inquire, reinforcing that I need not worry for the time-being, and focus on my career, my children, my life, my healthWhen I was six or seven years old my father owned a cycle with a child seat on the horizontal rod in the front  most of the families owned cycles in those days. I remember one day in particular when we were riding home and my school progress report wasnt as inspiring as he would have liked. I remember lying to him that I had scored better grades, but the teacher had run out of ink in his pen or something along those lines. It had just started drizzling a bit, and he was getting upset, so much so that he took his handkerchief out, snapped it open only to spread on the progress report leaving me drenching in the rain. He wanted to get his children over a line, a line behind which he had found himself.In all the pictures of my childhood my father has never once smiled, perhaps considering a trip to the photo booth itself a necessary mayhem. After I graduated and landed a job, he was the first person I told. I remember going to his office near Tank Bund in Hyderabad  it was on the eight floor of an old building right across the new flyover. All the floors in that building were leased for Government offices including the one my father was working in as an Assistant Hydrologist. Outside, the building was covered with hoardings of political parties, men and women in pink and yellow shawls, some torsos with hands waving and others with hands clasped. Inside, the long corridors were flanked with wooden stools and benches, paperweights sitting atop a sheath of files here, a slip of papers there Narrow stairs to one end of the corridor rose like the trunk of an elephant  no one had thought it was important to put a light there. I looked around me and found the lift, men and women exiting and entering without dawdling. Once on the eight floor it did not take me much longer to find where my father was seated. In his office room which he shared with three others, I met him casually before sitting down to tell him I had landed my first job. His face lit up and I think he was overcome with emotion. He was still standing when I told him the news - we shook hands, my dad as happy as a salesman who had finally sold that cycle, he had been trying to sell for last twenty years Behind him, the wall was plastered with a calendar, its dates crossed out in red and blue.I had gone with him on his last day at the office, on the day of his retirement. Ten years on, that wall behind him had accumulated more calendars over time, taped one over the other, like a charmed palimpsest with many hidden layers of manuscripts


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Two out of three global CISOs feel unprepared to cope with a cyberattack, according to an annual survey released Wednesday by a cybersecurity and compliance company.

The 2021 edition of Proofpoint's Voice of the CISO report -- based on a survey of more than 1,400 CISOs in 14 countries -- found 66 percent of the executives acknowledged their organizations were unprepared to handle a targeted cyberattack this year.

In addition, more than half the CISOs (53 percent) admitted they are more concerned about the repercussions from a cyberattack this year than they were in 2020.

"Cyberattacks are coming fast and furious and getting more so by the minute," declared Saryu Nayyar, CEO of Gurucul, a threat intelligence company in El Segundo, Calif.

"It feels like we are headed to the point where no company is truly safe, and nothing will be able to stop cybercriminals," she told TechNewsWorld. "So no, no one is adequately prepared to cope with future cyberattacks -- not even CISOs."

The survey also found that nearly three out of five CISOs (58 percent) consider human error their biggest cyber vulnerability.

Misaligned Mitigation

"It's not that CISOs aren't trying their best to prepare. It's that cyberattacks are a very tough thing to prevent in the first place; and most CISOs aren't focusing their resources against the right threats," maintained Roger Grimes, a data-driven defense evangelist at KnowBe4, a security awareness training provider in Clearwater, Fla.

As an example, Grimes explained that the vast majority of successful malicious breaches are from social engineering and phishing. Many surveys put phishing as responsible for 70 to 90 percent of all successful cyberattacks.

"Yet," he told TechNewsWorld, "most organizations dedicate less than five percent of their IT security budget to it."

"It's this fundamental misalignment of mitigations versus the root cause of exploits that is causing cybersecurity to be so ineffectual," he said.

"Most CISOs see threats as bubbles in a glass of champagne and aren't told that one or two of these bubbles are far bigger than all the other bubbles added up all together," he observed.

"This leads to a bunch of threats being treated more equally than they should be, and unfortunately, with the biggest threats left weakly mitigated," he added.

Top of Mind Threats

The survey also found that 64 percent of the CISOs feel at risk of suffering a material cyberattack in the next 12 months.

Attacks that the CISOs say they expect to face in the coming months include:

Business email compromises (34 percent)

Account compromises (33 percent)

Insider threats (31 percent)

Supply chain compromise (29 percent)

Ransomware (27 percent)

"Insider threats are often overlooked in favor of tools to protect from external threats," noted Morey Haber, CTO and CISO at BeyondTrust, maker of privileged account management and vulnerability management solutions in Carlsbad, Calif.

"However, we can't underestimate the insider threat risk," he told TechNewsWorld.

"When we think of insider threats, we often imagine disgruntled employees seeking revenge on their former employers' business," he explained. "In reality, a vast majority of these threats are most often caused by honest mistakes such as clicking on malicious links or opening phishing emails."

"Either way, insider threats can be very difficult to detect, and pose a threat that businesses struggle to address," he added.

Credential Compromise

Piyush Pandey, CEO of Appsian Security, an ERP data security and compliance company in Dallas, agreed that threats targeting users should be a top concern of CISOs, especially threats aimed at compromising credentials.

"Right now, a user's identity is typically identified by the credentials they login with," he told TechNewsWorld. "Given phishing and brute force attacks are so prevalent, organizations must ensure access to sensitive business data is dynamic and context-aware to ensure privileges are effectively aligned with the level of risk in their access."

Insider threats are not limited to people, either.

"The volume of threats coming from cloud infrastructure -- such as Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace -- means that the attackers are using trusted systems -- and potentially even the systems that the organization is using themselves -- to attack them," observed Jack Miller, former CISO and current head of global professional services at Menlo Security, a cloud security provider in Mountain View, Calif.

"We can't assume that 'my' OneDrive installation is safe," he told TechNewsWorld. "We have to assume that everything is malicious, including our own systems. Phishing and credential theft can make it easy for attackers to plant their threats internally to an organization."

Remote Working Challenges

Although ransomware as a threat seems to have been played down by the CISOs in the survey, it remains dangerous, especially in a world with more remote workers than ever.

"Threat actors have been busy exploiting a wider attack surface because the workforce is now remote," explained Bryan Embrey, director of product marketing at Zentry Security, a zero trust remote access company in Milipitas, Calif.

"Workers are using unsecure Wi-Fi, personal devices, and accessing applications and resources across the hybrid IT landscape," he told TechNewsWorld. "All of these offer possibilities for malware exploitation."

"And 2020 didn't help CISOs," he said. "Given the workforce's rapid shift to remote work, CISOs added licenses to their existing VPNs as quickly as they could to keep their organizations running and productive. VPNs, however, are often cumbersome and complex, and provide wider access than is needed."

Indeed, more than half the CISOs surveyed agreed that remote working made their organization more vulnerable to targeted cyberattacks, with three in five revealing they had seen an increase in targeted attacks in the last 12 months.

"Last year, cybersecurity teams around the world were challenged to enhance their security posture in this new and changing landscape, literally overnight," Lucia Milica, global resident CISO at Proofpoint, said in a statement.

"This required a balancing act between supporting remote work and avoiding business interruption, while securing those environments. With the future of work becoming increasingly flexible, this challenge now extends into next year and beyond," she explained.

"In addition to securing many more points of attack and educating users on long-term remote and hybrid work, CISOs must instill confidence among customers, internal stakeholders, and the market that such setups are workable indefinitely," Milica added.

John P. Mello Jr. has been an ECT News Network reporter since 2003. His areas of focus include cybersecurity, IT issues, privacy, e-commerce, social media, artificial intelligence, big data and consumer electronics. He has written and edited for numerous publications, including the Boston Business Journal, the Boston Phoenix, Megapixel.Net and Government Security News. Email John.


Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-09 22:40:31|Editor: huaxia

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TIRANA, June 9 (Xinhua) -- Albanian lawmakers voted on Wednesday in an extraordinary plenary session in favor of the impeachment of President Ilir Meta whom they accused of violating the country's Constitution.

Out of the 114 votes in total, 104 lawmakers voted in favor of impeaching the president, while seven were against and three abstained.

Forty-nine Socialist lawmakers set up a committee in late April to investigate Meta's activities during the April 25 general elections this year. According to the committee, Meta has "seriously violated the Constitution" with his statements and position.

On Wednesday, Socialist lawmaker Alket Islami, who is head of the parliament's investigative committee, presented to lawmakers a 96-page final report drafted by the committee, saying that "the president violated 17 articles of the Constitution" and that "these violations are considered by the committee as grave violations." Enditem
(Photo : Pixabay/PhotoMIX-Company) Google search engine

Google will eliminate its auction system that forces other third-party providers to bid for the right to be featured as a default search engine option on Android.

After a $5 billion fine and antitrust enforcement action in 2018, Europeans have been able to select which apps and services they want to use on Android by default, instead of using Google products at first.

Google to Let Other Search Engines on Android

Users in Europe see an Android choice screen while setting up a device or after performing a factory reset. Users can select their default search engine from a number of options, according to Reuters.

However, the three providers that are presented together with Google Search have been determined by a sealed bidding process.

Some rival search engines have called Google's pay-to-play method unfair. The European Commission told TechCrunch that it stepped in after competitors flagged their misgivings about Google's approach.

The European Commission talked to Google about improving its method and addressing those concerns from rival search engines.

Also Read: Lawsuit Accusing Google Of Collecting Data Of Users During Incognito Browsing To Continue

Oliver Bethell, Google's head of competition for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, wrote in a blog post that following further feedback from the Commission, they are now making some final changes to the Choice Screen, including making participation free for eligible search providers.

Bethell added that they will also increase the number of search providers shown on the screen. These changes will come into effect from September 2021 on Android devices.

The revamped choice screen will feature up to 12 search engine options. The user chooses the default for searches on the home screen and Chrome if you use that as your browser. The device will also install the provider's search app.

Only general search engines are eligible, and they need to have a free search app on the Play Store. Vertical search engines, like specialists or subject-free ones, will be locked out.

Providers that syndicate search results and ads from Google won't be featured on the list either. The changes will affect new Android devices sold in the United Kingdom and European Economic Area by Sept. 1.

Google's Antitrust Enforcement Action

The European Union believes that Google abused its dominant power in ways that are made to crowd out other small businesses, according to Engadget.

Officials stated that since 2011, the company had imposed illegal restrictions on Android device manufacturers and mobile network operators. These restrictions have ensured that Google has been able to cement its position in a general internet search.

Officials stated that Google had made payments to certain massive manufacturers and mobile network operators.

The payments are intended to make sure that carriers only installed Google Search on their devices. Since users are usually satisfied with their default option, Google's products are the most used across the continent.

The other part of the charge relates to how the search engine ships versions of Android to the manufacturers who put it on their devices. This presents two different Androids, the Android GMS or Google Mobile Services and the Android AOSP or Android Open Source Project.

Related Article: Google Faces Class-Action Lawsuit on 'Pay Discrimination' Issue That Sees Gender Inequality and Bias

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 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Elon Musk has been hitting the headlines lately, but perhaps this is among the biggest ones concerning the tech mogul.

According to Futurism, a certain leak from the IRS revealed that Elon Musk paid exactly $0 income tax in 2018. The information comes from ProPublica, a self-proclaimed investigative journalism group, who managed to obtain the data, presumably direct from the IRS itself.

An article on Gizmodo also reports these significant details about Elon Musk and his tax escapades. Apparently, he only paid $68,000 in federal income taxes in 2015, which dropped to $65,000 two years later. And, of course, he paid nothing in 2018. It's something quite bad considering the scope of the Tesla and SpaceX founder's immense wealth.

Elon Musk currently has a net worth of $151 billion at the time of this writing, which puts him at 3rd place on the world's richest list behind Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos ($190 billion) and luxury brand tycoon Bernard Arnault & family ($193 billion), according to the real-time billionaires' list by Forbes.

This issue is also only one of the many recent things being hurled against Elon Musk, who has been quite controversial lately due to his high-profile involvement in the cryptocurrency market.

Read also: Elon Musk Changes Twitter DP to 'Triggered' Crypto Woman; Is He Targeting Fans of Leading Cryptocurrency?

Elon Musk Isn't the Only One

But of course, Elon Musk isn't the only billionaire in the world who pays little to nothing in federal taxes. This phenomenon has been "tried-and-tested" among several of the world's richest people over the years, and the ProPublica report reveals that.

In fact, one of them is Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett, a man famous for advocating an increase in taxation for the super-wealthy. The ProPublica report revealed that Buffett only paid $23.7 million in federal income tax during the same time period as Musk, despite his overall net worth increasing by $24.3 billion.

Jeff Bezos is also name-dropped in the report, revealed as having paid no federal income tax in 2007 and 2011. It was also reported that Bezos even claimed to have lost some money, going as far as claiming a $4,000 tax credit for his kids one time and claiming that a good amount of his losses from various investments surpassed his total income.

Another Day, Another Elon Controversy

Musk has been trending in the cryptocurrency community lately, eventually attracting the attention of the infamous hacker group Anonymous. Members (or at least people who claim to be affiliated) of the group posted a video calling out Elon Musk for "trolling" crypto values by repeatedly tweeting about it.

But then again, the world is experiencing a crypto boom. Even the most recent Tweets from Musk himself don't seem to affect cryptocurrency values as much as they did before. The recent attack from Anonymous was also downplayed a bit by Musk, which likely makes it apparent that he doesn't consider the group much of a threat to his empire.

Related: Elon Musk: Cryptocurrency 'Space Race' with Leading Crypto's New Mission After Dogecoin, Ethereum's Planned Launches

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Written by RJ Pierce

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Android 11 for Xiaomi and Redmi has come in the form of MIUI 12.5, but this update would be the more stable version of the software update as the one that came out less than four months ago was not for all. Initially, the MIUI 12.5 was released in February, but it was not released to everyone, and it was not considered a stable build, hence its re-release earlier today.

Undoubtedly, Xiaomi has been one of the top growing smartphone companies in the world, and has tech more than smartphones and tablets, encompassing a lot of other smart home solutions and accessories. With that being said, Xiaomi has been a staple among smartphones and has significantly increased its presence in the US, and the world.

Xiaomi has climbed the ranks alongside Samsung, OnePlus, Oppo, Motorola, Nokia, and other massive Android smartphone developers in the world, becoming a global icon since its first release in 2011.

Different techs are now available from the company. This includes wifi routers, vacuums, and the development of a 200W fast charge for smartphones, one of the firsts in the world.

Read Also: Xiaomi Mi 11X Specs, Price, and More | More Affordable But With a Catch?

Xiaomi, Redmi to Get Android 11 via the MIUI 12.5 Stable Release

As mentioned earlier, February saw the initial launch of the MIUI 12.5, but was not released for most phones and is not considered to be stable. The company first launched MIUI 12.5 in India, but was pulled out for the Redmi Note 9 due to the presence of bugs (via Android Central), and has left the update in the gray.

However, fast forward to June, the company is ready to roll out its "stable" release for MIUI 12.5, which is an awaited software update for Xiaomi and Redmi phones. MIUI is the user interface that is based largely on Android, but it still is resembling the Google smartphone software.

The only things that changed were the personalization it puts forward, one that is more suitable to the look and feels of a Xiaomi phone, matching its interface and design. This is a similar build to the ones put forward by Samsung's One UI and OnePlus' OxygenOS.

How to Update to MIUI 12.5?

Updating one's Xiaomi or Redmi phone is like any other software update for other smartphone brands, but it does get confusing, especially for fairly new users as MIUI has a different look on it. The basics of software update remain like it would be either offered via an automatic software update or manual.

For manual updates, here's how to do it:

Go to Settings

Choose About phone

Choose the MIUI on the top left corner

Choose Check for Updates

Xiaomi Eligible Phones:

Xiaomi Mi 8 and Up

Xioami Mi Note 9 and Up

Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 and Up

POCO X2, POCO F1

Redmi Eligible Phones:

Redmi Y3 and Up

Redmi 6A and Up

Redmi K20 and Up

Redmi Note 5 Pro and Up

Related Article: Android 11 Update is Coming, and Here's When Lands on Smartphones-Check If Yours is Eligible for Upgrade

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Written by Isaiah Richard

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
NASA's Juno spacecraft has captured photos of "Ganymede," an icy moon of Jupiter, with its close fly-by mission to study it, 21 years since the last mission by the "Galileo" spacecraft. The mission has now provided humans the chance to see the breathtaking images of one of the many Moons of the biggest planet in the Solar System.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has recently provided photos of the most massive moon in the Solar System, after the announcement of its mission. The natural satellite has been a marvel for astronomers for many years now, especially as it is the largest natural satellite known to humans, and is one of the 79 moons of the gas giant.

The national space agency has a suite of lined-up cosmic exploration under its belt, and it includes rediscovering Venus in the forthcoming missions of Davinci and Veritas. However, it does not stop on terrestrial planets only. It would soon include examining other wonders in the galaxy, that started with Ganymede.

Read Also: SpaceX Dragon Aircraft is Scheduled for Docking on June 5 Carrying Supplies and Experiments

NASA Juno Explores Ganymede, Jupiter's Icy Moon

According to the recent release of NASA, the Juno spacecraft has performed a close flyby mission in the region of Jupiter, which was a historic moment for the space agency. Historic because the last photos were taken and the mission that took place was last May 20, 2000, with the Galileo spacecraft, which NASA has retired in 2003.

Fast forward to June, NASA's Juno is yet again making history as it has brought a batch of new technology in Jupiter's region, which is aimed to study the ionosphere of Ganymede.

Moreover, Juno has also provided NASA and humans the first-look images of close-up images, never before seen of the Ganymede, featuring a higher resolution and photo quality. The mission of Juno has brought humans closer to the icy moon compared to that of Galileo 21 years ago, with its Stellar Reference unit star camera.

Ganymede, the Icy Mammoth Moon

Ganymede is "encrusted" with ice, due to the water placed atop it, making it a phenomenal sight to see and is entirely a different cosmic object compared to the Earth's Moon, which is filled with space rocks. What makes this a phenomenon is that each moon is different, and they are mostly a representative of its home planet.

Moreover, Jupiter is the 5th planet from the Sun, making sunlight and the star's heat weaker and harder to reach, hence the icy appearance it has developed on the cooler side of the Solar System. Astronomy fans may view the progress and exact location of NASA's Juno via the "Eyes of the Solar System," which tracks the spacecraft as it goes on its mission.

Related Article: Will ISS Lose Russia? Here's What Why Space Race Will Get Serious If This Happens

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 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
An iPhone of a woman from Oregon needs an immediate repair that's why she called Apple for help. Little did she know that it would only get worse when the repair techs of the company published her explicit pictures online without her knowledge. To settle the multimillion-dollar lawsuit, the Cupertino giant has paid the woman.

Apple Gets Sued Following the Woman's Published Photos on Facebook

In 2016, a woman went to Apple to bring her broken iPhone. However, the simple agreement has become a big commotion when the repair techs assigned to fix her smartphone has posted her 10 nude photos including the undressed versions and a sex clip to her Facebook page.

The action has received a lot of criticism from some iPhone users since the tech firm only requires its customers to go to its store for their device repair. This means that the company is running a repair monopoly for its services. The case was first reported by The Telegraph.

In social media, one of the woman's friends has told her that her nudes have made rounds on Facebook. The unidentified college woman, as a result, has been alerted by the spread of her explicit photos. This pushed her to file a lawsuit against Apple for invading her privacy and causing mental stress to her.

Read Also: Apple, Samsung May Be Forced to Fix Broken Smartphones for Free or Cheaper Prices, Thanks to this Law

Specifically, the technicians who published her video and images were working in Pegatron, a Taiwanese manufacturing company partnered with Apple when it comes to the repairs of iPhone and other smart devices.

Over the past years, Apple has been pushing its scope in fixing the customer's iPhones, as well as other gadgets. However, the electronics company is also fighting that only those firms who are "authorized" to repair could initiate the process since several security consequences could be borne out by untrusted partners.

If you have a smartphone and you want to fix it, most likely you could seek help from an electronics expert who could repair it. Many shops could do the job for you for a cheaper price, but if you are an iPhone user, you are obliged to bring your phone to the nearest Apple repair shop.

The Case of Indemnity Insurance

According to Vice on Tuesday, June 8, the case could be answered through an explanation about the indemnity insurance between Apple, Pegatron, and the AGLIC American Insurance Company. Insurance reimbursement is made when a huge firm needs to release money due to an example case like a lawsuit.

Moreover, Apple is only counted as Pegatron's customer and this means that the Cupertino giant is not a "party" to the filing. When the company gave millions of dollars for the legal damage, Pegatron would issue a reimbursement, but the insurance company declined to shoulder the indemnity claim.

According to the court records, the settlement could cover a $4.25 and $1.7-million transaction.

In 2019, Apple kicked many employees in an Australian-headquartered store after learning that they had agreed to leak the customer's photos into a website. The user was only asking for an iPhone repair.

Related Article: Apple Expands Independent Repair Provider Program Worldwide: How to Apply

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Written by Joseph Henry

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Microsoft has successfully patched six zero-day bugs this week. The Redmond giant issued that there was a series of security updates that would be released for the Windows OS and its software.

On Tuesday, June 8, the company fixed 49 security flaws that are less than the usual number of vulnerabilities.

At the moment, the cybersecurity team of the tech titan is acting fast to guarantee safety for its systems. Microsoft has also cautioned others that the hackers behind the malware attack are still exploiting other entities whose cybersecurity foundation is weak.

What Are the Zero-Days Encountered by Microsoft This Week?

According to Threatpost on Tuesday, June 8, six flaws were still attacking other systems. The company stated that they are all zero-day security threats.

These zero-days have recently attacked the tech giant:

CVE-2021-33742, a remote code execution bug in a Windows HTML component.

CVE-2021-31955, an information disclosure bug in the Windows Kernel

CVE-2021-31956, an elevation of privilege flaw in Windows NTFS

CVE-2021-33739, an elevation of privilege flaw in the Microsoft Desktop Window Manager

CVE-2021-31201, an elevation of privilege flaw in the Microsoft Enhanced Cryptographic Provider

CVE-2021-31199, an elevation of privilege flaw in the Microsoft Enhanced Cryptographic Provider

Immersive Labs cyber threat research director, Kevin Breen commented that the attackers are taking the opportunity to launch the remote code execution bugs. After penetrating the network, the attacker would now move to reach the domain of the system.

"This can be hugely damaging in the event of ransomware attacks, where high privileges can enable the attackers to stop or destroy backups and other security tools," Breen added.

Read Also: 11 Zero-Day Vulnerabilities Recorded - Android, iOS, and Windows Devices Are Infected

Breen continued that so far, the most important chunk of information should be addressed and that is the "exploit detected" tag which is being utilized by the notorious cyber criminals.

Microsoft Has Also Fixed Five Critical Bugs

According to Brian Krebbs on Security Boulevard, not only the zero-day vulnerabilities were fixed in the process, but also the five flaws that gained control of the vulnerable Windows OS. For instance, CVE-2021-31959 has also affected OS from Windows 7 to Windows 10, as well as 2008, 2012, 2016, and 2019 Server versions.

Furthermore, CVE-2021-31963 has also accessed Sharepoint while Adobe issued a patch for zero-day bugs including CVE-2021-31201 and CVE-2021-31199 which hit Adobe Adobe Reader and Acrobat.

Besides the latest update for the two Adobe software, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Connect, and Creative Cloud has also received necessary patch updates.

Last month, Apple encountered a zero-day flaw in its iOS 14.5 which gains access to the user's information. The bug which was CVE-2021-30661 has been addressed by the Cupertino firm.

In particular, the exploitations have targeted the Apple Mail, Safari browser, and other Apple apps through the Webkit system. The hackers have made use of an executable code for Safari.

Related Article: Microsoft Exchange Servers Get Hacked--Company Publishes Mitigation Technique to Stop Chained Attack

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 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Razer has launched the Hammerhead True Wireless X earbuds designed to amp the user's gaming experience. The new age of wireless headphones has been granted for gamers this time that comes with Google Fast Pair support for Android phone consumers.

Razer Hammerhead True Wireless X Features

According to Pocket Lint on Tuesday, June 8, the new Razer wearable is up for a challenge to compete with other gaming headphones in the market. The high-tech earbuds would guarantee the players upgraded mobile gameplay through its 60 ms low latency mode for a smooth walkthrough.

Moreover, it also provides significant support for Android users through the Google Fast Pair. A similar feature is shared by Apple's Airpods, which makes use of Bluetooth Low Energy in just a single click. In addition, users could now fully enjoy endless Bluetooth 5.2 connections that could serve several devices such as tablets and smartphones.

Besides the quick pairing capability, the Razer Hammerhead True Wireless X earbuds sport LED-lit controls that would do the job of volume adjustment, answering calls, activating playback mode, or enabling the gaming mode.

If you want to freely select what colors and lighting effects you should use, you could access the new Razer Audio app to customize your desired setup. Furthermore, it would also allow you to alter the soundscape, as well as changing other headphone options, and remapping touch gestures on your wearable.

Read Also: Razer Viper 8K: World's Fastest Gaming Mouse with HyperPolling Technology

Inside each earbud, there is a customized 13mm driver which would give you the best bass background while you're playing your favorite music.

Apart from that, expect that you would stick with it for the whole day since its battery life could last for up to 24 hours. If you are not fond of using its light, it could extend for up to an additional four hours of usage (28 hours). The reason why it was lauded for its expanded battery span is its extra charges that were contained in the carry case, Ubergizmo reported.

In mobile gaming, the Hammerhead True Wireless wearable could tour you to music and movie galore. For those who have Xbox, PS5, or Nintendo Switch to name a few, you could immediately link it but you first need to have an adapter for the Bluetooth.

At the moment, you can purchase it via Razer's official website for 79.99 in the United Kingdom. If you are residing in Central Europe, you can buy it for 89.99.

The Old Razer Headphones

In 2017, Razer released its Hammerhead wearables that worked best for Razer Phone. If you want to plug it into other Android devices like LG V30 and Samsung Galaxy S8, its USB Type-C port would help you get through your music streaming.

With that, it still dons its flat-green cables which remain as its trademark since its launch. Compared to the current Hammerhead True Wireless X buds, its drivers only measure 10mm. Also, it boasts its custom-tuned DAC (digital-to-analog converter) which gives the users an "uncompressed audio."

Related Article: Razer Releases Thunderbolt 4 Dock Chroma with Bonus Laptop Stand Chroma V2

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Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-09 22:59:43|Editor: huaxia

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MACAO, June 9 (Xinhua) -- The Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) registered around 253,400 entries and exits at the customs on Tuesday, the first day since the SAR tightened border control with neighboring Guangdong Province due to the COVID-19 epidemic situation in Guangdong.

The figure was about 30.3 percent lower than that for Monday, the Public Security Police Force said on Wednesday.

Statistics showed Macao recorded around 129,100 entries, including 41,400 Macao residents and 15,300 visitors, and 124,200 exits, including 38,900 Macao residents and 15,700 visitors.

The Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Center of Macao said on Monday that starting 10 a.m. Tuesday, all those crossing the boundary between Macao and Guangdong have to present negative nucleic acid test reports effective within 48 hours instead of the previous seven days.

Visitors entering Macao via the airport will still be required to present a report effective within seven days.

As of Wednesday, no locally-transmitted COVID-19 cases had been reported in Macao for over 400 days consecutively. Enditem
Walmart's free phones for employees got the attention of some privacy experts. It could even go to the extent of surveillance given the data that the device could extract from its users.

However, there are steps to mitigate the chances of Walmart invading the privacy of its workers. Another expert also suggests that a giveaway phone is better than using a primary device at work.

Walmart Free Phones to Employees

On June 6, Walmart announced that it is providing 740,000 employees with a Samsung Galaxy XCover Pro free of charge. The giveaway to its associates retails around $499.99.

According to Fox Business, the free phones could be used by the employees as their personal devices as well.

Me@Walmart

The latest move of the retail giant coincides with the launch of Me@Walmart, an app that would help employees with their tasks at hand.

"The idea of this app started as a way to manage associates' schedules and has grown into our single in-store app for U.S. associates," Kellie Romack, Vice President of Product and Associate Experience of Walmart, wrote in a blog post.

Romack expects the new app to increase the productivity and efficiency of its employees.

Free Phones and Surveillance

Although Walmart reiterated that it does not have any access to the personal data of its employees through the smartphone giveaway, some experts beg to differ.

Darrell West, a senior fellow of Center of Technology Innovation, told The New York Post that "the company can engage in surveillance to what [employees] do on that phone."

West added that the company could extract personal data such as "financial and social interaction." He further warned employees that: "Basically everything you do on that phone can be subject to surveillance."

According to the Apple App Store, Me@Walmart certainly does access the financial information of its users. In addition, it also collects location and health and fitness information.

Separately, Walmart explained that the health and fitness info is for the COVID-19 assessment that it implements. Moreover, the financial information is for the paycheck function of the app. And lastly, the location data is used to confirm that employees are not faking their time in.

Read Also: Amazon Prime Pantry Delivery Used During Coronavirus Lockdown Discontinued

How To Avoid Being Tracked?

According to Walmart, users may opt out of the said features above. After all, all of it was optional.

So, if employees are paranoid that their information is being used for surveilling, they could decide to not use those features instead.

Andres Arrieta, Director of Consumer Privacy Engineering at Electronic Frontier Foundation, has advice for the employees, saying that if the employees could afford a different phone for their personal life, it's better if they could have that.

He also noted that a separate phone is the better option when employers require their employees to use an app. Additionally, it is more dangerous to install a company-owned app in the primary phones as it could extract more personal info.

Elsewhere, watch out for the PS5 restock in Walmart this week. Also, the retail giant has an upcoming massive sale to rival Amazon's Prime Day

Related Article: Walmart Xbox Series X Restock Fail? Buyers Complain About Bots and Only 2-3 Seconds Leeway

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 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
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According to the University of Copenhagen, Artificial Intelligence Systems are now used to increase the efficacy of sleep disorder treatments.

Sleep disorders, including difficulty sleeping, narcolepsy, and sleep apnea are only some of the most common problems that many people suffer from. They sometimes take a toll on their mental and physical health.

However, various forms of sleep disorders remain undiagnosed, and sometimes, treatments do not work as effectively as researchers hope.

As a resolution, the Department of Computer Science at the University of Copenhagen decided to collaborate with the Danish Center for Sleep Medicine found in the Danish hospital, Rigs Hospital. This collaboration aims to develop an Artificial Intelligence System algorithm that could improve sleep disorder diagnosis and treatments, and better understand the disorders.

Artificial Intelligence - What is its Role?

According to Medical Xpress, the researchers are planning to create an Artificial Intelligence algorithm with exceptional precision.

Mathias Perslev of the Department of Computer Science, and the lead author of the actual study, mentioned in the "Digital Medicine" journal that they have already completed several tests. These tests proved how the algorithm's performance is on par with some of the best doctors who specialize in sleep disorders.

The current first step for sleep disorder examinations typically involves the patient's admittance to a registered sleep clinic. The patient's night sleep will be monitored with the use of numerous measuring instruments.

Afterward, a sleep disorder specialist will look at the seven to eight hours of data that the patient's overnight sleep will provide.

Read Also: Is Amazon Developing a Sleep Apnea Tracker? Here's What We Know So Far

The specialist will then proceed with the manual division of the patient's sleep into 30-second intervals, categorized into their specific sleep phases, such as REM sleep, light sleep, deep sleep, and others.

The process is a time-consuming task for humans. But for the Artificial Intelligence algorithm, it will only take seconds to finish the painstaking task.

Poul Jennun, a professor of Neurophysiology, and the Head Doctor at the Danish Center for Sleep Medicine, recently said that the project allows them to prove that the measurements can be safely done with the help of machine learning. By utilizing Artificial Intelligence, the specialist can provide many hours of work, and more patients can be helped.

Comprehensive Range Help of Artificial Intelligence

The Artificial Intelligence algorithm will start to function across several patient groups and sleep clinics.

The researchers behind the new development can ensure optimal functionality by collecting data from various sources. The research study has currently collected 20,000-night sleep from the U.S. and several European countries. The data within their possession are used to trail the new AI algorithm.

Indeed, this kind of achievement is probably one of the best challenges that the medical data analysis field has ever surpassed.

The researchers are now hoping that the new AI algorithm will be of great help to doctors and researchers worldwide.

Related Article: Researchers Discover Chronic Sleep Deprivation Could Make the Brain Eat Itself

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(Photo : by Michael Bocchieri/Getty Images) NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 10: Network cables are plugged in a server room on November 10, 2014 in New York City. U.S. President Barack Obama called on the Federal Communications Commission to implement a strict policy of net neutrality and to oppose content providers in restricting bandwith to customers.

The Fastly internet outage, which paused access to several high-traffic websites, was primarily due to a single customer that installed a software update with a bug.

"We experienced a global outage due to an undiscovered software bug that surfaced on June 8 when it was triggered by a valid customer configuration change," The Senior Vice President of Engineering and Infrastructure, Nick Rockwell wrote on a summary posted on the website of Fastly.

Internet Outage

According to Reuters, the massive outage that Fastly faced drew some worries regarding the dependence of most internet giants on a single infrastructure.

To illustrate the extent of the internet disruption, Amazon, Reddit, Spotify, as well as, news outlets such as the New York Times, and The Guardian were all inaccessible during the event.

Rockwell has since acknowledged the significant effect of the issue on both their clients, and their users. He admitted that the issue should have been foreseen by Fastly, even before wreaking havoc on the internet.

Fast Response

To be exact, Fastly, a CDN provider, said that the outage only occurred for 49 minutes. At that time, 95% of its network got back to normal.

Reuters also reported that Fastly noticed the problem after a minute from the beginning of the outage. Engineers have then investigated. And, as a solution, they have turned off the settings being the culprit of the global internet problem. As such, several websites have become accessible in less than an hour.

Software Update Bug

The massive internet disruption happened due to a single customer that implemented a software update. However, Fastly clarified that the unidentified client is blameless about the incident.

Moreover, it turns out that on May 12 Fastly has deployed a software update with a bug to its customers, which potentially shut down hundreds of websites.

It has since been undetected until "a customer pushed a valid configuration change that included the specific circumstances that triggered the bug, which caused 85% of our network to return errors," Rockwell wrote -- and the rest is history.

Read Also: Google, Microsoft, Apple Create WebExtensions Community Group: Expect Better Internet Browsing

Resolutions

Fastly has already admitted that it should have not happened in the first place. Now, the company is sharing with the public what it proactively learned from the massive outage.

According to The Register, these were resolutions that the company is implementing to avoid such incidents: Fastly will thoroughly study the internal processes and practices. Also, the CDN provider is finding out how a website-killing bug slipped them. More precisely, the "software quality assurance and testing processes" will be reviewed.

Lastly, the company is looking into ways to improve their response time to such incidents.

Related Article: Global Internet Glitch: Amazon, Reddit, Spotify, Twitch, and More are Down in Some Countries!

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 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
(Photo : Screenshot From Commons.Wikipedia.org) Huawei Opens 7th Global Transparency Center to Deal with $6 Trillion Cybercrime Damage Forecast this 2021

Huawei is now opening its 7th global transparency center to help deal with the growing concern for cybersecurity.

While Huawei has been the topic of much controversy during the last days of the reign of the previous administration, the company has been striving hard to regain their reputation as the once-top smartphone company for a brief period. But the company is still struggling.

Huawei Cybersecurity Concerns

According to Cybersecurity Ventures, with all of the damages coming from cybercrime estimated to hit a whopping $6 trillion in 2021 alone. Huawei, a tweet, notes that a healthy cyber environment is now more important than ever.

The tweet then invites the readers to learn more about how the company is helping in the enhancement of cybersecurity by opening up yet another Global Transparency Center.

This will be the 7th Global Transparency Center that Huawei has opened up.

The tweet also included a link to the official Huawei website where a blog post explained the company's efforts to help fight against cybercrime, and improve the general cybersecurity to the best of their abilities.

Huawei 30 Year Record

A notable quotation from the website is that there is an ongoing misconception that relates the country-of-origin directly to the security of network technology and equipment, which according to the website, is not true.

The site notes that Huawei's top priority is cybersecurity.

It was noted that they do take the responsibility very seriously due to them wanting their customers to use healthy and secure equipment. The article then goes on to note that the company is now proud of what they have been able to achieve, and that for the past 30 years, Huawei has actually served over 3 billion people from all around the world.

Huawei Accomplishments

Huawei then stated that they currently support the stable operations of over 1,500 carrier networks spreading throughout 170 regions and countries. The company then said that during this time, they have been able to maintain a quite solid track record when it comes to cybersecurity.

Ken Hu, the rotating chairman of Huawei, stated in an article by ZDnet that cybersecurity remains a risk that is actually a shared responsibility. It was noted that standard organizations, governments, and tech providers all need to work together to help the total development of an otherwise unified understanding of certain cybersecurity challenges, noting it to be an international effort.

Read Also: Huawei Dethrones Samsung As Most Profitable Android Smartphone Brand For The First Time Ever: Report

Cybersecurity Concerns

The Chinese vendor also shared that its total R&D, or research and development spending on privacy components and cybersecurity accounted for over 5% of Huawei's overall R&D budget. It was also noted that the company's global headcount actually included over 3,000 different cybersecurity R&D professionals.

The big question, in the end, is whether or not Huawei's efforts will help them clear out most of the negative PR the company has gained due to massive security concerns.

Related Article: Huawei: US to Blame for Global Chip Shortage That Could Trigger Economic Crisis

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 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Vivaldi Browser 4.0. could be all sorts of things: an email client, a calendar planner, an RSS reader, and even a translation tool.

Its users may open emails, plan their life, and read from an RSS all inside the browser. Additionally, they could use it to translate web pages, at least up to 50 languages.

Vivaldi: What is It?

Vivaldi is the brainchild of Opera co-founder Jon Stephenson von Tetzchner. Its latest update brings features that other browsers do not carry built-in.

According to The Verge, the browser is meant to be a more private alternative to other web apps that "Big Tech" created. When it released its version 1.0 in April 2016, it was dubbed as the browser for power users.

But now, the new features of Vivaldi add up to the assurance of privacy the company claims.

As per Forbes, the top two in the browser market share are from Google and Apple, respectively. The third spot goes to Samsung's -- lagging behind Chrome and Safari.

Email

The Next Web reported that the new built-in email client processes all data internally on a user's computer. It will make sure that information will be safe from any third parties. It also flaunts search saving and filtering features.

With that, it saves time from users looking for an email, lost along hundreds of other threads.

Moreover, it will support both IMAP and POP3. As such, Gmail and Outlook users will not go into trouble syncing their accounts to Vivaldi's email client. Also, the new email composition will open a whole new tab, unlike Google's chat-like pop-up.

RSS Reader

While other Big Tech companies have killed the RSS feature, Vivaldi will also have it built-in. It will collate all the news the users follow in a separate mailbox, just like any feed reader.

However, there are additional features as the medium for getting real-time information has evolved. With that, the new RSS reader will be showing updates from YouTube channels and podcast episodes as well.

The Verge noted that the bonus features could help make sure that an algorithm does not get in the way of keeping a user up to date on who they are following.

On the other hand, The Next Web suggested that news purists would still prefer Feedly, Follow.it, and Inoreader.

Read Also: Ex-Opera CEO Talks Vivaldi, Your Google Chrome And Mozilla Firefox Alternative [Interview]

Calendar

Well, the calendar is like any similar app. It has day, week, and year view options. However, its search option helps when some days are cluttered with too many events.

Both the built-in calendar and RSS reader are still in beta mode.

To add, if a user is unimpressed with all these added apps, there is an "Essentials" layout that makes it a clean and simple browser.

Previously, Vivaldi 3.6 introduced a two-level tab stack.

Related Article: Vivaldi Browser For Power Users Is Smooth, Fast And Highly Customizable: Here Are The Top Features

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 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
(Photo : Getty Image)

Chip shortage is a global phenomenon that might be a gateway for the increased demand for counterfeit products to take charge in the market.

Industry analysts are skeptical about the ongoing global chip shortage. They believe that the current situation would be the perfect chance for fraudsters to emerge, and introduce counterfeit semiconductors within the market.

Amidst the pandemic, more and more products became more in-demand. Items such as face masks, sanitizing alcohols, and even vaccine passports are essential items that people actively seek.

As a result, there is an extended opportunity for fraud sellers to make easy money by selling counterfeit items.

With the issue on hand, it is no surprise that numerous industry experts are facing the global chip shortage problem with a certain sense of anxiety. With the rising trend of counterfeit products, it would not be too long before the market becomes filled with a premium copy of authentic products, posing substantial safety risks for everyone.

COVID-19: The Beginning of Chip Shortage

Ever since COVID-19 took a toll on the world, electronic device creators suddenly felt the pressure of producing supplies to the condescending demand of their consumers.

With the heightened need for PCs, tablets, laptops, and smartphones, companies and individuals felt the lack of supply. With this, manufacturers began to source vast amounts of semiconductors -- the small component usually referred to as the "brain" of an electronic gadget.

However, semiconductors suddenly became hard to come by. Foundries are left unable to produce the required number of chips to meet their consumers' demands.

Because of the absence of enough supply, a worldwide phenomenon is now taking place. Chip shortage means that it would be harder for manufacturers to create enough products for their customers. Items such as home appliances to gadgets all require a specific chip to make them work.

Read Also: Semiconductor Giant Intel, TSMC to Build Factories in Arizona--A Solution to Growing Chip Shortage?

Alternative Ways - Fraudsters

Due to the uncompensated demand, suppliers are now pressured to look for alternative ways to produce the required products.

Companies could either stock up on chips or close down their production lines. But when push comes to shove, some may resort to using counterfeit products from fraudster suppliers.

ZDNet mentioned that, according to Diganta Das, a counterfeit electronics researcher at CALCE, the pressure could lead to incorrect choices. If next week, a company needs 5,000 parts, or else their business will shut down, they will be forced to put their guard down.

Rules won't mean anything if a company has to choose between keeping its business alive or not -- verifying the vendor, and test processes won't be the top priority. Production will be, and it is going to be a huge problem.

What's worse is that the ones at risk are not huge companies. Instead, smaller businesses are more prone to resort to purchasing fake components to save their source of income. The threats will spread in a massive chunk of sectors that currently rely on semiconductors for all of their productions.

Related Article: Global Chip Shortage to Persist Until 2023--Demands for PC to Slightly 'Soften' in the Next Years

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 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The new Prometheus ransomware is the latest malicious online attack that targets the United States, the United Kingdom, and several other countries. Security experts involved in the investigation confirmed that there are a total of 12 countries currently affected.

Because of this, Palo Alto Networks, one of the biggest security firms, published its findings on Wednesday, June 9.

"Unit 42 has spent the past four months following the activities of Prometheus, a new player in the ransomware world that uses similar malware and tactics to ransomware veteran Thanos," said Palo Alto Networks.

"Prometheus leverages double-extortion tactics and hosts a leak site, where it names new victims and posts stolen data available for purchase," added the security company.

Prometheus Ransomware

According to Cyber Scoop's latest report, the new Prometheus ransomware can attack various organizations, including some government agencies. Security researchers from Palo Alto Networks claimed that this malicious attack can lead to serious national security threats.

Also Read: FBI Director Compares Threats of Ransomware Attacks to 9/11 Terrorism, Says Each of Them is Difficult to Combat and Prevent

On the other hand, they confirmed that the new ransomware already breached around 30 companies and organizations in the United States, U.K., and other countries.

Specifically, the hackers behind Prometheus focus on breaching systems used in manufacturing, consulting, logistics, insurance, agriculture, and legal industries.

Meanwhile, some critics and other security experts claimed that these hackers are connected with REvil, another hacking group believed to be based in Russia. If this is true, then new Prometheus ransomware could make a serious breach since REvil already infiltrated the global meat supplier JBS.

REvil and Prometheus are just one of the rising hacking groups right now. Other cybercriminals include those targeting Bose, Conti, and other giant companies and organizations.

How Does It Attack A System?

Palo Alto Networks' official website explained that once the new Prometheus ransomware infiltrates a system, it will start killing several backup files and other security software-related processes. These include the so-called Raccine, which is a tool that can prevent a ransomware attack.

On the other hand, this new malicious content also appends an extension using the following format.[XXX-XXX-XXXX]. Because of this, the security firm concluded that the hackers behind the new ransomware can generate a unique payload per victim.

For more news updates about Prometheus ransomware and other new security threats, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes.

Related Article: New Hack Targeting iConstituent Also Affects 60 Members Of US Congress

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 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
(Photo : GettlyImages/ Drew Angerer) Google pixel fold

Google Pixel Fold phone will continue its production and release this year. Google may have stopped the production of Pixel Watch, but its foldable phone Pixel Fold will be on the way this year.

The leak posted on August 2020 revealed that Google was planning to release its first-ever folding Pixel phone in late 2021.

Google Pixel Fold Phone Release

According to the site TheElec, Samsung will start production of folding OLED panels this October for Google, Xiaomi, and Vivo's upcoming folding phones, all of which will be revealed in late 2021.

Google has not exactly kept its folding phone plans a secret. In 2019, the company published patent applications for its own folding screens and admitted that it had been prototyping the patents for a while now.

Google told CNET in an interview that it did not have a clear use case yet. Now, it seems like Google has a foldable that could be nearly ready to announce.

Also Read: Huawei P50 and Google Pixel 6 to Have Sony's 1-Inch IMX800 Sensor; Will P50 Pro and Pro+ Get It Too?

According to 9to5Google, the codename of the patent at the time was Passport. In May, a new reference was spotted in Android 12's code, alongside other codenames believed to be the upcoming Pixel 6 and Pixel 5a 5G.

TheElec stated that it will have a single 7.6-inch panel that folds inward, while Vivo's upcoming phone will have an 8-inch main screen and a 6.5-inch outer display. It did not mention the size of the new Xiaomi phone's screen.

However, it is not clear whether a Pixel Fold would come with a display designed by Google itself, though it is possible. Samsung acts as a contract manufacturer for many other companies, producing some of Apple's homegrown processors as an example.

Either way, one part of the screen's sandwich may still largely belong to Samsung itself. ETNews reports that Samsung will supply its proprietary ultra-thin cover glass to other smartphone manufacturers, and Google is expected to use it.

Xiaomi already announced a folding phone earlier this year called Mi Mix Fold. TheElec stated that Oppo will be delaying a new foldable phone to 2022, with a 7.1-inch main screen and a smaller outer one between 1.5 and 2 inches diagonally.

Google Pixel Fold Rumored Details

Aside from the release date, the possible price of the foldable phone was also questioned. Based on the price range that Google has attached to its other foldable phones, there is a direction that Google might go in when it comes to the rate.

Right now, Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 2 is $1,799, while Galaxy Z Flip and Motorola Razr 5G are $1,199 and $1,399, respectively. With Google's traditional pricing, Pixel Fold may be closer to the $1,000 mark.

As for the design, Google's design plans for the Pixel Fold come from multiple patent filings that Google has made for foldable devices.

One patent shows a device that opens on a hinge to reveal a larger screen, with the ability to slide out an additional display for the added screen. One patent also shows a device that could fold in three places, although it is not confirmed if it is what the Pixel Fold would look like.

Related Article: Android 11 Update for Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 Arrives in US Today

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 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Tesla's rival battery developer, Northvolt, was able to raise a $2.75 million budget for its global expansion. Aside from this, the battery maker also confirmed that it will use this financial support to increase its production numbers.

Northvolt, the Stockholm-based company that makes the lithium-ion batteries used to power electric cars, says it has signed deals worth $27 billion.

The giant EV battery maker confirmed that it will use the new budget to make the cleanest batteries. Since battery developer is still working on its advancements, it is still hard to conclude that its new batteries will be better than those produced by Elon Musk's electric car maker.

To give you more idea, here are other details of the latest billion-dollar budget of Northvolt.

Tesla's Rival Receives Help From Giant Automakers

According to CNBC's latest report, Northvolt was able to raise billions of dollars because some giant car makers helped it to achieve this. These include Volkswagen, BMW, and more.

Also Read: Tesla's Head of Heavy Trucking Jerome Guillen Suddenly Exits As Company Experiences Turnover Struggle

Specifically, Northvolt's latest funding round was co-led by Volkswagen and Goldman Sachs Incorporated. Aside from them, new investors such as Swedish pensions funds AP1, AP2, AP3, AP3, as well as OMERS, a Canadian pension provider, also joined the battery innovation.

"With this investment, we are strengthening our strategic partnership with Northvolt as a supplier of sustainable battery cells which are produced using renewable energy and are comprehensively recyclable," said one of Volkswagen's board members for finance and IT Arno Antlitz.

Northvolt Plans To Increase 150GWh Battery Capacity

On the other hand, Recharge News reported that Tesla's rival company now aims to exceed its current 150GWh annual battery capacity in Europe this coming 2030.

"We have a solid base of world-class investors and customers on-board who share Northvolt's mission of building the world's greenest battery to enable the European transition to renewable energy," said Northvolt.

The giant battery maker added that it plans to build two additional Giga factories in Europe over the coming decade.

For more news updates about Northvolt and other Tesla rivals, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes.

Related Article: Tesla Model S Plaid Delivery Event: How to Watch Live as It Arrives in the Fremont Factory

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 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Tiktok and WeChat can breathe a sigh of relief now, as they won't lose their American market after all.

Mashable reports that the Biden administration has rescinded the orders made by former U.S. President Donald Trump to ban TikTok and WeChat. Aside from this, the White House has also ordered the Commerce Department to perform their very own reviews of any social media/messaging apps that have ties to potential foreign adversaries.

President Joe Biden signed the executive order on June 9, which is also meant to consider any transaction made by similar apps "high risk" if they're connected to anyone supporting a foreign enemy, or if the apps started collecting personal data, according to a report by CNBC.

It's worth noting that during the Trump administration, TikTok and WeChat have been considered national security threats due to the two apps being associated with China, with whom the U.S. government has had troubled recent relations with.

With the newly signed E.O.s, the proposed bans to TikTok and WeChat from the Trump era will be revoked outright, as reported by The Verge. But despite this, it seems like the apps are still not out of the woods yet.

Read also: The U.S. to Ban TikTok, WeChat: What Difference Would it Make?

TikTok and WeChat: What's the (Bad) Catch?

Trump basically made it a mission to try to ban TikTok and WeChat in the U.S., directly threatening the app's parent company ByteDance. It came after ByteDance themselves got involved in a scandal, wherein they were accused of allegedly mishandling the personal data of the 80 million active TikTok users at the time.

WeChat was also troublesome, according to the Trump admin, mainly due to its excessive requests for personal user data. It's worth noting that in mainland China, WeChat and other apps such as AliPay have been known to lock users out if they refuse to share sensitive information when prompted. Sometimes, the apps even request more than names and home addresses, even going as far as asking for biometrics.

Perhaps the Trump admin's fears about TikTok and WeChat weren't entirely foolish after all. Also, the makers of these apps, especially TikTok, have been trying their best to improve on their data privacy policies. China itself has also handed down multiple regulations to control excessive requests for sensitive user information.

It's Not Just America

TikTok has also been making the wrong waves overseas, particularly in India. It's not just the American government that's taken notice, it seems.

Early this year, TikTok and other Chinese apps (PUBG Mobile and again, WeChat among them) have been banned in India permanently for the same concerns involving national security. There were a total of 58 apps banned in India as of the moment, with no easing of restrictions seen for the foreseeable future.

The Indian IT Ministry, in an attempt to get more information about the app owners' operations in the country, tried asking for details about things like data collection, subscriptions, and how the information they gather are being processed. Apparently, they got cold-shouldered, which led to the permanent banning of said apps.



Related: TikTok Dry Scooping Challenge Is Dangerous! Medical Experts Warns Not To Consume Pre-Workout Powder Without Water

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Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-09 23:17:41|Editor: huaxia

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by Xinhua writer Guo Yage

BEIJING, June 9 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Senate on Tuesday passed an expansive bill that is apparently seeking to use an obsolete Cold-War mentality to boost America's future tech and manufacturing.

The 2,400-plus-page bill shows Washington's growing anxiety over and ideological prejudice towards China's development, as well as its paranoia to maintain America's global technological superiority.

However, those U.S. lawmakers who sponsored the bill as well as other like-minded Washington politicians are steering their country onto a wrong and dangerous path, which will only harm the United States and the world at large.

Hyping up the so-called "China-threat" theory may be a convenient political stunt, and help some self-serving politicians score some cheap political points for the moment.

Yet demonizing China won't fix the chronic, deep-rooted political, social and economic problems that have been plaguing the United States for decades. These problems are the real obstacles that are undermining America's potential for long-term healthy development.

What's worse: This big bloated bill could drag the United States into years of wasteful investment on industrial subsidies, hurt American businesses, and even stoke racial conflicts that would rip the country further apart.

The world also stands to lose. The bill, if it becomes law and is implemented, could rock global supply chains, block international tech cooperation, encourage unhealthy market competition, and restrain innovation. This all would be terrible news for a trembling global economy struggling to get back on its feet in the post-pandemic era.

It is perfectly reasonable that Washington politicians are yearning for a stronger United States. Yet they have no right to do so by ridding the Chinese people of their legitimate right to pursue better lives.

China has made it clear repeatedly that its development is never intended to beat that of the United States, but to build a better China for its own citizens. It has also proven on various occasions that it aims to contribute to global development with its economic and technological advancements.

The research and development of COVID-19 vaccines serves as a perfect example. From the very beginning, China has pledged to make its vaccines a global public good. Indeed, it has honored its commitments by providing vaccine assistance to more than 80 countries and three international organizations, exporting vaccines to over 50 nations, and offering vaccines to United Nations peacekeeping missions and the International Olympic Committee.

In this era of globalization, China and the United States, the world's top two economies, share a responsibility to work with the rest of the international community to address multifaceted challenges facing humanity, like climate change.

Thus, Washington should ensure that its cooperation with Beijing is the mainstay of their overall relationship, while at the same time make sure that their competition, if inevitable, is a healthy one.

The United States and China both stand to gain from cooperation and lose from confrontation. As the bill now heads to the House of Representatives, decision-makers in Washington should seize the opportunity to think carefully about what is really beneficial for America's long-term competitiveness. Enditem
Google is not going to be outdone by Apple and its 2021 WWDC, launching a second early look into their upcoming Android 12 OS.

Yahoo reports that Google just launched the second public beta for Android 12, bringing with it a lot of the features previously announced in this year's Google I/O keynote. The beta is slated to offer a good preview of a good number of functional changes expected to come to the operating system.

Right now, Google allows users to sign up for the new public beta for the next-gen Android on their official website. For those interested, all you need to do is check if your device is eligible by logging onto your Google account, where a list of supported devices will be posted.

But if you've been enrolled in the beta program from Android 11 and look to have a hassle-free enrolment this time around, you're out of luck. Google requires users to sign in again for this particular Android 12 beta, with all of the sign-up details available on the Android Developer website.

Google is preparing Android 12 to be a game-changer, especially on the visual side, with numerous leaks pointing to a massive list of upgrades over Android 11.

Read also: Google Android 12 Tightens Installation of Third Party Apps, Pushing Users to Use Play Store for Safety

Google Android 12: Why Should You Care?

Sure, everybody's talking about Apple and its iOS 15, but Android 12 is nothing to scoff at, either. And Google is making sure that it won't be.

A lot of tech companies have been making a big push towards improving overall user privacy, with Google among the leaders. For Android 12, similar privacy features to that of the next-gen iOS are expected to be offered. In fact, it even has certain privacy features that Apple won't be offering in their competing product.

Among these is the so-called privacy dashboard. Put simply, and this dashboard allows users to see and identify which apps are trying to access sensitive information via the sensors on your devices, such as the camera, microphone, and fingerprint sensor. Aside from that, the dashboard can also enable users to track which apps have access to these sensors, as well as request app makers for an explanation as to why they need sensitive data.

Other Upgrades

But of course, enough with the boring security and privacy updates. Let's talk about looks, shall we?

Since Android 11 looked almost identical to Android 10, the former wasn't really that much of an upgrade. Android 12, on the other hand, is shaping up to be a truly next-gen leap in terms of aesthetics. According to Engadget, users can expect a freshly redesigned lock screen with brand-new fonts and neater-looking notifications. There might also be a chance that dynamic palettes, which were introduced as part of Google's "Material You", could make an appearance.

For now, if you're not too averse to trying out an operating system filled with bugs and instability, sign up to the public beta to try the new Android OS out.

Related: Android 12 and Chrome Features Get Updates, Announced During Google I/O

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 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
A number of major websites could not be reached early Tuesday because of an outage at the cloud services company Fastly.

The affected sites included news agencies CNN, The Guardian and The New York Times, streaming platform Twitch, and the British government website.

All were back online within a period of hours.

The outage also forced CNN's website offline in the Asian cities of Hong Kong and Singapore. There was little mention of the outage on social media platforms in China, where most foreign media websites are permanently blocked.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-09 23:47:40|Editor: huaxia

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TIRANA, June 9 (Xinhua) -- Albanian lawmakers voted on Wednesday in an extraordinary plenary session in Parliament to impeach President Ilir Meta, who has been accused of violating the country's constitution.

The vote was 104 in favor, seven against and three abstentions.

Forty-nine Socialist lawmakers set up a committee in late April to investigate Meta's activities during the April 25 general elections. According to the committee, Meta had "seriously violated the constitution" with his statements and actions.

On Wednesday, the head of the investigative committee, Socialist deputy Alket Islami, presented to lawmakers a 96-page final report drafted by the committee, saying that "the president violated 17 articles of the constitution" and that "these violations are considered by the committee as grave."

President Meta has been accused of inciting hatred and violence in the country, putting people's lives at risk, interfering with and intimidating public institutions, damaging the country's image, reputation and relations with its strategic partners, as well as openly supporting opposition parties ahead of the April 25 general elections.

According to the report, Meta had also failed in his constitutional duty to guarantee national unity and should be removed from office a year earlier than his term ends.

Addressing the lawmakers, Prime Minister Edi Rama said that Meta "has betrayed the president's mission, has humiliated the constitution and embarrassed Albania and Albanians in relation to the international representatives in Albania."

Meta refused twice to answer the committee members' questions, arguing that the outgoing parliament cannot organize this kind of investigation and calling the investigation "anti-constitutional and illegal."

Following a 180-minute discussion, lawmakers voted first to approve the impeachment report.

Parliament Speaker Gramoz Ruci then asked the deputies to confirm the impeachment in an anonymous vote.

The Constitutional Court of Albania now has three months to review the case and give its final approval.

Reacting to the lawmakers' vote on Wednesday, Meta's spokesperson Tedi Blushi called it "anti-constitutional and ridiculous."

The position and role of the president in Albania is mainly symbolic. The president represents the unity of the Albanian people and is also the supreme commander-in-chief of the country's armed forces.

Meta took office in July 2017 and since then his relations with the ruling Socialists and Prime Minister Rama have been tense. He has openly opposed the decisions taken by the ruling party by frequently returning the laws adopted by Parliament. Enditem
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Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-09 23:50:04|Editor: huaxia

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MALE, June 9 (Xinhua) -- The COVID-19 death toll in the Maldives crossed 190 on Wednesday, according to information from the Health Protection Agency (HPA).

The HPA said earlier Wednesday that a 94-year old male died at the Hulhumale Medical Facility, raising the country's death toll from the pandemic to 191.

A total of 88 deaths due to COVID-19 were reported in May as the country grappled with the third wave of infections.

There are 17,461 active cases of COVID-19 in the country, out of which 152 have been hospitalized for treatment.

A total of 68,872 cases of COVID-19 have been detected in the Maldives since the pandemic began. Enditem
LIVINGSTON  A judge has ruled that an ex-husband and wife charged jointly with 150 counts of sexual abuse  many of them involving children  must stand trial together.

The husband had asked to be tried apart from his ex-wife for fear she would blame him for their crimes in court.

Former Livingston Parish Sheriffs Deputy Dennis Perkins, 45, and his ex-wife Cynthia Perkins, 36 and a former teacher, face scores of felony charges alleging rape, child pornography, sexual battery of a child, video voyeurism and tainting pastries that children ate at school. The victims include two children, two adults and a dog.

Prosecutors painted a picture of the Perkinses working hand-in-hand to commit the crimes. The pair was indicted in the same court document in 2019, meaning their cases are set to proceed as one.

But the two former Livingston Parish employees have since turned on each other. After the indictment, Cynthia Perkins sought  and later won  a divorce from Dennis Perkins. Dennis Perkins asked last month to be tried apart from his ex-wife, as his lawyers argued she could unduly prejudice a jury against him if they go to trial together.

Dennis Perkins defense lawyer, Jarrett Ambeau, said in a motions hearing in Livingston last Friday that he believes Cynthia Perkins is going to point the finger at her ex-husband.

Judge Erika Sledge of the 21st Judicial Court on Tuesday ruled against the motion to separate trials.

"The court is aware that providing specific information pertaining to antagonism puts the defense in a position of having to disclose details about trial strategy, Sledge wrote in a filing released Wednesday morning. However, an allegation of antagonism alone is insufficient to establish that a severance is warranted.

The decision marked a victory for the Louisiana Attorney Generals Office, which is prosecuting the case. Holding two trials would subject victims and their families to more trauma by forcing them to relive the abuse twice, state Justice Department attorneys told Sledge in last week's hearing.

It would also waste law enforcement testimony, they argued, because a substantial portion of it would have to be repeated across two trials.

We are looking forward to getting justice for the victims families, Emily Fuson, a spokesperson for the Attorney Generals Office, said in an interview Wednesday.

Ambeau, Dennis Perkins defense attorney, has asked to postpone the trials July 12 start date as his client considers a plea deal.

While Sledge did the best she could to follow the law in striking down the separation motion, holding the joint trial presents an untenable situation for his clients defense, Ambeau said in an interview Wednesday evening.

I cant know how or why the other sides arguments are going to be adversarial to mine, he said, but their attorney standing up in the courtroom and saying they are is a pretty clear indication that thats the case.

Dennis Perkins is considering appealing Sledges ruling that the ex-couple may not be tried separately, Ambeau said.

The defense attorney declined to comment Wednesday on the status of his clients plea negotiations with the Attorney Generals Office, but said the two parties have continued to talk back and forth.

The Attorney Generals Office had not offered Dennis Perkins a plea deal as of last Friday, and the defense had not formally extended a deal to prosecutors either, according to Fuson.

We are trying to find something that works for the public interest, Ambeau said, and for Mr. Perkins.
Of the $167 million in federal aid headed to East Baton Rouge, the city-parish wants to spend $20 million on drainage upgrades and $1 million to fend off cyberattacks, according to a memo presented to the Metro Council this week.

As the parish prepares for its 2022 budget, Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome has asked department heads to submit funding requests that could be eligible for a slice of the American Rescue Plan President Joe Biden signed into law earlier this year.

The Metro Council on Wednesday voted to hold a public hearing on the spending plan on June 23.

"Since the flood of 2016, drainage has been a top priority for my administration," Broome said in a prepared statement ahead of this week's council session. "These proposed projects compliment other major drainage initiatives like the Comite River Diversion Canal and Five Tributaries Project, which will provide formidable relief in reducing potential flood risk."

In total, the city-parish was set to receive about $167 million in the latest round of COVID-19 recovery aid. In the memo to the Metro Council, Chief Administrative Officer Darryl Gissel said the funding will trickle into the city-parish in two allocations  half this year, the rest in 2022.

Gissel said they've already received the city's portion of that money, which amounts to about $40 million.

The Mayor-President's Office is waiting on another $43.5 million, which Gissel said is the first half of the parish's earmarked funds from the federal spending package. City-parish officials expect to receive the rest of its allocation sometime after the second pot of money comes in next year, the memo states.

The $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan used the same federal anti-poverty funding formulas as the Community Development Block Grant program.

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Although the bill also used rough markers to determine need for some large cities and counties, it did not factor in any actual measures of the coronavirus' impact on local governments.

Eligible uses for the money include replenishing revenues lost as a result of the pandemic, which the city-parish estimates to be around $18 million in its 2020 budget.

The Mayor-President's Office wants to set aside $19.2 million for various drainage projects that aren't included in existing improvements the city-parish already has planned. These new projects were prioritized based on preliminary findings from the parish's master plan for the stormwater system.

When will those multi-million-dollar flood projects for Baton Rouge be finished? Not for years It will still be years before East Baton Rouge residents see any work completed on the multi-million dollar flood-prevention projects that wer

City-parish leaders took a heightened interest in drainage in no small part because of the public's frustration over flash flooding from torrential downpours.

A summary of those drainage improvements are:

$1.8 million for storm drain cleanout

$5 million for channel clearing and grubbing

$5.5 million for roadside drainage cave-ins

$2 million for roadside ditch cleaning

$2 million for lined canal repairs

$2 million for engineering/project management

$900,000 for Magnolia Woods/Baird Drive improvements

Another $1.8 million is being proposed to replace the Alphonse Forbes Bridge, according to Gissel's memo.

The Mayor-President's Office plans to spend more than $850,000 on software to protect city-parish systems against cyberattacks. The multiyear contract would also provide a team of experts to work directly with the parish's IT department.
The SmartPort initiative has been awarded a $1.6 million grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration for next generation technology that will improve operations at south Louisiana ports. The state and port partners, including the Port of New Orleans, the Port of Greater Baton Rouge and the Port of South Louisiana, will match the federal funds with $1.4 million, to provide $3 million for the SmartPort effort.
Two Louisiana State Police troopers were fired last week, months after both were arrested and accused of using excessive force against Black suspects amid a widening misconduct probe at Troop F in Monroe.

State Police officials confirmed the terminations Wednesday.

Both Dakota DeMoss and George Harper had been on leave pending the results of internal investigations into their actions. As of last week, those investigations had concluded and the troopers were terminated effective Friday.

+2 State Police Troop F, under fire for Ronald Greene death, lacks diversity at just 9% Black As Ronald Greene lay gashed and spitting up blood on a dark Union Parish road, he took his last breaths surrounded by a group of Louisiana sta

Under state civil service rules, they have 30 days to appeal the terminations before the Louisiana State Police Commission.

Two other troopers also arrested on similar charges, Jacob Brown and Randall Dickerson, resigned from the agency earlier this year.

One arrested state trooper resigns, 2 more receive unpaid leave amid criminal investigation Another Louisiana State Police trooper has resigned and two more will stop receiving their taxpayer funded salaries after getting arrested ear

All four troopers were assigned to Troop F, which patrols a dozen parishes in northeast Louisiana. They were arrested in February after investigators found evidence of excessive force in two separate encounters.

The first incident, which involved Brown and Dickerson, occurred in July 2019 during a traffic stop in Ouachita Parish. The second occurred in May 2020 following a car chase in Franklin Parish. In that case, troopers Brown, DeMoss and Harper traded jokes in a group text after booking the suspect into jail, their conversation peppered with abbreviations for "laughing my ass off" and "laugh out loud."

"He was still digesting that ass whoopin," DeMoss said, suggesting the man would "have nightmares for a long time."

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"He gonna be sore tomorrow for sure," Brown added. "Warms my heart knowing we could educate that young man."

Records show that DeMoss and Harper received counseling back in June 2020 after supervisors reviewed their bodycam footage from the incident. The troopers received letters from a supervisor warning them about profane language and noting that it was inappropriate to strike the suspect and lift him up using his hair. But the consequences stopped there  until the troopers were notified several months later of ongoing administrative and criminal investigations against them.

DeMoss is also named in a lawsuit filed last year by the family of Ronald Greene, a Black man who died after a brutal encounter with troopers in 2019 following a lengthy police chase that ended in Union Parish. Bodycam footage of the incident, which State Police recently released only after the Associated Press published leaked copies, shows troopers beating, dragging and repeatedly tasing Greene. His death  which State Police initially said resulted from a car crash  is the subject of an ongoing federal civil rights investigation.

+18 In Ronald Greene's death, protestors at Capitol demand trooper accountability: 'We want justice' Following the recent release of bodycam footage showing Ronald Greene taking his last breaths after being brutalized by Louisiana state troope

State Police Superintendent Col. Lamar Davis had previously announced his intention to fire DeMoss, but the news about Harper was first reported Wednesday.

State Police officials said disciplinary records pertaining to the terminations will be made public in the future.

Criminal charges against all four arrested troopers remain pending.
This image from video from Louisiana state police state trooper Dakota DeMoss' body-worn camera, shows trooper Kory York grabbing the leg shackles and dragging Ronald Greene on his stomach on May 10, 2019, outside of Monroe, La. The video obtained by The Associated Press shows Louisiana state troopers stunning, punching and dragging the Black man as he apologizes for leading them on a high-speed chase, footage authorities refused to release in the two years since Greene died in police custody. (Louisiana State Police via AP)
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-09 23:59:40|Editor: huaxia

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ISLAMABAD -- Pakistan reached a milestone in its COVID-19 vaccination drive on Wednesday with the 10 millionth dose administered to a person at a ceremony.

Addressing the ceremony, Chairman of the country's National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) Asad Umar said that the country is aiming to give vaccine doses to 70 million people by the end of this year. (Pakistan-COVID-19-Vaccination)

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MANILA -- Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said on Wednesday that a "win-win cooperation" with China would ensure a partnership that will foster peace and prosperity.

In a pre-recorded message aired during the 46th anniversary of Philippines-China diplomatic relations and 20th Filipino-Chinese Friendship Day, Duterte said the online celebration "reminds us of the deep and abiding friendship between the Filipino-Chinese peoples." (Philippines-China-Cooperation)

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SEOUL -- At least nine people have been confirmed dead and eight others injured in a building collapse accident in southwest South Korea, Yonhap news agency reported on Wednesday.

The five-story building under demolition unexpectedly collapsed on Wednesday afternoon at the southwestern city of Gwangju, and it was reported to the firefighting authorities at about 4:22 p.m. local time (0722 GMT). (South Korea-Building Collapse)

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JAKARTA -- Indonesia on Wednesday recorded 7,725 confirmed COVID-19 cases within one day, the highest daily number of infections since Feb. 26, the health ministry said.

The total number of cases in the Southeast Asian country is now 1,877,050. The death toll added by 170 to 52,162, the ministry reported. (Indonesia-COVID-19) Enditem
World War II veteran Sam Meyer, 96, stands up as he is recognized during the Dr. Hal Baumgarten D-Day Commemoration Ceremony and Program at the National WWII Museum in New Orleans on Sunday, June 6, 2021.
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Crown Resorts staff feared speaking up about bad behaviour and probity issues because they believed the casino giants management would punish them rather than act on their concerns.

Victorias royal commission into Crown heard on Wednesday that the James Packer-backed group commissioned Deloitte to run a review of its corporate culture in August last year, just as damning revelations started to emerge from the Bergin inquiry in NSW.

Crown staff were afraid to speak up about probity issues, the commission heard. Credit:Joe Armao

Deloitte partner Victoria Whitaker said Crowns then-chief executive, Ken Barton, told her there was a fear around speaking up and communicating bad news at Crown which was potentially due to a fear of adverse consequences.

That was backed up by interviews with Crowns head of human resources, Alicia Gleeson, and a review of internal staff surveys, Ms Whitaker said, which also revealed a sense of complacency about escalating concerns because staff did not believe the company would act.
The Australian boss of global energy giant Shell says societys growing determination to speed up the shift to cleaner energy has driven a sharp escalation of climate pressure engulfing oil and gas producers this year.

In his first public comments since a Dutch court ordered Shell to set deeper and faster emissions cuts targeting a 45 per cent reduction by 2030, Shell Australia chairman Tony Nunan said he believed industry, governments and the public were becoming increasingly aligned on the need to achieve net-zero emissions by the middle of the century.

Environmentalists celebrate the outcome of the court case between the Dutch arm of the Friends of the Earth environmental organisation and Shell in The Hague, Netherlands. Credit:AP

What we are really debating now is not so much where do we need to be but its how quickly can we get there, he told the Credit Suisse 8th Australian Energy Conference on Wednesday.

What I see, in the last couple of weeks, are an example of the sentiment which is asking us to push the boundaries of how quickly we can do it.
Hilma af Klint Group IV, The ten largest, no 4, youth 1907 Credit: The Moderna Museet, Stockholm, Sweden Abstract art, at least in the West, has long been synonymous with the likes of Wassily Kandinsky, the intellectually restless Russian emigre who claimed to have invented abstraction with Composition V, shown at a 1911 exhibition in Munich. Kazimir Malevich, whose 1915 Black Square still perplexes artists. Or Jackson Pollock in his Long Island barn in the 1940s, frantically making action paintings. Af Klint started painting Primordial Chaos, a group of small, blue-and-green canvases that wrestle with the origins of the world through a sequence of radial lines and cryptic symbols in 1906. As Voss points out, she arrived at abstraction first. Abstraction only became a success story during the Cold War, says Voss. There was the [idea] that it was the expression of individual freedom, that it was created by men  Kandinsky, Pollock. But women were very important. History loves to imagine the artist as a lone male genius. But af Klint, who started making her work in the presence of other women, conceived of her art as a conversation with higher powers.

Shes not making manifestos about the history of art, says Cramer. Malevich and Mondrian had a very strict program of progression in their work. Hilmas is very open-minded. Its a wide cosmic view of humanitys place in the universe. She pauses. Its coming from a very different viewpoint. It wasnt reductive; it was expansive. Loading Hilma af Klint was born in Stockholm in 1862, part of a respected family of cartographers and naval officers. The death of her 10-year-old sister, Hermina, when she was 18 sparked a fascination with Spiritualism, a movement that believed in a dialogue between the dead and the living. Its an interest she had in common with numerous artists and intellectuals all through Europe, says Chambers. Interestingly, Spiritualism, popularised by Russian philosopher Madame Helena Blavatsky, who co-founded the Theosophical Society in 1875, welcomed women, thought to be better suited to the work of mediumship. The founding fathers of abstraction were interested in different spiritualist belief systems, he adds. But there were spiritualist movements of this time run by women. Hilmas work paints a richer and complex picture of the story of modern art.

Hilma af Klint, Group X, Altarpiece, no 1 1915 Credit:The Moderna Museet, Stockholm, Sweden In 1882, af Klint attended Stockholms Royal Academy of Fine Arts, where she was a top student. Later, she earned a living as a painter and illustrator, making intricate studies of plants and flowers on paper. Then, in 1896, she starts holding seances with The Five, four friends from art school, including Anna Cassel, with whom she forged a lifelong connection. The Five filled notebooks with automatic writing. They communed with the spirit guides or High Masters, Gregor, Clemens, Amaliel and Ananda, making joint pastel-and-graphite drawings of petals and spirals, droplets and eggs. Organic forms, both otherworldly and familiar. In Europe at the turn of the 20th century, says Jessica Hoglund, CEO of the Hilma af Klint Foundation, science and Spiritualism were entwined with each other. Thomas Edison built a machine to speak to the dead. Marie and Pierre Curie had links to the occult. Hilma af Klint at the Kungliga Akademien in Stockholm, 1885. Credit:Getty

So many things happened in the beginning of the 1900s when Hilma was young, she says. The invention of the X-ray. The invention of the atom. She drew from all these sources and translated them into her paintings. The Paintings for the Temple are alive with this scientific sense of inquiry, along with a deep and abiding wonder. In Primordial Chaos, geometric shapes shoot sparks and rays, while strange words possess multiple meanings, carefully detailed in her notebooks. The Ten Largest cast the smallness of human life against the vastness of infinity, the way you can put your ear to a shell  a recurring shape through these paintings  and hear the sound of the ocean. I think it is the right timing for her because human beings are heading in the wrong direction Filmmaker Halina Dyrschka In Altarpieces (1915), the final group in the series, tessellated triangles, painted in metal leaf, hold up radiant orbs. The works, she dictates in a 1931 entry, would deliver a certain power and calm and should be housed in the temples altar room. In 1908, she showed the paintings to one of her heroes, Rudolph Steiner, an Austrian philosopher and the German leader of the Theosophical Society. He disapproved of her reliance on spirits. For four years, she stopped painting. From the 1920s on, she made incandescent watercolours. An entry from 1932, combines a curious notation with the words All works which should be opened twenty years after my death should carry the sign shown above.

Hilma af Klint, Group IV, The ten largest, no 2, childhood 1907 Credit:The Moderna Museet, Stockholm, Sweden Af Klints erasure from art history has become legend, especially during a moment hungry for feminist heroines. She died in a 1944 tram accident. She left her body of work  1300 paintings, 124 notebooks and over 26,000 handwritten and typed pages  to her nephew Erik af Klint. In the late 1960s, he offered her work to Swedens Moderna Museet. They turned it away, claiming that she was more medium than artist. This was ironic given that Kandinsky believed abstraction was a type of religion. Mark Rothkos paintings are considered paths to the sacred. Of course, women whove resisted the social order have long been dismissed as heretic or irrational or mad. For Voss, this is about protecting a hierarchy that, for male artists at least, has been profitable. There was Pollock in America and Kandinsky in Europe  the art market had made its prices, she says. And then when everything was packaged, Hilma af Klint entered the stage. In a sense, it makes me laugh. Its like a prank! [The idea] that shes this crazy, remote woman in Sweden who hit the jackpot of abstraction by chance. That the men were thinking about it and she was just dabbling around. Hoglund, who is working on plans to preserve and restore the paintings, tells me that af Klints work is protected by the Foundation and will remain that way in the future. Not many are owned by private collectors, she says. We have an obligation to take care of her works.

Hilma af Klint, Group IX/SUW, The swan, no 1 191415 Credit:The Moderna Museet, Stockholm, Sweden Dyrschka says that af Klints paintings are an antidote to the late capitalist world were forced to navigate. I think the main question that comes out of her work are What the hell are we doing here? What is the point? Am I here to live eighty years just making money?, she laughs. She came to the answer that theres more and dedicated her life to this. And to me, this is a very successful life. Its a late capitalist world thats also polarised, divided by borders and differences and politics. Af Klint spent her life grappling with a society cleaved by gender. She explores the problem of duality in The Swan, No. 24, a pair of black-and-white swans painted in 1915, a year into World War I. Their necks and wings are twisted into a larger whole. She [brings] in the imagery of the swan, darkness and light, spirit and matter, says Cramer. Its about moving around the oppositions that hold things together  the invisible and the visible, the real and the ideal.
The images of Tharnicaa on a hospital bed are ones that no one can or should look away from, a three-year-old child in deep physical distress and pain with sepsis and pneumonia, a child who spent 10 days vomiting, with diarrhoea and high fever before she was medically evacuated from the prison she is held in.

But its not just one image that has shocked us.

Tharnicaa and her sister Kopika in hospital on Christmas Island on Sunday, June 6.

The cruel and inhumane treatment of Priya and Nades Murugappan and their Australian-born children Kopika, 5, and Tharnicaa, 3, started long ago. They were brutally ripped away in the early hours of the morning without warning from their home in Biloela over three years ago to a detention centre in Melbourne, and since 2019 have been trapped in detention on Christmas Island.

The long-term harmful impact of detention on the physical and mental health and wellbeing of people, in particular children, has been well documented. In the past 24 hours, there have been renewed calls for the familys release by medical bodies such as the Australian Medical Association and Royal Australasian College of Physicians.
Credit:John Shakespeare

Traditionally, the Valmorbida family was famed for giving us Lavazza coffee, Sirena tuna and La Gina canned tomatoes and a type of social esuberanza which made the coffee brands Flemingtons Birdcage marquee such a frothy hit year after year.

Their business empire gave the family a $500 million fortune and AFR Rich List status. And in recent years the familys bright young things have been occupied with ambitious projects: Jamie Valmorbida has restored Carltons beloved King & Godfree building, while lifestyle journalist Amanda Valmorbida has snared a Holmes a Court, becoming engaged to Sydney man about town Tim last year.

But now a legal dispute over a family trust that pits family patriarch Mariano Valmorbida against his late son Adrian Valmorbidas widow Kairu Erica Chan threatens to boil over.

Adrian Valmorbida was a flamboyant property developer with a penchant for Ferarris, who tragically died in 2016 from cancer.
The judge presiding over an urgent Federal Court case brought by former special forces soldier Ben Roberts-Smith against his ex wife has raised concerns that he was not told that a crucial affidavit filed in the proceedings was sworn by a lawyer with whom Mr Roberts-Smith reportedly had a personal relationship.

Mr Roberts-Smith launched urgent Federal Court proceedings last week against his former wife, Emma Roberts, who is expected to give evidence for The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald in her ex-husbands high-stakes defamation case against the mastheads.

Ben Roberts-Smiths solicitor, Monica Allen, leaves court on Wednesday. Credit:Janie Barrett

The defamation trial started on Monday and is estimated to run for up to ten weeks.

Mr Roberts-Smiths barrister, Arthur Moses, SC, told the Federal Court last Friday that the proceedings against Ms Roberts related to an allegation she had access to an email account her former husband used to correspond with his lawyers about the defamation case and a separate inquiry into the conduct of Australian soldiers in Afghanistan.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-10 00:41:30|Editor: huaxia

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BUDAPEST, June 9 (Xinhua) -- The Hungarian government said Wednesday that outdoor village festivals will be allowed again starting next week as the country's daily COVID-19 related deaths went under 10.

"Hungary's government will allow outdoor village festivals organized by local councils of settlements with up to 5,000 residents from June 14," the government said in a decree published in the Hungarian Official Journal.

"Participation at the festivals will not require an immunity certificate, although the number of people at such events will be limited to 1,500," the government said.

Major festivals drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors, such as Sziget Festival or Balaton Sound Festival, have been cancelled this year for the second time in a row. They are preparing for a big comeback in 2022.

Hungary has gradually eased pandemic restrictions as more than half of its population have been inoculated against the virus.

On Wednesday, the country registered 179 new COVID-19 cases in a 24-hour span, raising the national total to 806,385, according to the official data. In the past 24 hours, six people have died from the disease, taking the toll to 29,889 in the country. Enditem
Queenslanders are being warned to brace themselves for a cold snap with a chance of snow that is making its way to south-east Queensland.

The Bureau of Meteorologys Pieter Claassen said a cold front had moved through the Darling Downs but the cooler temperatures were yet to come.

Scarves, beanies, jackets and hoodies are reliable tools to combat an icy wind chill factor. Credit:Bradley Kanaris

The cold front also brought some rain to the region with Upper Brackett Creek receiving the highest total of 25 millimetres, he said.

Behind that cold front well see much cooler temperatures today than what we have seen so far.
Delta is concerning. We knew it would get out into Australia at some stage, and it is here now in our community.

Bear with us briefly as we delve into the maths of COVID-19 infection rates.

People queue for COVID-19 vaccinations at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. Credit:Eddie Jim

In pre-COVID times (remember way back?) the average person with wild type Wuhan virus would infect on average 2.5 people. (It does vary a lot by person  think super-spreader.) Now, with the Delta variant, that average is 5.0 people.

Last year, we had to force that number from 2.5 people to less than 1.0 to end the second wave. That is, we had to alter the way we lived to reduce transmission by 60 per cent.
It would hardly surprise many that Melbourne has fallen down the rankings in The Economists 2021 global liveability index, dropping from second to eighth. Coming out of the citys latest two-week lockdown, the fourth since the pandemic began, many of Melbournes most notable strengths  its culinary and cultural sectors would top the list  have been hit for six.

Melbourne will be a different city post-pandemic. Peoples work, shopping and entertainment habits have been so upended for such a long time that returning to any form of normal will, in all likelihood, not reflect what once was but, rather, a new reality.

Melbournes CBD has been hit hard again by the latest lockdown. Credit:Wayne Taylor

The most conspicuous fault line that has materialised since COVID-19 is the central city-suburban divide. As people have stayed closer to home, they have, in many instances, given fresh life to local businesses. Adele Hegedich, mayor of Wyndham in Melbournes far west, said it best when she remarked that the virus has inadvertently, finally, realised the 20-minute neighbourhood. But it has come at a cost.

While people had started returning to the CBD prior to the latest lockdown, foot traffic was still down by 45 per cent compared with the pre-COVID average, despite city workplaces being able to bring back 100 per cent of staff.
Staffing levels in Victorias maternity services have been left so depleted by COVID-19 testing and vaccination efforts, midwives fear for the safety of mothers and babies.

Midwives and nurses are regularly required to work overtime, double shifts and extra shifts due to statewide staff shortages.

The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation said members feared the situation has become so bad it posed safety concerns.

Healthcare sources say COVID-19 testing and vaccination efforts have depleted the casual workforce. Credit:Bloomberg

Healthcare sources have told The Age hospitals have been unable to get casual workers as the vast majority have taken up work on the more lucrative COVID-19 testing and vaccination programs.
Victoria is bracing for a night of wild weather with damaging winds of 100km/h or more and heavy rainfall forecast for parts of the state.

The Bureau of Meteorology has issued warnings for damaging winds, floods and marine winds for much of the state plus blizzard conditions on the alpine peaks with the storms predicted to be at their worse about 1am on Thursday.

The central and eastern parts of Melbourne face winds averaging 50 to 60 km/h with peak gusts of 100km/h while parts of the central, north-central and north-east districts have also received a warning for heavy rainfall with Melbourne, Bendigo, Seymour, Maryborough, Ballarat, Geelong and Traralgon listed in the rainfall message.

Gippsland is expected to face some of the worst conditions with damaging winds averaging 60 to 70km/h predicted for the southern Gippsland coast along with Port Philip, the Gippsland Ranges and the Central Ranges with peak gusts of 110 km/h.
The Victorian government has announced that COVID-19 restrictions will ease from 11.59pm on Thursday.

Acting Premier James Merlino has announced that schools will return to on-site learning this Friday.

All students will be back at school on Friday, in terms of the government system. There is no pupil-free day on Friday, students will be back at school, Mr Merlino said.

Below youll find a building list of what we know about the new rules. Please check back regularly as this story will be updated to reflect new information.
A West Australian fly-in, fly-out worker accused of raping a female co-worker at a Pilbara mine site has indicated he will fight the allegations at trial.

The 36-year-old man, whose name is suppressed, is charged with two counts of sexual penetration without consent after allegedly attacking the woman at Mulla Mulla accommodation village near the BHP South Flank mine in November 2020.

BHPs Mulla Mulla camp Credit:Trevor Collens

Police prosecutors allege a witness saw the man enter the womans donga and sexually assault her while she was unconscious, heavily intoxicated and unable to give consent.

The woman claimed she was woken by the witness repeatedly knocking on the door and immediately became distressed and began to cry.
A Tamil asylum-seeker family that was living in the Queensland town of Biloela has had no discussions about a potential relocation to New Zealand or the United States as a cabinet minister warned of the consequences of blinking on border security.

The Murugappan family has been detained on Christmas Island since August 2019 as the federal government attempts to deport them from Australia. That deportation is being fought in the courts.

Tharnicaa and her sister Kopika in hospital on Christmas Island on June 6.

Priya and Nadesalingam Murugappan met after fleeing Sri Lankas civil war by boat to Australia in 2012 and 2013. Their daughters  Kopika, five, and Tharnicaa, three  were born in Australia after the couple established themselves in Biloela.

Foreign Minister Marise Payne told radio station 2GB on Tuesday that the government was looking at the option of sending the family to New Zealand or the US. But the familys lawyer said the comments in the media were the first she had heard of any proposal to resettle them overseas.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-10 00:51:29|Editor: huaxia

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BEIRUT, June 9 (Xinhua) -- Lebanon's House Speaker Nabih Berri on Wednesday expressed gratitude to Iraq for its decision to increase its yearly crude oil supply for Lebanon from 500,000 tons to 1 million tons, the National News Agency reported.

In a letter to Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi, Berri said 1 million tons of crude oil is sufficient to meet half of Lebanon's annual need.

"On my behalf, and on the behalf of Lebanon's parliament and the Lebanese people, I extend my heartfelt thanks to Iraqi president, government, parliament and people," he said.

Iraq's crude oil support for Lebanon was first agreed upon during a recent visit to the country by Lebanese caretaker Energy Minister Raymond Ghajar.

Lebanon has been suffering frequent power cuts because of the country's shortage in U.S. dollars that limits its ability to import fuel to operate its power plants.

Ghajar has warned that Lebanon could plunge intbufao total darkness by the end of June if the situation continues to worsen. Enditem
Controversial Australian encryption-busting laws played a key role in bringing down hundreds of organised crime figures, with federal police monitoring communications on US soil.

But legal and cyber experts say it is unclear exactly how the laws were used, and concerns remain about the scope of the legislation passed in 2018.

AFP Commissioner Reece Kershaw revealed on Tuesday that the agency had teamed up with the FBI to covertly monitor a vast trove of communications about the global drug trade and other illegal activities. The sting, which centred on the use of an FBI-operated encrypted service called An0m, has resulted in more than 220 arrests in Australia, 3.4 tonnes of drugs seized, and allegedly 21 murder plots disrupted.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Australian Federal Police Commissioner Reece Kershaw said on Tuesday the operation had resulted in a heavy blow against organised crime. Credit:Rhett Wyman

The AFP said Australias contribution to the operation was enabled by the 2018 Telecommunications and Other Legislation Amendment (Assistance and Access) Act, but it was not in a position to elaborate further due to legislative requirements within the relevant acts.
NSW Tourism minister Stuart Ayres remembers clearly the moment the Premier called to assign him one of the most crucial and high-risk tasks of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was March 28, 2020. Gladys Berejiklian interrupted Ayres breakfast at a cafe with his partner, Australias Foreign Affairs Minister, Marise Payne. Berejiklian told Ayres he was needed at Homebush, where the NSW government had a COVID emergency operations centre.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian with Stuart Ayres, right, and fellow minister Brad Hazzard last year. Credit:Nick Moir

He would be responsible for setting up a hotel quarantine system for NSW, the Premier said. Ayres assumed he would have days, if not weeks, to work with industry contacts to come up with a sound strategy to get Australians back into Sydney safely. No, Berejiklian told him, he had less than 24 hours. A flight bringing people home would be arriving at 6.05am the next day.

Since that first flight, NSW has clocked more than 195,000 travellers returning to Australia through the states quarantine system. Hotel quarantine, along with NSW Healths forensic contact-tracing skills, have defined the states success in managing the pandemic.

The states proven ability to run hotel quarantine is why NSW does not need a federal facility. Quarantine in NSW needs to be scaled back, not up.
Moscow: A Moscow court has outlawed the organisations founded by Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny by labelling them extremist, the latest move in a campaign by authorities to silence dissent and bar Kremlin critics from running for parliament in September.

The Moscow City Courts ruling, effective immediately, prevents people associated with Navalnys Foundation for Fighting Corruption and his sprawling network of regional offices across Russia from seeking public office. Many of Navalnys allies had hoped to run for parliamentary seats in the September 19 election.

In St Petersburg, workers paint over graffiti of Navalny described as the hero of our time. Credit:AP

The extremism label also carries lengthy prison terms for activists who have worked with the organisations, anyone who donated to them, and even those who simply shared the groups materials.

Navalny, the most ardent political foe of President Vladimir Putin, was arrested in January upon returning from Germany, where he spent five months recovering from a nerve agent poisoning that he blames on the Kremlin  an accusation that Russian officials reject. In February, Navalny was jailed for 30 months for violating the terms of a suspended sentence from a 2014 embezzlement conviction that he dismissed as politically motivated.
London: A decision by graduate students at Magdalen College at the University of Oxford, England, to remove a picture of Queen Elizabeth II from a common room as an unwelcome symbol of recent colonial history has opened a new front in the British culture wars.

The likeness hung in the middle common room (MCR) of the college, which has a long association with members of the royal family.

Magdalen College in Oxford, England. Credit:Getty Images

The MCR committee made up of graduate students voted for the portrait, a colourised print based on a 1952 photo of the monarch, to be taken down.

The portrait has now been removed, according to the committees president, and it is understood it will be put into storage.
Lima: He was an unlikely presidential candidate, a rural teacher who for the past 25 years has seen his students struggle in crumbling schools where teachers also cook and sweep floors.

But socialist Pedro Castillo is holding on to a narrow lead in Perus run-off presidential election, and worrying markets and mining firms with his plans to shake up the copper-rich countrys politics. He has promised a tax overhaul to address inequalities.

His slim lead of 50.3 per cent, ahead of right-wing rival Keiko Fujimori on 49.7 per cent, with almost 98 per cent of the votes tallied, sparked tensions over contested ballots and accusations of fraud, which in turn sparked protests outside the elections office.

Presidential candidate Pedro Castillo waves to supporters celebrating partial election results that show him leading over Keiko Fujimori, at his campaign headquarters in Lima, Peru. Credit:AP

The lead amounted to some 88,000 votes.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-10 00:56:55|Editor: huaxia

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MOGADISHU, June 9 (Xinhua) --- Somali National Army (SNA) said its forces on Wednesday arrested a senior al-Shabab leader in a joint security operation near Jowhar in southern Somalia.

The SNA said the militant, who was not identified, was arrested in collaboration with Hirshabelle Police during an ongoing security operation in War Isse and Aqab Duco villages near Jowhar.

"SNA offensive operations in Hirshabelle left 140 terrorists dead," SNA said as it circulated the photos of the al-Shabab leader who was arrested as the ongoing security operations entered its third week.

The insurgents have stepped up their assault against the government and African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) bases across south and central parts of the Horn of Africa nation, conducting ambushes and planting landmines.

This prompted the government forces to launch a major offensive in the Middle Shabelle region to flush out the militants who have been staging terror attacks in the country. Enditem
This image provided by Biogen on Monday, June 7, 2021 shows a vial and packaging for the drug Aduhelm. On Monday, June 7, 2021, the Food and Drug Administration approved Aduhelm, the first new medication for Alzheimers disease in nearly 20 years, disregarding warnings from independent advisers that the much-debated treatment hasnt been shown to help slow the brain-destroying disease. (Biogen via AP)
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-10 01:17:25|Editor: huaxia

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ULAN BATOR, June 9 (Xinhua) -- Mongolia's presidential candidate from the ruling Mongolian People's Party (MPP) Ukhnaa Khurelsukh won the regular presidential election on Wednesday night.

Khurelsukh is the former prime minister of the country and chairman of the MPP.

"First of all, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Mongolian people. This victory brings a huge responsibility for me," Khurelsukh told his supporters after the preliminary results of the presidential election signalled a landslide win for him.

Three politicians, namely Khurelsukh; Sodnomzundui Erdene, former chairman of the opposition Democratic Party; and Dangaasuren Enkhbat, a former legislator and candidate from the Right Person Electorate Coalition, ran in the election held on Wednesday.

Preliminary voting results by the General Election Commission showed that Khurelsukh obtained around 65 percent of the votes.

Enkhbat conceded his defeat in the election and said, "May the choice of the Mongolian people be right, and may this country prosper even more."

Erdene has not yet made a statement. Enditem
Up for debate:

Live legislation tracker

Check out the latest developments on bills pending before state lawmakers in four key topics.
Students at Madison Crossing Elementary School in Canton, Miss., eat lunch in the school's cafeteria in this August 2019 file photo.
The American flag waves outside the Missouri Capitol in Jefferson City on Friday, May 14, 2021, the last day of the 2021 legislative session.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-10 01:17:56|Editor: huaxia

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NAIROBI, June 9 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta on Wednesday set on fire some 5,144 illegal weapons as well as obsolete state-owned small arms and light weapons as part of efforts to fight crime.

Kenyatta noted that the recovery of illicit small arms and light weapons is in tandem with the African Union's call for Silencing the Guns in Africa by the year 2020.

He said although the AU target has not been fully achieved by the deadline year, individual countries, Kenya included, have made excellent progress towards that goal.

"By publicly destroying illicit weapons, Kenya once again openly demonstrates that we are determined and ready to face the challenges posed by small arms and light weapons," Kenyatta said in Ngong, Kajiado county, on the outskirts of Nairobi.

The burning destroyed weapons confiscated by security officers or voluntarily surrendered to government agencies collecting illegal small arms and light weapons.

Kenyatta directed agencies that hold government firearms to ensure strict accountability and proper management as well as control of the arms under their charge so as to guard against pilferage, diversion and misuse.

He reiterated the government's commitment to continue weeding out illegal firearms saying the state had a constitutional mandate to secure the lives of all Kenyans.

The Kenyan leader underlined the importance of peaceful resolution of conflicts through dialogue, saying the government is more than happy to engage all Kenyan citizens in such endeavors.

He warned that his government will not tolerate leaders who fuel inter-clan conflicts and blame it on terrorism.

"We intend to fight and we have fought al-Shabab. But we do not and will never allow leaders and individuals to use the name of al-Shabab to continue inter-clan animosities and conflicts," Kenyatta warned.

Somalia's terror group al-Shabab has carried out sporadic attacks in neighboring Kenya in recent years as retaliation for Kenya contributing troops to an African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia (AMISOM).

The continent is prone to small arms proliferation which has, in turn, resulted in political and social unrest in most parts of the continent. Enditem
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.
Local police officers in Madison, Wisconsin, watch over protesters at a rally protesting against the safer at home order caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-10 01:20:59|Editor: huaxia

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MANDERA, Kenya, June 9 (Xinhua) -- At least three people were killed and two others injured in a roadside blast on Wednesday evening in northeast Kenya's Mandera county, the police and local officials said.

Mandera County executive committee member for Health Eda Mohamud said an improvised explosive device (IED) which was planted along the road by al-Shabab militants exploded on a Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) vehicle with about eight passengers onboard.

Mohamud said a civilian and a security officer are among those injured in the blast but the fate of other occupants remains unknown.

The local police said the attack occurred between Elele and Takaba after the militants sprayed the Landcruiser with bullets after it was hit by the explosive device. The vehicle was burnt.

The police who did not want to be identified said a passenger who was injured in the attack is undergoing treatment at a local hospital while three others succumbed to injuries for gunshot wounds.

This is the fourth attack in one month that left at least three security officers dead.

Residents said the attacks have surged despite them sharing intelligence about sightings of the militants in the region with local security officials.

Mandera's close proximity to the porous Kenya-Somali border has witnessed numerous attacks from al-Shabab militants that have claimed hundreds of lives. Enditem
Armie Hammer Photo: Todd_Williamson/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

Amid allegations of rape and sexual abuse, Armie Hammer has reportedly checked into rehab: According to Vanity Fair, the actor departed the Cayman Islands, where he has been staying for much of the pandemic, on the morning of May 29. The outlet cites three sources who said he checked into an in-patient facility for drug, alcohol, and sex issues on May 31.

Everyone looks at Armie thinking that hes had some sort of privileged life  and that must mean there were no problems in his youth and everything was peachy keen, a close friend of Hammers told Vanity Fair. But thats not necessarily the way things go. Just because you come from an upbringing where financial resources are plentiful doesnt mean life isnt without problems.

Although Hammer does have a wild family history, he has recently been in the headlines for the allegations of physical and mental abuse some of his past partners have leveled against him. Early this year, graphic messages attributed to Hammer  detailing fantasies of violent sexual scenarios that included rape and cannibalism  gave way to on-the-record accounts from two of Hammers exes, Paige Lorenze and Courtney Vucekovich, who accused him of coercive and controlling behavior. Hammer largely waved away the controversy, initially refusing to respond to vicious and spurious online attacks and what he called bullshit claims about his reported DMs. But at the same time, activity on his (alleged) secret Instagram account, @el_destructo_86, pointed to heavy partying and drug use. He began exiting movies, even before his talent agency and his publicist dropped him in February. And then, in March, a woman identifying herself as Effie held a press conference with attorney Gloria Allred, and accused Hammer of violently raping her over the course of four hours on April 24, 2017.

Hammer denied the allegation through his attorney, who claimed in a statement that the relationship was completely consensual, discussed and agreed upon in advance, and mutually participatory. Hammers lawyer did not return Vanity Fairs request for comment.

Still, the magazine says that multiple people interviewed over the past four months have alluded to unresolved trauma in Armie Hammers own past, as well as ongoing substance abuse. As one ex-girlfriend apparently told Vanity Fair: Everything hes doing he has essentially said out loud in a tweet or an interview. Hes not that secretive. Hes been about to explode for so long, but everyone laughs it off.

According to the report, Hammers ex-wife, Elizabeth Chambers, accompanied him to the Grand Cayman airport, along with their kids. One source said Hammer got in touch with Chambers late last month, and told her he was going to get treatment. A friend told Vanity Fair that he is committed to getting healthy and having custody of his kids.

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Oneonta, NY (13820)

Today

Scattered thunderstorms this evening becoming more widespread overnight. Low around 60F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%..

Tonight

Scattered thunderstorms this evening becoming more widespread overnight. Low around 60F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-10 01:22:31|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, June 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi held a phone conversation on Wednesday with Foreign Minister of the Republic of Korea (ROK) Chung Eui-yong.

Guided by the consensus of the two countries' heads of state, China-ROK relations have generally developed smoothly, Wang said, adding that as the international and regional situation has changed rapidly recently, it is necessary for China and the ROK, as strategic cooperative partners, to strengthen communication in a timely manner.

Noting that next year marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and the ROK, Wang said that the two sides should jointly cherish the hard-won achievements of cooperation and create a sound atmosphere and necessary conditions for the continued and steady development of bilateral relations.

The Indo-Pacific strategy promoted by the United States is full of Cold War mentality and provokes group confrontation, which is not conducive to regional peace and stability, Wang said, stressing that China firmly opposes it.

As friendly neighbors and strategic partners, Wang said that China and the ROK should grasp the rights and wrongs, stick to the correct position, abide by political consensus and never be carried off track.

The two sides should continue to make good use of the joint prevention and control mechanism and the "fast track" to prevent the cross-border spread of COVID-19 and ensure necessary personnel exchanges, Wang said.

The two sides should speed up the second-phase negotiation process of the China-ROK free trade agreement, strengthen cooperation in high-tech and emerging industries, and continuously promote and deepen the high-quality integrated development of the two countries.

Noting that the ROK and China are close neighbors, Chung said that the ROK attaches great importance to developing the ROK-China strategic cooperative partnership, adheres to the one-China principle and fully recognizes the sensitivity of cross-Strait relations.

The ROK stands ready to deepen political mutual trust with China, strengthen bilateral cooperation in various areas and inject more connotation and impetus into the ROK-China relationship, so as to send more positive signals for the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties, Chung said.

Chung also expressed strong desire of the ROK to improve the south-north relations and advance the peace process of the Korean Peninsula, and the hope that China will continue playing a key constructive role in this aspect.

Wang said that China supports the improvement of the south-north relations and has made efforts to ease tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

He called on the United Nations Security Council to invoke the reversible provisions in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)-related resolutions and ease sanctions against people's livelihood in the DPRK.

Wang also urged the United States to take practical actions to specifically carry out the joint statement reached by the U.S. and DPRK leaders at the Singapore meeting. Enditem
Oneonta, NY (13820)

Today

Scattered thunderstorms early, then mainly cloudy overnight with thunderstorms likely. Low 59F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%..

Tonight

Scattered thunderstorms early, then mainly cloudy overnight with thunderstorms likely. Low 59F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%.
Melanie joined The Daily Times in the early 90s and has served as the Life section editor since 1993. A William Blount and UT alum, Melanie is generally the early arriver who turns on the lights in the newsroom.

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Off the hook: Kids Fishing Derby returns to Alcoa Duck Pond after two-year hiatus

Scott Keller | The Daily Times Young anglers line the banks of the Alcoa Duck Pond during the 2018 Fishing Derby for Kids. The events 27th edition has been put off for two years due to construction and COVID-19.

After a two-year break, the Maryville-Alcoa-Blount County Parks and Recreations 27th Duck Pond Fishing Derby for Kids is back on for Saturday, June 12.

The derby will start at 8 a.m. Saturday and will last until 1 p.m. Pre-registration is open until 4 p.m. Friday, but participants also can sign up on site, starting at 7 a.m. Saturday.

Pre-registration costs $7 and day of registration costs $10.

Organizers are enthusiastic about the event, especially because its been so long since the last derby.

Construction on the Alcoa Duck Pond canceled the derby in 2019 and COVID-19 prevented it from returning in 2020.

Parks and Rec leaders remain cautious this year.

Because the event is outside, it poses fewer risks for infection, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But there is a 200-person entry cap this year, according to Parks and Rec Superintendent of Recreation Kelly Forster.

She said by phone Tuesday the organization is confident the spots will be filled and didnt want to go over 200 this year so that people could social distance where possible.

Its a 7-acre pond, so people will definitely have room to space out, she said.

Parks and Rec has been experimenting with the viability of larger events since late 2020 and spring 2021 when it hosted some seasonal 5K races, but this event is the biggest one for children since the pandemic began.

Forster said Parks and Rec also hopes to bring back the annual kids triathlon this year, traditionally held in September.

Saturdays will be one of the largest recent gatherings at the Alcoa Duck Pond after it was renovated with decks and paths  a project overseen by the Alcoa city engineering department.

It will certainly make it easier to get around the pond, Forster said, discussing the updates to the popular attraction near the citys schools.

The derby  sponsored by area businesses including The Daily Times, Arconic, Alcoa Fishing, Stinnett Outdoors, Walmart and Appalachian Dental  purposefully falls on the Tennessee Free Fishing Day, when Tennesseans can fish without a license at no charge.

Additionally, kids 15 and under can fish without a license until June 18, according to a news release from the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, which also sponsors the derby.

The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency provides the annual free day in hopes of increasing interest in fishing, TWRA officials said in the release.

The day allows anyone the opportunity to try this great outdoor sport to celebrate fishing as a wholesome and healthy recreational opportunity.

The derbys rain date is set for Sunday, June 13, and residents can visit parksrec.com/special-events/fishing-derby for more information, rules and registration.

Residents also can register for the derby at Parks and Rec offices, 316 S. Everett High Road in Maryville.
A teaser poster for director Ryoo Seung-wan's new film "Mogadishu" was released Tuesday to heighten expectations as the action film is slated to hit theaters this summer.

The film is based on an ongoing civil war in Somalia that began in 1991.

The film, starring Kim Yoon-seok and Zo In-sung, is Ryoo's 11th feature film, and all scenes were shot in Morocco.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-10 01:35:25|Editor: huaxia

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Albanian President Ilir Meta casts his ballot during the parliamentary elections at a polling station in Tirana, capital of Albania, on April 25, 2021. (Photo by Gent Onuzi/Xinhua)

Forty-nine Socialist lawmakers set up a committee in late April to investigate Meta's activities during the April 25 general elections.

According to the committee, Meta had "seriously violated the constitution" with his statements and actions.

TIRANA, June 9 (Xinhua) -- Albanian lawmakers voted on Wednesday in an extraordinary plenary session in Parliament to impeach President Ilir Meta, who has been accused of violating the country's constitution.

The vote was 104 in favor, seven against and three abstentions.

Forty-nine Socialist lawmakers set up a committee in late April to investigate Meta's activities during the April 25 general elections. According to the committee, Meta had "seriously violated the constitution" with his statements and actions.

On Wednesday, the head of the investigative committee, Socialist deputy Alket Islami, presented to lawmakers a 96-page final report drafted by the committee, saying that "the president violated 17 articles of the constitution" and that "these violations are considered by the committee as grave."

President Meta has been accused of inciting hatred and violence in the country, putting people's lives at risk, interfering with and intimidating public institutions, damaging the country's image, reputation and relations with its strategic partners, as well as openly supporting opposition parties ahead of the April 25 general elections.

According to the report, Meta had also failed in his constitutional duty to guarantee national unity and should be removed from office a year earlier than his term ends.

Addressing the lawmakers, Prime Minister Edi Rama said that Meta "has betrayed the president's mission, has humiliated the constitution and embarrassed Albania and Albanians in relation to the international representatives in Albania."

Meta refused twice to answer the committee members' questions, arguing that the outgoing parliament cannot organize this kind of investigation and calling the investigation "anti-constitutional and illegal."

Following a 180-minute discussion, lawmakers voted first to approve the impeachment report.

Parliament Speaker Gramoz Ruci then asked the deputies to confirm the impeachment in an anonymous vote.

The Constitutional Court of Albania now has three months to review the case and give its final approval.

Reacting to the lawmakers' vote on Wednesday, Meta's spokesperson Tedi Blushi called it "anti-constitutional and ridiculous."

The position and role of the president in Albania is mainly symbolic. The president represents the unity of the Albanian people and is also the supreme commander-in-chief of the country's armed forces.

Meta took office in July 2017 and since then his relations with the ruling Socialists and Prime Minister Rama have been tense. He has openly opposed the decisions taken by the ruling party by frequently returning the laws adopted by Parliament. 
Jeff Robbins, a former assistant U.S. attorney and delegate to the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, was chief counsel for the minority of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations. An attorney specializing in the First Amendment, he is a longtime columnist for the Boston Herald, writing on politics, national security, human rights and the Middle East.
A man waves the South Korean flag in front of Namdaemun on the afternoon of its reopening on May 4, 2013. (Jarrod Hall/The Epoch Times)

300,000 Koreans Oppose Revision of Nationality Law Over Fears It Benefits Chinese Regime

South Koreas Ministry of Justice (MOJ) plans to simplify the process of naturalization for children of foreign permanent residents in order to solve a persistent decline in population growth.

A database from the MOJ suggests that 95 percent of the people that benefit from this revision are Chinese nationals. Many Koreans are concerned about the political motivations behind this revision as it seems to favor the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Recently, more than 300,000 Korean citizens petitioned at The Blue House (Cheong Wa Dae), the presidents official residence, to oppose the measure.

Recent controversies between Korea and China include the origins of Koreas kimchi, ancient clothing, and historical figures; the cancellation of Australian SBS television series Joseon Exorcist, which has been accused of twisting history; and projects including luxury hotels that only serve Chinese tourists and the construction of a Chinatown in Gangwon Province.

On April 28, the MOJ plans to introduce a simple nationality acquisition policy in the proposed revision. Children over the age of seven can apply for naturalization if they have resided in the country for five or more years, and children below the age of six can do the same but without any requirements.

It is also stressed that priority will be given to children of permanent residents, where more than two generations of their family were born in Korea, or foreigners that have intimate ties over bloodlines or history.

Holders of Chinese nationality benefit the most from this. According to the MOJ, 3,930 children will be immediately eligible to naturalize following this revision. Nearly 95 percent of them are Chinese, followed by Taiwanese (5.11 percent) and Russian (0.1 percent). In addition, it is expected that 700 more will also be granted citizenship.

Korean Opposition

Concerns about foreign infiltration and election fraud led 317,000 Koreans to sign a national petition in opposition to the measure.

One of the petitions states that it is absurd to solve the issue of low birth rate and aging population through revising the Nationality Law, adding that foreigners can purchase real estate more easily than Koreans, and can run for elections and enjoy other benefits while the government ignores its citizens demands.

Koreans ought to protect and maintain our patriotism and national pride from the penetration of foreign propaganda.

Many Koreans supported the statement and urged the Korean government to stop selling our country to the CCP.

Hearing Accused of Ignoring Public Opinion

On May 26, the MOJ held an online public hearing on the proposed revision.

In response, on May 28, Ahn Cheol-soo, representative of the People Party, remarked on Facebook that the biggest flaw with the revision was that the people that would benefit are mainly those of Chinese nationality.

This [proposed measure] is providing Chinese nationals benefits through making amendments, he wrote. Is the government really thinking about the future of our Republic of Korea? I hope the government will listen to the voice of the people.

At a press conference on May 28, the MOJ denied that the bill was amended for the benefit of Chinese nationals.

The MOJ maintains that while foreigners are granted citizenship, they will also bear corresponding responsibilities, such as taxation and military service. Additionally, these proposed measures will not change the jus sanguinisthe basis of the Nationality Lawreferring to the idea that citizenship is determined or acquired by the nationality of one or both parents.
Tugboats get into position on the Russian pipe-laying vessel "Fortuna" in the port of Wismar, Germany, on Jan 14, 2021. The special vessel is being used for construction work on the German-Russian Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline in the Baltic Sea. (Jens Buettner/dpa via AP)

68 GOP House Members Urge Biden to Reinstate Sanctions on Russian Nord Stream 2 Pipeline

A top Republican member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee led 67 GOP colleagues to communicate their opposition to President Joe Bidens waiving sanctions on the Russian pipeline project at the expense of U.S. energy.

Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.), Select Climate Committee Ranking Member Garret Graves (R-La), and Rep. Andy Barr (R-Ky.) sent a letter to Biden Monday detailing their concerns about the administrations waiving sanctions that will permit Russias Nord Stream 2 pipeline to move forward while restricting the development of such fossil fuel projects in the United States.

In early May, the Biden administration waived the sanctions against Nord Stream 2 AG and its CEO, Matthias Warniga known ally of Russian President Vladimir Putinwhich was levied due to the company overseeing the construction of the project. In announcing the waiver of the sanctions, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the company had engaged in sanctionable activity.

President Joe Biden has defended his administrations decision to lift sanctions on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which would carry natural gas from Russia to Germany and Europe. The president said that although he opposed the project from the beginning, the pipeline is now nearly finished.

To go ahead and impose sanctions now would, I think, be counterproductive in terms of our European relations. They know how strongly I feel, Biden told reporters outside the White House on May 25.

The Republican congress members said Bidens reason for waiving the sanctions undermines U.S. credibility.

Waiving sanctions for Nord Stream 2 because its almost completely finished is the wrong message to our allies and partners and undermines our credibility and global leadership, wrote the Republican group. This action, which will send more Russian natural gas to Europe, also puts U.S. resources at a distinct competitive disadvantage, costing American jobs and reducing Americas geopolitical influence.

The Republicans also criticized Biden for ending the U.S/Canada gas project, the Keystone XL Pipeline.

Keystone XL pipeline facilities are seen in Hardisty, Alta., in a file photo. The now-canceled pipeline would have carried oilsands crude from Hardisty to the U.S. Gulf Coast. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press)

Biden signed an executive order on his first day in office halting the Keystone Pipeline project that President Donald Trump had approved, saying it was part of his administrations larger agenda to tackle a projected climate crisis.

Furthermore, given your open hostility to domestic pipelines like the Keystone XL pipeline, which also was a top priority for our Canadian allies, it is baffling that you are willing to green-light Russias Nord Stream 2 pipeline, wrote the Republicans. The Keystone XL pipeline would enhance our energy security and create job opportunities for Americans. Lifting these sanctions, however, prioritizes Russian energy over American energy and Russian jobs over American jobs.

Mondays letter pointed out that Russias pipeline project hurts the climate while the U.S/Canada project has lower carbon emissions. The completion of Nord Stream 2 will only increase this emissions disparity.

The Republicans also highlighted the fact that a Russia-based Cyberattack on the U.S. Colonial pipeline is a reminder of long-standing efforts by Russia to undermine American production and transport of energy.

The Republicans made it clear that the policies coming out of the White House are hurting American energy independence and killing American energy jobs, to the benefit of Russia.

We urge you to rethink your action and fully implement the Congressionally mandated sanctions against all responsible parties and actors to permanently stop completion of Nord Stream 2.

Ivan Pentchoukov contributed to this report.
Almost Overnight, Standards of Color-Blind Merit Tumble Across American Society

A broad revolution is underway in the United States as traditional standards used to measure achievement and provide opportunity are being rejected by schools, corporations, and governments in favor of quotas based on race and gender.

On just his sixth day in office, President Biden signaled that the nations long held principle of equality for all had come to an end, signing an executive order declaring that racial equity is not just an issue for any one department of government; it has to be the business of the whole of governmentequity referring to the idea that merely treating everybody the same is not enough, and that an equal outcome for all people has to be the goal.

Over the last few months, many Ivy League and flagship state universities have moved away from a seemingly neutral measure long used to assess applicantsstandardized test scoresto give minorities a better shot at admissions.

In May, Hewlett-Packard, the technology company with 50,000 employees worldwide, decreed that by 2030 half of its leadership positions and more than 30 percent of its technicians and engineers have to be women and that the number of minorities should meet or exceed their representation in the tech industry workforce.

A United Airlines plane takes off above American Airlines planes on the tarmac at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) in Los Angeles, Calif., on Oct. 1, 2020. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)

That same month, United Airlines announced that half of the 5,000 pilots it would train at its proprietary flight school between now and 2030 will be women or people of color, with scholarships provided by United and JPMorgan Chase helping with tuition. There was nothing in the United announcement showing that there were enough qualified blacks and women in the pipeline so that a black/female quota of 2,500 new pilots could be filled, and nothing about what the company would do if there werent enough qualified candidates.

Delta Airlines, Ralph Lauren, and Wells Fargo are among other major American companies to announce hiring quotas recently as a way to redress racial imbalances, according to Bloomberg News.

These are just some of the many woke initiatives embraced by many of the pillars of American society in the year since social justice protests erupted across the country in response to the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer.

Supporters argue that racial preferences and quotas are necessary to end deeply entrenched disparities. Critics say that they are a new form of discrimination, no more justified than old forms that are widely rejected. And while the stated goal of affirmative action was to simply eliminate unfair discrimination, the equity movement is rooted in a far more expansive and pessimistic view of the United States as an irredeemably white supremacist, a view meant to continually challenge American institutions and values.

The rapid transition from equality of treatment to equality of outcomes tests one of the basic post-civil rights principles of American life, namely that the same standards should be applied to all people. Once a measure is applied, not to the unique individual but to that individuals group identity, the idea that there are neutral, common, universally applicable standards gives way to something else, something subjective and political, with different measures applied to different people, depending on their sex, race, or other characteristics.

The issue of standards, moreover, is not just a matter of values or fairness. With the United States falling behind other countries in math and science, most notably China, standards are matters of competitiveness and national securityeven as the military, CIA, and other federal agencies embrace equity.

But discontent over the pace of racial progress, fueled in the past year by the Black Lives Matter movement, has led to an explicit rejection of meritocracy and a call for old standards to make way for new ones. Explaining the companys adoption of quotas, Hewlett-Packard Chief Diversity Officer Lesley Slaton Brown said the COVID-19 epidemic and the George Floyd murder has really allowed us to do the double-click down on racial equality and the systematic and structural discrimination that exists.

Black Lives Matter (BLM) protesters hold placards during a vigil on the anniversary of the death of George Floyd, in Brooklyn, N.Y., on May 25, 2021. (Ed Jones/AFP via Getty Images)

In the recent past, that effort often involved working with the existing ideological framework of equality of opportunity and merit to identify worthy candidates. Now, the trend is to reject and redefine those standards.

As a community, we need a more comprehensive framework for what constitutes best in hiring faculty and staff, Gregory Washington, the president of George Mason University in Virginia, wrote in an email sent recently to the entire school. Washington, who is GMUs first-ever black president, denied that his call for greater diversity amounted to a quota system; instead, he said, it is a recognition of the reality that our societys future lies in multicultural inclusion.

Certainly it is true that the American future is multicultural. Still, to say that the concept of best needs to be redefined in racial terms is already a significant departure from the idea of neutral standards. To go from there to the notion that meritocracy is a racist stratagem is a sea change, but there is a lot of evidence that that is exactly where society is going, in both small ways and large.

In May, the Princeton University classics department announced that in an effort to combat systemic racism, it would no longer require classics majors to take Latin or Greek. This may be a good thing or a bad thing, but certainly it says that what was until recently a foundational qualification for the study of the classicsthe ability to read texts in their original languageno longer applies, because some students, especially minority ones, didnt have the opportunity to study Latin or Greek in high school. But is it really OK for future professors of classics not to know Latin? Is that simply a new standard or a decline in standards?

From a very different area of American life, none other than the very august American Medical Association announced in May a new Strategic Plan to Embed Racial Justice and Advance Health Equity in medical education and practice.

The 80-page plan calls for, among other things, an expansion of medical school and physician education to include equity, anti-racism, structural competency, public health and social sciences, critical race theory, and historical basis of disease. It doesnt say whether adding those subjects to the medical school curriculum, which sounds a lot like instruction in the indelibly racist nature of America, will take away time from such other subjects as anatomy, microbiology, and genetics that are clearly more germane to the practice of medicine.

Scientific evidence tells us that racism has caused significant harm to peopleand their healththroughout our nations history, Gregory E. Harmon, M.D., the AMAs president elect, who is white, said in an email to RCI, explaining the initiative.

Perhaps the most striking passages in the AMA document are those that have to do with equality and meritocracy, which it calls malignant narratives.

Seeking to treat everyone the same ignores the historical legacy of disinvestment and deprivation, the document says of equality, while meritocracy is a narrative that attributes success and failure to individual abilities and merits. It does not address the centuries of unequal treatment that have historically robbed communities of the vital resources needed to thrive.

Some critics have noted that the Strategic Plan says nothing about competency; several doctors posting to the blog Legal Insurrection asked if members of the AMA would be comfortable allowing them or their families to be treated, as one of them put it, by those who have MD attached to their names solely in the name of equity  not because of meritocracy or qualification.

The AMA rejects that view. Not only must we follow our oath to do no harm, Harmon said in his email to RCI, we must also prevent the harm that that inequity inflicts on communities and our nation.

There is, of course, some truth to the assertion that standards have been misused in the past. There was a time not that long ago when social connections, a genteel manner, even just having an Anglo-Saxon name, not to mention being white, were deemed to be qualifications in themselves, while to be black, female, or gay was disqualifying.

But what the AMA document, like woke doctrine in general, ignores is that the national effort to redress past wrongs has been going on for a long time in American life, making the matter of racial advantage and disadvantage more a matter of multivariable calculus than simple arithmetic. To be sure, there are racial imbalances. Only 3.2 percent of senior corporate executives, for example, are black. Its easy to see the demand for this number to increase, but there are many questions, involving both practicality and principle, about the use of racial quotas to achieve that goal.

On the practical side are the people hurt by them, both those unprepared for the roles as well as the qualified passed over. There is also the question of whether efforts like those at United and HP may simply run into the inconvenient fact that, for many complicated reasons, there simply arent enough qualified minority candidates around to meet goals for rapid increases in their representation.

According to the National Science Foundation, black men and women, who are 12 percent of the general population, make up just 5 percent of working engineersthis despite affirmative action programs and numerous other efforts over the years to recruit minorities into engineering programs in colleges and universities. How dramatic increases in a very short period can happen now remains unexplained.

As for American medicine, its been a very long time since it was a white male preserve, as just about any visit to a large urban hospital, with their many Filipino and Indian physicians both male and female, will show. For several years now, more women have been accepted to medical schools than men, but while the number of blacks going to medical school has also increased, only 5 percent of physicians in the country are black or African American.

This is the case even though black students are now accepted into medical school at almost the same rate as whites, 41 percent of black applicants compared to 45 percent of whites. Medical schools, like other professional schools, have, moreover, been eager to increase these numbers for years, so that blacks, whites, and Asians are already being admitted under different criteria. In 2018, Princeton Review reports, blacks accepted at medical schools scored an average 505.7 on the MCAT, the standardized med school admission test  putting them in the 69th percentile of all test takers. By comparison, the average score for admitted whites was 512.2 (the 86th percentile) and 513.8 for Asians. Average undergraduate GPAs: 3.53 for blacks, 3.77 for both whites and Asians.

A group of medical students and physician assistants attend a briefing in Las Vegas, Nev., on March 28, 2020. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

The Strategic Plan offers no concrete suggestions for further increasing the numbers of blacks in medical school, and it makes no analysis of whether its even possible to do that. Is there a pool of qualified candidates that, somehow, is not being considered? Should medical school admission committees admit some of the applicants rejected in the past, even though that would increase the gap in test scores and GPAs between them and other students? Will teaching critical race theory to existing medical students increase minority representation?

Asked about medical school admissions, Harmon pointed to studies showing that medical students with midrange scores on the MCAT mostly succeed in medical school, though there is a tendency to overlook these applicants in favor of those with higher scores.

The authors of the studies argue that admitting students with lower MCAT scores would diversify the physician workforce. But given that black students are already being admitted at a significantly lower standard, at least as defined by MCAT, than whites and Asians, how much lower can the standard go? The studies give no answer to that question.

The AMA Plan also fails to address the question of principle raised by applying different standards to different groups. Is it fair to effectively prevent some qualified individuals from becoming doctors because their gender or race requires them to score higher than other genders or races? Its the same question that applies to the different standards applied to Asians, compared to both whites and blacks, in school admissions, a matter that is the subject of several lawsuits.

We are taught to study for the test, to get good grades, Kenny Xu, author of a forthcoming book An Inconvenient Minority: The Attack on Asian American Excellence and the Fight for Meritocracy, said in an email. Why? Because those good grades and test scores will, and should, lead to rewards in the future.

How would you feel if someone who studied a third as much as you did got an opportunity youve been wanting for years? That would be absolutely unfair. And yet, that is what woke ideology does.

Despite views like those, standardized tests have been under assault for years as obstacles to minority advancement, especially tests for elite high schools in such cities as New York, Boston, and San Francisco, and the SAT used for college admissions.

Elite schools including Lowell High School in San Francisco have dropped their admissions test in favor of a lottery system. This may increase racial diversity, but will the school be able to maintain its high academic standards? The same question applies to other elite schools such as the Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Virginia, rated by U.S. News as the best high school in the country, which is also jettisoning its former standardized test in favor of holistic admissions.

A student uses a Princeton Review SAT Preparation book to study for the test in Pembroke Pines, Fla., on March 6, 2014. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Similarly, last year, in what might prove to be a watershed decision, the regents of the University of California voted to phase out the SAT in admissions for the entire system, whose nine campuses make up the largest public university in the country.

All of this raises the possibility that the elimination of common, neutral standards will bring an end to the existence of elite schools for very gifted, very high-achieving students of the sort who will ensure American competitiveness in the future.

I wouldnt be surprised if in two or three years standardized testing is eliminated altogether, William Jacobson, a law professor at Cornell who runs the Legal Insurrection website, said in a Zoom interview. You see people saying that the whole concept of meritocracy is a device to maintain white supremacy. But if you eliminate testing that has commonality to it, how do you judge people?

A similar rejection of the idea of merit lies behind another initiative in California, where the state Board of Education has adopted a Framework proposing that all gifted programs in math instruction be eliminated, along with all acceleration and trackingthat is, grouping students in different classes according to their math aptitude.

The subject and community of mathematics has a history of exclusion and filtering rather than inclusion and welcoming, the Framework states. We reject ideas of natural gifts and talents  and the cult of genius. Very early on, women and minorities get fixed labels of giftedness and are taught differently in a system designed for privileged white boys, the Framework says.

No doubt, theres truth to the idea that some children are discouraged early when it comes to math, and that that holds them back. But the idea, as the Framework puts it, that all students are capable of becoming powerful mathematics learners and users seems utopian at the very least. Can all students become great mathematicians, violinists, or professional athletes, or is the very difference in natural abilities due to labels arbitrarily applied to children largely on the basis of their sex or race?

Moreover, the assertion that the system is designed for privileged white boys runs into some inconvenient facts: one is that plenty of privileged white boys cant do math to save their lives; another is that Asians, both boys and girls, many of them immigrants from very modest circumstances, outperform these privileged white boys by considerable margins. In addition, overall, girls get at least equal or higher grades than boys in math from elementary to high school, despite the stereotyping labels that, according to the Math Framework, hold them back.

As for gifted programs favoring whites while keeping minorities out, according to the very statistics included in the Math Framework, 32 percent of Asian boys and girls in California are in gifted programs, compared to 8 percent of whites and 4 percent of blacks. So it would seem indisputable that to eliminate these programs would have the effect of placing many Asians, but not many whites, in slower classes.

The solution to math disparities, according to the Framework, is to group all students of all aptitudes in the same class and for teachers to give differentiated work and more open math questions to all of them.

The Framework doesnt say exactly why this would be better than grouping more proficient math students in their own classes. Emails asking that and other questions were acknowledged by the Board of Education press office, but it did not respond to the actual questions.

American high school students have steadily been falling behind their Asian and European counterparts in math and science, most recently ranking 37th in the PISA, the Program for International Student Assessment, which gives a test to 15-year-olds in countries around the world. Chinas Shanghai ranks No.1.

The California Math Framework does not acknowledge that in Shanghai, the entirely opposite ideas about testing and standards are followed and implemented, with students tested early and often and placed into classes in accordance with their scores.

Regarding minorities in particular, public K-12 education all too often produces students unprepared to compete, thus leading to large disparities in admissions at universities, graduate programs and faculty positions, three math professors recently wrote in the online journal Persuasion.

This disparity is then condemned as a manifestation of structural racism. Resulting in administrative measures to lower the evaluation criteria. Lowering standards at all levels leads eventually to even worse outcomes and larger disparities, and so on in a downward spiral.

This article was written by Richard Bernstein for RealClearInvestigations.
Former Secretary of State Ken Bennett (2nd-L) moves ballots during an election audit at Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Phoenix, Ariz., on May 1, 2021. (Courtney Pedroza/Getty Images)

Arizona Audit: Hand Recount Expected to End This Week

Auditors in Arizona expect to soon finish their hand recount of the nearly 2.1 million ballots cast in Maricopa County in the 2020 presidential election.

I think the counting will be done by the end of this week, former Arizona Secretary of State Ken Bennett, a Republican, told reporters on June 8 at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Phoenix, where the audit is taking place.

The audit teams are shifting resources to ballot evaluation work, including things related to whether the ballot was authentic, Bennett added to The Epoch Times.

So theres pictures of the ballots, we should find folds in the ones that were mailed in, which is the vast majority, I think 92 percent of them work by mail, so folds in the ballots for those that were sent by mail, theres going to be a few at early voting locations that might be folded differently or not have holes in them. One of the microscopic cameras is looking for alignment marks and other things that are supposed to be aligned as far as the front and back of the ballot on an authentic ballot. Looking at the depression made in the oval when a handwritten writing instrument is used to fill out that oval as opposed to an inkjet or a Xerox machine making those marks, which obviously dont want that happening, he said.

The ballot evaluation will take most of the rest of the month, according to Bennett, who is the Arizona Senates liaison for the audit.

Randy Pullen, a former chairman of the Arizona Republican Party who is also serving as a spokesman for the audit, told reporters earlier on June 8 that 1.6 million of the nearly 2.1 million ballots cast in Maricopa County in last years election had been counted.

Auditors are also still reviewing data that was captured from election machines, including tabulators, Bennett told The Epoch Times. The Arizona Senate, meanwhile, is still considering whether to expand the audit to bring in a new firm that would examine ballot images and provide a third set of numbers to compare to the original tabulation and the dataset that the auditors come up with.

The state Senate ordered the audit late last year amid concerns of election integrity. The audit started on April 23. The Senate has control of the arena through June 30 to finish the audit, according to an agreement obtained by The Epoch Times.

More and more workers have been brought on in recent days to help plow through the work, and officials added a third shift that runs from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. every night.

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, on May 6, 2021. (Matt York/Pool/AP Photo)

After the audit work is completed, the auditors, led by Florida-based Cyber Ninjas, are going to produce a final report to the Senate. The report will be delivered one week after the other phases are completed, according to a scope of work document the firm gave to the Senate.

The audit is largely supported by Republicans, including the Arizona Republican Party, and has drawn lawmakers from other states for tours, but has faced criticism from Democrats, who tried to halt the process in court earlier this year over security and privacy concerns.

A judge in late April ruled against the Arizona Democratic Party, saying they had not provided substantive evidence of any breaches or threatened breaches of voter privacy.

Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs, a Democrat who is running for governor, has said observers she sent to the audit have witnessed problematic practices, changing policies, and security threats that will render the audit findings unreliable. Bennett and other officials connected to the process have disputed those claims.
Aunt Adopts Her Nieces and Nephew After Sisters Sudden Death: I Will Get Through With God

In the wake of her sisters sudden death, a woman from De Moines, Iowa, has herself stepped into the role of mom for her five nieces and one nephew. Debra Simmons is adopting all six children, aged 6 to 19 years, as the family grieves its immense loss together.

While Simmons has exhausted her savings on giving her sister a beautiful homegoing, she told The Epoch Times, I will get through with God.

Debra Simmons from Iowa. (Courtesy of Debra Simmons)

When Jamie Ann Clarke was rushed to a hospital by ambulance in January, Simmons raced to be by her side. Clarke had suffered a massive heart attack a week after major surgery at the age of 35.

They let me see her, me and her oldest daughter, for a brief moment, and I just yelled in her ear, sister, you gotta fight. Dont give up!,' Simmons told KCCI.

Jamie Ann Clarkes six children. (Courtesy of Debra Simmons)

Still in shock at her passing on Jan. 22, the family have become close. Simmonss grieving nephew, Jaevontae, expressed how hard it was to be without his mother. I feel like a part of me is missing and Ill never get it back, he said.

Clarke, who was a cashier at Price Chopper and substitute associate employed by the Des Moines Public School District at Ruby Van Meter School, had a passion for working with kids with disabilities, according to her obituary. The mom of six was a devoted churchgoer and loved God with all of her heart, mind, and soul.

Above all, she loved her family and her parents with all her heart.

Debra Simmons with her late sister, Jamie Ann Clarke. (Courtesy of Debra Simmons)

Simmons, who has two surviving sisters and three brothers, is also providing care for her elderly parents as they recover from COVID-19. She plans to formally adopt her nieces and nephew as soon as she is able.

I can never fill my sisters shoes but I vow to do my best with all 6 of her babies, she posted on Facebook.

The De Moines community has rallied around in support of the struggling family of seven. The towns Paparazzi Hair Studio and Spa also held a curbside drive on May 2, collecting clothing, shoes, and gift cards for the siblings.

I will make sure that they do have a bright future, Simmons said.

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
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-10 02:53:24|Editor: huaxia

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TEHRAN, June 9 (Xinhua) -- The past five rounds of the Vienna talks to revive the 2015 nuclear deal led to an agreement over the removal of some 1,000 U.S. sanctions on Iran, but about 500 others are still in dispute, parliamentary sources were quoted as saying by semi-official Tasnim News Agency on Wednesday.

The figure was offered by the head of the Iranian negotiating team, Abbas Araqchi, in a meeting in the afternoon with the Iranian parliament's Foreign Policy Committee, said Ebrahim Azizi, a member of the committee.

The next round of talks between delegations from Iran and the P4+1, namely Britain, China, France, Russia plus Germany, is scheduled to begin later this week.

According to Araqchi, the lawmaker noted, the delegations have not yet defined a verification process by Iran of the lifting of the sanctions.

On Tuesday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that "hundreds of sanctions" against Iran will remain in place even if Washington re-enters the 2015 nuclear agreement and Tehran returns to full compliance with the deal, formally known as Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Last week on June 3, Araqchi, who is also the country's deputy foreign minister, expressed hope that the next round of talks in Vienna may be conclusive and lead to a final agreement.

The U.S. government under former President Donald Trump withdrew in May 2018 from the JCPOA and unilaterally re-imposed sanctions on Iran. In response, Iran gradually stopped implementing parts of its JCPOA commitments from May 2019.

The JCPOA Joint Commission began to meet offline on April 6 in the Austrian capital of Vienna to continue the discussion about a possible return of the United States to the JCPOA and how to ensure the full and effective implementation of the 2015 landmark agreement. Enditem
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson (R) meets Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison (L) for their bilateral talks during the G7 Summit in Biarritz, France on August 24, 2019. (Neil Hall- Pool/Getty Images)

Prime Minister Calls for Cold War Cooperation and WTO Penalties Ahead of G7 Leader Talks

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on June 9 delivered a warning about the growing threat of conflict in the Indo-Pacific on the eve of his trip to the United Kingdom, where he will be a guest at the Group of Seven (G7) Plus meeting of world economic powers.

In a significant foreign policy speech that alluded to the continued rise of an aggressive and expansionist China, Morrison warned that Australia faced many challenges to protect its way of life, security, prosperity, and maintain stability in the region.

Morrison said above all it was the defining issue of global security.

G7 leaders from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States are attending the global conference later in the week.

We very much need to be there because there is a lot at stake, for Australia, for our region, and indeed the world, Morrison said at the Perth USAsia Centre, referring to UK Prime Minister Boris Johnsons invitation to Australia to participate in the talks.

We are living in a time of great uncertainty not seen since the 1930s, outside of wartime. The challenges we face are many, he added.

Morrison said the global trading system and rules-based order that had benefitted Australia and liberal democracies for so long was now under serious strain and threat.

Our challenge is nothing less than to reinforce, renovate and buttress a world order that favours freedom, he said.

The world was in a similar state of flux in the aftermath of World War II, Morrison noted. Faced with a similarly uneasy climate, he called for liberal democracies to reforge Cold War cooperation to better uphold a rules-based international order.

The risks of miscalculation and conflict are present and growing, he added.

The Australian prime minister wants to see a world order that is safe for liberal democracies to flourish, free from coercion, which favours freedom over autocracy and authoritarianism.

We are facing heightened competition in the Indo-Pacific region, he said, adding: The task is to manage that competition.

Competition does not have to lead to conflict. Nor does competition justify coercion, he said.

The prime minister leaves for the United Kingdom tomorrow to attend the global summit, where he is also expected to push leaders to restore penalties under the WTO to combat economic coercion.

Morrison pledged support for fixing the World Trade Organisations (WTO) dispute process after Australia launched an action at the body against Beijing over barley tariffs.

Beijings trade sanctions are considered economic coercion by experts and politicians at home and abroad.

Morrison sees the WTO as the only global body that has the power to quell coercive trade behaviour and said he will work with leaders at the G7 Plus to buttress the body and modernise its rulebook.

A well-functioning WTO that sets clear rules arbitrates disputes objectively and efficiently and penalises bad behaviour when it occurs: this can be one of the most powerful tools the international community has to counter economic coercion.

In my discussions with many leaders, I have taken great encouragement from the support shown for Australias preparedness to withstand economic coercion in recent times. The most practical way to address economic coercion is the restoration of the global trading bodys binding dispute settlement system.

Where there are no consequences for coercive behaviour, there is little incentive for restraint, he said.

Morrison said that Australia stands ready to engage in dialogue with China when it is ready.

While in Cornwall, Morrison is expected to meet with U.S. President Joe Biden and the leaders of Japan and South Korea.

On the way to the summit, Morrison will stop in Singapore for a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to discuss regional security, trade, and a potential travel bubble.

There will be important opportunities  to secure broad international relationships, which are so important to Australias national security, Morrison told Parliament on June 2.

Climate policies are likely to be high on the G7 Plus agenda, but Morrison noted that Australia needs to work out how it will prosper and protect Australians and the countrys interests in a new net zero emissions economy.

Morrison doesnt want to surrender Australias economic advantages nor put at risk its resources, manufacturing, and heavy industries, as well as jobs, especially in regional Australia, without imposing higher costs on Australian families.

He will also hold talks in London with British leader Boris Johnson as Australia seeks to conclude a free trade agreement with the United Kingdom, where agriculture has been the main sticking point of the agreement.

Australia has made it clear to UK negotiators that freeing up agricultural trade will be essential to settling the agreement and also to the United Kingdom establishing its global free trade credentials post-Brexit.

With a Royal Navy carrier strike group recently sailing through the Indo-Pacific, Australian officials are confident the United Kingdom is showing a genuine interest in the region and want to encourage a closer connection.

A meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris is also expected to canvass the $90 billion submarine project, which has been plagued by multiple cost and timetable blowouts.

Naval Group executives visited Australia earlier this year in a bid to promote its commitment to maximising Australian content in the Attack Class submarines.

Morrison will also meet with the new head of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, former cabinet colleague Mathias Cormann.

AAP contributed to this report.
Australia to Provide Vaccination Certificates for COVID-19 Vaccines

The Australian government will provide those who have been vaccinated against COVID-19, the disease caused by the CCP virus, a digital certificate to demonstrate their status.

The certificate has a coat of arms hologram and includes the persons name, date of birth, and a green tick of validity and can be accessed through the Medicare app or online through MyGov once your vaccination provider has reported both doses of either AstraZeneca, Pfizer, or Moderna.

The Minister for Government Services Linda Reynolds said that the new digital record would make it simple for Australians to show their vaccination status anytime.

The COVID-19 digital certificate makes proof of vaccination accessible anytime, anywhere, Reynolds said. Were also giving people control over the level of vaccination history they share, as the certificate only shows your COVID-19 vaccination status.

Were guaranteeing everyone in Australia can get free COVID-19 vaccinations and making sure you can easily show proof of your immunisation, Reynolds said.

A general view of the NSW Health Vaccination Centre in Sydney Olympic Park in Sydney, Australia, on May 10, 2021. (Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

The new certificate will not share information about non-COVID vaccinations or other health data, Services Australia said.

The move by the government has the backing of the Australian Medical Association (AMA), with the president of the Association, Dr. Omar Khorshid, saying that the AMA supported the creation of a mechanism and that it was a logical step.

Australians need to be able to prove they are vaccinated one way or another, he told ABC radio. Its going to be needed for international travel. It may well be needed in many workplaces.

Proof of COVID-19 vaccinations has been argued by many political and business leaders to be a vital component to relax restrictions long-term around the world. But it is acknowledged that it is not a liberal or democratic move, a sentiment echoed by former Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on Monday when, as part of the Reform for Resilience Commission (R4R Commission), he called for a global movement on vaccine passports.

I know people will say this is tough; this is non-libertarian  but if you want to work in aged care, if you want to get on an aeroplane, if you want to go to a cinema; we are entitled to say, Well, if you havent been vaccinated, then you cant do it, just to protect the rest of the community, Turnbull said.

However, not everyone agrees with this argument. Independent MP Craig Kelly and Liberal MP George Christensen are both concerned about the potential for vaccine passports to take away liberties. Kelly has announced that he will be introducing a bill into parliament to stop vaccine passports from being legislated.

Independent MP Craig Kelly speaking at the Worldwide Rally for Freedom, Peace, and Human Rights in Sydney, Australia on May 17, 2021. (The Epoch Times)

Christensen has also launched an online petition supporting the push against vaccine passports which he deems wrong and discriminatory.

We face a lot of pressure to vaccinate from, quite frankly, a fearful sector of the public; pressure from others that want to get back to normal at whatever cost, Christensen said. There are many Australians who, like me, are not anti-vaxxers, but have legitimate concerns about injecting themselves and their family members with a rushed vaccine, and who want to wait to see whether there are side effects caused by the vaccine.

As a result, the member for Mackay has said that he will be pushing hard against any attempt to have any vaccination passports that segregates Australians into haves and have nots and denies them jobs, denies them services, or denies them access to certain areas.
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko delivers a speech in Minsk, Belarus, on May 26, 2021. (Press Service of the President of the Republic of Belarus/Handout via Reuters)

Belarus Introduces Prison Sentences for Taking Part in Protests

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on Tuesday signed into law prison sentences for people taking part in protests or insulting state officials, part of an unprecedented crackdown by the veteran leader since a disputed election last year.

In a series of amendments to the criminal code, Lukashenko also for the first time introduced a four-year prison sentence for people found guilty of spreading false information that discredits the state.

The Russian-backed president also introduced tougher penalties for resisting the police and using protest symbols.

Under the new law, anyone who has been detained at least twice for taking part in a protest, or insulted a government official, faces up to three years in prison, whereas previously they were subjected to detentions or fines.

This naturally worsens the situation in the field of civil and political rights, said Valentin Stefanovich of the Viasna-96 human rights group. These laws are in fact no longer against protests, but against any dissent.

In power since 1994, Lukashenko launched a violent crackdown against mass protests after winning an election in August that his opponents say was blatantly rigged.

Lukashenko did not comment on the new measures, which parliament had first adopted last month, but in March he had warned of a tougher response to opposition.

We need to be prepared for manifestations of destructive activity: from calls for illegal strikes to the manipulation of peoples minds through Internet technologies. For each such step we must have adequate response tools in our arsenal.

Lukashenko has previously signed amendments on laws governing the media, allowing the government to close down media outlets without needing a court order as before.

The European Union is preparing new sanctions on Minsk following the May 23 arrest of dissident Belarusian blogger Roman Protasevich after the forced grounding of a Ryanair plane while on a flight from Greece to Lithuania.

A joint delegation from the European Union, the United States, United Kingdom, Switzerland, and Japan met Belarusian Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei in Minsk on Tuesday.

In a statement, the delegation urged Belarus to stop its inhumane treatment of peaceful protesters and political prisoners.
Biden Admin Revokes Trump Orders to Ban TikTok, Will Conduct Own Review

The Biden administration revoked former President Donald Trumps orders that had attempted to ban social media apps TikTok and WeChat over security risks because of their connections to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) on June 9, stating the administration would conduct its own review of apps with ties to the Chinese regime.

An executive order signed by President Joe Biden directs the U.S. Department of Commerce to evaluate these threats through rigorous, evidence-based analysis and advises they should address any unacceptable or undue risks consistent with overall national security, foreign policy, and economic objectives, including the preservation and demonstration of Americas core values and fundamental freedoms.

The Commerce Department, according to the White House, will be required to review TikTok, WeChat, and other apps that are developed, designed, controlled, or manufactured by entities linked to the CCP. The order notes that such apps may present an undue or unacceptable risk to the national security of the United States and the American people.

Trumps executive actions targeting ByteDance, a Beijing-based firm that owns TikTok, and WeChat, which is owned by the Shenzhen-based Tencent Holdings, were blocked by several federal court orders. Trump had also attempted to force the sale of TikTok.

TikTok sought relief via the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit for a review of Trumps divestment order and the federal governments order to conduct a national security review.

Unnamed Biden administration officials told The Wall Street Journal the latest executive order is designed to replace Trumps orders with a more comprehensive process targeting apps that may have connections to foreign adversaries, including the CCP. The Commerce Department didnt immediately return a request for comment.

A woman walks past the headquarters of ByteDance, the parent company of video-sharing app TikTok, in Beijing on Sept. 16, 2020. (Greg Baker/AFP via Getty Images)

The Trump administration order that affected TikTok and ByteDance, which has also contributed funds to Facebook fact-checking website LeadStores, prohibited any transaction by any person, or with respect to any property, subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, with ByteDance Ltd., among other restrictions.

Last year, cybersecurity experts warned TikTok was being used by the Chinese regime to spy on Americans. Critics have also warned that users content could be censored if the CCP deems it politically sensitiveeven if that user lives outside of China.

Casey Fleming, CEO of intelligence and security strategy firm BlackOps Partners, told The Epoch Times that all technology coming out of Chinaeither manufactured in China, created in Chinais controlled by the CCP.

Mark Grabowski, an associate professor specializing in cyber law and digital ethics at Adelphi University, told The Epoch Times that TikTok is merely Chinese government malware masquerading as a social media app.

The app collects way more data than it needs to, Grabowski said in an email last year. For example, its odd that TikTok does GPS [Global Positioning System] tracking since TikTok videos dont display location information.
Biden Departs for First Foreign Trip, Claims Tight US-Europe Ties Ahead of Meeting With Putin

President Joe Biden on Wednesday set off on his first foreign trip since taking office, aiming to strengthen ties with European allies and vowing to project that strength to strategic rivals China and Russia.

Prior to boarding Air Force One, Biden told reporters at Joint Base Andrews that his goal will be strengthening the alliance, making it clear to Putin and China that Europe and the United States are tight.

Bidens remarks build on a message he sought to drive home in an op-ed in The Washington Post over the weekend, when he laid out his priorities for the trip in more detail, including confronting the harmful activities of the governments of China and Russia while insisting that the United States must lead the world from a position of strength.

Biden also said he planned to unveil a global COVID-19 vaccination strategy, telling reporters, I have one and Ill be announcing it. During the trip, Biden may face calls to do more to share U.S. vaccine supplies with other countries after an initial pledge of 20 million doses announced last week.

The president also said he intends to talk to Russian President Vladimir Putin about cooperation on preventing cyberattacks, with the backdrop for those discussions being recent high-profile ransomware attacks that White House officials believe are linked to Russia-based cyber-criminals.

Bidens first port of call will be Royal Air Force Mildenhall in the United Kingdom, where the president is expected to deliver an address to U.S. Air Force personnel at the base. He will then head to the seaside village of St. Ives in Cornwall, where he will participate in the G7 summit, hosted by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

As the most prominent grouping of democratic countries, the G7 has long been the catalyst for decisive international action to tackle the greatest challenges we face, Johnson said in a statement, promoting some of the groups priorities like cancelling developing world debt and our universal condemnation of Russias annexation of Crimea, which has strained relations between Moscow and the West.

The G7 meeting is expected to be dominated by vaccine diplomacy, trade, and an initiative for rebuilding infrastructure in the developing world, which U.S. officials see as a way to counter Chinas efforts to spread its influence.

It is a point Biden expanded on in the op-ed, writing, the worlds major democracies will be offering a high-standard alternative to China for upgrading physical, digital, and health infrastructure that is more resilient and supports global development.

As new technologies reshape our world in fundamental ways, exposing vulnerabilities like ransomware attacks and creating threats such as invasive AI-driven surveillance, the democracies of the world must together ensure that our values govern the use and development of these innovationsnot the interests of autocrats, Biden wrote.

After the G7 meeting, Biden will head to the NATO summit in Brussels on Monday, which will be followed by a high-profile meeting with Putin in Switzerland the following Wednesday. White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters on Monday that Biden hopes his G7 and NATO meetings will bolster a sense of allied unity ahead of his meeting with the Russian president.

While Sullivan said no major breakthroughs in U.S.-Russia relations are expected from the summit, he insisted theres value in the two leaders meeting face-to-face, partly so that we can make progress in arms control and other nuclear areas to reduce tension and instability in that aspect of the relationship and partly to look President Putin in the eye and say, This is what Americas expectations are. This is what America stands for. This is what America is all about.'

Ahead of his departure, Biden was asked whether he expects his meeting with Putin will lead to some accord on cybersecurity.

Who knows at this point? Biden said. Its going to be a subject of our discussion.
President Joe Biden speaks at the Rehoboth Beach Convention Center in Rehoboth Beach, Del., on June 4, 2021. (Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images)

Biden Ends Infrastructure Negotiations With Key Republican

President Joe Biden has stopped negotiating with Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) after a failure to reach common ground in infrastructure negotiations.

Biden and Capito, the top Republican on the Senate Committee of Environment and Public Works, had been in talks for weeks on a major infrastructure plan, but hit a roadblock over funding priorities and whether tax hikes should be part of a deal.

Biden informed Senator Capito today that the latest offer from her group did not, in his view, meet the essential needs of our country to restore our roads and bridges, prepare us for our clean energy future, and create jobs, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said in a June 8 statement.

Capito said she, along with other Republican negotiators consistently worked in good faith with President Biden and were optimistic that we could reach a bipartisan agreement for the sake of the country.

The group she led delivered several counteroffers, including an approximately $978 billion proposal that Biden rejected on June 4.

Despite the progress we made in our negotiations, the president continued to respond with offers that included tax increases as his pay for, instead of several practical options that would have not been harmful to individuals, families, and small businesses, Capito said.

Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) walks on Capitol Hill in Washington on June 8, 2021. (Susan Walsh/AP Photo)

Bidens first plan came with a cost of $2.3 trillion and included hundreds of billions of dollars for elder and disabled care, which Republicans decried as an odd fit for an infrastructure package. It also included a hike of the corporate tax rate, which would partially roll back a key provision of the 2017 Republican tax reform bill.

The White House later offered a $1.7 trillion proposal that still included tax increases.

The president ended the talks today with me on a very cordial call. I am extremely disappointed because we offered the president basically what he asked us to do the first time we met with him, which was a trillion dollars over eight years including baseline spending, and that it wouldnt include a tax increase, Capito said on Fox News on June 8.

What Biden said in the first meeting was later walked back by White House officials, she said.

One of Capitos red lines was not undoing components of the 2017 tax reform bill, which Republicans passed and then-President Donald Trump signed into law. Biden wont budge on two areas, according to the White House: not raising taxes on Americans who make under $400,000 and inaction.

Biden is continuing talks with a different group, which includes Sens. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), and Bill Cassidy (R-La.). Biden spoke with the trio on June 8 and urged them to continue their work with other Democrats and Republicans to develop a bipartisan proposal that he hopes will be more responsive to the countrys pressing infrastructure needs, Psaki said.

Senators attend a bipartisan work group meeting on an infrastructure bill at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on June 8, 2021. (Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters)

Cassidy told reporters on Capitol Hill before the meeting with the president that the very top-line number is not as important as just the concepts.

Cassidy stated the group of 20 lawmakers is looking at a proposal that would come in around $900 billion across five years.

Capito had the blessing of Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.). It isnt clear if the larger group has the same support from Republican leadership.

Biden will keep in touch with the larger group while hes in Europe, and he has designated several aides to meet with them in person in the coming days.

At the same time, Biden asked Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) to prepare to push legislation through the upper chamber through budget reconciliation, which lowers the required vote threshold to 50 from 60.

Many Democrats have said they favor reconciliation, but Manchin has resisted those efforts. Because Democrats majority in the 50-50 Senate consists of Vice President Kamala Harriss tiebreaking vote as president of the body, they cant lose the vote of a single senator.
Security personnel keep watch outside the Wuhan Institute of Virology during the visit by the World Health Organization (WHO) team tasked with investigating the origins of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, on Feb. 3, 2021. (Thomas Peter/Reuters)

Biden Should Make China Pay

Commentary

President Joe Biden began a trek through Europe on June 9 to meet with European leaders. He says the goal is to work together to deliver real results on critical issues, like climate change and cybersecurity. Biden is ducking the most important issuethe cause of the pandemic. He should be marshaling allies to act in unison by squeezing China to get answers and demand reparations. The evidence is mounting that China is guilty of manslaughter on a massive scale.

Damning evidence published on the opinion page of The Wall Street Journal on Saturday shows that COVID-19s genetic sequence is found nowhere in nature, making it unlikely the killer virus leaped from animals to humans naturally. Scientists Dr. Stephen Quay and Richard Muller argue that the COVID-19 genetic sequence is exactly what researchers would choose to use to engineer a virus for maximum infectivity against humans. Other recent analyses of the virus also point to Chinas Wuhan Institute of Virologynot natureas the source of the pandemic. In science, nothing is settled. New evidence could still emerge and point in another direction.

But there is no doubt that China acted criminally once the virus began circulating in Wuhan in 2019. China hid the viruss existence for weeks, denied that it could spread human-to-human, muzzled its scientists, and blocked outside scientists from investigatingall in violation of Articles 6 and 7 of WHOs International Health Regulations.

China is a repeat offender. In 2003, it hid the existence of the deadly SARS virus until it had spread worldwide, leaving a trail of death.

This time, Biden should be leading a multinational effort to isolate China, get answers, and demand reparations. Without answers, warns Baylor College of Medicine epidemiologist Peter Hotez, there will be a COVID-26 and a COVID-32, meaning more viral disasters.

Bidens merely going through the motions, appearing to take action but doing nothing. Hes called for a 90-day investigation by U.S. intelligence agencies. Thats mere paper-shuffling. As Hotez says, Weve pushed intelligence as far as we can. Scientists need to collect lab samples from Wuhan and biological samples from the earliest COVID-19 patients.

The Biden administration has also called on the WHO to investigate again. The WHO allowed China to handpick the first investigation team, ban access to actual biological evidence, and veto conclusions it didnt like. Theres no point to a second WHO investigation. WHO remains a puppet to China, still bowing to demands to exclude Taiwan from meetings on COVID-19.

To get the truth, The New York Post proposed an important remedya commission created by an act of Congress relying on nonpartisan scientists, not the likes of Anthony Fauci, EcoHealth Alliances Peter Daszak, and the NIHs Francis Collins. Their fingerprints are all over whatever virus was engineered in Wuhan. They misled Congress and the nation with a naive globalist viewpoint that put us in danger. Fauci told Congress that the Wuhan lab staff are competent, trustworthy scientists, never mind their germ warfare projects for the Chinese communist military.

Last week, Biden commented that China believes in a few years it will own America. Whats your strategy, Mr. President? So far, only weakness.

Its a stark contrast to former President Donald Trump, who declared on June 5 that the time has come for America and the world to demand reparations and accountability from the Communist Party of China.

Trump proposed that as a first step, all countries should collectively cancel all debt they owe to China as a down payment for reparations. Some 150 countries are indebted to China. The United States owes $1.1 trillion.

Trumps proposal is unorthodox. Economists warn defaulting will harm our ability to borrow in the futureordinarily, a compelling concern. But the argument holds less water if all major countries collectively agree to enforce reparations against China this way.

Chinas actions have led to carnage on a scale not seen since the Nazis. Nearly 4 million people have died, including 600,000 Americans.

One thing is clear. Unless China is made to pay, Americans will pay with their lives.

Betsy McCaughey, Ph.D., is a political commentator, constitutional expert, syndicated columnist, and author of several books, including The Obama Health Law: What It Says and How to Overturn and The Next Pandemic. She is also a former lieutenant governor of New York.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
President Joe Biden delivers remarks on the COVID-19 response and the vaccination program during an event at the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington on May 4, 2021. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Bidens First Judicial Nominees Confirmed With Republican Support

The Senate confirmed several judicial nominees nominated by President Joe Biden on June 8.

The upper chamber voted 6633 to confirm Julien Neals to the U.S. district court in New Jersey. It then approved Regina Rodriguez to be U.S. district judge for the District of Colorado.

Neither vote was particularly close, as more than a dozen Republicans crossed the aisle to support Bidens nominees. Only 28 Republicans voted against nominees, including Sens. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), and John Thune (R-S.D.).

Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), the Senate majority whip and chairman of the bodys Judiciary Committee, said on the floor that Neals and other Biden nominees who will be voted on this week will bring much-needed experiential and demographic diversity to our nations courts.

The face of justice is often as important as the fact of justice, and if people appearing before our courts feel there is at least a chance for success based on the background and experience of a judge, I think its a positive thing, he said.

Then-President Donald Trump saw hundreds of his judicial nominees approved during his four years in office and the Biden administration has expressed hope that the president will be able to fill vacancies existing in the court system.

Biden in a statement thanked the Senate for confirming Neals and Rodriguez, who embody the professional excellence and devotion to the rule of law and our Constitution that the American people expect of Federal judges.

They are both highly qualified, and they represent the diversity that is one of the ultimate strengths of our nationin all branches of government, including the judiciary. Other nominees are awaiting confirmation who also have bipartisan support, and I hope they will be rapidly confirmed as well, he said, noting he wants to make nominations at an historic pace.

Before the first vote, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said, I greatly look forward to confirming what will be the first of many judicial appointments during the Biden administration.
Bilingualism Requirement for Supreme Court Judges Decried as Favouring French

Ottawas move to make bilingualism a requirement to sit on the Supreme Court of Canada has sparked criticism from diversity advocates who fear it will exclude qualified candidates who dont speak both French and English. Some are also concerned that it will limit the talent pool and lead to bias in the judicial system.

In 2016, the federal government called for new Supreme Court justices to be functionally bilingual and, in Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus words, representative of the diversity of our great country. This February, the government announced it would formally add bilingualism as a legal requirement for appointment to the Supreme Court by amending the Official Languages Act.

Canadian Bar Association President Brad Regehr, who is Cree, has called the proposed requirement a systemic barrier.

Salim Mansur, professor emeritus of political science at the University of Western Ontario, said a bilingual-only hiring policy will exclude a vast number of unilingual people and, to some extent, the perspectives they have.

It will lead to the selection of judicial appointments from a narrower pool of human resources available. And that narrower and narrower and smaller and smaller pool will again be more or less divorced in the deeper sense of the meaning from their own peopleit is in fact leading to the disenfranchisement of a larger number of people, he said in an interview.

Statistics bear out Mansurs claim. The Office of the Commissioner for Federal Judicial Affairs Canada reported that from October 29, 2019, to October 28, 2020, only 136 of the 397 applicants to the bench could converse with counsel in both official languages. One-quarter of the 60 judges appointed were fluently bilingual.

Mansur believes anglophones have failed to contend for their own interests.

They have basically surrendered, becoming a doormat to the 20 percent of Canada  [and a] federal government which pushes the issue of bilingualism and biculturalism in a manner thats heavily tilted to the interests of Quebec rather than to the interests of the majority, he said.

And that is leading to greater and greater distancing between the English and French in the federation, when bilingualism and multiculturalism were originally seen as a remedy to the problem.

The Federal Civil Service

In 1973, Parliament adopted the Resolution on Official Languages in the Public Service of Canada, launching a bilingual emphasis that transformed the federal civil service.

William Gairdner, who dedicated an entire chapter to bilingualism in his book The Trouble With Canada Still! told The Epoch Times that bilingualism led to increased francophone hiring.

They tended to choose  French Canadians who learn English in the streets as well as in school. So for them, the two languages are quite natural, but not for English speakers, and so that introduced a kind of bias in the hiring, said Gairdner, an Epoch Times contributor.

French speakers stopped being under-represented in the federal civil service by 1978, and at the management level by 1995. Yet, the trend to hire francophones never stopped.

Today, those with French as their mother tongue make up around 21.4 percent of Canadas population, according to the 2016 census, the latest census figures available. Meanwhile, the Treasury Boards latest demographic snapshot of Canadas federal public service shows that, as of March 31, 2019, 29.1 percent of employees overall and 32.7 percent of executives indicated French as their first official language.

Gairdner, who is bilingual with English as his first language, says the French are far more emphatic on keeping religion out of politics and have a tradition of code law that contrasts with English common law.

I would say that the predominance of bilingual francophones in the civil service has definitely put a slant on things in terms of how government approaches the people of Canada in its policies, and execution of legislation, he said.

Along with that goes certain leftist attitudes which come with simply being a francophone in Canada.

Ian Gentles, a history professor at Tyndale University in Toronto, formerly taught at the bilingual Glendon College at York University. He agrees that the French and English have different perspectives.

Quebec society, they sort of rejected the Catholic Church about 60 years ago, around 1960, and since then theyve been considerably more left-wing, more progressive if youd like to call it that, than the rest of the country, he said.

That gives a very liberal, left-wing, progressive bent to the federal civil service, and so it inevitably affects government policy because the civil service is a considerable influence on government policy.

Gentles believes that the emphasis on representation of language may have inadvertently caused an anti-Western Canada bias because fewer people are bilingual there than in Central Canada or the Maritimes. Yet, he only sees the franco-hiring bias increasing even though French is in decline in Canada.

Its a self-perpetuating phenomenon that once there is a solid majority of francophones, they will tend to hire fellow francophones just because they understand each other, he said.

And so it goes, on and on, and it gets harder and harder for people who are not first-language French speakers to get a look-in, and the rules are becoming stricter and stricter.

A recent report by the Department of Canadian Heritage called on the federal civil service to create a work environment where both official languages are fully used, even though the push for bilingualism has already magnified tensions. Complaints about the language requirements of positions in staffing processes numbered just 45 in 20142015, but have grown every year since the Trudeau government came to power, reaching 420 in 20192020, according to a study by the Library of Parliament.
CCP Official at Chinese University in Shanghai Stabbed to Death

A high-ranking Chinese Communist Party (CCP) official at a top Chinese university in Shanghai died after being attacked by a teacher colleague, according to media reports.

The Shanghai police issued a brief notice that said there was a deadly knife attack at a university on Handan Road, Yangpu district, Shanghai city, on June 7, 2:52 p.m. local time. According to the notice, the suspect was a 39-year-old male teacher at the school with the surname Jiang, and the victim, a colleague of Jiang, was identified as a 49-year-old male with the surname Wang.

The notice vaguely claimed that the suspect admitted the killing was due to his hatred of the victim over employment concerns.

The police notice didnt specifically disclose the name of the university, nor provide the title of the victim or specific motivations for the alleged fatal attack.

A map search and media reports suggest the crime scene was at Fudan University, one of Chinas most prestigious institutions of higher learning, and the only one that would correlate to the stated location.

An internal obituary posted by the universitys School of Mathematical Sciences on June 8 said the victim was Wang Yongzhen, a party chief of the School.

A prominent theory circulating online over possible motivations for the murder focused on how Jiang, the alleged killer, was dismissed from his teaching post due to failure to meet the performance requirements set out in a six-year deal signed between him and the School.

It is reported that Jiangs current title is a research fellow, and he could have been promoted to associate professor if he had passed his job performance assessment.

However, a video uploaded online shows the alleged attacker unmistakably admittingin the presence of police officers at the scenethat he had been framed and mistreated for a long time by his employer. He also said he carried out the attack by himself.

The official site of the School of Mathematical Sciences currently says it is unreachable for visitors, showing Our website is under maintenance.

In China, it is not uncommon that an official website of a group or organization is closed when a negative incident happens. An example is the Chengdu No. 49 Middle School, whose website was unavailable after a sophomore died after falling from a campus building.

Recent Vicious Incidents Seem Frequent

China has seen around a dozen such vicious incidents since late May this year, according to Chinese state media outlets.

On June 5, a mass stabbing spree occurred on a commercial strip in Yingjiang district, Anqing city, eastern Chinas Anhui province. A 25-year-old male with the surname Wu killed at random six people and injured another 14 people, one of whom is critically ill in hospital.

On June 3, a 42-year-old male wielded a knife and heavily wounded two residents in a residential community in Liuzhou city, in the southern region of Chinas Guangxi. They died after an unsuccessful hospital treatment. Preliminary findings show the attacker had relationship issues, according to reports.

On May 29, a 41-year-old man ran over his ex-wife with his car on a street in Nanjing city, Jiangsu province, allegedly due to relationship issues. He fled the scene, after which he injured seven others with a knife at random.

On May 22, a 31-year-old male with the surname Liu drove a black car toward pedestrians at an intersection near a park in Dalian city, Liaoning province in Chinas northeast. The crash left four dead and three injured. The attacker reportedly failed in an investment before committing the homicide.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-10 03:53:00|Editor: huaxia

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RABAT, June 9 (Xinhua) -- The Moroccan navy seized on Wednesday in the Strait of Gibraltar 1 tonne of cannabis and arrested three Spanish nationals over alleged drug smuggling, official news agency MAP reported.

The operation occurred off the coast of the Moroccan town of Ksar-Sghir, and was made possible by collaboration with a navy radar station at Morocco's Mediterranean coast, it added.

The three suspects, the equipment and the cargo were handed over to the Moroccan Gendarmerie in the port of Ksar-Sghir for investigation, the report said.

Despite efforts to crack down on cannabis during the past decade, Morocco remains one of the world's largest producers of the narcotic plant, according to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime. Enditem
24-year-old Chen Yuzhen did not expect a disaster would happen to him just because he used VPNs to bypass the Great Firewall of China. (NTD)

24-Year-Old Charged for Bypassing Firewall in China Flees to South Korea

After being arrested for using a VPN to bypass Chinas Great Firewall, 24-year-old Chen Yuzhen (pseudonym) was finally able to flee China. In an interview with The Epoch Times, Chen shared details of his ordeal.

In the early morning of June 10, 2020, Chen, sleeping soundly, was suddenly awakened by sharp and intense knocks on the door. Several plainclothes police officers broke into his small, shared rental apartment, and started checking all of his electronic devices. Everything was turned upside down in no time.

Chen had never expected that such a disaster would befall him.

I asked what department they belonged to, but they refused to answer. They just kept searching everywhere, and looking for electronic devices, mobile phones, and others. They asked if we had connections to any foreign forces, whether we had joined any organizations, and so on, which we had not.

Chen later learned that this all happened because he had used VPN (virtual private network) to bypass Chinas Great Firewall, and had made some online comments about current affairs.

In an interrogation room at the Public Security Bureau of Haikou city in Hainan Province, the police reviewed all of Chens communication history, but found nothing. They only located records of him using VPN on his cell phone.

Bypassing the firewall is not listed as a crime in the Chinese Communist Partys (CCPs) criminal statutes, therefore, Chen was charged with providing tools to invade computer programs.

Chen explained, I looked into the definition of this crime  because many people have been charged with it.

Chen said he had taught some friends how to bypass the Great Firewall in private. He didnt know that using VPN would cause him any trouble. He thought China was in the era of reform and opening up, so he didnt expect things to be so terrible. Otherwise, he would have been more careful.

But when it happened to me, I knew it was very dangerous, he said.

The police initially wanted to detain him. However, due to fatigue caused by the overnight interrogation, the hot weather, and emotional tension, Chen was showing a higher than normal temperature when the police tried to check him into the detention center, so the detention center refused to take him.

Therefore, Haikou City Public Security Bureau had to release him on bail pending trial and asked him to pay a bond of $1,563.

The police then issued a Decision on Bail Pending Trial to Chen, which states, The suspect may be sentenced to a fixed-term imprisonment or more, and the release on bail pending trial will not cause social danger.

Decision on Bail Pending Trial document issued to Chen Yuzhen by police department of the Haikou City Public Security Bureau, dated June 11, 2020. (Courtesy of Chen Yuzhen)

They told me it would be resolved within one month. At that time, I felt numb wondering whether they would arrest me or suspend my case, Chen said. I thought there would be a result within one month. I was really anxious, every day I could not sleep well.

But things did not develop as Chen had expected. After several months, the police officers were still asking him to go to the police station for more interrogations.

While anxiously waiting for the result of his case, Chen received his admissions paperwork for studying in South Korea.

On Dec. 31, 2020, he boarded a flight to South Korea.

Chen said he had formed the habit of bypassing the Great Firewall after he studied in Taiwan in 2016 as an exchange student. He saw a different world there. He was inspired and got many opportunities to think.

When I was in Taiwan, I told people there were good things in China, or I talked about a lot of things they didnt like, but they would not attack me. They respected different views, Chen said.

After returning from Taiwan, Chen became a supporter of freedom and democracy, although he had been a little pink, a term that refers to young people who are brainwashed into believing in and supporting the CCP.

From then on Chen often posted comments about current affairs on WeChat, a Chinese social media platform, and Zhihu, a Chinese question-and-answer website where questions are created, answered, edited, and organized by its user community.

But both his WeChat and Zhihu accounts were deleted for just commenting on things in an objective manner.

In South Korea, Chen opened a YouTube channel called Mr. Chen YouTube Channel to share his analysis and comments on international affairs.

In May, after he criticized the mandatory download of Chinas National Anti-Fraud Center app in his WeChat friend group, three of his bank cards were frozen the following day.

Chen said, in mainland China, people are arrested just for bypassing the firewall, but the CCPs efforts are in vain.

Many people are bypassing the firewall. If you want to arrest them, you will not be able to arrest them all. As a matter of fact, there is really no need to control that. Some celebrities and government officials are also bypassing the firewall, some media as well, they have also opened YouTube channels.

Chen said after he exposed his detention experience in China, he received encouraging messages as well as a few abusive comments from mainland China users. Chen will stick to being himself and respect everyones opinions at the same time, he said.

Chens 18-minute video about how he changed a lot of his views while studying in Taiwan and after being arrested in China has received over 109,000 views since he released it on May 13.

Vanessa Wang contributed to this article.
Students were injured at Zhongbei College of Nanjing Normal University in Danyang, eastern China's Jiangsu Province, on June 8, 2021. (Provided to The Epoch Times by interviewee)

Chinese Police Beat Students to the Point of Bleeding at Protest on Chinese University Campus

Protests come amid CCP plans to force private colleges and vocational colleges to merge

Chinese students clashed with police and security guards on campus grounds at a Chinese university on June 7 and 8, with some students left bleeding after being attacked by police.

Undergraduate students at Nanjing Normal University in eastern Jiangsu Province were protesting on campus over concerns that their academic degrees would be devalued after they learned of a plan by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to merge private colleges with vocational ones.

Wu Hua (pseudonym), a student from Nanjing Normal Universitys privately owned Zhongbei College, a school of about 10,700 students, told the Chinese-language Epoch Times late on June 8: Police, assistant police, and security guards started to attack us [protesters]. They poured water on us, pushed us to the ground, and pulled some of us to other places. Some students had abrasions, and some others were bleeding on the head.

They [the police] didnt allow us to leave the campus.  Some students were detained in classrooms.

A large group of police tactical unit officers entered the campus early on June 8 and beat students and sprayed them with pepper spray, other interviewees told the Chinese-language Epoch Times.

Over the past few days, 15 private colleges from eastern Chinas Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces announced a downgrading plan after the CCPs Ministry of Education earlier this month ordered these colleges to adjust their university qualifications from a regular bachelors degree to a vocational bachelors degree, ahead of the planned mergers, which would initially impact some 140,000 students.

Private colleges in Chinese universities charge students higher tuition fees and are considered more prestigious than vocational schools. They also offer regular bachelors degrees. The mergers gave rise to fears by private college students that their anticipated qualifications would be downgraded in value, and would thereby negatively affect their chances of securing a good government job or applying for postgraduate programs amid a competitive environment.

On late June 7, the Jiangsu Provincial Education Department announced that it would suspend the planned merger. Zhejiang and Shandong provincial education departments also suspended the merger.

Authorities only worsened their suppression of students in the early morning of June 8, even after the suspension was announced and when students had yet to learn of the news. Later that day, the students voluntarily withdrew from protesting.

Principal Detained

Danyang police in Jiangsu announced on June 8 that Chang Qing, the 55-year-old principal of Zhongbei College, had been detained by students for more than 30 hours from the afternoon of June 6 to late June 7.

But students said on social media platforms that Chang was protesting together with students by sitting on the ground in front of a lecture hall. Students provided Chang with water, food, a cellphone charger, and tissues, according to social media posts.

A student with the username Mints Cat posted on Weibo on June 8: The principal told us that he would like to sit down with us while waiting for the result [from the regime].

Related posts were removed from the Chinese internet, but overseas Chinese copied them and reposted on Twitter, which the Chinese regimes censorship cant reach.

Clashes at Multiple Universities

Students from Zhijiang College of Zhejiang University of Technology were the first to protest the downgrading. On June 4, they gathered inside the university campus, calling for the university to maintain their qualifications.

Zhijiang students wont give up. We dont accept the plan of changing the colleges name and our diplomas, students wrote on a banner they held, according to photos on social media.

Protests arose at other universities. On June 5, students from Hangzhou Business School in Zhejiang Gongshang University paraded inside their university campus, shouting to demand the university stop the downgrading.

On June 6, students from five universities in Jiangsu Province began protesting. While the protests were going on, the students parents went to the provincial education departments and asked the CCP to reconsider the decision.

At Zhongbei College, about 3,000 to 4,000 students joined the protest in front of a lecture hall late on June 6. Students also gathered at the north gate and in front of the library, where they were generally peaceful.

The next day, about 200 police arrived and stationed themselves at the campus while locking down the college, according to Wu. They [the police] didnt allow us to leave the campus, which triggered the clash, Wu said of the evening of June 7.

Police attacked students to the point of bleeding, Wu said. The majority of the students remained on site until about 4 a.m. on June 8.

While students were inside and beaten by police batons, many parents were blocked from entering the campus on late June 7, according to a post by a parent of a student on June 8 on state-run Chinese news website Guancha.

The parent commented that the impact of the downgrading can be significant.

The scores of these students arent bad  I understand their grievances [about the downgrading], the parent wrote. [The regime and colleges] didnt communicate with students and parents about the downgrading.  [The beating of students] is very vicious and violent.

At the end of the post, the parent urged the provincial government to investigate and bring justice to the students.

Downgrading

The Chinese regime started the launch of a vocational bachelor pilot program in February 2019. According to the regimes plan, the program would train students to be skilled workers and skilled technical staff. Essentially, half of the training time should be spent on practical activities.

In general, students dont need to have a high score to enroll in the vocational bachelor programs. In May 2020, the regime encouraged private colleges to consider transforming into vocational colleges.

On Jan. 22, the CCPs Ministry of Education introduced a new policy to ask universities to set up vocational bachelor programs, saying the pilot program had been successful. On June 6, it ordered the private colleges to change their names to be vocational colleges, adjust their educational programs to have a vocational focus, and change the students regular diplomas into vocational ones.

The change would be applied to about 186 independent colleges nationwide, according to the ministrys plan.
Dan Cook addresses the Collier County School Board regarding his concerns of CRT content in textbooks as his daughter Selah distributes Pocket Constitution booklets to each member in the districts classrooms, on May 7, 2021. (Patricia Tolson/The Epoch Times)

Collier County School Board Hears From Angry Citizens About Possible CRT Content in Textbooks

On June 7, the Collier County School Board (CCSB) in Flordia convened a public hearing to discuss textbooks being considered for adoption by their respective districts. They also heard comments from angry citizens regarding concerns of possible Critical Race Theory (CRT) content in those textbooks.

The hearing was attended by approximately 60 Collier County residents. Among them were the 15 citizens who had registered to have three minutes to address the board directly. While thirteen of those registered to provide comments were angry citizens who adamantly oppose the adoption of the textbookswhich they believe opens the door for teachers to indoctrinate their children with CRTtwo were Collier County educators, who insisted there was nothing to fear.

The CCSB members in attendance were Jory Westberry (MemberDistrict 1), Stephanie Lucarelli (MemberDistrict 2), Jen Mitchell (Vice-ChairDistrict 3), Erick Carter (ChairDistrict 4), and Roy M. Terry (MemberDistrict 5). Also in attendance was certified circuit civil mediator Steven Blount.

Citizens Share Their Concerns

Prior to the meeting, Chad Taylor, a retired Marine and Naples resident, told The Epoch Times he first became involved in monitoring the activities of the CCSB due to his objection to their mask mandates. Taylor has an autistic son who cannot wear a mask for health reasons and he believes the board should have no authority to force children to wear masks. Now Taylor said the boards overreach has spiraled into other things like promoting CRT in the classroom.

It focuses more on our differences than what we have in common, Taylor said, and thats what theyre going to poison our children with unless we stand up and do something. Its atrocious.

We dont want it (CRT) drummed into our childrens heads, Michelle Deiulis told The Epoch Times, and we dont want it in their textbooks.

This is important because it affects our children, Rick Stevens, one of the founding directors of Florida Citizens Alliance and pastor of Diplomat Wesleyan Church in Cape Coral, Flordia, told The Epoch Times. Too many people havent been paying attention to what school boards do and we all know that our elected officials will do whatever they can get away with. So its time for us to pay attention because what our children learn in school is what they live out later in life.

Bill Oppenheimer was the first citizen to address the board, sharing a letter he had already sent to them, in which he said CRT is a tool Marxists are using to destroy our country by dividing us rather than uniting us.

His sentiments would be echoed by nearly every citizen who stood to address the board.

Dan Cook told The Epoch Times he was at the meeting to object to the textbooks and what was being taught in the classrooms. As he addressed the board directly, his daughter Selah distributed pocket Constitution booklets to each member of the CCSB. A video of Selah addressing the CCSB at a prior meeting regarding their mask mandate had already gone viral on the internet.

I think these masks are horrible, Selah told The Epoch Times. Why does the school board even do this to children? How would they feel if we forced masks on them?

Cooks suggestion that schools eliminate CRT material from the classrooms and replace it with the content of the United States Constitution was met with enthusiastic applause.

Slide presentation of the supplemental reader D is for Democracy addressed further public hearing regarding CRT content in instructional materials. (Patricia Tolson/The Epoch Times)

Chad Taylor, who has previously spoken with The Epoch Times, directed the boards attention to a book called D is for Democracy, which is currently being used in Collier County schools.

This book teaches kindergarteners that the United States is a democracy, yet were a constitutional republic, Taylor attested, adding that the book contains a strong bias toward centralized government, when our Founding Fathers wanted a weaker central government.

Another parent brought a teachers guide to the boards attention. The teachers guide instructs teachers on how to present the information provided in the textbooks. Unlike textbooks, the Florida Board of Education does not require that teachers guides be made available to the public for review and consideration.

For the subject regarding the importance of inventionssuch as the light bulb by Thomas Edison and the computer by Steve Jobsteachers are encouraged through the teachers guide to promote the idea that higher taxes are a good thing because higher taxes means the government can provide funding for inventions. However, despite history clearly reflecting that the development of the light bulb and the worlds first computer were funded strictly by their inventors, the guide encourages teachers to imply that it is only through government funding that inventions such as these are made possible.

Among the five objectors given 20 minutes to address the board, Keith Flaughfounder of Florida Citizens Alliancecited the 1619 Project, which he insists is historically inaccurate and defines the United States as inherently racist.

According to Pulitzer Centerwhich provides a selection of guides teachers are encouraged to use in their classroomsthe 1619 Project began when The New York Times published an article suggesting the United States change its founding date to when the first Africans arrived on Virginia soil.

CCSB Conclusions

In his closing remarks, Blount made it clear that he disagreed with the teachers who dismissed the historical inaccuracies in D is for Democracy because it is only a supplemental reader, and not a textbook.

Instructional materials shall be understood to mean those items having intellectual content that by design serve as a major tool in the instruction of a subject or course, Blount recited from the Florida Education Code (pdf), noting that the very broad definition of instructional materials would have to include the reader.

He also asked to see the teachers guide and discovered that the foreward had been written by Dr. Tyrone Howard. The Epoch Times previously reported on how Howard is a known advocate of CRT who encourages teachers to promote the tenets of BLM in the classroom.

Without the user guide, you might not know that the foreward was written by Tyrone Howard, Blount noted. You might decide thats important or not important. But you need to know it.

The Epoch Times reached out to the office of Gov. Ron DeSantis to inquire if he had completed his promised review of the textbooks being considered for use in Floridas schools. On Tuesday, Press Secretary Christina Pushaw confirmed that a thorough review of all adopted ELA (English Language Arts) curriculum material was done, and there is zero CRT in the adopted materials that will be used in Florida schools.

However, Pushaw noted the same conclusion expressed by Blount about the use of supplemental materials, was shared by DeSantis.

Its important to note that Florida statutes require school boards to give the public a chance to review and contest the adoption of curriculum, including materials that a school district might adopt that are supplemental to state-approved materials, Pushaw clarified to The Epoch Times. Supplemental materials are not one and the same as the curriculum approved by the Florida Department of Education.

It was also revealed at the hearing that the publisher of many books being considered by the CCSBHoughton Mifflin Harcourthad posted a commitment to BLM. For this, and other reasons revealed at the hearing, the board unanimously accepted Blounts suggestion that they postpone their decision regarding the adoption of any books until these matters could be addressed.

Follow Patricia Tolson on Twitter at @PTolson1
A teacher gives a lesson on the first day of online class in an empty classroom at Seoul Girls High School on April 9, 2020, in Seoul, South Korea. (Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images)

Concerns Growing Over Mental Health Crisis In Kids as Attempted Suicide Rates Jump 184 Percent

The mental health of Victorian children and teens, a low-risk age group for COVID-19, is suffering after being forced into the fourth lockdown in 12 months, with attempted self-harm and suicide rates surging.

Kids Helpline, a national 24/7 confidential support and counselling service for 5 to 25-year-olds, revealed that the attempted suicide rate of Victorian teenagers shot up by 184 percent in the past six months.

Young people aged 13 to 18 accounted for three-quarters of total crisis interventions from Dec. 1, 2020, to May 31, 2021. Over 40 percent of crisis interventions were responding to the intent of immediate suicide.

Calls for help from primary school children as young as five also rose drastically by 80 percent during the 12 months to March compared to the previous year (pdf).

Victorian schools have been closed for a total of more than 22 weeks, around half a school year, compared to schools closures in South Australia for one week and NSW for around one month.

Kids Helpline Project Manager Leo Hede said young people increasingly turned to the hotline seeking support where schools and community networks previously would have played the supporting role.

Children and young people also felt the impact of rolling media and news coveragethe high illness rates, the death tolls, and their doom scrolling through their social media feeds, Hede told NewsCorp.

Many young people are consuming more social media during lockdowns, where they cannot spend time outside. However, some research has shown that social media could not substitute real-life connections despite being able to connect easily with friends online.

Students sanitize at Lysterfield Primary School on May 26, 2020, in Melbourne, Australia. (Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)

A UK study found that heavy social media use was associated with worse scores for self-esteem and wellbeing for teenagers, and the onset of the pandemic only increased their mental wellbeing.

Regardless of a young persons pre-existing emotional health status, heavy social media use and low levels of physical activity are linked to worse wellbeing and self-esteem as young people get older, the report said.

A poll conducted by The Royal Childrens Hospital Melbourne in February also found that the top three concerns parents had for their children related to the internet. More than 90 percent of parents felt that their children were spending excessive amounts of time on a device and that it was a big problem.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg wrote in an op-ed in the Herald Sun that closures of schools should only be used as a last resort.

Closing schools is seeing many kids fall behind in their learning, Frydenberg said. But its going to be the mental health impacts that are more difficult to deal with.

The Victorian government has voted to pass a new mental health tax law, where businesses that pay more than $10 million in wages nationally will pay an additional tax of 0.5 percent.

The tax was a recommendation by the states mental health royal commission, which found that the system was failing patients and required a complete rebuild.

Making sure were looking after Victorians mental health makes sense on a very personal level, but also on an economic level, too, State Treasurer Tim Pallas said. This measure will save billions for our economyand most importantly, save lives.

Lifeline Australia

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Number 10 special adviser Dominic Cummings leaves his residence in London on Nov. 13, 2020. (Daniel Leal-Olivas/AFP via Getty Images)

Contract for Friends of Dominic Cummings Unlawful: Judge

The UK High Court ruled on Wednesday that the government acted unlawfully when it gave a contract to a company run by friends of Dominic Cummings, Prime Minister Boris Johnsons former chief adviser.

The Good Law Project, a campaign group, had taken legal action against Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove over the decision to pay more than 500,000 ($700,000) of taxpayers money to market research firm Public First.

Michael Gove arrives at Downing Street in London on Sept. 8, 2020. (Leon Neal/Getty Images)

The group claimed that Dominic Cummings, who was Boris Johnsons right-hand man in Downing Street at the time, wanted focus group and communications support services work to be given to the company, whose bosses were his friends.

In her ruling, Justice Finola OFarrell said the decision showed apparent bias and was unlawful, because there had been a failure to consider any other research agency.

She said that Cummingss professional and personal connections with Public First did not preclude him from making an impartial assessment.

However, the defendants failure to consider any other research agency, by reference to experience, expertise, availability, or capacity, would lead a fair-minded and informed observer to conclude that there was a real possibility, or a real danger, that the decision-maker was biased.

She said the Good Law Project was entitled to a declaration that the decision to award the contract to Public First gave rise to apparent bias and was unlawful.

In response to the ruling, the main opposition Labour Party demanded an investigation into Michael Gove.

Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner called for Boris Johnson to open an investigation into whether Gove breached the ministerial code over the decision on the contract.

But the Cabinet Office stressed that no actual bias was established in the ruling.

A spokesman said, We welcome the courts ruling that we were entitled to award the contract on grounds of extreme urgency in response to an unprecedented global pandemic.

The judgment makes clear that there was no suggestion of actual bias and that the decision to award the contract was not due to any personal or professional connections, said the Cabinet Office spokesman.

Also reacting to the ruling, Cummings said that the award of the contract without delay was entirely justified at a time when the country was facing an emergency because of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus pandemic.

He wrote on Twitter: On this basis the courts shd rule that many 2020 decisions were similarly unlawful as I & the Cabinet Secretary repeatedly told officials focus on imminent threats to lives/destructtion, not process/lawyers/Potemkin paper trails.

PA contributed to this report.
Andy Ngo, a Portland-based journalist, is seen covered in an unknown substance after Antifa extremists assaulted him in Portland, Oregon, on June 29, 2019. (Moriah Ratner/Getty Images)

DOJ Must Investigate Alleged Antifa Attack on Journalist Andy Ngo: GOP Reps

Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and other House GOP lawmakers sent a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland to demand that action be taken after Antifa rioters attacked journalist Andy Ngo, who has been largely critical of the anarcho-communist group and affiliated organizations, for the second time in recent days.

Ngo was attacked last month while he was in Portland, Oregon, he said in a Twitter thread. Ngo was covering a rally to mark the anniversary of George Floyds deathwhich sparked riots, arson incidents, and demonstrations in Portland and other U.S. cities last summer.

Jordan as well as Reps. Dan Bishop (R-N.C.), Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), Mike Johnson (R-La.), and Cliff Bentz (R-Ore.) alleged that the White House and Department of Justice (DOJ) have engaged in a tacit acceptance of left-wing political violence by not condemning or investigating attacks on Ngo and other journalists in recent years.

The letter asked Garland to provide information about the DOJs efforts to identify and prosecute individuals who were involved in assaulting Ngo and other journalists. Their letter said that such attacks are violations of journalists constitutional rights.

Leftwing political violence by radical groups like Antifa has gone on long enough. These coordinated attacks on law-abiding Americans, especially journalists like Andy Ngo, are despicable. Why is the Biden Administration allowing carnage on our streets and attacks on the First Amendment? We need immediate answers, said Bishop in a statement to Townhall.com.

Ngo, who serves as the editor for the Post Millennial website, was taken to a nearby hospital for head injuries after the assault last month. According to him, an alleged Antifa rioter who assaulted him in 2019 approached him with questions before Ngo walked away before a group of people clad in black chased him before punching him in the head and face.

Portland police officers chase demonstrators after a riot was declared in Portland, Ore., on April 12, 2021. (Nathan Howard/Getty Images)

Ngo was able to escape to a nearby hotel. Video footage released by the left-wing Willamette Week publication showed individuals dressed in all black and masks yelling Nazi scum at Ngo.

While the FBI and other top Justice Department officials have issued conflicting statements on whether Antifa is an organization or an ideology, Ngo previously told The Epoch Times sister media NTD in an interview that he believes the left-wing group is well-organized.

The notion perpetuated by corporate media, celebrities, and some elected officials that Antifa is anti-fascist protesters who oppose white supremacy and racism is mostly false, Ngo continued.

It sounds very noble and it makes people want to get on board with that, because that sounds entirely reasonable, he said. But then, as I write in my book, you dive into the ideology of Antifa. And you look at the literature, you look at the thinkers that they look up to, the texts that form the basis of tenants of their ideology. You see very clearly that these are anarchists [and] communists.

Antifa takes its name and its red and black flag from Antifaschistische Aktion, a 1920s-to-1930s Weimar Republic-era group that was started by members of the German Communist Party with ties to the Soviet Union. Various Antifa and associated black bloc groups have appeared in Europe over the years. Starting in the 1970s, some Antifa groups were founded by the Maoist Communist League of Germany.

The Epoch Times has contacted the DOJ for comment on Jordans letter.
Election Workers Set to Be Deposed in Georgia Ballot Case

Several election workers in Fulton County, Georgia, are scheduled to be deposed in the coming days in a lawsuit that alleges thousands of fraudulent ballots were scanned in Atlanta on election night in 2020.

Ruby Freeman, her daughter Wandrea Moss, Caryn Ficklin, and Keisha Dixon were served with notices to appear for depositions in the case, according to court records.

Freeman and Moss were two of the workers in the absentee ballot counting room at State Farm Arena, when ballots were processed for some time on Nov. 3, 2020, with no observers, including no state election monitor.

Freeman is scheduled to be deposed on June 11. She was advised to bring a thumb drive containing images of all communications she made between Jan. 1, 2020, and Dec. 31, 2020, regarding the presidential election, according to a court document obtained by The Epoch Times. The communications include messages sent by cellphones, through email, on Snapchat, and over Facebook.

She was also told to bring all electronic devices she utilized during the same timeframe.

Moss, who was given similar orders, is slated to appear on June 10.

Dixon helped register voters while Ficklin works for the county.

Robert Cheeley, who is representing some of the plaintiffs in the case, asked for the depositions. Cheeley didnt respond to repeated requests by The Epoch Times for comment, including a message left at his office with a secretary.

A Fulton County spokesperson declined to comment.

Our position is that thats premature. We want to get to the inspection and then well figure out who we want to depose, Garland Favorito, an election observer who is one of the petitioners, told people in an online chat over the weekend.

I think it would nail down some of the issues, some of the things that are still unanswered at State Farm Arena. I think thats [Cheeleys] intent.

Supporters of President Donald Trump protest outside State Farm Arena as ballots are counted inside, in Atlanta, on Nov. 5, 2020. (Megan Varner/Getty Images)

Petitioners in the case asserted in December 2020 that election workers failed to comply with state laws governing the treatment of absentee ballots. That failure created two classes that had two different standards when it came to mail-in ballots, they alleged.

A county official told news outlets and people in a ballot counting room at roughly 11 p.m. on election night that counting was done for the evening, but workers soon resumed processing ballots. Republican observers said they left because of the announcement and a state election monitor was absent for 82 minutes, according to Gabriel Sterling, an official with Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffenspergers office.

Sterling later said there was managerial sloppiness and chain of custody issues in the county, although county officials insisted nothing untoward happened.

Petitioners received low-resolution images of ballots in the case, but have more recently sought images that are at a quality of 600 dots per inch or higher. Henry County Superior Court Judge Brian Amero agreed to the request last month, but postponed the taking of new images after county agencies filed motions to dismiss the case.

A hearing on the motions will take place on June 21.
EpochTV Unveils New Show: Real Talk With Wayne Dupree

EpochTV is bringing the award-winning Wayne Dupree Podcast to town with exclusive and new content.

The award-winning Wayne Dupree Podcast brings us exclusive new content that reverses mainstream media lies and discusses opinions about todays news in a comprehensive, conservative, and principled fashion.

During the 2016 Republican primary, Dupree was one of the few non-mainstream voices to interview seven presidential candidates. He also grabbed five interviews with then-businessman Donald J. Trump, who he interviewed one month before he came down the escalator to tell America he was running for President.

The Wayne Dupree Show has hosted a veritable Whos Who of conservative politicians, including former President Donald Trump; Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas); Reps. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.), Louie Gohmert (R-Texas), and Jim Jordan (R-Ohio); Dr. Ben Carson; Col. Allen West; Michelle Malkin; Monica Crowley; Dinesh DSouza; and a host of other newsmakers.

His radio podcast reaches upwards of 3-5 million listeners a month through social media and podcast platforms. Wayne is dedicated to bringing disgruntled and new viewers back to the conservative blueprint other networks just wont attempt to reach.

The first episode: Get Back to Work! | Real Talk With Wayne Dupree [Trailer]

Watch the full episode here.

About Wayne Dupree

Dupree has built up a loyal following throughout social media because he refuses to sugarcoat todays news stories. He was recently given the Pioneer in New Media at the beginning of 2019 for all the work he has done within the Conservative movement as a speaker, activist, and entrepreneur over the past seven years.

Before Dupree started fighting for his country through the political spectrum, he served eight years in the United States Air Force where he received two Good Conduct Medals, Air Force Commendation Award, Air Force Achievement Medal, and an honorable discharge. He also participated in Operation Desert Storm/Desert Shield with the F-117A Stealth Fighter Unit.

Wayne continues to fight for America and spread the conservative message on a daily basis. He also shares his knowledge with up-and-coming new voices who havent had the opportunity to be heard.

Duprees show appears every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 5 p.m.exclusive on EpochTV.
Federal Court Blocks Missouri Law Banning Most Abortions

A federal court ruled against a Missouri law on June 9 that would ban most abortions from being performed in the state.

Three judges on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit upheld a lower courts 2019 decision to grant a preliminary injunction, making state officials unable to enforce the law.

Missouri has failed to demonstrate that its policy priorities outweigh (1) the public interest in access to pre-viability abortions, or (2) the significant interference with RHSs business and the harm to pregnant individuals who might seek a pre-viability abortion before final judgment in this case, the panel said.

The law in question would bar women from terminating pregnancies at eight weeks or later, and prevent women from aborting an unborn baby because of the detection of Down syndrome. It would also open up physicians who performed abortions after eight weeks to time in prison.

U.S. District Judge Howard Sachs, a Jimmy Carter appointee, paused the law two years ago as a legal battle over it played out, saying that Reproductive Health Services of Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region, or RHS, would likely succeed in its lawsuit against the law.

The state appealed, arguing the decision was the wrong one.

That led to the panel ruling on June 9.

David Eisenberg (C), medical director for Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region, speaks alongside pro-choice supporters as they hold a rally outside the Planned Parenthood Reproductive Health Services Center, the last location in the state performing abortions, in St. Louis, on, May 31, 2019. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)

We find no error in the district courts conclusion that the balance of the equities favors injunctive relief, the panel wrote.

The panel consisted of U.S. Circuit Court Judges Jane Kelly, an Barack Obama appointee; Roger Wollman, a Ronald Reagan appointee; and David Stras, a Donald Trump appointee.

Stras concurred with the judgment in part, but dissented in part. He argued that the court relaxed its rules to let RHS have a preliminary injunction despite the clinics failure to show a threat of irreparable harm from Missouris Down Syndrome Provision.

Yamelsie Rodriguez, president and CEO of RHS, called the ruling a critical victory for Missourians.

At a time when Gov. [Mike] Parson and anti-abortion politicians continue their relentless attacks on reproductive health care, our rights often come down to one court decision at a time, Rodriguez said in a statement. For now, we celebrate our continued ability to provide safe, legal abortion at the last remaining clinic in Missouri.

Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt, a Republican, told news outlets in a statement that he will appeal to the Supreme Court.

My son Stephen has shown me the inherent beauty and dignity in all life, especially those with special needs, Schmitt said. While were disappointed in the Eighth Circuits decision, their decision does provide an avenue for this case to be heard by the Supreme Court, and we plan to seek review in the Supreme Court. I have never and will never stop fighting to ensure that all life is protected.
Martin Winterkorn, former CEO of the German car manufacturer Volkswagen, in Munich, Germany, on Nov. 30, 2018. (Matthias Schrader/AP Photo)

Former VW Boss to Pay Firm $13 Million Over Diesel Scandal

FRANKFURT, GermanyFormer Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn has agreed to pay 11.2 million euros ($13.6 million) in compensation for what the company called his failure to quickly get to the bottom of the 2015 scandal over diesel engines rigged to cheat on emissions tests, the company said Wednesday.

Winterkorns payment is his share of an overall 288 million-euro settlement with Volkswagen by him and three other former managers.

Volkswagen said it would get 270 million euros ($329 million) from liability insurance against loss from the actions of directors and officers.

Rupert Stadler, former head of the Audi luxury car division, would pay 4.1 million euros; former Audi executive Stefan Knirsch 1 million euros; and former Porsche executive Wolfgang Hatz 1.5 million euros. Porsche is a part of the Volkswagen Group.

More than 30 insurers were also involved in the talks, the dpa news agency reported. The settlement must be approved by the companys annual shareholder meeting on July 22.

The company said in a statement that Winterkorn breached his duties of care as CEO, based on an extensive investigation by a law firm commissioned by the company.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency caught Volkswagen using software that let the cars pass emissions tests and then turned off air pollution controls during normal driving. Winterkorn, who has denied wrongdoing, resigned a few days after the Sept. 18, 2015 notice of violation from the EPA. Volkswagen has apologized and paid more than 31 billion euros in fines, recall costs, and compensation to car owners.

U.S. environmental regulators were alerted to the emissions problems in May 2014 by a study from the West Virginia Universitys Center for Alternative Fuels, Engines & Emissions. Volkswagen, however, continued to assert that the increased emissions came from technical issues, not illegal software.

The investigation found that from July 27, 2015, Winterkorn failed to comprehensively and promptly clarify the circumstance behind the use of unlawful software functions in 2.0-liter diesel engines sold in the United States from 2009 to 2015.

The company said Winterkorn also failed to ensure that the company answered questions from U.S. regulators truthfully, completely, and without delay.

Separately, prosecutors in Berlin said Wednesday they had charged Winterkorn with making false statements to a parliamentary committee looking into the emissions issue. Their statement said Winterkorn falsely stated that he learned of the illegal software only in September, 2015, instead of in May, 2015.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-10 03:56:14|Editor: huaxia

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UNITED NATIONS, June 9 (Xinhua) -- Relief operations in Ethiopia's northernmost Tigray region are in a catastrophic, dire situation with workers attacked, blocked, supplies and equipment looted and even harvests stolen or torched, UN humanitarians said on Wednesday.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has reported incidents of denial of humanitarian movement, interrogation, assault and detention of humanitarian workers at military checkpoints.

"Several areas in the region remain inaccessible," the humanitarian office said. "Of the accessible areas, the situation is dire, including dysfunctional water systems and limited or no health facilities. Levels of food insecurity and malnutrition are at alarming levels."

Preliminary field reports from Axum and Adwa in the Central zone indicate visible signs of starvation among internally displaced people, it said.

"Our humanitarian colleagues warn that partners received worrying information that the government has instructed to proceed with relocating internally displaced people to their areas of origin," said Stephane Dujarric, the chief spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

"In a community in the northwestern zone of Tigray, aid workers noted a severe need for food, after the burning or looting of harvests," Dujarric said. "It's hard to imagine people burning and looting harvest."

"The humanitarian situation remains catastrophic," he said.

Humanitarian partners continue to scale up the response as quickly as possible, despite the challenges, OCHA said. More than 560,000 people were reached with food assistance last week.

While humanitarians have reached more than 3.3 million since late March, the target is 5.2 million people.

"We continue to call for safe, unimpeded and sustained access to scale up the humanitarian response to help all people in need," OCHA said. "More funding is urgently needed for operations." Enditem
Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) asks questions during a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing to discuss election security and the 2020 election process in Washington on Dec. 16, 2020. (Greg Nash-Pool/Getty Images)

GOP Senators Slow Bidens OPM Nominee Confirmation Over Critical Race Theory

Republicans on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affair Committee are delaying the confirmation of Kiran Ahuja, President Joe Bidens nominee for director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), citing her support for critical race theory (CRT) training and her stance on abortion.

Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), has been the most vocal about opposing Ahujas nomination because of her support for CRT-type training, which Hawley and other Republicans say are divisive. The opposition from the GOP senators has slowed the confirmation process, which will now require a debate of her nomination on the Senate floor.

Proponents of CRT say it seeks to undo systemic racism in the United States while opponents of the quasi-Marxist theory say it promotes anti-American values and is divisive.

Kelli Ford, Hawleys communications director, on Tuesday said Ahujas nomination merits scrutiny.

Biden OPM pick Kiran Ahujas history promoting radical critical race theorist merits scrutiny, especially in light of her nomination to a role that would allow her to reinstate race-based training sessions throughout the entire federal government, Ford said in a statement on Twitter.

Meanwhile, the White House defended Ahujas nomination.

Kiran Ahuja is a qualified, experienced, and dedicated public servant who we are looking forward to leading the Office of Personnel Management in its work protecting the safety of the workforce, empowering federal employees, and building a federal workforce that looks like America, White House deputy press secretary Chris Meagher told CNN.

The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee advanced Ahujas nomination by a slim 7-5 vote along party lines in late April, with no GOP members voting for her. Ranking Member Rob Portman (R-Ohio) said he is concerned about her support for CRT and her support for the federal government funding abortions.

Our goal should be to promote healing and equality of opportunity, and I believe diversity and inclusion in our workforce are very important, but we need to approach those goals in a way that promotes teamwork and empowering people. And in her role as the leader on government employee benefits, including health care, Im also concerned about her previous advocacy for ending the Hyde Amendment, Portman said.

If Ahuja is confirmed to lead the OPM, she would have the power to decide human resource initiatives and personnel policy for thousands of federal employees, including requiring CRT-type training.

During the April confirmation hearing for Ahuja, Hawley expressed concerns about her past advocacy of the writings of Dr. Ibram X. Kendi, an antiracist activist and advocate for the CRT model.

Kendi, in a September 2020 interview with The Atlantic, said if CRT and the teaching of what really happened in history cause people to hate the United States, then so be it.

We need to rid the country of those racist policies structures and systems and replace them with more anti-racist policies and structures and systems. In other words, it is not enough to just be aware, we must then take action so that we can transform this country, Kendi told The Atlantic.

During the confirmation hearing in April, Hawley pressed Ahuja on her views on training based on CRT, and at one point asked the nominee if she agreed with Kendi that the election of former President Donald Trump was racist progress and if she views the United States as a systemically racist country.

I do understand the role of this position, I very much take that very seriously and upholding merit system principles, I also understand the value of, no one should be discriminated based on their race, I was a former civil rights lawyer and I take that very seriously. I think we all uphold what Martin Luther King Jr. said which is we should be judged by the content of our character, and not the color of our skin, and thats the approach that Ive taken, she replied.

According to Legal Insurrection Foundations criticalrace.org website, which advocates for the teaching of CRT, they say that this model is not based on the traditional civil rights movement which sought to provide equal opportunity and dignity without regard to race but rather an outgrowth of European Marxist theory.

CRT, and the training to implement it is a radical ideology that focuses on race as the key to understanding society, and objectifies people based on race, it states.
Police Suppress Student Protests in China

Virus cases are surging in China, but authorities are opting to suspend vaccinations there, as questions rise over the efficacy of Chinese-made vaccines.

Short incubation period, rapid transmission, and a high viral loadone expert explains the traits hes most concerned about regarding the virus variant spreading in a southern Chinese city.

A rare clash between students and police strikes multiple Chinese universities. To their surprise, the demonstration proved effective.

Apple aims to increase privacy for iPhone usersbut not in China. The move marks Apples latest compromise in order to maintain its services in China.

The White House launches a task force to boost domestic supply chains. The effort to increase U.S. production seeks to make the country more competitive against China.

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People in Guangzhou city line up to take the COVID-19 test and get vaccinated in Guangdong, China, on May 25, 2021. (The Epoch Times)

Guangzhous Recent Outbreak Brings Renewed Attention to Effectiveness of CCP Vaccines

Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong, a province in southern China, was reported to be severely affected by the Indian variant of the CCP virus. More than 60 percent of its residents have already been vaccinated, yet Guangzhou remains a hotbed for the virus, which has raised questions about the vaccines effectiveness.

On June 5, seven cities including Zhuhai, Zhongshan, Dongguan, Shenzhen, Huizhou, Qingyuan, and Shaoguan dispatched 5,600 medical staff to support Guangzhou, despite there already being more than 170,000 medical staff in Guangzhou by the end of 2020. This raised suspicion that the actual epidemic situation may be much more serious than what the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) reported.

On June 3, an audio recording of a Guangzhou doctor went viral on Twitter. The doctor said: Guangzhou and Foshan have basically been impacted, just not locked down yet  at least 200 confirmed cases daily, and 30 percent of them were asymptomatic cases. The second batch of nurses have been dispatched to support Guangzhouthe first batch was exhausted. The most horrifying thing is that most are asymptomatic cases.

The doctor said, if you just met those strangers (carriers) in the past few days, or you had close contact with them  6 feet away [with only] contact by air, you will have no symptoms.

Using Big Data to Track Close Contacts

As the outbreak of the CCP virus in Guangzhou spreads, the local CCP authorities are using big data to locate close contacts of infected patients.

A person infected with the CCP virus dined at Ying Feng restaurant on May 30. Upon his testing positive for the virus, the authorities quickly identified customers who had gone to the restaurant for either take-out or dining-in during the same time period. All of the close contacts, as well as their families, were sent to local hotels for isolation.

A family member of a close contact, under the pseudonym Tang Ming, is a resident of Guangzhous Haizhu district. He is currently being quarantined at the Rosedale Hotel & Suite.

All people who appeared within about a 1-mile radius around that restaurant during that period of time were quarantined together, with no one escaping from it, Tang told The Epoch Times.

Staff are waiting to check peoples entering permit, screen their body temperature, and scan their health codes at the entrance of a residential compound in Jilin city, China, on May 25, 2020. (STR/AFP via Getty Images)

How did the authorities find the close contacts?

According to what the local authorities said, as long as you have a mobile phone, which has information about your location, the big data authorities can request your data from the mobile phone companies. All those who were there during the requested time frame are located. If you didnt take your mobile phone to the restaurant, you wont be tracked, Tang said.

Mobile phones within the range of a base transceiver station automatically send signals to the station, which is how the mobile phones location data are recorded.

The CCPs big data is very scary to those who understand it, because it closely monitors every citizen and turns the whole country into a big prison. Everyones privacy is openly exposed for the authorities to see.

In the domestic arena, the Chinese Communist Partys objective is to leverage big data analytic capabilities to strictly and comprehensively monitor and control Chinas population, according to a September 2020 report (pdf) called Chinese Views of Big Data Analytics by RAND Corporation, a U.S. think tank.

In China, The MPS [Ministry of Public Security] is exploiting new data sets that it plans to centralize in a police cloud, RANDs report states.

Human Rights Watch reveals in its multiple reports that the CCPs big data system is used to monitor and track dissidents, human rights activists, religious groups, and small ethnic groups.

Guangzhou Authorities Halt Vaccinations

In the past several days, the pandemic in Guangdong has reportedly been deteriorating, but many people who have been vaccinated locally are still testing positive for the virus.

Li Ming, deputy mayor of Guangzhou, announced an abrupt halt to vaccinations at a press conference held by the local government on May 31.

According to Li, the local governments current focus is swab testing. Administering vaccinations was stopped due to overcrowding at the vaccination sites, which she believes could be potential sources of infections.

In fact, by the end of May, more than 60 percent of Guangzhous residents had been vaccinated. Therefore, the resurgence of the outbreak has people wondering if there is something wrong with the vaccine.

Shao Yiming, a researcher at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CCDC), told Chinese media on June 7 that current Chinese domestic vaccines are not for preventing infections.

According to Shao, vaccines are divided into three levels of protection. The primary level is for prevention of infection, which is the most desirable level. The secondary level is for prevention of symptom development, or so that minor illnesses do not become serious or even develop into death. The tertiary level is for prevention of transmission, meaning that even if someone is infected with minor symptoms, it is difficult to transmit the virus to other people because there is only a small amount of virus in the body.

He said Chinese vaccines are designed for the secondary level. The effective rate of prevention is against flare-ups, not for prevention of infection. Thats why some people are likely infected (by the virus) even after receiving the jabs, Shao said.

Forced Quarantine

Tang recalled the moment when he was notified by the authorities to quarantine.

Tang said he suddenly received a flood of calls from his local community office and local epidemic office.

His first thought was that these are just scammers.

He did not think that hed be infected because his routine had been just going back and forth from office to home. He felt very confident and said, I have never been to (Yingfeng Restaurant). However, little did he know that his family had been there.

Tang joked that he had been very active in getting vaccinated and performing nucleic acid tests, but he did not expect to be implicated by his family.

Tang entered quarantine on June 5.
Hospital Suspends 178 Workers for Not Complying With COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate

A hospital system in Texas has suspended workers who didnt get a COVID-19 vaccine.

The Houston Methodist hospital system on April 1 informed employees that they would be required to get a vaccine on or before June 7 or submit documentation for an exemption.

Exemptions would be based only on a medical condition such as pregnancy deferment or sincerely held religious beliefs.

As of June 8, 24,947 workers had chosen to become fully vaccinated against the CCP virus, according to Marc Boom, CEO of the system.

He told employees in an internal memo obtained by The Epoch Times that 178 workers either didnt get fully vaccinated or didnt get vaccinated at all.

The small percentage of employees who did not comply with the policy are now suspended without pay for the next 14 days, he wrote, adding that those workers have decided not to put their patients first.

According to the April 1 memo that was sent to employees in the hospital system, the suspended workers would be fired if they werent fully vaccinated by the end of the suspension period.

Another 285 employees received a medical or religious exemption, while 332 were granted deferrals for pregnancy or other reasons.

In the June 8 memo, Boom told the workers who have been vaccinated that he was proud of them.

You did the right thing. You protected our patients, your colleagues, your families, and our community. The science proves that the vaccines are not only safe, but necessary if we are going to turn the corner against COVID-19, he wrote.

To those sad about losing a colleague whos decided not to get vaccinated, he said, we only wish them well and thank them for their past service to our community, and we must respect the decision they made.

Filled vials wait to be distributed ahead of a COVID-19 vaccine clinic in Houston, Texas, on May 13, 2021. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)

Since I announced this mandate in April, Houston Methodist has been challenged by the media, some outspoken employees and even sued. As the first hospital system to mandate COVID-19 vaccines we were prepared for this. The criticism is sometimes the price we pay for leading medicine. As of today, several other major health care centers have followed our lead and have announced their own vaccine mandates, with many more to follow soon, Boom continued in his memo.

The system has received strong pushback for its mandate. Over 100 employees last month joined together to file a lawsuit, arguing that the system was forcing its employees to be human guinea pigs as a condition for continued employment.

The plaintiffs noted that the three COVID-19 vaccines currently being administered in the United States have received emergency use authorization (EUA), but none have been approved by U.S. drug regulators.

Plaintiffs asked the District Court in Montgomery County to block the system from terminating plaintiffs if they refuse to get a vaccine and to declare the mandate invalid.

The system in response said that its legal for health care institutions to mandate vaccines, noting that it has mandated flu vaccines since 2009.

The suspensions were able to happen after U.S. District Judge Lynn Hughes, a Reagan appointee, denied a request for a temporary restraining order after the case was moved to district court from Montgomery County court. The hospital system later filed a motion to dismiss. A hearing on that motion is set for June 11.

A federal agency said recently that businesses can require employees to get a vaccine without violating federal laws but that employers must provide reasonable accommodations for workers who cant or wont get vaccinated due to religious reasons, pregnancy, or a disability.

Mathew Staver, chairman of Liberty Counsel, a Christian group that represents a variety of clients, has a different view. He told The Epoch Times that a business requiring vaccines is clearly illegal.

Federal law specifically says that no one can be coerced or forced to get one of these EUA-authorized drugs, which means that its under an EUA because we dont have enough data regarding safety, he said. Were seeing a lot of alarming information with regards to deaths and adverse injuries as a result of one of these COVID shots, so it is completely illegal, in my view, under the federal law and under employment law, and in this case, under the law in the state where this hospital is in, Texas, to force the employees to get this shot.

Requiring the vaccine opens up employers to liability if an employee gets a shot and suffers an adverse reaction or death, he said.

Federal officials say only a small percentage of those who have received a vaccination in the United States have suffered an adverse reaction, with some ultimately dying, and that there is no evidence at this time linking the adverse reactions to the vaccines.

Earlier this week, one of the nurses suing Houston Methodist led a walkout as she completed her shift.

Supporters met the group and cheered them.

Were all suspended right now, nurse Jennifer Bridges told KTRK. Were supposed to meet with a federal judge this week so he can choose to let us go back to work.

Editors Note: This article has been updated with comments from Liberty Counsels Matthew Staver and updated information about the court case.
In-Person Visits Resume Only for Vaccinated Missouri Prisoners

In-person visitation for inmates at Missouri state prisons has resumed for the first time this year. COVID-19 policies suspended in-house visits at the start of the pandemic. These restrictions were lifted in select locations last June, but as cold & flu season returned, they were once again put in place.

Now, due to availability of the vaccine, and the Missouri Department of Corrections goal to safely re-open, vaccinated inmates are once again being allowed to see loved ones for in-person visits. A few other states are also resuming in-person visitation, but restricting prisoners who abstain from getting vaccinated is a state policy that has not been adopted everywhere.

The Epoch Times was able to interview the Communications Director for the Missouri Department of Corrections, Karen Pojman. She specifically noted a focus on gradually reopening with safety in mind. The idea is to reduce risk as much as possible while reopening and see how things evolve in the community.

When asked if this policy was made to encourage inmates to get the vaccine, she reported that roughly 57 percent of inmates have chosen to get the shot and that, Its been a long time since they (inmates) have seen their families, and so, People were motivated to get the vaccine and see their families sooner rather than later.

Incentives to get the vaccine have been rolled out across the country. Businesses are offering free items, events, tickets, college scholarships, lottery cash prizes, and more to encourage vaccination. The Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board has allowed a Joints for Jabs promotion which gives out a free marijuana joint to adults who receive the shot at an in-store vaccination clinic.

These promotions are all voluntary, and do not keep unvaccinated individuals from seeing their loved ones. Regardless of the Missouri Department of Corrections policy, withholding in-person visits from inmates to encourage vaccination is not something that every state has implemented.

Select Pennsylvania prisons have already allowed in-person visits regardless of vaccination status. Masks are required, as are temperature screenings and a COVID-19 questionnaire, but there is no differentiation between vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals at these facilities.

The Wisconsin Department of Corrections is taking this routeresuming in-person visits next monthwithout a requirement to become vaccinated. Like Pennsylvanias policies, masks are required, but inmates are allowed brief hugs, up to 3 approved visitors, and the rules clearly state that the Vaccination status of an individual will not alter any of these rules or guidelines.

News reports that Iowa and South Carolina prisons will be allowing in-person visits soon have been circulated, but so far their websites have not been updated to reflect this information. As the country re-opens, inmates and their families have spent monthsif not the entire pandemicseparated. Reopening rules which require a vaccine in order to resume in-person visits at state prisons are being received with mixed reviews.

A former inmate of the Wisconsin Department of Corrections, now residing in Missouri, (who asked to remain anonymous) reacted to news of the recent policy, While I understand the desire to open up as quickly as possible, I think its an absolute abuse of authority to hold prisoners visitation rights hostage. We are talking about a vaccine that is relatively untested, and, last time I checked, prisoners are not lab rats. This isnt Nazi Germany.

He went on to state, Inmates are already subjected to subpar food, dental, and medical treatment. Whos to say they arent getting an off-brand version of the vax that will have them growing arms out of their stomachs?

These concerns have been expressed by some members of the medical community as well. A coalition of medical professionals, known as Americas Frontline Doctors, have openly questioned the COVID-19 vaccine throughout the pandemic and claim to have been censored. Organized by Dr. Simone Gold, their mission statement declares, The doctor-patient relationship is being threatened. That means quality patient care is under fire like never before. Powerful interests are undermining the effective practice of medicine with politicized science and biased information. Now more than ever, patients need access to independent, evidence-based information to make the best decisions for their healthcare. Doctors must have the independence to care for their patients without interference from government, media and the medical establishment.

As unvaccinated inmates are required to remain isolated while those who get the shot are afforded more freedoms, this policy raises more questions.

When asked about allowing unvaccinated prisoners the right to in-person visits, Pojman said, We dont really have a timeline yet. The Missouri Department of Corrections is taking time to monitor rates and go from there.

So far, she has found that at this point, we have very few cases and the majority of cases are at intake facilities. It was also noted that of 23,000 inmates, 20 people were infected the last time she was updated.

Without a start date determined to allow unvaccinated prisoners in-person visits again, their isolation continues across Missouri. Regardless, each state is setting its own rules for re-opening procedures and that includes how prison visits are handled.
Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau holds a weapon in Nigeria in this still image taken from an undated video obtained on Jan. 15, 2018. (Boko Haram Handout/Sahara Reporters via Reuters)

ISIS-linked Group Says Boko Haram Leader in Nigeria Is Dead

MAIDUGURI, NigeriaThe leader of Nigerian extremist group Boko Haram, Abubakar Shekau, has killed himself, according to a jihadi organization linked to the ISIS terrorist group.

An audio recording purportedly from Abu Musab al-Barnawi, the leader of the ISIS West Africa Province, or ISWAP, said Shekau detonated explosives killing himself after a battle between the two groups.

The audio message follows media reports last month that Shekau, one of Africas most wanted men, blew himself up to evade capture by ISWAP fighters.

Neither Nigerian authorities nor Boko Haram have confirmed Shekaus death.

There had been several false reports about Shekaus death in the past, with Shekau later appearing in videos to refute them.

Al-Barnawi, a son to the founding leader of Boko Haram, the late Mohammed Yusuf, made the statement in an audio message heard this week by The Associated Press in the native Kanuri language.

The audio message, which last about 28 minutes, had what is reportedly al-Barnawis voice, lacing his speech with quotes from the verses of the Quran. The audio was obtained from a former jihadist who provides intelligence to the government and is familiar with al-Barnawis voice.

He never thought this would happen to him even in his dream, but by the power of God we destabilized him; he became confused and fled to forest where he spent five days, wandering and stranded, he said. We followed him again where we faced him with heavy fire. He ran away, then our troops called on him to surrender so that he would be punished.

Shekau was asked to surrender in order to be pardoned or reinstalled as a leader.

We kept assuring him that we were not out to kill him, but he refused. To him its better to die than to surrender, he said.

He went out to describe Shekau as a defiant and corrupt leader whose fighters were celebrating instead of mourning his death.

This was someone who committed unimaginable terrorism. How many has he wasted? How many has he killed? How many has he terrorized? he said.

ISWAP broke off from Boko Haram in 2016 following a dispute between Shekau and al-Barnawi. Both jihadi groups have also been fighting each other over the territory since they fell out.

The Nigeria-based Boko Haram has been waging a bitter war against Nigeria, Cameroon, Niger, and Chad since 2009.

Boko Haram under Shekaus leadership has carried out numerous suicide bombings targeting markets, crowded bus stations, churches, mosques, and media houses. A Boko Haram bombing in 2011 at the UN building in Nigerias capital, Abuja, killed 21 people and wounded 60 others.

Boko Haram attacks on towns and villages mainly in northeast Nigeria have left tens of thousands of people dead and displaced more than 2.3 million others.

In February 2014, Boko Haram killed 59 male students in an attack at the Federal Government College Buni Yadi. Two months later, the group shocked the world when it abducted 276 teenage schoolgirls from the Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State. Shekau appeared in a video saying that the girls would be forced into marriage because girls as young as 9 are suitable for marriage. While many of the girls have either escaped or been released, 112 of them are still missing.

The Boko Haram leader was notorious for using underage boys as child soldiers, while underage girls and young women have been used as suicide bombers in recent years.

Some gruesome Boko Haram videos have shown captives, including security personnel, aid workers, and others, executedsometimes by beheading.

Shekau had bounties on his head, with a reward of up to $7 million offered by the United States in 2012.

If indeed Shekau, the driving force behind Boko Haram, has died, that will likely weaken Boko Haram and make it possible for ISWAP to take over vast territories under Boko Haram control in Nigerias northeastern states of Yobe, Borno, and Adamawa.

A stronger ISWAP will be bad news for the Nigerian military, as the group appears to constitute a greater threat against the Nigerian army, carrying out attacks on highly fortified military bases.

Many attribute ISWAPs recent successes to new tactics of buying over the local population with food and money.
A poll worker sits outside of the polling station in Saint Aloysius in Jersey City, N.J., on July 7, 2020. (David Dee Delgado/Getty Images)

Jack Ciattarelli Wins NJ Republican Gubernatorial Primary

Former New Jersey Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli won the states Republican gubernatorial primary on June 8. He will face Gov. Phil Murphy, a first-term Democrat, in the general election in November.

Ciattarelli defeated former Somerset County Freeholder Brian Levine, pastor Phil Rizzo, and businessman and perennial candidate Hirsh Singh. With 99 percent of the precincts reporting, Ciattarelli collected 49.6 percent of the vote, compared to 25.8 percent for Rizzo and 21.5 percent for Singh.

Ciattarelli, 59, served in the state legislature from 2011 to 2018. He was defeated in the 2017 GOP gubernatorial primary to then-Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno, who went on to lose to Murphy in the general election.

On the campaign trail, Ciattarelli called Murphy an extremist on the abortion issue, and called on the states legislature to rein in the governors executive powers.

Make no mistake, Phil Murphy has no problem hijacking our democracy and wielding the power of a king while making unilateral decisions without any regard to whom he is impacting, Ciattarelli said in a statement. It is the job of the legislature on both sides of the aisle to end the insanity in Trenton.

Murphys campaign has criticized Ciattarelli as a longtime political insider and a cheerleader for former Gov. Chris Christie, a Republican.

While the Assemblyman is hoping to rebrand himself as an outsider, hes nothing more than an establishment politician who enabled the disastrous Christie agenda and has spent his entire career putting special interests ahead of New Jersey valueswith a long career like that, no wonder he wants to hide it, Murphys campaign spokesman, Jerrel Harvey, said in a statement last month.

Ciattarelli raised more than $6.8 million for his campaign, 10 times more than the next GOP candidate in terms of fundraising. He received the endorsements of former Gov. Donald DiFrancesco, a Republican, and all 21 of New Jerseys county Republican organizations.
Kamala Harris, Under Pressure to Visit Southern Border, Says Shell Make the Trip At Some Point

Vice President Kamala Harris, facing mounting pressure to visit the U.S.-Mexico border amid the surge in illegal immigration, said Tuesday that shell make the trip at some point.

Harris, who is fresh off a two-day visit to Guatemala and Mexico, has sought to deflect criticism that she has not yet made an in-person visit to the southern border despite being tasked by President Joe Biden in March to lead efforts to address the border crisis.

On Monday, she downplayed visiting the border region as an insignificant grand gesture, before telling reporters in Mexico City on Tuesday that shell eventually make the trip.

Ive been to the border before, I will go again, Harris said, adding that the focus of her trip to Central America is to address the root causes driving people in the region to leave their homes and seek entry into the United States.

You cant say you care about the border without caring about the root causes, Harris said, while questioning the utility of visiting the border by saying, I dont think that anybody thinks that that would be the solution.

But when Im in Guatemala dealing with root causes, I think we should have a conversation about whats going on in Guatemala, Harris added.

Her grand gesture remark was met with a swift response from Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas), who in a Tuesday tweet said, Visiting our border is NOT a grand gesture. It means seeing communities that are hurting because of the White Houses absentee leadership.

Republicans have long criticized Harris for not visiting the border. The governor of Texas, a state that has been deeply impacted by illegal immigration, sent a letter (pdf) to Harris in March, shortly after she was tasked with addressing the border surge. Calling her the Border Czar in charge of the Biden administrations response to the crisis, he called on Harris to clarify what was being done to curb the flow of illegal immigrants into the country and to prosecute human traffickers, while taking aim at policies that he said, embolden and enrich cartels, smugglers, and human traffickers who continue to ramp up their criminal operations.

I urge you to visit the border to see the crisis for yourself, and I implore the Biden administration to take swift action to secure the border, crack down on human trafficking, and prevent more children from being trafficked and abused, Abbott said in a statement at the time.

In an interview on NBC News that aired Tuesday, Harris was asked about the criticism, with NBCs Lester Holt asking her, do you have any plans to visit the border?

At some point, you know, we are going to the border. Weve been to the border. So this whole  this whole thing about the border. Weve been to the border, Harris said.

When Holt called out the inaccuracy, saying, you havent been to the border, Harris responded by saying, and I havent been to Europe. And I mean  I dont understand the point that youre making. Im not discounting the importance of the border.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki was on Tuesday asked to address Harris grand gesture comment.

At some point, she may go to the border, Psaki said, adding, I dont have any trips to preview for you or predict or a timeline for that.

Her assignment was to work with countries and leaders in the Northern Triangle [Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador] to address root causes, address corruption, [and] ensure were working together to address humanitarian concerns, she added.

Psaki also said the Biden administration doesnt want advice from Republicans on the border crisis.

Were not taking our guidance and advice from them, Psaki said. But if it is constructive and it moves the ball forward for her to visit the border, she certainly may do that.
A 2.83-meter (9.3-foot) original replica of the Statue of Liberty is seen in front of the Musee des Arts et Metiers in Paris, France, on June 2, 2021. (Noemie Olive/Reuters)

Lady Libertys Little Sister Sets Off for US

PARISA scaled-down replica of the Statue of Liberty began its trip from France to the United States on the back of a flat-bed truck on Monday, retracing the journey made over a century ago by its big sister, which now looks out over New York Harbor.

The replica, which stands at 2.83 meters (9.3 ft) tall, is being loaned by a Paris museum to the United States for 10 years to cement Franco-American friendship.

On Monday, workmen used a crane to gently lift the statue off its plinth in Paris. They then laid it on its back on the back of a truck, covered with plastic film for protection and wedged in with foam blocks.

A 2.83-meter (9.3 foot) original replica of the Statue of Liberty is lifted by a crane from outside the Musee des Arts et Metiers in Paris, France, on June 7, 2021. (Noemie Olive/Reuters)

Once in the United States, it will go on display in Washington.

Franco-American friendship will be marked under the sign of liberty, said Olivier Faron, general administrator of Conservatoire National des Arts et Metiers, the institution which oversees the museum. A new era in relations between France and the United States will open up, thats what we want.

The larger version of the Statue of Liberty was given by France to the United States as a gift, and was completed and assembled in 1886.

The smaller replica was designed in 1878 by Frederic Auguste Bartholdi, the same sculptor whowith help from engineer Gustave Eiffelcreated the larger version now in New York.
Students are standing behind the post which wrote their vows to protest for democracy by hunger strike at Tiananmen Square of Beijing, China, in June 1989. (Provided by Liu Jian/The Epoch Times)

Lesson of Tiananmen Square Not Learned

Communist Chinas move toward democracy was not 'inexorable'

Commentary

Today is the anniversary of Chinas brutal crackdown in Tiananmen Square, tweeted Joe Biden back in 2019. Authorities tried to stop peaceful calls for political change with rifles & tanks. The courage of the Tiananmen generation hasnt been silenced & still inspires the fight for freedom and justice worldwide. And the former vice president wasnt done.

Chinas continuing oppression of its own people, especially the abuse and internment of more than one million Uyghurs, is one of the worst human rights crises in the world today. It cant be ignored. Human rights must be at the corenot peripheryof our engagement in the world. Twitter followers had cause to wonder if the Delaware Democrat meant what he said.

China is going to eat our lunch? Come on, man, the former vice president said in May 2019, during an Iowa campaign rally. I mean, you know, theyre not bad folks, folks. But guess what? Theyre not competition for us.

In a June 3, 2020 statement, Bidens primary target was then President Donald Trump, accused of sowing hate and division. On Tiananmen Square, where China killed by some estimates more than 10,000 peaceful protesters, Biden called for recommitting to the universal struggle for human dignitynot quite the same as calling out China for brutal oppression and human rights violations. Those who wonder about Bidens words might compare them with his actions.

A life-size sculpture of Tank Man stands beside the numbers 6 and 4, representing June 4, and a miniature sculpture of Tiananmen Rostrum, on display at Liberty Sculpture Park in the Mojave desert town of Yermo, Calif., on June 1, 2021. (Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images)

In November 1989, less than six months after the Tiananmen massacre, Sen. Biden voted against strong sanctions on Communist China. In 1998, with the United States again poised to enact sanctions, Biden was part of a group of 10 senators opposed to the measures. We are all for human rights, the senators letter read, but human rights were to be achieved through engagement.

In May 2011, Biden said he believed that protecting fundamental rights and freedoms such as those enshrined in Chinas international commitments as well as in Chinas own constitution is the best way to promote long term stability and prosperityof any society. The vice president didnt specify the fundamental rights and freedoms in Chinas constitution, and his statement offered no criticism of the Communist regime.

Bidens approach of upholding human rights through engagement differs little from George H.W. Bush, president at the time of the Tiananmen massacre. Bush wanted a measured response and contended that if people have commercial incentives, whether its China or in other totalitarian systems, the move towards democracy becomes inexorable.

During the Great Leap Forward and Cultural Revolution, the Chinese Communist regime murdered more than 60 million people, according to The Black Book of Communism: Crimes, Terror, Repression, far surpassing the toll of Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin. After Tiananmen Square added to that toll, Sen. Dianne Feinstein sought to create a commission that would trace human rights in the United States and China and point out the success and failuresboth Tiananmen Square and Kent State. For the Los Angeles Times, that was an Invalid Equation.

At Kent State in 1970, badly trained National Guardsmen fired at and killed four anti-Vietnam War protesters. At Tiananmen Square in 1989, the regime used crushing force to kill hundreds who were peacefully challenging its claim to exercise total power over all of Chinese life. According to the Times, both incidents can be characterized as human rights abuses, but only in the sense that a fender scraped in a parking lot and a multi-fatality freeway crash are both auto accidents. For the United States after Tiananmen Square, sanctions were not the only option.

The Bush administration could have demanded a full accounting of the mass murder, with punishment of those responsible. The United States and democratic allies could have demanded free multi-party elections, under international supervision, as a condition of improved relations. Instead, the United States brought China into the World Trade Organization in 1999.

In 2001, President George W. Bush signed a proclamation granting permanent normal trading relations (PNTR) status to the Peoples Republic of China  the final step in normalizing U.S.-China trade relations and welcoming China into a global, rules-based trading system. The agreement terminated the application to China of the Jackson-Vanik provisions, which had pressured the Soviet Union on human rights.

President Ronald Reagan addresses the people of West Berlin at the base of the Brandenburg Gate on June 12, 1987. Tear down this wall! was the famous command Reagan to Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. The address is considered by many to have affirmed the beginning of the end of the Cold War and the fall of communism. (Mike Sargent/AFP via Getty Images)

President Ronald Reagan called the USSR an evil empire, and challenged Soviet boss Mikhail Gorbachev to tear down this wall. No American president has thrown down with China in similar style. China remains a totalitarian Communist dictatorship, more repressive than it was in 1989, but enjoying privileged status in the United States.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein considers a Communist dictatorship the moral equal of the United States, a constitutional democracy. Joe Biden proclaims that the Chinese Communists are not bad folks and not even competition for the United States. Contrary to President George H.W. Bush, what might be inexorable is not Chinas move toward democracy.

What might be inexorable is Americas move toward a one-party state, with the nations history and democratic tradition vilified, free speech under fire, dissent criminalized, and thousands of American troops deployed against the American people.

Lloyd Billingsley is the author of Yes I Con: United Fakes of America, Barack em Up: A Literary Investigation, Hollywood Party, and other books. His articles have appeared in many publications, including Frontpage Magazine, City Journal, The Wall Street Journal, and American Greatness. Billingsley serves as a policy fellow with the Independent Institute.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-10 04:31:14|Editor: huaxia

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BAGHDAD, June 9 (Xinhua) -- At least three Katyusha rockets on Wednesday struck an Iraqi military airbase in Salahudin province, north of the capital Baghdad, a provincial security source said.

The incident took place in the evening when the rockets landed on the Balad Air Base, some 90 km north of Baghdad, without immediate reports about the casualties, Mohammed al-Bazi, from the provincial police, told Xinhua.

Two of the rockets hit a building inside the airbase, leaving minor damages, al-Bazi said, adding that the rockets were fired from the neighboring province of Diyala.

Balad, which houses Iraqi F-16 fighters and a camp for some U.S. experts for the jets, is the largest military airbase in Iraq. The U.S. troops and experts withdrew previously from the airbase after their camp came under a series of rocket attacks by unidentified militias.

However, Tahseen al-Khafaji, spokesman of the Iraqi Joint Operations Command, told the official Iraqi News Agency that the international coalition has begun providing spare parts for the F-16 and other aircraft, as part of the coalition's support for the Iraqi security forces.

No group has so far claimed responsibility for the attack. The Iraqi military bases housing U.S. troops across Iraq, as well as the U.S. embassy in the Green Zone, have been frequently targeted by mortar and rocket attacks. Enditem
Minister of Canadian Heritage Steven Guilbeault speaks with the media in the Foyer of the House of Commons in Ottawa on Feb. 3, 2020. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian press)

Liberals Time Allocation Motion to Limit Study of Bill C-10 Draws Flak

A time allocation motion seeking to limit the study of Bill C-10, a controversial bill critics see as the governments attempt to restrict freedom of expression, was adopted in the House of Commons on June 7.

In a 181147 vote, the minority Liberals with the backing of the Bloc Quebecois reduced the study of Bill C-10 by the Commons heritage committee to no more than five further hours.

Several MPs criticized the Liberals use of the time allocation motion invoked under Standing Order 78(3), which has been used only three times since 1996 and never for such a short period.

Conservative MP Rachael Harder said during debate on June 4 that because the motion allocated fewer than 10 hours, it is not consistent with the usual practice of the House and must therefore be ruled out of order.

Conservative House Leader Gerard Deltell said it was an attempt by the government to muzzle parliamentarians.

The government is using its power to interfere directly in the work of committees, although it keeps saying the opposite, Deltell said in Parliament on June 8.

The fact that some opposition parties are okay with this is beyond comprehension.

Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault defended the motion, saying time allocation motions remain exceptional measures that we use in exceptional circumstances, and accused the Conservatives of stalling the bill during committee meetings.

During the first four Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage meetings where Bill C-10 was being studied, the committee made it through 79 amendments. In the 11 subsequent meetings, when the Conservative Party began filibustering, the committee was only able to review and vote on seven amendments, Guilbeault said on June 7.

If the committee can resume its initial pace, there is ample time to get through all of the amendments still before it.

Bill C-10 was introduced by Guilbeault on Nov. 3, 2020, with the aim of bringing internet content providers under the regulation of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC). The legislation aims to regulate YouTube, Facebook, and other platforms, as well as require streaming giants such as Netflix to make financial contributions to support Canadian content.

The bill became more controversial on April 26 after the Liberals removed a section that exempted user-generated content from regulation. Critics said the amendment would infringe freedom of speech as content posted on platforms such as YouTube and Facebook would be subjected to federal regulation.

On May 6, the Liberals proposed another amendment, which was adopted by the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage. It limits the CRTCs power over user-generated content to only mandating the social media platforms to implement rules on discoverability of Canadian contentthat is, to make them recommend content from Canadian creators to users.

Michael Geist, a law professor at the University of Ottawa, where he holds the Canada Research Chair in Internet and E-commerce Law, has a 20-part blog post series on his website examining many of the concerns around Bill C-10, including issues such as over-broad regulation and discoverability requirements that would only garner public attention many months later.

He was also highly critical of the Liberal motion to limit debate on the bill, calling it a gag order.

While the bill is in dire need of fixing, what occurred yesterday was far worse than a blunder. It was a betrayal. A betrayal of the governments commitment to strengthen Parliamentary committees so that they can better scrutinize legislation. A betrayal of the promise to do things differently from previous governments. A betrayal of Canadas values as a Parliamentary democracy, he posted on June 8.

Green Party MP Elizabeth May said using the time allocation motion to impose a committee to report back more quickly than it is normally able to do sets a bad precedent that could have long-term negative effects.

This kind of motion on time allocation will do real damage to this place, not just today, not just tomorrow, but in the coming years, when we will find this used more and more to whip committees into shape, she said in the House on June 7.
Visitors queue to have closer look at a static display of a Lockheed Martin F-35 at the Singapore Airshow in Singapore on Feb. 18, 2016. (Roslan Rahman/AFP via Getty Images)

Lockheed Martin Sent Over 1,000 Top Employees to White Male Privilege Training, CEO Says

Lockheed Martin, the aerospace and defense giant known for developing F-35 fighter jets, recently admitted that it has put more than a thousand top employees through training sessions to learn about privileges they supposedly have as white straight males.

Such training sessions, including a three-day White Mens Caucus last June attended by 13 executive-level employees, are mandatory and intended for Caucasian male executive leaders based on level and position, according to Jim Taiclet, the companys CEO.

In a June 4 letter sent to Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), who expressed concerns about Lockheed Martins race-centered training program and requested additional information, Taiclet said that 1,024 employees have attended this type of training since 2007.

Taiclet added that the training course for white male employees is one of the three of a larger program called Effective Leadership of Inclusive Teams, and that participants in the other two courses include women and people of color.

Lockheed Martin diversity training fully complies with federal law including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin or sex, the letter reads. Lockheed Martin based no employment action on the training; no participation in the training was promoted, demoted or terminated based on the training.

Last week, Cotton sent a letter to Lockheed Martin, demanding information on the companys white male training. According to documents obtained by City Journals Christopher Rufo, participants of the White Mens Caucus engaged in activities over Zoom that included a free association exercise in which the term white men was associated with old, racist, privileged, anti-women, angry, guilty, Aryan Nation, and KKK.

The training was led by a Portland, Oregon-based consulting firm White Men As Full Diversity Partners (WMFDP), which describes itself as specialized in helping white male business leaders challenge their mindsets and build culturally competent leadership teams. Some high-profile clients of the WMFDP include AT&T, Coca-Cola, Dell, ExxonMobil, and NASA, according to the organizations website.

This training, if it occurred, appears to violate the principle of equal treatment that is the bedrock of American law, including civil-rights law, Cotton wrote. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act in particular forbids employers from discriminating on the basis of race and engaging in any activities that limit, segregate, or classify employees.'

The controversy around race-centered training gained national attention in October 2020, when then-President Donald Trump banned the use of training materials promoting divisive and harmful sex and race-based ideologies in federal agencies and federal contractors like Lockheed Martin. President Joe Biden removed the ban upon his inauguration, instead issuing an order stating that his administration would pursue a comprehensive approach to advancing equity for all.

The Epoch Times has contacted Lockheed Martin for comment.
Daniel Beauchamp, head of Shopifys virtual reality team, at the companys offices in Ottawa on March 27, 2018. Shopify owns less than 10 patents but is Canadas largest tech success story. (The Canadian Press/Sean Kilpatrick)

Making Canada a Destination, Not a Hunting Ground, for Innovation

Canada has a thriving innovation ecosystem but one with many smaller companies that are heavily dependent on foreign buyers to help them flourish and maximize the value of their intellectual property (IP), business analysts say.

We dont have enough Canadian buyers interested in our own technology, said Barry McKenna, author of two reports on Canadian IP published in June by the Innovation Economy Council (IEC).

McKenna was speaking in a video shown at an IEC roundtable of business experts and entrepreneurs discussing IP in Canada on June 3. The IEC is a coalition of tech-sector leaders aiming to shape Canadas industrial innovation policy.

Also we dont have the companies that are at the top of the chain in particular industries  so that when a young company starts to grow and they look for a partner, the partner isnt down the street, its  very often in the United States, McKenna added.

Canada should be a destination for innovation to grow and scale up, not just a source of companies attractive to foreign buyers, he wrote in the IEC report titled Beyond Patents: Canadas Intellectual Property Puzzle.

Compared with other countries, Canada has always struggled with scaling up companies, and one of the main challenges is a lack of latter-stage capital, says Krista Jones, who mentors high-growth startups as VP of venture services at the MaRS Discovery District innovation hub in Toronto.

Another challenge relates to recruitment of tech talent. We also need to become a destination for product peoplepeople who know how to build category-leading productsand to be able to anchor companies with that capability, she said.

The Right Match

There is a positive side to foreign takeovers, as companies that find the right buyer can innovate more, hire more, and commercialize more, McKenna said.

George Tsintzouras, CEO and co-founder of Alert Labs, sold his company to an American buyer but retained a separate entity in Canada. His company in the Waterloo region makes smart building sensors to help customers better manage water and energy.

Being part of a large U.S. company in this case opened up huge markets and opportunities for us, and I think thats something I dont think we talk enough about, he said at the roundtable.

Experts interviewed by the IEC are generally not in favour of restricting takeovers or patent sales to prevent foreigners from acquiring Canadian IP.

A free and open M&A [mergers and acquisitions] market is widely seen as essential to creating a vibrant technology ecosystem, McKenna wrote in another report for the IEC, titled Ideas for Sale: Why IP is a Symptom, Not a Cause, of Canadas Failure to Scale.

But as the so-called currency of the knowledge economy, IP does present a thorny issue where care must be taken to avoid having Canadas relatively open economy being exploited by foreign countries or companies. On this issue, McKenna provided a telling example of how an acquisition may not be in Canadas best interestand where restrictions are needed.

Weve seen cases of concerns about Chinese companies pouring money into research at Canadian universities, and then basically taking whatever innovation comes out of that back to China, he said in the video, noting that you draw the lines around things that have national security implications.

Quality Not Quantity

A key takeaway from the roundtable was that its not about how much IP a company has that influences its success, but what it does with that IP.

I think its more important really that companies, rather than the country, have good IP policies, because companies that know what they have in terms of technology that is special and unique and know what to do with it  are the ones that ultimately are going to be successful, McKenna said in the video.

The Beyond Patents report noted that Canadas most successful tech company, Shopify, has fewer than 10 patents.

The budget a company has for its IP strategy also matters. As larger companies acquire smaller ones and gain control of more IP, they build up a stronger core of IP that will bode well for their long-term prosperity, said David Asgeirsson, manager of research partnerships and IP at Xanadu Quantum Technologies Inc.

Patents, a key part of most IP strategies, add value that could prove useful in a future merger or legal dispute, and they show investors and partners that a company knows what its doing and has invented something novel, according to the Ideas for Sale report.

But a key weakness of companies is failing to identify and handle sensitive information, according to international law firm Norton Rose Fulbright in the Beyond Patents report.

Canada ranks poorly among its peers in patents filed and has lost plenty of IP through takeovers, but the Ideas for Sale report suggests that the IP loss is, in some ways, a sign of a healthy ecosystem thats producing good ideas, talented people, and attracting foreign buyers.

It says theres little evidence of a hollowing out of Canadas startup sector since just one of the 400 Canadian venture capital-backed startups involved in buyouts since 2017 has failed.

Still, Jones hopes Canada turns the tide of the flow of IP.

Acquisitions are not bad.  Thats the natural place for certain IP to end up, combined together as part of large multinationals. Whats bad is that Canada isnt the destination, she said.

The government is active in Canadas venture capital space, and BDC Capital, the investment arm of the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC), on June 8 announced the launch of a $300 million fund to support late-stage growth companies.
Virginia gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe, a Democrat, greets supporters after speaking during an election night event after winning the Democratic primary for governor in McLean, Va., on June 8, 2021. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

McAuliffe Wins Virginia Democratic Gubernatorial Primary

Former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe on Tuesday won the Democratic nomination for Virginia governor.

McAuliffe will face Republican nominee Glenn Youngkin in the general election in November. Republicans have not won a statewide race in Virginia in more than a decade.

Virginias term limits dont allow for governors to serve consecutive terms. McAuliffe previously served from 2014 to 2018.

Folks, we launched this campaign about six months ago on the simple idea that Virginia has some very big challenges ahead, McAuliffe said in a speech Tuesday night. And Ive said, weve got to go big, weve got to be bold, and we need seasoned leadership to move us forward and to lift up all Virginians.

Virginia is the only state in the nation with an open race for governor this year, and the contest is expected to be closely watched as a barometer of voter sentiment in each party heading into the midterm elections.

The race has also taken on heightened importance as Democrats aim to hold onto power after assuming full control of state government in 2020. Since then they have pushed through sweeping changes, from gun control and police reform to marijuana legalization and a higher minimum wage, transforming what was once a reliably red state into an outlier in the South.

We are a different state than we were eight years ago, and we are not going back, McAuliffe said.

McAuliffe is a longtime Democratic Party fundraiser and a close friend of Hillary and Bill Clinton. He announced his run in December last year.

McAuliffe won the endorsement of Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, who came under fire during his term over apparent support for infanticide and old photographs of himself in blackface.

On the campaign trail, McAuliffe vowed to address Virginias lagging teacher pay, protect access to abortions, accelerate Virginias minimum wage increase to $15 by 2024, and ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.

McAuliffe led the primary field throughout the race in both fundraising and the polls. He defeated state Sen. Jennifer McClellan, former Del. Jennifer Carroll Foy, Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax, and Del. Lee Carter.

Youngkin released a statement on Twitter responding to McAuliffes primary victory.

Voters from across the political spectrum agree that we need a new kind of leader to bring a new day to Virginia. Get ready, because Terry McAuliffe will default to the same political games hes played his entire life, Youngkin said.

Im confident that voters will not choose a recycled, 40-year political insider and career politician who pretends to be a businessman, who talks big but doesnt deliver, and who failed Virginians the first time he was governor.

McAuliffe lobbed attacks at Youngkin during his victory speech, including for the Republicans support of former President Donald Trump.

We cannot let Glenn Youngkin do to Virginia what Donald Trump has done to our country, McAuliffe said, according to The Hill.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Objects and faces can be recognised in a crowd using artificial intelligence and machine learning. (Shutterstock)

Microsoft Provides Australian State Police with Facial Recognition Services For Surveillance

Microsoft has announced it will provide the Australian New South Wales (NSW) Police force with its facial recognition technology to speed up the states surveillance footage analysis.

The state polices older systems involved CCTV footageand other forms of evidence required in investigationsstored on servers locally, which required time-consuming manual review from police.

The new system involves sending footage to the cloudin this case, Microsofts own serversto identify suspects using artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML).

According to Microsoft, one particular case saw NSW Police collect 14,000 pieces of CCTV for a murder and assault investigation, analysing what would normally require weeks or months in just five hours.

Detectives were able to then within days piece together the time sequence of events, movements and interactions of the person of interest as well as overlay this onto a geospatial platform, visualising the data for detectives and aiding in the preparation of the brief of evidence for Courts, Microsoft said in a press release.

Signage of Microsoft in New York City, United States on Mar. 13, 2020. (Photo by Jeenah Moon/Getty Images)

Gordon Dunsford, Chief Information Technology Officer for NSW Police, said that the process served to accelerate investigations, freeing officers to do more frontline police work.

Using computer vision, it can search to recognise objects, vehicles, locations, even a backpack someone has on their back or a tie a gentleman is wearing, Dunsford said. Its significantly sped up investigations and has helped police to get a result in a fraction of the time.

Computer vision includes data gathered through CCTV, police body cams, laptops, mobile devices, and dash cams.

The news of the sale in Australia comes after Microsoft, along with Amazon and IBM, previously confirmed that it would not be selling facial recognition technology to police in the United States until strong federal regulation covering its usage had been enacted.

The Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) released its 2021 Human Rights and Technology Final Report last week, recommending the government ban facial recognition and other biometric technology until federal and state governments introduced regulatory legislation.

Australian law should provide stronger, clearer and more targeted human rights protections regarding the development and use of biometric technologies, including facial recognition, the report stated. Until these protections are in place, the Commission recommends a moratorium on the use of biometric technologies, including facial recognition, in high-risk areas.

CCTV cameras on a concrete wall. (Stock Snap/Pixabay)

In particular, the report highlighted risks posed to individuals right to privacy, as well the chance of racial biases, which it said could increase the risk of injustice and human rights infringements.

This necessarily affects individual privacy and can fuel harmful surveillance. In addition, certain biometric technologies are prone to high error rates, especially for particular racial and other groups, the report said.

Pushing back against these concerns, Microsoft said that the new deal did, in fact, align with their commitments because the NSW Police did not purchase the technologyinstead, all facial recognition analysis will be carried out by Microsoft on its own servers.

Samantha Floreani, Program Lead for Digital Rights Watcha non-profit charity focusing on raising awareness for the digital rights of Australianssaid that Microsofts decision was dishonest and contradicted its own commitment.

Several major tech companies recognised the danger of facial recognition technology and withdrew the sales of their technology to law enforcement in 2020Microsoft being one of them, Floreani told The Epoch Times. To see them turn around and partner with NSW Police shows that commitment was disingenuous.

Floreani pointed out that NSW Polices decision ahead of the AHRC report showed disregard for community safety as well as human rights law.

The Microsoft Press Release emphasises that it has been designed with ethics front and centre which flies in the face of growing international consensus that it is not possible to use technology such as facial recognition or large scale image classification ethically in the context of policing.

These technologies equip law enforcement with an untenable amount of power, with very little room for transparency or accountability, Floreani said.
Mom Pays for Strangers Cake in Honor of Late Sons 35th Birthday: My Son Loved Cake!

An Indiana mom has kept her late sons memory alive on what would be his 35th birthday with a random act of kindness. The man loved cake, so his mom paid for the cake of a stranger who shared his birthday.

Toni Wilson-Taylor, who lost Tyler five years ago, left a note for the recipient at Kroger Bakery in Plainfield.

Today [May 16] is my sons 35th birthday, his 5th one in heaven, she wrote. In his memory, Ive paid for your cake. Please enjoy, make special memories, and hug your children and loved ones tight. My son loved cake!

Carolyn Mick, who was at the receiving end of the random act of kindness, was bowled over to discover her bill had been paid by a stranger. Touched by the warm gesture, Carolyn shared a photo of the note on a public Facebook group, Town of Plainfield Chatter.

Dear Toni  you know who you are and I want to express how moved I am, she posted. This means so much that my husband and I cried together. With the turmoil of things going on, it reminds us of what really matters: LIFE!

Toni Wilson-Taylor (L) with her late son, Tyler, and daughter, Stephani. (Courtesy of Toni Wilson-Taylor)

Unsurprisingly, comments flooded in from netizens who were equally moved and wished to send love to the Wilson-Taylors. Eventually, Toni caught wind of the conversation thread and made herself known in the comments section by sharing a photo of her late son.

This is Tyler, she wrote. May God bless your family as you celebrate a loved ones birthday today. Enjoy.

In a separate comment, the grieving mom expressed her gratitude. Ive been carried all day by these wonderful caring prayers, she wrote. I never dreamed buying a cake would spread so much love and carry my family thru a tough day. So blessed.

Speaking to The Epoch Times via Facebook messenger, Toni said that her son had a huge amount of love for others. In life, he claimed he needed two hearts to hold all of his love, she said.

Tyler, who was an IUPUI graduate, died shortly after completing his medical residency at St. Francis Hospital in July 2015. He was just 29 years old.

Toni and her daughter, Stephani, have found numerous ways to keep Tylers memory alive since, including sewing surgical masks for Franciscan Health Indianapolis clinicians and staff, and getting matching Captain America tattoos.

He was really into Captain America and Superman, Toni told WRTV. Even being a doctor, he was still a boy at heart. Its an honor that he has touched so many lives.

Unbeknown to Toni, her kind act at Kroger Bakery was doubly poignant for Carolyn, who recently lost her mother. In a statement to People, Carolyn claimed she was pondering how to mark her mothers birthday in June but had never thought about buying a cake.

Now shes inspired to pay it forward.

We have it in us to be kind and supportive of others, she reflected. You never know what a simple cake can mean to someone else.

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
Obama Admin 3.0? | Real Talk with Wayne Dupree

Speaking with the Times Ezra Klein, Barack Obama explained, I think that what were seeing now, is Joe and the administration are essentially finishing the job. And I think itll be an interesting test. Ninety percent of the folks who were there in my administration, they are continuing and building on the policies we talked about

How can you not be angry at hearing this guy insert himself into the political lexicon once again. This is blatant narcism .

Hypothesizing on why the American people rejected the Democrat party after eight years of Obama and voted for Donald Trump, Barack said, Its hard to just underscore how much the bank bailouts just angered everyone, including me.

Today we talk about that and much more. Dont forget to share and leave comments!

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Parents Are Pushing Back Against Critical Race Theory

Commentary

Critical race theory (CRT)the idea that systemic racism permeates American life and American institutions despite all our civil-rights advanceshas moved from the academic journals where it began life three decades ago into public-school classrooms and business training programs.

Schoolchildren and corporate employees alike sit through sessions in which they learn that racism is Americas defining feature and that our nations true founding occurred when a slave ship bearing a cargo of black Africans docked at Jamestown, Virginia, in 1619.

And while there may be little that employees can do when their bosses sponsor diversity consultants who tell them that white people sail through life on a sea of unearned privilege, or that white oppression is the source of most social problems, theres one group that has been resisting vociferously: parents.

Angry at what looks to them like Marxist indoctrination of their children (with racial antagonism standing in for Karl Marxs class antagonism), parents are the grassroots force behind bills in about 15 states (signed into law in about four of them) that forbid teaching, for example, that any individual can be inherently or unconsciously racist or sexist just because of that individuals race or sex, or that its racist to value such character traits as self-discipline and hard work.

On May 14, several Republican members of Congress introduced a bill that would ban the teaching of CRT in federal institutions. But the most intense battles against CRT are being fought at the local level, in the races for local school boards that set education policy in public schools. Those battles have been taking place not just in such conservative and Republican-voting strongholds as Georgia, Florida, and South Carolina, but in localities in true-blue New York, Massachusetts, Oregon, and Washington.

The affluent Washington, D.C., suburb of Loudoun County, Virginia, whose voters went 61 percent for Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden in November 2020, is a paradigm. A parents group is working to recall six of the county school boards nine members for pushing CRT onto Loudoun schools.

In 2019, the board paid nearly a half-million dollars to a consulting group, the Equity Collaborative, which issued a 23-page equity assessment (pdf) recommending the creation of what looked like race-based affinity groups for students, criticized teachers who said they did not see color in judging students, and quoted faculty who urged that the school district explicitly hire teachers if they are Black. The group also recommended that the district offer teacher training in color consciousness and implicit bias.

One Loudoun County father complained that the report actually increases racial tensions as opposed to bringing people together and treating everyone the same and treating people the way they themselves should be treated.

In March, a school board advisory committee recommended firing Loudoun teachers who criticized the mandated equity training. Other self-described anti-racism advocates allegedly began compiling lists of parents who oppose race-based classroom programs.

Perhaps not surprisingly, liberals and minority-group members have joined conservative Republican voters in fighting what they view as CRT totalitarianism in Loudoun County. On June 2, a group of parents filed a federal lawsuit questioning the constitutionality of a school-district program, implemented in the wake of the Equity Collaborative assessment, that allows students specially selected for their commitment to social justice to share with top school administrators anonymous complaints from their fellow students about supposed racial harassment by teachers.

The backlash has generated its own backlash among educators and sympathetic members of the press. One of the most obvious counter-strategies has been simply to deny that what the school systems are engaging in is really CRT. That has been the strategy in Loudoun County, whose school Superintendent Scott A. Ziegler has described the districts program as mere racial equity work, according to The Washington Post. At a school board meeting, Ziegler said that CRT was a subject for academics that had no bearing on Loudouns anti-racist measures. Calling them critical race theory is merely a paranoid fantasy of arch-conservatives, in the view of Ziegler and many other commentators and liberal politicians.

The other strategy is to assert that the opponents of CRT are actually trying either to censor the content of what teachers are allowed to say in classrooms or to make them hesitant to discuss historical topics such as slavery or Jim Crow that relate to racism for fear that they might break a law by making their white students feel uncomfortable. One teacher complained to the media that she would hesitate to assign the slave narratives that she typically had her American history classes read.

Other teachers have maintained that banning the teaching of CRT means that students wont be taught how to think critically, to examine and assess varying points of view in approaching historical events. They accuse their opponents of wanting children to absorb a rose-tinted-glasses view of history in which Americans can do no wrong.

Defenders of the anti-CRT legislation insist that the proposed laws ban teachers neither from pointing out problematic aspects of American history nor discouraging critical thinking. What they do ban is the imposition on young minds of a particular leftist ideology.

Those opponents have a tough road ahead of them in our era in which its all too easy to lodge accusations of racism or white supremacy against ones political opponentsand make them stick, in the minds of the media. But those parents who are fighting the fight against CRT are doing the crucial work of defending freedom of thought.

Charlotte Allen is the executive editor of Catholic Arts Today and a frequent contributor to Quillette. She has a doctorate in medieval studies from the Catholic University of America.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Pennsylvania Sen. Doug Mastriano speaks the Let the Church ROAR National Prayer Rally on the National Mall in Washington on Dec. 12, 2020. (Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times)

Pennsylvania Sen. Mastriano Says State Could Have 2020 Election Audit by July

Republican Sen. Doug Mastriano said Tuesday that he believes Pennsylvania could have an audit of the 2020 presidential election by July, if the proposal receives appropriate backing.

If we had the support with the majority of the members in any committee we do this from, and from the body [Senate] itself, probably July, we could see it, Mastriano said during an appearance on Real Americas Voices Just The Truth.

Days earlier, a delegation from Pennsylvania including Mastriano visited an election review taking place in Arizonas largest county. The Maricopa County audit has been taking place since April 23.

Mastriano, who was joined by Republican Sen. Cris Dush and Republican Rep. Rob Kauffman, told a pool reporter at the time that he backs a state audit such as the one being executed in Arizona.

Im not about overturning anything. Im just trying to find out what went right, what went wrong, and how do we have better elections in the future? he said.

Thats the same reasoning Arizona senators have put forth when explaining why they ordered the Maricopa County audit.

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)

Mastriano said a state Senate committee could use its subpoena powers to issue a letter to a county or several counties stating its intention to audit votes from the 2020 presidential election.

The Republican senator didnt elaborate on whether he believes legislative leaders in the state will back an audit.

Mastriano said last week that one poll showed roughly 40 percent of voters in Pennsylvania have concerns about the integrity of the election.

For the sake of our  constitutional republic, and for the sake of peoples peace of mind, lets just do it. Lets pick a few counties and put peoples minds at rest, he said.

Auditors hired by the Arizona Senate, led by Florida-based Cyber Ninjas, are reviewing the nearly 2.1 million ballots cast in Maricopa County during the 2020 presidential election. They have also examined tabulators and other machines used during the contest.

They have microscopes and lights. A camera takes a picture at an angle so you can see if the spots that are filled in were by human or by machine, Mastriano said of the audit process during a Facebook Live Thursday.

Should an audit happen in Pennsylvania, the Arizona model is the one, he said, noting that an audit in the state would be transparent and nonpartisan.

Sen. David Argall, a Republican who chairs the Pennsylvania Senates State Government Committee, told The Epoch Times in an emailed statement that he supports an audit of the 2020 presidential election.

I support the call for an election audit, in order to answer any lingering questions that still remain about the fairness of the 2020 elections in Pennsylvania. This is the best path forward to address the legitimate concerns of the large majority of my constituents who voted to reelect President [Donald] Trump, as well as all Pennsylvanians, said Argall.

This is just one of many election reform efforts which I hope to see approved here in the next few weeks.

Zachary Stieber contributed to this report.
Shale gas burns at the Consol Energy Horizontal Gas Drilling Rig outside the town of Waynesburg, Pa., on April 13, 2012. (Mladen Antonov/AFP via Getty Images)

Pennsylvanias Energy Bills Could Rise by $1,150 Annually by Joining RGGI: Expert

Senate Bill 119 (SBL 119), which seeks to prevent Pennsylvanias governor from advocating for membership in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) framework agreement, is awaiting a final vote. The Pennsylvania Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee (ERE) approved the bill on April 27. However, the governor will veto SBL 119 if it passes, said Elizabeth Rementer, spokeswoman for the governor.

David Stevenson, director of the Caesar Rodney Institutes (CRI) Center for Energy Competitiveness, a Delaware based nonprofit think tank, told The Epoch Times that Pennsylvania could pay a huge price if it joins RGGI. In addition to the loss of manufacturing, Pennsylvania households could see a $1,150 annual increase in energy bills. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, this is a 64 percent increase.

Electricity Prices Rise Faster in RGGI States, Manufacturing Moves Out

From 2007 to 2015 electricity prices in the RGGI states rose 4.6 percent, but in non-RGGI states, electricity prices rose only 2.8 percent.

The price of electricity has had no impact on demand from residential and commercial customers. Still, it has had a significant effect on industrial customers, who relocate for lower electricity prices. He said some manufacturing companies in Delaware and in other RGGI states have not relocated overseas, but many have moved to other states.

Because of an out-migration of energy companies, an RGGI state would rely more on imports for electricity. In 2019, RGGI states electricity imports were 17 percentup from 5 percent in 2007. So, if Pennsylvania suddenly stops exporting electricity to meet this, I dont know what the RGGI states are going to do for power because they dont make enough, Stevenson said.

At the same time, high electricity prices in the RGGI states have moved energy-intensive companies outside of the state, exporting carbon dioxide in a disguised form, which results in an increase in carbon emissions in other states.

RGGI Does Not Reduce Carbon Emissions, the Real Boost Is Natural Gas

Stevensons research study (pdf) shows that RGGI states have the same actual CO2 emissions as the five non-RGGI comparison states, including Pennsylvania, with no significant advantage.

Stevenson believes the real reason for the nationwide volume decline is the widespread use of lower-priced, less carbon-emitting natural gas, enabling the EPA to shut down 23 percent of the nations coal-fired power plants. That switch from coal to natural gasdriven by natural gashas helped the United States drop about 14 percent in carbon dioxide emissions. And thats one of the best results in the entire world. There are very few countries that have done that. And weve got to thank Pennsylvania for that.

Stevenson said both RGGI and non-RGGI states had reduced coal-fired generation by 16 percentage points and increased natural gas generation by about 10 percentage points.

Without joining the RGGI framework agreement, Pennsylvania did a great job reducing carbon dioxide emissions, Stevenson said. Average emissions from Pennsylvanias power plants have dropped by 40 percent, the same as in RGGI states. He also mentioned, the Clean Power Plan goal for the electric industry saw a 26 percent reduction. Pennsylvania has already reduced the electric industry emissions by 40 percent. So, the goal was met.

From 2005 to 2018, Pennsylvania reduced its emissions by 72 million tons, or 25 percentfar better than the 14 percent reduction in the U.S. average and the 5 percent reduction in emissions in other developed countries, he said. The main reason is Pennsylvanias switch to natural gas was a big driver.

Stevenson gives an example, Pennsylvania increased natural gas production by 6 trillion cubic feet, displacing high-emitting coal, saving 308 million tons of emissions, reducing energy costs by $2,000 per Pennsylvania household per year.

Meanwhile, Pennsylvania has more than 15 million acres of forest cover, which absorbs 15 to 30 million tons of carbon dioxide each year and Pennsylvania also has a lot of farmland, which also takes carbon dioxide out of the air.

RGGI Has Significant Maintenance Costs and Limited Economic Contribution

According to Stevenson, as an energy-exporting state, Pennsylvania would lose nearly $3.5 billion per year if it joined RGGI. The loss includes $500 million in electricity exports, $400 million in coal production, and $1.5 billion in manufacturing per year. Considering an additional 50 percent of indirect impact, an average cost of $5.5 billion per year for RGGI over the next decade will happen.

When you look at all that, probably a five and a half-billion-dollar loss to the economy over that potentially annually. And thats huge. Stevenson said.

According to Stevensons study, from 2007 to 2015, real GDP growth in RGGI states were 7.2 percent, somewhat slower than the 17.2 percent growth rate in non-RGGI states. And with annual allowance sales of only about 0.1 percent of GDP, the RGGI program is unlikely to impact GDP substantially and makes a minimal contribution to states economic growth.

Stevenson said, the rich states didnt save any carbon tax; they had the same emissions as the nine RGGI states, and youre taking this risk of $5 billion a year economic loss for no improvement in carbon dioxide emissions. Thats not a good deal.

Pennsylvania Senator: Joining RGGI or Not Should Be Determined by the Legislature

SBL 119 co-sponsor and Legislative President Pro Tempore Jake Corman (R) expressed his concerns, it is a huge concern here because it not only impacts jobs but also is a tax that will very likely pass along to consumers.

Another bill co-sponsor, Pennsylvania Senator Dave Argall, also expressed great concern, Entering RGGI imposes a tax on our statewide energy producers and our citizens. He fears that the resulting tax will cost us thousands of jobs.

Corman and other Senate Republicans and some Democrats believe strongly that the state legislature should decide whether Pennsylvania joins RGGI  because we are the closest to the people. Argall also called on Governor Wolf to do his gubernatorial duty and consult with the legislature. Instead, he should not place all the power in his hands by unilaterally joining a conglomeration of northeastern states that share very little in terms of energy with Pennsylvania.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-10 04:32:46|Editor: huaxia

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TEHRAN -- The past five rounds of the Vienna talks to revive the 2015 nuclear deal led to an agreement over the removal of some 1,000 U.S. sanctions on Iran, but about 500 others are still in dispute, parliamentary sources were quoted as saying by semi-official Tasnim News Agency on Wednesday.

The figure was offered by the head of the Iranian negotiating team, Abbas Araqchi, in a meeting in the afternoon with the Iranian parliament's Foreign Policy Committee, said Ebrahim Azizi, a member of the committee. (Iran-U.S.-Nuclear Talks)

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CAIRO -- Six people were killed and seven others wounded on Wednesday when a microbus collided with a truck on a highway near Egypt's capital Cairo, state-run Nile TV reported.

The truck driver lost control of the wheel at high speed on the highway connecting Cairo and Alexandria, according to Nile TV. (Egypt-Road-Accident)

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BEIRUT -- Caretaker Lebanese Health Minister Hamad Hassan opened on Wednesday the country's biggest center for COVID-19 vaccination under the supervision of the Lebanese Red Cross, the National News Agency reported.

"This initiative will encourage citizens to be vaccinated far from the atmosphere of hospitals and medical centers but it is a safe place in the presence of doctors and the Red Cross," Hassan said during the opening. (Lebanon-COVID19-Vaccination)

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ANKARA -- Turkey on Wednesday confirmed 6,454 new COVID-19 cases, including 558 symptomatic patients, raising the total number of cases in the country to 5,306,690, according to its health ministry.

The death toll from the virus in Turkey rose by 87 to 48,428, while the total recoveries climbed to 5,179,833 after 6,647 more people recovered in the last 24 hours.

Turkey started mass COVID-19 vaccination on Jan. 14 after the authorities approved the emergency use of the Chinese Sinovac vaccine. More than 18,362,000 people have been vaccinated so far. (Turkey-COVID19) Enditem
People Leaving Blue States Advise Those Who Remain, Start Making Better Decisions on Who You Vote For

Florida was the No. 1 relocation destination for Americans in 2020, according to Move.org. New York and California took first and second place in the contest for which states had the most people choosing to leave.

Justin Pearson is a 27-year-old truck loader for a Target distribution center. A resident of Hemet, California, for 22 years, Pearson moved to the town of Riverside for another three years until the dramatic change in policies and rising cost of living made it impossible for him to live on his own. There also was no way he could afford to buy his own home, he said. In order to survive at all, he fled to Lake City, Florida.

While the national average in property taxes is 1.07 percent, Floridians pay only 0.83 percent, and Californians pay even less0.73 percent. But Pearson said the cost of everything else in California erased the benefit of lower property taxes. Additionally, Florida is one of only nine states in the country that has no state income or wage taxes.

With the COVID restrictions, a lot of businesses closed, Pearson told The Epoch Times. In turn, that caused an increase in homelessness. Then the governor enacted the zero-dollar bail policy and an early prison-release program, which caused the crime rate to skyrocket. Gas taxes were added. The cost of living was so high you could not get by if you were single. You literally had to have two or three incomes in order to make it.

A specific motivator in Pearsons decision to choose Florida was his deep respect for Gov. Ron DeSantis because of his moves to ban Critical Race Theory, to enact an anti-riot bill, and his unapologetic position of backing the blue. Pearson also admires the widely criticized decision by DeSantis to lift all COVID restrictions, which he believes are killing California.

Failed Policies

California Gov. Gavin Newsom chose to maintain COVID-19 lockdown restrictions and to extend both state and federal emergency taxpayer-funded unemployment benefits. Californias unemployment rate of 8.3 percent is among the highest in the nation, second only to Hawaiis 8.5 percent.

The national average is 6.1 percent.

Floridas state emergency unemployment benefits are set to expire and DeSantis has declined to extend the additional $300 per week in federally subsidized unemployment benefits. Still, Floridas unemployment rate stands at 4.8 percent.

Pearson said Californias high unemployment fueled an explosion in homeless numbers, which had already been exacerbated by Newsoms 2017 mental health budget cuts, which left unstable patients who would have otherwise been cared for wandering the streets.

You can walk on every corner and find trash everywhere, needles and feces, Pearson said. Its disgusting.

Pearson also noted how illegal immigrants are flooding into California and the governor is doing nothing to stop it.

In fact, Pearson said, he gave them stimulus paychecks using our tax dollars.

Pearson, who ran back-the-blue rallies in California, said it was becoming too dangerous in California for Republicans to stand up for what they believed in.

People would come over and assault us, Pearson recalled. But, because of the zero-dollar bail policy, they would get away with it. California is just a difficult place to live and I dont see it changing anytime soon until people in California start making better decisions on who they vote for.

Many of Pearsons sentiments are shared by Laura Gainsborg.

Ive been in New Jersey now for over 30 years and thats enough, the former Florida resident told The Epoch Times.

Talk about blue, Gainsborg said of Pennington, New Jersey. Its a tiny little town and the people are as liberal as they get!

Like Pearson from California, Gainsborg wanted to return to Florida because she too felt uncomfortable discussing politics. According to Gainsborg, also a Republican, people in her predominantly liberal New Jersey neighborhood are not very receptive to listening to the other side.

There are very few people we can talk to, Gainsborg lamented of the place she called home for three decades. I want to move back to Florida. People in Florida are always friendly. You can talk to anybody, even those with different political leanings.

Gainsborg was also drawn to Florida by the leadership of Gov. Ron DeSantis. As a retired teacher, she supports his ban on critical race theory. She also favors his move to opt out of the additional $300 per week federal unemployment benefits, which she believes encourages people to avoid going back to work to earn a paycheck.

Along with providing an additional 13 weeks of state taxpayers unemployment benefits, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy also extended the additional $300 per week in federal unemployment benefits. New Jerseys unemployment rate is currently 7.5 percent.

Its been horrible, she said. New Jersey is going down fast because people dont want to go back to work. The teachers dont want to go back to work. The unions are running New Jersey right now.

Paying lower property taxes was a major qualifier in Gainsborgs decision to move to Florida. Gainsborgs husband, a forensics scientist, is also preparing to retire. But even with their combined retirement benefits, she said they would not be able to afford the property taxes they would have otherwise had to pay in New Jersey.

Correction: A previous version of this article stated incorrectly the number of people who have relocated to Florida. The Epoch Times regrets the error.

Follow Patricia Tolson on Twitter at @PTolson1
A 15-year-old receives the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine against the CCP virus in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., on May 13, 2021. (Jeff Kowalsky/AFP via Getty Images)

Pfizer Advances COVID-19 Vaccine Trial for Children 11 and Younger

With vaccines expected to be available to this age group as soon as this fall

Pharmaceutical company Pfizer said its moving forward with trials of its COVID-19 vaccine for children between the ages of five and 11, and expects to make the vaccine available in the fall.

If studies show a good immune response and safety, it will then launch the vaccine for children aged six months to five.

If safety and immunogenicity is confirmed, and pending authorization or approval from regulators, we hope to submit the vaccine for potential Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) sometime in SeptemberOctober timeframe for children 511, and soon after for 6 months to 5, the company said in a statement.

Pfizer developed its vaccine in partnership with German biotechnology company BioNTech.

The drugmaker is testing its vaccine at lower doses in three different age groups: five to 11 years, two to five years, and six months to two years, to examine vaccine efficacy, safety, and immunity.

The vaccines effectiveness will be worked out by comparing the participants immune responses to the 1625-year-old population from the pivotal Phase 3 trial, as vaccine efficacy has been demonstrated in this age group, Pfizer said.

The children will be given two injections of either the vaccine or a placebo spaced three weeks apart. Those aged five to 11 will receive 10 micrograms each, while the younger age group will get three micrograms each.

Around 4,500 children will be enrolled at clinical sites in the United States, Spain, Finland, and Poland.

Pfizer also said that infants younger than six months may be considered for vaccination once an acceptable safety profile has been established.

While the trial is expected to last for two years, Pfizer said that all the participants will be unblinded, or told whether they received the vaccine or a placebo, at a six-month follow-up visit. Those who originally got the placebo will be offered the vaccine.

Vials labeled COVID-19 Coronavirus Vaccine and a syringe are seen in front of the Pfizer logo in this illustration taken on Feb. 9, 2021. (Dado Ruvic/Reuters)

The FDA expanded the use of Pfizers vaccine to 12- to 15-year-olds on May 10, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issuing a recommendation two days later.

Proponents of vaccinating children say that it will help in achieving herd immunity and possibly prevent children from developing a rare condition called multi-system inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C) that causes inflammation in different parts of the body, including the organs. It may occur several weeks to a month after exposure to the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes COVID-19.

Doctors say parents shouldnt be too alarmed about the rare condition.

But this condition can be treated, and many children who develop MIS-C dont get critically ill or require intensive care, Dr. Christina Mikesell, a pediatrician, said in March, adding that the condition occurs in two out of 100,000 children or less than .01 percent of the population.

The rush by health officials and the government to vaccinate healthy children and adolescents without adequate safety data is concerning to some experts and parents, as severe COVID-19 illness is rare among this age group, and deaths from the disease even rarer. Furthermore, young children arent super-spreaders of the virus.

Dr. Cody Meissner, professor of pediatrics at Tufts University School of Medicine and a former member of the CDCs vaccine advisory committee, told USA Today that hes worried about the adverse effects of the COVID-19 vaccines in children. Reports of myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle, in adolescents who received an injection of an mRNA vaccine are being investigated by the CDC.

The issue that one has to address with any vaccine is, does any side effect from the vaccine outweigh a benefit from the disease thats being prevented  at the present time, there doesnt seem to be deaths in the 12 to 17 age group. The ethical mandate isnt to get our children and adolescents vaccinated, the ethical mandate is to do no harm, Meissner said.

Theres a train leaving the station, and everyone is jumping on it and it makes me a little bit nervous. Its too fast.

Parent Janci Lindsay, a toxicologist and molecular biologist, said that children shouldnt be inoculated with a COVID-19 vaccine that isnt FDA-approved and lacks long-term safety data.

Multiple studies show that infants and children are not at significant risk for morbidity or mortality from COVID-19, Lindsay said in a public comment to the vaccine advisory committee on May 12, adding that the infection fatality ratio (IFR) for the different age groups were minuscule: 0.003 [percent] for the 04 age group, 0.001 [percent] for the 59 age group, 0.001 [percent] for the 1014 age group, and 0.003 [percent] for the 1519 age group.

The IFR estimates the number of deaths from COVID-19 among all infected individuals.

Barbara Loe Fisher, co-founder and president of the National Vaccine Information Center, said parents arent able to make an informed decision without all of the adequate scientific evidence on the safety and efficacy of the vaccine.

The FDA has stated that there is no information on the co-administration on the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine with other vaccines, but the CDC has chosen to assume safety, Fisher told The Epoch Times via email in May. They have given the green light for medical workers to administer Pfizers still experimental vaccine to adolescent children in combination with influenza, meningococcal, HPV, Tdap, and other CDC recommended vaccines on the same day.

Why are parents being put in the position of playing vaccine roulette? Why are federal lawmakers allowing the FDA and CDC to get away with simply assuming COVID vaccine safety rather than proving it?
A nurse prepares the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine at the West Wales General Hospital in Carmarthen, the third vaccine to be approved for use in the UK, on April 7, 2021. (Jacob King/PA)

Pharmacist Sentenced to 3 Years for Tampering With COVID-19 Vaccines

A federal judge has sentenced a Wisconsin pharmacist to three years in prison after he pleaded guilty to charges that he tampered with COVID-19 vaccines.

Steven Brandenburg, who was a pharmacist based in Grafton, signed a guilty plea on Feb. 9 admitting that he had removed hundreds of doses of Modernas CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus vaccine from refrigerators at the Aurora Medical Center in December 2020. According to a Department of Justice statement, he removed the vaccines with the intent to destroy them.

Before receiving his sentence on June 8, Brandenburg said in a statement that he felt great shame and took responsibility.

I did not have the right to make this decision for them, he said. Im tormented by it daily.

The DOJ stated that Brandenburg pleaded guilty to two counts of attempting to tamper with consumer products with reckless disregard for the risk that another person would be placed in danger of death or bodily injury.

Brandenburg purposefully removed a box of COVID-19 vaccine vials that have to be stored at certain temperatures.

The DOJ noted that Brandenburg told officials that he was skeptical of vaccines in general, and the Moderna vaccine specifically, and had communicated his beliefs about vaccines to his co-workers.

According to the release, Brandenburg said he left the vaccines out for several hours every night before returning them to the cold storage when he entered the hospitals vaccine clinic the next day. Fifty-seven people received doses of the vaccine from those vials.

The purposeful attempt to spoil vaccine doses during a national public health emergency is a serious crime, stated Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton of the DOJs Civil Division. The Department of Justice will continue working with its law enforcement partners to safeguard these life-saving vaccines.

Brandenburg had faced a possible 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each felony county. Prosecutors asked for a sentence of three years and five months in prison.

Court documents stated that Brandenburg said he believes the Earth is flat, the 9/11 attacks were faked, and that he is a prophet.

Advocate Aurora Health, which operates the Aurora Medical Center, said in a statement to news outlets that it condemns Brandenburgs actions.

With safety always our top priority, we continue to move forward after the despicable actions of this individual. Since this incident, our successful vaccination program has continued with more than 700,000 doses administered to date, the company stated.
President Donald Trump holds up a Bible outside of St John's Episcopal church across Lafayette Park in Washington, on June 1, 2020. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images)

Police Didnt Clear BLM Protesters From Park Last Year for Trump Bible Photo-Op: Watchdog

Inspector general's report appears to dispel key anti-Trump narrative

The Department of the Interiors inspector general said Wednesday that Trump White House officials did not forcibly clear protesters from Layafette Park last year during Black Lives Matter protests and riots in Washington and around the United States so that the former president could get his photo taken in front of a church.

The inspector generals report (pdf) also said the U.S. Park Police (USPP) did not use tear gas to disperse Black Lives Matter protesters near the White House on June 1, 2020. The Metropolitan Police, which is operated by the D.C. municipal government, used tear gas in a separate, unconnected incident, officials said.

Last year, Democrats and some administration officials alleged that former President Donald Trump ordered the clearing of Layfatte Park so he could pose for a picture of him holding a Bible. That incident occurred during the height of left-wing riots, demonstrations, acts of violence, and arson incidents across major metropolitan areas after the officer-involved killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis last May.

The pictures and allegations, along with other Trump administration actions, became a flashpoint foisted by his critics who claimed the former president mishandled the riots and protests.

Park Police had the authority to clear demonstrators in the park to set up fencing after riots and protests in the areanot because of Trump. The former commander-in-chief has also denied the claims he used police to clear them out.

But, according to Wednesdays inspector general report, evidence we obtained did not support a finding that the USPP cleared the park to allow the president to survey the damage and walk to St. Johns Church.

Vandals attempt to pull down the statue of Andrew Jackson in Lafayette Square near the White House on June 22, 2020. (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)

Protesters confront police near a barricade they erected and marked with the sign Black House Autonomous Zone in front of Lafayette Park near the White House in Washington on June 22, 2020. (Roberto Schmidt/AFP via Getty Images)

Further, Park Police had issued three dispersal warnings before clearing the area, but it was clear the message wasnt audible for the crowd of protesters, according to the report.

The federal Park Police and Secret Service, it added, did not use a shared radio channel to communicate, that the USPP primarily conveyed information orally to assisting law enforcement entities, that an assisting law enforcement entity arrived late and may not have received a full briefing on the rules of engagement, and that several law enforcement officers could not clearly hear the incident commanders dispersal warnings.

These weaknesses in communication and coordination may have contributed to confusion during the operation and the use of tactics that appeared inconsistent with the incident commanders operational plan, according to the report.

The report found that police video and other footage showed that at least one officer shot pepper balls toward the crowd on H Street from inside Lafayette Park but did not show protesters breaching the fence line, noting that the Park Police incident commander had said pepper balls should only be deployed if protesters breached the fence line.

In the days leading up to June 1 of last year, protesters and rioters carried out acts of violence, the inspector generals report stated. Forty-nine Park Police officers were injured.

The Metropolitan Police had said that protesters and rioters threw objects at police during Black Lives Matter protests in D.C. last year. That included an incendiary device that severely burned an officer, officials said.

Around Lafayette Park last summer, there were numerous reports of acts of vandalism, and activists also attempted to set up a D.C. autonomous zone. Meanwhile, the aforementioned St. Johns Church was vandalized multiple times last summer, including an alleged arson attempt.

Demonstrators also attempted to tear down a statue of U.S. President Andrew Jackson in Lafayette Square but ultimately failed. The Department of Justice later charged four men over the incident.
Push for Tamil Family Held in Australian Offshore Detention to Be Set Free

There is a growing public push for the federal government to free a family of Tamil illegal immigrants from Australias offshore detention after the youngest member of the family, a girl aged three, fell critically ill with sepsis and pneumonia.

Tharnica and her mother, Priya Murugappan, were evacuated to Perth Childrens Hospital in Western Australia on June 8. Priya Murugappan said that day that medical staff on Christmas Island refused to admit her daughter to the hospital after she fell sick two weeks ago.

I want to thank everybody for their love and good wishes, Murugappan said. I hope that Tharnicaa can get the help she needs now. Please, help us to get her out of detention and home to Biloela.

One of the families advocates here in Australia, Angela Fredericks, told Nine News that Tharnicaa was experiencing dangerous temperature spikes in the days leading up to her evacuation. Her mother had only been given pain relievers for treatment.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said that he was appraised of the situation on June 8 and that the family would continue to receive every medical care.

That care and where they are treated will continue to be determined by doctors, by the medical professionals who advise us on these matters, Morrison said.

The little girls Tamil parents, Priya and Nades Murugappan, and her older sister Kopika lived in Biloela, Queensland, while seeking asylum after leaving Sri Lanka. The family was removed from their home on March 5, 2018, when the home was raided by immigration authorities, and the family was taken to immigration detention.

Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young has called on the prime minister to bring the family home to their community of Biloela, in central Queensland.

Senator Sarah Hanson-Young at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia on Nov. 25, 2019. (Tracey Nearmy/Getty Images)

No mans political ego or stubbornness is worth the life of a child, Hanson-Young wrote in a post on Twitter. Prime Minister [Scott Morrison] can make a decision right now to save these two little girls and stop their suffering. It is time they were allowed to come home to [Biloela].

Queensland Nationals Senator Matt Canavan has told the Nine Networks Today show that he is worried that it will set a dangerous precedent if the government resettles the family.

When you start making those sort of variations or rules for one family, why not another? Canavan said. They are not the only family in these sort of circumstances that have been caught up through the strict policy in the past decade.

It is very tough. But if you set one rule or precedent for this family, then you would be pressured to do it for more.

The Department of Home Affairs has said that the familys claims asylum claims have been comprehensively assessed on a number of occasions by the Department of Home Affairs, various merits review bodies, and appealed through multiple courts, including the Federal Court to the High Court.

At no time has any member of the family been found to be owed protection, a spokesperson said. Before the medical emergency, the family, backed by many sympathetic supporters, had chosen to remain in Australias detention facilities rather than voluntarily return to Sri Lanka in the hopes that their youngest daughters case can be appealed in the High Court.

Australia has pursued a policy of processing all asylum seekers in offshore detention since 2001, with a break from 2008-2012. Former Labor Prime Minister Kevin Rudd hardened the policy in 2013 and sent all refugees to either Christmas Island, Nauru, or Manus Island.

The mother and father had arrived during this period as part of the 50,000 people who arrived on 800 boats under Mr. Rudd and Ms. Gillard, former Minister for Home Affairs Peter Dutton previously wrote in an op-ed: Labor initially put them into detention and they were told all those years ago that, on the details they provided, they were not refugees under the UN definition so they would have to go home. They were told that they would never settle permanently in Australia, just like many others who arrived by boat. They never accepted that decision.

Dutton continued: The civil war in Sri Lanka is now over and Tamils from around the world have returned to their country and have been accepted back by a democratically elected inclusive government. It is true though that Sri Lanka still doesnt have the industry, welfare system or job opportunities we enjoy in Australia.

Its not that this family or those in the 68 million figure are unworthy or not sincere in their desire to live in Australia, he wrote. The reality is our government, with the support of the majority of Australians, has taken tough decisions over a number of years now to keep our borders secure and people off boats.

At the same time we have brought refugees in who, in many cases faced imminent death or persecution, and their cases are much more compelling than those who are not refugees but simply want a stronger financial future for their families.

Minister For Home Affairs Karen Andrews said that she would not comment on the familys situation as she didnt want to disrupt negotiations following the health emergency.

We are going through the process now of investigating a range of resettlement options in relation to a number of different circumstances here in Australia, she said.

Potentially the government could allow the family to resettle in New Zealand or the United States, with Andrews noting on June 2 that she is considering the offers to resettle those medically evacuated to Australia.

Were going to continue to look at resettlement options for these individuals, Andrews said. Weve made it very clear with New Zealand that there wont be a backdoor way for these people to be able to go to New Zealand and then return to Australia.

Andrews said several hundred refugees are currently living in Australia after being transported to the country under defunct medevac laws. And were doing all that we can to work through resettlement options for them. We clearly want to do that as soon as we possibly can, she said.
San Juan Capistrano Cracks Down on Illicit Massage Parlors

San Juan Capistrano, California, is adding further restrictions to massage parlors in an attempt to discourage illicit businesses from prostituting human trafficking victims at the establishments.

The city council unanimously advanced amendments to a massage parlor ordinance June 1 and adopted a resolution proclaiming the citys commitment to fighting human trafficking.

[Human trafficking] is a problem all throughout Southern California, and Orange County has an especially notorious reputation for it, Councilman Howard Hart, who directed the ordinance, told The Epoch Times on June 8.

Human trafficking is a multi-billion-dollar industry that involves using force, fraud, and coercion to obtain sex and labor, with many cases involving minors.

Hart said the illicit massage parlors in San Juan Capistrano are heavily involved in human trafficking.

In total, we have about 12 massage parlors, and not all of them are illicit. I would say more than half of them are illicit, Hart said. Of those, you can almost assume that each one of them is involved with human trafficking to some extent.

Hart said that due to Orange County being a destination for vacationers, theres a demand for the sex industry, and so much of the sex industry now is human trafficking.

The ordinances enforcement provisions would reduce illicit massage parlor presence in San Juan Capistrano, he said.

Its not going to happen overnight, because enforcement doesnt happen overnight, Hart said. But without taking that first step of drafting aggressive ordinances, enforcement cant happen.

One provision prohibits a property owner from renting space to a massage parlor for five years if a previous massage parlor was closed on one of their properties. Another is that massage parlor owners that are shut down due to code violations are not allowed to open another massage parlor in the city for five years.

Massage ordinance violations would be upgraded to misdemeanors, punishable by fines and imprisonment.

City staff worked with the i-5 Freedom Network, a local nonprofit organization dedicated to ending human trafficking, to revise the ordinance and create the resolution.

Were here to encourage and commend the city of San Juan Capistrano on their courageous and committed efforts to address this issue, Brenda Wells, founder and executive director of the i-5 Freedom Network, said during the June 1 council meeting.

Human trafficking in the massage establishment is the number one reported location for this activity.  The goal is really to disrupt the problem without creating any undue burden or unintended consequences on other community members or massage establishment owners.

Other provisions for the amended ordinance require each massage parlor to post in their lobby, break room, and every massage room the national human trafficking hotline for their employees.

The ordinance also requires fingerprinting and background checks for all employees.

It requires massage establishments to have a single entrance and exit in a visible, well-lit location for customers. There is also a prohibition against locking the doors of massage rooms.

Theres a requirement that customers be informedby means of a sign on the counterthat a record is kept of each customers name and address, with verification required via a state-issued ID.

The Orange County Sheriffs Department would also conduct a robust annual review of massage parlor license renewals, which will be paid for by the business owner. The cost will be $362 for the initial review, and $218 for a review each year thereafter.

The parlor owner must provide all names, aliases, and fictitious names provided by the licensee over the last 10 years.

A second reading and adoption of the ordinance will occur pending council approval on June 15.

Hart said its up to the council to help stop human trafficking in the South Orange County community.

Its everywhere, Hart said. In almost every town, you see these storefront massage parlors, and its not a victimless crime. The lives of young people, men and women, are being ruinedsome of them forever. And its up to us. If good people dont act, then evil flourishes.
Senate Gun Background Check Talks Break Down: Key Senators

Two senators leading negotiations on a possible deal on gun background checks confirmed that they couldnt reach an agreement.

Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) told reporters on Wednesday that he was negotiating with Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) on a potential deal but talks were cut off. Murphy confirmed in a statement released later that the talks have indeed broken down.

Ive spent a lot of time talking with Senator Cornyn about proposals to increase background checks. I have been very open to compromise and I think Senator Cornyn was negotiating in good faith, he said. But we havent been able to get to a bill that would meaningfully increase the number of gun sales that require background checks.

Murphy said that he is speaking with other Republican senators about other gun-control proposals.

The good news is that Im still talking with other Republican colleagues about different proposals to expand background checks, he added, and Im committed to getting something done.

Cornyn told The Hill that Murphy didnt think we were making any headway so were no longer having any talks on a regular basis regarding gun legislation. He added that both his and Murphys staff worked hard but were not able to reach a conclusion.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) has said he would bring gun-control legislation to the Senate floor soon.

Earlier in the year, the House passed two Democrat-backed bills to expand background checks. With the divided 50-50 Senate, those bills were unlikely to gain enough support to overcome the 60-vote filibuster, and Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) previously signaled opposition to the bills.

Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) speaks during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, on Jan. 27, 2021. (Greg Nash/Pool via Reuters)

Murphy told the Wall Street Journal that Democrats in the Senate are looking at taking out some provisions from the House-passed bill.

It wont be universal. Were looking at an expansion of existing checks, he said. Dont count us out yet.

But Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) said that he was skeptical Democrats could find nine other Republican votes in the Senate.

Its not clear to me that we get 60 at this point, he said, referring to the filibuster, according to the Wall Street Journal. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) during a Monday Senate floor speech signaled strong opposition to Democrat-backed gun bills and described them as part of the Lefts war on the Second Amendment.

In the meantime, Sens. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) have introduced separate bills targeting so-called assault weapons as well as magazines that hold more than 10 rounds.

Feinstein announced in March that she re-introduced a bill (pdf) that would ban the sale of 205 firearms, including commonly owned ones. The bill also bans ammunition magazines that hold 11 rounds or moresimilar to bans that were handed down in California and New York state.

Menendezs bill, introduced in April, would ban the sale, transfer, possession, manufacture, or importation of magazines that can hold more than 10 rounds.

The two respective bills were at the time denounced by gun-rights and gun industry groups as unconstitutional power grabs.
Sex Slavery Driving Jihadism in Nigeria: Group

American activists decrying the Christian genocide in Nigeria are asserting that jihadist violence is motivated partly by an effort to enslave women and girls.

Most of the individuals captured by Boko Haram jihadists are young women and girls taken by force and trafficked as slave concubines, the Committee to Free Nigerian Slaves (CFNS) said a statement.

CFNS members demonstrated against the practice around a billboard in downtown Omaha, Nebraska, on June 5.

They endure horrendous abuse and mistreatment. An example of one of these victims is displayed on the billboard: She is 18-year-old Leah Sharibu, kidnapped from her school in Dapchi, Nigeria, in 2018, event organizer Stephen Enada told The Epoch Times.

Because Sharibu refused to renounce her Christian faith, she has been condemned to lifelong enslavement and is reportedly still in captivity in Northeastern Nigeria, according to the Leah Foundation in Dapchi. The CFNS made the same claim at a demonstration in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota, in May.

Gov. Sani Bello of Niger State referenced slave taking and sex slavery on April 26, when he told Channels TV the insurgency known as Boko Haram had captured the town of Shiroro.

Wives have been seized and forcefully attached to Boko Haram members. They are claiming it as their territory and will use it just as they have used Sambisa Forest, the governor said, referring to the thornbush-choked desert used by the insurgency since 2009.

Nigeria, a key U.S. ally, is ranked third in the 2020 Global Terrorism Index of countries most impacted by terrorism. Nigerias complex geopolitical conflict has claimed more than 60,000 lives since the emergence of Boko Haram, which translates to Western learning is forbidden.

Subject specialists focusing on West Africa have warned if Nigeriacontaining the largest population in Africaslides into an Islamist state or an ungovernable territory, most of West Africa could be soon to follow.

Bring back our girls was the slogan championed by First Lady Michelle Obama after Boko Haram kidnapped 276 girls at a government school in Chibok in Borno State on April 14, 2014.

The original purpose of the Chibok raid was not to get a ransom, but to marry the students to Boko Haram fighters, David Otto, a London-based defense consultant, told The Epoch Times.

In the ensuing weeks, girls were released in groups. But to date, 112 of the Chibok girls are missing and may have died in captivity or been forced to marry terrorists. Over the following seven years, Boko Haram and other terrorist groups have kidnapped hundreds of women and girls for ransom, but some have been kept as slaves, according to media accounts.

A lot of women and girls captured and enslaved by Boko Haram and held in hidden enclaves in the Lake Chad region have been recaptured, along with weapons, equipment, and food stores, by the Islamic State of West Africa (ISWAP), according to Otto.

The longtime leader of Boko Haram, Abubakar Shekau, committed suicide on May 18 at a hideout in the Sambissa Forest, as reported on May 21 by The Wall Street Journal and The Epoch Times. Infighting between the Boko Haram loyalists and the larger and ascendant ISWAP has been intense during the ensuing four weeks, Otto said.

The infighting is said to have resulted in the death of several jihadists from both camps with the Bakura group [Boko Haram loyalists] reported to have successfully kidnapped and carted away some of the wives, arms, and foodstuffs of ISWAP fighters; including vulnerable women ISWAP leadership had enslaved and retained as sex slaves from the Shekau-led camp in the same location, Otto reported on his website.

In retaliation, sources say the ISWAP-led faction planned and launched a reprisal attack against the stubborn Bakura unit, recovering some of their wives, ammunition, and some remaining foodstuffs previously carted away by the Bakura faction. Both sides lost several fighters in that encounter.

The nexus between Shekaus penchant for sex slavery and a tradition of slave raiding in the Lake Chad region more than 100 years ago was reported by three scholars in 2018 on the website Africa Is a Country.

The colonial presence in northern Cameroon and north-eastern Nigeria was marked by the persistence of systems of enslavement, which lasted until at least the 1940s and in diluted forms until even more recently, according to an article titled The Slave Holders on the Border.

The notorious slave raider Hamman Yaji, an ethnic Fulani man, left such a sordid legacy of capturing and trading women that the people in the Mandara Mountains on the border between Nigeria and Cameroon still call Boko Haram Hamaji and link the monstrous Hamman Yaji with Shekau.

Yaji celebrated his captures and murders in an autobiographical journal dictated between 1912 and 1927 that recounts approximately 100 raids by his militia in the Mandara Mountains, where he enslaved at least 1,600 women and girls and murdered more than 150 people.

Hamman Yaji used people as money. He asked a Fulbe woman for a pounding stick and paid with a slave. He bought a mat and paid with a slave. To buy a calabash, or a stick, he paid with people, according to interviews conducted by the authors, Melchisedek Chetima, Scott MacEachern, and Walter van Beek.

The authors cited Yajis diary entries to underscore his obsession with trafficking women and killing any opponent who stood in the way of what he considered a divinely appointed mission.

May 21:  I sent soldiers to Hudgudur, and they captured 20 girl slaves.

June 11:  I sent Barde to Wula, and they captured six girl slaves and ten cattle, and killed three men.

June 25:  I sent my people to the pagans of Midiri and Bula, and they captured 48 slave girls and 26 cattle, and we killed five people.

July 6:  I sent my people to Sina, and they captured 30 cattle and six slave girls.

Analogies between Yaji and Shekau remain striking, especially for the inhabitants of the Mandara Mountains: extreme violence, the evocation of the slave market, the idea of being invested with a divine mission, the production of quasi-apocalyptic discourses, the division of the world into believers and unbelievers, and the inspiration drawn from Islam are as easily recognizable in the earlier historical moment as they are today, the authors argued.

The Committee to Free Nigerian Slaves plans to continue a campaign to publicize the linkage between slavery and what they perceive to be a war on Nigerias 100 million Christians, according to Kyle Abts, a member of the committees organizing coalition.

In addition to female captives becoming slave concubines, there are hundreds if not thousands of young boys being conscripted and brainwashed into Boko Haram/ISWAP forces. Why does the world ignore such egregious violations of childrens rights? Abts said.

Douglas Burton may be reached at BurtonNewsAndViews@gmail.com.
Wu Chung-hsiun, President of Taiwans Development Center for Biotechnology and Director of the Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Industries Promotion Office of Taiwans Ministry of Economic Affairs. (The Epoch Times)

Spread of COVID-19 Variants Around the World Could Be Seen as Next Pandemic: Taiwan Health Official

The continuous mutation of the CCP virus, with multiple variants circulating around the world, could be described as the next pandemic, a top Taiwanese health official has warned.

Wu Chung-hsiun, president of Taiwans Development Center for Biotechnology (DCB) and director of the Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Industries Promotion Office of Taiwans Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA), told The Epoch Times that he thought it was too early to predict the end of the COVID-19 pandemic because this [virus]  keeps mutating and is still infecting people around the world.

So, actually, maybe we can consider that as the next pandemic, he said.

Wus comments were made in advance of the DCBs annual Taiwan Biotech Forum, scheduled to be streamed via YouTube on June 10. The forum, which is slated to include presentations by vaccine makers Pfizer and AstraZeneca, features the theme Preparing for the Next Pandemic.

The forum will be held only days after U.S. Sens. Chris Coons (D-Del.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), and Dan Sullivan (R-Ark.) visited Taiwanflying in on a U.S. Air Force C-17 cargo planeto announce a donation of 750,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses. Duckworth said during the visit that the United States will not let [Taiwan] stand alone and that the vaccine donation also reflects gratitude for Taiwans efforts to send PPE [personal protective equipment] and other supplies to America in the early days of the pandemic.

Taiwan has received vaccine shipments from U.S.-based Moderna and UK-based AstraZeneca, but authoritarian China reportedly blocked democratic Taiwans plans to purchase vaccines from the German firm BioNTech.

Wu said a Taiwan-produced vaccine may be available by July at the earliest, and expressed serious concern about the quality of vaccines Chinese firms have proposed to provide to Taiwan, stating Taiwan is more confident in and comfortable with U.S.-produced vaccines. He noted, unlike COVID-19 vaccines produced by American firms, vaccines from Chinese firms are produced using attenuated, or weakened, coronaviruses, which can be dangerous if the coronaviruses arent killed or sufficiently weakened.

[Chinese vaccine makers] are using the attenuated virus. That kind of approach could cause very serious side effects if the attenuation part is incomplete. So, that could cause infection rather than immunization, Wu said.

The Pfizer, the Moderna, the [AstraZeneca] [vaccines]  we could have very clear public information about those, and they are coming from reliable sources that we use to corroborate. So, I think, in that aspect, thats one of the major justifications that we tend to use the Pfizer and Moderna [vaccines], etcetera. And also, we have the capability to manufacture those if needed.

Wu noted that many members of the DCBs management team hold degrees from both U.S. and Taiwanese universities, stating robust scientific and academic interaction means Taiwanese and U.S. scientists share a common language and philosophy.

We share the same philosophy as people in the States because we have our higher education, he said. Our thinking process, pretty much, is in line with the scientists or the academic in the States. So, when we exchange information, we know exactly, when we say A, we mean A, and you hear A literally  when we try to do something and try to find collaborators in the States, its very easy because we communicate, we speak the same language.

DCB Vice President Chang Chi-feng told The Epoch Times, in addition to vaccines, the maintenance of human rights during the pandemic will be an important topic of discussion during the Taiwan Biotech Forum.

Taiwans people, I think we do emphasize human rights, she said, pointing to a scheduled forum presentation by a Taiwanese law professor that discusses a human-rights-centered approach for pandemic control.

Following the onset of the pandemic in 2020, Taiwan was able to keep schools and businesses open while also implementing effective pandemic defense measures, which resulted in strong economic performance. Taiwan achieved annual GDP growth of nearly 3 percent in 2020, higher than Chinas for the first time in three decades.

Taiwans goal for the pandemic is to keep economic growth steady, Chang said. Taiwan became very good [economically] in the last year, because we kept everything normal, everything steady.

More than a year later and with the arrival of the UK variant, the Taiwanese government has for the first time decided to closed all its schools and has introduced other restrictions while saying that it isnt planning to introduce a full lockdown, but will instead adjust the strictness of restrictions as needed.

Wu stated sharing its expertise in pandemic management is one way in which Taiwan can continue to contribute to the global community.

Our national capability, actually we can contribute a lot, he said. Taiwan is experienced in fighting the pandemic  Taiwan can help.
Though we may get some of our news from the internet or social media, we can stay grounded and connected to our family, friends, and neighbors for a true dose of reality. (IAKOV FILIMONOV/SHUTTERSTOCK)

Summer Civics Boot Camp for the Whole Family

I recently encouraged readers to make summer great again by getting the kids outdoors more and giving them lots of free time, along with trips to various attractions and historical sites close to home.

But after reading Wilfred McClays online essay Civic Education, Rightly Understood, its imperative to add one more item to this make summer great list: restoring history and civics to our childrens lives through everyday activities.

McClay links our ignorance about history and civics to the current dire circumstances that have brought us to the lonely precipice at which we find ourselves. He goes through the abysmal scores of students on history and civics examinations, and even connects these students failure to learn about their country to the mental depression and spiritual malaise affecting so many of our young people today. By neglecting to teach students about Americas great achievements as well as its mistakes, McClay explains, we have left our children with a bleak vision of the future and a broken memory of the past.

A half an hour a day with McClay, a historian who gave us a wise and balanced account of American history in the textbook Land of Hope, is a good goal for the summer. But for the younger crew, or for those who wince at the thought of opening a textbook in July, there are other options for instructing them about our history and government.

Land of Hope: An Invitation to the Great American Story. (Encounter Books)

Watch Videos

Dozens of possibilities giving insights into our past are just a click away, including The Alamo, Glory, and Johnny Tremain. The mini-series John Adams gives viewers insight into several early American figures, including the intrepid Abigail Adams. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, 12 Angry Men, and Lincoln are just a few films that include some lessons in the workings of government. As for the elementary school crew, try Liberty Kids available on YouTube.

Read the Declaration of Independence

The Fourth of July is just around the corner. Along with backyard barbeques and fireworks, reading this document is another great way to celebrate America and liberty.

Attend a City or Town Council Meeting

Heres an excellent way to witness government in action firsthand. Take the older children to see what local government is doing and how it works. Given the low esteem in which we hold so many politicians, you may be surprised to find men and women serving at this level who are devoted to improving their communities and the lives of their fellow citizens.

Consider Volunteering for a Political Candidate or Party

Candidates for office and the party that backs them can always use a helping hand. Whether its distributing flyers, preparing mail-outs, or making phone calls, youll find yourself appreciated while at the same time learning more about politics. This is an especially good way for teens to learn more about the system.

Study to Become a Citizen

Legal immigrants to the United States wishing to become citizens must take a naturalization test. To do so, they study and learn about our country. By the time they have prepared and passed the test, many of them probably know more about the basics of our Constitution, laws, and government than do some native-born Americans. Pretend you too wish to become a legal citizen by visiting this site, Preparing for the Naturalization Test, and youll find a barebones guide containing everything you need to know.

Make Suppertime a Classroom

The evening meal is a great time to hash over the days headlines and tie the news into a discussion of rights, freedoms, and government. Should some of our courts release arrestees without bail or charges? Should the government keep spending money by the truckload? What gives the presidentand I dont just mean Joe Biden specificallythe ability to issue executive orders? These and other questions should make the older kids sit up and think.

Look to Family, Friends, and Neighbors as Touchstones for Reality

Many of us who take our news from the internet or mainstream media place too much reliance on that informationor even misinformationand feel crushed by all that seems to be wrong in our country. There is much that is wrong. But we also have the solace of the sister who brings us laughter, the upbeat friend, and the neighbor who waves to us while mowing his lawn. Thats the normal part of our lives. In these people we find a great lesson in civics, a word rooted in the Latin civis (citizen), which also gives us the word civility.

Whatever our political views, lets make this summer a time of learning some history and civics and of teaching the same to our children.

Jeff Minick has four children and a growing platoon of grandchildren. For 20 years, he taught history, literature, and Latin to seminars of homeschooling students in Asheville, N.C. He is the author of two novels, Amanda Bell and Dust On Their Wings, and two works of non-fiction, Learning as I Go and Movies Make the Man. Today, he lives and writes in Front Royal, Va. See JeffMinick.com to follow his blog. This article was originally published on Intellectual Takeout.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-10 05:15:15|Editor: huaxia

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A man gets vaccinated against COVID-19 at a vaccination festival in New Orleans, New Orleans, Louisiana, the United States, on May 29, 2021. (Photo by Lan Wei/Xinhua)

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine said that approximately 200,000 doses of Johnson & Johnson vaccine in the state are set to expire on June 23, while "Ohio does not have legal options for sending the vaccine elsewhere, either to other states or other countries."

WASHINGTON, June 9 (Xinhua) -- Hospitals and state health departments across the United States are racing to decide how to use up millions of Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine doses that are set to expire this month, while lots of developing nations are still falling short of shots.

Millions of Johnson & Johnson vaccines will expire in June, and thousands could be wasted because fewer and fewer Americans are getting vaccinated, according to reports by The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times.

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine said Monday that approximately 200,000 doses of Johnson & Johnson vaccine in Ohio are set to expire on June 23.

"Ohio does not have legal options for sending the vaccine elsewhere, either to other states or other countries," DeWine said in a statement. The Ohio Department of Health has been aggressively working with COVID-19 vaccine providers to identify tactics to use as many doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine before they expire.

Like Ohio, some other states have considered shipping excess doses to other states or overseas, but said they faced legal and logistical hurdles.

The stockpile is, in part, an unintended consequence of the U.S. decision in April to temporarily suspend administration of Johnson & Johnson doses to assess a rare blood-clot risk, according to The Wall Street Journal report.

The pause forced states and providers to cancel large blocks of appointments that were never rescheduled, leaving a surplus of supply, and in some areas increasing hesitancy over the Johnson & Johnson vaccine's safety, according to industry officials.

Staff members work at a drive-thru vaccination site in San Francisco, the United States, May 22, 2021. (Xinhua/Wu Xiaoling)

According to the latest data of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, just 52 percent of Johnson & Johnson shots delivered to states have been administered, compared to about 84 percent for Pfizer vaccine and 83 percent for Moderna vaccine.

The Johnson & Johnson vaccine is the only single-dose vaccine authorized for emergency use in the United States. It can be stored in a regular refrigerator for up to three months. Thus it is easier to transport, store, and administer than other vaccines.

The prospect of so many Johnson & Johnson doses going to waste in the United States when developing nations are desperate for shots has sparked criticism.

As high vaccination rates are helping wealthier countries to gradually recover from the pandemic, many poor countries are far behind in their inoculation efforts, hobbling their economies and raising risks for wide spread of more dangerous COVID-19 variants.

The international community has called for the Biden administration to share stockpiled COVID-19 vaccines. 
Texas City Becomes Latest to Ban Abortion, Passes Sanctuary for the Unborn Ordinance

The city of Levelland, Texas, voted to become one of the latest municipalities to ban abortion and declared itself a Sanctuary for the Unborn.

All four City Council members voted in favor of the ordinance, which states: It shall be unlawful for any person to procure or perform an abortion of any type and at any stage of pregnancy in the City of Levelland, Texas.

It shall be unlawful, the ordinance says, for any person to knowingly aid or abet an abortion that occurs in the City of Levelland, Texas.

Councilwoman Mary Engledow said the successful vote marks a great day for the city, adding: We have done something that has been long overdue. Levelland is truly Blessed and by passing Sanctuary City for the Unborn we will remain blessed.

Mark Lee Dickson, the head with Right To Life of East Texas and founder of the Sanctuary Cities for the Unborn initiative, told Life News that the vote is a victory for the unborn as well as for women who received abortions when they were younger but regretted it.

She cited Levelland resident Kati Morriss testimony. Morris, who helped lead the effort in Levelland, told Texas Scorecard: I had an abortion many years ago, 30 miles away in Lubbock, and that abortion devastated my life  Abortion does not help women, it destroys women and takes the life of their children. What community needs that as an option for the people of their community?

The nearby city of Lubbock approved a similar ordinance on May 1. Planned Parenthood challenged Lubbocks ordinance in court, which was dismissed by U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix, who argued that Planned Parenthood lacked jurisdiction.

Because plaintiffs fail to show, as they must, that they have Article III standing to sue the city, the Court dismisses the case for lack of jurisdiction, the judge wrote last week. The lawsuit was dismissed without prejudice, meaning it can be refiled.

Regarding Lubbocks ordinance, Texas Solicitor General Judd Stone wrote in a letter (pdf) that it wont violate Texas state law, suggesting that the nearly identical ordinance passed in Levelland could stand.

In our view, Planned Parenthood has not shown that Lubbocks ordinance is inconsistent with state law. To the extent that the Court finds state law to be ambiguous regarding the merits of Planned Parenthoods claims, the Court should abstain from exercising jurisdiction, Stone wrote.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, meanwhile, noted in a letter that under Texas law, when a later-enacted statute clarifies the meaning of earlier statutes, it is highly persuasive, even if it does not technically control.
Texas Governor Signs Bill to Make Electoral Fraud Second-Degree Felony

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed a bill into law last week that makes intentionally altering ballots or election reports a second-degree felony, which is punishable by up to 20 years in jail.

The bill, HB 574 (pdf), specifies that knowingly or intentionally counting invalid votes or refusing to count valid votes, or altering the report to include invalid votes or exclude valid votes, is a second-degree felony offense. The Act goes into effect on Sept. 1.

According to the Texas Penal Code, the punishment for a second-degree felony is jail time no more than 20 years or less than two years, with an optional fine of up to $10,000.

Previously, it was a Class A misdemeanor to intentionally make a vote cast under false pretenses or provide misleading statements or representation on election-related documents, which is punishable by up to one year in jail with an optional fine of up to $4,000.

People cast their ballots at a polling location in Austin, Texas, on Oct. 13, 2020. (Sergio Flores/Getty Images)

Abbott didnt make any comments about signing the law, but said last month that election integrity legislation is one of the current sessions must-pass emergency items.

Supporters of the bill said it would protect the integrity of elections and give prosecutors more tools to enforce the law.

Opponents argued that the bill could create a chilling effect among individuals seeking to be election workers by threatening serious criminal penalties over genuine disagreements on the validity of evaluated ballots, according to the state House research organization report (pdf).

The Republican-led legislature has passed a series of election-related bills and delivered them to Abbotts desk for signature.

One of them, HB 2283 (pdf), which was delivered to Abbott on May 31, prohibits county election officials from accepting a donation over $1,000 or using the donation to administer elections.

The bill was introduced in response to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerbergs roughly $400 million donations for elections to counties nationwide, the Center Square reported.

Another, SB 598 (pdf), was sent to Abbott on June 1. The bill requires voting machines used in elections to be auditable. It further requires voting systems to be disconnected to any external networks, including the internet. It also requires risk-limiting audits of certain election results and requires the secretary of state to conduct an audit pilot program.

A voter, right, shows his identification to a Harris County election clerk before voting in Houston, Texas, on July 14, 2020. (David J. Phillip/AP Photo)

On May 27, SB 1111 (pdf) was sent to Abbotts desk. That bill prohibits a person from establishing residence with the intention to influence an election, and a voter can only register the physical dwelling place as the voters address, not PO boxs or similar location.

Then on May 29, SB 1113 (pdf) was sent to the governor. The bill requires the registrar to timely approve, change, or cancel a voters registration under applicable law. Otherwise, the secretary of state may withhold funding from election officials.

And on May 30, a comprehensive election reform bill, SB 7, failed to pass the House when House Democrats staged a walkout to break the quorum needed that night.

SB 7 (pdf) gives more power to poll watchers by granting them more access inside polling areas while creating new penalties against election officials who restrict poll watchers movements. The proposal would also allow a judge to void the outcome of an election if the number of fraudulent votes could change the result.

The bill also specifies that officials who send mail-in ballots to people who didnt request them could also face criminal penalties.

Abbott called Democrat lawmakers walkout deeply disappointing and concerning. He said he would veto legislature funding and call a special session to revisit the bill.
The Experience of Freedom

Sweat dripped from my face as I crested the rocky ridge. We had been hiking in the 100-degree weather for hours, and I was exhausted, exhilarated, and thrilled with the wide spread of nature I was privileged to experience. When we finally labored to the top of the steepest incline, what a sight to behold! In the background, stunning, soaring mountain peaks, and straight ahead, a refreshing oasis, the deepest green color for miles in a mostly dry landscape.

Author John Falce. (Courtesy of John Falce)

With cries of joy, we raced down toward the water, dodging large rocks and sliding on matted earth, intending to plunge our dusty hands and feet into the cool, rejuvenating pool or maybe just dive right in. But, at the waters edge, we skidded to a sudden stop. The beautiful, evergreen water was roiling with snakes! It wasnt obvious at first but there were snakes undulating through the depths, writhing on the surface, and basking on the banks. First, we stared with a morbid curiosity then we backed away to find new, less wriggly mysteries to discover. The eventful day rolled on.

The terrain dipped and rose, and rose some more. As we gained altitude, Dad was beginning to worry and warned us to stay close. We pressed on through a dark cave and emerged on a narrow, twisting path that wound its way around the edge of a cliff.

Inside a cave at Pinnacles National Park. (Courtesy of Andrea Falce)

At long last, we reached the climax of a rough path: a formidable precipice overlooked the deep, rocky valley. My heart sang and I leaped forward, oblivious to my fathers warning cries. Gleefully frolicking among the boulders, I failed to notice a 500-foot drop-off behind me. As I teetered heedlessly on the brink of disaster, Dad grabbed my collar and hauled me to relative safety. Why was he so angry and concerned? In my mind, I was a mountain goatfree as a kid! But apparently, being young and foolish, I had no idea of the looming danger and considered it mean that Dad made me hold his hand for most of the hike back.

At the end of a full day of beautiful sights, childish fights, and an all-around feeling of placid contentment, we returned to the car for drinks and snacks. Hiking through those arid rock formations, I had worked up a formidable appetite. Vaguely, I remembered Mom stashing the remnants of a picnic meal before we began. We piled into the car. My stomach prodded. I looked around, Wheres my sandwich? It wasnt in my immediate area. I know I had leftovers!

When I failed to find them, I began to get frustrated. Wheres my sandwich? I demanded aloud of nobody in particular. Where is it? Did someone eat my sandwich? I wondered. We were nowhere near civilization and my parents were sympathetic to my hungerafter all, I had lost my sandwich. Dad pulled the car over, everybody stopped eating their snacks and got back up on weary feet to help me look for my delicious salami, cheddar, and mustard sub. Departure was halted as we hunted through the vehicle for my precious missing sandwich. After about half an hour of fruitless searching in bags and napkins, under seats and in cracks, suddenly it dawned on me. Oh! I ate my whole sandwich!

Looking over at the landscape below from a vantage point in Pinnacles National Park in California. (Courtesy of Andrea Falce)

Johhhn! My mother, father, sister, and brother moaned in complaint against me. But their ire faded as, one by one, we began to muse on the absurdity of our situation and the remoteness of our location from the next meal, which each of us would have welcomed heartily. Simultaneously, as a family, we burst out laughing. My sister shared a piece of her food. And to this day, Wheres my sandwich is a household idiom used whenever someone cant find something they are ridiculously culpable for losing.

As we drove away from Pinnacles National Park, we ruminated on our near-death experiences and the rugged beauty of the terrain. The following morning, we were back on the trail. Our next stop was Sequoia National Park. Against the warnings of my parents  again, I insisted on eating nothing but too many sugary yogurt cups offered in happy abundance at our bed and breakfast. Roughly halfway through the car ride, I began to feel the consequences of my defiance. A bad feeling swelled in my belly. I warned my parents of impending doom, ironically as they had warned me. There was nowhere to pull over, no shoulder at all, just ledges. It was too late! I leaned out the window, our awful premonitions were realized into the open air. My nausea was relieved. But, behind me, my sister sat silhouetted against the car seat in a frame of barf.

Miraculously, she stayed calm. There was a moment of shocked silence. What should we do? Then, there came a haven for recuperationthe roadside rest stop. We cleaned up. Of course, there were I-told-you-sos, but that afternoon was a credit to my familys love and patience. I still cant believe how well my sister took it! We shoved off again in 15 minutes, mostly sanitized and with a good lesson learned about heeding parental wisdom.

And soon, the long-anticipated towers of Sequoia National Park finally surrounded us in real life. We walked among those trees hundreds of years older and bigger than myself. I was struck by a profound sense of awe. As we moved beyond the narrow path crowded with tourists, deeper into the mist-wreathed forest, we began to realize just how isolated we were.

Some of those massive sequoias were 20 times as wide as Dad with his arms spread out, and my dads arm span is wide. I cannot properly memorialize their vastness. Some were completely hollowed at the base so that we could actually walk inside welcoming trunks so spacious they could have passed for caverns. In height, they were almost too big for our minds to process. In depth, the forest was so great that at one point, we thought we were lost. Mom was sure the bears were hot on our trail. My siblings and I, the kids, began to tire. Mom had to invoke the offer of ice cream to keep us going.

The author at the base of a sequoia tree in Sequoia National Park, while on vacation with his family in California four years ago. (Courtesy of Andrea Falce)

Finally, after an impactful day of wandering in Sequoia, we returned to the comparative triviality of our ordinary lives. At the hotel, we munched on small boxed cereals and chattered about our adventure, surrounded by people from all over the world talking about the same things. But words were hardly sufficient to convey the ethereal beauty of those cathedral-like trees. They had to be experienced. To see them in real life permanently expanded our minds. That was four years ago, in California. Nowadays, I wonder if we could take such a trip.

Sometimes, while sitting in school, I escape to the memory of that joyful vacation with my family. At least we finally stopped straining to see our teachers through giant, cloudy, scratched plexiglass shields that enfolded each of our desks. My current point of view is so different from those beautiful days, though. I think through a mask, that we all still have to wear over our noses and mouths, almost everywhere. Especially when I have asthma, I struggle to breathe past it. Although anything is better than e-learning, I wish life could be more clear and carefree again. More than seven hours a day, five days a week, stuffed in a mask. School has become something to be dreaded.

Before COVID struck, I used to look forward to going to school and learning something new. Now, I beg Mom to homeschool meanything to get away from that mask. I also miss my friends; we are socially distanced and isolated now. Although I recognize that the disease was serious, the remedy seems to have serious side effects, too.

There is talk of masks being recycled into next year. I try not to imagine that scenario and think instead of summeralmost here!

In my minds eye, with a smile on my face, I revisit that time before the world became sterilized and separated. We are just starting to relax safety measures in our cities and schools, and I think that many people are reluctant to go back to normal. For those people out there: Dont be afraid to be free! If we dont get back on track now, will we ever? It is painful to be locked down.

Last fall, my family and I were planning on seeing Zion, walking again through the glorious United States and experiencing unfettered life. I dont know if we are yet liberated enough for that dream to come true, but I sure would like to see it happen! If we continue to open back up, and not let ourselves be confined to our masks and our fears, we can move past this troubled time, and go back to the real places and great learning experiences of the free world.

John Falce is 13 years old. He lives with his military pilot father, Florentine-trained artist mother, two brothers, and sister on a four-acre hobby farm in Milton, Fla. He is trying his hand at raising pigs when hes not at school. John got into writing while obligingly editing for his mothers book. He loves a good story and hopes you enjoy this one.
Then-President Donald Trump speaks to the media before departing the White House to Joint Base Andrews en route to San Diego, Calif., on March 13, 2018. (Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times)

Trump Backs Nigeria Twitter Ban, Urges Other Countries to Follow Suit

Former President Donald Trump on Tuesday praised the Nigerian governments decision to block access to Twitter, and called on other countries to do the same.

Trump applauded the Nigerian governments move to indefinitely suspend Twitters activities, two days after the social media giant removed a post by Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari that threatened to punish regional secessionists in the West African country.

Congratulations to the country of Nigeria, who just banned Twitter because they banned their President, Trump said in a statement. More COUNTRIES should ban Twitter and Facebook for not allowing free and open speechall voices should be heard.

In the meantime, competitors will emerge and take hold, Trump continued. Who are they to dictate good and evil if they themselves are evil?

The former president suggested that the reason why he didnt ban Facebook while he was in office was because Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg kept calling me and coming to the White House for dinner telling me how great I was.

2024? Trump added, teasing a potential presidential run.

The former president hosted Zuckerberg at the White House twice in 2019. Earlier this month, Trump again hinted at a possible run for the presidency while responding to the news that hell be banned from Facebook for two years, saying he wont attend dinners requested by Zuckerberg next time Im in the White House.

The former president has been banned from Facebook until 2023, and he has also been permanently removed from Twitter following the Jan. 6 Capitol breach.

Nigerias Information Minister Lai Mohammed said the government had blocked Twitter access because of the persistent use of the platform for activities that are capable of undermining Nigerias corporate existence.

Nigerias Information Minister Lai Mohammed speaks during a news conference in Abuja, Nigeria, on Nov. 19, 2020. (Afolabi Sotunde/Reuters)

Nigerias President Muhammadu Buhari in Paris, France, on May 18, 2021. (Ludovic Marin/Pool via Reuters)

Many of those misbehaving today are too young to be aware of the destruction and loss of lives that occurred during the Nigerian Civil War, the removed post from Buhari read, referring to the Biafra War between 1967 and 1970 which killed more than one million people. Those of us in the fields for 30 months, who went through the war, will treat them in the language they understand.

That post violated Twitters abusive behavior policy, the social media giant said. The company also suspended Buharis Twitter account for 12 hours.

We are deeply concerned by the blocking of Twitter in Nigeria. Access to the free and #OpenInternet is an essential human right in modern society, Twitter said in a statement. We will work to restore access for all those in Nigeria who rely on Twitter to communicate and connect with the world.

Nigerias media regulator, the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), meanwhile called on all TV and radio stations to delete their accounts and desist from using Twitter as a sourceof information gathering for news.

It would be unpatriotic for any broadcaster in Nigeria to continue to patronise the suspended Twitter as a source of its information, NBCs director, Armstrong Idachaba, said.

Twitter and Facebook didnt immediately respond to requests for comment by The Epoch Times.
The logo of Twitter is displayed on the screen of a smartphone and a tablet in Toulouse, France, on Oct. 26, 2020. (Lionel Bonaventure/AFP via Getty Images)

Twitter Takes No Action Against ProPublica Story on Illegal Tax Leaks Despite Censoring Hunter Biden Coverage

Twitter took no action on a ProPublica story published Tuesday based on the illegal leak of confidential tax information of the nations wealthiest people that was shared widely on its platform.

Twitters inaction on the tax leak story comes after the social media network outright blocked users in the run-up to the 2020 election from sharing a New York Post story about Hunter Bidens laptop for violating its Hacked Materials Policy, despite there being no evidence that the Post obtained the laptop as a result of a hack.

Both White House press secretary Jen Psaki and Treasury Department spokeswoman Lily Adams said the unauthorized disclosure of tax records to ProPublica was illegal and that the matter had been referred to federal authorities for investigation.

Twitter did not return a request for comment asking if ProPublicas story violated its Hacked Materials Policy.

Twitter defines hacked materials as any information accessed legitimately outside of approved systems or networks, or any materials where there is evidence that they were obtained through malware or social engineering.

ProPublica did not disclose how it obtained 15 years of tax returns for thousands of the nations wealthiest people, however, the outlet said it obtained the data in its raw form, with no conditions or conclusions.

Its not clear if a source within the IRS provided the information to ProPublica or if the tax returns were obtained via a hack, according to The Wall Street Journal.

The unauthorized disclosure of confidential government information is illegal, Treasury spokeswoman Lily Adams said. The matter is being referred to the Office of the Inspector General, Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Columbia, all of whom have independent authority to investigate.

Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey testifies remotely during a hearing to discuss reforming Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act with big tech companies in Washington, on Oct. 28, 2020. (Greg Nash/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)

The social media giant modified its hacked materials policy in October after widespread criticism of its censoring of the Posts coverage of Hunter Bidens laptop, and Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey said during a congressional hearing on misinformation in March that it was a total mistake to block the story from being shared on his platform.

The Post reported that the copy of Hunter Bidens laptop it obtained originated from the owner of a Delaware computer repair shop who said Hunter Biden dropped off his computer for repair but never returned to pick it up.

Hunter Biden has not addressed the authenticity of a repair quote that contains what appears to be his signature, his phone number, and email address authorizing the shop to move data from his computer to a store server for data recovery.

Twitter previously defended its decision to not censor news stories covering hacked materials related to individuals who donated to Kenosha shooter Kyle Rittenhouses legal defense fund in April.

Tweets referring to a hack or discussing hacked materials would not be considered a violation of this policy unless materials associated with the hack are directly distributed in the text of a Tweet, in an image shared on Twitter, or in links to hacked content hosted on other websites, a Twitter spokesperson previously told the DCNF.

By Andrew Kerr

From The Daily Caller News Foundation
Men work at the construction site of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline in Lubmin, northeastern Germany, on March 26, 2019. (Tobias Schwarz/AFP via Getty Images)

Ukraine Ambassador: Canada Should Take a Strong Position on Russias Nord Stream 2

Russias Nord Stream pipeline system is much more than a natural gas projectit allows Russia to advance its geopolitical influence and should be followed closely by Ottawa, says Ukraines ambassador to Canada.

Canada is an important player  in the energy market, and if Canada is serious about the future of this market, obviously Canada should take very seriously what is happening in Europe, Andriy Shevchenko told The Epoch Times.

I think Russia is trying to set up the scene for the next several decades, and that means that Canada has a very pragmatic reason to follow the situation and to have a strong position on this, because of the economic consequences of this project happening.

Nord Stream projects have been opposed by the United States and several European countries because of concerns Russia would use the pipelines to increase its influence in Europe.

Russia wants to see European nations dependent on Russian oil and natural gas, dependent on Russian sources of energy, and Russia wants to split Europe.  Nord Stream 2 can help them to achieve both of those goals, Shevchenko said.

Nord Stream 2, construction of which is expected to be completed this month, made the news again in recent weeks after the Biden administration waived some of the sanctions on the project put in place by the previous administration.

In December 2019, U.S. Congress and then-president Donald Trump sanctioned the construction of the US$10.5 billion pipeline. The sanctions were part of the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act, which aimed to minimize the ability of Russia to use Nord Stream 2 as a tool of coercion and political leverage and to stop Russia from shifting energy exports from Ukraine to other countries.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told Axios on June 4 that he was disappointed by the Biden administrations decision to waive the sanctions on the pipeline, which runs from Russia to Germany under the Baltic Sea.

This is a weapon, a real weapon  in the hands of the Russian Federation, he said. It is not very understandable  that the bullets to this weapon can possibly be provided by such a great country as the United States.

Biden assured Zelensky in a phone call on June 7 that he will stand up firmly for Ukraines sovereignty during his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Geneva on June 16. He affirmed the United States unwavering commitment to Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity in the face of ongoing Russian aggression in Donbas and Crimea, according to a White House statement.

Ambassador Shevchenko said his government views Nord Stream 2, which runs parallel to Nord Stream 1 and doubles its capacity, as a tool for further Russian destructive and aggressive activities in Europe.

Ukrainian ambassador to Canada Andriy Shevchenko appears at a House of Commons defence committee hearing on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Dec. 4, 2018. (The Canadian Press/Sean Kilpatrick)

Russias Military Buildup a Multi-Layer Operation

Those aggressive activities include several military options being considered by Russia as it continues a massive troop buildup near its western border with Ukraine, Shevchenko says.

Among those options is further aggression in the northeast of the country, he said.

Thats where we see a lot of the Russian troops along the Ukrainian border, or the area of Mariupol [near] the coast of the Sea of Azov. And that direction is important for the Russians because they have been talking for quite a long time about creating this land bridge between the Russian Federation and the occupied Crimea along the coastline.

Shevchenko said the Russian military buildup is a multi-layer operation. It spontaneously seeks to expand occupation to Donbass, a key economic region in southeast Ukraine; increase activities in European air zones; build up the Russian military presence in the Arctic; and conduct cyberattacks in North America.

We see their major strategic and long-term goal, which is to undermine the existing international order, which is to challenge the West, which is to challenge the free world, he said.

Ukraine as NATOs De Facto Eastern Flank

Shevchenko said Ukraine is looking forward to the NATO summit in Brussels on June 14, where members will discuss strategic deterrence against Russias aggressions.

The alliance will take a very serious look at the next 10 years, and we expect Ukraine and Russia to be a major part of the conversation, he said. I think it is very important for NATO to recognize Russia as a key threat in the next 10 years of planning for the alliance.

The ambassador said it would be a mistake for NATO to try to get Russia on our side in order to deal properly with China, noting that this would be an invitation for other hostile and aggressive nations to go ahead in their attempts to destabilize the world order.

He said Ukraine wants NATO to make use of his countrys defence and intelligence capabilities, experience, and soft power across the region.

Ukraine already sees itself as NATOs de facto eastern flank. We fight Russian aggression on behalf of NATO, on behalf of the free world, on behalf of a free Europe, he said.
A "We are hiring!" sign in front of the Buya restaurant in Miami on March 5, 2021. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

US Businesses Urge Government to Solve Ever-Worsening Workforce Crisis

WASHINGTONThe U.S. Chamber of Commerce called for the federal government and states to take swift action to address the countrys ever-worsening workforce crisis, as the economy gains momentum, triggering a strong demand for labor.

Americas great economic resurgence is being held back by an unprecedented workforce shortageand its getting worse, Neil Bradley, executive vice president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, said in a statement on June 8.

We are seeing an increasing number of businesses turning down work and only partially reopening because they cant find enough workers.

The statement came after the Labor Department report showed that April job openings hit an all-time high of 9.3 million. This was higher than the consensus forecast of 8.2 million.

The number of hires, meanwhile, increased slightly to 6.1 million, suggesting that job positions are opening faster than businesses can fill them.

Millions of Americans are still unemployed, even as many business owners are having trouble filling jobs. The gap of 3.2 million between the number of job openings and hires was the largest on record, Scott Anderson, chief economist at the San Francisco-based Bank of the West, said in a report.

According to Anderson, COVID fears, a lack of child care, skills mismatches, and generous jobless benefits are collectively holding back people from rejoining the labor force.

The sector with the greatest increase in job openings in April was food services, which added 349,000 openings.

Recent business surveys show that many small-business owners are also struggling at record levels at finding qualified workers. According to a monthly survey by the National Federation of Independent Business, job openings in May rose to an all-time high, with 48 percent of firms saying they cant fill job openings.

Companies blame the generous federal unemployment benefit as the biggest barrier to a job market rebound. The Biden administrations $1.9 trillion stimulus plan extended the weekly unemployment benefit at $300 through Sept. 6.

Business owners say they cant compete with these rich federal benefits as they incentivize people to stay home instead of working. In order to help companies in their states, 25 governors announced that they would end the $300 weekly unemployment supplement before funding for the program expires in September.

The U.S. Chamber called on the 25 remaining governors to do the same and use the relief money in training the workforce and providing child care for parents to help them return to work. It also urged Congress to boost the levels of legal immigration and work visas.

The nations largest business organization earlier called the labor shortage crisis a national economic emergency and launched America Works, a nationwide initiative to rally the business community to push for policy changes at the federal and state level to address the problem.

The number of Americans voluntarily leaving their jobs rose 11 percent to nearly 4 million in April, the highest figure in almost decades.

The economy is still 7.6 million jobs short of where it stood before the pandemic started last year. And one of the concerning trends in the jobs report is the rise of early retirements due to the pandemic.

Theres a structural decline in workers who are over the age of 55, according to Beata Caranci, chief economist at TD Bank Group and chair of the American Bankers Associations Economic Advisory Committee.

And that age group may not reenter the workforce as expected, she said at the associations press conference on June 3.

Economists are divided over whether the $300 unemployment supplement discourages work.

The 25 states, which are all led by Republican governors, will withdraw from the federal unemployment program starting this week. In total, nearly 3.9 million Americans are expected to be affected by this change, according to Daniel Zhao, a senior economist at Glassdoor, a recruiting site.

While some economists predict a significant jump in employment in these states in coming weeks, others still hesitate to draw a direct relationship between the labor shortage and the benefits.

I think it would be an overstatement to say its just related to the benefits, Caranci said, in response to a question by The Epoch Times.

The challenge, however, will be that we think theres this natural increase in labor supply occurring at the same time that the benefits are being removed by these states. So to be able to attribute one to the other will be very difficult, Caranci said.

There may be a tendency to draw a conclusion, she noted, but there are other factors that help the labor market recovery, including rising vaccination rates and reopening of schools.

President Joe Biden has pushed back against the notion that the unemployment benefit is discouraging people from returning to work, but also said on June 4 that it makes sense for the benefit to end in line with its scheduled expiry date in September.
A pair of figure skating boots in a file photo. (Jacques Demarthon/AFP via Getty Images)

US Charges Former Olympic Figure Skater in COVID-19 Small Business Fraud

NEW YORKA former Slovenian figure skater who competed in the 1992 Winter Olympics has been criminally charged in Manhattan with fraudulently raising $1.6 million meant to help small U.S. businesses cope with the COVID-19 pandemic.

U.S. prosecutors on Tuesday charged Luka Klasinc, 48, with bank fraud and aggravated identity theft related to his alleged use of falsified documents. The fraud count carries a maximum 30-year prison term.

A federal public defender representing Klasinc did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Prosecutors said Klasinc owns BOB77 LLC, which has staged ice-themed amusement park events in locations such as Warsaw, Poland; Dusseldorf, Germany; and Ljubljana, Slovenia.

According to court papers, BOB77 received $1.6 million of U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) economic injury disaster loans from July to September 2020, when there were also many wire transfers to international recipients from its accounts.

After Klasincs bank froze the accounts on suspicion of fraud, Klasinc allegedly provided a falsified letter on SBA letterhead to verify the funds legitimacy.

Klasinc flew in from Istanbul on May 31 and visited the bank three times to access the funds but was denied, and the bank alerted law enforcement, prosecutors said.

The bank has returned $848,383 from the BOB77 accounts to the SBA, prosecutors added.

Klasinc was arrested on Monday, when prosecutors said he was scheduled to return to Istanbul.

At a time when U.S. small businesses were struggling because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Klasinc thought he could scam his way to easy money, U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss in Manhattan said in a statement. His plans have been put on ice.

Klasinc competed in mens singles figure skating at the Olympics in Albertville, France, but did not reach the free skate.

By Jonathan Stempel
Western Australia and South Australia Extend COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout

Both Western Australia and South Australia have expanded their COVID-19 vaccine rollout programs.

Residents in West Australia aged 30 to 49 will be able to receive the Pfizer vaccine from this Thursday, while people aged above 50 will continue to receive the AstraZeneca (AZ) vaccine.

Bookings of Pfizer vaccines are now available at state-run clinics seven days a week. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged above 16 will also be eligible.

Western Australian premier Mark McGowan called on the federal government to increase AstraZeneca vaccine supplies to GP and emphasized that both vaccines are safe and effective.

This is a very significant expansion in our vaccination program, McGowan told reporters on Tuesday. This will mean that far more West Australians can get vaccinated.

\West Australian Premier Mark McGowan addresses the media at the Covid-19 Vaccination Clinic at Claremont Showgrounds on May 03, 2021, in Perth, Australia. (Paul Kane/Getty Images)

Roger Cook, the WA Health Minister, said Australia had been a leader in managing the pandemic, but a lagger in terms of vaccination.

We wanted to take an aggressive stanceWere determined to build momentum on this vaccination program, he said.

People often ask me when will we be able to travel again? When will we end the lockdowns?

The answer is simple: when we get vaccinated. Every person that gets the jab takes us one step closer to meeting these dual goals.

About 60 percent of people aged over 79 in WA had received their first dose of vaccination. The proportion dropped to 37 percent and 25 percent for those in their 60s and those aged 50-59, respectively.

SA Premier Steven Marshall at Memorial Drive on January 29, 2021, in Adelaide, Australia. (Mark Brake/Getty Images)

South Australia has also extended the vaccine rollout to residents aged 40 to 49, right before allocating $86 million from this months budget to expand the program.

The state has also approved all disability workers to receive the Pfizer vaccine.

South Australian premier Steven Marshall said the budget allocation would help to maximize the vaccination efforts.

This $86 million investment will mean SA Health will have the resources they need to be able to pivot where required to get this vital vaccine into the arms of South Australians, Marshall said.

South Australias health and economic response to the pandemic has led the world, and we will continue to scale up the states vaccine rollout in a way that maximises our vaccine supplies, protects South Australians and aligns with the latest health advice.

AAP contributed to this report.
What Comes After Australias V-Shaped Economic Recovery?

Commentary

The flow of economic data has so far made June a good news month for Australia, notwithstanding the abrupt resumption of COVID-19 restrictions had on economic activity in our second-largest state.

National accountswhich provide the most comprehensive reading of the economic pulsereported that the first quarter of 2021 was the third straight quarter of outsized growth, which lifted GDP to a level almost one percent above where it was at the end of 2019 before the pandemic started to affect the economy.

Employment likewise has exceeded its pre-pandemic level. Australia is one of the very few countries in the world that can boast of such outcomes.

Then, one of the prominent credit rating agencies, Standard and Poors, announced it was removing the negative outlook caveat it had slapped on the Australian governments AAA rating during the financial turmoil of 2020. Few other countries in the world enjoy a pristine credit rating like this.

Last year, economists had a field day speculating about whether the post-COVID recovery would take the shape of a V, U, W, K, an L or even a Nike swoosh. There was a lot of pessimism about the outcome. But Australias recovery has taken the best shapean emphatic V.

What went right, and why was the pessimism so rife?

One reason is that SARS-CoV-2 was suppressed more rapidly and comprehensively than anyone dared expect in the dark days of national lockdown. With the exception of Victoria, the local outbreaks (if thats what they can be called) since mid-2020 have been too small and short-lived to derail the strong recovery.

A general view of an empty street in the central business district in Melbourne, Australia, on February 14, 2021. (Wayne Taylor/Getty Images)

The second reason is that many economists, including this one, failed to understand how different the pandemic-induced slump was from a conventional recession. Once restrictions were removed, economic activity bounced back quickly, aided by the JobKeeper scheme (a temporary wage subsidy measure) that kept employer-employee connections intact and ready to resume where they left off.

We also failed to anticipate the extent to which the economic losses in highly exposed sectors such as international travel and higher education would be offsetin a macroeconomic senseby gains elsewhere, such as in e-commerce and home improvement.

But while the news has been good, the horizon is by no means clear of dark clouds.

We dont yet know how the latest outbreak in Melbourne will play out, and we do know how panicky state premiers are at the first sign of COVID infections, with the possible exception of New South Wales.

Then there is the fact that although GDP has slightly exceeded its pre-pandemic level, the economy has foregone most of the growth that would otherwise have occurred in the five quarters since. From that perspective, the economy is still at least two percent smaller now than it would otherwise have been.

Indeed, the Treasury expects the economy to be permanently smaller as a result of the pandemic. This is partly because the population will be permanently smaller but also because of long-term economic scarring from the 2020 slump. The scarring has been limited by the shorter than expected duration of the slump, but it will still happen.

Exercise is currently restricted to 60 minutes, and masks need to be worn during exercise. (Matt Jelonek/Getty Images)

The economy will also suffer from the setback to international travel, skilled migration and higher education, which add a dimension to Australias economic vigour that cannot be easily replaced by increased consumer spending in other sectors, including in-home IT equipment and renovations.

The run of outsized quarterly growth rates is probably behind us now, and the rate of growth will return to something more ordinary. This is a reminder that Australias economic performance was mediocre before the pandemicmarked by low growth in productivity, which is the well-spring of improvements in living standards.

This is the mediocrity to which economic performance will return unless there is a more concerted policy effort to strengthen the incentives and enabling conditions for productivity growth. Fiscal and monetary stimulus has its limits and is not a substitute for self-sustaining growth.

Finally, the outlook for the nations public finances remains worrying, notwithstanding Standard and Poors brighter outlook. The rating agencys upgrade this week came with the qualification that preservation of the AAA rating will depend on a return to the fiscal discipline of the past.

Right now, there is little fiscal discipline in sight.

Robert Carling is a senior fellow at the Centre for Independent Studies and a former IMF, World Bank and federal and state Treasury economist.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-10 05:42:46|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

LIMA, June 9 (Xinhua) -- At least 12 people died after an interprovincial bus skidded off the road and plunged into a ravine on a highway in Pataz province, located in the northern Peruvian department of La Libertad, local media reported on Wednesday.

The accident occurred on Tuesday at around 11:30 a.m. local time in an area known as the "Devil's Balcony," as the vehicle, owned by the Turismo Rosita company, was covering the Trujillo-Pataz route in the highlands of the region.

The bus was carrying about 30 passengers, of which four were injured and 11 are missing, sub-prefect of Parcoy Eleodoro Castaneda told local media.

Those injured were taken to health centers in the towns of Vijus and Chagual.

According to TV Peru, the bodies of the deceased were transferred to police stations in Retamas, Chagual and Vijus in Pataz. Enditem
What Its Business School Means

Four lessons for prospective MBA students

Commentary

During my time in the Master of Business Administration (MBA) program at Rice University, an oft-heard saying was Its business school. This line encapsulated the sentiment among student peers and garnered near instant understanding.

My distinct background, growing up on a sheep and cattle farm in New Zealand, meant I had a steeper learning curve and at first didnt get it. That stood even with my extensive self-directed research into business schools and international search for the best fit.

Now that Ive graduated after two years in Houston, Texas, I can speak from direct experience. Below, I list four observations, but they all stem from one feature: MBA programs serve to garner entry into and promotion on the corporate ladder, not to provide education in a classical sense.

In the words of Jones School Dean Peter Rodriguez, an MBA is more practical. Although doctoral programs are another matter, business schools distinct purpose explains why academics are so uncomfortable with their presence on campus. Glaring profitability, though, makes business schools nigh unstoppable. (Read A Random Walk to Nowhere by John Dobelman and the late Edward Williams for an entertaining and compelling account of how they rose in prominence.)

Cheating Is a Given

When student eyes are on limited job openings amid fierce competition, theres a strong incentive to cheat. While I reported widespread cheating at Francisco Marroquin University in Guatemala, where I began a Master of Finance, I have come to realize that cheating is commonplace in business education. An accounting professor, for example, shared that he had found one of his past exams distributed online, even with the students name; yet he still couldnt do anything about it.

A fellow student explained that a crackdown on cheating would be unpopular with MBA students, since it would distract from recruiting for employment. The competitiveness of students also means enforcement would be costly and difficult, requiring practices akin to those of specialized testing centers. Further, theres little love for whistleblowers, and this carries over to industry, where they often find themselves unemployable.

It makes one sympathetic toward grade nondisclosure, which many top programs have already adopted. Why bother with grades at all?

Branding Is King

The top seven private MBA programs in the United Statesthe M7lead the world in prestige. Their burgeoning student rolls, with around 1,000 new full-time MBA arrivals each year, are testament to students gunning for name recognition over educational value.

Many MBA graduates have shared with me that one might as well not complete the degree if its not from the M7 or at least a school in the top 25 or so within the United States. For selective internships and jobs, this view is spot on. For a tight community and solid local options, though, more parochial schools such as Brigham Young University and Texas Christian University make sense.

The pile on for the big-name schools has left fewer students available for sterling but less famous MBA programs. The University of Rochester and Babson College come to mind, both of which I applied to. Wake Forest University in North Carolina, although ranked 28th nationally by U.S. News and World Report, has given up entirely on its full-time MBA program.

Everyone Passes

This might seem like an irony, given the note about cheating, but the two go hand in hand with the lack of emphasis on academic inquiry. During a campus visit to Southern Methodist University in Dallas, I asked how many people made it through and graduated. With little hesitation, the admissions representatives said everyone did.

Getting into MBA programs is where the competition and stratification occur. After that, prospective employers weed people out, not the schools.

This contrasts with professional exams such as those offered by the CFA Institute. In those, theres open admission, but the majority of people fail, and you have to pass three lengthy exams to earn the designation. The CFA reports that only about one in eight people who sit the level-one exam goes on to ever pass the level-three exam.

Textbooks Gather Dust

Some students said at the outset that we didnt need to bother with textbooks. They were right. We were so occupied with the busy work of events and assignments, especially team projects, that barely anyone cracked open a textbook. On the odd occasion, people referred to a textbook but would find a digital version online, usually a shared file for free.

Once, when I explained to a professor that our financial-modeling textbook didnt appear to match our software, he was surprised I had bought it. Even though the book was explicitly for Excel, the last edition was from 2014 and had fallen out of date. He gave me the impression that referencing a textbook in the course outline was more ticking the box than anything else.

The textbooks I bought are likely to get more use now that classes and assignments dont consume my time. Keep in mind, for those not in the job-search battle, theres nothing stopping them from devoting themselves to academic enrichment. Independent studies and classes elsewhere in the university are two ways to do that. I took a class in the engineering school and swiftly sensed the greater academic inclinations among the students.

The its business school line might come across as glib or cynical, but its merely forthright. Since it comes from people studying, their presence indicates they recognize these attributes and dont see them as problems. MBA programs compete intensely to attract students, climb the rankings, and deliver returns on investmenteven if the methods dont jibe with traditional academic inclinations.

Though Im now aware of MBA shortcomings and have plenty of recommendations, I still encourage graduate business studies for many individuals. That applies especially to people who can score well on the GMAT (or GRE), your ticket to scholarships. Too many people see the publicly stated price tags and dismiss the idea, as I did, not knowing the depth of scholarship funding available.

During one campus visit, I met a fellow international student, in his case from South Africa. We agreed the generosity and networking available from the worlds leading business academics and institutions in the United States were a game-changing opportunity. (Im fortunate, for example, to be a member of the Adam Smith Society, which is a classical-liberal MBA community.) Particularly since business schools are gatekeepers to many of the best U.S.-based recruiters and jobs, they also offer value over foreign programs.

Fergus Hodgson is the director of Econ Americas, a financial consultancy.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Vice President Kamala Harris walks off Air Force Two at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., on June 6, 2021. (Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images)

White House Looking Into Allegations of Woman Who Claimed to Be Reporter at Kamala Harris Event

The White House confirmed Wednesday that it is investigating a woman who allegedly claimed to be a Univision reporter at a press conference with Vice President Kamala Harris in Mexico.

Harris was taking questions from reporters when a moderator called on Maria Fernanda of Univision to ask a question.

I voted for you, Fernanda said, adding that it was an honor to ask her the question. My question is, what would you say to these women, those mothers and also women of color on both sides of the border, farmers, many of them who I see every day as a message of hope but also aswhat will you do for them in the next coming years?

In a later interview with Fox News, Fernandawhose name is Maria Fernanda Reyessaid she isnt a reporter with Univision and said she did not correct the moderator because she was too excited.

Univision has since said that the woman who asked the question doesnt work for the network.

In Mexico an individual which has no association with @Univision claimed to be a reporter for @UniNoticias in order to ask the @VP a question and to compliment @KamalaHarris. Let it be clear to everyone that Ms. Maria Fernanda Reyes is not part of this media organization https://t.co/edxyzRVlt8  Daniel Coronell (@DCoronell) June 9, 2021

Daniel Coronell, the head of Univision News, posted a video of the interaction on Twitter and said that the woman doesnt work for his network.

In Mexico an individual which has no association with @Univision claimed to be a reporter for @UniNoticias in order to ask the @VP a question and to compliment @KamalaHarris. Let it be clear to everyone that Ms. Maria Fernanda Reyes is not part of this media organization, he wrote.

White House spokeswoman Symone Sanders responded to Coronells remark and said the administration will investigate.

Thank you for bringing this to our attention, Sanders wrote on Tuesday night. We are looking into this.

Thank you for bringing this to our attention. We are looking into this. https://t.co/5gVsyOoudr  SDS (@SymoneSanders46) June 9, 2021

Fernanda, a San Francisco Bay Area-based entrepreneur, told Fox News that she was in Mexico on Tuesday to help Mayan farmers when she was asked to attend Harriss event.

I dont care. I asked a question, she said, adding, If people dont like it, fine.

The exchange between the faux Univision reporter and Harris was highlighted by critics of the Biden administration, who asserted that it is more evidence the White House has a cozy relationship with the press.
Winnipeg-to-Wuhan Mystery Deepens

Dr. Xiangguo Qiu, who transferred deadly pathogens to the Wuhan lab, suddenly goes missing

Commentary

Dr. Xiangguo Qiu, the former program director at Canadas National Microbiology Laboratory (NML) who transferred deadly pathogens to the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV), and her husband, Keding Cheng, are missing from Winnipeg and may no longer even be in Canada, according to John Woods of the Canadian Press .

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) wouldnt say if they know where the pair is, and the case remains shrouded in secrecy. On the other hand, some fascinating facts have already emerged.

As Karen Pauls of CBC News reported in 2019, a researcher with ties to China was recently escorted out of the National Microbiology Lab in Winnipeg amid an RCMP investigation into whats being described as a possible policy breach. The researcher was Qiu, a medical doctor who came to Canada for graduate studies in 1996 and brought in many students from China to help with her work. Her Chinese students, then studying at the University of Manitoba, were also escorted out of the NML.

The P4 laboratory at the Wuhan Institute of Virology in Wuhan, China, on April 17, 2020. (Hector Retamal/AFP via Getty Images)

Four months earlier, at the request of the Wuhan Institute of Virology, Qiu sent viral samples that included Ebola Makona, Mayinga, Kikwit, Ivory Coast, Bundibugyo, Sudan Boniface, Sudan Gulu, MA-Ebov, GP-Ebov, GP-Sudan, Henra, Nipah Malaysia, and Nipah Bangladesh. When Qiu and her husband were removed from the NML, Canadian authorities called it an administrative matter, and assured the public there was no danger.

However, University of Ottawa epidemiologist and law professor Amir Attaran found it suspicious, alarming, and potentially life-threatening.

We have a researcher who was removed by the RCMP from the highest security laboratory that Canada has for reasons that government is unwilling to disclose, Attaran told CBC News . The intelligence remains secret. But what we know is that before she was removed, she sent one of the deadliest viruses on Earth, and multiple varieties of it to maximize the genetic diversity and maximize what experimenters in China could do with it, to a laboratory in China that does dangerous gain of function experiments. And that has links to the Chinese military.

By May 2021, the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) was still refusing to release documents concerning the viral transfers. That was troubling to conservative foreign affairs critic Michael Chong , who said, The Canadian public has the right to know what the extent of that cooperation was, why these two scientists there were terminated, and what exactly happened with the transfer of Henipah and Ebola viruses and any other workings and goings-on between a Government of Canada institution and this virology lab in Wuhan.

In similar style this month, conservative leader Erin OToole decried  a deeply troubling cover-up  and wondered how could two scientists with deep connections to the Chinese military be able to gain access to a high-level Canadian security-cleared laboratory with the worlds most dangerous viruses?

According to former colleagues, Qiu was given  relatively free rein  at the NML, and able to bring in students from China into the Level 4 lab without a security clearance. For Stephane Bergeron of Canadas Bloc Quebecois, It appears we have helped the Chinese military develop their own biological warfare skills. Jack Harris of the socialist New Democratic Party also worried about collaboration between the Winnipeg laboratory and China.

In addition to the cargo of deadly pathogens from Canada, the WIV received funding from the U.S. government through the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)a division of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) headed by Dr. Anthony Fauci since 1984.

Dr. Anthony Fauci speaks before Congress in Washington on Sept. 23, 2020. (Graeme Jennings/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)

Contrary to what Fauci has maintained, the U.S. funding did contribute to gain-of-function research , which makes viruses more lethal and transmissible, and there was more U.S. funding for the WIV than he claimed. Fauci is coming under fire, and mounting evidence points to the WIV as the likely source of the virus that causes COVID-19.

Xiangguo Qiu and Keding Cheng might provide some enlightenment, but nobody seems to know their current location. If the RCMP has any clue, they arent talking. Despite the official stonewalling, it seems clear that the Wuhan Institute of Virology bosses got what they wanted, and Qiu and Cheng got away scot-free. If anybody in Canada or the United States were to think their country was far too compliant with communist China, it would be hard to blame them.

Lloyd Billingsley is the author of Yes I Con: United Fakes of America, Barack em Up: A Literary Investigation, Hollywood Party, and other books. His articles have appeared in many publications, including Frontpage Magazine, City Journal, The Wall Street Journal, and American Greatness. Billingsley serves as a policy fellow with the Independent Institute.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
A general view of an emergency contact number on the side of a police car at Wagga Wagga Police Station on May 5, 2019 in Wagga Wagga, Australia. (Jenny Evans/Getty Images)

Woman Mauled to Death by Dogs in Australia

Three mixed-breed dogs have killed a woman in the Australian city of Maryborough, three hours north of Queenslands capital, Brisbane.

The Brisbane Times has reported that three dogs mauled the woman to death in the yard of a Milton Road property on Tuesday morning.

Paramedics found the critically injured woman lying in the yard with wounds to her head, chest, and arm.

Officers fought to save her but she was pronounced dead at the scene at around 9 a.m.

Police are yet to formally identify the victim but say she was aged in her 30s or 40s.

Earlier, it had been reported the woman was minding the dogs when they turned on her. But comments by Acting Inspector Wade Lee, from the Wide Bay district, disputed this, suggesting that she was visiting the property for some reason.

Lee said the dogs did not live at the property and had been brought to the house, The Brisbane Times reported.

Its not understood why she was in the rear of the yard with the dogs but she suffered significant injuries to her head, chest and left arm, he said.

There isnt any criminal nature to whats happened, it is merely a tragic set of circumstances that has ended up in this lady being killed by the dogs.

It is understood that someone who was at the premises, possibly a neighbour, raised the alarm.

There was at least one person at the premises who has contacted police, shes witnessed the event and were still trying to understand if there was anyone else present during the attacks, Lee said.

Were having trouble identifying her [the victim], we dont know her identity, as such as we dont know the next of kin.

Police say the dogs had already been corralled into a shed by the time officers arrived on the scene.

The animals have been seized by the local council. It is likely they will be put down.

The dogs at this point havent been established as dogs of a dangerous nature, but in saying that, the investigation is still in its infancy, Lee said.

At this stage it is just a very tragic accident.

A Fraser Coast Regional Council spokesman confirmed the dogs had been detained by the council.

Our thoughts go out to the friends and family of the woman who has died in tragic circumstances today, he said.

The dogs have been detained by the council and, as this is an active police investigation, we will not be making any further comments at this point in time.

A report will be prepared for the coroner.

AAP contributed to this report.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy gestures during his annual news conference at the Antonov aircraft plant in Kyiv, Ukraine, on May 20, 2021. (Gleb Garanich/Reuters)

Zelensky Tells Biden Ukraine Needs Clear Plan for Accession to NATO

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stressed in his phone conversation with U.S. President Joe Biden on Monday that Ukraine needs a real step-by-step plan tied to calendar dates for its accession to NATO, the chief of the Ukrainian presidential office Andriy Yermak said according to a report on Ukraines official website.

The time of statements and declarations of intent should be a thing of the past, Zelensky told Biden.

There can be no doubt that Ukraine is an integral part of Europe in terms of its value foundation. Now, in the new situation in Europe, we need a logistical plan for Ukraines accession to the Alliance in the near future. NATO is a way of maximum protection for our country, Zelensky said.

According to a second official report, Zelensky also informed Biden about the situation in Donbas, a Ukrainian territory temporarily occupied by Russian-backed separatists, and explained the reasons and nature of the periodic escalation of the conflict.

The so-called withdrawal of Russian troops is only an imitation, Zelensky said. There was still a high concentration of Russian troops and heavy weapons in the temporarily occupied Ukraines territories and near the Ukrainian border, he explained.

Ukraines move to NATO is also an opportunity to achieve the preconditions for establishing a stable and lasting peace in Donbas, the second report states.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on June 4 during an event at The Brookings Institution that the best way for Ukraine to move toward membership in NATO is to implement reforms to fight corruption and to modernize its defense and security institutions. We are helping [Ukraine] with that as they move toward further Euro-Atlantic integration, he added.

NATO provides support to Ukraine in the form of training and capacity building, Stoltenberg said, and encouraged NATO Allies to do more of that.

After the Russian aggression in 2014, Ukraines interest to join NATO continued to grow, according to Kyiv Post.

However, resolving territorial and international disputes is a prerequisite to joining the Alliance. Therefore, Ukraines unresolved conflicts over Crimea and Donbas could affect membership eligibility, according to an analysis by The Center for European Policy Analysis.

Biden will participate in the NATO Summit on June 14 in Brussels, Belgium, however aspirant countries would not be invited to the Summit. Stoltenberg said at a press conference that the summit will only be for Allies because it is a relatively short summitone day.

Ukraine and Russia have been in conflict since 2014 when Russia seized Ukraines Crimea peninsula and backed a rebellion in Donbas.

Zelensky, since his election two years ago, has sought to resolve the conflict, which has claimed more than 13,000 lives since 2014.

Russia launched a buildup of troops near the Ukrainian border earlier this year before announcing in April that it would pull back those forces. The provocative move alarmed the United States and other European allies.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
AP

BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP)  A Virginia Tech freshman linebacker charged with second-degree murder fatally beat his victim after discovering that the person, whom he met on Tinder as Angie, was a man, prosecutors said Wednesday.

Montgomery County General District Court Judge Randal Duncan set a secured bond of $75,000 for Isimemen Etute, 18, of Virginia Beach, but he will remain in jail after prosecutors filed an expedited appeal, news outlets reported. Etute, who is charged in the death of 40-year-old Jerry Smith, was set to be released to live with his family. His release is on hold for up to five days, but the appeal may be heard Thursday or Friday.
TEHRAN, Iran (AP)  A prominent Iranian presidential candidate said Wednesday he'd be willing to meet with U.S. President Joe Biden if he wins his country's election next week, though America needs to send better and stronger signals to the Islamic Republic.

Speaking to The Associated Press, former Iranian Central Bank chief Abdolnasser Hemmati stressed that an American return to Iran's tattered nuclear deal was key to any possible relationship amid the wider tensions in the Mideast.

"I think we haven't seen anything serious from Mr. Biden's side yet," Hemmati said. They first need to go back to the (nuclear deal) that they withdrew from. If we see the process and more confidence is built, then we can talk about that.

Hemmati, 64, is one of the seven candidates approved by Iranian authorities to run for the presidency in the Islamic Republic's June 18 election. Polling and analysts suggest he lags in the race behind hard-line judiciary chief and front-runner Ebrahim Raisi, believed to be a favorite of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

While Khamenei has final say on all matters of state, whoever serves as president can affect domestic issues and set the tone for Iran's broader approach with the world. Outgoing President Hassan Rouhani, a relatively moderate cleric within Iran's theocracy, helped his nation reach its landmark 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.

However, Rouhani has struggled with the fallout of then-President Donald Trump's decision to unilaterally withdraw America from the accord in 2018. That's seen crushing sanctions target Iran and Tehran later abandoned all the limits on its nuclear program. It now enriches small amounts of uranium to 60% purity  a record high, though still short of weapons-grade levels of 90%.

While Hemmati has been at pains to distance himself from Rouhani due to the cleric's unpopularity over the nuclear deal's collapse, he's viewed widely as being the candidate who would carry out similarly moderate policies within the theocracy.

Talking to AP journalists at his Tehran office, Hemmati repeatedly said that the signal Iranians hoped to see from the U.S. was Washington's return to the nuclear deal. A visit with Biden also would hinge on it being within the framework of the general policies of the ruling system," he said.

The Americans have sent positive signals but those signals haven't been strong enough, he said. If there are stronger signals, it will affect how optimistic or pessimistic we are.

Asked about whether Iran would be willing to accept further restrictions, such as on its ballistic missile program to get sanctions relief, Hemmati said Tehran would refuse such an offer.

Irans nuclear commitments must be inside the framework of the (deal), he said. "If they are not, neither the (supreme) leader nor the president will accept that.

The White House declined to comment on Hemmatis remarks to the AP.

The U.S. had a close relationship with Iran's Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, hosting the monarch for visits with presidents from Harry S. Truman to Jimmy Carter. After the 1979 Islamic Revolution toppled the shah's government, relations strained and then broke with the U.S. Embassy hostage crisis in Tehran.

In the time since, Iranian leaders have taken pains to avoid Americans, even using different hallways at the United Nations so as to not bump into each other. That relationship slightly warmed during negotiations for the nuclear deal. Rouhani had a telephone conversation with then-President Barack Obama in 2013. A face-to-face meeting, however, has not happened.

As the former Central Bank chief, Hemmati, has made economics a cornerstone of his campaign. During two televised presidential debates, he's repeatedly mentioned the challenges facing Iranians, who have seen their life savings evaporate due to the rapid devaluation of the country's rial currency. Inflation remains in the double digits, while good jobs remain scarce.

If the talks in Vienna over the nuclear deal fail, Hemmati said he would manage that as president.

We managed to neutralize the sanctions and run the economy over the past three years of difficult sanctions, he said. "Definitely I have plans for that (scenario) as well, but we will try to help the deal reach positive results, God willing.

He didn't elaborate on those plans. The sanctions also have shut off Iran's ability to openly sell crude oil on the world market, further cutting into an industry vital to government budgets.

He's also repeatedly brought up both internet censorship, as well as Iranian women receiving threatening text messages from authorities over not strictly following the country's mandatory head-covering, or hijab, law. That's a way for him to criticize Raisi as the judiciary handles hijab-related offenses.

Hemmati kept up his criticism of the text messages, saying it put women under social and mental stress.

I believe that our people are Muslims," Hemmati said. "People have beliefs and they can observe it themselves better."

It remains unclear how the election will go, particularly on the issue of turnout. The state-linked Iranian Student Polling Agency has projected a 38% turnout from the countrys 59 million eligible voters, which would be a historic low amid a lack of enthusiasm by voters and the coronavirus pandemic. Officials have been trying to boost interest in the election as they see turnout as a sign of confidence in the theocracy since 1979.

Within Iran, candidates exist on a political spectrum that broadly includes hard-liners who want to expand Irans nuclear program and confront the world, moderates who hold onto the status quo and reformists who want to change the theocracy from within.

Asked about his chances, Hemmati offered an optimistic assessment despite polling suggesting Raisi held the advantage in a race that includes five hard-liners, a little-known reformist and himself.

Against those five people who belong to the same political front, I dont count them as rivals, Hemmati said. "My rival is the peoples breakup with the ballot box.

___

Associated Press writer Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, contributed to this report.

___

Follow Mehdi Fattahi on Twitter at www.twitter.com/mfat.
TRENTON, N.J. (AP)  Jack Ciattarelli, a small business founder and former Assembly member, won New Jersey's Republican primary for governor Tuesday, setting up a general election contest with Gov. Phil Murphy, who captured the Democratic nod for reelection.

Murphy implicitly tied Republicans to former President Donald Trump, and warned Tuesday night that truth" itself was on the ballot. Ciattarelli went directly for Murphy, a Massachusetts native who moved to the state later in life. He framed Murphy as out of touch with New Jersey, and attacked his handling of the coronavirus outbreak. He also promised to lower the state's sky-high property taxes.

This is where I root for the Yankees while Phil Murphy is cheering for the Red Sox," Ciattarelli said to applause during a speech Tuesday night.

There was little suspense in Murphy's race, where he appeared alone on the ballot.

Ciattarelli defeated three challengers, two of whom promoted themselves as vocal Trump supporters. They were Hirsh Singh, an engineer from Atlantic County and Hudson County pastor and former real estate developer Phil Rizzo. Both men invoked the president as part of their efforts to win over the GOP vote in Democratic-leaning New Jersey.

But Ciattarelli won on the strength of his support among many in the party establishment, who delivered him coveted ballot position across the state. Hes also cultivated a following since four years ago when he lost the GOP nomination to then Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno. Ciattarelli signaled his plans to take on Murphy early  almost as soon as Murphy took office in 2018.

Despite attacks from Rizzo and Singh, Ciattarelli refuted that he didnt support Trump, even buying 3,000 Trump-Pence lawn signs.

Responding to critiques that he was a never-Trumper, Ciattarelli said he changed his mind since criticizing Trump early on.

A whole lot of us said a whole lot of things, he said during an interview with Harry Hurley on WPMG. He earned my faith and confidence in the sense that his policies worked for the nation.

But on Tuesday, Ciattarelli didn't mention Trump once, and said he was an Abraham Lincoln Republican and a Ronald Reagan Republican."

He was the biggest GOP fundraiser, bringing in about $7 million and qualifying for public matching funds. Only Murphy raised more money than Ciattarelli, who served in the Assembly, representing the 16th District from 2011 until 2018. Ciattarelli started a medical publishing company and is also trained as a certified public accountant.

Murphy, a former executive at Goldman Sachs and an ambassador to Germany in Barack Obamas administration, won his first ever election in 2017, becoming New Jerseys 56th governor.

I think the contrast in this general election will be as stark as there has ever been," Murphy said Tuesday night.

Murphy on Tuesday didnt mention his predecessor, two-term Republican Chris Christie, but did cast the general election as a choice between Murphys policies, like phasing in a $15-an-hour minimum wage and raising taxes on millionaires, and Christies, who tightened the state budget, sought public pension reforms and opposed raising the minimum wage and higher taxes.

We can either keep New Jersey moving forward or go backward. Its a choice between standing for higher wages or going back to an economy that only worked for the wealthy and well-connected, Murphy said in a statement.

The state's Democrat-led Assembly and Senate are also on the ballot this year. In a closely watched Democratic state Senate primary in Bergen County, Assembly Member Gordon Johnson defeated his one-time running mate Assembly member Valerie Vainieri Huttle to succeed retiring Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg.

In southern New Jersey's Republican primary in the 2nd District, the county party-backed Vince Polistina beat Seth Grossman. Grossman ran unsuccessfully for Congress in 2018 against as an outspoken Trump backer. It's an open seat in the general election because of Republican Sen. Chris Browns decision not to run for reelection.

The general election is Nov. 2.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-09 01:25:33|Editor: huaxia

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NAIROBI, June 8 (Xinhua) -- Kenya said Tuesday it will intensify efforts in preventing illegal fishing along the coastal strip.

Francis Owino, the principal secretary in the State Department for Fisheries, Aquaculture and the Blue Economy, said during a virtual meeting in Nairobi to commemorate the World Oceans Day that Kenya has increased monitoring, control and surveillance in the country's exclusive economic zone to prevent illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing and increase security.

Owino said that this has been achieved through acquisition of a patrol vessel, operationalizing surveillance of the command center, and training personnel and vessel automation identification system.

The official noted that the country has embraced the plan of action that came from the Agreement on Port State Measures to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing which was adopted in 2009 by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Kenya became a party to the FAO Agreement on Oct. 24, 2017.

Owino said that the government has reduced over-exploitation of natural resources, widespread use of unsustainable fishing gears, habitat destruction, pollution caused by dumping of toxic waste and careless disposal of plastic bottles.

According to him, Nairobi is collaborating with the World Bank to implement the 10 billion shillings (about 92.68 million U.S. dollars) Kenya Marine Fisheries and Socio-Economic Development (KEMFSED) Project.

"This project will support sustainable marine fisheries and income diversification for rural coastal communities, and more so fishers who depend on fishing for livelihood," Owino said.

He added that despite the harsh impacts of climate change that has led to loss of coral reef and seagrass cover, Kenya has embedded protection of the ocean in its national strategies to conserve and sustainably use the ocean.

During the meeting, marine experts also called for mapping of land and sea pollutants to help reduce marine debris, especially COVID-19 face masks. Enditem
PHOENIX (AP)  Firefighters in Arizona were fighting Tuesday to gain a foothold into a massive wildfire, one of two that has forced thousands of evacuations in rural towns and closed almost every major highway out of the area.

The so-called Telegraph Fire, straddling two counties, has burned 112 square miles (290 square kilometers) and is at zero containment. The blaze was first reported Friday south of Superior in Pinal County, about 60 miles (97 kilometers) east of Phoenix.

Residents in neighboring Gila County, which includes Globe, Miami and smaller communities, have been in various stages of the evacuation process. The town of Miami is among those under an evacuation order.

Arizona House Speaker Rusty Bowers confirmed that a family home he owns in the woods southeast of the Globe-Miami area burned down overnight. He toured the gutted property Tuesday. The home was not his primary residence but a family retreat, said Andrew Wilder, a spokesman for House Republicans. Bowers, who lives in Mesa, would go there weekly and often do his artwork.

At least 2,500 homes in Gila County have been evacuated, said Carl Melford, the county emergency manager. He estimated that there are twice as many households who are in set mode with bags packed just in case.

Over the past three years, weve had some pretty extreme fire seasons, said Melford, who has bags at his front door. Weve become very familiar with the process, with what it takes to evacuate a community. But this is the largest evacuation to date.

Becky Stephenson, 37, whose Globe home sits on a hill near the U.S. Highway 60, is feet away from a zone under set status. Still, she decided to have essentials, including her pet parrot, Buddy, and his travel cage, ready to go.

Watching flames climb trees Monday night from her home as the fire made its way into the Pinal Mountains and create an eerie orange glow was surreal, Stephenson said.

Honestly, it just makes me feel like I cant wait till they get it under control and I can go out and start helping them revegetate, said Stephenson, who is a plant biologist. It's just really sad to think about all of the torched plants and all of animals that lost their habitat during breeding season.

Meanwhile, Superior residents remain in set mode. But about 400 people in nearby Top-Of-The-World have been evacuated, said Lauren Reimer, a Pinal County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman.

Officials with the American Red Cross say 90 residents in total stayed Monday at shelters in Globe and Mesa.

Nearly 750 firefighters are working on the blaze, which gained momentum in the past few days thanks to gusty winds and low humidity. The Southwest Area Type 1 Incident Management Team, the highest tier, is conducting some controlled fires and dropping flame retardant by air in other areas.

Dean McAlister, a spokesman for the fire's incident command center, said crews were having success as of Tuesday afternoon holding the fire at bay in some places. They are closely monitoring a constructed fire line that on the fire's east side.

The intent is to try to create a catchers mitt to trap the fire as it continues to move east, and our intent is to try to stop the fire before it gets any further into the Globe area, McAlister said.

The fire was human-caused. But fire officials have not shared further details.

Several miles east of the wildfire, the smaller Mescal Fire was at 23% containment Tuesday. Fire officials lifted evacuation orders for residents of the community of San Carlos and in the areas of Soda Canyon and Coyote Flats. But the community of East El Capitan was still on mandatory evacuation.

The fire has burned nearly 105 square miles (13 square kilometers)  mostly desert brush, oak and grass. It was first reported June 2 southeast of Globe.

The cause is still under investigation.

Meanwhile, in northern Arizona a much smaller wildfire closed a stretch of U.S. Highway 180 on Tuesday. The fire, only 2 square miles (5 square kilometers), was reported Monday 23 miles (37 kilometers) northwest of Flagstaff. The cause is unknown. ____

Associated Press writers Bob Christie and Paul Davenport in Phoenix contributed to this report.
A wildfire in Arizona that had neighboring New Mexico breathing in smoke was one of several blazes scorching the drought-stricken Southwest, signaling what could be a devastating summer.

Residents in New Mexicos largest city woke up Wednesday shrouded again in smoke from the Arizona fires. The yellow haze stretched up the Rio Grande Valley and obscured views of the mountain ranges surrounding Albuquerque.

Firefighters in Superior, Arizona, a former mining town about 60 miles (97 kilometers) east of Phoenix, however, made significant progress overnight on the so-called Telegraph Fire. They contained 21% of the fire's perimeter, up from zero the night before, officials said.

Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey plans to visit the area Thursday. He will take an aerial tour of the fire site and stop at a shelter. He previously issued an emergency declaration for that fire and another several miles east. The declaration will make up to $400,000 available for response efforts.

More than 750 firefighters conducted burnout operations through the night. Crews overseen by a top-tier management team focused on establishing a fire break along U.S. 60 and in the Pinal Mountains.

The blaze has burned more than 125 square miles (324 square kilometers) in Pinal and Gila counties. It was first reported Friday and is believed to be human-caused.

Thousands of residents have been stuck in various stages of the evacuation process. At least 2,500 homes in Gila County have been evacuated, with twice that number set to go with bags packed, according to county emergency officials. Hundreds more also were cleared from their homes in a community in Pinal County.

A second home near Globe-Miami that belonged to Arizona House Speaker Rusty Bowers was among those destroyed.

The fire also forced closures on most roads leading out of town. But U.S. 70 reopened Wednesday.

Besides enduring smoke from Arizona fires, New Mexico is dealing with its own blazes, including one that was sparked by lightning three weeks ago in the Gila National Forest in the western part of the state. It has charred more than 71 square miles (184 square kilometers) and has forced the closure of the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument and much of the surrounding wilderness.

Utah, mired in extreme drought, has multiple wildfires burning. The largest started Tuesday near the town of Price, according to fire officials.

The drought, coupled with rising temperatures, has led to widespread fire restrictions in Utah, New Mexico and Arizona, including fireworks ahead of the July 4 holiday. Some northern Arizona agencies are tightening the restrictions this week to prohibit open fires and campfires. ___

Associated Press writers Susan Montoya Bryan in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Brady McCombs in Salt Lake City contributed to this report.
EDWARDSVILLE  Mary Doerr is a big believer in the Metro East small business community, and thats why it will take more than one day to hold the inaugural 618 Day event.

The 618 Day, which is a community event to support local businesses in the 618 area code, will kick off Friday, June 18, with registration for a pub crawl starting at Recess Brewing, 307 N. Main St., in Edwardsville, and a 618 Day Festival and vendors market from 2 to 6 p.m. and live music from 2 to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, June 19, at the parking lot/patio area next to First to the Finish, Sugarfire and Global Brew, in the 2300 block of Plum Street. More than 30 local businesses will be involved in the two-day event.

With all of the restrictions this year, we thought it would be better to do a virtual race and that everyone would feel more comfortable, Doerr said. You can register to run the race and submit your time through the link that we provide. You have all week to run it and you dont have to run on June 18.

The pub crawl check-in is at 5 p.m. at Recess Brewing. Other participating bars include Stagger Inn, Foundry Public House, Big Daddys and Taqueria Z.

We have an Eventbrite page on our website where anyone can register for a free ticket to the pub crawl, so they can pre-register or sign up at that time, Doerr said.

Well give them a sheet of paper for anyone who participates, and for each bar that they go to, theyll get a sticker to add to their collection, she explained. If you get four stickers, youre entered into a drawing for a basket with gift cards and other items from local businesses. If you get all five stickers, you get an extra entry into that basket drawing.

Friday will also feature a business networking event for 618 Day sponsors.

The event is presented by Love Local STL in conjunction with Gabi and Grace Clothing Co., in Edwardsville.

This is our second year in business, and our first year doing events, said Doerr, who is the owner of Love Local STL along with her husband, Tory. We wanted to promote the Metro East a little more. We came up with the idea for 618 Day for any businesses in the 618 area code to register on our website.

We give them a way to collect emails from anyone who shops with them on June 18 or June 19 and any of those people who shop local have a chance to win Cardinals tickets, she said. Its a little incentive to get people to shop with them, and its free for the businesses to register.

Some of the sponsors are going to be meeting at 1818 Chophouse, and were having a guest speaker, a local business owner, who was voted as one of the top-30-under 30 business owners in the St. Louis area, Doerr said. Well have appetizers and do a meet and greet.

Meanwhile, the highlight of the June 19 schedule is the 618 Day Festival.

Were going to have about 25 vendors from local businesses with pop-up shops, plus live music, Rudys Flower Truck and Cake POP a GO-GO, said Doerr, who said she hopes that 618 Day will become an annual event. First to the Finish will be having a tent sale as well.

Hopefully, well get a lot of people out there to hang out and do some shopping. Theres a nice patio at Sugarfire and Global Brew, so it should be a lot of fun. The community is coming together to support all of these businesses that need help, now more than ever.

For Doerr, an event like 618 Day is a perfect promotional opportunity for Love Local STL, which began as a startup in 2020.

I saw all of the businesses around me and friends who owned businesses that were struggling through the year, Doerr said. I realized how much we need to support these small businesses all across the St. Louis area and celebrate the amazing things that St. Louis has.

I try to promote everything St. Louis and all of the positive things that we have here. I do some blogging and I sell St. Louis merchandise. On social media, I promote different local businesses and events that are happening.

For more information about 618 Day or Love Local STL, visit https://lovelocalstl.com/. There is an Eventbrite page where people can register for a free ticket to the pub crawl.
BEER!

Now that we have your attention, a local brewer is getting back into the swing of things by recreating the fun, laidback atmosphere they once had before the pandemic.

Recess Brewing, located along Main Street, is an Edwardsville original offering itself up as a fun option for everyone looking to get out and rediscover the town.

People are excited, Head Brewer Tracy Hutton said of his feedback from patrons. Its feeling more and more normal around here.

It all began at the start of the craft beer and brewery boom within the last 10 or so years. Establishments brewing their own beer were few and far between, but thanks to an area native, all that changed.

Matt Flach was brewing beer at home all while teaching high school in Chicago. He was looking for a change and wanted to advance on his beer creations. Thus, Recess Brewing, a nod to being on recess from teaching, was born.

Edwardsville didnt have any craft breweries at the time, Hutton said. People wanted new flavors. At the time it was a very cool thing to be into craft beer.

In 2014, Recess Brewing became a reality.

The area was introduced to popular styles, like oatmeal stouts, India Pale Ales (IPAs as theyre more popularly known), Kolsch and Helles.

It seems like the Midwest is always like five to 10 years behind everything on the coasts. Everything  especially craft beer. California had a big craft beer boom in the '90s, Hutton said. I think the tradition of I only drink Bud Light or I only drink Coors Light has changed. People want more variety, people want to try new things all the time.

And one of those new things is bolder tastes and flavors  something not found until recently with the big corporate breweries.

They brew something that anybody can drink. Its never going to turn someone away. Its easy drinking, Hutton said. With craft beer having so many different styles  we do have much more hoppier styles  but we also have lighter styles, more variety.

The main ingredients that Hutton uses to create various beers come from out West where growth and production is commonplace. Malts come from Colorado and hops come from the Yakima Valley in Washington.

A vast majority of hops are grown in Washington and the Northwest, he said. The climates right, its not too hot, not too cold. Hops need a lot of water  it rains a lot out there.

The brewing process is very similar in creating the beers. The only difference is ingredients and the amounts a certain brew calls for.

We have some beers that we can have from brew day to serving in two weeks. We do some bourbon barrel-aged beers, and longer aged beers  those can take anywhere from six months to two years, Hutton said. A lager, we usually ferment it from four to six weeks. I personally think that the lagers at the eight to 10-week period is when theyre best.

Theres certain beers that you dont at all want to sit too long. Like a hoppy beer, the hops are the first thing to kind of dwindle and the flavors change  its not as good. If youre drinking a hoppy beer, the fresher the better," Hutton continued. The Imperials and styles from the barrels, theyre more like wine. The longer the time in the barrel, the more time that it sits, it gets more flavor from the oak and gets a little more complex.

Now beer isnt the only draw Recess Brewing has.

Theyre offering open mic nights every first and third Tuesday of the month, along with live music on weekends.

When weather is permitting, we throw up a tent out back and the live music on the weekends will play out there, Hutton said. We do have them inside too.

Theres also a possibility that an open mic night for comedians on Sundays could come to fruition as well.

Everyones looking to get out, and Recess Brewing is open to let everyone in.
GENEVA (AP)  World Trade Organization member nations agreed Wednesday to intensify talks geared at improving access to COVID-19 products, as developing nations push for a proposal to ease patents and other intellectual property protections for coronavirus vaccines and some wealthier countries remain stiffly opposed.

A WTO panel focusing on intellectual property, which includes patents on technological know-how like vaccines and the processes to manufacture them, wrapped up a two-day meeting on Wednesday with an agreement to start a text-based process for pulling together proposals to improve the fight against COVID-19 through the Geneva-based trade body's intricate system of rules.

The goal is to help jump-start lagging efforts to get vaccines to developing-world countries that badly need them, according to a Geneva-based trade official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.

New, informal talks will start next week among members of the panel, with an eye toward pulling together a report for a July 21-22 meeting of WTO ambassadors.

South Africa and India floated a proposal in the fall for a temporary easing of patent protections for COVID-19 vaccines, therapies and tests  known as an IP waiver, While many developed countries with strong pharmaceutical industries hesitated or were outright opposed to the idea, the debate received a jolt last month when the Biden administration announced support for granting IP waivers for just vaccines.

Since Washington's change of stance, a number of other Western countries have softened their opposition to the the waivers, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, New Zealand and Norway, the trade official said, relaying information from deliberations in the closed-door WTO talks held Tuesday and Wednesday.

Those countries, as well as China, havent rallied fully behind the South African and Indian proposal, and view it as only part of what they think should be a more comprehensive approach to getting COVID-19 products to the developing world, the official said. Some countries, such as the European Unions 27 members, Britain, Switzerland and Korea, continue to oppose waivers as a tool in the pandemic.

In the two days of talks, South Africa and India presented a recent revision of their proposal  now backed by over 60 countries  that stressed a temporary, three-year waiver for COVID-19 products, the official said.

Pharmaceutical companies insist that an IP waiver could dampen the incentive for researchers and entrepreneurs to innovate, and say vaccine-sharing by rich countries would be a much faster way to get shots to health workers and at-risk populations in the developing world.

Even optimistic supporters acknowledge an IP waiver could take months to finalize because of the resistance from some countries. WTO rules require consensus on such decisions, meaning a single country among the trade body's 164 members could scuttle any proposal. Even if a plan were adopted, ratification would also take time.

Advocacy groups, emboldened by the support the U.S. announced last month, have increasingly pushed the proposal from India and South Africa.

After eight months of stalling and delaying by a handful of rich countries, world leaders have finally given the green light for negotiations to start. But the U.K. and EU are still opposing the proposal and pushing for business as usual," said Heidi Chow of British advocacy group Global Justice Now. Countless numbers of people have needlessly died while waiting for a breakthrough in these discussions.

The World Health Organization has repeatedly inveighed against unequal access to vaccines, noting that rich countries scooped up supplies well in excess of the need of their own populations while developing countries have obtained only a small fraction of the doses so far distributed and used worldwide.

Also Wednesday, a group of independent experts who work with the U.N. human rights office joined recent calls for leaders of the developed Group of Seven nations to do more to ensure that developing countries have greater access to COVID-19 vaccines. The leaders of the G-7 countries - Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States - are set to meet in England starting Friday.

The experts argued that an IP waiver would pave the way for countries to ramp up production because patent protections would be paused.

Maximizing production of safe vaccines must take precedence over profiting from a global pandemic, the nine experts said in a joint statement. States must ensure that legal protection for intellectual property and patents doesnt undermine the right of everyone to get access to a safe, timely and effective vaccine.
Crains posted a story overnight that touts the use of union labor in Essex Crossing, once the large residential and commercial complex on the former Seward Park urban renewal site is finished. Heres how the piece leads off:

The developers of Essex Crossing, the massive mixed-use project planned for the Lower East Side, have agreed to staff the complex entirely with union workers, the firms announced Wednesday. BFC Partners, L+M Development Partners and Taconic Investment Partners have inked an agreement with powerful building workers union 32BJ SEIU for up to 80 jobs that will eventually be part of the 1,000-unit development. The first phase of the project, where half the units will be affordable, is set to begin this summer. The partnership will also help fund a training program designed to equip area residents with the know-how to apply for many of the posts being offered before the development is completeda move that the union called the first of its kind.

The union deal complements a larger hiring agreement solidified many months ago following negotiations with the Lower East Side Employment Network and the city. At the end of the article, Crains mentions that no decisions have been made about whether to use union labor to build Essex Crossing. During community meetings, representatives from the development team have pointed out that their contract with the city does not require the hiring of union construction workers. They have acknowledged, however, that conversations have been ongoing with a variety of trade unions. The story in Crains noted:

(W)hen development projects have a considerable affordable-housing componenthalf of Essex Crossings units will be considered affordabledevelopers typically opt for open shop construction.

At a recent City Council hearing on another topic (L+M and BFCs investment in several public housing projects), questions were raised about the firms labor practices. The Daily News reported:

L&M has used contractors that were caught in a slew of violations of worker wage and safety rules. One of its subcontractors was hit with $266,000 in fines over work conditions since 2004, the Daily News reported. BFCs managing principal drew complaints from Harlem residents charging shoddy construction and repairs and a building there  and then slapped them with a defamation suit, later dismissed, when they contacted local politicians about the trouble.

UPDATE 8:14 a.m. Heres the press release from the development team:
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-09 02:47:30|Editor: huaxia

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CAIRO, June 8 (Xinhua) -- Egypt on Tuesday warned of "catastrophic" effects of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) which might lead to an escalation of tensions in Africa that threatens international peace and security.

In a speech to a virtual conference of the International Labor Conference (ILO), Egyptian Manpower Minister Mohamed Saafan said that Ethiopia's unilateral measures regarding filling the dam without a prior agreement with Egypt and Sudan would significantly harm the agriculture sector in the two downstream countries.

Ethiopia plans to go ahead with the second filling of the GERD in July, as it unilaterally did last year. Egypt and Sudan are concerned about the move which they said would affect their shares of the Nile River water, while calling for reaching a prior tripartite agreement on the rules of filling and operating the controversial dam.

Saafan told the ILO conference that the anticipated Ethiopia measure would have "catastrophic social and economic effects on Egypt and Sudan in terms of desolation of agricultural lands and loss of hundreds of thousands of jobs in the agricultural sector, as well as endangering their water security."

Ethiopia started building the GERD in 2011, and the decade-long tripartite negotiations, including those hosted earlier by the United States and recently by the African Union (AU), have failed to reach an agreement on regulating the filling and operation of the dam,

Egypt and Sudan currently seek to form an international quartet, which includes the AU, the U.S., the European Union and the United Nations, to mediate in the tripartite GERD talks, but the proposal has been declined by Ethiopia. Enditem
We have new information this morning about Grand Street Settlements plans at Essex Crossing, the 1.9 million sq. ft. development rising on the former Seward Park urban renewal site.

The century-old Lower East Side social services agency is the lead community partner for the mixed-use project. In an interview with The Lo-Down on Friday, Grand Street Executive Director Robert Cordero detailed the vision for an innovative cafe in partnership with Think Coffee and a new senior center.

Both facilities will be situated on Site 6 of Essex Crossing, located on the northeast corner of Clinton and Broome streets (the actual address is 175 Delancey St.) The 15-story building is also to include 100 apartments for low-income seniors and a 40,000 sq. ft. health center (likely run by NYU Langone Medical Center).

The cafe will take 2500 sq. ft. on the ground floor. Its being designed as a community gathering space using a social enterprise model. Young adults from Grand Street Settlement and other local organizations will work in the restaurant and participate in a job training program. The profits will be funneled back into the settlement houses community building initiatives.

Shortly after being appointed executive director in June, Cordero reached out to Jason Scherr, who runs Think Coffee, a socially responsible chain with eight locations in New York City (including on the Bowery). Hes a Grand Street board member. Scherr was intrigued by the entrepreneurial approach in a non-profit setting. He loved the idea that it will be a really structured job training program for teens and young adults who are having trouble cracking into that first job, said Cordero.

Its a high risk, potentially high impact, high reward proposition, he added.

The plan is to use a proven social enterprise program called Catalyst Kitchens, a collaborative network dedicated to empowering lives through job training. It will be run by Grand Street Settlement with involvement from local groups such as the Lower East Side Employment Network. Cordero has talked with the heads of other LES settlement houses about linking the cafe with their teen and job placement programs.

The full Think Coffee menu will be available. Items will be market price with discounts for building residents and members of the senior center. Cordero said hes had conversations with executives at the Tenement Museum and Clemente Soto Velez Cuiltural Center about a robust cultural calendar within the cafe. The space will be divisible, so sections can be blocked off for private rentals while the cafe continues to operate.

L+M Development, one of three Essex Crossing partners, was enthusiastic about the concept, Cordero said, and agreed to build a top-notch cafe space for the community. He hopes local residents, including Lower East Side artists, will become involved in the programming. Cordero added, Anyone in the community can walk into the cafe and support the cause of Grand Street Settlement (simply by buying a cup of coffee).

The settlement houses other initiative on Site 6 is a 10,500 sq. ft. senior center located on the fourth floor. It includes a large, versatile community room for dining, activities and meetings.

There are also two smaller rooms meant for support groups, computer users and activities for smaller activities, such as dance classes. The center will share an outdoor space with building residents. Cordero said a health care provider would be brought on to offer geriatric services.

The new facility will allow Grand Street Settlement to alleviate a serious crowding problem at its main Lower East Side facility at 80 Pitt St. (alongside the Gompers Houses). Right now, its shared by the organizations early childhood, young adult and senior programs. In 2018, when the Essex Crossing building is scheduled to open, all senior services will be relocated.

At the same time, Grand Street will be embarking on a $15 million renovation of 80 Pitt St., a building constructed in collaboration with the New York City Housing Authority in the 1970s. $5 million has already been raised to pay for deferred maintenance projects (mostly improving mechanical systems). The organization is launching a capital campaign to raise another $10 million. One part of the project includes relocating the building entrance from Rivington Street to Pitt Street. It became necessary when Masaryk Towers, which controls the Rivington Street passageway, decided to close off the area (theyre going to be putting up a gate).

Cordero said the Essex Crossing project was put on hold in the past year, as his predecessor (Margarita Rosa) handed over the leadership reigns. But now the organization is moving quickly to, literally, build for the future. Grand Street maintains a robust presence on the Lower East Side, but in recent years has been expanding into other neighborhoods, as well. Half of its programs are now based in Brooklyn.

The organization is gearing up for its 100th anniversary celebration. They have a brand new website, which includes a page dedicated to Essex Crossing.

The developers are working on lining up financing for Site 6. When its secured, construction will begin on the parcel. The overall project includes 1,000 apartments and 850,000 sq. ft. of commercial space on nine lots near the Williamsburg Bridge.
The developers of Essex Crossing are starting to reveal some of the vendors that will be part of the Market Line, a large subterranean shopping pavilion. The facility, meant to complement the Essex Street Market, will run along Broome Street from Clinton Street to Essex Street. The first third of the Market Line is set to open this coming fall.

Buried at the bottom of Florence Fabricants Off the Menu column in the New York Times, youll find a few of the featured vendors that will apparently be officially announced later today. They include: Tortilleria Nixtamal, neighborhood favorite Veselka, Kuro-Obi (from the ramen chain Ippudo), Cafe Grumpy, Pilot Kombucha, Ends Meat (whole animal butcher) and Essex Pearl (seafood).

This past September, the developers announced the first two Market Line vendors, Chinatown classic, Nom Wah Tea Parlor, and Schaller & Weber, the Upper East Side purveyor of sausages and German-style smoked meats.

The first part of the Market Line will be located in the basement of Essex Crossings tower at 115 Delancey St. (Essex Street). An expanded Essex Street Market will be located on the first and second floors of that building. Last night, by the way, local residents gathered for a community visioning session to help determine the programming for a demo kitchen and public space that will be part of the new market. Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer and City Councilmember Margaret Chin were there to offer words of encouragement.

The first phase of Essex Crossing will also include hundreds of market rate and affordable apartments, a 14-screen Regal movie theater, a Trader Joes, a Target store and a medical center from NYU Langone.

UPDATE 3:54 p.m. Theres now a press release from the development team, and profiles of the vendors on the Market Line website.

Tom Birchard of Veselka noted that there was no such thing as the East Village when he first came to the Second Avenue Ukrainian restaurant in 1966. It was all the Lower East Side. Opening a second location in the heart of the Lower East Side, said Birchard, is exciting for us for several reasons: We are looking forward to being in the epicenter of immigrant culture and history, a space with other long-standing New York culinary institutions and the next incarnation of the ever-changing Lower East Side culture.

A few more details about some other merchants.

Ends Meat, currently based in Brooklyn at Industry City, is a whole-animal salumeria inspired by traditional Italian styles and methods. In addition to being able to select various meats, shoppers at the Market Line will be able to purchase sandwiches.

Essex Pearl is a new project from the owners of Aqua Best seafood market on Grand Street in Chinatown. At the Market Line, theyll have a seafood counter and restaurant.

Kuro-Obi is the latest outpost from Ippudo, the popular ramen restaurant chain with locations in the East Village, Soho and Midtown.

At the Market Line, Nom Wah (Chinatowns oldest dim sum restaurant) will offer both full menu counter service and take-out.

Pilot Kombucha will be opening its first brick-and-mortar location at the Market Line, brewing seasonal flavors of kombucha on-site daily.

Tortilleria Nixtamal will be opening up its first Manhattan location, after starting out in Corona, Queens 15 years ago. The authentic tortilleria makes fresh tortillas that contain real corn.

Here are a couple of new renderings of the Market Line:
Take a few minutes to catch up on some of your local news:
Salida, CO (81201)

Today

Clear skies. Low 54F. SSE winds shifting to WNW at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Clear skies. Low 54F. SSE winds shifting to WNW at 10 to 20 mph.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-09 03:58:50|Editor: huaxia

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CAIRO, June 8 (Xinhua) -- An Egyptian economic court sentenced on Tuesday a young woman to three years in prison over posting "indecent" videos on TikTok, a popular social media platform.

The court said the contents of the videos posted by Renad Emad, who was arrested last year and later released pending investigation, violated familial and social values in Egypt.

The woman was also fined 100,000 Egyptian pounds (over 6,000 U.S. dollars).

The court also charged Emad with human trafficking for letting her younger sister to appear in the videos for higher view rates.

Tuesday's court ruling is still appealable.

Egypt has arrested several female social media influencers in the past two years over similar charges, some of whom were handed appealable jail terms while the others were released pending investigation. Enditem
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Sterling Heights, MI (48312)

Today

Partly cloudy this evening followed by increasing clouds with showers developing after midnight. Low 61F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Partly cloudy this evening followed by increasing clouds with showers developing after midnight. Low 61F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%.
A Canton Township teenager is facing charges for homicide and other felonies in connection with a shooting at the Baymont Inn in Royal Oak Township.

Aurelius Juan Williams, 19, is in the Oakland County Jail, denied bond at his arraignment June 8 in 45th District Court. Hes charged with homicide-open murder, assault with intent to murder and two counts of possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony for the June 2 incident.

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Killed in the shooting was a 24-year-old man. A woman suffered injuries not believed to be life-threatening, according to Michigan State Police, the law enforcement agency for the township.

A Twitter post from MSP described it as a targeted incident.

At the time of the shooting, Williams was out on $10,000 bond for multiple felony charges in Wayne County, including armed robbery, home invasion, assault, unlawful imprisonment and firearms offenses.

Williams next scheduled court appearance for the Oakland County charges is for a probable cause conference on June 22 before Judge Jamie Horowitz.

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Child porn case against Farmington Hills man set for trial A Farmington Hills man accused in a child pornography case has been scheduled for trial in Oakland County Circuit Court.

+4 Trial scheduled for alleged killer of Ruben Gutierrez, shot to death at parents home in 2009 A trial date is scheduled for one of two men charged in the 2009 murder of a Waterford Township man at his parents home.

+2 Jailed man reinstates plea for 2014 hit-and-run that severely injured bicyclist A Lapeer man charged last year in a 2014 hit-and-run that injured two bicyclists  one severely  has made a deal with the Oakland County Pros
Police are holding the son of a shooting victim in custody.

Officers and paramedics were called to the 17000 block of Cornell at 8:19 p.m. Tuesday, June 8.

There, emergency responders found a 55-year-old man suffering from a gunshot wound. After trying to help the victim, he was taken to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

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Police said the man had been shot by his adult son after an argument.

"The son fled the scene with the weapon in his vehicle but was located a short time later and arrested without further incident," Southfield police said in a statement. "He is being held at the Southfield Police Department Lock-up facility."

Police said they expect the son to be charged by Thursday.

The home is in the area of M-39 and the Lodge.
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Michigan is politically divided. But we all suffered in the pandemic.
Foreigner infected while in Phuket quarantine

PHUKET: A foreigner has tested positive for COVID-19 while still staying at a local quarantine facility, it was revealed during a live broadcast by key Phuket officials, including Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew, this morning (June 9).

COVID-19CoronavirushealthVaccinetourismeconomics

By The Phuket News

Wednesday 9 June 2021, 12:36PM

Dr Kusak broke the news during a live broadcast this morning (June 9). Screenshot: PR Phuket

Present for the broadcast press conference were Phuket Public Health Office (PPHO) Chief Dr Kusak Kukiattikoon and Vachira Phuket Hospital Director Dr Chalermpong Sukontapol.

All three  Governor Narong, Dr Kusak and Dr Chalermpong  are key figures on Phukets Communicable Disease Committee, which under the extended state of emergency is responsible for all affairs in Phuket related to COVID-19.

Dr Kusak opened his address by noting, The infection situation in Phuket is getting better. Since May 15, we have had less than 10 new cases per day, but this week we have had less than five cases.

Right now, we have had 676 cases in Phuket so far [since Apr 3], and only 45 cases are now receiving medical treatment at hospitals, he said.

However, Dr Kusak did admit, Three cases have died [since Apr 3].

Dr Kusak then broke the news that a foreigner had tested positive for COVID-19 on the 13th day of stay at a local quarantine venue in Phuket.

The new case yesterday was a foreigner who had been staying in a local quarantine place for 13 days, and just tested positive yesterday, Dr Kusak confirmed.

Dr Kusak did not elaborate on which venue the infection occurred at, what is being done to prevent further infections at the unnamed venue, what action is being taken to identify how the foreigner came to be infected on the last day of stay in quarantine or what contact tracing is being conducted.

However, he did recognise that the cluster related to the infected foreigner had already over.

For local quarantine places for high-risk people, before this we had 610 rooms, but at this stage, we have only 227 rooms available. Now 194 people are in quarantine rooms, he said.

However, the situation is better now, we still have to ask for your cooperation to wear face masks, wash your hands and keep social distancing, he added.

Staff from the PPHO, Vachira Phuket Hospital and the Phuket Provincial Administrative Organisation [PPAO, or OrBorJor] went to conduct proactive screening once a week, Dr Kusakl continued.

In May, we conducted 23 rounds of screening and tested 4,308 people, and found 11 infected cases. In June, [so far] we have conducted three rounds [of screening] and tested 967 people, and found four infected cases, he said.

JABS FOR FOREIGNERS

Dr Chalermpong moved the press conference to place focus on the vaccination of foreigners on the island.

For foreigners and migrant workers, I have to say we value everyone. After finishing the first round on June 3-5, the vaccinations will resume in early July. If the vaccination of Thai people can be finished earlier than we plan, the vaccination [of foreigners] will be moved to late June, Dr Chalermpong said.

However, Dr Chalermpong did not explain that the June 3-5 vaccinations were for only foreigners in Phuket with permits who were registered for vaccination by their employers.

Dr Chalermpong did not mention anything about vaccination registration of Phuket expats who have not been issued work permits.

For local people [sic] who have already registered, we will today receive 70,000 doses of Sinovac vaccine, and the website [Phuket Must Win, www..com] will also be open for you to choose the time and place to be vaccinated, from June 10 to 16, Dr Chalermpong continued.

The Ministry of Public Health has informed us that more [doses of the] AstraZeneca vaccine will arrive in Thailand [sic] about June 14 and arrive in Phuket about June 19. We will receive about 80,000 doses and start using those doses for vaccinations from June 26 to 30, he added.

Dr Chalermpong confirmed that for the first time people in Phuket will have a choice of which of the two vaccines currently being provided by the governments mass-vaccination campaign to receive.

For elders who were unable to be vaccinated on June 7-9, you can make your booking on the website [Phuket Must Win] for your vaccination, he said.

You can choose to have Sinovac or AstraZeneca. If you want Sinovac, you can get your first injection on June 10-16. If you want AstraZeneca, you will have to wait until June 26, Dr Chalermpong added.

Workers who have just returned to Phuket and who have already had their first injection in their home provinces can get their second injection in Phuket, but you have to register under your company to get it, he noted.

JULY 1 CLARITY

Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Phuket Office Director Nanthasiri Ronnasiri recognised the need for clarity on the conditions of what is required and the procedures to be enforced for forign tourists arriving in Phuket from July 1, as highlighted by Phuket Tourist Association President Bhummikitti Raktaengam last week, after the visit to Phuket by TAT Governor Yuthasak Supasorn.

Ms Nanthasiri explained that details about which countries foreigners will be allowed to arrive from, which vaccines will be accepted and what evidence to present as proof of vaccination, along with exactly which tests are to be carried out and which officers are to carry out the tests all still needed to be made clear.

We will take this information [and questions] and meet with the prime minister again, she said.
NACC hits Prayuts brother over assets

THAILAND: The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) yesterday (June 8) said it will ask Gen Preecha Chan-o-cha, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-chas younger brother, to acknowledge charges of concealing assets belonging to himself and his wife.

corruptionpolitics

By Bangkok Post

Wednesday 9 June 2021, 11:02AM

Preecha: I did no wrong. Photo: Bangkok Post.

The commissioners voted 9-0 that there were grounds to the allegation against Gen Preecha, also a senator, a source said.

Niwatchai Kasemmongkol, the NACC deputy secretary-general, told Isranews Agency the NACC was in the process of laying charges against the accused.

Gen Preecha would give further statements to the commission before the case is concluded. After that the case will be submitted to the commissioners who will decide whether to forward it to prosecutors.

He was accused of falsely declaring his assets and liabilities while serving with the National Legislative Assembly formed after the National Council for Peace and Order toppled the Pheu Thai-led government in 2014.

The alleged false declaration has to do with Gen Preechas failure to include his house in Phitsanulok and a bank account belonging to his wife, Pongpuan, in the couples asset list.

Gen Preecha said he explained everything to the commission in January and February and would let the law run its course.

He insisted that he filed his assets and liabilities properly.

The NACC also found grounds to allegations against three current MPs and one former MP who allegedly let fellow lawmakers use their voting cards in parliament, said a commission source.

In one case, Chalong Thoetwiraphong, a Bhumjaithai MP for Phatthalung; Phumsit Khongmi, a Bhumjaithai MP for Phatthalung; and Natee Ratchakitprakanr, a former Bhumjaithai list MP, were accused of dereliction of duty for allowing other lawmakers to get hold of their MP cards to vote during a House deliberation of the budget bill last year.

In another case, it is alleged that Thanikan Phonphongsarot, a Palang Pracharath Party MP for Bangkok, gave her card to a fellow MP to vote on her behalf.

The six involved could face up to 20 years in prison, a fine of between B20,000 and B200,000, or both.
Phuket Governor asks ministries for help

PHUKET: Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew has asked the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (M-DES) for help in creating a tracking app for tourists arriving under the Phuket Tourism Sandbox model to come into effect on July 1.

COVID-19Coronavirushealthtourismeconomics

By The Phuket News

Wednesday 9 June 2021, 06:24PM

Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew has asked for help. Photo: Post Today

He has also asked for help in staffing the ports for processing arrivals by sea after the July 1 reopening, and asked for the Department of Land Transport to take steps to prevent price gouging by tourist transport drivers after tourists are allowed to return.

Under the Phuket Tourism Sandbox model, fully vaccinated international tourists are to be allowed to arrive in Phuket and stay on the island without any period of mandatory quarantine.

Right now, we have 21 more days left until July 1. About 100,000 people are fully vaccinated with two injections, while about 200,000 already have had their first vaccine injection, Governor Narong explained this morning (June 9).

About 150,000 are getting their first injection this month. We need about 130,000 people to be vaccinated, in order to complete 70% of people on the island, he added.

According to a report for June 8 posted earlier today by the Phuket office of the Public Relations Department (PR Phuket), so far 69% of the target 466,587 people on the island to be vaccinated in order to achieve herd immunity have received at least their first injection.

The report marked that so far 322,373 people in Phuket had received their first injection, with a further 98,589 having received two injections.

So far 388,586 people in Phuket have registered to be vaccinated, noted the report.

Phuket officials have maintained that 70% of the islands resident population must be vaccinated in order to achieve herd immunity.

For the length of time that tourists need to be in Phuket before travelling to other provinces, at first we proposed to the CCSA [that the minimum required stay on the island] to be only seven days, but they want them to stay 14 days [before being allowed to leave Phuket], Governor Narong said.

All details will be announced through the Royal Gazette after approval [has been granted] by the CCSA and Cabinet, he added.

From now on, we will upgrade Phuket to be New Phuket. We must have officers from the PPHO [Phuket Provincial Public Health Office], Phuket Immigration, Phuket Customs and the Department of Employment to stand by at the Phuket Checkpoint to screen people before entering Phuket, Governor Narong noted.

For sea ports, we must also have officers at the popular ports, including Chalong Pier, Rassada Pier and Ao Por Pier. We still need to discuss the measures for the ports, he said.

The Phuket government has asked the Digital Economy Promotion Agency [Depa] under the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (M-DES) for a budget or a team of staff to help create a tracking app for tourists which is able to connect to the databases of three offices: Phuket Immigration, the PPHO and the Employment Office, he explained.

We have also asked the Department of Land Transport under the Ministry of Transport to set up the transport structure to connect land, sea and air transport in Phuket in order to solve the problem of overcharging fares, he added.

The TAT [Tourism Authority of Thailand] prediction that 129,000 tourists will come to Phuket within three months after July 1 is likely to come true. And I also want the TAT to attract domestic tourists to Phuket to boost the island economy, Governor Narong said.

We are trying to attract people to Phuket and at the same time control the spread of the disease [COVID-19], as well as move Phuket forward, sustainably, he continued.

If there is another outbreak of the virus [on the island], we have planned how we will manage it, he assured.

When the islands economy improves, a lot of workers from other provinces will come to Phuket. I want [business] operators to strictly screen their staff and allow only vaccinated or tested staff to work, Governor Narong said.

I want workers from other provinces to move their civil registration to Phuket [change their registered place of residence], so that we will receive more budget to develop our hospitals and other infrastructures, he added.

If you have any questions or suggestions, please call our hotline 084-1914151, or you can text through Facebook: Governor Narong, Governor Narong concluded.
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Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-09 10:37:49|Editor: huaxia

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WINDHOEK, June 8 (Xinhua) -- Namibia's need for psychosocial support and counseling for COVID-19 patients and their families has grown as the country battles a third wave of coronavirus infections, Health Minister Kalumbi Shangula said on Tuesday.

Speaking to lawmakers, Shangula said one of the invisible and perhaps unreported impact of COVID-19 is the heavy toll that the pandemic is taking on mental health.

"This is particularly so after diagnosis and more especially in cases where patients succumb to the disease, and families require bereavement counseling," he said.

He called on religious leaders, counselors, psychologists, and social workers to avail their services and provide support to those in need.

Shangula said the COVID-19 epidemiological situation in the country is changing drastically on a daily basis.

"The numbers of new infections, hospitalizations and deaths have unfortunately increased exponentially in recent weeks. The recovery and death rates for the last epidemiological week is 89.4 percent and 1.6 percent respectively," he said.

Namibia has reported 59,814 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 936 deaths. Enditem
@rachelravina on Twitter

Rachel Ravina is a journalist covering news and lifestyle features in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. She grew up in Blue Bell and graduated from Penn State. She's also a news enthusiast who is passionate about covering topics people want to read.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-09 21:59:22|Editor: huaxia

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NAIROBI, June 9 (Xinhua) -- The Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI), a business lobby, plans to promote imports of advanced Chinese machinery in order to boost the country's industrial sector, an official said Wednesday.

Kariuki Theuri, chairman of economic diplomacy committee with KNCCI, told journalists in Nairobi that Kenya heavily depends on foreign manufactured goods due to a lack of competitiveness of domestic industries.

"We will encourage imports of modern machinery from China in order to improve local capacity to produce world class products," Theuri said when Jubilee Allianz and KNCCI launched insurance products aimed at the small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

China has over the past few decades emerged as the world's preferred manufacturing hub through research and innovations, Theuri said, suggesting that the way forward for Kenya is to adopt manufacturing techniques from the Asian nation in order to promote import substitution.

The KNCCI official decried that Kenya imports a lot of products that can be made locally using available resources.

While saying that the east African nation has benefited tremendously from its trade with China because it has improved access to affordable consumer goods, Theuri urged Kenyan entrepreneurs to emulate Chinese work ethic and culture in order to improve their competitiveness regionally and internationally. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-09 22:36:54|Editor: huaxia

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LUSAKA, June 9 (Xinhua) -- Zambia on Wednesday recorded 1,767 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours with health authorities expressing concern at the rate isolation and treatment facilities were being filled.

"We stand a real risk of overwhelming our health care system particularly case management if the situation of preventing and mitigating infections in the community is not collectively and expeditiously addressed," Kennedy Malama, permanent secretary in the Ministry of Health in charge of Technical Services, said in a release.

He noted that the isolation facilities including the private hospitals were filling up at a fast rate with 88 new admissions in the last 24 hours, adding that this was unprecedented.

The new COVID-19 cases were detected from 14,445 tests done, representing a positivity rate of 12 percent. This brings the country's cumulative figures of infection to 103,763.

Three people died during the same period, bringing the total deaths to 1,324 while 197 patients were discharged bringing the total recoveries to 94,189. Enditem
MADISON  The Illinois State Police have announced a 24-year-old Madison man was killed Wednesday morning in a St. Clair County accident.

According to state police, at about 11:22 a.m. Wednesday the Madison man whose name has not been released was driving a 2013 Dodge sedan west on Martin Luther King Drive when he failed to stop at an intersection with Collinsville Road and collided with a 2011 Cadillac SUV driven by Brandis Jennings, 30, of Centerville.

The Madison man was pronounced dead at the scene. Jennings was taken by ambulance to a regional hospital with serious injuries. Arthur Williams, a passenger in the Jennings vehicle, also was taken by ambulance to a regional hospital with minor injuries.

State police said the St. Clair County Coroner will release the name of the deceased pending next of kin notification. The crash remains under investigation.
EDWARDSVILLE  A St. Peters, Missouri man has been charged with firing a gun at another person in Alton in April.

Deonta J. Williamson, 21, of St. Peters, Missouri, was charged June 8 with aggravated discharge of a firearm, a Class 1 felony.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-10 06:07:34|Editor: huaxia

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LAGOS, June 9 (Xinhua) -- Eighteen people were killed in a road crash involving two commercial buses in Nigeria's northern state of Jigawa on Wednesday, the police said.

Eighteen people were killed on the spot as the two buses coming from opposite directions in the Birninkudu area of the state had a head-on collision which resulted in a fire outbreak, said Lawan Shisu, a spokesman for the police of Jigawa, in a statement.

One of the drivers, who had a fracture on his leg, survived the incident, Shisu said, adding the driver was rushed to a nearby hospital.

An investigation has been launched into the road crash, the police officer said.

Deadly road accidents are frequently reported in Nigeria, often caused by overloading, bad condition of roads, and reckless driving. Enditem
EDWARDSVILLE  Two people face multiple felony charges stemming from an investigation into stolen car parts by Madison and Clinton county officials.

James D. Lautz II, 30, of Troy, and Kelsey T. McClelland, 32, of Washington Park, were both charged with aggravated unlawful possession of stolen motor vehicle parts, both Class 1 felonies, and three counts each of unlawful possession of stolen motor vehicle parts, all Class 2 felonies.

The cases were presented by the Madison County Sheriffs Department.

According to court documents, on Jan. 8 the two allegedly were in possession of stolen catalytic converters from numerous vehicles. The parts had been stolen from cars in Pocahontas.

Theft of catalytic converters has increased dramatically locally, and is part of a nation-wide trend, fueled by high prices for some of the materials used in the anti-pollution devices, specifically platinum, palladium or rhodium, according to multiple media and industry sources.

Capt. David Vucich of the Madison County Sheriffs Department said the investigation was in conjunction with the Clinton County Sheriffs Department.

Bail was set at $75,000 each.

Several other motor vehicle-related felony charges were filed June 8 in separate incidents.

Zander L. James, 21, of South Roxana, and Brittany L. Baguio, 24, of Belleville, were charged with offenses relating to motor vehicles, both Class 2 felonies.

The cases were presented by the Pontoon Beach Police Department.

According to court documents, on April 21 the two allegedly were found to be in possession of a stolen 2000 Chevy Silverado.

Bail was set at $50,000 each.

Tyler A. Welch, 27, listed as homeless out of Alton, with a last known address of the 3200 block of Clifton, was charged with offenses relating to motor vehicles, a Class 2 felony. The case was presented by the Metro East Auto Theft Task Force.

On June 6 Welch allegedly was found to be in possession of a stolen GMC UHaul Box Truck.

Bail was set at $50,000.

Other felony charges filed June 8 by the Madison County Sheriffs Department include:

 Monica S. Miller, 29, of Pontoon Beach, was charged with residential burglary, a Class 1 felony. The case was presented by the Pontoon Beach Police Department. On May 19 Miller allegedly entered a home in the first block of Fountaineleau Drive, Pontoon Beach, to commit theft. Bail was set at $100,000.

 Melieke A. Stewart, 28, of Flint, Michigan, and Jaquavius J. Carroll, 24, of Ypsilanti, Michigan, were both charge with retail theft over $300, both Class 3 felonies. The cases were presented by the Collinsville Police Department. On March 17 the two allegedly took $2,300 worth of Home Depot gift cards from the Collinsville Home Depot, 1049 Collinsville Crossing. Bail was set at $15,000 each.

 Heavenly S. Gilliehan, 24, of St. Louis, was charged with retail theft over $300, a Class 3 felony. The case was presented by the Collinsville Police Department. On May 17 Gilliehan allegedly took alcoholic beverages and two air fryers from the Collinsville Walmart, 1040 Collinsville Crossing. Bail was set at $15,000.

 Jerad D. Gettings, 31, of Collinsville, was charged with retail theft under $300 (second subsequent offense), a Class 4 felony. The case was presented by the Alton Police Department. On June 7 Gettings allegedly ordered food and beverages valued at less than $300 from Jims Corner, 2501 College, without paying for the items. It was noted he has a 2013 Madison County conviction for aggravated robbery. Bail was set at $15,000.
The Spirit animated universe includes the 2002 film Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron and the Netflix series Spirit Riding Free, which debuted in 2017  but while the new DreamWorks theatrical release Spirit Untamed is a spinoff/sequel of those previous chapters, it works just fine as a stand-alone, good old-fashioned Western with a trio of 12-year-old girls as the heroes, and thats pretty cool, right?

Spirit Untamed reboots the pilot episode of the Netflix series and expands the story to a feature-length adventure filled with madcap action sequences (some played to comedic effect, some harrowing), infectious tunes and the obligatory heartfelt moments involving love and loss and friendship and family.

Isabela Merced gives a winning voice performance as one Lucky Prescott, a plucky and rebellious adolescent who has been living under the care of her Aunt Cora (Julianne Moore) on the East Coast ever since she was a little girl and her mother Milagro (Eiza Gonzalez), a famous horse-riding stunt performer, was killed in a tragic accident. After Luckys troublesome antics throw a wrench in her grandfathers political campaign, its decided Aunt Cora will accompany Lucky on a train bound for Luckys small hometown of Miradero, where theyll spend the summer with Luckys father, Jim (Jake Gyllenhaal), who hasnt seen his daughter since she was 2 years old and he was too grief-stricken to look after her.

Its on the train ride that Lucky first has a connection with Spirit, the leader of a pack of wild horses that run alongside the train. While Lucky engages in death-defying stunt work only an animated girl could pull off, the horses also draw the attention of Hendricks (Walton Goggins), a cunning and evil horse wrangler who hatches a plan to capture the entire herd and sell them off as workhorses who will spend the rest of their lives doing hard labor until it literally kills them. Oooh, that Hendricks, hes the worst!

When Cora and Lucky arrive in Miradero, Lucky quickly makes friends with the smart and practical Pru (Marsai Martin) and the goofy and sweet Abigail (Mckenna Grace), who teach her the ropes of horse riding and encourage her as she tries to bond with Spirit by feeding him apples, lots and lots of apples. The girls are great together; there are no contrived rivalries or jealousies or misunderstandings. They just instantly bond and theyve got each others backs throughout the story.

Things arent going so smoothly on the home front. Jim looks like a traditional Western hero, but in fact hes a bit of a hoarder and an eccentric, and hes spectacularly ill-equipped to suddenly become a father to Lucky  especially because hes wracked with guilt over sending Lucky away. Also, he has one strict rule for Lucky: No riding horses. Thats what killed her mother, and Jim wont have his daughter at risk. Of course, the one thing Lucky wants to do more than anything else in this world is make a connection with Spirit to the point where the great stallion will allow her to ride with him through the great wide open.

After Hendricks and his minions capture Spirit and the herd and force them onto a train bound for an auction, the story becomes more and more fantastical, as Lucky and Pru and Abigail set off on a rescue mission that requires them to pull off feats that would test the limits of most comic book superheroes. As the action gets wilder and wackier, were actually a bit less involved in the story. Yes, this is an animated fable, but when the adolescent heroes suddenly have near-superpower abilities, it lowers the emotional stakes.

Still, director Elaine Bogan has crafted a rousing adventure story, and songs such as You Belong (Tu Lugar), Join Up and Better with You are beautifully rendered. So many animated films are multilayered efforts brimming with jokes only the adults will catch, but Spirit Untamed is pure and unbridled family fun, pardon the pun. The animation is crisp and light, the voice performances are crackling good and the story of Spirit and the girl who became his best friend is filled with heart.

Richard Roeper reviews movies for The Chicago Sun-Times. Distributed by Universal Press Syndicate.
What: This year, the nonprofit Northeast Regional Cancer Institute celebrates 30 years of easing the burden of cancer in Northeastern Pennsylvania, said Amanda E. Marchegiani, the organizations community relations coordinator. With offices at 312 Adams Ave. in Scranton and at Kirby Health Center in Wilkes-Barre, NRCI educates the community by providing it with valuable information about cancer, prevention and screening, along with other data.

Focusing on the areas of surveillance, community and patient services and hospital and practice support service, the Cancer Institute invests 100% of its resources in this region, Marchegiani said.

Why: Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, NRCI continued expanding its Navigation Program in 2020 with navigators working remotely. The community-based cancer support program provides low-income people with access to breast, cervical, colon and lung cancer screenings and establishes medical homes for targeted populations, Marchegiani explained. It helps them find financial resources for their treatment; works with other organizations to address social and economic issues that might interfere with treatment, such as transportation and child care; and coordinates follow-up appointments, among other services.

Still, NRCI didnt escape the pandemic unscathed. The 2020 CASUAL (Colon cancer Awareness Saves Unlimited Adult Lives) Day happened at the start of the pandemic, so fewer organizations participated than usual. Traditionally in-person events went virtual, including the Duryea at Dusk 5K/1-mile walk and the Cancer Survivors Day, during which NRCI highlighted cancer survivors on its social media pages and website. And the board of ambassadors took a year off from hosting the Spirit of Hope Celebration.

Despite it all, we have continued our mission and goals while remaining steadfast to the communities we serve, Marchegiani said.

How: NRCI hopes the public will support it financially. Call the NRCI at 570-904-8808 or visit cancernepa.org to donate and find more information. Or, mail donations to 312 Adams Ave., Scranton, PA 18503.

Additionally, NRCIs board of ambassadors will bring back the Spirit of Hope Celebration on Friday, Nov. 12.

In her own words: We are grateful for the support and generosity of our community. Every donation stays in our region and is invested in the programs and services we provide to better serve the community.  Amanda E. Marchegiani, community relations coordinator
The exodus of stores from Dickson Citys shopping district is becoming noticeable.

The planned move of three resale shops from the nearly 101,000 square-foot Park Center plaza on Commerce Boulevard  Platos Closet, Once Upon A Child and Style Encore  to the former Ethan Allen building, 930 Viewmont Drive, starting next month, will create even more open spaces in the retail hub.

Just Cabinets and Anytime Fitness have previously moved out of that plaza.

Also on Commerce Boulevard, Pier 1 Imports and A.C. Moore have moved out of the 301,000-square-foot Dickson City Crossings, and Dress Barn and Mens Wearhouse moved out of the more than 235,000-square-foot Dickson City Commons.

Burt Flickinger III, managing director of Strategic Resource Group, a New York-based retail and consumer goods consulting firm, has noticed the trend of businesses closing up shop this year.

It was happening a lot through the first quarter of the year, Flickinger said. Funds from the Payment Protection Program expired and werent sufficient to keep a lot of operators open.

Flickinger noted even though Pennsylvania received massive amounts of money from the United States government earlier this year, the state has been stingy with sharing the funds with financially distressed retailers and shopping centers.

The irony is the state continues to subsidize the wealthiest people in the world, Flickinger said. The massive subsidies from state government for Amazon and Walmart have put the unsubsidized family-owned and operated and independently owned and operated stores out of business.

Flickinger added the reluctance of landlords to budge on rent payments, unlike their predecessors, has also led to the closure of stores.

A lot of landlords are second and third generation, he said. The first generation came up during the Great Depression of the 30s and tough times during the World War II, Korean and Vietnam War years when there was a lot of economic dislocation and disruption. The landlords during that era tended to be more accommodating when retail and sales times got tough.

Dickson City Borough Manager Cesare Forconi feels confident about the future of retail in the municipality despite the closures.

We want to see all businesses thrive, but there is always turnover, Forconi said. Now that it seems like the country is coming out of the pandemic, we feel confident those locations will get reoccupied.
After several turbulent years and plenty of controversy, Chesapeake Energy Corp., once the second-largest natural gas developer in the nation, is reinventing itself.

Pennsylvania has a big part in its plans, with about 45% of the companys estimated 2021 production happening in about four counties in the northeast  predominantly Bradford, Sullivan, Susquehanna and Wyoming  according to the companys first-quarter earnings report.

In February, the Oklahoma City company exited bankruptcy, having reduced its debt burden by $7.8 billion.

But then in March, it reached a settlement with Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiros office to pay $5.3 million in restitution to Pennsylvania leaseholders. The settlement followed a protracted process that began with the AGs initial 2015 claim that Chesapeake deceived landowners when securing leases and improperly paid royalties.

A few weeks later, on March 24, Chesapeake settled with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the state Department of Environmental Protection following alleged Clean Water Act violations seven years earlier. In 2014, the companys Pennsylvania subsidiary, Chesapeake Appalachia LLC, informed the Army Corps of Engineers and the DEP that it had discharged fill material without proper permits at 76 sites. The discharges affected about 26 acres of wetlands and nearly a half-mile of streams, according to the EPA.

The company agreed either to seek after-the-fact authorization for the fill where appropriate and mitigate impacted wetlands or waterways, the EPA said in a statement.

With all that in the rearview mirror, it appears the company is charting a course of rebirth. At the end of April, former Chief Executive Officer Doug Lawler abruptly left his position without explanation. Mike Wichterich, the chairman of the companys board, is serving as interim CEO until board members can find a permanent executive.

Meanwhile, Chesapeake reported net income of nearly $300 million since it emerged from bankruptcy on Feb. 9.

All this is happening while construction of what could be one of the companys biggest midstream customers in the northeast remains stalled. Still, the natural gas liquefaction plant in Wyalusing Twp., Bradford County, is something the company likely is preparing for.

Financing secured

Chesapeake has leases on 540,000 Pennsylvania acres and nearly 1,000 wells, mostly in Bradford County. With three active rigs in the state, it drilled 16 new wells in the first quarter 2021 alone, according to financial documents.

Chesapeake leveraged what appears to be its entire lease portfolio to secure operational financing, up to $5 billion in revolving loans and lines of credit. The highly complicated financing instrument was filed as a mortgage in Pennsylvania county deeds offices where the company operates.

Harold Moyer, a longtime Chesapeake observer and accountant who works for Northern Tier leaseholders, said the company appears to have lined up financing for capital projects that wont start paying out until later.

The infrastructure is still being built, he said. It costs a lot of money to do that kind of stuff. When the gates open up, theyve got to be ready to supply that plant.

MUFG Union Bank, which provided Chesapeake with debtor-in-possession financing to continue operating during bankruptcy, is acting as administrative agent and collateral agent. Other institutions listed in financial documents are Bank of America, BMO Capital Markets Corp., Wells Fargo Securities, Citibank, JPMorgan Chase Bank and Royal Bank of Canada.

When asked about the financing and the companys path forward in Pennsylvanias Marcellus Shale region, spokesman Gordon Pennoyer referred to public financial filings.

One county official said it might be the biggest mortgage hes ever seen in his office, but that he was unsure of its specific function beyond leveraging leases

Wyoming County Recorder of Deeds Dennis L. Montross must make sure the mortgage instrument is recordable, but he doesnt necessarily need to understand how it works.

Its a pretty big one, he said, chuckling. It very well may be the largest weve ever gotten.

The mortgage does not mean the financial institutions just wrote Chesapeake a $5 billion check. At risk of being overly simplistic, in one key element of the document, lenders agree to let Chesapeake borrow, repay and re-borrow money.

Commercial real estate and financing experts who reviewed the arrangement on behalf of the Northeast Pennsylvania Business Journal could not summarize the 193-page document simply.

Given this debt arose out of the reorganization, I think more interesting material may be the negotiations that enabled this transaction, said Kevin Riordan, a real estate finance professor and advisory board member at StackSource, a tech company that specializes in commercial real estate finance.

The upshot, however, is that Chesapeake now has the bankruptcy and attorney generals lawsuit behind it, financing in hand, a new CEO and a major midstream buyer poised right on its doorstep.

Fine-tuned

New Fortress Energy has spent $144 million so far to secure the Wyalusing Twp. site and level it, financial documents show. Construction, however, has not advanced since last year. New Fortress officials have also said they need about two years to complete it, though theyre also maintaining that a number of obstacles could derail it.

The liquefied gas company wants to superchill natural gas down to a liquid, making it significantly more compact and portable, then ship it by rail to an export terminal in New Jersey, which is also in development. Both projects have drummed up strong opposition for the environmental damage, logistics issues and human safety concerns they could bring.

New Fortress told local officials that the project will move forward, however, they remain in a pause, Wyalusing Twp. Supervisor Marvin Meeter said.

Moyer, on the other hand, seems optimistic.

Once that happens ... Chesapeake will be one of the big players as well as one of the most opportune for profit, Moyer said.

Natural gas development unequivocally saved farms in the region, he said. Chesapeake gave farmers the freedom to keep their farms while navigating increasingly difficult markets, but they really stepped on a lot of landowners toes by first off getting the leases so cheap, and they werent equitable, he said.

Now he sees a company trying to create a new image for itself, part of it court-ordered  the AG settlement requires tighter and ongoing government scrutiny  and less frivolous spending compared to the boom days when exploration and production companies scrambled to line up first.

Theyve spent money in places that you wouldnt believe  you dont see that waste now, Moyer said. Theyre a lot more fine-tuned.
An Archbald man involved in a high-speed chase with police Friday is jailed on domestic violence charges stemming from an incident earlier in the day.

Robert Williams, 51, 131 Cemetery St., was in the Lackawanna County Prison in lieu of $50,000 bail. Borough Officer Mark Striefsky filed a criminal complaint charging him with strangulation, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person and disorderly conduct.

While Williams has not been charged in connection with the pursuit, Lackawanna County District Attorney Mark Powell confirmed he was involved. Powell said the investigation continues and officials are awaiting the completion of an accident reconstruction.

State police and several municipal police departments pursued Williams before he crashed into a state police vehicle on Interstate 84 around 11 p.m. His Hyundai rolled over, throwing him from the vehicle. One state trooper suffered minor injuries.

Earlier Friday, Striefsky was dispatched to Barretts Pub, 474 N. Main St., after Williamss girlfriend, Amy Youshack, reported he had assaulted her.

They went to the restaurant to get something to eat but Williams became angry because she locked her cellphone and he couldnt get into it. They left and she tried to walk home with her son. Williams chased her. He choked her, lifted her up and threw her onto the sidewalk, police charged. She and her son ran back to the restaurant for safety. Williams continued to call her, saying he wanted to kill himself.

He said he would return to the restaurant so they could speak. The police were already with her. When his gray Hyundai Tuscon sped by, they gave chase.

Soon, neighboring departments and the state police were chasing him. Authorities managed to get Williams on the phone and they pleaded with him to stop and turn himself in.

The pursuit went through Archbald, Jermyn, Olyphant, Jessup, Throop, Dunmore, Scranton and back to Dunmore before Williams got onto I-84, where the chase ended near the Mount Cobb exit.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled Monday.
MONTREAL  Forty-eight people from the same small Canadian province struck with a baffling mix of symptoms including insomnia, impaired motor function and hallucinations such as nightmarish visions of the dead.

A quixotic neurologist working 12-hour days to decipher the clues.

Swirling conspiracy theories blaming the illness on cellphone towers, fracking or even COVID-19 vaccines.

These are just some plotlines of a mystery that has stumped Canadas medical establishment, attracted the attention of some of the worlds top neurologists and fanned fears among residents of New Brunswick, a picturesque province of about 770,000 on Canadas Atlantic coast. In the past six years, dozens of people have fallen ill from the disease, and six people have died.

People are alarmed, said Yvon Godin, the mayor of Bertrand, a village in the Acadian Peninsula in northeastern New Brunswick where residents have been afflicted. They are asking, Is it environmental? Is it genetic? Is it fish or deer meat? Is it something else? Everyone wants answers.

As the coronavirus raged across the country the past 15 months, the medical enigma was initially slow to gain national attention. Canadian health authorities, distracted by the need to respond to the pandemic, scrambled to determine the seriousness of the outbreak, which was only publicly exposed after a memo about it by New Brunswicks chief medical officer was leaked to the press in March.

Doctors investigating the disease say the sluggish response underlines the challenge for other medical conditions to compete for the spotlight during a global pandemic.

Experts at a loss

Medical experts said the murkiness surrounding the illness also reflected how, despite extraordinary advances in medical science, some conditions, in particular neurological diseases involving dementia, can puzzle even the worlds best scientific brains.

The Canadian outbreak could join the pantheon of other ailments that have mystified the world, such as the debilitating illness that impaired dozens of diplomats in Cuba and China beginning in 2016, prompting suspicions that victims may have been targeted by Moscow, Beijing or a rogue government.

There was also a painful and puzzling kidney disease that afflicted workers harvesting sugar cane in Nicaragua four years earlier.

The mystery, however, could also fizzle, if it turns out that a variety of preexisting conditions have been prematurely ascribed to a strange new disease.

Among the youngest victims of the Canadian syndrome is Gabrielle Cormier, 20, once a straight-A student who participated in figure skating competitions and aspired to become a pathologist.

But as she began university two years ago, Cormier said she was suddenly and inexplicably overcome by fatigue, started bumping into things and had visions that looked like static from a television. No longer able to read easily or walk to class, she was forced to drop out of school.

Not understanding what was wrong amplified the illnesss horror. After being misdiagnosed with mononucleosis, Cormier said emergency room doctors then told her there was nothing wrong with her. A battery of tests yielded no diagnosis. She was eventually referred to a neurologist as her health deteriorated and she experienced involuntary jerking movements, memory lapses and hallucinations. She was among the first to be included in the cluster of those suffering from the unidentified syndrome.

Today, she lives at home in Dalhousie Junction, in rural northern New Brunswick, and walks with a cane. I was just starting what is supposed to be the best chapter of your life, and then it disappeared, she said. I dont know if I will die or live out the rest of my life with these symptoms.

Dr. Neil Cashman, a neurologist at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver who is investigating the illness, said it was a medical whodunit of the type seen only a couple of times a century.

From the standpoint of a mystery, there is usually something horrible, like a murder. In this case, it is rapidly progressive dementia and psychiatric manifestations, losing everything at once that is controlled by the brain and the spinal cord, he said. It is terrifying.

But other medical experts questioned the conditions novelty.

Dr. Michael Geschwind, a professor of neurology at the University of California, San Francisco, who is one of the worlds leading experts on rare neurological outbreaks, has not studied the cases or autopsies of those affected. But he cautioned that what can seem like a new illness sometimes turns out to be a known disease that has not been diagnosed. Those affected, he added, could end up suffering from a grab bag of disparate neurodegenerative diseases that were being linked together.

Sometimes what seems to be a cluster turns out to be something else, he said.

The disease was first observed in 2015 when a New Brunswick neurologist, Dr. Alier Marrero, saw a patient who presented a bizarre mix of symptoms including anxiety, depression, rapidly progressive dementia, muscle pains and frightening visual disturbances.

Three years later, he had eight total cases. The next year the total was 20. Then 38. Then 48.

The patients range in age from 18 to 84 and live primarily in two areas of New Brunswick: Moncton and the Acadian Peninsula.

Clues, but no solution

Baffled by what he was observing, Marrero, a physician at Dr. Georges-L.-Dumont University Hospital Center in Moncton, ordered blood tests, spinal taps, MRI scans and electroencephalograms.

Marrero said the tests revealed abnormalities such as brain atrophy and neurological dysfunction, but none of the results linked together to form a clear diagnosis.

He initially suspected Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, a rapidly progressive neurodegenerative disease that is thought to be caused by prions, novel infectious agents that damage the brain. But the patients tested negative for known forms of CJD.

He scoured medical texts. He consulted with colleagues across the world. Eventually, he said, only one conclusion made sense: It was not something we have seen before.

With no diagnosis, he gave the devastating disease a decidedly prosaic working name: Neurological Syndrome of Unknown Etiology in New Brunswick. He also sounded the alarm, notifying colleagues and federal and provincial health authorities.

In April, six years after the first cases emerged, health authorities in New Brunswick and Ottawa, Canadas capital, assembled a team of neurologists, public health researchers, environmentalists and veterinarians to investigate. Brain autopsies of the six victims are being analyzed at a federal laboratory in Ottawa, while a team of neurologists and pathologists from across Canada is reviewing the evidence.

Of the three autopsies done so far, all have been negative for known forms of prion disease, according to Dr. Michael Coulthart, a neurologist who is leading the investigation.

Medical investigators said the list of potential causes had been winnowed down to four or five.

Cashman, the University of British Columbia neurologist, said one line of inquiry was that the disease could be caused by a toxin known as beta-methylamino-L-alanine, or BMAA, which is produced by blue-green algae and has been linked to diseases like Parkinsons and Alzheimers.

Another potential culprit, he said, is chronic exposure to Domoic acid, a neurotoxin found in shellfish off the coast of New Brunswick.

He said the team was not ruling out that it could be a new prion disease or a syndrome caused by an infectious agent such as bacteria, a virus or a fungus.

Some families of those suffering from the symptoms are angry that health authorities took so long to reveal them.

Steven Ellis, whose father, Roger, is part of the New Brunswick outbreak, said his family wanted to know whether the condition was genetic or caused by an external factor. Once jovial and active, his father is now confined to a nursing home and has suffered weight loss, irritability and delusions.

Only after reading the leaked New Brunswick public health officers internal memo about the syndrome in March did Ellis connect it to his fathers illness.

It was like reading our private family story, he recalled. The pandemic overshadowed this disease. Why did it take so long for this to become public?

Dr. Jennifer Russell, New Brunswicks chief medical officer, told a news conference in April that provincial health authorities had prudently reacted once federal health officials determined that the number of cases was significant. There is a long road ahead to determine the cause, she said.

But Ellis said families like his were running out of time.

If my dad had terminal cancer, of course it would be upsetting, but at least there would be a prognosis, he said. We are watching him dying a slow death, and nobody can tell us why.
OCEAN CITY, Md.  A Kingston woman who was impaled by a beach umbrella in Maryland three years ago has sued the town and umbrella business, claiming their negligence resulted in serious injuries.

Jill Mendygral was lounging on the beach in Ocean City on her first day of vacation when an umbrella was swept up by gusts of wind and impaled her chest, according to the lawsuit, filed Thursday in U.S. District Court.

Rescuers cut off the end of the umbrella, leaving the tip in her chest until a Maryland State Police helicopter could transport her to a hospital.

The Baltimore Sun reports that the lawsuit says Mendygral required surgery for the wound in her chest. To this day, she has back pain and pelvic pain, numbness in her right arm and hand, and a range of mental health conditions, among other ailments, the complaint alleges.

Her lawyer, Eric Lickstein, argues that none of her injuries or trauma would have occurred if not for the negligence of the Town of Ocean City or 85 n Sunny LLC, a company that rents umbrellas, beach chairs, boogie boards and more.

The complaint names Patrick McLaughlin, resident agent of the beach rental company, as well as Matt James, president of the Ocean City Town Council. McLaughlin declined to comment. A spokesperson for Ocean City did not respond to requests for comment Friday.

The complaint alleges that the business and the town allowed a hazardous and dangerous condition to persist by failing to warn people of the dangers of leaving an umbrella open in the wind and failing to inspect the beach while a wind advisory was in effect.

The lawsuit seeks more than $150,000.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-09 13:18:18|Editor: huaxia

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KABUL, June 9 (Xinhua) -- At least 10 deminers were shot dead and 14 others wounded as gunmen attacked their camp in Afghanistan's northern Baghlan province Tuesday night, an Interior Ministry spokesperson said Wednesday.

Taliban outfit's terrorists attacked the camp located in the province's Baghlan district roughly at 10:00 p.m. local time, spokesperson Tariq Arian told Xinhua.

The deminers had been working to clear landmines planted in a certain area during day before returning to their camp in the night, he said.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far.

"The deminers put their lives at risk every day to ensure the safety of Afghanistan's communities. Targeting deminers has been a crime committed by the Taliban," he said, blaming the Taliban for the attack. Enditem
HARRISBURG  Amid an FBI investigation, the mammoth PSERS pension plan has disavowed as poorly worded an official disclosure form that said its top investment staff was also being paid by a firm hired to manage its real estate in Harrisburg.

The fund said that in fact no one on its staff had received any additional compensation even though the forms said they were paid employees of both the retirement plan and the realty firm. The $64 billion fund said it has filed replacement disclosures with the IRS correcting this error.

The plans announcement came in response to questions from Spotlight PA and The Inquirer  and after federal prosecutors had subpoenaed information about PSERS $1.6 million purchase of the former Harrisburg Patriot-News building at 812 Market St. near the plans office and purchases of other nearby properties.

PSERS said it has amended the required public disclosure forms for the nonprofit, 812 Market Inc. created in 2017 to hold the title to the Harrisburg real estate. Unamended, the forms say that PSERS chief investment officer, James H. Grossman Jr., and two of his staff are on an 812 Market Inc. board whose officers include top executives of PMI Property Management Inc., the Harrisburg-area company that looks after the real estate.

While the original forms say in one section that Grossman and the others received no money through their board membership, the records also say elsewhere that he and the others, deputy Charles Spiller and senior real estate manager William Stalter, work for PMI and are paid by it.

The officers and directors of 812 of Market Street, Inc. are employees of PMI Property Management, Inc...., the filings say in part. PMI Property Management, Inc, pays the officers of 812 Market Street, Inc.

Grossman is the highest-paid employee of the state of Pennsylvania, making $485,421 a year. Spiller (and another Grossman deputy) are the second-highest, making $399,611. Spiller is the funds leader on real estate investments and briefs its board on such buys. Stalter, who is also a real estate expert, is paid $241,801.

Efforts to reach the three PSERS officials were unsuccessful. The PMI executives, Eric Kunkle and David Dyson, declined comment. PMI was paid $30,000 yearly in the last fiscal year, to manage the properties. No one has been charged with any crime in connection with the federal probe of PSERS.

What is PSERS?

PSERS is short for the Pennsylvania School Employees Retirement System. One of the nations biggest pension plans, it sends out more than $6 billion in checks yearly to 265,000 former teachers and other retired staff from public schools. It is supported by its investments and by payments from working educators and taxpayers.

The image of the fund, which has faced growing criticism for its unremarkable investment returns, has taken a beating since news broke in March of the federal investigation. As Spotlight PA and The Inquirer have previously reported, federal prosecutors and the FBI are using a grand jury and subpoenas to investigate the Harrisburg real estate purchases, as well as the boards adoption last year of a figure that falsely exaggerated its investment profits. The board later reversed course in April, and said it would require more recent school employees to pay more for their retirement, starting July 1.

State Sen. Katie Muth (D-Montgomery), who became a PSERS board member this year, said Monday that she had asked the funds management weeks ago for information about the nonprofits and the Harrisburg real estate investments, but had never received answers. The response, she said, was: We are still looking into it.

Nothing short of reckless

Late Tuesday, Muth took the unusual step of suing PSERS in Commonwealth Court in a bid to force the fund to turn over the records.

In the lawsuit, her lawyer, Terry Mutchler, with Obermayer, Rebmann, Maxwell and Hippel, LLP in Philadelphia, said the fund was harming the ability of the board members to exercise oversight.

To act in blind obedience, particularly given the errors that precipitated this investigation, would be nothing short of reckless, Mutchler wrote.

In its statement Monday, the retirement system said it created nonprofits to own real estate as a buffer against lawsuits, to limit legal risk.

PSERS did not say when it filed the revised forms. As The Inquirer and Spotlight have previously reported, federal prosecutors sought information about the Harrisburg real estate in subpoenas dated March 24. At a May 5 board meeting closed to the public and the media, lawyers from the Morgan Lewis firm, one of three firms hired by PSERS to address the FBI probe, briefed the board about the disclosure forms and said it was looking into whether the staff was paid by the real estate firm and whether the board even knew that the nonprofits had been formed, sources said.

Poorly worded or conflict of interest?

The fund has created about a half-dozen nonprofits to hold titles to its 15 or so real estate investments around the nation, IRS records show. While the statement Monday cites only one, 812 Market Inc. public records show the same flawed language is in the filings for two other PSERS nonprofits, one for its headquarters buildings and another for a mall property in San Antonio, Texas.

Before the board issued its statement, reporters asked Charles Elson, a finance professor at the University of Delaware and an expert on corporate governance, to examine the filings, known as 990s, named for their official IRS form number. He said they were either poorly worded or revealed an obvious conflict of interest for PSERS.

It puts those individuals on both sides of the transaction, Elson said. Youre an employee of the pension system, but why are you working with and being paid by an entity that does business with the pension fund?

While PSERS puts its billions mainly into stocks, bonds, and private-equity businesses not on the stock market, it has also directly acquired some real estate, buying properties worth $1.1 billion. Its holdings are eclectic  too much so, critics say  ranging from a mall in Ft. Lauderdale to mobile-home parks in Michigan to a pistachio orchard in California.

In 2017, PSERS began buying properties closer to home. The agency has been secretive about the purchases, keeping plans confidential. Beyond demolishing the Patriot-News building, nothing visible has been done to the real estate. At one point, fund executives told the board that the plan might partner with Harrisburg University of Science and Technology on an office tower, but the university said recently that nothing had come of that.

Its first major Harrisburg purchase was the $1.6 million buy late in 2017 of the Patriot-News printing plant and offices. Over the next three years, the fund spent another $1.4 million to buy seven more properties, a mix of buildings and parking lots. Internal fund documents say it has spent as much as another $7 million on demolition and site-development costs.

In another PSERS development, the fund on Monday issued a separate statement about its decision to pay for private lawyers for eight unnamed staff members. It issued the statement a day after The Inquirer published a story about how the agency will pay up to $40 million in total legal bills in any one year for staff caught up in one investigation. The fund will also keep paying employees defense lawyers right up to the outcome of any trial.

The fund said it would be patently unfair to force its staff to pay themselves for lawyers and said that that fund could recoup any money if an employee is later found guilty of a criminal offense.
A long-delayed upgrade of Pennsylvanias computer system for unemployment benefits made a glitch-filled debut Tuesday, frustrating some jobless workers and confirming the concerns of critics who feared the new system would buckle under the heavy, pandemic-fueled demand.

Within the first 12 hours of the launch, more than 62,000 Pennsylvanians had filed claims and the Department of Labor and Industry deemed the new system a success.

At the same time, jobless advocates and scores of unemployed Pennsylvanians expressed an outpouring of frustration as a new wave of problems blocked numerous people from filing for benefits they had already been approved for.

Some people who were receiving benefits through the old system last week were told they were ineligible. Others were refused benefits because they were incorrectly identified as incarcerated. Still others had payments stopped because of overpayments that had long ago been resolved. Some notices of eligibility were bafflingly dated in the future. And a new password requirement, a problem advocates had foreseen weeks ago and raised with state officials, blocked many people from entering the system at all.

I was so afraid for this to happen today, said Donna Pfitzenmeyer Swangler, who moderates a Pennsylvania Unemployment Support Group on Facebook with more than 12,000 members. Roughly six dozen people had messaged her for help as of 2 p.m. while she simultaneously tried to answer questions posted on online message boards.

They absolutely shouldnt have done this right now with the amount of people that are claiming still, she said. There is just more potential for issues and different things to arise. They should have just waited.

The computer system overhaul was more than 15 years and $200 million in the making. It has been lauded by the state as a necessary fix to the decades-old mainframe infrastructure, which officials have characterized as slow, unintuitive, and ostensibly held together with tape.

The states modernization efforts, however, have been marked by failure, delays, waste, and litigation.

While the state says it did extensive internal testing, only five members of the public, five legislative staffers, and five members of the employer community had tested the new software as of mid-May.

Advocates had asked the state to delay the launch until fewer people impacted by the pandemic were relying on it. Technology experts said the hardwares durability had been mischaracterized by the state, and the nature of the overhaul  a flip the switch approach  was poised for failure.

April jobless numbers show as many as one million Pennsylvanians may still be relying on federal and state benefits. The new computer system, which only processes state unemployment benefits, was built by the same contractor, Geographic Solutions Inc., or GSI, that manages the technology for paying out federal pandemic benefits. Its technology has a poor track record in Pennsylvania and in other states.

GSI did not respond to questions Tuesday, but a spokesperson, Michelle Griffith, previously praised the companys work in other states and readiness to launch the new system in Pennsylvania.

In January, following a new federal funding package, it took the state and GSI weeks to set up new rules associated with federal benefits. And, as a result, numerous eligible peoples claims stalled for months, many incorrectly flagged for fraud or missing information. More than 300,000 people are in a backlog waiting for their state and federal claims to be reviewed and paid out or denied.

This is like the January PUA [federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance] launch, Pfitzenmeyer Swangler said. That was really bad too and I was nonstop for a week answering messages.

Pfitzenmeyer Swangler said the new problems will only add to the backlog.

Making matters worse, the departments phone lines temporarily crashed Tuesday morning. The phone outage was unrelated to the new unemployment system and affected several state agencies, according to the department. Phones were back online by around 11 a.m.

But in the interim, people became frantic, locked out of both the online system and the phone lines. State officials said people were placed in an online waiting room, which is triggered by a large number of people using the system, though the exact number is unknown.

Acting Labor Secretary Jennifer Berrier could not say exactly how many people must be using the system for the waiting room function to launch. She admitted the servers were running slowly because an estimated ten times as many people were logging on alongside the system launch. The state had taken the old mainframe system offline on May 31, preventing new claims from being filed, and temporarily blacking out workers access to recurring filing for several days before the launch.

Julia Simon-Mishel, who leads the unemployment compensation unit at Philadelphia Legal Assistance, said workers had trouble loading the systems webpages because of heavy traffic. Shes also concerned that some peoples data may have been incorrectly carried over from the old system.

For me the key takeaway is, do people get paid? she said. If people dont get paid, then I think thats something we have to really look at.

Simon-Mishel said those who can afford to wait should give the state a few days to fix glitches and log in then. She noted that workers can file claims by telephone again starting Thursday if they are still having trouble.

Department officials said they identified two areas where several users had trouble. Workers who receive benefits through direct deposit saw their payment method listed as debit card, which the department called a display issue. Users do not need to take action to fix this, department officials said.

A small percentage of users also had problems logging in or changing their payment type. A fix for that server connectivity issue is underway, according to the department. Several workers on Facebook reported other problems, such as jobless claims that were wrongly identified as inactive.

Whoever is in charge of this circus should be fired and have to sign up for unemployment, one person wrote on Facebook. This s-  could not be anymore confusing.

Nadia Warrick, a former facilities director from Feasterville, said she couldnt log into the new system Tuesday to file for this weeks benefits. Her computer screen went blank when she tried to confirm she wasnt a robot. When she tried again later, she was told the new username and password she had just created were incorrect.

Anytime a new system is rolled out, youre going to get hiccups, Warrick said. But at the same time, I would think that, being so far along into this pandemic, they would have been building this new platform in the background and tested it and made it sure-proof for all of us people out here in Pennsylvania, who really rely on these funds.

Others had a smoother experience. Gennifer Spangler, a former warehouse manager for an online craft supply store, said logging in and filing a claim was super easy. She said the new system was more user-friendly, with a dashboard that made it easy to find and update information.

Still, technology experts warn that even indications of a smooth launch may obscure deeper problems that have to be resolved down the line.

One of the dangers of switching in one weekend is it looks at first like everything worked, said Waldo Jaquith, a government technology expert who works at Georgetown Universitys Beeck Center for Social Impact and Innovation. It didnt.

If I can find someone who can bet against me I will, he said. But I never do.

WHILE YOURE HERE, if you learned something from this story, pay it forward and become a member of Spotlight PA so someone else can in the future at spotlightpa.org/donate. Spotlight PA is funded by foundations and readers like you who are committed to accountability journalism that gets results.
Like many others, our family has experienced home health, home care and hospice services firsthand.

The care that my family members caregivers provided, from pain relief to skincare to washing her hair, was not only welcomed by my family, it was essential to her care.

I probably cannot overstate how important it was to her that she was cared for at home, surrounded by family and friends who loved her. Quite simply, the comfort and dignity that home care provides cannot be found anywhere else.

COVID-19 has only increased the already-strong demand and desire for in-home care, with 83% of Americans preferring care at home over any other setting. Costs of providing home care have increased significantly in recent years  but it is still less than half the cost of nursing home care  and demand for quality caregivers is at an all-time high. Unfortunately, reimbursement rates have not come close to helping providers stay competitive with other employers to meet the workforce demand.

Pediatric shift nursing, which helps 10,000 medically fragile children receive care at home, has only experienced two reimbursement rate increases in 28 years, resulting in a massive wage gap between facility-based nurses and home health care. Personal assistance services, which include things like bathing, toileting and transferring in and out of bed, are reimbursed at some of the lowest rates in the state and have had only two small (2%) increases since 2012.

As a result of this chronic underfunding, home care faces critical workforce shortages. The median hourly wage for direct care workers is $12.40, limited sharply by low reimbursement rates. This obviously does not even come close to hourly wages paid by private employers for much less demanding work.

The time is now to reimagine the future of home and community-based services in Pennsylvania. This year, Pennsylvania has a unique opportunity to correct long-term funding inequities. As a result of the American Rescue Plan, Pennsylvania will receive more than $7 billion dollars in federal funding. An additional $700 million is available to the state for home and community-based services.

We urge the Legislature and administration to support increased reimbursement rates to allow home care and home health agencies to increase wages for these critical in-home caregivers. We must do everything we can to ensure that when someone we love needs care at home, a quality caregiver is available to provide it.

Health care has come home. Now is the time to adequately fund it.
Legislators who returned to Harrisburg this week have a chance to address a constitutional obligation that remains unfulfilled as they face a deadline for a new state budget at the end of the month.

A huge state surplus is anticipated as a result of a surprisingly strong rebound in tax collections and federal stimulus funds. The state also holds about $7.3 billion in American Rescue Plan revenue that was appropriated this spring.

As a result, the states current fiscal year surplus is expected to surpass $3 billion.

Gov. Tom Wolf has called for an additional $1.3 billion in public school funding, an increase of about 20%. Such a move would bring the state closer to fulfilling its 2015 fair-funding formula. The funding plan was adopted partly to assist many of Pennsylvanias poorest school districts.

For instance, estimates project that Scranton would receive $39 million more annually if the state honored the fair-funding formula. Scranton and other districts continue to pursue legitimate litigation against the state to fairly fund education and the case is scheduled to be heard this fall.

Pennsylvanias constitutional guarantee to provide students with an adequate education is undercut by insufficient funding. The states proportion of total school district spending, 38%, ranks 44th nationally. The state also suffers from the nations largest funding disparity between wealthy and poor school districts. Pennsylvanias wealthy districts spend 33% more per student than the poorest districts.

These factors provide strong support for Wolfs argument.

Meanwhile, Republican legislators have said their education priorities include issues affecting private and charter schools. They also have discussed the prospect of holding some of the surplus in reserve.

Lawmakers instead should take advantage of the windfall to steer a more equitable and overdue course on school funding. They should tap some of the surplus to help level the playing field.
London, KY (40741)

Today

Thunderstorms, some heavy this evening, then skies turning partly cloudy after midnight. Low near 65F. N winds at 10 to 20 mph, decreasing to less than 5 mph. Chance of rain 100%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms, some heavy this evening, then skies turning partly cloudy after midnight. Low near 65F. N winds at 10 to 20 mph, decreasing to less than 5 mph. Chance of rain 100%.
Timothy Seth Bryant Pennington was born on January 30, 1988 in Corbin, Ky. He departed this life on June 3, 2021 to be with his Lord and Savior, whom he accepted as a young boy at his church, West Corbin Baptist. Seth was assured of his salvation and knew where he would spend his eternity. S
Copan Group has announced a million-dollar investment to expand its production capacity in Aguadilla, which joined the main Italian production site three years ago. The investment has a total value of over $78 million: $9 million will be allocated to purchase and maintain new machinery, while the rest will be invested to increase the number of employees from 100 to 352.

"The establishment of our company in Puerto Rico has proven to provide favorable conditions for the expansion and growth of our business globally," said Stefania Triva, Copan Group's president. "With this investment, we aim to strengthen our presence in the US market: through a hub & spoke distribution strategy, we'll be able to offer a competitive service with unprecedented efficiency and rapidity throughout all the American territory," she added.

Puerto Rico's Economic Development and Commerce Department supported the operation by approving $23 million of incentives, seeing in the project  which brings Copan's technological know-how, quality, and work welfare attitude across the ocean  an excellent opportunity for the whole U.S.

Aguadilla Endorses Hewlett Packard for Municipal Tax Exemptions Seeks to retain the company's operations after it announced its departure

According to Gov. Pedro Pierluisi, "manufacturing companies as Copan represent an important component of the economy, as they contribute to creating and retaining jobs. We are proud of the talent that exists in Puerto Rico, and we are confident in the continued success and commitment of Copan Industries to the island."

Copan's recent activity has been fervent in the U.S., with investments in Puerto Rico, California, and the successful clearance of products finally available in the US  as the eNAT nucleic acid storage and stabilization device FDA-cleared at the end of 2020. This project fits Copan's current strategy to bring production sites closer to the end markets, streamlining logistics and enabling an efficient and prompt service everywhere globally.
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.

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Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-09 14:12:17|Editor: huaxia

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KABUL, June 9 (Xinhua) -- An Afghan army chopper crashed in the country's eastern Wardak province Tuesday night, killing three crews and injuring another, the Defense Ministry said in a statement Wednesday.

"A MI-17 helicopter of the army crashed in Jaghato district due to technical problem on Tuesday night and unfortunately three crews lost their live and another sustained injury," the statement said.

The Wardak province, with Maidan Shar as its capital 35 km west of the national capital Kabul, has been the scene of the Taliban-led insurgency over the past couple of years and the armed group had gained ground in Nurkh and Jalriz districts last month. Enditem
Port Allen, LA (70767)

Today

Isolated thunderstorms early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Low 73F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%..

Tonight

Isolated thunderstorms early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Low 73F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%.
Here at Money Mail, we have made no bones about being deeply sceptical of cryptocurrency.

It has proven to be incredibly volatile, and is more akin to gambling than sensible, long-term investing.

As we've seen over the past week, it takes only one comment by Tesla founder Elon Musk or Donald Trump for the value of Bitcoin to plunge overnight.

High risk: Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin have proven to be incredibly volatile, and is more akin to gambling than sensible, long-term investing

Yet, wherever I go, if people aren't talking about Covid, they are talking about the crypto-craze.

At a wedding recently, I was stunned how many people admitted to having bought into these digital currencies.

And I was horrified to learn a friend's colleague had bet his house deposit on Bitcoin despite never having invested in the stock market before.

It seems as though everyone has heard of a friend of a friend who has been able to get on the property ladder or give up work after making millions.

Then, fuelled by the fear of missing out (FOMO), they have ploughed in, assuming they will make a quick fortune, too.

It is true that these digital coins have made some people - and trading platforms - very rich indeed.

But if you saw someone win big at a casino after risking 100,000 on black, you surely wouldn't rush off to the nearest cash machine.

Yet Bitcoin mania continues to spiral out of control.

Anyone who has bought cryptocurrency will not hear a bad word said about it  because they know they need others to buy into the fantasy to keep pushing up the price.

Around 12,000 Bitcoin enthusiasts flocked to the biggest conference of its kind in Miami last week.

In one video, an American broadcaster and high-profile Bitcoin holder was screaming 'We're not selling' to a buzzing crowd cheering wildly, before saying something very rude about Elon Musk which I won't repeat here.

This is not behaviour you'd associate with a serious investment opportunity. It's more like a cult  one that could soon end in tears.

So if you're tempted to dive in, ask yourself why you think the price of cryptocurrency will go up.

As we reveal today, experts say that the Bitcoin phenomenon carries all the warning signs of a bubble set to burst.

Cryptocurrency has no intrinsic value. It's only valuable because people think it is.

Yes, it might still go up over time. But it might also crash further, especially over the coming summer months. Do you really like the sound of those odds?

And, as with every single bubble in history, it will implode when people cotton on to how foolish the whole thing is. When that happens, it will be ordinary investors who pay the price.

Cash in hand

On Monday, the Post Office launched a major campaign to 'Save our Cash'. It is calling on ministers to bring forward legislation to make cash a legal right for the millions who depend on it.

But access to cash is just one part of the problem.

Since the start of the pandemic, scores of retailers have introduced a ban on notes and coins. They claim this is to protect customers and staff from Covid, despite assurances from experts that the risk is minimal.

Just last week, I was picking up a prescription from my local hospital and spotted a worrying sign that read: 'Due to current circumstances we are only accepting card payments'.

This is unacceptable when paying for essential items such as medical supplies.

If you've been turned away when trying to pay with cash, write to us at moneymail@dailymail.co.uk or Money Mail, Northcliffe House, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5TT.

Car rip-off fees

Last week, I rather cynically suggested insurers may be plotting ways to boost their bottom line after the City watchdog ordered them to stop exploiting loyal customers at renewal time.

Hey presto! Enter rip-off admin charges. Money Mail reader John Campbell, from Essex, said he was recently quoted a 30 'renewal fee' by his car insurer.

While renewal fees are not new, they have been relatively uncommon up until now. So we will be asking every insurer this week if they charge an admin fee to renew a home or car insurance policy, how much it is and when it was introduced.

And know that we will be watching closely to see if this becomes a sneaky new trend.

v.bischoff@dailymail.co.uk
Mining giant BHP was last night embroiled in a major sex scandal after a worker was charged with the rape of a colleague in Western Australia.

The alleged assault is understood to be one of the catalysts for the FTSE 100 companys recent crackdown on binge drinking as it tries to reduce the risk of booze-fuelled attacks and harassment of female employees.

The Anglo-American giant was accused of violating workers human rights last month as it unveiled plans to ban miners from drinking beer after 9.30pm, and limit them to four drinks a day.

'Poor working conditions': BHP's vast South Flank iron ore mine in Pilbara, Western Australia

It said this move reflected changes to guidance from the Australian government in December, which now recommends that adults consume no more than four standard alcoholic drinks in any one day.

The curbs will come into force next month.

But the urgent need to tackle drunken behaviour at BHPs male-dominated mining sites became clearer yesterday as Western Australian police charged a 35-year-old employee over the alleged rape of a colleague near the companys enormous South Flank iron ore operation in Pilbara.

The man, from Vasse in south-west Australia, has been refused bail and will appear in court in Perth today.

He has already been fired by the company following an independent investigation.

Fellow workers at the mine say a woman in her twenties was followed back to her accommodation at the camp  known as Mulla Mulla Village  where she was allegedly attacked.

According to the West Australian newspaper, the incident occurred after the woman rejected advances from male colleagues in the mining camps wet mess, a dining area where workers often meet for drinks after their shift.

The alleged attack took place in November last year but was only reported to police earlier this year.

Last night it also sparked a wider row over BHPs treatment of workers, with a union leader claiming that the dehumanising conditions at mine sites are fuelling widespread alcohol and drug abuse, and leading to more anti-social behaviour.

As the rape allegations surfaced, BHP revealed that it has also introduced a chaperone service, offering a uniformed security guard to escort those too scared to return to their accommodation alone.

Flyers for the Walk to room service have been posted across its sites over the past year to make workers feel safer.

The flyer states: Residents and village staff can request to be accompanied to their rooms for different reasons.

These include if you feel uncomfortable for any reason while walking to your room.

A spokesman for BHP yesterday described sexual assault or harassment as unacceptable at BHP, full stop.

He added that staff now have to go through mandatory training in respectful behaviours, while extra lighting, CCTV and security has been installed at mining sites.

But yesterday Mick Buchan, secretary of the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union, said BHP was partly to blame for driving workers to alcohol and drug abuse.

Mine workers fly into remote sites, and often work consecutive 12-hour days during a two-week shift, before they return home again.

He said: Theres no question that working manual labour for 12 hours a day, 14 days straight, incentivises the use of alcohol to wind down at night  and other substances to get going in the morning.

Scene of the crime: Mining accommodation in Mulla Mulla Village where the woman in her twenties was allegedly attacked

Although BHP said it has invested heavily in its mining camps, installing gyms and even meditation rooms, Buchan claimed that life has actually become harder for workers as the firm has tried to cut costs.

One key problem, he said, is the introduction of a system of hot-bedding to save money, whereby small huts called dongas are swapped between workers so they are never left empty.

Previously workers would be allocated their own donga when they started a construction job.

This would remain their home for the entire project, which could last up to two years and would be left empty when their shift finished.

Workers would put up photos of loved ones, and some would even plant vegetable patches to make themselves feel at home.

They would also develop a sense of place and community, said Buchan, as they would get to know their neighbours.

But he said the move to hot-bedding means workers often have no idea who is also in the room and cannot build any sense of community.

Its well known that having a sense of place and community protects against anti-social behaviour, he said.

We should have learned by now that when you take people away from the support network of their family and community its not healthy.

A boom in iron ore prices has helped to deliver bumper profits for the firm, and enabled it to dish out record dividends to shareholders.

But the rape allegations threaten to tarnish its reputation, particularly if more allegations of sexual harassment and poor working conditions at its mines emerge.

Rio Tinto, BHPs Anglo-Australian competitor, is still reeling from the reputational damage caused after it blew up some sacred Aboriginal caves just over a year ago.

A spokesperson for BHP said: We are absolutely clear on this, and all employees, contractors and those that come to our sites are made aware of their obligation to support a safe and respectful workplace. We continue to strengthen our approach at all of our sites and offices.
Shops and hauliers are struggling to get hold of qualified staff as the economy roars back to life.

Consumers could face higher costs or even empty shelves as the impact of the pandemic collides with post-Brexit problems over visas.

Across the UK, bosses are looking to fill 700,000 vacancies, twice as many as a year ago, despite there still being two million workers on furlough.

Staff shortages: Across the UK bosses are looking to fill 700,000 vacancies, twice as many as a year ago, despite there still being 2m workers on furlough

The reopening of the High Street last month has led to a scramble to fill vacancies. A third of large retailers have struggled to find qualified staff, according to software firm Fourth, and 47 per cent have said they plan to hire more people this year.

Shops at attractions, including zoos, theme parks and museums, are finding it hardest to hire, followed by chains selling clothing and cars.

Panic has already swept through parts of the hospitality sector as punters return in their droves to splash lockdown savings.

Nine in ten bosses said they expected to face staff shortages this year, according to survey data from consultancy CGA, which said there were 'widespread concerns about a crisis' in recruitment.

Some have been forced to offer bonuses of up to 1,000 to encourage staff to take up jobs over the summer to meet staycation demand.

At the same time, hauliers delivering to high street businesses have reported losing dozens of European staff because their staff do not meet skills thresholds for work visas.

Owens Group, in Carmarthenshire, said it had lost 50 drivers who were EU citizens in the 'perfect storm' caused by the pandemic and Brexit.

The Road Haulage Association (RHA) estimated that there were between 60,000 and 70,000 unfilled driver jobs.

Many European drivers have lost their right to work in the UK, and tens of thousands of driving tests were cancelled during the lockdown.

The shortages have pushed wages up by a fifth in some cases.

The RHA's chief executive, Richard Burnett, said: 'The reopening of non-essential retail outlets and parts of the hospitality sector is making the situation even worse.'

He added that Government 'hostility' was 'unhelpful', and called on ministers to designate drivers as skilled workers.

The mismatch between furloughed staff and vacancies has led many to call for the furlough scheme to be brought to a close early.

Dermot King, chief executive of Oakman Inns, said: 'I think furlough has done its job.

There is certainly a case to be made that it's stopping people coming back to work, particularly European employees who aren't coming back to the UK.'

But hospitality groups have said the scheme must remain in place until restrictions are lifted, and demand returns, to avoid a tsunami of job losses.
The 28bn takeover of Arm by US giant Nvidia risks being delayed as China joins those countries scrutinising the deal.

Nvidia has submitted an application for approval to Chinese competition regulators, a process expected to take 18 months.

When the deal was announced last September, Nvidia and Arm said it would be complete by spring 2022, a timeline that now looks unrealistic.

Chip deal: Nvidia has submitted an application for approval of its 28bn takeover of Arm to Chinese competition regulators, a process expected to take 18 months

China joins regulators in the UK, Europe and the US in looking at the deal. The takeover has been politically charged as Arm is the UKs premier tech firm.

The need to get the deal past Chinese regulators is the biggest hurdle yet, with complex questions about competition and the US-China trade war coming into play.

China is a key market for Arms energy-efficient microchips, which it licenses there through a local joint venture.

Its huge sales in the country, estimated to be more than 300million, put it in the crosshairs of the competition watchdog.

The companys clout has put it on a collision course with state-backed chip investment group E-Town Capital and home-grown companies, including Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation, who all oppose the deal.

China is concerned that Nvidias takeover could hand control of chip designs to a US company, which could lead to the likes of Huawei losing access to its products. Experts said global politics could scupper a deal.

In the US, competition regulators have been examining the deal for several months.

Last month the UK government ordered an investigation into the takeover, citing competition and national security concerns.

There are also fears that some of the 3,000 UK jobs could be moved abroad, leaching vital skills that were protected under current owner Softbank.

If the deal is blocked, Softbank could be in a precarious position, as private buyers are unlikely to take on the same regulatory battle.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-09 14:16:02|Editor: huaxia

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ULAN BATOR, June 9 (Xinhua) -- Mongolia reported 1,312 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, bringing its national tally to 69,022, the country's health ministry said Wednesday.

The ministry said that 444 more recoveries were logged, taking the nationwide count to 55,157.

The Asian country has recorded 338 COVID-19-related deaths since it confirmed its first case in March 2020.

The country launched a national vaccination campaign against COVID-19 in late February to inoculate at least 60 percent of its total population of 3.3 million.

More than 1,596,800 people have been fully vaccinated against the virus so far, according to the ministry. Enditem
The London Metal Exchanges world-famous open outcry trading floor is safe and will reopen in September.

In January this year, management said it was considering closing the ring, where traders shout out bids for commodities from a circle of red seats, permanently.

But the proposals were met with uproar, with brokers saying physical trading, using yells and hand signals, was the best way to work out accurate metals prices.

Proposals to close the London Metal Exchange's world-famous 'open outcry' trading floor were met with uproar earlier this year

Almost 200 traders and industrial users submitted comments during a two-month consultation period.

It is one of the worlds last open-outcry markets and its origins trace back to a London coffee shop 140 years ago.

Dealers set daily benchmark prices for important industrial metals such as copper and zinc  and many have been worried that moving to an electronic model that allows for less flexibility could take away its edge.

The exchange is owned by HKEX, the owner of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.

It banned daytime drinking in 2019, but still maintains its strict dress codes.
The Bank of England will not name and shame lenders which fail its climate change stress tests.

It has set out its review of how the UKs financial services industry will cope with global warming, which will scrutinise the 19 biggest lenders and insurers.

But the results of the test will not be used to determine how much spare money banks should hold in the event of a crisis. Nor will the institutions individual scores be revealed.

The Bank of England has set out its review of how the UK's financial services industry will cope with global warming, which will scrutinise the 19 biggest lenders and insurers

Governor Andrew Bailey said: The end result will be more robust management of climate-related financial risks across the sector.

The Bank is worried the financial system could be thrown into crisis if climate change worsens.

Insurers could have to pay out huge amounts of money to customers affected by severe weather, and banks may suffer if mortgage customers are hit by floods.

The Banks climate change tests are due to be published in aggregate next May.

It came as the Treasury announced an independent group to tackle greenwashing, where investment funds try to make themselves appear more climate-friendly, to win investor approval.
Inditex, the clothing firm behind Zara, has revealed sales rose by half in the first quarter despite suffering from store closures and reduced trading hours.

Its net sales rose by more than 1.6billion to 4.9billion in the three months to the end of April, with digital purchases climbing 67 per cent, while net cash jumped by a quarter to 7.2billion.

A net profit of 421million was also recorded compared to a 409million loss in the same period last year as countries started opening up again after a strict set of lockdown restrictions over the winter.

Recovery: Zara owner Inditex saw first-quarter net sales rise by 50 per cent to 4.9billion

The Spanish group, which also owns the Massimo Dutti and Bershka brands, said sales have continued to be strong since the end of the quarter, thanks partly to the popularity of its Spring Collection.

Between May 1 and June 6, sales more than doubled against the same time last year, but it was also five per cent up on the corresponding period in 2019 even though it admitted that ten per cent of trading hours were lost to restrictions.

Ninety-eight per cent of the firm's establishments were open to customers as of the start of this week, and it has continued to open new stores on top of the 53 it opened in 21 countries over the first quarter.

'Our differentiation and strategic transformation towards a fully integrated, digital and sustainable model continues to bear results, supported by the commitment displayed by all the people who work at Inditex,' remarked Pablo Isla, the firm's executive chairman.

The company added that it aims for 90 per cent of energy used by its shops, offices and logistics platforms to be powered by renewables by the end of 2021, having already reached the 80 per cent mark last year and 100 per cent with its Spanish facilities.

Inditex's results arrive on the same day Gap announced that 19 of its British Isles stores would shut at the end of July due to sliding trade, leaving it with 50 remaining outlets across the UK and Ireland.

Digital migration: In March, Berskha owner Inditex began its programme to close 1,200 outlets worldwide as part of a push to expand its online operations, which have started to take off

Along with hospitality venues, clothing shops have been severely damaged in the UK by the coronavirus pandemic due to the government classifying them as having non-essential status and forcing them to temporarily shut.

In March, Inditex began its programme to close 1,200 of its outlets worldwide as part of a push to expand its online operations, with the majority expected to occur in Europe, and 500 in Asia and the Americas, according to Reuters.

Although the firm did not say what proportion of its sales were digital, they have grown considerably since the pandemic, more than doubling from 14 per cent in 2019 to just under a third last year.

Laura Hoy, an equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, said that while 'the resilience shown by Inditex should be commended, the retailer isn't out of the woods yet. Operating costs rose as stores reopened and the group continued its push online, and profits are still less than half of pre-pandemic levels.

'Investors should be mindful that although Inditex is in a better position than some of its peers, its share price has returned to pre-Covid levels ahead of its business.'

She added: 'So far, all signs are pointing in the right direction, but we're expecting plenty of speed bumps along the wayparticularly for a company like Inditex, whose prices sit on the higher end of the spectrum in the retail space.'

Shares in Inditex ended trading 2.2 per cent lower at 31.6p on Wednesday.
Rolls-Royce has appointed Anita Frew as its first female chairman as the company scrambles to recover from the Covid crisis.

Frew, 63, will be tasked with steering the 115-year-old engine maker through a sweeping turnaround, and nursing it back to financial health after the pandemic wiped out much of its income.

Her appointment is another boost for female representation on the boards of Britains biggest companies.

Rolls-Royce's new chairman Anita Frew (pictured) will be tasked with steering the 115-year-old engine maker through a sweeping turnaround

The Scottish businesswoman is a serial board member and has more than 20 years experience as a director of firms listed on the London Stock Exchange.

She has been the chairman of FTSE 100 chemicals giant Croda International since 2015, was previously deputy chairman of Lloyds Banking Group and served as a deputy to Sir Martin Sorrell when he was at WPP.

Frew succeeds Sir Ian Davis, who is stepping down after nine years, at the helm of Britains most prestigious engineering company.

She will receive an annual fee of 490,000 for the role as well as 70,000 as a non-executive director. Frew will join the board next month and take over as chairman on October 1.

Only 11 Footsie firms had a female chairman in 2020, according to the Government-backed Hampton Alexander review, which aims to increase representation of women in senior positions in the FTSE 350.

Other firms chaired by women include Annette Court at insurer Admiral and Christine Hodgson at water utility Severn Trent.

Rolls independent director Sir Kevin Smith said Frew was the outstanding candidate, who would bring a wealth of experience from two decades of board appointments, in the UK and internationally.

Smith added that her skills, and reputation with investors and government institutions will be invaluable.

The company, which was already struggling before Covid hit, was hammered by the pandemic because it makes a lot of its income from servicing plane engines.

Chief executive Warren East has described the pandemic as its darkest hour since the 1970s.

The engineering giant lost 4billion last year and warned the recovery in 2021 would be slower than expected after new waves of the virus led to more flight cancellations.

Rolls kicked off a huge restructuring last May  cutting 9,000 jobs from its 52,000 workforce and selling parts of the business worth 2billion.

It has also raised 7.3billion, which included arranging loans and selling new shares. It is also trying to shore up another 2billion with sell-offs.

This includes Spanish arm ITP Aero, which makes parts for Eurofighter Typhoon jets.

In March Rolls suffered a setback in the sell-off plan when Norway blocked the 130million sale of a military engines company to a Russian group.
Homeowners face bills for tens of thousands of pounds to make their properties 'greener' in line with Government targets.

New proposals supposed to tackle climate change mean it could soon become much more difficult to buy and sell energy-inefficient properties.

This could see owners forced to shell out for better insulation and replace gas boilers to make their property more environmentally friendly.

Yet some of these changes could take around 50 years to pay back through fuel savings.

Roll out: New proposals to tackle climate change could see owners forced to shell out for better insulation and replace gas boilers to make their property more environmentally friendly

Here, Money Mail talks you through what you need to know about the green home revolution - and what it could cost you . . .

Green home push

The Climate Change Committee, an official advisory body, recently called for all homes to have an energy performance certificate (EPC) grade of C or higher within ten to 15 years.

If draughty properties become more difficult to sell, it could mean banks and building societies refuse to offer mortgages on them.

And lenders are already being encouraged to reward energy-efficient homebuyers.

In February, the Department of Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) said lenders were 'uniquely placed' to influence borrowers.

A property's energy rating can affect how much it is worth  with the most efficient homes selling for as much as 14 per cent more, according to comparison site MoneySuperMarket.

Three-bed 18th-century cottage in Elton, Co Durham Eco grade D, score of 59. Suggested improvements: Internal or wall insulation (4,000 to 14,000): 61 Floor insultation (800 to 1,200): 62 Low energy lighting (145): 63 Heating controls (350 to 450): 65 New condensing boiler (2,200 to 3,000): 68 Solar photovoltaic panels, 2.5 kWp (9,000 to 14,000): 74 Wind turbine (1,500 to 4,000): 76 Maximum cost: 36,795 Potential score: 76, Grade C

Getting a rating

All residential properties are given an EPC rating between A and G when they are built, sold or rented.

Yet just 2 per cent of homes meet the top A and B grades, while around 85 per cent are either C or D, according to the latest English Housing Survey. Around 13 per cent  some 14.6million  are rated E, F or G.

The very lowest ratings, according to energy assessor Kevin Bolton, are given to homes that usually have archaic heating systems, such as coal fires.

The grading assessment, which costs a homeowner between 30 and 70, must be done by an accredited assessor.

Someone will visit your home and collect information about the property, such as size, age and features including walls, windows, lighting and the roof.

These details are then run through a computer system that helps them provide a final score.

Bright idea: Solar panels, which generate electricity from sunlight when installed on a roof and cost around 5,000 to 8,000, can improve your EPC rating

Each part of the property is assessed as either very good, good, average, poor or very poor and given points.

Recommended energy-saving measures such as insulation and double glazing will boost your score - up to a maximum of 100.

If your property scores 92 or more it will be given an energy efficiency rating of A. Between 81 and 91 is a B, while a score of 20 or lower is rated G.

The EPC, valid for ten years, also estimates how much you will pay for your energy, and includes the carbon emissions produced by your home, along with recommendations on measures you can take to improve and the costs.

But the rating system risks penalising those with older houses who have limited options when making their homes more energy-efficient, experts warn.

Assessor Mr Bolton says the EPC is a 'blunt instrument'. He adds: 'Properties in the UK are very diverse and unfortunately the system uses a one-size-fits-all approach.

'The recommendations may not be suitable for your home because it does not take into account the age of the property, or the materials used to build it.'

The methodology of the EPC has also not been updated since 2012, according to Martyn Reed, from Elmhurst Energy, which runs the accreditation scheme for assessors.

However, he says improvements to the quality of calculations and recommendations may be introduced next year.

Four-bed 1950s semi in Cambridge Currently eco grade D, score of 65 out of 100.

Suggested improvements:

Flat roof or sloping ceiling insulation (850 to 1,500): 67

Suspended floor insulation (800 to 1,200): 68

Solid floor insulation (4,000 to 6,000): 70

Low energy lighting (65): 71

Solar water heating (4,000 to 6,000): 72

Solar panels, 2.5 kWp (3,500 to 5,500): 79 Maximum cost: 20,265 Potential score: 79, Grade C

Your score

You can find your property's EPC score online at find-energy-certificate.digital.communities.gov.uk/find-a-certificate/search-by-postcode or scottishepcregister.org.uk in Scotland.

Money Mail looked at the EPC of a two-bedroom flat in Forest Hill, South-East London. It has a D rating and a score of 62.

The solid brick uninsulated walls and flat roof are rated 'very poor' while the low-energy lighting through the house is deemed 'very good'.

But to move it up to 77 points, putting it in band C, it would cost the homeowners between 4,950 and 15,850.

This would involve loft insulation (100 to 350), flat roof or sloped ceiling insulation (850 to 1,500) and internal or external wall insulation (4,000 to 14,000).

And the loft insulation would only boost the property's score by a single point.

The suggested annual energy saving of achieving the band C rating is just 298  which means it would take up to 53 years to recoup the cost.

Improvements must also be done in the recommended order to boost the points.

Two-bed flat conversion in Manchester 2002 Eco grade D, current score of 66.

Suggested improvements:

Internal or external wall insulation (4,000 to 14,000): 69

Low energy lighting (35): 70

High heat retention storage heaters (1,200 to 1,800): 75

Heat recovery for showers (585 to 725): 76 Maximum cost: 16,560 Potential score: 76, Grade C

Costly changes

Other eco-measures, which can improve your EPC, can be expensive and save you little on your bills. Solar panels, which generate electricity from sunlight on a roof, cost around 5,000 to 8,000.

One system can save between 1.3 to 1.6 tonnes of carbon a year  as much carbon dioxide as driving 3,500 miles.

Any electricity you generate, but do not use, can be sold back to the grid with the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG).

The Energy Saving Trust estimates a home in Manchester could recoup around 305 a year with SEG, or 230 without. So the panels might not have paid for themselves by the time they need replacing.

Air source heat pumps produce fewer emissions than a gas boiler.

They cost between 9,000 and 11,000, according to the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS), the national standards organisation for renewables, and could last 20 years.

MCS estimates the annual savings are 385 a year compared to a gas boiler, but you can recoup your initial installation costs with the Renewable Heat Incentive.

This pays quarterly cash payments for seven years to eligible homeowners who install renewable heating.

Mr Bolton says: 'You are not going to spend tens of thousands of pounds to make savings of a few hundred pounds a year.

'The money-saving route just does not add up. It's about encouraging people to reduce their impact on the environment.'

a.murray@dailymail.co.uk
Tifton, GA (31794)

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Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-09 14:25:25|Editor: huaxia

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VIENTIANE, June 9 (Xinhua) -- China is carrying out the Lancang-Mekong Sweet Spring Project to bring local villagers in northern Laos safe drinking water and to promote socio-economic development, the Chinese Consulate-General in Luang Prabang told Xinhua.

Rural water supply safety has been identified as one of the priorities of water resources cooperation by the six Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) member countries.

Chinese engineering companies in Laos have accelerated the Lancang-Mekong Sweet Spring project in spite of the COVID-19 pandemic, Li Zhigong, the Chinese consul general in Luang Prabang, told Xinhua on Tuesday.

Since the beginning of 2021, the project team carried out a pilot demonstration in Hatkeep village in Luang Prabang Province, some 250 km north of Lao capital Vientiane, building water intake sites and water supply pipelines, and installing water purification equipments.

The handover ceremony for the pilot project in Hatkeep village was held on May 27 by Nam Ou River Basin Power Co., Ltd., a branch company of PowerChina which undertook the construction. The project ensures safe drinking water for around 2,000 local residents.

Local officials and villagers expressed their gratitude to China's help at the ceremony, saying the Chinese side has cared about and attached great importance to the drinking water problems in the village.

Formerly, the water source of Hatkeep village was gully water, which was often insufficient to meet the supply demand in the dry season. Without water treatment, microorganisms in the water often exceeded the standard level, and diarrhea, vomiting and other diseases always troubled the local communities.

According to the Chinese Consulate-General in Luang Prabang, the Lancang-Mekong Sweet Spring Project aims to enhance the local rural water supply project construction and management capabilities, and to collect experience and technical support for rural water supply safety in the Lancang-Mekong region through technology training and demonstration in Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar. Enditem
Surrounded by Pennsylvania State Police and a personal security team, Terry Myers, of Schellsburg, Pa., motions as he walks away a free man after aggravated assault and simple assault charges were dropped during his preliminary hearing held at Bedford County Courthouse on Wednesday, June 9, 2021.
Barre, VT (05641)

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Barre, VT (05641)

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Dorothy Eleanor Mercer passed away on June 9, 2021 at Archbold Memorial Hospital. She was born on December 18, 1932, in Pavo to the late Early Byrd Wood and to the late Nellie Deen Wood. She was married to Eugene Mercer who precedes her in death. Survivors include her children, Leon David Mc
CONSHOHOCKEN

After a year off, Conshohocken Soap Box Derby is back
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-09 17:41:22|Editor: huaxia

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People are seen at a vaccination site in Bangkok, Thailand, June 7, 2021. Thailand accelerated vaccine rollout as it began a mass vaccination program Monday amid efforts to contain its worst COVID-19 outbreak so far and ensure the country's wider reopening to vaccinated foreign visitors. (Xinhua/Rachen Sageamsak)

BANGKOK, June 9 (Xinhua) -- Thailand recorded 2,680 new COVID-19 cases and 35 more deaths on Wednesday, as the country accelerated its nationwide vaccination campaign to combat the recent outbreak of the pandemic.

Of the new infections, 11 were imported cases and 2,669 were local transmissions, the Center for the COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) said.

The Southeast Asian nation's tally now stands at 185,228, with the death toll at 1,332, health ministry data showed.

The CCSA on Tuesday approved and permitted local and private organizations to procure COVID-19 vaccines, with the purpose to speed up the vaccination program.

Thailand has so far administered over 5.1 million doses of vaccine to residents, according to the CCSA.

With the current pace of over 400,000 vaccinations per day, Thailand is likely to meet its goal of inoculating 10 million people by the end of this month, Natapanu Nopakun, an official at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said at a daily briefing of the CCSA. Enditem
When Jeff Vukelics now-grown children were young, he and his wife rarely served traditional soda.

We didnt give them Pepsi, Coke. They drank fruit drinks and juice boxes, Vukelic said. Fruity flavors with names like Surfer Cooler and Orange Pineapple Tango have populated the juice box aisles of grocery stores for decades, influencing the palates of millennials like his children.

Those fruit-forward drinks have come of age alongside the millennial consumer and matured into hard seltzer with flavors like Aloha Beaches, a peach-mango hard seltzer from beer brand Natural Light. It is only one of dozens of options that comprise a multibillion-dollar hard seltzer industry propelled by millennial drinkers.



For millennials, Vukelic said, the early introduction to fruit drinks in lieu of sugary, calorie-rich sodas is one reason for the hard seltzer boom. As president of Saratoga Eagle, a beverage distribution company in Saratoga Springs, his beverage portfolio has expanded dramatically with the introduction of hard seltzers in recent years. Nielsen Research reports that hard seltzer sales totaled $500 million in 2018. Last year, sales totaled $4 billion.

Kiki Vassilakis/ADCo.

A report from Beverage Daily said 66 percent of millennials make alcohol-based decisions with health and wellness factors in mind. The fewer calories and alcohol content in hard seltzer as compared to wine, cocktail, cider and beer options make it an attractive choice for this generation, one whose youngest members are now reaching legal drinking age.

The millennial generation might as well be known as the seltzer generation: Nonalcoholic seltzer and sparkling-water sales have experienced double-digit growth, thanks to the groups fixation on fizzy liquids marketed to be healthier than other soft drinks and sodas. (Nielsen data pegs the domestic soft seltzer market value at $1.7 billion.) Millennials are also part of the group of 35- to 47-year-olds who have been the biggest proponents for craft beer, according to the Brewers Association. These factors are creating an opportunity for local craft breweries to add bubbles with buzz to their brewing portfolios.

There is an actual demand for hard seltzer. In our market, seltzers are up 28 percent year-to-date, Vulkelic said. The craze for craft beer over the last decade now accounts for 22 percent of the local beverage market, but hard seltzer is fast on crafts heels, accounting for 5 percent of the local beverage market. That figure is growing. Vulkelic said the strong fruit flavors of hard seltzer (he called them Slurpee flavors) appeal to the juice-box mindsets of millennials. According to research data and analytics group YouGov, millennials drink less alcohol than their Gen X and Baby Boomer counterparts but account for the majority of hard seltzer sales; over a 30-day period, 9 percent of millennials will consume a White Claw, the top-selling hard seltzer on the market.

Lori Van Buren/Albany Times Union

While strong fruit flavors are a hallmark of hard seltzers, many local breweries have found that gentle nuance is just as influential.

To be bold in the seltzer category, we had to be subtle, said Dan Bronson, the general manager of SingleCut Beersmiths in Clifton Park. SingleCuts new brand of hard seltzer, called Trip, is available at the taproom and at beverage centers around the Capital Region, and its flavor and carbonation level is far different from the global brands dominating the market.

We found most hard seltzer to be cloying and not spritzy enough. It was overflavored and had a ton of perfume, Bronson said. SingleCuts version of hard seltzer is highly carbonated, like a glass of Prosecco, and is flavored using terpenes, the natural flavoring compounds expressed from cannabis. Terpenes give Trip hard seltzer notes of wild blueberry and tangerine, with a slightly herbaceous finish that appeals to craft beer drinkers who long for rich malts and grassy hops.



Bronson said that many hard seltzers are highly flavored as an accommodation to the seltzer being poorly made. Hard seltzer is produced by fermenting sugar, water and yeast, and any esters or off-flavors present can be covered up with fruit extracts. It is important to us that the seltzer itself tastes great, Bronson said. Hard seltzer is an opportunity to offer a light, lower-alcohol option for those who want to imbibe without the heavy feeling left by multiple beers.

At Bye-I Brewing in Cohoes, hard seltzer has been a part of the brewing repertoire for nearly as long as the brewery has been open. Bob Newberry opened Bye-I in summer 2020 and quickly began making unflavored hard seltzer on his two-barrel brewing system because a lot of people were looking for seltzer, he said.

Its now one of our leading products. The popularity is huge and surprising, Newberry said. He calls his seltzer a hard infusion, as he allows customers to choose from over a dozen fruit extracts to create their own custom seltzer flavor. (Strawberry lemonade is the most popular.) While alcohol is naturally created in seltzer from fermentation, Newberry said, People ask if we add vodka to (our seltzer). They didnt know it could be made this way.



Vukelic said that consumers tend to lump seltzers into the category of malt beverages, canned cocktails and hard lemonades, using the term seltzer as a catchall for carbonated alcoholic offerings. Few realize that hard seltzer is brewed, like beer, which creates both carbonation and alcohol content.



John Curtin, co-owner of Albany Distilling Co., experiences this confusion frequently. Under his companys ALB brand, he produces two hard seltzers and two canned cocktails. Both claim to include vodka and contain 5 percent alcohol by volume. Under state liquor regulations in New York, ALB hard seltzer gets sold in grocery stores because the vodka is distilled, cut with water and carbonated in a process akin to malt beverage production.



Far and away, it's the fastest-growing product among our portfolio, Curtin said of the hard seltzer. The addition of hard seltzer and canned cocktails has not diluted sales of other distilled products, but instead has created a rising tide and increased product sales overall. People who prefer booze but dont like beer and dont want to bring a whole bottle to a picnic is the clientele for his hard seltzer, he said.



We see hard seltzer as a go-to for people who dont like beer, said Matthew Perry, co-owner of Chatham Brewing Co. Perry makes hard seltzer with fruit purees, which get filtered out before the seltzer is kegged and canned. Beer drinkers still partake in the hard seltzer trend, and that makes seltzer more appealing from the brewers perspective: Seltzer has a higher return on investment because it appeals to more audiences than light beer with similar low alcohol content.

At the grocery store, Vukelic said, seltzers selling power is forcing the demand for shelf space. Seltzers have shrunk cooler space for craft beer. We have to fight for space, he said. Flashy flavors will be most noticed by the seltzer-seeking consumer; as more craft hard seltzers hit the market and compete for distribution, that shelf space will become a greater premium.



But Perry does not worry about that, as he feels craft beverage knows its place in the distribution game.

We arent going to take the place of White Claw just like a decent craft beer cant take the place of Bud Light, he said. But it will not stop intrepid craft producers from trying, with effervescent gusto.

Deanna Fox is a food and agriculture journalist. Visit her website Fox on Food or follow her on Instagram @DeannaNFox.
Its the golden age of agave, says New York Times cocktails and spirits writer Robert Simonson, and Lis Bar in Kingston is on board with its Martina mezcal drink.

Ten years ago, Simonson began noticing an uptick in people ordering tequila and mezcal cocktails beyond a simple shot of tequila or the classic margarita  a drink that originated in the 1930s in Mexico and whose frozen version dates back to 1971 when a Dallas restaurant owner blended tequila and ice to create historys first frozen margarita. At the time, mezcal wasnt commonly known or understood in the United States at all.

Flash forward to today, the spirits landscape has changed dramatically.

I give credit to mixologists and bartenders who are very curious people and have done a lot in the last 20 years to elevate their profession and reclaim the artistry of the cocktail, said Simonson. One way they did this is to take a long hard look at every bottle and challenge the assumptions of those things  and [also] look at what spirits are being neglected.

In some cases, new cocktails and spirits dont stick. But the new twists on tequila cocktails and mezcal drinks did, which Simonson attributes to mixologists who put them on menus and educated consumers on tequila and mezcal. People liked it, said Simonson. They liked they smokey, spicy, herbal flavors of these drinks in cocktails.

Lis Bar

It doesnt hurt that tequila is hot. Celebrities like George Clooney, The Rock Johnson, and Kendall Jenner have all hopped on the agave train to create their own labels. All the celebrity tequilas are just testimony to how hot these spirits are, said Simonson. Theyre not doing this with rye whiskey or gin. When they choose to do a celebrity spirit, its all tequila these days.

Patty Rich, who owns Lis Bar with her husband Jonathan, agrees, adding that mezcal is tequilas cooler cousin. The bar has another mezcal cocktail on its menu, Whats the Joke? which is made with mezcal, Luxardo, Genepy and lemon. The bar also makes Hecho en Kingston, which has resposado tequila, tepache (a fermented drink made from pineapple), ancho reyes, lime, soda and tajin (a chile pepper sea salt).

As Lis Bar shows, there are enough cocktails using the versatility of both tequila and mezcal to fill a recipe book. Simonsons book, titled simply Mezcal + Tequila Cocktails, is a collection he said wouldnt have been possible a decade earlier.

I thought it was time for a book like this, said Simonson. There have been a few books recently that tell the history of agave spirits, but I thought perhaps for the people who are already converted and have become agave fans, they might be interested in a straightforward cocktail book.

The book is one that anyone with some sort of liquor cabinet at home  even if its not fully stocked  can pick up and use to easily make a drink: more than half of the recipes only require three to four easy-to-find ingredients.

What elevates a cocktail? Simonson recommends always using fresh juice and fresh ice, and to chill your glass beforehand because a cold cocktail is a good cocktail. Also: dont eyeball any measurements  opt for a cocktail jigger instead.

For the recipes that do not specify which tequila or mezcal to use, Simonson suggests his go-tos: Tequila Ocho or Del Maguey Luna for mezcal, which Simonson described as a starter mezcal that is also affordable.

Lis Bar

Included in Mezcal + Tequila is Lis Bars Martina, created by former head bartender Miles Crettien and wine and spirits director Gabriel Weinstock, who went on to open Lunch Nightly. Simonson writes the Martina is about as close as a mezcal drinker is going to get to drinking a Gibson.

I really wanted to do an agave version of a martini, and I was having a hard time finding something like that, said Simonson. I finally did on their menu.

On Sunday, June 13 at 5:30 p.m., Lis Bar will host a special (and free) event on their outdoor patio in celebration of its drink being featured in Simonsons novel. Guests at the Simonson reading on Sunday can sample five cocktails made by guest bartender Natasha David, along with a variety of tacos made by Lis Bars chef Isaias Lira. Simonson will be in attendance signing books, in addition to Brett Kozinn of PM Spirits, who Patty dubbed a cocktail geek, to answer any mezcal or tequila-related questions.
SEATTLE (AP)  Leroy Pascubillo missed his daughters first step, her first word and countless other precious milestones. After being born addicted to heroin, she had been placed with a foster family, and he anxiously counted the days between their visits as he tried to regain custody. But because of the pandemic, the visits dwindled and went virtual, and all he could do was watch his daughter  too young to engage via computer  try to crawl through the screen.

They are among thousands of families across the country whose reunifications have been snarled in the foster care system as courts delayed cases, went virtual or temporarily shut down, according to an Associated Press analysis of child welfare data from 34 states.

The decrease in children leaving foster care means families are lingering longer in a system intended to be temporary, as critical services were shuttered or limited. Vulnerable families are suffering long-term and perhaps irreversible damage, experts say, which could leave parents with weakened bonds with their children.

The APs analysis found at least 8,700 fewer reunifications during the early months of the pandemic compared with the March-to-December period the year before -- a decrease of 16%. Adoptions, too, dropped  by 23%, according to the analysis. Overall, at least 22,600 fewer children left foster care compared with 2019.

Everybody needed extra help, and nobody was getting extra help, said Shawn Powell, a Parents for Parents advocacy program coordinator in King County, Washington.

For months, King County, like many parts of the country, suspended nearly all hearings except emergency orders, which led to prioritizing child removals -- sparked by child welfare reports or other red flags -- over family reunifications. Adoptions slowed to a trickle. Services needed for reunification  psychiatric evaluations, random drug testing, group therapy, mental health counseling, housing assistance, and the public transportation to access these services  also were limited.

For foster care children, even doctors appointments must be approved by a judge, and frustrated lawyers say matters as routine as that were affected.

During the period examined in APs analysis, the total foster care population dropped 2% overall -- likely a result of the significant decrease in child abuse and neglect reports, where the process to remove a child from a home typically begins.

National data show that the average stay in foster care is about 20 months, which means the children most affected during the early months of the pandemic were those in the foster care system long before the pandemic.

Those in foster care are disproportionately children of color and from poor families, national data also show. Those groups tend to have more contact with social service agencies that are mandated to report potential abuse and neglect, which means the pandemic has amplified not just the challenges of poor parenting but of parenting while poor.

The systemic problems around racism and poverty in COVID and how people are treated in the child welfare system may be compounding, said Sharon Vandivere of the national think tank group Child Trends, who noted that longer stays in foster care are inherently traumatic and make reunifications less likely. It was bad before, and its probably made it even worse.

For D.Y., a Black teenager living at a Seattle-area group home, the pandemic has magnified the loneliness and isolation of being in the care of child protective services. Hes been out of his mothers custody since 2016, after an abuse report found she physically disciplined her children. He had visits with her in the years following, and lawyers expected his mom would regain custody and D.Y. could go home in the fall of 2020. Then the pandemic rocked his case and life.

Because of new COVID-19 protocols and staffing shortages, already-limited privileges at the institutional group home were scaled back or revoked. In-person visits with his mom ended. Group activities all but disappeared. Inside, he resented wearing a mask and washing his hands constantly. With each exposure scare in the living facility, he and others had to quarantine.

When he resumed in-person school, he hoped officials would find it safe to see his mom again, too  but that didn't happen for months. He watched helplessly as his sister - who was placed with relatives and had a case further along in the system when the pandemic began - was returned home to their mom last summer. D.Y. was happy for them, but he wants the same: to taste his mom's cooking, to make eggs in his own kitchen, to sit on the couch with his family with no masks.

I still want her to baby me, the 13-year-old boy said of his mother, who declined to comment for this story while the cases of D.Y. and her third child remain active. I can tell she has high faith of when Ill come home. I dont know if its going to happen anymore.

The AP is not naming D.Y., instead referring to him by the initials used in his lawsuit against the Washington State Department of Children, Youth and Families. The lawsuit accuses the state of providing inadequate care as D.Y. was bounced through 50 placements before the pandemic, some days housing him in a motel or the agencys office building. The state declined to comment on his case and lawsuit.

But Frank Ordway, chief of staff at the state's child welfare agency, blamed the court system's closures for the drop in reunifications and implored those that still haven't fully reopened to prioritize cases like D.Y.'s.

When those systems arent working, those families and those children are left in limbo," Ordway said. Our job as an agency is to help keep those families together and to get them together. Not being able to do so because of the pandemic was a wrenching experience."

King County Superior Court Commissioner Nicole Wagner, a presiding judge in the family court system, said court staff, attorneys, social workers and counselors did their best, but that no one knew how to address unprecedented issues in the pandemic. For example, she said, she wanted in-person visits for children but couldn't order social workers with underlying conditions to monitor them when required by law.

Wagner said she hopes lessons from the pandemic will help redefine how the system supports already struggling families in the process of reunification.

It's scary, its overwhelming, its frightening. And its about the most important things in your life: your children, Wagner said. Theres no doubt in my mind that the pandemic absolutely, 100% has disproportionately impacted the more vulnerable populations.

Illinois was the only state that saw an increase in foster care exits. Others in AP's analysis acknowledged a significant drop but said that each foster care case has unique circumstances beneath the numbers.

Many states, for example, extended support to those on the cusp of aging out of state care during the pandemic. This policy change effectively protected foster care youths from being kicked out of their living arrangements if they still needed a place to stay, but it also affected the number of foster care exits.

Connecticut  which had one of the largest drops in exits, at 36%  waited until May 2021 to fully return to in-person visits, which serve as a key metric to judge whether parents are prepared to regain care and custody of their children.

The state "never stopped serving children and families, and we found that conducting some of our work virtually is both more efficient and, in some cases, preferred by our clients, a Connecticut Department of Children and Families spokesman said in a statement.

Leroy Pascubillo, now 51, had used drugs over the course of four decades, but said he started working toward sobriety immediately after his daughters birth in February 2019.

The court put him in the only drug rehab center in the Seattle area that allows children to stay on site with their fathers. He had a few in-person visits with his daughter each week, and he was told that if he got through the initial stages of the program, she could join him there in March 2020 while he completed treatment. The pandemic upended that plan.

You start building that relationship, and then its taken away and you try to start it all over again, he said. All the more painful was that he knew his daughter, now 2, also had no contact with her mother. Pascubillo said she hasnt participated in the custody case, and she couldn't be reached by the AP.

Once courts began to hear existing cases again, Pascubillo was able to reunite with his daughter, complete rehab and land a Seattle apartment with the help of state and nonprofit services. He wants to work as a parent advocate to help other fathers find their way back to their kids. He still weeps over the time he's lost and the four-month delay in reuniting with his daughter.

It felt like 40 years. I figured she would have forgotten me. But as soon as I looked at her and sang baby, baby, baby, she started kicking like she was in the womb," Pascubillo said. "We have this bond.

___

Fassett reported from Santa Cruz, California, and 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.

____

Follow Sally Ho on Twitter at http://twitter.com/_sallyho and Camille Fassett at http://twitter.com/camfassett
Hong Kong: 4 imported COVID-19 cases found

The Centre for Health Protection today said it is investigating four imported COVID-19 cases involving two men and two women who arrived from Lebanon, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Austria.

A total of 33 cases were reported in Hong Kong in the past 14 days, including three local cases, of which one is from an unknown source.

For information and health advice on COVID-19, visit the Governments dedicated webpage.

This story has been published on: 2021-06-09. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-09 19:33:27|Editor: huaxia

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COLOMBO, June 9 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka has reported 7,896 dengue cases so far this year with health authorities warning that the number could spike with the onset of the monsoon rains, local media reported here Wednesday.

National Dengue Control Unit Director Dr. Aruna Jayasekara, quoted in the local Daily Mirror, said the capital Colombo District is at a higher risk compared to other districts as one-third of the cases reported so far this year was from the district.

He said seven more districts are also affected by the dengue virus which includes the central hills of Kandy.

Sri Lanka's Western Province which includes Colombo has recorded a total of 2,344 dengue cases so far this year which is the highest among the provinces, official statistics from the Health Ministry showed.

The month of April saw the highest dengue cases with 1,860 patients being detected.

Health officials called on the public to be vigilant on mosquito breeding sites and take steps to clean those sites and keep the environment unpolluted on a regular basis.

Medical experts urged people to seek immediate medical attention if they suffer from high fever, uncontrolled vomiting, abdominal pain, dizziness, and reduced urinary. Enditem
This story is part of "A City Divided," a series examining how Albany became divided along racial lines.

ALBANY  The music crescendoed from Jonathan Lajas laptop.

Bring em out, bring em out, T.I. rapped.

Lets go, seventh grade, Lajas said in rhythm at the end of the verse. This is Team. Ba. Ra. Ka!

The beat dropped.

Ba, Baraka, ba-ba-Baraka, Lajas rapped, bopping his head as his students watched from their Zoom squares.

Mr. Lajas recent Social Studies class at KIPP: Albany Community Charter Middle School had begun.

His technique is simple, yet original: At a South End-based school where 98 percent of the students are Black or Latino, Lajas works to empower young people in an education system that too often marginalizes their perspectives and experiences.

My (teaching) approach has been to look at, what is it that New York state, or the educational system, wants us to teach the students? he said. So if it's content, then I have to put it into context for our students.

That ever-present back drop is the Black American experience.

It's a particularly important context for students living in Albany, a city that has been divided along class and racial lines for nearly a century, a separation that then resulted in economic disparity in predominantly Black neighborhoods.

The kids can tell they live in a world that is segregated, said Lajas, who began teaching in 2009. There are rules and laws for white people; there are rules and laws for us. Theres a quality of life for white people, then there is a whole different one for us.

Every minute matters, as Lajas reminds his students repeatedly, and they quickly segued from the musical intro to the first task of their 50-minute class: the I can statement.

The I can statement reads: I can read informational text in order to define words in context and describe the legalization of enslavement in colonial America, Lajas told his students, his voice booming with energy.

Nas song I Can began playing, rapping in the background about the kings and queens of Africa, the prosperous and trailblazing empires Africans built before they were kidnapped to be enslaved in America, as Lajas predominantly Black and students of color worked on their assignment. His seven-year-old son, sitting across the dining table in his own remote class, sang along.

Its a frequent theme in Lajas classes: making sure to explore African history and its relation to American history. He draws a line on a piece of paper, writing above it U.S. history and marking 1776 (Independence Day) and 1812 (the War of 1812). Below it, he draws a parallel, titled African American history. Once he marks 1776, he poses a question.

What is the African American role at this time? July 4, 1776, is Independence Day for who? he asks.

Then he draws another marker on the African American history timeline at June 19, 1865: Juneteenth, or African American Independence Day, commemorating when enslaved Black people in Galveston, Texas, finally learned that the Emancipation Proclamation had abolished slavery in all states in rebellion. His students know "The Star-Spangled Banner," but learn that Africans still werent free when it was written in 1812  so who was singing the U.S. national anthem? His students then learn Lift Every Voice and Sing, written in 1900, which is recognized by many as a national anthem for Black Americans.

Instead of a standard U.S. history textbook, Lajas utilizes Dr. Molefi Kete Asantes African American History textbook in his classes. The students still learn all the content mandated by the state, they just learn it centered in the African American experience. Theyre asked questions such as, Who created the Pan-African flag? (It hangs behind Lajas work space.) The vocabulary theyre assigned includes terms such as jubilee and white supremacist. Each class, or team, name is a word in Kiswahili ("baraka," for example, means "blessings"). His seventh-grade students are reading Solomon Northups Twelve Years a Slave; his eighth graders read the autobiographies of civil rights leaders such as Malcolm X.

As an Afro-Latino who spent his adolescent years in Arbor Hill, he can relate to his students  he knows their experiences are similar to his, but hes also familiar with their cultures, and friends with their families.

Did you get a chance to watch AD dominate last night? he asks one student about Lakers player Anthony Davis.

You know you sent me your vocab assignment late last night, right? he says to another, a playful grin on his face. Imma jack you up.

You wrapped your head in silk this weekend, my girl, so you can keep your graduation-picture hair? he asks another student.

Lajas builds close relationships with his students. He asks for their siblings  his former students  high school graduation dates so he can attend. He notices a student from his homeroom is offline when hes supposed to be in math class, and calls the student's grandmother to get him logged on. He knows building such relationships, in tandem with his high standards, can frustrate some students.

But its also those relationships that make students more motivated in his class  that hold them accountable. His students are more likely to believe in themselves  a necessary attitude particularly for Black and Latino students. In the Albany city school district, where many of the community charter school's children will graduate from, students of color had a 2020 graduation rate of 68 percent, compared to 78 percent among their white counterparts. Educators and experts have pointed to systemic disadvantages, as well as unequal opportunities and treatment toward students of color, as the cause behind the graduation rate difference.

One teacher, though, can't fix everything.

Paul Buckowski/Albany Times Union

Not all of Lajas' students have stayed motivated in school. Some former students have even ended up in the streets instead of their books. And there are other perils: One former student, Chyna Forney, was a victim of gun violence last month after she was struck by a bullet apparently intended for another target. The death of the 18-year-old just weeks before graduation was a particularly difficult loss for Lajas.

Youre not going to save everybody  youre just not, Lajas said. But you have to work as though you can.

But Lajas also gets to reap the benefits of his work. He attends his former students' step competitions, and some show up at his Arbor Hill home for food and conversation. He gets calls from Albany High School teachers who say they can tell which students used to be in his classroom.

The students exit assignment from Lajas class was to define the word "exemption."

Virginia passed a law that prevented Africans from claiming exemption from enslavement because they were Christians, Lajas read to them. What does the word 'exemption' mean?
BOSTON (AP)  An outage at a little-known firm that speeds up access to websites knocked a lot of top internet destinations offline on Tuesday, disrupting business and leisure for untold millions globally. The problem was quickly resolved. The company, Fastly, blamed a configuration error in its technology.

But the incident  Fastly's traffic dropped 75% for about an hour just as the U.S. East Coast was beginning to stir raises questions about how vulnerable the global internet is to more serious disruption.

WHAT'S A FASTLY? WHY DID ITS TECHNICAL PROBLEMS LEAD TO SO MANY OUTAGES?

San Francisco-based Fastly isn't a household name, but its edge server computing technology is used by many of the world's most popular websites, such as The New York Times, Shopify, the Guardian, Ticketmaster, Pinterest, Etsy, Wayfair and Stripe. The British government is among its clients.

The company provides what's called a content delivery network  an arrangement that allows customer websites to store data such as images and videos on various mirror servers across 26 countries so that the data is closer to users, and thus shows up faster. Many of Fastly's customers are news sites that use its technology to update their websites with breaking news. Buzzfeed, for example, used Fastly to cut the time its users took to reach the site by half. Fastly had $290.9 million in revenues last year.

WAS THERE ANY BACKUP? COULD OTHER COMPANIES HAVE STEPPED IN IF THE PROBLEM HAD BEEN MORE SEVERE?

Customers rely on Fastly and its rivals to host and protect their website data from denial-of-service attacks and disruption from spikes in traffic. Had this outage been more serious, customers could have moved to competitors such as Cloudflare or Akamai. But that's not simple; many businesses would have had to scramble and might have suffered losses.

You can't switch quickly to another service unless you had it set up ahead of time, said Doug Madory, an internet infrastructure expert with the traffic-measuring company Kentik. If Fastly were down for a day, that would be pretty bad.

Even if they do have an alternative provider, engineering a smooth switchover from one to another is not for the faint of heart, said Ben April, chief technical officer of Farsight Security.

Madory and other experts said Fastly and its competitors spend heavily and devote major engineering resources to reducing the possibilities of such outages and ensuring they can recover as quickly as Fastly did on Tuesday.

Such outages are not new  but not at all common. There may be years between when a company has an outage like this, Madory added. I think we are going to have these very rare but probably impactful short outages for the foreseeable future.

ARE OTHER PARTS OF THE INTERNET SIMILARLY VULNERABLE?

Like the content distribution network world, cloud computing  when computing services are entrusted to a remote provider  is dominated by just a few major players led by Amazon Web Services, Google and Microsoft. Amazon, the biggest cloud provider, periodically has brief outages, which are a big deal for customers.

"And if it became a major outage of, say, more than six, eight hours  but days  it could put companies out of business, said Josh Chessman, an analyst with the tech market researcher Gartner Inc.

The question is: What could cause such a serious outage that might destroy customer data? A major cyberattack is one possibility. Another is fire or catastrophic natural disaster. These businesses, after all, are based in datacenters. In March, a fire at a datacenter in Strasbourg, France, owned by a major cloud computing firm knocked out service to millions of websites.

SHOULD THE GOVERNMENT REGULATE THESE FIRMS? WHAT CAN COMPANIES AND INDIVIDUALS DO TO PROTECT THEMSELVES?

I don't know that we need regulation, Chessman said. Suppose Congress proposed to mandate additional cloud providers to increase competition. How do you do that? he asked.

Of course, the federal government can set new standards for security at companies that control vast data resources online. It's already beginning to tighten up cybersecurity requirements for critical infrastructure in the energy sector following last month's cyberattack on the Colonial Pipeline, he said.

In a regulatory filing last year, Fastly said it had been subject to cyber-attacks from third parties  including parties who we believe are sponsored by government actors. Those attacks have strained our network and could harm it in the future, it said.

Businesses and consumers, meanwhile, should be thinking seriously about how much they should rely on the cloud for their most valuable data. If there's an outage, what's the impact on our business?" Chessman asked. Perhaps it makes sense not to rely on a cloud-based service for your company's email if you'd go bankrupt without it during a two-week outage.

But running your own email and backup services is complicated and costly  one reason companies turned to the cloud in the first place.

David Vaskevitch, a former Microsoft chief technical officer and CEO of the photo management app Mylio, said people have grown so accustomed to the always-on internet - everywhere we go, we carry a pocket computer with us  that we wrongly assume it will be available 24/7/365.

It's not very realistic and it's not a good way to live, said Vaskevitch, who at 67 grew up in a pre-digital world. The internet is always there  until it isn't.

Despite the vast interconnectedness of the world, it can still be wise to store some data locally, said Vaskevitch. Instead of streaming all our music, we should think about saving some locally. Same goes for email  for instance, in an arrangement where you store it on the computing device you use most.

Your device is both the best friend of the internet and the best insurance policy, he said. "When the internet goes down, if you arrange things carefully, you can still do most of the things you need to do.

___

An earlier version of this story misspelled the name of Gartner analyst Josh Chessman.

___

O'Brien reported from Providence, Rhode Island. Kelvin Chan in London contributed to this report.
PARIS (AP)  French President Emmanuel Macron denounced violence and stupidity after he was slapped in the face Tuesday by a man during a visit to a small town in southeastern France.

The incident prompted a wide show of support for the head of state from politicians across the ideological spectrum.

Macron was greeting the public waiting for him behind barriers in the town of Tain-lHermitage after he visited a high school.

Two videos show a man slapping Macron in the face and his bodyguards pushing the assaulter away as the French leader is quickly rushed from the scene.

I'm always going to meet people," Macron told reporters on Tuesday evening, as he was greeting a crowd in the nearby city of Valence, accompanied this time by his wife, Brigitte Macron.

Some people express anger, sometimes disarray ... that's legitimate anger, and we will continue to respond. Stupidity and violence, no, not in democracy," he said.

A few hours earlier, Macron had taken another 25-minute walk in the narrow streets of the city, posing for selfies with a small crowd and chatting with many people in a laid-back atmosphere.

Macron described the incident as an isolated act, in an interview with local newspaper Le Dauphine Libere.

We must not let isolated acts, ultra-violent individuals, like there had been some also in (street) protests, dominate the public debate: they don't deserve it," he said.

Macron said he didn't have specific concerns after the assault.

I greeted the people who were by the man's side and made pictures with them. I continued and will continue. Nothing will stop me, he said.

A bodyguard, who was standing right behind Macron, raised a hand in defense of the president, but was a fraction of a second too late to stop the slap. The bodyguard then put his arm around the president to protect him.

Macron just managed to turn his face away as the aggressor's right hand connected, making it appear that the president took more of a glancing blow than a direct slap.

The man, who was wearing a mask, appears to have cried out Montjoie! Saint Denis! a centuries-old royalist war cry, before finishing with A bas la Macronie, or Down with Macron.

Another video showed Macron immediately coming back after the incident, seemingly to face his assailant, and then to say hello to other members of the crowd.

Valence prosecutor Alex Perrin said in a statement that police have detained the man who slapped Macron and another man who was accompanying him. Their motives aren't known at this stage, he said.

They are both 28 and live in the region. They weren't armed and not previously known to police. They are being detained on suspicion of violence on a person in a position of public authority," the statement said.

In 2018, Montjoie! Saint Denis! was cried out by someone who threw a cream pie at far-left French lawmaker Eric Coquerel. At the time, the extreme-right, monarchist group Action Francaise took responsibility. Coquerel on Tuesday expressed his solidarity with Macron.

Speaking at the National Assembly, the lower house of the French parliament, Prime Minister Jean Castex said through the head of state, thats democracy that has been targeted. Lawmakers from across the political spectrum got to their feet and applauded loudly in a show of support.

Democracy is about debate, dialogue, confrontation of ideas, expression of legitimate disagreements, of course, but in no case can it be violence, verbal assault and even less physical assault, Castex said.

Far-right leader Marine Le Pen firmly condemned on Twitter the intolerable physical aggression targeting the president of the Republic.

Visibly fuming, she said later that while Macron is her top political adversary, the assault was deeply, deeply reprehensible.

Former President Francois Hollande of the Socialist Party tweeted that the slap was an unbearable and intolerable blow against our institutions... The entire nation must show solidarity with the head of state.

Less than one year before France's next presidential election, centrist Macron embarked last week on a political tour de France, saying he plans to visit French regions in the coming months to "feel the pulse of the country as the government works to revive the nation's pandemic-hit economy.

Macron has said in an interview he wants to engage with people in a mass consultation with the French public aimed at turning the page" of the pandemic  and preparing his possible campaign for a second term.

Mounting concerns about violence against elected officials and police have been aired in France, particularly after unruly members of yellow vest economic protest movement repeatedly clashed with riot-control officers in 2019.

Village mayors and lawmakers also have been targeted with physical assaults, death threats and harassment.

But Frances well-protected head of state had been spared, which compounded the shockwaves that rippled through French politics in the wake of Tuesday's assault.

Macron, like his predecessors, enjoys spending time in meet-and-greets with members of the public. Called crowd baths in French, they have long been a staple of French politics and only very rarely produce shows of disrespect for the president.

A bystander yanked then-President Nicolas Sarkozys suit during a crowd bath in 2011. His successor, Hollande, was showered with flour the next year, months before winning the presidential election.

___

Elaine Ganley in Paris, and John Leicester in Le Pecq, contributed to the story.
Will Waldron/Albany Times Union

SCHENECTADY - A Saratoga County man who stole more than $141,000 in unemployment insurance benefits during the pandemic was sentenced to 20 to 60 months behind bars after pleading guilty to felony grand larceny, according to prosecutors.

The Schenectady County District Attorneys office prosecuted the case because the fraud by Mathew R. Baldwin, of Malta, was committed using accounts located in the county. State Police said Baldwin used stolen identities to certify state unemployment insurance benefits.
MECHANICVILLE  Backing away from an earlier plan to make mask-wearing optional for students in classrooms, the Mechanicville city school district said Tuesday that it will instead continue to offer "mask breaks."

In a message sent to parents Tuesday, Superintendent Bruce Potter noted that the district is "required to be compliant" with state mask rules, which still mandate mask-wearing in classrooms. Potter said he hoped the message would "provide clarity to the discussion and media coverage regarding mask wearing."

In the Tuesday message he compared the earlier plan to not require masks to declaring a snow emergency, saying " it is within my authority to make such decisions that are health and safety related."

On Sunday, the district posted statements from Potter on its Facebook page and website that said he had consulted the district's physician and had decided that, because of a forecast of days of high heat and humidity, masks would no longer be required in class but would have to be worn in hallways and on school buses. The Mechanicville notice was contrary to an email the state Education Department sent school board presidents Sunday that said, after confusion surrounding a state Health Department letter to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention about mask wearing in schools, the Education Department directed all districts to continue requiring staff and students to wear masks until the end of this school year.

In an email to the Times Union on Wednesday, Potter outlined the rationale for the earlier plan to make masks optional in classrooms. "After consulting with my physician and attorney we made a short term decision that we believed was in the best interest of our students and staff, similar to a snow closing."

"With the very high temperatures forecasted for Monday I consulted the school physician for his recommendation," Potter said in his Tuesday note to parents. "I then consulted the school attorney regarding my ability to implement that recommendation. Just as with snow emergencies, it is within my authority to make such decisions that are health and safety related. I then held a virtual meeting Sunday night discussing these actions."

Potter said the district revised its stance on mask wearing as a result of the state's announcement Monday that while masks are no longer required outdoors on school grounds but that the indoor mask mandate remained.

"Updated guidance from NYS came out Monday, effective today, that masks are no longer required outdoors, but the indoor mask mandate remains. I informed the faculty of this earlier today," Potter said in the communication to parents.

"To balance the mandate, which Mechanicville is required to be compliant with and our concern for our students and staff members health and safety we will have mask breaks at a frequency and duration necessary to deal with the existing conditions. This has been a practice used throughout the year, and our faculty will use good judgment regarding the need to do so."

Mechanicville joined other districts statewide that announced they were no longer requiring masks - only to have to take back their statements. The state Health Department started the confusion when a letter it sent to the CDC was released Friday that said New York planned on lifting school mask requirements unless the CDC advised otherwise. The scramble forced the state Education Department to provide the continued mask wearing directive Sunday.
SARATOGA SPRINGS  The mobile home residents who are being evicted from the property on which their homes stand have been given a temporary reprieve.

Under an agreement with Mike Giovanone, who owns the adjoining Boat N RV Condos and is buying Saratoga Lakeview Mobile Home Park, the residents will have five years before they have to vacate.

Park resident Angela Kaufman said that agreement provides little peace.

Im frustrated for my situation, Kaufman said. The money that went into this place. The stress of having to start all over again when I'm not going to have the money.  Homeless in two years or homeless in five years, the end result is the same Its delaying the inevitable. Its like being told when you are going to die. You walk around waiting for that moment.

At this point, its the best the dozen or so residents who live on the property can hope for. The agreement, forged by Rebuilding Together Saratoga County, came after the mobile homes owner, Brett Van Zandt, sent a letter to residents in January notifying them that they must leave. In the letter, he told residents their only option to stay was to match Giovanones offer: $650,000 plus a real estate commission of $16,250 for the 3.2-acre park on Route 9P. If they couldn't match it, they had to be gone in six months.

After the Times Union wrote of the pending eviction, Rebuilding Together Saratoga County got involved. The nonprofit helps homeowners of limited means fix up and stay in their homes. It offered to help residents form a homeowners association and come up with the money to pay Van Zandt.

But the deal between Van Zandt and Giovanone sank that plan, said Michelle Larkin, Rebuilding Together's executive director. As part of the agreement, Van Zandt was to be given another slice of land on the lake, an area of the county that is growing more exclusive. That provision meant Saratoga Lakeview residents would have had to come up with more than $1 million, which Larkin said was not possible.

We were willing to try to buy the park on behalf of the organization, Larkin said. It would have been hard to get the $650,000 and the state said they would help. But $1.2 million was too much. The homeowners could have fought it in court, but that would have been expensive and its not an open and shut case. We were able to get them to agree to five years to find a new living arrangement.

Larkin said her organization is also hoping to negotiate more money for homeowners to be relocated. Currently, state law requires that homeowners can get up to $15,000 for relocation. Larkin said shes hoping to get them more.

Kaufman said its too little. In 2020, she said, she spent $21,000 to buy her home and another $13,000 on repairs, including a new roof. She said she poured all of her savings into the place, as Van Zandt gave her the impression that he had no plans on selling.

Everything I made went into this place, Kaufman said. I was planning on retiring here.

She now fears that the owner will come up with another way to circumvent the eviction deal, such as cite a code violation or another infraction to push homeowners out before the five years are up. Uncertainty in her living situation is exacerbated by a brain injury she suffered in a car crash in 2019. The injury impairs her ability to walk and causes almost daily migraines.

Mentally, its taken a toll on me, Kaufman said.

The issue with mobile home parks is particularly acute in Saratoga County, which is home to more parks than any other county in the state -- 119 of New York's 714. Larkin said its the countys answer to affordable housing. But with developers salivating over Saratoga Lake and many other parts of the county, mobile home parks are at risk of disappearing.

Its a hard thing because youre looking at it as affordable housing, but the people dont own the land, Larkin said. Its a hard one.

She also said shes sorry that the initial efforts to purchase the land failed. Im disappointed on their behalf, she said. We are trying to do what we can.

Kaufman takes little comfort in that.

Its so upsetting to me because the guy buying it doesnt need it, she said. This is all my neighbors and I have. To take away from people who have so little, he's someone who already has a successful business and he has to displace people who found a way to be happy with what little we have."
ST. ANTHONY, Idaho (AP)  A woman charged with conspiring with her new husband to kill her two children has been committed to a mental health facility for treatment, and her husband has pleaded not guilty to the crimes.

Chad Daybell entered his plea Wednesday morning in an eastern Idaho courtroom, less than 24 hours after 7th District Judge Steven Boyce signed the mental commitment order for Lori Vallow Daybell.

The couple is at the center of a grim saga involving bizarre doomsday beliefs and a months-long search for two missing children who were later found buried in an eastern Idaho yard. Lori Vallow Daybell and Chad Daybell were each indicted by a grand jury last month on charges of conspiracy, murder and grand theft in connection with the deaths of Lori Daybells two youngest children, 7-year-old Joshua JJ Vallow and 17-year-old Tylee Ryan.

Chad Daybell was also charged with one count of murder and insurance fraud in connection with the death of his late wife, Tammy Daybell, just weeks before his marriage to the co-defendant.

Chad Daybell pleaded not guilty to all those charges, plus charges related to the destruction or concealment of the children's bodies.

JJ Vallow's grandmother, Kay Woodcock, attended the hearing, which was on the one-year anniversary of when the children's bodies were found in Chad Daybell's backyard. She said Chad Daybell's plea was a lie.

I think he should just give it up, she told EastIdahoNews.com after the hearing. How do you have two kids in your backyard and you don't know anything about it? He's a liar.

The judge signed an order Tuesday afternoon ordering Lori Vallow Daybell to be committed to a mental health care facility for treatment for up to three months, in hopes of making her competent to stand trial. Idaho state law doesn't allow for an insanity defense to criminal charges. But after a psychological assessment, the court found Lori Vallow Daybell wasn't able to assist in her own defense or make informed decisions about her mental health treatment.

In the indictment, the Daybells are accused of espousing strange religious beliefs to encourage or justify the killings.

The complex case began in 2018, according to the indictment, when Chad and Lori Daybell  both still married to other people  began espousing their apocalyptical system of religious belief. Lori Daybell's then-husband, Charles Vallow, eventually decided to seek a divorce. He wrote in court documents that his wife believed she had become a god-like figure responsible for ushering in the end times.

The two were still married but estranged in the summer of 2019 when Lori Daybells brother Alex Cox shot Charles Vallow, in suburban Phoenix.

Cox asserted the shooting was in self-defense, and he was never charged. Cox later died of an apparent blood clot in his lung.

Shortly after Charles Vallows death, Lori Daybell  then still Lori Vallow  and her children moved to Idaho, where Chad Daybell lived. He ran a small publishing company, releasing doomsday-focused fiction books loosely based on the theology of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He also recorded podcasts about preparing for the apocalypse, and friends said he claimed to be able to receive visions from beyond the veil.

At the time, Chad Daybell was married to Tammy Daybell, a fit 49-year-old school librarian who helped him run the publishing company. She died in October of 2019. Her obituary said she died in her sleep of natural causes.

Authorities grew suspicious when Chad Daybell remarried just two weeks later, and they had Tammy Daybells body exhumed in Utah in December. The results of that autopsy have not been released.

Police began searching for Tylee and JJ in November after relatives raised concerns.

Police say the Daybells lied to investigators about their whereabouts before quietly leaving Idaho. They were found in Hawaii months later, without the children. The children's bodies were eventually found buried in a pet cemetery on Chad Daybell's eastern Idaho property.
TUCSON, Ariz. (AP)  Alvaro Enciso plants three or four crosses each week in Arizona's desert borderlands, amid the yellow-blossomed prickly pear and whip-like ocotillo, in honor of migrants who died on the northbound trek.

Each colorful wooden memorial denotes where a set of bones or a decomposing body was found. Over eight years, the artist has marked more than 1,000 locations across public lands dotted with empty black plastic water jugs and camouflage backpacks beneath circling turkey vultures.

Anything out here can kill you," Enciso said. "A blister, a snake, not enough water.

Protecting migrants and honoring the humanity of those who died on the perilous trail is a kind of religion in southern Arizona where spiritual leaders four decades ago founded the Sanctuary Movement, a campaign to shelter Central Americans fleeing civil war, and scores of volunteers carry on their legacy today.

Faith-based groups working in migrant activism run the gamut from the Tucson Samaritans, which leaves lifesaving caches of water, food and other provisions in the remote wilderness, to Catholic Community Services of Southern Arizona, which operates a shelter, to Methodists providing asylum-seeking families with legal aid and a place to stay, to name a few.

Encisos art project, Where Dreams Die, fits squarely in that spiritual tradition, though he believes there's nothing overtly religious in memorializing the dead.

On a recent day he placed a golden cross where the bones of an unknown male were found Sept. 24, 2020, amid the jumping cholla cactus. The cause and approximate year of the man's death, about a mile north of state Highway 86, are undetermined.

Can you imagine what their families go through, not knowing what happened to them? Enciso said.

Volunteer Michele Maggiora kissed a fist of fresh sage and faced east, south, west and north, then held the fist down for the Earth Mother and up for the Sky Father in prayer.

I feel like we have to recognize that something happened here, Maggiora said.

Such activism has roots in the 1981 founding of the Sanctuary Movement, which spread to a dozen Tucson churches and synagogues and more than 500 U.S. Protestant, Catholic and Jewish congregations, drawing on the ancient tradition of protecting people inside houses of worship.

Now 81 and retired, the Rev. John Fife III was pastor at Tucsons Southside Presbyterian Church back then when his Quaker friend Jim Corbett told him Central Americans were fleeing to the U.S. to escape violence back home.

The men recalled the Book of Matthew 25:35: For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in.

Soon Fife and Corbett, who died in 2001, were smuggling Central American migrants into the U.S. and sheltering them in their homes, despite their wives protests. The church hosted some 13,000 asylum seekers in the '80s, with up to 100 people sleeping on the floor on a given night.

I felt that if I didnt help, I would have to resign as pastor, Fife said recently in Southsides worship hall, which was modeled after an indigenous ceremonial structure known as a kiva.

Fife was convicted in 1986 of violating U.S. immigration laws and served five years' probation, but that didn't deter him.

In 2000 he helped create Humane Borders, which maintains water stations with 55-gallon (208-liter) plastic blue barrels accompanied by a blue flag visible from a distance. Two years later he co-founded Tucson Samaritans, a ministry of Southside, which along with partner organizations in Ajo and Green Valley-Sahuarita sends volunteers into the wilderness to leave water and food. Fife also had a hand in the 2004 creation of No More Deaths, which staffs remote aid camps for weeks at a time.

We couldnt stop what we were doing, because peoples lives were on the line, Fife said.

Many of those volunteering with the groups are of retirement age, like Gail Kocourek.

Every week the Tucson Samaritan volunteer drives donations of clothes and food to Casa de la Esperanza, a new daytime migrant help center just south of the border in the Mexican town of Sasabe where about 50 migrants a day can get a meal, a shower and clothes. They usually sleep at hotels or guest houses in town.

I dont think anyone deserves to die for trying to make a better life for their family, Kocourek said.

Often traveling there as well is Dora Rodriguez, who was among 13 Salvadorans who survived in 1980 when 13 others died in the broiling sun near Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. Then 19, she remained in Tucson and eventually became an American citizen.

And now, 41 years later, people are still dying out here in the desert, said Rodriguez, who formed a nonprofit called Salvavision to aid migrants in Arizona and encourage people in Central America not to make the dangerous journey. The only difference now is that there is no longer a civil war. But you still have the aftermath of war  the gangs, crime, corruption.

Rampant poverty is another reason for leaving, according to Vicente Lopez, a 19-year-old from Guatemala who was staying elsewhere in town. Its because were so poor.

Groups that seek to restrict immigration, such as the Washington-based think tank Center for Immigration Studies, contend the border wall and other barriers are a better way to keep deaths down by keeping migrants out.

I have no question about the good intentions of these groups, and we dont want people dying in the desert, said Andrew Arthur, a former immigration judge and the centers resident fellow. But you dont want to create a magnet for people expecting to find water.

For its part, the Border Patrol, in a recent statement on the 20th anniversary of the deaths of 14 people in the Devil's Highway region southeast of Yuma, noted the danger remains: Smugglers and guides regularly risk the lives of the migrants who pay them thousands of dollars for help to get to the United States.

Humane Borders, which works with Pima County chief medical examiner Dr. Greg Hess to map the discoveries of human remains, in 2020 documented 227 deaths, including those in Maricopa County, the highest in a decade after the hottest, driest summer in state history. Hess' office received the remains of 79 apparent border crossers this year as of late May, and activists fear 2021 could prove especially treacherous with large numbers of people launching journeys.

Customs and Border Protection reports that apprehensions of migrants are way up, with 20,246 such encounters in the Tucson sector alone in April  a 674% increase over the same month last year  out of 178,622 along the entire four-state border. Rescues of migrants found in dangerous areas are also up.

Im not looking forward to this summer, said Douglas Ruopp, chairman of Humane Borders. No matter what we do, people keep dying."

Yet the danger doesn't dissuade people like Josue Hernandez Ruiz, a tour guide from the Mexican resort of Huatulco who was laid off during the coronavirus pandemic and ventured north seeking to support his wife and two children. After staying at a guest house in Sasabe, he and a friend planned to set out into the desert without a guide.

Im going to use my phone, Hernandez Ruiz said. It has GPS.

In Tucson, activists regularly gather at a shrine to pray for migrants who didn't survive that journey.

The local cumbia band Vox Urbana pays homage by writing and recording songs about migrants, including one about a transgender asylum seeker named Karolina.

We are a community of migrants," guitarist and vocalist Kike Castellanos said, "and it is important to tell the stories of our community.

___

Associated Press religion coverage receives support from the Lilly Endowment through The Conversation U.S. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
SCHENECTADY  Chris Lunn stood outside of a downtown apartment building last Friday, frustrated.

The citys chief building inspector had gone through the Crescent Park Apartments earlier that week and discovered a litany of violations. Among them were fire safety issues, including at least nine units lacking working smoke detectors, fire rescue windows that would not stay open, extinguishers that failed inspection and problems with exposed electrical wiring.

One tenant was using a temporary heater in their bathroom, with broken and non-functional windows elsewhere in the apartment.

Lunn deemed the 24-unit building, a three-story structure with European architectural flourishes located within the shadow of the county courthouse on State Street, as one rife with life safety violations and ordered all tenants to evacuate last Wednesday.

He returned the next day and issued more violations.

But tenants strode in and out on Friday and throughout the weekend, nonplussed by the two crimson tags pasted to the ground-level door alongside the thick packet of violations stuck to the door.

Overhead, a dog perched on a balcony and took in the downtown landscape, while another unit hosted a barbecue grill.

Lunn sees the impasse more than just about combating one problem property, but rather as part of a troubling pattern in the city  and one that has yielded fatal outcomes in the past, including the fatal 2015 Jay Street fire that killed four people and displaced dozens across the street from City Hall.

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Despite tenants being told to leave until violations are corrected and the building gets a clean bill of inspection, the city is toothless when it comes to keeping tenants out of unsafe structures.

Lunn was irate on Friday because he rushed over from nearby City Hall to check in on progress only to find he was beaten by two fire trucks idling in front of the building, responding to a small kitchen fire in a third-floor unit with a history of missing smoke detectors.

We were all very concerned to have a building that had been posted with the order to vacate and a blatant disregard had once again taken place, Lunn said.

Owner Burach Friedman characterized the violations as minor and said his property maintenance staff are working to remedy them, with further inspections scheduled for later this week.

"Every safety and fire issue I got corrected right away, said Friedman, owner of the Orange County-based Foundation Land Services.

Friedman acknowledged tenants tend to remove smoke detectors, all of which he said had been restored by Tuesday.

"The safety is there, Friedman said.

But he said hes powerless to evict his tenants despite the city order.

Theyre staying and it has nothing to do with me, Friedman said. They see no hazards and they feel safe there. Theres nothing I can do. Im not a policeman and I cant chase them out.

He referred further questions to the property manager, who echoed that hes working with his team on solving all concerns that the city has.

Jeff Morlang, director of operations at Maddalone & Associates, said his team immediately contacted Lunn after learning of the notice and huddled with him to understood what the concerns were.

"We have been communicating with the city and the property owner daily to ensure compliance," Morlang said, who added he's in communication with Friedman to make him aware of his obligations to the tenants and the city.

"The owner assures us that he is doing all he can to comply with all city codes with his team of maintenance technicians," Morlang said. "The owner of the property is working with his team on solving all concerns that he city has."

Yet as a result of the violations, the city fire department is forced to monitor the buildings fire alarm and sprinkler system, which means each detector that goes off triggers an automatic response from the department, which has its headquarters behind the building.

The city fire department has responded to 604 State St. 256 times, the vast majority for fire alarms, according to fire officials, and three times in 2019 to 602 State St. for fire alarms.

Tenants say trucks are a regular presence.

"They come at least seven times a week and that's being nice," said a tenant waiting for a package outside on Tuesday who declined to give his name.

Due to the cramped confines, even ordinary cooking sets off the detectors, he said.

"There's no ventilation," he said.

While the tenant said the issues are annoying, he didn't feel unsafe  just irritated at management for taking a long time to make minor repairs.

Ultimately, Lunn inspected each unit and uncovered several life safety violations, prompting the order for residents to leave.

I asked all of the tenants if they knew of the order to vacate, Lunn said. All of them knew.

One tenant responded: This isnt the first order to vacate on this building, Lunn recalled.

Documents obtained by the Times Union chronicling years of inspections reveal other troubling issues, including a lack of keys in whats known as a Knox box that allows first responders to enter individual units during a fire.

Residents have reportedly disabled their smoke detectors, and the building also has a checkered past with lack of rental certifications, problems that have since been remediated, according to Friedman, who says his property is up-to-date with all required certification.

Lunn, who was brought on after the fatal 2015 blaze, believes hes used all the tools his department has to keep the building safe.

I dont want people to get hurt or die, Lunn said. There has to be an alternate option. This is not the only building like this and I am extremely concerned that that day will be in the near future.

Lunn said tenants provide many reasons for not leaving: People dont want to leave their pets, bristle at staying in a hotel or do not want to squander the fact that they're up-to-date on rent.

Altogether, Crescent Park Apartments as been the subject of 93 complaints in recent years, and 271 violations have been issued to the property since 2012  most within the past three years, Lunn said  including previous citations for lack of a sprinkler and fire alarm systems that led to previous orders to vacate.

Still other inspections that deemed the building an unsafe structure included problems with fire escape stairways, and dozens of additional violations issued during last weeks visit.

When I place an order to vacate, it has only one purpose: to protect and preserve the citizens of Schenectady, Lunn said.

City Corporation Counsel Andrew Koldin said on Tuesday he was unaware of an order to vacate issued for the building and referred questions back to Lunn.

Koldin did not answer when asked whats stopping the city from facilitating the forceful removal of tenants.

City Mayor Gary McCarthy wasn't immediately available for comment on Tuesday.

The situation at 602-606 State St. resembles the problems at the embattled Wedgeway building located three blocks away, a hulking hybrid-commercial structure at the corner of State Street and Erie Boulevard where residential tenants defied a similar order in late 2019 and city officials admitted they were powerless to forcefully remove people.

The building was slapped with numerous violations, including for falling bricks, which prompted the city to erect a fence to protect passersby along Erie Boulevard. The city has taken the owner to court to force compliance and the case is still winding its way through City Court.

National Grid cut power but tenants remain, Lunn said, dragging ice-packed coolers up flights of stairs.

The runaround is frustrating for Lunn, who is disturbed by similarities to the Jay Street fire.

A grand jury report on that deadly blaze faulted the operation of the city's code enforcement department, saying failures to confront code violations at 104 Jay St. "directly contributed" to the fire.

Firefighters who reported the potentially deadly flaws in the building forwarded their code violations to the enforcement department, including one that predicted any fire at the building would be deadly for tenants and anyone who tried to save them.

But the grand jury found the pleas were ignored, condemning the inner workings of the administration's code enforcement operation.

An overhaul of the code enforcement department has been underway for years. Lunn was brought on after the fire to fix the long-simmering issues, and is quick to distance himself from issues that led to his predecessor taking his own life.

This is what I was hired to prevent, Lunn said. I have asked the media in the past not to involve my name with the Jay Street fire, but this building is so similar. Hundreds of violations and complaints.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-09 19:35:00|Editor: huaxia

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MANILA, June 9 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines' exports increased by 72.1 percent in April, reaching 5.71 billion U.S. dollars from 3.32 billion U.S. dollars in the same month last year, the country's Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said on Wednesday.

Citing preliminary data from the Philippine Statistics Authority, the DTI said this was the second consecutive month of positive year-on-year export growth, following the 33.3 percent revised growth in March.

"Allowing 100 percent operating capacity even during the (coronavirus lockdown) coupled with the gradual economic recovery of (our) major trading partners from the COVID-19 pandemic (led to the) solid growth," Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said in a statement.

He said the Chinese mainland was the Southeast Asian country's top export market in the review period, receiving 16.7 percent of all exports. Other top markets were Japan (14.3 percent), China's Hong Kong (12.9 percent) and Singapore (5.5 percent).

Lopez said cumulative export earnings from January to April amounted to 23.37 billion U.S. dollars, up by 19 percent from the same period in 2020.

"Our latest export growth rate shows that we are steadily recovering from the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic," Lopez said.

Semiconductors remain the top export product, comprising 42.2 percent of all exports, said Lopez. Out of all the export products, ignition wiring sets for vehicles, aircraft, and ships had the highest growth at 1,237.6 percent, followed by metal components at 345.2 percent. Enditem
The East Ramapo Central School District lies 126 miles south of Albany, a two-hour drive from the state Capitol. But for the children who attend public school there, it might well seem like theyre living in an entirely different time and place  like the deep South in Jim Crow times.

For much of the past decade, a predominantly  and often exclusively  white school board decimated the public schools attended by about 8,800 children, more than 90 percent of whom are Black or Latinx. The board eliminated hundreds of teaching jobs and other staff positions and shifted taxpayer funds to benefit private schools, most of them Orthodox and Hasidic yeshivas, attended by more than 29,200 children  98 percent of whom are white.

The damage done in East Ramapo is the shame of the entire state, a travesty that has quite likely harmed the futures of thousands of children who looked to public schools for a basic foundation for success in life. Now the Legislature has a chance in the closing hours of this session to do something about it.

Its important to note that this is not a district in which change is likely to come from within. In a decision in a civil rights case brought against the district by the NAACP and the New York Civil Liberties Union Foundation, a federal judge last year found that the white private school community develops slates of white candidates and then votes for them as a bloc. The court ordered the creation of a ward-based system to at least give minorities a chance for representation.

The court found that the white school board slashed public school budgets, eliminated classes and programs, let buildings fall into disrepair and tried to sell a school at a sweetheart price to a yeshiva before the state education commissioner stopped it. Public school children received academically deficient schedules full of free time and filler. The board approved such unusually high numbers of special education students and generous, nonmandatory transportation services for private schools that the state intervened. A state comptrollers audit in 2019 found the district paid transportation costs for nearly 1,200 more students than were registered. Accommodations were made for Yiddish-speaking students and parents but not for those who spoke Spanish.

The situation has improved somewhat with the placement of state-appointed monitors, but their authority is limited. A bill proposed by Assemblymember Kenneth Zebrowski, D-Clarkstown, and Sen. Elijah Reichlin-Melnick, D-Nyack, would help address that, mandating, among other things, that the board develop a conflict-of-interest policy to curtail the favoritism for private schools, and empowering monitors to override decisions that are not in the districts fiscal or academic interest.

Its strong medicine, but its what this district needs to put it on a more solid track of giving minority children in the East Ramapo district the kind of education they deserve  and are guaranteed by the state constitution. The Legislature needs to send a clear message to any group or faction that would misuse public funding for education that this is an intolerable breach of public trust.
Farmington, WV (26555)

Today

Partly to mostly cloudy skies with scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Low 62F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Partly to mostly cloudy skies with scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Low 62F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%.
Farmington, WV (26555)

Today

Considerable clouds this evening. Some decrease in clouds late. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 63F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Considerable clouds this evening. Some decrease in clouds late. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 63F. Winds light and variable.
Demolition derbies have always drawn a crowd at the Spartansburg Fairgrounds. This weekend, organizers hope to see another large crowd for the event.
A 25-year-old man has been indicted on murder and attempted murder charges in a shooting that killed one man and wounded two others six weeks ago on the Las Vegas Strip
Youth director accused of hiding camera in church bathroom

A youth director at a Florida Panhandle church has been accused of hiding a camera in a church bathroom
[June 09, 2021] AEON Biopharma Appoints Dr. Chad K. Oh as Chief Medical Officer to Lead Clinical Development of ABP-450 Across Several Therapeutic Indications

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., June 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AEON Biopharma, Inc., a private clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of therapeutic indications for its proprietary botulinum toxin complex ABP-450 (prabotulinumtoxinA) injection, today announced the appointment of Chad K. Oh, M.D. as Chief Medical Officer, effective immediately. Dr. Oh will lead the companys clinical development of ABP-450, which currently includes a Phase 2 clinical study for the treatment of cervical dystonia and a Phase 2 clinical study for the preventive treatment of migraine that are expected to announce topline data in early-2022 and late-2022, respectively.

We are excited to expand the management team with the addition of Dr. Oh as our Chief Medical Officer. He brings extensive clinical knowledge and experience that provides us great confidence in his ability to lead ABP-450 through all phases of development and the implementation of a successful regulatory strategy, said Marc Forth, Chief Executive Officer of AEON Biopharma. With such a talented team in place and the ongoing progress of our clinical development efforts, I believe we are well-positioned to execute upon our strategy to address a broad range of debilitating medical conditions. I am proud to join the AEON team, and plan to lead ABP-450s clinical development strategy with incredible passion and commitment as we look to make a difference in patients lives. I look forward to building upon the progress that has already been made by the team and contributing to the companys long-term growth, as we advance AEON's pipeline in the clinic, stated Dr. Oh. Dr. Oh brings more than 30 years of combined experience in academia and the pharmaceutical industry, with a concentration in clinical development of various therapeutic areas, including CNS, infectious diseases, respiratory diseases, cancer, autoimmune diseases, and rare/orphan diseases. He has effectively led multiple submissions to the U.S., European, and Asian regulatory authorities, including over 30 IND submissions, 20 505(b)(2) submissions, completed three NDAs, and completed one BLA. Prior to joining AEON, Dr. Oh was Vice President of Clinical Development at the Weinberg Group, a global leader in regulatory and compliance services, during which time he consulted on the clinical and regulatory development of vaccines, biologics, and small molecules. Before joining Weinberg Group, he was Vice President of Clinical Development at Revance Therapeutics, during which time he helped develop its botulinum toxin Type A for several therapeutic indications in the U.S. Prior to Revance Therapeutics, he was the Vice President of Clinical Development at Glenmark Pharmaceuticals, during which time he led the clinical development of biologics, small molecules, and combination products in the respiratory, immunology, and dermatology, as well as being involved in multiple IND submissions and an NDA submission. Prior to joining the private sector, he a spent approximately 13 years at the UCLA School of Medicine where he held various roles, including Head, Allergy / Imunology / Rheumatology Clinic, and Chief, Division of Allergy and Immunology at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, and, he served as Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics at UCLA School of Medicine. He is an author of approximately 70 peer-reviewed publications, book chapters and review articles, as well as over 70 published abstracts, and inventor or co-inventor of multiple patents. Dr. Oh received his M.D. from the Kyung-Hee University School of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.



About ABP-450 (prabotulinumtoxinA) Injection ABP-450 contains a 900 kDa botulinum toxin type-A complex produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. The active part of the botulinum toxin is the 150 kDa component, and the remaining 750 kDa of the complex is made up of accessory proteins that the company believes help with the function of the active portion of the botulinum toxin. When injected at therapeutic levels, ABP-450 blocks peripheral acetylcholine release at presynaptic cholinergic nerve terminals by cleaving SNAP-25, a protein integral to the successful docking and release of acetylcholine from vesicles situated within the nerve endings leading to denervation and relaxation of the muscle.

ABP-450 is the same botulinum toxin complex that has been approved by regulatory authorities in the United States, the European Union and Canada for an aesthetic indication. To support this aesthetic indication, Daewoongs aesthetic partner completed rigorous clinical development programs using Botox as an active comparator and consistently showed that ABP-450 was non-inferior to Botox at doses ranging from 20 units to 360 units. AEON Biopharma licenses ABP-450 from Daewoong and possesses exclusive development and distribution rights for ABP-450 for therapeutic indications in the United States, Canada, the European Union, the United Kingdom, and certain other international territories. Daewoong has constructed a facility in South Korea for the purposes of producing ABP-450, which was purpose-built to comply with FDA and EMA regulations. About AEON Biopharma AEON Biopharma is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing ABP-450 (prabotulinumtoxinA) injection for the treatment of debilitating medical conditions with an initial focus on the neurology and gastroenterology markets. The company is dedicated to innovation in the rapidly expanding therapeutic botulinum toxin market and believes its therapeutic-only focus will allow AEON Biopharma to advance safe and effective treatment options to patients, while delivering differentiated economics to payors and physicians. The company continues to evaluate additional therapeutic indications for development based on a comprehensive product assessment process designed to identify those indications where it believes ABP-450 can attain clinical, regulatory, and commercial success. More information about AEON can be found at www.aeonbiopharma.com . Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements including statements related to that safety and efficacy of ABP-450 for the treatment of cervical dystonia, announcement of results related to clinical trials, clinical trial site onboarding, patient recruitment into clinical trials, and any future development efforts. Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the company or its industry to be materially different from those expressed or implied by any forward-looking statements. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as may, will, could, would, should, expect, plan, anticipate, intend, believe, estimate, predict, potential or other comparable terminology. All statements other than statements of historical fact could be deemed forward-looking, including any statements about current or planned clinical trials or related milestones; any projections of financial information; any statements about historical results that may suggest trends for the companys business; any statements of the plans, strategies, and objectives of management for future operations; any statements of expectation or belief regarding future events, potential markets or market size, or technology developments; and any statements of assumptions underlying any of the items mentioned. The company has based these forward-looking statements on its current expectations, assumptions, estimates and projections. While the company believes these expectations, assumptions, estimates, and projections are reasonable, such forward-looking statements are only predictions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the companys control. These and other important factors may cause actual results, performance, or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements in this press release are made only as of the date hereof. Except as required by law, the company assumes no obligation and does not intend to update these forward-looking statements or to conform these statements to actual results or to changes in the company's expectations. AEON Biopharma, Inc. Contacts: Company Contact:

Chris Carr, AEON Biopharma

Chief Financial Officer

+1 949 354 6439

cc@aeonbiopharma.com Investor Contact:

Corey Davis, Ph.D.

LifeSci Advisors

+1 212 915 2577

cdavis@lifesciadvisors.com



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Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-09 06:04:55|Editor: huaxia

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Prof. Enrico Toti, who teaches Chinese law at Roma Tre University, is interviewed with Xinhua during the China-Europe Seminar on Human Rights in Rome, Italy, on June 8, 2021. Chinese and European experts and officials meeting here at the seminar on human rights in pandemic stressed Tuesday that health is the first and foremost human right. (Xinhua/Cheng Tingting)

ROME, June 8 (Xinhua) -- Chinese and European experts and officials meeting here at a seminar on human rights in pandemic stressed Tuesday that health is the first and foremost human right.

Luca Rizzo Nervo, a member of the Italian Parliament who sits on the Health Committee of the lower house, told the China-Europe Seminar on Human Rights that "it is essential that we do not waste the enormous lessons that COVID has imparted to us, especially today when we see the possibility of victory against this pandemic on the horizon."

"The first lesson," he said, "is that our health is the first and foremost right, on which all other rights depend. The right to work, to relationships and to wellbeing, derives from the capacity to guarantee people's right to be healthy."

This is why individual states and the global community as a whole must place health care at the center of their investment strategies, keeping in mind that health is the greatest asset for development, he added.

Another lesson concerns the need for prevention, and with that, the need for a global strategy on viruses with international cooperation in research and the development of therapies and vaccines, said the Italian MP.

"We must strengthen tools and measures for prevention, even more so in today's interconnected world, in which everything circulates. We have enjoyed the beauty of the circulation of people, relations, products and goods. Unfortunately, diseases and viruses also circulate. Therefore we need to reinforce a strategy of prevention," he noted.

Also speaking was Dr. Bente Mikkelsen, director of the Department of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) at the World Health Organization (WHO).

"The priority is to protect lives," Mikkelsen said. "The virus does not discriminate but its impacts do," she said, underscoring that "the divide between high- and low-income countries has been broader because of COVID," with more people dying of NCDs during the pandemic in poor countries than in richer ones.

Carlo Capria, an expert on business internationalization who spoke on "the importance of China's support and the economic recovery," said "the virus strikes everyone and there are no differences."

"As far as the aid that China has given to the world, we (Italy) have been a bit privileged. After a very difficult start, we had the possibility of understanding how to get organized to defend people's lives -- which is the greatest gift that each one of us has," Capria told Xinhua.

Prof. Enrico Toti, who teaches Chinese law at Roma Tre University, told Xinhua that he believes "the importance of conferences such as this one lies in the exchange of information and values, both Italy's and China's."

Since 1997, Toti has been traveling to China, where he carried out his doctoral research and taught at Shanghai University.

With respect to the protection of human rights during pandemics, Toti said: "No matter where you are in the world, you will have a certain degree of compression of personal liberties. This is inevitable, but this compression of individual liberties takes place in the service of collective solidarity. However it is essential that these restrictions only remain in place for a limited period of time."

He noted that one thing Italy might be able to learn from China due to the pandemic is "the speed of response of the institutions in the face of certain events."

Participating Chinese experts and officials, including Chinese Ambassador to Italy Li Junhua, talked about the humanitarian efforts China made during the pandemic, such as the distribution of 300 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to other countries.

They emphasized that human life comes before anything else and that only through cooperation can the world beat a virus that knows no borders.

The seminar was organized by the Human Rights Institute of the Southwest University of Political Science and Law (SWUPL) in China's Chongqing Municipality and the Chongqing Center for Equal Social Development. It was sponsored by the China Society for Human Rights Studies and Cina in Italia (China in Italy) Magazine. Enditem
[June 09, 2021] American Bank Center Announces Name Change

After 100 years serving the families and businesses of North Dakota with a full range of banking, trust, investment and insurance services, American Bank Center is changing its name to Bravera Bank. The new name, along with a new logo, tagline and visual identity, will launch this Fall. The change in brand does not reflect a change in ownership, as Bravera Bank is still employee- and director-owned. In recent years, American Bank Center has grown, expanding its network of branches across North Dakota and Montana. Its growth represents a continued investment in the region's strong future, competitively positioning the bank to serve customers with more resources, a greater geographic reach and a broader promise to new people moving into the area. The new name unifies the current network and creates a consistent banking experience all under one brand: Bravera Bank. "We are so proud to unite our banks under a new name and brand experience that reflects our bank's strong future," says Cill Skabo, American's Chief Marketing Oficer. "Bravera is a distinct and unforgettable name that captures our spirit and helps us stand out and connect with our customers and communities."



The word Bravera combines "Bravery" and "Truth" for a new name with strong ties to the pioneer spirit and honest values that define the northern plains. The new name will be accompanied by a new logo, look and feel that will touch every part of the bank's experience, from signage in the branches and the bank's website to brand communications and advertising. "The move to the Bravera Bank name is exciting and delivers on our mission of embodying a financial institution that supports the growth of the region's future. From Bismarck to Billings, Dickinson to Devils Lake, we see tremendous opportunity in helping our customers forge success, under a single, powerful brand name," says David Ehlis, American Bancor President and CEO.

To learn more about Bravera Bank, visit Bravera.com. About American: American, soon to be Bravera Bank, is comprised of American Bank Center, American Insurance Center, American Trust Center, United Community Bank, Prairie Mountain Bank, Beartooth Bank, Central Insurance Agency and now Citizens State Bank and Citizens Insurance Agency. American is an employee- and director-owned financial institution that offers customers a complete financial services package. With multiple locations throughout North Dakota and Montana, American's commitment to its communities is illustrated through financial contributions to community incentives and fundraising events. To learn more, visit WeAreAmerican.bank. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210609005100/en/

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[June 09, 2021] The Apache Software Foundation Welcomes its Global Community Online at ApacheCon(TM) Asia 2021

Wilmington, DE, June 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Apache Software Foundation (ASF), the all-volunteer developers, stewards, and incubators of more than 350 Open Source projects and initiatives, announced keynotes, sponsors, and program for ApacheConTM Asia, taking place online 6-8 August 2021. Registration is open and free for all attendees.

"Were excited to hold ApacheCon Asia online following last years highly successful ApacheCon@Home," said Sheng Wu, ApacheCon Asia co-Chair and member of the ASF Board of Directors. "The pandemic mobilized the global Apache community to collectively produce a first-rate online event, supported by an outstanding group of sponsors. We are proud to build on ApacheCons new virtual format and bring the ApacheCon Asia program to participants joining us from any location." ApacheCon is the ASF's official global conference series, first held in 1998. ApacheCon draws attendees from more than 130 countries to experience "Tomorrow's Technology Today" independent of business interests, corporate biases, or sales pitches. ApacheCon showcases the latest breakthroughs from dozens of Apache projects, with content selected entirely by Apache projects and their communities. ApacheCon Asia joins ApacheCon@Home, taking place online 21-23 September, to meet the educational demands of the growing Apache community of developers, users, and enthusiasts worldwide. "Tune in to ApacheCon Asia's 140+ sessions to learn the latest developments, best practices, and lessons learned with Apache projects, incubating podlings, and community-led development 'The Apache Way', said Willem Jiang, ApacheCon Asia co-Chair and initiator of Apache Local Community Beijing. "Participants can also connect and network virtually with attendees, speakers, and sponsors in real-time, as well as revisit presentations and explore additional tracks after the event." Participants at all levels will learn about Apache project innovations in categories that include: APIs and Microservices; Big Data; Community; Culture; Data Visualization; Incubator; Integration; IoT and IIoT; Messaging; Middleware; Observability; Streaming; Servers; Workflow and Data Governance. Featured Apache projects include Airflow, APISIX, Arrow, Atlas, Bigtop, BookKeeper, brpc (incubating), Camel, CarbonData, Cassandra, Commons, DolphinScheduler, Doris (incubating), Druid, Dubbo, ECharts, Flink, Hadoop, HBase, Hive, HUDI, Ignite, Impala, InLong (incubating), IoTDB, Kafka, Kudu, Kylin, Liminal (incubating), MXNet (incubating), Nemo (incubating), Ozone, Pegasus (incubating), Pinot (incubating), PLC4X, Pulsar, RocketMQ, ServiceComb, ShardingSphere, SkyWalking, Sling, Spark, StreamPipes (incubating), Superset, Teaclave (incubating), Tomcat, YuniKorn (Incubating), and more. Keynote presentations will be delivered by Dongxu Huang, CTO of PingCAP; Jianmin Wang, Dean, School of Software at Tsinghua University; Sharan Foga, ASF Board Member; and Sheng Wu, ASF Board Member. Plenary sessions will be presented by AliCloud, API7, DiDi Chuxing, Huawei, Kyligence, and Tencent Cloud. The full program is available at https://apachecon.com/acasia2021/tracks.html



ApacheCon Asia sponsors include Strategic Sponsor Huawei; Platinum Sponsors AliCloud, API7, DiDi Chuxing, Kyligence, and Tencent Cloud; and Gold Sponsor Baidu. Huawei, Tencent, DiDi and Baidu are also Sponsors of ApacheCon@Home at the above levels. To sponsor ApacheCon Asia and/or ApacheCon@Home, visit https://www.apachecon.com/acah2021/2021_ApacheCon_prospectus.pdf

Register today at https://apachecon.com/acasia2021/register.html . About ApacheCon

ApacheCon is the official global conference series of The Apache Software Foundation. Since 1998 ApacheCon has been drawing participants at all levels to explore "Tomorrow's Technology Today" across 350+ Apache projects and their diverse communities. In 2020 and 2021 ApacheCon events showcase ubiquitous Apache projects and emerging innovations virtually through sessions, keynotes, real-world case studies, community events, and more, all online and free of charge. For more information, visit http://apachecon.com/ and https://twitter.com/ApacheCon . About The Apache Software Foundation (ASF)

Established in 1999, The Apache Software Foundation is the worlds largest Open Source foundation, stewarding 227M+ lines of code and providing more than $20B+ worth of software to the public at 100% no cost. The ASFs all-volunteer community grew from 21 original founders overseeing the Apache HTTP Server to 850+ individual Members and 200 Project Management Committees who successfully lead 350+ Apache projects and initiatives in collaboration with 8,200+ Committers through the ASFs meritocratic process known as "The Apache Way". Apache software is integral to nearly every end user computing device, from laptops to tablets to mobile devices across enterprises and mission-critical applications. Apache projects power most of the Internet, manage exabytes of data, execute teraflops of operations, and store billions of objects in virtually every industry. The commercially-friendly and permissive Apache License v2 is an Open Source industry standard, helping launch billion dollar corporations and benefiting countless users worldwide. The ASF is a US 501(c)(3) not-for-profit charitable organization funded by individual donations and corporate sponsors including Aetna, Alibaba Cloud Computing, Amazon Web Services, Anonymous, Baidu, Bloomberg, Budget Direct, Capital One, Cloudera, Comcast, Confluent, Didi Chuxing, Facebook, Google, Handshake, Huawei, IBM, Microsoft, Namebase, Pineapple Fund, Red Hat, Reprise Software, Target, Tencent, Union Investment, Verizon Media, and Workday. For more information, visit http://apache.org/ and https://twitter.com/TheASF .  The Apache Software Foundation. "Apache", "Airflow", "Apache Airflow", "APISIX", "Apache APISIX", "Arrow", "Apache Arrow", "Atlas", "Apache Atlas", "Bigtop", "Apache Bigtop", "BookKeeper", "Apache BookKeeper", "Camel", "Apache Camel", "CarbonData", "Apache CarbonData", "Cassandra", "Apache Cassandra", "Commons", "Apache Commons", "DolphinScheduler", "Apache DolphinScheduler", "Druid", "Apache Druid", "Dubbo", "Apache Dubbo", "ECharts", "Apache ECharts", "Flink", "Apache Flink", "Hadoop", "Apache Hadoop", "HBase", "Apache HBase", "Hive", "Apache Hive", "HUDI", "Apache HUDI", "Ignite", "Apache Ignite", "Impala", "Apache Impala", "IoTDB", "Apache IoTDB", "Kafka", "Apache Kafka", "Kudu", "Apache Kudu", "Kylin", "Apache Kylin", "Ozone", "Apache Ozone", "PLC4X", "Apache PLC4X", "Pulsar", "Apache Pulsar", "RocketMQ", "Apache RocketMQ", "ServiceComb", "Apache ServiceComb", "ShardingSphere", "Apache ShardingSphere", "SkyWalking", "Apache SkyWalking", "Sling", "Apache Sling", "Spark", "Apache Spark", "Superset", "Apache Superset", "Tomcat", "Apache Tomcat", and "ApacheCon" are registered trademarks or trademarks of the Apache Software Foundation in the United States and/or other countries. All other brands and trademarks are the property of their respective owners. # # # Attachment ApacheCon-Asia-main

Sally Khudairi, Vice President The Apache Software Foundation press(at)apache(dot)org

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[June 09, 2021] BigID Introduces Native Data Access and Masking Control for Snowflake

NEW YORK and TEL AVIV, Israel, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- BigID, the leader in data discovery and intelligence for privacy, protection and perspective, today introduced a new app that integrates with Snowflake, the Data Cloud company, enabling BigID customers to reduce their risk, improve the security of their sensitive data, and achieve continuous compliance. Organizations can now natively enforce data access and masking within Snowflake's Data Cloud based on data discovery and policy controls inside BigID. Joint customers can get even more value from their Snowflake data with BigID providing an extra layer of protection to identify and secure personal, sensitive and privileged data. The new BigID Data Access App for Snowflake can help organizations identify, restrict and secure sensitive crown jewels: Automatically identify and classify sensitive PII, PHI, NPI, IP, and other hard to find sensitive and regulated data stored in Snowflake

Define access rules in BigID enforced by Snowflake for who gets access to the data

Dynamically mask sensitive data without a proxy

Automate and enforce policies in a unified metadata catalog

Define, apply, and enforce access policies based on role, sensitivity, and category

Reduce risk and adress data privacy and protection regulations such as GDPR, CCPA, NIST, and others



Jon Mayer , VP, Business Development & Partnerships at BigID. "This gives regulated organizations and companies in geographies with data sovereignty, privacy and security obligations a more streamlined experience for managing data in Snowflake." "Snowflake Data Cloud provides secure and governed access to an entire network of data, empowering users to share and consume data across business units and with customers, suppliers, and partners," said Snowflake Head of Product Management - Security Vikas Jain said. "The BigID Data Access Application for Snowflake allows our joint customers to discover, classify, and automate protection of sensitive and regulated data using Snowflake's native security and governance policies. The integration runs on auto-pilot allowing customers to spend more time using the data and less time implementing data protection."

To learn more: Get a 1:1 demo with cloud security experts

with cloud security experts Read more about the integration between Snowflake and BigID About BigID: BigID's data intelligence platform enables organizations to know their enterprise data and take action for privacy, protection, and perspective. By applying advanced machine learning and deep data insight, BigID transforms data discovery and data intelligence to address data privacy, security, and governance challenges across all types of data, in any language, at petabyte-scale, across the data center and the cloud. BigID has raised $146 million in funding since its founding in 2016 and has been recognized for its data intelligence innovation as a 2019 World Economic Forum Technology Pioneer, named to the 2020 Forbes Cloud 100, a Business Insider 2020 AI Startup to Watch, and an RSA Innovation Sandbox winner. Find out more at http://bigid.com View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bigid-introduces-native-data-access-and-masking-control-for-snowflake-301308902.html SOURCE BigID

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[June 09, 2021] Blueacorn helps process over $14 billion in loans throughout the Paycheck Protection Program

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Blueacorn, a leading Lender Service Provider, today announced that it has successfully processed approximately $14 billion in small business loans throughout the duration of the Small Business Administration (SBA) Payment Protection Program (PPP), in partnership with Prestamos, a leading Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) and subsidiary of Chicanos Por La Causa (CPLC), and Capital Plus Financial, an innovative CDFI and B-Corp subsidiary of Crossroads Systems, Inc. (OTCQX: CRSS). Together with its partners, Blueacorn has provided support to communities that were otherwise overlooked by larger financial institutions throughout the duration of the program. Since the beginning of the program, Blueacorn and its partners helped more than 860,000 small businesses, approximately 80% of which are minority owned, leveraging proprietary technologies and best-in-class fraud detection software to ensure PPP funds reached those who need them most. "Blueacorn's mission is to help the backbone of the American economy -- small businesses, independent contractors and the self-employed -- gain access to the PPP funding they are eligible for and need during these challenging times," Blueacorn CEO Barry Calhoun said. "Previous rounds of the program saw the majority of funds distributed to larger businesses via traditional banks, overlooking gig workers and mom-and-pop shops who need this support the most. Every one of these files is a family, and we are immensely proud of how many families we were able to support over these last few months." "In order to help eet the need and provide equitable emergency relief to small businesses and independent contractors, we understood early on that we needed to advocate, facilitate access and align our efforts with other partners to reach those that wouldn't have received funding otherwise. Our PPP loans serve as a great example of CPLC's heart-meets-business philosophy," said David Adame, Chicanos Por La Causa President & CEO. "The vital and strategic deployment of PPP funding helped traditionally unbanked and underserved communities, including racially and ethnically diverse small business owners that were initially left out. I am most proud that we made a positive impact on so many entrepreneurs helping them to keep their doors open and take care of their families."



"As a minority led and focused CDFI, Capital Plus Financial has seen first-hand how the pandemic has disproportionately impacted minority-owned businesses," Capital Plus Financial CEO Eric Donnelly said. "We are immensely proud of what we have accomplished with Blueacorn, providing these communities with the capital they need and deserve to build back stronger than before." Working with both Prestamos and Capital Plus Financial, Blueacorn will introduce a portal in the coming weeks to facilitate the PPP loan forgiveness process for its borrowers.

ABOUT BLUEACORN

Blueacorn is a Lender Service Provider that helps simplify the application processes for grant and lending programs for small businesses, independent contractors, and the self-employed through the use of high-quality, proprietary lending software and fraud detection tools. ABOUT CPLC PRESTAMOS

CPLC Prestamos is an award-winning Community Development Financial Institution and Community Development Entity that has provided small business loans and high-quality technical support services to business owners in underserved communities since 1980. CPLC Prestamos now offers loan products and investment opportunities nationwide with experienced culturally and linguistically competent bilingual advisors in Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico and Texas. ABOUT CROSSROADS SYSTEMS AND CAPITAL PLUS FINANCIAL

Crossroads Systems, Inc. (OTCQB: CRSS) is a holding company focused on investing in businesses that promote economic vitality and community development. Crossroads' subsidiary, Capital Plus Financial (CPF), is a certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) and certified B- Corp, which supports Hispanic homeownership in Texas. View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/blueacorn-helps-process-over-14-billion-in-loans-throughout-the-paycheck-protection-program-301309325.html SOURCE Blueacorn

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[June 09, 2021] Carbon Streaming Welcomes Four Management Team Members

Carbon Streaming Corporation ("Carbon Streaming" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the expansion and strengthening of its management team with the addition of four key leadership roles. Carbon Streaming has assembled the team to accelerate the long-term growth of its carbon project investment portfolio from origination and due diligence through to transaction closure, monitoring and monetization. The team will work in support of the Company's mission to develop carbon offset projects to mitigate climate change, support local economies in our project communities, and protect and preserve the natural environment for generations to come. "I would like to extend a very warm welcome to our newest members of the Carbon Streaming management team: Michael Psihogios, Anne Walters, Alec Kushnir and Amy Chambers. Carbon Streaming looks forward to working with each of you as we endeavor to significantly grow this Company in the months and years ahead," stated Justin Cochrane. "I am very excited to have such a high calibre group of individuals to successfully accelerate our investment strategies and business plans." Michael Psihogios (Chief Investment Officer) Michael Psihogios has over fifteen years of financing, M&A, and corporate finance experience. Michael has extensive expertise in sourcing, structuring, due diligence, and negotiating both financing and M&A transactions from corporate and private equity perspectives across multiple industries throughout Europe, Africa, the Americas, and Australasia. Most recently, Michael was the Chief Financial Officer of DUMAS, a specialized construction and engineering firm. Prior to DUMAS, Michael worked with an international private equity fund on numerous executive and corporate development secondment roles within portfolio companies, involved in raising capital and the ultimate sale of each business. Prior to a career in private equity, Michael worked in investment banking with National Bank Financial in the M&A group. Michael Psihogios holds an MBA from the University of Toronto (Canada) and the University of St. Gallen (Switzrland).



Anne Walters (General Counsel & Corporate Secretary) Anne Walters is a lawyer with nearly twenty years of experience in the Canadian corporate sector. Prior to joining the Company, Anne worked in-house, as the head of the Canadian legal team at a TSX listed energy company with South American operations. Prior to that, Anne practiced law at Stikeman Elliott LLP, working in the areas of corporate finance and M&A.

Anne Walters holds a J.D. from the University of Toronto, an M.B.A. from the University of Toronto, and a B.A. from McGill University. Anne is also a member of the Ontario Bar. Alec Kushnir (EVP, Energy Carbon Credit Origination) Alec Kushnir has over twenty-five years of experience in developing and financing power plants, LNG terminals, pipelines and mines for energy companies, commodity trading firms and financial institutions. Inspired by the potential companies have in helping to transition to a low carbon society, Alec has developed energy solutions for clients that significantly reduce their carbon footprint, improve air quality, and provide social benefits to the surrounding communities. Most recently, Alec worked as Vice President, Business Development for New Fortress Energy (NFE), a leading LNG to power fuel supplier and infrastructure developer. While at NFE, Alec initiated the company's carbon management strategy including creation of carbon credits for fuel switching projects related to NFE and customer owned power plants. Alec Kushnir has also held positions with Noble Group, ANZ Investment Bank, Sithe Energies, Dresdner Kleinwort Benson, and Gas Energy developing power plants and executing structured finance, hedging, M&A, and high yield transactions totaling over $5 billion. Amy Chambers (Director, Marketing, Communications & Sustainability) Amy Chambers is a communications professional with twenty years of experience executing strategic initiatives in industry leading corporate and non-profit organizations in Europe and North America. Amy has held functional leadership roles in sales, marketing, communications, brand management, advertising, market research, and public policy advocacy. Amy Chambers holds a B.A. in Communications from the University of Georgia and an MBA in Marketing from Questrom School of Business, Boston University. With a focus on Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) strategies, Amy has pursued studies in these areas of interest to include Environmental Law and Social Justice from Harvard Extension School, Circular Economy and Sustainability Strategies from Cambridge Judge Business School, and GRI Sustainability Reporting Standards certification from LEAD Canada. In conjunction with these appointments, the board of directors have approved the issuance of 550,000 incentive stock options and restricted share units (RSUs). The incentive stock options granted are exercisable at C$1.00 per share for a period of five years expiring June 7, 2026. These grants represent approximately 0.005 per cent of the Company's issued and outstanding share capital. About Carbon Streaming Corporation Carbon Streaming Corporation is a unique ESG principled investment vehicle offering investors exposure to carbon credits, a key instrument used by both governments and corporations to achieve their carbon neutral and net-zero climate goals. The Company intends to invest capital through carbon credit streaming arrangements with project developers and owners to accelerate the creation of carbon offset projects by bringing capital to projects that might not otherwise be developed. Many of these projects will have significant social and economic co-benefits in addition to their carbon reduction or removal potential. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210609005830/en/

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[June 09, 2021] Chubb Develops Pay As You Roam Travel Insurance

LONDON, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Chubb has today announced the development of a Pay As You Roam (PAYR) travel insurance proposition. The PAYR service uses digital technology to simplify the way customers access and purchase travel insurance, using mobile phone roaming data to identify when they are away from their home country, activating coverage automatically at a daily premium. It will be made available through Chubb partners in banking, fintech and telecommunications industries. To use the service, customers must first register for free through the Chubb partner's core app, where they can also add the names of other travellers they would like to include on trips. As soon as the customer is detected as roaming, trip cover is activated, and a text message or the app's pop-up notification informs them cover is in place. Customers have four hours from receipt of this to either decline coverage for the trip or to confirm who needs to be included for cover, if they did not do this prior to travel. Trip cover ends when the customer is detected as no longer roaming (has returned to their home country) or if they reach the maximum trip duration limit of 31 days. Customers will receive an email or app notification at the end of each trip detailing the total preium. If the Chubb partner is a mobile phone operator the cost of the insurance is added to their next monthly mobile phone bill, or to their next bank statement, if the partner is a bank.



PAYR customers can view their trip history at any time and access all policy information and documents via the partner's core app. In June, 2020, Bulgaria's leading mobile operator Telenor became the first telecommunication company to offer Chubb's Pay As You Roam travel insurance product, marketed by Telenor Bulgaria as "Smart Tourist".

Ruben Rivero, Head of Travel Insurance, Continental Europe, Middle East & North Africa, A&H Chubb said: "Chubb's Pay As You Roam travel insurance has been developed specifically to make life easier for customers and to provide a compelling proposition for our business partners. Once users sign up for the service, the process of getting travel insurance becomes very simple because everything is done automatically. Customers pay a daily rate so they are only charged for what they use and payment - through their mobile phone bill or direct from their bank - is also simple and secure. We believe this is genuinely innovative and disruptive technology because it fundamentally changes the way in which people buy travel insurance and that is a clear benefit to our partners." About Chubb

Chubb is the world's largest publicly traded property and casualty insurance company. With operations in 54 countries and territories, Chubb provides commercial and personal property and casualty insurance, personal accident and supplemental health insurance, reinsurance and life insurance to a diverse group of clients. As an underwriting company, we assess, assume and manage risk with insight and discipline. We service and pay our claims fairly and promptly. The company is also defined by its extensive product and service offerings, broad distribution capabilities, exceptional financial strength and local operations globally. Parent company Chubb Limited is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: CB) and is a component of the S&P 500 index. Chubb maintains executive offices in Zurich, New York, London, Paris and other locations, and employs approximately 31,000 people worldwide. Additional information can be found at: www.chubb.com. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/324916/Chubb_Logo.jpg

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[June 09, 2021] Colombier Acquisition Corp. Announces Pricing of $150 Million Initial Public Offering

On June 8, 2021, Colombier Acquisition Corp. (the "Company") priced its initial public offering of 15,000,000 units at $10.00 per unit. The units will be listed on the New York Stock Exchange (the "NYSE") under the symbol "CLBR.U" commencing on June 9, 2021. Each unit consists of one share of the Company's Class A common stock and one-third of one warrant, each whole warrant entitling the holder thereof to purchase one share of the Company's Class A common stock at an exercise price of $11.50 per share. Once the securities constituting the units begin separate trading, we expect that the Class A common stock and warrants will be listed on the NYSE under the symbols "CLBR" and "CLBR WS," respectively. The Company's sponsor team is a consortium of SuRo Capital Corp. and principals of Farvahar Partners and Torch Capital, who have come together to leverage their combined expertise and differentiated relationship network to identify and execute attractive business combination opportunities. The team is led by our Chief Executive Officer and Chairman, Omeed Malik and Chief Financial Officer, Joe Voboril. The Company's board of directors includes: Omeed Malik, Founder and CEO of Farvahar Partners; Joe Voboril, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Farvahar Partners; Ryan Kavanaugh, Co-Founder of Triller; Eddie Kim, Founder and CEO of Memo; Jonathan Keidan, Founder and Managing Partner of Torch Capital; Keri Findley, Senior Managing Director of SuRo Capital Corp.; and Claire Councill, an investor at SuRo Capital Corp. The Company was formed or the purpose of effecting a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses. It may pursue an initial business combination target in any business or industry.



B. Riley Securities, Inc. is acting as sole bookrunning manager. The Company has granted the underwriters a 45-day option to purchase up to 2,250,000 additional units at the initial public offering price to cover over-allotments, if any. This offering will only be made by means of a prospectus. Copies of the preliminary prospectus relating to the offering and final prospectus, when available, may be obtained from B. Riley Securities, Inc. at 1300 17th Street N., Suite 1400, Attn: Syndicate Prospectus Department, Arlington, Virginia 22209, by telephone at (703) 312-9580 or by email at prospectuses@brileyfin.com.

A registration statement relating to these securities has been declared effective by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the " SEC (News - Alert) ") on June 8, 2021. 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 prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This press release contains statements that constitute "forward-looking statements," including with respect to the proposed initial public offering and the anticipated use of the net proceeds. No assurance can be given that the offering discussed above will be completed on the terms described, or at all, or that the net proceeds of the offering will be used as indicated. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous conditions, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, including those set forth in the Risk Factors section of the Company's registration statement and preliminary prospectus for the Company's offering filed with the SEC. Copies are available on the SEC's website, www.sec.gov. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the date of this release, except as required by law. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210609005600/en/

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[June 09, 2021] CP Technologies Opens New CP North American Headquarters and Manufacturing Facility in Prescott, Arizona

PRESCOTT, Ariz., June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- CP Technologies, a designer and manufacturer of standard and custom rugged computer hardware, announced it opened the newly constructed CP North American headquarters at 2620 Deep Well Ranch Road in Prescott, Arizona in a ribbon cutting ceremony held today. The 50,000 square-foot facility is home to the CP North America family of brands including CP Technologies, CP Aeronautics and CP Systems. The event schedule includes in-person remarks from Arizona Governor Doug Ducey; Prescott Mayor Greg Mengarelli; Chairman of Rafael, Dr. Uzi Landau; Co-Owner Aeronautics Group Avichay Stolero; Aeronautics Group President and CEO, Moshe Elazar, and CP Technologies President and CEO Mike McCormack. Interviews available on request. "CP Technologies represents another exciting high-tech company that's chosen to relocate its headquarters from California to Arizona," said Governor Ducey. "This move puts CP Technologies front and center with Arizona's growing technology and manufacturing sectors. We're grateful for their investment in Prescott and look forward to their continued expansion." To further enhance CP Technologies' commitment to best-in-lass customer service and innovation, as well as to support the company's continued growth, construction began on the new two-story site in June 2020. The completed tech-rich facility provides the company with the space needed to meet its goal of bringing 200 additional employees to the area over the next three years.



"We are proud to be a part of the outstanding technology and business community here in Arizona and are grateful for all the support we've received," said McCormack. "The opening of this facility marks a major milestone for the CP brand and provides the needed expansion of our capabilities as a manufacturer to serve our customers worldwide." Since its acquisition by Israeli-based Aeronautics Ltd. in 2018, CP Technologies has expanded its offerings of rugged high-performance computer platforms, data links and LCD displays for the military, industrial and commercial markets. This now includes solutions from CP Aeronautics, an industry group focused on Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) solutions and CP Systems, specializing in systems for commercial and industrial markets to include contract manufacturing support. CP North America customers benefit from the intellectual property and system integration capabilities of all three family brands.

"CP Technologies is a company where manufacturing excellence, technology, and innovation are thriving," said Mayor Mengarelli. "Prescott stands out as the best choice for their new headquarters for a number of factors including lower costs of living and access to talent." About CP Technologies CP Technologies designs, fabricates and integrates standard and customized high-performance computing platforms and LCD monitors for military, industrial, and commercial applications. Using COTS components, CP Technologies provides solutions for customers who need reliable systems that will operate in a variety of harsh conditions and who require revision control and hardware consistency for multi-year programs. CP Technologies is an ITAR Registered and ISO 9001:2015 Certified business that has been operating in Southern California for over twenty years. For more information, please visit https://cp-techusa.com. View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cp-technologies-opens-new-cp-north-american-headquarters-and-manufacturing-facility-in-prescott-arizona-301309261.html SOURCE CP Technologies

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[June 09, 2021] David Simon Announces Formation of Hudson Glade a Private Investment Firm Focused on Consumer, Industrials and Services

David Simon (News - Alert) , a veteran private equity investor, announced the formation of Hudson Glade, a consumer, industrial, and services focused private investment firm. He is joined by Co-Founder Jeff Lowe (News - Alert) and they are complemented by Hudson Glade's Executive Advisory Council, a group of experienced and successful portfolio company executives who have previously worked with Mr. Simon. Hudson Glade is targeting companies operating in the lower end of the middle market with talented management teams that are passionate about their business and the opportunity to scale. Hudson Glade desires to partner with companies with demonstrated and defensible growth characteristics across the consumer, industrial, and services industries and drive value acceleration by deploying proven operating approaches. Hudson Glade seeks to make good companies great. The firm is focused on control buyout investments. Prior to Hudson Glade, Mr. Simon was at Littlejohn & Co. for nearly twenty years. Mr. Simon was a Partner, Managing Director, and member of the Investment Committee at Littlejohn & Co. for the past fourteen years. He played key roles in many investments made by Littlejohn & Co. and served as a board member for nine portfolio companies, the majorityof which were consumer oriented and many of which were "good-to-great" buyouts. Early in his career, Mr. Simon worked as an investment banking Analyst supporting private equity firms and then as a private equity Associate focused on consumer investments. Mr. Simon earned both his MBA and B.S. at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.



Prior to Hudson Glade, Mr. Lowe worked for the past eighteen years in capital markets and risk management across two global banks. As a Managing Director and head of the Americas financing and clearing businesses at BNP Paribas, Mr. Lowe was responsible for overseeing more than $150 billion in financing and leading a 125-person team responsible for risk, trading, sales, and platform (technology and operations). He joined BNP in 2008 after managing the sale of his unit from Bank of America, where he joined in 2002. He began his career as an M&A and securities attorney. Mr. Lowe earned his JD from The New York University School of Law and a B.A. and B.S in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania and The Wharton School. About Hudson Glade

Headquartered in Rye Brook, New York, Hudson Glade is a private investment firm focused on consumer, industrial, and services companies with demonstrated and defensible growth characteristics operating in the lower end of the North American middle market. The firm desires to partner with talented management teams to drive value acceleration by deploying proven operating approaches. Hudson Glade seeks to make good companies great. For more information, please visit Hudson Glade's website at www.hudsonglade.com or contact Hudson Glade by email at info@hudsonglade.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210609005249/en/

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[June 09, 2021] Eleven School Districts Awarded $1.4M in Broadband Grants

COLUMBUS, Ohio, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Management Council is pleased to announce on behalf of Ohio's Information Technology Centers (ITCs) that 11 school districts have been awarded over $1.4M in grant funding to expand internet to underserved students. Working in close partnership with BroadbandOhio and community partners, ITCs will help these districts provide internet service to approximately 3,650 student homes. Many PreK-12 Ohio students experience unreliable or non-existent internet; this has been particularly debilitating for students during this COVID year. ACCESS is connecting United Local student homes to internet services beyond the school grounds. Lockland Schools through HCC are working to expand home broadband services to students in those districts. Students from Monroe Local School District, Lakota Local School District, Butler Technology and Career Development Schools, and Amanda Elementary School in Middletown will benefit from expanded internet, assisted by SWOCA.



While students are the biggest benefactors, communities also benefit. MVECA and Yellow Springs Schools will deliver fiber services to students and businesses in the Village of Yellow Springs. OME-RESA will assist the students and businesses of Noble Local Schools and East Guernsey with broadband with cross-coverage collaboration from Coshocton City Schools and Ridgewood Local Schools. The Management Council's RemotEDx Connectivity Champions helped ITCs pinpoint these 11 districts for assistance obtaining internet service. Connectivity Champions have been helping underserved students and their families obtain home broadband services since October 2020.

"Information Technology Centers are thinking creatively to provide home internet access to some of the most underserved areas of the state, even using paint-on fiber in one area. The DeWine-Husted administration and BroadbandOhio have been entrepreneurial in leveraging federal funds to make this happen," noted Geoff Andrews, Chief Executive Officer of the Management Council. "Congratulations to BroadbandOhio, school districts, ITCs, Connectivity Champions, and valued partners working to make reliable home internet a reality for so many Ohioans." Ohio's Information Technology Centers (ITCs) work together through a statewide network known as the Ohio Education Computer Network (OECN). The Management Council represents and coordinates the collaborative efforts of the OECN, which implements a broad spectrum of academic and administrative technologies across Ohio's PreK-12 education system. Contact: Jessica Madison, Management Council

614.840.9810; jessica.madison@managementcouncil.org View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/eleven-school-districts-awarded-1-4m-in-broadband-grants-301309264.html SOURCE The Management Council

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Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-09 07:33:47|Editor: huaxia

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People walk outside a vaccination center in Brussels, Belgium, June 8, 2021. The Consultative Committee in Belgium has agreed on new travel rules and relaxation plans to allow people to travel safely for their summer holidays. As of July 1, holidaymakers will be able to use an EU Digital COVID Certificate to travel around the EU bloc. The summer plan will enter into force on June 9. The hospitality sector is expected to reopen indoor areas from 5 a.m. until closing time at 11:30 p.m. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong)
[June 09, 2021] Hammer Fiber Optics Holdings Corp Announces Third Quarter Results and Improves Operating Results

NEW YORK, June 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hammer Fiber Optics Holdings Corp (OTCQB: HMMR) announced operating and financial results for the third quarter ended April 30, 2021, substantially improving its operating results, and completing several milestones in its telecommunications segment.

Key results include: Total revenues for the quarter were $611,237 a 20.12% increase from the quarter ended January 31, 2021, and a 57.17% increase over the quarter ended April 30, 2020, the same period in the prior year. The increase was due to very strong performance in the OTT (Over the Top) market segment which includes its SMS messaging practice, wholesale voice as well as the hosting business.





EBITDA (non-GAAP) for the quarter increased to $15,620. EBITDA loss was $30,325 for the quarter ended January 31, 2021, and a loss of $53,435 for the period ended April 30, 2020.





Construction of the first tower location in Huntsville, AL is now complete and the company has begun its marketing efforts. It is anticipated that the network will have a positive contribution to operations in the third quarter.





The Company continued to develop its HammerCall platform, including working with white label resellers on branded versions of the application. Users that are already on the platform have been reporting strong performance. HammerCall licenses will be included in certain fixed wirless packages, which will promote the application.





We are now beginning to see the benefit of the platform that we have established, said Kristen Vasicek, Hammers COO. The OTT business continues to grow organically and Hammers telecommunications practice will be well positioned to respond to opportunities as markets continue to recover. In addition to strong growth from the OTT segment, Hammer also announced that it has completed construction of the first tower site in Huntsville, AL. We are very pleased to announce Hammers return to the fixed wireless market. We are leveraging our strong brand recognition in the northern Alabama market to launch our wireless service for both the residential and business segments, said Erik Levitt, Hammers CEO. This is a significant milestone in Hammers Everything Wireless strategy, the core of Hammers telecommunications business.

Hammer continued to round out its OTT offerings with continuing development of its HammerCall platform, targeted toward video conferencing and collaboration. This included the production release of its IOS and Android applications. The Company also continued to work with its partners to develop white labelled versions of the application. A further update on our operations will be available via a HammerLive broadcast on Tuesday June 15th, 2021 at 4:00PM EDT, and viewable online at https://www.hammercorp.info/hammerlive. About Hammer

Hammer Fiber Optics Holdings Corp. (OTCQB:HMMR) is a telecommunications company investing in the future of wireless technology. Hammers Everything Wireless go to market strategy includes the development of high-speed fixed wireless service for residential and small businesses using its wireless fiber platform, Hammer Wireless AIR, Over-the-Top services such as voice, SMS and video collaboration services, the construction of smart city networks and hosting services including cloud and colocation. For more information contact our Investor Relations Team at info@hammerfiber.com





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[June 09, 2021] Hudson's Bay Honours LGBTQ2IA+ Pride With Commitment to Rainbow Railroad

In recognition of Pride month, Hudson's Bay announced today a partnership with Rainbow Railroad that will amplify stories of impact through Hudson's Bay social media channels. Hudson's Bay will also providing funding, with a $25,000 donation, as well as $10,000 of net proceeds from Hudson's Bay's cosmetic gift with purchase to support Rainbow Railroad's aid programs that include providing safe shelter, first response in global escalations of violence and connecting LGBTQ2IA+ community members to services such as health care and mental health support in their home country. "As we celebrate Pride this month at Hudson's Bay, we recognize that we all need to work to eliminate discrimination and hate, and together we can champion acceptance and impact change this month, and all year round," says Iain Nairn, President & CEO of Hudson's Bay. "Rainbow Railroad is a grassroots global non-profit organization founded in Canada that aims to provide basic safety to LGBTQ2IA+ people around the world facing violence and persecution," said Rainbow Railroad's Director of Philanthropy Dane Bland. "Because of Hudson's Bay's support, we will be able to help more people find safety, while continuing to advocate for a world in which no one has to flee their home just because of who they love or who they are." As part of the partnership with Rainbow Railroad, Hudson's Bay is working with seven Canadian creators to develop a photo journal of what Pride means to them, as well as highlight their favourite queer business in their local communities throughout June nd July. The campaign kicked off with Canadian Drag Superstar, Priyanka, who shared her journey here. Creators from Calgary, Edmonton, Halifax Montreal, and Vancouver will all share stories from across the country.



In addition, Hudson's Bay launched a multi-brand collection of Pride merchandise available on thebay.com. The assortment features brands like Levi's, Adidas, and MAC Cosmetics, all of whom actively contribute to LGBTQ2IA+ organisations with the goal of fostering equality. ABOUT HUDSON'S BAY

Hudson's Bay is a digital-first purpose-driven retailer helping Canadians live their best style of life. As one of the country's most iconic brands, Hudson's Bay operates 87 full-line locations and thebay.com featuring Marketplace -- the 5th largest e-commerce business in Canada. Hudson's Bay has established a reputation for quality and style through an unrivalled assortment including fashion, designer, home, beauty, food concepts and more. The Hudson's Bay Rewards program is ranked second in department store loyalty programs in Canada. Hudson's Bay operates under the HBC brand portfolio. Founded in 1670, HBC is North America's oldest company. The signature stripes are a registered trademark of HBC. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210609005792/en/

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[June 09, 2021] LiveVox to Present at the Northland Capital Markets Customer Engagement SaaS Conference on Tuesday, June 15th

LiveVox (News - Alert) Holdings, Inc. ("LiveVox") a cloud-based provider of customer service and digital engagement tools, today announced that its CEO, Louis Summe, and its CFO, Gregg Clevenger, will present at the Northland Capital Markets Customer Engagement SaaS (News - Alert) Conference on Tuesday, June 15, 2021 at 11:30 AM ET. In order to access this presentation, please register here or visit the Crescent Acquisition Corp Investor Relations page (www.crescentspac.com/investor-relations.html). If you would like to request a one-on-one meeting at the event, please contact your Northland Capital Markets representative. About LiveVox LiveVox, a portfolio company of Golden Gate Capital, is a cloud-based contact center platform. By seamlessly integrating omnichannel communications, customer relationship management (CRM), and workforce optimization (WFO), LiveVox delivers exceptional agent and customer experiences, while helping to reduce compliance risk. LiveVox's reliable, easy-to-use technology enables effective engagement strategies on channels of choice to help drive contact center performance. Founded in 2000, LiveVox is headquartered in San Francisco with offices in Atlanta, Denver, St. Louis, Colombia, and Bangalore. To learn more, visit www.livevox.com. On January 14, 2021, LiveVox announced plans to merge with Crescent Acquisition Corp ("Crescent") to become a publicly traded company. Consummation of the transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including approval by Crescent's stockholders. About Crescent Acquisition Corp Crescent is a special purpose acquisition company formed by Crescent Capital, Robert D. Beyer and Todd M. Purdy for the purpose of effecting a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses or assets. About Golden Gate Capital Golden Gate Capital is a San Francisco-based private equity investment firm with over $17 billion of committed capital. The principals of Golden Gate Capital have a long and successful history of investing across a wide range of industries and transaction types, including going-privates, corporate divestitures, and recapitalizations, as well as debt and public equity investments. Notable software and services investments sponsored by Golden Gate Capital include Infor, BMC, Neustar, Ensemble Health Partners, Vector Solutions, and 20-20 Technologies. IMPORTANT LEGAL INFORMATION Additional Information about the Proposed Transaction and Where to Find It This communication may be deemed solicitation material in respect of the proposed business combination (the "Business Combination") between Crescent and LiveVox. The Business Combination will be submitted to the stockholders of Cescent and LiveVox for their approval. In connection with such stockholder vote, Crescent filed with the SEC (News - Alert) a proxy statement on Schedule 14A and mailed a definitive proxy statement to its stockholders in connection with Crescent's solicitation of proxies for the special meeting of the stockholders of Crescent to be held to approve the Business Combination. This communication does not contain all the information that should be considered concerning the proposed Business Combination and the other matters to be voted upon at the special meeting and is not intended to provide the basis for any investment decision or any other decision in respect of such matters. Crescent's stockholders and other interested parties are urged to read the proxy statement, the amendments thereto, the definitive proxy statement and any other relevant documents that are filed or furnished or will be filed or will be furnished with the SEC carefully and in their entirety in connection with Crescent's solicitation of proxies for the special meeting to be held to approve the Business Combination and other related matters, as these materials contain important information about LiveVox and Crescent and the proposed Business Combination. The definitive proxy statement is being mailed to the stockholders of Crescent as of the record date established for voting on the proposed Business Combination and the other matters to be voted upon at the special meeting. Such stockholders may also obtain copies of the proxy statement, without charge, at the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov, at Crescent's website at http://www.crescentspac.com or by directing a request to Crescent Acquisition Corp, 11100 Santa Monica Blvd., Suite 2000, Los Angeles, CA (News - Alert) 90025.



Forward-Looking Statements This communication contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These statements may be made directly in this communication. Some of the forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking words. Statements that are not historical in nature, including the words "anticipate," "expect," "suggests," "plan," "believe," "intend," "estimates," "targets," "projects," "should," "could," "would," "may," "will," "forecast" and other similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are based upon management estimates and forecasts and reflect the views, assumptions, expectations, and opinions of Crescent or LiveVox, as the case may be, as of the date of this communication, and may include, without limitation, changes in general economic conditions, including as a result of COVID-19, all of which are accordingly subject to change. Any such estimates, assumptions, expectations, forecasts, views or opinions set forth in this communication constitute Crescent's or LiveVox's, as the case may be, judgments and should be regarded as indicative, preliminary and for illustrative purposes only. The forward-looking statements and projections contained in this communication are subject to a number of factors, risks and uncertainties, some of which are not currently known to Crescent or LiveVox, that may cause Crescent's or LiveVox's actual results, performance or financial condition to be materially different from the expectations of future results, performance of financial condition. Although such forward-looking statements have been made in good faith and are based on assumptions that Crescent or LiveVox, as the case may be, believe to be reasonable, there is no assurance that the expected results will be achieved. Crescent's and LiveVox's actual results may differ materially from the results discussed in forward-looking statements. Additional information on factors that may cause actual results and Crescent's performance to differ materially is included in Crescent's periodic reports filed with the SEC, including but not limited to Crescent's Amendment No. 1 to its Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020. Copies of Crescent's filings with the SEC are available publicly on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov or may be obtained by contacting Crescent. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. These forward-looking statements are made only as of the date hereof, and neither Crescent nor LiveVox undertake any obligations to update or revise the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

No Offer or Solicitation This communication is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer or invitation for the sale or purchase of securities, assets or the business described herein or a commitment to Crescent or LiveVox with respect to any of the foregoing, and this filing shall not form the basis of any contract, nor is it a solicitation of any vote, consent, or approval in any jurisdiction pursuant to or in connection with the Business Combination or otherwise, nor shall there be any sale, issuance or transfer of securities in any jurisdiction in contravention of applicable law. Participants in Solicitation Crescent and LiveVox, and their respective directors and executive officers, may be deemed participants in the solicitation of proxies of Crescent's stockholders in respect of the Business Combination. Information about the directors and executive officers of Crescent and of LiveVox and more detailed information regarding the identity of all potential participants, and their direct and indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, are set forth in the proxy statement for the Business Combination. Additional information regarding the identity of all potential participants in the solicitation of proxies to Crescent's stockholders in connection with the proposed Business Combination and other matters to be voted upon at the special meeting, and their direct and indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, are included in the proxy statement that Crescent filed with the SEC. Investors may obtain such information by reading such proxy statement. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210609005525/en/

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North Carolina Virtual Academy Celebrates Graduates with Commencement Ceremony

North Carolina Virtual Academy (NCVA), an online public charter school authorized by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, will celebrate the Class of 2021 during a virtual commencement ceremony on Friday, June 11th.

The graduation will celebrate the achievements of 188 students. Collectively, the Class of 2021 reports it has been accepted to trade schools, colleges and universities across the country, including: Wake Technical Community College, North Carolina State University, Wake Forest University, the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

"Many of our students have overcome tremendous obstacles this year," said NCVA's Interim Head of School Marcia Simmons. "We're so proud to celebrate their accomplishments and give them a well-earned sendoff."

Students enroll in NCVA for a number of reasons-some are looking to escape bullying, soe may have fallen academically off track, and others are looking for an alternative to the traditional classroom setting. NCVA students access a robust online curriculum in the core subjects of math, science, English language arts, history, art and music as well as a host of electives ranging from regular to honors and Advanced Placement. These live virtual classes are taught by state-licensed teachers.







Details of the graduation ceremony are as follows:

WHAT: North Carolina Virtual Academy 2021 Graduation Ceremony

WHEN: Friday, June 11th at 11 a.m. ET

WHERE: Link to watch the graduation virtually is available upon request

About North Carolina Virtual Academy

North Carolina Virtual Academy (NCVA) is a full-time online public charter school authorized by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction that serves students in grades K-12. As an authorized public charter school program in North Carolina, NCVA is tuition-free, and gives families the choice to access curriculum and tools provided by Stride Inc. (NYSE: LRN). For more information about NCVA, visit ncva.k12.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210609005001/en/
[June 09, 2021] Parkview Health Signs With Indiana's HIE, Expanding the Data Reach for Public Health

Indiana Health Information Exchange (IHIE) is excited to announce that Parkview Health, a northeast Indiana health system with 12 hospitals, is now contributing data to the state HIE. Parkview is based in Fort Wayne, IN, and its participation in the HIE adds significantly to the data/information available statewide to support patient care, population health, and public health. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210609005426/en/ IHIE is a non-profit organization, founded in 2004, that operates the Indiana Network for Patient Care (INPC)-the nation's largest inter-organizational clinical data repository with participation from over 117 hospitals, 18,000 practices and over 50,000 providers, including data on more than 17 million patients. "We understand the power of data and its impact on the health of our community," said Ron Double, chief information officer, Parkview Health. "The pandemic demonstrated the importance of securely sharing information and collaborating with agencies across the state. Parkview is looking forward to seeing the impact of this partnership, especially in research and innovation." In 2020, IHIE consolidated with Michiana Health Information Network (MHIN), located in South Bend, IN, to establish one HIE for the entire state, giving providers and other health and healthcare stakeholders a single-and robust, longitudinal-source of connected patient information. This consolidation, coupled with IHIE's support of the Indiana Deparment of Health's response to COVID-19, has allowed IHIE to gather clinical data to support public health, population health and individual patient care, solidifying IHIE as the statewide health data utility serving Indiana.



"As Indiana's statewide health information exchange, IHIE believes it has a responsibility to securely gather, analyze and communicate information in the best interest of public health, and specifically, in support of the Indiana Department of Health," said John Kansky, chief executive officer, Indiana Health Information Exchange. "I believe Parkview's participation will have a significant positive impact, and we greatly appreciate their participation." Parkview's participation adds clinical data from northeast Indiana to enhance the INPC as a truly statewide asset-helping Parkview patients and healthcare providers across the state. The benefits to the Parkview addition include, but are not limited to, public health coordination and research, population health data, and cost efficiency for providers and patients.

"Data are essential to us in our work to protect the health and safety of Hoosiers," said State Health Commissioner Kristina Box (News - Alert) , M.D., FACOG. "Adding Parkview Health to IHIE will greatly enhance our ability to make data-driven, evidence-based decisions for the whole state." IHIE is excited to work with Parkview to continue advancing health and healthcare throughout the state. About Indiana Health Information Exchange (IHIE) IHIE was founded in 2004 as a non-profit health information exchange that enables hospitals, physicians, laboratories, payers, and other health service providers to avoid redundancy and deliver faster, more efficient, higher quality healthcare to patients in Indiana. Today, by making information available to approximately 50,000 healthcare providers in Indiana and neighboring states, we deliver services that make a real difference in health and healthcare. About Parkview Health Parkview Health is a not-for-profit, community-based health system serving a northeast Indiana and northwest Ohio population of more than 850,000. Parkview Health's mission is to improve health and inspire well-being in the communities it serves. With more than 13,000 co-workers, it serves as the region's largest employer. Parkview Health includes 10 hospitals and an extensive network of primary care and specialty care physicians. The flagship Parkview Regional Medical Center campus includes services such as the Parkview Cancer Institute, Parkview Heart Institute, Samaritan flight and ground transport program, Parkview Ortho Hospital, a certified stroke center, verified adult and pediatric trauma centers, Women's & Children's Hospital and an outpatient services center. Parkview Health has been designated a Magnet health system for nursing excellence. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210609005426/en/

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[June 09, 2021]

Reblaze Organizes First Virtual CNCF Community Meeting to Discuss Open Source Project Curiefense

SUNNYVALE, Calif., June 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reblaze , a leading cloud native, fully managed application security solution provider, today announced that it will be hosting its first virtual Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF) Community Meeting to discuss upcoming features for its open source project Curiefense (a CNCF Sandbox Project) 1.4.0, highlight community contributions, and more.



Curiefense is Reblazes cloud native, open source platform, which protects and mitigates threats, while upholding user privacy. The platform, which became generally available in March 2021, builds upon modern practices such as GitOps and provides native security support for containerized deployments such as Kubernetes and service meshes such as Istio.

The virtual event, happening on Wednesday, June 9 at 10 a.m. PT, will be hosted by:

Flavio Percoco, Senior Principal Software Engineer at Red Hat

Aviv Galmidi, Full Stack Engineer at Reblaze

Xavier Mehrenerger, Computer Security Researcher at Airbus

Spiros Psarris, Technical Communications at Reblaze







More information, including details for attending the event, can be found at the following link: https://community.cncf.io/events/details/cncf-curiefense-presents-virtual-community-meeting-1/

Supporting Resources

Curiefense

GitHub - Curiefense

CNCF - Curiefense

About Reblaze

Reblaze is a cloud-based, fully managed security solution provider for sites, web applications, services, and APIs. Its unified and proprietary technology solution is fully integrated with AWS, Azure, Google, and Digital Ocean, and combines Machine Learning, adaptive threat detection, and dedicated Virtual Private Clouds to protect client assets from Internet threats. It offers next-gen WAF, autoscaling DoS/DDoS protection, Bot Management, API Security, CDN integration, real-time traffic control, and more via its intuitive web-based management console. Biometric human detection and Behavioral Analysis identifies and blocks even sophisticated modern bots that mimic human actions and can evade traditional bot mitigation solutions. In addition to its international partner network, Reblaze has offices in the U.S., Singapore, and Israel.

Media Contact

Reagan McAfee

Offleash for Reblaze

reblaze@offleashpr.com
[June 09, 2021] Shinesty Sues Tommy John Over Ball Hammock Trademark Infringement

Shinesty, Inc., (the "Company") the leading apparel brand for people who don't take themselves too seriously, announced that it has filed a suit against Tommy John Inc. ("Tommy John") to prevent Tommy John from infringing on - and profiting from - Shinesty's trademarked Ball Hammock line of men's underwear. Shinesty designs and sells the "most comfortable underwear you'll ever wear," Men's Health Magazine stated in 2017. Shinesty registered its proprietary Ball Hammock mark in 2018. In a brazen move to capitalize on Shinesty's innovation, creativity, effort and hard-won brand recognition, Shinesty alleges in its suit that Tommy John misappropriated Shinesty's trademark and launched the Tommy John version of the "Hammock Pouch" in 2020. Shinesty made several amicable attempts to protect its brand and trademark prior to filing suit against Tommy John. Chris White, Co-Founder and CEO of the cheeky start-up brand, even reached out personally to Tom Patterson, CEO of Tommy John, but got no reply. "We area fun brand with fun products but we take any attempt to infringe upon our creativity, innovation, design and quality very seriously," said White. "Despite our numerous friendly attempts to protect our trademark by reaching out directly to Tommy John, we've been forced to take action. We will vigorously protect our bestselling underwear and trademark rights against any competitor, no matter how large. We've invested significant time and resources growing Ball Hammock into the memorable brand it is today."



Shinesty has been selling Ball Hammock Pouch underwear since 2017. The company initially filed to register its trademark "Ball Hammock" for underwear, shorts and men's swimwear in 2018; the trademark was registered in October 2019. Shinesty also owns the trademark for "Hammock Life Clothing" for beachwear, footwear, hats and underwear.

"Ball Hammock underwear is one of our best-selling items, and for good reason; the technical design and quality of materials are best-in-class, and our signature outrageous graphics are iconic," said Jens Nicolaysen, Shinesty Co-Founder and Chief Marketing Officer. "As a start-up, we put our hearts into the Ball Hammock brand and product, it's our crown jewel and Tommy John knows it." In a modern-day David vs. Goliath, the suit asks that Tommy John be prohibited from further use of Shinesty's "hammock" marks, as well as monetary damages, derived from Tommy John's unauthorized use of the "HAMMOCK" marks. "We've built a strong brand connection with our customers and we intend to protect it. As far as we're concerned we're the original, and only, Ball Hammock brand of underwear," White added. The case was filed in The United States District Court for the District of Colorado: Shinesty, Inc. v. Tommy John, Inc., 1:21-cv-01442 (D. Colo. 2021). Shinesty is being represented by Portland-based Kolitch Romano LLP. ABOUT SHINESTY Shinesty is the number one apparel brand for people who don't take themselves too seriously. Their iconic, supportive, Ball Hammock pouch underwear has been worn by over 1 million people and has been dubbed the "most comfortable underwear you'll ever wear," by Men's Health Magazine. Shinesty also designs and sells dozens of other product lines you have to see to believe. This small but successful business was started by two friends in Boulder, Colorado in 2014. Today the company and its Ball Hammock line of underwear supports over 50 employees and their families in the Denver area and beyond. The company hopes to continue to grow and employ more Coloradans in the future. Stay Weird & Shine On

www.shinesty.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210609005551/en/

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[June 09, 2021] Sierra Space Enters Into International Agreement With Spaceport Cornwall for Dream Chaser Spaceplane; Bolsters UK Space Industry

Sierra Space, the new commercial space subsidiary of global aerospace and national security leader Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC), announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Spaceport Cornwall, the UK's horizontal launch Spaceport at Cornwall Airport Newquay in South West England. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210609005506/en/ See video news link: https://vimeo.com/558754536/f2f81fa822 The MOU represents the latest significant advancement for the UK space industry and the broader plan for sustained operations at Spaceport Cornwall. Furthermore, the MOU is expected to lead to a more detailed study in the future by Sierra Space for potentially naming Spaceport Cornwall as an approved orbital return location for the company's Dream Chaser spaceplane missions in the future. Dream Chaser is the world's only privately-owned spaceplane capable of civil and commercial missions; it returns to Earth from space via a conventional runway landing. Sierra Space did an additional evaluation of the site as part of the successful completion of the Concept of Operations (CONOPS). The resulting agreement specifically identifies Spaceport Cornwall as a suitable and viable return location for the orbital return of Sierra Space's Dream Chaser spaceplane. The CONOPS, funded by the UK Space Agency as part of their Horizontal Launch Fund, investigated a number of factors including the operational requirements of Dream Chaser, the US/UK regulatory framework, return mission trajectory analysis, risk analysis, environmental and infrastructure review, as well as a consideration of present and future supply chain capability. "In the backdrop of the G7 Summit, Sierra Space is pleased to announce the ongoing progress we are making with Spaceport Cornwall as a viable site for Dream Chaser," said Fatih Ozmen, CEO and owner of SNC. "Sierra Space understands and embraces the historical significance this milestone represents for Cornwall, a great partner, and the broader UK space industry. We share with Spaceport Cornwall a vision to increase and democratize space sector participation by lowering the cost of access to space and communicatin the vital role satellites can play in combating some of the global climate challenges world leaders are currently discussing at G7."



"We are delighted to welcome representatives from Sierra Space to Cornwall during the G7 Summit, and to announce the signing of the MOU," said Melissa Thorpe, Head of Spaceport Cornwall. Spaceport Cornwall is a multi-user spaceport and it's a great achievement to add an additional launch partner to our consortium a year ahead of first launch from the site in 2022. Satellite technology offers so much hope in combating many of the environmental challenges being discussed here this week, and we are proud to be able to showcase the part Cornwall, and the UK is playing." Sierra Space has long been targeted by Spaceport Cornwall as a potential second launch partner in addition to Virgin Orbit, who will achieve the UK's first ever sovereign orbital launch from the site in 2022.

About Dream Chaser Spaceplane Owned and operated by Sierra Space, the Dream Chaser spaceplane is a reusable, multi-mission space utility vehicle. Known as America's Spaceplane, Dream Chaser is capable of transportation services to and from low-Earth orbit and is the only commercial, lifting-body vehicle capable of a runway landing. The Dream Chaser Cargo System was selected by NASA to provide cargo delivery and disposal services to the International Space Station under the Commercial Resupply Services 2 (CRS-2) contract. All Dream Chaser CRS-2 cargo missions are planned to land at Space Florida's Shuttle Landing Facility at Kennedy Space Center. About Sierra Space Sierra Space is a new independent commercial space company, created from the space capabilities of Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC). Leveraging breakthrough technologies including the Dream Chaser spaceplane and expandable LIFE habitat, Sierra Space builds and delivers the future of space transportation, destinations and infrastructure for LEO commercialization. Its turnkey, space-as-a-service solutions are modular, scalable and reusable, opening space to new participants globally. With 30+ years of proven spaceflight heritage, Sierra Space has provided more than 4,000 systems, subsystems and components to customers worldwide, and participated in more than 500 missions to space, including to Mars. Sierra Space is a subsidiary of global aerospace and national security leader Sierra Nevada Corporation. For more information in Sierra Space, please visit www.sncorp.com. About Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) Owned by Chairwoman and President Eren Ozmen and CEO Fatih Ozmen, SNC is a trusted leader in engineering answers to the world's toughest challenges, through customer-focused technologies and best-of-breed integrations in aerospace and defense and national security space. For nearly 60 years, SNC technology has delivered state-of-the-art civil, military and commercial solutions. SNC has received numerous awards and distinctions innovation, customer satisfaction and leadership including being named a US Best Managed Company for two consecutive years. In spring 2021, SNC announced the transition of its Space Systems business area to an independent commercial space company, Sierra Space. For additional Sierra Nevada Corporation and Sierra Space photo and video assets, please visit: https://AdhocFTP.sncorp.com Username: LSZRZVYUKE

Password: fr0MZk2y About Spaceport Cornwall For video and other media content: www.spaceportcornwall.com/media.html#press.html#press Spaceport Cornwall is the horizontal space launch site at Cornwall Airport Newquay, in South West England. Spaceport Cornwall is a partnership between Cornwall Council, commercial launch operator Virgin Orbit and Goonhilly Earth Station. The consortium will deliver small satellite launch into lower Earth Orbit, for the first time ever from the UK by 2022. The project is funded by the UK Space Agency, Cornwall Council, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership and Virgin Orbit. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210609005506/en/

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[June 09, 2021] Sunshine Biopharma Mice Study for COVID-19 Treatment Progressing as Planned

MONTREAL, June 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sunshine Biopharma Inc. (OTC PINK: SBFM), a pharmaceutical company focused on the research, development and commercialization of oncology and antiviral drugs, today confirmed that its COVID-19 mice study currently underway at the University of Georgia is progressing as planned. The study is assessing the efficacy of two protease inhibitors in preventing transgenic mice challenged with SARS-CoV-2 from progressing to illness and death. Should these studies prove successful, the Company plans to file the data with the FDA and request authorization to do testing in actual COVID-19 patients. Sunshine Biopharmas protease inhibitor treatment is anticipated to be orally available making it possible for the treatment to be in tablet form which can be taken at home.

We are moving the project forward as fast as possible, albeit within the constraints of science, said Dr. Steve Slilaty, CEO of Sunshine Biopharma. We are optimistic that our research efforts will culminate in a drug that will help turn the page on the pandemic, he added. About Sunshine Biopharma Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the causative agent of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic that has claimed the lives of over 3.7 million people worldwide since it first appeared in December 2019. There are currently no drugs that can effectively arrest replication of the virus in people who have contracted the illness. Sunshine Biopharma has completed the synthesis of four potential inhibitors of PLpro and subsequently identified a lead compound, SBFM-PL4. On February 1, 2021, Sunshine Biopharma entered into an exclusive license agreement with the University of Georgia for two Anti-Coronavirus compounds which the University of Georgia had previously developed and patented. The Company is currently advancing the development of these two compounds in parallel with its own SBFM-PL4 by conducting a transgenic mice study in collaboration with the University of Georgia College of Pharmacy. The mice being used in the study have been genetically engineered to express the human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (hACE2) transmembrane protein in their lungs making them susceptible to lethal infection by SARS-CoV-2. The SARS-CoV-2 virus uses the hACE2 receptor to gain entry into human cells to replicate. The goal of the study is to determine if these protease inhibitors will protect the hACE2-transgenic mice from disease progression and death following infection with SARS-CoV-2. Should these mice studies prove successful, Sunshine Biopharma plans to submit the results to the FDA for authorization to conduct testing on actual COVID-19 patient volunteers in a Phase I clinical trial setting.



In addition, to working on the development of a treatment for COVID-19, Sunshine Biopharma is engaged in the development Adva-27a, a unique anticancer compound. Tests conducted to date have demonstrated the effectiveness of Adva-27a at destroying Multidrug Resistant Cancer Cells, including Pancreatic Cancer cells, Small-Cell Lung Cancer cells, Breast Cancer cells, and Uterine Sarcoma cells. Clinical trials for Pancreatic Cancer indication are planned to be conducted at McGill Universitys Jewish General Hospital in Montreal, Canada. Sunshine Biopharma is owner of all patents and intellectual property pertaining to Adva-27a.

Safe Harbor Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain forward looking statements which are based on current expectations, forecasts, and assumptions that involve risks as well as uncertainties that could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially from those anticipated or expected, including statements related to the amount and timing of expected revenues statements related to our financial performance, expected income, distributions, and future growth for upcoming quarterly and annual periods. These risks and uncertainties are further defined in filings and reports by the Company with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Actual results and the timing of certain events could differ materially from those projected in or contemplated by the forward-looking statements due to a number of factors detailed from time to time in our filings with the SEC. Among other matters, the Company may not be able to sustain growth or achieve profitability based upon many factors including but not limited to general stock market conditions. Reference is hereby made to cautionary statements set forth in the Company's most recent SEC filings. We have incurred and will continue to incur significant expenses in our expansion of our existing as well as new service lines noting there is no assurance that we will generate enough revenues to offset those costs in both the near and long term. Additional service offerings may expose us to additional legal and regulatory costs and unknown exposure(s) based upon the various geopolitical locations we will be providing services in, the impact of which cannot be predicted at this time. For Additional Information Contact:

Camille Sebaaly, CFO

Sunshine Biopharma Inc.

Direct Line: 514-814-0464

camille.sebaaly@sunshinebiopharma.com

www.sunshinebiopharma.com



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[June 09, 2021] University of Alabama takes top honors in The EcoCAR Mobility Challenge

CHICAGO, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The University of Alabama has been named The EcoCAR Mobility Challenge Year Three champion, taking the lead in the premier four-year collegiate automotive engineering competition. Rounding out the top three are The Ohio State University in second place and West Virginia University in third place. "This past year has brought unprecedented challenges, but we pivoted quickly and found ways to deliver a high-quality educational experience for EcoCAR students," said Kristen Wahl, Advanced Vehicle Technology Competitions Director at Argonne National Laboratory. "The EcoCAR Mobility Challenge brings together some of the most innovative minds in academia to solve complex challenges facing the future of mobility. These students have demonstrated their ability to navigate new obstacles and develop unique solutions that will help America's transportation sector design more efficient vehicles." Last night during the Year 3 Awards Ceremony, The EcoCAR Mobility Challenge celebrated the winners in over 40 categories and awarded more than $100,000 in prize money to the associated universities. For jumping to the top of the leaderboard, the Crimson Tide will take home an extra $10,000 to further support the university's advanced vehicle technology program. EcoCAR  the latest U.S. Department of Energy Advanced Vehicle Technology Competition sponsored by General Motors and MathWorks  challenges 11 North American universities to apply advanced propulsion systems, electrification, SAE Level 2 automation and vehicle connectivity to improve the energy efficiency of a 2019 Chevrolet Blazer, all while balancing factors such as emissions, safety and consumer acceptability. Teams have four years (2018-2022) to transform their vehicles from design concept into reality, building an energy efficient, connected and semi-automated vehicle. "We're always impressed by the level of creativity students bring to this challenge, and this year the students exceeded our expectations," said Kelly Speakes-Backman, Acting Assistant Secretary of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Enrgy at the U.S. Department of Energy. "The EcoCAR students have demonstrated their resolve and creativity to transform their virtual designs for the future of mobility into reality  all with the additional constraints brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic."



Year Three marks a critical point in the program where students must make the pivot from propulsion system integration to controls development and testing. Throughout the last two years, the students strived to conceptualize and build the framework for their redesigned Chevrolet Blazers. In Year Three, they put that work to the test and took the vehicles to the roads to assess its drivability, performance and energy efficiency. Each team was scored across six key areas ranging from Propulsion System Integration, Propulsion Controls and Modeling, Connected and Automated Vehicle Systems (CAV), Project Management and Communications. "We're all impressed by the remarkable effort of students who worked through pandemic-related challenges in addition to the intense demands of making project vehicles run on propulsion systems they've designed. Their experiences in the last 12 months have paralleled what we in industry have faced," said Ken Morris, GM vice president, Autonomous and Electric Vehicle Programs. "EcoCAR has once again delivered on its promise of being a training ground for students in many engineering disciplines, as well as project management and communications. Mentors from GM that support each team are always energized by the creativity and dedication of the student competitors."

"We are impressed with the progress and innovation the teams demonstrated in Year Three, particularly in light of the challenging environment," said Lauren Tabolinsky, academic program manager, MathWorks. "Leveraging their design work from Years One and Two, the students were able to collaborate remotely and test virtually before moving onto physical performance assessments of their vehicles. This was a great example of the kind of real-world challenges these students will face in their careers and they rose to the occasion." Additional sponsors joining the U.S. Department of Energy, General Motors and MathWorks, include NXP, National Science Foundation, Intel, American Axle & Manufacturing, Bosch, PACCAR, dSPACE, Siemens, Denso, AVL, Horiba, TRC, Borg Warner, California Air Resources Board, Proterra, tesa tape, Vector, OXTS, Gage, Electric Power Research Institute, J.D. Power and Consumer Reports. For more information about The EcoCAR Mobility Challenge, please visit www.avtcseries.org. About The EcoCAR Mobility Challenge

EcoCAR Mobility Challenge is a four-year collegiate engineering program that builds on the successful 33-year history of Department of Energy Advanced Vehicle Technology Competitions (AVTC) by giving engineering students the chance to design and build advanced vehicle technologies that explore affordable and highly efficient vehicle solutions. General Motors provides each of the 11 competing teams with a 2019 Chevrolet Blazer, as well as vehicle components, seed money, technical mentoring and operational support. MathWorks provides teams with a full suite of software tools, simulation models, training, technical mentoring and operational support. The U.S. Department of Energy and Argonne National Laboratory, provide competition management, team evaluation and logistical support. Other sponsors provide hardware, software and training. Through this important public/private partnership, EcoCAR provides invaluable hands-on skills to promising, young minds ready to enter the workforce. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/university-of-alabama-takes-top-honors-in-the-ecocar-mobility-challenge-301308726.html SOURCE EcoCAR

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Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-09 09:30:17|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

SARAJEVO, June 9 (Xinhua) -- Sifet Podzic, defense minister of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), on Tuesday called for Balkan regional cooperation to stand up to security challenges.

Podzic made the remark when opening the 14th Balkan Countries Chiefs of Defense Conference, which was held here to improve military cooperation among Balkan countries, strengthen the response to regional security challenges, and promote regional stability.

"While acknowledging all their political, economic and social differences, Southeast European countries belong to the same security region. They are affected by the same or very similar security threats, risks and challenges, whose consequences are generally spilling over and expand beyond national borders," said Podzic.

The conference offered the participants a chance to summarize experiences to more effectively apply the existing models to operational partnership, he added.

A joint statement on further cooperation was signed at the forum.

The members of the conference also include Albania, Bulgaria, Montenegro, Greece, Romania, North Macedonia, Serbia and Turkey. Enditem
[June 09, 2021] VARC Solutions Launches Free Resources Page for Quickbase and QuickBooks Users

FRIENDSWOOD, Texas, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- VARC Solutions announces launch of Free Offers page to support Texas Small Businesses. Free Quickbase offers include an application efficiency and usability review and free Quickbase client map for help with marketing. Free QuickBooks offers include a QuickBooks company file review, QuickBooks Online free trial, and QuickBooks Time (formerly TSheets) free trial. In coordination with Avalara, VARC Solutions is offering a free sales tax risk assessment. Free Offers Support Texas Businesses Hurt by COVID-19 VARC Solutions has launched a Free Offers page to support Texas small businesses recovering from the impact of COVID-19 restrictions. Businesses looking to rebound from the pandemic can benefit from the expert advice and resources of a fellow Texas business. For businesses using Quickbase as their cloud CRM or project management solution, VARC Solutions is providing a free application review to help with efficiency and usability. For existing QuickBooks users, a free file review can expose setup problems before they become bigger problems. Andfor businesses looking to try software risk-free, VARC Solutions provides free trials for QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Time tracking. Additional free offers are being developed.



"Every small business needs a little help, and we feel that help is needed now more than ever. As a woman-owned Texas business, we're leveraging our Quickbase and QuickBooks expertise and business relationships to help out where we can. Our free offers page provides a growing list of free resources for small businesses," says Robin Hall, President & Principal Consultant at VARC Solutions. Growing List of Free Resources

VARC Solutions' recently launched free offers page includes the most valuable free resources currently available, with plans to continue adding resources other small businesses will find beneficial. "We're actively looking for valuable offers to add to our freebie page to support fellow small businesses," said Robin Hall. About VARC Solutions: VARC Solutions is an Award-Winning Solution Provider for QuickBooks and Quickbase based in Friendswood, TX. VARC Solutions provides discounted QuickBooks software, payroll, merchant services, outsourced bookkeeping and consulting services, and 3rd party integrations to small business clients in the Houston Texas area and across the United States. Contact:

Robin Hall

281-412-6914

press@varcsolutions.com View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/varc-solutions-launches-free-resources-page-for-quickbase-and-quickbooks-users-301308529.html SOURCE VARC Solutions

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[June 09, 2021] Voxtur Executes Letter of Intent to Acquire Benutech

TORONTO and TAMPA, Fla., June 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Voxtur Analytics Corp. (TSXV: VXTR; OTCQB: VXTRF) (Voxtur or the Company) is pleased to announce that it has signed a non-binding letter of intent (LOI) to acquire Benutech, Inc. (Benutech), a preeminent source of innovative data solutions and technology applications for real estate professionals (the Acquisition).

This acquisition is strategically aligned with the Voxtur model of providing user-friendly SaaS tools designed to give real estate finance companies better control of their data, said Gary Yeoman, CEO of Voxtur. Benutechs strong performance as evidenced by historical recurring revenue demonstrates the confidence that clients have in the transformative Benutech platform. With one of the largest repositories of real-time property data in the United States, Benutech enables title professionals and real estate agents to access real property data from multiple public and private data sources. Benutechs primary applications, Title Toolbox and ReboGateway, are intended to not only create efficiencies for clients, but also provide advanced warning of changing market conditions. Benutechs data repository would further expand the depth and breadth of Voxturs data store, making it one of the most comprehensive real property data stores in the market and the only validated, customizable repository built on an end-to-end, secure AI-optimized platform, said Jim Albertelli, President of Voxtur. About Voxtur

Voxtur is a transformational real estate technology company that is redefining industry standards in the real estate finance lifecycle. The Company offers automated workflows and targeted data nalytics to simplify property valuation, tax solutions, and settlement services for investors, lenders, government agencies and mortgage servicers. Voxturs proprietary data hub and unique platforms allow clients to more accurately and efficiently value and manage assets, securitize portfolios and evaluate tax assessments. The Company serves the property lending and property tax sectors, both public and private, in the United States (US) and Canada. For more information, visit www.voxtur.com.



Cautionary Note: Completion of the Acquisition is subject to a number of conditions, including but not limited to, any necessary stock exchange or other regulatory approvals. The Acquisition cannot close until the required approvals are obtained. There can be no assurance that the Acquisition will be completed as proposed or at all. Information regarding Benutech is based on managements current assessment of the Acquisition and are not statements by Benutech. Investors are cautioned that any information released or received with respect to the Acquisition may not be accurate or complete and should not be relied upon. The TSX Venture Exchange has in no way passed upon the merits of the Acquisition and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release.

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 Information Forward-Looking Information: This news release contains forward-looking statements that involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions that may not be realized. These statements relate to future events or future performance and reflect managements current expectations and assumptions which are based on information currently available to management. There is significant risk that forward-looking statements will not prove to be accurate. A number of factors could cause actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements discussed in the forward-looking statements. The inclusion of forward-looking statements and information should not be regarded as a representation of Voxtur or any other person (including Benutech) that the anticipated results will be achieved and investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such information. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release and, accordingly, are subject to change after such date. Voxtur does not assume any obligation to update or revise this information to reflect new events or circumstances except as required in accordance with applicable laws. Voxturs common shares are traded on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol VXTR and in the US on the OTCQB under the symbol VXTRF.

Contact: Gary Yeoman, CEO | gary@voxtur.com | 416-347-7707

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[June 08, 2021] New LECIP Fareboxes Will Make NCTD Services More Convenient

LECIP Inc., LECIP Holdings Corporation's consolidated subsidiary, has been awarded a contract for the replacement of the cash fare collection system on the North County Transit District's (NCTD) BREEZE buses serving North San Diego County. Beginning in early 2022, LECIP will deliver and install the new cash fare collection system to NCTD. The new fareboxes will provide an easier and quicker way for riders to pay their fare, resulting in enhanced convenience for NCTD BREEZE passengers. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210608005031/en/ LECIP Inc's brand-new "LF-7000" farebox (Photo: Business Wire) "It is truly an honor to be awarded this project from NCTD," said Akio Fujii, CEO of LECIP Inc. "LECIP looks forward to kicking off the new cash fare collection system with added functionality and benefits for NCTD's riders. We are excited to have another footprint on the west coast with this important project." Passengers will begin to see the new fareboxes aboard BREEZE buses in January 2022. The new fareboxes will replace the existing fareboxes that had reached the end of theiruseful life and feature a simplified user interface for both passengers and the Bus Operator, making it easier for customers to understand how much fare is due and for the Operator to see how much cash has been deposited.



"We believe LECIP's innovative farebox will provide a new level of ease for both riders and Operators on our BREEZE buses," said NCTD Board Chair Tony Kranz. "With the simplified interface, riders will now be able to pay their fare aboard BREEZE buses quickly and easily, helping them get where they need to go faster and more efficiently. This investment in a new cash fare collection system also provides enhanced ridership data that can be used to help improve the rider experience and bring more convenient services to our passengers in North County. Along with the new and improved fare system, PRONTO, coming soon, these cutting-edge upgrades will dramatically improve the customer riding experience." The project also features a cloud based back-office system using Software as a Service ( SaaS (News - Alert) ). This is the first time LECIP will be offering the back-office system with the SaaS business model for the U.S. market. Maintenance and support services on this back-office system will be provided for at least 10 years, which will enhance NCTD's accessibility to daily transaction data and allow for efficient system management.

The 10-year contract was approved at the April 22, 2021 NCTD Board Meeting and includes the farebox units and installation, depot vaults, SaaS back-office, testing, training, and maintenance and system support. About LECIP: LECIP, established in Japan in 1953, is one of the leading suppliers for bus equipment and systems with a wide range of product/solution portfolios. It includes solutions such as ETA (Estimated Time of Arrival) information, Passenger Information Display Systems, LED Destination Sign, Cash Fare Boxes, Ticketing Printers, Automated Fare Collection Systems for route buses, Transit Management Systems, LED Lighting for trains, and Industrial Equipment. LECIP serves more than 60,000 buses in Japan and over 5,500 buses in Singapore, that are currently in operation. LECIP has over 60% market share for fare collections systems and 40% for the LED destination sign market in Japan. In Singapore, over 25% of route buses are equipped with LECIP LED destination signs, along with our fareboxes and ticket printers. For more information please visit: https://www.lecip.co.jp/lecipinc/ View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210608005031/en/

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[June 08, 2021] The Law Offices of Frank R. Cruz Announces Investigation of RenovaCare, Inc. (RCAR) on Behalf of Investors

The Law Offices of Frank R. Cruz announces an investigation of RenovaCare, Inc. ("RenovaCare" or the "Company") (OTC: RCAR) on behalf of investors concerning the Company's possible violations of federal securities laws. If you are a shareholder who suffered a loss, click here to participate. On May 28, 2021, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission issued a litigation release stating that RenovaCare was being charged with alleged securities raud. According to the complaint, "Harmel S. Rayat, RenovaCare's controlling shareholder, arranged, and caused RenovaCare to pay for, a promotional campaign designed to increase the company's stock price." Specifically, "Rayat was closely involved in directing the promotion and editing promotional materials, and arranged to funnel payments to the publisher through consultants to conceal RenovaCare's involvement in the campaign." When OTC Markets Group, Inc. requested RenovaCare to explain its relationship to the promotion, the complaint alleges that "Rayat and RenovaCare then drafted and issued a press release and a Form 8-K that contained material misrepresentations and omissions denying Rayat's and the company's involvement in the promotion."



On this news, RenovaCare's stock price fell $0.22, or 9.09%, to close at $2.20 per share on June 1, 2021. Follow us for updates on Twitter (News - Alert) : twitter.com/FRC_LAW.

If you purchased RenovaCare 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. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210608006140/en/

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[June 08, 2021] Powermat Technologies Announces Investment in Shenzhen China and Opens a New Chinese Office, to Increase the Expansion of Wireless Charging Technology in the Region

The increased demand for wireless power innovation in the fields of mobility, autonomous robots, smart IoT sensors, and medical devices leads Powermat to expand its local footprint with a new official innovation office in Shenzhen, China. TEL AVIV, Israel, and SHENZHEN, China, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Powermat Technologies , the global leading provider and developer of advanced wireless charging technology, announced today its investment in a new strategic office in Shenzhen, as it continues to expand into the rapidly growing, Automotive, Robotics, Drones, Medical Devices, IoT and Telecom markets in China. Led by new executive general manager Jackson Lam, the Shenzhen office will promote technology innovation, business, collaborations, and investment between Powermat and OEMs in the Asian region. "Powermat continues to expand its footprint across multiple locations worldwide, and the establishment of our new office in China will offer new and existing partners in China improved communications, service, and supprt," said Elad Dubzinski, Powermat's CEO. "We aim to ramp up Powermat's innovation & global reach through our strategic commitment to the growing Chinese technology market and are looking forward to enhancing Powermat's presence in the Chinese technology ecosystem."



Powermat's new office will be established in the heart of Shenzhen's business district and will focus on providing next-generation wireless power technology to new & emerging china-based companies in the fields of IoT, robotics, drones, medical devices, kitchen appliances, telecom, AI, automotive technology, transportation, and more. The office will act as the main base for Powermat's growing team for all China-related activities to support business development and new partnerships in the region. "China is aiming to accelerate OEM-driven innovation in the fields of mobility, robotics, drones, IoT, and medical devices, and Powermat is looking forward to contributing to this acceleration by providing accurate wireless charging technology solutions. We are very excited to announce Powermat's new strategic office in China and are looking forward to widening our reach and strengthening our relationship with leading global technology firms from the local Chinese innovation ecosystem," added Mr. Jackson Lam, Executive GM at Powermat.

About Powermat Technologies

Powermat Technologies provides advanced Qi-certified and proprietary wireless charging platforms for IoT, telecom (5G), automotive, robotics, consumer electronics, medical devices, and industrial applications. The company's wireless power platforms and IP licensing program enables global businesses to incorporate advanced wireless power technology into their products and customize solutions for unique use cases. The company's wireless power technology can already be found in over 800 million smartphones, 40 million embedded accessories, and 8 million cars and is embedded by global market leaders such as Samsung, General Motors, Flex, Harman International, Kyocera, and more. Media Contact:

Ofir Gattenyo

Ofir.gattenyo@powermat.com SOURCE Powermat

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[June 08, 2021] SoftBank Corp. to Promote Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) Solutions That Provide Connectivity From Space and the Stratosphere

SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434, "SoftBank") today announced it will start promoting the deployment of Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) solutions that provide connectivity from space and the stratosphere. SoftBank's NTN solutions will encompass the Geosynchronous Earth Orbiting (GEO) satellite NarrowBand IoT (NB-IoT) services provided by Skylo Technologies, Inc. ("Skylo"), which recently agreed to partner with SoftBank to provide satellite connectivity services in Japan. SoftBank's NTN solution portfolio will also include Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite communications to be provided by OneWeb Ltd. ("OneWeb") and High Altitude Platform Station (HAPS)-based stratospheric telecommunication platforms to be provided by SoftBank subsidiary HAPSMobile Inc. ("HAPSMobile"). This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210608006175/en/ SoftBank Corp.'s Non-Terrestrial Network Solution Concept (Graphic: Business Wire) The respective services of Skylo, OneWeb and HAPSMobile in SoftBank's NTN solutions lineup will offer unique advantages to meet the diverse needs of customers. Skylo's GEO satellite NB-IoT services are providing IoT connectivity for fishing, mining, shipping and other indstries at more affordable prices than traditional GEO satellite services. OneWeb's LEO satellite-based services make it possible for governments, businesses and consumers around the world to enjoy faster communication services with less latency compared to traditional GEO satellite services. HAPSMobile's stratospheric telecommunications platform will be able to directly provide LTE (News - Alert) and 5G connectivity, making it possible for customers to use their smartphones and other mobile devices without the need for special equipment, even if their region lacks traditional communications infrastructure.



To digitalize and transform analog industries without access to communication networks, SoftBank will aim to provide advanced and seamless connectivity services and Digital Transformation (DX) solutions in Japan and around the world. Hidebumi Kitahara, SoftBank Corp. Vice President and Head of the Technology Unit's Global Business Strategy Division, commented, "There are still many analog industries around the world that lack sufficient access to communication networks. Providing Internet access is the first step to digitally transform these industries, and we believe our NTN solutions will be extremely effective technologies to achieve this goal. With our NTN solutions powered by Skylo, OneWeb and HAPSMobile, we'll work to offer telecommunication networks globally."

Skylo CEO and Co-founder Parth Trivedi commented, "At the end of the day, customers just want seamless connectivity - we're finally able to do that at price points and at a form factor that has eliminated the historical disparity in addressable market size between users of terrestrial and non-terrestrial networks." Neil Masterson, OneWeb CEO, commented, "OneWeb is pleased to be working in partnership with SoftBank to realize our shared vision of connecting the globe. Together, we will develop new technologies and products, as well as secure the licenses and build the ground stations that will enable us to provide telecommunications services in Japan and other key global markets." About SoftBank Corp. Guided by the SoftBank Group's corporate philosophy, "Information Revolution (News - Alert) - Happiness for everyone," SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) combines telecommunications services with cutting-edge technologies to create and operate new businesses. SoftBank Corp. serves more than 45 million mobile consumer and enterprise subscribers in Japan, and as part of its "Beyond Carrier" strategy, is redefining industries by leveraging its unique strengths as a network operator to fully harness the power of 5G, big data, AI, IoT, robotics and other key technologies. To learn more, please visit www.softbank.jp/en/ View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210608006175/en/

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[June 09, 2021] Mytheresa Partners With Vestiaire Collective to Introduce a Unique Resale Service Dedicated to Mytheresa's High-end Luxury Customers to Reinforce the Shift to Circularity as Part of the Fashion Ecosystem

Leading luxury e-commerce platform Mytheresa is delighted to announce a partnership with leading global app for desirable pre-loved fashion Vestiaire Collective. The partnership of industry leaders aims to drive the fashion industry's shift towards more sustainable practices by introducing a resale service dedicated to Mytheresa's high-end luxury customers. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210608005814/en/ The partnership between Mytheresa and Vestiaire Collective aims to drive the fashion industry's shift towards more sustainable practices. (Photo: Business Wire) Mytheresa's top clients will be invited to participate in the program. They can participate in a simple and efficient way via a dedicated web interface where after uploading the required information, customers will be directly informed of a price quote for their pre-loved treasure. Once the item has arrived at Vestiaire Collective and has undergone quality and authentication checks, Mytheresa customers will receive immediate payment in the form of a Mytheresa store credit. A dedicated Mytheresa X Vestiaire Collective team will support the customers throughout their journey with personal assistance. Items sold by Mytheresa clients will be available to purchase worldwide on Vestiaire Collective. In the initial phse the items eligible for resale are handbags from a set list of approx. 20 luxury designer brands and for customers in Europe. However, both Mytheresa and Vestiaire Collective are committed to roll out the service to more Mytheresa customers as well as for all product categories including ready-to-wear and a wider list of luxury brands before the end of 2021. This initiative marks the first time that a multi-brand luxury platform embraces designer resale in a comprehensive way to reinforce the shift to circularity as part of the fashion ecosystem.



Michael Kliger, CEO of Mytheresa says "We are excited to be entering this unique and innovative partnership with Vestiaire Collective. We are confident that with this unique service we are providing a real benefit to our customers giving their beautiful designer pieces a second life. It further allows us to help drive change in the fashion industry by incorporating circularity into our business model. We see a huge potential for the program and can't wait to extend it to more customers, categories and markets in the next months." Fanny Moizant, President and Co-Founder of Vestiaire Collective says: "We're thrilled to partner with Mytheresa to showcase our service and our passion for circularity. We're also excited to see this unique initiative extend to a digital luxury platform, and we can't wait to see how their loyal customers respond to it! We're going to keep amplifying the voice of resale as a crucial part of achieving a more sustainable fashion system. And we'll continue partnering and fighting side-by-side with brands and retailers, encouraging their customers to embrace circular fashion by reselling pieces they no longer wear."

The designer resale program will be live for selected Mytheresa top clients starting on June 9th, 2021. ABOUT VESTIAIRE COLLECTIVE Vestiaire Collective is the leading global app for desirable pre-loved fashion. It is dedicated to transforming the fashion industry for a more sustainable future by promoting the circular fashion movement as an alternative to overproduction and overconsumption and the wasteful practices of the fashion industry. It provides its fashion activist community with inspiration, tools and features to lead the change as they sell and buy unique pre-loved pieces from each other's wardrobes. The platform is unique thanks to its highly engaged activist community and its rare, desirable inventory of 3 million items that includes 550,000 new listings every month. Launched in Paris in 2009, Vestiaire Collective has offices in Paris, New York, Hong Kong, Singapore and a tech hub in Berlin. Find out more by downloading the app, visiting vestiairecollective.com and following @vestiaireco on Instagram. ABOUT MYTHERESA Mytheresa is one of the leading global luxury fashion e-commerce platforms. Mytheresa was launched in 2006 and offers ready-to-wear, shoes, bags and accessories for women, men and kids. The highly curated edit focuses on true luxury with designer brands such as Bottega Veneta, Burberry, Dolce & Gabbana, Fendi, Gucci, LOEWE, Loro Piana, Moncler, Prada, Saint Laurent, Valentino and many more. Mytheresa's unique digital experience is based on a sharp focus on high-end luxury shoppers, exclusive product and content offerings, leading technology and analytical platforms as well as high quality service operations. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210608005814/en/

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[June 09, 2021]

Unipart wins five-year Jaguar Land Rover contract to run global parts logistics operation

OXFORD, England, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Unipart Logistics has secured a five-year contract to run the new, custom-built Jaguar Land Rover Global Parts Logistics Centre at Appleby Magna in Leicestershire, which will open in 2022.

Unipart has been selected by Jaguar Land Rover to provide aftermarket parts logistics for both the Jaguar and Land Rover luxury automotive brands. The operation will be housed at Jguar Land Rover's new 2.94m square foot campus, one of the largest UK warehouse developments for a single customer.







Unipart Logistics will operate a UK and global aftermarket Distribution Centre, Parts Packing and Branded Goods operations, and a Customer Support function, supporting Jaguar Land Rover's continued growth ambitions. Unipart was selected on the strength of its expertise in supply chain transformation, excellence in customer service, and commitment to digital innovation and sustainability.

Unipart has a strong track record with Jaguar Land Rover, and currently operates the Jaguar UK Aftermarket logistics and packer operation, Jaguar Land Rover branded goods, and in-production logistics at the new Jaguar Land Rover Battery Assembly Centre.

John Neill, Unipart Group Chairman and Chief Executive, said:

"Jaguar Land Rover is a global player with world-class products. We are proud of our strong heritage with this icon of the automotive industry, having worked with them in partnership for nearly 50 years.

"With this new contract, we will support the evolution of Jaguar Land Rover aftermarket logistics with a proposition that reflects our joint commitment to digital innovation, environmental sustainability and of course, industry-leading customer service. As an independent British company that takes the long-term view, Unipart is committed to this partnership and we look forward to creating this future together."

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1528882/Appleby_Magna_aerial.jpg
[June 09, 2021] Evolution launches Gonzo's Treasure Hunt, blending live casino and slots, as the world's first online game show with VR mode

STOCKHOLM, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Evolution today announced the launch of Gonzo's Treasure Hunt, a ground-breaking online live game show and the world's first live casino game to bring together live and slots-style gameplay, and the first with the option to play in VR (Virtual Reality) mode. Inspired by the famous Gonzo character and intellectual property (IP) from NetEnt's popular Gonzo's Quest online slots title, the all-new Gonzo's Treasure Hunt is the latest addition to Evolution's live game shows portfolio. Blending the worlds of live and slots and representing "a whole new direction", the new Gonzo live game show is the first Evolution game to use NetEnt IP following Evolution's acquisition of NetEnt at the end of last year. The central feature of Gonzo's Treasure Hunt is the search for hidden treasures in a giant wall of 70 stones. A stand-out feature in this latest version of Gonzo's adventures is when the world-famous explorer `comes alive' as an augmented reality virtual character and joins the live show hosts and players in the search. Another world first for the live casino market is the option to play and bet on Gonzo's Treasure Hunt in VR mode using a Virtual Reality headset and controller, enriching the immersive gaming experience even further. Todd Haushalter, Chief Product Officer at Evolution, said: "This is our first product that combines the best of NetEnt with Evolution. I've been excited to work with the amazing NetEnt intellectual property since the acquisition was announced and we are starting by taking the most famous character in slots and bringing him to live casino." Haushalter continued: "This is also the first live game ever where players have such a high degree of control over their game strategy and the potential outcome. Unlike other games where the result is the result and there is nothing you can do about it, in Gonzo's Treasure Hunt players take control as they go hunting for their prizes. This is a whole new direction for our game shows as we want to widen the definition of what a game show is - giving the player this level of control will attract a new audience to Evolution. We are continuing to evolve what the gambling experience can be, and this is an incredibly exciting landmark launch." For trade press and media enquiries, please contact: Amy Riches, Head of Marketing, ariches@evolution.com For investor enquiries, please contact: Jacob Kaplan, CFO, ir@evolution.com This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com https://news.cision.com/evolution/r/evolution-launches-gonzo-s-treasure-hunt--blending-live-casino-and-slots--as-the-world-s-first-onlin,c3363562 The following files are available for download:







https://mb.cision.com/Main/12069/3363562/1429527.pdf Gonzos Treasure Hunt 2021 06 09 ENG

View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/evolution-launches-gonzos-treasure-hunt-blending-live-casino-and-slots-as-the-worlds-first-online-game-show-with-vr-mode-301308694.html SOURCE Cision AB

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[June 09, 2021] KAL Is Publishing Free, Open Source XFS SP Framework For ATMs

In an exciting first for the ATM industry, KAL is delighted to announce that we are publishing a new, free and open source implementation of XFS4IoT, the revolutionary XFS version 4 global standard that has the potential to transform the ATM world. The new standard for ATM software is ready for the IoT era and paves the way for cloud-based, secure, OS-agnostic ATMs. KAL's pioneering XFS4IoT SP Dev framework will enable hardware manufacturers to quickly create XFS4IoT SPs and offers numerous benefits. As well as being OS-agnostic, it works with hardware from multiple vendors, providing banks with greater choice, enhanced security, plug-and-play hardware and lower costs. The collaborative open-source workgroup for hardware and software vendors, test software suppliers and application developers has already attracted 70+ companies and 200+ ATM stakeholders. The purpose of the workgroup is to jumpstart migration to XFS4IoT and create an open-source SP-Dev framework that will be freely available to everyone. Visit our website to read KAL EVP for Global Sales Steve Hensley's expert take* on this revolutionary new XFS4IoT global standard.



You can get in touch if you'd like to play your part in the move to XFS4IoT by joining KAL's new workgroup. * RBR article reproduced with permission from Banking Automation Bulletin.

About KAL KAL is a world-leading ATM software company and preferred supplier to banks across the globe, including Citibank, UniCredit, Erste Ceska, ING, OTP, HSBC and Westpac. KAL's multivendor software gives banks full control of their ATM network, reducing costs, meeting security needs and improving competitiveness. It is installed and supported in more than 80 countries. For more information, visit www.kal.com About RBR London-based Retail Banking Research is widely recognised as the leading provider of strategic research and consulting services to organisations active in the areas of retail banking, banking automation, retail technology, cards and payments. RBR publishes Banking Automation Bulletin 12 times per year. It is recognised as a unique source of global news and informed analysis of key issues in self-service and digital banking, cards and payments. For more information, https://www.rbrlondon.com/ View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210609005028/en/

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Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-09 21:44:27|Editor: huaxia

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LONDON, June 9 (Xinhua) -- Around 8 percent of adults reported coronavirus vaccine hesitancy in London -- a higher percentage than most other regions in England, a survey by the British Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed Wednesday.

About 72 percent of care staff in London had been vaccinated, compared to an average of 81 percent across England, said the ONS.

"This reflects trends seen in the wider population, with higher vaccine hesitancy and slightly lower vaccination rates among all age groups in London than in other English regions," said the ONS.

Based on adults in Britain, the survey found more than 94 percent adults reported positive sentiment toward a coronavirus vaccine, while 6 percent report vaccine hesitancy.

Around 13 percent of those aged 16 to 29 years reported vaccine hesitancy, the highest of all age groups, said the ONS.

Black or Black British adults had the highest rates (21 percent) of vaccine hesitancy compared with all ethnic groups, said the ONS.

Adults living in the most deprived areas of England were more likely to report vaccine hesitancy (10 percent) than adults living in the least deprived area (3 percent).

More than 40.5 million people, or more than three-quarters of adults in Britain, have been given the first jab of the coronavirus vaccine while more than 28.2 million people have been fully vaccinated with a second dose, according to the latest official figures.

To bring life back to normal, countries such as Britain, China, Russia, the United States as well as the European Union have been racing against time to roll out coronavirus vaccines. Enditem
[June 09, 2021] SixFifty Releases Employment 2.0, a Legal Toolset to Help Employers Manage Their Future Workplace

SALT LAKE CITY, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- SixFifty today announced the release of Employment 2.0, a new offering to help businesses manage the legal challenges raised by the future workplace. Employment 2.0 includes (1) an automated employee handbook with over 50 policies that account for the law in every state, (2) automated COVID workplace policies and assessments that cover pandemic regulations across the nation, (3) hybrid working policies and tools to help companies manage a workforce that is partially remote, and (4) diversity, equity, and inclusion policies and an assessment to help companies build a diverse and welcoming workforce. SixFifty worked with the employment experts at Wilson Sonsini to build and automate the legal toolset. The new toolset includes automated employee handbooks, policies for hybrid working, COVID workplace regulations, & DEI "The dust is settling on what the employment landscape will look like moving forward, and it's much more complicated and dangerous than before," said Kimball Dean Parker, CEO of SixFifty. "Our goal is to build the definitive legal resource that companies can use to lay the foundation for a workforce that is remote, mobile, safe, and diverse." Employment 2.0 includes several different types of legal tools: Assessments. Employment 2.0 contains a series of assessments that help companies determine where the stand regarding specific areas of employment law.









Employment 2.0 contains a series of that help companies determine where the stand regarding specific areas of employment law. Policies. Employment 2.0 contains over 65 policies that address everything from COVID-19, to hoteling, to Zoom backgrounds, to sexual harassment. The policies account for the law in all 50 states and the District of Columbia .





Employment 2.0 contains over 65 that address everything from COVID-19, to hoteling, to Zoom backgrounds, to sexual harassment. The policies account for the law in all 50 states and the . Survey and Ticketing System. Employment 2.0 contains a survey and ticketing system that companies can use to deploy policies and collect acknowledgements, screen employees for COVID-19, collect vaccination information, and receive complaints of harassment and inappropriate behavior. The ticketing system allows companies to catalogue this information and create workflows to ensure that issues are dealt with appropriately.







Employment 2.0 contains a that companies can use to deploy policies and collect acknowledgements, screen employees for COVID-19, collect vaccination information, and receive complaints of harassment and inappropriate behavior. The ticketing system allows companies to catalogue this information and create workflows to ensure that issues are dealt with appropriately. Monthly Updates. SixFifty updates Employment 2.0 every month to ensure the policies, assessments, and ticketing system are up to date with the current state of the law. "It is important for businesses to lay the appropriate legal groundwork for the new way they arrange their workforce," said Marina Tsatalis, employment law partner and the employment law practice group leader at Wilson Sonsini. "Our work with SixFifty enables businesses of all sizes to implement and maintain a comprehensive employment framework for today's workplace that complies with the current state of the law in each of the states in which they have employees." SixFifty also plans to add legal tools to Employment 2.0 in the future, such as automated hiring paperwork for all 50 states and tools to help companies correctly classify their employees as exempt, non-exempt, and independent contractors. Employment 2.0 is the latest in a line of automated legal products that SixFifty has released to address novel legal issues. SixFifty has also released products addressing the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and Europe's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). About SixFifty

Headquartered in the Silicon Slopes area of Utah, SixFifty is a subsidiary of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati and combines the expertise of the world's leading technology law firm with automation technology. SixFifty streamlines complex areas of the law by providing actionable, efficient and affordable solutions for individuals and businesses. For more information, please visit www.sixfifty.com. About Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati

For nearly 60 years, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati has offered a broad range of services and legal disciplines focused on serving the principal challenges faced by the management and boards of directors of business enterprises. The firm is nationally recognized as a leader in the fields of corporate governance and finance, mergers and acquisitions, private equity, securities litigation, employment law, intellectual property, and antitrust, among many other areas of law. With deep roots in Silicon Valley, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati has offices in Austin; Beijing; Boston; Brussels; Hong Kong; London; Los Angeles; New York; Palo Alto; San Diego; San Francisco; Seattle; Shanghai; Washington, D.C.; and Wilmington, DE. For more information, please visit www.wsgr.com. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sixfifty-releases-employment-2-0--a-legal-toolset-to-help-employers-manage-their-future-workplace-301308380.html SOURCE SixFifty Technologies

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[June 09, 2021] Survey: Telecom Sector Reveals Retail's Bright Future as Customers Buy Anywhere

Survey by telecom retail software provider iQmetrix (News - Alert) paints an optimistic picture of the retail sector with "transformational" strategies and solutions. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210609005127/en/ iQmetrix surveyed telecom retail professionals across North America to create its inaugural research report, The Future is Anywhere: 2021 Trends in Telecom Retail. Image: iQmetrix Retail is in a state of flux, and nowhere is that truer than in the telecom sector, as a new survey report reveals. However, this transformation is leading to a bright future for retail for those who adopt the necessary changes. iQmetrix, provider of the telecom industry's leading retail management software, surveyed industry professionals across the US and Canada to glean insights into today's trends, and predictions for what's to come. Respondents came from top-tier telecom carriers, well-known wireless brands, authorized retailers of all sizes, wireless kiosk operators, and hardware manufacturers. The Future is Anywhere: 2021 Trends in Telecom Retail



The results also suggest that the optimistic outlook only stands up if retailers answer the call to meet the customer wherever they are. This means retail operators need to be able to sell anywhere, so that their customers can buy anywhere: in-store, online, via search, on social media, at kiosks and pop-up stores, and everywhere else. The survey report breaks the results down into five sections, including the retail outlook, the role of the physical store, omnichannel, and the future of buy anywhere.

Some key findings are: Nearly 70% of telecom retailers predict sales of wireless devices will be higher in three years compared with today

of telecom retailers predict sales of wireless devices will be higher in three years compared with today 83.7% predict sales of smart home and IoT-connected devices will be higher in three years

predict sales of smart home and IoT-connected devices will be higher in three years Almost 80% have invested in buy/reserve online, pick up in-store, or plan to do so within three years

have invested in buy/reserve online, pick up in-store, or plan to do so within three years More than 30% saw e-commerce retail revenues increase by at least double over the past year

saw e-commerce retail revenues increase by at least double over the past year 87% have invested or plan to invest in engaging with customers via social platforms

have invested or plan to invest in engaging with customers via social platforms 89% predict more growth in buy/reserve online, pick up in-store solutions over the next five years

predict more growth in buy/reserve online, pick up in-store solutions over the next five years More than 88% predict a much greater focus on customer subscription and loyalty programs over the next five years Stacy Hamer, Vice President of Client Experiences at iQmetrix, said, "Overall, these responses make up a very optimistic report-and an outlook that predicts huge change, not the status quo. It shows that authorized retailers and carriers will have to align with each other, invest in new product sales, and adopt new retail channels. It paints a transformational picture." This picture proves retailers need to implement technologies and increase resources to improve the customer experience, especially when considering e-commerce and omnichannel solutions. As provider of the telecom industry's leading retail management software in North America, iQmetrix is uniquely positioned to help retailers meet the multi-faceted demands this dazzling future will bring. Access the full survey results and analysis report here (no form required). About iQmetrix iQmetrix's intelligent retail management software is designed to power the telecom industry. Our software is built around enabling telecom retailers to deliver a buy-anywhere strategy through multi-channel inventory management and digital retail solutions; make data-driven decisions using powerful reporting; and unify storefronts and digital channels for a consistent customer experience, in-store, online, and anywhere else. For 20 years, we've been passionate about helping the leading brands in telecom to grow by providing excellent software, services, and expertise that enables them to adapt and thrive. Learn more at www.iQmetrix.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210609005127/en/

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[June 09, 2021] Vaccine Equity Planner Launched by Ariadne Labs and Boston Children's Hospital

BOSTON, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Ariadne Labs and Boston Children's Hospital, with support from Google, launched the Vaccine Equity Planner , a data-driven tool to help U.S. state and local planners find "vaccine deserts" -- areas with limited access to COVID-19 vaccines. Designed to enhance vaccination access for vulnerable populations and help ensure no one is left behind during the effort to halt the pandemic, the tool identifies potential future vaccination sites, such as primary care practices, pharmacies, schools, places of worship, and other potential vaccination venues within the deserts. Free, public tool finds COVID-19 "vaccine deserts" &; helps public health leaders in US plan equitable access &; delivery. More than 143.4 million people in the U.S. still need at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose, in addition to children under 12 for whom a vaccine is not yet available. While there are more than 50,000 vaccination sites in the U.S., such as mass vaccination sites, retail pharmacies, hospitals and community sites, they are unequally distributed. Approximately ten percent of the eligible population lives more than a 15-minute drive from a publicly advertised vaccine distribution location. Improving access for these people is challenging, and U.S. public health and community leaders have expressed the need for evidence-based resources to help them equitably and efficiently vaccinate populations and help those not yet vaccinated overcome barriers to access. Designed to empower public health and community leaders with the information needed to advocate for their communities, the free and publicly accessible Vaccine Equity Planner shows that across all the vaccine deserts in the U.S., there are more than 2,000 primary health care centers that could potentially offer vaccines. The tool overlays millions of data points on a U.S. map in order to provide users with information needed to identify vaccine deserts, target potential vaccination sites within deserts, and model the most effective sites to open to reach vulnerable populations. The tool uses data sourced from VaccineFinder and Google on more than 50,000 vaccination sites, in addition to travel time data from Google, the CDC's social vulnerability index, and data on vaccination intent from the COVID-19 Symptom Survey administered by the Delphi Group at Carnegie Mellon University hosted on Facebook. Users can additionally select the mode of transportation they want to consider and the time they think people sould have to travel to get a vaccine and see where the deserts are. Beyond distance, users can assess other risks/barriers to equity that populations face, such as number of unvaccinated people in the area, social vulnerability, or intent to vaccinate.



"Across the nation, there are too many people for whom vaccines still remain out of reach," said Dr. Rebecca Weintraub, Director of Vaccine Delivery at Ariadne Labs and Associate Physician, Division of Global Health Equity at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. "To support providers and public health officials, we built the Vaccine Equity Planner to identify existing vaccine deserts and detect promising sites to open within those deserts. Providers and public health leaders can advance their outreach and delivery strategies to reach all communities." Ariadne Labs Vaccine Delivery team developed the tool in collaboration with Boston Children's Hospital using information on existing COVID-19 vaccine sites. Google has provided comprehensive information on location of existing COVID-19 vaccination sites as well as travel time data to help power the tool, helping account for different modes of transportation: driving, walking and public transportation. This is key for understanding access gaps for vulnerable populations, who might not own a car. Google Health will also be offering this data as part of a newly released dataset, COVID-19 Vaccination Access Dataset , that will further support public health officials' and researchers' work on ensuring equitable access to vaccines.

"Vaccines are now increasingly available across the U.S., yet there is still a population struggling with access. Not everyone has the ability or time to spend an hour out of their workday or more to get their vaccine. By accounting for different modes of transportation -- including public transit and walking -- we hope public health officials and providers will gain a deeper understanding of how to reach all communities," said Katherine Chou, Director, Product Management, Google Health. "We know that inequities exist in our healthcare infrastructure, and the COVID-19 pandemic has only cast a brighter light on those inequities," said Dr. John Brownstein, Chief Innovation Officer at Boston Children's Hospital. "The Vaccine Equity Planner aims to identify vaccine deserts, areas with low access to COVID-19 vaccination sites, so public health officials and decision makers can intentionally place future vaccination sites in these areas to offer more equitable access to COVID-19 vaccinations for all populations." "Using this comprehensive tool, public health and government leaders will have the information necessary to strategically and efficiently target areas throughout the country where people have lacked access to COVID-19 vaccinations. By eliminating this inequity, our response to the pandemic will be stronger and all of us will be safer," said Michelle A. Williams, Dean of the Faculty, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The Vaccine Equity Planner was made possible by the generous support of the Commonwealth Fund. About Ariadne Labs: Ariadne Labs is a joint center for health systems innovation at Brigham & Women's Hospital and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. With a mission to save lives and reduce suffering, our vision is that health systems equitably deliver the best possible care for every patient, everywhere, every time. We use human centered design, health systems implementation science, public health expertise, and frontline clinical care experience to design, test and spread scalable systems-level solutions to some of health care's biggest problems. From developing checklists and conversation guides to fostering international collaborations and establishing global standards of measurement, our work has been accessed in more than 165 countries, touching hundreds of millions of lives. Visit ariadnelabs.org to learn more and covid19.ariadnelabs.org to learn about our response to COVID-19. Media Contact:

Brigid Tsai

Email: btsai@ariadnelabs.org View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/vaccine-equity-planner-launched-by-ariadne-labs-and-boston-childrens-hospital-301308562.html SOURCE Ariadne Labs

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[June 09, 2021] GZ6G Technologies Now Hiring Tech Talent for Green Zebra Smart Networks

Green Zebra Smart Networks Website to Launch This Summer LAS VEGAS, NV, June 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NewMediaWire  GZ6G Technologies (OTCMarkets: GZIC), the complete enterprise smart solutions provider for large venues and cities, has recently opened a new west coast regional office in Irvine, California, and is now recruiting tech talent for engineer, tech sales, advisors and IT team positions. These positions will support enterprise accounts and provide security managed services, cybersecurity, and other necessary technologies offered by the GZ6G divisions to companies and businesses today. Were offering great incentives for employees to work at Green Zebra Networks, said Wendy Ramirez, Vice President of Human Resources for GZ6G Technologies. Employees will receive 401K benefits, healthcare benefits, opportunities to work remotely, paid vacations, and most importantly, opportunities for growth within the company. Open positions include: Vice President of IT Sales

IT Sales & Support

Senior IT Engineers

CCNP Engineers

Director of Operations Software Development

Software Development Front/Back

Software Development Support

Web Development Front End Those interested in these positions can send their resume to: hr@greenzebra.net. Our Irvine office is primed for technologically focused talent as it will be the first showroom to house all the technology available for customers to experience from each of our divisions, said Coleman Smith, CEO and President of GZ6G Technologies. Were looking to hire individuals who love new technology, especially in the emerging 5G and Wi-Fi 6 markets and who are full of creative ideas. This is a fantastic opportunity to engage in a positive work environment that offers excellent benefits, flexible schedules and a chance to work on cutting edge devices. The west coast office will be a model for future offce locations and acquisitions for GZ6G Technologies.



The Green Zebra Smart Networks website will launch this Summer. For more information visit: GZ6G.com. About GZ6G Technologies:

GZ6G Technologies is the complete enterprise smart solutions provider for large venues and cities. Focused on acquiring smart city solutions, developing innovative products, and overseeing smart cities and smart venues, GZ6G Technologies also assists in modernizing clients with innovative wireless IoT technology for the emerging 5G and Wi-Fi 6 marketplaces. Target markets include stadiums, airports, universities, and smart city projects. Ever evolving and innovative, GZ6G Technologies smart solutions consist of four divisions, Green Zebra Smart Networks: offers a fully integrated wireless and IT infrastructure solutions for enterprise opportunities. The Green Zebra technical teams will also provide both managed services support, and technical support for networking hardware and software for enterprise level clients. Green Zebra Smart Data: The Green Zebra Smart Data centers division will focus on safe and secure data management and cloud computing solutions for GZ6G Technologies divisions as well as co-location and hosting options for venues, cities, and customers. Green Zebra Smart Labs: IoT software applications integrated for commercial, industrial and user engagement technology, as well as artificial intelligence and analytics for historical data, operation forecasting and monetization purposes, to name a few. Green Zebra Smart Media, a majority-owned subsidiary of Gz6G Technology Corp: a full-service marketing and advertising division for clients that includes public relations, copywriting, branding, and all creative needs. Since 2017, GZ6G Technologies is the trusted, smart solutions provider for clients such as Governors Island, NY, and the city of New York, to name a few. For more information, visit www.GZ6G.com. Twitter @gz6tech MEDIA Contact: Arlene Bordinhao

Arlene.b@brandltd.com INVESTOR Contact: Coleman Smith

Cole@greenzebra.net Safe Harbor Statement: In addition to historical information, this press release may contain statements that constitute forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release include the intent, belief, or expectations of the company and members of its management team with respect to the company's future business operations and the assumptions upon which such statements are based. Prospective investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, and involve risks and uncertainties, and that actual results may differ materially from those contemplated by such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause these differences include, but are not limited to, failure to complete anticipated sales under negotiations, lack of revenue growth, client discontinuances, failure to realize improvements in performance, efficiency and profitability, and adverse development with respect to litigation or increased litigation costs, the operation or performance of the Company's business units or the market price of its common stock. Additional factors that would cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated within this press release can also be found on the company's website. The company denies any responsibility to update any forward-looking statements.



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[June 09, 2021] Visa U.S. Spending Momentum Index Remains Robust in May

Visa (NYSE: V) today released the May reading of the Visa U.S. Spending Momentum (News - Alert) Index (SMI), an economic indicator designed to be a timely gauge of the health of consumer spending. The Visa SMI delivers insight into what drives upturns and downturns in spending by measuring the breadth of the momentum supporting these trends. In May 2021, the Visa SMI remained historically elevated at 123.3, indicating that the U.S. consumer recovery remains on firm ground. Exceptionally low SMI readings this time last year are creating some distortions in the true signal of consumer spending. At its current level, the Visa SMI implies that 59 percent of consumers are now spending more than they did a year ago, while only 41 percent are spending the same or less. Compared to May 2019, which was not affected by the pandemic and lockdowns, 52 percent of consumers are spending more, which is up slightly from the 51 percent of consumers who were spending more in April. The implication is that while the SMI decelerated on a month-over-month basis, the breadth of consumer spending actually expanded in May once adjusting the figures for last year's low readings. "May marks the one-year anniversary of the beginning of the consumer momentum recovery," said Wayne Best, Visa's Chief Economist. "The SMI's strong reading again in May reflects the solid ongoing recovery taking place in the consumer sector." The gains in spending momentum, however, remain uneven across regions of the country. The SMI for the Midwest region continued to lag other parts of the country, with an SMI reading of 122.1 in May. The West ranked among the regions with the strongest consumer momentum at 125.5 as the region continues its gradual reopening process and is home to several states where more than 50 percent of the adult population has been vaccinated. Previously only available to Visa clients, Visa is now publishing components of the SMI on a monthly basis for the general public, in part to help track economic recovery progress. The SMI builds on Visa's commitment to powering commere by providing tools and insights that help to gauge consumers' ability to spend and their overall participation in the economic recovery.



About the Visa SMI The Visa SMI is based on a sample of aggregated, depersonalized VisaNet data. Visa adjusts this data through proprietary methods to exclude factors that do not reflect spending momentum. The resulting sample data is then aggregated using a diffusion index framework where index values are scored from 0 to 200. When the Visa SMI rises above 100, the consumer spending momentum is strengthening and when it falls below 100, the spending momentum is weakening as fewer consumers are spending more relative to the previous year. The index is adjusted for day of week, month, holidays, and broad annual trends, and these seasonal adjustments are subject to revision each year.

The Visa SMI does not take into account the volume of payments; nor does it rely on all Visa-branded credentials, and therefore does not reflect Visa operational or financial performance. It is intended for informational purposes only and is offered on an "as is" basis without any warranties of any kind, express or implied. Each SMI report is as of the publication date. Eligible Visa clients in the U.S. may access more detailed and customized insights at the national, regional and local spending level, including spending on the main categories of goods and services. For more information about the Visa U.S. Spending Momentum Index, please visit www.visa.com/partner-with-us/visa-consulting-analytics/spending-momentum-index.html About Visa Visa (NYSE: V) is the world's leader in digital payments. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, reliable and secure payment network - enabling individuals, businesses and economies to thrive. Our advanced global processing network, VisaNet, provides secure and reliable payments around the world, and is capable of handling more than 65,000 transaction messages a second. The company's relentless focus on innovation is a catalyst for the rapid growth of digital commerce on any device, for everyone, everywhere. As the world moves from analog to digital, Visa is applying our brand, products, people, network and scale to reshape the future of commerce. For more information, visit About Visa, visa.com/blog and @VisaNews. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210609005193/en/

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[June 09, 2021] DBS tops Forbes 'World's Best Banks' list in India

Retains leading position for the second consecutive year MUMBAI, India, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- DBS has been named by Forbes in their list of World's Best Banks 2021. DBS was ranked #1 out of 30 domestic and international banks in India for the second consecutive year. This is the third edition of the 'World's Best Banks' list by Forbes, conducted in partnership with market research firm Statista. Over 43,000 banking customers across the globe were surveyed on their current and former banking relationships. The customer survey rated banks on general satisfaction and key attributes like trust, digital services, financial advice, and fees. "This year's list includes a record number of award winners, reflecting consumers' increasing confidence in their banks," revealed Forbes in its official announcement. Commenting on the recognition, Surojit Shome, Managing Director and CEO, DBS Bank India, said, "We are humbled and proud to be featured on the 'World's Best Banks' list for the second consecutive year. Over the years, we have built a strong customer-centric franchise, and this recognition shines the light on the resilience and a strong sense of purpose demonstrated by our employees to support customers amid the global crisis. We will continue to deepen customer relationships and build journeys that proactively address their needs." Felix Kapel, Lead Analyst at Statista for the World's Best Banks project, said, "DBS India excels in multiple sub-dimensions. The general satisfaction and customer recommendation of DBS is great. These factors have helped DBS retain the No.1 spot in India." Recently, DBS Bank India was recognised as 'India's Best International Bank 2021' by Asiamoney. DBS was named 'Safest Bank in Asia' for the 12th consecutive year by New York-based trade publication Global Finance in 2020. The bank was also Global Finance's pick for 'Best Bank in the World' in the same year, making it the third consecutiveglobal Best Bank accolade received by DBS. Previously, DBS was named 'World's Best Bank' by leading financial publication Euromoney in 2019.



DBS Bank has been present in India for 26 years and has grown consistently by strengthening its small and medium-sized enterprise business and consumer lending operations to build scale and become a full-service bank. Further, it has showcased a long-term commitment to India with the establishment of its local wholly-owned subsidiary, DBS Bank India Limited (DBIL) and the recent acquisition of Lakshmi Vilas Bank. The amalgamation of Lakshmi Vilas Bank with DBIL in November 2020 bolstered the bank's physical presence in the country. DBS now has a network of nearly 600 branches across 19 states in India. To view the complete Forbes list, visit https://www.forbes.com/worlds-best-banks/#5c1a16312951

About DBS DBS is a leading financial services group in Asia with a presence in 18 markets. Recognised for its global leadership, DBS has been named "World's Best Bank" by Euromoney, "Global Banks of the Year" by The Banker and "Best Bank in the World" by Global Finance. DBS was also ranked No 1 in India by Forbes in its 2020 list of the World's Best Banks. DBS Bank has been present in India for 26 years, having opened its first office in Mumbai in 1994. DBS Bank India Limited is the first among the large foreign banks in India to start operating as a wholly-owned, locally incorporated subsidiary of a leading global bank. DBS provides an entire range of banking services for large, medium and small enterprises and individual consumers in India. In 2016, DBS launched India's first mobile-only bank - digibank, which now has ~1 million savings accounts. In November 2020, Lakshmi Vilas Bank was amalgamated with DBS Bank India Limited. The bank now has a network of nearly 600 branches across 19 states in India. DBS provides a full range of services in consumer, SME and corporate banking. As a bank born and bred in Asia, DBS understands the intricacies of doing business in the region's most dynamic markets. DBS is committed to building lasting relationships with customers and positively impacting communities through supporting social enterprises as it banks the Asian way. It has also established an SGD 50 million foundation to strengthen its corporate social responsibility efforts in Singapore and across Asia. In 2020, DBS introduced the "Towards Zero Food Waste" initiative as part of a global sustainability practice to encourage a shift in behaviours and mindsets to reduce food waste. With its extensive network of operations in Asia and emphasis on engaging and empowering its staff, DBS presents exciting career opportunities. The bank acknowledges the passion, commitment and can-do spirit in all our 30,000+ staff representing over 40 nationalities. For more information, please visit http://www.dbs.com.

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CI Global Asset Management Announces Appointment of Marc-Andre Lewis as Executive Vice-President and Head of Investment Management

CI Global Asset Management ("CI GAM") today announced the appointment of Marc-Andre Lewis, an accomplished investment professional with extensive global experience, as its Executive Vice-President and Head of Investment Management.

Mr. Lewis is joining CI GAM from the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority ("ADIA"), one of the world's largest sovereign wealth funds, where he was Head of Portfolio Construction. In this role, his responsibilities included strategic asset allocation, quantitative research and alternative indexing activities at the organization, as well as sitting on the executive committee and tactical asset allocation committee for its Strategy and Planning Department.

"The appointment of our first-ever Head of Investment Management is a critical step in the transformation of CI GAM from a multi-boutique investment model to an integrated global investment manager," said Kurt MacAlpine, Chief Executive Officer of CI Financial, parent company of CI GAM. "Marc-Andre's expertise and leadership experience gained at one of the world's largest and most sophisticated investment organizations will help drive this next stage of CI GAM's growth and development.

"His background spans public and private markets, all asset classes, asset allocation, portfolio construction, risk management and fundamental and quantitative strategies," Mr. MacAlpine said. "This diverse background makes him the ideal candidate for this role."

Mr. Lewis's appointment will be effective September 1, 2021. He will be leading a group of more than 100 investment professionals and overseeing the continued development of CI GAM's integrated global investment platform. The company announced in November 2020 that it would be combining its in-house investment boutiques and operating as one team under one brand - CI Global Asset Management. Mr. Lewis will be relocating from Abu Dhabi to Toronto for the position.

"I am excited and honoured to be joining CI GAM in this important new role of Head of Investment Management," said Mr. Lewis. "CI Financial has made incredible progress in executing on its new strategy over the past 18 months and I look forward to contributing to the modernization of its asset management business. My career has been dedicated to delivering exceptional investment performance and I'm eager to put my skills to work on behalf of CI GAM's broad range of clients, from retail investors to institutions."

Prior to joining ADIA, Mr. Lewis was Senior Vice-President and Deputy Chief Risk Officer at Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec ("CDPQ"), where he led a team that analyzed and monitored the risks of both public and private investments in the CDPQ portfolio. He was also a member of the CDPQ asset allocation committee. He holds a PhD in theoretical physics from Pierre and Marie Curie University (now Sorbonne University), and an M.Sc. in theoretical physics and a B.Sc. in mathematics and physics from Universite de Montreal.

Portfolio management update

CI GAM also announced portfolio management appointments in response to decisions by Eric Bushell and Robert Lyon to retire from investment management after long and successful careers. These moves have been planned for some time and are unrelated to the appointment of Mr. Lewis. Their portfolio management duties are being filled by senior, experienced CI GAM portfolio managers who are already involved in those mandates, ensuring a seamless transition of duties.

"On behalf of everyone at CI, I thank Eric and Bob for their many years of service and for their thoughtfulness in planning an orderly succession," Mr. MacAlpine said. "Eric has built an incredibly talented team and this deep bench strength will ensure a smooth transition of responsibilities for our firm and our clients."

Mr. Bushell began his investment industry career at BPI Financial Corp. ("BPI") in 1993 and joined CI GAM in 1999 when CI Financial Corp. acquired BPI. In 2002, he became Chief Investment Officer of CI GAM's Signature team. Under his leadership, Signature grew from a small Canadian-focused investment team to a global multi-asset investment team with over 50 professionals managing approximately $55 billion in a broad range of equity, sector equity, income, and balanced mandates from offices in Toronto and Hong Kong.

"Eric has made an incredible contribution to the success of CI GAM and its growth into one of Canada's top investment managers," said Mr. MacAlpine. "Eric was early in understanding that capital markets were becoming increasingly globalized, complex and interconnected and he built an investment team to manage that reality. He emphasized the development of deep expertise in industry sectors and asset classes on a global basis, married to a highly collaborative team approach."

"After 28 years in the industry and nearly 20 years as Signature's CIO, I decided this was the right time to retire from investment management and start the next chapter of my life," Mr. Bushell said. "I'm proud of what we accomplished as a firm and a team, earning the trust of so many clients and contributing to their livelihoods and goals. I look forward to seeing the next generation of investment leaders make their mark."

As team leader, Mr. Bushell has moved away from day-to-day management of funds to focus on the group's broad macroeconomic, market and asset allocation analysis, enhancing its investment processes, and fostering the development of its culture, performance and talent. This has included managing succession planning throughout the group and assisting in recommending his successor managers.

Mr. Lyon started in the investment industry in 1993 and his experience includes working as portfolio manager at BPI and CI GAM from 1997-2006. He rejoined CI GAM and the Signature team in 2015 and was later named Head of Equities, a role in which he oversaw the team's equity portfolio managers and analysts. He will be retiring from CI GAM and the industry this fall.

Mr. Bushell is remaining at CI until July 5, 2021 to assist with the transition. The funds managed by Mr. Bushell and Mr. Lyon use a model in which the lead portfolio managers are responsible for their mandates' broad asset class and sector allocations while specialist portfolio managers and analysts are responsible for security selection within their equity and fixed-income areas of expertise. There are no changes to the specialist portfolio managers and analysts responsible for security selection for these funds. The new lead portfolio manager assignments for these funds, which are effective June 10, 2021, are listed in the table below.







About CI Global Asset Management

CI Global Asset Management is one of Canada's largest investment management companies. It offers a wide range of investment products and services and is on the Web at www.ci.com. CI GAM is a subsidiary of CI Financial Corp. (TSX: CIX, NYSE: CIXX), an independent company offering global asset management and wealth management advisory services with approximately $287.5 billion in total assets as at April 30, 2021.

Commissions, trailing commissions, management fees and expenses all may be associated with an investment in mutual funds, including exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Please read the prospectus before investing. Important information about the mutual fund is contained in its prospectus. Mutual funds are not guaranteed; their values change frequently and past performance may not be repeated. You will usually pay brokerage fees to your dealer if you purchase or sell units of an ETF on recognized Canadian exchanges. If the units are purchased or sold on these Canadian exchanges, investors may pay more than the current net asset value when buying units of the ETF and may receive less than the current net asset value when selling them.

This communication is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to purchase mutual funds managed by CI Global Asset Management and is not, and should not be construed as, investment, tax, legal or accounting advice, and should not be relied upon in that regard. Individuals should seek the advice of professionals, as appropriate, regarding any particular investment. Investors should consult their professional advisors prior to implementing any changes to their investment strategies. These investments may not be suitable to the circumstances of an investor. Some conditions apply.

CI Global Asset Management is a registered business name of CI Investments Inc. CI Investments Inc. 2021. All rights reserved.

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[June 09, 2021] Golden Star Enterprises Ltd. Announces Multi-year Contract Extension Between Wholly Owned Subsidiary Enigmai and Israeli-based Clal Insurance

Claymont, DE, June 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NewMediaWire -- Golden Star Enterprises Ltd. (OTC Pink: GSPT) is pleased to announce the extension of a service contract between wholly owned subsidiary, Enigmai, and cornerstone customer Clal Insurance for a term of three years commencing January 1, 2021. This multi-year extension of our contract for the provision of our workforce management software demonstrates the value the software continues to provide customers as a comprehensive, state-of-the-art management tool. The negotiation of the long-term contract extension was spearheaded by Mrs. Eital Muskal, VP of Strategy and Business Development for Enigmai.

Clal Insurance is one of the largest insurance and long-term savings companies in Israel. Traded on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, Clal Insurance holds a 14 percent market share in terms of gross insurance premiums earned and managed. Mrs. Muskal stated, This long-term contract extension embodies the trust weve developed with Clal Insurance over the years. Enigmais workforce management solution (WFM) adds tremendous value to Clal Insurances operations, and were pleased to be able to continue our relationship with them. This contract extension is a solid vote of confidence and support for Enigmai and its WFM software. Clal Insurance also offers a wide range of services and products to both private and corporate customers. This includes non-life insurance, health insurance, travel insurance, study funds, provident funds, pension funds, and so much more. Clal Insurances divisions include non-life insurance that is among Israels large offerings, such as long-term savings which hold 13.4 percent in-country market share and the health insurance division, offering a range f products for individuals, families, and groups. Beyond sickness and hospitalization insurance in Israel, Clal Insurance offers coverage for transplants, medications, critical illness, long-term care, personal accidents, travel insurance, and related products.



Mr. Eliav Kling, CEO of Golden Star Enterprises, commented, Im pleased that Clal Insurance extended Enigmais contract for a further three years. It speaks to the benefit GSPT can add to operated assets such as Enigmai, increasing the bottom line through implementing targeted business strategies and adding value through leadership. About Clal Insurance

Clal Insurance is one of the leading insurance and long-term savings companies in Israel. Shares of Clal Insurance Business Holdings are held by the public, with no controlling shareholder, and are traded on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange. Clal Insurance is rated ilAA+ by Standard & Poor's Maalot and Aa1.il by Midroog. As of the end of 2019, Clal Insurance held a 14% market share in the insurance market in terms of gross premiums earned and managed NIS 220 billion worth of assets. The company offers a wide range of services and products to private and corporate customers, such as non-life insurance, health insurance, travel insurance, study funds, provident funds, pension funds, etc. About Enigmai Enigmai was founded in Israel in 2009. As an Israeli tech company, Enigmai developed a unique and advanced solution to address the challenges large contact centers face with workforce management. Our solution supports the entire workflow cycle, from managing shifts and employee breaks to forecasting every days HR needs. Our system offers numerous advantages like integration with other organization systems in use, real-time information update, easy access reports, and a web-based solution. Leading financial and insurance companies in Israel currently use our system, supporting the operation of hundreds of employees daily. Email: info@enigmai.com www.enigmai.com About Golden Star Enterprises Ltd. Golden Star Enterprises Ltd. (GSPT) is a publicly traded holding and acquisition company interested in taking technology start-ups and growing them to the next level. We actively search for exceptional investment opportunities in the technology vertical. We leverage managements extensive experience in the marketplace and tech industry connections to create opportunities for companies in our portfolio. Email: info@goldenstarenterprisesltd.com www.goldenstarenterprisesltd.com This press release contains forward-looking statements that reflect the Company's current beliefs, expectations or intentions regarding future events. Any statements contained in this press release that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed forward-looking statements. Words such as "will," "will be," "anticipate," "predict," expect "continue," "future," and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. The Company anticipates that subsequent events and developments may cause views and expectations to change. The Company assumes no obligation, and specifically disclaims any intention or obligation, to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.



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[June 09, 2021] Direct Line Tele Response wins coveted ATSI Award of Excellence

BERKELEY, Calif., June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Direct Line Tele Response of Berkeley, CA, has been honored with the exclusive ATSI 2021 Award of Excellence for the 20th consecutive year. This award is presented annually by the Association of TeleServices International (ATSI), the industry's Trade Association for telecommunications and call center services, including telephone answering and message delivery across North America and the U.K. Direct Line Tele Response was presented with the ATSI's 2021 conference in Kansas City, MO. "As an essential service during the pandemic, Direct Line continued to support many businesses that relied on our service. We never wavered on our commitment to call excellence or focus on quality call-taking during this time. We ae proud to earn our 20th consecutive ATSI Award of Excellence that provides 3rd party validation to the quality we provide to our many clients.", says Ken Goldenberg, owner and President of Direct Line Tele Response.



Independent judges are contracted by ATSI to evaluate message services over a six-month period. The scoring criteria includes: Response Time

Courteousness of Rep

Accuracy of Call

Knowledge of Account

Overall Impression of Call "The ATSI Award of Excellence is essential to our members and their employees to continually evaluate the service levels they are providing to their clients. It enables them to identify areas of greatness, as well as places that need attention. We have members that have participated in the program for decades and look forward to winning their awards each year." Says ATSI President Tifani Leal.

The award started 25 years ago to improve the overall quality of the call center industry by setting expectations and measurements to ensure a successful call handling experience. Now a 20-time winner, Direct Line Tele Response earned the Onyx Award. ATSI extends its congratulations to the staff of Direct Line on their proven and consistent quality service to their clients. About ATSI The Association of TeleServices International was founded in 1942 as a national Trade Association representing live answering services. ATSI now encompasses companies across North America and the U.K. offering specialized and enhanced operator-based services, including call centers, contact centers, inbound telemarketing (order entry), paging, voice messaging, emergency dispatch, fax, and internet services, among others. View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/direct-line-tele-response-wins-coveted-atsi-award-of-excellence-301308682.html SOURCE Direct Line Tele Response

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[June 09, 2021] OptionMetrics Announces IvyDB Europe 3.0 with Extended Volatility Surface to Assess Weekly Options and Popular Trading Strategies

OptionMetrics, an options database and analytics provider for institutional investors and academic researchers worldwide, releases OptionMetrics IvyDB Europe 3.0. The update offers new features for institutional investors and academia to assess extreme volatility and complex trading strategies. Major advancements include extension of the volatility surface for underlying securities and the increase in maximum calculated option implied volatility. One of the biggest updates in IvyDB Europe 3.0 is expansion of the volatility surface to include a 10-day maturity curve along with new call and put delta grid points at 10, 15, 85, and 90 (expanding the curve to 10-90 from 20-80). The extended surface enables institutional investors to see more points deep in the money and deep out of the money as they assess shorter and longer term strategies, such as those surrounding high volatility, meme stocks, and weekly options.



Additionally, the threshold for maximum implied volatility has been increased to 900% to enable investors to identify extremely volatile options and high-priced premiums, with Nokia (News - Alert) and other European securities reaching over 800% in the peak of their trading frenzy this year as an example. Options with extremely high volatility are purposely excluded from volatility surface calculations. OptionMetrics also makes volatility price calculation and schema changes consistent with those in IvyDB US 5.0 for even easier comparison across databases. Specific updates include:

More option contract specification data, with the addition of AM settlement, contract size, and expiry indicator fields in option price and tick option price tables, enabling users to conveniently view contract specifications in one place.

More sophisticated mapping of option IDs/prices for securities trading on multiple exchanges or in more than one currency.

Enhanced data quality, with historical patching and recalculations based on the above. "With our most recent version of IvyDB Europe, we continue to expand on our mission to provide the most accurate, highest quality options data to address our customers' evolving needs. IvyDB Europe 3.0 thoughtfully accounts for complexities in European options and exchanges and also expands on the amount of analysis provided for academia and institutional investors to assess shorter and longer term opportunities in the evolving markets," says OptionMetrics CEO David Hait, Ph.D. IvyDB Europe covers over 972 optionable securities, from all major European exchanges, including the U.K., France, Germany, Switzerland, Netherlands, Sweden, Belgium, Spain, Italy. Historical data and daily updates are available for most securities since January 2002. In addition to daily option pricing information, it includes dividend projections, and historical distributions and corporate actions, such as splits, mergers, and name changes. OptionMetrics also has databases for the U.S., Asia-Pacific, Canada, Global Indices, and futures. Email info@optionmetrics.com for details. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210609005300/en/

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Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-09 21:54:14|Editor: huaxia

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LONDON, June 9 (Xinhua) -- The British government needs to remain cautious over the Delta coronavirus variant first identified in India so that hospitals can focus on non-related coronavirus patient enquiries, according to a British doctor based in northern England.

The Delta variant has made opening up England all the more difficult as cases continue to rise across the country. But for doctors, they are noticing a backlog of patients with non-coronavirus appointments and for some patients, this has led to their conditions being diagnosed as worse if they had not been seen sooner.

Chandra Kanneganti, a general practitioner based in Stoke-On-Trent and national chairman of the British International Doctors Association, said if there is another surge in cases across the country, it could lead to an even greater backlog of patients with other potentially serious conditions.

"A number of hospitals are looking at plans on how to reduce the backlog of outpatient appointments. We need hospitals to concentrate on that, rather than the new surge of cases admitted to the hospital with COVID," Kanneganti said.

"That's really crucial, because we're seeing many, many patients now who are coming with the symptoms presentation. And unfortunately, they're turning out to be cancerous. And these symptoms, they've not been seeking help and support for many months, and I think this is very crucial that we need to get to normalcy but at the same time, on the side of caution about how the variant is spreading in the next few days."

According to the British Medical Association, while the overall median waiting time for treatment decreased to 11.6 weeks in March 2021, the total number of patients waiting over 18 weeks for treatment increased again to 1.76 million.

Moreover, the number of patients waiting over one year for treatment hit 436,127 in March and has risen 378-fold since March 2019. This figure has consistently risen since March 2020 and is now the highest it has been since August 2007.

Earlier this week, British Health Secretary Matt Hancock admitted that the rise in cases linked to the Delta variant had made the lifting of lockdown restrictions in England on June 21 "difficult".

For Kanneganti, whose county of Staffordshire recently experienced a surge in Delta variant linked cases, there is concern among the medical community about the variant.

Currently, there are not enough data for Public Health England to have confidence in saying whether the Delta variant causes a high risk of hospitalisation, he said.

But one thing that has been reported is how the vaccine is reducing the effect of the virus.

As cases do rise across the country, the British government is being questioned on whether the reopening can go ahead.

No official word has been said as of yet, but it looks like the government may be forced to delay. This, according to many medical professionals, is the right thing to do.

"It's better to be cautious rather than opening up everything and have a similar lockdown in the early winter, so I hope actually a proper decision was made. And then I always suggest that we should take the decision on the side of caution, rather than jumping into this," he said.

During the second lockdown announced by the government in October last year, COVID-19 cases had risen to record heights, and deaths increased dramatically. It is clear that doctors and the government alike will be keen to avoid any recurrence of such situation.

However, compared to last time, Britain as a whole is in a much stronger position thanks to the successful rollout of their vaccination program.

It means that they may be in better shape to take on any new variants.

"If we can finish maximum number of those (aged) 18 to 30 at least the first dose, so we have covered every adult with at least one of those -- that will be really crucial and we know that this vaccine works against the virus particularly in preventing hospitalisation complication, we know that it does work against the Delta variant as well," Chandra said.

More than 40.5 million people, or more than three-quarters of adults in Britain, have been given the first jab of the coronavirus vaccine while more than 28.2 million people have been fully vaccinated with a second dose, according to the latest official figures.

Experts have warned that coronavirus may continue to evolve for years to come, and eventually it is likely current vaccines will fail to protect against transmission, infection, or even against disease caused by newer variants.

To bring life back to normal, countries such as Britain, China, Russia, the United States as well as the European Union have been racing against time to roll out coronavirus vaccines. Enditem
[June 09, 2021] Gateway Funnel Pros Offers Solutions in Reaction to the Reported Spike in Online Friendly Fraud

WINDHAM, Maine, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Alex Roy, owner of Gateway Funnel Pros, a ClickFunnels-focused provider of high-risk payment gateways and chargeback mitigation services, is reacting to a recent report from MiDiGATOR by redoubling his company's efforts to fight online fraud. Alex stated that "According to a new report from MiDiGATOR, one of our main fraud-reduction partners, 77 percent of chargebacks coded as fraud are directly attributable to friendly fraud. This type of fraud is especially difficult for merchants to guard against, therefore I wanted to put a renewed focus on our set of services that help blunt the effect of friendly fraud for our clients." Friendly fraud chargebacks can occur when a legitimate credit card holder manipulates the credit card chargeback system to, for lack of a better word, steal from a business owner  usually an online merchant. An example is when a credit card holder orders a product which is delivered correctly, but then disputes the transaction as undelivered. "The social distancing policies of common carriers have certainly contributed to the increase in friendly fraud," Alex continued. "It is still common for deliveries to be dropped at a doorstep without a signature  even if the company shipping the product specifically requests a signature. This uptick in fraud is an unintended consequence of the efforts that carriers have put in place to keep their delivery drivers safe." Alex's company, Gateway Funnel Pros, works primarily with users of the ClickFunnels website builder that offer high-risk or fraud-prone products and services. In addition to providing high-risk payment gateways and merchant account placements, Gateway Funnel Pros leverages both the anti-fraud features of the NMI payment gateway's Advanced Fraud Detection Suite with the chargeback mitigation features of MiDiGATOR. Alex explained his company's experience this way: "We have been working with ClickFunnels website owners who need an alternative to traditional payment gateways like Stripe and PayPal sice the funnel builder's launch in 2014. In that time, we have seen a lot of business owners fall victim to fraud, both friendly and otherwise. Because of our unique experience, we have put together a fraud prevention philosophy that leverages our status as both an NMI payment gateway reseller and a MiDiGATOR partner. NMI's features can stop a lot of traditional fraud while MiDiGATOR's mitigation and management systems can not only prevent many chargebacks before they occur, but also save ClickFunnels users time by helping them manage their chargeback replies and rebut chargeback claims they feel are fraudulent."



The risks of fraud to online business owners go beyond the hard cost of lost goods and revenue to the actual ability of website owners to stay in business. According to the Gateway Funnel Pros website, a spike in chargebacks can put a company's ability to accept credit cards at risk. Their website states, "One of the biggest causes of held funds, shut-down accounts, and catastrophic cash-flow interruptions is a spike in chargebacks. Therefore, understanding the trends and the root causes of chargebacks is an essential part of any e-commerce business." The proprietary MiDiGATOR chargeback report referenced by Alex Roy, of Gateway Funnel Pros, highlights how important it is for online businesses, especially those in industries prone to fraud, to manage, understand, and mitigate their fraud risks as much as possible. To learn more about how Gateway Funnel Pros helps ClickFunnels entrepreneurs accept credit card payments, manage chargebacks, and reduce fraud using the tools provided by their partners at NMI and MiDiGATOR, visit their ClickFunnels website at GatewayFunnelPros.com.

About GatewayFunnelPros.com: GatewayFunnelPros.com is the preferred ClickFunnels alternative payment gateway provider and chargeback prevention specialist. They offer high-risk payment gateways, one-on-one payment processing support, and chargeback dispute expertise for high-risk e-commerce entrepreneurs who use the ClickFunnels website-building platform. Media Contact: Alex Roy 833-227-7671 311779@email4pr.com View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/gateway-funnel-pros-offers-solutions-in-reaction-to-the-reported-spike-in-online-friendly-fraud-301308806.html SOURCE Gateway Funnel Pros

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AM Best to Sponsor and Exhibit at Bermuda Captive Conference

AM Best will sponsor and exhibit at the annual Bermuda Captive Conference, to be held June 14-15, 2021.

AM Best is a longtime sponsor of the Bermuda Captive Conference and in 2021 is a bronze-level sponsor of the online event. The conference will cover a host of issues paramount for captive insurers and their owners, including the COVID-19 pandemic, emerging technologies and innovation, environmental, social and governance principles and domicile and regulatory developments. Conference attendees can access AM Best's online booth to learn about the rating agency, its role in the insurance industry and the resources it offers to insurance professionals, including Best's Credit Ratings, insurance data and analytic resources and financial data products.

For more information about the Bermuda Captive Conference's virtual event, please visit the conference overview and agenda.







AM Best remains the leading rating agency of alternative risk transfer entities, with more than 200 such vehicles rated throughout the world. For current Best's Credit Ratings and independent data on the captive and alternative risk transfer insurance market, please visit www.ambest.com/captive.

AM Best is a global credit rating agency, news publisher and data analytics provider specialising in the insurance industry. Headquartered in the United States, the company does business in over 100 countries with regional offices in London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mexico City. For more information, visit www.ambest.com.

Copyright  2021 by A.M. Best Company, Inc. and/or its affiliates. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210609005517/en/
[June 09, 2021] National Retail Solutions & Koupon Expand Partnership to Offer CPG Brands Integrated, End-to End Customer Engagement Solutions at Convenience Stores Nationwide

Partnership will enable brand marketers to craft high-impact campaigns for C-store customers utilizing an intelligently integrated suite of coupons, retail display advertising, and transactional data NEWARK, NJ, June 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- National Retail Solutions (NRS), a subsidiary of IDT Corporation (NYSE: IDT) and operator of the leading nationwide point-of-sale (POS) network for independent convenience and liquor stores, today announced the expansion of its partnership with Koupon, a leading provider of shopper engagement services, to significantly extend the reach of consumer packaged goods (CPG) brands through independent C-stores. NRS and Koupon previously partnered to enable the 2+ million members of IDTs popular BR Club shopper loyalty program to receive and use digital coupons. Our expanded partnership integrates these promotions with NRS digital and in-store displays and provides CPG brands and their agencies with access to actionable data analytics. We are excited to offer Koupons CPG clients a robust, integrated suite of advertising and data offerings, said Eli Korn, Chief Operating Officer of NRS. In-store coupons and promotions are significantly more effective when complemented by ads displayed on NRS customer-facing digital screens that are viewed by over 60 million eyeballs every month. Moreover, our actionable analytics platform provides CPG brands with unprecedented visibility into the impact of their promotions. The BR Club loyalty program has long allowed Koupon to deliver value to consumers at independent retailers across the US at scale, said Brad Van Otterloo, CEO of Koupon. Now, by adding NRS as an advertising and data partner, we can expand our media program to further increase awareness of our CPG offers while remaining highly tareted to C-store consumers.



The fast-growing NRS network now comprises over 14,000 POS terminals operated by independent retailers nationwide. The network terminals integrate software and hardware to provide services that help independent retailers compete more effectively with large retail chains. The NRS platform also expands CPG brands visibility and reach into key consumer segments. Our expanded partnership with Koupon is a revolutionary way for CPG brands to appeal to urban shoppers, said Jacob Jonas, VP, Innovation for NRS. These consumers are traditionally difficult for CPGs to reach because the independent retailers who serve them lack the technology to offer the same integrated promotions that chain stores routinely provide. We make it possible for CPGs to operate more effectively in this formerly opaque retail segment.

About NRS National Retail Solutions (NRS) is the leading point of sale (POS) provider for independently owned retailers, including convenience and liquor stores. Over 14,000 stores nationwide actively use NRS terminals to process over 58 million transactions per month. NRS offers CPG clients the ability to reach shoppers in independently owned stores via promotional offers and digital out-of-home advertising on the POS high definition, customer-facing checkout screen. Through the POS hardware and software bundle and associated retail services including NRS Pay , NRS empowers independent retailers to modernize and compete more effectively. To learn more, please visit nrsplus.com . NRS is a subsidiary of IDT Corporation (NYSE: IDT). About BR Club BR Club is the official loyalty program for customers of IDT Corporations (NYSE: IDT) Boss Revolution branded offerings and shoppers at stores that have NRS POS terminals. The program currently has over 2 Million members. BR Club members are offered monthly digital coupons at NRS retailers, discounts on Boss Revolutions payments and international calling services, and discounts on travel, dining and more at BRClubsaves.com. About Koupon Koupon provides c-store retailers and brands with the easiest way to connect and engage with shoppers to grow sales. Koupon works with brands to easily deploy personalized, channel-wide promotions, and helps retailers to secure additional brand trade spending and grow shopper engagement. Members of the Koupon Network - the leading c-store collaborative with 30 of the top 50 C-store retailers and over 70 brands  realize the benefit from Koupons unmatched channel reach, proprietary technology and data, and campaign management services. Since its founding in 2011, Koupon has delivered over 4 billion offers. To learn more, please visit kouponmedia.com . Contact:

Bill Ulrey

IDT Investor Relations

Phone: (973) 438-3838

E-mail: invest@idt.net



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[June 09, 2021] Onit Recognized for Rapid Revenue Growth By the Houston Business Journal

HOUSTON, June 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Onit, Inc., a leading provider of enterprise workflow and artificial intelligence platforms and solutions, including enterprise legal management, contract lifecycle management and business process automation, today announced that it ranked #4 on the Houston Business Journals Middle Market 50 list with two-year revenue growth of 162.78%. This marks the second consecutive year that Onit has ranked in the top five on the list.

The Houston Business Journals Middle Market 50 Awards honor the fastest-growing for-profit public and private companies in Houston with annual revenue of $28 million to $1 billion. The rankings are based on revenue growth from 2018 to 2020. From our inception, Onit has focused on rapid growth through innovation and disruption. That has never changed, even when navigating the challenges presented by the pandemic. In 2020, we added 93 new corporate customers, 330 expansions for existing customers, 22% more employees and two acquisitions, and we are continuing to grow on all fronts in 2021, said Eric M. Elfman, CEO and co-founder of Onit. We appreciate this recognition from the Houston Business Journal. Onit works with more than one-third of the Fortune 100 companies and processed $5.6 billion in law firm invoices from more than 140 countries in 2020. During this past year, Onit has dbuted four AI offerings for its contract lifecycle management and enterprise legal management, acquired AI legal technology provider McCarthyFinch and the document generation company AXDRAFT and won a listing on the Inc. 5000 for the fifth consecutive year with a three-year growth of 641%.



To learn more about Onit platforms and products, visit www.onit.com or schedule a demonstration at https://www.onit.com/schedule-a-demo/. About Onit

Onit is a global leader of workflow and artificial intelligence platforms and solutions for legal, compliance, sales, IT, HR and finance departments. With Onit, companies can transform best practices into smarter workflows, better processes and operational efficiencies. With a focus on enterprise legal management, matter management, spend management, contract lifecycle management and legal holds, the company operates globally and helps transform the way Fortune 500 companies and billion-dollar corporate legal departments bridge the gap between systems of record and systems of engagement. Onit helps customers find gains in efficiency, reduce costs and automate transactions faster. For more information, visit www.onit.com or call 1-800-281-1330.

Media inquiries:

Melanie Brenneman

Onit

(713) 294-7857

Melanie.brenneman@onit.com



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[June 09, 2021] More Than 80% of Entrepreneurs Rate Their Mental Health as 'Good' or 'Very Good', New Study From FreshBooks and Mind Share Partners Finds

Toronto, Canada, June 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today leading cloud accounting software FreshBooks launched its Self-Employed Mental Health Report in Partnership with Mind Share Partners. The report reveals that despite the pandemic and all the hardships that were created, 85% of entrepreneurs surveyed still feel that self-employment is the best choice for their mental and physical well-being. The first of its kind, this study was conducted jointly by FreshBooks and Mind Share Partners, a nonprofit based in the U.S. that is changing the culture of workplace mental health. It is based on survey data collected online from a representative sample of more than 2,000 freelancers, small business owners, and entrepreneurs across the United States in January 2020 and April 2021. The data set provides an insightful comparison between the self-reported mental health of entrepreneurs both before and during the pandemic, and remarkably the collective mental health of America's entrepreneurs has remained relatively stable. For most Americans choosing self-employment over a traditional job, the benefits outweigh the risks and hard work. We ran this study to see whether this holds true for mental health and well-being specifically, given the particular stresses that often come with self-employment, said Dave Cosgrave, Head of Research at FreshBooks, and the co-leader on the study. While it's safe to say that self-employment does have a net positive effect on mental health overall, millions of independent workers are experiencing mental health challenges, many of which have been amplified by the pandemic. Key findings from the report include: Nearly three-quarters (72%) of self-employed Americans describe their emotional, psychological and social well-being as good or very good. This is unchanged from the data seen in January 2020.

The effects of the pandemic on the mental health of small business owners have not been uniform. Nearly as many say they are better off (26%) versus worse off (32%), while 41% feel no difference in mental health since the start of the pandemic.

More than 50% of survey respondents did experience symptoms of por mental health for the first time. This includes: 25% experiencing depression for the first time as entrepreneurs. 20% experiencing anxiety for the first time as entrepreneurs. 18% experiencing chronic stress for the first time as entrepreneurs.





Despite self-reported improvements in and/or good mental health overall, many self-employed people in America experienced mental health symptoms that affected their day-to-day. In the past 12 months:

49% say their condition made it difficult to concentrate on their business (compared to 42% seen in the previous report).

36% say they put off challenging work.

30% say they became less responsive to emails and other communications. Study participants cited the following as the most challenging aspects of self-employment when it comes to their mental health and well-being: Financial stress and fear about the future of their business (44%)

Working alone (29%)

Having too much work to do in too little time (28%)

Feeling they can never show vulnerability or weakness (27%)

Responsibility for livelihood of staff (17%, up significantly from the 2020 study)



Mental health conditions like depression and anxiety are incredibly common over the course of a lifetimepeople move back and forth across the mental wellness spectrum, and self-employed Americans are no different. As a social entrepreneur, I know this firsthand, said Kelly Greenwood, Founder and CEO of Mind Share Partners. One silver lining of the pandemic is that mental health at work is being talked about more than ever. Whether youre in a traditional workplace or self-employed, making mental health a top priority matters. We hope this study helps to chip away at the stigma and lets self-employed professionals know that they aren't alone and should seek out the help they need. Since 2004, FreshBooks has helped more than 30 million people and established itself as one of the worlds most-popular accounting platforms for small businesses. To shed light on the experiences of people who work for themselves full-time, FreshBooks Communications and Research team produces a series of research reports, including FreshBooks Business Resiliency During COVID-19 Report, FreshBooks Self-Employment in America Report and FreshBooks Women in the Independent Workforce Report. - 30 - About FreshBooks FreshBooks is changing the way business owners manage their books. Its owner-first accounting platform, loved by businesses in over 100 countries, takes an easy-to-use approach to managing finances, billing, payments, and client engagement. FreshBooks, known for its 10x Stevie award winning customer support, serves customers of all sizes from offices in Canada, Croatia, Mexico, Netherlands, and US.



About Mind Share Partners

Mind Share Partners is a nonprofit organization based in the U.S. that is changing the culture of workplace mental health so that both employees and organizations can thrive. It builds public awareness, hosts communities to support ERGs and professionals, and provides workplace training and strategic advising to leading companies. Mind Share Partners runs two columns on workplace mental health in Forbes and Thrive Global and has been featured in Harvard Business Review, The New York Times, TIME, Fast Company, The Wall Street Journal, and others. Learn more at www.mindsharepartners.org.

Katey Townshend FreshBooks 4169851337 katey.townshend@freshbooks.com

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[June 09, 2021] AT&T Selected for $725 Million/12-Year Agreement to Modernize U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs Data Network

OAKTON, Va., June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- What's the news? AT&T* was selected by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to deliver a modernized data communications platform that will serve as a foundation for innovative VA technology capabilities to drive mission outcomes. AT&T was awarded the $725 million-over-12 years Task Order by VA under the General Services Administration's Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions contract for federal agencies. Why is this important? The VA requires a high speed, high capacity and resilient urban and rural data network to support its missions. Those include offering health care and benefits to approximately 18 million veterans and their families; responsibility for 142 national cemeteries and shrines; and supporting national preparedness for war, terrorism, national emergencies and natural disasters. VA manages America's largest integrated health care system, providing care at 1,255 health care facilities including 170 medical centers and 1,074 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics) and serving 9 million enrolled Veterans each year. What is the scope of the network modernization? We will work with the VA to continuously transform its IP-based data network to exceed its goals of a highly secure, scalable, highly available, and resilient technology infrastrcture that can enable rapid cloud adoption. Some of the advanced capabilities we are providing include Wide Area Networking, Virtual Private Networking and Managed Network services.



How will AT&T's capabilities support VA's mission? Our advanced technologies will help VA transform a broad array of data-based and data intensive processes. As just one example, our Wide Area Network capabilities can allow VA care providers to access a Veteran's health care records in near-real time on their connected device: replacing paper and fax-based health record sharing and helping to ensure timely delivery of care to improve health outcomes. When does the work begin? We are already working with VA on planning.

Daniel Mesimer, Director, WAN/LAN Infrastructure Engineering & Provisioning

Solution Delivery, Office of Information and Technology, IT Operations and Services, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

"VA is continuing to explore and innovate with advancing technologies to help us provide exceptional customer service to our nations Veterans." Chris Smith, Vice President-Civilian and Shared Services, AT&T Public Sector and FirstNet

"It is a special honor to win the opportunity to help VA modernize its mission in the service of our many heroes. We're thrilled to complement our broad array of AT&T programs that benefit veterans with an advanced data communications platform and capabilities that will power VA's mission for years to come." Where can I find more information? Go here for more information about AT&T's work in the public sector or visit VA here. *About AT&T Communications

We help family, friends and neighbors connect in meaningful ways every day. From the first phone call 140+ years ago to mobile video streaming, we @ATT innovate to improve lives. AT&T Communications is part of AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T). For more information, please visit us at att.com. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/att-selected-for-725-million12-year-agreement-to-modernize-us-dept-of-veterans-affairs-data-network-301309048.html SOURCE AT&T Communications

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[June 09, 2021] Mercy Ships selects Emplifi to Centralize International Social Media Campaigns and Boost Fundraising Efforts

Emplifi, the leading unified customer experience platform, today announced it has been selected by Mercy Ships, the hospital ship charity, to boost the healthcare organization's social media presence and expand its global reach. Serving 16 national offices across four continents, the Mercy Ships Global Brand Team needed a comprehensive social media marketing platform that would enable it to consolidate and localize its messaging across countries and cultures. After a three-month evaluation period, Mercy Ships determined that Emplifi was best equipped to provide the social media marketing tools needed, along with a supportive team who understood and valued the organization's mission. "We wanted to partner with a company that not only offered a best-in-class social media marketing solution, but had a heart for what we do," said Jitze Kramer, Vice President of Global Branding. "Emplifi's platform met every single one of our requirements, including an intuitive user interface and dashboard, easy-to-use publishing tools, and deep analytics with helpful industry benchmarks. But more importantly, we knew the Emplifi team would go the extra mile for us and was genuine in their desire to help us grow. Emplifi's solution is integral to our donor initiatives and outreach programs, allowing us to engage with our audience consistently across the global communities we serve." Mercy Ships manages 'floating hospitals' that provide safe and timely surgery to the most vulnerable in Africa. The organization relies primarily on volunteers and donor-contributions to deliver improved medical infrastructure to these communities that have little to no access to healthcare. Currently operating the Africa Mercy, this summer, Mercy Ships will complete the construction of Global Mercy. When in service, the new ship will more than double the current surgical and training capacity for the charity.



"We're excited to support the mission of Mercy Ships and the medical services they provide," said Mark Zablan, CEO at Emplifi. "It's fantastic to see the impact that Mercy Ships has had delivering free, world-class healthcare to developing countries around the world. We are 100% committed to do what we can to help them recruit more volunteers, raise more donor contributions, and increase awareness of the great work they do." Since implementing Emplifi's platform in March, Mercy Ships has experienced a high adoption rate among its offices, with staff from Asia-Pacific, Europe, North America, and Africa able to localize, distribute and share social media content and assets. The Mercy Ships Global Brand Team found the onboarding process was seamless and that collaboration has greatly increased across the organization.

"The continued support we have received from the team at Emplifi has proven highly valuable. They are truly a partner," said Francesco Tuzzolino, Digital Marketing Director, who is managing the integration for this new digital marketing approach. "Our three primary social media marketing goals are focused on brand governance, education, and enablement. As the charity ramps up its activities this year, Emplifi has enabled us to make considerable progress in all three categories in less than a month." About Emplifi Emplifi is the leading unified CX platform that brings marketing, care, and commerce together to help businesses close the customer experience gap. More than 7,000 brands, including Delta Air Lines, Ford (News - Alert) Motor Company and McDonalds, rely on Emplifi to provide their customers with outstanding experiences at every touchpoint. For more information, visit www.emplifi.io About Mercy Ships Mercy Ships uses hospital ships to deliver free, world-class healthcare services, capacity building, and sustainable development to those with little access in the developing world. Founded in 1978 by Don and Deyon Stephens, Mercy Ships has worked in more than 55 developing countries, providing services valued at more than $1.7 billion and directly benefitting more than 2.8 million people. Our ships are crewed by volunteers from over 60 nations, with an average of over 1200 volunteers each year. Professionals including surgeons, dentists, nurses, healthcare trainers, teachers, cooks, seamen, engineers, and agriculturalists donate their time and skills. With 16 national offices and an Africa Bureau, Mercy Ships seeks to transform individuals and serve nations. For more information click on www.mercyships.org View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210609005027/en/

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[June 09, 2021] OliX Pharmaceuticals Signs Agreement with LGC Biosearch Technologies to Accelerate Production of Asymmetric siRNA for the Treatment of Androgenic Alopecia

SEOUL, Republic of Korea and LONDON, June 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- OliX Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (KOSDAQ: 226950), a leading developer of RNAi therapeutics, and LGC, a global leader in the life science tools sector headquartered in London, announced that the companies signed an exclusive contract to scale production of OliXs OLX104C, an investigational RNAi therapeutic in development for the treatment of androgenic alopecia, also known as hair loss.

Under the terms of the agreement, LGC will produce the active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) for the preclinical and clinical study of OLX104C. The program focuses on a topically administered novel hair loss treatment with the potential for reduced systemic side effects. Earlier this year, OliX announced it had demonstrated efficacy in a preclinical study of OLX104C and plans to initiate clinical trials by 2022. We are pleased to expand upon our long-standing relationship with LGC whose deep industry expertise, global presence and strong manufacturing capabilities will enable us to accelerate the production of OLX104C as we prepare to initiate clinical trials for this program, said Dong Ki Lee, Ph.D., founder and chief executive officer of OliX Pharmaceuticals. Despite the global demand for RNA-based API, we are confident our collaboration with LGC will help us advance our dermatology program toward the clinic as quickly as possible. Dr. Juergen F.K. Mueller, Commercial Director Nucleic Acid Therapeutics at LGC Axlabs Biosearch, said, The LGC team is delighted to have been chosen to support the most recent OliX program. LGCs core purpose is Science for a Safer World and we appreciate the prospect of applying our specialist knowledge and capabilities to help OliX progress their own mission.



About OliX Pharmaceuticals OliX Pharmaceuticals is a clinical stage pharmaceutical company developing therapeutics against a variety of disorders by down-regulating expression of disease-causing genes, based on its own proprietary RNAi technology. The Companys core RNAi platform, asymmetric siRNA (asiRNA), is a unique gene silencing technology based on RNA interference (RNAi), which is considered as the most efficient gene silencing technology. Based on asiRNA technology, OliX has developed cell penetrating asiRNA (cp-asiRNA), a therapeutic RNAi platform to effectively target locally administrable diseases, such as hypertrophic scar, dry and wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD), subretinal fibrosis, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), and neuropathic pain. OliX has also developed another therapeutic RNAi platform, GalNAc-asiRNA, to target a variety of liver diseases. For more information, please visit: https://www.olixpharma.com/eng

About LGC ?????LGC is a global leader in the life science tools sector, providing mission critical components to customers across clinical diagnostics, pharmaceutical, research & government, food and other applied markets. LGC provides a comprehensive range of specialty genomic analysis tools, measurement tools and supply chain assurance solutions, underpinned by leading analytical and measurement science capabilities. It holds a number of international roles, including the UK Government Chemist programme and serving as the UK National Measurement Laboratory and Designated Institute for chemical and bio measurement. LGC's scientific tools and solutions form an essential part of its customers' quality assurance procedures and enable organisations to develop and commercialise new scientific products and advance research. Its 4,000 employees include internationally-recognised scientists who are experts in their field. Headquartered in London, LGC operates out of 19 countries worldwide and is extensively accredited to quality standards such as GMP, GLP, ISO 13485, ISO 17034, ISO 17043, ISO/IEC 17025 and ISO 9001. LGC was founded in 1842. It has been privately-owned since 1996 and has diversified through internal investment and acquisitions to be an international leader in its chosen markets. LGC is now owned by funds affiliated to Cinven, Astorg and ADIA. For more information, please visit www.lgcgroup.com Media Contact: Jon Yu

Westwicke/ICR PR

Phone: +1.475.395.5375

jon.yu@westwicke.com



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AlefEdge Introduces Advisory Board of Industry Leaders to Scale Commercialization of The 5G Edge API

AlefEdge, the Edge Internet leader, today announced the formation of a strategic committee of trusted advisors. The Advisory Board-which includes distinguished mobile and technology industry leaders-will work closely with the Alef leadership team to shape and guide the growth of the company's developer ecosystem to be the largest 5G Edge developer community in the world.

"Enterprises are accelerating their digital and communications strategies and demanding a diverse community of mobile and internet innovators to help them deploy 5G Edge applications and services quickly," says AlefEdge Founder and CEO, Ganesh Sundaram. "Our leadership team will be working with the Advisory Board to catalyze the commercialization of our developer programs and allow developers to leverage The 5G Edge API to build disruptive products."

"We're building the largest 5G Edge developer community in the world. It is important that we bring world class executives in mobility together to help guide our team. Alef's Advisory Board has an unprecedented range of experience spanning wireless, digital media, IoT, application/software development and 5G, which we believe will translate into even more innovation in the Edge category," said Mike Mulica, executive chairman of AlefEdge.

AlefEdge Advisory Board members include:

Chetan Sharma, CEO, Chetan Sharma Consulting

Sharma is the CEO of a highly respected strategy consulting firm in the mobile, media, and technology industry. A wireless industry expert, author and board member, he has served as an advisor to senior executive management of several Fortune 100 companies on product strategy and IP development. Some of his clients include NTT DoCoMo (News - Alert) , Disney, TF, Qualcomm, AT&T, Microsoft, Google, Facebook, Nvidia, Telefonica, and Intel.







Paul Reddick, VP Strategy, Business and Product Development, Crown Castle

A technology and digital media pioneer, Reddick has led product, business development and strategy for major companies and startups including Google, Handmark (News - Alert) , Sprint/Nextel, clients of McKinsey and others. In his current role with Crown Castle, he is leading the company's overall strategy as well as emerging business opportunities including CBRS, Edge Computing and IoT.

Petrina Steele, Global Lead, Connected Autonomous Vehicles & Smart Mobility, Equinix

Steele is responsible for shaping Equinix's connected autonomous vehicles and smart transport strategy, including integrating emerging technologies that include IoT, cloud technologies, 5G, AI and complex data sharing. She is an active member of 5GAA, AECC and CIONet Innovation Council, an EmTech investor, a supporter of STEM and part of Equinix's Women Leadership Network (EWLN) and InterAsianCommitee (iAC)

Paul Palmieri, CEO and Co-Founder, Tradeswell

Palmieri is recognized as a key architect of the mobile app economy through his roles at Verizon and as co-founder and CEO of Millennial Media (News - Alert) , which he took public on NYSE. He spent several years as managing partner of Grit Capital Partners and now serves as CEO of ecommerce platform Tradeswell. He held roles on the Mobile Marketing Association (News - Alert) (MMA), ultimately as its Global Chair, and on the board of the IAB.

Danny Winokur, Executive Advisor

A veteran executive in software, cloud, telecom, mobile and messaging, Winokur served as the general manager of AppDynamics, a leading application performance management vendor acquired on the eve of its IPO in January 2017 by Cisco (News - Alert) for $3.7B. Prior to AppDynamics, he was VP/GM Customer Experience and Enterprise Offerings at Adobe Systems, where he led key aspects of Adobe's transformation to a cloud-based subscription business with Creative Cloud.

About AlefEdge

AlefEdge is a global 5G Edge platform company that empowers developers and enterprises to rapidly create and launch innovative applications from its flagship EdgeNet platform. As a developer-first company, Alef simplifies the complexity of 5G and Edge Computing via The 5G Edge API, arming creators, programmers, and developers with APIs to unleash the massive power of the Edge Internet economy. AlefEdge is headquartered in New York City, with offices in India and Brazil.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210609005214/en/
[June 09, 2021] FinLync Selected by Citrix to Power Treasury and Finance Teams

FinLync, a privately held, global fintech company transforming corporate finance and treasury offices through its world-class products, today announced that Citrix, the builder of secure, unified digital workspace technology, has selected FinLync's suite of SAP (News - Alert) -certified applications to power its treasury and finance teams. Citrix is leveraging FinLync's technology to integrate its bank and ERP data which will allow its corporate treasury team to benefit from real-time payments, balances, account information and status, machine learning-assisted reconciliation the same day as transactions, more certainty for urgent payments ? while being protected by the latest enterprise-grade security. The multinational software company was seeking a technology solution to improve its payment lifecycle, while lowering cost and streamlining operations. Citrix (News - Alert) will be leveraging FinLync's solution suite, including Balance and Transaction Inquiry, Payments, Approvals, Status Tracker and Reconciliation applications, bringing speed, reliability and 24/7 transparency to its corporate treasury function. "We were so struck by how different FinLync was from other offerings on the market that we pivoted to them even though we were already well into the process of selecting another solutin," said Bruce Edlund, Senior Director and Assistant Treasurer at Citrix. "The ability to see where your corporation's money is in real time is a serious game changer, and we feel confident that this technology will free our treasury team up to make even more effective, and strategic, business decisions."



Leveraging API technology, FinLync creates applications that solve the long-standing problems that have marked the corporate treasury and finance communities' experience with legacy treasury technology. Equipped with FinLync's applications, treasurers and finance professionals are now able to achieve total data integration between their ERP data and bank data, all on a user intuitive platform designed for real-time technology. "It's extremely satisfying when a Fortune 1000 company like Citrix, that has built its own business through innovative technologies, recognizes the benefits that come from investing in the treasury office to ensure the team has access to the data it needs to make actionable decisions," said Phillip Klein, co-founder and CEO of FinLync. "By leveraging our solutions, Citrix's corporate finance team will elevate the role that the treasury department plays within the organization, evolving from function to change-makers. We are excited to have Citrix as a client and look forward to helping them quickly realize the benefit of real-time working capital enabled by FinLync's world-class products."

This news follows FinLync's $16M equity funding round to support its global expansion. FinLync and Citrix will also be speaking at EuroFinance Global Treasury Americas: Planning the Post-Pandemic Treasury conference addressing how APIs are allowing treasury to leapfrog traditional connectivity options. About FinLync FinLync is a privately held, global fintech company transforming the insights and functionality of corporate finance and treasury offices through its world-class products. FinLync's ERP native apps and API connectivity empowers treasurers to optimize cash, make better, faster decisions, save time and reduce the resources needed to manage complex finance needs. FinLync's largest clients include Fortune 500 and Fortune 2000 companies. The firm has employees from 18 different countries and offices in New York, Los Angeles and Singapore. For more information, visit https://www.finlync.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210609005069/en/

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Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-10 04:49:36|Editor: huaxia

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PARIS, June 9 (Xinhua) -- "Here we are!" tweeted French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday morning, marking the debut of a new phase in the country's easing of its coronavirus lockdown.

"Sit at a restaurant table. Escape from it during a show. Vibrate in unison in the stadium. Go back to the halls. The life we missed so much!" he wrote.

After seven months of closure, restaurants, bars and cafes throughout France are now able to host customers indoors, albeit still at half of their seating capacity and with tables limited to a maximum of six people.

Open again since May 19, outdoor seating areas of catering businesses are now back to full capacity.

The new step towards a return to normalcy seems to have put extra winds in the sails of Roy Rajas, 38, owner of a fast-food restaurant in the commune of Persan north of Paris. Without a terrace, his kitchen has been operating at reduced capacity.

"I've been offering home deliveries and takeaway service only. Surely that helped us limit our losses, but the sight of empty tables and upturned chairs breaks the morale of any restaurant owner," he told Xinhua.

"It's nice to see customers dine again inside. I hope this situation will now last," he added.

During the new phase of lockdown easing, "life is resuming all over France," commented Bruno Le Maire, France's minister of economy and finance.

Cultural venues can now increase their seating capacity to 65 percent compared to 35 percent allowed on May 19. Indoor gyms and covered swimming pools can reopen to the public at half capacity.

Working at home is no longer the rule and the restrictions on tourists' arrival are eased. The start of the night-time curfew is pushed back by two hours to 11 p.m. Eventually, all the COVID-19 restrictions are set to be removed later this month.

Yassine Kassi, an employee at a marketing and ads firm in Paris, found his way back to the office on Wednesday after having worked remotely for seven months.

"I'm so happy to find again our habits, our normal daily life: going to work, eating outside, sipping a drink with colleagues. All that was a routine before the epidemic. Now it's vital to feel that we are living despite the virus," he said.

Since early May, France has been progressively easing restrictions on public life as the health indicators at the national level are "green," but people are advised to remain cautious not to unleash a new wave of infections.

"Overall, the epidemic situation continues to improve significantly throughout the country," Health Minister Olivier Veran said on Sunday.

"The gradual easing of lockdown has not broken this virtuous dynamic of reducing the epidemic," he said.

The minister noted that the intensity of virus circulation has been decreasing by 20 percent to 25 percent each week and the incidence rate has remained below 100 positive cases per 100,000 inhabitants.

However, he called on people to remain vigilant due to the risk of the spread of the Delta COVID-19 variant first detected in India.

If no new wave appears in the autumn, "we will be able to say that COVID-19 is over," Veran told BFMTV news television.

After the holidays last summer, when the rules on social mixing were removed, France witnessed a marked increase in the number of new infections in September, forcing the government to lock down the population for a second time to contain the virus.

The appearance of more contagious variants triggered a third COVID-19 wave in early April this year -- and a fourth wave is likely to follow this autumn, according to the government's top health advisor.

"After a summer that should overall go well ... we should see a resurgence of the epidemic in September or October," Jean-Francois Delfraissy, head of the scientific council that advises the government on COVID-19, said on Tuesday.

Delfraissy told RTL radio that the Delta virus strain, which drove a devastating epidemic wave in India, would be dominant in the country by this autumn.

"The fourth wave will be very different from the previous waves because we will have the public vaccinated. The virus will find a population largely inoculated and protected against these new variants," he said.

In a report published on May 22, scientists from France's Institut Pasteur noted that "to avoid a risk of an epidemic rebound this summer, it is preferable that the current decrease in infections and hospitalizations be maintained for a few more weeks and that the current vaccination rate be maintained or increased."

Since the beginning of the pandemic, France has had over 5.7 million confirmed coronavirus cases. On Wednesday, 5,557 new cases were recorded against a daily average of about 40,000 at the peak of the third wave two months ago.

Coronavirus-linked hospitalizations have continued to fall since early May. Some 13,526 COVID-19 patients are still hospitalized, 2,326 of them in intensive care, against this year's record high of 6,001 registered on April 26, the health authorities said.

The government, which bets on vaccination to stave off the effects of a new wave of the pandemic, has so far administered about 29 million first vaccine doses to 55.3 percent of France's population aged 18 and over.

Some 13 million citizens, or 24.9 percent of the adult population, have already received both jabs, the Health Ministry said. Enditem
[June 09, 2021] SME Education Foundation Awards Record Number of Manufacturing and Engineering Scholarships to Underrepresented Students

SOUTHFIELD, Mich., June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The SME Education Foundation has awarded 323 scholarships  a record number  to students pursuing a postsecondary education in manufacturing, engineering or related technologies. Since 2005, the Foundation has awarded $9 million to 3,469 deserving students. Since 2005, the SME Education Foundation has awarded $9 million to 3,469 deserving students. This year, $722,700 was awarded to graduating high school seniors, undergraduates and graduate students as part of the Foundation's mission to inspire, prepare and support the next generation of manufacturing engineers and technologists. Of note, the Foundation awarded a record number of scholarships to women and/or minorities as part of a new Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiative. Scholarship awards to female students nearly doubled, and scholarships to minority students and minority female students nearly tripled and quadrupled, respectively. The SME Education Foundation Scholarship recipients are selected through a rigorous review process: 1,090 students from the U.S. and Canada applied in the 2021-22 academic year, with applications reviewed and evaluated by a team of over 100 academic and industry professionals. The growth in awards to underrepresented students was made possible, in part, hrough the creation, by the Foundation board, of the Irving P. McPhail Scholarship Fund  named for the late St. Augustine University (an historically black college/university) president and president of the 2020 SME Education Foundation. The McPhail Scholarship is one component of a multifaceted diversity, equity and inclusion initiative that the Foundation launched earlier this year. Growing the fund remains a key priority for SME and the SME Education Foundation.



"SME and the SME Education Foundation are committed to providing the financial support necessary to enable all deserving and accomplished young people their pursuit of a higher-education journey," said Rob Luce, vice president of the SME Education Foundation. "Scholarships define our philanthropic efforts and our pledge is to continue this support." The increase in awards underscores the interest in and desire among diverse student populations for STEM education opportunities and reflects the Foundation's work to increase outreach to female and minority students.

Respected as a philanthropic organization, the SME Education Foundation also administers scholarship funds for corporate clients in addition to its own endowed funds: an additional $250,000 in corporate scholarship funds will be awarded later this summer. Learn more about the Foundation scholarship recipients and their achievements at smeef.org/sme-education-foundation-scholarships/scholarship-success-stories. The SME Education Foundation will begin accepting scholarship applications for the 2022-23 school year on Nov. 1. For additional information or to register and receive application reminders, please visit smeef.org/scholarships. About the SME Education Foundation The SME Education Foundation inspires, prepares and supports the next generation of manufacturing and engineering talent. Since its organization by SME in 1979, the SME Education Foundation works to bring students, educators, industry and communities together through its SME PRIME program; awards annual student scholarships and conducts the Student Summit Event Series held at SME events in North America. Learn more here, and follow @MFG_EDUCATION on Twitter. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sme-education-foundation-awards-record-number-of-manufacturing-and-engineering-scholarships-to-underrepresented-students-301309089.html SOURCE SME Education Foundation

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[June 09, 2021] Marietta Group Extends Inspection Capabilities with Drone and Artificial Intelligence Technology

Marietta Group has introduced a new supplemental inspection capability that uses powerful artificial intelligence (AI) software and high resolution drone capture technology to identify, map and track exterior defects on silos. The AI Supplemental Inspection service brings speed and precision to damage and crack mapping not previously been possible. During the drone capture phase, detailed images of the entire silo are obtained via a predetermined flight plan that ensures still pictures and videos are taken at precise intervals around the structure. This information is processed into a 3D model of the silo(s). AI algorithms in the processing software identify cracks, spalling, corrosion, and other damages, including those measuring less than 0.1mm. The damage type, measurement and exact location are mapped onto the 3D model and ranked based on severity. "We've been in the industry for more than a century, yet bringing in full capabilities of artificial intelligence for extended inspections is a game-changer," said Dennis Blauser, CEO. "We are the first and only silo company in the USA to offer his kind of technology as part of our inspections."



The new service reduces time spent crack mapping to mere minutes. It provides a comprehensive portfolio of accurate and progressive tracking from one inspection to the next for comparisons over time and to reduce liability from unexpected failures. The AI Supplemental Inspection service is available throughout the United States as a standalone service or as one of Marietta Group's three existing inspection levels. "While our AI Supplemental Inspection does not replace a full silo inspection, it does add extremely rich data that can allow customers to keep a closer eye on exterior changes in between regularly scheduled inspections," said Blauser.

About Marietta Group Marietta Group houses Marietta Silos, Marietta Inspection Services, and USA Silo Service. They offer engineering, design, construction, inspection, repair and cleaning. As the only full-service silo company in the US, Marietta Group handles all silo needs under one purchase order. Since 1916, the Marietta Group has responded to client needs through safe, affordable and innovative business practices. A nationwide leader in concrete construction, inspection, repair and cleaning, our projects include work for major industrial giants, pre-cast building construction, cast-in-place projects and concrete Stave, Slipform and Jumpform silo construction. For information on the company visit www.mariettasilos.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210609005592/en/

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[June 09, 2021] Ontario Energy Association releases Net Zero 2050 report on options to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 calling for comprehensive energy strategy for Ontario

TORONTO, June 9, 2021 /CNW/ - Today, the Ontario Energy Association (OEA), released a report, Net Zero 2050, reviewing the various elements of our province's energy system and some of the options available to Ontario to achieve net zero emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) by 2050. The report finds that transitioning Ontario's energy system to net zero will encompass one of the largest infrastructure projects in Ontario's history. The OEA is committed to Canada's goal of achieving net zero GHG emissions by 2050 (NZ2050). The OEA's intention is to leverage our expertise to assist all levels of government and their agencies to find the optimal pathway to NZ2050 while ensuring our customers maintain access to affordable and reliable energy. The analysis in the report makes it clear that our path to NZ2050 requires Ontario to turn its policy focus to energy use more broadly, in contrast with our historic focus on electricity. In particular, we need to now focus on our emissions related to fossil fuel use which make up 80 per cent of our energy consumption. The analysis suggests Ontario should make ransportation fuel switching its highest priority. This is because the transportation sector is our largest source of emissions and the easiest to decarbonize with existing technology while still maintaining affordability. Passenger vehicle electrification (EVs), hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs), compressed natural gas (CNG), renewable natural gas (RNG), biofuels, energy efficiency and consumer behavior are all discussed as elements of transition in the transportation sector.



The analysis also finds that replacing Ontario's natural gas system, which heats our homes and buildings, would not be practical given the volume of peak energy this system delivers. We will need to continue relying on our gas system and the highly efficient heating technology deployed and available for homes and buildings. This suggests that our policies for homes and buildings should focus on reducing GHG emissions intensity through things like renewable natural gas, hydrogen blending, hybrid heating systems and energy efficiency initiatives. Finally, the analysis very clearly points to the need for a comprehensive energy strategy for Ontario that considers all fuels and maps a pathway to net zero 2050. The OEA would like to see the federal and Ontario government work collaboratively on a detailed and comprehensive energy plan for Ontario. We would also like to see the province work with municipalities to ensure local efforts towards the same objective are complementary.

"The OEA supports the goal of achieving net zero GHG emissions by 2050," said Vince Brescia, President & CEO of the Ontario Energy Association "However, to reach the net zero 2050 goal we must approach the issue holistically. It is important to redirect focus to the entire energy system to support a detailed and realistic analyses of the pathways, potential technologies and costs to ensure our success. With careful, transparent and fully informed planning we can make prudent choices to meet climate goals, minimize disruption to people's lives, and maintain an affordable and reliable energy supply for our customers," added Mr. Brescia. The report can be found by visiting www.energyontario.ca . About the Ontario Energy Association: The Ontario Energy Association (OEA) is the credible and trusted voice of the energy sector. We earn our reputation by being an integral and influential part of energy policy development and decision making in Ontario. We represent Ontario's energy leaders that span the full diversity of the energy industry. Learn more at www.energyontario.ca . SOURCE Ontario Energy Association (OEA)

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[June 09, 2021] Zooey Deschanel Joins Merryfield as Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer

BOSTON, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Merryfield, a new app, loyalty program and trusted authority on better-for-you, purpose-led brands like Stonyfield Organic, ECOS, Orgain, Justin's, Partake, Lundberg Family Farms, Primal Kitchen and more, today announces that actress, musician, and entrepreneur, Zooey Deschanel, is joining the Merryfield team as a Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer. Deschanel brings to the company a passion for helping to inform and educate people about food choices we make and the implications of those choices for both our personal health and the health of our planet. As Chief Creative Officer at Merryfield, Deschanel will have influence across all things creative, brand strategy, app product roadmap/experience, and community building among other areas. "We're elated to welcome Zooey and her valued perspective, creativity and insights to the Merryfield team," said David Mayer, Founder and CEO of Merryfield. "Zooey has been shining a light on the disparities in the food system for some time now and helping to empower people without access to local produce or a backyard to be able to grow their own. She cares about the same things we care about  she's the real deal." With the Merryfield app, any time consumers shop at their favorite retailers and buy products from the growing list of participating member brands including Applegate, Califia Farms, Beyond Meat, Hello Bello, EO Products, Quinn, Country Archer or Bob's Red Mill, they simply take a picture of their receipt via the app and earn points to be redeemed for gift cards from a wide variety of their favorite retailers like Target, Amazon, Sephora or Starbucks. Users can also connect their Merryfield account with some of the stores they shop at regularly to get rewards automatically for digital purchases. Merryfield is the only rewards app with rigorous quality standards that all brands and products must meet to be on the platform. Created by the company's Clean Council, Merryfield's Standards filter out unwanted ingredients such as artificial colorings, high fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated oils.



"The idea behind Merryfield made so much sense to me," said Deschanel. "I'd been thinking for a while about ways to incentivize people to really think about their choices and the impact of those choices. Making more informed, positive decisions for myself and my family makes me feel good, and I know a lot of people out there feel the same way I do. When I met David and the team and they told me about this idea to help make it easier for people to know which brands they can trust, then reward them for regularly supporting them with their purchasing power, I wanted to help make that happen." Deschanel has demonstrated a true commitment to helping people to help themselves. She created a video series with media production company Attn: called Your Food's Roots and founded Lettuce Grow, a hydroponic vertical growing system  both endeavors exemplifying her deliberate mission to help democratize access to better food, part of which are the kinds of food "products" and other everyday products people buy each week like shampoo, baby wipes, cleaning products.

Yes, people buy fruits and vegetables  but they also buy crackers and frozen waffles and microwave popcorn, particularly families and busy moms. Merryfield helps consumers know which products don't include harmful ingredients or unnecessary chemicals. With so many better-for-you, high integrity brands now available at stores like Target, Costco and Walmart, the democratization of these types of products is clearly underway, but deciding which brands to trust and what to buy and why can be difficult. Mayer said, "Without storewide standards most everywhere people shop, the onus is on all of us to research and read every label. It means work. Merryfield makes it easier for people to discover new products and brands they can trust without having to do a ton of their own research and feel overwhelmed by all of the information and options before them. We love informing and then rewarding people for consistently supporting brands that subscribe to a higher everyday quality standard." Through Merryfield, consumers can also feel good about supporting No Kid Hungry's mission to end childhood hunger since the company donates one percent of its revenue to the non-profit. This comes at a time when new data estimates suggest that one in four children in America could face hunger this year. To learn more, go to http://www.merryfield.com , and follow Merryfield @merryfieldxo. Download the iOS app for free at the Apple App Store. Android available Sept/ Oct 2021. About Merryfield:

Merryfield, a privately-held Public Benefit Corporation (PBC) based in Boston, is a new app, loyalty program and trusted authority on better-for-you, purpose-led brands like Stonyfield Organic, ECOS, Califia Farms, Suja, Rao's Homemade, Orgain, NadaMoo!, Alaffia, Uncle Matt's and more. Merryfield helps take the guesswork out of knowing which brands to trust and rewards consumers for supporting products and brands that don't use any artificial junk or unnecessary chemicals  and are better for your family and the planet. With Merryfield Everyday Rewards, any time you buy products from our growing list of participating member brands you get rewarded. It doesn't matter where you shop, just take a picture of your receipt and you'll get points you can redeem for great gift cards from a wide variety of retailers you love like Target, Amazon, Sephora or Starbucks. It's that easy. Users can also connect their Merryfield account with some of the stores they shop at regularly for digital purchases and get rewards automatically. Contact:

Sandrine Mangia Park/ Merryfield

Sandrine@merryfield.com Lauren Auslander/ LUNA

Lauren.Auslander@luna-ent.com View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/zooey-deschanel-joins-merryfield-as-co-founder-and-chief-creative-officer-301308617.html SOURCE Merryfield

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[June 09, 2021] Incorta Eclipses Top Cloud Vendors in 2021 Business Intelligence Market Study by Dresner Advisory

Incorta, the only unified data analytics platform powered by Direct Data Mapping, today released findings and results from its debut appearance in the 2021 Wisdom of the Crowds Business Intelligence (BI) Market Study by Dresner Advisory. In the report - which is available for complimentary download here - Incorta outperforms the overall sample of 26 software vendors, ranking above average across 78% of the key evaluation metrics, and receives a perfect "recommend" score. In addition, the research highlights Incorta as an Overall Leader in Customer Experience and Vendor Credibility, with top-five rankings in vendor "Confidence" and "Sales and Service," beating out Amazon, Google (News - Alert) , Microsoft, Microstrategy, Qlik and Tableau. "We are focused on helping our customers quickly and easily unlock the potential of all of their data at the most granular level with a unified data analytics platform that greatly simplifies the historic multiple vendor approach. Being named a leader in Customer Experience and Vendor Credibility shows that we are meeting our customers' needs and that they value our product and their experience with it," said Incorta CEO Scott Jones. "We're especially honored by the perfect recommendation score, which means 100% of our customers surveyed in the report would recommend Incorta. Even more, it shows that people are ready to embrace a new way to achieve success with data analytics." Incorta's inclusion in the 2021 Business Intelligence Market Study builds on its commanding presence in the 2020 Analytic Data Infrastructre (ADI) Market Study by Dresner Advisory. In both reports, Incorta outperforms big-box cloud vendors Amazon, Google and Microsoft (News - Alert) - the only other companies appearing in both market studies - signaling a growing market preference for unified data analytics platforms that deliver end-to-end experiences.



Incorta is a unified data analytics platform that enables companies to acquire, enrich, analyze, and act upon business data with unmatched speed, simplicity and insight. Powered by Direct Data Mapping, Incorta can make tens of billions of rows of data across multiple source databases analytics-ready in a matter of minutes. The platform is built for power users and novices alike, and provides simple yet powerful tools for individuals and teams to freely explore, enrich, and innovate with data. "In its first year of inclusion in our flagship report, Incorta scores above the overall sample and is best in class for follow up after the sale," said Howard Dresner, founder and chief research officer at Dresner Advisory Services. "We congratulate Incorta on being named an overall leader in both the Customer Experience and Vendor Credibility models and on earning a top recommend score."

The Wisdom of the Crowds Business Intelligence Market Study is valued for its in-depth assessment of the ever-evolving BI market and ability to highlight trends, discuss findings and analyze vendor performance. End users from organizations around the world were surveyed for the report, representing a variety of job functions, firm sizes and industries. Ratings take into account multiple factors including: value for price paid, quality and usefulness of the product, quality of technical support, quality and value of consulting services, sales and acquisition experience, recommendations and integrity. To learn more about Incorta's results in the report, a complimentary version is available for download at https://go.incorta.com/2021-dresner-wisdom-of-crowds. About Incorta Incorta is the only unified data analytics platform powered by Direct Data Mapping. Purpose-built to help companies stay ahead of the accelerating rate, volume, and complexity of modern enterprise data, the platform delivers unmatched speed and visibility. Incorta is built with open standards and integrates with cloud-friendly tools and platforms, making it easy to consolidate data in the cloud and extract meaningful insights. By making any data source continuously available for analytics, the platform helps business leaders, business teams, and data scientists make more accurate, timely and transparent decisions with faster access to richer data sets. Backed by GV (formerly Google Ventures), Kleiner Perkins, M12 (formerly Microsoft Ventures), Telstra Ventures and Sorenson Capital, Incorta powers analytics for some of the most valuable brands in the world, including Broadcom (News - Alert) , Credit Suisse and Shutterfly. To learn more and try it for yourself, visit www.incorta.com. About Dresner Advisory Services Dresner Advisory Services was formed by Howard Dresner, an independent analyst, author, lecturer and business adviser. Dresner Advisory Services, LLC focuses on creating and sharing thought leadership for Business Intelligence (BI) and related areas. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210609005652/en/

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[June 09, 2021] Updater Announces Relocation Trends Data Partnership with National Association of REALTORS

Updater, the leading technology platform powering the relocation industry, today announced that it has signed an agreement with The National Association of REALTORS (NAR), America's largest trade association with more than 1.4 million members, to supply the association with anonymous, aggregated relocation data. NAR will utilize Updater's unique and comprehensive real-time, pre-move data - which leverages Updater's hundreds of real estate partnerships across brokerage, mortgage, multifamily and more - to inform its trend forecasting and reporting efforts, empowering its members with actionable insights they can't get anywhere else. David Greenberg, Updater's Founder and Chief Executive Officer, stated, "Real-time insight into relocation trends and forecasts will allow NAR's REALTOR members to leverage new, sophisticated tools to serve their clients. Moreover, NAR's ability to access pre-move data for the first time will only further establish the organization as the housing-industry leader that consumers trust most. We look forward to continuing to deepen our long-standing relationship." Per the partnership, NAR members will receive access to both national and local moving developments, including exclusive, REALTOR-only content. In addition to member-facing trend forecasts, NAR will leverage Updater data to publish public-facing thought leadership content for consumers, offering relocation trends and market insights in real time. The data will be credited to Updater and published on NAR's economics blog as well as on an internal portal for members, where it plans to create a separate section detailing the following month's moving trends to stay ahead of rapidly shifting information. Specific data will include: Proprietary pre-move timing data

Home ownership vs. rentals

Origin and destination home size

Originand destination addresses

First-time homeownership identification



Updater has a lengthy history with NAR and was part of its inaugural REach program, an accelerator created in partnership with its early-stage technology fund Second Century Ventures - which has made two strategic investments in Updater. NAR is the most prominent economics team to utilize Updater's relocation data thus far, further validating its accuracy compared to other available sources.

Updater's data is unique in that it comprises fully-verified movers. This eliminates outdated and inaccurate statistics that occur when tabulating mail forwarding forms, which by definition are not real-time and exclude moves that are not designated as permanent. Updater data also comprises deeper and richer data points, including home ownership vs. renting, move distance, mover demographics and psychographics, move timing and more. Updater also engages movers weeks prior to a move, meaning its data can be used to predict with greater accuracy where people are migrating in the U.S. About Updater Technologies Updater Technologies is the leader in U.S. relocation technology, making moving - one of life's most stressful events - frictionless, painless, and even delightful. Updater streamlines the moving process by serving as a centralized hub where movers can easily accomplish everything they need like connecting internet and utilities, reserving a moving company, updating their address, and much more. Updater solves moving problems - you can plan and organize your to-do's, instantly compare and book the products and services you need - helping movers make smart choices, and, ultimately, get settled in faster. For more information, please visit www.updater.com. About NAR The National Association of REALTORS is America's largest trade association, representing more than 1.4 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries. NAR has been advocating and protecting the rights of property buyers and sellers in the U.S. and around the world for 112 years. Members belong to one or more of some 1,300 local associations/boards and 54 state and territory associations of REALTORS. They are pledged to a strict Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice. For more information, please visit www.nar.realtor. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210609005653/en/

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[June 09, 2021] iQ Academy of California - Los Angeles Class of 2021 To Be Celebrated with Online Graduation Ceremony

In a year where every school in America was affected by the pandemic, California Virtual Charter Academy (iQLA), an online public school serving K-12 grade students throughout the state since 2010, will celebrate its graduates virtually with a commencement ceremony on Friday, June 11 beginning at 11 am. The ceremony will be streamed live on the day of graduation but will be available to the public within 2 via Parent Square and all our social media pages. "Other schools struggled this year, but iQLA never missed a day of instruction, which was key to getting our students to move forward," said iQLA Head of School Nick Stecken. "This was certainly a challenging year, but our students and families got what they needed to move on to the next step in their lives." This year, iQLA will graduate 82 students. Emily Ramirez and Daniel Bae are iQLA's 2021 co-valedictorian. Emily plans to attend the Riverside Community College in the fall, and Daniel has a full scholarship to attend Julliard. "Prior to attending iQLA, I was having challenges at my brick and mortar school; I didn't feel like I fit in and the teachers were not as involved and attentiveto the students or their academic needs," said graduating senior Corrine McGee. "Enrolling in iQLA and having these instructors not only changed this dynamic for me but has given me a renewed outlook on my academics and future goals."



Collectively, the graduating class reports it has been accepted to colleges and universities across California and beyond, including Julliard, UC Davis, UC Fullerton, Cal State University - San Diego, and the U.S. Army. Prior to the pandemic, students enrolled in virtual school for a number of reasons-some were looking to escape bullying, some may have fallen academically off track, and others were looking for an alternative to the traditional classroom setting.

iQLA students access a robust online curriculum in the core subjects and a host of electives and attend live virtual classes taught by state-certified teachers. Details of the graduation ceremonies are as follows: WHAT: iQ Academy of California - Los Angeles 2021 Graduation Ceremony WHEN: Friday, June 11th, 2021, 11 AM CONTACT: For any questions about the celebrations, please contact Nick Stecken at nicstecken@iqcala.com. For media inquiries, please contact Ken Schwartz at kschwartz@k12.com. About iQ Academy of California - Los Angeles iQ Academy of California - Los Angeles (iQLA) is a full-time online public charter school authorized by the Rowland Unified School District. iQLA is available to students in kindergarten through 12th grade who reside in Kern, Los Angeles, Orange (News - Alert) , San Bernardino, and Ventura counties. California-credentialed teachers deliver lessons in an online classroom platform that provides families the choice to access the curriculum and tools provided by K12, a Stride Company (NYSE: LRN). Stride offers learners of all ages a more effective way to learn and build skills for their future. For more information about iQLA, visit losangeles.iqacademy.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210609005002/en/

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[June 09, 2021] CGI Windows & Doors Awards Four Florida Heroes With $6,000 Each

Hialeah-based CGI Windows & Doors, part of the PGT Innovations family of brands, is recognizing four Florida residents as heroes through its " CGI (News - Alert) Heroes: Celebrating Strength" initiative. The statewide initiative, which launched in April and concluded this week, recognizes heroes across Florida who are going above and beyond to help others. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210609005686/en/ From left to right: Jeff Jackson, CEO and President of PGT Innovations; Debbie LaPinska, Senior Vice President of Human Resources for PGT Innovations; Bob Keller, President of the Southeast Business Unit for PGT Innovations; contest winner Tori Mason; contest winner Drew Rogers; contest winner Bethany Keime; and contest winner Janet Woods (Photo: Business Wire) The nomination campaign resulted in four finalists being recognized and each awarded with a $1,000 cash prize. Tori Mason, Janet Woods, Bethany Keime, and Drew Rogers were all nominated and selected as finalists for their commitment to assisting others. Following the initial nomination, a public online voting period was opened to determine a grand prize winner to be awarded with an additional $5,000 cash prize. In light of the overwhelming voting response coupled with the notable contributions to the community made by each finalist, the CGI executive team decided to award each finalist with the additional $5,000 grand prize. "We were astounded by the stories of our hero finalists and thrilled with the response by their communities to vote for them for the grand prize," said Bob Keller, President of the Southeast Business Unit for PGT Innovations. "These are four people who are making a tremendous difference in their communities by demonstrating strength and compassion. When our team read their stories and saw the incredible support they each received through the voting, we were compelled to award all four of them with the grand prize. They are bringing hope to others and passionately serving the community. Their actions inspired us, and we hope thy inspire others."



Tori Mason is a school resource officer with the Okaloosa Sheriff's Office in the Destin/Fort Walton Beach region. The law enforcement officer is passionate about helping kids and serving others. Mason is a single mom who dedicates her time to serving on the Sheriff's Office Dive Team, instructs at the Teen Driver Challenge Program, and recently launched a fellowship of Christian Police Officers. Mason is known for going above and beyond to assist students at whichever school she is assigned to and creating safe learning environments and positive interactions between herself and students. Janet Woods is a dedicated volunteer with 9463 Foundation and South Florida Rest, organizations that support first responders in Florida. Woods has been making personalized quilts and hand delivering them to families of fallen officers in conjunction with the 9463 Foundation as a volunteer for close to ten years. A retired legal secretary, Woods moved to Florida ten years ago and has since been volunteering at 9643 Foundation, as well as with South Florida Rest (aka Canteen), an organization that hydrates firefighters and police officers while on call at emergency scenes. Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, Woods has also made more than 9,300 masks with patriotic or specific meaningful fabrics and donated them to police and fire agencies, hospitals, and others all over the country.

Bethany Keime is a self-proclaimed heart warrior from Cutler Bay. At 17 years of age, the Florida native was a senior in high school with a promising dance career and her whole life in front of her when she was diagnosed with the number one killer on school campuses and leading killer of student athletes: hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Keime's life changed forever when she fatefully learned that hers would be a lifetime of medication, testing, and treatments, including having a defibrillator implanted into her chest. Seven years later, Keime came to terms with the diagnosis and decided to do something positive about it. She launched the HeartCharged Instagram page to spread awareness, built her own website, and created her own 501C-3 nonprofit, HeartCharged. Drew Rogers is the Operations Fire Chief at Marion County Fire Rescue (MCFR) in Ocala. A firefighter for 20 years, Rogers has made it his mission to inspire and mentor others who may be headed down the wrong path. He's been instrumental in operating the mentorship program at MCFR; he secured funding and support to build a 7,000 square foot gym to help cadets stay fit to pass their physical ability tests and for his crew to stay mentally and physically fit; and he works tirelessly with students at the fire career academy to help them find a career path they can stay on for life. All four winners were awarded the $6,000 prize money at a virtual awards ceremony on June 9. Giving back to the community has always been part of the company culture at CGI Windows & Doors. That philosophy fueled the launch of the inaugural CGI Heroes contest in 2020 and its expansion to a statewide contest in 2021. About CGI Windows & Doors CGI Windows & Doors, part of the PGT Innovations family of brands, was established in 1992. CGI Windows & Doors has consistently built a reputation based on designing and manufacturing quality impact-resistant products that offer protection against hurricanes, intruders, outdoor noises and more. The company has more than 300 employees at its Hialeah-based manufacturing plant. Today, CGI Windows & Doors continues to deliver high-performance products that building professionals and homeowners have trusted for decades. Its flagship line, Sentinel, provides security and style. CGI Windows & Doors is a wholly owned subsidiary of PGT Innovations (NYSE: PGTI), a national leader in the premium window and door category. For additional information, visit cgiwindows.com. About PGT Innovations, Inc. PGT Innovations manufactures and supplies premium windows and doors. Its highly engineered and technically advanced products can withstand some of the toughest weather conditions on earth and are revolutionizing the way people live by unifying indoor and outdoor living spaces. PGT Innovations creates value through deep customer relationships, understanding the unstated needs of the markets it serves, and a drive to develop category-defining products. The company is also the nation's largest manufacturer of impact-resistant windows and doors and holds the leadership position in its primary market. The PGT Innovations' family of brands include CGI, PGT Custom Windows and Doors, WinDoor, Western Window Systems, Eze-Breeze, CGI Commercial, NewSouth Window Solutions, and a 75 percent ownership stake in Eco Window Systems. The company's brands, in their respective markets, are a preferred choice of architects, builders, and homeowners throughout North America and the Caribbean. Their high-quality products are available in custom and standard sizes with massive dimensions that allow for unlimited design possibilities in residential, multi-family, and commercial projects. For additional information, visit www.pgtinnovations.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210609005686/en/

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[June 09, 2021] APWG Q1 2021 Report: Detected Phishing Websites Maintain Historic High in Q1 2021, After Doubling in 2020

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The APWG's new Phishing Activity Trends Report reveals that phishing maintained near-record levels in the first quarter of 2021, after landmark increases of 2020 in which reported phishing websites doubled. The number of reported phishing websites peaked in January 2021 with an all-time high of 245,771 before declining later in the quarter. Still, March suffered more than 200,00 such attacks, the fourth-worst month in APWG's reporting history. "The APWG's members are reporting more confirmed phishing attacks," said Greg Aaron, Senior Research Fellow at the APWG, and the editor of the new report. "There are, however, many more attacks that are not reported in our data repository. That means these numbers are the floor, and that the situation out on the Internet is worse than the mounting numbers indicate." In related news, APWG contributing member Agari found that Business E-mail Compromise (BEC) scams are becoming more costly for some victims. The average wire transfer request in BEC attacks increased to $85,000 in Q1 2021, up from $48,000 in Q3 2020. Agari also tracked a new tactic being used by BEC scammers: the "aging report" scam. "The attacker impersonates a company's executive and simply requests a copy of a recent aging report from their accounting department, which contains a list of all unpaid customer accounts, as well as the names and email addresses of the primary customer contacts," said Crane Hassold, Senior Director of Threat Research at Agari. "Once an attacker has received an aging report, he will then target the victim's customers, requesting that they pay their overdue invoices to a new bank account controlled by the scammer." APWG contributor OpSec Security found that phishing that targeted financial institutions was the largest category of phishing in the first quarter, representing 24.9 percent of all attacks. OpSec also observed that that phishing against the social media sector ballooned to 23.6 percent of all attacks, up from 11.8 percent in Q4 2020. Phishers are also deploying encryption to fool users into thinking that phishing sites are legitimate and safe. APWG contributor PhishLabs found that, in the first quarter of 2021, 83 percent of phishing sites had SSL encryption enabled. This number plateaued for the first time since PhishLabs began studying the numbers in 2015. RiskIQ analyzed the use of domain names for phishing and analyzed several specific phishing campaigns. "As the global pandemic is not yet behind us, we must maintain and encourage vigilance against scammers who will continue to try and illegally profit by abusing the public's interest in vaccination," said Jonathan Matkowsky, Vice-President of Digital Risk at RiskIQ. The full text of the report is available here: https://docs.apwg.org/reports/apwg_trends_report_q1_2021.pdf For media inquiries related to the APWG: Secretary General Peter Cassidy (pcassidy@apwg.org, +1.617.669.1123). For company-specific content related to this release, please contact: Stefanie Ellis at OpSesc Security (Stefanie.ellis@markmonitor.com);



Seth Knox of Agari (sknox@agari.com, +1.650.627.7667); Eduardo Schultze of Axur (eduardo.schultze@axur.com , +55 51 3012-2987);

Stacy Shelley of PhishLabs (stacy@phishlabs.com , +1.843.329.7824); Holly Hitchcock of RiskIQ (holly@frontlines.io). About APWG Founded in 2003, the Anti-Phishing Working Group, (APWG) is the global industry, law enforcement, and government coalition focused on unifying the global response to electronic crime. Membership is open to qualified financial institutions, online retailers, ISPs, ESPs, domain name registrars and registries, and telcos, the law enforcement community, solutions providers, security services providers, multi-lateral treaty organizations, research centers, trade associations and government agencies. There are more than 2,000 companies, government agencies and NGOs participating in APWG worldwide. APWG's www.apwg.org and education.apwg.org websites offer the public, industry and government agencies practical information about phishing and electronically mediated fraud as well as pointers to pragmatic technical solutions that provide immediate protection. The APWG is co-founder and co-manager of the STOP. THINK. CONNECT. Messaging Convention, the global online safety public awareness collaborative and founder/curator of the Symposium on Electronic Crime Research, the world's only peer-reviewed conference dedicated specifically to electronic crime studies. APWG advises hemispheric and global trade groups and multilateral treaty organizations such as the European Commission, the G8 High Technology Crime Subgroup, Council of Europe (Convention on Cybercrime), the United Nations (Office of Drugs and Crime), Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Europol EC3 and the Organization of American States. APWG is a founding member of the steering group of the Commonwealth Cybercrime Initiative at the Commonwealth of Nations. Among APWG's corporate sponsors are: Acronis, Afilias, AGARI, AhnLab, AT&T, Allure Security, AREA 1, AIT, Avast, Awayr AI, AXUR, Bolster, ByteDance, CaixaBank, Check Point, Cisco, CLARO, Cloudflare, CLOUDMARK, COFENSE, Coinbase, Comcast, CSC, CSIRT BANELCO, CSIS, CYREN, Cyxtera, CZ.NIC, DigiCert, DNS Belgium, DomianTools, Entrust Datacard, ESET, Facebook, FirstRand, Fortinet, FraudWatch, GetResponse, GMS Securidad, GoDaddy Registry, Group-IB, Hitachi Systems, ICANN, Infoblox, Ingressum, IQ Global, iThreat, Kaspersky, KnowBe4, Lenos Software, LINE, Looking Glass, LSEC, Mailshell, McAfee, Microsoft, Mimecast, NAVER, Netcraft, NetSTAR, Noblis, Nominet, Opera, OpSec Security, Palo Alto Networks, PANDI, PayPal, PhishLabs, Proofpoint, Rakuten, Red Sift, REDIRIS, RiskIQ, RSA, Salesforce, Secutec, SIDN, SlashNext, Sopos, SWITCH, Symantec, Thomsen Trampedach, ThreatSTOP, TNO, TrendMicro, Trustwave, Twilio, Vade, Verisign, Viettel Cyber Security, Webroot, workday, ZeroFOX, ZibaSec, ZIX, and zvelo. Related Images reported-phishing-websites-for-q1.png

Reported Phishing Websites for Q1 2021

Reported Phishing Websites for Q1 2021 domain-registrars-reportedly.png

Domain Registrars Reportedly Employed in BEC Attacks in Q1 2021

Domain Registrars Reportedly Employed in BEC Attacks in Q1 2021 industries-most-targeted-in.png

Industries Most Targeted in Phishing Attacks in Q1 2021

Industries Most Targeted in Phishing Attacks in Q1 2021 apwg-ecrime-research-counter.png

APWG eCrime Research - Counter Cybercrime Research in the Public Interest

APWG eCrime Research - Counter Cybercrime Research in the Public Interest View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/apwg-q1-2021-report-detected-phishing-websites-maintain-historic-high-in-q1-2021-after-doubling-in-2020-301309187.html SOURCE APWG

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[June 09, 2021] EmiSwap DEX to Give Away Over $100,000 USD in ESW Tokens

Dubai, UAE, June 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- (via Blockchain Wire) - EmiSwap (https://emiswap.com), the only community-governed decentralized exchange (DEX) paying out high rewards for liquidity providers, announced the launch of their airdrop campaign with Airdrops.io (https://airdrops.io/). The airdrop campaign was created to reward EmiSwaps community by giving away over 1 million ESW tokens worth more than $100,000 USD. The first airdrop event kicked off today with over 350,000 ESW tokens given away as rewards for subscribing to EmiSwaps social channels.

The initial portion of EmiSwaps airdrop campaign rewarded users for following a series of outlined steps. These included following EmiSwap on Twitter, joining the EmiSwap Telegram, retweeting a Twitter post, and submitting the users ETH address to claim the reward. The first 10,000 users received $4 USD worth of ESW (approximately 35 ESW). They also received $0.2 USD worth of ESW (approximately 2 ESW) for each referral. Optional tasks included creating a post on Twitter about EmiSwap and tagging the company, as well as following EmiSwap on Facebook. As an added bonus, 100 lucky users received $20 USD of ESW (approximately 170 ESW). This phase featured a limit of 10,000 users, but due to the overwhelming support from the community, the event concluded in the first one hour of its launch.





The secondary phase of EmiSwaps campaign, commencing June 22, invites users to trade on the EmiSwap network. This phase will reward 5,000 users for swapping any token pair on EmiSwap or adding liquidity to any token pair pool. EmiSwap will refund all Ethereum gas fees in ESW. Users must save their transaction ID for submission. Users will then need to fill out a Google Form to submit the details of their participation. After completing these steps, users will receive $20 USD of ESW (approximately 170 ESW). Rewards will be distributed after the Token Generation Event occurring in late June. Additionally, the ESW users earn for their activities will mark them as able to receive 0.05% from the trading volume in proportion to the number of tokens they earn.



EmiSwap is the first project of the EmiDAO alliance and its members are actively involved in managing and supporting the product. The EmiDAO alliance includes, an investment fund focused on emerging blockchain companies, Alpha Sigma Capital (https://alphasigma.fund); a top cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume and liquidity, DigiFinex Exchange (https://www.digifinex.com); an exchange with 2.1 million global users and over 300 cryptocurrencies listed, Bitmart Exchange (https://www.bitmart.com); the first decentralized financial project that distributes all its revenue among stakeholders, Emirex Exchange (https://emirex.com); an all-in-one and open-source white-label exchange solution that lets anyone run a complete crypto trading platform, HollaEx Exchange (https://hollaex.com); a Hong Kong-based cryptocurrency exchange and financial services company working in areas including media, social, mining, digital asset management, markets and research, IDCM Exchange (https://www.idcm.io), and a global banking platform that is integrating its services of eKYC, AML, whitelist-as-a-service, and fiat-in/out ramps, Everest Group (https://www.everestgrp.com).

For more information please visit EmiSwaps official website and Medium.

About EmiSwap

EmiSwap (https://emiswap.com) is the first community-governed decentralized exchange (DEX) that provides high rewards for liquidity providers (LPs) and offers 100% compensation for Ethereums transaction fees in $ESW governance tokens. EmiSwap is a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) in which $ESW token holders vote to govern the development of the platform. Participants will be rewarded daily based on their trade volume and will have exclusive opportunities to collect EmiSwaps limited edition NFT cards. EmiSwap is the first project in the EmiDAO alliance which includes Alpha Sigma Capital, DigiFinex Exchange, Bitmart Exchange, Emirex Exchange, HollaEx Exchange, IDCM Exchange, and Everest Group.

Media Contact: Transform Group, emiswap@transformgroup.com Company Contact: alliance@emirex.com

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Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-09 06:20:13|Editor: huaxia

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LOS ANGELES, June 8 (Xinhua) -- Two suspects were charged in a road rage shooting in the U.S. state of California that killed a 6-year-old boy last month, authorities said Tuesday.

The suspected shooter, Marcus Anthony Eriz, 24, was charged today with murder, while Wynne Lee, 23, was charged with accessory, according to the Orange County district attorney's office.

"Marcus Eriz eligible for life sentence for murder and Wynne Lee facing 4 years for accessory after the fact in murder of 6 year old Aiden Leos in road rage incident on 55 fwy(freeway)," tweeted Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer.

"Thanks to the help of the community and the media for helping to get the word out about our manhunt for those responsible in the shooting death of 6-year-old Aiden Leos. The unwavering support for law enforcement in this case speaks to the commitment of the Orange County community to justice and public safety," Spitzer noted.

Eriz and his girlfriend Lee were believed to be responsible for the killing of the boy in the road rage shooting that shocked Southern California and the nation. A reward for information in the fatal case, funded by the boy's family members, businesses, local officials and the public, has grown to 500,000 U.S. dollars.

The pair were arrested Sunday by police at their home in Orange County after a weeks-long intensive manhunt.

According to the California Highway Patrol (CHP), the boy's mother, Joanna Cloonan, was driving a silver Chevrolet Sonic while the 6-year-old was seated in the rear passenger area on May 21.

"Ms. Cloonan and the occupants of a white Volkswagen station wagon were involved in a road rage incident over a perceived unsafe lane change. A shooting occurred when an occupant in the Volkswagen fired at least one round from an unknown caliber pistol into the rear of the Chevrolet Sonic, killing Aiden," said the CHP in a press release on Sunday.

Children are often the victims of gun violence in the United States. More than 300 children and 1,300 teenagers were shot in gun violence in the United States in the first four months this year. As of Tuesday, 130 children aged between 0 and 11 and 533 teens aged between 12 and 17 have been killed in gun violence across the country, according to data released by the nonprofit group Gun Violence Archive. Enditem
[June 09, 2021] Eden Workplace Announces Desk Booking Software Product

Eden Workplace-the complete Software-as-a-Service ( SaaS (News - Alert) ) suite for the modern hybrid office-today announced the highly-anticipated release of its newest product, Desk Booking, which was formerly in Beta with a number of active customers. A crucial tool for workplace re-entry, Desk Booking enables every team member to book a desk in your workspace for the day. Whether they are an everyday hybrid team member, an executive visiting on a business trip, or a remote employee working in the office, they'll have a space to call their own when they need it. With 85% of workers looking forward to returning to the office, companies such as Bloomscape, Wistia and RiskIQ have already been utilizing Desk Booking to facilitate a safe and efficient re-entry over the last few months. "The one-size-fits-all office of the past is over; the future of the workplace is hybrid," said Joe Du Bey, Co-Founder and CEO, Eden Workplace. "Permanent desks for all no longer meet employees' desired flexibility, nor do they optimize companies' use of space and real estate costs. Eden Workplace's suite of SaaS tools were purpose-built for the hybrid company, and our Desk Booking software is a key product for any company that seeks to attract and accommodate the majority of the workforce that seeks a hybrid working environment." With Desk Booking, today's employees benefit from easy integrations suchas Slack, Google (News - Alert) calendar and email to make it easy to stay organized and productive; mobile interface to check availability, reserve desks as well as receive confirmations within the palm of your hand; office neighborhoods that make it easy for teams to co-locate and collaborate; social distancing to stop the spread of COVID-19 in your space; and metrics that matter to understand how your space is used and make thoughtful real estate decisions.



In August 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Eden Workplace quickly adapted to provide its customers with the tools needed to operate a hybrid environment and launched its all-encompassing software suite that can easily manage it all. Since the launch of Eden Workplace's SaaS tools-including COVID Team Safety, Visitor Management, Modern Ticketing, Room Scheduling and Facilities Management Software-now rounded out with Desk Booking, the company's team has worked with focus to help companies and their teams get back to the office safely and efficiently. Innovative companies from Bark to Box (News - Alert) to Thrive Market and more trust Eden Workplace to better run their workplace(s), ensuring that they have the best possible experience for their employees and visitors. Founded in 2015 and now available globally, Eden Workplace offers all the necessary software to run a high-standards office in one comprehensive, easy-to-use, and cost-effective platform on flexible terms. Request an Eden Workplace demo today: https://hubs.ly/H0MtTy-0

ABOUT EDEN WORKPLACE: Eden Workplace is the complete suite of software for the hybrid office that makes it easier for companies to run their workplaces. Eden Workplace's best-in-class Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) suite helps teams safely return to the office, manage their floor plans and desks, register visitors, track employee ticketing and helpdesk requests, book rooms and manage their facilities. Eden Workplace is based in San Francisco and investors include Y Combinator, Bessemer Venture Partners, Fifth Wall, S28 Capital, Reshape and JLL. Eden Workplace's mission is to create a better place to work, for everyone. To learn more, visit www.edenworkplace.com. View The Desk Booking Demo HERE. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210609005156/en/

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[June 09, 2021] Classy Reveals Top 50 Finalists for 2021 Classy Awards, Celebrating Resilience and Innovation in the Social Sector

SAN DIEGO, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Classy , a Public Benefit Corporation that creates world-class fundraising software for nonprofits, unveiled the Top 50 Finalists for the 2021 Classy Awards, honoring today's most innovative nonprofits and social enterprises. After a brief hiatus, the Classy Awards returned to recognize the resiliency of the social sector after the challenging events of 2020 and kicked off the Finalist celebration at Classy's 2021 Collaborative: Virtual Sessions conference, a four-day online experience designed exclusively for nonprofit professionals. This year's group of honorees represents a range from internationally recognized nonprofits to local grassroots programs, who all worked tirelessly throughout the past year to move their missions forward and create an impact when their communities needed them the most. Programs in consideration for the Awards this year tackle various issues spanning from career-changing transitional support, to increased access to water and food within vulnerable communities, to various forms of relief throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. From this prestigious list of Finalists, the appointed Leadership Council , a distinguished group of social secto leaders and executives, will further evaluate and determine this year's winners. The following awards will be granted:



Social Innovation : ten programs will be recognized for providing the most innovative solutions to the world's toughest social and environmental issues.

: ten programs will be recognized for providing the most innovative solutions to the world's toughest social and environmental issues. Adapt and Overcome : one program will be celebrated for its resiliency throughout the immense challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

: one program will be celebrated for its resiliency throughout the immense challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Lifetime Achievement Award : one individual will be recognized for excellence over a lifetime of service in the social sector.

: one individual will be recognized for excellence over a lifetime of service in the social sector. People's Choice Award: one program will be selected by popular vote from the public. "We started the Classy Awards in 2009 because we were inspired by the organizations in our community that were embracing new ideas, creating new strategies, and utilizing the latest technologies to address our complex social issues," said Pat Walsh, Co-Founder and Chief Impact Officer at Classy. "The social sector went through an incredibly challenging year, where program demand was high and resources stretched thin, and we're proud of all the organizations that were nominated this year. We're honored to unveil this list of Finalists, and excited to see what they'll continue to achieve moving forward." To properly present an in-depth summary of their programs to the Leadership Council for final consideration, each of the Top 50 Finalists completed a Progress profile, a new framework developed by Classy to help nonprofits and social enterprises articulate their programmatic performance and social impact.

Voting is also now open for the People's Choice Award. You can review the Finalists and vote for your favorite here . All Classy Awards Winners will be announced publicly on September 28, 2021. To learn more about the Classy Awards, visit https://awards.classy.org . About Classy

Classy is a social enterprise that creates world-class online fundraising software for nonprofits, modernizing the giving experience to accelerate social impact around the world. Based in San Diego, CA, Classy is trusted by organizations of all sizes, from the fastest-growing nonprofits to some of the world's largest social organizations. Classy also hosts the Collaborative conference and the Classy Awards to spotlight the innovative work nonprofits are implementing around the globe. For more information, visit www.classy.org or follow Classy on Twitter @Classy. CONTACT: press@classy.org View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/classy-reveals-top-50-finalists-for-2021-classy-awards-celebrating-resilience-and-innovation-in-the-social-sector-301309225.html SOURCE Classy

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[June 09, 2021] PIC, PIC.U, PIC WS, and XL INVESTOR UPDATE: Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP Appointed Lead Counsel in Securities Class Action Against XL Fleet Corp. f/k/a Pivotal Investment Corporation II

Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP ("GPM") announces that it has been appointed Lead Counsel in the securities class action against XL Fleet Corp. ("XL Fleet" or the "Company") (NYSE: XL) f/k/a Pivotal Investment Corporation II ("Pivotal") (NYSE: PIC, PIC.U, and PIC WS) and certain executive officers of the Company, currently pending in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. Investors that purchased XL Fleet or Pivotal securities between October 2, 2020 and March 2, 2021 are encouraged to contact Garth Spencer, Esq. of GPM at 310-201-9150 to discuss the status of the case and the claims in the litigation. 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 XL Fleet's salespeople were pressured to inflate their sales pipelines to boost the Company's reported sales and backlog; (2) that at least 18 of the 33 customers that XL featured were inactive and had not placed an order since 2019; (3) that XL's technology had been materially overstated and offered only 5% to 10% of fleet savings; (4) that XL lacks te supply chain and engineers to roll out new products on the announced timelines; and (5) that, as a result of the foregoing, Defendants' positive statements about the Company's business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis.



On March 3, 2021, Muddy Waters Research published a report entitled "XL Fleet Corp. (NYSE: XL): More SPAC Trash," alleging, among other things, that salespeople "were pressured to inflate their sales pipelines materially in order to mislead XL's board and investors" and that "customer reorder rates are in reality quite low" due to "poor performance and regulatory issues." Citing interviews with former employees, the report alleged that "at least 18 of 33 customers XL featured were inactive." Muddy Waters also claimed that XL has "weak technology" and that "XL's announcement of future class 7-8 upfits seems highly promotional" because the task is "too technologically complex for XL engineers to deliver on the promised timeline." On this news, the Company's stock price fell $2.09, or 13%, to close at $13.86 per share on March 3, 2021, on unusually heavy trading volume. The share price continued to decline by $2.69, or 19.4%, over two consecutive trading sessions to close at $11.17 per share on March 5, 2021, on unusually heavy trading volume.

Follow us for updates on LinkedIn, Twitter, or Facebook. If you purchased XL Fleet or Pivotal securities between October 2, 2020 and March 2, 2021, or if you have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to the pending class action lawsuit, please contact Garth Spencer, Esquire, of GPM, 1925 Century Park East, Suite 2100, Los Angeles, California 90067 at 310-201-9150, Toll-Free at 888-773-9224, by email to shareholders@glancylaw.com, or visit our website at www.glancylaw.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. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210609005220/en/

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[June 09, 2021] SafeTheHumanity - Static rewards and automatic liquidity protocol with a unique focus on charity donations

BREZICE, Slovenia, June 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SafeTheHumanity , a global DeFi protocol with a unique focus on charity donations using governance voting on BSC, is delighted to announce the launch of its private token sale on June 11. The public sale will start soon after, on June 18. Participants will get a chance to own the project's native tokens before the launch, therefore 10% cheaper. Here are details of the upcoming STH token sale! Total sale: $1.175M total raise (gathered token: BNB)

Public sale @ 1 BNB = 100,000,000,000 STH | 2600 BNB hard cap

Private Sale @ 1 BNB = 115,000,000,000 STH | 500 BNB hard cap

Listing @ PancakeSwap (10 % higher listing price)

Vesting Schedule: No vesting!

Total Supply: 1,000,000,000,000,000 STH Note: Investors can claim their tokens once the presale is finished! Participants in the public sale stand a chance to earn special bonuses with two simple features. They can get bonuses of up to 12.5 % for buying STH early (first day). Early-bird investors can also earn 1 % extra tokens as a referral bonus on each referred user that buys tokens using their referral link! Create a referral link here! What Does SafeTheHumanity Offer? SafeTheHumanity introduces a next-generation yield-generating DeFi project that is fully community-oriented. The DeFi platform's primary objective is to provide help globally through donations while rewarding participants with static rewards. Join the upcoming presale for an opportunity to earn lucrative rewards via this pioneering automatic liquidity protocol. You will also get the chance to help a more significant cause via the platform's unique donation fund feature. How SafeTheHumanity Works The protocol utilizes an auto-generating liquidity protocol and static farming to facilitate users to hold STH and also help humanity via a transparent and fair donation system. The project's smart contract automatically generates liquidity to create a price floor for the native STH token. It then applies a 1% fee on all transctions to auto-refill the liquidity pool, raising the price floor with each trade on PancakeSwap.



A further 1 % is applied on all transactions, generating funds that reward users simply for holding STH tokens. This is to say that you don't need to stake or provide liquidity to earn static rewards with SafeTheHumanity. Every holder will benefit! An additional 1% of fees taken on each transaction will be used for the foundation, maintenance, and promotion of the project.

Finally, a 1% fee on all transactions goes into a donation pool for charitable organizations picked by the community via governance voting. This fund is geared toward SafeTheHumanity's objective of creating a better world filled with peace and equality. Join the token sale events and grab the opportunity to donate to the charity of your choice collectively and help the project meet its obligation to take care of humanity. If you wish to contribute more to the project's welfare plans, you can do so by donating STH or BNB (max contribution is 100 BNB). SaFeTheHumanity's team will then share their BSC BNB payment address with you. The contribution will be automatically added to the donation fund pool for the next vote. Note: You will ONLY be contacted by: @safethehuman. Telegram handles that contribute but are not in this group will be refunded immediately! Why is SafeTheHumanity Different? SafeTheHumanity's continuing push to build a charitable and equal future for all is a noble initiative that should stir up the interest of all men of goodwill. As a next-generation, community-oriented platform, SafeTheHumanity is well primed to disrupt the DeFi space by combining profitable yield-generating avenues and a life-changing opportunity token. The protocol's operations are run by a network of users, making the project secure, autonomous, and fully decentralized. It also deploys a unique token model designed to reward holders while enabling users to donate to humanitarian charities. Here are the detailed tokenomics: Burned on launch: 400,000,000,000,000 STH (40.00 %)

Fundraise + liquidity: 357,500,000,000,000 STH (35.75 %)

Rewards: 42,500,000,000,000 STH (4.25 %)

Marketing: 100,000,000,000,000 STH (10.00 %)

Foundation: 100,000,000,000,000 STH (10.00 %)

Marketing & foundation tokens vested 5 % over 20 months to show the team's and project's long-term dedication. SafeTheHumanity Is Fair and Transparent! Perhaps one of the project's most vital points is its commitment to champion transparency. To this end, the project code will be checked and audited on release by a reputable company. Furthermore, the decentralized financial entity confirms and records all transactions on the tamper-proof blockchain to instil trust in the community. This model ensures that no third parties can alter any details or transactions, giving users confidence that the donation system isn't prone to manipulation. SafeTheHumanity has an exciting roadmap with several innovations planned for release. The project's dedicated team is ready to make flexible changes to help achieve the plans announced in the roadmap. They remain committed to delivering the best results with their strong work ethic and vast experience of over four years. More influencers have shown interest in contributing to SafeTheHumanity and will use their experience and skill to spread awareness about the project across the globe. Details on The Project For further details on SafeTheHumanity, please read their whitepaper or visit their official website and social media sites: Telegram: https://t.me/SafeTheHumanityCommunity

Website https://safethehumanity.org/

Whitepaper: Click here to view the whitepaper

to view the whitepaper Twitter: https://twitter.com/SafeTheHumanity Media Contacts -



Luka Volovec

info@safethehumanity.org

SafeTheHumanity



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[June 09, 2021] Blockchain Platform Fantom to Modernize the Technological Infrastructure of Uzbekistan

Tashkent, Uzbekistan, June 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Leading blockchain platform Fantom has entered into a partnership with Elyar Ganiev and the AG Mentors Group, who will facilitate bringing Fantom blockchain applications to the Uzbekistan Government IT infrastructure.



Elyar Ganiev  former Deputy Prime Minister and former Minister of Foreign Economic Affairs, Investments, and Trade in the Government of Uzbekistan and founder of AG Mentors  offers Fantom vast knowledge of Uzbekistan markets and has an established track record working with global institutions and enterprises. This partnership coincides with an ongoing initiative for digital transformation in Uzbekistan. In a widely lauded decree issued late last year, Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev set forth a comprehensive agenda to integrate digital technologies into government services and the economic sector. This Strategy for Digital Uzbekistan includes introducing a digital ID card and significant investment in IT services and education. This ambitious plan aims to eliminate the digital divide and radically modernize public services in Uzbekistan by 2030.



Drawing on the experience running successful e-government pilot programs throughout Central and South Asia, Fantom will seek to support Uzbekistans digital transformation with tailored solutions for supply chain, ERP/MIS, Central Bank Digital Currency, and more.



We are sincerely glad to welcome Fantom Foundation in Uzbekistan! The introduction of digital technologies, the creation of e-government, and the provision of digital public services are key priorities of the government for further reforming Uzbekistan. Uzbekistan is a country with great economic potential, which opens up wide opportunities for active cooperation between Uzbekistan and Fantom.  Elyar Ganiev, Founder of AG Mentors, and Uzbekistan Minister of Foreign Economic Affairs, Investments, and Trade











On behalf of the Fantom team, I am thrilled to be working with Mr. Ganiev and AG Mentors, whose advocacy of a green, digital economy resonates with core Fantom values. The group at AG Mentors is dynamic, and together, we look to help drive the Uzbekistan Government initiative to extend digital, public services across the nation. Fantom is built to be an open and accessible platform, and if we leverage this technology to connect populations with administrative offices and services to which they currently dont have access, that would be especially gratifying.  Barek Sekandari, COO Fantom Foundation



About AG Mentors





AG Mentors Group is a strategic and investment consulting firm focusing on the development of information technologies, artificial intelligence, and alternative energy. AG Mentors group has worked with clients and governments worldwide.



About Fantom



Fantom is a fast, scalable, and secure layer-1 EVM-compatible platform built on a permissionless aBFT consensus protocol. On Fantom, transactions are confirmed in 1 second and cost a fraction of a cent. Speed, low transaction costs, and high throughput make Fantom ideal for DeFi applications and real-world uses. Enterprises and government offices seeking digital transformation have also adopted Fantom technology.



Website | Docs | Research papers | Discord | Telegram | Blog | Twitter | Reddit | Github



Media Contact



Simone Pomposi

Fantom Foundation

pr@fantom.foundation

https://fantom.foundation



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[June 09, 2021] High Court Finds Terranea Resort Illegally Fired Cook Who Spoke with Media about Labor Conditions, Organized Union Campaign with UNITE HERE Local 11

The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals-dubbed "the second-highest court in the land"-has found that the ritzy Terranea Resort in Rancho Palos Verdes, California unlawfully fired a veteran cook for speaking to the press about working conditions and helping to organize his coworkers into a union. Freddy Lovato was-the court observed-the "most prominent advocate for union representation" at the hotel. He was quoted in four news articles by the LA Times, Bloomberg, LAist, and Eater Los Angeles about the Terranea's treatment of foreign "interns" and a since-settled class action wage lawsuit against the resort.



The court found Terranea management responded to Lovato and his coworkers' union organizing by requiring workers to attend mandatory anti-union meetings. At one meeting, the resort's president warned employees that the union would represent the employees "over my dead body." Terranea fired Lovato in August 2018. Weeks earlier, the company issued him a final written warning for purportedly failing to catch the mistake of a coworker in the preparation of a gluten-free mac-and-cheese dish. In a decision issued early last year, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) found that the Company had in fact punished and terminated Lovato because of his pro-union leadership, including his statements to the media.

The DC Circuit found that the NLRB had an ample basis to conclude Terranea retaliated against Lovato for his activism. The court noted that the company bypassed its progressive discipline policy and disciplined Lovato more harshly than the coworker who actually made the mac-and-cheese dish. It conducted a "cursory investigation"-Lovato's supervisor spoke with him and his coworker for "less than a minute about the incident." And Terranea managers "made false and misleading testimony during the hearing." The decision means Terranea Resort-jointly owned by Lowe Enterprises and JC Resorts-must immediately reinstate Lovato with back pay and issue a notice to employees pledging to respect workers' federal labor rights. "This court decision is a major victory for Freddy Lovato and his co-workers. Freddy was fired because he spoke up about unfair working conditions. He will return to work as a hero. We hope the Terranea Resort which fired and cut off insurance from their workers during the pandemic would learn from this legal decision and start to treat their workers with respect," said Kurt Petersen, Co-President of UNITE HERE Local 11. UNITE HERE Local 11 is a labor union representing over 32,000 hospitality workers in Southern California and Arizona that work in hotels, restaurants, universities, convention centers, and airports. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210609005769/en/

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[June 09, 2021] ListenFirst Launches Machine Learning Analytics with Instant Insights

NEW YORK, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- ListenFirst, the premier enterprise social analytics solution, today announced the launch of Instant Insights, a new analytics feature that quickly shows how brands perform across social media. Leveraging years of intelligence gathered from working with the largest brands in the world, Instant Insights utilizes machine learning to deliver the analysis needed to benchmark performance and uncover valuable takeaways in natural language. The agile application allows marketers to configure multiple brands and content filters on the fly to analyze social content from any cohort on demand. Instant Insights provides key analysis of top content, earned sentiment, industry benchmarks and more, in one convenient view. "While the ListenFirst platform already provides world class analytics & reporting to the largest brands in the world, the addition of Instant Insights enables users to really take advantage of our depth of data" explained Jason Klein Co-CEO & Co-Founder of ListenFirst. "It's a universal intelligence tool configurable for any content analysis use case. At the end of the day, that means marketers have the power to quickly generate the meaningful reports they need ithout relying on expert analysts, and executives have frictionless access to the insights they need to optimize ROI or understand the competitive landscape."



This innovative approach frees users from having to figure out the story behind raw data, automatically generating insights on their screen that would have previously required the manual efforts of a trained analyst. Leveraging natural language processing, Instant Insights identifies the key takeaways and highest performers instantly. Users then have easy-to-understand, beautiful reports to share with colleagues and customers.

"Our customers burn time trying to decipher what the data means or following up with additional search queries. That results in less time spent on actual strategy," explains Jonathan Farb, Chief Product Officer at ListenFirst. "Instant Insights gives customers that valuable time back. And what's more, our users are in the driver's seat when the insights are uncovered and the optimization opportunities are revealed. For product people that's the north star, building something that empowers users to grow and be the best at what they do," added Farb. Instant Insights will be a part of the discussion during the upcoming webinar, Maximize Your Social Media Analytics to Drive Business, being held on June 24th at 2:00 PM ET, 11 PT. About ListenFirst

ListenFirst is the premier social analytics solution used by the world's leading brands. With a breadth of data and award-winning expertise unmatched in the market, we offer an easy, one-stop solution to optimize social media marketing and maximize ROI. ListenFirst has been honored with multiple accolades including a 2020 SIIA CODiE Award for Best Emerging Technology, 2020 Cynopsis AdTech Award for Outstanding Data Solution, 2020 High Performer recognition from G2 Crowd, MarTech Breakthrough Award for Best Social Media Monitoring Software, and named one of Inc. 500's fastest growing companies. Founded in 2012, ListenFirst is trusted by leading global brands including AT&T, Amazon,, NBCUniversal, and Peloton. For more information, visit www.listenfirstmedia.com. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/listenfirst-launches-machine-learning-analytics-with-instant-insights-301309309.html SOURCE ListenFirst

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[June 09, 2021] Red River Featured on CRN's 2021 Solution Provider 500 List

Red River, a technology transformation company, today announced that CRN, a brand of The Channel Company, has named Red River to its 2021 Solution Provider 500 list. CRN announces its top 500 solution providers list each year, ranking the leading IT channel partner organizations across North America by revenue. This year's impressive list represents a remarkable combined revenue of over $403 billion, underscoring the immense impact and influence these partners have on the IT industry today. Red River ranked #49 on the list, the second consecutive year in that position. With over 1,500 certifications, 200 strategic partners and 750 employees and $1 billion in OEM sales, the company continues to grow year over year "We are proud to have been named to the CRN Solution Provider 500 list in 2021, marking nearly 20 consecutive years on the list," said Alan Dumas, Red River CEO. "Over the years technology has evolved and our clients' needs have changed, but Red River continues to evolve and invest in exceptional people and capabilities that keep us at the forefront of the IT industry." "CRN's Solution Provider 500 list serves as the industry standard for top-performing technology integrators, strategic service providers, and IT consultants, whic makes it a valuable resource for technology vendors looking to partner with today's best-of-breed IT solution providers," said Blaine Raddon, CEO of The Channel Company. "On behalf of The Channel Company, I'd like to congratulate these companies for their incredible contributions to the growth and success of the IT channel."



The complete 2021 Solution Provider 500 list is available online at www.CRN.com/SP500 and a sample from the list will be featured in the June issue of CRN Magazine. About Red River

Red River brings together the ideal combination of talent, partners and products to disrupt the status quo in technology and drive success for business and government in ways previously unattainable. Red River serves organizations well beyond traditional technology integration, bringing more than 25 years of experience and mission-critical expertise in security, networking, data center, collaboration, mobility and cloud solutions. Learn more at redriver.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 The Channel Company, LLC. CRN is a registered trademark of The Channel Company, LLC. All rights reserved. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210609005811/en/

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[June 09, 2021] BioUtah Statement on Launch of Altitude Lab's Investor Coalition to Fund and Mentor Utah's Life Sciences Startups

BioUtah President and CEO, Kelvyn Cullimore, issued the following statement upon the launch of Altitude Lab's Investor Coalition to fund and mentor life sciences startups in Utah. "This is very welcome news for Utah's life sciences industry. The Investor Coalition, a network of leading healthcare venture capitalists dedicated to investing $50 million in Altitude's startups over the next several years, will specifically support underrepresented founders, promote diversity within the state's healthcare innovation economy and help advance the next generation of life-changing medical devices, diagnostics and treatments. With its 14,500-square-foot state-of-the-art facility, Altitude and its investor partnership reflect the fact that Utah's life sciences sector, our BioHive, is one of the fastest-growing in the nation, matched by an unparalleled entrepreneurial spirit. We applad Altitude for adding this important investment tool to its wheelhouse and look forward to working together to attract and lift up innovators from every corner of our community."



About BioUtah BioUtah is an independent 501(c)(6) trade association serving Utah's life sciences industry. Its member companies reflect a broad spectrum with strengths in medical device manufacturing and services, research and testing, biotechnology, biopharmaceuticals, and advanced diagnostics, and healthIT, amongst others; and are a key driver of Utah's economy. Through its BioHive initiative, BioUtah collaborates with key public partners to showcase the crucial innovations and contributions of the industry collective that boosts our state's economy and helps patients worldwide.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210609005821/en/

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[June 09, 2021] AnalytixInsight Announces Overnight Marketed Equity Offering

/NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES./ TORONTO, June 9, 2021 /CNW/ - AnalytixInsight Inc. ("AnalytixInsight" or the "Company") (TSXV: ALY), announced today that it has filed a preliminary short form prospectus with the securities regulatory authorities in each of the provinces of Canada (other than Quebec) in connection with an overnight marketed offering (the "Offering") of units of the Company (the "Units") through a syndicate of underwriters co-led by Canaccord Genuity Corp. and Cantor Fitzgerald Canada Corporation, acting as the co-lead underwriters and joint bookrunners, and including Roth Canada, ULC (collectively, the "Underwriters"). Each Unit will consist of one common share of the Company (a "Common Share") and one half of one Common Share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant will entitle its holder to purchase one Common Share for a period of 36 months following closing of the Offering, subject to acceleration in certain circumstances. The number of Units to be distributed under the Offering, the issue price per Unit (the "Issue Price"), the exercise price of the Warrants and other final terms of the Offering will be determined by AnalytixInsight and the Underwriters upon the pricing of the Offering, at the time of entering into an underwriting agreement for the Offering. AnalytixInsight will update the market and issue a press release announcing the number of Units to be distributed under the Offering as well as the Issue Price once such terms have been determined. It is expected that the Underwriters will be granted an option, exercisable at any time up to 30 days following the closing of the Offering, to purchase at the Issue Price up to an additional 15% of the Units sold pursuant to the Offering. The Offering is expected to close on or about June 30 2021. Completion of the Offering will be subject to certain customary conditions including, but not limited to, the receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals, including the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. The net proceeds from the Offering are expected to be used for digital stock trading platform development and North American deployment of MarketWall products, acquiring servers and data for the implementation of real time stock quotations, administrative expenses and for general corporate working capital. The Offering is subject to market conditions, and there can be no assurance as to whether or when the Offering may be completed, or as to the actual size or terms of the Offering. The securities described herein have not been, nor will they be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold in the United States or to U.S. persons absent registration or an applicable exemption fom the registration requirements. 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 the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.



A preliminary short form prospectus containing important information relating to the Units has been filed with securities regulatory authorities in each of the provinces of Canada other than Quebec. The preliminary short form prospectus is subject to completion or amendment. Copies of the preliminary short form prospectus may be obtained from the Underwriters via email at ecm@cgf.com or ecmcanada@cantor.com. A copy of the preliminary short form prospectus can also be obtained under the corporate profile of AnalytixInsight on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. There will not be any sale or any acceptance of an offer to buy the Units until a receipt for the final short form prospectus has been issued. ABOUT ANALYTIXINSIGHT INC.

AnalytixInsight Inc. is an Artificial Intelligence, machine-learning company. AnalytixInsight's financial analytics platform CapitalCube.com algorithmically analyzes market price data and regulatory filings to create insightful actionable narratives and research on approximately 50,000 global companies and ETFs, providing high-quality financial research and content for investors, information providers, finance portals and media. AnalytixInsight also designs and implements Workforce Optimization solutions for large global enterprises. AnalytixInsight holds a 49% interest in MarketWall, a developer of FinTech solutions for financial institutions. For more information, visit AnalytixInsight.com. NOTICE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This press release contains "forward-looking information" or "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, without limitation, statements regarding the proposed Offering, and the terms, pricing and the announcement thereof; the expected timing of closing of the Offering; the grant of the over-allotment option; the use of the net proceeds of the Offering; and the filing of and obtaining of a receipt for a preliminary short form prospectus, a final short form prospectus or any amendments thereof. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". We have made certain assumptions about the forward-looking information and statements, including assumptions about: suitable market conditions; the use of proceeds of the Offering; the timing of the closing of the Offering; and the Company's ability to obtain the necessary consents to closing, including a receipt for a final prospectus and TSX Venture Exchange approval. Even though our management believes that the assumptions made and the expectations represented by such statements or information are reasonable, there can be no assurance that the forward-looking information or statement will prove to be accurate. Many assumptions may be difficult to predict and are beyond our control. Forward-looking information and statements are also subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of AnalytixInsight, as the case may be, to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including but not limited to: the inability to meet the conditions to closing, including receipt of all necessary approvals; risk of the termination of the Offering; the inability to complete the Offering; general business, economic, competitive, geopolitical and social uncertainties; the Company's technology and revenue generation; risks associated with operation in the technology sector; the ability to successfully integrate new technologies and employees; foreign operations risks; and other risks inherent in the technology industry. We refer potential investors to the "Risk Factors" section of the annual information form of AnalytixInsight dated May 14, 2021 and the preliminary short form prospectus, which are available under AnalytixInsight's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com, for additional risks regarding AnalytixInsight. Although AnalytixInsight has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information or statements. AnalytixInsight does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, 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 AnalytixInsight Inc.

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Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-09 13:57:25|Editor: huaxia

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WASHINGTON, June 8 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Joe Biden on Tuesday ended infrastructure talks with Senate Republicans after weeks of intense negotiations between the two sides, according to top Republican negotiator Senator Shelley Moore Capito.

"Despite the progress we made in our negotiations, the president continued to respond with offers that included tax increases as his pay for, instead of several practical options that would have not been harmful to individuals, families, and small businesses," Capito, Republican senator from West Virginia, said in a statement.

"While I appreciate President Biden's willingness to devote so much time and effort to these negotiations, he ultimately chose not to accept the very robust and targeted infrastructure package, and instead, end our discussions," she continued.

"After negotiating in good faith and making significant progress to move closer to what the president wanted, I am disappointed by his decision," Capito added.

Biden's original proposal, with a price tag of 2.3 trillion dollars, included funding to improve transportation infrastructure and high-speed broadband, revitalize American manufacturers and small businesses, boost the country's research and development, as well as modernize schools and early learning facilities.

The White House had previously lowered the overall price tag to 1.7 trillion dollars, while the Republicans then offered a 928-billion-dollar counteroffer, up from an earlier 568-billion-dollar proposal.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement that Biden informed Senator Capito on Tuesday that the latest offer from her group "did not, in his view, meet the essential needs of our country to restore our roads and bridges, prepare us for our clean energy future, and create jobs."

"He offered his gratitude to her for her efforts and good faith conversations, but expressed his disappointment that, while he was willing to reduce his plan by more than 1 trillion dollars, the Republican group had increased their proposed new investments by only 150 billion dollars," Psaki continued.

Psaki added that the president also spoke with three senators on Tuesday and urged them to continue their work with other Democrats and Republicans to develop a bipartisan proposal that he hopes will be more responsive to the country's pressing infrastructure needs.

In addition, Biden spoke to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the top two Democrats, and encouraged them to begin crafting an infrastructure bill that can pass the Senate with a simple majority, adopting a process known as budget reconciliation. This would mean it could clear the Senate without any Republican votes.

Calling the 2017 tax cut "a huge windfall" for corporate America and those at the very top, Biden recently said it had poured billions of dollars into the pockets of CEOs, widening the pay gap between CEOs and their workers.

Urging corporate America and the wealthiest 1 percent of Americans to "pay their fair share," Biden said his tax policies, which include raising the corporate rate, the top personal income tax rate and the capital gains rate, will help pay for what he proposed to spend on infrastructure, education and childcare in 15 years.

In late May, the White House unveiled a 6-trillion-U.S.-dollar budget proposal for fiscal year 2022, which included Biden's plan to increase investment in infrastructure, education, health care and beyond, drawing mixed reviews from lawmakers and budget watchers.

The proposal calls for total federal spending to run above 6 trillion dollars throughout the next decade, and rise to 8.2 trillion dollars by fiscal year 2031, reaching the highest sustained levels in decades.

Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a watchdog group, argued that the budget adds "too much" to already record-level debt over the next decade and "does far too little" to address rising structural deficits over the long term.

Jeffrey Sachs, economics professor at Columbia University and a senior UN advisor, recently told Xinhua the problem in the United States is not the high level of spending but the low level of taxation.

"The federal government currently collects only around 16.3 percent of GDP in taxes, and governments at all levels (federal, state, and local) collect only around 30 percent. This level of tax collection is too low to pay for public goods and services. It should be raised," Sachs said.

He noted that in Europe, tax collections are between 40 and 50 percent of GDP, with a high quality of life and much less poverty than in the United States.

Republicans, however, lashed out at Biden's tax hike proposals. Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina said the president's tax hike proposals, if enacted, would lower wages, kill jobs and shrink the U.S. economy.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell had previously said that he thinks no Republican would vote in favor of raising taxes to pay for the infrastructure plan.

Refuting these arguments, Sachs said the Republicans have "consistently over-valued the benefits of low taxes and under-estimated the costs of low taxes," accusing them of representing the interests of the super-rich.

Outside the Capitol, businesses are also voicing their concerns. More than two dozen groups representing U.S. businesses and employers have recently formed a coalition to oppose Biden's plan to raise taxes, arguing that such measures will hamper the U.S. economy in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Main Street businesses took a big hit during the COVID crisis, and the latest Biden plan is a triple threat to individually- and family-owned businesses still struggling to recover," Chris Smith, executive director of the Main Street Employers coalition, said in an earlier statement.

With slim majorities in both chambers of Congress, Democratic leaders are poised to face challenges in unifying the party, if they end up using the budget reconciliation process.

In the 50-50 split Senate, the party can not afford to lose a single vote, while in the House of Representatives, the party can lose just three Democratic votes, with unanimous Republican opposition. Enditem
[June 09, 2021] Valsoft Enters Spain with acquisition of Telematel, market leader in construction software

Valsoft Corporation Inc ("Valsoft"), a Canadian acquirer and developer of vertical market software businesses, is pleased to announce the successful acquisition of Barcelona based Telematel, its first in a Spanish-speaking country. MONTREAL, June 9, 2021 /CNW Telbec/ - With more than 30 years of experience, the Telematel brand continues to be synonymous with leadership and quality within the construction industry. Through the acquisition, Telematel will continue to remain in Barcelona and will be at the forefront of utilizing in house experience to drive international expansion. Telematel's GO!Catalog serves as the largest cloud database in the construction industry, managing 5 million products for 1200 brands. Tens of thousands of customers use its management solutions daily, including the ERP GO!Manage. Helena Grau, Head of the Telematel's Content Division, confirms that "the integration into Valsoft will allow Telematel to achieve the company's growth and internalization goals more quickly and effectively." Telematel expects to maintain its double-digit annual growth rate. Steph Manos, Valsoft Vice President and Head of M&A, commented on the acquisition, "We've taken a strategic decision to enter the Spanish market and work with a recognised brand to drive opportunities in both the domestic and international markets. We intend to consolidate this market with Telematel and will continue looking for opportunities across Europe and Spain". "We are delighted to welcome the Telematel team, customers and partners to the Aspire Software family," said Michael Assi, CEO of Aspire Software, an operating group of Valsoft. "As part of the Aspire Software group, Telematel is well positioned to expand its technical capabilities, continue its growth plan and significantly increase its market share by taking advantage of synergies with Aspire Software's global presence in a wide range of industries".



Xavier Fericle, Helena Grau and the Telematel team will continue to lead the business and drive the product roadmap and company strategy forward. Valsoft was represented internally by General Cousel David Felicissimo and assisted by Pamela Romero and external counsel Luis Marimon Prats of Marimon Abogados. Telematel shareholders were advised by Lucas de Mendoza of Aquilon Partners and were represented by Alvaro Bertran of Ramon y Cajal Abogados.

About Telematel Telematel is a software company for the construction sector. Tens of thousands of customers use its management solutions daily, including the ERP GO!Manage. The brand has 30 years of experience developing services and projects for manufacturers and distributors. In addition, it manages updated information on more than 1,200 brands (5 million products) and serves this data to more than 1,000 companies through Go!Catalog, the largest cloud database in the construction market. About Valsoft Corporation Valsoft Corporation acquires and develops vertical software companies to help businesses deliver the best mission-critical solutions for clients in their respective industry or niche. A key tenet of Valsoft's philosophy is investing in well-established enterprises and fostering an entrepreneurial environment that shapes a company into a leader in its respective industry. Unlike private equity and venture capital firms, Valsoft does not have a predefined investment horizon and seeks to buy, hold, and create value through long-term partnerships with management and existing clients. About Aspire Software Buy. Enhance. Grow. Aspire Software, an operating group of Valsoft Corp, is a vertical acquisition software company that owns, operates and manages a portfolio of companies in various industries. Aspire constantly seeks opportunities in various verticals. Aspire's team of entrepreneurs and business builders have an unwavering commitment to developing our brands and expanding into new markets. It is all made possible thanks to its decentralized management strategy and indefinite hold period. View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/valsoft-enters-spain-with-acquisition-of-telematel-market-leader-in-construction-software-301309435.html SOURCE Aspire Software

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[June 09, 2021] MACOM and MaxLinear Collaborate on 100G, 400G and 800G Solutions for Data Center Applications

MACOM Technology Solutions Inc. ("MACOM"), a leading supplier of semiconductor products, and MaxLinear, Inc. (NYSE: MXL) ("MaxLinear"), a leading provider of radio frequency (RF), analog, digital and mixed-signal integrated circuits, today announced a collaboration to assure interoperability of MaxLinear's PAM4 DSPs and MACOM's 100G/lane transimpedance amplifiers (TIAs) for 100G/lambda applications. Customers can now select a proven design solution with an exceptionally low bit error rate (BER) for their optical module designs. The collaboration includes pairing the MxL93516, MaxLinear's second-generation 100G Snowmass DSP, with MACOM's low power MATA-05817 100G TIA (News - Alert) to achieve exceptional sensitivity and a low BER floor. This configuration is ideal for 100G-DR1/FR1/LR1 QSFP28 applications for Data Center and front haul applications. "Our customers are requesting proven high-performance solutions," said Marek Tlalka, Senior Director, High-Performance Analog, at MACOM. "This collaboration offers the industry a compelling performance proof point and a potential path to shorter design cycle times for 100G, 400G and 800G module manufacturers." "The market for 100G/lambda transceivers continues to grow and performance and time to market are critical for our customers," said Drew Guckenberger, Vice President of MaxLinear's High-Speed Interconnect Group. "The pairing of our second generation power optimized Snowmass 100G DSP with integrated driver with MACOM's high-performance TIAs is an ideal solution for customers, providing tight integration, proven high-performance and low-power capabilities." The companies plan to continue collaborating on 400Gbps and 800Gbps applications utilizing the recently announced MaxLinear 5nm Keystone DSPs and MACOM's extensive portfolio of four channel 400Gbps TIAs. For additional information on MACOM's MATA-05817 TIA, visit: https://www.macom.com/products/product-detail/MATA-05817 For additional information on MaxLinear's MxL93516 DSP, visit: www.maxlinear.com/MxL93516



About MACOM MACOM designs and manufactures semiconductor products for Telecommunications, Industrial and Defense and Data Center applications. Headquartered in Lowell, Massachusetts, MACOM has design centers and sales offices throughout North America, Europe and Asia. MACOM is certified to the ISO9001 international quality standard and ISO14001 environmental management standard. For more information, please visit www.macom.com.

About MaxLinear, Inc. MaxLinear, Inc. (NYSE: MXL) is a leading provider of radio frequency (RF), analog, digital and mixed-signal integrated circuits for the connectivity and access, wired and wireless infrastructure, and industrial and multimarket applications. MaxLinear is headquartered in Carlsbad, California. For more information, please visit www.maxlinear.com. MxL and the MaxLinear logo are trademarks of MaxLinear, Inc. MACOM and the MACOM logo are trademarks of MACOM Technology Solutions (News - Alert) Holdings, Inc. ("MTSI"). Other trademarks appearing herein are the property of their respective owners. Cautionary Note About Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains "forward-looking" statements within the meaning of federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements include, among others, statements concerning or implying future financial performance, anticipated product performance and functionality of our products or products incorporating our products, and industry trends and growth opportunities affecting MaxLinear, in particular statements relating to MaxLinear's Snowmass family of PAM4 DSPs, including the MxL93516 and Keystone family of DSPs, MACOM's 100G/lane TIAs, including but not limited to potential market opportunities, including with respect to 100G/lambda receivers and 100G, 400G and 800G module manufacturers, current or future collaboration between MaxLinear and MACOM, functionality, integration, interoperability, performance, and the benefits of use of such products. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from any future results expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. We cannot predict whether or to what extent these new or existing products will affect our future revenues or financial performance. Forward-looking statements are based on management's current, preliminary expectations and are subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements may contain words such as "will be," "will," "expect," "anticipate," "continue," or similar expressions and include the assumptions that underlie such statements. The following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements: intense competition in our industry and product markets; risks relating to the development, testing, and commercial introduction of new products and product functionalities; the ability of our customers to cancel or reduce orders; and uncertainties concerning how end user markets for our products will develop. Other risks potentially affecting our business include risks relating to acquisition integration; our lack of long-term supply contracts and dependence on limited sources of supply; potential decreases in average selling prices for our products; impacts from public health crises such as the Covid-19 pandemic or natural disasters; and the potential for intellectual property litigation, which is prevalent in our industry. In addition to these risks and uncertainties, investors should review the risks and uncertainties contained in MaxLinear's filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the " SEC (News - Alert) "), including risks and uncertainties arising from other factors affecting the business, operating results, and financial condition of MaxLinear, including those set forth in MaxLinear's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020 and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2021, in each case as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Further, investors should review the risks and uncertainties described in "Risk Factors" in MTSI's filings with the SEC, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K, its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and other filings with the SEC. All forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements. MaxLinear and MACOM are providing this information as of the date of this release and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this release as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210609005866/en/

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[June 09, 2021] New Blackmer Sliding Vane Pump Delivers Superior Performance and Reliability for LPG Bobtails and Transports

DOWNERS GROVE, Ill., June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Blackmer, part of PSG, a Dover (NYSE: DOV) company, and a global leader in specialty pumps and reciprocating compressor technologies, is pleased to announce the availability of its new sliding vane pump. This new product, called the Blackmer TLGLF3HD, is a flange-mounted truck pump designed to further increase pump reliability and safety, while optimizing the loading and unloading speeds of liquid petroleum gas (LPG) products for bobtails and transport trucks. The new TLGLF3HD sliding vane pump is designed with state-of-the-art self-adjusting vanes that can sustain fast load times, unmatched by other pump technologies that suffer from internal wear and time-wasting slip. The TLGLF3HD also features a higher flow rate, increasing the amount of liquid that travels through the pump in a given time by 55% compared to previous 3-inch Blackmer truck pump models. This higher flow rate makes the TLGLF3HD an ideal solution for high-capacity bobtails handling high-volume deliveries to residential farms and commercial customers. The TLGLF3HD is directly coupled to the tank, without additional pipe and fittings between tank and pump. This has smoother operation, maximizing performance and reliability. "Blackmer originated the first truck-mounted pump in 1915 and has continued to develop innovative pumping solutions ever since," said Chris Hordyk, Blackmer Product Manager. "Not only does the new TLGLF3HD decrease LPG loading and unloading times, which means less wear and tear on the equipment, it also sets the standard for sustained high-level performance, energy efficiency, and trouble-free operation. This makes the TLGLF3HD the go-to choice for LPG transport truck builders and propane marketers for truck-mounted pumps." For more inforation on Blackmer, please go to blackmer.com. Blackmer is a product brand within PSG, a Dover company. For more information on PSG, please go to psgdover.com.



About Blackmer: Blackmer is the leading global provider of innovative and high-quality positive displacement, regenerative turbine and centrifugal pump, and reciprocating compressor technologies for the transfer of liquids and gasses. For more than a century, the Blackmer name has stood for unparalleled product performance, superior services and support, well-timed innovation and a commitment to total customer satisfaction. Supported by a worldwide network of distributors and original equipment manufacturers, Blackmer pumps and compressors are used in a multitude of applications in the Process, Energy and Military & Marine markets. Blackmer, headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA, is part of PSG, a Dover company. For more information on Blackmer, please go to blackmer.com.

About PSG: PSG is a global pump and dispensing solution expert and leading manufacturer of pumps, systems and related flow-control technology for the safe and efficient transfer of critical and valuable fluids and materials. Headquartered in Oakbrook Terrace, IL, USA, PSG is comprised of several world-class brands, including Abaque, All-Flo, Almatec, Blackmer, Ebsray, EnviroGear, Griswold, Hydro Systems, Mouvex, Neptune, Quattroflow, RedScrew and Wilden. PSG products are manufactured on three continents, North America, Europe and Asia, in state-of-the-art facilities that practice lean manufacturing and are ISO-certified. PSG is part of the Pumps and Process Solutions segment of Dover Corporation. For additional information on PSG, please visit psgdover.com. PSG: Where Innovation Flows. About Dover: Dover is a diversified global manufacturer and solutions provider with annual revenue of approximately $7 billion. We deliver innovative equipment and components, consumable supplies, aftermarket parts, software and digital solutions, and support services through five operating segments: Engineered Products, Fueling Solutions, Imaging & Identification, Pumps & Process Solutions and Refrigeration & Food Equipment. Dover combines global scale, operational agility, world-class engineering capability and customer intimacy to lead the markets we serve. Recognized for our entrepreneurial approach for over 60 years, our team of approximately 24,000 employees takes an ownership mindset, collaborating with customers to redefine what's possible. Headquartered in Downers Grove, Illinois, Dover trades on the New York Stock Exchange under "DOV." Additional information is available at? dovercorporation.com .??? ?? PSG Contact:

Mark Pyk

(616) 475-9330

mark.pyk@psgdover.com Dover?Media?Contact:

Adrian?Sakowicz, VP, Communications

(630) 743-5039

asakowicz@dovercorp.com ??? Dover Investor Contact:

Andrey?Galiuk, VP, Corporate Development and Investor Relations???

(630) 743-5131???

agaliuk@dovercorp.com View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-blackmer-sliding-vane-pump-delivers-superior-performance-and-reliability-for-lpg-bobtails-and-transports-301309068.html SOURCE Dover

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[June 09, 2021] KKR Forms Geode Health to Increase Access to Mental Health Care

KKR today announced the creation of Geode Health ("Geode" or the "Company"), a mental health services company that will partner with leading psychiatrists, psychologists, and therapists to offer high-quality in-person and virtual outpatient care to adults and children in the United States. Geode provides comprehensive support for mental health professionals, enabling them to increase access and augment outcomes for their patients. The Company intends to partner with existing providers and open new clinics to fulfill the substantial unmet need for high-quality mental health services. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210609005822/en/ Gaurav Bhattacharyya, a proven multi-site health care services executive, will serve as Chief Executive Officer of Geode. Most recently, Mr. Bhattacharyya served as CEO of Elite Dental Partners, a dental support organization with 100+ offices across 12 states. Previously, he was Division Vice President at DaVita, a leading provider of renal and outpatient multi-site health care services. Geode has also appointed Mike King to serve as Chief Operating Officer. Mr. King was most recently General Manager at Cityblock Health, a leading Medicaid- and duals-focused value-based care platform. Previously, Mr. King was COO at Impact Fitness and Division Vice President at DaVita. "While 1 in every 5 Americans suffers from mental illness, treatment options remain considerably less prevalent - a gap that has unfortunately only widened as a result of COVID-19," said Gaurav Bhattacharyya. "With Geode, we hope to address this urgent need and enble better clinical outcomes for more patients by building a scaled, provider-focused mental health services platform."



"We are excited to partner with Gaurav, Mike and the rest of the team at Geode on such a critical mission and look forward to supporting them with the resources and capital needed to expand high-quality access to mental health care for many patients in need," said Ali Satvat, Co-Head of Americas Health Care Private Equity and Global Head of Health Care Strategic Growth at KKR. For KKR, the investment is being funded through the firm's Health Care Strategic Growth strategy, which is focused on investing in high-growth health care-related companies for which KKR can be a unique partner in helping reach scale. KKR has established a strong track record of supporting health care companies, having invested approximately $14 billion across the sector since 2004.

About Geode Health Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, Geode Health is a rapidly growing provider of outpatient mental health services to adults and children in the United States. Geode is committed to partnering with psychiatrists, psychologists and therapists to deliver high-quality care and to increase access to in-person and virtual outpatient services. For additional information about Geode Health or to receive updates, please visit www.geodehealth.com. For providers interested in partnering with Geode Health, please email partnership@geodehealth.com or careers@geodehealth.com. About KKR KKR is a leading global investment firm that offers alternative asset management and capital markets and insurance solutions. KKR aims to generate attractive investment returns by following a patient and disciplined investment approach, employing world-class people, and supporting growth in its portfolio companies and communities. KKR sponsors investment funds that invest in private equity, credit and real assets and has strategic partners that manage hedge funds. KKR's insurance subsidiaries offer retirement, life and reinsurance products under the management of The Global Atlantic Financial Group. References to KKR's investments may include the activities of its sponsored funds and insurance subsidiaries. For additional information about KKR & Co. Inc. (NYSE: KKR), please visit KKR's website at www.kkr.com and on Twitter (News - Alert) @KKR_Co. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210609005822/en/

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[June 09, 2021] 2021 B2B Sales & Marketing Exchange Live Event Returns to Boston, Mass.

For the first time in nearly 18 months, Demand Gen Report (DGR) will welcome the B2B sales and marketing community to meet in-person at the 3rd annual B2B Sales & Marketing Exchange (#B2BSMX), which will take place August 9-11, 2021 at the Encore Resort & Casino in Boston Harbor. During its inception in 2019, this event was inspired by DGR's popular flagship event, the B2B Marketing Exchange, and created to prove how sales and marketing could truly thrive "better together" by encouraging collaboration across traditional departments, silos and channels. This year, the DGR team is excited to bring the in the B2B sales and marketing community together again-this time, in an even more targeted and exclusive model that blends the best of both virtual and physical worlds. #B2BSMX will feature: A smaller, more focused group: 500 of the top B2B sales and marketing practitioners across industries

500 of the top B2B sales and marketing practitioners across industries Focused content sessions and networking events: Speakers will include revenue leaders from both marketing and sales who are actively using innovative approaches to engage target accounts with relevance and value

Speakers will include revenue leaders from both marketing and sales who are actively using innovative approaches to engage target accounts with relevance and value Safe, comfortable learning environments: Meeting spaces and session formats designed to safely engage peers, analysts and top sales and marketing vendors

Meeting spaces and session formats designed to safely engage peers, analysts and top sales and marketing vendors An integrated, omnichannel experience: A blended approach to digital and physical event planning will provide attendees with tools to customize agendas, pre-set meetings and engage with colleague after gathering in person.



"It's been a long time! In fact, #B2BMX in Feb. 2020 marked the last in-person event many of us attended. Now, we are thrilled to bring our community together again for the first time in more than a year," said Andrew Gaffney, SVP & Editorial Director of Demand Gen Report. "While in-person events were on pause, we never stopped working to deliver exceptional online programs for our audience. So, we are equally excited to layer our virtual event expertise and functionality into this real-world event as well. With sponsor and attendee experience, as well as health and safety concerns, top of mind, we've reimagined an intimate, safe and engaging experience that will blend the absolute best of our physical and digital event capabilities."

Agenda updates and registration details for the event will be released in the coming weeks and months. In the meantime, those interested in attending can sign up to receive updates here and mark their calendars for August 9-11, 2021. Brands interested in sponsoring this event can complete the B2BSMX sponsorship opportunities form. About Demand Gen Report Demand Gen Report, a G3 Communications brand, is a targeted online publication that uncovers the strategies and solutions that help companies better align their sales and marketing organizations, and ultimately, drive growth. A key component of the publication's editorial coverage focuses on the sales and marketing automation tools that enable companies to better measure and manage their multi-channel demand generation efforts. About The B2B Sales & Marketing Exchange Hosted by Demand Gen Report, the B2B Sales & Marketing Exchange (#B2BSMX) is a multi-day educational and networking event targeting transformational approaches to customer engagement and revenue creation for B2B organizations as they navigate today's realities. #B2BSMX will provide a platform for leaders in marketing, sales and customer success with a strong focus on alignment and orchestration and is an event for every member of the revenue team. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210609005906/en/

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NASHVILLE  A new consumer protection law through the Tennessee Department of Commerce & insurances (TDCI) Division of Regulatory Boards will put the brakes on the rising theft and resale of catalytic converters across Tennessee.

Catalytic converters are exhaust emission devices used to reduce the toxic gases and pollutants created by vehicles internal combustion engines. These innocuous-looking devices contain precious metals that have drawn increased interest from thieves who aim to make a quick buck by stealing them from Tennesseans vehicles and then reselling them for ill-gotten profits. A growing problem for consumers and law enforcement ocials alike, thefts of converters climbed to 1,203 a month in 2020 compared to 282 a month in 2019, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau.

To combat the rising numbers of catalytic converter thefts, TDCIs Scrap Metal Registration Program announces the following new consumer law that takes eect July 1, 2021:

Any person engaged in the business of buying and/or selling scrap metal including unattached catalytic converters as a single item and not as part of a scrapped motor vehicle shall give written notification to the chief of police and sheri of each city and county in which the activity occurs.

city and county in which the activity occurs. Any person purchasing a used, detached catalytic converter must be registered as a scrap metal dealer pursuant to  62-9-102. Registering with TDCIs Scrap Metal Registration Program means providing either a state or federally issued photo identification card with an address and a thumbprint, submitting an application, paying the appropriate fee and meeting all requirements under the law.

as a scrap metal dealer pursuant to  62-9-102. Registering with TDCIs Scrap Metal Registration Program means providing either a state or federally issued photo identification card with an address and a thumbprint, submitting an application, paying the appropriate fee and meeting all requirements under the law. A scrap metal dealer shall not purchase or otherwise acquire a used, detached catalytic converter, or any nonferrous metal part of such converter unless: The used, detached catalytic converter is purchased at the fixed site of the scrap metal dealer in an in-person transaction; or The scrap metal dealer must maintain a fixed site; obtains, verifies and all identification and documentation required by  62-9-103 and  62- 9-104; and obtains and maintains a copy of the seller's license or a copy of the documentation and vehicle registration.



The entirety of the new catalytic converter anti-theft bill can be found here .

This new law was created with the input of scrap metal professionals in order to create greater protections for hardworking consumers and business owners, said TDCI Assistant Commissioner Alex Martin. This law will ensure that unattached catalytic converters being sold to dealers originated from salvaged or wrecked vehicles and not stolen from vehicles. This new oversight will reduce the inconvenience and expense for consumers who have to spend hundreds of dollars to repair their vehicle. I thank Governor Bill Lee, Commissioner Carter Lawrence and the General Assembly for their leadership in helping protect consumers and prevent illegal activity."

Violations of this new law can result in a Class A misdemeanor. Additionally, the seller of a detached, stolen catalytic converter is liable to the victim for the repair and replacement of the converter.

Tennessee Scrap Recyclers Association President Ross Litz said: Due to the critical issue of converter theft rising at such an unprecedented rate over the past year, we knew that stricter laws were needed to protect the citizens of Tennessee. Working with the State of Tennessee and law enforcement, we were able to pass the best catalytic converter law in the country.

Want more information about TDCIs Scrap Metal Registration Program? Contact our team via email at scrap.Metals@TN.gov or visit us online.

###
NASHVILLE  The Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance (TDCI) proudly announces that TDCIs Securities Division recently received the Savings Champion Award from Military Saves , the Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit dedicated to encouraging greater financial literacy among members of the military.

The Savings Champion Award is a national recognition for organizations for their work during Military Saves Month . Held each April, Military Saves Month is an annual opportunity for the entire military community to make a plan to start or increase saving and for organizations to support good saving behavior. The Savings Champion Award was bestowed on organizations by a selection committee comprised of Military Saves sta and leadership in all program initiatives.

I am honored that our team was recognized by Military Saves for helping Tennessees bravest and most courageous citizens learn the importance of financial literacy and how to create good financial habits, said TDCI Assistant Commissioner Elizabeth Bowling. Tennessees military families know they can count on TDCIs Securities Division all year long to support them as they serve our state and our nation.

Military families who have questions about investments may contact TDCIs Securities team by visiting tn.gov/securities, calling 615-741-2947 or 800-863-9117 or emailing securities.1@tn.gov

###

About the Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance: Fostering fair marketplaces, public safety, and consumer education that promote the success of individuals and businesses while serving as innovative leaders. Our divisions include the State Fire Marshals Office, Insurance, Securities, Regulatory Boards, Tennessee Law Enforcement Training Academy, Tennessee Emergency Communications Board, and TennCare Oversight. Follow us on Facebook , Twitter , Instagram and LinkedIn .
 Transportation broker to create more than 90 jobs

 Nashville company focused on trucking and logistics

NASHVILLE, Tenn.  Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bob Rolfe and Simple Logistics Solutions (SiLo) officials announced today that the company will establish new operations in Nashville.

SiLo will create 92 new jobs and invest nearly $712,000 in its headquarters operations at 414 Union St. in Nashville.

SiLo, a new, full truckload freight brokerage, concentrates in specialized, oversized open deck truck shipments. The company works with both shippers and carriers to arrange the safe transport of goods and services across the United States and Canada.

Hiring is underway. Those interested can go to https://www.shipsilo.com/join-our-team to learn more and apply.

Over the last five years, TNECD has supported nearly 65 economic development projects in Davidson County, resulting in approximately 19,000 job commitments and $2 billion in capital investment.



QUOTES

Were proud to welcome SiLo to Tennessee and thank the company for investing and creating new jobs in our state. Nashville continues to attract top headquarters from around the country, and these new jobs will strengthen our transportation and logistics industry.  Gov. Bill Lee

Tennessees transportation and logistics industry continues to gain momentum with more than 227,000 Tennesseans employed in this sector. We appreciate SiLo for choosing to establish its headquarters in Nashville, adding to the robust business landscape of Middle Tennessee.  TNECD Commissioner Bob Rolfe

On behalf of the entire SiLo team, we are proud to establish our Corporate citizenship here in Nashville. We're excited and ready to grow through diverse local talent from the rich university presence and the solid transportation industry players the state of Tennessee has to offer. Our recent investment in our downtown Nashville office space has positioned us with a reliable location to bring in both experienced and entry level professionals that will support our continued growth. A sincere thanks to Governor Lee and his team who have supported us from the start.  Luke Hilko, vice president, SiLO

TVA and Nashville Electric Service congratulate SiLo-Simple Logistics Solutions on its decision to locate operations in Nashville. Fostering new job opportunities and investment in the Valley is central to TVAs mission of service. We are proud to partner with the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce and Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development to help further that mission and celebrate this announcement.  John Bradley, TVA senior vice president of Economic Development



Middle Tennessee is a logistics and distribution powerhouse, and the future of this industry looks even brighter with start-up companies like Simple Logistics Solutions choosing to do business in Nashville.  Sen. Brenda Gilmore (D-Nashville)



Im very excited about SiLo-Simple Logistics Solutions starting up in downtown Nashville. My congratulations to ECD for helping make this happen. The 92 jobs this company will provide is just another example that downtown Nashville is inclusive, diverse, growing and thriving.  Rep. Bill Beck (D-Nashville)



About the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development

The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Developments mission is to develop strategies that help make Tennessee the No. 1 location in the Southeast for high quality jobs. To grow and strengthen Tennessee, the department seeks to attract new corporate investment to the state and works with Tennessee companies to facilitate expansion and economic growth. Find us on the web: tnecd.com. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram: @tnecd. Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/tnecd.



TNECD Media Contact

Molly Hair

Public Information Officer

(615) 878-0063

molly.hair@tn.gov
The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) today announced a $100,050 parks and recreation grant for the City of Middleton for renovations at Middleton City Park.

The grant is part of $7,584,530 awarded to communities throughout the state from the Local Parks and Recreation Fund (LPRF) program and the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) program. The state is also awarding $1,892,642 in grants from the Recreation Trails Program (RTP).

We are happy to announce grants that will enhance the outdoor experience in communities across our state, Jim Bryson, deputy commissioner of TDEC, said. We want Tennesseans to enjoy recreational activity, and we recognize local leaders need funding to make it happen. These grants help meet that need.

In a joint statement, Sen. Page Walley, R-Bolivar, and Rep. Ron Gant, R-Rossville, said, We are excited that Middleton was awarded this grant to enhance recreational opportunities for our citizens. Parks and recreation spaces are a very important part of our communities. They provide safe spaces for exercise, community-building and leisure, to just enjoy our local scenic beauty. We are grateful these funds will upgrade Middleton City Park and appreciate the excellent work done by our local officials in submitting a successful grant application which we were happy to support.

I appreciate the well-deserved face-lift that this will provide for Middleton City Park and I know that residents will appreciate it as well, Rep. Johnny Shaw, D-Bolivar, said.

Middleton will renovate an approximately 22x44-ft. concessions and restroom building, including repairs to walls inside the building, painting, and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) access improvements to restrooms. The parking lot will be resurfaced and restriped. Improvements to a walking path will be updated to current ADA requirements for public access from the parking area to the concessions building.

The LPRF program provides state funding for the purchase of land for parks, natural areas, greenways, and recreational facilities. LPRF funds also may be used for trail development and capital projects in parks, natural areas, and greenways. The LWCF program provides grants to states to administer to state and local governments for the acquisition and development of public outdoor recreation areas and facilities. The grants require a 50-percent match.

The RTP is a federally funded, state administered grant program, providing funds for land acquisition for trails, trail maintenance, trail construction, trail rehabilitation, and trail head support facilities. These grants are distributed in the form of an 80-percent grant with a 20-percent match.
The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) today announced a $116,000 recreation trails grant for the City of Grand Junction.

The grant is part of $1,892,642 in grants in Tennessee from the federally funded, state administered Recreation Trails Program (RTP). The state is also awarding $7,584,530 to communities throughout the state from the Local Parks and Recreation Fund (LPRF) program and the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) program.

We are happy to announce grants that will enhance the outdoor experience in communities across our state, Jim Bryson, deputy commissioner of TDEC, said. We want Tennesseans to enjoy recreational activity, and we recognize local leaders need funding to make it happen. These grants help meet that need.

The Grand Junction project consists of a walking path within the city park and a parking area/trailhead. The asphalt trail will be approximately 10 feet wide and have approximately 1,000 linear feet. Completion of the trail will provide a 1/5-mile loop around the perimeter of the park. The parking area/trailhead will consist of one Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant parking space and five regular parking spaces.

I am excited that Grand Junction was awarded this grant to complete the walking trail, Sen. Page Walley, R-Bolivar, said. It will enhance opportunities for local citizens to get outside, have fun, and even get some exercise by taking advantage of this wonderful trail. I am grateful these funds are forthcoming and appreciate the excellent work done by our local officials in submitting a successful grant application which I was happy to support.

This project to improve Grand Junctions walking paths and trails is a great investment in our community, Rep. Ron Gant, R-Rossville, said. I am very pleased funds have been awarded to the City of Grand Junction to make these enhancements so our residents continue to take advantage of our beautiful recreational areas, and I congratulate those involved in securing these funds.

This will be a wonderful addition to the city of Grand Junction, Rep. Johnny Shaw, D-Bolivar, said. This will help encourage people to get out, get some exercise and enjoy the beauty of the park.

The RTP grant program provides funds for land acquisition for trails, trail maintenance, trail construction, trail rehabilitation, and trail head support facilities. These grants are distributed in the form of an 80-percent grant with a 20-percent match.

The LPRF program provides state funding for the purchase of land for parks, natural areas, greenways, and recreational facilities. LPRF funds also may be used for trail development and capital projects in parks, natural areas, and greenways. The LWCF program provides grants to states to administer to state and local governments for the acquisition and development of public outdoor recreation areas and facilities. These grants require a 50-percent match.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-10 06:01:37|Editor: huaxia

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WASHINGTON, June 9 (Xinhua) -- A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers is preparing a new infrastructure proposal without any tax hikes to engage with the Biden administration, according to local media.

The group of senators, which includes at least five Democrats and a handful more Republicans, has decided against using corporate or individual income tax increases to pay for spending on infrastructure projects, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing a senator involved in the talks.

"There are no tax increases. That is a red line for us," Mitt Romney, Republican senator from Utah, who's taken a leading role in crafting the proposal, was quoted as saying.

Romney noted that key to determining whether the bipartisan group can produce an offer to the Biden administration this week would be whether "there is sufficient support from other Republican senators for our proposal or not."

The move came after U.S. President Joe Biden on Tuesday ended infrastructure talks with a group of Senate Republicans led by Senator Shelley Moore Capito after weeks of intense negotiations.

"Despite the progress we made in our negotiations, the president continued to respond with offers that included tax increases as his pay for, instead of several practical options that would have not been harmful to individuals, families, and small businesses," Capito, Republican senator from West Virginia, said in a statement.

Biden had originally proposed raising the corporate income tax rate from 21 percent to 28 percent to help pay for his 2.3-trillion-U.S.-dollar infrastructure plan, which was opposed by Republicans and the business community.

The White House later lowered the overall price tag to 1.7 trillion dollars, while Senate Republicans offered a 928-billion-dollar counteroffer. Many Republicans have insisted that they would not vote in favor of raising taxes to pay for the infrastructure plan.

More than two dozen groups representing U.S. businesses and employers have also formed a coalition recently to oppose Biden's plan to raise taxes, arguing that such measures will hamper the U.S. economy in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Enditem
The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) today announced a $800,000 recreation trails grant for the Memphis River Parks Partnership to link the sites northern and southern regions.

The grant is part of $1,892,642 in grants in Tennessee from the federally funded, state administered Recreation Trails Program (RTP). The state is also awarding $7,584,530 to communities throughout the state from the Local Parks and Recreation Fund (LPRF) program and the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) program.

We are happy to announce grants that will enhance the outdoor experience in communities across our state, Jim Bryson, deputy commissioner of TDEC, said. We want Tennesseans to enjoy recreational activity, and we recognize local leaders need funding to make it happen. These grants help meet that need.

River Edge Trail, a new pedestrian path will link the site's northern and southern reaches. The 15-foot-wide, one-mile path will wind through distinct topographies, leading to the Civic Gateways unique fountain. It will then wind through a grove of trees to a pavilion with restrooms, fitness stations and views of the Mississippi River via an elevated, accessible walkway through the immersive tree canopy.

From Mud Island to MLK, the Memphis River Parks are a huge source of pride for the entire region, Sen. Raumesh Akbari, D-Memphis, said. I love this new trail because its going to make the parks even more accessible and more fun.

Im very excited about the River Edge Trail project, Rep. Barbara Cooper, D-Memphis, said. This grant from TDEC will allow Memphians to fully enjoy the beauty of the Memphis riverfront and encourage them to participate in a little exercise as well.

The RTP grant program provides funds for land acquisition for trails, trail maintenance, trail construction, trail rehabilitation, and trail head support facilities. These grants are distributed in the form of an 80-percent grant with a 20-percent match.

The LPRF program provides state funding for the purchase of land for parks, natural areas, greenways, and recreational facilities. LPRF funds also may be used for trail development and capital projects in parks, natural areas, and greenways. The LWCF program provides grants to states to administer to state and local governments for the acquisition and development of public outdoor recreation areas and facilities. These grants require a 50-percent match.
Residents of Davidson, Williamson and Wilson counties have until July 7 to apply for FEMA disaster assistance if they had losses from the storms, tornadoes and flooding that occurred March 25 through April 3.

KEY MESSAGES

While the Multi-Agency Recovery Center in Davidson County is no longer open, Tennessee residents affected by the spring storms in Davidson, Williamson and Wilson counties can still apply for federal assistance through July 7: Tennessee storm survivors are encouraged to apply to FEMA if they have uninsured losses or damage from the storms. The federal government cannot restore everything you may have lost. But you may be able to recover faster with money from FEMA to help cover costs for basic repairs to make your home safe, accessible and secure.

Ways to apply: Visit DisasterAssistance.gov or download the FEMA app to a smartphone or tablet or call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362 (TTY 800-462-7585). The Helpline is your go to resource for answers to questions about your application or to update FEMA on your current housing situation. Lines are open daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Central Time. If you use a relay service, such as a videophone, InnoCaption or CapTel, update FEMA with the specific number assigned to that service.

Remote Inspections: To protect the safety and health of disaster survivors and FEMA workers, the agency is conducting remote inspections of homes reported to be severely damaged by the storms. Remote inspections are conducted by telephone or internet streaming service. These inspections are comparable to traditional, in-person assessments.

Rental Assistance Available: Residents of Davidson, Williamson and Wilson counties whose homes were made unsafe or uninhabitable by the storms may be eligible for temporary rental assistance from FEMA.

Rental assistance may be used to lease a house, apartment or manufactured home. It does not have to be repaid.

To be considered for temporary rental assistance, homeowners and renters must have been displaced from their primary residence because it became uninhabitable due to storm damage.

SBA Loans: Low interest, long-term disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration help homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes and some nonprofit organizations recover. FEMA may refer assistance applicants to SBA. Submitting an SBA loan application is a necessary step to being considered for some forms of disaster assistance.

Beware of Fraud: After a disaster, scam artists, identity thieves and other criminals sometimes try to take advantage of disaster survivors. Federal and Tennessee emergency management officials urge residents to watch for and report any suspicious activity such as people pretending to be FEMA employees. All FEMA representatives carry a laminated badge and have your FEMA registration number.

FEMAs Individuals & Households Program, as of June 6, 2021

Housing Assistance: $381,579

Rental Assistance: $428,928

Other Needs Assistance: $70,091

Total $ Approved Individuals & Households Program: $880,598

Total Registrations: 1,096

U.S. Small Business Administration, as of June 6, 2021

Total Loans Approved: 57

Total $ Approved: $1.9 million

You may apply for a disaster loan online using SBAs secure website at https://DisasterLoanAssistance.sba.gov/ela/s/. Email FOCE-Help@SBA.gov to set up a phone appointment for assistance with your disaster loan application.

You may also call SBAs Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 or email DisasterCustomerService@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. The center is open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Central time, seven days a week. Individuals who are deaf or hardofhearing may call 800-877-8339.

For more information on Tennessees disaster recovery, visit www.tn.gov/tema.html and www.fema.gov/disaster/4601. You may also follow FEMA on www.facebook.com/fema and Twitter @FEMARegion4.
Special thanks to KICK-ASS TKC READERS for this sneak peek at the urban core organizing in support of Mayor Q and the council majority on the controversial police funding issue.



Even better . . .



This line stands out:

"We cannot tolerate deceitful narratives spewed by outside agitators and misinformed malcontents to go unremedied into our community."

Since TKC resides closer to this meetup spot than most of the politicos in the council majority; we likely fit in the latter half of their description and always appreciate the mention.

More importantly . . .

TKC ENCOURAGES CITY HALL TO PROVIDE FREE FOOD FOR THIS MEETUP!!!

And we're totally serious about this . . .

If our low-income neighbors are going to be used as political props in a multi-million dollar power grab, at the very least they deserve a good meal and the A/C on full blast for their service.

As a denizen of the municipal discourse, it's important to have realistic expectations regarding the bribes services from 12th & Oak.



Full text . . .



Kansas City, Missouri, June 4, 2021--For immediate releaseTownhall Meeting to Develop a Municipal Accountability and Transparency Action Agenda



The Community Resource Team (CRT) is a neighborhood alliance composed of residents in seven core subdivisions in the heart of Kansas City, Missouri. The CRT is dedicated to open and accessible government, public safety and community-government collaboration for the growth of the city and its residents and corporate citizens.



First and foremost, we categorically support the two budget measures passed by Mayor Quinton Lucas and a city council majority. Secondly, we cannot tolerate deceitful narratives spewed by outside agitators and misinformed malcontents to go unremedied into our community.



To facilitate its mission, the CRT is hosting a free Town Hall Meeting at 1617 E. 17th Terrace Street, Kansas City, MO 64108 on Wednesday, June 9, 2021 from 6:00pm-7:00pm. The event location is one block east of the Charlie Parker Memorial. This town hall is designed to engage the public, City elected officials & Department liaisons, and County elected officials and executives in developing an accountability and transparency plan that supports economic mobility and freedom for residents.



Our expectation is simple going forward the police departments annual operating budget should be twenty percent (20%) of the Citys general revenue as mandated in Section 84.730 of the Revised Statutes of Missouri.



Any supplementary budget petition should be held to the same accountability and transparency as with all taxpayer dollars.



The people of Kansas City want equity, accountability and transparency in our local government and the services it provides including:



- racial representation

- occupational diversity (including civil service, private sector, faith based, and media)

- honest, open and timely communication

- political representation

- mental & emotional wellness services

- emergency & uniformed services community engagement and DEI training



Please join us in person, in numbers, for one hour this Wednesday, bring a chair and show your support for change.

################



A peek at the memo . . .



Developing . . .
Amid a chaotic afternoon and no less then three separate deadly gunfire scenes alerted in a span of mere hours, police report the latest local homicide.

A shooting at 52nd and Euclid which occurred earlier today is now a homicide.



We'll update with more deets as they become available. Unofficially, this brings the homicide count to #66 compared to 81 at this time last year.



Here are some of the first reports . . .



UPDATE: One person killed, one injured in double shooting at 52nd Street and Euclid Avenue UPDATE: Kansas City police say one of the victims in this shooting has died from their injuries at a local hospital. This is now a homicide investigation. Original story: KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Kansas City police are investigating a double shooting near East 52nd Street and Euclid Avenue.

KCPD investigating double shooting near 52nd, Euclid KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) -- The Kansas City Police Department is investigating a double shooting that happened on Tuesday afternoon. It happened in the area of E. 52nd Street and Euclid Avenue around 2 p.m. One of the victims was taken to a local hospital in a private vehicle (meaning, not an ambulance).

4 people die in shootings Tuesday afternoon in Kansas City metro Violence erupted across the Kansas City metro Tuesday afternoon after there were four fatal shootings.Kansas City, Missouri police said they are investigating three separate homicides. Police in Kansas City, Kansas, are investigating one.In Kansas City, Missouri, police said one person was fatally shot on Independence Avenue near Bales Avenue.The shooting was reported about 1:30 p.m.

Violent afternoon in Kansas City ends with 3 dead, 1 injured in 3 separate shootings KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Police are investigating three separate shootings that happened in less than two hours Tuesday afternoon. The first happened around 1:30 p.m. near Bales and Independence avenues. Investigators said one person died after the gunman walked up and fired a gun. The shooter ran away before officers arrived at the scene.

Developing . . .
Recently, everybody's favorite Fox 4 morning anchor conducted an ESSENTIAL KANSAS CITY INTERVIEW with Mayor Quinton Lucas.



Like it or not this conversation puts the mayor on record when it comes to the homeless crisis, local violence, police funding and COVID policy.



For those who haven't seen it already, this chat is required viewing for those interested in the Kansas City discourse . . . Check-it:



You decide . . .
Afternoon violence ramps up as KCPD have their hands full coping with two separate deadly shooting scenes.



The first report:



Around 1:30 PM, officers were dispatched to the 3500 block of Independence Avenue in regard to a shooting. Upon arrival officers found a victim suffering from gunshot wounds. The victim was transported to a local hospital where they were pronounced deceased. The suspect fled the scene in an unknown direction



If anyone saw anything or has any information they are asked to call the Homicide Unit directly at 234-5043 or the TIPS hotline anonymously at 474-TIPS. There is a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to an arrest in this case.

The second note moments later:



Around 2:30 PM officers were dispatched to the area of 108th and Sycamore in regard to a shooting. Upon arrival they found a juvenile victim who had been shot. Officers attempted lifesaving measures at that time. The victim was transported to a local hospital and was pronounced deceased. We do not have any suspect information at this time.



If anyone saw anything or has any information they are asked to call the Homicide Unit directly at 234-5043 or the TIPS hotline anonymously at 474-TIPS. There is a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to an arrest in this case.

Accordingly . . .



Unofficially, the 20201 Kansas City homicide count not hits #65 compared to 81 at this time last year.



Update: KCPD investigating homicide in the Ruskin Heights neighborhood KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) -- The Kansas City Police Department is investigating a fatal shooting that happened in the Ruskin Heights neighborhood on Tuesday afternoon. The victim was a minor, under the age of 18. It happened in the area of E. 109th Street and Sycamore Terrace shortly after 2:30 p.m.

Juvenile shot, killed at Sycamore Park in south Kansas City KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Kansas City police are investigating a second homicide Tuesday, this time at a park in south Kansas City. Police say a juvenile has been shot and killed at Sycamore Park near East 109th Street and Sycamore Terrace in the Ruskin Heights neighborhood of Kansas City.

Police search for suspects in violent afternoon in Kansas City KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A spate of violence Tuesday afternoon across Kansas City has police on both sides of the state line searching for suspects. In Kansas, police in Kansas City, Kansas, said a boy in his mid-teens was critically hurt in a shooting just before noon near 65th and Cleveland streets.

Kansas City police investigate homicide on Independence Avenue near Bales Avenue SOURCE: KMBC Kansas City police are investigating a homicide Tuesday afternoon on Independence Avenue near Bales Avenue.The shooting was reported about 1:30 p.m.Investigators said a male shooter approached the victim and opened fire before leaving.The victim was taken to a hospital, but died a short time later.

Three shootings, resulting in homicides keep police busy Tuesday was a busy day for Kansas City, Mo. police detectives as three shootings were reported at roughly the same time this afternoon, two resulting in homicides, one in the 10900 block of Sycamore Avenue, the other on Independence Avenue and Bales.

KC police investigating 3 homicides; KCK police investigating 1 KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) -- It has been a violent afternoon across Kansas City. Right now, the KCPD is investigating at three different homicide scenes. 1:30 p.m. - Fatal shooting on Independence Avenue near Bales Avenue Full story available here. Around 2 p.m. - Double shooting near E.

Developing . . .
Kansas City is still reeling from a spate of local murders that claimed the lives of youngsters.



Meanwhile, it's interesting to note a rather terse statement from the Mayor's office so far at the outset of warm weather violence that will likely continue . . . Check-it . . .



Push back against the mayor notes his adversarial stance toward police along with frustration with protesters who brought a putrid coffin to police HQ.



And so we share another collection of news links on the topic as the cycle of Kansas City violence continues . . . Read more:



Families mourn after 2 teens are killed in shootings during violent Tuesday in KC metro KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) -- During a violent Tuesday in the metro, two teenagers were killed in two separate shootings. One teen was killed in Kansas City, Missouri. The other teenager was killed in Kansas City, Kansas. An argument that began on social media ended when a suspect shot and killed a 15-year-old around 2:30 p.m.

'It's got to end': Kansas City family devastated after 15-year-old shot, killed at park KANAS CITY, Mo. - Police say a juvenile is dead after a shooting at a south Kansas City park. Family members identified the victim Tuesday evening as a 15-year-old boy who lived in the Ruskin Heights neighborhood and attended Ruskin High School. "I don't think hurt is the appropriate word.

KC pastor remembers young victim killed in Tuesday shooting It was a violent Tuesday throughout the Kansas City metro, including in south Kansas City, Missouri, where police say a young victim was shot and killed near Sycamore Park."I don't think 'hurt' is an appropriate word for a family that is dealing with trauma, tragedy," said Pastor Dennis Lester, lead pastor at Bethel Family Worship Center.

Kansas City, Missouri, leaders talk solutions to combat violent crime KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The summer heat has arrived, which sparks concerns among anti-violence advocates year after year in the Kansas City area. On Tuesday alone, there were four homicides - three in KCMO and one in KCK. "Everybody always, they're holding their breath for the summer," Branden Mims, COO of Ad Hoc Group Against Crime, said.

Developing . . .
Right now, behind the scenes at 12th & Oak there's an EPIC fight underway that pits social justice against Kansas City's economic future.



To wit . . .

NEW KCI PROPONENTS PUSH BACK AGAINST MAYOR Q'S HOMELESS MOTEL AGENDA AND SHARE PROOF OF THE NORTHLAND CRIME SPIKE NEAR NEW AIRPORT CONSTRUCTION!!!



For those who don't know . . . According to insiders, the "homeless motels" having a great deal of trouble near the airport are are Days Inn, Sure Stay, Super 8, Sleep Inn.

Accordingly, this quick chart with info updated by way of North Patrol stats offers a glimpse at where recent requests for police assistance near the airport have spiked in 2021 compared to 2019 . . . Obviously, the biggest uptick in calls for police comes from Mayor Q's generous lodging experiment.

It gets worse . . .

As we noted yesterday, KCI insiders are blaming "homeless guests" near their airport with a recent uptick in car crime.



Dozens of travelers arriving home to catalytic converter thefts at KCI Airport KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A crime costing people thousands of dollars is on the rise across the Kansas City metro: catalytic converter thefts. Criminals prey on unsuspecting travelers who are using long-term parking at Kansas City International Airport. After flying back from the beach, the last thing one Lenexa couple wanted to deal with was a car problem.

Expect this conversation to come up in continued debate over funding as homeless housing now impacts one of this town's most important sources of revenue.

Developing . . .


Earlier today our blog community noted an increasingly dangerous situation at Kansas City motel housing for the homeless championed by Mayor Quinton Lucas. This topic is exceptionally important given a request for at least a million bucks worth of more funding this week.



Some skeptics challenged these reports and their skepticism was fair given the dearth of information about the homeless housing effort overall.



Accordingly . . . Our blog community now shares FIRST WORD of a serious crime reported at one of the facilities hosting homeless Kansas City guests on the taxpayer dime.

To wit . . .

RAPE REPORTED AT NORTHLAND MOTEL HOSTING KANSAS CITY HOMELESS GUESTS!!!



This is just one horrific incident amid a slew of reports and allegations that homeless "guests" are turning motel housing into dangerous and drug infested slums.

We've confirmed that this is a "homeless motel" and part of a controversial project championed by Mayor Quinton Lucas.

Check the report . . .



North Patrol

Rape

06/07/2021 @ 2004.

Address: 7611 NW 97th Place,

Sleep Inn.

CRN # KC21036653



Narrative: Officers were dispatched to 9900 NW Prairie View Rd on an Outside Disturbance. Upon arrival, the listed victim advised them that she had been raped at the Sleep Inn located at 7611 NW 97th St, room ####.



She stated that after she was raped, she ran from the room to 9900 NW Prairie View. She advised us that the listed suspect might still be at the Sleep Inn.



Officers responded to the Sleep Inn and located the suspect inside room ####. He was taken into custody without incident. As the suspect was being placed in the wagon he stated his shoulder dislocated and requested EMS. He was transported to Liberty Hospital and was released at 2230 hours.



Room ### was being protected as a crime scene. Sex Crimes Detectives were waiting on a Search Warrant.

######################



Developing . . .


Right now we're inspired by hottie Khloe doing a bit of promo work cleverly disgused as modeling whilst we take a peek at pop culture, community news and top headlines.



Check-it . . .

Kansas City Crash Report

Multiple injuries reported after Kansas City fire truck involved in Northland crash KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) -- Multiple injuries have been reported after a Kansas City fire truck was involved in a crash Wednesday while heading to a call. This multi-vehicle wreck happened about 12:20 p.m. near the intersection of Northeast 96th Street and North Oak Trafficway in the city's northland.

Northeast History In Danger

Colonnade makes most endangered places list Nikki Lansford Editorial Assistant The Colonnade at Concourse Park is a historic landmark that means a great deal to many in the Northeast community - its image even serves as the emblem of the Northeast News - but the structure has fallen into disrepair after decades of neglected maintenance.

Show-Me 'MO' Rolling Stone Sponsored Content For Kansas City

The Many Faces of Kansas City's Music Scene The following is a piece in a four-part series highlighting all that Missouri has to offer in the worlds of food, art, music and adventure. Missouri - or "Mo," as we refer to her - has no shortage of places to explore, so whatever you're after, there's a Mo for every M-O.

Career Of Hotness Exposed

15 Times Maxim Model Khloe Terae Went Topless on Instagram You already know Khloe Terae from her sizzling Maxim South Africa cover and crazy-hot video parts, and if you follow the curvaceous Canadian model on Instagram, you also know that she has a penchant for posing topless for ad campaigns, photo shoots and selfies.

Prez Clears Chinese Tech

President Biden revokes Trump executive orders targeting TikTok and WeChat President Joe Biden on Thursday revoked a series of executive orders signed during the Trump administration targeting TikTok, WeChat and other Chinese apps, and replaced them with a new executive order addressing apps linked to foreign adversaries, including China.

Capitol Riot Disputed

Americans Are Dangerously Divided on the Insurrection On Tuesday, more than a week after Republican senators filibustered and blocked the creation of an independent commission to investigate the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell was asked whether he would call the events of that day an insurrection.

Vaxx Consequences Reported

A link between Covid-19 vaccination and a cardiac illness may be getting clearer Vaccine advisers to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say there has been a higher-than-expected number of cases of a heart ailment among young people, most often males, who've recently received their second doses of the Pfizer and Moderna Covid-19 vaccines.

Activists Rework American Icon

G7: 'Mount Recyclemore' of leaders made from electronic waste in Cornwall The seven leaders depicted in the sculpture are UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Japan's Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italy's Prime Minister Mario Draghi, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel and US President Joe Biden.

90s Celebrity Redux

Bennifer's rebooted! Why is Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez's reunion so cheering? rangelina. Kimye. Tomkat. Gyllenspoon. Each pairing is yet another note in the long, sad dirge of failed Hollywood romances. Blending famous monikers has been a showbiz tradition for decades, even if most of these fusions fizzle out quicker than you can say "Vaughniston" (you remember: Vince Vaughn dated Jennifer Aniston for about a minute after her breakup with Brad Pitt).

Celebrate Workout Equity

Kansas City gym owner strives to be 'radically inclusive' KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A Kansas City gym owner is using Pride Month to push for more inclusivity within the fitness community. When Hailee Bland-Walsh opened City Gym 10 years ago, she did so with a simple goal in mind.

Royals FAIL Explained

Why did Bobby Witt Jr.'s 2nd homerun not count last night? by: Juan Cisneros Posted: / Updated: FRISCO, Texas - NW Arkansas Naturals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. blasted a pitch 430 feet for his second homerun of the night on Tuesday, but the home plate umpire said he did not touch home plate.

Kansas City Heat Up

Widespread 90s for the next few days BETTER THAT THEY ARE ON THE ROAD. NICK: HOTND A HUMID, T 2HE -- HAZY AND HUMID, WE GET ALL OF THAT. 72 DEGREES WARMER THAN YESTEAYRD MORNING THIS TIME. THE 12-HOUR FORECAST, UNLIKELY WE WILL SEE AS MANY PUBLIC SHOWERS THIS AFTERNOON AS YESTERDAY, SO MAYBE -- POP UP SHOWERS.

Coldplay - Higher Power is the song of the day and this is the OPEN THREAD for right now.
South Boston, VA (24592)

Today

Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low near 65F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low near 65F. Winds light and variable.
Violence ramps up across the State Line as well as this deadly shooting scene claimed the life of a youngster.



Read more . . .

UPDATE: Teenager dies after shooting near Kansas City, Kansas elementary school by: Travis Meier Posted: / Updated: UPDATE: Kansas City, Kansas, police say the teenager injured in a shooting near Hazel Grove Elementary School has died from his injuries Tuesday afternoon. The teen has not been identified at this time. Original story: This is now a homicide investigation. KANSAS CITY, Kan.
Bookster, the Holiday Rentals Software based in Scotland, is the first of its kind in Europe to join Tourism Declares, to commit to a reduction in global emissions.



(TRAVPR.COM) UNITED KINGDOM - Edinburgh, 08 June 2021: Bookster, the Holiday Lettings Software company, has committed to take action, and support other businesses in their path to cutting carbon emissions and creating a solution for sustainable travel.

Managing Director of Bookster, Robin Morris said We are delighted to be the first holiday let software in Europe to step up, and hope that our actions will encourage other tourism businesses to join us.

COP26, the UN Climate Change Conference, will be hosted in Glasgow in November 2021, and we can expect to see further legislative change surrounding that defining moment.

Tourism Declares is an initiative committed to finding solutions to the climate crisis. Businesses from across the globe join together to demonstrate their commitment to meeting the challenges which lie ahead. Over two hundred travel groups have already signed up, with more in the pipeline.

As part of Booksters plan, they have committed to improving on their move to carbon neutrality, and find solutions to measure, reduce and offset.

Their goals include a long-term commitment to public transport, a reduction in travel for business, a commitment to researching providers which reduce their footprint, working with communities to advocate change, and informing clients and partners of their options to enable responsible solutions.

Get in touch with Bookster you are interested in talking further about Booksters commitment to Tourism Declares.

About Bookster.

Bookster was established in 2008 as a trading name of Tribalogic Ltd. Bookster offers holiday lettings property management software, with the option to use the Channel Manager to connect with companies such as Airbnb and Booking.com, and its website design team to create bespoke and template web designs.

The head office is in Edinburgh, with customer service professionals and a large team of technicians providing in-house tools and partnerships with external companies including a 2-way API connection with their Premier Partner Booking.com.

###
Johnstown, PA (15901)

Today

Partly to mostly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 63F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Partly to mostly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 63F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph.
Johnstown, PA (15901)

Today

Partly cloudy early with increasing clouds overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 62F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy early with increasing clouds overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 62F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph.
Matthew Jordan is an associate professor and head of the Department of Film Production and Media Studies at Penn State.

The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts. Licenced as Creative Commons - attribution, no derivatives.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: https://theconversation.com/emily-wilder-and-journalisms-longstanding-achilles-heel-partisans-who-cry-bias-161552.
The Mbaise USA and Mbaise Leadership Forum (MLF) have expressed concerns over the security situation in their community and Imo State in general.

In a statement issued yesterday, the groups said it was difficult to watch the recent events in Imo State and expressed sadness by the escalation of violence, the needless loss of lives, and the destruction of property.

The statement was jointly signed by the President of Mbaise USA, Mr. SO Echendu, and the Moderator of Mbaise Leadership Forum (MLF), Mr. Chris Ohanele

"We sincerely hope that peace will soon be restored.

All of us are united by our shared purpose to live in peace and security and to go about our legitimate activities without let or hindrance. And we desire to be treated with fairness and justice. But we know that the constitutional rights of Nigerian citizens cannot be taken for granted. And so, we have the right to demand them. But on the various possible ways to achieve the purpose, and to make our just demands, reasonable people can disagree without resorting to violence," the statement explained.

The groups acknowledged all peaceful initiatives aimed at securing the lives and property of law-abiding citizens whose lives have been significantly impacted by the unrests and general insecurity.

"We support the call by Ezuruezu Mbaise for our people to stay away from actions that will lead to insecurity in our land. We ask Mbaise people to desist from making utterances that may inflame the current situation and further endanger lives and property. Social media should be used responsibly and not as a tool to cause panic. It should not be used to post hateful propaganda and incendiary comments," the statement added.

They also called for unity among the people in the face of a common threat to their security.

"We must avoid the temptation to turn on one another. Given the Nigerian geopolitical reality in which we are so tenuously situated, our strength at this moment lies in our ability to exercise caution and restraint. This may well be a winning strategy for survival. But we must set our sights higher than mere survival. We must aim to thrive, and by the grace of God we will live and thrive together," the statement concluded.
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Bank Windhoek successfully issued and listed the country's first Sustainability Bond on 2 June 2021. As with the Green Bond in 2019, the Sustainability Bond is also a first for commercial financial services institutions in southern Africa.

Following the success of Bank Windhoek's internationally recognised Green Bond in 2019, the bank obtained alternative sources of funding to the value of N$227 million through the Sustainability Bond on a private placement basis. sustainability bonds, commonly referred to as "use of proceeds bonds", are unique, fixed-income instruments and investment vehicles for commercial and institutional investors. The proceeds are exclusively applied to finance or re-finance a combination of both green and social projects, in part or in full, new or existing. The projects will be benchmarked and aligned with the four core components of the International Capital Market Association's (ICMA) Green Bond Principles (GBP), Social Bond Principles (SBP), and follows the ICMA sustainability bond guidelines. The four components for compliance include the use of proceeds, a process for project evaluation and selection, management of proceeds and impact reporting.

For investors, sustainability bonds provide an opportunity to support socially and environmentally responsible projects, along with the additional benefits associated with investing in an award-winning, highly regulated and "risk-free" instrument with a strong emphasis on transparency and impact disclosure. Projects eligible for funding include those focussed on renewable energy, energy efficiency, green buildings, sustainable waste management and a focus on sustainable agriculture and tourism, and investments into quality, accessible and innovative healthcare and education facilities. Bank Windhoek will evaluate social projects based on the primary objectives and the underlying impact of the project. The bank will report on the environmental and social effects of the projects financed in its annual sustainable bond impact report.

"The Covid-19 pandemic led to a steep increase in demand for innovative financial products like green and sustainable bonds that facilitate and promote a shift to a more sustainable economy. In Namibia, we experience global warming, and the effects of climate change on our local environment and businesses are evident. It is important to note that the proceeds of the Sustainable Bond will support a wide array of projects offering broad societal, economic and environmental benefits," said Bank Windhoek's Manager of Sustainable Investments and Deal Origination, Ruan Bestbier.

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Bank Windhoek's Managing Director, Baronice Hans, said: "Both the Green and Sustainability Bond issuances are milestones, not only for Bank Windhoek and Capricorn Group but Namibia as a nation. We unequivocally set the tone of our commitment to sustainable finance. We believe that the Green and Sustainability Bond issuances enable our clients' sustainability requirements. These Bonds enable them to create a complete value chain, from raising favourable funding to offering green loans with attractive and competitive terms to facilitating the transition to a low-carbon and client resilient future." "Sustainable bonds are a new addition to the cache of financial instruments. Along with established green bonds, sustainability bonds promote positive change in society and the environment and provide investors with a means of aligning their asset allocations with sustainability objectives in a meaningful way," said Bank Windhoek's Chief Treasurer, Claire Hobbs.

During 2020, sustainable debt issuances reached a record high of US$415 billion globally, up 60% from the prior year. Green bonds still dominate the sustainable finance market. However, other products, such as sustainability bonds, are playing catch-up, with the market increasingly becoming diversified in the low-interest-rate environment to meet growing investor and client demand.
The image from video provided by the Department of Defense labelled Gimbal, from 2015, an unexplained object is seen at center as it is tracked as it soars high along the clouds, traveling against the wind. aThere's a whole fleet of them,a one naval aviator tells another, though only one indistinct object is shown. aIt's rotating." The U.S. government has been taking a hard look at unidentified flying objects, under orders from Congress, and a report summarizing what officials know is expected to come out in June 2021. (Department of Defense via AP)
Canton, GA (30114)

Today

Mostly clear this evening then becoming mostly cloudy after midnight. Low 68F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Mostly clear this evening then becoming mostly cloudy after midnight. Low 68F. Winds light and variable.
Abubakar Shekau, leader of the Boko Haram terrorist group, is said to have committed suicide in battle. Far from solving a problem for the Nigerian government, his death is likely to further destabilize the region.

Several times in the past, Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau was declared dead, only to reappear in videos taunting the government of Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari. Nevertheless, Nigerian security expert Kabir Adamu is fairly sure that this time Shekau was killed. "Every sort of source that could confirm the information has verified that it is true," he told DW.

Boko Haram's rival, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), claimed that Shekau detonated a suicide vest during a gunfight in Sambisa forest on May 18, to avoid being taken prisoner and made to renounce the leadership of his group.

The Nigerian military is showing some reticence, pointing to ongoing investigations to ascertain what happened. But their plan to obtain DNA to prove a death that occurred three weeks ago is not realistic. "He is said to have blown himself up, so any remains will be difficult to get," Adamu said.

Shekau's faction has not confirmed his death either. But this is mainly due to its current state of disarray, which precedes Shekau's purported death. "In the last few months, its commanders have been arrested. Most have either accepted the leadership of ISWAP, or they've been killed," said Adamu, pointing out that in the last couple of years, the number of followers in Shekau's camp has been dwindling at a steady rate, while ISWAP has had no trouble finding recruits.

A brutal and ruthless leader

Shekau, an ethnic Kanuri born in Yobe state, took over the reins of Boko Haram, formally known as the Jama'tu Ahlis Sunna Lidda'awati wal-Jihad (JAS), after its founder Mohammed Yusuf died in police custody in 2009. Shekau was the longest-serving leader of any Islamic jihadist group in the world. "I think he ruled by fear. He was a ruthless leader who killed his commanders and followers if they disagreed with his agenda," Adamu said.

The insurgent leader's brutality extended to the civilian population. This strategy led to a split within the original group, with ISWAP slowly emerging as the more powerful militia. ISWAP concentrates on attacking the central government's security forces and institutions and has loudly condemned Shekau's reign of indiscriminate terror.

The jihadist became known to a wider public in 2014, following the abduction of 276 schoolgirls in the town of Chibok. In his videos, he stated publicly that he "enjoyed killing."

Conflict of interests

Nigerian security analyst Yahuza Getso is not convinced that a difference in strategy is enough to account for the violence between the two jihadist organizations. "The question is, why is ISWAP fighting Boko Haram? If the two Islamic militias are fighting each other, something is definitely wrong somewhere," Getso told DW. He suspects a strong involvement of outside interests, tied into the local rivalry between Anglophone Nigeria and its Francophone neighbors, as well as the interests of "superpowers in the Lake Chad Basin."

Kabir Adamu has no doubts that the insurgents receive help from the outside, including other jihadist groups. But he says it is "almost impossible" to verify the various conspiracy theories circulating. "Even if state actors are supporting them, they will not do it directly. They are likely to do it through non-state actors that are operating in the region," he said.

Both analysts also agree that while Buhari's government may feel a sense of relief to be rid of their most notorious terrorist, Shekau's death could end up causing more problems for the region. "Absolutely. More troubles for the Nigerian government. More trouble for the Cameroon government. More conflict and a possible regrouping of the insurgents in Chad," Getso said.

ISWAP's consolidation

A strengthened ISWAP will be better able to coordinate operations across borders to reach its stated goal of establishing a caliphate. "It is very likely that we are going to see a consolidation of ISWAP in the Sahel and the Lake Chad Basin," placing them in a position to get more funds from the umbrella terrorist group Islamic State (IS) and attract more recruits, Adamu said.

ISWAP's popularity is growing not only because it avoids targeting civilians. The jihadists try to offer the population public services in areas where the state is largely absent. "The grievances centered around inequality, poverty, segregation, around a political structure that does not allow the population to participate in government, are real. They will go on being exploited by ISWAP for recruitment and targeting," Adamu explained.

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Fighting the root causes of terrorism

In the last dozen years, President Buhari has given priority to a massive and forceful armed response to the terrorist threat, a strategy that has had only scant success. Presently, "no territory is administered by the jihadist groups," Adamu admitted, noting that there was also a significant reduction in the number of direct engagements with the central government's security forces.

"But we haven't seen the kind of success like stopping the weapon flow, stopping the funding-generation capability, arresting the leadership, or killing them," the analyst said. And Shekau's death while fighting his jihadist rivals will not help boost Nigerians' confidence in an army perceived as weak, abusive, and corrupt.

Abuja does have a counter-terrorism strategy that aims to address the root causes of the conflict. Analyst Adamu believes that this kind of approach needs to be seriously expanded. "Only then will we see some success by the Nigerian government," he said.
Why oh why do people tie themselves up in knots to save a few bob when it could by their own admission potentially cause themselves difficulties especially during a pandemic?

As mentioned above luggage will be an issue as your luggage will be marked through to the final destination and if you travel with hand luggage it will be pretty obvious what you are doing if you try to swing the " just getting out to stretch my legs" thing to leave the plane during the connection stop.

If you get off and do not return to the flight for the second leg have you considered what the flight crew will do? They will be expecting X seats to be occupied during the second leg but because you have legged it there will be one person missing which will not only potentially cause delays in the flight leaving again but WILL flag up what is happening and alert the airline to a breach of the conditions of carriage mentioned in Post 3 .

Also, what about getting back on from the Maldives? It is very possible that if you breach the airlines rules that Gulf will cancel your return booking and not let you fly again in which case you are going to be stuck.

In my view the whole idea is stupid. If you want to go somewhere during the current pandemic you should find the most direct, quickest route possible , making double sure that you will comply with all the entry requirements, covid testing etc etc for any connection and if you cannot afford to do that then you do not go - it is very simplle.

BTW - I hope you are not considering booking this through a third party "cheap fares" OTA - with all the potential issues for difficulties if something goes wrong and the flight is cancelled.

Edited: 09 June 2021, 09:23
Re: Bali opening for tourist in July? Also Lombok and Gili?

2. Re: Bali opening for tourist in July? Also Lombok and Gili?

Hello Mike,

There are rumours and articles about reopening Bali, Batam and Bintan this time with a so called travelbubble with a few countries (including the Netherlands) but the list of these countries doesnt seem consequent. Also when this happens (I cannot imagine the Netherlands will agree) the travelbubble means a lot of requirements (vaccination, 3 PCR tests and quarantaine) and you only are allowed in the green zones.

Untill now no more than rumours which come and go since July last year and no official announcement.

Personally I also do not expect borders will be open soon as the numbers of infections in Indonesia are rising (as a result of Ramadan/Idul Fiti) and the vaccination rate is low.

Please check the website of the Indonesian Immigration

or one of the embassies

Another reliable source is on Facebook, a very informative and updated page
WASHINGTON (AP)  A pipeline company CEO on Tuesday defended his decisions to abruptly halt fuel distribution for much of the East Coast and pay millions to a criminal gang in Russia as he faced down one of the most disruptive ransomware attacks in U.S. history.

Colonial Pipeline CEO Joseph Blount said he had no choice, telling senators uneasy with his actions that he feared far worse consequences given the uncertainty the company was confronting as the attack unfolded last month.

I know how critical our pipeline is to the country, Blount said, and I put the interests of the country first.

His testimony to the Senate Homeland Security Committee on the May 7 cyberattack provided a rare window into the dilemma faced by the private sector amid a storm of ransomware attacks in which overseas hackers breach a companys network and encrypt their data, demanding a ransom to release it back to them.

U.S. authorities tell companies not to pay the ransom, arguing the crooks may not provide the keys to unencrypt the data and that the payments will encourage future attacks and help sustain criminal networks typically based in Russia and Eastern Europe. Blount chose to disregard that advice within the first 24 hours of the attack and paid the equivalent of $4.4 million in bitcoin to retrieve the company's data. U.S. officials said Monday they had recovered much of the payment.

I made the decision to pay, and I made the decision to keep the information about the payment as confidential as possible, Blount said. It was the hardest decision Ive made in my 39 years in the energy industry."

The company, he said, was deeply sorry for the effect of the shutdown but had to act fast as it worked feverishly to determine whether the criminal gang had compromised the operational systems or physical security of the 5,500-mile pipeline  and to try to avoid a more sustained shutdown.

Asked how much worse it would have been if the company hadnt paid to get its data back, Blount said, Thats an unknown we probably dont want to know. And it may be an unknown we probably dont want to play out in a public forum.

His appearance before the Senate comes as lawmakers consider possible measures to address the ransomware attacks that have been launched against thousands of businesses as well as state and local government agencies.

Weve got to recognize these ransomware attacks for what they are. Its a serious national security threat, said Sen. Rob Portman, a Republican from Ohio. Attacks against critical infrastructure are not just attacks on companies. They are attacks on our country itself.

Already, the Justice Department and FBI have established a task force to deal with ransomware with some success, including managing to seize 85% of the bitcoin that Colonial paid as ransom. But many of the criminals behind the attacks are beyond their reach in Russia or other countries that will not extradite suspects to the U.S.

The Biden administration has also made ransomware, and cybersecurity more broadly, a national priority in the wake of a series of high-profile intrusions.

Last month, the administration issued new regulations for the pipeline industry, requiring companies to conduct cybersecurity assessments and immediately report any breaches to the federal government. The industry has until now operated under voluntary guidelines.

Blount disputed a media report that his company had refused to participate in one of the voluntary assessments, conducted by the Transportation Security Administration, earlier this year, saying it had merely been delayed because of COVID-19 and other issues. That was quite a shock to me, he said of the account.

The attack on Colonial Pipeline  which supplies roughly 45% of the fuel consumed on the East Coast  has been attributed to a Russia-based gang of cybercriminals using the DarkSide ransomware variant, one of more than 100 variants the FBI is currently investigating.

It began after hackers accessed the company's IT system through a virtual private network that was no longer in active use. Blount said it only required a complicated password to gain entry rather than multi-factor authentication, which provides additional security and is now required at Colonial.

The ransomware attack on Colonial Pipeline affected millions of Americans,  said Sen. Gary Peters, a Michigan Democrat. The next time an incident like this happens, unfortunately, it could be even worse.

Blount said the Georgia-based company began negotiating with the hackers on the evening of the May 7 attack and paid a ransom of 75 bitcoin  then valued at roughly $4.4 million  the following day. The hack prompted the company to halt operations before the ransomware could spread to its operating systems.

The encryption tool the hackers provided the company in exchange for the payment helped to some degree" but was not perfect, with Colonial still in the process of fully restoring its systems while working with consultants to assess the damage and improve cybersecurity, Blount said.

It took the company five days to resume pipeline operations. What took place in that time illustrated why they needed to quickly pay the ransom, he told the lawmakers.

We already started to see pandemonium going on in the markets, people doing unsafe things like filling garbage bags full of gasoline or people fist-fighting in line at the fuel pump," he said. The concern would be what would happen if it had stretched on beyond that amount of time.



Follow Eric Tucker on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/etuckerAP
analysis

Pharmaceuticals - drugs used to prevent or treat human and animal diseases - are essential for health and well-being. But the increasing use of these drugs means that remnants of them are showing up in the aquatic environment. They are contaminating our waters.

Pharmaceuticals are part of a group of substances known as emerging contaminants. Although they are potentially harmful to human and ecological health, they are yet to be regulated and routinely monitored in the environment. Most conventional treatment plants typically do not remove emerging pollutants because they were not originally designed for them. These contaminants can enter oceans, rivers, streams, dams and groundwater through waste water and sewage treatment plants, human excretion, landfill leaching, healthcare facilities, pharmaceutical industry effluents and veterinary drug applications.

The contaminants may be transported in water to other places or accumulate in sediments - rocks, sand, soils, decaying materials and vegetation under water - and in creatures that live in water. Some of the effects of these drugs on aquatic organisms include DNA damage, disruptions to hormonal systems and formation of antibiotic resistant microbial strains.

There have been several studies of pharmaceuticals in aquatic environments across the world but only a few studies in African countries. So in our study, we investigated the occurrence of selected pharmaceuticals in water and sediments of Usuma dam in Abuja, Nigeria's capital. We also assessed the risk of the harm they could do.

We found traces of pharmaceuticals in water and sediment of the dam and that is not good for ecological and public health.

Sink for pollutants

The dam is an important source of potable water and fish for people living in Abuja. It is also a major receiving water body, so acts as a sink for pollutants from the environs. It is surrounded by large unplanned settlements and is the major drain for household, municipal and agricultural wastes in the area.

Our research investigated the occurrence of selected antibiotics and analgesics (painkillers) in water and sediments of Usuma dam.

We looked for antibiotics in water samples and found amoxicillin, ciprofloxacin and metronidazole. Trimethoprim was found in the sediment samples. These antibiotics are used to treat or prevent bacterial infections. Ibuprofen, detected only in sediments, was the only painkiller detected in the study.

We found that amoxicillin and ibuprofen presented a high risk to aquatic life in the dam. Ciprofloxacin constituted medium risk, while metronidazole constituted low risk.

Pharmaceuticals are designed to exert maximum effects at low concentration. Therefore, any concentration found in water and soil is not good for public and ecological health. If these drugs negatively affect the fishes in the dam through accumulation, they may also affect humans who eat them and drink water from the dam. Any consumption of drugs other than a prescribed dose for a particular ailment is a health risk.

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We observed that the chief source of pharmaceuticals in the dam is human excretion. Sewage from unplanned settlements that lack basic sanitation and sewage treatment facilities around the dam is disposed of directly onto the ground and eventually drains into the dam. Other likely sources include improper disposal of medical and veterinary waste.

Going forward

The occurrence of pharmaceuticals in the Usuma dam is not an isolated case in Nigeria. Similar studies have reported the presence of pharmaceuticals in Lagos and Ogun state waters and even in sachet water that many Nigerians drink.

The solution to this budding environmental challenge should therefore be a national response.

In 2019, the Nigerian government signed an executive order to tackle open defecation. This is a step in the right direction and should be implemented. It should also be followed up by providing people with sewage and sanitation facilities.

Healthcare centres and hospitals should ensure efficient management of medical wastes according to existing laws and regulations. The government must also strictly monitor sewage from drug manufacturing plants. Finally, government can do more to monitor contamination of water systems and improve awareness of the issue.

Ifenna Ilechukwu, Lecturer of Environmental Chemistry, Madonna University, Nigeria
LAS VEGAS (AP)  A mother from San Jose, California, was arrested Tuesday in Colorado less than 12 hours after she was identified by Las Vegas police as the suspect in the death of her 7-year-old son, whose body was found by hikers in Nevada more than 10 days ago.

An FBI task force arrested Samantha Moreno Rodriguez, 35, at a hotel in eastern Denver not far from Interstate 70, Las Vegas police Lt. Ray Spencer said. Rodriguez was with a man when she was found, but Spencer said police do not believe he had any involvement whatsoever in this case.

We are all relieved that we were able to get her into custody so quickly, said Spencer, the homicide lieutenant who had made nearly daily pleas for public help to identify the boy, Liam Husted, since his body was found May 28 outside Las Vegas.

Spencer would not say during a news conference how Liam died, whether a weapon was involved or describe a motive for the slaying. He referred to a coroners investigation and toxicology tests, which can take weeks to complete.

The homicide lieutenant said it was clear the boy was killed in the remote Mountain Springs area where he was found.

In San Jose, the boys grandfather told The Mercury News that Liam lived with his mother and father, Nick Husted. He said the boy had special educational needs, attended a learning center for autistic children and had a home counselor for behavioral issues. Outside help ended during the COVID-19 pandemic.

As Liam got older it was strainful for them but they managed, grandfather Chris Husted said in an email, the newspaper reported. There was no sign of abuse at all. Liam was an innocent child, dependent for their care and good intentions, like all people with special needs.

Spencer said the parents were not married but were together for several years. He declined to speak about Liams needs.

Chris Husted and Nick Husted did not immediately respond to emails from The Associated Press. The grandfather characterized his son as devastated by Liams death.

Something went horribly wrong with Sam, and Liam is unfortunately taken away, Chris Husted told The Mercury News. He said Rodriguez needs to be held accountable no matter why it happened.

Rodriguez will be jailed in Denver pending a court appearance and her extradition to Nevada to face a murder charge, Las Vegas police said.

Spencer said Las Vegas police detectives were in Denver to interview Rodriguez. It was not immediately known if she had a lawyer to speak in her defense.

Liam was identified publicly for the first time Monday, and Spencer said a murder warrant was issued in Las Vegas for Rodriguez.

Rodriguez left San Jose on May 24 in a dark blue 2007 Dodge Caliber packed full of their belongings, Spencer said.

She left behind a message, telling Nick Husted she was sorry, was going to try to get a house for herself and Liam and that the couple could talk in the future.

There was nothing suspicious in that message that would lead the father to believe that Liam, or Samantha, was, were involved in any kind of foul play or that there was any harm, potentially to come, Spencer said.

The police official said Liams father waited until June 1 to report to San Jose police that the boy was missing. Spencer said Nick Husted was not a suspect in Liams death.

The mother and son were seen May 26 in two Southern California cities, Laguna Beach and Victorville, before they arrived in Las Vegas.

Police believe Liams body was left after dark May 27 or early May 28 hidden behind a bush at a trailhead off State Route 160, the main highway between Las Vegas and rural Pahrump.

Spencer said police now know where the mother and son stayed in the Las Vegas area, but he declined to describe the place or what investigators found there.

Liams body remained unidentified until a family friend told San Jose police on Friday that she had not seen Rodriguez or Liam and she recognized the boy from a widely distributed rendering prepared by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

The boys identity was the focus of an intense public campaign that included an offer from the FBI of up to $10,000 for information. Spencer and FBI Special Agent Jeremy Schwartz declined Tuesday to say if anyone became eligible for the reward.

____

Associated Press writer Colleen Slevin in Denver contributed to this report.
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TRUMBULL  A 16-month occasionally contentious process ended with a public hearing at which no one spoke and a unanimous vote after no discussion.

With a unanimous consent vote, the town council repealed Chapter 6, section 6-4 of the towns Municipal Code. That was the section that detailed the polling places for the four districts. With the code rescinded, it is now up to the towns registrars, Republican Tracy Vonick and Democrat Jean Rabinow, to set the polling locations. The council voted to adopt seven equal districts.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP)  The union at a Smithfield Foods pork processing plant in South Dakota engaged in contract negotiations Tuesday armed with the authorization to call a strike.

A strike authorization at the Sioux Falls chapter of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union was overwhelmingly approved late Monday with 98% of the vote total, the union said. However, union leaders said they hope to avoid a work stoppage as they met with company representatives Tuesday.

Meatpacking workers have become emboldened after a virus outbreak at the plant last year killed four workers and infected nearly 1,300. The union is demanding that Smithfield boost its wage offerings in a four-year contract to match those at a JBS pork plant in the region, as well as make several other concessions on break times and employee health insurance costs.

Were not going to change our stand, said B.J. Motley, the president of the local union.

Smithfield Foods, which is based in Virginia, has said its initial offer, which was rejected by the union last week, is in full alignment with agreements that UFCW has already accepted at other plants.

A strike at the plant, which produces roughly 5% of the nation's pork supply every day, could create ripple effects from hog farmers to supermarket shelves. When the plant shuttered in April 2020 alongside others experiencing virus outbreaks, it highlighted the vulnerability of the meat supply chain. Major meatpacking companies convinced former President Donald Trump to declare them essential to national security.

Smithfield, like other large meatpacking companies, spent millions of dollars to incentivize workers and outfit plants with plexiglass safety barriers. It has pointed out that after the plant reopened, large outbreaks were avoided.

Mark Lauritsen, the UFCWs national vice president of meatpacking, said pay has increased significantly throughout the industry since the pandemic began. Last spring, the meat companies generally offered some temporary form of additional pay for workers while the coronavirus spread quickly through meatpacking plants.

Most companies made those pay increases permanent last year, giving most workers a couple more dollars per hour, Lauritsen said. Then additional pay raises have been negotiated as contracts expired over the past year.

Lauritsen said the base rate of pay at most pork plants is now up to $19 an hour  an increase of about $3.60 from before the pandemic.

Were finally in a place where these workers are getting the raises they deserved for years, he said.

The union wants Smithfield to match the starting rate of $19 an hour offered at a JBS pork plant 70 miles (110 kilometers) away in Worthington, Minnesota. Workers have said those wages, as well as a sudden boost in pay at fast-food chains or retail stores, have drawn employees away from the Smithfield plant and forced those left behind to work harder and longer.

Smithfield Foods did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday.

Motley did not offer a deadline for when a strike could happen, but said the union would wait until Smithfield makes a final contract offer.

Besides Sioux Falls, Smithfield is also in contract talks with the union at large plants in Crete, Nebraska and Tar Heel, North Carolina.

___

Associated Press writer Josh Funk contributed from Omaha, Nebraska.
WASHINGTON (AP)  For months, President Joe Biden has laid out goal after goal for taming the coronavirus pandemic and then exceeded his own benchmarks. Now, though, the U.S. is unlikely to meet his target to have 70% of Americans at least partially vaccinated by July 4.

The White House has launched a month-long blitz to combat vaccine hesitancy and a lack of urgency to get shots, particularly in the South and Midwest, but it is increasingly resigned to missing the presidents vaccination target. The administration insists that even if the goal isn't reached, it will have little effect on the overall U.S. recovery, which is already ahead of where Biden said it would be months ago.

About 15.5 million unvaccinated adults need to receive at least one dose in the next four weeks for Biden to meet his goal. But the pace of new vaccinations in the U.S. has dropped below 400,000 people per day  down from a high of nearly 2 million per day two months ago.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nations top infectious disease expert, told reporters at a briefing on Tuesday that he still hopes the goal will be met and if we dont, were going to continue to keep pushing.

So far 14 states have reached 70% coverage among adults, with about a dozen more on pace to reach the milestone by July 4. But the state-to-state variation is stark.

Fauci said the administration is pleading" with states, particularly those with low vaccination rates, to step up their efforts in the coming months, though some of the states trailing behind are hardly sharing the urgency.

On a conference call Tuesday, White House COVID-19 coordinator Jeff Zients delivered an impassioned call for governors to join the administration in pulling out all the stops on vaccinations this month. We need your leadership on the ground  which is where it matters the most  more than ever, he said.

In Mississippi, which trails the nation with only about 34% of its population vaccinated, Republican Gov. Tate Reeves has called Bidens goal arbitrary, to say the least.

The vaccination rate in the state has dropped off so sharply that it would take the better part of a year for the state to reach the 70% target.

Speaking to CNN on Sunday, Reeves said he encouraged residents to get vaccinated, but that the more important marker was the decline in cases in the state.

That sentiment makes winning over people like University of Mississippi student Mary Crane all the more important to Biden meeting his goal. She hasnt felt much urgency to get the COVID-19 vaccine because shes already had the virus, and the family she's living with during the summer break has been vaccinated.

Initially, it was to wait on everyone else to get it and not take a vaccine, she said, explaining why she hasnt been vaccinated. But now that its available, theres really not a reason I havent gotten it, other than I just havent gotten it.

Crane, 20, said shes seen classmates who were eager to get the vaccine right away  there was a trend when the vaccine first came out of posting vaccination cards on social media sites like Instagram. But now that the vaccine has been available for a few months, Crane said she sees fewer young people talking about it.

Everythings pretty much back to normal now, she said.

Fauci on Tuesday emphasized that increased vaccination was essential to stamping out potentially dangerous variants, including the so-called Delta variant first identified in India that is now the dominant strain in the United Kingdom and is growing in the U.S. Vaccines have proven less effective against that variant when people are not fully immunized, and evidence points to it being more transmissible and more deadly.

In an attempt to drive up the vaccination rate, the White House has worked to encourage an array of incentives for people to get shots  from paid time off to the chance to win a million dollars. It's partnered with community groups, businesses and health providers to make it easier than ever to get a shot. Those efforts have helped sustain some of the interest, but the trends point to Biden missing the target by several percentage points.

In Ohio, Republican Gov. Mike DeWine created a lottery offering $1 million prizes for vaccinated adults and full-ride college scholarships for children. Ohios lottery kicked off a wave of similar incentive lotteries nationally.

DeWines May 12 announcement of the states Vax-a-Million program had the desired effect, leading to a 43% boost in state vaccination numbers over the previous week. But the impact was short-lived, with vaccinations falling again the following week.

For some, the chance of winning $1 million isnt enough to overcome skepticism about the need for the vaccine.

Joanna Lawrence of Bethel in southwestern Ohio says the COVID-19 survivability rate is so high, and the experiences of people she knows who took the vaccine are so bad, that she sees no need to risk a shot for herself. She made it through her own bout of the coronavirus in August.

My life is not worth money, said Lawrence, 51, who farms and works in commercial real estate. I can always get more money if I need to. I cannot get another life.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki declined to make a prediction on whether the goal would be met but said the administration was using  every tool at our disposal to get there,.

Regardless of where we are on July 4th, were not shutting down shop," she said. On July 5th, were going to continue to press to vaccinate more people across the country.

Husband and wife Keila Moore 41, and Willie Moore, 42, of Pearl, Mississippi, have disagreed on whether to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

Willie said he knew he wanted to get it because he has high blood pressure and other preexisting conditions and is a frontline worker.

As soon as I had the chance to get it, I took it, said Willie, who was vaccinated in February.

But Keila, who doesnt have preexisting conditions and works from home, has so far chosen not to be vaccinated.

After her husband was vaccinated, she tested positive for the virus. She said it was a mild case, but that it was still a scary experience. She said shes feeling more open to getting the vaccine, and is considering getting it this fall, if reports of side effects continue to be minimal.

Im just still weighing the options and the time frame, she said. Im a little bit more confident in it now as the time is going by because the time is going by and Im not really seeing any side effects that are too worrisome.

___

Willingham reported from Jackson, Mississippi. AP writer Andrew Welsh-Huggins contributed from Columbus, Ohio.
Tucson, AZ (85741)

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Clear to partly cloudy. Low 78F. NNW winds at 10 to 20 mph, decreasing to less than 5 mph..

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Clear to partly cloudy. Low 78F. NNW winds at 10 to 20 mph, decreasing to less than 5 mph.
Tucson, AZ (85741)

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Generally clear skies. Low 79F. N winds at 10 to 20 mph, decreasing to less than 5 mph..

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Generally clear skies. Low 79F. N winds at 10 to 20 mph, decreasing to less than 5 mph.
Since the government suspended Twitter, Nigerians have been downloading virtual private networks (VPN) to access the site, with #NigeriaTwitterBan and #KeepitOn trending on the platform

Almost 200 Nigerians filed a lawsuit on Tuesday seeking to lift a ban on Twitter, describing the government's decision to block the site as stifling "any dissenting voice" and digital rights.

The ban was announced on Friday, two days after the social media giant removed a post from President Muhammadu Buhari that threatened to punish regional secessionists, and the government said those who continued to use Twitter would be prosecuted.

"The (suspension) negatively impacted millions of Nigerians who carry on their daily businesses and operational activities on Twitter," said Kolawole Oluwadare of the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), a local rights group.

Nigeria joins the ranks of China, North Korea and Iran in issuing a ban on Twitter, while Uganda, Turkey and Egypt have suspended the app during elections or political unrest.

Twitter said in a statement that it was "deeply concerned" as access to the internet was "an essential human right in modern society" and it "will work to restore access for all those in Nigeria who rely on Twitter to communicate".

SERAP and 176 Nigerians filed the lawsuit at the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Community Court of Justice in Abuja on Tuesday, calling for an interim injunction restraining government from implementing the ban.

Oluwadare, SERAP's deputy director, said the ban was "final proof of shrinking civil space in Nigeria and the intention of government to stifle any dissenting voice".

Information minister Lai Mohammed told the Thomson Reuters Foundation that the suspension had nothing to do with Buhari's tweet being deleted, but rather with "separatists inciting violence" online.

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"Regulating social media is not about stifling press freedom. All we are talking about is the responsible use of these platforms," said Mohammed, adding that Facebook, WhatsApp and YouTube were still accessible.

Since the ban was introduced, Nigerians have been downloading virtual private networks (VPN) to access the site, with #NigeriaTwitterBan and #KeepitOn trending on the platform, while also turning to Facebook.

Across Africa, governments have used myriad techniques to stifle people's ability to organise, voice opinions and participate in governance online, according to the African Digital Rights Network, a research and advocacy group.

These include digital surveillance, disinformation, internet shutdowns, repressive laws and arrests, it said.

Oluwadare said he hoped to hear back from the court by Friday.
Writer and performer Kyle Hernandez of Trinidad is receiving death threats, following a performance he did on local television station WESN, where he seemed to insult not only Tobagonians but the national bird of the island.
Berdiansk Airport can be restored as part of the construction of a naval base, Berdiansk Mayor Valeriy Baranov has said.

He said this during a press conference "Berdiansk - News of Summer Tourist Season 2021" on Friday, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the airport stopped working. Now our airport is not operational, but we are working on its restoration. I met with the infrastructure minister, and we are working with the Ministry of Defense. We have a naval base under construction and there are plans for an airport and a runway, the mayor said.

Rebuilding the airport is not a project of this year. Baranov notes that he negotiated with Chinese and Turkish investors and understands the importance of this facility, including from the point of view of investment and tourism attractiveness.

In 2018, the Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine considered options for Berdiansk Airport being able to seasonally serve domestic flights. Then it was said that this airport could become an alternative to Mariupol Airport.

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Synchronization with the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity (ENTSO-E) will open up additional prospects for the development of green energy in Ukraine.

Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal made a corresponding statement during a round table on energy in Ukraine organized by the World Economic Forum (WEF) on June 3, Ukrinform reports with reference to the Government portal.

Shmyhal stressed that synchronization with the ENTSO-E, which is planned for 2023, would open wide prospects for the development of renewable energy sources in Ukraine while increasing the stability of Ukrainian and European energy systems.

The Prime Minister expressed confidence that Ukraine would have a higher ranking in the next WEF Energy Transition Index due to the active development of smart grids, hydrogen economy, and energy storage systems.

He also noted that Ukraine sought to adapt the best policies of the European Union. For this purpose, the Government has been actively implementing and developing the gas and electricity market, as well as intensively preparing for synchronization with the ENTSO-E over the past year and a half.

The Head of Government stressed that Ukraine integrated the approach of the World Economic Forums System Value into economic planning. In particular, energy efficiency, modernization of distribution networks, and increased share of renewable energy sources will be important factors within this approach.

The System Value approach shaped by the WEF defines a set of solutions that contribute to the sustainable development of economic and energy systems. It allows for a better and more complete assessment of economic, environmental, social, and technological results of the implementation of solutions in the field of energy. This tool will also be used for green modernization of the economy," the Prime Minister underscored.

Denys Shmyhal thanked the WEF for confirming Ukraines consistent progress on the path to energy transformation in the 2021 Energy Transition Index (ETI).

The Prime Minister also informed about the steps that can boost Ukraine's further progress in this direction.

According to the PM, Ukraine has one of the most energy-intensive economies in Europe, and energy efficiency measures will help decarbonize Ukraines economy, increase investment in the technology sector and create new jobs.

As Shmyhal stressed, according to the WEF analysis, investments in the modernization of distribution networks are also an effective instrument for creating new jobs.

"Distribution Network Modernization in Ukraine will improve the quality of electricity supply, reduce losses in the networks and, as a result, reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Last year, we launched a mechanism that enables us to take a systematic approach to upgrade electricity networks and make it easier to connect to them," said the Prime Minister.

As noted, the share of renewable energy sources in the structure of energy generation in Ukraine has increased from 1.7% in 2018 to 7.7% in 2020.

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Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba discussed investment projects in the field of renewable energy, including the production and transportation of green hydrogen, with German business.

A meeting with German business and the leadership of the German Committee on Eastern European Economic Relations took place in Berlin during Kulebas working visit to Germany, the Foreign Ministry informs.

The key topics of discussion were the development of the UkrainianGerman energy partnership, the implementation of major investment projects in the field of renewable energy, including the production and transportation of green hydrogen.

Kuleba supported the readiness of the leadership of the German Committee on Eastern European Economic Relations to pay a visit to Ukraine in the second half of 2021. He assured that President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky paid priority attention to the issue of attracting investments.

"I am very pleased with our practical discussion on specific mutually beneficial projects that will promote trade and investment between our countries, job creation in Ukraine. I assure you that the energy partnership between Ukraine and Germany is among the priorities of the Ukrainian Government," the minister stressed.

German businesspeople expressed interest in developing investment projects on the production and transportation of green hydrogen to the European Union, solar and wind energy, exports of Ukraine-produced biomethane to the EU, and more.

Another topic of conversation was the possibility of producing green steel in Ukraine with the use of renewable energy sources and subsequent exports to Germany, in particular for the needs of the automotive industry.

As reported, the German Committee on Eastern European Economic Relations is the largest German business initiative for 29 countries in Central, Eastern, and South-Eastern Europe, the South Caucasus, and Central Asia. It assists 350 member companies in supporting bilateral projects, establishing contacts, and entering foreign markets.

According to the State Statistics Service of Ukraine, in January-March 2021, Ukrainian exports to Germany increased by 37% and totaled $620 million; imports from Germany to Ukraine decreased by 17% and totaled $1.27 billion.

At year-end 2020, Germany ranked first among Ukraine's trading partners in the EU with a share of 17.6% of total trade. UkraineGermany trade in goods and services amounted to $8.3 billion.

According to the National Bank of Ukraine, in 2020, the volume of German direct investment in Ukraine's economy amounted to almost $1.7 billion, accounting for 4.6% of total foreign direct investment.

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In January-May 2021, exports to the European Union grew by more than a third, accounting for additional $2.7 billion in revenue for Ukrainian business.

"Over the first five months of this year, exports to the European Union grew by more than a third, accounting for additional $2.7 billion in revenue for Ukrainian business. The exports are on a record level now ... We will continue to work to provide Ukrainian entrepreneurs with the fullest access to European markets," Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said at the Cabinets meeting, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

As noted, Ukraine is actively working with European partners to make progress in signing the Agreement on Conformity Assessment and Acceptance of Industrial Products (ACAA).

"According to the first report of the EU mission, the Ukrainian legal framework has a high level of compliance with the EU legislation, so we are actively moving in this direction," the Prime Minister said.

As reported, the EU member states are Ukraine's largest trading partners. The share of these countries in the foreign trade turnover of goods and services of Ukraine was 40.7% in 2020.

According to the State Statistics Service, in January-March 2021, imports of goods to Ukraine increased by 11.0% to $15.02 billion, exports  by 12.0% to $13.71 billion compared to the same period in 2020.

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Chairman of Ukraine's National Agency on Corruption Prevention (NACP) Oleksandr Novikov headed a Ukrainian delegation that arrived in New York to attend a special session of the UN General Assembly against corruption, which took place at the UN headquarters on June 2-4. With his physical participation in the work of the General Assembly, Novikov opened the "season" of visits to the main international organization after a one-and-a-half-year break due to COVID-19.

This is not the first time that Novikov has answered Ukrinform's questions. This time we are talking about his visit to the U.S. and the latest developments in the fight against corruption, of which a lot has happened over the past month. About new anti-corruption laws and projects that are waiting for their turn, the closure of the case against the ex-head of the Constitutional Court, Oleksandr Tupytsky, and much more.

WE HAVE SOMETHING TO SHARE WITH THE WORLD

Question: Oleksandr Fedorovych, you have arrived in New York to participate in a special session of the UN General Assembly against corruption. What can Ukraine boast of from such a high rostrum?

Answer: To date, Ukraine has introduced the best tools to prevent corruption. We have the world's widest, most modern register of asset declarations, which covers not only the assets of officials, but also their corporate rights, membership in organizations. Therefore, it allows us to control, in particular, cases of conflict of interests of officials. We have the newest and best register of political parties' financial statements in the world, which was introduced just a month ago.

In addition, Ukraine is building a system of quality management in the field of control - all inspections will be carried out automatically, ie declarations are automatically checked by reconciling with all registers. Thus, inaccurate information cannot be hidden.

In short, we have something to share with the world, including IT tools for preventing corruption.

In the United States, we have a wide program of meetings, both in New York and in Washington. We want to share the tools we have with other countries around the world.

Some countries are just beginning to think about the implementation of the UN Convention against Corruption in terms of creating a mechanism for declaring income, and we have actually done this.

Question: But, probably, there is something to learn from others, especially from the United States?

Answer: Ukraine has introduced such a procedure as monitoring the lifestyle of public officials. This is a new procedure for us, we have been using it for less than a year. Last year, we were able to apply it for only four months, until a well-known decision of the Constitutional Court was made. After the restoration of the NACP's powers, this work was resumed.

[On October 27, 2020, the Constitutional Court recognized unconstitutional Article 366-1 of the Criminal Code on penalties for lies in asset declarations. In particular, the Constitutional Court declared unconstitutional the powers of the National Agency on Corruption Prevention (NACP) to verify officials' asset declarations, monitor the lifestyle of those who submit asset declarations, establish the timeliness of submission of asset declarations, as well as provisions on open access to declarations in the unified state register.]

We would like our American colleagues who have been working in this direction since the early 1970s to share the experience of such inspections. This is a unique mechanism - lifestyle monitoring - no one knows how to do it better than Americans.

PARLIAMENT MEMBERS TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO WEAKEN DECLARATION SYSTEM

Question: The scandalous decision of the Constitutional Court caused a lot of harm in the fight against corruption, as many corruption cases against officials were closed. But on June 3, the Verkhovna Rada seems to have rectified the situation by adopting amendments to the Law on Prevention of Corruption regarding the improvement of certain aspects of the declaration.

Answer: As early as December 15, the Verkhovna Rada restored the NACP's powers to verify officials' asset declarations, draw up protocols on officials, monitor their lifestyle, as well as provided open access to declarations in the unified state register.

And amendments to the law of June 3 should provide for the restoration of punishment for inaccurate information in declarations.

However, in practice, they wanted to use this opportunity to once again try to weaken the declaration system. During the voting in the hall, amendments were made, which in fact allowed officials to register property with relatives, thus avoiding any liability at all.

NACP, NABU, and NGOs called on the president to veto the law. And the president responded quickly to the call.

Therefore, we hope that the punishment for lying in the declaration will be restored as soon as possible. According to the NACP, imprisonment must be provided if an official has not registered property worth UAH 1 million or more.

Question: It seems that the NACP cannot freely monitor the lifestyle of judges.

Answer: Well, yes ... Because we have to inform the judge that we will monitor his lifestyle.

It is clear that a judge who has an expensive car or lives in an elite house will stop using them after we inform him about the inspection, and we will not be able to record the relevant fact. There is a systemic error here at the level of legislation.

ANTI-CORRUPTION STRATEGY WILL MAKE EACH PUBLIC BODY ANTI-CORRUPTION

Question: The recent visit of U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken to Ukraine has once again demonstrated that the United States pays great attention to the fight against corruption in Ukraine, rightly considering it the second front, if the first is to resist Russian aggression. Do Americans have any questions for your agency?

Answer: Our body has been given a rather high assessment, including by the Constitutional Court, regarding the effectiveness of its activities. In terms of control mechanisms, it is difficult to improve something.

However, an important part of our work is the Anti-Corruption Strategy, which must be voted on in parliament in the second reading. [The draft law on the principles of state anti-corruption policy for 2020-2024 (Anti-Corruption Strategy) was adopted in the first reading on November 5, 2020.]

The anti-corruption strategy is not only about the fact that the NACP should take measures to prevent corruption, but it is a document that will make every public body in the country anti-corruption thanks to a whole set of principles and specific steps.

Question: Are you completely satisfied with the version that is being prepared for adoption in the second reading?

Answer: Two short stories, prepared by the NACP, may not be included in the project.

The first one is the need to create a register of bank accounts of individuals. The second refers to the transfer of protocols on violations by officials of category A (ministers, deputies, and judges of the Constitutional Court), as well as criminal proceedings on violations of funding rules by political parties - to the High Anti-Corruption Court for consideration.

Why is it important  During my work at the NACP - a year and five months - the National Police received two dozen files related to forgery of documents on the reports of political parties or transfer of funds received from the state budget under fictitious agreements to individual entrepreneurs. None of these cases have actually been investigated. And we understand why ...

Therefore, this category of cases should be investigated by independent anti-corruption bodies.

Defects in the legislation are also demonstrated by the recent decision of the Holosiivsky Court, which closed the proceedings in the case of bringing to administrative responsibility Chairman of the Constitutional Court Oleksandr Tupytsky, who was dismissed by the president from the post of judge.

Tupytsky was actually acquitted by a court, although even the Venice Commission says he had a conflict of interest and it is obvious. He repealed an article in the Criminal Code [on holding officials accountable for inaccurate information in the declaration], which provides for his own responsibility. In addition, a meeting of the ethics commission of the Constitutional Court was to take place on the fact of violation of ethics by Tupytsky, and he himself canceled it.

Question: And how can it end?

Answer: It has not yet ended. Judicial reform needs to be completed. We do not need to start, open, continue, but just complete it. We need to transfer politically important cases, including administrative ones, to the High Anti-Corruption Court.

ANTI-OLIGARCHIC MEASURES PROVIDED IN STRATEGY

Question: Were you involved in the preparation of the so-called anti-oligarchic bill, which is so much written about?

Answer: We were not involved in the development of this bill, at the same time, the Anti-Corruption Strategy contains a number of tools that should ensure the independence of the political system from financial and industrial groups.

One of the tools of such independence is the financing of political parties from the budget.

The second tool is the prohibition of financing parties by legal entities. This will make it impossible for financial and industrial groups to influence the parties through funding by public organizations associated with legal entities.

The third one - the Anti-Corruption Strategy contains a number of norms that strengthen the powers of the Antimonopoly Committee to destroy the monopolies existing in the country.

PORTAL OF CORRUPTION WHISTLEBLOWERS GUARANTEES ANONYMITY

Question: On June 1, the Verkhovna Rada adopted a law on corruption whistleblowers, which had previously been vetoed by the president. How has this document changed compared to the previous version?

Answer: The law, passed with the president's veto, is in full compliance with both the UN Convention against Corruption and all international standards for the protection of whistleblowers.

The approved version stipulates that the whistleblower, if he is sure that the information about corruption is reliable, can report it to law enforcement agencies. The previous version obliged to provide some kind of confirmation. That is, a citizen could know about corruption, but without evidence, he could not report it.

But the main thing is that this bill provides for the creation of a portal of whistleblowers.

Frankly, as the head of the NACP, I sometimes have to figure out which body is authorized to engage in certain acts of corruption. And the portal of the whistleblowers immediately sends you to the right body. For example, in the case of corruption in the land sector, you go to the appropriate section and select the option - depending on the type of corruption - where to contact: the State Service of Ukraine for Geodesy, Cartography and Cadastre, the Ministry of Agrarian Policy, the National Police, or the State Bureau of Investigation, and the like. This will significantly speed up the consideration of reports, and they will be directed to a specific person who should consider them, and not get lost somewhere in the middle. Of course, we are obliged to control the quality of consideration of reports. This means that we will know where they went, and thus ensure the proper level of their consideration.

Since this will be the newest whistleblower system developed in the world, it will be the best.

Question: Will whistleblowers be rewarded for reporting? Has this provision remained in the law?

Answer: Yes, even if they complain anonymously. A digital code is issued through the portal, and after the court verdict, when the person is convicted, one can apply with this digital code to the NACP, and, as provided by the law, receive 10 percent of the amount of the returned funds. The uniqueness of the mechanism is that anonymity can be preserved.

Question: Do you support the practice of deliberately provoking bribery in order to catch a potential corrupt official red-handed?

Answer: From the point of view of a mechanism for preventing and combating corruption, this would be an effective tool.

SYSTEM OF ARITHMETIC CONTROL OF DECLARATIONS LAUNCHED ON JUNE 1

Question: The campaign for filing income and expenditure declarations has recently ended. Are there any preliminary findings?

Answer: Literally on June 1, the system of logical and arithmetic control over declarations started working. This applies to all 780 thousand declarations that were filed before April 1, 2020. That is, all of them have been verified with previous declarations, in general, with 14 registries that exist in the state, and a risk rating for declarations has been formed. Under the new rules, for the first time as a result of cooperation with non-governmental organizations and the Public Council under the NACP, we received a risk rating for declarations, according to which we will select them for verification.

Among the first ten are not only the declarations of MPs, but also of members of local councils. This is how the computer identified the risk of the possibility of obtaining illegal income or undeclared property.

Question: During the week the NACP sent 40 protocols on various violations to the court ... What has happened to these protocols? And which court do they go? The High Anti-Corruption Court?

Answer: We wish it were so ... We would very much like it to be the High Anti-Corruption Court, because we have no doubts about the pace and objectivity of the consideration of the protocols by this court.

The example of the chairman of the Constitutional Court, to whom the Holosiivsky court closed the case, shows how this, unfortunately, happens ...

As a rule, protocols are sent to the Pechersky and Shevchenkivsky courts of Kyiv in the case of employees of central authorities. If these are officials of regional state administrations, mayors of cities, as in the case of the former mayor of Chernivtsi, Oleksiy Kaspruk, then the protocols are sent to local courts. For example, two weeks ago the court considered the protocol on the governor of Sumy region, Vasyl Khoma

It can be any court in Ukraine, depending on where the offense was committed.

Question: And what is the purpose of the register of bank accounts of individuals that you mentioned?

Answer: Most of the civilized countries of the world have such registers.

There is a situation when NABU confiscates several million dollars in cash from a suspect, but most corrupt funds can be kept in accounts, and if you do not find a piece of paper with a written number or a bank card attached to the account, you wont even know which bank those funds are saved. Thus, huge sums are hidden from justice.

The account register is information not about transactions, but about the availability of accounts.

Question: You spoke about the budget financing of parties, which was introduced to combat oligarchic influence. Do you seriously believe that the law on financing parties from the budget deprives them of influence from the oligarchs?

Answer: The law itself does not... Much work is needed, including ours, to monitor compliance with restrictions on the financing of parties by financial and industrial groups.

We saw in the last elections, when some parties declared in their reports that they had spent one or two million on outdoor advertising, but in fact the whole country was covered with their advertisements, and it is clear that these funds were not reported. On such facts, we wrote the findings of the inspections and sent them to law enforcement agencies. If these cases were properly investigated and there were appropriate court decisions, it would prevent the further influence of dirty money on the political system.

Question: All public bodies have anti-corruption commissioners ... a kind of network of your agents. How independent are these commissioners?

Answer: They are appointed by the heads of the relevant bodies, but they can be dismissed only with the consent of the NACP. That is, in terms of dismissal, they are protected, as shown by the situation with Energoatom, where we appealed in court against the dismissal of the commissioner - advisor to the director for preventing and combating corruption of this public enterprise. They also went to court because of the dismissal of the head of the sector for prevention and detection of corruption of the Maritime Administration, Yuriy Kulaha, by the head of the State Service of Maritime and River Transport without the consent of the NACP.

IN 2014 I REGISTERED CRIMINAL PROCEEDING AGAINST LAVRYNOVYCH

Question: In the United States, they write a lot about the initiation of a criminal case against Trump's former lawyer, ex-mayor of New York Rudy Giuliani, whom the Manhattan district attorney's office suspects of lobbying the interests of Ukrainian businessmen. Is something like this possible in our country? Can we initiate a case for lobbying the interests of foreign citizens?

Answer: In 2014, I registered a criminal proceeding against former Minister of Justice Oleksandr Lavrynovych for the illegal transfer of funds to the Dutch office of the American company Skadden in the case of Yulia Tymoshenko v. Ukraine considered by the European Court of Human Rights. The money was transferred by the Ministry of Justice from the budget retroactively after the case was closed at the ECHR. We recorded this, and the case is being heard in the Podilsky court of Kyiv.

This is possible in Ukraine. The question is in the efficiency of the legal proceedings in such cases.

The Anti-Corruption Strategy envisages the settlement of lobbying issues. And I hope our American colleagues will share their experience.

Question: One of your functions is to conduct an examination of legal acts for corruption loopholes ... Does this apply to bills or all acts, including those already approved and valid?

Answer: The law stipulates that the examination of valid legal documents is carried out by the Ministry of Justice. We cannot subject them to examination, even if they are corrupt. Our powers apply only to draft laws and legal acts of the government.

But we will initiate amendments to the law regarding the transfer of the right to conduct anti-corruption examination of current documents of executive authorities to the NACP. The existing corruption schemes are often enshrined in already adopted acts.

WE WILL WITHSTAND ANY BLOW BECAUSE THERE IS POLITICAL WILL IN THE STATE

Question: The nature of the anti-corruption body in the state is such that it is doomed to conflict with other government agencies, and even with officials. Are you ready to take a hit?

Answer: We took a hit when the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) tried to influence the NACP in connection with the inspection of SBI acting head Oleksandr Babikov, who was the lawyer of former President Yanukovych. We withstood such a blow from the Constitutional Court, which, as they say, put an end to everything that was done in the fight against corruption.

We are sure that we will withstand any blow! Most importantly, we see the political will when all central executive bodies, the prime minister personally, took part in the development of the Anti-Corruption Strategy, which was approved by the government, and then by the National Council on Anti-Corruption Policy under the president. And it includes the chairman of the Verkhovna Rada, the president, the head of the President's Office, heads of all law enforcement agencies of the state, including the head of the Security Service. When we have such a strategy, it will be a broad front of allies, and we will be able to implement everything that is provided for by our law and everything that is written in the UN Convention against Corruption. In fact, we have almost completely implemented it; it remains to obtain a short-term and then a long-term result in order to dramatically reduce the level of corruption in the state.

As you know, we have two wars  against Russia and corruption. I am sure that thanks to the Anti-Corruption Strategy and the mechanisms that have already been introduced in Ukraine and will continue to be introduced by us, we will win the war against corruption, and then we will win the war against Russia.

Volodymyr Ilchenko, New York

Photo credit: the author and Hennadiy Minchenko
The United States supports Ukraine's membership in NATO, and Ukraine currently has all the tools it needs to move forward in this direction.

"We support Ukraine membership in NATO. It currently has all of the tools it needs since the Membership Action Plan was created, a number of other very important tools were developed to help countries prepare for possible NATO membership, including an annual program that Ukraine benefits from. In our estimation, Ukraine has all the tools it needs to continue to move forward in this direction, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said during a hearing at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

According to Blinken, the United States works with Ukraine "virtually on a daily basis." MAP needs full consensus with other NATO members, he added, noting: "I think that there are some countries that are less supportive than others of that right now, but back to the MAP, Ukraine has all tools it needs to move forward toward being ready for membership in the future."

Blinken also pointed out the importance of building an effective anti-corruption system in Ukraine.

"What we also need to see from Ukraine is continuous progress on that level as well," he said.

As reported, on June 7, Zelensky and Biden held telephone talks, during which the American leader invited his Ukrainian counterpart to visit the White House in July.

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Deputy Head of the Presidents Office Andriy Smyrnov discussed ways to resolve problematic issues in the implementation of judicial reform with high-ranking EU officials.

During the discussion of the draft laws on the activities of the High Qualification Commission of Judges of Ukraine (HQCJ) and the High Council of Justice (HCJ), Andriy Smyrnov stressed that the main issue remains open - the principles of decision-making by competition commissions. In particular, by the competition commission for the selection of candidates for the position of a member of the HQCJ, the first composition of which must consist of three judges or retired judges nominated by the Council of Judges of Ukraine and three international experts nominated by international organizations with which Ukraine cooperates in preventing and combating corruption or implementing judicial reform, the press service of the Presidents Office informs.

The Deputy Head of the Presidents Office stressed that the legislative settlement of the participation of international experts and their role in decision-making must be approached taking into account the experience already gained and the prospects for constitutional control of such legislative changes.

Smyrnov also called on international partners to discuss the proposal made during yesterday's meeting by President of the Venice Commission Gianni Buquicchio to include a seventh member in the competition commissions, who would be equidistant and independent of all public authorities and at the same time enjoy unquestioned trust and authority among other subjects of formation of competition commissions.

"In the rather complex and lengthy discussions with our international partners on the formula for decision-making by competition commissions with the participation of international experts, we are sure to find a fair balance in which the decisions adopted by competition commissions will inspire general confidence not only in the parties but also in society," the official noted.

The meeting was attended by Head of the EU Delegation to Ukraine Matti Maasikas, Deputy Director General of the Directorate for European Neighborhood and Enlargement Negotiations of the European Commission, Head of the Support Group of Ukraine at the European Commission Katarina Mathernova, Managing Director for Russia, Eastern Partnership, Central Asia, Regional Cooperation and the OSCE at the European External Action Service Michael Siebert, and the members of the Support Group of Ukraine at the European Commission.

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First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Emine Dzheppar discussed Ukraine-EU cooperation on initiating and further functioning of the Crimean Platform and preparation for its first summit on August 23 with Managing Director for Russia, Eastern Partnership, Central Asia, Regional Cooperation and OSCE at the European External Action Service Michael Siebert.

As the Ministrys press service reports, Siebert emphasized the EUs active support for the Crimean Platform as an important tool for strengthening international efforts to de-occupy Crimea and reaffirmed the participation of European Council President Charles Michel, European Commission Executive Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis, and EUs High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell in the summit in Kyiv.

According to the Foreign Ministry, the parties also discussed the implementation of the EUs policy of non-recognition of Russias attempted annexation of Crimea. In this context, Dzheppar stressed the importance of actively counteracting Russias attempts to legitimize the occupation of the Ukrainian peninsula and the need for constant consolidation of existing restrictive measures and the development of new EU instruments on the temporarily occupied Crimea.

The parties also discussed the security situation against the background of the ongoing Russian aggression and the fight against large-scale disinformation campaigns and hybrid attacks by Russia against Ukraine and the EU.

As noted, the First Deputy Minister drew the EU representatives attention to the critical human rights situation in the occupied Crimea and called on the EU to impose global human rights sanctions regime on representatives of the Russian occupation administration.

In addition, Dzheppar and Siebert discussed further joint Ukraine-EU activities, including preparations for the Eastern Partnership summit, as well as the organization of visits of EEAS officials to Ukraine, in particular to the line of contact in the east and the administrative border with the occupied Crimea.

Dzheppar outlined Ukraines vision of the need for a significant strategic strengthening of the Eastern Partnership, which should be developed on the basis of the principle of differentiation and taking into account the European aspirations of the associated partners. In this context, the Associated Trio initiative of Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova was discussed as an association of EU Eastern European partners seeking membership in the European Union and a more ambitious agenda of cooperation within the Eastern Partnership. The Associated Trio is a reality that should be reflected in the Eastern Partnership, said Emine Dzheppar.

The parties also discussed the ongoing process of mutual approval of future vaccination certificates in order to restore all the possibilities of visa-free travel.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said he considers the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project to be Russia's political weapon.

He made this statement during a phone call with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, the presidential press service reported.

"We believe that the completion of Nord Stream 2 will strengthen Russia as a player on the world map," Zelensky said.

Zelensky discussed the launch of Russia's Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline in a phone call with U.S. President Joe Biden on June 7.

Earlier, Biden's administration refused to extend sanctions against companies building the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline between Russia and Germany.

The United States will also suspend sanctions against the head of Nord Stream 2 AG and Putin's ally, Matthias Warnig, a former officer of the Stasi.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the laying of pipes on the first line of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline was completed on June 4 and that the work on the second line was underway.

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opinion

The greatest value that the G7 can provide is in making sure these rich countries, which represent over half the world's wealth, deliver on two key pledges

By definition a pandemic is global. Therefore any recovery from a pandemic needs to be global as well. The world is only just waking up to this fact, and what it means for the behaviour of the most prosperous.

The greatest myth of the past fifteen months is the suggestion that the pandemic would be a 'great leveller', with everyone, rich or poor, suffering from the impact of the virus and the measures to combat it.

But while it is true to say that many developed Western nations have been amongst the very worst hit in terms of deaths from the Covid-19 and the initial economic impact, the story of the recovery looks to be very different indeed.

We should be rightly proud of the UK's incredible vaccination efforts, although the picture is much more mixed abroad. The United States has a strong record and the European Union - after a slow start - has picked up the pace.

But we should all be alarmed that there are numerous countries, most of them concentrated in the poorest parts of the world, that have had virtually no vaccinations at all, with more than 1 in 4 people jabbed in high income countries but just 1 in 500 in those with low income.

This is not just a healthcare crisis in the making, providing greater opportunity for the virus to mutate further, but an economic one too, with vast swathes of the world still extremely vulnerable to the virus and unable to benefit from any economic bounceback.

The same is true of the other great global challenge of our age: climate change. The UK and an increasing number of our Western allies can boast impressive cuts in greenhouse gas emissions and ambitious net zero targets, as part of optimistic plans for green growth and jobs over the coming years, but for many countries, they lack the financial firepower to invest in clean energy and sustainable infrastructure, with the share of emissions from emerging economies on the rise as a result.

This matters, not just for the economic wellbeing of the countries concerned, but for us too. Just as the global economy will not recover effectively without an equitable distribution of vaccines, we have no chance of being able to tackle climate change without developed economies providing finance for the transition.

This week, as the G7's leaders meet in Cornwall, the UK has an opportunity and a responsibility to take the lead in this mission at such a crucial time for the global economy and the environment. Success at the G7 will be crucial to making a success of the international climate conference COP26, which the UK will also host in Glasgow this November.

There is understandable focus on the G7's own climate change responses - being responsible for 27% of global emissions, there is clearly much more for these governments to do to put their own houses in order, not least by embedding climate action into their own domestic recovery plans.

But the greatest value that this month's meetings can provide is in making sure that these countries representing 58% of global wealth deliver on their promises to the rest of the world.

In practice, this means delivering on two key pledges.

Firstly, ministers must finance a comprehensive strategy for the funding, supply and rollout of vaccines across the world, with a view to vaccinating the global population as soon as possible. This is integral to ending the pandemic and stimulating a genuine economic recovery across the world.

Second, G7 leaders must make good on the commitment made in 2009 to provide $100bn of annual climate finance for developing countries and to do so in a way that alleviates rather than worsens the debt crisis that many of these countries face. Too often economic development in the Global South, especially by China, has driven its supposed beneficiaries further into debt and failed to tackle the structural problems that have restrained growth in the first place - we need a new approach.

Meeting the $100 billion pledge, leveraging significant private finance and looking at what more will be needed over the rest of this decade above our existing commitments, will be absolutely critical in stimulating a green recovery and in making sustained cuts to carbon emissions.

Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Climate Coronavirus Africa By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later.

The signs are positive. Last month's meeting of G7 environment ministers saw a commitment for governments to end finance for fossil fuel projects overseas. We now need to ensure that having ended the flow of bad money to old polluting technologies, we support those nations that need it to invest in clean alternatives and create both local jobs and new markets for international trade.

We hear a lot about 'levelling up' at home; now that message needs to be heard at the G7 as its nations drive a green and sustainable recovery from the pandemic. Domestic action alone will count for little if we fail to support the world's poorest in ending the pandemic and building back better and greener.

As a world leader on both vaccination and action on climate change, it is time for the UK to lead this task, to build on our impressive domestic record and to level up across the world.

Any views expressed in this opinion piece are those of the author and not of Thomson Reuters Foundation.

Damian Green is the Conservative MP for Ashford and a former First Secretary of State
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky discussed the situation in eastern Ukraine, pressure on Russia, and investigation into the downing of Ukrainian PS752 Flight in Iran with Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau.

"Had a productive conversation with Justin Trudeau. Discussed the situation in Donbas and further pressure on Russia to achieve peace. Grateful to Canada for supporting Ukraines sovereignty and Euro-Atlantic aspirations. Coordinated positions on the investigation of PS752 Flight crash," Zelensky posted on Twitter.

As the press service of the Presidents Office informs, Zelensky and Trudeau coordinated positions on key issues on the agenda on the eve of the forthcoming G7 and NATO summits.

The Head of State briefed Trudeau on the security situation in the east and near Ukraine's borders. The President stressed that so far only part of the Russian troops and heavy weapons had been withdrawn from the temporarily occupied territories and from the Ukrainian borders.

"Russia has almost not withdrawn its troops. Out of 105,000 Russian troops, only 11,000 went back, Zelensky said.

He noted the importance of maintaining international pressure on Russia in order to make real progress in a peaceful settlement.

In addition, the President stressed that the Nord Stream 2 project was a political weapon of Russia.

"We believe that the completion of the Nord Stream 2 will strengthen Russia as a player on the world map," the President said.

In turn, Justin Trudeau reaffirmed Canada's unwavering support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as solidarity with our country in countering Russia's lasting aggression.

"We remain great friends. We will continue to support Ukraine," said the Prime Minister of Canada.

The interlocutors also discussed practical cooperation to support Ukraine's efforts towards NATO membership.

Particular attention was paid to strengthening the coordination of Ukraine Canada efforts in the case of the downing of the PS752 Flight by Iran and bringing the perpetrators to justice.

The parties also touched upon plans for further political dialogue at the highest level. Zelensky confirmed the invitation to Trudeau to visit Ukraine to participate in the inaugural summit of the Crimean Platform in Kyiv and the events on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of Ukraine's independence.

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). All of them died.

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.

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Turkey supports Ukraine's aspirations for obtaining candidate status and further permanent NATO membership, consistently supports Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and does not recognize annexation of Crimea by Russia.

This was discussed at a meeting of the Ukrainian delegation led by Head of the Permanent Delegation of the Verkhovna Rada to the PACE Maria Mezentseva with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey Mevlut Cavusoglu on June 8.

"We had fruitful negotiations. Our meeting took place on the eve of the NATO summit, so we discussed the prospect of Ukraine's membership in the Alliance in general, and the text of the communique, which will be adopted following the upcoming meeting in Brussels in particular," Mezentseva told Ukrainian journalists after the meeting, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

According to the Head of the Permanent Delegation of the Verkhovna Rada to the PACE, the Turkish side expressed support for Ukraine's aspirations for obtaining candidate status and further permanent NATO membership.

During the meeting, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey reaffirmed the support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, non-recognition of the annexation of the Crimean Peninsula by Russia.

The parties also exchanged friendly gratitude for activity in the PACE.

"We thanked for the support for the Crimean file, which will finally be voted on as a resolution with amendments at the PACE session in June," Mezentseva said.

The parties also discussed cooperation in the defense sphere, aerospace industry, production of polymeric materials, technological sphere, shipbuilding.

Particular attention was paid to the improvement of investment climate, given the large number of Turkish companies that operate successfully in Ukraine, in particular in the field of housing construction, and participate in the Great Construction state program.

Speaking to journalists after the meeting, Mezentseva informed about Cavusoglus initiative to hold healthcare programs for children whose parents died or were injured in ATO / JFO area. As part of this initiative, more than a thousand children from Ukraine have already improved their health.

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Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda has said that the Baltic states held consultations and agreed on the need for stronger support for Ukraine and Georgia ahead of the summit of NATO leaders.

According to Ukrinform, Nauseda announced this on Twitter.

"Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia coordinate closely ahead of NATO Summit. We must ensure credible deterrence, continue investing in our defence & contribute to the Alliance's continued adaptation (NATO 2030). Baltics are united in advocating stronger support for aspirant partners Ukraine and Georgia," Nauseda wrote.

The day before, delivering an annual address in the Lithuanian Seimas, Nauseda said the main task of his state and allies was to stop Russia's expansion. "Russia, relying on a build-up of its military power, continues to grossly violate international law in Crimea, in eastern Ukraine and in Georgia, and is increasingly tightening control over Belarus. That is why our main task, together with our allies, is to stop Russia's expansion and avoid further destabilization in the region. We must strive to give our neighbors the opportunity to make a free and democratic choice about their own life," he said.

The NATO summit will take place in Brussels on June 14.

The decision was made at the NATO summit in Bucharest in 2008 that Ukraine and Georgia would become NATO members and a Membership Action Plan should be a step in this direction. There is still no consensus among NATO countries on the provision of MAPs for both countries. Instead, Ukraine and Georgia were advised to continue reforms and wait for the "right" political moment.

Ukraine was granted the status of a NATO Enhanced Opportunities Partner on June 12, 2020.

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The General Court of the European Union has issued a judgment to annul the EU Council's 2019 acts extending EU sanctions and freezing the assets of former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych and his son, Oleksandr Yanukovych, due to the lack of sufficient legal protection for both individuals.

According to Ukrinform, such information was published on the Court's website on Wednesday, June 9.

"The General Court annuls the Council's 2019 acts extending the fund-freezing measures imposed on Viktor Yanukovych, former President of Ukraine, and his son, Oleksandr Yanukovych. The Council failed to demonstrate that the rights of the defence and the right to effective judicial protection were respected in the criminal proceedings underlying that extension which are being conducted against those individuals by the Ukrainian authorities," the judgment reads.

The Court recalled that following the suppression of the demonstrations in Independence Square in Kyiv in February 2014, the Council of the European Union adopted restrictive measures against certain individuals in March 2014, including Yanukovych, President of Ukraine at the time of those demonstrations, and his son, Oleksandr, a Ukrainian businessman. Those measures, ordering the funds of the individuals listed to be frozen, were imposed on those two men, initially for one year, because they were subject to criminal proceedings in Ukraine for involvement in crimes in connection with the embezzlement of state funds and their illegal transfer outside Ukraine.

In March 2015, the Council extended the restrictive measures against the two men by one year. By judgments of September 15, 2016, the General Court of the European Union annulled the March 2014 acts and, accordingly, the decision of March 2015 on the extension of sanctions.

In March 2016, 2017 and 2018, the Council extended the restrictive measures against the two individuals concerned by one year on the ground that they were subject to criminal proceedings by the Ukrainian authorities, in particular for the misappropriation of public funds or assets. Those measures have been systematically annulled by the General Court.

In its judgment today, the General Court noted that, while the Council can base restrictive measures on the decision of an authority of a competent third state to initiate and conduct criminal proceedings relating to an offence of misappropriation of public funds of that state, the Council must nevertheless satisfy itself that the rights of the defence and the right to effective judicial protection were respected by that authority. In that context, the Council must show, in the act imposing the restrictive measures, that it has verified that the decision of the authority of the third state was taken in accordance with those rights.

According to the judgment, the Council did not demonstrate that it had actually examined those decisions and that it was able to conclude from them that the essence of the procedural rights of the individuals concerned had been complied with.

According to the document, the grounds for instituting criminal proceedings on charges of the embezzlement of state funds are not capable, alone, of demonstrating that the criminal proceedings in question were initiated and conducted in accordance with the rights of the defence and the right to effective judicial protection.

"The Court points out that where, as in the present cases, a person has been the subject of restrictive measures for several years on account, essentially, of the continuing conduct of the same preliminary investigation by the Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine, the Council is required to verify whether that person's right to be tried within a reasonable time has been respected by the Ukrainian authorities before it decides whether or not to extend those measures again," the judgment reads.

According to the judgment, in deciding to maintain the names of both men on the list of persons subject to restrictive measures, the Council made an error of assessment. "Consequently, the General Court annuls the contested acts in so far as they relate to Mr Fedorovych Yanukovych and Mr Viktorovych Yanukovych," the judgment reads.

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The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has approved and has three days to submit to the National Security and Defense Council a proposal to impose personal sanctions on 6 individuals and 10 legal entities involved in the dissemination of content justifying Russia's aggression.

The proposed package of sanctions against these persons envisages blocking the use of property in the territory of our state, makes it impossible to transit resources, take flights, and carry out transportation through the territory of Ukraine, makes it impossible to withdraw capital outside the territory of Ukraine. In addition, it will suspend the performance of economic and financial obligations, suspend the provision of telecommunications services, and block the use of public telecommunications networks, as well as prevent the transfer of technology, intellectual property rights, use of relevant Internet resources in Ukraine, the Ministry of Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine informs.

It is proposed to impose sanctions on 6 individuals and 10 legal entities registered in eight countries for a period of three years.

This decision is aimed at protecting the national interests, national security, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Ukraine, the Ministry of Reintegration says.

It is reported that the draft decision was submitted by the Ministry of Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories and the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy.

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Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine Olha Stefanishyna assures that half of NATO member states are in favor of granting a Membership Action Plan to Ukraine.

"Before the NATO summit, I would like to thank almost half of the Allies who support granting Membership Action Plan to Ukraine. I hope that this decision will be made ... I can confirm that, in fact, half of the Allies are in favor of such a decision, Stefanishyna said during a press conference within the framework of the forum "Ukraine 30. Ecology", an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

The Deputy Prime Minister is convinced that the most important thing now is to mobilize political unity within the Alliance to reach a decision on Ukraine. In view of this, the high-ranking official noted that Ukraine was holding discussions with Hungary, namely on the issue of national minorities, the United States, the Baltic states, Poland, and other member states.

"In the near future, NATO will approve a 10-year development strategy, and Ukraine's principled position is that the document should be clear about this," she said.

Stefanishyna drew attention to Russia's influence on NATO and the reluctance of countries to "irritate Russia" but she believes that Ukraine should not expect changes in Russia on the path towards the Alliance membership.

My main message is that we should not expect these changes [in Russian leadership]. We must be ready for any changes at any time, and Ukraines membership in NATO is one of such elements to accelerate transformations in the Russian Federation itself, the Deputy Prime Minister believes.

In May, Stefanishyna said that NATO continued to pursue an "open door" policy and continued to support Ukraine in security and defense sector reforms, but a decision on the MAP for Ukraine was unlikely to be made during the summit.

The next NATO summit will take place in Brussels on 14 June.

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Some 66,690 doses of Comirnaty vaccine manufactured by Pfizer-BioNTech have been delivered to Ukraine, the Ukrainian Health Ministry has reported.

"Another 66,690 doses of the Comirnaty COVID-19 vaccine produced by Pfizer-BioNTech, which is purchased at public expense through the international agency Crown Agents, have arrived in Ukraine. The vaccine from this batch is used to vaccinate people from the first to third phases of vaccination," the report said.

The ministry said that the vaccination process would be carried out in an organized manner, by mobile teams. Each person vaccinated with the first dose of Comirnaty/Pfizer will also get a second dose from the same batch.

The Comirnaty vaccine is an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine developed by German biotechnology company BioNTech together with U.S. pharmacological concern Pfizer.

The efficacy of the vaccine is 95%. For full immunization, it is necessary to receive two doses with an interval of 21-28 days.

The ministry also recalled that Ukraine had already received 234,000 doses of the vaccine, purchased at public expense. In addition, Ukraine has already received 707,850 doses of Comirnaty/Pfizer under the COVAX scheme. Another 356,850 doses will be received this week.

In addition to Comirnaty from Pfizer, Ukraine received 500,000 doses of AstraZeneca/Covishield, 367,200 doses of AstraZeneca-SKBio, 705,600 doses of Italian-made AstraZeneca, and 1,713,316 doses of CoronaVac/Sinovac.

op
Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal has called on the leaders of communities to set up vaccination centers.

He said this at a government meeting on Wednesday, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.

"I urge the heads of communities to actively create vaccination centers. This is important and it applies not only to large regional centers, but also to all cities, towns, communities where such sites have not been established yet," Shmyhal said.

He added that Ukraine had enough COVID-19 vaccines to continue the mass vaccination campaign.

Vaccination against COVID-19 in Ukraine was reported to begin on February 24, 2021. A total of 1,489,446 vaccinations have been carried out since the beginning of the vaccination campaign. Some 1,328,068 people received the first dose, and 161,378 were fully vaccinated.

To date, Ukraine has received 500,000 doses of AstraZeneca (Covishield) vaccine from the Serum Institute of India and 1.715 million doses of CoronaVac vaccine from Sinovac Biotech.

Ukraine also received 590,850 doses of Comirnaty vaccine from Pfizer-BioNTech as part of the COVAX scheme. In addition, 234,000 doses of Pfizer vaccine purchased at public expense have already arrived in Ukraine.

On April 23, Ukraine received 367,200 doses of AstraZeneca-SkBio vaccine produced by South Korea's SK Bioscience, as well as 705,600 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine made in the EU. This latest delivery was made on June 3 as part of the COVAX initiative.

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Published June 9, 2021

The University of Louisiana Monroe chapter of Pi Sigma Epsilon collaborated with Northeast Delta Human Services Authority on a marketing campaign to reduce underage drinking among college-age students and younger in Ouachita and Franklin parishes.

PSE is a national professional fraternity for sales, marketing, and management.

The campaign stems from the Louisiana Partnerships for Success II project, which, according to the website, "will focus exclusively on addressing underage drinking behaviors, consequences, and risk factors among 9-20-year-olds."

ULM students created content for NEDHSA to distribute through social media and publish on billboards. The students also spread the content through their respective networks.

Marketing instructor Melissa Kiper of the ULM College of Business and Social Sciences said the collaboration allowed the students to gain experience by working on a marketing campaign from beginning to end.

"I enjoyed seeing them collaborate and letting their creativity shine," Kiper said. "We appreciate the Northeast Delta Human Services Authority for this opportunity."

Monteic A. Sizer, Ph.D., NEDHSA Executive Director, said agreements like this are ideal for both sides. It plants the message and mission in the target audience's hands and helps the students build their professional experience.

"We recognize that building sustainable relationships with students and faculty amplifies the message of alcohol's negative effect," Dr. Sizer said. "Proactively responding to what is occurring in our region is how we build a unified Northeast Louisiana, where individuals are thriving and reaching their full human potential."

Zach Moore, Ph.D., assistant professor of marketing at ULM, said the partnership between NEDHSA and ULM's Pi Sigma Epsilon is the embodiment of the university's mission to transform students' lives while having a positive impact in Northeast Louisiana.

"We are very grateful for the team at NEDHSA's mentorship of our students and their willingness to allow our students to engage in the transformative work they do for our community," Moore said.

Helen Davila, a senior marketing major and Pi Sigma Epsilon president, said this project taught her the dangers of underage drinking and "how important it is to spread awareness on the issue."

"I had a lot of fun working on this project," Davila said, "and I'm thankful NEDHSA allowed us to show our creativity through these ads."
06/09/2021

Contacts for media: Nancy Cicco, 978-934-4944, Nancy_Cicco@uml.edu and Christine Gillette, 978-758-4664, Christine_Gillette@uml.edu





LOWELL, Mass.  Life sciences entrepreneurs, researchers and investors working to shape the future of point-of-care medical technologies will gather next week for a free virtual event that will highlight new inventions and connect participants to resources to advance their work.





The Big Company/Little Company Showcase, to be held on Thursday, June 17 from 9 a.m. to noon, will be an interactive forum for participants to discuss how to pursue strategic partnerships and funding opportunities for their ventures. The event will also feature eight new cutting-edge medical devices and technologies supported by the UMass Center for Advancing Point of Care Technologies ( CAPCaT ), a business incubator funded by the National Institutes of Health that promotes innovations designed to improve the quality of life for patients with heart, blood, lung and sleep conditions.





The event is presented by CAPCaT in cooperation with the Massachusetts Medical Device Development Center ( M2D2 ), a joint venture of UMass Lowell and UMass Medical School in Worcester. These initiatives assist entrepreneurs with all aspects of moving new products and technologies from the drawing board to the marketplace.





Individuals interested in joining the free program should register online





Welcoming participants to the session will be UMass Lowells Julie Chen, vice chancellor for research and economic development.





This event for life sciences startups is the latest example of the vibrant partnership M2D2 enjoys with corporate partners and investors to drive innovation to improve health outcomes. UMass Lowell is proud to partner with UMass Medical School to provide the clinical, engineering, and business expertise and resources medical device and biotech entrepreneurs need to fulfill their potential to develop competitive commercial products, Chen said.





Bruce Tromberg, director of the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), will offer the events keynote remarks. The program will also feature a presentation by Kadir Kadhiresan, vice president of venture investments, Johnson & Johnson Innovation.





Following our hugely successful inaugural event last year, we are excited to have Bruce Tromberg and Kadir Kadhiresan as our featured speakers for next weeks session. We will also talk about challenges and opportunities in the industry with leaders from Amgen Ventures, Boston Scientific, Kohler, Philips Ventures and Siemens. This will be a must-attend event for medical device entrepreneurs, said Bryan Buchholz, CAPCaT co-director and UMass Lowell professor and chair of the Biomedical Engineering Department.





Entrepreneurs from nine startups developing point-of-care innovations will pitch their inventions before a panel of experts during the event. The devices and technologies to be featured aim to assess and improve an array of health conditions including COPD, heart failure, low blood-cell counts, migraine headaches, poor sleep and more.





CAPCaT is proud to support these startups with the talent and resources of UMass Medical School and UMass Lowell to enhance care for patients with heart, lung, blood and sleep disorders. This event will give them a platform to showcase their innovations and offer participants a unique chance to engage with industry leaders and learn about emerging opportunities, as together we grow the life sciences economy throughout New England and beyond, said CAPCaT Co-director Dr. David McManus, Richard M. Haidack Professor and chair of the Department of Medicine, UMass Medical School, where he is the founding director of the Program in Digital Medicine.





M2D2 has vetted more than 250 medical-device and biotech ventures for inclusion in its programs and provided support to more than 100 startups since the center was founded in 2007. In total, M2D2 resident companies have secured more than $150 million in external funding for their innovations.





About M2D2
analysis

On World Oceans Day, the Karpowership debacle is a reminder of our responsibility to protect and restore marine life.

South Africans are incredulous at being offered a sea-based 'emergency' solution to its endemic electricity crisis. Emergency, after all, implies a stop-gap measure for a transition to a preferred long-term form of power generation.

On 18 March Turkey's Karpowership and its South African subsidiary Karpowership SA were announced as one of the preferred bids under South Africa's Risk Mitigation Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (RMIPPPP). The plan was launched in 2019 to procure almost 2 000MW of new-generation capacity.

Karpowership SA proposes mooring three of its floating power stations in Saldanha Bay, Richards Bay and the Port of Ngqura, which would add about 1 220MW of electricity to the grid by using liquefied natural gas (LNG)-fired turbines.

Concerns have been raised about the ecological impact of the heated water discharged into the harbours. The project also doesn't sufficiently limit South Africa's greenhouse gas emissions. As Tony Carnie wrote in Daily Maverick, Karpowership doesn't seem to have provided scientific monitoring reports on the environmental impact of the ships in other countries where it operates.

Concerns have been raised about the ecological impact of the heated water discharged into the harbours

This shows the incongruence of an emergency energy and climate change-relevant solution initially touted as a long-term fix for the country's energy deficiencies. A better approach would have been to invest in domestically developed renewable options based on evidence-based policy decisions.

In 2020, Daily Maverick revealed that Karpowership had secured an 'emergency exemption' from the Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries under the National Environmental Management Act. This bypassed the requirement for an environmental impact assessment on the basis that the emergency power would supply hospitals and essential services during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Public anger at the exploitation of COVID-19 was compounded by the apparent disregard for Karpowership's environmental impact. The department swiftly revoked the permit as fear grew that a devastating precedent was being created that would exempt all manner of projects from a public and proper assessment.

Now South Africa seems poised to have three Karpowership 'floating kettles', as they're popularly known, operating from 2022 to 2042. The company has since submitted environmental impact assessments for the three ports, although they have been challenged and are subject to a formal complaint that could see them withdrawn.

However Karpowership may be here to stay. The South African case reveals the likely political and economic trajectory of the African energy transition and why this issue will matter for decades to come.

Karpowership will likely become a feature of LNG-fuelled electricity generation across Africa

First, and regardless of South Africa's eventual RMIPPPP decisions, Karpowership vessels are already a major fixture of the African energy environment. South Africa would be the 10th African country to contract with the company. Karpowership has been supplying substantial portions of African countries' electricity needs, starting with Ghana, since 2014. It has generated 100% of Guinea-Bissau's electricity since 2019.

The company will likely become a feature of continent-wide LNG-fuelled electricity generation if, as it seems, Turkey is determined to increase its presence throughout Africa. In this case, Turkey accrues significant 'soft power' through the generation of emergency electrical power.

Second, Karpowership isn't an outlier in a general shift towards gas-fuelled power generation. It offers liquid gas to power-generation options similar to many of the broader incremental LNG-fuelled or 'low carbon' transitions being steered by energy majors. These include TotalEnergies and Shell, which aim to procure and supply vast amounts of energy in the form of liquefied natural gas to countries in Asia and Southern Africa, as well as for fuel for shipping.

South Africa's diversification away from its dependence on coal-derived electricity now seems headed towards a reliance on gas for a larger part of its energy mix. In the absence of its own significant gas reserves, it will need to import LNG from neighbours such as Angola, Mozambique, Namibia and Tanzania. These countries have huge reserves and are making LNG export a significant part of their political economies.

Third, South Africa will be an important export market, albeit small relative to countries such as India and China, and provides financial anchorages for these ventures. This is financed locally by institutions such as Standard Bank, Absa, Investec, the Development Bank of Southern Africa and internationally via the World Bank.

South Africa needs continued public scrutiny over ocean and environmental decisions

All this depends on South Africa passing the Gas Amendment Bill and developing a gas master plan for the country. The regional cooperation this requires, such as benefiting from the Matola gas-to-power plant in Mozambique, will consolidate South Africa's role in implementing the Southern African Development Community's Regional Gas Master Plan.

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Finally, South Africa's Karpowership story shows the need for greater public participation in all future procurement processes - and a growing public willingness to do so. Media reports and movies such as the Oscar Award-winning South African documentary My Octopus Teacher undoubtedly play a part. By showing how human activities continually degrade the country's coasts and oceans, the film inspires action to protect and restore marine life.

Such action must involve increased public scrutiny over ocean and environmental decisions. It's a welcome sign that Sahlulele Luzipo, Chairperson of the South African Portfolio Committee on Mineral Resources and Energy, is adamant that Parliament provides more effective oversight.

World Oceans Day on 8 June aims to raise our awareness and sense of responsibility to stop the ongoing degradation of the seas. Perhaps this year's takeaway is a positive one: a vigilant South African civil society and media won't tolerate being marginalised and bullied into policies that harm the oceans.

Timothy Walker, Maritime Project Leader and Senior Researcher, ISS Pretoria

This article is funded by the Government of Norway.
A Venezuelan family living on the streets as winter arrives in the Chilean capital Santiago.  UNHCR/Yhan Cancino

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, warns that the onset of winter, compounded by the devastating effects of COVID-19, poses a direct threat to the health and livelihoods of Venezuelan refugees and migrants in southern Latin America.

Nearly two million Venezuelan refugees and migrants have settled in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay. Some of these countries are among those with the highest COVID-19 infection and death counts globally. Venezuelans have mostly been included in national health responses, but with hospitals operating at full capacity, access to treatment for other illnesses, including those associated with the winter season, has become ever more challenging.

COVID-19 prevention measures have also had a severe socio-economic impact on countries in the region, and refugees and migrants have been particularly badly hit. It is estimated that the vast majority of Venezuelans in the region lost their jobs during the pandemic, mostly in the informal economy. As temperatures drop, Venezuelans face increasing poverty, evictions and protection risks. Many cannot afford to buy heaters, fuel, clothes and medicine, and families are reducing their food intake.

While COVID-19 continues to devastate the region, the arrival of winter threatens to expose Venezuelans to unspeakable hardship. Despair is already deepening, and negative coping mechanisms are on the rise, said Juan Carlos Murillo, Representative of the Regional Office for Southern Latin America. Despite the commendable efforts of hosting countries to reduce suffering, more support is required to face the soaring needs.

Despite prolonged border closures, Venezuelans continue to trek along highways into Andean states and Brazil in search of safety and a place to settle. Across the region, UNHCR is ramping up its efforts to help Venezuelans cope with the onset of winter.

In Peru, winter arrived early this year, with high-altitude communities experiencing sub-zero temperatures and snowfall. UNHCR has prioritized support in high-risk and high-altitude areas, including Puno, Cuzco, and Arequipa, by distributing over 13,000 thermal blankets throughout the winter season, along with hygiene kits.

In Chile, thunderstorms, heavy rains and freezing temperatures have already hit central and southern parts of the country. Along the countrys northern border, where Venezuelans arrive on foot without appropriate clothing, night temperatures are already well below freezing. UNHCR is working to provide 1,000 winter kits and 8,600 thermal blankets, emergency accommodation, cash assistance and electronic vouchers for the purchase of heaters, fuel and winter clothes. Winter kits will also be distributed in various cities in Argentina, Bolivia and Uruguay  especially in border areas  as cold weather hits the region in the coming weeks.

While Brazil is experiencing a severe wave of COVID-19 infections, the Amazonas region has been hit by heavy storms, resulting in the worst floods since 1902 that have damaged humanitarian infrastructure and displaced thousands of Brazilians and Venezuelans alike. UNHCR has provided safe accommodation to those displaced and is helping to rebuild damaged structures. It has also improved the drainage system in shelters and delivered mosquito nets and solar lamps. Winter clothes need to be distributed in the south and centre regions of the country to help Venezuelans cope with cold temperatures.

Ahead of an International Donors Conference for refugees and migrants from Venezuela, hosted by Canada on Thursday 17 June, UNHCR is calling on countries to pledge support. Alarmingly, the Regional Response Plan for refugees and migrants from Venezuela (RMRP) remains critically underfunded.

For more information on this topic, please contact:
This year on World Refugee Day, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, will host a live blog on this page, highlighting celebrations, ceremonies and other events taking place across the world.

We invite you to bookmark this page and check back on World Refugee Day, 20 June, to find out what colleagues, partners and friends are doing to mark the day!

On World Refugee Day, 20 June, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, will honour the more than 80 million people who have been forced to flee war, conflicts and persecution and rebuild their lives far from home. We also will celebrate people who have opened their countries, communities and even their homes to those who seek safety and peace.

The COVID-19 pandemic has strained our health-care systems, forced children out of school and sometimes kept us from those we love most. Refugees have stepped up despite the challenges they face  working on the front lines as nurses and doctors, inventing ways to keep people from spreading germs in close quarters, distributing information on how to stay healthy and safe and more.

Given the chance, refugees will continue to contribute to a stronger, safer and more vibrant world. Together #withrefugees we can achieve anything.
Living on the streets of Santiago, Wendy and her family dread the coming winter.  UNHCR/Marcelo Albornoz Riesco

The cold is already like nothing Wendy* has ever experienced. The 52-year-old grandmother and her family are living on the streets of the Chilean capital, Santiago, after having fled their native Venezuela, a tropical country where the temperature rarely drops below 20C.

But since fleeing to South Americas southern-most nation, the family has had to grapple with chilly conditions for the first time. The looming Southern Hemisphere winter regularly brings sub-zero temperatures to Santiago, and Wendy and her family worry about how they will protect themselves from the elements over the next several months.

I dont have the words to describe how cold it is in Santiago.

I dont even have the words to describe how cold it is here in Santiago, said Wendy. And people tell me that the real cold hasnt even begun yet.

Unable to afford a place to live, Wendy, her husband, their son, daughter-in-law and one-year-old grandson have been sleeping under a makeshift tent they put together nightly by draping a blanket over a bench and sleeping cheek-by-jowl beneath it, on flattened cardboard. They use their bags as pillows, in part to prevent them from being snatched away during the night.

We need blankets, we need warm clothing, warm footwearwe need everything, really. We have nothing, Wendy said with a sigh, adding that the cold is taking a physical toll on her. Im no longer 15 years old, so it really affects me. My joints hurt, and Im all swollen.

See also: Southern hemisphere winter increases hardship for displaced Venezuelans

Wendy and her family are not alone. Many of the more than 5 million Venezuelans who have fled widespread food and medicine shortages and spiralling insecurity back home have taken refuge in Andean countries such as Colombia and Peru, as well as the extreme southern nations of Argentina and Chile, where the cold can be bracing. The onset of Southern Hemisphere winter threatens to compound the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has hit Latin America particularly hard and continues to rage throughout much of the region. The combination of the coronavirus and winter weather pose a direct threat to Venezuelan refugees and migrants across many parts of South America.

Yamileth, in the knit cap, and her family experienced cold weather for the first time during their long journey to Chile.  UNHCR/Yhan Cancino

Yamileth* and her family endured the cold on multiple occasions during their arduous, south-bound journey from Venezuelas sweltering petroleum capital, Maracaibo, to Chile.

The cold in Ecuador was too much. My child started to get hypothermia and began to vomit because of the cold, recalled the 20-year-old mother, who made the trip with her 2-year-old son and her brother, mother and the mothers partner, defying coronavirus-related border closures in some places. The family faced even colder weather when they arrived in the Chilean border town of Colchane. At night, the cold was so extreme that the sheets were covered in ice.

After over two weeks in Colchane, where they slept on the streets or in gas stations, huddling together to keep warm, the family managed to scrape together enough money to buy bus tickets for the more than 2,100-kilometer-long trip to Santiago.

Southern hemisphere winter increases hardship for displaced Venezuelans (Alejandro Valenzuela camera; Stephanie Nicole Rabie Misle, producer; Gabriel Calderon, editor)

But finally arriving in their destination has not improved their situation. They still often have no choice but to sleep on the streets. They get by on the sale of candies to passers-by, but most days fail to sell enough for a hotel room for the night. Plus, homelessness has its hidden costs: the family must pay to use a bathroom and to have someone watch their meagre possessions while they are out peddling their wares.

This cold can actually kill.

Across the region, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is ramping up its efforts to help Venezuelans through the winter. In Chile, which is home to an estimated 460,000 Venezuelan refugees and migrants, UNHCR is distributing winter kits and thermal blankets, as well as cash assistance and electronic vouchers so those in need can buy heaters, fuel and winter clothes. Winter kits will also be distributed in Argentina, Bolivia and Uruguay. In Peru, where winter arrived ahead of schedule this year, blanketing such high-altitude cities as Cuzco and Arequipa with more than 15 centimetres of snow, UNHCR is working with Venezuelan volunteer brigades to reach the most vulnerable, including Peruvian indigenous communities. While most of Brazil is tropical - with parts of the Amazon region recently hit by historic floods - the south of the country can get very cold during winter. UNHCR is aiming to raise funds to distribute warm clothes to Venezuelan refugees and migrants there.

See also: Venezuelans defy the pandemic to seek a future in Colombia

Wendy, the grandmother in Santiago who sleeps beneath the jerry-rigged tent, said she is frightened to think about just how cold it will get this winter.

This cold can actually kill, she said.

*Last names not included for protection reasons.
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analysis

Since President Tshisekedi took office in 2019, the Congo's relations with key neighbours have changed significantly.

In the last few weeks, President Felix Tshisekedi has taken bold steps to address insecurity in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and forge new international relationships. His government's relationships with three key partners in the region have all been in flux, and these latest steps could help change the status quo in the Great Lakes region or further cement entrenched patterns.

Kenya

Kenya is the newest player to enter the region's complex geopolitical game. Ever since President Uhuru Kenyatta was the only foreign head of state to attend Tshisekedi's inauguration in January 2019, the two countries have established closer relations. Kenya has continued to play an important mediating role between the Tshisekedi and his predecessor Joseph Kabila, especially as the relationship faltered. Meanwhile, its commercial interests have expanded in the DRC.

During a state visit to Kinshasa this April, Kenyatta also announced that Kenya will be deploying troops to the eastern DRC. They will form part of the UN-led Force Intervention Brigade (FIB), which is mandated to eradicate foreign armed groups in the DRC such as the FDLR and ADF.

Kenya's new activity in the DRC has the potential to act as a positive disruptor in a region where entrenched patterns of destabilisation and distrust between neighbours have prevailed for decades. Kenya is a powerful state, both regionally and internationally. Moreover, it is driven by a different set of interests in the DRC to the likes of Rwanda and Uganda, and it is pursuing them in an overt and formal manner.

One aspect of Kenya's involvement is that it is leading the push for the DRC to enter the East African Community (EAC), which could be realised in 2022 according to Kenyan diplomatic sources. Membership to this regional bloc would include agreeing to a non-aggression pact between all member states. As ongoing tensions between EAC countries demonstrate, neither membership nor the pact would guarantee friendly relations. But the body does provide a more rigorous and formal framework for managing relations than the weakened International Conference on the Great Lakes region (ICGLR), especially while it is under the leadership of a country such as Kenya that does not have a stake in the DRC's chronic instability.

Uganda

After years of being somewhat sidelined, the DRC's relationship with Uganda appears to be reinvigorated. Tshisekedi attended President Yoweri Museveni's inauguration this May and, soon after, Uganda announced that it will be deploying troops to its neighbour to help with the fight against the ADF. The US recently designated this rebel outfit as an Islamic terrorist group. Uganda had lobbied for this and has long benefited from being seen by the US as a key stalwart against terrorism in East Africa.

Military cooperation between the DRC and Uganda is not new. Their last joint military operations were during Operation Lighting Thunder, which targeted remnants of the Lord's Resistance Army, in 2008-2009. Those operations, which received US support, were widely condemned for the high death toll they took on Congolese civilians. They were discontinued after four months due to political pressure on Kinshasa to put an end to Uganda's role.

A recurrence of such violence against non-combatants must be avoided at all costs. The mission should also have clearly-defined parameters and a timeframe to prevent the Ugandan army falling into old patterns of looting - especially given the state of siege Tshisekedi has decreed in Ituri and North Kivu provinces. Uganda has illegally exploited Congolese resources for decades, which is an issue that remains unresolved in the relationship between the two countries.

Rwanda

Relations between Rwanda and the DRC have improved since Tshisekedi became president. Since 2019, there have state visits between the two countries, renewed air links, and a Rwandan Ambassador in place in Kinshasa for the first time since 1998.

However, under the surface, many in the DRC are increasingly uneasy at the steady stream of official denials in Kigali that Rwanda troops have committed killings in eastern DRC. During a visit to France in May, President Paul Kagame even accused Nobel Peace Prize recipient Dr Denis Mukwege of having been "told what to say" and of being part of a conspiracy against Rwanda after the doctor called for an international tribunal in the region. At a time when Rwanda says it is committed to improving its relationship with the DRC, its denials and accusations are difficult to understand.

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Rwanda has been militarily involved in the eastern DRC since 1996. Sometimes it has deployed its own army on a large scale, but its presence has more often been clandestine and taken the form of support to Congolese rebel groups. A December 2020 UN experts report suggests this pattern has persisted under Tshisekedi, despite Kagame's denials.

A new chapter?

Having long been regarded as a driver of instability in the region, the Congolese government under Tshisekedi currently has the opportunity to recalibrate its foreign relationships in its own long-term interests. The new relationship with Kenya is a good example of this.

New dynamics such as these raise the question of whether the likes of Uganda and Rwanda will follow suit. In a best-case scenario, their involvement in the DRC would now shift from being largely informal and clandestine - and often confrontational and exploitative - to being transparent and formal. Their relations with other countries in the region, such as Kenya, demonstrate that they are capable and willing of this and it is time for this to become the norm in the Great Lakes too.

Stephanie Wolters is a Senior Research Fellow at the South African Institute of International Affairs and a Director of Okapi Consulting.
Cal State Dominguez Hills has had a 17% drop in application for the 2021/2022 academic year on Thursday, Dec. 17, 2020 in Carson, CA. Sharp increase in UC applications and conversely, a sharp decrease in CSU applications. (Gary Coronado/Los Angeles Times/TNS)
Sonora, CA (95370)

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Clear skies. Low near 55F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Clear skies. Low near 55F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph.
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"We cannot turn our back yet on more exploration, discovery of new fields is crucial. And we also need to address short term opportunities using existing technology that can extend the life of mature fields. Nobody should doubt our commitment in this regard, given a bold move to issue new marginal fields licenses."

Also speaking, the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation NNPC, Mele Kyari stated that funding is a major issue in the industry.

He said, "We are also aware that cost is everything in the future. The crisis has thrown up the fact that only the best of producers will survive and therefore cost control become a major issue in the industry.

"Funding also is a major issue in the industry today for two reasons. One, there is paucity of resources across the globe and secondly, there is overall reluctance by investing companies and banks to put money into fossil fuels related businesses.

"But obviously these are issues we have to live with however the best of the businesses that will survive are the ones that try to transit into climate friendly businesses", he added.

Secretary General of OPEC, Mohammad Sanusi Barkindo, expressed worry over issues of insecurity in the country, which he said required the efforts of all and sundry to nip it in the bud. He also expressed concern about the negative impact of Covid-19.

He said: "As the world economy contracted by 3.5 per cent year-over-year in 2020, global oil demand declined by 9.5 million barrels daily, mb/d. During the month of April 2020, oil demand dropped by a staggering 22 mb/d. And yet, President Buhari and his Government bravely rose to both of these great challenges.

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According to him, the global economy, oil market fundamentals and the oil demand outlook have all been encouraged by positive news on vaccine rollouts and the continuing massive fiscal stimulus that is driving the economic rebound.

"OPEC has revised its global economic forecast up to 5.5 per cent for 2021, and the oil demand growth forecast remains at 6 mb/d. It should be borne in mind that the majority of this demand is back-loaded to the second half of 2021.

"A backwardation structure remains in all major crude oil benchmarks.

Additionally, we saw a draw of 6.9 mb month on month in OECD commercial oil stock inventories in April. This is 160 million barrels lower than the same time one year ago and 34 million barrels above the 2015-2019 average."According to him, there would be further draws in the months ahead, adding that despite the positives, it is clear that uncertainties remain.
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.
Nigeria and Burundi are set to sign bilateral agreements on trade, investment, education, technology and tourism.

The Head of the Nigerian Mission in Burundi, Amb Elijah Onyeagba, announced this in a statement.

He said the inaugural session of the Nigeria-Burundi Joint Commission is slated to hold in Bujumbura, Burundi from 5th -10th July, 2021.

Onyeagba said on the top on the agenda of the Joint Commission are Education Cooperation, Political Consultation and Technical Aid Corps.

The statement read, "The Nigerian Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Burundi, Amb. Elijah Onyeagba PhD, is optimistic that this Joint Commission will revolutionalize trade and investment, improve the standard of living of both countries and create a multiplier effect towards economic rejuvenation of both countries."

However, during the session Nigeria is expected to sign a Bilateral Agreement on AfCFTA, Agricultural Research/Development, ICT, Tourism, Creative industry and Security.

The statement added that the Nigerian envoy will be led by the Honourable Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, H.E, Amb. Zubairu Dada; while the Burundian Delegation will be led by H.E, Amb. Albert Shingiro - Honourable Minister for Foreign Affairs and Development Cooperation.

Others in the Nigerian delegation include members of the Nigeria Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Nigeria Investment Promotion Council (NIPC).
Mongolian presidential candidates casted their ballots in the presidential election on Wednesday, according to the country's General Election Commission

ULAN BATOR (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 9th Jun, 2021 ) --:Mongolian presidential candidates casted their ballots in the presidential election on Wednesday, according to the country's General Election Commission.

Three 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 that is the candidate from the political alliance, the Right Person Electorate Coalition, are running for the presidency.

Khurelsukh and Erdene casted their votes here on Wednesday, while Enkhbat, who have tested positive for COVID-19 and is now under isolation at a hospital, casted his ballot through a mobile ballot box on Tuesday, according to the commission.

The election began at 7 a.m. local time (2300 GMT on Tuesday) at 2,087 polling stations across the country and will end at 10:00 p.m. (1400 GMT on Wednesday).
SHARJAH, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 09th Jun, 2021) The Expo Centre Sharjah and the Italian Industry and Commerce Office in the UAE discussed ways to develop bilateral cooperation, enhance the presence of Italian companies in the exhibitions hosted and organised by the centre throughout the year, and scale up the participation of the Sharjah business community in the Italian exhibitions.

This came during the coordination meeting held recently at the Expo Centre Sharjah between Saif Mohammed Al Midfa, CEO of the Expo Centre Sharjah, and Mauro Marzocchi, Secretary-General of the Italian Industry and Commerce Office in the UAE.

The two sides discussed ways to further develop bilateral cooperation in the field of organising joint events and providing services and benefits to investors and visitors to exhibitions from both countries.

Stressing the importance of enhancing joint cooperation and holding permanent partnerships in the exhibitions field, Al Midfa pointed out that Italian products remain an important option for many consumers in the UAE.

Al Midfa noted that the Expo Centre, with its organisational and promotional capabilities, and with the support and sponsorship of the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, can help Italian companies and exhibitors enhance their presence and expand their marketing map in the region through the important events hosted and organised by the Centre.

For his part, Marzocchi lauded the experience and expertise of the UAE and Expo Centre Sharjah in the exhibition industry, highlighting the importance of organising further meetings between the two sides, and exchanging delegations and mutual visits to enhance cooperation.

Marzocchi hailed the Expo Centre's flagship organisational and technical practices which enable it to organise a huge number of specialised international exhibitions.
New York, June 9 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 9th Jun, 2021 ) :Boeing has asked the US government to renegotiate the price for two new models of the presidential Air Force One plane, warning their delivery would likely come a year late, a Defense Department official said Tuesday.

The aerospace giant agreed in 2018 to supply two 747-8 planes by the end of 2024 for $3.9 billion -- both ready to transport whoever occupies the White House at that time.

But a subcontractor went bankrupt and the coronavirus pandemic disrupted production.

The company has advised that it will probably be about 12 months late on the order, Air Force official Darlene Costello said during a congressional hearing.

The government is currently assessing whether to adjust the Calendar, she said.

Boeing has "submitted an intent letter" to request an adjustment to the price of the contract, Costello said.

She was questioned by Democratic Representative Joe Courtney, who called the delay a "disappointment to all of us." "We thought this was maybe a program where the government actually got a good deal," he said.

Former president Donald Trump had balked at the initial contract price for replacing the aircraft currently in use, which he considered much too high.

To offset the price, Boeing has suggested selling to the Air Force two 747-8s that were initially meant for the now-bankrupt Russian airline Transaero.
Beirut, June 9 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 9th Jun, 2021 ) :At least eight Syrian soldiers were killed Tuesday night in Israeli air strikes on Homs Province, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

The monitor's director Rami Abdul Rahman told AFP "at least five army soldiers and three allied fighters were killed" in the strikes which hit shortly before midnight.
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Berlin, June 9 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 9th Jun, 2021 ) :Long popular in western cities, Germany's Greens are bumping up against a wall with voters in the ex-communist east that could cost them the chance to snatch Chancellor Angela Merkel's crown when she retires this year.

The now 40-year-old centre-left ecologist party will gather from Friday for a congress to plot the course toward September's general election after a bruising performance last Sunday in Saxony-Anhalt state.

The poor vote showing cemented an image of lost momentum for the party, which for the first time in its history is staking a claim to the chancellery.

"The Greens are still both: potentially the strongest political force in the country and a small niche party, depending on the place, time and situation," news weekly Der Spiegel said.

Despite ambitions for a double-digit result, the Greens notched up just six percent in the country's poorest state -- less than a point higher than their 2016 score.

"It wasn't what we had hoped," admitted a dejected Annalena Baerbock, also 40, the Greens' chancellor candidate.

"Some of our messaging on climate protection failed to cut through to the voters," she said, despite devastating droughts in the rural region in recent summers.

"In the east, which is still marked by the shock of reunification, potentially costly ecological measures are not a big draw for voters," political scientist Hajo Funke told AFP.

The election handed Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU) a resounding win with 37 percent of the vote, pushing the far-right AfD into a distant second place with 21 percent.

The strong outcome put wind in the sails of CDU leader Armin Laschet, Baerbock's main opponent to run Europe's top economy after 16 years of Merkel at the helm.
Washington, June 9 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 9th Jun, 2021 ) :A US pharmacist has been jailed for three years after pleading guilty to tampering with hundreds of Moderna coronavirus vaccines, the Justice Department said on Tuesday.

Steven R. Brandenburg, 46, "purposefully removed" vaccine vials from their refrigerator unit even though they must be stored at a certain temperature until used, court documents said.

The pharmacist was also ordered to pay $83,800 in compensation to the Wisconsin hospital where he worked.

He removed the vials on two overnight shifts in December, leaving them outside for hours before returning them to be used on recipients the following day.

A total of 57 people received vaccines with the vials that Brandenburg had tampered with, the Justice Department statement said.

"The purposeful attempt to spoil vaccine doses during a national public health emergency is a serious crime," said Brian Boynton, acting assistant attorney general of the department's Civil Division.

Brandenburg had expressed skeptical views about vaccines and specifically the Moderna vaccine, according to his plea agreement.

Moderna vaccines must be stored at standard refrigerator temperatures.

More than 124 million doses of the Moderna vaccine have been administered in the US.

The two-shot regime is around 90 percent effective against symptomatic Covid-19 and 95 percent effective against severe disease.
The management of Kaduna State University (KASU), on Tuesday, shut down the institution amidst students' protests over tuition fee increment.

It would be recalled that the state government, a few weeks ago, hiked the students' fees which the students rejected vehemently.

The management announced the shutdown through a statement issued by the university's Registrar, Samuel S. Manshop, saying activities in the institution have been closed indefinitely.

According to the management, Postgraduate programmes, College of Medicine, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Part-Time programmes are to continue with their activities.

The statement reads: "The Management of Kaduna State University wishes to notify staff, students and the general public that academic activities for undergraduate students have been suspended indefinitely.

"Postgraduate programmes, College of Medicine, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Part-Time programmes are to continue with their activities," he said.

The statement further reads that staff are also expected to report to work as usual as the management would communicate any development to them soon.

Daily Trust gathered that the closure of the institution followed weeks of protests by the students.
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Federal Minister for Science and Technology, Shibli Faraz said that the work on the new Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) will be completed by next month and would be presented before all the political parties, parliament and the general public

ISLAMABAD (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 9th Jun, 2021 ) :Federal Minister for Science and Technology, Shibli Faraz said that the work on the new Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) will be completed by next month and would be presented before all the political parties, parliament and the general public.

He was talking to the media after a seminar arranged by Pakistan National Accreditation Council (PNAC) to celebrate the World Accreditation Day under the theme "Accreditation; Supporting the Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals.

The federal minister said that the use of EVM in elections would enable the middle class and the general public to participate in the elections through bringing transparency in results.

The minister hoped that each and every feature of EVM will be approved by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

To a question, he said that the decision of using EVM in elections of Azad Jammu and Kashmir will be taken by the ECP.

Shibli Faraz said that the whole Pakistan is looking at the upcoming budget with good expectations. "Now the economy is on track and there is no fear of new taxes in the budget", he added.

 Despite the difficulties faced by the country during the last two years,Prime Minister, Imran Khan and his team remained steadfast which has resulted into improved economic growth and exports.

The minister observed that around 3500-4000 Mega Watt of electricity is being wasted in Pakistan due to the faulty electronic devices.

Around 2500 to 3000 megawatts of electricity can be saved through upgrading the fans. "We can save 75 percent of electricity through standardization of electronic devices", he said.

Addressing the function earlier, the minister stated that all the elections that have taken place in the past have been marred by controversies therefore the decision of introducing technology to eliminate all these problems has been taken.

He said refusal to adopt technology for making election transparent by the opposition is an unwise act. "If the opposition wants to turn a blind eye to technology, it reflects their disinterest in transparent election", he added.

The election process in India is lengthy but I have never heard of rigging.

The minister said that Pakistan National Accreditation Council (PNAC) can play vital role in improving the quality of exports items of the country.

This institution can contribute to bring Pakistani products up to international standard."We have to take Pakistan forward and make the institutions functional through improving their efficiency and quality".

The minister expressed his commitment to re-activate 17 institutions of his ministry to ensure their contribution for the development of the country.
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday adjourned hearing till June 23, on appeals in graft references against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his family members pertaining to Al-Azizia Steel Mills, Avenfield Property and Flagship Investment

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 9th Jun, 2021 ) :The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday adjourned hearing till June 23, on appeals in graft references against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his family members pertaining to Al-Azizia Steel Mills, Avenfield Property and Flagship Investment.

Giving arguments, National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Additional Prosecutor General Jahanzeb Bharwana said Nawaz Sharif's 'right to listen' had already been terminated due to non appearance. Now his appeals could be turned down without even going into the evidence, he added.

Bharwana said he would also present judicial references before the court in support of the stance.

He further contended that Nawaz Sharif's sentence should be upheld and increased in references of Avenfield property and Al-Azizia Steel Mills, respectively.

He, however, said the court was yet to serve notices to respondents in the NAB appeal against acquittal of former prime minister in flagship investment reference.

Earlier giving arguments, amicus curiae Azam Nazir Tarar argued that the court had to look at all parties equally. There was no denying that the decisions in different cases had impacts on others, he said.

In this case, the accused had been given only temporary relief of suspension of his imprisonment sentence.

Justice Farooq remarked that the NAB had now requested to dismiss the appeals of accused but those were already had been accepted for hearing. What to do if the appellants were no longer available to the bench, he questioned.

To this, Tarar said different courts had given opinions in various cases that in this situation the decision could not be on merit.

Azam Nazir Tarar said in such a situation, the path should be taken which would not harm anyone's right. Such cases used to live not only in law books, but also in the history, he argued.

Tarar pleaded that both Nawaz Sharif's disqualification and punishment were still valid.

At this time, the court should not do anything that could affect judiciary's image.

Justice Mohsin Akhter Kiyani remarked that Nawaz Sharif's trial was not conducted in his absence instead he was given full opportunity to defend himself.

Now there was a matter before court regarding hearing his appeals in his absence instead of his trial, he added.

Tarar adopted the stance that if the court hear the appeal in absentia and concluded that the sentence was wrong, then the acquittal of the accused would be criticized.

Justice Kiyani observed that judicial precedents produced by Azam Tarar were only related to accused trial in absence.

Justice Farooq noted that two co-accused were also present in the court that could pursue their appeals on merit. Maryam Nawaz and her husband were also convicted under the same evidence, he added.

Tarar said Nawaz Sharif court run the case separately on his return, adding that if the court wanted it could also postpone the appeals of Safdar and Maryam for now.

In the absence of one accused, the case of others cannot be adjourned, Justice Amir Farooq answered.

Azam Tarar said it would not matter if the proceedings on appeals were stopped here. If Nawaz Sharif returned or brought back tomorrow, let the case go ahead, he contended.

He said what would be the benefit if the court's decision could not be implemented even after the whole exercise? If the court upholds Nawaz Sharif's sentence, how the action would be taken, Tarar asked.

Justice Kiyani remarked whatever decision the court take it would be criticized, adding that the bench was looking for legal points instead of political.

Tarar said former judge Arshad Malik's video scandal was also linked to the appeals, adding that tomorrow Nawaz Sharif could claim that it was his case.

Justice Farooq said the bench would decide the matter according to the law.

Azam Tarar said copies of some courts decisions had been requested from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Karachi, adding that he would present the same on next hearing as references.

After this, the hearing of the case was adjourned till June 23. A division bench comprising Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Mohsin Akhter Kiyani heard the appeals filed by NAB, former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Capt (retd) Muhammad Safdar Awan in graft references.
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ISLAMABAD, Jun 9 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 9th Jun, 2021 ) :Minister of State for Climate Change Zartaj Gul Wednesday said in order to integrate the youth of the country in the Prime Minister's Ten billion Tree Tsunami plantation project, a special legislation allowing 20 additional marks was underway.

The Minister of State in her exclusive interview told APP that in line with Prime Minister Imran Khan's clean and green Pakistan vision a unique and innovative effort was conceived to bound university graduates to plant 20 trees during their course study.

Zartaj said the legislation would make 20 saplings compulsory for a university graduate where the university and district administration would help them locate feasible sites for plantation.

Under the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan for a clean and green Pakistan, full participation of the youth in the movement to plant more trees in the country would be encouraged through this legislation, she added.

The Minister of State said that Prime Minister Imran Khan wanted to make the future of coming generations safe and sustainable through nature conservation.

"Prime Minister Imran Khan, to this end, not only presented the idea of a clean, green and prosperous Pakistan rather also put it into practice. He has introduced a number of revolutionary initiatives for environmental preservation," Zartaj said.

She added that for the success of Clean and Green Pakistan movement, the active participation of all sections of the society was being ensured.

She said that along with other measures taken by the Ministry of Climate Change to promote the natural environment, it also intended to introduce a bill to ensure full participation of the youth in the green movement, according to which young students would be proposed to give honorary numbers in return for planting trees.

Explaining the proposed scheme, the Minister of State said that extra marks were given to the students involved in National Cadet Corps (NCC); additional marks would also be given to the students for planting trees as part of educational activities.

"Programmes like '20 Plants 20 Numbers' will not only encourage the youth to be a part of this national goal but will also fulfill the dream of making Pakistan a green and prosperous country," she said.

To a question, she said for this purpose, the concerned colleges, universities or district administrations would determine the place of planting trees where students would be able to plant trees as per the regular schedule.

Zartaj Gul said under this scheme, millions of saplings could be planted every year which would prove to be a valuable asset for the future of the country and future generations.

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Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaiser and Governor Punjab Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar have urged the opposition parties to play an active role in the parliament instead of resorting to politics of protest which is harmful to the cause of masses and country

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 8th Jun, 2021 ) :Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaiser and Governor Punjab Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar have urged the opposition parties to play an active role in the parliament instead of resorting to politics of protest which is harmful to the cause of masses and country.

Both the leaders discussed political, administrative and matters of mutual interest during a meeting at the Governor's House here on Tuesday, while Speaker NA Asad Qaisar felicitated Governor Punjab Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar on his successful visit of the united States (US).

Governor Punjab Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar, during the meeting, said Prime Minister Imran Khan wants to take the country forward on all fronts, whereas the opposition is creating obstacles in the path to progress and prosperity.

He said the public had given a mandate to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) to rule the country for five years and it will complete its constitutional term, adding that the general elections will be held on time.

Sarwar said the opposition is adamant on resisting electoral reforms in the country as proposed by the PTI government, adding that the opposition was not ready to enter dialogue with the government on electoral reforms.

"Refusal to support electoral reforms is contrary to the aspirations of the people and against the spirit of fair and transparent elections in future", he said, adding that the opposition should support electoral reforms.

The Governor Punjab further said Pakistan is moving in the right direction on the economic front, adding that everyone except the opposition is acknowledging the economic development of the country and the government under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan achieved economic revival despite novel coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.

Governor Punjab Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar also condemned the brutal murder of a Muslim family in Canada and extended condolences to the bereaved family.

Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaiser hailed Governor Punjab Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar on his successful visit to the USA and expressed the hope his diplomacy will strengthen Pak-US relations.

The Speaker NA said Pakistan is making progress on economic and diplomatic fronts, adding that the government is strengthening all institutions under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan.
UK Foreign Minister Dominic Raab on Tuesday welcomed a UN court appeal judgment upholding the life sentence against former Bosnian Serb military commander Ratko Mladic for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Srebrenica over two decades ago

LONDON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 08th June, 2021) UK Foreign Minister Dominic Raab on Tuesday welcomed a UN court appeal judgment upholding the life sentence against former Bosnian Serb military commander Ratko Mladic for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Srebrenica over two decades ago.

"The UK has played a vital role in bringing Ratko Mladic and other war criminals to justice for the crimes they committed in the Western Balkans. With Radovan Karadzic serving his life sentence in a British jail, and Ratko Mladic's convictions upheld, the international community has brought some solace to the survivors and families of victims, and helped puncture impunity for the worst international crimes imaginable," Raab said in a statement.

Earlier on Tuesday, judges of the Appeals Chamber of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT) affirmed the life imprisonment sentence of the former commander of Bosnian Serbs.

At the same time, Mladic was not found guilty of the genocide of around 8,000 Bosnian Muslim men and boys in the town of Srebrenica in 1995.

Mladic, 78, served as commander of the army of Republika Srpska during the 1992-1995 conflict in Bosnia and Herzegovina. He was arrested by the Serbian authorities in 2011 after fleeing international justice for 16 years. In November 2017, the UN Criminal Tribunal in The Hague convicted Mladic of war crimes that date back to that conflict, including for his role in the Srebrenica massacre, in which scores of Bosnian Muslims were killed. Mladic was sentenced to life in prison.

On May 26, the former president of Republika Srpska and ex-Bosnian Serb wartime leader, Radovan Karadzic, was transferred from the Hague to a prison in the south of England to serve out his life sentence for war crimes.
The United States will maintain "hundreds of sanctions" against Iran even in the event of Tehran's return to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said during a congressional hearing on Tuesday

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 08th June, 2021) The United States will maintain "hundreds of sanctions" against Iran even in the event of Tehran's return to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said during a congressional hearing on Tuesday.

"I would anticipate that even in the event of the return to compliance with the JCPOA, hundreds of sanctions will remain in place," Blinken told the US Senate Appropriations Committee.

The Secretary of State pointed out that the sanctions include the restrictions imposed by the previous Trump administration.

"They will remain unless and until Iran behavior changes," he said.

However, Blinken said the United States does not know Iran's intentions with respect to the JCPOA.

"We will see if that actually materializes," he said, adding that the United States' responsibility in this case would be to lift restrictions in consistence with the JCPOA, but to "resolutely maintain" other sanctions.
Central coast tourism businesses required to tighten their belts

All four localities jointly hosted a special campaign under the theme Central Region  Magical Heritage Region and cooperated with Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to organise stimulus programmes. During the national holidays between April 30 and May 1, tens of thousands of tourists booked tours to the central provinces while luxury hotels and resorts received a huge number of bookings, raising their occupancy rates to up to 90 per cent. After the gloomy 2020, it finally seemed like the green light for tourism was turned on for the summer season.

However, when the domestic tourism market was waiting for its revival, the pandemic suddenly returned and extinguished any hope for recovery. The vibrant industry suffered yet again, with many tourism and hospitality entrepreneurs facing bankruptcy. According to statistics from Danangs Tourism Association, most travel agencies have temporarily closed while others took the final hit before dissolving.

Nguyen Van Duan, director of Muong Thanh Hospitality Group in the central region shared, We forecast our occupancy rate for May at 80 per cent, which was a stunning estimate after last year. However, the new outbreak ruined it all. Travellers cancelled all their trips, and festivals and amusement events were postponed, with historical relics and sightseeing sites closed again. Currently, most smaller and budget hotels are closed, while 4- and 5-star hotels and resorts had to reduce staff to cut losses.

Holding out

As most companies financial resistance has been torn down with each outbreak in the country, many of them have carried out various solutions to survive. Pham Van Dung, head of the central region representatives of Thien Minh Group that currently manages three hotels in Quang Nam province, shared that the return of COVID-19 forced his group to lay off a part of the staff and reduce working hours for the remainder.

Our hotel operations are impacted heavily due to the sharp decline in guest numbers. Although our hotels are still surviving  mostly thanks to quarantine services for repatriated Vietnamese delegations and because we registered to serve international guests under the vaccine passport programme  the difficulties are still ahead, Dung said.

Though hotels are applying measures such as laying off employees to cut costs, travel managers and operators know well what happens after the storm passes. It will take time and money to educate new teams of professional labourers for the tourism industry.

Most former employees in the tourism and hotel industry have become unemployed and have to change their jobs to earn their living. The labour force also became a headache for managers and owners who are also struggling to find solutions to keep their highly qualified staff in whom they invested a lot for training. We, therefore, try our utmost to keep their basic income by reducing working hours while waiting for the recovery, Duan shared.

Waiting for the green light

Over the years, tourism has become an important economic industry to the development of the central coast region, especially in Quang Nam and Danang. As statistics show, the industry contributed 13.7 per cent to Danangs growth, creating more than 56,000 new jobs in 2016-2019. In Quang Nam province, tourism contributed 7.1 per cent to the GRDP, with over 18,000 new jobs for locals during that period.

However, COVID-19 has caused a negative growth rate for the tourism sector of both localities in 2020. Danangs tourism sector alone is now faced with over 56,000 unemployed labourers, while 200 of 319 transportation businesses have temporarily stopped operations. After several waves of community infections in the country, tourism businesses in the central coast region are now waiting for practical support from the government.

Pham Van Dung from Thien Minh group suggested that the government and local authorities should approve supporting policies on fees and tax incentives as well as direct financial support for tourism businesses.

Vaccination is a key solution to help us survive and recover, so we wish the government will soon support tourism employees to be vaccinated, Dung added.

I believe that tourism in Danang, Quang Nam, and other central coast provinces can recover strongly when we reach herd immunity nationwide and worldwide. But before that, we need to support the tourism industrys labourers more effectively so that they can sustain themselves while waiting for the recovery, said Duan from Muong Thanh.
Conclusions have still to be made over proposals in regards to railway management and use of assets

The Commission for the Management of State Capital at Enterprises last week worked with Vietnam Railways (VNR) on separation of some parts in the long-awaited 2021-2025 restructuring plan to be approved first, with the establishment of a passenger transport and cargo transport units being a focus.

Vu Anh Minh, chairman of VNR  the operator of the countrys railway network  told VIR, We will keep the merger of Haraco and Saratrans, the two largest train operators in Vietnam, under VNR and then proceed with the establishment. The submission of the separation to the prime minister for approval is expected within June.

VNR expected that it will be able to attract private investment for its development plans when the separation is approved. Thus, in the establishment of a cargo transport company, stakes are being planned to sell for potential investors.

The separation also includes investment in construction of warehouses and inland container depots (ICDs); upgrading and development of railway stations into trade centres and offices for lease in line with the Law on Railways 2017; and upgrading of railway routes connecting with China to develop international railway transportation.

When the separation and restructuring plan is approved, the new changes will enable the companys partnership with private firms in hundreds of stations and ICDs to more effectively tap into their available potential, thus enabling us to move faster, Minh noted.

Industry insiders, however, said that it is impossible that there will be any significant foreign interest in railways, although transport is one of the six sectors covered in the Law on Public-Private Partnership Investment, which took effect from January.

Railways have proven difficult for the public-private partnership (PPP) model in many countries worldwide, with Vietnam being not an exception. More opportunities might come for domestic private firms instead. To enable this, the master scheme in line with implementation of Decree No.46/2018/ND-CP governing the management and use of railway infrastructure assets, should be approved, with VNRs proposal to hand over 297 railway stations, warehouses, and ICDs to the giant to own, use, and develop with assets to be recorded as state capital contribution to the operator to be included.

However, the master scheme remains at odds with the VNR proposal, and so no final conclusion has yet been made. Legal barriers have so far hindered VNR from making the next steps with its cooperation plans with its partners, and many of its projects as well as investors have been suffering as a result.

In 2017, VNR signed a cooperation agreement with Saigon Newport Corporation to develop ICDs and warehouses at Song Than, Dieu Tri, Yen Vien, Dong Anh, and Dong Dang stations, with the plan to develop more in the future to meet demands. However, the projects have not yet been carried out.

Similarly, Lotte E&Cs proposal to invest in the second phase of the upgrading of the Yen Vien-Lao Cai railway route has been on paper for years, while Japanese auto giant Toyota is seeking to build a railway route connecting its factory in the northern province of Vinh Phuc to the main North-South network, using the Danang railway station as a transhipment hub to other provinces in the central region.

Furthermore, Southern Airports Services JSC has sought a partnership with VNR in upgrading the Saigon Railway Station building. Many other initiatives remain stuck because of Decree 46.

In 2017 when the restructuring plan of VNR was first submitted to authorised agencies, the giant planned for the restructuring by 2020, but inevitable disagreements and legal issues have dragged the proposals into the 2021-2025 period instead.

The separation of the railway network is important at this time as the new restructuring plan is still waiting for completion of a new order that replaces 2017s Decision No.707/QD-TTg on approving the restructuring of state-owned enterprises. At present, the draft master plan on restructuring of such enterprises for 2021-2025 is still being completed by the Ministry of Finance.

In the last 10 years, the railway sector has failed to mobilise resources for its development plans. State funding for railways, despite an increase, was just $174-196 million annually over the period, which has been mostly used for maintenance works and social security, and not for development plans.
While foreign retailers have partially been struggling to expand their outlet numbers, local chains are slowly beginning to overtake the market. Photo: Le Toan

Last month, Truong Hai Auto Corporation (THACO) inked a deal to acquire Emart Vietnam Co., Ltd., the operator of the Emart hypermarket in Ho Chi Minh Citys Go Vap district. Following the deal, THACO is planning to expand the Emart chain to 3-4 hypermarkets into next year and to 11 by 2025.

Around the same time Masan, with its vision to develop its retail arm into a one-stop shop for both online and offline shoppers, received $400 million investment from a consortium led by Alibaba and Baring Private Equity Asia. As part of the deal, Masan will team up with Lazada, Alibabas Southeast Asian e-commerce unit, to step up its online presence.

The recent merger of VinCommerce JSC of Vingroup (retail), VinEco (agriculture), and Masan Consumer Holdings (consumer goods), meanwhile, aims to create the leading group of retail and consumer goods in Vietnam. The new company owns a distribution network of 2,600 VinMart and VinMart+ stores in 50 cities and provinces with millions of customers along with a system of 14 high-tech farms of VinEco.

Before the pandemic hit, other local retailers also left marks in the retail market, such as Saigon Co.ops acquisition of Frances Auchan, and BRG Groups partnership with Sumitomo Corporation from Japan to develop the Fuji Mart supermarket chain, both in 2019.

Samuel Son-Tung Vu, partner at law firm Bae, Kim & Lee Vietnam, said that local investors making significant investment in the retail sector is the result of the shift in dynamics of both foreign and local investors. Specifically, the accumulation of financial potential and network along with the gradual formation of business chains from production to distribution have created motivation for Vietnamese groups to embark on aggressive expansion strategies.

Local investors who have strong production capacity have successfully seized mergers and acquisitions (M&A) opportunities to acquire the distribution channels of exiting foreign investors to further control the flow of goods, especially those they produce, Vu added.

Withdrawing foreign players

According to a report by Deloitte Vietnam on the retail market in Vietnam in 2020, key players in the hypermarket segment include Big C from Thailand, Lotte Mart from South Korea, and AEON Mall from Japan dominating the market with a 57.6 per cent market share. On the other hand, the supermarket segment is dominated by local players such as Saigon Co.op and Bach Hoa Xanh, which are leading the pack with market shares of 43 per cent and 14 per cent, respectively.

That segments consistent growth over the last four years can be attributed in large part to a deep understanding of their local markets, as well as increasing popularity of private label products, according to the Deloitte report.

The withdrawal of Emart reflects the challenges facing foreign retailers in Vietnam. Emart struggled for years but failed to open new hypermarkets due to legal and land site barriers. Previously, other retailers also departed from the local retail market like Auchan, Casino Group, and Metro Group.

Some retailers have to scale down operation due to a lack of modern retail concept to compete with new rivals. Malaysian retail giant Parkson Retail Asia also narrowed its loss-making businesses and disposed of its stores in Vietnam through 2019 and 2020.

The fierce competition in the retail market is forcing retailers to adjust strategies. Last week, Lotte Mart announced that it will shut down its Dong Da supermarket in Hanoi. The news sparked rumours about the potential withdrawal from the market. However, a representative of Lotte Mart denied them, stating that the closure was part of its strategy to develop and expand its chain in Vietnam, and does not affect the business operation of other outlets.

Lotte Mart said that the chain is in its investment phase, after opening a second supermarket in the south-central province of Khanh Hoa in April and planning to launch another one in the central province of Nghe An.

Lawyer Vu explained, On the side of foreign investors, subject to obstacles from the instrument set by the state to control the expansion of foreign retail network such as the economic needs test, foreign investors often struggle with establishing their second and subsequent outlets to expand the distribution chain in Vietnam. Further, financial stress due to the pandemic is also affecting the business plan for scaling down operation.

Realising their potential, local companies have jumped on the bandwagon. However, different from the traditional retail models as similar as the way that almost all of foreign players are implementing, which is the supermarkets and shopping malls, the domestic groups ambitions are to complete their ecosystem.

Talking about THACOs deal, Tran Bang Viet, CEO of Dong A Solutions, said that THACO entered the retail market in order to sell more experiences to its existing customer files.

Around half of the cars here are assembled or distributed by THACO. Meanwhile, the demand for car-washing services and maintenance is rising. Most customers feel bored while waiting for these services to be carried out, so we can turn that meaningless waiting time into relaxation time and for families via experiencing more utilities, Viet said.

For example, one parent can look for technical goods for the car while the other can go shopping, and the children can go to book stores or play at recreation centres. After that, the family can enjoy a meal together or go to the cinema. It is best if customers can enjoy all-in-one services such as these, in a model of hypermarket that is common in developed countries, he added.

Successful restructure

Chairman Tran Ba Duong said there were certain reasons for THACO to acquire the South Korean retail giants Vietnamese operations. THACO seeks to set up complexes where people can buy and service cars, hold conferences and weddings, enjoy amusement activities, and shop for groceries  and retail is the missing piece, Duong said.

Nova Group also expressed its ambition to develop its own ecosystem after restructuring. It has announced the member companies in its economic group, after a long time of implementing the M&A strategy, which is a way for the group to complete its multi-industry ecosystem, adding value to real estate products.

Until the beginning of 2021, Nova Group successfully restructured with Novaland in real estate, Nova Service in trade and services, and Nova Consumer operating in agriculture and consumer goods.

Masan meanwhile diligently acquired stakes in domestic enterprises such as Phuc Long, VinCommerce, and Vinacafe Bien Hoa among others during the past 10 years to perfect its retail and consumer goods ecosystem.

Truong Cong Thang, CEO of VinCommerce, said, I believe that in combining the Phuc Long products and current VinMart+ network of more than 2,200 stores and 10,000 stores in the next five years, we will provide 100 million Vietnamese consumers with the opportunity to enjoy the freshest and most delicious tea and coffee.

In the near future, we hope to take the Phuc Long tea and coffee brands global, contributing to spreading our cultural identity and promoting the signature drinks of Vietnam. At the same time, this partnership also helps speed up Masans strategy to develop the Point of Life consumer ecosystem, Thang said.

Vu at Bae, Kim & Lee Vietnam shared the same view that local investors may have to look for unique development strategies, involving the omnichannel sales model.

At the same time, creating synergy in business via placing different retail outlets next to each other would create convenience for consumers and make more products available to the same customer in one visit, he said. This model has been tested with great success in many countries with slightly different variants depending on consumer behaviour in each country. The local investors who truly understand the behaviour of Vietnamese consumers would reap great success.
Elusive Alpha King to feel brunt of angered buyers

The customer told VIR that for a year, she has continuously approached Alpha Kings office in Ho Chi Minh City to ask for a refund of her deposit after purchasing three units.

VIR reported in March that several of Alpha Kings projects had been transferred to other developers, while representatives of the company were unable to be contacted. In 2019 and 2020, various parts of the business were handed over to others, while leadership at Alpha King changed with little information being available.

After many efforts, last week the aggrieved buyer received a call from a woman speaking on behalf of the landlord of Alpha City, asking her to re-submit dossiers for further proceedings. The caller was assumed to be from Golden Hill, the landlord of the project site in which Alpha King was previously the developer.

Golden Hill was founded in 2017 with the legal capital of $4.3 million. Only months later, its investment capital increased to over $121 million with new contributors including Ford Master International Ltd., Golden Hill Investment Co., Ltd., and Quality Plus Development Ltd.. All three companies are based in the British Virgin Islands.

This staff member said that Alpha King is now in a difficult financial position but she would forward my dossier to higher levels. I do not know what Alpha King will do now but if they keep delaying my request for a deposit refund, I will take stricter solutions, including taking them to court, the homebuyer said.

In 2019, she signed a contract to buy three units in Alpha City, located in Ho Chi Minh Citys District 1, with a total value of just under $1.3 million. Around $130,000 was sent to the developer under the deposit contract.

Despite launching to massive fanfare in 2018, the project quickly joined many others in suffering from crippling delays. Nevertheless, according to the deposit contract between Alpha King and the buyer, she would be refunded the deposit if the project cannot be implemented on schedule.

In the middle of last year, the buyer requested that Alpha King refunds her deposit for the units, but has yet to see a penny.

I am now perplexed and frustrated. The deposit that I have poured into these units in Alpha City would have brought about hundreds of million VND of interest if I left it in the bank in 2019, but I have nothing now. I am facing many difficulties in trying to contact the developer to have my deposit returned, she said.

Masterise Homes, a domestic developer with a range of premium real estate projects in Vietnam, was reported to have replaced Alpha King as lead developer of the project earlier this year.

VIR contacted Masterise Homes in regards to its policy, if any, over former buyers who had bought units from Alpha King, but no representatives were offered for comment.

With an inactive website and telephone line for most of this year at least, Alpha King representatives also remain elusive. It is believed that its foreign leaders left Vietnam, while all other high-ranking officers were moved to other developers.

The groups major shareholders were Alpha King Investment Ltd., based in Hong Kong with 93.3 per cent, and the rest contributed by other individuals, including two Chinese investors. In 2020, after reports of changes in management, the position of Alpha King chairman was returned to Chiu Bing Keung Kenneth, one of the two founding shareholders.

Alpha King was established in Vietnam in 2012, developing complex real estate projects of office buildings, trade centres, and luxury apartment projects.

In 2018, Alpha King acquired of a range of mergers and acquisitions to develop the first three high-end projects: Alpha City, Alpha Town, and Centennial Saigon. All of those projects were located in prime locations in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City, at sky-high prices.
Investors from South Korea continue investing in Dong Nai

According to Dong Nai Department of Planning and Investment, South Korean investors have injected an additional $500 million into the locality, increasing the total investment capital from $6.5 billion in 2019 to $7 billion in May 2021. South Korea topped the list of 45 countries and territories investing in Dong Nai.

South Korean Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City Kang Myong-il said that many South Korean companies wanted to expand investment in the province. However, their projects have been suspended due to travel restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Once the pandemic is controlled and trade flows between two countries return to normal, a new wave of South Korean investment is expected to flow into Dong Nai. South Korean investors highly appreciated Dong Nais potential in the field of industrial production, technical infrastructure, and real estate sector.

Some South Korean investors have made big investment in the province including Changshins $100 million footwear factory in Tan Phu Industrial Zone (IZ), Hansol Technicss $100 million electronic component factory in Ho Nai IZ and Intops $30 million electronic equipment factory in Amata.

The representative of Hansol Technics said that the company decided to develop its factory in Dong Nai due to the provinces developed IZs and convenient traffic. The company specialises in manufacturing electronic components so the investment in Dong Nai will facilitate it to source input products from other partners.

Park Hyun Bae, chairman of the Korean Business Association in Dong Nai is upbeat about the potential of Dong Nai to lure foreign direct investment (FDI) capital in the industrial, energy, service, trade, and supporting industries. Despite the pandemic, many Korean businesses have requested information about Dong Nai. They hope that when the COVID-19 pandemic is contained, it will be easier for them to travel to the province to register new investment. Indeed, South Korean investors are looking to rent big land sites in Dong Nai to carry out large projects to produce electronic components, fabrics for the textile, footwear, as well as machinery and equipment.

As of present, South Korea is the second-largest import market of Dong Nai, following China. The province mainly buys materials to produce textile, apparel, footwear, computers, electronic components, equipment, tools, and spare parts. On average, local companies spend $200 million importing materials from South Korea.
FV Hospital, DKSH Vietnam, and other businesses at the donation event on June 8

Specifically, DKSH Vietnam donated medical supplies and necessities; Humasis Vina donated 3,000 antigen rapid test kits worth VND600 million($26,080) produced by South Koreas Humasis; and Wakamono donated 100,000 anti-virus masks.

Deputy Minister of Health Do Xuan Tuyen

FV Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City donated medical equipment worth VND1 billion ($43,480).

The representatives of FV Hospital at the donation

At the donation meeting, Deputy Minister of Health Do Xuan Tuyen, said that Vietnam is in the fourth wave of COVID-19 pandemic with serious developments in cities and provinces.

Since April 27, nearly 6,000 infection cases were reported in 39 cities and provinces. This time, the pandemic struck not only in the community but also in factories and industrial parks.

In response to the complicated situation, the Ministry of Health has made adjustments in the prevention and fight, especially in quarantining, tracing, testing, and treatment. Accordingly, in addition to real time RT-PCR testing, the health sector also uses antigen rapid test.

Tuyen highlighted the support from the businesses, hoping that the business community will contribute more to the countrys COVID-19 fight and protecting and strengthening peoples health.
IFC promotes PPE production to support Vietnam's COVID-19 fight

Given the unprecedented pandemic, the global demand for high-quality PPE products  face masks, medical gloves, safety glasses and shoes, respirators, coveralls, vests, and full bodysuits  increased three to four times between 2019 and 2020, according to a recent study funded by the United Kingdom Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).

In Vietnam, PPE manufacturing capacity surged with a 6-fold jump in production in 2020 and the country has emerged as one of the new PPE suppliers globally. This ramped-up supply was initially driven by textile manufacturers shifting production in response to the health emergency and to mitigate losses caused by cancelled orders for garments.

Some textile manufacturers who started producing PPE products as an immediate response to the pandemic, are now considering the medium- to longer-term business opportunity in this area, said Vu Duc Giang, chairman of the Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association (VITAS). However, local manufacturers have struggled with insufficient input materials, technical skills, and sector knowledge, and disparity between local and international standards to access the global market.

In response, as part of the global PPE advisory programme supported by the UK government, the IFC is working with local garment manufacturers through the VITAS and national labs through the Directorate for Standards, Metrology and Quality of Vietnam (STAMEQ). The aim is to improve PPE producers operations and reduce costs by removing unnecessary burdens related to PPE standards and conformity assessments.

A kick-off webinar  PPE Supply and Demand Perspectives  was organised today in Hanoi in collaboration with VITAS. This is the first of a series to boost PPE-related industry knowledge, with a focus on technical requirements and standards for PPE products in different markets.

The COVID-19 pandemic has tested the resilience of supply chains to the limit, especially on medical supplies including PPE. The UK believes that the diversification of PPE manufacturing will make the global supply chain more adaptable and prevent future disruption, said Gareth Ward, British Ambassador to Vietnam. I am very pleased that Vietnam has been chosen as a priority country for this UK government-funded programme. Vietnamese companies have a lot of potential to succeed globally with a skilled labour force.

Over the next 18 months, the project will also support select manufacturers to scale quality PPE production, access reliable supply of materials and equipment, and achieve PPE international standards and certification to expand exports.

Access to cost-effective and quality PPE products is vital to national COVID-19 responses, helping contain and manage the spread of the coronavirus, said Kyle Kelhofer, country manager for Vietnam, Cambodia and Lao PDR. Promoting the production of PPE products in compliance with international standards not only helps increase Vietnams resilience to the pandemic but also presents a business case as the PPE global supply chain is diversifying with opportunities for new manufacturers from emerging markets including Vietnam.

In January 2021, the IFC and the UK government launched a global PPE advisory programme to increase the supply of COVID-related PPE products to developing countries  as part of the IFCs COVID-19 response and under the IFCs Global Health Platform. The IFCs platform was launched in July 2020 and includes up to $4 billion financing to increase access to critical healthcare services and products to fight the pandemic in the developing world.
illustration photo. Source: freepik.com

According to financial statements from Vietnamese pharma titans like DHG Pharmaceutical JSC, Traphaco JSC, and Imexpharm Pharmaceutical JSC (IMP), there were strong rises in both revenues and profit in the first months of 2021.

DHG, the biggest publicly-traded drugmaker, made consolidated revenue of $50 million, up from just over $40 million in the same period last year. Consolidated after-tax profit hit $8.87 million, up 15.24 per cent on-year.

Similarly, Traphaco, the countrys second-largest publicly-traded drugmaker, saw on-year rises of 20.87 per cent and 34.06 per cent in consolidated revenue and consolidated after-tax profit respectively during the period. IMP, Vietnams fourth-biggest, witnessed a 23.1 per cent on-year increase in before-tax profit in the first four months, while its net revenue rose 9 per cent.

To adapt to the pandemic and prepare for the long-term future, DHG, Traphaco, and IMP are building new strategies. Traphaco, which now has South Korean leadership, aims to achieve a strong growth rate in 2021-2025 by continuing to increase the market share of the eastern medicine segment, while investing more in development of the western medicine business with support from South Korean shareholders. The drugmaker will intensify cooperation and partnership, especially with South Korean pharma firms, while accelerating tech transfer. Traphaco now boasts three big shareholders  State Capital Investment Corporation (35.67 per cent), Magbi Fund Ltd. (24.99 per cent), and Super Delta Pte., Ltd (15.12 per cent).

In 2021, South Koreas Daewoong will boost transfer of technology for production of western medicines for Traphaco, with the figure reaching 70 products by 2025, focusing on cardiovascular, diabetes, and digestion drugs which target the ethical drugs channel (ETC), with a vision for future export. Traphaco expects that cooperation with Deawoong will produce revenue from 2022.

Traphaco now has strong advantages in nationwide distribution and rich experience in distribution of over-the-counter products  however, growth in this segment has tended to mature. Meanwhile, the ETC has strong growth potential, although this segment saw a fall in 2020 as COVID-19 decreased the number of patients at hospitals.

Tran Tuc Ma, general director of Traphaco said, We define that 2021 is the year of standardisation of all processes. We are focusing on upgrading and improving inefficient processes, while strengthening the core advantages.

Traphaco is not the only group to see high potential of the western medicine channel. DHG is setting the goal of continuing to expand business over the next few years to retain its position as Vietnams largest generic pharmaceutical company.

It has equipped two production lines meeting Japan-GMP standards, and certified by the Japan Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency. Currently, Vietnam has only three enterprises with their production lines meeting the same standards  DHG Pharma, Rohto-Mentholatum, and Mekophar. With these lines, DHG aims to boost domestic sales and exports to 14 international markets, as well as outsource for Japanese pharma partners. The companys main foreign shareholders are Japans Taisho (51.01 per cent) and FTIF - Templeton Frontier Markets Fund (2.83 per cent).

Elsewhere, IMP is seeking EU-GMP recognition for its IMP 4 factory in a move to venture further into the ETC segment. However, the proposal may be delayed till 2023. According to SSI Securities Corporation (SSI), IMP has recently decided to send most of antibiotic products to bids for the hospital channel, while enhancing research and development activities on new functional foods.

SK Investment Vina III Pte., Ltd. is now the biggest foreign stakeholder at IMP with 24.02 per cent, followed by KWE Beteiligungen AG at 15.13 per cent.

Driven by a strong rise in profit in 2020, Traphaco, DHG, and IMP set higher targets for 2021. Industry insiders said that some targets are ambitious in the context that pharma firms in the overall picture have been facing challenges in growth in recent years as shown in statistics from financial database analysts Finn Pro, which has gathering information from 37 of the 61 listed pharma firms, accounting for 50.9 per cent of market capitalisation.

According to SSI, the COVID-19 outbreaks are placing worries on rising prices of active pharmaceutical ingredients (API). At a recent shareholders meeting, IMP raised their concerns over rises in API costs in the first quarter due to shortfalls in supply from India, the worlds second-largest API producer.

IMPs inventories can be enough for three months of production. The impact from a rise in ingredients costs may happen in the second half of 2021, said SSI expert Nguyen Ly Thanh Luong.

Nonetheless, growth potential remains high. According to an IBM Market Research forecast, revenues in the Vietnamese pharma market will reach $7.7 billion in 2021 and $16.1 billion in 2026 with a compound annual growth rate of 10.6 per cent.
Photo: InterContinental Phu Quoc Long Beach

According to statistics from Vietnams Tourism Advisory Board (TAB), the number of employees working in the tourism sector decreased by 90 per cent as of the latest pandemic outbreak. The reason for the serious decline is that travel, accommodation, and catering businesses have had to cut many employees over the past year. At the same time, the opportunity to create more jobs is also becoming more difficult as COVID-19 has halted almost all tourism activities.

Research by TAB showed that 18 per cent of tourism businesses have had to lay off all their employees, and 52 per cent are maintaining operations with only 20-50 per cent of their former staff.

In Ho Chi Minh City, in the first five months of the year, nearly 500 travel businesses (48 per cent) suspended their operations.

In Hanoi, 378 out of 1,294 international and domestic travel enterprises have withdrawn their business licenses, with 90 per cent of employees (over 12,000 people) forced to quit their jobs.

Meanwhile, 90 per cent of tourism companies in Danang have also conducted staff cuts, and 61.6 per cent of businesses have reduced the scale of operations, with about 12 per cent of businesses claiming that they can only hold out until the end of 2021.

These statistics are expected to further exaggerate if the situation continues. Understandably, 80-90 per cent of tourists have decided to postpone or cancel their tours in May and June. At this time, the tourism industry is facing three major difficulties: the risk of bankruptcy, the overabundance of a large workforce, and the retaining high-quality workers until the pandemic is controlled.

Common concerns

As CEO of VietSense Travel  one of the few businesses still operating after the impacts of COVID-19  Nguyen Van Tai admitted his firm may exhaust all its resources to maintain the current personnel if the pandemic continues for a long time.

Tai said that his employees are all excellent people who have been retained so far. They also stay because of their passion for the job. We worry that the tourism industry might face a severe shortage of qualified workers after the pandemic, while additional workforce cannot immediately adapt to the job, Tai said.

Nearly a quarter of highly-qualified workers in the tourism industry have moved to work in other industries, according to a survey by the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT). Deputy director general of VNAT Ngo Hoai Chung acknowledged that the restoration of this number of workers is a very big problem and Vietnams tourism industry will have to increase training to make up for the shortfall.

However, recruitment is not easy because the number of jobs and the demand for them in the tourism sector is extremely limited. Even with famous vocational training centres such as the Saigontourist Hospitality College and Practical Tourism of VietSense Travel, the recruitment process has been delayed. According to the director of Practical Tourism, Many people may not choose to learn anything about tourism after this crisis.

Adapting to new conditions

According to industry experts, one of the most urgent issues that needs to be solved is to support businesses through bailout packages.

There are two issues where we hope to see support from the state. First, financial support for tourism businesses to reduce pressure in the absence of income and avoid the risk of bankruptcy. At the same time, it is necessary to have policies to support unemployed workers, as well as other regimes to retain workers in the tourism sector, said Chung of VNAT.

However, many tourism companies complained that they have not received government assistance, despite many proposals. Before thinking about further plans, businesses want to soon access the governments support packages to restore resources and recover from the pandemic.

Nguyen Thi Xuan Lan, CEO of Golden Life Travel, said that her business is currently enjoying extended deadlines for tax payments and a reduction in corporate income tax by 30 per cent.

However, the tax reduction is almost meaningless for tourism businesses as there is no profit to pay tax for. Therefore, Lan proposed to the authorities to exempt corporate income tax and reduce VAT by 50 per cent for travel agencies, especially tour operators.

Some other travel businesses also quickly changed their business strategies to adapt to the new conditions. For instance, by researching new products and routes for a relaunch as soon as the pandemic is under control.

Nguyen Quoc Ky, chairman of Vietravel Holdings, recommends that although tourism is temporarily frozen, industry authorities need an action programme to promote Vietnams tourism. Not only is it important to reposition the domestic market policy in Vietnams development strategy, but at this time, the industry needs to complete toolkits in order to welcome international visitors and be ready for the reopening of international tourism, Ky suggested.
Vietnam would shorten quarantine period for fully-vaccinated people to a single week

At a meeting yesterday, the Standing National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control has requested the Ministry of Health (MoH) to complete the process and technology system for immigration management.

Specifcailly, the MoH is urgently completing the process of receiving experts and Vietnamese people to Vietnam. The ministry is developing a closed management process from the time of immigration registration to concentrated quarantine and medical monitoring at home.

It is expected that people entering Vietnam will be classified into different groups. Vaccinated people are subject to various coronavirus tests to confirm the effectiveness of vaccination. The main reason is that at present vaccines are 70-90 per cent effective. If they test negative, the quarantine period will be shortened to seven days.

The committee expected that the COVID-19 pandemic will be contained by June but there are still some sporadic cases in the community. It will not be easy to achieve herd immunity soon given vaccination efforts in Vietnam and many countries around the world. Therefore, the forces should always be alert to prevent and fight the epidemic.

Relaxing quarantine rules for fully vaccinated business people and foreign experts will help ensure the investment and trade flow between Vietnam and the world.

According to the Ministry of Labour, Invalids, and Social Affairs, there are nearly 8,500 highly-skilled foreign workers on a priority list to enter Vietnam. They involve some 2,000 employees of key national projects that use new technologies.
Cambodian Defense Minister Tea Banh said redevelopment plans for Ream Naval Base was being turned into a geopolitical issue  in a thinly veiled reference to the United States  as the minister continues to clarify Cambodias position on whether China will have a military presence at the base.

Tea Banh was speaking at an event in Phnom Penh and, without mentioning the U.S. directly, said they would not accept his explanations about plans for the base. While the U.S. has alleged that China has signed a secret deal to have military personnel stationed at the base, Cambodia denies this claim by pointing to sovereignty clauses in the Cambodian Constitution.

If they dont get what they want, they will not accept the explanation, he said, at an event to commemorate Cambodias first drops of crude oil at the Win-Win Monument in Phnom Penh.

I dont need to explain more. Journalists can analyze geopolitics.

The minister also rejected claims that Cambodia was now pro-China.

But we have our neutrality policy. We work with all friends who want to be friends with us, Tea Banh said.

While the issue has attracted media coverage since the Wall Street Journal in 2019 confirmed the existence of an alleged deal between China and Cambodia, it took center stage last week when U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman directly asked Prime Minister Hun Sen to explain why Chinese military personnel were currently at Ream Naval Base.

Sherman was in the country on a short visit, with Ream being top of the agenda at her meeting with Hun Sen. She also met with civil society groups and opposition leader Kem Sokha, and pushed the government to reverse the countrys democratic backslide.

At the Win-Win Monument, Tea Banh said that Shermans comments on Ream were completely wrong, and that a U.S. military official was allowed to visit the base to assuage any concerns.

Shortly after Shermans visit, Tea Banh confirmed to a local media outlet that China was assisting in building infrastructure at the base but again there was no plan to allow Chinese military personnel to remain at Ream.

U.S. Embassy Spokesperson Chad Roedemeier on Wednesday reiterated Shermans call for Cambodia to maintain a balanced foreign policy.

U.S. Deputy Secretary Sherman expressed serious concerns about the PRCs military presence and construction of facilities at Ream, which the Defense Minister has confirmed publicly, Roedemeier said.

The Deputy urged Cambodias leadership to maintain an independent and balanced foreign policy, in the best interests of the Cambodian people.

Em Sovannara, a political commentator, said the U.S. was probably not getting the answers they wanted to hear from Cambodia, which could lead to repercussions.

If there is no response to U.S. worries, I think the U.S. will take some action or other steps, the commentator said.

Sophal Ear, associate professor of diplomacy and world affairs at Occidental College in Los Angeles, said the bonhomie between Cambodia and China was no secret, and claims of neutrality were moot.

It's not that complicated. Just look at Phnom Penh's actions. Don't listen to Phnom Penh's words, Sophal Ear said.
Leaders of the G-7 group of industrialized nations meet this weekend in Britain, with an agenda topped by the global recovery from the coronavirus pandemic, climate change, taxation, and the challenges posed by Russia and China.

The three-day summit beginning Friday will be held at Carbis Bay, a popular tourist resort in Cornwall on Britain's southwestern peninsula. British warships are patrolling the coastline and more than 6,500 police officers have been deployed as Britain prepares to host the leaders of the United States, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and Canada.

Australia, India, South Korea and South Africa also have been invited as guests.

The summit marks President Joe Biden's first official overseas trip while in office. Speaking to reporters Wednesday at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland as he prepared to fly to Britain on Air Force One, Biden was asked about his priorities for the trip. "Strengthening the alliance. Making clear to Putin and to China that Europe and the United States are tight, and the G-7 is going to move," Biden said.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Wednesday he was looking forward to hosting allies face to face. "This is the first time for almost six months in office almost that Joe Biden the U.S. president has been able to come overseas for a major trip; it's his first time on the European continent. It's the first time that any of us really have been able to see each other face to face since the pandemic began.

"So here at the G-7, what we're looking at is making sure we have a new treaty on the pandemic, working on that, building back greener, building back better, which is why we're looking at what's going on here in Cornwall with all of the green technology, but also talking about the values we have in common, everything we want to do together. There's a huge agenda," said Johnson.

After four years of troubled transatlantic relations under former President Donald Trump  whose "America First" agenda alienated many allies  Biden will receive a warm welcome in Europe, says analyst Thomas Kleine-Brockhoff, vice president of the German Marshall Fund of the United States.

"The attempt to rebuild trust  lost trust  with allies is at the heart of the agenda. And that message comes across loud and clear," Kleine-Brockhoff told VOA. But he added that the scars have not yet fully healed.

"There's sort of a lingering suspicion that Joe Biden could be an outlier, an intermezzo between two nationalist presidencies, and an America that has changed for the long haul. And so, the investment into the Biden administration [by European allies] is not as immediately visible as the Biden administration would hope," Kleine-Brockhoff said.

Nonetheless, analysts say the G-7 leaders will put on a strong show of unity amid numerous challenges, says Creon Butler, a former British government adviser on the G-7 and now the director of the Global Economy and Finance Program at London's Chatham House foreign policy institute.

"The COVID recovery generally is the top item, and you can see that in the way that the U.K. is presenting the summit," Butler told VOA. "There is a sort of economic aspect and then there are other aspects, particularly on the health side."

The summit host, British Prime Minister Johnson, has pledged the G-7 will help to vaccinate the whole world by the end of 2022. One of his predecessors, former Prime Minister Gordon Brown, says that rhetoric must be turned into reality.

"I think it's no exaggeration to say that Friday's G-7 is a life and death matter. Its decision will determine who is vaccinated and safe and who remains unvaccinated and at risk of dying," Brown said at a virtual meeting held Tuesday by Chatham House.

G-7 leaders also will focus on tackling climate change, and trade and taxation are high on the agenda. G-7 finance ministers last week backed a plan for a minimum global tax rate of 15%. "This bit is really quite revolutionary," said Butler. "As, indeed, is the agreement on sharing taxing rights around  so not just in the location where the tax residence of the company is, but also in locations where a company may have very large revenues but pay very, very little tax."

Butler said Britain's hosting of the G-7 summit provides an ideal platform for the government to project a new image now that it has left the European Union.

"Actually, the G-7 is now even more important for the U.K. and actually for the Western alliance more generally, now that the U.K. has left the EU, because, certainly for the U.K., things that you might have wanted to coordinate and work with the EU on within the EU, the G-7 is now the logical place to do it."

The threat to G-7 democracies from Russia and China also will be discussed in Cornwall. Biden will be hoping for a strong response from allies, says analyst Kleine-Brockhoff.

"The question as to whether Western countries can find a joint approach vis-a-vis China, and whether President Biden can get the language and the commitment that he needs also for his domestic political purposes out of his European allies ... that to me is the big question," said Kleine-Brockhoff.

Several of the G-7 leaders will go straight from Cornwall to Brussels on Monday for a NATO summit. Biden is then scheduled to meet European Union leaders Tuesday.

Analysts say the sequence of meetings is aimed at underscoring allies' support ahead of Biden's summit Wednesday with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Geneva.


By any measure, the number of those being vaccinated against COVID-19 in Africa are running behind the rest of the world. Health experts warn that failure to inoculate the 1.3 billion people on the continent will have a huge impact on its health care systems and economies.

More than a year into the COVID-19 pandemic, most African countries have vaccinated only a tiny fraction of their populations.

Nigeria, the most populous nation in Africa, has fully vaccinated just 0.1% of its citizens.

The Africa Center for Disease Control says three countries  Tanzania, Burundi, Eritrea  and the self-declared Sahrawi Republic have yet to receive any vaccines, while Burkina Faso has received 115,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine but has not yet administered a single jab.

Abdhalah Ziraba, an epidemiologist and the head of the health system at the African Population and Health Research Center in Nairobi, says the failure to inoculate is partly due to vaccine hesitancy among the population, and underdeveloped health care systems, especially in non-urban areas.

In Africa, most people live in rural areas. The health care system that should be the system to deliver the vaccines to the last person is not as elaborate as the population is distributed. So, people are far away from where they can get access to vaccines, and as a consequence, they are definitely left out, but they remain at risk of getting exposed to COVID-19, Zariba said.

Kenya has fully vaccinated just 13,000 people out of a population of 50 million, although about 1 million have received one dose of a vaccine.

Davji Atellah, the secretary-general of the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union, calls for the government to allocate 1% of the country's budget to purchase COVID-19 vaccines.

Countries like Uganda, or here in Kenya, we can still see there are waves, there is a surge in infections. So, the ultimate way to get things back to normal is to vaccinate. Thats why we are asking the government, if our current budget is 3.6 trillion Kenya shillings. If 1%, that's about 35 billion shillings ($324.4 million) is put into buying the vaccines for the Kenyans, then we may have hope to see the opening up. Atellah said.

Kenyas western region has been witnessing high rates of coronavirus infections in recent weeks, and officials have warned they may have to impose a new lockdown to curb transmissions.

In neighboring Uganda, the government recently reintroduced a strict lockdown to fight an increase in infections. The lockdown includes the shutting down of schools and religious activities, and imposing travel bans within the country.

Ziraba said African countries' failure to vaccinate their population will disrupt everyday life and will pose a problem to the rest of the world.

It will be a cascade that will be very disruptive to the African countries economies and health care system. But the rest of the world will not sit pretty because while a big part of their population will be protected, they will not be comfortable knowing that there will be a new infection coming to their borders every now and then, Ziraba said.

Overall, Africa has recorded about 5 million cases of COVID-19 and 133,000 deaths.
Opening night movie In the Heights Photo: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Picture

The Tribeca Festival was created in the wake of 9/11, the brainchild of founders  Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal, and Craig Hatkoff  who were looking to lure people back downtown with an eclectic, hastily assembled lineup that included indies like Roger Dodger and Washington Heights, and also the premiere of Star Wars: Episode II  Attack of the Clones. On its 20th anniversary, having spent years establishing an identity and gradually spreading above 14th Street, Tribeca once again finds itself taking place in the aftermath of a major trauma. This time, its aiming to bring audiences back into a city thats in the process of reopening, and back to the movies by way of a mix of virtual and outdoor screenings spread out over multiple boroughs.

Since 2020s festival was canceled, with juried prizes for the films in competition announced online, Tribeca 2021 includes screenings of some of last years program in addition to a new slate that includes documentaries about Anthony Bourdain, Jackie Collins, and Rick James; a werewolf horror-comedy starring Sam Richardson; and a Detroit crime drama from Steven Soderbergh. The festival kicks off on June 9 with In the Heights, Jon M. Chus adaptation of Lin-Manuel Mirandas ebullient New York Cityset musical, which will premiere in outdoor screenings in all five boroughs. Heres a list of some of the other titles that Vulture cant wait to see.

All My Friends Hate Me

Pete (Tom Stourton, who co-wrote the script) hasnt seen his college friends for years, so the birthday bash theyve planned for him also serves as a reunion for the old crew as they head into their 30s. But, as the title indicates, All My Friends Hate Me is less The Big Chill and more cringe comedy, as things start going awry from the moment Pete arrives at the country manor where the groups spending the weekend. Shot through with social anxiety and class discomfort, this film from director Andrew Gaynord keeps you wondering as to whether someones out to sabotage Pete, as he starts to believe, or whether hes being paranoid and is just very good at ruining things for himself.

All These Sons

Documentarian Bing Liu got an Oscar nomination at the age of 30 for his debut Minding the Gap, a wrenchingly personal film about skateboarding, domestic abuse, and growing up in the Rust Belt town of Rockford, Illinois. Lius follow-up, which he directed with his Minding the Gap editor Joshua Altman, is another exploration of masculinity, this time set in the South and West sides of Chicago. All These Sons focuses on two mentorship programs  IMAN Green ReEntry and the MAAFA Redemption Project  aimed at young men at high risk of becoming perpetrators or victims of gun violence. As it follows the progress of some of the programs participants, All These Sons explores what it means to grow up in the midst of trauma and constant fear for your life, and what it takes to start believing a stable future is possible.

As of Yet

Throwing journalistic objectivity out of the way for a second, As of Yet is a showcase for comedian and Official Friend of Vulture Taylor Garron, who stars, co-directed, and wrote the screenplay. Like Garrons Follow (From a Safe Distance) Friday series, As of Yet takes the form of multiple video-chat conversations, through which a young Brooklynite navigates dating, friendship, and COVID during those dark, socially distanced days of summer 2020. If it hits, well be able to brag that we knew her back when.

Bernsteins Wall

How does one do justice to the breadth and impact of Leonard Bernsteins life and career? The man wasnt just the most important American conductor of the 20th century, he was also a highly visible and committed activist, as well as a genuine celebrity  the rare high-culture figure who crossed the social membrane to become a household name, and then did something with that clout. He was also a gay man who struggled with his sexuality. Over the years, documentarian Doug Tirola has shown himself to be a versatile chronicler of both the intimate and the seismic, with titles like An Omar Broadway Film and Drunk Stoned Brilliant Dead: The Story of the National Lampoon to his credit. That bodes well for his ability to tackle this monumental figure.

Catch the Fair One

Professional boxer Kali Reis makes her bruisingly compelling acting debut in this thriller from Manos Sucias director Josef Kubota Wladyka and executive producer Darren Aronofsky, as a character whose search for closure, or at least revenge, resonates with Reiss real-life activism. Reis plays Kaylee, a fighter who spiraled into addiction after her sister went missing. When she picks up the trail of a human-trafficking operation that targets vulnerable Indigenous women, she risks everything in pursuit of the possibility that she might find her lost sibling, uncovering a world in which evil lurks behind banal domesticity.

False Positive

Its just a shot hop from comedy to horror for Ilana Glazer and director John Lee, who worked together on Broad City, and have leapt together into co-writing this movie about pregnancy gone wrong. Glazer stars as a woman who, along with her husband Justin Theroux, resorts to a fertility treatment offered by a sinister Pierce Brosnan. In the grand tradition of Rosemarys Baby, she quickly starts to believe that something has gone wrong, and that Brosnan might be in on it. The enviable cast along for the genre experiment also includes Sophia Bush as one of Glazers friends, Zainab Jah as a midwife, and Gretchen Mol as a sinister nurse.

Italian Studies

Ever since breaking out as a mercurial princess Margaret on The Crown, Vanessa Kirby has challenged again and again on film, whether in a frontier love affair in The World to Come or in the aftermath of a disastrous home birth in Pieces of a Woman. Here, she slips into a Lower Manhattan fugue state as a woman who isnt quite who she is or where shes meant to be. Adam Leon previously wrote and directed two other New York odysseys with Gimme the Loot and Tramps. Italian Studies is full of beautiful footage (shot by Brett Jutkiewicz) of New York, pre-pandemic, full of crowds and happenstance. This journey, however, is less about a character getting from point A to B as much as having the city reveal her identity back to herself.

No Sudden Move

Steven Soderbergh and a cast of movie stars doing a heist: That alone should be enough to get your heart rate up. In this case, the heist involves a group of small-time Detroit criminals in 1954 who, after things go wrong, try to figure out who hired them and why. The list of movie stars involved here includes Don Cheadle, Benicio del Toro, David Harbour, Ray Liotta, Jon Hamm, Brendan Fraser, Kieran Culkin, Amy Seimetz, and Julia Fox. Ed Solomon, of Bill & Ted and recent Soderbergh choose-your-own experiment Mosaic, wrote the script. Is this the kind of Soderbergh experiment that is mostly intellectually interesting, or will it actually click? Either way, were intrigued.

The Novice

That one scene in The Social Network aside, college rowing lags far behind its brethren when it comes to cinematic recognition. To rectify that, here comes The Novice, a psychological drama set in the high-stakes world of womens crew. Isabelle Fuhrman (the creepy kid from Orphan, now grown) stars as a freshman who pushes herself to the brink while attempting to make varsity, giving Elisabeth Mosss deranged eye makeup a run for its money in the process. This is also the directorial debut of Whiplash sound editor Lauren Hadaway, who brings a coxed eights worth of style to this most rigorously ascetic of sports.

Poser

A love letter to the Columbus, Ohio, music scene by way of a dark satire about creativity and performance. Newcomer Sylvie Mix plays an aspiring podcaster  please, keep reading  who lurks around the edges of the scene, eventually latching onto electro-pop diva Bobbi Kitten of Damn the Witch Siren, whos playing herself. (The band also contributed the moody score.) Like a young musician listing their influences, Posers debt to previous studies of social-media induced malaise is apparent, but the film is worth seeing as a portrait of an artistic community that hasnt had much time in the national spotlight.

Queen of Glory

Nana Mensah (of Farewell Amor and the upcoming Sandra Oh Netflix comedy series The Chair) wrote and stars in her directorial debut, a warm-hearted dramedy about a woman on the verge of making sweeping changes when life takes her back to her start. Mensah plays Sarah Obeng, a molecular neuro-oncology doctoral student whos about to leave everything behind to move to Ohio with her lover, despite the fact that hes yet to officially leave his wife. But when her mother abruptly dies, Sarah has to instead return to the Bronx to take care of her late parents affairs and the Christian bookstore that shes inherited. In doing so, she discovers aspects of her mothers life that she didnt know about, while being re-immersed in the Ghanaian community in which she grew up.

Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain

Bourdains 2018 suicide tragically cut short a remarkable journey that saw him go from celebrated chef to culinary bad boy to dishy memoirist to travel-show host to generational icon. And judging by the trailer, it seems that this film will take in the full measure of the man. One could not hope for a more appropriate director than Morgan Neville, one of our foremost observers of extreme characters (Best of Enemies, Wont You Be My Neighbor?, Theyll Love Me When Im Dead). If all goes well, this seems like a film we might be talking about a lot this year.

Roaring 20s

Shot in six takes in Paris last summer, amid a loosening of pandemic restrictions, Elisabeth Voglers film follows the coincidental interactions between strangers (remember those?) through an afternoon along the Seine. Part of the draw is simply the technical accomplishment of weaving the scenes and storylines together, coordinating it all amid the pandemic, and Volgers ability to find ways to crisscross the city with a camera in order to follow all the characters. Along the way, therell be an anthropological glimpse of many forms of Parisian life, and evening shots of the Seine.

The Scars of Ali Boulala

There are few documentary subgenres more cinematic than the skating movie, given the subjects inherent kinetic nature and the practitioners obsession with documenting their every move and wipe-out over the years. Years ago, Swedens Ali Boulala was one of skatings most exciting, offbeat stars, specializing in seemingly unhinged, unusually creative moves  until his star came crashing down after a fatal accident upended his life and shocked his world. Its a fascinating, heartbreaking, controversial story.

Untitled: Dave Chappelle Documentary

The last time Chappelle starred in a documentary, we got Michel Gondrys sublime, joyous Dave Chappelles Block Party. This one promises a different tone, as the subject matter this time are the cornfield concerts the comedian put on during a time of pandemic, protest, and economic chaos, and the directors are Steve Bognar and Julia Reichert, who won an Oscar for 2019s immersive, moving American Factory.

Werewolves Within

This horror comedy from director Josh Ruben and writer Mishna Wolff is inspired by a 2016 VR game of the same name, but you dont need to be familiar with it to understand the premise, which is basically Mafia by way of a rural town named Beaverfield. Sam Richardson stars as Finn, a forest ranger whos new to the area, and who finds himself leading an investigation into whether one of the members of the small, contentious community is secretly a werewolf, while the body count steadily rises. The big selling point is the ensemble casts abundance of comedic talent  in addition to Richardson, it also includes Milana Vayntrub, Michaela Watkins, Cheyenne Jackson, Michael Chernus, Harvey Guillen, and more.

Wolfgang

Continuing a trend of movies about celebrity chefs at this years festival, California cuisine pioneer Wolfgang Puck gets his own documentary, too, which will be released on Disney+ at the end of the month. Promising sign: Its directed by Jiro Dreams of Sushis David Gelb, which suggests that itll be as much about the actual food as it will be about the subjects outsize personality.
The Handmaids Tale Progress Season 4 Episode 9 Editors Rating 4 stars * * * *  Previous Next Photo: Sophie Giraud/ HULU

The CanadianGileadean border is much more porous than weve been led to believe. Just a few episodes ago June was forging an NGO ID card to make it across Lake Michigan while American citizens wept on chainlink fences, desperate to storm the boat. But in Progress, new lines of communication are set up left and right. June simply calls Lawrence on his desk phone. Boop boop beep, the numbers are punched, and there he is, ready to chat treason. The Putnams  a high-ranking family and part of the leadership chain  not only jet into Canada, they also pay a little social visit to their friends in international war crimes jail, bearing navy blue baby sweaters and what Im assuming are Cuban cigars. Nick too shimmies up into the land of eternal snow, taking what must have been an exhaustingly long car ride to meet June, without attracting any notice or suspicion.

Now that June is across the border, it seems as though the line has disappeared. Tuello (despite Lawrences claim that the Americans dont have a pot to piss in) can arrange any call, any visit. Presumably, he and other government agents have contacts on Gileads side, spy-craft methods for arranging such rendezvous. But Progress makes it all appear so simple that I wondered why the hell Tuello didnt just reach into Gilead last season and pluck June out himself.

And yet, despite this adamant refusal by the Handmaids Tale writers to simply obey the rules of their own universe, Progress proves that the back half of this fourth season is one of the best stretches of the show in recent memory. With (most of) the ceaseless violence in the rearview, its turned back into a character-driven experience, and its all the better for it.

The episode is anchored by three big dialogues, each with June and one of the men whose care, affection, efforts (and occasional cruelty) kept her alive in Gilead. If theres anything The Handmaids Tale excels at, its pushing characters up and down a spectrum of kindness and cruelty perfectly in keeping with real-life mood swings, shifting priorities, and creeping and dissipating selfishness. No one slides up and down that spectrum more than Lawrence, who single-handedly designed Gileads economy and then retreated to his Victorian-designed, Abstract-Expressionist-filled mansion to quietly enjoy the perks of the demonic society without stressing too much about its human-rights violations. Through it all hes remained blistering and sarcastic, unwilling even when hes being helpful to do it with a smile.

So when June calls and begs for his help finding Hannah (she must know through some channel hes been reinstated to the Council and isnt dangling from the wall or rotting in a cell), its impossible to know how Lawrence will react. His over-the-top cruelty, however  insisting that hell happily return Hannah if June brings back ten kids from Angels Flight  must be the result of pressure from the other Commanders. Think about it: Is there any chance his phone is not tapped? That a Commander recently released from prison for treason would operate freely in a society as watchful as Gilead?

This doesnt mean his point about Hannah perhaps being better off with her family in Gilead doesnt make a small bit of sense. Plenty of other children from Angels Flight are struggling to see their real families as familiar or comforting. If America fell about five years ago, 8-, 9-, or 10-year-old kids might barely recall their mothers or fathers faces and smells, their voices and gentle hands. Anyone whos read The Face on the Milk Carton knows that it isnt as easy as just reuniting a kidnapped child with their long-lost family and waiting for the tearful, happy hugs.

Lukes bid to use Nick as their point person in Gilead makes so much sense its a wonder June didnt bring it up before. But Im glad she didnt, that we had the chance to see this scene between them, as Luke darts between fury, desperation, and despondency when he presses June to visit Nick with Nichole in tow, all the better to convince him to help. Luke and Junes relationship has bounced around like a ping-pong ball since she crossed into Canada. Romance and rejection, guilt and relief. Finding Hannah unites them in their purpose, but using Nick presses a small sliver between them. Luke knows that Nick wasnt just pressed onto June (after all, she named their baby after him), and tries to simultaneously understand and appreciate that she had someone to love her and care for her in Gilead, while also wanting to banish Nick from his minds eye.

The last time June saw Nick was their tearful goodbye kiss by the bridge (these two have said more goodbyes than the hobbits at the end of Return of the King). And while I felt guilty for it, I clapped seeing them together again, obviously as taken with each other as they were back at the Waterfords. I did have some questions about the situation, notably why, of all colors, June has a Handmaid-red coat (seems an odd choice) and what made her try to push an umbrella stroller in the snow (not possible!). But together in the abandoned Catholic school, the light streaming in behind them like it was trumpeted down from heaven itself, their family of three looked cozy and content, like they might have prospered in an alternate universe. Even that glint of a gold ring Nick slid on his finger as June backed away didnt deter my fantasy that someday June might simply move between her two partners like Bill Henrickson crossing backyards in Big Love.

The trip, of course, was to gather any information about Hannah, which Nick apparently has in spades. New photos from friendlies near her house in Colorado Springs in the Western Territories, her address, her school, even reports on her behavior. Getting her out, Nick claims, is impossible, though I doubt that very much. The Handmaids Tale thrives on impossibility!

The Handmaids Tales cinematography has always favored crisply framed, symmetrical shots, but the sight of Aunt Lydia and her cronies seated Last Supperstyle for dinner hit a practically operatic high. Does it make sense that 13 women would all dine on the same side of one table? Absolutely not, but style far outweighs substance here. Theres Lydia, Jesus herself, begging patience and love from her (unwilling) acolytes. What are her plans for Janine and the former Mrs. Keyes, two women brought together time and again over the refusal to eat food? Is this a plot, or, gasp, a change in character for Lydia, whose soft spot for the young and weak can send her to wild extremes?

After the ho-hum to-and-fro of their imprisonment (Serena hates Fred, Fred hates Serena, Serena needs Fred, Fred needs Serena, ad nauseam), the Waterfords emotional stasis has finally broken. The Putnams visit (one can have fellow criminal visitors in international war crimes jail? And said visitors can bring baby gifts?) finally, deliciously plants the seed of worry in Serena and Freds minds that weve all been waiting for. The state, theyve realized, could take away their child and give it to someone else. This would be cruel, they spit at each other bitterly, entirely unaware of the most rampant hypocrisy to have ever existed. They could make me a Handmaid, Serena whispers, suddenly party to the fact that the life of a forced concubine may not be as godly and rewarding as shed made it out to be.

But they possess the one thing June lacked in her years stuck under their roof: leverage. Gilead wont take them back with open arms  the other commanders have lost interest in Fred, not even bothering to parlay with the Canadians on his return. The Putnams little social visit is a thinly veiled warning. And so they trade what they have  intel on Gileads plans, hierarchies, and capabilities  for their freedom.

Tuello foolishly presents this to June and Luke as a boon, as if Fred Waterford will bend over backward to return Hannah to them. And what I appreciate most about Progress is that June doesnt treat this information with the same steely-eyed, direct-to-camera stare as always. That man is a fucking rapist and you know what he did to me, she bellows, just before she levels a promise Im worried she might keep: I will kill you!
Starbucks will let customers bring their own mugs to US company-owned cafes again starting on June 22.

Before the pandemic, the coffee chain encouraged customers to bring their own reusable mugs to stores. But in March of last year, Starbucks suspended the program throughout the world because of the coronavirus. Starbucks has been gradually bringing it back in international markets and is now ready to reinstate the program in the United States  with some changes.

Before the pandemic, baristas would clean visibly dirty mugs before refilling them. But now employees will only accept clean mugs, and they won't touch them: Instead, a customer will place their own cup into a larger ceramic mug. The barista will hold the ceramic mug's handle rather than the cup when preparing the drink. Once the beverage is ready, the customer will pick their cup up from within the mug. Personal mugs that don't fit will be placed on trays.

Starbucks will also resume offering drinks in reusable mugs for people who plan to consume their beverages on premise. Customers who go through Starbucks' drive-thru still have to accept their drinks in Starbucks' disposable cups.

Starbucks has been trying for years to reduce waste by developing a more environmentally-friendly disposable cup and increasing the number of customers who use reusable mugs.

That can be a challenge: It's much easier to get a to-go cup and throw it out when you're done than to remember to bring your own mug, or return one provided by the store. But if Starbucks doesn't offer the option, it runs the risk of losing environmentally-conscious customers to a competitor. And the concept is gaining popularity: Companies from Burger King to McDonald's have been testing out reusable packaging.

To reduce the use of disposable cups in stores, Starbucks offers a modest ten cent discount to people who bring their own mugs. It has also tested fees for disposable cups in Germany and the United Kingdom. This spring, it started testing a "borrow a cup" program in a handful of stores in Seattle, which allows customers to order drinks in reusable cups. To participate, customers have to pay a $1 refundable deposit. They must return the cup when they've finished their drinks or get it picked up from home to get the deposit back.
A Huntsville school's name, around since the 1950's, could be forever changed. Tuesday night, Superintendent Christie Finley with Huntsville City Schools announced a proposal to rename Lee High School.

The school is named after Confederate General Robert E. Lee.

Lee High School (Image from Lee High School website) Lee High School (Image from Lee High School website)

This is the first time discussion to rename Lee High School has come up since it moved into its new location off Meridian Street. While Finley said the decision to rename it will ultimately be made by the Lee community, a state law could get in the way.

"This is going to be a very slow, a very intentional and transparent process," Finley said.

She will be focused on working with the community to answer two questions - should the school be renamed? If so, what should it be?

However, school board attorney, Christopher Pape, is focused on another issue.

"I will work with the board members in making sure that the process the board undertakes complies with the Alabama Memorial Preservation Act," Pape said.

According to the Alabama Memorial Preservation Act, a "memorial" school that has been around for 20 years or more cannot be renamed.

Pape said they are working to determine if Lee is considered a "memorial" school since it is named after a confederate general and if the AG's office will take into account the high school was relocated into a new building just 10 years ago.

"The currently building itself was built in 2011," Pape said. "Which is obviously not 20 years ago."

Pape said they have already begun seeking informal guidance from the Attorney General's office. The next step would be to write a letter on behalf of the board to get approval to rename the school. If that is denied, the board can apply for a waiver.

Ultimately, if the AG's office denies the waiver, there is a $25,000 fine the board can pay.

"Once that's paid, the renaming can happen, regardless of the other steps," Pape said.

Principal Tony Woods said he intends to remain neutral throughout the process, a process that is just now beginning.

"This is not a sprint, it's a marathon," Woods said.

Finley said they will present a timeline of the process at the next board meeting scheduled June 15.

Some members of the community are already voicing their opinions. A representative from the Huntsville/Madison County chapter of the NAACP told WAAY 31 they are in support of renaming Lee High School.
There's new hope for people dealing with Alzheimer's Disease. Government health officials approved the first drug that may help slow the progression of the disease.

Aduhelm is the first new Alzheimer's treatment to get any kind of approval from the government in 20 years.

There is just a glimmer of hope that it does stop those particles in your brain, and those plaques and everything that causes it," said Amber Stuart. "I really hope its going to work you know, theres always just hope out there. Every day theyre doing research.

The Executive Director for Alabama's chapter of Alzheimer's Association, Jessica Miller, knows first hand the hardships this disease has on a family. So, she said this advancement in medicine affecting the underlying disease process is encouraging.

Hope for future treatments, hope that this drug may work for certain people. Hope you share memories and experiences with your loved ones for longer," said Miller.

Like Miller, Stuart's lost a loved one to Alzheimer's Disease.

In July it'll be six years since her mom died from the disease. Stuart hopes this new drug will prevent anyone from having to witness the progression this disease has on a person.

The very last part of it, just not being able to walk, and then the very last is not being able to swallow, you know, and then having to tell your kids whats really going on, and then, just being gone," Stuart said emotionally about her mom's progression with the disease. "You think youre prepared, and then really youre not. Ever. Ever.

Stuart told WAAY 31 that even though it's too late for her mom to receive the treatment, she's excited for everyone that will be able to receive it.

June is Alzheimer's and Brain Awareness Month. So, the Alzheimer's Association said the approval couldn't have happened at a better time.
Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for the man accused of killing 3 people in Guntersville while free on parole.

Jimmy Spencer is facing more than half a dozen capital murder charges for the deaths of 7-year-old Colton Lee, his great-grandmother Marie Martin and their neighbor Martha Reliford.

Spencer appeared in court for the first time in more than a year Tuesday for a status hearing.

The judge announced Spencer is mentally competent to go to trial, which is expected to take place January 10, 2022. The victim's families were visibly upset it's not happening sooner.

"I hope they kill him. I would love to see him plugged up dead," Dorothy Hayes said.

She wants justice for her sister Martha Reliford.

"She's been dead 3 years and they should have done have that trial," Hayes said.

"We want the same thing. We want justice," Marshall County District Attorney Everette Johnson said.

With a trial date now set, attorneys are now working on ways to ensure a fair trial.

The judge says they will summon 450 potential jurors because of the case's notoriety and the recent increase in jury summons absences.

The summons are expected to be sent out 30 days before Spencer's trial is set to begin.

Johnson says they lost a year because of the pandemic, but for the most part everything's moved rather quickly.

"Being tried in our area that's not a long time for a capital case of this magnitude, where there are three victims, three separate murders," Johnson explained.

Right now, attorneys are working on a questionnaire to narrow down the jury and ensure a fair trial. It's expected to be finalized this november.

Johnson says he's not worried about the increase of jury summons absences caused by the pandemic.

"We are having people who are responding well to jury summons," Johnson said. "We always have a sufficient number of jurors to do business."

He adds they're doing everything they can to try to lift the victim's families burden.

"We are certainly seeking justice as quickly as we can," Johnson said.

Attorneys expect spencers trial to last 2 to 3 weeks. The victim's families are now anxious for that day to come to finally get justice for their loved ones.

"It's been a living hell every day. We've had to suffer every day knowing what she went through," Hayes said.

Hayes did go up to the judge asking him why prosecutors aren't charging more people they believe might be involved in their sister's murder. The district attorney says they're investigation was very thorough, and they don't expect any more charges in the case. The judge suggested the family reach out to the state or FBI.

Jimmy Spencer was out on parole when the murders took place.

Our WAAY 31 I-team uncovered Spencer remained a violent man while in prison and was arrested while out on parole. However, he was never sent back to prison. Our investigations lead to new leadership on the state parole board and new laws to hold its members accountable. You can find more information on our investigations here.
A man accused of murdering 3 people in Guntersville while out on parole was discovered to have potentially dangerous contraband when he arrived at the Marshall County Jail this week.

Jimmy Spencer had a shank, Marshall County Sheriff Phil Sims told WAAY 31.

Jimmy Spencer Jimmy Spencer

Spencer was in the Marshall County Courthouse on Tuesday for a hearing that set a trial date for those murder charges. (Read more HERE)

Sims said new technology at his jail led to the shank being found and confiscated.

"He had it hid very well, and our body scanner was able to pick it up and we were able to find it," Sims said.

This week, the sheriffs office drove to Montgomery to pick up Spencer at Kilby Prison and bring him to Marshall County for his hearing.

According to the Alabama Department of Corrections, Spencer is under maximum security at the prison in what is called close custody.

Sims said the prison had Spencer ready to go and he was loaded into his offices vehicle and brought straight to the jail.

Once there, he was put through a body scanner.

The device found the shank.

"You know generally, I can't tell you how he got it, but the DOC has always done a good job when we pick people up to have them searched and have them ready to go," Sims said.

Sims said the body scanner has been a crucial tool in finding contraband.

"We all know Spencer's background, Sims said.

We know he can be a violent person, so it's very important we find this stuff because if he gets access to this stuff and we don't know it, he could injure another inmate, injure our corrections officers.

Sims said this is the first time he can recall an inmate coming from the prison system and into his jail with contraband.

WAAY 31 has reached out to the Department of Corrections with questions about the incident. We have yet to hear back.

Sims said Spencer remains in his custody, and hes keeping him in solitary lockdown inside the jail.

"It's just about safety. It's about protecting our corrections and protecting other inmates," Sims said.
First discovery on Tiber riverbed by new underwater heritage protection unit.

Three massive Roman columns have been discovered at the bottom of the river Tiber by underwater archaeologists together with carabinieri divers.

The marble columns were found in almost "zero visibility" waters where the Tiber meets the Fossa Traiana, the artificial canal established by Emperor Trajan to connect Portus, ancient Rome's harbour, with the river Tevere.

The discovery is the result of the first operation carried out by the Underwater Heritage Protection Service, newly established by the Archaeological Park of Ostia Antica, with the help of divers from belonging to the carabinieri and Rome's cultural heritage protection unit.

The successful first outing by the new underwater team, headed by underwater archaeologist Alessandra Ghelli, found the columns at a depth of five metres.

Partially buried in the river bed and embankment, the columns exceed one metre in diameter and two and a half metres in length, and have yet to be reclaimed from the murky waters.

The columns were discovered in almost 'zero-visibility' waters.

Alessandro D'Alessio, director of the Ostia Antica archaeological park, told news agency ANSA that during their next operation the divers will attempt to take samples to determine the type of marble and its origin.

Their efforts are hampered by almost non-existent visibility in the waters which are reportedly clogged with rubbish, animal carcasses, debris and mud.

The three columns have been photographed and registered in the database of the Comando Carabinieri per la Tutela del Patrimonio Culturale (TPC) who will seek to establish that they are not stolen.

So how did they get there in the first place?

The most likely reason for the columns' presence in the water is the result of a boat sinking in ancient Roman times, according to D'Alessio, who recalls that the Tiber was widely used for the transport of goods and materials.

D'Alessio described Imperial Rome as "undoubtedly the most coveted landing place" for traders of marble keen to sell their wares in the "most flourishing market for marble" from quarries all over the Mediterranean.

As for why the lost cargo has remained at the bottom of the riverbed, D'Alessio believes it was too difficult to recover, especially considering the "impressive dimensions" of the columns.
Irish low-cost airline tackles competition from Wizz Air in Rome as aviation industry begins long road to recovery after covid-19 crisis.

Ryanair is to double the number of planes it has based at Rome's Fiumicino airport from three to six this summer, the Irish low-cost airline announced in a statement.

This will take Ryanair's fleet of Boeing 737 planes in Rome for the summer season to 14, between Fiumicino and Ciampino, its other base in the Italian capital.

We are delighted to confirm our commitment to Rome and the region, with 78 routes in total from both airports," said Ryanairs commercial director Jason McGuinness, announcing "six new routes and over 65 extra departing flights every week this summer.

The six new flight destinations being launched by Ryanair from Rome at the start of August are: Chania, Fuerteventura, Liverpool, Santorini, Tenerife South, and Zakynthos.

Fiumicino, Italys leading airport, is the main hub of struggling national carrier Alitalia as well as home to a new base for another Ryanair competitor: Wizz Air.

Last month the Hungarian low-cost carrier announced it would be opening its fifth base in Italy, with four new aircraft to be based at Fiumicino.

The expansion into Rome will see Wizz Air operate 32 new routes to 19 countries, in addition to the 25 routes it already operates into Fiumicino and Ciampino.

Photo credit: JGA / Shutterstock.com.
Brian Gregory Robling of Washington, 23, passed away Monday, June 7, 2021. Brian was born July 11, 1997, in Washington, to Amber (Robling) Whiteman and Michael Bernard. He graduated from Washington High School in 2016. Brian is survived by his parents; his son, Zyler Mehrer of Washington; da
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Wellness Center to see changes in coming months including removal of lap pool

Photo by Moss Brennan The Paul H. Broyhill Wellness Center will see future changes including the filling in of the lap pool. Photo by Moss Brennan The Paul H. Broyhill Wellness Center is located at 232 Boone Heights Drive, Boone.

BOONE  The Paul H. Broyhill Wellness Center is currently in the process of being re-imagined to serve the community, which includes removing the lap pool.

Rob Hudspeth, senior vice president for system advancement at Appalachian Regional Healthcare System, said for the past three years, the health care system has been in the process of revitalizing all of its facilities and services to prepare for growth in the coming decades, which included the Wellness Center.

Since the county announced that they were going forward with the recreation center, weve been contemplating what that means for the future of the Wellness Center, especially being that theyre a block apart, Hudspeth said.

One of the biggest changes coming to the center is the removal of the lap pool.

This decision was based on utilization of our pool and the availability of the pool at the new recreation center, Hudspeth said. We have not made a determination regarding the therapy pool and are still evaluating how and where to continue those services.

If the Watauga Community Recreation Center did not have a pool, Hudspeth said the lap pool at the Wellness Center would most likely stay open.

Mary Stolberg, a member of the Wellness Center, is disappointed that the lap pool will be closing. She said that as a cancer survivor and someone who suffers from an autoimmune disorder, she would rather swim in a cleaner pool rather than one thats frequented by children and many other people.

I think its just a mistake for people who are immunocompromised and older to be exposed to that and I think its a real disservice, Stolberg said. It just is not wise to put us into a pool where we are with unvaccinated people and germ carriers.

She also said the Wellness Center offers more privacy for someone like her who is older, verses locker rooms at the Watauga Community Recreation Center.

Stolberg, who has been a lifelong swimmer, had constantly used the lap pool before COVID-19 pandemic, but has not during the pandemic due to health concerns. She said she plans to use it as she can while its still available.

During her 31 years in the county, Stolberg said she has had very good experiences with the hospital, but she is upset the lap pool is being removed.

The re-imagining of the center, Hudspeth said, is directly related to growth in three key areas. The first is AppOrtho, which has grown 213 percent in the past five years.

As AppOrtho seeks to grow to meet the communitys demand  and develop a comprehensive sports medicine and performance lab  relocating to the Wellness Center made the most sense, Hudspeth said. Having AppOrtho located beside The Rehabilitation Center, where orthopedic providers and physical therapists can work in concert, will allow for care continuity under one roof.

Hudspeth said that currently, people would go to the AppOrtho office for their medical appointment and then go to the Wellness Center for their physical therapy. With the Wellness Center changes, patients will have it all in one building.

The sports medicine and performance lab would be able to help athletes who are dealing with an injury, such as tendinitis in an elbow of a softball pitcher. The player could go to the lab and staff would monitor the throwing motion and assess the mechanics to determine whats causing the injury.

While AppOrtho has grown immensely, so has The Rehabilitation Center  with physical and occupational therapy services  located within the Wellness Center. Hudspeth said the rehabilitation portion has grown 162 percent since 2018 with therapists providing therapy in tight, confined spaces.

The new plan, Hudspeth said, allows for the physical and occupational therapy to have more space and grow with demand. Along with that comes change in how clinical wellness and medical fitness programs are delivered.

As we continue to shift toward prioritizing population health management we will adopt processes which align patients with targeted medical wellness programs, Hudspeth said. These programs will be directed by medical providers and carried out by therapists and personal trainers in a newly renovated space within the Wellness Center. We will continue to offer memberships for people who seek to ensure their personal physical fitness beyond their medical fitness program.

Hudspeth said the new architectural designs will be finalized in the next few weeks and, once they are complete, will be posted in the Wellness Center.
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Loki actor Tom Hiddleston said he welcomed Marvel Studios decision to address the popular villains gender fluidity in a new Disney+ streaming series that debuts on Wednesday.

At a screening in London on Tuesday, Hiddleston noted that Loki had been portrayed as gender-fluid in Marvel comic books as well as in Norse mythology, where the character originated.

Tom Hiddleston says Loki, who is gender fluid, has always been a character you could never put in a box. Credit:Getty

On Sunday, Walt Disney Co released a clip from the new series and briefly showed a prisoner file that listed Lokis sex as fluid.

Its always been there, Hiddleston said in an interview at the screening. Loki as a character has had such a broad-ranging and wide-ranging identity. Hes always been a character you could never put in a box, you could never pin down.
Federal Water Minister Keith Pitt says the government remains determined to build new dams in the Murray-Darling Basin, rejecting comments from a leading researcher that climate change would reduce the likelihood that they would fill.

The government had set aside $3.5 billion for critical water infrastructure and planned to press ahead with supporting major new dams or dam extensions such as Wyangala Dam in NSW.

Federal water minister Keith Pitt, speaking at a Murray Darling Basin Authority conference in Griffith, backed more dam building despite criticism over their rising costs. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer

The Commonwealth is committed to building more dams. Its that easy, Mr Pitt told a conference organised by the Murray-Darling Basin Authority on Tuesday in the NSW Riverina town of Griffith.

If we want reliability of water supply that requires storage and water infrastructure, he later told reporters.
Social media finfluencers who dispense advice to followers often have vested interests in the investments they promote, a leading academic says, and the information provided can result in overvalued assets, large price swings and big loses for vulnerable investors.

Given that social media finfluencers are growing in power, Angel Zhong, senior finance lecturer at RMIT, says consideration should be given by the platforms to have explicit disclaimers in place to warn potential investors about the reliability of the information provided.

RMIT academic Angel Zhong says social media platforms should look into requiring finfluencers, such as cryptocurrency promoters, to carry wealth warnings. Credit:Bloomberg

Giving personal financial advice without a licence in Australia is illegal. However, the finfluencers with the biggest followings are from outside our borders and not subject to our laws.

For example, TikToks #moneytok has had more than 7.6 billion page views and #stocktok 1.3 billion.
The watchdog for Australias national security laws says there is no reason why a summary of a secret prosecution of a former Australian spy could not have been published three years ago.

Independent National Security Legislation Monitor Grant Donaldson on Wednesday held a hearing into the case of Witness J, a former military intelligence officer who was convicted of mishandling classified information that potentially revealed the identities of agents recruited by Australian intelligence agencies.

The case of Witness J was tried and sentenced in secret. Credit:Tamara Voninski

Witness J, also referred to as Alan Johns, was imprisoned in a Canberra jail for 15 months after being remanded in custody by ACT Chief Magistrate Lorraine Walker in May 2018.

Mr Donaldson last year launched an inquiry into the unique set of circumstances which led to Witness J being tried, sentenced and jailed in secret.
Beijing: Neighbourhoods under strict lockdown. Thousands quarantined. Millions tested in mere days. Overseas arrivals locked up for weeks and sometimes months.

China has followed variations of that formula for dealing with the coronavirus for more than a year  and a new outbreak suggests that they could be part of Chinese life for some time to come.

A man carries a child kindergarten in Beijing this week. Credit:AP

China appeared to get the coronavirus under control nearly a year ago. But hundreds of millions of Chinese people remain unvaccinated, new variants of the coronavirus have appeared and questions remain about whether made-in-China vaccines can stop them.

The latest cases have been found in Guangzhou, capital of the southern province of Guangdong. Authorities have blamed the Delta variant which has caused widespread loss of life in India.
A person of interest in the murders of an Elsmere cellphone store worker and a North Philadelphia Dunkin store manager is now in custody after police said he was involved in a Wilmington armed robbery Tuesday.

NBC10 confirmed Tuesday that a person of interest in both murders is Keith Gibson, who was arrested Tuesday after he allegedly pistol-whipped a clerk at the Rite-Aid on the 800 block of W. 4th Street at around 8:20 a.m. Tuesday.

Gibson is also a person of interest in the murder of his own mother in February, law enforcement sources said.

Early Saturday morning, Christine Lugo, 40, was shot and killed by an armed robber as she was opening the Dunkin store on the 500 block of West Lehigh Avenue in Philadelphia's Fairhill neighborhood.

Surveillance video shows a man standing outside near the door before forcibly grabbing Lugo and pushing her inside the store as he brandished a handgun. The video further shows him forcing her into the kitchen, then a storage room, where he makes her give him cash.

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Police said that after Lugo gave him the money, the man shot her once in the head and fled. Lugo was declared dead at the scene.

Police released surveillance photos of the suspect. Law enforcement sources told NBC10 the mans description matched a suspect in a similar crime on May 15, 2021, in which a woman working at a Metro by T-Mobile store on the 900 block of Kirkwood Highway in Elsmere. Leslie Ruiz-Basilio, 28, was killed by an armed robber who also stole her vehicle.

Federal agents and police in both Delaware and Philadelphia are all working to connect the three crimes.

Gibson was arraigned and committed to Howard R. Young Prison on $305,000 cash-only bail for the Tuesday armed robbery.
Wilmington, DE (19810)

Today

Cloudy this evening with showers after midnight. Low 64F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Cloudy this evening with showers after midnight. Low 64F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.
A 37-year-old man was shot multiple times and killed early Wednesday morning, according to Dover Police.

Authorities said officers discovered the victim, shot in his torso several times, in the area of West North Street and Simon Circle around 1:33 a.m. on June 9, 2021.

The victim was transported to an area hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. His name is being withheld pending notification of next of kin.

Dover's 1st murder suspect of 2021 arrested in NY A 22-year-old man wanted in connection to a Dover homicide in April has been arrested in New

It is the second homicide in Dover in 2021.

An arrest has been made in connection to the city's first homicide of the year, which occurred on April 12, 2021.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is urged to contact Dover Police Department at 302.736.7130 or Delaware Crime Stoppers at 1.800.TIP.3333.
Kentucky man charged with murder, pardoned by Bevin, to be placed on home incarceration
LMPD plans to fire officer accused of hitting kneeling protester in the head in May 2020
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Study shows lack of housing in Dodge County

Ed Zagorski / Ed Zagorski Russ Kashian, a professor and director of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Fiscal and Economics Research Center, presented a study, which revealed the lack of housing in Dodge County.

JUNEAU  Theres not much affordable housing available in Dodge County, according to a recent study presented to the executive committee Monday.

And its likely to get worse, said Russ Kashian.

Kashian, a professor and director of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Fiscal and Economics Research Center, along with his research associate, Clayton Gallmann, presented their work before more than 20 municipal and county officials.

Dodge County has somewhat of an affordable housing challenge, Kashian said. It isnt as enormous as it is in other communities, primarily because the housing prices here are a little less expensive. The challenge is that as Dodge County becomes more and more popular, and it will as the push comes up from Dane County and Jefferson County and they discover Dodge County, the challenge will become greater and the reason is that the supply of housing is very tight.

He said the short supply of houses on the market will increase prices, as seen in the current market. New housing starts have decreased significantly over the past year, mainly because of increased costs and the decrease in building materials.

Kashian was opposed to the belief that millennials dont want to purchase homes like their parents have done in their lifetimes.

The rate of home ownerships among millennials (people reaching young adulthood in the early 21st Century) is nearly the same as it was for baby boomers (people born from 1946 to 1964, during the post-World War II baby boom), he said, adding that each generation is slightly lower than the previous one. It changes slightly, but its not a big number. Its not going from 67% to 40%. Its going from 67% to 63% or 64%. So this idea that as your children and grandchildren get older theyre not going to want to own a home anyhow is not accurate. They want to own a home just like you and I. We will continue to have that push in demand.

Kashian said demand will remain at critical levels at the lower end of the income scale as house prices continue to increase, especially for those with a limited income.

Gallmann, a University of Wisconsin-Whitewater senior, presented Dodge County housing analysis slides revealing that the median home price in Dodge County jumped from $132,321 in 2016 to $195,000 in April 2021. Gallmann said that compares to $289,900 in the south-central region of the state and $235,000 around the state.

Watertown Mayor Emily McFarland said her city is working to allow, and is in the process of building, smaller homes on smaller lots to meet the growing need of those wanting homes.

Theres a need, but its about a balance, McFarland said. Its about the rehabilitative need versus the new needs in our city and striking the right balance between them.

McFarland said finding the balance is not something municipalities can do on their own. She said Dodge County cant use a broad brush to help all of its communities.

According to the housing study, the City of Watertown has approximately 1.6 months of inventory to meet the current demand of single-family housing.

The study also found there are 46% of households that will struggle to find adequate housing based on their income levels.

The analysis also projected there will be an increase of 981 additional households in Watertown between 2020 and 2030; and 320 new housing units built during the same time period, but it is projected Watertown will be 661 housing units short by 2030.

In Juneau, the study projected there are nearly five months of inventory to meet its current demand of single-family housing.

The study revealed there are 35% of households that will also struggle to find adequate housing based on their income levels in Juneau.

The analysis also projected there will be an increase of 32 households by 2030 and five projected new housing units constructed between 2020 and 2030, but the City of Juneau is projected to be short 27 homes by 2030.

The housing shortage is a problem for both small and large communities in Dodge County, Beaver Dam Mayor Becky Glewen said.

Glewen said tax incremental financing is one of the few tools to help developers build affordable housing. Cities can use deferred tax dollars from the developments involved to cover the cost of infrastructure, such as roads, utilities and site work, she said. Costs are reimbursed by the higher valuation of the development.

Kashian said TIFs do not work well for residential housing as infrastructure costs are almost always too high to be recovered. He said state law limits TIF funding for housing purposes.

He said cities can do things to allow for affordable housing options, even if there is no one-size-fits-all answer.

Kashian urged municipalities to become more user-friendly to developers. He also said cities should make more use of their limited supply of land.

The signs out there are still negative. In the next 10 years, the housing problem will grow worse, Kashian said. Prices will go up. Rents will go up. And it will impact the lower end of the market.

Following the presentation, Dodge County Administrator Jim Mielke said the draft report will be finalized and will go before the full Dodge County Board of Supervisors.


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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.
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Imagine that your iPhone breaks down and you have it confidently repaired at an Apple Authorized Service Center. Days later, you discover to your horror that someone posted the intimate photos you kept on that smartphone on your Facebook wall. Just that happened to a young woman in the United States, who will now receive millions of dollars in damages from the company.

The events occurred in 2016, when the iPhone of a 21-year-old student from Oregon stopped working. As the rule dictates, she took it for repair to an authorized Pegatron center, Apple's contractor, in California.

However, the technicians accessed the gallery of her device and shared "10 photos of her in various states of nudity and a sexual video" from her Facebook account, so it seemed that she herself would have published them.

#DarkWeb A price list released by Privacy Affairs revealed this information.

https://t.co/axJbueSj0M - Entrepreneur Mexico (@SoyEntrepreneur) June 2, 2021

The matter was handled practically in secret, to avoid a scandal that affected the image of Apple ; but the medium The Telegraph had access to the legal documents that describe the incident, which was confirmed by the company.

The records show that the student's attorneys asked for $ 5 million in compensation, otherwise they would proceed with a lawsuit for invasion of privacy and inflicting emotional distress . What's more, they warned of the "negative publicity" that would weigh on the company founded by Steve Jobs .

Before the matter escalated, Apple reached an agreement with the young woman in which they agreed to pay her "a millionaire sum ." The papers do not specify the exact amount of the payment, but they do include a confidentiality clause that prevents the victim from talking about the case and revealing the amount he received.

A company spokesman told the outlet that Apple has taken steps to strengthen its security protocols with vendors authorized to repair the firm's equipment, in order to ensure the protection of the privacy of its users.

Copyright 2021 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved
Frontier Airlines, Inc. has teamed up with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University  the worlds largest, most comprehensive aviation and aerospace institution  to identify and cultivate the next generation of highly skilled commercial airline pilots.

Frontier Airlines, Inc. has teamed up with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University  the worlds largest, most comprehensive aviation and aerospace institution  to identify and cultivate the next generation of highly skilled commercial airline pilots.

The new Frontier/Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Pilot Hiring Program will tap top-performing flight students who consistently demonstrate the work ethic, flying skill, aviation knowledge, professional attitude and demeanor to eventually become successful crew members for Frontier Airlines, said Frontiers Vice President of Flight Operations Brad Lambert.

As many pilots across the aviation industry approach retirement age and we grow our airline, Frontier expects to hire hundreds if not thousands of pilots during the next decade to staff its 500 and growing number of daily flights. The new hiring program with Embry-Riddle represents an important component of Frontiers broader pilot recruiting and hiring strategy, Lambert said.

Frontiers agreement with Embry-Riddle will provide high-quality jobs for exceptional students while bolstering the aviation industry workforce in service to air travelers, said Dr. Alan Stolzer, dean of the College of Aviation at Embry-Riddles Daytona Beach, Florida campus. Embry-Riddle is honored to partner with Frontier Airlines to enhance the aviation talent pool.

As part of the Frontier/Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Pilot Hiring Program, representatives from Frontier Airlines will visit the Daytona Beach Campus twice annually to meet with students and faculty.

To be considered for this program with Frontier Airlines, Embry-Riddle students must have a letter of recommendation from a Flight Department manager that supports a stellar history of flight performance, attendance and professional conduct throughout their aviation education. Candidates must also be enrolled in the Aeronautical Science degree program, have a minimum class status of senior, maintain a Grade Point Average above 3.2, and have the ability to hold a First Class medical certificate. Prior to employment with Frontier Airlines, program participants will also need to be employed by Embry-Riddle as a flight instructor and must obtain the R-ATP required experience.

Interested flight students should consult with their Flight Department supervisors for a letter of recommendation and then apply at https://www.airlineapps.com/jobs/details.aspx?emp=Frontier-Airlines&job=Embry-Riddle-Pilot-Cadet

About Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

Reporters worldwide contact Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University for content experts in all aspects of aviation, aviation business, aerospace, engineering and STEM-related fields. Our faculty experts specialize in unmanned and autonomous systems, security and intelligence, air traffic and airport management, astronomy, human factors psychology, meteorology, spaceflight operations, urban air mobility and much more. Visit the Embry-Riddle Newsroom for story ideas.

Embry-Riddle educates 33,500+ students at its residential campuses in Daytona Beach, Florida and Prescott, Arizona, at approximately 125 Worldwide Campus locations and through online degree programs. In 2021, U.S. News & World Report named Embry-Riddle Worldwide the nations No. 1 provider of online bachelors degree programs.

About Frontier Airlines, Inc.

Frontier Airlines is committed to Low Fares Done Right. Headquartered in Denver, Colorado, the company operates more than 100 A320 family aircraft and has the largest A320neo fleet in the U.S. The use of these aircraft, Frontiers seating configuration, weight-saving tactics and baggage process have all contributed to the airlines average of 43 percent fuel savings compared to other U.S. airlines (fuel savings is based on Frontier Airlines 2019 fuel consumption per seat-mile compared to the weighted average of major U.S. airlines), which makes Frontier the most fuel-efficient U.S. airline. Frontier is also committed to families enabling children 14 years and younger to fly free through the airlines Discount Den travel club on qualifying flights. With approximately 150 new Airbus planes on order, Frontier will continue to grow to deliver on the mission of providing affordable travel across America.

For the original version on PRWeb visit: https://www.prweb.com/releases/frontier_airlines_launches_pilot_hiring_program_with_embry_riddle_aeronautical_university/prweb17990959.htm
WASHINGTON (AP)  The Library of Congress has acquired a digital archive of the real-time impressions of more than 200 frontline health care workers documenting the countrys descent into the coronavirus pandemic.

Calvin Lambert, a fetal medicine fellow in a Bronx hospital, recalls how a Black pregnant woman who came in for a checkup became irate and became scared" even when he attempted to give her a COVID-19 test. She thought the nasal swab itself would give her the virus.

Lambert, who is Black, said he learned to understand the deep distrust that the patient had and that many patients who are Black have for the medical system.

The audio diaries from health care workers like Lambert were collected by The Nocturnists, a medical storytelling project, for its Stories from a Pandemic podcast series, which ran in spring 2020. The collection contains more than 700 audio clips documenting the chaotic conditions in overwhelmed hospitals as medical workers struggled with their own stress, exhaustion and grief.

The digital archive will be housed in the librarys American Folklife Center, which has been building up a collection of oral histories dating back to World War I, including testimonials from 9/11 first responders and survivors from hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

Folklife Center Director Elizabeth Peterson called the collection really a remarkable gift and said the audio medium and the intensity of the environment create a deeply intimate and sometimes exhausting portrait.

You hear the sounds of the workplace, the exhaustion in their voices, and the big and small ways they try to cope and contribute, she said.

Emily Silverman, a practicing internist and a founder of The Nocturnists, said in a statement that she couldnt imagine a better home for our audio library.

It captures the raw emotions of numerous health care workers in the first few months of the COVID-19 pandemic and will serve as a historical document for future generations, Silverman said.

The Nocturnists, which produces live medical storytelling shows in addition to the podcasts, also plans to donate the recordings for its follow-up series, Stories from a Pandemic: Part 2," which launched Tuesday.

A sample of audio clips released by the Library of Congress contains a diverse array of medical professionals, from neurosurgeons in Los Angeles to medical students in Philadelphia.

Samuel Slavin, an internal medicine resident in Boston, reflected on the unpredictable way these patients go down fast and how this is weighing on us as doctors.

Sounding exhausted in his audio clip, Slavin recalled seeing a colleague struggle to finish a simple procedure, with shaking hands and frayed nerves. Slavin helped his colleague calm down, then stepped out to call his own parents, who he feared had started to display COVID symptoms.

That was when I started to feel crushed. I could feel myself shaking and trembling and futzing with my own phone, he said.
PARIS (AP)  Bubbling beneath Frances political landscape is an assortment of ultra-right groups, a subculture that shot to the nations attention when a young man slapped President Emmanuel Macron and blurted out a centuries-old royalist cry.

Ultra-rightist groups are considered increasingly dangerous despite their small following and are on the radar of authorities. Numerous arrests have been made and several groups banned. Challenges to the French identity are often at the center of their ideologies.

During Wednesdays Cabinet meeting, Macron stressed the incident a day earlier was an isolated act by a violent individual that wouldnt stop his direct contact with the population.

No violence can be considered banal in the country, government spokesman Gabriel Attal said.

The town of Tain-lHermitage, where the assault occurred, was the presidents most recent stop on a tour designed to feel the pulse of the country thats been laid low by the coronavirus and trying to get back on its feet.

Damien Tarel, 28, the man who slapped the president, and a second man, identified only as Arthur C., also 28, were quickly arrested. Neither had police records, the local prosecutor said.

Tarel told investigators he struck out without thinking, the prosecutors office said. He is to appear in court Thursday on a charge of violence against a person invested with public authority.

While Tarels motives remained unclear, it was his Medieval-era cry Montjoie! Saint Denis! as he slapped Macrons cheek, that pointed to the aggressors potential interest in the tiny royalist fringe movement. Social media posts showed he followed royalist TV channels and a smattering of extreme-right figures.

At the home of Arthur C, police found weapons, old books on the art of war, a copy of Adolf Hitler's manifesto Mein Kampf, and two flags, one symbolizing Communists and another of the Russian revolution, the prosecutor's office said. He is to be summoned to court next year for illegal possession of arms.

Tarel told investigators he was close to the Yellow Vest movement for social and economic justice, but also held right- or ultra-right political convictions without being a member of a party or group, according to a statement by the prosecutor's office.

Testimony of witnesses and (Tarels) companion do not add clarity to what motivated the suspect to slap Macron, the prosecutor's office said.

In 2018, the royalist call-to-arms dating to Medieval times was cried out by someone who threw a cream pie at the far-left lawmaker, Eric Coquerel. The extreme-right pro-monarchist group Action Francaise took responsibility. Action Francaise did not claim a role in Tuesdays slapping incident, but hours later tweeted, Vive la tarte a Tain," a play on words combining the slang for slap (tarte), the French apple desert, tarte tatin, and Tain-lHermitage, where the incident occurred.

Far-right leader Marine Le Pen was among political chiefs to quickly condemn the assault. Le Pen, a candidate in 2022 presidential elections, has spent years working to rid her National Rally party of extremist elements who gravitated around her fathers National Front party, which she renamed.

Obscure to most of France, ultra-right movements are a priority on the radar of investigators.

A probe into an alleged plot uncovered in 2018 against Macron by a mini-group whose members were scattered around France is still in progress. The group, known as Les Barjols, was ordered disbanded.

Mediapart, an online investigative outlet, reported last month that investigators are on alert for the eventual return of ultra-right terrorists. It cited a confidential report from the prosecutors office detailing the professionalism and ability to obtain weapons by some groups. It said 17 deaths can be attributed to the ultra-right between 2016-2019, and quoted investigators as counting about 1,000 militants and 2,000 followers of the ultra-right.

In March, France banned Generation Identity, citing its ideology inciting hate, violence or discrimination of individuals ... based on origins, race or religion. The organization was known for spectacular actions to get out its anti-migrant message in what it claimed was a mission to preserve French and European civilization.

Tarel's social media profile showed an interest in medieval combat and martial arts, confirmed by a friend in an interview on BFMTV. The friend, identified only as Loic, said he was stunned by the slap. In October 2018, Tarel put out a call on a social media platform for funds for an association of Medieval martial arts in the town where he and Arthur C. were born and live, Saint-Vallier, with a population of under 4,000.

Four hours before Tuesday's assault, a TV news show, Le Quotidien, broadcast a brief clip of Tarel, Arthur C. and another man waiting to see Macron. Neither Tarel nor Arthur C. spoke, but the third person said: There are things that should be said, but unfortunately cannot be said.

Among the issues, he said, was the decline of France.

___

Associated Press writers Nicolas Vaux-Montagny in Lyon and Sylvie Corbet in Paris contributed.
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WINDSOR, CT (WFSB) -- A protest is being held in Windsor on Wednesday afternoon amid a noose investigation.

An investigation has been ongoing after eight ropes tied like nooses were found at an Amazon construction site. It began at the end of April.

Local activists and leaders have been calling on authorities to do more, claiming they are dragging their feet.

Protest held in Windsor amid noose investigation at Amazon construction site An investigation continues with no arrests made yet in Windsor where eight ropes tied like nooses have been found at an Amazon construction site.

Calls have also grown to remove the sites contractor, RC Anderson.

Amazon has condemned the incidents, and they teamed up with RC Anderson to offer a $100,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.

Police are investigating the incidents as a hate crime.

So far, no arrests have been made.

Eighth rope tied like a noose found at Amazon construction site Another rope tied like a noose was found at the Amazon construction site in Windsor.

The FBI has also gotten involved, and more than 100 employees have been interviewed.

Windsor police have also said RC Anderson began hiring several private duty Windsor police officers on April 30. Officers are on site while construction is happening, and during non-work hours.

Police also said Amazon has additional private security on-site to assist with overall site security.

RC Anderson released a statement on Wednesday saying "The safety and security of all workers on site is our top priority. RC Andersen does not tolerate racist behavior, harassment or discrimination at our company or at our projects. We continue to condemn these racist incidents in the strongest terms. Weve met with and listened to the concerns of the Connecticut NAACP and provided them with a tour of our construction site to highlight new enhanced security measures. We will continue to evaluate and enhance all aspects of site operation in order to maintain workers safety."

The protest is slated for 5 p.m. at the site.
WATERBURY, CT (WFSB)  A Waterbury woman is still recovering after she says she had a severe reaction to a COVID-19 vaccine.

The 63-year-old hasnt been the same since April.

Regina Marshall and her family say she couldnt breathe and had to be rushed to the hospital. At one point, she says doctors told her family she might not recover.

Marshall spend 21 days on a ventilator at Waterbury Hospital.

Everyday it was a touch and go. One day she was making progress, the next day they were saying, we dont know if she was going to make it, said Larnise Nunley, Marshalls daughter.

The family says they believe it was all because Marshall got the one dose Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine in April.

Two days later, after she got the shot, thats when they took Johnson and Johnson off the market for a couple days, Nunley said.

The CDC and FDA halted the use of the Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine in mid-April. The brief pause was due to reports of blood clotting in some patients.

CDC, FDA recommend US pause use of Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine over blood clot concerns The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the US Food and Drug Administration are recommending that the United States pause the use of Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine over six reported US cases of a "rare and severe" type of blood clot.

Marshall had a high fever shortly after getting the shot, but a day later, she was rushed to the hospital after she was having a hard time breathing. She also developed a blood clot in her arm.

She says the hospital staff asked her a question she never thought shed hear.

Did I want them to save me or let me go? I said please, please, please save me. They called my kids saying I wasnt going to make it, Marshall said.

She did make it and now she has been recovering for the last month at Regal Care in Waterbury.

Marshall suffers from diabetes and decided to get the shot because her kids and grandkids tested positive for COVID.

She kind of panicked and just went on a whim and took the shot, Nunley said.

The family says Marshall never tested positive for COVID.

I would do it until they find out what is going on, Marshall said.

The family also has a message for those who havent gotten the vaccine.

I just want people to be aware and do their research on it. Yes, we want everyone to get vaccinated, but so many people who have reactions to it that theyre not talking about, Nunley said.

Marshall is expected to leave Regal Care by the end of the month.

Channel 3 reached out to the CDC, but they havent responded.
Andrew Lloyd Webber has said he will reopen his theatres to full capacity on 21 June "come hell or high water".

In an explosive interview with the Telegraph, the composer and impresario said he will invite the government to "come to the theatre and arrest us" if this means he is breaking guidelines.

There has been extensive speculation that the government will postpone the current date for the full lifting of social restrictions in light of the spread of the delta variant.

Lloyd Webber is due to open his new show Cinderella at the Gillian Lynne Theatre on 25 June, just four days after restrictions are due to lift. He claims that evidence is lacking when it comes to the coronavirus being spread in theatres.

"I've seen the science from the tests, don't ask me how," he said. "They all prove that theatres are completely safe, the virus is not carried there."

He continued that if the government go ahead with a postponement of the lifting of restrictions, "we have the mother of all legal cases against them. If Cinderella couldn't open, we'd go, Look, either we go to law about it or you'll have to compensate us'."

Lloyd Webber also spoke of the threat to his portfolio of six West End theatres, including the Gillian Lynne. He has reportedly borrowed 50million and remortgaged his London home in Belgravia to keep the venues afloat during the pandemic.

He also claimed the government has not taken the threat to theatres seriously enough, saying they "regard theatre as a nice thing to have rather than a necessity".

It is not the first time Lloyd Webber has spoken out. Last week he raised the possibility of legal action if restrictions are not lifted on 21 June.
Description

Descent mug

Drink your tea or coffee from a Descent mug, styled with a 'Cave' motif in white and the Descent name picked out in red. Choose from rich black or midnight blue mugs.

These are hard-wearing mugs with a ceramic design fired into the surface, meaning they are dishwasher proof and fade resistant (unlike 'transfer-type' illustrated mugs).

Cavers having their mugs posted to a UK address enjoy a reduction of 1.90 if they buy two mugs, making them 9 each (the price will change in the basket).
White Nose Syndrome in Western Canada

The following report is linked with information published in Descent (245), since which time the protocols have been updated. For further details download the pdf released in November 2016

White Nose Syndrome is a devastating disease that is destroying bat populations in North America and expanding its range at an alarming rate. The outbreak originated on the east coast of the USA and has not (yet) crossed the Rocky Mountains to gain the west coast of either the USA or Canada.



In an attempt to control the possible spread of the causative fungal spores, for some years US cavers have adopted a rigorous regime of decontaminating all clothing and equipment used underground. Following suit, Western Canada has also introduced its own controls to protect its bat populations. If you are caving in the region, whether as a local or visitor from the USA or Europe (where the fungus is extant in colonies of bats), please download the pdf released on 15 June 2015, then read and pay attention to the information provided.



Though Descent content normally stays within the printed pages of the magazine, in support of the BatCaver programme, which was established to foster cooperation between cavers and bat researchers by subsidising caving trips that place detectors in caves across British Columbia and Alberta, the Descent article that appeared in issue (245) also appears here:

Keep Canada clean

White Nose Syndrome and its effect on bats in the USA has featured frequently in Descent, for example in issue (239). The causative fungus has not yet spread to Western Canada  and Adrian Duncan would like to keep it that way.

WHITE NOSE SYNDROME and its effect on bats in the USA has featured frequently in Descent, for example in issue (239). The causative fungus has not yet spread to Western Canada  and Adrian Duncan would like to keep it that way.



White Nose Syndrome (WNS) in bats is caused by a fungal infection and it continues to be viewed as the single greatest threat to bat populations in North America in general and Canada in particular. Thus far, WNS has been confined to eastern parts of North America, although it is spreading at an alarming rate. In affected areas, 80 to 90 per cent of some bat populations have died, with numbers in the many millions of animals. This has had a devastating effect on agriculture, since the bats are no longer performing their pest-reduction role.



A specific concern arises from the fact that the fungus which causes this condition, Pseudogymnoascus destructans, has been confirmed as present in various parts of Europe and the UK. One school of thought is that the fungus may have affected susceptible European species in times long gone, leaving recovered populations as potential carriers. Its likely that many of British Columbias unusually diverse bat populations would be eradicated in a similar fashion to those of the eastern USA if WNS were to cross the Rocky Mountains.



Although being only one of a number of vectors through which the fungus may be spread, cavers are undoubtedly potentially involved in transporting the spores. Using brand-new and hence uncontaminated gear is, of course, the best preventive measure. However, such an extravagance may not always be practicable and, recognising this, in an effort to limit the spread when a caver visits a presently unaffected area, the BC Speleological Federation has joined with the Alberta Speleological Society in adopting a Western Canada WNS transmission prevention protocol.



The protocol includes steps which can be taken by visiting cavers in decontaminating their used gear prior to visiting Canada and especially Western Canada. Among other measures, this protocol suggests that gear should be immersed in hot water. The standards continue to evolve as further studies are undertaken, but the one currently endorsed by the National Speleological Society in the USA is full immersion of gear for at least twenty minutes in water at a minimum of 60C. These figures have been adopted by Western Canadian caving organisations.



For items which are not amenable to total immersion, a range of disinfection measures are suggested. Whichever route you take, its essential to avoid recontamination once your gear has been thoroughly cleaned: dont throw clean gear back into your dirty old caving bag!



Any British or European cavers planning to visit Canada will continue to be made very welcome  theres no shortage of exciting projects! However, please would potential visitors specifically ask their Canadian contacts to supply them with the latest information on this very important issue. Since the standards are very much in their evolutionary stage, further changes can be expected and it is therefore critical that visitors should check every time before caving in Canada.



Details of the protocol, with additional information concerning the background to and known spread of WNS, is hosted on the Wild Places website at: http://tinyurl.com/WNS-in-Canada. The living document is subject to revision and was prepared by a committee of British Columbian biologists, caving organisations and other interested parties.
News 2012

Caving news received too late for inclusion in Descent ...

External links will open in a new window.

Second congress circular

The second circular for the forthcoming 2013 International Congress of Speleology, to be held in the Czech Republic, has been released. This is an event that all cavers of any experience will enjoy, so head for the congress website to download a copy and find out the latest details. Descent (229).

Serious problem in Nettle Pot

Jenny Potts, for DCA, has issued a warning that there are serious problems with carbon dioxide in Nettle Pot. A warning has been hung from the bolts under the lid and cavers are advised that they should stay away until the problem has been investigated and dealt with. Descent (228).

Starless River dates

The Starless River mobile caving shop will be at the following locations during October and November 2012:

6-7 October: South Wales

13-14 October: Dales

20-21 October: Mendip

26-29 October: SUICRO, Co. Leitrim

3-4 November: South Wales

10-11 November: CHECC, Mendip

17-18 November: Peak

Descent issues for sale

Ralph Johnson has a set of Descent from issue (20) onwards to sell in aid of Derbyshire CRO. E-mail Ralph [link removed] for further details. Descent (228).

DCRO is sixty

In May 1952 some fifty or so cavers met at the George Hotel in Castleton and agreed to form the Derbyshire CRO. Initially, this was a fairly loose organisation relying on a card index callout system operated by the police and using club equipment, supplemented by some very basic kit owned by the Mountain Rescue Committee, kept in a doctors loft in Castleton. A handful of minor but successful rescues in the 1950s was followed by the stupendous but unsuccessful 1959 attempt to rescue Neil Moss from Peak Cavern.

After this, the organisation was overhauled, reorganised and gradually grew into the DCRO of today, operating from its new base at Buxton fire station. In its sixty years DCRO has so far been called out on 356 occasions, going to the aid of over four hundred people and nearly fifty animals.

Past and present team members and friends of the organisation will be celebrating its Diamond Jubilee in Hope at the end of September. If anyone with past connections with DCRO would like to attend please contact Clare Harley for details. Descent (227).

Manhattan Connection

Saturday 14 July saw the first through-trip from Boundary Pot to Wretched Rabbit in Ease Gill Caverns, joining Hiroshima and Nagasaki via the aptly named, newly opened Manhattan Connection. Sam Allshorn and Mike Cooper report that the link requires further work to make it safe, as it is currently very unstable. Descent (227).

Collecting in caves

An interesting new document has been published by Natural England under the title of Managing Geological Specimen Collecting: Caves. As might be expected, this has a conservation-rich approach; copies of the pdf may be downloaded from Natural England. Descent (227).

Missing caver

John Radburn has requested help to highlight a missing member of Lincoln CC, Jakub Gladski (known as Jay). John writes that 2012 started well with a superb trip down Lathkill Head Cave in the Peak District and the group returned to Lincolnshire in jubilant mood. However, the next day, 2 January, Jakub picked up his caving gear from John and disappeared; a few days later his gear and wallet were found in his car in Skegness. Though there have been two unconfirmed sightings, he has not been heard from since.

Jakub is 31 years old and described to be of stocky build, 5ft 10in tall, with hazel/brown eyes with a moustache and short dark brown hair  more details are available online via the Missing People website (the photo was taken during the Lathkill trip). There is concern for his safety and Jakub is urged to make contact by phone or e-mail through the organisation's confidential service. Descent (226).

CHECC

The dates and venue for the annual CHECC event have been confirmed as 9-11 November 2012 at Yoxter, near Priddy on Mendip. Descent (226).

The 16th International Congress

An International Congress of Speleology is held every four years; the next will be in Brno in the Czech Republic from 21 to 28 July 2013.

The congress will, just as its forerunners, be organised around talks and workshops, films and competitions, but with a strong element of pre- and post-congress camps and caving excursions during the week-long event. Czech cavers and diggers are among the most motivated and best in the world; in this region you may experience a range of caves from stunningly easy but impressive tourist sites to some harder trips that might challenge even the best. The Moravian karst, the largest caving region in the country and near to Brno, contains more than 1,200 known caves and these are definitely not to be missed. State-of-the-art conference facilities have been booked in the centre of Brno.

Bear in mind that the Czech karst is readily accessible from the UK, being only a little further than driving to the south of France. Whether you are looking for a great caving experience or simply wish to spend some time in this historic karst area, you should not pass up this opportunity. The organising committee has prepared the first circular, downloadable here, or head for the congress website for further information.

Cambrian's conference

A conference organised by the Cambrian Caving Council at Penderyn Community Centre was announced in Descent (225). Apart from the date of Saturday 26 May, no further details were available as the issue went to print, but these have now been released. The cost is 5 for the day, a subsidised price, but space is limited so it is essential to prebook your place by e-mail. Topics in the programme include first aid and self rescue, cave life, access and coinservation, basic underground photography and surveying, and the geology and hydrology of Welsh caves. The Sunday will see some additional underground workshops included in the price. Descent (225).

Hidden Earth 2012

The dates and venue for the annual Hidden Earth national caving conference have been finalised and the event will take place over the weekend of 21-23 September at Thomas Whitham Sixth Form in Burnley. Descent (225).

Lost rack

Karl Martin reports a rack lost in Swinsto Hole's Long Crawl on 17 March. E-mail him direct if you find it ... (Descent 225)

Nettle and JH

Jenny Potts for DCA has posted notices concerning Nettle Pot and JH.

At Nettle, Martyn Grayson reports that the two pull-throughs are no longer operative: the steel karabiners on one have worn through to almost half their thickness and the second has jammed (though a fixed rope has been installed to gain access to a dig). Both will be replaced as soon as possible using a cable and ring system.

New handlines are being placed on the two traverses in JH's Cartgate as part of the BCA investigation into how handlines survive use underground (see Descent 224); the placement is not DCA's responsiblity to maintain as fixed aids. Enquiries should be directed to Roy Rodgers and further information on the scheme may be found on the BCA website. (Descent 225)

Gaping Gill on TV

The Great British Countryside is a new series of television programmes being shown on BBC1, starting on 16 February 2012. The second of these, to be transmitted in 23 February, features the Craven PC meet at Gaping Gill. (Descent 224)

DistoX1

Kevin Dixon is constructing a limited production of DistoX1 boards for the Disto A3; cave surveyors will know this is a specialised piece of electronic surveying kit. Kevin has located some of the obsolete parts to make 100 boards which should be ready to ship around March or April; this is likely to be the final production of this board (price is not yet determined). Anyone interested should contact Kevin by e-mail. (Descent 224)

Cambrian conference

The Cambrian Caving Council is organising a conference at Penderyn Community Centre on Saturday 26 May 2012. Sessions will include photography, geology, cave life, surveying, conservation and dealing with emergencies, with training aimed at both newcomers and experienced cavers as an integral theme. (Descent 224)

New dates

The dates for the postponed event reported on p5 of Descent (224) have been finalised. The Cave Technology Symposium will now be held in the Priddy, Mendip area over the weekend of 9-10 June, thus changing from the former one-day event to two days, with practical demonstrations on the Saturday and more formal presentations on the Sunday. Admission is free for BCRA members or 3 for non-members for either or both days. For further information e-mail Mike Bedford (BedfordMD [at] aol.com). (Descent 224)

Bat numbers

The report on White Nose Syndrome on p7 of Descent (224) can be updated with a new estimate for the number of bat deaths that have occurred in North America since the outbreak in the winter of 2006. The US Fish and Wildlife Service now places the fatalities at between 5.7 and 6.7 million (not including the current winter), upgrading this from the prior 2009 total of 1 million.

The revision was used as part of a submission that obtained $4m of funds for federal research in 2012. Some cavers suggest that the total loss estimate is high, as 6.5m would represent the total loss of Little Brown bats, whereas the population still fights on. (Descent 224)
News 2015-17



Caving news received too late for inclusion in Descent ...

External links will open in a new window.



Remapping Gaping Gill

ON 3 October Kevin Dixon is speaking in the Peak Lecture Theatre in Sheffield Hallam University: Going Underground! The remapping of Gaping Gill. His was a four-year project to resurvey the system, as reported in Descent (xxx), and here he will detail the discoveries and results. The lecture is from 6.30pm to 8pm; doors open at 6pm (book in advance  tickets cost 3 on the door). For further information click here. (257)



Lost Pantin

LOST at Lost Johns' car park on Leck Fell on 10 December 2016: Pantin, D-ring and two karabiners. E-mail: p.c.halliwell [at] hull.ac.uk if found (direct link removed to reduce spam). (254)



CRO Challenge

THREE members of the Cave Rescue Organisation are taking part in the MRT Spine Challenge in January 2017, this being a 108 mile trek in sixty hours from Edale to Hawes. They are raising money for the CRO and are seeking help from cavers who use the Dales, or who might like their club to support the CRO by sponsoring the attempt through JustGiving (opens new window). The CRO is receiving nearly 100 call outs above and below ground for 2016, and we need your help. Those taking part in the challenge are: Heather Eastwood, Graham Hughes and Andy Jackson. Thank you for your support.

Report: Andy Ive



Address correction

THE web address to check on ordering a copy of the NPC Journal is incorrect, being one letter mis-typed. The correct address is, logically enough, www.northernpennineclub.org.uk. (Descent 247)



Robinson Pot

ROBINSON Pot in the Yorkshire Dales is subject to an access agreement under which only three permits a year were originally issued; this was later raised to five and the permits were allocated by ballot. CNCC negotiations have now increased this to eight per year and the ballot system will cease. Apply for a permit via the CNCC website. (Descent 246)

Aldermaston Chamber

ROGER Gosling of South Gloucestershire Mines Research Group is interested in Aldermaston Chamber in Mangle Hole on Mendip  more specifically, in some mud formations present when the chamber was discovered by Aldermaston Mountaineering and Caving Club. These have since been destroyed or otherwise natural causes have removed them, but does any caver have a photograph of what used to be there? Make contact via Descent. (Descent 246)

Charterhouse and G.B.

THE parking place used to visit Charterhouse Cave and G.B. Cave on Mendip has changed. Instead of parking in front of the farmhouse, park behind the house using the right-hand fork on the entrance drive. (Descent 246)

Wilderness Lecture

THE Wilderness Lecture by Gina Moseley scheduled for 4 November and reported in Descent (244) has been switched with another speaker. Gina's talk about an expedition to north-east Greenland will now take place on 27 February 2016. (Descent 246)





Fracking details

ON 19 August Mark Lumley supplied information on new fracking proposals:



Released yesterday, the preliminary overtures of the latest PEDL licensing round includes a large number of new proposed licence areas for unconventional gas extraction in Somerset.



Target areas include ST35, running from Weston-super-Mare to Banwell and incorporating Loxton, Hutton, Bleadon Hill, Cross etc. and much of Western Mendip. Areas around Frome are also included as well as large swathes of the Somerset coast, significant areas of the Forest of Dean and the Wye valley from Ross-on-Wye down to Chepstow.



A consultation is taking place with regard to environmentally sensitive areas protected by the habitats directive. If cavers wishto highlight any reasons why fracking might not be a good idea in these areas they, or their representatives or MPs, have until 29 Sept to put their case. (Descent 246)





Porth warning update

AN update to the warning concerning release of water from Ystradfellte reservoir was released in mid-August:



'A new Cone Valve has now been installed and this now needs to be tested to enable Welsh Water to have clarity on the amount of water that can be released at any one time. This test will take place on Tuesday 25 August. The test will be at a range of valve positions and the quantity of water being released could be significant. In order to ensure the safety of all users, it will be necessary to Close Access to Porth yr Ogof for that one day.



'As we do not know what quantity of water is being released or how the river will react to this, it is strongly recommended that the Mellte Gorge is not used on this day.'



Officers from the Cambrian Caving Council will be present at Porth yr Ogof to give warning on the ground. (Descent 245)





Porth yr Ogof warning

The following statement has been released by Welsh Water:



Dwr Cymru Welsh Water is carrying out essential investment works at Ystradfellte reservoir and dam. Between June and October, we may occasionally need to release some additional water from the dam, which could see an increase in river levels. We do not expect the levels to increase significantly but would ask that people undertaking any recreational activities in the local river and caves bear this in mind when planning their activities. Dwr Cymru Welsh Water does not accept any liability in respect of any of these activities. These activities are carried out entirely at the individual's own risk.



Ystradfelle reservoir feeds directly into the Afon Dringarth which is a tributary of the Mellte, hence the notification for Porth yr Ogof. In respect of PyO bear in mind that airspace at the resurgence is minimal even in low water conditions, and a sudden release from the reservoir would make exiting the cave via the resurgence (e.g. a through-trip) difficult or impossible if such a release occurred while a party was in the cave and unaware.



Similar warnings would be appropriate for anyone canyoning in the Mellte or even swimming in the various plunge pools. Note also that the right-of-way footpath from Sgwd yr Eira to Clyn-Gwyn actually crosses the Mellte by fording along the lip of the Sgwd Isaf Clun Gwyn waterfall and a suddenly rising water level would make this extremely dangerous. (Descent 244)





Petzl headlamp found

JUST too late to be included in the Lost and Found section of Calcified Ads, Bernice Ferguson sent the news that a yellow Petzl headlamp and battery pack was found on 13 July on the moor near Thistle and Runscar Caves. If you think it is yours, make contact by e-mail: bernicedorothy [at] btinternet.com or tel: 01765 620317. (Descent 245)





New Wookey Hole tunnel

ON 22 May an announcement reached the media: the day before the management at Wookey Hole showcave had begun work blasting a new tunnel into Wookey 20, to extend the chambers accessible to the public.

The original tourist cave extended only as far as Chamber 3, until in 1979 a tunnel was driven into Chamber 9. The new, 70m long access tunnel is being driven using a single blast per night, made after the bats have flown. This latest phase of expansion will cost the management an estimated 2m to 3m, with a further 1m to develop the site. The first blast removed 8 tonnes of rock and the company estimates that it will take a month to reach Chamber 20. (Descent 244)





Farewell John Beck

We regret to report that John Beck, Descent's Peak District correspondent, died on 31 January following a long battle with cancer. John was a long-time supporter of the magazine, his knowledge encyclopedic and his dedication to the sport of caving legendary. That his loss was sudden is shown by a note he included in Descent (242), written shortly before he entered hospital and in which he mentioned his impending treatment and, typically, offering his ongoing dig to anyone interested. His loss will be severely felt throughout the caving community. (Descent 242)
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Yes. This is a similar situation to having goods delivered to your work address. Set up the address you wish to use for a gift, perhaps a subscription renewal, in Your Account and select a different Delivery address to the Invoice address (usually your home address and e-mail) during checkout. If you would like a note inserted with the present, add your request to the comments box during checkout, or send us an email.

I want my gift to be a surprise. Is that a problem?

That shouldn't be a problem. The email confirmation and invoice will go to the email address you entered during registration. Simply make sure that you select your address for the Invoice and that for the lucky gift recipient for the Delivery address. Our standard address slip shows our return address, so if you wish this hidden please tell us at the same time as placing the order.

I would like to divide my order between two addresses  is that possible?

Yes, we can do this. Customers sometimes like to have the first issue of a gift subscription sent to your own address, so that you have something to give in person, and the remainder to the recipient. Or perhaps you need a binder sent to you, but the magazine subscription (which will start later) to someone else. While we at Wild Places are flexible, the software is not! Use the comments box during checkout to add your notes and instructions, or contact us direct to ask for advice. We'll try to help.

May I purchase multiple subscriptions?
Publication policy

Wild Places Publishing has a policy of addressing environmental concerns to the best of its ability. It makes every attempt to conserve resources by using paper logged and manufactured from sustainable sources in a manner that conforms to the laws of the country of origin. Since 2021 Descent has been printed on Carbon Balanced Paper certified by the World Land Trust, meaning that its production is offset against carbon impact. The World Land Trust is an international conservation charity protecting the world's most biologically significant and threatened habitats, with patrons that include St David Attenborough and Chris Packham. Descent's association was first reported in issue (281); follow this link for more information about Carbon Balanced Paper, the work of the World Land Trust and Cambrian's commitment.

The plates used for printing are manufactured as chemical-free, and the paper and vegetable-based inks used to publish Descent and our books are fully recyclable. Our printer, Cambrian, has a strong policy of minimising waste and is committed to environmental best practices both before and after production. The servers hosting this website are energy efficient and the company offsets carbon emissions through the support of renewable energy via green partnerships.

In 2017 Cambrian became part of the Pensord Group, which also addressed environmental concerns (and now cover Cambrian as well). In 2020, during the changes brought on by the pandemic, Descent's printing moved from Aberystwyth to Blackwood, where the company installed new, more efficient presses. Pensord and Cambrian's commitment now encompasses:

Zero to landfill certification (since 2012)

Printing using vegetable inks derived from soya and rape seed

Solvent (alcohol) use during printing reduced to 'a trace' with moves towards zero

A commitment to move to eliminate single-use plastics

Wild Places supports the Artists' Bill of Rights. Just as Wild Places Publishing respects its authors, photographers, surveyors and illustrators who supply material for publication, we ask those submitting any such material to ask permission from the copyright holder (if it is not their own) before sending it to Wild Places. Note also that you should not supply personal details of any individual without their consent, which includes naming them in a photograph where their inclusion is incidental (as opposed to inclusion of a character for journalistic reasons).



Further notes concerning copyright of material submitted appear within our Guidelines for submission. In particular, note that any copyright-related claim made to Wild Places Publishing will be passed on to the person submitting the material, as this is the source of our permission to reproduce it. All material submitted is subject to editing.



We welcome feedback from our readers as part of the caving community and also ask that they respect all parties by requesting permission before reproducing any part of Descent either in print or online. Please contact us in the first instance.
Your Security Matters ...



Security is a massively important factor on any website and we at Wild Places Publishing would like to tell you more about the measures that we use to protect you and your information when you visit our site and place an order.The first thing to notice is the

padlock

that appears in your browser, right at the start of the address. This goes with the address itself, which starts with https (the 's' indicates a secure site). With this designation, you know that all the data that flows between your computer and this site, and vice versa, is encrypted; nobody can read the scrambled data while it is in transit.To use the website, we ask that you acknowledge that we may use

cookies

register

password

Barclaycard

3D Secure

Data Protection Act

Content Delivery Network

. These are small files placed on your computer that help to make the website function - you can delete these as you wish, or block them using your browser's settings, but this may prevent some aspects of the site working correctly. Cookies are used to ensure that things like your shopping basket work properly and avoid some messages from repeatedly appearing (like the one asking you to accept cookies). Wild Places does not place advertising cookies on your computer.You are invited towith the site; indeed, you must do so to place an order, because at minimum we will need your address to post your order to and, if you use a card for payment, the merchant banks will use this information as part of their checks against possible fraud. Yourfor your account is encrypted and we at Wild Places have no means of reading this: you are able to reset your password if you forget it, but as part of the security measures we cannot (literally, cannot) tell you anything about it or do this for you.When you make a payment, this is handled bywith all the security layers that this implies. Your card details are entered into software that is authorised by Barclaycard and at no time are these visible to Wild Places or stored by us. You may be asked to go through a(or equivalent) stage while making payment; this is entirely controlled by Barclaycard, which uses encrypted technology to check your card details against records with your own bank (note: this does not have to be a Barclays bank; it and your card can be linked with any facility of your choice). This is an anti-fraud step that protects the use of your card. In addition, Wild Places has to comply with regular security checks on the website.We are registered with the Information Commissioner's Office under the2018, which controls what information we are allowed to store and how it may be used. We do not release your details to any other company, other than to supply any order you make (such as the services of Royal Mail) or send emails (which necessarily require that these pass through computers owned by other companies).To help speed up delivery of pages to your computer, we use the services of athat assembles pages ready to send as required. The goal of a CDN is to increase security and enhance the performance of the website, both benefiting you. The CDN includes a daily security report for us to respond to, plus 'intelligent threat protection' against any malicious code (malware), stopping this before it can cause any damage.Finally, as well as anti-virus software installed on the computers hosting our website, we employ the services of

SharkGate

, a Cyber Security company that places a very strong firewall between the website and the world wide web as a protection against any attempt to insert malware into the website. As they say: 'SharkGate is the worlds pioneering Cyber Security solution designed exclusively to protect websites against hackers' and it is very, very good at its job. This effectively helps to protect you while you visit our website, and your information in your account.In short, we do our best to ensure that your data is secure; our site is kept very secure indeed, which protects both us and you. For more information please also see our FAQs and Privacy Policy
When does Descent come out?

Descent is normally published on the first Saturday of alternate months: February, April, June, August, October and December. Copies are posted to subscribers and sent to caving shops and outlets during the preceding week.



Occasionally, publication may be delayed by a week, if the schedule clashes with other commitments (such as a caving expedition).

If I subscribe, what will be my first issue?

When you place your order, you will have the option of starting with the current or next issue (or renewing an existing subscription, in which case it will continue from your old one).



In fact, if you wish to backdate your new subscription to an earlier edition so that you can keep your set complete or begin at the start of the year (for example), you should place your order as normal and write a note in the comments box during checkout  we are flexible in dealing with such requests. Essentially, a subscription runs for a minimum of six issues and you can start this with any edition (making it a good way to obtain a sect of back issues, as well!).

Can I send a gift subscription to someone else?

Yes, of course. You will still need to create an account for yourself, so that your payment card provider knows you are the correct person using the card, but you can then add another address for the subscription delivery.



If you would like to have something to give as an indication of an imminent subscription present, you might wish to print off one of our 'gift files'. There's more information here.

Can I take out two or more subscriptions to Descent as presents?

We'll be delighted if you do and of course you can! Ordering two or more subscriptions is just like ordering multiple binders, but there is one difficulty. The software imposes a limit of your own plus one extra address to post anything to, goods or subscriptions (which is fine for sending a present, for example, or having your issue delivered to a different address to that registered to your credit card). For multiple subscription orders, please put each through separately to avoid any confusion over delivery addresses. If you wish, contact us direct and we can help.

Can the first issue of a gift subscription be delivered to me?

Yes, it can. This is not an uncommon request when someone wants to give the first issue in person, but have the rest of the subscription sent direct. Order the subscription as normal for your friend, but write your request and instructions in the comments box during checkout (you can always contact us to ask about specifics ...).

I used to subscribe but I've missed an issue or more.

If you wish to receive the missing issues, choose to 'Renew' your subscription when ordering (using the drop-down box options) and these will be sent to you. If you have already purchased these in a shop, even though you are renewing you can choose to continue from the current or next issue (using the options will trigger sending either of these issues). In the end, as with all 'unusual' situations, if you tell us what you want, we will do our best to help. You can contact us direct or make use of the comments box during checkout.



Please take care with choosing options; if you are intending to renew but select 'New: start with current issue' you might be sent another copy of the edition you already have.

I am moving house  how should I change my address?

The important point is that your online address is not stored in the same database that is used to post your issue of Descent. Updating My Account details will not redirect your subscription. You need to contact us direct, by email, post or phone, with your new address. Bear in mind that address slips are printed well ahead of Descent being posted, so if you are too close to publication date your copy will still go to your old address.

I do not live in the UK  how long will Descent take to arrive?

Though airmail should be much quicker, the British post office states that economy mail (surface mail) may take up to six weeks to be delivered to North America, eight weeks for South America, Africa and Asia, and twelve weeks for Australasia. Western Europe is up to two weeks and Eastern Europe five weeks. With regret, we cannot therefore accept claims for non-delivery until these times have expired (but in the end, we will ensure you receive your issue!). You have the choice of taking out an airmail or economy mail subscription when placing your order.

I'm moving abroad  what will happen to my subscription?

You obviously need to tell us your new address, which you should do by e-mail, phone or post (changing details in Your Account will not update the mailing details for your subscription. Depending on your move, an additional payment to cover increased postage costs may be required (or a reduction of remaining issues in your subscription to cover the increased costs). Make contact and we can take it from there.

What is my subscriber number?

When you subscribe you are allocated a subscriber number. You won't see this appear on the website, because it relates to the subscriber database used to keep track of printing the address labels and posting out issues; it's a totally separate database to the online one where you place your orders. This is also the reason why you need to tell us direct if you change your address, because updating your online details will not change where your issue is sent. Your subscriber number is printed on every mailing slip, but it's really there to help us at the Descent end of things: you don't need to know or remember it.

I'm still confused. How do I take out a subscription?
Terms and conditions

Inevitably, there has to be some small print ... Sorry about that!

Overview

This Overview provides a background to the Wild Places Publishing website. References are made to our original site, now used as an Information resource, and the newer Shop portion.

Wild Places Publishing maintains this website and does its best to keep the information as up to date as possible. Please report any problems. Please also remember that caving is a niche sport and, likewise, time is limited for undertaking updates while preparing editions of Descent. Periodically, therefore, updates may take a while, depending on whether we are away caving or just too busy working on the next issue ... We will try to respond quickly to your requests and suggestions for updates to the site, but please bear with us.

Please also read these terms carefully before you start to use the site. By using our site, you accept these terms and that you agree to abide by them. If you do not agree to these terms of use, please refrain from using our site. Using our website, including placing an order on our site (or by mail), indicates that you accept all terms and conditions and our Privacy Policy.

More information may be found in the Privacy Policy and Delivery documents and these form part of these terms and conditions.

Remember that we are here to help. If you have a query or a problem with your order, do not hesitate to contact us.

The website and cookies

In 2012 European law relating to the use of cookies came into force. Cookies are small files placed on your computer which are used to help our website function. On first using this website you were asked to accept the use of cookies. For more information see the Privacy Policy.

Reliance on information posted and disclaimer

The pages on our site are provided for general information purposes only and their content does not claim to be or constitute legal or other professional advice and shall not be relied upon as such.

We do not accept any responsibility for any loss which may arise from accessing or reliance on the information on this site and, to the fullest extent permitted by English law, we exclude all liability for loss or damages direct or indirect arising from use of this site.

Information about us

The Wild Places Publishing website (wildplaces.co.uk) is maintained by Wild Places Publishing.

Our VAT number is GB 713 4152 70.

We are registered with the Data Commissioner's Office under the Data Protection Act 2018.

Accessing our site

We reserve the right to withdraw or amend our website service without notice (see below). We will not be liable if for any reason our site is unavailable at any time or for any period.

Intellectual property rights and copyright

This site is copyright  Wild Places Publishing. The content of Descent is variously either or both the copyright of the author(s) and Wild Places Publishing; the layout of Descent is copyright Wild Places Publishing. Please respect these copyrights and, if you wish to reproduce anything from Descent or any of our other publications, please ask for permission first.

We are the owner or the licensee of all intellectual property rights in our site, and in the material published on it. All such rights are reserved. You may not reuse or republish any part of the materials published on our site or in our printed publications, including but not restricted to Descent magazine, for any purpose, whether editorial, personal or commercial, without obtaining a license in writing to do so from us.



All registered trademarks acknowledged. No claims are made to any trademark, which may be used in our text online or in print solely for reference and identification purposes.

Our site changes regularly

We aim to update our site regularly, and may change the content at any time. If the need arises, we may suspend access to our site, or close it indefinitely. Any of the material on our site may be out of date at any given time, and although we will normally attempt to keep all information current, we are under no obligation to update such material.

Our contract with you

Once you have submitted an order, you will receive an e-mail acknowledging receipt of that order with a unique reference number. Your contract with us is not established until we accept that order, as indicated by a later e-mail noting that the order has been despatched or that your subscription details have been entered.



Of course, like everybody else, we are not perfect and mistakes can happen. If they do, we will attempt to put them right. Please note, however, that if a price is incorrect (or you have chosen an incorrect price based on a wrongly selected postal destination), we will have no option but to reject your order and refund any payment made. Such an error could arise from a genuine mistake in pricing or from a software glitch showing an incorrect price and E&OE will apply.



Because this website displays prices including postage, the price shown changes according to where the goods will be delivered. It is your responsibility to match the destination chosen on the product page with the delivery address, to ensure the correct price is paid. We will reject any order where these are mismatched, for example paying a UK subscription rate with an international address for delivery.

Our liability

The material displayed on our site is provided without any guarantees, conditions or warranties as to its accuracy. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we, and any third parties connected to us, hereby expressly exclude:

All conditions, warranties and other terms which might otherwise be implied by statute, common law or the law of equity.

Any liability for any direct, indirect or consequential loss or damage incurred by any user in connection with our site or in connection with the use, inability to use, or results of the use of our site, any websites linked to it and any materials posted on it, including, without limitation any liability for:

loss of income or revenue;

loss of business;

loss of profits or contracts;

loss of anticipated savings;

loss of data;

loss of goodwill;

wasted management or office time; and





for any other loss or damage of any kind, however arising and whether caused by tort (including negligence), breach of contract or otherwise, even if foreseeable, provided that this condition shall not prevent claims for loss of or damage to your tangible property or any other claims for direct financial loss that are not excluded by any of the categories set out above.

This does not affect our liability for death or personal injury arising from our negligence, nor our liability for fraudulent misrepresentation or misrepresentation as to a fundamental matter, nor any other liability which cannot be excluded or limited under applicable law.

Cancellations and returns

Under the UKs Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, any cancellation of an order must be made in writing within 14 days of receiving the goods. The customer should contact Wild Places Publishing for information on how to return items and the customer must cover the cost of returning any goods (other than in cases of faults or incorrect supply). Items must be returned in their original condition within 14 days of cancellation: it is your responsibility to take care of the goods while in your possession and ensure they are well packaged for return, including retaining proof of postage. They remain your responsibility while in transit. Refunds will be made within 14 days of receiving the returned goods.



Our prices include the cost of postage/delivery. This is not the same as 'free postage', as can be seen by the different prices displayed when choosing a postal destination. If a refund is made for goods returned by agreement, this may have the cost of our original delivery to you deducted.



Please note that under the Consumer Contracts Regulations, we are not obliged to receive returns or make a refund for magazines already supplied. Descent is despatched direct from the printer and address details are supplied well in advance of the publication date; we cannot accept cancellations for issues already booked for despatch as these cannot be recalled. In similar fashion, we cannot accept cancellation of part or all of a subscription with a corresponding refund for issues yet to be supplied, if an issue is already committed to despatch. In general, where a subscription is partially filled, to cover our costs of refunding a part payment as well as covering any possible order in progress, this may result in the refund having the value of one issue deducted, at our discretion.

Proof of posting is retained for all goods despatched and losses are extremely rare. However, Royal Mail, our main carrier, restricts the time permitted to make a claim for non-delivered items and we are unable to accept claims for non-delivery after six weeks from the order being despatched to a UK address. Similar restrictions, with possible variation in times, apply to overseas destinations.



If your order is to a non-UK address and is subject to import duties or taxes, these must be borne by you. Note that some countries apply brokerage fees and/or customs duties or other fees that may apply to your purchase, whether based on the nature of the goods or their value, but we cannot advise on this: it is the buyer's responsibility to check any such factors before purchase. Non-delivery because of a refusal to accept additional required payment will not be accepted as a reason for return or refund of any item.



We reserve the right to charge for redelivery of goods that are returned to us as undeliverable using the address or other information supplied by you, or are not collected from the post office (or other carrier) by the customer. If you marked your order with an instruction to deliver to a neighbour, to leave it in a 'safe' place or other similar instructions, any loss due to this instruction being followed is your responsibility unless it can be shown by you that Royal Mail behaved unreasonably. As an example, if you request that an order is left in your porch or with a neighbour 'at no. 27' and it is subsequently missing from the porch or the neighbour denies having taken the order in, we cannot be held responsible for having followed your instructions in so marking your package.

Information about you and your visits to our site

We process and store information about you in accordance with our Privacy Policy. By using our site, you consent to such processing and you warrant that all data provided by you is accurate.

Viruses, hacking and other offences

You must not misuse our site by knowingly introducing viruses, trojans, worms, logic bombs or other material which is malicious or technologically harmful. You must not attempt to gain unauthorised access to our site, the server on which our site is stored or any server, computer or database connected to our site. You must not attack our site via a denial-of-service attack or a distributed denial-of service attack.

By breaching this provision, you would commit a criminal offence under the Computer Misuse Act 1990. We will report any such breach to the relevant law enforcement authorities and we will cooperate with those authorities by disclosing your identity to them. In the event of such a breach, your right to use our site will cease immediately.

We will not be liable for any loss or damage caused by a distributed denial-of-service attack, viruses or other technologically harmful material that may infect your computer equipment, computer programs, data or other proprietary material due to your use of our site or to your downloading of any material posted on it, or on any website linked to it or from it.

Links from our site

Where our site contains links to other sites and resources provided by third parties, these links are provided for your information only and are provided under EU law as a right without recourse to the copyright holder. We have no control over the contents of those sites or resources, and accept no responsibility for them or for any loss or damage that may arise from your use of them. When accessing a site via our website we advise you check their terms of use and privacy policies to ensure compliance and determine how they may use your information. You specifically accept that any links to third party websites will be used at your own risk and that we have supplied these for information only.

Jurisdiction and applicable law

The English and Welsh courts will have non-exclusive jurisdiction over any claim arising from, or related to, a visit to our site.

These terms of use and any dispute or claim arising out of or in connection with them or their subject matter or formation (including non-contractual disputes or claims) shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the law of England and Wales.

Variations

We may revise these terms of use at any time by amending this page. You should check this page from time to time to take notice of any changes we make, as they are binding on you. Some of the provisions contained in these terms of use may also be superseded by changes in the Privacy Policy.

Your concerns

If you have any concerns about material which appears on our site, please contact us by e-mail, phone or post.

Thank you for visiting our site.

Contacting us

If you have any questions about these terms and conditions, the website or your dealings with this site, please contact us at:

Wild Places Publishing

PO Box 100

Abergavenny

NP7 9WY

UK



wildplaces.co.uk

+44 (0)1873 737707

e-mail

This document was last updated on 10 December 2021
Williamson, WV (25661)

Today

Isolated thunderstorms this evening, then skies turning partly cloudy after midnight. Potential for severe thunderstorms. Low 68F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%..

Tonight

Isolated thunderstorms this evening, then skies turning partly cloudy after midnight. Potential for severe thunderstorms. Low 68F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%.
There will come a time when it isn t  They  re spying on me through my phone  anymore. Eventually, it will be  My phone is spying on me  . Philip K. Dick

Weve all heard about Silicon Valley. We know that the tech minds that make our lives easier churn out their latest ideas in that particular portion of California. But how much do we all really know about the work the cyber-geniuses are conducting to provide us with the latest and greatest technological advancements? Our latest read takes us into the heart of Silicon Valley, where one tech exec isnt exactly who she appears to be.

Impostor Syndrome by Kathy Wang

Julia holds the second most powerful position at a massive tech company called Tangerine. Shes lauded for being one of the few women at the top in Silicon Valley and her public persona is all about breaking the glass ceiling and having a healthy work/life balance.

Julias reality, however, is very different. Julia is also a spy.

Kathy Wangs newest novel Impostor Syndrome tells the story of Julias ascent to tech royalty as a spy for a Russian organization called the SPB. After years of living in Silicon Valley, Julia has become accustomed to her luxurious American lifestyle and is more devoted to maintaining her status at Tangerine than she is to providing the SPB with whatever information they request. As Julia begins to push back against the SPB and her handler Leo, a low-level employee named Alice begins to investigate some strange data numbers at the company...that lead back to Julias SPB work.

Told primarily from Julia, Leo and Alices perspectives, Wang weaves an intricate tale of tech drama and cat-and-mouse espionage. Julia wants to stay in power but her loyalties lie with her own ambition instead of Moscows, while Alices curiosity is putting Julias future at risk.

Impostor Syndrome is a thrilling satire that examines the culture of large tech companies as well as who can and cant access the American Dream. Wangs novel also plays up the Big Brother fears many folks have about technology and poses the question, just how secure and private is your online life.

From the book jacket

In 2006 Julia Lerner is living in Moscow, a recent university graduate in computer science, when shes recruited by Russias largest intelligence agency. By 2018 shes in Silicon Valley as COO of Tangerine, one of Americas most famous technology companies. In between her executive management (make offers to promising startups, crush them and copy their features if they refuse); self promotion (check out her latest op-ed in the WSJ, on Work/Life Balance 2.0); and work in gender equality (transfer the most annoying females from her team), she funnels intelligence back to the motherland. But now Russia's asking for more, and Julias getting nervous.

Alice Lu is a first generation Chinese American whose parents are delighted shes working at Tangerine (such a successful company!). Too bad shes slogging away in the lower echelons, recently dumped, and now sharing her expensive two-bedroom apartment with her cousin Cheri, a perennial founders girlfriend. One afternoon, while performing a server check, Alice discovers some unusual activity, and now shes burdened with two powerful but distressing suspicions: Tangerines privacy settings arent as rigorous as the company claims they are, and the person abusing this loophole might be Julia Lerner herself.

The closer Alice gets to Julia, the more Julia questions her own loyalties. Russia may have placed her in the Valley, but she's the one who built her career; isnt she entitled to protect the lifestyle shes earned?

If you enjoy

For readers who enjoy pondering the darker side of technology, the chilling ambition found in Dave Eggers novel The Circle might be exactly what youre looking for.

tinamarie.craven@hearstmediact.com


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A delegation of Indigenous people expects to meet with Pope Francis at the Vatican this fall to discuss the role of the Roman Catholic Church in Canadas residential school system.

A delegation of Indigenous people expects to meet with Pope Francis at the Vatican this fall to discuss the role of the Roman Catholic Church in Canadas residential school system.

The meeting was confirmed by Richard Gagnon, archbishop of Winnipeg, who is president of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops.

A date for the meeting has not been set, but Gagnon expects to be part of the delegation.

Gagnon has been a member of a working group of Catholic bishops and Indigenous leaders who have been meeting for the past four years, to discuss ways the church can fulfil its commitment to reconciliation with Indigenous people, and the role of the Pope in that process.

(Giuseppe Lami/Pool via AP) A delegation of Indigenous people expects to meet with Pope Francis at the Vatican this fall to discuss the role of the Roman Catholic Church in Canadas residential school system.

The working group includes Assembly of First Nations National Chief Perry Bellegarde and David Chartrand, vice-president of the Metis National Council.

Originally, the working group had planned for the delegation to meet the Pope last fall, but that was postponed by the pandemic, Gagnon said.

One goal of the working group meetings was to secure a meeting with the Pope, Gagnon said, adding the Pope "is very interested in reconciliation in Canada with Indigenous people. He wants the church to do the right thing."

As for whether the Pope will apologize, "I don't know what he would say, but in my conversations with him, he is not against it," Gagnon said, adding "he has great compassion for those who have suffered."

The Pope "is very interested in reconciliation in Canada with Indigenous people. He wants the church to do the right thing."  Archbishop of Winnipeg Richard Gagnon

Such an apology would be "very significant and important," he said. "It would mean a lot to Indigenous people."

A papal visit to Canada is also part of the working groups discussion, he said, adding such a visit would require a great deal of thought and planning.

"The Pope coming to Canada would be a pretty big thing. We would want to make sure it is done right and proper. A papal visit needs to be thought through," he said.

This would include making sure such a visit covers the "mosaic" of issues facing Indigenous people and the church, including residential schools. It would also need to take into consideration the various needs of First Nations, Metis and Inuit people, he said.

An invitation for a Papal visit would have to be issued by Canadian bishops.

JOHN WOODS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Gagnon acknowledged the discovery of the 215 graves at the former residential school in Kamloops, B.C., has hastened action on this issue.

Gagnon took issue with the idea that Catholics in Canada have refused to apologize to Indigenous people.

Various dioceses and religious orders have apologized, the first one was given in 1991. "So to say an apology hasnt been given isnt correct," he said.

He believes this misinformation is the result of Canadians not understanding how the church is organized and operates in Canada.

"There is no Catholic Church in Canada," that can issue an apology, he said. "There are Catholic churches in Canada, made up of independent dioceses."

The archbishops of dioceses make their own decisions for their dioceses, including about apologies.

They meet annually through the Canadian conference, but it is not "the head office" for the Catholic Church and cannot speak on behalf of all the dioceses.

Likewise, the Pope cant unilaterally issue an apology or tell his fellow Canadian bishops what to do in their country or dioceses.

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.

"The Catholic Church is not a giant organization with the Pope at the top," Gagnon said, although the Pope is very influential in matters of doctrine and faith as the successor to St. Peter.

Gagnon acknowledged the discovery of the 215 graves at the former residential school in Kamloops, B.C., has hastened action on this issue.

"As bishops, we feel very deeply the pain of residential schools," he said, adding he expects dioceses across the country would be open to assisting with the uncovering of more gravesites "on a diocese-by-diocese basis."

"We are very keen to listen to Indigenous people," he said. "We want to be sure all the truth comes out."

faith@freepress.mb.ca

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OTTAWA - Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will on Friday begin to meet with counterparts from the worlds most powerful democracies at the G7 Leaders' Summit to discuss overcoming COVID-19 and its economic reverberations.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau makes his way to hold a press conference in Ottawa on Tuesday, June 8, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

OTTAWA - Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will on Friday begin to meet with counterparts from the worlds most powerful democracies at the G7 Leaders' Summit to discuss overcoming COVID-19 and its economic reverberations.

Chief among the decisions Canada faces is how it will help poorer countries secure vaccines, the life-saving elixir that promises to subdue the global health crisis, which has shaken national economies and left millions sick and more isolated.

"The first thing I think (Trudeaus) going to have to roll the dice on is whether Canada wants to be on the right side or stay on the wrong side on COVID," said John Kirton, director of the University of Toronto's G7 Research Group.

"At the core is: will we give our doses to the folks who are dying 700 times as much as we are in Canada?"

The pandemic and absence of Donald Trump from the international table sets the tone for the first summit held since 2019 between Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy and Japan, which together comprise the G7, along with the European Union.

Shaping the leaders' agenda is what Kirton calls the four c's: COVID-19 and its affects on commerce, climate change and competition from anti-democratic actors, like China.

"Never before has a G7 summit confronted such a severe, swift, widespread and sustained set of shocks that really have shown them the vulnerability of their countries," he said, having watched these gatherings since 1988.

The international trip marks Trudeau's first since early 2020, before the novel coronavirus was declared a pandemic. While in Europe, he will also travel to Brussels for the NATO Leaders' Summit, which experts say will be where alliance members discuss concerns around Russia, cybersecurity and ongoing modernization efforts  also the first in several years without Trump.

As host of the G7 gathering in Cornwall, U.K., Prime Minister Boris Johnson made clear in a statement what he wants the leaders to pack for England: "Concrete commitments to vaccinate the entire world against coronavirus by the end of 2022."

One way wealthy nations can help is through sharing their doses directly with other nations or through COVAX, the global initiative established to provide shots to 92 low and-middle income countries.

Canada has yet to announce that it will donate any of the 122 million doses it has in guaranteed deliveries for the year. To ensure every resident gets their two shots, the country needs 76 million.

Officials with the World Health Organization and other vaccine-sharing programs ask that Canada send shots now instead of waiting, as the virus threatens less vaccinated parts of the world.

Sen. Peter Boehm, who served as a representative for Trudeau and former prime minister Stephen Harper at past summits, believes there is likely to be agreement among G7 countries on the general thrust of initiatives to stop COVID-19.

"Where there may be some disagreement and some negotiation that has to take place is on the how," he says.

One area that could happen is on the question of supporting a temporary waiver from the World Trade Organization on COVID-19 vaccine patents.

Advocates of waiving intellectual property rules say doing so would allow these shots to be more easily manufactured in developing countries.

U.S. President Joe Biden supports the move, while the U.K. and Germany are against. Somewhere in the middle sits Canada, which Trudeau confirms is in on the WTO talks, but hasnt specified on which side.

Boehm says next to German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Trudeau enters the summit as having been in power the second-longest.

But the world will be watching Biden, who is making his first trip abroad as president to attend.

He too comes in experienced, having served for eight years as the right-hand to former U.S. president Barack Obama.

Most significantly, Biden's presidential debut internationally follows Trump's, at times, turbulent appearances.

Perhaps most memorable was in 2018 when Trudeau hosted the G7 leaders. After reaching agreement on that summit's issues, Trump tweeted from his plane that he wouldnt endorse their statement because he had become incensed by comments the prime minister made during a news conference.

"All eyes will be on (Biden) in terms of the tone that he sets and the collegiality that he might want to project," said Boehm.

With Biden in the White House, he says there is more harmony between G7 leaders on tackling climate change  all countries pledge to reach net-zero emissions by 2050, for example  which may make reaching consensus easier on the message they want to send to the world about the planet.

Observers say what gets discussed at these summits often carries influence for agendas at future international talks and with global institutions.

Kirton adds the act of world leaders meeting at all in the flesh communicates a powerful statement: the fight against COVID-19 is being won.

On a more practical level, Boehm says, it provides a rare chance for heads of state to have frank, informal conversations face-to-face and one-on-one under a blanket of confidentiality not achievable online.

"In international diplomacy, there is no substitute for that."

The leaders' summit comes after a string of earlier meetings between the G7 ministers of foreign affairs, environment, health and most recently finance.

The finance ministers say they agreed "in principle" to a tax reform that would set a global minimum corporate tax of at least 15 per cent to deter multinational companies from avoiding taxes by slashing profits in low-rate countries.

The reform also includes a call to make some of the world's richest companies, like the U.S.-based tech giants, pay taxes in countries where they operate, not only where their offices are located.

Their counterparts in health also committed to improving global health security, pandemic preparedness and better international collaboration for vaccination trials.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 9, 2021.
TORONTO - Fully vaccinated Canadian citizens and permanent residents who test negative for COVID-19 will likely soon be exempt from two weeks quarantine on return to Canada, the government announced Wednesday, as millions of doses of the Moderna vaccine were expected to arrive.

TORONTO - Fully vaccinated Canadian citizens and permanent residents who test negative for COVID-19 will likely soon be exempt from two weeks quarantine on return to Canada, the government announced Wednesday, as millions of doses of the Moderna vaccine were expected to arrive.

Starting early next month, the travellers who have received federally approved shots at least 14 days before entering the country will be able to skip staying in a government-approved quarantine hotel. They would still have to isolate until the test they take on arrival comes back negative but then can resume activities outside of isolation guided by local public health restrictions.

Health-care workers wait for airline passengers at a COVID-19 testing centre at Trudeau Airport in Montreal, Friday, Feb. 19, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz

Currently, incoming air travellers must spend three days at a quarantine hotel at their expense, then complete their two weeks of self-isolation at their destination. They have to take a second test on Day 8 after arrival, which will no longer be required of fully vaccinated people.

"We'll be watching carefully here in Canada and around the world as cases change and as vaccination rates rise," Health Minister Patty Hajdu said. "These metrics are very important factors."

The new rules would also apply to certain Indigenous Canadians and foreigners already allowed into the country, the Health Ministry said.

Several Conservative MPs said the Liberal government had failed to end its "unscientific and unsafe" quarantine hotel program, which still remains in effect for many travellers.

"What the Trudeau Liberals announced today does not give Canadians clarity on a path forward," they said.

Business groups welcomed the proposed change but said it didn't go far enough. Major airlines and airports said Canada still needed a "clear restart plan" for international travel, while the Canadian Chamber of Commerce urged quick action on digital vaccine certification.

The government also said seven million doses of Moderna were slated to arrive this month, with shipments starting next week.

Procurement Minister Anita Anand said it will be the first time deliveries include doses from the company's American supply chain. Details of specific shipment dates and quantities will come next week, she said.

Overall, Anand said Canada should have enough vaccine delivered for 80 per cent of eligible Canadians to be fully vaccinated by the end of July.

"Based on confirmed deliveries alone, Canada is set to receive at least 55 million doses by the end of July," Anand said. "That is the minimum."

Currently, 72 per cent of people aged 12 and older in Canada  and 63 per cent overall  have received a first vaccine dose, helping drive case counts lower.

Dr. Theresa Tam, chief public health officer, said the seven-day average for new cases had fallen below 1,800 for the first time since the fall. Similarly, daily hospitalizations have fallen by about half, and deaths have declined around 40 per cent.

However, Tam warned those who have received only one dose of COVID-19 vaccine to remain wary, especially with circulation of the Delta variant: "One dose of protection is not enough," Tam said.

Tam also said she was looking at ensuring Canada gets close to 75 per cent of eligible people fully vaccinated before she would consider advising looser border restrictions for tourists and business travellers who aren't Canadians or permanent residents.

To boost vaccine uptake, Manitoba is joining American jurisdictions in offering incentives to get a jab. The province said it would offer $100,000 cash prizes and $25,000 scholarships.

Anyone who has had, or will receive, a shot would be automatically entered into two lottery draws this summer, with each having seven cash winners. Ten scholarships will go to people aged 12 to 17.

Several U.S. jurisdictions have also offered incentives. Washington state recently said it would give out free marijuana joints to those getting a shot.

While overall new cases of COVID-19 continue to fall, death counts and those needing life-saving medical help remain stubbornly high in some areas.

Ontario, for example, reported 411 new cases Wednesday, one of its lowest levels this year. However, 33 more people were reported to have died of coronavirus disease, although the Ministry of Health said 11 of the deaths occurred in April and May.

Quebec reported a modest 178 new cases and eight more deaths. It was the fourth straight day the province had reported under 200 new confirmed cases. Sixty patients remained in intensive care.

In New Brunswick, lawyers for a doctor inundated with hate and racism amid erroneous accusations he violated anti-pandemic restrictions and sparked a deadly COVID-19 outbreak urged Premier Blaine Higgs to apologize.

Dr. Jean-Robert Ngola has threatened to sue if Higgs did not publicly apologize by the end of the week for statements made in May 2020. At the time, Higgs referred to a health-care worker under RCMP investigation for failing to self-isolate after returning to the province.

Prosecutors dropped charges against Ngola last week.

Nova Scotia Health said it was easing visitor restrictions at hospitals to allow more support for patients. As of Wednesday, two support people were allowed for patients in intensive care, critically ill patients, and for labour and birth.

Starting June 16, one support person will be allowed for all in-patients and patients in the emergency department, and three for palliative patients and those nearing the end of life.

On Saturday, Manitoba is lifting a ban in place since May 22 on almost all social gatherings to allow people to gather outdoors in groups of up to five people.

Many of Alberta's COVID-19 public health restrictions are being lifted Thursday as part of a three-stage plan to reopen by summer.

The province is entering the second stage, which required 60 per cent of those 12 and older to have had at least one vaccine shot and fewer than 500 infected patients in hospitals. Officials say 67 per cent of Albertans have received their first dose and 329 people are in hospital.

British Columbia reported 148 new cases on Wednesday and three deaths. Health officials said 74.5 per cent of all adults in the province have had a first dose of vaccine.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 9, 2021.
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP)  Friends and family of a young pregnant woman killed by a stray bullet during a police shootout with alleged criminals in Rio de Janeiro gathered to mourn on Wednesday.

Supported by relatives, Angela Romeu, center, the grandmother of Kathlen Romeu, a young pregnant woman killed by a stray bullet, attends her granddaughter's funeral in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Wednesday, June 9, 2021. Romeu was a Black woman living in a working-class neighborhood, or favela, and her death was viewed by many as the all-too-familiar outcome of confrontations between police and traffickers. Rios police have said the 20-something interior designer was hit by a single shot in her torso during a shootout with criminals. Officers brought her to a nearby hospital, but neither she nor her baby survived. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP)  Friends and family of a young pregnant woman killed by a stray bullet during a police shootout with alleged criminals in Rio de Janeiro gathered to mourn on Wednesday.

For them and other residents of the Brazilian city, the death of Kathlen Romeu  a Black woman from a working-class neighborhood, or favela  was the all-too-familiar outcome of confrontations between police and traffickers. It generated national media attention and some at the cemetery displayed banners of protest, with demonstrations scheduled for later.

More than 100 people went to the 24-year-old interior designer's wake and burial, and they crowded into the narrow alleys of the cemetery. Her grandmother was overcome with emotion and had to be carried out. Few were willing to share their thoughts with reporters.

We just want justice, thats all, one friend said through tears. She declined to provide her name.

A relative grieves during the burial service of Kathlen Romeu, a young pregnant woman killed by a stray bullet, at a cemetery in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Wednesday, June 9, 2021. Stray bullets have struck at least six pregnant women in Rio since 2017, but Romeu was the first to die, according to Crossfire, a non-governmental data project that tracks armed violence. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)

Rodrigo Deniz, 25, described himself as Romeu's best friend. A part of me is being buried now, he said.

Rio's police have said Romeu was hit by a single shot in her torso during a shootout with criminals. Officers brought her to a nearby hospital, but neither she nor her baby survived. Some residents have questioned whether local traffickers even had time to return police gunfire before Romeu was shot. Police have opened three separate investigations into the shootout.

Romeu had a sizeable following on Instagram, where she often shared photos of herself. More recently, she started posting photos of her new pregnancy.

Im discovering myself as a mom, and I get scared thinking about how it will be. ... I laugh, cry, and Im afraid. A mixture of feelings, she wrote in a post one week ago. Little one, I feel ready to receive you, love you, care for you!!! God bless us!

Stray bullets have struck at least six pregnant women in Rio since 2017, but Romeu was the first to die, according to Crossfire, a nongovernmental data project that tracks armed violence.

Family and activists protest the day after the killing of Kathlen Romeu, a young pregnant woman killed by a stray bullet, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Wednesday, June 9, 2021. Stray bullets have struck at least six pregnant women in Rio since 2017, but Romeu was the first to die, according to Crossfire, a non-governmental data project that tracks armed violence. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)

Romeu's neighborhood, Lins de Vasconcelos, suffers frequent shootouts, even during school hours, Luis Pablo Figueiredo, a local community leader who works with kids, said at the cemetery.

She was our model in the neighborhood: She came from below, started fighting and she made it, Figueiredo said. We can't take it anymore. We just want peace."

Lins is only a couple miles from the Jacarezinho favela where last month police killed more than two dozen people they alleged were criminals. One of the citys deadliest-ever police operations, it prompted claims of human rights abuses and days of protest followed.

Mario Braga, senior analyst for risk consultancy Control Risks, said that underfunding of police in Rio means officers often lack preparedness. Shootouts with criminals have proven ineffective over the years, yet the hard-charging method is unlikely to change as long as it appeals to a large portion of voters, he added.

"Most of these cases are focused in low-income areas, favelas, and the numbers show most of the victims of police are young Black males, and some part of society thinks this issue isnt related to them directly, and is in a parallel reality, Braga said by phone from Rio. But this has direct consequences for society as a whole.

A Supreme Court ruling last year prohibited police operations in Rios favelas during the pandemic except in absolutely exceptional circumstances. Despite the vague wording, it had a marked impact: The number of shootouts in Rios metropolitan area dropped 38% from 2019, according to Crossfire data.

Still, the group registered more than 4,500 such events in 2020, with more than 100 people hit by stray bullets.

The number of shootouts has since crept back up to around pre-pandemic levels, as have the number of deaths Rio state's official data say resulted from police interventions.

In the wake of the Jacarezinho operation, several justices from Brazils Supreme Court have said last year's ruling must now be reviewed.

In a tear-filled video post on Instagram on Wednesday, Romeu's partner Marcelo Ramos laid the blame on "unprepared police.

Last month, there was the massacre in Jacarezinho, now it's Katy, and next month or tomorrow it's another family losing someone close, Ramos said. We have to speak out.

Several hundred people marched just outside Lins on Wednesday afternoon after the funeral. They carried banners and printed-out photos of Romeu, and chanted Justice! Once inside the neighborhood, the group recited a prayer in the spot where the pregnant woman was shot. ___ Associated Press writer David Biller and producer Diarlei Rodrigues contributed to this report.
SEATTLE  Washington states new joints for jabs vaccination incentive program is off to a rough start.

A man wearing a face mask to help curb the spread of the coronavirus browses his smartphone lining up with masked residents to receive their vaccine at a vaccination point at the Central Business District in Beijing, Wednesday, June 9, 2021. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

SEATTLE  Washington states new joints for jabs vaccination incentive program is off to a rough start.

Seeking to get more people to get the coronavirus shots, officials announced this week that the states nearly 500 licensed marijuana retailers could begin hosting vaccine clinics and offering a single, free pre-rolled marijuana cigarette to those who get a shot.

But cannabis retailers say many of them dont have the space to host clinics. And some health care providers are uneasy about setting up a clinic on the site of a marijuana business.

The pot retailers also complain that they have to have an onsite clinic while the state allows breweries and wineries to give away drinks to customers who merely show proof of vaccination  no onsite clinic required.

A family member sits during the burial of relative at a section of Srengseng Sawah Cemetery reserved for those who died of COVID-19, in Jakarta, Indonesia, Wednesday, June 9, 2021. The world's fourth-most populous country, with about 275 million people, has reported more coronavirus cases than any other Southeast Asian country.(AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana)

MORE ON THE PANDEMIC:

 AP source: US to buy 500M Pfizer vaccines to share globally

 France is back: Borders reopen to American tourists, others

 Haiti fights large COVID-19 spike as it awaits vaccines

 Pandemic shows risk of obesity, challenge of weight loss

FILE - In this March 5, 2021, file photo, medical staff look out from a window as officials prepare for a ceremony to commence the country's first coronavirus vaccinations using AstraZeneca provided through the global COVAX initiative, at Kenyatta National Hospital in Nairobi, Kenya. In the global race to vaccinate people against COVID-19, Africa is tragically at the back of the pack. And hundreds of thousands of the country's health workers, many of whom come face-to-face with the virus every day, are still waiting for their shots. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis, File)

 Follow more of APs pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic and https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-vaccine

HERES WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:

HONOLULU  A class-action lawsuit has been filed on behalf of inmates in Hawaii, arguing that the state has failed to protect people from coronavirus outbreaks in unsanitary jails and prisons.

The lawsuit says that nearly half of the prisoners held by Hawaii have contracted the virus and that five out of nine facilities have experienced uncontrolled outbreaks of coronavirus cases.

The lawsuit describes poor conditions such as cells not being sanitized or cleaned when virus-positive inmates move out and a new prisoner moves in.

A telephone department worker repairs underground cables during a partial relaxation of restrictions to curb the spread of coronavirus in Gauhati, India, Wednesday, June 9, 2021. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)

A spokeswoman for the state Department of Public Safety says the agency has been advised not to comment on possible pending legal matters.

SANTA FE, N.M.  Private child care centers in New Mexico are the latest sites to offer perks to parents lining up to get a coronavirus vaccination.

Running through July 4, they are offering free child care to parents with vaccine appointments and to those who are recovering from vaccine side effects.

That is on top of other corporate and state incentives for getting vaccinated, which range from free beer to lottery sweepstakes.

State early childhood officials announced the participation Wednesday of the states largest daycare chains, KinderCare and La Petite Academy, in Albuquerque and Santa Fe. YMCA locations across the state are also offering free child care, including for nonmembers.

A man pedals past parked buses during restriction due to the coronavirus pandemic in Kolkata, India, Wednesday, June 9, 2021. (AP Photo/Bikas Das)

WASHINGTON  Medicare is announcing a significant increase in what it will pay to vaccinate homebound older people against the coronavirus as, part of the Biden administrations last mile effort to get shots in the arms of as many Americans as possible.

Officials said Wednesday the program will pay roughly $35 more per dose when enrollees are vaccinated at home. For a two-shot regimen that means Medicare will pay $150, or about $70 more than currently.

Medicare estimates 1.6 million people 65 and older may have trouble getting to pharmacies or vaccination centers because of obstacles to leaving home. These can include physical impairments as well as neurologic disorders such as Alzheimers disease.

Local health departments in many communities have already launched efforts to locate and vaccinate homebound older people, who remain at risk because visitors may unwittingly bring the virus into their homes.

LAHAINA, Hawaii  Hawaiis restaurants are having a hard time serving an influx of tourists returning to the islands as pandemic restrictions across the nation ease.

Health workers prepare to administer Covishield, Serum Institute of India's version of the AstraZeneca vaccine, during a drive-in vaccination program in Kolkata, India, Wednesday, June 9, 2021. (AP Photo/Bikas Das)

Restaurants in Hawaii are operating at 50% capacity. Gov. David Ige says that limit will not be increased until 60% of Hawaii residents are vaccinated. When that benchmark is met, restaurants will be able to operate at 75% capacity. But capacity increases wont help some restaurants with limited space.

Some restaurants wont be able to serve many more people until social distancing rules are changed.

TORONTO  Canadas health minister says fully vaccinated Canadian citizens and permanent residents who test negative for the coronavirus will soon be exempt from a two-week quarantine when returning to the country.

Officials expect that to happen in early July.

Air travelers who have received shots at least 14 days before entering Canada will be able to skip a stay in a government-approved quarantine hotel but will still have to stay in isolation until a virus test comes back negative.

Visitors gather at the Eiffel Tower, in Paris, Wednesday, June 9, 2021. France is back in business as a tourist destination after opening its borders Wednesday to foreign visitors who are inoculated against the coronavirus with vaccines approved by the European Union's medicines agency. France's acceptance of only the Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson vaccines means that tourism is still barred for would-be visitors from China and other countries that use other vaccines. (AP Photo/Francois Mori)

Currently, arriving air travelers are required to spend three days in quarantine at a hotel at their expense and then complete their two weeks in self-isolation. They will be required to take a test upon arrival in Canada, and remain in isolation until the test comes back negative.

WASHINGTON  The U.S. will buy 500 million more doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to share through the COVAX alliance for donation to 92 lower-income countries and the African Union over the next year.

Thats according to a person familiar with the matter.

President Joe Biden is expected to make the announcement Thursday in a speech before the start of Group of Seven summit. According to the person, 200 million doses  enough to fully protect 100 million people  will be shared this year, with the balance to be donated in the first half of 2022.

The person confirmed the announcement on the condition of anonymity. The news was first reported by the Washington Post.

Cemetery and funeral workers place the coffin of a man who died of COVID-19 into a niche at the Nuestra Senora de Belen cemetery in Fusagasuga, Colombia, Wednesday, June 9, 2021. (AP Photo/Ivan Valencia)

 by Zeke Miller

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- A dozen major California business organizations have called on Gov. Gavin Newsom to change recently adopted workplace regulations requiring all workers to wear masks unless everyone in a room is vaccinated.

The California Retailers Association and organizations representing manufacturers, farmers, tourism interests and other industries sent a letter to Newsom asking him to issue an emergency order rescinding the regulations adopted last week.

Those regulations came from the California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board and run counter to Newsoms plan to lift nearly all mask rules for vaccinated people next Tuesday. The board called a special meeting for Wednesday to reconsider the masking rules.

MOSCOW  The Russian capital has recorded a steep uptick in coronavirus infections this week and authorities say enforcement measures for wearing masks and gloves will increase.

Residents sit in observation after getting shots of the AstraZeneca vaccine for COVID-19 at Mega Mall on the outskirts of Panama City, Wednesday, June 9, 2021. (AP Photo/Arnulfo Franco)

On Wednesday, the national coronavirus task force reported 4,124 new cases in Moscow, a 40% increase from Sundays tally of 2,936. The head of the directorate that oversees control of public services for the city, Yevgeny Danchikov, says enforcement of masks and gloves on public transport, in shopping centers and in other public places will be tightened. Violators could be fined up to 5,000 rubles ($70).

Mayor Sergei Sobyanin says the city plans to open new hospitals for treatment of COVID-19 but didnt give details. Russia has reported 5.1 million confirmed coronavirus infections and 124,895 confirmed deaths.

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti  Haiti has perplexed experts with low infection and death rates from COVID-19 despite its rickety public health system, a lack of vaccines and fewer enforced safety measures.

Thats no longer the case. The few Haitian hospitals treating COVID-19 cases report turning away patients. There were 2,271 cases and 62 deaths recorded in the past month. Health experts say those figures miss the true scale of what they consider the largest spike in cases since the coronavirus arrived.

The government declared a health emergency on May 24 and imposed a curfew and safety measures  though few Haitians appear to follow them. Most shun, or cant afford, face masks and its difficult to keep a distance while shopping in bustling marketplaces or riding crowded buses.

A nurse gives a shot of the Pfizer vaccine for COVID-19 to a pregnant woman in Montevideo, Uruguay, Wednesday, June 9, 2021. (AP Photo/Matilde Campodonico)

A total of 15,700 confirmed cases and more than 330 confirmed deaths have been reported in a nation of more than 11 million.

LONDON  The U.K. has recorded its highest daily coronavirus cases since late February, suggesting the Delta variant is spreading widely across the country.

Government figures Wednesday showed that the U.K. recorded 7,540 new infections, the biggest daily increase since Feb. 26. Cases have been rising over the past few weeks as a result of the Delta variant first identified in India. The concern is the increase will pressure the health system once again.

Another 123 people entered the hospital with symptoms related to coronavirus, taking the total to 1,024. The number of people dying after testing positive for COVID-19 rose by six to 127,860 confirmed deaths.

Health experts hope the rapid rollout of vaccines will break the link between new cases and deaths. So far, a large proportion of the people infected are within the less vulnerable younger age groups, many of whom have yet to receive a first dose.

FILE - In this March 26, 2021, file photo, health care workers wait in line to receive a dose of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine at a vaccination centre at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital in Johannesburg, South Africa. In the global race to vaccinate people against COVID-19, Africa is tragically at the back of the pack. And hundreds of thousands of the country's health workers, many of whom come face-to-face with the virus every day, are still waiting for their shots. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe, File)

GENEVA  World Trade Organization member nations have agreed to intensify talks toward geared at improving access to COVID-19 products.

Developing nations are pushing for a proposal to ease patents and other intellectual property protections for coronavirus vaccines, but some wealthier countries remain opposed. A panel focusing on intellectual property wrapped up a two-day meeting on Wednesday with an agreement to start a process for pulling together proposals to improve the fight against COVID-19 through the WTOs intricate system of rules.

Intellectual property includes patents on technological know-how regarding vaccines. WTO members plan to start discussions next week in hope of sending a report to the Geneva-based trade bodys ambassadors in July.

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka  Sri Lanka has requested Japan provide 600,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine in an attempt to complete administering the second dose to citizens.

Sri Lanka is facing a severe shortage of AstraZeneca vaccines as the producer in the neighboring India failed to provide the promised stock due to the crisis in that country.

On Wednesday, the presidents office announced that president Gotabhaya Rajapaksa requested Prime Minister of Japan Yoshiihide Suga provide 600,000 doses of AstraZeneca.

The request has been met with positive responses, according to a statement from the presidents office. Sri Lanka is currently using Chinas Sinopharm and Rusian Sputnik V vaccines.

Sri Lanka has witnessed an increase of positive cases and deaths since April, partly caused by celebrations and shopping during last months traditional new year festival. Sri Lanka has registered more than 210,000 cases and 1,843 confirmed deaths.

___

BEIRUT  Lebanons caretaker health minister has inaugurated the countrys largest vaccination center at a shopping mall in Beirut as the government speeds up the inoculation campaign against the coronavirus.

Hamad Hassan says the center run by the Lebanese Red Cross can vaccinate more than 5,000 persons a day and aims to encourage more people to take the vaccines outside hospitals and clinics.

Lebanon, a nation of about 6 million people, including a million Syrian refugees, has vaccinated more than 600,000 people with a first shot.

After hitting a record of more than 6,000 cases and nearly 100 deaths in one day earlier this year, lockdowns and strict measures by the government helped bring down the numbers. Lebanons health ministry reported 139 new cases and six deaths on Wednesday.

The nation has registered more than 540,000 confirmed cases and 7,780 deaths.

PARIS  Frances government spokesman says the coronavirus situation in France clearly improved and the country on Wednesday reopened indoor spaces in restaurants and cafes as well as gyms and swimming pools.

Gabriel Attal says, That is not only a foretaste, but the taste of the life we once had that we are getting back.

The nighttime curfew is pushed back from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Major sport and cultural events are allowed with a maximum number of 5,000 people. Theyll need to show a vaccination certificate or a negative test within the last 48 hours. Terraces of restaurants and cafes, theaters, cinemas and museums reopened on May 19 after a six-month coronavirus shutdown.

About 54% of Frances adult population has received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose. France is registering 6,500 daily virus cases on average, down from 35,000 in the March-April peak.

The nation has reported 110,000 confirmed deaths, among the highest tolls in Europe.
I was reading an interview with iconic horror author Stephen King in the Wall Street Journals magazine the other morning when, suddenly and without warning, I was engulfed by a wave of terror and rage.

Opinion

I was reading an interview with iconic horror author Stephen King in the Wall Street Journals magazine the other morning when, suddenly and without warning, I was engulfed by a wave of terror and rage.

For the record, in the interview, the famed writer talked about the new TV adaptation of his book Liseys Story, and shared how important getting a good nights sleep is for someone who makes a living writing.

"I usually get about six hours a night, sometimes seven. But I also try to take a nap in the afternoon, about an hour," King said of his sleep schedule. "So Im going to say I get maybe seven and a half hours of sleep in a 24-hour period."

When I read those words  which I was only able to do because my eyelids were propped open with toothpicks  I was transformed from an easygoing newspaper columnist into a seething rage monster.

"Seven and a half hours sleep, Mr. King?!" I shrieked at the computer, bits of drool flying from my mouth to the keyboard. "Maybe you should try living in my house and well see how much (bad word) rest you get then!"

Look, I am a devoted fan of Stephen King, but in that instant I experienced a jealous rage for one simple reason  I havent been getting enough sleep.

Its not my fault. Its the fault of our main dog, Bogey, a 12-year-old cross between a cotton swab and a throw pillow who, in recent years, has become terrified of a common harbinger of summer  thunder and lightning.

A couple of summers ago, we were hit with a wicked daytime storm and, while I was floating in the tub in our main bathroom, Bogey wandered in, gave me a nervous look, then climbed into a laundry basket and buried himself under a pile of freshly cleaned towels.

Things have only got worse since then. Even before the first clap of thunder or first bolt of lightning, my fuzzy little best friend can sense a drop in barometric pressure and begins to panic in a disorderly fashion.

On Saturday just after midnight, as I lay snoring in bed, a full-on storm erupted, which prompted Bogey to bolt from his little bed on the floor, fling his front paws up on our mattress and begin frantically batting my backside.

The only thing that seems to calm him down as summer storm season swings into action is having me scoop him up and hold him until Mother Nature settles down to his satisfaction.

In an effort not to wake my spouse and our emergency backup dog  a small furry creature who is the canine version of a toothless British street urchin with the ability to sleep through a heavy metal concert  I carried my shivering friend into our den, plopped down on the couch, and turned on the TV.

That, of course, is not what the experts recommend. What they recommend is the following:

1. Reward calm behaviour year-round as opposed to trying to console a fearful dog, which encourages their panicky behaviour;

2. Provide a safe place such as an open crate or a basement where the dog cant see or hear whats going on outside;

3. Buy a snug pressure garment, such as a Thundershirt, that supposedly has a calming effect like swaddling a baby;

4. Desensitize your pet by playing a CD of thunder sounds, gradually raising the volume, while simultaneously giving your dog treats;

5. Talk to your veterinarian.

Im always willing to call our vet, but hes typically not available after midnight, so Bogey and I just lay on the couch watching six consecutive episodes of a Food Network show wherein eight competitors duked it out for the right to become head chef a new $10-million restaurant on the Vegas strip.

When my jittery pal appeared to nod off, I slid off the couch, crept back to the bedroom and climbed in, only to hear another crack of thunder, which prompted me to begin counting to 10, and before I reached five, Bogey was once again anxiously battering my backside with his paws to roust me from the sack.

It was around 2 a.m. and, with bleary eyes, I scooped him up again and we returned to the den, reclined together on the couch, then turned on the TV and resumed watching the seemingly hapless chefs angrily wielding their knives and spatulas on another episode of Vegas Chef Prizefight.

Thats where we were sitting around 5:30 a.m. when my wife got out of bed and quietly wandered into the den.

"Whats going on?" she asked, gently.

It would be an understatement to say I was tired and confused at that point, but I was able to mumble enough coherent words to explain that the storm had jolted Bogey out of bed, and he had, in turn, decided that if he couldnt sleep during a storm then his beloved master wouldnt be able to sleep, either.

The bad news is that I have just looked at the weather forecast and Environment Canada warned there would likely be more thunder and lightning pounding us last night and this morning.

The good news is I will be there for Bogey, and Im confident we will get through it together  provided theres something decent to watch on Food Network.

doug.speirs@freepress.mb.ca
WASHINGTON (AP)  The U.S. will buy 500 million more doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to share through the global COVAX alliance for donation to 92 lower income countries and the African Union over the next year, a person familiar with the matter said Wednesday.

WASHINGTON (AP)  The U.S. will buy 500 million more doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to share through the global COVAX alliance for donation to 92 lower income countries and the African Union over the next year, a person familiar with the matter said Wednesday.

President Joe Biden was set to make the announcement Thursday in a speech before the start of the Group of Seven summit. Two hundred million doses  enough to fully protect 100 million people  would be shared this year, with the balance to be donated in the first half of 2022, the person said.

We have to end COVID-19 not just at home  which were doing  but everywhere, Biden said Wednesday in a speech to the U.S. military at Royal Air Force Mildenhall, the first stop of an eight-day, three-country foreign trip.

National security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters Wednesday that Biden was committed to sharing vaccines because it was in the public health and strategic interests of the U.S. As Biden embarks on his first foreign trip, he is aiming to show that democracies are the countries that can best deliver solutions for people everywhere," Sullivan said.

The news of the Pfizer sharing plan was confirmed to The Associated Press by a person familiar with the matter, who spoke on condition of anonymity ahead of the president's formal announcement. The news was first reported by The Washington Post.

The U.S. has faced mounting pressure to outline its global vaccine sharing plan. Inequities in supply around the world have become more pronounced, and the demand for shots in the U.S.  where nearly 64% of adults have received at least one dose  has dropped precipitously.

Last week, the White House unveiled its plans to donate an initial allotment of 25 million doses of surplus vaccine overseas, mostly through the United Nations-backed COVAX program, promising infusions for South and Central America, Asia, Africa and others at a time of glaring shortages abroad.

Overall, the White House has announced plans to share 80 million doses globally by the end of June, most through COVAX. Officials say a quarter of the nations excess will be kept in reserve for emergencies and for the U.S. to share directly with allies and partners.

The White House has also directed doses to allies including South Korea, Taiwan and Ukraine.

Global public health groups had been aiming to use the upcoming G-7 meetings in Cornwall, England, to press the nation's wealthiest democracies to do more to share vaccines with the world, and Biden's plans drew immediate praise toward that end.

The Biden administrations decision to purchase and donate additional COVID-19 vaccine doses is the kind of bold leadership that is needed to end this global pandemic," said Tom Hart, acting CEO at The ONE Campaign, a nonprofit that seeks to end poverty. This action sends an incredibly powerful message about Americas commitment to helping the world fight this pandemic and the immense power of US global leadership.

But others have called on the U.S. to do even more.

Charity is not going to win the war against the coronavirus," said Niko Lusiani, Oxfam Americas vaccine lead. Its time to let the world help itself. Rather than more lucrative transactions with very profitable pharmaceutical corporations, we need a transformation toward more distributed vaccine manufacturing so that qualified producers worldwide can produce billions more low-cost doses on their own terms, without intellectual property constraints."

Biden last month broke with European allies to endorse waiving intellectual property rules at the World Trade Organization to promote vaccine production and equity. But many in his own administration acknowledge that the restrictions were not the driving cause of the global vaccine shortage, which has more to do with limited manufacturing capacity and shortages of delicate raw materials.

Sullivan said Wednesday that he does not expect the U.S. push to waive the patents on vaccines to cause tension with European counterparts.

Were all converging around the idea that we need to boost vaccine supply in a number of ways, sharing more of our own doses, Sullivan told reporters aboard Air Force One. Well have more to say on that, helping get more manufacturing capacity around the world.

Globally, there have been more than 3.7 million confirmed deaths from COVID-19, and more than 174 million people have been confirmed infected.
BOSTON (AP)  Bostons leaders are scrambling to tamp down a series of political crises.

BOSTON (AP)  Bostons leaders are scrambling to tamp down a series of political crises.

The acting mayor just fired the new police commissioner. Two school committee members abruptly quit after exchanging a series of racially charged text messages. The Boston Police Department is embroiled in an overtime fraud scandal. And on Beacon Hill, the governor is getting heat for hiring a veterans home administrator who had nearly 80 former military members die of COVID-19 under his watch.

All the drama is playing out against a potentially historic mayoral race that will likely see Boston elect its first person of color or woman to lead the city.

The challenges have landed on the desk of the citys Black chief executive, acting Mayor Kim Janey, also the citys first woman to occupy the office.

For Janey, the most recent development  the resignation of two Latina members of the Boston School Committee  has proven to be one of the more delicate problems shes faced since assuming the office in March after former Mayor Marty Walsh stepped down to become President Biden's labor secretary.

The two resigned after texts obtained by The Boston Globe showed school committee Chair Alexandra Oliver-Davila and fellow committee member Lorna Rivera disparaging parents at a virtual hearing about a proposal to temporarily drop the entrance test requirement to the citys exam schools.

Wait until the white racists start yelling at us, Rivera texted. Whatever. Theyre delusional, texted Oliver-Davila. I hate WR, she texted Rivera again, a reference to the citys West Roxbury neighborhood.

Sick of Westie whites, Rivera replied. Me too. I really feel like saying that, Oliver-Davila texted.

In her resignation letter, Oliver-Davila said she regretted the texts, but also said she was not ashamed of the feelings from history that made me write those words, referencing a personal history growing up in a city where she said was ostracized, teased, and called racial slurs.

The texts put Janey in an awkward spot, having also experienced racist attacks growing up in Boston.

In a written statement, Janey said the texts were unfortunate and unfairly disparaged members of the Boston Public Schools community.

But she was quick to praise the two as passionate advocates for Boston families" and said she could empathize with their personal stories.

As a Black woman, I know that racism hurts. The rocks and racial slurs thrown at me as a child left a lasting impression," Janey wrote.

As the revelation over the school committee texts was playing out over the weekend, Janey was also deciding the fate of Bostons police commissioner after decades-old domestic violence accusations came to light.

On Monday, Janey fired the top cop.

Dennis Whites removal came four months after he was placed on leave just days into his job. White, who waged a bitter legal battle to keep the job, had been appointed by Walsh, who later said he was unaware of the accusations.

Janey said keeping White on the job would send a chilling message to victims of domestic violence in our city and reinforce a culture of fear and a blue wall of silence in our police department.

White denied ever engaging in domestic violence.

I am a Black man, who has been accused falsely of crimes, White said during his termination hearing, according to a statement provided by his lawyer.

The firing of White isnt the only police-related controversy facing the city.

Just last week two more former Boston police officers pleaded guilty to federal charges in connection with an investigation into overtime fraud at the departments evidence warehouse.

Twelve current and former officers have been charged in the scheme. Prosecutors say more than $250,000 was embezzled.

And on Beacon Hill, Gov. Charlie Baker has been facing increasing scrutiny of his handling of a COVID-19 crisis at the Holyoke Soldiers Home, with calls mounting for a legislative response to the outbreak that killed 76 veteran residents last year.

The tragedy led to the removal last year of Bennett Walsh, the former superintendent of the 240-bed, state-run facility.

Critics say investigations of the outbreak, including one headed by a former federal prosecutor commissioned by Baker, have raised more questions, including about Bakers decision to appoint Walsh to lead the home in 2016 despite scant health care administration experience.

A legislative committee charged with looking into the tragedy found that a crisis of leadership on many counts contributed to the deaths.

Baker last week said he was eager to work with the Legislature and that he and lawmakers largely agree on the reforms needed. Baker signed a $400 million spending bill to finance construction of a new home.

Boston, of course, is no stranger to crises.

The most notable in recent decades came in the turmoil over school busing in the 1970s that thrust Boston into the national limelight and exposed in ugly ways the city's simmering racial tensions  a crisis that also helped give rise to a new generation of leaders in communities of color that have transformed the city's political landscape.
Its official.

Earls on Main is moving across the street.

RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Earls on Main will move to a new building connected to 300 Main, the 40-storey building complex Artis REIT is in the process of completing.

The much-rumoured move of the popular dining and drinking spot has been confirmed. The company is building a new restaurant right on the corner of Main Street and Graham Avenue connected to 300 Main, the 40-storey mixed-use apartment building complex Artis REIT is in the process of completing.

Ann Topp, the Vancouver restaurant companys regional director of operations, said its too early to pin down an opening date other than to say it will be "later this summer."

'Yes we are moving and yes, it is very exciting and yes, we know, everybody has been speculating about it for a very long time'  Ann Topp, Earls regional director of operations

"Yes we are moving and yes, it is very exciting and yes, we know, everybody has been speculating about it for a very long time," Topp said.

She was careful not to give too much away  and conceded that plans are still evolving  but said that the new restaurant will include a dining room, lounge and patio and it will be unique among the 79-store chain.

"What I can tell you is that we have not opened an Earls in Winnipeg since the St. Vital location in 2006 and this one was specifically designed for Winnipeg and will be unlike any other Earls in our company," she said.

She said the pandemic has taught the industry that customer behaviour has changed.

"Things that were not such a big focus before have become a focus for us like takeout, Earls at home, even having the proper social distancing and plexiglass," she said. "That will all be incorporated into the new location."

The pandemic has been such a challenging time for the restaurant industry, and nowhere has it been more challenging than in Winnipeg. Earls has 69 locations from B.C. to Ontario and 10 more in the U.S.  while there were once some franchise locations, all are now corporately owned  and with the reopening starting in Ontario this weekend, the three Winnipeg locations will be the only ones in the Earls chain left yet to open.

"We are very hopeful to hear from Premier Pallister about the reopening plan for next week," she said. "Once we have that we feel we will have a better idea of when we can secure an opening date."

But having said that, the company is launching a hiring campaign for the new Winnipeg location this week.

Meanwhile, Artiss $165-million mixed-use apartment building complex is scheduled to be ready for occupancy by the end of this year with the top half finished by the end of 2022.

With all sorts of moving parts still to be finalized, Artiss chief operating officer Kim Riley was reluctant to give away too much about the details of the amenities that will be included in the development, but Earls is clearly a good get.

"One of our main objectives is to bring vibrancy and convenience to Portage and Main with our 300 Main project," she said. "We are actively working on finalizing our amenities, service offerings and tenant roster. We look forward to sharing more details in the near future."

Artis has confirmed that all of the commercial space at 300 and 330 Main has been leased, with the exception of one small unit. The only other confirmed new tenant is a Goodlife Fitness studio in the north part of the complex. The company is keeping the specific details of who is moving in until later in the year.

The fact that Earls is relocating its store at 191 Main, an established and successful location thats across the street and one block south of the new store, is an indication that 300 Main could quickly become a very desirable address.

There had been talk over the years that Earls wanted to rebuild at 191 Main but was thwarted by zoning challenges. Topp would not comment on that, but said that the relocation across the street was an opportunity to get Earls closer to its customers.

"By being connected to the walkway system allows our guests to frequent us... they can come back for lunch, happy hour, dinner, before and after events." she said. "The current location just doesnt have that accessibility."

Asked what the expectations are in terms of people being comfortable returning to restaurants after a lockdown that is 15 months and counting, Topp said, "Our customers in Winnipeg have always been extremely loyal. We hope that when the economy opens up and people are able to return to dine as we know it, we know Winnipeggers are going to come back."

martin.cash@freepress.mb.ca
BERLIN (AP)  Germany's health ministry on Wednesday downplayed the possible impact on the country's coronavirus vaccine campaign after reports that the shot being developed by local company CureVac could face further delays getting regulatory approval.

BERLIN (AP)  Germany's health ministry on Wednesday downplayed the possible impact on the country's coronavirus vaccine campaign after reports that the shot being developed by local company CureVac could face further delays getting regulatory approval.

Manfred Lucha, the health minister for Baden-Wuerttemberg state, where CureVac is based, said Tuesday that there were complications with CureVac's clinical trials, German news agency dpa reported. Lucha quoted federal Health Minister Jens Spahn saying authorization for the shot might not happen before August.

Spahn's spokesman, Hanno Kautz, declined to comment on the report, saying the conversation cited by Lucha was confidential.

But what I could tell you is that CureVac isn't really relevant for the current vaccination campaign, said Kautz, adding that German authorities had planned to receive 1.4 million doses of the shot during the second quarter that ends June 30.

Asked whether the ministry expects to get any doses of the CureVac vaccine this year, he said: We have no information to the contrary.

German daily Augsburger Allgemeine reported that CureVac's late-stage clinical trial has suffered from a lack of infections in the control group, due to the falling number of COVID-19 cases.

It quoted a company spokeswoman, Sarah Fakih, saying that CureVac is confident it will soon be able to get the 160 COVID-19 cases among almost 40,000 trial participants required for the study, and hopes to submit the data to the European Medicines Agency by the end of June.

In its vaccine, CureVac uses mRNA technology that's also employed in the BioNTech-Pfizer and Moderna shots.

Follow all of APs pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic, https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-vaccine and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak
DENVER (AP)  The second-largest producer of beef, pork and chicken in the U.S. will pay up to $5.5 million to settle a lawsuit that claimed the company discriminated against Muslim employees at a meat processing plant in northern Colorado.

FILE - In this Sept. 10, 2008, file photo, Mohamed Jama, left and Najima Handule, right, discuss the termination papers they received from JBS Swift & Co. during a gathering near the company's facility in Greeley, Colo., after the decision on a dispute about a 7:30 p.m. break was unsastifactory to the Muslim workers. JBS Swift & Company will pay up to $5.5 million to settle a lawsuit that claimed the meatpacking company discriminated against Muslim employees at its beef processing plant in northern Colorado. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed the lawsuit in federal court in Denver in 2010, saying JBS discriminated against employees at its plant in Greeley by denying them bathroom breaks and disciplining them more harshly than other workers because they were Muslim, immigrants from Somalia and Black. (Sara Loven/The Greeley Tribune via AP, File)

DENVER (AP)  The second-largest producer of beef, pork and chicken in the U.S. will pay up to $5.5 million to settle a lawsuit that claimed the company discriminated against Muslim employees at a meat processing plant in northern Colorado.

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed the lawsuit in federal court in Denver in 2010, saying JBS Swift & Company discriminated against employees at its beef processing plant in Greeley by denying them bathroom breaks and disciplining them more harshly than other workers because they were Muslim, immigrants from Somalia, and Black.

JBS USA LLC, doing business as JBS Swift & Company, must pay the $5.5 million to about 300 employees who were included in the settlement, which was announced by the commission on Wednesday.

Nikki Richardson, a spokeswoman for JBS USA, said the company does not admit any liability in the settlement, prohibits all discrimination and harassment at its facilities and is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

According to the lawsuit, JBS prevented Muslim employees from praying and harassed them when they tried to pray during scheduled breaks and bathroom breaks.

JBS also was accused of shutting off water fountains during the holy month of Ramadan in 2008, keeping Muslim Somali workers from getting a drink at sundown after a day of fasting, and from washing before prayers. According to the lawsuit, JBS managers and other employees threw meat or bones at Black and Somali employees, called them offensive names and tolerated offensive graffiti in restrooms at the Greeley plant, including the use of the N-word, Somalis are disgusting, F- Somalians and F- Muslims.

This case serves as a reminder that systemic discrimination and harassment remain significant problems that we as a society must tackle," EEOC Chair Charlotte Burrows said in a statement.

JBS must take several steps to prevent further discrimination, including allowing former employees covered under the settlement to be eligible for rehire; reviewing, updating and posting its anti-discrimination policies; and maintaining a 24-hour hotline for reporting discrimination. The company also will be required to provide quiet locations other than bathrooms for employees to pray.

Many Somalis started working at the Greeley plant following a 2006 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raid in which 270 Hispanic employees were detained.

The treatment of the Somali workers came to a head two years later when they asked company officials to move the plant's scheduled meal break so they could stop fasting at sunset during Ramadan.

Officials agreed to an earlier meal break but changed course three days later and, according to the lawsuit, Muslim workers who were told to go outside to pray weren't allowed back into the plant.

Days later, several workers were fired for what the company said was an unauthorized work stoppage, according to the lawsuit.
NEW YORK (AP)  The Associated Press' recent firing of a young reporter for what she said on Twitter has somewhat unexpectedly turned company and industry attention to the flip side of social media engagement  the online abuse that many journalists face routinely.

A cellphone displays The Associated Press Twitter account on Tuesday, June 8, 2021, in Los Angeles. The AP's recent firing of a young reporter for what she said on Twitter has somewhat unexpectedly turned company and industry attention to the flip side of social media engagement  the online abuse that many journalists face routinely. (AP Photo/Paula Munoz)

NEW YORK (AP)  The Associated Press' recent firing of a young reporter for what she said on Twitter has somewhat unexpectedly turned company and industry attention to the flip side of social media engagement  the online abuse that many journalists face routinely.

During internal meetings after the Arizona-based reporter, Emily Wilder, was let go, several journalists expressed concern over whether the AP would have the backs of employees under attack from the outside.

The Emily Wilder situation triggered this for many people on the staff, Jenna Fryer, an AP sportswriter who spoke at one of the meetings, said in a subsequent interview.

Wilder was fired last month because of what the company said were tweets on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that violated AP's social media policy against offering opinions on contentious issues. Before her firing, a conservative group had sparked an online campaign against her over her pro-Palestinian views, and while the AP has said it wasn't responding to pressure, her dismissal ignited debate over whether the news organization acted too rashly.

Journalists are often subjected to racist or sexist slurs, vile insults and threats of rape, dismemberment or other violence from online readers.

Online harassment is hardly unique to journalists. But the visibility of reporters makes them particularly vulnerable to attack, said Viktorya Vilk, program director for digital safety and free expression at the literary and human rights organization PEN America.

Fryer, who covers auto racing, said she was in tears daily over online abuse she received for coverage of a noose found last year in an Alabama garage stall used by NASCAR's only full-time Black driver. She said the only time she heard from the company about harassment was when a manager remarked that Fryer had gotten a lot of it.

Sometimes you feel like you're on a total island, she said.

The news agency says it has worked with law enforcement in many cases when its journalists were attacked online. Still, following the meetings, the AP ordered a study on whether more can be done.

I can speak from personal experience that we have not been ignoring this, said Julie Pace, the AP's Washington bureau chief. What we have to do is put this on a par with the way we handle what we have traditionally viewed as security threats for our journalists  if you are going to Syria, or if you're covering protests that could potentially become chaotic.

News organizations were often quick over the past decade to press their journalists to build social media profiles, recognizing it as important to their brands, but slow to see its dangers, said Vilk, who has worked with more than a dozen media outlets on this issue.

Women and minorities usually have it worse. Vilk believes the preponderance of white men in management has contributed to the industry's delay in reacting.

Some members of the AP's race and ethnicity reporting team approached their editor, Andale Gross, following Wilder's firing with concerns over whether the company would support them if their stories or tweets proved controversial, he said. Racist slurs and threats happen frequently to the reporters he supervises, who include Blacks, Latinos and Asian-Americans, and AP security has responded to a number of them, he said.

The team's story two weeks ago about racism in the military provoked many hateful messages from people who said they were in the military  essentially proving the article's point, he said.

I don't want people to think it should be accepted or tolerated, Gross said. But it comes with the territory of the things we write about. We know that every story we produce, we can be dealing with an onslaught of racism.

The National Association of Black Journalists has offered members help on the problem through in-person information sessions and webinars, said Dorothy Tucker, NABJ president.

Nearly three-quarters of 714 female journalists surveyed said they had experienced online attacks, according to a study released in April by UNESCO and the International Center for Journalists. Twelve percent sought medical or psychological help. The survey said 4% left their jobs and 2% quit the business altogether.

Washington Post columnist Margaret Sullivan wrote in March about receiving viciously misogynistic name-calling and sexualized fantasies about dismembering me.

Unless you've been there, it's hard to comprehend how deeply destabilizing it is, how it can make you think twice about your next story, or even whether being a journalist is worth it, she wrote.

Taylor Lorenz, a reporter at The New York Times, wrote on Twitter this spring about the unimaginable attacks she had received online. It's not an exaggeration to say that the harassment and smear campaign I've had to endure over the past year has destroyed my life," she wrote. "No one should have to go through this."

Both journalist Glenn Greenwald and Fox News Channel host Tucker Carlson belittled her concerns.

Destroyed her life? Really? Carlson said on the air. By most people's standards Taylor Lorenz would seem to have a pretty good life, one of the best lives in the country, in fact.

A suck it up attitude or feeling that nothing can really be done about online harassment leads many journalists to stay silent. Anne M. Peterson, a veteran sportswriter for the AP, said she has received lewd pictures online and a threat from someone who chillingly attached a Google image of her house. She has never reported an incident to management.

The AP's Pace, who also writes stories and appears on television, said she has been a target of abuse and has had to address it for employees she manages.

There have been moments when I sort of chalked it up to, Yeah, this is part of the job, she said in an interview. I know I'm in a high-profile job. ... Then there are moments where they really cross a line, or if it affects your personal safety or your family where you think, No, this is not something I should have to put up with. This is unacceptable and scary.

So we don't want to normalize it, she said. We don't want people to feel like they have to sit there and take it.

Online attacks in general have worsened. The Pew Research Center said in January that 41% of U.S. adults say they have been harassed online, up from 35% in 2014. The percentages of people who say they have been threatened or sexually harassed online have both doubled since 2014, Pew said.

There are signs that the problem is being taken more seriously in newsrooms.

One indication is a greater willingness to publicly back journalists under attack. That happened this past winter, when Washington Post reporter Seung Min Kim was criticized for asking Sen Lisa Murkowski her reaction to something President Joe Biden's failed nominee for budget director, Neera Tanden, had tweeted about Murkowski.

Kim's boss, Post national editor Steven Ginsberg, said the attacks were wildly misguided and a bad-faith effort at intimidation. What she did was basic journalism.

Vilk advises news organizations to conduct an anonymous internal survey to determine the extent of their problems, and to examine social media policies. Most policies concentrate on what journalists should or shouldn't do, as opposed to what happens when the audience goes on attack, she said.

Organizations should provide cybersecurity training and support, legal and mental health counseling and access to services that can scrub an employee's personal information from the web, she said. Companies must also be aware that harassment is often more organized than it appears, and be prepared to investigate the source of campaigns, she said.

The AP set a Sept. 1 deadline for a committee of staff members to bring forward ideas to improve how harassment is dealt with.

This story has been corrected to show that the percentage of people who told the Pew Research Center that they had been harassed online has gone up to 41% from 35% in 2014, instead of 2017.
BILLINGS, Mont. (AP)  The sponsor of the Keystone XL crude oil pipeline pulled the plug on the contentious project Wednesday after Canadian officials failed to persuade President Joe Biden to reverse his cancellation of its permit on the day he took office.

Committee Ranking Member Sen. Joe Manchin, D-WVa., speaks during a hearing to examine the nomination of former Gov. Jennifer Granholm, D-Mich., as she testifies before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee during a hearing to examine her nomination to be Secretary of Energy, Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2021 on Capitol Hill in Washington. (Jim Watson/Pool via AP)

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP)  The sponsor of the Keystone XL crude oil pipeline pulled the plug on the contentious project Wednesday after Canadian officials failed to persuade President Joe Biden to reverse his cancellation of its permit on the day he took office.

Calgary-based TC Energy said it would work with government agencies "to ensure a safe termination of and exit" from the partially built line, which was to transport crude from the oil sand fields of western Canada to Steele City, Nebraska.

Construction on the 1,200-mile (1,930-kilometer) pipeline began last year when former President Donald Trump revived the long-delayed project after it had stalled under the Obama administration. It would have moved up to 830,000 barrels (35 million gallons) of crude daily, connecting in Nebraska to other pipelines that feed oil refineries on the U.S. Gulf Coast.

Biden canceled the pipeline's border crossing permit in January over longstanding concerns that burning oil sands crude could make climate change worse and harder to reverse.

In this Dec. 18, 2020 photo, pipes to be used for the Keystone XL pipeline are stored in a field near Dorchester, Neb. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says his officials have been in frequent contact with President-elect Joe Bidens incoming administration making the case for a long disputed oil pipeline that reports say Biden will cancel on his first day in office. (Chris Machian /Omaha World-Herald via AP)

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had objected to the move , raising tensions between the U.S. and Canada. Officials in Alberta, where the line originated, expressed frustration in recent weeks that Trudeau wasn't pushing Biden harder to reinstate the pipelines permit.

Alberta invested more than $1 billion in the project last year, kick-starting construction that had stalled amid determined opposition to the line from environmentalists and Native American tribes along its route.

Alberta officials said Wednesday they reached an agreement with TC Energy, formerly known as TransCanada, to exit that partnership. The company and province plan to try to recoup the government's investment, although neither offered any immediate details on how that would happen.

"We remain disappointed and frustrated with the circumstances surrounding the Keystone XL project, including the cancellation of the presidential permit for the pipelines border crossing," Alberta Premier Jason Kenney said in a statement.

The province had hoped the pipeline would spur increased development in the oil sands and bring tens of billions of dollars in royalties over decades.

FILE - In this March 11, 2020, file photo provided by the Bureau of Land Management, shows the proposed route of the Keystone XL oil pipeline where it crosses into the United States from Canada in Phillips County, Mont. Calgary-based TC Energy, sponsor of the Keystone XL crude oil pipeline, said Wednesday, June 9, 2021, that it was pulling the plug on the contentious project after Canadian officials failed to convince President Joe Biden to reverse its cancellation of its permit on the day he took office. (Al Nash/Bureau of Land Management via AP, File)

Climate change activists viewed the expansion of oil sands development as an environmental disaster that could speed up global warming as the fuel is burned. That turned Keystone into a flashpoint in the climate debate, and it became the focus of rallies and protests in Washington, D.C., and other cities.

Environmentalists who had fought the project since it was first announced in 2008 said its cancellation marks a "landmark moment" in the effort to curb the use of fossil fuels.

"Good riddance to Keystone XL," said Jared Margolis with the Center for Biological Diversity, one of many environmental groups that sued to stop it.

On Montanas Fort Belknap Reservation, tribal president Andy Werk Jr. described the end of Keystone as a relief to Native Americans who stood against it out of concerns a line break could foul the Missouri River or other waterways.

Attorneys general from 21 states had sued to overturn Bidens cancellation of the pipeline, which would have created thousands of construction jobs. Republicans in Congress have made the cancellation a frequent talking point in their criticism of the administration, and even some moderate Senate Democrats including Montana's Jon Tester and West Virginia's Joe Manchin had urged Biden to reconsider.

Tester said in a statement Wednesday that he was disappointed in the project's demise, but made no mention of Biden.

Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso, the top Republican on the Senate energy committee, was more direct: "President Biden killed the Keystone XL Pipeline and with it, thousands of good-paying American jobs."

A White House spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment on TC Energy's announcement. In his Jan. 20 cancellation order, Biden said allowing the line to proceed "would not be consistent with my administrations economic and climate imperatives."

TC Energy said in canceling the pipeline that the company is focused on meeting "evolving energy demands" as the world transitions to different power sources. It said it has $7 billion in other projects under development.

Keystone XLs price tag had ballooned as the project languished, increasing from $5.4 billion to $9 billion. Meanwhile, oil prices fell significantly  from more than $100 a barrel in 2008 to under $70 in recent months  slowing development of Canadas oil sands and threatening to eat into any profits from moving the fuel to refineries.

A second TC Energy pipeline network, known simply as Keystone, has been delivering crude from Canada's oil sands region since 2010. The company says on its website that Keystone has moved more than 3 billion barrels of crude from Alberta and an oil loading site in Cushing, Oklahoma.

Follow Brown on Twitter: @MatthewBrownAP
RICHMOND, Va. (AP)  Terry McAuliffe, a longtime fixture of Democratic politics, handily won his partys nomination for Virginia governor in his quest for a second term, setting up whats expected to be a hotly contested general election against a wealthy businessman and political newcomer, GOP nominee Glenn Youngkin.

Winner of the Virginia Democratic gubernatorial primary, former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe, gestures as he addresses the crowd during an election party in McLean, Va., Tuesday, June 8, 2021. McAuliffe faced four other Democrats in Tuesday's primary. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

RICHMOND, Va. (AP)  Terry McAuliffe, a longtime fixture of Democratic politics, handily won his partys nomination for Virginia governor in his quest for a second term, setting up whats expected to be a hotly contested general election against a wealthy businessman and political newcomer, GOP nominee Glenn Youngkin.

In his victory speech Tuesday night, McAuliffe made the case that Youngkin is too conservative for a state that's long been trending blue.

Let me be crystal clear: Glenn Youngkin is not a reasonable Republican, said McAuliffe, who defeated four challengers to win the primary.

Youngkin shot back, describing Virginia as a state that over the past two Democratic governorships has gotten less safe, more expensive and has not offered enough economic opportunities.

We need a new kind of leader to bring a new day to Virginia, Youngkin said in a statement. Get ready, because Terry McAuliffe will default to the same political games hes played his entire life.

A longtime Democratic Party fundraiser and a close friend of Bill and Hillary Clinton, McAuliffe held office from 2014 to 2018. Like all Virginia governors, he was prohibited from seeking a consecutive term. He jumped into the race in December after deciding in 2019 against a run for president.

Republican gubernatorial candidate, Glenn Youngkin arrives for an event in Richmond, Va., Tuesday, May 11, 2021. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

Virginia is the only state in the nation with an open race for governor this year, and the contest is expected to draw outsized national attention as a barometer of voter sentiment in each party heading into the midterm elections.

The race has also taken on heightened importance as a referendum on the sweeping changes Virginia Democrats have implemented since assuming full control of the state government in 2020. They have pushed through gun control and police reform, marijuana legalization and a higher minimum wage, transforming what was once a reliably red state.

We are a different state than we were eight years ago, and we are not going back, McAuliffe said in his speech.

McAuliffe, 64, focused his campaign on the need for bold action to address Virginias lagging teacher pay and inequities in education funding. Hes also pledged to work to accelerate Virginias minimum wage increase to $15 by 2024, protect abortion access, and ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.

He earned the endorsement of Gov. Ralph Northam, who said McAuliffe was best suited to lead Virginia's economic recovery from the pandemic and cement the transformational changes Democrats have implemented.

McAuliffe also raised far more money than the other candidates: state Sen. Jennifer McClellan, former Del. Jennifer Carroll Foy, Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax and Del. Lee Carter. From the jump, he had the backing of a substantial number of elected officials across the commonwealth, including many powerful Black lawmakers.

I liked what hes done and believe he can do what hes promised. And I think he can win, said Joe Glaze, a 70-year-old retired clergy member who voted for McAuliffe Tuesday afternoon in Richmond. Thats the main thing: I want someone who will win and beat Youngkin.

Some more progressive voters criticized McAuliffe's record on energy and criminal justice issues, and saw him as standing in the way of Carroll Foy and McClellan, who were each trying to become the nations first Black woman governor.

Either also would have been Virginias first female governor. The commonwealth has elected only one woman in its history to a statewide position and never to its highest office.

Both issued statements congratulating McAuliffe Tuesday night.

Lets get in the trenches. Lets do the work because at the end of the day, we must win in November, Carroll Foy said.

Del. Hala Ayala won the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor Tuesday, all but ensuring that Virginia will soon elect its first female lieutenant governor  her Republican opponent is Winsome Sears, the first Black woman to receive a major partys endorsement for statewide office.

Democratic Attorney General Mark Herring meanwhile secured his partys nomination for a third term, staving off a strong challenge from Del. Jay Jones, who sought to cast Herring as insufficiently progressive. Herring will face Republican state Del. Jason Miyares in November.

Republicans picked their nominees for this years statewide races in a multisite convention process in May. Youngkin, a former executive at an investment fund with no voting record to be scrutinized, has pledged to use his personal wealth to power his campaign.

Bobbi Andrews, 85, said she voted for McAuliffe based on his past record as governor and, in part, because of his stance on education. But she said shes voted for Republicans before and considers Youngkin a strong candidate.

Im glad to see a strong Republican running because we need two parties, Andrews said. If we dont have two parties, neither one of them will be honest.

Associated Press writer Ben Finley contributed to this report from Norfolk and Virginia Beach.
WARSAW, Poland (AP)  Some four thousand Polish coal mining and power workers protested in Warsaw Wednesday against the gradual phasing out of coal extraction and use and against a European Union court order to immediately close down a mine.

Workers from Poland's coal mining and the energy sectors protest, in Warsaw, Poland, Wednesday, June 9, 2021. Some four thousand Polish coal mining and power workers have protested in Warsaw against the gradual phasing out of coal use and against a European Union court order to immediately close down a mine. Trade unions organizing Wednesday's protest said Europes shift from coal  which is abundant in Poland but polluting  towards renewable energy will eliminate hundreds of thousands of jobs in the country. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

WARSAW, Poland (AP)  Some four thousand Polish coal mining and power workers protested in Warsaw Wednesday against the gradual phasing out of coal extraction and use and against a European Union court order to immediately close down a mine.

Trade unions organizing the protest with banners and noisy horns said Europe's shift from coal  which is abundant in Poland but polluting  towards renewable energy will eliminate hundreds of thousands of jobs in the country.

The protesters also argued that the policy would threaten Poland's energy security and make the country dependent on fuel and power imports from Germany and Russia.

We are threatened with the loss of energy sovereignty if we close our mines, our power plants and will be forced to import power, said Krzysztof Gonerski, head of a Solidarity union chapter at the ENEA energy company in Gorzow Wielkopolski.

Tens of thousands of good jobs will be eliminated. We are protesting against that, Gonerski told The Associated Press.

Workers from Poland's coal mining and the energy sectors protest, in Warsaw, Poland, Wednesday, June 9, 2021. Some four thousand Polish coal mining and power workers have protested in Warsaw against the gradual phasing out of coal use and against a European Union court order to immediately close down a mine. Trade unions organizing Wednesday's protest said Europes shift from coal  which is abundant in Poland but polluting  towards renewable energy will eliminate hundreds of thousands of jobs in the country. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

He said wind and solar energy are not enough to substitute for coal, while the only viable option is nuclear energy.

"But Germany is already saying it will not allow a nuclear power plant near its border, so we will have to import expensive energy from Germany, from France, Gonerski said.

He said the EU is ruled by ecoterrorists who are not really aware of the situation.

The demonstrators accuse the right-wing government of caving in to EU demands and charting out the timetable for the full closure of mines by 2049. Energy experts say that will happen much sooner, because Poland's coal mines are becoming increasingly deeper and costlier, making extraction unviable. Some users are already importing cheaper coal, including from Russia.

Wednesday's protest was spurred by an order last month from a top EU court for Poland to immediately halt operation of the Turow brown coal mine that feeds the Turow power plant, the source of some 7% percent of Poland's energy. The ruling was in response to a lawsuit by the neighboring Czech Republic which says the mine is draining water from its border villages.

Also Wednesday, in a boost to the Czech complaint, the European Commission, the EU's executive body, said it will support Prague's case against Poland to demand Turow's closure, before the EU Court of Justice, Poland's state news agency PAP said, quoting commission spokeswoman Vivian Loonela.

Poland has not stopped the Turow mine, that belongs to the state PGE energy group, arguing it would cut power to over 2 million households and would have a negative effect on the European power grid. It insists that the court did not have full information on the situation while taking its decision, which is temporary, pending a full ruling that can take many months. Warsaw is holding intensive talks with Prague seeking to settle the matter out of court.

I cannot imagine Turow being closed, it is too important in Polands grid, Gonerski said, stressing that the Czech Republic and Germany operate a number of lignite mines in the same area.

On Tuesday, authorities in the central Lodz province and PGE announced that Europe's biggest brown coal power plant in Belchatow will be phased out between 2030-2036, and its mine will close in 2038.

The announcement was celebrated by environmental groups. The plan to phase out coal will allow the Lodz region to seek means from the EU Just Transition Fund for regions most hit by the switch away from coal.

The Belchatow mine and its 11-unit power plant are the region's biggest employers, offering some 10,000 jobs. Lignite, or brown coal, is lighter and softer than black coal but more polluting.

Formerly coal-driven, Poland has taken strides in embracing renewable energy sources.

Of over 70 coal mines and almost 400,000 miners it had in 1990, it now has some 20 mines and fewer that 80,000 miners, and is planning further cuts. At the same time the solar energy sector boomed in the past two years thanks to government and local subsidies and wind energy is developing, despite some recent legislative obstacles. There are plans for a nuclear power plant to start operations around 2035, but crucial decisions as to the technology, partnership and financing still need to be taken.

Still, Poland is always negotiating its own terms and timetables for phasing out coal and the EU and environmental groups say the changes are too slow and the plans not ambitious enough to meet the bloc's goals of greenhouse gas reductions.
HALIFAX - George Avgeropoulos said hes spent the last month looking for skilled workers to staff his restaurant in Torontos Danforth area.

Chef Dimitris prepares a take-out order at Athens Restaurant in Toronto, on Saturday, June 5, 2021. Ahead of the slow reopening of provinces across Canada and loosened public health measures, the country's restaurant industry is struggling with rebuilding its workforce before the summer. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young

HALIFAX - George Avgeropoulos said hes spent the last month looking for skilled workers to staff his restaurant in Torontos Danforth area.

"I've found people but no one knows what they're doing, the owner of Athens Restaurant said in an interview. I put an ad out for dishwashers and people have come in who've never been in a kitchen before in their life.

He said hes had to rely on family and friends to help run the business while he continues the search for new employees to replace the ones lost to pandemic lockdown measures.

As public health restrictions begin to lift and provincial economies slowly reopen across Canada, the country's restaurant industry is struggling to rebuild its workforce in time for the summer.

The food and hospitality industries have been among the worst hit by the pandemic, with multiple lockdowns in some areas of the country resulting in massive employee layoffs.

And while a dwindling workforce isnt a new challenge for the restaurant sector, industry experts say the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated that struggle.

With COVID upon us and with so many thousands of employees laid off, we have been hearing of major issues in some areas in finding employees, said Tony Elenis, president of the Ontario Restaurant Hotel and Motel Association, in an interview.

Elenis said workforce issues were the No. 1 obstacle facing the sector pre-pandemic and despite increases in vaccination rates and a drop in COVID cases, restaurants may still struggle.

We anticipate that as we move to recovery and even after COVID, these workforce issues will come back and will be even more severe than what they were before, he said.

The sector was already short by roughly 60,000 people across Canada before the pandemic started, said Restaurants Canada executive Olivier Bourbeau, and after multiple lockdowns, many workers have found employment in other industries.

Martin Vezina, a spokesperson for the Association Restauration Quebec, said restaurants in that province are facing similar obstacles and the labour shortage may prove to hinder the reopening of the industry in the province as the busy summer season nears.

That's what we are afraid of, said Vezina, that we (do not) ... have the capacity to welcome all the demand from the customers.

Anecdotal evidence suggests that a number of service industry workers have left the business for good.

After witnessing the workforce of the Drake Hotel Properties plummet during the first lockdown of the pandemic in March 2020, Matt Fairbanks began to consider a pivot away from his bartending job at the Drake Commissary in Toronto.

Seeing the company go from 500 (employees) to 25 was a little frightening, Fairbanks said, in an interview.

He made that pivot back in November and now works for 7shifts  a tech company specializing in scheduling software for restaurants  and earns significantly more than the $14 an hour he was paid while he worked at the Commissary, he said.

It's life changing, he said. My partner and I are planning on buying a house soon and I don't think that was really possible without making this shift, adding that he doesnt plan on returning to the restaurant sector.

Avgeropoulos said prospective employees are looking for much higher wages than he offered before the pandemic. "We're paying dishwashers $15, $14 an hour now they want $35," he said.

He did not disclose the wages he was offering to wait staff and line cooks but did say it was based on performance.

Elenis speculated that continued government aid may be a contributing factor to the lack of available workers, adding that some former restaurant staff might be forgoing work in lieu of employment insurance.

Both Vezina and Elenis said one possible solution to the dearth of workers is the loosening of temporary foreign worker rules to give restaurants the chance to bulk up their staffing numbers.

Other solutions come with more financial government support, said Bourbeau, which is why Restaurants Canada has been advocating to have the federal emergency wage subsidy  which allowed businesses to hire back laid off workers  extended past the September end date.

It will take an average restaurant an average 12 months just to get back to profitability, he said. We are only struggling, we are surviving, so we need a little bit of support, just so that we can what we call pass from survival to revival.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 9, 2021.

  

This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Facebook and Canadian Press News Fellowship.
Call it a cheesy coincidence, but Dan Hawkins is thrilled to be opening his new pizzeria in the home of a former pie place.

Call it a cheesy coincidence, but Dan Hawkins is thrilled to be opening his new pizzeria in the home of a former pie place.

Hawkins, co-owner of Shorty's, a New York-style pizzeria established in East Hamilton in 2018, will open his second location later this month where Winnipegs iconic Bella Vista restaurant once operated, at the corner of Maryland Street and Wolseley Avenue.

"Its funny  weve been asked..., Why Winnipeg? and our answer is always, 'Why not?'" he said.

Hawkins first came to Winnipeg from Ontario in January 2020 to take a break from work and see friends and family  "January in Winnipeg, that just screams a visit," he jokes. While his plan wasnt to stay in Winnipeg, he found himself settling into the city, and began checking out the local real estate market.

When the former Bella Vista was put up for sale later in the year, he jumped at it.

MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Another pizza place, Shorty's Pizza from Hamilton, Ont., is moving into the former Bellavista at 53 Maryland Street at the intersection with Wolseley Avenue.

"When this building became available  obviously the history, the location," he said. "At that point, Id already decided I wanted to stay here long term, and thats how it all happened. The stars aligned."

The former owners were interested in passing the torch to another restaurant owner, Hawkins said. Discovering the buildings decades-long history as a pizza spot solidified the decision, he added.

"Doing our due diligence, we sort of found out that this is a neighbourhood spot thats dear to a lot of peoples hearts, a lot of memories here," Hawkins said. "And thats the ethos of Shortys in Hamilton  we wanted to open a neighbourhood pizza spot where everyone in the neighbourhood, its their staple."

West Broadway Biz executive director Sara Atnikov said the addition to the neighbourhood is a welcome one.

"The BIZ is sad to see an institution like the Bella go, but we're excited that a new restaurant is opening up in West Broadway... and will be adding to the diverse food options in the neighbourhood," she said in an email.

While Hawkins acknowledges opening a restaurant is always a risk  especially during a pandemic  he believes the universal appeal of pizza will help the restaurant survive.

MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Opening day is tentatively set for the middle of the month, with June 15 as a possible date.

"The only thing that made sense (when opening a new restaurant) was you had to have a takeout- and delivery-type of food, so pizza fits that mould. It has to be something people can easily wrap their head around," he said. "Pizza  delicious. Youre not bringing anyone in and teaching them about a certain type of food, so to speak. So that takes some of the risk out of what youre doing."

Well take it one hour at a time, one day at a time.  Dan Hawkins, Shorty's owner

Opening day is tentatively set for the middle of the month, with June 15 as a possible date. Hawkins said an exact day hasn't been decided because of the pandemic, and the desire to open under the safest possible conditions.

"Ive kind of found over the years, you have to sometimes roll with it, and itll all work out," said Hawkins, who has 15 years of experience in the food industry.

"Well take it one hour at a time, one day at a time."

malak.abas@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: malakabas_
Travel agencies say the Canadian government's plan to end quarantine hotel stays for some returning travellers is a big step for the travel industry, but air industry associations say more changes are necessary for a full rebound to take shape.

People walk with their luggage past a hotel in Toronto on Wednesday, June 9, 2021. Travel agencies say the Canadian government's plan to end quarantine hotel stays for some returning travellers is a big step for the travel industry, but air industry associations say more changes are necessary for a full rebound to take shape.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

Travel agencies say the Canadian government's plan to end quarantine hotel stays for some returning travellers is a big step for the travel industry, but air industry associations say more changes are necessary for a full rebound to take shape.

Starting in early July, the federal government said citizens and permanent residents returning from abroad will no longer have to undergo a quarantine if they have been fully vaccinated with the approved vaccines in Canada and test negative for COVID-19.

Fully vaccinated travellers will also no longer have to spend three days in a hotel quarantine, but the government said the plan depends on COVID-19 levels continuing to decrease in the country.

Allison Wallace, a spokeswoman for the travel agency Flight Centre, said quarantine measures  particularly the hotel quarantine program  had been the only thing holding back many travellers from booking new trips.

"Its definitely big positive news for the travel industry ... its the No. 1 deterrent for people planning to travel right now," said Wallace.

"With it being removed at some point in the very near future, we fully expect to see a lot more people travelling soon."

However, Wallace said the government will have to provide more information around how COVID tests will be administered.

Questions also remain around what kind of documents or apps will be acceptable as proof of vaccination and whether the government will drop its advisory against international travel, Wallace said.

The National Airlines Council of Canada, which represents the country's largest airlines, said it "acknowledges" the change, but that it falls short of expectations for a full travel restart plan.

Unlike many other countries including all other G7 nations, the federal government has yet to provide a clear restart plan outlining when and how major travel and border restrictions will be removed," said Mike McNaney, President and CEO of NACC, in a statement.

"As vaccination programs increase rapidly and jurisdictions around the world provide consumers and industry with a clear path forward, we must do the same."

NACC also said the government announcement didn't acknowledge that a federal advisory panel advocated for the elimination of hotel quarantine for all travellers, reduction of quarantine for partially vaccinated and unvaccinated travellers, and the use of rapid antigen testing.

Meanwhile, the Canadian Airports Council said the government needs to stop funnelling all international flights into four Canadian airports.

Richard Vanderlubbe, president of tripcentral.ca, agreed that there needs to be a long term plan that gives travellers a sense of confidence.

"I think we need a vision from the government, a co-ordinated well thought through vision that says we may see outbreaks and variants, and how is that going to be handled?" said Vanderlubbe, who pointed to the UK's colour-coded system around the safety of travelling to certain countries.

He said the UK system is a little complicated, but "at least there's a mechanism that's there where people can fully understand that even if they book travel and it's green today, if something changes, another restriction may come back into affect."

Still, Vanderlubbe said he expects to see an influx of new bookings in late summer and fall, as more Canadians are able to confirm the date they'll receive a second vaccine dose.

Both Vanderlubbe and Wallace said they are glad to see an incremental approach from the government, rather than a quick opening of the border.

"To be honest, for the industry it's better that a reopening is slow and progressive and moves forward, rather than situations where were open then closed, open then closed," said Wallace.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 9, 2021.
ROME (AP)  European evaluators warned Wednesday that the Vaticans efforts to investigate and prosecute financial crimes were suffering from understaffing and inexperience, as well as the mistaken belief that its own cardinals and bishops were immune to criminal conduct.

Pope Francis is greeted by faithful as he arrives for his weekly general audience, at the Vatican, Wednesday, June 9, 2021. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

ROME (AP)  European evaluators warned Wednesday that the Vaticans efforts to investigate and prosecute financial crimes were suffering from understaffing and inexperience, as well as the mistaken belief that its own cardinals and bishops were immune to criminal conduct.

The Council of Europes Moneyval commission issued a lengthy report into the Holy Sees compliance with international norms to fight money laundering and terrorist financing. Overall, the evaluators gave the Holy See good grades, finding that it was complying with most standards, had taken steps to improve its laws and had achieved effective levels of international cooperation.

But the evaluators complained that Vatican prosecutors had only managed to bring a handful of money laundering cases to trial in the past decade. They said the lengthy time needed to reach both an indictment and conviction showed only a modest functioning of the judicial system, and warned that the sentences handed down to date were so minimal that they provided no deterrent value.

And most critically, the report strongly faulted the Holy See for having ignored the possibility that its own employees might be abusing their offices and the Vaticans financial system for their own personal gain. They said their evaluation process couldnt be completed until the Vatican undertakes a comprehensive assessment of the risks posed by insiders and enhances its own supervision of staff to detect possible crimes.

The Holy See said it welcomed the report, renews its commitment to continue working towards full compliance and would carefully consider Moneyvals recommendations.

The head of the Vatican's financial intelligence authority, Carmelo Barbagallo, noted that few other countries receive such positive marks and said he considered the absence of any low effectiveness" marks a success.

The report was issued amid a two-year criminal investigation into the Vatican secretariat of states 350 million euro ($425 million) investment in a London real estate deal that has implicated a half-dozen Vatican employees and a handful of outside Italian brokers who are accused of fleecing the Holy See of tens of millions of euros in fees.

No indictments have been handed down, though the report said a trial was expected to begin this summer. The investigation has revealed that high-ranking officials in the secretariat of state  as well as Pope Francis  were aware of the deal and approved it, but to date aren't known to be under investigation.

The Moneyval evaluation ended before Francis took measures to address one of the major loopholes flagged by the report: that cardinals and bishops have enjoyed near-immunity from prosecution by the Vatican tribunal.

Francis on April 30 removed the procedural obstacles and made it clear that prosecutors needed only his consent to proceed with investigations against cardinals and bishops.

The Vatican submitted to the Moneyval evaluation process after it signed onto the 2009 EU Monetary Convention and in a bid to shed its image as a financially shady tax haven whose bank has long been embroiled in scandal.

After its first 2012 on-site evaluation, the Vatican received passing grades but subsequent progress reports have repeatedly faulted Vatican prosecutors for failing to actually bring charges in many cases of suspicious transactions.

Wednesdays Moneyval report repeated that complaint, saying both the prosecutors office and the office of the Vaticans financial intelligence unit were too short-staffed to handle the workload. It also said the personnel the Vatican did have were inexperienced in investigating and prosecuting complicated financial transactions and crimes.

While some delays were due to slow responses from other countries, Moneyval faulted prosecutors for sitting on cases, waiting for convictions of suspects elsewhere and said they must set targets to bring cases to trial.

The evaluators also faulted the Vaticans reliance on part-time prosecutors who also practice law in Italy, warning that they might have conflicts of interest and recommending that they be dedicated full-time to Vatican cases.

The evaluators also took strong issue with the Oct. 1, 2019 raid into the Vaticans financial intelligence unit, which was authorized by the pope and marked the first public disclosure about the investigation into the London real estate deal. Vatican gendarmes seized computers and files, including confidential documentation provided by other countries to the Holy See to help the global fight against financial crimes.

As a result of the unprecedented raid, the Egmont Group of national financial intelligence units suspended the Vatican from its confidential information sharing network for two months, until Vatican prosecutors agreed to never conduct such an unannounced seizure again.

According to details of the agreement in the report, if Vatican prosecutors need such information in the future, an official from the Vatican intelligence unit will ask the foreign unit for prior authorization to share the data. If the foreign unit refuses, Vatican prosecutors will have to resort to a formal request for cooperation.

The Moneyval report criticized the conduct of Vatican authorities in staging the raid, saying there was no evidence they had carried out any risk assessment about the international consequences.

The raid resulted in the departure of the office's top managers and the hiring of replacements whom Moneyval said had very limited experience in law enforcement or financial intelligence. The report lamented the institutional memory loss that entailed and urged measures to reduce the high turnover in the office.
CALGARY - WestJet says CEO Ed Sims will retire at the end of this year.

WestJet president and CEO Ed Sims addresses the airline's annual meeting in Calgary on May 7, 2019. WestJet says CEO Ed Sims will retire at the end of this year. The airline says Sims will remain as president and chief executive, as well as a member of the WestJet Group board of directors until December. It says that moving forward he will continue in a senior advisory role with Onex Partners focused on aerospace and aviation. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

CALGARY - WestJet says CEO Ed Sims will retire at the end of this year.

The Calgary-based airline says Sims will remain as president and chief executive as well as a member of the WestJet Group board of directors until December.

It says that moving forward he will continue in a senior advisory role with Onex Partners focused on aerospace and aviation.

Onex Corp. bought WestJet in 2019.

Sims joined WestJet in 2017 as an executive vice-president and became president and CEO in 2018.

The airline says its board of directors has started a search for a new chief executive.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 9, 2021.

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As six of its 11 floors sit vacant, the city is losing $500,000 per year on the office tower attached to the Winnipeg Police Service headquarters.

As six of its 11 floors sit vacant, the city is losing $500,000 per year on the office tower attached to the Winnipeg Police Service headquarters.

That news comes just as talks proceed on one possible option to fill space in the structure.

In 2010, the city bought the office tower at 266 Graham Ave. and Canada Posts former downtown building (that has since become police HQ). The city originally predicted it could sell the tower for $18 million, but later discovered it required extensive renovations that have since made it tough to lease or sell.

Currently, the city uses three floors and two floors are leased to third parties, said city spokesman Kalen Qually, in an emailed statement.

"Annual operating losses are approximately $500,000, but that does not consider the value of the space occupied by civic tenants," said Qually.

He noted that until 2019, the citys operating costs for the tower exceeded the rent it generated by $255,000 per year. After a remaining Canada Post tenant moved out at the end of 2019, revenue fell again, raising the citys annual losses to about $500,000, said Qually.

Police Chief Danny Smyth recently said hes discussing one option with property and development staff that could involve some police units move in to part of the space.

"Its something that were exploring It wouldnt (take up) the whole tower. It would be one or two floors within the tower and, to be clear, it would be us shifting some of our operations into the tower and then using the existing space in headquarters to use as an expansion of our archives," Smyth said.

The chief didnt reveal which police units might move, if the plan is pursued. The police service need a permanent home for its archives, after a space to store them was removed from the new North District Police station construction project late last year.

Coun. Scott Gillingham, councils finance chairman, said council must determine if the police and other potential tenants can use the tower in a way that offsets "significant" losses.

"Its very significant, $500,000 is a significant amount of money any year, especially in years where we are struggling through the impacts of a pandemic on the citys budget. Its important that we maximize the use of every city facility Id like to see, if possible, all options explored to fill this building with tenants, or city departments," said Gillingham.

The St. James councillor said its not clear how difficult it may be to fill the space now, as many companies determine whether or not their full workforces should return to downtown offices post-pandemic. He warned any proposal for the tower must be thoroughly assessed to ensure city renovation costs dont exceed the financial benefit to taxpayers.

Coun. Jeff Browaty, chairman of councils economic development committee, said hes open to the police proposal if its financially viable.

"If there are legitimate (needs) for evidence storage, where theres a business case that makes sense, Im definitely supportive," he said.

joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga
When Tasneem Vali heard four members of a Muslim family were dead, and one left fighting for his life, after being run down by a truck in London, Ont., she felt numb.

When Tasneem Vali heard four members of a Muslim family were dead, and one left fighting for his life, after being run down by a truck in London, Ont., she felt numb.

"I couldnt fathom it. You know how you go through denial? It was denial," she said.

A family of five were mowed down Sunday while out for a walk in what London police said was a targeted attack because they are Muslim. From left to right: Yumna Afzaal, Madiha Salman, Yumnas grandmother, Salman Afzaal. (Supplied)

Then, the worry set in. The vice-chairwoman of the Manitoba Islamic Association said she thought about her two daughters, who wear hijabs, and regularly go on walks and bike rides.

The family of five  a married couple in their 40s, their teenage daughter and nine-year-old son, and a 74-year-old grandmother  were mowed down Sunday while out for a walk, in what London police said was a targeted attack because they are Muslims.

Nathaniel Veltman, 20, of London, is charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder.

Amidst talk of hate crimes in Canada, Vali said she is comforted by the diversity of her daughters friends, and hopes their generation is more accepting. She's also comforted by the diversity of the city overall.

ALEX LUPUL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Tasneem Vali, the vice-chairwoman of the Manitoba Islamic society: Islamophobia is real. It does happen in Winnipeg.

"Islamophobia is real. It does happen in Winnipeg," she said Tuesday. "I think we as adults could do a bit more of getting to know our neighbours, but speaking up when we see (Islamophobia) happening, and not just walk away and shake our heads."

In 2016, a printed picture of bacon was mailed to the Waverley Grand Mosque anonymously. Months later, a slab of what was believed to be pork was left on a Muslim mans windshield. In January, a teenage girl who wears a hijab shared a video with CBC in which she and her sister had been the target of hateful slurs while doing a curbside pickup.

Conversely, in 2017, less than two dozen protesters, who called on Canada to reject a parliamentary motion condemning Islamophobia, were drowned out by hundreds of Winnipeggers who called for unity.

"Winnipeg, in general, we have amazing friends, and they do speak up, and were warmed by that," Vali said. "When something like this happens, we dont feel isolated because of it."

Idris Elbakri, Manitoba Islamic Association board chair (Mike Deal / Winnipeg Free Press)

However, Islamic association chairman Idris Elbakri said he was so concerned about copycat attacks he warned community members to be careful if they went outside for a walk Monday night.

Elbakri said he can relate to the family in London  his own children are around the same age  and the pain left him "beyond words."

Winnipegs Muslim community has been forced to grieve isolated from each other due to the pandemic.

"Its very challenging because normally, when something like this happens, we gather together in the mosque and share in the grief. Thats what we do in Winnipeg, just be with each other," he said.

"Just not being able to do that is making things harder. People are shocked, and in disbelief."

The association, which Elbakri said has received an outpouring of support from Winnipeggers, will hold a drive-in vigil at the Grand Mosque (2445 Waverley St.) at 8 p.m. Thursday. It will be livestreamed for those unable to attend.

"Wed like to do it drive-in They can see each other through their car windows, maybe it would help," he said.

The association has started discussions to improve mosque security, but Elbakri is not sure what to tell members when a reported hate crime occurs in broad daylight on a busy street with many witnesses.

He said Canadians have to come to terms with Islamophobia.

CP A man prays at the scene of a hate-motivated vehicle attack in London, Ont. which left four members of a Muslim family dead and their nine-year-old son in hospital. (Geoff Robins / Canadian Press)

"Denial is convenient," he said. "Id like to be able to deny it if I could, its not something were happy to have, but its unfortunately the reality."

The time for platitudes from people in power is over, Elbakri said, and he hopes provincial and federal leaders step up and demand change.

"I think we have difficult questions that we as Canadians have to start asking, and demanding our leaders to take this very, very seriously," he said.

"I just really hope we dont go through the same cycle of condemnation, sending thoughts and prayers, and then well wait for the next round to happen."

Abdul Ahad, who moved to Manitoba five years ago, recalled an incident at the time that stuck with him. At a dinner event, a Muslim woman, who wore a niqab, went to the stage to give a speech, and was the target of verbal cruelty from some in attendance.

Abdul Ahad, president of the University of Manitoba Muslim students association. Muslims in Winnipeg say more needs to be done to combat home-grown Islamophobia. (Mike Deal / Winnipeg Free Press)

Islamophobia isnt always as obvious, but it is present, the University of Manitoba's Muslim Students Association president said.

"There are things that Ive learned: Islamophobia is there, we cannot deny this, it is a reality," he said. "But its not something we can always see."

Ahad called Sunday's attack "unfortunate and really heartbreaking." He cant comprehend what could bring someone to inflict such harm.

"Its incredibly difficult when people dont get the real message of Islam, the true message. Instead, (theyre getting) what they see on the news or what theyre reading on social media, maybe the messages theyre hearing arent true, and thats how they get motivated," he said.

"Because theyre so full of hate, tragedies like this happen."

malak.abas@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: malakabas_
Vaccinated Manitobans have not just hit the jackpot with a life-saving jab, they might be able to take home lottery cash.

Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister announced nearly $2 million in cash and scholarships to encourage Manitobans to get vaccinated against COVID-19. (John Woods / Canadian Press files)

Vaccinated Manitobans have not just hit the jackpot with a life-saving jab, they might be able to take home lottery cash.

The provincial government will offer nearly $2 million in cash and scholarships to encourage more Manitobans to get the shot this summer.

"Youre gambling with COVID if youre not getting a vaccination," Premier Brian Pallister said Wednesday.

Two lottery draws will take place this summer; anyone vaccinated with at least one dose before Aug. 2, will be eligible for the first draw. Anyone vaccinated before Sept. 6 is expected to be eligible for the second draw. A process for people to opt out of the lottery is in the works.

"This lottery gives Manitobans a reason to move faster to roll up your sleeves, not once, but twice," Pallister said.

The province said the money will come from its COVID-19 Contingency Fund, and has no public target for how many more vaccinations it hopes the incentive will generate.

Last week, Dr. Joss Reimer, the medical lead of the vaccine rollout, had warned against cash payments to get people vaccinated. She said people could think the government is making up for the risk of side-effects.

She said Wednesday that a lotto prize seemed like more of a nudge because there's no certainty of winning, and it's not perceived as a bribe.

"What we want is to use every tool that we have, to encourage Manitobans to get vaccinated," Reimer said.

"We dont want to see any more deaths; we dont want to hear about anybody else in the hospital. If a lottery helps to create just that slight incentive that takes somebody over from not being vaccinated to being vaccinated, then were happy to provide that option."

Reimer said her vaccine team pored over data on behavioural science. A provincial spokeswoman provided polling on how Manitobans perceive vaccine incentives, but no academic studies.

The NDP called the lottery a "very gimmicky" distraction from the dozens of ICU patients being sent to other provinces.

"Job No. 1 should be fixing the ICU crisis, and fixing the health-care crisis, and yet we're just waiting for a plan," NDP Leader Wab Kinew told reporters.

He said public health experts instead suggest being more transparent with the public to boost vaccine uptake.

"They tell us if we want to persuade people to get a vaccine, you need to get them trusted information from trusted sources," Kinew said.

The Manitoba Liberals said they support the lottery project, but argued the province still needs a gradual reopening plan.

"For months weve been saying we need to reward people for doing the right thing and a vaccine incentive is a start," Liberal Leader Dougald Lamont wrote.

The lottery approach might prove effective, said Robert Williams, a University of Lethbridge health professor who specializes in gambling and addiction.

"It's just a reasonable supposition that if people are over-estimating the risk of the negative side-effects, that they would be more likely to be lottery players in the first place. So this would be a good way of capitalizing on that error in thinking," he said.

"So it does seem a potentially very clever approach for that subgroup."

William said there's no empirical research on how a lottery affects vaccine uptake, but he said the chance at winning a large amount of money is much more likely to draw in people than a small payment would.

"From a behavioural perspective, lotteries make more sense," he said.

"There is a significant minority of the population who need these incentives."

Williams also said more convenient access might get more people to roll up their sleeves, such as offering free rides, visiting homes with shots or placing pop-up sites in store parking lots.

As of Wednesday, the earliest first dose appointments available in Winnipeg were for the second week of July.

Johanu Botha, operations and planning lead for the COVID-19 vaccine task force, said the province hopes to have enough supply to offer additional walk-in clinics within one to four weeks.

"Its exciting to be able to want the first dose and then walk right to the clinic; were looking to make that option available down the line," Botha said. "But its also exciting to get your name in the queue."

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has said announcing $5 million in lotto prizes boosted the state's vaccination rate by 45 per cent in mere weeks.

A Washington Post analysis suggests the Vax-a-Million lottery had stopped Ohio from following the national decline in vaccine demand.

Pallister said part of the appeal of the lottery is that it doesn't leave out Manitobans who have been vaccinated. Some told provincial surveys it would be unfair for people not to get benefits provided to people who were slow to get their shots.

The premier said the province is working on other ways to convince people to get vaccinated, including those who don't just need a nudge but are opposed to doing so.

"We're reaching out as best we can and this is one way, in support of many others, to get the information so they're comfortable and confident in the decisions that they take, and that's going to continue to be the focus," the premier said.

"As long as COVID is here, we'll continue to have, to some degree at least, our freedoms limited."

 With files from Katie May and Danielle Da Silva

dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca
Niji Mahkwa School is an anomaly  not only because of its holistic programming or because it is one of few schools in the provinces largest division whose name is a nod to an Indigenous concept.

Niji Mahkwa School is an anomaly  not only because of its holistic programming or because it is one of few schools in the provinces largest division whose name is a nod to an Indigenous concept.

Nearly 30 years after the Winnipeg elementary school was given its name by a student who dreamt of it and elders who endorsed it, the values Niji Mahkwa represents still reflect ones held today by students, teachers and families alike.

The translation of the Anishinaabemowin phrase into English is, "my friend the bear," or "brother, sister bear."

"Our names tell us who we are and where we come from, and so when we look at this name, it tells us about the bear  it represents strength and healing," said Helen Robinson-Settee, a former teacher-librarian who worked at the school when it was renamed in the mid-90s.

ALEX LUPUL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Helen Robinson-Settee, director of the Indigenous Inclusion Directorate with Manitoba Education and a former teacher-librarian at Niji Mahkwa School.

"The children who attend the school carry that spirit with them while they are attending and even when they graduate."

There is increasing concern about naming schools after historical figures who held racist views and built systems to assimilate Indigenous people.

Later this week, trustees in the Pembina Trails School Division will consider renaming Ryerson School, which is a tribute to Egerton Ryerson, a public school leader in Ontario in the 1800s who was an architect of the residential school system.

Signage at Oscar Blackburn School in South Indian Lake, in northern Manitoba, was taken down this month after community leaders learned the school was named after a merchant who helped send Indigenous children to residential school.

Whats going on now is actually a reckoning with the reality that the way most non-Indigenous people learn about history is a white-washed, sanitized, overly celebratory account of Canadas history."  Sean Carleton, assistant professor in history and native studies at the University of Manitoba

An elementary school in Weston will soon get a new name, after trustees voted to cut ties with Cecil Rhodes, a former prime minister of what is now known as South Africa, whose ideas laid the groundwork for racist apartheid policies.

As far as historian Sean Carleton is concerned, the evolution of names is a positive sign.

"Whats going on now is actually a reckoning with the reality that the way most non-Indigenous people learn about history is a white-washed, sanitized, overly celebratory account of Canadas history," said Carleton, an assistant professor in history and native studies at the University of Manitoba.

ALEX LUPUL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Orange hearts tied to the fence outside of Ryerson School in Winnipeg on Tuesday.

The historian counters the argument that renaming erases history by suggesting the move replaces a celebratory memorial rather than history itself; social studies teachers will continue talking about figures such as Ryerson, but in a more critical and nuanced way, Carleton added.

Divisions in Manitoba generally require facilities to be named after local landmarks, community areas, or pay tribute to renowned people of historical significance.

In 2017, a review of K-12 school names in the Winnipeg School Division found 56 were named after people while 24 buildings had names that were places, things or concepts.

ALEX LUPUL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS ALEX LUPUL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Orange hearts tied to the fence outside of Ryerson School are photographed in Winnipeg on Tuesday, June 8, 2021. The hearts contain messages, written by staff and students, explaining actions they will take to assist the indigenous community. The elementary school is named after Egerton Ryerson, who is considered a chief architect of Canada's residential school system.

"We say it on announcements. We wear it on T-shirts. It goes home on letterhead. The students begin to identify as a community under (their school) name, so I began wondering how much people knew about these names and the histories and stories that they told," said Katya Adamov Ferguson, a PhD student at the U of M and educator in Winnipeg.

In her thesis study, Adamov Ferguson found a theme among the names: they often pay tribute to white European colonialists, missionaries and explorers who were men who lived between the 18th and 20th centuries.

The roster of Winnipeg school names also ignores the history, culture and contributions of Indigenous people, normalizes solely English names, and erases Indigenous place names, she said.

Carleton said schools in Canada were often given names to honour the British empire. For example, not one, but two schools in central Winnipeg are named after Sir Winston Churchill, who served as prime minister of the United Kingdom in the 1940s.

What is needed is to take this time as an opportunity to rename these institutions and buildings in a thoughtful way that can align us closer to Mother Earth."  Myra Laramee, an elder and knowledge keeper at the Winnipeg School Division

Meantime, only Norquay, Children of the Earth and Niji Mahkwa schools make connections to Indigenous peoples or concepts in the division, per the 2017 study.

After Aberdeen School closed in the North End  in turn terminating a tribute to a former governor-general in Canada in the late 1800s, Aboriginal Elementary School took over the plot at 461 Flora Ave. It was later renamed Niji Mahkwa.

Now the director of Manitoba Educations Indigenous inclusion directorate, Robinson-Settee said that name reflects a commitment to cultural and linguistic learning, in addition to academics and technological lessons.

Students, school staff, grandparents and elders all took part in the naming process in the '90s, she said, adding communities of all kinds should to come together if renaming is on the table at their institution.

ALEX LUPUL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS The hearts contain messages written by staff and students at the school explaining actions they will take to assist the indigenous community.

Myra Laramee, an elder and knowledge keeper at the Winnipeg School Division, echoed those sentiments.

"What is needed is to take this time as an opportunity to rename these institutions and buildings in a thoughtful way that can align us closer to Mother Earth," added Laramee, in a statement. "We already have examples of this kind of naming process with schools such as Ecole Waterford Springs School."

Adamov Ferguson wants divisions to review their naming policies.

Her suggestions for future school names include honouring Indigenous place names, residential school survivors or Indigenous leaders, such as retired senator Murray Sinclair, who led the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, or child welfare activist Cindy Blackstock.

Discussions about names open up conversations about issues of power and more pressing issues, such as access to clear water on First Nations, Adamov Ferguson said.

"There's a stark contrast between 215 unnamed children in unnamed and unmarked mass graves and then you have, above ground, all these European stories and colonizers being etched into stone and meant to last... and I think theres a bigger movement possible," she said.

"The teacher in me just sees (renaming) as such a teachable moment to involve history and culture and language."

maggie.macintosh@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @macintoshmaggie
OTTAWA  Manitoba tourism operators are demanding clear benchmarks from Ottawa and the province on when border restrictions will be lifted.

OTTAWA  Manitoba tourism operators are demanding clear benchmarks from Ottawa and the province on when border restrictions will be lifted.

"Let's have a target, because what's been happening, month by month (COVID-19 pandemic restrictions) is just killing businesses," said D.J. Seals, head of the Manitoba Lodges and Outfitters Association.

"We need a decision from the federal government, saying heres what its going to look like. Is it 70 per cent fully vaccinated? There is no kind of plan, and that's the most difficult part."

On Tuesday, the Tourism Industry Association of Canada called on Ottawa to give targets such as COVID-19 vaccination rates and/or case counts in order to gradually allow some Americans to enter Canada.

"There is a lack of urgency on the Canadian side for planning for the inevitable reopening of the border, which has been out-of-step with U.S. officials and the (President Joe) Biden administration," wrote the group's head, Beth Potter.

In Manitoba, the worry is restrictions will be lifted without enough warning for tour operators to prepared.

The Winnipeg Art Gallery says benchmarks would help it plan for people visiting the gallery exhibits  and holding a series of events relating to the Arctic and Inuit arts.

"People in museums already tend to distance from each other," WAG director Stephen Borys said with a laugh.

He said the museum is large and can space people apart, but wants to ensure it gets programming underway to welcome visitors from other provinces and the United States.

The new Inuit centre is also supposed to host a series of international meetings, but it's unclear when Canada will be welcoming foreigners.

"Qaumajuq had become a player in conversations we never were a part of before," he said.

"We are playing a bigger role in international and national meetings and discussion groups, whether it's regarding sovereignty, sustainability or Arctic resources."

In Churchill, operators have been asking since March for clarity from Ottawa and the province on the year ahead.

"Consumers need a roadmap; they need to see what steps lie ahead," said John Gunter, head of Frontiers North Adventures.

In Churchill, 76 per cent of the eligible population has received at least one COVID-19 dose, and the local health centre predicts it will get 60 per cent of eligible locals a second dose by June 17.

Yet, the town (some 1,000 kilometres north of Winnipeg) is expensive to reach, and tourists need to book spots on boat tours or tundra-buggy trips, many of which are suspended, Gunter said.

"We need about a two-month lead time from when its open to travel, and when guests arrive," Gunter said.

He said federal subsidies have helped his business keep its payroll, and plan for guests despite changes such as COVID-19 tests.

Gunter added federal supports will need to be in place for tourist operators until they start to see profits. He is currently booking trips for 2022 and 2023, charging deposits of $750 for trips costing $5,000 to $8,000.

"Were lobbying hard for federal wage subsidies until we can start realizing revenue."

Seals said the outfitting sector also needs more notice, as it can't turn on a time.

His industry relies on American tourists who often fly to remote communities for fishing, or drive to northern Manitoba for the bear hunt. The lodges have no clue if they should start chartering planes for a summer fishing season, or whether they should be buying food and supplies for a fall bear hunt.

It's also making it unclear how to manage wildlife, with anecdotal reports of more bears roaming onto farms, though the province is still gathering data.

"Theres kind of a balance thats being knocked off-kilter," said Seales, who operates a lodge in the Whiteshell area.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau gave no details on when borders will be reopened, but said it "will be based on the fact that when people have both doses of the vaccine, they are more highly protected and less at risk of transmitting COVID-19."

Meanwhile, Premier Brian Pallister announced fully immunized Manitobans  who have had their second COVID-19 vaccine dose two weeks prior  would no longer have to quarantine when returning from another Canadian province.

When asked, Pallister did not say whether other Canadians who are fully vaccinated would be able to enter Manitoba without needing to do two weeks of self-isolation.

Loren Remillard, Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce president, said more information from the province would help build trust with the public, that lifting the restrictions is based in science.

"Any decision around the border should and will be based on science and the data, so all Canadians, Americans and people travelling across the border can do so with confidence," he said.

Remillard said a roadmap with benchmarks are essential for Manitoba businesses to start planning events, festivals, gatherings and conventions. And airlines cannot bring back routes without some notice on when demand will likely resume.

"We can open the border, but we still need to make sure we're creating the environment that allows us to build the attraction for people to cross the border to come and experience."

dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca
WINNIPEGS police chief is asking citizens to contact law enforcement if they believe an incident of racial hate and intolerance is about to occur.

WINNIPEGS police chief is asking citizens to contact law enforcement if they believe an incident of racial hate and intolerance is about to occur.

In the wake of the Sunday hit-and-run deaths of four members of a Muslim family in London, Ont.  what that citys police say was a hate-motivated attack  Chief Danny Smyth issued a statement Tuesday calling them "victims of hate and intolerance."

"Once again, we stand with the Islamic community, and lend our voice, our support, and our strength because they are part of our community, our city, and our country," the Winnipeg Police Service chief said.

"As a community, it is important that if you see something unusual, say something, so that this information can get to the right people to do something to intervene," he said.

"We have done this before and we must do it again. As a police officer, and the head of the police service, I do this because it is my duty but, more importantly, I do this as a friend, and friends support and protect one another."

Smyth said he loves the diversity of Winnipeg, noting: "We share more in common than our differences would suggest."

"We all want to live peacefully. We all want prosperity for our families. We all want our children to have opportunities to grow and thrive," he said. "Irrespective of your beliefs, no one wants to be treated differently because of their customs, their culture, ethnicity, or their faith."
TWO years ago, the Trudeau government vowed to succeed where previous governments have failed by releasing an Arctic and Northern Policy Framework to restore Canadas place as an international Arctic leader.

Opinion

TWO years ago, the Trudeau government vowed to succeed where previous governments have failed by releasing an Arctic and Northern Policy Framework to "restore Canadas place as an international Arctic leader."

Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Carolyn Bennett declared that, "For too long, Canadas Arctic and northern residents, especially Indigenous people, have not had access to the same services, opportunities and standards of living as those enjoyed by other Canadians." The government also vowed to ensure northerners are "secure and well-defended."

You cannot defend and promote Canadas interests in the far North without a secure supply line. That is why we are urging the Canadian and Manitoba governments to continue working with us to complete the Arctic Trade Corridor. The corridor includes the Hudson Bay Railway, which stretches for 1,300 kilometres between Opaskwayak Cree Nation in northern Manitoba and Churchill at Hudson Bay, as well as the port facilities at Churchill. While most Canadians rely on roads and highways, the HBR is the only means of land transportation connecting the communities between Gillam and Churchill.

The First Nations and Metis of northern Manitoba are so tied to the future of the corridor that we recently acquired majority ownership of the HBR and the port facilities at Churchill. Our partnership in the Arctic Gateway Group (AGG) now includes 34 First Nations and the non-Indigenous communities in Northern Manitoba.

Russia and China recognize the strategic importance of the region and have been conducting icebreaking operations in the Arctic. Russia has stepped up military operations and has been promoting its northern shipping route in wake of the recent blockage of the Suez Canal caused by a stuck tanker.

Upgrading the HBR infrastructure and finishing the corridor must be part of a larger strategy to strengthen Canadas presence in the Arctic and solidify western Canada as the breadbasket of the world.

Shipping grain, minerals and other foods and commodities through Churchill to Africa, Europe, and the Mediterranean would be cheaper, faster and far more energy-efficient than through Montreal or Vancouver. It would also put more money in the pockets of Prairie farmers.

But to finish the Arctic Trade Corridor and make it economically viable, we need to invest in modern railway infrastructure to allow the trains to go faster and carry longer, heavier loads. The HBR tracks have been damaged by shifting muskeg and melting permafrost, which means that trains can travel at speeds of only 15 to 25 kilometres per hour between Gillam and Churchill when they could be going at least twice that speed.

The railway has been in a state of disrepair for five years now because its former owner, a U.S. company, allowed it to deteriorate and then walked away rather than investing in fixing the tracks.

People ask us why we believe we can succeed when this company failed. The answer lies with our coalition of Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities that will no longer allow any company that comes along to call the shots, take the cash and run. We are determined to ensure revenues are reinvested in jobs, training and improvements in the infrastructure.

There is a permanent solution to the permafrost problem that can stabilize the tracks once and for all. It is an innovative, environmentally friendly technology that will secure the railway bed and cut the train travel time through that area from 12 hours to just four hours.

The federal and provincial governments have provided financial support to keep the trains running at a reduced level, and while we appreciate their support, modernizing the tracks requires capital investment in railway infrastructure.

Arctic Gateway has submitted a request to Transport Canadas National Trade Corridors Fund (NTCF) for $156 million in funding over three years.

Establishing a 21st-century trade corridor should be a cornerstone of Canadas northern strategy to address what Minister Bennett described as the "long-standing inequalities" between northerners and the rest of Canada. Cables can also be laid along the corridor to bring cleaner hydro power and provide digital access to people in northern and Arctic communities.

China is investing hundreds of billions of dollars in a new Silk Road to strengthen connections with Europe. The Arctic Trade Corridor could be Canadas "Buckskin Road" as climate change opens shipping routes through northern waters. We need to finish the Buckskin Road to protect Canadas Arctic interests and strengthen the emerging economy of the North.

Christian Sinclair is Onekanew (Chief) of the Opaskwayak Cree Nation and a prominent business activist for the First Nations communities of northern Manitoba. He serves as co-chair of the Arctic Gateway Group. Mike Spence is the mayor of Churchill and a co-chair of the Arctic Gateway Group.
Approval of city funding to equip Winnipeg police officers with body-worn cameras should only come with strings attached. In particular, police should clearly outline what policies will govern the use of the cameras and the subsequent footage to avoid the mistakes of other police forces.

Approval of city funding to equip Winnipeg police officers with body-worn cameras should only come with strings attached. In particular, police should clearly outline what policies will govern the use of the cameras and the subsequent footage to avoid the mistakes of other police forces.

The Winnipeg Police Board last week approved a request from Winnipeg Police Service Chief Danny Smyth to consider a $32-million, multi-year proposal to add body-worn cameras for front-line officers. The chiefs position is that the cameras would increase police transparency and accountability by providing a visual record of officer interactions with the public.

Winnipeg police need to be more accountable; no argument there. This city has recently experienced nothing less than a social uprising against police, with organized groups and large protests speaking against systemic racism and demanding change that ranges from more effective prosecution of rule-breaking officers to defunding the force.

Winnipeg Police Service Chief Danny Smyth has submitted a requested for body-worn cameras for front-line officers to increase police transparency and accountability. (Ruth Bonneville / Winnipeg Free Press files)

This is the context in which the police chief has resurrected the appeal for body cameras that the force first made 10 years ago. Council might be more inclined to favour the rather costly proposal this time around, considering the widely expressed distrust of Winnipeg police and, perhaps, the high-profile role that camera footage played in the ongoing prosecution of Minneapolis police officers in the death of George Floyd.

But councillors should hit pause on the camera proposal until it examines the experience of other cities, including several in Canada. Calgary has had them since 2019, all front-line Toronto officers will wear them beginning in October, the RCMP is introducing them at 700 detachments over five years, and police in many U.S. cities already have them.

Unfortunately, scholarly studies suggest cameras dont always achieve the stated police goals. A September 2020 study of evidence from 30 U.S. cities did not find strong support that the devices increased police transparency and accountability.

One serious problem was that some U.S. police forces hire public-relations firms with broadcast-news expertise to edit the raw police-camera footage into compelling segments that are then distributed to media. Often, the footage is edited to support the police version of encounters.

Who has access to the footage and how the footage is used are crucial questions that should be publicly addressed by any police force sincerely interested in transparency. Its concerning that many forces refuse to publicly disclose their body-cameras policies. A U.S. human-rights organization called The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights analyzed body-camera policies for 75 major law enforcement agencies in the U.S., finding about one-third of police services dont make their body-camera policies available to the public.

One serious problem was that some U.S. police forces hire publicrelations firms with broadcastnews expertise to edit the raw policecamera footage into compelling segments that are then distributed to media. Often, the footage is edited to support the police version of encounters.

Winnipeg city council shouldnt approve the chiefs request without a draft of the policies that would govern the cameras. For starters, the policy should outline when front-line officers can deactivate their cameras, when footage can be edited or destroyed, what access victims of crime will have to the unedited footage, and whether the footage will be controlled by police or by an independent third-party.

If Mr. Smyth is sincere in seeking transparency and accountability, he will commit to publicly posting on a website the forces body-camera policies, and will agree that the enforcement of these policies must be overseen by an independent authority.

Without such guarantees of public accountability, it might appear police want the cameras as a technological tool to manipulate their public image. In that case, so much for transparency.
Just one month after its presence was confirmed in Manitoba, the highly contagious delta variant of COVID-19 has spread to all regions of the province.

Just one month after its presence was confirmed in Manitoba, the highly contagious delta variant of COVID-19 has spread to all regions of the province.

On Tuesday, the province reported 83 cases of the B.1.617 strain first detected in India  an increase of 65 cases since last week. Most of the spread has been linked to close contacts of confirmed cases, but 13 cases are listed as occurring via community transmission and contact-tracing was still pending in another 14 cases. The delta variant cases linked to community or unknown transmission were reported to the province by Dynacare Labs, a provincial spokesperson said Tuesday.

TRIBUNE MEDIA TNS A recent study from the UK indicates two doses of COVID-19 vaccine are 60 per cent more effective against the B.1.617 variant compared with just one dose. (Jacquelyn Martin/Pool/Getty Images/TNS)

The strain is up to 50 per cent more transmissible than the currently dominant B.117 strain, and early studies showed vaccines are less effective against it, which has led to a bigger push for the rollout of second doses. One recent study from the United Kingdom indicated two doses were 60 per cent more effective against the variant compared with just one dose.

Screening tests are still in development at provincial and federal labs to detect the delta variant faster than genomic sequencing is able to, but Manitobans need to be aware the current numbers may be an underestimation of the spread of this variant, Winnipeg epidemiologist Cynthia Carr said.

"We need to take it seriously," she said, adding Manitobans should try to get their second dose as soon as possible. Currently, all Manitobans who received their first shot on or before May 1 are eligible to book a second dose. All Indigenous people 18 and older are also eligible for a second dose.

"... I don't want this to discourage anyone from getting either their first (dose) or following up with their second dose as quickly as they're eligible."  Winnipeg epidemiologist Cynthia Carr

"Even if there is some information showing that the effectiveness of the vaccine is less, it's not zero, so I don't want this to discourage anyone from getting either their first (dose) or following up with their second dose as quickly as they're eligible. A decline in effectiveness is not a reason to think that it doesn't work at all," Carr said.

The variant is quickly becoming the dominant strain in the U.K., and is expected to account for the majority of cases in Ontario, where it has hampered reopening plans in Timmins and some remote communities. The northerneastern Ontario Porcupine Health Unit told a news conference Tuesday the region will not reopen with the rest of Ontario later this week, in part, because of community transmission of the delta variant.

The next challenge will be to keep rapidly vaccinating people, particularly vulnerable populations, before proceeding with a "slow and methodical" reopening plan to stay ahead of the delta variant, said Dr. Isaac Bogoch, a Toronto infectious diseases physician.

JOHN WOODS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Epidemiologist Cynthia Carr.

"It's here, we know it's spreading. It's probably, at some point, going to be the dominant variant in Canadian settings just like it is in other settings," Bogoch said.

"We know how to prevent it. We know that the vaccines work and, of course, we know that two doses of a vaccine are more effective than one. So places are vaccinating like mad as they should, getting first doses in fast, but also getting second doses in fast in priority populations as well."

"It's here, we know it's spreading. It's probably, at some point, going to be the dominant variant in Canadian settings just like it is in other settings."  Dr. Isaac Bogoch, Toronto infectious diseases physician

While Manitoba is transporting intensive-care COVID-19 patients to Ontario because of the lack of local hospital capacity, worrying about adding to Ontario's COVID burden, or the possibility of further spread of more contagious variants, shouldn't be a concern, Bogoch said.

"We truly are team Canada, and you'll get help from your friends and neighbours."

The first presumed positive case of the delta strain was announced in Manitoba in late April, and the first four cases were confirmed May 7.

 with files from The Canadian Press

katie.may@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @thatkatiemay
In fact, this week, police logs show someone illegally dumped items two times outside the Salvation Army thrift store, too.

People who dump these items might be happy to get them out of their possession, but what they may or may not realize is that any items left behind are exposed to the weather and animals and are essentially left ruined. These items do not benefit these organizations  in fact, they hurt them.

The DAV and the Salvation Army instead have to take money that could be used to help people in our own communities and instead use some of that money to dispose of the now trashed items.

We ask people to think twice before doing this in the future.



Mankato Free Press. June 3, 2021.

Editorial: Transparency Time to allow cameras in court

The livestreaming of the Derek Chauvin murder trial was unprecedented in the history of Minnesota court access, but it so far has not resulted in any serious consideration to making all courts open to livestreaming or even photography.
In a sign that the community is ready to move on from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Beaver Dam Common Council terminated the citys emergency declaration Monday.

Mayor Becky Glewen issued the emergency declaration on March 18, 2020 during the early days of the pandemic. The declaration directed the mayor to take all necessary steps to prevent the spread of the coronavirus and authorized the mayor to take actions needed for the citys regular operations in the event the Common Council could not meet. The council met regularly via Zoom until May.

I do think that what we put into place was very appropriate for the pandemic time that we were working through, and I appreciate everyones patience during that time, Glewen said. It was very difficult for everyone. Im sure council understands those decisions are not easy always. We tried to make measured decisions and talking with a lot of individuals through public health, through businesses and through other communities, and I thought we did a good job with handling how we rolled out the pandemic.

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She said that with the vaccination rollout and low case numbers, the need for the emergency powers are not needed. The emergency powers could be reinstated if there were a drastic change in the situation.
Two people were sentenced this week in Dodge County Circuit Court on separate drug offenses.

Ryan Murray, 41, Madison, was sentenced Tuesday by Dodge County Judge Kristine Snow to three years in prison and five years of extended supervision for possession with intent to deliver amphetamine.

In August 2020, officers conducted a traffic stop in the city of Beaver Dam. When asked to exit the vehicle, the passenger, Murray, was sweating profusely, had trouble focusing and was walking awkwardly. Officers search Murray and found a syringe, a baggie with white residue, two baggies of a clear crystal material, a marijuana pipe and a digital scale. Officers found tested positive for meth.

Assistant District Attorney Gilbert Thompson stated, Murrays behavior endangered the safety and well-being of our community and warranted a lengthy prison sentence. Thompson also noted that Murray has a lengthy criminal record and has been sentenced to prison twice before.
ROME, N.Y.  A 19-year-old from Madison County is accused of inappropriately touching young girls in the water at Delta Lake State Park in Rome.

New York State Police arrested Tristan J. Kaulfers, of Fenner, allegedly touched two girls, ages 13 and 14, while they were swimming in the Delta Lake.

Kaulfers was arrested Monday, June 7, and charged with two counts of forcible touching and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child, all misdemeanors.

He was processed at taken to the Oneida County jail to await arraignment.
With COVID infection rates at an all-time low in New York, members of the state Assembly gathered in Albany Wednesday to introduce a bill that would prohibit mandates requiring kids to wear masks.

If the legislation passes, it would ban public schools and other state agencies, from requiring children under 18 to wear masks if they are healthy or asymptomatic.

Assemblyman Brian Miller, R-151, who was diagnosed with COVID-19 himself, says its time to get back to some semblance of normal.

Our children have been through enough the past 18 months, its time we fight to regain some normalcy for them, said Miller. While school, where the mask mandate is most confusing right now, is soon ending, this legislation will also help those attending summer school, summer camp and other similar programs. Positivity rates are going down significantly and we are nearly at the 70 percent mark for vaccines in New York. Its time to start returning to normal and end this abuse of our children.

The lawmakers supporting the bill say there is little evidence COVID-19 spreads significantly within schools.
On Monday, 34 teachers at three Urban Prep Academies in Chicago began a strike against the charter schools after three years of negotiations that have failed to produce a contract. Urban Prep manages two all boys schools located in the Bronzeville and Englewood neighborhoods on Chicagos south side and one campus in the downtown loop area, serving a combined total of roughly 1,500 students.

At the end of May, the teachers unanimously voted to authorize a strike against the charter school operator, animated by a desire for higher wages and improved benefits. In addition, teachers are demanding that the Urban Prep management provide the federally mandated resources for special education students.

Chicago Teachers Union president, Jesse Sharkey speaking outside Urban Prep Charter High School for Young Men. (Image Credit: CTU Facebook

The Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) officially represents the Urban Prep teachers, but the middle-class bureaucrats that run the CTU are thoroughly hostile to the interests of rank-and-file teachers. The union has not publicly listed its demands for the contract, instead issuing a press release that simply states, Management continues to reject language protecting special education students, classroom needs, student resources.

Despite the fact that the starting salary for Urban Prep teachers is an estimated $11,000 less than the average Chicago Public Schools (CPS) teacher represented by the CTU, the union is not publicly making any demands for pay parity with other CPS teachers. The CTUs press release notes that in the past year Urban Prep received a $3 million Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan funded by the CARES Act, which was not utilized for its express purpose of funding teachers salaries, but makes no demand that this siphoning of teachers pay be reversed.

In 2018, CTU leadership pushed through a vote to merge with the union that represented charter school teachers at the time, the Chicago Alliance of Charter Teachers and Staff. The merger took place after years in which the CTU hemorrhaged dues-paying members, and was meant to shore up the union bureaucracys income stream, while keeping strikes and contract negotiations more closely under the thumb of the Democratic Party.

Since the merger, conditions for educators in charter schools and traditional public schools have only declined further, reaching their nadir during the pandemic. In February, despite overwhelming opposition from teachers to returning to classrooms in deadly conditions, the CTU negotiated a deal with CPS that sent unvaccinated teachers and students into classrooms with no protection from the virus.

The CTU has worked hand in glove with CPS and Democratic Mayor Lori Lightfoot to rapidly reopen the third largest district in the US amid the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in an untold number of infections and deaths throughout the city. Remarkably, the CTU statement on the Urban Prep strike says nothing at all about the pandemic. This is an expression of the fact that union leaders like Jesse Sharkey have fully committed to the propaganda efforts of the Democratic Biden and Lightfoot administrations to claim that the pandemic is over and completely lift all remaining safety measures.

The unanimous strike vote by the Urban Prep teachers is a clear indication of the growing militancy and determination of educators, which the CTU leadership will do everything in its power to stifle and betray, above all by isolating the 34 teachers from the rest of their roughly 25,000 members.

The Urban prep schools have recently come under fire for poor student performance and misuse of funds. In 2018, CPS attempted to revoke the charter of one of the networks schools, Urban Prep West. However, a commission run by the state government overturned the citys plans and allowed the school to remain open. This has created an unusual situation, in which Urban Prep West is overseen by the Illinois State Board of Education, while the other Urban Prep campuses are answerable to CPS. During the state commission, it was reported that 87 percent of students at Urban Prep were not meeting college readiness standards.

More recently, in January of this year, CPS gave Urban Prep Englewood a warning that if it did not improve performance the schools charter would not be renewed after 2022. Bing Howell, CPS chief portfolio officer, then reported that the charter school had consistently troubling performance in its academics and financial management.

Charter schools are notorious for their poor management and misappropriation of resources. Despite the pretense of being non-profit organizations, the publicly-funded but privately-run schools make money by gutting essential classes and programs for students and severely underpaying teachers. Then, the leftover funds are used to pay executive salaries to the charter school administrators.

Ever since the 2018 merger of the charter school union with the CTU, the union has worked to isolate and smother the opposition of charter school teachers who are determined to fight to improve their conditions. This is epitomized by the fact that the contract for the charter school teachers is negotiated separately from the vast majority of the CTU membership.

In May of 2019, roughly 80 teachers at three other charter schools went on strike just before the public school teachers contract was set to expire. The CTU quickly wrapped up the negotiations, pushing through a sellout contact for the charter teachers to avoid a situation in which charter teachers and public school teachers could unite their struggle and combine their demands.

Urban Prep teachers must study the lessons of the CTU betrayals and link their struggles with rank-and-file public school teachers and other sections of workers. The fight for better wages and conditions in schools is not isolated to the Urban Prep network, but is bound up with the decades-long drive to dismantle public education.

Whatever agreement the CTU reaches will be a concessions contract that does nothing to address the central demands of teachers. Rank-and-file educators must take matters into their own hands and fight to build the Chicago Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committee, which was formed in January to oppose the reckless reopening of Chicago schools and to secure the right to free, high-quality education. This committee is part of the International Workers Alliance of Rank-and-File Committees (IWA-RFC) and has powerful allies among educators and other sections of workers in the US and globally.

On the same day that the Urban Prep teachers announced their strike, Volvo autoworkers in Virginia rejected a sellout contract presented to them by their union, the United Auto Workers (UAW), by 90 percent, with the Volvo Workers Rank-and-File Committee playing a major role in determining the landslide No vote. These autoworkers have now returned to the picket line to continue their fight for better conditions.

Chicago charter and public school teachers must connect your struggle with that of the entire working class. We call on Urban Prep teachers to take up your own independent program and join the Chicago Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committee today to broaden your struggle as widely as possible.
On Tuesday, the Senate Homeland Security and Rules committees released a joint report on their investigation into the January 6 storming of the US Capitol by a fascist mob incited and directed by then-President Donald Trump.

The two committees, headed by Democratic senators Gary Peters of Michigan and Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, respectively, held public hearings at the end of February and beginning of March that took testimony from the US Capitol Police chief, the acting chief of the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department, the House and Senate sergeant-at-arms, the commander of the D.C. National Guard, and lower-level officials from the Departments of Defense, the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security.

In this Jan. 6, 2021, file photo rioters try to break through a police barrier at the Capitol in Washington. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File)

The most explosive testimony was given by then-D.C. National Guard Commander, Gen. William Walker, (now the House sergeant-at-arms), who said he was blocked for hours from deploying his Quick Response Force to clear out the mob from the Capitol by Trump-appointed officials at the Pentagon. In the event, then-acting Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller and Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy authorized the deployment only after Trump had publicly called off the coup attempt and urged his heroes to leave the Capitol.

The report, the first such congressional review of the attempted nullification of the US election and installation of Trump as president-dictator, presents new details adding to the already abundant evidence of a deliberate stand-down by police, intelligence and military forces. Their actions enabled the pro-Trump mobs effort to carry out Trumps call in a speech delivered that morning to fight like hell and block congressional certification of Joe Bidens victory.

The report makes clear that the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security, the Pentagon and the US Capitol Police were well aware of plans by far-right militia forces, discussed on open source social media for weeks prior to January 6, to carry out a violent assault on Congress. Far-right elements discussed plans to take hostage and likely kill targeted elected officials based on the lie peddled by Trump and legitimized by the Republican leadership that the election had been stolen.

New details in the report establishing that the intelligence and police agencies had advance knowledge of pro-Trump forces plans to storm the Capitol include:

* Capitol Police intelligence officers knew as early as December 21 that protesters planned to bring guns and other weapons to the January 6 demonstration and turn them on any law enforcement officers who blocked their entry to the Capitol. They also knew that these forces were sharing maps of the Capitol campus online and discussing the buildings best entry points, how to seal them off and trap lawmakers inside.

* On January 5, the FBI informed Capitol Police about posts on a website called thedonald.win, on which Trump supporters had been exchanging information about tunnels around the Capitol and stating their goal of finding Democratic Members early to block them from entering the Capitol. The email also noted a huge uptick with reporting via open source of the groups intentions of forming a perimeter around the campus. The email also included a post declaring that allied militia groups could enter the Capitol as the Third Continental Congress and certify the Trump Electors.

* A Capitol Police official shared a tip the night before the attack, which had been received by the FBI National Threat Operations Center, of a significant uptick in new visitors to a website called WashingtonTunnels.com.

* Nevertheless, the Capitol Police intelligence unit concluded there was no credible threat of a violent attack on the Capitol. The report gives further details on the complete lack of planning by the Capitol Police leaders for January 6, despite the fact that Trump had targeted that days joint session of Congress as the last chance to prevent a peaceful transfer of power. It notes the lack of protective equipment and non-lethal riot control devices, and quotes Capitol Police officers saying they had no communication with top officials during the riot.

One officer said: The objects thrown at us varied in size, shape and consistency. Some were frozen cans and bottles, rebar from the construction, bricks, liquids, pepper spray, bear spray, sticks of various widths, pipes, bats. Another told Senate investigators: We were ill prepared. We were NOT informed with intelligence. We were betrayed.

But more significant than the new information in the 120-page report is what it leaves out. In order to obtain the support of the top Republicans on the two committees, the Democratic chairs agreed to omit any discussion of the role of the coup-plotter-in chief, Donald Trump. Senator Amy Klobuchar of the Senate Rules Committee and Senator Gary Peters of the Homeland Security Committee also agreed to omit the term insurrection from their analysis and to take no position on the stolen election lie that was used to mobilize Trumps fascistic mob and continues to be promoted by the Republican Party and the ex-president, whose dictatorial conspiracies continue unabated.

On this cowardly and duplicitous basis, the report presents the events of January 6 as the result of organizational deficiencies and inexplicable intelligence failures, reviving the mindless failure to connect the dots mantra that was used to cover up the connections between the Al Qaeda hijackers who carried out the 9/11 terror attacks on New York and Washington D.C. and the US intelligence agencies. The latter allowed the attacks to go forward in order to create the political climate in the US for war on terror military assaults on the oil-rich regions of Central Asia and the Middle East.

That coverup was carried out by the bipartisan 9/11 Commission set up in the aftermath of the terror attacks. Tuesdays Senate report embodies the response of Biden and the Democrats to the defeat 11 days before by Senate Republicans of a House bill to establish a similar whitewash body in response to the January 6 coup attempt. They appear willing, in the interests of concealing the increasingly fascistic orientation of the Republican Party, to extend their coverup efforts to the ex-president himself.

The basic line of the Senate report is summed up approvingly by the New York Times, which calls it the most comprehensive and detailed account to date of the dozens of intelligence failures, miscommunications and security lapses that led to what the bipartisan team of senators that assembled it concluded was an unprecedented attack on American democracy

The glaring contradiction between this interpretation and the facts set forth in the report itself was summed up, perhaps unwittingly, by Senator Peters, who told the press on Tuesday: The attack was quite frankly planned in plain sight.

The report takes great pains to present as plausible the sophistries offered by top Pentagon officials to excuse their role in the hours-long delay in the deployment of National Guard troops to the Capitol. It omits any reference to Trumps role in refusing pleas from besieged lawmakers, and even his vice president, Mike Pence, to send forces to clear out the fascists. (Trump had specifically incited his mob against Pence when the latter refused to use his ceremonial role in the counting of electoral votes to overturn Bidens victory. Insurrectionists set up a noose outside the Capitol and chanted, Hang Mike Pence.)

It credits as serious the claims of Miller and McCarthy that they had to obtain a mission analysis before authorizing the dispatch of National Guard forces, even as Trumps militarily trained militia allies were marauding through the Capitol in search of lawmakers to seize and/or kill.

Had they succeededand, according to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, one of those targeted by Trumps mob, they came within seconds of doing soTrump would have declared a state of emergency, backed by the Republican leadership, suspended Congress, and initiated a process that would have ended with the nullification of the election and his assertion of dictatorial powers.

One significant detail in the report, which had not been widely reported previously, if at all, is the fact that then-D.C National Guard Commander Walker confirmed that a D.C official threatened to have the mayor hold a press conference to announce that the Defense Department had refused to support her request for assistance. It was only then, sometime after 3 p.m., that Miller and McCarthy declared their readiness to approve the requests for National Guard troops to clear out the insurrectionists.
When a World Socialist Web Site reporting team visited a Dana Incorporated auto parts plant in the Detroit suburbs in the heat of Tuesday afternoon, a group of workers were on break outside, sweating and catching their breath mid-shift.

WSWS reporters told workers about the powerful strike of 3,200 autoworkers that broke out Monday at Volvos New River Valley Plant in Dublin, Virginia, at which point the group of 10 to 15 workers gathered around to listen carefully.

Autoworkers at Warren Truck [Credit: AP Photo/Paul Sancya]

The WSWS informed them that the Virginia strikers voted down two UAW sellout contracts by 90 percent and that the UAW had forced workers back to work without even seeing the contents of the second tentative agreement. The Dana workers had not heard of the strike on the news nor through the UAW, which represents parts workers at the Dana plant.

When WSWS reporters asked the workers what they thought, it became clear that nobody had ever asked them for their opinion before. Management and the UAW are used to barking orders and demanding the workers obey at parts plants like this one, where wages are low and the rate of exploitation is high.

As it turns out, the workers had a lot to say. News of the Virginia strike was like a match to a fuse, and it prompted them to denounce deplorable conditions at their own plant. The response shows both the powerful impact this strike can have on the working class as a whole, as well as why the UAW and corporate media are so eager to keep workers from learning about it.

WSWS campaigners build support for Volvo strike at Sterling Heights Assembly Plant in suburban Detroit

This place is a slave ship! one younger worker shouted in anger. We are tired. We are sweating bullets in there!

An older worker nodded his head in agreement. There is no ventilation in there! It is 109 degrees on the shop floor, he said. The group of workers emphatically stated their agreement. Right, thats a major problem, another worker declared. Its hot as hell, said another.

When WSWS reporters asked what the UAW was doing about it, the workers exclaimed, Nothing, its BS!

WSWS reporters told the parts workers that the striking Virginia workers are forced to survive on just $275 in weekly strike pay, while hundreds of UAW executives at the falsely named Solidarity House who make over $100,000 per year continue to draw full pay.

$275 for a strike? one worker asked in amazement. The workers rolled their eyes or shook their heads. Another worker said the strikers should get at least $1,000 in strike pay from the UAW fund.

WSWS reporters talking with Dana parts workers about Volvo strike

Workers were equally dismayed to learn that the UAW was not covering strikers dental, optical, hearing, and disability coverage. The UAW continues to pay hundreds of dollars an hour to lawyers defending UAW officials under federal prosecution for accepting corporate bribes in exchange for selling out workers.

Shawn, who as a temp worker gets no UAW representation at the plant, said of the health care cutoff, Thats bull. They have good reason to be mad. If they arent fired, they shouldnt have their health care cut and they shouldnt have to pay it.

Workers wanted to send messages of support to the Virginia strikers.

Sam, a worker with seven years at the plant, said, I support the Volvo workers going out on strike, we are in the same boat.

Other workers who wished to remain anonymous said, Stay strong, keep talking to each other, keep paying attention and stay strong, Good luck! You need to stand together, and we stand with you.

When asked if they had advice for the striking Volvo workers, the Dana parts workers warned them not to trust the UAW. We think theyre crooks, youre damn right, one worker said, adding, Those people are making $90,000, $100,000 a year for forty hours. When told that the workers had set up a rank-and-file committee to direct matters themselves, one worker said, damn, I like how that sounds.

During the discussion, a representative from the UAW approached the WSWS reporters as they continued to talk with the group of workers. The official tried to tell workers the WSWS was a foreign news source orchestrated in Brazil and that all the socialists like to do is talk.

The WSWS reporters responded by saying workers do not want to hear any red-baiting. As for the claim about talking, WSWS reporters said the UAW executives have been doing plenty of talking in federal court as they are being sent to jail for selling out workers and accepting bribes from management. The workers responded by laughing and shouting, That sounds about right, true! The UAW official was forced to retreat from the discussion.

WSWS reporters also campaigned at Stellantis Sterling Heights Assembly Plant, and workers there sent statements of support to Volvo strikers. Weve got their backs, said Mike, a sentiment echoed by others at the plant.

In the face of a blackout by the media and the AFL-CIO, the World Socialist Web Site is fighting to turn the attention of broader sections of workers to this critical turning point in the class struggle. Tuesdays campaign among Detroit parts workers is one small but powerful example of how autoworkers and workers in all industries are eager to come to the defense of Virginia Volvo workers in a common fight against the auto corporations and the capitalist system.
Workers at plants across India applauded the decision Sunday by 3,000 US Volvo Truck workers at the New River Valley plant in Dublin, Virginia to oppose a second sell-out contract negotiated by the pro-corporate United Auto Workers (UAW) and return to the picket lines on Monday.

The World Socialist Web Site (WSWS) spoke to auto workers including at Maruti-Suzuki, Toyota India, and Renault-Nissan on the international significance of the Volvo strike. Indian workers spoke enthusiastically on their class solidarity with the Volvo workers decision to strike and oppose the unions attempt to impose a sell-out.

Renault Nissan Automotive India workers (Credit: global.nissannews.com)

Leaders of the Provisional Working Committee formed in 2012, when leaders of the independent Maruti Suzuki Workers Union (MSWU) were framed and sent to jail for life, issued a statement. They declared, We extend our solidarity and support to the Volvo workers, striking for their just demands at Volvo Truck New River Valley plant in Dublin, Virginia, USA.

Addressing the importance of the Volvo Truck workers strike, they said: Amid constant attacks of the capitalist class on the working class at the global level, the militant struggle of Volvo workers is an important event. We are with them in their struggle for substantial pay improvements and against higher healthcare costs, a 10-hour workday and reductions in retiree benefits.

Their statement summed up the brutal conditions facing the Maruti Suzuki Manesar plant workers amid the joint conspiracies of the company, police and the government, the Provisional Committee members thanked the Volvo workers for their courageous action.

They said, We, the Maruti Suzuki workers, have gone through the same path of struggle in the last decade with multiple strikes, demonstrations and campaigns. In the backlash against our struggle by the capitalist class and the Indian state, 13 of our comrades were made political prisoners of the class struggle and sentenced to life imprisonment. They have been in jail for nine years now. The struggle of the Volvo workers in Virginia, USA strengthens our struggles. We stand with them to strengthen their voices.

They concluded with the final sentence of Karl Marxs Communist Manifesto: Workers of the world, unite!

The WSWS also spoke to workers at several Indian auto plants that have seen strikes demanding safety measures and shelter-at-home orders amid the COVID-19 pandemic. RenaultNissan workers spoke in support of the Volvo Truck workers, saying their demands are legitimate and that it is important to oppose the corrupt UAW bureaucracy.

One said the UAW bureaucracys role in the United States reminded him of the role played by union bureaucracies in India, telling the WSWS: Initially they pretended to fight for us. But now when we question something, they dont even answer and neglect us. For the past three years, we did not have any incentive or wage increase. Before, I used to think that only management and the government are against us, but now I realize our union joined them long ago.

Several Toyota Kirloskar Motors (TKM) workers, including Prasanna and Satish, also extended their solidarity to Volvo workers in America.

Prasanna said, When we struck work for three months against back-breaking speed-up on the assembly line, management tried to use the low-paid contract workers and management staff to run production. Although this violates labour laws, the company, with the support of the state government, employed unskilled contract workers to break the strike.

Satish said, With the majority of workers on strike, production will be completely halted. That gives the workers more power to fight and win their demands. Under the impact of COVID-19, the companies demand workers work more extra hours. Working on the assembly line means tremendous pressure on workers. Every minute and even every second is counted. Such brutal working conditions workers are facing in several auto assembly plants including Toyota Kirloskar and Maruti Suzuki India.

Pointing to slave labour conditions inside the factory, the Toyota worker added: Under instructions from management, shop floor supervisors refused to allow workers to go to the bathroom or drink water. To justify this inhuman act, management said, They can go once every two hours for 10 minutes, and they should go only during that time. Group leaders were told by the management to watch out for those who go out of turn and that their salary should be cut.

Summarizing the brutal conditions at TKM, Satish said, There are three main problems: speed-up, denial of permission for restroom breaks, and salary cuts. He agreed that these are international problems against which workers have to be mobilised independently of the union bureaucracies, and on an international scale.

The WSWS also spoke to S. Jothi, a miner at Neyveli Lignite Corporation (NLC), an Indian central government-owned lignite (soft coal) mining and power-generation corporation, who expressed his solidarity with striking US Volvo workers.

He said, I definitely support the demand of Volvo workers, their just demands should be supported by all workers. Workers all over the world confront more or less the same problems.

Here at NLC, I worked as a contract worker for 20 years. Actually, thousands of contract workers making up almost half of the NLC workforce have remained in the same status for two or three decades, deprived of benefits that permanent workers are entitled to, and also paid a tiny fraction of the wages paid to permanent workers. On average, an NLC contract worker is paid 18,000 rupees (US$246) monthly, whereas a permanent worker earns over 100,000 rupees ( US$1370) per month.

The contract workers, making up half the total NLC workforce, are demanding multi-year contracts and better treatment, he explained: The corporation granted holidays for permanent workers every other day during the pandemic, but denied the same to contract workers. Nearly hundreds of NLC workers died due to COVID-19 impact, but their next of kin were not given any compensation for the loss of lives. NLC is a highly profit-making company and its managers are paid mind boggling salaries.

Jothi spoke in favour of the formation of the Volvo rank-and-file committee: Here, too, the trade unions are not working in the interests of workers. They are definitely not for workers.

Somak Banerjee, a Kalyani University student in Kolkata said I support this strike of Volvo workers. In spite of the disastrous impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, industrial sectors are reopened fully and workers ordered to work more hours for the companies to make huge profits. And the companies, with government support, are snatching their rights as well.

Banerjee said he hoped that the example of the action at Volvo would encourage a broader struggle by workers in India and around the globe: Millions of workers worldwide lost their jobs and lives during this pandemic but companies and governments at large refused to provide any compensation for them.  So I like to give my solidarity to these workers who are fighting for their rights.
On Monday, Twitter suspended the account of Rebekah Jones, the data scientist and prominent opponent of the herd immunity policies that led to the deaths of more than 600,000 people in the United States. Twitter has provided no explanation of its suspension of Joness account, saying only that the data scientist was reportedly suspended due to spam and platform manipulation.

Joness suspension from Twitter comes less than 10 days after she was officially recognized as a whistleblower by the state of Florida. On May 28, the states Office of the Inspector General informed Jones that her whistleblower complaint demonstrates reasonable cause to suspect that an employee or agent of an agency or independent contractor has violated any federal, state or local law, rule or regulation.

Rebekah Jones

Twitters silencing, with no serious explanation, of an officially recognized whistleblower, a leading expert on the COVID-19 pandemic, and a political opponent of a policy that has led to countless unnecessary deaths, must be opposed. The removal of her account is an intolerable attack both on her own democratic rights and on the right of the public to scientific information regarding the ongoing pandemic.

Responding to Joness suspension, the office of Florida governor and Trump acolyte Ron DeSantis gloated, This decision was long overdue.  Rebekah Jones is the Typhoid Mary of COVID-19 disinformation and has harmed many hardworking DOH employees with her defamatory conspiracy theories.

The Miami Herald reported that the suspension occurred after Jones attempted to share an interview she held with the newspaper about her firing at the Florida Department of Health (DOH) and the fascistic raid that was launched on her home in early December of 2020.

The raid was ordered by Governor Ron DeSantis in response to Joness efforts to expose the true scale of COVID-19 deaths and infections in the state. Jones achieved national attention in subsequent months from her vocal opposition to the premature reopening of schools and businesses as the pandemic surged.

Jones was initially fired from her job as a data analyst for the DOH after rejecting requests to falsely inflate the number of coronavirus tests and decrease the count of daily infections. This initiative was fueled by a politically motivated campaign to remove all restrictions on the spread of COVID-19, above all to facilitate the reopening of schools and non-essential production.

Floridas DeSantis has been among the most avid adherents of the policy of herd immunity, which has meant removing all scientifically guided health measures that impede the flow of corporate profit-making and the relentless extraction of wealth from having workers risk their lives in workplaces where the virus has run rampant. This policy has been embraced by both the Democrats and Republicans and dictated by the class interests of the ruling elite, whose fortunes have skyrocketed during the pandemic.

Jones having her social media presence restricted is the latest development in a wave of provocative steps that have been taken by the political establishment and substantial sections of the corporate media to suppress dissenting views and criticisms of its unscientific pandemic policies.

The basis for DeSantiss unrelenting attacks against the whistleblower has been Joness efforts to inform the public of the true spread of the coronavirus in schools and workplaces around the country along with her consistently refuting the unsafe policies guiding the abandonment of measures aimed at containing the pandemic.

Under Floridas state statutes, political officials are prohibited from attempts to threaten or intimidate whistleblowers.

From the moment Jones was fired, she became the target of a vicious and violent campaign from the right-wing DeSantis to silence any opposition to the drive to reopen the economy and schools while browbeating her into submission.

The gestapo-like siege that was launched against Jones last December involved Florida state police barging into Joness home, with guns drawn, arbitrarily seizing her phone, computer and other technical equipment in order to prevent her from continuing to publish data on COVID-19 outbreaks. The raid was an outright attack on the right to free speech and aimed at suppressing all credible science refuting the murderous policies of the ruling class.

The invasion of Joness residence was immediately followed by an arrest warrant issued by the state in January on the spurious charge that Jones gained unauthorized access to state health department software and sent a mass text to thousands of employees urging them to speak out publicly against the governments coronavirus policies.

Workers around the world have expressed their support for Jones, including a December 2020 statement by nurses, doctors, and other health workers in Sri Lanka, who declared their opposition to the fascistic attack on Rebekah Jones, a prominent data scientist and COVID-19 whistleblower.

Teachers in Melbourne, Australia, issued a statement on December 22 condemning the police raid against Jones. Educators internationally must come to the defence of Jones and all whistleblowers fighting for full transparency and reporting of all data on COVID-19.

With the ruling classs abandonment of effectively all measures to contain the spread of COVID-19 at workplaces and schools, workers right to information about the pandemic is all the more critical. For this reason, it is vital to demand the reinstatement of Joness Twitter account and to oppose all threats and intimidation directed at scientists.
Four members of a Muslim family in London, Ontario were brutally slain Sunday night in a hit-and-run attack that police have described as premeditated and motivated by hate towards Islam and Muslims.

Police have revealed next to nothing about what they know about the far-right political views and connections of the 20-year-old assailant, Nathaniel Veltman. But they have characterized his murderous attack as a hate crime and have said they are considering adding terrorism charges to the four counts of murder and one of attempted murder laid against him on Monday.

The Afzaal family (Credit: @MurtazaViews/Twitter)

The victims, whom Veltman struck at high speed with his black pickup truck at 8:40 p.m. Sunday while they were out for a stroll, are 46-year-old Salman Afzaal, his unnamed 74-year-old mother, his 44-year-old wife, Madiha Salman, and their 15-year-old daughter, Yumna Afzaal. Fayez Afzaal, aged nine, survived the attack and remains in hospital with serious injuries.

Salman reportedly came from Pakistan and was a well-known member of the Muslim community in London, which is one of Canadas oldest. Danveer Chaudry, a family friend, said Salman was involved in community work at the local mosque. He was a very humble guy, always there for the community. I feel sorry that we were not in touch in the last year because of COVID. When I heard this tragedy, my heart is in so much pain and sorrow, he told CBC.

The authorities have said the assailant was wearing a body armour-style vest when he was detained by police 10 minutes after the attack. But as of yesterday afternoon, almost 48 hours after his arrest, they have said nothing about his background, including whether he was employed, unemployed or a student, had ties to a far-right group, or made any statement on his arrest.

A Reuters report released Monday night noted that relatives of the deceased had released a statement saying that Veltmans attack was supported by a group with which he was associated. However, neither their statement nor any other publicly available report has identified the group.

Although details about Veltmans past and political views are being kept strictly under wraps, the fact that the police are even considering terrorism charges indicates that substantial evidence of his association with the far right must be in their possession.

Adopted on the pretext of the 9/11 attacks, Canadas draconian anti-terrorism laws have been invoked multiple times against Islamist extremists, including those entrapped by state agents. But Crown prosecutors and the police-security agencies have generally declined to bring terrorism charges against fascist and other far-right assailants.

For example, Alexandre Bissonnette, who killed six Muslims in an armed assault on the Quebec City mosque in January 2017, was convicted on six charges of first-degree murder. However, he faced no terrorism charges, even though his far-right convictions, including support for Trump and the French neo-fascist Marine Le Pen and hatred of Muslims, were well established.

Canadian political leaders acknowledged the political character of Veltmans bloody crime. This killing was no accident, declared Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in a Tuesday House of Commons speech. This was a terrorist attack. He placed Veltmans murderous rampage in the context of the Quebec City mosque shooting, the murder of a man at an Ontario mosque last September, and the harassment of black Muslim women in Edmonton, Alberta. He vowed to dismantle far-right groups and pointed to the governments placing of the Proud Boys on Canadas terrorism watch list as proof of its readiness to act.

New Democratic Party leader Jagmeet Singh declared that the attack had its source in pervasive racism in Canada. The reality is this is our Canada, Singh said. How many more families will be killed before we do something? Another family cant be mauled down in the streets and nothing happens. Muslims are not safe in this country.

Behind these crocodile tears, the representatives of the political establishment are unwilling and incapable of acknowledging that the rise of Islamophobia and far-right forces is a direct product of the foreign and domestic policies pursued and supported by all parties in parliament. Contrary to Singhs fatuous attempt to blame the entire population for anti-Muslim hysteria and discrimination with references to our Canada, the reality is that these reactionary sentiments have been systematically stoked and deployed to deadly effect by the Canadian ruling class.

Taking the neocolonial invasion and occupation of Afghanistan as a starting point, Canadian imperialism has been engaged in almost perpetual war for the past 20 years. Canadas involvement in the US-led onslaughts against Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and Syria have not only brutalized Canadian society, conveying the impression that all problems can be overcome by resorting to military force and high-powered firearms, but facilitated the eruption of virulent Islamophobia at home. This has proceeded in tandem with a savage assault on social spending and the gutting of democratic rights, including workers right to strike, which has ratcheted up social tensions to the breaking point, accelerated the growth of social inequality and created urban landscapes dominated by mass poverty and precarious employment.

To enforce this class war agenda against widespread social opposition, sections of the ruling elite have cultivated direct ties with far-right groups. This includes the use of fascistic thugs by company management at the Federated Cooperatives Ltd. oil refinery in Saskatchewan to intimidate locked out workers.

The Canadian ruling classs response to the COVID-19 pandemic epitomizes the brutality of contemporary capitalist society. It has systemically prioritized profits over lives. While more than 25,000 Canadians have lost their lives to COVID-19, the countrys 48 billionaires have gained $78 billion in wealth during the 16-month-long pandemic.

Far-right forces, like Maxime Berniers Peoples Party and the right-wing populist Coalition Avenir Quebec (CAQ), which currently forms Quebecs provincial government, have undoubtedly spearheaded the demonization of the Muslim population. In 2015, the Conservative government of Stephen Harper, in which Bernier served, proposed setting up a barbaric cultural practices snitch line targeting Muslims. In 2019, the CAQ, to wide applause from Quebecs ruling elite, adopted legislation, Bill 21, that attacks religious minorities, and especially Muslim women, by prohibiting the wearing of religious signs by public sector workers, including teachers, in positions of authority; and by denying public services, including health care and education, to observant women who wear the burka or niqab.

If these chauvinist and far-right forces have been able to act with such aggressiveness, it is because the discriminatory measures they propose have been given credibility and even endorsed by forces on the so-called left. For more than a decade Quebec Solidaire, a pseudo-left party that supports Quebec independence, described the reactionary debate over excessive accommodation to immigrants and minorities out of which Bill 21 emerged as necessary. And while Singh took potshots Tuesday at politicians who have used Islamophobia for political gain, the reality is that his own NDP is the linchpin propping up the Trudeau minority government. A government that has continued and expanded Canadas participation in US aggression and war in the Middle East and intensified its collaboration, under both Trump and Biden, with the fascistic Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the United States to stop refugees fleeing poverty and American imperialist violence from seeking asylum in Canada.

Trudeau and Singhs bluster about fighting the far right is a fraud. The Trudeau government has played a central role in ignoring and downplaying the extensive evidence of far-right activities in the Canadian Armed Forces. When a far-right military reservist sought to assassinate Trudeau last July, the incident was trivialized and the assailant faced only minor weapons charges.

These processes are not unique to Canada. Far-right terrorists, nourished by the imperialist-led wars of aggression targeting predominantly Muslim countries and the discrimination and abuse against immigrants and refugees perpetrated by the major powers, have targeted Muslims around the world. The deadliest of these far-right rampages include the brutal shooting spree by fascist terrorist Brenton Tarrant in Christchurch, New Zealand, which claimed the lives of 51 people in two mosques in March 2019, and the July 2011 massacre by Anders Behring Breivik of 77 people, most of whom were members of the Labour Partys youth movement.
US President Joe Bidens decision late last month to order an intelligence report on allegations that COVID-19 was released from Chinas Wuhan Institute of Virology has brought this baseless conspiracy theory to the forefront of the mainstream media.

This theory was previously confined to the most right-wing, pro-Trump outlets. The Murdoch media in Australia, which was among these, is now gloatingly claiming vindication, courtesy of the Biden administration.

A review of the Murdoch presss record on the issue, however, demonstrates the baseless and politically motivated nature of the claim that the Chinese government and military are responsible for leaking COVID-19 from a laboratory in Wuhan. This allegation has no credible evidence whatsoever and is being promoted as part of the wider campaign by Washington and its allies to divert public hostility over their own disastrous failure to prevent mass coronavirus infections, and to prepare for aggressive military confrontation with China.

Murdoch journalist Sharri Markson has played an especially prominent role in Australia and internationally in promoting the Wuhan lab conspiracy.

After the Wall Street Journal published an article last month claiming that unnamed intelligence sources believed that three Wuhan lab employees were the source of the initial COVID-19 cluster, Markson boasted on Twitter that she had written a report based on the same intel for the Australian in March.

Markson's tweet claiming credit for "exclusive" on Wuhan Lab in March (Credit: Twitter, @SharriMarkson

Many of the details in Marksons article were indeed similar to the Wall Street Journal report. Both quoted David Asher, State Department official who was commissioned by Mike Pompeo to investigate the origins of COVID-19, though the Journal cited a larger number of anonymous intelligence operatives.

Each article included a brief mention of the assessment made by Dutch virologist Marion Koopmans that the small number of illnesses among Wuhan Institute of Virology employees were explicable as regular, seasonal illnesses. Left out of Marksons article was an important qualifier in the Journal report: It isnt unusual for people in China to go straight to the hospital when they fall sick, either because they get better care there or lack access to a general practitioner.

Whereas the Journal article in May triggered a Biden administration investigation and general about-face within the American press on the Wuhan conspiracy theory, Marksons article in March drew little attention.

This reflected the extent to which the Murdoch press in Australia has been discredited for its bogus reporting on the Wuhan lab allegations. Markson has twice been exposed for promoting exclusive stories, purporting to be based on intelligence sources, indicating Chinese culpability for the creation or leaking of COVID-19, that turned out to be nothing of the sort.

On May 2 last year, Markson published a 3,000-word frontpage story for the Sydney Daily Telegraph, based on what she described as a dossier prepared by concerned Western governments and a 15-page research document. When the story was promoted in other Murdoch outlets in Australia and internationally, the purported dossier was repeatedly described as a Five Eyes intelligence report.

Daily Telegraph "exclusive" article (Credit: ABC Television, "Media Watch")

Markson wrote that the government dossier claims incurable virus invented at lab. Her lengthy article, spread across seven pages of the Daily Telegraph contained very few concrete details and instead mostly comprised descriptions of Chinese scientific research on bat-related viruses, portrayed in the darkest colours, combined with sweeping allegations without any accompanying evidence.

The dossier, Marksons article claimed in a typical passage, lays the foundation for the case of negligence being mounted against China [and] paints a picture of how the Chinese government deliberately covered up the coronavirus by silencing doctors who spoke out, destroying evidence from the Wuhan laboratory and refusing to provide live virus samples to international scientists working on a vaccine.

Marksons story coincided with a Trump administration push to promote the Wuhan conspiracy theory. On May 3, 2020, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo publicly claimed there was enormous evidence to support this allegation, though he failed to provide any.

Steve Bannon and Sharri Markson (Screenshot)

Marksons report had a significant impact within Republican circles in the US. She was interviewed by several outlets, including Steve Bannons fascistic War Room Pandemic podcast. On May 5, she spoke with Fox Newss Tucker Carlson. After denouncing left-wing sections of the media for not lending credibility to the allegations, she stated: Given that China has lied and it is just a fact, they have lied about everything to do with this virus, so far how can we take [scientists] word for it?

Carlson declared that Marksons story is the most substantial confirmation of what weve suspected that weve had so far, and because its a multinational effort I think it would be hard to dismiss it as a political document.

In fact, the report was debunked with days of its publication. The Age and Sydney Morning Herald reported that senior members of the Australian intelligence community told them that Marksons so-called intelligence dossier was nothing more than a collation of news reports and contained no material from intelligence gathering.

These newspapers later elaborated: The document was, in fact, a non-paper compiled by the US State Department which contained no classified information, referenced news reports and was merely a timeline of events, according to multiple senior Australian government sources who have read the document.

The Age and Sydney Morning Herald added that there were widespread suspicions within senior ranks of the Australian government and the intelligence community that the document was leaked to the Daily Telegraph by a staff member in the US embassy in Canberra.

The incident had all the hallmarks of a Trump administration provocation, with its operatives collaborating with the Murdoch press to insert bogus intelligence against China into the American media.

Former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd published an opinion piece in the Guardian on May 8 last year suggesting that the discredited Daily Telegraph story was part of Murdochs efforts to help Trump stay in office.

Using an intelligence leak pushing Chinese culpability, laundered through a foreign country, turbocharged with the credibility factor of being an alleged Five Eyes product, helps the partisan political cause, Rudd wrote. And lets be clear: Murdoch is campaigning full-bore for Trump.

Whatever the immediate calculations at the time of the Daily Telegraph exclusive, the perpetuation of the Wuhan conspiracy theory under the Biden administration points to the wider considerations of the entire political establishment in Washington as it prepares to wage war against China in order to maintain US imperialisms global dominance.

Last month, Markson published another exclusive story connected to the Wuhan allegations, this time for the Australian.

Headlined, Chinese military scientists discussed weaponising SARS coronaviruses, the article promoted Marksons forthcoming book What Really Happened in Wuhan. The frontpage story was purportedly based on a document or paper that had been written by Peoples Liberation Army scientists and senior Chinese public health officials in 2015 and then obtained by senior officials at the US State Department in May 2020, who were investigating the origins of the pandemic.

The article breathlessly added that Robert Potter, a digital forensics specialist who has worked for the US, Australian and Canadian governments, and has previously analysed leaked Chinese government documents, verified the authenticity of the paper.

The Chinese paper reportedly included the assertion that a third world war will be biological and that the core weapon for victory in World War Three will be bioweapons.

The day after the article was published, Markson promoted it on her Sky News show. This is a war mentality, teaching Chinese students the best conditions under which to release a bio-weapon, she declared. This is very dangerous stuff.

Such rhetoric is typical of Marksons television news show, which has featured fawning interviews with numerous agitators for a confrontation with China, such as Steve Bannon and academic Clive Hamilton.

Once again, what the Murdoch press palmed off as leaked intelligence documents was nothing of the sort. Researchers on Twitter immediately debunked Marksons article, noting that the paper she cited was in fact a book, The Unnatural Origin of SARS and New Species of Man-Made Viruses as Genetic Bioweapons, that is publicly available via Amazon and other outlets. Written by individual Chinese military researchers, the book, which includes a false claim that the 2003 SARS virus was engineered by the US military, has no official status and has reportedly been widely ridiculed within China.

Our debate should be evidence-driven and not by pure falsehood, Adam Ni, of the China Policy Centre, told the Age and Sydney Morning Herald. The theory is ridiculous. It is like saying I can divine US military secrets by reading some random book from Amazon.

In 2003, every single Murdoch publication, without exception, supported the illegal US invasion of Iraq and promoted the weapons of mass destruction lies used as its pretext. In 2021, the Murdoch media is working to pave the way for an even greater war crime, a US-led assault on China, through the systematic promotion of lies, innuendo and bogus intelligence related to the Wuhan lab conspiracy theory for which there exists not a single credible shred of evidence.

Journalists and media workers must repudiate this filthy campaign, as part of the wider responsibility of all workers, scientists, and intellectuals to oppose the Wuhan conspiracy-provocation.
The refusal of the Victorian state Labor administration and the federal Liberal-National Coalition government to provide any but the most minimal financial assistance to ordinary people during a lockdown of Melbourne, the countrys second-most populous city, has intensified an already acute social crisis.

Charity groups and welfare organisations have reported a surge of people seeking food assistance, while many renters are facing the prospect of eviction.

Hundreds of international students lining up to collect food vouchers in Melbourne last year [Credit: @BeauNewham, Twitter]

The lockdown was imposed across Victoria on May 28 after two cases of COVID-19 were detected three days earlier. In just over two weeks, the cluster has grown to 94 new cases, including infections of the highly-infectious Delta variant, which has devastated India.

The lockdown was prematurely lifted in regional Victoria after one week but maintained for another seven days in Melbourne. The state Labor government is preparing to overturn it in that city as well, when it is due to elapse tomorrow, even though new infections continue to be recorded each day. This is in line with a campaign by the corporate and financial elite for the abolition of all safety measures, whatever the medical consequences.

The callous attitude of the ruling class on the health front is paralleled by an indifference to intensifying social hardship.

The Melbourne lockdown was the first of more than a few days duration to be called in Australia since the federal government terminated its JobKeeper program. This provided businesses whose operations were impacted by the pandemic with up to $750 a week, to pay a portion of their wages bill.

While it amounted to a cash handout to businesses, the abolition of JobKeeper was aimed at ending any, even nominal, government assistance for workers impacted by the coronavirus crisis. The end of JobKeeper was accompanied by a return of the JobSeeker unemployment payment to the below poverty-level pre-pandemic rate.

Within one month, this caused at least 56,000 Australians to lose their employment, according to data received by the tax office and reported by Treasury Secretary Dr Steven Kennedy at a senate estimates hearing Tuesday last week. Downplaying the impact of this loss, Kennedy said the department would expect many of those who lost employment at the end of JobKeeper to regain employment in coming weeks.

The situation in Melbourne paints a different picture and reveals just how devastating the impact of the removal of JobKeeper is, under conditions in which the pandemic is far from over.

Steve Phillips, manager of the Community Support organisation in the Melbourne suburb of Frankston told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) that last year they had double the amount of client cases compared with 2019. In the first quarter of this year, material aid requests to the centre were up 500 percent on the same time last year.

Phillips said, People are making decisions in our community every day about what they can go without, and a lot of the time its food or essential medicines.

Despite this high demand, Philips said the centre was waiting to find out if they would receive a grant this financial year as they are facing 135 percent less federal funding and currently do not know how they will maintain operations.

Dave McNamara, chief executive of Foodbank Victoria, told the ABC that in April distribution was up 15 percent. In May it was up 19 percent and thats before the [latest] lockdown started. With the recent lockdown, McNamara reported that a number of agencies had to close because volunteering is not safe.

Other food banks in Melbourne have reported a rapid increase in demand. Planetshakers Pentecostal church, which has five relief centres across Melbourne and Geelong, said demand was five times higher than before the pandemic. Hare Krishna Food for Life told the Age that requests for assistance had risen 100 percent since the lockdown.

Particularly hard hit are international students, who continue to be refused basic supports, such as the unemployment allowance, from the state and federal governments. They were also not eligible for the meagre JobKeeper payments and have been forced, through much of the pandemic, to rely on charity.

A pop-up food bank for international students opened in Victoria in October last year. Since the May lockdown was declared, demand has shot up by 50 percent. On June 2, five days after the start of the lockdown, 620 people visited the centre, the largest number recorded since its opening. Two days earlier they ran out of fresh food for the first time when 521 people visited, up from the daily average of 400.

Filipino student Marco Castaneda, interviewed at the food bank by the Age, explained that every day since the pandemic broke out, he had considered returning home. Were really struggling, he said, we dont have any source of income, thats why were here to get some food.

With the moratorium of rent evictions having ended on March 28, 2021, many people face the prospect of being thrown out of their homes. The Salvation Army reported that 270 people who were classified as experiencing or at risk of homelessness sought a meal on May 31, up from an average of 200.

Eirene Tsolidis Noyce, secretary of the Renters and Housing Union (RAHU), told the Guardian that the pandemic had worn down the financial reserves of many renters, amid an ongoing property bubble. For some people, 67 percent of their income is going to rent, so having two weeks with no work again is going to put these people into further precarity unless those rental protections are put in place again, Noyce said.

RAHU has seen a 10 percent increase in the number of people coming to them for help since the end of the moratorium. We have members carrying a lot of debt from the last 12 months, which is anywhere from $2,000 to $18,000 in deferred rental payments, due to not being able to pay rent at all in the past year, Noyce explained.

A report by the Better Renting advocacy group last year revealed that from 5 to 15 percent of all renters may be in rental debt. A rent debt bomb has grown which cuts across the picture of a strong economic recovery in Australia, painted by Labor and the Coalition alike.

On top of the existing social hardship, when the Victorian lockdown began, an unknown number of casual employees were thrown out of work overnight, losing their primary or sole source of income. For the first week of the lockdown, they received nothing. Only several days into the restrictions did the Victorian state government announce a $250 million subsidy, but this was directed to businesses.

After lobbying from the state administration, the federal government agreed to provide paltry assistance for the second week of the lockdown, well below the earlier JobKeeper rates.

The package potentially gives $500 a week to those without pay, but only if they averaged more than 20 hours on the job. Those who previously averaged fewer hours will receive just $335. There are extensive criteria, however, even to be provided these payments. If a worker has $10,000 or more in savings they are not eligible and those on the sub-poverty-level JobSeeker welfare payments cannot apply.

The measure is aimed at entrenching the social hardship exacerbated by the pandemic and signalling that workers thrown on the scrapheap will receive next to nothing.

The package was also aimed at ensuring that there are no future lockdowns. The payment will only start in the second week of any such lockdown, effectively starving families in the first. It also enshrines the federal definition of a coronavirus hotspot, which declares that an outbreak can only be declared if an area records an average of more than ten infections per day over at least three days.

Based on this definition, the current situation in Melbourne may not have been classified as an outbreak and none of the previous clusters this year would have met the threshold.

The government definition was accepted by the national cabinet, which is composed of the federal administration and the state and territory leaders, most of them from the Labor Party. So was the pitiful level of federal assistance to ordinary people impacted by the Melbourne lockdown.

In other words, the political establishment is committed to an agenda that jeopardises the health and safety of ordinary people, by allowing COVID-19 to spread so there are no obstructions to corporate profit. At the same time, the pandemic crisis is being used to intensify an onslaught on the social rights and conditions of ordinary people, as the profits of the oligarchy soar.
With much media fanfare, the Labor Party government in the Australian state of Victoria tabled the final report of its Royal Commission into the Mental Health System in March, and claimed it would implement all 65 recommendations, financed by a payroll levy on businesses.

Even if this promise were to be kept, however, the shocking conditions in the under-funded and over-stretched public mental health system will only worsen.

Empty halls of a healthcare facility. (Image license/Envato)

For example, the report recommended that funds be provided for 100 new mental health beds across Victoria. Yet the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists specified that at least 477 new beds were needed to lift Victoria up to even the Australian average.

Likewise, a much-vaunted stream of inpatient beds for 18- to 25-year-olds is to be created by reorganising existing inpatient beds for adults, including the 100 new beds.

While welcoming the report, the chair of the inquirys expert advisory committee, Professor Patrick McGorry of Youth Mental Health at the University of Melbourne, outlined the shortcomings that have plagued the states mental health system.

McGorry referred to an under-resourced, overworked and crisis-ridden system and workforce, with a missing middle of an estimated 94,500 people, who fell between primary care and specialist services, and were unable to obtain help in 201920. He described an inequitable and poorly-integrated service system, typified by a postcode lottery that made accessing care dependent on where people lived.

McGorry stated: These local failings have led to a profound human toll of many thousands of preventable deaths, blighted lives and immeasurable suffering.

The brunt of the disaster has been borne by hospital emergency departments, which have seen mental health presentations grow by over 60 percent since 2008. There has been a qualitative deterioration over the last two years. In regional Victoria, patients requiring mental health care routinely spend over 24 hours waiting. In metropolitan Melbourne, the number of such patients is spiralling, without the necessary increase in trained staff.

Premier Daniel Andrews state Labor government convened the Royal Commission in early 2019, in order to deflect widespread fury about the dire state of the mental health system.

One inquiry submission pointed out that while the government funded $710 for each mental health hospital bed per day, the actual cost was $1,100. That left a deficit of $390, or $142,000 annually, with the result that community mental health teams were being bled, to fund acute bed-based services.

The Royal Commission delayed its final findings due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has exacerbated the mental health crisis.

Despite all the media promotion of the report, its recommendations did not go to the heart of the problems, which have been compounded by years of deliberate neglect and the privatisation of essential public services.

The report called for the establishment of 22 adult mental health and wellbeing services for integrated treatment, with consultations available 24/7. These are to be developed in partnership with non-government organisations, continuing the outsourcing of services.

Hospital emergency departments are to be given resources for improved ability to respond to mental health crises, but no detail is provided on what given resources will be allocated.

There is a recommendation for one highest level emergency department per region for mental health, to be combined with alcohol/drug dependency treatment. The rest of the hospitals are to be left to battle with queues as before.

By the end of 2022, money is to be allocated for safe spacesone family and carer-led centre in each of the states eight regionsall through non-government organisations.

Over the next decade, some social and affordable housing is to be provided to people with mental illness, with 500 places for young homeless people, with mental illness co-designed by Homes Victoria. This does not guarantee that the mainly privately-built and run accommodation will be affordable to those who need it.

The report called for united action with the federal government to implement suicide prevention. The worth of that recommendation can be judged by the 20212022 budget of Prime Minister Scott Morrisons Coalition government.

It allocated a paltry $298.2 million for suicide prevention for the whole country, with $158.6 million for aftercare for those attempting suicide. Yet Victoria alone recorded 719 deaths by suicide in 2019 and 698 in 2020. Nationally, 3,318 people took their lives in 2019.

The report proposed training for members of workforces likely to come in contact with people experiencing suicidal behavior, and support for businesses to invest in workplace suicide prevention and response programs, beginning with high-risk industries.

No amount of training, however, could compensate for the increased pressure and workload imposed on workers throughout all industries, causing depression, anxiety and despair.

Another recommendation is that triple-zero emergency calls for help regarding mental health should be diverted to Ambulance Victoria, rather than Victoria Police, and that paramedics should lead the response teams, not police. There is, however, no proposal for increased funding, staffing and ambulances to meet what would be a sharp increase in the required responses.

The Royal Commission called for a new Mental Health and Wellbeing Act by mid-2022, to replace the Mental Health Act and remove the central focus on compulsory assessment and treatment. It recommended the end of seclusion and restraint within ten years.

But the report and the 20212022 state budget do not address the underlying social crisis responsible for increased mental illness. The budget expenditure of $3.8 billion on mental health is to be funded by a levy on the largest 5 percent of corporations. Businesses with wage bills over $10 million will pay an extra 0.5 percent of payroll tax, and those over $100 million will pay another 0.5 percent.

This is a tiny fraction of the superprofits gouged by these corporations, boosted by the massive transfer of wealth to the financial elite over the past four decades, which has accelerated during the pandemic. The impost is miniscule compared to the more than $450 million in subsidies and tax concessions handed to business by the federal, state and territory governments over the past year.

Discontent is mounting among public health workers. After participating in limited rolling stopworks for the past three months, they were due to hold a state-wide stopwork on May 26 over their poor pay and conditions.

However, the Health and Community Services Union (HACSU), which covers these workers, postponed the stoppage to June 23, because of the current partial COVID-19 lockdown in Victoria. The union has only called the stopwork to let off steam and promote illusions in appealing to the Andrews Labor government, even though it has announced a public sector wage freeze.
Under conditions in which university workers and students face historic and intensifying cuts to jobs and conditions, two pseudo-left groups are trying to help the trade unions to divert widespread opposition back into the same industrial framework that has facilitated the assault.

NTEU Fightback, organised by Socialist Alternative, is urging National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) members to seek supposedly better clauses in enterprise agreements with individual university managements, while Solidarity is calling on university workers to work with NTEU officials to strengthen the union.

University of Melbourne (Image credit: Flickr/Travis)

This is the opposite of what is required. The need for a unified industrial and political struggle throughout the entire university sector against the cuts has never been greater. The Liberal-National governments May 11 federal budget deepened a decade of funding cuts, reducing allocations for public universities by a further 9.3 percent in real terms from 202122 to 202425.

That is on top of multi-billion-dollar cuts that began under the previous Greens-backed Labor government in 2012, and anticipated revenue losses of about $3.8 billion in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemics ongoing impact on enrolments by full fee-paying international students.

At the same time, the budget handed some $50 billion more to the corporate elite by way of subsidies and incentives and $44.6 billion for expanded military spending in preparation for war.

Far from launching any fight against the budget, the NTEU is attempting to keep university workers straitjacketed in the enterprise bargaining regime, which splits them into individual workplaces and ties them to the profit requirements of each management.

Last year, the NTEU admitted that it had presided over the destruction of up to 90,000 full-time, contract and casual jobs in the universities during 2020. In some cases, entire departments were shut down and formerly tenured academics with decades of expertise were forced to compete with each other for remaining positions.

This was despite anger among university workers, who forced the union to drop its initial Job Protection Framework which volunteered 15 percent pay cuts and still allowed for tens of thousands of sackings. Riding roughshod over this resistance, the NTEU pushed through individual deals at one university after another to achieve the cost savings demanded by managements.

All of this was permitted by the existing three-year enterprise agreements (EAs) approved by the NTEU in the last round of bargaining deals struck with university employers in 201819, or by imposing slight variations of them.

With these EAs expiring at most universities this year, NTEU Fightback issued a document, Clauses worth fighting for, that urges union members to call for limited changes in particular EA clauses.

Over 44 pages and two appendixes, the document goes into microscopic detail about existing and suggested clauses in EAs. It reads like a briefing for union officials, which is what NTEU Fightback members aspire to become.

The entire thrust is to chain workers to the NTEU and other union apparatuses, which have stifled workers struggles for decades, particularly since the Hawke and Keating Labor Party governments of 1983 to 1996. Labor used the unions as an industrial police force over the working class via a series of Accords, followed by the imposition of the EA system, which outlaws all industrial action outside enterprise bargaining periods.

One of the most revealing parts of NTEU Fightbacks document is Change/consultation clauses. It enthuses that the University of Sydney (USYD) EA requires multiple stages of consultation with the union over cuts to jobs and conditions. By contrast, the University of Melbourne (UoM) consultation process only requires written notices from the university, followed by written responses from staff.

NTEU Fightback passes over the fundamental component of both clauses that makes them essentially identical. That is, the consultation process, regardless of how long or detailed it is, does not determine the content, timing, or magnitude of any change proposals.

The UoM EA states, there will be no power of veto over the Universitys decision-making processes, while the USYD EA states, consultation does not necessarily mean that agreement will be reached. The essence of both is unmistakablemanagement is under no obligation to even modify a proposal should staff oppose it.

For the union, however, the key difference is that USYDs EA ensures the union not only has a seat at the table but is more intimately involved in implementing all change proposals, and cajoling members into accepting them.

Moreover, the NTEU Fightback clauses only oppose job cuts if they are supposedly sham or forced redundancies. Nor do the clauses forbid casual contracts, demanding the right of all university workers to secure work. Instead, they propose limited improvements such as introducing sick and holiday pay, raising the casual loading above 25 percent, paying casual academics for all hours worked, and increased entitlements at work like a guaranteed desk and laptop. These measures, even if agreed by individual universities, would still leave casuals depending on uncertain and under-paid employment, one semester at a time.

Similarly, NTEU Fightback suggests controls on outsourcing, such as requiring that all workers who perform work covered by the EA are paid the same rate, whether employed by the university or a private company. Its clauses worth fighting for do not prohibit outsourcing because that would be barred by the Fair Work Act, which was introduced by the last Labor government with the support of the unions.

On the ever-increasing staff workloads, NTEU Fightback advocates another avenue by which the union can partner with management. It proposes establishing joint committees of union and management representatives to negotiate workloads.

Again, the exemplar is USYD, which established a Workload Monitoring Committee in the previous EA, yet this has done nothing to resolve the crisis of overwork. NTEU Fightback admits: Even close to the nominal expiry date of the Sydney EA, there are few real gains in workload to talk about.

Likewise, the Solidarity group is working to try to bolster the discredited NTEU. It recently published an article by Marcus Banks, an NTEU delegate at RMIT University, who declared: [A]ctivists need to learn to work with and against the officials, strengthening the union, and supporting the officials when they take a stand against university managements and the government.

According to Banks, activists should build rank-and-file networks that can put pressure on the union officials, while nurturing the strength of the union and raising the consciousness and capability to go beyond the officials if they will not act.

Such networks, however, simply function as safety valves for the unions from the mounting discontent of workers and as vehicles for pseudo-left members to integrate themselves into the union hierarchy, just as their predecessors have done, such as NTEU national president Alison Barnes.

What is needed are genuine rank-and-file committees, completely independent of the thoroughly corporatised unions, fighting for a unified struggle against the bipartisan attack on public education and the underlying dictates of the wealthy corporate elite, whose fortunes have doubled during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The truth is that not one step forward can be taken within the framework of the anti-strike Fair Work legislation, which is policed by the unions and their pseudo-left backers. The fight to defend jobs and conditions requires a struggle against the entire political and corporate establishment. To wage this struggle, academics and professional staff need to turn to other sections of the working class who are facing similar attacks.

A recent joint online meeting of the International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE) and the Committee for Public Education (CFPE) adopted a resolution that gave a lead to this struggle. It demanded that, instead of big business being bailed out with billions of dollars, and billions more being handed to the military, resources be poured into healthcare and education funding, to protect the population from COVID-19 and guarantee the basic social right to free, first-class education for all students, including international students, and full-time jobs for all university workers, including casuals.
Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free (Poem by Emma Lazarus, inscribed on the base of the Statue of Liberty)

Do not come, do not comeif you come to our border, you will be turned back. (Vice President Kamala Harris to migrants fleeing destitution and rampant violence in Central America)

Kamala Harris this week made her first foreign trip since taking office as US vice president. It was a lightning three-day visit to Guatemala and Mexico aimed at firming up the use of their security forces to violently suppress the flow of Central American migrants seeking to escape desperate poverty along with police and gang killings, and to reunite with family members in the US.

Much was made in the US and international media of Harris being the first woman and first African/Asian-American to represent Washington abroad on such a high-level state visit. A child of immigrants, Harris was entrusted with the dirty and, indeed, homicidal job of coordinating a multinational crackdown on immigration.

Vice President Kamala Harris listens to a reporter's question during a news conference with Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei at the National Palace in Guatemala City, Monday, June 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Oliver de Ros)

Nowhere could one find a more blatant illustration of the role played by identity politics in defending the capitalist order at home and US imperialist interests abroad.

Harriss trip included window-dressing along these lines, including a promised $40 million to empower young women in Guatemala. This represents a drop in the ocean for a country where fully half of the population is categorized as poor and which has the sixth-highest malnutrition rate on the planet. As for the rate of chronic child malnutrition, it now stands at a shocking 70 percent, the highest in the world, with children dying every day for lack of food.

Harris spent her day in Guatemala in discussions with President Alejandro Giammattei, an extreme right-wing politician who came into office with the backing of the countrys ruling oligarchy and the military. He was nearly overthrown last year by mass protests, which included the burning of the Congress building, that broke out against government austerity and its criminal mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Giammatteis political career included a stint as chief of the countrys prisons, during which security forces carried out a massacre of inmates in 2006. He was briefly jailed on charges related to the killings and the horrendous conditions inside the penitentiaries. This could have served as a bond with Harris, who as Californias attorney general carried out an aggressive campaign to overturn court rulings that conditions in the states prisons constituted cruel and unusual punishment in violation of the US Constitution.

We share bonds that are historic, Harris said in public remarks delivered with Giammattei. And it is important that, as we embark on a new era, that we recognize the significance and the importance of this relationship as neighbors.

Harris provided no details about the historic bonds between Guatemala and Washington, for understandable reasons. Dating back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries, these bonds were forged through the brutal exploitation and bloody oppression of Guatemalas population of workers, peasants and indigenous peoples. The countrys economy was effectively taken over by the United Fruit Company and other US banks and corporations, whose interests were defended by a series of military dictatorships that regularly massacred and executed workers who dared to strike or protest.

In 1954, the CIA directly engineered a coup that overthrew the democratically elected president, Jacobo Arbenz, whose sin was to initiate a limited land reform that included the expropriation, with compensation, of lands controlled, but unused, by United Fruit.

The coup ushered in three decades of brutal military dictatorships and a US-backed counter-insurgency war that claimed the lives of an estimated 200,000 people, most of them indigenous peasants wiped out in a genocidal campaign by a military that was trained and armed to the teeth by the Pentagon. The money offered by Harris to supposedly empower women represents a tiny fraction of the money doled out by Washington to empower the mass murderers of the Guatemalan security forces.

In a confidential memo drafted in the wake of the coup against Arbenz, the US National Security Council stated that Washingtons aim in the region was to compel Latin American countries to base their economies on a system of private enterprise, and, as essential thereto, to create a political and economic climate conducive to private investment of both domestic and foreign capital.

More than six decades later, this remains Washingtons core policy in the region, as Harris made clear during her visit to Guatemala. The main aid she had on offer to supposedly improve lives and thereby stanch the flow of immigration was a package to back entrepreneurs and a promise from US corporations thatprovided their conditions are metthey will invest in the region to promote economic opportunity and job training. In other words, any restrictions on the flow of US capital in search of cheap labor must be scrapped, even as walls of steel are erected to imprison workers within national borders.

This is of paramount importance to transnational corporations that depend upon US-owned factories in Mexico and Central America as part of the supply chain for US auto, electronics, defense and other industries. Washington pressed for these plants to remain open during the pandemic, and the governments readily complied, drastically intensifying the rates of infections and deaths.

The same issue was stressed in Harriss talks Tuesday with Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO), which produced a statement stressing the strengthening and attraction of foreign investment to Mexico. Once again, open borders for the banks and corporations, and militarized frontiers for working people.

Both the supposedly left government of AMLO in Mexico and the right-wing Central American regimes are serving as willing subcontractors in the Biden administrations war on immigrants. In April, the White House announced the deployment of 10,000 soldiers by Mexico, 7,000 troops by Guatemala and 1,500 security officials by Honduras on its northern border. These forces are equipped with drones and other surveillance equipment and backed by US advisors.

Last month, Mexico expedited deportations by shifting from transporting migrants in buses to setting up an air bridge from the states of Tamaulipas and Chihuahua bordering Texas to the Honduran city of San Pedro Sula and the southern Mexican cities of Villahermosa and Tapachula, which harbor the largest migrant detention centers, described by legislators of AMLOs own party as concentration camps.

On the US border itself, draconian methods are employed to turn back migrants. According to the latest figures available, in April, 111,714 of the 178,622 migrants detained by the US Border Patrol were summarily deported to Mexico, using as a pretext Title 42, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention public health order ostensibly aimed at controlling the pandemic. Public health experts have stated that the order has no grounding in science.

Those apprehended are, in many cases, transported to a distant part of the border and forced back across into Mexico, with nothing but the clothes on their backs. Thousands are now trapped in squalid tent camps, lacking access to water, food and medical care, and facing daily threats of violence and kidnapping.

This gross violation of both international and US law on the right to asylum is a consensus policy within the US ruling establishment, with the Biden administration continuing the essential policies of the fascistic ex-US president Donald Trump.

Conditions within immigration jails remain inhuman, with immigrants, including children, subjected to overcrowding, extreme cold and inedible food. COVID-19 infections are running rampant, with the Department of Homeland Security reporting at the end of last month that it was monitoring 2,007 cases among detained immigrants, while barely 7 percent of them have been vaccinated.

So much for the crocodile tears shed by Kamala Harris about the dangerous trek to the United States-Mexico border. The greatest dangers are those deliberately created by the US government to suppress migration. This is just as true under Biden as it was under Trump.

Workers in the United States must come to the defense of working people from Mexico and Central and South America who are risking their lives in an attempt to enter the US. They are fleeing barbaric conditions created by more than a century of US imperialist oppression and are, in many cases, children, mothers and fathers who are desperately trying to reunite with their families.

The working class in the United States and internationally is being driven into struggle against the same transnational corporations that have reaped profits amid the mass death and illness of the COVID-19 pandemic. The success of these struggles depends upon workers uniting across national boundaries. This requires unconditional rejection of the xenophobia and nationalism peddled by the capitalist parties and the corporatist unions and the defense of the democratic rights of immigrant workers to live and work in the country of their choice.
The World Socialist Web Site is publishing statements in support of the Pike River Families Group, which represents 22 of the 29 families of the men who died in New Zealands 2010 Pike River coal mine disaster. The families are fighting to overturn the Labour Party-led governments decision to end an underground forensic investigation of the mine. The government aims to prevent the recovery and examination of evidence that could be used in criminal prosecutions of those responsible for the disaster.

More than a decade after the explosions at Pike River, no one has been brought to justice. Successive governments, union bureaucrats and state agencies have protected the companys executives and managers, whose negligence turned the mine into a death trap. The WSWS urges readers around the world to read and share our statement, Justice for the 29 miners killed at New Zealands Pike River!, and send messages of support for this crucial fight.

To read previously published statements from readers around the world, click here, here, here and here. Former miners in the UK have contributed statements here. Workers in Sri Lanka have contributed statements here.

We also draw readers attention to the Pike River Families Groups online petition: Help stop critical evidence in Pike River Mine from being locked away forever!

Crosses with miners helmets by a roadside on the West Coast of New Zealands South Island. (Credit: Richard Healey, Facebook)

Charlie Seeney, ex-miner Moura Mine, now Dawson Mine, Australia:

Put the blame where it should be, at the companys feet. Greed should never overshadow safety. 29 Good Men lost their lives at Pike River, justice should be served. I live in a town where there have been three major mine disasters and the look of despair is still on some faces. I am truly sorry this has happened to your community. My heart goes out to the families of men taken too soon.

I dont understand why the mine was allowed to operate with only one means of egress. This is mandatory in every mine as a safety precaution. Your ventilation people should have picked up on this and ceased production until it was rectified. By having this in place the rescue squad may have stood a chance of at least seeing what went wrong. The second means of egress should have been at or near the shaft fan, that way any falls in the drift would have been bypassed.

Regards, Charlie Seeney

Kahurangi Hippolite, New Zealand:

The first time I heard about the Pike River disaster, I was living in Mount Isa, Australia. My husband was a Australian citizen and he was working underground as a maintenance fitter. Watching the disaster unfold on Australian news media was absolutely devastating and gut wrenching and being a Kiwi from the South Island made it harder to fathom that this could happen in this day and age.

Although my husband has passed away, I have never forgotten what he told me at the time, and that was: there is always a safe way to get men out of a bad situation today if they were trapped underground, and he said others he had worked with said the same thing. Like me, he was shocked when we found out that the NZ government at the time was not going to encourage a rescue team to go back in to rescue these men after the second explosion.

Since I have been back in NZ I have tried to be as supportive as I can be in finding out the truth behind the deaths of these poor men, and it is not about just laying their memory to rest for their families, it is about making it safer for future generations to come. I support the Pike River families.

Anthony Byrne, Australia:

This was a crime, no doubt about it. As an underground miner for many years my heart goes out to the families.

Tom, New Zealand:

The refusal of the Labour government to fully investigate the Pike River mine is an egregious attempt to cover-up the misconduct of the mines owners and the authorities. [Government minister and former union official] Andrew Little personifies the betrayal of the mine workers and their families by the EPMU [Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union] and the government. His claims that further investigation would be too costly and that he has fulfilled his obligations to the victims families are disgusting lies. This is yet another example of Labour and the unions serving business, instead of workers. The Pike River families must be supported.

Bevan Wilson, New Zealand:

We firmly believe we need to get these men out of the mine and give them a proper burial/funeral for closure for their families. The government who took away the mine inspectors and brought in OSH should be held responsible. The foremen that were responsible for the staff should be held responsible, and the people who knew this mine was unsafe should be held responsible too. Waving money under workers noses to carry on in an unsafe environment is wrong. The people who offered the extra money need to be held responsible for their actions.

I believe John Key knew that these people were alive [after the first explosion] and when you go into the mine and find these miners sitting against the wall dead, John Key will need to be held responsible. This is why he resigned as prime minister.

Soldier on and get these people out: DO NOT let them seal it up. You owe that to the families!!

Joseph Divjak, Australia:

The Labour government and the trade unions have blood on their hands. They are revealing their true class allegiances once again to the capitalist state and the corporations they serve by seeking to bury the Pike River families demands. We demand justice for the 29 miners killed and a full investigation into the mine disaster and the prosecution of those responsible.

Trev, New Zealand:

Impunity/immunity needs to be removed from the corporate/political system and replaced with accountability for their actions and/or acts of negligence. Why should those responsible be protected from their guilt by hiding behind their dirty tactics, while the innocent are left to suffer needlessly?

Karen Olsen, New Zealand:

Where is the humanity? This was an election-winning promise, just another being reneged on by Jacinda [Ardern] and her bunch of twits. But hey, plenty of money for cycleways and suchlike from road users paying um 0 towards the cost of.

These wonderful men lost through a murderous company and their suits, who likely have never ever had a smudge of coal on their hands, happily played Russian Roulette with these dearly loved, dearly missed men of our earth. How Dare They. These men and their families lives stolen by these murderers is absolutely disgusting.

For a government voted in by the people on a life-changing promise to not only all people of NZ that voted for them, but most importantly to the memory in respect of these brave men and their families. [This] is the most disgusting thing they have lied about and gone back on, their promise to we who pay for their privileged lifestyles. It is so typically ugly. I hope the people remember this out of respect for our brave lost men. My heart is with you families and your men. I will never forget you and your men.

Lest We Forget Our Pike 29, well our Pike 29 are also Dad 29 Son 29 Brother 29 Uncle 29 Cousin 29 Grandson 29 Grandad 29 Mate of Many 29. xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxx

Kohine Rata, New Zealand:

Att: MP Andrew Little & Labour Party, the Pike River Families & men deserve justice, whatever it takes. The injustice will forever linger like a black cloud until the truth is known. You have the worlds best mining experts that know where theres a will theres a way. Dont Give Up, gone that far without a hitch, now is the time to finally seek the truth.

MP Andrew Little, now is the time to let Pike River Families finally know the Real Truth of what actually happened on that tragic fateful day. They deserve that.

Do What is Right, carry on, the men may be closer than you think. DONT GIVE UP, LABOUR PARTY, YOU HAVE THE MEANS & OPPORTUNITY TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT.

Jesse Monroe, New Zealand:

They need to carry on and finish the job. Find out the truth once and for all, the families need closure and those responsible should be held to account if there is a case to answer. Recovery was handled wrong from the very start and has been flawed in many aspects.

Mike Newport, New Zealand:

It doesnt matter who is in charge of the country, whoever made the calls needs to be held accountable. The investigation needs to go the whole way and not be held up by arse-covering politicians. Do it without a doubt [and show] who is responsible. Recourse can come later but hold those responsible to account!

Jeffrey and Dorothy Graham, Australia:

It is a criminal decision by those responsible to cover up the Pike River Mine disaster. The families deserve respect with a full investigation of the avoidable disaster.

Craig Burgess, Australia:

Do not give up your fight to overcome this injustice. Let the rights of workers prevail. The whole wide world is watching.

Ivan Woolley, New Zealand:

I support the committee to have this disaster fully investigated before the mine is sealed forever.

Prom Tuialii, New Zealand:

Keep up your righteous fight and life is more important than corporate profits.
On Monday, a unanimous Supreme Court ruled in Sanchez v. Mayorkas that immigrants who are living in the US for humanitarian reasons cannot apply to become permanent residents. Justice Elena Kagan wrote that the federal law prohibits those who entered the United States illegally and now have Temporary Protected Status (TPS) from seeking green cards to stay permanently.

There are currently 400,000 people in the US who have been granted TPS because of war or disaster in their home countries. The program involves more than 12 countries and allows TPS holders to work legally and apply for permanent citizenship.

Clouds roll over the Supreme Court at dusk on Capitol Hill in Washington, Sunday, May 3, 2020. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

The Supreme Court argued that although refugees were granted TPS they were never formally admitted into the country. Kagan wrote, The TPS program gives foreign nationals nonimmigrant status, but it does not admit them. So the conferral of TPS does not make an unlawful entrant eligible, for a green card.

Kagan noted that only Congress can grant citizenship and noted that the House of Representatives has passed legislation that would allow TPS holders to apply for green cards. The bill, however, faces slim chances of passing the Senate.

President Joe Biden expressed his support for changing the law but noted, like the Trump Administration, that he did not support allowing immigrants who entered the country illegally to apply for permanent resident status.

In recent years, federal courts around the country issued conflicting rules regarding TPS holders and their right to apply for citizenship. The Trump Administration had threatened to cancel the program, sending fears among immigrants that they could be deported back to countries that they had not lived in for years, despite living and working in the US, and in some cases giving birth to children who have American citizenship.

Justice Kagan ruled that Lawful status and admission, as the court below recognized, are distinct concepts in immigration law: Establishing one does not necessarily establish the other. She continued, And because a grant of TPS does not come with a ticket of admission, it does not eliminate the disqualifying effect of an unlawful entry.

The ruling closes a window for plaintiffs Jose Santos Sanchez and his wife, both residents of New Jersey and TPS holders originally from El Salvador, to apply for a green card from his employer, a yacht company that sponsored him for a job-based green card over a decade ago.

The couple came to the US illegally in 1997 and 1998 and now have four children, with the youngest born in America and therefore a citizen.

After a series of earthquakes in El Salvador in 2001, they were granted TPS, which shielded them from deportation. In 2014, the couple wanted to adjust their status to become lawful permanent residents and get green cards.

The US Citizenship and Immigration Services denied their application, stating that they were ineligible because they entered the country illegally and were never formally admitted into the US.

Kagan argued that even though Sanchez was given TPS status, his unlawful entry into the US means that He therefore cannot become a permanent resident of this country.

Michael R. Huston, assistant to the US solicitor general, arguing for the Biden Administration and against the couple, noted that it had been reasonably determined by Congress that TPS was not a special pathway to permanent residence for non-citizens who are already barred from that privilege because of pre-TPS conduct. He added that TPS holders should know that the program is a temporary form of relief from deportation and will not last forever.

One of Santos Sanchezs lawyers, Jaime Winthysen Aparisis, told Reuters he was highly disappointed the Court decided against the rights of immigrants who otherwise played by the rules like Mr. and Mrs. Sanchez. He added, TPS recipients like them have been living and working lawfully here for twenty years.

The case revealed that some circuit courts would grant immigrants green cards, while others would not, even in cases with identical circumstances.

The 6th, 8th, and 9th circuits of the US Court of Appeals ruled that granting a TPS status counted as a legal admission to the country, allowing immigrants to apply for a green card with a family member or employer sponsor and not have to leave the country. This allowed TPS holders with American spouses to avoid having to stay abroad and reenter the country to become permanent residents, something that is not only expensive for most, but also unsafe. The 3rd and 11th circuits ruled otherwise. Mondays ruling put an end to the split in rulings.
On Tuesday, the day after nearly 3,000 Volvo Trucks workers walked out for the second time this year, the giant multinational corporation cut off health insurance to workers and their families, brought strikebreakers into the New River Valley (NRV) plant in Dublin, Virginia, and began sending out letters threatening striking workers with termination.

In a brief message posted on the UAW Local 2069 Facebook page, union officials said: So the company canceled our insurance as of midnight yesterday. A striking Volvo worker told the World Socialist Web Site that the company did not cut off benefits during the two-week strike in April before the United Auto Workers (UAW) abruptly ended the walkout. Volvo did, however, cut health care benefits during the bitter two-month strike in 2008 when workers resisted the introduction of the two-tier wage system, which was accepted by the union.

Striking Volvo workers in April (Source: UAW L. 2069)

In 2019, General Motors cut off medical coverage on the first day of a nine-week strike by 48,000 GM workers but was forced to rescind its action because of a public backlash.

Franky [Marchand, Volvo Trucks vice president and NRV plant manager] put out a statement that hes cutting off everyones insurance immediately, a young Volvo workers told the WSWS. So, no more good will and nice guy. We must be getting to them.

UAW Local 2069 officials simply announced the cutoff without even a verbal protest over the stripping of health care benefits from strikers and their families in the midst of a pandemic. Similarly, the UAW International said nothing. In a brief note, Local 2069 officials informed workers: You are now on Cobra thru UAW if you signed up last time you will not need to sign up again.

COBRA, the 1985 Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act, is a US law which allows workers to extend their employer-provided health insurance after it is terminated. While the UAW indicates on its website that the strike fund will cover the insurance premium payments under COBRA, they state that they restrict this to only certain benefits such as medical and prescription drugs. They continue: Benefits not covered include: dental, vision, hearing and sick and accident.

The union should give us full benefits, a Volvo worker said. Weve been paying union dues for years for the UAW to take care of us in times like these. Its like paying for car insurance, and when you get in a wreck, they say, Ok, youve blown out four tires, but were only going to pay for two. You tell them I need four tires to drive on, and they say, Sorry, its not our problem.

Another striker added, The UAW should pick up the payments for full coverage and pay for it out of its nearly $800 million strike fund.

Workers have also reported that Volvo began to bring in management personnel and nonunion workers on Tuesday morning to complete work on stockpiled trucks. The company is now hoping scabs will cross the picket line to work down their float of 2,000 trucks that are sitting all over the county unlocked and vulnerable, the young worker said. We have leverage, and it would be an act of unmitigated stupidity not to use it to its fullest extent.

In a post on the Local 2069 Facebook page Tuesday, UAW officials told workers that they can do nothing more than watch the strikebreakers cross their lines, writing: The State Police has informed us to not block the entrances of the plant. We do not want to see anyone get in trouble and we want law enforcement to stay neutral in this process.

Both the UAW and the AFL-CIO are opposed to mobilizing the thousands of workers from Volvo and the surrounding area to carry out mass picketing to stop the strikebreaking, because it would quickly escalate into a confrontation with their ally, Virginias Democratic Governor Ralph Northam.

Northams troopers are not neutral. As in every strike, the police are deployed to protect the profit interests of the corporations and enforce injunctions issued by company-controlled judges. During the 1989-90 Pittston strike, Virginia Democratic Governor Doug Wilder deployed hundreds of state troopers across the coalfields to escort scabs and arrest striking miners.

On Sunday, Volvo workers rejected by 90 percent a second attempt by the union to push through a pro-company contract. The UAW had shut down a two-week strike on April 30 before attempting to push through the sellout deal the first time, which was also voted down by workers by 90 percent. Following the second defeat of the deal last Sunday, the UAW felt it had no choice but to sanction a renewal of the strike, which began Monday at noon.

Even if our Bargaining Team wont hold the line and bring back the contract we deserve, 90-91 percent of the membership showed that THEY will, twice, a Volvo worker told the WSWS.

Workers have returned to the picket lines determined to wage a serious fight to recover more than a decade of wage and benefits concessions accepted by the UAW, particularly now that the Sweden-based corporation is making billions in profits and paying its investors record high dividends. The union, however, has made it clear it has no intention of carrying out a real struggle.

Union officials have not issued any demands on the company. On the contrary, UAW Secretary-Treasurer Ray Curry, who is leading negotiations, said in a letter to Volvo management that his goal was to achieve a contract that works both for the Company and its employees. This only underscores that the union has no intention of fighting for workers demands to reverse substantial concessions pushed through by the union in earlier contracts, such as the multitier wage and benefit system, let alone win substantial improvements. Such gains would certainly hurt Volvos bottom line, and that is why the UAW executives are bitterly opposed to them.

The Volvo Workers Rank-and-File Committee, which has led the opposition to the UAW sellout contracts, issued a statement Tuesday titled No Health Care? No Negotiations!

Denouncing Volvos provocation, the statement says: Fellow workers, this attack on health care directly threatens all of us and our families. In the context of a deadly pandemic, it is a dagger aimed at the heart of all working people.

The company, the statement says, is determined to fight, and we must show greater determination. It is impossible to win a war if we concede every battle. Until health care is restored, the statement says, the UAW must cover the full costs of complete health care for all workers. The $790 million strike fund must not be used to cover the resort vacations, extravagant meals or the massive legal fees of bureaucratic bribe-takers. The strike fund is our money, to be used for our benefit, for our struggle.

The struggle can and must be won. In developing the struggle, workers must understand they confront a war on two fronts. One front consists of the giant corporation and both big business parties, the courts and the police. The other is the UAW, which has a strategy not to win the strike but to defeat it.

Workers need their own strategy. This includes the demand for the withdrawal of the UAW bargaining committee and rank-and-file oversight of negotiations, full income for striking workers paid by the UAW and mass picketing to prevent scab operations.

At the same time, the New River Valley workers cannot fight this battle alone. What is required is the mobilization of Volvo workers across the companys vast empire, from Mack Trucks workers in Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia, to the companys operations in Sweden, France, Belgium, Russia, Brazil, India and Thailand. In addition to mobilizing other Volvo workers, the victory of the strike requires that it link up with other ongoing struggles, including the Warrior Met coal miners in Alabama, Vale Inco nickel miners in Ontario, Canada, and Allegheny Technologies steelworkers in Pennsylvania and other states.

General Motors, Ford and Stellantis workers in Detroit and other cities, who have repeatedly rebelled against the same UAW executives, have a particular duty to come to the aid of the Volvo workers and prepare joint action.

The VWRFC has insisted that workers will not return to work without winning their minimum demands, including a 25 percent pay raise, an end to the tier system, no Alternative Work Schedule, five personal days for everyone, a $4,000 signing bonus, no increase in health care costs and full funding of retiree health care without premiums or co-pays.

Volvo and Mack workers can contact the VWRFC at volvowrfc@gmail.com or text to (540) 307-0509.
Protests in uptown Minneapolis continued for a fourth night Sunday after the fatal shooting of a man in a public parking garage last Thursday.

Members of a federal US Marshal Service (USMS) Fugitive Task Force shot and killed 32-year-old Winston Boogie Smith after surrounding his car on the evening of June 3. USMS initially claimed that Smith was wanted for murder, but retracted the accusations, now saying that they were trying to arrest him for allegedly being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Flowers and candles are arranged after a vigil was held for Winston Boogie Smith Jr. early on Saturday, June 5, 2021. (AP Photo/Christian Monterrosa)

By the time USMS had retracted their initial statements, multiple headlines and articles from local news had already published the initial claims that Smith was a murder suspect, without naming any incident or victims.

Additionally, USMS officers claimed that Smith had been armed and fired shots at the officers. USMS claims to have found a handgun with a spent shell. A 27-year-old woman, who was Smiths passenger in his car, was also wounded in the shooting.

Protesters, including Smiths brother, immediately gathered and demanded the release of any video and evidence or eyewitnesses to come forward. The parking ramp can be seen from the windows of several apartment complexes.

Skeptical of the maneuvering of USMS and the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA), Kidale Smith, Winstons brother, told WCCO Channel 4, You cannot hide. You can't hide anymore, claiming that youre US Marshals, the BCA, and that you cant release evidence. You wont be able to hide for long.

Kidale Smith pleaded with those who live in nearby apartment buildings to come forward, Somebody has seen something, and I know you didthere are too many windows over here and there are too many people in the restaurants. He said, Somebody saw something, and somebody heard something, Smith said, adding that he is also interested in footage from a security camera on the fifth floor of the parking garage where Winston was shot.

Waylon Hughes, a close friend of Smith for over 10 years, told reporters that he didnt know Smith to carry a gun, and that he did not know that Smith owned one.

The BCA says there is no video from body cameras or squad car videos because the US Marshal Service does not allow the use of body cameras for its North Star Fugitive Task Force, which was involved in the killing of Smith. However, according to the US Attorneys office for the district of Minnesota, this policy changed last year, and beginning in February this year, officers should have begun using body cams.

Smiths fatal shooting bears a resemblance to the assassination of Michael Reinoehl in September last year when a US Marshals federal task force surrounded him and opened fire without warning or trying to arrest him. President Donald Trump bragged about having ordered the execution of a US citizen, saying We sent in the US Marshals, took 15 minutes and it was over.  Police claim that Reinoehl opened fire with a single shot, necessitating a hail of 40 bullets.

The police killing of Smith came less than a week after police in Milwaukee, Wisconsin shot and killed 49-year-old Roberto Zielinski, a father to six, on May 30.

Police killed Zielinski after alleging he fired shots from a porch of a home and did not drop his gun after being told to. The stress and the emotions that my family has right now is at an all-time high, Jacob Gonzalez, Zielinskis nephew told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. We all just really looked at each other and said ... weve got to know whats going on because I cant think my uncle would do anything like this. The family and their supporters are demanding the release of body cam footage.

Both killings, the latest in the unending string of violence meted out by police, expose the reality of class relations in the United States. Under capitalism, the working class is subjugated to the dictates of the ruling class, enforced violently by the police and the state which employs them. That both victims were killed in cities run by Democratic Party administrations underscores the bipartisan support for the police, whose crimes overwhelmingly go unpunished.

Appeals made to the ruling class and to capitalist parties like the Democrats and Republicans for police reform will fall on deaf ears. Over a year since the murder of George Floyd, which sparked mass international, multiracial and multiethnic protests across the US and around the world, police violence has not stopped. According to mappingpoliceviolence.org, police have killed 439 people in the US this year. An end to police brutality can only come through the overturn of the capitalist system and the establishment of socialism.
Volvo Truck workers in Virginia have been on strike since Monday. Their industrial action is not being reported by the German media. We publish below the first messages we have received from workers in Germany in support of the striking Volvo workers.

Zafer, a Ford worker in Cologne

The Volvo workers must not let up. They must hold out until they have achieved all their demands. We are behind them. International solidarity is very important now, especially for us autoworkers. The big companies have their factories all over the world, and everywhere the same game is being played. The threat of relocating production is used to impose worse conditions.

Volvo strikers on the picket line (Source: Twitter/Target solidarity)

International solidarity starts on the assembly line. Here we have Turks, Italians, Croats, Africans, Arabs and many other nationalities alongside our German colleagues.

I think its particularly good that the Volvo workers stood up to the UAW. We should do the same here at Ford in Cologne. The IG Metall union is no better. The union officials and most of the unions works councillor representatives are completely aloof. They stand fully on the side of the board of directors and, above all, try to line their own pockets. They dont call themselves co-managers for nothing. They use all the tricks, are dishonest and mendacious. Sometimes, I think we are far too cautious here and let ourselves be intimidated far too often. But if the American workers are fighting now, thats already an important step.

Florian M., an apprentice at a metalworking company in Southern Germany

The Volvo workers have my full solidarity! I admire your determination in rejecting the contract presented by the union and going on strike again.

I read on the WSWS that you have built a workers committee and that your committee played a significant role in rejecting the contract so that the union could be put under pressure.

That the union is trying to persuade you to make rotten compromises does not surprise me. Here in Germany, the trade unions have a long tradition of betrayal. In 1914, the unions and the Social Democrats (SPD) in Germany allied themselves with the ruling class and prevented strikes against the First World War.

Just as you built an independent committee, at the end of the First World War workers in Germany built committees in all workplaces that united into workers councils. They organised strikes against the world war, which eventually led to revolution. But again, the unions and the SPD allied with the class enemies and defeated the revolution.

Your struggle has international significance and shows workers all over the world that workers can organise independently of the trade unions, making them aware of their tremendous power.

The German working class looks to America with great enthusiasm.

In Germany, the Sozialistische Gleichheitspartei (Socialist Equality Party) is calling on all workers to build committees, and I hope that we in Germany will soon have some committees to come to the aid of our American class brothers and sisters.

Here in Germany we are facing mass layoffs, but the American workers have shown German workers how to fight back by building independent committees. I urge you, even if the union strangles the strike again, to continue the strike under the leadership of your committee. Only when the bureaucratic agents of the class enemy are no longer at the head of the strike can the isolation be broken and the struggle extended to other factories by building more committees. Long live the international solidarity of all labourers!

Andi A., a truck mechanic in Bavaria

I hereby declare my solidarity with the striking Volvo workers and support them with all my strength. They have rejected the criminal and inhuman policy of management and the UAW union and have formed an action committee of Volvo workers. I myself work in a truck repair plant and know only too well managements brutal approach to wage dumping [employers offering cheaper labour costs] and unsafe working conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Here in Germany and Austria, several plants in the automotive and supplier industries are on the brink of collapse, such as the MAN Truck plant in Steyr and the Bosch plant in Bietigheim. Thousands of workers are threatened with unemployment or a huge deterioration in working conditions.

The trade unions are using every means they can to suppress opposition in the workforce and push it in a nationalist direction. They are also in cahoots with management on the issue of forcing workers to work under insecure coronavirus conditions: They blackmail workers by saying they will lose their jobs otherwise. They also put pressure on workers when they make redundancy offers.

Only through an independent action committee and international networks can a long-term improvement be achieved. The workers must network worldwide because the same problems arise everywhere. Only at the international level can a solution to the current situation be fought for.

Labour struggles must be united with all the strikes, with the struggles of the miners in Alabama and Chile and all other work stoppages worldwide and expanded into a general strike. Only in this way can the root cause, the capitalist system, be fought and a socialist state established that is oriented towards the needs of the people and the workers. Support the Socialist Equality Party, the ICFI and all its sister parties around the world and build the political vanguard of the working class. To all the striking Volvo workers, the greatest honour and respect!

Philipp, an airport worker in Hamburg

I follow daily the developments in the working class worldwide on the WSWS. I have been particularly impressed by reports of your struggle at the Volvo Trucks plant and how you have defended your interests against the treacherous union steadfastly and consciously. You rejected the rotten contracts and made clear demands not to be sold out cheaply. I see you as the model and the beginning of a burgeoning international class struggle that is deepening, especially through and during the coronavirus crisis.

The working class must see itself as a unity in the world that must not be divided. It is waging common struggles with common goals and demands. As a global working class, the action committees formed out of the class struggles must unite across sectors and internationally.

You are not alone, stand firm! Stay in contact with the International Workers Alliance of Rank-and-File Committees and the WSWS. This is crucial for a common strategy.
Britain's intelligence services are assisting US investigations into whether Covid-19 was leaked from a Chinese laboratory, according to anonymous security sources.

The Telegraph cited a senior Whitehall security source that British intelligence is helping the CIA and other services with the investigation ordered by US President Joe Biden. Britain has also joined with the US in demanding that the World Health Organization and the United Nations be tasked with investigating further.

The source told the right-wing newspaper this was necessary to establish the truth. It is nothing of the sort. As the WSWS explained, the Wuhan lab conspiracy theory is American capitalism's big lie.

Biden's announced investigation has brought the discredited conspiracy theory from the right-wing and fascistic fringes around former President Donald Trump, where it originated, to the mainstream of US and UK politics.

In defiance of overwhelming scientific evidence, the US political and media establishment is leading a furious propaganda campaign aimed at convincing working people that Covid-19 originated in a Chinese laboratory.

No evidence has been presented to back up this claim, other than a May 23 Wall Street Journal article citing unnamed current and former officials, claiming that researchers at the Wuhan Institute of Virology went to hospital in November 2019, with what appeared as common seasonal illness.

With all the billions of dollars of funding and massive spying technology available, neither the CIA nor its British equivalent have produced anything more substantive. Yet the lab leak theory is now endlessly parroted by the Washington Post, New York Times and treated as good coin by virtually all the British media, including the nominal voice of British liberalism, the Guardian .

The haste with which the UK establishment has fallen in behind Washington recalls the illegal and criminal 2003 invasion of Iraq, which was similarly prepared by lies.

It is not accidental that the Wall Street Journal author, Michael R. Gordon, was the same man who, along with Judith Miller, wrote the September 8, 2002 article asserting Iraqi President Saddam Hussein was seeking to build a nuclear weapon. The claim was a lie, funnelled to the pair by the office of Republican Vice President Dick Cheney. But before it could be irrefutably discredited, it had served its purpose in politically legitimising the Iraq war and occupation that has killed over a million people.

Likewise, the main public intelligence proponent of the Wuhan lab conspiracy in Britain is former MI6 chief Sir Richard Dearlove. He first made the claim in a Telegraph podcast in June 2020, shortly after Trump's secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, said he had enormous evidence to back this up, before quickly backtracking.

Sir Richard Dearlove (credit: Wikimedia Commons)

Dearlove told the Telegraph: ... a lot of data have probably been destroyed or made to disappear so its going to be difficult to prove definitely the case for a gain of function chimera being the cause of the pandemic.

There is no reason to take anything Dearlove says as truthful. He has a record of lying and fabricating evidence to suit a preconceived political agenda. It was Dearlove whoas MI6 head between 1999-2004oversaw the intelligence disinformation campaign, including the notorious dodgy dossiers issued by the Labour government of Tony Blair to justify the US-led war.

Even the white-wash Chilcot Inquiry into the Iraq war was obliged to note Dearlove's dishonesty and the devastating consequences that followed.

It was Dearlove who claimed, in September 2002 that MI6 was on the verge of a significant breakthrough in proving Iraq had assembled weapons of mass destruction. A supposed new Iraqi source, said to have phenomenal access to Iraq's biological and chemical weapons programme would shortly deliver the goods, Dearlove claimed.

Through such claims, and similar fabricationsincluding the plagiarising of a PhD thesispreparations for the US-led invasion on March 20, 2003 were set in motion. By this time Dearlove knew that the key source was a liar, with much of his claims having been apparently lifted from the film The Rock. Dearlove kept this information back, and MI6 continued to issue briefs from the fantasist.

Chilcot rapped Dearlove for allowing information to be included in the dossier without any supportive detail. Dearlove's personal intervention, and its urgency, gave added weight to a report that had not been properly evaluated and would have coloured the perception of ministers and senior officials. The report should have been treated with caution, he concluded.

In other words, the MI6 chiefs concern was to produce political propaganda, not independent intelligence and, in doing so, he significantly contributed to an illegal war of aggression.

Only in July 2003after the invasiondid MI6 officially withdraw the disinformation.

Yet the Guardian's senior social reporter, Martin Belam, who describes himself as one of those very sceptical about the Wuhan lab leak theory initially, linked to Dearlove's Wuhan claims, writing that the former spy chief possibly knows his onions a bit better than me.

Back in June 2020, even the Telegraph reported that Dearlove's assertion had been described as 'spurious' by Whitehall sources and dismissed by Downing Street.

What has caused this volte face is not the emergence of new information, or evidence. Rather, the geopolitical and class imperatives of the US and UK bourgeoisie have reached tipping point.

Biden's intelligence service order was issued the same day that Prime Minister Boris Johnson's former chief adviser, Dominic Cummings, gave evidence before a parliamentary committee in which he confirmed a government policy to allow tens of thousands to die from Covid-19.

Speaking for his own factional purposes, Cummings confirmed that Johnson and his scientific advisers deliberately pursed a policy of herd immunity in which as many people as possible were to be infected with Covid-19, to the point of recommending replicating chicken pox parties.

He confirmed that Johnson had said, in October 2020, No more f***ing lockdowns, let the bodies pile high in their thousands!

Cummings even appeared to concur that one or more ministers could face corporate manslaughter charges. His testimony confirmed that herd immunity was the favoured policy of the bourgeoisie the world over, and most especially in the UK and the US where respectively more than 150,000 and 600,000 have officially died from Covid, and nearly 3.8 million worldwide.

Moreover, as new, more infectious variants emerge, capitalist governments are again insisting on a full reopening of the economy and an end to all infection-control measures, as they force workers into unsafe conditions to recoup their profits.

It is to divert attention from their actions that are responsible for deaths on a massive scale that the Wuhan lab claims are being revived. As many people demand explanations for why so many died and accountability from those responsible, the capitalist leaders are trying to cover the blood on their own hands by blaming China.

In this way, they also seek to deflect the immense social antagonisms that have been accelerated by the pandemic, and are reaching combustible proportions, outwards. This is in line with Biden's insistence that the US is at an inflection point, and that it must carry out a struggle to win the 21st century against China.

This imperialist warmongering agenda has no regard for the truth. Writing in the Telegraph on the impending bifurcation between West and East, columnist Jeremy Warner opined, We are unlikely ever to know the truth about the origins of Covid, but since when did truth determine the course of history? The Wuhan lab leak narrative is one of those defining stories which encapsulates a whole raft of seething resentments and rivalries. A new, and more dangerous, era dawns.

The World Socialist Web Site calls on all workers, scientists and intellectuals to reject attempts by the ruling classes to stoke nationalist hatred and anti-Asian sentiment as part of their war drive. The real criminals are those sitting in the capitalist parliaments who conspired to expose the population to a deadly virus, and the corporate executives who profited from it.
CLAY COUNTY, Ind. (WTHI) -- Many counties in the Wabash Valley are dealing with overcrowded and outdated jails. Clay County is one of the latest to have expansion plans. Clay County is planning to add more space to the current jail.

The new addition will add more than 200 extra beds.

Josh Clarke is the Chief Deputy Sheriff for Clay County.

He said when the current jail opened 15 years ago they held roughly 70 inmates. Now, that number is more than 100.

Clarke told News 10 if the number of inmates keeps increasing they'll be over their capacity limit.

He said the new addition will ensure they won't reach that limit.

The Clay County Jail is an immigration and customs enforcement holding site. Clarke said the addition will be primarily used to hold ICE detainees.

Right now, Clarke told News 10 the Clay County Sheriff's Office has a contract with the US Marshalls Office. The contract allows the Clay County Jail to house federal inmates, including those from Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE.

Clarke said, "So we currently have anywhere from 60 to 90 ICE detainees that we hold in our facility. So, by completing this addition we are going to increase those numbers of ICE detainees substantially."

Clarke said the ICE inmates will take up a majority of the expansion.

He said the ICE inmates they hold are people from other countries who commit crimes.

Clarke added that the jail is only a holding facility for ICE inmates as they go through the judicial process.

He said, "We are the only facility that has a long-term holding in the state of Indiana. There are some short-term facilities that hold ICE but we are the long-term facility. And again we are looking to grow for them and for our purposes."

Clarke said the expansion will also give the jail new tools.

He said, "As things evolve and medical needs grow that's something this new facility will have. It will have more resources for the medical assets."

Clarke told us that right now the Clay County Sheriff's Department is in the beginning stages of planning.

Clarke said he hopes that later this year they will be able to break ground.
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) - Police arrested a man in connection to a Terre Haute church graffiti investigation.

Back in May, News 10 reported notes were left on several churches and businesses.

One of those churches was the Immanuel Evangelical Luthern Church. The pastor there told us a note was left on the door, and they found graffiti on the church sign.

On Wednesday, the Terre Haute Police Department reported 39-year-old Derrick Foster was charged in connection to this investigation. He was charged with criminal mischief.

Police told us the notes he left contained references to a "conservative view of Islam," they did not amount to threats.

Foster also had unrelated warrants for domestic battery, strangulation, resisting law enforcement, intimidation, and possession of meth.
PARIS, IL (WTHI) - A man is dead after a Tuesday evening shooting in Paris, Illinois.

The coroner confirms it happened just after 7:30 on West Arthur Street.

Callers to Edgar County dispatch said the victim had been arguing with his neighbor.

The victim is identified as 31 year old Matthew M. Morgan.

An autopsy will be conducted Wednesday morning at 9:00 Central time at Terre Haute Regional Hospital.

The suspect was arrested at the scene.

That person's name has not been released.

The incident remains under investigation by the Edgar County Coroner, the Paris Police Department, and Illinois State Police.
PARIS, Ill. (WTHI) - Police say a local man faces first-degree murder charges after a fatal shooting.

The Edgar County Coroner told News 10 the victim was 31-year-old, Matthew Morgan.

Witnesses say Morgan was shot during an argument with a neighbor. This happened around 7:30 Tuesday evening on Arthur Street.

Police said they've arrested 30-year-old Zachary Smith. He faces three charges, including first-degree murder.

No court hearing has been set.
OXFORD, Miss. (AP)  Actor Morgan Freeman and a criminal justice professor at the University of Mississippi are donating $1 million to the university to establish a Center for Evidence-Based Policing and Reform.

The university says in a Tuesday news release that the donation from Freeman and Professor Linda Keena will fund a center that will be the only one of its kind in Mississippi  and one of only a few in the nation.

The university's Department of Criminal Justice and Legal Studies says the center eventually will train police from Mississippi and around the country.

It will include training on how police can better engage the community in crime prevention.
NEW ORLEANS (AP)  The Biden administration wants to know whether offshore wind companies want to move into the Gulf of Mexico.

The Interior Department said Tuesday that an agency overseeing offshore leases will seek requests for interest from companies.

The area in question is off the coasts of Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi and Alabama.

While the main focus is on wind energy, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management says it is also seeking information on other renewable energy technologies.

President Joe Biden has said he wants enough wind-generated electricity for more than 10 million homes nationwide by 2030.
UPDATE

OXFORD, Miss. (WTVA)  The Lafayette County Fire Department is now telling people asked to evacuate their homes because of concerns about the Lake Tara Dam they can now go home.

ORIGINAL STORY

OXFORD, Miss. (WTVA) - Lafayette County fire officials are asking some residents to evacuate their homes as a precautionary measure.

The Lafayette County Fire Department shared the information Wednesday at 2:36 p.m. The FD later updated the existing map (shown below).

For Immediate Release This is the updated area in the red circle below that we are requesting people to evacuate as a precautionary measure. We have members currently working on releasing pressure on the lake. @NWSMemphis pic.twitter.com/lXACN9ahfZ  Lafayette County Fire Dept. (@LafayetteCo_FD) June 9, 2021

Those residents have been notified and evacuated. County Road 102 (College Hill Road) could be impacted if there is a break. (2/2)  msema (@MSEMA) June 9, 2021
Charleston, WV (25301)

Today

Partly to mostly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 63F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Partly to mostly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 63F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph.
Morgantown, WV (26505)

Today

Partly to mostly cloudy skies with scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Low 63F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Partly to mostly cloudy skies with scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Low 63F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%.
Morgantown, WV (26505)

Today

Thunderstorms this evening, then skies turning partly cloudy after midnight. Low 63F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms this evening, then skies turning partly cloudy after midnight. Low 63F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%.
On Monday, Co-chairmanship of the Executive Council of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria issued resolution 129 stipulating closure of all border crossings between AANES and Damascus Government as of today at 7 p.m. until a further notification made.

T/S

ANHA
Clarksburg, WV (26301)

Today

Partly to mostly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 63F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Partly to mostly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 63F. Winds light and variable.
Weather Alert

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 268 IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING AREAS IN NEBRASKA THIS WATCH INCLUDES 8 COUNTIES IN PANHANDLE NEBRASKA CHEYENNE IN WESTERN NEBRASKA BANNER BOX BUTTE DAWES KIMBALL MORRILL SCOTTS BLUFF SIOUX IN WYOMING THIS WATCH INCLUDES 4 COUNTIES IN EAST CENTRAL WYOMING NIOBRARA IN SOUTHEAST WYOMING GOSHEN LARAMIE PLATTE THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF AGATE, ALLIANCE, ANGORA, BAYARD, BORDEAUX, BRIDGEPORT, BROWNSON, CHADRON, CHADRON ST PARK, CHEYENNE, GERING, GUERNSEY, HARRISBURG, HARRISON, KIMBALL, LUSK, REDBIRD, REDINGTON, SCOTTSBLUFF, SIDNEY, TORRINGTON, AND WHEATLAND.
White House climate adviser Gina McCarthy, left, talks with EVgo Chief Executive Officer Cathy Zoi, before the start of an April 22 event near an EVgo electric car charging station at Union Station in Washington. If the auto industry is to succeed in its bet that electric vehicles will soon dominate the roads, it will need to overcome a big reason why many people are still avoiding them: Fear of running out of juice between Point A and Point B.
Biden heads to Europe for first foreign trip as president and meetings with G-7, Putin and the queen

Halfway through the week, what's going on in Washington?

President Joe Biden is on his first foreign trip in office to Europe. (Unfortunately for the White House press accompanying Biden, there was a plane delay due to cicadas. Those nasty little buggers.)

Meanwhile, Biden's infrastructure negotiations are still going on  just not with a group of six Senate Republicans.

It's Mabinty, with the news of the day.

Want this news roundup in your inbox every night? Sign up for OnPolitics newsletter here.

Biden meets the crown 

Joe Biden embarked Wednesday on his first foreign trip as president, an eight-day swing across Europe that will give him a chance to shore up frayed alliances with U.S. allies and meet face to face with Russian President Vladimir Putin amid rising tensions with Moscow.

Hell also get to enjoy one of the perks of the presidency: a visit with Queen Elizabeth II.

Why Europe? The focal point of Bidens visit will be the Group of Seven summit, or G-7, which opens Friday in Carbis Bay, a seaside resort in Cornwall in southwest England. The summit is the first gathering of leaders of the worlds largest economies in nearly two years and the first of the post-Donald Trump era.

Who's going: Besides the United States, the G-7 includes Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the U.K.

What their discussing: Climate change, defense and security and getting the global economy back on track in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic are all on the agenda for the leaders 47th gathering.

From the U.K., Biden will head to Brussels, where he will join leaders of other NATO countries Monday to discuss tense ties with Russia and China, the troop withdrawal from Afghanistan, and the future of the 30-nation military alliance. The meeting will give Biden a chance to rebuild relations with leaders from Europe and Canada that became strained under Trump.

News you want to read:

Trump feeling vindicated

Story continues

A government report concludes that federal police did not clear protesters from Lafayette Park near the White House last summer so then-President Donald Trump could walk to a nearby church for a photo op.

The report, released Wednesday by Interior Department Inspector General Mark Lee Greenblatt, says U.S. Park Police and the U.S. Secret Service determined it was necessary to remove protesters from the area in and around the park last June 1, so contractors could install security fencing.

In case you forgot: Federal and military police clashed with protesters and drove them out of the park and nearby streets on the evening of June 1 shortly before Trump walked through the park and stood in front of St. John's to hold up a Bible.

How's Trump reacting?: Shortly after the report was released, Trump issued a statement thanking the inspector general for completely and totally exonerating me in the clearing of Lafayette Park!

Happy Loki Day ! Mabinty

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Joe Biden heads to Europe for the G7 summit
Its complicated: Moving on from Trump at DOJ not always a clean break

In the three months since his confirmation, Attorney General Merrick Garland has moved to uncouple the Justice Department from the tumult of the Trump administration.

The former federal judge has rolled back Trump policies that had shielded local police departments from federal scrutiny in the face of social justice protests, launching wide-ranging civil rights investigations into law enforcement operations in Minneapolis and Louisville.

He has repeatedly vowed to reaffirm standards that "protect the independence of the department from partisan influence in law enforcement investigations; that strictly regulate communications with the White House"  all of which were tested mightily during the previous administration.

Attorney General Merrick Garland leaves the podium after making an announcement at the Department of Justice on April 26, 2021 in Washington, DC.

Yet moving on from the long shadow cast by Trump administration is proving to be a complicated legal exercise sometimes limited by institutional norms that the former president regularly shattered.

In recent days, Justice Department lawyers have taken positions in politically charged court battles that have left some Democrats shaking their heads. The Biden Justice Department has appealed a judge's order to release the full contents of a 2019 memorandum that recommended Trump not be charged with obstruction during the investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election.

And in court documents filed late Monday in New York, the Justice Department signaled it would continue to defend Trump in a defamation lawsuit brought by writer E. Jean Carroll, who has accused the former president of sexually assaulting her in the 1990s. In both cases, Justice Department lawyers offered tempered support for their positions  referring to Trumps language in the Carroll case as crude and disrespectful  citing legal and institutional precedent for taking the actions.

Story continues

While the Justice Department moves brought recriminations from Carroll's representatives and countered some Democratic lawmakers who urged it to clear the way for the release of the long-sought obstruction memo, some legal analysts suggested that the decisions had reaffirmed Garland's early vow to distance the department from partisan politics.

"If you didn't know that Merrick Garland was a straight-shooting attorney general before, you sure as heck know it now," said Donald Ayer, a deputy attorney general in the George H.W. Bush administration.

Inherent in the transition to any new administration is the challenge of navigating a thicket of leftover litigation, said Matthew Miller, a Justice Department spokesman in the Obama administration.

"There is a strong institutional pressure (at Justice) to preserve the executive branch," Miller said. "Sometimes that's the right position to take; sometimes it's not."

On Wednesday, Garland confronted the controversy in a Senate hearing, telling lawmakers that the decisions are matters of law  not policy.

"The essence of the rule of law" is that "there not be one rule for Democrats and another for Republicans, that there not be one rule for friends and another for foes," Garland said.

"Sometimes it means we have to make a decision of the law that we would never have made and we strongly disagree with as a matter of policy," Garland said.

Carroll's representatives cry foul

In the heat of the presidential campaign, then-candidate Joe Biden often called out the sitting president for exerting undue influence on the Justice Department, suggesting at times that Trump used the department as his personal law firm.

The candidate's criticism is one of the reasons the Biden Justice Department drew so much notice for seeking to defend Trump in the pending lawsuit.

In the heat of the presidential campaign, then-candidate Joe Biden often accused President Trump of using the Justice Department as his personal law firm.

Justice Department attorneys argued in a court brief filed Monday night that Trump acted in his official capacity when he said in 2019 that Carroll lied about being raped to boost the sales of her memoir.

At issue, the attorneys said, is not whether Carroll's allegations were true or whether Trump's response to them were appropriate, but whether the United States is liable for actions federal employees made within the scope of their employment, the attorneys argued.

"Speaking to the public and the press on matters of public concern is undoubtedly part of an elected official's job. Courts have thus consistently and repeatedly held that allegedly defamatory statements made in that context are within the scope of elected officials' employment  including when statements were prompted by press inquiries about the official's private life," the attorneys wrote.

President Donald Trump, E. Jean Carroll and Attorney General William Barr

White House spokesman Andrew Bates said Biden was not consulted by the Justice Department "on the decision to file this brief or its contents."

"And while we are not going to comment on this ongoing litigation, the American people know well that President Biden and his team have utterly different standards from their predecessors for what qualify as acceptable statements," Bates said.

The legal reasoning for the Justice Department filing, however, brought condemnation from Carroll's representatives, who blasted the department for falling short of its legal and "moral" obligations.

It is horrific that Donald Trump raped E. Jean Carroll in a New York City department store many years ago," said attorney Roberta Kaplan. "But it is truly shocking that the current Department of Justice would allow Donald Trump to get away with lying about it, thereby depriving our client of her day in court.

"The DOJs position," Kaplan continued, "is not only legally wrong, it is morally wrong since it would give federal officials free license to cover up private sexual misconduct by publicly brutalizing any woman who has the courage to come forward."

Attorney General William Barr arrives to testify during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington.

Last month, the Justice Department's appeal of a judge's order to release the so-called obstruction memo came despite the opposition  albeit more tempered  leveled by Democratic senators who urged a clean break with the Trump era.

Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., and Dick Durbin, D-Ill., had urged Garland not to appeal the judge's ruling.

DOJs actions in this case, and in another recent Freedom of Information Act case seeking information about President Trumps activities, have raised doubts about DOJs candor when characterizing potential evidence of President Trumps misconduct to courts," the senators wrote. "To be clear, these misrepresentations preceded your confirmation as Attorney General, but the Department you now lead bears responsibility for redressing them."

The memo had been requested by the group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington under the Freedom of Information Act.

"The Department of Justice had an opportunity to come clean, turn over the memo, and close the book on the politicization and dishonesty of the past four years," said Noah Bookbinder, president of the government accountability group, asserting at the time that the department's action "undercuts efforts to move past the abuses of the last administration."

Institutional interests at stake

Although Garland's Justice Department has drawn some early fire, William Yeomans, a department veteran who served under five Republican and Democratic presidents, said the department has long been "reluctant" to abandon a position in the face of political pressures.

John Durham is looking into the origins of the FBI's investigation into Russian election interference.

"It is worth remembering that DOJ has institutional interests at stake in both of these situations that carry over from administration to administration," said Yeomans, whose service stretched from the administrations Jimmy Carter to George W. Bush. "DOJ represents the office of the presidency in court, as well as government officials who are sued in their official capacities.

"What made DOJs defense of Trumps behavior ... so unpalatable was often less that it was representing the president than the substance of what the president had done in his official capacity," the former official said. "I would add that DOJ is always reluctant  and properly so  to change its position in court for no reason other than an election."

It won't get easier

And there are more difficult decisions on the horizon.

A Trump-era investigation into the origins of the Russia inquiry is continuing. Connecticut U.S. Attorney John Durham, first appointed by former Attorney General William Barr, is leading the inquiry, which has so far resulted in the conviction of an FBI lawyer who pleaded guilty to altering an email used to justify the surveillance of former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page.

Federal prosecutors in Delaware are investigating Hunter Biden's taxes.

Federal prosecutors in Delaware also have been pursuing a tax investigation involving the president's son Hunter Biden that began during the Trump administration.

David Weiss, the chief federal prosecutor in Delaware, was left in place by the Biden administration to complete the investigation.

Garland also could face the prospect of determining whether Trump should face charges after he was accused of inciting the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.

Michael Sherwin, who oversaw the sprawling riot investigation before departing the Justice Department earlier this year, said federal authorities were reviewing "everything" during an interview with CBS in March.

"Any decision the Department of Justice makes should be based on an unbiased, nonpartisan interpretation of the law," said University of Notre Dame law professor Jimmy Gurule, a Justice Department official in the George H.W. Bush administration.

"As long as the Justice Department can justify a position on the merits, that's fine. And I think that's what you are seeing with Garland," Gurule said. "He's calling balls and strikes as he sees them and drawing criticism from both sides. I would be more concerned if I saw an en masse flipping of positions that were in line with Democratic policies."

Contributing: Kristine Phillips

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump-era cases, from Hunter Biden to Russia, bring blowback for DOJ
SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un convened a meeting of senior officials of the Workers' Party to evaluate and improve the economy in the second half of the year, state media KCNA reported on Tuesday.

Kim is seeking a greater role in government to lift up an economy battered by international sanctions aimed at stopping its nuclear programme, and strict border closures to ward off the coronavirus.

North Korea has not officially confirmed any COVID-19 cases, although Seoul officials have said an outbreak there cannot be ruled out as the North had trade and people-to-people exchanges with China before closing its border early last year.

In April Kim had urged ruling party officials to wage another "Arduous March" of work and sacrifice, linking the current economic crises to a period in the 1990s of famine and disaster.

The meeting on Monday with senior officials was a precursor to the plenary meeting of the ruling party's Central Committee later in June, according to KCNA. Kim released a plan to bring about "a tangible change in stabilizing the state economic work and people's living," KCNA said.

(Reporting by Sangmi Cha in Seoul; editing by Grant McCool)
Can President Joe Biden fix Americas inequitable public school funding?

The administrations latest budget proposal suggests hes going to try. The plan includes a $20 billion program for high-poverty school districts. States would get additional funding if they address long-standing funding disparities between rich and poor districts.

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If it works, the program would benefit districts like Hampton City Schools, near Norfolk in southeastern Virginia. Most public school students in Hampton City are Black or from low-income households. The district receives about $10,500 per student annually in state and local funding, according to the U.S. Department of Education.

Contrast Hampton City with the school district in Arlington County, Virginia, a wealthy liberal enclave across the Potomac River from Washington. Because Virginia allows districts to fund themselves with local property tax revenue  Arlington is full of expensive houses and office buildings for lobbyists and defense contractors  the annual funding per student there is more than $22,000.

Hampton City is on the upswing. Graduation rates are increasing, more students are taking college-level courses, and the district leader, Jeffery Smith, was named the 2020 Virginia superintendent of the year. But Hampton City has less than half the per-person funding of an affluent district that has fewer at-risk students.

The whole American public education system works this way. Students are divided among a patchwork of 16,000 school districts, many of which were created to hoard resources in majority-white areas. The nonprofit group EdBuild found that districts where more than 75% of students are white receive $23 billion more per year than districts where more than 75% of students are not white  even though there are more students in predominantly nonwhite districts.

Zahava Stadler, a former policy director at EdBuild who currently focuses on education funding at the civil rights organization The Education Trust, said the new funding in the Biden plan wouldnt just add money where its needed; it would also offer an important push for states to change the policies that create inequity in state and local funding.

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For the last two decades, federal K-12 education policy has mostly focused on improving the schools built on an uneven financial foundation by establishing consistent academic standards and holding schools accountable for student test scores. Those policies have fallen far short of their goal of closing the gap in test scores between white upper-income students and their peers. The Biden plan could be the first serious effort in more than a generation to repair the foundation itself.

In the past, critics have questioned whether equitable school funding would actually improve educational results. But a strong academic research consensus has emerged in recent years that more school funding really does improve education.

Making the program work will not be easy. It takes a lot of pressure to get state lawmakers to change the status quo. A sum of $20 billion does not, by itself, buy a great deal of leverage to move a system that generates $750 billion in state and local funding every year. States with more equitable funding systems than Virginias limit the ability of rich districts to self-fund with local revenue while providing generous subsidies to districts with fewer local resources. Minnesota, for example, is far less reliant on local property taxes and provides more state funding to districts with large numbers of low-income and minority students.

Such redistributive policies often provoke sharp resistance, and in many states have advanced only under the threat of judicial decree. The citizens of Arlington County may have voted overwhelmingly for Biden, but they would probably balk at limitations on their ability to spend local funds on schools.

Hampton City also voted heavily for Biden. As the Democratic political coalition adds more affluent college-educated white suburbanites to a base of minority voters, school funding reform could become an intraparty fight for resources.

The administration has not specifically said how the new funding formula would work. The initiative is billed as part of the long-established federal Title I program that is meant to support high-poverty schools. But it is actually an entirely new program.

Title I, a complex mix of funding programs totaling $16 billion, already has a $4 billion formula called the Education Finance Incentive Grant. That program provides more money to states that distribute funding equitably and doubles the percentage of federal aid to poor school districts in states that do not.

Michael Dannenberg, vice president of the nonprofit advocacy group Education Reform Now, helped write the incentive grant formula when he worked as a staffer for Sen. Ted Kennedy in the early 2000s.

They should either pump all the new money through the current Education Finance Incentive Grant formula or come up with an entirely new formula that is more targeted to the highest-poverty school districts and includes even stronger incentives to create equitable state funding systems, Dannenberg said.

Dannenberg notes that during the presidential campaign, Biden promised to triple Title I funding, and that connecting the new $20 billion with the existing $16 billion would go a long way toward fulfilling that pledge.

Many federal programs, including Medicaid, provide proportionately larger subsidies to states with lower per capita income. Title I does the opposite, giving around 50% more money to districts in the wealthiest states compared with the poorest.

Why? The Title I formula authors wanted to acknowledge that education costs more in some regions than others. They decided that the more a state spent per student, the more dollars each of its districts would receive. The formula assumes that states that spend more on education have higher costs. In reality, states spend more mostly because they have more wealth. That is why most national variance in school district funding is between states, not within states.

This is a potential blind spot in the Biden plan. If Mississippi and Connecticut distributed their own school funding with perfect equity, districts in wealthier Connecticut would still far outspend districts in Mississippi. Instead of helping poor districts in Mississippi, the current Title I formula makes those disparities worse.

Fixing all this would be consistent with the goals of the Biden plan.

If Congress enacts the plan, the most lasting effect may not be the funding it provides but the precedent it sets. Many successful policy movements, like the growing adoption of a $15 minimum wage, began with a forceful declaration of principle and practice. The first step toward a more equitable funding system may be declaring that its possible.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

 2021 The New York Times Company
By Elizabeth Piper and Philip Blenkinsop

LONDON/BRUSSELS (Reuters) -Britain and the European Union failed on Wednesday to agree any solutions to ease post-Brexit trade with Northern Ireland and exchanged threats in a standoff that could cloud a weekend international summit.

Since Britain completed its tortuous exit from the EU late last year, its relations with Brussels have soured further, with each side accusing the other of bad faith over a part of their Brexit deal that covers goods movements to Northern Ireland.

The row has been dubbed the "sausage war" by UK media as it affects the movement of chilled meats from Britain to Northern Ireland, a British province.

On Wednesday, the dispute moved up a gear, with Britain saying it could again unilaterally extend a grace period waiving checks on some foodstuffs, and the EU saying it could advance its legal action, a step that could end in tariffs and quotas.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson wants the summit of the world's seven largest advanced economies (G7) in southwestern England to showcase what he calls "global Britain". He said he wasn't worried about the spat overshadowing the event.

But he could receive a warning from U.S. President Joe Biden, who, according to the Times newspaper, will tell London to respect a deal with the EU that was designed to protect a 23-year-old peace settlement in Northern Ireland.

British Brexit minister David Frost, who is expected to attend the summit and sit in on any talks with EU leaders, met European Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic in London to address the issue.

"There weren't any breakthroughs. There aren't any breakdowns either, and we are going to carry on talking," Frost told reporters. "What we now need to do is very urgently find some solutions."

A senior UK source close to the talks said all options were on the table if there was no agreement, including London further extending a grace period that waives checks on some foodstuffs moving to Northern Ireland beyond June 30.

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Sefcovic responded in kind, saying the EU was considering advancing its legal challenge over Britain's actions, which could result in a court case by autumn or the eventual imposition of tariffs and quotas.

WORLD IS WATCHING

"The U.S. administration and the U.S. Congress are following this matter very closely," Sefcovic told a news conference.

"I'm sure that the G7, also the European leaders, would raise this issue because I think that what we should be focusing on right now should be the economic recovery ... and how to form and forge this new strategic partnership between the EU and the UK. Instead of that, we have these very difficult meetings."

Asked if the G7 summit would be overshadowed by the spat, Johnson said: "I'm not worried about that." He voiced optimism that a solution could be reached, adding: "I'm very, very optimistic about this, I think that's easily doable."

Preserving the delicate peace in Northern Ireland without allowing the United Kingdom a back door into the EU's single market across the Irish land border was one of the trickiest issues of the Brexit divorce. Ireland is an EU member state.

The result was the protocol, which essentially kept the province in the EU's customs union and adhering to many of the rules of its single market - both of which the rest of Britain has left.

While Brussels is upset that London is failing to honour the protocol, Britain says it has no choice because some of the checks hamper supplies to Northern Irish supermarkets.

It has also pointed to rising tensions among pro-British unionists in the province, who say the protocol undermines the 1998 peace agreement by loosening their ties to Britain.

Aodhan Connolly, director of the Northern Ireland Retail Consortium, called for rapid action to protect consumers in the province:

"We need immediate solutions to keep goods flowing now, and we need a breathing space so that the UK Government and the EU can, in the longer term, find a workable solution."

(Reporting by Elizabeth Piper and Philip Blenkinsop, additional reporting by Alistair Smout, William James and James Davey; Editing by Angus MacSwan, Kevin Liffey and Gareth Jones)
Major League Soccer and Mexico's Liga MX already put their best teams in two dual-national competitions: the Leagues Cup and Campeones Cup. An All-Star game on American soil is next in line.

MLS and Liga MX all-star teams will face each other on Aug. 25 at Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles. Commissioner Don Garber announced Los Angeles Football Club's Bob Bradley will coach the MLS side. The match will be broadcast on Fox Sports 1 and Univision.

"It should be noted that this game will be broadcasted in almost 200 countries around the world and that it will be the only game of its type," Garber said at a news conference Wednesday in Los Angeles. "No other league has done anything like this: two leagues coming together."

A week of MLS all-star festivities

Garber did not disclose details on events supplementing the game, but said there will be an MLS All-Star Skills Challenge and MLS All-Star Concert. An unprecedented meeting between MLS and Liga MX owners also will take place. Community events will be announced later.

USMNT: Wild win against Mexico was just the beginning of a huge summer

Banc of California Stadium, home of Los Angeles FC, will host an All-Star game featuring players from MLS and Mexico's Liga MX.

All-Star game during MLS rivalry week?

During MLS rivalry week each summer, clubs play their historical or regional rivals. However this year, the MLS-Liga MX All-Star game takes place during rivalry week, instead of three to four weeks earlier. It could not be pushed back one week because of a FIFA international window beginning Aug. 30.

"The timing was intentional," Garber said. "What could be a better way to capitalize on rivalry week, and make it a rivalry period, where we're talking about the rivalry between our two leagues.

" I think it's important to note that while the (all-star) game has always been earlier in the year, we didn't know 30 days ago (if) we would be able to have one," Garber added.

The MLS rivalry week concludes the weekend of Aug. 27-29, featuring the "Hell is Real Derby" between the Columbus Crew and FC Cincinnati on Aug. 27 (on ESPN), Los Angeles FC hosting the LA Galaxy in El Trafico at Banc of California Stadium on Aug. 28 (on FOX) and the Seattle Sounders hosting the Portland Timbers in the renewal of their Cascadia Derby on Aug. 29 (on ESPN).

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Will game with Liga MX continue?

Garber did not rule out the continuation of a joint All-Star game in the future, but said said success also could lead to expansion of the eight-team Leagues Cup.

"There's things that we might do together with our development clubs, things we might be able to work together on youth programming and youth competitions," Garber said. "There's a wide variety of activities, and to me, the MLS All-Star game is just one aspect of that."

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Follow The Tennessean's Drake Hills on Twitter @LiveLifeDrake and on Instagram at @drakehillssoccer.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: MLS, Mexico's Liga MX announce joint All-Star game to be played in LA
After a school year punctuated by coronavirus quarantines, Zoom lessons and days away from her friends, Caia Rivera, 7, will be spending at least part of her Florida summer back in the classroom.

Her classes and other enrichment activities at her Miami-area elementary school come courtesy of her mother's desire to keep her mind sharp  and more than $1 billion in federal funding to dramatically expand summer learning for millions of kids.

"I've noticed both with my kids and my friends' kids that this pandemic has caused kids to feel isolated and anxious, so having the ability to be interacting with people outside of the home can only do good in the long run," said Caia's mom, Cynthia Klimekoski, 37. "They were able to still have classes through Zoom, but I know with my daughter, she does better in person. I can't really tell if she fell behind or not, but that extra class time can help bridge any gaps she might have."

School employee Amanda Anguiano gets tested for COVID-19 on the first day of in-person learning at Maurice Sendak Elementary School in Los Angeles, Tuesday, April 13, 2021.

Millions of children this summer will participate in what's expected to be the largest summer-school program in history, powered by more than $1.2 billion in targeted federal post-pandemic assistance from the American Rescue Plan.

But experts warn these much-needed summer enrichment programs aren't a panacea  and worry the students most in need of extra tutoring won't get it. While summer school can be an effective way to help students who are falling behind, studies have also shown that students most needing help, typically Black or Latino kids from low-income families who were already being left behind academically before the pandemic, often because of socioeconomic factors and systemic racism, are least likely to actually participate. And those who sign up often don't attend consistently.

After a school year in which many of the nation's approximately 56 million K-12 students struggled through some form of remote learning, lost classroom days and social isolation, summer 2021 programs face the daunting task of teaching not just about math, history and English, but also addressing widespread mental health challenges among students, and in some cases, dealing with nutrition issues for children who missed out on weeks or months of school meals.

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And then there's the added obstacle of skeptical parents, especially from marginalized communities hit hard by COVID-19, who are reluctant to send their kids to in-person learning while the pandemic continues. Black, Indigenous, Pacific Islander and Latino families were among those who suffered the highest levels of death and serious coronavirus cases, especially early on.

"We know the best place for students to learn is in the school classroom. And we also know the past many months have been full of trauma and heartbreak and stress, so we know one of the best places for kids to heal is schools, surrounded by support and their friends and the sense of community that only a school can provide," said Austin Beutner, superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District.

For the first time in its history, LAUSD, the nation's second-largest public school system, is offering free summer school to all of its approximately 665,000 students. While the district has an annual budget of about $8 billion, it's never before had the resources to offer in-person summer programs to anyone who wanted it, Beutner said. Last year, the district offered online-only summer school and drew about 20% of its students.

Beutner said he hoped to do even better with in-person summer school this year, laying the groundwork for more consistent summer-school attendance in years to come after what he sees as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to expand learning. The district teaches 74% Latino students and 7.7% Black students, with nearly 14% of students overall learning English as a second language.

Schools scramble to enroll students in summer classes

The challenges faced in L.A.  one of the nation's most diverse districts  will be repeated nationally. Administrators are scrambling to hire teachers, many of whom are already exhausted and struggling with their own coronavirus-related trauma. Students have spent more than a year being told to stay away from each other. Many have struggled to learn via computer or tablet, if they had internet access at all. Some have stopped attending classes entirely.

During the pandemic, LAUSD sent reading specialists into virtual classrooms after identifying students who needed extra help. Beutner said the district knows how each student is doing because schools consistently tested while students were learning virtually. He said that means every student who walks in for summer school will receive a customized learning program based on those assessments. The challenge, Beutner said, is persuading skeptical parents that it's safe to send their kids back to classrooms.

A teacher conducts a lesson with students during an outdoor learning demonstration for New York City schools in front of the Patrick F. Daly public school (P.S. 15) on September 2, 2020, in the Brooklyn borough of New York City.

As in other districts nationally, LAUSD has found that kids from wealthier areas, which tend to be white, were twice as likely to have returned to classrooms as their lower-income classmates, exacerbating existing inequities over access to computers, high-speed internet and even a quiet place to sit. About half of all Black and Latino fourth-graders were remote learning across the nation in March, compared to 19% for white kids, according to federal data.

"We know which students would benefit the most, but that doesn't mean their family will decide to participate," Beutner said. "We're saying to parents, with the spinach comes a little ice cream, a little bit of french fries. It's an enrichment camp: We'll make sure you get the basics, but we'll also make sure students have a heck of a lot of fun."

In Florida, the sprawling Miami-Dade County School District's summer schools hope to serve about 65,000 of the district's 334,000 students who were identified as needing the most extra help, said Superintendent Alberto Carvalho. He said the district's $50 million effort is particularly seeking to reach students with disabilities, English learners and students in poverty.

The district traditionally has offered summer school to fewer than 10,000 students, and only 6,000-7,000 actually participate, many of them older students needing credits to graduate. When this year's school year ended, about half of Miami-Dade's 350,000-plus students were still learning remotely, and Carvalho acknowledged there's been a "significant" slowdown in learning for many kids.

"We hope that with this expanded summer program, well essentially turn our school year into a year-round schooling opportunity for many students," Carvalho said. "Combined with the federal investments well continue to receive for the next two years, we can ensure that every student reaches their full potential. But that wont be an easy feat considering the circumstances theyve been under for quite a while. This is a huge scaling up of the summer experience, and its targeted toward the students who need it most."

Klimekoski, whose daughter will be among the Miami-Dade students at summer school, said she's confident Caia will benefit not just from the 26 days of classes, but the social interaction. Klimekoski, a beautician and salon manager, attended summer school when she was her daughter's age, and fondly remembers her own experiences. She said her friends seem more interested in vacationing this summer, but she wants to make sure her kids get the best chance possible. Caia, however, would prefer to be camping, Klimekoski said.

"Growing up, my summers were in a classroom, so that's my normal," Klimekoski said. "Having that extra time in the classroom is extremely beneficial to keep the mind sharp and reinforce what was learned during the school year."

Biden administration wants more students in summer school

Because summer school has typically been largely voluntary and run at the local level, no one keeps accurate overall statistics of just how many students attend summer school in a given year. Experts say urban school districts with robust summer school programs serve, at best, about 20% of students. This year, federal officials are insisting programs keep a close count of exactly who shows up, as part of the accountability tied to the recovery act funding.

Experts are already tempering expectations about how much immediate impact summer school may have on things like test scores. They say it's misguided to believe millions of school kids will be able to recover, let alone "catch up," with a few extra weeks of instruction. What kids need right now, they said, is a safe environment to ease back into things, and not to be treated as a lost generation whose education and productivity will be forever marred.

Among the concerns is that students who previously had trouble focusing on classroom work will have lost some of their coping skills. But experts also said this is a rare opportunity to focus on mental health and the underlying causes of disproportionate discipline, by training teachers to even more closely focus on the whole child.

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"All of us, even adults, have fallen out of practice in being in the world with each other," said Matthew Soldner, chief evaluation officer for the federal Department of Education. "I think this would be wrong to think of this as a one-and-done sort of thing."

Teachers agree.

"We need summer school to be really something different than it has been before. It can't just be about remediation. It has to be about helping kids get their mojo back," said Randi Weingarten, president of the 1.7 million-member American Federation of Teachers union. "We have to think about the entire next year for academic recovery, and we have to think about summer school as a shot in the arm."

Summer schools typically fall into two categories: enrichment programs that better position kids to learn when they return for the normal school year, and targeted programs for older kids in danger of being held back a year or not graduating. This year, school officials are most worried about the kids they've lost track of during the months of remote learning.

Weingarten said the fact that summer school will be so widely available this year shows the opportunity the United States has for enhanced year-round learning.

"Summer school this year is about disrupting inequity. It's being given to more kids in more places," Weingarten said. "This is not about cramming, not about all of a sudden taking 10 months of algebra and putting it into six weeks and collapsing it all together and saying that's school. This year, it's about really trying to help kids recover academically, emotionally and socially. And what we've learned is that if you help them recover emotionally and socially, it will help them recover academically."

Summer school helps many students achieve

Pre-pandemic, 47% of families reported that at least one child participated in a summer program, although that includes church and Boy Scout camps outside the public school system, according to a report by the RAND Corporation, a national think-tank. A recent RAND study concluded that kids who attend summer school at least two years consecutively outperformed their peers in math, English language arts and social-emotional learning.

Socially distanced lunch at Middle College High School in Los Angeles on April 27, 2021.

Catherine Augustine, a RAND researcher based in Pittsburgh, said summer school can reduce existing disparities in public education, as long as the kids who most need it actually participate. Studies have shown kids from wealthier families are less likely to benefit from summer school because they already spend more time with adults, eat better and get more chances to participate in family trips to non-school learning opportunities such as aquariums, planetariums and zoos.

"It really falls on the shoulders of the districts to target the programs to the students who need it the most," Augustine said. "Districts are going to have to be more strategic than they have in the past, and more creative. For a district that hasn't done this before, or that hasn't done this well, they aren't going to be able to start this immediately. But they should start."

She added: "I don't think you can fix this with an algebra textbook in a month. But kids weren't where we wanted them to be on standardized tests before all of this happened."

In Los Angeles, the district is still scrambling to hire teachers for the summer, develop lesson plans and reach out to parents of children who would benefit the most. They're dangling free guitars and classes from Hollywood movie producers to entice kids, and reassuring parents that new ventilation systems and cleaning protocols will keep their kids safe.

Because this is the first year the district has ever offered in-person summer school to every student, Beutner said there's a real opportunity to help address longstanding educational inequities.

"Summer school won't be the magic elixir for every student," Beutner said. "But it would be a big deal if we help one child."

Contributing: Erin Richards, USA TODAY

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: COVID-19 fuels big summer school push across USA's public schools
New Zealand captain Kane Williamson has been ruled out of the decisive second Test against England at Edgbaston.

The worlds number one batsman has been managing a tendon injury in his left elbow for several months and, with the forthcoming World Test Championship final against India being the squads overwhelming priority, he will not be risked this week.

Instead, Tom Latham will step up to lead the team out on Thursday, with everything to play for after a rain-affected draw last time out at Lords. He has captained his country on two previous occasions.

Tom Latham will take over the Black Caps captaincy (Adam DAvy/PA)

Batsman Will Young will come in to the side in Williamsons place, having spent the early part of the season as Durhams overseas professional. He enjoyed a profitable time while acclimatising to English conditions at the Emirates Riverside, scoring back-to-back centuries against Warwickshire and Worcestershire in the LV= Insurance County Championship.

Black Caps head coach Gary Stead said: Its not an easy decision for Kane to have to miss a Test, but we think its the right one, he said.

Hes had an injection in his elbow to relieve the irritation hes been experiencing when he bats and a period of rest and rehabilitation will help maximise his recovery.

The decision has been made very much with the ICC World Test Championship final at Southampton in mind and we are confident he will be ready for that match starting on June 18.

Kane Williamson has an elbow issue (Mike Egerton/PA)

Williamson will be back in place for the inaugural Test showpiece, which begins at the Ageas Bowl on June 18, but Statham is ready to embrace the challenge of collecting a big scalp in Birmingham.

Obviously it is disappointing to have someone of Kanes calibre as a leader and a player ruled out to nurse his elbow but it is an exciting opportunity for me and this group, he said.

Kanes fantastic as a captain and it is well documented that his calm nature has been vital for this group. He doesnt get too high or too low, and he will certainly be missed. To win away from home is always a challenge and is hard wherever you go around the world. To have the possibility go 1-0 up will be very special for this group ahead of the India match in a week.
Samantha Tainewasher told a jury Tuesday that she went to visit the graves of her mother and brother before events took a sharp turn, resulting in the murder of her cousin, 25-year-old Alillia Lala Minthorn.

Jordan Everett Stevens has been charged with first-degree murder in Minthorns death.

Tainewasher is one of two witnesses who say they were there when Minthorn was shot to death in a closed area of the Yakama reservation in early May 2019.

The other witness is Jasmine McCormack. Both testified Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Yakima.

Though both claim Stevens shot Minthorn because she had talked to the FBI about an incident in which he was involved, their recollection of events differed.

Their stories prompted more questions than answers, and even led one defense attorney to probe McCormack about whether she had embarked on a personal relationship with an FBI detective who investigated the case.

Stevens sat quietly as Tainewasher told how events unfolded that fateful spring day.

Tainewasher said she picked up Stevens and McCormack early that day before meeting Minthorn at a Toppenish homeless encampment known as the compound.

From there, they headed to a cemetery in Union Gap, Tainewasher said.

Tainewasher said she was the only one who got out of her SUV to visit the graves of her mother and brother. She said she returned to her vehicle to find McCormack beating on Minthorn.

I told her to stop, Tainewash said.

Then Stevens began striking Minthorn in the face with the butt of a shotgun, Tainewasher said.

Jordan hit Lala in the face multiple times, she said.

Tainewasher said McCormack then jumped into the drivers seat and drove to an area north of Brownstown in the closed area of the reservation.

Tainewasher said they all got out of her vehicle and Stevens shot Minthorn.

I heard one shot, Tainewasher said. Jordan shot her.

Tainewasher then pointed Stevens out in the courtroom as her cousins killer.

They said Lala told on them to the feds, both Jasmine and Jordan said that, Tainewasher said.

They left Minthorns body there and drove to the Brownstown Tavern, Tainewasher said.

There, McCormack began cleaning out her car before leaving in it with Stevens, Tainewasher said.

Tainewasher said she called police to report her vehicle stolen, but the two returned about 15 minutes later.

Tainewasher said she had a spare key to her vehicle and was able to drive away, leaving Stevens and McCormack behind.

During cross examination, defense attorney Karla Kane Hudson asked Tainewasher why she didnt report her cousins murder when she called police about the theft of her vehicle.

Tainewasher said she was in fear because Stevens and McCormack had threatened her.

I was scared after that because I was threatened  I was receiving threats. I have children to worry about, Tainewasher said.

She said she would have told police if they would have responded to her stolen vehicle call.

Because the cops would have been there to protect me, she said.

McCormacks story differed in that she told the jury Tainewasher had fought with Minthorn. McCormack was reluctant to answer questions at times and often said she couldnt remember.

She said she had been drinking. Tainewasher admitted smoking meth that day.

Defense attorney Ulvar Klein pressed McCormack about why she decided to cooperate with investigators and testify against Stevens.

He asked her if she had developed a personal relationship with the FBI detective who was identified in the courtroom as agent Barefoot. His first name was not given.

He even asked McCormack if she thought the agent was good looking.

Do you have a thing for him? Klein asked.

Kleins questioning drew objections from prosecutors.

There are more than 100 conversations between them in the last year, Klein said.

Klein reviewed transcripts of some calls, asking about one involving Barefoot telling McCormack he didnt want to visit her in Gig Harbor because of the trial and that it would look like they were secretly seeing each other.

True, McCormack replied.

Klein suggested Barefoot promised McCormack a positive outcome in a robbery case shes facing to testify against Stevens.

McCormack and Stevens were pursued on May 20, 2019, by police in a stolen vehicle in Dallesport along the Columbia River and were arrested.

McCormack denied having any knowledge about Minthorns death when first contacted by the detective while in jail, but later that day called him back, Klein said.

Klein read a May 28, 2019, phone transcript to the court between McCormack and Barefoot.

Im willing to help but I wont say nothing until I get out, Klein read.

A day later, McCormack led investigators to Minthorns body, according to a trial brief.

Klein asked McCormack if she told someone at the tavern that she pulled the trigger.

McCormack said no.
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Yankton, SD (57078)

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Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low around 65F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph..

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Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low around 65F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph.
Yankton, SD (57078)

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Partly to mostly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 66F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph..

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Partly to mostly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 66F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph.
Yalnzlasan Filistin ve Kuresel Hegemonya

Filozoflar Dingin Bir Yasam Konusunda Bize Ne Soyler?
Greensboro, NC (27407)

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Partly cloudy early with increasing clouds overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 67F. Winds light and variable..

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News

Baltimore, Maryland - U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) reminds travelers that marijuana possession remains illegal according to federal law and international travelers should expect to pay a hefty penalty if caught. One Global Entry member learned that lesson on Wednesday at Baltimore Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI).

A 40-year-old U.S. woman, who arrived on a flight from Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, departed CBPs inspection station before her baggage arrived. An airline representative delivered the womans baggage to CBPs secondary examination area. The passenger then returned from a BWI domestic departure gate to claim her baggage. CBP officers examined her baggage and discovered nearly two grams of marijuana, a pipe, and a grinder.

CBP officers assessed the traveler a $500 Zero Tolerance penalty and revoked her Global Entry membership.

CBP is not identifying the woman because she was not criminally charged.

Global Entry allows expedited clearance for pre-approved, low-risk travelers upon arrival in the United States. CBP randomly inspects trusted travelers to ensure continued compliance with the programs terms and conditions. Violations will result in the appropriate enforcement action and termination of the travelers membership privileges.

Travelers need to know that Customs and Border Protection Ports of Entry are federal inspection stations, and federal law still prohibits the possession of both medical and recreational use marijuana, said Keith Fleming, Acting Director of Field Operations for CBPs Baltimore Field Office. Not only did this traveler violate federal law, but she also violated the significant trust we place in Global Entry members to comply with our nations laws and consequently lost her expedited admissions privilege.

Though some states have decriminalized marijuana possession or use, the sale, possession, production, distribution or the facilitation of the aforementioned of both medical and recreational marijuana remains illegal under U.S. federal law. 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 a foreign nationals admissibility.

CBP seized an average of 3,677 pounds of dangerous drugs every day across the United States last year. Learn more about what CBP accomplished during A Typical Day in 2020.
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.
Coal India Ltd, one of the country's biggest employers, has asked Prime Minister Narendra Modis government to aid them to accelerate the vaccination of its workforce, after nearly 400 of its staff died due to COVID-19, according to a Bloomberg report.

The report further mentions that the worlds top coal miner, which employs about 2,59,000 people, has requested the government that about 1 million doses be made available for employees and their family members. So far, some 64,000 staff members  which means, about a quarter of the workforce  have been vaccinated, and the company is seeking to speed up the inoculation drive after unions pressed the case.

The company should be looking at mass vaccination programmes that cover all employees and their family members so that the damage can be arrested, the Bloomberg report quotes Sudhir Ghurde, general secretary at Akhil Bharatiya Khadan Mazdoor Sangh, one of the leading unions.

Throughout the pandemic, coal mine workers have been on the front line, ensuring that the power plants do not face shortage of the fuel that produces a large majority of India's electricity. Coal India said that most of the casualties have occurred during the deadly second wave in India.

Live TV
New Delhi: Under the leadership of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Cabinet Minister Imran Hussain and senior AAP MLAs have launched the Jahaan Vote, Wahin Vaccine campaign across the capital. Imran Hussain along with MLAs Atishi, Dilip Pandey, Sanjeev Jha launched the campaign in their respective constituencies.

These leaders appealed to representatives of RWAs, Youth Groups, Womens Groups, Market Associations, NGOs and Religious Organisations to spread awareness and encourage citizens above 45 years to get vaccinated at local polling booths in their assembly constituencies. The Delhi government has made adequate arrangements for vaccination at the polling centres.

Food & Civil Supplies Minister of Delhi, Imran Hussain launched the Jahan Vote, Wahan Vaccination initiative of the Delhi government to spread awareness about Covid vaccination in the Ballimaran Assembly constituency. He went from door to door, encouraging people to get vaccinated. He appealed to representatives of RWAs, Youth Groups, Womens Groups, Market Associations, NGOs and Religious Organisation to do their bit in encouraging citizens aged 45+ to get vaccinated at local polling booths in the assembly constituency.

Hussain said that Booth Level Officers had also begun visiting the people in their wards, and different teams are encouraging citizens to get vaccinated at local polling booths. E-rickshaws have been arranged to carry citizens to polling booths to get vaccinated. He said that those above 45 years of age should be vaccinated in four weeks, and the Delhi government will similarly carry this out for those in the 18-44 years age category as well.

He also interacted with people who received their vaccine at these centres and seemed to appreciate the efforts of Delhi Government. Hussain said that this campaign will achieve the goal of 100% vaccination in Delhi, with the government having made adequate arrangements for vaccination at the centre. The polling centres are usually near the houses, which makes walking up to the places convenient.

In Kalkaji, MLA Atishi started the Jahan Vote Wahi Vaccination in Ward 91 and held a march. She tweeted, Initiated the work of taking the information of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's #JahanVoteWahanVaccine campaign from door to door in Kalkaji. She added that from today, she will go from house to house to ensure that all 45+ age groups get the covid vaccines from their local polling booth.

A Booth Level Officer, a civil defence volunteer and Aam Aadmi Party workers will visit homes to encourage citizens to get vaccinated. These people will also help people in the registration process. At Kalkajis ward number 91, there are 44 booths and 44 teams of AAP will be going door-to-door, helping people where needed. This will continue tomorrow and the day after at other wards.

Atishi said, In this way, all the citizens of Kalkaji who are over 45 years will be vaccinated in the coming three weeks. This is a first of its kind initiative taken by the Delhi Chief Minister to defeat the COVID-19 pandemic.
New Delhi: The Cyber Cell of the Delhi Police on Wednesday arrested 11 men for allegedly cheating more than 5 lakh people to the tune of Rs 150 crore in the last two months, they used apps like Power Bank, SunFactory and EzPlan.

In a press release, the Cyber Cell stated that: "While Power Bank App was available on Google Play Store, the EZPlan app was available on the website www.ezplan.in. These apps offered lucrative returns on investment with claims to double the investment amount in 24-35 days. The apps also offered returns on an hourly and daily basis, and had investment options starting from Rs 300 to several lakhs of rupees."

Anyesh Roy, DCP (Special Cell-Cyber), said the owners and creators of the app are Chinese nationals and approached the accused to help them with bank accounts and shell companies in India.

We received hundreds of complaints on social media about two apps  Power Bank and EZ Plan. Some complainants claimed they lost lakhs of rupees. The Power Bank app was trending on the app store with thousands of downloads, said Roy told ANI.

The fraudsters were found to be operating in multiple modules across the country. A Tibetan woman wanted in one such syndicate operating from Bengaluru, was apprehended at IGIA Airport in a coordinated operation of Delhi and Bengaluru Police, the press release said.

The accused persons were installing malicious apps in mobile phones in the garb of a quick money earning app.

Live TV
New Delhi: Two state-owned banks being picked up for privatisation by the government are likely to come out with an attractive voluntary retirement scheme (VRS) to get rid of the extra flab, sources said.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman while unveiling Budget 2021-22 on February 1 had announced that the government proposed to take up the privatisation of two public sector banks (PSBs) and one general insurance company.

An attractive VRS will make them lean and fit for takeover by the private sector entities that are keen to enter the banking space, the sources said.

VRS is not forced exit but option for those who would like to take early retirement with good financial package, the sources said adding that it has been done in the past before the consolidation of some of the PSBs.

The NITI Aayog, which has been entrusted with the job of identifyng suitable candidates for the privatisation, has recommended names to a high-level panel headed by Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba.

Central Bank of India, Indian Overseas Bank, Bank of Maharashtra and Bank of India are some of the names that may be considered for privatisation by the Core Group of Secretaries on Disinvestment.

The other members of the high-level panel are Economic Affairs Secretary, Revenue Secretary, Expenditure Secretary, Corporate Affairs Secretary, Secretary Legal Affairs, Secretary Department of Public Enterprises, Secretary Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) and the Secretary of administrative department.

Following clearance from the Core Group of Secretaries, the finalised names will go to the Alternative Mechanism (AM) for its approval and eventually to the Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the final nod.

Changes on the regulatory side to facilitate privatisation would start after the Cabinet approval.

Meanwhile, banking sector regulator RBI also said it is in discussion with the government over the privatisation of PSBs.

The government has budgeted Rs 1.75 lakh crore from stake sale in public sector companies and financial institutions during the current financial year. The amount is lower than the record budgeted Rs 2.10 lakh crore to be raised from CPSE disinvestment in the last fiscal.

In addition to PSBs, the government also plans to exit LIC-controlled IDBI Bank.

Last month, the Union Cabinet gave in-principle approval for strategic disinvestment along with transfer of management control in IDBI Bank.

The central government and LIC together own more than 94 per cent equity of IDBI Bank. LIC, currently the promoter of IDBI Bank with management control, has a 49.21 per cent stake.

Meanwhile, bank unions have opposed the move of privatisation of banks and went on two-day strike in March under the banner of United Forum of Bank Unions. Besides, they are taking to social media to register their protest against privatisation calling it a retrograde move by the government.

Recently, the Federation of Bank of India Officers Associations ran a social media campaign againt the proposed privatisation move which saw huge participation from all stakeholders, said the union's General Secretary Sunil Kumar.

He also said public sector banks have always played a pivotal role for success of all government schemes like demonetisation, Jan-Dhan Yojana, Mudra Yojana and PM SVANidhi.

PSBs have sanctioned 95 per cent of the total loans under the PM SVANidhi scheme, which aims at providing street vendors loans of up to Rs 10,000 to restart their business post the COVID-induced lockdown last year.
New Delhi: All central government employees will be able to get 15 days of special casual leave (SCL) in case their parents or any dependent family members test COVID-19 positive, according to an order issued by the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions.

"In case of active hospitalisation of any of the family members/parents even after 15 days of the expiry of SCL, the government servants may be granted leave of any kind due and admissible beyond 15 days of SCL till their discharge from hospital," it said.

The ministry has come out with a detailed order on treatment, regularisation of hospitalization or quarantine period during COVID-19 pandemic after it received several queries related to it and keeping in view the "hardships faced by the government servants".

A government servant shall be granted commuted leave up to 20 days when he or she is COVID-19 positive and is in home isolation/quarantine, the order said.

In case of a government servant testing COVID-19 positive and is in home isolation and has also been hospitalised, he or she shall be granted commuted leave/SCL/earned leave (EL) for a period up to 20 days starting from the time having tested positive, it said.

"In case of hospitalization beyond the 20th day from his testing COVID positive, he shall be granted commuted leave, on the production of documentary proof of hospitalization," said the order issued to all central government ministries.

A government servant shall be granted special casual leave of 15 days in case a dependent family member or parents (whether dependent or not, living with him) are COVID-19 positive, it said.

In case the government servant comes into direct contact with a COVID-positive person and remains in home quarantine, "he shall be treated as on-duty/work from home for a period of seven days", the ministry said in its order dated June 7.

It said that the period of quarantine spent by government servant, as a precautionary measure, residing in the containment zone "shall be treated as on-duty/work from home till the containment zone is de-notified".

These orders shall be applicable with effect from March 25, 2020, until further orders.

Live TV
New Delhi: Former Chief Secretary of Uttar Pradesh, Anup Chandra Pandey has been appointed as the Election Commissioner, said the Union Law and Justice Ministry statement on Monday. According to the notification, President Ram Nath Kovind has appointed the retired Indian Administrative Service Officer (IAS) of the 1984 batch as the Election Commissioner.

The government has issued a gazette notification stating that Anup Chandra Pandey has been appointed the Election Commissioner with effect from the date he assumes office.

In pursuance of Clause (2) of Article 324 of the Constitution, the President is pleased to appoint Shri Anup Chandra Pandey, IAS (Retd.) (UP: 1984) as the Election Commissioner with effect from the date he assumes the office," the notification said.

Pandey, who retired as the Chief Secretary of Uttar Pradesh in August 2019, will join the poll panel as one of the two Election Commissioners, with the other being Rajiv Kumar.

The Election Commission comprises a Chief Election Commissioner and two Election Commissioners. Currently, Sushil Chandra is the Chief Election Commissioner. The vacancy in the Election Commission was created on April 12, when Chandra was appointed as the Chief Election Commissioner after the term of his predecessor Sunil Arora came to its end.

Anup Chandra Pandey, a 1984-batch IAS officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre, has also served as Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Defence and Joint Secretary in the Union Ministry of Labour and Employment.

A PhD in ancient history, Pandey has held top positions in Uttar Pradesh's basic education, health and family welfare, and food departments.

62-year-old Pandey will remain in the office till February 2024 on attaining the age of 65 years, as per the age criteria for the election commissioners.

(With Agency Inputs)
New Delhi: In a major update, two Punjab-based most-wanted criminals were on Wednesday (June 9 ) gunned down amidst a shootout at a residential complex in New Town in Kolkata, West Bengal. One STF officer was also injured in the encounter. No official statement from Punjab Police has been released in this regard yet.

A team of STF raided a residential complex in New Town in Kolkata where the two dreaded wanted criminals from Punjab were hiding. In the shootout, both the criminals were gunned down by STF.

#LiveVisuals: Encounter where two Punjab based criminals were gunned down by West Bengal STF at New Town. Gunshots can be heard. https://t.co/jiuyETravR pic.twitter.com/0x84FJukY3  Pooja Mehta (@pooja_news) June 9, 2021

According to reports, Jaipal Singh Bhullar, wanted in connection with the killing of two assistant sub-inspectors in Jagraon, was among the two people killed in the encounter. He was wanted in Punjab, Rajasthan, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh for over 40 cases related to robbery, murder, extortion, kidnapping among others. However, details regarding the two are yet to be shared by the police.

Meanwhile, senior STF officials are present on the spot. Teams of CID and bomb disposal are also present at the spot. The police have confirmed that two criminals were gunned down during the encounter. The other criminal has been identified as Jaspreet Kharar. Both criminals had a bounty of Rs 10 lakh on them announced by Punjab Police.

Live TV
New Delhi: Ahead of his meeting with West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata, the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait said that the central government must have open talks with the farmers of Bengal.

Confirming his meeting with Banerjee, Tikait said he will meet the West Bengal CM around 3 pm on Wednesday (June 9). We will talk about agriculture, health, education and the local farmers, he was quoted as saying by ANI.

The government should have opened talks with the farmers of Bengal, over policy. In UP, meetings are held every month with the DC. DMs and officers of every department come there. This policy should be implemented in all states, he added.

The government should have open talks with the farmers of Bengal, over policy. In UP, meetings are held every month with the DC. DMs & officers of every department come there. This policy should be implemented in all states: Rakesh Tikait, Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), in Kolkata  ANI (@ANI) June 9, 2021

Tikait had visited Bengal before the Assembly elections and campaigned for TMC. He visited hotly contested Nandigram, where Banerjee faced her protege-turned-adversary BJPs Suvendu Adhikari, and asked people to vote against BJP.

Tikait has been at the forefront of the farmers' protests against the Centre's three farm laws. Banerjee has extended support to the protesting farmers, who have been demanding the government to repeal the three contentious agri laws.

Live TV
New Delhi: India recorded 92,596 new COVID-19 cases and 2,219 deaths in the last 24 hours, the Union Health Ministry informed on Wednesday (June 9, 2021).

With this, India's total coronavirus caseload has increased to 2,90,89,069, of which, 3,53,528 have succumbed to the virus, while 12,31,415 are active cases.

The weekly positivity rate currently stands at 5.66%, whereas, the daily positivity rate is at 4.66%. The country also witnessed 1,62,664 patients recovering in the last 24 hours, which took the total number of COVID-19 recoveries in India to 2.75 crores.

Earlier on Tuesday, Dr Randeep Guleria, Director, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Delhi, said that if we have to stop subsequent waves, we need to aggressively follow COVID appropriate behaviour until we can say that a significant number of India's population is vaccinated or has acquired natural immunity.

"When enough people are vaccinated or when we acquire natural immunity against the infection, then these waves will stop. The only way out is to strictly follow COVID appropriate behaviour," Dr Guleria said.

He also stated that it is a piece of misinformation that subsequent waves of the COVID-19 pandemic are going to cause severe illness in children.

"There is no data - either from India or globally - to show that children will be seriously infected in subsequent waves," Dr Guleria said.

He cited that 60% to 70% of the children who got infected and got admitted in hospitals during the second wave in India, had either comorbidities or low immunity and that healthy children recovered with mild illness without need for hospitalization.

Meanwhile, the cumulative number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered across the country has increased to 23,90,58,360.

The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Tuesday said that they have placed an order with Serum Institute of India for 25 crore doses of Covishield and with Bharat Biotech for 19 crore doses of Covaxin.

They stated that these 44 crore doses will be available till December 2021, starting now.

"Additionally, 30% of the advance for procurement of both the Covid Vaccines has been released to Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech," the Union Health Ministry added.
New Delhi: Punjab police on Wednesday (June 9) gunned down two gangsters, who were involved in killing policemen, in an operation in Kolkata. Gangsters Jaipal Singh Bhullar and Jaspreet Singh, who were wanted in the murder of two Assistant Sub Inspectors in Punjab, were killed by the police force in an operation in Kolkata.

Acting on a tip-off, the Punjab police team with help from the Kolkata police shot dead Bhullar and Singh. Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Dinkar Gupta confirmed to PTI that both men were killed in Kolkata. A team of Punjab police's Organised Crime Control Unit (OCCU) was involved in the operation.

Two ASIs - Bhagwan Singh and Dalwinderjit Singh - were shot dead at the new grain market at Jagraon in Ludhiana district on May 15. Earlier on May 10, one of the ASIs were attacked by the dreaded criminal at a Check Point in Chandigarh.

Punjab Police's Organised Crime Control Unit (OCCU) kickstarted an operation which they named 'Jack' to nab Jaipal Singh Bhullar. The police got a big breakthrough when they arrested two accused who were involved in the attack on the ASI. Total four people were arrested in Gwalior, among which two were involved in the attack. The team carried out their investigation and launched manhunt in several states.

After monitoring the CCTV footage, they began tracing a black Honda Accord car and took out its details. The police came to know that the car owner hails from West Bengal.

Later, the police found out that Jaipal Singh Bhullar was staying in a residential complex in Newtown area in Kolkata, and had arms and weapons with him.

Police claim among other crimes, Bhullar had looted Rs 1.3 cr from a cash van, Rs 35 lakhs from an ATM van and approximately 33 kg gold from Ludhiana.

On Wednesday, the Bengal Police along with OCCU launched out an operation during which Bhullar and his associate Jaspreet Singh were killed.

The Punjab Police had announced a bounty of Rs 10 lakh on Jaipal Bhullar and Rs 5 lakh on Jaspreet Kharar. They were part of 31 A-listed gangsters of Punjab. They were involved in cross border drug smuggling and heroine smuggling from across the border.

The police recovered four pistols, 5 improvised arms, 89 round ammunition, Rs 7 lakh cash and mobile phones from the encounter site.

Live TV
New Delhi: The Paras Hospital in Agra on Tuesday (June 8, 2021) was sealed after a video of its owner went viral in which he is purportedly talking of 'mock drill' that reportedly claimed 22 lives. The Agra administration took the step after the Uttar Pradesh health department initiated a probe into the tragedy.

However, the decision has now increased trouble for the kin of the patients who have been asked to shift to other hospitals.

"Our patient was admitted here 15 days ago and there's no improvement in the condition. We have been asked to sign the patient's discharge document in order to receive the file. We don't know where to take the patient now," Lal Kumar Chouhan, the attendant of a patient at Paras Hospital told ANI.

He added, "Agra is a small city. There are no other options available. Most of the hospitals in the city are full and those which have beds are charging too much. In such a condition, how will our patient get treatment?"

Mohit Chaudhary, the attendant of another patient at the hospital said, "My father underwent surgery on Monday and he is still recovering. In this critical condition, where do I take him? I urge the administration to give us some time."

As of Wednesday morning (June 9), there are reports that every patient has now been shifted to different hospitals.

Earlier when the UP government had ordered a probe into the tragedy, Dr Arinjay Jain, the owner of the Paras Hospital, refuted the news reports of 22 deaths and said that they are baseless. Jain said that he is ready to cooperate with any investigation.

"In a small city like Agra, there would an outcry if 22 patients die at a hospital. No patients died due to oxygen shortage that day," he said.

"By mistake or innocence, I mentioned the word 'mock drill' in the video but there was no mock drill as such," Jain added.

"We conducted, call it clinical assessment or mock drill, to check how we can maintain a patient at a minimum level of oxygen in our effort to ensure its rationale use. During this exercise, bedside oxygen adjustment was made," he stated.

Dr Jain claimed that the oxygen supply was not snapped during this exercise.

He said that it enabled them to identify patients who needed high-flow oxygen so that they can make optional arrangements for them in case of acute oxygen shortage.

In the viral video, Jain can be heard talking about the mock drill.

"During an acute shortage of oxygen... the hospital conducted a mock drill. We stopped the oxygen supply for five minutes around 7 am on April 26. Twenty-two patients started gasping for breath and their bodies began turning blue. Then there were remaining 74 patients and we asked their family members to bring their own oxygen cylinders," he said.

(With inputs from ANI)



Live TV
Maharashtra Common Entrance Test 2021: The Maharashtra Common Entrance Test (MHT CET) has started registration for all upcoming entrance exams for the 2021-22 academic year. Interested and eligible students can fill out the MHT CET 2021 application form on the official website, mhtcet2021.mahacet.org latest by July 7, 2021.

The development comes at a time when the state government led by Uddhav Thackeray is yet to finalise the criteria for deciding class 12 marks for state board students.

Earlier, Maharashtra Higher and Technical Education Minister Uday Samant mentioned that the exam is likely to be held by July end or August. Students would be able to take admission in the first year Engineering / Technology, Pharmacology and Agricultural courses through MHT CET 2021 marks.

Click here for the Direct Link for the MHT CET 2021 registration.

In a circular released on June 8, the MHT-CET cell invited all eligible class 12 students to start online registration and confirmation of application forms along with the required fee starting June 8 and the process will be on till July 7, 2021. Forms will also be accepted with a late fee of Rs 500 from July 8 to July 15.

"MHT-CET entrance exams for admission to professional courses including engineering/technology, Pharmacy and agricultural education for the 2021-22 academic will be held across various centres in Mumbai and across Maharashtra," states the circular signed by the CET cell commissioner, C D Joshi. It further states that the online registration schedule and information brochure for the examination has been made available on the official website, https://mhtcet2021.mahacet.org. "Payment for the exams will only be accepted in the online mode," the circular said.

MHT CET 2021 registration: How to apply

Visit the website, www.mhtcet2021.mahacet.org.

Click on the 'MHT CET 2021 registration' link

Fill the required details and click on Submit

Enter application number and password to fill the MHT CET 2021 application form

Pay the application fee as applicable through online mode and click on Submit

Take a print of the MHT CET 2021 application form for any future reference.

MHT-CET registration: Application fee

General category: Rs 800

Reserved category: Rs 600

Live TV
Bhopal: Police have detained a 34-year-old man for allegedly threatening to hijack planes from Madhya Pradesh's Bhopal and Indore airports and take them to Pakistan, an official said on Wednesday.

Officials at the Raja Bhoj Airport here received a phone call around 5 pm on Tuesday wherein the caller made the threat, Bhopal's Gandhinagar police station in-charge Arun Sharma told PTI .

Later, the airport management complained to the Gandhinagar police.

"The man, who allegedly threatened to hijack the planes, was caught late Tuesday night from Shujalpur town (about 100 km from Bhopal). He is being extensively questioned as part of the investigation into the matter," the official said.

Security has been tightened at the Bhopal airport following the threat call, another official said.

On Tuesday evening, a Mumbai-bound flight took off from Bhopal after a strict security check, he said.
New Delhi: Barbara Jabarica, the woman accused by fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi for his alleged 'abduction' from Antigua and Barbuda, has denied all his claims.

In an interview with news agency ANI, Jabarica has asserted that she was not Choksis girlfriend nor was he her sugar daddy.

I made this clear in a few interviews that I wasn't his (Mehul Choksis) girlfriend and he's not my sugar daddy or anything like that. I've my own income and business. I don't need his cash, support, hotel booking, fake jewellery, or anything like that, the news agency quoted her as saying.

Earlier, in an interview with WION, Jabarica had clarified that she is not a Caribbean national and is a European citizen. Denying all charges of Choksis alleged abduction, she said, Around 3'o clock I left and went to the airport. He said he was kidnapped in afternoon. It's a busy time, daytime and busy area and at time, I was going to the airport". She added, "Why would I kidnap him in middle of day, in the busiest time like 4 or 5 pm", and said, "something does not add up."

Choksi in his complaint with the Commissioner of police of Antigua and Barbuda has listed Barbara Jarabica along with others to have been involved in his alleged kidnapping.

She revealed she knew Choksi as 'Raj' and the two have been in contact since August 2020. She claimed Choksi spoke to her many times and also gifted her a diamond ring, which turned out to be a fake.

Meanwhile, Dominica High Court has adjourned the bail hearing of Mehul Choksi till June 11, PTI reported.

Whats the case so far?

Choksi had mysteriously gone missing on May 23 from Antigua and Barbuda, where he has been staying since 2018 as a citizen.

He was detained in neighbouring island country Dominica for illegal entry. It is alleged that the businessman went to Dominica for a romantic escapade with his rumoured 'girlfriend'.

While Wayne Marsh, Choksi's lawyer in Dominica, have claimed that his client was severely beaten and was abducted' and taken to Dominica.

Mehul Choksi and his nephew Nirav Modi are wanted for allegedly siphoning Rs 13,500 crore of public money from the state-run Punjab National Bank using letters of undertaking.

Live TV
NEW DELHI: Bharat Biotech, the Hyderabad-based COVID vaccine manufacturer, has categorically rejected a recent study that claimed that Covaxin is significantly less effective against the B.1.617.2 variant, the strain largely responsible for the ferocious second wave of the pandemic in the country.

The company also dismissed claims that its Covaxin is less effective than Serum Institute of Indias (SII) Covishield.

"A recent comparative report on an evaluation of immunogenicity responses to spike protein after the first and second dose of Indian manufactured vaccines study had lots of flaws. The journal that stated the comparative report said more antibodies produced by Covishield than COVAXIN. This is not a peer-reviewed publication, nor do it a statistically and scientifically designed study. The study design and conduct reflect an ad hoc analysis, rather than a predetermined hypothesis," the company said.

A recent comparative report on evaluation of immunogenicity responses to spike protein after 1st & 2nd dose of Indian manufactured vaccines study had lots of flaws. The journal that stated comparative report said more antibodies produced by Covishield than Covaxin: Bharat Biotech  ANI (@ANI) June 9, 2021

The Hyderabad-based COVID vaccine manufacturer also said that it will publish the phase 3 trial data in July and after that, it will be applying for the full licensure of COVAXIN.

"It is critical to understand, and further emphasise the Phase-3 data will first be submitted to Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), followed by peer-reviewed journals, with a timeline of 3 months for publication, and as communicated earlier COVAXIN phase 3 results full trial data will be made public during July. Once data from the final analysis of phase III studies are available, Bharat Biotech will apply for full licensure for COVAXIN," Bharat Biotech was quoted as saying by ANI on Wednesday.

It is critical to understand the Phase-3 data will first be submitted to CDSCO, followed by peer reviewed journals, with a timeline of ~ 3 months for publication, and as communicated earlier COVAXIN phase 3 results full trial data will be made public during July: Bharat Biotech  ANI (@ANI) June 9, 2021

Regarding the efficacy of the vaccine, the company said, "Vaccine efficacy refers to the ability of a vaccine to bring about the intended beneficial effects on vaccinated individuals in a defined population under ideal conditions of use. When it comes to efficacy and safety, the efficacy data of Covaxin have been reported at overall efficacy is 78 per cent and efficacy against hospitalizations is 100 per cent."

The company said, "Whole virus Inactivated vaccines have demonstrated one of the best safety records globally." There are already several approved inactivated vaccines against Polio, Japanese Encephalitis, Rabies, Hepatitis A, and several vaccines under development such as Chikungunya, Zika, Dengue and Polio.

In a recent preliminary pre- peer-reviewed study about vaccine efficacy report, Bharat Biotech has clarified that it has undergone and will continue to undergo the most intensive safety and efficacy monitoring in Indian vaccines history.

The indigenous whole virion inactivated SARS-Cov-2 virus vaccine company has also said that Covaxin will even undergo phase 4 trials to check the real-world effectiveness of the vaccines.

"Bharat Biotech is also doing phase 4 trials to check on the real-world effectiveness of the vaccines, and to ensure its vaccine met every rigorous scientific standard for safety, effectiveness, and manufacturing quality needed to support emergency use authorization," the company added.

(With ANI inputs)

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New Delhi: The Uttar Pradesh government has decided to start a special campaign for administering COVID-19 jabs to street vendors, hawkers, auto drivers and so on.

To increase the vaccination drive in the state, the UP government will run its special campaign from June 14. The officials have been directed to set up separate vaccination booths for drivers and street vendors in all districts.

The booth will be put up in RTO offices with the aim to inoculate at least 100 commercial drivers daily.

For drivers and conductors of buses, the booths will come up in the Municipal Corporation and Palika Parishad office of each district. The government will vaccinate at least 100 street and fruit, vegetable vendors daily. Meanwhile, instructions have been given to set up vaccination booths with a capacity of 50 people for rickshaws and cart drivers.

Meanwhile, the UP government on Monday (June 7) started special "pink booths" in all districts for encouraging women to get COVID-19 vaccination.

On June 7, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the Centre will provide free COVID-19 vaccines to states for all above 18 years of age beginning June 21. Centre itself will buy 75 percent of the total vaccine production from manufacturers and give it free to the state governments, the PM said.

UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath welcomed the central government's decision and thanked the PM for unburdening the states which were unable to procure COVID-19 vaccines on their own.



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NEW DELHI: Congress leader Jitin Prasada joined the BJP on Wednesday, in a shot in the arm for the saffron party as it prepares for the upcoming assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh scheduled for early next year.

Jitin Prasada joined the BJP in presence of Union Minister Piyush Goyal and its chief spokesperson Anil Baluni. Speculation was rife even during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections about Prasada joining the BJP, but it is believed that the Congress leadership had then managed to persuade him against quitting the party.

Prasada told reporters after joining the BJP that it was truly the only national party that worked in an institutional way, while others were all about a few people or confined to specific regions. 47-year-old former Congress leader also hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his leadership of the country and also lauded other senior party leaders.

If there is any political party or a leader standing for the interests of the nation today, given the situation that our country is going through, it is BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Jitin Prasada said after joining the saffron party.

Noting that politics is for public service, Prasada said he realised that he cannot do it in Congress and could not protect people's interests.

I felt that what is the relevance of staying in a party if you can't protect interests of your people or work for them. I felt I was unable to do that at Congress. I thank people in Congress who blessed me all these yrs but now I'll work as a dedicated BJP worker, Prasada said while addressing a press conference.

I felt that what is the relevance of staying in a party if you can't protect interests of your people or work for them. I felt I was unable to do that at Congress. I thank people in Congress who blessed me all these yrs but now I'll work as a dedicated BJP worker: Jitin Prasada pic.twitter.com/7qNJk26B4e  ANI (@ANI) June 9, 2021

Jitin Prasada, however, thanked the Congress leaders for guiding and mentoring him in all those years. I have a three-generation connection with Congress, so I took this important decision after a lot of deliberation. In the last 8-10 years I have felt that if there is one party that is truly national, it is BJP. Other parties are just regional but this is a national party, Prasada said.

Welcoming him in the party fold, Goyal heaped praise on him, lauding him as a leader of the stature whose induction will boost the BJP. It will also help him in serving society, the Union Minister added.

The 47-year-old Prasada, a former Union minister, comes from a well-known Brahmin family of Uttar Pradesh and was serving as the Congress leader in charge of West Bengal before joining the BJP. His father Jitendra Prasada was a noted Congress leader.

His father Jitendra Prasada, a prominent `Brahmin` face in Uttar Pradesh, had challenged Sonia Gandhi`s leadership in 1999 and had contested against her for the post of party chief. He died in 2002.

With the Congress in dire straits in Uttar Pradesh and he himself losing the Lok Sabha polls twice in a row, Prasada's decision to join the BJP may help him politically at a time when the saffron party is working overtime to boost its ranks in preparation for the assembly polls.

It will also help the BJP keep Brahmins, a section of whom are said to be unhappy with the party in Uttar Pradesh, in good humour in the politically important state of India, party sources said.

The saffron party believes that Prasada joining BJP will help it pacify Brahmins in Uttar Pradesh, where the Assembly poll will be held early next year. A party insider said that Prasada could be projected as the Brahmin face of the party which is completely missing in Uttar Pradesh.

Prasada, once close to Rahul Gandhi, was part of Group-23 (G-23) signatories who had written to Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi demanding sweeping reforms in the party. Despite being a dissenter, he was tasked with the Congress campaign in West Bengal, which turned out to be a disappointment.

Taking a stand against the party, he opposed Congress` alliance with the Indian Secular Front (ISF) in West Bengal. Prasada was elevated to the rank of secretary in the Indian Youth Congress in 2001 for the first time. In 2004, he tried his luck in the 14th Lok Sabha elections from his home seat Shahjahanpur and won. He was appointed Union minister of state, steel, in 2008.

In 2009, Prasada contested the 15th Lok Sabha elections from Dhaurahara and won by 184,509 votes. He has been the Union Minister of State in the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways from 2009 to January 2011, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas from January 2011 to October 2012 and Ministry of Human Resource Development from October 2012 to May 2014.

(With Agemy Inputs)

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New Delhi: The West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education (WBCHSE) on Tuesday (June 8, 2021) wrote to all heads of the high school institutions and directed them to complete the formalities related to the promotion of Class 11 students by the third week of July.

"All HS Institutions are instructed to complete the formalities related to promotion of students from class XI to class XII and admission to class XII by July 15," read the letter by Tapas Kumar Mukherjee, Secretary-in-charge of WB Council of HS Education.

Mukherjee also asked the guardians of the students with proper identity documents to complete the admission process.

This is to be noted that the West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education had announced on April 30 to cancel Class XI annual exams and promote all students.

Earlier on June 7, the West Bengal government had also cancelled Madhyamik class 10 and Uchha Madhyamik class 12 examinations. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced the decision during a press briefing.

The decision to cancel West Bengal Madhyamik class 10 and Uchha Madhyamik class 12 examinations was taken in view of the coronavirus situation in the state.

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New Delhi: The Noida Metro Rail Corporation (NMRC) resumed operations on Wednesday (June 9) as the partial corona curfew was lifted from all districts of Uttar Pradesh.

The Noida-Greater Noida line metro, known as the Aqua Line metro, will be available only on weekdays from 7 am to 8 pm as weekend curfew will remain in place across the state in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The metro services were closed in Noida on May 1 due to rise in coronavirus infection cases.

The metro services have been resumed following COVID-19 safety norms like social distancing and mask-wearing. As per new norms, out of the 21 stations on the Aqua Line, the trains will not stop at 10 metro stations of Noida. To ensure strict social distancing norms on NMRC premises as well as inside the metro, marking has also been done inside the trains and on seats.

Check the guidelines here:

1. The metro services will remain shut on weekends i.e. Saturday and Sunday due to the weekend curfew.

2. A train will operate every 15 minutes during peak hours - 8 am to 11 am and 5 pm to 8 pm.

3. During non-peak hours, trains will operate every 30 minutes.

4. 'Fast trains' will run on weekdays during peak hours. However, these fast trains will not stop on Sector 50, 101, 81, 83, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, and 148 stations.

On Tuesday, the UP government lifted 'corona curfew' from all its districts in view of the declining COVID-19 cases. Shops and markets outside containment zones have been allowed to remain open from 7 am to 7 pm from Monday to Friday. Vegetable markets located in densely populated areas can also function in open places.

While night and weekend curfew will continue to remain effective from Friday at 7 pm and over the weekend, cleanliness, sanitization will be carried out.

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New Delhi: Veteran Bollywood actor Dilip Kumar fans can heave a sigh of relief as doctors have successfully performed the pleural aspiration procedure. His health update was shared on Twitter by close family friend Faisal Farooqui.

Faisal Farooqui shared the Dilip Kumar health update on the latter's Twitter handle. He wrote: Update: Thank you for your prayers. A successful pleural aspiration procedure was performed on Dilip Saab. I personally spoke to Dr. Jalil Parkar and Dr. Nitin Gokhale. They are optimistic that he will be discharged tomm (Thursday).- FF (@FAISALmouthshut)

Update: Thank you for your prayers. A successful pleural aspiration procedure was performed on Dilip Saab. I personally spoke to Dr. Jalil Parkar and Dr. Nitin Gokhale. They are optimistic that he will be discharged tomm (Thursday).- FF (@FAISALmouthshut)  Dilip Kumar (@TheDilipKumar) June 9, 2021

Dilip Kumar was admitted to the PD Hinduja Hospital in Khar, Mumbai a few days back. He was rushed to hospital after complaining of breathing issues, and was later diagnosed with bilateral pleural effusion and has since been in the ICU ward. He was on oxygen support and not on the ventilator as reported by a few.

Earlier, Dr Jalil Parkar, the pulmonologist treating the actor at the suburban hospital provided an update regarding Kumar's health and said, "Dilip Kumar's health is improving and the problem of breathlessness has also subdued, but he continues to be on oxygen support."

On Sunday, Dr Parkar had affirmed that the actor's condition is stable now and said, "His condition is stable now. Even though he is in the ICU, he is not on a ventilator. We are trying our best that he makes a quick recovery and goes back home."

The superstar has been suffering from age-related health issues in recent years. Last month, the 98-year-old actor was admitted to the same hospital for two days regarding some routine checkups and tests.
New Delhi: On June 14 this year marks the first death anniversary of Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput (SSR) and yet the curious case of his mysterious death remains unsolved. Recently, SSR's girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty in Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) charge sheet confessed smoking doobies with Sara Ali Khan.

In an interview with Times of India, Sushant Singh Rajput and Sara Ali Khan's co-star in 'Kedarnath', veteran actor Nitish Bharadwaj said he never really saw them high on sets. He said, "One day, Pooja Gor was telling me about the changing environment of the television industry, and eventually, the subject veered to drugs. To this, Sara told me that she had heard there was a drug problem in the film industry too. I vividly remember telling her to stay away from it because she had a very promising career ahead of her. She assured me that she had never touched drugs and won't ever do so."

"Sushant used to smoke a cigarette but he was very agile-minded. Someone who does drugs is not agile like him, neither do they talk so intelligently. At least, that's what I think. As a rule, I dont smoke--I have never lit up either a tobacco or drug-filled cigarette. But I know that if you smoke such a cigarette, it has a distinct smell. I had never seen Sushant and Sara with heavy eyes or on a trip; they were so normal. Sushant was in a different zone; we would talk about cosmology and the science of planets and galaxies," he added.

Opening up more on Sushant, Nitish said, "I never felt even once that he was not fine. Everything was normal. He told me, "Sir, aapko ghar aana padega, and I had told him, Theek hai, main aa jaunga."

Sushant Singh Rajput's death left his family and fans in shock. The case is being probed by three premiere investigating agencies - Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) respectively from various angles.
New Delhi: Trinamool MP Nusrat Jahan has finally spoken about her personal life in public. Amid speculation of marital discord between her and businessman husband Nikhil Jain, actress-turned-politician has released a fresh statement on her marriage and separation.

Hindustan Times quoted her saying, "Our separation happened long back, but I did not speak about it as I intended to keep my private life to myself."

She added that her marriage with Nikhil Jain is not valid as an interfaith marriage in India requires validation under the Special Marriage Act, which never happened. "As the marriage was not legal, valid and tenable, there is no question of divorce," reported HT.

"Being rich does not always give a man the right to act as a victim and belittle the woman alone in this society. I have made my own identity by my sheer hard work; thus I would not allow anyone not related to me to share the limelight or a title or followers, based on my identity," the MP added in her statement.

Hindustan Times reported that Nusrat alleged that her estranged husband Nikhil withdrew money from her bank accounts illegally, even after the separation. She said that her clothes, bags, accessories are still with Nikhil's family. Even all the family jewellery that was gifted to Nusrat by her parents, friends and other family members are in Nikhil's family's possession.

Nusrat Jahan tied the knot with her businessman beau Nikhil Jain in the picturesque Turkish town of Bodrum on June 19, 2019. The wedding ceremony was done as per Turkish Marriage Regulation.

The reports have been rife that there is marital discord among the couple. However, none of them said anything about it until now.

Amid these speculations, Nusrat Jahan's intimacy with BJP's actor-turned-politician Yash Dasgupta has also gained ground. Yash and Nusrat worked together in the Bengali film SOS Kolkata in 2020.
New Delhi: A day after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman flagged technical glitches on the income tax department's new e-filing website, IT major Infosys said it expects the system to stabilise in the course of this week.

On Tuesday, Sitharaman had asked Infosys and its Chairman Nandan Nilekani to fix technical glitches being encountered on the income tax department's new e-filing website, after users flooded her Twitter timeline with complaints.

"Our teams are making progress to address the technical issues. We expect the system to stabilize in the course of this week," Infosys said in a tweet on Wednesday.

Infosys was in 2019 awarded a contract to develop the next-generation income tax filing system to reduce processing time for returns from 63 days to one day and expedite refunds. The portal went live on Monday evening.

While Sitharaman took to Twitter to announce the launch of the new portal on Tuesday morning, her timeline was soon flooded with user complaints.

"I see in my TL grievances and glitches. Hope @Infosys & @NandanNilekani will not let down our taxpayers in the quality of service being provided," she had tweeted later. TL here stands for timeline.

In a late evening reply to Sitharaman's tweet, Nilekani said some technical issues were observed on day one, and Infosys is working to resolve them.

"The new e-filing portal will ease the filing process and enhance end user experience. @nsitharaman ji, we have observed some technical issues on day one, and are working to resolve them. @Infosys regrets these initial glitches and expects the system to stabilise during the week," Nilekani had tweeted.

Infosys had also developed the GST Network (GSTN) portal, used for GST payment and return filing. The software major had faced flak for slow functioning of the GSTN portal.

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New Delhi: Digital Signature Certificates (DSC) are the digital equivalent or the electronic format of physical or paper certificates. Physical certificates such as drivers' licenses, passports or membership cards serve as proof of identity of an individual for a certain purpose --viz a driver's license identifies someone who can legally drive in a particular country. Likewise, a digital certificate can be presented electronically to prove ones identity, to access information or services on the Internet or to sign certain documents digitally.

Why do we need Digital Signature Certificates?

While the physical documents are signed manually, electronic documents, for example e-forms are required to be signed digitally using a Digital Signature Certificate, and hence we need them.

How to obtain Digital Signature Certificate from a Certifying Authority?

There are three major ways in which a person can obtain DSC from a certifying authority.

 Those who want to apply for Digital Signature Certificate can directly approach Certifying Authorities (CAs) with original supporting documents, and self-attested copies will be sufficient in this case. A licensed CA (who has been granted a license to issue a digital signature certificate under Section 24 of the Indian IT-Act 2000) issues the digital signature.

 DSCs can also be obtained, wherever offered by CA, using Aadhar eKYC based authentication. In this case, supporting documents are not required.

A letter/certificate issued by a Bank containing the DSC applicants information as retained in the Bank database can be accepted. However, such a letter or certificate should be certified by the Bank Manager.

It may be noted that the Income Tax department has informed tax payers via an e-mail communication, asking them to re-register their digital signature certificate (DSC) once again on the newly launched IT website.

The new URL http://incometax.Gov.In has now replaced the long-existing http://incometaxindiaefiling.Gov.In, and it went live at 8:45 pm on June 7.

Dear Taxpayer, Please ensure that you re-register your current valid DSC on the new e-filing portal www.incometax.gov.in from June 7th onwards. The earlier digital signature (DSC) registration on the old portal cannot be migrated due to security and technical reasons, reads the communication.

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On World Oceans Day, the National Geographic announced that it would acknowledge a fifth ocean - the Southern Ocean. Thus far four oceans have been known: Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, and Arctic.

The Southern Ocean has long been recognized by scientists, but because there was never agreement internationally, we never officially recognized it, National Geographic Society Geographer Alex Tait said in a report on published on National Geographic's official website.

Notably, while other oceans are identified by the region they surround, the Southern Ocean is defined by its current, the National Geography said in a report.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Southern Ocean covers 30 percent of the Earth's ocean surface. It is made up of the waters encircling Antarctica.

The development came when the need to put more focus on the region's peril and the need for conservation has became imminent.

Antarctica has been facing the brunt of climate change and rapid warming of the planet and scientists are studying the impact on the Southern Ocean, which is home to a delicate marine ecosystem that includes whales, penguins and seals.

In 2000, the boundaries of the ocean were proposed but all countries did not agree to it thus making it difficult to be recognised by the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO).
A South African woman has claimed that she has given birth to 10 babies in what could be a new Guinness World Record.

The 37-year-old woman identified as Gosiame Thamara Sithole is said to be in good health after her delivery which was by a caesarean section around 29 weeks into her pregnancy at a hospital in Pretoria on Monday evening, the BBC reported quoting official sources.

Gosiame's husband Teboho Tsotetsi says they were astonished at the birth of decuplets as the scans of the womb had showed only eight. "It's seven boys and three girls. I am happy. I am emotional. I can't talk much," he told South Africa's Pretoria News.

Gosiame from Gauteng said that her pregnancy was natural and that she did not undergo any fertility treatments.

Menwhile, Guinness World Records told the BBC it was investigating the case.

Guinness World Records is aware of the news that Gosiame Thamara Sithole has given birth to decuplets, and we send our congratulations and best wishes to the family, a spokesperson told The Post on Tuesday.

The feat has not been confirmed by doctors or the Guinness World Records. If confirmed, Gosiame's 10-child delivery will be the first-known case of decuplets.

Gosiame previously gave birth to twins, who are now six years old.

Last month, 25-year-old Halima Cisse from Mali gave birth to nine babies, who are reportedly doing well at a clinic in Morocco.
"I simply assign all my abilities towards initiatives that are centred around the welfare of people, being driven by the need to make this world a better place to live in, I am dedicated to the belief that a group of committed individuals have the capacity to bring revolutions."

Such profound words are the motivation that drives some of the most revolutionary campaigns that the man in frame leads with. Priyank Shah is a young and dynamic socio- political geek who has carved an identity for himself for his overarching efforts at empowering society in various endeavours.

Priyank Shah inspires citizens today with various expansive roles of being a visionary entrepreneur, a dexterous social worker, motivational speaker and founding member to various foresighted initiatives such as Pune Covid Bulletin, Youth Connect Pune, to name a few.

A foodie himself, Priyank is the founder of two noteworthy pure vegetarian restaurants - Gokul Pure Veg and Samadhan Pure Veg.

Having worked relentlessly towards empowering individuals throughout the course of the Covid-19 pandemic, Priyank Shah has also led from the front in various food distribution campaigns to the needy through 'Youth Connect', an initiative by Hon. Vandana Chavan a member of parliament(Rajya Sabha).

A motivational speaker par excellence, Priyank has the power to drive people in being the best version of themselves through his inspirational and encouraging talks.

Being a founding member of the Pune Covid Bulletin, Priyank Shah also hosts a weekly live session on the official handle of the organisation called 'Doctor on call', where Covid specialist Dr Shishir Joshi, puts doubts and apprehensions of the viewers to rest.

Another benevolent and kind gesture of this young dynamo has seen him start the initiative Raat Ka Dabba', through which he has taken the task of distributing 50 food packets a day, to the needy and underprivileged. This magnanimous man is driven by the motto of the initiative 'no one should sleep hungry' amidst the pandemic.

Being an active social worker, Priyank has put overarching efforts in campaigns that are aimed at tree plantations, environment conservation and safeguarding the wildfire.

He, along with a team of environment conservation enthusiasts has helped identify feeding places for bird and planted bird nests and Bird Feeders to save as many birds as possible.

It is because of such notable actions of Priyank Shah that he has been conferred with the celebrated position of being the Vice President of Industry & Business cell of the NCP, (National Congress party). With such breakthrough and visionary endeavours, Priyank has become a renowned name that stands for dedicating his life for the service of plant, animal and human lives while leading as an entrepreneurial stalwart.

(Disclaimer: This is a featured article.)

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New Delhi: Television stars Nia Sharma and Devoleena Bhattacharjee had a verbal fight recently over Pearl V Puri minor rape case. After slamming each other on the social media platform, the two telly stars decided to bury their hatchet and apologised to each other.

Nia Sharma wrote in a note on Instagram Stories, "My mom, brother and Ravi very lovingly told me I wasn't right and considering the three close ones can't be wrong. ...so Here I go. Hey @devoleena I may have crossed a line in being personal...I'm sorry It was impulsive. Hope you'll forget."

Devoleena responded saying, "Hey Nia Sharma that is ok. Forgive me too if I have hurt you though that wasn't my intention at all. Convey my regards to your mom, brother and Ravi. Stay safe and take care."

For the unversed, actress Nia Sharma took a dig at actress Devoleena Bhattacharjee who earlier slammed netizens for cursing the minor girl who complained against actor Pearl V Puri of rape.

Actor Pearl V Puri is charged for raping a minor girl in 2019 and is booked under the section of The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act is currently under custody.

The 31-year-old "Naagin 3" actor was booked by Mira-Bhayander Vasai-Virar Police Commissionerate, invoking charges of IPC Sec. 376 AB and POCSO Act, 4, 8, 12,19, 21 for the rape of the minor girl, said the officials.

The actor has received immense support from his industry friends including Ekta Kapoor, Anita Hassanandani, Surbhi Jyoti, Suyyash Rai among others.
NEW DELHI: A young woman from Mirzapur, who was allegedly gang-raped by some doctors of the SRN Hospital in Prayagraj, died on Tuesday. The woman was admitted to the hospital for some intestinal problems on May 29.

On June 1, the woman was taken to the Operation Theatre for surgery during which she was allegedly gang-raped by a group of doctors. The woman, who was very uncomfortable after the surgery, revealed to her brother in a note that she was allegedly gang-raped by the hospital doctors inside the OT.

The victim wrote on a piece of paper with trembling hands that the doctors are not good, no treatment was given to her and they did something wrong'' to her. The womans brother made a video of the girl in which she can be seen pleading for help and writing a short note about what all happened to her inside the OT.

He also reported the matter to the local police. CO Kotwali Satyendra Tiwari also reached the spot and questioned the victim's mother and other relatives. However, according to the police, the family members did not make any such allegations against the doctors. The police team said that they will come back to record the statement of the victim after she regains consciousness, but the girl died shortly after that.

The video has now gone viral on the social media platform and two inquiry committees have been constituted to investigate the serious allegations of gang rape made by the woman against the SRN Hospital doctors.

One investigation committee has been constituted by the SRN Medical College's Principal Professor SP Singh, while the second investigation team has been constituted by the CMO Prayagraj. Dr. Vatsala Mishra, Dr. Ajay Kumar, Dr. Arvind Gupta, Dr. Amrita Chaurasia and Dr. Archana Kaul have been included in this investigation team.

On the recommendation of the Principal of the Medical College, the womans medical examination was done at the District Women's Hospital, Dufferin.

According to Prof SP Singh, there were four female surgeons, one female nurse, and two male doctors in the OT at the time of the operation. The report given by the team constituted by the SRN Medical College principal has also ruled out a gang-rape with the victim.

Meanwhile, the Kotwali Police investigating the case is of the opinion that the woman was thirsty, and when the doctors refused to give her water, she was very upset.

According to the police, she was not in a good mental state after that. Later her condition became critical and, possibly due to this, she made sensational allegations against the doctors.

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Kolkata: Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait met West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday seeking her support to the farmers' ongoing protest against the Centre's controversial farm laws and other issues related to agriculture.

During the meeting, the West Bengal Chief Minister assured Tikait of full support to the farmers' ongoing protests against the Centres three controversial farm laws.

Kolkata | Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait meets West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee on issues related to agriculture and local farmers pic.twitter.com/BOedBFN1hp  ANI (@ANI) June 9, 2021

Mamata Banerjee said that her party Trinamool Congress fully stands with the farmers movement until all their demands are met. We have passed the resolution against the farm laws. We are with farmers, with their movement until their demands are met, Mamata Banerjee said.

The TMC supremo further said that industries are suffering and GST is being levied on medicines. For the last 7 months, they (Central government) didn't bother to speak to farmers. I demand that all three farm laws are withdrawn, Banerjee said.

Industries are suffering and GST is being levied on medicines. For the last 7 months, they (Central government) didn't bother to speak to farmers. I demand that all three farm laws are withdrawn: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee pic.twitter.com/Qc8W6MesNU  ANI (@ANI) June 9, 2021

In his turn, the BKU leader said, ''The Chief Minister assured us that she will continue to support the farmers' movement. We thank her for this assurance. West Bengal should work as a model state and farmers should be given more benefits.

The Bharatiya Kisan Union leader further said that the protest will continue and urged the CM to focus on national issues which need attention.

Tikait had visited Bengal before the state assembly elections and campaigned for TMC. He visited hotly contested Nandigram, where Banerjee faced her protege-turned-adversary BJPs Suvendu Adhikari and asked people to vote against BJP.

Tikait and other farmer leaders have been agitating on Delhi's borders for more than a year against three farm laws passed by the Parliament which they feel will commercialise agriculture without adequate protection to small farmers from exploitation by large retail chains and industry.

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Johannesburg: A 56-year-old great-granddaughter of Mahatma Gandhi, who was an accused in a six-million rand fraud and forgery case, has been sentenced to seven years in jail by a Durban court.

Ashish Lata Ramgobin was found guilty by the court on Monday.

She was accused of defrauding businessman SR Maharaj after he advanced R6.2 million to her for allegedly clearing import and Customs duties for a non-existent consignment from India. He was promised a share of profits.

Lata Ramgobin, who is the daughter of noted rights activists Ela Gandhi and late Mewa Ramgobind, was also refused leave to appeal both the conviction and the sentence by the Durban Specialised Commercial Crime Court.

When trial in the case against Lata Ramgobin started in 2015, Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) had said that she allegedly provided forged invoices and documents to convince potential investors that three containers of linen were being shipped in from India.

At that time, Lata Ramgobin was released on a bail of 50,000 rand.

On Monday, the court during the hearing was informed that Lata Ramgobin had met Maharaj, director of the New Africa Alliance Footwear Distributors, in August 2015. The company imports and manufactures and sells clothing, linen and footwear. Maharaj's company also provides finance to other companies on a profit-share basis. Lata Ramgobin had told Maharaj that she had imported three containers of linen for the South African Hospital Group NetCare.

"She said she was experiencing financial difficulties to pay for import costs and customs and she needed the money to clear the goods at the harbour," NPA spokesperson Natasha Kara said on Monday.

"She advised him (Maharaj) that she needed R6.2 million. To convince him, she showed him what she claimed was a signed purchase order for the goods. Later that month, she sent him what seemed to be a NetCare invoice and delivery note as proof that the goods were delivered and payment was imminent," she said.

Lata Ramgobin 'further sent him confirmation from NetCare's bank account that payment had been made', Kara said.

Because of Ramgobin's family credentials and NetCare documents, Maharaj had entered into a written agreement with her for the loan.

However, after Maharaj found out that the documents were forged and NetCare had no arrangements with Lata Ramgobin, he laid criminal charges.

Ramgobin was founder and executive director of the Participative Development Initiative at the NGO International Centre for Non-Violence, where she described herself as 'an activist with focus on environmental, societal and political interests.'

A number of other descendants of Mahatma Gandhi are human rights activists and among them are Lata Ramgobin's cousins Kirti Menon, the late Satish Dhupelia, and Uma Dhupelia-Mesthrie.

Ramgobin's mother Ela Gandhi in particular has been internationally recognised for her efforts, including national honours from both India and South Africa.
Tracey Keith Loy (left) of St. George, Utah and Mark Gatten of Quaker City, Ohio have been charged in connection with the 1986 death of a man in Canyon Lake.
Woburn, MA (01801)

Today

Some clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 59F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph..

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Some clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 59F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph.
South Africa: Government calls for more information on birth of 10 babies

This story has been published on: 2021-06-09. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.

Government remains committed and capable of managing the COVID-19 pandemic, executing a ramped up vaccination programme and running the national programmes under the acting Health Minister, Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane. This assurance was given by Health Department Director-General, Dr Sandile Buthelezi, after President Cyril Ramaphosa plac... See more
According to statistics, in the first quarter of 2021, there were 83 kinds of price increases, accounting for 90.21%. The average decrease in the quarter is + 20.48%, which is the highest in the past three years. The price of many products can be called ...
The vaccine is already available, but the epidemic is still getting worse. The number of newly diagnosed new crown cases in Germany has exceeded 20,000 daily, and the disease control department expects that the future will continue to "significantly incr...
According to Russian Satellite Network reports, on the 26th local time, Russian President Putin and US President Biden had a call. This was the first call between the two parties after Biden took office. The Kremlin Information Bureau announced that Puti...
Woodville, AL (35768)

Today

Some clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low near 70F. Winds light and variable..

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Some clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low near 70F. Winds light and variable.
It was no secret President Joe Bidens nominee to direct the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, David Chipman, supports a ban on commonly-owned semiautomatic firearms like the AR-15 and wants to force current assault weapons owners to register their firearms with the federal government through the National Firearms Act or forfeit their guns. After all, Chipman has worked as a paid gun control advocate for both Giffords (formerly Americans for Responsible Solutions and Legal Community Against Violence) and civilian disarmament financier Michael Bloombergs Mayors Against Illegal Guns. However, an exchange during the anti-gun fanatics May 26 Senate confirmation hearing broke new ground for American anti-gun extremism by revealing the outrageous range of rifles Chipman would ban.

At the hearing, Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) asked the nominee, Mr. Chipman you have called for an assault weapon ban. I have a simple question for you. What is an assault weapon? After some evasion from Chipman, Sen. Cotton reiterated his question, which resulted in the following exchange.

Sen. Cotton: "What is an assault weapon? How would you define it if you were the chair, the head of the ATF, how have you defined it over the last several years in your role as a gun control advocate?" Chipman: "Senator, um if I'm confirmed as ATF director um you know my recollection is the only um process by which ATF has weighed in is I know there's a demand letter three program which requires multiple reports, multiple sale reports on the southwestern border. ATF in that program has ATF in that program has defined an assault rifle as any semi-automatic rifle capable of accepting a detachable magazine above the caliber of .22..."

For decades, gun control advocates have endorsed a feature test to determine what firearms are to be defined as assault weapons. Under this rubric, a semi-automatic firearm must be capable of accepting a detachable magazine and be equipped with one or more prohibited features in order to qualify as an assault weapon. Under the 1994 Clinton assault weapons ban, these features included items such as a pistol grip, bayonet mount, and adjustable stock. .....
Kokomo School Corporation is enticing staff members to receive the COVID-19 vaccine by offering a $750 stipend.

On June 7, the school board approved a recommendation to offer the stipend to qualified school employees, which will be paid through utilizing the CARES Act, ESSER II, and other grants. To be eligible, employees must be board-approved and submit vaccination documentation on or before Aug. 2. The stipend will be given to those who already have been vaccinated as well.

At this time, no employees are required to obtain the vaccination.

Kokomo School Corp. Superintendent Jeff Hauswald conservatively estimated that the cost incurred from the stipend would be $600,000.

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The reasoning for this vaccination stipend is a corporation effort to maintain school operations and services during the COVID-19 pandemic by helping staff members overcome the barriers to securing the COVID-19 vaccines, as well as a direct effort to coordinate preparedness by providing school leaders with resources to help reduce the spread of the COVID virus, and keep schools operating by reducing absences of staff due to COVID-19 related reasons, according to a press release from the school. Staff members and eligible students who are vaccinated currently do not have to quarantine if exposed to someone with COVID-19, so limiting the spread of COVID-19 can help alleviate restrictions on school activities, can help our schools remain open for in-person instruction by keeping staffing levels at acceptable levels for operation, and reduce the spread of the covid virus within our community. Absences of teachers increase the number of substitute teachers necessary at a time when a shortage of substitute teachers already exists within our community and statewide.

Howard County Health Officer and Kokomo School Corporation Health Clinic Physician Dr. Emily Backer reiterated her support for vaccinating against COVID-19.

I very strongly recommend that all my patients get the covid vaccine, Dr. Backer said. It is extremely safe and also very effective. The sooner everyone gets vaccinated, the sooner we can put this pandemic behind us and get on with more normal lives. Getting the vaccine not only protects you, but also those around you. It is important to remember that those under age 12 are not eligible for a vaccine yet, so by the rest of us getting vaccinated, we are helping to protect those under 12 from getting sick.

Dr. Backer also said the vaccines being used in the United States offer protection against the variants of the COVID virus.

It is important to realize that we do have a more contagious variant of the COVID virus (B.117, the British variant) that is now the dominant strain in Indiana, Dr. Backer said. It is more than 70 percent more contagious than the original version and causes more severe illness. The vaccines we use in the U.S. protect very well against this British variant. Plus, if you already have had covid you may have some immunity but no one knows how long it will last. It is still recommended you get the vaccine as it gives more consistent and higher immunity than having the disease itself.
Naya Rivera's father has recalled that he urged her not to go swimming before her death.

The 'Glee' actress died at the age of 33 in July 2020 after drowning at Lake Piru in California while swimming with her four-year-old son Josey  who was found alive on their rented boat  and George Rivera recalled the horrible feeling he had after what turned out to be the pair's final FaceTime call.

George told People magazine: "She would always bounce stuff off me. And she wanted to go swimming with Josey out in the middle of the lake."

The avid boater admits that he was alarmed when his daughter informed him that the boat didn't have an anchor.

George said: "I could see the wind was blowing and my stomach was just cringing. I kept telling her, 'Don't get out of the boat! Don't get out of the boat! It will drift away when you're in the water.' It was just heartbreaking.

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"I had this bad feeling that was just killing me."

Naya's body was found in the lake five days after the incident by Ventura County police with a medical report revealing that she drowned after exhausting herself as she struggled to get Josey back on the boat and George doubts that he will ever find "closure" from the tragedy.

He shared: "It's still pretty much a big blur of pain almost a year later. Things are slowly coming a little more into focus, but I don't know if I'll ever find closure from this. I miss her every day."

A post-mortem report explained how Naya raised her arm and called for help during her last moments.

The report said: "She helped him onto the boat and he then heard (his mother) yell 'help' and she put her arm in the air. She then disappeared into the water."
South Africa: Parents urged to protect children

KwaZulu-Natal Social Development MEC Nonhlanhla Khoza, has urged parents to protect children from all forms of abuse, violence and inhumane treatment.

"Protection of children is our responsibility. We have to protect these children from exploitation, violence and abuse. We cannot keep quiet when we see children in our neighbourhood being abused," Khoza said.

The MEC emphasised that parents should know the whereabouts of their children at all times, and pay attention to what they tell them.

We want to see more cases of child abuse behind closed doors being reported to the law enforcement agencies. It is unacceptable when parents protect those who violate children's rights," she said.

The MEC made the call during a handover ceremony of a mobile Early Childhood Development (ECD) centre at olwasini area in Umdoni Local Municipality, on Tuesday.

The department has funded a non-profit organisation, Tree, to the tune of R1.1 million to operate the ECD centre, pay salaries, provide maintenance of the truck, and the provision of nutritious food to children.

The centre will benefit children in Ward 2 and 18 from Umziwabantu and Umdoni Municipalities.

The handing over of the ECD was in line with Child Protection Week, which ended on Tuesday. During Child Protection Week, society is encouraged to promote the childrens rights and ensure their protection.

Khoza said mobile ECD centres play a significant role in ensuring that no one is able to conceal cases of child abuse, and also ensure child care and protection.

It is the most important tool to ensure cognitive stimulation of children in their first 1 000 days. It is very easy to identify abused children when they attend ECD centres as our practitioners are trained to do so.

We also do not expect children to be abused in ECD centres. People employed to take care of children have to go through a vigorous process of screening to ensure they have no criminal cases or were once involved in abuse of children," Khoza said.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2021-06-09. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
A subprime auto loan company that allegedly violated Indiana consumer protection laws has agreed to waive more than $14.1 million in vehicle debt and pay restitution of $261 each to more than 5,000 Hoosiers.

Attorney General Todd Rokita announced Tuesday the Indiana impact of the multistate settlement reached last year between 33 states and Santander Consumer USA Inc.

WATCH NOW: Assistance available to help Hoosier renters pay landlord, utility costs

Rokita said the $261 checks soon should be arriving in the mailboxes of eligible Hoosiers who did business with the lending company.

"As part of our mission to protect Hoosier consumers, we will continue to hold businesses accountable for following the law," Rokita said. "Hard-working families face enough challenges without having to contend with companies trying to take advantage of them."

According to the attorney general's office, Santander allegedly used sophisticated credit scoring models to predict which borrowers were likely to default on its auto loans, and then saddled those borrowers with hefty loan payments relative to their incomes plus significant fees.

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WATCH NOW: Riding Shotgun with NWI Cops  Patrolling Lowell with Cpl. Aaron Crawford

Santanders aggressive pursuit of market share also allegedly spurred it to ignore auto dealers potentially abusing the system by falsely reporting consumer income and expenses. Santander allegedly misled consumers about their rights and the risks of partial payments and loan extensions, the attorney general said.

The settlement agreement requires Santander going forward to factor a consumers ability to repay a loan into its underwriting considerations.

Records show the state of Indiana received $30,000 in civil penalties from Santander, in addition to the 1,515 forgiven Indiana loans and restitution checks to eligible Hoosiers.

Gallery: Recent arrests booked into Lake County Jail
(The Center Square)  Three companies announced Indiana as the location for new economic projects this week, including one that picked the Hoosier state for a new state-of-the-art production facility.

A logistics firm, a board game manufacturer and a pasta maker all received state and local tax incentives at a cost of at least $2.85 million to create more than 300 new jobs.

As the Crossroads of America, we are perfectly positioned to help companies reach customers across the Midwest, across the country and around the globe, Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb said.

Nevada-based ITS Logistics, a third-party logistics company, will open operations in Boone County and create up to 199 new jobs by the end of 2024. The plans call for an $11.8 million investment in a 350,000-square-feet facility that will be combined with an existing 1 million-square-feet West Coast distribution space.

When researching regions in the eastern United States to expand our business, central Indiana was the obvious choice for several reasons  the geographic distribution advantages, the overall quality of the workforce, the strong partnership with [Indiana Economic Development Corp.], the fact that Indiana is an extremely business-friendly state and a place where we truly feel that we can grow our culture and one day provide employment for more than 500 ITS team members, ITS President Ryan Martin said.

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IEDC offered ITS up to $1.5 million in conditional tax credits based on job creation plans. The town of Whitestown also is considering additional incentives.

Quality Pasta Co., which makes pasta dinners and side dishes, will build a new operation in northwest Indiana, creating up to 70 new jobs by the end of 2024.

The Pennsylvania-based company plans a $13.3 million investment to lease and upgrade an existing nearly 90,000-square-feet facility in Merrillville. It should be fully operational by this fall.

The IEDC offered Quality Pasta up to $525,000 in conditional tax credits based on job creation. The town of Merrillville also provided incentives.

Ludo Fact USA, a global maker of board games and puzzles, will expand operations in Tippecanoe County and add 114 new jobs. The company received $825,000 in state jobs creation incentives.
WASHINGTON  U.S. Senator Todd Youngs (R-Ind.) Endless Frontier Act, a landmark bill to out-compete China in key emerging technology areas critical to our national security, passed the Senate today by a vote of 68-32. The bill, which was reintroduced in April, now heads to the House.

Americans have always looked towards the frontier and forward to new horizons. This bill, this moment, its not only about beating the Chinese Communist Party; the Endless Frontier Act is about using their challenge to become a better version of ourselves through investment in innovation. Im proud the Senate voted to advance this bill to outcompete China and invest in the U.S. Let history record that, at this moment, we stood united. That by confronting the challenges of today, we built a brighter tomorrow for Americans. That a new generation of doers and dreamers pressed America on, once again, towards the endless frontier  through the Endless Frontier Act, Young said in a news release.

Earlier last month, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, favorably reported the bill by a strong bipartisan vote of 24-4. A substitute amendment on the Senate floor then incorporated contributions from a variety of other Senate committees on related policy issues, under the new bill title of the United States Innovation and Competition Act (USICA) of 2021. Go to https://www.democrats.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/USICA%20Summary%205.17.21.pdf for a summary of the substitute amendment.

Two weeks ago, Senator Young touted his Endless Frontier Act on the Senate floor. To watch his remarks, go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wxl5UUAQplo.

In addition to the Endless Frontier Act, a number of other provisions championed by Young were incorporated in the final USICA, including:

 Global Economic Security Strategy: Based on the belief that global stability and the national security of the United States depend in large part on a vibrant, growing, and secure economy, the provision would require the U.S. to prepare a strategy to promote and protect our economic security by responding in the most effective manner possible to international predatory economic practices.

 Bill to Investigate Chinas Influence in Multilateral Organizations: As Chinas influence grows in international organizations, the risk grows that China will undermine rather than advance multilateral solutions to pressing global challenges, such as human rights abuses, nuclear proliferation, pandemic disease, global economic crises, and climate change. The provision would require intelligence reports on Chinese objectives, tactics, and influence in international organizations.

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 Democracy Technology Partnership Act: The provision would establish a U.S. interagency office at the State Department, tasked with creating a partnership among democratic countries to help set international standards and norms, conduct joint research, and coordinate export controls and investment screening on emerging and critical technologies.

 Strategic Competition Act of 2021: One of the provisions in this division of the USICA would create an intra-parliamentary working group to link legislators from the United States, Japan, Australia, and India, collectively known as the Quad, to facilitate progress in key areas of cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region.

 Taiwan Symbols of Sovereignty (Taiwan SOS) Act: Provision would allow diplomats and service members in the Taiwanese military to display their flag and wear their uniforms while in the United States on official businesses.

 Trade Act of 2021: This amendment contains several trade priorities supported by Senator Young including providing tools to the U.S. Trade Representative to address Chinas censorship and intellectual property violations, establishing a formal process to consider Section 301 exclusions, reauthorization of the Miscellaneous Tariff Bill and an improved Generalized System of Preferences, and efforts to combat the use of forced labor.

 A proposal to establish an online toolkit and database to support supply chain mapping (Young Amdt. #1983 was included in Crapo Amdt. #1562 (Trade Act of 2021), as modified and adopted).

 Advancing International and Foreign Language Education Act: This bill would equip students with foreign language and international education to enhance our national security and global competitiveness.
On Yuka Saso's victory

In lieu of the recent US Open win of Yuka Saso, I filed a Senate resolution 748, commending and congratulating her momentous achievement.

"Congratulations for bringing an unexpected victory for our people! Our hearts beam with pride and joy with this milestone in Philippine sports. We are extremely proud of your achievement.

The sight of you with that birdie on the third playoff hole, which gave you the 2021 US Women's Open title, was the perfect weekday opening that brought a much-needed breather to the Filipino people from the barrage of gloomy updates on the continued threat of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

This achievement should serve as a fitting reminder to all Filipinos that amid our struggles, there is always something good to look forward to. Thank you, Yuka Saso for being the Filipino people's silver lining during this challenging time."
Press Release

June 9, 2021 COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC ORDER AND DANGEROUS DRUGS

COMMITTEE HEARING

KILLING OF CALBAYOG CITY MAYOR RONALDO AQUINO

June 9, 2021; 9:00AM III. OPENING STATEMENT SEN. DELA ROSA: Magandang umaga muli sa ating lahat. March 8, 2021 was supposed to be a day of celebration and merriment. Calbayog City Mayor Ronaldo Aquino, accompanied by his security escorts, was on his way to his son's birthday. However, they did not make it to the birthday at all. The mayor and some of his companions were killed in what appeared to be an alleged shootout between Mayor Aquino's bodyguards and the personnel of the Philippine National Police. Before anything else, please allow me to extend my deepest sympathies to the bereaved families of those who lost their lives in this unfortunate incident. To the Aquino family, condolence sainyo ma'am, sir. At saka to the bereaved family of the killed policemen. Yung, dalawa ba yung pulis na namatay? We also extend our condolences to them. While we are not a court of justice to determine who should be held accountable as this power is exclusively vested in the Judiciary, we are called upon by our sworn duty as members of the Legislature. Our investigation, in aid of legislation, is the first step in ensuring that this incident will not be repeated through the enactment of applicable laws or improvement of our existing ones. This hearing, therefore, is a way for this representation, as well as the members of this Committee, to heed the call for justice. We must begin by getting the facts straight. Noong unang inilabas ang report tungkol sa insidente, 'ambush' ang salitang ginamit. Kinabukasan, atin nang nabalitaan na ang nasabing ambush ay isa na palang shootout, sa pagitan ng kampo ni Mayor Aquino at ng mga pulis. Alin nga ba ang totoo: ambush o shootout? Another issue that has surfaced is the drug angle. Were these tragic deaths related to an alleged 'drug list'? While we know how important it is for this government to push through with its drug war, the emphasis must still be on employing just means to secure just ends. The government's war on drugs has seen its share of successes over the years in this administration. We have worked hard to make sure that this war remains true to its original intent: to cleanse this country of the drug menace. That is why it saddens me whenever the same drug war is allegedly being twisted and used to forward some other personal or even political agenda. We should also give emphasis on how we can better preserve the crime scene. Contamination of the area where an alleged crime was committed and all possible evidence to be recovered is, in a way, a form of injustice to the victims and something that we must be worried about. In view of the facts that will be laid down in this investigation, we may then examine if there are existing gaps in legislation, particularly in the conduct of police operations, and if so, how we can best address them. Truly, to the extent possible, our pursuit for law and order must not result in the loss of lives. The promise to serve and protect is a duty that must be done for all, be it an ordinary citizen or a public official. At the same time, those who have chosen the path of politics and public service must carry out their duties with integrity and honor. In the end, I would like to repeat my earlier point. It is not enough for us to say that our end goal is justice. The means we undertake to achieve justice must, in themselves, be just. I look forward to our discussion in this hearing, not only to get a grasp of the facts, but more importantly to help us all draw closer to the truth. Maraming salamat po sa inyong lahat.
Press Release

June 9, 2021 Drilon: High rate of people who failed to complete COVID-19 doses could undermine vaccination success Senate Minority Leader Franklin M. Drilon expressed serious concerns about the high percentage of people who did not return for their second dose of COVID-19 vaccines, saying it could undermine the country's vaccination program. Drilon likewise hit the government's sluggish vaccination program with only 1.2 million Filipinos who completed their first and second doses as of June 2, putting the government far short of its target to vaccinate at least 70 million of the population. "The government must ramp up its vaccination drive and increase its daily vaccination rate. Because, at the rate it is going now, I do not see the light at the end of the tunnel," Drilon said. "The government must remember that our economic recovery depends largely on our ability to inoculate at least 70 percent of our countrymen as effectively and as fast as we can," said Drilon. The World Bank recently downgraded its Philippine economic forecast to 4.7 percent from the previous forecast of 5.5 percent due to the rising COVID-19 cases and the reimposition of stricter community quarantine. Out of over 4,003,776 who received COVID-19 vaccines since the country began its inoculation program late February, only 1,244,582 completed the required two doses, Drilon said citing the report submitted by the IATF to the Senate as of June 2. Drilon said that translates to roughly 30 percent, leaving 70 percent who have yet to receive their second dose. "The government needs to ensure that people return for their second dose. The IATF has to intensify its information drive and innovate in order to get people to complete their doses," Drilon said. Drilon said the high number of people who have not returned for second doses could undermine the success of our inoculation program against coronavirus disease. "How many of the 70 percent actually skipped their second vaccine dose? If we do not convince them to complete their doses, it will be detrimental to the success of our COVID-19 vaccination program. We will not achieve herd immunity at this rate," he stressed. "Complete your vaccine. Don't skip your second shot," Drilon appealed to Filipinos. Drilon also expressed concerns that only 20 percent of senior citizens and people with comorbidities were inoculated with COVID-19 vaccines since the rollout of the government's vaccination program in March. Dr. John Wong, a health expert, recently said that the government missed its target of inoculating senior citizens and people with comorbidities as the government has vaccinated only 1.3 million out of 9.4 million senior citizens and 1.1 million out of 14.5 million people with comorbidities since the start of the inoculation drive in February.
Morocco and Turkey have voiced their shared determination to bolster their partnership, particularly in the economic and investment field, to strengthen their diplomatic relations, and to carry on coordination and consultation on issues of common interest, in particular on Libya, the Middle East, and the Mediterranean.

This shared resolve was expressed by the Moroccan and Turkish Foreign Ministers, Nasser Bourita and Mevlut Cavusoglu, during talks they held on Tuesday by videoconference.

The Turkish official seized this opportunity to hail the leadership of King Mohammed VI and to commend Morocco for its role as a pole of stability and development in the region.

During the talks, the two officials expressed satisfaction at the excellent relations of friendship and cooperation binding the two countries and stressed the need to reactivate the partnership mechanisms, through the organization of new sessions of the political dialogue and of the Joint Commission.

They also agreed on the need to consolidate economic partnership through the establishment of an investment promotion roadmap focusing on new value chains.

In this vein, they announced the organization, on the sidelines of the coming meeting of the Joint Commission, of an economic forum that will be dedicated to trade and investment.

The two ministers also discussed the health situation and the efforts made by their respective countries to fight the pandemic. They decided, in this connection, to mutually recognize the COVID-19 vaccination certificates issued by the two countries health authorities.

Exchanging viewpoints on a number of regional and international issues, they pledged to continue coordination and consultation on issues of common interest, in particular on Libya, the Middle East and the Mediterranean.
Russian state-run energy company Rosneft has begun promotion of the Northern Sea Route through which it hopes to begin in 2024 its massive Vostok Oil project as the alternative to the Suez Canal which was closed to traffic for days in March 2021, owing to obstruction created by large shipping.

The energy producer, Reuters reported, met large contractors from Italy, Germany, China, South Korea and Japan as part of its road show.

The project, the company said, requires 6.2 billion tons of oil, three airfields, two sea terminals, a railway, some 50 vessels and facilities to generate 3,600 megawatts of power. Russia describes the Northern Sea Route safer and more reliable than the Suez Canal.

Egyptian authorities in March suspended for six days maritime traffic in the canal after Panama-registered vessel Ever Given was stranded and blocked the passage. Authorities reopened the canal on March 29th after successful refloating of the giant container vessel.
Likewise, the government agency specified that the armed institutions are deliberative and subordinate to the constitutional power. Therefore, any call to interrupt this task is inappropriate for a democracy.

"In addition, we urge all Peruvians to respect the results of the electoral process and to work together to strengthen democracy and promote the development of the country. We call for unity above all our differences," the document read.

?? [Comunicado]



Frente a la difusion en redes sociales con llamados a la intervencion de las Fuerzas Armadas en asuntos netamente electorales o politicos. pic.twitter.com/xEvGmDc139
#Elecciones2021 | #CongresistasElectos

Sabias que diez partidos politicos lograron alcanzar escanos en el Congreso de la Republica para el periodo 2021-2026, es decir un partido politico mas que en el actual Congreso? pic.twitter.com/DwOD54aWPV
The ruling party and opposition issue a joint statement urging NATO to continue close cooperation with Georgia

By Veronika Malinboym

Earlier today, Georgias ruling Georgian Dream party and the countrys opposition signed a joint statement urging NATO and its member states to continue close cooperation with Georgia ahead of the NATO Summit:We call on NATO and its member states to continue to work closely with Georgia as the country prepares to pursue ambitious reforms aimed at consolidating democracy, jointly agreed upon by parliamentary political parties, as well as to provide stronger assistance and share the experience in the fight against growing and hybrid threats, the joint statement reads.Both the opposition and the ruling party MPs have also thanked NATO for its substantial political and practical support and reinstated that for Georgia, NATO membership is a fundamental national security concern of Georgia and is based on undisputed, broad political and public support:We underscore the importance of political decision-making in bringing Georgia closer to membership in the Alliance. The accession of Georgia and other Eastern European countries to NATO will strengthen the security and stability of the Euro-Atlantic area, stop potential aggressors and bring us closer to a united, free and peaceful Europe.The statement also called for a deeper cooperation in the security of the Black Sea:We emphasize the importance of deepening cooperation for Black Sea security. The security environment in the wider Black Sea region has deteriorated significantly in recent years. Russia's actions threaten regional security and the democracies of the region. Given the current situation, NATO involvement in the Black Sea region, as an important deterrent and stabilizing factor, is gaining much more importance than before.Finally, in their joint statement, opposition and ruling party MPs have expressed Georgias common commitment to a stronger NATO that works to protect freedom-loving nations, including Georgia, in peace, democracy, and prosperity.
YEREVAN, JUNE 9, ARMENPRESS. The United States will continue to take a look at the appropriateness of providing any, including military aid to Azerbaijan, given the maintenance of tension in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict zone, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said during the June 8th Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing.

Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chair Bob Menendez said he was disappointed that the Biden Administration green-lighted the Section 907 waiver renewal despite Azerbaijans attack on Nagorno Karabakh.

Now, after the 907 waiver, interfering with the actual territorial sovereignty of Armenia in the border issue, not releasing the actual prisoners of the conflict in violation of international law  I mean, I think that they [Azerbaijan] can act with impunity and I think when we waived it [Section 907], we gave them that green-light, Menendez said, reported by the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

In response, Secretary Blinken said: We have to continue to take a look at this. I have been working actively on this particularly, getting the return of the prisoners, getting engaged in an actual process discussion negotiation over an actual resolution and working on those things, and it was my hope that we would get a little bit of traction. But I think we have to continue to look at this and re-look at this in the future.
YEREVAN, JUNE 9, ARMENPRESS. The United States is very concerned by recent developments along the international border between Armenia and Azerbaijan, including the detention of six Armenian soldiers by Azerbaijani forces and the recent death of two journalists in a land-mine incident, Acting Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs Philip T. Reeker told reporters in Azerbaijan.

Too many lives have been lost in the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and we are concerned the situation at the border could escalate. We call on both sides to resolve these incidents urgently and peacefully. The United States considers any movements along the non-demarcated areas of the international border between Armenia and Azerbaijan to be provocative and unnecessary. We reject the use of force to demarcate the border and call on both sides to return to their previous positions and to cease military fortification of the non-demarcated border and emplacement of landmines, Mr. Reeker said.

He said the United States urges the sides to return as soon as possible to substantive negotiations under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs to achieve a long-term political settlement to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.

The United States will continue to work with international humanitarian organizations, as well as our Allies and partners, to meet humanitarian needs in the region. But only through a peaceful settlement of the conflict can the people of the South Caucasus truly thrive and prosper, the Acting Assistant Secretary said.

Editing by Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, JUNE 9, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian received the representatives of the United Arab Emirates-based company Masdar - Mohammed al-Shehhi and Vipul Goyal, the Presidential Office told Armenpress.

The company is starting implementing its first investment program in Armenias renewable energy sector, which will launch soon on the sidelines of the AYG-1 solar photovoltaic program.

The respective agreement has been reached during the Armenian Presidents official visit to the UAE. The Armenian State Interests Fund and the Masdar signed a joint development agreement in 2019 in Abu Dhabi with the participation of President Sarkissian, on conducting projects in the renewable energy field with a total capacity of 400 MW.

During the meeting in Yerevan President Armen Sarkissian praised the fact that the agreements reached during the visits to the UAE are being implemented at a high level. We are expecting investments and new cooperation programs also in technologies, agriculture, logistics and other areas. Our countries have a great cooperation potential, the Armenian President told the Masdar representatives.

The meeting was also attended by executive director of the Armenian National Interests Fund Davit Papazyan, who and the Masdar representatives, informed the President about the volumes of new projects, implementation process and expected results.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, JUNE 9, ARMENPRESS. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chair Bob Menendez (D-NJ) told Secretary of State Antony Blinken that the Biden Administrations waiver of Section 907 restrictions on U.S. aid to Azerbaijan gave the green light to the Aliyev regime to act with impunity, ARMENPRESS was informed from the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

The statement came during a June 8th Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing with Secretary of State Blinken on President Bidens Fiscal Year 2022 foreign aid priorities. Secretary Blinken was also confronted with similar concerns regarding continued U.S. aid to Azerbaijan, the ongoing illegal captivity of Armenian prisoners of war (POWs) by the Aliyev regime, and U.S. ties with Turkeys autocratic Erdogan regime during hearings before the House Foreign Affairs Committee and House Appropriations Subcommittee on Foreign Operations this week.

We join with our congressional allies in demanding an immediate stop to any and all US military aid to Azerbaijan, said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. Not a single US taxpayer dollar should be shipped over to the oil-rich, racist, and violent Aliyev regime. Period. End of sentence, concluded Hamparian.

During Senate Foreign Relations Committee questioning, Chairman Menendez explained, I was disappointed that the Administration green-lighted the [Section] 907 waiver renewal despite Azerbaijans attack on Nagorno Karabakh. Now, after the 907 waiver, interfering with the actual territorial sovereignty of Armenia in the border issue, not releasing the actual prisoners of the conflict in violation of international law  I mean, I think that they [Azerbaijan] can act with impunity and I think when we waived it [Section 907], we gave them that green-light.

Secretary Blinken stammered through a clearly strained response, stating We have to continue to take a look at this. I have been working actively on this particularly, getting the return of the prisoners, getting engaged in an actual process discussion negotiation over an actual resolution and working on those things, and it was my hope that we would get a little bit of traction. But I think we have to continue to look at this and re-look at this in the future, continued Secretary Blinken.

During the House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing, senior committee member Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA), told Secretary Blinken, the Administration has issued a Section 907 waiver to allow the sale of weapons to Azerbaijan and I hope that you would reconsider that in light of Azerbaijans violations of territorial integrity not of Nagorno Karabakh, although that is important, but of Armenia, itself, in unprovoked aggression.

During the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Foreign Operations hearing, Chairwoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) noted that she would be submitting a question regarding Nagorno Karabakh and the waiver of Section 907 restrictions on aid to Azerbaijan and requested a written response from Secretary Blinken.

On Turkey, Senator Menendez argued, There are more journalists and lawyers arrested in Turkey today and in jails. Turkey is constantly violating, in my perspective, international law when it threatens Cyprus and its exclusive economic zone, when it declares an economic zone going to Libya that is not recognized at all but interferes with Greeces economic zone, when it engages in aggression against Armenia through Azerbaijan, when its playing a nefarious role in Libya. So, what are we doing to counter Turkey under Erdogan? And, I say Turkey under Erdogan because its not about the Turkish people, but its certainly about its leader.

Secretary Blinken noted that, We certainly share those concerns and have engaged Turkey directly on them. When Secretary Blinken argued that the U.S. must keep Turkey anchored to the West and aligned on some other critical issues, Senator Menendez shot back: I understand we want Turkey anchored to the West but you cant be anchored to the West and drifting in every other direction further away on all the core principles we believe in as a NATO ally and also all the other ones.
YEREVAN, 9 JUNE, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs Armenpress that today, 9 June, USD exchange rate down by 0.26 drams to 519.57 drams. EUR exchange rate up by 0.51 drams to 633.30 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate up by 0.05 drams to 7.20 drams. GBP exchange rate up by 1.76 drams to 736.54 drams.

The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals.

Gold price up by 63.56 drams to 31624.24 drams. Silver price up by 2.03 drams to 462.97 drams. Platinum price down by 110.02 drams to 19477.52 drams.
YEREVAN, JUNE 9, ARMENPRESS. Acting U.S. Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs Philip Reeker has arrived in Armenia in the sidelines of a regional trip, ARMENPRESS reports, the Embassy of the USA in Armenia informed.

We are happy to welcome Acting Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs Philip Reeker to Armenia. He will meet with government, civil society, and business leaders to discuss bilateral priorities and issues related to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, reads the Embassys statement.

Acting Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs Philip T. Reeker is on a regional trip to Tbilisi, Georgia; Baku, Azerbaijan; and Yerevan, Armenia June 6-13 to advance bilateral and regional priorities and to express U.S. support for democratic and economic development across the region.

In Armenia and Azerbaijan, Acting Assistant Secretary Reeker will meet with government, civil society, and business leaders to discuss bilateral priorities and issues related to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
EU warns UK against 'unilateral action' on N.Ireland trade Anger spilled over into violence in April as Northern Ireland unionists rioted for several nights

The European Union on Wednesday threatened the UK with retaliatory action if it refuses to implement post-Brexit trading arrangements in Northern Ireland, after talks to solve the simmering row broke up without agreement.

Visiting European Commission vice-president Maros Sefcovic said Brussels' patience with London was "wearing thin" over its failure to enforce checks on goods heading to the province from mainland Britain.

"Today I can say we are at a crossroads in our relationship with the UK. Trust, which should be at the heart of all relationships, needs to be restored," he told a news conference in London.

There were "numerous and fundamental gaps" in Britain's compliance with the agreement, he added.

"If the UK were to take further unilateral action in the coming weeks, we will not be shy in reacting swiftly, firmly and resolutely."

Asked what form that might take, he said it could include legal action, arbitration or other retaliatory measures, including targeted tariffs, which has prompted talk of a UK-EU "sausage war" on the UK side of the Channel.

But he insisted: "We don't want this to happen... It's not too late. Let's correct the path."

A senior UK official close to the talks also stressed that "nobody wants to get into a trade war or anything close to it," and denied the UK had breached the agreement, saying it had been "designed to give quite wide margins to respond to events."

- 'Frank and honest' -

London and Brussels signed a last-gasp trade deal in December, nearly four years after its landmark Brexit vote and just weeks before Britain left the European single market and customs union.

The two sides negotiated a separate deal for Northern Ireland, which has the UK's only land border with the EU, to prevent unchecked goods entering the single market.

But the port checks on deliveries heading into Northern Ireland from mainland Great Britain -- England, Scotland and Wales -- have caused consternation in unionist communities, which maintain this changes their place in the wider UK.

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Checks had to be suspended earlier this year because of threats to port staff, and the protocol was blamed for the worst violence in years in the British-run province.

An increase in paperwork for GB goods heading to Northern Ireland has caused delays, and in some instances shortages in shops.

The UK has also extended the grace period for checks on British meat products heading to Northern Ireland, including sausages, until the end of this month.

But the government said having to do so was "nonsense". Prime Minister Boris Johnson told parliament he wanted to protect the country's territorial and economic integrity.

"What we are doing is prioritising the right and ability of the people of Northern Ireland to have access, as they should, freely and uninterruptedly, to goods and services from the whole of the UK," he added.

Frost for his part characterised the three-and-a-half hours of discussions as "frank and honest", but said dialogue had not broken down and more meetings were planned.

But he called for the EU to be more flexible to address the issue in Northern Ireland pragmatically, given the province's fragile peace.

"What we really now need to do is very urgently find some solutions which support the Belfast Good Friday Agreement, support the peace process in Northern Ireland, and allow things to return to normal," he told reporters.

- Under threat -

The EU has already launched legal proceedings against the UK after it delayed custom controls on some goods arriving in Northern Ireland from mainland Britain, and has indicated it has US support if it chooses to act again.

The tailored arrangements are designed to sustain Northern Ireland's peace, and prevent a "hard" border with EU-member Ireland, after three decades of violence over British rule largely ended with the 1998 peace deal.

Discontent with the protocol has already played a part in the resignation of Northern Ireland's First Minister Arlene Foster, the nomination of a more hardline unionist as her successor -- and promises of a tougher line.

Billy Hutchinson, from the Progressive Unionist Party, told UK lawmakers earlier on Wednesday the strength of feeling could not be overstated.

"Loyalism feels threatened at the moment," he said.

The protocol "has raised more issues and concerns than it has settled anything", he added.

But Sefcovic insisted "we cannot renegotiate" the document, adding "the core of the protocol" could not be undone.

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Escape from Myanmar: how a reporter fled to safety in Spain Journalist Mratt Kyaw Thu left Myanmar for Spain after finding himself on the military junta's wanted list for his reporting of its deadly crackdown on anti-coup protesters

It was only when he boarded the plane that would fly him to Europe that Mratt Kyaw Thu finally felt safe for the first time since Myanmar's military coup on February 1.

It had been an arduous few months for the journalist who quickly found himself on the military junta's wanted list for his reporting of its deadly crackdown on anti-coup protesters.

"I felt safe when I was on the plane, after passing immigration in Thailand, that was the moment when I felt a little bit freer," he told AFP in Madrid, where he arrived on June 1 and is now applying for asylum.

In the more than four months since the coup plunged Myanmar into chaos, there have been near-daily protests across the country that have been brutally crushed by the military.

More than 800 people have died in the crackdown, according to a local monitoring group.

And journalists have found themselves on the frontline, with troops rounding up reporters and shutting down six publishing houses and four digital media outlets.

Aged 30, Mratt Kyaw Thu rose to prominence after the coup for his criticism of the junta online.

He has written widely on Rohingya issues and won AFP's 2017 Kate Webb award for his outstanding coverage of the ethnic and religious conflicts in Myanmar.

Before the coup, journalists had faced some restrictions while working, but after the takeover things became much worse.

"In the first week, the military began arresting all the prominent journalists and activists, because they thought if they did that, there would be no more big protests," he told AFP.

Fearing arrest, Mratt Kyaw Thu left his apartment on February 12 to stay with friends. And he never went back.

"Most journalists did that," he said.

- Whereabouts unknown -

From early on, reporters were under huge pressure from the junta but also faced mistrust from the people who were desperate to know what was going on but suspicious of the widespread fake news that was circulating.

Story continues

With pro-military informers pretending to be journalists, real reporters were viewed with suspicion by protest leaders and had to change mobile numbers often to avoid detection by the junta.

Caught up in the crackdown, many reporters fled to the countryside or abroad, he said.

According to monitoring group Reporting ASEAN, 87 journalists have been arrested so far, with 51 still in custody in figures correct to June 3.

Among them is American journalist Danny Fenster of Frontier Myanmar -- a news outlet where Mratt Kyaw Thu also published his work -- who was arrested on May 24.

His whereabouts remains unknown.

So far, three have been charged with "causing fear" and spreading "false news" which carries a penalty of up to three years in jail.

Myanmar ranked 140 out of 180 countries in the 2021 Reporters Without Borders Press Freedom Index.

- 'They're coming for you' -

On the streets, things were getting progressively worse, with protesters facing a relentless campaign of military violence in which troops would often barge into people's homes.

"We're all just waiting for the knock on the door. Sometimes you hear footsteps on the stairs, and it's like they're coming for you: you have this feeling all the time," Mratt Kyaw Thu said.

"Even heavy rain can make people fearful because it sometimes sounds like gunfire."

One particularly horrific image still haunts him -- that of a murdered activist from Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy.

"He was arrested and killed in custody by pouring boiling water down his throat," he said, describing an image of the victim's face as grotesquely swollen and mutilated.

Until that point, nobody had been overly worried about being arrested but now there was the very real threat of torture.

"So I realised I shouldn't be arrested."

Days later, a friend called to warn him that soldiers from a unit known for a brutal crackdown on the Rohingya -- a persecuted Muslim minority group -- were conducting searches in the street outside his apartment.

"My friends took a picture and sent it to me saying: 'You should leave Yangon right now'."

- Not safe in Thailand -

Despite the military's lockdown on movement, he managed to reach a township near the Thai border with help from friends, NGOs, ethnic armed groups "and even some ordinary soldiers".

"They helped me a lot, I was not on my own."

Even after crossing the border, Mratt Kyaw Thu quickly realised it wasn't safe there either, fearing the Thai government would deport him back to Myanmar.

After two weeks, he got a visa for Europe and booked a ticket to Madrid through his connections to the Spanish news agency EFE, arriving after a nearly six-week delay in Frankfurt.

Although the odds are massively stacked against them, he's confident the pro-democracy protesters will succeed, suggesting the revolution "will continue for the next year or two".

"My friends and some doctors and teachers joined the people's defence forces to fight against the military while I'm here, and that kind of makes me feel guilty," he said.

"But on the other hand, if all the journalists are fighting against the military, who will write the news?"

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Victoria Cross winner Ben Roberts-Smith's legal team has categorically denied the former soldier is in a relationship with a female lawyer involved in his defamation action against media outlets over claims of war crimes in Afghanistan.

Mr Roberts-Smith is suing three newspapers owned by Nine over media reports from 2018 related to his SAS tours in Afghanistan, arguing they painted him as a war criminal who breached the moral and legal rules of military engagement.

He is also suing over a claim that he assaulted a woman inside a Canberra hotel room.

The war hero denies all the claims made against him, while the publishers are running a truth defence.

Mr Roberts-Smith has also launched civil proceedings against his ex-wife Emma Roberts and that matter was heard for case management before Justice Robert Bromwich on Wednesday.

The hearing was told that Justice Bromwich had become aware of media reports of "rumour and innuendo" surrounding Mr Roberts-Smith and whether he was in a personal relationship with a female lawyer, not named in court, linked to the deposition of an affidavit.

The court was told it was a potentially "embarrassing" situation and concerned whether a "purely professional relationship" existed between Mr Roberts Smith and the solicitor.

Justice Bromwich said he wasn't aware of the article until he came across it himself, describing the media report as "something I should have been told about".

"I'm surprised this wasn't raised directly with me," he said.

After a short adjournment to seek instructions, Mr Roberts-Smith's barrister, Arthur Moses, told the court no relationship existed between Mr Roberts-Smith and the solicitor.

"I'm going to say this ... the applicant and the deponent are not in a relationship full stop," Mr Moses told the court.

"Your Honour raised it with me in open court, the solicitor was in a closed court dealing with national security information before Justice Besanko, I had no notice of Your Honour raising that issue with me."

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The court heard that the article raised by Justice Bromwich earlier in the day may have been a recent Australian Financial Review gossip column.

"It sought to raise a number of assertions in relation to a solicitor ... acting for the applicant," Mr Moses said of the AFR article.

Mr Moses hit out at media reports that sought "to cast aspersions on the integrity" of lawyers acting for a party in the high-profile case.

"That would constitute a potential harassment and belittling of a female practitioner," he said.

"If someone wants to suggest that there has not been full and frank disclosure in an affidavit ... that allegation can be made."

He said the issue had become the subject of extensive media reporting on Wednesday causing "embarrassment and concern to an officer of this court".

The case management hearing was told the action against Ms Roberts revolves around obtaining an order for her to deliver up materials, and to provide an affidavit.

It heard that the action arose after a "notice to produce" was issued in the media defamation case asking for material that the applicant says came from his emails.

"We need to know what occurred with that information," Mr Moses said.

Mr Roberts-Smith launched his defamation case in 2018 following a number of media reports he says accused him of murder during his 2009 to 2012 tour of Afghanistan.

The defamation trial, currently in its first week, was adjourned for the day on Wednesday and will resume before Justice Anthony Besanko on Thursday.

The former SAS corporal is expected to be the first witness to be called.
Opposition United National Movement joins its first Parliament session after six-month boycott

By Veronika Malinboym

One of Georgias largest opposition parties, the United National Movement joined the Parliament session today after a six-month boycott. The party MPs did not, however, join the plenary session of the 10th Convocation of the Georgian Parliament, as they have only arrived during the break. Besides, upon their arrival, the party members learned that the discussion of the controversial amnesty bill had been postponed:If they postpone it tomorrow, I will come again the day after, and if it is postponed again, I will come again the next day, said the leader of the United National Movement party Nika Melia.On May 30, the United National Movement announced its decision to enter the Parliament after the six-month stand-off but refused to sign the EU-brokered agreement of April 19.Members of the UNM have stated, on numerous occasions, that the reason why the party refuses to sign the agreement proposed by the President of the European Council Charles Michel is because of the amnesty that it extended upon the partys leader Nika Melia, stating that amnesty implies the responsibility to be laid on Nika Melia, while he was just a political prisoner.The ruling Georgian Dream party has commented on the UNMs decision to enter the Parliament as follows:Radical United National Movement, having effectively admitted defeat of their destructive political agenda, takes up seats in Georgian Parliament. UNM, however, refuses to sign the EU-mediated political agreement, which is the basis for consensus for ending the political crisis.The boycott of the seats in Parliament by the countrys opposition has begun shortly after the October 2020 Parliamentary Elections, which the opposition believed to be rigged. The crisis ended with the signing of the EU-mediated agreement between the government authorities and members of the opposition on April 19.
New York is close to prohibiting the use of double-bunking in state prisons.

The state Legislature has approved legislation that would end the practice, which is primarily used in medium-security prisons like Cayuga Correctional Facility in Moravia. It has been blamed by the New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association, which represents corrections officers, for contributing to the rise in prison violence.

Double-bunking was often used in dormitory settings. In a prison unit that could house 50 incarcerated individuals, a top bunk was installed on some beds to increase inmate capacity to 60.

Anthony Annucci, the acting commissioner of the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, told state lawmakers in September that they are no longer relying on double-bunking because of the decrease in the incarcerated population. According to DOCCS, the prison population has declined by 56.7% since 1999. As of May, there were 31,456 inmates in state correctional facilities.

But DOCCS didn't end the practice. Annucci said at the hearing last fall that while the bunks would be taken out of use, they would be available "if we ever need them in an emergency."
After seeing Lake Ontario communities affected by flooding wait for disaster aid, U.S. Rep. John Katko wants to fix the process.

Katko, R-Camillus, has reintroduced a bill that aims to improve the preliminary damage assessment. The assessment is conducted by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and state and local governments after a disaster. According to FEMA's website, the main objective of the assessment is to "collect information, conduct analysis, and provide situational awareness to state, territorial, or tribal government leaders to determine whether the impacts of a disaster warrant a disaster declaration request under the Stafford Act."

A federal disaster declaration is significant because it can open up funding to support recovery efforts.

But Katko, the ranking Republican member on the House Homeland Security Committee, explained that there can be problems for state and local emergency management personnel attempting to coordinate with FEMA during the preliminary damage assessment. The challenges include conflicting guidance, duplicative paperwork requirements, incompatible technological platforms and inconsistent training.

Those factors can lead to delays in the process, which prevents much-needed aid from getting to areas affected by disasters.
Roberta Kaplan, Carroll's attorney, said in a statement that it was horrific that Trump raped her client but it was truly shocking that the current Department of Justice would allow Donald Trump to get away with lying about it, thereby depriving our client of her day in court.

The DOJs position is not only legally wrong, it is morally wrong since it would give federal officials free license to cover up private sexual misconduct by publicly brutalizing any woman who has the courage to come forward, she said. Calling a woman you sexually assaulted a liar, a slut, or not my type, as Donald Trump did here, is not the official act of an American president.

In a statement, Carroll said: As women across the country are standing up and holding men accountable for assault  the DOJ is trying to stop me from having that same right. I am angry! I am offended!

Washington Justice Department lawyers wrote that Trump was acting within the scope of his office" in denying wrongdoing after White House reporters asked him about Carroll's claims.

They said: Elected public officials can  and often must  address allegations regarding personal wrongdoing that inspire doubt about their suitability for office.
The economy shrunk by 5.3 percent in 2020, its worst contraction since the early 1990s and far from its peak growth rate of 17% in 2013, according to figures from the International Monetary Fund and the Asian Development Bank.

Khurelsukh was set to become Mongolias sixth president since its peaceful transition from communism to democracy in 1992. Incumbent Battulga Khaltmaa of the Democratic Party was barred by the constitution from seeking a second term. Battulga served four years but his successor will serve six.

The Mongolian Peoples Party also controls the legislature, known as the Great Hural, and the office of the prime minister,

The presidency is a largely ceremonial position, although it includes powers over the military and the right to veto legislation in some cases.

Voters were required to observe social distancing and restrictions on public gatherings severely curtailed campaign events, prompting candidates to shift much of their outreach to voters online. All in-person campaigning had been suspended since Sunday after new local infections hit a record last week of more than 1,000 per day.
Its been quite the few weeks for athlete comments made supposedly just to a media figure being aired on air. First, there was Julio Jones phone call with Shannon Sharpe live on Undisputed, which reportedly didnt come with any notice to Jones that he was on air. The situation thats now popped up with Jay Williams and Kevin Durant is a bit different, but theres some overlap. Specifically, on Get Up (Mike Greenbergs Morning Hot Take Parade) Tuesday, Williams relayed quite the comments from Durant (seen above during a Jan. 1 game) on air amidst a wider discussion about him, saying Durant once got mad at him at a holiday party for making an on-air comparison of Durant and Giannis Antetokounmpo. For some reason, ESPN sub-brand The Undefeated tweeted the clip:

Dont you ever compare me to Giannis  Kevin Durant told Jay Williams put some respek on his name.pic.twitter.com/Ed04jM0TLr  The Undefeated (@TheUndefeated) June 8, 2021

So a couple years ago, were at a holiday party, and I came on this show, and I did a segment with you, and I said We had Anthony Davis and Kevin Durant. If Anthony Davis and KD were to have a baby, the similarities physicality-wise would be like Giannis. I go to the holiday party and Kevin comes up to me like Yo, dont you ever, ever, compare me to Giannis. Dont you ever compare me to Giannis.'

I go KD, what are you talking about? I was just talking about similarities physicality-wise, size, length. Hes like No, dont you EVER compare me to Giannis. So when I see that matchup, you know what that matchups says to me? It says theres something personal for Kevin Durant. Thats who hes attacking each and every day, thats whos been in his brain, because people have talked about him and Giannis being on the same level. Thats the intensity youre seeing in this rivalry.

Well get to a fuller discussion of those comments and the appropriateness of sharing them on national TV in a moment, but before that, its worth noting that Durant (@easymoneysniper on Instagram) called this whole thing a fuckin lie in the comments of a post on this from Sideline Sources:. Heres that exchange, shared on Twitter by @TheHoopCentral:

Kevin Durant calls ? pic.twitter.com/DgwD02s7vI  Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) June 8, 2021

There are a couple of different things at play here. First, and most importantly, theres Durant disputing this account as a fuckin lie. Its unclear from that if Durant is saying that there was never any conversation with Williams along these lines, or that there was a conversation, but Williams is relaying it inaccurately. Either of those complaints is a problem for Williams and ESPN, but the former option is worse; if Williams created this story from whole cloth, thats a bigger problem than if he and Durant remember a conversation from years ago differently. But, of course, the latter option there isnt great either, and it shows a big problem with relaying comments from a years-ago party live on TV, and particularly in doing so with exact phrasing and quotes that try to present the story of Durant said this thing this way.

Even if Durant hadnt taken to Instagram to dispute this story, this still might not have been a great approach for Williams and ESPN. Yes, this is a long way from the Sharpe-Jones incident at Fox; Williams wasnt directly putting Durant on air unbeknownst to him. And comments at a party arent necessarily immune from all reporting; a lot of factors can influence that, from the size and purpose of the party to the nature of the comments to who they were addressed to to which reporters were involved. But even if Durant hadnt pushed back on the specific comments here, this didnt seem like a particularly worthwhile story for Williams to tell, especially with some debate over the circumstances in which those comments were obtained and how accurate Williams recollection of them is. And, as with Sharpes Jones phone call, this might be something that leads to athletes being more careful with what they say to or around Williams in the future.

There are a few further complicating factors in this situation. Both Williams and ESPN have had business relationships with Durant in the past, particularly around the ESPN+ show The Boardroom, which Williams hosted, and which was a joint venture between ESPN and Thirty Five Ventures (Durants production company with his agent, Rich Kleiman). So, depending on when these comments were made, Durant may have seen them as comments to a coworker rather than a media member.

Beyond that, Durant does have his own history of unusual media behavior, from texting a reporter to try and set up a question about Skip Bayless to failed attempts to defend himself with burner Twitter accounts to getting fined for using homophobic and misogynistic language in DMs to Michael Rapaport. And just because he calls something a fuckin lie doesnt mean that it actually is, especially as its not clear whether hes disputing if the entire exchange happened or just some of Williams wording in relaying it. (It certainly could be interesting to see if anyone else comes forward as having overheard that conversation, if it happened, and to see what their recollection of it is.) But, at the moment, Durant comes off looking better here than Williams or ESPN. And his Jay Williams can NEVER speak for me, ever line sure suggests that he and Williams dont have much of a relationship left.

[The Undefeated on Twitter; photo from Brad Penner/USA Today Sports]
The petition calls for the city to install protected bike lanes on Beaver Street, San Francisco Avenue, Butler Avenue and Fourth Street by December 2022. On larger thoroughfares, such as West Route 66 and Milton Avenue, the petition asks for those changes to be made by December 2023.

Advocates are also calling for the speed limit to be reduced to 25 miles per hour on Butler Avenue and Lone Tree Road. Activists want to see those changes made by August 2022.

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Even before the petition, locals took to social media to call for a speed limit reduction on Butler Avenue. Flagstaff local James Holeman, who moved to the corner of Butler and San Francisco Street in 2007, created a public Facebook page the day after Fridays accident calling for the same changes.

As the location of the recent accident, Butler has seen more attention than most for proposed changes.

Heinsius said bicyclist safety has been an issue in Flagstaff for some time, but the city has not been quick enough to act.

It's getting more and more dangerous to ride, Heinsius said. "Weve seen that be an issue for a long time, and while there may be money budgeted, what changes have been made?
Oh, [expletive], I ran it. Oh, [expletive], I thought it was green, the man recounted Cloutier saying over the phone, according to the report.

Cloutier allegedly had a Bluetooth device in his left ear as an officer approached his vehicle, according to the report. The same officer reported Cloutier appeared to be talking to somebody over the Bluetooth headset as he was placed in a patrol car.

Another witness told an officer Cloutier had a cellphone in hand as he exited the vehicle. But the police report also indicates the phone was eventually recovered in the trucks middle dashboard and collected as evidence.

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Officers did not smell alcohol, and neither alcohol nor drugs were recovered as a result of a pat-down after the accident, according to the report.

At the time of the accident, it was reported by the FPD that Cloutier was arrested on suspicion of causing death by a moving violation. It has since been released that Cloutier was also allegedly driving without a proper commercial drivers license.

FPD officials said a sample of Cloutiers blood was collected after the accident, a standard procedure following a fatal accident. That sample has been sent to the Northern Arizona DPS Crime Lab for forensic examination.
RTHK: Ex-VW CEO faces new charge over 'Dieselgate'

Berlin prosecutors said on Wednesday they have charged Volkswagen's former chief executive Martin Winterkorn with making false statements to a parliamentary committee over the automobile giant's emissions-cheating "Dieselgate" scandal.

"The public prosecutor's office accuses the defendant of giving false testimony on January 19, 2017, as a witness before the 'emissions' investigation committee," they said.

Winterkorn claimed to have learnt about illegal devices installed in VW vehicles to trick emissions tests only in September 2015, when he is believed to already be aware by May that year, they said.

The issue was also raised at a crisis meeting of Volkswagen executives in July 2015, the statement said.

Winterkorn resigned in September 2015, a week after the diesel emissions scandal broke.

He is already facing trial in Germany on charges of organised commercial fraud and serious tax evasion over the case.

Separately, Volkswagen on Wednesday said it had come to a deal with Winterkorn for the former chief executive to pay the company 11.2 million euros (US$14 million) in damages.

Another former board member, Rupert Stadler, will pay 4.1 million euros.

Stadler, the former head of VW's Audi division, had been the first VW senior executive to go on trial over "dieselgate" in the fraud proceedings which opened in Munich last year.

The revelations that Volkswagen had installed devices in 11 million diesel vehicles worldwide to dupe pollution tests plunged the company into a deep crisis.

It has so far cost the German car giant more than 30 billion euros in fines, legal costs and compensation. (AFP)

This story has been published on: 2021-06-09. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU) secretary-general Francis Atwoli has come out to address reports that he has a new wife.

According to reports that emerged this past weekend, the COTU boss secretly married a 23-year-old woman at the Coast.

The claims coincided with the trade unionists luxury trip to Mawe Resort in Watamu, Kilifi to celebrate his 72nd birthday.

Atwoli was accompanied by his third wife Mary Kilobi, his son Philipo, and CS Eugene Wamalwa. Photos and videos captured them enjoying a yacht cruise and the white sandy beaches.

Responding to the reports of taking on a fourth wife, Atwoli said that if he were to marry again, everyone would know as he would it publicly.

That is a lazy rumour from some idle Kenyan. I was at the coast with my wife Mary. In any case, there is no problem in marrying but if I have to do that I do it publicly not hiding from anyone, Atwoli stated.
The task force will also try to determine if children were separated during the first six months of Trumps presidency, starting in January 2017, which was outside the scope of the ACLU lawsuit. That could raise the final number.

Of the 3,913 children, 1,786 have been reunified with a parent, mostly during Trump's tenure, parents of another 1,695 have been contacted and the whereabouts of 391 have not been established. Many who have been contacted were released to other family members.

The Biden administration has vowed to reunite parents who are still apart from their children, but the pace has been slow and it is unclear how high that number will go. The first four parents were returned to the United States last month, part of what the task force identified as an initial group of 62 people  28 from Guatemala, 20 from Honduras, 13 from El Salvador and one from Mexico. Administration officials say 29 of the 62 have received final clearances to return to the United States, which should occur after travel arrangements are made.

Lee Gelernt, deputy director of the ACLUs immigrant rights project, said he wished the reunifications had happened more quickly but welcomed the Biden administration's efforts.
And for all this, Senator Manchin seems to regard himself not as spineless or a contemptible enabler of Republican attacks on the voting franchise but as a stalwart believer in the Senate, in bipartisan negotiation and in the legislative process. What a lot of hogwash.

First, lets acknowledge that Manchin is in a peculiar political spot as essentially his partys 50th vote in the Senate (although Arizonas Kyrsten Sinema could lay claim to the title, too, but is less apt to grandstand). He was first elected to public office in the 1980s when his state was Democratic-leaning; today it is quite the opposite having voted to reelect Donald Trump president by a 2-to-1 margin just months ago. He walks a political tightrope as a moderate-to-conservative Democrat.

Yet by dismissing his partys valiant effort at election reform  which seeks not only to halt efforts to keep Democratic supporters, particularly people of color, from casting their ballots in future contests, but to restore greater ethics and accountability to government as no more than a partisan enterprise  he plays right into Republicans soiled hands. At least 14 states have this year enacted voter suppression laws promulgated on the Big Lie that the last election was stolen from Donald Trump through some mysterious means known only to wild-eyed conspiracy theorists. More such attacks on voting rights are likely coming. Some restrictions act in fairly subtle manner (purging voter registration rolls more often or taking away ballot drop-boxes) while others are just plain, Jim Crow obvious, as when you reduce voting hours and locations that make it difficult for certain individuals living in certain neighborhoods to get to the polls (Hint: Were not talking about middle-class-and-above white people).
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The Pub Station's wasn't considered because the company only has a beer and wine license and the county requires an all-beverage license for a group to be a vendor at the arena.

Anderson Management Group has an all-beverage license and so has the ability to sell both beer and wine along with hard drinks at Metra events.

Like the Pub Station, the Exchange Club only has a beer and wine license but in the past it used Tiny's Tavern as a subcontractor to sell hard liquor. In its proposal to the county, the Breakfast Exchange Club stated its arrangement with Tiny's would continue.

It was there the county saw an opportunity.

Rather than have the Exchange Club use Tiny's, the county offered the contract to Anderson Management Group, giving the company space to sell liquor along with beer and wine.

"It's just a business transaction," said Brad Anderson, adding that he felt the arrangement was fair. "We signed the contract just like the Exchange Club."

And it was an opportunity for AMG to continue working with the county, something with which it's had plenty of experience.

"We've been down at the fairgrounds for 20 years," Anderson said.
Alberta officials said Wednesday they reached an agreement with TC Energy, formerly known as TransCanada, to exit their partnership. The company and province plan to try to recoup the government's investment, although neither offered any immediate details on how that would happen.

"We remain disappointed and frustrated with the circumstances surrounding the Keystone XL project, including the cancellation of the presidential permit for the pipeline's border crossing," Alberta Premier Jason Kenney said in a statement.

The province had hoped the pipeline would spur increased development in the oil sands and bring tens of billions of dollars in royalties over decades.

Climate change activists viewed the expansion of oil sands development as an environmental disaster that could speed up global warming as the fuel is burned. That turned Keystone into a flashpoint in the climate debate, and it became the focus of rallies and protests in Washington, D.C., and other cities.

Environmentalists who had fought the project since it was first announced in 2008 said its cancellation marks a "landmark moment" in the effort to curb the use of fossil fuels.
RAPID CITY, S.D.  U.S. Sens. Mike Rounds and John Thune announced Wednesday that Ellsworth Air Force Base will officially be the Air Forces first base to receive the new B-21 Raider stealth bomber.

During a call Wednesday afternoon with Air Force Global Strike Commander Gen. Timothy Ray, Rounds said he was informed that Ellsworth has been officially designated as the main base of the B-21.

I am pleased that the U.S. Air Force has officially selected Ellsworth Air Force Base as the first home of the B-21 Raider bomber, Rounds said. This landmark decision makes certain that South Dakota will continue to play a critical role in our national defense."

Thune told the Journal on Wednesday the announcement was a huge step for South Dakota. Ellsworth is not only the first base to host the B-21, but it will also host the formal training unit and the first operational squadron.
I do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic

Each U.S. senator takes this oath when they are sworn in. Apparently, most of the current Republican senators had their fingers crossed. On January 6 our Capitol was attacked by a mob. Five people died, many were injured, the vice president of the United States had to be hustled to safety and our Capitol, a lodestar of our democracy, was desecrated by hoodlums waving Confederate flags, Trump flags and American flags, which they then sacrilegiously used to beat and attack the Capitol police.

Our Capitol, a symbol of democratic government around the world, has been breached only twice in over 200 years. Once by English soldiers during the War of 1812, and on January 6 by a lowly mob of pseudo patriots. Both invaders were attacking democracy. The British on behalf King George III, who at that time had lost his sanity but not his crown, and a scurrilous mob on behalf of a would be king, Donald Trump, who fortunately for our country had lost his crown, but retained his madness.
SAVING THE VAQUITA

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Mexico's Gulf of California  one of the most biodiverse places on the planet  teems with 891 species of fish and a third of the world's cetacean species, including the smallest and most endangered porpoise on Earth: the vaquita.

Scientists say there are likely only 10 vaquitas left on Earth. Their extinction is virtually assured without bold, immediate action.

BACKGROUND

Vaquitas are about the size of small humans, topping out at about 5 feet long and 120 pounds, with black borders around their expressive eyes and rounded mouth. They're known to be shy and elusive  but all too easy to scoop up in fishing nets.

The vaquita's numbers have plummeted from 200 in 2012. Their primary threat is entanglement in fishing gear, including in nets set for the totoaba, a large and endangered fish endemic to the Gulf. Totoaba swim bladders are illegally exported to Asia to make soup perceived to have medicinal properties. Demand for the bladders spiked around 2011. A single bladder can reportedly sell for between $2,500 and $10,000. The demand means even more vaquita-entangling nets in the water.

In response to international pressure, in 2015 Mexico announced a new two-year ban on gillnets in the Gulf to protect the vaquita. But the remoteness of the Gulf  ringed by high cliffs and dotted with hundreds of desolate islands  has made it challenging to police, particularly given the involvement of drug cartels in the illegal totoaba trade. And Mexico has a sad history of announcing plans to save the vaquita, but failing to follow through with enforcement.

OUR CAMPAIGN

For years, the Center and our partners have been working to create more tools, resources and incentives to save the last vaquitas.

In 2020 we filed a lawsuit the United States in 2020 to force the United States, under a U.S. law called the Pelly Amendment, for trade sanctions against Mexico over illegal fishing. This could include a ban on shrimp imports from Mexico  if the country doesn't crack down on the criminal totoaba trade threatening vaquitas. This was after we got no response to our petition for sanctions in 2014 petition.

We've also petitioned the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to place the Gulf of California on its World Heritage in danger list. This would give Mexico more funding for vaquita protection, along with international assistance for this rarest of porpoises. In 2017 the UNESCO World Heritage Committee gave Mexico one year to improve protections for vaquitas' home or face an in danger designation for the Gulf of California site.

In 2017 with the vaquita population having declined by 90 percent over the last five years, the Center and allies petitioned the U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service to ban imports of seafood caught with gillnets in Mexico's Upper Gulf of California.

Still vaquitas have continued to decline at an alarming rate. The pressure is on both the United States and Mexico to save this tiny cetacean from disappearing forever.
The extraterritorial resident owns chickens and the city resident was "interested in the keeping of chickens," he said.

Hutchings said there was some discussion regarding the disposal of chicken feces but that it was not fully fleshed out. A representative from the NDSU Extension said it could offer some training, Hutchings said. The proposed ordinance required chickens be kept 20 feet from any streams, ditches or other places where feces could enter any storm drainage system.

Marquardt also said he had issues with the financial impact that allowing chickens could have on the city.

By law, the city must hold found property for five days to allow owners to retrieve it, and chickens are considered private property. Animal Control would have to build a structure to hold any birds that flew the coop, which could cost between $4,500 and $5,500, Hutchings said.

Animal Control staff spoke against the ordinance at a planning and zoning meeting in May.

Commissioner Nancy Guy wondered about Animal Control's ability to house any runaway fowl in its facility.

"I'm loath to add on to a building that we can't even keep repaired right now," she said.
Republicans, who vastly outnumber Democrats in the Legislature, will lead a committee to redraw North Dakotas legislative districts this year, a task that will influence the political balance of power for the next decade.

A redistricting committee of 14 Republicans and two Democrats was picked Wednesday during a meeting of Legislative Management, a 17-member GOP-led panel of lawmakers that handles the Legislatures business between sessions.

A seat on the redistricting committee is always competitive because it decides potentially new areas that lawmakers will represent, and 95 of the Legislatures 141 members applied. Members were chosen based on recommendations from party leaders.

Legislative redistricting happens every 10 years after a federal census. It aims to ensure each lawmaker represents about the same number of people.

North Dakota has 47 legislative districts, and each is represented by two House members and a senator. The Legislature has 47 senators and 94 House members. Republicans have 80 House seats to Democrats 14, and a 40-7 edge in the Senate.

Democrats hold about 14% of legislative seats, so proportionately, the redistricting committee is in-line with the Legislatures makeup.
In 1959, Emorys School of Medicine rejected applicant Marion Hood because of his race. Hood, who went on to a distinguished career as a doctor, will share his story of resilience in a virtual event June 17. Photo via Fox 5 News.

Giving Voice: The Rest of His Story with Dr. Marion Hood June 17, 12-1 p.m. Learn more and register here to attend this free, virtual event.

In 1959, the waning days of the Jim Crow era, Clark College graduate Marion Gerald Hood applied to Emory University School of Medicine. The response from the schools director of admissions, L. L. Clegg, was pointed and swift: I am sorry I must write you that we are not authorized to consider for admission a member of the Negro race.

The school returned Hoods $5 application fee. I dont even know if they looked at my credentials, he says. Hood went on to attend medical school at Loyola University in Chicago and to enjoy a long and distinguished career in gynecology and obstetrics in Atlanta.

In one of the peculiarities of the segregation era, the state of Georgia paid Black students the difference in cost to attend school out of state. If it cost $500 a year to go to school in Georgia, and it cost $1,000 to go up there, they would pay the extra $500 so I would pay the same thing, Hood explains. He returned to Georgia from Illinois at the beginning of every term to pick up the states check.

In 1962, when Hood was starting medical school, Emory officially desegregated, after the Georgia Supreme Court sided with the university in its challenge to state laws which denied tax-exempt status to schools that racially integrated. The university admitted its first Black medical student, Hamilton E. Holmes, in 1963.

On June 17, nearly 62 years after its rejection of his application, the School of Medicine will formally apologize to Hood and invite him to share with the Emory community his story of tenacity and resilience. Giving Voice: The Rest of His Story with Dr. Marion Hood is being held to commemorate Juneteenth, a celebration of June 19, 1865, when news of emancipation finally reached enslaved people in Texas. School of Medicine faculty members Sheryl Heron and Carolyn Meltzer will moderate the event.

Advancing the School of Medicines lens to a climate and culture of inclusion and belonging cannot be done without restorative justice. As a university, acknowledging our past is a necessary step toward an empowered future, says Meltzer, the School of Medicines executive associate dean for faculty academic advancement, leadership and Inclusion. Our conversations with Dr. Hood have solidified the School of Medicine's commitment to accountability, in alignment with the university's strategic goals for a more inclusive Emory.

Emory first celebrated Juneteenth in 2020, in the aftermath of George Floyds death. It is one of several initiatives undertaken by the university in an effort to look at its history in an honest and unflinching manner. According to Carol Henderson, vice provost for diversity and inclusion and chief diversity officer, This important event serves as an anchor to the long arc of continuous communication and collaboration among schools, divisions and departments throughout Emory around diversity, equity and inclusion. We appreciate Dr. Hoods interest in helping us on this journey.

The realities of Dr. Hoods rejection for admission to Emory School of Medicine, notably during the time of segregation, will not and should not diminish Dr. Hood's accomplishments, says Heron, associate dean of community engagement, equity and inclusion at the School of Medicine. He continues to work to this day, exemplifying his commitment to the field of medicine and dedication to the many patients who have benefitted from his care.

Giving Voice will take place virtually on June 17, from noon to 1:00 p.m. Register for this free, public event here.
The Health Department will look to different areas to redirect the federal money if testing levels continue to decline.

In the pandemic's early months, North Dakota boosted its testing capacity, becoming a top state for testing per 100,000 people.

As few as 510 tests were processed as recently as last weekend, down from a record of more than 14,000 done in a day last fall, though more than 4,000 were processed in a day last week. Drive-thru test events became a fixture of the pandemic response throughout North Dakota.

The Health Department keeps a statewide testing site locator online. Bismarck-Burleigh Public Health is still doing COVID-19 testing by appointment. Director Renae Moch on Tuesday said demand for testing has decreased as COVID-19 vaccinations have increased.

"The majority of requests are for those looking to travel and need proof of a negative PCR test result," Moch said. "We will still have a few requests for those with symptoms but we are certainly not at the same level of demand we were mid-pandemic."

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends people vaccinated for COVID-19 still get tested and isolate themselves if they are symptomatic.
Madison and others recognized the weakness of their position and proposed to remedy it with the addition of a Bill of Rights, after the Constitution was ratified by the sovereign people. In his marvelous speech on June 8, Madison introduced the Ninth Amendment to protect against the very concern that he had expressed in the Convention. Thus, the language, other rights retained by the people, made it clear that the people enjoyed rights not enumerated. And, whatever else it might mean it is clear that the Bill of Rights was not exhaustive of the rights enjoyed by the people.

While we cannot be certain what rights Madison had in mind, he prefaced his introduction of the Bill of Rights by stating the need to secure the great rights of mankind. Madisons approach was creative. Indeed, no precedent for it existed. He may have included freedom of speech in that category, for he did not list it as an enumerated right. A friendly amendment to his motion, by his fellow Virginian, George Mason, converted free speech to an enumerated right. Madison, moreover, may have had in mind protection for natural rights, which he believed preexisted government and were separate from those that were derived from the Constitution. Also, he probably had in mind the concept of positive rights, those practices and activities that were familiar to Americans but not prohibited by law, including, perhaps, the right to hunt and fish, and the right not to be taxed except by consent through ones representatives, the right to refuse military service on grounds of religious conscience and, important to all, the right to pursue happiness.
In 2019, USA Niagara Development Corp., the local arm of Empire State Development, used Buffalo Billion funds to acquire these and other properties from former owner Joseph "Smokin' Joe" Anderson in a $15 million deal.

The two Third Street buildings, along with a parking lot at 503 Main St. and a vacant lot at 518 Third St., were officially transferred to TM Montante's ownership in March.

The parking lot, with about 40 spaces, will serve the two reused buildings. No construction is planned at 518 Third St., Campos said. The developer also said he hopes to acquire a city-owned alley between the buildings and the parking area.

TM Montante asked for a 10-year package of reduced property taxes, exemptions from the county mortgage recording tax and exemptions from paying sales tax on building materials and furnishings.

The NCIDA staff estimated these incentives would save the company almost $457,000 over 10 years. Six full-time and four part-time jobs are to be created at the events center, not counting those in the leased offices above it, and two full-time and eight part-time jobs at the brewery and restaurant.
The Biden administration has offered no similar details on how the U.S. plans to manage the eventual border reopening.

Ad campaign to open Canadian border goes bicoastal  and binational What started as a modest ad campaign in Buffalo in mid-May is growing into a binational, big-money effort to reopen the long-shut U.S.-Canadian border.

However, the State Department did decide to remove Canada  as well as countries such as Japan, France, Italy, Spain, Greece and Switzerland  from its "Do Not Travel" list. Those nations were added to the list when their Covid-19 infection rates were spiking in April.

The decision to lower Canada's status to "Reconsider Travel" came as encouraging news for those who want the border to reopen.

"I'm very happy," said Sandy Pearce, founder of Families Are Essential, one of several groups of people separated from their loved ones by the border closure and lobbying for the border to reopen. "There seems to be light at the end of the tunnel."

But Pearce also said that the United States and Canada should add people traveling to see loved ones to the category of "essential travelers" allowed to cross immediately. "We're personally vaccinated, so there's no reason not to," she said.

Asked on Tuesday about whether the United States might take the same sort of phased approach to the border reopening that Canada is taking, White House press secretary Jen Psaki provided no new details.
Instead, they will have to be vaccinated and pass two Covid-19 tests: one before entering the country and one upon arrival. And then they will have to quarantine for a day or two on their own until they get the results of the second test.

The move will benefit essential workers as well as Canadian citizens and permanent residents returning from the United States. It also may benefit people with loved ones in Canada, who have been able to visit but only if they agree to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival.

But it won't benefit Americans who have not been able to travel to Canada since the Covid-19 pandemic shut the border to nonessential travel on March 20, 2020.

"The quarantine is being lifted for people who currently have the right of entry to Canada," said Patty Hajdu, Canada's health minister, at a virtual news conference. "We're not changing anything yet on the right of entry to Canada, and the categories that are approved for entry right now will remain the same."

Canada is deliberately taking a cautious approach, Hajdu added.
Aaron Ross of Brooklyn, whose fiancee lives in Toronto, made three drives to Western New York to try to cross the international border to see her.

Last week, he finally got into Canada  but not very far and not very comfortably.

Lackawanna man can't see his dying father in Canada Brett Cawthorns father is in palliative care in St. Catharines, Ont. Cawthorn used to drive to see him once or twice a week, but non-Canadians are now prohibited from visiting Canadian health care

Ross, 33, said his most recent attempt ended with a night spent in a cell at the Lewiston-Queenston Bridge. He said Canadian border inspectors slapped the cuffs on him last Wednesday, after refusing to admit him to the country.

Ross admitted he "became oppositional" with the worker in the inspection booth at the bridge when he was again refused admittance to Canada.

"They put me in handcuffs. They put me in a squad car. They drove me to the immigration services area. They brought me into a jail cell and they kept me there for 12 hours. I was sleeping on the cement floor. They wanted a $1,000 fine," Ross said. "It was very scary. I didn't know if I was going to be charged with a crime. I didn't know how long I was going to be there. It was actually pretty frightening."

As officials work to end border shutdown, locals with homes in Canada grow weary For Western New Yorkers who have owned second homes in Canada for years, if not generations, the border shutdown still breeds uncertainty.
"He and I, the last several years, developed a closer relationship," Restaino said. "While we didn't always agree  we agreed, many times, to disagree  I always knew he loved the city. He had great hopes for its improvement. Whether you were a fan or not a fan, Vince had the City of Niagara Falls right in the center of his focus, always."

His daughter posted on Facebook that Mr. Anello had begun writing his autobiography, and included an excerpt about her father's departure from his hometown of Ciaculli, a suburb of Palermo, Sicily, at age 10.

The day we left Palermo, it was a beautiful afternoon," Mr. Anello wrote. "As we were leaving the dock, Palermo people were waving to each other, many with handkerchiefs in their hand that they would use to wipe tears from their eyes.

" 'Non ti scordare di me!' 'Dont forget about me!'  was yelled back and forth.

"I think my mother knew right then that she was leaving her family, never to see them again. I didnt notice my mother ever crying except when she left her fathers embrace," Mr. Anello wrote.

In Niagara Falls, Mr. Anello attended 39th Street School, Gaskill Middle School and Trott Vocational High School. He became a U.S. citizen Sept. 8, 1966, and learned the trade of a master electrician.
Most Stylish Camping Gear

Look the Part on Your Next Camping Trip By Picking Up This Gear

The AskMen editorial team thoroughly researches & reviews the best gear, services and staples for life. AskMen may get paid if you click a link in this article and buy a product or service.

Product photos from retailer site.

With the great outdoors being more popular than ever, youre bound to see a lot of the same camping gear on the trail  but whats the fun in that? Adding a flash of style into your outdoor garb makes the whole experience that much more fun (and certainly keeps you on-trend).

RELATED: Craziest Tents You Wouldn't Believe Exist

Our picks for the most stylish camping gear include a mix of stalwarts and up-and-comers, gear you can wear and gear youll want around you at the campsite. Were offering an expanded range of stylish camping gear essentials for your outdoor needs. These are the products you can take with you for a weekend camping trip and can rest easy knowing youll look the part while having cool camping gear you can depend on.

Most Stylish Tent

Mountain Hardwear Mineral King 2

Tent style is a highly subjective matter and it seems the more stylish you get, the higher the cost. We consider his middle-road option from Mountain Hardwear to be just about the perfect tent for real outdoor enthusiasts and the novice camper alike. It looks great, performs, and is a great size to stow for car camping to the most grand camping trip.

$250 at MountainHardwear.com

Most Stylish Camping Chair

NEMO Stargaze Recliner

You know whats stylish? Comfort. NEMOs reclining camp chair is a breeze to set up and gives you that comfy, hammock feeling in a portable, durable package.

$219.95 at NEMOEquipment.com

Most Stylish Camp Table

REI Co-op x West Elm Outward Dining Table

The second edition of the collaboration features a number of brightly-colored pieces including this neat, compact table that could make any camping trip better, or easily just stay put on your backyard patio.

$129 at WestElm.com

Most Stylish Camp Cup

High Camp Flasks Firelight

There are plenty of other design-forward options, but few harmonize a cocktail shaker and cup into one slick unit. Options to hold half and full bottles of your favorite libation are available.

From $85 at HighCampFlasks.com

Most Stylish Summer Camp Boot

Kodiak Skogan Low Waterproof Hiker

Perhaps more than ever, a slick pair of kicks is a defining piece of trailwear. Vintage, timeless style is always a hit in nature.

$104.99 at KodiakBoots.com

Most Stylish Winter Camp Boot

Season Three Ansel

Never lose your city sensibilities with these classy boots. A range of colorways ensures you can match everything together flawlessly.

$345 at SeasonThree.com

Most Stylish Sleeping Bag

Big Agnes Dream Island 15

Sleeping bags are one of the most basic camping components, so two is better than one, right? Get a double sleeping bag built for both of you and snuggle up under the stars in style.

$270 at Amazon.com

Most Stylish Air Mattress

Kelty Kush Queen Air Bed

Throwing that comfy sleeping bag on the hard ground certainly isnt stylish. If youre car camping, theres no need to do the hard work of pumping air into a pad  let the battery powered pump here do it for you.

$99.95 at Kelty.com

Most Stylish Sleeping Pad

UST Gear Freestyle Sleeping Pad

Backpackers, dont worry  weve got you covered. This sleeping pad is a fun print and comes in at less than a pound, so short-haul treks will look that much brighter once youre setting up camp.

From $89.99 at USTGear.com

Best Looking Camping First Aid Kit

VSSL First Aid Kit

Peace of mind has never looked so good. This kit contains first aid camping essentials for a day hike or low-impact overnight and fits neatly into a slick aluminum container.

$130 at VSSLGear.com

Most Stylish Camping Jacket

Arcteryx Used Gear Jacket

Gorp is in. Reuse is in. Before you invest in that next camping jacket, take a look at one of the certified pre-loved sites like Arcteryx Used Gear. Hoodies like this clean, streamlined style are in excellent shape at less than half the cost of its new equivalent.

From $144 at Arcteryx.com

Most Stylish Camping Stove

Snow Peak Takibi Stove

When it comes to camping style, few do it better than Japanese heritage makers Snow Peak. Whats defining about their look is that its simply timeless: many of their products havent changed style in decades and a portable grill like the Takibi pay homage to the legacy of convivial camping.

$319.95 at SnowPeak.com

Most Stylish Camping Backpack

Topo Designs Rover Pack Classic Bag

Topo is simply a classic summer camping style. The Rover is a solid 20-liter bag that comes in a range of colors and with plenty of functionality.

$99 at TopoDesigns.com

Best Looking Camping Hat

Vans x Parks Project Leave It Better Tie Dye Bucket Hat

This fairly new collab is capped (ahem) by this sweet bucket hat. Plus, both brands are donating a combined $250,000 to the National Parks Conservation Association to help continue efforts to protect our countrys public lands.

$39.50 at ParksProject.us

Best Camping Awning

MoonFab MoonShade

An incredibly lightweight and portable awning that can be dressed up or dressed down depending on your particular need. Once you have a camping gadget like the MoonShade for your outdoor adventure, you won't go back.

$293 at MoonFab.com

Most Stylish Camping Water Bottle

Miir Wide Mouth Bottle

MiiR makes a range of gorgeous drinking vessels for whatever it is youve brought with you. Its water bottles come in a range of sizes and the diagonal bottle cap is as functional as it is beautiful.

From $28.95 at Miir.com

Best Looking Fleece Jacket

The North Face Mens 95 Retro Denali Jacket

Vintage fleece is so in demand, The North Face released a new version of one of their most popular traditional fleece jackets. Get your Gorp on whether out at the campsite or down the street for happy hour.

$199 at TheNorthFace.com

Best Looking Mens Camp Shorts

Backcountry Rambler Short

Your shorts should go the distance on a warm camping weekend. That also doesnt mean they have to look like camping shorts.

$59.95 at Backcountry.com

Most Stylish Mens Camp Pants

DUER Live Free Adventure Pant

Life is that much better when you only need to pack one pair of pants for your entire excursion. DUER has adventurous options like the Live Free and more mainstream options if you want to keep things a little more mellow.

$142 at ShopDuer.com

Most Stylish Camping Fire Pit

Solo Stove Ranger

Because a roaring camp fire under the stars is perhaps the most stylish camping experience of all.

$199.99 at SoloStove.com

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Kimberly Jacob Arriola, executive associate dean for academic affairs in the Rollins School of Public Health and Charles Howard Candler Professor, has been appointed dean of Laney Graduate School, effective Sept. 1, 2021.

Kimberly Jacob Arriola, executive associate dean for academic affairs in the Rollins School of Public Health and Charles Howard Candler Professor of Behavioral, Social and Health Education Sciences, has been appointed dean of the Laney Graduate School and will assume her duties Sept. 1. She also will join the Office of the Provost leadership team as vice provost for graduate affairs.

Throughout her esteemed career at Emory, Dr. Kimberly Jacob Arriola has displayed her brilliance as a researcher and teacher and, in recent years, as a highly effective academic leader, says President Gregory L. Fenves.

She will bring a wealth of experience as well as a deep commitment to graduate education in her new role as dean, and her interdisciplinary approach will position Laney Graduate School to attract talented, diverse graduate students and elevate our graduate programs in important ways. I am grateful for the exceptional service that Dean Tedesco provided to Laney during the past 15 years, and I know that Dr. Arriola will build on her outstanding legacy of achievement, he continues.

Laney Graduate School enjoys a proud tradition of scholarship known throughout the world, offering the PhD and masters degrees in more than 40 programs across the humanities, social sciences, biomedical and natural sciences, public health, nursing and business.

Of Laneys nearly 1,900 students, more than 1,600 are enrolled in PhD programs, and international students constitute nearly 28 percent of the enrollment. Graduate students contribute to nearly every area of research at Emory, working with faculty and researchers to advance their disciplines and solve the complex problems of our time.

Arriola will succeed Dean Lisa A. Tedesco, who steps down at the end of August for a sabbatical prior to pursuing special projects.

Dr. Arriola is the dynamic, collaborative, can-do leader we are looking for at Laney Graduate School. Graduate education and research are intimately tied to one another, and both are mission-critical to Emory. Dr. Arriola is an outstanding scholar who cares deeply about graduate and professional students and their success as well as their well-being. I am delighted that we have someone of her caliber to lead Laney Graduate School. I have had the pleasure of working with Dean Tedesco in the past, and we will miss her and are grateful for her service. I am confident that she has left us a great foundation for Dr. Arriola to build on. I am also grateful for the work of our search committee and their service, says Provost-elect Ravi V. Bellamkonda.

Building from strength

During Tedescos 15 years of leadership, which included the schools renaming for Emory President Emeritus James T. Laney in 2009, the school undertook structural changes informed by best practices and a focus on strong metrics for planning and evaluation, developed innovative programs and educational infrastructure, promoted faculty governance and highlighted the importance of student mentoring.

In 2018, Emory made a significant new investment in graduate education by increasing the base stipend for PhD students, representing a commitment of more than $40 million over five years.

Laney Graduate School has a strategic focus on interdisciplinary study, professional development, career planning, and diversity and inclusion, says Jan Love, interim provost and executive vice president for academic affairs.

Kimberly Jacob Arriola will build on those strengths. All aspects of her remarkable career to date indicate that she possesses the ability to move Laney forward as the school focuses on student recruitment, structural support to ensure student professional development and success, resource development and fundraising, as well as continued exploration of postgraduate pathways for students, Love adds.

Arriola will work with a team that collaborates closely with graduate program directors and administrators across disciplines, departments and schools. The dean is advised by a faculty governance system composed of the Directors of Graduate Study, an elected Executive Council, and an Appointments Committee. Arriola was previously elected to serve on the Executive Council for three years, and she has extensive experience advising and mentoring graduate and professional students.

Graduate and professional education offers an unmatched opportunity to build bridges both within and between the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences. I am elated by this opportunity to build on the strong foundation that has already been established under Dean Tedescos leadership, chart a shared vision that addresses contemporary issues in the field and elevate graduate and professional education at Emory and beyond, says Arriola.

Admired teacher, researcher and administrator

A summa cum laude graduate of Spelman College who earned her PhD in social psychology from Northeastern University, Arriola came to the Rollins School of Public Health as a student in 1998. In 2001, she earned her master of public health (MPH) in epidemiology.

While still in her MPH program, Arriola was invited to join the Department of Behavioral, Social and Health Education Sciences at Rollins as a senior faculty associate. In 2010, by then an associate professor, Arriola began a six-year term as director of graduate studies for Behavioral, Social and Health Education Sciences.

In 2015, she was promoted to full professor and, a year later, Rollins Dean James Curran announced Arriolas appointment as associate dean for academic affairs. In 2018, she was named Charles Howard Candler Professor and executive associate dean for academic affairs.

As Arriola rose through the ranks at Rollins, she has refined competencies that will serve her well as dean, including budget planning, fundraising, supporting the research enterprise, ensuring student success within and outside the classroom, overseeing reaccreditation, and supporting faculty professional development and governance processes.

Arriola led the 2017 Rollins strategic planning process, oversaw all of the schools doctoral programs and supported the creation of a new doctoral program  Global Health and Development. She also has developed strong collaborative relationships across the university, including chairing the Faculty Advisory Committee for the One Emory strategic framework.

At the same time, Arriola maintains a program of federally funded research that focuses on the social and behavioral factors impacting the health of marginalized populations and communities of color. She has led the development, implementation and evaluation of culturally sensitive interventions to improve public commitment to organ and tissue donation among African Americans, as well as interventions that improve access to transplantation among African American end-stage renal disease patients.

Additionally, Arriola has spearheaded the implementation and evaluation of environmental and policy-change interventions that improve access to cancer screening and treatment services among the underserved and underinsured.

Demonstrating a commitment to service, Arriola was faculty counselor to Emorys Board of Trustees for three years, chairs the Healthcare and Health Disparities Study Section of the National Institutes of Health, and was recently appointed associate editor of the American Journal of Transplantation, the leading journal in her field.

Arriola received an Emory Williams Distinguished Undergraduate Teaching Award in 2014 and in 2016 was honored with the Thomas F. Sellers Jr. Award, presented to a Rollins faculty member who exemplifies the ideals of public health and serves as a role model and mentor to colleagues. A 2010 alumna of the Woodruff Leadership Academy, Arriola also is a 2012 graduate of the American Psychological Association Leadership Institute for Women in Psychology and a 2016 graduate of the Society of Behavioral Medicine Leadership Institute.

With an enduring commitment to the mission and values of the university and a desire to drive further growth for Laney Graduate School, I look forward to establishing a strategic focus that will best serve the school, Emory and field of graduate and professional education, where our leadership has long been expected and welcome, says Arriola.

Her evolution as a leader is inspiring, and I look forward to working with her as a fellow dean, notes Love, who will transition back to her role as dean of Candler School of Theology on July 1 with the arrival of Ravi Bellamkonda as provost and executive vice president for academic affairs.

Emory was assisted in the search for the dean of Laney Graduate School by Heidrick & Struggles International.
FILE PHOTO: Logo of the Exxon Mobil Corp is seen at the Rio Oil and Gas Expo and Conference in Rio de Janeiro

By Jennifer Hiller

HOUSTON (Reuters) - The recent overhaul of Exxon Mobil Corp's board of directors could shift billions of dollars in spending and strategy over several years, but any changes likely will take time, analysts and investors say.

A quarter of directors last month lost their seats to outsiders, and the March appointment of activist Jeff Ubben puts a third of the 12-member board in new and more cost-conscious hands. Investors who rejected Exxon's view of a slow transition to lower-carbon fuels also want spending to be revisited, they said.

The Exxon boardroom contest shocked the energy industry and came after years of weak financial returns at the largest U.S. oil producer. Shares are up by about 50% this year as oil prices have recovered from pandemic lows.

Exxon's board has been a prestige post for former CEOs, typically without any energy experience. Critics said the practice led Exxon to miss industry shifts and play catch-up at the expense of its balance sheet. Exxon bought in to natural gas near its peak, leading it to reduce the value of properties in the United States, Canada and Argentina by more than $19 billion last year, and paid up to arrive late to the shale oil party.

New directors with energy experience likely will address Exxon's spending far more vigorously, said Anne Simpson, investment director at shareholder California Public Employees' Retirement System.

Investors want a "fundamental rethink on strategy," she said, with the big measure" being its $16 billion-$19 billion annual project spending. The shakeup puts in play billions of dollars in shale, liquefied natural gas, refining and chemical projects.

Asked to comment on its new board and strategy, Exxon said only that it welcomed the new directors. "We look forward to working with them collectively to benefit all of our shareholders."

STRATEGY REVIEW

Exxon needs "a real review of its strategy" in the wake of last month's International Energy Agency report that challenges the need for new projects if the world wants to reach net-zero emissions by mid-century, said Bess Joffe, head of responsible investment at the Church Commissioners for England.

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"The board is going to have to adapt" by giving investors more information on projects and environmental, social, and governance issues, or ESG, said David Larcker, director of the Corporate Governance Research Initiative at Stanford Graduate School of Business.

"It's just not a company that can turn on a dime," Larcker cautioned, adding that this year's budget is set. It is midway into big outlays in Guyana, Brazil, U.S. shale and chemicals, analysts said.

Existing directors believe coupling oil and gas investment with a gradual shift to alternative energy is Exxon's best path forward, long-time director Ursula Burns said at a virtual event hosted by the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas last week.

Exxon failed to communicate the importance of that phase-in to investors, she said.

"It has not been well done by Exxon Mobil for sure and that's one of the things that we have to work on is how do we tell the story," said Burns, who has served in many roles including as former chairman and CEO of Xerox Corp.

She said Exxon did not pay attention early enough to public frustration over global warming and ESG. Investors, she said, "wanted a direct, in some cases, (and) in some ways, an impossible message to be given." Burns added that "most of the board" thinks an energy transition is needed and that companies like Exxon need to be engaged in how that happens.

LOCKED-IN PROJECTS

Energy analysts do not see Exxon slashing its biggest ventures - offshore oil in Guyana and Brazil, or liquefied natural gas (LNG) in Asia and the United States - due to long-term commitments. It already has cut spending in the United States and could lower further, they said.

Guyana and Brazil's offshore fields will be prioritized, said Ruaraidh Montgomery at researcher Welligence. LNG projects that supplant oil production also can help Exxon reduce emissions, said Tom Ellacott, at consultants Wood Mackenzie.

In the United States, Exxon has sharply cut drilling and reduced its shale output goals to 700,000 barrels per day from 1 million. But even there, Exxon's multi-year projects "are hard to undo," said Peter McNally, an analyst with investment research firm Third Bridge Group.

However, investors are not buying the poor-messaging explanation or belief that spending decisions cannot be revisited.

"This is a call to reassess fundamentals of supply and demand for energy in the long term, and to question whether Exxon's current thinking around renewables gaining market share is too modest," said Stewart Glickman, analyst at CFRA Research, in a client note.

(Reporting by Jennifer Hiller in Houston; Editing by Gary McWilliams and Matthew Lewis)
By Asif Shahzad

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) -Pakistan said on Wednesday it will commit to spend $1.1 billion on procuring COVID-19 vaccine to inoculate eligible adults.

Pakistan hailed the 10 million doses of vaccines already administered as an important step toward its goal of vaccinating eligible people by year end.

The Economic Coordination Council (ECC) "expressed the government's commitment to provide $1.1 bln for procurement of COVID-19 vaccine," the finance ministry said in a statement.

It said the money will be spent to inoculate between 45 million and 65 million eligible adults this year in the country of 220 million.

The ECC approved $70 million on Wednesday to top up $130 million it sanctioned in May.

The vaccine will be procured by military run National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), the statement said.

"Thank God, we have succeeded in administering 10 million vaccine (doses)," the minister in-charge for COVID-19 operations, Asad Umar, told a ceremony to mark the milestone in Islamabad.

"Our target is to vaccinate up to 70 million people by the end of this year," he said of the total adult population eligible for the vaccination out of a 220 million nation.

Pakistan faced initial vaccination hesitancy and a shortage of supplies but it started a mass vaccination campaign late last month.

It has relied heavily on ally China for vaccine supplies with three out of six approved does coming from Chinese producers: Sinopharm, SinoVac and CanSinoBio.

Coronavirus infections surged in recent months but have started subsiding. Pakistan has registered a total 936,131 cases and 21,453 deaths.

On Wednesday, 1,118 new infections and 77 deaths were reported.

Pakistan has secured more than 18 million doses in donations and purchases and has also started producing the single dose Chinese CanSinoBio vaccine, with the hope of making 3 million doses a month.

The minister appealed to the public to get the shot and help restore normal life and business.

"The more quickly we vaccinate the more quickly we get rid of this pandemic," he said.

(Reporting by Asif ShahzadEditing by Robert Birsel and David Gregorio)
US President Joe Biden's administration will provide 500 million doses of the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine to about 100 countries over the next two years, US media report.

About 200 million doses will be distributed this year, with the remainder delivered in 2022.

The US has been under pressure to raise vaccination rates in poor countries.

The move comes as Mr Biden landed in the UK at the start of his first foreign trip as US president.

The White House is yet to officially comment on the plan to roll out 500 million doses worldwide.

But when asked if the US government had a vaccination strategy for the world, Mr Biden said: "I have one, and I'll be announcing it," before boarding Air Force One.

An eager crowd awaited his arrival on Wednesday at the RAF Mildenhall airbase in Suffolk, keen to catch a glimpse of Air Force One when Mr Biden touched down on Wednesday evening.

Mr Biden addressed US troops stationed at the base, paying tribute to military families and remembering his late son, Beau, who served in the National Guard.

He praised US allies - "like-minded nations" - and added: "The United States is back!"

President Biden arrived with his wife Jill

"Democracies of the world are standing together to tackle the toughest challenges and the issues that matter most to our future," he said.

Mr Biden later travelled on to Cornwall. The US president and Prime Minister Boris Johnson will meet for the first time on Thursday, ahead of the G7 summit in the south-western corner of England.

Also in his eight-day trip Mr Biden will meet the Queen at Windsor Castle and join his first Nato summit as president. He has said the visit is about "America rallying the world's democracies".

The US president is due to meet his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, at the end of his travels in Europe.

What do we know about the 500 million jabs?

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The US government will donate the vaccines to 92 lower-income countries and the African Union, Reuters news agency reports.

Distribution will go through the Covax scheme, which was set up last year to try to ensure fair access to vaccines among rich and poor nations.

The US had previously said it would donate 60m vaccine doses through Covax.

People familiar with the deal told the New York Times that the US would pay for the doses at a "not-for-profit" price.

Albert Bourla, chief executive of Pfizer, is expected to appear with Mr Biden when he officially announces the initiative on Thursday.

Earlier this week, Mr Johnson said he would urge G7 leaders to commit to vaccinating the world against Covid-19 by the end of next year.

The UK and Canada have not yet said how many doses they will provide to the Covax scheme.

What can we expect from the G7 summit?

The G7 (Group of Seven) is made up of the world's seven largest so-called advanced economies - Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and the US - plus the EU.

Other G7 leaders will arrive in Cornwall on Friday, and meetings will get under way the following morning.

Tracy Williams (L) and family members were among those waiting for Air Force One outside RAF Mildenhall

The main topic of conversation will be Covid recovery, including "a stronger global health system that can protect us all from future pandemics".

The agenda also includes climate change and trade.

Mr Biden is expected to warn that the ongoing UK-EU trade row could imperil peace in Northern Ireland. He will call on fellow leaders to protect the gains of the Good Friday agreement.

At the end of the summit, the UK - as the host nation - will publish a document outlining what has been agreed by the leaders.

When will Biden meet Putin?

The first US-Russia summit of the Biden presidency will take place in Geneva, Switzerland, on 16 June.

It comes at the tail end of Mr Biden's trip, giving the president plenty of time to hear from US allies beforehand.

The White House has indicated that he intends to cover a "full range of pressing issues" with his Russian counterpart, including arms control, climate change, Russian military involvement in Ukraine, Russia's cyber-hacking activities and the jailing of Russian dissident Alexei Navalny.

Three organisations linked to Mr Navalny were outlawed by a Moscow court on Wednesday as "extremist".

Mr Putin threw cold water on the Biden meeting last week, saying he hoped to improve the "extremely low level of relations" between the two countries but expected no breakthroughs.

Russian dissident Alexei Navalny will be one of Mr Biden's topics when he meets Vladimir Putin

Speaking in Suffolk on Wednesday evening, Mr Biden said that the US was not seeking conflict with Russia but wanted a stable, predictable relationship.

"I've been clear: the United States will respond in a robust and meaningful way if the Russian government engages in harmful activities."

He said he would tell Mr Putin there were consequences for "violating the sovereignty of democracies in the United States, in Europe and elsewhere".

The transatlantic alliance (Nato) would remain a vital source of strength for the UK, Europe and the US, the president said.

The Queen and Nato

The White House said Mr Biden's meeting with Mr Johnson ahead of the summit would "affirm the enduring strength" of the countries' "special relationship".

Both leaders took part in a virtual climate action summit hosted by the US in April but have not yet met in person.

The president and First Lady Jill Biden will also be received by the Queen at Windsor Castle.

It will be the 95-year-old monarch's first meeting with a foreign leader since the death of her husband Prince Philip.

The next leg of Mr Biden's trip takes him to Brussels, where he will meet leaders of other Nato countries.

US relations with Nato were strained under his predecessor Donald Trump, but Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg - in a White House visit on Monday - hailed Mr Biden's "powerful commitment" to US allies.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 9)  The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China have vowed to avoid activities that could escalate tension in the contested South China Sea.

This was agreed on during a special assembly on Monday among foreign ministers of the 10-member regional bloc and the East Asian giant, according to a statement by the meetings co-chairs Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. and Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

Four ASEAN states, including the Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei, and Malaysia, as well as self-governing Taiwan, have asserted rights in the resource-rich waterway, over which China has sweeping claims.

Claimant nations have pledged to peacefully resolve maritime row in accordance with international law, including the United Nations Convention for the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) adopted in 1982, the statement read. The UNCLOS defines coastal and maritime boundaries and regulates seabed exploration outside territorial claims.

Concerned members also affirmed the need to maintain the momentum of the talks for a Code of Conduct, which will determine the only allowable actions countries can take in the South China Sea.

The foreign ministers said they intend to expedite the resumption of the textual negotiations of the COC through virtual platforms, although physical meetings would remain the primary modality.

ASEAN has been in talks with Beijing for nearly two decades over the nonaggression pact aimed at preventing clashes from erupting in the disputed waters. Progress has been slow, largely due to resistance from China, which continues to reject the UNCLOS-backed 2016 landmark ruling which invalidated its expansive territorial claims.

Among other issues tackled in the special ASEAN-China meeting are efforts to enhance public health and vaccine cooperation, especially amid the coronavirus pandemic.

In a separate statement, the Philippines' Department of Foreign Affairs said the ministers also pushed for progress in the implementation of the five-point consensus they earlier discussed to address the political turmoil in Myanmar.

The assembly was held in China in celebration of 30 years of dialogue relations between the two parties.

In late May, the Philippines and China also met to discuss the sea dispute during their sixth bilateral consultation mechanism. The Department of Foreign Affairs said both sides had friendly and candid exchanges, as Manila reiterated its long-standing call for Beijing's full adherence to the UNCLOS and the 2016 tribunal decision.

RELATED: China remiss as bilateral partner to PH, party to UNCLOS, envoys say
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 9)  The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas has launched a design competition for its production facility which will be built at the New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac.

"The conceptual design should be environmentally sustainable. It has to be green and should promote the use of resources such as energy, water and materials which are sustainable," BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno told CNN Philippines' The Source on Wednesday.

He said that in line with their goal of addressing the impact of climate change, they also want to contribute to the desire of the national government to decongest Metro Manila.

The design competition via public bidding is open to architectural and engineering consultants, according to the BSP website. Diokno said those from local and international companies may join.

He added that the competition will also have two stages: the eligibility screening and shortlisting; and submission of technical and financial proposals and conceptual design. Deliberation will be done for three months, and results will be out by October.

The new complex will be built on 31 hectares of land during the second quarter of 2022.

Meanwhile, the BSP's headquarters along Roxas Boulevard in Manila will be retained while a technical working group will determine what will happen to the Security Plant Complex in Diliman, Quezon City, Diokno added.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 9)  Ronald Mark Aquino, son of slain Calbayog City Mayor Ronaldo Aquino, cried foul over the filing of two counts of murder against him for the deaths of police officers involved in the alleged ambush of his father in March.

At a Senate hearing on the mayor's killing on Wednesday, Samar Police Provincial Office head PCol. Oliver Cinco said the complaint was filed at the Calbayog City Prosecutor's Office on April 8, exactly a month after the crime.

The younger Aquino is accused of fatally shooting PSSg. Romeo Laoyon and PCpt. Joselito Tabada, chief of the provincial drug enforcement unit. His co-accused are PCpl. Ramil Rosales, his father's security detail, and several John Does.

Laoyon sustained 17 gunshot wounds while Tabada died of a gunshot wound on his trunk, Cinco said, citing results of the autopsy. He said witnesses' sworn statements and other evidence pointed to Aquino.

The mayor's son belied the police's claims. He explained that the crime scene at Labuyao Bridge, Barangay Lonoy in Calbayog was about a 15-minute drive from the resort where he was. His father was also headed there to attend his birthday celebration.

Aquino tearfully recalled rushing to the area upon learning of the "ambush."

"Naabutan ko po na walang buhay na siya at tadtad po ng bala at wala po akong ibang ginawa kundi yakapin ang tatay ko," Aquino said. "Tahimik na po at wala na pong nangyaring putukan at marami na pong sibilyan."

[Translation: I saw him lifeless and his body riddled with bullets and I did nothing else but hug my father. It was quiet already, no more shots fired, and there were many civilians.]

"Kami na nga po ang pinatayan ng ama, ako pa po ang kinasuhan," he added.

[Translation: Our father was killed and yet I am being sued.]

PNP vs. NBI findings

PCpl. Edcil Omega maintained he saw Aquino and Rosales shoot at the policemen. He said he was somewhere below the bridge, and that he decided not to engage due to his disadvantageous position.

But according to the National Bureau of Investigation, there was no footage showing Aquino around the vicinity during the firefight which happened at around 5:30 p.m. Jerry Abiera, regional director of the NBI-Eastern Visayas, said that even at 5:42 p.m., there were no signs of Aquino's vehicle in the dash cam footage of a bus that passed the bridge.

The NBI's Samar district office is ready to file multiple murder and frustrated murder complaints against six police officers and several other individuals  the slain mayor's son not included  according to the findings presented by Abiera.

The NBI is convinced it was an ambush, while the police call it a shootout. Citing testimonies of several witnesses, Abiera said the suspects  wearing long sleeves, bulletproof vests, and bonnets  fired at the mayor's van "alternately and systematically."

"When a group would run out of ammunition, they would retreat to reload while the other group would take their turn to fire at will," Abiera said.

While the police seek murder charges against Aquino, they only filed homicide and frustrated homicide complaints against three police officers: PLtCol. Harry Sucayre, PMaj. Shyrile Tan, and PLt. Julio Armeza.

In explaining the rationale for the homicide complaint, Cinco said: "As culled from the statements of IMEG (Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group), they were first fired upon by the group of Aquino and that they only returned fire in the process."

Politically motivated?

Late Calbayog Mayor Ronaldo Aquino

The late mayor's family believes the patriarch had long been targeted by enemies in politics.

"Itong pangyayari sa tatay ko ay hindi po ordinary kundi meron pong taong nag-utos dito at malamang po ay konektado sa pulitika," Aquino said.

[Translation: What happened to my father is not ordinary. Someone ordered it and it's probably connected to politics.]

He then presented a witness, PMSg. Jose Jay Senario, who was assigned in Calbayog City during the incident. Senario recalled receiving orders from Tabada in 2018 to apply for a search warrant and surveil the mayor's residence.

"Two options kasi yung ibinigay sa akin (I was given two options). It's either to apply [for a search] warrant or iambush na lang si (or just ambush) Mayor Aquino," Senario said.

He added that a political rival of Mayor Aquino also asked him to come up with an affidavit implicating the local chief executive as coddler of a drug-linked security detail. Both the Philippine National Police and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency said the mayor was not involved in illegal drugs.

Senario did not finish his Senate testimony after being advised by Senator Panfilo "Ping" Lacson that he should have a lawyer with him. He said Senario's claims showed efforts to "lay the groundwork" in getting rid of the mayor.

"Matagal talaga yung pagpaplano na nag-culminate lang diyan sa tulay (The plan took a long time and it culminated on the bridge)," Lacson, a former Philippine National Police chief, said.

Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa, chair of the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs  and a former top cop himself  said he will call for another hearing. Senario will be invited, as well as the politician and police officers he was accusing of targeting the mayor.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 9)  President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday said traffic jams along EDSA is no longer an issue as his administration has already fixed the problem.

He claimed travel time from Cubao to NAIA in Pasay is now at 15 minutes.

"Ang traffic ngayon sa EDSA maluwang na. But early on sa administration ko, it was a crisis there," he said in an interview with his friend, Pastor Apollo Quiboloy.

[Translation: EDSA traffic is no longer an issue. Early on in my administration, it was a crisis.]

EDSA is Metro Manila's busiest thoroughfare. The National Capital Region has remained under varying degrees of lockdown and limited mobility for over a year and counting.

In 2019, he admitted that he couldn't fulfill his campaign promise to fix the carmaggedon in EDSA.
Kalibo, Aklan (CNN Philippines, June 9)  Local authorities have imposed a 14-day liquor ban in Boracay to address rising COVID-19 cases on the island.

"Superspreader events must be minimized as parties and gatherings were seen by the Provincial IATF and Provincial Health Office (PHO) as the major cause of the surge of COVID-19 (cases) on the island," Aklan Governor Florencio Miraflores said Wednesday.

The ban took effect on June 8.

The province of Aklan is currently under modified general community quarantine.

On June 7, the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) - Boracay appealed to exclude the island from travel restrictions and liquor bans. Miraflores only approved the exclusion from travel restrictions, saying tourists should also feel there are limitations in activities in the area.

"Kailangan nating siguruhin na ligtas ang ating mga turista maging ang mga residente mula sa virus. Ang mga party-party ang isa sa mga dahilan ng paglobo ng kaso sa Boracay. Huwag nating antayin na muli na pang maapektuhan nito ang ating turismo," he added.

[Translation: We need to ensure the safety of our tourists and residents from the virus. Parties are one of the reasons behind the increasing cases in Boracay. Let us not wait for our tourism industry to be affected again.]

Curfew hours from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. will be also enforced on the island. All tourists are also still required to present negative swab tests result taken within 72 hours before arrival.

Meanwhile, four tourists were arrested in Tabon Port on Tuesday after submitting fake RT-PCR test results in an attempt to enter Boracay. The tourists all came from Metro Manila.

They were brought to a quarantine facility in Kalibo and will undergo swab tests. Appropriate charges will be also filed against them in accordance with Republic Act No 11332 or Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases, and Article 172 of the Revised Penal Code or Falsification of Documents.

Latest government data showed total COVID-19 infections in Aklan have reached 3,028, with 440 active cases.
Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and 23 other richest Americans paid little to nothing in federal taxes between 2014 and 2018, according to an analysis by non-profit investigative journalism organisation ProPublica.

The report was based on a lot of IRS tax filings. It further revealed that America's wealthiest executives paid just a fragment of their fortune in taxes - $13.6 billion in federal income taxes on $401 billion of their wealth.

The documents expose the stark disparity in the US tax system, letting magnates such as Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, Warren Buffet, and Michael Bloomberg benefit from an intricate network of cracks in the tax code as well as the fact that US emphasises on taxing labour income contrary to wealth.

Also Read: Joe Biden to float historic tax increase on investment gains for rich

Much of the fortune the rich amass, like vacation homes, companies they run, yachts, and other investments, isn't reckoned as "taxable income" unless those assets are sold and a gain is realised.

Even then, there are myriad loopholes in the tax system that can restrict or wipe out all tax liability. The rare window into the ploy of America's top business moguls comes as President Joe Biden is attempting to revamp the tax code to increase taxes on companies and the rich.

Biden has suggested raising the top income tax rate to 39.6% from 37%. However, the documents as well as conclusions of ProPublica's analysis, as reported by the New York Times, could restore calls for the US president to contemplate a wealth tax.

Also Read: Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates--Which billionaire has lowest carbon footprint?

Meanwhile, the news organisation did not disclose how it obtained the information, but stated that the documents were provided to it "in raw form, with no conditions or conclusions".

The outlet added that it had run the data past every executive whose details were included in the article.

"Every person whose tax information is described in this story was asked to comment," ProPublica said, stating that those who replied "all said they had paid the taxes they owed."
(CNN)  It was supposed to be the underworld's impenetrable communication tool, a digital safe space to plot crimes ranging from drug trafficking to murder away from the prying eyes of the law.

But for nearly three years, an encrypted app used by criminals was covertly monitored by the FBI and Australia's Federal Police (AFP)  leading to hundreds of arrests and tens of millions of dollars in asset seizures, authorities revealed on Tuesday.

In a statement, the AFP said they and the FBI had been reading the clandestine communications of criminals since 2018 on the ANoM app  a black-market product only accessible on specially prepared mobile phones.

According to the AFP, intelligence gathered from the decrypted messages led to the arrest of 224 suspects on more than 500 charges and the seizure of 3.7 metric tons of drugs and nearly $35 million in cash over the past three years in Australia.

A number of those charged are allegedly linked to Australian-based Italian mafia, outlaw motorcycle gangs, Asian crime syndicates and Albanian organized crime, the AFP added.

"Operation Ironside," as the investigation was named, began three years ago as a collaboration between several global law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, the AFP, New Zealand police and Europol.

Speaking at a news conference on Tuesday, AFP Commissioner Reece Kershaw said multiple criminal plots were also foiled thanks to law enforcement access to the app, including a planned mass shooting at an Australian suburban cafe and the assassination of a family of five.

ANoM could only be found on phones bought through the black market, which had been stripped of the capability to make calls or send emails, according to the AFP. The phones could only send messages to another device that had the app and criminals needed to know another criminal to get a device.

"The devices organically circulated and grew in popularity among criminals, who were confident of the legitimacy of the app because high-profile organized crime figures vouched for its integrity," the AFP statement said.

Unknown to the app's users, the FBI had access to the app and its communications, which the organization then used to collect information on criminal operations.

According to court documents released by the US government on Tuesday, the ANoM was given to San Diego FBI agents by a developer who had created it to compete on the market for encrypted communications platforms.

The developer, whose identity is not revealed, offered it to help the FBI with its ongoing investigations, in return for a reduced sentence on charges he was facing.

In May 2021, the top five countries where ANoM devices were used were Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Australia, and Serbia, according to the documents.

Kershaw said the criminals didn't use codes or pseudonyms on ANoM, brazenly discussing crimes in the mistaken confidence their communications were safe.

"Essentially, we have been in the back pockets of organized crime and operationalized a criminal takedown like we have never seen," Kershaw said.

"The use of encrypted communication apps presents significant challenges to law enforcement and ANoM has given law enforcement a window into the level of criminality that we have never seen before on this scale."

Hundreds of arrests and tons of drugs were also seized overseas as a result of the operation, the AFP said, but didn't specify where. Police also seized assets in Australia which authorities estimated would be worth millions of dollars once they were sold.

In total over the course of the three years, more than 9,000 police officers across 18 countries were involved in maintaining the operation.

The AFP said more arrests are expected in Australia and overseas as a result of the operation.

Kershaw added there were other, larger encrypted communication apps which police were working to access.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "For years, the underworld thought its phones were safe. They fell for an encrypted app trap."
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 9) - Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray said beauty pageants should give candidates more opportunities to speak.

"Definitely include more opportunities for the women to speak. Because I feel like, considering that social media is our main platform, but also the job of being a titlist, the job of being a representative is really about representing something and being a voice to someone, a community, a country, a cause," Gray told CNN Philippines' The Final Word.

"So I would welcome more opportunities for women to be in a position where they could speak and really share their opinion and communicate the way that they feel," she added.

Helping underprivileged children fulfill their dreams is Gray's advocacy, which she made known in her Miss Universe opening statement.

After her reign, Gray was named Arts Ambassador by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA). She recently hosted the NCCA's web series "Kultura 101," which discussed different aspects of Filipino culture.

"I feel like a lot of the audiences that really look up to beauty queens have put their attention to these representatives to see how are they making ripples of good or doing something in the community. I think it's a great thing for our future country representatives to live up to," said Gray, who is set to return from Australia to host the upcoming Bb. Pilipinas pageant next month.
(CNN)  Every day at noon, a large antique gun is fired in Hong Kong.

No, this has nothing to do with war, protests or conflict. The Jardine Noonday Gun is about history with a side of charitable goodness.

It gets its name from its owner, the Jardine Matheson Company, which was founded in the early 1830s. The powerful Hong Kong-based conglomerate, which has interests in everything from retail and real estate to automobiles, is known for its dramatic window-dotted skyscraper on Victoria Harbour  just a few kilometers away from where the gun is perched on the calmer waters of the Causeway Bay typhoon shelter.

There are a few apocryphal stories behind the gun, but the most commonly repeated tale is this: during the British colonial era, the gun was fired whenever the head of Jardine Matheson entered or left the building.

This man was locally known as a taipan, which is a Chinese word for the non-Chinese head of a China-based company. The plot of land the gun sits on, still owned by Jardine Matheson to this day, was the first piece of land sold to a Western private company in Hong Kong.

This was before the days of the Hong Kong subway or tram system, so the easiest way to get to and from a building on the waterfront was by boat, hence the pomp-and-circumstance feeling.

According to legend, the sound of the gun being fired  which to this day is powerful enough to jolt nearby pedestrians like a daily earthquake  made such an impression on the British Navy stationed nearby that they ordered the gun fired daily at noon as a way to make sure everyone's clocks were on the same schedule. (The things we had to do before smartphones!)

Another version of the story has Jardine Matheson's taipan being greeted by a 21-gun salute, to the horror of the local military who reserve that tradition for high ranking officers. As a result, the Navy "punished" Jardine Matheson by forcing them to institute the daily noontime gun-firing.

Whatever the accurate backstory, it's a uniquely Hong Kong tradition that has outlasted world wars, a governmental handover and multiple major weather incidents.

There is one exception to the strict schedule, though: New Year's Eve, when the gun is fired at midnight.

For visitors to Hong Kong, a trip to the Noonday Gun checks off several boxes. It's free  always a perk in an expensive city  and conveniently located near one of the island's most hotel-packed neighborhoods.

The only time this attraction is open to visitors is from 12:00-12:30 p.m. every day, which requires you to time your visit appropriately, but it's the rare tourist spot that is fun for both little kids and history buffs.

For a special treat, it is possible for a civilian to have the honor of firing the gun themselves.

The only way to make this happen is by donating a not-small amount to MINDSET, a mental health organization funded by Jardine's. In addition to the extremely cool act of firing a giant vintage gun in a major global city in the middle of a workday, you'll get a commemorative bullet casing (not the one you just fired, it's a replica) as a keepsake. However, this is no mere tax writeoff: the minimum donation is $28,000 HKD ($3,600) for individual donors and $38,000 ($4,900) HKD for corporate ones.

Another charity with a similar system is Community Chest, a local community enrichment organization that supports needy Hong Kongers. If a person or business donates at least $33,000 HKD ($4,250) to the group, they too become eligible to fire the gun  although an additional application is required once they confirm their donation total.

Remnants of Hong Kong's past

One of the most special things about Hong Kong is its combination of modern and historic. Even street names can give you a clue toward what an area's not-so-recent past was.

One example  not far from the Noonday Gun, among the shiny exteriors of western luxury brands  there's a little alley called Jardine's Bazaar. There, you can find booths crammed with everything from feng shui decorations to socks and portable fans.

The street and the gun may both bear the name of Jardine, but they're as different as two places can be.

That said, the gun is possibly more notable for what it isn't than for what it is. Not only will you be hard pressed to find a local attending the firing ceremony, it's common to find Hongkongers who go running or walk their dog past the gun every day without knowing a single thing about it.

Professor John M. Carroll of Hong Kong University's history department grew up within earshot of the Noonday Gun, but he says there's probably more information about it on Wikipedia than in his own memory.

"Only a small fraction of Hong Kong's population lives on Hong Kong Island, the gun goes off only once per day, and most (local) people probably don't know who Noel Coward was," he says.

Carroll, who is also the author of "A Concise History of Hong Kong," adds: "As a historian, why something didn't happen, or why people don't know anything about something, is always a rather odd question. It would be interesting to know what the people living on the boats in the typhoon shelter thought."

There's a reason Carroll mentions Noel Coward, the British writer, humorist and historian who died in 1978.

The best known English-language pop culture reference to the Noonday Gun comes from Coward's 1931 song "Mad Dogs and Englishmen." The dated song talks about how only the two titular groups are crazy enough to go out in the hot midday sun in Asia.

Mad dogs and Englishmen

Go out in the midday sun.

The smallest Malay rabbit

Deplores this foolish habit.

In Hong Kong

They strike a gong

And fire off a noonday gun

To reprimand each inmate

Who's in late.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "Why is a gun fired in Hong Kong every day at noon?"
(CNN)  Are you feeling frazzled? That's relatable. These days, stress and anxiety are soaring across the globe.

If you have a minute to spare, you can tweak the course of your day with a quick mindfulness practice.

In recent years, studies have shown that mindfulness -- a group of practices designed to focus the mind on the here and now -- holds big promise for reducing pain, improving sleep, soothing stress, and helping with both anxiety and depression.

"Mindfulness is the practice of cultivating awareness of the present moment -- thoughts, emotions and body sensations -- without judging them or reacting to them," said Eric Garland, a distinguished professor and associate dean for research at the University of Utah College of Social Work.

Paying attention to the sensation of your breath is among the most fundamental of mindfulness practices, said Amishi Jha, professor of psychology at the University of Miami.

"You're going to shine the flashlight of attention on those breath-related sensations," she said. Jha calls such exercises "core strength training for our mind," or workouts to hone our ability to focus on the present.

You can get started right now. Ready? Here's how to begin.

1. Take a minute (or five). "Dedicate some time," Jha said. "It can be as short as a minute." Set a timer so you can focus on the practice at hand. If possible, try to minimize distractions. You can sit, stand or lie down. Choose whatever feels comfortable to you.

2. Anchor your attention. Pick one physical sensation of breathing to focus on, said Patricia Rockman, director of education and clinical services at the Centre for Mindfulness Studies in Toronto.

"This might be at the nostrils, the chest or the belly. It's really on the physical sensations, the movement of breath at a specific point," Rockman said.

That will be the "anchor" of your practice. Now, breathe normally while turning your attention to that place.

3. Redirect your mind. Pretty soon, you'll probably get distracted by a thought. Don't feel bad about it. That's just what happens.

"People think they're crappy meditators because they have lots of thoughts," Rockman said. "They shouldn't be expecting their thoughts to go away or their mind to be empty."

When you notice your mind wandering, just turn your attention back to your anchor. It's like doing mental reps. Each time you return your focus to the breath, it strengthens that cognitive "muscle."

4. Repeat. A minute of mindful breathing is just dipping your toe in, Jha said. It's a starting point. Over time, you could work up to 10 or 15 minutes a day.

Even if you're doing regular mindfulness meditation, though, Jha encourages people to look for opportunities to sneak in "micro-practices" like this one.

"At a stop sign, waiting in line, waiting in the car to pick up your kid," she said. "You might pick up your phone and start scrolling. But if we choose, instead, to do just a small, short-period practice, that could probably be more beneficial."

5. Make a plan. If you hope mindfulness will be a habit that sticks, try making a specific plan to try again tomorrow, said Katy Milkman, a professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and the author of "How to Change: The Science of Getting from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be."

"Make it more of a firm commitment, so that it's not a vague intention we can keep procrastinating on," she said. That might mean penciling a few minutes for mindfulness into your calendar. Over time, daily mindfulness can turn into a new habit.

And if you miss a day or two, Milkman said it's key to avoid the "what-the-hell effect." That's what happens when we fall short of our goals and then give up altogether. Instead, she recommended giving yourself a limited weekly number of "emergency reserves" to use on days when even a mindful minute seems like too much to do.

It's a free pass to skip meditation and start fresh the next day. "Repetition builds habits," Milkman said. "But having this 'I'm not going to give up on myself' strategy is really important too."

This story was first published on CNN.com How a 'micro-practice' can ease stress and help you sleep
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 10)  Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. on Wednesday apologized to local government units for the delayed delivery of COVID-19 vaccines caused by supply issues.

In a statement, Galvez explained that the seven million doses that were supposed to arrive last month were reduced to 4.5 million due to logistical challenges. The remaining COVID-19 vaccines will be delivered this month, he added.

He then assured LGUs identified as centers of gravity - or those with a high number of active cases - that they will be given their supply this week with the arrival of 3.2 million doses on Thursday.

Speaking to CNN Philippines' News Night, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire also said about 60% of the newly-delivered vaccines will be allocated to areas outside NCR Plus.

On Wednesday, Department of Health Director Napoleon Arevalo also said more COVID-19 shots will be immediately delivered to local governments after a number of them said they have yet to start inoculating the A4 priority group - or essential workers - pending the arrival of additional supply.

The League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP) has appealed to the national government to increase allocations for the regions as infections rise, and to ensure equal access to the COVID-19 shots.

In an interview with CNN Philippines' The Final Word, LCP President Evelio Leonardia said provinces felt insecure during the time when chunk of the vaccine supply was allocated for Metro Manila, while they only received trickles.

"Apparently they listened to us and Secretary Galvez himself had seen to it that we will get that much bigger allocation," he said. However, the Bacolod City mayor also noted that the national government has yet to inform them how many doses will be delivered.

Leonardia said for the case of Bacolod City, more than 40,000 individuals have already received their shots. He added they are seeing stable vaccine supply with the expected arrival of the AstraZeneca vaccines they procured in the coming months, which are on top of the supply they are receiving from the national government.

Meanwhile, Galvez also emphasized that donated vaccines through the COVAX Facility will be given to priority groups: health workers, senior citizens, people with comorbidities, and the indigent population. As for the doses procured by the government, these will also be used for the priority groups, as well as economic frontliners.

Galvez assured the public that vaccine supply will normalize by June 14 as more doses arrive. For June, the government expects to receive over 11 million coronavirus shots, another 11 million in July, and 17 million in August.

In the third quarter, 35 million doses are seen to arrive, with bulk of the shipments coming from Sinovac and COVAX, he said.

The government has so far received over 9 million COVID-19 vaccines, with some 6 million shots already administered. To date, 1.6 million individuals have been fully vaccinated against the coronavirus.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 8)  President Rodrigo Duterte chided Senator Manny Pacquiao for criticizing his stance on the West Philippine Sea issue.

Its about foreign policy. I would not want to degrade him, but next time he should...mag-aral ka muna nang husto [study diligently], Duterte said in an interview with his friend Pastor Apollo Quiboloy on Tuesday.

Apparently, this guy has a very shallow knowledge, the President added.

Pacquiao  president of the ruling PDP-Laban party  earlier criticized Dutertes stance on the maritime dispute with China as lacking. Pacquiao said Duterte should be giving strong responses now, just as he did during the 2016 presidential campaign, when he said he would ride a jet ski and plant the Philippine flag in the West Philippine Sea to assert the country's sovereign rights.

RELATED: Senate likely to pass West PH Sea resolution with amendments

Duterte has been criticized for his friendly ties with China, which has repeatedly rejected the 2016 arbitral ruling the favored Manila over Beijings claims in the disputed waters.

Itong mga taong ito, hindi ako kilala [These people do not know me] Foreign policy is just being neutral. But ako [I am] neutral in a sense I do not favor one country for the other nor would I allow any of those countries to be in the Philippines to establish itong mga [these] military bases, he countered.

The President earlier said the country owes a debt of gratitude to China. However, he stressed he cannot compromise on some matters, especially those concerning the West Philippine Sea.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 9)  The Philippine National Police on Wednesday said it filed before the Mandaluyong City prosecutor's office several complaints against three people in relation to the alleged sale of COVID-19 vaccination slots.

Complaints for estafa and violation of the Anti-Red Tape law and Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 were filed against Cyle Cedric Soriano Bonifacio, Melvin Polo Gutierrez, and Nina Ellaine Dizon-Cabrera on Monday, PNP chief Guillermo Eleazar said in a statement.

Bonifacio earlier surrendered after authorities launched a probe into the supposed vaccination slot for sale scheme. Bonifacio, in a press conference last month, said he is "confident" of his innocence, adding he only showed himself to the public to "put an end to the issue."

Before the surrender, police were already tracking down Bonifacio after his name surfaced in a viral social media post, which claimed that vaccination slots in Mandaluyong were being sold for up to 15,000.

Meanwhile, Eleazar said Bonifacio claimed Gutierrez was involved in the alleged scheme.

Noong sumuko itong si Bonifacio sa atin at nagbigay ng pahayag, pinangalanan niya si Gutierrez, isang fire at barangay volunteer, na umanoy tumulong sa kanya na makakuha ng vaccination slot sa Mandaluyong City, Eleazar said.

[Translation: When Bonifacio surrendered to us, he gave a statement and named Gutierrez, a fire and barangay volunteer, who allegedly helped him get a vaccination slot in Mandaluyong City.]

The PNP's initial statement Wednesday morning mentioned only Bonifacio and Gutierrez. It later posted an updated statement in the afternoon which included Dizon-Cabrera in the list of people sued. The PNP clarified its Anti-Cybercrime Group found out that Dizon-Cabrera allegedly offered 50 to 100 vaccination slots in Mandaluyong City.

Dizon-Cabrera said she was "baffled" that she was also charged, asserting she was the one who first exposed the alleged scheme to the public on her Twitter account on May 21.

"As of writing, I have yet to receive anything from the complainant's end, but I am already in communication with my lawyer regarding this matter," Dizon-Cabrera said in a statement. "The truth, as always, shall prevail."

Dizon-Cabrera is also known as the CEO of local makeup brand Colourette Cosmetics, and someone who is vocal with her criticisms against the government.

COVID-19 vaccines are only approved for emergency use and cannot be sold commercially.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 9)  The United States eased its travel restrictions to the Philippines, telling Americans to reconsider pushing through with trips due to the COVID-19 situation in the country.

It listed the Philippines under "Level 3: Reconsider Travel" on Tuesday. In April, the Philippines was categorized under "Level 4: Do Not Travel" when parts of the country were experiencing a surge in new infections.

The threat levels are determined by the number of COVID-19 cases in a given country. Areas under Level 3 are those currently reporting 100 to 500 cases per 100,000 residents.

The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention urged Americans to ensure they are fully vaccinated before traveling to the Philippines. It said unvaccinated travelers should avoid nonessential trips to the Philippines due to the "high level of COVID-19" in the country.

It also issued new travel advice for at least 120 more countries and territories, including easing the recommendation on Japan ahead of the Olympics.

The Philippines has 1.28 million COVID-19 cases, with 56,452 patient who are currently sick. The country's COVID-19 fatality count is at 22,064.
(CNN)  As some states report they have Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine doses that are expiring before they get used, the company and federal officials say they're looking at whether expiration dates can be extended  and whether the doses could be put to use elsewhere.

"We're working very hard, both at the federal level and at the local level, to do everything we can to make sure that these vaccines can be used and deployed in the very best possible way," Johnson & Johnson Chairman and CEO Alex Gorsky said Wednesday during a Wall Street Journal Tech Health event.

"The good news was we got a lot of vaccines out to meet this initial surge in demand and now making sure we get the very best possible deployment and allocation, and the distribution system gets even more agile, more flexible -- not only here in the United States, between states, but in fact around the world -- will be work that we need to continue to stay focused on in the weeks and months ahead."

"We have pulled expired vaccine from active inventory and are in the process of following CDC guidance on proper disposal," Keith Reed, deputy commissioner at the Oklahoma state Department of Health, told CNN.

" Also, as of last week, we had roughly 80,000 Johnson & Johnson vaccine doses that would expire if not used by the end of the month, though that number is less now as we work through vaccine."

Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told CNN on Wednesday that the US Food and Drug Administration is looking into whether the expiration date on Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccines can be extended and if so, how to make use of the doses.

"The FDA is looking into that right now, trying to determine if, in fact, the date can be extended or not and if so, can we get them properly utilized, whether it's utilized in the United States or elsewhere," Fauci said. "This is something that the FDA is very much on and looking at very, very carefully."

Johnson & Johnson said in a statement to CNN on Tuesday that it's conducting stability testing "with the goal of extending the amount of time our COVID-19 vaccine can be stored before expiry." The J&J vaccine can be stored for up to three months at refrigerator temperatures, but longer if frozen.

Of the 21.4 million doses of the single-shot J&J vaccine delivered in the US, about 11 million have been administered, according to data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Danyelle McNeill, public information officer for the Arkansas Department of Health, said the state has received 163,000 doses of J&J's Janssen vaccine and administered 69,501 of them. About 65,000 doses are set to expire by Sept. 30.

The pace of vaccination has slowed in recent weeks. Among the US population eligible to be vaccinated -- people 12 and older -- nearly half are fully vaccinated.

On Tuesday, White House Covid-19 adviser Andy Slavitt said "it's not realistic to expect that not a single dose will go to waste," but a "very, very small fraction" of Covid-19 vaccine doses sent to states will ultimately not be used. He added that doses that go to waste will not affect the United States' ability to fulfill its commitment to distribute vaccines globally.

Slavitt said they're "working aggressively" to get doses administered, and encouraged states to work with the FDA on storage solutions.

Federal officials "would encourage every governor who has doses that they worry may be expiring to work with the FDA directly on the proper storage procedures ... as they continue to examine processes that will allow the doses to potentially last longer, as they go through those trials," he said.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said in a news release this week that 200,000 doses of the state's J&J vaccine are set to expire before the end of the month, and the state is unable to share the doses with other states or countries.

Retired Arkansas National Guard Col. Rob Ator, who has been overseeing Arkansas' vaccine distribution, told KATV last week that he stopped ordering the J&J vaccine for the state, because they have so many unused doses.

"It's an all-hands-on-deck kind of a theory to get the vaccine out, but there is the potential in the future that we would have large scale wastage," he said.
The commitment of the Quad nations to provide a billion Covid vaccines to people in Southeast Asia by 2022 is still on track, despite a devastating second wave of the coronavirus pandemic in India, a top White House official has said. In March, leaders of the Quad -- comprising Australia, India, Japan and the United States during a virtual summit had committed themselves to provide a billion vaccines to Southeast Asia.

These vaccines were to be manufactured in India, but due to the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic certain quarters are raising doubts if the Quad can meet its commitment by 2022.

"We have been in close consultations with our partners and with India. Obviously, this is an extremely difficult period for Indian friends. The United States has tried to stand with Delhi and to bring others both in the private and the public sectors to support them," Kurt Campbell, the White House's Indo-Pacific policy director, said.

"Our discussions with both our partners in the private sector and also in government suggests that we are knock-on-wood still on track for 2022, he said. Participating in a panel discussion organised by the Center for New American Security, a think-tank in Washington DC, the top White House official said that the most intense efforts right now really are in the short-term.

I think we're feeling relatively confident as we head into 2022, but we recognise that what we are facing right now across Asia, in fact, across the world are new strains that spread more rapidly, Campbell said. So even countries that did extremely well through social distancing and masking are now facing outbreaks even with tremendous stringency, he said.

So, we understand the only way to be effective to counter this is through vaccine diplomacy. We are trying to step that up more generally, Campbell said. Campbell said that the goal is to hold an in-person Quad meeting and a very ambitious meeting here in Washington, in the fall, he said. With all leaders in attendance, we will ensure that we've taken the necessary steps on the vaccine deliverable, Campbell said.

We intend to build on that. We want to do something constructive with respect to infrastructure. We are going to take some other steps to build out the Quad to ensure that as an unofficial gathering, it still is a defining feature of modern diplomacy linking these key maritime democracies in a way that is deeply consequential for the 21st century, he said.

Responding to a question on news reports of expansion of the Quad, he said that the focus is going to be on deepening and increasing familiarity and broaden within governments.

We recognize that our strategic purpose extends beyond vaccines. We're going to look at a number of areas where we think there are some natural arenas for cooperation. This is not a closed architecture. I think we want others to participate with us subsequently and follow through on initiatives, he said.

"We are briefing people actively on it. I will say that we are getting interest. People want to learn more, Campbell said. They want to understand how they can be actively engaged, he said. We think that's a positive sign. We are focused on really now more than anything else, however, is make sure these foundational members take the necessary steps to support a strong venture, Campbell said.

Also read: French President Emmanuel Macron slapped in face during walkabout
(CNN)  As the United States routinely faces the tragedy of mass shootings, China is struggling to put an end to its own threat to public safety: indiscriminate stabbings.

Over the weekend, six people were killed and 14 injured after a knife-wielding man stabbed passersby on a pedestrian shopping street in the eastern Chinese city of Anqing. Videos circulating on social media show wounded pedestrians lying on the pavement, covered in blood.

Police quickly arrived at the scene and arrested the suspect, a 25-year-old unemployed man who was seeking to "vent anger over family troubles and pessimism," according to a local government statement.

The incident is the latest among a spate of public attacks in China in recent months. With guns strictly controlled and out of reach for ordinary people, knives have become the most common weapon used in such atrocities.

In April, two children were killed when a knife-wielding man entered a kindergarten in southern China. An additional 14 children and two teachers were wounded, according to state news agency Xinhua. The police said the suspect had a history of schizophrenia  a serious mental illness characterized by symptoms of psychosis.

In December, another mass stabbing in a small city in northeastern Liaoning province left seven people dead and another seven injured. State media reported the 62-year-old suspect was socially withdrawn after losing his son and getting divorced, and carried out the attack to express his "dissatisfaction towards society."

These incidents have stood out in China, which boasts a powerful and ubiquitous surveillance system and comparatively low rates of violent crime. According to the World Bank, citing the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime's International Homicide Statistics database, in 2018, there were 0.5 intentional homicides per 100,000 people in China  one tenth of the murder rate in the US.

And unlike the US, gun violence is rare in China, where the regulation on firearms is among the strictest in the world. Chinese law generally prohibits private possession of firearms (except for hunters with permits), and the Chinese government has stepped up its policing of illegal firearms in recent years.

According to the most recently available statistics from China's Ministry of Public Security, there were just 58 cases of gun crime in the country in 2017, an 82% drop from 2012.

Chinese state media has often highlighted mass shooting incidents in the US, and in some cases even characterized it as a human rights issue on which "the US should learn from China."

But while China's strict control on guns has sharply reduced the number of casualties in public attacks, it has seemingly failed to address the root causes that repeatedly trigger these types of tragedies.

According to official announcements, the suspects were often found to have been living with mental illness, or were seeking revenge against their employers, officials, or the wider society.

In China, public access to mental health services remains limited, partially due to a shortage of qualified mental care professionals. Social stigma surrounding mental disorders also discourages many people from seeking help.

This story was first published on CNN.com "As America struggles with gun violence, China faces its own public safety threat: mass stabbings"
(CNN)  Here's a good one. Jeff Bezos, Michael Bloomberg, Warren Buffett and Elon Musk all walk into the IRS. But none of them, in various years, seem to have paid federal income taxes.

Or how about this one: The rich get richer ... because they don't always pay their fair share into the community chest.

This is US tax law. And now we have a map of how the wealthiest people exploit it thanks to a bombshell report from ProPublica, the investigative journalism nonprofit, which claims to have obtained years of tax returns for the wealthiest people in the country from an anonymous source. Read it here.

Its first report (it promises more to come) is on the richest of the rich, who in certain years claim losses that can wipe out their income tax bills. This should sound familiar; former President Donald Trump did the same thing.

But that doesn't mean it shouldn't be a scandal that Bezos, the richest person on Earth  who has used his vast wealth to start a spaceship company that will take him into space, where he will also be the richest person  has in multiple recent years told the federal government he owed no income taxes, according to ProPublica.

ProPublica also reports that Musk, the second wealthiest human on Earth, whose wealth has grown many billions in recent years and who also has a passion project space company, told the government he owed no income tax in 2018.

The scandal is that these actions are perfectly legal. Bloomberg and Buffett, who have both supported raising tax rates for the wealthy, have both had $0 income tax bills. (Buffett, at least, has long acknowledged this, infamously saying he paid a lower tax rate than his secretary.)

Bloomberg, during his run for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, tangled with Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts over whether the government should tax extreme wealth in addition to income.

How is this possible? The report analyzes how this is possible, and the reasons are many. First, US tax law is focused on income and much of the superwealth is tied up in company stock or other investments that have real value but aren't taxable year to year.

Wealth vs. income. ProPublica cites guesstimates from Forbes, but it's an imperfect assessment. It lists Bezos as gaining $99 billion in wealth between 2014 and 2018. But his income was much lower -- he reported $4.22 billion and paid $973 million in income tax in those years. So he paid more than 20% on his reported income. The issue is that his wealth skyrocketed at the same time. This is something that plays out on a smaller scale for your average American homeowner or 401(k) holder, whose wealth grows without being taxed by the federal government every year. The difference is in scale. Also, everyday Americans likely pay property taxes and utilized mortgages to buy their homes.

Tax avoidance strategies. The report does show how the wealthy finance their lifestyles with loans taken against assets, like real estate or stocks, rather than realizing the value of an asset. They'll pay less to the bank in interest than they would to the government in income tax.

Carl Icahn, the investor, gave an interview to ProPublica about his tax returns and it printed this illuminating response:

"There's a reason it's called income tax," he said. "The reason is if, if you're a poor person, a rich person, if you are Apple  if you have no income, you don't pay taxes."

He added: "Do you think a rich person should pay taxes no matter what? I don't think it's germane. How can you ask me that question?"

But in these cases, the loans do act as the income.

Other forms of tax. It's also true that with so much of their wealth tied up in stock, they effectively pay tax through their companies; however, the corporate tax rate of 21% is far lower than the top rate of 37% on income over $523,000 for individuals.

Notably, Bezos has endorsed raising the corporate rate (Trump and Republicans slashed it back in 2017), but as CNN has reported, it's still unlikely his Amazon would pay anything close to either rate.

Even on the income the superwealthy do claim, often in the form of capital gains, they often pay a lower rate than Americans who make far less money.

Taxes are very much in the policy conversation at the moment.

President Joe Biden wants to raise both corporate tax rates and income taxes on the wealthy, although it faces a tough path forward in the US Senate, where the minority Republicans can block it.

Globally, and separate from this individual income tax conversation, Biden and his treasury secretary, Janet Yellen, are pushing for a global corporate minimum tax and other industrialized nations in the G-7 agreed to an outline this week.

The idea is that if everyone had at least a 15% corporate tax rate, it would keep companies from avoiding taxes.

All of this feeds into the growing frustration with extreme inequality and what governments should do to make sure everyone pays their fair share, which is increasingly complicated when so much wealth is locked away from the tax man and more and more people think the government should be doing more to improve people's everyday lives.

'Why did they print this? Is it illegal?' Less interesting to the larger world but really interesting to journalists like me was ProPublica's separate story about how it got the tax documents and why it decided to selectively print them.

It is technically against the law to publish an individual's tax information, although ProPublica argues the public interest in an informed tax debate justifies the risk. A spokesperson for at least one of the people whose taxes it dissects  that's Bloomberg  is quoted as promising some kind of legal action, although against whoever or whatever leaked the documents, rather than ProPublica.

ProPublica doesn't seem to know who the source of the documents is and even suggests it could have been a foreign actor, like China or Russia, that has shown an interest in stoking class resentment in the US. That means the reporting needs to be considered against the backdrop of the mystery of its provenance. It's notable that none of the billionaires mentioned in the story deny the accuracy of the tax returns and some argue they were simply following the rules. Others did not respond, according to ProPublica.

When asked about the ProPublica report on Tuesday, White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters, "Any unauthorized disclosure of confidential government information by a person of access is illegal and we take this very seriously." She said the IRS commissioner has referred the matter to investigators.

Sunlight > secrets. Given the status these men have in society, the deference their wealth affords them and the fact many of them have publicized their opinions on tax policy  either endorsing or opposing higher income taxes, corporate taxes and wealth taxes, I respect ProPublica's decision.

What else?

US Capitol Police were 'aware of the potential for violence.' From CNN's report on a 95-page report from two Senate committees on security failures on January 6: As comprehensive as it is, it only examined one piece of the bigger puzzle. It looked at the "security, planning and response failures" by law enforcement. But what about efforts by extremist groups to plan for violence in DC? What about former President Donald Trump and the Republican officials who fanned the flames? Congress isn't equipped to probe these issues.

Senate aides said investigators intentionally avoided the most politicized topics  like Trump's culpability  because they wanted to keep the probe bipartisan. Sources told CNN that to keep Republicans in the fold, the report avoided using the word "insurrection" to describe the attack.

Former President Barack Obama sat down with CNN's Anderson Cooper. He warned that this democracy of ours is "not self-executing." We have to protect it. Good point!

Talk to each other. He argued: "We have more economic stratification and segregation. You combine that with racial stratification and the siloing of the media, so you don't have just Walter Cronkite delivering the news, but you have 1,000 different venues," Obama said. "All that has contributed to that sense that we don't have anything in common." Read CNN's full report.

51% of Americans have gotten the Covid vaccine. But the country is in danger of failing to meet Biden's goal of vaccinating 70% of adults with at least one dose by July 4. Rates are plunging in certain states. Read the data.

Uneven recovery. New data shows how some states have eclipsed their pre-Covid economies, while others, like California and New York, have a way to go. Read more.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "How the richest people on Earth avoid paying taxes."
(CNN)  The day before the White House announced that US President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin would hold their first in-person meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, the US ambassador to Russia privately told lawmakers he's worried about Washington giving concessions to Moscow without getting anything in return.

In a two-hour briefing to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in May, described to CNN by two people familiar with the matter, Ambassador John Sullivan suggested that Putin is not acting in good faith with the US and the Biden administration risks repeating the same mistakes of its predecessors if it does not approach the issue with clear eyes, according to one of the sources.

The overarching theme of Sullivan's briefing was that Putin "has not really changed his stripes," said the first source, despite efforts by the current administration and its predecessors to curb Putin's malign behavior with sticks, like sanctions, and to shape Russia's actions in other areas using diplomacy, including through in-person engagements.

Sullivan's warnings are emblematic of the concerns that officials and lawmakers have expressed ahead of the summit, which is set to be held next week after Biden meets with NATO and European allies in the United Kingdom and Belgium. And within Biden's administration there has been vigorous debate about the right way to engage with Putin, according to multiple people familiar with the matter, particularly within the State Department.

Many of Biden's fellow Democrats, along with Republicans, have grave concerns about the idea of his granting a meeting with Putin in the wake of aggressive Russian actions along the Ukrainian border and the jailing of opposition leader Alexey Navalny.

State Department spokesperson Ned Price declined to comment "on what was said during a classified hearing" but called the characterizations of Sullivan's testimony "wildly off base."

"The Ambassador has been deeply engaged in preparations for the President's upcoming meeting with President Putin," Price said. "As we engage Russia in ways that advance American interests, we remain clear eyed about the challenges that Russia poses and will work to hold Russia to account for its reckless and adversarial actions."

Price added that Sullivan will return to Moscow in the coming weeks and that the administration remains "committed to open channels of communication with the Russian government, both to advance US interests and to reduce the risk of miscalculation between our countries."

A White House spokesperson also said in a statement that "President Biden and Ambassador Sullivan -- indeed, our full national security team -- are fully aligned on our approach to Russia and the upcoming summit with President Putin."

Sullivan, who was appointed by former President Donald Trump but was asked by Biden to stay on in his role, has been advising the President's national security team ahead of the summit and has attended all of the White House's meetings on Russia leading up to the meeting. The whirlwind European trip was deliberately choreographed so that Biden would meet with key partners first and go into the Putin summit "with the wind at his back," national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters on Monday. The administration used a similar playbook ahead of a US-China meeting in Alaska earlier this year -- Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Indo-Pacific partners beforehand to reaffirm US support for democratic allies in the region.

Biden has told his aides he believes Putin responds to signs of strength, something he feels is better conveyed in person rather than over the phone, according to people familiar with the conversation. He has held two phone calls with the Russian President that officials describe as direct -- but without the type of personal interaction and body language derived from an in-person meeting.

Looming over the Geneva talks are the summits Biden's predecessor, Donald Trump, held with Putin, which drew heavy criticism after Trump appeared to side with the Russian leader on interference in the 2016 presidential election. Trump and Putin also met alone, without US aides or interpreters present, on multiple occasions. Sullivan on Monday said the White House was still determining the format of the Biden-Putin meeting and whether there would be a joint press conference afterward.

'More backbone'

Ambassador Sullivan's briefing last month appears to have left an impression on senators. Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia told CNN after the session -- which he declined to comment on directly -- that he didn't see an upside to the Geneva summit.

"Vladimir Putin is in the midst of an attempt to assassinate and then silence a political opponent, attacking a political opponent with a banned chemical weapon in a foreign country," Kaine said, referring to Russia's attack on Navalny with the deadly poison Novichok. "Do you think you can negotiate with a guy like that?"

Sen. Mitt Romney, a Utah Republican, was similarly wary upon emerging from the briefing.

"I think we need to have a lot more backbone and make it very clear that what Russia is doing is unacceptable to us, and that there are going to be severe consequences for their malign actions," Romney told CNN.

Republican Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, the top Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee, told CNN that Biden gave a "huge gift to Putin" ahead of the summit by not sanctioning the companies behind a controversial Russia-Germany gas pipeline that critics say will increase Russia's geopolitical leverage over Europe.

Kaine aside, several Senate Democrats said they were confident that Biden would handle himself well with Putin, pointing to his experience both directly with the Russian leader and his long foreign policy record.

"I'm not at all worried that he's going to get tricked or trapped," said Sen. Brian Schatz, a Hawaii Democrat. "This is one of those instances where you're glad you have someone who served on the Foreign Relations Committee and vice president and various capacities in foreign policy for a long time. This would be a tough one for a rookie."

"He knows how to handle the issues, but he's also very firm about our mission and our values," said Sen. Ben Cardin, a Maryland Democrat. "I have all the confidence he'll handle him properly," Cardin said.

Not interested in a reset

Biden, known for his blunt talk to foreign leaders, will thus be walking a tightrope between forcefully condemning Putin's regional aggression, election interference efforts and hacking campaigns, and working to facilitate a more "stable and predictable" American relationship with Russia.

"What sounded like a good idea a month ago, I bet is causing a lot of regret now," said Jim Townsend, the former deputy assistant secretary of defense for European and NATO Policy, referring to the summit.

Townsend pointed to a recent episode where the Russia-backed leader of Belarus forced down a plane to arrest a dissident journalist.

"That showed that the problems with Russia are really severe," Townsend said. "Biden is going to have to really dig in because a lot of people are watching. There is more of a premium now for him to come out looking tough."

The administration has emphasized in recent days that it does not intend to "reset" relations with Russia, which would imply a willingness to forgive Moscow's past aggression. But it also wants to facilitate an early dialogue with the Kremlin to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings -- something Biden finds easier to do directly, a White House official told CNN.

Putin, too, has a "highly personalized style of decision-making," national security adviser Sullivan told reporters on Monday. "So, it is important for President Biden to sit down with him face to face."

Sullivan acknowledged, though, that the meeting is unlikely to yield immediate results.

"We don't think of US-Russia summits in terms of deliverables," he said. "We are thinking of it as an opportunity to communicate what our intentions and capabilities are."

Still, Putin is one of the few world leaders with whom Biden does not have a robust personal relationship, for better or worse.

"It has been a fairly correct, albeit not cordial, relationship," said a former US official who worked closely with Biden on foreign policy issues. "I wouldn't say there is anything to it beyond that. Based on what I have seen of their interactions, it's just one professional politician talking to another. Not cold and hostile, but also not warm and chummy. It's just frank."

That dynamic was on display last time they met in 2011, when Biden was vice president and the Obama administration was working on resetting the US-Russia relationship. When Putin suddenly proposed during a joint press conference that the countries introduce a "visa-free regime of exchange," Biden called it a "good idea." He backtracked when he realized that wasn't his call to make but managed to turn the awkward moment into a lighthearted, but pointed, swipe at Russia's political system.

"Mr. Prime Minister, in case you haven't noticed, there's a real difference between being President and Vice President," he told Putin, who was serving as prime minister at the time because he was constitutionally barred from serving a third consecutive term as president. "The very good news is the President and I agree 100% on the need to continue to establish a closer and closer relationship."

By 2014, the reset had all but failed with Russia's annexation of the Crimean Peninsula and invasion of eastern Ukraine. Relations between Washington and the Kremlin deteriorated further when Russia interfered in the 2016 election and spiraled following Russia's use of banned chemical nerve agents against perceived traitors on European soil while continuing its enduring disinformation campaigns targeting American voters.

The administration earlier this year blamed Russia for the massive cyber-espionage campaign known as SolarWinds that affected dozens of federal agencies and private companies across the country.

"We are not interested in a reset nor do we want escalation with Russia," Eric Green, the National Security Council's senior director for Russia, said during an event hosted by the Center for New American Security on Friday. Green said the White House believes "this a much different Russia" than it was in 2009, one that is generally harder to deal with.

But the administration also recognizes that some important things have not changed in the last decade, he said, specifically the fact that Russia still has one of the world's largest nuclear arsenals. The country is also still a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, "which means, whether we like it or not, we have to work with them on certain core challenges out there in the world," Green said. "But we have no illusions about what is happening inside Russia and we don't see a lot of opportunities for real constructive engagement in a lot of areas."

'A killer' without a soul

Fundamentally, Biden believes that Putin, like most world leaders, is "a rational actor" who will ultimately always act in his own best interests, said two former officials who worked closely with Biden on these issues.

But the President also understands that Putin's values are unlikely to ever align with traditional western values, said one of the former officials, and Biden is proud of his record of not mincing words with the Russian leader. Over the years, Biden has repeatedly recounted to aides the story of when he first met with Putin and told him directly that, contrary to what George W. Bush had apparently surmised upon their first meeting a decade earlier, Biden didn't think Putin had a soul at all.

Biden told The New Yorker that Putin seemed pleased by the assessment. "We understand each other," Biden said Putin told him.

Biden gave a blunt answer earlier this year when he was asked by ABC whether he believes Putin is "a killer."

"Yes," he replied.

The remark sparked uproar in Russia, which responded by recalling its ambassador to the US and warning of an "irreversible deterioration of relations."

Ambassador Sullivan, meanwhile, has still not returned to Moscow after being asked to leave by the Kremlin -- a sign that relations remain at a low point. The administration has asserted, though, that Biden is meeting with Putin because of their differences, and not in spite of them.

"At the end of the day, what we are looking to do is for the two presidents to be able to send a clear signal ... to their teams on questions of strategic stability so we can make progress on arms control and other nuclear areas to reduce tension and instability in that aspect of their relationship," the national security adviser told reporters on Monday.

"And second," he added, "being able to look President Putin in the eye and say, 'This is what America's expectations are. This is what America stands for. This is what America's all about.'"

This story was first published on CNN.com, "US ambassador to Russia warned senators that Biden administration risks repeating predecessors' mistakes in dealing with Putin."
All told, Knispel said Crane River has roughly 20 Page to Stage performances planned this summer.

"This specific program -- Page to Stage -- is exclusively with libraries, and we go all over. This year is actually a tri-state one. We're actually going to Kansas for one and we're going to Wyoming for one," Knispel said.

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As Crane River moves on to the next town, kids in Columbus can start looking forward to the next summer reading program event in Frankfort Square.

"We're going to have the Omaha Henry Doorly Zoo. They've got an amazing program called Zoo 2 You and they're going to ... come and do a program on various wildlife," Hruska said.

That is slated for 10:30 a.m. on June 15.

"Then the Omaha Children's Museum, they're going to come and do an event called Dino's on the Loose," Hruska said.

Hruska said one of the coolest parts of that will be the 7-foot-tall baby T. rex that walks around and, according to the Omaha Children's Museum website, "roars, chomps, blinks and growls."
Kevin Moran, the 71-year-old president of the Galveston Island Democrats, shared his complaint with The Associated Press along with letters from the State Bar of Texas and the Board of Disciplinary Appeals that confirm the investigation. He said Paxton's efforts to dismiss other states' election results was a wasteful embarrassment for which the attorney general should lose his law license.

He wanted to disenfranchise the voters in four other states, said Moran. It's just crazy.

Texas' top appeals lawyer, who would usually argue the state's cases before the U.S. Supreme Court, notably did not join Paxton in bringing the election suit. The high court threw it out.

Paxton has less than a month to reply to Moran's claim that the lawsuit to overturn the results in Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin was misleading and brought in bad faith, according to a June 3 letter from the bar. All four of the battleground states voted for Biden in November.
Nebraskas farmers and ranchers share a special connection to the land and water they use to grow the food that feeds the world. They cultivate the rich soil of the Great Plains and graze cattle across the rolling Sandhills. Many families have worked the same land for generations. Its their work ethic and stewardship that have helped make Nebraska number one in the nation for agricultural production per capita.

While private owners have successfully stewarded our land and water here in Nebraska, new leadership in the White House wants more federal control. On January 27th, President Joe Biden signed Executive Order 14008, which set a goal of conserving 30% of the nations land and waters by 2030. This requires restricting a land area the size of the State of Nebraska every year, each year, for the next nine years, or in other words a landmass twice the size of Texas by 2030.

This goal is especially radical given that the President has no constitutional authority to take action to conserve 30% of the land and water. This has raised a lot of questions about what the President intends to do. So far, he has not defined what he even means by conservation. Aside from vague platitudes, he has not revealed how he intends to implement his plan.
Source: Adobe/Marek

The ranks of Latin American politicians joining the laser-eyed, bitcoin (BTC) adoption-supporting movement are beginning to swell  and while the majority of the crowd are young, opposition party MPs, the group now boasts at least one government vice minister.

While the movement began in earnest over the weekend, when the President of El Salvador Nayib Bukele expressed his support for adoption, others in the region have quickly followed suit. Bukeles regime has pushed ahead with a landmark bill that will see BTC adopted as the nations legal tender  alongside the USD  set to promulgate in 90 days.

But as previously reported, a small but growing number of MPs in other nations, such as Paraguay, Argentina, Panama, and Brazil, has also come out in favor of implementing similar measures in their own countries. Although some have talked of launching private members bills, most of these realistically stand little chance of success as things stand.

However, the Ecuadorian Vice Minister of Economic Inclusion Julio Eduardo Clavijo is the exception. Although only a junior minister, Clavijo is exceptional in that he is  unlike most of the others thus far  a member of his nations government and the ruling party. Like others, he has been busily retweeting messages of support from regional BTC enthusiasts.

The excitement has spread to Mexico, too, where the long-time tech and blockchain advocate and Neovo Leon senator Indira Kempis also added red laser eyes to her profile picture. Kempis  like most of the others in the group  is in her 30s and is a member of a smaller opposition party: the Citizens Movement party (nine out of 128 seats in the Senate and 28 out of 500 seats in the lower house).

Kempis is not the only Mexican senator to join the club, though  Eduardo Murat Hinojosa, a member of Mexicos Green Party (Partido Verde Ecologista de Mexico) has also expressed his support, with laser eyes on Twitter, promises of a private members bill and a flurry of pro-crypto retweets. The party has six senators and eight seats in the lower house.

The nations leading crypto exchange, Bitso, was having a field day on Twitter, writing Welcome Indira and asking: Whos next?

However, there are suggestions that the trend may have its roots in the business world. Ricardo Salinas Pliego, a powerful Mexican billionaire with ties to the government, last year went public with news of a bitcoin buy and advice about BTC investment.

Back on June 1, well before the El Salvador story broke, Salinas Pliego added the #bitcoin hashtag to his Twitter profile and edited his profile to add laser eyes. This image has since been retweeted by some of the MPs, including Carlos Rejala, the Paraguayan MP who has vowed to launch a private members bill on BTC adoption. Rejala called Salinas Pliego the master  a suggestion perhaps that the business guru may have sparked the trend in Latin America.

Numerous Salvadorian politicians  particularly MPs from Bukeles ruling Nuevas Ideas party  have also nailed their BTC colors to the mast. These notably include the likes of Monica Taher, the head of the governments Technological and Economic International Affairs department  whose Twitter feed is now full of direct appeals to BTC community members as the nation attempts to attract custom from international entrepreneurs.

Another notable supporter is Ruben Flores  El Salvadors youngest MP at just 25.

A tentative new chapter could also be set to open in Colombia, where the long-term BTC advocate, former Vice Minister of Digital Economy and current digital transformation advisor to the President Jehudi Castro Sierra tantalizingly asked Jack Mallers, the CEO of Strike (the BTC payments firm that has partnered with El Salvador on its Bitcoin bill), to check his Twitter direct messages (DMs). And while their further discussion with Mallers is not public yet, Sierra was also busy entertaining Bitcoiners and trolling the prominent BTC skeptic and gold bug, Peter Schiff.

@PeterSchiff Short it and stop talking.  Jehudi  (@JCastroS)

____

Learn more:

- Latin American MPs Widen Overton Window For Bitcoin

- Bitcoin Is More Public Money than Central Bank-Issued Fiat Currencies

- Prepare For 'Uncertain Future of Money'  US Intelligence Center

- Bitcoin Faces Hedge Test Amid Rising Inflation Concerns

- Post-COVID-19, Bitcoin & Co May Help UK Escape from Economic Funk

- A Debt-Fuelled Economic Crisis & Bitcoin: What to Expect?

- Not Only Bitcoin Price Is Changing During This Bull Run

- Bitcoin Mass Adoption Would Benefit and Harm Current Economy
Hall created a social media account bearing the name and photograph of Trumps brother, Robert, and then made it appear that the brother was supporting his bogus organization until the brothers August death, the complaint said.

Three days after the death, Hall created an account that made it appear that Trumps then 14-year-old son, Barron, was supporting him, the complaint said.

The complaint said that in one social media post, Hall impersonated Barron Trump to make it seem that Trumps son called Hall a friend and partner and said: Josh is an amazing patriot who is doing tremendous things for our great country. He has my COMPLETE AND TOTAL ENDORSEMENT!

In August, Hall said in a private message on social media about the funds he had raised that he hadnt seen a dime of that money personally, court papers said.

The crowdfunding site closed the account after Hall failed last December to document how he used the funds he had raised, the complaint said.
HARRISBURG  Republicans in the Pennsylvania House pushed through a bill Tuesday that would ban abortions that are prompted by a prenatal Down syndrome diagnosis, although the governor has vowed to veto it.

State representatives voted 120-83 for legislation that the prime sponsor, Republican Rep. Kate Klunk of York County, called the right thing to do.

I believe we truly have a responsibility to stand up for those who do not have a voice, Klunk said.

If it becomes law, the proposal will require a doctor who performs an abortion to provide a written statement that it was not motivated in any way by a prenatal diagnosis or test indicating Down syndrome.

This legislation could prevent patients from seeking the information they need to become the best parents possible, when they need it the most," said Rep. Dan Frankel, D-Allegheny, who voted against it. He said the bill makes it a crime to think and consider options.

Rep. Kathy Rapp, R-Warren, compared abortion over a Down syndrome diagnosis to genocide.
Highlights HMD Global has launched a new smartphone in the entry-level market.

The new Nokia C01 Plus costs around Rs 6,500 and is available in Russia.

The Nokia C01 Plus comes with two 5-megapixel cameras.

HMD has launched a new entry-level smartphone called the Nokia C01 Plus. This phone is essentially an upgrade over the Nokia C1 Plus, bringing a better battery and a more powerful chipset inside. The Nokia C01 Plus will be perfect for people who are either going to use a smartphone for the first time or do not have to do a lot on phones. HMD's new phone handles all the basic things quite well. However, you also get smart features on it. Running the show here is Android Go, which is the toned-down version of Android and meant for phones with low RAM capacity.

The Nokia C01 Plus has arrived in Russia at the moment. HMD has not said anything about whether it is planning to bring the Nokia C01 Plus to other markets. Talking particularly about India, the Nokia C01 Plus may find takers here because there is still a huge demand for entry-level phones. Feature phones from brands such as Nokia and JioPhone are already trying to bridge the gap between high-end feature phones and entry-level smartphones, thanks to KaiOS, which supports apps such as WhatsApp, YouTube, Facebook, Google Assistant, and more.

Nokia C01 Plus price

The Nokia C01 Plus price is RUB 6,490, which translates to roughly Rs 6,570. The phone comes in blue and grey colours and is now up for pre-orders. There is no information on when this phone will arrive in India.

Nokia C01 Plus specifications

The Nokia C01 Plus comes with a 5.45-inch HD+ LCD with thick bezels all around. There is no notch or punch-hole here, so what you see is a phone that seems to have come straight from 2017 or before. The bezel on the top has a 5-megapixel selfie camera but you have an LED flash to aid you in taking photos in low light conditions. On the back, you have another 5-megapixel camera with an LED flash. The phone is powered by a Unisoc SC9863a chipset paired with 1GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage. You can add a microSD card of up to 128GB to get more storage.

Since the Nokia C01 Plus is an entry-level phone, there are some tradeoffs that some customers may find off-putting. For instance, there is no fingerprint sensor on this phone, so you will have to make do with the regular PIN, pattern, and password methods. The Nokia C01 Plus is also not very big on battery. There is a 3000mAh battery that charges at 5W via a MicroUSB port on the bottom. You have a 3.5mm headphone jack here, as well. The speaker, however, is on the back, towards the bottom. The phone supports 4G VoLTE on two SIM card slots, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS among others. It is 9.3mm thick, which is a bit heavier than the Nokia C1 Plus.
A new long-range version released in 2019 nearly tripled the range per charge. Because it can take 100 kilowatts at a fast charger, it can get to 80%  181 miles  in 45 minutes.

Newer EVs can be charged even faster. But they far exceed the capacity of most fast chargers. Ford's Mustang Mach-E and F-150 Lightning can take in 150 kilowatts per hour. Hyundai's Ioniq 5 and Porsche's Taycan are over 200 kilowatts.

The Hyundai, with 300 miles of range, can go from a 10% charge to 80% in 18 minutes, much closer to gasoline fill-up times. (Automakers tend to quote charging times to 80% of battery capacity because it takes much longer to go from 80% to 100%; the final 20% is often slowed down to prolong battery life.) Hyundai knows there aren't many chargers now that can fill the Ioniq that fast. But it says it's ready for a future when more quick chargers are more widely available.

Hopefully the infrastructure will improve across the U.S. for this to be a whole lot more viable," said John Shon, senior group manager of product planning.

Tesla, which has its own private charging network of 25,000 plugs worldwide, leads just about every automaker. Its newer chargers can crank out up to 250 kilowatts and 175 miles of range in about 15 minutes.
But Rodenberg doesn't keep to her own story. She intersperses third-person accounts of her mother's life in Kentucky and her father's before he went to Vietnam, including pages  perhaps too many  of letters he wrote to his parents while he was stationed there. The change in perspective is jarring, heightening the surreal aspects of the book and emphasizing its Southern gothic aesthetic.

Ultimately, though, the alternating chapters provide context and feed Rodenberg's overarching theme about how stories repeat in families, that lineage "wasn't about the past, like people often thought, so much as the future, and no matter how a person might try to trick destiny, most people ended up as carbon copies of their parents and even ancestors they never knew."

With its focus on religion, a father figuratively blinded by its tenets and his own pain, the fallout from growing up in an unstable environment and the attempts to overcome it, "Kin" begs comparison to Tara Westover's 2018 memoir, "Educated." Westover's work is much more optimistic, however, despite the horrors inflicted by her Mormon survivalist parent. The odds may have been long, but Westover's ending has a Hollywood quality. There is no such feeling in "Kin."

Even though Rodenberg strives for a tidy ending for herself, obstacles keep popping up. And why shouldn't they? Life isn't neat, and she leans into that, digging deep with dense but readable prose and providing compelling insights. Besides, her life doesn't end with the memoir's last page. There's always more to be said. Here's hoping she will.

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"Our Woman in Moscow" by Beatriz Williams; Morrow (448 pages, $27.99)



The 50 years leading up to the fall of the Iron Curtain in 1989 could be considered the golden age of espionage. As for novels written during that time, the Cold War category pretty much belongs to men: John Le Carre, Ian Fleming, Len Deighton, Robert Littell and Charles McCarry being the best known. And while spy novels set during the period continue to be written and read, men still dominate the field. I find that odd. But now here is Beatriz Williams with "Our Woman in Moscow," part spy thriller, part romance and, taken as a whole, a tale of two indomitable women.

Set between 1939 and 1952, it is the story of twin sisters, Ruth, a fashion model, later modeling-agency manager; and Iris, an aspiring artist. Their brother, Harry, works for the U.S. State Department and is stationed in Rome, where the two young women join him in 1939.

Ruth continues to model, and Iris haunts the city's museums, where she meets Sasha Digby, a mesmerizing, blue-eyed, golden-haired colleague of Harry's. An affair ensues, war rumbles closer, and Ruth arranges for passages on a ship to take them back to America.
One intrepid scientist smuggled the virus' sequenced genome into an American databank, spurring vaccine development. A triage doctor, Li Wenliang, spoke out about the rising tide of death; he became a martyr to the Chinese people after he succumbed to the disease.

Chapter by stellar chapter, Wright charts COVID-19's arc. He highlights polarities within our politics, as embodied by a recalcitrant President Donald Trump and Dr. Anthony Fauci, the go-to epidemiologist who flipped his views on mask-wearing as data flowed in: "COVID-19 told us more about these two men than any other individuals in the country. For Fauci, science was a self-correcting compass always pointed at the truth. For Trump, the truth was Play-Doh, and he could twist it to fit the shape of his desire."
Today is Monday, June 7, 2021. Let's get caught up.

These headlines are in the news this morning: Vice President Kamala Harris is in Latin America to announce new measures to tackle trafficking and corruption; Meghan and Harry announce birth of Lilibet Diana; and Simone Biles won her seventh US gymnastics title.

Read on for these stories, other top headlines, celebrity birthdays and more.

TOP STORIES

Harris targets corruption, immigration on Latin America trip

GUATEMALA CITY (AP)  With Kamala Harris visiting Guatemala and Mexico on her first foreign trip as vice president, the Biden administration is expected to announce new measures to fight smuggling and trafficking, and hopes to announce additional anti-corruption efforts as well on Monday, a senior administration official said.

The official, who briefed reporters traveling with Harris on Sunday, spoke on condition of anonymity to preview announcements before they have been made public. No further details were provided.
Vanuatu turns the Corner LETS USE THIS AS A SPRINGBOARD FOR THE FUTURE
Herring is a former state senator who became attorney general in 2014 and was reelected easily in 2017. He pitched himself to voters as a progressive champion on abortion rights, gun control and immigrant-friendly policies and argued that his experience made him the best choice to keep the office in Democratic control.

Herring has touted his record battling Trumps policies in court, his work to eliminate Virginias backlog of untested rape kits, his defense of marriage equality, and his efforts to hold manufacturers accountable for their role in the opioid crisis.

Jones, a Black 32-year-old two-term delegate from Norfolk, argued it was time for change and sought to cast Herring as slow to respond to the reckoning sparked by the police killing of George Floyd last summer.

He repeatedly criticized Herring, who is white, for creating an animal rights unit before an office of civil rights. Jones said that as attorney general he would use the office to more aggressively investigate police shootings.

Another issue in the sometimes-contentious race was Herrings acknowledgement in 2019 that he had worn blackface in college.
Highlights Xiaomi has confirmed Mi 11 Lite India launch date.

Mi 11 Lite will be launched in India on June 22.

Xiaomi will only launch 4G variant of the phone.

Xiaomi has confirmed that the Mi 11 Lite will be launched in India on June 22. The smartphone maker has confirmed the India launch of the phone through social media posts. India Today Tech was first to report that Xiaomi is planning to launch the Mi 11 Lite in India in June and will only bring its 4G variant to the country. The Mi 11 Lite India launch will take place on the mentioned date at 12 noon. It will only be an online launch event, keeping up with the current times.

The Mi 11 Lite launch date was also tweeted by Global VP Xiaomi and MD Xiaomi India, Manu Kumar Jain. The smartphone is expected to compete with the upcoming OnePlus Nord CE and also the recently launched iQOO Z3.

Mi 11 Lite has already been launched in China and few other global markets. So, most of its features are known anyway. Xiaomi had launched the phone in both 4G and 5G variants globally but is only bringing the 4G model to India. This means the Indian variant will be powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 732G processor and will be paired with up to 8GB of RAM and up to 128GB of storage.

It should feature a 6.55-inch full HD+ display with a 90Hz refresh rate, HDR10 support and Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection. The Mi 11 Lite should run MIUI 12 on top of Android 11. It will be interesting to see if Xiaomi equips the phone with MIUI 12.5 out of the box. The phone should pack a 4,250mAh battery with support for 33W fast charging.

Mi 11 Lite is likely to feature a triple camera setup at the back featuring a 64-megapixel primary sensor, an 8-megapixel ultra-wide angle lens and a 5-megapixel tele-macro lens. On the front, it features a 16-megapixel sensor for selfies.

The device is available in six colour options in China: Black, Pink, Blue, Green, Yellow and White. However, Xiaomi is unlikely to bring all of them to India.

As for the pricing, the Mi 11 Lite is confirmed to cost less than Rs 25,000 in India, In China, it costs Yuan 2,299 (around Rs 26,238) for the 8GB RAM and 128GB storage variant. The 8GB RAM and 256GB storage variant is priced at Yuan 2,599 (around Rs 29,662).
RICHMOND  The Virginia Redistricting Commission rejected an attempt Monday to at least try to hire nonpartisan lawyers, choosing instead to seek two sets of partisan attorneys to advise the new body as it redraws the states political districts later this year.

Opinion was split as the commission made the first major decision since its creation last winter, with Democratic-appointed citizen members overruled by most of the elected Democrats and all Republicans on the 16-person commission.

In a series of 10-4 votes, the commission decided against pursuing nonpartisan counsel, choosing to issue two requests for proposals meant to select one Democratic firm and one Republican firm. Greta Harris, a Democratic co-chair of the commission, would have been the fifth vote in favor of nonpartisan lawyers but she said she had to leave the meeting early to catch a flight.

Though the lawyers hired by the commission wont be drawing district lines themselves, their advice could have a significant influence by shaping what the commission prioritizes and determining whether its decisions comply with all various laws meant to ensure a fair process. Citizen-led redistricting commissions in other states, including Arizona, also have chosen to hire two partisan firms as a way to avoid mistrust and infighting over the selection of a single firm.
RICHMOND, Va. (AP)  Challengers from across the ideological spectrum ousted or appeared close to defeating a handful of incumbents in the Virginia House of Delegates, including a Republican and several Democrats, in Tuesdays primary election.

The nomination contests turn the page toward whats expected to be a hotly contested battle for control of the House in the fall.

Republicans will be looking to wrest control from Democrats, who in the past two years have passed transformative legislation thats made Virginia an outlier in the South. Theyve expanded voting access, loosened abortion restrictions, legalized marijuana, passed a clean energy mandate, repealed the death penalty and raised the minimum wage.

In an interview, House Speaker Eileen Filler-Corn called it a strong night for her Democratic caucus, which had faced challengers against 14 incumbents.

Its going to be our focus now to make sure Virginians are reminded exactly what we were able to accomplish and why its important that we maintain the majority, she said.

House Republican Leader Todd Gilbert said Democrats would be saddled with a raft of newcomers who believe Virginia hasnt gone far enough in punishing law enforcement and coddling criminals.
Im fully vaccinated, and so is just about everyone I know. We feel mostly protected against COVID-19. And so if others dont want to get the shot for political reasons or out of ignorance, must we care?

We read that many Republicans are refusing to get the coronavirus vaccine, while most Democrats are all in. The reasoning on the right seems to be that President Joe Biden wants us all to get vaccinated, therefore they wont. Do these folks think that they are somehow offending or frustrating the opposition?

Theyre definitely astounding the opposition and also some on their side. Right-wingers rejecting efforts to get them vaccinated are more likely to come down with a virus that could kill or leave them with long-term disabilities.

The partisan divide is real. Of the 39 congressional districts where at least 60% of the residents have received a shot, all but one are represented by Democrats, according to a Harvard University study. Republicans, meanwhile, represent all but two of the 30 congressional districts where fewer than one-third of residents have received a shot.
We need the Karsh Institute.

We needed it five, 10, 15 years ago.

We need it now more than ever.

The Karsh Institute of Democracy at the University of Virginia will be an expansion of the Karsh Center for Law and Democracy at the UVa Law School.

Plans for the institute were announced in 2018.

Its clear that we cant take the existence of democracy for granted, said UVa President Jim Ryan at that time. We all have a role to play as citizens, elected officials, business leaders, members of the media.

Martha and Bruce Karsh, UVa alumni who met at the law school, are donating $50 million and UVa plans to invest a total of $100 million in the program.

For a healthy democracy to thrive, its core principles, institutions and processes must not only be studied and understood, but also vigilantly protected and strengthened, the Karshes said in a statement.

Amen to that.
ICSF's Celebrates World Oceans Day: 8 June 2021

June 09,2021 | Source: ICSF

World Oceans Dayis an annual celebration held on 8 June, officially declared by the United Nations in 2008. Many countries have been celebrating this day since 1992, following the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, which took place in Rio de Janeiro. World Oceans Day draws attention to the important role the oceans play in our lives and the environment.



This year, focusing on the theme Life and Livelihoods, ICSF collaborated with small-scale fishers and fishworkersaround the world to produce several video interviews. These videos highlight their experiences, what they love about their work, the challenges they face, and how their communities have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.



In Trat Province, Thailand, we heard from MayureeThammachatabout how her community turned the COVID-19 crisis into an opportunityto sell home-cooked seafood. Sak Sawasdee told us about the changes he has witnessed in fish stock levels in the area and how the pandemic caused fish prices to drop due to lack of demand from the tourism sector. Wanna Sawasdee explained the many responsibilities women have to ensure fishing activities can be carried out each day and the household runs smoothly.



In Accra, Ghana, Sandra Osabuteytold us about about her love for her work as a fish smoker, a skill she inherited from her mother, and the challenges she faces in buying fresh fish to smoke. In the inland lakes of the Netherlands, FreerkVisserman explained his love for working and living from nature, and the importance of respecting it. Theo Rekelhof shared his excitement for being on the water, and how hes contributing tobuilding up a healthy glass eel population.



In Costa Rica,Zoraida Bonilla Martinez sang a song for the sea and talked about how her love for fishing is in her blood, inherited from generations of family members. Silvina Paniagua Fernandez spoke about the importance of being granted fishing licenses so her community has equal opportunities to work.Luis Alberto Marin Saenz highlighted the challenge of having to go further from the coast to catch the same catch as he once could in shallower waters.



Full videos are available at:



'I love my work; I inherited it from my mother' | Sandra Osabutey, smoked fish merchant, Ghana

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJ89emgRxW0&t=30s



'We've tried to turn the Covid-19 crisis into opportunities' | Mayuree Thammachat, Thailand

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0z6HzOBx6wE



Some days were lucky; some days we lose' | Sak Sawasdee, fisher, Thailand

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRW1BYEkZEs&t=54s



Women have the main responsibilities' | Wanna Sawasdee, fishworker, Thailand

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWEZm8Z0aqM&t=1s



Let nature do its job' | Freerk Visserman, inland fisherman, The Netherlands

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xQESTWDMSM



'Feel the excitement of catching eel' | Theo Rekelhof, inland fisherman, the Netherlands

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGH43Zois3M



A song for the sea | Zoraida Bonilla Martinez, fisher, Costa Rica

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EzhFwWpL0o



We need equal opportunities to work' | Silvina Paniagua Fernandez, fisher, Costa Rica

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnaQxCRTBBw



'The sea is still here and we are still fishing' | Luis Alberto Marin Saenz, fisher, Costa Rica

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6F49Mb0b3oc

 2021 ICSF
Jharkhand: Farmer, first in India to adopt US fishing raceway technology

June 09,2021 | Source: Telangana Today

Even as the government is focusing on increasing the farmers income, a farmer in Indias mineral rich eastern state of Jharkhand is all set to become the first in the country to adopt the floating raceway technology of the United States for fishing in existing open ponds. The new technology for the existing pond fishing has been brought to India by a journalist turned entrepreneur Arvind Dubey, based in Mumbai through his company Superior Aquaculture India Pvt Ltd. Dubey said that the new technology is being implemented by Sadanand Verma and Subodh Prakash, both residents of Jharkhands Giridih. He said by the month of the August this year, this new system will be installed in the ponds in Giridih. Explaining the new fishing system, which is called floating raceways (IPRS), Dubey said that for using the new technology a farmer does not need to dig a new pond, as it can be done in the existing pond. Dubey said that the prime source of the systems aeration is the pond-water interface coupled with the oxygen production by the ponds flora, primarily algae.



Explaining the technology, Dubey said that Superior Aquaculture uniquely offers a Superior Floating Raceway System (patented) that can perform all of the standard RAS or Biofloc functions (except perfect temperature control) but in a pond or other waterway. The huge volume of water in our systems provides a very forgiving and non-volatile water reserve that continuously flows through the raceway. The system is simple, of low cost, and both financially and environmentally sustainable, he said. He explained that it is listed as a best management practice in North America, and Returns on Investments (ROIs) can often be achieved in less than two years. Dubey also said that powered by the sun and wind, the systems pond water is naturally aerated and automatically treated for ammonia. Soluble nutrients and carbon dioxide are absorbed by the algae and used to produce omega-3, oxygen and nutritious food. The phytoplankton are then consumed by the zooplankton, and the nutrient laden zooplankton are like a super healthy candy for the fish, he said. Dr Jay Warecki, who had developed this technology told IANS, As there is lot of wastage in fishing today, so we have been able to put up the components together for aquaculture which is very simple. He said simplicity and being bio friendly is important as we all live together in tighter places with less water that we had 50 years ago. And it is important that we use that in fishing of saving water. So that is the essence of the programme to be able to present inexpensive solution for the water quality issues that are faced by the aqua culture farmers in places like India, US, Vietnam and Africa, he said. He said that solids collected in the raceways settling zone have their own well-established value, but can sometimes be pressed for enough algae oil to provide 100 per cent of the farms energy needs all from the sun.



In cases where the host water body might contain higher levels of algae than desired, additional auxiliary equipment such as rotating drum filters, can easily be added, he said. Explaining how the technology works, Warecki, who is based in the US said, Prime purpose of the airlift is to move high quality pond water through the raceway. If the dissolved oxygen (DO) level of the pond regularly becomes lower than desired, the diffuser membrane of the airlift may be easily changed to a smaller bubble diffuser (Large bubbles move water while small bubbles aerate). The diffuser customarily used is of medium size and results in both good aeration and water flow. When asked, how much training is required for the farmers, he said, Not much training is required. A couple of hours will be adequate to get started. The biggest thing is the instruments, to measure the dissolved oxygen and to keep the water flowing through the raceways. And if the oxygen level in the raceway goes low, they need to clean the raceway. There is about three or four problem areas that farmers need to learn. When asked about the cost involved in setting up the technology, Dubey said, It will cost about $25,000 to $30,000 for one model of the raceway system. And it will be installed on the site. We are coming up with the demo model at four cities in India in east, west, south and North India. Dubey said that it is not costly like RAS system which is around Rs 1.5 crore and requires new infrastructure. Whereas in the raceway we dont need any new infrastructure as this will be installed in the existing pond.



He said that in the one hectare pond, 2 system of the model can be installed. What we need is good quality water and a depth of eight feet all the time. And if the farmer is an experienced farmer he can get a return of around 20 tonne annually. And if the farmer is an expert then he can get a production of 40 to 50 tonne annually. And this is production per model, Dubey said. But we recommend to take 20 tonne initially then depending on his experience he can increase the production, he said. He also said that second model will be installed in Maharashtra, which will be based on salt water. Dubey also said that the first model being istalled in Jharkhand will be a fresh water model whereas the second model in Maharashtra will be salt water model.
This is a community calendar. To accommodate demand for the print edition, we ask that items be brief and include time, date, place, address, admission cost and a contact number for publication. Inclusion of items is at the discretion of the newspaper. Further information is available at 541-812-6078 or jane.stoltz@lee.net.

Assistance

THURSDAY

Food distribution, by appointment, food pantry, North Corvallis Ministry Center, 5050 NE Elliott Circle. Call 541-220-1040 to arrange a time to pick up a box of food.

Food pantry for veterans and active military members and their families, American Legion Post 10, 1215 Pacific Blvd. SE, Albany. Call 541-926-0127 between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Mondays through Fridays for more information.

Corvallis School District free grab-and-go breakfast, lunch and supper for all children 18 years old or under, 11 a.m. to noon, Corvallis High School, 1400 NW Buchanan Ave. (enter at 16th Street). Meal pre-order available. Information: 541-757-5859 or csd509j.net.
DEAR ABBY: My college senior daughter, "Lisa," insists on inviting her "significant other" to every holiday and to our home when she's on break. This is Lisa's first girl/girl romance, and she thinks she's in love.

This girlfriend has zero personality and adds nothing to our family dynamic. None of us can stand her. How can I nicely explain to my daughter that although she feels one way, we feel another? She honestly thinks she's going to marry this girl and is VERY pushy when it comes to inviting her wherever we are. Also, this girlfriend is only going into her junior year. She has two more years of school left. Once Lisa graduates this year, she will be five hours from the girlfriend.

She makes my daughter very weird and not in a good way. I'm praying this relationship will end after she graduates. It's horrible. If the girl isn't with her, Lisa calls her 10 times a day. Help!  MOM KNOWS BETTER IN NEW JERSEY

DEAR MOM: Be patient. Because of the circumstances you mentioned in your letter, there is a good chance your daughter's fixation on her "first love" will lessen. I assume that when she returns from college she will be socializing with other people. Cross your fingers and gently encourage it, because it may give her a different perspective. Absence does not always make the heart grow fonder.
RICHMOND, Va. (AP)  Terry McAuliffe outperformed his own campaigns expectations, winning every city and county as he coasted to victory in the Democratic primary for Virginia governor, an election his party said showed persistent enthusiasm among its voters even in a post-Trump era.

Some Democrats had fretted that voters wouldnt turn out with McAuliffe, an establishment quasi-incumbent, as the frontrunner in the race and with Donald Trump out of office following a term that was disastrous for Virginia Republicans. But an unofficial accounting suggested that wasnt the case.

While the counting of absentee ballots was still underway, preliminary numbers showed turnout was roughly 90% of 2017s figures, in a contest seen as less competitive than the matchup four years ago between now-Gov. Ralph Northam and former U.S. Rep. Tom Perriello.

I think a very good roadmap and route has been laid for November, said Democratic Party of Virginia Chair Susan Swecker, who called Tuesdays turnout robust.

McAuliffe, who was previously in office from 2014 to 2018, won about 62% of the vote and will go on to face political newcomer Glenn Youngkin in what's expected to be a competitive and expensive general election.
Colombo Telegraph - June 6, 2021

by Rajan Philips

Qadri Ismail, Professor of English, Cultural Studies and Comparative Literature, at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, passed away recently. His death was sudden and shocking. Yet another Sri Lankan scholar, writer and activist has been prematurely snatched away. Everyone who reads Sri Lankan politics in English knows of Qadri Ismail. I hardly knew Qadri apart from his writings. I have met him only once, and that was in Minneapolis, in 2007. The backdrop to our meeting was the rather long review article I had written on Qadris (thesis) book: Abiding by Sri Lanka: On Peace, Place and Post-coloniality. The article was published in 2006, in The Sri Lanka Journal of the Humanities. I owe a debt of intellectual gratitude to Dr. Senath Walter Perera, now Emeritus Professor of English and the Journal Editor at that time, who invited me to review the book and then introduced me to Qadri. In keeping with the many themes that Qadri touched in his book, and following up on my recent articles on the fiftieth anniversary of the 1971 insurrection, it is appropriate that I write this sequel on the limitations of Sri Lankas three nationalisms as a homage to the memory of Professor Qadri Ismail.

Exceptional Accomplishments

It is also appropriate to highlight and celebrate Qadris exceptional accomplishments. He was an A Level science student who gained admission to the Medical Faculty to study Medicine. Instead, he turned down the admission to Medicine, changed course to pursue an Honours Degree in English, and completed it with a First Class in 1984. Qadri was only the second Sri Lankan to accomplish this feat. The first, nearly thirty years before Qadri, was Prof. Ashley Halpe who too gave up his admission to Medicine and went to on to secure a first in English. Halpe also topped the CCS (Ceylon Civil Service) examination after graduation, but chose the vocation of university teaching over a career in the prestigious civil service. Qadri initially chose journalism and political activism over university teaching.

Beyond his vitriolic wit and irrepressible irreverence to customs and conventions, Qadri brought to bear a heightened commitment on what he wrote and what he did. The commitment to read the world as structured hierarchically and to confront, contest and combat hierarchization, oppression and exploitation. And to nurture the faith and optimism that something that has never existed, in Marxs felicitous phrase, can be brought about. He carried this commitment and hope to Columbia University, where he spent his graduate decade (1989-1998), the secular North American version of the old seminary, completing his M.A. and his Ph.D.

At Columbia, Qadri Ismail became probably the only Sri Lankan to be tutored by the two pioneer giants of postcolonial studies and scholarship, the great Edward Said and Gayathri Spivak. Qadri was a graduate assistant to Said, the pathbreaking Palestinian American scholar with an unexceptionally Arab family name (and)  an improbably British first name. Said was born to Arab Christian parents in pre-partition Jerusalem and later became an agnostic. Gayathri Spivak is the multi-lingual Bengali American scholar and a prominent figure in Subaltern Studies, who, Qadri charmingly acknowledges in his book, quite simply, taught me how to read. Perhaps true to his doctor parents, Qadri blossomed into a postcolonial scholar, writing his own script, in his own inimitable tone. The list of his writings and the thesis topics of graduate students whom he advised and/or examined at Minnesota, is indicative of his scholarly sweep and comparative breadth. His 2015 book Culture and Eurocentrism, according to the publishers note, challenges the dominant default assumption of discrete cultures, and contends that culture  doesnt describe difference but produces it, hierarchically.

While at Columbia, Qadri wrote what I think is the first forceful formulation of the Muslim question in Sri Lanka: Unmooring Identity: The Antinomies of Elite Muslim Self-Representation in Modern Sri Lanka, that was published as a chapter in the 1995 symposium, UnMaking the Nation, that Qadri co-edited with Pradeep Jeganathan. What is unique about Qadris approach to the Sri Lankan national question is the demonstration of even handed forcefulness, namely, the assertion of justice for the minorities, on the one hand, and the commitment for abiding by Sri Lanka, on the other. There was a third dimension to Qadris commitments. To fiercely fight the sacred cows and bigotry within his own community and against the new fundamentalism of his old religion.

All of the above, Qadri fitted seamlessly within his generously global and passionately postcolonial perspective. A key part of that perspective was to aggressively question the colonial legacies of European enlightenment, manifested in everything that makes up Sri Lankas postcolonial polity and society  from the constitution to lopsided parliamentary representation, from quantitative privileging of the majority over qualitative parity with the minorities to inequitable socioeconomic development, and from the reactivation of old pre-colonial follies to their emergence in new postcolonial forms.

Qadri discursively envisioned a Sri Lanka that has never existed  one that can only experientially evolve and not be built by brick and mortar. A Sri Lanka, where nationalisms are neither celebrated nor dismissed; where identities are neither encouraged nor questioned; and where differences are neither created nor denied. Qadri challenged the formulation of Sri Lankas national question as a privileged contest between Sinhala hegemony and Tamil self-determination to the exclusion of everyone else, and asserted that both the formulation of the question and its resolution must involve the dissemination of justice and equality among all Sri Lankans, including the Muslims, the Upcountry Tamils, and the Christians. The perennial failure of the State to attend to these tasks has reduced this naturally resplendent island to a politically, and violently for thirty years, dysfunctional family of nationalisms. The failure of the State is only one side of the political coin. The other is the limitations of Sri Lankas three nationalisms.

Limitations of Nationalisms

The limitations of Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim nationalism have manifested themselves in their respective domains. Insofar as the three nationalisms are constrained to co-exist within a small island, the effects of these limitations have been generally to contain the excesses of these nationalisms, but not always with significant success. While Sinhala nationalism is the most powerful of the three, its limitations can be seen in its inability to totally dominate, or crush, and eliminate the other two. In fairness, there are many Sinhalese and in critically sufficient numbers who do not approve of total domination or crushing of the Tamils and the Muslims. That in itself is a limiting counterweight to the more domineering instigators of Sinhala nationalism.

As for Tamil nationalism, its limitations and even losses have mostly surpassed its gains. But at every turn it has proved itself to be resilient and capable of regeneration. At the same time, just as much Sri Lankan Tamil nationalism cannot be eliminated from Sri Lanka, it cannot also overcome its ultimate limitation  that of having to find its due place within Sri Lanka. The Muslims, although they have been in the country like everyone else from the beginning of modernity and even before, are latecomers to the Sinhala-Tamil nationalist bickering. Their expectations are limited, and so their limitations are also immaterial. Yet, their arrival has not only transformed the debate but also widened the scope for finding potential accommodations.

The main contests of the three nationalisms have been in the arena of the state. In many political societies the emergence of the state facilitated the making of the nation. Hence the concept and experience of state-led nations and nationalisms. There was always the possibility of the postcolonial State of Sri Lanka spearheading the making of an inclusive nation along the lines that Qadri Ismail envisioned. That possibility is neither farfetched nor utopian. However, the Sri Lankan experience has been not one of a unifying and inclusive experience of nation making. On the contrary, the experience has been the rejection of that possibility, and the virtual appropriation of the state by Sinhala nationalist forces and agendas to the exclusion of others. But even that appropriation has shown its limitations, for while the state was able to conclusively defeat the challenge of Tamil separatism, it is not able to override the non-separatist expectations of Tamil nationalism.

At another level, the 2019 Easter bombings exposed not any limitations but the sheer incompetence of the Sri Lankan state and its functionaries. And while the last government could not prevent the bombing in spite of prior warning, including warnings by the Muslim community itself, the present government seems unable to find out, let alone reveal, who all the masterminds behind the bombings were. More than incompetence, there are also conspiracy allegations of connivance between the elusive masterminds and high echelons of not just the last government, but the present government also. And in a historic role reversal from the 1960s when the government of the day brought the Catholic Church to its knees over Catholic Action, the Catholic Cardinal of today seems determined not to let the government pull the rug over criminal investigations.

A common feature of the emergence of nationalism(s) in Sri Lanka is the virtual absence of a significant economic base. The absence of a robust economy was a major factor in the developmental failure of an inclusive Sri Lankan nationalism. To the extent Sinhalese nationalism has appropriated the state, it has also appropriated the national economy. But time and again the states failure to come to equitable terms with the presence of Tamils and Muslims in the country, has also undermined its efforts to grow the economy even to its limited potentials. On the other hand, the economic underpinnings of the origins of Tamil nationalism were nothing more than grievances over government jobs, and later over depletions in university of admissions. At its highest stage, Tamil separatism rose over a veritable domestic economic vacuum. At the same time while the economic factor is a serious limitation on the extrapolations of Tamil nationalism, it is not going to be fatal to its continuing survival within Sri Lanka. It is fair to say that the Muslim community is more aware of the limitations of its nationalism than its Sinhala and Tamil counterparts, but it has become justifiably insistent that it cannot be indefinitely taken for granted.

The mechanics of the emergence of the three nationalism are to be found in the workings of Sri Lankas electoral democracy, the sociocultural structures of the three communities, and the robust assertions of their religious and linguistic inheritances. But nothing in the emergence or the mechanics thereof would suggest that the three nationalisms are inherently incompatible. The limitations of the nationalisms have prevented their excesses from becoming permanently excessive. The overarching role for integrating them can only be undertaken by the State of Sri Lanka. But there is scarcely any sign that those currently running the State are aware of this task, let alone undertake it.
U.S. officials also are working to encourage more business, education and other ties among the four Arab states and Israel. They hope visible success there will also promote the bilateral accords in the region, at the same time the U.S. works to advance resolution of the Israel-Palestinian conflict.

Last year, the United Arab Emirates became the first Arab country in over two decades to establish ties with Israel, after Egypt and Jordan in 1979 and 1994, respectively. It was a move that bypassed the Palestinians, who saw it as betrayal.

The Abraham Accords include a general declaration of support for peaceful relations in the Middle East among Jews, Muslims and Christians, all followers of religions linked to the patriarch Abraham. The Trump administration saw the accords partly as paving a path toward full ties with Israel, including in security and intelligence cooperation to counter common rivals, such as Iran.

The deals former President Donald Trump struck were an important achievement, one that not only we support, but one wed like to build on, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told the House Foreign Affairs Committee this week.
After watching the video of Rep. Mike Nearman exiting a secured area of the Oregon State Capitol building, it is my opinion that Mr. Nearman intentionally, with both purpose and forethought, allowed armed protesters into the building on Dec. 21, 2020.

To my knowledge, Mr. Nearman has not publicly shown any remorse, contrition or responsibility for his seditious and dangerous actions.

While Mr. Nearman claims to not be a violent person, I looked up the word sedition in Websters Dictionary. It reads as follows: Sedition: conspiring to incite resistance or insurrection against a lawful authority.

It is my opinion that Mr. Nearman, as seen in the videos, knowingly conspired with protesters, while aiding and abetting actions which resulted in injury to officers of the Oregon State Police.

By his actions, Mr. Nearman also intentionally placed fellow elected legislators in harms way by allowing armed and violent protesters access through a secured area of the Capitol building. It was only the vigorous efforts by the Oregon State Police that prevented protesters from entering the legislature.
Denton, TX (76205)

Today

Partly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low near 75F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Partly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low near 75F. Winds light and variable.
Lebanons continued rationing of electrical power in the face of national shortages may prevent state operator Ogero from providing internet services, its chairman has warned.

Local news outlet The National quoted Ogero chief Imad Kreidieh as saying that the ongoing limiting of power consumption could cause internet blackouts across Lebanon which would have a disastrous impact on the countrys economy, central bank, and essential infrastructure such as schools and hospitals.

Power cuts have been an issue in Lebanon for decades, but the situation is set to deteriorate significantly following Turkish electricity provider Karadeniz Powerships announcement last month that it plans to shut down its operations in Lebanon. The firm generates around a third of Lebanons electricity.

The Turkish firm claimed that it had been considering the action for weeks, and has attributed the decision to the fact that it was owed 18 months of overdue payments. Its announcement came swiftly after two of its ships were seized on the order of a Lebanese prosecutor in relation to allegations of corruption. Karadeniz Powership has dismissed the accusations as baseless.

Kreidieh noted that while Ogero has been acquiring extra diesel generators to ensure power supply to internet relay stations, this solution is both expensive and unsustainable in the face of increasing diesel shortages. He added that financial restraints have hampered the introduction of solar-powered network infrastructure in Lebanon, with the technology still at an early stage.

TeleGeography notes that Lebanons continued economic crisis is another major factor; Ogero is finding itself increasingly unable to import network maintenance equipment, and while the value of the Lebanese pound is imploding, the operator is still required to pay for international connectivity in US dollars.

Kreidieh estimated that this would put a US$20 million dent in Ogeros funds for 2021, meaning that the operator would need to cover the costs by raising prices for end users. However, this decision would need to be taken by the government  and Lebanons political parties are at loggerheads after the previous government resigned in the wake of the disastrous chemical explosion that tore through Beirut in August last year.

While the situation is doubtless fraught, Kreidieh stated that Ogero will persist with its fibre-broadband access expansion, but noted that the deployment will inevitably be slower than originally planned. Ogero began a planned four-year fibre optic deployment in 2018 but progress stalled towards the end of 2019 and effectively stagnated throughout 2020, only resuming in 2021.

Kreidieh estimated that Ogero required a further US$80 million to complete the rollout, saying: Despite financing difficulties, Ogero has been adding 1,500 to 1,600 new subscribers to the fibre-optic network per month.
Groundviews

3 June 2021

After 12 days, the ship MV X-Press Pearl finally sank about 9.5 nautical miles from the Colombo harbour. It has not sunk fully because it is touching a coral bed. The ship had been burning from May 20; an explosion six days later brought disaster in the form of small white plastic pellets spread around almost one third of the coastline from Galle to Kalpitiya. The pellets are low density polyethylene plastic nurdles.

The busy East-West shipping route passes six to ten nautical miles south of the country. More than 60,000 ships ply this route annually carrying two thirds of the worlds oil and half its container shipments. Although there are thousands of ships passing by Sri Lanka every day, major ship accidents are rare. However, the fire on X-Press Pearl is the second accident during the last 10 months.

The Singapore-flagged cargo vessel was carrying a consignment of hazardous chemicals including nitric acid, ethanol, lead ingots, dust urea, frilled urea, high density and low density polyethylene (46 containers), epoxy resins (349 containers), sodium methoxide, caustic soda (42 containers), aluminum processing byproducts, raw materials for cosmetics, food items and general cargo from Qatar and Gujarat to the Colombo port. The ship also had 300 tonnes of bunker oil. With the sinking of the ship, the release of the chemicals is a serious risk to the ocean and the coastal ecosystem.

Nitric acid will damage the corals and ocean life as it is a highly corrosive chemical. It is a very dangerous acid.

The burned plastics are polluting the air. But spreading of plastic pellets is the most disastrous impact we have seen so far. While cleaning efforts could remove half the plastic beads, rest will stay mixed with sand and in the coral beds, continuing to kill ocean life for many more years. Heavy metals in the environmentally harmful substances and possible oil spill will bring disaster if we dont act fast. According to the list of goods, the container had many flammable liquids and solids such as sulfur. When sulfur is burned, poisonous gases are produced including hydrogen sulfide, sulfur dioxide and sulfur trioxide. Although there may have been some acid rain, that possibility is over now.

Sodium methoxide reacts with water to form sodium hydroxide, a corrosive material, and methyl alcohol, a flammable liquid. The heat from this reaction may be sufficient to ignite surrounding combustible material or the sodium methylate itself if the water is present even in small amounts. Therefore, using water for fire control was a wrong procedure.

Nitric acid reacts with water releasing large amount of heat, which was the cause of the accident as revealed in media reports. We have no report on how the ship controlled the fire at the initial stages. Vinyl acetate is a clear, colorless liquid. It is very flammable and may be ignited by heat, sparks or flames. It is a carcinogen and flammable.

The ship caught fire 9.5 nautical miles from the coast. Sri Lankan authorities who tried to manage the fire failed and there was an explosion on the morning of May 26. The fire was only controlled after Indian emergency support joined the mission on May 27. The Sri Lankan effort failed due to the lack of an emergency response system, lack of safety procedures, relevant expertise and lack of tools and equipment. Failure of other countries to assist Sri Lanka seems part of the negligence. There is a clear violation of the International Convention for Prevention Pollution from Ships (MARPOL Convention), which Sri Lanka ratified in 1997, that seeks to handle harmful substances.

The extent of environmental damage has not been assessed yet; the National Aquaculture Research Agency (NARA) and Marine Environment Protection Authority will conduct an assessment on the quality of sea water and the diversity of planktons.

Thousands of fishermen have lost their livelihoods after the government banned fishing from Panadura to Negombo. Fishermen who are allowed to go fishing cant sell their catch because people are afraid to eat seafood due to chemical poisoning.

The areas under direct impact are the western coast harbours from where there is offshore fishing, near shore fishing and lagoon fishing. The Dikowita Fishing Harbour is located less that 10 km from Colombo. About 349 boats, 272 rafters and 33 multi day boats ply out of this harbor. Over 6,000 fishermen live along Uswetakeiyava to Negombo coastal stretch. About 2,000 boats goes for fishing in the ocean. The Negombo lagoon has 3,000 fishermen and 1,300 boats and fishing crafts.

Dead fish have washed up on the shores with plastic pellets trapped in their gills. They will continue to ingest the pellets, which will be accumulated in their digestive systems, posing a health hazard for fish consumers. Even though the pellets are being collected, a considerable part will be left behind; it is impossible to do a total beach cleanup. Colombo and Gampaha are two most populated districts in Sri Lanka where many of the people, including tourists, use the beach for recreational purposes. The accident has caused significant damage to the visual quality of the beach that will last for years, affecting the tourism industry.

Although the impact on biodiversity is yet to be assessed, there are several reefs located in the area and the fauna and flora associated with the reefs will be seriously affected. Turtles, moray eel and sting ray have washed up on beaches. The coastal belt consists of several important and sensitive ecosystems such as coral reefs, seagrass beds, estuaries, lagoons and beaches where turtles frequently nest. The ocean around Sri Lanka is a rich habitat for marine mammals such as whales and dolphins, so the impact of an oil spill will be disastrous. When analyzing the environmental hazardous chemicals and other chemicals found on the ship, the air pollution during the fire would have been very toxic and the water contamination would also be very toxic.

Leaking containers were found about 1,000 miles away from Sri Lanka. According to the media, Port Hazira on the west coast of India and Hamad in Qatar had denied captains request to offload containers with leaking nitric acid. If the ships authorities had acted more responsibly, the disaster could have been avoided. They are also responsible under the precautionary principle in international environmental law and they should have taken measures to prevent this happening or to reduce the harm. The country is paying a high price in terms of environmental, social and economic costs.

Under the polluter pays principle, polluters and responsible parties are required to pay for the damage they cause to the territorial sea and its ocean life, water quality, air quality and the other interests such as damage to livelihoods and fisheries in addition to the cost of emergency response, clean ups and compensation to the victims of pollution. However, our experience is not very positive.

In September 2020 a crude oil carrier chartered by Indian Oil Corporation, the New Diamond, set off from Kuwait to the Paradip Port in India with 270,000 metric tons of crude oil that started spilling into the ocean on Sri Lankas east coast following a fire on board. Sri Lankan authorities have filed charges against the captain and a claim for $2.4 million from the ships owners for the firefighting and pollution prevention efforts. A team of experts, tasked to assess the comprehensive environmental damage, came up with a compensation of around $17.38 million but this has not yet been paid.

Sri Lanka has not signed the Hazardous and Noxious Substances Convention. Had Sri Lanka become a signatory to the convention and incorporated it into the domestic law, the country would have been in a better position to claim compensation for the damage done.

We need to remedy the environmental damage to the rich ecosystem associated with ocean environment including coral reefs, mangroves and lagoons that will be there for years to come. We need justice for the fishing community who have been affected due to the contamination of sea areas and loss of fishing grounds. We need justice for the public who use the beach for recreation purposes. The Centre for Environmental Justice will file a fundamental rights application in the Supreme Court for this purpose.

More importantly, we need to learn from the disaster and correct our emergency response mechanism. There should be a dedicated unit with facilities at the Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA) including a ship facilities to engage in ocean incidents. It is important to sign and ratify necessary international conventions before next disaster. Scientific decision making should be respected and scientific bodies such as National Aquatic resources Agency (NARA) should be given necessary infrastructure and facilities including a research ship to study our ocean and bring the benefits of science to prevent future disasters.

(Hemantha Withanage is the Executive Director, Centre for Environmental Justice)

[The above artilce from Groundviews is reproduced here in public interest and for educational and non commercial use.]
Orange Centrafrique has been unable to offer mobile services after its core network, data centre and radio installations were destroyed in a fire on 6th June.

Radio France Internationale (RFI) reports that the operator is still assessing the damage to its Bangui premises, and has not yet stated when it will be able to resume services.

The operators CEO Regis Deliere told RFI that the fire had wreaked havoc, destroying most of the equipment. It required colossal amounts and years of work to construct this equipment, so replacing it will cost a lot of money.

CommsUpdate reported that the operators entire network was down nationwide, although the operator issued a statement saying that it was looking into ways to gradually restore services as quickly as possible.
Brazils long-anticipated 5G spectrum auction is on track for next month, according to the countrys Minister of Communications Fabio Faria.

Reuters quoted the official as saying that while the TCU (Tribunal de Contas da Uniao / Federal Court of Accounts) is currently analysing the rules of the process, this would not delay the auction. Faria noted that by July 2022, 5G Standalone (SA) networks are expected to be available all state capitals.

TeleGeography reports that Brazils regulator Anatel gave the green light to a number of 5G regulations on 25th February this year  a full year after the auction process was approved by the countrys Ministry of Science, Technology, Innovations and Communications.

Several frequencies will be made available in the auction, including the 700MHz, 2.3GHz and 3.5GHz bands, as well 26GHz millimetre wave (mmWave) spectrum.
Telecom Egypt (TE) and Vodafone Group have inked a modified shareholders agreement which includes changes to Vodafone Egypts dividend policy.

According to the agreement, Vodafone Egypt will pay a one-time dividend of EGP 10 billion (USD 636 million) to its shareholders during the 2021 calendar year, EGP 2 billion of which was paid in March, said a joint press release.

The parties have also agreed on a minimum dividend payout ratio of 60 percent of free cash flow in the future.

TE owns a 45% stake in Vodafone Egypt, while Vodafone International has the rest 55%. The agreement also gives Vodafone the right to transfer its shareholding in Vodafone Egypt within the broader Vodafone Group.

Ehab Taha, Partner, and Head of Corporate Commercial said: We are pleased to have advised Telecom Egypt on this amended shareholders agreement. This agreement enhances the rights of Telecom Egypt as a shareholder in Vodafone Egypt for Telecommunications and sets the way forward for a true partnership between Telecom Egypt and Vodafone Group for future years to come.

"The new agreement will lead to further stability and enhancement in the mobile telecommunication market in Egypt. Ehab Taha added.

Egypts Minister of Communications and Information Technology Amr Talaat witnessed the signing between the two sides.

Back in December, Vodafone ended its discussions with Saudi Telecom Co for the sale of its stake. At the start of 2020, Vodafone had announced a deal to sell the majority interest in its Egypt business to Saudi Telecom for USD2.39 billion, giving Vodafone Egypt an enterprise value of USD4.35 billion.
The restrictions on offering mobile money services that have been a condition of the recent licence applications in Ethiopia have occasioned a lot of comment. Now Kenya's president has got involved.

President Uhuru Kenyatta has urged Ethiopia to open up its telecoms sector to private mobile money business investors.

It is of course true that Ethiopia is allowing new entrants into its telecoms sector; last month authorities awarded the countrys first private operator licence to a consortium that included mobile money pioneer Safaricom. However, only the incumbent, and (for the moment) state-owned operator Ethio Telecom is allowed to offer mobile financial services. Foreign operators are barred from involvement in mobile money services  at least for now.

Another licence bid  from the MTN Group  was rejected as too low, but MTNs CEO Ralph Mupita has said an improved bid is possible. However, his company may not bother with a second try if mobile money services are not part of the license. Take-up of the new Ethio Telecom mobile money service Telebirr, meanwhile, has been impressive: over three million people have already signed up, according to some estimates.

Meanwhile, in the more competitive Cameroon market, a new mobile money service is on the way. By the end of 2021, Viettel Cameroon, operating under the brand name Nexttel, will launch its mobile money services. It will be called Nexttel Possa (wallet) and will be launched in partnership with UBA Cameroon (United Bank for Africa is one of Africa's leading financial institutions). It will compete with existing offerings from MTN and Orange Cameroon.
Group Vivendi Africa (GVA) officially rolled out its broadband connectivity operations in Burkina Faso's capital, Ouagadougou.

The technology proposed by the company for its CanalBox offers  FTTH (Fiber to the Home)- offers optical fiber directly to the customer, whether an individual or a business.

Hadja Fatimata Ouattara, the Minister of Digital Economy of the West African country, said, The proposed price will impact the e-communication market because, although its a regulated market, the price details are dictated by competition. We, therefore, welcome the arrival of a new player in this sector and, of course, what we expect is a better quality of service and to ensure that the Internet is democratized.

Marco De Assis, President of Group Vivendi Africa, said: Our teams are setting up in Ouagadougou the best internet network for the public, as we are convinced broadband access for all is a key factor in economic and social development. GVAs mission is to make internet access affordable for all homes.

For residential customers, the price of the subscription is XOF 30,000 (USD45.7)/month for a fibre-based connection of 50 Mbps with no data limits. A one-off charge of XOF 30,000 applies for the equipment, and the installation is currently included at no extra cost. A 'Pro' version of the service is also on offer for business customers.

The service is currently available in several areas of Ouagadougou, namely the ZACA Zone, Koulouba, Paspanga, Nimnin, Cite en III, Saint Leon, Kamsonghin, Samandin, Bilbalogho, 1200 logements, Dagnoen, Kalgondin, and Wemtenga, while deployment continues in several other areas of the city, including Wayalguin, Zone du Bois, Zogona, Dassasgho, Gounghin, Pissy, Petit Paris, and Karpala.

Group Vivendi Africas entry into Burkina Fasos ultra-broadband segment fits with the companys African expansion strategy that started in 2017. The country is the sixth African market to welcome GVA, after Gabon, Togo, Cote dIvoire, Congo, and Rwanda.
Orange Jordan has signed a three-year agreement with Nokia to deploy more than 100,000 units of Nokia WiFi Beacons across the country.

Nokias solution, including fibre modems and Wi-Fi beacons, will allow Orange Jordan to provide consistent Wi-Fi coverage even at the farthest places inside the premises. The Nokia beacons are available for both new and existing subscribers of Orange Jordan.

Nokias Wi-Fi solution uses mesh technology to provide seamless coverage and no service drops in the buildings farthest parts, making them suitable for large houses, gated communities and offices. Orange Jordans subscribers will be able to easily install and manage their Wi-Fi network through the Nokia WiFi mobile app.

The Nokia WiFi Beacons come with in-built intelligence enabling them to resolve problems like interference and connectivity issues. Superior quality of services will allow Orange Jordan to enhance customer experience, bring down operational costs and increase customer satisfaction.

Mohamed Salama, head of fixed networks, MEA, Nokia, said: Our latest Wi-Fi solution offers seamless reach into the farthermost parts of a building. Our beacons are easy to install and manage and will help our customer provide better network performance which will lead to increased usage and more revenue.

Orange Jordan and Nokia agreed a deal in 2017 to deploy a GPON fibre throughout the kingdom.
There is no beast more fearsome than that which, aware that its end is nigh, reserves enough energy for a final few blows. "Nothing to lose" is the worst of motivations, and this is the situation of the Cuban government.

Last October, in the article "Is Castroism Coming to an End? What the Figures Say", we estimated that Cuba's international financial reserves were so low that it was foreseeable that by mid-2021 they would be depleted.

Since then, a series of events and information has only reinforced this supposition. Castroism faces a desperate situation. It is a dying beast.

Of course, Diaz-Canel and his gang could turn the ship around, 180 degrees, by undertaking real economic reform; and without even inventing anything, just going down the liberal path that their dictatorial counterparts China and Vietnam took, with resounding success.

The formula for getting out of underdevelopment is clear (managing development is more complex) and, although it may not seem like it, Cuba is one of the countries that could implement and benefit from reform with the greatest success and immediacy. This is why it is so painful to see the island ailing due to the selfishness of a few.

The country's ruling elites, aware of the impossibility of letting go of the country's economic reins (under the conditions specific to Cuba) without loosening their totalitarian grip on power, instead are strengthening state companies (or trying to) and investing much more than is sensible in the construction of hotels. Thus, they are sweetening and enlarging the cake that they will slice up among the cadre of new oligarchs: the generals, colonels and high-ranking bureaucrats who will inherit the spoils when the system collapses.

Today, and with bank accounts increasingly in the red, the government's priority is to stall while waiting for a miracle from Saint Putin, Saint Jinping, or, above all, Saint Biden.

Buying time, however, is not the same as waiting passively.

Without the minimum of resources necessary for Cubans to live, pliantly counting on a plate of food, without protesting, and until a sugar daddy appears to maintain it, Castroism is tightening its clutch on society, preparing to replace cash with a computerized system that will allow it to monitor and individually record the life of each Cuban, each small business, and each self-employed person, in addition to greatly reducing transaction costs in the real economy.

The recent announcement that prepaid (debit) cards in dollars are being created for use within the country (it has not yet been specified how they will be used or where they will be sold) is a point of convergence between financial bankruptcy and an evolution towards citizen control through the computerization of commerce.

The news set off shock waves. Many were deluded, believing they could finally buy at MLC stores and that their pesos would be of value, but it was soon specified that in no case would they be sold at the official exchange rate in CUP. The Central Bank of Cuba itself has clarified that it does not have the money to do such a thing, but that it is preparing a new "banking product."

The desperate need for dollars has led the Government to practically pick the pockets of travelers who arrive on the island. They do not even take into account the negative effect that measures such as these prepaid cards will have on the extra hotel spending of tourists, or the already announced non-repurchasing of Cuban pesos at airports. They are so desperate that what are obviously shortsighted policies, with benefits only in the short term seem to them like good policy.

The truth is that these cards are a coherent step towards the elimination of cash. If the Cuban government has excelled at one thing, it is turning apparent setbacks into political victories. As Hayek pointed out: "emergencies" have always been pretexts for eroding individual freedom. Emergencies, crises, are the natural habitats of Castroism.

The diagnosis today is the same as last October: in mid-2021 the Cuban government will have no money, and the wounded beast will be more dangerous than ever.

However, its death throes can be dragged out. Absurd situations will spread, such as being able to pay digitally, via smartphone, in empty and dilapidated stores. Cuba will be a pioneer in digital money ... but with nothing to buy.

The comic side of the tragicomedy that is the "Cuban Revolution" vanished years ago. Let us hope that the tragic part, which has already produced too many tears, at least ends without bloodshed.
Am I the only one who has fix-it projects fail but only if I button everything up prior to testing? As an example, when I was a computer technician I would frequently open up computers to replace parts for newer parts or sometimes to replace a broken part.
Dalondo Moultrie is the assistant managing editor of the Seguin Gazette. You can e-mail him at dalondo.moultrie@seguingazette.com .
For many Americans, the arrival of COVID-19 vaccines less than a year after the pandemic began is, quite literally, unbelievable. That skepticism is contributing to hesitancy to get the shot  especially among those concerned that the most widely used COVID-19 vaccines rely on messenger RNA, or mRNA, to induce protection. This is the first time that any mRNA vaccine has been approved for human use.

But the development of mRNA vaccines against COVID-19 is no overnight success. In fact, they have a remarkable back story stretching back decades. Without one researchers determination, two companies with vision, a longtime network of university labs, and decades of taxpayer funding in treatments for influenza and HIV, particularly by the National Institutes of Health, COVID-19 vaccines might still be years away. Even then, it took a massive, unprecedented investment by the U.S. government to get these shots from labs into arms faster than ever before.

The remarkable success over the past few months in slowing the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S. can be traced back to these four parallel stories and one big bet from the U.S. government.

mRNA vaccines: An

idea more than 30
NEW ORLEANS  About 100 supporters of a Louisiana minister gathered outside a federal appeals court in New Orleans on Monday to show support as his lawyers asked to revive a lawsuit he filed last year challenging the states coronavirus restrictions.

Tony Spell repeatedly flouted the public health restrictions at his Life Tabernacle Church in the Baton Rouge suburb of Central, and faces six state criminal counts as a result. His supporters assembled at a public park across from the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, where they prayed, listened to speeches and waved flags reading An Appeal to Heaven. Spell then walked into the courthouse, escorted across the street by one man carrying a pole with a large cross affixed at the top, while a man nearby waved an American flag.

A federal judge in Baton Rouge dismissed Spells lawsuit in November. U.S. District Judge Brian Jackson said the suit against Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards and others was largely moot because the restrictions had been repeatedly eased over several months. Since that ruling, almost all state restrictions have been lifted.

Lawyers for Spell also are appealing Jacksons ruling that Spell is not entitled to damages. Spells attorneys include Roy Moore, a former Alabama judge and failed U.S. Senate candidate.
MIAMI (AP)  Miami-based Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings on Monday announced plans to set sail from two Florida ports requiring passengers to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 despite state legislation banning businesses from asking for proof.

Norwegian announced sailings from New York, Los Angeles, Port Canaveral and Miami.

Carnival Cruise Line, also based in Miami, announced sailings from the Port of Galveston, Texas, with vaccinated guests and was working with Florida officials for a ship to leave from PortMiami.

The cruise lines plans appear to be at odds with the new state law. The sailings are contingent on obtaining a certificate from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and it remains unclear how the plans can be reconciled with Florida law. Norwegian said in a statement that it is contact with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis office on the requirements.

We are currently in communication with his staff and legal counsel to ensure that we can offer the safest cruise experience for our passengers departing from the cruise capital of the world, said Norwegians CEO, Frank Del Rio.
Colonial officials have said they took their pipeline system offline before the attack could spread to its operating system, and decided soon after to pay ransom of 75 bitcoin  then valued at roughly $4.4 million  in hopes of bringing itself back online as soon as it could. The company's president and chief executive, Joseph Blount, is set to testify before congressional panels this week.

In a statement Monday, Blount said he was grateful for the FBI's efforts and said holding hackers accountable and disrupting their activities "is the best way to deter and defend against future attacks of this nature.

The private sector also has an equally important role to play and we must continue to take cyber threats seriously and invest accordingly to harden our defenses, he added.

Cryptocurrency is favored by cybercriminals because it enables direct online payments regardless of geographical location, but in this case, the FBI was able to identify a virtual currency wallet used by the hackers and recovered the proceeds from there, said the FBIs Abbate. The Justice Department did not provide details about how the FBI had obtained a key for the specific bitcoin address, but said law enforcement had been able to track multiple transfers of the cryptocurrency.
The Houston County Commission (HCC) met Wednesday morning in a workshop format to discuss joining other Alabama counties in the Investing in Alabama Counties (IAC) program, created by the Association of County Commissions of Alabama (ACCA).

The ICA is a new program set up for counties that is intended to provide tailored support services to identify the best and most important uses of the funding and to ensure full compliance with both the federal and state requirements, according to a status report from ACCA.

We want to assist counties in identifying the best uses, putting together those projects and giving the administrative and technology expertise to make those projects a success, said Sonny Brasfield, executive director of ACCA. The guidance is over 150 pages long right now, so we want to help counties interpret it in the same way so no one is left out on their own once audit time comes.

To become a part of the IAC, the county will have to pay a fee, which will be 6% of the first $7 million and 4% of anything over that. This payment will be taken out of the American Rescue Plan funding. For Houston County, the fee is estimated around $930,000.

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That boycott later helped provide the framework for the famous effort sparked by Rosa Parks that led to a bus boycott in Montgomery, Alabama, in 1955.

Ted Jemison, the son of the Rev. T.J. Jemison, remembered White as being outspoken and unafraid to share her opinion. He told The Advocate of a conversation he had with her years ago about that day. He recalled her telling him she just wanted to sit in that bus seat because she was tired from being on her feet constantly that day.

Can you imagine working on your feet all day and just wanting to sit down? Jemison recalled White as saying. She was the same way from when she was young to when she was 90 years old. She knew that what she did was for the good of everyone in Baton Rouge.

We really lost a true pioneer for civil rights, said Jason Roberts, co-owner of the Baton Rouge African American Museum, speaking of Whites death, the newspaper reported.



This story has been edited to correct White's age at the time of the boycott. She was 31, not 23.

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